#animal crossing meadery

[pan-cakes-makes]

CIDERY & MEADERY

Plenty of people create bee / flower farms & apple orchards in Animal Crossing, so I’m putting my own unique spin on these by making them into a combo meadery & cidery in this ACNH speed build.

Our resident bad girl, Cherry, will be running the cozy apple orchard while our unibrow sweetheart, Hazel, will tend the flourishing apiary.

- CUSTOM CODES USED - Apple Cider Shelves: MA-5586-1147-3236 Honey Shelves: MA-0973-7817-2980 Honey Stall: MA-0498-3188-7717 Honey Drips: MA-9440-2658-2481 Dirt Path: MA-4147-2454-4020 Eyebrows: MA-1409-5733-1266

- WATCH IT - Check out the speed build on my YouTube channel here

[plutojones]

Chapter Nine: Speaking with Silence

Upon arriving at the ruins, Andie spies a dead horse at a small campsite and then Mercer off in the distance. As she walks up to him he gives her a nod in her direction.

“Good, you're finally here. I've scouted the ruins and I'm certain Karliah is still inside.”

“You saw her?”

“No, I found her horse. Don't worry, I've taken care of it... she won't be using it to escape. Let's get moving, I want to catch her inside while she's distracted. Take the lead.”

“You want me to lead?”

“I'm sorry, I was under the impression I was in charge. You're leading and I'm following. Does that seem clear to you?”

“Crystal.”

“Now, anything else before we get moving?” He starts walking towards the ruins.

Andie follows after him. “How did Gallus die?”

“Twenty-five years ago I was standing outside these very same ruins. Gallus told me to meet here but he wouldn't say why. When I arrived, Gallus stepped from the shadows. Before he uttered a sound an arrow pierced his throat. Before I could even draw my blade, her second arrow found its mark in my chest.”

“So Karliah took you both on at once?”

“Karliah was a master marksman and her greatest weapon was the element of surprise. I was lucky... she missed my heart by mere inches. I staggered away from the ruins and my vision began to blur. It's then that I realized the bitch had poisoned her arrows.”

“And Gallus?”

“The last thing I saw was Karliah dumping his body into an opening atop the ruins; an unceremonious end for a remarkable man. To this day I've regretted allowing her to escape, even if it meant I had died trying. I owed Gallus that much.”

“What happened after he died?”

“The Guild was thrown into disarray. Several stepped up and tried to Gallus' former position as Guild Master. Sides quickly formed behind these men and the Ratway became a bloodbath.”

“And you were part of this?”

“I saw what they did to Gallus. I wanted to use the Guild's resources to hunt down Karliah. The others didn't even care he was gone. Fortunately, I persevered and the other groups were either killed or they left Skyrim.”

“What about Karliah?”

“The infighting had taken months to subside which gave her time to go into hiding and carefully cover her tracks. I spent thousands of septims and used every contact at my disposal, but it was as if she had simply vanished... like I said before, she was the best. She was a stubborn Dunmer... always had to do everything her way. But she was the best... bringing in more coin a month than some thieves heist in a year. Gallus trusted her too much and I let her get too close.”

“Did… did they have a relationship?”

“If you want to call it that, yes. Me? I think she was softening him for the kill. Gallus would call her his "little nightingale." He was absolutely smitten by her.”

Andie stops in her tracks for a moment. Nightingale. She had heard that before, from her Grandfather. Odd that she would hear it referenced again. And… did Mercer almost sound jealous? “Why did she kill him?” She starts walking after him again.

“Greed? Jealousy? Spite? Who can say what drove her to such an iniquitous act. One thing's certain. I intend to find out before she draws her last breath.”

“Isn't murder Dark Brotherhood territory?”

“I have a long-standing arrangement with the Dark Brotherhood. If I need someone in the Guild taken care of, we do it ourselves. We both agree it's best to keep these matters in house. Now is there anything else? I want her head on my mantle.”

Andie freezes again. The last time she heard something like that was from Sibbi Black-Briar about his fiance. It gave her stomach a twist, and as she watched Mercer continue to walk to the ruins, she couldn’t help but feel something was off. Why was she here? Why didn’t they bring Brynjolf? Delvin? Vex? Why her? Shaking her head, she chased after him, not wanting to upset him for falling behind. They approach the door to the ruins and as Andie looks over them she’s unable to find a conventional key-lock to work with. It was practically impossible it seemed.

