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ichorai · 4 months ago

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ménage à trois.

pairing ; lestat de lioncourt x vampire!gn!reader x louis de pointe du lac

synopsis ; “you turned him,” you said to lestat with a disapproving frown. louis was sleeping fitfully in a coffin between the two of you, skin charred and covered in dust and burns. lestat didn’t have to tell you—you put the clues together and figured out that louis had run into the morning sun without knowing what it would do to him. “you were always the selfish one, weren’t you? i could never have anything for myself.”

words ; 3.8k

themes ; angst, a bit of fluff, vampires, polyamory

warnings / includes ; super toxic throuple dynamics, blood/murder, covers the first two episodes of iwtv, reader is a writer, louis is infatuated <3 and lestat is well... lestat...

there will be a second part (claudia incoming)!

You met Lestat de Lioncourt in 1780—six years after he was turned, and three years after you. It was a wild and tumultuous affair the two of you shared. You and Lestat clashed just as much as you molded together. While he was possessive and greedy, you longed for freedom and space. Eventually, after many bloody rows, the two of you parted ways with reluctant, half-sincere promises of a distant reunion.

Louis de Pointe du Lac was yours before he was Lestat’s, as he oft forgot. By 1908, you were a regular patron of his establishment in New Orleans—though less for the sex and more for the stories. The women there were immeasurably fascinating. With enough liquor and sweet talking, they would answer each and every burning question you had. When Louis caught wind of one of his customers bringing pencils and parchment of all things to the bedrooms, he’d confronted you about it, curious as to what you were doing to the working girls—especially when they always came out flush-faced and giggling.

“I’m a writer,” you told him with a sweet smile. Close-lipped, hiding your fangs. “I hope you don’t mind. The women here have lovely tales to tell.”

Louis returned the grin after a second to overcome his surprise. “I’m sure they do. Why here, though?”

“Your establishment has the highest rates of colored women. Not many are willing to listen to what they have to say.” You fiddled with the buttons on your jacket, and tipped your head down into a nod. “I’d best be leaving. The night is late, and the sun will greet us soon.”

“Not a morning person?” Louis asked, falling into step with you as you made your way to your convertible.

A huff of a laugh fell past your lips. “You could say that, yes.”

From then on, Louis went out of his way to greet you like clockwork. Every Wednesday and Saturday you came, bright-eyed and pencil ready. Those days, Louis watched you come by nightfall and leave before morning dawned, always making sure to exchange pleasantries. One of the nights, you asked if he had any stories to tell you—though there was little talking or writing that night. It was hard to jot down what he was telling you with his head between your thighs.

You were, by no means, a possessive vampire. You liked to keep your options open and drift from place to place. But around a year and a half later, you heard of Lestat landing in New Orleans, sucking the furniture stores and libraries dry—and setting his eyes on Louis. Your Louis.

You and Louis were not lovers, and the same would apply to your and Lestat’s relationship. You would say you were far closer to being friends with the two than lovers. Though… the prospect of love was not a far away concept to you. Not when it came to Lestat and Louis.

“You turned him,” you said to Lestat with a disapproving frown. Louis was sleeping fitfully in a coffin between the two of you, skin charred and covered in dust and burns. Lestat didn’t have to tell you—you put the clues together and figured out that Louis had run into the morning sun without knowing what it would do to him. “You were always the selfish one, weren’t you? I could never have anything for myself.”

“I’m sorry, did I spoil your little toy?” Lestat said, leering over you with a grin.

“He wasn’t a toy. He’s a friend.”

The blonde vampire’s hands reached out to caress over your face, soft and cold. “A friend that you fucked.”

“On occasion.” Your nose wrinkled. “You fucked him, too.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. It would have surprised you if Lestat hadn’t fucked Louis.

“Don’t be jealous, my darling,” he said, eyes glinting dangerously. “I’ll fuck you, as well. You need only ask. It has been a long while, no?”

He kissed you then, tasting of sweet blood and sharp wine. As angry as you were with him, you didn’t push him away. With Lestat, it was hard to say no. That morning, you fell asleep in his coffin, limbs woven together. Come sunset, you were already gone.

It took you a few days to get around to forgiving Lestat. Louis made you softer—his inexperience to vampire life was ever so endearing to you. When you explained to Louis that you were also a vampire—one with a deep history with his maker, he stared at you with widened eyes.

“It’s no wonder I never saw you during the day,” he said, Lestat’s arm slung around his shoulder. “But why didn’t you kill any of my girls? How could you resist it?”

“Older vampires find it easier to resist temptation,” you told him with a dangerous, fanged smile. “Besides—I wanted their stories more than I wanted their blood. I can find food… elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere?” Louis glanced between you and Lestat, the first thought vanishing from his mind just as quickly as it came. “Wait, were you two—did you… did he turn you, too?”

A bark of a laugh fell from your lips. “Oh, Louis, my dear, no. Lestat may have left hundreds and thousands of fledglings in his bloody wake but I am not one of them. My turning will be a story for another time,” you assured him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Louis smiled and nodded as if he was in a daze. To his side, Lestat looked visibly annoyed. Whether he was jealous of you or Louis, you couldn’t tell.

Sharing is caring, you greedy whore, you said to him without moving your lips. Lestat only stared at you with those icy blue eyes and huffed out a dramatic sigh.

“Well, since the fledgling has already taken a liking to you, would you like to stay?” Lestat gestured around his decorated halls. “There is more than enough room here for three coffins.”

As always, saying no to Lestat was usually not an option.

“You could just say you’d like me here. Don’t have to be dragging Louis into it,” you told him, patting his chest with a mocking simper.

“Yes, yes, fine—I’d like you to stay, as well. I’ve missed you terribly.” Lestat moved closer to you as if he was going to kiss you, but you leaned away at the last moment and grinned at Louis.

“Louis, hon, how about we get a nice fire started and you tell me all about what mean ol’ Lestat did to you the first few hours of your turning? I love hearing about new vampire experiences. It’s been so long I can hardly remember mine.” You offered Louis your arm and gestured to the living room. The man looked to Lestat, almost as if asking for permission, but turned away just as quickly to take your arm.

Louis, in his hunger and youth, had impulsively killed an important man in town. Lestat had already angrily berated him enough whilst tossing the body into the cremator. You were more gentle with your approach, taking Louis’ hands and goading him to wash the blood off and change into a new set of clothes that weren’t soaked with his kill.

The amusing thought that you and Lestat were raising a child and parenting together briefly crossed your mind. But then again, the two of you had both fucked Louis before and were most definitely going to again in the future, so perhaps it wasn’t the best analogy.

“Here, put this on.” you handed Louis, stripped naked and scrubbed of the blood, a fresh button-down whilst Lestat was off cleaning up the mess Louis had made. “That was real dangerous what you did back there, you know. You’ll get detectives sniffing around and swarming you like ants to a honey pot. They don’t take kindly to black folk, neither.”

“I know,” he said, shrugging on the shirt. “I was hungry.”

“I know,” you parroted, though your tone was considerably softer. You placed your cold palm against Louis’ face and he leaned into it for a few silent moments. “Just be more careful next time, alright? Lestat and I have centuries of experience between us—you can trust us.”

Louis’ face contorted at the realization. “Sometimes I forget that this is gon’ be forever. That I won’t just wake up and you two will be gone. That I’ll be human again and my brother will still be around and my ma would still be asking me to come over to her house for dinner every Sunday.”

“Forever isn’t always a bad thing,” you said, voice soft and soothing. “It is daunting, yes, but you still live from day to day just as the mortals do. You’ll grow more comfortable in your skin with time, I promise.” You hesitated to say the next few sentences. “Lestat, as much as you admire his strength, is just as afraid as you sometimes. He’s afraid of being lonely. I confess, I have been afraid to be lonely more than once myself, but I have made peace with the fact that I will be alone sometimes. Immortal life makes it inevitable. My point is, though… you aren’t alone. Lestat is not as godly as you think he is.”

“And are you?” Louis asked.

“Do you think of me as godly?”

One of his shoulders lifted in a half-shrug. “Most of the time.”

“I’m still a person,” you reassured him. “Lost to time, perhaps, but a person nonetheless. And you are, too.”

Your words seemed to placate Louis, though only momentarily. He parted his mouth open to say more, but Lestat dramatically stormed in the room, expression still creased with anger. After decades upon decades of knowing him, you knew by now that he would get over it eventually—it wasn’t really that big of a deal. But Louis, quite shaken up by the kill and his maker furious with him, couldn’t shrug it off as easily as you. The two of them went to their respective coffins angrily.

Hours later, whilst you were writing up drafts of your most recent discussions with a few townspeople, you heard the two of them quietly exchange words of apology and plans for the future from their coffins. You smiled down to yourself. The romance between them was strong, you knew. You wondered if you ever had the same connection with Lestat. Or even Louis. You were growing quite fond of him. And you’d always been fond of Lestat, even though he irritated you to no end.

When Louis bought the most expensive, the biggest, and the brightest club in the district, he made sure to pay all the working girls and musicians twice what they earned before. The doors were now open to anyone, not just folks with light skin. And he even had a room especially booked for you—always decked with the finest pencils and pens and papers and books and the most heavenly chairs imaginable—Louis was a man who thought out your every need. It startled you to think that your fondness for him may be far greater than just fondness. How would Lestat feel about you falling in love with his fledgling? Louis was yours first. And before that, you and Lestat were also each other’s for a time.

With Louis still at the club entertaining guests, Lestat heard your thoughts as soon as you returned from your work—you didn’t bother hiding your mind from him, because he had ways of getting information out of you regardless.

“I don’t mind,” he said, greeting you as you changed out of your attire into more comfortable clothes for home. He hung by the doorway for a moment before slinking closer to you, running his hands up and down your bare skin. “We can share, my love. I don’t mind—not with you. And I’m sure Louis wouldn’t mind sharing you with me.”

“Rather presumptuous of you,” you replied.

“Not presumptuous if you’re thinking it,” Lestat said, pressing a kiss to your shoulder, then several more up your neck. “Don’t resist us. It can be the three of us together. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“There’s a reason I left you in the first place,” you whispered. “You are possessive and mean when you want to be.”

Lestat tilted your face so his lips hovered just an inch over yours. “That may be true… but you’ll stay for Louis.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement. He knew you better than anyone undead or alive.

“I will.”

“Good,” he said, and then kissed you as if he was going to devour you whole.

Many moons later, you walked into one of the house’s many bedrooms, about to enquire if either of the vampires had seen your notebook lying around anywhere, when you saw Louis lying on the bed, tears of red slipping down his face. Lestat dabbed the blood away with a napkin.

“What’s going on?” you asked with a concerned tone, sitting down next to him on the mattress opposite Lestat.

“My nephew,” Louis practically spat out the words as if they had scorched his tongue. “I was so afraid I would… I could hear his heart—his tiny little heart—and I wanted to rip it out and eat it. I’m a monster.”

There was a moment of silence as you studied the young fledgling.

“If you’re a monster, what does that make me?” you whispered, leaning down to press your nose to the back of his ear. “You didn’t kill him, Louis.”

“No, but I could have.” Another bloody tear slipped down his eye and slotted against his nose bridge.

Whilst Lestat wiped his face again, he said, “You have to stop seeing them, Louis. They’ll grow fearful of you if they haven’t already.”

“No,” said Louis, voice hoarse and quiet. “I can’t do it.”

“It’s a rite of passage for all of us,” Lestat went on. “If you love your family, as I know you do, spare them all the pain that you are causing them.” Knowing Lestat’s relationship with his mother, you found his words quite ironic. Louis didn’t need to know about that right now, though.

“My siblings spent many decades looking for me once I ‘disappeared’,” you told Louis. “It hurt to distance myself from them, but I was protecting them.”

Louis glanced up at you. Sitting with your back to the lit fireplace, there seemed to be an angelic glow framing you. “I didn’t know you have siblings.”

“Had,” you corrected. “They are long gone now, though many of their children’s children and further generations remain. They lived long and happy lives even after I left.”

“I ain’t never gonna have a family of my own, am I?” Louis lamented. “No sons, no daughters.”

