#-but i just dont think its likely overall. so i have come to enjoy nick in more of a vibes way and also i discovered wireplay and thats dope | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kingzephy · 2 years

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More asks!! Thank you guys so much I love all three of you dearly. These were a lot of fun 💜

@nyfabee @kulemii @ghost-boness

A6 - Favorite side character(s)?

Oh god… theres so many…… lemme pick some from each game. Kinda choosing to interpret side character kinda loosely for this.

0 - Nishitani. I would say Sagawa but idk if counts since hes kind of the main major antagonist of Majima’s campaign so. Im gonna say he doesnt count

1 - Does Haruka count? In 1? Not really? I dont know.

2 - Daigo? Does he even count?? I kinda think hes at his best in 2 and hes kind of a side character. If he doesnt count then. his mom Yayoi.

3 - Rikiya! No doubt!

4 - Hana? OR. Minami. I think he had potential

5 - I dunno I don’t really have anyone from 5 that would be considered a true side character. Park counts I think so ill say her (id say Majima but like hes not a side character to me, hes the main character of my heart)

6 - same for 6. I dont have any real strong feelings about the overall cast of 6 in particular. Majima is in it for 30 seconds so. him. again. Uh I do like Joongi but I dont think he counts as a side character, hes kind of a major antagonist.

7 - im gonna assume no party members so im gonna sayyy… Nick Ogata?

A9 - favorite game location(s)?

Im a big sucker for neon cityscapes and bright lights, and ive always wanted to live in Japan so this question is kinda hard!! A large part of my enjoyment with these games has to do with how I just get absolutely lost in the environments sometimes- I think the view over the bridges in Sotenbori is so cool. I would sit there and stare at the lights reflecting off the river at night for hours if I could. Just chillin by riverbank.

But. That being said, I also really liked getting to explore Onomichi in 6. It feels so homely and its so beautiful especially when you go to the top of the observation deck and look down on everything, the view is really cool! I love the intimate and quiet feel of it all, everyone knows eachother. It seems like it would be a nice little town to live in irl

I do like Isezaki Ijincho especially the view at night on the water overlooking the giant buildings and the ferris wheel, buuut its absolutely massive and I feel like that place would be kinda overwhelming.

As far as a more specific place… purgatory is really cool. Yeah. I enjoy the visuals a lot.

A12 - favorite tattoo(s)?

Ohhh now you got me on my bullshit. Im gonna ramble a bit. I can talk about tattoos for hours... First off. I wanna start off by saying theyre ALL cool. Okay. Horitomo just does such a good job at making them all unique and vibrant and awesome. Im gonna be incredibly indecisive as usual but especially with this. Ive always had a fascination with irezumi, im obsessed with how much it says about the person bearing them and their dedication to the life.

To start, im particularly fond of Majima’s suit, of course. I know, shocker. Its just strange to me that hes the only one in the series with tattoos this extensive. I wonder why they didnt do more suits like his… it really stands out to me.

The thing I like most about it has to come down to just. The symbolism. The queer coding. And I just absolutely love the snakes and the sakura blossoms both symbolically and visually. The sakura blossoms really pop against the black of the mikiri. Im such a sucker for flowers and floral imagery. Also I really like that its not symmetrical. Well the hannya is, but I like that the snakes are all tangled and twisted in different poses. Super cool. Anyone who knows me knows im really fond of snakes, so I guess im biased. I dunno, it really is perfect for him. Plus I just love that his ass is tatted, ill never get over it

I really enjoy Minami’s mix of traditional and western tattoos, theyre just absolutely gorgeous! I think they look so cool and it immediately says a LOT about him as a character and his dedication to Majima. And again, im a sucker for snakes and florals.

but I also like the symbolic juxtaposition between Saejima and Shimano’s tigers… I like that they show two very different tattoos depicting the same animal- the protective strength of Saejima’s tiger vs the oppressive power of Shimano’s… yeah

I really enjoy Mine’s sick ass kirin, I think its really cool concept. Im happy someone has a kirin cuz I think theyre really neat- and oh Also!! Nakahara’s shisa and hibiscus are fuckin cool… very pretty. and Lee’s chinese dragons… god.

fun fact about myself. When I was younger, for a long time I really wanted either a really elaborate backpiece of a dragon and a tiger fighting… or a kitsune.. I love tattoos so much.

I often think about all the cool characters we meet that we just never get to see their tattoos. I bet some of them were really something to behold…

B1 - Which character do you relate to most and why?

Truly? Gonna get kinda pitiful and real for a second but Majima. Yeah? Yeah.. something about always kinda feeling like the butt of a joke. Feeling like you always get fucked over in the end. Feeling like you have to put up fronts to people to get them to like you- putting other people before myself always. Im way too selfless for my own good. Feeling like an outcast. Abandonment issues. the Clingy. low self esteem and sense of worth. Bisexual. also I wanna steal his gender. we both like knives?

Big part of why I like him so much is cuz I do find him relatable in ways. Am I projecting? Maybe a little. Theres some other things but you get it.

Uh, honorable mention to Nishiki. I understand that feeing of digging yourself in a hole that it feels like you cant get out of. Having big ambitions and aspirations when youre young and then just. Being alone and needing help and not having anyone there to give it to you etc etc. I get that. Also im kind of a crybaby sometimes.

I think the reason I tend to get attached to more tragic characters in general because I do find them more relatable and more interesting, I think characters with a bunch of flaws are just way more engaging for me.

I relate a tiny bit to Kiryu, but mostly just the resting bitch face and having a hard time expressing what I wanna say sometimes and only opening up to a select few people. Because thats a mood. Im also kind of a slob. Like Akiyama or Shinada. Oops

B2 - Whats a scene that never fails to make you cry?

Hm. Theres a few but really any scene with Kazuhiro Nakaya (VA for Nishiki and Ichiban) losing his composure just absolutely breaks me. The forest scene with Kiryu and Nishiki in 0, and oh GOD the ending of 7?? SO god damn emotional. He really brings it every time.

Theres loooots of scenes that make me really emotional.

C4 - Which character would you like to see as a protagonist?

Tough question. This is the question I kinda spent the longest time answering.

Just know first and foremost before anything else I always just want more playable Majima. Before any other character. Theres so much they could do with that.

But if were talking characters outside of the already playable, I guess…. I dunno. I wanna say Daigo just because I feel like he could be something. Hes… I like him, at least I want to like him anyway. I like the idea of him and idk what playing as him would entail exactly but it basically boils down to. Like. I just want him to be better fleshed out.

C11 - Which character has the best taste in clothing? Who has the worst?

Im not really a great fashion critique, but I think best is probably… hm. Gonna be weird and say Majima. I know. I know, but I *like* that he stands out, you can look at him and pick up what hes about immediately. Its like a big warning sign. I just think we need more men with their tits out. Also his shoes????? The chain?? Hello? I think he has the best taste in clothes simply because hes unabashedly a fashion disaster and wears what he likes… Does that make sense? More people should be like that. Id probably wear a snakeskin jacket too if I could pull it off

I think thats also why I gotta give props to Zhao as well. He just GOES for it. So much transmasc swag between the two of them lol

Worst is uh. Hm. Honestly most of the people in these games are pretty sharp dressers I honestly had to think kinda hard on this. I have a love hate relationship with Daigo’s outfit in 2. Thats really all I can think of.

C15 - Who has the most tragic story?

Majima?

D5 - Which character do you think isn’t portrayed well/ is misunderstood by the fandom?

Overall I associate myself with people who have incredibly good takes on this series and characters and I try not to pay attention to the people with shit takes. But some people really just cant seem to understand what Majima is about.. you know the people who insist hes just crazy. You know. Im certainly not saying hes mentally well at all, but its like they dont know what a persona is- some people just water him down to ‘oh hes the crazy guy’. Also that weird subset of people who also insist that hes heterosexual. Or white? Im NEVER gonna get over that. Also Rook brings up a great point, a lot of people definitely gloss over the fact that Majima is overall kind of a shitty person and is undeniably abusive but its a super important part of who he is as a character and theres some people who choose to brush that under the rug. Which sucks. Because it does make him way more interesting!

Also kinda related but some people have bad takes on Sagawa.

