dariarutherford

[dariarutherford]

Oh, that reminds me, I have at least one friend I'll probably have to stop by and shop for. Think you can pick at Gabe's brain for me if he comes in, so that you can then help me pick out a good gift for him? I never know what all he has already or really any other knowledge about most of that stuff. Also ideas for your sister would be great, I mean I know she's my best friend so I should be able to figure it out on my own, but a little help never hurt.

I'll be there bright and early tomorrow and every day until you run out of stock. It's going well. With the Holidays coming up, people are starting to drop in for more than only comics. I've sold more action figures, and collectibles in the last week or so compared to the month before.

[dariarutherford]

Girl, where were you raised and who raised you? I grew up drinking eggnog every year for Christmas, obviously the non-alcoholic kind. I mean, I know it's definitely one of those drinks that isn't everyone's cup of tea. Kind of like candy corn at Halloween, but also like candy corn—it's kind of a staple to a holiday. But, I'm glad to hear you're willing to give it a try!

Just curious, eggnog always seems to make me think of old aunts & uncles that can't seem to hold onto their wigs after just a few drinks. If that's the case though I will make it a point to at least try it, since that's a pretty bold claim.

[dariarutherford]

Ooh, you know I'm not much of a dry wine girl, but semi-dry I'll definitely try at least once in awhile. Definitely hit me up once you've got the white one going - though I unfortunately don't have much for suggestions! Either way, I'm sure you'll figure it out and ugh, man after my own heart. A peppermint mocha martini?! Boy, you best be ready to see me at your establishment on the regular this holiday season.

Ahh, the curiosity at work, I see. It’s a semi-dry red Tempranillo with apples, oranges, cranberries, and pears, a splash of apple brandy, and garnished with a twist of orange. I’m working on a sparkling white variation as well, but I’m still testing out fruit combinations for that one (and suggestions are welcome!). Hopefully it’ll be ready in time for December along with our spiced honey old fashioned and the peppermint mocha martini, 🤞🏼

[dariarutherford]

Sounds great, we'll have them til we don't! Honestly, I could technically order the flavors year 'round. But like other businesses, it's usually better to keep certain flavors seasonal. Otherwise it could lose it's flair if you can get it all day everyday.

oh my god. i need to come in and order fifty billion pumpkin spice lattes because i never have enough and end up missing them when they're no longer in season. wait-- why can't you sell the flavors year round ? are apple and pumpkin flavoring just not accessible year round ?? i never understood that, it always was so weird to me why places stop carrying the flavors.

[dariarutherford]

Yeah, they do. Especially since I've got a way better tasting recipe than the one that Starbucks puts out.

Does anyone actually order the eggnog? It just sounds...not too appealing.

[dariarutherford]

Yasss I love to hear that, can't wait to see you stopping in! How are things going in the comic store business these days?

I love gingerbread-flavored things, but nothing beats pumpkin spice, so I'll be dropping by every single day on my way to the store until you're out of stock for sure.

[dariarutherford]

Alright, I know we only just celebrated Halloween, but I'd like to let everyone know that new flavors are coming to Java Jams within the next week or so. And by new, I mean the usual holiday flavors such as peppermint mocha, gingerbread, and eggnog. That being said, once the pumpkin and the caramel apple is out of stock, we will no longer be offering those coffee flavors at the cafe. So, get your fill in on the fall flavors while you can!

[dariarutherford]

Alright, you've piqued my curiosity... any chance you're willing to divulge in what this winter sangria consists of? Like the spiced rum apple cider is already enough to pull me in, but then you mention sangria and you know that wine is one of my weaknesses. Not that you wouldn't be seeing my face around Coda just for the regular stuff, of course.

Coda's holiday menu has officially dropped, for anyone who's curious -- we'll probably be adding a few more seasonal drinks around the end of the month, but the winter sangria and spiced rum apple cider are sticking around through the end of the year. Now I get to bury myself in plans for New Years Eve, so if I vanish into the back room for hours at a time -- maybe have someone check to make sure I'm not buried under confetti samples and streamer swatches every now and then?

[dariarutherford]

Daria raised a brow, clearly amused by his dramatic display, though she wasn’t immune to the flattery either. “Well, I couldn’t leave people to suffer with only store-bought goodies, could I?” she teased, brushing a stray crumb from her flannel. “These are Daria Rutherford specials—made with just the right blend of sugar and a sprinkle of...mischief.” She shot him a playful smirk, nudging the tray a bit closer toward him. Her gaze flickered over his costume, her eyes gleaming with interest. “And yes, look at you, showing up as the suave Flynn Rider,” she commented with a grin. “Now is there a lovely Rapunzel to match around here somewhere, or are you 'riding' solo?” The corner of her mouth twitched up in a smirk at the slight pun she made.

