#Hotel Painting in San Diego

[commercialpaintingmaintenance]

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Painting Company for Hotel Wall Painting

In today's competitive hospitality industry, creating a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing environment for guests is paramount. One aspect that significantly contributes to the overall ambiance of a hotel is its interior and exterior aesthetics. When it comes to hotel wall painting, many hoteliers may contemplate the idea of hiring a professional painting company. In this article, we will explore the numerous benefits that come with hiring a professional painting company for hotel wall painting, particularly in the context of San Diego.

Introduction

The appearance of a hotel plays a vital role in attracting and retaining guests. Hotel painting is not just about adding a fresh coat of paint; it's about creating an ambiance that complements the overall theme of the property. Let's delve into the benefits of entrusting this task to a professional painting company.

Quality Craftsmanship

Professional painting companies have experienced painters who are skilled in their craft. They possess the knowledge and expertise to deliver flawless and high-quality results. Their attention to detail ensures that every nook and cranny of your hotel's interior and exterior walls is painted to perfection.

Time Efficiency

Time is of the essence in the hotel industry. Professional painters work efficiently to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe. This means minimal disruptions to your hotel's daily operations and a quicker turnaround for your wall painting project.

Cost-Effective Solutions

While it may seem like a cost-saving measure to handle painting in-house, professional painting companies often provide cost-effective solutions. They have access to bulk paint discounts and can advise on the most durable and cost-efficient options for your hotel.

Color Consultation and Expertise

Choosing the right color palette can be a daunting task. Professional painters can provide valuable insights and even offer color consultation services. They know how to select colors that enhance the ambiance and appeal of your hotel.

Enhanced Durability

Professional painters use high-quality paints and techniques that ensure the longevity of the paint job. This means fewer touch-ups and maintenance costs in the long run.

Compliance with Regulations

In San Diego, and many other places, there are regulations and codes that must be adhered to when it comes to painting. Professional painting companies are well-versed in these regulations and will ensure your hotel's painting project complies with all local requirements.

Aesthetically Pleasing Results

Professional painters are artists in their own right. They can transform your hotel's walls into stunning works of art, creating an ambiance that leaves a lasting impression on your guests.

Increased Property Value

One of the significant advantages of hiring a professional Painter in San Diego for your hotel is the potential increase in property value. San Diego's real estate market values well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing properties. By investing in the services of a reputable painting company, you not only enhance your hotel's appearance but also its market value, making it more attractive to potential buyers or investors.

Client Satisfaction

Happy guests are repeat guests. A freshly painted and aesthetically pleasing hotel environment enhances the overall guest experience, leading to higher client satisfaction rates.

Minimal Disruptions

Professional painters are experts in minimizing disruptions during the painting process. They can work during off-peak hours, ensuring that your guests are not inconvenienced.

Professional Equipment and Materials

Professional painting companies come equipped with the latest tools and materials necessary for a flawless paint job. This guarantees a superior finish that stands the test of time.

Environmental Considerations

Many professional painting companies now offer environmentally friendly paint options. This not only reduces the environmental impact but also aligns with the growing demand for eco-conscious accommodations.

Maintenance and Warranty

Most professional painting companies offer warranties for their work. This provides peace of mind, knowing that any issues that arise will be promptly addressed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hiring a professional painting company for hotel wall painting is a wise investment. It ensures quality craftsmanship, saves time, and enhances the overall aesthetics of your property. Moreover, it contributes to guest satisfaction and can increase your hotel's value. So, if you're considering Hotel Painting in San Diego, entrust the task to professionals who can transform your hotel into a work of art.

[painters-in-san-diego]

If you’re looking to paint a luxury hotel, you can even check out some painting tips from luxury hotel painting companies in San Diego to get inspired and give your hotel property the transformation it deserves with help from a professional painting company.

[bullet-prooflove]

Spray Paint: Nestor Oceteva x Reader

Tagging: @wakeama @anime-weeb-4-life @expir3dl0v3 @danzer8705 @drabbles-mc @purrrrfect @alwaysachorusgirl @witches-unruly-heart @mysoulisasunflower @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @the-wandering-lunatic @multifandomloversworld @est1887 @mortal--soul @buddinglinguist @stressed-chas @spookyboogyuniverse @nessamc @thanossexual @lexondeck @weiwei0210 @trublu2u @justreblogginfics @crazy4chickennuggets @kmc1989 @withakindheartx @irishavengersassemble @oklahomapeach @keyweegirlie @dakotapaigelove

Nobody knows that Nestor paints, no one except you, of course. There’s a reason he’s kept it a secret for all of these years and you’re not about to ruin that.

When people come into your home and compliment the artwork on the walls, you always say it’s by a local artist, someone up and coming, you don’t remember the name.

In the Cartel he was known as The Mercenary.

In the M.C it’s The Prospect.

In the art world he’s Neoce, his work selling for between five to six figures in some circles. It’s what keeps the two of you lucrative now that you’re out of the assassin game and he’s doing community work in the M.C.

It’s only in the past few years his artwork has taken off, his work is bright, colourful, renditions of the things he feels, the things he sees. It used to be so dark after David died, cryptic layers of greys, blacks and browns all blurring into each other and then there was the red, so fucking vivid, it looked like splashes of blood across the canvas.

When he worked in the Cartel, he used to do it in the spare room of his apartment, locking it away like it was a secret. He couldn’t stand the idea of Miguel’s judgement. In his world men ran empires, they didn’t paint.

The irony is that Miguel once paid 25k for one of his paintings. It hung in his office for a couple of years before the FBI raided the place. The other man had never realised that the artist who’d created the piece was the man he’s grown up with. Sometimes Nestor questions if Miguel had ever really known him at all, or if he’d always viewed him as an employee.

He has his own studio now, in the house that the two of you own. A large space with white walls, high ceilings and windows that let in natural light. He doesn’t feel the need to hide his shit from you, if it weren’t for the fumes and the music, he’d keep an open-door policy because he likes having you amongst his things, immersed in his world.

He’s hard at work when you enter the studio, hip hop on full blast, mask over his face as he shakes the can of spray paint. His unruly hair is tied back away from his face in a bun. He’s wearing grey sweatpants and a white wifebeater that shows off his tattoos, it makes you want to run your fingers over them. You linger in the doorway, watching him for a second as he moves with the fluidity of an apex predator, painting layer after layer in order to bring out the starkness of the colour.

He has a gift, you’ve always thought that, ever since you’d first laid eyes on his artwork. You recall the night he unlocked the door to the spare room in his apartment, the way his gaze lowered as you surveyed the work. Submissive, unsure, traits that you would never connect with the man you loved. You’d recognised the gesture for what it was, him revealing another part of himself to you, sharing a side of him that no one else knew.

“It’s beautiful,” You had told him, your fingertips tracing over the colours. “I can see you in it.”

