#West End Overlook Park

[newtownpentacle]

So, the sun rose again

Monday – photo by Mitch Waxman Recent endeavor found a humble narrator waking up at 5 in the morning and then driving over to the West End Overlook Park, in Pittsburgh’s Eliot section, for sunrise. A new lens has been acquired, one which finally replaces my old Sigma 18-300mm Superzoom that was a ‘go-to’ on my older camera. The Sigma was a ‘crop sensor’ lens, so adapting it onto my current…

[aheathen-conceivably]

Far atop the dusty downtown of Strangerville stood what felt like a different world. During the decades of the gold rush Eastern settlers had flooded the town and the settlements around it, displacing the people of the land even further as they dug into it for their own ends. The ones who succeeded ended up here, in Shady Acres, where they could look atop the empire they drilled into the ground.

Now, most of the houses sat abandoned, left to the disrepair of time and the harsh desert sands as the promise of ever greater riches took their owners further West to California and Oregon. There were little signs of life on the streets other than a lone truck making its way up the hillside, inhabited by two people who still weren’t quite comfortable being alone together anymore.

Gio directed Jo to pull to the edge of the cliff face, overlooking the town they had just driven from. She struggled to get the turn just right, but it was better than her other practice attempts, so he gave her a quiet smile of approval as she shifted the gear into park. Even from inside the metal truck they could hear the wind howling. It had been their constant companion on these near silent journeys up this road the past few weeks. 

He knew that the road further West was filled with places like this, miles and miles of winding curves and jaw dropping heights that would take a steady hand on the wheel. Antoine had taken one look inside the car and immediately refused to learn how to drive it. So burying whatever remaining fears and anger he had deep inside, Gio had gotten in the passenger seat with Jo and offered to teach her how to drive.

With every lesson, he knew that he was essentially giving her the tools she needed to leave him, the one thing he had been so afraid of that he was willing to lie and cheat to prevent it from happening. Now he felt like all he could do was sit by hope every inch he gave or silent acquiescence would serve to bind her closer to him rather than push her further away. Still in the back of his mind his fears kept nagging, so much so that as the day for her to leave came closer he couldn’t stay quiet anymore.

The wind kept howling, threatening to drown out his voice as he reached toward her. “Jo, mi raccomando…”

She braced herself for the same apology about his lie over the loan that she already had memorized. What more did he want her to say? She had stayed, hadn’t she? Stayed outwardly for Violette but really, quietly and inwardly, for all of them. Because she loved them all, but more than anything, because she loved him.

Only how was she supposed to tell him that? That she had fought back every instinct to leave so that she could stay with him, even if the price to pay to do so was that she would never trust him again. Because he had shown her that she had been wrong about him. He could hurt her, just as well as any other man she had ever known could. Except now that she had let him inside, now that she loved him, he could hurt her all the more. So she had to compensate somehow, to regain some sort of ground to stand on or she would be left weak to him doing it all over again.

“You don’t need to answer, okay?” Her head stayed turned just as he knew it would, and her hand went to the wheel as though the steady the car from the roar of the desert wind. It grew stronger as his voice grew more emotional, shaking the car and whipping across the top of the mesa.

“I can’t make you forgive me for any of what happened, but I’m sorry I didn’t support you and Antoine going on tour, or even really put you in the position where you could have chosen to do it for yourself and not to save us from some choice I made. I just…every time you walk out the door I’m afraid you won’t come home, that you’ll find someone or something else and I’ll never see you again.”

The sun was hitting directly in her eyes, mingling there with the stinging of tears that she tried her hardest to hold back. Only it was too bright, and she couldn’t possibly fight it, so one small tear after another rolled down her face while she stayed staring at it.

Whatever else he said after that was inconsequential as she let the sunbeams dry her unexpected tears; because he had already broken through her carefully constructed armor, made brittle by anger, restlessness, and love. But he couldn’t know that, or it would make everything she had done up to this point meaningless. The portion of the farm that was now hers, betraying Antoine, Zelda’s pained resolve, Violette’s angry confusion. She endured it all in some effort to regain control and hope for her own life; only it was so tenuous that she was convinced a few stray tears could undermine it all, so she made sure her face was completely dry before she turned to face him.

By the time she did so he had gone quiet and only a sliver of his profile could be seen. The rest of him was pretending to study the desert landscape, visibly struggling to adhere to his promise that he wouldn’t speak again until she answered him.

As it always did in moments like this, his vulnerability astounded her. He had meant every word he said, and he had spoken them without pause, trusting her to meet him halfway despite her track record of never having done so before. He had signed over a portion of his lease with a clenched fist only to climb into the passenger seat of his own truck, giving patient instructions with an anxious edge as she drove them further and further from town. Every choice he had made was in pursuit of some twisted idea of love, all the while she was guided by some nebulous idea of strength, the undeniable compulsion to never feel trapped again even if her own love had tried to temper it time and time again.

Jo reached over to touch his face and turn it toward her own. He gave no hesitation as he leaned into her touch, no questions and no judgement for the streaks on her face that must have still been visible from up so close. “Gio, look at me. I’m going to come home, okay?”

She left out that she wished this wasn’t home, some place she had no connection to or hope for, one filled with harsh desert winds barely keeping failed dreams afloat. A land of drought and struggle so incessant that it had almost worn down even her will. Some days it still felt like it was trying to accomplish what it nearly had when she was afloat in that bed, miserable and useless.

But shielded from it all inside the confines of his truck, with only his earnest expression and kind but well worn hands to anchor her down, suddenly it did feel like home. Or at least he did. So in a rare moment, she spoke without a single ounce of pretense or calculation, letting the need to keep herself in control float away on the howling wind. “I promise you, I’m always going to come home. No matter what.”

[mapping-elysium]

Postcards

Le Jardin '21

This laminated post card offers a glimpse across the river. A little more than a decade after the war, the eastern bank is already fully renovated. The hillsides are lush with gardens and residences, someone's parked a small beige airship by the fountain. This postcard will sell for a pretty penny.

Grand Couron '37

This postcard depicts an ill-advised residential area overlooking the Jamrock Quarter. 13-story buildings line the hillside like sarcophagi, an ominous fog already rising from behind. These are the last boom years -- in '39 the project fails catastrophically, leaving behind an opiate and hepatitis B infested slum.

