#clovers sugar spice and everything nice

[what-if-nct]

sugar, spice, and everything nice

nah i ain’t kidding, this is literally your blog 💀

Awww this is so cute. And so sweet you see this place as literally the power puff girls!! Also as a kid I was always bubbles and my sister was buttercup. But for totally spies I was Alex and my sister was clover. Alex was my favorite but we're just the same skin tone and had the same hair.

[thegarden-ofeden]

butch jojo moodboard

the powerpuff girls masterlist

ꪶ 🪞 ꫂ ˖ like or reblog, please.

[mauvefayette6]

Nicknames For Each Other

master list

Charlie Dalton:

For Him: Charles, Handsome, Billy, Micheal

For You: Honey, Susan, Babe, Jackie

Chris Noel:

Her: Pooh, golden locks, bear, Chrissy

You: Babe, boo, honey, sugar spice and everything nice

Gerard Pitts:

For Him: Giant, Edward, Clover, Handsome

For You: Bean, Cutie, Honey, Sweetie

Knox Overstreet:

For Him: Babe, Romeo, Lover boy, Love

For You: Love, Babe, Bubba, Susan

Neil Perry:

For Him: Puck, Romeo, Shakespeare, Edgar,

For You: Pumpkin, Sweetie Pie, Poppy

Richard Cameron:

You: Babes, Darling, Candy, Sweetie, Love, Sunshine of My Love.

Him: Carrot Top, little red head, darling, Beach Boy, Little Red Riding Hood.

Steven Meeks:

For Him: Bird, Lovely, Mr. Nice Guy, Meeksy

For You: Bean, Bunny, Beautiful, Perfect

Todd Anderson:

For Him: Walt Whitman, Shakespear, Gorgeous, Handsome

For You: Poopsikins, Gorgeous, Handsome, Bella

[twistedtranslations]

Trey Clover - Let’s pray

You can unlock this storry by getting Trey’s R Starry clothes

Translation under the cut

Heartslabyul Dorm - Kitchen

Trey: Hey, is anyone here?

Heartslabyul Student A: Ah, senior Clover.

Cater: Trey. Congratulations on becoming a "Star Gazer". How's the collecting working out for you?

Trey: Okay. But I smelled something burning from the kitchen… Cater, what is that black, smelly thing behind your back?

Cater: Oopsie, I'm caught... We kinda failed at baking the cake.

Trey: Cake? Why are you making a cake?

Cater: That's because of…

Flashback

Heartslabyul Dorm - Lounge

Riddle: Hm… Is there anyone suitable to make sweets…

Cater: Riddle, what's up? You seem troubled.

Riddle: It is you. Well, I am having some trouble with the next "Unbirthday party".  I would feel sorry if I had Trey make the sweets, because he is busy as a "Star Gazer". I was wondering if there is a substitute…

Cater: I….I see~ I know! Why don't you use this opportunity to have the 2nd years in charge of making them?

Riddle: I like your way of thinking. Is this not a chance for all of Heartslabyul to grow?

Cater: Right! Anyway, club activities really exhausted me, so I'm going back to my roo-

Riddle: And that is why it's necessary to have some 3rd years to supervise the inexperienced 2nd years.

Cater: Ugh…

Riddle: Right, Cater?

Flashback over

Cater: … And that about sums it up why Cay was assigned to sweets team P… The sponge cake didn't rise at all. Furthermore, if we baked it more, it would burn. Cay feels like crying.

Heartslabyul Student A: We're sorry, senior Diamond. The pie crumbled…

Heartslabyul Student B: The cookies here are as hard as a brick. Even though I followed the recipe…

Trey: … I see, I understand the situation. It's probably easier if I helped you out. … Good grief.

Trey: The cake didn't rise because you didn't whip the eggs enough. There's not enough air in there. The pie crumbled because you touched it too much. The butter will melt because of the warmth of your hands. The cookies' bad texture might be because of lumps of flour in it. Did you sift it properly?

Cater: Understood, vice dorm leader. Come on everyone, don't give up and let's do this again.

/

Trey: Now we just have to put the cookies in the oven… Oof… All that's left is waiting for them to bake.

Heartslabyul Student B: Amazing! Even though we struggled so much, it was over in no time since Trey helped us out…

Cater: As usual, Trey, you saved us~ You're a real genius patissier!

Trey: I've just done this way more times than you. Besides, I'm still lousy compared to my parents who run a cake shop. I was thinking of attempting more sweets and increase my repertoire.

Cater: Trey, you're really passionate about sweets making.

Riddle: … Cater… Why is Trey here?

Cater: Ah! Riddle…!

Riddle: Did I not say that Trey was busy as a "Star Gazer" and that you should not bother him? What is the point of relying on you then? Good grief, what were you thinking…!

Cater: Ri-Right~ …I'm sorry. I wasn't serious.

Trey: Calm down, Riddle. These guys were stuck, and I imposed my aid on them. There are a lot of necessary skills for making sweets, so it's only natural that these guys didn't have them.

Riddle: … I see. Still, it would prove a hindrance if there were no sweets, even without you around, so we will have to consider another method. It seems unlikely that we can procure more assistants.

Trey: You're right… I have one suggestion though… What do you think about getting one high quality food processor for the dorm?

Riddle: A food processor? Why do you need a machine that finely cuts up vegetables?

Trey: Okay, Riddle. The most important labor in making sweets is stirring. Wheat flour, eggs, butter, sugar… You have to mix an extensive amount of ingredients uniformly under various conditions. You might follow the recipe, but if there's a mishap in the stirring you will fail all together.

Riddle: It is hard to express how to do the stirring, even if you have a manual.

Trey: And that's where the food processor is handy. Everyone can stir and knead uniformly with one. You don't have to worry about the temperature of the butter and eggs, and it's unnecessary to sift the sugar.

Cater: So it will be easy-peasy for me as well?

Trey: Yes. Furthermore, it has a high output, so everything will get finished faster. Our fickle students could use it.

Cater: Hey! And what about me~~~?

Riddle: I understand. It might be valuable.

Trey: However, the most suitable model costs around 10000 madollars, so it's not something an individual can afford.

Riddle: What…!? Is it that expensive…

Heartslabyul Student A: But we can't just keep relying on Clover forever.

Heartslabyul Student B: The "Unbirthday party" is our dorm's traditional event. We want to take it seriously.

Cater: If you think about it, we will use this all the time, so it might not be that much of a splurge. They'll keep using it even after our graduation.

Trey: You guys…

Riddle: If it makes it easier to follow the laws of the Queen of Hearts, it might not be that expensive. I will revise this year's budget and work out the costs. I'll order it at once.

Trey: !! Thank you Riddle. I'm thrilled.

Riddle: It is a dorm leader's responsibility to improve the environment of Heartslabyul. You do not have to offer your thanks. Then please excuse me. Trey, being a "Star Gazer" is an important tradition. Once you are done helping out, you should return to collect the "Wishing Stars".

