#is Season 1 when she was trying to choose a place to go with JC

[zany-brainy]

Random Thoughts: I don't think Beatrice would travel (or at least wouldn't go globetrotting) after Adriel's defeat and Ava's departure. There's a few reasons.

Beatrice might be feeling more free to embrace who she is and figure out more about herself outside of her upbringing and role within the OCS but I don't think she'd want to go very far.

Perhaps when Ava told her to live her life she meant for Beatrice to travel the world, to climb mountains, and see sights. Maybe she wanted Beatrice to take a boat down the Amazon, to surf off of Bondi Beach, to meet Mickey Mouse in Florida, and swim in the Blue Grotto.

For Beatrice though, living right now means preparing and learning more in anticipation of the oncoming threat. And learning as much as she can about Reya, her realm, and any others that might be like her or Adriel. Hardest of all is doing all that outside of the OCS but in ways it allows her to pursue these goals in ways that her sisters might not be able to. It also allows her to remain in contact with Jillian Salvius, who distances herself from the OCS for obvious reasons. She's great help in directing Beatrice towards information and the former nun hopes she can help keep the grieving mother grounded.

For Beatrice, living starts small. She doesn't leave the country, too worried of being very far from her sisters. She also wants to learn more about the place she's lived for so long while locked away behind the literal walls of the Cat's Cradle and her own figurative walls. She wants to connect to people the way Mary made look so easy.

Research and training still take up so much time. Especially when Jillian comes calling with a new invention or breakthrough she'd like Beatrice to consult on. But Beatrice finds time to connect. She teaches. Short lessons in self defense in the evening hours at a local dance studio. But it's between these responsibilities that Beatrice partakes and lives.

Little victories, as Ava liked to call them. Little rebellions as Beatrice still thinks of them. Her parents never allowed her many sweets when she was younger. Now Beatrice finds herself indulging in Bubblegum flavored, double scoop, sprinkle covered ice cream here and there. And yes, it mostly just enforces that Mint Chocolate Chip is her favorite but in her mind she can see the snarls her mother would shoot her if she bore witness to some of the overindulgent treats Beatrice had been sampling.

Impulse purchases weren't a consideration for Beatrice but after a particularly trying day at Jillian's lab, she finds herself buying a guitar. It only has a little bit to do with Ava once saying she'd look badass with one and a lot to do with her former classmates' insistence on the pointlessness of the musical arts. Beatrice is awful at playing guitar. Her fingers can't quite find the music and sooner than she'd like she finds herself hiding it in a corner of her apartment.

Silly nicknacks like refrigerator magnets, little figurine statues, and the like were mostly just clutter but Beatrice finds herself picking them up here and there. She holds onto cups and receipts from new restaurants and ships she visits. Mementos of where she's been. It's no great adventure around the world but each little new something Beatrice holds onto makes her feel like she's living a little bit more every day.

She moves cities every few weeks. New places and people, new opportunities, hopefully new leads. New receipts, a new magnet or shot glass. Beatrice still didn't drink but the glasses were small and inoffensive enough not to cause clutter.

She still mourns and still worries and prepares but in between these big responsibilities, the duties she retains in different ways than before. It's silly and insignificant but she lives in these little moments, growing and changing in little ways. Beatrice finds herself waking up later than she ever had in the past, 6:00AM. She doesn't immediately clean every dish the second it reaches the sink.

It's small and ridiculous but these changes were unthinkable to her before. It's not living big or loud or adventuring but for as small as each change is, it's something Beatrice never saw coming. Hell, she gets an Instagram just to take pictures of food and animals she comes across as back up for whenever she has to ditch her current burner phones. They're all little victories day in and day out as she works and trains and learns.

And one day, after what seems like far too long, Beatrice gets to share it all with Ava, whose eyes light up at all the funky shotglasses that line their cabinet. Ava, who insists on what restaurants and cafes Beatrice has to take her back to. Ava, who instantly takes over what she now deems as their Instagram account and shares all their victories going forward, little and big.

#Warrior Nun #Zany Rambles #Random Thoughts #once again #Partially born out of how sad Ava was #is Season 1 when she was trying to choose a place to go with JC #and he had already been everywhere #I imagine Beatrice would want her first time in so many new places #to be with Ava #after so many evenings talks with her about where she wanted to go first #once Adriel was dealt with #By the time the holy war is through Beatrice has a binder #full of their travel plans #Avatrice #Long Post

[drwcn]

CQL!AU: Everyone is an orphan except Wei Wuxian, and the Twin Jades are dark practitioners. Needless to say, that changes things. (canon what canon) 

Master Post

~

[1-3]

[1] Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan were the ones who died early. Wei Changze returned to Lotus Pier to become the guardian and regent of his best friend’s son and heir. 

Lotus Pier was black and white. Lifeless. 

That was the first thought that crossed Cangse Sanren’s mind when she and Wei Changze docked at the port, swords in hand, and their little son in toll. 

The people mourned. Posts were temporarily closed, the market suspended. Windows and doors of their bustling riverside town were firmly shut, with white and black drapes hanging from its sills and fluttering in the wind. 

Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan were dead. Two young cultivators, parents, taken from this world too young, gone before their time. 

“A-Ying, come child,” Cangse extended a hand to the boy who glanced around at the unfamiliar place with timid curiosity. 

“A-niang, what’s going on?” 

“No questions. You must behave yourself today.” Cangse brought her son closer to her, watching her husband’s usually smiling, gentle face pull taut into a mask that betrayed none of the grief he felt underneath. He held himself taller today, shoulders pulled back, spine rod-straight and jaws clenched. She’d forgotten, after all these wonderful years of travelling the world with their family, that this place was once his home. 

“Er’shixiong,” a man greeted them at the pier, flanked by a party of younger Jiang disciples, all appropriately garbed with white sashes around their waist. “Cangse-daozhang.” 

They had spoken in depth about returning. Cangse knew there was nothing she could do to stop him; Changze’s devotion to Jiang Fengmian ran deeper than she understood. It was never herself that Yu Ziyuan should’ve resented; though however misplaced Madam Yu’s jealousy had been, it was a moot point now.  

Chang’ge, I will not ask you to choose between your love for him and your promise to me. If Lotus Pier is where you wish to go, I will go with you. I cannot promise however that I will always stay. That — is not my nature. 

Thank you, Wumei*. I understand. 

They found Jiang Wanyin, the little lord, and his sister Jiang Yanli, in their mourning robes, kneeling and crying before their parents’ funeral altar.  

Wei Changze sunk to his knees beside them, and folded his body until his forehead hit the ground. “Shixiong,” he spoke to the spirits. “I’ve come back.” 

“Who are you?!” The boy Jiang Cheng, five-years-old and hurting, blurted out rudely through his tears. His sister held him from behind and gave a trembling nod of deference to the older man. 

“Wei-shishu.”  

Beside her, clinging to her skirt, Wei Ying looked up and asked quietly, “A-niang, are we going to stay?” 

Cangse Sanren, the favoured fifth pupil of Baoshan Sanren herself, smiled down quietly at her only child and smoothed back his hair. “Yes, A-Ying we will. Lotus Pier is home now.” 

(JC 5 yro; WWX 5 yro; JYL 8 yro)

[2] When Qingheng-jun’s respected mentor died - murdered - he made a very different choice. He turned his back on his clan and his responsibilities, and escaped into the wild with the woman he loved. They were just an ordinary family, living away from the chaos in a paradise of their own. But even Eden eventually falls, and nothing gold ever stays... 

Take A-Huan and A-Zhan and go! Do not stop until you are safe. Do not turn around. Do not come back. 

Shijie! You’re injured! Let me help you - 

Zhao Ming! Zhao Zhuliu, you listen to me: their names, Lan Xichen for the older, and Lan Wangji for the younger. It’s what their father and I wanted for them. 

