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mkgtravel · 3 years

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Interesting National Symbols From Around the World

National symbols play an important role in a country’s global identity. Not only do they represent the ideals, tastes, or history of a nation, but they also create a sense of community for the population. Around the world, different emblems like animals, foods, drinks, dances, flowers, and trees are chosen as national symbols in an attempt to define the country as a whole.

Sometimes these symbols are decided upon by the sovereign state as a way to create a cultural sense of unity. Other times, a country’s symbol is chosen by default, and while it may not bear official status, it represents the nation nonetheless. Either way, the result is a wide variety of national emblems that range from surprising to mystical.

Unicorn (Scotland)

Visit Scotland and it’s likely you’ll notice an abundance of unicorns displayed throughout the country. This is because the mythical creature is Scotland's national animal. You can find unicorns depicted on castles, fountains, cathedrals, coins, and even tombs. According to Scottish legend, the unicorn is both pure and powerful, and almost impossible to tame. King William I chose the unicorn for the royal coat of arms in the 12th century, as did King James VI of Scotland in 1603, and it has been a national symbol ever since.

Tikka Masala (England)

A plate of fish and chips likely comes to mind when you think of traditional English fare, but the country’s favorite dish has roots on another continent. Tikka masala, a flavorful curry that most often features chicken, is equally beloved across the country. Purported to be “a true British national dish,” tikka masala was introduced to the nation by British citizens of Indian descent. The dish is a popular take-out item and considered to be the ultimate British comfort food.

Gumboot (South Africa)

All you need to perform South Africa’s gumboot dance is a sense of rhythm and a pair of Wellington boots. The national dance began as a form of communication between Black miners during apartheid — all of whom wore tall rubber boots in flooded working conditions. Verbal communication between workers was restricted, which prompted the miners to “speak” to each other by slapping and stomping their boots. These movements eventually transformed into the gumboot dance, which now serves as a visual representation of the nation’s oppressive history as well as its work towards reconciliation.

Oak Tree (United States)

The majestic bald eagle is widely known as a symbol of the U.S., but there is another national emblem that is just as stately — the oak tree. The mighty oak was voted the national tree of the U.S. by the Arbor Day Foundation in 2004. Selected over 21 other North American species such as maple, redwood, and pine, the oak was chosen because of the strength it represents, as well as its ability to grow from a tiny acorn into a powerful tree.

Kumis (Mongolia)

Kumis, the national drink of Mongolia, is a fermented beverage enjoyed by many throughout the nation. Although the drink is traditionally brewed with the milk of a mare, kumis can also be made from cow’s milk. Known for its slightly acidic flavor, the dairy beverage becomes carbonated during the fermentation process. It also has a relatively low alcohol content, which can range from one to three percent, and is most often served chilled.

Quadrille (Jamaica)

Originally a formal dance performed in court, the quadrille was first brought to Jamaica by Europeans. Over time, enslaved people adopted the quadrille for themselves, morphing the traditional dance into three new varieties: the contra, the ballroom, and the camp style. Of all three, the camp style is the most lively interpretation. This Afro-Jamaican version of the formal quadrille still employs partner dancing, but requires more rhythmic hip swings and footwork.

Dodo Bird (Mauritius)

The dodo bird has been extinct for centuries, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be celebrated. Native to the island nation of Mauritius, this large bird vanished from Earth in the 17th century. Since it couldn’t fly and had little fear of humans, the pigeon-like creature was easily caught by Dutch sailors for dinner — a repeated event that eventually led to its demise. As the national symbol of Mauritius, the dodo bird is still celebrated in spirit, and its image is found in shops throughout the country.

Palm Wine (Malaysia)

Palm wine, also called toddy, has long been a traditional drink of Malaysia, with roots dating back to 1886. Named for the tree from which it is procured, palm wine is extracted from the unopened flower of a budding palm fruit. After it’s tapped, the liquid sits for 48 hours so that it naturally ferments and becomes alcoholic. It can be consumed chilled or at room temperature and is often mixed with stout beer, fresh chilies, or onions.

Guinea Pig (Peru)

Although the cute, furry creature is beloved as a pet elsewhere around the world, the guinea pig is actually considered to be a delicacy in Peru called cuy — and is most often found on a dinner plate. Served since Incan times, roasted guinea pig is a popular dish enjoyed throughout this South American country.

Caesar Cocktail (Canada)

You won’t find a Bloody Mary on a menu in Canada. Instead, you’ll find a very similar substitute — the Caesar. Similar to a Bloody Mary, a Caesar cocktail contains vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. However, the addition of clamato juice, which is made from clams, is the secret ingredient that transforms it into the national drink of Canada. The drink is beloved by many and said to be a hangover cure. Canada even celebrates National Caesar Day annually in May.

Century Egg (China)

Although the process doesn’t take 100 years as the name implies, making century eggs is certainly time consuming. This Chinese egg dish has been around for centuries, ever since a farmer found a naturally preserved duck egg in the mud and decided to try it as a snack. Today, century eggs are soaked in a solution of clay, salt, and ash for weeks. The result is the national dish, a blackened egg with a jelly yolk that is eaten by itself or with the addition of pickled ginger.

Palo de Mayo (Nicaragua)

Palo de Mayo is a vibrant, colorful tribute to the African goddess of fertility. The Afro-Caribbean dance is most often performed at the Palo de Mayo Festival, a four-week event that takes place in Bluefields, Nicaragua, throughout May. The high-tempo dance is often performed in brightly colored costumes to celebrate the vibrancy of the Caribbean culture, while also welcoming spring and the possibility of new life

Spiral Aloe (Lesotho)

A tiny country located within the borders of South Africa, Lesotho is home to the Maluti Mountains, the only place in the world where spiral aloe grows. This rare plant thrives in thin, rocky soil and blooms pink and red flowers during spring and summer. Named for its mesmerizing spiral shape, this variety of aloe is endangered and therefore illegal to harvest, but beautiful to behold.

Gallic Rooster (France)

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dragonnan · 3 years

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This is faaaar from a complete list and will be spotty at best but I’ve been pondering MCU characters a lot as I’ve been getting slowly back to work on my mega-fic. I LOVE minor head canons. Simple stuff like favorite foods or what music they listen to or were they ever a smoker or whatever whatever. So I’m gonna give myself the challenge of crafting some head canon and anyone else is very welcome to dive in! (some things are already established via canon)

~ Ethnicity ~ Faith ~ Smoker ~ Alcohol ~ Favorite food ~ Favorite cookie ~ Favorite animal(s) ~ Favorite music ~

Tony Stark: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American-Jewish (he refers to himself as a “mutt”) Faith: “No thanks” being the initial answer but if he feels like opening up he’ll admit to believing there’s likely “something” out there but at the same time figures that “something” stopped caring about humanity a long long time ago. Smoker? Never liked cigarettes but smoked a few cigars when he was younger due to Obie’s influence. He never was a big fan but wanted to fit in with his mentor. Alcohol: Influenced both by his father and Obie, Tony started drinking hard liquor semi-regularly as young as 14 (his Dad let him try his first sip at the age of 6). He pretty much sticks with Scotch or Bourbon but is not opposed to cheap beer at a ball game. In fact the cheaper the better - a requirement for any self-respecting American. Favorite food: hot dogs. Neither one of his parents cooked. Breakfast and lunch were whatever whenever for all three of them but dinner? You better be sure you were at that table before the plates were set down or you could go without (and Tony got a slap from his father when he’d observed that rule only seemed to apply to him). But on the nights he was sent to his room, Jarvis would slip upstairs, later, with a sandwich or, on really rough nights, a couple of hotdogs. Favorite cookie: Those Christmas wreath ones made with cereal and marshmallow with the cinnamon candies. Favorite animal(s): he likes all animals but if he had to pick one for a pet he’d get an iguana. Favorite music: well duh lolol.

Stephen Strange: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American (borrowed from Benedict Cumberbatch’s ethnicity and adding the American) Faith: Originally atheist but now closer to Buddhist. Smoker: Never. Even prior to becoming a sorcerer he has always been conscious of what he takes into his body; especially given the history of cancer on his mother’s side of the family. Alcohol: Wine, occasionally, though he isn’t really a social drinker per-say. Favorite food: The spicy shrimp and pork dumplings from a Thai place in Midtown. Favorite cookie: Hmmm.... not a big sweets guy but he won’t turn away a few ginger-pecan cookies with coffee. Favorite animal(s): dogs - unequivocally. He had a border collie growing up on his family farm in Nebraska. Favorite music: please don’t make this poor man actually have to choose.

Steve Rogers: Ethnicity: Irish (as per comics) Faith? Irish-Catholic (as per the comics). Smoker? Prior to the serum there was no way he could safely do so with his health issues. After he started traveling with the performers all of the girls in the group smoked and he tried it out a few times but never developed a taste for it. Alcohol: he drank A LOT - easy enough to do as it never had any real effect on him. He enjoys scotch and bourbon (a taste he picked up from hanging around Howard Stark). Steve seems to low-key always have the munchies (like most enhanced) and once Tony picked up on that there are always a variety of snacks scattered here and there throughout the compound (also of benefit for Bruce, Peter, Thor, and, later, Bucky). Steve’s favorite foods typically remind him of his mother’s cooking. While they’d never had much (especially after his father died) his mom could do a lot with limited supplies. She used to make a fantastic meat pie with ground beef or tongue. He hates SPAM. They ate it in the Army, constantly, and just the smell will occasionally send him back to those days and not in a good way. Favorite cookie? Oreos. He can clean up a family sized pack in like 10 minutes. Steve loves animals but is especially fond of horses and dogs. There was a dog in his unit in WW2 and Steve, like most of the other men, would share bites of his rations with it. Steve is nostalgic about music from the 40s but finds that 70s rock really resonates with him.

Bucky Barnes: Ethnicity: Romanian-American (borrowing a little from Sebastian Stan’s ethnicity) Faith? Possibly agnostic. Smoker? Heck yes - both cigarettes and cigars. Like Steve, the serum he received (via Hydra’s experimentation) means he gets to dodge the detrimental side effects of smoking. Alcohol: He likes to drink but is almost exclusively a beer drinker. He has a big appetite but refuses to eat around others if he can at all help it. His favorite food is corned beef with cabbage. Steve’s grandmother was an Irish immigrant and would make it every Sunday before the war impacted rations. Since both Bucky’s parents were dead he’d often have dinner with his best friend. Also, unlike Steve, he actually likes SPAM. But then, arguably, he isn’t terribly picky about food in general. Favorite cookie: molasses. Favorite animal(s): birds - eagles in particular - though he doesn’t look too deeply at the psychology of their ability to just fly away. Needless to say a crafty observer might spot a former Winter Soldier tossing seeds towards the pigeons. Favorite music: He’s pretty eclectic though he shies away from anything too loud like death metal. He finds classical very soothing.

