#and they're taking a vacation from the Subway to catch up

[cloudsrust]

Imagining a Scarlet&Violet after-ending kinda thing where they announce at school that two new professors have been called in to fill in Sada's and Turo's place and Ingo and Emmet just barge into the classroom.

They're the temporary substitutes.

[liminalmemories21]

18 (because I know you keep things and I love seeing the bts things) and 23 please Lim!

Thank you!

Okay, doing this in reverse order.

#23 - pick three keywords that describe your writing

hmm, okay, this is hard. Introspective? Funny (I hope)? Kind (I really hope)?

#18 - if you keep them, share a deleted sentence or paragraph from a published fic

Do I ever keep things. So, there was a whole section I wrote for We were in screaming color where they went to New York for Passover, and I really loved it and had to cut it when it turned out they'd apparently never been to New York (!?!). Anyway, this is a small part of it.

Enzo has classes on Monday, but they're not leaving until Tuesday morning, and they take the time to go out to Gwen's grave.  They take Jonah with them, and Carlos keeps an eye on him as he toddles around the cemetery while TK folds himself down next to the temporary marker.  The unveiling will be in late July, and Carlos has already put in for vacation time to come up for it.

He takes a few steps away to give TK privacy to talk to Gwen, and crouches to take the stick that Jonah solemnly hands him.  He turns at TK's voice, raised just loud enough to carry.

"Hey, Jonah, come say hi to Mom."

He takes Jonah's hand to help guide him over to the grave, and then lets TK settle Jonah on his lap.  Jonah squirms a little, and doesn't really understand what they're doing here, but he catches enough of TK's mood to settle for long enough to obediently say hello to Gwen and Carlos feels his heart clench when Jonah offers TK a small rock he has clenched in his fist.  He can see the tears on TK's lashes, but his voice is somehow steady when he tells Jonah, "That's perfect, honey.  Do you want to put it on her grave?"

Jonah looks a little dubious, but puts it on the marker and then looks at TK for approval.  TK kisses the top of his head.  "It's a way for us to remember her," he explains to Jonah.  He scrubs surreptitiously at his eyes and pushes himself up.  He looks at Carlos.  "You want to talk to her?"

He nods, and squeezes TK's hand as TK stoops to pick Jonah up and walks a little bit away for them to look at the buds on the fruit tree nearby.  He sits on the ground in front of the grave, in the same place TK had.  He's never really done this before, never really had anyone that close to him who's died.  He feels a little awkward, but, "Hi Gwen.  Your son asked me to marry him, and it was the best day of my life.  I know I screwed it up a little after that, but he's got more patience than most people give him credit for, and he's got so much patience with me even when I don't think I deserve it."  He puts a hand on the ground.  "I promise you, I am going to love him for the rest of my life, and I am going to try every single day to make him happy."  His voice catches in his throat.  "I wish you could be there, to dance at our wedding, and tell me you told me so, and make him laugh.  But, even if you aren't there in person, I know that you will be there in TK, and in Jonah, and in the memory of every person you met and loved, and through me for him.  And, I am so grateful for that.  I don't think I have words for how grateful I am for him, and that you trusted me with him.  I won't let you down, I promise.."

When he looks up, TK's watching him with a small tired smile.  They go to lunch afterwards at the tiny dim sum shop on Spring Street, and they cut up a dumpling into little pieces and let Jonah gum at them.  The owner remembers TK, and looks sincerely upset when he tells her that Gwen passed, and brings them out a plate of bao they hadn't ordered, and when TK says thank you Carlos can hear the tears in his voice.  "They were her favorite," TK says when they're alone.  "I can't believe she remembered that."

When Carlos suggests they just go home after lunch TK only makes a token objection.  "I was going to show you Manhattan." 

He nudges TK towards the subway, and hopes he's remembered the right one.  "We'll be up here a lot more times, you have years to show me New York.  Right now I think we all need naps, and he nods at Jonah who's already conked out in his stroller.

TK's mouth twists with amusement.  "I think I envy him a little."

