#Fugu Restaurant

[kreuzfahrttester]

Einzigartiges Tauf-Event der Mein Schiff Relax mit Robbie Williams

Hamburg, 02. Januar 2025: Am 9. April 2025 wird die Mein Schiff Relax, der erste Neubau der innovativen InTUItion-Schiffsklasse, in Málaga feierlich getauft. Vor der Kulisse der andalusischen Küstenstadt erlebt die Wohlfühlflotte von TUI Cruises ein spektakuläres Tauf-Event mit einem besonderen Auftritt von Robbie Williams. Erstmals in der Geschichte der Mein Schiff Flotte werden zwei…

[projectcatzo]

Beating up on level one CPUs in fighting games after a Day of work to restore my sense of humanity

[toskarin]

minecraft

-

<rin> the gist of it is that when I was with my ex who just kind of brought things up to start fights, I eventually got numb to it and mentally checked out of arguing. it was always insanely mundane stuff that would get responses (eg asking if a weapon in warframe was meta and taking it personally if I said it wasn't) so I naturally concluded "ah yeah, minecraft won't do that"

<rin> but what I didn't realise is that in response to any attempt to do that in minecraft, I'd go dwarfmode and just build an incomprehensible hyperfixation labyrinth while nodding and going "mhm" every time argument bait was dropped

<rin> this base had literally 300 rooms, connected by tunnels and spires with nothing in them that I constructed in a fugue state and filled with mannequins, but then I realised I had a problem

<rin> that was really really really fucking scary

<rin> what I had ACTUALLY built was a city that could house an entire faction, to scale with some real life towns and fully furnished, in a place where ambient cave noises would play and it wasn't always clear where the next door to the surface (or an airlock into a cavern) was

<rin> and I got so creeped out conceptually by having a massive labyrinth that was made entirely of negative autistic energy, filled with mannequins that I placed seemingly only to scare myself, that I stopped going in most of it and kind of hid in one of the top floors (the one with the terracotta ballroom and the roman style bathing area)

<rin> the end result was that I started building houses inside of the house, smaller basecamps that were less creepy than the massive empty structure, along with numbered signs and routes through it that avoided "the creepy parts"

<rin> the creepy parts were like. exceptionally weird.

<rin> it wasn't even built as a base, but just vaguely attached "expansion" that usually simulated something or otherwise looked like it should have a use

<rin> for example, a series of identical plazas, connected by a central spiral staircase, all with identical underground apartment buildings that flanked all four sides, down to the furniture inside of them, all the way to bedrock

<gf> oh my god babe

<gf> i don't even know what to say. just oh my god

<rin> there were multiple restaurants, and the gimmick of them is that they were identical except for the color of the wool used on the carpet, and there were 20 of them

<friend> rin, are you like, okay

<rin> oh no I'm insane

<rin> genuinely I wish I still had the world file because like, what cool organic horror it was

<gf> yeah that sounds kind of incredible in like a really terrible way

<rin> there were distinctly the small manageable rooms where I was actually comfortable playing the game and then there was the horrifying maze of structures that made up my mental labyrinth further in or something

<rin> total aside, that's why there's the metrolith labyrinths in vesalblood. the "compacted underground urban center built on top of other urban centers" thing struck me as a cool enough concept to keep

[i-was-today-years-old-when]

i learned that Japanese actor Bandō Mitsugorō VIII claimed to be immune to fugu kimo, naturally toxic pufferfish liver. He ate 4 portions in a restaurant with his friends in Kyoto and died 8 hours later (x)

[trashpoppaea]

Review of Napoleon (2023)

So I saw Napoleon (2023).

eyes glaze over

collapses and melts into a puddle

This is possibly the most soporifically boring, relentlessly mediocre so-called "epic" I have had the misfortune to see.

Plotless, pointless, and devoid of anything approaching characterization, the movie can be best described as reenacted scenes from a wikipedia article about Napoleon as written by the Anti-Jacobin.

The whole thing is suffused with British reactionary propaganda circa 1815. The characterizations are all courtesy of the Anti-Jacobin and Rowlandson’s cartoons. Robespierre is a tyrant, Napoleon is a buffoonish loutish thug, and Josephine is a slut. There’s nothing there. There’s no character arcs, no development. Sure, it’s pretty enough, but it's boring. So, so, so boring.

While watching it, I was frequently in a fugue state, floating over my body, wondering, "what is a movie? is this what they're like now? with no drama, no characters, no arcs, no interest?"

In fact, I didn't watch it: I endured it.

Joaquin Phoenix is awful. He is completely miscast on every conceivable level. Mumbling, monotone, and charmless-- I never for one moment thought I was watching Napoleon-- it only felt like Phoenix's cosplay. He and Vanessa Kirby have so little chemistry they might as well be appearing in different movies. They supposedly have this grand obsession/love story, but this amounts to sitting in the same room staring off in boredom. There's the occasional ridiculous sex scene which is always doggie style with clothes on. But for the most part, Josephine just stands in the rain or stares off into the mist.

Oh yeah there's the occasional battle. Eh…

Napoleon’s life was filled with colorful characters like the foppish, extravagant and brave Murat, the bold and foul-mouthed Lannes, the scheming, irrepressible Fouche, and the bubbly nymphomaniac Pauline, none of whom are here, and you have a bunch of interchangeable extras standing around rooms or battlefields. The only character who makes any impression whatsoever is Edouard Philipponnat as Czar Alexander, and I would have rather had a movie starring this actor. Alas, that's not what we got.

A lot of money was spent on this movie. A lot of choices were made. The result was a bland, forgettable dud that immediately fell into a memory hole as soon I departed the theatre.

As Napoleon himself would say, BAH!

PS. @microcosme11 and I didn't watch the entire thing, because it is 2 hours and 40 minutes long. As all the restaurants in the neighborhood were closing at 10, we left half an hour early, right before Waterloo and after Josephine died of pneumonia, so we could have burgers and a richly deserved beer.

PPS. Feel free to ask me for specifics!

@thiswaycomessomethingwicked @lordansketil @joachimnapoleon @usergreenpixel @twice-told-tales @josefavomjaaga @bunniesandbeheadings @jefflion

[flame-of-tar-valon]

End-of-Year Special 11: The Waking Sands

In rapid succession, the three adventurers — Lleidspaer Grymhaswyn, Nia’a Tsara, and Vivimani Qiqimani — entered the solar.

