#Italian style chandeliers

[sparclights]

https://www.authortalking.com/bring-italy-to-your-home-with-antique-italian-style-chandeliers/

Italian style chandeliers are characterized by their attention to detail, use of premium materials, and a commitment to artistic expression. They are not only sources of illumination but also statement pieces that can transform the atmosphere of any space they adorn.

[lalathemediterraneanmermaid]

Ikemen Prince Real Life Castles

Hi babes! I'm feeling like adding yet another layer of delusion to our already delulu brains, so here’s my take on what IkePrince castles would look like in real life. This way, you can visit them while pretending to be Belle running down the hallways looking for your beloved prince.

Rhodolite

The Rhodolite castle would be grand and ornate, with French Renaissance and Baroque influences. Expect elegant stonework, elaborate gardens with fountains, and decorative elements like balustrades and statues. The interior would feature intricate tapestries, gold accents, and chandeliers, exuding an air of refined nobility and romance.

Some examples could be:

Château de Chambord - France

Palace of Versailles - France

Château de Chantilly - France

Château de Chenonceau - France

Schönbrunn Palace - Austria

Dunrobin Castle - United Kingdom

Lednice na Moravě - Czechia

Château de Ussé - France

Obsidian

The Obsidian castle would have a stern, gothic architecture with imposing towers and stone walls. Think of dark, medieval castles with fortified structures, high walls, and sharp angles. Interiors would be minimalistic and austere, emphasizing function over ornamentation but with a touch of grandeur in public spaces.

Some examples could be:

Hohenzollern Castle - Germany

Edinburgh Castle - Scotland

Moszna Castle - Poland

Burg Eltz - Germany

Garibaldi Castle - Russia

Château du Bousquet - France

Inveraray Castle - United Kingdom

Cologne Cathedral - Germany

Benitoite

The Benitoite castle would be built with Italian Renaissance and Mediterranean styles in mind. Expect warm-toned stone, arches, and decorative columns. Courtyards would be lush, with fountains and intricate tile work. Interiors might have frescoes, marbled halls, and large windows to let in light, creating a grand yet inviting atmosphere.

Some examples could be:

Palazzo Ducale - Italy

Belvedere Palace - Austria

Howard Castle - United Kingdom

Catherine Palace - Russia

Palazzo Pitti - Italy

Miramare Castle - Italy

Swallow’s Nest Castle - Ukraine

The Royal Palace - Spain

Jade

The Jade castle would be charming, integrated with its natural surroundings. Built in a style that’s less imposing and more in harmony with nature, it would be surrounded by gardens and water features. Think of understated beauty, with an emphasis on wooden accents, greenhouses, and large windows overlooking gardens and the forest.

Some examples could be:

Stoke Rochford Hall Leisure Club - United Kingdom

Harlaxton Manor - United Kingdom

Knebworth House - United Kingdom

Castle de Haar - The Netherlands

Château de Villandry - France

Lowenburg Castle - Germany

Brissac Castle - France

Vouzeron Castle - France

Tanzanite

The Tanzanite castle would be exotic and filled with intricate details, such as domed roofs, archways, and extensive mosaics. The castle would feature courtyards with fountains, lush gardens, and reflective pools, creating a tranquil and mystic vibe. Interiors would be lavish, with patterned tile work, vibrant colors, and plush furnishings.

Some examples could be:

La Sagrada Familia - Spain

Alhambra - Spain

Golestan Palace - Iran

Ali Qapu Palace - Iran

Topkapi Palace - Turkey

Alcázar de Sevilla - Spain

Taj Mahal - India

Shrine of Hazrat Ali - Irak

Kogyoku

The Kogyoku castle would have traditional Japanese architecture, with wooden structures, curved tiled roofs, and wide, open spaces for viewing nature. The castle would be surrounded by gardens with koi ponds and sakura trees. Interiors would feature shoji screens, tatami mats, and simple but elegant furnishings.

Some examples could be:

Himeji Castle - Japan

Matsumoto Castle - Japan

Shuri Castle - Japan

Nijo Castle - Japan

Osaka Castle - Japan

Katsuyama Castle - Japan

Nagoya Castle - Japan

Kinkakuji Castle - Japan

Achroite

The Achroite castle would be a blend of Scandinavian minimalism and rugged fortification, built with stone and wood. It would sit atop a hill or near a lake, with a natural and slightly harsh look. The design would be simple, with a focus on functionality and integration with the landscape, including large fireplaces and wood-paneled rooms for warmth.

Some examples could be:

Neuschwanstein Castle - Germany

Château de Ferreries - France

Château de Boismorand - France

Château de Vigny - France

Château d'Haroué - France

Hallgrimskrikja Cathedral - Iceland

Bojnice Castle - Slovakia

Pierrefonds Castle - France

And that’s everything for now! I’m planning to continue this exploration with possible traditional dances, music, customs, fashion, food, and festivities each kingdom might have. What do you think? What would you like to explore next?

See you on the next post my dears!!!!! XOXO

[hometoursandotherstuff]

1882 Italian villa style home in Denison, TX. 5bds, 4ba, 6,782 sq ft, $1.7m. Built by master German carpenters and Bavarian woodcarvers, under the direction of renowned architect John McDougall, famed for his work on St. Patrick's Church and Xavier Academy. Of course, it's currently rented out as an Airbnb for $1400 per night.

I didn't expect this, especially the cathedral-like art on the ceiling. Beautiful chandelier and woodwork, plus stained glass and leaded glass windows.

In the huge dining room. These ceilings are crazy. Then, you've got a stone floor and a balcony.

There's a sitting room off the balcony and you can close the sliding glass doors.

The sitting room off the dining room looks like it has some church architectural salvage. The lighting is definitely from a church.

Have you ever seen a more elegant kitchen and everyday dining area? I wonder if some of the windows came from a church.

I bet that no one even uses the kitchen.

How tranquil. A lovely office or possibly a library. I love the colors. Now, why would they stage this and rent it out as an Airbnb? All of the fireplaces are hand-carved. I would live here myself.

So, instead of the owners using this as their own primary bedroom, they rent it out. I guess they have their own mansion. This is beautiful, though.

Look at the en-suite. Very cool red tub.

This room isn't that great, but at least it has a shower in the en-suite.

This room would be for a family.

Kitchen so you can cook for the family while you're on "vacation." Yeah, no. I think I'll pass.

And, this is an apt. for a gang.

There's a washer/dryer and ironing board.

This suite gets this fancy bath.

Plus a closet, if they're having an extended stay.

And, this small room has a cute vintage bath.

Nice porch to sit on.

Pool and hot tub.

There's also a pond.

3.50 Acre lot

[pmamtraveller]

THE ARNOLFINI PORTRAIT /1434/ JAN VAN EYCK

Van Eyck uses a unique orthogonal perspective, rich colors, and enlivens the piece with many rich details. Notice the convex mirror painted in the background that reflects the back of the couple, as well as several other people witnessing the wedding. Also, take note of the dog in the foreground, the bed in the rear right, and the chandelier overhead.

This is thought to be a dual portrait of the affluent Italian trader, Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, alongside his spouse. The youthful pair are shown within their residence in Bruges, Belgium, which was part of Flanders at the time. Van Eyck had recently relocated to Bruges in 1429 and would reside and work there for the remainder of his life.

While numerous contemporary observers have suggested that the bride appears to be expectant, scholars have noted that this style of gown was fashionable then, as it symbolized virtue and fertility. The gown, combined with the hand resting on the stomach, might be misleading to those interpreting it through a modern perspective.

Art historians consider this one of the earliest paintings of ordinary people in a domestic setting. Van Eyck inscribed “Johannes de eyck fuit hic 1434 (Jan van Eyck was here. 1434)” above the mirror. This signature, on the back wall, suggests the artwork may document a marriage contract with a witness present. Van Eyck was also among the first to sign his work.

[staticspaces]

French Style Chateau

Have you checked out the video yet!?

Now on to the primary suite, this main bedroom was huge, including a massive ensuite with a round stained glass window…as well as a few more photos of the staircase from the second floor!!

This mansion was built in 1985 on two lots in The Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada and was designed to resemble a French style chateau. The 30,000 square foot mega mansion had 10 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, and was located on a huge four acre property that also included a tennis court. It also had a granite cobblestone driveway, a horseshoe staircase at the back and extensive gardens which completed the experience of living in a castle in France.

Originally built by Robert Campeau a financier and real estate developer. Robert began his career by building just one single house in 1949 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His company then known as Campeau Corp was also responsible for building Scotia Plaza, a hi rise built in 1988 in the financial district of Toronto, as well as the Harbour Castle Hotel in 1975. In the 80s, Campeau began a series of leveraged buyouts of companies, both in Canada and the United States. The final company was Federated Department Stores, the owners of Bloomingdale's for $7 billion. This was the beginning of the end for Campeau Corp, as they filed for Bankruptcy in 1990, one of the largest in history. Robert was forced to sell the home in 1990.

The home was purchased in 2002 by Harold and Sara Springer who entrusted architect Gordon Ridgely, interior designer Brian Gluckstein, and landscape architect Ronald Holbrook to bring their vision to life. They brought in 17th century antique furniture from france, original royal academy paintings, Italian marble and even crystal chandeliers.

Other features of the large house included a two-story indoor Olympic-size swimming pool with a retractable floor that converts into a ballroom. It also had an elevator, an oak wood bar, recording studio and even its very own bomb shelter!

The mansion has been featured in several movies including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's 'It Takes Two', 'Kissinger and Nixon', 'That Old Feeling' as well as most recently in an episode of Suits. A party was also held for Jane Fonda in the two-storey ballroom, which was then disassembled overnight so that Campeau could swim in the pool the next day with Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The Springer's listed the chateau for sale including all of its contents starting in 2014 for $25 million and was last publicly listed in 2018 for $39,500,000. Finally, the home was purchased by Nascond Holdings in 2020 for $30.8 million.

Nascond Holdings is a company owned by the Muzzo Group which is a well known development company in the area. Marco Muzzo caused a drunk driving crash that killed four people and seriously injured two others. It was a very high profile incident several years ago, because of his ties to such a wealthy family. There was also a guest list of people found in the home including Marco's name as the host of the party.

The mansion was demolished shortly after my visit in August of 2022. Not much happened after that until more recently when some activity began to happen on the property. Ferris Rafauli who was also behind Drake's Bridle Path Mansion, is the designer and builder behind the new mansion that will take shape in the coming years.

[diefxrguns]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐑

✶𝐚/𝐧- 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩, 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈'𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. ✶𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬- 𝐳𝐞𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 ✶𝐜/𝐰- 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩, 18 𝐚𝐧𝐝 28, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 ✶ 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐍𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 18'𝐬.