They're playing blocks with Jonah when Enzo gets home that afternoon, and he makes a face as he sits down on the carpet with them.  "I am too old for this."  He points a finger at them, "Let this be a lesson, have your children when you're young.  Or," he reaches out to cup the back of TK's neck, "acquire them when they're past the age of crawling on the carpet."  TK grins and ducks his head, and offers Enzo a hand to lever him up off the carpet. 

TK gets quieter the later in the evening it is, but it isn't until after they've put Jonah to bed that he says, "I really miss Mom."

Carlos curves a hand across his knee, anchoring him, and Enzo reaches out a hand to TK and holds it firm when TK takes it.  "I know, kid.  Me too.  Every day."

[lacystar]

there is an apartment somewhere. and there are 3 people who live inside but rarely at the same time.

technically 4-- George doesn't pay rent though and stays on the couch. its supposed to be a "temporary solution" but he just sleeps the days away or plays video games or watches tv but nobody really has the heart to kick him out.

its not very fancy or anything bc well half of them are in school and don't make a lot of money. there are some custom pieces of furniture from their friend foolish who's a builder of many trades and gave them side tables as housewarming gifts. there are cute posters of cartoons on the wall (from Karl) mixed with dumb anime (from sapnap) and unflattering pictures of them and their friends and family guy memes (from George and quackity alike). the furniture is passed down, thrifted, dumpster-dived and completely mismatches and there is an air mattress on the ground of the bedroom without a frame-- theyre trying to get a proper mattress by Christmas . its usually dirty with unwashed dishes and sheets used as curtains and empty cans over the floor but its home.

karl is finishing his last year of college for journalism with a minor in history. he wants to own a library or bookstore someday. most of the crammed books in the apartment are his, and even fewer have been read. he likes to buy novels and not read them. he wants to seem like he reads. he wants to do a lot of things. Between classes he sits at the college library desk for 7 hours and does nothing since students don't know how to use the library, and gets his minimum wage.

the books that aren't Karls are law books and they're quackity's, and they /are/ read and thoroughly dog eared and tabbed and written in. q is a law student and a dedicated one at that. disciplined mentally but not emotionally. he's either silent and focused and pissed off or laughing. he will become a lawyer some day and will buy Karl his library, and they'll own a second home in Vegas for vacationing.

sapnap wakes up earlier than he'd like to goes to the gym for hours. he isn't in college. he likes to protect people and he likes to fight. he doesn't want to go into the military or the police force because that sounds dumb and like hell, and it's too late for a sports scholarship. he's not sure what he wants to do with his life yet, but he wants to stay with Karl and quackity and maybe even George. he works out, breaks at the nearby subway for a disappointing lunch, then goes back and works as a hired personal trainer and gets flirted with a lot. he flirts back but only to get paid more. He does other odd-labor jobs for cash when he can. and when he's not there, he's the homebody motivating George to do anything and doing the dishes when it gets to be too much and forcing himself to make the bed for them and cooking and cooking and COOKING which he doesn't mind because he's good at that. he'd become a chef but he doesn't want to cook for random people-- only for his family.

quackitys classes take him deep into the evening- studying takes him longer into the night (he can't study in the apartment-- too many distractions and too many arguments about distractions). Karl goes to classes too, and then work, but then shops around and spends all the money he just earned on whatever sparkly thing catches his eye, he doesn't come back until sunset. sapnap is up and out the earliest, but back around 3 to meal prep. they miss each other most of the day and Karl comes back ready to chatter and eat and doesn't see how poorly George is doing because sapnap's convinced him to get dressed right before Karl comes home, and Karl shows off all the new things he's bought and sapnap smiles and nods and tries not to think about rent coming up. and they eat in front of the tv and Karl stays up way too late because he's put off homework while sapnap sets aside a portion of dinner for quackity because he knows he won't be back until after everyone else is asleep. and quackity comes back around 12 AM exhausted and Karl, who's about to go to bed after finally forcing himself through a paper, asks him how his day was and offers to keep him company while he eats, and quackity says for him to go to bed-- he's already not gonna get enough sleep before class at this rate-- and Karl promises him he'll drink a monster and that he's fine. and Karl snacks and they have a second dinner, quiet while George sleeps on the couch (not that they'd wake them if they shouted, though, to be honest). and then either Karl or q will nod off at the table and the other will usher them to bed, depending on the night. and then for a few hours the house will be empty until sap nap's up early enough to prepare everyone breakfast before he leaves for the gym again.

