#I’m at the beach today with a few cocktails and some snacks

[houseofcucci]

Without ever touching his skin, how can I be guilty as sin?

[pen-paper-and-ink]

Champagne Problems

Chapter Three

Masterlist

Sam eventually went to back to his own apartment around noon, leaving Aelin with plenty of time to focus on her English assignment.  Instead of a final test in English, there was a final paper, and Aelin was struggling with what words to put down.

She knew the book inside and out; the words just were not coming to her today. She could usually just sit at her computer and let the words flow out of her, but that was not happening.  She eventually just went back and skimmed through her outline, getting herself to refocus. She finally gave up a half an hour later and resorted to texting Rowan.

“Want to come over and study.  I’ll order takeout from Emry’s. It will be just like old times.”

The response came only seconds later. “I’d love too, but some of us have class in an hour.”

She could practically here the snort in his reply. “Could you possibly skip this class and study with me instead?”

“I would but it’s the last class before the final, and I need the review.”

“Boo. You suck.” She emphasized with an emoji that was sticking its tongue out at him.

“See you later, Ace :)”She swore he refused to use emoji’s just to spite her.

When she was finally done pouting, she eventually pulled her phone back out to text Lysandra, who easily agreed to come over.  Although Lysandra was not diligent as Rowan when it came to studying and making study schedules, she was better than nothing, especially when Aelin was having trouble concentrating.

She showed up to Aelin’s apartment wearing an oversized fuzzy pink sweater and a pair of black leggings, as well as two chocolate bars.  She might now be Aelin’s favorite person.

She definitely was not Aelin’s favorite person the first time they met, though.  They were both petty and stubborn and got along about as well as cats getting a bath. That eventually changed the march of their freshmen year, when Aelin chased off a shady guy who was trying to follow a very drunk Lys into the bathroom at a frat house. Lysandra had been her constant companion since then, especially when it came to  topics including clothes and boys.

“Hello, Babe,” Lysandra chirped happily as she strode into Aelin’s apartment.  She shrugged off her bag and dropped the candy onto her plush sofa.  Aelin went to wrap her harms around Lysandra who returned the gesture. “I brought chocolate as a study motivator for the both of us, but you already smell of candy.”

Aelin groans. “Shut up.  Sam bought me this perfume, it’s his favorite.”

“Mhm,” Lysandra hums giving Aelin a conspiratorial grin, “I think he like’s that you’re his own personal snack.” Lysandra says wiggling her eyebrows.

Aelin only rolled her eyes at her friend, “whatever.”

“You smell good, babe, just really sweet. Even sweeter than that bath and body works body spray that everyone bathed their selves in in middle school, if that’s even possible. But I think he likes that.  How many times has he bitten your neck when you have been wearing it?” Lysandra asked with further eyebrow wiggling.

“You’re way too into our love life.  How long has it been since you’ve had date?” This time it was Aelin’s turn to wiggle her eyebrows.

“It’s been a while,” Lysandra moans loudly, but she turns her grin back onto Aelin, “but you didn’t answer my question.”

Aelin sighs loudly and slumps back onto her couch. “It’s not like he does it often.”

Lysandra snickers and she lounges next to Aelin. “So, I see it’s getting pretty serious. I even saw the picture he keeps of you in his wallet.”

“In his wallet?” Aelin snorts. “I didn’t think that people still did that. I thought the real milestone of a serious relationship was making a picture of your significant other your home screen on your phone.”

“Yes, you relationship guru.  Are you ready to study now?”

. . .

It turns out that Lysandra was the perfect person to get Aelin to finish her English paper.  About two hours after Lysandra arrived, Aelin had finished her paper, submitted it, and was able to eat her chocolate bar as a reward.  They then watched a shitty romcom on Netflix until Lysandra had to leave for her evening class.

That now left Aelin plenty of time to get ready to go to the Cadre’s for the night. It also gave Aelin some time to harass Rowan about his class.

“How was class?” Aelin texted.

“Good.  Did you finally finish your paper, you demon?  Bribing me with Emry’s and everything.” Rowan replied.

“I finished it and submitted it and everything. I even ate a celebratory chocolate bar without you.” She brags.

“I just wanted you to know that I am rolling my eyes at you.” Was his only response.

“Would it kill you to just use the emoji?” Aelin demanded.

“Yes.” Well at least she had her answer.

“See you at the Cadre’s in a few hours or so?” She inquired.

“Yes,” was once again his only response. Boys, Aelin thought rolling her eyes. What was with boys and their one-word answers.  With that, Aelin pulled up Spotify on her TV to blast some music as she prepared for her night.

She was having fun running around her apartment sing- screaming the lyrics to Teenage Dirtbag as she prepared dinner and tidied up her apartment.  Pop-rock and other angsty songs which she listened to as a teenager, always brought back fond memories.  Her friends always made fun of her emo music in high school, so she decided to switch to some more mainstream stereotypical party music when hanging out with her college friends. The mainstream stuff like Doja Cat and Cardi B, stuff that was always playing loudly at clubs and house parties.

Aelin also had a soft spot for love songs and romantic ballads.  Frank Sinatra always reminded her of her parents spinning around their living room on a weeknight.  She always thought that they were disgustingly in love. Always holding hands and kissing in front of her and her friends.  Aelin now regrets giving them crap about it, especially since the time they had together ended up being cut short.

She ends up eating her frozen pasta dinner over the kitchen island as she hummed along to an old fall out boy song. She went to check her phone and saw a message from Sam which simply asked if she was going to be at the Cadre’s in an hour, she sent back a simple yes as a response and finished up her dinner. Once she was done, she decided that it was probably time to get dressed for the night.

Aelin loved getting dressed up.  She found it calming.  Once she picked out an outfit she would methodically paint her face and do her hair. She scanned her overflowing closet, her gaze gliding over black cocktail dresses, sportswear, blazers, sun dresses, and band T’s.  She decided on a pair of skinny jeans and an oversized concert t-shirt since she just wanted to wear something simple, and the Cadre’s was a fairly run-down dive bar, though Aelin didn’t mind being overdressed, she loved her clothes and wasn’t afraid to show off and look fabulous doing so.

Once she was dressed, she went into her bathroom to do her makeup.  She blended concealer and foundation into her skin, and painstaking lined her eyes with black liquid liner.  She had decided on a classic cat eye with red lips, something you could never go wrong with.   She reached down for her tube of lipstick then remembered that Sam got kind of soppy and romantic when he was drunk and reached for a liquid lip instead.

She then quickly curled her hair and accessed her appearance.  Her skin was flawless, her eyebrows were groomed to perfection, the eyeliner accentuated her blazing blue-gold eyes wonderfully, and her crimson red lips went well with the look.  Her golden hair was voluminous in big beach waves, she overall was pleased with her appearance, especially after spending the entire day in lounge wear studying. It felt good to be put together after a day of lounging around her apartment while trying to write.  Overall Aelin thought she looked hot as fuck.

She quickly pulled on her heeled black booties, grabbed her bag and she was out the door.

. . .

The bar was so loud, the baseline of the song that was playing was all that could be heard.  Lysandra had left the group about an hour in, to go flirt with some guy she had met previously that night and had eventually went home with him, after checking in with Aelin.  Aelin dutifully took down the guys information, with Lys promising to check in with her later in the evening.  That left Aelin to hang with the guys.

They had all gathered tonight.  Sam, Lorcan, Conall, Fenrys, Rowan, and Aelin.  They had all had a few rounds and were now all laughing over stupid shit, even Lorcan, who Aelin didn’t know could even laugh before tonight.

They were all giddy over the thought of finishing the school year.  Rowan, Lorcan, and Sam were all graduating in a week, and Aelin and the twins were officially 75% done with their education.  There was a lot to celebrate and drink to.

Aelin’s thigh was pressed against Rowan’s in the booth as they started arguing over which actor was the best Spiderman. That was the one habit they had kept from the time when they hated each other, the arguing. Rowan and Aelin were known to argue over everything, though now the disagreements were over trivial things and mostly just involved teasing. Rowan was arguing in favor of Tobey Maguire, which Aelin made gagging noises over when he finally confessed as to who her thought the best actor was.

“I’m sorry to inform you,” Aelin started, elbow on the table starring up at her best friends face, “That we cannot be friends anymore.  I simply cannot be friends with anyone who thinks that Tobey Maguire makes a better Spiderman than Tom Holland.  That’s blasphemous, and I will not stand for it.”

“You can’t mess with the original, Ace.” Rowan responds looking serious. “He just cannot be beat.”

“Yeah, Ace.” Conall responds, apparently feeling the need to weigh in on their argument. Rowan frowns at him, no doubt from the fact that Conall called her Ace, which usually only Rowan called her that, with the exclusion of Sam who had recently gone about calling her that. Rowan has always felt a little possessive over the name Ace.

“No, No, No,” Fenrys butts in, his words slurring slightly, “I agree with Aelin. Tom Holland is simply the best. Also, have you seen his lip sync battle?  Tell me Tobey Maguire could pull that off. I dare you.”

“He can’t,” Aelin laughs, “He simply can’t.”

“I also agree that Tom Holland is the best Spiderman.” Sam says with a sly smile.

Rowan frowns at him.  “You’re only agreeing with Aelin because she’s your girlfriend.”

Sam laughs, gets up and slides onto the opposite booth and sits next to Aelin, “No, no one can compete with Holland’s acting chops.” He says as he throws his arm around Aelin’s shoulders.

“There’s only one way to decide then,” Conall says with a smirk. “Lorcan must be the deciding vote.”

Aelin and Fenrys both protest loudly, claiming Lorcan had no taste, and that Lorcan would choose Maguire just to spite them.

Rowan shuts the protests up by turning to Lorcan and asking for his vote.

Lorcan looks sheepishly around before he says, “I actually think Andrew Garfield plays the best Spiderman.”

The group eventually quiets back down, as the night begins to come to an end. Lorcan was the first one to head out, claiming he had a final tomorrow.  Fenrys left soon after, receiving a text from a semi-frequent hook-up asking him to come over.  Conall then convinced Sam to play darts with him, beating Sam every round.  Sam still seemed to be enjoying himself though, laughing every time he missed one of the rings, and once the board entirely. Aelin never understood why bar owners thought it was a good idea to put a dart board in the middle of drunk men with questionable aim, but who was she to question it.

Sam and Conall’s questionable game of darts did, however, leave Aelin and Rowan alone for the first time that night.  Aelin had been missing spending time with her best friend.  It seemed that every time they tried to get together, outside of their morning runs, they were busy or surrounded by other people.  

“So, how are you Buzzard?” Aelin asks with a slow smile.

“How are you, fireheart?” Rowan asks, far too seriously for the night they have been having.

Aelin’s heart begins to pound loudly in her chest. He hardly ever called her that, only when he was feeling particularly affectionate.

“All’s good.” She replied, still smiling.  Her heart pounded faster still when his fingers brushed against her cheek.

“An eyelash had fallen.” Was all Rowan said, still gazing at her with an intense stare.

“Oh.” Aelin said, “I hadn’t noticed.”

Rowan only gave her a sad smile as he stood up.  He ended up tripping while trying to remove himself from his seat, which made her burst out laughing.  Rowan, who was usually graceful to a fault, had tripped. He was more drunk than she had initially thought, he must be excited to be graduating.

“Do you need help?” Aelin asked.

“I am fine.” Rowan growled back.

“Are you sure about that?” Aelin asked, trying to hide her laughter. “You seem a little unsteady on your feet.”

“I’m fine, I’m going to head home for the night.” Rowan said, regaining his balance and his usual stoic expression. He grabbed his jacket from where he had been sitting.

“How about you come home with me,” Aelin offered. “You seem a bit unsteady there, Buzzard.”

“I’m fine,” Rowan said again. “I’ll get a cab. Goodnight.” Rowan threw her one last smile, then exited the bar, never bothering to turn back.

. . .

The dreams usually began with a dizzying array of colors, then quickly moved on to flashes of memory. Her heart begins to pound so loudly she can hear it in her head, in her dreams.  Once her senses are overwhelmed with the shadow of memories and the deafening sound of her own heartbeat, is when she would stop breathing. The lack of air is what usually wakes her from her slumber.

Aelin Galathynius quickly padded across the floor of her bedroom to her bathroom, closing the door behind her, where she then vomited into the toilet. She always made sure the door to the bathroom was closed and locked, so Sam could not hear her, or accidently open the bathroom door in the middle of the night to find her lying on the floor next to the toilet.

After Aelin was done emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet, she slumped down onto the floor.  The cool tile against her back, where her loose sleep camisole did not cover, always seemed to ground her.  The hot flashes, the insanity from the dreams and then the vomiting always began to dissipate once she felt the cool tile against her body.

She laid on the floor for a while, breathing in and out and waiting for her pulse to return to normal. The memories she tried to escape during her day, where always ruthlessly unleashed during the night, pursuing her where she could not escape them. Although she couldn’t escape the dreams and memories, they were significantly better within the last few years, only occurring every once in a while, instead of every night.

Aelin thought back to her freshmen year, where she would drink all night long, or get into fights, just to try to stay awake just a little longer so she wouldn’t have to face what was waiting in her subconscious.  Aelin was good at that, pushing things away, not examining anything too closely in case it might trigger a panic attack.

Aelin would eventually have to get up, brush her teeth and make her way back to bed where her loving boyfriend was sleeping, but she allowed herself to rest for a moment more on the floor.  Though Sam knew what happened when she was eighteen in veiled terms, and through short bursts of vulnerability, she couldn’t get herself to admit to him that she still had panic attacks, and nightmares from her previous years. In fact, the only person who knew she still suffered through them was Rowan.

Rowan was her constant star and steadfast companion when it came to the pain of suddenly losing someone. He was also well aware of the way she tried to deal with it afterward, for that was how they found each other.  They were both so wrapped up in their grief and their own self destruction that they couldn’t see the other person in front of them. When Aelin pulled her head out of her ass, as Aedion called it, and finally called a truce with Rowan, and later became friends with him, is when Aelin realized that they had the same grief festering inside them.  They also had the same self-destructive streak, so they vowed to find their way out of the madness and grief together.

For a moment Aelin wished Rowan was with her, gently coaxing her get up and brush her teeth, rubbing his hand on her back soothingly, waiting for her pulse to slow back down. Rowan always knew how to reach her, how to soothe her.

Aelin slowly got up, and eventually made her way back to her sleeping boyfriend who was unaware that anything had happened. She tried to fall asleep next to her boyfriend, but she couldn’t, she was too busy wishing Rowan was beside her with his soothing touch luring her back to sleep.

Taglist

@rowaelinismyotp

[sohannabarberaesque]

Underwater America with Peter Potamus: Florida’s Treasure Coast

Continuing our cross-country tour (and fictional TV series), our heroes travel further south along Florida’s coast in our latest installment. This episode takes place in July 1970.

The ten of us continued down State Road A1A after finishing off a dive in Pelican Flats off Cape Canaveral—a dive that started with the exploration of a grassy reef and ending with all of us swimming alongside three-dozen-or-so manta rays. What a way to make a living.

“We’re going to a wreck next?” Magilla asked, peeling a banana in the back seat.

“Yep! We’re going to Fort Pierce.” I replied as I waited for the traffic light to turn green.

“Ahhh, but can it top the rays we saw?” Breezly said, still giddy from the experience.

The more I thought about it, the reef dive seemed somewhat ordinary up until that moment. “Who knows. I think we got lucky that day,” I said as I drove the minibus along the street. “We were just…there until that happened.”

Hokey, who rode shotgun that day, agreed. “True, true, Peter my buddy. We may have swam with the rays, but we came out of there wet and hungry, as we always do!”

I snickered. “Okay, okay, I get the picture. I suppose we should get some dinner in a little while. We can get a snack before then.” Everyone else agreed. We had lots of time before we got the nitrogen out of our systems, anyway. I decided on a seafood restaurant—complete with patio—in North Hutchinson Island, only a short drive from Vero Beach, one of the northern cities of the region of Florida known as the Treasure Coast.

The food was plentiful, even for the ten of us: a few lobsters, fried catfish and plenty of battered shrimp would keep us full for awhile, and the sides—cole slaw and hush puppies—topped off this delicious meal. “OH, BOY!” we explained, and dug in.

Naturally, the lobsters were claimed by Hokey and Wally, who had desired them ever since a failed attempt to bring back a couple of them from our Pelican Flats dive. We didn’t mind; I filled myself up on the shrimp and hush puppies, while a couple of others, notably Squiddly and Mildew, admired the catfish.

“Oooh, those spices!” Mildew said joyously, savoring the seasonings put into it. “What do you think’s in it?”

“I don’t think they’ll tell!” Squiddly chuckled, biting into a delicious shrimp.

Wally had a pair of shrimp at once, together with plenty of scooped-up cocktail sauce. He found it delicious, although he did not expect the sauce to be as strong as it was—there was plenty of horseradish in it to clear his sinuses. Fortunately, a glass of water helped him through his little coughing spell. “Perhaps a little sauce isn’t a bad idea. Just a little, dont’cha know!” he said, laughing.

The sea breezes added that extra bit of enjoyment indoor eating just doesn’t have. We also got to view some small beach gettogethers of about five or six people, and were able to get an up-close view when we walked along the beach after dinner. Unfortunately for Squiddly, not a single one of those parties had a guitar, though it did have plenty of beer.

For many, the combination of the tides and the wet sand feels so nice between the toes of those who walk along it. For us, the water was just a fact of life. We had been underwater for so long by this point that we simply didn’t experience as much of a pleasant surprise as other people usually have, those who stroll along the beach or wade in the ocean to unwind after a long day. Not to take away from the wet sand, though; we felt it and we liked it—that is, until we were about to get into the minibus. I was adamant about us not tracking sand into the car, and we wiped off our feet with a towel before we got inside.

We spent the night at a motel in Vero Beach, booking three rooms for the ten of us. While Magilla watched some television and Squiddly filled the bath for a good night’s rest, I read up on further information regarding our next destination, the Spanish wreck Urca de Lima.

The Urca de Lima, a 305-ton Dutch-built merchant ship, was one of a dozen ships in the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, tasked with carrying goods and treasure from the New World back to the Spanish Main. The Urca de Lima was one of five ships captained by Juan Esteban de Ubilla.

On July 24, 1715, Ubilla’s fleet, supplemented by six other Spanish ships, commandeered by Antonio de Echeverez, and a French ship, El Grifón, sent to ward off pirates, set sail from Havana, Cuba, intending to reach the city of Cádiz in Spain. Among their combined booty was a large amount of gold and silver. The Urca de Lima, though, mostly carried goods, along with some private silver kept in chests. The fleet, however, made it as far as Florida when a hurricane hit them, pushing the ships to the coast and either sinking or grounding them. Only the French ship escaped unscathed. More than half the crew of those eleven ships died, including both commanders. The Urca de Lima, however, steered into a river inlet, and the hull remained intact. This allowed the goods to be salvaged, keeping the survivors well-fed for a few days.

The ship’s cargo was eventually salvaged and the ship’s hull burned down to the waterline in order to hide it from pirates, although the existence of the sunken fleet was widely known by that time.

In December, the salvage camp was heavily raided by two British privateers—Henry Jennings and Charles Vane—and their men, and made away with gold and silver totalling over $3 million in today’s money!

Since its rediscovery in 1928, numerous salvage permits were granted, but very little came of it, as far as treasure was concerned. There was a silver piece here and there, but that was it.

Those thoughts were still with me even as we took a stroll along one of Vero Beach’s most popular tourist attractions, McKee Jungle Gardens, a botanical garden off U.S. Route 1.

This time it was Loopy de Loop’s turn to enjoy himself, following the semi-carnivorous overtures his lupine colleagues Hokey and Mildew gave at Tosohatchee. He stopped to smell the flowers with every new variety that came into view, and there were well over a hundred different species, in addition to the gorgeous streams and ponds we viewed that morning.

“Ahh, nature!” exclaimed Loopy. “Is there anything as breathtaking as a botanical garden, with so many magnificent flowers on display in a single place?”

“Yeah, underwater!” Squiddly eagerly replied, taking a bit of power out of Loopy’s monologue.

“Uh, yes, that as well, but I’m sure you understand, for you are but an octopus!”