Your professor was a cold and calculated man, who had a mysterious aura and unpleasant demeanor. You sat in the brown class with Greek and Italian historical artwork and a somewhat "old design". A perfect classroom for a Philosophy professor. The blonde man looked like a Greek God carved from angles. A beautiful man who wore thin circular glasses on his face. A beard that was neatly trimmed suited his strong, masculine features. He smells of cigarettes and vanilla, with a hint of coffee.

"Mr Zeke Yeager" a well known professor and Philosopher, known for his outstanding works in the industry of Literature and Art. He certainly looked the part of a philosopher hense his somewhat old and "academia" style.

You were the only woman in your class and studied hard, however the subject was just to hard for you. You confronted your professor one day outside the university building. He was sitting on a bench, cigarette placed neatly within his fingers as he looked up at the gloomy sky. You asked him what was going on and why your results were so bad. Turns out you were never the problem.

He failed you on purpose, but why? Why would he do that.

" Good question, you're to bright." He said taking a pull of the cigarette and blowing smoke into the cold air.

" OK? You know you can loose your job for failing me!" You said angrily looking at him.

" So what?" He said smoking more of that darn cigarette.

" OK? I really need to pass Mr Yeager, I spent so many years working for this scholarship, I can't let you take that away from me"

" I know you like me sweetheart" He said looking you dead in the eye. His blue eyes digging their way into your soul.

I mean it was kind of obvious you had feelings for the older man, he was hot. You couldn't help but stare at him from time to time. Getting so lost in your filthy thoughts about him you couldn't even pay attention to what he was writing on the board.

" Listen Y/N if you want a good fuck, just say that"

" How about you pass me, and I'll let you fuck me for one night" you said clinging onto the books in your hand as tight as you possibly could. The mere words made you tingle.

Zeke immediately stood up and threw what was left of the cigarette on the floor. Stepping on it with his black dress shoe.

" Alright, And I didn't fail you on purpose, your work lacks context, I'm a strict marker. " He said standing only inches away from you, towering over your frame.

" Why don't you just tutor me?" You asked shyly, getting nervous from the man's presence.

" If you let me fuck your tight pussy I'll tutor you and I'll pass you for free, how's that sound " He said whispering in your ear making you shiver

You nodded your head as he walked past you, assuming you'd follow him to his car.

And you did so, following the man to his car and leaving the university grounds to his house.

Zeke lives in a gated community, with huge mansions and green front yards. You could tell he had money. The car ride was extremely quiet he looked so sexy driving, one hand on the steering wheel, the other hand rested on his lap.

When you drove through the ring neighborhood you two eventually arrived at his house. A huge house that looked like a medditeranean villa.

" we're here" He said parking his car in his garage with a huge garage door.

You both got out of the car and walked into his home. It was huge. With two staircases and a chandelier in the middle. Brown floors made of wood that were freshly waxed. So clean you could eat your food off them.

" Showers upstairs" He said making his way into the kitchen.

You walked upstairs and took a shower in his bathroom. Marbles floor, a chandelier and nicely decorated with art and candles. A classy home, he was probably from old money.

You walked downstairs only to find him in his library across the kitchen. "He looked up at you pulling his glasses down the bridge of his nose"

" Why are you wearing clothes?" He asked standing up and moving only inches away from you

He left you no time to respond before he grabbed you by the waist and kissed you.

The kiss was long and passionate, taking your shirt off to reveal your lacy black Bra. He grinned and started kissing your neck.

" You're so gorgeous" He said tracing his fingertips down the curve of your waist, bending down, his face only inches away from your crotch.

" May I ?" He asked, ready to take your pants off.

You nodded looking down at him, his glasses shining in the dim light. Fuck he looked so handsome right now.

He took your pants off swiftly, along with your panties. Only to reveal your pretty pussy.

Kissing it gently as he began to eat you out.

You moaned gently and softly. He looked up at you with a smile " Enjoying yourself?" He asked.

Using his tongue to make circles on your sensitive bundle of nerves. Making you louder each time the muscles came into contact with your sensitive clit.

You let out whimpers and cries as his tongue worked wonders on you. It was heaven

Shortly after all that you were about to cut when he pulled away. His chin wet with your sweet juices.

"Not yet" He said forcefully pushing you on his desk. Your ass out and boobs pressed up against the oak table.

" you sure you want this Y/N?" He asked as your hair slightly covered your face. Your face pressed onto the table. Pussy on full display infront of the older man's eyes.

" yes.... please"

He immediately took his pants off, revealing his cock. It was big and veiny, with light brown pubic hair covering the area.

He inserted his cock into you, making you moan loudly. " oh fuck"

The older man pounded his meat into you at a fast speed. Making your head spin and your heart beat rapidly.

Spanking on your ass every chance he got, leaving the soft fleshy area red with his hand print. Him grunting and groaning at the tightness of your pussy.

It made him go crazy. He was acting like an animal, wrapping his strong hands around your little neck applying pressure slightly.

He turned your body over roughly, revealing your face and boobs. He picked you up sitting your ass on his table. Spreading your legs widely to reveal what was rightfully his.

" wanna see that pretty face while I fuck you"

Fucking you slowly and then speeding up his pace making you throw your head back in utter pleasure.

" oh fuck, fuck. Zeke..."

And with that you came all over his cock, your juices on his oak table. Seeing this made him cum shortly after.

" look what you've done to my expensive table. Be a good girl and clean it up" He said pulling your head and forcing your head down to lick the juice off his table.

all rights reserved ✶0

[camprell-art]

Dimentio headcanons (Minus ship ones)

I had to search for my headcanons because I forgot all of them akdjs

But anyways, my Dimentio likes to sing, usually not high enough for someone to hear, he reads and sometimes writes too, although his writing isn't really easy to understand.

(His handwriting is actually really pretty, the only problem is that the things he writes aren't coherent, he uses a lot of metaphors, words in other languages followed by random drawings, sometimes he uses the lines of the notebook and sometimes he ignores them, there's also numbers that make zero sense in order, it's very cryptic).

His favorite fruits are grapes and blackberries, loves cakes, tea and wine (he's not an alcoholic, but he does drink a lot when he's alone, or when they go to a bar/pub).

He has insomnia and also lots of nightmares, when he does sleep well it's always on weird places, like trees, his own explosive boxes, sometimes in the big chandeliers from the Castle or just literally in the air.

I have the headcanon that the ancients spoke a lot of languages, but mostly the romantic ones (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, etc), so that's my explanation to why he knows both Italian and French. (Now what if I used my native language (aka Brazilian Portuguese) to write his nonsensical journals? hehehe)

And lastly, he hates the sun, his favorite season is winter, if he runs for more than 5 minutes he'll just lay down and die, (not really, but you get it ajdja), one of his favorite hobbies is turning invisible and scaring people in the halls of the Castle and he's really good at card games.

Edit: Forgot to say that Dimentio paints portraits! His style is very messy tho.

[nonreplicakitties]

nonreplicakitties’ non replica masterpost!

linked below the cut are the tags to all the productions i have covered, along with a little summary!

Thunerseespiele 2017

this production was set in an abandoned amusement park and was performed at an outdoor stage built over the water of Lake Thun, Switzerland. it featured new costumes with a cybergoth aesthetic. this productions’ Tugger also rode around on a motorcycle!

Italian Tour 2009

this production featured masks and costume design inspired by commedia dell’arte! while not the first production in Italy, it was the first to be performed in Italian. this productions’ Skimbleshanks uses a shopping cart for his train prop!

Tampere 2017

this production was directed by Georg Malvius, who has been vocal about his dislike for the original CATS. the show features a rat as the silent “narrator,” describing his dream of becoming a cat. it also features especially unique wigs, looking much closer to human hairstyles than cat fur!

Australia Circus Tent Tour (1999)

this production was performed inside a giant CATS-themed circus tent, and included many circus elements, including trapeze, tumbling, and ball balancing. it used mostly replica-style costumes, although several cats got new wigs. this productions’ Mungojerrie took on the role of a circus captain and would direct the other performers in their circus feats!

Opera Populaire 2017

this production, set in an abandoned train station, took on a steampunk aesthetic with unique and intricate costumes! notably, this productions’ Mistoffelees is played by a woman!

Tecklenberg 2015

this production was performed at an open-air theater, and was also circus-themed! it featured brightly-colored costumes that accentuated the theme, as well as brand-new stunts. this productions’ Mistoffelees danced on aerial silks, and its Macavity was a fire-breather!

Macskák Budapest 1983

this was the third production of CATS ever performed internationally! it took place in an abandoned theater and featured new costumes and swing characters. while it opened in 1983, it has continued to play on certain dates to this day. in this production, Grizabella ascends to the Heaviside Layer on a giant chandelier!

Brno 2013

this production stands out because the characters are intended not to be cats, but humans, participating at a masquerade ball in a nightclub. this productions’ Grizabella is reborn as a kitten, played by an actual cat!

Perth/Mandurah 2019

this production featured new, neon-colored costumes with intricate psychedelic patterns. reportedly, it also included aerial silks and roller skates. this productions’ Skimbleshanks number featured a Thomas the Tank Engine inflatable costume!

Lahti 2007

this production featured new brightly colored ‘space-age’ costumes and made several changes to the characters and plot. some of the most notable are that Munkustrap and Rumpleteazer were in a relationship, and that Jennyanydots was played by a man!

Lahti 2016

this production, performed on the same stage as Lahti’s 2007 production, mainly featured circus performers exhibiting stunts such as acrobatics, aerial silks, and cyr wheel. notably, this productions’ costumes don’t resemble cats!

Kilworth House 2019

this production is set in a WWII-era bombed out London Underground station. the costumes represent many different walks of life from that era, including boy scouts, evacuating children, and glamour girls, creating a mix of human- and cat-like features. interestingly, this profuctions’ Coricopat and Tantomile are portrayed as children!

Warsaw 2004

in this production, the word Jellicle is translated to Dachowiec, which literally means “rooftop cat,” but is best translated as “alley cat.” fittingly, this production is set on the rooftops of Poland. it featured all-new costumes and choreography, as well as several new ensemble characters!

Gothenburg 2006 / Cirkus Stockholm 2009

this production was set in an abandoned amusement park and featured unique costumes, reportedly inspired by anime. the costumes and sets originally used in Gothenburg were reused for the Cirkus Stockholm production, which saw a return of many Gothenburg actors!

Helsinki 1986

this production featured new costumes and a large ensemble of named chorus cats, alongside swings. many changes were made to characters, for instance Bustopher Jones became a full character, Coricopat was female, and Growltiger and Griddlebone were played by different characters!

Oslo 1985

while the costumes in this production look quite different than current replica designs, they were actually created by London production costume designers, and were the standard London costumes at that time. the most unique aspect of this production is that Jemima doesn’t sing with Grizabella in Memory, rather it’s Grizabella’s younger self!