It’s you who’d encouraged him to submit his work to the ANON ARTshow, the prize was 50k and representation. He didn’t expect to win, not really but when he got that letter, he couldn’t describe the way it made him feel. The two of you had celebrated with champagne in a hotel suite in San Diego because you’d been on a job and Miguel needed him the next day for some work just over the border. It was a stolen moment amidst the chaos of your lives, another secret just for the two of you.

His reputation had gained traction from there, his anonymity only heightening the appetite for his work. He’d run several solo exhibitions since then, donating the majority of the proceeds to causes that need it, he’s been funding Carmen’s underground border network for years, ever since he learned about Mari and how she was trafficked.

“Mi Corizon,” Nestor tuts when he catches you in the doorway, he sets down the can of spray paint before pulling off his mask. “You’re spoiling the surprise.”

It’s your birthday in a couple of weeks and he knows exactly the memory he wants to recreate. That night in the desert when the two of you buried a body together, the moment he fell in love working alongside of you as you sang that song, that silly little one that featured in both your childhoods. He’s generated the outline and began to spray paint the base, but it still has a long way to go before it becomes the image he has in his head.

He's gentle as he guides you from the room, his hand on your lower back. He closes the door quietly behind him.

“You’re banned for the next few weeks.” He tells you as he escorts you back to the living space.

He thought he had a few more days before you returned home but it appears you’ve finished up your trip sooner than expected. His gaze strays to your go-bag stowed away alongside the front door, the same place you always leave it upon returning.

You’ve been away for a couple of days helping to relocate one of the families who came over the wall, making sure they’re settled, that they have resources. You’ve been doing this work for a while now and Nestor sees the difference it makes, for both you and for them. You sleep better at night, smile a lot more, there’s a light in you that outshines the darkness and Nestor can’t help but fall in love all over again.

“Let me welcome you home properly.” He suggests, his lips brushing over yours. You make that noise, that sweet little sound that you always make when the both of you have been apart for far too long. He senses your need, it’s in the way you lean into him, your entire body pressing against his because it isn’t enough right now, you need more, you need skin to skin contact, those dark eyes on yours as he drives you to the pinnacle of release. You need…

Nestor knows exactly what you need.

“Let me show you just how much I’ve missed you.”

Love Nestor? Get added to his tag list!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[paracunt]

North American Tour (2023)

each link will take you to said shows corresponding tags so you can browse through whichever one you want, for an overall view, check out “ Tour 2023 “ or you can checkout the master-tag.

Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama

The Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina

The State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

Adjacent Festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Boston Calling in Allston, Massachusetts

Madison Square Garden in New York Both Nights | Night 1 / Night 2

Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio

Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan

Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada

Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio

The PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh

Amway Center in Orlando, Florida

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida

Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennesse

— The Second leg of the North American Tour

The Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana

Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas (i put this as “Night 1” but since this is a stand alone show i fucked up— so my bad)

Moody Center in Austin, Texas

Toyota Center in Houston, Texas

Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado

Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California

Viejas Arena in San Diego, California

Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California | Night 1 / Night 2

Chase Center in San Francisco, California (canceled due to illness)

Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington (canceled due to illness)

Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon (canceled due to illness)

Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (canceled due to illness)

BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri

Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Xcel Energy in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Chase Center in San Francisco, California — rescheduled

Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington — rescheduled

Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon — rescheduled — (canceled due to illness)

Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah — rescheduled — (canceled due to illness)

[jamieroxxartist]

👉 * Someone at a Party a long time ago, "Jamie, You should Paint what you like." So I did. You know a Painting subject I always like to come home with from both an Art Show or a Night at the Pool Hall. lol Fun Fact: about when I unveiled this Painting. It was at a Solo Show I had at the W Hotel in San Diego, CA. Talk about irony right? Anyhow someone Loved it and had to have it and bought it on the Spot and that says something about either the Painting working or the crowd that hangs out at the W and digs Art.

A #Painting I painted a few years ago of something We All Like:

‘Pocket Money’

2006, acrylic and oil blend on canvas, 16"x20" by @ArtistJamieRoxx #JamieRoxx ( www.JamieRoxx.us ) This Sold Painting is Not Available.

#PopArt!

[cnstv]

8/30 Mission Beach, San Diego. We arrived at 9.30 last night and had to get up at 5am to meet our East Coast working schedule. We're right on the boardwalk, where, the last time we were here three years ago, we figured we'd just want to be here many more days to enjoy the vibe of the place. I park on a red-painted stretch of the curb in front of the hotel, flashies on, to check in and get our stuff out. A police truck parks threateningly behind us and watches us for a full ten minutes, will not budge even as I would need just a little space to make it into the entrance of the hotel's parking garage. I have to leave forward and make a u-turn two blocks away to re-enter the cul-de-sac. Outside the hotel: several bars, a seven-eleven, excellent coffee shop, a nine-eleven sculpture with an original piece of an iron beam in front of a fire station. Morning joggers on the boardwalk, roller skates and skate boards, guy with a scooter, a camouflage bag and a cup of coffee leaning on the fence of the lifeguard station, laughing and shouting erratic comments at passers-by.

[altura0]

Altura in San Diego, CA

For months, we’ve heard that the Altura apartment has notable modern 3 bedroom apartments near Del Mar area. Many small families will benefit from this. Since the apartment complex has irresistible amenities and upscale features, you can plan an amazing lifestyle there. In addition, it has proximity to Qualcomm, Carmel Country Plaza, and Penasquitos Creek Waterfall that are only some of the things you’ll love about Altura. Additionally, their community amenities include pet-friendly community, on-site storage spaces, surrounded by 1,300 acres of preserved natural habitat with trails for hiking and biking, including easy access to SR 56 and Interstates 5 & 805. What’s not to like?

San Diego, CA

In preparing to travel for vacation, it is exciting to select pre-scheduled events. If you’re looking for activities in San Diego, CA, it is necessary to check out online posts. First, there will be Learn to Paint: Getting Started with Art Workshop this coming Sunday, July 21, 2024, at around 1:00 PM at Art on 30th. Second, the QueerGxrl San Diego Pride Party @ The House of Blues was scheduled on Friday, at around 8:00 PM at House of Blues Restaurant & Bar. Lastly, you can also opt to attend the COMP Entry to BABES BOOTCAMP 7/20 Fitness Class @Hard Rock Hotel Rooftop on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at around 11:00 AM at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego.

Belmont Park in San Diego, CA

The beauty of Belmont Park in San Diego, CA is one of the reasons that many people continuously visit the place. If you like exploration, it is also one of the best places you can visit these days. It is also interesting to note that it is an oceanfront historic amusement park located in the Mission Beach area of San Diego, California. Moreover, the park was developed by sugar magnate John D. Spreckels. In addition, it was opened on July 4, 1925 as the Mission Beach Amusement Center. In addition to providing recreation and amusement, it was also intended as a way to help Spreckels sell land in Mission Beach.