“True…” Squiddly’s voice wandered off.

Having cleared our minds of any ill thoughts, and rejecting a suggestion by Mildew to abandon Loopy at the garden, I drove back onto the highway and headed east back onto A1A.

Upon stopping in the city of Fort Pierce we chartered a boat to take us to the Urca de Lima, east of Jack Island Park on the opposite side of the Indian River. Everyone checked their gear and put it on, while I piloted the craft out of the river and back onto the ocean.

I was happy to learn that, as the wreck was only 200 feet from shore, we would be diving at very shallow depths compared to Pelican Flats: ten to fifteen feet. I set a diving time of sixty minutes, with no decompression necessary. Maybe we would get a look at some more fish, but for now, it was all about the ship. To ensure that the wreck would not be damaged by an anchor, we instead used a mooring buoy to keep the boat in place.

We dove in following the safety briefing. Once we were close to the floor, we split up into our usual groups. As we swam along, we noticed that there was very little of the ship left, with only the keel, garboard and one side of the boat visible after that entire time, and even then what remained had a lot of vegetation grow on it. After all, this was a wreck that was over 250 years old, and a lot of things tend to happen near the shore in that length of time. The sands and the wildlife come and go—mostly come. Nevertheless, some of us were still in awe over what is basically an old-style artificial reef.

Although I was convinced the chances of finding even one coin were slim, that obviously didn’t stop Hokey, who brushed along the ocean floor with his hands in the hope of uncovering said coin. Wally, being his trusted friend and divemate, couldn’t help but join in and also find nothing. Convinced their big score wasn’t going to happen, they continued to swim along the hull.

We explored the area outside the ship for other remnants. South of the ship’s main structure, Lippy and Hardy were able to find some cannons strewn about—five in all. This in itself is a fascinating thing, although there were originally more cannons around the ship; several of them had been salvaged, cleaned up and exhibited. Mildew and Loopy soon joined them, and Mildew had a little fun by peeking inside, and reaching his hand into, one of the cannons. Eventually, the others joined in after seeing enough of the hull.

As they enjoyed themselves, I was reminded of the salvage operations that took place for decades (and which brought several of the cannons to the surface for exhibition) and continue to take place today, and felt that continued operations would evenually diminish the diving and snorkeling experiences many locals and tourists greatly enjoy. After all, it isn’t every day you have a shipwreck in your own backyard, let alone one that is very accessible.

Art by Bob Jiggles

I began to swim with Hokey and Wally away from the cannons after awhile, heading west. We had intended to see the sights of some fish that may be around, but we ended up finding one of Urca de Lima’s anchors instead, laid out along the ocean floor. It appeared to be about ten feet long and, like the cannons, were completely rusted. It gave us an idea as to how much of the ship actually remained, as almost everything else was broken up over time. The other anchor was also among the items salvaged and exhibited to the public.

Meanwhile, Mildew, still hoping for a trinket or two, reached into the other cannons and found nothing but maybe a stray rock or two perhaps making their way inside. Running his hands along several spots on the ocean floor didn’t work, either. Although the others were convinced they weren’t going to find anything, it didn’t stop Mildew, one of the most tenacious among us in whatever he did. Not until Loopy placed a hand on Mildew’s shoulder and shook his head did he give up his own little treasure quest; the bubbles gushing from the regulator hinted at a sigh of disappointment.

Squiddly swam along the remnants of the hull, his camera picking up the entirety of it, along with some of the animals for size comparison. He would tell me later that it might have been better were we to create a chain by grabbing each other’s legs. We might’ve made a good animal yardstick.

Feeling that we had seen enough of the wreck, I called for the whole crew to surface. We made our way back to the boat, somewhat disappointed. It was a delight to view a wreck, sure, but our expectations had been set too high. Although the ship was burned centuries ago to prevent detection by pirates, we still thought there was plenty for us to see.

We continued further south on our journey. Our next stop was Key Largo, home of John Pennekamp State Park, featuring some of the finest coral reefs in the country and home to a diverse group of marine life. Many of us felt like going on another dive before then, so we parked our minibus at a beach in Jupiter, just north of West Palm Beach.

Magilla and I broke out the bike pump and set about refilling the tanks with pressurized air before we could hit the water again. “It won’t be long now!” Magilla said excitedly, even though we had nine tanks to fill.

This time, we entered from the sands of the beach, donning our fins once the water was halfway up to our knees. This was strictly a pleasure dive where we could just play around in the water for awhile at a shallow depth. Usually this consisted of playing tag with one another, as Breezly and Magilla demonstrated, although some others had fun in different ways: Mildew felt like basking in the sun’s rays even in the water, and posed as though he was laying back in a beach chair, letting nothing bother him. Wally, a bit of a zany character himself, joined Mildew a minute later. Hokey and Loopy interacted with the occasional fish passing by them, while Lippy and Hardy just swam around, unsure of what to do themselves; they were simply content with watching.

We explored further by swimming towards the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. Our heads above water, the view was clear for all of us. Squiddly pointed in the direction of six creatures congregating together. “Manatees!” he exclaimed joyfully.

I removed my mouthpiece. “Must’ve gone after a female,” I said, before putting it back in. We swam closer to the pack while keeping our mouthpieces on, even though our heads were above the surface; we didn’t want to deal with ocean water in the hose.

The manatees turned and started to swim away from the shore, where we confronted them, eager to pet and stroke their heads and play with them for a few moments. Some of us wanted to stroke their bellies, too, and the manatees felt so happy to receive some attention. Squiddly joined in on the lovefest, too, even though his job was to film; I got his back, however, recording him nuzzling against a manatee’s cheek.

We spent a few minutes with them before they had to leave, looking to try again someplace else. We waved goodbye to them and began to head back to where we began our dive. It was getting a little late, anyway, and we needed some food in our bellies. We were also a little exhausted from all the diving, as was easily demonstrated thusly:

“Why’m I walking all topsy-turvy?” Breezly asked, wobbling as though he had a few beers.

“Alors! Those sea cows must’ve made us love drunk!” Loopy added.

Only Squiddly and I walked properly, with my fins slung over my shoulder, as we discussed plans together.

“Hey, how come those two are all right?” asked Mildew.

Everyone else still had their full gear on, well after they had been completely out of the water.

“You need a rest!” Squiddly and I called out to them.

We had to rest up for what I figured would be the pinnacle of our vacation: Key Largo and John Pennekamp State Park, and what better place to do so than what Hokey called “The Entertainment Capital of Florida,” Miami. At least it still is, while Jackie Gleason is still taping his variety show, and until Walt Disney’s next big thing opens to the public.

Avoiding all kinds of alcohol—which probably knocked out half the potential restaurant options in this city—we also wanted a place with prices within our means, which knocked out another quarter of the city. After twenty minutes of driving around the city with no place to go, we decided on a small diner where they not only served the usual fare, but also come Cuban delicacies.

The lively conversation soon switched from the wreck and the manatees to Key Largo. Pennekamp State Park had some of the best coral reefs in the nation, along with a diverse section of marine life. I could hear the excitement in their voices. Some of them even wanted to enjoy a second day there, as we did with Wally’s secret spring.

“If I can find a good motel, sure!” I quipped.

Anyway, that’s our Treasure Coast adventure. If you like wrecks that you can enjoy at shallow depths, I strongly recommend the Urca de Lima off Fort Pierce. If relaxation is more your thing, be sure to visit the almost-endless stretch of beaches. Remember, if you’re interested in diving, please receive proper instruction and follow all safety protocols before going in.

While I’m mentioning relaxation, why don’t you relax awhile yourself? Our next episode will be diver’s heaven—Key Largo. Look for us next week at the same time.

[jessaadventures-blog]

Week Two: Lovin’ Life in Lobitos

A Lobitos boat out on the water. Spot the blue water tower in the background - a great place to watch sunsets!

This week was another good one! There were some fun adventures, I made some decent progress on my project, met more of the locals, and saw much more of Lobitos. Apart from a bit of an upset stomach, everything has only been getting better!

The EcoHouse

One of our homemade pizzas from our midnight pizza party, with a vegan portion :)

There have been some more shifts in the EcoTeam this week; Andres arrived on Saturday to replace Alejo leaving last week. Andres is the third of the four directors I’ve met, and he’s a fun addition to the house! He’s known as the most chill and spontaneous director, and it definitely shows. He loves to tell us stories of his life (he was born in Canada and moved to Lima when he was ten, where he met the other three directors in school, and then went to Toronto for university and ended up on the Wall Street of Canada for a few years before he moved to Lobitos to start EcoSwell) and throws in some Peruvian history too. He is also mostly vegan, so now I’ve got a friend in the food department! 

Diego, the other director that was here, left Thursday to vacation with his girlfriend and speak at a big UK conference in Rio de Janeiro. He’ll be back in a few weeks with his girlfriend, who is the volunteer coordinator for EcoSwell, and I’m excited to meet her!

Michael, the only director I haven’t met, arrives Sunday to replace Diego while he’s gone. Michael’s spent most of his time in the UK and doesn’t come to Lobitos as much as the other three, so he’s known as the “city kid”. It’ll be interesting to see how he fits in at the house, and I’m excited to see the dynamic between Andres and Michael as directors.

There’s also a big volunteer change-over this weekend; we’re losing half of the crew and gaining two newbies! Kyler flew out on Saturday (after two months in the EcoHouse), Dion just left today (he’s been here three weeks), and Javi leaves tomorrow, Monday, after just two weeks. There’s a new volunteer arriving today and another arriving Monday, so we’ll have one empty bed in the house for a little while (Isa and I get a room to ourselves and I can move to the bottom bunk now that Javi will be gone)!

I’m excited to show the new guys around, but I’ll miss having people here who know more of the secrets of Lobitos than I do.

As for the general happenings in the house, we’ve had a few more fun meals (some yummy veggie pasta and garlic bread Monday night, taco Tuesday again, a midnight pizza-making and bonfire party initiated by Andres, and Andres found some soy milk for me so now I can have cereal!), watched the first season of Silicon Valley together, experienced two blackouts (one in the morning, one at night), and played Secret Hitler (a board game that I played a lot while studying abroad in Australia, which happens to be the go-to group game here as well). I’ve also gotten back into reading Lord of the Rings, which I started almost a year ago in Australia, and now I’m almost done with the trilogy!

The only downside of the week was the upset stomach that I’ve had for the past four days (pretty much everyone gets it during their second week of volunteering, so nothing out of the ordinary), but it’s feeling a lot better now!

Work

Javi and I “painting” silicone onto the distiller!

This week I actually got to start working on the solar distiller, and we got a lot done with it! The distiller had already been designed and the frame had been built by previous volunteers, so I mostly have the job of putting it all together, making sure the system works, and putting it to use in the community! Part of this is painting the basin (where the water goes) with black food-grade silicone caulk, so the wood is waterproof, the water isn’t contaminated with chemicals, and the leftover salt can be used for cooking. The previous volunteer that worked on the distiller had painted the silicone on and then realized, just before the whole basin was covered, that the silicone wasn’t food-grade. So he spent the rest of his time scraping it back off again (that had to suck). He didn’t quite finish before he left, though, so Javi and I spent the first two and a half days of the work week scraping the rest of the silicone off the distiller so we could repaint it with the food-grade silicone we now have. On Thursday, we painted the distiller with white primer, and Friday we were able to almost finish painting the silicone on the basin (I learned that silicone caulk is a really hard thing to “paint” and it doesn’t like to be smooth and it stinks). So, we’re already a couple steps closer to a complete solar distiller! With Javi leaving, however, I’m losing my project partner, though one of the new volunteers will likely be helping me out when they arrive.

Outside of my main project, I posted on Facebook and SteemIt a couple times about EcoSwell’s progress/events and we had our weekly planting day on Wednesday starting at 6:30am. The guys spent the four hours of planting day trimming branches, grasses, and other plants around the house, and Isa and I checked all of the drip irrigation holes to make sure they were working, added some more drip lines, and planted a bunch of seeds ready to germinate in the nursery. 

Adventures

Sunset at La Punta - spot Gino surfing the crazy wave!

We did some fun things this week outside of the house and work! On Friday we went to check out a new restaurant in town called 420 Cafe, which has great pastas and pizzas (I had yummy pesto gnocchi), a chill surfer dude atmosphere, some fancy cocktails (and wine!), and fast wifi! On Saturday I hung out on the beach and read for a while (and got covered in sand, thanks to the wind), and that evening we all went up to the water tower, the highest point in town, to watch the sun set over Lobitos. It was a fun little walk with a great view and we saw some roaming horses and wild foxes on the way down. 

Sunday was the main adventure day of the week; all the newer volunteers (Dion, Ale, Javi, and me) went on the Lobitos Ocean Adventure run by Tulio, a local fisherman friend. We met him at the end of the pier at 7am, where we all jumped onto his fishing boat in between the big rolling waves coming in, and settled in for a classic Peruvian fishing experience. Tulio, his two sons, and his brother Jorge were with us on the boat and they told us about the generations of fishermen that have fished in this area, and passed down their knowledge and techniques through their families that still fish here today. 

Tulio (right) and his brother Jorge teaching us to fish!

We took a forty minute boat ride through the oil platforms out to a reef, and then we dropped anchor and learned how to fish like a Peruvian. Each of us was given a thick plastic fishing line (no rod) that split three ways at the end; two had hooks on them, and one had a metal weight. The fishermen baited the hooks, and we would toss the line over the edge of the boat, letting it sink until the weight reached the bottom. Then we would hold the line in our hands and wait to feel a pull or wiggle or other sign that we had hooked a fish (it was really hard to tell), and then we pulled the line up to see what we got! Ale was the first to catch something, which ended up being a sea serpent that Tulio stunned before he tossed it back in the water. He caught a couple more small fish, but none big enough to keep. Javi and Dion both got seasick pretty fast, so the boys did most of the fishing for them, but they only caught one fish big enough to keep. I ended up getting lucky and catching four keepers! 

My first fish!

Once we were done fishing, we pulled up the anchor and started heading home while Tulio prepared super-fresh ceviche for us with the fish that we caught. We had a snack of ceviche (complete with the onions and lemon) and plantain chips for the ride home, which mostly Ale and I ate (vegan or not, I couldn’t pass up ceviche that fresh), because Dion and Javi were still feeling sick. We made it back to land and thanked Tulio and his family for the experience, and they gave us the fish we didn’t eat to bring back to the house for lunch the next day. It was a fun morning!

Yum, ceviche doesn't get any fresher than this!

That night we watched the sunset from La Punta, where there are a bunch of big rock formations that form a point (and great surf waves!) and watched Gino, one of the local surfers, surf one of the most dangerous waves in Lobitos, El Hueco. It was crazy to watch.

Other than that, I saw and held a stick bug that we saw while painting the distiller, there were two blackouts (one on Wednesday night and one Sunday morning), and we went back to Tranqui’s for dinner on Sunday and Thursday, where Henry, a local guy (and also an insanely good surfer) who works for Waves for Development (the other non-profit in town) and one of his volunteers met us to eat. 

Sunset over Lobitos from the water tower

There’s this week’s update! Sorry for the late post; I was really busy with work this week and forgot to start writing this post early enough on Friday, and I was gone most of the day yesterday (I’ll include that adventure in next week’s post!). I’m still having a ton of fun and learning a lot! Feel free to ask any questions :) Love and miss you all!

[soulsickness]

The Travel Lifestyle, Is It Practical?

For many, the Traveling Lifestyle is theoretical, an unachievable aspiration. To tell the truth, the constraints are self-imposed, we are all capable, and it is solely mastering a panic.

For those that are unclear on what the Traveling Lifestyle actually is: it is designing your everyday life around experiencing the world. It is introducing value to your own existence. It is a pursuit of happiness. It is most often a post-college undertaking, but if you want it bad enough, it is always attainable.

If you have never traveled before, there is practically nothing else equal. Nothing can prepare you for this, it can not be explained, and it can not be acquired second-hand. In a quicker time frame than you would commonly be ready to recall someone's name, you'll discover friendships that continue lifetimes, discover a session of history courses in 1 day, and have something to remember. And that's needed.

Remember back on last week, or the preceding month. Sometimes life is forgettable - certainly not when you are encountering the world, not when you are interacting with quite interesting individuals, not when you are heading out to an impressive nightlife, not when you travel.

So exactly how do you get a lifestyle of travel, or merely a travel experience? Again, very simple, being alive in the very particular time of today.

Now here is a Choice of limitations and answers:

I am not sure it's well worth the dough. Until you are having trouble paying for basic necessities, it is truly worth it. The encounter is indefinite, in my estimation, it is possible to find very few more appropriate investments into somebody's life. Plus if you are somewhat creative and bright, you will find limitless way of supporting it financially.

I have a profession . Is it your bona fide calling? Not likely. When it is not your life's objective, put it in perspective! You'll discover several means to have a exceptional skill-set and achieve location independence. Run from your computer, you might get Wi-Fi at any location. Explore passive income strategies, build audiences, and become your own boss. The how-to information is out there and infinite. I have achieved it. It is quite possible. And if you are confident in your self, the scariest is starting over, and that is sometimes a positive thing.

I am looking for a job. You might not be in a better place. You want to keep in mind that we normally work forty or more years of our lifetimes. Additionally, the people insisting you find a job are often those lifetime workers. You'll find many explanations of success, and if success is cash to you, there are lots of distinct methods of achieving financial success when traveling.

Everyone thinks I am running away. You are not, it is natural inexperience for a person to say that. If they have at all traveled young, it is unusual to find any counter advice. Remember one of the greatest regrets you frequently hear: I wish I traveled when I was younger.

There are lots of real world examples of this Travel Lifestyle. It's the chance to create a fantasy lifestyle, a genuine lifestyle.

Healthy Lifestyle in The Dog Days of Summer

Do not allow your healthy lifestyle take a holiday... alongside you.

Summer time, is supposed to be a period of physical action and fun. However, more frequently than not I have seen the dog days of summer lead to complacency, particularly in August. August has been a critical month for most people trying to hold on to a healthy lifestyle routine. Most individuals have a tendency to go to a wait and see mode which often goes like this,"I will await the New Year, or the start of Beach Season. It's often a tough mindset to manage, not just for me keeping customers on course, but especially for them when it comes to their commitment to live a healthy lifestyle and establishing new objectives.

Recall: It is much easier to remain fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle balance than it is to get back in form and start all over again.

Recall: Fitness and lifestyle changes are a yearlong commitment which you can take with you wherever you go.

Have Fun!

Holiday's during the summer, together with business trips throughout the year will be the biggest culprits for falling off the wagon. However, because the great Jedi Master Yoda said,"Mind what you have learned". I can not think of more sage advice. Here's the chance to have fun! Activities that you might not have been able to perform physically before, may surprise you understand. By staying active and fit you are no more a weekend or week-long warrior beating yourself up while taking 3 days to recuperate.

Maintain healthy lifestyle goals in your mind!

I understand, Bar B Queues on the balcony overlooking the beach, multiple cocktails at sunset and complete too much of a fantastic thing may feel as a great thing at the time... until you get home. Have a fantastic time, but maintain a healthy balance. Whenever I go on holiday, which unfortunately isn't enough, I'm searching for activity. It's my opportunity to be a child again. After a long walk or jog, a terrific bike ride or hike, a swim in the sea or pool, you might have second thoughts of downing the excess cheeseburger. It's not just a winning mindset which will keep you on course, it is a mindset which will jump-start you when you return home.

Plan it and Perform

Have a holiday that focuses on action like backpacking, biking or golfing. If you are more adventurous try white water rafting or diving. Choose a hotel with a gym, a pool or spa. Ask about activities that could include your children. When packing put workout equipment close to the top of the list. Whether its hitting the beach, a mountain lake, a weekend getaway or a business trip, fit in physical activity and make it enjoyable. Walk, research, try new activities you've never done before. You'll find a fantastic workout while being adventurous at exactly the same time. You will not only be taking great memories back, you will also be carrying a healthier body! When there's no gym, fire off some push ups on your room. Take breaks for short walks. At airports, walk the terminal and plan ahead to be certain you have healthy choices when it comes to snacks and foods.

If you wish to "DOG" anything, walk instead. You will both be happier.