Martinaise '98

A faded picture postcard from the end of the last century shows Martinaise as was before the Revolution. It's the height of summer, Rue de Saint-Ghislaine is teeming with parasol-wielding bourgeoisie and Wild Pines flags buttress the walkway. Nothing is written on the back.

Couron '33

This one has 'HELL' written on its back. It could not be further from the truth. It's the boom years, and Couron, the nicest district in Revachol West, is enjoying a sun drenched day. Tall and handsome buildings rise from the riverside: steel, iron and yellow limestone, with cloud shadows sliding on the facades.

Boogie Street '46

This crumpled up postcard depicts an open air market in Boogie Street ~5 years ago. A vendor smiles as dead roosters line his stalls -- hung by their feet from canopy. Red blood flows onto the muddy street, blurry shadows of people pass

[tangerine-dream-machine]

do you wanna see the west with me?

Notes below!

This is not a realistic road trip at all, but here are the places/activities shown:

Yorktown Battlefield, Virginia: the site where General Cornwallis surrendered in 1781, bringing the end of the Revolutionary War

Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: the famous bell with the message "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof", and later a symbol of liberty for abolitionists and suffragists

Drive-in theater: outdoor cinemas that reached their peak in popularity in the 1950s to 60s; the film is The Searchers (1956)

Kayaking: a fun lake/ocean activity

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: this trail crosses nine states and follows the forced displacement of Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Muscogees, and Seminoles due to the Indian Removal Act in 1830

Traffic (and billboards): a bane to many and common in car-dependent cities

Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi: one of the oldest cemeteries in the US still being used; predates the Civil War and includes a Confederate burial site

Devil's Tower, Wyoming: a majestic (and sacred) butte and the first US national monument

Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah: a flat, empty salt pan estimated to hold 147 million tons of salt and a popular racing site

Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: a geyser in the world's first national park known for its reliable eruptions

Gas station, Nowhere, USA

Horseback riding, Montana: no comment, just a fun time

Las Vegas, Nevada: the world renowned Sin City, a place that caters to many vices

Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, North Dakota: group of missile defense facilities including missile silos and the pyramid-shaped radar system; built in 1975 and decommissioned after one day of operation, a "monument to man's fear and ignorance"

Hoover Dam, Nevada and Arizona: hydroelectric power plant on the Colorado River; the highest dam in the world at the time of its completion in 1935

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington: an observation tower with a revolving restaurant built for the 1962 World Fair "Living in the Space Age", a theme chosen to show the US was not lagging behind the USSR in the Space Race

Sequoia National Park, California: home of the world's largest tree by volume (General Sherman) and the highest point in the contiguous US (Mount Whitney)

Muir Beach Overlook, California: a former base station overlook with dugouts that gained importance immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 as a means to watch for attacks on nearby San Francisco

@usukweek

[cumikering]

Hesh x reader

3.8k | fluff, fix it, doggos After the war, Hesh started over, one walk with Riley at a time (part 2)

Gabriel Rorke died with the sinking train that July afternoon. The kinetic rods raining over the horizon marked the start of a new world.

Hesh’s chest pounded as medic surrounded him. Each inch of his body sore as agony radiated from his abdomen in pangs, the Chilean sand grated against his skin. But with Logan next to him, even that it was just the two of them now, he knew things could be alright again.

He managed a smile through the blinding pain as his eyes fluttered.

At least he could rest now. Finally. After 10 years with the weight on his shoulders.

Sometimes Hesh stared out his apartment window, overlooking the neighbourhood park. Not often, but on nights when it was too silent, when his bed was too big and too cold… When his ribs felt like they were unfurling for his pleading heart to flee, he let his mind wander back to that fateful day.

The plunge of the derailed train into the ocean should have killed him - three of them. At the very least, the .44 Magnum bullet shot point blank was supposed to when it hit his armour and broke his ribs from the impact.

He was supposed to be dead, like Rorke was. He, too, should have been extracted by recon from the wreck and shipped back to San Diego in a body bag.

But he didn’t, and the mighty sun still rose in the East, and set in the West.

With the end of the war, the country crawled back to its feet. Back to normal. The real normal, pre-Federation. Nothing was going to erase history, but the city stood taller and prouder each day.

It still felt like a dream that a year ago, California wasn’t more than a wasteland. That the streets and landmarks he knew as a child were nothing but rubble and dust in endless craters.

Now, there were parks, restaurants and communities. Things he couldn’t imagine ever seeing again in his lifetime, let alone in such a short time. The country was healing, and so were the hearts of its citizens.

But that night was one of those nights again. He didn’t worry though - there was nothing his comfort food couldn’t remedy.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said to Riley, curled at the foot of his bed, before heading to the food truck lot.

Hesh brisk-walked through the park back to his apartment, warm and perfectly crisp loaded hashbrowns with lemonade from his favourite food truck in hand.

When he spotted a woman with her dog headed towards him, he slowed. It was a massive rottweiler, panting happily as he strolled next to you, leash slack.

He smiled at the sight. What could he say? He loved dogs, especially well-trained ones.

As you got closer, the dog’s brown eyes zeroed in on him - typical for dogs to be alert of their surroundings. What he didn’t expect as they passed each other though, was for the canine to charge at him, smacking the bag and cup out of his hand with his snout.

You gasped. Yanking the beast’s leash, keeping it away from the mess of his drink, now pathetically splattered on the ground.

“I am so sorry!” Your eyes cut to him, before squatting to salvage the bag and handing it to him.

He inspected his meal, thankfully still contained in the box albeit jumbled up from the tumble.

You picked up the empty cup and looked over at your dog. “Colin! Look what you’ve done!” you scolded.

The culprit immediately stopped pulling and sat next to you, pushing his forehead against your thigh as he let out a whimper.

“No, don’t apologise to me.”

The dog trotted over in silence and did the same to Hesh. As confused as he was, he chuckled. He’d never met a dog like that.

“Did you get that from one of the food trucks? Please let me buy you a new one.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. It was an accident.”

“No, no. Please, we’re heading there too. Or if you don’t have the time, at least let me pay for the meal.”

He considered. Lemonade was an important part of his meal.

“I’m terribly sorry,” you said again, wincing. “He doesn’t usually do that.”