Missing Chula Vista hiker found dead in Riverside County

Nowadays, there are numerous shocking news reports in San Diego, CA area. Recently, there was a topic about a hiker who was found dead. Reportedly, a Chula Vista man who went missing during a hike in Riverside County was found dead on Wednesday. Recently, the authorities shared the report. In addition, Hantae Kim, 61, was reported missing around 11:00 in the morning on Sunday, Lt. Deirdre Vickers with Riverside County Sheriff’s Department told FOX 5/KUSI Tuesday. Then, he was last seen in the area of Fuller Ridge Trailhead, which is part of the Pacific Crest Trail, off Black Mountain Road in Whitewater. Lastly, there is no evidence of foul play at this time, Vickers confirmed.

Link to map

Belmont Park 3146 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109, United States Get on I-5 N from W Mission Bay Dr and Sea World Dr. 9 min (3.9 mi) Continue on I-5 N to Carmel Creek Rd. Take the Carmel Creek Rd exit from CA-56 E 11 min (12.6 mi) Follow Carmel Creek Rd to your destination 1 min (0.3 mi) Altura 11921 Carmel Creek Rd, San Diego, CA 92130, United States

[esonetwork]

Wedding Week Adventures - Soul Forge Podcast 322

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/wedding-week-adventures/

Wedding Week Adventures - Soul Forge Podcast 322

Wedding Week Adventures or our wedding in Las Vegas and our honeymoon in California.

Leah and Shawn flew to Las Vegas to get married. After spending a few days in Sin City, they drove to Cathedral City, California. This episode of the Soul Forge is a day by day recap of their adventures.

May 2nd and 3rd: The first day was a travel day. Major delays were the main topic of conversation. Mechanical problems caused a 7 hour delay in travel. The second day was much better. The couple got their marriage license. The line was huge. The heat in Nevada is very different from that in Florida. Supper at Bubba Gump Shrimp was decent.

May 4th: Wedding day finds Leah stuffed up and sniffling. The hotel mattress was uncomfortable and the temperature was all over the place. Leah had her makeup done at a beauty school while Shawn and Wyatt picked up their rental car. It was a Mustang! Shawn and Wyatt went toy shopping and picked up comics and hot wheels. Leah and Shawn were married that afternoon. Dinner was at Triple George Grill.

May 5th: A full day of shopping. We visited the Coca-Cola store on the Las Vegas strip. We also went to the Hershey store, the M&Ms shop and the Stranger Things Netflix store. Freemont Street was dirty and busy. The premium outlets were full of moments. The Ocean One Bar and Grill was amazing.

May 6th: We finally left Las Vegas. Before we did though, we visited the Antique Mall of America. It was huge and we probably spent over 2 hours in there. Afterwards, we drove the 4 hours to Palm Springs. The scenery was beautiful, almost as if you were driving towards a gigantic painting. Cathedral City is a warm and comfortable town.

May 7th: We explored the town and area. The roads were fantastic. The thrifting and antique shopping was also amazing. So much fun sticking around our home base.

May 8th: A thrilling drive to Knott’s Berry Farm. The highways in California are atrocious. Super busy, congested and full of accidents and slow-downs. The amusement park was fun.

May 9th: The wedding week adventures are coming to an end. We visited the graves of Frank Sinatra and Sonny Bono. Afterwards we enjoyed a couple’s massage. Then we had a nap and some drinks.

May 10th: Homeward bound. An early drive to the San Diego airport. We took an alternate route. While it was quite beautiful, it was also treacherously windy and hilly. We were separated for 4 hours on the first plane ride. Fun, but exhausting. We are married!

#coach #hotwheels #strangerthings #shakeshack #bubbagumpshrimp #lasvegas #mustang #starwarsday #triplegeorgegrill #coke #hershey #m&ms #disney #puma #vercini #hottopic #lush #tesla #miraclemile  #palmsprings #antiques #songofthesouth #volkswagen #elcamino #cowboys #anxiety #depression #whiskey  #walmart #thrifting #money #knottsberryfarm #themepark #california #amazonprime #rollercoasters #podcast  #startrek #doctorwho #franksinatra #sonnybono 

This week’s podcast promos: Earth Station DCU, Earth Station Trek, Earth Station Who

[sandiegobizgroup]

Most Romantic Places In San Diego

Bringing your loved one to places where they can feel love is a must. Of course, romance should happen every day, anywhere you are, whatever it is you do, but needless to say considering going to places where love is flaming is recommended regularly. Nothing too fancy, a simple dinner date on a restaurant with a romantic ambiance or watching a play in a theater is more than enough to say that you had a romantic date. There are many romantic places in San Diego you can consider, and to give you two of these places, check on the list provided below:

Mister A’s: This restaurant should not skip lovers place to visit when in San Diego. This American restaurant is serving their great food over breathtaking skyline and bay. It is located at 2550 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103, United States.

Pearl Hotel: This romantic hotel is located at 1410 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92106, United States. This boutique hotel is a perfect hotel to have lovers celebrate their anniversary or other special events. To add to the romance is there pool where lovers can spend quality time.

Sunset Cliffs: Embrace the magic of nature's artistry at Sunset Cliffs. As the sun descends into the Pacific Ocean, hues of pink, orange, and purple paint the sky, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop. Wander along the rugged coastline, hand in hand, and find a secluded spot to watch the horizon melt into a breathtaking vista.

In conclusion, San Diego provides a plethora of romantic spots, each offering its unique charm and ambiance. Whether it's the breathtaking vistas of La Jolla Cove, the ethereal sunsets at Sunset Cliffs, the serenity of Balboa Park, or the classic allure of Coronado Beach, this city caters to every romantic inclination, making it an idyllic destination for couples seeking to ignite or rekindle their passion.

Contact us

San Diego Smile Center

10737 Camino Ruiz Suite 120, San Diego, CA 92126

Phone: (858) 566-0842 Email: info@sandiegosmilecenter.com

Company Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:30am-6:00pm

Website: https://sandiegosmilecenter.com

Map Driving Directions

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BQuXvGdUC5ncBc6v8

[tigerstrikesasteroidnetwork]

LA / Life Affirming Moments: En Route

Cynthia Luján & Jorge Mujica Life Affirming Moments: En Route September 16 - October 8, 2023 Opening Reception: Saturday, September 16 7-10pm

SUR:biennial in association with Tiger Strikes Asteroid Los Angeles is pleased to present Life Affirming Moments: En Route, a two-person art exhibition featuring individual and collaborative work by Cynthia Luján and Jorge Mujica. Having successfully worked together on past endeavors, the artists made the decision to embark on a 3-month creative process in what the two describe as a “contemplative exploration of life's pathways.” For the current exhibition, the artists draw inspiration from materials and imagery associated with transportation (recurrent motifs in Lujan’s oeuvre) to construct and activate a metaphorical journey of introspection. Through a fusion of each artists' aesthetics and thoughtfully coordinated 2 and 3 dimensional interventions, the gallery space unfolds like a meandering path, inviting viewers to pause and reflect. Guided by familiar visual cues found in everyday human movement, these pauses offer a serene interplay between individual and collaborative artworks.