The room was dimly lit with a warm glow that accentuated the golden hues of the sandstone. The architecture was unmistakably Ul’dahn, though trinkets of Ala Mhigan make littered the shelves, giving away the Antecedent’s roots even before she opened her mouth to address them.

“So you are the adventurers of whom I’ve heard so much,” said the woman at the desk. Her voice was soft, with a gently lilting Ala Mhigan accent. She hadn’t introduced herself yet — but they knew her name. Minfilia. She greeted them with a composed smile, but the sheen of tears gathering in her eyes betrayed her apparent serenity. 

“After five long years, you’ve come back to us… Just as Hydaelyn promised that you one day would.” she said, her voice cracking under the weight of five long years of absences unmourned and tears unshed — the heavy blindness of desperate faith that hope was not lost — the grim limbo between insomnia and fugue. Five long years of searching for signs even when it defied reason, then giving up the search because there were more pressing matters, and all the while clinging to the certainty that one day, they would return. Five long years of carrying on, of picking up where Louisoix had left off, of tending the ashes that were left where he had once stood — where the Warriors of Light once stood —

Louisoix’s staff — Tupsimati — had been retrieved, it seemed, by Minfilia or one of her colleagues. She held it now, almost caressing it like a relic — almost clinging to it like a lifeline — 

Minfilia’s hands were trembling. It did not look like she had noticed. 

She extended an arm behind her to set the Archon’s fabled staff on the desk. She kept her gaze fixed on the three adventurers who had entered the solar; she fumbled twice before she managed to set it down gently. With slow, hesitant steps, she walked towards the newcomers.

In a different time, five years past, Minfilia walked towards the newcomers confidently to greet them.

“Ah, but I seem to have forgotten my courtesies. We have not been properly introduced.” She bowed. “My name is Minfilia, acting Antecedent for the Path of the Twelve. I pray that together we can learn more of this gift, this ‘Echo’... for though we have scoured the realm for nigh on ten years, I fear there is still little we understand.” Minfilia scanned the paper in her hand and nodded. “If you three wish to form a travel party together, you are more than welcome to do so.”

Theay each had their reasons for joining the Path of the Twelve. Lleidspaer gave a stiff bow but explained no further. Vivimani laughed amicably and suggested they get to know one another down at the Quicksand. Nia’a stayed silent, tail twitching anxiously. It was the first time he’d left the Twelveswood, and he was only here because he knew it would be important, he admitted eventually over a meat miq’abob. Lleidspaer downed her ale in the Lominsan fashion before explaining that her mother lived not far from Ul’dah, so she knew her way around fairly well. Vivimani was a local, though, and he could show them all the temples, gambling halls, vaults, prisons, restaurants, burial chambers, and arenas around the city.

Months passed. Lleidspaer led a charge against the Garleans to avenge her mother, and would have died rather than retreat had Vivimani not frozen her in place, apologizing the whole time. 

Months passed. Nia’a was shot in the shoulder with a poisoned arrow, and explained through the pain to Lleidspaer and Vivimani how to differentiate the poison used and concoct the antidote. 

Months passed. The Raven injured Vivimani, almost beyond the point of saving; and Nia’a almost seemed to stop time itself to keep him tethered to life, fishing out the shrapnel and leaving not a scar. 

Months passed. By the time Carteneau’s fall was imminent, they wore the colors of their Grand Companies with pride. Lleidspaer was their shield, Vivimani their fire, Nia’a their health. They were family.

They stopped by the Path of the Twelve one last time before setting out. Minfilia looked haggard — understandably so. Sleeping was far from easy when the end was nigh.

But there was nothing to do but push onward.

Lleidspaer gave her a firm handshake. Nia’a gave her a rather teary hug. Vivimani refused to give a parting gesture, as that would invite bad luck; no, it was better to simply wave goodbye with a simple, “See you tomorrow!”

And as Minfilia went to pray to the Twelve, they knew in her heart that she would not see them tomorrow. They shared one look with each other and did not know if they would see the dawn. But they went off to Carteneau anyway.

And now, they met each other's eyes in the solar of the Waking Sands — eyes that now filled with their own tears unshed over five long years —

They had gone off to Carteneau knowing it could be their end, and trusting in each other the whole time. But it wasn't their end — yes, they had spent the past five years festering in the wreckage of their last battle together, but they had lived. They had made it out, they had taken the next step; they had come to Vesper Bay; they had agreed to meet with Minfilia —

They remembered.

They remembered.

And when Minfilia finally made it to the front of the room to greet the trio and opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. She swallowed and tried again. Her voice came out almost as a whisper, joy and relief and hope streaming down her face, dampening her shirt and splashing into the stone at her feet.

“Welcome home.”

* * *

This chunk of text is the most likely to change between now and the final version, because I haven't done a ton of editing to it yet (I wanted this to be a surprise even to my usual beta reader) and because it took me hours of research into FFXIV 1.0 to write even this. There's bound to be inaccuracies that I'll only stumble across later.

I actually wrote more for this section than for any of the other preview scenes — just over 2k words — and I thought about making this preview the full chapter. But I decided against it: this tumblr post isn't the place for it. I'm not going to neuter the 2024 End-of-Year Special finale by adding in all the context and exposition and buildup. It wouldn't be as poignant.

But for now, you get to see EXACTLY how Lleidspaer, Nia'a, and Vivimani manage to Go Home Again.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I want to finish the fic in 2025 if possible, but that would require me to write at a pace faster than one chapter every two weeks, so who knows if it'll happen or not! But we will see! :D

[crystal-va]

If each of your sanses were food, what would each one be?

Uh...

Hm... Interesting question...

Images are low quality, because screenshot :/

Format: [Food}; [Reason(s)]

First: DealMaker

Deviled Kidneys; 1. The name kinda fits, and 2. apparently it's one of the statistically worst foods

Second: Disturbed

Week old leftovers; depressing

Third: Pyromaniac

Phaal Curry; it's considered one of, if not the hottest dish semi-commonly served in restaurants

Fourth: Disrupter

Almas Caviar; It's extremely expensive and basically reserved for extremely fine dining

Fifth: Mercenary

Swiss Cheese; Hole

Sixth: Worshiped

Fugu; Basically a gamble on if you'll die or not :/

(Fugu is extremely poisonous if prepared incorrectly, which is extremely easy to accidently do. Some chefs literally need decades of practice to be able to legally serve it)

(Oh- and it's largely illegal is the U.S)

Seventh: Worshiper

Idk, fuckn... instant ramen? ...ye, instant ramen works

Eighth: Rootkits

String Cheese; Idk, it just fits for some reason...