Oslo 2009

this production appears to be set in an abandoned warehouse or factory, and featured brand new costumes. this productions’ Tugger has an electric guitar which he apparently plays in his number!

Ullensaker 2016

this production was still set in a junkyard, with oversized appliances such as an oven and refrigerator making up the set. it featured all new costumes and wigs, and its Grizabella was played by drag queen Geir Ove Bredesen!

Melbourne 2020

this production, taking place in a decrepit music hall, is set in the 1930s, when T. S. Eliot would have been writing his works. it takes on a very distinct ‘flapper’ aesthetic with all-new costumes and choreography!

NQOMT 2019

this production was set in a post-apocalyptic London, featuring a set overgrown with moss and vines. the all-new costumes are described as “waste-lander,” as they are “made of things the Cats have collected through their life, as though they’re wearing their memories.”

Harvest Rain 2014

this was the largest production of CATS ever performed, with a cast of over 800, each dressed in their own unique costume (even the orchestra)! the show was staged in a convention centre, with a raised center platform for the main performers with the ensemble dancing around it.

SALT 2018

this production featured all-new costumes and makeup, as well as new wigs that seem to be created out of yarn!

Blue Bird Theater 2016

this production quite a bit shorter than the original show, with several songs cut or reordered. it takes several liberties with the story, the largest of which comes during the Macavity fight, where Macavity appears to kill Sillabub, with the story diverging somewhat from there.

Firehouse Theatre 2019

this production, featuring new costume designs, incorporated modern dance styles into its choreography! some costume elements, wigs especially, seemed to be changed and updated over the course of the show. this production also held cat adoption services before each Saturday show!

BMMS 2014

this production seemed to be set within a clock tower, and included steampunk-style costumes and theming. it had a large cast of over 80 performers, ranging from adults to teens and children!

Festival Players 2018

this production was set in a speakeasy during the prohibition era, with all-new 1920s-style costumes. it reportedly featured a female Macavity, Mungojerrie, and Skimbleshanks!

New Zealand Tour 2019

this production was reimagined as a “darker, more sensual” version of the show, inspired by post-earthquake Christchurch and set within an abandoned Victorian theatre. fittingly, the costumes are also redesigned to be darker and quite unique!

Pilsen 2014

this production seems to be focused more on costumes, giving each character a unique and detailed costume with pops of color. the set, however, is kept rather minimal, relying mainly on neon lighting and simple set pieces.

MAČKY 2016

this production is set in an abandoned department store in the London suburbs, with many cats dressed in the store’s apparel. it opened in April of 2016 and still seems to be playing today. notably, this productions’ Jemima seems to be played by two actresses, an adult for the dancing scenes and a child for her singing lines!

CRT 2012

this production was set in the back alley behind an abandoned theatre, making use of old props and stage lights for set dressing. it also featured all-new costumes, including some very fluffy legwarmers!

Mexico 2013/2018

this production leans slightly more replica, but the costume designs are reimagined as much more colorful than standard productions, with bold makeup and bright colors. it originally ran in 2013, but was revived in 2018 and played over 400 shows throughout its tour!

Abbey Musical Theatre 2007

this production was set in an abandoned carnival, with the costumes fittingly taking on a “dark circus” style, with detailed, over-the-top designs!

Ostrava 2018

this production is set on the rooftops of London, with new and colorful costumes! it opened in 2018 and is still being performed today. this peoductions’ Old Deuteronomy watches over the ball from his seat in a satellite dish!

Footlight Productions 2008

this production featured an all-new, brightly colored set and new costumes with a distinct blocky aesthetic. this productions’ version of the jellicle moon set piece was designed as a giant cat face!

Chorzów 2022

this production uses the same translation as Warsaw, calling the jellicles “roof cats!” it features unique and bright costumes with bold colors. it also has some character changes, such as Tantomile being male and Mungojerrie being played by a woman (although the lyrics still refer to him as male)!

Theatre by the Sea 2013

this production’s costuming leaned more towards replica, but has its own distinct flair! brightly colored neon lights seemed to be a main feature, lighting the stage with purples and pinks.

Paramount Theatre 2014

this production featured a unique set and some new choreography, but what stands out the most are the costumes! with all-new designs, these costumes feature intricate patterns, bedazzlements, and detailing. this productions’ Jennyanydots wears a Union Jack dress for her tap number!

Il Sistina 2022

this production was set in Rome, with the set being constructed out of oversized works of art, statues, and archeological finds, with the Colosseum in the background. it also featured new choreo and new, very fluffy costumes!

Wichita 2023

this production was set in an abandoned amusement park, the production crew actually using old signage from the defunct theme park Joyland to create the set! the costumes, while replica-leaning, are distinct as well, with their own flair. this productions’ Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer have bags of popcorn and cotton candy as their stolen goods!

Theatr Clwyd 2022

this production seemed to be take place in a high school setting, with human clothes based on different teenage and teacher aesthetics, while still retaining cat-like makeup and wigs! Mungo and Rumple were classic 80s teens, Jenny had a Ms. Frizzle-eque look, and Bombalurina had a punk aesthetic, just to name a few!

ArtsEd 2021

this production took on a vintage aesthetic, with the all-new costumes drawing inspiration from many different eras, including a classic ballerina outfit for Victoria and a puffy babydoll dress for Electra!

Luisenburg 2016

this production was described by the director as “a celebration of the diversity and character of each individual.” fittingly, it featured new costumes representing many walks of life, such as a punk Mistoffelees, Jenny in a victorian gown, and lederhosen-clad Mungo and Rumple!

Santiago 2024

Santiago 2014

Maynooth 2024

Candlelight Pavilion 2011

PAC 2024

this production was inspired heavily by New York drag and ballroom culture, diverting from the show’s original premise and instead casting the characters as ballroom performers competing in different categories! this production notably featured Andre De Shields as Old Deuteronomy!

WCT 2014

Thalia Muziektheater 2023

Prague 2004

Wichita 2007

Interlakes Theatre 2022

UFOMT 2024

Marriott Theatre 2014

[gojonanami]

Dear lovely Sab, 

I hope you will forgive me. I sent you two tasks already, but I'm afraid both were riddled with grammatical mistakes, and my feelings of embarrassment won't let me let this go unless I sent you a clean (or, perhaps, rather, it'd be better to say cleaner) version of my previous asks. I am really, very sorry for clogging up your ask box once more. I do hope you will forgive me.

After I read an ask asking you how you feel about people sending you 'long things', I saw that you don't mind people sending you fics, and instantly, I felt inspired, and I ended up writing all of the text embedded in this message in a burst of inspiration.

Just as a disclaimer, I really hope you won't find this creepy or weird. I just got really inspired by that ask and your work. 

I'm pretty sure I eradicated all grammatical mistakes, but perhaps one or two escaped my notice. For that, I ask for your forgiveness.

I would also like to emphasise that my talent comes nowhere near yours. I'm constantly in awe of how much you can write and how clean, slick, and practised your writing sounds. I find your stories to be a lot of fun to read, and I hope this little silly story of mine can entertain you as well.

I'd like to close off this message by extending my sincere gratitude to you for running this blog, for writing such wonderful stories, for being such a lovely person, and for reading this message. (As well as reading my previous two asks. Again, I sincerely apologise. I'm afraid I happen to be both dyslexic and a little too pedantic when it comes to proper SPAG.)

Wishing you the most wonderful day/evening xxx

Cf reference ask below:

🥹🥹 I would be so flattered? I’m not sure if you mean asks or fics but either way 🥹💕 I would be very touched and so happy! it makes me happy no matter what you guys send me — short or long or anything in between 🥹🫶

***

I sit in front of my laptop, staring at it.

I can feel eyes on me.

"What?"

Keen eyes stare back.

I lower the lid of my laptop, closing it and sliding it further away from me. 

He stares at me.

He grins. His grin is sly.

"You think Sab'll write me a happy ending? This time?"

I shrug. I pour myself a third cup of tea. 

I gently lift the pot, cradling the teapot, my pinkie gently holding down the lid of the teapot, the tea oozing out, yellow coating the ceramic, and bits and pieces of fruit gliding into the cup.

"Who knows. I'm not an oracle."

His grin sours. It turns into a frown.

"You should know. You keep up with her stuff."

I lift the cup in an attempt to distract myself. Holding the cup in front of my face, the lower half of my face is covered. I feel protected.

"How should I know? I'm not telepathically connected to her."

I lower the cup, turning my face to the side, hiding. The light of the chandelier playfully skims across my skin as I fidget and squirm.

"I know you read her stuff. Every day. That's what you do. Each morning. You think I don't know?"

I look down at my lap. Then at my teacup. It's almost empty. I lift the cup to my lips, tasting the tea. It's now mild—a little too cool for my liking. I lower the cup and pour myself more tea.

"Just because I appreciate and admire her talent doesn't mean that I know whether or not she's going to give you a fairytale-like ending in her next story."

He doesn't respond. Instead, he takes away my teapot, tutting at me.

"It's now gone cold. Let me pour more hot water."

I don't respond. I allow him to do what he wants. As always.

He takes the teapot, placing it aside, leaning forward, and scrutinising me.

I open up my laptop.

Instead of looking at my work, as I should be, and researching for my doctorate, I open up Sab's page and reread one of her works once more.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

I blink and then dim the brightness of my screen.

"Work. Nineteenth-century English architecture. Liverpool. Italianate style."

That was a lie. An obvious one. 

Instead, I was rereading my favourite work. The one I've been rereading again and again for the past few months. 

He doesn't say anything. He relaxes in the chair in front of me, stretching.

"How boring."

I briefly look at him and then lower my eyes again.

I just got to the good bit. I mean, all of this is good, but this is my favourite. That sentence, that scene—it just captures my heart, and I want to read it again and again and again—

He lowers the screen of my laptop for me. "How rude. I'm a guest."

I blink, surprised. Stupefied. Embarrassed. 

"Would you like tea?"

He laughs. My brows furrow. I continue. "Chamomile? Earl Grey, English breakfast, Moroccan mint tea, rooibos, hibiscus, white tea, or something else?"

I don't recognise my own voice. It sounds hesitant—a little too shy for my liking.

He stops laughing. Instead, he grins.

"Rooibos would be nice," he says, leaning forward. "Pretty."

For a moment, I don't react, frozen. Then my body reacts on its own accord, squirming and fidgeting, and my hands feel clammy. I rub them against my thighs.

"Rooibos it is."

I stand up then, promptly, like a good host, walking over to the kitchen, leaning up, reaching for the cabinet, and surfing my collection of teas. I choose between two boxes of rooibos, picking the more expensive one.

"Hey," he starts, breaking the silence. "Why'd you like her writing so much anyway? She never writes happy stories about me."