For Luján, objects found in public spaces (traffic cones, chain-link fences, painted street lanes, chevrons, signage, cement, asphalt, brick, grass, etc.) serve as surrogates of power as she repurposes and subverts these symbols in an effort to reveal the constrictive fabric of American social architecture. 

Mujica’s contributions for this exhibition represent an evolution of his rigorous and longstanding engagement with physical materials. By manipulating flat industrial surfaces, Mujica creates freestanding structures whose carved pathways and varied trenches result in positive and negative spaces that are designed to interfere with viewers’ perceptions. In so doing, Mujica beckons visitors to contemplate the interplay between real space and the painted surface, and the physiological and psychological effects the objects provoke as they navigate through the exhibition space. 

By collectively orchestrating these moments, Luján and Mujica have realized an experience and showcase that will hopefully serve as a validation and celebration of each person's unique journey while encouraging introspection and a deeper connection with the artists’ poetic gestures. 

Life Affirming Moments: En Route is part of SUR:biennial 2023 programming. For more info about SUR:biennial please check @surbiennial on Instagram.  

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Cynthia Luján is an artist who works regionally in Southern CA and lives in Unincorporated Los Angeles with a BFA in painting and a minor in Russian language from California State University, Long Beach. Her public murals and other collaborative projects, which can be seen across Southern California, focuses on the mission of creating more access while addressing barriers created through social conditioning. Her most recent public project, “Outside In” (2022), consists of a 24 x 22 foot mixed media mural created for Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA. Her goal is to foster dialogue to create interdependent spaces that prioritize safety, accessibility, and inclusion. Through her work she seeks to create a generative social architecture that fosters fulfillment, empathy & belonging.

Jorge Mujica is the Director of Creative Arts Coalition to Transform Urban Space (CACtTUS) and has shown at M+B 22', Ace Hotel 22', Bozo Mag 21', (Los Angeles). Centro Cultural de La Raza 21' (San Diego). Hi-Bye 20', Casa Del Ahuizote 20' (Mexico City). Horse and Pony 18', Copyright 19' (Berlin). And commissioned by the Museum of Latin American Art to create "Long Beach High Five" a public sculpture at Robert E. Gumbiner Park in Long Beach, CA in 2019. He earned an MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Yale University 12', MA in Visual and Critical Studies from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 10', and a dual BA in Political Science and Art History from Cal State University Bakersfield 08'.  

Mujica’s designs are realized through a process of rehearsed drawing exercises that combine automatic movements and a choreographed mapping of space resulting in the transformation of flat materials into his singular free-standing painting surfaces. While acknowledging certain conventions of painting as an illusionistic portal on a flat surface, he also embraces the autonomy of the sculptural object that occupies an actual physical space; a duality in Mujica’s work that manifests panoramic ruptures.

photos by Gemma Lopez

[greython-blog]

Construction Company San Diego

Greython Construction has been selected by DV USVI Investment Group to act as a Construction Company in San Diego for the renovation and expansion of Sugar Bay Resort & Spa on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The 50+ acre hotel resort has remained closed since 2017 when it was severely damaged by both Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

The first phase of work includes interior and exterior demolition, exterior EFIS and paint, structural reconstruction, exterior glazing and glass, renovation of 323 hotel guestrooms and bathrooms, reconstruction of the registrar building including three restaurants, new elevators, new staircases and railings, new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection systems, and interior drywall, acoustical ceilings, and paint. Work is scheduled to commence immediately and Phase I is scheduled to take 12 months to complete. Sugar Bay will be Greython Construction’s third major resort project in the Caribbean adding to Marigot Bay Resorts and Viceroy Sugar Beach in St. Lucia.

With offices in Mystic CT, San Diego CA, Palm Desert California, St. Louis MO, and St. Lucia West Indies, Greython Construction is a nationally and internationally recognized builder and developer. Our projects have won numerous awards due to our first-class team, attention to detail, appreciation for design, exemplary quality, and a belief that communication is the key to translating a blueprint into reality.

Content Source:

https://greython.com/greython-construction-selected-as-general-contractor-to-renovate-expand-and-reconstruct-sugar-bay-resort-spa-on-st-thomas-us-virgin-islands/

[lunarmote]

Beautiful songs I can’t listen to

Are there any songs that you love but can’t listen to because the associations you have with them are too painful?

To say I adore these songs would be an understatement. I appreciate when art has this kind of haunting penetrative power. For me personally, music and visual paintings have this capacity to capture clusters of memories that words don’t have. Yet this is exactly what makes listening to them so painful. To listen is a commitment; to catch the opening notes of them randomly, while your playlist is on Shuffle, leaves you in a mild stupor.

For me then, these are the songs in particular…

Cocteau Twins - I Wear Your Ring; Cocteau Twins - Lorelei

I discovered the Cocteau Twins when I first went to San Diego to look for housing. I was staying at a hotel. It was during that strange liminal period of COVID where certain establishments had opened but I felt very out-of-place talking to people again. My days were a blur of cordial exchanges and my nights were desperate and lonely. On a day off, I remember walking into sunlight and feeling like nothing was really real. There was a very distinctive feeling of “sinking” in a mildly-dissociated state and baking in the August sun.

I was also going through a break-up and Elizabeth Fraser’s vocals were so ethereal and lovely that they conjured this image of my relationship unraveling in layers, layers, in the way that a delicate wedding veil drapes and crinkles with resistance. Everything was fraying, disappearing.

You can listen here, and here.

Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte

There’s something distinctively nostalgic and melancholic about this piece of music by Ravel. It captures the small pockets of tenderness and purity in these big, soothing waves of sadness.

Did you know Ravel didn’t intend for the piece to actually be about a dead princess? He said once that it was meant to evoke an impression of a princess who would have at one time danced in a Spanish court.

Playing this piece in the first year of COVID felt like the world had slowed down and was holding its breath. It was winter and I kept thinking back to the previous summer. I kept thinking about the ghost-like afterimage of the sun and its rays on my arms. I kept thinking in colors — translucent aquas and deep forest greens.

Listen here.

Massive Attack - Dissolved Girl

Nothing like a song that reminds you of your inability to speak your boundaries.

You ever been in a situation with another person where your feelings toward each other had become tepid, and both of you were too cozy with the ways things currently were to do anything, and too apathetic to put in more effort? I had no energy left in me to bring up this elephant in the room and I knew the only way we could break ties cleanly was if they did half of the emotional labor which I knew from experience they wouldn’t do. I felt like my personhood was dissolving and I didn’t know who I was anymore.

Listen here.

[bradshawsbaby]

Little Black Dress

Pairing: Jake “Hangman” Seresin x Natasha “Phoenix” Trace

Author’s Note: I’ve been brainstorming this one for what feels like forever, and I’m so glad that I finally had the time to sit down and write it today!