It was silent for a moment when you and Lestat locked eyes. The blonde looked back down at his fledgling. “We’re your family, Louis.”

“You should just throw me in the incinerator,” said Louis. “Make another one.”

“What a waste that would be,” Lestat remarked.

You nodded. “And if he did, I would rip him apart limb from limb. You are not replaceable, Louis.”

“The both of us have been on this Earth for around two centuries and we can confidently report that you have no twin,” said Lestat. “No one as angry, as stubborn, as unaccommodating, as maddening—”

Louis frowned. “Sound like trash to me—”

“—as loving, as dedicated, as thoughtful, as imperfectly perfect as you’ve become. You’re a challenge every sunset, Saint Louis. We’d have it no other way.” Lestat waited a second before nudging you to agree with him.

“Yes,” you jumped to say, perhaps a second late. “Louis, hon, I don’t want to force you not to see your family. You’re free to tell them the truth if you’d like. Let them see you as a monster, as a murderer—because they certainly won’t see you in the same way we do. I’m just saying… letting them go may be the less painful option.”

Louis squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled sharply. Though he said nothing, you knew that he knew you were right.

“Here’s an idea… let’s take a holiday,” ventured Lestat. “What about Rome?”

“Rome sounds lovely,” you said with an excited grin. It had been a handful of decades since you last stepped in Europe. Most of your recent years had you traveling much of North and South America.

“Rome? Rome, like, Italy?” Louis said, cracking an eye open to scrutinize his lovers.

“Would you prefer Rome, Wisconsin?” Lestat fired back, which made Louis sit up on the bed and shake his head.

“I can’t just pick up and go to Rome. I got a business to run!”

You snaked your arms around Louis from behind and pressed your nose into his neck. You could hear his thoughts of how nice you smelled and smiled against his skin. “I’m sure you have many trusted work buddies that can manage the Azalea for a few days.”

Louis and Lestat bickered some more about transporting the coffins after that, as if they were an old married couple. You only listened in amusement and kissed down Louis' jaw.

Finally, Lestat relented his plans of Rome and instead brandished tickets to another opera.

“I can spend a few days apart from the two of you to go to Rome myself,” you said, arching your back as if you were a cat and sprawling down on the mattress to watch Louis and Lestat upside down. “I can bring back souvenirs. The Italians have the most divine oil paints—”

“Don’t go,” Louis blurted, interrupting you. “Don’t—not yet.”

For a moment, you studied him with curious eyes. His thoughts were telling you he wasn’t sure if he could handle being left on his own with Lestat without you. Codependency was a common trait amongst vampire couples, you knew this, but that didn’t mean it was at all healthy. Nonetheless, you reluctantly nodded. “Alright. I won’t leave. But we do have to get out of the country at some point—it’s important to see more than America, Louis.”

“With that, I concur,” Lestat chimed his agreement. Then, he seized both of your arms and began to drag you off the mattress until you laughed and twisted up to get onto your feet yourself. “Come, my darlings, I’ve had suits made for us.”

There was a methodology to going to the opera to keep eyes off of you. You would go in first, alone. Then Lestat, with Louis walking a pace behind him, masquerading as his valet. It was degrading, all three of you knew. But it was the early 1900s, and there was little more you could do without drawing attention from passersby.

Though the opera was a cheap affair, you were considerably entertained until the tenor entered the stage and began to sing all the wrong notes. To your ears, which were sharp, but not suited to the intricacies of musical notes, his singing was strangely off but still fine. To Lestat, however, he was not at all amused. His jaw muscles clenched and his fingers curled and uncurled over the sheet music he had brought. One glance his way and you already knew he had made his mind on who would be that evening’s supper.

Hours later, when Lestat had taken the young singer to your hotel room, you wondered if he was planning on simply fucking some sense into him before biting into his throat. Instead, Lestat sat down by the piano and played the notes, forcing the singer to sing. He pointed out each and every flaw, tone growing harsher with each mistake.

Louis watched the two with a nauseous stomach and an uneasy mind. You tried to pull him away to another room, tried to kiss him until he forgot about Lestat and his fixation on the poor man, but Louis’ mind was adrift.

“Louis, this is meant to be a vacation,” you reminded him, massaging your fingers over his tense shoulders.

“How can it be a vacation when he’s in the other room about to murder some guy for a note he sang offkey?” Louis asked, a tad too loudly for your preference.

“Lestat gets this way sometimes. You know this by now. He gets angry, he gets sucked in, he gets tunnel vision until something is done exactly how he wants it to be done. It doesn’t affect us, though, not really. Dinner is dinner, Louis.”

Louis crossed his arms. “You have animals for dinner most of the time. And you kill people who deserve it. Lestat, he just—that man could have a family, a whole life ahead of him!”

“The same could be said for the people I’ve killed,” you replied easily.

“No, no, it’s different!” he vehemently said. “You killed the rapists, the child-fiddlers, and even the slave-owners back when they were still around! Lestat, he—”

“I know,” you said, tone firm. “Louis, I know.”

“Do you, though?” Louis shook his head in incredulity at your nonchalance and walked back into the main room where Lestat had just struck the young tenor across his vocal cords, destroying them beyond repair. “Why do you do this, Lestat?”

The blonde licked the blood off his fingers. “Well, I like to do it. I enjoy it.”

“Well, I don’t,” said Louis. “You don’t have to humiliate him like that.”

In a burst of outrage, Lestat yelled, “Well, I don’t say that you have to enjoy it! Kill them swiftly if you have to, but do it! Embrace what you are! You are a killer, Louis!”

You walked into the room at that, brows furrowed. “Will you two stop it? All this yelling and drama—this was meant to be a vacation!”

“How can it be a vacation when we haven’t even left this damned country?” Lestat bitterly replied. “I should have gone to Italy with you and left Louis here to scavenge through corpses until he rotted away.”

“You don’t mean that,” you angrily said, volume rising. “You’ve had decades to temper your anger issues, and yet you haven’t changed a single bit!”

Lestat raised his nose in defiance, picked up the tenor (who had crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap), and swiftly carried him to the couch where he would slowly drain him of his blood. Louis took to sitting and watching the dying man’s last thoughts. A part of you wondered why, if he was so horrified by Lestat's cruelty, did he bother to stay and watch—though you didn’t stick around to ask. Instead, you retired to the bedchambers without saying goodbye to either of them. Lestat left you a chalice of the singer’s blood by your coffin as an apology of sorts, but it was left untouched.

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lanassgirlll · 10 months ago

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Old Faces

Elijah Mikaelson x Fem!Reader

Summary: The last time you saw the Mikaelson family, you got left heartbroken. Now, you meet a certain member of the family again after centuries.

Warnings: kidnapping (kinda?) tiniest bit of angst, mentions of paranoia, use of y/n!

Words: 1,7k

AN: First of all, it's been a while since I have posted something, but I am back! So, I'm thinking about making this story into two or three parts. Also, I haven't decided which the love interest will be, so I will make a poll and I ask of anyone who reads this, to vote and choose!! Anyway, enjoy my new story and I hope you like it! (side note: please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes, lol)

Getting out of the taxi, Y/N took in a deep breath whilst looking around the fascinating streets of New Orleans. She had only been here a few times, long before the city was founded. So, saying the place had changed would be underestimating.

It was almost dark outside, and she couldn't wait to have a shower and get some sleep. The flight she had booked was early in the morning, so she had spent many hours in the air just to get here.

Taking her bags out of the car, Y/N slowly made her way inside the hotel she had booked a room in. The hotel itself wasn't anything special and it wasn't one of the best places to stay in the city. But she liked the simple, rather than the extravagant places, so this would be just perfect for her.

It was now early in the morning when Y/N was getting ready for her day. She had decided that she'd spend the few days she was staying in the city, exploring, and collecting little souvenirs for her home in Europe, instead of sulking and rotting in the bed of her hotel room. Y/N didn't like traveling so far away from home much, as she loved the comfort of it, but whenever she did, collecting things that would catch her eye was like a tradition for her. Her house was full of colorful toys, rugs, all kinds of weird cutlery and even furniture, all of which she had gotten from her travels.

Putting on her coat and grabbing her bag, she made her way out of the room, and outside into the streets of New Orleans.

After strolling around the more modern part of the city, Y/N decided to go to the famous French Quarter, as she had heard many good things about it. At least more good than bad, as the place was known for the wicked vampires and witches who somehow never could make peace between their communities.

The place was truly beautiful, she had to admit. The buildings, the people, the jazz music, which she didn't like much, but it was still charming in a way.

But as she was walking around the streets, simply just admiring the place like a kid would admire a toy store, Y/N couldn't get of the feeling that someone was following her.

Sure, she was known for being a little too paranoid at times, but this time she really couldn't find out why. A thousand questions were running in her mind: Was it because of the stories she had heard about this place? Were the witches trying to get her for being in their territory? The fear was slowly building up as the paranoia was taking over her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly made her way into an alleyway and looked around, just to make sure she was alone.

Just as she was about to open her bag, a man appeared in front of her. And as she was about to speak, the unfamiliar man broke her neck, and her world went dark.

Slowly waking up, a quiet groan escaped Y/N's lips. She figured it had to be from getting her neck broken. As the realisation kicked in, she opened her eyes and looked around.

She was in a big room, big windows letting the bright sun lighten the space. The room itself didn't have much furniture nor people in it. She looked down at herself and saw that she was tied down to a chair, and from the burning that she felt, it was obvious that the ropes were soaked with vervain. Great.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she managed to speak up.

''Hello? Is- is there anyone?''

She had to admit, she was scared to death right now. She had never really been in any situations like this up until now. She had never gotten attacked by anyone and it's been a few good centuries since anyone has broken her neck. The worst feeling was the anxiety she was feeling at that very moment.

How could she be this stupid? She was such an old vampire and she always let her fears get the worst out of her at the worst moments. Like this one. Y/N thought that this would be the day she'd die.

She was so lost in her thought, she didn't even notice the man that was now standing behind her.

''What do we have here?''

Hearing the deep voice behind her out of nowhere, made her squeak and close her eyes tightly, trying to control her breathing. She was a scaredy cat and at that moment she felt more embarrassed than afraid.

''Who are you? What do you want with me?''

The question started flying out of her mouth as she tried to get a better look at the man behind her.

''The more important question is, who are you? And what are you doing here?''

Just as Y/N was about to answer his questions out of fear for her life, she heard another man walking into the room. Of course, she couldn't see him either and the only thing she could hear now, was the quiet mumbling between the two of them.

Y/N swore that the voice of the man who had just walked in was one she had heard before. She just couldn't place where.

She looked down at her hands, trying to pull them out of the ropes, even though she knew it was of no use. She hissed at the burning feeling and clenched her jaw. Y/N was getting angry now. She had done nothing wrong to deserve this.

''Hello? If you won't tell me what you want, just let me go! I have done nothing to you!''

As she looked up, with the corner of her eye saw one of the men making his way over to her. He stood in front of her and looked her up and down, and Y/N swore she could feel the judgment in his eyes.

''Quick change of attitude, I see?''

The man was tall, with dark skin and sharp face. His expression wasn't giving anything out, and she couldn't read him.

''Look, I only-''

She stopped mid-sentence as the other man now stood in front of her, too. Memories started flooding her mind as she stared up at him. It had been centuries since she last saw him.

The one and only, Elijah Mikaelson.

He was looking at her, like he had just seen a ghost. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were parted, as he was sucking in a breath.

Before either of them could make a sound, the dark-haired man that stood next to Elijah, spoke up first.

''I'm guessing the two of you know each other. Care to explain, Elijah?''

Y/N clenched her jaw tightly, looking away from them without a saying a word. She was getting overwhelmed with all the memories that were coming back. She had been keeping them locked at the back of her mind, as they were too painful. It had taken her decades to get over what had happened. In all honesty, she never truly got over it, but at least she managed to control the thoughts.

''Marcel, would you be so kind and leave us.''

She heard the man, whose name apparently was Marcel, sigh with a hint of annoyance before slowly making his way out of the room.

