#and the fact that i want souffle pancakes

[readingwiththereids]

yanda! speaks: hi my loves! so here��s chapter 1! i’ll hopefully have chapter 2 out by tonight since this one doesn’t really have any carmy in it but i really hope you like it still! also let me be so real and say that i did use google translate for the spanish parts and realise that i probably should have left this part to actual hispanic/latino authors, so if you’d like to give suggestions or just yell at me if the translations are wrong, please do so. i face claimed alisha boe as my baby camila but feel free to visualise any other person as well! lots of love and light 🤎

masterlist

night rain ; chapter 1

2022

Music, the soft sizzle of pans on the stove and a beautiful, sweet aroma flooded the small home as Camila’s mother rushed into the kitchen while putting on her earrings.

“Mija, what are you making? It smells wonderful.” Tina asked as she peeked over her daughter’s shoulder.

“Raspberry souffle pancakes.” Camila smiled, slapping her mom’s hands from taking one of the berries on her right in a dish. “My little pastry chef,” Tina said as she kissed the brown girl’s curls. “¿Quieres venir conmigo a la tienda hoy?” [Do you want to come with me to the shop today?]

“Mami, I already told you that I-”

“You don’t want to go in yet, I know but Camila, you’re going to have to tell him at some point. The more time goes on, the less understanding he’ll be when he finds out that you’ve been hiding an entire-”

“I know, I know.” Cam sighed.

Rubbing her daughter’s shoulders, Tina attempted to comfort her. “It’s okay, I know you’re not ready. Is she up yet?”

“No, but I'll wake her up soon when I’m done.” Camila said as she flipped over the last pancake.

This caused Tina to immediately perk up, asking “Can I do it? Please please please?”

Before the young mother could even answer, the older of the pair was already quickly shuffling in the direction of the bedrooms. The heartwarming sound of Emelia’s giggles rang through the home as Tina walked in holding the child in her arms before handing her over to her mother.

Emilia Antonia Ivy was born in the late fall of 2019 and was the perfect byproduct of Camila Ivy and Carmen Berzatto alike. Though not even yet reaching the age of three, Emmy already demonstrated having the biggest heart and mind that her mother had ever seen. She was polite, kind, never threw tantrums and was always eager to watch her mother in the kitchen. She enjoyed seeing and mimicking the same focus exhibited on her mom’s face while cooking, characterised by a small pout. However, it only reminded Camila of the toddler’s father more than anything.

Camila and Emelia moved back to Chicago to stay with Cam’s mother and help her deal with the death of her chosen son, Michael who had committed suicide a few months prior. From the moment Camila heard the news, she instantly thought about everyone else who might need her at that moment, completely forgetting her own pain that seemed to be consuming her chest. She was unselfish in that way, or maybe too selfish, rather opting to focus on everyone else than allow herself to hurt. And so she packed their bags and flew straight to Chi-town to take care of her mom, help Sugar with the funeral and even check on The Beef, though making sure to leave the shop before Carmy’s arrival.

It had been about three years since she had seen the man who she once called the love of her life. Granted he was only demoted from that title by his very own child, but Camila still loved him very much. One however could attempt to dispute that statement by the fact that she had still not told him about said child. At first it was understandable, most of her friends and family supported her choice for the first couple of months, but then months turned to years before it just never felt like the right time.

“Morning, Bear.” Camila laughed while smothering the two-year-old’s face with kisses before setting the girl on the kitchen stool and pushing a plate of warm pancakes dripping with white chocolate sauce in front of her.

“Why don’t you two ever eat your pancakes with syrup like normal people?” Tina laughed, watching both girls tear into their respective plates.

“Because of the tartness, Abuela.” Emmy said with her mouth still full.

“What, are you gonna go to the CSI now too? Huh?” The older woman smiled as she tickled the toddler on her sides. Just then, she realised she would be late for work and so she bid her two next of kin goodbye.

“You wanna go to the park today, Bear?” Camila queried excitedly.

🏷️ list: @rexorangecouny

[dm me to get on the tag list <3]

[dirtyreusablehandkerchief]

bravern pancakes: attempt 2

first attempt.

recipe I used.

this time, I had help from my cousin-who owns a business selling baked goods-to make the whole thing go smoother.

thanks to her (and the mixer being clean & not contaminated with buttercream) the egg whites managed to become meringue! I also used only 2 egg yolks instead of 3 but I'm not really sure it mattered that much?

but the final result still wasn't perfect...

the first 2 pancakes turned out undercooked because I put too much dough in. so, those were eaten first while we waited for the ones in the picture to cook.

the ones in the photo also turned out a bit spicy (yes, SPICY) because the pan we used was an ancient pan that had been used to cook chili & other spicy foods god-knows-how-many-times. oh, the pan also didn't have a lid so we need to use ANOTHER PAN to cover it! so, I drizzled honey over them to cover up the spiciness & make them taste somewhat OK.

the pancakes also didn't turn out sweet because turns out 1/8 cups of sugar wasn't enough.

I'm sure they would've tasted good if they had buttercream decor like the first attempt but we didn't want to stretch out the process so we stuck to just making the pancakes.

But the worst part about this thing has to be the fact that it doesn't resemble bravern in the slightest aside from a faint hue of pink. while the first attempt flopped hard, at least the final result somewhat resembled bravern.

all in all: while-unlike the first attempt-it actually became a souffle pancake, I'm still not satisfied. Gonna try again some time

[elaine-abroad]

Volume 6

The Departure and Home

I’ve been home for almost a week now and everyone has been bothering me to finish this series off with one last volume. 

Sunday was the last full day of peace we would all have before saying farewell to Ewha and Seoul. Grace and I decided to save going to Gangnam for last because of a very long awaited viewpoint we wanted to go to (I’ll reveal in a bit). 

To start off the day, we headed to Hongdae for brunch. There we stopped at this place called Rachel’s Kitchen and had the cutest spread of souffle pancakes and drinks. I remember when Vivian and I along with our other friend went to a souffle pancake cafe during winter break. It was good, but not super worth the wait and price. These pancakes however were delicious and definitely deserved my money. I was also just excited to finally live out my dreams of having ice cream for breakfast.

I got melon pancakes with melon pieces, melon whipped cream, and vanilla ice cream, as well as a strawberry latte which was literally strawberries, milk, and strawberry ice cream.

With our bellies full of wonderfulness, we took the subway all the way to the Gangnam district. I was searching up what to do there and read about this street called Kpop Road. The website said it was in a dense shopping district and that sometimes idols stopped by. That sounded quite appealing to us so we decided to go.

It was pretty underwhelming and disappointing though. Kstar Road was basically a project to honor famous kpop groups through statues along the road. There were no kpop related stores or anything.

In fact, it was filled with all the high-end, designer stores instead. The exteriors of the buildings were very nice to look at, but there was nothing for us there which was saddening.

After deciding there was nothing to do in that area, we took the subway back to where the Starfield COEX mall was because apparently that was where the viewpoint we wanted to see was. It actually isn’t even a viewpoint, but Grace and I thought it would be funny to pay a visit to the infamous Gangnam Style Statue. Yes, there is an actual Gangnam Style Statue. Other people think it’s stupid, but I think it makes sense especially with all that Psy has done for the kpop industry. He walked so groups like BTS could run.

Grace wanted a pic with the hands doing the hands in front of the hands doing the hands, but there were a lot of people there when we arrived. Unsurprisingly though, they were all foreigners. It was really cringe watching them take solo, couple, and family pictures especially since they would pose in a way that looked like mid dance, but funny at the same time. Eventually I got Grace to get up there. Fun fact, Gangnam Style plays on repeat in the area.

Eager to get out of the rain, we ventured back to the COEX mall and decided to pay the aquarium a visit since we didn’t get to go last time. Unfortunately it was extremely crowded and packed with screaming kids, so we decided to walk around and get dinner first. Before that though, we saw this vending machine that dispensed various ice cream bars. It looked cool so we treated ourselves.

I don’t know how we didn’t learn our lesson from the mall food last time, but we didn’t and sat down at this Middle Eastern place. I wanted this smoked salmon pita, but they said it wouldn’t be ready until thirty minutes later so I was forced to pick something else on the spot. Funnily enough though, they took so long that it reached the time the pita would’ve been done at which was kind of dumb. Grace was upset because she purposely picked this chickpea pasta because it didn’t say chicken or beef in front of it like the other menu options but still showed up with meat.

My meal was actually not bad, but the meat took more chewing than I would’ve liked.

We only had an hour after that until the aquarium closed so we rushed on over. I’m not sure how they managed to fit one inside a mall, but I guess it’s how they have the biggest underground mall in the world.

We were greeted with prairie dogs which were definitely the cutest animals inside. I’m also not sure how they thought prairie dogs fit the aquarium scene. They were super cute though.

We also saw turtles, otters, and various fish.

I wanted to see the penguins the most, but of course our mall food had very conveniently caught up with me and suddenly I didn’t feel so good. We barely got to look at the penguins before I suggested we go back home because I was also just tired. The instructions given by our Naver Map app were contradictory every time and it was getting annoying.

Monday rolled around and I had to meet up with my classmates from both classes before the farewell ceremony to set up our art pieces that were going to be displayed. I didn’t want to show my painting stuff especially since our teacher was making us show more than one thing and I just wanted to pack it all up. Here’s a pic with some of other people’s works though.

The farewell ceremony had a lot more happening than the welcoming. We had several performances from students who were taking Korean traditional music and dance. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures or videos. We were given certificates of completion though and I snapped this with all of our names in it.

We mostly went back to packing since most of us would be leaving the next day. Some people were even leaving that day so there weren’t many people walking around. Bianca, Grace, and I decided to have one more night to hang out and enjoy our time together so we first got dinner at this tteokbokki place.

We knew we wanted to do karaoke but we were pretty stuffed. Along the way we stopped at multiple photobooth stores to take a couple goofy pictures. I’m not kidding when I say there are more photobooth shops along the streets than anything else. Seoul is run by photobooths and cafes. And they’re not those janky booths they have in arcades in the US either. They have all sorts of accessories like headbands with animal ears, crowns, hats, funky glasses, and props. Some of them even have community hair straighteners, curlers, and perfume.

It was pretty fun taking dumb pics with them. We bought some drinks and snacks to enjoy before karaoke where we spent 2.5 hours. Grace carried for sure and seemed to be having a blast. She knew most of the kpop songs we picked and shouted confidently even though none of us knew a speck of Korean. I had to of course document every time we received a score 100 which was more than we expected.

We stayed out pretty late until midnight. I had to say bye to Bianca until school started because she was going back home to China for the first time in two years and was leaving through a different airport. Grace was going to my airport so I decided to tag along even if it meant we had to leave at the crack of dawn (her flight was at 10 something).