Warnings: This one is NSFW (18+) for explicit sexual content and language. But there’s some fluff sprinkled in for good measure!

“Minx, are you almost ready? We’re going to be late,” Hangman called out, adjusting his bow tie in front of the hall mirror.

“Five more minutes!” Phoenix called back, the familiar little huff of annoyance in her voice making him smile.

Shaking his head with an amused smirk, he slowly sauntered over to the spacious vanity his fiancee was currently occupying, her back to him as she finished painting her puckered lips a shade of dark red that he instantly wanted to kiss right off.

Phoenix, perched atop the vanity bench in her fuzzy white bathrobe, glanced up at him in the mirror and rolled her eyes teasingly at the expression she caught on his face.

“Don’t even think about it, Bagman,” she smirked, snapping the cap back onto her lipstick tube. “Like you said, we’re going to be late.”

“Do we have to go to the ceremony?” Hangman questioned with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning one shoulder against the doorframe.

“Hmm, let’s see,” Phoenix began, putting the rest of her make-up away as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, wiping at a small smudge of mascara near the corner of her eye. “Do we have to attend my cousin’s wedding ceremony, the one that my whole family is going to be at and that we flew all the way out to Napa Valley for?” She tapped her chin as if in deep contemplation. “Yes, I think we do,” she laughed, slipping the pearl studs her parents had bought her years ago into her earlobes.

“You’re not even dressed yet,” Hangman countered, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he pushed off the wall and made his way up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders and gazing at her in the mirror. “I can make it quick,” he promised with a wink.

“Stop it,” Phoenix laughed, swatting at his arm playfully. “We are not having a quickie a half hour before my cousin’s wedding. Go call an Uber while I finish getting ready,” she told him, rising from her stool and pushing him towards the sitting room of their hotel suite.

It had been Hangman’s idea to book one of the fanciest rooms in the hotel.

“What do we need a suite for?” Phoenix had demanded when she’d seen the room he’d booked for them. “We’re going to be spending most of our time there at the wedding. The hotel is just a place to get dressed and sleep.”

“Maybe I like to get dressed and sleep in style,” Hangman had teased her, wiping her frown lines away with a finger. “And maybe I just want to spoil you a little bit,” he’d added in a whisper, his lips pressed close to her ear.

She’d swatted at him then, too, but he’d caught the little smile gracing those gorgeous lips of hers, and she hadn’t argued about it further.

“You’re killing me, Minx,” Hangman sighed, pretending to roll his eyes heavenward as he pulled out his phone to arrange for a car to take them the short distance to the vineyard where Phoenix’s cousin, Mariana and her soon-to-be-husband Gabe would be tying the knot.

While Hangman dealt with the Uber, Phoenix hurried over to the bedroom and slid into the black evening dress her mother had insisted she wear.

“It’s black tie, Natasha. You have to get real dolled up. I bought you something,” her mom had told her, a satisfied smirk on her face.

Her mom had flown out to San Diego a few days before the wedding so that she could spend time with Phoenix and Hangman before they all flew to Napa Valley. Or, as Phoenix pointed out repeatedly, so that she could try to horn in on the planning for their wedding. She and Hangman had only been engaged for a few months, but already her mother wanted everything planned, down to the last place setting.

Hoping to appease her mom, who she loved more than anything, at least a little bit, she’d accepted the black gown without complaint. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline and tight enough to accentuate every curve. It also featured a rather scandalous slit that rose all the way up her thigh.

“Jake will love it,” her mom had teased her with a knowing wink.

If his reaction to her sitting with her hair and make-up done in a hotel bathrobe was any indication, he certainly would. Laughing to herself, she reached for the black Louboutin heels one of her sisters-in-law had purchased for her years ago as a Christmas gift. She could probably count on one hand the amount of times she’d actually worn them, but she figured a wedding at a vineyard in Napa Valley was as good a time as any.

She was ready. She’d just need Jake to help her with the zipper at the back of her dress.

“Car should be here in five—” Hangman announced, both his words and his feet coming to a halt as he stopped just inside the bedroom door. His green eyes widened as he gazed at her, drinking in every inch of her body wrapped in the black dress her mother had evidently picked out just to please him. He let out a low whistle of appreciation. “Minx, you look—”

“Yeah, yeah,” Phoenix cut him off with a grin, secretly a little flustered by his naked amazement. She hated having so much attention on her, so she hoped everyone else at the wedding wouldn’t react in the same way. “Help me with my zipper, would you?” she asked, turning around and indicating the gap at her back.

Even with her back turned to him, Phoenix could feel the force of her fiance’s desire pouring off him in waves. His fingers were warm as they brushed against the bare skin of her spine, eliciting a small shiver she could do nothing to control.

“You look gorgeous, Minx,” he breathed out, his lips brushing against her shoulder as he slowly pulled the zipper up her back. “Fucking gorgeous,” he rasped, one hand resting on her waist as his other hand brushed her dark hair aside, giving his lips easier access to her throat.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Bagman,” Phoenix whispered, her voice catching slightly as she leaned back into his hold. That sleek black tuxedo was doing wonders for his already handsome form. She suddenly had to concentrate very hard on not giving in to his earlier suggestion of skipping the wedding ceremony. “We should go,” she breathed out, clearing her throat softly.

Hangman bit back a groan, torn between wanting to admire his stunning fiancee in her black tie get-up and wanting to tear that gown off her and spend the rest of the night showing her just how much he appreciated it. “You’re right,” he sighed, brushing his fingers down her arm. “But before we go, I have a little gift for you,” he said, almost having forgotten. “Close your eyes.”

“This isn’t going to be something perverted, is it?” Phoenix asked, quirking an eyebrow as she turned to look up at him.

“Just close your eyes,” Hangman chuckled, waiting patiently until she had done so. 

He waved his hand in front of her face a couple times, just to make sure her eyes were really closed, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black velvet case he’d been carrying. Opening it up, he slid out the sleek pearl necklace he’d purchased with her mom’s assistance, the one that paired perfectly with the pearl earrings her parents had bought her all those years ago. Dropping the case on the bed, he gently lowered the string of pearls against her slender throat, brushing her hair aside so that he could clasp it behind her neck.

Gasping softly, Phoenix’s eyes flew open as her fingers brushed against the gift. Glancing up into the bedroom mirror, she couldn’t help but stare in amazement. “Jake,” she breathed out, turning to look up at him. “It’s too much.”

“Nothing’s too much for you, Natasha,” he murmured, reaching up to caress her cheek softly. “It looks perfect on you.”

“You didn’t have to—”

He silenced her with a kiss, his lips brushing tenderly against hers so as to avoid mussing the lipstick he knew she’d kill him for ruining.

At that moment, his phone buzzed with a notification that their car was downstairs and waiting for them.

