#UPPITY UPPITY restaurants or like a PUB

[bibleofficial]

bath is such a tourist trap 😭😭 the roman baths were neat but that’s literally all there is

[anjanahalo]

Potential DPxDC Prompt x3

In between their graduation from high school and the start of their college careers, Tucker and Danny collaborate on a small podcast where they mostly chitchatted about various topics from "Is a hotdog a sandwich?" to "Why the Justice League sucks." That last one upped their viewership, but most of that died off when the next three episodes were titled "The Best Eats in Nowhere, Illinois," where they trolled through Elmerton and Amity Park for the various chain and local restaurants, eating at and rating them with a very qualitative, subjective, and nonsensical scale, until they get to the Nasty Burger. The Nasty Burger gets an episode all to itself, describing the lore of how the "T" in the original "Tasty" fell off, the sign got tagged with an "N," and how, after it took years for the owners to fix the sign, they officially renamed the place "The Nasty Burger" because that's what everyone called it, even changing the menu and marketing that had stubbornly stuck to Tasty Burger all those years. (Tucker shows off his vintage Tasty Burger shirt as a flex of his loyalty). They order and eat every food item in one sitting (even the vegan ones), and rate Nasty Burger 20/10, the best local burger place you can find. After the drop off that came from reviewing places like "The Lucky Sombrero Irish Pub and Taquería," they didn't expect the clapback they got from the most unexpected place: Gotham, New Jersey. A small but very robust group of Gothamites were calling bullshit on the review, daring them to come to Gotham for their own local burger chain, The Batburger. Tucker and Danny sense a great challenge and a new episode idea, and Sam agrees to fund the trip when they declare the vegan options at the Batburger were far superior ("I funeded the separate grill myself at Nasty! Bet they cook their bean burgers in beef grease.") Of course, she's also coming along. So Tucker, Sam, and Danny hit the road with a teaser that they're taking up the challenge and coming to Gotham, and they'd be proving these uppity commentators WRONG. Meanwhile, The Batclan are a bit shocked to realize that their comments actually motivated the hosts of one of their favorite dumb podcasts, which appeared on their radar after the "JL sucks" episode, to visit Gotham. Wouldn't it be hilarious if they tracked them down and got to see their reactions in person?

[apollo-justice-for-all]

Heck to the heck yes! Trucy’s Irish accent would definitely be more prominent due to her upbringing. Apollo’s on the other hand, would definitely be more watered down, being raised in Khura’in and all. It’s still there, and his Irish ancestry still exists, but he doesn’t even realize it.

I would imagine some of the kids at middle school taking note of his accent (there probably would’ve been a few history and mythology lessons focusing on Ireland), and even the music teachers would often comment on Apollo’s singing voice, also noticing his accent. Granted, there could be other students with Irish ancestry, but Apollo’s is certainly worth more interest. And I’m pretty sure that even Clay would notice it, but the only time he ever talks about anything Ireland would be assistance on his homework. In the meanwhile, Apollo listens to a lot of Irish music in his spare time (he won’t admit it, but he’s quite fond of the Dubliners and several songs like David Garrett’s Celtic Rondo and Ricky Skaggs’ Crossing the Briney), and occasionally practices playing the fiddle.

When Klavier first finds out about Apollo’s faint accent, he gets into such a tizzy just trying to figure it out. He falters a bit during his statements, tries his hardest not to break down in court, and it eventually reaches a point where he has to get into a long air guitar session to calm himself down. Apollo is confused at first since it’s not really in Klavier’s nature to get so uppity about it, but he soon finds to be funny as hell because finally! He’s got something that he can use to annoy that glimmerous fop! Henceforth, he keeps up his fiddling skills and speaks in that faint Irish accent of his to annoy Klavier further. Trucy and Ema would definitely get confused over this while Phoenix just finds the whole scenario amusing to watch. Klavier, in an effort to uncover the truth behind that mystery accent, decides to ask Polly out for dinner. The Polly O’Justice is flabbergasted at first, but accepts the offer. The date goes pretty well, but during the time together Klavier completely forgets his little quest and before either of them realize it, they end up smooching in front of the entire restaurant (Klavier made the first move!) In his shock, Klavier stumbles a bit and attempts to apologize, but Apollo, red as a rose, flees the scene. However, the two of them eventually make up for the mess when Apollo decides to take Klavier out to his favourite seafood restaurant the next evening. Again, they have a good time, but Klavier forgets that he’s trying to figure out Apollo’s accent and just gets even more attracted to the man himself.

Time passes as Apollo keeps up his advantage over Klavier’s constant frustration, finding it adorable to see the normally calm prosecutor lose his marbles over one little thing that he doesn’t even know about himself. Finally, Klavier takes Apollo out to an Irish pub with a little karaoke corner for people to sing their favourite Irish songs. Apollo orders himself a mug of whiskey, much to Klavier’s surprise (who ordered a glass of water instead), yet the glimmerous fop sees this as his last chance to solve that mystery behind Apollo’s accent. Polly downs the entire mug, then fumbles over to the karaoke corner. Sure enough, his song of choice ends up being the Dubliners’ “The Wild Rover”. Klavier jumps on the chance to sing the song as part of a duet, which Apollo agrees despite having sung it solo several times before. Despite Apollo’s drunken state, a single mug of whiskey proves to be not enough to mask the serene singing voice he inherited from his mother, thus exposing his accent. The serenity from it breaks Klavier out of his trance, but he doesn’t break out of song until after it’s over. After the applause, Klavier turns to Apollo and comments on how Polly sounds just like Lamiroir. Apollo, realizing the jig is up, simply curls up in the fetal position and internally curses himself as Klavier laughs softly and gives him a gentle pat on the back.