D10 - What’s something everyone loves that you hate? (Mechanic, scene, character, etc)

Uh. I dunno honestly. I just dont think I have an answer for this one. Sorry, im pretty easy to please overall. I dont ask for much. I have a lot of gripes with these games but its the same ones most people have. And I just cant think of anything that I everyone loves but I personally hate on. I sat on this for like a full day and I really cant think of a solid answer. Hm. Idk. Its pretty difficult to make me truly hate something.

E1 - Explore: Kamurocho or Sotenbori?

This one is tough cuz I love both! And I know both like the back of my hand at this point….. im gonna say Sotenbori. If I had to pick a place to visit… the food just looks too good. And like I mentioned before the view from the bridges is cool. Its not small but its still kinda. Not as overwhelming as Kamurocho can be. So I think I prefer the overall vibe of Sotenbori a bit more.

F9 - What are you most likely to get arrested for?

Oh. Who, me? I dunno. Boring answers but either something related to shoplifting or being somewhere im not supposed to be. I get arrested for tryin to climb the giant crab or whatever.

Feel free to send some more!

#yakuza #asks #long post #thank you guys!!

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pixiecaps · 2 years

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pulls up chair

pix please tell me your heartstopper opinions.

HEADS UP THIS WILL NOT BE SPOILER FREE SO ANYONE WHO SEES THIS BE WARNED

pulls up my chair and sits backwards

so. tuna.

i think the second they showed imogen i was like Oh this is not gonna be 100% accurate as i thought it would be. which is on me, books adapted into movies/shows always are different. so maybe i should’ve expected it

the first few episodes were pretty good enjoyed them then there gets to the imogen stuff with the date and i just ??? why? it just didnt add much to the plot other than more miscommunication (which pisses me off) overall her plot stuff was quick and it ended so i didnt care that much in the end. i dont have much of an opinion on her character i think her friendship in the end and understanding with nick is cool. the ally thing was Yeah anyways

then seeing the lack of the paris stuff was definitely like oh :[ but then i realized they’re probably saving that for season two. where they’ll also show how controlling ED’s can get. i did notice little details in the series showing like the small signs which i thought was nice touches to show whats to come.

i think the whole tao nick charlie argument was just eh overextended but i get it its a show that needs that drama lol

i really enjoyed seeing more of elles, taras, and darcys pov at their school that’s something i didnt mind being different from the webcomic. i think it added a lot more to their characters and you learn more about them.

it was also weird seeing elle being the more visibly smitten one but i didnt mind it i think its gonna be funny to see people who watched the show first then read the comic and get a whole different pov where tao is this hopelessly in love guy with elle

i know that aled in the comic was obviously replaced with isaac but idk if you know but aled is a main character in another novel by the same author where she expands on that character and its called Radio Silence i believe and in one scene you see isaac reading that book and i think that was a nice little tribute

overall it was pretty sweet, i love tori so much and elle and nick and tao and charlie and darcy and tara and isaac of course. the changes that were made were a little irritating and did leave me feeling conflicted but hopefully its just cus season two we’ll see the other stuff like them at the party hotel room telling people they’re dating!!! and tao and elle couple moment!!! and all that :) 100% prefer the book lol and want to reread it rn again

#pix asks aaaa

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troop52 · 3 years

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do u !!! have any character theme songs for the troop boys? Like any songs you think really fits them (and why u think it fits)?

THATS A GREAT QUESTION!!

Before I get into it Im going to plug this collaborative Troop Playlist on Spotify, feel free to add onto it!! Continuing with my picks

I think a lot of the songs I associate with The Troop in general are just because I happened to listen to them around the same time I got into the book in the first place (So they could only be tangentially related BUT only if you squint hard) Example: Drunk by The Living Tombstone, cant really tie it into the story but in my mind its linked Some better, more fitting songs under the cut (Side note its LONGGG IM SORRY... Also its all YouTube links because some of these arent on Spotify :'^()

Disclaimer -Like 95% of my choices arent really a "These lyrics match up exactly 1 to 1" but more of an overall "the vibe/general idea its trying to capture lines up" type thing. If that makes sense.

Its Alright by Jack Stauber: Kind of self explanatory, I think its a perfect song for these guys. From "It's alright, I'm here, Everything's alright, Feels weird but calm, I wanna hear It's alright" to the whole sound of it- its all great. Equal parts distressing and sad with an almost eerie calmness to it. Despite it all theyre gonna be alright, right?

The Second Little Piggy by Worthikids: Another one that I think is sort of self explanatory- at least with the chorus. "If my brain turns to mush, If the shit hits the fan, Will you be my friend?" Kind of the falling apart of everything, specifically their relationships, in light of the incident.

Poor George by James Supercave: Another case of "listened to at the same time I read the book" BUT I was actually making a Troop PMV script with that song. I never finished it but maybe Ill revisit it... just for you

Cold Summer by Le Matos ft Computer Magic: I dont even think this takes place in the summer but the VIBES and also it came from Summer of 84, which is another good piece of murder boy media.

Treehouse by Alex G ft Emily Yacina: This is a Eef and Max type of song because they are bffs and thats final. Basic song because Im not creative, but I think its a nice heart to heart theyd have (with Eef doing the talking)

Fifteen Minuets by Nick Krol: On the flipside heres a song that goes with Eef and Maxs friendship fracturing, once again more from Eefs side than Maxs. THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGG

As far as songs for the boys as individuals hmmm thats a good one that I havent thought about as much...

MAX + The Ghosts by The Real Tuesday Weld: That survivors guilt... lyrics arent like a perfect match but I think it gets that sort of hollow feeling across. Hes haunted man... + Final Girl by Electric Youth: Ok its a little funny because har har Final Girl Trope but I mean HE IS ONE. ANd dont look at me its a nice song- "Others were gone, and you kept going on, You know they never really noticed, you were always different, One by one, They're all done, And you're the last one standing" + Going Grazy by Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks: HONESTLY this could go for all the characters but Im tagging it onto Max because hes the one who has to deal with the aftermath of losing everyone (sorry survivors guilt Max again </3) "Everyone's saying my mind is unsound, 'Cause I always see you when you aren't around" "They're gonna wrap me in a jacket of white, And lock me away in a room without light" is what cements it as a Max song for me

EEF + The Existential Threat by Sparks: Once again starting sad, I link this one specifically to his paranoia about the worms- especially with lines like "Can't they see the existential threat is on its way". Kind of exasperated no one else can see the danger (he thinks) hes in. + Wrecking Ball by Mother Mother: I know I know its basic but I cant help it!!! Eef anger issues arc we are shaking hands me too + Haunted by Laura Les: Eef struggles with people seeing him as "just like his father" and I think we can get some good angst out of this track if we keep that in mind. Especially the back half of the song with lyrics like "Do you think I'm frightening?" and "Mirrors shatter when I'm passing, broken glass and crashing" since he is just a reflection of his dad (to others at least). Also song good.

KENT + Goodbye Mr A by The Hoosiers: Mfw the disillusionment with authority sets in. I think the vibe fits when he had that little epiphany about how adults are fucked- not perfect but it gets the idea across me thinks. + I'm Gonna Win by Rob Cantor: Ties into his need to "win" aka be the best at everything, be in charge, all that jazz! Hell do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it hurts. That was a little emo + Toba the Tura by Forgive Durden ft Chris Conley: Not to be emo again but "They say you're gifted, well I just see a scared kid. They must have flipped it, your skills are latent. O, you snuffed the glow. Replaced it with coals. Threw away the throne... This mess that you've made, it's a six-foot grave. It's a home for your lonesome bones that remain. We'll disappear, but you'll stay here to rot" AND SO ON AND SO FOURTH representing his fall after it was revealed he was sick. He was referred to as "the uncrowned king" and was on top of the world but then POOF that all crumbled and it was made out that he basically deserved what happened to him. It would be fun to make a pmv of him with this song (Simplifying my thoughts a bit because Ive already written a LOT)

