#The Hop Ice Creamery

[noswordinourlake]

Tag Game

@yletylyf tagged me...uh probably two weeks ago now, sorry! I'm catching up on my backlog 😅

3 ships you like: I am the most willing to hop onto a pool noodle with anyone, please pitch me your rare pairs. That said right now I'm reading mostly Qijiu (SVSSS), Di Feishing/Li Lianhua (MLC), and Shen Zechuan/Xiao Chiye (QJJ)

First ship ever: Hmmm I think probably Relena/Heero from Gundam Wing? That I can remember being a capital-s Shipper about. I was very adamant Legolas and Gimli were boyfriends from a young age but I wouldn't say I shipped them it was just a fact to me.

Last song you heard: "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" - Stars

Favourite childhood book: I had books that I would hyperfixate on in rounds growing up so this is hard because it could be several. I would say probably the Narnia books? Out of all of them I think those were the ones I read most consistently

Currently reading: Rereading Qiang Jin Jiu and in the middle of the world's longest read of Erha

Currently watching: Legend of Condor Heroes 2017

Currently consuming: Nothing!

Currently craving: There's an ice creamery near me that makes the best lavender ice cream and I've been dying for some but I can't drive again yet after my surgery....soon....

Tagging (of course only if you'd like to) @livingmeatloaf, @tavina-writes, @cerusee, @nutcasewithaknife, @absolmon and anyone else who wants to 😊

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 8.2

Holidays

Airborne Forces Day (Russia)

Airmobile Forces Day (Ukraine)

Aviation Day (Slovenia)

Bonalu (Telangana, India)

Bunny Day (Japan)

Congolese Genocide Day (Congo (DRC))

Crabhog Day

Day of Airborne Forces (Russia)

Day of Azerbaijani Cinema (Azerbaijan)

Day of Maiden Katrica (Elder Scrolls)

Day of the Water Nymphs (Macedonia)

Deez Nutz Day

Dinosaurs Day

802 Day

Emancipation Day (Several Caribbean nations)

Escalator Day

Ewe Day (French Republic)

Fallen Paratroopers Remembrance Day (Ukraine)

Fiesta La Patrona (Spain)

Greenwich Mean Time Day

Hydroxychloroquine Day (India)

I Came I Saw I Conquered Day

Ilinden Day (Republic Day; Macedonia)

International Golden Lion Tamarin Day

International Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Day

Jabotinsky Day (Israel)

Lady Godiva Day (Coventry, UK)

Little Mix Appreciation Day

International Jewish Day

International Pony Day

Lady of the Angels Day (Costa Rica)

Lincoln Penny Day

Mark Lee Day (K-Pop)

Mary Prince Day (Bermuda)

Mindfulness Day

National Blockchain Day

National Boob Day

National CAD Day (a.k.a. National Computer-Aided Design Day)

National Children’s Day (Tuvalu)

National Coloring Book Day

National Ex-Girlfriend Day

National Hugh Day

National Jacqueline Day

National Rap Music Day

National Sisters Day

Our Lady of the Angels Day (Costa Rica)

Pantsu Day (Japan)

Paratroopers Day (Russia)

Republic Day (North Macedonia)

Roma Holocaust Memorial Day (EU)

Take a Penny, Leave a Penny Day

World Anglo-Indian Day

World Feed the Poor Day

World Find a Four Leaf Clover Day

Yeezy Day (Adidas)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Make Some Old-Fashioned Lemonade Day

Miracle Treat Day (Dairy Queen)

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day

Independence & Related Days

Butuan City Charter Day (Philippines; 1950)

Declaration of Independence 1st signed (US; 1776)

Kabankalan City Charter Day (Philippines)

Makira Ulawa Province Day (Solomon Islands)

Napoleon Bonaparte made 1st Consul for Life (France; 1802)

1st Friday in August

August Bank Holiday (UK) [1st Friday]

Bandcamp Friday [1st Friday]

Braham Pie Day (Minnesota) [1st Friday]

CafeSmart Day [1st Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Health Advocate Day [1st Friday]

International Beer Day [1st Friday]

International Mustache Day [1st Friday]

Jeans for Genes Day (Australia) [1st Friday]

Moxee Hop Festival begins (Washington) [1st Friday]

National Water Balloon Day [1st Friday]

Tomboy Tools Day [1st Friday]

Twins Day Festival begins (Twinsburg, Ohio) [1st Full Weekend, begins 1st Friday]

Umuganura Day (Harvest Thanksgiving; Rwanda) [1st Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning August 2 (1st Week of August)

Gallop International Tribal Indian Powwow (thru 8.11)

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (Sturgis, South Dakota) [1st Friday for 10 Days] (thru 8.11)

Twins Days (thru 8.4) [1st Full Weekend; Friday thru Sunday]

Festivals Beginning August 2, 2024

Appalachian Arts & Crafts Fair & Festival (Buckley, West Virginia) [thru 8.3]

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival (Cary, North Carolina) [thru 8.3]

Blueberry Arts Festival (Ketchikan, Alaska) [thru 8.4]

Blueberry Festival (Wilton, Maine) [thru 8.3]

Brat Days (Sheboygan, Wisconsin) [thru 8.3]

Brew at the Zoo (Columbia, South Carolina)

Calgary Fringe Festival (Calgary, Canada) [thru 8.10]

Charlestown Seafood Festival (Charlestown, Rhode Island) [thru 8.4]

Clark Potato Days (Clark, South Dakota) [thru 8.4]

Cowtown Days Festival (Ellsworth, Kansas) [thru 8.4]

Creamery Picnic (Stevensville, Montana) [thru 8.3]

Dublin Irish Festival (Dublin, Ohio) [thru 8.4]

Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Edinburgh, Scotland) [thru 8.26]

Edinburgh International Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland) [thru 8.25]

Festa Italiana (Naperville, Illinois) [thru 8.4]

Festival of the Flowers in Medellín (Medellín, Colombia) [thru 8.11]

Fish Sandwich Festival (Bay Port, Michigan) [thru 8.3]

Glad-Peach Festival (Coloma, Michigan) [thru 8.4]

Glengarry Highland Games (Maxville, Canada) [thru 8.3]

Gorolski Święto (Jablunkov, Czech Republic) [thru 8.4]

Grape Country Craft Beverage Festival (Dunkirk, New York) [thru 8.4]

Guča Trumpet Festival (Guča, Serbia) [thru 8.4]

Indiana State Fair (Indianapolis, Indiana) [thru 8.18]

Locomotion Festival (Felton, California) [thru 8.4]

Mossyrock Blueberry Festival (Mossyrock, Washington) [thru 8.4]

New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show (Augusta, New Jersey) [thru 8.10]

Newport Jazz Festival (Newport, Rhode Island) [thru 8.4]

North Branford PoCo Festival (North Branford, Connecticut) [thru 8.4]

Old Time Harvest Festival (Jordan, Minnesota) [thru 8.4]

One Love Reggae Festival (Wiesen, Austria) [thru 8.3]

Otakon (Washington, DC) [thru 8.4]

Pluk de Nacht Film Festival (Utrecht, Netherlands) [thru 8.10]

Possum Festival (Wausau, Florida) [thru 8.3]

Reggae on the River (Piercy, California) [tgru 8.4]

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Edinburgh, United Kingdom) [thru 8.24]

Scranton Jazz Festival (Scranton, Pennsylvania) [thru 8.4]

Sidmouth Folk Festival (Sidmouth, United Kingdom) [thru 8.9]

Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally (Binghamton, New York) [thru 8.4]

SunSka Festival (Vertheuil, France) [thru 8.4]

Sweet Pea Festival (Bozeman, Montana) [thru 8.4]

Taste of the Coeur d'Alene (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) [thru 8.4]

Tokyo Idol Festival (Tokyo, Japan) [thru 8.4]

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival (Kirtland, Ohio) [thru 8.3]

Watsonville Strawberry Festival (Watsonville, California) [thru 8.4]

World Cosplay Summit (Nagoya, Japan) [thru 8.4]

Feast Days

Ahudemmeh (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Albert Bloch (Artology)

Alfonso A. Ossorio (Artology)

Arthur Dove (Artology)

Barley Day (Pagan)

Basil Fool for Christ (Russian Orthodox Church)

Bei Dao (Writerism)

Chateaubriand (Positivist; Saint)

Death of King Rufus Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Distribution of Charity Moneys (Strictly Imps Only; Shamanism)

Dryads Day (Greek Wood & Water Gods)

Elias (a.k.a. Ilia or Elijah the Prophet; Christian; Saint)

Etheldritha (a.k.a. Alfrida; Christian; Saint)

Eusebius of Vercelli (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Anahita (Ancient Persia; Everyday Wicca)

Feast of Our Lady of the Angeles of the Portiuncula (Franciscan Order)

Fomorian King Bres’ Agricultural Gifts Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Håkon Stenstadvold (Artology)

Holling C. Holling (Artology)

Ilinden Day (St. Elijah Day; Macedonia)

Isabel Allende (Writerism)

James Baldwin (Writerism)

Jan van Scorel (Artology)

John Radecki (Artology)

John French Sloan (Artology)

Justin Russolillo (Christian; Blessed)

Khao Phansa begins (Buddhist Lent; Thailand)

Lady of the Angels’ Day (Costa Rica)

Martian Time-Slip, by Philip K. Dick (Novel; 1964)

Monster Monster (Muppetism)

Peter Faber (Christian; Saint)

Peter Julian Eymard (Christian; Saint)

Perdono di Assisi (Pardon of Assisi), the plenary indulgence related to St.Francis of Assisi originated in the church of Porziuncola (Catholic Church)

Richard Wilson (Artology)

Robert Holdstock (Writerism)

Robert Goddard Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Samuel David Ferguson (Episcopal Church)

Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (Artology)

Sidwell (Christian; Saint) [Farmers]

Stephen I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Theodots (Christian; Martyr)

Thomas of Dover (Christian; Saint)

Vermicelli Day (Pastafarian)

Virgin of Los Angeles Day (Costa Rica)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

American Graffiti (Film; 1973)

Castle in the Sky (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1986)

