#Barista Course Melbourne

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[saintescuderia]

pancakes (pt. 2)

AKA - the story of how the naive australian rookie befriended the gym junkie F1 hospitality worker with the shoe collection - and inadvertently broke the grid's most treasured and unspoken rule: you don't go for y/n.

series masterlist here :) // the pancakes recipe here :)

A/N: apologies for the delay; was marshalling the aus gp lol. enjoy.

P2 - hamstring and piriformis stretches

“Y/N Tessio?”

“She works in hospitality.” Oscar clarified without an ounce of stress. He wasn’t embarrassed by this. Yes, he was close friends with a member of the F1 Hospitality. Yes, he was asking that part of his Formula 1 contract include that you become his personal trainer. Yes, he wasn’t going to accept any contract without that condition. 

Otmar didn’t know that last fact when he had laughed off Oscar’s request the last time they had spoken. It was the last nail in the coffin that showed to Oscar what had been gnawing at his gut for so quite some time: this team wasn’t quite right. Now, at lunch with Zak Brown, who had wanted more official meeting in the McLaren motorhome, Oscar laid out the same request. And Zak Brown seemed understand the severity of it: Oscar Piastri would not accept anything unless you were right there with him. 

This morning was only proof of it all. His anxiety had kept him up and it was only after finding you that everything seemed to work itself out. After you had made him run a lap around the track, you promptly dumped some melatonin gummies in his hand and sent him off to bed to sleep. And sleep he did. Oscar had woken up feeling more refreshed than he had in a long, long while. 

Refreshed, Oscar had taken your advice and called Lily. He mentioned love languages and she gushed. The call ended with them sounding more on page and stronger than ever. Oscar also took your advice in calling his dad to ask about a lawyer. His dad had been surprised that his son had been so forward thinking.

Oscar had admitted it was your idea. His dad stopped being surprised; of course it had been your idea. 

“Oh, they’re good people, Osc. The sort you need around you in a place like Formula 1! Make sure you have them on your team!” Oscar was already thinking what his dad was suggesting, agreeing wholeheartedly. He needed you on his team.

And that was before Oscar arrived at the Alpine motor home for one of the staff to let him known that hospitality had delivered some specially made protein pancakes and fresh orange juice for his breakfast. There was a note under cutlery with your scrawl of ‘take magnesium.’ 

He asked his Alpine trainer for some, the very same one you thought was an utter dickhead. Said trainer, François, somehow didn’t have any supplements. Sighing, Oscar dug into your famous pancakes that had the perfected macros for an athlete of his sort. He would just ask you for magnesium later - and take your usual heat of having a “fucking dropkick of a trainer.” It was just more and more proof that Alpine wasn’t looking good for him. Even he knew it was bad for a trainer to not be prepared like that.

Now, in a room full of papaya orange, Oscar looked at the American CEO and waited patiently for Zak Brown to tell him what he thought about the request to have you working alongside McLaren Racing as part of Oscar’s contract.

“What, um, what qualifications does she have?” Zak asked, shifting slightly to type on his computer. Oscar watched as Zak’s eyes grew as he stared at the screen. “Oh, I know her! She makes an solid cappucino!” 

“Melbournian barista.” Oscar smiled. It was true, you had gotten your barista license back when you were living in Melbourne. And if there was one thing Melbournians were proud of, it was their coffee. “She grew up near Albert Park.” Oscar added the tidbit you had dropped upon first meeting and Oscar was basking in the Australian accent. 

"Says she was born in Monaco." Zak said.

"What?" Oscar frowned, completely taken aback at this. You had never mentioned anything to him about being born in Monaco. You were from Melbourne, near the beach. That's what you had told him.

Nothing about Monaco, Monte Carlo.

In Europe.

But Oscar didn't have time to process that because Zak Brown continued on. “Still, it doesn’t say anything about Y/N being trained in anything health or sports-related.” The McLaren CEO said, his eyes skimming over his computer screen that likely read your resume that was stored in the shared F1 database. Formula One Group and the FIA had allowed team principals and CEOs to access these files when they needed to identify a snitch that had violated the NDA.

It was all too often that a team suffered a blow by a Hospo staff member whistleblowing some important fact they overheard while serving the refreshments. 

“She knows about Daniel.” Oscar said. Zak blinked, clearly taken aback. He swallowed and Oscar quickly added, “And no, she didn’t tell me. I figured it out that she knew and told her.” 

“Okay, you’re right. I do feel better.”

“Better enough to do another lap?” You grinned at your friend whose sweaty face dropped into a deadpan. You had both slowed down as you came to the starting line. Now that was nearing the 6am mark, there were more and more people starting to come out. 

But you were with a driver. You knew all too well that it would be fine. Drivers are untouchable. You wanted to milk this for all it was worth. “Come on, Piazza! A light jog!” You added, wanting to enjoy this just all the little bit more. 

“You’re insane. No.” To prove his point, Oscar actually came down to sit on the road. And then he lay flat on his back. You watched him and exhaled, accepting one lap was all you were going to get. Hell, that was more cardio than you normally did. And besides, you knew Oscar had a rough night and was running in Sambas. Athlete aside, you were just surprised he managed the lap in as is. 

So you came to sit beside him, except you didn’t lay back and try to catch your breath as he did. No, instead you stretched your legs out and then leaned forward to stretch out your calf muscles. 

Oscar looked over at you and rolled his eyes. The ever insane gym junkie Y/N. He knew he should be doing the same. His flexibility had really taken a toll and besides that, he was stiff and restless from all the travelling and the stressful conversations with his girlfriend and team principals. Oscar sat up and brought his legs out just like you and leaned forward to stretch his hamstring. Just like you. 

You said nothing about this but you didn’t need to; the smug grin on your face was enough. You switched legs shortly. Oscar copied. You brought both legs together. So did he. You leaned back and brought your knee up to stretch your piriformis. Oscar begrudgingly did so. And so it went as you and Oscar stretched your entire bodies out right there at the starting line of the Sochi Circuit. It was when they finished the reverse pigeon pose on both sides that you stretched your legs out and made no move for another stretch. You both settled in a comfortable silence and watched the sky. 

Oscar watched the sunrise and smiled, feeling a lot lighter after the run and the stretching. He glanced over at you watching the sun and felt a sense of appreciation for you.

“Think carefully of who you choose to drive for.” You said, breaking him from the reverie. “This will be your first F1 team and it will reflect on how other teams in the future will see you.” Oscar was quiet as he thought about your words. Some birds were starting to fly across and Oscar noted how your eyes trailed them. 

Oscar took a steading moment and then said what had been on his mind the entire night. “Daniel Ricciardo is going to be dropped. Zak Brown wants me to be his replacement.” 

You didn’t react. 

You didn’t have to. 

All you did was keep watching the birds. 

Oscar pursed his lips. Of course you weren’t surprised. You were never surprised. And you already knew about Daniel.

“You know about Daniel and McLaren.” It really wasn’t a question. You offered him a soft smile in response and sat up to stretch out your hand to gently squeeze his. Oscar frowned. 

“My platonic brother in Christ,” you began with a sad smile and he grimaced, “you have a good heart. Don’t let this place take that shit away from you.” 

You let go of his hand and Oscar sat up to face you. “Why didn’t you— you didn’t say anything.” 

“It’s not my place, man, I just make the coffee.” You said with a full fledged smile. Oscar was at a loss for words. You often worked shifts at McLaren - he knew that because those were the days you had double sessions at the gym. Oscar never found it in himself to ask. Now, he did. 

“Do you not like… McLaren or anything?” Oscar asked. “Should I not drive for them.”

You were silent for a moment looking ahead of you before you spoke. “No, nothing wrong with the team.” It was clear there was something wrong with something. Oscar couldn’t ask because you stood up and held out a hand to him. He took it and let you pull him up. “Come on. Reserve drivers are only needed after lunch. I’ll give you some melatonin to help you sleep and then you can call your girlfriend.”

“And find a lawyer.” Oscar added. “But I think Zak Brown could get me one.”

“Always have your own lawyer.” You said with such a firm conviction that it had Oscar looking at you with curious eyes. 

Sometimes, he wondered how you knew so much about the ins and outs of life in Formula 1. 

“So you’re saying Y/N actually follows the NDA?” Zak asked, bringing his hands together to rest under his chin. 

“Yep. Wakes up at 4am everyday and works out for two hours. Doesn’t drink or smoke and if given the chance, would probably run a half marathon at every track. She's worked with F1 for years so she knows the diet and routine of a driver.” Oscar paused and then tried to remember some more facts now that he had his chance, his opening.