Trey: Of course, dorm leader. … Nice. Now I can make that candy with the spices I attempted before. You can make pies and cookies with normal machines… The spices are the only thing that I can't chop fine unless I have a high-end model. Let's pray on the "Wishing Star" that I can get the latest food processor.

Cater: Huh…? Trey, did you just calmly grant your own wish!? It's still a while 'til the key event of the “Star sending”, you're so shrewd…

[friendocheaven]

Picnic Ask

Ask and ye shall recieve @theaxolotleastofthesun it’s long af tho, so it’s under the cut.

 1.       Where and When is the picnic happening? (Gonna take this as ideal location and season basically)

a.       Milo: Prefers someplace a bit south—warmer than the northern parts of the Eye. Summer in Sun Elf territory would be nice. Not south enough to get jungle-y and humid (Glim can take heat, but draws the line at humidity), but someplace he could retreat to the blessed relief offered by the shade of a scrubby tree and have a good excuse to eat his favorite spicy foods and sweat to cool down.

b.      Glim: as stated above, he doesn’t do well in high humidity. Also not the biggest fan of excessive heat, but will put up with it for Milo’s sake. Were it up to him though, he would prefer an autumn picnic in a cozy shady glen under a still-full canopy of rich reds and violets and sunny yellows. A sigh of crisp wind carrying with it the first hint of winter.

c.       Remmi: Love’s spring, especially when it’s still early. They love the way the fruit trees look while still flowering and the cool, but warming, breeze. They would most enjoy something near water, but with plush green grass still under foot. The Northern Reservoir is well tended, with bright, blossoming bushes hedging cobbled pathways. The surrounding park stretches most of the way ‘round. Remmi would most like a quiet day at the eastern edge—farthest away from the great roaring falls that lead into the canyon. Bonus if there are frogs.

d.      Hani: Loves the dead heat of summer; the feel of warm sun on his skin. A midsummer, late afternoon picnic after a day of splashing around the Southern Sea would be heaven. Sure, the food might get a little sandy, but it wouldn’t stop him from eating and enjoying every second.

2.       What food and drinks do your OCs bring? (you fool! You’re enabling me to indulge my fascination with food culture!)

a.       Milo: Goes all out on the spice—picnic with him at your own peril. He packs extra-hot kimchi, seasoned roasted garlic cloves, Zevi’s falafel recipe, and a few other side dishes that reflect his upbringing by a Southern Dwarf familiar with Halfling food culture. He also gets pretty excited with drinks, bringing three; an iced ginger tea made with turmeric and black pepper, buttercup and honey hwachae (most non-halflings just call it wine even though it’s usually not alcoholic) because he’s (not so) secretly pretty sappy and sentimental, and Baekse-ju to finish off with a good pair for spicy food and just a touch of alcohol.

b.      Glim: Settles for light, seasonal snack foods. He brings a bunch of fresh cut in-season fruit like apples (that yes, he does cut the skins to look like bunnies like his mother used to), a couple loaves of bara brith made with ground dried fruits and nuts served with butter, and a whole basket of pic ar y maen (cookies with raisins and currants mixed in). He brings spiced virgin cider and a fine local white wine to wash it down.

c.       Remmi: As a professional baker, they refused to bring anything but their best to their picnic. They pick finger-food pastries—the best from their eclectic cooking experience and travels. Beignets topped with honey and powdered sugar—in a basket enchanted to keep them fresh and hot and crisp because they take pride in their work. An impressive assortment of petit fors lined up and packed tightly in another container. Muffuletta finger sandwiches with toothpicks holding them together for the more savory inclined guests. And finally some cranberry pastila which they hadn’t made in years and was their way of flexing their baker’s muscles. They pack a thermos of milk tea and an iced chocolate drink.

d.      Hani: not a big cook. He was hoping Senya would do most of the cooking. It’s not like he’s particularly picky about what he ingests. To be polite though, he brings a crock of bamia—a stew with lamb, okra, tomatoes, and onion—that his mother would make on special occasions. He also brings an impressive array of drinks; sugar cane juice, carob juice, tamarind juice, and iced coffee.

3.       What are your OC’s wearing to the picnic?

a.       Milo: Largely his usual sort of outfit. A sleeveless turtleneck, cargo capris, and combat boots. He does add a lightweight cotton shawl embroidered with geese in shades of red that he got as a wedding gift from Lian. He wears it to avoid sunburn, but once in the shade and eating, he carefully folds it and sets it aside so it doesn’t get dirty.

b.  ��   Glim: A cream colored tunic and brown tasseled cardigan over dark blue leggings, simple but sleek black ankle boots, and finished off with a simple sapphire teardrop pendant on a gold chain.

c.       Remmi: they opt for something simple and comfortable, but fitting for the season. They wear a yellow wide-band tank top under an oversized baby pink cable knit sweater. The sweater is so big it slouches off one shoulder, reaches their knees, and the sleeves hide their hands if they aren’t scrunched up at the elbow. They pair that with slim, washed out jeans, and a pair of tan slouchy boots. As one final touch, they don cherry blossom studs in their ears.

d.      Hani: he goes for something sporty and comfy. A loose and flowy off-white sleeveless crop top over a pair of baggy gray-blue shorts held round his hips by a broad and colorful sash and a pair of greek sandals that he discards almost immediately. To add a touch of class—after all this is a fun outing so why not—he wears golden arm bands just above each bicep. Those stay on longer, but they, too, eventually get unceremoniously dumped into the picnic basket in favor of total comfort.

4.       Which OC brings a musical instrument to idly play?

a.       Surprisingly enough, Hani. Remmi knows a little piano and harp, but those aren’t exactly available at a picnic. Milo has never learned an instrument (though he finds guitar interesting). And Glim tried playing, but sucked at just about everything; and anything he could play he couldn’t play in front of others. Hani, on the other hand, randomly knows how to play—and is good at—the oud (which is like an Arab lute). And yes, he does attempt to play Wonderwall on it.

5.       How quickly does your OC realize there are ants trying to sneak into their food? What do they do about it?

a.       Milo: He’s very perceptive, so it doesn’t take long for him to notice. He proceeds to squish them then mix them into his food for “extra protein” without hesitation. Despite knowing that Milo was raised eating bugs and still does fairly regularly, everyone still looks at him like he’s gone insane.

b.      Glim: He picks up on it when someone else points it out. It’s only then that he realizes that he forgot to activate the insect repellent rune. He curses under his breath and apologizes before quickly moving the picnic supplies a few meters away and activating it then.

c.       Remmi: They spend the whole picnic low-key looking out for this. Whenever bugs start walking toward or flying around their precious gourmet picnic, they nonchalantly close all the containers up tight then swat them all away without breaking the conversation.

d.      Hani: he doesn’t notice until one of the ants bites his tongue as he’s eating. He spits that one out because it was mean, but all subsequent ones he eats. And unlike Milo, Hani doesn’t mix them into anything, he just pops them into his mouth.