Doc Hollywood (Film; 1991)

Doing Impossible Stunts (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1940)

Don’t Look Back, by Boston (Album; 1978)

Emma (Film; 1996)

Europa Report (Film; 2013)

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (Film; 2019) [F&F]

Follow That Bird (Film; 1985)

In the Heat of the Night (Film; 1967)

It’s a Greek Life (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Lady, Play Your Mandolin! (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

The Others (Film; 2001)

The Pebbles on the Beach, by Clarence Ellis (Geology Book; 1954)

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, “The Moonlight Sonata,” by Ludwig Van Beethoven (Piano Sonata; 1802)

The Suburbs, by Arcade Fire (Album; 2010)

Testament of Youth, by Vera Brittain (memoir; 1933)

2 Guns (Film; 2013)

Weird Science (Film; 1985)

Today’s Name Days

Eusebius, Julian, Petrus, Stefan (Austria)

Anđela, Arnir, Euzebije (Croatia)

Gustav (Czech Republic)

Hannibal (Denmark)

Helger, Helgo, Holger, Olger (Estonia)

Kimmo (Finland)

Julien (France)

Adriana, Eusebius, Juliam, Julan (Germany)

Justinianos (Greece)

Lehel (Hungary)

Eusebio (Italy)

Norma, Normunds, Stefans (Latvia)

Alfonsas, Guoda, Gustavas, Tautvaldas (Lithuania)

Karen, Karin (Norway)

Alfons, Alfonsyna, Borzysława, Gustaw, Ilia, Karina, Maria, Stefan (Poland)

Stefan (Romania)

Gustáv (Slovakia)

Ángeles, Eusebio (Spain)

Kajsa, Karin (Sweden)

Alf, Alfie, Alfonsina, Alfonso, Alford, Alfred, Alfreda, Alfredo, Alonso, Alonza, Alonzo, Alphonso, Fonzie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 215 of 2024; 151 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of Week 31 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Xin-Wei), Day 28 (Wu-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 27 Tammuz 5784

Islamic: 26 Muharram 1446

J Cal: 5 Purple; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 20 July 2024

Moon: 4%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 18 Dante (8th Month) [Chateaubriand]

Runic Half Month: Thorn (Defense) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 44 of 94)

Week: 1st Week of August

Zodiac: Leo (Day 12 of 31)

[brookston]

Holidays 8.2

Holidays

Airborne Forces Day (Russia)

Airmobile Forces Day (Ukraine)

Aviation Day (Slovenia)

Bonalu (Telangana, India)

Bunny Day (Japan)

Congolese Genocide Day (Congo (DRC))

Crabhog Day

Day of Airborne Forces (Russia)

Day of Azerbaijani Cinema (Azerbaijan)

Day of Maiden Katrica (Elder Scrolls)

Day of the Water Nymphs (Macedonia)

Deez Nutz Day

Dinosaurs Day

802 Day

Emancipation Day (Several Caribbean nations)

Escalator Day

Ewe Day (French Republic)

Fallen Paratroopers Remembrance Day (Ukraine)

Fiesta La Patrona (Spain)

Greenwich Mean Time Day

Hydroxychloroquine Day (India)

I Came I Saw I Conquered Day

Ilinden Day (Republic Day; Macedonia)

International Golden Lion Tamarin Day

International Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Day

Jabotinsky Day (Israel)

Lady Godiva Day (Coventry, UK)

Little Mix Appreciation Day

International Jewish Day

International Pony Day

Lady of the Angels Day (Costa Rica)

Lincoln Penny Day

Mark Lee Day (K-Pop)

Mary Prince Day (Bermuda)

Mindfulness Day

National Blockchain Day

National Boob Day

National CAD Day (a.k.a. National Computer-Aided Design Day)

National Children’s Day (Tuvalu)

National Coloring Book Day

National Ex-Girlfriend Day

National Hugh Day

National Jacqueline Day

National Rap Music Day

National Sisters Day

Our Lady of the Angels Day (Costa Rica)

Pantsu Day (Japan)

Paratroopers Day (Russia)

Republic Day (North Macedonia)

Roma Holocaust Memorial Day (EU)

Take a Penny, Leave a Penny Day

World Anglo-Indian Day

World Feed the Poor Day

World Find a Four Leaf Clover Day

Yeezy Day (Adidas)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Make Some Old-Fashioned Lemonade Day

Miracle Treat Day (Dairy Queen)

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day

Independence & Related Days

Butuan City Charter Day (Philippines; 1950)

Declaration of Independence 1st signed (US; 1776)

Kabankalan City Charter Day (Philippines)

Makira Ulawa Province Day (Solomon Islands)

Napoleon Bonaparte made 1st Consul for Life (France; 1802)

1st Friday in August

August Bank Holiday (UK) [1st Friday]

Bandcamp Friday [1st Friday]

Braham Pie Day (Minnesota) [1st Friday]

CafeSmart Day [1st Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Health Advocate Day [1st Friday]

International Beer Day [1st Friday]

International Mustache Day [1st Friday]

Jeans for Genes Day (Australia) [1st Friday]

Moxee Hop Festival begins (Washington) [1st Friday]

National Water Balloon Day [1st Friday]

Tomboy Tools Day [1st Friday]

Twins Day Festival begins (Twinsburg, Ohio) [1st Full Weekend, begins 1st Friday]

Umuganura Day (Harvest Thanksgiving; Rwanda) [1st Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning August 2 (1st Week of August)

Gallop International Tribal Indian Powwow (thru 8.11)

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (Sturgis, South Dakota) [1st Friday for 10 Days] (thru 8.11)

Twins Days (thru 8.4) [1st Full Weekend; Friday thru Sunday]

Festivals Beginning August 2, 2024

Appalachian Arts & Crafts Fair & Festival (Buckley, West Virginia) [thru 8.3]

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival (Cary, North Carolina) [thru 8.3]

Blueberry Arts Festival (Ketchikan, Alaska) [thru 8.4]

Blueberry Festival (Wilton, Maine) [thru 8.3]

Brat Days (Sheboygan, Wisconsin) [thru 8.3]

Brew at the Zoo (Columbia, South Carolina)

Calgary Fringe Festival (Calgary, Canada) [thru 8.10]

Charlestown Seafood Festival (Charlestown, Rhode Island) [thru 8.4]

Clark Potato Days (Clark, South Dakota) [thru 8.4]

Cowtown Days Festival (Ellsworth, Kansas) [thru 8.4]

Creamery Picnic (Stevensville, Montana) [thru 8.3]

Dublin Irish Festival (Dublin, Ohio) [thru 8.4]

Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Edinburgh, Scotland) [thru 8.26]

Edinburgh International Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland) [thru 8.25]

Festa Italiana (Naperville, Illinois) [thru 8.4]

Festival of the Flowers in Medellín (Medellín, Colombia) [thru 8.11]

Fish Sandwich Festival (Bay Port, Michigan) [thru 8.3]

Glad-Peach Festival (Coloma, Michigan) [thru 8.4]

Glengarry Highland Games (Maxville, Canada) [thru 8.3]

Gorolski Święto (Jablunkov, Czech Republic) [thru 8.4]

Grape Country Craft Beverage Festival (Dunkirk, New York) [thru 8.4]

Guča Trumpet Festival (Guča, Serbia) [thru 8.4]

Indiana State Fair (Indianapolis, Indiana) [thru 8.18]

Locomotion Festival (Felton, California) [thru 8.4]

Mossyrock Blueberry Festival (Mossyrock, Washington) [thru 8.4]

New Jersey State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show (Augusta, New Jersey) [thru 8.10]

Newport Jazz Festival (Newport, Rhode Island) [thru 8.4]

North Branford PoCo Festival (North Branford, Connecticut) [thru 8.4]

Old Time Harvest Festival (Jordan, Minnesota) [thru 8.4]

One Love Reggae Festival (Wiesen, Austria) [thru 8.3]

Otakon (Washington, DC) [thru 8.4]

Pluk de Nacht Film Festival (Utrecht, Netherlands) [thru 8.10]

Possum Festival (Wausau, Florida) [thru 8.3]

Reggae on the River (Piercy, California) [tgru 8.4]

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Edinburgh, United Kingdom) [thru 8.24]

Scranton Jazz Festival (Scranton, Pennsylvania) [thru 8.4]

Sidmouth Folk Festival (Sidmouth, United Kingdom) [thru 8.9]

Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally (Binghamton, New York) [thru 8.4]

SunSka Festival (Vertheuil, France) [thru 8.4]

Sweet Pea Festival (Bozeman, Montana) [thru 8.4]

Taste of the Coeur d'Alene (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) [thru 8.4]

Tokyo Idol Festival (Tokyo, Japan) [thru 8.4]

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival (Kirtland, Ohio) [thru 8.3]

Watsonville Strawberry Festival (Watsonville, California) [thru 8.4]

World Cosplay Summit (Nagoya, Japan) [thru 8.4]

Feast Days

Ahudemmeh (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Albert Bloch (Artology)

Alfonso A. Ossorio (Artology)

Arthur Dove (Artology)

Barley Day (Pagan)

Basil Fool for Christ (Russian Orthodox Church)

Bei Dao (Writerism)

Chateaubriand (Positivist; Saint)

Death of King Rufus Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Distribution of Charity Moneys (Strictly Imps Only; Shamanism)

Dryads Day (Greek Wood & Water Gods)

Elias (a.k.a. Ilia or Elijah the Prophet; Christian; Saint)

Etheldritha (a.k.a. Alfrida; Christian; Saint)

Eusebius of Vercelli (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Anahita (Ancient Persia; Everyday Wicca)

Feast of Our Lady of the Angeles of the Portiuncula (Franciscan Order)

Fomorian King Bres’ Agricultural Gifts Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Håkon Stenstadvold (Artology)

Holling C. Holling (Artology)

Ilinden Day (St. Elijah Day; Macedonia)

Isabel Allende (Writerism)

James Baldwin (Writerism)

Jan van Scorel (Artology)

John Radecki (Artology)

John French Sloan (Artology)

Justin Russolillo (Christian; Blessed)

Khao Phansa begins (Buddhist Lent; Thailand)