NEWT + I Earn My Life by Lemon Demon: Ok a little Kentcore but Im actually having a hard time coming up with songs for Newton so here we are, they can share. Newt existential crisis moment time I guess + Know How by The Crane Wives: POV Newt struggles with going through with the plans he makes to keep everyone safe (stopping Max from touching Kent, going back into the cabin, etc) "I am not brave, I am not brave, I keep my focus on what is safe, You drew a line, made up your mind, And now I'm struggling to realize" And also maybe struggling with his place in the group and as a person in general- all that living through his cousin thing. "I gotta wrap my head around, What my heart is telling me, I've been trying to drown it out, Just because I know what I am, I am supposed to do now, Doesn't mean I know, Doesn't mean I know how" + On The Outside by Oingo Boingo: Idk man. Hes on the outside lookin in!! Loner nerd!! Its ok though, we still love him

SHEL + Bad Blood by Creature Feature: The lyrics speak for themselves: "I can guarantee I will do evil things, The only way that you can stop me now, Is if you put me in the ground, Somewhere I'll never be found" + Frontier Psychologist by The Avalanches: Hinges on the fact that the principal or whoever was like "Your sons a freak" and Shels mom was like "HES PERFECTLY FINE" while Shelley was like dismembering an animal or something + Johnny by American Murder Song: The songs good but theres this ONE LYRIC that sucks so the link provided is an edited version and also a lovely Warriors oc video I think you should all enjoy and support <3 Anyway Shel would be Johnny I could see this song being a scene in the book. Field trip to Shels house and they find his murder garden

If anyone wants more for Im not opposed to making another post :^)

#SORRY THIS TOOK A BIT #I had to use my brainpower and I am very easily distracted #max kirkwood #ephraim elliot #kent jenks #newton thornton #shelley longpre #the troop #the troop nick cutter

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nuka-colacherry · 4 years

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could you maybe do a react to the starlight drive-in still working, but only playing a ballroom dancing scene from an old movie on loop? maybe some dancin and cutenessssss

Wow this is an adorable prompt !! I don't know anything about ballroom dancing so imagine this more similar to square dancing because that's what I was picturing (even though I'm not exactly sure what that is either) I'm sorry this took so long btw. I wrote it out and tumblr ate it :( but I think its better now anyway. All companions are romanced in this btw.

Sole wasn't sure what to expect when their companion and them ended up at the Starlight Drive-in, but this wasn't it. The large screen was worn from centuries of neglect, but the clip of people in beautiful ballroom gowns and fancy tuxedos dancing back and forth was unmistakable. Faint classical music still played from the working speakers. The moon was full and bathing the field in soft glow. Overall, it magical scene. Both paused a few seconds, watching the screen.

Cait: Sole turned to Cait and grinned.

"Hey Cait! May I have this dance?" They asked sarcastically with a bow/curtsey.

"Are ya fuckin' kidding? I'm not a dancer." Cait replied. She obviously was unamused. Sole frowned, they honestly really did want to dance with Cait.

"Aw. Come on Cait! One dance please. It'll be fun!" Sole begged, flashing Cait their best "puppy dog eyes." Cait paused and looked at Sole, before finally letting out a sigh.

"You better not step on my foot." She grumbled and offered Sole her hand. Sole smiled and graciously took it. The dance started off slow and unsteady, but a faint smile eventually found it's way to Cait's lips. She wasn't necessarily enjoying the dance itself, but doing stuff with Sole always made her pretty happy. As the dance finished Sole leaned forward and gave Cait a quick peck on the lips.

"I love you." Sole told her with a smile.

Curie: "Oh my! That's quite an interesting scene! Look at how fancy they are!!" Curie pointed at the screen. She hadn't seen anyone dressed like that before. "Have you ever gone to a ball similar to that one?" Curie asked curiously.

"Once. It was a work event and not nearly as fancy," Sole shrugged before pausing for a few seconds to think, "Would like to try dancing with me?" Curie's eyes widened in excitement. "It would be an honor!" Curie giggled as Sole held her hands. Their dancing wasn't the smoothest. Curie sometimes struggled to keep up with Sole, but the fact that they were enjoying themselves was all that mattered. A wide smile ended up gracing both of their faces by the time Sole ended the dance with a sweet kiss.

Danse: "Dance with me, Danse!" Sole demanded with a playful smile. They really wanted to know if Danse was a good dancer.

"I don't think that would be appropriate, solider." Danse stated with stern expression. He didn't understand why Sole would want to dance in the middle of an open field. It seemed ridiculous to him. Sole frowned, aware that Danse was probably going to be stuck up about professionalism and safety, but they had to know.

"Danse, this is fate. Scenarios like this don't come up like this for no reason. We were meant to dance tonight." They half joked. "Now give me your hand. Live a little, hun." They demanded. Danse stared at Sole in contemplation before finally giving in, knowing that they wouldn't give it up. Sole began the dance, guiding Danse through the motions. Naturally, Danse started the dance as stiff as ever, but as the song went on he slowly loosened up. By the end, he even looked like it he was somewhat enjoying it.

"Now, was that so bad?" Sole asked with a knowing smile when the music finally faded out.

"..No it wasn't." He replied, his face had flushed in embarrassment.

"I guess they dont call you Danse for nothing." Sole joked, whilst giving Danse a kiss on the cheek.

Deacon: "Hey Deacon. You feeling up to dancing?" Sole asked with a grin.

"Sole, if you're gonna ask, you gotta ask properly. Like this." Deacon replied, straightening up his posture before bowing deeply. "May I have this dance?" He asked dramatically. He reached out for Sole's hand and kissed it.

"Why, of course!" Sole gasped, playing along and taking Deacon's extended hand. Deacon led the dance, and was surprisingly good at it. Sole wasn't sure how he knew how to dance like this, but they weren't complaining. It was pretty romantic. Eventually, the music faded and Deacon ended the dance with a sweet kiss. "We should dance more often. It was fun." He said with a chuckle.

Hancock: "We have to dance to this! It'll be magical!!" Sole told him, bouncing on the balls of their feet in excitement.

"This whole thing is like a scene out a movie." They said, explaining themselves futher.

Hancock laughed at Sole's idea. Then he hummed to himself, pretending to debate it. He already knew he was going to say yes. He just wanted to tease Sole for a for few seconds. Sole pleaded with him, explaining how it will be a lot of fun.

"Sure, why the hell not." He told them with a shrug. He wasn't exactly a bad dancer, but it was pretty clear that he hadn't ever really danced like this before. Their pace was a little fast for a ballroom dance, and they kept tripping on the overgrown grass. But doing something that depended on team work and wasn't dangerous was refreshing to both of them. They ended it with a passionate kiss and lots of laughter.

MacCready: MacCready watched the screen for a few seconds.

"Jeez. That's awfully fancy." He muttered mostly to himself. He noticed Sole perking up with an idea beside him.

"You know, I went to a dance like that once! I can show you how to do it if you want." Sole grinned.

"Jeez. I don't really know about that Sole. I'm not exactly a dancer." MacCready hesitated. His face had already slightly flushed from the idea of it. The fear of embarrassment was real.

"Come on! It's easy once you get the hang of it. I'll be a great teacher." Sole reassured him.

".. Fine. Just don't laugh okay?" He said.

Sole gently grasped MacCready's hand and slowly started guiding MacCready through the motions, ignoring him occasionally stepping on their foot. MacCready never really got the hang of it, unfortunately. His consistent stepping on Sole's foot and tripping over himself made the dance rather of awkward. Sole still kept a small smile on their face. They were content just being around MacCready. They stopped a few seconds before the song stopped.

"Well! Rhat was something." Sole told him, laughing softly.

"I told you I'm not a dancer!" MacCready said defensively as Sole shushed with with a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay. We can practice again later."

Nick Valentine: "I bet we can dance better than them." Sole joked. Nick snorted in response, and gave them a questioning look.

"What you don't believe me?" They asked. "I can show you if you want."

"You don't exactly seem like the dancing type."

"Again, I'll show you." They said, now determined to prove Nick wrong. Sole carefully wrapped their hand with his, taking first steps of the dance and guiding Nick along. Finally, Nick committed and started dancing too. Out of all of the possible dance partners, Nick was probably the best one. Old Nick's memories had given him a sense of prewar class that was rare to find in people in the wasteland that seemed to give him an advantage at stuff like this. They danced quietly, silently focusing om the music and each other. It seemed to end as quickly as it began. As they separated Nick gave Sole a kiss on the cheek.

"I told you we would be good." They whispered to him with a smile.