Shijie - jiejie - 

Now go! Go! 

A-Niang, come with us! A-Niang, don’t go!! A-Niang!!! 

The forest burned like the autumn sun at dusk descending from the sky, red and golden and glorious. A single figure stood amongst the flames, corpses littered at her feet. Bichen fell from her grip, barely making a sound as it landed against dampened earth, soaked with Lan blood.  Those who fought her were dead, but she feared that she did not have long either.

“Rong-gege,” Qiu Baiti collapsed onto her hands and dragged her body towards the man who lay still amongst the carnage, arrows piercing his front, his sword Shuoyue still clutched tight in his left hand. 

Lifeless eyes remained open, as though he could not rest. 

“Rong-gege,” Baiti called helplessly, crawling to him and laying her head down against his chest. There used to be a heartbeat there, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost hear it again. “Wait, don’t go without me...” 

She was so tired and bled from so many places. It was not until a sharp cry and a familiar face descended from the sky that Qiu Baiti realized the inferno which surrounded her was not yet hell. 

"Qiu-jiejie!" Cangse rushed forth, almost tripping over the corpse of a dead Lan disciple in her haste. “Lan-da’ge, he -” A horrified gasp drowned the rest of her words. 

“Cangse...you’re here...” 

Cangse gathered her bosom sister into her arms and immediately drew upon a torrent of spiritual energy from her core, channeling them into her fingertips to heal her friend. She could tell that whatever combat Qiu Baiti had been through, it had already taken the little life inside her, and now hers was following it to the other side.   

“Hold on, I can save you - hold on -”

“Cangse - Cang - stop, it’s too late.” Qiu Baiti lay limp there.  

Death, it drew near, but she was ready. She closed her eyes as a slip of tear escaped beneath her lashes. "I did this to him, to all of them... if I hadn't...it’s all my fault. I was the one they wanted; he was just trying to protect me. A-Huan, A-Zhan...."

Trembling and in near hysterics, Cangse sobbed, “No, don’t say that! Where are the boys?” 

“Safe. A-Ming has them...you mustn’t tell anyone. Not anyone, promise me. Not even Lan Qiren. Especially Lan Qiren... Rong-gege trusts his brother, but I - I - promise me - promise -” Qiu Baiti gasped for breath, gurgling blood in her throat with each laboured attempt. 

“Qiu-jiejie, please - don’t - I - I promise.” 

“Good...Cangse...” Qiu Baiti clutched her hand and smiled, a crimson wound cutting across her pale, beautiful face. “Good.” 

And then she died, with the red of the forest flames still in her eyes. 

Cangse held her friend - dear, damned, dead - and allowed a scream to tear through herself. From the depth of her grief, she released a pulse of unrestrained spiritual energy that rippled through the dense woods as though the storm of her anguish could not be contained. And like a measly candle-light assaulted by the winter wind, the forest fire was extinguished in an instant. 

The sun was gone, and the night was dark.  All was quiet, but there was no peace to be found. 

 Cangse buried Lan Cenrong and Qiu Baiti in two unmarked graves side by side beneath a tall oak tree. She sifted through the bodies and the grime and collected the spiritual weapons they left behind — Shuoyue, Bichen, Liebing (cracked in two places) and the strings of Qiu Baiti’s shattered guqin — and stored them away in her qiankun pouch. She hoped one day that she would find Zhao Zhuliu and the sons Lan Cenrong and Qiu Baiti had left behind, and return these items to their rightful owners. 

It was not until three years later, not too far from her shifu Baoshan’s sacred temple nestled in the snowy mountain peak, where Jiang Yanli had been brought to strengthen her health and train as Cangse’s direct disciple, that Cangse perchance came across Zhao Ming again. 

He was accompanied by two youngsters, two beautiful jade-like children who called him jiufu. Cangse was not surprised in the least to find that both of them have learned the technique for which their mother and jiujiu were hunted: the core-melting hand. 

(LXC 9, LWJ 6 -> LXC 12, LWJ 9 ) 

[3] They called her “The Little Queen”. Wen Qing never wanted to be Sect Master, or Deputy Sect Master, or Regent Sect Master. She just wanted to live quietly with A-Ning and Wen-popo and study the art of healing that her parents practiced. But alas, life had other plans. 

Wen Qing was a month short of her tenth birthday when her life changed forever. 

Wen Ruohan, her father’s older cousin, who’d always been close with her family, had come to visit Dafan. Wen-bobo didn’t have siblings, and her father Wen Ruotian was as close as a brother to him, more than any other Wen descendent of their time. 

Wen Qing liked Wen Ruohan well. He was doting and found her intelligent. Her parents chose the simple village life, but they often spent New Years and holy days at Nevernight at Sect Master Wen’s behest and invitation.  

When Wen Ruohan came to Dafan and told her folks that there was a piece of the Yin Iron inside the Stone Fairy, her father had been eager to help, though weary he was of those powers he could not understand. 

He’d been right to be afraid. 

The extraction had gone horribly wrong, and the rebound of dark energy had eviscerated all those near by, her mother, her father, and Wen Ruohan himself. It was by the skin of her teeth that Wen Qing managed to yank her baby brother Wen Ning out of the way. Then, without thinking, she caught the vile, wretched thing as it sailed through the air. It landed in the palm of her hands, and there she stood, regarded with fear and bewonderment from all those in witness as the cursed item, which burned the life out of cultivators much older and seasoned than her, quieted in her small hands. 

The Elders said she had...a nature affinity. For what, they could not say. 

Wen Qing was brought back to Nevernight and given the name Yuefan: to exceed mortality. Within days, the heavy crown of Sect Master of Qishan Wen was placed on her head. 

It was then that she learned that her Wen-bobo, with no inclination to marry and bind himself to another, did not leave behind a legitimate heir. His young sons, 4-year old Wen Xu and 2 year-old Wen Chao were born to him by women of ill repute.  They were kind, good boys, but they were infantile and illegitimate. Wen Qing felt for them, but she could not change their fate. So for the time being, she accepted what she had to. 

The adults did what they could for her, but there was no one in the cold, vast palace of Nevernight to mind her or nurture her. She stood alone upon the towers where the eternal flames, fuelled by Qishan Wen’s combined spiritual energy, burned in their iron brazier, and watched over the lush volcanic mountain range that was hers to govern and protect. Those beneath her - servants, disciples - feared her and her unknown powers. Those advising her - Elders, mentors - had their own agendas. In any case, they stopped seeing her as a child the minute she held the Yin Iron in her hands and lived to tell the tale. 

It was a secret, they told her. She must guard it well. 

The Chief Cultivator Jin Guangshan sent his ambassadors to congratulate her succession. Gusu’s Lan Qiren and Qinghe’s Nie Heqiu both arrived consecutively to pay their respects to their ten-year-old colleague and fellow Sect Master. 

There was a momentary rumble amongst the Wen Elders about whether Nie Heqiu’s older son Nie Mingjue would be a good match for her someday, but as he too was set to inherit, the idea was put aside as quickly as it was brought up. 

Then came Yunmeng’s regent Wei Changze, bringing along an entourage of Jiang disciples and a boy one year her junior, the son he conceived with the revered Cangse Sanren. 

Wei Wuxian. 

Wen Qing liked him enough. He was spontaneous, agreeable, and clever, and he found her aloofness fun to provoke. They would’ve both been satisfied with the arrangement had she not met Yunmeng Jiang’s young Jiang-zongzhu some years later, and had he not crossed paths with the vengeful and infamous Lan Wangji. 

But life, as the gods have planned it, must have its mysteries. 

(WQ 10, WWX 9) 

TBH?  

Note: 

Wumei - fifth sister, Wei Changze’s nickname for Cangse. 