Lady of the Angels’ Day (Costa Rica)

Martian Time-Slip, by Philip K. Dick (Novel; 1964)

Monster Monster (Muppetism)

Peter Faber (Christian; Saint)

Peter Julian Eymard (Christian; Saint)

Perdono di Assisi (Pardon of Assisi), the plenary indulgence related to St.Francis of Assisi originated in the church of Porziuncola (Catholic Church)

Richard Wilson (Artology)

Robert Holdstock (Writerism)

Robert Goddard Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Samuel David Ferguson (Episcopal Church)

Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (Artology)

Sidwell (Christian; Saint) [Farmers]

Stephen I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Theodots (Christian; Martyr)

Thomas of Dover (Christian; Saint)

Vermicelli Day (Pastafarian)

Virgin of Los Angeles Day (Costa Rica)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

American Graffiti (Film; 1973)

Castle in the Sky (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1986)

Doc Hollywood (Film; 1991)

Doing Impossible Stunts (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1940)

Don’t Look Back, by Boston (Album; 1978)

Emma (Film; 1996)

Europa Report (Film; 2013)

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (Film; 2019) [F&F]

Follow That Bird (Film; 1985)

In the Heat of the Night (Film; 1967)

It’s a Greek Life (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Lady, Play Your Mandolin! (WB MM Cartoon; 1931)

The Others (Film; 2001)

The Pebbles on the Beach, by Clarence Ellis (Geology Book; 1954)

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, “The Moonlight Sonata,” by Ludwig Van Beethoven (Piano Sonata; 1802)

The Suburbs, by Arcade Fire (Album; 2010)

Testament of Youth, by Vera Brittain (memoir; 1933)

2 Guns (Film; 2013)

Weird Science (Film; 1985)

Today’s Name Days

Eusebius, Julian, Petrus, Stefan (Austria)

Anđela, Arnir, Euzebije (Croatia)

Gustav (Czech Republic)

Hannibal (Denmark)

Helger, Helgo, Holger, Olger (Estonia)

Kimmo (Finland)

Julien (France)

Adriana, Eusebius, Juliam, Julan (Germany)

Justinianos (Greece)

Lehel (Hungary)

Eusebio (Italy)

Norma, Normunds, Stefans (Latvia)

Alfonsas, Guoda, Gustavas, Tautvaldas (Lithuania)

Karen, Karin (Norway)

Alfons, Alfonsyna, Borzysława, Gustaw, Ilia, Karina, Maria, Stefan (Poland)

Stefan (Romania)

Gustáv (Slovakia)

Ángeles, Eusebio (Spain)

Kajsa, Karin (Sweden)

Alf, Alfie, Alfonsina, Alfonso, Alford, Alfred, Alfreda, Alfredo, Alonso, Alonza, Alonzo, Alphonso, Fonzie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 215 of 2024; 151 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of Week 31 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Xin-Wei), Day 28 (Wu-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 27 Tammuz 5784

Islamic: 26 Muharram 1446

J Cal: 5 Purple; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 20 July 2024

Moon: 4%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 18 Dante (8th Month) [Chateaubriand]

Runic Half Month: Thorn (Defense) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 44 of 94)

Week: 1st Week of August

Zodiac: Leo (Day 12 of 31)

[vegnews]

It’s Monday morning at 9:09am as we post this—and we can say confidently ... we want ice cream. Good thing these 8 Outrageous Vegan Scoops at Ice Cream Shops Nationwide are available.

[spookysanta]

online - three (g.d.)

Summary: everyone warned him about talking to this girl online. but he can’t help but want to fall for her... now he has to meet her. what happens when they finally get together in person?

Pairing: Grayson Dolan x Reader

WARNINGS: sexy thoughts, per usual

click here for part one. 

click here for part two. 

UNEDITED.

****

The drive to the restaurant was quiet and it made her uncomfortable. Was Grayson upset at her? She didn’t do anything wrong to her recollection. His hand gripped the steering wheel tightly and his eyebrows were furrowed. Either he was deep in thought or he was pissed off somehow.

“Grayson,” she decided to speak up, “are you mad at me?”

“No.” he replied simply. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You seem upset.”

“I’m fine.”

She doesn’t like this. She doesn’t like when people are upset, and she really doesn’t like it when people are upset with her. “Was it something I did?”

He huffed out a breath of air. “I’m good, really.” He was trying to convince himself more than her.

“But I feel like you’re mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at you. I’m just annoyed.”

“But why?”

How could he admit to her that he was jealous? How could he tell her that the way she laughed with Kyle pissed him off to no end? The way Kyle effortlessly made her smile frustrated him because obviously, she was with him. What was the reason behind Kyle just having to make her smile like he didn’t see Grayson standing there?

“I…don’t like the way you talked to Kyle.”

“How did I talk to him?”

“Like you…like you thought he was attractive.”

Bingo. “Oh, you’re jealous. I get it now.”

He wanted to bang his head against the steering wheel. And if they weren’t flying down the highway, he would’ve. “I wouldn’t call it that, per se.”

“What would you call it, then?” she smirked. If she had him wrapped any tighter around her finger, he’d suffocate.

“I call it “him being a dumbass and flirting with you when I’m right here”.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, he was cute but he wasn’t that cute.”

“How the hell does that make me feel better?”

“Because I don’t want him; I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

“Yes, but—”

“Okay, great. So stop being mad at me, please. Because we’re on a date and you can’t be mad at me on our date.”

“Fine, fine.” He stopped at the red light ahead of them and locked eyes with her. She smiled at him in only the way that she does, which made him melt. He’s going to be a puddle by the end of the week, he’s certain. “I’m not mad anymore.”

“You better not be. I’ll beat you up.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at her. “Have you seen me?”

“Yeah, and I can take you.” She challenged.

His foot stepped off the brake an onto the gas pedal. “Honey, if I really wanted to, I would break you.”

She winked in his direction. “I’m open to that.”

***

He opened the car door for her when the got to the restaurant. She mumbled a “thank you”, and they strutted hand-in-hand to the front door, only stopping to give Grayson’s car keys to the valet. They got a secluded table in the back that was lit only by a lamp hanging from the ceiling. He let her sit first, then sat himself. She took in the atmosphere of the restaurant. “It’s so pretty in here.”

“Yeah…” he said, almost in a daze. He could not stop staring at her. Like there was nothing in the world more important to him than what—rather, who—was in front of him right now. “You’re just so beautiful, you know that?”

She cut her eyes at him. “I’m going to hit you if you don’t stop that.”

But he couldn’t. Every time he looked at her, it spilled out. He couldn’t just look at her in all of her glory without reminding her how gorgeous she is.

He’s been around the block a while, and never has he seen a girl as beautiful as she is.

“I can’t help it.” He confessed. “I literally can’t.”

“Well you need to learn to.”

He took her hand that rested on the table, entwining their fingers. “You’re just amazing. I genuinely can’t believe it.”

“You weren’t even this mushy when we were texting, Gray.”

“That was because you weren’t in front of me. I mean, yeah, you were gorgeous on your Instagram, but now that you’re here, you look so…perfect.”

Her heart did a thing again. “I could say the same about you, y’know.”

“Nah…you’re like, A-plus-plus, and I’m, maybe, a B-minus.”

Is he delusional? He must be high or something. There’s literally no other reason as to why he’s pretending as if he isn’t a walking Adonis. He ran a (large) hand through his hair and made it flop to one side. “I’m not doing this with you.”

“What?” he laughed.

“You’re like a twenty on a scale of one to ten. Shut your stupid mouth.”

“So my mouth is stupid now?” he raised an eyebrow at her.

Now, sir, do not do that to me, she thought, I will hop over this table and ravish you for everything that you are.

“Yes, it is. Because you’re so pretty and you won’t let me tell you that.”

“Oh, well, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

She threw her hands into the air in defeat. “I’m done.”

He hummed. “Interesting.”

Right when she was about to give him a well-deserved middle finger, she saw a waiter on his way to their table. Another thing she noticed about him is that he was gentlemanly beyond compare. She’s never (almost) dated a guy that was willing to open the door for her, order for her (though she doesn’t necessarily like that much because her orders can get to be a bit complicated), and pay for her meals, and then have the absolute gall to ask her to get dessert after.

He really is an angel among men, and he just doesn’t realize it! It pisses her off, really. She doesn’t understand why he’s so amazing. He’s this beautiful man with perfect eyes, and perfect hair, and perfect everything…and he treats people with kindness and respect. And, most importantly, it’s very apparent that he liked her a lot.

Because he very clearly will go out of his way for her and that’s more effort than she’d ever gotten in a relationship—or whatever this is at the moment.

Before the waiter came, and before their little argument (if that’s what you could even call it), he’d asked her what she wanted. And she casually told him that she wanted bacon-wrapped scallops with asparagus, but she wanted the sauce that came with it on the side. That was the important part. And because she specifically wanted the sauce on the side, she told him: “You can’t order for me.”

That didn’t go over well with him, as she expected.

He rolled his eyes as a response. When the waiter came and asked what they wanted to eat, he didn’t even give her the opportunity to open her mouth and take a breath to speak.

“She’ll have the bacon-wrapped scallops with asparagus. Sauce on the side, please.”

She cut her eyes at him.

“And I’ll have the stir-fry.”

Even when the waiter left, she was still glaring at him.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“I don’t like you.”

***

“Do you want ice cream?” he asked her on the car ride back to his house.

She shrugged.

“Are you seriously mad at me that I didn’t let you order your food?”

She shrugged again.

“But you got your stupid sauce on the side, right? Like you wanted?”

She huffed out a breath of air. “Yes.”

“Great. Now, do you want ice cream or not?”

“I dunno.”

He shook his head and turned down the street to the nearest Coldstone Creamery. “You don’t know? You’d eat ice cream for breakfast if you could.” He pulled into a parking spot once they reached their destination. “Here.”

She looked at the marquee on the front of the store. “We’re actually getting ice cream?”

“Yes. We are. And you’re getting a pint of it.”

“For what?”

“Because we’re going to have ice cream sundaes tonight.” He kissed her cheek and got out of the car to help her out.