Piper: "Did people actually dance like that, Blue?" Piper didn't understand the appeal of it all. It seemed so extra to her.

"I mean. It wasn't super common in my lifetime, but I went to a dance similar to this once for work. It's fun if you know your partner." Sole explained.

"Oh."

"Why? Do you want to try it?"

"What! No. I don't think it would be my thing." Piper laughed.

"Come on! It might be fun. Worst case scenario we don't ever do it again." Sole reach out, offering Piper their hand. Piper stared for a few seconds before taking it.

"Fine Blue. Let's try this." Sole flashed Piper a smile as they gently started guiding her through the motions. After a few moments she started catching on.

"This isn't too bad." Piper said, as the song started to end. "I don't I would do this with anyone else but.." she trailed off. Sole didn't comment and just smiled at her again. Eventually, the song began to fade out and the dance ended. Sole gave Piper a quick kiss.

"You're an natural." They chuckled.

Preston: Sole stared at the screen in wonder for a few more seconds. Simple things like movies seemed so amazing after spending months in the commonwealth.

"Hey Preston! Want to dance with me?" Sole asked, bouncing on their toes in excitement.

"No offense babe, but can you even dance?" Preston asked with legitimate curiosity.

"Preston, baby, I can dance. The real question is can you?" They teased. Preston laughed in response.

"I mean I can try." He said with a shrug.

Sole reached out and grabbed Preston's hand and got in the proper position to dance with him. They somewhat clumsily began the dance, guiding Preston along with a smile. Preston wasn't half bad at dancing, especially if you took into consideration that he hasn't ever done this before. As the dance continued on they got better at it, and by the time the music began to fade as the song ended they really looked like dancers. Eventually, they separated and Preston leaned forward to give Sole a sweet lil kiss.

X6: "Hey X6! Do yo-"

"No."

"You didn't even hear what I was going to say!" Sole complained. They just wanted to dance with X6.

"I don't need to. I know what you're going to say sir/ma'am. The answer is no." He stated. He turned and continued walking in the direction of wherever they were going, not even looking back.

#fallout 4 #fo4 #companions react #fo4 companions #fo4 danse #fo4 nick valentine #nick valentine #fo4 hancock #i edited this so many times but now im finally somewhat happy with the result!#fo4 cait #fo4 piper #unfortunately i didnt see X6 ever dancing like that in public :(#he probably thinks sole is crazy

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coletteuwu · 4 years

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helllo hello hellooooooo~

today i have decided to rank my favourite starkid+tbc musicals :)

now please keep in mind that these are based on my opinions & you have every right to agree/disagree, just don't be a dick to anyone and enjoy

(i havent seen ani, starship nor mamd, so these wont be included here)

#10 The Trail To Oregon!

nothing wrong with it, just not my cup of tea

good idea tho

your wagon is on fiREEE is iconic

humour was inconsistent and overall a bit too childish for my taste

boring

#9 Twisted

this is really controversial, but i practically fell asleep while watching it (maybe because i didnt grow up as a disney fan in a post-communist country)

dylan saunders did an amazing job and i love his singing and he kinda was carrying the whole show (yikes)

costume design was on point tho

also "no one remembers achmed" is one of my fave starkid songs

#8 Holy Musical B@man!

i actually dont have any criticism for hmb, because i think its very well executed and jokes are... good... i guess...

a pretty neutral one, bc the songs were kinda mediocre and so was the humour but i really liked joe walker as batman and nick lang as robin

batman has a cool plane

#7 Black Friday

the new style of the lang brothers is very cool and exciting

the plot was very well written, but it felt a bit,,, rushed?

like they were trying to cram tons of information into one play and for that reason i dont really come back to watch it

and at the same time the pace was a little too slow for my liking?

idk it felt a little off

but characters were iconic, acting was 12/10 (especially joey, lauren and dylan)

#6 Solve It Squad

ACTING ON POINT

comedy was well timed and relevant

brosenthal's scene where he plays all the hotel staff just left me like this -> :o

one of joey's best roles

lauren too

#5 AVPSY

the thing is, initially i wanted to put all the avp parts together but that would have been hard to catch so i guess we're doing this

t h e s o n g s (❤️❤️❤️❤️)

AJ delivers such a good lockhart

joey's sidekick is just mwah

the songs are just so fcking good ahh

they got the real luna!

really emotional

the best ending to the trilogy

in the middle i kinda skipped some scenes bc i got a little carried away

but the ending is just so GOOD

everything has an end.... (i cried a lot guys)

jeff's spider was i m m a c u l a t e

both brians & joe walker 😳❤️

i didnt like the scripts for the first 10 seconds but then after that i didnt even notice them

#4 AVPS

one of the best intros in starkid (if we cannot move forward, why shouldn't we move back? gives me chills everytime)

lucius malfoy is so hot and terrifying at the same time idk if im scared or turned on

story was a little inconsistent and i missed quirrell and the lack of brian rosenthal, but thats okay i can settle for a seamus finnigan

JOE WALKER IN A DRESS. THATS IT THATS THE TWEET.

ron is canonically bicurious????

comedy on point

the best soundtracks in starkid, come @ me im not scared to fight

like for real who wrote the music i just wanna hug them and give them every penny i got to work with them

#3 The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

lets get the criticism out of the way first

i see that they tried to write the music in the same theme, but some songs were repetitive and jeff's falsetto screaming kinda got boring

not your seed is not that good of a song

corey got me in the fEELS

joey's homeless man was iconic

first i didnt like paul's acting but it grew on me and now i love it

LET IT OUT IS THE BEST SONG OF THE PLAY. PERIODT.

the best written starkid show :)

comedy was, again, relevant and well timed

overall, i loved the simplicity of the design

prof. hidgens = hips™

#2 AVPM

i may be biased bc of nostalgia and bc it was the first starkid musical i ever saw but idc

not that well written, but its just so damn entertaining

QUIRRELMORT

different as can be is just chef's kiss

the chemistry between brian and joe is so good

I CAME HOME

*soft boi brian in a jail dress with a fist in his mouth*

everything just started from there

red vines

snape <3

STARKID POTTER, MOONSHOES POTTER

a gift that is lauren lopez as malfoy

the funniest starkid show idcidc

i was a huge potterhead growing up and hp is so important to my life -> thats why the avp trilogy means so much to me

#1 Spies Are Forever

i saw it recently and im mad i didnt watch it earlier

joey is so hot with a british accent

the history behind all of the show just makes it so good, 1950-60 was the scariest time to be gay and it portrays everything about living in the shadows of the cold war perfectly

choreo on point (thank you lauren)

mary kate as tatiana is very dangerous for my weak bi heart

good music

VERY WELL WRITTEN (PROPS TO BRIAN, COREY AND JOEY)

i really like spy movies so

the whole ordeal that is baron von nazi played by brian rosenthal, a jew

wizz waffle fries

glitter waka waka

i just really love brian rosenthal

the ending :'((((((

torture tango and one step ahead = thats some good shit

joe walker as deadliest man alive oh boy oh boy let me tell you about how much of a latte hottay he is in saf

i LOVE that tati and curt are in a platonic relationship, it just throws the stereotypes out of the window

the whole scene where joey and curt fight

#starkid #tbc #starkid unpopular opinion #starkids #avpm #avps #tgwdlm #black friday #musicals

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queenofcats17 · 7 years

Note

Hey there! I just stumbled into your tumblr, and wanted to say that i really enjoyed reading your Hells Studio AU writings :DDD!! Tho after i read the "road trip" one, im starting to wonder what happened to poor Sammy last month when he was around pentagrams ;) can you please elaborate more on that part and write some more if you dont mind? (If you alrdy wrote sth or its in one of the Hells Studio's episodes, im sorry, i only recently found out still trying to catch up things!) Thx in advance

I was originally referring to Sammy getting turned into an ink monster, but let’s torture him a little more, shall we? >:3

Hell’s Studio AU belongs to @doodledrawsthings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes Sammy really hated his job. It was by no means a bad job, he just….didn’t know how to deal with Joey sometimes. Joey was a decent boss, he paid well, he was halfway decent about deadlines, and he didn’t work everyone too hard. That honor went to Bendy. But Joey liked the occult. A lot. Almost every day, Sammy would walk into Joey’s office to find his boss painting a pentagram on the floor. These incidents had decreased since the toons had been summoned, but it still happened a fair amount. Normally this wasn’t a problem. Sammy would walk in, yell at Joey, then leave. That was how it went. On this particular day, things went bad. Sammy was just sitting in his office, working on a new song, when the pipes began rattling. Ever since the ink monster incident the pipes had been reinforced, but they still rattled like crazy. Sammy grumbled and got up, slapping the pipe. Almost instantly he yelped, drawing his hand back. It had cut him!