This post has already gone on long enough, so I’m just gonna end it off with this quick little pic of the Gramarye sibs:

[floraexplorer]

Where to Stay in Svalbard: Longyearbyen’s Best Hotels, Hostels & Camping Spots

Where are the best hotels in Svalbard?

When I decided to spend a week in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, I didn’t think too much about where to stay. Like I do when planning most trips, I just assumed there’d be a lot of places to choose from.

Not so much.

Svalbard sits at the end of the world, and the main settlement of Longyearbyen is officially the world’s northernmost town. It’s not a big place, though. With a population small enough to be outnumbered by the island’s roaming polar bears, there are only a dozen or so accommodation options – which also means that beds up here can get pretty expensive.

After doing some hasty research I chose to lay my head at the cheap and cheerful Gjestehuset 102 hostel for the duration of my stay in Svalbard – but thanks to doing a lot of walking in Longyearbyen, I also managed to investigate plenty of the other Svalbard hotels, guesthouses, hostels and even a couple of campsites.

So if you’re looking for decent places to stay in Longyearbyen, hopefully this article will help you make your choice.

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Accommodation in Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Choosing where to stay in Longyearbyen is one of the biggest potential expenses of your Arctic trip. There are expensive hotels with all the bells and whistles, mid-range guesthouses where quirky design is more of a focus than having a private bathroom, and hostel dorm rooms with bunk beds and communal kitchens.

Alternatively, you can try your luck with Airbnb rentals (sign up here for £25 off your first booking!), or you can even choose a more adventurous sleeping spot and pitch up a tent at the camping grounds close to the airport.

Whatever your budget, there’s an option to suit it – although it’s worth bearing in mind that ‘cheap’ in Svalbard still feels a lot more expensive than elsewhere in the world.

Also an important quirk to remember about life in Svalbard: once you enter any hotel, guesthouse or hostel, you’ll be expected to take off your shoes. This tradition dates back to the old coal mining days where residents wanted to avoid spreading coal dust everywhere; now, you’ll see a big shoe-rack inside virtually every Svalbard business’s doorway. Unlace your boots and get used to wandering around in your socks!

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My top tip? Make sure to book your accommodation in Svalbard as early as possible. Not only will rooms be cheaper, there’s also the possibility that hotels and hostels will sell out months in advance, particularly in the summer.

High-end and luxury hotels in Longyearbyen

Tourists arrive in Svalbard either by air or sea, so the fanciest hotels are right in the centre of Longyearbyen, close to the port. These properties all have restaurants onsite, employ concierges who will happily organise all your tours and activities around the island, and will essentially take very good care of you.

The Radisson Blu Polar Hotel

The only hotel run by an international chain in Svalbard is the Radisson Blue Polar Hotel. A lot of travellers automatically choose the Blu Polar if they’ve already used and enjoyed Radisson hotels elsewhere in the world, and it’s also the base for many of the tour groups passing through Svalbard.

Now, I’ve never stayed at a Radisson (my backpacker budget doesn’t allow for it!) but when I visited the Blu Polar I was happily surprised at its lack of ‘uppity’ attitude. The hotel is stylish and modern, with low slanted roofs, warm ambient lighting and a gorgeous interior. I spent a happy afternoon at the Radisson Blu Polar with some friends from the expedition ship: we sat in the hotel bar watching sports (not my choice!), eating pizza and drinking beer.

Check availability at the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel | Prices start from £134pp 

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The Funken Lodge (formerly the Spitsbergen Hotel)

The Funken Lodge hotel was originally constructed back in 1947 as accommodation for employees at ‘Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani’ (a Norwegian coal mining company). After a big refurb in 2018 it’s now a tastefully designed place which looks a little like a Swiss lodge from the outside, and sits on a little hill – the height of which provides fantastic views!

I paid a quick visit to the Funken Lodge when a tour bus I was on dropped some passengers here, which gave me a chance to wander into the Funktionærmessen restaurant and gaze through the full-length windows to the snowy mountains beyond. There were guests sipping hot chocolate and it felt like a really cosy place to stay; especially as it’s set a little bit away from the main town, so it feels like you’re in a secluded spot.

Funken Lodge has a conference space for business guests, as well as a gym, sauna and library – but it’s apparently also really kid-friendly. Top marks go to whoever thought up serving fresh waffles to the guests every afternoon!

The Lodge is set back from Longyearbyen town centre, but there are shuttles which transport guests there and back. Alternatively it takes about fifteen minutes to walk.

Book a room at the Funken Lodge | Prices start at £130pp

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Hotel Svalbard | The Vault

The Vault hotel is right in the middle of town, a stone’s throw from the Kroa restaurant and close to the red-roofed Svalbard Kirke church. It opened in February 2018 so The Vauilt is a new edition to the Longyearbyen hotel scene. It’s simple, sleek and efficient: 35 compact rooms (mainly doubles, but there are a few single rooms too). They offer a breakfast buffet each morning and there’s a sushi restaurant in the basement.