After an insane amount of time and struggle, we finally managed to get to her gate. Neither of us were happy at this point and wanted nothing more than to go home. I sat with her until she boarded the plane which was nice but also sad when I was alone and had to go to my own gate.

The plane food was pretty good this time too, but I don’t think it can top the treatment I got on the way to Korea. I noticed that the flight attendants this time were real skimpy with the drink portions. The cups were way smaller and filled very ungenerously so that kind of sucked. I was also not super eager to eat breakfast since the options were omelet and porridge. Eggs on planes are a big no-no for me, but I saw what the porridge option looked like. I did like that they gave me fresh fruit on the side. I’d been deprived of fresh produce. I love my nightly bowl of fruit and I wasn’t getting that in Seoul.

Everyone keeps asking me how my trip was and if I miss Korea. I’m going to be honest, I did really enjoy all my experiences, but I am very happy to come back. It feels so much more normal, but that’s probably just me not liking to go out of my comfort zone. I’m not saying Korea was uncomfortable in a bad way, but it definitely was not something I could’ve done without a lot of prep. So I’m proud of myself. 

Anyways, I’m happy to be back because I get to see my silly dog and friends. I feel like I lost a lot of time to hang out with people I don’t get to see during the school year.

To make up for lost time, Vivian, our other friend, and I took it upon ourselves to watch the new Barbie movie. We even got the Barbie ice cream from Coldstone.

And just like that my normal schedule picked back up like nothing ever happened. I’m back doing slave work for my unpaid internship which is boring, but at least I get to have fun on the weekends at my museum job. We saw what seemed like a stray cat this time and went out to give it water and pets. It’s very cute and friendly.

Long story short, it was a fun trip and I won’t be forgetting it any time soon, but as with any trip I’ve gone on, home is the best place for me. Traveling as an introvert is challenging.

To end this series, I have a few thanks to give. Thanks to my parents for funding this trip because I make no money. Thanks to my boyfriend who suggested I blog even though I know he’s only read the first volume so far. Thanks to my best friend for telling me she read all of the updates and for existing. And thanks to everyone else who had to make a Tumblr account to read this because Tumblr is stupid like that.

That’s it from me. See you next time maybe.

-Elaine

[mystical-strawberry-sheep]

🍓 @fangedstories asked: 🍓

🍓 Neku, what was left of him, found himself at work that day with a strange sensation. He felt lighter today than usual, as if he were floating and everything was going to go well. Mister Abe had said that sensations like this were called 'good vibes' and were a natural part of the thing called 'confidence.'

So he decided to welcome this 'confidence' into himself, and continued doing the morning routine. He was in the middle of cleaning the coffee cups, when the door rang and in walked his first customer. He rememberted his training, and went to the counter wearing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was a struggle to not greet the new face with his Question, but he remembered Mister Abe's warnings and instead said,

"Welcome in! Would you like the morning roast?" 🍓

🍓~🐑~🍓

Aku flinched a bit as she was addressed, but she moved forward anyway. She'd never been in this place, and there wasn't a menu online, so she had been a little afraid of this happening. She hadn't had time to rehearse her order before she'd been spoken to.

But luckily, he offered a recommendation. And even though it didn't particularly sounded appetizing (imagine, a coffee that tasted like coffee!), she was going to accept it anyway because she was too afraid to tell him no.

"U-um, sure," she offered a smile and tried to pep herself up to deliver the rest of this professionally. "With extra cream and sugar, if you don't mind. And... May I have the souffle pancakes as well?"

Already she was digging out her bank card, not wanting to be standing in the way despite the fact no one was in line behind her. She wanted to get sat down and out of the way as soon as possible.

(Still, she thought she was doing really well to have been so thoroughly caught off guard.)

[minhtblue]

an uncanny resemblance... 

[hey-kae]

Mini You

Pairing: Dad!Pierre Gasly x female reader

Request: hello! i’m back with another request. this one is based on a tiktok i saw: pierre and the reader (they don’t necessarily have to be married) have a son (he would be like 2 years old) and pierre planned a boys day with charles and of course he brings his son with him so the reader has the idea to dress their son exactly like pierre is gonna dress and when their done she’s like “let’s go show daddy!”. just pure fluff, really!

Warnings: -

Sidenote: I’m super bad at picking out names but the child is called Théo. I hope that’s not too bad! Also, Pierre and reader are married here just because who wouldn’t want to get to call Pierre their husband?🫠 Hope you like it!!

Pierre having time off meant he would be trying to fit his little family into every activity he agrees to that would involve him leaving the house or shifting his attention elsewhere, especially his son who he was extremely attached to. Théo, who had recently turned two, was the spitting image of his father minus his lips and hair that turned out looking like yours. His eyes however, were identical to Pierre’s, the same shade of crystal blue that you found yourself adoring more and more as the years passed.

That morning, you woke up alone in bed to a loud clatter resonating through the house but originating in the kitchen. The noise wasn’t unexpected since Pierre was home on a break but the sound of pans and spoons with the laughter of your husband and the small giggles of your son was concerning.

Make no mistake, Pierre was amazing with Théo. In fact, he was so good with him, it surprised you at first. He fell so naturally into the role of a dad the second he heard his son’s first cry, tears welling up in his joyful eyes as he cradled his then new born in his arms, whispering to him soft words like “Ma vie est la tienne maintenant, petit ange.” My life is yours now, little angel. and “Je vais te protéger, toi et ta maman, jusqu'à mon dernier souffle.” I’m gonna protect you and your mom until my dying breath.

However, him with Théo in the kitchen always ended with a mess.

Yawning, you pulled yourself out of the comfortable bed and strolled lazily towards the kitchen, eyes still sleepy and brain still half asleep. Once you reached the open door, your sight landed on Pierre, shirtless and only dressed in loose shorts, facing Théo who was sat up on the counter, giggling as his father tickled his stomach. You stood still and watched them for a moment, trying hard to ignore the pile of plates and bowls stacked up beside them right by a batch of burnt pancakes.

It was rather admirable how much these two enjoyed each other’s company, how entertaining they found each other despite how young Théo still was. Their interactions were most definitely your favorite things to ever watch as they seemed to prove how good of a job you had done when you fell in love with Pierre and decided that he was the one person you wanted to call your lifelong partner, your husband and the father of your children.

“The food looks good.” You broke your silence a few seconds later, smiling and crossing your arms in front of your chest while leaning against the doorframe.

“Maman!” Mom! Théo squealed, clapping his little hands together in excitement. Pierre helped him off the counter and watched him run towards you with a smile on his face.

“Bonjour, mon ange.” You replied, mirroring his excitement and leaning down to pick him up, placing a kiss on his cheek while crossing the distance towards your husband.

“Et bonjour à toi aussi, Chef Pierre.” And good morning to you too, Chef Pierre.

With a huge grin on his face, Pierre leaned towards you and quickly pecked your lips while Théo giggled, entertaining himself with your hair.

“Je crois pas qu’on pourrait manger ça.” I don’t think we’ll he able to eat this. He cringed, gesturing towards the pancakes.

“Ah, vraiment? Je ne l’aurais jamais deviné si tu ma pas dis!” Oh, really? I wouldn’t never guessed it if you didn’t tell me! You teased as you took in the kitchen’s disastrous state.

Pierre was quick to take notice of your dreading gaze.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll do the cleaning.” He smiled at you assuringly, “But then I’ll need you to dress Théo and prepare his things ‘cause i want to take him out with me today.” He said, turned around and immediately started loading the dishwasher.

You put Théo down on the floor since he had begun to complain about being held and went to help Pierre.

“Hm, where are you taking him?” You curiously asked.

“I would’ve invited you but it’s kind of a boys day. I haven’t seen the guys in a while and Charles is in town right now so… yeah. Unless you stick on a fake mustache, you can’t really go.” He grinned, his eyes still repeatedly drifting off the check on his son who was now sat on the floor, playing with a miniature F1 car and making car sounds as he pushed it around on the floor. You and Pierre took him to the paddock only once before deciding that he was still far too young for that environment but even a while later, Théo still imitated the sound of the cars while playing.

Much to Pierre’s amusement, Théo refused to play with the Alpha Tauri car, always picking out ones that had bright colors instead. His favorites seemed to be the McLaren and the Ferrari, both gifted to him, one from Charles and the other from Lando, each of them obvious from who. Pierre would try to sneak the Alpha Tauri one into Théo’s hands but it would end up getting chucked away seconds later, leaving you laughing while your husband watched your son in frustration.

“Bah, je sais que ce n’est pas la meilleure voiture mais papa est le pilote de celle-ci.” Well, I know it's not the best car but dad is the driver of it. He would try to explain to his son, repeatedly pointing to the white and navy car, only to get ignored by Théo.

“How do you know he wouldn’t be bored halfway through the day? He might start bugging you.” You asked Pierre, wanting him to fully enjoy his day with his friends.

“He wants to go.” He shrugged. “N’est-ce pas, Théo? Tu veux partir avec papa, mon petit homme? Tu veux que tu passe la journée avec papa et ses amis?” Isn’t that right, Théo? You wanna go with dad, my little man? You wanna spend the day with dad and his friends? He picked him up, tickling his stomach and smiling as Théo giggled and clapped his hands.

You watched them with a soft smile of adoration, deep down knowing that Pierre would end up taking Théo with him no matter what.

“Oui! Partire avec papa!” Théo beamed with an adorable smile on his small face.

“Alors, dit a maman qu’elle doit t’habiller, mon ange.” So, tell mommy that she has to dress you, my angel. Pierre let him go and he ran towards you, clasping his small fingers around your hand and dragging you to his room.

You flashed Pierre a quick grin and walked by Théo’s little figure, you attention constantly on his steps, making sure he wouldn’t stumble or trip until you reached his room.

As you picked him up and sat him on the chair by his bed, you realized the mess from the kitchen had gone further than what you had noticed. The back part of Théo’s hair had traces of flour and he smelled like burned pancakes.

“My god, Pierre.” You expressed your annoyance. Your son couldn’t speak english yet, you and Pierre having decided to stick with french for now to avoid confusing him, but he smiled widely at the mention of his father’s name.

“Papa!” He beamed.

“Oui, mon petit. Papa. I’m gonna kill him.” You said with a big smile, caressing your son’s blushed cheeks with love before carrying him to the bathroom to clean him up.

Ten minutes later, Théo had clean hair and smelled fresh again. Now, you only had to decide what to dress him in. That’s when you realized you had no clue where they were going, therefore you had no idea what type of outfit would be best.