6.       Which OC hides under the shade at first before being convinced to come out into the sun? How do they react?

a.       Glim hates the heat. If you can manage to convince him to leave the tranquility of shade, he will be a drama queen about it. Really laying it on thick and moaning about how “the sun is a white hot laser” against his “poor fragile flesh” and that if he continues on he will surely “burn up, dry out, and die!” and other such dramatic nonsense. He gets weirdly poetic when he’s frustrated or cranky. Needless to say, Milo has ceased pushing the issue.

7.       Imagine your OCs spending their time picking nearby wildflowers and watching the butterflies and bees at work.

a.       Milo foregoes this particular activity, choosing this time instead to just take in the scenery. He’s scared he might upset a hive or get stung or bitten by something so he’d rather just sit back and soak up the atmosphere.

b.      Glim is carefully rooting around for four leaf clovers under a subdued parasol.

c.       Remmi carefully plucks and cuts an armful of flowers and stems so they can make colorful flower crowns for everyone.

d.      Hani chases the bugs and small animals, not unlike a dog would. But he’s having fun so it’s fine.

8.       Which OC foregoes a picnic blanket and sits directly on the ground? Are they concerned by the grass stains on their clothes afterwards?

a.       Hani doesn’t care where he plants his butt and cares almost as little about stains.

9.       Which OC brings a chair because they can’t stand the thought of sitting on the ground?

a.       Remmi, but a lot of it is because they don’t want to risk getting their clothes too dirty and also because the ground is never as soft and even as you think or hope. So sitting on the ground, even on a blanket, hurts their butt.

10.   Imagine your OCs falling asleep after eating their food, content and happy.

a.       Milo is one of the first to nod off and lays down in the shade. He kicks his shoes off and lets the sun warm his feet while the shade keeps his face cool. He wakes up to groggily help pack everything back up.

b.      Glim doesn’t actually fall asleep. He just sort of zones out while playing with Milo’s hair and enjoying the breeze.

c.       After loading up on carbs, Remmi dozes off in their chair and wake up with a tender sunburn spread across their nose and cheeks. They vow to never fall asleep in the sun like that again, but they make the same mistake next time.

d.      Hanni has seemingly boundless energy throughout the day, which is a bit unusual for him as he often naps a lot when the sun is out, but is wired by the time the moon replaces it. As soon as they’ve packed everything up and are headed home, though, the excitement wears off and he crashes hard. He’s asleep the whole way back.

[jeonjcngkook]

hi jords insert clover 🥳🥳🥳

val my angel 🥺 !!!!

You’re my: favourite jin stan the world has to offer <333

How I met you: alright hwg , SO, i remember back last year when i made my blog u were one of the first blogs i came across when ur sets would circulate around dumblr.com. i was devested to hear that u had left. but u came back this year n i just decided that i wanted to just say hello and introduce myself , so i sent a welcome back ask and that was our first interaction💓 !

Why I follow you: i speak with some creators on here who speak SO highly of you. not a single bad word uttered n they all say how u have helped them grow their blog by helping w their content. even when u werent here, u were making such an impact - thats how thought of u were here! since following u myself, i can see what everyone was talking about. ur so kind, sweet and treat everyone that surrounds u w love n respect. ur just an angel

Your blog is: made of sugar n spice n everything nice 🌟

Your URL is: CLASSIC !! one for the gods

Your icon is: stunning in every sense of the word

A random fact I know about you: u helped so many creators grow n thrive into what they are today and that u never say no to anyone asking u for help

General opinion: although we have only just been mutuals for a small period of time, i would just like to let u know how near n dear u are t my heart! i think the world of u, n hope that our friendship blossoms from here. i feel like i also need to mention ur content is god tier quality n im so glad that u came back to share ur gift with us all 🌻☀️

A random thought I have: bro i really love n respect u

mutuals send me "♧" and i’ll do this!

[birbofathena]

twitter has a character limit, which is why we’re here

hi there. it's been a lil while, huh.

scrolling through my twitter, i found this (seen below) and i'm in the mood for rambling on and on so woo here we go.

Have you ever

1. skipped class

never with the intent of skipping class. i've missed quite a lot of class in my time, but my brain gets awful sick in the winter, which really inhibits my ability to do "normal human" things. i see a therapist every two weeks.

2. done drugs

nah. addiction plagues my paternal family line, and we're seeing glimpses of it in my brother as well. will i try drugs? maybe weed. anything that can be a one-and-done thing, just to try it. never nicotine. never alcohol.

3. self harmed

nope. i have an irrational fear of the consequences that might come of that specifically, and frankly i'm better off for it. heaven knows i've spent enough time thinking about that for one lifetime.

4. drank

see question two. it's funny that a differentiation between alcohol and everything else exists, imo.

5. shoplifted

i don't think so. i'm really starting to wonder about the demographic that this question set was originally made for.

6. gotten a tattoo

nope! maybe one day. probably a nice little flower, with an inkling of color peeking at the edges of its petals. probably on my back somewhere, so that i'm always a bit surprised when someone points it out. "oh yeah, i have that. cool, huh?"

7. broken up with someone

once. even then, we weren't official. my reasoning was that i wasn't ready, though frankly i think we both weren't. i didn't even know what i wanted. perhaps what i do want is something that maybe not a lot of high-schoolers want - something pragmatic, honest, somewhat more private. or that could be what most people do want. i really don't get out that much.

What's your favorite

8. show

my gut response is over the garden wall. i love, love, love fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood too, though i'm waiting until i have the chance to watch it with a friend of mine to finish it. it's sooooooo intense. don't spoil me, please!

9. movie

i'm not a real movie type of person, so i always default to the movies that i grew up watching whenever this question is asked - the incredibles, the lion king, monsters inc. ...

10. song

you might as well ask, "who's you're favorite child?" there are simply too many. here, if you want to feel out my taste for music, this is my main playlist. feel free to follow that (and me) for more! i get a kick out of having followers on spotify, for some reason. (sidenote: i created a whole new account so that i could change the username, so that account really needs some love again. curse the constant state of toil for consistency i'm in. everywhere the world must know me as birbofathena.)

11. artist

i read a lot of webcomics, so while i can't speak of any historic artists, i do think you should definitely check out ari (and his comic here), owen (and the comic she writes and colors for here), toby (and his comic here), and vi (and her comic here).

12. singer / band

this is an easier question, because i can just take a look at whom i listen to the most. now, i listen to a lot of ambient music, so right off the bat, i can recommend moby, ulrich schnauss, balmorhea, and chihei hatakeyama. speaking about the more "mainstream" artists, i like marina, mgmt, elton john, the 1975, patti page, and tessa violet.