[celsiaflorist-blog]

The Best of Skagit Valley: A Visitor Guide

Growing with Landscape FabricHere in the Skagit Valley, the tulip fields are about to burst into the most phenomenal show of color. Even after living in this area for nearly 20 years, I still can’t get over how beautiful it is. No wonder every year over a million people come from all over the world to experience the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This annual event started as a three day festival and has grown into a month long celebration that now features art shows, concerts, street fairs, bike rides and more.

Today I’m excited to share our guide for visiting this incredible area. As our farm is closed to the public, I’m happy to share some of our favorite restaurants, shops, and other places of interest. There are so many wonderful things to do in this area! You could easily spend a few days exploring and having fun. If you can’t make it for the Tulip Festival, not to worry since all of these spots are great any time of the year.

A few things to take note of when visiting the Skagit Valley during tulip season:

Weekdays are best! We’ve found that the traffic can be pretty bad on the weekends, so try to plan for a mid-week adventure if you don’t want to spend hours in grid lock. If you brave the weekend crowds be sure to pack snacks and note that there are limited restroom facilities along the way.

Respect the signs, farms and notices around the tulip fields. There are designated areas to stop and enjoy the beauty. Please don’t go walking into any fields that are marked “No Trespassing” just for a photo. The tulip fields are a photographer’s dream, just be sure to enjoy them in the designated areas. Information for seeing the tulips can be found vancouver florist.

Check ahead. As always, hours of operation are subject to change so before you head out, verify your plans with the businesses you intend to visit.

Places to visit with your kids

Padilla Bay Research Reserve: As a living field laboratory with support facilities and professional staff, Padilla Bay Reserve has a free indoor aquarium with lots of opportunities for kids to see what plants and animals are native to this area. Be sure to call (360) 428-1558 for their hours of operation. You’ll also find lots of wonderful nature trails and places to explore.

Drive or hike up Mount Erie: Either drive to the top, or enjoy a hike. Mount Erie is a favorite for the locals and the views at the top are incredible! If you’re in the Anacortes area, you’ll enjoy this spot.

Visit Deception Pass: One of our personal favorite places in the park is Rosario Beach. My grandfather was a biologist and taught there, so I’ve been visiting this amazing place as long as I can remember. It’s worth planning to spend at least a few hours exploring the park and the beaches. If your family enjoys camping, you’ll want to come back in the summer.

Please note that you’ll need a Discover Pass to access the Washington state recreation lands.

Storvik Park, Anacortes: This playground has a huge place for the kids to run, climb and get all their energy out. During the summer it’s a favorite, as there’s also a splash pad for the little guys.

Washington Park, Anacortes: Located along the water, this is a beautiful place to bring your picnic. Enjoy views of the boats going in and out, while the kids play on the playground.

Places to go for a walk or enjoy views of the valley

Padilla Bay Trail: Stroller and bike friendly, you’ll enjoy a beautiful and flat walk along the bay, where the Skagit River meets the Salish Sea.

Little Mountain Park: A covered viewpoint provides a spectacular look at the Skagit Valley, San Juan Islands, Olympic Mountains, and the tulip fields. The park also provides miles and miles of hiking trails.

A few must-dos when you visit this area

Christianson’s Nursery:. One of my all time top favorite places, this is the ultimate stop for every gardener. In addition to having an amazing selection of plants, they have a beautiful garden themed gift shop, vintage glass greenhouses and the largest selection of potted garden roses in the state. Bring your checkbook and plan to stay a couple of hours!

Enjoy Chuckanut drive: This 24 mile curvy route hugs the Chuckanut mountains. Chuckanut Drive overlooks Samish Bay and offers gorgeous views of the San Juan Islands and Chuckanut Bay.

Take a ride into the San Juan Islands on a ferry: From Anacortes you can park your car and walk on the ferry for a fun day trip. Enjoy a relaxing ride, while watching for whales. You can also drive on and then spend the day or take a longer vacation exploring one of the islands.

The Red Door Antique Mall: Located in historic downtown Mount Vernon, this is one of the best places to look for unique treasures. The gals who own it are a riot and I always find so many wonderful things to take home. With 20 vendors under one roof, inventory changes on a daily basis and the selection is unmatched. Many of the props and vases that we use in our studio and photoshoots come from the Red Door. If you get a chance to visit tell the ladies we sent you!

Recommended places to eat

Seeds Bistro in LaConner: Featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farms, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, and fresh seafood from our local fishing community, there are a million reasons to visit this charming place. It’s one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

LaConner Pub and Eatery: For the best fish and chips and a beautiful view while you enjoy your meal, LaConner Pub and Eatery is the place to be. Call ahead of time and have them save you a spot right on the water.

Nell Thorn in LaConner: A little jewel of northwest! They offer a fresh, daily menu of artisan made, sustainable, farm to table NW fare, craft cocktails, fine wines, & microbrews on tap. Awesome food with incredible views!

COA Mexican Eatery: We love this place! Everything is super fresh and they have awesome margaritas. Locations are in LaConner and Mt. Vernon.

Il Granaio: If you’re craving amazing Italian food, this is your place. Having earned the reputation as the Skagit Valley’s best authentic Italian restaurant, Il Granaio incorporates the flavors of fresh, local ingredients into traditional Italian recipes. The bonus is that it’s located in the old grainary building of Mount Vernon. A true beauty!

Skagit Valley Food Co-Op: If you’re looking for a sustainably sourced deli or some wonderful grocery items, go here. This is the natural marketplace for our community and it features something perfect for everyone.

Valley Shine Distillery: Valley Shine Distillery provides an inviting atmosphere to enjoy small batch spirits, craft cocktails and unique tapas. They offer a delicious lunch and dinner menu that they refer to as “Farm to Market Classic Comfort Food with a Twist”. All ages are welcome.

C•Square and Third Street Cafe: C•SQUARE is a wonderful marketplace of specialty food shops and a farm-to-table restaurant, the Third Street Cafe. Bonus tip- try their coffee!

Snowgoose Produce: Known for their “Immodest Ice Cream Cones” Snowgoose Produce is a seasonal, family run, country market located in the Skagit Valley. They offer incredible organic produce and local fare such as fresh and smoked seafood, baked breads, artisan cheeses and carefully selected wines. When you stop by be sure to tell the owner Vico hello! What a nice guy he is!

The Donut House, Anacortes: A fun little stop before heading to a park or onto one of the San Juan Island ferries. This shop has a huge selection of fresh baked goodies and very affordable prices.  

Taylor Shellfish: If you like oysters, you’ll love this spot. Since the 1890’s Taylor Shellfish has been farming high quality, sustainable shellfish. Feast in the waterfront picnic area, or take your goodies to go.

Slough Foods, Edison: Awesome for wine, fancy meat and cheese. Our good friend John owns it- tell him we sent you!

Breadfarm, Edison: Located in the small village of Edison, Washington, just off of scenic Chuckanut Drive in beautiful Skagit Valley. Breadfarm is an artisan bakery focusing on naturally leavened breads,  rustic pastry and pantry staples.  Every item is beautifully handcrafted.

Tweets Cafe, Edison: Tweets has great food, especially breakfast and ice cream. Featuring an artisan cafe, organic coffee, and farm to table northwest cuisine. Cash or check only!

As you enjoy the beauty of Skagit Valley, I hope these ideas help you feel welcomed, and a little bit more like a local.

And if you’re from around here, and you have a few favorite places you’d like to share, please post them in the comments below!

Read more: Growing with Landscape Fabric

[twilight-alchemist]

Thalassophile

Ao3- x

for @varusai

Thalassophile- a person who loves the sea

Summary: Saitama lives on a small boathouse in a hidden bay, just her and the sea. She thinks she’s content until she gets a curious visitor that upsets the balance of the little world she’s made for herself.

It’s one of those gray days, where the sea and sky are joined in one great foggy expanse across the coastline. Saitama quickly strips down to her bathing suit and pulls her goggles from around her neck to over her eyes. She wanted to come out and swim hours ago, but sleeping in was better. At least she’s doing it now. The smooth wood of her boat’s deck is cool under her feet as she steps down onto the platform just above the water’s surface. She jumps and the water is shockingly cold as it closes over her head. She pops back up to the surface and shivers as the cold jolts her fully awake. Treading water is easy, feeling supported and safe with water all around her. This is the best part of everyday. She kicks off and dives under. The sea is dark today, with no sunlight to reach below the waves. The wind is still and so are the currents; the resulting calm making the water as clear as glass.

Saitama glides easily through the water. The quiet is thick around her until she pops up for air and hears seabirds yelling at each other like old women fighting over the last free sample at the supermarket. She rolls over to float on her back, staring up at the sky. Normally she’d look for shells and cool fish, but today it’s hard to see much. Floating is fine.

She knows the bay well, every out cropping, every oyster bed, every place the seals haul out to warm in the sun. With her ears in the water she can faintly hear the whales singing past the coastline, where the ocean is deep and vast. She’s swam with them there before; it was nirvana. Restless, she dives again. She longs to go swim with them now. She would need her boat to be running though, and the engines not getting fixed until tomorrow when Mumen can swing by. Her feet touch sand and she half-sits on the seafloor. A crab skitters by her, waving its claws in warning, and a small school of silver fish dart around her to disappear into the depths. Her mind is as still as the water as one minute, and then two tick by. It’s peaceful here, away from land and all its troubles. Safe.

A large highlight appears in the distance, a smear of white against darkness, and Saitama stiffens. There are seals around here, so it wouldn’t be the first time she’s seen a shark in her bay. But she’s never heard of a shark this big. Her instincts scream at her to move, but she knows she’s safest staying right where she is. The creature moves closer and Saitama nearly sucks in seawater with the urge to gasp. There’s a mermaid only meters away from her. They’re so rare that little is known about them, beyond that they are intelligent and capable of speech. This one is clearly some kind of whale as she’s huge and scale-less. Most bizarrely, one of her arms is cybernetic. Saitama stares at the mermaid who stares back unblinkingly. Her eyes are black and gold and almost seem to glow in the dim water. Minutes pass and Saitama needs to breathe. Slowly, as to not startle the mermaid, she swims upward. The mermaid follows after her as she scrambles up onto her boat. She lifts her head above the water and blinks up at Saitama.

“Are you lost?” Saitama asks, feeling foolish only moments later for asking.

The mer lets out a small chirping laugh, revealing sharp teeth. “No, I’m not lost.” She speaks as someone who’s unfamiliar with English, with halts and odd vowel sounds. She pats the boat deck curiously. “My family- the whales… want to know how you swim. Like a seal, but a human.” The mermaid frowns. “Are you a selkie?”

“No!” Saitama squeaks. “I’m a human.”

“Then how do you hold your breath?”

“Lots of practice.”

The mermaid seems to think on this. “What are you called?”

“Saitama.” She says. “And you?”

The mermaid makes a series of hums and clicks.

“I don’t think I can pronounce that.” Saitama admits.

The mermaid looks annoyed. “It is not hard.”

“My vocal cords don’t do that.”

She huffs. “You can call me Genos. It is the name on my tag.” She points to a bright pink tag on her dorsal fin.

As she turns Saitama notices that the same side with the cybernetic arm is a mess of old scar tissue, faded pink against ivory. “Okay. Your family is the humpback pod? But they’re not mermaids.”

Genos looks unimpressed by this observation. “I am adopted. I lost my pod and arm to a sea monster when I was a calf.”

“Oh. Sorry.” There an awkward silence, and Saitama motions to the cybernetic arm. “Who made you that?”

“Dr.Kuseno. He found me on the beach after the attack, saved me. A mer without an arm and without a pod is dead, but because of him I did not die.” Genos rests her arms on the back of the boat, causing the whole ship to list towards her and Saitama to squeak. “Now I protect the whales who took me in. None of the other resident merfolk would take me in, because I’m not family. They also think I’m weird looking.” Genos frowns at that. “They say the sound of my arm hurts their ears, but I do not hear anything. They do not like that I am not mostly black, like a resident mer should be. They say all the white means I’m a ‘dirty transient seal-eater’.”

Saitama processes all this information. She’s talking to mermaid. She’s easily as long as the boat from head to tail tip, making her nearly 25 feet long. She’s tan from her head to her chest but it fades to pure white and then cuts into black at the end of her arm and tail. She has short platinum blonde hair that looks as oily and thick as an otters. ‘Probably to keep her warm where she has no fat’ Saitama thinks. She’s definitely chubby, not that much different than Saitama herself. Certainly helps to prevent getting a chill.

“You don’t have ears.” Saitama blurts when she notices. Genos blinks at her.

“Yes I do, or how would we be talking?” Genos says, her tail swishing through the water and rocking the boat. “I forgot how stupid humans are. You don’t have any hair but I wasn’t nosy about it.” She starts grooming the fur on her head, running he hands over her neck and through her fur as she fluffs it. She looks more human like that, with her hair mussed and her tongue poking out in focus.

Saitama huffs at the insult. “Hey I’m not the one grooming myself like a cat.”

“What is a cat?”

“Forget it.” Saitama snaps. Genos visibly wilts. Saitama mentally smacks herself for being an ass.

“How old are you?” she asks. Genos perks up at that.

“19.” She says.

“You’re uh, big for 19.”

Genos preens at that. “Yes! The whales always tell me ‘little one you are so small! Like a new calf!’ and I am much older than a calf.” She splashes her tail with a slap that echoes around the bay.

Saitama nods as she shuffles around the tilted boat, grabbing what she needs for lunch. There may be a mermaid on her boat but she’s still hungry. Saitama’s appetite is one thing that has never failed her. The oysters are still in the cooler, though nearly knocked over, and she sets it next to her and pulls one out. She sets about shucking it open with a dull knife, looking for weak points in the seam of the shell. Genos watches curiously as Saitama fits her blade between the seam, prying it open with a crunch. “Want it?” Saitama offers. Genos eyes her.

“That’s food?”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Is too small to even be a snack.” Genos says, but she takes it anyway. She just holds it, watching as Saitama shucks another one. Saitama adds lemon to hers and throws is back. It’s not her favorite food, but free lunch is free lunch. There’s enough oysters in this bay to feed her for years. Genos eyes Saitama and slurps the oyster out of the shell. She smacks her lips and inches closer. “Can I have another one?”

“Yeah there’s plenty.” Saitama hands her a shucking knife and a handful of oysters. They seem so small in Genos’ hands, and Saitama notes the thick webbing between her fingers. “Here, just find the weak point in the shell and jam it open. It might take you a few tries to get the hand of it.”

Genos easily prys open the first one, and Saitama raises her eyebrows. “Lucky first try.”

Genos repeats it perfectly with a second one. “I saw you do it, so I figured it out.” Genos hums, munching on the oysters. “And I am much stronger than you.” She breaks another shell open with brutal efficiency and hands it to Saitama. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Saitama says, somewhat impressed. She considers frying some of the oysters for variety, but with the ship tilted it’s probably a bad idea to cook on the stove. They eat in quiet for a while, until Genos insists on trying some of Saitama’s lemon slices and shrieks so loud Saitama thinks her ears will burst.

“That’s like trying to eat a stinging jellyfish.” Genos wails. “How do you enjoy that?!”

Saitama shrugs. “I don’t know, it’s good on things. Normally you don’t just eat the peel and all. If you hate that then don’t even think of trying cocktail sauce.” Saitama holds up a little jar of it from the cooler, and adds some to her next oyster.

“I want to try it.” Genos says.

“Are you stupid?” Saitama drawls, eating her oyster. “It’s spicy. I don’t think the ocean has spicy, just like it doesn’t have sour.”

Genos makes puppy eyes at her until Saitama gives in, handing her an oyster with cocktail sauce in it. Genos eats it and pulls such a face that Saitama nearly tumbles backwards into the boat from laughing. Genos sulks low in the water, just her eyes and the top of her head poking out.

“I did warn you.” Saitama says. Genos makes a series of annoyed clicks and thrashes her tail, stirring up the sediment in the bay and clouding the water. She pauses to listen, head cocked, and disappears under the water. Saitama can hear her clicking and warbling. Genos pops back up.

“The whales are checking on me. I think they trust you more than other humans, but they worry about me.” Genos frowns. “Whenever you went to swim with them before they made me hide.”

Saitama hums “So that’s why I’ve never seen you with the pod.”

Genos nods. “Our matriarch says that long ago, humans would abduct merfolk, and so we should be careful.” Genos reaches out to poke at Saitama’s toes, making her jump as claws skim the pads of her feet. “But you are always alone, and your ship is small. You live on the water, and you swim like a seal. You are a strange human.”

“Hey my boat’s not small it’s just compact.” Saitama grumbles, tucking her feet up under her so Genos will stop poking at her toes. “And I’m not strange. I just like being alone, and being near the ocean.”

“I don’t like being alone.” Genos hums, looking out towards the mouth of the bay. Saitama turns to see what she’s looking at. The waves crash against the rocks there and the push and pull of the tides is mesmerizing. Genos is staring at something out past the waves, like a half-forgotten memory. “The ocean is vast and often empty, and it is easy to lose yourself if you are alone.” Her expression is deeply sad, and Saitama scrambles to say something.

“You have the whales now. And you could always come visit me again.”

Genos lights up. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, if you want to.” Saitama mumbles. “I don’t think I’m that interesting.”

“I think you are.” Genos rolls over so she’s floating on her back and clasps her hands over her chest, looking like an overgrown sea otter. Saitama grabs her short flippers and tugs them on so she can have small hope of keeping up. She slides off the platform and swims around Genos’ side. Genos stays carefully still, watching her. She seems even bigger up close, and Saitama can’t help but run her hands over her tail where white merges with black. Her skin is soft and cool to the touch. Genos squeaks and twitches away from her hands, rolling over and resting low in the water again. The mermaid reaches a hand out for Saitama and she nearly flinches away. Her large hands are pure black and tipped with claws and Sai’s base brain sends off panic signals. Saitama reaches her hand out in return and Genos gently pokes at her palm, examining her fingers and blunt nails.

“Are you really adult size?” Genos asks.

“Yeah, I’m full grown. You must be too, right? You’re already as big as an adult orca.”

“I have hit maturity if that is what you mean, but I still have a lot of growing to do.” Genos says. “Maybe in a few hundred years I will be big enough to kill the sea monster.”

“Uh, how big is that?”

“About as big as my moms, the humpbacks.”

Saitama whistles. “I’ve heard merfolk could get that big but it’s never been confirmed.”

“Yes, it is not that unusual. Humans are just terrible at finding things in the ocean that do not want to be found.” Genos hums. She looks up at the sky, squinting as the sun starts to break through the clouds. The bay lights up around them and Saitama smiles at the way the water sparkles. She pulls her goggles up and dives down, running her hands over the soft sand on the seafloor. Genos alternates floating over her and swimming circles around the bay. When Saitama breaks for air Genos comes up to breathe as well.

“Let’s go swim out there.” She says, pointing to were the waves break against the rocks. Saitama frowns.

“I’d like to, but I can’t swim through that. It’s fine for me to take the boat through it but the current there is too strong to swim against and I could get thrown into the rocks.” Genos smiles, which manages to be both cute and unnerving. She turns so her back is to Saitama.

“Grab my dorsal fin and I can get you through.” She says. Saitama figures she can now check mermaid riding off her non-existent bucket list. She quickly discovers that trying to climb up Genos’ smooth side is nearly impossible. With some undignified splashing she manages to get to her curved dorsal fin and hold on. Genos dives and surges forward with such force that Saitama nearly loses her grip. It isn’t even moments before they shoot out of the bay and hit open ocean, the sea floor falling away beneath them. The whale calls are much clearer now and Genos calls back to them several times. She hovers in the water, still and listening. The whales calls are haunting and beautiful, and Saitama realizes that Genos’ signing is almost like someone slowly playing a violin. Saitama lets go of Genos’ fin and swims a circle around her. She then swims down, aiming for the dim seabed below them. Genos follows slowly after, clicking in concern as they go deeper and deeper. Saitama touches the bottom and feels herself go lightheaded, kicking off and swimming upward. When she breaks the surface she sucks in air, the head rush disorienting.

“Why do that?” Genos asks.