Peter Parker: Ethnicity: Mixed American-Scandinavian-German-ish Faith: Protestant upbringing but unsure where he currently stands. If pressed he’d say he’s “leaving his options open” Smoker? “Oh gross!” Alcohol: “Um, too young to drink, thanks! But if I WERE to... you know, try it just to taste it there was this mudslide at one of Flash’s parties that was super good...” Favorite food: spaghetti and meatballs. Lots of meatballs. Favorite cookie: chocolate chocolate chip with chunks. Favorite animal(s): NOT spiders. And NOT birds given how many rooftops he’s traversed layered in pigeon ick. He’d probably say cats. Favorite music: The B side of techno rock - especially Depeche Mode.

Peter Quill: Ethnicity: Half mixed American and half celestial. Faith: His Dad was a god and he killed him so he figures he probably isn’t on the best terms with the Big G God should He... or She... or Them... be out there. Look he just wants to do his thing and cause a little trouble without mixing it up with any other celestial types but if they DO wanna throw down he’d like to point out that he’s 1 for 1 and willing to rumble. Smoker: He would not say no to a really good cigar and may have possibly lifted a case from Yondu’s stash when he struck out on his own. Alcohol: Anywhere any time and in large quantities. Favorite food: A thick steakhouse bacon burger with potato chips right on the patty. Extra cheese please! Favorite cookie: He’s a simple guy with simple tastes. classic chocolate chip no frills no fuss and fresh from the oven. Favorite animal(s): He likes dogs - who doesn’t like dogs? But he really likes cows. Just maybe don’t mention the burger thing. Favorite music:

Thor: He’s a Norse god of legend so I figure we can forego the ethnicity/faith questions lol. Smoker: He has never understood this human custom nor has he felt any inclination to try it himself Alcohol: Beer, mead, and anything capable of knocking him on his ass. Favorite food: chili with ghost peppers. Though nowhere near as hot as the fire chilies of Muspelheim (which would be instantly fatal for humans so its just as well). Favorite cookie: strawberry cheesecake with macadamia nuts. Favorite animal(s): It’s a tossup between bilgesnipe and whales. Favorite music: The mighty horns of battle! He also enjoys old school country, much to Tony’s disgust. The story aspect of that music is what appeals to him.

Bruce Banner: Ethnicity: Italian-American Faith: Catholic in his childhood; currently Atheist or maybe agnostic. Smoker: He tends to avoid any substances for, you know, obvious reasons. Alcohol: See previous. Favorite food: Waffles with sliced mango. Favorite cookie: Oatmeal. Favorite animal(s): Mantis shrimp - “did you know they can generate so much power in their attacks that they can briefly super-heat the water up to 7,700 °C??” Favorite music: Indian- especially Krishna Bhajan.

Clint Barton: Ethnicity: Mixed European-American and Panamanian. Faith: His parents were both Protestant but he’s never latched on to any specific faith and hasn’t really devoted a lot of thought on the matter. He has a sorta loose idea of “maybe something out there” but that’s all the further he’s gotten on the subject. What he tells anyone who asks it’s that his religion is coffee. Smoker: Briefly when he was a teen. Alcohol: Beer - he’s a fan of dark lager. Favorite food: Coney Island dogs, Pizza, and pickle flavored potato chips. Favorite cookie: Monster cookies with the mini M&Ms. Favorite animal(s): Dogs Favorite music: 80s rock and some country.

Natasha Romanoff: Ethnicity: Russian. Faith: She was not given much choice when younger and was raised as “state atheist” (per comics). In the years since escaping that life, however, she has tried to discover more about herself. Her parents were both Russian Jewish and there has been a pull to discover more about that faith - especially since meeting Wanda - who is Jewish. Smoker: No. Alcohol: Some vodka - that’s a given. But she actually prefers wine; and honestly her favorites are wine spritzers. Favorite food: Favorite cookie: Krumkake filled with creme and berries. Favorite animal(s): Favorite music: Overall she listens to a pile of little-known bands and whomever is playing at whatever bar in whatever city she happens to be in. She also is a huge fan of old school Spice Girls.

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islanani-blog · 5 years

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Allow myself to introduce my....self...

Ok so, it’s a new year, time for a new look…it’s time to break the mold of the old and be cool with what’s new. Like that Tupac song goes…”it’s time for a change, let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live, and let’s change the way we treat each other. You see the old ways wasn’t working so it’s on us to do what gotta do, to survive…”

The New Year tells me that it’s time for a change...it’s time to reintroduce myself. It’s time for IslaNani sucka’s! That sounds good, don’t it? IslaNani….it’s….it’s….well it’s the soul in my food, my travels, and how I feel when I see my family and friends. IslaNani is a state of mind, a sojourn of the spirit, very Metamucil…just close them eyes, take a deep breath and when you reopen them eyes, see the world for what it was intended to be…beautiful, loving, and filled with those we care about the most. So…what does all this mean? Shee-yit, it means I’m back fool! But I’m changing up the game while staying true to what got me here and that is sharing my passion for life, food, and still making dumb assed uncle jokes along the way. So, you ready? I’m ready! Let’s get down!!

Ok then, I recently got back from a 19 day trip to Hawai’i and I have to say it was transformative. Not Transformative like Bumblebee or Optimus Prime Rib…but like it provided me the chance to be with my family as we found new things to love about a place we have gone for the last 10 plus years. It was really cool to see new things and go on new adventures in a place that had become so familiar and laden with the same haunts each jaunt. Think of it like looking at yourself in the mirror all the time, same old you. You say to yourself “I’m good looking but it’s the same reflection every time.” Then one day you realize, “Hey, I have really nice ear lobes…those are some nicely shaped lobes. I never realized how good looking those things are. I’m gonna go out and show my badass lobes to the globe.” I also came away with a new found appreciation for my family relationships in general. We even made some new friends that we will be in touch with for years to come. That’s what got me thinking about a shake-up in my blog postings. I’m still sorting this out, but I feel like mixing up food and travel will be a nice blend. Basically when I travel, I find something good that I ate and I come home and cook it. So why not bring the two together? Food and travel go hand in hand like Charlie Brown and Snoopy, ball games and hot dogs, a white Speedon’t and that one European dude at the beach playing badminton by himself for some reason…just matches made in heaven. I mean damn, they have a full channel dedicated to it. Not the European Dude Speedo Badminton Beach Championships (or the EDSBBC for short), but you know…travel. One day I’ll have to audition for one of those Travel Channel shows. We call it, “Can’t Take Him Anywhere Nice” starring Uncle Manny. But sadly, that dream will have to wait. Until then, I’m gonna show off some sweet Hawai’i pics and take on a couple different ways to prep up musubi as well as some egg rolls. So slap on those board shorts and that chef hat and let’s get to work motha sucka’s!

Egg Rollin’ with the Homies

Egg roll wrappers (thawed)

2 chicken breasts

1 bell pepper diced

1/2 onion diced

2 tbsp. of minced garlic

Taco seasoning to taste

This isn’t exactly a new one, but it’s something that the wife had on our last trip and she wanted me to make it for her. So to start, in a medium sized bowl, rub the chicken breasts with taco seasonings then put a little oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken breast until done, about 10 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and place on a cutting board to cool. While those breastesses cool down, put the pan back on medium-high heat and add in the onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Go back to the chicken and dice it up into small pieces, return the pan to the heat and mix in the chicken with the veggies and cook until it is all blended in. When done, set aside and allow to cool for about half an hour. While you wait, go like drink a beer or something. Once you have waited for half an hour, or about 4 beers (because 4 beers in half an hour is about right isn’t it?) take out the egg roll wrapper and place a couple spoonful’s of the mixture on the bottom corner. Wrap up the egg rolls and set on a cookie sheet, plate, or whatever flat surface you want to use. From here you can pan fry them in oil, or if you are one of those do-goody “I don’t fry stuff because I’m healthy, but I’ll bake the sh*t out of it” types then that’s cool too. Just put a little oil on a cookie sheet, brush a little oil on each egg roll and bake it at like 425 degrees or whatever temp you like. Me? I’m the “Fry-day is My-day” type so I puts ‘em in oil and eats ‘em up. If I wanted to be healthy I’d eat a salad and run a mile. So anyway, once these are done, you can set out some salsa for dipping or do it my way with a couple spoonfuls of sour cream mixed with Chipotle Tabasco for your dipping sauce. This recipe feels very Guy Fieri, but who gives a spit, they taste good cuz!

Don’t Worry, Musubi Happy

Steamed white rice (sushi rice preferred but jasmine is ok for musubi)

Nori sheets

Portuguese sausage

Salmon

Teriyaki sauce

Furikake

What you want to do first is steam the rice. While that steams, cut the sausage in long strips, then pan fry them on medium-high heat. They will be done when they are a little brown and slightly crispy. When done place on paper towels to cool but keep the oil from the sausage in the pan. Now put the salmon in that same pan and on the same heat, drizzle on some teriyaki sauce and cook on one side for about 8 minutes. Flip the salmon over, then, cook the other side for about 8 minutes, drizzling on more teriyaki sauce. When done, remove from pan and set on a plate. Next get the nori sheet and place on a sushi mat. Cover the nori with rice, salmon, and Portuguese sausage. Leave about an inch of space on the end of the nori so you can close and seal it. Sprinkle on a little Furikake and then roll it up in the mat. Taking a sharp knife, run it under some warm water and slice into equal-sized rounds. With every other cut, run the knife under warm water since this will help the knife cut through the nori and not tear away at it.

So there it goes…my first post of the New Year. Hope it was fun and informative because if not, too bad, it only goes downhill from here my dudes and dudettes! If you decide to try these recipes at home, just take your time with it and have fun. If you have kids, encourage them to help. Give them the hot oil and frying pans as well as the sharp knives, then, leave them unattended while you go fetch another drink. Nooo! I’m kidding! Let them turn the oven on too…all right y’all, until next time, be cool.

As promised, I have a sweet ass video of Hawai'i! Turns out my inlaw's neighbor works for a great ocean excursion company called Trident Adventures and they took us out for a cruise early after Christmas. You can find them at www.tridentadventures.com and they are worth checking out. They had plenty of snacks and drinks for the kiddos plus they are just very nice people. The crew is great and run by military Vets so you get to be out on the water with our nation's finest. I guess the crew of Hawai'i 5-O was out on the boat as well as the dude from Aquaman so they have a pretty swank clientele list. Even Z list stars like me (I was in a Hollywood movie about Prefontaine for like point zero 2 seconds). Even though I didn't sign any autographs that day, the kids had a blast and saw half of the supporting cast from Finding Nemo. I'm talking full on Honu, Whales, small fishies...but hey, we were just around the corner from Disney's Aulani so it made sense...

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cbk1000 · 6 years

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Hi! I remember that trip you took to Europe all by yourself, and I have to tell you that's one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen. And I honestly mean that. I'm starting college this year and it's been a life long dream of mine to do the same (I live in Europe btw so it's a bit easier for me maybe). . So I wanted to ask, was it scary, how did you talk yourself into going, would you go again, do you have some advice on how to spend as little money as possible etc?

I would actually LOVE to do it again; it was the best vacation I’ve ever taken.

I actually tried to talk myself OUT of going; I knew it was a bit nuts. I’d never been overseas before (I’d travelled a bit in the States at that point, but the only time I’d been out of the country was a day trip to Canada when I was 14 or so), and to just throw yourself headfirst into overseas travel by doing a solo three month trip is kind of batshit. But I’m kind of batshit, so it suited me.