“We don’t have to do this, y’know. I’m not actually mad at you.” She took his hand as she got out.

“If I thought you were, do you think we’d be here?”

Yes.

“Maybe?”

He opened the door for her, the atmosphere of the restaurant much cooler than outside. She shivered a bit. He wordlessly took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, earning him a “thank you” from her.

He ordered her a pint of coffee ice cream with chocolate chips and brownies (her favorite, he’s learned). Then, he ordered himself a pint of vegan cookie dough ice cream. He went to the register and paid for their ice cream while it was being prepared, and while they waited for his name to be called, he leaned against the wall in the back of the restaurant. She stood next to him and laid her head on his chest. “Thank you for today.” She mumbled.

“Didn’t I tell you to not thank me for when I buy you things?” he replied, seeming annoyed but not actually being upset.

“But I really do appreciate it.”

“Well, you’re welcome; but you know I’d do anything for you, right? Anything at all.” He kissed her head, wrapping his arms around her frame and bring her in close to him.

“Even murder?” she looked at him as she whispered the word “murder”, though he could still hear her.

“No, not murder. How about I do anything for you that won’t wind up with me in prison?”

“That’s fine.” She giggled, making him flash his million-dollar smile.

[swseats]

Understory - Oakland, CA

Back in the 1800's, Old Oakland was the place to be. Hotels, fine dining, and fine homes bustled next to each other in the neighborhood that shares a border with Oakland’s Chinatown and what we’ve come to know as the Jack London area and waterfront. Hop forward to the 50’s and 60’s and you would see your Abuela catching up with your Nai Nai while they waited for your Gramma Minnie as she bought the fixings for her famous smothered pork chops at Housewives Market. So much has changed over the years, but much has thankfully remained the same.

Today at Swan’s Market, the complex that encompasses the old markets, folks who know what's up can now grab oysters and the definition of the freshest of California Cuisine at The Cook and Her Farmer. Folks hang out on the patio of Miss Ollies enjoying the soulful Caribbean food served up by chef Sarah Kirnon -- where we always split an order of fried chicken, but get our own side of plantains. It saves arguments at the table. Local office workers grab selections of some of the most addictive cupcakes at Cupcakin' Bakeshop to take back to their offices (you DO NOT want to sleep on their Key Lime Pie cupcake!!) or stroll down Washington Street to arguably the best of local old style delis at third-generation-run Ratto's. Old Oakland was intersectional before it was even a *thing*, so it's no wonder that Understory feels like such a good fit for the neighborhood.

Just down 8th Street from Xingones - a gem of a place located inside Fort Green Bar which has some of the best pozole and chicken and waffles, sits one of Oakland’s many new parklet outdoor eating spaces. Facing away from the folks cuing up for their Vietnamese Coffee ice cream across the street from Cookiebar Creamery is the worker led restaurant, bar, and commissary kitchen.

The menu rotates between food from Filipino, Moroccan, and Mexican origins. Don't be surprised if a guest chef takes over the kitchen serving up their unique take on street market and home inspired dishes.

The menu changes every couple of weeks -- vegan Mexican is currently featured. When we stopped by, the menu leaned more Moroccan.

We ordered a number of dishes, but there were a couple I would happily revisit the next time they are on the menu. The mussels that came in a Chermoula broth that we literally sopped up with every bit of bread we could find, were balanced and not too briny. Shoestring Fries came with the mussels which we happily gobbled down, because what is brunch without some form of potatoes, right?

The Shakshuka, a perfect sharing dish, had the depth of flavor of the best abuela-made enchilada sauce. A dark thick sauce with a gentle punch of flavor and heat that allowed the Kefta and eggs to nestle inside and not be subsumed.

Every one of the small staff were friendly, welcoming, and on their game. They made us feel as if we had been guests many times before. The portions were well sized and two or three selections were easy to share. My favorite item was something I didn't notice on the menu. Our server gifted our table a bread pudding with fresh ginger and seasonal peaches -- a delicious surprise. The freshness of the peaches and those surprise zaps of ginger were really what sunny-day brunch desserts are all about. Old Oakland may not be my neighborhood, but Understory gives me one more reason to hang out there.

#swseats #understory #oldoakland #oaklandloveit #oaklandeats

[noonmutter]

Favorite Ghibli movie?

Ponyo. Not because I like it, so much, but because it's absolutely batshit insane. The first time I saw it, it was with my then-boyfriend, in an otherwise totally empty theater, while we were both hopped up on an absurd amount of sugar in the form of Coldstone Creamery Cake Batter ice cream.

We spent a lot of time yelling "SCIENCE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY" and "HE'S FOUR!" at the screen. Also a whole lotta headtilting at the imagery and the overall wierdness of the story.

Also for some reason the phrase "kiss the bubble" sounded hilarious to us for several hours after the fact. I think we made an innuendo out of it or something.

[hopicecream]

The Online Store has been fully updated for Saturday pickup between 12-6pm at The Creamery - link in profile! Here are the flavors and inventory that are now live online! . Pints: @EatRootDown Naner Puddin' Buttermint Crunch Nutella Black Cherry Oreo Mocha Oreo Vegan Chocolate Coconut Milk Vegan Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk . Half Pints: Raspberry Crunch Apple Butter . (at The Hop Ice Creamery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_246IgBEgM/?igshid=1s2572sub4p3k

[thebrewstorian]

This is the [incomplete] story of Oregon beer, part 2

This is the second part of the story of Oregon beer. 

Read This is the [incomplete] story of Oregon beer, part 1

This talk is based on an Oregon Encyclopedia article I wrote.

Last February I gave a talk at the Oregon Brewers Guild dinner. None of us knew what was ahead for public health, the economy, and social change. I love giving talks and will certainly repurpose this one, but for now, here are the slides and script with a few additions to reflect the pandemic shut down and updated screenshots from the beer guides.

https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/beer_research

https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/brewingarchives

In the spring of 1980, Charles and Shirley Coury, who had owned a vineyard for 13 years in Forest Grove, opened a brewery Portland. They called it Cartwright Brewing Company (Cartwright was Shirley’s maiden name) and their first offering was 150 cases of a mild, English-style ale called Cartwright Portland.

Coury found century-old beer beer-making recipes in “beautiful, old brewing textbooks” in the stacks of the Multnomah County Library. He also made Legal Lager and Deliverance Ale, the latter an attempt to raise money to keep the business open. The beer was nearly $1 per bottle, which was more than customers expected to pay; but the price point wasn’t the issue, the inconsistency was. Although Cartwright closed in 1981, it roused consumers’ appetite for a locally made, small-batch beer, but it also inspired the brewers who came a few years later.

The mid to late 1980s were an exciting time for Oregon Beer. 

Richard and Nancy Ponzi, also winemakers, opened Columbia River Brewing (later called BridgePort) and brothers Kurt and Rob opened Widmer Brewing (they added “Brothers” to the company’s name a few years later). Karl Ockert, a recent UC Davis graduate with a degree in winemaking, joined the Ponzis summer 1983 at their vineyard. He and Ponzi were interested in beer and began planning a brewery and portfolio of ales. One became their namesake: BridgePort Ale. Others followed: the award-winning BridgePort India Pale Ale, Blue Heron Pale Ale (named after Portland's official city bird), and a barley wine named "Old Knucklehead." BridgePort was acquired by The Gambrinus Company, owned by Carlos Alvarez, in 1995. Brewery operations ceased in February 2019, and the brew pub closed the next month.  

Kurt Widmer enjoyed homebrewing and full-flavored beer. After seeing Chuck Coury’s brewery he knew he had a chance at success. His brother quit his job, his father came out of retirement, and his sister in Germany joined as a partner. Their first beer was a Dusseldorf-style Alt and in 1986, they introduced their "Hefeweizen" to America. Rather than a traditional Hefeweizen characterized by distinctive yeast flavors, this was an unfiltered version of their existing wheat beer (Weizenbier) and used Cascade hops. They served it with a slice of lemon to accentuate the citrus flavors of the Cascade hops. In 2007, Redhook Ale Brewery and Widmer Brothers merged to form a new company called Craft Brewers Alliance, which was later renamed as Craft Brew Alliance. In January 2019, Widmer Brothers Brewing closed its taproom after 22 years. In November, 2019 Anheuser-Busch purchased the remainder of CBA.

Fred Bowman started homebrewing after receiving a “How To” guide from high school friend Jim Goodwin, who was also a talented jazz musician. They brewed test batches in Bowman’s basement and were soon joined by high school friend Art Larrance. In 1984, Bowman and Larrance had a franchise agreement for Portland Brewing Company to produce Bert Grant’s Scottish Ale and Russian Imperial Stout and had leased the 58-year-old Holly Farms creamery building in Portland, but they needed more money before they could open. The two raised $125,000 with a common stock offering and leased equipment from Imperial Leading in Lake Oswego. “Mac” MacTarnahan invested $25,000 and in 1992 they named MacTarnahan’s Pale Ale after him; it became the Portland Brewing’s flagship brew. By 1998 the company was in financial trouble, and that year MacTarnahan bought $3.5 million in debt in exchange for stock. Portland Brewing Company merged with Saxer Brewing Company of Lake Oswego in 2000. In 2004, MacTarnahan, then 88 years old, sold the company to Pyramid Breweries of Seattle. In 2008, Pyramid was acquired by Magic Hat Brewing Company, which was subsequently bought by North American Breweries and then by the Costa Rican company Florida Ice & Farm Company.

McMenamins is famous for brewpubs, music, and hotels. Many of their locations are in rehabilitated historical properties and at last nine are on the National Register of Historic Places. McMenamins was founded by brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin, who grew up in northeast Portland, Oregon. Their influence began in 1974 with the opening of Produce Row Café, which soon made a name as one of Portland's first bars devoted to quality imports and craft beer. Don Younger’s Horse Brass Pub, which opened in 1976, was also an essential component in increasing consumer access and awareness of imported and local beer, as well as provided a community space to share beer experiences. In 1985, the McMenamins opened Oregon’s first brewpub in the Southwest Portland neighborhood of Hillsdale with brew master Carlos Santos. They didn’t adhere to a style and their beers were often unsettling to brewing traditionalists; they used ingredients like blackberries, apples, blueberries, spices, and candy bars. Their first theater pub, and the first in Oregon, was the Mission Theater & Pub (1987). The company then entered the broader hospitality business starting in 1990, when they converted a 74-acre site (that at one time served as the Multnomah County Poor Farm) into McMenamins Edgefield.