Never mind that he didn't know you were apparently born in the heart of Formula 1.

Though, that reminded him— “She's fluent in French. And Arabic. Which will be good for the Middle Eastern and European races." Oscar added, thinking of your background. Or what he did know of your background. "And she has an international license.” Or he thought you did, vaguely remembering you mention something about cars in Japan. Japan!

“I think she also speaks Japanese pretty good.” Oscar said, remembering Spa last year and seeing you conversing with Yuki Tsunoda as you made him a matcha.

“Hmm.” Zak pursed his lips. His eyes scanned over the resume once more and then nodded. “Look, Oscar, it’s no secret that I want you for McLaren. I think you’d be a very good fit here. If you think Y/N would be a good fit with McLaren also, then I’m onboard with that.” 

Oscar nodded, finally letting himself let go of the seriousness and let out a smile. He honestly couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This was actually happening.

But if his father had taught him anything, it was to not get too carried away. Oscar kept composed as he kept his face as neutral as possible and smiled politely. “That sounds really awesome, Zak, thank you. When could we get everything in paper so I can go over it with her?” And his lawyer.

“I’ll speak to some people today and we’ll get a rough contract outline ready. Helen, the PR manager, will send it to you and Y/N,” Zak looked back at his screen, “to the email on the resume here. And then we can organise a meeting and move forward.” Oscar smiled once more, feeling the stress and tension dissipate from his shoulders. 

“But,” Zak then added, “I can’t really promise anything. The lawyers will need to sort this out since she’s already under contract with the Formula One Group and if they won’t release her then there might not be much we can do about it.”

Oscar nodded, frowning slightly. “I understand.” Admittedly, that was something he hadn’t thought about. He’d been too preoccupied trying to get Y/N a place with him on whatever team he joined that he didn’t think about her tie with Formula One Group. 

“If all goes well, though,” Zak was quick to add, seeing Oscar frown, “we could even sponsor some study for her and help her work her way up. If she’s as dedicated as you say, and has that sense of integrity and spirit, then McLaren would be perfect for her.”

Oscar knew Zak was trying to butter him up with the promise of having Y/N. And Oscar had to admit, it was working. This was about you, after all.

There was a knock on the door. Oscar recognised Zak’s PA but couldn’t recall a name. She offered him a warm smile and then apologised. “I’m so sorry to interrupt but Lando wants to speak with you.” 

“Yes of course!” Zak beamed. “Send him in.” He stood up and Oscar’s manners kicked in and he stood up also, assuming the meeting was now over. This reminded Zak of him and he returned his attention at the young Australia. “Unless you had any questions or anything else you wanted to add?” Zak’s question made Oscar want to laugh since they were both already standing up and Lando Norris was already through the door. 

Oscar knew how these politics were going to go. If he did sign with McLaren, Lando Norris was going to be the number 1 in everything. And not just in driver priority. 

“Nope, all good. Thank you again for listening and being so receptive to my request about Y/N.” Oscar held out his hand. Zak shook it and smiled. 

“I have a good feeling about this, Oscar. I’m looking forward to the future.” Zak said. He came around the table to greet Lando and Oscar smiled at his soon to be teammate. 

This wasn’t the first time Oscar had met Lando Norris, such was the small world of karting and racing. However, it was the first time that Oscar had seen Lando since Zak Brown had made it clear that he wanted him to be Norris’ new teammate.

Oscar wasn’t sure how to feel about Lando, knowing that the driver was equal points talented as he was, well, spoiled. Not that a spoiled F1 driver was a novelty, but Oscar had noticed that Y’N’s mornings before a McLaren shift always ended with a long sparring session with the punching bag.  

“Alright?” Lando said with a lazy acknowledgement. “Heard the news.”

Oscar’s kept his face straight. Of course Lando Norris would see no need for subtlety. The PR training all drivers went through for the media usually extended to the Paddock as a whole as conversations were always sanitised. Everyone knew that what you said wasn’t what you meant. Talking around the issue was part of the life of Formula 1. 

Oscar was used to this. So seeing Lando so abrupt about this, and in front of Zak Brown, was quite telling. Especially when it was doubtful that Daniel himself knew anything about his imminent redundancy. 

“Yeah, I’m good. Nice seeing you around.” Oscar said, keeping himself polite and respectful - and making no comment about the news. He looked at Zak Brown once more and offered his thanks before letting the PA show him out of the room. Oscar looked back to see Lando staring at him. Oscar considered just what he was signing up for. 

Still, Oscar could turn around and leave the office with a weight off his shoulders. Even though he knew how it would look, walking out of McLaren, he was surprisingly more at ease than ever. Sure, Oscar knew the fallout of leaving Alpine and joining McLaren would be bad; especially if it meant kicking out another driver - and one that was a personal hero, but he felt a lot more at ease. No matter the fallout, no matter Lando Norris, he knew it would be okay. Because he was going to have you right there next to him. 

There was no way Oscar was going to survive Formula 1 without you. And your gym addiction. 

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[rgitedu]

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[ingridaway]

naoshima pt 3

for some reason i didn’t enjoy it that much, i’m not sure if it was the heat or just me but i don’t think i’d visit again. i got an ice cream in the cafe and made my way back down the mountain via the beach to meet up with my friend. after all this it was time for dinner and what do you know it was bbq again! hahaha having done it the night before we were all pros at cooking and honestly i loved that it was the same food again because i knew that i liked it haha. during dinner our teacher read us an email from the people at washi no sato explaining that we are the first ever tourists doing paper making activities in the village so we need to be very respectful. (this may not seem relevant but it is) after this speech i gave the dinner staff tim tams as a thank you, remember taka? well he was one of these staff members, again i’ll mention that more later. a friend and i went on a 7/11 run in the dark and it was very enjoyable honestly. we got snacks and alcohol and ended up meeting 4 cats on the way back, of course they did not want to say hello. here’s where the naughtiness starts. we started drinking back at the camp and got a little carried away. taka, the aforementioned staff member ended up joining a small group of us in chain smoking and drinking. his english was better than our japanese so we taught him a myriad of australian slang and of course swear words. he told us he was from tokyo and only working on naoshima for a month. he recommended we visit “hoppy street” in asakusa, tokyo for a good sake hahaha. he also told us that the japanese government is going to introduce a mandatory helmet law which we all found very interesting. he taught us japanese and told us about his girlfriend, we ended up all following him on instagram and telling him to visit us in aus, after taking lots of selfies together we got a text in the trip group chat from a teacher saying we were too loud. this immediately sobered everyone up especially after the massive speech about being well behaved. we said goodbye to taka and sheepishly went to bed, worried about the morning. once morning came i profusely apologised to the teachers saying it wouldn’t happen again which i really do mean. i felt like owning up to a mistake was the mature thing to do rather than pretending it never happened. all was well in the end and i headed out for another morning ride, skipping breakfast again. i made my way to honmura, riding around the streets and waiting for the rest of the group to catch up for our tour of the “art house project”. after securing tickets we ran over to minamidera which is an artwork collaboration bewteen james turrell and tadao ando. the work consists of a lovely building designed by ando which you enter. once inside it’s pitch black and you are slowly exposed to a light installation by turrell. after your eyes adjust to the sudden shift between absolute darkness and dim soft light you are invited to stand and walk around the installation. the main light source is actually a cut out in the wall which you can stick your hand into. it’s very trippy honestly, a very interesting illusion. before the light emerges you’re seated in complete darkness so my eyes started playing tricks on me. it was almost scary. after exiting the building and being blinded by daylight a small group of us visited a tiny coffee shop. the barista was the sweetest lady named megumi, she asked us where we were from and once we said melbourne she was excited to talk about coffee to us hahah. next stop was art house: kadoya which featured works by tatsuo miyajima who is obsessed with numbers. i enjoyed the works however this was not my favourite stop on the tour. next house was go’o shrine by hiroshi sugimoto as i said before i really enjoy sugimoto’s work so i think this was my favourite of the houses. the shrine designed by sugimoto featured beautiful glass stairs which shone in the sun light. as the shrine was on a hill there was a great view of the ocean too.

[lizascribes]

In The Land Down Under

In the wee late night of early September (2022), me and Mossy joined this group of Khmer hikers aboard a plane to Kathmandu, Nepal. The ride was smooth, but the bus ride we hopped onto afterwards bound for Pokhara, was not. We were there to scale and descend a mountain they called "Poon Hill" over the span of 4 days. It's marvelous that despite being 3210 metres high up, the Nepalese people did not consider this a mountain, given the bigger giants they've got: the Annapurna, a side of Everest, etc.

This trip deserves a separate post to fully convey the details, vibes, and effervescence because a lot happened in less than a fortnight.