Ninth: Neuro

Durian; Repulsive to most, but a delicacy for some

Tenth: VoidFell

Kimchi; Kimchi is a pretty "tangy" food, and I think a tangy flavor fits VF

[charlesandmiranda]

Osaka 2/7 - 2/9 Tattoo, Dotonbori, Denden Town and Amerikamura

After we left USJ on 2/6, we continued into Osaka proper, which is where we spent the next few days!

A big reason we wanted to visit Osaka was mainly because of its appearance in the Yakuza game series, which Charles really really enjoys. There is an area called Dotonbori, called Sotenbori in the game, and Charles wanted to see it in person. (Here's a cool video we found of a youtuber comparing the game to the real location!)He was especially hyped for it because the newest Yakuza game just came out -- I'm sure as soon as we return, playing it will be one of the first things he does, haha.

Dotonbori is, similar to Kabukicho in Tokyo, an entertainment and nightlife district. However, a thing we noticed pretty early, while Kabukicho is essentially 24 hours and it's easy to see people turning in for the night when others are going to work, Dotonbori closes early. By 10 or 11, most restaurants are closed. The area is famous for a few food, specifically takoyaki and fugu (blowfish). Blowfish is toxic, as in, it will kill you if the chef cuts the lungs when tearing it down. The license for serving fugu is required for any chef serving it, and a few people a year get very sick or die from eating it at home. The area has a lot of large displays of crab, takoyaki, and other fish that are brightly lit and cool to see in person.

We spent a lot of time during our stay in Osaka wandering the Dotonbori and exploring, there are simply tons and tons of bars and restaurants there. Just walking up and down, and trying a lot of street food, was definitely a highlight, and in general represents a good amount of what we did. In some of the photos below, we tried wagyu skewers, candied strawberries, and a lot of kushikatsu, similar to tempura but uses a different batter. It may be the winner of our favorite foods we have had this trip.

On 2/7 at 1pm, Charles had a tattoo appointment at the studio Invasion Club. Headed by tattoo artist Hori Benny, Invasion Club is also kind of a fashion/lifestyle brand, with clothes and art drawn by Hori as recognizable as his tattoos. I was actually pretty aware of his art for a while, especially through instagram and looking at tattoo art online, so when Charles said he had gotten an appointment with Invasion Club, I was SHOOK. He has gotten very popular for tattooing sexy anime girls, which makes having him doing something from a 1980s food manga kind of fun.

The shop was cool, and Hori spent a few hours hanging out, talking to us, and redoing the design before doing the tattoo itself. The appointment, with hanging out, took about five or six hours. He was an incredibly friendly guy, and his work was exceptional.

After the tattoo, and most of the next day 2/8, we wandered around Osaka's Electric Town (aka Den Den town, taken from the kanji 電, pronounced "den", which means electricity) which is Osaka's equivalent to Akihabara, which we visited earlier in this trip. They're both areas heavily focused on things related to geek culture. I would say we actually had a waaaayyy better time in Den Den Town then we did in Akihabara. There was way more cool old collectible stuff to look at, and the shops were less picked over. We did a little shopping here, as well as along the main Dotonbori area.

The tattoo that Charles got is a panel from a manga called Oishinbo. It is about a group of newspaper writers that are trying to create a menu of the perfect meal. The couple in the series eventually get married, and there is a part of the story about takoyaki that includes a real shop in Osaka that invented it. We visited that shop. The experience was very unexpected, but delicious. Takoyaki is a savory pancake like batter with a large piece of octopus in the center. Most places include a sauce, mayo, green onion, fish flakes, and sometimes other toppings. The original shop includes no sauces or toppings, but instead puts dashi, a savory fish based soup stock, in the center. It was much more mild than expected, but we had two orders and Miranda, who generally isn't a fan of takoyaki, had several, so it was something worth eating.

From this point, we kind of had to make a decision. We left our plans at this point pretty loose, because we wanted a little flexibility in the trip; aside from meeting back up with our friend Penko in Tokyo on 2/11, where we'll spend the last few days before flying back out, we have very little set in stone on our schedule. That includes not strictly having a place to stay, either. We decided we would really like one more afternoon in Osaka, before heading to Kyoto, so we found an inexpensive hotel for 2/8 where we stayed for the night, and 2/9 we finished exploring the area some more.

In our wanderings 2/8 and into the afternoon of 2/9, we kind of accidentally wandered into an area called Amerikamura. There are a couple of theories of how it got its name, but one thing we noticed was that it's CHOCK FULL of vintage clothing stores. A lot of the clothing appears to actually be imported vintage clothing from the US which was pretty wild to see. It's a super trendy area, and we definitely did some people-watching, taking in the street wear fashion. It's actually been really interesting to see how fashion varies from city to city; I know this may sound silly or obvious but there really is a different "flavor" from one place to the next. Tokyo and Osaka definitely have distinctly different identities, and even areas within these large cities can feel totally different from street to street and neighborhood to neighborhood.

We brought a dozen or so Ninth Realm CDs to drop off at shops while we are here. We shipped some CDs to a well known shop in Osaka a few months ago and they sold out, but the shop is a fair distance from Dotonbori and we didn't make time to stop in, so we tried other places. I first stopped at a punk shop, but they said their customers aren't into metal and recommended another two shops. The first shop took a few CDs on consignment, but recommended we go to the larger shop. They were very friendly, listened to the album, and said "I will take all of them." When I told him I only had about ten left, he said "I will need more, these will sell in a few days." Hopefully we can ship more.

