#*slides in on a shrimp sandwich two days late*

[hellmandraws]

POV: You're about to be burgled. 💎

Happy Raffles Day (two days late because I'm bad at planning)!!

[amberwritesstuffs]

A very special dinner.

Summary: Wanda has been working a lot lately and you decide to make her dinner to cheer her up.

Warnings: 18+ smut, mommy!Wanda, fingering, degradation, praise kink, oral (r giving), slightly choking. (If I’m missing anything please let me know!)

Word count: 2k

Wanda was working home tonight too, arranging some paperwork Steve asked her to, she had been sitting in front of the desk nonstop since morning. She had been working a lot but today was the worst yet. The only time you actually saw her through the day was when you brought her some take out lunch and ate with her while straddling her lap, you talked a little but after eating you let her work again.

You were missing the attention of your Mommy but at the same time you knew she was going to be tired of working as she was for the entire week.

You were lying in bed watching a movie, hugging her pillow that had her scent and made you always feel safe (and turned on, but this was not the time) when you decided to do something nice for her, she was the one to always take care of you and made you feel better when you were tired or sad, so you could do it for her too. She deserved it for being such a good Mommy.

After evaluating your options, you decided it would be better to make her dinner since for lunch you had take-out. You were not the best like her, but you can defend yourself, besides, doing something easy but fancy should be a piece of cake. The recipe you mastered like Gordon Ramsay (According to you, but you fooled no one, that was not your fort) was a simple lemon pasta with garlic shrimp. You knew Wanda would love anything you cook for her, even if it was just a plain sandwich, but this was a different special occasion. She had been working nonstop and barely had any free time, but every little time she had, she made it up to you, to care and make you feel good, so, it was fair to do the same.

You started cooking the pasta, plain spaghetti in some boiling water while retreating the shrimp from the freezer. Meanwhile it was a relatively easy recipe and you made it before, you looked for it from your phone to just not mess it up.

Unfreeze the shrimp, clean it, cut it, and into a pan with butter. You started making your way through the kitchen, while listening to some music and moving your hips to the rhythm. It was getting better and better, and the kitchen smelled awesome with the mixed aroma of the shrimp combined with the butter, garlic and parsley. You were going to drain the water from the pasta when a pair of arms wrapped around your waist and a face buried on the crook of your neck. She inhaled deeply and you relaxed on her embrace, leaning into her.

“You smell good.” She said huskily, and you bit your lip.

“Is it the smell of the food that just impregnated on me?” You joked turning around to meet her eyes, ignoring the way her voice caused you to wet your panties a little.

“No, but that smells good too” she chuckled. “Was the occasion, princess?” She asked, pecking your lips and taking some steps back, letting you continue to cook.

“There’s no occasion, Mommy, I just wanted to do something good for you, since you were working so hard” was your reply, smirking while moving the shrimp and adding some crushed red pepper.

“Oh” she cooed, “My little princess is so good for me”, you bit your lip again, pressing your thighs together a little as an automatic response to her praise. Wanda noticed this and decided that she wanted some relief herself, but since she wanted to eat the dinner you were cooking, she decided to tease you a little, but in a different way she usually does, since she didn’t want you burning yourself or the dinner.

She hopped up the counter at your left and you eyed her cautiously. She smiled and gestured you to continue. You kept cooking and mumbling to some music while almost finishing the recipe when you heard a moan.

You returned your gaze to your Mommy only to see her massaging her breasts. Hard. You gulped. “M-Mommy?” You asked, gripping at the spatula.

“Keep cooking, baby, you don’t want to burn the dinner you’ve been cooking so perfectly for Mommy, hm?” She opened her legs, the short she was using reveling her inner thighs to you; she pressed her fingers through the fabric directly to her core, causing a long moan that send a chill down your spine. You wanted her. You made a move indicating you wanted to come close to her when she stopped everything, moving her hands off her body. “No, princess, keep cooking.”

“But- Mommy- I want to help you. I want to make you feel good, please.” You whined, struggling with the urge between your legs and the dinner that was on the stove.

“Finish cooking, princess, if dinner is good, I’ll think about rewarding you by using you like the toy you are to make Mommy feel good.” You gulped, your mind going hazy with need, but you nodded, trying to focus yourself on the food and not your girlfriend touching herself less than a meter from you.

She started moaning again when her fingers returned to her core, rubbing it slightly. Your mouth was watering, your hand gripping hard on the handle of the spatula, wishing to make her cum on your mouth.

She removed her shirt, revealing her boobs to you and you whimpered at that, her pretty nipples hard and calling for your mouth. She brought her fingers to her mouth and wet her index and thumb to then use them to circle her nipple, she let out a long, loud moan at that.

“Mommy-“ You whined, unable to focus fully on dinner.

“Be a good girl, baby princess, you are almost done cooking.” Her other hand finally dipped inside her shorts and she moaned loudly feeling her own fingers. You saw her hand inside her shorts moving and finally lost it. You approached her and latched your mouth on her right nipple while touching her thighs; Wanda let out a surprised moan at that and grabbed the back of your head. “Princess, you are not being good right now, I told you to finish cooking.”

“Mommy- I- I need you- Please” The look on your eyes made her own soft. She knew she was working a lot lately and had little time for you, and you missed her as much as she missed you. She smiled and kissed your forehead.

“How much until it’s ready?” She motioned the food on the stove while grabbing your jaw.

“Not much, it’s almost ready.” You whined, looking at her lips and latching again to her nipple, sucking eagerly.

“Come here, princess, I’m going to help you finish so you can finish me.” You gulped but smiled. Both of you moving to the stove, Wanda behind you, and you could feel her breasts against your back. You were done pretty quickly, when you turned off everything, and covered the just made food to put it on the oven to keep it warm.

“Mommy-“ You whined for the millionth time before turning into her arms and kissing her needly. Your lips moved on hers and when she used her tongue you complied and let her dominate you. “I want to make you feel good, please” you mumbled when she started kissing your neck, leaving pretty hickeys here and there.

“My sweet girl wants to make Mommy feel good?” You nodded, pulling her closer to you. “My little fuck toy…” She grabbed you by your neck and guided you to the counter she was minutes before. “Kneel.” She commanded and you complied, looking at her with needy eyes. She shimmed her shorts off and leaned on the counter again, making you gasp and your mouth water at the sight of her wet cunt. “Tongue out, pretty toy, Mommy is going to make herself cum on your mouth.” You did as she said and then guided your mouth to her core, the smell of her arousal only making you needier. Your girlfriend moved her hips against your mouth, letting long moans to be heard for you. “That’s it, baby, your mouth feels so good against my pussy.” Her movements were getting faster and faster, and you couldn’t take it, wrapping your lips against her clit and sucking harshly, she screamed at that, falling to the edge, while you continued to flick your tongue rapidly against her clit. “That’s it, Mommy is going to cum on your mouth, slut, you want that, don’t you?” She was pulling your hair at this point, making you moan against her. A few seconds later she let out a scream, gripping your head and moving you where she wanted. You let her ride out her orgasm before doing another long lick and raising yourself to kiss her.

She kissed back and the taste drove her crazy, she stood up and then turned you around leaning you against the counter, never breaking the kiss. She all but ripped your clothes, throwing them to the side and kissing your neck just the way you liked it. Her hands gripped your sides before hopping you on the counter the same way she did, opening your legs and standing between them.

Her hands went to your thighs, caressing them while going higher and higher getting close to your core. She dipped a finger, gasping at the wetness she found. “My pretty princess is so ready for me, hm?” When you didn’t answer, she slapped your pussy, making you cry out. “I asked you something, whore, who made you this wet?”

“You! You did, Mommy! Only you, please.” You grinded your hips, hoping she would take some pity on you.

“That’s right, mine” She said huskily while sliding two fingers inside of you and pumping them in and out steadily. “This pussy is only mine to fuck; I’m the only one who can make you moan.” You moaned loudly, bucking your hips, silently asking for more. “What is it, slut? It’s not enough for you?”

“No, Mommy, please, I- I need it harder- Please- I need you so much.” You whined, pleading into her eyes. She growled and started a rough pace making you scream. She grabbed your neck and squeezed, your mind going fuzzy at the feeling. Wanda felt you were close, but she knew what you needed to come harder than ever. With the same hand that was squeezing your neck, she guided your lips to her breasts; she certainly did not have to tell you twice as you took her nipple into your mouth, moaning against her. You sucked hard, loving the feeling of her boobs on your mouth, making her moan.

“You look so beautiful like this, dorogoya” Her accent was thicker and caused you to moan loud again. “You look so pretty sucking at my boobs while I fuck hard your tight pretty pussy.” Her pace increased if it was possible. You were close, and Wanda knew, so she moved her hand to rub your clit rapidly.

“M-mommy, I-“ You struggled talking as you wanted to continue moaning.

“I know what you want, princess.” She cooed, never stopping the brutal pace contrasting with her sweet voice. “Tell me who you belong to.”

You rolled your eyes in pleasure but answered as you could. “You. Only you, Mommy. I’m yours. I belong to you, only you- Please, let me cum for you, Mommy, let me be your good girl, please.” You frantically chanted, lost in pleasure, your entire body begging for release.

“Go ahead, princess, cum for me.” She kissed your head, guiding your lips to her nipple again. You latched to it finally letting yourself go, hard. You screamed, muffled a little by her breasts, body trembling as brutal orgasm ripped through you and slumping into her. Wanda let you ride your high and making you come down lightly, whispering sweet nothings to your ear. “You did so good, baby, you are such a good girl. My good girl.”

You sighed happily, finally opening your eyes to look up and meet her smiling at you. You smiled sheepishly and leaned to kiss her, feeling tired.

“Come on, princess, let me taste the dish you made for me.” She kissed your forehead and helped you down the counter. You went to take it out of the stove while Wanda set up the table. She then took a seat as you sat down on her lap, your head laying on her shoulder. When she served herself and took the fork to her mouth you straighted out, looking at her impatiently, curious of if the food was good. After taking the bite and swallowing she smiled at you, her arm on your waist tightening reassuringly. “This taste amazing, princess, you did so good”. She smiled, pecking your cheek as you blushed and smiled too, pleased with yourself for doing a good job for her.

Dinner went on Wanda eating on her own, and then feeding you too until all the food was gone. She rested on the chair and you snuggled closer to her as one of her hands rested on your thigh and the other one stroked your hair, enjoying this intimate time together. It was until she pulled you by your hair to look at you, making you yelp.

“I enjoyed this thoroughly, baby, but I did say you could get a reward if dinner was good.”

[enchanted-lightning-aes]

Loosenin’ Up at the Kitchen

A/N: just a ficlet of Sam cookin’ things up, guest starring Sarah Wilson! a domestic tale for @samtember2022. :3

Word Count: 935

TW: food

Prompt: Day 25 - Cooking

***

Humming to 'Heard It Through the Grapevine', he removed boiled shrimp shells from a pot. He poured it on a strainer as steam slightly fogged the sink. He tossed eight tablespoons of unsalted butter into a bowl. He added chopped and minced vegetables along with it too. He stirred them with a ladle, watching them melt. He belted out to the chorus, holding another spoon as a microphone.

After two weeks of missions, Sam opted to visit Sarah, A.J, and Cass for a while. He had been rather homesick for local Louisiana dishes. He had eaten decent food, sure, except he kept missing a bowl of Jambalaya. Or a po'boy.

The first thing he did since he had entered the house was to cook. He had enough skills to do it, so he picked Crawfish Étouffée. He had been at it for an hour, gathering the ingredients and equipment. He sauté the vegetables, adding creole seasoning. It added an extra pinch of color, sizzling with tiny bubbles surrounding it.

For those weeks out of Delacroix, he had been dreaming about food. Probably because he had only eaten sandwiches for most of his meals.

Not tonight, though. He would eat like royalty and savor it.

Sam removed the pot from the stove, pouring them into a bowl. He put a small amount of duck fat and flour into it, stirring them with a whisk.

"You know if you wanted to bring the house down, you could have said so. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

At that wry voice, Sam froze and clutched onto the whisk.

"Geez," Sam muttered, turning to look at Sarah standing near the archway. "Can't you give a person some privacy? I'm tryin' to cook over here. And that attitude's not helpin'."

When Sarah burst out with a laugh, he shook his head. He poured the vegetables back into the bowl.

"Cooking? For real?" Sarah asked, barely hiding her disbelief.

He scrunched his face. "Why? Is it that much of a shock?"

"Well, I'm surprised because you seemed so busy lately," Sarah explained, gesturing at him with a hand. "However, I guess I can't say no to an extra set of hands."

"Relax, I got this," he sing-songed, adding bay leaves into the bowl. "I'm being careful with the seasonings and stuff."

"Oh, you better. Still, thanks for helping me out."

"No problem. I'm always up for a rescue."

Sarah snorted, smiling.

"I know, you big goof."

Leaving the sauce and vegetables to simmer, he opened a cabinet to get another bowl. For pasta. He filled it up with water then opened a packet of Fettuccini noodles, sliding them in it. Sarah leaned against the doorway, fixing her eyes on the stove.

At times, Sam wondered how did he get so lucky to have Sarah as his sister. Because she often had common sense and stubbornness in spades. Those two qualities alone could be a dangerous combination to have instilled on a sibling. However, he found himself far more grateful than irritated for that.

Good thing, they had each other and he could count on her. And he often tried helping her out whenever he could. Even if she wouldn't admit it, he would be there to offer to do any errands. He knew she had pride to ask for help, constantly insisting on doing stuff on her own. Like him, she barely didn't have much time for herself either.

However, if he could help her out with the little things -household chores and all that, he considered it as great work. That way, she could take a break from her responsibilities too. He was more than willing to be the sibling she deserved.

It had been too long since they had quaint days like this. Days not involving missions or issues. Days, where they both could enjoy it while they could.

"There's the Sam Wilson I know," Sarah murmured, leaning back against the counter. "It's been a bit way too long since. . . since I saw you like this."

Sam raised his brows. "Huh? Like what?"

"Laidback and without much weight around his shoulders." Sarah's mouth quirked in a small smile. "I missed it when you aren't. . . tensed."

To think of it, he hadn't been tense since he began preparing this Crawfish Étouffée. He probably had been too focused on this to notice.

"Thank you," he replied with a grin. His shoulders loosened. "It's good to be around at home all day for a change."

"Yeah, I'm glad for that. And ahh, that crawfish sauce smells good from here."

"Yup, see? I'm putting the effort here instead of winging it."

"Once you're finished, we'll eat it for dinner? I'm sure the boys would love to have a meal cooked by Uncle Sam."

"When I'm done, I'll call you and the boys. So, wanna tell me what's up at the docks?"

"Hey, finish that 'Crawfish Étouffée' and then we'll get talking."

"You want me to get down to business already? After that moment we shared? How cold."

Sarah chuckled, lowering her head.

"Nope. Just being a sister, who's gotta remind you to keep your head in the game."

"Ah, I see. You're here to take advantage of my cooking."

"Less talking and more stirring, Samuel."

"You got it, Sar."

When Sarah walked to the door with another chuckle, she waved at him and he snorted. Still, he moved a ladle around the pot as the sauce simmered. He inhaled it, smelling it's zesty and creamy flavor. He hummed in approval, checking on the boiling pasta. This had signs of a star chef in the making.

***

[withabackpackandcamera]

March 26th, 2021

Day 3: The Long Reverse Hike at Haleakala National Park Sandwiched Between Sunrise and Sunset

Man do I dislike waking up in the wee hours of the morning before the sun is even close to rising… But it was something that I had to endure today in order to view one of the gems of Maui (a gem that supposedly only 50 private parties of people can enjoy a day (probably excluding tour company groups)): sunrise at the summit of Haleakala Crater.