13. memory

lately i've been thinking a lot about how i, as a kid, spent my time laid on the cement by the yard of my first house, watching the bees work on the clover. from one small flower to the next. watching them dig through the petals in search of nectar. it may not be my favorite, but it's what comes to mind.

14. book

i'm reading the poisonwood bible right now, which has been so fantastic. seriously, read it if you haven't yet. aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe is another excellent book.

This or that

15. invisibility or the ability to fly

invisibility, because violet is my favorite character from the incredibles. she's so cool. also worth noting: you start flying everywhere, and soon enough you'll find that you've become a living carnival ride.

16. cookies or cake

when done right, cake every time. cookies produce more consistent results though - as far as pleasing me goes - so long as there's chocolate somewhere within. ~~cookies without chocolate are an atrocity.~~ EDIT (10TH MAY '19) - jamie, u ignorant slut. i completely forgot about sugar cookies, in their entirety. forgive me. cookies can live their lives as they please. i know nothing.

17. twitter or facebook

twitter. hell, anything that isn't facebook. facebook's the place that moms go to to eat each other alive. having a facebook account is plain unhealthy.

18. movies or books

depends, really. there're awful movies who have awesome book counterparts, and vice versa. and to be fair, each medium offers things that the other one can't. if you were to ask me though, i'd say books. the feeling that you get when you reach the end of a book is like no other.

19. coke or sprite

this is a lame question, and everyone knows it. the real question on everyone's mind is: coke or pepsi? and i am a pepsi drinker. though the flavored cokes that've been coming out lately are pretty tasty as well. f me up with that strawberry guava, yes please.

20. blind or deaf

anxiety or depresson? brain cancer or pancreatic cancer? alzheimer's or parkinson's? need i say more?

21. tea or coffee

i haven't actually ever tried coffee, though i've been told that i'd like it (due to my liking dark chocolate so much)! i don't really like most teas though; i'll only drink this one herbal tea called bengal spice which is a pseudo-chai tea.

What's your

22. age

i'm 18. i was born 18th february, 2001, at 18:18. whew.

23. sign

pisces sun, capricorn moon, virgo rising

24. height

5′8″ or 173 cm

25. sexual orientation

gay

26. shoe size

9.5 in US mens

27. religion

i don't associate myself with any one religion. i think it's one of those things that's good for some and terrible for others. just do what makes you happy.

28. longest relationship

tbd. the non-relationship described in question 7 went for nearly three weeks.

Opinion on

29. gay rights

i always hear that a lot of homophobic people are lgbt themselves, which is strange to me. though i suppose it's in my nature to be unforgivably confrontational when it comes to inner turmoil, so i'll never really be able to understand homophobic lgbt folk. it goes without saying, then: i support "gay rights," if that's even a differentiation we want to make. i also support "women's rights," "homeowners' rights," and "dogs' rights."

30. second chances

i think for the most part i can empathize with those whom have struggles and missteps i haven't personally experienced. i am a very feeling person. there is an exception to this, but only when one's done something so blatantly wrong - decisions driven by greed or malice.

31. long-distance relationships

tough and complicated. having a relationship through messaging allows both parties to understand how the other thinks - their opinions, their emotions. essentially how their brain functions, because there are few things more idiosyncratic than language, and writing allows one to take full advantage of that. however, having a relationship in-person grants this knowledge, and so much more. (no one said that in-person relationships can't include any messaging, anyway.) we don't speak with just our tongue. what about the silent conversations? what about physical compatibility? like i say, it's tricky, but i think it's more-or-less doable.

32. abortion

i'm pretty pro-choice. if one'd like to offer up their child for adoption, that'd be cool, but no one should feel obligated to do so. whatever you're comfortable with is what i'll support you doing.

33. the death penalty

absolutely not, not ever. it costs more to pull that trigger than it is to sentence someone to life in prison. they must be absolutely sure that they have the guilty before killing them, which takes a long time to decide, and attorneys' time is expensive. and if a mistake is made and an innocent person is killed, boy, do you have one hell of a lawsuit on your hands. not only that, but it is so hypocritical of us to be killing someone... for killing someone. the whole thing doesn't make sense, and i'll tell you why it's still around: people want to kill, kill, kill anything that is bad, bad, bad. dog bites your child? kill that monster. say goodbye to the family pet. people feel so strongly that they've triumphed over evil when they see this drastic result - a carcass underneath their feet. to hell with that.

34. marijuana

i keep saying this: do what you want. marijuana doesn't hurt anything. humans have been doing it ever since we discovered fire. it's absurd that we regulate it now.

35. love

love. it's different for everyone, but for me, it's an enhancement of life. not something necessary, but something that's nice to have. to have someone to bounce ideas off of 24/7. to have someone to turn to in a crisis. to have someone who mourns with you after a loss. indeed, one can face these alone with relative ease, but it's just easier to have someone by your side along the way.

Do you

36. believe in ghosts

yes. old houses might just as well have a mouth, they have so much to say. brand-spanking-new houses are barren, lifeless. i know you know this feeling. ghosts aren't necessarily the malicious, turbulent spirits everyone wants you to believe. they're the vestiges of life, left behind by anyone who's ever felt strong enough to leave them.

37. shower facing the shower head or away from it

away from it, always. who faces the shower head? do they shower with their eyes closed the whole time? just... what?

38. sleep with the door open or closed

i sleep with it closed, though i need to start leaving it open more. it's been getting awfully stuffy.

39. love someone

no. it's not something i'm currently looking for, though my therapist did ask in my last session... i don't know. will it be something i will ever truly look for? i hate the idea of online dating, though that's just my first impression. i just don't know.

40. still watch cartoons

of course. i watch plenty of anime, but if that doesn't count as "cartoons," i also watch and rewatch steven universe, over the garden wall (as mentioned above), and gravity falls.

41. have a boyfriend / girlfriend

nope.

42. like yourself

hell yeah.

[boozedancing]

Juicy bits of barrel char that are FREE with your purchase of a Blackadder Raw Cask expression!

On Thursday, June 7, 2018, the good people of the Jewish Whisky Company once again hosted the “Mother of all Whisky Events”, the NYC Whisky Jewbilee. This would be the seventh time that this event would descend upon Midtown Manhattan, and while the main event began at 7PM and ended at 10PM, as we’ve done in years past, we opted to make this an all day thing, hence the #WhiskyJewbileeDay hashtag.

For this year’s #WhiskyJewbileeDay recap, rather than just talk about all that went down at the main event, we’ve decided to expand our coverage and tell you about all that happened in the hours and minutes leading up to the grand tasting at Studio 450.

Grab your Glencairns and your favorite elixir, Kids! It’s gonna be a boozy ride…

8:30 AM

G-LO: The #WhiskyJewbileeDay pre-train checklist:

Camera? Check

Light jacket? Check

Change of clothes? Check

Toiletries? Check

Daily meds, ibuprofen, and Alka-Seltzer? Check, check, and check.

iPad? Check

Chargers? Check

Extra batteries? Check

Cash? Check

Kids dropped off at school? Check

Looks like I’m ready to go. NYC, here we come!