Butt I'm rambling, this post is not really about Nepal. It is about where I am now.

On that flight to Kathmandu, I stared at the vastness of leg space I had from being seated next to the emergency exit door, and wondered about life up to that point in time. The newness of moving out of my family's home at the start of the year and living independently had faded, and fire had stopped engulfing me whole.

I was lost, dealing with identity issues, and couldn't seem to finish any projects that I had started. I felt like a fluke of an artist and it was hard to walk out of the door and onto the streets somedays.

Hurling through the sky at 900km/h, it hit me that if I've left once, I could leave again! Why not! I'm an Australian citizen even though I'd never lived there, and my old art teacher once said that Melbourne is a lot like San Francisco in its vibe and character. Fuck it, after the trip I quickly applied for Environmental Science at RMIT. (I was reading so many non-fiction nature books in 2022 so I felt that I might as well pursued a degree in it, or something... honestly, it was just a convenient excuse hehe.)

Now we're in 2023!

We moved to Melbourne in mid-Febuary and now it's the end of May. It's been a long 3 months. I hardly remember life before moving here.

2 months into the course, I realized that I don't want to have anything to do with data-analysis in my future, so bye-bye Environmental Science and bye-bye RMIT. Life is oddly extra refreshing as a two-time college dropout.

So I've now got a part-time job at an organics market stall where I manage the checkout counter and talk to people about how they cook their favourite veggies. Many people are happy to talk about their tried and trusted recipes and I'm always happy to listen. (There was a man who bought 2kg of cayenne chilli to make his award-winning sauce...)

I've also just been exploring every little interest and hobby that I get a whiff of. So far I've been rowing, doing aerial yoga, and pilates. I also met some of my closest friends here at a free embroidery class hosted by a grad student at RMIT (thank you Aaron Billings!).

I've gotten furniture for my apartment and got a little home studio set up for music-making. Oh and there's a pole-dancing class I'm trying out later this evening. Life is really chill right now :)

My mother and my sister are the most worried for where my life will head, they want me to get a grip on things, finish a bachelor's degree and come home to help out the family business. But honestly, I'd rather take a cool barista course and keep travelling around on my own path. I can't promise anything of the future or how I would want to live then, so why even worry?

In conclusion, I would totally recommend Melbourne as the place to be for people who have unlimited interests in the things around them, because I've found that there are just so many things to do in this city. I don't think I would be here forever, but it's got good soil for me for at least a couple more years :)

[tppblogs]

Entry 1

My name is Joshua Nosce, and I am an international working student born and raised in the Philippines for 25 years. I speak mostly English and speak fluently in Filipino. My knowledge of different sports is high, but my interests are mostly in basketball, baseball, soccer, American football, and Formula 1.

Throughout my history with school and work, I did my secondary and high school diploma at the Kolbe Academy, which is a home school program located in California, USA for 5 years. I went to different schools studying different courses like culinary arts and game development after high school to see where I wanted to be in the future. I had several jobs after becoming a barista at Seattle’s Best Coffee, and then a sales associate at Titan Basketball store. I completed certificate and diploma courses in accounting and sports management respectively. I attended several basketball camps and programs after, mostly with the Filipino Basketball Academy to improve my skills in basketball.

With the very limited options I have in the Philippines and the passion I have for sports, I decided to go to Australia to study any courses that involve sports. When I arrived, I completed a diploma course in Sports Management so I can take up a Bachelor’s degree in sports. I am now completing my last year of studies in the Bachelor of Sports Business at Holmesglen Institute. Throughout my study at Holmesglen, I have discovered many learnings about sports in Australia and skills that I must or can use within the sports industry. My skills have improved in how to interact with people and connect with them within the sports industry, but it still needs to improve on gaining more connections, by talking more with the people around me.

Right now, I am working as a Venue Operations Officer at the Melbourne Sports Centres working and assisting with the events of different sporting organisations. I just recently started my internship as a Data Acquisition Support with Baseball Australia going to Melbourne Aces games and recording every play of the game, which could be my career goal. I am still planning to take up another internship with another sports organisation to gain more connections and experience. At the end of my course, finish my internships, and graduate, I hope to become a Data Analyst or any operational position in an office at basketball, soccer, or any sporting organisation like the NBA, EPL, NFL or Formula 1.

[kokomeong]

An Appreciation Post for Fillmore

Two days in Jakarta, I had Filmore's latte twice a day. All tasted identical, consistently superb. Strong, acidic flavor with savoury milk. “No bad beans allowed” as they said in their sticker.

Of course I have to acknowledge Gesa for introducing me to this place back in 2017. The year when craving for Melbourne latte was becoming a painful experience and a nearly hopeless effort.

Australia pushes milk-based into the next level (sweet, non-acidic, light) while Japan loves single origins more, staying in the tradition of successfully roasting medium to dark beans (less bitter, somehow lighter). Their latte is okay and more on the light profile but still inconsistent. It's easier to find a good black coffee than a good latte in Japan. Indonesia and Vietnam do a better job in balancing the ratio. Australia has perfected it.

Several third wave shops have great latte, but they're expensive and rare, perhaps due to the nature of the city I live in. It's definitely easier to find nice lattes in Kyoto and Tokyo.

Nevertheless, Fillmore did not disappoint and I was relieved to find it quite reliable.

Two days later, my lil bro was also home in Jogja so we went to one of our usual places. We immediately noticed some bad signs as we entered the gate:

1. It was very crowded with young people typically ordering a cup of coffee to stay for another 10 hours. They also liked to stare at customers walking in as if they owned the place. Jogja or other small cities' coffeeshops are unfortunately designed to accommodate this type of group. Fillmore and most places abroad had more 'mature' customers who mostly came for the coffee and not to waste time with their peers smoking and staring at their phones in groups.

2. New baristas (in most cases, new baristas means inconsistent results).

And yes, the presentation was good, but the taste was not. Two coffees we ordered, one was acceptable (not great), the other was not. The sad thing about Jogja coffeeshops is that they are only as good as the baristas. Every once in a while there would be new baristas who won't recognize old customers and are still learning to make good lattes and we have to be patient and wait for them to get better so that we can come regularly again. This particular place was my go-to for more than 6 years. It wasn't always consistent but mostly dependable. At least the beans are always good.

[baristacourse]

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[maximuswolf]

Should I just give up trying to use home espresso machines?

Should I just give up trying to use home espresso machines? Hi all,I'm reluctant to post this in case I get backlash or name-calling, but I am just so frustrated.I cannot make espresso/lattes at home using a home coffee machine.I've had 3 machines over the past decade, the last two I've had I ended up selling out of frustration. (Can't remember the first but it was an entry level Italian single boiler, then I did a Breville double boiler, now I'm onto a Smeg and use a Breville Smart Grinder) After I got my first machine I took an afternoon Barista course and found it easy on the machines at course.My problem at home is: my coffee is always bitter or sour. I drink a latte or a cappuccino. I am not a coffee snob. I enjoy a chocolately/non bitter espresso in a lot of milk. I do not care about notes etc or enjoy particularly fancy brews - as long as it isn't bitter.Here is what I've tried:Fresh beans from local coffee roaster where the beans are locally roastedSupermarket beans3 different machinesA scale for my coffeeDifferent grind sizes, tamp pressure and packing amountsDeep cleaning my machineIt takes me 10 - 15 minutes to make a coffee at home and results in SO much mess (grinds everywhere, drips of espresso all over the machine, etc) and the results are almost always so awful that I pour a quarter cup of coffee syrup into my mug.Every time it feels like something different - my puck is too wet, my espresso is pouring too fast, too slow, one side is blocked, my puck is too dry, etc. I can go from using the same beans, the same dose and the same grind and get a completely different result. The coffee I'm drinking now is so bitter and sour it tastes like dirt.I appreciate this is a sub-reddit for people who enjoy this as a hobby and are passionate about making coffee. My needs are utilitarian. When would you just give up? Do you have ANY tips? This is my last ditch effort before I just buy a nespresso machine and have awful pod coffee at home for the rest of my days.Please be kind. I am trying my best.Writing from Melbourne. My machine and my grinder. Thank you. Submitted January 27, 2023 at 04:51PM by pinkguy90 https://ift.tt/rMuakh9 via /r/Coffee

[gotouhitori]

I've never heard of this VN before. Necro suggests dressing in predominantly black, since that's what's typical of necromancers, of course there's going to be some coffee snobbery if there's a barista... so of course it's Melbourne.

I've talked before about how Australian-made Visual Novel Necrobarista made me feel incredibly emotional because it's like the first game I've played where the characters speak and sound authentically Australian.