Because sunrise was scheduled for 6:20am or so, we had set our alarms for 4:00am with the goal of leaving the AirBnB at 4:30am. We ended up getting out of there around 4:45amafter cleaning up and checking out. The drive out to Haleakala National Park was supposed to take about an hour given the dark, windy, switchback roads that we had to drive up but luckily, the drive was smooth and without issue, and we arrived at the national park gate entrance at around 5:45am. 

We thought we were good on time with that arrival time but little did we know that there was still quite a bit of a slow, windy drive left to get to the actual summit from the entrance gate. And that sunrise was quickly approaching with the sky slowly lighting up over us. Nervous that we might actually miss the sunrise, I charged up the mountain to the summit, zooming through curves while racing down the straight parts of the road. Eventually, I had to make a decision on where to view the sunrise since I was presented with two options along the route: the Visitors Center or Red Hill (or Pu'u'ula'ula). Not knowing which one provided the best vantage point and view of the sunrise (since I didn’t do my research ahead of time), I decided to drive up to the very top of the summit at Red Hill, located at 10,023 feet above sea level, to view the sunrise and got to the parking lot about ten minutes or so before the spectacle was scheduled to happen. 

I jumped out of the car after parking and ran up to a spot on the hill where I saw some others standing and planted my tripod on the ground and set up for the sunrise shot I was hoping to capture. The scene around us was beautiful. A red-colored rocky landscape with a road winding down the slopes in front of us. Haleakala Crater with its jagged rim backlit by the ever-brightening sky behind it underneath which sat a rug of clouds blanketing the ocean views beneath it. Soon enough, Cynthia and I and the rest of the crowd around us spotted the bright orange ball of a sun rising past the horizon of clouds and peeking at us from a distance. As the sun slowly rose in the sky, it created a gorgeous scene of warm lights and shadows that didn’t last as long as I wished it had. 

After enjoying the sunrise views from the summit, we quickly drove down to the Visitors Center below to enjoy what was left of sunrise. The view down there wasn’t great by the time we made it to the rim of the crater and before long, the sun was high in the sky and the sunrise event was over. It was time to pack up the camera and get ready for the long hike ahead. We headed back to the car to prepare for the Sliding Sands Trail we were going to hike today. We quickly ate some leftovers we had for breakfast and changed and packed everything we needed for the long day ahead of us. Once comfortable and ready to go, we started our hike around 7:30am. 

The Sliding Sands Trail, also known as Keonehe’ehe’e) is an 11 mile out-and-back hike that starts (instead of ends) at an altitude of 9,802 feet and descends into the Haleakala Crater to a nadir of 7,225 feet before you turn back around to hike back to where you started. Our goal for the day was to make it all the way to the bottom and complete the entire trail, which would eventually lead us to Mapalaoa Cabin, a rest cabin located about 2 miles past the slopes we were to hike down. 

Though the sun was out, the day started off a bit windy and cool. We slowly snaked our way down on the rusty red-brown, sandy and rocky path, taking time to appreciate the very unique and colorful scenery around us. We observed the beautiful and threatened species of Haleakala silverswords as we climbed down the slopes and saw, from a distance, the dark black cinder cones rising from the ground of the crater below. 

As we climbed further and further into the crater, the wind died down and the temperatures progressively warmed. Once we hit level ground, we walked another 1.7 miles on a sandy trail into the middle of the crater where we would be greeted by the Mapalaoa Cabin. By this time, we hadn’t run into too many people, just two other parties that had already made their way down to this area. And we were the third party as far as we knew. Because of all the beautiful scenes I had to stop at and photograph, it took us about 3h20m to get to Mapalaoa Cabin, and, by that point, Cynthia was spent and completely over it. I was hoping that we would have enough energy for both of us to hike a loop around the cinder cones in the crater back toward the slopes we descended earlier but because of the hotter weather conditions and how tired Cynthia was from the climb down (and because of the altitude we were hiking at), we decided to forego the loop and just do an out-and-back. 

We stuck around the cabin area for a bit and took our lunch/snack break there at a picnic table outside for about 40 minutes to rest our legs and our lungs before getting right back at it. Usually, the hike back to the beginning is downhill (usually down a mountain) and much easier than the hike in. However, this hike was completely reversed and the hardest part was definitely the hike back at altitude. So, step by step, Cynthia and I hiked back through the desert-like crater and up the side of the crater to where we started. And it was a long hike up, because of both my heavy camera bag and my weary legs. At some point on the ascent, I started feeling discomfort at the top of my right calf muscle that slowly got worse as I climbed. A calf strain at the worst possible time. But I trudged on at my own pace and Cynthia did the same at her own pace as well. We passed people but many parties passed us as well. But it was fine because hiking up slowly was the best thing we could do for ourselves to get back to the top and to avoid any altitude sickness that might hit us as a result of hiking uphill to 10,000 feet. We took frequent breaks, drank a lot of fluids, and ate a lot of snacks, which helped energize us on our slow march to the top. I personally made a ton of stops on the way up because by this point in the early afternoon, the sun’s position in the sky had changed for the better, and the colorful center of the crater was perfectly lit for photos. And I took a ton of them (and probably too many) on the way up!

Eventually, Cynthia and I made it back to the top! For a roundtrip total of 8h45m! What a champ Cynthia was! The hardest hike she’s ever done and she did it with only some exhaustion but otherwise crushed it! With our legs feeling like jelly, we took a little break and just sat in the warm car and chilled. After a few minutes, we moved the car to the summit parking lot where we hung out until sunset. Originally, we weren’t sure we were going to stick around for sunset due to our exhaustion but we ultimately decided that we might as well stay to see the sun’s descent. 

After finding some data in the area to use, I found that the best spot to view sunset at Haleakala was actually where we were situated. So we stuck around Red Hill and checked out the surrounding views of the crater and the observatory below. With an hour until sunset, I grabbed my photography equipment and scouted out a spot along the western side of the hill where others were starting to camp out and made myself comfortable. From my seat on the rocky volcanic ground, I could see not only the Maui landscape far below as the sun was setting on it but also the mountains in the distance and the blanket-like cloud cover all around. 

Shortly after setting up, Cynthia joined me for sunset and after waiting an hour, we enjoyed a beautiful view of the sun as it dipped below the blanket of clouds at 6:38pm. I stayed around in the cool evening weather taking photos until the colors of the sunset were essentially gone. Because it was going to take a little more than an hour to drive to West Maui, I didn’t stay to take photos for long and returned to the car to start our drive as the darkness began to fall.  We eventually made it to Ka’anapali Beach in West Maui where we picked up takeout dinner (Kalua Pork Tacos, Coconut Shrimp, and a Cheeseburger with Fries) from the very popular Leilani’s on the Beach restaurant to bring back to the Royal Lahaina Resort and Spa, our home for the next three days. 

After checking in to our resort, we moved up to our room and finished our dinner in the room after cleaning up and reorganizing ourselves. Because of how tired we were from the long day (and how sore my strained gastrocnemius was from the hike), we called it a night relatively early without doing much else after dinner. Now begins the chill part of the vacation! Looking forward to a chiller day tomorrow! 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. Beware of how you time your drive up to Haleakala Summit for sunrise. There is a significant drive, around 20 minutes, that your GPS does not account for from the national park entrance to the summit itself. So plan accordingly or you’ll be late and miss the sunrise. 

2. Haleakala is a shield volcano that created about 75% of Maui. Crazy! 

3. The endangered Haleakala silverswords are pretty cool and pretty weird! Based on what I observed from the plants, it looks like the silversword has various stages of life that it evolves through. By looking around the crater landscape, you might be able to hypothesize the life cycle of the silversword and make a guess as to which form leads to which other form and how it all ties together. A fun biology thought experiment. Also, interestingly enough, the silversword has a dense covering of silvery hairs that help the plant to conserve moisture and protect the plant from high-elevation sun.

4. Even though sunrise is pretty cool to see at Haleakala summit, the beauty of the crater itself is difficult to appreciate at that time due to the harsh shadows created by the morning sun’s backlight. However, as the sun moves across the morning and afternoon sky, the lighting gets better and better. By the mid to late afternoon, you get a much better view of the beautifully colorful Haleakala Crater that is now well- and evenly-lit.  

5. The highest point on Maui, Haleakala Summit, was the perfect place to build an observatory because the area is situated above the clouds, leaving a clear and dry atmosphere, as well as minimal air and light pollution. The observatory’s position provides perfect conditions for viewing the stars and the heavens. Based on what I read, the site provides the fourth-best viewing conditions on the planet! 

[doctorazkal]

Otakon Recap 2018 (Long Post)

Intro: This would be my seventh time going to Otakon. This is the fourth year where I will be going there by myself. This is also the first time I would be staying the full three days in DC since last year I was not able to. My cosplay for this con will be Jokerʼs dancing outfit in Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Day 1: I checked into to the Pod DC Hotel drop off my stuff in my room. Once I was finished, it was time to get into costume. As I walked to the convention center, I was getting sweaty from the heat outside. Once I made it inside, it was time to head to dealers room. I walked around for a bit and took a couple of pics. Around 2PM, I ate in the downtown district of the convention center. I ate chicken karaage, shrimp shumai, and squid karaage. After I finished eating, I walked around in the artist alley and dealerʼs room to check out what I can buy. I ended buying keychains of Ren, Ann, and Haru from Persona 5 in the Artist Alley. Around 4PM, I head up to the first floor to go to a panel. The panel I attended was Creating Voices with Josh Grelle. He is a voice actorunder Funimation and he told us the how he got in voice acting. He also told us about some of the things people have to do when getting into voice acting. He notes that finding your voice is important, keep your voice lubricated, and if your voice starts to hurt, stop doing it and seek help. He talked about how one voice actor kept performing until he discovered he had polyps and could not use his voice for two months. I did learn a lot of things in his panel and how much time and work it takes to be a voice actor. After it was over, I decided to head back to my hotel around 5:30. Once I was back into my room, I changed into some comfortable clothes and head out to eat dinner at Nandoʼs with my parents. It was nice to see other cosplayers in Nandoʼs getting dinner. After we were finished, my parents and I dropped by to the lobby of the Renaissance hotel. We went our separate ways as they went home while I head back to the convention center. I went up to the second floor and sat near the window where there was going to be a Kpop random dance play by HARU around 8PM. It was fun session with the group. I danced to a couple songs (BIGBANGʼs Bang Bang Bang, Super Juniorʼs Sorry Sorry, Momolandʼs Bboom Bboom, and a bunch of others). I do remember that security came and told everyone to keep it down because we were making noise by stomping our feet. Other than that, I had fun dancing with other people. Once that waa over, I decided to head up to the third floor for a late night panel at 10PM. This panel was called LAVA After Dark. It had Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond, and Max Mittelman in which they do bunch of random games and asked for the audience for suggestion in the games that they were doing. It was such a fun panel. I remember there was a game 6 or 7 people and they had to pass around a dildo. The winner actually won a dildo... I remember they showed a slide where there was going to be a live re-enactment of Boku no Pico, which the audience laughed and screamed in horror. Obviously, it was a joke and they were never ever going to do that. I also remember how the guys showed video clips of some of there embarrassing videos they made when they were young. I even loved where they had to say a bunch of catchphrases while talking with a dental mouth guard. Overall, I was entertained by watching the three of them doing their thing in front everyone. After it was over, it was time to go back to my hotel. Once I held back to my room, I watched the latest episode of Grand Blue then went to sleep and thatʼs the end of the first day. Day 2 I got up around 9AM to start the day. I showered and got into my costume. As I went outside, I stopped by Starbucks to grab a quick bite. Once I head  to the convention center, I went back to dealers room where there was a line. I waited in line until the staff let congoers inside. As I walked down, I looked around again to see what I can buy and took a few more pics of different cosplayers. I ended up buying a Cu Poche figure of Ren and getting two t-shirts from Kakegurui and My Hero Academia. Around 11AM, I ate pizza before heading to the second floor for the Persona/SMT gathering. It was fun to see a lot of people cosplaying different characters from the Persona or SMT series. I got a couple of individual pics from some cosplayers before heading to the third floor. The panel was called the Persona 5 the animation steals Otakon. It started off showing the Persona 5: The Daybreakers before it talks about the upcoming Persona dancing games and the Persona 5 anime. It wasnʼt really anything special because I already knew about the dancing games and the anime itself.  They even had the best moments from the anime in which the number one was Kawakami showing up as a maid while the other two was Ren’s and Yusuke’s Awakening. They also had the best male and female characters in the anime in which it was given to Ren because he is the main protagonist and Makoto because everyone loves her and people hail her as the best girl (to which she isnot but that’s different story). The only thing I enjoyed was seeing Max Mittelman make an appearance and having Morgana appeared. Once that was over, I took a couple more pics while heading down the dealers room. Around 2:30PM, I headed to the second floor for another Persona photo shoot, though this time it was just the characters of Persona 5. It was a fun shoot but I definitely prefer the Persona/SMT shoot from earlier. Afterwards, I decided to head to the artist alley again. I ended up buying a Kiryu and Majima keychain before heading to the dealers room once more. When I went inside, I tried to get an autograph from Max Mittelman but I missed it as the line was already full. After that happened, I decided to head back to my hotel room around 5PM. I quickly showered and change into some causal clothings and dropped off my merchandise I bought. I head back to the convention center again. I head to the first floor to attend the Korean variety game panel. Basically, it was a bunch of games that were shown from Weekly Idol and the audience had to the chance to participate. I only took part in one game, which was the Korean versions rock-paper-scissors. They only played three games but I was expecting more from them. Other than that, I did enjoy the panel. Once it was over, I head over to the second floor to go to the uptown food district to grab a brisket sandwich for my dinner. After finishing my meal, it was time to get he#d over to the third level for the next panel. The panel I attended was called the LAVA: Super Happy Funtime. This was basically the PG version of their panel that Max, Robbie, and Ray did on Friday night. In this panel, they played the Fluffy Bunny Challenge in which they said a catchphrase while eating marshmallows. The phrase they had to say was “Omae wa mou shindeiru”. Robbie and Ray had to say it in Japanese while Max said in English. It was some funny shit and in the end, Max lasted longer than the both of them. They also played other games called Japanimaker, Late for the Panel, and Three Headed Expert. It was a fun panel, After that was over, I headed over the artist alley again. I walked there for a few minutes before he#ding to the rave. Once I was finished looking around, it was time to head the second floor. After checking my bag to the staff, it was now time to dance. Honestly, it took me awhile to get in the mood. The music wasnʼt great at first but I started to enjoy a couple hours later. I remember someone was cosplaying as a t-Rex and kept dancing inside the circle. While I was at the dance floor, I ran into a friend of mine from school. We both greeted each other then we our separate ways while in the dance floor. I do remember her other friend she brought going into a dance circle and busting a couple moves, which I thought it was hilarious. After walking around and dancing for a bit, it was time to go back. My lower back started hurting as I was jumping up down in the dance and slowly made my way back to the hotel I came back around 1AM and quickly went to bed. That was the end of a long second day at Otakon. D#y 3 I woke up #round 8AM. I got some breakfast from McDonaldʼs to start the day. After finishing my meal, I took a quick shower and headed towards the convention center. Once I made my way inside, it was time to head down the dealers room. When I my way there, the line was enormous. There was at one point where  they had cut the line because it was filling up near the emergency exit. I thought it was complete bullshit for the people that were just arriving. The staff told us that the people have to come back around 10:30 since the line was getting too long. After waiting until 10:30, I decided to head back to the dealers room. From there, I finally had the chance to get an autograph and picture with Max Mittelman. As I walked to his table, he complimented on my No Moʼ Rules t-shirt. I asked him to sign the picture where Ryuji is wearing Annʼs uniform. We had a little chat when he was signing the picture. He asked me how many hours I put in on Persona 5 and told him about 380 hours. He replied thatʼs gotta be a world record. I also told him that I played it again because since I was cosplaying as Ren for the con. After signing the picture, I thanked him and told him it wss nice meeting him. After that, it was time to head to the third floor for Kpop Dance Contest by ECKO. I made my way to the third floor and entered into Ballroom B for the show. I enjoyed the performance by the individuals and groups. I did love the performances by Mikle, Jeanyeo, and HARU. After the show was done, everyone got together for a group selfie. Once it ended, it was time to head out. I went the dealers room for the last time to see what I can buy but I ended buying nothing. I made my way to lobby to take a couple of pictures then headed my way out and thatʼs the end of my trip in Otakon. Final Thoughts: I enjoyed going to Otakon again. I was happy that I was able to see the full three days in DC. It was nice to seeing a bunch of cosplayers dressing up as characters from different Persona games. I did love going to the Creating Voices Panel and learning about voice acting. I also enjoyed going the LAVA panel and how fun it was. As always, I will find a way to head back next year.