I did a lot of research by reading blogs and articles written by backpackers who had done what I wanted to do, so I knew it was probably something I would enjoy. I also like doing things by myself, so I knew I probably wouldn’t have any major issues with loneliness, and I’m comfortable chatting up strangers, which is the name of the game when you’re a solo traveler. And I think those are really two of the most important things to consider when you’re backpacking by yourself: put yourself out there. You’ll meet some amazing people and when you do feel that pang of loneliness, you’ll always be able to find a companion to go sightseeing with. At the same time, don’t be afraid to do things by yourself; I did a lot of solo sightseeing, and it was amazing. You don’t have to get a consensus from a group on who wants to do what; no one argues; no one wants to do things their way. You just pick wherever the hell you want to go, and you go. Some of my favourite parts of my trip involved me just rambling alone around some city. I actually found a really amazing little archaeology museum in Croatia that way.

As for keeping costs down, Nomadic Matt has a lot of really good general tips and also breaks down average costs and accommodations by region. I would definitely take a look through his site; I used it for some of my research. You have a huge advantage as a European; there are tons of budget airlines and bus lines you can take advantage of. Airfare was one of my biggest expenses; a roundtrip ticket from the west coast of the U.S. to Ireland (where I started) isn’t cheap.

Some hostels will occasionally do free dinners for their guests, so you might want to keep an eye out for that sort of thing (they’ll usually advertise on their website). There was a hostel in Budapest that did a free dinner for the backpackers on Tuesdays and Thursdays, if I remember correctly. They would make traditional Hungarian dishes for us to try, and everyone would sit around a big table and eat and chat. There was also a hostel in Scotland (Inverness, I think?) that did a haggis dinner for the guests. Some of them also have restaurants attached that are decently priced for budget travelers. Mostly, however, I would just look up the nearest grocery store and stock up on a few essentials. I’d usually buy some rolls, maybe a bit of cheese, some stuff for a few days’ worth of breakfast, etc. I usually would get a bunch of greens and some vegetables too so I could make up some cheap, easy salads. The vast majority of hostels will have a kitchen so you can store your food and also have a place to prep it if necessary. It’s worth popping into little cafes sometimes, too. There was one right round the corner from my hostel in Belfast where you could get a huge bowl of oatmeal for £3; it filled me up till lunch when I would snack on whatever I got at the grocery store. I stayed three days and ate there every morning.

Some countries and cities are just going to be more expensive than others. London was a lot of fun, but it was also fucking hell on the wallet. Once you start getting into eastern Europe, everything starts getting a lot cheaper, so that’s something to keep in mind. The hostel I stayed at in Croatia cost me $10 a night. Also, if you want to see a lot of popular tourist attractions, look into whether or not there’s a city pass; lots of cities have them. Buying a city pass will get you into a bunch of the major attractions at a heavily discounted price. Remember that paying to see certain attractions is worth it, but you can honestly wander across some really amazing stuff just by heading out on foot and getting to know a city in a way that riding a tram or bus will never allow you to become acquainted with it.

Was it scary?

Yes. You’re striking out, completely alone, for a country full of strangers speaking a language you might not even know. If you’re not a little bit nervous about that, you’re probably a little bit stupid. It’s ok to be scared. Honestly? When I was boarding my flight to Dublin, there was a moment when I didn’t know if I could get on the plane. That was partly because I have a pretty severe phobia of flying; but it was also partly because I stopped and said to myself, what in the holy MOTHERFUCK am I doing?? It was insane. Probably someone was going to rob me and then later I would be murdered and my mother would get to say, “I told you so” over my grave while in hell I cursed and gnashed my teeth at the murderer who enabled my mother to get to be smug about my disastrous failure as a traveler and human being in general. It’s scary; for those few moments before you internally slap yourself as you’re frantically calculating all the things that can go terribly wrong when you step foot outside familiar soil, it’s paralyzing.

It was also, hands-down, one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I don’t regret a second of it. You will be frustrated. Unless you have a far better sense of direction than I do, you will get lost. A lot. (Just keep walking until something looks familiar; you’ll find your way back eventually. And if all else fails, find the nearest shop or tourist booth and make a self-deprecating sad face and pull out your map. A roommate and I once had a Hungarian man who really didn’t even speak English help us try to read a map while we were wandering, completely lost, around Budapest at like one in the morning. People will help you.) Sometimes your card won’t work on a tram ticket machine in the Netherlands because you didn’t know those fuckers only take Dutch bank cards and you don’t have any proper currency on you because you just took a bus in from London and all your money is still in pounds and you’re stranded in the middle of RANDOM PARKING LOT WHERE THE BUS JUST DROPPED YOU OFF WHICH YOU THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE AN ACTUAL BUS STATION BUT IT’S NOT (thx) AND YOU WILL WONDER HOW THE FUCK ALL AM I GOING TO GET TO AMSTERDAM FROM HERE. Take a deep breath; you will have moments like that. You will figure out how the fuck all you’re going to get to Amsterdam from there (plead your case to a kindly tram driver and they will give you a free ride into the city; it helps if you first make friends with an English/German woman who will also plead your case + point you to the nearest ATM once you reach the city).

It will make you a better problem solver; you will come away with an immense satisfaction. To rely so completely on yourself, and to succeed, even imperfectly, is so ridiculously gratifying.

All you need is a little common sense and enough guts to push yourself into actually doing it. I promise you, it’s much easier than it looks.

#travel #also come back and keep me updated on your travel plans!!

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wickedgamesfanfic · 6 years

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Chapter 1

Shani

"I'm really not feeling this idea." I admitted pulling at the legs of my cream colored romper before gawking over my body in the mirror.

"Doesn't matter. It's the last minute. Changing your mind at the very last minute goes against every bestie code ever established." Imena playfully joked. "Besides it's just a party. Last I checked you were still into those." She said rolling her eyes. Imena couldn't understand the place I was in my life and I couldn't blame her. Shit I barely understood it myself. All I knew was things that used to excite me were becoming old. And I do mean fast.

"I'm still into parties." I admitted. I still enjoyed a good wholesome kick back every once in a while but this was no average party. "But hanging around your snobby Hollywood friends is not what I'd consider my type of soiree."

"They are not that bad. You just gotta loosen up a bit. And stop being so judgmental. Remember there was once a time when you didn't think you were even going to like me." She small smiled before tugging at my top in an attempt to expose more cleavage than I was comfortable with. I laughed before playfully smacking her hands away and pulling my top back up a bit.

"Who ever said I liked you?' I quizzed with a raised brow.

"Come on cow!" She sang playfully smacking me on the bottom with her clutch before heading towards the door. I looked myself over in the mirror once more. Here goes nothing.

Michael

I stood on my deck as the sun left foot prints across the sky. Taking in the beautiful property that I was lucky enough to call my home. And wishing there was more time in a day. Just for moments like this. My life had become so hectic. I rarely found time to just enjoy the simple things. Things like watching the sunset.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm far from complaining. What did I have to complain about? Everything I had worked so hard for had slowly but surely become mine. All my late nights and early mornings had manifest my dreams into reality. And I was grateful. But if I had to be completely honest ... something was missing.

"You gotta be kidding me?" Darwin expressed spooking the shit out of me as he stepped onto my deck.

"What the fuck bro?!" I yelled trying to calm my nerves. This was supposed to be a gated property but so much for that. "How the fuck?" I quizzed through clenched teeth as he began to chuckle before briefly slapping hands and pulling me into a brotherly hug.

"I told you to stay woke. Both literally and figuratively. I've been banging that little chick Jessica for about three weeks now. Ever since your birthday cook out. She'll let me into her mother's casket if I whisper the right thing into her ear." He said mischievously. "You're not even dressed." He scuffed slapping his palm against his forehead.

"About that ..." I started before turning my back to him.

"Nope ... don't even try it. You owe me a night out. We supposed to be boys. You been knowing me since we were yay high." He stated placing his hand to his knees.

"It's just that ..." I started again before quickly being cut off yet again.

"It's just that my ass." He stated angrily. "Look you drag me to all your bougie gatherings and all I ask is that you accompany me to one party. Is that too much to ask for?" He quizzed.

"Nah bruh it's just that ..." I started for the third time before he quickly cut me off again.

"Imena's going to be there." He whispered and I knew right at that moment I no longer had any other choice but to go. Darwin was like a little brother to me. And he had confided in me how into this Imena chick he really was. She was an aspiring actress. From the Midwest full of spunk and personality. Darwin had dropped my name more than once in an effort to perk her naïve ears. And even to my own surprise it had worked. He went from throwing weak shots into her DM's to full blown phone conversations after accompanying me to a few after parties and posting pics to his Instagram.

Although this backyard get together wasn't necessarily my scene I figured what hurt could it do. For the sake of my brother's pride I could make a brief appearance. Maybe snag a little snack for later and I wasn't talking about food. Besides I wasn't ready to explain the truth to him. The fact that I wasn't as happy as I appeared to be and still wasn't quite sure why.

"I'll be down in ten." I said handing him the keys to my European sports car.

Shani

We walked up to the mini mansion off the shore of one of Los Angeles many beaches. I instantly began to feel uneasy as we were led through the home and into the backyard. The music was loud and the smell of gas run grills was strong. For the life of me I couldn't understand their desire for gas grilled meat.

I looked around and wasn't in the least bit surprised by what I saw. The typical L.A. party scene. Music, pools, half naked women and men dressed to impress drizzled in gold jewelry. I rolled my eyes lightly. "See it's not that bad." Imena said nudging me with her shoulder. I shrugged mine feeling the complete opposite as I searched for the bar. I already knew I was going to need at least two strong drinks if I was going to attempt to enjoy the night.

I headed for the bar as Imena spotted a few of her west coast buddies. She waved happily before telling me she'd join me shortly. I waved her off not in the least bit surprised that she had left me to my lonesome so quickly. I found a spot at the end of the bar before pulling out my iPhone and scrolling through my Instagram as I waited for the bartender to tend to me. She finally asked me for my drink order and I placed it. A coke and henny was in order because I was far from my comfort zone.

Upon accepting the drink and tipping her generously I placed the thin straw against my full lips. Taking a moment to take in the scenery that had engulfed me. It was beautiful here. Even the people were a site to see. But somehow it lacked depth. Everything here seemed so superficial. Nothing ever touching further than the surface. And it was such a pity. What was beauty without depth? A question that I had pondered as a writer my entire life.

I took in my surroundings. A bunch of twenty something year olds caught up in living in the moment. And it was true that all we ever had for sure was the moment ... but was that all. I moved here not too long ago. Imena had graciously taken me in after a self-published book I had written caught the eye of a major screen writer and director. Her acting career was slowly but surely taking off and the doe eyed naïve girl I met in junior high had begun to blossom in front of not only my eyes but the eyes of thousands. And I was happy for her. I truly was.

But L.A. was something I wasn't prepared for. As a writer I was used to working in the background. Never intending to be in the spotlight. I was a watcher. A creep. An observer. I took into myself my surroundings. Never seeking to be sought.