“Damn pipes.” He muttered, hold his hand to his chest. He took a moment to rifle through his desk for bandages. Unfortunately Bendy had nicked them the other day for Wally, so there were none to be found. Sammy swore under his breath. Maybe Joey had some. Sammy took a deep breath, then yelled,

“JOEY!”

“Here we go.” One of the interns groaned. Sammy gave him a withering look as he left his office. When were these interns going to learn a little respect? He’d chew the kid out later. Right now, he had to go yell at Joey. He stalked up the stairs and towards Joey’s office.

“Hey, where ya goin’ Sammy boy?” Bendy fell into step beside him.

“Cut my hand on one of the pipes.” Sammy muttered. “Gonna yell at Joey about it.”

“Geez. Shouldn’t you clean up that cut first?” Bendy asked. “You can’t just go yell at Joey for every little thing that goes wrong.”

“Did you forget that you took the bandages that were in my office?” Sammy smiled menacingly. Bendy grimaced. Right. He’d forgotten about that. Maybe he’d just let this run its course. He’d get Sammy to deal with his anger problems later. Sammy got to Joey’s door and slammed it open. Joey was on the floor on top of a freshly painted pentagram. Candles were burning low and there was ink in the middle of the symbol.

“Ah, good morning!” Joey said brightly. “I was just finishing up here. If you’ll give me a moment I’ll be right with you.”

“What on Earth were you doin’?” Bendy skirted around the circle to stand next to Joey. “You better not be summoning again.”

“Oh no, nothing like that.” Joey assured him. “I was just helping Alice stabilize her form. She was having a little trouble.” He turned to look at Sammy. “Oh dear, that looks nasty. What happened?”

“I cut my hand on one of your damn pipes.” Sammy spat, stalking into the room and waving his hands around wildly. “I thought you said they were safe!”

“Sammy, you might not want to walk there-” Joey began as Sammy got to the circle.

“I’m not done! You have any idea how dangerous a sharp pipe right above my head is? People are in and out of there all day! Someone could cut their head open!” Sammy continued, oblivious to the fact that he had entered the circle, his blood splashing onto the sigil and mixing with the ink. The candle flames began to burn brighter.

“Oh @%*&.” Bendy said. The flames almost exploded, shrouding the music director from view. Within the circle, both Bendy and Joey could hear Sammy start to scream. Joey began flipping frantically through his book. Then it was over. The candle flames died and there was Sammy, standing in the middle of the circle. Thankfully, he wasn’t an ink monster like he’d been the last time. No, he was a toon.

“…Sammy?” Bendy asked slowly. “You okay?”

“I….I feel weird.” Sammy said, then promptly fell on his face. Both Bendy and Joey ran to his side. He was still breathing, that was good. In fact, a dream cloud seemed to be forming above his head.

“Well this is…new.” Joey said, scribbling something in his book. “I wonder if he’ll be okay.”

“Joey, we gotta fix this. Sammy’s gonna kill us for it.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”

“Joey, it’s Sammy.”

Suddenly the door slammed open again, revealing Henry, Boris, Alice, Wally, and Susie. All of them looked some level of concerned.

“We heard screaming.” Alice said, looking frantic. “What’s going on?”

“Hey, isn’t that Sammy?” Wally pointed to the figure crumpled on the floor. “Why’s he got wings?”

“Wings-?” Bendy glanced down at Sammy. Sure enough, Sammy had a tiny pair of wings, along with a halo.

“Joey.” Henry sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Why…Why is Sammy a toon? Please tell me you didn’t try some kind of ritual on him.”

“No!” Joey looked almost offended. “It was an accident. I’d just finished up with Alice and Sammy came in here and splashed blood all over the circle.”

“My form was getting unstable.” Alice explained. “He was helping. Where did the blood come from? Did he hurt himself?”

“He cut his hand on a pipe.” Bendy said, in the midst of prodding Sammy with his foot. “Nothin’ major, I swear. He just had to walk into that circle.”

“Is he gonna be okay?” Boris asked. His ears and tail were drooping.

“Don’t worry, big guy. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Henry said, slapping his back. Bendy didn’t feel comfortable assuring everyone of that, so he just shooed them out. He and Boris moved Sammy down to his office and watched to see what would happen. Alice stayed as well, feeling responsible.

“His blood must have mixed with my ink.” She said, pacing the floor. “This is my fault. I-”

“Angel, give it a rest.” Bendy groaned, rubbing his temples. “You couldn’t have known this was going to happen. It’s Sammy’s fault for just walking into the circle like that. He should’ve known that getting blood on a pentagram’s a bad idea.”

“What’s a bad idea?” Everyone spun around to see Sammy sitting up on the cot they’d hastily set up in the corner of his office.

“Getting blood on a pentagram.” Bendy repeated. “You feelin’ okay?”

“Yes. Why?” Sammy swung his legs over the side of the cot.

“Well, you…sort of….turned into a toon?” Alice said. She wasn’t sure how exactly to broach the subject, deciding it best to just say it outright. Sammy turned, looking himself over and giving his new wings an experimental flap.

“Huh. So I did.”

“You’re not…angry?” Alice asked. Normally steam would have been coming out of Sammy’s ears, quite literally given his current toon status. It was strange to see him so calm. He still looked slightly pissed off, but overall a lot more stable.

“No. I feel….pretty good actually.” Sammy nodded slowly. “I mean…It’s a little uncomfortable, and I don’t want to stay like this, but I’m…I’m okay.”

“We were so worried!” Boris latched himself onto Sammy, his tail wagging fairly hard. Sammy laughed, actually laughed, and rubbed Boris’ head.

“Man, big guy,” Bendy laughed. “You got Sammy to smile! Nice job!” Still, it was so weird to see Sammy actually happy. He quickly excused himself to update Joey on the situation. He found Joey bent over his books and the pentagram.

“So, I think I’ve got it figured out.” Joey said, not looking up. “The first time, Sammy’s blood reacted with Alice’s ink, so this time we just need Sammy’s blood to react with human blood. It would probably be better if you didn’t bring him u. I don’t really want to get yelled at-”

“Joey.” Bendy strode over, putting his hands on Joey’s shoulders. “He’s calm.” Joey looked up, blinking.

“He’s…What?”

“He’s calm.” Bendy repeated. “You gotta see this.”

“Oh, um, alright. Bring him up.” Joey resettled himself with the book. Bendy ran back down, grabbing Sammy by the arm and dragging him upstairs. For once, Sammy didn’t protest, letting himself be dragged along.

“Hm.” Joey titled his head to the side upon seeing Sammy. “Very interesting. You know, he would make a pretty good character on the show.”

“Joey, no.” Sammy said, settling into a cool glare. “You have to fix this. It’s better than being an ink monster, but I don’t want to stay like this.”

“Right. Right. Of course.” Joey waved a hand dismissively. “I do think I know how to fix this.” It was certainly a better situation than the ink monster debacle. Sammy settled in a corner, watching as Joey began to try and bring the components together again. Somehow, Sammy managed to pull out a harp and played a little melody on it. He was the picture of a perfect angel. It was so strange to see him like this. An angel was the furthest thing from Sammy’s true personality. Meanwhile Joey was humming away, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Bendy was beginning to get antsy.

“Is this gonna be done soon?” He tried not to snap. Sammy was starting to freak him out.

“Yes yes. I’m about finished.” Joey said. “Sammy, if you’d get in the circle, please?” Sammy put the harp away and got into the circle. Joey then pulled out a long, wicked looking knife from his pocket.

“JOEY PUT THAT AWAY!” Bendy shrieked, grabbing for the knife.

“What? We need blood.” Joey said, frowning innocently. Where had he even gotten that from? Even Sammy reeled back a couple steps.