“Time to go,” he sighed, taking her hand in his and leading her towards the door of their hotel suite. “God, babe, your ass looks amazing in that dress,” he commented as she ran ahead of him to grab her purse. He hadn’t even had a chance to fully admire her entire figure in the dress her mom had gotten her.

“Thanks. That’s what no underwear will do for you,” Phoenix replied with a wicked wink, opening the door. “Time to go.”

Hangman’s jaw dropped open and he let out a groan as he followed behind her. “You’re evil, Minx.”

“And we’re late,” she laughed, leading him down to the hotel lobby and outside to their waiting Uber.

The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Phoenix had even shed a couple surreptitious tears, moved by how happy Mariana and Gabe looked. She and Mariana were only a year apart, and they had been inseparable as children. She knew a rustic wedding on a beautiful vineyard with a stunning sunset as a backdrop had been Mariana’s dream since they were little girls. Phoenix was just thrilled that she was able to witness it.

Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she’d be witnessing it with her own handsome fiance by her side, but Hangman’s presence, his strong hand resting on her lower back and his thumb unconsciously brushing away the tears that trickled down her cheeks, made it all the better.

Cocktail hour had been a rush of her loud and boisterous family members surrounding them and asking a million and one questions about their own wedding plans, but she’d finally managed to fend them off and now she and Hangman were safely seated at their table inside the main banquet room.

Despite their divorce, her parents had both been invited to the wedding, and they were seated at a table with her four older brothers and their wives. Since there wasn’t enough room at that table, she and Hangman had been seated nearby with some of her cousins and their dates.

Dinner had just been served and everyone was happily chattering away when Phoenix suddenly felt a warm hand descend upon her bare knee, which was currently exposed due to the strategic slit in her gown. She didn’t think anything of it at first, especially since Hangman seemed to be engaged in conversation with her cousin’s boyfriend, who was seated on the other side of him.

As she started cutting into her steak, however, she noticed that his hand had moved from the top of her knee to the inside of her thigh, where he was now tracing slow circles with his calloused fingertips.

Cheeks flushing slightly, which she could easily argue was from all the wine she had imbibed, Phoenix glanced sharply at her fiance, who didn’t seem to register her reaction at all. He was still talking to her cousin’s date, his food remaining untouched on the plate in front of him.

Determined to ignore his childish antics, Phoenix cut into her steak once more, choking back a yelp when Hangman suddenly pinched the inside of her thigh—hard. Shooting him a surreptitious glare, she attempted to kick him under the table, but he deftly managed to avoid her foot.

Damn him.

From the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, she could tell that he wasn’t oblivious at all to her reactions. She attempted to squeeze her thighs tighter together, but that only seemed to embolden him more. His hand slid further up her thigh, caressing her skin with the lightest of touches that made goosebumps rise on her arms and her stomach clench painfully in desire.

Clearing her throat, Phoenix reached for her glass of water and had just raised it to her lips when her bastard of a fiance suddenly slid his hand all the way up the slit of her dress and shoved it underneath the black fabric, palming her underneath the table.

Gasping just as she started to take a sip, Phoenix started sputtering, her water spilling slightly near her plate.

“Oh my gosh! Tasha, are you okay?” one of her cousins asked, starting to rise from her seat in concern.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Phoenix insisted instantly, waving her hands in a rush to keep her cousin in her chair. “Water just went down the wrong way, that’s all,” she added sheepishly, her cheeks flaming.

Reaching underneath the table, she pinched Hangman’s leg as hard as she could, but that only made him chuckle under his breath.

It had been a mistake letting him know that she wasn’t wearing anything under her dress. She wondered just how long he had been preparing this little surprise attack. Knowing him, he’d been plotting it since they left the hotel.

He was relentless. Even as he smiled and chatted with everyone at their table, his fingers were running up and down her exposed slit, his touch sending immediate signals of want and desire straight to her brain. She tried to eat her dinner, tried to focus on the conversations buzzing around her, anything to distract from the desire to squirm in her seat against his hand.

She was grateful that her younger cousin was doing most of the talking when Hangman, his head still turned away from her, suddenly slid two fingers inside her, causing her to bite down roughly on her tongue to keep from crying out and humiliating herself in the midst of her cousin’s wedding reception.

Fists clenched tightly on either side of her plate, Phoenix lowered her head for a moment and took a deep breath, biting down on her lower lip.

Apparently Hangman was paying more attention to her reactions than she thought because he suddenly leaned over and pressed his lips against her ear. “Keep biting your lip like that, Minx, and I might not be able to control myself much longer,” he whispered hoarsely, his fingers curling inside her beneath the linen tablecloth.

Pulling her head back, Phoenix wrapped an arm around his shoulders and smiled, leaning in close as if she was going to whisper something tender and private into her fiance’s ear. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to fucking kill you,” she hissed through gritted teeth.

“I love it when you talk dirty,” Hangman murmured back with a wink, still not removing his hand from between her thighs.

“Jake,” Phoenix muttered through clenched teeth, resting her hand on his thigh and digging her nails into his leg roughly. Her breath caught in her throat as he suddenly hit a particularly tender spot, sending shockwaves coursing through her body.

Just as she thought she might really climax then and there, right at the dinner table, Hangman suddenly pulled his hand away, leaving her feeling both relieved and bereft all at once. She had told him to stop, but now she was throbbing with need for him. Sometimes she hated how much she loved this asshole of hers.

“Babe,” Hangman suddenly said, loud enough for everyone else at the table to hear. “Should we take a walk in the vineyard? I heard there’s a path out back,” he added innocently.

“Oh, you should, Tasha! It’s gorgeous!” Phoenix’s cousin, Sofia chimed in. “Very romantic,” she added with a little wink.

If only Sofia knew that Phoenix was more in the mood to wring her fiance’s neck than to take a romantic evening stroll with him.

“That sounds great,” Phoenix nodded, dropping her napkin onto the table beside her plate. She’d managed to get a few bites of her steak in.

Hangman’s food was still sitting completely untouched.

Quickly adjusting her dress under the table, she let him pull her chair out, his hand resting on her lower back, rather close to the ass he’d complimented earlier in the evening, as he led her out the door and towards the vineyard path he’d mentioned.

Once they were far enough out of earshot and Phoenix was sure there was no one wandering through the vineyard, she spun around and smacked his chest, as hard as she could.

“Are you fucking crazy?!” she exclaimed, her dark eyes wide in both shock and exasperation.

“What?” Hangman chuckled, feigning ignorance.

“Jake!” Phoenix hissed, hitting his chest once more, though with much less force this time. “I swear, I could really fucking kill you sometimes!”

“But you won’t,” Hangman grinned, capturing her hands with his own and pulling her in for a kiss.

“Don’t be so sure,” Phoenix retorted, glaring up at him.

“I’m sorry, babe,” Hangman murmured, looking surprisingly sincere in his contrition. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have done it,” he sighed, tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “You’ve just been driving me crazy all night and I couldn’t help myself. But it was fucked up.”