Y/N reluctantly looked up at Elijah again, her jaw still clenched tight. He looked so different since the way time she saw him, yet still the same in a way. The only obvious changes were, of course, his clothes and his hair style.

''Y/N, this is- a really unexpected surprise.''

She scoffed as she heard his words. Using the word 'unexpected' was a funny way to describe it.

''Then let me go, and we can all continue with our day, peacefully.''

''I'm afraid I can't do that. Just yet.''

''You cannot be serious, Elijah.''

She was so angry at this point, her blood was boiling. What did he want with her? She knew that he didn't know she was here until he saw her with his own eyes. The shocked face he had made told her everything she needed to know.

''Just let me go. I don't know why your friend had to snap my neck and bring me here, but I assure you, I have done no wrong to him!''

Elijah had a small smile dancing on his lips as she chuckled at her words lightly.

''What's so funny?''

''I'm just- I am at loss of words. You've changed so much since the last time we saw each other.''

''I will not sit here and suffer, just because you want to chit chat.''

As she was looking at him, she saw as an emotion flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she had the chance to figure out what it meant.

Suddenly, he ripped the ropes off her hands and threw them down on the ground.

Y/N quickly stood up and took a few steps backwards, needing space from him.

''Don't expect a 'thank you'.''

''Why are you here, Y/N?''

Her brows furrowed as she heard his question.

''Excuse me? Suddenly you own the world? I was here on a holiday, and now you have ruined it!''

His face was like a rock. She couldn't figure him out and it was slowly starting to annoy her, along with the other hundred things that were already annoying her.

''No, of course not.''

''Listen, Elijah. I don't want to be around you. So, I will get my things and go back home, and you won't hear or see me ever again. Sounds good? Great!''

Just as she started walking towards the door Marcel had walked out of earlier, figuring that had to be the way out of the building, Elijah appeared in front of her, startling her.

''Jesus-''

''Don't go. Just not yet at least.''

''I don't owe you anything Elijah. And you don't deserve a second of my time. Now get out of my way.''

''Y/N, please, let's talk. Or let me talk. I believe we have much to go through.''

She was looking at him, thinking about his plea. Was she really about to agree with him? She had tried so hard to keep the memories out of her mind, because of how painful they were.

But just like in the past, she really could never say no to him.

Knowing she'd regret it later, she took a deep breath and crossed her arms over her chest, before speaking up.

''Fine, let's talk.''

#writing #send anons #writeblr #writers on tumblr #anon ask #short story #the originals #tvd #elijah mikaelson #marcel gerard #tvdu #tvd universe #tvdu fanfiction #x reader #y/n

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firsthomecleaning · 9 months ago

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Preserving The Charm of Old New Orleans Homes: 5 Cleaning Tips

Hello, fellow cleaning enthusiasts! It's fun and interesting to live in a historic home in New Orleans, but it can be hard to keep that old-fashioned charm. Relax, we've got your back. If you want to keep the charm of your old New Orleans home while also giving it a professional clean, here are our five top tips from cleaning services New Orleans.

How to clean around unusual architecture

People in New Orleans love old homes with interesting architectural features like exposed brick, ornate moldings, and high ceilings that make the room feel like a piece of history. Take the time to respect and carefully clean these parts when you're cleaning. For delicate moldings, a soft-bristled brush works great, and a light cleaner will keep exposed brick looking its best.

Win the Humidity Battle: Get a professional cleaning to stop mold growth

We love our city, but the heat is a painful problem. Mold can grow in old houses, especially in places where it's humid. To stay on top of it, you must hire a house cleaning New Orleans specialist who specializes in keeping mold away. Cleaning and checking your home on a regular basis can keep you from having a mess that takes away its charm.

Make your floors look better: Maintenance tips for wood that last a lifetime

Beautiful hardwood floors add to the charm of many historic houses in New Orleans. Use a light cleaning method to keep them looking their best. Instead of using harsh chemicals, use a damp mop and a light cleaner that is safe for wood cleaning. This not only keeps your floors looking beautiful but also makes your historic space more appealing overall.

Take it easy: cleaning old furniture

There's a treat in store for you if your home has old furniture. A gentle touch is needed to keep these classic pieces looking beautiful. If you are looking for deep cleaning, check out cleaning services available in your area.

Bringing in the sun through the windows

Gorgeous, big windows let lots of warm sunshine into many homes in New Orleans. Window cleaning New Orleans on a daily basis is necessary to keep them crystal clear and keep their classic look. To get a shine without streaks, mix vinegar and water together. Also, don't forget to pay extra attention to the cute details of your window frames.

Book a cleaning service now by visiting https://www.firsthomecleaning.com/

Original Source:- https://bit.ly/3uF2qwo

#house cleaning New Orleans

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detroitflights · 1 year ago

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New Orleans's Top 4 Activities for 2024

New Orleans, or NOLA as it is commonly called, is a lively city renowned for its nightlife, southern charm, and delicious cuisine. The residents of New Orleans are renowned for their love of festivities, and they frequently take in a parade. Parties take place on Bourbon Street every night, and the city has plenty to offer foodies, history buffs, voodoo aficionados, and architects. If you want to know more about New Orleans, then book DTW flights to New Orleans and spend time with your love ones.

Visit The Roman Candy Cart

Some of the best chewing taffy in the city is produced by the Roman Candy Company, a New Orleans institution. They have a permanent booth near the Audubon Zoo where they make fresh sweets all day long. The store is a major attraction in New Orleans and follows an old-world route that is reminiscent of 1915. They roam uptown and downtown during the day, so make sure to hail the owner when you see them.

Explore A Top-Rated WWII Museum

The museum, a collection of multiple buildings, provides a singular perspective on the war and the cooperation between the nation and businesses. A 4D theatre featuring celebrities and first-hand accounts is available for visitors to witness. They may also stand beneath a B-17 Flying Fortress or the spectacular Vought F4U Corsair used by the Black Sheep Squadron.

Spend Time In A Stunning Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotels in New Orleans, such as Maison de la Luz, combine French flare with Southern charm and hospitality to provide guests with contemporary amenities. To ensure an immersive experience in New Orleans, the furniture has been carefully chosen to reflect the blend of Southern hospitality and charm.

Take A Meal On A Mississippi River Paddle Wheel Boat

Being the primary mode of transportation on the Mississippi River during the 1800s, riverboats have a particular place in the hearts of those descended from the South. With its highest capacity indoors, the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen hosts dinner and an evening of music. A brunch trip during the day, a historical cruise with narration, or an evening with live jazz and a buffet featuring typical Cajun and Louisiana foods are all available for reservations. Reserve a flight from Detroit to New Orleans to begin organizing your trip to the city of love and making memory-worthy experiences.

#dtw flight bookings #dtw flights #airplane tickets #detroit flights

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bluebellwriting · 4 years ago

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Love Me Tender Part 6

Hey folks! I know it’s been a minute, I’ve been super busy with work and school, but I’m by no means done with this piece and you know I had to post something for Valentine’s Day (to make up for the fact that single and lonely 😆😭)

Despite popular belief, Hell does in fact freeze over. It’s Hell, after all, and in the world of pain and torture, everything is fair game. And it’s February, historically one of the coldest months for you back when you were living and certainly the most miserable in Hell too. The roads are slick with sheets of ice, you can’t walk a block without a three-foot icicle nearly spearing itself through you, and everyone’s car is perpetually trapped in a snowbank thanks to Lucifer’s “generous snow plow program.” Each winter day reminds you of the worst snow cyclones from when you were growing up in Brooklyn, cold yes, but in a way it’s all very sentimental. They remind you of the winter nights cuddled up with your siblings, hot chocolate in hand, listening to the winds blustering against your windows. It’s all rather lovely, in a strange way.

Your boyfriend of four months does not seem to agree, if the way he’s gripping you and nuzzling into your neck is anything to go by. You’ve been trying to extricate yourself from your practically shared bed for the last ten minutes, but each attempt only causes Alastor to pull you closer. He’s basically on top of you now, those boney forearms are stronger than you’d think.

“Sweetheart,” you whisper. “It’s time to get up.”

Alastor groans but otherwise your voice falls on deaf ears.

“Come on, we have to make breakfast and then--”

“But darling, it’s freezing,” he sighs. “And why would I go anywhere when I have my own personal heater right here.”

It’s really hard to stay mad at him, especially when he places sweet little kisses from your cheek to your shoulder and back again.

“Well your personal heater has some errands to run and needs to get her day started.”

“Ugh,” Alastor whines and inch by inch, begins to roll off of you. “How can you even stand to be out in that unbearable cold? Don’t you want to stay right here with me, your loving and adoring boyfriend?”

“You know I would,” you boop his nose. “But then I wouldn’t be able to get your present.”

His ears perk up immediately.

“Present?” He coos. “A present for lil’ ol’ me? Dearest, you shouldn’t have.”

“Yes, but I can’t pick it up until I get out of this bed.”

“Oh fine. I suppose I have some things to do for tonight as well,” he teases and kisses you on the nose before finally allowing you to shift out of bed.

“Although before you leave me,” he whines. “I have a little something to kick off the festivities.”

With a snap of his fingers, a red garment manifests in your arms.

“Oh, Alastor.” You run your hands over the thick velvet of the dress. “It’s lovely.”

“This is just the beginning, love. Now go try it on,” he shoos you off to the bathroom, then immediately curls back up into the comforter to protect himself from the draft leaking in from your window.

The dress is beautiful and warm. As soon as you change into it and assess yourself in the bathroom mirror it hits you that this has to be a customized dress. It fits you far too perfectly and the fabric is so soft, it’s like a blanket heating you up and snuggling you in. It’s either custom or enchanted with Alastor’s magic. Or maybe both, you wouldn’t put it past him to make this the perfect dress.

The last four months together have been a dream. A blissful and rapturous dream that you never want to wake up from. If you thought he was sweet before you began dating, then this is an entirely new level. You two are practically glued to the hip, and he finds a way to make every possible moment so enthralling and exciting that it doesn’t even matter.

Everything about him is just enthralling, and the best part is that he can’t seem to get enough of you either. It makes your face warm and your mouth split into a grin just thinking about it.

You poke your head out of the bathroom door and giggle at the sight of Alastor in his own personal blanket cocoon.

“Comfortable?” You ask.

“I’d be more comfortable if you were here with me.”

“While that sounds tempting, I wouldn’t want to ruin my fabulous new dress.”

He shoots up, blanket still around his shoulders, eyes wide and alert and trained on the way the bodice clings to your curves. It’s even more perfect than he could have expected.

“Do you like it?” He scoots to the edge of the bed and holds his arms out for you to step into.

“I love it.” You smile and step between his legs to fall into his embrace. “It’s perfect. Thank you, my love.”

“That’s just the beginning, dear,” he cheers.

“Alastor, you didn’t--”

“Nonsense! It’s our first Valentine’s together and it must be the best of all time!” Ever one for theatrics, with a flourish of his arm the room is filled with red roses.

“Oh my goodness,” you giggle and cup his face in your hands. “You darling man.”

Alastor melts into your hands, letting the softness of your palms warm his cheeks.

“Only for you, love.” He leans forward and nuzzles your nose. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, dear.”

If you weren’t worried about getting to the store and back in time, you would have stayed here, exactly like this, for hours more.

“Let’s begin the day, shall we, love?” You whisper.

“But it’s cold!” He whines. “And you’re so warm!”

“Ugh, you’re such a southern boy,” you tease and pull away from him, if only to draw him out of his blanket nest and into the world.

“You love this southern boy,” he laughs and finally rises. With a quick snap, he’s dressed in a redder-than-average suit with one of the red roses on your floor now pinned to his lapel.

He hands you your coat, gloves, hat, scarf, and tries to force another sweater upon you but you stop him before you’re a complete bundle of wool and layers.

---

Charlie must have gotten up early because the entire lobby is littered with hearts and confetti. Chocolates are on every available surface and your fearless leader is currently snuggling with Vaggie in matching heart sweaters. You watch Angel hand Husk a box of chocolates wrapped in a lovely bow. Hesitantly, Husk opens the box and spits out whatever he was drinking all over your brother before stomping away with a red face.