“It’s fine, really. My dog goes insane too whenever I get this,” he reassured, feeling bad about how remorseful you were. “I don’t know what kind of magical bacon they put in here.”

You smiled, turning to him. “You have a dog? What kind?”

“German Shepherd. His name’s Riley.”

“How cute! Do you take him here too?”

“Sometimes.” Almost never. With Riley getting enough exercise on base, he never had to take him on longer walks.

“I think I’d have remembered him if you do. I love German Shepherds.”

“You come here a lot then?”

You nodded. “I live nearby.”

You insisted on replacing his entire meal, and decided on one for yourself as you’d never tried the place before. As you ordered, Colin slipped between your legs, watching your six. When you moved to the side to wait for the order, your pet stayed vigilant as you mindlessly rubbed his head.

“He’s incredibly trained,” Hesh admired. “Can I pet-”

He didn’t even move an inch, but Colin looked up and growled at him.

You chuckled. “He needs time to warm up to strangers, hold on. Colin, let him pet you.”

The dog grumbled like a petulant child before sitting down with a huff, frozen, staring up at Hesh. It was concerning, its emptiness. If he had blue eyes, it would have been as unsettling as Keegan’s.

“Are you sure he’s not going to bite my hand off?” he asked, partly joking. “I don’t speak dog, but I’m pretty sure he just dissed me.”

You laughed. “He won’t, I promise. He’s the sweetest, see?” You scratched under his jaw, making him pant, tail swaying. When you retracted your hand, he slipped back to his composed stature and hard gaze.

He paused, considering how much he liked his hand. “You know what, maybe next time.”

You smiled. “No hard feelings.”

When your orders were up, you turned to Colin as you headed back thorough the park. “You’ll get a little piece later if you don’t smack it out of my hand, boy.”

“I was going to ask if you trained him,” Hesh said, this time holding onto his meal more securely.

“I did. My cousin is a trainer, and taught me how to.”

“I think you did a wonderful job.”

“Thank you, but it’s nothing special. I only taught him the basics, and.. Well, how to look mean when he needs to.” You chuckled. “He never bites, just snarls and barks at strangers if they’re too close. Enough to get people to back off. But he’s very social with other dogs.”

“Well, my point stands.”

“What about you, did you train Riley yourself?”

“No. He’s a military dog, so I was only responsible for a small part of it,” he said, before adding, “But I did teach him how to walk on his front legs, if that counts.”

You laughed. “I’d love to meet him sometime. Never met a K9 before, especially not one which does that.”

He beamed, liking the sound of your laughter. Crisp yet soft, genuine. He let his eyes linger on your side profile. You were more than pretty with your kind eyes and easy curl of your soft lips.

When you approached one of the park gates, you slowed to a stop.

“My place is this way.”

“Mine’s is still straight ahead,” he said, stuffing his hand in his pocket. “I’m He- David. David Walker. By the way.”

“Sorry again for the trouble, David. Enjoy dinner!”

“Yeah. Okay. See you around.”

After you turned, he made his way home with a small smile that kept him company.

The end of the war was a very welcomed change, but having only known destruction and losses his entire adult life, Hesh had taken some time getting used to the past year.

He was still a Lieutenant in the Army, still a part of Ghosts. While most of his teammates were older than him, they didn’t seem to find trouble adjusting back to life. Evidently, they had waited forever to carry on with their lives. Some of them wasted no time getting back into dating, few had even developed steady relationships.

Meanwhile, the older Walker brother only woke, went to work, took care of Riley before ending the day. Rinse and repeat. It was the only thing he knew. He had nothing to ‘get back to’. He hadn’t even used his government name for so long, he almost introduced himself as Hesh because no one called him David.

So it wasn’t weird that he wanted more at the ripe age of 29, right? Nor was it weird to walk Riley after work, surely?

For a week straight, he did, but never saw you again. It was then it occurred to him the late the hour you went the other day probably wasn’t your regular schedule.

He needed excitement, something to break up his mind-numbing routine. The thought of seeing you again, even that he didn’t know when it’d be, made him want to squeal and shake Riley by his shoulders. So he tried going out earlier and earlier each time, in hopes of encountering you again.

“Logan, I think I might like someone,” Hesh started in the rec room after another week without seeing you.

He had a better bet asking the veterans, like Merrick or Keegan, but he found it too embarrassing with the obvious disparity in experience. His brother wouldn’t make fun of him, right?

The younger Walker gasped and paused his coffee stirring. “Who’s the unfortunate woman?”

His lips pressed into a thin line. He shouldn’t have asked the child. “We’ve only met once, at the park. I’m hoping to see her again soon, but yeah, what’s the best way to ask someone out?”

He nodded, shooting a knowing look at his brother. “You find a common interest and ask if she wants to do it with you,” he replied simply, continuing his stirring with a shrug.

Hesh lit up. That was a brilliant advice, and in hindsight, terribly obvious. Undoubtedly, as a fellow dog lover, you’d appreciate dog parks or a hike.

He didn’t have to break his head over courting after all.

It took another week before Hesh finally met you again.

He didn’t expect to, judging by the hour. It was the first time he had enough energy whatsoever after consecutive days of overtime, but it was one of those nights again.

He paused when he saw you from afar. Colin’s imposing figure was unmistakeable. He wished he’d worn something nicer than his worn beanie and hoodie he’d carelessly pulled on. He had no excuse for his overgrown facial hair either.

You squinted and he couldn’t help the lopsided grin that cracked his face as he gave you a small wave. You lit up in recognition and quickened your pace towards him.

“David! Hi.”

“Hi,” he muttered, biting his lip as his heart tingled. Next to him, Riley panted as he observed the company.

You smiled down at the him. “And you must be Riley.”

He boofed, wagging his tail.

“You can pet him,” Hesh encouraged, watching how Colin circled the K9 before his tail swayed in interest.

“Hi, Riley.” You held your hand out for him to sniff before reaching to rub the side of his neck. “This is Colin.”

Colin panted, tapping his front feet.

“Are you getting dinner too?” Hesh asked when you straightened up.

“No, we’re heading home actually. I ate before the walk, which is why we came out a little late.”

“Oh, don’t let me keep you then.”

“That’s okay.” Your gaze slipped down to the doggos, tails wagging as they smelled each other. “Look how happy they are. I think we can do another lap.”

He was not going to say no to that.