I sipped my drink as my gaze ventured into the stars. The beach at night being one of the few times the sky and the ocean seemed to become one. I gazed a little longer before sipping a few more sips from my cup and closing my eyes. Thinking to myself how close I was to success. And possibly purchasing my own west coast beach front property. Minus the crowd.

As I sat on the stool at the edge of the bar an unknown heat encompassed me. Breaking me away from not only my dreams but my thoughts. And an unnerving feeling swept over my body. I opened my eyes and quickly began to scan over my surroundings. In search of what had been searching for me. Energy seeking energy. Heat seeking heat. Belonging seeking belonging. Understanding seeking understanding. My eyes falling on Michael B. Jordan.

Michael

I sat firmly on a couch located to the left of the DJ's booth. It wasn't very private but I'd take what I could get. I had no intentions on working the crowd. I was only here to support my brother. And other than that I planned to stay out of the way for the most part.

We had been here for all of 40 minutes and I was well into my second drink. I wondered if my brother had gotten stood up. And plotted on ways to never let him live this down. I watched the entrance as many faces flooded through it. Some familiar and others I'd never laid eyes on. One face however was all too familiar. Lydia had walked in with a couple of her friends and I strongly entertained the idea of sneaking out but quickly disregarded it. I was getting way too old to be ducking females. If she wanted to confront me about my recent lack of interest in her then she had the right to do just that. I'll admit I could have handle the situation more maturely but then again I knew she'd want an explanation for why I was blocking her out. Especially when things were going so well between us.

The truth is I really didn't have an answer for her. It just didn't feel right. At least not anymore. She was a cool girl and all. The type of girl who didn't ask for much. She just fell into place. She didn't hassle me about a title and would barely bat an eye if I went out with another girl. And whenever I'd call she'd come running. She was bad as hell. And to most niggas she'd probably be a dream come true.

But not to me. At least not anymore. I had quickly found myself bored with her. And I couldn't even say it was entirely her. Maybe I had become bored with myself. Unsatisfied with my current lifestyle. At one point a cute face and a banging body was all I needed in a female. I wasn't too concerned with much else.

But now I found myself yearning for mental stimulation. I don't know when or how it happened. I just woke up one day and needed something more. I wanted to be challenged. I wanted a woman who had a mind of her own. A woman with a voice and a presence that could bring even the strongest man to his knees. A woman who could stop the hands of time. And Lydia wasn't that. None of the women in my phone were that. I mean other than my mother. Now that woman ...

Lydia eventually spotted me. Our eyes locked for a moment and to my surprise she didn't come stomping my way. She continued to mix and mingle with her friends and for a moment I was relieved. But then in she walked. And just for like that ... time stood still.

She walked a few steps behind a very pretty model like girl. But her looks were unchallenged. She stood about 5'8. Caramel Skin. And had a body no surgeon could recreate. My eyes glazed over physique that was nicely wrapped in a fitted romper that left little to the imagination. It amazed me that a fully clothed girl in a party full of half-naked women had my full attention.

I watched as her friend excused herself before heading towards the pool. She rolled her almond shaped eyes before heading to the bar. I chuckled to myself realizing I wasn't the only one who had been dragged here. She took a seat at the very end of the bar. Almost out of my eye site so I placed my elbows to my knees to get a better look. She took a sip from her drink before briefly rolling her neck. I watched as her eyes became fixated on the ocean before her head turned towards the night sky. She took a few more sips, her gaze never wondering. And I thought to myself what a sight to see. She could care less about the party and the scene. The stars had her full attention.

And I couldn't stop staring at her. God knows I tried. This wasn't like me. But I couldn't look away. Everything about her drew me in. Her full lips. The tightly coiled curls that danced just above her shoulders. Then she looked my way. Our eyes locked. And to my surprise she rolled her eyes before returning her attention to the stars.

Shani

I rolled my eyes before returning my gaze to the universe. Since I had been in L.A. I had run across a couple of hims. And unimpressed wasn't even the word. Especially given the rumors I had heard about him. And I didn't need that shit in my life. The hell was he staring at me for. We both know I'm not his type.

"Shani." Imena said lightly tapping me on the shoulder. I turned in my seat to find her and Darwin wrapped in each others arms. I only knew of him from her. She was absolutely smitten with him. But I wasn't sure if it's was because of his personality or the connections he had to the entertainment industry that he constantly pushed down her hopeful throat.

"Hello." I said before extending my hand to shake his. He took it but placed a kiss on it instead of y'all shaking it. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes yet again.

"Shani this is Darwin. Darwin this is Shani." She introduced smiling widely.

"Nice to meet you." I managed to get out. Before quickly pulling my hand away and wiping the bit of spit he had left on it on my romper.

"I'd like for you ladies to join us." He said before looking over in the direction I had just pulled my attention away from. I hesitated for a moment before Imena grabbed my hand pulling me off the stool.

I followed closely behind the two as we neared the DJ booth. Trying my hardest not to look at him again. But I could still feel his eyes on me. I could still feel the heat from his gaze.

"Ladies this is my brother Michael B. Jordan. Michael this is the one and only Imena." He admitted grinning into her cheek. Her eyes were however fixated on the prize beneath us. "And her best friend Shani." He acknowledged throwing a head nod in my direction.

Imena quickly broke away from us to wrap Michael in a loving hug. I looked on in amusement. How could Darwin be so stupid? She had gotten just exactly what she wanted from him without barely giving him anything more then a little attention. But we were supposed to be the country bumpkins.

The man I only knew from one side of the camera lightly embraced her but his eyes stayed focused on me. And for a moment I felt uncomfortable. As if his sight was piercing through me.

She eventually released him. He small smiled. Before slowly rising to his feet. And he took a step or two forward. Towering over my body and my entire existence. I took a step back in an attempt to catch my breath never looking directly into his handsome face. He cleared his throat before mimicking my steps.

"Michael." He said in a deep voice before extending his hand for me to shake. I quickly looked into his face. Into his eyes. Then away.

"Shani." I whispered placing my hand in his. Wondering where my strength had run away to. And to my surprise he gently pulled me into his chest. And I lost my breath.

Lord knows I hated everything he seemed to stand for. A young successful black man who was caught in the lights. The attention. The stardom. The fame.

I stood dazed as he nodded his head at Darwin. Who quickly gathered Imena together and pulled her off into the party. I watched him drag her away over my shoulder. She whispered "I'll be right back." Before disappearing into the crowd.

"It's nice to meet you." He said just above a whisper. The warmth of his breath tickling the side of my neck. I shivered lightly before returning my attention to him.

"Same." I gazed into his face realizing we were alone in this corner. He smiled never releasing my hand. But instead leading me to a couch a few steps away.

I reluctantly took a seat next to him. He scooted closer to me before sitting back and placing his arm behind me. My nose quickly taking in the beautiful scent of his cologne.

"What brings you to L.A.?" He asked catching me off guard.

"I'm from L.A." I lied trying my hardest to find Imena in the crowd.

He lightly chuckled causing me to turn in my seat. He shook his head slowly and I took a moment to appreciate how attractive his dimples really were.

"What's so funny?" I asked curiously.

"You." He admitted. "You're not from L.A." He said matter-of-factly. "One look at you and I could tell you weren't from here." He furthered. Still slightly amused with himself.

I immediately became offended. "What in the fuck is that supposed to mean? Just because I don't look like the bimbos you're used to doesn't mean shit." I spat.

"I meant no disrespect." He admitted as his eyebrows furrowed. But it was too late. I was already pissed.

"Michael B. Jordan. Nice to meet you. But don't let little ole me take up anymore of your time. There are plenty of white bimbos here who would appreciate it more." I said before quickly standing to my feet and walking away.

Michael

"White bimbos." I repeated out loud to myself but only loud enough for me to hear it. I laughed a bit before continuing to watch her walk away. Guess it's safe to say she's heard the rumors. It's funny how lies sometimes become the truth.

I watched as she took the same seat she had just left at the bar. I rubbed my fingers down my chin. Wondering how I had fucked up that fast. I wasn't trying to be funny. I was just being honest. Anybody here would be able to tell she wasn't from these parts.

And to be honest that was a plus. I loved the sight of her. A real body and gorgeous face without the heavy makeup. The natural hair that danced above her shoulders. The fact that she wasn't start struck. At least not by a celebrity.

I continued to watch her as I had before. She ordered another drink. And I once again sat elbow to knee just to get a view. I wasn't done with her. Regardless of what she thought.

I sat in wait. Waiting for her to look over her shoulder. Waiting for her to look in my direction. I knew she could still feel me watching. I knew our connection hadn't been that easily broken.

Just then the DJ played Wicked Games by The Weekend. Our eyes locked. I bit my lip. She quivered. Imena approached her and pulled her from her seat. And the two began to dance together.

Slowly and seductively. I could tell that second drink had broken down barriers I myself could not reach. I enjoyed the view. Her hips winding to the music as her eyes stayed focused on mine. The way her hands slid up and down her hips. I bit my lip even harder drawing a bit of blood.

I could feel myself rising in my jeans. So I slowly sat back. Quickly readjusting my pants. I took a deep breath before checking my surroundings. Lydia had somehow made her way over to me.

She seductively walked over into my lap. I eyed her legs as they wrapped around my hips. And she placed her pale face in front of mines. Her brown eyes full of lust. She threw her brown hair over one shoulder before attempting to grind on me. And my dick immediately grew limp.

I gently pushed her away before standing to my feet. She softly pulled at me but I had no intentions on staying. My eyes were still on her. I noticed her dismay as Lydia sat on my lap. A harsh eye roll followed before she closed them.

So I decided to take this to my advantage. I slowly approached as she continued to slow wind with Imena. Upon reaching the two I slowly placed my hands on her hips and winked at Imena who had seen me coming. She eagerly stepped away as Shani continued to dance into my hips. And I tried my hardest to match each step. Slowly allowing my hands to travel down her thighs and back up her stomach. Even allowing one of my hands to cup her breast. A shallow breath managed to escape her lips.

But her eyes never opened. And we continued to bump and grind. Every push of her hips against me sending waves of pleasure through my body. And in this moment I knew she was what I had been seeking. All along.

As the song slowly came to an end her movements became wilder. But even more sexy. She quickly turned around and into my chest. I placed my hands into her hair pulling her face closer to mines. Her lips separated as did mines. And the warmth of our breathes could be felt as she winded against my dick.

I closed my eyes and let the music take me away. As my dick grew harder and harder. I had never been so turned on by the sight of a woman or let alone just the touch. I pulled her closer as the sound of her shallow breathing brought me closer and closer to climax.

And just as quickly as the song had started it had ended. Her body closely placed against mine. Our breathing short and sharp as the crowd began to clap. Neither of us realizing we had an audience.

Her eyes fluttered open. Finally meeting mine which had never closed. I stared deep into hers as she tried to reclaim her breath. Enjoying the beat of her heart against mine. She looked at me for a moment longer than I expected and I saw the truth.

She quickly fluttered her eye lashes before pulling away in embarrassment. I stood where she left me as she made her way back to her original seat at the bar. The attention we had unintentionally brought clapped and faded away.