Making sure Théo was safely sat on his bed, you left the room to question Pierre about his plans. First, you checked the kitchen but found it empty and decently clean now. Smiling, you made your way to yours and Pierre’s bedroom. The door was slightly opened so you went in instantly.

Pierre was stood in front of the mirror, now dressed in white shorts and a baby blue shirt along with his blue and white jordans, fixing his hair and putting on perfume.

It almost immediately resurfaced in your mind that Théo had almost identical clothes so instead of asking Pierre about what should you dress Théo in, you decided to just imitate his outfit.

You pretended you needed your phone to check the time when your husband took notice of your presence in the room, his eyes following your movements while a small smile played on his face.

“You look good.” You complimented him, wrapping your arms around him for a few seconds, giving him a kiss slightly longer than the one you exchanged in the kitchen in presence of your young son.

“Merci, chérie.” He smiled once you pulled away, squeezing you closer to him before you let go, making your way back out of the room.

“Je t’aime.” I love you. You heard him say once you were in the hallway.

Smiling as you walked, you replied with a teasing “Je sais” I know and waiting to hear his reaction, a small laugh, before you said the words back.

“Je t’aime aussi.” I love you too.

Walking into Théo’s room, you found him still sat quietly on the bed, entertaining himself with a bunch of toys by his side.

“Tu veux t’habiller comme papa?” You wanna dress like dad? Je smiled at him as you pulled his closet open.

“Comme papa!” Like dad! He was clearly excited, moving to get off the bed.

You rushed to his side, helping him off and letting him join you by the wardrobe as you pulled out his white shorts and put them on him, his adorable blue eyes watching your every movement as you did.

Then you started searching for Théo’s shirt that matched Pierre’s, grinning as you found that it’s color was basically identical to his father’s.

“Pierre vas être si content quand il te verra habillé comme lui, petit ange.” Pierre is gonna be so happy when he sees you dressed like him, little angel. You started imagining your husband’s reaction to the outfit, your heart already swelling just from thinking about it.

Following that, you pulled out the tiny looking Nike box, fishing out the shoes identical to Pierre’s from inside it.

The memories of when Pierre came home from a trip with the small jordans with him made their way back to your mind. Théo had repeatedly pointed out that his shoes matched his fathers, making both of you and Pierre laugh at how adorable the small Nikes looked on his feet.

The outfit was completed after you managed to put the shoes on Théo’s feet, him complaining a bit about having to ditch being barefoot. Luckily, with a bit of sweet-talking, it all worked out.

You took a step back, smiling widely at how adorable your son looked then quickly packed him a change pf clothes along with a few essentials in a small bag Pierre would have to keep in his car just in case things got messy.

“Allez-y, on va montrer papa maintenant!” Come on, we’re gonna show dad now! You clasped his little hand with his and he walked beside you with the biggest, most adorable smile on his face.

Once you two reached the living room, before you were in Pierre’s line of view, you spoke up to warn him so Théo’s outfit would stay a surprise.

“Pierre, ferme les yeux. Théo a une surprise pour toi.” Pierre, close your eyes. Théo has a surprise for you.

The little guy beside you giggled, his hand over his smiling mouth as you waited a few seconds before appearing in the door with him.

You gave Théo a small pat on the shoulder, gesturing for him to go to Pierre. With a small chuckle, he eagerly ran to his father, climbing quickly onto his lap and poking his cheek.

“Regarde!” He beamed, both of you waiting for Pierre to open his eyes now.

As soon as Pierre caught a glimpse of Théo, a wide smile appeared on his face. He got up and placed Théo on the ground, crouching down in front of him with heart eyes that made your heart feel like it was gonna burst out of your chest.

“T’es très beau, mon ange et tu t’es habillé comme moi? Maman vas être si jalouse maintenant! Que va-t-on faire?” You are so handsome, my angel and you’re dressed like me? Mom is gonna be so jealous now! What are we gonna do? Pierre grinned with a love packed expression, his eyes glistening as he looked at his son.

Théo, clearly more than happy being the center of his father’s attention, giggled and wrapped his small hands around Pierre’s neck.

“Je t’aime, mon petit amour.” I love you, my little love. Pierre spoke into the hug, his eyes closing as his arms wrapped around his young son, his heart nearly bursting with love for the small family the two of you had created.

“Je t’aime, papa!” Théo was quick to reply while his father picked him up and sat him on the couch before heading your way.

“Thank you so much for this, chérie. I am so lucky to have you and Théo. I love you beyond words.” He brought you to his chest and kissed your temples.

Nothing compared to being in Pierre’s arms. The feelings of serenity and safety his hugs provided you were to die for. It was yet another reason as to why you were so thankful for his presence in your life and for the fact that he was the father of your child, knowing that Théo would grow up always feeling safe by his side and in his presence.

“I love you too, i love you so much.” You said back, smiling into his chest before pulling away since he probably should get going.

Your gaze drifted back to Théo who was watching with a smile, his expression and facial features looking too much like Pierre’s.

“He’s a mini you, i swear!” You chuckled, “Kinda not fair ‘cause i’m the one who carried him for 9 months but whatever.” You childishly but jokingly complained, Pierre chuckling at your remark.

“Next one will look like you. Hopefully, at least.” He teased and you rolled your eyes playfully, moving a bit to retrieve Théo’s things that you prepared.

“This has everything you might need.” You handed him the bag, “If he starts bugging you about leaving, just give me a call and i’ll pick him up.”

Pierre nodded, pulling the bag over his shoulder and picking Théo up, heading to the front door.

“Have fun!” You told Pierre, continuing in french so Théo would understand, “Au revoir, mes amours!” See you later, my loves! You blew them a kiss, your son quickly returning it as Pierre waved goodbye to you before disappearing out the door.

When the front door clicked shut and silence reigned over the house, you fell back against the couch, planning out your day in your head. You were eager for some quiet and relaxation as that seemed almost impossible with Pierre and Théo around, together forming quite the chaotic duo around the house.

Though you were so grateful for some alone time, it was undeniable that you’d miss their presence throughout the day.

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 139

Day Two of the Food Festival!  This one has a specific request from @baelpenrose, which was fun to play with in the Low-Stim session (always on day 2).

To everyone who has reached out to tell me how much they are enjoying getting to see Sophia actually relax and just have fun for once.... Y’all are the best! It’s been fun writing it, too. 

New reader shout outs go to @corvallis, @penguin--person, @amphibiousuprising, @chip5-0, and I think @lostsoul8822. I think that’s everyone... If I missed you, please DM me, and I’ll add you to the next chapter.

On with the show!

The first day of the Festival, Conor and I ended up staying through not only Maverick’s shift but the one after, just so we could drag him to our favorite spots. Day two, however, Conor was on deck as Support Personnel as well as Maverick, and neither were assigned to me - for the first half of day two, we were in the Low Stim Mode, so I was pretty sure I could brave it on my own with everyone else’s proximity alerts and my own personal hyper-alertness preventing accidental bumps.

For me, the most exciting part was the different foods offered, and the fact that I could focus on just the food. Not having to ignore the other stimuli was a completely relaxing experience. The visual of the mural, with everything present, was still completely different in the even, indirect lighting. The dual nature of it was toned down significantly, leading to the overall feel being softer and overall more pleasant without being distracting.

Halfway through a very good pad thai, I spotted Derek and Sam sitting with Ivan and poking at something that Sam was clearly excited about and Derek was equally doubtful of. I circled around so they could see me approaching, and made a point to wave. “What do you think?” I asked, trying to sign as I spoke but hampered by the food in my hands.

“It was a good try,” Derek confessed, cheeks stuffed with something that had previously been on a plate to his left as a backup plan.

Setting my food down, I grinned mischievously. “Doing my best,” I signed, leading to laughter on all sides.

“You just told him you do him the best,” Ivan murmured, my face immediately flooding red.

“That is NOT what I meant,” I tried to explain out loud, over-enunciating while I clenched my hands in embarrassment.

To his credit, Derek signed what he seemed to understand I meant, emphasizing each sign. It was clear that I had gotten several out of order and added one that changed everything overall.

After repeating the signs and getting confirmation, I shook my head and sighed dramatically. “I tried.”

Ivan was trembling with laughter. “You. You did,” he admitted. “But that was… wow.” His head dropped on his hands as he shook silently.

“Souffle pancakes?” I offered, finger spelling the word souffle since I had no freaking clue how to actually sign it.

“Egg pancake,” Derek explained, poking the one I offered and contemplating the jiggle.

“It’s cinnamon sugar, and not gooey,” I explained.

Apparently I got that one right, because Derek immediately stabbed a piece and shoved it in his mouth.  The only judgement I needed was the fact that he dragged the entire remaining pancake onto his plate.

Sam watched his roommate before contemplating his own sample. Before he could even ask, I held up a cup full of macerated berries. “And fruit topping for you, sir.”

“Are those my berries?” he asked, skeptical.

I shook my head. “Bog standard, from the consoles. Your vegetables and fruits are being used in the other shifts. We didn’t want to give anyone here unexpected tastes.”

He nodded and dumped the entire cup of fruit over his pancake, digging in happily.

Ivan batted his eyes at me until I explained. “Sam’s produce has… unexpected pairings. Tomatoes that pair with cheesecake and wines, strawberries that really go well with steak…”

“The mango that goes with beer but not fish?”

“Yeah, that one. Von soil does strange things to produce, turns out.”

“Those matcha-edamame are amazing though.”

“For ice cream, yes. For tea, less so. They’re like… cooking matcha, almost.” I laughed. They actually worked better for ice cream than matcha did, oddly - reducing the sugar content but still giving the same flavor.

“One vendor on the last day is using nothing but my produce,” Sam announced happily. “They asked my permission.”

“That’s good!” I encouraged him. “They should always ask your permission to do things like that.”

“People ask with requisition forms,” he agreed. “Mona asked in person.”

Note to self: much more patronage at Mona’s normal spot, I swore in my head.  She specialized in vegetarian dishes, and honestly made some of the best fried cabbage I’d had in my life.  Knowing that she was so considerate of Sam cemented her as my new favorite takeaway place.

After a little more chat, I finally waved my goodbyes to everyone and strolled slowly to the next tempting stall. I wasn’t really in any hurry, and did more people-watching than I did eating. Latkes were infinitely more interesting when I could overhear people arguing over family recipes.  A small bowl of udon was delicious, but not nearly as flavorful as the discussion around hot versus cold, what to top them with, egg or no egg… the only thing anyone seemed to agree on was that the smiling vendor ‘obviously’ ground their own flour, because the flour provided by the consoles was the wrong texture.

Another mental note: don’t learn to make udon.  Despite what I had previously believed, it takes a lifetime to make it right, turns out.