and there are weekends where they laugh and stay up all night and play games and watch movies and invite Tina from a few units down over to chill with them and they have fun and it isn't until Sunday that they start to Dread again. the monotony of not knowing when the future will finally decide to happen.

but for a few hours each night on their shitty airmatress and covered in blankets, they all get to be together every day, asleep on sapnaps chest, hand in Karl's hair, lips against quackity's cold fingers. because no matter what happens, the future will always always be each other. and thats enough

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/what-i-spent-a-five-day-road-trip-to-joshua-tree-and-palm-springs/trip-planning/

What I Spent: A Five-Day Road Trip to Joshua Tree and Palm Springs

01 of 08

Upfront Costs

Emily Hymes

The upfront costs of vacations are predictable. It’s the little things—airport snacks, cocktails before dinner, tipping a tour guide—that can throw even the most well-planned vacation budget off track. In this new series, we’ll look at the spending patterns of real travelers in popular destinations, so you can estimate what you’ll actually spend.  (Thanks for the inspiration, Refinery29!)

In this installment, two sisters take a road trip to California's Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

Flights: $640 (JFK – LAX, Delta Economy)

Hotels: The Saguaro: $552.00 for two nights (booked through Kayak); Hicksville Trailer Palace: $83.25 for one night; Teepee: $121.00 for one night

Rental Car: $466.28 (6 days + insurance, Hertz)

Size of Group: 2

  Continue to 2 of 8 below.

02 of 08

Friday

Laura Hymes

4:30 p.m.: Laura and I embark on our first ever sisters trip. We start by taking the NYC subway (J Line) from Williamsburg, Brooklyn to the Airtrain in Jamaica, Queens for service to Terminal 4 at Kennedy Airport. It takes us about an hour. Cost: $15.50

5:30 p.m.: We're through security in under 15 minutes. (Thank you, TSA PreCheck!)

5:31 p.m.: Our flight is delayed, so we have time to kill. First stop — Hudson News for the essentials: Teen Vogue, InStyle, Nylon, water, and a bag of quinoa chips (we are suckers, but at least we will be hydrated and stylish). Cost: $31.99

6:51 p.m.: Laura says she is going to faint, so we b-line it to Panda Express. (Why did we skip Shake Shack, you ask? Well, it’s because we are going directly to In N' Out Burger the second we land in L.A. at midnight. Duh!) Cost: $8.70

6:24 p.m.: I can't stand when people eat without me, so I opt for the build your own salad from La Break Bakery. I do not recommend this place, but at least it is healthy. Cost: $13.08

7:21 p.m.: As we board, the flight attendants hand us Rice Krispie Treats as an apology for our flight being delayed. Because of this, we forgive them. Cost: Free

8:00 p.m.: Complementary snacks are served to economy passengers. Laura and I choose the cheese plate, and we're pleasantly surprised to find out it's from Murray's — a beloved cheesemonger in NYC. The platter was comprised of cheddar, gouda, and manchego with marconda almonds and some dried fruit and crackers.

11:14 p.m.: We land! Laura and I are tired, so we decide to skip In ‘N Out Burger (for now) and instead stop to buy candy to fuel us for the 3 hour drive ahead. Cost: $7.66

3:15 a.m.: We arrive at the hotel in Palm Springs. We are so tired, but hey, we made it!

  Continue to 3 of 8 below.