I pause. I pick out one of my prettier teapots. It's got a grid-like design on it, pretty blues criss-crossing with pretty whites in a netlike design, with small, pretty crosses adorning each intersection.

"That's not true," I start off as I take out a small wooden spoon, dip it into the small, pink tin full of rooibos tea, fish out a generous portion, and dust it into the teapot. "She's written happy stories about you."

Then I sigh, pausing and glancing up at the ceiling. "I like her stories because," and I pause, because I realise then that I like them so much that I can't find the words to adequately express how much I like them. "I like them because they're fun," I start off, and then I frown.

No, that's not enough. When I read them, they make me feel alive. I feel like I can don multiple costumes, transform myself, and learn more about myself through the multifarious second person. I can discover more about myself and the things I never knew. I can learn through her writing what I should do and how to engage the reader. I like her descriptions. I like her use of imagery, word play, the way she writes dialogue, and so much more. I can live through her stories, learn more about the characters that I love, spend more time with them, expand and extend my love for them, and keep myself fixated, entertained, and happy. 

"That's it?"

He sounds unimpressed.

I turn around then, my back pressed against the kitchen counter, and frown. 

"Well, no," I refute, and then I turn around once more, back to the tea. I pour water into the kettle, setting it off, and stare at the rooibos leaves. They're a pretty mix of brows and reds—an autumnal colour scheme. "I like that she's a good writer," and I grimace, because even that doesn't feel like enough. "I like that I can live vicariously through her stories," I continue, and then I find my voice, continuing. "I like that," I pause, "she knows what she's doing. That she knows what metaphors to use, when to use them, how to structure her stories, how to make them sound good, how to edit, how to clean up her stories, how to structure dialogue, and how to give her characters their own voices," I trail off, thinking and ruminating.

"That's why you do humanities, huh?"

I turn to look at him, and when I do, I see his smile. It looks warmer and kinder than his last one, almost a little fonder.

I look down at the ground. I can't bear to look at him when he's so handsome and so pretty—a creation out of another universe, something celestial coming down to our earth, an angel incarnate standing in my kitchen. "I guess so," I say, my voice lowering and dropping to a soft whisper. "I just really like her writing."

I wish I could write like that.

"Sweet."

The kettle lets out a yelp. I snap out of my momentary reverie, picking up the kettle and pouring the water into the teapot. The pretty pressure leaves swim upward, reacting to the force of the water, spreading across the teapot and inside it, marking territory. "Tell her to give me a better ending next time, yeah? I don't want to die or something."

I snort and shake my head. "Sab knows what she's doing," I insist, smiling a little, confident. "And besides, you should be grateful she's writing about you in the first place. Not everyone gets written about. Means you're memorable, inspiring a writer to write about you. And a fantastic one to boot."

He says nothing.

For a moment, I think he doesn't hear me. Or maybe he mishears me. My voice has a tendency to be a little too low sometimes. Sometimes, I swallow my consonants too, and my diction suffers. And so I open my mouth with the intention of speaking when he interrupts me. 

"You're right," he says finally. His voice has a quality of finality to it, one I don't understand the reason for.

The silence persists and continues, straddling the line between being awkward and comfortable. I stand still, watching the rooibos tea leaves swim about, abundant, languid, and carefree. They're pretty.

And as I sigh and watch the leaves swim about like pretty koi carps, intertwining, swimming against each other, away from each other, being pulled towards each other, repelled from one another, his voice interrupts the silence and my thoughts. "I am grateful, you know? That she writes about me. And that people read about me. It's cool."

That's an understatement.

But he continues. "I," he pauses, almost like he's embarrassed. I turn, look at him, but I don't meet his gaze. He turns his head away from me. Shy boy. "I read her stuff. It's good, I'll admit." He sighs, his head hanging low. "I'm not as verbose as you. Not writing a doctorate." He laughs, a little shyly, a little nervously. "Well, anyway. I like her stuff. Probably read more of her stuff than you."

I blink, confused, and I study his face one more time, but he turns his face away even more, his face evading my scrutiny.

"That's cool," I find myself saying. "Really cool."

"Yeah. It is. Makes me feel like a celebrity."

I smile. My smile grows fonder. 

Reaching out for tea cups, I find myself reaching out for my prettiest set—a delicate, flower-like set with gentle, fragile ceramics shaped into bulbous, soft flowers, with the daintiest of handles painted gold. I pick them up gingerly, set them one by one on pretty accompanying saucers, and then arrange them on a tray, the one my grandmother got me with pretty flowers strewn across it, peonies, and bring it forth, setting the tray before him gently, tenderly, resisting every urge to just bash the tray against the table with my un-calloused roughness.

He looks at me, and his smile grows even warmer. He looks like an angel. "You're probably her biggest fan, you know?" he tells me, his voice warm, like melted butter. Like delicate chocolate. Like pretty meringues laden with cream and strawberries. Like the softest of ice creams melting in the summer heat. "Well, besides me."

I forgot the teapot. As I walk back to it, I smile a little, amused and intrigued.

"So you admit you're a fan?"

He answers without hesitation. "Yes. Proudly so."

I gently lift the teapot. It's warm, almost teetering towards being scaldingly so, but I like the heat. I bring the teapot to the table, setting it on the tray, completing the set: the pretty teapot and the pretty teacups sitting in their respective pretty saucers. "You forgot the tea strainer."

Ah, yes, I did. 

I smile, a little demure, a little embarrassed, and nod, and then walk back, sifting through my cabinets in search of one. "You know, she should publish a book. Like an actual one. I'm serious."

I nod in agreement, continuing with my search.

"I know. I told you she's talented."

I fish out the tea strainer. It's light in my hands. A little Venus flytrap.

"No, I'm, like, well, being serious serious, you know? She should get a book deal and everything. Eh, I don't know how that stuff works. Don't work in publishing. Jujutsu is my calling."

I find myself giggling girlishly, quietly amused, and sounding almost giddily tipsy, even though I haven't had a single ounce of alcohol. I don't drink.

"I know. I'll tell her that."

Then my giggles grow a little louder, sounding pure, childlike, naive, happy, giddy, and unaffected. "I mean, you could do that too, you know? If you have a Tumblr account, you can get a silly pseudonym and everything. Reallyintojujutsu101."

He doesn't respond. He just eyes me, almost like he's silently judging me. But then the moment breaks, and he breaks out into a smile too—a wide one, a delighted one—and laughs once more.

"You don't think I already have one?"

I spill the tea over the cup as soon as I hear this. Swiftly, I switch places between the cups, giving him the one wherein I poured the tea just right, not overspilt.

"You do?"

He laughs even more, amused. He's pretty when he smiles.

"Hell yeah. I send her asks and everything. It's cool, you know? I like reading those asks. They're fun."

I blink, and then I sit down in front of him, look up at him, and lift the cup to my lips, tasting the tea. "I think she's pretty damn talented, honestly. Think you should write that doctorate of yours on her rather than some old buildings no one cares about."

I smile and place the cup on the saucer, a little amused.

"Maybe. Maybe I'll switch disciplines, go into English lit, and do a postdoctorate. Just maybe."

We sit in silence then, drinking tea, as I observe him, watching the way he lifts the cup to his lips, chronicling him as he tries the tea, assesses it, and tastes it. 

And then I attempt to interrupt the silence, looking down at my teacup. In spite of the tea strainer, a few stray leaves slip into my tea, swimming about like lost koi carps. One darker, one lighter. Pretty. 

"I—"

He interrupts me. He digs something out of his pocket, a box, some cube of sorts, with pretty drawings and droopy eyes with long, lush eyelashes, and slides it across the table, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Give it to her. Sab. As a gift. From me. A personal thanks of sorts."

I look at the box, intrigued, lifting it, feeling it in my hands, and trying to guess what it is. Jewellery? A bracelet? A necklace? A matching set?

His grin turns knowing. "I think she'll like it."

okay I don’t even know how to begin to respond to this because it literally has made my life. this is so incredibly sweet, adorable, beautifully written — I was grinning and giggling when I read this like???

you’ve rendered me speechless (which is impressive, I truly never shut up) in the best way possible

firstly you are not creepy at all - do not say that about yourself — this is so incredibly kind, I don’t even have the words to tell you how much this means to me. it’s so cute by the way how you sent multiple drafts — I literally want to hug you — don’t apologize you’re completely fine — I miss errors all the time and it bothers me to no end so I get it

but onto the content of this — oh my god your writing is so charming 🥹💕 I think you did a wonderful job writing this — it was so engaging and cute and I think the banter was so fun to read — also your imagery and the way your described things was amazing. the koi fish imagery for the tea?? I think that’s brilliant and I literally was admiring the way you crafted this

also the fact you think so highly of me is very very kind and I feel so honored that you wrote this for me — like truly — I wish I had the words to tell you how this made me feel, but words have failed me to fathom how much this touched me. the fact you think that I’m good enough to publish means so much — also the fact suguru is my fan 😭😂 that’s so sweet. Also the ending with the prison realm hahah — I thought that was so clever (fun fact, I ordered the AirPods case of the prison realm so I will fulfill this prophecy).

I just love this so much — I could literally write a whole essay about how much I love this 🥹💕 I love you so so much — I appreciate you — I literally ah, sab.exe has stopped functioning 🥹💕I love you really. Thank you so much 💕✨🥹

[geothe-isnazeya]

A Rose for Vampire, Chapter Four

Summary: "...More lovely than I expected," Bayonetta whispered, kneeling on the bed and leaning over the newborn Ventrue. Her platinum hair splayed out beneath her, like ginkgo leaves in late autumn.

CW: this series has some intense, gory scenes and might get a bit steamy. But don't fret, this particular chapter is as calm as a summer's day. Hey, this story's got a lot of jargon flying around. If you're feeling lost, it might be a good idea to start from the very beginning.

Just letting you know, the whole series is getting updated bit by bit on AO3. If you're into vampire alternate universes, this one's definitely for you! Imagine what kind of sparks would happen if Bayo was Jeanne's mentor. It would be like a battle of love. 

Quick Facts： [1]Haven: A haven is the residence and intimate domain of a vampire, where they slumber during the day and may labor during the waking night. The nature of a vampire's haven is usually assumed to be representative of his Resources, Domain, Status, and other social traits.

-----

"Ha..." Jeanne gently covered her yawning mouth with hand.

Bayonetta smiled, her silver eyes could not hide her affection, and she said nothing while Jeanne blinked hazily.

Rose turned around, tapped the elevator floor button quickly with her fingers, and a drop of blood dripped on the small disc that popped out. She bent down and blinked at the hidden camera. The rose emblem belonging to the Toreador clan flashed on the display screen, replacing the previous dentist advertisement.

The elevator descended to a certain floor without stopping. The ground lights on both sides were laid in the corridor, and the star-like light extended to a door.