“Just to prove I can.” Saitama says, grinning. It’s easy to tread water with her flippers on, and she sucks in air until the sky stops spinning. She pulls in a deep breath and dives again. Genos swims loops around her, graceful and controlled. Saitama grabs her arm on the next pass and let’s herself be gently pulled along. The ocean is all encompassing and so serene, and Saitama imagines she could almost nap like this. Unfortunately she’d drown. If only she’d been born a mermaid like Genos.

Two whales emerge from the distant haze and approach quickly. It’s clear that they’re having some kind of conversation with Genos as she picks up her singing again. Saitama notices a calf peeking out from under its mother, curious as to what’s going on. Genos wiggles out of her grip and swims to the calf. They squeak at each other. It must be a game, because the next moment Genos is zipping away, the calf hot on her tail. They both breach the surface and slam back down with a great splash. The calf’s mother rolls over on her back and Saitama swims along her side, amazed as always by how peaceful the massive creature are. Genos and the calf return only to race away, and Saitama realizes the game is tag. Genos slows and doubles back until she is caught, making a big fuss about it. The calf returns to mom and pauses to give Saitama the big eye, floating sideways to get a good look at her. Saitama wants to laugh at the calf’s expression, but then she’d lose her breath. Genos drifts overhead and gently lifts her under the arms and tows her to the surface. When they break the surface she rolls over so Saitama is perched on her belly. The mermaid gives Saitama a look not unlike the calf a few moments ago.

“Are you sure you are not a selkie?” She asks as Saitama yanks her goggles off with a pop.

“Yes, I’m just a human with no survival instincts.” Saitama jokes as she pulls air into her burning lungs. Genos starts to move back towards the bay and Saitama flounders. “Wait! Will we get to swim together again?”

“Maybe.” Genos says. “Depends on when the matriarch decides we move on. It might be tomorrow, or it might be moons from now.” Genos pauses and Saitama thinks she might be blushing. “I’d like if we could swim together again soon.” Genos lifts Saitama back onto the boat and hovers in the water. Saitama pulls off her flippers and goggles, grabbing a fluffy towel to throw around her shoulders and ward off the growing chill of evening. “I have to go.” Genos says, looking for all the world like that is the last thing she wants to do.

“There’s always tomorrow.” Saitama hums, and she turns to climb back into her boat.

“Wait!” Genos says, and as Saitama turns back she rears out of the water and kisses her. It’s over before Saitama’s even processed it, Genos already disappeared. She breaches just past the mouth of the bay and is gone. For the first time in ages Saitama finds herself thinking that tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

[dtkrippene]

Florida Sunset

Dan & Mother-in-Law

  It’s been a rough spring largely because I missed it. 

In December, we made a sudden decision to spend February through April in Florida. Our primary reason was to spend time with elderly mother-in-law in assisted living before she forgot who we were.  Secondary reason is spousal unit’s desire to skip winter in Pennsylvania. 

Who could blame her? It was a rough winter as well. My initial fear, however, is what would it do to the time I reserve for writing. I’d just come off a promise to the long-suffering muse in my head that I’d not neglect her; (click and read – The Silent Light of a Winter Night, December 2018).

Turned out, I wrote more than usual.  Cranked out 40K on the book I’m rewriting, and still had time to format and post blogs on our group’s GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ blog about every three-four days that began in mid-January through the end of March. Lot of work, but something had to give.

Yep, bless me readers, but I haven’t blogged since February.  

During this rather busy period, I heard from an ex-colleague who used to follow humorous articles I wrote for a travel magazine overseas. Would I submit something for a quarterly newsletter they do?  More specifically, would I write about our first ever snowbird experience in the same voice as my former writing experience?  How could I turn down a fan from yesteryear?  It published a few weeks ago, and he’s given me permission to post it here.

The article is in a different voice from what I pen today, but as penance for not keeping up in blogosphere, I offer it below.  I hope you find it humorous, and perhaps it will brighten your day as well.

  ***********************************************

Snowbirding

  Graphic From: Sarah Barendse – Creative Services

Never thought I’d be a Snowbird, defined as those who abandon the bitter winters of Northern America for sunnier climes in Florida. I like the change of seasons and don’t mind shoveling the times Nature dumps solidified water on my driveway. It’s also my most productive season as a writer, when I don’t have to answer the WYWA (Worldwide Yard Wrestling Association), or involuntarily submit to projects assigned by my wife.

It was an impulsive decision, sparked by a need to spend more time with my 90-year-old mother-in-law in an assisted living facility in Naples. Wheelchair bound, she’d weakened the past year after her husband passed-away in 2017. My bro-in-law knows everybody in the South Florida boating industry, and he found a place in Ft. Myers beginning February if we were willing to take it for three months.

Three months? What the heck do I do for three months in a territory commonly known as “God’s Waiting Room”. 

We left early February in bone-cracking, five-degree temperatures. We hit a blizzard outside of Harrisburg. When we stopped for the night at my sister’s in North Carolina, the car had a veneer of crusted salt. CNN breaking news repeatedly looped a federal indictment against Punxsutawney Phil for fraud. 

The place we rented is in a sizeable community built in the 80’s, advertised as; “riverfront splendor and boasts an 18-hole executive golf course, 13 lighted tennis courts, competition-sized swimming pool, 18 stocked lakes to fish, landscaped paths plus a private harbor and marina.” We arrived late afternoon, just in time to meet residents bearing Pyrex dishes who invited us to join them for the weekly poolside soirée. I noted my pallid skin was a lighthouse among the well-bronzed cocktail drinkers. The only tan on my body were skin moles. We took a rain check and went to an onsite restaurant, where the drinks were stiff, and a brisket burger happily spackled my arteries. The check arrived with “what’s your member number?”  I gave the server our condo unit, 205. Next day, we learned every unit had a 205. Red-faced apologies offered, it didn’t seem like a very good start.

We ventured out on Ft. Myers famous Route 41, Tamiami Trail, to shop for victuals. It was a pinball rally of elderly drivers in luxury cars cruising the left lane at ten-mph under the speed limit, versus millennials who weaved traffic at twenty-mph over the limit in monster pickups with thunderous mufflers and earsplitting hip-hop. Observation through the rear window of older drivers often revealed a pair of headless hands on the steering wheel. A 70’s song lyric came to mind amid this chaos – “clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you”. 

The wakeup call came promptly at six with the greens keeper in a misfiring two-cycle tractor engine and headlights the brilliance of a supernova. The condo’s heated pool acted as a morning meeting place for women’s water aerobics to discuss the latest gossip, much of it centered on husbands.  Though I shellacked myself with lotion, by noon, the intense southern sun left an alabaster imprint on my belly of a Kindle reader framed by painful crimson. Following day, all I could do while clothed in full body cover-up was to wait for the afternoon shift when residents arrived for mid-afternoon adult beverages and lies about their golf score. Cocktails start early in sun country. Be prepared to have your ‘check liver light’ activate with regularity.

Our condo is advertised as a community of ‘active seniors.’ Where women outnumber the men by at least two-to-one, I hoped the definition of active meant outdoor activities.  USPTA regulation tennis and Pickle Ball, a kind of a mini tennis game with paddled wiffle balls for those who failed at tennis, are quite popular. I assume Pickle got its name from the usual state the players were in. The tight knit 3,078-yard golf course has nine lakes (drainage pits), and forty-five sand traps (yawning sink holes), which came with the frequent shout of fore and resultant whack against building walls. A sign by the pool warned to be observant of stray balls. Nothing like a nice float and the risk of concussion. Our second floor patio gave us a referee’s vantage on the seventh-hole ladies tee-box, where we had front row seats to deep-divot, shagged shots, followed by un-ladylike potty-mouthed epithets. And to think many of them were grandmothers.

Every Wednesday, our village decorated the poolside veranda for the weekly BYOB get-together at five-o-clock.  Attendance required a snack to share, which turned out to be a full potluck buffet. People lined up at 4:30 to get their pick of the best. My chicken tikka sat virtually untouched on a table groaning with meatballs, deviled eggs, vegie tray, ambrosia salad, and vegan pizza. Lesson learned, traditional American flavors are favored. A couple at our table advised we start with the dessert offerings while others queued for the buffet. All manner of sweet confections had defined our generation. I’m now officially pre-diabetic.

The reason we came was to spend time with Ann’s mother; our intent to get her out of the cloistered spaces of her otherwise excellent care facility. No one warned us about going to restaurants during Florida high season. The older generation eats early. All others know to wait until at least 6:00. We went to a wine bar in Naples that advertised jazz. Handicap parking occupied the entire front half and nary a slot available. I damn near needed a GPS to find my way back from a lower-forty lot of cars parked haphazardly at crooked angles. Zigzagging with a wheelchair around bodies and crowded tables, the shortest distance to our table was by way of Orlando. Younger folk congregated the bar with raucous laughter. The older table troops dined in groups of six or more – with more raucous laughter. Intimate conversations nearby were shouted, some of which I wished had been left unsaid. The jazz turned out to be a crooner in a fedora hat singing Frank Sinatra hits. Ann’s mother loved it.

Seafood is king in Southwest Florida. Oysters on the half-shell, shrimp and grits, scallops in spicy garlic butter, yellowfin tuna, and fresh catch of the day grilled, fried, or burnt. I love seafood, but I was one grouper entrée from becoming a merman. Imagine my joy when I spotted a Five-Guys Burger and Fries.

The complex had a nice exercise facility, and I took advantage of the elliptical machine to manage added pounds from eating too many Wednesday sweets. Adjusting to elderly men and women in stretch tights took a couple of days to undo the shock. The gym had mounted TVs, but instead of news or sporting programs, vintage reruns like Gunsmoke and Andy Griffith were popular (I’m not making this up). Color me happy when someone switched to Discovery Channel’s ‘Pickers’.

The complex had an amazing marina with a restaurant facing west for stunning sunsets and great views of boaters maneuvering thirty-foot cabin cruisers with the skill of a fifteen-year-old’s learner’s permit. You had to arrive two-hours prior to the setting sun to get a seat. Five-minutes after the sun disappeared, the place emptied as if someone shouted ‘cockroach’. We stayed and ordered another drink. The brisket burger called my name.

Hey, let’s go to Fort Myer’s Beach.  I’d forgotten about the annual college ritual of spring break. Traffic backed up for miles waiting to cross a two-lane bridge. Police manned crosswalk islands, not on watch for underage drinking, but ready to cite drivers who weren’t wearing seatbelts. It must be a major revenue generator.  Out of curiosity and a touch of naivety, we stopped by a gaudy multicolored hotel called the Lani Kai Island Resort for a drink. The place had the air of an unrestrained mash-up of college fraternity/sorority revelers at an inner-city bus terminal. Absent responsible supervision in any form, youngsters in various stages of undress swarmed beaches and bars like ants at a picnic. The acrid taste in my mouth was volatilized raging hormones polluting the air. The bartender took an immediate shine to us, thankful for a sober adult conversation in what might have been the first in days. I tipped her heavily and left post haste, my hopes for the next generation in question.

Once we adjusted to a slower pace, our days unfolded relaxed, and without the never-ending distraction at home of things that needed doing.  How can you turn down skipping winter in Pennsylvania? We posted beachy sunsets. Our neighbors posted snowdrifts. I don’t look forward to wearing sweaters again and the itch of a peeling tan.

By far, our original mission to bring some light and happiness to Ann’s mother succeeded. Frequent visits enhanced her cognition. The succession of instances we settled her in the car, I noted improved strength in her ability to stand. She greeted us with a smile each time we visited. It was difficult to leave.

Will we return as snowbirds? The twinkle in my mother-in-law’s eye, and the open-armed welcome of both renters and year-rounders, has us considering next year. We enjoyed cruising the left lane as trained snowbirds in sunglasses, doing our part to govern the speed limit. If we do return, I’ll wipe the dust off golf clubs I’d left at home, and join the duffer ranks of carefree, congenial folks who play worse than I do.

Snowbirding It's been a rough spring largely because I missed it.  In December, we made a sudden decision to spend February through April in Florida.

[datingadviceonreddit]

My recent experience dating during shelter-in-place:If you're single, odds are that you've been asked, "What's it like dating during the coronavirus?" Welllll my friend, it's like dating during regular times (read: terrible), but 10x worse because the odds of meeting someone just went from 1% to 0% since few of us have single, male roommates. This isn't an episode of New Girl, after all.Things got weird initially. All sort of dating disasters from my past popped up. Seattle Sheriff started Snapchatting me, a NYE makeout from 2016 started responding to all my IG pictures with compliments, a guy who hit on me 7 years ago and now has a live-in girlfriend started DMing me about his "decades long odyssey to spend time with you," Big Suge DM'd me to ask for running advice....clearly, no one was exempt. But then things started to settle down by end of April.Shelter-in-place has separated us into these defined cliques: The Singles, The Couples, The Couples with Kids, The Unemployed, The At-Risk, etc. And while I do feel connected by the fact that we're all in this situation together, it's affecting us all so differently that I feel incapable of understanding what this experience is like for folks in other groups. Each have their own unique challenge. For example. I have never been more grateful to not have kids than right now, and I also realize that some folks might be feeling alone despite living with partners or family during this time. However, since this is a story about my experience, I will tell you that I (cue the dramatics) feel discriminated against as A Single during shelter-in-place! What do you mean I have to stay home by myself for months on end, with no end in sight? How am I supposed to meet someone? Will the government give tax benefits to us bachelors/bachelorettes who have been forced into this solitude? I'd even take an arranged marriage situation right now: take a Buzzfeed quiz and get matched with a suitor. Higher odds than my current situation of masturbating.I've rarely felt alone as a single woman in a vibrant city but shelter-in-place stripped me of my usual 'distractions', like friends, happy hours, workout classes, office culture and parties. My neck was locked up for a few days and I couldn't turn my head to the left and at one point I thought it was moving down my back and I would soon be unable to move, and I had that dark, single person moment of, I'm going to die alone in my apartment and no one could know for days. I've had to look, really look, at the somber, make-up free face in the mirror with the newly appeared dark spots and think about makes her happy when stripped of those things. It's been uncomfortable but it forced me to spend time imaging what the future looks like for a happy Wendy, single or married.I had stopped swiping in February as I wrapped things up with The Cole Valley Bartender, Tatted Writer, and started things with The Mayor, and then shelter-in-place started and I decided there was just no point in starting things up with someone new virtually. I did go on one virtual date that first week with yes, another bartender. We met back when happy hour was still a thing, on Valentine's Day of all days. He was tall with blonde curls and a big smile. Soooo cute. I left him my number on the receipt since it had worked so well last time, and believe it or not, I heard from later that night!Hey Wendy (curly one), thanks for the number and being my favorite today. Don't tell the other people they get jealous. Definitely into your vibe but seeing someone currently. Was I 2-for-2 or 1-for-2? No matter, it was the nicest rejection message that I've ever received. To my surprise, I heard from him a month later!Hey Wendy, weird text to send but things didn't really work out with the person who I was seeing when we met. If you ever want to grab a drink let me know.I was thrilled! The universe was rewarding me for putting myself out there. We made plans for the following week but then shelter-in-place hit and we turned it into a FaceTime date. He taught me how to make my favorite cocktail, made one for himself, and then we continued chatting while walking around our respective neighborhoods. The activity transformed what could have been a dry interview into a fun activity. The texting petered out as SIP continued and he finally told me, "Sorry been out of touch just not really feeling the whole long distance vibe right now." If you couldn't guess before, yes he's a surfing bro. Funny how SIP made us "long distance" but I understood.My optimistic side crumpled when SIP got extended to May and I cried. It felt like my life was on hold but I realized that was because of how I was living it, and this situation wouldn't change for many more months. What was I going to do about it? I started swiping. One of my first matches was with "Jack Ryan." Jack attended a military school (my second one in the Bay Area, how??), rode bikes, skis, and attended the same business school as my roommate. Lots of commonalities made the FaceTime first date easy. He had first suggested a social distance bike ride but I didn't feel comfortable doing that, not with roommates. Six feet is the quarantine version of a condom. "I don't know where you've been, Jack!"Our first date lasted 90 minutes. I remember thinking he looked a little disheveled because his hair was long, but cute. The conversation flowed easily, we had a lot in common and he asked questions. By the end I was grinning and I had the odd desire to touch him. Oddly didn't have that with Surfing Bartender, who I thought was objectively more attractive.Our next date ended being up that social distance bike ride. Meeting up during quarantine means having a weird version of the "let's be exclusive" chat super early."I've only seen my two friends from 6ft away.""I've only seen my roommates."I was stumped on what to wear. Didn't need padded bike shorts for a 10 mile spin but also couldn't get away with jeans given my thighs and propensity to sweat. Plus, a helmet makes me look like a dude so I wanted to wear my hair down to compensate, but the helmet limits your options. I ended up going with dark jeans to hide sweat spots, hair half up and down, big hoop earrings to really hammer home that I was a woman in case anyone thought it was a man bun, and mascara.The first thing I noticed in person was his size. From 6ft away he looked to be my height, 5'8", and not the 5'10" as advertised on his profile. Swallowing my disappointment, I mounted my bike and we pedaled to Ocean Beach and did a lap around Golden Gate Park and then stopped at the Conservatory of Flowers for a picnic. I had brought a beer for myself and he had brought beers for both of us, plus a snack. It passed in a blur and I couldn't tell you what we talked about except that he was a great conversationalist with the same sarcastic sense of humor. He biked me part of the way home before we waved awkwardly and promised to do something again.Our third date was a proper bike ride. When he proposed it, I started to wonder if he was looking for a cycling buddy instead of a romantic partner, but the athlete in me couldn't say no. He wanted to ride to Stinson but I hadn't been riding much this year so I only made it as far as Pantoll station. He pulled out chocolate chip cookies out of his jersey for a mid-ride snack. That he baked.I rode home with a full belly and a big ass grin on my face.Our next date thankfully didn't involve bikes or my nemesis the helmet. Instead we had drinks and takeout burritos in Lafayette park. It started as a warm, sunny day but SF being SF, the fog started rolling in as soon as we plopped down our blanket and by 8pm our teeth were chattering too much to even talk. I was hoping he'd kiss me, I was living alone at this point and no longer had to be concerned with spreading to anyone else, but instead we waved from maybe 3 ft away. We met a week a later in Duboce park and I brought to-go margaritas and all these stories that I wanted to share with him. I had brainstormed with Tinker Bell prior to the date about how to broach the topic of touching but thanks to those margaritas, he needed a bathroom and I conveniently had an empty apartment a few blocks away. Once he was inside it was, Game. On.He kissed me in the kitchen, we dry humped on the couch (Sorry, roomies) and he ended up spending the night. The Covid wall was successfully broken, hopefully my vagina walls were next.Dating during the coronavirus has felt like if "Love is blind" and "Too hot to handle" had a Netflix love child. I obviously knew what Jack Ryan looked like from his Bumble profile but quarantine forced us to take it slower and we spent an entire month just talking without any physical touch. I truthfully don't know if I would have continued seeing Jack Ryan had we met in regular life. I am, ashamed to type this out, shallow in regards to height, and was initially put off by his stature. I think there's a chance I would have noticed that upon walking into the bar, decided there was no attraction, and not given him a second date, but maybe I would have thanks to our great first conversation, I really don't know. Fortunately I couldn't see his height via FaceTime or on a bike which allowed us time to build an emotional connection. I was concerned that first month that there was no chemistry but when he finally kissed me, I didn't want it stop. I still don't.I'm still working through this—the cynic in me says I'm maybe latched on to him because of shelter-in-place and I'm lonely and my vagina is purring because I hadn't been touched in months, but I'm trying my best to ignore that because he's great and it's okay to just be excited, no disclaimer necessary. Time will show if it's the man or corona. And here's why I like him: he's a great listener, he's thoughtful, he's intentional, he's smart, he communicates, he's equally invested in my pleasure, he gives me the spotlight to be weird, he's active and he's handsome. In the words of Issa Rae, "Hold up, he dicks you down, makes you laugh, and he don't work at the airport? What's the problem? Cause I don't hear it." Me either Issa, me either. via /r/dating_advice

[sandiegodjstaci]

Ashley & John's Bespoke La Valencia Hotel Wedding

Ashley & John's Bespoke La Valencia Hotel Wedding

Of all the San Diego wedding DJs calling America’s finest city home, Ashley & John chose me to DJ and MC their bespoke La Valencia Hotel wedding on Sunday, 5.26.19. The following write-up is based on San Diego DJ Staci’s crazy organized & detailed outline for this La Valencia Hotel wedding.