But also the flipside of that is how fucking funny it is when the characters start complaining about Melbourne Weather™️. Like, yeah.

[serveitupteam]

What Duties to Expect after Availing Training in Hospitality

Are you planning to develop a career in the hospitality industry? Well, indeed it’s a glamorous career opens ample doors of opportunities. Amazing perks and lucrative salaries attract thousands of job seekers to join the hospitality industry every year.

However, after availing training in hospitality management and securing a job in the industry, what duties the candidate should perform? To know more about the same, consider checking out this post now!

Potential duties of hospitality management candidates Well, there are ample duties that a hospitality management professional needs to perform. Let’s check out the most essential ones among them!! Customer Servicing Be it a positive guest check-in experience or a great and satisfactory party time, all depends on customer servicing. When it comes to providing the best experience to the customers, the responsibility is always of the hospitality management personnel. So, you can take it as one of the prime duties after joining the hospitality industry. The different areas of the job role include - • housekeeping • handling customer complaints • meeting and greeting the customers Budget Management Another important job role of the hospitality manager is taking care of the budget part. Starting from marketing to controlling the expenditures, the job role of hospitality management personnel is vast enough. Even they are always allocated with a set budget, still the candidate is required to be aware of the allowances and the expenses of different departments. Taking care of food and beverages Starting from taking care of the inventories related to food and beverages to take care of the quality of the same, the job role of a hospitality manager involves every single operation related to food and beverages. For this reason, it’s worth investing in an additional barista course Melbourne or that of any other region after pursuing hospitality management. It will help in enhancing the coffee skills drastically. Maintenance Supervising A hospitality manager is responsible for supervising the maintenance of ground and security departments. The job role may include recruitment of security personnel, property maintenance and more. Besides, looking after the renovation projects might also be included in the job role. Apart from that, a hospitality manager’s job role may also include making preventive plans for securing the property. So, the stated are the primary duties that a potential hospitality management employee needs to perform. However, to secure a satisfactory job in this ever-growing sector, you must take the course from a recognised university. These days a lot of organisations offer hospitality management course and they charge a lot for the same. However, not all of them are reliable. So, to get the course in an affordable price and avail its best benefits, make sure you’ve chosen the right institution. Get admission today and step forward to a bright future!!

[coffeeartschool]

Coffee Art School offers the best barista courses in Melbourne which provides completely hands-on experience. Starting from extraction to texturing milk froth, making every coffee on the menu step by step.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Do you have any good coffee shop au fics? Danke schön!

Hey Nonny!

Ahhh, Coffee Shop AUs aren't totally my thing, BUT I did find a couple I loved, and I've a few on my MFL list that's tagged with Coffee Shop. Check it out, and feel free to add more, friends!

COFFEE SHOP AU

See also:

Coffee Shop AU (Updated Nov 2020) (COMM RECS)

Coffee Shop AU Fics (Alexx's)

Coffee Shop AU – Part 2 (Alexx's)

Teenlock Coffeeshop AU (Alexx's)

Caffeine and Adaptive Programming by DemonicSymphony (E, 5,540 w., 1 Ch. || Androids AU / Bond Fusion || Android Sherlock, Coffee Shop AU, Pining John Hinted Bond / Q, Toplock) – Sherlock is a coffee shop android slowly falling for a regular customer. But he's not supposed to be able to feel emotions.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

-----

MARKED FOR LATER (TO READ)

Espresso Patronum by zigostia (T, 1,750 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Clueless Sherlock) – “I'm joking,” John said breezily. “Girl's name or not. I don't mind, if you know what I mean.” “Ah,” Sherlock said with uncertainty.

Giveaway Fic #4 - Coffee Shop/Mary Has Left/Sherlock Is Not Okay by ConsultingPurplePants (T, 2,498 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Everyone is Unhappy, Happy Ending) – They sit in silence for a moment. Sherlock fumbles a sugar packet when he tries to get it into his coffee. He looks up to find John staring at him. “It’s… good to see you, John,” he tries. John doesn’t look at him; he’s too busy looking at the way Sherlock’s hands are trembling. Too late, Sherlock realizes that no matter how well he washed his hair this morning, there’s no hiding his emaciated appearance. “When did you last eat, Sherlock?” John asks, but there’s none of the friendly teasing from Before, only a hard-edged, muted anger. Part 4 of the 1000 Tumblr Followers Giveaway Fics series

Whatever you say, Gobbo by Ewebie (T, 4,608 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Balletlock, Rugby John) – “I purposely get your coffee order wrong just so you’ll talk to me again” AU. Part 33 of the Tumblr Shorts series

Crossing Paths by prettysailorsoldier (T, 5,346 w., 1 Ch. || Uni/Teenlock Coffee Shop AU || Crosswords, Christmas, Fluff) – It seemed like a great idea, a 24-hour coffee shop near a thriving university campus, but, when everyone goes home for the holidays, John finds himself trapped in a ghost town, wiling away the hours of the overnight shift any way he can. Of course, that gets a whole lot easier when a handsome insomniac starts making regular visits, and, somewhere between the case files, crossword puzzles, and copious amounts of coffee, John discovers he doesn't mind the late shift so much after all.

Not Your Doctor, Not Your Captain by weneedtotalkaboutsherlock (E, 8,645 w., 1 Ch. || AU || Daddy John, Barista Sherlock, Legal Age Difference, First Kiss/Time, Blow Jobs, Texting/Phone Sex, Anal, Rimming, Felching, Praise Kink, Hurt/Comfort, Pet Names, Doctor John) – "Coffee for John Watson," a voice calls, a low, deep rumble that sends a shiver down John's spine. The thought is pushed aside, his shoulders sagging at the sight of his long-awaited coffee. "Thank God." His eyes lock with long, elegant fingers around the rim of the cup, dimpling the carton in a way that John can only describe as sensual. It shouldn't be. It's seven-thirty in the bloody morning. "I'm afraid that God had not much to do in making your coffee this morning," the barista replies. "I, on the other hand…"

Percolate by cwb & Ellipsical (E, 13,793+ w., 6/16 Ch. || WiP || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Insecure Sherlock, Patient John, Case Fic, Flirting) – This work is a collaboration between Ellipsical and cwb and promises to be a lighthearted, fun romcom with strong themes of mutual pining, awkward flirting, and panicked impulsiveness. POV will alternate between Sherlock and John; cwb writes Sherlock, Ellipsical writes John.

Mistletoe and Misdemeanours by Robottko (T, 20,738 w., 12 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Christmas, Fake Relationship, Coffee Shops, Victor Trevor, First Kiss, Holmes Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Drama, Kidnapping) – When Victor Trevor backs out of the Holmes family Christmas at the last minute, Sherlock panics because he has no way to impress his parents. Thankfully there is a handsome army doctor with nowhere to go in his coffee shop, though it would be more helpful if he were a bit more willing.

sherlock and his daddy series by rory_kent (M, 24,433+ w. across 6 works || Series WiP || BDSM / Sugar Daddy AU || Sugar Daddy John, Age Difference, Sub Sherlock, Daddy Kink, Military Kink, Subspace, Hurt/Comfort, Coffee Shop AU, Unilock) – Sherlock didn't mean to upset daddy he really didn't!

A Wizarding Barista's Field Guide to Seducing a Muggle by paradigmfinch (T, 29,344 w., 9 Ch. || Harry Potter Coffee Shop AU || Fluff, Wizard John, Muggle Sherlock, Bisexual John, Flirting, First Dates, Harry Watson, Secret Identity) – To help pay for Healing tuition, John Watson gets a job at a coffee shop in Muggle London, where he soon sets his sights on a particularly gorgeous customer. John's seen plenty of Muggle films. How different can it really be to woo a Muggle?

Four Shots Series by Opy3332 (T, 34,736 w. across 5 works || Series WiP || Coffee Shop AU || MI6, Barista John, Developing Relationship, First Dates) – Series of stories revolving around John and Sherlock meeting under different circumstances--when John takes a job as a barista at SIS headquarters and meets Sherlock there.

Blond Barista Seeks Dashing Ballet Dancer: Inquire Within by prettysailorsoldier (E, 43,847 w., 1 Ch. || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Rugby/Barista John, Ballet Dancer Sherlock, Fluff) – Between classes, his job at a local cafe, and being captain of the rugby team, John Watson's life is plenty stressful enough without the addition of a mysterious ballet dancer he can see through the windows of the dance studio across the street, but, somehow, he can't bring himself to mind.