Hotel Svalbard The Vault is inspired by the Global Seed Vault situated just outside of Longyearbyen (a huge cold storage vault where the world’s seeds are kept). The hotel has lots of information about the vault for guests to read.

Another lovely feature at The Vault is a video display which, throughout the four month darkness over winter, shows the number of days, hours and minutes until the sun comes back!

Book a room at the Hotel Svalbard | The Vault | Prices start at £130pp

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Mid-range guesthouses in Longyearbyen

In Svalbard, ‘mid-range’ accommodation should be taken with a grain of salt as they’re still pretty expensive. However, the places in this section have more of a unique and individual atmosphere.

Basecamp Trapper’s Lodge, Spitsbergen

Basecamp is an homage to the historical trapper’s lodge it’s built in: the hotel features furniture made from driftwood and it’s decorated with old sealskins, artwork and maps from Arctic history.

The sixteen rooms are each decorated individually, and they can accommodate forty people in total. In keeping with the trapper lodge theme there are no TVs – but the ‘Cognac Attic’ has a glass ceiling for guests to view either the northern lights or the midnight sun, and there’s a pub and restaurant just next door.

The Basecamp Trapper’s Lodge is run by ‘Basecamp Explorer’, a company which operates five different eco-lodges in Svalbard including ‘the North Pole Camp’, a tented camp which changes location; a trapper’s old teepee hut amongst a hundred husky dogs; and the Isfjord Radio Hotel (mentioned later in this article).

Book a room at the Basecamp Trapper’s Lodge here | Prices from £120pp

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Mary-Ann’s Polar Rigg

From the moment you walk towards the wooden boat which fronts Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg, you know you’re heading somewhere unique.

These atmospheric apartments are located inside three rigs surrounding a courtyard. There’s the mining rig, with standard single and double rooms inside; the transportation rig, which houses both luxe rooms and the spa and sauna; and the luxury rig, home to the ultra-fancy Polar Suite (£657 a night, year round).

The Polarrigg’s common area has an open fire burning, comfy sofas and thick patterned rugs and carpets everywhere. Just outside, there’s a smoking shelter in an old red miner’s bus (and the outdoor hot tub is close by too!).

[Image: Bernt Rostad]

Breakfast in the Shang Po-lar dining room each morning includes waffles and a typical Norwegian spread of meats and cheese and breads (140NOK). Check out the museum-like artefacts on the walls which come from the early mining days in Svalbard.

But it’s dinner at the Polarrig which gets everyone talking. The gorgeous Vinterhagen Restaurant feels like you’ve stepped into a conservatory: there’s plants hanging everywhere, underfloor heating and full glass windows and roof! They serve Thai dishes as well as more locally inspired Norwegian and Arctic meals like reindeer steak, Arctic trout, cod tongue and whale tartar…

Like all the other hotels in Svalbard, the on-site restaurant isn’t just reserved for guests – so if you don’t book a night’s stay at the Polarrigg you can still enjoy an evening at Vinterhagen.

Book a room at Mary Ann’s Polarrigg | Prices start at £75pp

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Budget hostels in Longyearbyen

The budget options in Longyearbyen are the Coal Miner’s Cabins and Gjestehuset, both in a little area called Nybyen which is 2km from Longyearbyen’s centre (so it takes about half an hour to walk).

There’s plenty of transport available in Svalbard, although no public transit system. Instead, there are taxis and bus pick-ups for all tours, and a shuttle bus which gets you to the airport before your flight, or which drops you at your hotel from the airport.

Coal Miners Cabins

These two-storey buildings used to be barracks for the coal miners, but they’ve now been renovated into seventy bedrooms with eight shared bathrooms along the corridors. The hotel also has a main unit where the reception, restaurant and bar are all located.

The Coal Miners Cabins is a simple, clean hotel with a Norwegian breakfast buffet on offer every morning. The Coal Miner Grill is open to the public for lunch and dinner – it’s the original mess hall and was probably my favourite place to spend my evenings (they have delicious burgers and plenty of locally brewed beer on tap too).

One of the regulars at Coal Miners Grill is a stuffed polar bear named Nanook who props up the bar and hangs out with guests at their tables. Buy him a drink if you spot him!

If you’re trying to stick to a budget, the Coal Miners Cabins also has a kitchen with utensils, fridge and oven. There are travellers of all ages staying here as it’s probably the most reasonably priced place for what’s on offer!

Check availability at Coal Miner’s Cabins | prices start at £67pp

Gjestehuset 102, Svalbard

Opposite the Coal Miner’s Cabins is Gjestehuset 102, Longyearbyen’s only official hostel, which is also built inside a miner’s cabin. There are shared bathrooms and sixty one beds in total, spread throughout single rooms, double rooms and a few four-bed dorms: I stayed in a dorm and had plenty of space to store my sizeable suitcase, along with a sink and a mirror.

The price includes breakfast in the communal kitchen each morning – a lovely spread of cereals, toast, meat, cheese and salad – and there’s free coffee and tea available all day and night.

When I first arrived in Longyearbyen, fresh off my expedition ship, it was only 10am and I couldn’t check into my dorm room until 2pm. Luckily Gjesterhuset has a little communal room with a TV and comfy chairs where I happily hung out for a couple hours and caught up on all the internet I’d missed over the last week!