[hanndleit]

Happy Birthday Ross!

 A/N: Holy shit this is SO late and so ridiculously cheesy, but it’s here! This is not only my first post on this Tumblr, but my first public piece ever. I’ve never published my writing before, so of course, feedback is appreciated! Requests are open!

“Is everything all set up in the back?”

Standing in front of the kitchen island, you were putting the finishing touches on a homemade birthday cake. White vanilla frosting and a black rectangle border, “HAPPY 28th ROSS” was emblazoned in big letters across the top. You had always been quite the baker, and having a sweet tooth for baked goods was probably the cause. Not a day went by that your oven wasn’t busy, and your flat permanently smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. You had applied to culinary school a few years back, but weren’t sure you could make a proper career out of it, so you kept it as a hobby.

“Let’s see, table, chairs, balloons, shitty party games.” Your best mate, Matty craned his neck out the sliding glass door, listing off what he could see in the back yard. “Oh yeah, and cake.” A hand snuck into your workspace and swiped a bit of frosting off the side of the cake you were still frosting.

“Hey!” You exclaimed, whacking the culprit on the knuckles with your wooden spoon. “S’not for you.” Scooping some more frosting, you fixed

the design with a frustrated huff. You couldn’t be mad at him though. He was impatient, and if you had to be honest, you were too. Glancing at your watch, you gave it a hard blow to clean off the flour that covered almost your entire forearm.

“What time is he supposed to be here?” Asked a different voice, George’s hand digging around in a bowl of crisps. You shrugged and balanced the spoon on the top of the frosting container, turning around to wash your hands in the sink.

“I told him to text me when he’s on his way. He didn’t seem suspicious, so I think we’re in the clear.” Drying your hands on a dishtowel, you began to clean off the counter, putting Ross’ cake in the refrigerator. “Would you quit?” You asked, grabbing the bowl away from George. “There's going to be nothing left by the time he gets here if you keep eating all the damn snacks.” George put his hands up defensively, hopping on top of the counter to sit.

Reaching around behind you, you untied your apron and folded it, placing it on the countertop. The sliding door opened, and Adam stepped inside, giving you a thumbs up. “Music’s set. I also found some holiday lights in the storage, and set them up as well.” He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. You smiled gratefully.

“Perfect.” Clapping your hands together, your cell buzzed on the table and you leaned over to read the notification. Your eyes lit up, and an excited grin pulled at the corners of your lips. “Ross is on his way.”

-----

“Move your ass.”

“This is my spot!”

“Pick a different one.”

“No!”

“What the hell are you doing?” You hissed, crouched uncomfortably behind a table. Glaring at Matty and George who sandwiched themselves behind one of the amps you were using as a speaker.

“This is my hiding spot. I claimed it earlier.” Matty complained, shoving an elbow against his mate.

“You can’t claim a hiding spot you bloody shrimp.” George blocked Matty’s jab, shoving him over into the dirt.

“Shut. The fuck. Up.” Adam snapped, every head turning in his direction with surprise. “The objective of a surprise party is to retain the element of surprise. If you can’t stay silent for five minutes, you’re going to ruin it.” He grumbled. It was a bit hard to take him seriously with the fact that he had a festive party hat strapped to the top of his head, but Matty and George kept quiet.

The sliding door leading inside opened slowly, and a very confused Ross stepped onto the back patio. You and Adam jumped up, followed by Matty and George. “Surprise!” You cried in unison, grinning from ear to ear. Ross’ smile lit up his entire face like Christmas, and he walked down the steps toward you all. Meeting him halfway, you brought Ross into a hug and kissed his cheek. “Happy Birthday.” You smiled. George came up from behind and strapped a party hat onto Ross’ head, the elastic snapping against his chin.

Whilst the boys exchanged hugs, birthday wishes, and conversation, you excused yourself to run back into your kitchen for a moment. Pulling the pitcher of Sangria Matty requested you make from the fridge, as well as the crisps bowl from the counter, you somehow safely made your way back down into the yard without dropping anything.

Adam had set up some music in one corner of the yard, and the reggae-style vocals of Sublime filled the air. Matty, already with a plastic cup of Sangria in hand, danced around George who looked clearly unamused, his own cup tilted to his lips.

Ross came up to you as you were pouring your own cup, and threw his arm around your shoulder. “You really put all of this together yourself?” He asked, a soft smile on his lips. Color flooded to your cheeks as you nodded, lifting your cup to hide your blush. Ross was always extremely appreciative of everything you did, regardless of what it was. You could bring him cookies from McDonalds at 3am, and he’d gush about how amazing you are, talking with crumbs in his beard.

You never thought too much about it, just accepted it as a compliment and went about. Friends. Nothing more, nothing less. You and Ross had met a handful of years ago, the story changing up every time someone asked. If you were to be honest, you both made up a new story so many times that you could hardly remember what was true and what you exaggerated. It wasn’t that the story of you meeting was embarrassing, it was that you and Ross were such close friends, the question was commonly brought up in conversation. After much denial of being a couple, you both realized that you didn’t have to tell people the true story of how you met. You could say that you met on the top of The Empire State Building or fighting bears in Russia. It became an inside joke between the two of you, seeing who could come up with the craziest, yet believable answer.

What you knew was true, was that it was New Year's Eve, you spilled your drink on Ross’ shoes, and he was the best kiss you've ever had.

It never went farther than that one kiss, but it never needed to. You were too focused on “getting somewhere in life” for a relationship. Ross never made any moves on you, but the way you casually flirted like it was the most normal thing in the world was a dead giveaway that there was something deeper. Well, to everyone but the both of you. The two of you denied any feelings for eachother like someone had offered to give you the plague.

Wrapping your arm around his waist, you pulled Ross into a side hug and smiled. “You deserve it, after all.” You took a swig from your cup, scrunching your nose and picking up a few pieces of fruit from the table and dropping them in your drink.

Across the yard, Matty and George had started up another playful argument, with Adam hopelessly shaking his head. You took that as a cue to create a diversion. “Alright. Who wants cake?” You called, making your way towards the door. “Adam? Could you help me?” Nodding your head towards the door, he followed you up the patio steps into the kitchen.

Pulling the cake from the refrigerator, you asked Adam to grab the candles from your purse, as well as your lighter. Sticking a few bright pink candles in the cake frosting, you flicked on the lighter and lit the candles, being careful not to burn yourself. Adam held the door opened for you as you carefully balanced the cake while walking down the stairs.

The smile on Ross’ face filled you with joy as everyone joined in singing “Happy Birthday” when they saw you approach with the cake. They had moved to sitting at the small table you had set up, and you placed the cake down in front of the birthday boy. He blew out the candles after the song ended, and Matty was quick to steal an extinguished candle and lick the frosting from the bottom. You scolded him for being impatient, and handed the cake knife to Ross so he could make the traditional first cut.

Passing out small paper plates of cake to each person, you took the chair next to Ross, who was enthusiastically enjoying his cake. In fact, they all were. Each of the boys showered you in compliments over how fantastic of a cook you were, and you couldn’t help but blush.

“Thank you for everything. This truly has been the best birthday ever.” Ross leaned over and put his mouth just inches from your ear, making your face heat up again. He seemed to notice this, and a grin pulled at the corners of his lips.

“Anything for my favorite birthday boy.” You returned his smile, leaning forward and pressing your lips to his cheek. And you meant it.

[absent-angel]

Blindside

Summary: When Lucy agreed to go on a blind date she hadn't been expecting, well, this. A valentine dedicated to my followers.

Rating: T

AN: This wasn't what I planned on giving you for a valentine but the other one started to turn a tad angsty and you all deserve some fluff from me for once. ;D Hope everyone had a wonderful day full of love (whether it be romantic, platonic, or even self). 

Read it on ff.net

Lucy evaluated her reflection in the store window thoughtfully. Not a single blonde hair was out of place, but she found herself lightly running her hands over the loosely curled strands just in case there was any frizz she missed. Her make up was impeccable (as it should be considering she spent over forty–five minutes agonizing over it), and the little black halter dress she had finally decided on (another hour long process) clung to her curvy body in all the right places.

She looked good. Damn good. 

She smiled at the thought, but immediately sobered back into a fit of nerves when she recalled exactly why she was dressed up in the first place. Down the street, sitting innocently on the corner, was a busy restaurant with a single man sitting at a table, waiting for her. A man who she was apparently suppose to find from a white scarf.

Lucy had half a mind to just turn around and go back to her apartment. This whole thing was completely ridiculous and she didn't know why she had ever listened to those twins Gem and Mini when it came to her love life. Blind dates never turned out well for anyone. It was like the unwritten rule in the dating world. So exactly why she had spent hours on her appearance for a night that was ultimately doomed to be a complete disaster was completely beyond her, but she had a feeling that the twins insistence that the person they were setting her up with was 'perfect for her' probably had something to do with it. 

A sigh passed her glossed lips, fogging up the glass of the lovely shoe display. Maybe she should just go shopping – those pink stilettos in the corner there were incredibly cute. She could totally rock them. 

Of course, then Gem and Mini would never let her hear the end of it.

The thought of their echoed words of infinite frustration immediately had her stepping away from the (oh so tempting) display and towards the restaurant at the corner. One night of disaster would be better than a lifetime of nagging from those two. Being that they were both actors, they had the annoying habit of impersonating close friends, especially when said friend had done something silly or stupid. It was hilarious most of the time, their impersonations were always spot on which made it even funnier, but the joke wasn't quite so amusing when it was her lack of dating prowess on front and center stage.

Checking her phone before she stepped through the restaurant doors, she reread the message Gem had sent her. 'He will be at Rainbow Sakura Restaurant at 6pm wearing a white scarf and sitting at a table for two. Have fuuuuuun!' It was five after now (was fashionably late still fashionable?) so if this mystery man had any kind of manners he should be in there. Waiting for her. 

God, tonight was going to be awful. She just knew it. 

Accepting the preconceived notion that she might as well kiss the rest of her night goodbye, she pulled open the large glass door. The hostess, hands full of a rather heavy looking reservation book, asked her if she needed a table and Lucy shook her head. "No. I'm uh, meeting someone." The heat she was feeling in her cheeks must have been visible because the plucky brunette gave her a little, knowing smile and turned to face the dining area. "Do you see him?"

Eyes scanning over the crowd, her fingers nervously fiddling with her little gold clutch purse, her gaze quickly landed on a small, private table in the corner of the restaurant. Or, rather, the white scarf wearing man sitting there.

Mercifully he was too busy concentrating on his menu to notice her blatant, evaluating stare. He was... cute. Bordering on handsome. The pink hair was a little on the odd side – she certainly never would have thought a man could pull off that particular shade and still look masculine, but somehow he managed. He had more of a boyish face – one that she suspected would sport adorable dimples if he smiled wide enough. He wasn't her usual tall, dark and handsome type but he looked friendly enough... the fact that he didn't seem to put as much effort into his appearance as she did was sort of annoying (since she had spent hours) but she could assume by his casual jeans and fitted t shirt that he would probably be more laid back. 

At first glance it didn't seem like his company would prove too terrible.

Summoning up her courage, Lucy confidently walked up to the table – letting just a little extra swing in her step. She expected him to look up before she arrived, but he must have been too focused on the menu to see her because she was soon standing right at the tables edge and he was still immersed the burger and sandwiches section. Ok... she could get a bit oblivious too when she was concentrating on something. She could let it slide.  "Hello?" she said, softly so as not to startle him too much.

His head jerked up, green eyes (a lovely dark shade, she noted) blinking up at her. "Oh, uh, hi."

She held out her hand. "My name is Lucy, it's nice to meet you."

After a few moments of hesitation, he took her hand and shook it gently. He was wearing an odd expression – as if he wasn't sure what to make of her. Perhaps he was one of those socially awkward types? "Uh, Natsu." She caught his gaze briefly drifting down before they quickly refocused on her face. Lucy did her best to hide her smirk behind a pleasant smile.

Of course, poor boy must have just been dazzled by her good looks. She did pull out all the stops.

She sat down in the chair opposite of him, noticing (but not commenting) on the fact that there was no menu waiting for her. The restaurant was really busy... maybe they ran short? She'd ask the waiter when he came by. "I haven't been here before, you?" she asked, trying to strike up a conversation as she set her clutch on the corner of the table. 

"Uh, yeah. I come here almost every Thursday..." He was still watching her, eyes open and curious. "They have really good burgers."

Somehow she wasn't really all that surprised to hear that his favorite thing on the menu came with a bun. He didn't really strike her as the shrimp scampi or tomato bisque type. If she was still in contact with her father he would probably mock him for having a “commoner's palette”. Lucy actually found it to be encouraging – "refined" hadn't really gotten her much of anywhere in the world of dating. She was a moment away from asking where he worked (because that was her usual follow up question when it came to first dates) but was interrupted by the arrival of the waiter.

He was looking between them curiously. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know someone was joining you." He promptly handed her an extra menu from under his arm, and she accepted it gratefully. "What can I get you to drink?"

His dark eyes were focused on her, so Lucy took the opportunity to answer first. "Just water for me, thank you." The waiter nodded in acknowledgement and she proceeded to open her menu, eyes skimming over the dinner options.

"I'm actually ready to  order," Natsu said, handing his menu to the waiter.

Lucy gaped at him, any earlier hope of him proving to be a decent date rapidly deflating.  He – he didn't even give her time to look at the menu! He had to be joking!

Their waiter seemed just as taken aback, glancing over to her with something akin to pity as he hesitantly took the menu being offered to him. "Oh, um, are you sure you don't need more time?"

"Nah," he said, seemingly oblivious to the disbelief Lucy knew had to be painted all over her face. "I always get the same thing anyway. I'll do the Jalapeño Burger with a root beer. Medium rare."

Cautiously, he pulled the notepad from his front apron pocket – casting Lucy tentative glances as he wrote down the order. After his pen finished scratching against the paper, he cleared his throat. "Anything else?"

Finally seeming to sense the tension around the table (and the waiter's pointed looks) Natsu blinked. “Oh!” he exclaimed, turning his attention back to her. "Did you want something, too?"

Did she – what the hell kind of date was this?! What were Gem and Mini even thinking when they set him up with this guy?! She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth and forced a strained smile and closed her menu with a snap. "I'll just have a Caesar salad." Since, you know, she had no idea what was on the actual menu. "And I think I'll change that water to a Long Island Ice Tea," she added. She had a feeling she was going to need a drink before the night was out.

The waiter jotted it down, seeming a little relieved that her idiot date finally got the hint. "Would you like that delivered with your meal, or now?"

"Now." Definitely now. And, at this rate, maybe even another one to follow the first. Then, remembering her manners, she quickly added, "Please."

He nodded, sending her a little smile before putting his pen back into the pocket of his shirt. Lucy didn't miss the way he raised an eyebrow at Natsu as he passed – or the small shrug the pink haired man gave in response. 

An awkward silence descended over the small table, and Lucy found herself drumming her fingers on her lap. 

"So... Long Islands, huh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know those have a lot of alcohol, right?"