Captains of Industry Series by 221b_hound (E, 131,398+ w. across 34 works || Series WiP || Australian Hipster Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Security Consultant Sherlock, Awkward Flirting, First Kiss/Time, Panicking Sherlock, Patient John, Cuddles, Grooming, Anal, Bathing/Washing, Coming in Pants, Frottage) – Captains of Industry is the most hipster of Melbourne hipster cafes. It's bespoke suits, artisan shoes, sculpted facial hair and the most exquisite food and coffee all the way. Sherlock Holmes, Digital Security Consultant, has become a regular patron. And one day, perhaps one day soon, he will work out how to successfully flirt with the hot barista, John Watson.

[chenziee]

Swipe left, please

[Read on my AO3 (link in blog description) or by copypasting link below, or under the cut]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932909

Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin Ship: Jean/Armin Rating: General audiences Words: 2643 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Airports, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Minor Levi/Eren Yeager, jean is smitten, Because of course he is, Tinder, but not really, jean is a very responsible working adult, armin is a very responsible PhD student, you can interpret those words however you want, hanji is not a responsible lab boss, don't be like hanji in a lab

Summary: Getting stuck at the airport for hours because of the weather was the last thing Jean wanted today, but it was what he got and honestly, if it meant he could chat with this cute guy who swept a hard 'no' on Jean's Tinder for longer, he wouldn't say no to a few more hours.

Based on a twitter post which I don’t know how to dig up.

----------

This is a birthday gift for the sweetest, most precious @roxi4 <3 I’ve said this a lot of times but I love you so much and I wish I could personally beat 2021 into submission so that it’s the best goddamn year of your life for you. But, sadly, I’m not a god yet so I gotta settle for writing fics for now. 

Also yes, I am posting here like two weeks late because I’m lazy I’m sorry.

----------

Jean glared at the departure board, wishing he could set it on fire just like that. He understood things like this happened; he could see the heavy rain and wind outside—and people called this spring? Jean demanded a refund—so really, it could have been much worse, but a three hour delay for his three hours and thirty-five goddamned minutes flight was absolutely ridiculous and only slightly rage inducing.

He sighed in frustration and, grabbing his suitcase, he turned away to head to the closest coffee shop. He needed a damn coffee. Preferably spiked or with 8 shots of espresso, he’d decide in the line.

This was seriously so stupid. He had spent an entire week on this business trip and he was tired and the only thing he wanted was getting home to his cat and passing the hell out. At least the Melbourne airport was decent enough and he could safely be bored out of his mind with as much coffee as he needed without worrying he’d catch tetanus like he was at a certain American airport a few years ago. He would take his comfort where he could at this point.

Finally, he managed to order his coffee with only two extra espresso shots—he didn’t want to seem like that much of a psycho but the barista didn't even blink at his order and Jean had to wonder what weird shit the people at a busy airport had to deal with—and headed to the corner of the departure hall that seemed the quietest. There were only a few people loitering around there, all looking just as exhausted as Jean felt. Seemed like Jean would fit right in with their collective coma.

Making his way to one of the empty seats, Jean had to weave his way through the maze of suitcases until one of them caught his attention. Or, more specifically, the book laying carefully bookmarked and discarded on it. Who in their right mind read what looked like an entire fucking encyclopaedia full of words Jean probably couldn't even pronounce while waiting on their plane? No wonder the owner put it aside eventually.

Jean inadvertently looked up at the person sitting next to the suitcase and he did a double take. He had expected some old fart, the type that just screamed of a dreadfully boring college professor who preferred his test tubes or calculations to his students—or people in general, really—not this… tiny, adorable, small animal type of guy who, from his profile, looked around Jean’s age or even younger.

He took in the young man’s small frame, the short, blond hair, and the way he sat cross legged on the hard, uncomfortable airport chair and Jean couldn’t get over how cute the sight was. He was really glad the other man was so engrossed in his phone because even Jean could tell he was staring      .  

And then something else caught Jean’s eye.

Was that Tinder on his phone? Was that… Jean’s ancient Tinder he was looking at?

Jean felt heat coming up to his face. He hadn’t used the stupid app in years, probably since like... his second year of college. He didn’t even know why he didn’t delete his profile but now he was glad he didn’t because it would be really nice to know if he should even bother trying to strike up conversation here.

With bated breath, Jean waited for the verdict. He watched as if in slow motion as the blond’s thumb moved to touch the screen and swiped—

Left.

Of course it was left.

Unable to stop himself, an awkward laugh forced its way past his lips and he heard himself say, “Hard no for him?”

Even the way he jumped at Jean’s words was cute. And when wide, impossibly blue eyes met his own, Jean felt his stomach drop. Damn, this left swipe really hurt. Jean really had a talent for getting his heart broken before he even had the chance to try. First Mikasa, now this. Did someone up there have something against him?

A few silent, painfully awkward seconds of the two of them just staring at each other passed, until the blond opened his mouth to speak, “If it makes you feel any better, your profile pic really doesn’t do you any favours.”

Jean groaned. Of course. He knew he shouldn’t have let Eren choose his picture, the absolute asshole. He couldn’t believe he still called this guy a friend. Getting roomed with him at the dorm in college was seriously the worst thing to happen in his life.  

“Thanks, I guess,” Jean said lamely, sheepishly scratching at the back of his head. Could this get any more awkward?

The other guy laughed then, and it was the sweetest laugh Jean had ever heard. “You’re welcome,” he said, smirning at Jean as he held out his hand. “I’m Armin. Jean, right?”

Jean shook Armin’s hand, almost asking where he had learned his name but managing to stop himself at the last second. They literally just talked about Jean’s embarrassing Tinder profile for God’s sake.

“Nice to meet you,” he said instead, hoping that was a better way to go about it than making a bigger idiot out of himself.

Thankfully, it seemed like it was, as Armin gestured to the empty seat next to him and Jean gratefully took it, making himself as comfortable as he could in the stupid airport chair. Seriously, why were airport chairs always so uncomfortable? People were sitting on these for hours at a time every day, one would think someone would make sure their asses were not hurting. Although, now that he thought about it, cushioned chairs probably wouldn’t last very long—or stay reasonably sanitary, for that matter. It was probably a good thing his ass hurt already.

Jean took his first, long-overdue sip of his coffee before he gestured towards Armin’s suitcase. “Interesting book you’ve got there. Wanted a bit of light reading?”

Armin paused, looking at Jean as if he was trying to figure him out. “Please tell me that was an intentional Harry Potter reference,” he said after a moment. Oh, Jean was so happy he had caught that.

“Maybe,” he only replied, hiding his smirk behind his coffee cup.

Huffing in amusement, Armin glanced at his terrifying looking book instead. “Just trying to do some research for my final thesis. But I have to admit some people really can’t write in an interesting way even when talking about interesting topics.”

“Hear, hear,” Jean muttered. “Some people really shouldn’t be allowed to publish books, especially if they then make people study from those.” He still remembered the pain from school. He particularly enjoyed the teachers who required the students read their own God-awful books. It was always a guarantee for the most boring read of the year.

“I know!” Armin cried, gesturing around in frustration and Jean couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “I can’t wait to finish my Ph.D. so I that can not read the things I don’t want to.”

Jean chuckled at his enthusiasm. He really had to love his field of study to get this passionate about shitty books. “What are you studying?” he asked curiously.

“Marine biology,” Armin beamed, making Jean gulp.

Ocean. Fish. Corals. That was about as much as his humble business management brain knew about marine biology. Couldn’t really impress with that, could he? “And you’re doing a PhD. in that?”

Armin nodded. “Yeah. Actually, I’m just coming back home from giving a guest lecture at the university."

"Melbourne university?" Jean asked, raising a brow. He kind of hoped he was wrong and he wasn't just casually chatting with some up and coming scientist celebrity.

"Yeah," Arming confirmed and blushed slightly.

"Damn, that's impressive," Jean admitted, though now he was positive that if Armin started talking science to him, he wouldn't understand a word.

Armin's eyes dropped as he looked away, obviously embarrassed by the praise, then he shrugged and quietly replied, "Not really. This stuff is really easy when you have good teachers."

Jean shook his head. "Nah, if you don't have it in you, it doesn't matter how good a teacher is. You can kiss any degree goodbye then, never mind giving lectures."

He heard Armin huff in amusement and goddamn it, it gave him butterflies. He was so fucked.

"Thank you," the blond said, smiling at Jean brightly before he continued. "How about you? Where to?"

Jean sighed wearily, sagging in his seat as he remembered his exhaustion. "Also home. On my way back from an absolutely stupid business trip."

"Why stupid?" Armin asked as he turned around in his seat to face Jean properly.