03 of 08

Saturday

Emily Hymes

10 a.m.: We're off to a late start. We need to hydrate so we stop for overpriced waters at CVS. Cost: $12.18

10:50 a.m.: We head to Norma's in The Parker Hotel for breakfast, and feel chic as we order $30 egg entrees. Yes, it is expensive, but it's all about the experience! The lobby is designed by Jonathan Adler and couldn’t be any cooler. The worst part? We missed the Kardashians by one day! Cost: $95.39

12 noon: We begin our drive around Palm Springs for Desert X — art instillations throughout Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley that use the desert landscape as a canvas. We make five stops around the Valley, but both decide that our favorite is “Mirage”, a glass house that sits atop the mountains and reflects the surrounding landscape and people. Cost: Free

3 p.m.: We head over to the Moorten Botanical Garden for some plant history. Fun fact: they have the world's first Cactarium here (whatever that means). There are lots of cacti to see and there is a free tour of the gardens. Cost: $10

3:47 p.m.: Time to shop! We start at Sunny Dunes Antique Mall and then walk along Palm Canyon, popping in and out of stores for a little over an hour. We were told Trina Turk is a must-visit, since it's one of the first stores in Palm Springs (and Jonathan Adler also designed it). We're most successful at The Frippery, a vintage shop where Laura ends up with a very cute dress for the summer. Cost: $106.82

6 p.m.: We hit the Amigo Room at the ACE Hotel for a drink and light bite. We order the Palm Spritz, Cranky Coyote and chips & guacamole. We are hungry and need a cocktail, because our parents won't stop calling us to check in. Cost: $46.51

7:45 p.m.: We spot a photobooth on the way out. Of course the first attempt was a disaster, so have to take another round. Cost: $12.50 (or $6.25, if you do it right the first time)

8 p.m.: Dinner at Birba. We call ahead and are told they're full, but we go anyway and get two seats at the bar. We split a few things and have a glass of wine. The whole restaurant is outdoors and it is fun to people watch. Cost: $52.59

9:13 p.m.: We have a busy day tomorrow and are tired from traveling the night before, but want a nightcap so we go to Seymores, a speakeasy bar tucked away in a small room attached to Mr. Lyons Steakhouse (both owned by the same owners as Birba). We skip the fancy cocktail and go with a basic sparkling rose. Cheers! Cost: $23.00

Continue to 4 of 8 below.

04 of 08

Sunday

Emily Hymes

7:30 a.m.: We wake up early for an 8 a.m. yoga class at our hotel, only to find out the class is at 9 today. We decide breakfast sounds like a good alternative to stretching and being zen. We try our luck at Cheeky's (since it's early), but the line is out the door, so we go to King's Highway instead. This place has a mid-century vibe and good food. Laura gets the lox and I get the avocado toast. The avocados here are so creamy and good — we can't get enough. Cost: $48.63

10 a.m.: May the architecture tour commence! We set off on a self-guided tour we found online that includes modern steel structures & 70s style homes up on the hills. We also drive up to old Tuscany, located in the mountains, to see the homes of the stars, past and present. Elvis’s house was the coolest! We are lucky enough to catch an open house. Laura and I decide that our parents should buy it, so we can vacation here frequently. Also, we make sure to see the house with the pink door. Cost: Free

12:30 p.m.: Time for some poolside relaxation at our hotel, The Saguaro. It's noticeably less crowded than yesterday. We assume it's because it's a Sunday and people are checking out… and we don't mind at all. The pool floats are on point (think flamingos and swans) and just waiting for us to take pictures in. To complete the vibe, we order frozen cocktails. Cost: $26.16

3:30 p.m.: We have a late lunch at the Barn Kitchen in the Sparrows Lodge. When we walk in, we're initially faced by the pool, but we wander a little further and find the back garden with a long table and lots of outdoor seating. It is beautiful and tranquil back here. Laura and I split the ham and mustard melt and the hummus platter, which we accompany with ice teas. Pretty sure Laura is annoyed with how many times I tell her how much I love this place. Cost: $40.71

5 p.m.: I scream, you scream, we all scream! We're running out of time in Palm Springs so, why not? The Ice Cream Shoppe is a cute store that has lots of Californian paraphernalia in addition to inventive ice cream flavors. We both go for a small of the local favorite flavor — date — with rainbow sprinkles. The small is two scoops! We are very happy and very full. Cost: $9.63

7:20 p.m.: We head for drinks at the Draughtsman, an upscale sports bar with an outdoor area that has games. Laura and I play foosball and corn hole before sitting by the fire and enjoying our Aperol spritzes. (Oh, and just because I know you're wondering, I win both games.) Cost: $23.00

8:30 p.m.: We head to dinner at Las Casuelas Terraza, as we're told it was a must for Mexican, and sit close to the live music they have every night. Obviously, we start with chips and guacamole. Laura gets the enchiladas and I get the carnitas tacos. Cost: $53.91

9:30 p.m.: To burn off those carnitas, we walk along the main street and end up in a tourist shop to buy postcards to write to friends and family back home. Cost: $1.09

Continue to 5 of 8 below.