  THE LA VALENCIA HOTEL WEDDING CEREMONY

This La Jolla landmark has their own sound system & mic for the ceremony. DJ Staci was inside setting up during this hotel wedding ceremony!

  (c) San Diego DJ Staci, the Track Star

  THE COCKTAIL HOUR & DINNER MUSIC

While San Diego DJ Staci offers couples pre-set cocktail & dinner playlists to choose from, Ashley & John opted to hand-select their background music for their  La Jolla wedding.

Cocktail Playlist ➔ 1. California Girls” Beach boys, 2. “Reminiscing” Little river band, 3. “Lovely Day” Bill Withers, 3. “What’s going on” Marvin Gaye, 4. “Hungry heart” Bruce springsteen, 5. “Rich Girl” Hall and oates, 6. “Nothing from nothing” Billy Preston, 7. “How deep is your love” Bee gees, 8. “I just called to say I love you” Stevie Wonder. 9. “Oh what a night” Four Seasons, 10. “Gotta Give It up Part 1” Marvin Gaye, 11 “I wanna be your lover” Prince, 12. “Ain’t no sunshine” Bill Withers, 13. “Do You Believe In Love” Huey Lewis and the News, 14. “Today I Met The Boy I’m Going to Marry” Darlene Love, 15. “Friends” Beach Boys, 16. “Don’t you want me” Human League, 17. “I can’t stand the rain” Anne Peebles, 18. “What a fool believes” Doobie Brothers, 19. “Borderline” Madonna, 20. “Weird Fishes” Radiohead, 21 “My Only Swerving” El ten eleven, 22 “Searching” Roy Ayers, 23 “You’re still a young man” Tower of power, 24. “Never too much” Luther Vandross, 25. “That’s the way of the world” Earth, Wind Fire, 26. “One Fine Day” The Chiffons, 27. “Here comes the sun” Beatles, 28. “Eyes without a face” Billy  Idol, 29. “Cruel summer” Bananarama, 30. “La Vie En Rose” Grace Jones, 31. “Graceland” Paul Simon, 32 “Let me in your life” Aretha Franklin, 33 “If I Ever Feel Better” Phoenix, 34 “Stuck in the Middle With You” Stealers Wheel, 35. “September” Earth Wind and Fire

Dinner Playlist ➔ 1 “Be My Baby” Ronettes, 2. “Claire de lune” Kamasi Washington, 3. “Our Way to Fall” Yo La Tengo, 4. “Ooh baby baby” Smokey Robinson, 5. “Poolside” Harvest moon, 6. “Tenderness” General Public, 7. “Will you still love me tomorrow” The Shirelles, 8. “TIL you come back to me” Aretha Franklin, 9. “Warmth of the Sun” Beach Boys, 10. “Red red wine” UB40, 11. “One on one” Hall   Oates, 12. “Lovefool” Cardigans, 13. “What a Difference A Day Makes” Dinah Washington, 14. “Astral Weeks” Van Morrison, 15. “Out of my league” Fitz and the tantrums, 16. “Sunday kind of love” Etta james, 17. “Drive” Cars, 18. “Young Americans” David Bowie, 19. “Sleepwalking” Modest Mouse, 20. “Beyond Love” Beach House, 21. “Feel Like Making Love” D’Angelo, 22. “You give good love” Whitney Houston, 22. “Poses” Rufus Wainwright, 23. “Overjoyed” Stevie Wonder, 24. “Try a Little Tenderness” Otis Redding, 25. “Say A Little Prayer” Aretha Franklin, 26.“Crazy for you” Madonna, 27. “Dream Lover” Mariah Carey, 28. “Midnight Train to Georgia” Gladys Knight, 29. “Crimson and Clover” Shondells, 30. “I just want to be your everything” Andy Gibb, 31. “Say it isn’t so” Hall and Oates, 32. “Close To You” Cure, 33.“Over My Head” Alabama Shakes, 34. “Only You” Platters, 35. “Don’t Worry Baby” Beach Boys, 36. Doo Wop That Thing” Lauryn Hill

  (c) San Diego DJ Staci, the Track Star

  THE LA VALENCIA HOTEL WEDDING RECEPTION

MC Welcome ➔ “Good evening! Welcome to Ashley & Johns wedding reception!!! I am the Master of Ceremonies, DJ Staci. Please take your seats so we can officially welcome our guests of honor. Please be sure to post your photos today with #YorkFee. If you need to charge your devices, I do have a mini charging station up here including some universal chargers.”

“Tonight I’m going to be sharing a lot of stories about John & Ashley with you. To get rolling, les tackle the first &I love you.& On their 80th date—yes, Ashley counts them—they were in Korea Town in LA to celebrate their 6 month anniversary. They checked into a swanky hotel, went to dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant, then hit a karaoke bar. John said those 3 little words after dinner  Ashley quickly replied back! Awwww….. Ladies & gentlemen, put your hands together for the introduction of the wedding party.”

Grand Entrance ➔ “Chapel of Love” Dixie Cups

➔ “Show some love to Best Woman &  Sister of the Groom, Heather, &  Flower Girl, Claire!!!”

➔ “Please welcome Best Man, Patrick!!!”

➔ “Give it up for Junior Bridesmaid, Sophie!!!”

➔ “Show some love to Maid of Honor & Sister of the Bride, Amanda, and Flower Girl, Grace!!!”

➔ “Be My Baby” Ronettes ➔  “They first connected online then eventually met up on February 28, 2017, on Sunset Blvd. On their first date, they met at a restaurant  stayed until close. Together they enjoy long talks, vacationing, visiting film festivals across the US, & walking their dog, Lula, at the beach. They are planning a honeymoon to Kauai. Ladies & gentlemen, get on your feet to welcome–for the FIRST TIME EVER— Mr. & Mrs. John F & Ashley Y!!!” ➔ keep playing “Be My Baby” Ronettes

➔ Newlywed Brief Welcome/Thank You Speech ➔ continue “Be My Baby” Ronettes

➔ Meal Served: plated ➔ Announce: “Dinner will be served momentarily. Also, at about 6:25 you can grab a glass of champagne from the bar for the toasts, if you like.”

6:25 PM  ➔ Announce: “Just a reminder that you can grab a glass of champagne from the bar now if you like one for the toasts.”

6:30 PM   ➔ Toasts ➔ Champagne available at bar at 6:25 PM ➔  Ladies & gentlemen, may I have your attention please for the toasts. Please welcome our first speaker:

➔ Maid of Honor & Sister of the Bride, Amanda

➔ Mother of the Bride, Claudette

➔ Father of the Bride, Tim

➔ Parents of the Groom, Joan & Russ

➔ Best Woman &  Sister of the Groom, Heather

➔ Best Man & Brother of the Groom, Patrick

➔ First Dance ➔ “You’ve Got a Friend” (live), Donnie Hathaway ➔ fade early: no ➔  “On their 321st date, John & Ashley went on a last minute trip to Hawaii’s big island. She had heard him on the phone trying to get a reservation at a swanky restaurant there…she began to wonder if a marriage proposal was in her future…hmmm?! After splashing around in the water and watching a magical Hawaiian sunset, they returned to their stunning oceanfront room. John ordered champagne, &  he asked her a very important question. We know how she answered because we are about to welcome Ashley & John to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife.”

➔ Combo Parent Dance ➔ “The Way You Look Tonight” Tony Bennett ➔ fade early: no ➔ “John admires that his mother has been married to his dad for HALF A CENTURY! About her father, Ashley says:  Dad drove me to school everyday and always got me there early—FOR 12 YEARS–teaching me the valuable asset of punctuality. Now lets welcome John &  his mother, Joan, with Ashley  her father, Tim, to the dance floor to share a special dance.”  ➔ open dance floor up to everyone

  (c) San Diego DJ Staci, the Track Star

  ➔ Open Dancing

8:15 PM ➔ Bouquet Toss ➔ “Then he Kissed me” Crystals

➔ Longest Married Couple Dance ➔ “A Song for You,” Donnie Hathaway ➔ Announce: “We’d like to invite all of the married couples to the dance floor right now…The newlyweds would like to dedicate this song to all of the couples in the room, married or not.” ➔ Announce: “We’d like to give a special shout out to John’s parents, Joan & Russ, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on August 16th, as well as Ashley’s mom & her husband, Fred, who just celebrated their first wedding anniversary! Congrats!!!”

8:30 PM ➔ Photographer leaves

9:50 PM ➔ Last Dance ➔ “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Whitney H ➔ Announce: “There will be an after party from now until 2:00 AM in Cafe Rue, which is by the lobby. There will be free snacks &  drinks available for purchase.”

➔ Send-Off ➔ “I Only Have Eyes For You” Flamingos

  ASHLEY & JOHN’S DANCE MUSIC RECIPE

Requests ➔ line dances only if requested

Music ➔ PG-13/clean radio edits

Play A Lot ➔ Top 40, Oldies/Motown, 80s, Funk

Play A Few ➔ Disco, Classic Rock, Hip Hop, 90s, 2000s

Slow Dances ➔ “That’s What Friends are for,” Dionne Warwick, “You Give Good Love,” Whitney Houston

♥  M U S T – P L A Y S ♥

1. “All night long” Lionel Richie, 2. “You make my dreams come true” Hall &  Oates, 3. “Poison” Bel Biv Devoe, 4. “Karma Chameleon” Culture Club, 5. “Respect” Aretha Franklin, 6. “Toxic” Britney Spears, 7. “Footloose” Kenny Loggins, 8. “Crazy in love” Beyonce, 9. “Finesse” Bruno Mars, 10. “Holiday” Madonna, 11. “Faith” George Michael, 12. “Can’t Stop The Feeling” Justin Timberlake

♥ P L A Y   I F   Y O U   C A N ♥

“Cosmic Girl” Jamiroquai, “Feels so Good” Mase, “Dancing In the Streets” Martha & the Vandellas, “It Takes Two” Rob Base, “I like it” Cardi B  for MOH Amanda, “You Drop the Bomb on Me” Gap Band, “Sexyback” Justin Timberlake, “1999” Prince, “No Scrubs” TLC, “Livin on a Prayer” Bon Jovi, “Twist and Shout” the Beatles, “It Feels Good” Toni Tony Tone, “Uptown Funk” Bruno Mars, “Treasure” Bruno Mars, “This Is How We Do It” Montel Jordan, “Push It” Salt N Pepa, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Marvin Gaye, “Single Ladies” Beyonce, “Let’s Dance” David Bowie, “Bootylicious” Beyonce, “Hip to be Square” Huey Lewis, “Glamorous life” Sheila E, “Shoop” Salt & Peppa, “It feels so right” Sonique, “Call Me Al” Paul Simon, “Purple rain” Prince, “Hollywood Swinging” Kool and the Gang, “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” Stevie Wonder, “Bring It On Home” Sam Cooke, “You can’t Hurry Love” The Supremes, “Higher and Higher” Jackie Wilson, “All for you” Janet Jackson

♥ D O   N O T   P L A Y S ♥

Journey, trap, country, Lynyrd Skynrd, Bob Segar, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Michael Jackson, Pharrell’s “Happy,” AC/DC

  LA VALENCIA HOTEL WEDDING FLOOR PLAN

  SAN DIEGO WEDDING VENDOR LIST

Here is the amazing team of San Diego wedding vendors I had the pleasure of working with on this La Valencia Hotel wedding:

Venue/Caterer/Cake ➔ La Valencia Hotel

DJ/MC/Photo Booth/Lighting ➔ DJ Staci, the Track Star

Photographer ➔ Wally Wilson Studios

Florist ➔ Kimberly Buffington

Again, I was honored to be the one and only San Diego wedding DJ Ashley & John trusted with their La Valencia Hotel wedding in La Jolla. Thank you!

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  Like DJ Staci's vibe? Stalk her wedding DJ services below! shshsh...

  GIVE IT TO ME BABY

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/what-i-spent-five-nights-in-san-juan-puerto-rico/magazine/

What I Spent: Five Nights in San Juan, Puerto Rico

01 of 07

Upfront Costs

Dennis K. Johnson/Getty Images

The upfront costs of vacations are predictable. It’s the little things—airport snacks, cocktails before dinner, tipping a tour guide—that can throw even the most well-planned vacation budget off track. In this new series, we’ll look at the spending patterns of real travelers in popular destinations, so you can estimate what you’ll actually spend.  (Thanks for the inspiration, Refinery29!)

In this installment, a couple travels to San Juan, Puerto Rico for six days of sun.

Flight: $685, round-trip from DEN to SJU (bought two months in advance)

Accommodations: Free—we stayed with my brother’s colleague and his wife in their beachside condo. We had an overnight layover on the way home, though: $99 for a room at the Wingate by Wyndham Charlotte Airport South/I-77 Tyvola, which offers a free shuttle service to and from the airport.

Baggage fees: My boyfriend and I shared a large duffel to save some money (plus I’m a serial overpacker). Cost: $50 ($25 each way)

Size of Group: 4

Continue to 2 of 7 below.

02 of 07

Wednesday to Thursday

Maremagnum/Getty Images

4:15 p.m. Our Uber arrives. We all have TSA Pre-Check, but we’re heading to the airport early to squeeze in dinner before our 7 p.m. flight. My brother picks up the ride. Cost: $100 for Global Entry, which includes TSA Pre-Check (valid for five years)

4:40 p.m. The drive is quick, but the line to drop off checked bags is snaking through the concourse. We head outside to check it curbside, which saves us a lot of time. Cost: $2 tip

5:15 p.m. What’s a vacation without a little indulgence? We grab a table at Elway’s, a Colorado steak house, and cheers to forgetting about work for a week (a vodka-Sprite for me). I order the steak tacos, which are in the appetizer section but entrée-sized. Cost: $33

7:07 p.m. We’re finally on our way—to Houston, where we have a layover.

12:25 a.m. (next day) Our one-hour layover has turned into two, and almost nothing is open in the airport so my boyfriend and I wander bleary-eyed around the terminal until we’re finally able to board.  

7 a.m. We grab our duffel from baggage claim and head outside to meet my brother’s colleague. He arranged for a van to pick us up and take us to his home. Cost: $0

8:01 a.m. We unpack our bags and then beeline to the patio to take in the views of Condado Beach. We’re anxious to feel the sand under our feet, but our hosts have graciously cooked breakfast for us so we fuel up with scrambled eggs and ham, fresh fruit (some of the juiciest mango, papaya, and pineapple I’ve ever tasted), and apple-filled pastries from a nearby bakery.

10:30 a.m. You always forget something when you go on a trip, and this vacation was no exception. We walk two blocks to CVS for a couple bottles of sunscreen. I pay. Cost: $19.26

11:18 a.m. We nab four lounge chairs on the sand in front of the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. (Our hosts are members of the hotel’s Ocean Club Wellness Center Spa, which gives us access to the venue’s amenities as well.) A server from the resort’s La Isla Beach Bar and Grill walks over and takes our order for Miami Vices. My brother’s girlfriend picks up the tab. Cost: $0

2:09 p.m. In need of a break from the sun, we wander to Ashford Avenue, the main drag in the Condado area. After peeking into a number of fairly empty restaurants, we end up at Pannes. Here we get our first taste of local (read: the Coors of Puerto Rico) lagers—Magna and Medalla Light—and cuisine. Mofongo is a dense ball of mashed green plantains, typically stuffed with a protein. I order mine with chicken in tomato sauce; it’s dense and comforting—and definitely not the first choice when you’re wearing a bikini. Cost: $17

3 p.m. We walk the few blocks back to our condo to take a nap, shower, and get ready for dinner.

6:20 p.m. The four of us hop in an already-paid-for shuttle with our hosts. Our destination: Old San Juan, one of the oldest cities in the United States. Cost: $0

6:48 p.m. The cabbie drops us near the entrance to El Morro, which the Spanish built in the 16th century to protect the San Juan Bay from attacks (including by pirates). We take in the sight and then wander down the area’s sloping, blue-cobblestone streets, passing colorful buildings and fellow tourists seeking cocktails and dinner.

7:07 p.m. Carli’s Fine Bistro & Piano is packed when we enter, but thankfully we already have reservations. The restaurant is owned by pianist Carli Muñoz, who spent 11 years touring with the Beach Boys. He treats us to a short stint at the piano as we sip our drinks (a Mojito for me).  I order the night’s special: churrasco (skirt steak) with roasted potatoes and sautéed vegetables. Cost: $40

9:45 p.m. The shuttle picks us back up and takes us home. After sleeping fitfully on the plane and today’s short nap, I’m excited to get to bed early. Cost: $0

Continue to 3 of 7 below.

03 of 07

Friday

Atlantide Phototravel/Getty Images

9:45 a.m. We awake to the smell of pancakes. Eager to get in the water, we eat quickly. My brother and his girlfriend, up before my boyfriend and I, decide to take a walk down Ashford Avenue. They meet us at the beach an hour later with a six-pack of Medalla beer—and a tip. The liquor store is way overpriced; in the future, we should buy our alcohol at CVS. We manage to hold off popping open a can until about 11:30 a.m. Cost: $0

1 p.m. The current at Condado Beach is strong, the breaking waves pretty relentless. Between the sun and the workout we get from diving beneath them, we’re starving. Our hosts want to give us a taste of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, so they treat us to a homemade lunch of fried plantains, roasted chicken, rice, and red beans. Cost: $0

4:30 p.m. After a couple more hours of beach lounging, we pack up for our evening excursion. We know we won’t really have a chance to eat dinner, so we head across the street to the small natural grocer to pick up some snacks—protein bars and plantain chips—for the bus ride. We spot the largest avocados any of us has ever seen; they’re the size of cantaloupes! Cost: $12.50

5:15 p.m. Our meeting point is the tour desk at the Marriott. From here, we load onto a small bus for the hourlong drive east to Fajardo (with a short stop to pick up more passengers), where we’ll set off on the Glowing Bay Adventure to Laguna Grande with Island Kayaking Adventures. Cost: $100 per person, including transportation

7 p.m. We arrive in Fajardo with 30 minutes to use the public bathroom (which costs 50 cents), apply bug spray, and grab a small bite to eat from one of the nearby food stalls. We opt for hot-out-of-the-fryer carne empanadas from Delicias Criollas Dorcas. Cost: $4.50

7:30 p.m. After a brief safety presentation, my boyfriend and I load into our shared kayak and our group sets off into the lagoon. The new moon is barely visible, which makes our journey through the mangrove channel all the more thrilling. Twenty-or-so minutes later, the landscape opens up and we are officially in the bay. We sweep our hands through the water and watch the dinoflagellates sparkle in response. Too soon, we direct our kayaks back toward the mangroves and our ride home.

11:15 p.m. The bus drops us at the Marriott. I’m too tired to eat, but my boyfriend and brother grab burgers to-go from Buns Burger Shop. Cost: $0

Continue to 4 of 7 below.

04 of 07

Saturday

Michele Falzone/Getty Images

7:40 a.m. After a late night, this early wake-up call is rough. My boyfriend and I head to the small café inside the Marriott for a grab-and-go breakfast. I pay. Cost: $12.52

8 a.m. We load onto the bus that will take us to El Yunque National Forest, the only rainforest in the U.S. national forest system. Cost: $69 per person, plus a $20 tip for our guide (we split the tip by couple)

9:20 a.m. Short pit stop to watch the park’s welcome video (narrated by native Puerto Rican Benicio del Toro) and hit the bathrooms.

11 a.m. A one-mile “hike” along a stone path through the forest leads us to La Mina Falls. We strip off our sneakers and step delicately into the frigid water, clambering over rocks to reach the rushing water. I stay under the falls just long enough for a photo-op (thank you, waterproof camera).

11:56 a.m. On the walk back to the bus, we stop to pose for pictures in front of a towering, moss-covered tree.

12:11 p.m. The final stop on our rainforest tour is the Yokahú Tower, which was built in 1962 as an observation tower. We climb the 98 steps and breathe in the fresh air and views of the cloud forest and northeast coastline.