She wanted to tell him that was the point, but she bit her tongue. Instead she assured him, "I can handle it." Only that was mostly a lie. She was a light weight. The only reason she ever ordered Long Islands was because one was enough to do her in, and she had a feeling she would be paying for her own meal tonight. 

He held his hands up, surrendering. "Alright, just don't say I didn't warn you. Cana makes them strong enough to sink an entire freaking football team. So you might just want to take it one sip at a time."

She eyed him, curious despite her irritation. "You know the bartender?"

Natsu shrugged. "Yeah, we grew up together."

"Huh," she hummed, "Well that probably comes in handy." At his questioning look, she leaned her elbows on the table. "Doesn't she give you a good deal on the drinks?"

The cringe he gave was full of embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. I'm actually not allowed to drink here anymore. Long story." 

She raised a an eyebrow skeptically. "In summary?"

"Might have broken a few things," he grumbled under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. 

In the face of his sheepish stare, her annoyance slowly ebbed. "So... you're one of those destructive drunks?" 

"Destructive is such a harsh word," he whined. "I'm just... enthusiastic."

She couldn't help it, she laughed. The sound seemed to startle him, but his teeth were soon flashing behind a lopsided grin. It was cute – he was cute. Even if he was completely oblivious to standard dating etiquette. There was something warm about him, something sincere.

The waiter returned, setting the tall glass in front of her. She thanked him with a smile before sipping from the straw. Natsu wasn't kidding – it burned like a straight shot going down and she had to fight back a grimace. "Wow," she wheezed, trying not to cough. 

"Tried to warn you," he snickered, leaning back into his chair. "So what about you?"

Lucy took another sip, finding it more tolerable the second time around. "What about me?"

"What kind of drunk are you? I bet you're one of those crazy drunks!" 

His tone was teasing, and she rolled her eyes in good humor. "Really? At least I've never been banned from drinking in public for breaking things."

"Hey," he said warningly, though there was no real threat behind it. "You didn't answer the question! If you're going to keep drinking that thing," he gestured to her Long Island, "You should at least tell me what to expect."

She shook her head, lips curving in amusement. "Fair enough I guess, though you really don't have much to worry about. I'm more of a..." she trailed off, eyes settling on a man towards the back of the restaurant who was stalking towards the exit. His expression showed that he was very much disgruntled, but she was more focused on the accessory draping over his shoulders. 

A scarf. A white scarf.

Natsu waved a hand in front of her face. "Hey! Don't leave me hanging!"

Lucy paled. It couldn't be. There's no way she could have made such a terrifyingly awkward mistake. But the more she looked at Natsu's casual clothes (a stark contrast from the suited man that just walked out) and considered all those little (huge) dating blunders she had been subjected to, the more she realized that yes, yes she did. "Shit," she cursed.

His nose scrunched. "Shit? What the hell is a shit drunk?"

She ignored him in favor of burying her head in her hands, fingertips threading through the meticulously hair sprayed locks. "I am such an idiot," she groaned, willing up every last bit of courage to look up at him. "You aren't here for a blind date, are you?"

His head tilted, brow furrowing as he matched her embarrassed stare with his confused one. "Blind –" His eyes widened, and Lucy knew he understood. Suddenly he was laughing, his mouth pulled wide and his eyes shining. Absently, she noted that she was right about the dimples – he sported a matching pair on either cheek. 

Humiliated, she grabbed her clutch from the corner of the table. She could feel the blood rushing to her face and knew her complexion was probably getting redder by the second. "I'm so, so sorry. I'll just – " Oh god. Her food. She ordered food. She couldn't just run. Her hands fumbled with her purse, praying to find cash she knew just wasn't there. She only ever used her debit and credit cards – it was lighter, less bulky than carrying cash. Tonight was no different. "Shit. Damn it!" Oh god this had to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life and she just wanted to go hide. "I – I don't have cash." The waiter. Maybe if she found the waiter. "I'll just go –"

His hand caught her wrist as she started to leave her seat. "Hey, wait! Don't leave! Look, we can just split the check when the bill comes, yeah?" With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a shy smile. "I mean, I know I've been a pretty horrible date and all, but I'm pretty good at the whole friendly conversation thing. You know, if you want."

Slowly, she sat back down and he let her wrist slip away from his hand with little effort. "I just can't believe..." She shook her head, leaning bonelessly against the back of her chair. She was still flushed from embarrassment but the urge to hide in the women's bathroom and cry was slowly dissipating.  "God this is so embarrassing."

"Ah, come on. It could totally be worse," he consoled, but his there was a teasing glint in his eyes that told her he found the entire situation hilarious.

She responded with a weak glare. "I doubt that."

"Ouch." He put a hand over his heart, as if she wounded him. "Does that mean I was your worst date ever?"

"Sadly, no." With the help of his lighthearted banter (and that easy, boyish grin) she felt her spirits tentatively lift. "The most mortifying, but definitely not the worst."

He gave a low whistle. "Well damn, that's saying something. I was pretty awful."

She snorted, her grin quickly growing. "You kinda were. Even the bad ones usually let me have a look at the menu."

Natsu cringed, but the appearance of one of his dimples on the right side proved that it was in good humor. "Yeah, definitely not a shining moment for me. But in my defense I really had no clue what the hell was happening."

Lucy fought a smile. "Well, that is a pretty good defense." For extra courage, she took another tentative sip of her drink before shaking her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Shrugging, Natsu leaned his chair back childishly until the front legs were about an inch from the ground. "I don't know. Pretty girl happens to sit at my table? Seems kinda messed up to send her away." His casual expression soured into something sheepish. "Uh, not that I would have if you weren't. Pretty, I mean."

A pleased blush dusted her cheeks, and she absently stirred her drink – the cherry red straw perched between her fingers. "I'm glad you didn't," she admitted, before gesturing to herself. "Because I sorta put a lot of effort into this, and it really shouldn't be wasted."

He made a sound in the back of his throat – an almost half laugh, half scoff. "Well that would just be a crime."

After taking another sip of her drink she responded, "I know, that's what I'm saying."

His eyes were bright and full of amusement, and Lucy found herself admiring the bright flecks of green in his irises. When he grinned at her like that, she thought that maybe 'cute' didn't do him justice after all. Talking with him was easy, and they quickly found themselves deep in lighthearted conversation about pretty much any and all aspects of their lives. By the time their food was finished, Lucy realized that she didn't have to fall back on her memorized list of "date questions" even once. 

When they got the check, Natsu refused to take her card ("What kind of awful date would I be if I let you pay?"). She wished she could stay longer, but a quick glance at the her phone proved what she already suspected. Slowly (regretfully) she slipped her phone back into her clutch. "I should probably get going. I have work in the morning."

Natsu nodded, her words seeming to sober him. "Yeah, me too." He stood up, sliding his chair in before putting his wallet in his back pocket. "I'll walk you out?"

She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They left together, Natsu waving casually to the pretty brunette behind the bar with a casual, "See you later." Lucy didn't miss the lewd grin his childhood friend responded with, or the suggestive lilt to her voice when she told them to have a good night. The blonde was thankful for the cold fall air once they stepped outside – it helped cool the heat from her cheeks. 

"So," she said, fingers playing with the clasp of her clutch. "I guess this is good bye then."

He rubbed the back of his neck, seeming as disappointed as she felt. "You know... tomorrow is pizza night. Roma's off of 12th street is the best. So, I'll be there tomorrow. If you wanna, you know, meet me there?" A sheepish grin curling his lips. "For a not so blind date, maybe?"

Lucy had to bite her bottom lip to keep her answering smile from completely overtaking her face. "Will I get to look at the menu this time."

Under the light of the restaurant sign overhead, his eyes practically glowed with excitement. “I think I could probably manage that.”

[nyxysabyss]

LEVEL HORIZON; YEAR TWO.50 1/1; Duplicate Amaurosis

CHAPTER 15!

The most important thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging. ~Warren Buffet

~Six Months Later, Early Autumn~

Kei Tsukishima eyes a high toss from the thrush, his muscles tensing to break at the precise moment to maximize the height of his jump in tandem with the strike.

A breeze preceding an impending mild storm off the water gives it a little extra lift and it’s slipping farther outside than he’d like, but it’s nothing that he can’t adjust to. His limbs move on reflex and he’s in the air, his hand connecting squarely with the ball. He sends it straight at Daichi where he waits on the other side alone, working on receives.

The thrush’s tosses don’t key him up the same way Kageyama’s do— the avian prince’s just piss Kei off with how freaking perfect they are. It’s totally unnatural—as if the ball were being forcibly subjugated and enslaved to the crow’s will. Next to that, Suga’s high, floating sets are relaxing and he breathes out as he comes down. It’s probably just his own inherent dislike for the crow setter bleeding through, but Kageyama’s flawless tosses still drive him up a tree.

Since Yaku’s arrival last year had unbalanced the teams, he’s been playing far more frequently with the former Karasuno unit instead of the cats and owls to mitigate the power shift, and it has exposed him all the more to the young king’s precision. And as far as he can tell, he’s the only one who gets irrationally annoyed by it. But then, he gets annoyed by Hinata’s baseless enthusiasm, too.

Seriously, the redhead had been running around without a shirt last week, and the bones growing in his back would pull his skin into creepy fleshy protrusions when he’d bend. When he’d found out it weirded Kei out, the shrimp had made a point to not wear a shirt the next three days with maniacal glee.

Freaking redheaded gremlin, he mentally grumbles at the memory. The last three days have been blissful without them.

Beside him, Tadashi and Bokuto also wait to hit at the large crow. Akaashi is working the docks alone today in a rare diverging separation from his leveler and the streaked owl has been far more moody than normal. Hitoka and Shimizu both went into Sheru Bay a while ago for supplies and Kenma is curled up on one of the chairs that have found a home on the porch for an afternoon nap while Kuroo hunts.

The lax afternoon practice is halted by the sudden onset of rain from the grey clouds overhead, cold and pervasive, an insistent herald of fall. When the sand starts sticking to the ball, the thrush apologetically begs off, not relishing the grains that drop into his face with each toss. Tsukishima moves to collect the net before a full downpour; it can use some mending before it gets cold enough that they move it back into the barn for the winter.

Their standby location when the world turns frosty has consistently been available since that first year, Takeda only too happy to offer it up after that first winter. Suga and Daichi had cultivated a mutual relationship by regularly bringing them goods from town in a show of gratitude, the owls pitching in now and then with a side of fish from the docks or once even a tool to replace one showing its age. They are on good enough terms with the guy that he and his family are aware of who Kageyama and the rest of the Karasuno group are, and they know who are levelers. Really, Takeda is amenable enough with them that Kei is pretty sure the man would readily offer up his own home if they somehow ended up losing theirs.

Yamaguchi releases the other end of the net and they quickly drag the net up onto the porch before they are soaked. One of Kenma’s gold eyes slips open as they clatter by him, but the small cat doesn’t move from his place in the chair. The ibis is positive that wouldn’t have been the case if Kageyama and Hinata had been here.

The golden cat has been quite sullen since they left, actually. It’s not that Kenma has said anything or made even a single remark… it’s exactly the opposite. His naps stretch most of the day and all conversation is virtually nonexistent unless he’s around Yachi. It’s put Kuroo in a stormy mood and even Kei has to admit that his silence is grating.

Dramatic moody feline. He has the outward emotion of a rock; it should stay that way.

It pains him, but the slim crowd this late summer week at the beach house, while peaceful, has left an utterly perplexing and bitter taste in his mouth— it’s almost eerily quiet without Kageyama and Hinata bickering away or the loud twins scheming some prank or Lev’s babbling chatter wearing on Yaku’s patience. It was probably Feathers’ and the shrimp’s last chance to take a trip before the cold started setting in… and Kei’s last opportunity for a stretch of peace and quiet before the next four or five months of restless chaos. Kei frowns slightly.

He’s even picked up that habit and started calling the avian prince by Kuroo’s pet name for him like almost everyone else.

Oi. Freaking cat.

But as Kei picks up a tie and turns to the net, he can’t fault him for the moronic nickname; whether Kageyama ever realized it or not, it’s as much a tactical move as it is an excuse to rib the perpetually salty crow. The rest of the former Karasuno unit members might have been vague enough profiles such that most non-sentries would hardly look twice at them, but Kageyama was heir to arguably the most prominent group in the area. While most people outside the rookery wouldn’t necessarily have known his face, his name was still something of a common bit of knowledge, and Kuroo’s moniker provided him an alias around ears that might not mean them the best. He doubts Feathers ever picked up on that, though, what with the way his one-track mind was totally stuck on his leveler.

And it’s gotten even worse since that run in with what Kageyama had called an ‘asshole white wing’. Feathers and his idiot shrimp have been tiptoeing around each other in uncertainty ever since; for the life of him, Kei can’t imagine what had to have happened, because while there has been this building tension, they’ve only increased their physical contact and stiltedly affectionate displays. They are always grabbing food for one another, they frequently get lost in intense staring contests, and skies, they cuddle… constantly. Just about every time they are together and not bickering or playing Volley, one of them has their arms wrapped around the other.

Because that makes perfect sense, his sarcastic monologue drawls at him.

And yet, it’s ongoing. They’ve gotten as bad as Lev and Yaku, and Kei could swear that whatever is making them so familiar is maddeningly contagious, because the owls and Suga and Daichi have all been doing similar things lately. Even Kei had caught himself adding a few soggy potatoes to his plate to offload onto Yamaguchi’s just last week.

“Tsukki, are you salty, today?” Yamaguchi had asked after a perfectly reasonable number of blistering remarks…okay, maybe a few more than normal. Either way, Kei had deadpanned, somehow mortified that the freckled crow had called him out. It had thrown him off badly enough that he’d had nothing to come back with and defaulted to his automatic response.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

The door opens, breaking his thoughts before he has a chance to scoff at them. Kuroo walks out, his hair dripping wet, and one of Kenma’s ears twitches in his direction. The black cat must have just returned from his hunt, coming in through the back door to get out of the rain.

The large feline slips up behind the chair Kenma is curled in, and Kei isn’t foolish enough to believe that he’s still asleep as his closed eyes would suggest. The small cat’s tail flicks and Kei’s brow cocks, because he knows Kuroo didn’t miss that either. The black cat smirks and Kei blinks with flat assessment.

I know you aren’t that stupid, you idiot Furball.

Instead of heeding the slight movement for the warning it is, the black cat grins slightly and leans forward over the golden. His head tilts just so, and a drop of water from his sodden black locks hits one of Kenma’s ears.

I take it back; apparently, you are.

The ear twitches and the small cat’s golden eyes slide open to stare up at the black cat with apathy… and the slightest leap of a muscle at one of their corners that betrays his annoyance.

“I’m going to start a fire, want to come warm me up?” Kuroo solicits anyway. Without a word, the golden cat uncurls from the chair and slides out from beneath the wet feline.

“Aw, come on.” Kuroo complains at him as he slips around him and heads into the house. “Kenma—,” He scowls darkly, following the golden cat back inside.

The small cat’s almost recalcitrant cold fish impression nearly surprises the ibis. Nearly.

Kenma is normally completely uninvested emotionally in most things, choosing to hang back as a wallflower and avoid all forms of confrontation. If Kei had to describe the cat with one word, it would be ‘spectator’. Kenma is always watching everyone. Kei is sure the cat must truly find them all fascinating, because his eyes are always brightest when he can watch events unfold from a quiet corner undisturbed. Barring when he’s in the company of the shrimp or Yachi, he only offers input when he deems it important—which it usually is. The ibis himself has probably exchanged all of three words with the small feline since they’d met, but Kuroo never seemed to need to, the black cat automatically knowing what he was always thinking.

But with the new bond between Lev and Yaku, Kenma had withdrawn from Kuroo, opting to spend almost all his time with the either Yachi or the shrimp— and Kageyama by default. His patience with the black cat had grown so openly thin, that he’d even managed to sandwich himself between the three avians four out of five nights in their sleep piles just before the freak duo had left on this last trip.