Details of Cangse and Wei Changze’s name as well as Qingheng-jun and Madam Lan’s name can be found here .

jiufu 舅父 - maternal uncle, formal.  

#cql #the untamed #wei changze #cangse sanren #qingheng-jun #madam lan #wen qing #cql ficlet #It’s Sunday and I worked about 60 hours this week #and i say the jades are evil #and so evil they will be #i do recommend listening to gloria regali when reading this #or like the GoT soundtrack lmao #obviously some deaging of wen chao and wen xu #im literally imagining young queen amidala for wen qing lol #maybe i'lld write more if ppl wnat to see more of this disaster au #corie fics #carbon in the steel

[takaraphoenix]

Hi! May I ask why you dislike the Shadowhunters finale?

You may ask, I am going to try and answer, but you’re asking me to unearth long-buried memories there. So let’s see how much I can still piece together; the big things for sure, the little things I may have forgotten.

And because this is 4k long, a quick TL;DR/table of content:

the plot and resolution were messy

the show forgot that Clary is its protagonist

Jace Herondale deserved better too

Everything (else) wrong with the flashforward (Maia also deserved better)

Magnus and Alec’s love ended racism and homophobia

1. The Plot and Resolution Were Messy

I still think that the whole Glorious/Heavenly Fire plot was... a mess. The Heavenly Fire was born from the Soul Sword, but somehow they used ScienceTM to reate an antidote for being a Downworlder with it and then when the whole thing explodes, it gets embedded within Isabelle, but instead of killing Isabelle with its intense powers, it grands her the ability to explode Lilith and literally destroy all of hell. What the fuck was that. Nothing about that was... satisfying, or felt like it was really set up anywhere. I mean, I sure didn’t see it coming that Isabelle is the war-ending hero in this tale. That role is usually reserved to the protagonist.

But instead of ending the war or destroying Edom because she has super angelic blood, Clary’s role was to... hug her brother to death with angel-wings she created. What was even happening in that scene. To this day, I don’t understand what was going on there. I mean, she literally hugged him to death. How weird was that. And how unnecessary.

Honestly, I... I didn’t want Clary to be the one to kill Jonathan? He’s her brother. She already killed her father. Sure, they’re The Villains, but... that shit still gets to you, especially since she spent so long hoping against hope that there’s good in Jonathan? To then make her the one killing him.

I think Jace should have killed Jonathan for good, not Clary. Because she doesn’t deserve that burden of having killed her brother, even after all the bad shit he’s done.

And the method of killing was just dumb. I mean, I can not stretch it enough just how dumb it was that she hugged him to death. Not just because it’s as stupid as it sounds, but also because she literally got a warning from the Angel.

The Angel came to her (wow, now that all the action is done, they decide to communicate, awesome...) and warned her that if she keeps creating runes, she will be punished.

There was no need to create a new rune for this. She didn’t have to. Just stab him. You like stabbing things, girl. Stab him to death, or - as I’d have preferred - leave the stabbing him to someone else. Heck, I’d have preferred if Isabelle killed Jonathan via hug because left-over Heavenly Fire embedded in her, that’d have made more sense. But... there was no need to create a new, weirdly specific rune that gave her wings so that if she hugged him, they’d... I have no idea... killed him somehow with their pure godly goodness or whatever.

(Seriously, Isabelle’s Heavenly Fire powers would have made more sense, if we’re operating under the pretense that regular stabbing wouldn’t have been enough at this point, which I am not entirely buying because Alec exploded a higher demon by shooting him in the face.)

Before we get to the part about the Angel’s threat, I’d like to point out the finale’s biggest flaw.

2. The Show Forgot That Clary is Its Protagonist

Clary Fray is the protagonist of this story. The main main character. This was her story, above all else. All others are only secondary characters to her. I would argue that in the hierarchy of characters, Jace also stands above the others (but still second to Clary), because he is just as personally interwoven with all of this as Valentine’s son and the other half of the Jonathan experiment.

But the show temporarily forgot that. Part of that is the above mentioned wish from me that Clary should have destroyed Edom (if we have to destroy hell, which I do think was unnecessarily stupid and should have just been sealed off). I mean, that was the big show-down.

I do think that, to pay off the way the story was set out, Clary should have been the one to get the big finish of destroying Edom and Jace should have gotten the revenge and satisfaction of killing Jonathan, in a last ultimate showdown of who’s the better JC.

I already reasoned why I didn’t particularly like seeing Clary kill Jonathan and why I thought the method of killing him was stupid, but one more thing comes into play there.

By hilling Jon the way she did, she provoked the Angel into doing as he threatened. She is your protagonist and you’re punishing her for saving the world.

I mean seriously, Clary just helped save the world and she just used her powers to kill off a really big enemy. And instead of rewarding her for her services - since she did this shit for the Angels - she gets punished for it.

We spent this three years journey (for us; three months for her. I really can’t stress enough how bad the condensed timeline is, all around) following Clary.

She already suffered so much. But she kept powering through it and she was really finding her place there. She was finally training, she got her Angelic rune to accept her into this society, she was making friends, she was making plans. That little conversation between her and Isabelle about becoming parabatai? That was awesome. Like, something I hadn’t realized I needed until they said it. That was great, really.

And then they just took her memories away. They took their protagonist and just... left her stranded on the streets with no memories at all about the past three months of her life.

And then we timeskip - and I’ll get into the non-Clary related timeskip issues after the Clary-section of this post, so let’s focus on hers for now.

Luke is off in Brazil fucking Maryse, instead of being in New York with his daughter. This show’s always done a half-assed job with that relationship. They often name-dropped a “dad” or “daughter” there, but only when it served a plot-purpose of sorts; they rarely gave us some genuine bonding moments between them and I think that was a fault throughout the show, but this ending was just completely fucking that dynamic over.

Luke was cured from being a werewolf. And instead of choosing the mundie life that he’s pretended to lead for the past 18 years, he decides to not just go back to the Clave, who mistreated him and to whom he technically should still be a wanted terrorist for having been a Circle member (you know, the thing Maryse got deruned for). And, ship aside, the fact that Luke chose to go with his new girlfriend somewhere far off instead of staying with his daughter? Still feels like character assassination for me, quite frankly.

What, she’s not allowed to remember the Shadow World. Great that Luke is no longer a werewolf and has to associate with the pack anymore! Great timing that he’s now a Shadowhunter, something you can apparently really easily pretend not to be if you look at Jocelyn. Or, hey, actually he should have been deruned for his past crimes, which would be even more convenient because then he would get to actually live a mundie life, with his daughter.

I mean, seriously, how did that past year that is so conveniently skipped, even go? She was out in the streets, alone. How much did she even remember? Her name? The things prior to the last three months? How was anything explained to her, who did the explaining? What does she think happened to her mom, to Luke, to Simon? Because they were a part of her life before all of this.

I think the memory-wipe in itself does Clary a disservice because it erases her entire journey, but the very least they could have done if memory-wiping her would have been to give her a happy ending. To show her living a good mundie life with Luke.

But the memory-wipe wasn’t about Clary. That’s where the “the show forgot she’s the protagonist” comes into play again. Not only did they punish their protagonist for doing the protagonist-y thing of saving the day; they... they essentially fridged her.

I don’t know a non-dead term for fridging, but for all intends and purposes, she was fridged. She lost her memories, not as a part of her own plot, she lost them for Jace’s Man Pain.

That was the framing device the show chose.

They could have made Clary’s memory-loss about Clary; shown us how she adjusted to the new life, or even as mentioned before given her a happy ending there, in the mundie world. They could have shown us her suffering about this.