“You want me to hold him?”

“Sure.” You pat Colin’s head. “David is going to hold your leash, okay?”

When you handed him the leash, your pet stared up at him for a second before continuing the stroll. At least he didn’t look like he was trying to bite Hesh’s hand off. In fact, he brushed against Hesh’s leg a few times after. He was oddly delighted by the approval.

He asked you about what you did and what you liked to do in your free time, eager to know more about the woman his mind had been wandering off to for weeks. He asked follow-up questions to keep you talking, enjoying the way you lit up when talking about your interests, the way joy radiated out of you. It was admiration, but there was something else under that tasted different on his tongue.

Nearing the gate to yours, he finally braved himself to ask, “Do you like chicken nuggets?”

You laughed. “Of course. Who doesn’t?”

“You want to get some with me sometime?” With the heat creeping up his neck, he gawked at your blooming smile a beat too long. “We can go to a dog park afterwards.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’d love that.”

In his head, he pumped his fists.

You exchanged numbers before you headed home. This time, he allowed himself to look at you walking away for a moment before turning back with a grin and a content sigh, his loaded hashbrown craving long forgotten.

The aforementioned grin carried over into the next morning. There was a spring to Hesh’s step as he strolled into the office.

“That’s suspect,” Logan concluded, eyes narrowing at his brother as they passed each other in the hall.

“I have a date on Saturday,” he almost squeaked.

He smacked his back. “Hey, look at that. My advice worked, huh?”

“Yeah. I asked if she wanted to get nuggies with me.”

The proud smile faltered as he stared, waiting for him to say he was joking, but there was nothing. He shook his head, walking away. “I can’t believe she said yes. Lord, give her strength.”

Hesh pulled up in front of your building to you already waiting. It was impossible to not smile back at the sight of you waving at him so warmly.

Colin boofed at Riley in the lined backseat, the window partly rolled down, earning a bark in reply. After Hesh helped to secure your pup next to his K9, he licked Hesh’s hand as if to thank him. He smiled, scratching the Rottweiler’s neck.

“Thank you for picking us up,” you said, strapping yourself in.

You were dressed for comfort in a loose shirt and denim shorts. Why did you look so good in such a simple outfit? Meanwhile, Hesh had shaved and donned a coach jacket over his white t-shirt and light-washed jeans. Layers make you look like you have your shit together, as Logan had expertly advised the day before.

He tried to not stare. “Was my pleasure.”

You got nuggies and brought them to the park across. He laid out a blanket under a tree and unpacked the meal.

You pulled out a Tupperware and a thermos flask. “I always make peanut butter sandwiches when we go to a dog park. I made extra, in case you and Riley want some. And lemonade for you.”

“I love peanut butter, and lemonade.” He smiled. “But you already knew that.”

“And for the dogs.” You unpacked a smaller bag, revealing a container of chicken cubes, boiled eggs, cucumber, carrot and apple sticks, along with a few toys.

“That’s very sweet, really. Thank you.”

You had lunch as you chatted while the leashed doggos enjoyed their snacks and busied themselves with the toys after. He didn’t want to gawk, but the sun made you glow, bringing out the pretty colours of your kind eyes. The breeze caressed your hair, as if inviting him for a touch too. You tucked a strand away from your face before turning to him. He blinked before his gaze slid to the ground.

Hesh helped tidy up the wrappings, setting them aside. He sipped the last of his lemonade as you lay on your side, your hand propping yourself up to face him.

Riley crawled in front of you before flipping over onto his back, leaving Colin to chew on his toy at the foot of the blanket. You scratched his belly.

“I heard people in the military have interesting nicknames. Do you have one too?”

He chuckled, laying to face you too. “Hesh. H-E-S-H.”

“Oh, where did that come from?”

“Will you promise not to laugh?”

“How can I not laugh now when you say that!”

That grin of yours was contagious.

“I was obsessed with hashbrown as a kid, so I gave myself that nickname. Before you say anything,” he added quickly. “Yes, it’s lame, but as a teenager I thought I was slick when I spelt it with an E. And it just carried over.”

“No, I don’t think it’s lame. With how much I loved ketchup, it should have been my nickname too.” You chuckled. “How long have you served?”

“I enlisted right when I turned 18, a few months after ODIN…” He did the math. “So 11 years now.”

“You always wanted to be a soldier then?”

He paused. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” His gaze wondered past you as he exhaled. “I wanted to do something with my hands, wanted to be a mechanic. But dad was a career soldier, so it’s no surprise we went down this road, my younger brother and I.” His green eyes went back to you. “I… Wanted to make him proud.”

There was a beat before you sat up. “I’m sorry,” you muttered.

“It’s okay,” he gestured for you to lay back down.

Your eyes searched his. There was understanding in them that made him feel bare, but the tenderness in them made him want to keep it that way.

“I struggled a lot at first.” He smiled to himself, averting his gaze. “It was hell. My body never went through anything close to the training we had. But I couldn’t give up, not when something so awful was happening out there. And I’m glad I didn’t. We got to serve with him - with dad. We keep him in our hearts this way.”

At the word, Riley flipped over and turned to Hesh with a whimper, his eyes pleading.

“I know, buddy. I miss him too.” He scratched behind his fluffy ear, exhaling. “He never said it, but I hope he’s proud of m-“ He shook his head, chuckling. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling…”

“You can tell me if you want to.” You placed a reassuring hand on his forearm.

Before his eyes could flick down at the touch, you’d retracted your hand to stroke the K9’s side.

He lingered for a moment before reaching over and curling his hand over yours, stopping your movement. “It’s just… Sometimes, I feel like I’m walking someone else’s path. That this isn’t supposed to be my story, not where I end up.”

You squeezed your hand over the tips of his fingers. “I think you have plenty of time to figure it out. It’s never too late to start over, as long as you have the courage to fail. And from what I see, with that kind of resilience, you have a lot of it.”

He let out a shaky breath. He wanted to give you a hug. No, that was a lie. He wanted to hug you, wanted to feel your arms around him. If you held him long enough, he wouldn’t fall apart, would he?

“Thank you,” he whispered instead.

But your hand remained in his, warm and comforting. It was close enough.