She sat with her back to me. I approached cautiously. Lightly tapping her on the shoulder. She slowly looked over it. "Can you do me a favor my brown skin angel? Could you tap that white woman for me?" I joked. And to my surprise she laughed. She slowly turned in her seat. And I stepped further into her. Remind me to thank Darwin.

#michael b jordan #BAE #erik killmonger #black panther #best reads

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networkingdefinition · 5 years

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Espresso Quotes

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• A good espresso to me is a little bit salty; you just become used to a good taste. Anytime I go into a new place and they don’t clean their machine properly or the water temperature isn’t right, it tastes awful. – Andrew Bird • American coffee can be a pale solution served at a temperature of 100 degrees centigrade in plastic thermos cups, usually obligatory in railroad stations for purposes of genocide, whereas coffee made with an American percolator, such as you find in private houses or in humble luncheonettes, served with eggs and bacon, is delicious, fragrant, goes down like pure spring water, and afterwards causes severe palpitations, because one cup contains more caffeine than four espressos. – Umberto Eco

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Espresso', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_espresso').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_espresso img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Been trying the soapy water and instant coffee method. Works somewhat, but boy it tastes terrible. I don’t know how you guys can stand it. I’m going back to milk and espresso for my cappas. – David Lynch • Can we just call them storm spirits?” Leo asked. “Venti makes them sound like evil espresso drinks. – Rick Riordan • Coffee arrived and the espresso was excellent, like an aromatic electric fence. – Ben Aaronovitch • Coffee which makes the politician wise, and see through all things with his half-shut eyes. – Alexander Pope • Coffee?” Santangelo calls down to us. We both look up. He,Ben, and Raffy are hanging over the side. “Is it espresso?” Anson Choi asks behind us. “Freshly percolated,” Ben answers. “You should see the gadgets they have up here.” Anson Choi aims a begging look at Griggs. “You want to sell out over a coffee?” Griggs asks him with disgust. “They’ve got muffins as well,” I tell them. “Double chocolate chip. His mum made them.” Griggs gets up and holds out a hand to me. “Truce. – Melina Marchetta • Compared with other Americans, journalists are more likely to live in upscale neighborhoods, have maids, own Mercedes and trade stocks, and less likely to go to church, do volunteer work or put down roots in a community. Journalists are over-represented in ZIP code areas where residents are twice as likely as other Americans to rent foreign movies, drink Chablis, own an espresso maker and read magazines such as Architectural Digest and Food & Wine. – John Leo • Espresso consumption is an aesthetic experience,like tasting a vintage wine or admiring a painting. – Andrea Illy • Espresso is a miracle of chemistry in a cup. – Andrea Illy • Espresso is to Italy, what champagne is to France. – Charles Maurice de Talleyrand

• Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. – Anne Morrow Lindbergh • Having acquired an espresso machine as good as a solid e-61 and a very good grinder, your incremental dollars will be best spent on either buying truly badass coffee, or setting up a roasting setup yourself that with lots of effort will allow you to produce high end roasted coffee. – Ken Fox • I bought an espresso maker and coffee maker and make them myself every day. – Utada Hikaru • I do, but I don’t like doing that. I would do it out of hate or anger. I would do it because some- one was pushing my buttons, but really I don’t want to break my back in some European city while everyone else is drinking espresso. I only do it because someone refused to pay for the shipping, or something like that. I don’t want to let a whole city of people down. – Josh Smith • I get energy from meditation practice and from eating healthy fresh food, only one cup of espresso in the morning, and not drinking too much. – Richard Simmons • I got hooked on espresso when I visited Italy at 18, but these days I prefer a ‘flat white.’ It’s like a small latte with less milk – they’re popular in Australia. – Hugh Jackman • I know there are other writers who sit down religiously every morning, they take their espresso, they put a clean sheet of paper there and they sit looking at that paper until they’ve finished or covered at least a number of those pages. No, I’m not like that. I have to be ready. It has to gestate it for quite a while and then it’s ready to burst forth. – Wole Soyinka • I like the Valentino store in Rome.Because in Rome when I’d be riding my bike, that store is right next to the Spanish Steps, and it gets so crowded there, so I could sometimes duck into the Valentino store and go up to the top floor and have a little espresso and just relax and take it easy. – Owen Wilson • I love coffee. I love a midday espresso on set, just for the energy. – Carrie Brownstein • I probably have about four or five cups of coffee a day. I make myself an espresso macchiato when I wake, which is a shot of espresso and just a dollop of steamed milk. Then, if I’m going to do some work at home, I would make myself a French press. It’s the best way to make conventional coffee. – Howard Schultz • I used to have two double espressos a day. I gave that up, had headaches for five days but now I’m feeling great. – Hugo Weaving • I usually get up not before 9. I have a huge library – I’m a big fan of Scandinavian crime fiction – so I’ll usually take a book and go off to one of my favorite bistros for a cappuccino or espresso or maybe I’ll have some lovely smoked salmon for breakfast. – Anthony Geary • If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee. – Abraham Lincoln • If you’re a Kanye West fan, you’re not a fan of me, you’re a fan of yourself. You will believe in yourself. I’m just the espresso. – Kanye West • It was her first book, an indigo cover with a silver moonflower, an art nouveau flower, I traced my finger along the silver line like smoke, whiplash curves. … I touched the pages her hands touched, I pressed them to my lips, the soft thick old paper, yellow now, fragile as skin. I stuck my nose between the bindings and smelled all the readings she had given, the smell of unfiltered cigarettes and the espresso machine, beaches and incense and whispered words in the night. I could hear her voice rising from the pages. The cover curled outward like sails. – Janet Fitch • Leo: “So…giants who can throw mountains. Friendly wolves that will eat us if we show weakness. Evil espresso drinks. Gotcha. Maybe this isn’t the best time to bring up my psycho babysitter.” Piper: “Is that another joke? – Rick Riordan • Now-what’s our game plan?” Coach Hedge belched. He’d already had three espressos and a plate of doughnuts, along with two napkins and another flower from the vase on the table. He would’ve eaten the silverware, except Piper had slapped his hand. “Climb the mountain,” Hedge said. “Kill everything except Piper’s dad. Leave.” “Thank you General Eisenhower,” Jason grumbles. – Rick Riordan • Once I had a potentially heart attack-inducing eight double espressos in one day. I think my assistant secretly swaps my coffees for decaf as she doesn’t want me to die of caffeine overdose. – Steven Soderbergh • Sleep is critical to me… at least eight or nine hours a night. I start to slow down my body and my mind at least 30 minutes before I get into bed. I don’t watch any disturbing or invigorating TV at night. I also get energy from meditation practice and from eating healthy fresh food, only one cup of espresso in the morning, and not drinking too much. – Jane Fonda • Starving to be skinny isn’t my thing. When I don’t eat, it affects my mood! On-set, I fuel up with small meals and I’m always grabbing high-protein snacks, like almonds. Chai lattes with espresso also keep me going. – Nina Dobrev • The magic of espresso is that it’s only made with 50 beans. – Andrea Illy • The quintessential expression of coffee is espresso. – Ernesto Illy • The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of the world combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul itself. – Mark Helprin • Their offense is shakier than Katherine Hepburn after an all-night espresso bender at Starbucks. – Dennis Miller • There are certain aspects of acting that I don’t like. I’m not a person who loves being on set. I mean, I know people that have their espresso machines in their trailers and they like being in there and they put pictures on walls. But I don’t like it. I don’t like sitting around. – Joaquin Phoenix • To espresso or to latte, that is the question…whether ’tis tastier on the palate to choose white mocha over plain…or to take a cup to go. Or a mug to stay, or extra cream, or have nothing, and by opposing the endless choice, end one’s heartache. – Jasper Fforde • To me, every kitchen appliance is useful and nothing’s overrated. When I look at my little espresso machine, I don’t see coffee. I see a steaming valve as an opportunity to make amazing creme brulee. – Grant Achatz • Until now, I’ve been a kind of binge-writer – I’ll carve out five or six hours on a weekend day and make a large container of espresso and just bang out a lot of words. – Lev Grossman • Waitress!” Hedge called. “Six double espressos, and whatever these guys want. Put it on the girl’s tab. – Rick Riordan • We are too often double espresso followers of a decaf Sovereign. – John Ortberg • What I don’t like is breakfast in the morning. I have a double-espresso cappuccino, but no food. – Wolfgang Puck • What’s it like to be a baby? It’s like being in love in Paris for the first time after you’ve had three double espressos. – Alison Gopnik • When I first discovered in the early 1980s the Italian espresso bars in my trip to Italy, the vision was to re-create that for America – a third place that had not existed before. Starbucks re-created that in America in our own image; a place to go other than home or work. We also created an industry that did not exist: specialty coffee. – Howard Schultz • When somebody is a little bit wrong – say, when a waited puts nonfat milk in your espresso macchiato, instead of lowfat milk – it is often quite easy to explain to them how and why they are wrong. But if somebody is surprisingly wrong – say, when a waiter bites your nose instead of taking your order – you can often be so surprised that you are unable to say anything at all. Paralyzed by how wrong the waiter is, your moth would hang slightly open and your eyes would blink over and over, but you would be unable to say a word. – Daniel Handler

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jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'u', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '4', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_u').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_u img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); );

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equitiesstocks · 5 years

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Espresso Quotes

Official Website: Espresso Quotes

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newstfionline · 6 years

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This Cambodian city is turning into a Chinese enclave, and not everyone is happy.

By Anna Fifield, Washington Post, March 29, 2018

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia--It was a hot, clear day. The kind of day when, a few months ago, the beach here would have been crowded with tourists deciding whether to drink a $1 beer or a $1 fresh coconut juice.

Instead, the beach was almost deserted. Women wandered with trays of fresh lobsters perfectly balanced on their heads or carrying kits for performing pedicures, touting in vain for customers.

Men lounged on chairs at their restaurants offering barbecued squid and local curries. But the only patrons were stray cats and flies.

“We’re not going to be able to feed ourselves soon. Our business is about to die,” said Doung Sokly, a 30-year-old woman who’s been selling drinks, snacks and cigarettes from a cart on Independence Beach for the past eight years.

A block away, however, business is booming in the new casinos that have popped up in recent months. They have names like New Macau and New MGM, and they cater for exclusively for Chinese guests. Cambodians are prohibited from gambling.

On the sunny afternoon when the beach was empty, the casinos were packed with Chinese customers smoking and slapping down $100 bills on the tables. All around were eagle-eyed Chinese supervisors and gaggles of young local women in short dresses and long eyelashes.

China is trying to spread its political and economic influence across the region, particularly through its ambitious “One Belt One Road” infrastructure development. And Cambodia is trying to develop its economy without having to adhere to any of the human rights demands that American and European governments tend to insist upon.

Those two interests directly coincide in Sihanoukville, a port city on the Gulf of Thailand named after the king who is still revered as the father of modern Cambodia.

It is here that Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen’s willingness to be embraced by China is most evident.

“Sihanoukville is kind of a poster boy for China’s development. On all economic measures, China is number one,” said Carl Thayer, a southeast Asia expert affiliated with the Australian Defence Force Academy and a former adviser at U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. “China is definitely trying to displace the U.S. and it’s succeeding wonderfully.”

For Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years and is taking steps to ensure he will be re-elected in a vote scheduled for the end of July, this investment means he is able to boast about economic advances even as democratic institutions backslide.

The Cambodian government has allowed extraordinary levels of Chinese investment: 30 casinos have already been built and 70 more are under construction.

One huge development, the Blue Bay casino and condos, advertises itself as “one of the iconic projects of China’s One Belt One Road initiative.” The smallest studios start at $143,000, while the most prized apartments cost more than half a million dollars.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Sihanoukville, a city of 90,000, doubled between 2016 and 2017 to hit 120,000 last year. Restaurants, banks, landlords, pawn shops, duty free stores, supermarkets and hotels all display signs in Chinese.

But with the exception of those working in the hotels and casinos, most Cambodians, whose average income is $1,100 a year, are seeing little benefit from this investment. And resentment is mounting.

“My business has halved,” said Chhim Phin, who has run a seafood restaurant on Independence Beach since 2003. “We used to have lots of Western tourists coming here, people who liked to try our food. But Chinese tourists don’t want to eat Khmer food and experience our local customs, they prefer to eat their own food. Chinese tourists like to stay in their bubble.”

Next to his restaurant, a plot of land that used to be filled with backpacker bars that held dance parties on the beach has been reduced to rubble, the lease taken over by Chinese developers.

And when Chinese customers do come to his restaurant, Chhim Phin is not exactly thrilled with their business.

“I don’t speak Chinese so it’s very difficult to communicate,” he said. “To be honest I’ve had a very bad experience dealing with Chinese. They’re so rude.”

Doung Sokly, operating her cart, does not enjoy interacting with the new arrivals either. “Western tourists don’t haggle because they want to try local things, but Chinese tourists really try to get the prices down,” she said.

As if on cue, a group of Chinese tourists on the beach erupted into laughter and yelling. “Listen to them. They’re so loud,” she said, glancing over at the group with a look of distaste. “It’s so annoying.”

Locals are also worried about organized crime resulting from the casinos, and the increasing number of incidents of drunken violence. After the publication of reports about the pros and cons of Chinese investment, Beijing’s ambassador acknowledged that “a small amount of low-educated people” from his country were breaking Cambodian laws.

Not that Western tourists are always well behaved. Sex tourism is a draw for some, while others have recently gotten into trouble for lewd behavior.

One local business owner who is happy with the Chinese influx, though, is Ko Hong. He rents out Jetskis, charging Westerners $60 for an hour’s joyriding but only $50 to the Chinese customers.

“Before it was more seasonal but now I can earn lots of money,” Ko Hong said. On an average day he makes $200.

The main reason for the exodus of Western tourists and influx of Chinese visitors is accommodation, Phin and other business owners here say.

The cheaper hotels and guesthouses that locals and Western tourists liked have been crowded out by the big Chinese developers who will pay much more for the land. Those that do remain have trouble hiring staff because they’re also being snatched up for much higher wages.

“There used to be cheap accommodation here but not any more,” said Koeun Sao, a 29-year-old who estimates his income from driving a tuktuk has dropped by 70 percent in the last three months. “Chinese people take cars, not tuktuks.”

The Chinese investment has not translated into better roads or other infrastructure in a city that struggles with basic plumbing.

“All this building they’re doing is only to benefit Chinese,” Koeun Sao said. “It’s good for the landowners but not for ordinary people.”

But both the Cambodian and the Chinese governments tout their economic co-operation.

The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a 4.4 square mile industrial park where 104 of the 121 companies are Chinese, “stands as a symbol of renewed China-Cambodia friendship by delivering real benefits to the people,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote in a commentary for a Cambodian newspaper when he visited in January.

While here Li signed 19 business deals. These included building an expressway between the capital of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville to replace the pot-holed narrow roads that link the cities now, and the construction of a new airport in Phnom Penh.

The two countries pledged to more than double the number of Chinese tourists coming to Cambodia to two million within the next two years, and to boost bilateral trade to $6 billion.

“We’ll try to remain here,” Doung Sokly said from behind her cart. “We need to see how things unfold.”

#Cambodia #Sihanoukville #Chinese in Cambodia

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carolinaare · 7 years

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If you thought I’d suffer from heat deprivation in London’s chilly Autumn after a year spent in the sun-drenched Coogee Beach, you are mistaken. I am making the most of what the UK Capital has to offer and damn, there’s no shortage of events on this side of the pond. Here’s a round-up of events you need to look out for this Autumn.

October

Harry Potter, A History of Magic Exhibition at The British Library – from October 20

As a Potterhead and a fan of any British Library exhibition to this date, A History of Magic Seems unmissable: rare books, manuscripts and magical objects from the British Library’s collection, showcasing the folklore and magic at the heart of the Harry Potter saga.

The exhibit celebrates the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – feel old yet?

Blade Hairclub Halloween Hairclubbing Night – Saturday 28 October

Considering how appalling my blow-dry skills are, booking in with a friend to get the Halloween look at Blade Hairclub in Soho sounds like the right way to kick off my Halloween weekend.

To get the party started, Blade will be playing tunes from classics such as Beetlejuice, Nightmare before Christmas and Screaming Jay Hawkins. iPads are also positioned at each station enabling scary film fanatics to immerse themselves in some of the best horror films that Netflix can provide, including It Follows, Babadook, Hush and Paranormal Activity.

But no Hairclubbing sesh is complete without cocktails, which will be Halloween-themed for the occasion:

Poisoned Apple – VSOP Calvados, Elderflower Liqueur, fresh pressed apple, apple juice, lemon juice, Abbott’s Bitters;

Devil’s Blade – Rittenhouse Rye, Campari, Ancho Reyes Red Chile Liqueur, Orange bitters;

The Pumpkin King – Organic Vodka, Maple Syrup, Pumpkin Puree, Vanilla, Black Walnut bitters.

All Hallow’s Eve by Lamplight at the Tower Hamlets Cemetery – Saturday 28 October

This year, I’ve decided I’m going to have at least one DYI Halloween night and instead of going to fancy events in very little clothing, I will actually do something spooky. Enter Cemetery Club’s lamp-lit tour of the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, set to celebrate the lives of the quarter of a million people buried there, from heroes to villains, locals and mavericks. The tour will be an occasion to explore the Victorian customs associated with Hallowmas, and taste authentic Soul Cakes, made from a recipe from the time of old Queen Vic herself.

Tours on Saturday 28 and Tuesday 31st, either at 6:30 or 8 PM;

Tickets £12/£10.

U SUCK Halloween Special at The Old Blue Last – Saturday 28 October

My DYI night will be followed by by a dance and a sing-along to the best break-up bangerZZZ and pop kiss-offs at The Old Blue Last. It’s on the same night as the Cemetery Tour so I might end up wearing at least something Halloweeny. Whether you’ve been dumped by a satanic being (haven’t we all), ghosted by a moron or just wanna have some fun, this looks like the place.

Saturday October 28th, 10pm-4am;

Fancy dress strongly encouraged;

FREE all night long.

Halloween Movie Ball at The Grand, Clapham – Saturday 28 October

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Picture by The Grand

For all of you South Londoners out there, The Grand in Clapham will throw a part paying homage to the finest and freakiest Horror Movies of all time to the sound of party favourites. The event includes photo booths, make-overs, balloon drops, prizes for the best dressed and more confetti than you can think of. Fancy dress: compulsory.

Eat Blood-Injected Charcoal Balls at Old Street Station

There’s no Halloween without creepy food options but this year I wanted to go a bit more left-field than your average pumpkin stuff… so why not try charcoal activated cheese balls filled with “spicy blood”?

Picture by Dona Rita

On Tuesday 31st October, Brazilian Chef Rita will make a a special batch of Brazilian cheese balls Halloween set to taste like a “melted-cheese inferno”. Brazilian Cheese Balls are the go-to snack in Latin America. They’re gluten-free, made with Cassava and cheese and are crunchy outside and cloud-like inside.

This time however, Chef Rita will be blending this dark and detoxifying twist with the original recipe, the cheese balls will be served with a Syringe, filled with your choice of sweet or spicy blood (don’t worry, it’s only jam and Sriracha sauce). You can inject the balls with blood, spill it all over for a gory look or pour it in your mouth as Halloween make up. The choice is yours.

The pop-up is near the stall in front of the ticket hall at Old Street Underground Station;

A portion of 6 blood-injected charcoal balls costs £5;

Opening times: 7.30am to 7pm, open until late on Halloween;

You can try a less devilish version until the 26th of November, the day the pop-up closes.

Junkyard Golf Club Day of the Dead with El Jimador – Tuesday 31 October

Right, so the 31st is a Tuesday which sucks a bit, but at least Junkyard Golf Club in Brick Lane is teaming up with el Jimador to transform its crazy golf labyrinth into a Day of the Dead scare fiesta complete with actors, magicians and circus performers, cocktails and, well… golf. A round is just £9.50 including booking fee which is great if, like me, you are going just for shits and giggles and plan to be kicked out due to how appalling your golfing skills are.

Picture By Junkyard Golf

Performers on the line up include jugglers, unicyclists, LED hoopers and The Magic Ball Man, who caused a storm last year with a hypnotic video that racked up over 22 million views on Facebook.

Junkyard Golf London at The Old Truman Brewery, from 7 to 10 PM;

Tickets available here.

November

Skylight Launches Its Rooftop Skating and Fondue Nights in Tobacco Dock – Thursday 2 November

Ever since it launched in the summer, news about Skylight has been giving me a huge FOMO. I thought I’d have to wait until Summer to check it out, but luckily, Tobacco Dock’s rooftop is relaunching as a top Winter destination on Thursday 2 November, complete with seasonal drinks, fondue, street food AND London’s first rooftop ice rink.

Picture By Skylight

A £10 skating ticket gets you 45 on the ice rink, while you can play ice hockey for £3. The cheese fondue will start at £14.95 per person with tables available to book in advance and ladies and gentlemen, Skylight will also offer delicious chocolate fondue at £9.95 per person.

Who am I kidding, this is where I break my leg. I know this. Cocktails and ice skating will never be a good match for someone as clumsy as I am, but with its unobstructed views of some of London’s most iconic buildings, Skylight is one of those venues you just can’t miss out on.

Thursday & Friday 5pm – 11pm;

Saturday & Sunday – 12pm – 11pm.

Christmess in Southwark, Launching on 15 November

We all know talking about Christmas is forbidden before December first, so you will excuse me for writing about Christmess instead, run by Slap Ya Papa and Marbles & Ware.

Picture by: Christmess

Launching on 15th November for a six-week run, Christmess is set in Victorian London – and at The Hunter Penrose to be precise, a barely touched warehouse in the heart of Borough Market.

The immersive event includes live entertainment brought to you by Santa’s little helpers, green fairies, St Nicholas and all the Christmas peepz with a twist. Food is left in the capable hands of Slap Ya Papa, who will cook up a 12-dish soulful lunch or dinner made of platters of Cajun roasted turkey and candied yams.