Instead, it’s framed around Jace. Jace, sparring with Simon, being called out for still pining after Clary. A whole-ass year and Jace is still hung up on Clary, still regularly checking in on Clary, still stalking her, still sad, still suffering. He pines from afar as he watches Clary’s art show. And when she suddenly remembers his name, it is framed as a happy moment for him.

Her suffering served a man.

They really took their female protagonist and decided, in the finale, to make her suffer, for the sake of her male love interest. That would be absolutely gross if she was just the love interest of the male protagonist, but she is the protagonist and they turned her into a plot-device.

And it didn’t even stick. I assume the memory-wipe was an idea hatched prior to the show being cancelled. She is memory-wiped and we go into hiatus and next season, we have Jace and the others chase after her and bring back her memories. Would still be shit and do Clary a disservice, but at least it’d have like... a purpose.

There was no purpose to the memory-wipe as it happened. It lasted literally 2 minutes screen-time before Jace’s sad puppy-dog eyes triggered Clary’s memories again and look, her brain didn’t melt! She got to remember him.

So what was even the point of that memory-wipe...? Clary wasted a whole year of her life in total isolation, thinking everyone she loved was dead, when in reality her memories could have safely been brought back at any time.

The Angel punishing the protagonist for doing protagonist-y things would have already been a dick-move, but this? This was the Angel playing a cruel prank on Clary, really. And what was the point of that...? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Nothing is gained from the memory-wipe. The finale would have been improved by simply not including the memory-wipe. Literally just, have her have a good time at the party, be happy. And include her in the flashforward as being parabatai with Isabelle and being happy. The pay-off the protagonist of your show would have deserved at the end of said show.

3. Jace Herondale Deserved Better Too

As I mentioned in Clary’s section, Clary being essentially be fridged like that would have been a shit move even if she was just the love-interest to the actual protagonist. But Jace isn’t the protagonist. He’s one of the main characters and I’d argue the second most important one but that stands to debate I suppose because I have favorite-character-bias there. It can definitely not be argued that he is not the primary protagonist, because that’s Clary.

But Clary had to suffer for his man pain.

And honestly, my AO3 track-record shows how much I love seeing Jace suffer, but even I think this was absolutely useless and unnecessary.

In the past three months of Jace’s life, he:

learned his father didn’t die but was a (still alive) wanted terrorist

spent weeks thinking the girl he had a crush on was his sister

was abducted by his father and tortured for five days straight

thought his mother (Jocelyn) wanted to kill him

nearly got mauled by Maia “kill first, ask questions later” Roberts

got thrown into prison after being freed

where he was then tortured by his boss

tried to commit suicide through the Soul Sword in the City of Bones (1)

thought his mother (Jocelyn) wanted to kill him

was harrassed in his own home to the point of willingly moving out

thought his mother (Jocelyn) was dead and mourned her

was abandoned by 3/5th of his adopted family (but they said sorry afterward so people forgive them *snorts*)

tried to commit suicide through the Soul Sword thinking he could destroy it (2)

tried to commit suicide through letting Simon drink him dry (3)

learned his father wasn’t his biological father but a mad scientist who killed Jace’s parents and cut him out of his mother’s womb

was literally killed by his own father. I mean he died. He actually died

was possessed by Lilith for weeks and in that time

killed multiple mundies without any control over his body

repeatedly killed the people he loved inside his mind-prison

was sexually assaulted by Lilith

actually killed his own grandmother and only living relative due to toe possession

learned that there’s mental illness running in his family and that his mom actually committed suicide

They crammed all that trauma into three months and at no point did they actually allow Jace to process any of that. Nope, instead of letting him process, or just stopping to beat him down, they decided to make him suffer some more at the end.

The ending he deserved would have been a fucking therapy session, not “my girlfriend doesn’t remember me so I’ll be sad and pine for a year :(”.

Made even worse by the decision to move Alec onto another continent. I appreciate that little bonding moment between Jace and Simon, I really do, but the fact that his parabatai was just... off living his best life, somewhere else, while Jace was suffering like this? That didn’t sit right with me at all and really goes against what that parabatai bond is supposed to mean.

My boy tried to commit suicide three times and actually died once in those three months. But instead of a rewarding ending that somehow... gives them all something good to end on, they took Clary away from him for a whole year - a vital year, the year after the war, the time he should have spent on healing himself and dealing with his trauma. Reducing his character to sad, heart-broken boyfriend instead of finally letting him heal.

And for what? Clary immediately regained her memories when she saw him; all of this additional suffering served no purpose at all aside from “they both suffered for a year lol”. Stupid and unnecessary and especially after the excessive torture they put Jace through, he really deserved better than to have his “one year later” moment be “uh actually you totally wasted that year pining from afar, coulda just talked to her at any moment lol”.

4. Everything (Else) Wrong With the Flashforward

This is going to recap a lot of the things peppered into the other points, but it needs to be put into one sub-point too, because the sum of things in this flashforward is just bullshit.

The memory-wipe that is magically undone by Jace’s sad puppy-dog eyes and thus served absolutely no purpose.

Showing the “a year later” but not how Clary got there; what her journey to that point in life even was.

Luke happily joining the Clave again after everything and deliberately abandoning Clary to frolick at the beaches in Brazil.

Bat and Maia. Those are the only new things I have to add here, because... wow. Bat had a total screentime - I mean, total of this entire show - of under 10 minutes. I’d wager more close to 5, really. There was no build-up here, because the show was so busy side-lining Maia after they promoted Alisha to main cast - which in itself was just ridiculous; you promote her and instead of giving her character more to do and a prominent storyline, you just feature the return of her ex and then basically write her off the show for a while. She just... up and left for multiple months after becoming the Alpha, leaving the pack kind of... leaderless. And then she’s just back again and now she is with Bat, which didn’t even feel much like a deserved happy ending considering they never really established their dynamic - or Bat’s character - much.

Quite honestly, with the way this show had messed around with romance, I think the show should have gone non-canon and kept Simon and Maia together through to the end, because while season 1 set Simon and Isabelle up really well, season 2 kinda forgot about that again and 3B had to rush that back in again for the sake of endgame.

Maia’s final scene wasn’t a pay-off, because the show forgot to give her the set-up for it. They never showed her become the Alpha, they never showed her be the Alpha, so seeing her there in charge didn’t feel like much. They never showed her and Bat develop much more than an acquantanceship, much less fall in love, so her being with him in the end felt more like a consolation prize.

And, in theory, you could argue that, well, she’s not the protagonist so you can’t flesh all that really out. But then the show even put more focus onto their little non-canon Luke/Maryse romance than they did on the Bat/Maia canon romance. She deserved to have a proper build-up to make her ending be a worthy pay-off

Then there’s Alec and Magnus, but they get sub-point 5 so we’ll get back to them later.

5. Magnus and Alec’s Love Ended Racism and Homophobia

To drive home how much their ending bothered me, I have to go back some.

Shadowhunters are inherently homophobic and racist; that is what this show told us rather early on already. They’re homophobic and they’re very racist against Downworlders.

The show claimed that and they clumsily tried to show that, at times, but... they put zero effort into doing something to change that and still want to reap the glory for making them change their ways. And it’s... pathetic, bad writing and genuinely offensive to anyone who’s ever actually dealt with someone homophobic and/or racist before.

I’m a white lesbian, so I’ll not pretend that it’s up to me to speak to the way the show handled the racism subplot; many fans, who are people of color themselves and can speak to this much better than I ever could, have addressed that in more detail in the past.

But it’d be wrong not to mention it here too, because... they really dropped the ball on this plotline centered around a huge real world issue. They set the Shadowhunters up as racists but here we are, only one year later and not only did they allow a Downworlder to live in their super holy city (which they were forbidden from entering only a year ago; they only got to live in the wild, also explicitely stated to be rogue and wild werewolves, more beast than man), they appointed Magnus the High Warlock. Not only did they “end racism” within a year, they also got Magnus a high-ranking political position. Really?