You moved to the off-leash area to play fetch and tug of war with the doggos. A small smile played on his lips the entire time your pretty fingers laced between his. Sometimes you’d caress his forearm, squeezing it when he made you laugh. He took his jacket off, wanting to feel your touch on his skin.

When the sun started to dip, you and two very happy but tired good bois headed back to his SUV, your fingers curling over the crook of Hesh’s elbow. As he secured them in the backseat, you asked if it was alright to go get some coffee.

“Of course,” he said, glad the day didn’t have to end yet.

“We’ll get pupcups for them too.”

“Pupcups?”

The barista at the drive-thru handed him two small paper cups of whipped cream, the dogs’ names scribbled on them.

“I never knew this was a thing,” he chuckled, driving off to park after thanking the staff.

“Colin loves it.” You looked over your shoulder at your pet who was mega wiggling his butt in the backseat.

He put his car in park and watched as you held the cup out to the German Shepherd.

“Wait, Colin. This isn’t yours,” you said.

Riley leaned in, sniffing its contents before sampling it. His tail sped up as he pushed his nose into the cup, licking every corner.

Next to him, Colin whimpered, his feet padded on the seat as he licked his lips in anticipation. When it was his turn, he dove right into the cup, lapping at the treat with so much excitement sending blobs of it onto your hair.

“Slow down, boy!” You giggled.

Too late. He had wiped the cup squeaky clean.

“If I don’t look, he might just eat the cup,” you joked, facing forwards and setting the cups aside.

“You have some…” Hesh let out a small laugh as he pointed at his hair, his heart fluttering.

You flipped down the visor, inspecting yourself in the mirror. You shook your head with an amused smile and reached for the tissue, but he beat you to it and helped wipe away the stray cream.

It was then he realised his hand was shaking and that his cheeks were on fire. He turned away, eyes on his fists on his thighs.

When you cupped his face, his eyes widened at you. You leaned in over the console, planting a quick kiss on his right cheek before casting your gaze down and fiddling with the hem of your shirt.

A kaleidoscope of butterflies stirred in his belly as he reached for your hand. You returned his smile with one of yours that always made him melt. With the pink Californian sunset behind you, you were breathtaking.

Hesh let out a content sigh.

Maybe you were right. It was never too late to start over.

Masterlist

@tiredmetalenthusiast @keegansshark @milkteaarttime @blacktacmopsi yo hesh hivemind wassup

[rabbitcruiser]

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, AZ (No. 9)

Dam Overlook Trailhead

This very short walk takes you to a viewpoint on the canyon rim high above the Colorado River. It affords an unparalleled view of the river, the canyon, and Glen Canyon Dam. This scenic view provides spectacular vistas of the Colorado River as it flows through Glen Canyon and of Glen Canyon Dam itself. From the parking area, follow the metal handrail down the uneven rock steps. 

Trailhead: From U.S. Hwy. 89, turn west on Scenic View Drive, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Carl Hayden Visitor Center. Take the first road to the right, and park in the parking area at the end of the road. (You may also access Scenic View Drive just south of the Park Headquarters building.) 

Source

[b3thesda-b3tch]

Fallout 4 Bobblehead Locations

Concord/Lexington Area - NW

Perception bobblehead - Museum of Freedom: On a desk next to a broken terminal in the back of the room where the player character first meets Preston Garvey.

Repair bobblehead - Corvega assembly plant: On the very end of the top exterior gantry (blue balloon), southwest roof section of the plant building on top of a wooden box.

Saugus/Salem Area - NE

Explosives bobblehead - Saugus Ironworks: In the blast furnace, on the second level catwalk behind Slag's spawn, sitting on top of a control panel attached to the wall to the left of a steamer trunk.

Charisma bobblehead - Parsons State Insane Asylum: On Jack Cabot's office desk, close to the elevator, administration area.

Sneak bobblehead - Dunwich Borers: On a small metal table by a lantern, right next to the metal post terminal area #4.

Barter bobblehead - Longneck Lukowski's Cannery: Inside the metal catwalk hut, northwest upper area of the main cannery room.

Science bobblehead - Malden Middle School (Vault 75): On the desk overlooking the subterranean "training" area, within the science labs.

Central West Area (North of Natick)

Energy - Fort Hagen Command Center: In the command center, southwest kitchens, on a small table between two fridges. (Accessible only during/after the main quest Reunions).

Boston Area - Central

Lock picking bobblehead - Pickman Gallery: Last tunnel chamber where one can see Pickman; On the ground between brick pillars and a bin fireplace.

Strength bobblehead - Mass Fusion building: On the head of the metal wall statue/sculpture five levels above the lobby desk.

Speech bobblehead - Park Street station (Vault 114): In the overseer's office on the desk. Found when rescuing Nick Valentine after he goes missing.

Intelligence bobblehead - Boston Public Library: On the computer bank, mechanical room, northwest corner of the library.

Melee bobblehead - Trinity Tower: On a table in the cage where Rex Goodman and Strong are being held.

Medicine bobblehead - Vault 81: In Curie's office, southeast corner of the Vault.

Quincy Area - SE

Unarmed bobblehead - Atom Cats garage: On the hood of the rusty car in the main warehouse.

Endurance bobblehead - Poseidon Energy: On the metal desk with a magazine, near steamer trunk, central metal catwalk.

Agility bobblehead - Wreck of the FMS Northern Star: On the edge of the bow of the ship, wooden platform.

Luck bobblehead - Spectacle Island: In the 2nd deck pilot house of a green tugboat located at the southern end of Spectacle Island, on a locker shelf near the steamer trunk.

South Central Area

Small guns bobblehead - Gunners plaza: On the broadcast desk in the on-air room, first floor, west side of the building.

Big guns bobblehead - Vault 95: In the living quarters area, northern most room, on a radio.

[manhattanstepbystep]

I’ve been following your blog for a few years and I was wondering if you’d ever cover Inwood (I moved here a couple years ago) and searched tags and discovered that you started with Inwood and have been walking south :)

It’s kind of amazing to see how much has changed in just 12 years. You have some pics of Muscota Marsh that look like it was just being built and now it’s a beautiful waterfront park.

Sandy must have just hit before you visited and the ranger station and nature center is only just being renovated and due to open this spring.

Sherman Creek is a very pretty park now that has a lot of people come summer weekends for picnics and birthday parties and a good spot for birding.