Open throughout the day, the downstairs area will be a workshop filled with creations by independent makers. Craftspeople from across the capital will be making and selling an abundant trove of stocking fillers and makers will also be offering present making classes such as a Floral Wreath weaving and Beeswax candle making.

Tickets: £55 per person;

Feasts: Wednesday – Sunday, 6.30pm – 11.30pm.

Museum of Witchcraft Opening – 2 November

Cornwall’s most magical Museum comes to London with an exhibition made of scary photographs of haunted objects from The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic by Sara Hannant and Simon Costin. I’m looking forward to seeing all the magical objects on display, including a Witch Mirror, a waxen curse poppet, spells and charms and items from a Black Magicians altar.

The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic has the largest and most remarkable collection of witchcraft-related objects and books in the world, focusing on this misunderstood aspect of British folk culture.

The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History

November 3rd 2017 – 28th Febuary 2018.

Jazz Before Jazz Was Jazz, Two Temple Place – Sunday 12 November

Arts education charity The Arts Society and my favourite London band, Kansas Smitty’s, are teaming up to tell the story of the way jazz became Jazz, starting from the slave songs of American plantations, African polyrhythms, and the European classical tradition.

Made of talks, interactive workshops, Smitty’s signature juleps, Deep South inspired street food and performances by the Kansas Smitty’s House Band, this event comes as a prequel to The Age of Jazz, an exhibition produced by The Arts Society and the Bulldog Trust, which opens at Two Temple Place in January 2018. The exhibition will kick off a year of celebrations for The Arts Society which marks its 50th anniversary next year.

Autumn Events To Watch Out For If you thought I'd suffer from heat deprivation in London's chilly Autumn after a year spent in the sun-drenched Coogee Beach, you are mistaken.

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luckybouquetnachous-blog · 7 years

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The Little Secret About Finding Low-cost Puerto Rico Flights That Will Save Money!

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minxybabetalks-blog · 7 years

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Maybe it was the physical act of changing locations or psychologically knowing that I’m officially away from the daily grind, but I haven’t been this calm in quite some time.

My plane got in at 5:00 am (Iceland’s time zone) and let’s just start with how amazing their airport is! First stop is currency exchange and I’m thinking I have a lot of money to start with. No ma’am Pam. It’s hella expensive in Iceland and I’m not talking about airport goodies. The entire country is on inflation. And let me tell you, to my shock and delight, there are black and hispanic people living in Iceland. Moving along.

Peep the sunrise as I take the shuttle into Reykjavic. Stellar!!

Sunrise In Iceland

I chose to stay at Kex Hostel based off some quick but thorough research. I wanted to be surrounded by people that were friendly but minded their business. That’s what I got. The atmosphere was extra cozy, filled with food, drinks, music and books. The endless chatter from the guests wasn’t obnoxious at all. It felt like the best of a local book shop as you sip tea (or coffee if you’re into that) while you catch up on the Sunday news or browse a new book. I ate breakfast of porridge with muesli, lemon mint tea, and a spicy pate with ground wheat crackers, tomatoes and cucumbers. AH-mazing!!

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Check-in wasn’t until 2 pm and I had hours to kill. I booked the tour for Golden Circle Day Tour which would take a drive around the countryside with stops at the Litli Geyser and the Secret Lagoon. I wanted to go to the Blue Lagoon but I wasn’t aware of how packed that place gets and that I needed to book it well in advance of coming. Lesson learned. I can’t just wing it all the time. But I have no regrets about the Secret Lagoon. More on that later.

Of the things I forgot to pack up, my converter and adapter for my electronics. I stowed my bag away and headed into town. I got what I needed at the local convenience store, grabbed a quick snack at the local bakery and toured for a bit. Maybe it was due to the fact that their tourism has exploded in the past few years. Some 2-3 million visitors a year with a population size of less than 400K. I was the lone black person and not even a eye was blinked. Everyone, EVERYONE, spoke English just as fluently as they spoke their native language. A woman did comment how she loved the color of my braids but it was in such a way that she saw braids before and the particular colors I used was nice. Nor did she give me the inkling that she was about to make a grab for them like I was a new teacup poodle.

Seeing familiar sights of restaurants like Dominoes and Subway.

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Comforts from home

Subway’s a safe bet

A dedicated museum/gallery dedicated to dicks (or phallics, whatever is pc for you).

Suitable dick pic? The Icelandic Phallological Museum

On tour, there was so much to see and take in. The serenity of Iceland is indescribable. Now, I have a serious disdain for horses, but these horses, Icelandic horses (don’t call them ponies) didn’t smell (maybe it’s because of the Icelandic air), were friendly, small and understood multiple languages (or so the tour guide bragged). I allowed myself to pet them. Their fur was so soft and incredible. Have one of them playfully bump in my chest was funny. He thought I had food for him and I had to quickly let him know that I was broke and times were hard.

We stopped by the Sprungna fissure, which is an awesome and overwhelming experience. As told by the tour guide, we were in the valley created by the tectonic plates between the North American and European continents. I was seriously sending out prayers that the Earth did not decide to show off it’s power and move the earth while I was inside of it. Dying on the first day of my trip from being swallowed by the earth is not on my itinerary. With that being said, we bus stopped over the bridge so I actually go to stand in the space where two continental shelves meet. Can you wrap your head around that?

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We stopped by the Litli Geyser. I was able to eat some great, albeit expensive, food. I walked along the geysers. One geyser in the distance erupted and I got to see it from a ways back but the one closest to me, punked me. It looked like was about to erupt, but, after 15 mins, all it did was steam, sputter and cough. Oh well. Moving along.

Our next stop was the Secret Lagoon hot springs. One of the most incredible experiences of my life, thus far. I can’t compare it to any other hot spring since I’ve never tried one, but I’m in love with this one and want to make this an annual health vacation for myself. Having to strip down in cold weather, walk out in to the cold in a wet body, QUICKLY get my ass from cold rock to heated water. That’s a shock to the body. But, man, that water was amazing. Filled with all these minerals, I felt toxins leave my body (no exaggeration). Every bit of stress that I had built up in my body over the last few years was leached out. I braved the cold one more time for a glass (plastic though) of wine and floated around. I played some Bachata threw my phone (Prince Royce), I rubbed my toes all through the heated black rocks at the bottom of the springs (insta-massage). The water was so clear!!! The rocks lining the pool was heated so the water at the edges was hotter than the center. I don’t know if there is a heaven, but this is that experience where you think that this must be that. My level of relaxation went from 0 to 100. I was a mushy mess leaving. All the dead skin on my body was gone and my skin was smooth and hydrated. Not that I was dirty (you have to thoroughly wash before going in) but, like I said, the toxins just came out of me. I didn’t even want to walk anymore, cursing the universe for not let me be able to float like I wanted.

I slept on the drive back. It wasn’t even a choice. We arrived back at the hostel and I grabbed some wine, tea and food (expensive as heck) and regret nothing. To top off the night, Kex Hostel has a nightly Jazz session. It was good music, too. I’ve heard better Jazz but coupled with the trip, the fresh, clean air, the hot springs, and a full belly of good organic food, this would be the best Jazz session I’ve ever attended. I curled up on the couch, sipped my tea and zoned out with the rest of the guest.

What’s a great description of my interaction with everyone? PERSONAL SPACE. I had all I wanted, but I didn’t feel invisible.

My overall feeling of Iceland is one of peace and simplicity. Knowing that there are PoC living there made me think that this place could be a viable option to move to. That’s one of the goals of this trip. I’m long over living in the US. Everyone was chill, friendly and interesting. I must note that I finally saw another black woman later that night at Kex as well as this gorgeous Pakistani woman that was dorm mates with me. We chatted it up over tea and wine. Sharing stories with another woman from Germany who was on a similar journey as me.

I never did get to see those Northern Lights. Considering that I spent a lot for the day trip, limited funds for 6 weeks of travel, I just couldn’t swing shelling out more for a 3 hour night trip to see lights that may or may not happen. Next time, though.

A few things that would stop me. It’s cold there. I know, you’re thinking “No shit, Sherlock”. Hear me out. It’s not a slap you in the face cold like upstate NY, but an insidious cold that creeps in on the cellular level and it was only October. The natives clothing choice is built for necessity. If I never wanted to go out again or needed witness protection, this would be the place to escape to. I would have to make peace with letting go of material possession as their culture promotes interaction with their environment. They are truly outdoorsy people and I find it so cool. For now, it’s a consideration for my next move.

Another note, don’t let these cheap flight to Iceland distract you from the fact that it’s crazy expensive to live here. Carry on…

Twenty-four hours later, I’m up in the air. I had a total of 4 hours of sleep in a 2 day period but I left much more calm and collected, serene, than I’ve ever felt in my life. Maybe, it’s worth giving up all I know, if this is a feeling I can always have.

Next stop, Amsterdam.

#PassportsUp

Day 2: Icelandic Magic – Serenity Maybe it was the physical act of changing locations or psychologically knowing that I'm officially away from the daily grind, but I haven't been this calm in quite some time.

#blog #hostel #hotsprings #inspiration #mental health #relaxation #travel #trip

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ouraidengray4 · 7 years

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Wait, Can Coffee Really Help You Live Longer?

Caffeinated and motivated. Most days that's how I describe my life, and I know I’m not alone. Coffee is the preferred fuel of high-powered executives, soccer moms, and 6 a.m. CrossFit junkies. With such a loyal band of groupies, it’s not surprising there's been such scientific interest in our BFF joe.

The recent cohort study to hit the news has us all raising our No. 1 Pug Mom mug in a caffeine-induced high. Conducted across 10 European countries with more than half a million men and women, researchers found the heaviest coffee drinkers had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality (translation: drinking coffee may help reduce risks for common causes of death). Even the decaf version offered life-enhancing benefits in half the countries analyzed.

This isn’t the first study to give coffee drinkers an I’ll-live-forever pat on the back though. Another large group study with more than 90,000 American adults found that coffee drinking (regular or decaf) lowered the risk of death across the board. Association of Coffee Consumption With Overall and Cause-Specific Mortality in a Large US Prospective Cohort Study. Loftfield E, Freedman ND, Graubard BI. American journal of epidemiology, 2015, Nov.;182(12):1476-6256.

Science-Backed Coffee Talk

But what exactly is coffee’s role in helping people live longer? Apparently, it’s got a pretty long CV. Here are a few highlights (from science) that back it up.

BAI, blueberries: In one study, coffee was found to be the greatest source of antioxidants in the Western diet (more than fruits, vegetables, and, yes, even wine). While upping your caffeine game may not be advised for individuals with high blood pressure, research suggests moderate consumption may lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Coffee consumption and risk of stroke: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. Larsson SC, Orsini N. American journal of epidemiology, 2011, Sep.;174(9):1476-6256.

Decaf doesn't mean de-healthified: A number of research studies and systematic reviews have found that drinking coffee (in some cases, especially decaf) may help reduce the risk of diabetes by as much as almost 50 percent.

Up the cup: One large study found that just two cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 26 percent, while other research found the same serving slashed the risk of liver cancer by 43 percent. Coffee Consumption and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer. Schmit SL, Rennert HS, Rennert G. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 2017, Jan.;25(4):1538-7755.