I’ll focus more on the homophobia here, because I can speak more to that. And I do think that the two issues run relatively parallel in how they were handled. (Because they were both not handled.)

Alec’s still deep in the closet when we start the show. Then he agrees to a political marriage to a Good WomanTM, just to publicly come out, in front of his bosses and everyone he works with. Which, I still think was horribly handled, but I digress.

He was in the closet for a reason. Because of the Shadowhunters’ inherent homophobia. Which the show then just... kind of... forgot.

Alec is never shown to face homophobia. Alec is never shown to actually speak up and do something to help other gays.

But the show still thinks to deserve a pat on the back, and gives it to itself via Andrew Underhill praising Alec for all he has done for gay people. By... what, exactly? Kissing Magnus in public?

Same for Aline, who is so deep in the closet when we first meet her, she can’t even dare say it in anything but a whisper even while being with the only person she ever confided in about her sexuality, but a month later, during Magnus and Alec’s wedding, she can dance and laugh and kiss her girlfriend in public.

The show really pretends that The Power Of LoveTM ended homophobia, because, I don’t know, the Clave looked at Alec and Magnus and shipped it so they were now okay with all gays I guess??

That’s bullshit. You didn’t have to set up this society as inherently homophobic; if you’d just done that, the way it progressed would have been fine. But if you make them inherently homophobic, you don’t get to do... nothing.

Alec is an openly gay man. He’d have gotten shit from his coworkers. He certainly wouldn’t have gotten all of those promotions in such a short time!

No one speaks up against him being appointed head of the Institute - even though someone really should have, not even just because he’s gay but also because he’s a Lightwood and we started this whole fucking mess of playing musical chairs with the position of head because the Clave wanted to take it away from the Lightwoods! But also because he’s gay. And dating a Downworlder, just to remind you of the inherent racism again.

He’s offered the position of consul within a month of having been head - a position he only got through nepotism to begin with. Consul. That... That’s a high-ranking political position.

And in the flashfoward, only one year after, he is... he is the Inquistor.

They really pretend that this gay man came out as gay, ended homophobia and racism with the power of love and then, within a year’s time climbed onto the highest possible political positon.

Just, imagine that in the real world. During the height of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and when interracial relationships are far from socially accepted, this guy just comes out as gay, never does any activism aside from actively being gay, gets married to this man of color (and it’s very peculiar that the majority of Downworlders also make up the majority of characters of color) and then the guy becomes president of the United States within a year.

The narrative the show chose belittles the actual struggle oppressed minorities have been fighting for decades and centuries, because it claims the pay-off of having ended the oppression, without ever actually showing the struggle and fight. It makes it look like, well, if the right queer interracial couple kissed in public, then people would see how silly their racism and homophobia were and just stop being racist and homophobic.

The show did not earn that ending. The show didn’t earn the pat on the back from Underhill to Alec, the show didn’t earn that out and proud wedding inside the Institute, the show didn’t earn that Underhill/Lorenzo and Aline/Helen open, happy, uncaring dancing during said wedding, the show didn’t earn Inquisitor Alec and the show didn’t earn High Warlock of Alicante Magnus.

Because the show didn’t put in the work to earn that.

#Shadowhunters #Shadowhunters Critical #Anonymous

[lunasilvermorny]

End of year 4

(I know I’m not done with season 1 of the Quidditch story, but it seems like it’ll take a while, so in the meantime, I want to actually progress the story.)

Wait, he hasn’t came back yet? The hell is he doing?

Aww, she looks so proud.

That’s the look of- “At least it’s not Slytherin.”

(Unless you’re playing as one, but I’m not, so it works.)

Such a plot twist...

Yeah, you were only a 1,000+ points ahead. No big deal.

Me: Finally, I got to year 5!

Everyone who’s been through it:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusions:

(This is going to be a long one...)

In general:

I think year 4 was overall a good one. I liked the pace of the story (a bit slow sometimes, but never enough to make me completely disinterested.) and the fact that it was longer than the previous years made it better to really get invested in the plot.

Now for a deeper dive (with obvious spoilers):

The main plot:

I think the plot of year 4 is the most interesting we had so far. It was darker, but no too much to break the immersion. There were actual plot twists (the whole thing with Ben was very well executed.) and the new characters they introduced were really well made.

However, even though I thought the plot was pretty good, there were some really boring parts. For exampe - the part with sickleworth. I was really looking forward to it, but it was just tedious.

Let’s go search the arrowhead here. Oh, it’s not here? Let’s go there instead. No? Then let’s try this place...

Mind-numbingly boring and a waste of time.

New characters:

Rakepick:

As much as I think she’s a manipulative prick, she’s a great addition to the story. Her problematic methods are in perfect contrast to the other professors and I think it adds a lot to have an irresponsible adult around to enable MC’s behavior, when it comes to furthering the plot in a believable direction.

I don’t like the way she manipulates Merula into doing her dirty work, but again, it makes perfect sense that they would take this direction in order to keep Merula relevant as the antagonist.

Professor Kettleburn:

What more can I say? They nailed it. I love everything that has to do with him. I truly believe they made him justice the way they’ve portrait him. I went over the stuff that JKR wrote about him and they were very faithful to the source material. I think they’re way better at adapting characters that had no presence in the HP books and movies.

So yeah - great job, JC. Honestly.

Charlie Weasley:

Supported by my last statement about the way they adapt characters - Charlie is wonderful. I know that a lot of people find his obsessive talk about dragons annoying and one-dimensional, but in a game where most characters are not explored to a very deep level, I think it was smart to keep a simple and coherent character arc.

I like how calm and easy going he is and I just found myself enjoying almost every interaction MC had with him.

I really liked the fact that he was a huge part of the main story and that he automatically joined us in all the important parts, just like Tulip and Barnaby in year 3. His adventurous nature was very uplifting at times and he just made everything 10 times more interesting.

I can understand why he’s such a fan favorite. Again, great job, JC.

Andre Egwu:

I know that we technically already met him in year 3, but his presence was almost non-existent until year 4, so I consider him a new addition.

Anyway, like the rest of the new characters, I really like Andre.

At the beginning he was a bit annoying, but my impression on him changed very quickly once he had more screen time.

Proving that he’s more than a sassy background character, he showed that he’s a true friend in the main plot and the SQs. The fact that he’s our fashion-guy that always happy to help is already good enough, but his supportive nature in the main plot (giving MC his broom, join her to the forbidden forest) just made it so much better.

Liz Tuttle:

Even thought she’s still not our friend, she was in the background of a few SQ and was introduced in the Polyjuice Potion SQ. The problem is that... that’s it.

Anyone who’s been in my blog more than 10 minutes knows how much I like Liz and how her big of a presence she has in the headcanon, but she’s barely anywhere in the game and it’s such a shame.

I’d like to know her character better and I feel like there’s a missed opportunity. I adore her love and dedication for creatures and animals, and hope they wouldn’t just use it as a joke like- “look at that weird girl that cares way too much about animals” instead of showing it in a positive light.

Old characters:

Ben - I think I like the most what they've done with Ben. The fact that he was the masked “dark wizard” was a true plot twist and even though I suspected it, it still got me.

Rowan - I didn’t like the fact that Rowan was a judgemental arse and that in the end he was right, even though he had no proof and based his suspicions on gut feeling. That’s extremely out of character of him and I hated it.

Side quests:

There were many. Some were just brilliant (the Celestial Ball SQ and the First Date SQ), and some weren’t. (like the Nearly-Headless Nick one and.. I can barely remember, because they were so dull.)

But here’s a very quick recap (because I said all I had to say in the SQs posts):

Nearly-Headless Nick - So damn boring!

Unleash Your Patronus - Disappointing, but not a complete failure.