One of the very last things we did before we left for Kyoto was to visit a very sweet cat cafe, Cat Cafe Cat Tail! They had an exceptionally cute group of cats, but I think Charles and I each found a favorite, or maybe were chosen. There is a cat named Kurumi that must be.....a bit of a handful. No joke, there were signs all over that Kurumi hated to be petted on her body, she only liked petted on her head and neck, and she would scratch and bite if you petted her anywhere else. With some gentle encouragement from the store owner, she actually climbed into my lap and napped there almost the entire hour we visited; I barely got to say hi to any of the other cats, haha. And Charles instantly fell in love with a cat named Potato. He currently was wearing a cone due to an eye injury / something wrong with his eye, and also he is one of those like....smushed face cats, so he has all the same breathing issues like a pug does? Charles was DEEPLY MOVED by Potato to say the least.

After the cat cafe, we got a quick bite to eat and hopped the train to Kyoto, where we're writing from now! We'll keep you all updated soon, thanks for keeping up with us on this crazy trip!

[kreuzfahrttester]

Mein Schiff Relax: Ein neuer Einblick in die Highlights & Updates der neuen Schiffsklasse

Die Mein Schiff Flotte von TUI Cruises setzt immer wieder neue Maßstäbe im Bereich des Luxusreisens auf See. Mit der Einführung der Mein Schiff Relax bringt die Reederei frische Innovationen und stylisches Design auf die Ozeane. Im neuesten Video nimmt uns Anna Wiebke, Newbuild Project Lead – Design, auf eine exklusive Tour durch das Schiff und zeigt uns die atemberaubenden Neuerungen, die es zu…

[carmenized-onions]

Okay so I loved the last chapter (I was speechless)

The one before this I'd vented in the comments but now I'm like okay fine I'll do it is your asks AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Black turtleneck, blue pants— To match the stupid fucking Executive Chef’s eyes, or whatever, shut up! The pants are not actually that bright, but you think they’d still pair well with Carmen.

SO CUTE I MEAN 😭

Yeah, fuck it, hard launch this situationship. You toss it over your shoulders. Okay, okay, one last last final fit check. Hm. Yeah, you’ve definitely gotta put the necklace away. You kiss the plastic pendant for good luck, before tucking it under your shirt. Not ready for that story, just yet. You will be, eventually. But you certainly don’t want Carmen to notice and ask about it. Soon, though. You will, soon.

AHHHHYH (CAUSE JACKET) AHHHHHHHH (PENDANT)

Alright, you know it’s not the shoes you’re worried about. Just get out the door, Chip. It’s gonna be fine, Chip. Dinner’s gonna be good, and normal, actually, because two people having their first real one-on-one conversation after their mutual best friend killed himself just under a year ago is historically always super calm and chill and normal, actually. That’s how that works. It’s not gonna be tense, at all.

Not tense at all :)

Syd puts a hand over her mouth, heavy exhale of laughter still escaping through her nose. Schadenfreude.

Okay I laughed for two reasons

1. I love Syd

2. She voices Envy in inside out and they were going to add a character named Schadenfreude who was going to have a German accent and chuckle (of course you know the meaning so I won't explain why chuckle lol)

“Don’t talk about your sex life like it’s a restaurant.” He waves his hand in the air, immediately regretting asking. Listen, it was just the first metaphor on the brain.

RICHIE ITS FUNNY YOU ASKED

Doesn’t make you a fan of the slicked-back hair look, though. That’s what made you yell— Like when a dog or a baby doesn’t recognize their parent. Like when Mikey shaved for the first time after you met him, and you considered him completely unrecognizable. You practically ignored him until some stubble came in. What did he expect?

Good. Mikey with beard >>>>>

Ew slicked back hair

You also just don’t like it. Clean-Shaved Mikey nor Hair-Gel Carmen. The pomade is overpowering your shampoo, and now he doesn’t smell like you. Doesn’t smell like him. His curls are all gone— Man, his pattern was just starting to revive, too. He looks just too clean, too cookie-cutter, too… Someone else. He just doesn’t look like— “No, Bear, you look good— I just— You look— Don’t look like the Carmy I’m used to, is all.”

He doesn't smell like you was so AHHHHGG

Doesn't look like "my carmy"😭

Who are you to tell him what he looks like? You don’t know why, but the energy today is just making you feel like… You’re intruding, you’re stepping in on a space that has nothing to do with you, but that couldn’t be further from the truth, right?

I WAS SO SCARED

“You’re certainly trying—” “You’re fucking this up tremendously.” At least Richie is honest, and usually you are too, but, when it comes to a trainwreck, you’ve gotta tell the train they’re doing a great job. You just can’t bear to let it know it’s on fire.

Yes you do 😭💀😂

When your glass of water starts to overflow, you take the pitcher from Fak’s hand so he can’t keep overpouring it in his fugue state. Jesus Christ, what happened in the kitchen? Who died? Actually, probably don’t joke about that.

Mikey.

Richie looks to you, letting you make the call, here. You look at him and sigh, your plan has been utterly ruined, your speech— Dashed. He adds. “Intermission?”

This is sweet

Carmen stops short of his aggression, when he sees you. You can’t tell if you like that. You’re pretty sure you don’t. What’s that stupid idiom? Mean to the world, good to your girl? Don’t like that. Don’t like two faces. Don’t like the shade on the old sandwiches— Mikey’s sandwiches, either.

I hate the mean to the world good to your girl thing like you can't ever tell who the person is

“Oh.” You take a beat, then remember this is what your job is, “Oh!” You feel around the pockets of your pants. Should’ve expected to bring a screwdriver, at the very least, it’s The Bear. Get with the program. The tools are in your car, to be fair, but for a quick simple check-up—

ITS THE BEAR CARRY A SCREWDRIVER SHIT IS ALWAYS BROKEN 😂

Jealous, is he? Oh, that’s cute. That’s very cute. He’s the one that said he wanted to host— Whatever, no time to tease or bicker, you’re pulling the oven out, trying to lift as much as possible with Syd’s help, to keep from scrapping tile, but it’s inevitable.

I laughed so fucking hard

“I already know what’s wrong with the oven.” You pull out your wallet, flitting through the bill fold with your fingers— You keep band-aids there, in case of emergency, because of course you do. Syd tries to tug her hand away, again. Her blood is rubbing onto your fingers. It’s not a big cut, but it’s enough. You can’t help remember the ye old days of you as teens, hearing about the concept of blood brothers for the first time, and genuinely considering going through with it. Funny what time does. Funny who it brings back.