“They say these ancient Nordic burial mounds are sometimes impenetrable. This one doesn't look too difficult. Quite simple really, I don't know what the fuss is about these locks.” He pushes her aside as he begins messing with the door. “ All it takes is a bit of know-how and a lot of skill. That should do it. After you.” The doors swing open as he motions for her to go in.

With her brow furrowed, Andie couldn’t help but feel even that was odd. She had never heard much of Mercer’s skills, but he just came off as the type who would leave her to the guards if it meant he could escape getting caught for a heist. Still, she didn’t have much choice now. Lowering herself to the ground, she stealthily entered the ruins and began going down the stairs.                        

As they sneak through the ruins, Andie has her bow and arrow at the ready. Various undead fill the chambers which she easily takes out one at a time. Mercer remains behind her, offering her nothing but annoying commentary. If he weren’t in charge, she’d have snapped at him.

“The stench in here... this place smells of death. Be on your guard.” Of course she’s on guard -they were hunting a murderer who wanted to destroy the Thieves’ Guild. What?’

“Pull the chain over there, and watch out for the spikes. Looks like Karliah reset all of the traps.” Andie pulls the chain and the spikes immediately hit her but not Mercer.

“Bone chimes... clever. Rigged to wake the draugr I'd bet. Don't blunder into any of them.” Andie successfully avoids them all. Mercer wakes up the Draugr. How the fuck was he guild master?

“We're on the right track. She's been through here as well.” Really? The trail of dead undead wasn’t obvious enough for her?

“That door up ahead... looks perfect for hiding an ambush. Be ready.” You think?

Andie was having to take deep breaths every time he spoke to keep from talking back. In one chamber, however, she heard chanting in a strange language. Following it, she say a strange stone wall with carvings in it. One of the carvings, perhaps a word in this strange language, was glowing, calling out to her. When she asked Mercer what it was, he said he didn’t know off the top of his head. Some ancient dragon carving. There were various ones across Skyrim.

Did they always chant like this?

He gave her a confused expression. What chanting?

Even more confused and curious by his response, Andie crept closer, reaching up to touch the glowing word. Power seemed to rush into her, and the chanting stopped, but she had no idea what she had absorbed. She looked back to Mercer who was waiting, annoyed, at the door to the next chamber.

Entering into a tunnel they approached a tall door with a lock that seemed to require the right sequence of animals from top to bottom, and some kind of claw as the key.

“Ah, it's one of the infamous Nordic puzzle doors. How quaint. Without the matching claw, they're normally impossible to open. And since I'm certain Karliah already did away with it, we're on our own. Fortunately, these doors have a weakness if you know how to exploit it. Quite simple, really.” Mercer moved up to the door and began messing with the locks where the claw would be inserted. Andie couldn’t quite tell what he was doing, but as before just felt that something didn’t add up. Wouldn’t he still need to know the correct sequence of animals to set it to? Perhaps he remembered and saw he didn’t need to change anything? Wouldn’t Karliah have reset it and changed the sequence?

After a moment there was a click and the sound of stone on stone as the entire structure of this door sunk beneath the floor. “Karliah's close. I'm certain of it. Now let's get moving.”

As Andie steps through the door, she feels something hit her, sinking into her chest. Her vision begins to blur and within an instant she falls to the ground unconscious.

Mere moments later, her eyes blink open again. She can see Mercer speaking to someone, but is unable to see who the figure is - probably Karliah.

“Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?”

“Give me a reason to try.”

“You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired.”

“"To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies." It was the first lesson Gallus taught us.”

“You always were a quick study.”

“Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive.” Wait...what?

“Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way.”

“Did you forget your oath we took as Nightingales? Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?”

“Enough of all this mindless banter! Come on, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!”

“I'm no fool, Mercer. Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise the next time we meet, it will be your undoing.” The sound of footsteps fading off reached Andie’s ears, but her head still reeled from whatever was on the arrow that hit her.