One major event that impacted the trajectory of the beer industry in Oregon in the 1980s was legislation that married production and sales. 

Before 1985, brewpubs were essentially illegal in Oregon. The state’s post-Prohibition laws said alcohol manufacture and retail could not occur on the same premises; instead, breweries had to work with a third-party distributor to add taps and sell their product. Bowman, Larrance, the Ponzis, the Widmers, and the McMenamin were instrumental in lobbying to legalize the marriage of production and on-site sales. 

In early 1985 House Bill 2284 proposed a brewery-public house license that would allow the brewing and selling of malt beverages at the same location; however, wholesale beer suppliers feared new brewpubs would cut into business and launched a counter campaign. On May 9, 1985 HB 2284 was tabled and died. The second bill, SB 813, proposed a bed and breakfast license to permit the sale of beer and wine, as well as a brewery-public house license for manufacturers producing less than 25,000 barrels of malt beverage. On July 13, 1985, Governor Vic Atiyeh signed Senate Bill 813, the “Brewpub Bill,” into law. It allowed brewers to make and sell beer on the same premises, key for increasing revenue and gaining new customers.

Although growth over the next 10 years was slow, throughout the 1980s, four other breweries opened in other parts of the state: Full Sail Brewing (Hood River) and Oregon Trail Brewery (Corvallis) in 1987, and Deschutes Brewery (Bend) and Rogue Ales (originally in Ashland) in 1988. Portland has always had the largest concentration of breweries and Central Oregon has seen exceptional growth, but breweries have opened in new areas to attract diverse consumers. Examples include Calapooia (1993, Albany), Cascade Lakes Brewing Company (1994, Redmond), Terminal Gravity (1996, Enterprise), Barley Brown’s (1998, Baker City), Walkabout Brewing (1997, Medford), Ninkasi (2006, Eugene), Fort George (2007, Astoria), and Block 15 (2008, Corvallis).

A maturing industry needed skilled brewers and since its establishment in 1995, Oregon State University’s Fermentation Science program in the Food Science and Technology department has led brewer education. Homebrew clubs and organizations around Oregon have also provided training for future professionals. Founded in Portland in 1979, the Oregon Brew Crew is one of the oldest and largest home brewing clubs in the United States; it is appropriate that their meetings are held at F.H. Steinbart, a homebrew shop founded in 1918 and the oldest in the country. Other pioneering clubs include the Heart of the Valley Homebrewers (1982, Corvallis) and the Cascade Brewers Society (1982, Eugene).

The Oregon Brewers Guild fills an important role as a non-profit advocate for the state’s breweries; founded in 1992, it is one of the nation's oldest craft brewer associations. Two other important organizations to support increased gender equity in brewing started in Oregon. The Pink Boots Society was founded in 2007 by Teri Fahrendorf, former brewmaster at Steelhead Brewing in Eugene, as a professional organization to support women in the brewing industries. In 2011, Pink Boots members created Barley’s Angels as an educational community for consumers; it became its own organization in 2012.

In addition to more breweries to choose from, consumers had other ways to engage with beer. The Oregon Homebrew Festival, established in 1982, is the Pacific Northwest’s oldest homebrew competition; others followed, including the KLCC Brewfest Homebrew Competition and SheBrew. The Oregon Brewers Festival (established 1988) is one of the nation’s longest running and largest craft beer festivals; others throughout the state include the Portland Craft Beer Festival, the Festival of Dark Arts in Astoria, Bend Brewfest, and Mt. Angel's Oktoberfest.

The increasing popularity of homebrewing and accessibility of imported beers certainly had an impact on the preferences and palates of consumers, as did writing about beer in the public press. Fred Eckhardt was a well-known advocate, critic, educator, mentor, and historian, and his written work on beer and brewing encouraged generations of people to think about beer in new ways. Inspired by a 1972 visit to Anchor Steam Brewery, Eckhardt became an avid proponent of tasteful, complex craft brews. He urged people to focus on flavor, style, and experience in the Oregonian, and also wrote regular articles in national industry publications like Celebrator Beer News and All About Beer. He rose to prominence with his 1970 A Treatise on Lager Beers, a guide to homebrewing and the evolution of lager beer, and 1989 The Essentials of Beer Style. 

The Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives acquired his papers in 2015, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to preserve and provide access to materials that document such important moments in this history.

In more recent years, as print publications have folded, blogs, podcasts, and news aggregate sites have dominated Oregon beer news and information. Reporting about the beer industry has changed a lot in the past year, and I am grateful that there are still web sites like New School Beer and Brewpublic, as well as notable journalists and authors like Jeff Alworth, Denny Conn, and John Abernathy reporting on local issues.

Electronic, paper, oral histories? I’m interested in collecting all the things that document the industry. In the last year we’ve added collections from the Oregon Brewers Guild, Widmer Brothers Brewing, the Pink Boots Society and Barleys Angels.

We have Fred Eckhardt’s papers, as well as Denny Conns and a collection of research materials from Pete Dunlop. Other collections include Master Brewers of America District Northwest Chapter Records, the Oregon Hop Growers Association, and scanned collections from both Fred Bowman and Art Larrance.

Find a list of all collections and oral histories on the OHBA guide. 

[amerivex-blog]

11 U.S. Cities Perfect for a Weekend Getaway

The Way to spend time: Cover as much as you can of the 1,200-acre Balboa Park, spend a day on Coronado Island, and finish each night with a sunset at Sunset Cliffs. Eat your fill of California burritos in Nico's Mexican Food, and drink your plenty of beer from breweries including Ballast Point, Mike Hess, Stone Brewing, and AleSmith. Proceed south of the border, too, with Turista Libre, which takes travelers to hyper-local areas in Tijuana and Valle de Guadalupe.

Denver, Colorado

The Way to spend your time: After checking into the Art Hotel, spend a day at the seven-story Denver Art Museum with Monet's Le Bassin des Nympheas and Paul Klee's Palace Partially Destroyed, followed by a meal at Avelina. On day two, take advantage of this recently revived Winter Park Express Ski Train, which goes from downtown Denver to Front Range's Winter Park Resort in two hours. Come warmer weather, head 16 kilometers west of downtown Denver to the almost 900-acre Red Rocks Park, that has miles of hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and also a geologically shaped amphitheater that's hosted everyone from The Beatles to Stevie Nicks.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Way to spend your time: Eat Shaya and Brennan's, each of which left our best restaurants in the entire word list, along with the latter of which has been firmly entrenched in the French Quarter as 1942. Crush a bag of beignets at Morning Call, which has considerably shorter lines compared to Cafe Du Monde--and pristine City Park views. When the sun sets, go beyond Bourbon Street, also do not miss music-driven evenings on Frenchmen Street, which has the Big Easy's most celebrated jazz.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

How to spend your time day in Fishtown, namely to wait in line for Pizzeria Beddia and crawl out of microbrewery into a microbrewery. A day of walking: Wander along North 3rd Street (duck into Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction) and East Passyunk (play a 60-minute' Escape the 80s' match ) before dinner in Michael Solomonov's Dizengoff or Zahav, where you'll dip into some of the best hummus in the nation. Finish at Hop Sing Laundromat, a somewhat-hidden cocktail bar and a rite of passage.

Baltimore, Maryland

The Way to spend your time: Eat your Way out of a new restaurant to the next before (shh) everybody puts in on the key: think Argentinean empanadas at Bar Vasquez; seafood risotto in Cosima; tea-smoked duck breast in Gunther & Co., and barbecue-flavored ice cream out of meals hallway R. House. Stroll off the moments across the historic Inner Harbor, and hop in an hour-long tour, by boat, of what has been deemed among the most underrated cities in the U.S. Catch a show at the gorgeous, refurbished Hippodrome Theatre. Allot three hours to the Baltimore Museum of Art, and get lost in Lexington Market, that will be like the Pike Place Market of Baltimore--if Pike Place was open since 1782, that's.

Portland, Maine

The Way to invest your time: Take the ferry to Peaks Island. Eat your weight in lobster rolls at Portland Lobster Company, and make sure to also hit Central Provisions, The Honey Paw, and Eventide Oyster Co., the"oyster bar of your dreams." (More than a dozen local craft breweries including Allagash and Rising Tide supply the drink; if you're sick of beer, attempt Portland Hunt & Alpine Club.) Walk panoramic Fore Street. Hop on a bicycle for a 6.5-mile flat loop of Portland, which sits on a peninsula, or spend a day" hiking" 70 miles of the increased city through Portland Trails. Push into Portland Head Light, a still-operational light station that has occupied its place five kilometers south of town because of 1791.

Nashville, Tennessee

How to spend your time: Start the day with a cup of house-roasted coffee at Crema. Shop 12 South for a souvenir: a customized pair of jeans from Imogene + willie, maybe, or handcrafted objects from White's Mercantile, a modern twist in an old-time general store curated by Hank Williams's granddaughter Holly. Eat sexy chicken from Hattie B. Honkytonk on Second Avenue at Robert's Western World, or Remain in the Gulch for bluegrass at The Station Inn. Spend two hours in the Frist Museum for Visual Arts, which was Nashville's central post office.

Charleston, S.C.