Wandering further down, I was delighted by the discovery of something that was very clearly Hannah’s doing: demonstrations of older food prep techniques.  Simon winked at me as he carried on a demonstration of - insanely - how to hand pull toffee. I didn’t know he could do that. Muna was demonstrating the correct way to make chapatis and handing them out as fast as she was making them. Clearly, she had been making them her whole life, because at no point did I actually see her look at them, but every single one was perfect.

Laughter erupted over my shoulder, and I whipped my head around to see the source. After wading through a crowd of smiling faces, I couldn’t help but join in.  There, right in front of the entire Ark, was Maverick trying to flip takoyaki as fast as the person demonstrating, and ending up with just a mess of octopus and batter on his side.  Both Maverick and the person guiding him were smiling, though, and in the end, the vendor handed Maverick four perfectly-round balls and quickly devoured all of the - less shapely, so to speak - ones on my partner’s side.  With an exuberant cheer and extending his arms wide to the crowd, the man exclaimed “The first takoyaki of a new student are always my favorite! Nothing tastes better!”

After bowing to his sensei, Maverick turned and spotted me, face still flushed with laughter.  He offered his food to a smaller man I did not recognize, who must have been the person Maverick was Supporting, before waving to me and continuing on.  Despite the urge to crush him in a hug, I forced my feet to stay in place and reminded myself that he was working.

By the time I trusted myself not to race after him, I realized someone had been trying to get my attention and had resorted to messaging me rather than shouting. “Phee, I don’t know what la-la land you are lost in, but look 100 yards to your four.”

The hell was Arthur doing here? He wasn’t scheduled to work this shift, as far as I was aware.  Craning my neck over my shoulder, I turned to see… Apparently a hallucination. It had to be.  There was no chance in any of the nine hells that Arthur Farro was dishing out spaghetti, much less smiling while doing it.

Almost dreamlike, I found myself drifting over to confirm that I was wrong, only to be startled when he shoved a plate with not only spaghetti but two gorgeous pieces of garlic bread under my nose. “Special plates, you can’t smell anything unless it’s on purpose.”

“You… Spaghetti?” I asked, eloquent as ever.

“Family recipe.”

“Leaning into the stereotype a bit, aren’t you?” I asked carefully before shoving as much of one thick, crusty piece of toast in my mouth as I could.

He shook his head. “Anyone who tells you their family is Italian and denies having a family recipe for anything is a damned liar.”

Skeptically, I took a bite. It was amazing. “Ah ee deh rehahee,” I tried to get out around the heap of pasta I was steadily shoving in my mouth.

“Maverick is a very bad influence on your table manners,” he observed drily, plating more portions and handing them out. “And no. Not happening.”

“You know I can cook.”

“Not the point. I also know that you will fiddle with it until it is unrecognizable, so there’s really no point in giving it to you.”

Defiantly, I took a smaller bite and chewed carefully. “Garlic, onions, obviously. Sausage and minced… Lamb? But that’s probably just for this session, knowing you it’s spicy sausage regularly.  I’m not getting carrot, though, so no soffritto? Unexpected…. Is that thyme, I’m tasting?”

“Rosemary, you heathen. And you’re still wrong.”

I mumbled to myself. “What did I get wrong? It’s gotta be the lamb… maybe he does usually use the lamb? I’m certain it is lamb…”

“It is lamb, and no, I don’t usually use it. But you left several things out.”

I stared at the plate again, confused. “I didn’t think I needed to mention the tomatoes….”

“Basil… oregano….” he drawled.

“Duhhh?” I poked through the last bite on my plate, sniffing it, trying to figure out what I was missing. “Fine, you win, I’m lost.”

“Mushrooms, Sophia. There’s mushrooms. Jeezus. It was an easy one, too.”  He showed me a bowl full of what looked like cooked and crumbled sausage, only for me to realize it was the tiniest diced mushrooms I had ever seen in my life.

“I am dying to know how you got them that small.”

“With a knife?” He arched an eyebrow at me as he turned to start another batch of sauce.

“Yeah, no shit, Arthur.”

“Correct, there is no shit in the spaghetti,” he confirmed cheekily as the vegetables started sizzling.

“Asshole,” I laughed, scraping the remaining sauce from my plate with the piece of bread I saved just for that purpose. Just as I was frowning at the sauce-less plate and remaining half-piece of bread, a scalding hot dollop of fresh sauce invaded my vision.

“You love me, because I won’t let you frown at your bread like that.”

Fiiiinnnne I sighed in my head as I shoved a piece of saucy, saucy bread into my cheeks and waggled my fingers to let him get back to work.

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[not-poignant]

hello! *peruses unasked flower asks* ummm, if you could give me a Canna, Cock’s Comb ehheeh, Common Boneset, Norwegian Angelica and Rosemallows please! :)

(Okay I love that little eheh at cock's comb tho)

Canna: Do you have any tattoos?

*

I do! A giant 'RESIST' in capital letters down the inside of my right wrist, that I actually got long before any actual 'resist' movements over the past few years. I got it around my 21st birthday (actually like a year later) mostly to mark all the things that I'd already survived at that point, and how much of my life philosophy is based off a position of resistance - resisting wanting to kill myself, resisting the darkest paths, resisting my own body when it grows tumours, and so on.

As it's aged, its lost some of it's sharp corners and stuff, but I still like it, though I mostly forget its there now. I'd like to get more tattoos at some point, but money is a big barrier, they're not cheap! (Which is good, because hopefully it means tattoo artists are being paid well).

*

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font?

*

I don't really know. I use Times New Roman the most while writing (I know, I know), so I guess that's my favourite because I'm voluntarily staring at it for hours and hours every single day. I hate Calibri and often have to force-change documents to another font to be able to edit them, if they come to me in that font. But I also used to write in Calibri, until I had the revelation that I hated writing in Calibri, lmao.

When I was a teenager, and had far less fonts to choose from, I was a passionate fan of Courier New and that's still my favourite font to set poetry in, which I think is an 'old habits die rather hard' thing, lmao.

*

Common Boneset: What are you looking forward to?

*

I'm looking forward to thunderstorms, whenever they next come.

I'm looking forward to going down south with my mother, though I'm apprehensive about it too, and hope it goes well. I expect it will be exhausting, and an experience, and worthwhile. That's the end of July.

I'm looking forward to a week to myself and I'm not sure when I'll get one.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow (at least right now).

I'm looking forward to the next time we go to Kumo and have more of those Japanese souffle pancakes because souffle pancakes.

I'm looking forward to going to bed tonight.

*

Norwegian Angelica: Tell us about your mom.

*

I've always had...an interesting relationship with my mother. Though it's very good now. But there are lots of long stories I'm going to cut short here and say that around 11 or 12 years ago I was fed up, and sent Mum a lengthy email (because I couldn't trust I'd be able to speak clearly in person without breaking down and crying) saying that if she didn't get on board with acknowledging the PTSD and where it came from, and didn't confront her own demons in that, I was going to walk away from her and our relationship for good, and I already had my estranged relationship with my father to prove that I wasn't bluffing.

In retrospect, this probably sounds like an incredibly cruel thing to do, but I can't describe to you the years before that, my childhood, the things that led to me making this decision. Only that when I made it, I didn't know what else to do.

But then the most amazing thing happened, and unlike about anyone else in my family at the time, Mum got therapy, and she got help, and she faced her demons, and she decided that she was going to learn about her child instead of doing what she'd been doing in the past. And from there we grew a real relationship. And quite a few years ago now, we started catching up once a week, every (usually) Friday morning.

She's one of my best friends now, I love her to pieces, her bravery and courage in being willing to face up to some hard truths (including - among others - that my father and her husband was abusive), as well as her sheer strength recently going through breast cancer with such humour and grace only a short period after I went through my own cancer journey, like, she's such a role model to me.

I could never have expected that. I loved my Mum growing up, but I never felt like she knew or saw me as a person, which I don't actually blame her for, she sure was Going Through It herself, in a way that I could not appreciate fully as a child, because she protected us from those realities that she experienced and suffered through as best as she could. And now I think she really does try, as I try to meet her where she is in turn. And we see each other as people, not as family roles, and that to me...has an ineffable, lovely quality. Which is, incidentally, why I'm taking her down south for her birthday, so we can spend even more time together.

*

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory?

*

I don't know that I have one. Oh wait, I think...I do, so let's just preface this first though.

The problem I have here is that I've had a life full of depression and PTSD (no literally, my post-trauma started showing in early childhood), and both things can actually cause memory loss or poor memory coherence (unless the memories are traumatic! Do not recommend).

However, I have a glimpse of a memory between me, Glen and Putu, shortly before Putu was bound to leave for Melbourne (for good, he hasn't come back except to visit), where we spent the whole day together, except a break in the afternoon for me to sleep, because true facts - I cannot get through a day without sleeping for several hours in the afternoon.

There was something so golden and perfect about that day. I remember startlingly for me, sitting on the couch and tired and sore (we'd spent the day going to dim sum and then later walking around Kings Park) basking in a feeling I couldn't recall having felt before, and then I think I turned to Putu and Glen and said with some amazement, 'I think I feel content.' And Putu and Glen were like '...yeah...and?' and later I had to admit to Glen I'd never felt the feeling before. Golden and soft, like a cloud.

I think I've felt it once more since then, but I don't remember when. And I don't think I'd felt it before then, either. I would not wish my brain chemistry on anyone. But I'm very glad I got to share that moment with Putu, who is a very close member of my chosen family, for all that I don't get to see him very often anymore.

I can't strongly recall the feeling of the emotion itself. I remember describing it to myself in my head, in complete sentences, and those are the sentences I'm sharing to you now, because my verbal memory is much better than my emotional memory (I have quite serious alexithymia, which would surprise no one, but it's better than it used to be).

And I am relieved that my brain did actually hang onto the moment, mostly because I chanted to myself like a prayer: please don't forget this please don't forget this please don't forget this remember your position on the couch remember where Putu is sitting remember where Glen is sitting remember what you said and remember the time of day and remember what came before.

And, now, I do.

*

From the flower asks meme!

[artificialqueens]

I've loved you for all of my life, 2/2 (Crystal/Gigi) - Brianna

summary: gigi goode and crystal methyd broke up. sure, they still live together, but they are over each other. or, at least they think so.

a/n: ok so i lied in that last post, the second song is 929 by halsey, so that’s a mistake on my part haha. this part has even more angst!!! but some fluff to make up for it at the end! let me know if you all want bonus chapters + scenes!

–

The sun had yet to rise in front of the ex-couple’s eyes. Crystal swore that the sky had gotten darker than before, but it was most likely her eyes not being used to the absence of light. Crystal had also decided that she’d never walk home ever again and that she would always charge her phone instead of abandoning the appliance for a whole day. Gigi had randomly started whistling and humming the tune of a song buried deep inside the blue-haired girl’s mind. It might have taken a couple of moments for her to recognize, but she realized it was a song by a mutual friend of theirs: I Know You All Over Again by their beloved Trixie Mattel. Suddenly, Gigi stopped.