Microwave expert Tony

“The Miles Morales feels racially targeted.”

I love Syd

“Love you, Inky.” Oh my God. Chippy’s a flashback, Inky is like a history textbook.

This is so so cute

“Love ya, Squid.”

I need a back story!!!!

You should put oven expert on your business cards, when you eventually get to making new business cards. This is like, the third oven fix you’ve done in two weeks? And you just changed a thermocouple a few days ago! It takes you maybe five minutes tops, to switch the old wire for the good one.

GO TONY EXPERT

When you push the stove back against the wall and test the burners— It works, thank God. You might’ve hyped yourself up a little too much before even checking that. Once you do, though, before even saying it’s fixed, Syd violently shakes your left shoulder, as a point of approval. Tina, on your right, slaps you on the back several times as her vow of praise, too. This is like riding a roller-coaster, and not in a good way.  

PRIDE

You nod back, happy. You don’t wait for him to change his mind. You take one quick overview of their wine rack, noting what they do and don’t have, and then you’re off, out the door, to the front of house, to a warzone.

I love this so much (I probably had more thoughts as to why I copied this bit but I think I've forgotten the aggression)

The motherfucker at Booth Twelve sticks out like a sore thumb. There’s something about the aura he radiates, that tells you immediately that it’s him, despite not knowing his face or name. Bet it’s fucking Tony, somehow.

LMAO

He’s doing his best to peer into the kitchen window without being obvious about it, which, he’s currently failing at that. Richie sat his party in a good booth, it’s just the worst booth for a good view of the kitchen. Smart. This guy is an asshole, and it’s clear from his stupid equally punchable looking friends, that he’s doing all of this on purpose.

LOVE RICHIE

The big party, unexpected. The him, unexpected. The asking for a wine menu. He wants you all off guard, he wants Carmen off-guard, he wants Carmen’s breath to hitch, he wants Carmen to sweat, and most importantly, he wants to watch.

No but fr what an asshole

You stand in front of his view, on purpose. “Hi, pleasure to serve you lovely people tonight, I’m—” No shot you’re giving this guy your real name. “—Jack, I’m your sommelier. I heard you wanted to look over a wine menu?”

The Tony to Jack pipeline is real

“Well, actually, we don’t carry a wine menu because we at The Bear believe in a personally curated dining experience.” You don’t miss a beat, you don’t hitch, he hates this and you can tell. “I like to think that I’m your wine menu, flip through me at your leisure.”

THATS SUCH A LINE

Your eyes crinkle, as you do an expert customer service smile. This stupid fucking table laughs at the lukewarm joke, he just smirks, because rich men don’t have time for laughter. So, their cronies do it for them.

I love tony

Oh, that’s the one Carmen made for you, weeks back, you know that one. “Ah, one of my personal favourites. I’d recommend a young Pinot Grigio, maybe a 2006 Gravner?” How the fuck did you remember that? Doesn’t matter. What matters is this motherfucker is not getting under your skin.

YES GO TONY

“We have a fantastic Barolo Brunate to pair with that, Giuseppe Rinaldi 2019.” You have no idea if it’s fantastic. Who fucking cares. It’s expensive, you know that much. You only bothered to review the top rack.

YES AGAIN MAKE THE ASSHOLES SPEND

It does not end there. No, why would it? No, he and his compatriots go about naming every single fucking thing on the menu, asking you to pair it. And not to toot your own horn too much, but this is, really, the one job you feel the most trained to do. All those games with Syd, all those men at Eden’s, all the parts and tools and forty different types of wrenches you have to keep track of and memorized as a repairman— Your brain is trained for this. This isn’t easy for you, sure— But you are maybe more equipped for this than any other person you could possibly think of. Good think you don’t have to think of people, you have to think of wines.

I LOVE HER

But seriously the level of asshole

“I want him dead.”

Truth (let's kill him)

He daps you up, it is difficult to hide your pride. “That’s my fuckin’ Chippy!”

YES MAKE RICH ASSHOLES SPEND MONEY

“You didn’t see it?!” Carmen’s always liked it, when the two of you speak in unison. Carmen hates it, when you and Richie speak in unison. “You’d love it, Carm.”

JELLY

Despite the fact that both of you are just as nice as the other… This fucking guy is absolutely giving Richie more attitude, in comparison to you. You have a feeling the only reason he didn’t shut you down earlier with the menu is because you’re a hostess. Yeuch. Gross man senses are tingling, but maybe it’s just you.

Ew

Richie whispers to you, when you’re walking back to the kitchen, “He’s a fuckin’ creep, eh?”

Yikes 😭😭😭😭 men noticing it

You open the card, flitting vision between the dish, the note, and Carmen. Digesting the recipe he’s written for you and your eyes, only. He knew he wouldn’t have time to explain it verbally, so he wrote it down for you. You could throw up, honestly.

I could cry honestly (I was puking my guts out the night I read this)

…Did you just think love?

NO STOP

You already made your decision, when you saw the plate. When you read the note. When you saw the frantic scribbles at Carmen’s station, loose pieces of paper everywhere, all crumpled. He can’t come up with shit for the man in his head. You already made your decision, when the four other plates showed up on expo for his table, and all that’s left is the surprise dish, for The Man.

I cried so hard PLEASE NO TONY

You will not be eating the most perfect, most complex, most personal, most thoughtful thing anyone has ever made for you. The man out front, the man in Carmen’s head, will.

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Syd was, though. She looks like a puppy watching another puppy get kicked. You swallow the feeling down, ignoring her stare. You don’t need to reread the card, it’ll stick in your head, for the rest of your life.

Plus she's got those big eyes so I bet she looks like a puppy 😭

“Lamb saddle, roasted, pink. Aigre-doux eggplant, means sour sweet sauce, with lamb confit, fresh spring garlic, Montmorency sauce— It’s a dark red cherry sauce, topped with cherries and baby basil.”

😭😭😭😭

You wouldn’t know any of the French terms, if they weren’t defined for you in the margins. There’s a parenthetical, next to the lamb— Mentioning that it’s roasted, explaining why saddle is a superior cut of lamb, noting why it’s best served pink— Mentioning that it’s similar to pork. Your favourite. There’re exclamation points next to the cherry additions, because it’s your favourite Italian ice flavour. They need to be emphasized, in the recipe. There’s another parenthetical, next to baby basil, ‘(yours)’. It’s your basil, from your balcony to his, now to his kitchen, now to your plate.