“Let’s just use some of the blood he smeared on the door, okay?” Bendy grabbed a bandage, rubbing off the blood and dumping it in the circle.

“We still need some of toon Sammy’s blood.”

“Fine.” Sammy grabbed the knife and pricked his finger. The second the toon blood touched the human blood, the candle flames roared to life. Sammy began to scream again, and when the flames died, he was back to normal, if a little inky.

“We will never speak of this again.” Sammy said in a low voice. “Never. Again.”

“But-”

“Never means never Joey!” Sammy stalked out of the office, but not before grabbing a roll of bandages to wrap up his hand. Joey looked disappointed, retreating to his desk to start sketching up ‘Sammy Angel’. He didn’t care what Sammy said, it was a good idea for a character. Bendy was just glad things were normal again.

#bendy and the ink machine #sammy lawrence #joey drew #bendy the dancing demon #hell's studio au #fanfiction

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

Text

Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour, Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice

To create any sour-style cocktail, all you need is a base spirit, citrus, and sugar. It’s a simple formula, yet perfecting simplicity is incredibly nuanced — especially when it comes to crafting an age-old classic like the Whiskey Sour. The cocktail has taken on various forms over the years, but the common version served at bars today is made with the preferred whiskey of the day, bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white — a later addition to the classic sour.

The sour cocktail derives from the punch — the monarch of all cocktails, and a popular drink style originating in the 1600s. According to drinks historian David Wondrich, the punch cocktail had a long history that started with British sailors who turned to making mixed drinks with local ingredients after their beer spoiled while sailing in the tropics. Nearly 100 years later, the cocktail-trendsetting British sailors accidentally created the sour cocktail as well by mixing the citrus juices that they were drinking to prevent scurvy with whichever spirits they had on board at the time. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that the Whiskey Sour came into vogue.

At the peak of its popularity, between the 1860s and 1960s, the Whiskey Sour was declared “one of the cardinal points of American drinking,” as Wondrich states in his book “Imbibe!” Today, whether you order the classic Whiskey Sour, or one of its many variations that you’ll find on menus, there are a few best practices to follow when making one at home to ensure there is a balance of sweet and sour with the optimal texture and aroma.

We chatted about the dos and don’ts for crafting the best Whiskey Sour with modern bartenders who have some strong opinions on which whiskey to use, whether or not egg white should be included, and more. By following these five tips, you’ll be on your way to mastering the Whiskey Sour and its variations in no time.

What to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Include an egg white for optimal texture.

A Whiskey Sour made with an egg white is formally referred to as the Boston Sour, but if you order a standard Whiskey Sour at a bar today, almost every contemporary bartender will serve it to you with an egg white. “Traditionally, the first sours were made without egg white,” says Patrick Abalos, owner and partner of Houston’s Night Shift. “I prefer it with egg white. It adds depth and body to the cocktail, especially with a good whiskey.”

“Egg whites add texture and mouthfeel,” adds Aaron Wall, co-owner of London-based Irish cocktail bar Homeboy. “I’ve no problem using a substitute [like aquafaba], but it has to give the same results.”

With an emulsifier like egg white, or the vegan chickpea brine aquafaba, a Whiskey Sour is rich, frothy, velvety, and well structured to tame the sourness of the citrus, making the cocktail perfectly balanced. Without it, the Whiskey Sour loses depth and tends to feel out of sync.

Choose a high-proof whiskey with a flavor profile you like.

The most important ingredient in the Whiskey Sour is (you guessed it!) the whiskey. No matter how fresh the citrus is, your Whiskey Sour will be substandard if you skimp on the whiskey — but you don’t need to break the bank. We recommend spending at least $20 on a bottle to make sure you’re getting a reliable, high-quality whiskey.

Once you’ve checked the box for quality, it’s time to think about your flavor preferences, and which whiskey aligns best with your tastes. If you enjoy sweeter drinks with a touch of smoke, then bourbon might be your best bet; for the smoke lover, consider peated whiskey; if you like dry and spicy cocktails, rye is the way to go; or if you prefer the flavor of grain, the characteristics of a single malt could suit your fancy.

At the end of the day, you know what you like best. And our bartending experts also have recommendations.

“A higher-rye bourbon works best as a base,” Abalos says. “It has more twang from the mash bill. I also use higher-proof styles, something in the 90 to 100 proof range. With sours you have a lot of dilution and some whiskey just doesn’t hold up.” The star of the show should be the whiskey, so it’s vital to consider the ABV, or proof, when crafting your sour.

Wall, unsurprisingly, recommends Irish whiskey due to its versatility and overall balance. Most of these whiskeys are pot distilled, full-bodied, and packed with flavor. Although Irish whiskey isn’t called for often, the tree fruit and floral characteristics make it a foolproof option for making a Whiskey Sour.

Put your own spin on the classic template.

The sour is one of the easiest cocktail templates to put your own personal touch on because of its simplicity. Swap the simple syrup for a honey syrup and you have yourself a Gold Rush; build on that template with some spicy and smoky flavors, and you have yourself a Penicillin. As long as you keep the balance between sour, strong, and sweet, you’re golden.

“One of my bartenders created a version of the Whiskey Sour that includes a homemade pineapple oleo saccharum, whiskey, bergamot liqueur, lychee, and fresh lemon and orange juice,” says Patricio Rio, head bartender at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa’s Avecita in Grand Cayman. The cocktail is “delicious, aromatic, and flavorful, capped with an egg white to encapsulate all the aromas floating around in this diverse take on a classic.”

If you’re new to mixology, the best place to start is by crafting flavored simple syrups to pair with the whiskey. This will add some nuance in flavor while also maintaining the sweet and sour balance. For the experienced drink makers, consider adding in an amaro, bitter, or split whiskey base if you feel comfortable balancing the various notes at play.

What Not to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Don’t slack on the shaking.

There is something to be said about the importance of the technique and glassware for serving a Whiskey Sour. To be served perfectly it must both be shaken well, and shaken to completion, to achieve perfect dilution. If you opt for a rich-bodied Whiskey Sour with an egg white, the technique must be focused as the shaking comes in two parts: the wet shake (with ice) and the dry shake (without ice).

“It is important to have the proper head of foam [when mixing with egg white],” Abalos explains. “Generally when we do training on shaking egg white cocktails, we tell bartenders to pay attention to the sound and feel of the tin. If it still sounds clanky it is not ready; you want it to feel and sound like a tennis ball is in your tin.”

Start with a vigorous wet shake to emulsify the ingredients and add the necessary dilution to balance the cocktail. Then, dry-shake to further dial in the texture, adding to the frothiness of the Whiskey Sour.

Many bartenders will serve a Whiskey Sour in a rocks glass over ice, even though both Wall and Abalos make the point that it is meant to be served up. While both methods yield a delicious sour, serving the Whiskey Sour over one large cube is our recommended serve as it dilutes slowly due to the ice employed, and keeps your cocktail chilled over the drinking session. If you opt for it up, however, a Nick and Nora glass is your best service vessel.

Don’t forget to garnish the cocktail.

A garnish should always add something to a cocktail. Whether visual appeal or an aromatic quality, both factors are important to consider. If you opt for the common Whiskey Sour with an egg white, the garnish is crucial.

An egg white cocktail that sits for a few minutes without any aromatic element develops notes of sulfur from the eggs. To avoid having an eggy-smelling Whiskey Sour, there are a few garnish options worth considering. “Usually I like to do some wild Angostura bitters dashes or drawings on top of the egg white froth to ‘wow’ the guest,” says Rio. “But anything from an orange or lemon twist, to a couple cherries or a dehydrated slice of citrus would do.”

It really comes down to your flavor preference, but the garnish is essential and will add the aromatic element that is necessary to complete your perfect Whiskey Sour.

The article Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour, Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/dos-donts-whiskey-sour-recipe/

0 notes

johnboothus · 4 years

Text

Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice

What to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Include an egg white for optimal texture.

Choose a high-proof whiskey with a flavor profile you like.

At the end of the day, you know what you like best. And our bartending experts also have recommendations.

Put your own spin on the classic template.

What Not to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Don’t slack on the shaking.

Don’t forget to garnish the cocktail.

It really comes down to your flavor preference, but the garnish is essential and will add the aromatic element that is necessary to complete your perfect Whiskey Sour.