Limpd: Two bags? Really? Did Mrs. G-LO finally kick him out? I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. I wonder who had today in the “When’s G-LO’s Wife Gonna Kick His Sorry Fat Ass to the Curb?” pool?

AK: Can’t blame G-LO for the two bags thing. I’m an overpacker too. Cuz you just never know.

9:14 AM

G-LO: On the road to Hamilton Station. Why did Limpd pick the 295 entrance off of 561 when there was a perfecty good entrance 3/4 of a mile back near the PATCO station? His way is probably a shorter distance, but my way has less traffic.

Limpd: I find it curious that G-LO requested the Sirius XM Broadway Channel for the drive up to Hamilton. Maybe his musical theater loving wife and eldest Urchin are finally rubbing off on him and he’s finally acquired some taste in music? Somehow I doubt it.

AK: I had him pegged for Yacht Rock. Who knew? Though I think I saw him once sporting a Gerry Rafferty t-shirt while sipping on a Pina Colada.

10:34 AM

G-LO: Amazing how few parking spots there are at this hour. Circling the parking lot made us miss the 9:58. But that’s ok because the nice thing about this being a heavily trafficed route is that there’s always another train. Catching the next one allowed time to pick up a Boston Cream donut. You know, for strength!

12:31 PM

G-LO: That was a fascinating ride to NYC. We actually went backwards at one point due to a disabled train. Oddly enough, it was the 9:58(!), so I guess things have a way of working out after all, though sadly, we had to skip the stop in Metuchen. Now we’re all checked in at the hotel and headed to The Ginger Man for lunch and a drink or two.

Our room has a lovely view of some office workers.

AK:  Is that guy on the 4th floor making Xerox’s of his butt?  That’s so ’90’s.

1:31 PM

G-LO: Lunch at The Ginger Man with Whisky Raj, The Coopered Tot, Malt Imposter Stephen, and Limpd. Had a Founders Green Zebra, a Watermelon Sour. Super delicious with just the right amount of pucker.

This place is great at lunch time. Solid food. Fantastic beer selection. And you can actually have a conversation, hence why it’s THE pre-Jewbilee gathering place.

Limpd: They had Old Engine Oil on draught! I knew there was a reason why I love this bar. Such a good beer.

Old Engine Oil on the left. Founders Green Zebra on the right.

1:32 PM

AK: Bet those pinheads are drinking at Gingerman without me.  Argh.

3:51 PM

G-LO: The One Nation Under Whisky Podcast Recording and Master Class Session has begun. So many familiar faces…

Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin from Single Cask Nation (naturally!).

Explorers Club members, Justin Fornal and Chad Anderson, aka the guys fom The Great Islay Swim.

Simon Brooking of Laphroaig.

Lew Bryson.

Matt Lurin of Water Of Life.

David Fenkell, good friend of WhiskyCast and all around super guy.

Limpd: “To lose a swimmer would be bad. To lose the whisky would be unacceptable.” I didn’t say that! The guy that wrote the Men’s Journal article about The Great Islay Swim did. I’m not THAT heartless. Though it really would have sucked to lose the whisky.

The OFFICIAL One Nation Under Whisky mic.

Joshua says, “Double pours? Really? If you say so, but when someone gets trashed and falls down the steps…”

“I put my hands upon my hips… And when I dip you dip we dip…”

4:01 PM

G-LO: Started things off with the SCN Pillage Cask (bottles are $500/each with all proceeds going to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute) which has a little bit of whisky from each Islay Distillery. Thick. Oily. Briny. Peaty. Everything you’d expect from a vatted Islay whisky. Good fun! I added a little too much water so I pillaged some whisky (see what I did there?) from an open seat next to me to bring back the fire. That was a damn good move!

Limpd: Tasting the Islay Pillage Cask which was matured in a quarter cask (30 gallons yielding 145 bottles). Apparently, this blend is heavy on the Kilchoman. It’s very leggy and looks like rich honey. The nose is very medicinal with iodine, mercurochrome, and a good bit of peat & pepper. The taste is hot and spicy. Quite the tongue numbing experience. Adding water made it a bit muted, and while less flavorful, it was more approachable.

Someone asked, “How were the contributions from the various distillers selected and how were the whiskies blended?”. Joshua of SCN’s response, “Part by design and part by necessity. We put thought into the whisky whenever we could, to the extent that we were allowed.”

4:09 PM

G-LO: Our second whisky for this tasting was a Single Cask Nation bottling of a  4 Year Old Kilchoman. Licorice. Powdered sugar. Charcoal. Vanilla. Young. Fiery. Richly flavored. Really nice to visit this again (click here for my first impressions of this dram).

Limpd: Round two was a chance to try one of the distilleries that went into the Pillage Cask on its own. The color on this SCN Kilchoman bottling was a bit golden, with a nose that was all peat and burnt rubber (think a smoky rubber glove). The taste was brief sweetness followed by a cinnamon heat and a very pleasant finish. Once you get past that smoky rubber glove encased kick to the head that came courtesy of the nose, this is a very nice dram.

4:17 PM

G-LO: More Kilchoman for round three of this tasting! This time around we tried the Kilchoman 100% Islay from Binny’s of Chicago. From field to bottle, this is 100% Kilchoman, i.e. they grow the barley, they malt the barley, and they ferment and distill the barley on-site. No outsourcing on this one! Lots of vanilla. Burnt sugar sweetness. Not a lot of bite (more of a nibble). Like quickly running your finger through a flickering flame. Long lasting, spicy/sweet finish. 100% Islay was 100% delicious!

Limpd: Do you know how I know that G-LO is a bad, bad man? Because I was actually looking forward to trying dram number three, a farm to glass bottling of Kilchoman. I used to hate the peat until G-LO kept pushing the stuff on me like a corner boy from The Wire pushing WMD on the mean streets of West Baltimore. “It’ll make ya feel good” he’d say. Anyway…

Dram number three looked a lot like dram number two. The nose was sweet with a plethora of heather. The taste was a bit muted for a Kilchoman. Almost soft, but oh so nice. The heat comes in at the backend on this one with a spicy, long & very pleasant finish.

Random things overheard while sampling this whisky…

Justin: Losing the juice would be unacceptable. I said JUICE!

Chad: Captain Angus is the saltiest man alive!

David: How do they know that Captain Angus is the saltiest man alive? Under what scenario did they need to lick the captain?

4:36 PM

G-LO: Port Askaig 9 YO? Is that what they said? Anyway, this is whisky number four. Much darker than the other three. Very winey on the nose with loads of dark fruit and dark sugars. Super hot and spicy at the start. All that dark fruit and sugar plus cinnamon, chilis, and a bit of bitterness. Long fiery finish. Tartness in the aftertaste. Damn good, but perhaps a bit too dry in the aftertaste, i.e. this isn’t something that I would drink often.