I COULD SOB REALLY

THE BASIL THE CARE

But he is. It hurts, because he is. Carmen is still under him, and so, you, being by his side, are under him too. You know you made the right call, giving the plate up, but the meaning behind it all hurts insurmountably.

😭

“Heard, Chef?” The crowd is confused but they’re not gonna stop you.

I laughed so fucking hard

Syd eyes you, on the sidelines, perplexed. You shrug, “You and Carmen are not the first people that tried to get this fuckin’ kitchen in order, check yourself.”

😂💀

You didn’t do all the French bullshit, but some days at The Beef definitely ran better when they had a former Lead EMT barking at them— With love, though. Always with love. Syd just laughs, shaking her head. It’s a delight, to always be learning new things about you. How overarching your handful of talents are. You really are a Jack of All Trades.

AWESOME

“Just, just kinda… Made fun ‘a—” Richie pauses, clearing his throat. “He made fun of my voice. To his fuckin’ friends. Called me unprofessional, said the suit’s prol— Probably a knock-off— Which, it is, but—”

DON'T BE MEAN TO RICHIE YOU'LL CATCH THESE HANDS

“I’ve been reading her Frog and Toad, almost every night, by the way, Mickey loves it.”

UM??????????

But there’s a handful of film photos with the two of you— Just the two of you— Richie’s in one or two, but it’s mostly just you and Michael. His arm, over your shoulder, in again, most of them. Mikey looks non-plussed in half of them. You’re always holding some sort of cupcake or cake, in all of them, and there’s always a numbered candle, being blown out. There’re a couple different times there’s a One candle, a few Twos, only one Three.

EXPLAIN

Carmen is going to fucking throw up. Why are there multiple ones? One week-iversary? One month-iversary? He has never imagined his brother to be some fucking sap sentimentalist, and it’s making his skin crawl. You dated his fucking brother? He is just a fucking gap filler, he is.

NO NO NO NO NO

I dont believe they dated at all

Max they kissed and it was one of those ewwww type kisses like kissed sure but there were no feelings so laughing it off and continuing to be best friends

You fucking trusted him with your credit score— You loved Mikey enough to ruin your life— You wanted to go under together. That’s what you fucking wrote, isn’t it?

Omg😭

I love mikey so much

Every fear Carmen ever had is more than affirmed. He is here to fill a void, he’s here because his brother isn’t. He is nothing but a series of stories his brother has told you, to you. Nothing but another Berzatto man that you desperately try to rehabilitate and fix and inevitably fail with, because they’re all fucking hopeless, before moving onto the next.

NO NO CARMY NO

Oh, so it’s a fucking Beef thing, too? That’s so fucking cute. It’s so cute, how you’re everywhere, in everything. It’s so goddamn tender how he finds you carved into tables, finds you in filing cabinets, finds you under his booths, finds you in his walk-in, finds you in his shower caddy each morning, finds you on his balcony in a plant pot, finds you in his fridge in a spray bottle, finds you with Syd, finds you with Richie, finds you with Tina, Marcus, Jimmy, Mikey.

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Carmen Berzatto doesn't need anyone to ruin his own life except for him. He'll prove it.

CARMY NO WDYM

I do love this--- I will say, i promise I will always remember the context LMAO you don't have to copy the whole paragraph, but it's cute, i just feel bad clogging people's feeds AH

Thank you for being made speechless.

Always love making Tony's fits. Base them on my own, half the time. Turtleneck + palazzo goes HARD dude. Also his eyes or wtv.

Secretpendantsecretpendantsecretpendant

not tense at all.

I did completely forget Ayo voices Envy, but that is very fun in retrospect. Is that movie out yet? Cried like a motherfucker watching the first inside out, if they let me down i'll sue pixar

IF YOU ASK YOU GET AN ANSWER RICHIE!!

Genuinely, watching the S3 trailer and seeing Mikey no Beard just made him fully just Jon Bernthal to me and not the character he's portraying and I went WHAT THE FUCK IS JON BERNTHAL DOING HERE?

Slick back sucks. Burn it. I've gelled my hair back before, it just don't feel good. don't smell good neither DONT SMELL LIKE YOU!! dont look like her carmy!!

I do not think Claire is a great character for Carmen in the first place, but I also do think the way he acts like a completely different fucking person around his partner was SUCH a sign that that shit was not gonna work. NO FAKERS CARM!!!

I said before, I'll say it again, Fak, where are you. Mil for Mil this time bro. SQUARE UP!!!!

.....Microwave? let me make fun of you let me do it it's only fair i'm sorry

Can you tell me they WEREN'T targeted band-aids? Yes I know it's hard to see through the parchment, what's that got to do with anything.

The Squid/Ink backstory is so boring I promise it's essentially the same back story as me and my real life Cyd. You'll see.

Just yelling pride during pride month for the Syd Tina Tony moment did make me think you were decreeing all of them gay. And you know what. Why not.

I would like to state for the record, it's more like Jack to Tony-- Jack's the first nickname she was ever given. It's honestly more like Jack to Inky to Chip to Tony pipeline.... no one cares about this---

I'm glad the lines I intentionally write to be like mid like the flip through me still come off as very cool. Thats nice.

But yes yes yes, tony's a good egg when it comes to biting her tongue around these mfs

If Carmen just saw ratatouille he wouldnt need to be jealous frfr

gross man just dropped! GET HIM!!!

SORRY, YOU DON'T WANT ME TO SAY LOVE IN A ROMANTIC FIC? No problem. Let me just take it out for ya,,,, Ya want a pizza with nothin!!!

I wonder if anyone cried in the literal tears sense, reading this chapter. I don't think I got all the way there, yet. I don't know if that dog is in me or my writing. Though I try.

Syd's got probably the most shattering puppy dog eyes frfr. So much care in that dish. AGAIN THANK YOU LE PAVILLION I STOLE IT FROM THEM

AND THE CROWD GOES CONFUSED!!! But really Tony is a fixer and an emt, I can only imagine how much watching the way Mikey led stressed her the FUCK out she had to take a shift

I DIDN'T DO SHIT TO RICHIE THE GUY DID I JUST WROTE IT MAN OKAY

I will clarify: Frog and Toad, fully Nat saying that in the background. I simply did not make that clear enough apparently lmao.