The article Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour, Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/dos-donts-whiskey-sour-recipe/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/best-practices-for-a-perfect-whiskey-sour-use-high-proof-whiskey-and-shake-it-twice

0 notes

isaiahrippinus · 4 years

Text

Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour, Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice

What to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Include an egg white for optimal texture.

Choose a high-proof whiskey with a flavor profile you like.

At the end of the day, you know what you like best. And our bartending experts also have recommendations.

Put your own spin on the classic template.

What Not to Do When Making a Whiskey Sour

Don’t slack on the shaking.

Don’t forget to garnish the cocktail.

It really comes down to your flavor preference, but the garnish is essential and will add the aromatic element that is necessary to complete your perfect Whiskey Sour.

The article Best Practices: For a Perfect Whiskey Sour, Use High-Proof Whiskey and Shake It Twice appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/dos-donts-whiskey-sour-recipe/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/629158214930464768

0 notes

thesffcorner · 6 years

Text

February Wrap Up

Despite being the shortest month of the year, I read 7 books and 10 graphic novels, or 17 things in total. It was also another month where I read a lot of diverse genres: I read 10 contemporaries, 4 of which were thriller/mysteries, and 6 of which were romance; 4 sci-fi, 1 speculative historical romance, 1 fantasy romance and 1 historical fantasy. Instead of doing highest to lowest, since I have so many graphic novels and some are part of the same series, I decided to group them by the date read, so without further ado, let’s get into it.

Fence vol. 1-3 by C S Pacat and Joanna the Mad (3, 4, 3 stars)

I wanted to read this series for a while, and I finally binged it this February. Fence follows Nicholas, a young fencer with a complicated past and poor background who comes to Kings Row, a school with the fourth best fencing programs in the country. There, to his shock he finds Senji, a junior champion with Olympic aspirations; and the two can’t stand each-other.

This series is just a whole lot of fun. It’s written like a Western style sports anime/manga, and Joanna the Mad’s artstyle is very reminiscent of manga, with lots of action line, pretty boys and expressive, large eyes. The first volume is a fine set up of Nicholas’ first confrontation with Senj, and arriving at the school, while the second and third volume deal with the qualifications at the school for who will make the fencing team. As Nick is on an athletic scholarship, he has to qualify or he gets kicked out, but like many of these series go, he has some stiff competition, and develops friendships with said competition.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between all the characters, especially Senji and Nicholas, and if you’re a fan of sports anime, cute queer comics, or painfully slow-burn enemies to lovers stories, check this out.

Check, Please! Year 3 by Ngozi Ukazu (4 stars)

The first thing I read in February was the third volume of Check, Please! This was as cute as the previous 2 volumes, as it follows Bittie’s third year in college. What struck out to me upon rereading this specific year, is that it actually has way more angst and conflict than I remember it having; there’s a lot here about Bittie and Jack coming to terms with not just their long distance relationship, but also coming out and finding acceptance within the confines of a major sports league like the NHL. It also deals a lot with Bittie coming to terms with the hockey team changing as Ransom, Holster and Lardo graduate. Overall, a good continuation of the story.

Deadly Class vol 1-2 by Rick Remender and Wes Craig (3, 2, 2 stars)

Deadly Class is a series that if I had started reading when I was in late high school, early college, I know I would have loved. However now, as an adult, I find it grating, pretentious, and far too extreme for no real reason. The story aspects that I liked the most, I’ve also already seen or read in far better works; it doesn’t help that up to volume 3, there are only 2 characters left that I remotely care about, and one of them just got introduced in that volume.

The series follows a group of kids who go to an elite training school for assassins. We mostly follow Marcus, the son of a Nicaraguan expats, who ends up at the school after he meets Saya and a few of the other students during a stick up. Though the first volume started out promising, volumes 2 and 3 kept getting less and less good, and unless something drastically changes in my life, I can’t see myself continuing on with this series.

Contagion by Erin Bowman (3 stars)

This is a sci-fi book set in the near-distant future, and it follows the crew of Odyssey, a research vessel that is sent to Black Quarry to investigate a distress signal. Once there, the crew realizes that something bad has happened, as they find bodies and a potentially deadly thing haunting them; and the mysterious ‘young boy’ the engineer of Black Quarry warns them about is not making matters any easier.

This was a rather mediocre sci-fi, but I still enjoyed it. As it’s part of a duology I will definitely be finishing the story out, but as is it doesn’t do too much with this well-tread premise. Bowman does have a good grasp on action and suspense, but a lot of the character decisions in the novel were akin to ones characters in Blumhouse horrors make, and considering most of them are some form of scientists, that wasn’t an ideal route to take. Still if you enjoy stories about aliens, sentient viruses, isolated space incidents and horror, it’s worth checking out.

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (4 stars)

This is the first book in a series of contemporary romances, all centering around the fiction crown family of Scotland. In this first novel we follow Daisy, the younger sister of Eli, who gets engaged to Andrew, the Crown Prince of Scotland. After an incident in a parking lot with her ex, Daisy gets blackmailed into spending the summer in Scotland with her sister and fiance, and get acquainted with the royal family; cue shenanigans, romance and lots of sisterly yelling.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book; it was very funny and entertaining, and I haven’t related to a characters quite like I did to Daisy, since Princess Mia Thermopolis. While there are some tropes these stories tend to have, Hawkins manages to avoid a lot of the cliches, and she actually has some really good commentary on the economy of the royal family, the outdated and outright sexist traditions, the close-mindedness, and the prejudice that both sides are steeped in at the start. I found the romance very cute, the shenanigans were funny and entertaining, and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

Heart of Gold Part 1 by Eli and Viv (4 stars)

This is an webcomic that I stumbled onto by complete accident, but it blew me away. It follows Ionel, a concert pianist who is slowly losing his sight, and Kasper a priest with the power to heal people. Ionel moves to the small town and starts attending mass, in hopes that Kasper will heal him, but every time it gets close to, or his turn, Kasper refuses to help him. Through his attendance, the two become close, with Kasper seeming to have a crisis of faith, all while people from the town start dying; and they might be connected to Kasper.

This comic drew me in almost immediately. The art is absolutely beautiful, and it’s hard to believe that this is a free web comic. The story too is very mature and interesting; it deals a lot with religion, faith, and sacrifice, and the slow build of Isonel and Kaspar’s relationship feels very natural. I can’t wait for Act 2, and I’m really hoping the answers to what is happening in the town deliver on the build up we’ve gotten so far.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (3 stars)

I heard about this book a lot when it came out, and I decided to check it out, since it’s a mystery following a girl who wants to become an FBI agent, coming to Ellingham Academy, a Montessori type private school, to solve an old cold case; that of the founder, Albert Ellingham’s daughter’s kidnapping.

I won’t lie; this book did not live up to the hype for me, though it was entertaining. I have a much longer and more detailed review of why, but it mostly boiled down to a few things. First, I didn’t like that it ends of a cliffhanger, and we get no answers; this is a bit odd for a mystery, especially a series which has more than two books. Second, I thought the way the past and present mystery connected wasn’t very well done, and I kept losing interest in the past, because of the way the book was written. And finally, I found some of the writing dry and lacking in proper atmosphere.

However, I still enjoyed the story, and the main character of Steve, and I will probably read the sequel, since I still want to know what happens.

S.T.A.G.S. by M A Bennet (3 stars)

S.T.A.G.S. is a British thriller, set in Saint Aidan the Great’s School or STAGS, a private boarding school with a long tradition. When new student Greer gets invited to a weekend of huntin, shootin, fishin at the estate of the leader of the most popular clique in the school, Henry, she accepts, not knowing what waits for her; and what does is a nightmare that might turn deadly, where the hunting, shooting, and fishing, might be a little too real and dangerous.

I really enjoyed this thriller; I thought it was entertaining, fast paced and had a plot that kept me invested to the end. I also weirdly enjoyed the subtle romance between two of the characters, which isn’t often the case.

However, this book isn’t without it’s problems. The ending is a bit predictable, and having seen the Riot Club, I knew what I was getting into, in terms of what the weekend actually entailed. I also found that the book lacked a lot of tension, because we found out early on who lives through it. However, it was still enjoyable, and if you like these types of thrillers set in boarding schools or private estates, I think you will enjoy this one.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (4 stars)

Like Prince Charming before, I was genuinely surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this book, because when I started it, I was really caught off guard by the humor. However, once I got used to it, this became one of the funniest things I read this month.