How to spend your own time: Take a walking tour of 18th-century architecture, and pick your preferred Georgian mansion from Rainbow Row or The Battery. Read a book under the 1,000-year-old, 1,700-square-foot Angel Oak Tree, and nap on the beach of Sullivan's Island. Make a booking at Husk. Possessing a fried chicken sandwich (or 3 ) in Leon's Oyster Shop--it's been known to make even the most severe vegetarian drop off the wagon, and no doubt contributed to Charleston being voted the most magnificent little city in the U.S. To burn those calories, walk into the middle of the Ravenel Bridge (1.25 miles) for sunset over the Cooper River--or say, hey, I'm on vacation, and have a cocktail on the roof of this Dewberry instead. Once the evening has entirely fallen, head within the centuries-old Dock Street Theatre for local and Broadway touring productions.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Way to spend your own time: Create artsy Lyndale, one of Airbnb's hottest areas of 2017, your foundation. Pay homage to hometown hero Prince in Paisley Park Museum one afternoon, or browse where the musician himself often shopped for music at indie store Electric Fetus. Lake hop: Lake Harriet, Lake CalhounLake, and Lake of the Isles are connected. Beer from Surly Brewing Company, dessert from Milkjam Creamery, and James-Beard award-winning Minnesotan cuisine in The Bachelor Farmer. Spend a couple of hours at the Walker Art Center, one of the nation's most excellent contemporary art museums. The American Swedish Institute is much more fun than it seems; and the Jucy Lucy from Matt's Bar--a beef patty with a core of molten cheese--is much better than it looks, intentional misspellings apart from

Madison, Wisconsin

The Way to spend your time: Bike 12 miles around Lake Monona. Make such as a Badger and wander some of those 20-plus miles of paths at the UW Arboretum (or, in winter, ski, snowshoe, or increase them), until filling up on fried cheese curds and Ale Asylum in Dotty Dumpling's Dowry. Take a 40-minute road trip to visit the New Glarus Brewing Company, which only awakens in Wisconsin. Take a 50-minute street trip to the shore and Ice-Age rock formations of the Driftless region. Get your art fix at the Chazen Museum of Art and the stunning, glass-walled Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Shop in the Saturday morning farmers' market on Capitol Square, reportedly the largest producer-only farmers' market in the nation. Eat dinner at Estrellón, and spare room for the Basque cake.

Louisville, Kentucky

How to spend time a sexy brown in The Brown Hotel. Walk the Old Louisville neighborhood, which allegedly has the most extensive collection of Victorian homes in the country. Pay tribute to The Louisville Lip in the Muhammad Ali Center. Take a trip to Maker's Mark and dip your bottle of Kentucky bourbon. Pop from the Speed Art Museum, fresh off a $50 million renovation and expansion. Do not miss a performance from the LGBT theater troupe Pandora Productions.

[semissouristate]

Best Ice Cream In Cape Girardeau

If you’re having a craving for ice cream, Cape is definitely the place to be. In addition to the many chain options, there are also a few hometown mom and pop ice cream options as well.

Andy’s Frozen Custard

What’s better than ice cream? Well, frozen custard, of course! If you’re in the mood for the best frozen custard in Cape, look no further than Andy’s Frozen Custard. The oldest of the Andy’s Franchises, their Cape Girardeau location is just a short hop from campus and stays busy year-round. Very similar to ice cream - but creamier and made fresh hourly! - Andy’s frozen custard is very rich and decadent. They offer a full variety of treats from cones and sundaes to “jackhammers” and seasonal favorites like the Cookie Casanova Sundae or the “Words Can’t Describe It” Apple Pie Concrete. Want a classic combo? Try the signature Rowdy Redhawk Concrete – vanilla frozen custard blended with Oreo and strawberries – available only at the Cape location.

Want to try it before you buy it? Attend a SEMO basketball game - SEMO students get in free with their student ID - for a chance to get a free Andy’s cone. Our local Andy’s has partnered with Redhawks Basketball to play Wheel of Andy’s at every men’s and/or women’s basketball game. If the Redhawks score equal to or higher than the number spun on the wheel, you can redeem your game ticket for a free Andy’s cone after the game. It’s a nice way to have fun and a treat all for free!

Buddy’s Rolled Ice Cream

If the way you roll is a little less traditional, you might want to give Buddy’s Rolled Ice Cream a try. This business is new in town and named after the owner’s 15/10 good doggo Buddy. Buddy even picks a feature flavor each month! You’re in for a real treat when visiting. Not only do you get a cup of beautifully rolled ice cream to snack on, but you also get to watch it being made! Prepare to be mesmerized as employees freeze, hand mix, and roll your dessert before your eyes. Don’t forget to stop by the selfie wall and get a picture before heading out to the pet-friendly patio.

Spanish Street Farmacy

Don’t let the sign fool you. This “farmacy” is just what the doctor prescribed on a hot day. They serve breakfast and lunch made with local ingredients but if you’re in more of a straight-to-dessert mood, they can help with that too. They serve ice cream by the scoop, sundaes, parfaits, shakes and malts, and ice cream sandwiches. But why stop there? You can also pair the ice cream with homemade cake, pie, Belgian waffles, cookies, or add a scoop to a vintage fountain soda! Spanish Street Farmacy uses local milk from Rolling Lawns Farm in its desserts. 

Sugar Chic Creamery 

If you’ve never met an ice cream flavor you didn’t like, you’re going to love the way Sugar Chic Creamery is all about options. Ar Sugar Chic, you don’t have to settle for just one flavor. Instead, try a flight! Load up your bowls with five different flavors to share with a friend...or to eat on your own...

Don’t do dairy? While the flavors always rotate at Sugar Chic, you can always count on a plentiful non-dairy selection on the menu. Eight soy and Italian ice flavors are available! 

[nwbeerguide]

McMenamins celebrates holidays & birthdays with Kris Kringle and Bottle Shop Birthday Reserve No. 4

Not wishing to be left off the dinner table or barback, McMenamins breweries have recently released two beers inspire deja vu and reflection.

Released this past week (November 15th), Kris Kringle is a beer that loyalists to their local McMenamins know well. Like many beers in the region, Kris Kringle is a legacy seasonal. After all, much like beers from Bend and Hood River, it's not the Holiday season without a Kris Kringle in your hand. Taking a second look at the beloved Winter warmer, the brewers at McMenamins have produced a beer that has all the character of a traditional warmer.

Copyright © 2018 McMenamins Inc. All rights reserved.

This year's winter warmer is a hearty and robust ale with a big and bold malt complexity. Toasty, caramel and fig flavors make up its sturdy foundation while two hop varieties added in five different additions deliver magnificent and intense hop flavor and aroma. This ale also pairs great with McMenamins creamery’s new Kris Kringle ice cream, made with cinnamon custard and crunchy graham crackers.

Brewed with Pale, Munich, Wheat, Crystal 15, Crystal 120, Baird's Chocolate Malt, Maltodextrin; along with Centennial and Cascade hops; Kris Kringle beckons you to pick up a four-pack or simply relax with a pint. Kris Kringle is 6.84% ABV (Alcohol By Volume) and 87 IBU (International Bittering Units) and can be found at all McMenamins brewery locations, while supplies last.

Copyright © 2018 McMenamins Inc. All rights reserved.

Next up is a rare treat from the Edgefield laboratory in Troutdale, Oregon. Dubbed Bottleshop Birthday Reserve No. 4, the brewers took a perfectly respectable Saison and put it in oak barrels. What makes these oak barrels special, thereby enhancing your experience, is that these barrels were previously used to produce oak-aged Three Rocks Rum and Spiced Hard Cider. The end result is a Saison that is bright as a cloudless sky with notes of shortbread, freshly shaved cocoa and sugarcoated oranges.

Look for both of these, in short supply, available at McMenamin's taprooms, bottleshops, and restaurant locations.

For more information on these and other beers, as well as the nearest location to you, visit https://www.mcmenamins.com/.

from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide http://bit.ly/37p18oO

[businessweekme]

California Highway 1 Road Trip

Six weeks ago, Highway 1 fully reopened in Big Sur, following devastating mudslides in May 2017. After $54 million worth of repairs and the removal of millions of tons of earth, rocks, and debris, travelers can once again enjoy an uninterrupted drive along the gorgeous coastal highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

But it’s not just the views that make the trek one of the most famous road trips in the world. There’s also the food to contend with: Dotted along the winding route, you’ll find peppery smoked-fish tacos, juicy burgers smothered in eggs and melted cheese, and homemade doughnuts oozing with jelly.

Our version of this journey begins in Point Reyes Station, north of San Francisco. There, you’ll want to stock up on triple cream Mt Tam cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and scarf as many straight-from-the-bay oysters as you can get down. Your eating adventure will continue from there—you’d better start hungry.

  Point Reyes

Side Street Kitchen

The specialty at this year-old, bright, modern diner is the crispy skinned rotisserie chicken, fragrant with herbs and served half or whole with an array of sauces, including curried yogurt, salsa verde, and chimichurri rojo. The other specialty: puffy, sugar-coated, fruit-filled apple fritters. 60 4th St., Point Reyes Station

The Boat Oyster Bar

Hog Island Oyster Co. is famed for the oysters it pulls out of the bay and supplies to top dining rooms around the country. A reservation-only café on the water features those world-class bivalves; the menu changes often, but it frequently includes Hog Island’s singular kumamotos. You can get a dozen raw for $36; even better are the barbecued ones, grilled and dripping with chipotle bourbon garlic butter. 20215 Shoreline Highway, Marshall

Half Moon Bay Area

  La Costanera

Peruvian food is having a moment in the U.S., and La Costanera, with its wall of windows overlooking the water from a second-floor dining room, has been recognized by Michelin’s Bib Gourmand. The menu has a mix of classics such as antichuchos (grilled skewers) with marinated beef heart and pork belly; empanadas; tender beer-braised lamb shank; and lomo saltado (beef tenderloin with onions, soy sauce, and a fried egg, if you want one). 8150 Cabrillo Highway, Montara

Dad’s Luncheonette

Chef Scott Clark used to cook at San Francisco’s Michelin-three-starred Saison. He’s transformed a red-painted train caboose into a cozy, wood-lined diner with a small menu of comfort food favorites. The $12 hamburger sandwich has melted cheese, a soft egg, and red onion pickles on grilled white bread; the mushroom version substitutes maitakes for the grass-fed beef. 225 Cabrillo Highway South, Half Moon Bay

Sam’s Chowder House

Seafood makes up almost the entire menu at Sam’s, including a “Captains Platter” of oysters, clams, shrimp, poke, and ceviche; an appetizer of grilled sardines; steamed clams (with the option of linguine); and lobster rolls, “naked” with butter or “dressed” with aioli. At night, the place highlights fresh catches such as Pacific swordfish and local halibut. The seats on the deck offer a panoramic ocean view. 4210 Cabrillo Highway, Half Moon Bay

Hop Dogma Brewing Co.