I will also not explain any of the other stuff, though. TOUGH! (soon though, soon)

GIRL WHAT THE FUCK YOU THINK HE MEANS HE'S GONNA NUKE US ALL !!!!!

thank you for enjoying the chapter <3

[prfm-multiverse]

Monster Hunter Now x Ayase Collaboration Special Interview 2024.08.22

Ayase talking about his relationship with Yasutaka Nakata with them actually meeting quite often before. Nakata inviting him to a Fugu (Blowfish) restaurant to think together about which direction their collaboration song for Monster Hunter Now could go.

Their collaboration song "From Now" will be released on September 6, 2024 on various subscription services.

[sterekchub]

Thoughts on chubby!Lydia stress estoy through college and subsequently blowing up rather spectacularly? Or even lydia taking to eating to quiet the banshee fugue state? Maybe feeder stiles or derek involved as well?

So, so many thoughts. I love Lydia and chubby Lydia is so rare to find. It makes sense that when she heads to college and leaves high school, most of her stress stays behind in Beacon Hills. There's no need to keep up the perfect girl routine, and age and time and constant death threats have probably changed her life view to "life is short...eat the cake." I can see her and Stiles going to the same colleges. Ivy League with scholarships, in quaint little New England towns with their fair share of ghosts, but most important, restaurants every corner and all within easy walking distance. Lydia actually enjoys herself. After everything she's gone through? A few organic chemistry classes are nothing. But the nightmares stay. Lydia spends a lot of time in late night dinners or in the 24/7 cafe on campus by the library. Reading, or keeping Stiles company as he's also up, indulging in a ridiculous amount of pastries and "so many calories they might as well be a milkshake" coffees. And there are the bad nights. Maybe when a hazing goes wrong, or when some of the seniors are stupid and drunk and Lydia wakes up screaming as the car crashes into a pole. But the feedings help. Stiles rubbing her belly and feeding her until she her stomach is heavy and she feels too full to think about death or her screaming, and all she can sense is how achingly full and lust-filled she is.

Lydia is too smart and too self-aware to deny it's a thing. Is matter-of-fact about it all, tells Stiles "we're going into town because everything I bought is getting too snug again." or "I'm getting too fat for these dresses" and they grab pancakes at an off campus diner and then the shops nearby. Lydia may not be as vain s she was in high-school, but she's not going to any efforts to hide her gains. Tight skirts, dresses that show off her growing belly and curves, crop top shirts with her love handles peeking out the side... (And I can see Derek also coming into the fold...bc I also love Stiles/Derek/feedee!Lydia. Maybe they call him when they realize something supernatural is brewing and he drives non-stop across the country to help them. Or Stiles and Lydia coming back one summer as an item, and find that Derek is...less than thriving. Has a job, is working to keep the occasional supernatural threats at bay, but he looks tired and thin and lonely. Derek needs a pack. So they make up a reason for him to come to campus with them. Encourage him to take a few classes, finish the degree he never completed when he and Laura were in New York. And it's not terribly long before they've pull him into their relationship - and before Lydia is pushing towards 350lbs with two very eager feeders in her bed.)

[aikoiya]

LoZ - Becoming a Toxin Master or Mistress

There used to be an order of Sheikah Warriors that were known as Dokuso Shokushei (毒素職精, from the Japanese concept of Shokunin, 職人), or Toxin Masters/Mistresses. The creation & use of toxins is known as Dokusojutsu (毒素術, or toxin method) or simply Dokujutsu (毒術, poison method) & those who practice Dokujutsu, but aren't masters yet are known as Dokushei (毒精).

The profession generally revolves around the identification, nullification, & creation of toxins, whether for the purpose of helping or hurting. This can also include the creation of medicines, which gives Dokushei a degree of experience in healing & quite a lot of knowledge in pharmacology & alchemy. In this way, Dokushei tend to study what amounts of toxicology & toxinology, as well as herbalism & even pharmacognosy.

In order to become a Toxin Master, a Sheikah is expected to first master something known as toxin immunization training. This is where a Sheikah will slowly consume small amounts of toxic substances in order to build up a tolerance, & eventually, an immunity to them.

As a Dokushei achieves each step in their training, they are given a part of a complete tattoo & upon reaching the final stages of the training, then showing this tattoo to master sushi chefs specifically trained in how to prepare these dishes, known as Doku-Itamae (毒板前), in Kakariko will allow one to be served special dishes only available to Toxin Masters. (Regular Itamae being the traditional idea of a master sushi chef or master regular chef.) Such as Venin Pufferfish (Doku-Fugu, 毒フグ) & even some frogs & snakes.

Seriously though, it is illegal for someone who isn't a registered Doku-Itamae to even be in possession of Vinen Puffers. You can't even get it to-go! Like, you have to eat it right there at the restaurant in full view of a Sheikah Warrior (who know how to spot sleight-of-hand), in order to make sure that the possibly deadly food does not leave the restaurant & possibly kill someone.

Anyway, in order to become a registered Doku-Itamae, you have to be able to consistenty remove the most poisonous parts of a fish without a single mistake, over 100 times in a row. You also have to renew your license to prepare these fish every year by doing it again.

Those who manage to eat them & survive, though, say that they're absolutely scrumptious.

And Venin Pufferfish Liver (Doku-Fugu-Kimo, 毒フグ肝), while the tastiest part of the fish, is also the most poisonous.

Interestingly, being a Toxin Master does not mean that you won't go through symptoms. It just means that you'll survive the Fugu-Kimo without need for immediate medical attention. If you want to get to a point where you are completely unaffected by Fugu-Kimo, then that's on you. Though no one has managed to reach that level of immunization as of yet.

Moving on, in order to even qualify as a Doku-Itamae, you need to be both an ordinary Itamae, as well as a Toxin Master to begin with.

So, it's a very seriously deep cultural thing for the Sheikah.

On the other hand, you are not allowed to eat Fugu-Kimo until you've become a full-fledged Toxin Master & thus reached full mastery of immunization training & received the final part of the tattoo.