It had effectively succeeded in preventing Kuroo from curling up around him like he always had, and at first, it was something that could be overlooked. But after three days, Kuroo had been sour enough that he’d declared that he wasn’t going on the planned trip. It had stopped everyone over their meal, the golden cat going rigid.

“Why not, Kuroo?” He’d asked with a frown.

“Because I don’t feel like babysitting right now.” His reply had been brittle at best and the silence had been palpable before the bald crow had awkwardly spoken up.

“Ah, that’s fine, me and Noya and Asahi can go.”

It wasn’t that Kageyama and Hinata couldn’t handle themselves just fine, it was simply that there was greater safety in numbers— and the trips provided them all with a dose of variety. Even Kei had to admit that the beach house could get outright boring when there was nothing to break the monotony of their days. Kuroo’s refusal to accompany them was unusual and had spurred something of a standoff between the two cats, but Kenma hadn’t gone without him.

That hadn’t meant he was happy about it.

The small cat was ridiculously attached to the redhead and he’d been in a sulk since they’d left, with the focus of his rebellion being Kuroo as it was because of him that he’d been separated from him. Which meant everything had been strained between them the entire week so far, which had led to the large cat gravitating more toward either Bokuto or himself and Yamaguchi for company.

Another idiot mistake.

Kei pauses only a moment when the door to the house bangs loudly and Kuroo walks out with a stiffness to his steps that means the cat is once again in a black mood.

“Swing and a miss yet again, I take it.” Kei murmurs dryly. The cat’s uneven gaze snaps to him with crackling irritation.

“Definitely not in the mood, Blondy.”

“Then you came to the wrong place.” Kei says flatly. The cat doesn’t have a comeback though and crossly drops beside him and picks up a net tie. He’s quiet for several moments and the ibis feels the mood around the feline nosedive.

“I have no idea what is going through his head.” He grudgingly admits and Kei has to consciously keep the surprise from his face.

The ibis almost huffs in amusement. Kuroo is sharp—disturbingly so, and armed with a frightening well of knowledge… but right now, Kei wonders if he’s just being dense or if he’s actually maintaining a willful ignorance to the situation. Really, he doesn’t think the cat has been this blind—heh, blind—since he’d met him. Kei has to think that the avian prince’s obliviousness has rubbed off on him.

“So, of all of us, the person you’ve been around far and away the longest, is the one you understand the least?”

“Shut up, moron. It’s only in the last few months that things have changed.” He says with annoyance before his face drops into contemplative melancholy. “Our thread has dimmed.”

The words are barely a murmur, but they catch Kei’s attention. The cat is genuinely distressed.

“Your thread.”

“Yeah… it hasn’t changed for over five centuries, but ever since Lev and Yaku became levelers, it’s been wavering. I have no idea why or how to fix it.”

He really is clueless.

Kei glances at him patronizingly.

“Would you like a hint?” He drawls.

Kuroo blinks at him and for a moment he looks like Bokuto with his wide eyes— if Bokuto were blind in one. But his brow drops down skeptically.

“Me, ever trust a hint from you. Fifty-fifty, you’d be just as likely to tell me something that will end up with me in some humiliatingly compromising position as you are to give me good advice.”

“Tsukki wouldn’t do that! If he gives it unsolicited, then you know he’s probably mocking you for some stupid remark, but he offered first, so—”

“Yamaguchi.” Kei cuts him off dourly.

“Right. Sorry, Tsukki.”

“So, trust the cynical asshole’s insight.” Kuroo murmurs, his clear golden eye creasing with mirth at the freckled crow before settling back on him expectantly. Kei shrugs.

“He’s envious.” He says bluntly, wondering how in hell he wound up giving the black cat of all people, relationship advice in the rain over a shabby Volley net. Kuroo frowns.

“Why would he have any reason to be jealous of Yaku? He never once so much as glanced Lev’s way before they became a pair.”

Wow. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

“You are legitimately challenging the crow prince for the title of asinine idiot at the moment.” He says with a light sigh.

“You cheeky brat.” Kuroo scowls at him and one of Kei’s eyebrows rises in challenge.

“Stupid cat.” Kuroo rolls his eyes impatiently.

“Alright, you feathered freak, speak straight.”

“Your insults lack originality. He isn’t envious of either Lev or Yaku. He’s envious of both. Which means I’m a threat, too.” Kuroo stares at him, his baffled expression almost comical.

“What?” Kei levels a flat look at the black cat.

Come one, moron. Rub a pair of your brain cells together; I shouldn’t have to spell this out.

“Who does your other thread run to, Kuroo?” He asks thickly. Kuroo blinks, his brow pulling down into a frown at the unexpected question.

“It goes to…” The cat’s uneven golden gaze darts away, “you know it doesn’t matter.” He mumbles and Kei’s head tilts.

“It doesn’t? Who are you talking to, Cat?” He asks pointedly and Kuroo’s gaze snaps up at him with dawning comprehension.

“Eh… how do you know about that?” He asks thickly.

Kei gets why he’s surprised; Yaku’d given them the most basic breakdown of feline level pair bonds when they’d become one. None of the cats had really been forthcoming with anything outside that limited explanation… but one of them was easily pliable.

“Your gray cat has a mouth to match his size, and you’d be amazed what you learn when you distract his leveler muzzle.” He drawls and Kuroo’s jaw drops.

“Oh my— how much did he tell you?”

“More than we wanted or needed to know.” He says flatly and Kuroo runs a hand through his hair before it finds its place on the back of his neck with exasperation. He looks up at the porch ceiling and blows out a sigh.

“Is everyone aware of this?” He asks, his expression pinching with annoyance.

“That depends. Which part of ‘this’ are you wondering about exactly? The part about whose threads go to who or the part about how those threads become wires?” Kuroo’s eyes find him with large pupils yet again.

“He told you that?” He manages with strangled horror.

“In impeccable detail.” Kei says flatly and the black cat’s face smooths into a mask of incredulity.

“I’m going to skin that idiot.”

“That won’t solve your problem.”

“Would ease my current embarrassment.” He grouses darkly.

“No matter how entertaining that would be, patience is a virtue, and something your small cat is losing with you. Your connection has been stressed since they bonded.” Kuroo cocks a brow at him warily.

“And?”

“You should fix that.” A flash of annoyance slides through Kuroo’s features.

“Because that’s going so well. ‘Giving him space’ got me absolutely nowhere, but it doesn’t matter because I can’t even get him to talk to me when Yachi or the shrimp and Feathers aren’t around. Taking him on a trip just the two of us would be a bust, too. Assuming he’d agree and I wouldn’t be forced to kidnap him to get him to come along, where would I take him? The rookery isn’t exactly a vacationing option for us, you know.”

“You don’t say.” Kei drawls, but the cat doesn’t even seem to hear him.

“That Iwa crow wouldn’t appreciate it either— he was actually more peeved the second time I showed up. Can you believe that? And he was the one that sent the damn raven asking for advice on dealing with their blasted snake infestation in the first place.”

“Are we still having the same conversation?” Kei asks, thoroughly entertained by the cat’s frustrations.

But as amusing as his problems are, the ibis finds it irritating that he’s become the conduit for them. He only volunteered his advice on the issue regarding the small cat, not the host of Kuroo’s concerns in its entirety. He’s most definitely not a psychiatrist. The cat blinks at him.

“I don’t know how to fix this.” He grumbles and Kei sighs slightly.

“Sounds about right. And they say cats are more intelligent than dogs. I’d almost say you are thinking on level with one of the crows.” He says with amused fatigue, knowing Yamaguchi won’t even be phased by the barb. The cat levels a flat look at him.

“Would you like to look like Feathers after a fight with the shrimp?” One of Kei’s brows arches.

“Now you are sounding like an idiot crow, too.” He says before waving off the cats impending scathing remark and turning a serious glance back on him.

“Your golden cat was probably put out that your thread has gone nowhere in centuries while Lev and Yaku managed to complete a full bond from nothing in a year. And you, the only one of us who really gets that apathetic golden furball, missed that. He and the redhead are so close because they share a common grievance… the person they want to connect with is failing to pick up the cues.

“And then you hang around me with whom you share a thread like Lev and Yaku’s used to be, and he’s already seen that turn into a wire when it’s supposed to be highly unlikely. It’s no wonder he’s frustrated with you. Unless I’m misreading your position in all this, the number of colossal mistakes you are making is quite remarkable. Like I said, you clearly aren’t doing your species any favors in the intelligence area.”

Kuroo’s jaw hangs loose. He looks as if all thought has been sucked from his mind, his uneven golden gaze empty.

Huh. So that’s what a broken cat looks like. Amusing.

“That’s…” His voice dies in his throat.

“You seem surprised.” Kei remarks blandly and the cat blinks.

“Why are you implying I shouldn’t be?” He says in a scratchy voice that sounds exhausted. Kei huffs through his nose, a condescending smirk tugging at his mouth.

“Because the young king isn’t the only slow idiot and the shrimp isn’t the only one waiting.”

Level Pair ; Chapter 1; Chapter 14; Chapter 16

A/N: So, if anyone has ever tried playing sand VB with a wet ball, the setter struggle is real. Sand in the eyes is a bitch. Also, I'm pretty sure the quote at the beginning ACTUALLY pertains to money/debt, but I'm abusing it to fit my feeling on this chapter. But hey, who even reads those, lol

It felt like Tsukki departed a little from his cynical side in this one, but eh, oh well.I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend. Nyx had a blast snowboarding in like 12 degree weather and a steady 15mph wind and Nyx's fingers and toes are STILL froze, so please excuse any typo fails, lol. Have a great night, guys!

[asexualmerrill]

catfeaulait replied to your post “kinda wanna write kinda wanna netflix maybe if someone has a prompt...”

Anders and Hawke cuddling while watching Netflix. But Anders gets too agitated watching cooking shows and can't quite calm down enough to actually cuddle lol.

Hawke was on his feet as soon as he saw car lights pass through the window and slide down the wall of the living room, out-competing the light of the television he was using both as a light source and a form of entertainment while he waited for Anders to return. He hadn't meant to stay up so late, but he hadn't been able to fall back asleep after his boyfriend's text to inform him he had to work an extra shift at the hospital, and one episode of Worst Cooks to help lull him back into a sleepy haze had turned into two, then turned into half the second season, and what was the point of turning it off when he only had two more episodes to go?

Anders told him specifically not to wait up for him, and Hawke usually agreed. There was no telling when he'd come back from work, what with the limited number of nurses that worked at Darktown's only clinic and the seemingly endless stream of illness and injuries that needed to be treated from the lower class workers that worked any job they could for pay. He'd had to overnight more than once a week some times, when the weather turned cold and wet and those needing shelter sought out the sturdy roof and somewhat dependable heating of the building. More often than not he was called in again after a few hours rest, and he could never say no. Neither could Hawke. The clinic was everything Anders had dreamed when he first mentioned going for his practitioner's license all those years ago. Dream realized, he would do nothing short of keeping the man's gas tank filled at all times in case of emergencies.

So they communicated with brief texts, Anders letting him know a rough estimate of when he'd be home, and Hawke responding with what sort of leftovers would be sitting on the top shelf of the fridge for him. A quick goodbye normally consisting of at least one kissing face and three heart emojis was exhanged, and Hawke would go to bed while Anders readied to get back on the clock. He never felt bad about falling asleep when Anders couldn't, and Anders never felt bad when he could keep his job while Hawke freelanced what he could as a dispatcher.

They did, however, feel bad when one stayed up for the other.

There was always a secret sort of warmth when it happened, though, and Hawke was counting on the later.

He paused the episode, jumped off the couch, and was by the door as soon as he heard the lock click open. Anders swung it open and Hawke held arms wide open for him to step into, turning him around to unbutton his jacket and let it drop to the carpet before him. He heard an inhale of breath - probably to fuel some sort of reprimand for being up so late - and turned it into a spluttered laugh as he began unbuttoning his shirt, too.

Anders swatted his wandering hands away halfheartedly with only a mildly annoyed, "You know I'm too tired for that tonight," easing the sting away by ending it with a, "love."

Hawke settled for kissing his bare shoulder instead, feeling Anders' hum as the man leaned into the expanse of his chest. "Too tired to eat?"

Anders snorted. "Never."

"I'll warm something up. Take off your shoes and stay awhile?"

"Maker, I hope so," Anders groaned, and again when he kicked his sneakers off. "If someone calls it would have to be the bloody blessed Andraste before I picked it up." He wriggled his toes, clenching them into the carpet after nearly the whole day spent on his feet, and collapsed on the couch, throwing an arm over his eyes as he swung his legs up over the arm of the couch to elevate them.

Hawke chuckled at the continued grumblings before slipping into the kitchen. There was some soup left over from when he'd made dinner before heading to bed, and he shoved it into the microwave for a minute and began pulling out bread and meats to pair it with a small sandwich while it heated. When he returned, one steaming bowl of tomato soup in hand and a chilled tuna club in the other, Anders was still grumbling, though the focus of his ire had switched from bemoaning about work to the insanity on the tv. Hawke nudged Anders' legs away with his knee, handing him the food, and repositioned feet back onto his lap.

"At least you know that ramen noodles don't go between pieces of bread," Anders muttered, peeling the crust from the sandwich and stuffing it into his mouth.

"You know, I think I tried that once, and that's why I don't do it." Anders shot him a look and his leg twitched into the threat of a kick. Hawke laughed and caught his heel, pulling it closer within reach and dug his thumb into the sole. Anders stretched, moaning around a mouthful of soup, insult forgiven.

Until one of the contestants attempted to one up their competitors by adding unnecessary ingredients to what was supposed to be a simple yet elegant sub. Anders twitched, again, at the thought of putting shrimp anywhere near a blt, at the same time Hawke found a particularly tense spot on his foot, and the twitch turned into a kick, effectively knocking him in the jaw. Hawke gagged at the foot in his mouth at the same time Anders yelped. The soup splashed on his chest, hot and wet, and the tuna club splattered to the floor.

Words beyond a stuttered apology didn't make it past Anders' throat, tight in the sudden flash of pain at hot liquid on his skin. Hawke was torn between laughing and swearing at the tiny cut his jaw, and choose to laugh at the guilt bright and shiny in his boyfriend's eyes.

"When this bruises over tomorrow, do you think I can pass it off as a hickey?"

[kiddylanes]

No Excuse to Fitness: Working Women of Now

For centuries, women never concerned themselves with fitness or staying active. They dieted to lose weight and the most exercise they got came from chasing their children. There were of course, exceptions to this rule. There were women who participated in physical games with their kids or maybe a bike ride with their husbands. But for the most part, women, once they were grown, didn’t make it a point to exercise. Only a few women understood why fitness is important to women.

Today, women are beginning to consider fitness and exercise an important part of staying healthy. As information becomes available about the benefits of exercise and the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, women are paying close attention and doing something about it. They are making fitness a higher priority in their lives.

With a workforce of women earning nearly as much or more than their male counterparts, women have been plagued by many of the health problems that men have encountered for years. Women are often in higher managerial positions now and stress related illnesses and diseases associated with certain lifestyles have increased for women. Fighting off these life-threatening diseases is one more reason why fitness is important for women.

Staying physically fit helps to strengthen the heart, respiratory and mental functions. Studies have shown a direct link between fitness and brain function. By sticking to a regular fitness program, women in decision-making positions find it easier to perform their jobs and will be able to better deal with the stress.

Fitness is important for all women, regardless of their occupation. Whether reaching up while stacking shelves or bending down to pick up children, women use large and small muscles throughout their bodies to do every day tasks. Staying physically fit can aid in every moves made throughout the day.

Regular physical activity includes a combination of resistance and cardio exercises. Be sure to mix it up to get maximum results during each workout. Cardio activities raise the heartbeat and help the body to burn calories. Choose activities that you enjoy like walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling, for starters.