12:45 p.m. Our guide pulls over on the side of the road at a small fritter stand run by two locals who speak zero English. Puerto Ricans call almost anything fried “fritters,” mostly to make it easy for us non-Spanish speakers. In this case, “fritters” translates to empanadas, taquitos, and papas rellenas—and nothing cost more than $2.50. Everyone chips in a few dollars. Cost: $3

5:55 p.m. After some down time at our condo, we head down Ashford Avenue to grab a drink and watch the sun set. At the Piña Loka food truck, I go full tourist and treat myself to a carved-out pineapple filled with piña colada that I then have to lug to the beach. We enjoy the view for all of 10 minutes before it starts pouring rain and we run for cover. Cost: $12

7:45 p.m. The rain forced us inside just in time to get ready for dinner. It’s New Year’s Eve and our hosts have booked us a table at one of their favorite fine dining spots: Pikayo Restaurant, inside the Condado Plaza Hilton. They pay for the short cab ride. The three-course prix fixe menu is modern but rooted in local favorites. A tequila cocktails starts the evening off, followed by salad, Alaskan king salmon in a spicy mango sauce, and a Nutella-rich dessert. Cost: $95

11:35 p.m. Shortly before midnight, the staff hands out noisemakers and NYE hats. The salsa band gets started, and much of the restaurant—including our group—gets up to dance.

1 a.m. Our hosts once again pay for our ride home. We have one more drink on the patio before calling it a night. Cost: $0

Continue to 5 of 7 below.

05 of 07

Sunday

Pamela's Caribbean Cuisine

11:32 a.m. With an early lunch planned, we enjoy a lazy morning before hopping in the car to Ocean Park Beach. We have a date with the beachfront Pamela’s Caribbean Cuisine. I slip my flip-flops off and dig my toes into the sand while perusing the menu of Caribbean-fusion eats. The group shares some superfresh grouper ceviche and calamari, and I get the churrasco wrap with chipotle-pineapple salsa for my meal. My brother treats. Cost: $0

1:05 p.m. Pamela’s guests have access to the restaurant’s beach chairs and umbrellas. Our server sets four up for us closer to the water after our hosts head home, and we let our lunch settle as we soak in the sun.

2:34 p.m. A man selling beers from a cooler wanders by. My boyfriend orders a Corona. Cost: $0 ($3 for him)

3:18 p.m. My boyfriend and I wander down to the end of the beach—past dozens of kitesurfers getting their gear ready—and meet my brother and his girlfriend at the outdoor bar connected to Hostería del Mar. It’s happy hour from 1 to 5 p.m., so my house-made sangria tastes especially sweet. Cost: $7

4:37 p.m. We’d planned to walk along the beach the entire way back to our condo, but an unpassable section forces us onto Ashford for the final few blocks.

6:40 p.m. We grab a cab at the Marriott to take us to Old San Juan for dinner. Unfortunately, many of the roads are closed due to preparation for some government events taking place the next day. And with so many people in town for the holidays, many restaurants are already booked. We detour to a nearby Ruth’s Chris Steak House (a favorite of our hosts’) instead. I order a Caesar salad and lamb chops. They pay. Cost: $0

Continue to 6 of 7 below.

06 of 07

Monday

Carla Sá Fernandes/Getty Images

7:50 a.m. Another early wake-up for our final excursion of the trip. But first, a quick breakfast to-go. Cost: $0 (cheers to Starbucks gift cards)

  8:05 a.m. We hop on the bus to meet our catamaran, the Spread Eagle II (yes, really) for a day of snorkeling off the coast of Fajardo. Cost: $116 per person, plus a $20 tip for the crew (which I cover)

10 a.m. All aboard! We set sail for Icacos Island. Due to the time of year and choppy water, there’s not much to see while snorkeling (snorkels are provided by the tour company), so we hop back on the boat and enjoy our included buffet lunch before grabbing some beers (my brother’s treat), heading to shore, and wading in the shallows before taking off for our second stop. Cost: $0

2 p.m. The crew anchors off the shore of Palominos Island, the private island of El Conquistador, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. We jump into the water and swim around for 45 minutes, spotting some small, colorful fish and plenty of coral. The sail back takes about a half hour, and I nap on the bus on the ride home.

7:35 p.m. Pre-dinner drinks are a vacation necessity—especially when it’s our last night in San Juan. We pop across the street to Bar Gitano for a quick tipple before dinner. Cost: $10

8:04 p.m. Dinner is just down the block. We have reservations for Big Band Mondays at Yerba Buena Restaurant. As we sip not-too-sweet Mojitos and dig into shrimps in coconut sauce and fried whole red snapper, a dozen musicians play Puerto Rican classics. It’s the best food—and music—we’ve enjoyed the entire trip. A perfect way to wrap up our first visit to this lively city. Cost: $0 (our hosts paid)

Continue to 7 of 7 below.

07 of 07

Tuesday to Wednesday

David Madison/Getty Images

8:38 a.m. We catch a cab at the Marriott to squeeze in a few hours exploring Old San Juan before our flight home. I pay. Cost: $18

  8:59 a.m. The neighborhood is quiet and many shops are closed. We start to worry we won’t find anywhere for breakfast. Then we stumble upon La Bombonera, a historic bakery that lures us in with a drool-inducing pastry window. We decide to keep it on the healthier side with cafe con leche and omelettes. We split the bill by couple, and my boyfriend covers our half. Cost: $0

9:51 a.m. We wander the narrow streets, popping into shops and stopping to look at the fort walls, ocean views, and government buildings. At the Haitian Gallery, my boyfriend and I are drawn to paintings by a local artist. We buy three small ones depicting city and nature scenes from the surrounding area. Cost: $145

12:37 p.m. We grab a cab back to the condo, which my brother pays for. Lunch is waiting for us: a tomato-y chickpea stew that our host’s wife says is her favorite local dish. We pack our suitcases and head to the beach for the final time. Cost: $0

4:30 p.m. The prepaid van taking us to the airport arrives. Cost: $20 (tip)

5:43 p.m. After having to lighten our duffel to avoid extra fees (my boyfriend and I wind up carrying all of our shoes in plastic bags), we grab an early, not-so-great dinner before our flight. Cost: $15

6:40 p.m. The airline staff give my brother and his girlfriend grief about the size of their carry-ons, so they’re forced to check them through to Denver. And then we’re finally airborne to Charlotte.

9:40 p.m. We get a ride to our accommodations from the hotel’s free shuttle.

6:29 a.m. (next day) The airport is pretty vacant. We sit down for breakfast at 1897 Market—hot tea and Greek yogurt with granola for me. My boyfriend covers our half of the tab. Cost: $0

9:21 a.m. We land in Denver. After picking up our bags, we hail an Uber. My boyfriend pays. Cost: $0

  Totals

Food & Drinks: $261.02

Activities & Entertainment: $285

Transportation: $38

Accommodation: $99

Miscellaneous: $346.76

#travel #airlinetickets #airtickets #cheapairfare #planetickets #travelinsurance #travelquotes #travelblogger #traveller #travelling #travelocity #travelodge #vacation

[minorkaamon-blog]

5 - Vivian

A few days have passed since Valerie brought Minorka to her luxurious hacienda, and a daily well-known routine seems to have set in for the captive.

As usual, her mistress has her lying full-naked-tied-up-ball-gagged next to her in her bed during the night... After she has woken up in mid-morning, Valerie spends the rest of the day toying with Minorka, either having her full-nude-shackled or rope-tied everywhere, whether in the many rooms of her property or outdoor in the courtyard or inside the swimming pool… It seems like Valerie never gets tired of fondling, kissing and foot-tickling her gorgeous detainee…

Obedient Minorka is now accustomed to such ordeals, but unlike what she got through when she was Mistress Veronica's slave, or when she was a performer at Baroness Von Stahl's Bondage Museum Island resort, no one else but Valerie may take care of her… No handmaid and no visitor are allowed to approach her, touch her, talk to her, let alone tease her…

Yes indeed, Valerie is a very possessive and jealous mistress… She insists on showering, drying and making up Minorka all by herself…

But today seems a bit special… After she has showered Minorka, Valerie rope-ties her naked captive's hands behind her back, shoves a large white ball-gag into her mouth, loops a rope around her neck and drags her outdoor up to a wooden fence post. There, Valerie ties the end of the rope to the fence. Says she with a smile: "Wait for me here, baby.I'll be back in a while…"

Now hands-tied-behind-her-back-ball-gagged-naked Minorka has the rope around her neck linked to the the fence: she looks like a horse waiting for its rider…

Indeed, Valerie comes backfifteen minutes later: she is wearing equestrian pants and riding boots, and she holds a crop in her hand… A stable boy is following her holding a beautiful white horse…

Valerie straddles the horse while the man comes to Minorka, undoes the rope around her neck from the fence and holds it out to Valerie…

Minorka now must follow her horse-riding mistress dragging her by the rope around her neck up to a nearby beach…She tries to stay as far as possible from the horse…

Now as she walks on the wet sand, she can feel the fresh wind onto her naked body and through her hair… What a picturesque show: horse-riding Valerie dragging full-nude-hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged Minorka behind her…

Some hikers passing by stop and marvel at them: there again, some of them ask for permission to take pictures and shoot videos… A proud Valerie stops her horse, drags Minorka next to her mount, and poses in various situations while the people take pictures and shoot videos…

Once the photo and video session are finished, Valerie resumes the stroll and gets her horse to move inside the sea waters…Minorka has no option but to follow: she enters the cold sea water up to her thighs and walks awkwardly behind her horse-riding mistress…

Valerie turns to her and smiles: "Isn't it a fine idea to walk into the water? How refreshing!!! And we both look so great!!!"She moves her horse closer to Minorka and uses her riding crop to pat the bound girl's ass… Helpless Minorka glares at her owner and sighs as she angrily bites the white rubber sphere in her mouth…

Valerie rides her horse back to the wet sand dragging her captive by the rope around her neck… She steps down from her horse and links the reins of her mount to a thick stump on the floor.She turns to Minorka and orders her to kneel, and then gets her to lie face down on the floor. She takes a rope, reties the girl in a hogtie, sits next to her and starts tickling her bare feet…Minorka wriggles and squirms as Valerie uses a feather to stroke her soles… The hogtied girl can't help laughing through her ball-gag and starts slobbering uncontrollably…

Valerie stops the tickling torture, stands up, comes back and sits before Minorka. She takes off her riding boots and socks and removes Minorka's ball-gag… She stretches her legs and puts her own bare feet before her captive's lips… As usual Minorka immediately sets out to foot-suck her mistress' ugly sweaty dirty feet once more and she kisses, licks and sucks Valerie's soles, heels and toes…

How many times has she done thissince she was first captured and turned in to Mistress Veronica?

There again she closes her eyes and thinks back to the time she spent later as a performer at the old Baroness' Bondage Museum Island Resort… She remembers some of the days when she and a few other inmates were being picked out and brought to a large hall next to the Baroness' private apartments…There, the full-nude-hands-tied-in-their-back-ball-gagged girls were made to stand in a line … The old woman would show up and then she would move from one girl to another so as to check them out… The girls had been instructed to stand still while the Baroness would fondle their hair, grope and paw their breasts, their buttock, their belly and their legs, until she would finally choose one of them for her own enjoyment…

Minorka was then so impressed by and so scared of this harsh woman…The Baroness would never smile to her slaves, and she would always talk to them in a very strict and icy tone…

But the old woman seemed to have a special fondness for Minorka, for she would often spend some private time with her in those days��� The girl remembers some of the nights she spent spread-eagle-tied ball-gagged-naked on the Baroness' bed, when these cold hands would fondle her hair, her face, her breasts, her lower back, her ass, her legs, her thighs and finally mercilessly tickle her soles and toes… She remembers thisold womankissing and licking her on her whole body, then lying full nude next to her, hugging her and finally falling asleep till the next morning… She remembers herself hogtied on the sand or frog-tied on the floor, performing foot-suck-jobs sometimes for hours while the Baroness would relax reading a book, typing on her tablet, making phone calls, having a snack, sipping a cocktail or just sunbathing… Once she considered doing something else, the Baroness would ring at a handmaid… Minorkawould be re-gagged and taken backsomewhere in the museum or to her jail cell.

But first thing first, the Baroness was a businesswoman… She would never praise her slaves and always looked dissatisfied with them, urging them to perform everyday of the week, so as to please the resort visitors and thus bring in as much money as possible…

Minorka now thinks about all these women enslaved by the Baroness… They were aged 20 to 45, but how long would they stay there? Would the Baroness free them after a few years of service? Or would she re-sell them to personal customers?And weren't some of the handmaids former slaves who had opted to stay and workat the museum?

Should Minorka feel grateful to Valerie for taking her out of there?

Suddenly, Valerie's voice forces Minorka out of her train of thought: "- Are you tired? You look like you're not focused on your job today!!!"Minorka opens her eyes, looks at her mistress' feet, and resumes the foot-suck job more actively, licking and kissing the arches, sucking each toe…

Valerie takes out her feet from Minorka's mouth… She moves closer to her captive and starts stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks… "- I'm so sorry sweetie… I guess you must be tired now…" She unties Minorka's feet, gets her to lie next to her, gives her a hug and deep kisses her… Says she: "-Now I think it's time we came back…"She re-gags Minorka with the ball-gag, both women stand up and move to Valerie's horse…

Valerie smiles at Minorka and hoists the hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged captive so that she sits on the horse. Valerie straddles the horse behind Minorka and both ride back to the hacienda…Valerie steers her mount with one hand while she holds Minorka with the other hand… The captive shudders as she can feel her mistress rubbing her cheek against hers, kissing her hair and neck, kissing and licking her ear… Says Valerie in a whisper: "You're a beauty indeed…"

Once back home, both women go to the shower room. Minorka is untied, just shackled-chained to the floor by one ankle. She relaxes and enjoys the warm water flowing onto her beautiful body… Naked Valerie is standing next to her, soaping and showering herself too, while smiling and staring at Minorka…

After 15 minutes, Valerie switches off the shower, holds out a towel to Minorka and orders her to dry herself.

Valerie gets her naked prisoner to wear a beautiful white short dress and put on pretty silvered sandal shoes. She then rope-ties the girl's hands in her back and wedges a white ball-gag into her mouth.

Valerie puts on a black evening dress, turns to Minorka and says: "There's a place I want to take you to… You'll see I don't need my father's money that much for I can make a million bucks by myself in an hour…"

She takes Minorka outdoor and gets her to sit inside a beautiful red Ferrari onto the passenger's seat… Valerie steps into the car, sits onto the driver's seat and starts up the engine… Valerie drives at high speed through roads in the wild, while tied-up-ball-gagged Minorka enjoys feeling the wind passing through her hair as she watches the landscape…

After an hour-long drive, they show up to a tourist complex…Valerie drives her Ferrari to a luxury hotel casino and parks her car right in front of the main entrance…She gets out of the car and helps Minorka out… A bellboy comes to herand takes the key to park the Ferrari…Valerie uses a rope to link her captive's ankles and loops another rope around her waist…Both women enter the casino gates: hands-tied-in-her-back-ankles-rope-linked-ball-gagged Minorkawalks carefully and obediently follows her mistress up to the slot-machines area… Casino employees and visitors all stand in awe before Valerie dragging her beautiful tied-up-ball-gagged slave next to her…

Valerie and Minorka both sit on stools before slot-machines. The captive watches around her and tongues the rubber-sphere packed in her mouth, while her mistress spends her coins playing the one-armed bandit… People all around look at this uncommonduo… Some of them joke with Valerie, asking her: "Why did you tie up your friend? Did you do that to prevent her from spending her money gambling here in the casino?" A frustrated bound-ball-gagged Minorka glares at them, tights her fists, looks up and sighs…

After she's squandered all her coins, Valerie stands up from her stool, gets Minorka up too and both of them stroll in the casino alleys up to a poker table space an greets the people playing around : it looks like everyone there already knows her... Valerie chair-ties Minorka onto a seat beside the poker table, and goes back to the other players… Now the poker game party has begun and Minorka tongues her ball-gag as she watches…

Time goes by and Valerie keeps winning!!! An amazed Minorka drools uncontrollably as she watches Valerie stacking the chips before her… It's been an hour and she must have won at least $ 1,5million!!! How can she be so lucky???

Two hours have passed and Valerie resolves to leave… As she puts her chips in a bag and stands up, a female casino security officer comes to her and says: "Will you follow me and fetch your money madam?" All smiles Valerie turns to her chair-tied-ball-gagged captive, puts her forefinger under her chin, kisses her and says:" Wait for me here, Baby, I'll be back a rich woman in a few minutes…"

A new poker party has started again with new players… No one seems to pay attention to nearby chair-tied-ball-gagged Minorka waiting for her owner to return… At least half an hour has passed and Valerie has not come back yet… The captive is now getting worried…

Thestrong female security officer comes back, heads to Minorka and frees her from the ropes that chair-tie her, but as the captive just stands up from the chair and starts stretching her arms and legs, the woman immediately handcuffs her hands in her back…Ball-gagged-handcuffed-in-her-back Minorkais forced to follow the officer and both walk through the casino alleys up to a dark corridor…The womanthen takes Minorkadownstairs in the basement, up to a steel door…

A worried Minorka feels something serious must have happened, and indeed, as they get in the room, she just can't believe her eyes: Valerie is sitting handcuffed on a chair in the center of the room and she is crying while two women are questioning her… One of the women is wearing a police uniform while the other woman is dressed in tailor-suit…

Speaking to Valerie, the policewoman says:"- How long did you figure out you could escape us? It's been months we've been tracking you down in casinos across the country!!! You goon!!! You crook!!!"

The woman in tailor-suit laughs at Valerie and says:"-The cameras caught you out while you were cheating at the poker table!!! How dare you do that in my casino???"

Minorka now got it… Thinks she:"-Here's my chance… If they are the police, then they might rid me of Valerie!!!"

Valerie bursts into tears:"- Please Madam, I beg you… I won't do do that anymore… My father will pay for everything…"

Answers the woman:"-No your father won't pay for anything this time!!! We already called him and he no longer wants to make up for your misdeeds!!! He said this time you should manage all by yourself!!! So we already seized your Ferrari, your jewels, your luxury house and your horses…"

Turning to Minorka at last, she smiles and says:"-And here's another very precious little thing worth a lot of money…"

Heading back to Valerie:"-I could turn you in to the police, but that would be too soft for a scumbag like you!!! Well, I heard Baroness Von Stahl put a price on your head for she has a score to settle with you…"

Waving to the security officer and the policewoman:"-Strip her down!!!"Handcuffed-in-her-back Valerie struggles hard and screams as the two women get her to stand up, tear off her beautiful black dress, panties and bra, and remove her shoes…

Naked-helpless-weeping Valerie is now standing before the tailor-suit-wearing woman… Says the woman with a smile: "-I just contacted the Baroness by phone, and she insisted on coming here personally to get you!!! She should be here in three hours… Looks like we won't see you around here any time soon!!!"

Again she turns towards the security officer and the policewoman:"-Get her ready!!!" Naked Valeriescreams and struggles, but to no availfor she is overpowered by the two women and forced to lie face down on a table in the center of the room; her handcuffs are removed but she is immediately rope-tied in a hogtie…

Helpless-handcuffed-in-her-back-ball-gagged Minorkacould witness the whole scene and she is now shivering in fear… Will she be turned in to the Baroness too? Will she return to the Bondage Resort Island, and will she have to perform there again? And will the Baroness punish her?

The womanin tailor-suit moves to her, passes her hand through her hair and smiles:"-There's no reason for you to be scared…" Whispering in Minorka's ear:"-I have other plans for you… Follow me"

Hogtied-on-the-table Valerie looks up and as she watches Minorka and the woman close to each other, she shouts:"-This girl is mine!!! She belongs to me!!! Minorka please… I love you so much!!! Minorkadon't forget about me!!! When my father has freed me, I'll find you back and we'll be together again…"

The woman in tailor-suit turns towards the policewoman and the female security officer:"-Silence this slut by any mean!!!"The security officer takes one of her own shoes off, then takes her own dirty sweaty sock off, rolls it and wedges it into Valerie's mouth. The policewoman then puts a piece of tape onto Valerie's lips to complete the gagging…

Minorkanow must follow the woman in tailor-suit, but before leaving the room she can't help turning to naked-hogtied-sock-gagged-crying-fuming Valerie lying onto the table… Minorka bites and tongues her ball-gagin anger, asshe looks one final time at Valerie contemptuously and in disgust, before the steel door gets snapped shut…

The woman in tailor-suit takes Minorka up to a lift; both women rise up to the upper floor… They then walk through a corridor and enter a large C.E.O. office.