"Without the town's resources, I'd say it's more than impressive -- and the company certainly couldn't be better," Nick grinned, shooting Daria a teasing little wink. "I spent a little too much time working, not enough time planning a costume, last year," he admitted. "And the weeknight definitely didn't help with all the excuses I kept making in my head for 'not having time,' honestly. But look at me this year, doing better and making time," he added with a laugh. Predictably, like a bloodhound catching a scent, Nick leaned back just enough to peer over Daria's shoulder and eye the tray of elaborately decorated cookies laid out beside her with undisguised interest. "Are those Daria Rutherford specialties I spy? Be still my beating heart," he added, pressing one hand to his chest with a dramatic flutter of eyelashes.

[dariarutherford]

Daria had just been on her way to grab a small plateful of goodies when she saw Lauryn in motion with her re-organizing skills. Standing back, she watched the other girl with a smirk on her face, knowing that any other time she'd likely be doing the same thing. Force of habit, usually, when it came to running the cafe and keeping things in order. Especially in the kitchen. She walked a little closer when it seemed Lauryn was about finished. "Hey, Laur," she said, hiding a small chuckle. "Honestly, I really can't blame you. Gotta say, I'm partially ashamed of myself for just placing my own tray of cookies down, just wherever I found space earlier. And yeah, it does look a lot better now." Grinning again at her friend, she grabbed a plate and started adding a few things to it. "You know, if you ever wanna give up the nurse life, could probably use those organizational skills at Java Jams," she joked.

Lauryn's perfectionism had once again kicked in. She'd been enjoying herself, for sure, but then she'd caught sight of the food tables and the rather haphazard way the various foods people had brought had been placed onto them. And, before she knew it, she'd ventured over to them and began sorting them and making them look a little neater herself. It was only as she finally stood back and was inspecting her work that she caught the look on someone's face standing right near her. "Oh, hi!" she greeted before pausing, trailing off as she realized they'd probably caught her in the act. "Okay, before you say anything, in my defense, you can't tell me the food tables don't look much better organized now."

[dariarutherford]

Daria was munching on one of the cookies from the cookie tray that she'd brought - all decorated over the top for the occasion. Though it wasn't overly cold in the fire hall, there was some heating, she was very much thankful that she'd decided to add the oversized flannel to her very thrown together costume. Bobbing along to the beat of the music, she just barely registered the sound of someone placing food down at the table. Only when he spoke up did she turn around and grin at a familiar face. "Yeah, it's definitely not as big as the town hall's bash, but they did pretty good with making the place look spooky, yet fun." Grabbing one of the paper plates off the table, she got herself some chips and scooped out some of the salsa that she'd noticed was now added to the table. "What kept you from venturing out to party last year? The fact it was on Halloween night itself and therefore making it a party night on a weeknight?"

open event starter

Nick had been quick to deposit the massive bowl of homemade salsa verde and assorted bags of tortilla chips at the food table, freeing up his hands so he could take in the rest of the fire hall. He wasn't terribly familiar with it by day, since he'd never had reason to set foot inside the local fire station (the annual summer carnival they sponsored obviously being held outdoors), but it was still fairly apparent that a lot of work had gone into the decorations and set up. The music was a nice touch, and he couldn't help but grin at the karaoke machine -- that would be a lot of fun soon enough, he could already tell. Nick pivoted in place to scan the hall and gave a low, impressed whistle. "This is pretty legit -- I missed last year's party at town hall, but I'm kinda glad I didn't just decide to stay home again this year."

[dariarutherford]

[dariarutherford]

Daria: yeah, they definitely have some twin hijinks, especially since in their movie they're actually identical strangers. it's got a parent trap vibe, but with that unique twist on it for sure. Daria: wait... what were elijah wood and christina ricci in together? Daria: oh I don't mix them up usually.. just thought the old timey doppelgänger looked more like one than the other. though I can see the similarities in both their features, so I get why you'd get them mixed up. Daria: um, I like the romcom genre, hallmark movies are usually on during christmas season along with the classics for the holiday, comedy in general usually, depending on the type of comedy I guess. sitcoms, dramedy, that sort of thing I suppose. Daria: I haven't decided if I want to close early to hand out candy at home or keep the cafe open an hour later and just have a table of goodies for the kiddos for free. you three going trick or treating? I won't judge, personally I don't think there should be an age limit on it so long as you're having fun and not vandalizing the neighborhood, you know?