Women are busier today than ever and many may think they don’t have time for exercise. 30 minutes of exercise each day is all it takes to stay in shape. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym—just commit to exercising at least 30 minutes a day and reap the full benefits of fitness.

Let's know how challenging it was for Working Mother Editorial Director Jennifer Owens, as communicated to Laura Flynn McCarthy.

The time is now. For many years, she’s put her own health at the bottom of her priority list. “I went back to work three months after each of my two kids was born, and I made a bargain with myself that all my free time would go to them,” says Working Mother Editorial Director Jennifer Owens. “Now I see I’ve let my own needs slide. While I did power walk every other morning after my first was born, that slowly ebbed with the birth of my second child, the advancement in my career and economic changes that left me with more financial responsibility.”

Jennifer has a close-knit family and a job she loves, but the years of neglecting her well-being have left her overweight, frequently tired and concerned about the example she’s setting. “I can’t put it off any longer. I need to show my kids that personal health is important. I haven’t always been a good role model for that,” she admits. “It would be an amazing gift to my family to create a lifestyle in which healthy eating and exercise are as ingrained as brushing teeth and reading every night.”

To the rescue: a realistic food and fitness plan that fits Jennifer’s nonstop schedule (can you relate?), designed with top getting fit experts: nutritionist Elizabeth DeRobertis, MS, RD, director of the Nutrition Center at Scarsdale Medical Group in Scarsdale, NY, and fitness trainer Liz Neporent, co-author of The Thin in 10 Weight-Loss Plan and a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. Not a quick fix, this is a can-do program for the long haul. These strategies will help Jennifer swap out bad habits for smart choices that can become automatic and lifelong and allow her to achieve three goals: lose weight and keep it off; become more fit, more energetic and less tired; and make healthy eating and exercise a natural lifestyle for her family.

Food That Works

Don't skip breakfast!

As part of her getting fit plan, Jennifer should aim to lose about a pound per week by consuming 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day. Or she can reduce her current daily intake by 500 calories (or by 300 calories and exercising off the other 200). “You can’t rely on willpower,” says DeRobertis. “Healthy-weight adults don’t have more will- power than overweight people. Rather, they put an effective plan in place.” DeRobertis targeted the problem spots in Jennifer’s day that thwart good eating and devised plan-ahead solutions.

Problem Spot 1: The Morning Rush

Jennifer gets up at 7 a.m. and gets herself ready for work and everyone out the door by 8:30, when she walks her kids three blocks to school and then hops on the subway to her office. She eats nothing until about 10 a.m., when she has a chai tea and sometimes a greek yogurt at her desk.

Solution: Eat earlier and spread out your calories. “Women who skip breakfast often have trouble with food the rest of the day, often eating too much after dinner,” says Derobertis. One way to eat less later on is to eat something in the morning. Greek yogurt is a good choice because it’s rich in protein, and many find they eat healthier overall when they start the day with protein. Jennifer needs to eat before she gets to work (even just a cheese stick or hard-boiled egg), have the Greek yogurt at 11 a.m. and then eat something every few hours throughout the day to keep her metabolism going and control her appetite.

Problem Spot 2: Skipping Lunch

Because her workday is nonstop, Jennifer has programmed her work calendar with the reminder “Don’t forget to eat lunch.” Still, it’s often 3 p.m. by the time she realizes she hasn’t. By then she’s ravenous and prone to making poor food choices.

Solution: Pack lunch and snacks. “Bringing your food to work is the top change you can make,” says Derobertis. “It can offer the best weight control results because it stops you from getting too hungry and making bad food choices under stress.” One good choice: a basic sandwich with lean turkey, ham, roast beef or chicken. “One slice of these proteins has about 15 calories,” says DeRobertis. “Put three or four slices on two slices of 50- or 60-calorie bread, add mustard or a 35-calorie cheese spread (such as Laughing cow), and you’ve got a satisfying lunch for about 200 calories.” Ordering in or eating out? Start with a broth-based soup, then have a lettuce-veggie salad with a baked or broiled protein like chicken, salmon or shrimp, a fat-free dressing and, if you want, one “fun” topping like croutons, sunflower seeds or shredded cheese. Try to start lunch by 1 p.m.

Problem Spot 3: Afternoon Snack Attack

By mid-afternoon, Jennifer feels she not only needs a snack (especially if she’s skipped lunch), but she deserves one as a treat for the stress she’s faced. The vending machine and corner bakery beckon with snacks she might down with a diet cola.

Solution: Snack strategically. In her lunch pack, Jennifer should include three or four healthy, pre-portioned snacks with 130 or fewer calories (see below). In addition to a mid-morning snack, if lunch was at 1, she should have a snack around 3 p.m., another at 4:30 and, if she’s working late, another at 6. “Choose pre-portioned foods and avoid handfuls of anything, because one handful quickly becomes many, and you lose track of your calories,” says DeRobertis. One sweet snack like a 100-calorie bag of cookies can be okay, but Jennifer should monitor how she feels when she eats it. If it acts as a trigger to eat more sweets, she should stick with healthier choices. Diet cola may also stimulate appetite, says DeRobertis. Water and flavored seltzer are better choices.

Problem Spot 4: Mindless Munching

When Jennifer gets home, her second shift begins: making dinner for her kids, helping them with homework, reading logs and baths, packing lunches for the next day—all before she and her husband eat their own dinner around 9:30 p.m. Both she and her kids are hungry and need something to munch on while all of this activity is going on.

Solution: Beware of BLTs (bites, licks and tastes). “The snacking you do when you first get home or while preparing or cleaning up dinner adds up,” says DeRobertis. If you’re all hungry, eat foods in order from lowest calories to highest calories. Heat a cup of soup, microwave a bag of low-fat popcorn or put out a plate of raw veggies and fat-free dip, hummus or portion-controlled guacamole for you and the kids to munch on before dinner.

Problem Spot 5: Eating Late

On a typical work night, Jennifer and her husband eat dinner at 9:30. She’s often still hungry after and may snack while they watch television together.

Solution: Think green and lean. “There’s no magical cutoff time to stop eating at night,” says DeRobertis. “If you eat carefully, you can have a late dinner and still lose weight. But you need to avoid foods that are easy to overeat, such as pasta, rice and bread. Instead have one lean protein, such as broiled or baked chicken or fish, and two vegetables.” After-dinner snack? “That’s probably more habit than hunger,” says DeRobertis, who suggests eating more protein and vegetables at dinner if it’s really hunger. If late snacking is a habit, change your routine: Sit in a different room; do something other than watching television. Still want a snack? think 100 calories.

On the Move

You can even exercise in your chair at work. Try it!

Fridays are Jennifer’s “perfect days.” She works at home. after walking her kids to school, she works out for 40 minutes at the gym, comes home, eats breakfast, showers and dresses and is at her desk by 9:30. The rest of her workweek? Not so perfect. “Mondays through Thursdays are stress, stress, stress,” she admits. “I can’t exercise in the morning because I’m tired and need my sleep, and the office is non-stop work until i get home, sometimes not until 9 at night, when I want to collapse on the couch. Fitting in a workout is just unrealistic.”

Solution? Exercise in short spurts throughout the day. “There are advantages to working out in small bursts,” says Neporent. “You can exercise anywhere and not need to change clothes or shower. It boosts your mood. Research shows you burn more calories per minute with several 10-minute bursts of exercise than one longer one. and you may eat less. People who do one-hour workouts often feel ‘I burned it; I earned it.’ But with 5- or 10-minute workouts, people don’t feel that sense of entitlement because they’ve ‘only’ done 5 or 10 minutes. It’s a psychological advantage.” Neporent’s plan to get Jennifer moving while maintaining her schedule:

Mondays Through Thursdays

“Start each day with a chart divided into four sections of 5 minutes each,” suggests Neporent. “Your goal is 20 minutes of extra activity each day, in whatever spurts you can. You’ll burn at least as many calories as doing 20 minutes all at once and rev your metabolism each time.” Before work: get off the subway one stop before your usual one and walk to your office. Check off your first 5-minute block of the day.

At work: Check off 5 or 10 minutes of activity by doing any combination of the following:

While talking on the phone, stand up and pace or do squats, leg lifts or toe raises.

Sitting in your chair, increase flexibility and core strength with roll-ups: Sit up tall; bend forward slowly, a vertebrae at a time, until you’re hanging down. Slowly roll up a vertebra at a time until you’re sitting straight in your chair again.

Squeeze a ball while reading through emails or manuscripts to strengthen your hands.

Walk to co-workers’ desks rather than emailing or calling. “you save time because you accomplish something in one conversation rather than 16 emails,” says Neporent, “and you move more.”

Walk and talk. meeting with one or two others? Do a walking meeting instead of sitting around a table.

In the evening: Do a 10-minute DVD workout. Get a DVD that offers five 10-minute workouts and cue it up on Sunday night so it’s ready when you walk in the door on Monday. “Let that workout help you decompress from work to home, and let your kids see you exercising on a daily basis,” says Neporent. Some DVDs to try: the “10-Minute Solution” series, “Exhale Core Fusion” series, “10 Pounds Down” or “Thin in 10.”

Fridays

Stick with your usual workout that includes a combination of cardio (treadmill, bike or elliptical machine) and using weight machines.

The Weekend

Exercise as a family. you want to have fun with your family and raise your heart rate with sustained aerobic activity. Suggestions:

* Take a one-hour urban family hike.

* Jump rope. It burns about 15 calories per minute. “alternate with your kids doing 5 or 10 jumps each; after 15 minutes it will be a better workout than going to the gym,” says Neporent.

* Go to a playground and do everything your kids do.

* Scooter, which Jennifer’s kids love. “Get an adult scooter with four wheels and a helmet and scooter with them,” suggests Neporent. “You’ll get a great workout, and your kids will think you’re the coolest mom around.”

The ultimate key to getting fit and staying healthy? Turning on your internal GPS. “Eating well and exercising is not about being perfect all the time. It’s about how you respond when things don’t go perfectly,” says Derobertis. “If you take a wrong turn in your car, your GPS tells you to recalculate and puts you back on track. It doesn’t raise its voice and reprimand you. your internal GPS should do the same. If you have an occasional slip, don’t give up and think, I blew it. I might as well eat whatever I want now. Get back on track that same day, and you will reach your goal.” Go team Jennifer!

Courtesy:  Laura Flynn McCarthy and Karen Ficarelli from

workingmother.com and fitness4her.com respectively.

For more of such feeds/blogs, visit https://kiddylanes.com/blogs/news

[philmytummy]

Nothing is like spending the summertime by the beach and from Philadelphia it is only a short trip to the Jersey Shore. This August we enjoyed heading down to Wildwood, NJ to check out the largest seaside amusement park in the Western Hemisphere. Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Water Parks is a classic seaside amusement park located on the Wildwood boardwalk with more than 100 rides and attractions along three action packed amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Summer of 2018 marks the 50th season for Morey’s Piers. It all started back in 1968 when two brothers, Will and Bill Morey, spotted a 12 lane fiberglass slide in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They took a risk buying this slide and setting up on the Wildwood boardwalk in 1969. This began their journey into the world of amusement parks and boardwalk veterans were skeptical at first. The Morey brothers pushed ahead acquiring more land in the area by paying twice the going rate. In 1976 they acquired their second pier and continued to grow. By 1979 they had established a full waterslide complex that would later grow into two waterparks. In 1986 the family purchased their third amusement pier and the mid 80-90s brought roller coaster to Morey’s Piers.

Starlux Boutique Hotel

We checked in for the weekend at the retro Starlux Boutique Hotel, owned by Morey’s Piers. Only blocks from the boardwalk and Wildwood Convention Center, this hotel is very conveniently located and features classic Americana architecture you won’t often find at the Jersey Shore. The all-glass lobby and lounge area opens onto the pool promenade where there is a heated pool, hot tub (open year round), and barbecue grills. Guests are also provided with free parking (1 car per room), free wireless internet, guest laundry, complimentary beach cruiser bicycles and beach gear in addition to complimentary Continental Breakfast (May 1st to Oct. 15).

Hotels guests also receive a special discount next door at the Starlux Mini Golf Course, where the wild things par! This mini golf is a unique two level course with three themes (beach, ocean, and boardwalk) and a total of 27 holes! We couldn’t resist playing the course which is open late on the weekends and even has its own Kohr Brothers ice cream booth.

Just like their rides and attractions, Morey’s Piers offers the widest selection of food and beverages with over 20 food outlets and eateries where guests can indulge in their boardwalk favorites and more.  One of our favorite staples are the famous Curley’s Fries, introduced in 1974 and still remains a boardwalk staple today.  With the growth and evolution of the piers, so did their food and beverage offerings.

Jumbo’s Seafood restaurant at Mariner’s Pier was the first Morey’s Piers sit-down restaurant and eatery to open in 1999.  Today Jumbo’s offers extra large pizza pies and seafood options in a casual atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. Executive Chef Walter “Wally” Jurusz joined the Morey’s Piers team in 2009 bringing his passion and culinary experience for elevated boardwalk food with a gourmet flair to the piers.

We started our Saturday morning with a visit to the Ocean Oasis Waterpark & Beach Club. Take a walk to the end of Surfside Pier, lies a tropical island getaway with an exciting collection of waterslides like the Cliff Dive slide where you’ll drop 5 stories in 3 seconds! The newest slide is the six-lane WipeOut where you can race family and friends. Bonsai Beach allows kids and parents to enjoy the interactive play area with water jets, climbing ropes and slides especially for the little ones. And of course you’re always welcome to lie back and relax as you float through the Lazy River or indulge in a cocktail at the swim up bar.

Stubborn Brothers Beach Bar & Grille

We took a lunch break at Stubborn Brothers Beach Bar & Grille (also accessible without waterpark admission). The restaurant is named for the two brothers who started it all, Will and Bill Morey. Sit back and enjoy something refreshing, they offer over 10 specialty cocktails featuring tropical ingredients and fresh fruit in original combinations- plus a variety of craft and local beers! We loved the healthy option of the Quinoa Bowl loaded with shaved Brussels sprouts, arugula, candied walnuts, avocado and orange vinaigrette. You’re sure to enjoy this dish with the option to add protein like salmon, grilled or crispy chicken. We also enjoyed the Steamed Pork Potstickers served with an Asian dipping sauce as an appetizer and the Crabby Cake Sandwich, a jumbo lump house-made crab cake with lemon Dijon mustard, is another very popular menu item. The outdoor restaurant has live music daily from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Open daily during season from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

Joe’s Fish Co.

Opened in Summer 2010, Joe’s Fish Co. is the second full restaurant opened by Morey’s Piers. We enjoyed the outside seating at this casual, contemporary family restaurant amidst the action of the rides on the pier.��What is also special, and great for the older crowd is that Joe’s Fish Co. features a lively second floor bar overlooking all the action and featuring live musicians on weekends. We started off our meal with the delicious Crabby Pretzel, jumbo pretzel topped with our crab dip and melted cheddar baked bubbly! Their menu also offers a variety of fresh seafood options like local oysters, platters, fish and chips, grilled local fish, and whole steamed 1.5 lb. whole Maine lobster or 1 lb. snow crab legs.

The next summer, Morey’s Piers began offering “Breakfast in the Sky” where guests can enjoy a gourmet breakfast while they ride the Giant Ferris Wheel.  This unique dining concept was the idea of Will Morey Sr. back in the late 90’s. A decade later Breakfast in the Sky was brought to life and has sold out many seasons so be sure to get your tickets at the start of the season! You’ll enjoy your breakfast with views 150 feet above sea level complete with white linens, china, and a signature menu.