A female security officer gets Minorka to stand in the center of the room, then the woman in tailor-suit sits at the desk and says in a large smile:"-Nice to see you again Minorka… You probably don't rememberme? Well,I first saw you at Veronica's mansion, when she sold you by auction… I bid for you several times but the Baroness finally got you that day…Later on,  I had the opportunity to visit her resort on several occasions, and I also enjoyed some time with you…"

So this woman is one of the many visitors Minorkawas teased by when she was performing there…

The woman opens a tablet, browses through her files and shows Minorka many pics and videos she shot with her smartphone… To the first time, Minorka can view herselfwhen she was standing on the stage during the auction sale, and when she was later performing at the Baroness' resort in various situations, and indeed, she can identify this woman among the many people who teased her…

The woman goes on:"-You must know that the Baroness is suing you for breach of contract… She's issued a wanted notice and promised a reward for your capture…"

She smiles, stands up from her chair, comes to the standing captive and starts fondling her head and her buttock:"-I could make a lot of money turning you in to the Baroness… But I have some better ideas…"

She gets Minorka to sit onto a couch, sits next to her, seizes the captive's feet, takes the sandal shoes off and starts squeezing her bare feet…She passes her fingers onto Minorka's soles and arches, and begins mercilessly tickling her feet… Minorka laughs and drools through the rubber sphere in her mouth, and she struggles helplessly…

The woman stops the tickling torture: she opens her mouth and starts greedily sucking Minorka's toes, then pulls out her tongue and licks and kisses the soles…Minorka closes her eyes and patiently undergoes the foot-suck treatment …

After about ten minutes, the woman releases Minorka's feet and tells her in a large smile:"-Well, I've seen the working conditions of the performersat the Baroness' resort… You were poorly-paid and she would treat you like slaves!!! I really felt so sorry for you!!!"

The woman stands up and starts walking in the room:"-My name is Vivian Van Vroenhoven and I own casinos, hotels and theaters across the country… I 'm 46 now, and I've worked my whole life in the entertainment industry… Today I have a business proposal for you…You're an artist, a performer, and if you agree to work for me I could be your talent manager…I guess I could make a star out of you…I shall take care of everything, advertise you, search clients all over the country and negotiate your performance fees…I'll drive or fly you everywhere, I'll provide accommodation for you in the best places, feed you with the best food,keep you healthy and beautiful all time, andprovide for all your needs… So!!! The deal is I get 60% of all the payments!!!…"

Vivian smiles:"-I guess this is honest and fair…Will you agree to work for me? Or would you prefer returning to the Baroness' Resort Island together with the fucking bitch you came here with?"

Minorkajumps immediately and shakes her head with fearful eyes… Vivian laughs:"-Well, I guess you just said 'YES' to my proposal, didn't you? Then let's get started!!!"

Vivian puts back the sandal shoes onto Minorka's feet and opens the office door. A photographer enters carrying sophisticated material and lightning kits, and starts displaying the lightning into the room… Meanwhile, the female security officer undoes Minorka's handcuffs, only to immediately rope-tie her hands in her back…

Minorka is made to stand in the center of the room. The photographer requests her to stand still and look straight before her… The hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged girl just looks gorgeous in her short white dress and sandal shoes…

The photo shooting has begun and the photographer takes pictures of Minorka from all angles: facing him, from the side, from the back, either with her sandal shoes on or barefoot, and with many close-ups of her face, her mouth, her hair, her breasts, her back, her hands, her buttock, her legs and her feet…

The female security officer brings a seat and chair-ties Minorka… The photo shooting continues with Minorka either having her shoes on or barefoot…

The photographer nods to the female security officer… She frees Minorka from the chair-tie and unties her hands… Minorka is ordered to take her short dress off, then her hands are re-tied in her back…

The photographer resumes the shooting with hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged Minorka wearing just bra and panties, either with her shoes on or barefoot, first standing in the middle of the room, then again in a chair-tie…

Minorka is then untied and ordered to remove her bra… She is now wearing nothing but her panties… Her hands are re-tied in her back and the photo shooting goes on with her standing or chair-tied, wearing sandal-shoes or barefoot…

Finally, Minorka is ordered to take her bra off… She is now re-tied-full-nude for what is the last part of the shooting, again standing, then chair-tied…

Once the photo shooting is over, the photographer starts putting his material away… Vivian is standing beside, and she could catch the whole photo shooting on video… Before he leaves, the photographer gives her the memory card with the pics…

All smiles Vivian comes to Minorka and says:"-You were great… You're such a beauty!!! Now you deserve a break… Follow me!!!" Vivian now takes full-nude-hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged Minorka to the most luxurious part of her casino: both women enter the royal suite!!!

Vivianremoves Minorka'sball-gag and unties her hands… A handmaid next to her comes and puts shackles onto Minorka'swrists and ankles… Before she leaves, Vivian says:"-All staff members here are there to satisfy all your needs, and you may call them anytime… I must warn you that video-cameras were placed everywhere for your own protection of course!! I'm so sorry I had to shackle you but these are the terms of the contract…!"

Minorka can now have some rest and enjoy all the facilities of this royal suite: a living room, a dining room, a bedroom, a spa… Handmaids knock at the door before coming in, bringing fine food and expensive champagne just for her…And it's such a relief for her to lie and relax on a large bed, and even watch T.V…. Other handmaids come in to take care of her: she is manicured, pedicured, her finger-nails and toe-nails are red-brick polished whilea hairdresser specially comes to do her beautiful hair…

Yes indeed, Minorka might feel like a princess, were she not naked and in shackles… After she has had dinner, she lies on the bed and watches T.V., until she finally falls asleep…

It's early in the next morning and Minorka is woken up as Vivian breaks in into the suite… Says Vivian:"-Guess what? I posted the pics on my website yesterday and we're already overwhelmed by demands!!! People all over the country want you!!!"

A handmaid behind Vivian moves closer and removes Minorka's shackles… Vivian holds her out bra, panties, a red short dress and red sandal shoes:"-Put this on honey, they want you to wear red!!!"

A silent Minorka complies by Vivian's orders, and as soon as she is finished, Vivian takes out ropes and a red ball-gag from a bag.Minorka's hands are tied in her back and the red rubber sphere is wedged into her mouth.

Both women get out of the royal suite, head to the outdoor parking of the casino, step into a limousine and sit at the rear of the car… Vivian hugs Minorka, fondles her hair and kisses her captive's ball-gag. The helpless-hands-tied-in-her-back girl wonders:"-Where is she taking me now?"

About twenty minutes later, they arrive to a small airport. The limousine drives onto the tarmac up to a luxury jet… Vivian and Minorka step out of the car, move to a red carpet and walk to the jet. A man and two women, all three in their thirties, are waiting at the bottom of the stairway leading to the jet.

Vivian and Minorka keep walking on the red carpet until they arrive and stop before the trio. The man looks like he's petrified as he can see hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged-gorgeous Minorka standing in front of him. He keeps staring at her without saying a word, and gets excited as Minorka moves her sweet toes in her red sandal shoes…

One of the women next to him bursts out laughing and tells him:"-Hey… What's up with you? Come back with us!!!"

Answers the man:"-Outstanding!!! That's outstanding!!! I just can't believe my eyes!!! She's even more beautiful than I had seen on the pics…"

Says the second woman:"- That's a surprise I wanted to make you…I knew you'd both like her…"

Vivian turns to Minorkaand smiles. Says she in a whisper:"- I know you've been through a great many situations so far, but I guess you've never experimented airborne bondage yet? Nor have you ever been foot-tickled or foot-worshipped at 10 000 feet altitude yet? You should have great time…I must leave you now… I'll come and catch up with you tomorrow…Other people are waiting for you at other places… Have fun!!!"

Obedient-hands-tied-in-her-back-ball-gagged Minorka climbs the stairway and steps into the luxury jet…

She's now Vivian's “associate” and she has a job to do…

TO BE CONTINUED …

[deladane]

Wednesday, September 13, 2017 ~ Motu Mahana in Taha’a

 Taha’a (Tah – HAH – ah) is a small island within the Society Islands, and they share a barrier reef and lagoon with their sister island Raiatea.  Taha’a is approximately 35 square miles and is home to just under 5000 residents.  They produce 70-80% of French Polynesia’s vanilla and is therefore known as the “Vanilla Island”, but they are also known for producing very high quality black pearls.

When you book a cruise with PG, they highly promote your day here in Taha’a as PG owns a private island here, called Motu Mahana. They set up a wonderful beach day for their guests, complete with a huge BBQ picnic for lunch, open bar with fruity cocktails served in coconut shells, and hundreds of lounge chairs spread out under the shade of palm trees (or out in the direct sun if you’d prefer!). This was a day we were greatly looking forward to as it sounded like an easy, relaxing beach day which would involve zero planning or out-of-pocket expenses (unless we opted to buy anything from one of the local vendors set up on the island, which we did not plan to do).

 Note that there is no lunch buffet served at Le Grill today, and there is no buffet theme of the day.  I think they assume that most guests will be on Motu Mahana at lunch time and they put most of their efforts and resources into that lunch instead of on the ship like every other day.

We woke up at 7:10am this morning, not because we wanted to, not because we set our alarm, but because we heard our neighbor’s alarm going off on the other side of the wall!  We never heard any sound for either of our neighboring cabins aside from this one time, so it probably had to do with how silent it was and that our bodies were nearly ready to wake up then anyway.  

When I peeked out our porthole window, it looked like we were still making our approach towards the lagoon.

 We got dressed and went upstairs to La Veranda for breakfast.  I don’t know why I bothered taking photos of my breakfast every day since I always ate the same thing, but it is fun to see our view out the windows this morning!

 When I finished eating, I stepped outside onto the deck that goes around the outside of La Veranda as it offered beautiful views of Taha’a and the outer motus.

 We could even see Bora Bora in the distance!

 The first tender to Motu Mahana leaves at 10:15am to give the staff some time to set up the island before we arrive.  That gave us a few hours of downtime after breakfast so I found a seat near the pool and took some notes in my trip journal.  

 At 9:45am, we went down to Deck 3 near the elevators where we usually exit the ship and there was already a line of about 10 people waiting ahead of us to board the tender!  PG uses a much smaller tender to access their 2 private beaches, and most people on board planned to spend all day at the beach today as there aren’t many excursions available, so we knew this first tender of the day would be in high demand. We hung out in the elevator area until 10:15 when they let us board the tender.  It’s a good thing we got in line early because they did have to cut people off when they ran out of seats!  

The ride over to the motu takes about 10 minutes, if that, and I was surprised to see us pull up to a brand new pier!  I remember seeing photos from previous reviews where the tender made a wet landing like we did in Bora Bora, but that is no longer necessary thanks to this beautiful pier.  There was actually someone working on the pier while we were here today, so maybe they are still finishing building it?  I took these photos when the second tender came in a little later, just to show you what it looks like…

 The green blob of leaves floating under the white umbrella is the floating bar!  I had envisioned this as something they pull up and down the shore along the beach throughout the day, but it actually just stays anchored in that one spot. It was convenient though when you wanted to wade in the water and get a refill of your drink!

Les Gauguines walked out to the end of the pier to greet each tender as it arrived.

 Since we were among the first 50ish people to arrive, we had our choice of lounge chairs!

 If you walk to the right when you get off the tender pier, you will find a beautiful view of the PG floating in the lagoon.  I considered sitting here, but it was too breezy for my liking on this side of the island.

 There were also lots of tables if you preferred that over a lounge chair, but I think people only really used these to eat lunch.

 One of the reasons they weren’t ready for our arrival until after 10:30am was because the crew needed to climb up the palm trees to retrieve hundreds of fresh coconuts for our drinks!  These guys were slicing them open with expert precision!

 There were plenty of lounge chairs to go around (and they even had little tables between each pair of chairs!  What more could we ask for?!)

 Little tents were set up around the motu where the locals were selling their goods… jewelry, black pearls, pareos, and many other souvenirs.

 Motu Mahana really is an indescribably beautiful place!

 Back at the bar, there is a list of all the cocktails you can get inside your coconut!

 I started off with a Midori Colada

 Now THIS is paradise!

 Yet another one of my favorite photos from our honeymoon:

 At some point in the morning, the Gauguines gave a demonstration on how to open a coconut.

 Oops!  She spilled the coconut milk!

 After the demonstration, they passed around samples so we could taste a coconut at different ages.  I was not a fan of the older coconut- it had a spongy consistency and was not very sweet, but I’m glad I tried it!

 DH plays the guitar, so he wanted to learn to play the ukulele.

 If you don’t want to carry around your coconut all day, they also serve drinks in plastic cups!  This time, I opted to try the Planters Punch

 The lunch buffet opened at exactly 12 noon.  They had a nice spread of chicken, steak, burgers, hot dogs, and bratworst grilled on the BBQ, a big salad bar, pork fried rice, and corn on the cob.  There was also a section with desserts including cookies, brownies, and fresh fruit.  Waiters were walking around with cans of soda and beer and bottles of water, and of course the bar was always open if you preferred something else. They served lunch from 12-2pm so you were free to come back for seconds if you wanted more!

 And of course, Les Gauguines were on hand to provide lovely background music while we ate.

 In case you were curious, the bathrooms are located just behind the picnic tables.

 After lunch, we waded out into the water to get a drink from the floating bar.  No coconut shells here so bring your own from the main bar if you’d prefer that (we were okay with plastic cups again!)

 The water was shallow and sandy, but the entrance back up onto shore near where they set up the floating bar was very rocky and slippery so be careful!

 Cheers!

 Palm trees make me smile!

 If you are looking for something to do that is more exciting than laying around on a lounge chair and drinking fruity cocktails all day, there is a volleyball court and massage station set up on the motu. They also have single and double kayaks that you can borrow to paddle around the island, or you can just go straight into the water to go snorkeling from the shore.  We wanted to try out the kayaks but all of the double kayaks were taken. There was one single kayak available, so we improvised and squeezed on together!  We all know I am not going to paddle anyway, so better to have a lighter/smaller boat haha

Notice how I don’t even have an oar!  Thanks for doing all the hard work, Hubby!

Our friend took this video of us... Notice how DH is doing all the work paddling the kayak while I am taking selfies? ;)

We paddled out a little ways from the shore and were able to look down on the coral from in the kayak.  No need to bring our snorkels along for this ride!

 We only stayed out for 20 minutes or so, then headed back because we wanted to walk the perimeter of the motu.

I think this was where they had the vow renewal ceremonies earlier today (2 couples on board participated in this, and they both were thrilled with the ceremony when we spoke to them later in the day)

 Palm trees everywhere!

 The motu is really quite small- it only took us about 45 minutes to walk around the perimeter (including stops for photos along the way!  We were probably only walking for 20 minutes, if that!).  We ended back at our lounge chairs and spent the next hour relaxing and enjoying every last minute of our time on Motu Mahana.

 Glamour shot of the PG in the late afternoon light:

 It was now around 4pm and nearly everyone had already tendered back to the PG.  

 This guy stayed behind to keep us entertained until the last tender came to pick us up.

 Oh boo, I see the tender coming.  Guess it’s time to pack up our bags and leave this tropical oasis.

 We arrived this morning on the first tender, and left on the last tender of the afternoon, giving us about 6 hours on Motu Mahana.  We definitely could have stayed longer if they let us!

Once back on board, we dropped our bags off in the cabin, then went up to Le Grill for afternoon tea.  I didn’t take any photos today, but they served the same sweets as always, with various cakes and cookies, plus a few finger sandwiches.

After our snack, we went out to the pool to watch Santa Rosa perform as we sailed away from Taha’a.

 Of course, I wanted to try today’s drink of the day: Gauguin Secret (vodka, strawberry liquor, triple sec, orange juice, and sweet and sour mix)

 As the sun started to set, we had a perfect view with Bora Bora in the distance.

 We ran back down to the cabin to get showered and ready for dinner before the 6pm dress code started.  Then we went up to L’Etoile for dinner and were promptly seated at a table for 2.

Tonight’s menu

 Seafood Salade

 Crespelle alla Ricotta

 Beef Ravioli

 Stirfry beef chow mein

 Aranchini di riso taormenese

 We skipped dessert tonight and went back to the cabin to rest before the evening show.  We had been lounging on the bed for at least 15 minutes before I noticed the cake sitting on our coffee table!!  DH is very romantic and he remembered that today was the 2 year anniversary of our engagement.  He met with Elise from the front desk and Stephano, the head chef, to create a special cake as a surprise for me, and they delivered it to our cabin while we were at dinner!  He said he actually met with them several times throughout the cruise… I have no idea when! Maybe when I kicked him out of the cabin so I could have space to shower and get ready for dinner each night??

You may recall that I mentioned we got engaged in a hot air balloon…

 The cake was really yummy, so it’s a good thing we skipped dessert at the dining room!  We ended up with leftovers, so we transferred it onto a plate and stored it in our fridge to finish it another time.

After our special dessert, we went upstairs to the piano bar until it was time for the 9:30pm show.  Tonight’s show was the second performance of The Rolling Keys duo, and we definitely didn’t want to miss it!  Sarah was energetic as always and put on a great show.

 We were both exhausted by the time the show ended, so we went straight to bed after that.

[libgds]

Today was the last day at the condo. Ugh. The real world was approaching.

Our last day needed a (relatively) early start. Betzie had a French cafe known for its breakfast that we had to try called Patisserie Amie. We needed to be early to beat the crowds because:

It is a tiny place with not a lot of seating.

Betzie had had a few problems with them doing seating as purely first come first served, so a party of two would be given a table for four because it came open first and then when a table for two comes open, the party of four were SOL.  We were a party of 3, so seating was a risk.

We arrived and got a seat at the bar. Now I know the French are all about wine, but I find it funny that a place that only serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch also included a bar when they have such little room for seating. They seem to be doing alright, so who am I to say?

I was in a sweet mood and being in Michigan and all, it just seemed appropriate to get the French pancakes with blueberries. The coffee menu listed a creme brûlée latte that mentioned a crust in the description. I was intrigued, so I had to order it. I was not disappointed! The “crust” was achieved by putting sugar on top of the foam and then using a torch to caramelize it.  Too cool and yummy. (Full disclosure: I have not taken the time to learn how to make the accent marks on the computer, Autocorrect actually did me a solid.)

I don’t remember what Jaime ordered, but I do remember that once again, they had just sold the last one. She settled for French toast, that was like the most high end funnel cake or elephant ear you can imagine. I was in a sugar coma at the end of this delightful breakfast.

Since we were all stuffed, we decided to visit the shopping district for a walk. Last time, it was too late for most shops to be open. This time we were too early. Many did end up opening as we worked our way down the street, including our first rock shop. It was called On the Rocks and it was pristine. Pristine is not what I wanted. I wanted slabs of unpolished rocks and everything they had was already polished or made into jewelry. I asked if they had any slabs, and the saleslady suggested another shop called Nawbin. I’m going to take a second now to brag. That day, I wore a necklace I made in my metalsmithing class that is an octopus. The saleslady, who is also a jeweler, complimented my octopus. I was very proud of that since she’s a professional and all. Okay, back to the story.

We went into a few more stores and then Betzie came out of the food coma enough to realize we had to get back to the condo to check out! (She had a savory dish, so I think that gave her better brain function.) It was 10:30 and we had to be packed and out by 11.

As we were rushing back, I spotted Nawbin. It was a stand-alone building off of the main shopping strip that was painted a gaudy teal. It had potential. Here is my theory of rock shops: the seedier, the better. If it’s too pretty and pristine, then it’s going to be overpriced and everything will be finished and polished pieces meant for those who do not want to get their hands dirty. A good rock shop will have a few finished pieces, but will be a hodge-podge that you have to search through to find the metaphorical gems to polish and shape yourself into beautiful pieces. On the practical side, seedier also usually means cheaper prices, too.