Mercer turns to walk to Andie’s form, still lying on the ground. “How interesting. It appears Gallus' history has repeated itself. Karliah has provided me with the means to be rid of you, and this ancient tomb becomes your final resting place. But do you know what intrigues me the most? The fact that this was all possible because of you. Farewell. I'll be certain to give Brynjolf your regards.” Raising his sword, he shoves it into her gut and then pulls it out just as quick, leaving her to bleed out and fall unconscious as she watches him walk away…

[chaospenelope]

Dragon's Roar

On Her Own

"I told you no grand schemes or adventures!" A man behind a counter spoke to the woman across the room. The woman stared him down. "Well someone has to get those bandits! We can't just-." "Sh! Not in front of the customer." He heard the door close and noticed Neda. "Can I help you?" "Are you having problems with bandits?" "Oh, you heard that...We did, they came and stole something of ours. A golden claw statue. It's the name of the store so it was kinda important." "But your sign says Riverwood Trader..." "We've been meaning to change that..." He looked away awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. "And that's the only thing they took." His sister added. "It's suspicious for the usual brand of criminal we deal with but I know where they are." She said with a clenched fist. "And I will get it back!"

Neda noticed the woman was very frustrated, but she didn't seem equipped to battle. The shop appeared to own a few decent weapons and some average armor but she didn't believe it was enough to protect the shop keep's sister from ancestors knows how many bandits. "I can retrieve it for you. Do you know where they could be?" "I know exactly where they are." She said proudly. "I can point the road that leads right to them!" She rushed out the door with great enthusiasm, the wind from her dash causing Neda's scorched and bloodied skirt to swish. "I'll pay you a good amount of coin if you can come back with it." The brother offered after she left. "I really didn't want her going on a rampage. She doesn't think ahead." "Speaking of which, how many health and magica potions do you have? I'd also like to see the armor." She honestly wasn't hoping for much. There didn't appear to any other Nanooks or Orcs in the village but it was worth a look. She had to get out of these clothes and repair them as soon as possible. He nodded and pulled the strongest armor he had from behind the counter. It was decent iron chest plates and boots but was only sizable for a young cub. She shook her head and it told him to move on to the potions. He walked toward the shelf right behind him and pulled down five minor magicas and six minor healths. After purchasing them all she met up the sister. As she walked she put her potions on her belt. As she did there was something crinkling in her pocket. Taking it out she instantly realized it was a map. She slipped it back in as she approached the waiting woman. She stood at the edge of town facing a bridge. She didn't even glance at her as she stood next to her. "There, it leads to Bleak Falls Barrow." She pointed at a path across the bridge. "That's where those skeever lickers are hiding." "How long have they been there?" She looked at the roads carving up the mountain wilderness. An elk was peacefully grazing in the distance. A few mud crabs seemed to glare at them from the shore. She then shielded her eyes as she studied the sky. "They retreated there after they stole from us last night." Judging by the position of the sun Neda could tell it was almost noon. She could have enough time to warn Whiterun's Jarl about the dragon, then retrieve the gold. It was by a long shot less important. Neda had a feeling the group wouldn't move so early especially if they were camped in an seemingly abandoned structure. "I'll get you statue back, but I can't guarantee how long it'll take. I suggest you stay here in case they come back for more." She really didn't want the unarmed civilian tagging along, especially since her problem wasn't a priority. "They better not. I'll be ready the next time I catch them." She then marched back home. She breathed a sigh of relief before taking out the map. She suddenly felt a sharp pinch on her ankle. It was one of the mud crabs attempting to subdue her. She narrowed her eyes at the muck encrusted shellfish as it then proceeded to tug at her dress. She quickly stomped between the animal's eyes several times, each blow caused louder cracking until it gave way to a gross splotch splashing it's innards on her boot. She decided to make use what was left of it later. She stripped one of the wolf's pelts into a crude sack to wrap around the severed claw and legs. Finally she was on her own. She felt a brush of air that seemed to welcome her to the wild. A rabbit darted across the road ahead of her with a fox closing in. It even chased it's prey into the water as she passed. She watched the two until something bright in the corner