Bayonetta walked out of the elevator, without holding her hand, and tilted her head to motion for newborn to follow.

Jeanne walked closer to see that door at the end was as wide as three people holding hands. It was painted a warm golden brown, with dark patterns flowing on the metal surface, carved into clusters of lush roses.

"Remember the order you saw, baby Mary." The older vampire traced those entangled branches, leaves and petals with her hand. Everywhere she went, the golden stream of light flew with her fingertips. Finally, the whole thing flickered and then dimmed. The door of residence open from the middle.

The high indoor roof divides the space into two floors, with the living area on the first floor and the studio on the second floor. Black paint and polished stone occupy the main field of vision, and the yellow and white light in the corners cuts the pure black neatly.

All facilities are available, the silver water drop chandelier in the hall shines with tears, the spacious and bright white island kitchen, the modern decoration style accommodates the owner's favorite sculptures and art ornaments, and retro photography and paintings are mounted on the walls.

The overall look is unified and not messy, and most of the built-in cabinets are not bloated. In order to fit the tall figure of the owner, an elegant and spacious layout is captured with money and refinement.

Stepping into the haven, platinum knight felt refreshed and watched as the door behind her closed again and melted into the black wall.

"High technology is good, but sometimes we need traditional way." Brunette vampire was rummaging through the drawers in the hall. Jeanne caught a small string of sparkling things flying over, and only found out that it was a key in her hand. The jagged edges were thick, and polished flawlessly.

"This is the key to the secret door. You don't need to take the elevator." "Can you be a good girl and go home alone before curfew?" She tilted her head to look at blue blood, and then went to the deep corridor.

"Come on, your room is here."

The platinum newborn walked over and stood obediently at the door, watching brunette woman introduce the furnishings in her room, and many names of Italian designers popped out of her mouth. Her pronunciation of Italian is also perfect, with a hint of Bayonetta.

Her sleepy eyes were glued to the bed at the first glance. The high-end fabric on the maroon bed shone with delicate luster, and it was covered with a blanket that looked very warm, making her eyelids fight.

Vampires don't need sunlight, and the completely sealed black color gives them a sense of security. Only the dim bed lamp sheds warm light, and the burnt-brown wooden wall supports the space above the bed.

Silver eyes simply confirmed the wardrobe and the long table that can be used for work, and nodded to Bayonetta. Obviously, politeness is still supporting her spirit.

"You can buy any furniture you need. You'll find the bathtub in the master bedroom." Seeing her fatigue, the woman came over, finally took Jeanne's hand, led her to sit on the bed, and then stroked the back of her hand, saying softly.

"Sleep tight, my dear, and don't worry about a thing till sun goes down. We'll go out when you rise and shine—" Her last note was long and drawn out.

Her confidence and good mood made every note sound soft and sweet, and the hypnotic honey poured into her voice. To Jeanne, it seems that sleeping is okay now.

"Humm..." Jeanne mumbled, her gaze fixed on the woman's fair face. She was supporting herself on the bed with her hands, which started to tremble slowly. She planned to wait until Bayonetta left before snuggling into the quilt. The extra blood she had sucked was making her feel drowsy, and the rising sun outside was messing with her internal clock.

Sire, smells so good... Rose, I can't sleep...

She let out a little yawn again, lost in her thoughts. Someone gently caressed the back of her head, quietly grasped her shoulders and lowered her down. She was snuggled into a cozy blanket. Jeanne was surrounded by the scent of roses, and her consciousness drifted into peace at some point.

"...More lovely than I expected," Bayonetta whispered, kneeling on the bed and leaning over the newborn Ventrue. Her platinum hair splayed out beneath her, like ginkgo leaves in late autumn. In Haven, her own drowsiness would come later, but she didn't expect the other's meticulous nature to be so sleepy. She couldn't help but giggle behind her hand. The brunette woman came close to her face and sucked hard on the skin below her cheekbones, leaving a telltale mark.

Jeanne dodged in her dream, eyelashes trembling, and fell asleep in the ocean of unconsciousness.

She restrained her desire to drink blood, the taste would be better if she offered it freely, and rubbed the platinum woman's neckline with her nose, smelling the faint fragrance on her skin, the chill of cedar and the refreshing aroma of lily were just mesmerizing.

After doing all this, Rose snuggled up next to the woman, grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest as she admired the woman's peaceful sleep. Thinking back to the sweetness of their first meeting today and the tender moments they'd just shared, she could still feel the tingling from Jeanne's tongue on her hand. Unable to resist, she buried her face in the pillow and squeezed her arms in excitement. She moved carefully, and after a while, she looked at the sleeping vampire.

Her hand slipped under the blanket, feeling for the zipper of the woman's jacket, marveling at how the leather jumpsuit really suited her. Maybe next time she would give this style a try herself, or perhaps she should find an opportunity to dress her up.

She gently wandered, first reaching for the waist that she'd been thinking about all night, measuring how many fingers it took to span from the woman's waist to her navel. She rubbed back and forth there for a while, able to tell through the clothes just how well-toned she was. Seeing that Jeanne had no signs of waking except for her mumbling, she relaxed her knuckles and slid them down along the middle line of the body boldly, until she slowly pulled down the chain at her neck, preparing to retrace her steps and free her holy body...

A familiar vibration erupted, followed by the buzzing sound of stone wall opening and closing. Bayonetta sighed, covered Ventrue with the blanket again, shook her head to clear away the frustration of the missed chance, and reluctantly left the bed to greet the guest she had summoned.

The person stood respectfully outside the door, holding a cooler in both hands, ready to hand it over. She was dressed in a sharp denim blue suit, paired with a white undershirt that was tailored to fit from the front to just below her waist. Her short, blue hair was neatly trimmed, and there was a teardrop-shaped tattoo on her right cheek. Waiting didn't seem to bore her; it wasn't until Bayonetta approached that she cracked a smile.

Melody stood her ground, opened the portable cooler, and displayed the neatly arranged packs of blood plasma for inspection.

"To cater to the lady's taste, I personally picked these at the Red Cross," she said as she closed the cooler lid, about to step past the attending vampire to store the blood packs in the fridge. Seeing that Bayonetta didn't seem to want to move aside, she wondered if something was not going her way this time, but then saw her reach out to take the cooler, indicating she didn't need her help.

"Is everything alright?" Melody peered into the room. She was used to her bossing her around, which was why she went out so close to the morning. The clan princess was picky about food and did everything herself, and all this unusual behavior must have something to do with the new Ventrue.

"Nothing, my dear, it's nice to do things by myself once in a while," Bayonetta casually flipped through a few bags of blood, checked the collection times and blood metrics, and closed the freezer with satisfaction. The cold touch made her palms chill, and she wanted to hurry back to the warm bed with Jeanne.

Melody's smile was a bit stiff, but the lady's willfulness was still bearable.

"So—have you met her? You and that Ventrue girl." "Two weeks ago you told me that her Sire wouldn't easily give up guardianship and went on about how beautiful she is, but you didn't send me any photos." Seeing that Bayonetta had no intention of letting her into the room, the maid leaned against the door frame, her voice raised, and her dark gray eyes filled with curiosity.

"Huff... Don't blame me for being so mysterious." "You're right, she's even more beautiful in person than in photos." "It's not that I had some fantasy about platinum blonde, but when I saw her bathed in moonlight..." She reminisced about Ventrue's beauty, filled with admiration and realization. Even though she wanted to hurry Melody away, she couldn't help but express it. As sisters of the Toreador, they faced the same curse of obsession..

"Time and space stood still. Remember when you were with Vanessa~.... something just like that." The raven-haired Rose finished the latter half of the sentence, holding the cooler with one hand, laughing and shaking her wrist to spark her imagination.

"Ha! Then you're in real trouble." Melody laughed heartily, slapping her thigh and nodding repeatedly to show understanding.

"Which room did you put the Blue Blood in?" "I've got the letter of her first commission on me, and a message from Mrs. Rosa, to wish her well." The woman pulled out a notebook from her pocket, the sealed letter without a single crease.

"Oh, Mommy is so sweet, just leave it to me, I promise the girl will see it as soon as she wakes up." She pinched the envelope with her free hand, ready to take the servant's job for the second time, but failed.

"Is she here, right? Oh my God, Bayonetta, you've placed her in Toreador's Haven." She couldn't believe it, and the stack of letters pulled back. "How much do you trust her? Crap, you have only met once, you don't need me to tell you what the haven is..."

"It's a secret that vampires rely on to survive. Honey, you're gonna give me callus on my ears, she drank my blood, there's nothing to worry about." "Besides, I'm the mentor, it's my job to check things out." She raised her eyebrows, spotted her chance, flicked her wrist, and snatched the letter with a light movement.

"I sent it to your email ages ago, but I guess you didn't see it." Melody looked like she had no way to deal with her, covering her face and slapping it a few times to wake up her brain.

Now that Bayonetta had both hands full, the shorter woman brushed past brunette one's arm and squeezed through the door.

It would be rude to just go and see which room the new vampire was in, and it wouldn't be smart to provoke the serving woman. Melody looked back to see her sauntering after her, got the princess's tight-lipped expression, closed her eyes in defeat, quickly took the cooler, and under Bayonetta's watchful eyes, put the supplies in the fridge.

"May I take a peek? You can't hide her forever, next party you'll have to bring her along, to meet your mother, of course." The blue-haired vampire lowered her voice, getting closer to the Rose that wasn't looking her way, coaxing her.

"Who says I'm going to hide her forever, like some fool. One day, she'll be a powerful Ventrue, just like her Sire wants." She helplessly spread her hands, pretending not to care, but there was bitterness in her words.

"She's a Ventrue, don't tell me you have no confidence to train her." "So sensitive, you're not worried I will steal her away... When have we ever had the same ex? Ouch!" A slap hit the back of her head, she rubbed it in pain, saw Bayonetta's displeasure, but turned her head and walked towards a certain room first.

"She's beautiful enough to be Venus, oh no, maybe Athena. A little less sensual, a touch more divine. What she's got on her neck..." Melody reached out, leaning on the door frame, gazing at the sleeping beauty from afar. Her master stood by with arms crossed, unable to get any closer.

"Alright, alright, looking forward to seeing you both at the party." She saw the coldness in her eyes and knew it was best to stop there, loyalty to a friend coming first. Melody gave her a look of encouragement and understanding before heading back to the entrance.

"Don't get any tanned, my dear, you have to promise me." She watched her step over the door

"Just upstairs, call me if you need anything." The blue-haired rose touched her temple with two fingers, then waved goodbye without looking back.

Finally, they were alone in the room. Bayonetta, now stripped down to her silk nightgown, took off them makeup and crawled back into bed. Although she wanted to muster the energy to stay awake and admire the naked body a little longer, she was at the brink of dozing off and miraculously held on until she undressed Jeanne before closing her eyes.