“Why did you stop?” Crystal quizzed, head tilting to the side. She was actually enjoying the Goode girl’s rendition of the ballad.

“Because,” Gigi started. She began to pick at her nails. “I thought you’d yell at me or something.” Now, why would Crystal yell at Gigi for humming a song? It wasn’t like it annoyed her or anything. But she could definitely see Gigi not understanding that. “I thought it would bring up some unwanted conversation.” What ‘unwanted conversa-’ oh. Huh. Realization crashed into Crystal’s mind when she understood what Gigi was talking about.

–

“Babe, come here! Trixie sent me a new song and she really wants us to listen to it!” Gigi laid on their bed, texting the mentioned blonde, waiting for her girlfriend to enter the room.

Crystal finished drying a plate, setting the dishrag on the counter, and placing the plate in the cabinet. “I’ll be right there, baby!” She exited the kitchen and walked upstairs into the bedroom, seeing Gigi on the bed with just a large shirt of hers on. “What’s up?”

Gigi smiled and pressed a kiss on the redhead’s temple. “We’re gonna have a little listen.”

About three minutes had passed and Crystal found herself crying, wiping them instantly to try and not alarm Gigi. Unfortunately, it didn’t work and Gigi was quick to pull the older girl in a hug. “Baby girl, what’s wrong?”

“It was so fucking sad, Geege,” she choked out. “I just don’t want that to happen to us, ever.”

Gigi pouted, caressing Crystal’s face with the back of her smooth hand. “Baby. Sometimes, I ask myself if I love you too much, but then I tell myself, 'Gianna, shut up.’”

Crystal gasped lightly. “You love me?” she asked in shock.

“Of course, baby girl. I love you, I really do, and you will never have to worry about me not loving you.” Crystal didn’t say anything, but instead, pressed her lips on Gigi’s, taking her shirt off moments later.

–

Crystal stopped walking for a second. “Were you lying? When you said you loved me?” Gigi shook her head slowly. “Then what made you fall out of love? Because every day I beat myself up, wondering if I just wasn’t good enough for you, or if I’ll ever be good enough for anyone,” Crystal choked out. “A-and it fucking sucks because I don’t get any fucking answers from you!”

Gigi’s face softened. She peered down at the ground. “I… I don’t-I don’t know. It just happened.”

“BUT IT DOESN’T JUST FUCKING HAPPEN, GIANNA!” She stormed her way towards the blonde, standing in front of her, their faces half a foot away from each other. “YOU DON’T JUST WAKE UP AND FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH SOMEONE, AND PUSH THEM AWAY WITH NO REASON OR EXPLANATION!”

Gigi’s face was then streaked with tears and mascara. “Crystal, I’m sorry-”

“No, Geege. I’m sorry. Sorry for myself. Forget you ever saw me at my best. You don’t deserve what you don’t respect. What you say you love, but then proceed to neglect.”

Gigi bit her tongue. She knew back in high school that it was dangerous to fall in love so young, but she didn’t expect the age of 22 to still be young. She wanted to take back everything she had said and done. But the fact was that she couldn’t lose what she never had.

Due to the unplanned attack on Gigi, initiated by Crystal, they had gotten home later than what they had planned.

“Gigi, I want you to know that we have to keep this routine we have.” Crystal began to walk upstairs.

“What routine?” asked Gigi from the living room.

“I’ve got a 9 to 5, and you’ve got a night shift. That should be plenty of time that we don’t see each other for. Hell, I’ll plan to never see you again if I can help it.” She began walking upstairs again, and Gigi was going to run after her, but ultimately decided against it. Both of them went to sleep with tears running down their face, their bodies aching for some kind of consolation and empathy from the other.

–

Two days passed and Crystal woke up on a Sunday morning and headed out to Jan’s for a brunch she and her roommates were having. She’d do anything to get away from Gigi.

The blue-haired girl knocked on the white door of the apartment, only to be met with the face of a woman with a large gap in the middle of her two front teeth. “Why, hello there!” she greeted Crystal. “Jan! Your girlfriend is here!”

“Oh, we’re not dating,” Crystal interjected.

The girl gave Crystal a look that signaled she was disappointed. “Dammit. Now I and Jaida have to deal with her moping around for longer…” she trailed off. “Oh, shit, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Heidi!” she stuck her manicured hand out for Crystal to shake.

Crystal noticed the french tips that her hands adorned and was instantly reminded of Gigi. The blonde had always gotten her nails done that way. She wasn’t really one for claw-like nails. Her hands were dainty, like her. “Crystal,” she said.

“Come on in! Jan’s making some souffle pancakes!” Crystal walked inside the apartment and was guided into the living room by Heidi. It was really clean and minimalistic, like her own, but that’s all thanks to Gigi. Fuck, she thought. Stop thinking about Gigi, you bitch.

“Chile, since when did we get a hottie in here?” A woman came into the living room from the hallway, observing Crystal. “My name is Jaida, pleased to meet you.”

“Hi, I’m-”

“CRYSTAL!!!” yelled a familiar voice. Jan came charging into the living room with an apron on, attacking Crystal with a massive hug. “I can’t believe you came!”

Crystal chuckled. “Of course I came, Jan! You tantalized me with a good ol’ brunch, which I could never, ever, pass upon.” Crystal pulled away from the girl and her brain screamed the name ‘Gigi’ at her. And it had a reason. Jan’s hair was styled the way Gigi would always do to her own. She wore green, Gigi’s favorite color. Her eyes were even the same color as Gigi’s goddammit.

This was going to be a long brunch.

–

Crystal got home at around four and immediately crashed on the couch due to the number of mimosas and wine consumed, only taking off her heels and throwing her purse down on the floor somewhere in the living room.

Shortly after, Gigi walked downstairs to get herself a cold slice of Sicilian pizza but saw Crystal on the couch, already dozed off. A small smile appeared on her face, and she walked over to the couch to grab a blanket to cover the blue-haired girl. As soon as the fluffy piece of material covered Crystal’s body, she woke up with a jolt. “Ah!” Gigi yelped.

“Ah!” screamed Crystal. She looked up at Gigi, who stood in front of the couch, rubbing her fingers in circles on her temples. “Gianna, what the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m sorry! I just saw you were sleeping, and I-”

“What? You just decided to wake me up?”

“I wasn’t doing that!” Gigi fired back. “I was just putting a fucking blanket on you!”

Crystal sighed heavily, shaking her head and swinging her legs off the couch. “Sorry, I-I didn’t know.”

“Duh,” Gigi replied. “You were asleep.” Gigi sat down on the opposite end of the couch and started biting her lip. “I lied, on Friday.” Crystal had a blank stare as she turned to look at the blonde.

“What?”

“I said I loved you back then, but I lied.”

Crystal scoffed. “See how easy that was?”

“I’m not fucking done,” stressed Gigi. “I wasn’t in love back then, yeah. But I was scared that if I had loved someone, things w-would end up the way they were w-with Jackie,” she began to cry. “I wanted to see the world through her eyes when we were together. She loved me, and I loved her. But I changed my mind when she cheated. I was so dumb. So naive, to believe she loved me.

And with that, I was so fucking paranoid. Scared that someone appears to love me then turns out to be the exact opposite. Then I met you. And I was scared, Crystal. Terrified that it would have been the same with you.” She sniffles and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “I was forcing myself to tell you I loved you, to see if all my superstitions were right. And I knew they weren’t, but then I got scared again and had no clue when you would snap. So I pushed you away. Turns out, it’s hard to do that when you’re flat broke,” she chuckled. Crystal had tears coming down her face, slowly, but surely. “I might not have been in love then, but I sure as hell am now. And I’m so happy I’ve figured that out.” Gigi took a deep breath and sighed. “You don’t have to forgive me, at all. You can pretend this never-”

“I forgive you,” interrupted Crystal. “God, I will forgive you for everything, Geege.” Gigi smiled through her tears. She was lucky. Lucky that Crystal wasn’t like her ex. Lucky that Crystal was forgiving. Lucky that Crystal was Crystal. Crystal moves next to Gigi on the couch. “I love you,” she says before pressing her lips against Gigi’s for the first time in two months. And it’s perfect.

[lilytcyip]

December 31st, 2019

1.3 tera v w/ rjin & ggao

1.4 cactus & la foret w/ jng

1.8 talked it out with jng ; tried to understand that if i were happy, what more could you ask for

1.11 cyns bday dinner

1.11 craft beer w/ aleung & lwong

1.13 arisu & standing egg with efeng & aleung ; drove on highway for the first time

1.18 west dineout w/ annie pkp

1.19 glass w/ fifi

2.10 first snow of the year

2.3 cny lunch at home with the fam - tong yuen & poon choi

2.4 mooseknuckles - grateful

2.5 lunar new year

2.16 hangiout with mamayip & sis: beta 5, fixing the parka, meetfresh, miku sushi dindin

2.17 mom leaving for 2 months, wandering earth with the yips

2.19 happy hour cactus w/ fifi

2.20 kokoro lunch & shopping w/ rjin

2.20 so hyang w/ veda & nwu

2.21 black been noodles & tonkatsu lunch & usagi matcha sweets w/ ewong

2.22 green leaf sushi & grounds for coffee w/ vtan

2.25 sushi mura w/ acao ; larry berg planes and kisses for the first time

3.13 mental health talk w/ nwu & tchiu + jamjar

3.15 virtuous pie & nanas green tea w/ rjin

3.16 wine night w/ claw, aleung & fsyal

3.17 tabom & stanely park w/ jerpilla

3.23 pool & rc shopping with jyang

4.3 studying with jyang on campus & langara bye

4.9 studying with jyang at my house

4.18 ramen danbo & official date 

4.20 so hyang & off the grid waffles w/ ayip

4.26 sci ning off w/ aleung, claw, fsyal, lwong & mcheung

4.27 clay llama terra pot class

4.29 so hyang budae jjigae & yifang w/ ewong

4.30 rc shopping & sushi lover with the yips 

5.1 maenam, kits beach & rain or shiine ice cream w/ rjin

5.2 our first little tiff & being called chubby by mlo

5.3 shopping w/ vchan, aleung & fsyal

5.7-5.11 LA trip

5.8 LACMA & melrose & century city field

5.9 warner bros tour

5.10 malibu

5.28-6.1 hokkaido, japan

5.29 a 2-floor hotel with own onsen

5.31 otaru food adventures

6.1 doraemon painting & royce airport

6.2 macau: got scammed by taxi & lost luggage

6.7-6.15 inner mongolia & beijing

6.18 first co op offer 

6.21 fire port party at fifis house

6.29 pottery painting w lwong, aleung, vchan, fsyal

7.5 brunch w/ rjin at jethro’s fine grub, baker & table

7.6 nwu’s birthday dindin at coast, hangout with aleung & nwu at nightingale

7.14 leavenworth cherries

7.17 brunch w/ rjin at OEB

7.19 nightmarket w/ jyang, mlaw, rjin

7.21 beach day w/ aleung, fsyal & lwong; hy’s with fam

7.24 chau veggies w/ acao

7.27 shiok & icy bar w/ ewong

8.3 first day of work at doctors office

8.4 escape room w/ vchan, fsyal & jyang; bowling & anh and chi

8.17 dindin w/ fsyal, aleung & tlim; double date walks at olympic village with ancas