of her eye caught her attention. A butterfly fluttered ahead of her until it landed on some mountain flowers. Something about it clicked in her mind. An image of an open book flickered on until it was as clear as if it was right in front of her. Each page was scrawled with recipes and intricate drawings, familiar drawings. The flowers and butterfly wings could make potions. She instinctively snatched up insect as soon as it landed and picked the blooms. She stored them in separate small satchels on her belt and continued on the trail. Bushes rustled and leaves crunched to her right. She stopped just as a deer crossed her path. It breathed a shaky breath as it ran. Blood trickled down it's hind quarters from punctures in it's flesh. It nearly stumbled right into her as it retreated behind the brush in a jagged pattern. There was a sharp pain in her side. She pulled her sword out and smashed the handle into the jaws clamped onto her flesh and fur. Another group of wolves had crossed her and was circling her. She summoned a flickering flame and cast the closest beast on fire. The other two leapt at her with gapping jaws. She managed to swat one of them away with her sword. Only landing a shallow cut on it's neck. The other chomped on the arm holding the blade. It held tightly trying to pull her to the ground. She yanked the wolf as hard as she could and slammed it onto the hard dirt. She engulfed the animal in flames before it could move. She turned to the final wolf. It snarled at her as it closed in. She waited for it to charge, let it get real close. Then moved at the last minute shoving her weapon deep in it's side. It snapped at her one last time before the life drained from it. She sat on the ground with a pained groan. The gash on her side was fairly deep. She winced as she pulled a tooth stuck in her tissue. When she was certain the wound was as clean as possible she took out one of her small potions. Her skin quickly weaved itself together and new bits of fur covered up her recovering skin. She remained for a moment to regain her strength, skinning the carcasses, and finding a silver ring in one of their stomachs. The road was more peaceful for some time. She collected a few more flowers, wings, and thistle. She came to a sign informing her she was on the right track. She heard bear in the distance so she quickened her pace on the left trail. She really couldn't spend much time fighting, she needed to warn people of the dragon. Besides, fighting that animal was a little more difficult than wolves and she didn't have powerful enough curatives or weapons for an unnecessary fight. She slowed down when she spotted a building in the distance. The was a sign hanging with nice writing that said Honningbrew Meadery. This wasn't a good time to get waisted so she decided to just rest outside for a few moments. She ate a pheasant after feeling her gut growl. There were a few people passing by, two soldiers patrolling and a man hauling supplies with a horse drawn cart. The soldiers were only ones that noticed her. They spotted her and drew their swords until they were close enough to see her clothes. Then they looked her up and down them spoke sternly with eyes narrowing through their metal masks. "Better not cause any trouble around here, Bear." Before they continued patrolling. Neda had a sudden inclination to channel her wilder, less tolerate kin and start mauling them just for the principal of it, but didn't want to lower herself to their close minded caricature. Instead, she walked away closer to her current goal. There was a small shaking feeling under her paws. It became more noticeable as did the shouting and clanging. She ran to see a giant standing in the middle of farmland fighting off three warriors in face paint. They were charging the monster head on screeching wild crys. She immediately burst into a sprint with sword in one hand and magic crackling to life in the other. She leapt over a few fences and attacked the back of it's leg with surge of lightning. To her surprise it crumbled up like a wet scrap of paper immediately. "Looks like we have everything under control." One of the warriors said triumphantly, then she glared at Neda. "No thanks to you." "Your kidding right? I came over because I thought you needed help." "What do want, a medal?" She snorted. The urge to maul was rising again. "You do look like you can hold your own in a fight..." The only male of the three observed her war torn appearance and ready stance. "If you really want to prove yourself come to Jorrvaskr and be a Companion!" Neda hesitated for a moment. She was taken aback by the suggestion. Did she stumble upon some sort of competition? Though, the name Companion suggested it was some sort of protection guild...A very competitive one... "I might just do that." It might serve as an interesting way to make friends in this foreign country. She glanced at the warrior with the displeased frown. She'd have to think about it, after she takes care of more pressing matters of course.