We all did a speed packing and got out right at 11. Now that Betzie was interested in polishing the rocks we had found on the beach, it was not too hard to convince everyone to backtrack and check out Nawbin. We also had a bit of a side mission. Jaime had told us about another “stone” Lake Michigan was known for, especially on the Detroit side called fordite. Fordite is not natural, it is made of of years of layers of paint from the automobile factories. These are found and can be shaped and polished into very colorful looking “rocks.”

Nawbin was not as pristine as On the Rocks, but it wasn’t at peak seediness either. I poked all around and finally had to ask if they had any slabs. They said someone else had purchased all they had last week. Disappointing, but surely they did not have much if one person bought their entire inventory. I settled for looking at their fordite and they had some cool completed pieces of jewelry and some ready to set, but I just couldn’t see myself setting a stone I didn’t shape. I am a purist in that way. I either made the whole thing or none of it.

We headed back towards Grand Rapids. Betzie took us a different way then what we came and we stopped at several places along the way. Tourism is strong in Michigan. For our first stop, Betzie had some problems navigating because the road she normally uses was closed. As we were re-routed, we spotted it: a rundown rock shop in the middle of no where. It looked to be the perfect amount of seedy and not remotely touristy. (Touristy=higher prices.) It was perfect.  It had bins of rocks outside. I searched through a whole table worth of bins of just Petoskey stone slabs. There were barely readable signs saying the slabs were $7/lb.  A polished pebble could be that much at a tourist store! That was cheap even by seedy rock shop standards. The inside was gloriously unorganized. I found other slabs in plastic shoeboxes under tables. I found some great stuff, four different stone types and lots of Petoskeys at cut at various angles and stone colors all for under $12. It was the best.

If a place like this made a sign, it happened. More than once.

We had a late lunch at Stormcloud Brewery. Even though it was 1:30, the place was packed because it was appropriately a stormy day, so everyone who was in town for the beaches were in Stormcloud drinking instead. The sun started to peek through and we walked to an ice cream shop. Jaime treated!

Our next stop was an overlook Betzie had been told about near Arcadia Woods. Thank goodness that the clouds had cleared and the sun had come out, because the view here was breathtaking. There were stairs, so you could get really high up to see over Lake Michigan. The lake had so many shades of blue. No picture will do it justice, so here’s the best I could do.

As we were leaving, a group of men on bicycles arrived and several of them had matching jerseys on that had a phrase in French that we (as in Betzie and Jaime) thought translated into basically “Annual Brothers Ride.” So they were on a Guy’s Weekend Riding Bikes. We then had a discussion about how matching clothing were NEVER going to be a part of our trips and that we will stick our trips revolving around food and alcohol instead of exercise. When something works, why mess with it?

One of the places that we planned on stopping was new to all of us. Betzie had been given suggestions by someone else for things to see in Muskegon. We were going to hit a distillery for cocktails and a tavern that had boozy milkshakes. 18th Amendment Distillery was downtown and when we arrived, we were surprised to find ourselves in the middle of a motorcycle rally called Rebel Road. Unfortunately, by this point my phone (aka camera) was dead. There were hundreds of motorcycles. We had our cocktails and snacks, then decided “When in Rome” and walked around the rally. We made our way to a brewery with an open garage door to the motorcycle filled street and just took in the atmosphere. Betzie being a doctor and all, shared a few gnarly motorcycle accident stories. All in all, it was a pretty tame event. There were a lot of families. I imagine it got a little rowdier at night, but no ass-less chaps while we were there (context: I have seen this when Bike Week coincided with my Spring Break in Daytona Beach.)

We then headed to a different part of town for our boozy milkshakes and dinner at Hank’s Tavern. Tavern was not the right word for this place. It had more of a theme restaurant vibe. I ordered a salted pretzel shake with butterscotch schnapps. It was okay. I wasn’t looking to get smashed, but I do not think a small child could have gotten a buzz from this shake. Our waitress was…not on her game. I ordered a quesadilla. Jaime and Betzie ordered margaritas and Jaime said no salt on the rim and they split a quesadilla and guacamole appetizer. When the drinks came, Jaime was all salted up. When our food came, she dropped one of my quesadillas on the floor. It got replaced, but she did not pick up the stuff that fell out, so there were pieces of steak to slip on all over the floor. To add to the experience, there was a large group next to us that had a woman with the loudest, most obnoxious laugh and voice that none of us could believe was real. As I watched, I realized that actually, two of the women had to be sisters because they BOTH had that same voice and laugh. It was relentless.  When it was time to go, our waitress asked how we were doing the checks. We said I was on my own and they were splitting. She came back and said, “I hope you don’t mind that I split the appetizer between all three of you.”

No. That is not what we said to do. That is even more complicated than what we said to do. Oddly enough, it was the bartender who brought us back our cards.

By this time, it was 1 1/2 hours later then Betzie had thought we would be back. Her cold was reaching its peak and she had found out her babysitter for the next day had to cancel, and her kids’ colds were also making a comeback. She was spent and had a bunch to do the next day, so Jaime decided to make life a little easier by booking her and I a hotel for the night instead of staying in their guest room. She had some points to use up before they expired.

It had been a long day.  A good day, but we were hitting a wall. Welcome to Girls’ Weekend in our forties.

Day of Unexpected Surprises and Improvising Today was the last day at the condo. Ugh. The real world was approaching. Our last day needed a (relatively) early start.

[epchapman89]

A Coffee Drinkers Guide To Bali

I suppose Aussies are partly to thank/blame for opening the gates of hell of tourism here in Bali. Surfers have been coming here and enjoying the killer waves and friendly animist/Hindu smiles since the 1970s, and lately, you can’t throw a coconut without hitting an Australian surf shop or fashion startup. It’s a different world today from the horse-drawn carts and rice-field-serenity that those early surfers would have discovered—now it’s frenetic, jammed with scooter traffic, and development is rapid-fire. The island is a good spot for those seeking tasty food and drinks, and depending on your preference, you can pull up to a warung and eat street food and drink $2 beers, or you can eat at world-class restaurants followed by cocktails made by some of the best bartenders around. And whilst the kopi has been flowing since 1711 when the Dutch introduced Arabica plants—finding a delicious, sweet brew with any form of acidity has been hard here, where the humidity is always 90 plus, but the coffee not so much, until recently.

So let’s get into it. Next time you’re on the island of the gods, you’re getting out of the infinity pool in your villa, you’ve had your papaya, your hair is looking good in those braids you got down at Kuta beach—wack on your Bintang singlet, hop in a Bluebird taxi and go drink coffee here!

  Seniman Coffee

Owned by the Australian sculptor Rodney Glick and Englishman David Sullivan, Seinman Coffee is the spot to drink coffee in the hills in Ubud, which has become a vegan/raw food/yoga mecca of late. Seniman has fast expanded from one shop on Jalan Sriwedari into a training and education studio downstairs and a roasting headquarters across the road. Seniman means “artist” in Bahasa, and the name isn’t just an ego stroke from the owner—they do artfully prepare their drinks amongst the colorful vibe and hubbub of the place. They are brewing espresso on a La Marzocco Linea PB and they offer a choice of mostly (though they do have one or two imports) Indonesian hand-brewed filter coffee—you can choose or defer to them on what gadget you want your coffee brewed; I had a Hario V60. Cafes in Bali have lots of staff (wages are affordable, let’s put it that way) so places like this have a hive of buzzing young workers all super keen. This is helping to foster and develop a new coffee culture very quickly and it also means that hand-brewed coffee is the norm which was a nice change—there is a romance to watching your coffee being prepared by a focused barista as opposed to being squeezed out of an airpot.

Seniman Coffee is located at Jalan Sriwedari 5, Banjar Taman Kelod, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster

The area of Canggu on the west coast of the island is currently the hip spot. You’ve got nice little bars and great restaurants nestled in between rice fields, the waves are less crowded and less polluted—there are, however, a lot of cranes looming and developments are going up fast—so don’t sleep on visiting if you’re in Bali. Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster was once the sole purview of owner Prawira “Edo” Adhiguna pulling shots on a single-group machine, but it’s now expanded into a light-filled new shop and roastery with full kitchen and a 15-kilogram Probat that just arrived a week before I visited. The barista manning the Synesso Hydra was intent and extremely focused and was busting out good-looking tulips. Yes, one of the signs of a developing coffee culture is the fact that they are still super psyched on latte art—but it is a gateway drug. The food is tasty and affordable and the coffee was excellent, I had a great filter prepared with a coffee from Toraja in Sulawesi, and a leathery but sweet espresso made with coffee from Kintamani in Bali. They were kind enough to bag a few things for retail for me that were just roasted and gave me some tips on other spots to hit as well, so definitely have a chat.

Hungry Bird Coffee Roaster is located at Jalan Raya Semat 86, Tibubeneng, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 Expat Roasters

Expat Roasters is so new you can smell it. The tiny espresso bar is all concrete and glass, and you could be in a downtown cafe in San Francisco or Potts Point if it weren’t for the plethora of motorbikes outside and the nice Balinese staff. Expat is next door to Sisterfields and Bo$$man—all three places are owned by Aussie Adam McAsey. McCasey set up Expat with Sydney barista Shae Macnamara, who won the Australian Coffee in Good Spirits contest in 2016 and works for Grinders Coffee. It’s not exactly vibe central here—it kind of feels like a holding bay for their two eateries—but they are making top notch coffees on a pimped out La Marzocco Linea PB (which has individual boilers and scales in the drip tray) and the location works well for a quick coffee before lunch or shopping for wooden penis bottle openers.

Expat Roasters is located at Jalan Kayu Cendana, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Seminyak. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

 L/S Coffee Studio (Buro Concept Store)

OK, I was a little confused as to what this joint is called. It’s officially L/S Coffee Studio, it is a part of the Buro Concept Store and it’s above Livingstone Bakery… still with me? I think they may have taken the concept store idea a little far, but the Wi-Fi and air conditioning are good and they are smashing out tasty espresso. L/S was one of the only multi-roaster setups I found, running coffees from some of the best Indo roasters such as Common Grounds and Curious People as well as internationals like Melbourne’s Sensory Lab and Sydney roasters Artificer Coffee and Sample Coffee Roasters on occasion. The concept store extends nicely into hosting regular public cuppings and coffee classes (including regular workshops with St Ali’s Ben Morrow). L/S has a short menu of your usual cafe fare and a tight menu of “other coffee drinks” akin to the G&B Coffee stable—I had a cashew milk and espresso shake which was equal parts punchy and provided me much needed refreshment.

L/S Coffee Studio is located at Jalan Petitenget 88X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung. Follow them on Instagram.

 Sensa Koffie

Sensa Koffie’s full name is Sensa Kueh Pia & Koffie Bali and it’s split into two shops. Downstairs it sells traditional Javanese snacks like kripuk—crispy fried things (delicious, get some), and kueh, which are sweets. The coffee zone upstairs is really lovely: it’s an open and airy space with a big balcony, a perfect spot to ruminate over a hand-brewed V60 or an espresso. Vito Adi is the owner and head roaster, he has a pretty serious coffee pedigree and is very involved in the competition and training scene in Indonesia—he is a certified competition judge and was the 2014 Cup Tasters champion in Indonesia. They serve a bunch of single origins from all over the archipelago amongst a menu of other drinks and traditional Indo food.

As were all of the staff at the cafes I visited, the barista at Sensa was friendly as hell and asked for feedback on the pour-over he made me as well as chatting about all the places I’d drunk coffee at. It’s easy to see why the coffee scene is growing so fast as the baristas are all really engaged, humble, and thirsty for information, they were all happy to discuss the other cafes they like to visit and it seems there’s a nice little community establishing itself. I’m looking forward to the brews on my next visit. Enjoy your coffees, selamat jalan.

Sense Koffie is located at Jalan Dewi Sri, Kompleks Ruko Parwata Blok 3-4, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jai Pyne is a coffee professional, recording artist, and journalist based in Sydney, who has written for The Thousands, Good Sport, and Lost at E Minor. Read more Jai Pyne on Sprudge.

The post A Coffee Drinkers Guide To Bali appeared first on Sprudge.

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[obscurelysevere]

How are you today? Today was such an unday that it made me rather uncomfortable. And it’s been frustrating, technology wise.

Do you have any pets? I have 4. 3 cats and a ferret. :3

What is your birth year? 1992..

What was the last thing you wrote down? Probably the information of a doctor.

What is your least favorite color? I don’t think that I really have one.

What was the last relaxing thing you did? Napped in my cozy bed.

Name a topic you consider yourself knowledgeable with. Animals. Specially, cats.

What’s the easiest way to make you smile/laugh? I’ve got a pretty broad sense of humor.

Do you own any band merch? Ohhh yeah. Many a t-shirt.

Name a random fruit. Persimmon.

When was the last time you have fallen? A far as my memory can tell (which isn’t far at all), it’s been a while.

If given the opportunity, would you ever perform on Broadway? No thank you. Ain’t that talented.

What is your favorite number? Why? 3.

What was the last thing that made you smile? My sister’s cat was trying to comfort me.

What was the last thing that made you cry? The pain I was in.

Recommend me a book. (any genre). Good Omens.

Do you like to read? Loooove it!

What is your favorite way to eat popcorn? (buttered, salted, plain..). Butter & salt.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? Something that speaks to my character, not my looks.

Have you ever faked being sick to get out of something? Oh, yes. But I don’t have to go very far or fake very much.

How do you feel about online dating? I’m hesitant and not very interested. But it’s not entirely out of the question.

What is your greatest strength? I keep going.

First thing you thought of when you woke up this morning. How comfy I was...

What’s something you’re really passionate about? Animals.

Do you have any posters on your wall? Not posters. I have some pictures hanging up. Two canvases of my babies when they were just a few weeks old, a painting my cousin did, a photo of a llama in NC, and the family calendar.

What’s a song you feel was written just for you? Fear by Pauley Perrette.

If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go? Either back to when mom and I were in St. Pete for a week, or back to Japan. <3

Did anything embarrassing happen today? No.

Who is the first person you think of when someone mentions “love”? My family.

Did you have a good summer? Yeah! It was great until August rolled along... But up until then, things were pretty rad.

How has 2017 been so far for you? No rougher than 2016. But it certainly hasn’t been anything fantastic as of yet.

Are you dressing up for Halloween? If so, what are you being? I just might. I was too sick to dress up last year, and I would really like to get into it this year. Dead prom queen. I went out of my way to buy really cool FX products for the look and I have done more than my share of research on how to do what it is that I want to do.

Name something you want. To be moving forward in my life again...

What’s the most boring sport to watch? Just about any, but football.

Worst feeling in the world? Down to your bones fear.

Best feeling? Unconditional love. And freedom,

Are you listening to music at the moment? No, it’s almost 3am.

Anyone you’d like to get things straight with? Eh. Nothing that I seriously need to get off of my chest.

You receive $500. What would you spend it on? Definitely treat my family to something AWESOME. Or just literally pay my parents back for everything they have done for me, and all of the sacrifices that they have made on my behalf.

Is anything bothering you right now? Lots of things. But what’s new?

If so, let it out here. Nope. This isn't the time, nor place.

What are you doing right now, besides this? IMing a nurse I became good friends with from all of my hospital visits.

Name 3 things you really want to do. Get better, be able to go home, find a way to bring Taj home. </3

What is one quality you really appreciate in a person? Compassion for ALL things.

Has anyone ever compared you to someone you don’t like? Ohhhhhh yeah.

Describe your style in one word. Comfy/casual.

Do you wish you were somewhere else right now? Not really. I would really like to be able to go back to my house soon, though.

When was the last time you were sick? I’m literally always sick. In one way or another.

What do you plan on doing now that this survey is over? Going to bed.

When was the last time you pulled an all-nighter, if you ever have? What was the reason? Probably in the hospital.

Do you find coffee and energy drinks actually give you more energy? I don’t drink any of that.

Who is your favorite Disney character? Mulan! <3

Aside from apple and orange juice, which juice is your favourite? Peach.

If you’re in a rush to go somewhere, would you rather do your make-up or fix your hair? Fix my hair. Makeup is such a hassle.

What are some questions that you get really fed up with answering? Questions about exes.

Do your parents trust you enough to leave you home alone for a week without them? Considering I LIVE on my own, pretty much.

Do any of your friends have children? My best friend does. <333

How young do you think is “too young” to get married? Or is age just a number? I’m hesitant about anything under 25, but that’s just me.

If you knew you had the right person at this precise moment in time, would you marry them? Not this very minute. It would have to take the time to be planned out.

If you’re staying home all day, do you bother getting changed or do you just stay in your pajamas? I don’t necessarily stay in my PJs but I will change into something equally as comfy.

Are there any TV shows that you’ve found yourself watching a lot recently? The Carbanaro Effect, and Nashville.

There’s a bar in Canada which sells a cocktail that contains a human toe. You can pick any alcohol of your choice, but it has to contain this toe. You don’t have to drink the toe, but it has to touch your lips. Would you try it? WTF!? Why? No. Just, no.

Does it bug you when bars overload your drinks with ice? I don’t go to bars. But I hate ice in most of my drinks. Really fucks with my teeth. D:

How different would your day-to-day life be without internet access? Holy fuck. I’d be lost. And I probably wouldn’t have written my story.

Do you judge people when they don’t enjoy the same things as you? A little bit.

If you live near the coast, do you like it? If you don’t - do you wish you lived closer to the beach? I lived there for a year. It was hard, because I was working 2 jobs, 7 days a week, so I rarely ever got to go to the beach. I miss it now.

Do you have any interest in tennis? I tried it when I was younger, sucked at it, hated it, yadda, yadda.

Did you really care about the Royal Wedding, or did you just want it to get out of the news? Noooope.

Can you remember where you were when Princess Diana died? No idea.

If you’re awake late at night and get hungry, what do you tend to snack on? I don’t. Unless my BG is low, then I go for some cereal and juice.

Can you sleep with a bra on, or do you find it way too uncomfortable? I haven’t worn one of those traps for years now. It feels so much better to be free.

If you don’t drive - how come? If you do - how old were you when you got your license? I don’t right now because of all of the meds that I am on, it wouldn’t be a wise idea to get into a vehicle right now.

How old were you when you started doing your own laundry (assuming you do)? 18?

Do you have a dishwasher or do you still wash things up by hand? I have a dishwasher but some things just can’t go in there.

What do you think of people who don’t vote (assuming they can do so)? There’s no excuse; it’s ridiculous.

What’s a word that begins with the first letter of your bf/gf/crushes name? Bullet.

Have you ever heard a song mash-up? Did you like it? I’ve heard a few. I like most that I’ve heard but there are some that are just meh...

If you had to choose between being a garden gnome or a gargoyle, which would you be? Gargoyle FO SHO.

Do you know the original hunchback of notre dame story? Not all of it.

Are you pretty much a junkie? I am. I’m entirely addicted to essential oils.

Do you care to share your thoughts on twitter? Not usually.

Have you ever gone walking around looking for flowers? Yeah, whenever I go hiking.

How was the last party you went to? I had a kinda lame ‘Halloween’ party at my place.

Do you ever babysit? Are the kids wild? Nooooo. I did that stint when I was younger. It’s not my thing at all anymore.

Have you seen the movie, forgetting sarah marshall? Did you like it? Yes. It was alright.

What’s the last thing you spent money on? I bought a new oil vape, and a new case for my iPad.

Have you ever caught a tadpole? A lot of times when I was younger down at the river in ND.

Do you know the difference between a joint and a blunt? Not at all, really.

What kind of dog would you get if you could choose any breed? Shiba inu<3

Would you ever move to a different country than your own? Sometimes I think I would love to live in Japan. I miss it so much!

Have you ever made a music playlist? Alllllll the time. I love doing it.

What does most of your money go towards? Rent.

Do you like to decorate? LOVE LOVE LOVE IT.

What are your bedroom colours? Beige, white, and blue.

Have you ever done anything sexual in exchange for something? Not in the least.

How long is your longest relationship? 16 months.

Can you name all the people you’ve been with? I think I can. But I won’t.

How often do you listen to rap? Every now and again, it’s alright.