Jean mirrored him immediately, hooking one arm behind the backrest as he leaned on the chair sideways. He really enjoyed talking to this random, sweet stranger and he was really glad it seemed to be mutual. He was going to hate saying goodbye.

Suddenly, he wouldn't have minded if his flight got delayed a few more hours.

"Just, you know, people," Jean muttered in distaste. "One would think only customers can be complete idiots. Turns out coworkers can sometimes be even worse."

Armin laughed at his words, nodding along enthusiastically. "God I know. Sometimes I want to kill the doctor leading my lab. Hanji’s a genius but there is so much energy and she can be so stupid. She almost blows up or floods the lab at least once a week."

"I'm sorry, that must be so hard to deal with—" Jean cringed in sympathy at the mere idea of it— "Reminds me of my team. I love them but once in a while, I just want to fire them all when they start organizing paper boat races in the bathroom. Paper boats made from paperwork they don't want to do, by the way."

"Ouch." Armin sounded solemn but Jean could hear the hidden laughter and he just knew he found Sasha and Connie's stupid ideas hilarious. Which… Jean could admit they were, just not when he was the one who then had to explain the mess and unfinished work to his boss.

“Stop laughing,” Jean hissed, though with no real venom in his voice.

“I’m not!” Armin defended himself, but then burst out laughing when Jean glared at him so he quickly corrected himself, “Okay, yeah, I am. Sorry.”

He didn’t sound sorry at all and Jean sighed. “Everyone always finds my suffering funny.”

Armin let him grumble to himself for a bit, the two of them sitting in relative silence for a moment and… it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was actually relaxing and Jean really didn’t want this to end. “So hey—” He paused, glancing at Armin carefully, almost afraid to ask— “when is your flight?”

“Hopefully, in like two and a half hours. Got delayed almost as long as the flight itself.”

Jean almost said it was the same for him but he stopped. Could it be…? “You’re not flying to Auckland, are you?”

Armin visibly startled, blinking at Jean with eyes full of surprise. “Yes, actually,” he said slowly and Jean couldn’t believe it. He had thought he would never see this this cute, fun person ever again but—

“Me, too,” he said quietly and the two of them continued staring at each other in shock for a few moments more until they both burst out laughing.

Incredible. They were both flying to the same place and they would be within reach of each other and maybe there was a point in actually pursuing this. “So, uhm, wanna grab a coffee?” Jean asked awkwardly, pointing in the general direction of the food court.

And only when Armin looked pointedly at his pointing hand, did Jean realize he was still holding his over-caffeinated coffee cup. He really hoped his face wasn’t as on fire as it felt.

Armin only chuckled, thankfully not commenting on Jean’s blunder, and rather suggesting, “How about some actual food instead?”

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

By the time they got off the plane in Auckland, Jean was on cloud nine as he gently squeezed Armin’s hand in his. Jean was still not sure this was real; they had spent the entire time at the airport and during their flight chatting—not that they had miraculously had seats next to each other like in the movies, but Jean did bribe an older lady with wine to switch seats with him—and it was the best damn flight delay he could have asked for.

It felt so natural and easy being with Armin, he couldn’t wait to get to know him more during their date tomorrow, and hopefully many more after. Because Jean would be lying if he said he wasn’t completely gone for this charming, adorable genius already.

As they walked through the exit into the arrival hall together, Armin immediately waved at his friend who was picking him up. Jean had offered to give him a ride since he had his car parked at the airport but Armin had said this friend of his would be worried if he just suddenly cancelled and—

Oh hell no.

Jean stared at the tall, young man with long hair tied up in a messy bun who was walking towards them, watching as his wide smile froze when their eyes met. Of fucking course. Jean just couldn’t have any nice things in life, could he?

“Unhand my best friend, Horse Face,” Eren growled and Jean took a deep breath in an effort to calm down.

It didn’t work. “Unhand my boss, then,” he shot back, throwing a pointed stare at where Eren had his arm wrapped around the short, grumpy man who just so happened to be both Jean’s boss and his ex-roommate’s boyfriend. Levi was already sighing and rolling his eyes at them and Jean really hoped this wouldn’t affect his bonus this quarter.

But Eren started it.  

“You have no say in that,” Eren hissed, visibly bristling as his hold on Levi only tightened.

“Oh, so you admit it’s unreasonable?” Jean asked, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

Jean could hear Armin gasp as he finally realized what was going on. Obviously, he also didn’t expect this to happen and Jean was glad he wasn’t the only one. Although, really, how did it not occur to Jean that Armin was that Armin? It wasn’t exactly a common name around Auckland…

Just as Eren was getting ready to snap back at him, both Levi and Armin sighed before Levi intervened, “Shut the hell up, both of you. Have this fight when I’m not around for it or I’m talking Armin and leaving your asses here.”

“I second this movement,” Armin said firmly tugging at Jean’s hand for good measure.

Both Eren and Jean closed their mouths then, both knowing full well that was not an empty threat coming from the short grump. Not that Jean wouldn’t get back by himself but he would be stuck with driving Eren, too, without anyone there to mediate, and that would be a disaster.

They glared at each other silently for a second, until Eren hissed at him, “Usual bar, tonight. We’re having a talk.”  

“I’ll be there, I need a fucking drink after this,” Jean muttered back, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Giving Armin a kiss on the cheek, Jean quickly retreated out of Eren’s glare’s range and towards his car so that he could get some fucking sleep before he would go out and get drunk while Eren threatened him with violence for apparently seducing his best friend, or whatever Eren would take out of this… situation. How did shit like this even happen in real life? He seriously wondered what he did in his past life to get karma like this.

At least Armin was worth it.

[silver-lily-louise]

Straight Over Their Heads

Summary: ‘And what’s your wife’s name?’ Alec's coming out was certainly something of a statement, just as Magnus said. But that doesn't mean everyone got the message. (Or: the 'damn, straight people are oblivious sometimes' fic.)

Read it on AO3, or below! 

~oOo~

‘And could I have some of that more, uh-‘ Alec gestures rapidly, trying to find the right word – ‘bushy greenery?’

The attendant smiles, sliding some of the foliage he’d asked for into place. ‘Of course. I always think the sleeker foliage makes roses look too severe, honestly.’ She begins to wrap the gold cellophane around the arrangement, and asks, ‘So, I take it these are for someone special. Is it a special occasion, too?’ Alec feels his mouth twitch up into a small, private smile. ‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘It’s our anniversary – not our wedding anniversary, that is, but the day we got together.’

‘How sweet,’ she coos, eyes not lifting away from the flowers. ‘And what’s your wife’s name?’

Alec blinks for a moment, assessing. ‘…Magnus,’ he says carefully – preparing himself for her surprise, and hoping it won’t slip into outright disgust. What he doesn’t expect is a cheerful, ‘Oh, like Agnes? How unusual! Well, I’m sure she’ll love these.’ And then she’s turning back to him, handing over the flowers, and telling him his total.

He hesitates, but decides that near to closing time in a mundane flower shop isn’t the moment for this particular conversation, especially with a complete stranger. Instead, he just pays for the flowers, shoots the perky attendant another half-hearted smile, and heads home.

***

‘Yeah, I know – Magn-‘ Alec smiles, a little exasperated, as his husband’s voice raises urgently in his ear. He keeps an eye on the queue – he’s nearly at the front, and he’ll have to hang up in a second so he can be served. He wouldn’t ordinarily bother going out for coffee, but he’s going to need the caffeine if he doesn’t want to fall asleep in the middle of Rafe’s birthday party this evening, and the swill they serve in the L.A. Institute’s cafeteria makes the New York Institute seem like a home for cappuccino connoisseurs. ‘Yes, I remembered to – Mag- hey,’ he says, more insistently, but keeping his tone reassuring. ‘Listen, he’s going to love it, okay? It’s gonna be a great evening, have a little faith.’ He glances up – one customer left between him and the barista. ‘Listen, I gotta go. I’ll see you tonight, okay? Yeah. I love you too.’ He hangs up, shaking his head fondly. ‘Ladies, am I right?’

Alec turns his head towards the voice, finding the tall, well-groomed man directly behind him. ‘Excuse me?’ The man gestures at his phone. ‘Ladies. Can’t get a word in edgeways.’ He chuckles. ‘My Paula’s just the same as your Maggie.’

Alec forces a smile. ‘Hm. Yeah.’ Not worth it, he thinks. This guy’s attitude doesn’t exactly scream open-minded; and although Alec knows he’d win that particular fight, if it came to that, he’d rather just avoid the hassle.

Thankfully, the barista says, ‘Next?’ and he’s spared any further attempts at misogynistic bonding over his non-existent wife. He turns away to give his order, trying to put the exchange out of his mind. He’s got better things to worry about.