Polyjuice Potion - I wouldn’t have liked it nearly as much if Liz wasn’t in it... but she were, so I can’t say I hated it.

Celestial Ball - Brilliant! 10/10. Loved it. By far the best.

Rita Returns - Boring.

First Date - Amazing!

Become a Prefect - a bit boring at times, but in general it was a nice little SQ.

Magical Creatures Everywhere - Nice premise, I enjoyed all the creatures and characters involved, but it was just a fetch quest without anything too interesting. No stakes, very basic story. Not the best, but we had worst.

Also, I need to point out that I changed my opinion on Penny based on the SQs. (not only in this specific year.) They put her way too much in placed that she wasn’t belong and it left me more annoyed with her than anything. She was one of my favorite characters and now I just want to skip any dialogue with her, because I’m so tired of her.

The Vault:

This part was very disappointing. The build-up was promising, but there was barely a pay-off. It wasn’t nearly as interesting as the vault from year 3, even though I think it had greater potential.

Also, I hated the fact we had to fight the Acromantula instead of choosing between a fight and a conversation, like Kettleburn advised us.

Oher stuff:

Chimaera - I guess we’ll see it through next year? It felt more like a running gag than anything, but it’s a freaking Chimaera that’s running loose! There’s no way we’re not going to encounter it at some point. Anyway, I thought it was amusing as a background plot to show Kettleburn’s recklessness.

Studying - I know that most of the time it was to learn about things that have to do with the vault, but I still liked to see them sit and study, especially MC with Rowan. It’s a school after all.

Snape and Rakepiclk’s rivalry - it wasn’t written in the best way, but the presence of their rivalry was very much appreciated as a part of the plot. I like how Snape’s view of her stand in contrast to everything she did “to help” them and I think it adds a bit more depth to both of their characters.

The Weasleys - I loved all of their background plots. Such a wholesome addition.

Joking about Rakepick - it’s a very small thing, but I loved every mention of their fear that Rakepick is going to kill them. Very amusing.

Dumbledore’s absence - it just felt too convenient, so MC’d be able to do more things without supervision. It didn’t sit well with me and just felt like a cop-out.

Detention - Even though it was a shame that MC didn’t get her usual 100 house points at the end of the year, I do appreciate the fact that Dumbledore finally punished her bad behavior. Took him long enough, but it’s a start.

Quidditch:

I know it’s technically supposed to be in the second year, but since it’s started when MC was already in her 4th year, I treat it as if it’s part this year.

I think this addition improves the game significantly. The mechanics are fun and the plot is okay.

Penny’s role is very out of place and like I said before, it makes me love her character less and less. The new characters, however, are really interesting. I feel like each brings a new thing that no other character has brought before.

Skye - Although she left a very bad first impression, I think overall she’s okay. Her backstory is interesting and she makes the player want to win, for themselves and for her.

McNully - I think he’s great. Talk too much? Sure, but that’s part of his charm. He’s funny and interesting, and by far contributed the most to get MC in the team.

Orion - Again, it took me a while to like him, but his bs attitude became very comforting at times and I grew to like his weird dialogues.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Final thoughts:

This year was interesting and much more than the previous ones, in almost any aspect. It wasn’t perfect, but if I take everything into consideration, I think it was a successful year and my new favorite.

I know year 5 is way messier and incoherent, so I don’t have a lot of expectations. I’m just glad that we got this far and the story was still interesting enough to keep me going.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #hphm year 4 #end of year 4 #mc #hphm mc

[instantdeerlover]

The SF (Quarantine) TV & Takeout Guide added to Google Docs

The SF (Quarantine) TV & Takeout Guide

We’ve all been watching a lot of TV lately (thanks to our ex who still hasn’t changed their Hulu password). But if you’re over combing through Netflix’s “Critically-Acclaimed Witty Sitcoms” category every night, only to end up half-watching The Office and half-scrolling through Twitter, it might be time to switch things up. Let us help you. Here are 10 great TV shows you can stream right now, and what to eat while you watch.

All restaurants featured on The Infatuation are selected by our editorial team. The SF (Quarantine) TV And Takeout Guide is presented by Uber Eats. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, supporting our local restaurant community has never been more important. Uber Eats customers can now give directly to the restaurants they love at checkout. 100% will go to the restaurant. Order now to support. See app for details.

   Featured In The Ultimate San Francisco Delivery & Takeout Guide See all our guides THE SPOTS Yung Kee Restaurant $$$$ 888 Webster St

TV Pairing: Pen15 (Hulu)

“Pen15 is a reminder that kids who came of age in the late ’90s were too obsessed with making friends on AOL Instant Messenger and choosing AIM screen names (mine was surfsup7up). Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle play 13-year-old versions of themselves and deal with crushes, nosy siblings, and newfound urges to sit on a washing machine. This cringe comedy makes you constantly reminiscence about your early teen years - both the awkward and the great. For me, one of those great growing-up memories were the frequent family dinners at Yung Kee, a Chinese restaurant in Oakland Chinatown. We always got the large bowls of wonton soup (I still get it to this day). It comes with egg noodles and chives, and you should absolutely get it with the barbecued pork.” -LC

 Beit Rima $ $ $ $ Middle Eastern  in  Castro ,  Mission $$$$ 138 Church St 8.2 /10

TV Pairing: Veep (Hulu)

“I once had a dream where Julia Louis-Dreyfus came to me, laid a hand on my cheek, and told me I was ‘cute and small.’ Best night of my life. But this isn’t about me. It’s about Veep, a brilliant comedy that follows hot mess Vice President Selina Meyer (played by the hilarious, absolutely perfect JLD) and her misguided efforts to become president. It’s also almost unfair how great the cast is - if we harnessed their collective comedic abilities it could probably power a 10-car BART train. So what to order while you watch this satirical masterpiece? Definitely Beit Rima’s mezze platter with delicious labneh and muhammara, and hand-kneaded pita covered in za’atar - you’re going to need something that won’t get cold while you inevitably watch the entire first season in one sitting. If you need further convincing, watch this.” -JC

 Golden Boy Pizza $ $ $ $ Pizza  in  North Beach $$$$ 542 Green St 7.5 /10

TV Pairing: Monk (Prime)

“I have an inherent fondness for TV shows that are set in the Bay Area (Silicon Valley, The OA, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper) mainly because there aren’t many of them, and I get a kick out of seeing my hometown on-screen. I recently started rewatching Monk, the police procedural with Tony Shalhoub. It takes place in San Francisco. And in the memorable opening sequence, Tony walks across a North Beach street at night. The scene gives me cravings for my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood - Golden Boy Pizza. Their Sicilian-style slices are the best in the city - they have a fluffy crust and a lightly crispy bottom, and are topped with a thick layer of cheese. You’ll think all other pizzas are inferior after ordering takeout from here.” -LC

 Order delivery  Boichik Bagels $$$$ 3170 College Ave

TV Pairing: Survivor (CBS)

“I know what you’re thinking. Survivor is still on? Yes, the reality competition series just finished its 40th season, and it’s one of the best shows on TV. Nothing is more fascinating than watching strangers battle for $1 million through a glorious clusterf*ck of social, strategic, and physical gameplay - you’ve got iconic blindsides, 11-hour immunity challenges, and Jeff Probst in khakis yelling “Come on in, guys!” every episode, without fail. There’s no way to be a casual fan of Survivor - you either have no idea it exists, or watching it religiously is your most prominent personality trait. Boichik Bagels has a similar cult following (which I’m also a part of). In pre-quarantine times, people lined up on College Ave. at 7am to snag a dozen of their New York-style bagels, which usually sold out within hours. Now, you can pre-order online for pick-up. And since Survivor’s new season just wrapped, you can start your thorough rewatch of seasons 16, 20, or 28 (the best ones) over an everything bagel, lox, and scallion schmear.” -JC