Limpd: A Port Askaig for whisky number four. The color is good bit darker than anything we’ve tasted so far. The nose is leathery, oily, and honeyey. Tastes like it noses. A little oily with nice sweetness, then a bit more leather, wood and tobacco. Very interesting as a component to a blend, but maybe not fully finished.

4:42 PM

G-LO: Simon Brooking, Global Brand Ambassador for Laphroaig and All-Around Super Guy, brought a Bowmore Dorus Mor Batch III and the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 for us to taste.

The Bowmore was very very sweet with spiced honey, oodles of fruit, licorice, and vanilla. As Speers would say, “This tastes round…”. Nicely balanced and unusually sweet for an Islay. Honey barbecue and mesquite perhaps? Yummy yummy in my tummy for sure!

Cairdeas 2018 was very light on the nose or maybe I wore out my olfactory with this peaty tasting. The flavor is lightly sweet with vanilla, powdered sugar, peach jam, anise, cracked pepper, and some orange zest. Cairdeas is always yummy. This is no exception. A fine way to end this delightful class!

Limpd: Whisky number five and number six are surprises from Mr. Brooking of Laphroaig.

Number five is the Bowmore 10 Dorus Mor Batch III (aka Tempest Batch 5). The color is light yellow with a nose that brings iodine, vanilla, and honeysuckle. The taste is a bit woody with a nice sweetness (bananas?). Really, really good. David, who was seated next to me, remarked that some of the earlier Tempests were better. If that’s the case, I’d would have liked the opportunity to try them.

Whisky number six is the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 which is first fill bourbon casks and then Fino Sherry casks. The color is clover honey with a very muted nose that brings some menthol & vapors. The taste is sweet, oily, and peppery, almost in that order, along with some nuts and sea salt. After that, there’s a good bit of heat which leads to a rather long finish.

Jason says, “I was going for creepy. Did I nail it?”

4:59 PM

G-LO: Uh-oh! Jason and Joshua are throwing “Ok ok! You lads can leave now as we have to set up for the main event!” dagger eyes at us. I guess the Masterclass/One Nation Under Whisky Podcast session is over! Definitely good fun with oodles of booze, yucks, and tales of Islay Swimming by the guys that swam those frigid waters last summer. Not a bad mid afternoon pre-game before the Big Game!

Limpd: G-LO spoke very highly of last year’s Masterclass session, so I’m super pleased that I was able to make it to this year’s session. For the record, the guys that did The Great Islay Swim are clearly out of their minds. There isn’t enough whisky in the world to convince me to do something like that. Then again… And, then, then again… all of the titanium in me might begin to dissolve in the sea water, so, I might be best that I remain content with staying on dry land with the whisky that I already have.

5:40 PM

G-LO: Time for more pre-gaming. This time at American Whiskey on 30th Street. Limpd, David and I ordered fried sweetbreads with spiced honey, fries, and deviled eggs to share. I had a Bells Oberon to wash it all down. The Lads didn’t care for the sweetbreads. More for me I guess! Did we need this stop? Probably not. But we had time to kill and I really like this place. So we’re here and enjoying every minute of it.

Limpd: Sweetbreads? Who the hell orders sweetbreads as a pre-game snack prior to a whisky event? Some things just aren’t supposed to be eaten. Sure, YOU can call if offal. I’ll just call it awful. Just so you know, offal is defined as “the waste or by-product of a process: such as trimmings (such as the belly, head, and shoulders) of a hide, the by-products of milling (as of wheat or barley) used especially for stock feeds, the viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal removed in preparing it for market or for consumption, and/or rubbish” by the good people at Merriam-Webster. Need I say more?

6:11 PM

AK: I’ve been semi-off the grid for 24 hours but the ghost has returned, and now venturing south along the calm Hudson River down the winding West Side Highway from… Riverdale, NY.  This is not a long lost chapter from The Lord of the Rings.  Just life. The middle offspring has Orientation at Manhattan College up yonder near Yonkers. But she let me get away to join the Home Office Fellowship of the Drams (and Damned too!) at Jewbilee where there will be no Dwarves, Orcs, or Hobbits, if you believe the ancient scrolls. The Uber driver is giving me a nice tour and telling me about how NYC loves President Trump and don’t say otherwise to his wife or, “she kill you”.

6:18 PM

G-LO: Waiting for The West Coast Office (aka The WCO aka AK) outside the event. There’s quite a line forming. He better show up soon. We’re thirsty for more!

6:22 PM

AK: Stepped out of my carriage at the event to meet up with G-LO and Limpd, but alas, no G-LO or Limpd. Where the hell are they?! Is this the right place? The right night? The right chapter in the sequel? Luckily I meet The Malt Imposters in the lobby, then moments later, Susannah Skiver-Barton (aka SSB) arrives and she is giddy as ever. Familiar faces! Good times have started. Minus G-LO and Limpd.

6:25 PM

G-LO: Just got a text from AK. Turns out he’s waiting in the lobby with Malt Impostors Stephen, Bill, and John.

6:38 PM to 6:59 PM

G-LO: Looks like Joshua is gonna let us in to get a quick sneak preview before the crowds show up. We’re going in! Wait. What happened to David? He was right here. Oh well. We’ll catch up with him inside at some point. I have photos to take!

6:42 PM

AK: The slowest elevator in New York City arrives at our destination: 12th floor.  Ladies undergarments, housewares, umbrellas… whoops, wrong cartoon. Whisky Jewbilee! And who do we see first? Guess. C’mon, guess. Bigger than a breadbox. No, not a thing but you’re warmer? Oh, heck. I’ll just tell you. G-LO, Limpd, and some guy I don’t know! You could’ve guessed if you tried a little harder. Slacker!

7:00 to 10:00 PM

G-LO: As is usually the case when the NYC Whisky Jewbilee rolls around, the stars aligned and all of the pieces that make this event so special fit together perfectly.

We’ve discussed past Jewbilee events ad nauseum, so rather than bore you with a bunch of words (many of which we make up), we’ll just show you what we saw throughout what would prove to be yet another great whisky event…

A fantastic variety of whisky and other spirits:

Brand representatives that know a thing or two about the product that they’re pouring to the well informed Whisky Jewbilee attendees (talking bobbleheaded pourers are a very big no-no at this event!):

Glorious views of Manhattan:

Fantastic Kosher barbecue prepared by the one and only, Ari White of The Wandering Que:

Those seriously well-informed Jewbilee attendees that have zero tolerance for talking bobbleheaded pourers that have no clue what they’re serving:

And last, but certainly not least, many of our dear #WhiskyFabric friends:

Whisky Raj of Glass Revolution Imports.http://www.glassrev.com

On the left, @WhiskyAnorach, on the right, Susannah SB, and in the background, The West Coast Office.