Gjesterhuset 102 is Longyearbyen’s cheapest accommodation option, but it’s a perfectly adequate place to stay. For meals you can either buy groceries in the local supermarket and store them in the fridge, or head to the Coal Miners Grill just opposite.

Book a room at Gjesterhuset 102 hostel | prices start at £40pp 

Camping in Svalbard

Most people visiting Svalbard choose to sleep indoors – but for some hardy travellers, camping outside in these stunning landscapes makes total sense.

You can open up your tent each morning to see reindeer grazing, terns swooping and the occasional Arctic fox scampering past. Just don’t forget your eye mask to block out the midnight sun!

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Longyearbyen Camping Ground

About 300 metres from the airport car park and down a steep track is Longyearbyen Camping. It’s effectively ‘on the tundra’: there’s a lagoon beside it which is popular with nesting Arctic terns, and reindeer and Arctic foxes both roam the area too.

This is Longyearbyen’s original camping site, set up in 1976 just after the Svalbard airport was opened and people began to wild camp in the area. The local government built a toilet and shower block plus a fully equipped kitchen and an outdoor fire pit for grilling, and it’s been popular ever since. Facilities are only open to the public when there’s no frost on the ground, but you can still theoretically camp here year-round – just bear in mind there’ll be no access to running water or electricity in that case!

You don’t have to lug all your camping gear to Svalbard, either— the site rents out tents, sleeping bags and insulation mats for use. Tent rental is 180 NOK (£18) per night, and it costs 150 NOK (£15) per person to stay at the site (children under 13 stay free of charge). There are also bikes to rent so you can cycle into the town centre.

Perhaps most wonderfully, anyone who stays at Longyearbyen Camping is also able to hang out with the Arctic Naked Bathing Club. If you want an official certificate and your name in the logbook, rules state that you have to both take a swim and dive into the Arctic sea without your clothes, and a staff member at the camping site has to watch you do it.

I did my own Arctic plunge in Svalbard and can guarantee it’s just as freezing and exhilarating as you’d imagine!

NB: If you’re planning to hire a tent, you’ll need to reserve it before arriving (just visit Longyearbyen Camping’s website for info). The camping site only accepts cash, but there are ATMs in Longyearbyen town centre if you need them.

Other places to stay on Svalbard

If you’re keen to explore the Russian side of Svalbard, Barentsburg and Pyramiden are fascinating places.

Both Russian mining settlements, they differ significantly: Barentsburg is home to around 500 Russian and Ukrainian coal miners and their families, while Pyramiden is effectively a ghost town – it was hurriedly abandoned in 1998 and the buildings have been left to the Arctic elements ever since.

Strangely enough, both settlements have two accommodation options on offer despite their differing populations. Pyramiden has the Hotel Tulpan and the Pier Hostel, while Barentsburg has the Hotel Barentsburg and the Pomor Hostel.

[Image: Kitty Terwolbeck]

Hotel Barentsburg

It’s cheaper to stay in Barentsburg than in Longyearbyen, so plenty of tourists find themselves at Hotel Barentsburg, a comfortable place (albeit a bit old-fashioned) with 43 rooms throughout the building’s four storeys.

There’s an onsite restaurant with a great view of the Grønfjord bay to the north and views of Olaf Mountain to the south. They serve up both European and Russian cuisine for breakfast (100 NOK), lunch (200 NOK), and dinner (150 NOK).

The Barentsburg Hotel is a great place to base yourself while exploring the Russian mining settlement. Tourist favourites include the Orthodox wooden church (recently restored), the famous Lenin statue (second northernmost in the world, as the top spot goes to a similar bust in Pyramiden), the Pomor Museum, and a small smattering of street art.

In the evenings, there are Russian shows in the theatre with folk songs and dances, and live music on the weekends – or the bar at Hotel Barentsburg has Russian cognac and vodka on offer.

Check for availability at Hotel Barentsburg | Prices start at £75pp

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Pomor Hostel, Barentsburg

Pomor Hostel is housed inside another classic-looking Soviet building. There are thirty rooms with seventy two beds in total for pretty reasonable prices: a twin room costs 600 NOK (£55/$70) and a triple room is 800 NOK (£74/$93).

Guests share bathrooms and shower cabins which are dotted along the corridors, and there are washing and drying machines which can be used for free too. There’s a kitchen attached to Pomor Hostel, but if you don’t fancy cooking then the Red Bear Pub & Brewery across the road serves meals and drinks.

Check for availability at Hostel Pomor | Prices start at £53pp

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Basecamp Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel

Welcome to the most isolated Svalbard hotel of all: the Basecamp Isfjord Radio Hotel.

As you might expect from its name, the Isfjord Radio Hotel is built inside a radio station which once linked the inhabitants of Svalbard with the Norwegian mainland. It’s 90km from Longyearbyen and extremely remote – but although it still looks rough on the outside, the Isfjord has been totally transformed within.

There’s a sauna with a panoramic view of the ocean, a library filled with Arctic literature, and restaurant which serves beautifully prepared food caught by one of the few remaining trappers in Svalbard. If you’ve ever wanted to re-live Svalbard’s traditional trapping days, this is where to do it.