***

Alec isn’t sure how coming out is normally supposed to go, but he’s fairly certain ditching your bride-to-be at the altar and then immediately making out with the hot guy who crashed the wedding (‘I was invited, Alexander-‘ ‘Oh, come on, you don’t get to make that entrance and then take offence at being called a wedding crasher.’) is one of the… less subtle methods. That being said, the Shadow World is a big place – and while gossip travels fast throughout it, that doesn’t mean everyone’s always up-to-date.

Case in point – ‘Alec? Alec Lightwood?’ Alec turns around, pleasantly surprised to recognise who he finds after an evening exchanging pleasantries with one-time acquaintances and distant colleagues. ‘Aaron? Wow. Long time no see,’ he greets, holding out his hand with a genuine smile. Aaron accepts the handshake, chuckling a little. ‘Yeah, it has been. You haven’t changed a bit, though,’ he says. ‘How’s life been treating you since the Academy?’ Alec takes a deep breath. ‘Well. Hm. It’s been eventful,’ he says, almost laughing himself at the sheer understatement. ‘I mean, first off – it’s Lightwood-Bane, now,’ he says, holding up his left hand, where his wedding ring glints proudly in the warm ballroom lights.

‘Congratulations,’ Aaron says, raising his champagne in a small toast. ‘Who’s the lucky lady?’ Alec’s taken aback for a moment, but he’s saved from answering when a familiar presence appears at his side. ‘Lucky guy, actually,’ Magnus corrects, linking his left arm through Alec’s and holding out his right. ‘Magnus Lightwood-Bane. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.’

They chat with Aaron for another few minutes, and then Alec excuses them, leading Magnus over to the extensive, near-empty balcony. He leans gratefully against the railing, heaving a deep sigh. ‘Everything okay?’ Magnus asks lightly, the barest thread of concern in his tone. Alec’s gaze flicks from the Melbourne skyline back to his husband, and he smiles reassuringly. ‘Yeah. It was nice catching up with Aaron, but I’ve spent the last two hours making small talk. Needed a break.’ Magnus hums understandingly, shuffling a little closer, looking out over the city lights.

A thought occurs to Alec. ‘That happens quite a lot, y’know,’ he says, not sounding quite as offhanded as he’d like. ‘The whole… lucky lady thing.’ Magnus laughs quietly. ‘And here I thought our love story had made headlines everywhere,’ he teases, coaxing a smile from Alec, before letting his amusement simmer down a little. ‘In all seriousness,’ he says, ‘I can’t say I’m that surprised. Things are better than they used to be, but straight is definitely still seen as the norm.’ He huffs. ‘I’ve lost count of the times I’ve made a new acquaintance and had to use the phrase ‘No, not Alexandra,’’ he says.

Alec raises an eyebrow. ‘Even with that huge picture of us in your office? The one that’s pretty clearly from our wedding day?’ ‘Firstly, it’s not huge, you’re just used to only keeping pictures on your phone. And secondly, yes, even with that. Presumably, they think I’m very close with my best man.’ He smirks. ‘I knew I should have picked the one where we’re kissing.’

Alec rolls his eyes, but can’t quite keep his face straight. ‘I don’t know about that,’ he says, turning to face Magnus. ‘I think I quite like saving this…’ he leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to his husband’s lips, ‘for reality.’ Magnus’ smile softens. ‘Hm. I think I could come around to your way of thinking,’ he murmurs. ‘Perhaps with a little more convincing?’

Alec sets about doing just that. The rest of the world – and all its expectations – falls away, forgotten.

~oOo~

[holisticpassport]

My Covid Story

Apologies for any spelling errors, I’m on a time crunch. I’m a few hours out from leaving for my first flight since July 2019 (and before that, March 2018). Heading out to Sydney, I’m a mix of anxiety and absolute excitement. In January of this year, our sublet was almost up in Eltham and Cam and I had plans to pack up the car and begin doing workaways around Australia to help rebuild communities devastated by the historic wild fires (doesn’t that feel FOREVER ago?). When our sublet became available for a full lease transfer, we changed our minds to stay in our space, so that was the first instance of travel being knocked out of the picture. Then we had Valentine’s weekend open to go visit some friends in Tasmania, so we booked tickets and upon waiting in the airport, our flights were cancelled due to inclement weather. DAMN.  Mid-march came around and it was Cam’s birthday, so we wanted to get out for a weekend of camping in our big bell tent, find a gorgeous spot in the woods out east near Warburton. When we arrived, every camping spot for an hour’s dive any direction was either full or completely not open at all. We picked a spot off a random road and spent one night there, but some rangers came by and said we couldn’t stay there due to the possible danger of logging trucks not seeing us. So that was a bust.

Then as you’re aware, this time frame leads up to the very tumultuous third week of March when Melbourne officially went into its first lockdown due to COVID. I documented this time in journal entries which I will add at the end, but ultimately the lockdown went until June, and the state reopened too quickly/had a fiasco with quarantined cases getting out of a hotel, thus sparking the second wave. We had flights booked to California for June to see my family and then planned to travel around Mexico for a few months, but that dream was quickly squashed when flights out of Melbourne ceased to exist at all. Months later, I had a flight booked in July to go to Sydney where I was to have my eggs extracted for donation. The day before I was to fly out, second lockdown went into effect and the flight was cancelled (thus forcing me to have the procedure done in Melbourne and cause a huge, historic controversy between Melbourne IVF’s CEO and the medical director of IVF Australia about how to transfer frozen eggs over a closed border!).

I’m struggling to comprehend just how important and meaningful my ability to travel today is. To think back to the first time in history, watching borders around the world close, flights become grounded, and witnessing a global pandemic unfold whilst in a foreign country—I remember thinking at the beginning how unfathomable the scale of it was. When people talk about things not seeming real or like it’s a dream you can’t wake up from, that’s exactly how it felt. I questioned whether I needed to go back to the U.S. in fear I might not see my family for years or be with them if they got fatally ill. Would I be able to even go back if that happened let alone would I be able to re-enter AU (the answer was no). And thank god I didn’t go back considering the absolute cluster fuck of a mess Trump made of the pandemic. But also, thank god my family has been healthy and safe. The level of fear for their safety was at an all-time high as civil tensions grew when the riots around the country kicked off in conjunction with the pandemic. I wrote to all of them to have a plan to escape to Mexico and get their passports if Trump won the re-election. This was a genuine fear I’ve never experienced before.

The level of frustration, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, self-hatred for lack of productivity during lockdown, and uncertainty about so many facets of life weighed down on me during this time. But I know how much worse our time could have been. I was immensely grateful for the fact that we had a home and incredibly gracious landlords who were human and understood the financial difficulties of this unprecedented time when so many became homeless as job loss skyrocketed. We were so fortunate that I was able to continue working even 2 days a week through the lockdown as a barista and Cam was able to get government support for six months as a NZ citizen who lived in AU over 10 years when so many other New Zealanders were forced to return to their country because of the time limit stipulation for support. We only had two family members contract Covid and were young and healthy enough to survive when so many families will be without a member at the holidays this year.

And I acknowledge my privilege in that my identity is so closely entwined with the ability to travel, that while it felt suffocating to not even have the choice to travel anywhere outside of a 5km (3mile) zone, I fully empathize with those in parts of the world where they could not walk more than 50 meters from their front door or people who didn’t have windows/balconies in apartment buildings who were going out of their mind. All of that does not diminish the struggles I faced with not being able to travel, but it does always keep my perspective in check. My trip today signifies how a city and a country came together during the most difficult period of our lifetime, followed strict government guidelines, and came out after 120+ days in full lockdown on the other side of a pandemic, now able to cross state borders without isolation or quarantine. To go to a live music show,  have drinks on rooftop bars, walk around outside without a mask on, and see people going about their daily lives again on public transport and see a city bustling with energy—the months of mental hardship and growth was all to get back to a post-Covid world. Even though a vaccine is not out yet and we need to be cautious, the level of hopelessness has diminished significantly, and I’m not terrified my trip might be cancelled in two hours. I’m actually going this time!

There is also a whole other facet to my time in lockdown and that of course is the personal development and mutual growth in my marriage! That’s a whole separate post though which I hope to get out soonish. But here’s a bit of something I started a few months ago. Enjoy.