10th avenue is was rezoned from industrial to mixed residential and there are some high rise apartment buildings going up.

I think it’s great that you’re documenting everyday nyc streets because it changes so rapidly and the everyday gets overlooked!

Yes, Inwood was the first neighborhood I covered. I started this project in 2012 starting in Inwood and making my way down. I've only recently finished Spanish Harlem, which is the next 220 photos to be posted. Work and life (and weather) get in the way of working on this regularly, but I'm hoping to be more diligent and post at least twice a day so I can get through the Upper East and West sides in the next two years. I just wanted to see more of the city that I call home and it's ended up being a big undertaking... but also very fun.

[jupiter-crushes-the-moon]

It's Sunday, which means it's time for an adventure. This week I went east instead of west, to York River State Park near Williamsburg, listening to First Light by Makoto Matsushita during the drive. I got there around 11 AM, and after figuring out the self pay parking system I set off.

There's sandy beach along a fair bit of the riverbank, part of which (the "Seining Beach") was accessible almost immediately off the parking lot.

The first named trail I came across was the Mattaponi trail. It was a loop that met up with another stretch of beach further up the river.

This seemed like a shrine of some kind. Some sort of squirrel god, perhaps.

After a jaunt through the woods and a footbridge over some sedges, I got to the "fossil beach," which was situated on a major fossil shell deposit. I walked along the beach a good ways before reaching a dead end.

A service road met back up with the Mattaponi Trail, which then ended up connecting to the Backbone Trail, which ran through the whole park.

There were side trails, but this particular one was for horses only.

The first hiking-friendly side trail I found was the Pamunkey Trail, which led to a scenic river overlook (which would be a recurring theme).

she pa on my munkey till i overlook

On the way back, I took a spur trail and then went down the Majestic Oak trail. Lord knows I'm a slut for big trees.

[newtownpentacle]

Moist

Monday – photo by Mitch Waxman One has been informed by several members of those age cohorts which follow my own, that the word which forms the title of this post makes them vaguely uncomfortable. My response to this usually involves mentioning the packaging og supermarket cake mixes like Betty Crocker’s with their promises for the finished product, and then questioning them what about why this…

[flaremberts]

Road Trippin'...

So the family took a road trip this past week. First we stopped at Charlotte to see Frooze's new place and we got to drop off the only remaining evidence of her time spent with us (9 boxes of stuff she couldn't fit in her small apartment downtown). We had a great visit and waited for the others to arrive to leave the next morning.

Jo and Tal joined us late, but Millon had to cancel joining us for the remainder of the trip because sometimes "duty calls". The next day, our next stop was in West Virginia to visit with Amy's sister (Lor) and husband (Dale) in Summersville. This was the first time for a few of us. We got to spend time on the lake and had a lovely dinner.

Friday morning we got up early to travel the rest of the way to Pittsburgh. Once we hit the city limits, we became tourists.

After riding through the Fort Pitt tunnel, we stopped at the Strip District to dine at the original Primanti Bros. and bargain shop for Yinzer gear.

Afterwards, quick visits to the West End overlook for spectacular views and our first house in Crafton Heights rounded off our trip and we checked in at the hotels to get ready for the evening plans.

Our friends the Jacobys were kind enough to host a lovely get-together at their house to spend some quality time with old friends from the 'hood. During the festivities, Ebaugh's flight arrived and Frooze picked him up at the airport.

The next day was the main reason for the pilgrimage, our nephew's (Brendan) graduation party. It was an excellent opportunity for our family to see all the loved ones we left behind in Pittsburgh many years ago, including some we haven't seen since. It was a long day filled with plenty of hugs and kisses. By the time it was all said and done, we rested our weary heads and feet back at the hotel.

The next day, Frooze and Tal hit the road back to the Carolinas and we spent at the ballpark. Ebaugh, Jo, Amy and Dan had a wonderful day at PNC Park and got to see rookie phenom, Skenes pitch.

After the game, we fit in one final "favorite" from our days in the 'Burgh, Alexions Bar and Grill. The food was excellent and even the kids raved (they never like food places we pick). Jo even got to meet our friendly neighborhood wooden Indian, which was part of many drunken nights from days past.

We then dropped off the kids at the airport where they got to say goodbye to local heroes and Dan and Amy made our way back to the hotel for the last night of rest.

We were smart enough to rent a car to travel north and get flights to travel south. We had a blast and fit in a ton of visits and miles of memories!

(Made with InstaDan)

[dcbbw]

WIP Wednesday 5.24.23

Hi, tumblrs! It’s still Wednesday where I am, and I have two WIPs to share. It’s two new ideas that somehow cut the line and demanded I write something out.

One was supposed to be my submission for #WorldWhiskeyDay, although it may be better suited for Halloween; not Fingers … I had the idea, but no cohesive thoughts have made an appearance yet. Although knowing me, this will probably post Halloween 2024.

The other is yet another take on the Applewood scandal. This is what, my third or fourth one?

And just to put us all on the same page and keep my brain on track, top priorities during writing time over the holiday weekend are: NYC AU, Waiting Room, and these two stories. The MC lunch ask is still floating around in my head as well and thoughts on a companion piece to Cocktail.

Anyways, excerpts are below the cut. As usual, everything is in a rough draft and final, published version may differ. Hope you like it!

Middle of Nowhere (tentative tile)

Song Inspo: Death Letter, Johnny Farmer, Organized Noize

The house sits on a bluff in the middle of nowhere overlooking a large, lazy river, as it has for the past century and a half. It’s almost picturesque, gleaming white clapboard covered with blue sky and bathed in early spring sunlight. Freshly mown grass is interspersed with wildflowers; pussy willows surround the bases of moss-covered trees.

The house has no postal address; it sits on Highway 62 East at Marker 129, in the unincorporated hamlet of Tannerton, equidistant between two bigger towns; not larger … bigger. Fifteen miles to the east is Potter’s Farm where residents and visitors enjoy the movie theater, gourmet Chinese food, a public library, and shopping at big box stores. Fifteen miles to the west is Easton, home to blue collar businesses, public parks and a hiking trail, and long stretches of road filled with fast-food chains, pizzerias, an ice-cream parlor, and a combination barber shop/hair salon.