05 of 08

Monday

Emily Hymes

8:30 a.m.: We arrive for our third & final attempt for breakfast at Cheeky's. Again, there is a line, but we wait and fill the time by writing our postcards.

9 a.m.: We get a seat indoors — score! The menu is constantly changing so it is hard to plan ahead on this one. We order the bacon flight, which is a Cheeky’s staple and a must-try. Laura gets an omelet and I get a granola. We eat everything. Cost: $48.24

10:30 a.m.: We stop to send postcards from the post office. Cost: $2.25

11 a.m.: Then we stop for gas. Luckily, we find an affordable place to fill up. Phew! Cost: $31.16

12:35 p.m.: After a three-hour drive drive southeast, we arrive at Salvation Mountain, located in Slab City. The area is definitely off the grid — it's got a post apocalyptic feeling. People live here in tents, free from rent, but also without plumbing and electricity. The mountain itself is covered in artwork with inspirational words and drawings.

2:55 p.m.: We have spent most of the day in the car and are ready for one last meal in Palm Springs! We go to the Sandwich Spot for a sandwich on the “Dutch crunch” bread they are famous for. Then we head down the street to Great Shakes for the berry and almond shake. Cost: $8.99 & $5.50, respectively

4:45 p.m.: It’s time to bid farewell to Palm Springs and head to Joshua Tree. In a little under an hour we arrive at Hicksville Trailer Palace, where we're staying tonight, and it's truly a palace of trailers. Pictures don't do this place justice. There are about 10 trailers, ranging in size, scattered across the site, and we chose the smallest, The Pony. From hot tubs to archery, ping pong, and mini golf, this place could keep you entertained for hours. There's only one other guest staying here right now, so it's pretty quiet.

6:42 p.m.: We end up at the main bar in town: Pappy and Harriet’s. The wait for dinner is an hour and a half, so we get a drink (a beer is only $3.5!) and watch the live music — it happens to be open mic night. We're impressed by the food menu, too. We get a kale salad and split the pulled pork sandwich with fries. Cost: $36.05

9.39 p.m.: We're back at Hicksville for a night of games and trying to stay warm — we didn’t pack for the 35 degree weather (because it's April).

  Continue to 6 of 8 below.

06 of 08

Tuesday

Emily Hymes

9:15 a.m.: We bid farewell to Hicksville and head to our first stop of the day: Noah Purifoy's Desert Art Museum. It's just 10 minutes from our “hotel” and supposedly life changing. In reality, its just a huge piece of land with different structures made out of debris, wreckage, and trash. It is a sight to see. Cost: Free (I would hope so!).

10 a.m.: We arrive at Joshua Tree National Park. The sight of the actual Joshua trees is breathtaking. Our first stop: Hidden Valley, for an easy trail to warm up our hiking skills. Then, we go up to Keys Point lookout for a beautiful view and an even more beautiful selfie. Then we wind our way around to our next stop, Skull Mountain. Over the mountain, the Joshua trees disappear and the Cholla Garden begins. We find Arch Rock on the way back, for one last rock climb that day. Cost: $25 (car entrance for the day)

2:30 p.m.: We are starving from all that activity! We head to the recommended Crossroads for lunch where I get a turkey sandwich and Laura gets a quesadilla. Again, we both have ice teas. Cost: $37

3:30 p.m.: Just up the road from lunch is Art Queen & Sun Alley shops — a collection of eclectic stores and art spaces. The most unique store we find is the Crochet Museum, a small green structure housing hundreds of crotched items.