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I remember when it first started in the news; like a minor blip of a story flashing at the bottom of the screen: some mutant virus had infected a couple dozen people in some random city in China. I was working solo in a café serving the employees of a major shoe distribution company in the warehouse district of Collingwood, Melbourne. The TV was on in the cafe but muted the first few weeks of January as the main stories were about the most devastating wildfires in the history of the world, and we all just felt a communal helplessness. As the numbers grew in China and the story became a daily headline, the first case was announced in Queensland on January 25th. Everyone stuck around a few minutes longer each day after they were handed their coffee. I think back to the moment when Wuhan, the epicenter at the time, reported 1,500 cases and I thought surely there can’t be much more than that. This is just media sensationalizing something small. This whole story will blow over in another week or two.

If only.

It was summer in Australia, and my husband and I were planning what to do after our sublease was up in mid-March. I commuted daily from a suburb 50 minutes north called Eltham, a creative and eco-friendly heritage town. We lived in a triplex made of adobe mudbrick, surrounded by native forest, a communal garden, and enjoyed huge artisan windows that brought in natural filtered light through the towering trees. Our little studio was a quiet haven away from the chaos and constant flurry of people in Melbourne, especially during summer as it brought travelers from every corner of the globe. There was no way we could have possibly known that this little paradise would feel like a prison after six months in the world’s longest lockdown due to a global pandemic caused by that little virus in some random city in China now known worldwide as COVID-19.

As the weeks passed by in February, more and more countries began reporting cases. I did not understand how pandemics worked as the last one I was alive for and could remember was H1N1 in California, and I was about 17—far too consumed with college applications and boys to think about world affairs. The Spanish Flu was never something that was particularly emphasized in our history classes, so it didn’t even occur to me to compare what was happening now to that point in time. Then again, this was incomparable because in 1912, the world was a less globalized economy and there were no commercial flights transporting thousands of passengers across the globe daily. By the first week of March, my daily rush-hour commutes became the first real difference I noticed. The number of morning passengers on the train platforms dwindled from 50 to 25 to 5, and eventually, to just me. As the train stopped at over 30 stops from where I lived to the city, my carriage wasn’t even remotely full at 7 a.m.

There was less foot traffic in the city. Flinders Street Station, one of the two largest hubs that saw thousands of people daily, was eerily quiet and empty. We were two weeks out from leaving Melbourne to go travel, planning to go to New South Wales, AU to help rebuild communities that were ravaged by the bushfires. I was desperate to travel this year, and we were so close to leaving. I had picked up some other barista work in an advertising agency closer to the city. But day by day, office workers were being told to work from home if they were able to. Hand sanitizer became readily available in the café, bathrooms, and around the office. I remember staring out the window of this high rise building that overlooked the lush green stretch of Albert Park and thinking it looks so normal outside. Every day, I looked at the news in Australia, which I had never really done before. Industries were shutting down, and the panic was setting in for thousands of casual workers in the hospitality industry as it was only a matter of time before we would be shut down too.

Melbourne is a cultural hub filled with travelers who typically come here on a Work and Holiday Visa which gives them 1-2 years to work and live in AU. Most find work in hospitality as there are over 40,000 restaurants and cafes in this region. You couldn’t go a single day without meeting someone from another country which is why I fell in love with this city. I worked as a freelance barista through agencies that called for workers to be able to step in if someone called out sick or quit unexpectedly and they found themselves short. But my agencies had gone completely silent in the week leading up to the industry shutting down. There was no more work and travelers were finding themselves stranded. I journaled daily in the lead up to my final day of work in the city as I knew something big was happening, and I wanted to be able to recall when it all began. I also knew we would not be travelling anytime soon, around Australia or otherwise, when national and international borders began closing around the world.

 March 17th, 2020

All that’s being talked about is COVID-19. Entire countries are closing borders and going into complete lockdown. Italy has been inundated with patients in hospitals and now have to choose who lives and who dies. AU isn’t taking nearly as intense of measures, but the general atmosphere is not normal. All events with over 500 people have been cancelled. Those who have traveled anywhere must self-quarantine for 14 days or face a huge fine. Some people still don’t take it seriously, thinking/acting like it’s just a normal flu when in reality its ability to be passed on and even re-infect someone a second time is much higher than the rate of a simple flu. In the states, my family says all the restaurants and schools have closed, even the Hollywood entertainment industry has closed down. So many independent contractors, myself included, are without means to live because there’s no emergency government funding in place. It shows what’s truly flawed with the system. Luckily Cam has full time work still, but for those people who have kids and no daycare options? No partner or family? Those who are traveling and can’t get back home? This is devastating for all of us, but them in particular. Supposedly, there are rumors that the virus dies with the warm weather, but AU is headed into winter. It could be why the virus isn’t as big in places like South America and Africa (*note* countries from these two continents are now in the top 10 most infected places as of September 2020) Europe is completely shut down as is New Zealand. I have flights to California in June, so I’m hoping I can still go. For how weak my immune system is, I’m surprised I’m not more concerned because I’ve been continuously reassured the virus only attacks those with underlying conditions, mainly in the elderly population. Even in calm, tight-knitted communities like ours in Eltham, we’re seeing the best and worst of humanity come out with people hoarding resources, but also there are those offering rides for people to stores or grocery drop offs to their homes. I’m very interested to see how the next three months progress all around the world. Right about now, it’d be nice to hide away in a beachside house in Mexico. (*Mexico is also among the top 10 most infected countries now*)

March18th, 2020

The government should announce today whether hospitality industry will close, potentially putting Cam and I both out of jobs. Luckily our landlord is being highly accommodating. Trump is giving Americans $1,200 and has postponed tax season by 3 months. Only seems he does something decent when it’s to keep the economy from tanking and his money is protected.

Cam and I both have throat annoyances and headaches. We should try to stay home, but can’t afford it. Today, they’ve dropped gatherings of 500 down to only 100 people, yet shopping centers and public transport remain open, which I would think are the riskiest places for transferring infections. It’s been stated this is a once in a decade event that will change the course of history.

 March 19th, 2020

Amidst all the chaos from morning to night, people are finally taking time to nurture their interests and creativity. I’m taking two courses on sustainable fashion and fashion in design. I’ve also applied to be a mentor for women trying to gain work and leadership experience at an NGO called Fitted for Work. They have stylists that help women to prepare business outfits and tailor their resumes/do mock interviews. I’ve looked into an MA program I’m interested in at Warren Wilson College back in North Carolina. I think looking forward is the only way to keep the fear down about how long these shut downs may last possibly through June. The world economy is going to see some extremely confronting realities it hasn’t seen since the Great Depression. For the moment I’m looking into teaching English online which I’m already certified to do, just to try and earn some money. I’ll be interested to see all the art that comes out of this period and the photojournalism that captures this historic time.

 March 21st, 2020

We went over to Williamstown (Cam’s parent’s house) as Cam had two shifts out that way. Restrictions in cafes are now 1 person per 4 square meters, so in the 100 person limit already imposed, it’s now down to 25. I’m nervous for Cam to keep working and going on public transport. It’s high risk and unethical in terms of coming in contact with people we could transmit it to without knowing (asymptomatic) because it takes 14 days to even show symptoms. We made the choice to start self-isolation come Monday as we can see in the next week or two the same spike will be here in Melbourne as we’ve seen in Italy and most likely soon to see in the U.S. Reading other peoples’ accounts about how they continued life as normal as though nothing had changed in Italy is exactly where AU is projected to head towards.

 March 25, 2020

As of Monday, AU took drastic measures to ensure safety and closed many non-essential businesses with a series of daily updates for more and more businesses to shut or only stay open for takeaway. Overnight, nearly 80,000 people in hospitality work were laid off or lost work, Cam and I included. A stimulus package of 66 billion dollars was announced and Cam qualified for government payments through Centrelink because he’s a kiwi who’s been here over 10 years. Other kiwis who haven’t been here that long are completely without any kind of support from the AU government, even though in NZ, Aussies are supported. A very backward, selfish system who told them to go home.

We went to Centrelink on Monday at 7:45am in Greensborough (suburb over from Eltham). By 8:30 am when the doors opened there were over 200 people in line. The government has been terribly confusing with their messages out to the public, highly unprepared. People are confused about what they can and can’t do, what businesses are remaining open, who is eligible… it’s a mess. Why are liquor stores and hair salons considered essential?? There have been spikes in young people getting this virus as young as 18, and they are dying. The virus coats your lungs like a jelly ultimately blocking oxygen. We did what is hopefully our last grocery shop because being in the store is just as contagious as a café. There’s no safety or hygiene measures in place. We had gloves on and people were dancing around each other in the aisles to maintain 1.5m social distance.

The U.S. is becoming the new epicenter with horrific rapid spreading, particularly in New York. Flight around the world, including as of today AU, are being stopped and we can no longer leave the country at all.

  To Be Continued…..