The house sits empty as it has for the past five years; rumor, legend, and lore say the domicile is haunted, the land it sits on the site of brutal and unnecessary massacres. History tells of previous occupants who met grisly ends, or simply vanished as if the house’s walls and floorboards had swallowed them alive. There is no way to separate fact from fiction. Tannerton’s population is zero; the once-bustling waterway town is no more, save for the house.

Any eyewitnesses to the horrors of the house are the disappeared.

Except for two.  

The realtor stands on the front of the house’s wraparound porch, her blue eyes taking in the slow-rolling waves of the Acheron River. In Greek mythology, the River of Acheron was known as the River of Woe and was one of five rivers that led to Hell. As far as the woman knew, no one in this godforsaken corner of the world is aware of that interesting tidbit.

But she is. Her husband is, as he should. He named the river.

She is adjusting the long sleeves of her beige linen dress when her husband joins her on the veranda.

“Is everything ready?” she asks as she turns to face him. The realtor is an older woman, but her face gives no indication of that. Her skin is smooth and unlined even devoid of cosmetics, her sapphire-blue eyes clear and alert, her mouth a cupid’s bow with pale-pink tinted lips.

Her glossy brown hair is still long and wavy, but silver liberally threads her tresses. Her hands are liver-spotted and knotty with veins; her fingers are gnarled, the brittle nails yellowed with age. She tells anyone foolish enough to ask she suffers from arthritis.

“Is everything ready?” she asks, her tone distant as if her thoughts are otherwise occupied.

The man nods stiffly. He is tall and trim; like his wife, his appearance is youthful despite his graying hair. Unlike his wife, his hands and fingers were neither aged nor disfigured.

“It is. They’ll be arriving soon, it may be best to set out the refreshments.”

She nods absently as she scans the front yard. The setting is charming, inviting. A frisson of excited energy courses through her body at the thought of selling the house. There’s a buyer; a younger couple looking to escape the three C’s of a growing city: crime, clubs, congestion. Today is the final walkthrough. The house has sat empty too long; the whiskey untouched even longer.

Annabelle Beaumont walks around her husband to pull the screen door open. “Come, Barthelemy; we have to make sure the Walkers feel right at home when they arrive.”

Come on, come on, come on home

Scandal

Song Inspo: Delusional World Champion, Jean Dawson

Tariq Keriakos stared in puzzlement between his room door and Bastien Lykel, who stood in front of it barring the minor noble’s entry.

“There was a flood?” Tariq repeated stupidly.

The head of the King’s Guard nodded affirmatively. “A pipe burst while the hunt was going on. None of your belongings were harmed; maintenance noticed it almost immediately, but at the moment your quarters are without water.”

“Just my room?”

“Yes, m’Lord. The damage was contained in a timely manner, but we are awaiting parts to arrive. To avoid further inconvenience, another room has been secured for you. It’s Room 4 South.”

“South wing? Isn’t that where the suitors are housed?” Tariq questioned while Bastien pressed a key into his palm.

The sentry was briefly taken aback; the housing arrangement for the visitors at Applewood wasn’t a secret per se, but it wasn’t common knowledge. Bastien quickly recovered.

“It is; given that this is the last night, and all rooms have private baths, I do not foresee an issue.”

Tariq exhaled a long breath. The time at Applewood had been exhausting, this day more than usual. Between Lady Penelope passing him letters from Lady Riley, the horse ride to and from the Ruins, and now his room unavailable to him, Tariq was pretty much done.

“Fine. But my clothing? My toiletries?”

“Already moved and set up in your new quarters,” Bastien assured him.

With a resigned nod, Tariq made his way from the east wing, thinking only of a hot shower and a long sleep.

In the south wing, Riley Brooks, the suitor from America, sat at the vanity in her room re-thinking and possibly regretting every life choice that led to her being in Cordonia.

Tagging:  @jared2612 @ao719 @marietrinmimi @queenjilian @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @beezm @gardeningourmet @lovingchoices14 @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @lady-calypso @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234  @alj4890 @yourfavaquarius111 @motorcitymademadame @queenmiarys @walkerdrakewalker​ @choicesficwriterscreations​

[blurban-form]

The park in “Seesaw”: Orleigh Park

I’d initially overlooked this episode, but I rewatched it and we’re in another distinct park!

In this one Dad gets the kids all working together to defeat him/lift him on the seesaw (so little Pompom saves the day.)

Note we’re on the waterfront with what look like a mix of midrise multifamily buildings on the other side of the river.

There’s a good collection of different equipment in this park. There are some buildings in the park (likely washrooms), some shade protectors, log barriers, benches and tables…

There’s also a very distinctive frog-themed slide integrated into a concrete structure. That frog slide structure is the key to locating this park. You can see it by the tree in this shot.

Here’s a pic of the real frog slide, the book-themed murals/art on the structure, and a seesaw. This is Orleigh Park.

The real Orleigh Park is in the West End part of Brisbane, and is accessible by transit, so theoretically Bluey’s family (and Pompom’s Mum) could have travelled here with the children using transit. The CityCat river ferry also serves this park.

Nice episode & a nice park. One last pic, here’s a real life view of across-the-river.

[invisibleraven]

Watching the sunset/sunrise, peterpatterlina

"Hey Jules, you busy?" Luke asks.

Julie looks up from the puzzle she'd been staring at for the past fifteen minutes with no progress. "Not at all, why?"

"Wondering if you wanna go for a drive with us?" Reggie asks.

"Where?"

The boys shrug, and Julie grins, grabbing her purse. They've done this a few times, jumping in Reggie's truck without a destination in mind. They just drive, directionless, and see where the road takes them. It's always a bit of an adventure, and she loves how unpredictable it can be.

The guys knowing she would say yes, grinned, holding up the basket they always used when they did this, full of snacks, drinks and a comfy blanket for the truck bed.

They drove west, singing along to the radio as they went, Luke letting his arm hang out the window, moving along with the wind. Julie was in the middle, suggesting which turn to take or pointing out cool things she would spot along the way. Reggie was the driver, steering them true, and with a mischievous gleam in his eye as he sometimes took them to stupid roadside attractions.

It was always fun though, even if they ended up at the world's largest ball of paint or a weird museum dedicated to movie props.

Tonight though, they headed up into the hills, slowing their drive to take in the woods that started to surround them. In LA it was so rare to see actual trees and nature, but with Reggie being a country boy, it almost felt like coming home. He swore he'd take them to his MeeMaw's ranch one day. Even if Luke downright refused to be near a horse.