Probably for warmth, Jeanne instinctively moved closer to the source of heat, hugging one of her arms as Bayonetta lay flat. The older vampire placed another kiss on her forehead.

.tbc

Notes：Any comments and feedback are welcome, and I would really like readers who can tell me their favorite scenes in each chapter, which will greatly help my writing improve.

[millscreekencinco]

In a recent Instagram video, Gwen opens her matte black front door to invite the cameras in. Behind her, we see tall white, gold, and blue wallpaper, long pieces of religious art, and a massive crystal chandelier. The space is maximalist and fun. It perfectly exemplifies an artful blend of antique and contemporary details in an entryway.

Interior designer Jove Meyer says this entryway is a classic example of the contemporary California maximalist design. He states that this type of design ‘works well as it encourages a more is more lens, more pattern, more art, more texture, and more layers, in fact, the more the merrier!’ He goes on to say: ‘The benefit of maximalism is that it allows for the space to be extra and encourages it to not be locked into one style, but a blend of many which makes the magic of maximalism come to life! With maximalist design, you can be initially overwhelmed visually but it is exciting as you're constantly discovering new details and designs as your eyes adjust to everything happening at once.’

Jennifer Ebert, deputy editor at Homes & Gardens loves that the maximalist style of this space allows Gwen Stefani to express herself and her interests. ‘The best aspect of the maximalist style is that it allows you to maximize the personality of the space. This type of design leaves room to include the most elements possible of your individual style’ Jennifer says. These elements of personal style are best embodied by the unique art pieces decorating the space.

Jove Meyer says: ‘The first place my eye goes, after the bold wallpaper and oversize chandelier, is the strong old religious art, followed by the modern image of a baby below. The juxtaposition of the art in this space is very notable. My eye doesn't know where to go right away as there is a lot happening in this maximalist entryway which blends old and new, contemporary patterns and ancient faith-based art.’

Murano Glass Waterfall Chandelier

This mid-century antique chandelier is absolutely beautiful. The Italian made light fixture is 55 inches tall for an oversized look.

Art Deco Angel

This beautiful vintage angel wall hanging is hand glazed, made of gilded polychrome terracotta. It originated in the Philadelphia Transfiguration of Our Lord Church, founded in 1905.

Sunburst Peel and Stick Wallpaper

This gorgeous white and gold wallpaper has peel and stick fashioning making it perfect for renters. The sunburst pattern is subtle and stylish.

[theartarium25]

Timeless Elegance: Luxury Home Decor Items to Elevate Your Living Space

Luxury home decor items are not just about extravagance but also about quality craftsmanship, exquisite materials, and timeless design. Elevate your living space with these curated selections that embody sophistication and opulence, transforming your home into a sanctuary of luxury.

1. Designer Furniture

Investing Luxury home decor furniture pieces is key to achieving a luxurious interior. Look for iconic designs crafted from premium materials such as Italian leather, solid hardwoods, or handcrafted metals. Pieces like Eames lounge chairs, Barcelona chairs, or Chesterfield sofas not only exude elegance but also offer exceptional comfort and durability. Online platforms and exclusive boutiques often showcase a variety of designer furniture collections that cater to different tastes and interior styles.

2. Artisanal Rugs and Carpets

Luxury rugs and carpets are more than just floor coverings—they are works of art that anchor your room with style and sophistication. Hand-knotted Persian rugs, Tibetan wool carpets, or silk rugs with intricate patterns and rich colors can add a sense of opulence to any space. Online galleries and specialty stores offer a wide selection of artisanal rugs, allowing you to choose pieces that complement your decor while showcasing the craftsmanship of skilled artisans.

3. Statement Lighting Fixtures

Illuminate your home with statement lighting fixtures that serve as both functional elements and artistic focal points. Crystal chandeliers, sculptural pendant lights, or minimalist designer lamps can enhance the ambiance of your living spaces. Opt for fixtures crafted from high-quality materials like Murano glass, brushed brass, or Swarovski crystals to create a luxurious atmosphere. Online retailers specializing in luxury lighting offer a range of styles from classic to contemporary, ensuring you find the perfect pieces to illuminate and elevate your home.

4. Luxurious Bedding and Linens

Transform your bedroom into a luxurious retreat with high-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, silk duvet covers, and plush velvet bedspreads. Luxury bedding sets not only provide unparalleled comfort but also elevate the aesthetic appeal of your bedroom. Look for renowned brands known for their craftsmanship and attention to detail. Online retailers often offer a curated selection of luxury linens in a variety of colors and textures, allowing you to create a sumptuous sanctuary for rest and relaxation.

5. Fine Art and Sculptures

Integrate fine art and sculptures into your decor to add a sense of sophistication and cultural richness. Original paintings, limited edition prints, or bespoke sculptures by renowned artists can become focal points that reflect your personal taste and style. Online art galleries and auction houses provide access to a diverse range of artworks, allowing you to curate a collection that resonates with your aesthetic sensibilities and enhances the luxury of your living space.

6. Antique and Collectible Decor

Incorporate antique furniture, vintage collectibles, or rare artifacts into your home decor to imbue it with a sense of history and exclusivity. Pieces such as antique French armoires, Ming dynasty porcelain vases, or Art Deco sculptures add a unique charm and timeless appeal to your interiors. Online auctions and specialty antique dealers offer a curated selection of rare and collectible items, making it possible to acquire treasures that enhance the luxury and uniqueness of your home.

7. Designer Tableware and Serveware

Elevate your dining experience with designer tableware and serveware crafted from fine materials such as bone china, sterling silver, or hand-blown glass. Luxury dinnerware sets, crystal glassware, and artisanal serving platters not only enhance your table settings but also reflect your refined taste and hospitality. Online luxury retailers often feature exclusive collections from renowned designers, allowing you to create memorable dining experiences with exquisite tableware that exudes elegance and sophistication.

8. Customized Home Accessories

Personalize your living space with customized home accessories that showcase your individuality and discerning taste. From bespoke throw pillows and embroidered linens to monogrammed bath towels and handcrafted decorative objects, customization adds a personal touch of luxury to your decor. Online platforms and specialty boutiques offer bespoke services where you can collaborate with artisans and designers to create one-of-a-kind pieces that elevate the luxury and uniqueness of your home.

9. Luxury Home Fragrances

Enhance the ambiance of your home with luxurious fragrances that evoke sophistication and tranquility. Choose from scented candles, reed diffusers, or room sprays crafted by renowned perfumers using high-quality ingredients. Luxury home fragrance brands offer a range of signature scents—from floral and citrusy to woody and oriental—that transform your living spaces into sensory retreats. Online retailers provide access to exclusive collections, allowing you to select fragrances that complement your interior decor and personal style.

10. Spa-Inspired Bath Essentials

Create a spa-like retreat in your bathroom with luxury bath essentials that pamper the senses and elevate your daily routine. Invest in plush bath towels, organic cotton bathrobes, and designer bath accessories crafted from fine materials like Turkish cotton or bamboo fibers. Online luxury retailers offer curated collections of spa-inspired bath essentials, allowing you to indulge in comfort and style while transforming your bathroom into a sanctuary of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Conclusion

Embrace the allure of luxury home decor items to create an environment that exudes sophistication, elegance, and comfort. Whether you're investing in designer furniture, artisanal rugs, fine art, or personalized accessories, each piece contributes to elevating the aesthetic appeal and ambiance of your living space. Online shopping provides unparalleled access to a diverse range of luxury home decor items, making it easier than ever to curate a home that reflects your refined taste and enhances your lifestyle. Choose wisely, and transform your home into a haven of timeless elegance and luxurious comfort.

[skinnyazn]

The Masks We Wear

Ch.2 Takes place after In the Bleak Midwinter Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x F!Reader (Jaguar) Chapters: 2/? Notes: Mission accomplished for Jag, night night Mezzasalma, but who is the man in the green and black?, and who's followed her back to her apt?????? STAY TUNED NEXT CHAPTER TO FIND OUT

Part One | Part Three | Part Four | AO3 | MASTERLIST

Security to the ball was surprising lax, with only a gentle pat-down and scan of the personalized invitation card under a special light. It revealed a hidden winged lion, along with four initials in each of the card’s corners. A thickset guard waved you forward.

Inside the Palazzo Ducale was absolutely sumptuous. The main ballroom was adorned with gilded moldings and vibrant Renaissance paintings. Live music filtered over the clamor of mingling guests, and dancers in exotic costumes performed throughout the space; it truly felt like you were transported back six hundred years. You waded through the endless sea of lavish attire and decadence, in search of your man with the golden mask.

“Prosecco, Signorina?” a waiter proffered a tray, angling between patrons.

Giving a sly smile, you reached for a delicate glass. “Grazie.”

You made a round of the ballroom, scanning the masks inconspicuously as you sipped your prosecco. It was light and dry and tasted of pears. Delicious. You picked up bits and pieces of conversations as you surveyed. The invite list didn’t disappoint—these people truly lived in a different stratosphere than the rest of humanity. But sifting through all the masks and delusion was difficult; there was just so much.

“Eyes on Ludovico.”

A gruff, accented whisper, but it stopped you mid-step. You nonchalantly turned. Green and black velvet. Your heartbeat quickened in your chest. Glancing to where the he was looking, you saw your target in the center of a group of guests. His mask glinted in the low light of the chandeliers as he spoke.

Shit.

Quickly, you sat your glass on a passing waiter’s tray and started toward Ludovico, ignoring the man to your right. Your silk pant legs swished as you sauntered up to the group.

“Signore Mezzasalma,” you interrupted.

Ludovico paused mid-sentence, eyes taking in the length of you, cocking his head in contemplation. The heat of the guests’ stares warmed you.

“Che cosa deliziosa, signorina…?”

“Phan. Nikoletta Phan.” Never breaking your alluring gaze, you extended a gloved hand. He gripped it firmly before bringing it slowly it to where his lips were under his bauta mask. Mezzasalma turned to his party.

“Mi scusa, signore e signori.” They all bowed as he proffered his arm; you wrapped yours delicately around his.

“I am delighted that you could make it, signorina Phan. I have heard much about you,” he spoke as you began walking. His accent was thick. “Though it was surprising that I’ve never invited such an exquisite creature as yourself to my ball before.” He leaned toward you. “An excellent choice for a mask, might I add.”

He wasn’t a very tall man, only taller than you by a few inches, but his aura was dominating.

“Grazie,” you angled your head slightly, subtly exposing the length of your neck. You felt his gaze heavy on you. “All good things, I hope?”

The Italian chuckled. “Not at all. In fact, I hear we share a similar style.” 

You stopped and smiled coyly at him. “Efficient?”

His look was wolfish. “By any means necessary.”

You let your smoldering stare linger, pretending it was someone else behind that mask. He had the wrong eye color though.