Malt Impostor Stephen. That member number is NOT a coincidence, it’s an OMEN.

Mark Gillespie of WhiskyCast, the hardest working man in Whisky Journalism and THE Voice of Whisky.

@WhiskyAnorach and The WCO. For those that don’t know @WhiskyAnorach, she is one hell of an artist! If Whisky is your thing and are on the lookout for incredibly beautiful artwork that celebrates your passion, pay a visit to her Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiskyAnorach?ref=search_shop_redirect.

Once again, Whisky Jewbilee proved why this is THE can’t miss whisky event of the year. Joshua and Jason of Single Cask Nation sweat over every detail to make sure that the event goes off without a hitch, and guys like us appreciate their efforts to the Nth degree. Here’s hoping that we can branch out a bit and make it to the Chicago and/or Seattle Jewbilees. Aaron says they’re worth the trip. I don’t doubt him for a second!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Many thanks to Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin of the Jewish Whisky Company for the hospitality. We’re already counting down to next year’s event!

Reliving NYC @WhiskyJewbilee Day VII through words + #photography. #Whisky @OneNationWhisky On Thursday, June 7, 2018, the good people of the Jewish Whisky Company once again hosted the "Mother of all Whisky Events", the NYC…

[cupcakesandcaviar-blog]

Best Pasta Carbonara Recipes - Only The Best For My Bestie

My long time grade school best friend calls me this morning and tells me she is bored with the Bacon & Asparagus Carbonara that she makes. She wants me to give her some new Carbona recipe ideas. ��Dianna my dearest friend, these are for you ❤❤. If anyoe else has any other kinds of Carbonara recipes for Dianna please list in the comments below!

Chicken Carbonara

Ingredients 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup hot water 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 3 pounds chicken strips SAUCE: 1 cup butter 1½ teaspoon chopped garlic 3 tablespoon bacon bits (fresh cooked bacon) 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated 4 cups heavy cream 4 cups milk ¼ cup bacon base ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 boxes (14 ounce each) of any long pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc.) cooked using instructions on package ¼ teaspoon salt TOPPING: 3 tablespoons Romano cheese, grated 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated 1¾ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs 1½ teaspoon garlic, chopped 1½ tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Marinated chicken strips (or shrimp) from step 1 1½ cups roasted red peppers, cut into small strips ¼ cup bacon bits (fresh cooked bacon) Instructions Whisk extra virgin olive oil together with hot water, seasoning and chopped garlic. Add the chicken strips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes SAUCE: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and bacon bits. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, milk bacon base, pepper and salt. Use a wire whisk to whip all ingredients together. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer. TOPPING: Combine Romano, Parmesan, mozzarella, panko, chopped garlic, melted butter and chopped parsley in a mixing bowl. Stir until well blended. Set aside. CHICKEN: Preheat large skillet. Add chicken (or shrimp) to pan. Add red peppers and bacon bits. Cook for 3 more minutes or until cooked on both sides and internal temperatures reach 165ºF for chicken and 155ºF for shrimp. Add sauce (from above) Stir until well blended. PLATING: Place hot, precooked pasta on a larger serving platter. Top with chicken and sauce. Evenly distribute topping over top of chicken. Place in broiler until top is golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy.

CARBONARA WITH PAN SEARED SCALLOPS

Ingredients Meat 8 slices Bacon, thick cut Seafood 12 Scallops, large Produce 1 clove Garlic 4 Green onions 1 Shallot Refrigerated 2 Egg yolks Pasta & Grains 14 oz Pasta of your choice -i used linguine Baking & Spices 1 Pepper, fresh ground 1 Salt and pepper Oils & Vinegars 2 tbsp Olive oil Dairy 2 tbsp Butter 1/2 cup Heavy cream 1 cup Parmigiano reggiano, grated Instructions Pasta Carbonara Start cooking pasta in large stainless steel pot.   In small bowl mix together cream, egg yolks and 3/4 of cheese.   In large skillet cook bacon until crisp, add shallots and 1/2 green onions.   Smash down garlic clove a bit, add to bacon. (remove prior to adding pasta)   When pasta is finished cooking, drain well, then add to skillet of bacon.   Toss well, then transfer to large bowl.   Add cream mixture to pasta and combined well. Make sure pasta is still hot in order to cook the eggs and melt the cheese.   Arrange pasta on plate, top with seared scallops, add some fresh ground pepper, grated parmesan, and green onions. Perfect Pan Seared Scallops   Blot scallops with paper towel to remove any water. Salt and pepper.   Heat large non-stick frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.   Make sure frying pan is hot before adding scallops but not smoking.   Add scallops leaving plenty of space between. Overcrowding the pan will drop the pan temperature and cause scallops to steam rather than sear. (may have to do in batches) Sear for about 2-4 minutes or when bottom is a nice golden brown. Don't move them around in the pan or you will prevent them from forming that nice brown crust. After a couple of minutes have peek under to see if golden brown.   Turn to sear other side. (about 1-3 more minutes)   Add 2 tablespoons of butter to pan now.   Spoon the melted butter over the scallops as the other side finishes cooking.   Transfer to paper towel covered plate.   Keep warm in oven, if making in batches. RECIPE NOTES This recipe tastes best served VERY fresh, so don't let it sit or Scallops and Pasta dry out quickly . Have ALL your ingredients and pots ready to go to make easy work of this. Pancetta Carbonara

Ingredients 1 (1-pound) package Linguini 1 tablespoon Virgin Olive Oil 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1/2 pound DeLallo Pancetta, cut 1/4-inch thick, then cubed into small pieces 4 tablespoons butter 1 small white onion, finely diced 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water 1 cup light cream 2 cups frozen peas, thawed 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Salt and pepper to taste   DIRECTIONS   Bring a large pot of water salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic on a medium setting. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Transfer pancetta to a dish and set aside. In the same pan, melt butter. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Stir in pancetta and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add cream. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the hot cooked pasta to the pan. Mix well to coat.. Stir in the peas and cheese. Serve immediately. Trisha Yearwood's Country Ham Carbonara

Ingredients Salt 2 tablespoons olive oil  1 small sweet onion, chopped  2 cloves garlic, grated  1 pound spaghetti  8 to 10 ounces country ham, cut into small dice, recipe follows (see Cook's Note) 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan 1 cup heavy cream  4 large eggs  Freshly ground black pepper  Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze: One 18- to 20-pound smoked ham, water added, ham hock removed One 16-ounce box light brown sugar  1 cup (one 8-ounce jar) clover honey  Directions Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the spaghetti in the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, about 8 minutes. Add the ham to the pan with the onions and garlic and cook until just warmed through, about 2 minutes. Whisk together the Parmesan, cream, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper in a bowl. Drain the pasta and transfer to the saucepan with the onion mixture and toss well. Immediately stir in the egg and cheese mixture until well combined. Serve immediately. Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze: Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a large covered roasting pan. Fit the pan with a shallow rack. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the ham and rinse it in cold water. Place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Cover the pan with the lid and bake for half the estimated cooking time (total cooking time is about 20 minutes per pound, so 6 hours to 6 hours 40 minutes total). Halfway through the estimated cooking time, add the sugar and honey to a saucepan, cooking over medium heat until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the ham and continue baking the ham, basting occasionally with the drippings in the roaster. Check for doneness at the end of the estimated cooking time by inserting a meat thermometer at a meaty point (not into fat or touching the bone). It should register 160 degrees F. Food Network's Note Trisha's preferred ham for this recipe is her Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze, but you can use 8 to 10 ounces of any not-too-salty country ham.