8.18 - 8.19 kelowna

8.18 polar grove & penticton lazy river, mission hill

8.19 kayaking, quail’s gate

8.24 lit night at fifis house with the girls and boys

8.25 aleung’s bday harrison trip

8.27 work shopping & nuba w/ fsyal

8.28 sleepover w/ rjin

8.29 brunch w/ aleung, moii cafe chill with fsyal too

9.3 first day of co op work

9.7 grave of the fireflies & wildtale cuddles

9.14 eric chou meet & greet

9.19 amandarachlee neg comment and posted my encouragement on her story

10.5 maiko parfait & shopping w/ jyang, earls with the amigos

10.18 gmen & oncecake: melody, rillakuma, card & collage

10.24 dark table w/ rjin

11.7 moii after work 

12.15 baking custard souffle pancakes w/ ewong

12.18 office christmas party & bbt w/ slim

12.19 glow

12.21 fifi’s christmas party

12.22 christmas market w/ rjin: churros & chimney cake

12.23 psyc team secret santa & mahjong

12.25 christmas dindin at market by jean-georges

12.26 birthday dindin at zeferelli

12.27 ring & birthday dinner at brix and mortar w/ jyang

12.28 skated alone, worked out, baked & dindin at botanist

looking back at it now, i definitely went out a lot more compared to previous years LOL i had some struggles in january, and at multiple points in my life i blamed myself for being ungrateful, for seeking more when i already had so much in life compared to other people. my friends were there for me and i wouldnt have been able to live through it without them. then again, during reading break in february, i got myself into the same hot mess and i was sad about it for a week and i blamed myself for getting so attached so quickly. because of these experiences, my expectations were v low and i didnt really expect anything when i talked to jyang, what they say really is true, you get it the moment you stop seeking for it. it comes and find you (: the 3 most important that happened this year is burbur, co op job & me getting more comfortable around doggs; this is a big deal !! i actually like cuddling dogs and i feel less scared of them as long as i have some time to get used to them!! im proud of myself for making progress with my phobia! after i started my co op job, bc i didnt have a lot to do, i felt like i wasnt actively contributing to my workplace and that i was very useless. i still feel the same way now, but i think i am slowly getting used to it. thankfully, my coworkers are VERY nice and i enjoy working around them. while i did not get a different position for january, im still grateful that i got an extended placement. nonetheless, meeting with the different PIs and sumeet pointed me in the right direction of looking for nserc / volunteering opportunities when i do go back to school. AND ofc burbur! im grateful that we were able to be there for each other for the past 8 months, both the ups and downs and i am so so thankful that we’re understanding and patient with each other, as we help each other learn along the way and help each other become a better version of ourselves. this companionship is better than i have asked for and i always remind myself to focus on the important things rather than the minor inconveniences. this year, in terms of fitness goals, ive been doing really well before asia. but ever since i came back, it all went downhill and i gained back all the weight that i lost this year year LOL so in 2020, one of my biggest goal is to eat healthy again, and workout more consistently. getting a job in sept kinda interfered with my progress too, bc i was so tired after work, even when i wasnt doing anything and i stressed eat bc i felt terrible. a lot of diff factors made me feel super stressed, and the fact that i wasnt eating clean / exercising reguarly made me feel worse about the whole situation ): so in 2020, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will be one of my top priorities and gifting myself a healthy body is one of greatest things i can do for myself. this also contributed to the lack of journalling near the end of the year, it felt like bc i wasnt doing the things i was “supposed to do”, i just felt so bad whenever i couldnt tick off that particular habit whenever i fill in my trackers. but tonight, i watched this video and it talked about habits should be for awareness, not for self-hate or self-loathing. this is something that i need to keep in mind. ever since april really, the issue of leaving my house and meeting up with my friends have always stressed me in fear of dealing with passive aggressiveness with my mom lool everytime i get inviited to plans, i just get anxiety about having to tell her about it LOL and even when im out, having a msg/ call for her freaks me out in fear that she will get mad at me for being home late and etc and fifi really woke me up with her words, i should just care less LOL i need to stop caring so much about what she thinks, bc at the end of the day, this IS my life and if i never make any changes, i will never be able to grow and be independent. i think this pree much sums up all my events and emotions in 2019, the last year of the 2010s. in the next decade, a lot of things will happen as i will be in my 20s - 30s, where new opportunities will arise, and graduate uni, do my masters, find a job, maybe even marry and move out LOL the 2020s will definitely be an impt decade, but just for next year i want to:

1. understand that i am old enough to make choices, and in general, care less about what she thinks

2. at the same time, i want to appreciate and be grateful for what my mom, dad and annie have done for me; a lot of the times, i feel like i take them for granted just bc i know they will always be there for me and this is not how you should treat your biggest supporters

3. trust that everything will workout in the end, while you may not be able to envision what you career / life would be like when youre 30, you can definitely take small steps and move towards your goal

4. be mindful of what i eat and exercise regularly (4x hiit & cardio a week) ; treats & sweets in moderation; use those habit trackers for awareness, not for self-loathing / self-hate

5. create art regularly, read more and at least do 5 duolingos every week! 

every year, time just seems to go by faster and faster and i feel scared at times. as i type this, theres only 8 minutes left of this decade LOL so in 2020, continue to live in the moment, be present, cherish those that are around you, and have faith that everything will come together, one piece at a time. at the same time, always rmb that you can make small changes to be a better version of yourself, whenever & however you want and this is the 1 thing that other people can’t stop you from doing! 

[charllieeldridge]

Alykes Beach in Zakynthos Greece: A Travel Guide

Alykes Beach may not be one of the best beaches in Greece, but it’s definitely one of the best beaches in Zakynthos. In fact, after travelling around the island for more than two weeks, this was our favourite stretch of sand. 

Not only is this bay filled with softer sand than most Ionian Beaches making it easier to walk around and swim without wearing footwear, but it also had one of the best restaurants in Zakynthos located right on the beach.

In this post, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about Alykes Beach in Zakynthos. Whether you want to stay near the beach, or just go there and have lunch as part of a day trip, this post will cover it all.

See Also: The Ultimate Guide To Travelling in Greece

About Alykes Beach

Alykes Beach is a stunning stretch of granulated golden sand that has actually been awarded the blue flag for cleanliness, an honour that is not given to a lot of beaches in the world. In fact, Greece has the second most Blue Flag Awarded beaches in the world which is something that they are very proud of. 

It’s perhaps most famous for the massive Alykes Beach resort, but despite having one of the biggest beach resorts on the island, it’s still one of the most chilled out beaches in Zakynthos.

Where is Alykes Beach?

Alykes Beach is located off the east northeast point of Zakynthos Island, a small island of about 40,000 people in the Ionian Sea in western Greece. This is one of the best places to visit in Greece.

Zakynthos is about 20 kilometres west of mainland Peloponnese Greece and about 249 kilometres west of the capital of Athens City.

Alykes Beach itself is located in the town of Katastari in Zakynthos Island. The city has plenty of restaurants, bars and accommodation options and many people will end up choosing Katastari when deciding where to stay in Zakynthos.

How To Get To Alykes Beach

Alykes Beach: Katastari 290 90 – Zakynthos, Greece

Because Zakynthos is a small island and it doesn’t have the best public transport system, I recommend renting a car for the duration of your stay. We rented a car for the entire time we were there and it was the perfect way to get around and see all the things to do in Zakynthos.

A rental car will cost you around €15 – €20 per day depending on the size of the vehicle, insurance and the season in which you travel. 

There are a few public buses that go between Zante Town and Akyles Beach, but they stop running in the late afternoon. There are also quite a few tour operators on the main road in Katastari town which offer trips into Zante town and back.

There’s also a touristy road train (Trainiki) that passes by Alykes Beach and up to the nearby village of Pigadakia. You can also rent motorbikes, quads, bikes and scooters from tour operators and rental companies on the main roads in town.

Best Time To Visit Alykes Beach Zakynthos

If you’re coming to Akykes Beach Zakynthos on part of a day trip, then you’ll want to time your trip for the best time of day to visit Alykes Beach, and if you’re trying to decide the best time to visit Zakynthos, then you’ll also want to know the best time to visit Greece as a whole.

The Best Time of Day To Visit Alykes Beach

The best time of day to visit Alykes Beach is the same as any beach in Greece. You’ll likely want to arrive mid-day when the sun is directly overhead and illuminating the brilliantly blue Ionian Sea at the beach.

Sunrise is also a great time to visit Alykes Beach as you can see the sun climbing up over the Greek Mainland at certain times of the year. Sunset’s a beautiful time to visit as well, but don’t expect to see the sun hit the sea here. If you want to see that you’ll have to go to beaches on the west coast like Porto Limnionus or from the cliffs of Kampi.

The Best Time Of Year to Visit Alykes Beach

The best time to go to Zakynthos is anytime between March and November when the Sea is warm enough (it’ll be a bit chilly at either end though), the weather is warm and tourist sights, restaurants and accommodations are open.

We prefer to visit Zakynthos in the shoulder season, between March and May or September to Early November. The sea is a bit cooler at these times, but there are way fewer people on the island and the tourist sights (like Navagio Beach) are much less crowded.

The summer months (June to August) are also a great time to visit Alykes Beach Zakynthos. This is when the Ionian is at its warmest, but daytime temperatures can reach 40°C (104°F) so it’s not really comfortable to be anywhere besides the water. Also, the crowds can take away from the peaceful nature of the beach.

The Type of Sand on Alykes Beach

Alykes Beach Zakynthos is a unique beach on the island because it actually has nice, granular golden sand. So many other beaches in Zakynthos and in the rest of the Ionian and Mediterranean have pebbles, which make it very uncomfortable to walk on them.

Alykes Beach is sandy enough that you can stroll along large stretches of it in bare feet and you can also lay your towel down in the sand comfortably, without having a bunch of stones poking into your backside!