“What did you do to that poor man?” You call over.

“Just gave him an innocent token of my affections,” Angel chimes and shows you the contents of the box: three rows of chocolates with letters printed on each piece, spelling out “Best Dick Ever.”

“Angel, that is so vulgar,” you exclaim.

“It’s the day of love, sis.” Angel pops one of the pieces into his mouth.

“That is not love, my fellow,” Alastor chastises.

“Aww, that’s cute coming from you, strawberry pimp.”

“I’ll have you know that I am plenty romantic,” Alastor says incredulously. “Aren’t I, (Y/N)?”

“You are, love. The most romantic,” you coo. “Now I have to get going. Please be nice, boys.”

“And you,” Alastor leans down to pull your scarf tighter around you, “promise me that you will be careful. You’re sure I can’t come with you?”

“I’m sure, love. I’ll be fine. Angel,” you turn to him. “Be nice.”

“’K, mom,” he calls back to you, waving as you begin your journey into the chilly winds.

“So,” Angel drawls, sidling up to Alastor. “What are you doing for my sister on this ever most sacred day of love and affection?”

“Something special and perfect and I will not have you distracting me,” Alastor sighs and snaps his fingers, transporting himself to his cottage deep in the woods of the Pentagram. Because only a crazy person would want to walk out in that cold. Good thing Alastor loves your kind of crazy.

---

It’s been a while since Alastor has been to his home, his actual home, one that is reminiscent of the large, Queen Anne-style homes of New Orleans. Dust is collecting on the counters and window sills, but that’s nothing that some quick magic can’t fix. The real task at hand is the redecorating and the meal he has to prepare for tonight to be as perfect as can be. This is certainly not the first time that you’ve been to his home but he’s hoping that it will be the last time that he calls it “his home.”

If he had it his way, tonight would be the night that Alastor asked you to marry him, to spend the rest of eternity -- or as long as you’d have him at least -- together in Hell as husband and wife, as partners in crime until the very fabric of the universe began to fray at the seams. He’s known for so long, long before you began your courtship, that he wanted to marry you and it took everything within him not to propose to you on your first date. But he had to be patient, suave, a perfect gentleman, because the last thing he wanted to do was scare you off with a hasty courtship and engagement. The last man who had attempted that with you, well, Alastor was still in the process of hunting him down so he could offer you his head on a spit. That was supposed to be the second part of your Valentine’s gift but alas, the wretched soul was more slippery than he had anticipated.

Hopefully you’d be impressed enough by the way he had decorated the house with some of your favorite colors and furniture from the 1940s, things to make it look more like a home you could share and grow into.

---

The beauty about Hell in the wintertime is that there are so few people out on the streets to bother you. The sidewalks and roads are eerily quiet, the snow swallowing up distant sounds so the only ones left is the crunch of your boots. Your trip to Rosie’s had been quick, as the poor woman was overrun with sinners trying to buy up last-minute Valentine’s gifts. As she said to you in passing while gift wrapping some tacky jewelry for a panicked demoness, “good for business, bad for relationships.”

You clutched your gift bag close to your chest, guarding it from any muggers who would even dare steal the most perfect gift for your Alastor. This was weeks in the making and you were not about to let someone ruin your first good Valentine’s Day.

You approached the door to the hotel, already anticipating a warm fire to warm your cheeks and nose, when suddenly an arm is around you and you’re no longer in front of the hotel. No, after blinking your eyes to readjust, you’re now staring at Alastor’s home, which means the arm and body hugging you close belongs to your sweet, adoring, and sometimes startling beau.

“Alastor!” You squeal. “What have I told you about surprising me like that?”

“I’m sorry, love,” he chuckles. “But I just couldn’t have you out in the cold any longer.”

“If this wasn’t a day dedicated to love you’d be buried in snow right now,” you grumble.

“I don’t doubt that, sweetest. Now come on, the fire is waiting for you.”

When Alastor first brought you into his home it was your one-month anniversary. You were actually relieved when it wasn’t a massive mansion like most Overlords pick for themselves, and you couldn’t help but be charmed by the perfectly retro, 1920s decor.

But it’s different now. The living room has new, floral wallpaper and some of the furniture reminds you of... your old home back in New York.

“You redecorated,” you shiver as you allow the warmth of the home heat up your body. Alastor rubs his hands up and down your shoulders to warm you up as soon as your coat and layers have been shed.

“Do you like it?” He asks, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.

“Oh it’s lovely,” you breathe and inhale, smelling the hot meal he’s probably slaved over. “Just surprising. What brought this on?”

“Oh, just, wanted to try something new. Are you ready for dinner?”

“I’ve been salivating since I first stepped into the door.”

Dinner is delicious, mouth wateringly incredible and cajun. But all throughout dinner you couldn’t help but notice the way Alastor’s knee bounced or the way his hand shook whenever he held his fork to his mouth. Not to mention the eery quiet between you two. You can’t seem to get more than a one-word response out of him. It makes your heart drop, and the way his eyes shift away from your gaze makes a pit form in your stomach.

“Alastor, love. Is everything alright?”

His eyes dart up to meet yours. His teeth worry his bottom lip and you can hear his fingers tapping excessively on his seat.

“Of course, darling. Everything is right as rain. Are you enjoying your food?”

“It’s amazing, Al. It’s always amazing.” You beam at him and reach across the table to hold on to his hand.

“If you don’t have any more delightful surprises for me, love, could I give you my gift now?”

“(Y/N) you didn’t--”

“I won’t even dignify that with a response.”

Reaching down beside your chair, you pull out the perfectly wrapped present and slide it across the table to him.

“It’s not much,” you explain. “But I hope you like it.”

It’s perfect. So perfect, the wrapping, the bow, the very idea that his darling has given him a gift at all, that he doesn’t even want to open it. As much as he wants to tear it open, there’s the urge to keep this moment preserved in his mind forever and ever, just in case his present to you goes south tonight.

But from the way you’re looking at him, eyes wide and hopeful, he knows he has to open it right now.

Inside is a little plastic... view finder? He’s really never seen anything like this. They look like binoculars but there’s a little white disk inside with small film negatives along the circumference.

“It’s a reel viewer,” you explain. “Put it up to your eyes and click the lever.”

So he does. And with each click he’s met with little candids of you and him, some from before your relationship began, some from after, all of them more perfect than the last and preserved forever just for him. His heart swells and warms an overwhelming amount. His joy leaks from his mouth and eyes, until it feels like the sun itself is pouring through his teeth and tears.

“Oh, (Y/N), darling...” he sniffles.

“I know it’s not much but--”

“It’s everything, dearest.” It really is. And more importantly it’s enough for him to get his act together. He feels like he can breathe again, like the fog of doubt has finally been lifted. What was he so worried about? You love him, of course, you love him.

“It’s perfect.” He rises and comes to kneel before you. “More lovely and wonderful than you will ever know. So much better than my gift to you but I hope you will love it all the same. I love it, (Y/N). I love you. So, so very much, dearest.”

“Alastor, I’m going to love anything you give me because I love you, sweetheart.” You peck his nose.

“Yes, well, that’s the thing. Because really, this feels more like just another gift from you to me.”

“Is it now?” You tease.

“It is...” he sighs. “I love you. I hope you never have to doubt that for an instant in your life. And I know this might be too soon, and you can say no for now, or forever, but I have never doubted for a minute that you are the one for me. My gift to you, love, sweetheart, darling dearest, is this.”

He motions to the dining room.

“The... dining room?”

“No, love,” he chuckles. “The house. My house... Our house. If you’ll have it. If you’ll have me.”

You gasp and tears flood your eyes so quickly that you have to blink them away to see Alastor’s hopeful eyes properly.

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“I am. I’m asking you to make this house, our home.”

“Oh, Alastor.” You launch forward and wrap your arms around his neck. You press your lips to his in a bruising kiss, letting him bundle you up in his own arms and grip your waist.

You pull way for a brief moment, short enough to mumble out a fervent series of ‘yeses.’

“Of course,” you say between kisses to his face. “Of course, I’ll move in with you.”

#alastor x reader #alastor x Chubby!reader #alastor #hazbin hotel #valentine's day #they say write the stories you want to see

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her-culture · 4 years ago

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2021 and the Rise of Shopping BIPOC, LGBTQI+, Small, and Womxn-Owned

Now more than ever, a collective way of life has been prioritized: shopping from small businesses, particularly those owned by the marginalized. The reason? A mix of a few things, like that of the coronavirus pandemic putting small businesses in every industry in an increasingly vulnerable spot, the rising importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the collective awareness of how capitalism has contributed to the downfall of so many communities.

When the pandemic hit, a lot of folks were down on their luck financially. They needed whatever avenue of income they could find to help keep them on their feet, which resulted in them opening small businesses selling their art, jewelry, and more. Shopping small and dining locally was also one of the main efforts done by the collective to ensure community staples wouldn’t have to shut down due to the lack of revenue and financial support throughout the pandemic.

During the height of BLM last summer, one of the ways that folks rallied together to give aid and support to different mutual aid funds, bail funds, and BLM funds was by selling homemade items and giving 100% of the proceeds to these different organizations. With this, there have been threads on Twitter and infographics on Instagram sharing different black-owned small businesses so that folks could directly support the black community.

It’s interesting to see how the rise of social media networks helped pave the way for this, too. Instagram and Facebook both have sections where anyone can sell their products - Facebook marketplace has everything from new and used cars, clothing, furniture, jewelry, and so much more. Instagram (though widely criticised) has updated their formatting so that anyone who uses their platform to sell items gets boosted in ads, and their shopping section is easier to find. Instagram is most accessible for businesses because they don’t charge a service fee like other sites (Etsy, Shopify, etc.) - 100% of the profits goes right back to the shop owner.

Social media sites like TikTok and Twitter have assisted this wave as well. “It costs $0 to retweet my art/business” tweets go viral almost daily, and TikTok itself is filled with trends small businesses love to use to help boost their brand on the algorithm. More recently, brands of all kinds started doing “pack an order with me” TikToks to add a more personalized feel to their business, where consumers get excited to see if their order is one of the ones that gets packaged on the ForYouPage.

Shopping small and from the folks who could use the support most is an incredible way of how community works. It directly supports the dreams and efforts of the folks who put their all into what they make. If it is possible for you, I encourage you to try to shop small and from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and more), and womxn-owned spots instead of larger corporations. Aiding in the journeys of the folks who took a chance on themselves and started their small business could change everything for them - every dollar could unlock a world of chance.

For those who are interested, here’s a list of a few small businesses (organized by business type) that you can check out and support!

Lifestyle:

Nguyen Coffee Supply - This Vietnamese coffee company was founded by Sahra Nguyen, a first-generation Vietnamese-American who set out to teach about the true quality and production of coffee beans in Vietnam. Partnering with a fourth-generation farmer in Central Valley back in Vietnam, they provide ethically sourced coffee beans to folks worldwide. To purchase Nguyen Coffee or learn more about their efforts, you can shop at https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/ and visit their social media sites @nguyencoffeesupply.

Hungry Bunny - A black, womxn-owned business, this virtual donut shop started in March 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic by Khloe Hines. All products are vegan and cruelty free, not using any dairy, eggs, or yeast! To place orders visit their website https://www.hungrybunnyict.com/ and support their social media @hungrybunny.

Hood Herbalism - A center for learning, this community herbal education project is perfect for BIPOC folks wanting to learn about the benefits of herbalism and how to incorporate it into their lives. Courses range from the basics of herbalism to herbal medicine works for birth support. They offer online courses with payment plans, accommodations, and scholarship funds to support those in need! This project space is intended for BIPOC folks, as herbal schools are predominantly white. To donate to their project or enroll in classes, visit https://hoodherbalism.com/ and follow their social media at @hoodherbalism.

Indigescuela - This BIPOC-led space is dedicated to teaching womxn and folks about intentional healing through the avenues of holistic sexual health, womb health, and traditional healing. Using the knowledge and practices of herbalism, Mexican folk healing, and Mesoamerican medicine, Panquetzani (also the foundress of Indigemama: Ancestral Healing) leads students to finding the healing answers they need to lead as their best selves. The courses range in topics from lifelong self-womb care and womb wellness. To enroll in the online distance courses, head to https://indigescuela.com/ and support their social media at @indigescuela.