Phoenix just stood staring up at him, the silence stretching between them as the evening stars began twinkling overhead, their presence hidden from the rest of the world as they stood in a row of grapevines. “It was,” she finally said, her dark eyes still resting on his infuriatingly handsome face. “But you know what’s even more fucked up?”

“What?” Hangman asked, his fingertips trailing along her jawline.

“Just leaving me like that,” she told him, wrapping her arms around him and letting her lips hover just a centimeter away from his.

Letting out a low groan, Hangman immediately covered her mouth with his, wrapping his arms around her tightly and squeezing her close to his chest. “God, babe, I need you so badly,” he rasped against her ear, his hands reaching down to cup her ass and pull her flush against him.

“Show me how badly,” Phoenix whispered, already reaching down to unzip his pants as his lips moved down her throat in a feverish rush.

Just a few feet behind them sat a wooden workbench, tucked securely in between some of the trellises. Lifting her up into his arms, Hangman carried Phoenix over and plopped her down on top of it, her expensive heels falling unheeded to the grass below as she tugged up her fancy black evening gown while Hangman fumbled with the button on his tuxedo pants.

“You’re killing me, Bagman,” Phoenix laughed breathily, letting out a soft moan of relief once her fiance finally managed to free himself from the confines of his pants and boxer briefs.

“Come here,” Hangman whispered, his voice low and hoarse as he tugged her towards the edge of the workbench, one hand reaching down to spread her legs wider. His lips connected with hers once more as he slid his hands under her thighs and wrapped them around his waist, while she reached out and guided him expertly towards her entrance.

“Jake,” Phoenix mewled softly, resting her hands on his shoulders once he was securely inside her. “Jake!” she moaned again, her head tipping backwards as he rutted inside her, his fingers digging into her back while he nipped at her neck.

“Fuck, babe,” Hangman panted, his breath coming in short, quick spurts as he thrust inside her over and over again, hard and fast and rough. He held her close in his arms, his lips pressed against her forehead as she writhed in his hold, clinging to him desperately.

“Right there, right there. Yes!” Phoenix cried out, clapping a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming out further. She locked her ankles around his waist, trying to pull him even deeper inside her as he stroked her clenched walls over and over again.

“Nat–Nat–Natasha!” Hangman moaned, burying himself deep inside her and pressing his face against her neck as he suddenly came hard and fast, filling her up as he clung to her.

“Oh, babe!” Phoenix gasped, following closely behind as she spasmed around him and reached a climax of her own, her heart hammering wildly in her chest as she rested her damp forehead against his.

“Damn,” Hangman laughed breathlessly, pulling back just enough to cup her face in his hands and gaze at how beautiful she was. “Damn,” he said again, at a loss for words.

“I cannot believe I just had sex at my cousin’s wedding,” Phoenix laughed incredulously, burying her face in his neck and shaking her head slowly.

Hangman grinned, pressing a kiss to her dark hair. “We’ll get you cleaned up before we go back into the reception, Minx. No one will know,” he assured her with a wink.

“Here’s hoping anyway,” she smirked, sighing softly as he slowly slipped out of her and quickly zipped his pants back up, bending down to pick up her shoes and place them back on her feet.

“I love you, Natasha Trace,” he told her, green eyes twinkling as he gazed down at her and tenderly adjusted her dress.

“That’ll be Natasha Seresin to you soon enough,” she smiled in return, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up off the workbench and slowly lowered her down to the ground.

“Mmm, I like the sound of that, Minx,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. “I really, really do.”

“Should we get back before they miss us?” she asked softly, slipping her hand into his.

“Mhm, I guess we should,” he nodded, letting her lead him back along the path towards the reception space. “Better enjoy the party while we can. It’s going to be a long night.”

“The reception’s only a few more hours,” Phoenix told him, glancing up at him over her shoulder.

“I know,” Hangman replied, smirking at her wickedly. “But just wait until I get you back to our hotel room.”

Phoenix grinned as they headed back inside. Maybe this little black dress hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

[jamieroxxartist]

* My Manatee Story:

Ok, believe it or not I actually have a Manatee Story. A few of my friends know this one and a couple were there when it happened. So back in like 2006 I was living and working in San Diego. I got a gig Live Painting at this VIP Party at the big Film Festival. I hate Live Painting, you're working and people always walk up and want to talk to you about art and they have no idea what they are talking about. It's annoying.

So I got this gig and part of the dealio was I got a Rider! I had never had a rider for a gig before. I didn't know what to do. I mean what sort of big shot thing should I ask for? A bottle of expensive Vodka of course. That's cool, AND a couple of shots will help me get through Live painting nonsense (you know the whole reason I was supposed to be there in the first place. Geeze Lousie!)

So it turns out this good hooch was way smoother than the rotgut I was used to. Boy did it go down much, much easier. So I got hammered while I was working. Never a good look! But somehow I made it through the gig, all was cool. So me and some friends are in the limo heading over to the W Hotel, the W's rooftop lounge 'the Beach' was a hangout I, well hung out at lot.

So I am passed out drunk in the car with my friends. I think the plan was to just leave me in the car with John the Driver while they went up for a c couple of drinks. I mean I was out-of-it!

So we are going along and the car hit a bump, a pothole or something. Now I don't remember any of this, but everyone in the car told me later this is what happened.

"Suddenly your eyes popped open, you sat straight up and looked us all dead in the face... and said,

'Don't you guys know about the terrible plight of the Florida Manatee? These gentle giants of the wetlands and rivers are hit and scarred by boat propellers. It would be so simple for these idiots to just put a guard or something around their boat propeller props, but they don't and the Manatees suffer! Sometimes People just really Suck!"

And then I promptly fell back over asleep in a drunken heap. Now none of my friends could figure out where this came from. No one remembered anyone talking to me about Manatees or Florida or anything like that. And I don't know either because I couldn't remember anyone talking to me about this. I had never been to Florida and really only had a cursory knowledge about Manatees in general.

To be fair I don't remember a lot about that night after the expensive vodka. But that is my Manatee story. Weirdness brought about from Expensive Hooch, and Art I suppose

Today, March 27 is #ManateeAppreciationDay!

( https://nationaltoday.com/manatee-appreciation-day )

[arthursknight]

small hotchreid blurb

hey hey! this is a blurb for @hotchedyke, who was kind enough to commission me for some fluff! it’s not technically ‘complete’-- there’s more story to be told, here, but this could very easily stand alone. i might add to it if there’s interest. <3 note: you can commission me for a blurb! they’re $5, they’re for any pairing (including x reader), they’re really helpful to me if you have the ability to do so. but fear not! i will be posting fic no matter what! without further ado, here we go -- “Can’t sleep?” Spencer rubs his eyes. The bags underneath them are more pronounced at the moment, darker watercolor bruises staining high on his cheeks. The case had been rough. Every case was rough, but this case? Rough. The jet’s engine is thrumming low out of the window. He can hear Dave snoring gently from across the aisle. And Spencer sits down across from him, hugs his cardigan closer, and mutters, “No.” “Me neither.” Obviously. Aaron’s still sitting here, flipping over the case file and thinking about the paperwork he’s going to have to fill out when they get back. Justify nearly 8 days in San Diego, explain 4 bodies. Spencer yawns, though, forgetting to cover his face with his hand, a little silent lion roar. Aaron flips the manila folder closed. “So what do we do?” “You can read to me,” Spencer teases. And Aaron says, “Okay.”