The ‘adventure’ aspect of this luxury boutique hotel lies in the difficulty required to reach it: there’s no road connection, so you arrive either on dog sled in the winter or by boat in the summer (there are daily boat trips from both Barentsburg and Longyearbyen).

The Basecamp Isfjord Hotel also offers a weekly adventure program with expert guides who take guests on birdwatching expeditions and wildlife spotting trips – searching for seals, whales and even polar bears.

Check for availability at Isfjord Radio Hotel | Prices start at £209pp

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The Tulpan Hotel, Pyramiden

Have you ever wanted to spend the night in the northernmost ghost town in the world? If your answer is a resounding, “YES!” then you’re in luck: Pyramiden’s original Tulpan Hotel is open to guests from March to October, and it’s one of the few operational buildings left in Pyramiden, Svalbard’s abandoned Russian mining settlement.

The Tulpan Hotel has 24 twin rooms – some in a modern design and some more Soviet-style – and guests can stay for full or half board. There’s a restaurant on the first floor which serves breakfast (150 NOK), lunch (250 NOK) and dinner (200 NOK).

As you might expect in an abandoned town with less than a dozen residents, the hotel bar is open until 2am – and they have a LOT of vodka.

Prices from £75pp for a Soviet-style single room | Check for availability at the Hotel Tulpan

Read more: exploring the abandoned Arctic town of Pyramiden

The Pier Hostel, Pyramiden

For Pyramiden visitors on a tighter budget, there’s a rudimentary accommodation choice at the Pier Hostel,  just beside the port. Inside three cabins they have twelve bunk beds on offer, along with a shower, toilet and electric stove. The Pier Hostel is probably akin to sleeping inside a shipping container, but still has the necessities – and the location offers a stunning view of the fjord and the Nordenskiöld glacier in the distance.

For 300 NOK you’ll get a bed with included bed linen. Tip: It’s better value to book the whole cabin! If you stay at the Pier Hostel you can order your meals up at Hotel Tulpan (a 10 to 15 minute walk away) but you’ll need a gun to fend off unexpected polar bears (seriously – it’s the law).

Book a room at Pier Hostel | Prices start at £28pp

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[phhotels-blog]

7 Things To Do In Alabang That Make The South Equally Fun as The North

With sprawling food hub choices, booming industries for business, and first-rate hotels in Alabang, there’s no denying that it’s one of the country’s best alternatives for go-to hangout places. Being a short distance from Manila also helps making it a good choice for barkada night outs and jamming sesh. But for some weird reason, we think of it as farther south than it actually is.

A melting pot of various things to enjoy, Alabang offers several activities from the mundane to the exciting. Here are 7 things you can do in Alabang that would make you agree to pay that extra toll money.

1. Food Trip

From uppity up restaurants to holes-in-the-wall, Alabang has a very wide selection for food options. We might’ve just been dismissing it because we think it’s too far out, but this urban piece of Muntinlupa offers gastronomic gems that are sure to satiate your foodie souls. Among the best to try are The Black Pig, Neil’s Kitchen, and Burger Geek.

2. Physical Wellness

Apart from food hubs, Alabang also features a lot of different gyms that cater to a variety of market. Go for traditional workouts at places like Slimmers World, Golds Gym, and Fitness First, or opt for customized workout places like the Hit Arena and L3F Kettlebell Gym. They even have badminton places and martial arts camps for those who like to sweat it out differently.

3. Music & Entertainment

Treat your auditory nerves to some good music at Alabang. Attend live gigs and enjoy free band performances as you take a sip of that cocktail. The city is also home to the Filinvest Open grounds, the official venue of the annual music fest Wanderland. Apart from this, several malls like Alabang Town Center, Molito, and Festival Mall holds regular shows you can enjoy.

4. Party Venues

Whether it’s a wholesome kiddie party, or one of those rather wild ones that we millennials enjoy, Alabang has something to offer that would definitely fit your liking. Several hotels around the area offer banquet halls that could fit a large party, while pubs and restobars like Vue Bar at the Bellevue also host some of the coolest parties in the area.

5. Hotels for Staycations

One of the highly urbanized cities in the south, Alabang is home to the best hotels and luxury accommodations near Manila. With many Alabang hotel promos on the internet, you’ll surely find something affordable, yet will give you the highs and convenience of city living. Treat yourself to a nice staycation and relax in a developed yet less congested metropolis.

6. Bazaars and Retail Shops

Good finds don’t only exist in Baclaran or Divisoria. Go around Alabang and score some pretty affordable yet awesome stuff from accessories to clothes. Nestled on the outskirts of its commercial areas, village bazaars and warehouse sales can be found. Try venturing to these places and score pretty good deals with trendy clothes and other awesome finds.

7. Pamper Sessions

There’s no better way to relieve yourself of the stresses of life than to go on an all out pamper session. Whether you need a skin expert or just looking for a place to have your hair or nails done, there’s surely something for you in Alabang. Book a reservation at any of the spas they have at Molito or ATC and leave the establishment as your confidently beautiful self.

These are but some of the things you can enjoy in the south. Try giving it a shot and you’ll find out there’s a lot more to do here that’s equally fun as the North. Explore its awesome attractions and have a dose of a city life that offers the familiar comforts of rural living. Finally, retreat at one of the available hotels in Alabang and cap off the day with an indulgent rest.