Bookstores:

Nā Mea Hawai’i - Meaning all things to do with Hawai’i, Native Books is a space created to share Hawaiian culture through education. If you are based in Hawai’i, or have the opportunity to visit post-pandemic, this is definitely a place to stop by! They support local artisans of all kinds in efforts to uplift their community and all that the Islands have to offer. They have dedicated their space to sharing this knowledge, education, and experiences to all who stop by, virtually and in-person. Shop their website https://www.nativebookshawaii.org/ and follow them @na_mea_hawaii.

Raven Reads - This bookstore is indigenous and womxn-owned, which began as an effort to share history and inspire folks as a result of what residential schools did to the indegnous communities in Canada, where languages and ways of life were washed away over the years. They offer collection boxes for children and adults, where each season a curated box will be sent to you filled with Indegenous works. To shop, support, and learn more, their website is https://ravenreads.org/ and their social media is @raven_reads.

Strong Nations - The online retailer is centered around idigenous literature and art, where their products range from children’s toys to classroom materials and, of course, literature. They are also a publishing house, offering a range of services for those interested. They also offer a wide variety of bundles in different categories! Each item on their shop has a badge on it to signify if it is indegnous art, a Canadian product, or indegnous text. If you are looking for indenous literature or works of different kinds, materials for your classroom, and more, stop by https://www.strongnations.com/ or @strong_nations.

Marcus Books - The first black-owned bookstore in the nation, Marcus Books is filled with history and the desire to educate and make space for black folks and all allies. Their goals of using literature to educate and unite communities has served folks in and around the San Francisco Bay Area (based in Oakland, CA) and nationwide through their online store. They have books for all ages in every genre by an array of black and latinx authors. To support, their website is https://bookshop.org/shop/marcusbooks or visit their social media @marcus.books.

Loving Me Books - A black and womxn-owned shop, Angela Nesbitt created this online bookstore to promote self-love amongst children of all races and backgrounds. Books are available for all age ranges and in a variety of languages! They also sell children’s clothing and accessories. There is a section for adult books, as well! Check out https://www.lovingmebooks.com/ and @lovemebooks for your next book.

Skincare:

Alma Bella - Meaning “beautiful soul” in Spanish, this womxn-owned skincare business is the epitome of self care with a cause. Creator Hannah Bahls, based in Washington state, handmakes this heavenly coco cream and redistributes 100% of the net profit to different BIPOC-led social justice funds. With more products coming soon, they prioritize organic, ethically sourced and traded, and natural ingredients. Each month, she chooses a new organization to give the proceeds to. To learn more about Alma Bella, their product and mission, head over to https://alma-bella.square.site/ or their Instagram @almabellanourish to learn more about how they emphasize self and community care.

HanaHana Beauty - Sustainable, clean beauty that uplifts womxn of color. All products are made with natural ingredients and oils, like fair-trade shea butter. They source their shea butter from the Katariga Women’s Shea Cooperative in Ghana. The black and womxn-owned shop includes body butters, bars, lip balms, and exfoliating cleansers. To buy, head to their site https://hanahanabeauty.com/ and follow at @hanahana_beauty.

BrownSugga Beauty - Black owned, vegan beauty for all skin types. Offering a variety of products from sugar scrubs to oil serums, body butters and soap bars, the New Orleans based online business is your one-stop-shop for healing and maintaining beautiful, healthy skin. Shop now at https://brownsuggabeautycompany.com/ and follow them at @brownsuggabeauty_.

Haípažaža pĥežúta - Meaning “medicine soap” in Lakota, this indegnous-owned skin care from Lakota folks sells soaps and herbal products nationwide. They utilize organic ingredients harvested from the homelands as well as fair-trade ingredients from across the world to create healthy, intentional products. The products range from soaps, shampoos, rubs, perfumes, bath bombs, scrubs, and more. (They even offer refills of some of these products)! To purchase, find them at https://www.haipazazaphezuta.com/ and @haipazaza.

Beauty:

Live Tinted - Founded by Deepica Mutlaya, Live Tinted is a brand dedicated to inclusion and diversity within the beauty industry. They use their platform to highlight multicultural beauty - giving space to voices and stories of those often underrepresented in the industry. Their products range from ethically sourced merchandise, huesticks, and gorgeous illuminators. Take a peek for yourself at https://www.livetinted.com/ and @livetinted on their different social media platforms.

Sahi Cosmetics - This small, family-owned cosmetics company has been taking the beauty industry by storm. Founder Shelly Sahi started Sahi cosmetics as a way to change the beauty standards we have become accustomed to after growing up feeling like her Indian skin wasn’t beautiful enough and always had trouble finding products that matched her complexion. Committed to their clean beauty promise, all of their products are cruelty and paraben free, with vegan friendly ingredients. An array of makeup and innovative products and ideas that will surely leave you obsessed! They also offer some clothing merchandise as well. Check them out at select retailers, their website https://sahicosmetics.com/ and their social media @sahicosmetics.

Queltzin Cosmetics - An indegenous-owned beauty brand specializing in fake lashes, all of their products are named after Aztec gods and goddesses as well as Nahuatl words to honor and educate folks about their indegenous heritage. Aside from lashes and lash tools, they offer some apparel and makeup accessories and tools, as well. Shop at https://queltzincosmetics.com/ and visit them at @queltzincosmetics.

Sweet Street Cosmetics - A Latina/womxn-owned cosmetics company that honors the around-the-way aesthetic. This brand was built by Natalia Durazo and LaLa Romero, who also co-founded the clothing company Bella Doña. their brand honors the beauty strides made by womxn of color and celebrates all the uniqueness and individuality that comes with it. Their products include a highly praised liquid liner, lip duos, eyeshadows, and lashes. Shop now at https://www.sweetstreetcosmetics.com/ and follow them @sweetstreetcosmetics.

Clothing:

Wasi Clothing - A Quechuan word meaning “hope,” Wasi is a brown-owned Bolivian-American clothing company founded and run completely by Vanessa Acosta. This business is dedicated to ethical and sustainable products and processes, as well as diverse representation in the fashion world. Their products are unique and there truly is something for everyone here, as their shop includes everything from clothing to accessories to accessories and prints! You can shop their website at https://wasiclothing.com/ and follow at @wasiclothing.

OXDX Clothing - Diné owned label, this indegnous brand offers merchandise to represent Native peoples and honor their experiences. Their mission includes preserving culture to art, clothing, creative content and storytelling. Their shop has unique pieces of clothing, art, and stickers. Shop at https://www.oxdxclothing.com/ and support them at @oxdxclothing.

Ginew - That Native-owned denim line honors the founders’ Ojibwe, Oneida, & Mohican heritage through the materials and concepts utilized to create their products. Their shop ranges from denim products (jackets, jeans, etc.) as well as unique jewelry, bandanas, and more. Shop all things Ginew on their website https://ginewusa.com/ and follow at @ginew_usa.

Art:

Hafandhaf - This Pakistani-born and Detroit raised artist uses her South Asian and Muslim roots to create art that reflexts her experinces and the life around her. She uses her background studying the Quran and Arabic and incorporates it into her work. She offers commissions, as well as prints. Many of her pieces were turned into other merchandise, like clothing, mugs, stickers, and accessories. To shop, visit https://hafandhaf.com/ and follow their social media @hafandhaf.

Adinas Doodles - Kichwa artist Adina Farinango creates Kichwa diasporic art. In hopes to heal and reclaim her Kichwa roots and her identity as an idigenous womxn, her art is a form of resistance. Her one of a kind art is available in prints, stickers, and on totes! Shop https://www.adinafarinango.com/ and follow @adinasdoodles.

Accessories:

BRWNGRLZ - The Pinay-owned jewelry company specializes in laser cut pieces that represent and honor Pilipinx heritage and brown pride. These unique, astounding pieces are only found at BRWNGRLZ. This space honors the stories of Pilpinx-identify folks while uplifting the voices of BIPOC folks everywhere. To support and shop, visit www.brwngrlz.com/ and follow at @brwngrlz.

Customized by Angelisa - Polynesian-owned customizable shop that does everything from trays to accessories! This shop is perfect for customized gifts and pieces for your space! Angelisa’s shop has rolling and coffee trays, resin jewelry, keychains, tumblers, and music player plaques. To shop and customize your own pieces, head to https://www.etsy.com/shop/customizedbyangelisa/ and @cbangelisa.

Spirituality:

Stari Agency - Run by Yakari Gabriel, Stari Agency is an Afro-Latina business regarding all things astrology. Yakari offers birth chart readings, transit readings, and follow ups. She aims to help you heal and learn more about you as you navigate your life’s journey. To book and learn more about these services, you can visit https://stariagency.com/ and @stariagency.

The Woke Mystix - Podcasters and authors Ellen and Imani create space for folks to find themselves in astrology, spirituality, and divinity. This WOC-owned business co-wrote Astrology SOS: An astrological survival guide to life, which releases on March 2, 2021. To listen to their podcast and learn more about their work, check out https://www.thewokemystix.com/ and @thewokemystix.

Dian Tala Crystals - This Filipinx-womxn owned crystal shop was created in hopes of offering affordable and accessible means of crystals and their healing properties. In efforts to offer exploration into intuition and personal guidance, this shop holds a variety uniquely cut crystals while teaching followers the properties of each. All funds go directly to the owner’s tuition, as well as direct relief funds to their family’s provinces when the recent typhoon hit the Philippines. To shop and support, follow their Instagram shops @diantalacrystals and @diantalasales.

Farial Eliza (she/her) is a twenty-one year old Bay Area native, occupying unceded Chochenyo Ohlone land. She is a writer, poet, creator, storyteller, self-proclaimed healer and educator to the communities she serves.

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vampirrediaries · 4 years ago

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Enemies Of The State : Dark!Klaroline {17}

summary:

This fiction follows the events of just how Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes lost everything that tied them to their humanity, leading them into something neither of them can come back from.

—————

{10 years ago}

Klaus Mikaelson had no idea what he was supposed to do. For the first time in his one thousand years, he was void.

Caroline Forbes had the ascendent, and he had no idea what she was going to do with it. Other than releasing hell on earth, what other motive could there be? It was for this reason that Klaus went mad with rage once again.

“Look for yourself!” He screamed, breaking into old furniture that remained in the room. “It’s gone. It’s bloody gone!”

The group had gathered outside during the rampage caused by the Hybrid. Furniture flew through the brick walls as if they were made of nothing, sounds of pure rage and annoyance filling up the old room.

Kol knew how big of a deal this had been for his family throughout the years. That piece of metal was the key to freeing a sociopathic siphoner, and it was very noticeably gone.

“Let’s not be rash,” The younger Original calmy approached his brother. “Caroline couldn’t free Malachai if she tried. She needs a Bennett witch.”

“Amelia is a Bennett witch!” Klaus growled, packing back and forth. “The same incessant witch who betrayed us by not lifting the link on Katerina!”

“How on earth would Caroline know who Amelia is?” Kol furrowed his brows. “I mean, it’s ridiculous!”

“How did she know about the ascendent?” Bonnie intervened, an uneasy look on her face. “Chances are, she would know about my little relative living in New Orleans.”

Stefan stepped forward, obviously distressed.

“I don’t understand what Caroline would want with Kai,” He looked at Klaus with a pointed stare. “She’s an emotionless vampire, who’s only desire should be going on a killing spree, not caring about siphoners.”

“The only thing that comes to my mind is Katherine.” Elena crosses her arms, stepping beside Bonnie. “And she’s dead.”

——————

“Katherine is looking everywhere for you.”

Kai Parker sat in the lawn chair, not giving any signs of shock or happiness at the fact that he was seeing other living people since 1994. In fact, he ate his pork rinds as if it were another sunday afternoon, looking at Caroline with raised eyebrows.

“Oh yeah, Kitty Kat! Isn’t she like, evil?”