Were To Stay Near Alykes Beach

When deciding on where to stay in Zakynthos, you may find that Alykes Beach area is a great option. There are plenty of hotels and apartments available, as well as a few cool guest houses and the massive Alykes Beach Resort. Here are a few of the top-rated places to stay on Alykes Beach.

Kanela Studios: Whenever we visit Greece we always book little apartments on Booking.com and Kanela Studios is a great option for those looking to do the same close to Alykes Beach. These cozy and well-decorated studios are just 30 minutes from the sand and are surrounded by a lush garden with a stone-paved sun terrace. They have 9.6 stars on Booking.com reviews and prices start at around $80 per night in the high season. See Prices on Booking.com.

Villa Ana Alykes: Set just 100 meters from Alykes Beach, Villa Anna offers a holiday home with 2 comfy air-conditioned rooms with a patio and free wifi. There is a kitchen, dining area and washing machine. This is a great option for two couples or a family on a longer stay. Prices start at around $78 per night and they have 9.8 out of 10 on reviews on Booking.com. See Prices on Booking.com.

Alykanas Village Resort: If you’re looking for more of a resort feel then this is likely the best option for you near Alykes Beach. It’s a 4-star hotel with all the amenities you’d expect from a place of this calibre. It gets raving reviews on Booking.com and prices are around €84 – €251 on average per night depending on when you visit. See Prices on Booking.com.

Best Restaurants Near Alykes Beach

There are so many restaurants to choose from around Alykes Beach, but our favourites are on the sand. In fact, our favourite restaurant in Zakynthos was located on the small jetty that separates Alykes Beach from Alykanas Beach next door.

Porto Paradiso

Katastari 290 90, Zakynthos, Greece

This funky little beach bar and restaurant is definitely one of the best restaurants in Zakynthos. It has tasty food, great service and if you order a drink or a meal from here, you can use the beach lounge chairs for free. We spent a couple of afternoons just chilling at this beach bar with a Mykonos beer in hand. Highly recommended.

To Koukounari Taverna

Katastari 290 90, Zakynthos, Greece

This is a really popular place with amazing reviews on Google and Trip Advisor. They have a great staff and the food here is delicious. Try the Greek dishes like the chicken souvlaki and the chocolate souffle for dessert.

Paporo Beach Restaurant

Katastari 290 90, Zakynthos, Greece

Another great beach restaurant set right on the sand, Paporo is a great option on Alykes Beach. It’s literally right next door to Porto Paradiso. The food here is a bit more expensive and a bit more fancy (with strange dangling shrimp kababs zipping out of the kitchen), but it’s clean, the service is good and you can’t beat the location.

Asteria Taverna

Katastari 290 90, Zakynthos, Greece

This is another perfectly situated taverna right on Alykes beach. They have delicious Greek food with a really friendly chef and staff. They’re open breakfast, lunch and dinner and they have some tasty dessert pancakes on the menu as well.

Pita Break Grill House

Katastari 290 90, Zakynthos, Greece

This super-local joint is set on the main road back from the beach, but it’s well worth a visit. They serve, you guessed it, delicious pitas and gyros for an affordable price (around €2.50 for a pita) and they have ice-cold beer for cheap here as well.

Should You Go?

Alykes Beach is definitely a must-visit stretch of sand on any Zakynthos itinerary. If you’re coming to the island, make sure that you get out and explore a bit. It’s not a huge place, but there are so many things to do in Zakynthos.

Alykes Beach area is a great place to stay in Zakynthos, but even if you don’t stay in Katastari town, at least come here for a day or a half-day to eat at Porto Paradiso (or the other restaurants listed) and laze on the sand for a bit. It’s a chilled out and safe place to swim and sunbathe.

The post Alykes Beach in Zakynthos Greece: A Travel Guide appeared first on Goats On The Road.

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[2leeks-blog]

Not Your Dad’s Flapjacks.

I have often said that “I will forget everything about an experience; but I will never forget how the experience made me feel.” Food is one of those experiences. I may not always remember when I had the best breakfast, the most succulent souffle, or when I went on my first picnic; but I do remember the emotions associated with those scenarios. In fact, one of my favorite childhood memories was eating pancakes the morning after a sleepover at my grandparents’ house. Waking up after a restful sleep to the smell of blueberry pancakes cooking fresh in the kitchen is not an emotion that I will soon forget. Crawling out of bed and quietly descending the stairs as to not wake our still sleeping grandmother, my sister and I would be greeted by our Dziadzia (meaning grandpa and pronounced JAH-jah. Coming from a polish family, grandma and grandpa were always respectively Babci and Dziadzia) with a fresh plate of blueberry pancakes to enjoy. So when I saw the recipe in Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park’s cookbook: The Perfect Egg titled, “The Perfect Pancake”, I was instantly intrigued. Memories of mornings-gone-past with Babci and Dziadzia instantly flooded back. Without wasting any time, I grabbed a camera, the newly found cookbook and the excitement elicited by all-new adventures and prepared myself for this endevor. Finally, my cooking partner Jon Yeckley and myself got to cooking, to see if we could really make the perfect pancake.

Not only were we trying to make the perfect pancake, we had to take the difficulty up a notch. We were going to record the whole thing and post it on Youtube. Pass or fail, perfect or imperfect, treasure or trash did not matter because the video was being posted either way. We would either make the perfect pancake or go down trying. Little did we know that this recipe would be the start of one of the tastiest adventures we would ever go on.

At the onset, we felt relatively comfortable, as The Perfect Egg cookbook was well-formatted and easy to follow. The directions were clear and inviting to even us amateur chefs; however, we wanted to add a bit more pizazz and color to this dish. Grabbing a blender and a selection of mixed berries (including strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries) I began to make a delicious berry puree to go on the side of our pancake. I Placed the berries, sugar, and half of a squeezed lemon, into a mixing pot on the stove above medium heat. I made sure to stir the mixture periodically to help the sugar begin to breakdown; and believe me, when that sugar finally broke down and mixed with those fresh berries, the smell was so unimaginably good. The fresh and sweet aroma of the puree began to fill the entire kitchen. Talk about an incredible work environment.

Taking the berries off the stove, I poured the fresh mixture into a blender before beginning to puree. Once the berry mixture had been pureed to an appropriate thickness (we wanted ours to be pretty smooth, so we let it blend for a longer period of time to really breakdown the berries) I placed the now sweet-smelling berry sauce back into the saucepan to simmer on low heat while Jon and I continued to craft the pancakes.

First things first, we needed to make the batter. After grabbing a large mixing bowl from the pantry, Jon began to mix in all of our dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar). Next, Jon began to add our wet ingredients to the bowl (buttermilk, melted butter, pure vanilla extract, and one egg). Once all of the ingredients had been included, Jon began to whisk the batter together, making sure to leave it on the chunkier side. Now the moment we had been waiting for, it was time to cook the pancakes.

First, Jon placed a large skillet over medium heat on the stove, that he proceeded to cover in butter. He then placed a ¼ cup of batter into the skillet, which he cooked for three minutes on each side to get a beautiful golden-brown pancake or as we called them #notyourdadsflapjacks. Now the recording must have been starting to get to us because we, to use the scientific term, flubbed our first pancake; but not to worry, our second and third pancakes were worthy of framing. We just ate them though, who frames a pancake?      

The pancakes, mixed with the fresh berry sauce and light syrup were to die for. The fluffiness of the pancakes paired so well with the sweet and tart notes of the berry puree. These pancakes truly were perfect, and the speed at which they were consumed was a testament to that fact.

Now honestly, I am not quite sure that the pancakes were as good as the pancakes I had as a child. That is to be expected though, food just always tastes better at grandma and grandpa’s house. Or as I would say, no better food then that made by Babci and Dziadzia; however, when it comes to close seconds, Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park’s recipe for the perfect pancake truly does take the cake. I highly recommend and consider this cookbook to be a must-have for chefs of all calibers. In fact, the cookbook and all of the ingredient amounts can be found at this affiliate link: The Perfect Egg. I truly will never forget how tasty these pancakes really were.  

[dating-in-da-808]

36 y.o non-native tour guide

In March, we texted for about 2 weeks and decided to meet up for brunch.  he came and picked me up and i happily got in his mini van to head to a brunch place that i wanted to try out.  

we talked about the potential plates that the place has and talked about sharing food so we can try more.  so i jokingly said “sure, you aren’t sick right?”  

him: “oh, no i don’t have STDs...” 

o_O””” instant turn-off for me.  

conversations during brunch were ok, his english was definitely not fluent but i guess ok to hold short conversation.  we eventually had to switch over to mandarin since his english was really lacking.  we had nice banter with the cafe owner too to talk about running a food business in hawaii.  and we learned a lot about the origins of the now famous souffle pancakes.  

but, sorry that first answer really lingered with me and i can’t get over it.  and also the fact that we can’t even communicate in english.

sigh...

[laurenborrelli]

“Lei”dies take Hawaii

My friend Danielle from Architecture at Penn State was the president for the society of architecture students (AIAS) that wrapped up in August 2016.  One month later she started in job in Honolulu, Hawaii....AMAZING right?!  Two months after her move, myself and three friends booked our trip to visit her.  Never in my life did I think I would travel to Hawaii in my 20′s, let alone have my friend MOVE there!!!

I could not have been more blown away at the shear beauty of the islands.  The vibrant colors and the contrast of the mountains next to the crystal clear water left my mouth wide open in awe the entire travel.  And to share this experience with my best friends made it even that much better. :)

Itinerary:

Thursday, February 23rd 2017:  My flight departed Boston at 3pm, quick layover at LAX.  The flight to Honolulu had an incredible view.  It was pitch black with a million stars in the sky.  With no light in sight, the starry sky followed a 180 degree curve of the earth I have never seen before.  I should have been exhausted and trying to sleep but all I could do was stare in awe.  I landed in Honolulu at midnight.  Danielle didn’t wake up to her alarm or my phone calls...but luckily she was also picking her roommate up from the airport too.  So the pressure of two people finally got her butt there just 30 minutes late.

Friday:  Danielle got us all real leis!  So in the most touristy fashion, we decided to all wear ours allll day. :)  Danielle had to work, so Julia, Meghan, Kelsey, and I all walked to work with her and then went to breakfast.  My breakfast included the first of many taro (purple root veggie) renditions and deeeelicious coffee.  Seriously I had no idea the brewed coffee was going to be SO good in Hawaii!  We then hike Diamond Head Mountain.  Just a bus ride from downtown Honolulu and gives you beautiful view of the city.  It was super crowded and started to rain when we got to the top.  So treating ourselves with an acai bowl afterwards was a must.  Now we tried many acai bowls on our trip, and this one was hands down mine and Meghan’s favorite!!!  Besides the purple mashed potato (taro) on it, the natural, grainy honey and bee pollen made it to die for!  We then headed to Waikiki beach to relax before grabbing sushi and heading airport for our flight to Kauai! A quick one hour flight, 30 minute drive in the rental car, and grocery store run and we were PTFO at our airbnb.