Finally they reached an overlook, parking the truck with the bed facing the view. Below there was the city, sparkling with light as the sky took on hues of fire. Julie snuggled between her guys, watching the sun go down, toasting with bottles of sparkling juice and enjoying the cute little sandwiches that Reggie made.

Luke even surprised them by using his rare broken out baking skills and making them some delicious brownies, rich and delicious with toasted walnuts on top.

"You've outdone yourself with these babe," Reggie said, moaning around a mouthful of moist chocolate.

"Thanks," Luke replied, blushing and squirming as Reggie's moans made his mind go dirty places. Julie grinned at him, and he knew she was thinking the same thing.

And maybe the next moans they let out were less chocolate induced, but none of them minded, enjoying the incoming twilight as the sweat cooled on their skin.

"This is nice," Julie said as they slid their clothes back on, glancing around to the quiet forest around them.

"It really is," Luke sighed, snuggling into her side. "Should have brought my guitar, we could have serenaded you."

"We could always do acapella," Reggie suggested.

They sang together, their voices carrying over the valley, picking out the stars as they appeared, finishing off the snacks, and snuggling further down onto the truck bed.

Maybe they fell asleep like that, curled together, out in the open air, awakening as the first brush of dawn painted the sky. Driving home as the world burst into colour, and picking up breakfast along the way.

Sure they would have to go back to bed once they got home, as they had only a few hours of sleep, but all in all, it had been a lovely date night.

Even if Julie had to give up on her puzzle, she much prefered how she fit together with Luke and Reggie.

[malbecmusings]

Bellingham, Wshington

July 25: So long Bellingham. We didn't see much, but we found a good BBQ restaurant and, most importantly, the peeps at the hotel and FBO were awesome. Gas is a little higher here at $7.20/gal but that'll look cheap compared to the prices farther north.

The first order of business after getting checked into the hotel last night was to find dinner. Shoutout to Big Stick BBQ; I'm a little too far west to find my favorite Eastern NC BBQ, but the brisket was pretty damn good. We spent a couple of hours catching up, comparing notes, and making plans, then went back to the hotel and promptly crashed.

The temperature this morning was a cool 54°. Goodbye sweating, hello down jackets. We had breakfast at the hotel (a big thank you to Danis for taking care of us early) before Jose hauled us to the Fred Meyer and to the airport. Even with shuffling 5 planes up to the pump to fuel up, we were wheels up by a few minutes after 8.

The plan was to go from Bellingham to Ketchikan to refuel before ending up in Juneau, or an alternate location if everything aligned. We skirted Vancouver and followed the Strait of Georgia north until we turned direct to Ketchikan. I've been on, and in, Puget Sound. As stunning as it is from the surface, it's insanely beautiful from the air. With the view of the vast Pacific off to port, especially breathtaking at the 140 mile-wide opening to Queen Charlotte Sound, it was easy to imagine the #NextChapter when we'll be sailing north instead of flying. (or motoring as the Inside Passage makes for terrible sailing)

Although we don't have any real use for them now, I've been teasing the Boy Scout about getting floats. All I could think about as we flew over the island-dotted waters was how sick it would be to look down, pick a spot, and land on the water. Maybe do a few dives off the floats before having lunch and flying off to find the next interesting spot. After today I don't think he needs more convincing.

The Ketchikan International Airport is located on an island across from the town of Ketchikan, which appears to exist solely to cater to the cruise industry. Like many other towns in Alaska, Ketchikan is not connected to the rest of the world by any kind of road; it's accessible only by water or air. We topped off the tanks (11.29/gal) and continued toward Juneau.

About halfway to Juneau we passed over the community of Wrangell which lies opposite the Stikine River Delta and several glaciers formed from the Stikine Icefield. There are several National Park and State Recreation cabins available but we couldn't see any way to access them short of a boat or a float plane (hey cowboy). Flying over them confirmed they were a no go. What we did find was a multitude of gravel bars which was the perfect excuse to put the new tundra tires to work. For the most part the ground was sandy/gravel and pretty smooth but the big tires made the landings like buttah. After finding a wide gravel bar where we could park and tie down all five planes well off the water, we set up camp in the tree line overlooking the river. A few tried their hand at fishing (no luck) while the rest of us gathered firewood, did a little exploring, and chilled. A little river-bar happy hour soon commenced around the fire while we thought about what freeze dried delicacy would be on the dinner menu.

I should add here that I'm not a boy scout. I grew up sailing, not camping. Tonight's events were the most boy scout shit ever, and it was awesome. More flight-seeing, including glacier flyovers, tomorrow before we head to Juneau for a couple of days. Assuming the local bear population doesn't get rowdy in the middle of the night.

[rabbitcruiser]

Edmonton, AB (No. 9)

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, formerly and commonly known as the Hotel Macdonald (colloquially known as The Mac), is a large historic luxury hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located along 100 Street NW, south of Jasper Avenue, the hotel is situated in the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, and overlooks the North Saskatchewan River. The 47.7-metre-high (156 ft) hotel building was designed by Ross and MacFarlene and contains eleven floors. The hotel is named for the first prime minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald.

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company opened the hotel on 5 July 1915. Built as an early-20th century railway hotel, the Châteauesque-styled building is considered one of Canada's grand railway hotels. Following Grand Trunk's 1919 bankruptcy, Canadian National Hotels assumed management of the hotel. The building has undergone several renovations since its opening, and an expansion wing to the hotel building was added in 1953. In 1983, Canadian National Hotels ceased operations, and demolished the building's expansion wing in the same year. The hotel property was later sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels in 1988, and was restored and reopened to the public in May 1991. The hotel is currently managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

Hotel Macdonald is at 10065 100 Street NW at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton. The hotel property is bounded by 100 Street NW to the north and west, with ATB Place west of the hotel. Grierson Hill NW bounds the hotel property to the east and south, with the roadway sitting adjacent to the North Saskatchewan River valley park system. The building overlooks the escarpment of the North Saskatchewan River.

Located at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, south of Jasper Avenue, the hotel is situated near Edmonton's central business district, and several other neighbourhoods; including Riverdale to the east, and Rossdale to the south.

Source: Wikipedia