4 p.m.: We head over to the town of Yucca Valley to shop. We start at an antique shop, where I find a set of 14 glasses that I love. Laura basically drags me out, kicking and screaming, and reminds me that I can’t bring glasses back with me on the plane. Then we go to a few vintage shops — The End, Hoof & Horn, and Promised Land. All the stores have such unique pieces and locally sourced trinkets. Cost: Free (But I really wish I was typing $50 right now… for the 14 glasses).

5:15 p.m.: We arrive at our teepee for the night.  Yep, you heard me right… our teepee! It's housed on a piece of land that has about six other teepees of all sizes. Ours is the smallest, but the inside has a light, heater, and heated blanket so we will be set for the cold evening weather. We are proud of ourselves for really beginning to embrace the outdoors.

6:30 p.m.: Nothing completes a vacation more than a stop at Walmart!! We go just for firewood, but end up with graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. I think you all know where we are going with this. We also pick up some appetizers of pretzel goldfish, and individual cheese packets (we don’t want the coyotes to get to any of our leftover food!). Cost: $28.64

6:40 p.m.: We decide to gas up before our drive back to LA in the morning, and find a cheap station on a side street. Cost: $34.91

8:15 p.m.: We go to Pie For the People for a slice. This place is known for their New York pizza, with a twist. Laura goes for a plain slice and I for a veggie, which is very spicy. They are huge slices and we can’t finish them, which is surprising for us. Cost:  $12.78

9:10 p.m.: We attempt s'mores back at our teepee. There is something we aren't doing right, because the chocolate won't melt. At this point, I think I hear a coyote so I run inside the tent and end all of our outdoor time for the night. Laura is not amused. Just when I think I can handle the outdoor lifestyle… 

Continue to 7 of 8 below.

07 of 08

Wednesday

Elusive Photography/Getty Images

9:45 a.m.: First stop: Hadley Fruit Orchard to peruse the dried fruit selection and try the famous date shake. If I could have one everyday, I'd be a happy girl. Cost: $22.81

9.50 a.m.: Our road trip to L.A. begins! We listen to Spotify “California” playlists all the way there, while Laura finally takes the wheel.

11:27 a.m.: We arrive in L.A.’s arts district to check out the Hauser & Worth Gallery. Parking is impossible, so we stop at a lot. Cost: $12.00

12:30 p.m.: We drive along Mulholland drive, atop the Hollywood Hills, where you can get great views of Los Angeles and the Valley, and stop at a few overlook passes, including Runyan Canyon — a place known for celebrity sightings. Unfortunately, there are no paparazzi in sight, therefore I am 100% sure there are no celebs, either. Then we head down Sunset Blvd and Melrose.

3 p.m.: We stop for lunch at Joan's on Third. It's a gourmet market with an extensive menu of sandwiches and salads. We sit outside and enjoy the last few hours we have in the warm weather (now that we are out of the mountains). Cost: $47.00

3:45 p.m.: I can't help but stop in Kreation Kafe to stock up on my favorite garlic almonds. Cost: $12.70

4:30 p.m.: Time to hit the beach! We go to Venice Beach and walk along the water, past Muscle Beach and then through the canals, which are unlike anything I've ever seen before. 

7 p.m.: Our final gas-up for the car. Cost: $21.16

8:30 p.m.: Our last stop before our red-eye flight is the place that was supposed to be our first stop: In ‘n Out! It was worth the wait. Cost: $10.21

9:30 p.m.: We're back at the airport. We plan accordingly, so there is enough time to drop off the car and take the shuttle to the terminal and still have time at the gate.

Continue to 8 of 8 below.

08 of 08

Thursday

Emily Hymes

7:10 a.m.: We touch down at JFK. We're debating whether to splurge on a cab or take the subway home, but we decide on the AirTrain/Subway combo to save money, so we can start saving up for our next sisters trip! Cost: $15.50

Totals:

Food & Drink: $669.89

Activities: $116.82

Miscellaneous: $109.01

Accommodations: $756.25

Transportation: $1226.6 (including gas & parking)

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