[longislandweekly-blog]

An eco-conscious vacation to San Francisco and Marin County

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco to Marin County. (Photo by Kimberly Dijkstra)

San Francisco, the hilly city by the bay, has captured the hearts of many. Even Tony Bennett left his heart there among the cable cars and morning fog. Just beyond the bridge lies Marin County, a respite from city life with a charm and beauty all its own. Marin itself features in a song or two. The Bay Area has lots to offer as a vacation destination and is the perfect choice for the environmentally conscious.

San Franciscans prioritize sustainability in their daily lives and these practices extend into the hospitality industry. Many hotels boast eco-friendly practices, such as Hotel Spero, which is so committed to sustainability, it launched on Earth Day last year. The renovation took careful steps to pay homage to former owner Lizzie Glide, a well-known San Francisco philanthropist and activist.

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Guests receive a pencil embedded with forget-me-not seeds.

Hotel Spero strives to be Earth-friendly.

Hotel Spero, which is just steps from Union Square and located centrally to major attractions, invites guests to be a part of its mindfulness, philanthropy and environmental efforts, which ultimately makes your stay there more enjoyable. For example, the water filling station in the lobby helps minimize plastic bottle waste. The BeeKind products in every guestroom are made from all-natural ingredients, have recycled packaging and the company supports the Honey Bee Research Program at UC Davis. Guests will also find graphite pencils with forget-me-not seeds embedded that can be planted after the pencil is used.

Also, a discount is offered at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen, the hotel’s restaurant, if you turn down housekeeping service during the duration of your visit. And luggage racks in each room double as ‘giving racks,’ where you can leave spare clothing behind to be donated to the St. Anthony Foundation.

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Go Go Go

Lots of different things attract travelers to San Francisco. The Go Card (smartdestinations.com) offers admission to nearly all of them including bus tours, cruises, museums, historic monuments and family activities. The Aquarium of the Bay, located at historic Pier 39, is great for kids and pretty fun for adults as well. Home to more than 20,000 aquatic animals in 700,000 gallons of water, the aquarium works to protect and preserve the bay. It hosts shoreline cleanups and promotes green infrastructure projects. A walk through the aquarium, with all of the interactive opportunities it offers, is a walk through a living museum.

The Embarcardero, San Francisco’s pleasant bayside walkway, has a wide variety of restaurants, parks, attractions and piers to enjoy as you travel by foot or by bike. Stop at Pier 45 for a tour of the USS Pompanito, a World War II submarine that has been restored to its prime. An audio guide provides a glimpse of what life was like for sailors back in the day. More than 100,000 people visit the National Historic Landmark every year.

Across town in Golden Gate Park, one of this country’s great urban parks, the de Young Museum stands as an integral part of San Francisco’s art scene for the past century. The fine art museum has a Monet exhibition on display through May 27 and a Gauguin exhibition on through June 23. Its permanent collection includes paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, modern and contemporary art, and pieces by artists from all over the world and different time periods. One must-see piece is Salvador Dali’s Portrait of Dorothy Spreckels Munn (1942)—the surreal painting glows in an unearthly manner.

Alcatraz Island can only be reached by Alcatraz Cruises. (Photos by Kimberly Dijkstra)

Welcome to The Rock

Alcatraz Island, the former military fort and supermax prison, is known as The Rock due to its reputation for inhospitality. But you’d be surprised by how lush and inviting it truly is once you see it up close.

Alcatraz Cruises (www.alcatrazcruises.com) is the official cruise concessioner for the National Park Service, which operates the island. Tours depart every half hour from Pier 33 and it takes only about 12 minutes to cross the bay. Then you’re free to roam around and explore. Head up to the cellhouse and pick up an audio guide for first-hand accounts from former prisoners and guards. While walking the hallways and cellblocks of the prison, you’ll learn about the worst-of-the-worst convicts who were held there, as well as the well-known 1962 escape by Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin.

The cascading gardens are an unexpected highlight of Alcatraz Island.

The history of the island is fascinating and well worth spending an afternoon hearing about. The real treat however is the beautiful gardens that cover every slope and terrace. Maintained by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, National Park Service and Garden Conservancy since 2003, these ornamental beds breathe life into a seemingly lifeless landscape and attract a variety of seabirds.

Alcatraz Cruises has been using hybrid ferries for the past ten years. The Hornblower Hybrid is 40 percent more fuel efficient than standard passenger ferry vessels. In addition to many other energy efficient and sustainability practices, the cruise line recycles more than 70 percent of solid waste and provides recycling bins to passengers and the food available on board is primarily organic and purchased from local vendors.

To learn more about what San Francisco has to offer, visit sftravel.com.

Drake’s Bay (Photo by Dennis Anderson)

Over the Bridge

Once you’ve gotten your fill of the city, spend some time in Marin County and you will get a fuller experience of Northern California. Nature lovers, history enthusiasts and foodies will all love Marin, which has been at the forefront of the environmentalism movement for decades.

A stay in Olema is central to many points of interest in Marin. Bear Valley Cottage is a private guesthouse on the property of the former Bear Valley Inn that’s large enough for a family and cozy enough for a couple with access to a lovely backyard and an electric car charger. Owners Amanda and Ken extend warm hospitality to guests as if they are family and eager to share their love of the area. Amanda recommends an excursion to nearby Chimney Rock to see wildflowers or take in a gorgeous sunset over the ocean. 

Play a game of giant Scrabble in the backyard at Bear Valley Cottage.