 Top Dog $ $ $ $ American ,  Bar Food  in  Berkeley $$$$ 2534 Durant Ave 8.0 /10

TV Pairing: The League (Hulu)

“I love a challenge and friendly competition - especially when it’s over something as time-consuming and stupid as Fantasy Football. Full disclosure: I’ve made the playoffs in my league for the last three years, and take great pride in this fact. My life as a casual Fantasy Football player is also why I find this comedy series about adult friends who’ll lie, cheat, and sacrifice the well-being of their children to win wildly entertaining. One running joke involves Jason Mantzoukas randomly pulling hot dogs out of his pocket (don’t ask). So, naturally, I’ll pair this with the excellent hot link or the kielbasa from Top Dog. The stand near the Cal campus serves it on a warm sesame-seed bun and tops it with sauerkraut and mustard.” -LC

 Order delivery  Dumpling Specialist $$$$ 1123 Taraval St

TV Pairing: Kim’s Convenience (Netflix)

“Kim’s Convenience is a fantastic sitcom about a Korean-Canadian family that runs - yep, you guessed it - a convenience store. It’s a refreshing and much-needed depiction of first-generation Asian families, done justice by a hilarious cast of lovable, complex characters. And like my family (a plate of cut fruit, anyone?), one of Mrs. Kim’s love languages is food: she often shows up in her kids’ apartments to stock their fridges with containers full of leftover kimbap. For me, love is a plate of hand-folded steamed pork dumplings, which I’d order from Dumpling Specialist, along with their delicate, juicy xiao long bao and wontons doused in spicy chili oil.” -JC

 Nari $ $ $ $ Thai  in  Japantown $$$$ 1625 Post St 9.1 /10

TV Pairing: Casa De Las Flores (Netflix)

“Without spoiling anything (OK, fine, there’s a flashy dance sequence involving Thalia’s “A Quien Le Importa”), Casa De Las Flores is a Mexican soap opera about a family who owns a flower shop. It’s fantastic, refreshing, and you will stream all three seasons in one weekend. At its core, it’s really a dark comedy about a family that’s complicated (in the very best way). If you like your meals to be complex, order from Nari. Their Thai dishes are like fireworks in your mouth - they’re sweet, salty, and so spicy you’ll need a firehose to put out the burn. Nari is offering dinner sets for two to-go. Their menu changes frequently, but the meals usually include curry, soup, jasmine rice, and dessert.” -LC

 Farmhouse Kitchen $ $ $ $ Thai  in  Mission $$$$ 710 Florida St 8.4 /10

TV Pairing: Elite (Netflix)

“If you took Gossip Girl, set it in a small mountain town in Spain, and threw in way more sex and murder, you’d get Elite. The teen drama is chaotic and thrilling. And watching ridiculously attractive teenagers cover up crimes in between lavish mansion parties and super complicated relationships (yes, there’s a thrupple) makes me want to eat something equally as exhilarating: the Little Lao set from Farmhouse Kitchen. It’s a massive platter that comes with an overwhelming amount of dishes - there’s the hat yai fried chicken, spicy papaya salad, panang neua short rib, and lots more. Choosing which delicious bite to take next is like trying to keep track of the back-and-forth drama and figuring out who actually killed who - a near-impossible task.” -JC

 Order delivery  Acme Bar $$$$ 2115 San Pablo Ave

TV Pairing: Lucifer (Netflix)

“Let’s get this out of the way: Lucifer is absurd and makes no sense, and yet it’s somehow one of my favorite shows. It’s a supernatural dramedy and a police procedural about the devil (dressed as a dapper British man named Lucifer Morningstar) who leaves hell, moves to Los Angeles, and helps the LAPD solve crimes. Oh, and he owns a nightclub and drinks lots of dark liquor. (This is the only part that makes sense). In honor of Lucifer’s beverage of choice, order from Acme Bar & Company. It’s a fantastic bar in Berkeley with an extensive whiskey selection, and right now you can get Old-Fashioneds, and bottles of bourbon, scotch, rum, and brandy for takeout and delivery. Trust me, you’ll need a drink to get through all the bad devil puns.” -LC

 Celia Catalino Belcampo Meat Co. $$$$ 60 Morris Street, Suite 27

TV Pairing: Gilmore Girls (Netflix)

“There’s never been a better time to revisit one of the most wholesome on-screen mother-daughter relationships ever. Lorelai and Rory see each other through graduations, almost-weddings, and heartbreak - and since Lorelai can’t cook to save her life, they usually end up ordering three years’ worth of Chinese takeout for dinner, or grabbing a burger at Luke’s Diner. So when you watch, it’s only logical to brew yourself a pot of coffee and order a huge Belcampo Burger, which comes stuffed with caramelized onions, aioli, and white cheddar, and a side of fries - perfect to eat while sitting on the couch and debating the pros and cons of Team Dean vs. Team Jess.” -JC

via The Infatuation Feed https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/the-san-francisco-quarantine-tv-takeout-guide Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created May 23, 2020 at 01:42AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

[mariacedano-blog-blog]