Matt: It sounds like it! Do they have twinning hijinx in there like it happened in The Parent Trap? I like things with twins because they can have a lot of fun in there. There are these awful action movies where these beefy twin brothers starred in them. One of them they were barbarians. I can't even remember the plot hahahaha That's me with a majority of movies nowadays. I hope this isn't the beginning of old brain! 😭 Matt: RIGHT! They need to do another film together. I am all for it. I was stoked to see Christina Ricci and Elijah Wood in Yellowjackets. They bounced off each other in the best way, and it made my 90s-loving heart do a little dance. Matt: I still haven't seen Queen of the Damned but I heard that soundtrack is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Matt: Okay. I am glad I'm not the only person who mixes those two. It's the beard! When Nick showed up in Last of Us I remember thinking it was Zach for a split second. Matt: since vampire media isn't your jam, what are you into? Matt: Is your shop doing anything special for Halloween?? I want to swing by in my costume and see if you get it. I'll see if Chris and Stells can join since we're doing a group costume.

[dariarutherford]

Ah, Superstore is one of those shows I still have to check out, thank you for reminding me! I know it's already ended, which personally I think is better because then I can watch the entirety of it without having to wait for new episodes. Okay, I was going to try and think of a character that you'd be a great fit to play, but if I'm being honest I think Romeo and Juliet is the only one I know even just a little bit about and even then it's a little fuzzy to me. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think Shakespeare's kind of boring. The only way I could get into most of them are when it's made into a more modernized setting, like 10 Things I Hate About You or She's The Man. Or Get Over It, that one is so underrated. Well, I hope you get the role you want for Book of Mormon! Be sure to let me know when showtimes will be for it, I'll definitely get tickets and make the drive out to see it!

You are 100% correct in that aspect. There's a bit of variation in the music for both holidays, but at the same time there's not enough; soon enough you're just hearing the same thing over and over again, and it gets old really quick. It's like the episode of Superstore where Garrett hears the one Halloween song over and over again and goes a little crazy lol. But at the same time if all of the class songs went away, I'd probably cry. It's not necessarily that I find it boring or anything like that - I do love Shakespeare - I just never feel like I'm quite the right fit for any of the characters; I might change my mind in the future, though. Honestly, it probably has to do with the fact that I applied to a few productions back in New York but was always told I just "wasn't the right fit" for the role so it sort of dissuaded me from auditioning again. There's only so many times you can hear "you're just not the right Romeo we had in mind" or "you're just not our vision for Hamlet" or things like that before you finally take the hint, you know? It's definitely a funny production, that's for sure. I don't think I could pull off Elder Cunningham, so I'm aiming for Elder McKinley; it helps that I've played him before ha. It's great that you're taking a break too! I can imagine planning for the reopening was plenty stressful, so you definitely deserve a long break.

[dariarutherford]

Remember to just take breaks for yourself, okay? Because if you don't, I have my ways of finding out and I will show up to make someone relieve you. Don't think I won't. And I suppose I could make time for a bestie spa day, and by suppose I mean I definitely will plan that. Ooh okay, I get it. That's a creative choice for the convention name. Especially since a pub can be a place where friends gather to have a good time, makes sense. Well, you, me, and Gabe should definitely try to plan something to do together as a little friend-group. Speaking of us all hanging out, are you going to any Halloween parties and if so, what are you dressing up as? I still have no clue yet what I'm going to be. I think the revamp kind of distracted me and I just haven't had time to really think about it.

The vacation helped me to relax while I was on it, but now that I'm back I can feel the stress building back up; primarily because I can definitely tell that I was gone from the hospital lol. But I think 'stressed' is just my natural state these days; I'm working on it though. No, no. You don't need to order the chief to give me time off for a spa day, lmao. I honestly would love to schedule a spa day, but only if you're going with me. I feel weird doing something like that on my own. No, but I can see how that would seem to be the case lol. LeakyCon is a Harry Potter convention; it's named after the pub, The Leaky Cauldron. I've always wanted to go, you know how much of a HP nerd I am lol, but I've never had the money to do so. They do it every year, and it's supposed to be really fun, and I'm jealous of anyone who's gone.

[dariarutherford]

Awesome, hope to see you stopping by. I take it you're on 3rd shift or something like that for your job?

Might be able to make it in the mornings, but certainly not when I am headed into work.

[dariarutherford]

Daria: yeah, like I love the cozy feeling of our small town but I'm glad it's not THAT small. like those blink and you miss it driving by. we're at least a "listen to one full song driving through town" kinda size haha Daria: oh never, always gotta hit that small business angle. especially when it's my small business. not that i'm biased or anything. 😝 Daria: java jams mug, maybe even sport be sure to sport one of the new hoodies or tshirts we just got in to sell. you know when you're in your downtime around town, obviously not to dress in while in office - gotta keep that professional look while working.

Nick: Max's vet has been pretty awesome the couple of times I've taken him in, and I'm sure they're all very good at their jobs there, but I'm good sticking with the people doctors, most definitely, 😂

Nick: And here I figured the 'local boy returns to hometown' angle would be enough -- although I maintain that it's probably more effective if you sell merch. Strategically perch a Java Jams coffee mug on my desk, same thing, right? 😉