The cottage sees a lot of return guests, including those with environmental sensitivities. Amanda uses ‘clean’ cleaning products and stocks the cottage with EO soaps and lotions, a local brand that uses natural organic ingredients. She had a greywater system installed for laundry and uses sulfite-free laundry detergent that, when it runs out into the garden, doubles as plant food for the hydrangeas. And she’s so committed to sustainability, she also gives discounts for taking the bus, riding a bike and walking instead of driving a car.

Punto de los Reyes

Less than a mile down the road is Bear Valley Visitor Center, one of three visitor centers in Point Reyes National Seashore, a national park with beaches, rolling hills and meadows, forests, complex ecosystems and miles upon miles of hiking trails.

In the 1906 earthquake that destroyed much of San Francisco, the triangular peninsula of Point Reyes moved about 16 feet northwest up the California coast. In recent years, people have traveled from all over the world to see the famous fence that was split apart by the rupture. Bear Valley Visitor Center’s self-guided Earthquake Trail is dotted with historic photos and interpretive panels about the San Andreas Fault leading up to a replica of the original fence.

Follow the Chimney Rock trailhead to the ocean viewpoint known for its wildflowers. (Photo by Dennis Anderson)

A destination for about 400,000 a year, the visitor center itself is filled with educational exhibits that highlight the geological history of the peninsula, the human history, the variety of animal habitats that the Park Service protects and sustainability messages.

The Point Reyes Lighthouse is also a major draw for tourists, for its historical value and for whale-watching during the first half of the year. Originally constructed in 1870, the lighthouse is currently undergoing a complete restoration, hopefully to be complete this summer.

About three miles north, Point Reyes Station serves as the commercial center of the area, with downtown eateries, a grocery store and shops of local artisans. Station House Café offers up locally sourced organic breakfast, lunch and dinner. Menu highlights include oysters on the half shell, the farmstead cheese plate, flank steak salad and macaroni & cheese.

Osteria Stellina and Cowgirl Creamery are also essential dining stops and don’t miss the buffalo milk soft serve ice cream at Palace Market.

Find a little slice of paradise at Heidrun Meadery. (Photo by Kimberly Dijkstra)

Get No Kick From Champagne? Try Mead

Travelers interested in wine tasting experiences must book a tasting at Heidrun Meadery. The inviting tasting room welcomes visitors into the world of honey wine. Mead has a certain reputation for being the cloyingly sweet drink of choice for Vikings and Medieval townfolk, but Heidrun’s founder Gordon Hull is turning that stereotype on its head with his dry and delicate Champagne-style meads. 

The picturesque grounds of the former dairy farm are home to wildflowers and the honeybees that pollinate them. Heidrun creates varietals from this honey, as well as honey obtained from migratory beekeepers. Since no syrups or additional flavors are added, the unique flavor of each bottle comes directly from flower pollen the honey was harvested from.

For a one-of-a-kind experience, go for a tasting at Heidrun Meadery.

“We’ve found that the chemical composition of honey is largely dependent on the source of the flower nectar from which it is derived, and most of them differ slightly,” Hull said. For example, a floral citrus flavor comes through the California Orange Blossom varietal while the Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Blossom can be characterized by the same richness of the macademia nut. Much eucalyptus can be found among Heidrun’s wildflowers, giving that varietal a distinct herbal taste.

Since there’s no aggressive farming involved and honey is a byproduct of pollination, Hull’s mead business actually has a positive impact on the environment. Bees have seen a steep decline in population over recent years and need all the help they can get these days.

Each sparkling wine varietal is tied to a different location, whether it be Point Reyes itself or nearby Sonoma Mountain or Nopa (a neighborhood in San Francisco). Every bottle becomes an intimate souvenir of that place to share and enjoy even after you’ve left.

With its natural splendor and ideal climate, Marin has so much to offer. Learn more at visitmarin.com.

For more about Marin County, see Point Reyes National Seashore Is A Bay Area Treasure and Planning A Green Vacation

The Bay Area is a perfect choice for an eco-friendly vacation. Enjoy all that San Francisco and Marin County have to offer, including green places to stay like Hotel Spero and Bear Valley Cottage, activities like the Aquarium of the Bay, USS Pompanito, de Young Museum, Alcatraz Island, Heidrun Meadery and Point Reyes National Seashore. An eco-conscious vacation to San Francisco and Marin County San Francisco, the hilly city by the bay, has captured the hearts of many.