The rotating array of craft brews at this locally popular beer hall might include Pyro’s Prost chili beer (pilsner brewed with jalapeño); Every Third Inquiry, a Bourbon barrel-aged stout; and the flagship Alpha Dank IPA. Guests can order food from nearby Lamas, a Peruvian and Mexican restaurant, and the tacos, burritos, and arroz con pollo will be delivered to the taproom. 270 Capistrano Rd., Half Moon Bay

Duarte’s Tavern

Dating back to 1894, when Frank Duarte bought the place for $12 in gold, this venerable restaurant specializes in a California version of Continental cuisine. The menu runs the gamut from shrimp cocktail to pork chops with fresh applesauce. The specialties are anything with artichokes, plus the cioppino, packed with clams, shrimp, cod and especially crab, which people drive down from San Francisco to eat. 202 Stage Rd.

Santa Cruz

The Picnic Basket

Set on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the picturesque luncheonette has an all-day menu with a powerful breakfast selection: golden-brown turnovers stuffed with seasonal fruit or Niman Ranch ham and cheese; an egg-potato-greens frittata sandwich on toast; and house-made jelly doughnuts. Later in the day, hot dogs and elbow macaroni and cheese turn up on the menu. The nearby Penny Ice Creamery, where everything is house-made under the same ownership, is equally popular. 125 Beach St.

Monterey Peninsula

The Meatery

A serious, whole-animal butcher shop with impressive cuts of meat on display, this white-tiled space also serves as a deli. Sandwiches range from a hefty Reuben to banh mi made with caramelized pork belly slices, pickled vegetables, a hit of cilantro, and kewpie mayo on a French roll. A highlight is the house corned beef with sauerkraut on rye. The hot food offerings change daily: On Sundays and Mondays, there’s buttermilk-fried chicken; on Thursdays, visitors line up for the baby back ribs. 1534 Fremont Blvd., Seaside

The Bench Restaurant

Set on the impossibly scenic Pebble Beach Golf Links 18th hole, the Bench has a crowd-pleasing menu that offers all kinds of pizza-styled flatbreads: with pepperoni; with ratatouille, fennel ricotta and heirloom tomatoes; and with bench bacon and grilled, pickled red onion. The 24-ounce short rib, the Smokey Joe, is smoked for 10 hours. Aside from the best views, the outdoor deck has fire-pit tables. 1700 17 Mile Dr., Pebble Beach

Aubergine at l’Auberge Carmel

Chef Justin Cogley operates one of the country’s best under-the-radar fine-dining restaurants. Set in a Relais & Châteaux property, the intimate dining room has a $175 tasting menu that combines local ingredients in unexpected ways: A Morro Bay oyster with caviar has a hit of sea water, and seared abalone is accompanied by romaine lettuce that’s been braised and sliced in thick rounds, with lobster-infused lettuce puree. Monte Verde at 7th Ave., Carmel

Big Sur

Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant

Amid the trees in the hills off the highway, this exceptional café produces terrific pizzas from the wood oven, with a charred, bready, chewy crust and such toppings as creamy greens, mushrooms and tangy taleggio, and red sauce meatballs. The place is first and foremost a bakery: The creamy lemon curd pie in a pistachio crust is addictive, as is any pastry in the display case. 47540 Highway 1

Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn

Post Ranch Inn, renowned for its modernist, cliffside, treehouse rooms overlooking the ocean, has a new manager, Gary Obligacion, formerly of Chicago’s celebrated Alinea. The property’s Sierra Mar restaurant is home to one country’s largest wine collections, with 14,000-plus bottles. It complements an elegant four-course tasting menu from which the seared foie gras has a garnish of hazelnuts and king salmon is paired with smoked split peas and sweet apple. 47900 Highway 1

The Sur House at Ventana Big Sur

In 2017, Ventana went through a multimillion-dollar renovation. The renovated Sur House restaurant now has outdoor fireside seating and a bar menu with smoky spice-rubbed chicken wings and open-faced tuna melt accented with pickled fennel. The dinner menu has deceptively simple dishes, such as grilled pork loin on a bed of jalapeño-spiked grits. The wine cellar is also notable: some 10,000 bottles with a focus on the Central Coast. 48123 Highway 1

San Luis Obispo

Ruddell’s Smokehouse

There’s not much barbecue along Highway 1. The notable exception is Ruddell’s, where founder Jim Ruddell set up shop in 2001 in a small building with a few tables outside. The place smokes albacore and salmon with a brown sugar and kosher salt rub; chicken is slow-cooked over hickory. The smoked seafood and poultry are available as tacos in a big French-roll sandwich or salad—and by the pound. 101 D St., Cayucas

Cracked Crab

In the surfing town of Pismo Beach, the unpretentious Cracked Crab has a blazing neon sign and lines stretching out the door. The menu changes according to availability of seafood and features an ocean’s worth of crab: dungeness cocktail with lime and avocado; puck-size, pan-seared lump blue crab cakes; and New England-style lobster rolls stuffed with crab instead. The seafood buckets offer the opportunity to mix and match wild Gulf shrimp, Alaskan crab, clams, mussels, and lobster tails; they go for $61 for one person and $79 for two and come with all the mallets and scissors you’ll need to extract the shellfish. 751 Price St., Pismo Beach

Santa Barbara

Jalama Beach Store & Grill

In Lompoc, the epicenter of Santa Barbara winemaking, is this grill, set inside a store that’s set inside the county park. The specialty is the Jalama burger: It’s quintessential Cali-style, with shredded lettuce, tomato, onions, special sauce, and a griddled bun. The burger has gotten so popular over its almost 40-year history that the name is trademarked. 9991 Jalama Rd., Lompoc

La Super-Rica Tacqueria

Famous for being name-checked by Julia Child, Super-Rica is a cheerful, white-and-turquoise stand with a large selection of options that feature stellar homemade tortillas. The tacos are filled with all kinds of grilled meats—chunks of spiced, brick-colored chorizo; adobado with tender strips of marinated pork. The Super-Rica Especial is made up cheese-stuffed green pasilla chiles that are roasted and draped over tortillas with marinated pork and more cheese, for $6. 622 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Shellfish Co.

At the end of a dock on the harbor, this photogenic counter started out selling local seafood almost 30 years ago. Customers can still buy fish from commercial fishermen here. (There’s also a robust online store with trays of uni and stone crab claws.) The chopped caesar comes with a choice of grilled, skewered shrimp or sweet scallops. There’s more local shrimp, coated with coconut and crispy fried, garnished with onion rings. Also highly recommended are the linguine studded with garlic-sauteed clams in the shell and the monumental, steamed two-pound crab, along with a selection of local wine and beer by the pitcher. 230 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara

The Los Angeles Area

Malibu Farm

What started as a pop-up dining room by Helene Henderson in 2013 is now a farmers market-driven restaurant and café on the Malibu Pier, with outposts in Miami and Hawaii. The all-day café at the end of the dock has a lightbulb-lit menu that boasts a pile-up of Swedish pancakes with whipped cream and whatever the seasonal berries are, as well as kale caesar and BLTs with lemon aioli brushed on whole wheat. Down the pier, a slightly more serious version of the restaurant offers a tofu, spinach, and tomato scramble on weekend mornings, and nachos, featuring blue corn chips laden with black beans, melty cheese, and drizzles of sour cream in the evenings. 23000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu

Tallula’s

Chef Jeremy Fox, who heads up the nearby vegetable-focused Rustic Canyon, now puts a creative spin on the Mexi-Cali dining room. In a colorful space decorated with hanging plants, Fox uses exceptional local corn, served Mexican-style with smoky chipotle aioli, and accents black-cod tacos with malt tartar sauce in tender, house-made tortillas. A daily taco special is dreamed up by rotating cooks in the kitchen. The serious bar program features mezcal Manhattans on draft, as well as the obligatory margaritas. 118 Entrada Dr., Santa Monica

Father’s Office

Chef Sang Yoon began serving one of the—if not the—country’s first gourmet burgers almost 20 years ago. The Office Burger is made from freshly ground, dry-aged beef, so it’s got a deep, meaty flavor that’s further accentuated by sweet caramelized onions, bacon, gruyere, and blue cheese. Accompanying fries, standard or sweet potato, are presented in a mini-shopping cart. Father’s Office is equally known for pouring dozens of local craft beers. 1018 Montana Ave., Santa Monica

The post California Highway 1 Road Trip appeared first on Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.

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[melabraut]

What you will love about this neighborhood

The apartment is located in Seltjarnarnes, a nice family friendly neighbourhood with many small playgrounds to choose from. You can get a touch of nature just down the block where you can walk the coastline of Grótta and check out the wildlife rich with birds such as arctic tern and swans. There is a golf course in just fifteen minute walk from our house. Even though we are so close to nature we are also close to down town, under a 10 minute drive or 30 minutes walk. The Reykjavik Centre is rich with cafés, art museums and clothing stores. But you don't have to go that far for a nice cafe, there is one just ten minute walk from our house and if you walk further fifteen minutes you reach Grandi with nice restaurants, a maritime museums and stores full of Icelandic design. You could also check out the west neighbourhood Vesturbær for a cafe or lunch / dinner. There are several grocery stores close by and a swimming pool and a gym in five minutes walking distance. There is a bus stop down the block where you can hop on number 11 that will take you through Vesturbær (the west town) to the Reykjavik Centre (approx 20 minutes) where you can change to other routes in Lækjatorg or Hlemmur. If you would like to google more of the surroundings: Grótta Seltjarnarnes Sundlaug seltjarnarness Arna kaffihús Kaffi vest Grandi mathöll (food court in Grandi) Coocoos nest (our personal favourite, very vegetarian friendly) Kaffivagninn (a very nice family run traditional Icelandic food) Sjóminjasafnið í Reykjavík (maritime museum in Grandi) Valdís (ice creamery) World class seltjarnarnesi (the gym)

[randylavalley]

17 Unusual Date Ideas To Try in Toronto

Shocking date evening is a terrific means to revisit your #RelationshipGoals. In a city that is constantly in change, with brand-new experiences always opening up, Toronto is an excellent location to get imaginative with your tryst. Whether you are on an initial day or in a rut, taking your BFF out or taking place a solo date, here's our selection of what to do on date night.