Pig Dog Beach Bar

Brand new for Summer 2018, Pig Dog Beach Bar allows families to bring their furry friends to join them at this new breed of beach bar is serving up tasty barbecue classics, cocktails and local beers. Stop by and enjoy hammocks, picnic tables, and beach games while you enjoy your sips and snacks. We loved the slow-cooked smokey goodness of summer barbecue like the Loaded BBQ Fries topped with pulled pork, Texas western sauce, cheddar sauce, chilis, and scallions. We loved the lighter option of the Grilled Summer Shrimp Salad with field greens, watercress, hearts of palm, cucumbers, grapefruit, red peppers and mango-pineapple vinaigrette.

Another favorite is The Pig Big, a sourdough loaf stuffed with smoked pulled pork, covered in Monterey Jack cheese, and topped with pickled jalapeños and scallions. We also enjoyed the variety of sandwich and platter options. We loved the Smoked 1/2 Half Chicken served with parkerhouse rolls and cole slaw. Rubbed and smoked this dark meat chicken is glazed with Texas western barbecue sauce. PigDog Beach Bar invites pooches and guests of all ages to kick-back and enjoy the laidback atmosphere accessible via Raging Waters Water Park, the beach, and the boardwalk. Open post-labor day weekend, Friday – Sunday 11 am – 7 pm.

Jersey Girl

One of our favorite meals of the weekend was having dinner at Jersey Girl. Only a block from the boardwalk, this modern American restaurant features classic vibes of the shore. The menu provides guests with gourmet Mediterranean cuisine.

We loved all the fresh seafood options at Jersey Girl. The Jumbo Lump Crab & Avocado Mango’tini’ and local Cape May Oysters chilled on the half shell. What could be a more refreshing way to start your evening at the jersey shore? We also enjoyed the Feta & Summer Watermelon Salad with a delicious mix of grapes, cucumbers, fresh mint, walnuts and honey drizzle. The Fried Calamari appetizer was offered for the evening as a salad special and easily large enough to enjoy as an entree.

For the main course you cannot go wrong with either the surf or turf. We enjoyed the Blackened Tuna with mango cucumber salsa, rice pilaf and grilled asparagus. The Filet Mignon was also delicious served over top of grilled asparagus in a cabernet demi place with crispy bacon and a little bleu cheese on top.

George Mallous, General Manager says, ”I’ve been working in the culinary industry alongside my brother and Executive Chef, Argie Mallous, for over 30 years. We make a great team and are passionate about the food we cook and the customers we serve. Our goal is to exceed expectations, making every dining experience with us truly memorable and delicious. “

No matter what your choice, you are sure to find some exquisite dining at the jersey shore. Wildwood is filled with a beautiful beach and lots of entertainment, but we can attest to the fact that the dining scene is vibrant on its own. And the fun doesn’t just wrap up Labor Day Weekend! Be sure to check out the local festivals showcasing beachside into the Fall. Morey’s Piers Oktoberfest is taking place September 21-23, 27-29, and October 5-7. The Annual Wildwood Irish Fall Festival is September 21-23. Wildwood Seafood & Music Festival is October 6th. Plus the Wildwood Downtown Farmer’s Market is being held every Saturday!

Getaway: Morey’s Piers Nothing is like spending the summertime by the beach and from Philadelphia it is only a short trip to the Jersey Shore.

[hudsonespie]

[Photos] World’s Largest Cruise Ship “Symphony of the Seas” Launched

Thirty-six months, 4,700 shipbuilders and crew, and one common goal: to deliver the ultimate family adventure. Royal Caribbean International honored the instrumental project team of Symphony of the Seas during the highly anticipated delivery event at STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France today. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France, led the traditional flag-changing ceremony, which symbolizes the ship’s official delivery from the ship builder to Royal Caribbean. The maritime ritual was followed by a celebration of the industry’s best, the crew whose hard work and meticulous collaboration came together to create the world’s largest cruise ship.

“Symphony of the Seas is the latest example of how our people work to push the envelope of innovation with each new ship,” said Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain. “The Oasis Class has been a trend-setting design, but the team has evolved the design to build on that success to provide even more incredible family adventures. We’re thankful to have a partner in STX France that is every bit as ambitious as we are about building technologically advanced ships.”

“It is a proud and exhilarating moment to welcome a new member to the family. Thanks to our stellar crew and partners at STX France, we now are ready to embark on this new boundless adventure that comes to life on Symphony of the Seas,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Symphony will take family vacationing to an all new level with energy and options never before found in one place. This ship is the perfect blend of our greatest hits we know guests love and a lineup of vibrant, new restaurants, activities and unparalleled entertainment – all purposefully designed around vacationers’ preferences.”

“Today is a day of pride for me, all STX France and sub-contractor teams as we hand over Symphony of the Seas to her owner as the largest cruise ship ever built,” said Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France. “Symphony will leave Saint-Nazaire yard as the ultimate example of our progress-driven spirit and commitment to innovation, which are at the heart of our partnership with Royal Caribbean, who is always challenging us in this direction.”

The 25th ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms that overlook the ocean or signature Boardwalk neighborhood.

One Oasis Class ship, seven distinctive neighborhoods, the tallest slide at sea with the Ultimate Abyss and countless adventures for guests of all ages, the family adventure of a lifetime has surprises at every turn:

New Culinary Adventures

Hooked Seafood: This upscale eatery atop of the world’s largest cruise ship in the Solarium serves up the real taste of New England-inspired seafood and unparalleled ocean vistas to match. Approachable and unassuming, the menu offers classic coastal favorites, such as lobster rolls, crab claws, signature fish sandwich, and a raw bar where oysters are shucked to order. Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade: Stretching the length of a reimagined Boardwalk, now touting fresh energy and swagger, the whole family can watch the home team play across 31 big-screen TVs, during the day and into the late night. The indoor and outdoor arcade, packed with over 20 games, offers the opportunity for friendly competition. The on-point menu of classic American bar food features everything from wings, burgers and popcorn shrimp to picture-perfect sundaes; as well as craft beers and cocktails.

El Loco Fresh: Made-to-order tacos and burritos wrapped with fresh tortillas are among the Mexican “street food” favorites that will hit the spot for adventure seekers looking to fuel up with minimal downtime.

Sugar Beach: The signature candy and ice cream shop is the sweet spot on the Boardwalk with more than 100 types of candies, a lineup of ice cream flavors and even DIY activities for the aspiring culinary artist.

New Ways to Play

Battle for Planet Z: Royal Caribbean’s first glow-in-the-dark laser tag game brings two teams of eight head to head in an out-of-this-world adventure to determine who will claim the last planet in the galaxy.

Escape the Rubicon: In the ultimate race against the clock, friends old and new must band together in the Rubicon submarine – a sophisticated, custom-built escape room – to solve a collection of puzzles before time runs out.

Image Credit: Royal Caribbean International/YouTube

Unparalleled Family Accommodations

Ultimate Family Suite: A two-level, 1,346-square-foot suite filled with awesome thrills offers more than enough room for the whole family – and friends – to come together and catch up on “me time.” Features include an in-room slide, a private cinema with an 85-inch HD TV, a floor-to-ceiling LEGO wall, a 212-square-foot balcony complete with table tennis and a full-size whirlpool. Complete with a Royal Genie, who caters to every whim, there are many more surprises awaiting guests along the way.

Symphony of the Seas will welcome her first guests on Saturday, March 31 for a one-time-only, 5-night preview sailing, calling on Naples and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

The ship’s maiden 7-night Mediterranean voyage departs Saturday, April 7 from Barcelona, Spain, where the crescendo of thrills will be brought to life by the 2,200 international crew members who proudly represent 77 countries around the world. Symphony of the Seas will homeport in Barcelona for the summer, visiting Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence, France; and Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples, Italy. Beginning Nov. 10, Miami, FL. will become the ship’s year-round homeport, making Symphony of the Seas the first new Oasis Class ship to sail from the cruise capital of the world using Royal Caribbean’s new state-of-the-art Terminal A. The 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises will call on Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s newly revealed destination in the Bahamas. For more information about Symphony, visit RoyalCaribbean.com/SymphonyoftheSeas.

Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 49-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry “firsts” never before seen at sea. The cruise line features an expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found on Royal Caribbean, including jaw-dropping, state-of-the-art entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous vacationers alike. Onboard, guests are catered to with the cruise line’s world-renowned friendly and engaging service by every staff and crew member. Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 15 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards.

The cruise line sails 25 of the world’s most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, South America, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand.

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[oselatra]

36 hours in Pike County

You'll dig it.

36 HOURS

IN

Pike County

You'll dig it.

If a friend suggested a weekend jaunt to Murfreesboro, you'd probably land somewhere between skeptical and "Hell, no." A quick Google search might suggest you're right, too; an image of a rusty old barn leaning Tower of Pisa-style appears, alongside a statistic about the population hovering around 1,700 people. The parking lot at the Crater of Diamonds State Park filled to the brim with out-of-state license plates on a recent Friday afternoon begs to differ, though. The locals probably would, too — at least those who weren't predisposed to keep the nearby Lake Greeson's charms under wraps. If your listlessness should steer you toward that great undiscovered country of Southwest Arkansas (or, if you're on your way to Dallas and looking to get off the highway for a spell), here are a few recommendations.

First stop: Hawkins Variety Store

As the diamond mine that Murfreesboro is best known for tends to stay hotter and sunnier than its densely forested surroundings, it's best to plan your dig for the morning. If you're an early bird coming from Little Rock to dig for diamonds, or even if you're a late sleeper coming from Hot Springs, that means you'll pull into town just in time to grab some sustenance at the Hawkins Variety Store, 51 Courthouse Square, an old-fashioned mercantile and soda fountain on the square in the historic Owens-Stelle Building. The structure was erected around 1909, during the diamond rush that followed farmer John Wesley Huddleston's discovery of the precious stones in what was said to be oddly greenish soil, and originally housed a doctor's office and a pharmacy. Today, the store's motto is "We have almost everything ... if you can help us find it!" Score some coffee, muffins, a peach Nehi soda or a baked-in-house cinnamon roll to take with you on your dig — or a vintage toy or puzzle to keep your kids occupied should digging for diamonds fail to command their attention.

Start digging

Somewhere between 66 and 144 million years ago, a volcanic vent called the "Prairie Creek" diatreme caused a bunch of rock, gas and minerals – including diamonds that had crystallized from carbon — to bubble up to the earth's surface. That explosion formed a crater. Forty-three years ago, the state created the Crater of Diamonds State Park, 209 State Park Road. Today, thousands of people gather to hunt the surface for diamonds after a heavy rain or to "wet sift," gathering a pile of gravel and dipping small batches of it into water-filled troughs under park pavilions in hopes of finding a diamond in the mix. There are lots of other gems and minerals to find, too, and park rangers to help you identify them: jasper, quartz, lamproite, barite, calcite and amethyst. The park offers buckets, shovels, sifting screens and all sorts of other tools for rental, or you can bring your own — as long as it's not battery-operated or motorized. Wear old shoes or boots and bring plenty of sunscreen — the sun in the diamond crater can be unforgiving. When you've had your fill of geological treasure hunting, check out the rest of the state park; the diamond crater is only about 38 of its 911 acres. There are three easy trails to hike: the Prospector Trail (1.2 miles), the Little Missouri River Trail (1.2 miles) or the Wildlife Observation Blind Trail, where you can observe and photograph white-tailed deer, gray squirrels and many bird species. Or, if your favorite wildlife is whatever's on the end of your hook, go for some largemouth bass, bream or catfish on the Little Missouri River. The Diamond Springs Water Park has a 4,166-square-foot wading pool with geysers, water slides and a deck to chill out on. Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily in peak season (Memorial Day Weekend-Labor Day), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in off-season.

Head to the lake

Lake Greeson, north up state Highway 19 from Murfreesboro, is the result of the Little Missouri River's being penned up at Narrows Dam at its southern end, and is a stunner: 7,000 acres of hiking trails through the hardwoods of the Ouachita Mountains, a trail to an old Cinnabar Mine and a 31-mile Bear Creek Cycle Trail for ATVs, dirt bikes and mountain bikes. There's also great rainbow trout fishing — as well as striped, white, largemouth and spotted bass — in the tailwaters below the dam, swimming areas at Laurel Creek Recreation Center, the nearby Daisy State Park and elsewhere, two private resorts and a towering geological formation called Chimney Rock.

Check OUT THE teepeeS

On the winding mountainside road to Lake Greeson, you probably noticed a conspicuous roadside oddity – a collection of small, two-story buildings meant to evoke the feel of an old frontier town. There's the Sheriff's Office/Jail, a "Crazy Diamonds" Saloon," the Livery and Stables, the Apothecary Cabin, the Church Cabin, the Pony Express Cabin, a faux brothel labeled "Miss Kitty's" and a sunny playground with giant musical chimes, a "corn pit" and a pedal car track. That's Diamonds Old West Cabins, a sort of miniature hotel complex with a well-stocked general store, two giant teepees for guests to gather in and make s'mores over a campfire and, despite the deceptively simple building exteriors, luxurious lodging. The interior stylings vary — a couple of the suites even come with specialty beds with music, massage and overhead light shows — but all cabins come with memory foam beds (some of them are canopied and curtained), flat-screen TVs, a porch or deck, an outdoor grill pit, fireplaces, wireless internet and other decidedly anachronistic creature comforts. It's a little "Silver Dollar City" kitschy and a little odd, but incredibly well-maintained and, we imagine, a perfect place to overnight with small children. Check them out at diamondscabins.com.

Pay homage to Glen Campbell

If you're on your way back to Little Rock, take state Highway 26 through Billstown and Delight, the home of a different sort Arkansas gem — Glen Campbell, who died in August at age 81 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Just before you get to Delight, you'll see a sign for Billstown, Glen Campbell's hometown. (If you get to the sign welcoming you to "Delight, Home of Glen Campbell," you've gone too far). Take the right turn onto the quaint, tree-canopied Billstown Road and look for a wooden sign on the left that reads "Campbell Cemetery." There lies Campbell, performer of "Rhinestone Cowboy" and star of the screen and studio.

Or have a cold one

Yes, there's beer, as well as diamonds, in them thar Ouachitas. If you've decided to head on to Hot Springs after your Pike County peregrinations, check out Bubba's Brews Sports Pub & Grill, at 8091 Airport Road in Bonnerdale. (If the parking lot is full, there's a trolley from the airport's parking area.) Bubba's brews a seasonal beer (like the fall Belgian-style witbier) and a range of year-round ales: the 10-point Bock, the Arkie Amber Ale, Bubba's Dirty Blonde, the Buckshot Pale Ale, the Wilford Oatmeal Stout, the Sandar Pilsner, the Skullcrusher IPA or "Scooter Trash," an American-style India Pale Ale. The pub food-focused menu includes crawfish tails, pulled pork sandwiches, onion rings and stuffed shrimp. Bubba's hours: noon-8 p.m. Thu. and Sun., noon-midnight Fri.-Sat.

36 hours in Pike County

[theladyjstyle]

Harmony of the Seas Live Blog - Michael's Day 4 - Falmouth

Harmony of the Seas Live Blog - Michael's Day 4 - Falmouth

Today was our second port day in Falmouth, Jamaica. We had a long stay here today, 10am-7pm I would imagine since many of the excursions are at least an hour away. I didn’t have any real plans today other than some shopping at the port and endless trips down the waterslide poolside.

Not sure if anyone has noticed in my post, but I haven’t had breakfast all week. With this ultimate dining package the dinners are so large, I just have to skip a meal. But I did head to the pool early morning and went down the slides ten times with zero lines. They didn’t have the green slide open until 2pm, but the two racers are my favorites anyways.

 At noon my friend Ron and I decided to get off the ship just to look around. We went into a few shops, and quickly noticed they all sell the same items. I bought a little gift to take home and we headed over to Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville’s. If you happen to have one of their t-shirts you get a free drink if you wear it here. We only had one drink each here, the cheapest cocktail was $9 each and beers $5.