“I was hoping we could speak somewhere more… private. There are some things I wish to discuss, as I’m sure you know.” You sucked in a breath, heaving your breasts against the binding of the corset.

His gaze dripped down the length of your neck. “It would be my pleasure.”

Un cane.

Mezzasalma led you out of the main ballroom down a long corridor. A few guests lingered here, chatting in private. They bowed when Ludovico passed by—his anonymity clearly unpreserved in spite of his mask. You walked with him further into the east wing. The next room was more demure, but still filled with beauty. You stared at the masterpieces on the ceiling.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Exceptionally,” you smiled. It was genuine.

“I am a man of high tastes,” he gandered at you.

“So I’ve heard.” Despite the mask covering his entire face, his stare still felt predatory.

“This way, signorina.” He pushed against the wall’s wooden paneling. A secret door. You climbed the dim staircase with him. “It's a, come si dice… shortcut? Scarpagnino added many of these passages in the fifteen-hundreds. Be a good girl and don’t tell, won’t you?”

You mimed locking your lips. He gave a low chuckle.

The passageway exited on the second floor, into another long room with two guards at the end. Crystal chandeliers hung the length of the space. Your footsteps echoed across the marble floor.

“Salve, signore Mezzasalma.” The men eyed you.

“Riposo, signori. È la mia ospite.”

“Signore.” They opened the double door.

“This way, please,” Ludovico gestured.

“Grazie.” You stepped inside.

It was a lavishly decorated chamber, illuminated by candelabras. Moonlight filtered through the windows overlooking the canal. Mezzasalma stepped to his desk and poured two glasses of red from an ornate decanter. He untied his mask and set it delicately on the table. In person, you could make out the lines that carved his handsome, bronzed skin.

“To new acquaintances,” he handed you a glass.

“Saluti,” you raised it. He watched your lips as you swallowed.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I do have a business partner coming shortly.”

The buyer. Shit. You needed to get that hard-drive, fast. Back toward him, you walked over to the window and slipped a vial out from one of your pockets.

“Not at all,” you said looking at the canal. Its calm waters danced under the moonlight. You emptied the vial discreetly into your wine. “But I may need more than one glass of wine.”

An invitation. 

His wolfish look was back as he made his way toward you. “You are full of surprises, signorina Phan.”

You felt his cold hands smooth down your shoulders as he kissed your neck softly. Fuck fuck fuck. He reached for the tie on your mask, but you turned around to stop him.

“Aspetta,” you lowered his hand to your hip. “I don’t want to ruin the illusion of the evening.” His smile spread. He squeezed. Hard. Now or never.

Swirling the glass of wine, you took a gulp and held it in your mouth. You pressed your scarlet lips to his and exchanged the liquid. He let out a surprised hum, but swallowed, licking your lips as you pulled away. Ludovico went in for another kiss, but you leaned back and took another gulp of wine, repeating the exchange while threading your fingers through his thick hair. Hasty hands were now fumbling at your pants. You finished the contents of wine in his mouth just as he started to lower the crimson silks. But you slipped away coyly, backing toward his bed. A siren in the flesh.

“Madonna mia, you are Temptation.” He slowly stalked toward you. “How is it that we have not met sooner?”

Sitting on his luxurious sheets, your heart hammered in your chest—a tense smile strung across your face. Ludovico made it a few more steps before feet stuttered. He cleared his throat. You watched as he struggled; heavy lidded eyes striving to focus under his thick, furrowed brows.

“I… something…” he cleared his throat again. You leapt from the bed as he began to crumple, lowering him soundlessly to the floor. 

“What? What is it, Ludovico?” A weak hand went to your mask. His beady, green eyes pulsated. No longer a wolf—just a scared rat now. “Ludovico?” His eyelids finally closed and his hand dropped heavily to the floor.

You counted your pounding heartbeats in your head. 

“Ludovico?” you whispered, shaking him slightly. He was still.

You released a sharp exhale to the breath you had been holding and shook your head. Some of the sedative was in your system too. It felt like you were trudging through mud—its heaviness sucking you further down. Focus.

Hurried hands patted up and down his velvet outfit. Where was it? You unbuttoned his jacket. Inside the satin lining were three small pockets. One bulged slightly. You reached for the hard-drive.

Safely securing the small piece of metal, you checked your watch from underneath your crimson sleeve. 11:05. You procured an alcohol wipe from another of your pockets and wiped down his lips and the wine glass. Fuck knows if it got rid of all your DNA, but you didn’t have much time. Mezzasalma would be out for a while but his buyer was likely already on his way. Stumbling as you rose, you looked for an alternate exit. You took a deep inhale, followed by another quick in-breath, and released it slowly. It cleared up your head slightly as you repeated the technique.

Mentally tracing back over the floorpan, you placed yourself in the Doge’s apartments. There should be private stairs leading to the courtyard below from one of these rooms. You scanned the space. On the corner along the canal windows hung a large tapestry. Gently lifting the side revealed the hidden passageway. Bingo.

It was fucking dark, but you edged your way down. The door at the end of the stairs was old and heavy. You slowly creaked it open, thankful for the noise of the party and the crowd outside the building. Peaking your head out, you spotted two hired muscles at the far end of the empty room; their backs were toward you as they chatted. It took some effort but you managed to silently slip through the ancient door, slinking to the opposite end of the room. You hoped your luck continued.

Timing needed to be perfect; opening this set of doors would let in the ruckus of the square. Deep breath in.

“Ehi! Ferma!”

But you were already out the door, pushing into the crowd outside.

The brisk air was a respite as it hit your chest. You quickly navigated the throng, trying your best to go with the flow and look inconspicuous. It was easier than expected in your state. The stream of people took you further away from the palazzo.

Dipping away from the crowd, you headed deeper into San Marco. Your shadow stretch ahead of you on the cobblestone under the waxing moon. Women laughed together as you hurried by, movement still slurred by the sedative. You caught your breath the Ponte dei Bareteri, pausing to check your surroundings. The apartment was close, but you needed to make sure you weren’t followed. Despite the amount of people still out, you felt a familiar prickle on the back of you neck. An irrefutable warning sign. Not good. You continued.

Cutting through an alleyway, you glanced over your six. You still couldn’t see them, but their presence was undeniable. Like you were some animal in a maze being studied. The cool air brushed over your involuntary perspiration. You shivered.

You weaved your way through the quiet back streets, trying to lose this phantom. If your head was still groggy from what little of the tranquilizer you consumed, poor Mezzasalma was going to be in a world of hurt when he woke. You pushed through the haze until you found the door to your apartment building, fumbling with the keys. The stairway was dark but you took them two at a time anyway. Just need to get to my bag.

Not bothering with the lock, you slammed your shoulder against the door to your room and it cracked open. You scrambled for your duffle under the bed, reaching for your tactical knife strapped to the outside. You slung the bag over your shoulders and pressed your back against the wall next to the door. The telltale sound of a lock being picked downstairs gave away the intruder. The door quietly creaked open. All you could hear now was the hammering of your heart in your chest. You stilled your breathing. Deep breath out.

_______

For those who asked to be tagged on In the Bleak Midwinter! Let me know if you want to be untagged for this story at all.

@deadbranch @k4marina @solidly-indulgent @embers-of-alluring @shuttlelauncher81 @emotion-no-hot-yes-hotel-trivago @tomhardy41

[hometoursandotherstuff]

You know how I love offbeat properties and I found this seller's For-Sale-By-Owner ad on Zillow. He started building the home in 1969, in Eureka, California, and it's been under construction for 43 years! It's a French ornamented cathedral Gothic, with all custom ornaments, molds and scaffolding techniques. This mansion is based on Newport, Rhode Island style and spirit from the 19th Century.

This is what it's supposed to look like - The Vision.

And, in 43 yrs., this is what he's done so far. He's asking $4.5M. Now, he has been living in it, so you can live in the finished part. The house is being sold furnished, and what furnishings! Read what he wrote about them below:

"Also for sale here are 1500 sq. ft of the ultimate grade palatial antique Italian marquetry, veneer and solid wood furniture, ranging from console tables and mirrors; 10 different sizes of round antique tables, up to a 12' x 6' museum-piece dining table, various rare cabinets, marquetry, upholstered chairs, couches, china and other cabinets, solid gold (plated) grandfather clock and two huge antique chandeliers, all worth over $300k on the market now and arguably TWICE that!"

This outer door is amazing.

Here's a gargoyle and other ornamentation that still has to go on the house.

But, look at this - it says the exterior designs are ready for installation "when the lawsuit is over." So, the property is involved in a lawsuit, too? (Check the blog - I found the lawsuit papers and posted it.)

There's so much stuff here.

This room is done. It must be a ballroom. I don't know what to make of all this. This looks like the Romanoff's place.

This must be a music room. There's a harpsicord and a harp in here.

Look at these walls. He says the walls are hand done- are these the actual walls?

The walls are hand painted according to the description.

Here's a mantel waiting to be installed.

This is going to be the kitchen.

The gold double sink.

I don't know if this is an old picture of the original inspiration for this home, but it's definitely a representation of the home itself.

This is an amazing fireplace.

Another beautiful fireplace.

He's using the bedroom, but it's not finished.

I'm disappointed in this bathroom. Maybe it's just temporary?

He has a lot of photos of the furniture and these are really primo antiques. So, this would be one of the dining rooms.

This looks like a brand new bedroom set. Looks like a furniture store that used to be near me called Roma Furniture.

The chandelier in the ballroom that he says is included in the sale.

One of the sitting rooms.

Nice inlaid table.

There's a lot of furniture. If you want to see it all, click on the link b/c he's posted 100 photos. But, I'm very confused.

The property measures 6 acres and there are "massive fall color and rose gardens, 20,000 plantings, plus 10,000 daffodil, iris, lily, etc. Bulbs are spread over 6 acres, still there mostly, alive and colorful. Plus, hundreds of valuable landscaping sculptures are included."

[insomniac-jay]

Well, Here Are Things You'll Never Know

The Gotham rogues gather at an estate for a party hosted by the mysterious Madame Nightshade.

Only, their host has no intention of being a good one.

Title taken from XS by Rina Sawayama

The sight of the estate's grand entrance was enough to make Penguin jealous. With its green, manicured lawns to the African blackwood doors featuring carved scenes of an epic battle to the statues that overlooked the fountains. It wasn't a stretch to imagine Gotham's newest rogue sat on a pile of gold.

And the interior was just as grand as the exterior. Scarlet velvet drapes hung above the windows and doorways. An expensive, intricately designed rug laid on the floor of foyer while a chandelier made of real crystals hung above.

"Looks like Brucey boy has competition." Penguin stuffed his cigar in his mouth, hoping to avoid any further jealousy.

Catwoman simply looked around, looking for anything she could grab and make off with once the party was over. What kind of person was the host? Who could afford for so many luxurious treasures to be in just one area?