[oselatra]

Natives Guide: West Little Rock

Chains, yes, but parks and puppies, too.

While it's tempting for the Hillcrest/Stifft Station/Heights crowd to see West Little Rock — which we're defining as anything west of Interstate 430, from the Arkansas River in the north to Interstate 30 in the south — as a white-flight wasteland of rich folks, ritzy burbs, big box stores and bland strip malls, there's actually a lot going on in terms of what you can see, eat and do. Like a lot of Little Rock neighborhoods, West Little Rock has seen exponential growth in recent years, and not just the amoeba-like blob of gated communities that seems intent on stretching ever-westward toward the horizon until it finally pinches off and forms an uppity new city called Chenal. There's plenty to eat, see, drink, buy and do out there, so don't let your fear of appearing bougie keep you from exploring.

While I'm loathe to recommend too many chains, they're a lot of what West Little Rock is about, so I'll make my one genuflection to our corporate overlords first thing in the morning, with a plug for breakfast at La Madeleine (12210 W. Markham), the Little Rock outlet of the country-French restaurant chain. One can only imagine the shade an actual, Gauloises-smoking Parisian would throw at La Madeline, with its precious decor and employees who give a Southern-fried "Bonjour!" to folks when they walk in the door, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an underappreciated breakfast spot with a big menu featuring quiches, pillowy croissants, crepes, omelets, egg dishes and some of the best coffee around, all of it reasonably priced. Definitely recommended if you're not in the mood for IHOP.

Once you've gotten breakfast out of the way, there's plenty of shopping to do in West Little Rock. If you're at all geeky, be sure to check out Game Goblins (1121 S. Bowman Road). It's the area's largest retailer of card games, role-playing games and board games, with over 6,000 square feet of nerd heaven, plus a constantly updated slate of tournaments and tabletop gaming get-togethers to help gamers break out of their Xbox-driven isolation and be among the living again. Hit its website, gamegoblins.com, for more information about selection and events. If you've spent too much on Dungeons and Dragons by then but still need some stuff, head on out to Goodwill (16924 Cantrell Road). While there are other Goodwill stores in Little Rock, this is clearly the goodest Goodwill, featuring higher-end donations from the surrounding neighborhoods to create a constantly circulating selection of sturdy furniture, cute clothes and shoes, kitchen items and accessories. (There's another good 'un at 9700 N. Rodney Parham.)

By then, you might be ready for lunch. If you want to try to eat your weight in sushi without having to take out a second mortgage, Tokyo House (11 Shackleford Drive) is a good place to try. Featuring a big, fresh sushi buffet and a separate hot bar of Asian-inspired dishes like dumplings, baked fish, fried rice, tempura shrimp and more, it's quite a few clicks in quality above your standard strip- mall Chinese buffet, but at a similar price point, which makes it twice as nice. If you'd rather go Latin (and have a designated driver so you can enjoy a few margaritas) try the ever-popular Local Lime (17809 Chenal Parkway), a Yellow Rocket Concepts eatery. Fresh, chic and friendly, Local Lime features upscale takes on tacos, fajitas and salads. Co-starring at Local Lime are the drinks, including several different styles of margaritas. If you've got room after all that, head on over to celebrated pie shop Honey Pies (315. N. Bowman Road). Featuring lovingly baked pies in a seasonally rotating variety of flavors, it's the perfect place to quiet a sweet tooth.

If there's some wiggle room on your credit card by then, go spend a few hours strolling The Promenade at Chenal (17711 Chenal Parkway), the high-end shopping extravaganza featuring stores such as footwear haven DSW, the technology money pit that is the area's only Apple Store and quirky, locally owned shops such as Saggio Olive Oils and Vinegars (which sells, yep, you guessed it, high-end olive oils and vinegars by the pint or gallon). It's a great place to lose a few hours and some of your disposable income.

If all that shameless indulgence in capitalism leaves you feeling a bit empty and lonely, seek some unconditional love at the Humane Society of Pulaski County animal shelter (14600 Colonel Glenn Road), where dozens of cats, kittens, dogs and puppies are up for adoption to the right owners. After that, unless a trip to the pet store for toys and kibble is in order, try one of the several excellent parks out west, including Two Rivers Park or Pinnacle Mountain State Park. With plenty of great views and beautiful paved and unpaved walking trails, either is perfect for burning off the excess calories or spending a moment pondering life's mysteries.

The meaning of life then discerned, head for a meal at The Pantry (11401 N. Rodney Parham), chef Tomas Bohm's phenomenal Czech and German restaurant. It's open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday. Featuring a stunning (and stunningly delicious) variety of scratch-made soups, sausages, cheese plates, sandwiches, burgers, flatbreads and more, it's definitely one of the better dining experiences in all of Little Rock. If good ol' home cookin' is more your speed, try Franke's Cafeteria (11121 N. Rodney Parham) just up the street. Opened as a bakery in 1919, Franke's transformed in 1924 into a downtown cafeteria and it's been dishing up simple favorites ever since, including roast beef, fried chicken, liver and onions, candied sweet potatoes, eggplant casserole, fried okra and more. If a steak is more to your liking, another fairly old-line Little Rock joint in West Little Rock is The Butcher Shop (10825 Hermitage Road). Opened in 1982, the temple to carnivorousness has built a well-deserved following around a simple formula of serving up great appetizers, hand-cut steaks grilled over hickory charcoal and slow-roasted prime rib.