“Okay?” Aaron shrugs, motioning at Spencer’s messenger bag. “I know you picked up some books from the hotel gift shop.” “They’re fluff.” “They’re good enough,” and Aaron waits for Spencer to pull out a rounded hardback, some new best seller with a painted cover and a constellation of glowing reviews covering the empty space. He takes it from him, flips open the cover to the first page. “It’ll give me something to do,” he explains. Like that’s explanation enough. “Right.” Right. “Chapter one,” he starts as Spencer adjusts a neck pillow. He catches the small smile that dances across his face, and hides his own. -- When Aaron gets home, he slips a book in his go bag. It’s one he’s been meaning to read-- there’s a whole shelf of them-- but this one is the most recently coveted. One he says to himself, I’ll read a page before bed. One he tells himself he’ll read on the weekends. It sits in the bottom of his go bag for three cases. Then there’s Tucson, and the red eye that follows after they get done, where Spencer slips into the seat across from him mid-flight. “Again?” Aaron’s eyes are puffy from exhaustion. He nods, trying to readjust to where he’s turned his body to curl into the space between the seat and the window. “And so it goes.” “I have-- Well, it’s in Russian, but I have--” “I have one,” Aaron says. “In my go bag. Front pocket.” Spencer’s up on his feet, reaching into the top cubbies, and Aaron hears the skittering pull of a zipper. “Got it.” Aaron reaches out his hand as Spencer settles down again, but Spencer waves him away. “My turn,” he says. He straightens his back, clears his throat. “Chapter one.” -- The third time, Emily sits in on it. She and Spencer trade off voices of the two main characters as Derek makes funny faces across the aisle. It doesn’t put him to sleep, but it does lower his anxiety. Then JJ is asking if they can continue on the next flight, because she’s invested in the plot, now. They work through several books as a team. It’s less of a ‘can’t sleep’ thing and more of a ‘pass the night’ thing by the time it evolves, but Aaron will never forget those first two times. When they had trailed off reading each other to sleep. He catches Spencer’s eyes across the way as Derek’s voice smooths its way over some poetry that Emily keeps cracking jokes at, and there’s a moment there where Aaron thinks Spencer can’t forget, either.--His phone rings about a month later. “I can’t sleep,” Spencer’s voice comes through on the other end of the line. There’s a level of appropriateness here that Aaron wonders about. But there’s the nature of coincidence, too-- that across a city of thousands of people, Spencer Reid can’t sleep at the same time as Aaron Hotchner. “Was it my turn or yours?” “Yours,” Spencer says definitively. “Choose anything.” Aaron grabs the book from his nightstand. “Will Austen do?” “You’re reading Austen?” Aaron laughs gently. He was, indeed. A weird choice. One he hadn’t utilized since undergrad. This particular copy was Haley’s. Touching the edges of the pages was like feeling the tips of her fingers. He begins to read, his voice a low rumble over the words. Spencer doesn’t correct him, this time, when he misses a word, which signals that he’s probably asleep. When Aaron squints to see the clock, it’s been two hours. He trails offl. Puts the bookmark in place. “Good night,” he murmurs across the line. “Night, Hotch,” Spencer’s voice comes. It’s small, and dreamy, and it haunts Aaron until sleep wraps its arms around him and tugs him under. --

[redheadgleek]

What is your favorite beach? What makes it your favorite?

The first time I can remember seeing the beach was when I was 17 years old, on a long road trip with my family to see the Redwoods. We broke through the massive trees to see the water crashing against the rocks. I looked over the waves and felt so incredibly small. (Picture taken in 2016 of a nearby area).

I interviewed in Portland for a fellowship position back in 2010. I had never visited Portland and I managed to get a week of vacation, so I drove from the hospital out to the coast just south of Astoria. The coastal mountains were dusted with snow and the wind was bitter cold and it felt a little like home.

Moving alone to a new city always brings loneliness and moving to San Francisco was no different. I missed my friends from residency, who were off on their new adventures. My new roommate was a stranger. I had been thrown into the ICU right away and was expected to make medical decisions on these very sick, very complex patients. In short, I was terrified. The 4th of July was surprisingly clear without fog and I had the afternoon off, so I got on the bus and took it down to the wharf, where I watched the sun go down and the firecrackers light up the sky and reflect in the water below. I didn't get home until well after midnight and had to be back to the hospital by 7 am, but it was worth it and was my first glimmer of belonging.

Hawaii, for all of its breathtaking beauty, did not have walkable beaches. The sand was coarse and soft and the beach narrow and slanted. My feet sunk deep into the sand and I scrabbled to find my footing. I was spending my vacation with my best friend and her husband and was also scrabbling to reconnect with her. Seeing the filming locations of Lost was a dream come true, but our friendship never recovered.

(You can't ever go back, Jack.)

I had forgotten my swimsuit at the hotel and watched envious as my friend frolicked in the warm San Diego water. The water lapped at my ankles and I yearned to go in deeper.

"Just take off your pants. Nobody will know that you're just in your underwear." She encouraged.

Two weeks previously, I had purchased ordinary underwear and finally had dared to take off my religious garments that I had worn for the last decade. My bra felt rough against my skin and the cold winter winds whipped through the single layer. Since their removal I had felt constantly chilled.

But not here in the warm sunshine.

I slipped off my pants, folded them carefully on the towel, and submerged myself in the water.

(Coronado Central Beach, San Diego).

The quiet little beach near Oceanside has become a favorite escape. Whenever I can, I get in my car and drive straight west, curving through the coastal mountains until the road ends at the sea, where I park for the day. I get a chair and maybe a blanket and a book to read. I'll sit, listening to the rhythmic pattern of the waves crashing on the sand, before the yearn to chase them becomes too strong. I walk along the wet boarder of the sea, dancing away when the waves creep in close again and just walk, feeling the sand firm and steady beneath my feet. The ocean is loud, too loud for my inner thoughts, and I breathe in the salty air. I stay until the sun disappears beyond the horizon and the night sky is painted in deepening hues of red and blue.

All my life, I had dreamed about seeing Prince Edward Island, see the land where Maud Montgomery had created her red-headed heroine who had been my inspiration since I was six. When I planned my last trips to see all 50 states, I knew that I wouldn't be happy unless I added a trip to PEI when I visited Maine. It was short, only a day and change there, but as I clamored over the red rocks and the rolling plains, it felt like I could turn the corner and meet Anne there.