Beautiful Homes of Instagram Happiness has arrived! I honestly feel extra happy when I share a new “Beautiful Homes of Instagram” post with you. I find these posts are so helpful if you’re looking for inspiration because these talented homeowners are always full of incredible ideas and many DIY projects. Today, I am honored to feature Selena from @middlesisterdesign. She and her husband are a DIYers and I am sure your jaw will drop as much as mine did when you see all of the projects done in this house. I hope you guys have a great time and get some inspiration here to apply to your home! I am definitely sharing this post with my husband! “I am so honored to have our home featured on Home Bunch! When Luciane contacted to ask if she could feature it, I was quite shocked and beyond excited! To have our humble little home that we’ve poured our hearts and souls into displayed next to some of the most beautiful homes on Instagram is just such an incredibly exciting gesture. Thank you Luciane. And thank you all for visiting! Welcome to our home! A little intro to myself. I’ve had a passion for Interior Design and Décor for as long as I can remember. It was merely a “hobby” of mine for many years. Until 2 years ago I worked part time as a bank teller. One day my husband suggested that I pursue my dreams of having my own Interior Styling business. After a lot of deliberation, I decided to go for it and Middle Sister Design was born. I specialize, and take pride in being a more budget friendly, less complicated, savvy stylist for the homeowner who desires a well-dressed home without the large price tag. Simple, Smart and Savvy; that’s my motto! I began a Blog, have had much success with local clients and have loved every minute of it. (And have not once missed wearing heels to work, counting dirty money or trying to upsell. There’s still so much for me to learn and I have big plans for the future of my Blog and Business. When my husband and I decided to build our home nearly 10 years ago we had just been married less than a year. We had viewed many homes in the area’s “cookie-cutter” neighborhoods and while we were uncertain of exactly what we wanted, we knew these were not it. We decided to scour the internet for land as well as for house plans. My husband found a 2 ½ acre piece of land that was only 5 minutes from my childhood home and I found the house plans (we disagreed on LOTS of them before finding the “perfect” one.). We both liked the bones of the house plan I’d found, however there were many things we didn’t love and so we sought help from a local Architect and custom home building company. With their assistance, we made changes to much of the main floor plan. I would describe my design style as somewhat eclectic. Growing up in the South and in a more traditional style home, you will find a bit of it throughout my own. However, being a lover of trends, I do enjoy bringing pieces of trendy items into the mix. Neutral, natural, earth inspired elements are my favorite. My Grandparents lived on a farm and from my memories of spending the summers there stem an adoration for that lovely, cozy farmhouse feel. My take on modern farmhouse industrial and boho chic also play a part in this eclectic style of mine. I truly do have an appreciation for all the styles.” Beautiful Homes of Instagram We kept to the original plans for the exterior of the home aside from choosing much larger windows shown above as well as the Stacked Stone veneers from Eldorado Stone in the color Alderwood. We loved that stone so munch in fact that we decided to carry it over to the entire foundation all around the entire house. The siding is Vinyl in the color ivory and all gutter work and trim are vinyl as well in white. We have designed and installed all of the landscaping ourselves and while that is a job in itself, the toughest part is keeping the multitude of deer from eating all of our hard work. Porch Front Porch stain is James T Davis solid stain in the color Tree Bark. The swing is from Hayneedle and the wicker conversation chairs are from Pier 1. Rugs are from Target. Front Door Front door color is basic black exterior paint. Welcome Home! The front door opens to the Great Room which was actually 3 rooms on the original floor plan; Living Room, Kitchen and Dining Room. This, even on blue prints, looked incredibly cramped and we all agreed that an open concept would be a more unique and inviting look for this space. Another favorite unique feature of mine is the little “shelf” above the foyer’s close/master bedroom door. I chose to display the driftwood pieces my sister has collected from a nearby river for me over the years, knowing my love for it. Living room Sectional Sofa and chair in this space are the Ikea Ektorp Slipcover Series, both in Bleking White. DIY DIY Inspo: Bookshelves, side tables and coffee table were all built by my husband. Rug is Bleached Jute from Overstock. Fireplace We decided to take the fireplace all the way to the top of the high ceilings using the same stone used on the exterior – Stacked Stone veneers from Eldorado Stone in the color Alderwood. Paint Color Paint color for the entire main floor is Benjamin Moore HC-173 Edgecomb Gray. DIY Shiplap Kitchen The shiplap wall was added by us last year. We used 4×8 wood floor underlayment from Home Depot, cut into 6” strips and installed using liquid nails and a small brad nail gun, using nickels as spacers. It was such an easy project that creates such dramatic results. And best of all, incredibly inexpensive. Paint color is White. This open concept would require reconfiguring the entire kitchen layout which was tricky but in the end, we chose a unique island style and designed using Kraftmaid cabinets all the way to the ceiling to utilize every inch of this small space for storage as possible. Cabinets are solid maple in the color Biscotti. Dining room The table is a found item made from 100 year old barnwood. It was in bad shape when I found it but I put a little love into it and she’s as good as new. The bench at table, sideboard and industrial shelves were built by my husband. The two captain’s chairs are from Ikea. Rug is the bleached jute from World Market. Grasscloth shades are from JC-Penney. Doors The French Doors in the Dining Room were not a part of the original plan. In fact, there was only one small window here as well as in the kitchen area. The French Doors open to a large deck, also not part of the original plans. Landing Upstairs are two bedrooms and a full bath. The landing at the top of the stairs houses a chair that is a family heirloom. Another favorite space of mine. All flooring throughout the home is oak with the exception of two upstairs bedrooms. Neutral Bedroom Paint Color Our daughter is grown and no longer lives with us. When converting her bedroom into an office for myself, I wanted to keep a bit of “youth” to this room but also wanted it to be a place for guests of all ages to feel comfortable. I chose fun, on trend patterns and lots of textures for this space. The chair rail was installed when the home was built. Last year I installed the faux board and batten using 1 ½ inch lattice strips. Paint color on walls is Khaki by Valspar. Board and batten and all trim and doors are basic white paint. Simple. Bedding is from Pottery Barn and all furniture is the Ikea Hemnes series. Guest Bedroom The second bedroom has always been a guest bedroom but it too got the board and batten treatment last year. Wall paint color is also Khaki by Valspar. Bed & Bedding The bed is an antique, Amish made, chalk painted with Valspar chalk paint in the color Kid Gloves. French Provincial nightstand and dresser were mine as a child, painted the same as bed. Bedding is from various stores. I like to pay extra attention to detail as well as cost into the bedding of the guest beds. Linen, high quality cotton and extra down comforters are a great way to give that 4 & 5 star hotel feel. Master Bedroom The Master Bedroom layout is original to the plans. Of course, as mentioned before, with the exception of making those windows much larger. This is one of my personal favorite changes that we made. Paint Color Wall paint color is Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray HC-173. Shiplap Bed The shiplap bed, nightstands, bench and large mirror were built by my husband. The jute rug is from World Market. Bedroom Chair This slipcovered chair brings a relaxed feel to this farmhouse bedroom. Lamps are from Target. Antique Door Hung with barn door hardware, this salvage door adds so much character to the master bedroom. Master Bathroom When built our home we’d installed a jetted garden tub. Four years ago though, we decided to rip it out and replace with this Clawfoot Slipper Tub from Vintagetub.com. This is the Randolph Morris 67 Inch Cast Iron Slipper Tub. I cannot express how much I adore this tub. Also in this space, we designed a much larger window here than the original floor plans. One of my favorite pastimes during the snowy season is soaking here while watching the snow fall. Laundry room We reconfigured what was intended to be a mud room/powder room off of the kitchen area into a small powder room and laundry room. There were two reasons for this. One, taking square feet from this space allowed us to add them to the Master Bedroom’s Closet opposite the wall of this space. Two, making this space smaller meant there would be no place for an exterior entry door to enter the mudroom which worked well by adding a larger deck and doors in a different area, which I will describe below. We had decided earlier in the planning that a mud room was not necessary for us. The home has a full basement with garage. This is perfect for bringing in messes from long days of gardening or yard work. The industrial shelving were built by my husband. Powder room Here is the powder room. I decided to separate the powder room and laundry room with a pocket door which easily hides any laundry messes from potential unexpected guests- or when I simply want to “hide” it from myself! :). Towel ladder was built by my husband. Backyard Our backyard is currently getting a small makeover but I thought I’d share a photo of our firepit from last summer. I hope you enjoyed the home tour. If I can answer any questions, please feel free to contact me over on my blog. Interiors & Photos: “Selena Campbell“. Make sure to follow Selena from on Instagram @middlesisterdesign to see more photos of her beautiful home! See more “Beautiful Homes of Instagram“: @sweetthreadsco: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @becky.cunningham.home: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @Cynthia_Weber_Design: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @theclevergoose: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @cambridgehomecompany: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @thegracehouse: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @blessedmommatobabygirls: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. Click here to see all “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”. Posts of the Week Tuesday: Modern French Chateau Style Custom Home Design. Wednesday: Modern Cape Cod Home Design. Thursday: Coastal Farmhouse Interior Design. Latest Interior Design Ideas: Latest: New & Fresh Interior Design Ideas for your Home. More Interior Design Ideas: More Interior Design Ideas on Home Bunch. Trending on Home Bunch: Interior Design Ideas – a weekly series on Home Bunch. Popular on Pinterest: Interior Design Ideas. Popular on Home Bunch: Beautiful post featuring a collection of Farmhouse Interior Design Ideas. Follow Home Bunch on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives. Popular Paint Color Posts: The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors 2016 Paint Color Ideas for your Home Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Pictures Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Ideas Inspiring Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color and Color Palette New 2015 Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color Interior Ideas: Paint Color More Paint Color Ideas What a pleasure it was to share this inspiring home and story with all of you today. Selena truly has inspired me in so many levels and I hope you feel the same. Did you guys have a good weekend? We’re busy trying to decide what to do with two rooms we don’t use much in our basement. I have so many ideas and I wish I could do all at once but we will have to take it slow, especially after our busy (read $$$) summer. Either way, it should be fun! Sometimes you learn to appreciate even more the things that take extra time and planning to be done. Have a Blessed week, my friends and thank you for being here. This means so much to me. with Love, Luciane from HomeBunch.com Interior Design Services within Your Budget Come Follow me on Come Follow me on Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email Contact Luciane Save Save Save