He doesn’t exactly look like a psycho, Caroline thought. He was a little shorter than her, and was probably her age. Who everyone was so afraid of, looked like a normal teenager. It was probably what made him so terrifying, coming out of nowhere and killing a supernatural with a simple touch, would be such a simple task for him.

“You can say that,” Caroline stood awkwardly, eyeing him. “Which is probably why we should get going.”

Kai stood up, that creepy smile still on his face. “Lead the way, Blondie.”

Caroline highly doubted that Kai Parker was the answer to all of Katherine’s problems, walking out of the store with a bottle in one hand, and an awfully chatty siphoner in the other ear.

“Man, i cant wait to watch baywatch again. You like life guards, like hot ones?”

“Not that i care or anything” Caroline rolls her eyes as she walks. “But apparently you have something that Katherine wants, and i’m sorta...not seeing it.”

Kai feigns hurt, placing his hand over his heart. “Ouch, blondie. Nobody’s ever downplayed me before. I like it! Something new!”

The pair reach the parking lot, and Caroline calls out Katherine’s name loudly, knowing her supernatural hearing would pick it up.

“I don’t know much about vampires. Is it true you guys are like, blood sucking rippers?” Kai asks, leaning against the pole casually.

God, he is insufferable.

“Only the best of us are,” Caroline smiles sarcastically. “Mind telling me what you have that is so valuable?”

“Klaus is afraid of him, which is why i’m interested.”

Katherine Pierce stood behind the pair as if she’d appeared out of nowhere. She eyes Kai with a pointed gaze, looking him up and down.

“You must be the doppelgänger!” Kai approaches the Petrova. “Man it’s good to be in the presence of the Katerina Petrova. Tell me, is Klaus as cool as he is in the books?”

“He’s great,” Caroline smirks. “Unless you like being chased to your death for five hundred years.”

“I think i do.”

“Hello?” Katherine impatiently calls out. “Are we gonna discuss the terms of our arrangements or what?”

“Wow, straight to business,” Kai crosses his arms, and all traces of joking seemingly leaves his face in an instant. “You set me free, i help you with your little Klaus problem. Deal?”

“Define help,” Katherine raises her eyebrows. “Because for five hundred years i haven’t got my freedom, even Klaus promised to give it to me, I still got stuck with a link. I had to manipulate another Original for it to be broken.”

“I’ll either kill the guy, or threaten to wreak havoc on vampire’s. All that good stuff.”

It all made sense now. Katherine just wanted her freedom.

He’s our ticket to freedom, cupcake.

Kai Parker was a siphoner, meaning he can only get his power from something that already has magic. Vampire’s have witch magic, meaning he could quite possibly erase the population of with a mere touch of an Original. He could kill them.

“So this was all because you wanted your freedom from Klaus?” Caroline wondered. “All this trouble-”

“My freedom is the only thing i want, Caroline” Katherine cut her off, looking at Kai. “This kid our only chance, because like it or not, we’re in this together. If you go down, I go down with you.”

She had a point. Caroline gave away the ‘you’re in this alone’ initiative as soon as she agreed to go with the doppelgänger, and as much as she wanted out of this situation, she knew that she’d get tracked down easily. Caroline needed Kai as well, no matter how much she hated to admit.

“All good?” The siphoner rubbed his palms together. Katherine nodded slightly, and with that being done, she called out Amelia Bennett’s name.

“Amelia! You can let us out now!”

Caroline looked at Kai Parker, who had excitement written all over his face

“Ready to go?” She asked, ready for the overwhelming force that would soon knock them out. He grinned.

“You have no idea, Blondie.”

——————

“Bon, tell me you can do another tracking spell.”

Stefan looked at the witch with hopeful eyes, but was immediately let down when he saw her defeated expression.

“She must’ve had something hex my spell. The only place the map would lead to is here.”

Klaus flashed out of the house, still red hot. He wouldn’t ever find Caroline, and after making the horrible mistake of underestimating just how precise she could be, he could only pray. Kai Parker wouldn’t serve her any use, so what on earth could she want with the ascendent? It infuriated him to an extent.

“You do understand what we need to do now,”

Kol Mikaelson followed his brother outside, leaning against the door as he waited patiently for him to calm down. He was still evidently angry.

“There is nothing to do,” Klaus spoke in a scarily calm. “Caroline and the ascendent are gone, and all there is left is for the world to spin into utter chaos.”

“Do you care for the girl, Nik?”

The Hybird stared at his younger brother with a pointed glare. He was never the one to expose his feelings, even to his own blood. The heavyweighted question hung still in the air, because he knew the answer all too well.

He didn’t just care for Caroline Forbes. He was ridiculously in love with her, and that terrified him.

“Why does that matter?” Klaus tried putting up a strong front, acting indifferent. “If I care for her or not, she’s never coming back.”

Kol walked towards him, and he knew all too well that the Original could see right through his tough exterior.

“You wouldn’t have come this far, gone through this much trouble if the girl didn’t mean something to you.”

Klaus didn’t say a word, trying again to act as if what Kol had been saying wasn’t the truth.

“So i’ll ask you again, dear brother. Do you know what we need to do now?”

Klaus took a deep breath, looking towards the vast emptiness of the field they stood at. He knew exactly what they needed to do, and he’d do just that. For Caroline Forbes, he’d do anything.

“Get in the car, Kol. I think we need to have a little chat with Amelia Bennett.”

masterlist

#the vampire diaries #the originals #caroline forbes #klaroline #tvd #dark klaroline #katherine pierce #klaus mikaelson #klaus x caroline #the vampire diaries fanfiction #the vampire diaries imagines #klaroline fanfiction #klaroline au #tvd fanfiction #dark!klaroline

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julietookoff · 4 years ago

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Elvis, Storage Wars and Pandemics - An Update from Las Vegas

Things are good here. We pay a little extra for a bigger ex-house trailer lot with room to park the van. We've got a little shade, too.

We watched the weather impatiently and finally arrived at King's Row in early October. The plan WAS to head north in the spring. We were going to a buffet once or twice a week and enjoying the huge selection of fast food restaurants (compared to Las Vegas, NM). Our favorite buffets are at Sam's Town and the Orleans casinos, where we gamble $5 each and get free lunch buffets. It didn't take long to find the Pink Box donuts, but they are across town and a little pricey. We got Cox cable set up at our lot, which we sooo much appreciated during the Wuhan virus months. While in NM I had gotten hooked on dumpster-diving and storage auction videos on YouTube. I found out dumpster-diving is illegal in Las Vegas, so we started going to storage auctions. My best finds were three 925 silver rings, each in a different unit. And the cash. I found a $20 bill in a BDU top and tons of spare change. A neighbor who was moving gave us a 10x10 canopy for shade while sorting.

You get tons of household stuff for just a few bucks. We can't handle mattresses and big furniture with just the little Jeep. Although the bulk of stuff goes to GoodWill, I have made over a thousand dollars on eBay and FB Marketplace. One week I went to the post office four out of five days. Some Mondays I go twice a day. We've sold TVs, game systems, games, a Kindle Oasis, a webcam, sets of high-end clothes and Nike/Jordans, Navy BDUs and uniforms, sets of books, lots of bikes, cell phones, IKEA end tables and lots of misc. At one unit I paid $35 and another bidder immediately bought two folding tables for $40.

Some of the more odd finds were a Nissan Leaf charger, some HVAC baffles, digital surveying tools, a 4' long aquarium, a digital darkroom timer, a 1972 signed Munich Olympics print (I still haven't sold this), 7 sets of barn door hardware, horse tack, meth, morphine, narcan, Rx pills (some the same that we take), tons of driver's licenses, Clark County jail IDs and some giant grow lights. We bought about 25 units until the Pandemic shut them down. They ranged in price from $5 to $85. I plan to continue when we settle down in Florida, where we'll have at least three good flea markets where we can sell stuff (last I checked). Then whatever is left will go to GoodWill. We were thinking about getting a cargo trailer here, but the BMV is closed and they won't even answer eMails about out-of-staters getting tags for trailers.

I finally gave up my flip phone for a "Smart" phone. I use it for as little as possible to avoid swearing like a drunk sailor.

Corny went to four Penn & Teller "Fool Us" tapings at the Rio casino. They will start to air on June 22.

Our Wuhan Virus Experience:

January 25th we went to the Ethel M chocolate factory in Henderson to redeem a "Tasting" groupon. We pulled into the lot and there was a tour bus parked out front. Chinese people, most of them wearing masks, were coming and going. We were aware of the virus at that time and that it was spreading from China. One of the masked women asked me to take her picture in the cactus garden - I made a rude face and waved her away. I wasn't going to touch her germy phone.

I signed up at Planet Fitness February 25. They closed a couple weeks later.

March 9th we went to the last storage auction before the Stay-at-Home season.

We started loading up on TP and food before it was popular. Before masks, every time I went to Wally's I loaded up on this n' that. When the shelves started going bare (around March 15th here), we were all set. I had three boxes of gloves, two from storage units, and a total of seven N-95 masks. The first Clark County Wuhan virus death was on March 16th. I found out why our Wal-Mart is so crazy busy all the time. While I was sitting in the Jeep waiting for Corny to buy and install a new battery, I watched a continuous parade of bus people filing back and forth from the store to the bus stop. We started going to a less germy Wally's a bit farther from home.

Corny got a second Shingles vaccine at Sam's Club. I was off wandering around shopping. Later when he wasn't feeling well I asked him what his temperature had been at Sam's. They hadn't taken it! I couldn't believe it. It's kinda standard you make sure someone isn't sick before you innoculate them!

We each got our $1200 Wuhan checks on the first round. I donated mine to Chase Bank. Corny donated his to CitiBank.

There were no casinos, buffets or auctions during "quarantine". Other than a little boredom, basically we just took our laziness to a higher level. We were used to laziness. I feel for the people with kids - and the poor kids. Geocaching Headquarters cancelled all events and the big August Geo-gatherings in Seattle and British Columbia. Corny was sad because he couldn't take the van to see State Parks, museums and such. He finally made it out west and everything was closed! He wants to stay here through the summer and take van trips to cooler places, instead of moving the bigass RV up north. I would like to head home to Florida in the fall and see about buying some land and settling down. Corny will have to use the van for extended trips out west.

Corny took the top of the engine off the Jeep to change the spark plugs. Turns out one of the cylinder heads may be bad. If so, it is a $4000 fix. Or not fix. We've gotten used to the check engine light.

Geocaching-wise, we've been to several local events. At one we donated about a dozen ready-to-go spray painted/repurposed Sam's Club-sized M&M/cashew containers. I've taken several big solo Jeep trips to complete the NV Delorme challenge. I found a nice Challenge Row just north of St. George, UT. All six of us took a nice little van trip on Route 66 (first picture, above) from Kingman, AZ to Seligman to use up the old gas in the tank. After spending 1/2 hour wiping down everything in a few germy hotel rooms, I started sleeping in the Jeep every other night. I have a pizza-shaped pool float that fits perfectly. I was almost done planning a big UT van trip when the auctions started back up.

Now when I go on a trip, I have to end 60-70 eBay listings. If I were willing to pay eBay about $5/month I could do it with one click, but I feel like I give eBay/PayPal way more than enough money already. Certainly more than they deserve. They charge auctioneer prices because they can, but in reality all they are is a listing service like Craig's List, FB MarketPlace and Offer Up, which are all free. We do all the hard work. FeeBay just sits ontheirass and sucks money. Do I sound cynical?

I've saved geocaching for last because I've got lots of pix. Here ya' go.

^St. George, UT

New Harmony, UT

Just inside CA from Pahrump, NV

^Donner Party camp

^Lake Tahoe, CA side

^Pyramid Lake, NV

Salt Flats - lots of motorcycles speeding across here.

^Picked up a handsome Travel Bug

Filthy Jeep

^I left a mud ring in the parking lot of Flying J after it rained

^I did a little boulder jumping

^I had a little talk with this sweet lil’ quail in Gerlach, NV

Life is Godd! We fit out.