[sightandfire]

Address: 7235 NE 4th Ave, Miami, FL 33138

That pre-fest prep!!!

And the fests just keep on coming.

This time around Little Mariii and I hit up the SFL Hops 3rd annual beer fest which was hosted by Bousa Brewing Company!

One thing I have to say about this fest that was different than some others we have visited in the past was that the first vendors you walked by as you strolled into the fest were ALL homebrewers.

                         (@infectedbrew)                                          (@barcodebrewerymeadery)

And what was even cooler was that with your purchase to the event you received a ticket to vote on which homebrewer you liked best and a winner among all the homebrewers that were competing was crowned at the end of the day! And even better, a portion of the proceeds from the event went towards Animal Aid, Inc. which is a non-profit, no kill animal shelter! And even more amazing than an event with beer and that’s promoting a good cause was that there were animals from the shelter present at the fest at the SFL Hops tent!

  (@olddeckbeer)                                          (@dangerousmindsbrewing)

The festival featured 30 breweries (homebrewers, local breweries & bigger breweries as well; all listed below) pouring their beers & mead; and they also had food trucks and live music to just keep on making your purchase all the more worth it.

Breweries that attended were: MIA Beer Company, Funky Buddha Brewery, Barcode Brewery & Meadery, Big Top Brewing Company, Biscayne Bay Brewing Company, Bottoms up brewing company, Bousa Brewing, Brewlihan, The Brooklyn Brewery, Concrete Beach Brewery, Crooked Can Brewing Company, Dangerous Minds Brewing Company, Descarga Brewing Company, Due South Brewing, Gravity Brewlab, Hollywood Brewing Co., Holy Mackerel Small Batch Beers & The Garage Project, Infected Brewery, K. Love Brewing, The Keg King, King Tide Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Company, LauderAle, Legacy Caribbean Craft Brewery, Lincoln’s Beard Brewing Company, Lost City Brewing Company, Maltese Cross Ale Works, Miami Brewing Company, Monkey Business Brewing Co., Old Deck Brewing, Silver Brewing Company, The Tank Brewing Company, Swamp Head Brewery, Unbranded Brewing Co., Veza Sur Brewing Co.

                          (@kingtidebrewing)                                               (@k.lovebrewing)

The General Admission ticket price was $31.61 (taxes included) & the VIP ticket price was $47.45 (taxes included). The GA ticket gave you admission into the festival from 2:30-6:00PM, ticket for the People’s Choice Homebrew Competition, access to the food trucks, beer games & music as well. The VIP ticket gave you everything from the GA ticket plus, it got you into the festival a littler earlier at 2PM, a free beer pour at Bousa Brewing after the event was over, entry to the after party at Bousa and access to the VIP bottle share that you were permitted to bring two dope bombers to trade with among like minded craft beer fiends. What was probably a lot cooler than everything mentioned above, was that if you had the VIP bracelet, some of the vendors that were pouring brought along specialty releases that only the VIP ticket holders had access to.

@brewlihan

Craft beer not really your thing? Don’t worry?! Aside from the vendors mentioned above that were pouring mead, you also had a selection to choose from with vendors like: Schnebly Redland’s Winery and PRP Wine International South Florida. And some other vendors that were in attendance were: BREWtiful Apparel, Brew Grooming, Top Golf (I spun the wheel and won a lifetime membership!!!), and Sparkling Ice too.

Aside from putting together a great fest that brings together craft beer lovers to enjoy our beautiful weather and some amazing beers; SFLHops has hosted over 210 events over the past three years. The primary goal of the group is to support local craft beer and to bring awareness to the local craft beer scene through social media and events like this one. Some past events included SFLHops organizing people to attend different festivals and events of other breweries as well. However, SFLHops also organizes many of its own events such as brewery or bar crawls, an international food and beer crawl, tastings, pairings, tailgate parties, bottle shares, and many more; people can find all upcoming events as well as view photos from past events at: https://www.meetup.com/SFLHops/ Or check out their newly released website at SFLHops.com.

Honestly, this was a well set up event and I can’t wait to be back next year!

Till the next one my friends,

Cheers!

Website: SFL Hops

Facebook: SFL Hops

Instagram: @sflhops

SFL Hops 2018 Address: 7235 NE 4th Ave, Miami, FL 33138 And the fests just keep on coming. This time around…