West Little Rock happens to have several stellar places for nightlife. If you're looking for a cozy joint to have a beer and a friendly chat in a place where everybody will soon know your name, head to Khalil's Pub and Grill (110 S. Shackleford Road). Be sure to talk a friend into riding the mustache-shaped teeter-totter with you while you're there. For something a bit more upscale with maybe a little food on the side, head to the sleek Petit and Keet (1620 Market St.). Featuring a menu chock-full of goodies like artisanal cheeses, shrimp and cheese grits, succotash and burgers, plus a drink menu of innovative cocktails, Petit and Keet has deservedly landed at the top of a lot of local "Best Bars" lists. Another great West Little Rock option for blowing off some late-night steam is Thirst N' Howl Bar and Grill (1710 Cantrell), the popular watering hole named for the snooty rich guy on "Gilligan's Island." It features live music Wednesday through Saturday nights.

Or if you're eager to take the party home, a West Little Rock shopping trip is incomplete without a visit to booze mecca Colonial Wines & Spirits (11200 W. Markham St.), Central Arkansas's most well-stocked liquor store.

Natives Guide: West Little Rock

[junker-town]

Meet the people behind a growing NFL boycott

‘Being black is bigger than watching football’

Before the regulars started to flood the pub and libations were passed around, a man stood behind the bar and stared at CNN. By 7 p.m. on this August night he was in a media-created daze. To him, he was alone. Just Kenny Johnson and the tube.

Johnson, the owner of the Bureau Bar in Chicago’s South Loop, was watching the dust settle at America’s latest football protest. Commentators spoke of the thousands who gathered on a Manhattan street, protesting the alleged blackballing of Colin Kaepernick by NFL teams.

Johnson had wondered for weeks what he could do to stand with Kaepernick. He wanted to clearly show his bars — he also owns Velvet Lounge nearby in the South Loop — would not support a league that so obviously didn’t care for the black people he employed or the values he held.

He decided on a boycott. Johnson got a graphic made that night. Johnson slapped some crude red bars across the league’s symbol to symbolize his dissent. It went up on Instagram, then Facebook. His two bars, a pebble's throw from Soldier Field, in the heart of Chicago, wouldn’t show the game. Johnson thought it was a success that Wednesday. Until the phones starting ringing.

“Shit, Thursday morning everybody started calling,” he said. “We’ve gotten a lot of hate. People bitching and screaming: ‘You ain’t shit.’ ‘Your bar ain’t shit.’ ‘You’re going to lose a lot of business.’ ‘We’re going to buy your bar when you’re done.’ ‘You should keep politics out of your bar business.’”

Johnson lets out an awkward laugh.

“Are we going to take a hit? Yeah, we’ll take a hit,” Johnson said. “But it’s not about the money we could make, it’s about what’s right and what’s wrong.”

This is a common refrain from people who’ve joined Johnson’s ranks. Heading into Year 2 of national protests in the NFL, these people have come together to attack the league for Kaepernick’s continued unemployment and in support of athletes continuing his stand.

The continued boycotting from Chicago to Brooklyn to Huntsville, Ala., is a response to the belief the NFL is ignoring a part of its audience and what they care about. For Johnson, that’s the awareness Kaepernick has brought to issues facing black America, whether it’s police brutality or racial injustice.

The boycotts ask: How can a league sell entertainment to black audiences, when the black men playing in it aren’t truly allowed to have a voice?

“The fact that they’re not letting him do his job for what he stood up for is more important for us,” Johnson said. “I can’t promote NFL football when they don’t want to hire a qualified African-American that protested something he believes in. Why would I try to drive business my way off of you when you don’t respect what this guy is doing.”

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One of the first times this movement caught national eyes was when Gerald Griggs, the vice president of Atlanta’s NAACP, made a bold declaration.

“There will be no football in the state of Georgia if Colin Kaepernick is not on a training camp roster and given an opportunity to pursue his career,” Griggs said in an August press conference. "This is not a simple request. This is a statement. This is a demand.”

Spurned by the events in Charlottesville, Griggs saw an America that was being forced to reckon with itself. He saw an America, one that black citizens have seen and experienced for decades, being questioned.

Griggs specifically saw it in football. The Kaepernick Effect was spreading even with his unemployment: Players, black and white, were still taking measures to fight for what Kaepernick knelt for.

To Griggs, it gave him a moment to call for boycotting the league. The NFL, he said, is at an impasse with its fans. Until that’s resolved, protests involving boycotting are just the beginning.

“The NFL is a national pastime. If they truly want to embrace unity and foster cohesiveness, they need to understand there are two distinct sides of this conversation and both have to be addressed,” Griggs said.

Moments like his led to others. A #NoKaepernickNoNFL petition on Change.org started by 32-year-old Vic Oyedeji has grabbed more than 175,000 signatures to boycott the league. Huntsville pastor Debleaire Snell’s NFL Black0ut group reported over 7 million have viewed their videos and social postings about blacking out the league.

Gloria Blake, an owner of Brooklyn Blew Smoke, a popular cigar lounge, is turning her space into a forum for conversations on race and protest instead of hosting NFL games. Najee Ali, a Los Angeles activist, is doing non-violent actions with the National Action Network in front of Chargers and Rams games.