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furnituremartsonline · 1 month ago

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The Secrets Behind Quality Mattresses: What You Should Really Look For

After long days at work, everyone craves deep comforting sleep. Unfortunately, that experience often gets disturbed by an uncomfortable mattress. People just grab a mattress without really thinking about its quality. They simply choose one based on price or a well-known brand, which isn’t the best way to go about it. Whether you're shopping for mattresses New Orleans or elsewhere, you need to take a more thoughtful approach.

Before buying, pause for a moment and consider the materials and the mattress's construction. Every small detail makes a difference when enjoying a truly restful sleep. Want more insight into mattresses? Let’s understand the secrets of buying a quality mattress.

Mattress Types and How They Affect Sleep

Mattresses come in many different shapes. Some types are better suited for people’s needs. Memory foam, for instance, adapts and molds itself based on your body shape. These types are good for people struggling with back or joint pain, helping reduce discomfort during the night. Then there are hybrid mattresses. These combine springs with foam, creating a balanced feel many people appreciate. If you prefer the traditional bouncy vibe, those spring mattresses may suit you best.

Firmness and Support: Two Must-Know Qualities

Firmness and support—these two qualities define a mattress's comfort. Firmness refers mainly to how soft or cushioned the mattress feels, allowing the body to sink slightly when lying down. Side sleepers particularly benefit from this feature.

On the other hand, support focuses on keeping your spine straight. The quality of the mattress's material affects how well it can hold up your body. Foam that reduces pressure points and adjusts to your weight often proves ideal.

Breaking Down Mattress Layers

Understanding the layers within a mattress might seem a little technical, but it’s important. These layers determine how well your mattress works, sleep-wise. The topmost layer is usually soft, and designed for cushioning. Beneath that comes the transition layer, whose job is distributing weight evenly. Last is the foundational layer, providing core support. Not all furniture stores near me offer the same layer combination.

Temperature Regulation: An Overlooked Necessity

A lot of people don’t consider how mattresses affect body temperature. Some trap heat, making it tough to sleep comfortably through the night. To avoid this, look for cooling gel memory foam mattresses or breathable coil systems.

After all, some of the best furniture stores New Orleans offers can make all the difference in your comfort.

Shop the best mattresses now by visiting https://furnituremarts.com/

Original Source: https://bit.ly/3C4UJ5R

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tsgneworleanslouisiana · 5 years ago

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The Local: Vikki Leftwich, Owner of Villa Vici

Crossing the threshold of Villa Vici is committing yourself to an experience. You may walk through the showroom, admire the furniture and original art, but eventually you’ll find yourself sitting on a sofa chatting with the owners Vikki Leftwich and Bryan Colwell, about their many years in the furniture business and everything they know about interiors and how they can enhance your life and elevate your surroundings to the fullest. Their sons Ian and Sean may walk in and eventually you’ll feel like you’re sitting in your own living room. Villa Vici is the quintessential lifestyle brand. Vikki Leftwich shares with you a little bit about how they created this atmosphere and this iconic store on Magazine Street.

The Inspiration

On a fashion buying trip in New York 30 years ago, Bryan and I were inspired by the new Shabby Chic store that had recently opened in SoHo. I met Rachel Ashwell and inquired about a franchise. When she declined our offer, I knew my next passion in life would transfer from fashion to home furnishings and made it my new goal. While on a ski vacation, I struck up a conversation with a guy on the ski lift who happened to have a connection to a furniture factory in L.A. One thing led to another, we cut our trip short and headed to the West Coast where we contracted our newfound friends to make our own collection of slipcovered and upholstered furniture and...Villa Vici began.

The Passion

Cities are dictated by the style of their retail stores and galleries. Can you imagine a city with no local shops? Without support from the community, we would be a city without a soul.

Our philosophy has always remained constant; to offer our customers the highest quality in products, service and value without compromising style and comfort. A carefully selected product mix is chosen from the finest furniture vendors in the U.S. and around the world, to ensure a timeless home environment that excites the senses.

The Experience

We do our best to create a welcoming environment in store so that people can really experience or envision how the furniture or art might translate to their home. We invite you to sit on our showroom pieces, and we’re often known to serve you a glass of Prosecco as you reflect. Because our store front and display windows look expensive and we merchandise the showroom in mostly white, many people think we are not affordable or kid friendly. The truth of the matter is we can design a home for you based on your lifestyle and budget with washable fabrics as well as modern linens and velvets. Styles in upholstery range from classic to contemporary with over 1000 choices in fabrics and colors. We also offer custom sizes and finishes in all dining, living and bedroom furniture. We stay consistently busy throughout the year, but our customers anxiously await to view our new collections that arrive in early Spring and early Fall.

Our luxury rentals in New Orleans and Covington offer our guests a chance to experience the world of Villa Vici.

Expert Advice

Scale before you buy! We are experts in scaling furniture to your room so you don’t make a mistake. We’ll scale to your architectural plans or your existing home.

Being an interior designer while owning a showroom allows our customers the hands-on experience of making educated choices for their design needs. Villa Vici offers complete interior design services, working with architects pre-construction and consulting with clients on everything from colors, selection of lighting, to space planning for all furniture selections and much more. We are truly a one-stop furniture retail store and design resource firm for our clients and other interior designers as well.

Fun Fact

We are a family run business. A husband and wife team working alongside two sons. You can thank Ian and Sean for infusing a little color into Villa Vici!

#Meet #Vikki Leftwich #Bryan Colwell #Villa Vici #Interiors #Rental #Airbnb #Lifestyle #Small #business #Mitchell Gold #Lee Industries #Design #Magazine Street #New Orleans #The Scout Guide #Luxury #Covington #House

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atlastrust · 2 years ago

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Faith ford

FAITH FORD FULL

FAITH FORD SERIES

Another good one is the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival in May with its Cajun and zydeco dance contests, a crawfish étouffée cook-off and, the best part, Louisiana crawfish served in more delicious ways than you can imagine. I like to collect antique Pecan Festival posters. Faith FordActress Born September 14, 1964, in Alexandria, LA daughter of Charles (an insurance agent) and Pat (a school teacher) Ford married Robert. There's a big parade, live music, games, fireworks and a queen's ball. People come from all over to attend the Louisiana Pecan Festival. One of my favorite ways to have a good time in Louisiana is our great festivals. If you're into fishing like me, there's no better place to do it than in La Salle and Catahoula parishes. Those are some of my favorite places to visit. Francisville, as well as the Kent Plantation House in Alexandria. If you're into history, I'd suggest checking out the seven plantation homes in St. You pass by plantations and colorful old homes. I like to go through Bunkie on the old highway. But you can also find great things in the smaller towns, too, like the Red Barn Mall in Pineville. We are here to help you find the new or used vehicle for you from our three different. You can walk down Magazine Street in New Orleans and run into a great, eclectic bunch of shops selling furniture, clothing, pottery, local artwork and just about anything you can imagine. Faiths Automotive Group values our customers about everything else. Find out hours and locations for each store on our Hours and Location Page. Our three stores are conveniently located in the southeast Vermont area along I-91. I go crazy for pie, and there's no better place to get it than at Lea's Lunchroom in Lecompte, the pie capital of Louisiana. Faith's Automotive Faith’s Automotive Group is here to offer Westminster area customers all of the best vehicles from Toyota to Ford Models. I can get on a roll and I don't know what happened I look down and I don't know how many pounds I've eaten.ĭid I mention we've got some great food in Louisiana? Try a roast beef po-boy at Ray's PeGe in Monroe. When it comes to crawfish, I'm possessed. It's not good for the manicure, but I can't help it. The best food ever is the homecooked stuff at the truck stops. In Louisiana, you could stop about every other place to eat, and you'd eat well. Ford continued to pop up in films and on television throughout the new millennium, before she delighted "Murphy Brown" fans in 2018 with the news that the show was returning for a new season, and Ford was reprising the role of Corky Sherwood.Like most people, one of my favorite things about Louisiana is food. Born September 14, 1964, in Alexandria, LA daughter of Charles (an insurance agent) and Pat (a school teacher) Ford married Robert. After that show ended, she joined yet another sitcom, starring alongside Kelly Ripa on "Hope & Faith" (ABC, 2003-06), which was a moderate hit during its three seasons. She quickly joined the cast of Norm McDonald's post "SNL" (NBC, 1975-) sitcom, "The Norm Show" (NBC, 1999-2001). Even after the whirlwind ten-year experience of "Murphy Brown," Ford refused to slow down.

FAITH FORD FULL

The show ran a full decade, staying on the air until 1998.

FAITH FORD SERIES

Ford's big break came when she was cast as Corky Sherwood in the seminal sitcom "Murphy Brown." Starring Candace Bergen as the titular investigative TV journalist, the show was a critical and commercial darling, and an awards juggernaut Ford herself was nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series no less than five times. When that series was cancelled after 6 episodes, Ford bounced back with a 5-episode arc on the acclaimed drama series "thirtysomething" (ABC, 1987-1991). Her next series regular role came on the short-lived sitcom "The Popcorn Kid" (CBS, 1987). The next year, Ford joined the cast of yet another legendary daytime soap opera, "Another World" (NBC, 1964-1999). Ford made her TV debut in 1983, when she joined the cast of the legendary daytime soap opera, "One Life to Live" (ABC/Hulu, 1968-2013). At age 17, she moved to Manhattan and began pursuing modeling and acting work. Born on Septemin Alexandria, LA, Ford first became interested in acting when she was a teenager. Faith Ford was an American actress who became a staple on TV throughout the nineties thanks to the hit sitcom "Murphy Brown" (CBS, 1988-1998, 2018), and later reprised her role on the show for a reboot in the late aughts.

#Faith ford

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boyedouglas3-blog · 6 years ago

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Manhattan Seashore, CA Shifting Corporations

The ten Best Movers In Manhattan Seaside, CA 2018

You'll be able to trust them with your relocation from Bronx to Seattle as a result of they are licensed long distance transferring experts. Choose Atlas Transfer & Storage Co. as your Manhattan Beach movers for your residential or industrial relocation. Residential Manhattan Beach Transferring: We employ professional, hardworking movers who will safely and efficiently get you the place it's worthwhile to go. Possibly that explains all of these modifications that will allow the suspention of constutional regulation, such because the patriot act! An expert will help you with scope and estimates, but having a clear thought of what you want to accomplish will assist communication. On the surface it appears to be a good suggestion. I second the concept of having a peace of land to raise food which could be the perfect preparation in case of larger and long term economic collapse. I think they're filing yet a SECOND movement for sj. Its ridiculous to think that a web page with a lot of crimson ink on it, can prevent you from doing something. Staff can pack all their things into bins and our professional movers load and unload every little thing, whereas taking further care of all the expensive equipment your organization depends upon. At Melrose Moving, we perceive that looking to your splendid moving company in Manhattan Seaside, CA generally is a time-consuming hassle, so we've made it our priority to provide you with a straightforward, stress-free transferring experience.

Assembly and set up of office furniture

Packing & shifting experts

7 years in the past from Baltimore, MD

South El Monte

Storage solutions

Transferring safety

Residence and enterprise house owners have depended on our exceptional moving expertise in addition to reasonably priced pricing. Having an off-site storage locker for your corporation means having a safe place to store all these old papers, overstock objects and seldom-used tools. You cannot commit to an extended-term contract because you already know you're going to be taking your things from storage sooner, somewhat than later. The transferring males repacked a number of things freed from cost in order that it doesn’t get damaged along the best way. The largest houses in the tract measure about 2800 sq. ft, and very few have backyard landscaping. It remains to be doable to seek out an awesome condominium with roof or yard access that is a real financial savings from life in Manhattan. Thats why you want to find the perfect realtor to help you with this thrilling new adventure. Prospective consumers will find options like Juparana Classico granite and full custom backsplash with steel accents, stainless-steel double ovens, microwaves and cooktops, chrome steel dishwashers and tall refrigerators and freezers within the kitchens. There are options equivalent to Juparana Classico granite and full customized backsplash with steel accents, stainless steel double ovens, microwaves and cooktops, stainless steel dishwashers and tall refrigerators and freezers within the kitchens.