Coffee breaks are the new snack times: Coffee may be your new bestie when it comes to a balanced diet. Research suggests caffeine may help temporarily boost metabolism and increase fat burning by as much as 29 percent.

Nothin' but love for ya, liver: Coffee may actually improve the liver's function. Studies suggest your daily joe may help mediate the onset of liver cirrhosis (a.k.a. the permanent scarring of liver tissue caused by alcoholism, hepatitis, or uncontrolled metabolic syndrome).

Not just for hangovers: A strong cuppa joe may be your go-to brain juice after a late night out, but science suggests it may also aid in chronic decline as well as reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Moon Happy juice: One large study on over 50,000 women in the United States found that caffeinated coffee helped reduce the risk of depression by 20 percent. Happy brew, happy you.

Now, before you go rushing out to Starbucks for a double chocolate chip Frappuccino with extra whip and sprinkles announcing to the barista and your entire Instagram following that a dietitian told you to do it, let’s think this through. While coffee on its own may offer some healthful benefits (see above), how you drink it will determine whether or not you reap the rewards. Here are the ways I recommend getting the most out of your coffee order so you can live forever (that’s a joke).

1. Avoid the Orange Mocha Frappuccinos

Do you want some coffee with your sugar and cream? If the beneficial active ingredients of coffee are in the espresso (decaf or caffeinated), downing a coffee drink that is no more than 10 percent caffeine probably isn’t the best bang for your caloric buck. Most large blended coffee drinks pack well over 500 calories, over 60 grams of sugar, and 20 grams of saturated fat that quickly counteract any of the heart, blood sugar, and weight management benefits.

2. You Wear LBDs, So Drink LBCs

Once you’ve given up the syrup-soaked coffee drinks that some places call "smoothies," go easy on what else you add to your joe. Each pack of sugar adds 4 grams of sugar, and each little half-ounce cream container adds 20 calories. Tuck into three double doubles throughout the day, and you’re looking at an extra 210 calories each day. For the record, that’s the equivalent of one doughnut. I’m not telling you to pick out a different Krispy Kreme every morning to pair with your black coffee, but hey, it’s (tasty) food for thought.

3. Consider Coffee a Treat

Since most of the research we have to date are cohort observational studies, we don’t know if it was the addition of coffee or the absence of something coffee was replacing that contributed to most of the apparent benefits. I play it safe by enjoying coffee in place of another treat or sugary beverage I already have in my diet such as dark chocolate, ice cream, or a happy hour cocktail.

4. Coffee Cake Is Still Cake (Shocking, We Know)

Anytime a headline sings the praises of a particular food or food component, the food industry has a field day cramming it into everything it can. Coffee cakes, coffee donuts, coffee cookies, cereal, coffee shakes, and coffee brownies all get health halos by slapping a “made with coffee” label on the front. Truth serum: Coffee-flavored cakes are still cakes. Even if a bakery or food manufacturer did manage to squeeze a single shot of espresso into their brownie (which, let’s be real, is a stretch), the benefits would quickly be outweighed by the sugar and fat. Dark chocolate infused with coffee or morning smoothies made with cold brew are a different story.

5. Curb the Coffee Addiction

More is not always better. Like everything in nutrition, we’re always balancing the risks and benefits of consuming more of any food or nutrient. Coffee is no different. We all know headaches, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and any other unpleasant side effects of overdoing it on the energy juice never feel great. Unless you’ve got clearance from your doctor, most healthy adults should limit their intake to no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day; that's about the equivalent of three 8-ounce cups. Also, pay attention to your body. Most caffeine highs last between four and six hours, so cut yourself off by mid-afternoon if it’s interfering with your zzzs.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line, folks, coffee may offer some serious health benefits with an energy-boosting bonus, but don’t drown out its perks with caloric excess. The simpler your order, the better. Your body, the barista, and everyone in line behind you will thank you.

from Greatist RSS http://ift.tt/2g2r4At Wait, Can Coffee Really Help You Live Longer? Greatist RSS from HEALTH BUZZ http://ift.tt/2wvL7y0

#Greatist RSS

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cristinacori · 7 years

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For my endless journey westwards I have the seat number 6 in the wagon number 0 of the worst-platzkart ever. Just one working plug, which is located on the bed under mine, so that anyone who wants to load some electronic devices has to do it on the head of the poor man who sleeps there. Empty drinking water tap: we must drink the boiling samovar water, which would not be so annoying if it were not that air conditioning is faulty and the wagon is terribly warm.

The provodnitsa of the night shift is a brusque, short and chubby woman, of those who, as they say in Rome “it’s easier to jump than to go around”. The other one is a gentle skinny lady flame haired. Together they seem Stan and Oliver, but at least the fellow travellers are interesting. Below my bed there are a old couple. He, Vova, has black moustache, grey eyes made heavier by the age, huge round fingers and he is covered in tattoos. She, Valya, has short cut hair and her face streaked with slight wrinkles, she is a cheerful woman and she has nervous chatter. They are directed to Moscow, they speak only Russian and they virtually adopt me. The train leaves and the lady pulls out tablecloth, metal cups and plastic containers filled with everything imaginable food. They offer a bit of their dinner Valya tucks in my soup freeze-dried pieces of smoked ham and without asking me anything, she peels boiled eggs and hands me the bread. I think I must have awakened her maternal instincts, she wants to feed me at all costs. Maybe I stink with my skinny vegetarian sandwiches and Korean soups from the discount supermarket.

They tell me many things (who knows what) and call me “Kristin”. I ask them, in my weird Russian, where they are from. They come from a place that is not a city, but a tongue twister, though I pretend to have understood; anyway I have no choice because they will continue to talk to me as if I really could understand what they say, asking me questions they expect me to answer.

The following day the heat does not let up, and the people in the wagon fan themselves, dripping with sweat, with everything that falls into their hands. To survive the heat, the Uzbek of the seat number 12 begins to open all the windows of the wagon, including the one on my bed. He supports it with a plastic bottle filled with kvas (a Russian drink made from fermented black bread) to make sure that it does not close and he has decided it must stay there. So I have to sleep with the bottle at the side of the pillow. The idea of the open windows is good for the day, but not for the night. At sunset, the cold air of the Siberian nights enters through the window like a sharp blade and lash my face mercilessly. I curl up as much as possible in the cotton blanket, but I can’t get to sleep so I get up at dawn when the whole car is still sleeping. I prepare my tea and I drink watching the landscape in motion. It is raining outside. The dense wiry birch forest is covered with a rosy morning mist through which the sun shines in a dance in which chases the train, appearing and disappearing among the white tree trunks.

We skirt for a long time a large muddy river on which a graceful mist hangs like a long nebulous snake concealing its banks. After few hours the landscape changes and the train makes its way through dark valleys still shrouded in mist and meadows covered with tall flowers of a bright pink. The rain continues to tap on the glass only disturbed by the passage in the corridor of a fat provodnitsa whose flesh barely stays inside the shirt. The upbeat music coming out of the basket of snacks she is pushing announces her presence. “Pirojki, kartochki…” she loudly proposes passing through the wagon. The Uzbek of the seat number 12 makes a joke, she plays along and gives him a playful slap. Everyone laughs, he must have said something funny.

Not speaking Russian is one of the things I regret, I think watching them laugh. If I had been able I would chatted with my fellow travellers, with the provodnitsa. Who knows how many stories I missed, how many anecdotes and opinions on this or that topic. Why so much they, the Russians, always have something to say, they are a people of great talkers. I find it hard to imagine them the way Kapuscinsky describes them the USSR times. The Polish reporter (who also travelled in the Trans-Siberian) writes of them that they remained silent, distrustful, they avoided to speak and hoped that no one performed questions.

It was another era, shaped by suspicion towards each other, by the fear of uttering too many words, to sound curious. All dangerous characteristics at the time.

“The foundations of the Soviet empire have always been the regime of terror and fear. Only perestroika and glasnost’ constitute a significant departure. People are starting to publicly express his opinions to have their own ideas, to criticize and to ask. This becomes an exaltation, a general drunkenness […] everywhere do nothing but talk, talk and talk. […] This verbal superabundance, that talkative oratory is favoured by the Russian language, phrasing from that large, lying, boundless like the Russian land”.

The third day of travel some young Russian soldiers get on the train. They are teens guys who are doing the canonical year of conscription. Among them myself, the bizarre italianka, am a note from the pack and within five minutes they all are making me questions. Where am I from? Do I speak Russian? What am I doing in Siberia? Am I really travelling alone? And they start making pictures of me. Everyone wants souvenir selfies with this being that comes from the exotic faraway Rome. This “young Russian army” does not travel alone: it is accompanied by a non commissioned officer who looks like the same age of the boys he is responsible for. Talking to them I discover that the conscription in Russia is mandatory. Every boy at the age of eighteen must pay a year in the army. They were lucky, Sergej tells me, the only one who speaks few words of English, up to 2008 the years of conscription were two. He smiles at me and he offers me an apple.

The following day the Russian army gets off in Krasnoyarsk and new travelling mates get on the train. Among the newcomers there are six girls, contemporary dance dancers. One of them is specialized in hip hop. They make me look some videos on their phones and even if I do not understand anything about dance, they seem to be really good. I was told that they travel to Ekaterinburg where they have an appointment at the US consulate to pick up a visa to go to California where they will participate in a popular dance competition. They are a bit worried, Ekaterina, one of them says. The US visa is not mere bureaucracy for Russian citizens: the girls will first have to undergo an interview with the console. Those among them who are not married are more anxious because the US government does not look kindly on the Russian unmarried women; the cliché has it that the Eastern European girls use to lure American men to get married in order to to obtain the US citizenship.

A few hundred kilometres after Novosibirsk, the capital of Western Siberia, we arrive at the station of Barabinsk. The passengers before leaving the car, consult the table affixed to the provodnitsas’compartment door, which shows the time spent at each station. In this way those who want to get off to buy something to eat, or just to stretch their legs or to smoke, know for how long time the train will be stopped before leaving again. Ekaterina invites me to come down with her friends, she wants to show me the itinerant fishmongers of smoked dry fish waiting passengers on the platform. Apparently this fish is a speciality in high demand as everyone rushes to buy this delicacy with enthusiasm. We walk up and down the platform to look at our travel companions carefully choose their dinner, and a merchant of fur hats furry tries in vain to convince me to do a deal by buying one. It’s time to climb aboard and all people happy with their food purchases, get on train. In the wagon now an air unbreathable hovers: a mixture of smoked fish and musty smell united to that of about twenty people who haven’t had a shower for days. You get used and, in the end, the fish is tasty. The blonde lady of the seat number 22 makes me taste it. She is going to Moscow to visit her grandchildren. The woman on her fifties is from Norilsk, a Siberian town far to the north, where summers last a month and winters, endless, record a temperature that is about -35°C. Ekaterina translates the lady tales for me, while she makes the fish into small pieces. She is amused to see my face in disbelief. At her eyes me, the italianka tourist, am a strange being that comes from the tropics.

Six-day journey by train: my journey from Vladivostok to Yekaterinburg For my endless journey westwards I have the seat number 6 in the wagon number 0 of the worst-platzkart ever.

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