Even if Kaepernick doesn’t become employed, the argument goes, the quarterback can’t become a football exile for speaking out about issues people of color face daily as Americans.

“Freedom of expression is at stake,” Snell said. “As owners and GMs discuss this, they talk about it as an ancillary issue. No, this is an American issue. It’s not a side issue. It’s the issue facing African-Americans in this generation.”

Blake said: “It’s almost as if it’s asking us to separate who we are and what we believe. There’s no right way of doing this. There’s no violence. There’s no disrespect. The reality we have to expect as a people is that as long as we are willing to resist, it’s going to be considered inappropriate.”

Griggs laid it out differently. It’s not just about unemployment. It’s also about discrimination. And the players still employed by the league, Griggs said, need to consider if football is more important than standing for what’s right.

“They need to think about what their legacy is going to be and where they stood in the new Civil Rights Movement,” Griggs said. “It’s time to send a message and the message is: We will have equality now. Not later. If it needs to be Sunday evening when the world is watching, so be it.”

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Protest and boycott have threatened professional football in this country before. In 1965, just a year after the Civil Rights Act had de-segregated seating at the Sugar Bowl, black players came to New Orleans for the AFL All-Star Game. The AFL assured players nothing would be amiss.

Then black players ended up stranded at airports. By the time they got to the city, they were refused cab service. If they acquired rides, cabbies dropped them off miles from their hotels. Some were refused admittance to clubs and restaurants. Two dozen black players threatened to walk and the league moved the game to Houston.

Before the AFL boycott, fans had picketed and boycotted the NFL because Washington’s football team had refused to sign a black player. It became so contentious that Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall refused to go to games until the NAACP stopped picketing.

Knowing the league has experienced these disputes before, Snell, the Alabaman pastor, finds it odd more and more conservative or right-leaning voices think football should be apolitical. His argument is: It never was.

“There’s always been a merger between sports and politics in the history of the United States,” Snell said. “We sometimes paint this as a narrative that protesting is about the flag or veterans. The truth is: [Kaepernick] knelt, specifically, to bring attention to the fact that there is a chasm between our ideals as a society and our practice as a society.”

The wrath from anonymously quoted team personnel and owners at fan forums rebuking protest in their league is another issue boycotters are hoping to address. As outlined in a policy proposition by the United We Stand Coalition after their New York rally, protesters and boycotters want to create an atmosphere in the league where players aren’t punished for protest.

Oyedeji, the man who started the viral petition to blackout the league, said if players continued to get shunned by owners for kneeling for black or brown lives, that’s a direct insult to their stance.

“If you keep seeing stories of folks protesting, if we keep talking about it, something will have to give,” he said. “Either they sign Kaepernick or they protect the players from punishment if they want to partake in social activism. The NFL has to do something.”

Ali, the Los Angeles organizer, offered a common phrase about the NFL in this climate.

"The NFL is a form of the modern-day plantation," Ali said. "They're treating Kaepernick like a runaway slave, making him an example so other players get the message: Do not get too uppity or we will blackball you.”

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to measure if these boycotts or protests will do anything to affect the behemoth the NFL has become, whether in sales, ratings or by forcing the league to have to comment.

An NFL spokesperson said in August the league was looking to set up meetings with groups that have reached out. Despite these offers, which protesting groups say have been non-committal on the league’s part, Oyedeji’s problem with the NFL stems from their alienation of paying customers.

Still, like many, he didn’t have an answer to what happens next.

“When is this gonna end? I don’t know. I’m just like you, I’m staying tuned to see what happens,” he said. “These protests brought light to the fact that many people are willing to not watch the games. So, at least, I’m happy.”

Snell and his collection of pastors plan to continue an action program that calls for abstaining from viewing the league, buying merchandise, and playing fantasy football. Every morning at 6 a.m. they’re going to kneel and pray for their communities, mimicking Kaepernick. On Sundays before service, they plan to take time to mentor black boys and girls in their church’s communities.

The need to boycott the league has never been stronger, Snell said.

“We need to send a resounding message that says if the NFL is going to gloss over to issues germane to this fan base, they need to know we can organize and leverage our dollars to influence and affect change,” he said. “It’s a gross miscalculation to assume our loyalties are absolute. Certain rights can’t be trespassed on without ramifications.”

In a gentrifying Brooklyn, the boycotts make sense to Blake, the cigar lounge owner. Like Johnson, she’s not concerned about the loss of business because of her desire not to show football. She’s willing to make sacrifices if it means inching closer to equality.

All of this comes with risk. She understands that. Her stable business could be hurt, just as Johnson’s bars in Chicago might. Yet, she couldn’t ignore her customers’ calls for action, she said. She felt compelled to do whatever was in her power.

Boycotting the NFL is only one small part of the fight for racial justice. In a decade peppered with protest and calls for black lives to matter, Blake understands she is only a small part of this movement. It’s essential to her, though, that she stands on the right side of history. Because, to be quiet during a time of turmoil, is to be complicit in the continued oppression she hopes to disrupt.

“There’s a revelation of the state of this country that has come to a head and needs to be addressed. We can’t keep turning our back to the call for basic human rights,” she said.

“At this moment, being black is bigger than watching football. I can say that without hesitation.”