Undead Girl Gang is a horror/comedy that follows Mila, a Mexican-American teenager who practices Wicca. After her best friend Riley supposedly commits suicide, just a week after a double suicide of two of her other classmates, Mila decides to perform a spell and bring Riley back; but instead she brings all three of the girls back. The problem? They can’t stand each-other, and if they don’t want to be walking zombies, they need to stay within a 100 steps of Mila.

This book was hilarious and very dark. I really enjoyed all the relationships between the girls, and I found the look at grief very well done and moving. The ending was climactic, and the conclusions Mila comes to worked well for me; if you enjoyed the Craft, Mean Girls or Heathers, check this out, you will probably like it.

Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (5 stars)

This was by far my favorite thing I read this month. I struggled writing a review for it, because I just didn’t know how to talk about it without just relegating to spoilers and gushing about the characters and the puzzles. It’s a book that follows a group of thieves, who steal magical artifacts, each with their own motivations and goals. When they steal a magical Chinese compass, the discover that it leads them to a Horus Eye; an artifact so powerful it can show them the way to the fabled Fragment of Babel.

It’s the Mummy, mixed with National Treasure, mixed with Ocean’s 11. It’s fun heist story, set during the Exposition Universelle, and if you are like me at all and like any of these things, you will love this book.

Sleepless vol. 1 by Sarah Vaughan (4 stars)

This was probably my favorite of the graphic novels I read; it’s a fantasy that follows Poppy, the illegitimate daughter of a King, and a famous star reader. When her father the King dies, Poppy is forced to navigate court life, as his brother takes the throne, but things become increasingly hard as several assassination attempts are made, and her Sleepless protector Cyrenic starts drifting.

There’s just something about this series that ticks all my boxes. The art is absolutely gorgeous, the story is interesting and a bit different from the usual fantasy I read, and the Sleepless vow is a very unique type of magic. To top it off, I really like the two leads, Poppy and Cyrenic and I’m curious to see what turn the story will take after the ending we get in issue 6.

Motor Crush vol. 1 by Brenden Fletcher (3 stars)

I’ve been meaning to start this series for a while, and I finally did in February, and man was it a great time to do this, fresh after seeing Battle Angel Alita.

This follows Domino, a bike racer, who is trying to make it big and qualify for the world circuit. However, to survive she needs Crash, an illegal substance that is used to fuel the bikes in this universe, but she needs to inhale it. Through the first volume we find out a bit about her mysterious past, her ex-girlfriend Lola, and a man who seems to either want to help her or kill her; all while she races to win the qualifications and the Crash.

This series was a fun, fast paced ride, but it’s not without its problems. The art is beautiful, but the story needs some more polishing; there’s too many plot threads and not enough time to develop them. I can’t imagine how things will resolve in the next volume after that climax, but I will definitely be continuing it; the world was gripping enough to have me enjoy it, and Domino was a character I definitely rooted for.

Umbrella Academy vol. 1 by Gerard Way (3 stars)

Since the show is all anyone talks about, I decided to finally start this series and boy is it cooky. We follow the Umbrella Academy, a group of 7, who were adopted by a crazy millionaire savant Reginald Hargreeves, after being born in a spontaneous event all over the world where 48 mothers gave birth. Hargreeves trains the kids to stop the apocalypse, and now 10 years after his death brings 6 of the 7 back to his house, unaware that the apocalypse is here; and it’s a direct consequence of their reunification.

There is a lot of good and a lot of weird in this series. The characters have glimpses of interesting personalities and the idea of 7 kids being raised from birth to be superheroes by a man who is a British version of Ra’s al Ghul is interesting. But unfortunately the series doesn’t fully explore this, and the ending is really abrupt. The humor is quirky, and sometimes it works, but more often it makes the tone weirdly uneven, as we swing from graphic, albeit cartoon violence to slapstick. I think the show does a much better job with the tone, and while this first volume gets a lot right, it’s by no means perfect.

Sadie by Courtney Summers (4 stars)

This was by far the hardest book I’ve read in a long time. It’s a mystery that follows Sadie, a girl who disappears after her younger sister is brutally assaulted and murdered; and West McCray, a podcast host who is retracing her steps, trying to find her. It’s a book about grief, assault, pedophilia, violence and the lies we tell ourselves so we don’t have to think about what happens to girls in this world, and it’s dower, dreary and oh so real. It made me feel things I don’t normally do when I read, and if you can stomach the content, I recommend it. If you can, get the audiobook; it’s a full cast and the podcast bits are done like a real podcast, which makes the story feel that much more immersive.

The Disasters by M K England (5 stars)

I needed something light and fun after the last two things I read in February, and this was the perfect way to end my month. This was my favorite book I read so far, maybe even more than the Gilded Wolves. It’s a sci-fi that follows a group of 4 rejects from Space Academy who have to work together to survive a terrorist attack, and prevent another one from happening. It’s fast paced, incredibly entertaining, and I fell in love with all the characters.

I absolutely cannot wait for whatever else M K England publishes, and I loved this to pieces.

#february 2019 wrap up #2019 reading #february wrap up #moni talks #book review

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jamieclawhorn · 6 years

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Thinking of buying the Vodafone share price? Read this first

Vodafone (LSE: VOD) is one of the most popular dividend stocks for investors in the UK and, right now, the stock supports a dividend yield of 9.2%, which I think looks extremely attractive.

However, I’m avoiding the Vodafone share price because I think its dividend is living on borrowed time. Here’s why.

Rising debt

The first, and possibly most important reason why I believe the dividend is not sustainable, is Vodafone’s current level of debt. The company isn’t drowning in debt but, in my opinion, it’s getting close.

At the beginning of November, its fiscal first-half results revealed the group’s net debt had jumped 6.4% year-on-year to €32.1bn. That was after the disposal of Vodafone India and included the cost of acquiring Liberty Global’s European cable assets for €31bn.

Because Vodafone has a large balance sheet with lots of freehold property, this level of debt doesn’t look too bad compared to its overall book value. Net assets of €62bn give a net debt to assets ratio of 52%. Compared to earnings, it’s a lot more precarious. Vodafone’s net debt-to-EBITDA ratio is just over two. I’d usually avoid any business with such a ratio of two or more.

When combined with the company’s cash obligations, this debt mountain starts to look dangerous.

Cash obligations

Vodafone has to invest in its business to remain relevant. That means spending billions of euros on things like infrastructure and spectrum rights. For example last year, the company spent €2.4bn on the purchase of 5G spectrum in Italy. The group cannot avoid these costs as, if it did, it would lose customers.

Management believes Vodafone can foot the bill of doing business and continue to return plenty of capital to investors. At the end of last year, CEO Nick Read told investors and analysts the company is looking to deliver a free cash flow of £15bn over the next three years, with around £10.5bn earmarked for dividends and £4.5bn for 5G investment.

These forecasts might look as if the company has everything under control, but I don’t think they leave much room for manoeuvre. There’s also no money earmarked for debt reduction.

It seems to me as if management is only kicking the can down the road.

Watch out below

The Vodafone share price has lost nearly half of its value since the beginning of 2018. But despite this decline, the shares are still not what I would call cheap. The stock is trading at a forward P/E of 17 at the time of writing.

Historically, investors have been willing to pay a premium for the shares due to Vodafone’s dividend credentials. But if the company cuts the distribution, investors could be in for a shock. Even though the Vodafone share price has slumped from a high of nearly 240p at the beginning of 2018 to 140p today, I estimate the shares could fall by a further 23% before the valuation is in line with sector peers.

Conclusion

So overall, I think Vodafone’s dividend is safe in the near term, but a cut could be on the horizon. If the firm does slash its payout, the shares could fall much further. Because we don’t know when a dividend reduction is coming, I don’t think it’s worth taking the risk of investing.

Capital Gains

In the meantime, one of our top investing analysts has put together a free report called "A Top Growth Share From The Motley Fool", featuring a mid-cap firm enjoying strong growth that looks set to continue. To find out its name and why we like it for free, click here now!