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They have it all the way down to a system, so there is no such thing as a down time that you end up charged for. Ruins of historical buildings have been preserved and defined by signs and images of the events that ocurred there. Whenever you want office movers in Manhattan Seaside that know methods to make your transfer a superb one, name us right here at Elite Moving and Storage for assistance. It was a pleasure working with Michael Lee Architects on this Manhattan Beach undertaking. Lee Moving and Storage, Inc. (Atlas) in New Orleans. Lake County Movers, Inc. (Bekins) in Waukegan. The city is well-known for its faculty system and is a extremely ranked suburb within the county for high-earning and nicely-educated residents. We have analyzed the info at each the county and metro stage, combining it with information on house costs, unemployment, density, and distance. Fortunate you, freecampingaussie. As I mentioned, we had already discover many of the Western States, so didn't take in locations like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and San Francisco the place we had been before-- nearer to residence.

They are nicely-experienced, highly expert and educated women and men who are determined to take on to essentially the most challenging and demanding shifting jobs. Plus, they provide many additional companies that aren't considered within the initial cost of the transfer similar to packing, unpacking, furniture disassembly, reassembly, transferring supplies, custom, wood crating, antique restoration, and shifting your car. If you aren't an organized person, and you hate packing, you'll most likely be beneath stress even before you get all the way down to it. Newport Beach luxurious properties are set towards a backdrop of sweeping hilltops and thousands of acres of protected pure wilderness. Finding the proper Manhattan Beach Movers could be a tough process. We want so as to add comfort and remove stress from the transferring process. As you plan to your transfer, you don’t want so as to add to the already advanced process of moving by spending hours searching for a reputable moving company. Paul's Transfer Firm (Wheaton) in Phillipsburg. Atlas Transfer & Storage is the Manhattan Beach moving company who works tirelessly to make sure your move caters to your exact wants and works inside your funds.

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slidellmandeville · 2 years ago

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Discover The Charming Lifestyle Of Slidell City In Louisiana

When you visit Slidell City, Louisiana, you'll discover a city with a rich history, a beautiful bayou, and a charming lifestyle. You'll find the historic antique district, Mardi Gras parades, and seafood restaurants. You'll also find several family-friendly attractions, such as Camp Salmen.

Historic antique district:

The Historic Antique District in Slidell City, Louisiana features an array of antique shops, galleries and museums. Situated on First and Erlanger streets, the district also hosts antique street fairs. A visit to the area is an enjoyable way to spend a rainy day or an upcoming holiday.

Besides antique furniture, the area is home to numerous collectibles, antique glassware, folk art, and fine arts. The stores are open daily and offer a seating area and coffee. If you get tired of browsing, you can also watch a movie or listen to music.

For foodies, Slidell is home to many unique restaurants ranging from mom-and-pop places to upscale destinations. Located in the shadow of bald cypress trees, the city's waterfront offers a plethora of fresh seafood options. More than 20 seafood restaurants offer Louisiana favorites like oyster po-boys and blackened specialties.

Mardi Gras parades:

If you're a Mardi Gras afficionado, Slidell City, Louisiana has several Mardi Gras parades for you to choose from. The Eden Isles Krewe, for instance, takes to the waterways of Eden Isles in Slidell. Their parade is filled with beads and cups as they pass by the marina cafe and end at Kensington Boulevard.

Mardi Gras parades in this city start early on the morning of the day of Mardi Gras. The Zulu parade rolls uptown, followed by the Rex parade. The Zulu and Rex parades roll down Canal Street, the border of the French Quarter. After the Rex parade, smaller parades follow down the tree-lined streets.

The City of Slidell is a booming Mardi Gras city, with several parades to choose from this weekend. The French Quarter is home to the green fairy of Krewe Boheme, and there will be several satirical krewes in the Marigny, including the Krewe of Delusion. In Slidell, there will be the first float parade in two years, and WDSU has updated its parade tracker to make it easier for you to keep track of the floats.

The New Orleans City Council has made many changes to the Mardi Gras festivities, including imposing restrictions on participants and spectators. One of the major changes is the addition of a Mardi Gras Fountain, which was inaugurated on the city's lakefront in 1962. The fountain features crests from the ball and parade krewes. The krewes can submit requests to have their crest included in the fountain. However, some real krewe captains were unhappy with the inclusion of imaginary parades in the fountain.

Seafood restaurants:

Whether you're craving Louisiana seafood or simply looking for some comfort food, there are plenty of seafood restaurants in Slidell City. From casual to fine-dining, these restaurants have something to please any palate. The most notable of them is probably Northshore Restaurant, which specializes in crawfish. Crawfish are a healthy and delicious dish that you won't want to miss when visiting Slidell. Other seafood restaurants in Slidell City include Seafood Restaurant Slidell, where you can enjoy fresh seafood and other meat recipes.

Nola Southern Grill: This upscale seafood restaurant is one of the best places to find Slidell seafood, and the menu selection is diverse and delicious. Known for serving some of the best crawfish in Louisiana, this place also features killer Southern sliders, cool drinks, and a mouthwatering dessert bar.

Camp Salmen:

Camp Salmen Nature Park is a 130-acre park in Slidell City, Louisiana, that offers many birding opportunities and natural habitats. It is also a good place to learn about the history of the area. The park's buildings were originally used by the Salmen Brick and Lumber Company, which bought the property in 1901 and used the railroad to extract the clay and timber from the area.

A historic, yet unique place for nature lovers, Camp Salmen is located about an hour outside of New Orleans. The park is an educational resource and living museum that features restored historic buildings and a vast collection of native plants and animals. Its restored properties and extensive collection of plants and animals make it an excellent place to spend a day.

Camp Salmen is a natural observatory:

Camp Salmen is an outdoor observatory that evokes the swampy landscape of early settlers. It is 130 acres large and boasts a variety of natural habitats. It also includes a boardwalk and paddling trail that leads to Bayou Liberty. The park also contains a history museum, located in the old Slidell Town Hall & Jail. It takes visitors back to the town's early days as a railroad camp during the 1880s.

Visitors can explore the park's six nature management areas and explore the various habitats. Hiking trails provide an opportunity to observe various wildlife and birds. There are also educational signs that point out various historical and environmental points of interest. The facility is open to the public throughout the year.

The Salmen Lodge is another historic building located on the grounds. This 18th-century building was once Joseph Laurent's old Indian trading post. It was part of an "ancient" Creole community known as Bonfouca on Bayou Liberty. By the time Slidell came to town, Bonfouca was almost a century old. Today, the Salmen Lodge is undergoing restoration to resemble a trading post. It will also eventually be converted into a small museum.

The Salmen Lodge is an old brick building located at Camp Salmen. Originally, this was a 300-year-old town on Bayou Liberty. This area was home to the La Liberte' tribe, which pioneered the north shore industries.

Northshore Beach:

Northshore Beach is a popular residential area near Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. This neighborhood is located about 30 miles north of New Orleans. This community has beautiful waterfront homes that are convenient for commuters. If you're a New Orleans resident, you'll appreciate the easy commute to the Big Easy. To learn more about the neighborhood, visit the homeowners' association's website.

Nearby, Lake Pontchartrain is popular with kayakers, paddle-boarders, and canoeists. This area also offers fishing charters and guided swamp tours. For kids, there are gator rides at Insta-Gator Ranch, and they can get up close to animals at the Global Wildlife Center.

Member Spotlight

The Joint Chiropractic

3573, U.S. Hwy 190 Suite F, Mandeville, LA 70471, United States

+1 985–260–8863

The Joint Chiropractic - Mandeville is a well renowned place for their high quality chiropractic services. They are very affordable, convenient and specialized when it comes to providing pain relief from neck, head, knee & back.

They are offering $29 New Patient Special which includes a consultation, exam, and adjustment. One can even schedule an appointment at night or on the weekends. If you don't have insurance, it doesn't matter!

Open nights and weekends, walk-in chiropractor, no insurance needed.

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willifordlambert86-blog · 6 years ago

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Manhattan Seaside, CA Transferring Corporations

The ten Finest Movers In Manhattan Seashore, CA 2018

You can belief them along with your relocation from Bronx to Seattle because they are licensed lengthy distance moving specialists. Select Atlas Switch & Storage Co. as your Manhattan Beach movers to your residential or business relocation. Residential Manhattan Seaside Shifting: We employ professional, hardworking movers who will safely and effectively get you where you need to go. Maybe that explains all of those modifications that can allow the suspention of constutional law, such because the patriot act! Knowledgeable will assist you with scope and estimates, however having a clear concept of what you want to perform will help communication. On the floor it seems to be a good suggestion. I second the idea of getting a peace of land to boost food which could be the very best preparation in case of greater and long run financial collapse. I think they're filing yet a SECOND motion for sj. Its ridiculous to think that a web page with plenty of pink ink on it, can stop you from doing something. Staff can pack all their issues into packing containers and our skilled movers load and unload every thing, while taking further care of all the costly equipment your organization depends upon. At Melrose Transferring, we perceive that looking out to your best moving company in Manhattan Beach, CA could be a time-consuming problem, so we have made it our priority to offer you a straightforward, stress-free transferring experience.

Meeting and installation of workplace furniture

Packing & shifting consultants

7 years ago from Baltimore, MD

South El Monte

Storage options

Shifting protection

Home and business house owners have depended on our exceptional transferring expertise as well as reasonably priced pricing. Having an off-site storage locker for your corporation means having a safe place to store all those previous papers, overstock gadgets and seldom-used tools. You can't commit to an extended-time period contract as a result of you recognize you are going to be taking your things from storage sooner, relatively than later. The shifting males repacked a number of issues free of cost so that it doesn’t get damaged along the way in which. The most important houses within the tract measure about 2800 square ft, and very few have yard landscaping. It continues to be doable to seek out an incredible house with roof or yard access that's a real savings from life in Manhattan. Thats why you want to search out the perfect realtor to help you with this thrilling new adventure. Prospective buyers will discover options like Juparana Classico granite and full customized backsplash with metal accents, stainless-steel double ovens, microwaves and cooktops, chrome steel dishwashers and tall refrigerators and freezers within the kitchens. There are options comparable to Juparana Classico granite and full custom backsplash with steel accents, stainless steel double ovens, microwaves and cooktops, stainless steel dishwashers and tall refrigerators and freezers in the kitchens.

They have it right down to a system, so there isn't a down time that you find yourself charged for. Ruins of historic buildings were preserved and explained by indicators and photographs of the events that ocurred there. If you want workplace movers in Manhattan Seaside that know how to make your transfer a superb one, name us right here at Elite Shifting and Storage for help. It was a pleasure working with Michael Lee Architects on this Manhattan Seaside undertaking. Lee Shifting and Storage, Inc. (Atlas) in New Orleans. Lake County Movers, Inc. (Bekins) in Waukegan. The city is properly-recognized for its faculty system and is a extremely ranked suburb in the county for top-earning and nicely-educated residents. We've analyzed the info at each the county and metro degree, combining it with information on dwelling costs, unemployment, density, and distance. Fortunate you, freecampingaussie. As I mentioned, we had already explore many of the Western States, so did not take in locations just like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and San Francisco where we had been earlier than-- nearer to home.

manhattan beach moversunty

They are effectively-skilled, extremely expert and trained men and women who're decided to take on to probably the most difficult and demanding moving jobs. Plus, they supply many additional providers that aren't thought-about within the preliminary value of the transfer resembling packing, unpacking, furnishings disassembly, reassembly, transferring supplies, custom, picket crating, antique restoration, and moving your car. If you aren't an organized individual, and also you hate packing, you'll in all probability be underneath stress even earlier than you get down to it. Newport Seashore luxurious homes are set in opposition to a backdrop of sweeping hilltops and thousands of acres of protected pure wilderness. Finding the best Manhattan Beach Movers is usually a difficult process. We want so as to add comfort and remove stress from the transferring course of. As you plan to your move, you don’t want to add to the already advanced technique of moving by spending hours trying to find a good moving company. Paul's Transfer Firm (Wheaton) in Phillipsburg. Atlas Transfer & Storage is the Manhattan Beach moving company who works tirelessly to make sure your move caters to your actual needs and works within your finances.

1 note · View note