Be travelers on a hop-on hop-off bus

Traveling with a loved one is constantly a bonding experience. Order a hop-on hop-off sightseeing and tour open-top bus ticket from City Taking in the sights and explore Toronto all weekend. For visitors, this is an enjoyable means to see the city, as well as locals get to be tourists for the day with their loved one as well as make new memories at home. Your ticket will additionally get you various other benefits, such as a totally free islands cruise, totally free midtown pickup, as well as a souvenir map.

Take their breath away at the Aga Khan Museum

The Aga Khan Museum's unbelievable collection of art, antiques and residues from old worlds makes for a remarkable day, but what makes this gallery such a preferable location is the magnificent premises of the architectural gem. Take their breath away amid white natural beauty, lovely landscape design as well as sparkling granite swimming pools.

As dusk falls and also the weekend break shows up, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) becomes among Toronto's special social events. At ROM Friday Night Live, visitors can discover Canada's biggest museum of art, society, and also nature while partying with the dinosaurs. Consume, attempt food from specially picked suppliers, as well as delight in live songs from bands as well as DJs. No Friday Evening Live coincides, as there are various motifs each time (such as techno style, Bollywood beats, superheroes). Each season, ROM releases a brand-new timetable.

Experience an unusual type of love at Thomas Fisher Rare Book Collection

If your date is a literature lover whose heart thaws at the aroma of a book, take them to the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Inside this sensational structure, you'll find the Division of Rare Books as well as Unique Collections. The library holds greater than 800,000 materials, making it one of the most substantial collection of openly available rare books and also manuscripts in Canada. The shelves are home to literary prizes such as Margaret Atwood's original transcribed draft for The Handmaid's Tale, Shakespeare's First Folio from 1623 and Leonard Cohen's notebooks.

Enjoy movies under the stars

Reimagine a quintessential date by taking things outside for one of Toronto's top summer season tasks, enjoying movies outside. There's a host of configuring completely until September, from motion pictures in the park at Christie Pits, Minister Park as well as St James to the Sail-In Movie Theater down on Sugar Coastline, Open Roofing System Celebration as well as the large screens showing standards at Dundas Square and also Harborfront Centre. A lot of the motion pictures are complimentary, so all you need to do is bring coverings and snacks.

Obtain your hearts competing at Canada's Heaven

Canada's Heaven, Toronto's top amusement park, features all the thrills needed for an amazing day. Theme parks, although relaxed as well as enjoyable, can be filled with intimate moments, as well as you can utilize the time you're standing in line to get to know each other or reconnect. Sitting on a rollercoaster beside a person you're extremely drew in to is a terrific method to obtain hearts competing. The adrenaline thrill you'll obtain resembles those first sensations of falling in love. Aside from flights, Canada's Heaven has wacky foods such as channel cake, reveals, games as well as lots of various other tourist attractions to maintain you delighted.

Experience an alternating reality

Traversing brand-new globes as well as alternative facts while keeping your feet grown on the floor could be the new means to fall in love! Virtual reality (Virtual Reality) lounges have actually been appearing throughout Toronto, and also it is a neat suggestion for an immersive day experience. Just like whatever, there are lots of selections but VRPlayin, Residence of VR, and also Levelup Virtual Reality Arcade all come very rated.

Play games

Take your favorite someone downtown to play computer game. There are plenty along Dundas West, yet Tilt Gallery Bar is just one of the most effective. You can select from more than 50 vintage gallery video games and also pinball makers, or relaxing up in among their booths to play video games together. If Tilt is loaded, you'll likewise discover an option of game and also computer game across the road at Dundas Video, or head to Blnd Tger in Little Italy, where you can obtain expensive with container service. Also on Dundas West is Heal; their video games include faves such as Teen Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vermin, Star Wars and also Dig Dug. Further west still, Unlovable has a bunch of '80s classics such as Donkey Kong and Ms Pac-Man.

Throw a rager with each other at Battle Sports

Do couples that rave together stay together? There's only one way to discover. Believe it or otherwise, Toronto has a Craze Area that supplies a date night special. For CA$ 75 (₤ 44), Battle Sports will allow you blast the playlist of your selection, grab a crowbar or baseball bat and shatter your way with 28 products and 2 electronic devices. They claim it's hotter than warm yoga.

Art Fight

If you love an excellent face-off, have a look at Art Battle. See as painters make use of a handful of colors and also some crucial devices to transform blank canvases right into masterpieces with just 20 minutes on the clock. Then, as target market members, you and your date get to identify the winner by voting for your favorite pieces. Examine their website to discover their timetable.

Admire Toronto's road art

Toronto is among the very best places to see road art. Lots of fantastic creations have actually been sprayed onto numerous buildings throughout the city. There are, however, some well-known graffiti hubs. Graffiti Alley (or Rush Lane) is well worth a browse through. The impressive murals and colorful developments by regional and international musicians are constantly changing, so it's worth repeat visits. Likewise check out Ossington Laneway, a strip in between Queen Street and also Humbert Street, where local street musicians have spray-painted the garage doors. Various other areas to take down are Kensington Market, Keele Wall and the Galaxy in Parkdale.

Graffiti Alley, Toronto, ON Canada

After-hours art celebration

The Art Gallery of Toronto (AGO) tosses the city's most significant after-hours art celebration on the first Thursday of on a monthly basis. AGO First Thursdays are curated occasions that display a headline entertainer or act, along with multiple DJs in different dancing areas around the gallery. As well as songs, visitors can engage with interactive exhibits as well as take pleasure in themed food as well as beverages. First Thursday motifs vary between what's occurring in the gallery and also what's taking place in the remainder of world, but each celebration is an enthusiastic attempt to showcase the most effective of art as well as culture.

Art Gallery of Ontario, Dundas Road West, Toronto, Canada, +1 416 979 6648.

Hit up a speakeasy.

Discover Toronto's hidden side by getting mixed drinks at one of the city's speakeasies or concealed bars. Roam hand-in-hand down slim alleyways and also look previous unnoticeable shops for these alluring locations. You'll discover cutting-edge mixtures, irregular menus and an atmosphere that's tailor-made for affection. Select from among the city's unique drinking experiences at Gift Shop, pizza as well as shots spiced with fernet at SP184, sultry cocktails at Bar Batavia, speakeasy vibes at the Cloakroom or Gatsby's, cheap consumes and also Bohemia at the Green Room. Or do a covert bar crawl along Dundas West, visiting at Mahjong, the Libertine as well as the Hole in the Wall.

Produce a signature beverage together at Labothéry Inc

. A great deal can happen over bubble tea at Labothéry Inc. For starters, it's not your typical bubble tea joint; it's even more of a lab than a tea shop, as well as the servers even use white coats. Site visitors make their beverages by picking from active ingredients offered in test tubes, syringes and also petri recipes. A day below will be incredibly speculative as well as imaginative, with all the various flavored syrups, powders, sugars, type of milk and also toppings on offer. Why not put your heads together as well as create your own special beverage?

Queue up for the latest "It" dessert.

Ditch coffee, supper and also beverage dates for something much sweeter. Residing in a lively city has some severe advantages due to the fact that there's always a new dessert to check out, and also Torontonians do not mind standing in line for them. Perfect pair bonding time.

Japanese soufflé pancake store Hanabusa Café (the jasmine tea pancake sounds amazing) sells gold-plated gelato, while Eative Movie Café Dining establishment provides blinged-out ice cream, and also Craig's Cookies sells right stuff desires are made of: every little thing from smashed strawberry pop tarts to Mars Bars and butter tarts is baked right into delicious chocolate chip cookies. Maintain your eyes peeled for the latest exciting offering from the maker of Bang ice creamery on Geary Method.

Be beach bums.

Sand and also sea are the excellent setups for a romantic day or evening. While Toronto can't exactly supply you the sea, it does have plenty of sandy coasts along the city's shimmering lakeside where you can lay out a blanket for picnicking and also canoodling. The coastlines of Woodbine, Kew as well as Balmy, Sugar Coastline, Cherry Coastline and also Bluffers Beach are some of the local favorites, yet if you really want to spice things up, then go to Toronto's nude beach at Hanlan's Point.

Visit fairy tale Casa Loma.

Casa Loma uses pairs a fairy tale day within Toronto. The previous residence of Canadian investor Sir Henry Pellatt, this majestic castle has impressive collections, secret flows, an 800ft (244m) passage, towers, stables and also luxurious gardens. Only mins from the town hall, in a gorgeous part of town where the streets are lined with Edwardian, Tudor and also Georgian homes, it is the perfect spot for romance. Throughout the year, you can have a look at seasonal occasions and also programming. The elegant Casa Loma area additionally supplies whole lots to do. Loosen up in one of the comfy cafés along Dupont Street, or take a stroll together in Sir Winston Churchill Park. If you have even more time on your hands, check out the 19th-century manor house Spadina Gallery, or a modern dip into Tarragon Theatre.

The post “ 17 Unusual Date Ideas To Try in Toronto “ was originally seen on Culture Trip

Vitamin Therapy Toronto - The IV Lounge

[hopicecream]

Featured flavors for Online Store orders for curbside pickup on Tuesday from 2-8pm at The Creamery (167 Haywood Rd across from @holedoughnuts)! Link to order in profile :) . Dairy Ice Cream @EatRootDown Naner Puddin’ Chocolate Peanut Butter Mocha Oreo Raspberry Crunch Black Cherry . Vegan Ice Cream Mango Ginger Lime Sorbet Cherry Limeade Sorbet Cookies N Coconut Creme Chocolate Banananananananananananana Creme . Much Love! Greg . (at The Hop Ice Creamery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_u2f4GBngc/?igshid=18ic4fge0ifiy