The reason being that Fugu is one of the most toxic fish on earth & while it can be prepared in such a way that it can be eaten by anyone, it is an extremely difficult technique & even one wrong move could kill someone.

So, to prevent untimely demises, only certain people are allowed to eat it & even then, they are expected to sign a waiver beforehand.

At the same time, when Toxin Masters eat such deadly food & manage to overcome the poisons on their own, it causes a sort of high. It's not hallucinogenic or addictive or anything, more so just something that makes you feel really damn good. Like, an instant shot of super serotonin.

Though, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that part of the high could be produced from a sense of accomplishment. However, that isn't the primary source.

However, these foods are also expensive & it's strictly regulated to the point where you can only, legally, have one serving of Doku-Fugu-Kimo every half a year.

At the same time, the fact of the matter is that most Sheikah don't typically ever become very rich, so the reality ends up being that eating Doku-Fugu-Kimo is literally a once in a lifetime sort of treat.

You can usually get regular Doku-Fugu Sashimi at a far more manageable price than Doku-Fugu-Kimo. However, that's partially because regular Doku-Fugu, especially when prepared properly, is much less deadly than its Kimo.

This is NOT supposed to be an everyday thing in any respects. You also have to make a reservation ahead of time so that the Doku-Itamae can get his hands on the main ingredient as, due to so few being allowed to have it & so infrequently, there's really no need to keep stocked.

And, as mentioned before, you're also required to sign a waver acknowledging that you do understand that the fish are highly toxic. That way, if you do die because of it, it's officially classified as suicide.

There are exceptions for if evidence comes up showing that the poisoning was intentional on the chef's part, but other than that, the chef gets a pass.

If the consumer didn't practice their due diligence in making sure they retained the required level of immunity, then it isn't the chef's responsibility. They aren't the costumer's parent.

Lynelfish (Raineryūgo, 雷練笠子), despite being the literal deadliest fish in Hyrule (even more so than Fugu), actually aren't that hard to prepare so long as you're careful as they're venomous &, as such, are only toxic if you're pricked with one of their quills, which are easy enough to remove. What makes them so expensive is the means by which you have to catch them.

You can't bait or hook them & you sure as hell can't catch them with your bare hands, thus leaving the only means of catching them being spearfishing, which takes a lot of skill to do. As such, it's impossible to catch a lot of them quckly.

Their meat is also delectable when seasoned correctly. As a result, these fish are actually okay for a beginner-level Doku-Itamae to prepare & can even be served to regular civilians without worry. And chefs can even keep a small stock of them.

However, due to the means by which they have to be caught, they tend to get sold out quickly.

This allows them to be a decently fancy menu item that let's Doku-Itamae keep their skills sharp.

Using Lynelfish as an Itamae is all about focusing on it's flaky meat & naturally mild, slightly buttery flavor. So, the enjoyment is mostly in the subtlty of the meat.

However, if you're looking for a more flavorful use for the meat, you should think about Lurelin or Eventide, where they really know how to season the meat to the fullest & Lynelfish meat just all-around takes to being seasoned very well.

---

Anyway, the Toxin Master Tattoo is commonly placed on the bicep, so that it's easiest to reveal, while still being easy to keep hidden.

This is what the tattoo looks like in full:

That's what the Vicious Sickle (Kubigari Kama, Decapitator Sickle, 首刈り鎌) & Demon Carver (Oni-hori Enkama, Demon-Carving Circular-Sickle, 鬼彫り円鎌) were originally supposed to represent: levels of mastery in toxin crafting. Vicious Sickles were for intermediate-level toxin crafters, while 2 Vicious Sickles were a sign of being at an advanced level. - I just didn't care much for Kubigari Gatana (首刈り刀, Decapitator) or Oni Enba (鬼円刃, Ogre Circular-Blade).

Though, the Sheikah never made any Demon Carvers. That was all the Yiga's idea.

Anyway, having the handle & one of the curved blade symbols represents being at an intermediate level, while having both, but without the spikes represents being in the advanced stages of training.

You don't get the Mind's Eye symbol in the middle until you've been recognized as a full Toxin Master.

Admittedly, originally, most Yiga were at least training as toxin crafters, however now they just give Demon Carvers to whoever in the Yiga Clan.

(Realistically speaking, Demon Carvers are not actually very practical as legitimate weapons. Which is why there was no actual physical equivalent among the Dokushei ranks originally. Rather, most Dokushei who'd reached the Advanced-level would simply get a 2nd Vicious Sickle. It was the Yiga who brought the Demon Carver into reality. Possibly as a means to suggest that they were the true Dokuso Shokushei... Or Shokuga, I suppose.)

---

Being a Dokushei also comes with a toxin extraction tool kit of sorts.

Extremely useful, whether it be via the harvesting of toxic plants, cutting out venom sacks, removing paralytic quills, or deadly fangs.

---

LoZ Cultural Masterlist 2

[tipsy3695kiss]

just home and rolling and its 7;45 and get a text from florist i applied to in fugue and he wants to chat rn like... and its also family run and also seems jewish and in rockland centre mall.... nalkdjbfabh. naur i cant closing this chapter of my life conclusively sadly dont think floristry is for me at least in montreal the industry is so human trafficking. i should be more do the interview and reject it type a vibe but ive got every job ive ever interviewed for except one and im lazy and feeble. also shy so im not replying. but feels good also finally hearing back from an employer after applying to 1000 jobs and hearing nothing. and tmo going to anglo neighbourhood and dropping off 100 resumes cuz tbh just want that restaurant life back having all day to spend energies be productive or layabout even on my own time and then go do busy work when retarded is goal

[demonsfate]

❝ The only delicacy I've eaten is fugu. That was back when I lived with Heihachi. He offered some at this fancy restaurant, & I thought . . . I might as well try some. Looking back at it, I wish the chef had intentionally messed it up, & poisoned him. ❞

[voidedgear]

@gravitasfatum

"I don't get it."

This is the first thing Vanitas has said without prompting after the entire week that he's been staying with Braig in Radiant Garden. Really, it was almost like the youth was in some sort of dissociative fugue state since his failed merge with Ven. He'd just accepted whatever Braig had told him to do without complaint.

Which brings us to here. He's sitting across from him at an outdoor restaurant, looking down at the pizza between them. Apparently, Braid had been craving it.

"We have food at home."