"Cool, isn't it? I neva imagined walkin' into a place like this!" Harley Quinn took her spot alongside the feline thief. Poison Ivy was not too far behind.

Riddler kept his eyes on the chandelier, studying it. Surely the hostess wouldn't mind if it went missing. His sidekicks Query and Echo chatted amongst each other before noticing a familiar face from across the room.

"Eddie, don't look now, but Monochrome's here," Echo whispered.

"Mon lapine." Riddler was already giddy and the party hadn't even started.

But Riddler looked anyway. Sure enough, the mysteriously alluring Monochrome was there with her henchmen.

Her monochromatic hair was styled neatly, giving her a smooth, clean look. And how could he ignore the beautiful black and white dress she wore?

Two Face quietly stood off in the corner. He wasn't too happy about being called out of work to attend the event--even if the invitation did say attendance was mandatory. His plan was just to come, drink a bit, then go home. Simple and easy.

The clicking of heels caught the attention of the guests as a woman came out into the foyer. She had brown hair with sleek gray streaks and green eyes. Her dress was navy blue with matching gloves.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Penelope Richards," Penelope greeted. "Madame Nightshade has been expecting you. Please follow me."

Penelope led them to a large room lined with covered tables full of food on silver platters. On the walls were paintings that would rival those found in the Sistine Chapel. Crystal glasses of champagne and wine awaited them as well as a chocolate fountain. Servants dressed in pricey Italian suits stood off to the sides, ready to meet the demands of the guests.

The other rogues looked around in awe. Just when they thought they'd seen everything.

"Madame Nightshade will be with you shortly. For now, why not enjoy a drink?" Penelope snapped her fingers and servants brought around trays of drinks for everyone.

Riddler kept his eye on Monochrome. The suit he wore was much different from his usual style, but he hoped it would impress the always stylish art thief.

"You know she finds your staring weird."

"Two Face? I never thought you'd come here."

"Don't got much of a choice when the invitation says it's mandatory." Harvey took a sip of wine. Probably one of those super expensive brands no one knew the name of, but damn did it taste good. "What do you suppose this Madame Nightshade wants?"

"Must everything be a conspiracy? Why not it be a simple party?" Riddler turned his attention back on Monochrome, who was talking with Catwoman. "Must there be an ulterior motive to everything in that mind of yours, Harvey?"

Two Face rolled his eyes.

Slow heels walking down the steps caught turned everyone's heads. Three more women descended down a grand staircase.

On the left side was a woman with dark brown skin and curly black hair done into a neat bun. Her dress was purple with a diamond necklace.

On the right was a brown skinned woman wearing traditional South Asian wear. Her hair was black and flowed freely down her back.

In the middle was a woman wearing an elegant scarlet dress with a black fur shawl wrapped around her. Her hair was styled into neat curls. If her appearance told them anything, it was that she's the boss.

Onyx eyes looked down at the guests from the balcony of the staircase. They examined each and every person present; likely making mental note of who's who. Then, they shifted to Two Face.

When Two Face saw the woman's face, the glass in his hand was crushed. Why his days as a DA flashed before him, he couldn't say, but he knew that face the moment she came downstairs.

"You!" He yelled out in anger.

The woman stood tall, not flinching under the anger of his voice. "Hello, Harvey Dent. I'm not that surprised you still remember me."

"Course you're not, Marjorie!" Two Face growled. While the whispers of the others about how they possibly knew each other filled his ears, he blocked them out. Instead, he reached in his side and pulled out a gun.

"Tell the-"

Bang, bang!

Two Face screamed in pain as he felt two bullets enter his shoulder. But he had no time to nurse it as two more bullets entered his other shoulder. He writhed in pain on the ground.

In the woman's hand was a smoking gun. Despite the attempt on her life, her face remained stoic, cool, calm.

"Too slow yet again, Harvey." Frost laced her voice. So calm as though she hadn't just shot a man twice in both shoulders. After returning the gun to its place, she fully put her attention on the guests.

"Welcome. My name is Madame Nightshade." Madame Nightshade raised her head like she were a queen. "I'm glad you all accepted my invitation and graced my home with your presences. However, this is not a party."

Gasps and whispers emerged from the crowd.

Madame Nightshade made her way down to the floor, followed by the other two women. Her eyes shifted from side to side, taking in just who walked into her home. "You may not know me, but I know all of you. Or maybe you do, but do you really know me?"

"What do ya mean by that? What are you getting-" "Oswald Cobblepot. It's wise not to further increase your debt."

Penguin was taken aback by the newbie knowing his real name. She hadn't even turned around when she said it. But his shock quickly turned to anger.

"What debt do I owe you? You just got here!"

Penguin's eyes widened. "The Iceberg Lounge? What's that got to do with you?"

Nightshade's gaze stung the crime lord, forcing him into silence.

"Yours is one of the lengthier ones. But since you wish to test me, fine. Relinquish the Iceberg Lounge to its rightful owner. It's just enough to clear your tab."

The guests were speechless. Madame Nightshade built the Iceberg Lounge? Since when? First Two Face knowing who she was, now this. Just who was this woman?

"Who do you think financed its construction? The workers? The merchandise?" Each word was laced with venom. They sunk their teeth into Penguin, making him uncharacteristically quiet in minutes.

Nightshade went on. "It was my money that built your precious lounge, and I'll have no problem taking it from you--should you wish to see how far I'll go."

Nightshade picked up a glass of wine from a tray. While nonchalantly taking a sip, she looked out into the crowd.

"Come hither, Edward Nashton. "

"Your recent stunt as increased your debt to me. Meaning you owe me over six hundred million dollars." She looked down at him with contempt. It transported him back to his childhood. "Does someone like yourself even have access to the needed money?"

Riddler walked up to her. He did his best to hide the trembling in his body. Once near, he bowed best as he could.

"Y-yes, ma'am?"

"N-no, ma'am."

"Figured," Nightshade hummed. "Especially when I can see all the poor financial decisions you make everyday. How do you expect to have a woman like Mona Lisa Beauvais when all you can afford is Ramen and crackers?"

Monochrome froze when she heard her name. Becoming a target wasn't what she had anticipated for the night.

"For all your genius, money is your weakness. That's such irony." Nightshade continued her lecture.

"I-I can come up with the money by tomorrow afternoon." Riddler sweated. His heart pounded against his chest from feeling her venomous gaze on him. Riddler's knees had been threatening to fail him ever since she called him his birth name.

Once Riddler found his place back in the crowd, the spotlight was placed on Monochrome. Usually she'd be reveling in it, but it felt like she'd been put on trial. Even more embarrassing that she'd just been called Riddler's girlfriend.

Nightshade only hummed in response. While she didn't doubt his capabilities, she surely knew that the task was impossible.

"Of course you will. Return so that I can give my attention to your novia."

Just as she did to the other three rogues, Madame Nightshade set her gaze in on the art thief.

"Just because you're a widow and a mother doesn't mean I clear your tab. But, I do believe yours will be relatively easy to pay since your finances are more sound than your novio's." Nightshade set the glass on the table.

She then took the rest of the time exposing the other rogues and informing them of their debts to her. Honestly, it made her laugh how much these fools didn't know how she'd woven herself into the very fabric of Gotham. No one could separate their money from hers without risking death or financial ruin.

Suddenly, a noxious gas was released.

The air became so thick that it caused the guests to start coughing. Madame Nightshade, however, was perfectly fine. Like she'd experienced conditions like this before.

"Listen closely and listen well: I'm not just a boss in Gotham, I am Gotham. So every bank you steal money from is my money. Every hitman you hire is my hitman." She walked over to an unconscious Two Face and rolled over his body with her foot. Shaking her head in disappointment, she went back to the other rogues. "I own everyone in this city, including all of you and the Batman. I don't expect flattery or worship; but when you are in debt to me, I expect my due."

The ice in her voice sent shivers down the spines of many. She then walked towards a pair of doors leading to an outside balcony. The night air flowed through the room once open, giving the rogues some sense of relief.

"Take this as your first and final warning: Deceive me and you'll never get the chance to do it again."

@floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @jasontoddssuper @honeysgalaxy

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French Style Chateau

Don't forget, there is also a very entertaining video of this location as well!!

Now let's shift our focus to the main staircase in the oversized front entry hall, it was pretty spectacular…there are also a few images from the second floor as well!!

This mansion was built in 1985 on two lots in The Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada and was designed to resemble a French style chateau. The 30,000 square foot mega mansion had 10 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, and was located on a huge four acre property that also included a tennis court. It also had a granite cobblestone driveway, a horseshoe staircase at the back and extensive gardens which completed the experience of living in a castle in France.

Originally built by Robert Campeau a financier and real estate developer. Robert began his career by building just one single house in 1949 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His company then known as Campeau Corp was also responsible for building Scotia Plaza, a hi rise built in 1988 in the financial district of Toronto, as well as the Harbour Castle Hotel in 1975. In the 80s, Campeau began a series of leveraged buyouts of companies, both in Canada and the United States. The final company was Federated Department Stores, the owners of Bloomingdale's for $7 billion. This was the beginning of the end for Campeau Corp, as they filed for Bankruptcy in 1990, one of the largest in history. Robert was forced to sell the home in 1990.

The home was purchased in 2002 by Harold and Sara Springer who entrusted architect Gordon Ridgely, interior designer Brian Gluckstein, and landscape architect Ronald Holbrook to bring their vision to life. They brought in 17th century antique furniture from france, original royal academy paintings, Italian marble and even crystal chandeliers.

Other features of the large house included a two-story indoor Olympic-size swimming pool with a retractable floor that converts into a ballroom. It also had an elevator, an oak wood bar, recording studio and even its very own bomb shelter!

The mansion has been featured in several movies including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's 'It Takes Two', 'Kissinger and Nixon', 'That Old Feeling' as well as most recently in an episode of Suits. A party was also held for Jane Fonda in the two-storey ballroom, which was then disassembled overnight so that Campeau could swim in the pool the next day with Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The Springer's listed the chateau for sale including all of its contents starting in 2014 for $25 million and was last publicly listed in 2018 for $39,500,000. Finally, the home was purchased by Nascond Holdings in 2020 for $30.8 million.

Nascond Holdings is a company owned by the Muzzo Group which is a well known development company in the area. Marco Muzzo caused a drunk driving crash that killed four people and seriously injured two others. It was a very high profile incident several years ago, because of his ties to such a wealthy family. There was also a guest list of people found in the home including Marco's name as the host of the party.

The mansion was demolished shortly after my visit in August of 2022. Not much happened after that until more recently when some activity began to happen on the property. Ferris Rafauli who was also behind Drake's Bridle Path Mansion, is the designer and builder behind the new mansion that will take shape in the coming years.