 Once we made it back on board I headed to Park Café for lunch. I had a large salad with ham and the roast beef sandwich. As usually the food in here was very enjoyable. They did add a lot more seating to this Park Café, than her two sisters Oasis and Allure. For most of the afternoon, I just relaxed in the pool with some friends that also stayed on board. I will say, I did really enjoy the empty ship while everyone was in Jamaica.

 Evening on board

 Tonight I wanted to have cocktails somewhere we haven’t been yet, I know that’s hard to believe but they just have so many options. We ended up at the rising tide bar and rode that up and down four times. On Harmony they put soft chairs and tables VS her sister ships where they have bar stools and high tables.

 Dinner tonight was in Chops grill at 7:30pm, when we arrived they were so busy; but seated us right away. I’ve noticed every time I come here they are so busy, but tonight it didn’t affect our service. We had an amazing server who was laughing with us to make the meal so enjoyable. I ordered the shrimp cocktail and they serve this in the old 150 Central Park cucumber martini glasses. We ordered some side dishes for the middle of the table to share, during the main course. All our steaks came out perfect to how we ordered them, and I’ll come clean, I ate every bite!

 After dinner we had reservations for the comedy show at 10:30 in the Attic. This venue holds 200+ people for the comedy show, so I was curious how it would go. Of course, I had to sit front row and get involved with the show. The show was fun and only last an hour. I do recommend making reservations for the show in the cruise planner, because the standby line was down the casino hallway.

 I ended the evening with their new nightclub themed party – Club RED. This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this on Royal’s ships. They held the party in Studio B on deck four. The had backdrops set up to take photos going into the party, almost reminded me of something you would see in Vegas. The party itself was for all ages as they started with fun music from 80’s and progressed into more hip-hop as the evening went on. I had an absolute blast and managed to stay up late tonight, of course grabbing some pizza on my way to bed.

 That completes my day four on board Harmony of the Seas; tomorrow we have a nice relaxing sea day as we head to Mexico.

 Category: 

Harmony of the Seas Live Blog

https://plus.google.com/+Jpkc13/posts/gCSc2xc2Aa4

[gessvhowarth]

London's Best Themed Restaurants

They know how to stick to a theme at Sarastro. .thumb {width:175px;height:175px;margin:0px;margin-right:5px;margin-bottom:5px;} @media screen and (max-width: 400px) {.thumb {width:47%;height:auto;margin-right:3px;margin-bottom:3px;} } In the market for some serious escapism? We're here for you, with our round-up of the best themed restaurants in town, with Bombay cafes and Grand Brasseries, with 40s swing and 50s noir. Choose between social darts and table football, between circuses and speakeasies. Dishoom Even people with a hatred of kitsch usually find a place in their heart for Dishoom's Bombay cafe styling. If you can handle the queue for your artfully falling apart rattan chair, the reward will be cumin-spiced lamb and whisky and cardamom cocktails. 12 Upper St Martin’s Lane, WC2H | 7 Boundary Street, E2 | 5 Stable Street, N1C | 22 Kingly Street, W1B Bar and Cafe Kick The theme here's obviously the Beautiful Game, with flags covering the ceiling, football paraphernalia wedged in everywhere and an almost-constant stream of matches on the big screens. The tables for punters wanting to eat outnumber the Bonzini football tables, but barely. But this is a European slant on the sports bar, with an imported beer list, sangria by the jug and - justifying its place in a themed restaurants round-up - a great menu of sandwiches, continental dishes and pintxos. 127 Shoreditch High Street, E1 | 43 Exmouth Market, EC1R The Blues Kitchen The theme's in the name, with live blues, bluegrass and soul every night, a big range of bourbons and a lot of pulled pork and barbequed meat on the food menu. 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 | 134-146 Curtain Road, EC2A | 40 Acre Lane, SW2 The Diner The theme at this diner chain is a very cheese-topped, chilli-topped brand of pan-Americana. Decor varies a bit across the chain but expect red leatherette booths, counter seating and an array of neon and you won't be far off. The food here's as themed as the interiors, spanning Deep South ribs to Philadelphia hot dogs, and in between, a lot of pancakes. A terrible place to be a vegan or in any way concerned about the amount of fat and dairy in your food. Otherwise, go and be dazzled by the number of pancakes you can get through. 18 Ganton Street, W1F | 128-130 Curtain Road, EC2A | 21 Essex Road, N1 | 2 Jamestown Road, NW1 | 190 Shaftesbury Ave, WC2H | 105 Gloucester Road, SW7 | 4 Horner Square, E1 Tinseltown Can milkshake be a theme? If not, we'll go with roadside Americana as the main one here, but most of the branches of this US-diner chain feel overridingly like a 50s shake bar - with green leatherette barstools, neon lighting inside and out, and a late-night milkshake menu. 46 St. John Street, EC1M | 104 Heath Street, NW3 | 1 Woodford Ave., IG2 | 57 Westbourne Grove, W2 | 35 Great Portland Street, W1W | 63 The Parade | 159 High Road, N22 | 18-19 The Mall, W5 Bombay Brasserie All sepia photos and stately, glass-roofed conservatory, this is a grown-up version of Dishoom's subcontinent nostalgia. The delicate, carefully-spiced seafood and fine dining vibe make it a good place to go with visiting parents - formal rather than kitsch, and luxurious even by South Kensington standards.   140 Courtfield Road, SW7 Tiroler Hut Like your strudel with a side of flugelhorn? The waiters at this mountain cabin-themed restaurant sport lederhosen and perform traditional Austrian music. Expect a lot of fondue - and beer, obviously - interspersed with some light yodelling and a bit of cowbell action. Audience participation's there for the taking, but not inflicted on the reserved. There's no evidence Tiroler Hut's changed in years, and although there are places in London these days doing glossier, pricier takes on Austrian food - Fischer's and Kipferl among them - it's hard to match Tiroler Hut for generous portions and loud, welcoming friendliness. 27 Westbourne Grove, W2 Sarastro The food's Turkish-ish, but everything else about this restaurant sticks to an operatic theme. The interior's an enormous sweep of gold-leaf rococo with opera box seating, and the waiters are classically-trained singers, bursting into their best Tosca between courses. 126 Drury Lane, WC2B Circus Nobody's really at Circus for the ornate, pan-Asian food. They're there for the... circus. It's hard to focus on your sashimi spirals when jugglers, contortionists and cabaret are taking centre stage, and centre stage is the middle of your table. Slide your drink to one side to make way for the leathered-up firebreather, and brace yourself for high adrenaline and a towering bill to match. 27-29 Endell Street, WC2H Bunga Bunga This monument to excess is well worth a visit on a weekday evening. But go for Saturday brunch to see the restaurant at its height of messy decadence - hitting up unlimited pizza and prosecco and the karaoke stage all by 1.30pm feels like a level of bravado even Berlusconi would approve of. 37 Battersea Bridge Road, SW11 Evans & Peel Bringing some Hollywood noir to Earl's Court, Evans & Peel detective agency promises to take your problems very, very seriously. Arriving at their door you'll get buzzed down - provided you've made an appointment - into their small basement office, to discuss your needs in the utmost secrecy. If it turns out your needs are whisky cocktails and slow-cooked beef sliders or chilli fries, swing back the filing cabinet to get through to their back-room speakeasy. 310C Earl's Court Road, SW5 Brasserie Zédel Hidden behind the hustle of Picadilly Circus, this is more than French-themed, it's the full Grand Brasserie. The main restaurant's all high ceilings, marble pillars and golden detailing, and the standalone cabaret room and cocktail bar are on the same Art Deco and Beaux Arts lines. The menu's surprisingly good value despite all that grandeur, doing nostalgic French dishes. Go there for onion soup and Toulouse cassoulet - a slow-cooked sausage casserole - just like (grand-)maman used to make. 20 Sherwood Street, W1F La Bodega Negra This tapas restaurant has two different themes going. On the inside it's a sun-bleached hacienda, with wooden beams and floors, peeling paint and candlelight. Pan out, and you're in the cellar of a Soho sex shop, with the street level entrance making neon promises about peep shows and hot hot videos. If you can handle the fact that you're not going to find anything nearly as racy when you get inside, the tostadas and braised beef are well worth a visit. 9 Old Compton Street, W1D The Four Quarters If you love retro arcade games this bar-diner is going to blow your mind. Mostly with how much worse you are at Street Fighter II than you remember being, and how much more public a forum to crash and burn this is than your usual gaming these days. If you don't love retro arcade games it's still a decent pub with good hot dogs, burgers and craft beers and a late licence at weekends. And a soundtrack of tinny, computerised beeping and a lot of real-life swearing. 187 Rye Lane, SE15 Bubba Gump Shrimp Co Life imitates art at this Forrest Gump-themed seafood restaurant, recreating the restaurant chain set up by Bubba Gump in the film. For a lot of people the enormous space and fast-food vibe is going to feel more theme park than themed restaurant. But for die-hard lovers of fried shrimp or die-hard lovers of Forrest Gump this is doing all the right things. 7-14 Coventry Street, W1D The Little Yellow Door The theme here is, basically, your mate's house party only a bit less messy. The decor's living room, and the menu varies, but tends to British snacks or comfort food. Arguably a living room and comfort food are things you could have just by staying home, with the added joy of being in your pyjamas. But if you're torn between going out and staying in, the people at the Little Yellow Door are waiting with a cocktail mug and elaborate backstory to host you for dinner and drinking. 68 Notting Hill Gate, W11 Cahoots It takes an impressive venue to make people who spend a substantial amount of time commuting choose to spend their spare time in a public transport-themed bar. But Cahoots have done just that with their underground den. In an erstwhile air raid shelter, the Blitz-era theme's carried through in the replica 1940's train carriage design and the 40s swing music - often live. More bar than restaurant, really, but there's a menu of 40s-themed snacks. That ranges from the obviously excellent - shouldn't all bars serve crumpets and marmalade? - to the foods that only strict and national rationing can really justify - we refer you to the crisps and salad cream sandwich and the spam and cheese toastie. 13 Kingly Court, W1B Flight Club The theme of this venue's competition, expressed through the medium of darts. Flight Club has a series of oches - spaces for up to 12 people, with real-time scoring - where you can embed by the hour and order from their menu of pizzas, burgers and whisky cocktails. 2a Worship Street, EC2A Coin Laundry This Exmouth Market bar-restaurant's 'retro-themed' - their wording - which seems to cover 70s cocktails, 80s chicken kievs, a 90s soundtrack and distinctly 21st century prices. Whatever the blend of era, the food's good in a deeply deep-fried way - and the SodaStream cocktails are a lot of your childhood fantasies made real. 70 Exmouth Market, EC1R

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/londonist/sBMe/~3/_ZJq55zALrg/london-s-best-themed-restaurants

[tottblog]

Scrolling down my Facebook wall, I often encounter  pictures of nostalgia, the emotional  expression of Military friends glad to be home, as they stand in the Walmart parking lot- arms up in celebration- or peek in the drive-thru window of In-N-Out  Burger, giddy with anticipation. With every trip, especially to a place that’s called home (even if by some sorta technicality) we have lists of the things we must do and the places we must eat before we take off. But after entering the airport recently, taking in the familiar sights and sounds, while driving down one of 2 lane roads of Georgia’s “Greater Atlanta” area, my gaze flapping in the wind, I didn’t miss much about Georgia. (Sorry.) I did miss my family, though, the reason for every visit. Nonetheless, if I had to make a list, here are some things that have become routine.

Facade

My favorite menu item at West Egg Cafe

West Egg Cafe’s Belgian Waffle

West Egg Cafe

West Midtown, Atlanta

What better way to start your day, or this post. I celebrated West Egg last week for their doing the simple well and not stopping there, taking strides toward creativity. They serve delicious coffee, brewing locally roasted Batdorf and Bronson coffee. My favorite on their menu is the Georgia Benedict-built, from the b0ttom up, of an open face biscuit, turkey sausage patties on each, two eggs-any style- and covered in sausage gravy. Mmm! Served with a side of creamy roasted garlic grits or skillet potatoes. On occasion, I’ll order a  Belgian waffle for dessert, with a ball of spiced honey butter, poised above the crisp, square impressions of the waffle iron with the tang of buttermilk, bound inside. Best breakfast in Atlanta? Until I take a seat at a table that tells me otherwise.

http://www.your-vegetarian-kitchen.com/dekalb-farmers-market.html

DeKalb Farmers Market

Decatur

A breeze rushes out at you, set free as the automatic door slides out of its way, driving patrons to clench the fibers of jackets and sweaters closer to their skin. The approach continues, down the concrete hallway, vibrant photos lining the walls. Hanging from the ceiling is a sign prohibiting the use of cameras?  The walk is like that of a boxer, cutting through the anticipation that awaits at the other end of the tunnel of the action that will take place in the ring. The DeKalb Farmer’s Market has damaged my perception of the farmers market- as few markets reach the bar. It was for me the first definition of what a farmer’s market is. It’s warehouse of all things food is unmatched by any other food market. I’ve seen. They have available one of the most diverse selection of produce, meats, fish and birds from all over. Not so farm-to-table but a great offering of exposure. I make it my mission to never leave without something I’ve never tasted. Many packaged goods are produced in house, including spices, juices, and awesome baked goods- brioche, challah, Jamaican hard dough, cake, and muffins. They even have a prepared hot foods section.

Gezzo’s Surf & Grille

Henry Town Center, McDonough

Thursdays is perhaps my favorite day of the week. Not always in the same order, but at least one of my Thursdays is spent doing at least one of the following:

Counting balls of crumpled aluminum foil, tallying the number of tacos downed.

Rolling balls down the bowling lane at Pin Stirkes on their, now, $2.50 Thursdays

Sipping coffee at Café on Main with some good fellowship surrounded by cozy pastries and bean brews.

Have you ever been “WELCOMEd TO MOES!? Where by the time you get to the register, if you’ve stuffed your Southwestern burrito with as much as mine- its cold? Not all their fault. Well, their lesser known West Coast burrito rolling completion- Gezzo’s, formerly known as Gecko’s, is a different animal.  They have pineapple among their toppings! I’m almost sure it comes out of a can but still… Their jerk and teriyaki chickens get my taste buds watering. But really and truly, they’ve won my loyalty  thanks to the all-you-can-eat tacos on Thursday. (If they did it on Taco Tuesday, it would make too much sense and we’d probably eat them out of business.) All you can eat- for $12, unless you get the much worth it fish and shrimp added in for 3 bucks more. I  love the seafood tacos especially on the hard-shell, fried in store. Little tip: if you wanna get the biggest bang for your buck, leave the rice out of it.

http://truettsgrill.com

Then there’s Truetts.

Morrow

The namesake of its late founder, perhaps Georgia’s biggest philanthropist Truett Cathy, Truetts grille is, in short, a 50’s diner themed Chic-fil-A, serving diner favorites in addition to the standard Chic-fil-A menu. But I don’t think you really need me to tell you what to do when you get here. The motto of their most successful ad campaign is EAT MOR CHIKIN. The chicken sandwich is a crispy, pressure fried breast of chicken- breaded just before frying- with two pickles on a bun, slipped into a foil lined sleeve. I put sauce on it, not because the chicken begs for it, but because the sauces are so good, as simple as they may be. My favorites are the Chic-fil-A sauce and the honey roasted bbq sauce. They’re reminiscent of some sort of smoky mix of bbq sauce, honey mustard and mayo. And when I first visited, I was fascinated by their waffle fries- the first time I had ever seen’em.

I know it sounds like I’m making a case for Georgia, but what do you want from me? Gotta make the best of it. I vow to stay in Midtown nextime I’m there, a more urban district. Till then, back to Japan!

Where to Eat When in Georgia: 4 Places Worth a Visit Scrolling down my Facebook wall, I often encounter  pictures of nostalgia, the emotional  expression of Military friends glad to be home, as they stand in the Walmart parking lot- arms up in celebration- or peek in the drive-thru window of In-N-Out  Burger, giddy with anticipation.