Saturday:  We got up bright and early to hike the Na Pali coast.  Hands down the absolutely best hike I think I will ever do in my life!!!!  It even beat out hiking Cinque Terre in Italy!  The hike starts along the ocean, limitless blue it is incredible.  We then took a break at a rocky beach before heading into the mountains where we first hit a bamboo forest.  It was beautiful with stone huts and small human traces hidden between the dense bamboo.  THEN it got fun with hopping across streams/rivers and climbing up rocks.  This was probably the most grueling, fun, and concerning when it comes to rolling ankles because I didn’t bring hiking boots.  The hike finishes as Hanakapi’ai falls.  It is a 300′ high waterfall that is only accessible by hikers.  It is incredibly remote and the rocks that people rest at seem to concave around the falls and make it a very intimate experience.  The water was ice cold but oh so refreshing.  We were incredibly giddy the hike back because come on, NO ONE expected all of the different elements to be that beautiful.  We grabbed some poke (amazing Hawaiian uncooked tuna) and local hawaiian beer and headed to the beach at Hanalei.  It felt great to lay out, see the immense mountain range we had just hiked, watch the super cute surfers, and see little Hawaiian kids in awe over the couple getting married on the beach.  A couple hours later we started to drive home to only suddenly stop the car and witness a sunset with the most vibrant orange and pink colors all of us have ever seen.  Truly it was magical and no pictures can ever do it justice.

Sunday:  Adjusting to the time change helped us get up bright and early again to see the sunrise at Kapa’a Beach just a 5 minute walk from our hotel.  We then had breakfast (my second favorite acai bowl) at the absolutely cutest place called Hippie Cafe.  If I ever open a cafe THIS will be my vision.  All natural ingredients, friendly staff, huge outdoor eat spaces, plants/flowers growing that are used in the food.  Truly it is a hippie lovers dream...heart eyes emoji to the extremeee! We then drove through the center of the island all around Waimea Canyon.  It does resemble the grand canyon except it is a bit more lush with greenery AND you can hear numerous rooster crows echoing everywhere.  We went to a black sand beach (the only let-down thus far) and made the long drive to Puka Dog.  Truly the best hot dog I have ever had and toootally worth driving too.  We then drove through a beautiful tree lined street to get to our helicopter tour! YES we actually did a helicopter tour!!!  And YES it was everything and more I could have ever imagined.  Kauai is an amazing place for a helicopter ride because it’s terrain is immensely diverse.  We saw the canyons, open ocean, and waterfalls on waterfalls.  It started to rain in the last leg, BUT it didn’t stop us from this 360 concave area that is around 20 waterfalls hundreds and hundreds of feet high.  It is totally unaccessible except helicopter, and the pilot was amazing at getting us very close and at an angle to really feel one with the experience.  Gosh I don’t even know how this trip could get any better at this point?!  We then showered and headed to a nice dinner in town before passing out very early once again.

Monday:  Started our day with another acai bowl and delicious coffee! We then headed to our kayak adventure!  We were about 10 minutes into the guided tour when someone frantically was yelling at us from the shore telling us there was major flooding and we could go to Wailua Falls as anticipated.  We could either get a half refund or do the tour the next day.  Since our flight was later that evening...and we didn’t exactly want the refund...the guide was more then happy to do a improv tour with just us 5!  It was awesome!!  We went to the fern grotto and no other tourist was in sight.  We then went to a secret cliff jumping spot to eat lunch and crack open a coconut too!  The guide had adorable pigtails, was stick thin, and was as tan as could be.  She whipped out a drum while we were cliff jumping too!  She was totally one with the earth and could not have been friendlier.  After another amazing (should I have been surprised anymore??) we grabbed some quick poke and rushed to the airport to fly back to Oahu.  Julia, unfortunately, flew home to the “mainland” that night so it was just Kelsey, Meghan, and I noodling around while Danielle had to work during the week.

Tuesday:  We started our day with breakfast at Aloha cafe and tried ginormous souffle pancakes!  When they came out they looked HUGE and we had no idea how we could finish all of that food.  But after one bite, we totally could have ordered one more!!  They tasted like extremely lightweight angel food cake that just melts in your mouth. YUM!  We then picked up a rental car to drive to Pearl Harbor and reserve our tickets for the afternoon.  In the meantime, we checked out the Dole Plantation.  We got delicious frozen puree pineapple and saw the cutest, tiniest purple pineapples.  We then checked out Wahiawa Botanical Garden which had an extraordinary variety of plants for such a small garden!  My favorite were the trees that looked like paint was dripping down the trunk.  We grabbed some Mexican by the Navy base then head to Pearl Harbor!  First time our age group was in the minority the entire trip... Unfortunately either the heavy Mexican food mixed with the dark theater put me to sleep for a majority of the short intro documentary.  Then we took a boat out to the site of ... there was still gas seeping into the water.  Is this just dramatic effect because I sure hope that someone would have done something to prevent this by now?!  It was VERY interesting to compare how Americans market this attack vs. how the Japanese marketing the attacks of WWII.  Americans much less tell the facts but go for the heart-felt stories.  All in all, Japan bombed the Navy base, not the city of Honolulu.  America bombed the ENTIRE city of Hiroshima...civilians and all.  All just let those facts simmer for a little... Anywho then we headed to our airbnb at the North Shore.  This was our largest hiccup of the trip...the airbnb host wasn’t responding to ANY of my messages and finally 20 minutes before we were going to get a full refund we finally heard from him.  The place was  unfortunately a drive from the town of Haleiwa, BUT it had the most incredible view of the ocean from the rain shower.  At one point there was a double rainbow outside and I don’t think I can ever top a shower view like that.  We had dinner at a Opal Thai that had amazing reviews online.  We got there with our BYOB wine and after the first hour of waiting and the rain coming down, we decided to open one of our bottles.  Another hour and a half later we FINALLY got seated and surprising enough, it was totally worth it.  There were no menus, we just told the owner what flavors we like/dislike and he had a series of surprise dishes come out for us.  Our favorite was his “special.”  When we asked him what it was, he grabbed Kelsey’s had a drew a stingray on it!  AMAZING!  We went to bed with full bellies and happy hearts (yet again.) :)

Wednesday:  A very rainy morning and we still drove along the North Shore to a acai bowl food truck!  Obvi well worth the drive. It started to clear up and we had an empty beach to watch the most adventurous of surfers tackle the Banzai Pipeline.  We then drove south to an old sugar mill that is turned into a coffee plan/market.  Old Sugar Mill was great for touristy gifts and we even got a tour of the coffee plant process.  For lunch I had the most amazing pork burrito I’ve ever had at Kono’s.  We then drove alllll the way north to sneak into the pools at Turtle Bay.  It was very obvious that we did not below but luckily the rain cleared out the pool and allowed us to snatch some left over towels and lay on our chairs to look even more like noobs trying too hard.  The hot tubs were nice though...but the resort is much too secluded for me.  We showered and grabbed drinks and dinner in town to only pass out early once again.

Thursday:  Our last day at the North Shore and finally some sunny beach weather!  We did lots of beach hopping.  We started at Shark’s cove and wished we had some water shoes to peak around the tide pools. Then we checked out the food trucks and I had the legendary North Shore Shrimp.  They were quite huge and were a little too buttery for me but they were still good!  We rented bikes and rode towards the secluded residential beaches just north of Shark’s Cove.  Then we drove all the way around the eastern shore of the island to get to Danielle’s in Honolulu.  This drive will always be in my memory for how close the mountains and ocean REALLY were there!!  The tops of the mountains were even covered in a misty haze, which made their heights very deceiving.  We had dinner with Danielle at Duke’s, which is right along the water at Waikiki Beach.  Meghan and i had been to their location in Malibu with Jenna when i came to visit them one summer during college.  Now the Mai Tai’s were good, but the Lava Flow Kelsey got was phenomenal...have pina colada half strawberry daquiri.

Friday:  Danielle called in “sick” to work so that we could go scuba diving that day!!! Her roommate is a scuba diving instructor, so we got an amazing deal and personal service when we were there.  It is way more difficult that I expected too!!!  It feels very suffocating and claustrophobic to go under water because your breath is so controlled.  And if you freak out, you have to very slowly come to the surface for air.  The first dive I was down waiting for everyone to descend for forever it made it nervous they had forgotten about me.  BUT I did have schools of beautiful fish and a couple sea turtles swim verrrry close to me.  Because the water was so clear it was way less scary then I anticipated...actually quite calming.  The vulnerability aspect and being submerged entirely in a different environment was very freeing.  The first dive is where we saw a majority of the sea turtles.  The second dive was more cloudy, a longer swim, and we did get to see more varieties of fish.  Unfortunately my goggles weren’t clean for the second dive, so I didn’t get to take in everythinggg but it was still awesome.  The boat was SO rocky that I felt horrible for all the Japanese tourists (and Meghan lol) that were so sea sick.  I knew I would get it too if I stayed on the boat so I snorkeled around while we waited for other divers.  Being on a boat was an excellent way to really take in the mountainous island and it’s beauty.  We then spent the afternoon at Waimanalo Beach to then see the sunset at the most incredible spot EVER!  We had to walk down this narrow dirt path, to then climb down stairs to reach natural rocks that had tons of people playing ukeleles, drinking, and jumping off the edge!  Whale were breaching in the distance and it was just truly magical. We never ended up going out ONE night because we did so many activities during the day we were too pooped to get ourselves to go out.

Saturday:  We got up the earliest on our last day for...a sunrise hike! We did the pillbox hike, which is quick but you sit at abandoned bunkers to see the water rise over the ocean. We went to the beach were everyone did some early boozing while I took a nap.  Then grabbed one last acai bowl and checked out some more hidden gems in the area.  We climbed down the rocks to the adorable beach right next to the blow hole AND Danielle and her boyfriend took us to this super sneaky spot that is truly stone eroded away by the tides.  We took Meghan and Kelsey to the airport while i then went over to Danielle’s boyfriend’s parent’s house for traditional pupu with this family.  So cool!  They are Japanese but have lived in Hawaii for 5 generations, but still don’t consider themselves “Hawaiian.”  We then grabbed drinks at this super trendy craft cocktail place and then drove to get beautiful view of the city at night.

I would have never expected this trip to have been as amazing as it was.  If I ever go to a tropical island in the future, it has HUGE shoes to fill! :)