CHEESY GARLIC SAUSAGE AND BACON CARBONARA

Ingredients 4 tablespoons soft butter 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 1 cup Parmesan, freshly grated 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound spaghetti 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces 1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes 1/2 cup heavy cream freshly ground black pepper, to taste garlic salt, to taste In a small bowl, cream the soft butter by beating it against the side of the bowl with a wooden spoon until it is soft and fluffy. In another small bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks with a whisk until they are well blended, then stir in 1/2 cup grated cheese. Set both bowls aside. Heat a large ovenproof serving bowl or casserole in a 200 degree oven. At the same time bring 6-8 quarts water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and stir iwith a wooden spoon to be sure the strands don't stick to one another. Cook stirring occasionally, about 7-12 minutes. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Pour off about half the bacon fat and stir in red pepper and cream to bacon. Bring the cream to a simmer and keep it warm until the spaghetti is done. Serve the carbonara at once with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese at the table.When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it thoroughly in a large colander. Transfer the spaghetti to the heated serving bowl and stir in the creamed butter, tossing and turning the spaghetti with tongs to coat every strand. Then stir in the hot bacon and cream mixture and finally the beaten eggs and cheese, mixing everything together thoroughly. The heat of the pasta and other ingredients should cook the raw egg on contact. Taste and season with garlic salt and a few grindings of pepper.  ADD A SIDE SALAD ?

GET RECIPE HERE

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[eyesofanirishman]

feathers, lucky clovers, old book pages and gold

we know the whole ‘sugar, spice, and everything nice’ rhyme. but what metaphorical (or literal) ingredients make up my muse?

“What type of weird bird are we making with feathers? Or is this supposedto take the place of the dust in the last recipe? Lucky clovers... I’m Iri/sh,should expect it. Then, old book pages, I am an avid reader and likewriting so that’s good there. And then we have gold again. What aboutme screams gold?”

[thegarden-ofeden]

blossom utonium moodboard

the powerpuff girls masterlist

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[thegarden-ofeden]

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙪𝙛𝙛 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬

𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙢 𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙥 𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙤𝙟𝙤

𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙟𝙤𝙟𝙤

𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙟𝙤𝙟𝙤

𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙤𝙟𝙤

��𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙠 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙪𝙢

𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙨

ꪶ 🪞 ꫂ ˖ 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦

[thegarden-ofeden]

cato jojo moodboard (oc)

the powerpuff girls masterlist

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[thegarden-ofeden]

clove utonium moodboard (oc)

the powerpuff girls masterlist

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[boozedancing]

  The other day, I walked over to LimpD’s to deliver his share of our latest and greatest package of liquid gold, because I was raised right (or maybe I was raised wrong? At my age, I’m no longer sure) and find that it’s better to share the bounty of our blogging efforts and not drink it all on my own (because sharing is caring,  or whatever it is that people are wont to say under these circumstances). Anyway, I received a generous sample of boozemail from The Whisky Fairy, tried my fair share, and then delivered what was left to LimpD for his impressions. As is usually the case, the delivery of said sample involved a bit of cloak and dagger as I navigated all the way to his compound (Yes, I am well aware that his house backs up to mine, so it’s not like I had to cross a heavily fortified border wall to deliver the sample, but this back story needs to be kicked up several notches, so work with me here!)…

First, I had to evade a littany of questions from Mrs. G-LO and My Urchins as I exited out the back door, such as:

“Hey, Papa! What’s in the brown paper bag?”

“Yo, G-LO! What’s with the balaclava, black turtle neck, and black tights? You’re looking mighty suspicious. Again.”

“On your way back from wherever the hell you’re going (again), can you pick me up a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby? And no! I’m not calling you fat… Just pick me up a pint of god damn ice cream on your way home… Jesus! You’re so prickly anymore… No, I didn’t call you a prick! You’re impossible. Just go.”

Then, I had to traverse the mine field that is our back yards which involves carefully walking across the stone patio (without setting off the motion detectors!) which leads to our respective lawns and their patches of thorny weeds, divots, poison ivy/sumac/oak, forgotten sports equipment, gopher holes, mud, rocks, fallen tree branches, trip wires, land mines, rakes that are just waiting to be stepped on so that they can rise up and slam us in the face, haphazardly strewn garden hoses, half empty (and probably leaking) propane tanks, miscellaneous and occasionally mismatched lawn furniture that pretty much clashes with EVERYTHING, sniper towers, and last, but certainly not least, rabid attack dogs that are literally drooling to tear us limb from limb (thank goodness for steel chains and sturdy posts with which to restrain those beasts!).

Upon arrival at Castle LimpD (which isn’t at all like Castle Dracula), I had to endure yet another littany of questions, but this time from Benita and LimpD’s Urchins, such as:

“Yo, Mr. G-LO! You’re back? AGAIN???”

“Yeah yeah yeah. It’s very nice that you brought my husband some whisky, but what exactly do I get out of this transaction?”

“What’s with the balaclava, black turtle neck, and black tights again? We’re only a hundred feet away and it’s not like we didn’t see you out there when you set off the lights. And by the way, you may wanna go up a size on that outfit. I’m not saying that you’re fat or anything, but…”

“What? You didn’t bring us any ice cream or lemon cookies? And all this time we thought you were raised right. No napkins for you!”

Now that you know all that we endured to bring you this here blog post, let’s get down to the subject at hand, a review of Highland Park’s latest expression, a little whisky that they call, The Dark…

What THEY say…

THE DARK is a rich and powerful expression of Highland Park, matured in sherry seasoned European oak casks to deliver a distinctively deep flavour.

This special release of 28,000 bottles shares the story of the noble Viking warriors who are our ancestors, of our contrasting island seasons and of the intense balance of our whisky.

It is a celebration of autumn and winter on Orkney; a time to escape from the wild weather outside and gather together with friends and family, sharing long nights of conversation and laughter around the table, around the fire. Presented in a beautifully embossed black glass bottle, the serpent dragon design takes its inspiration from the great Norse sagas and embraces both the high sun of summer solstice and the low sun of winter solstice – the polar opposites of our island seasons – while the runic writing reflects the ancient carvings of our Viking ancestors, here on Orkney.

What WE say…

Appearance: Clover honey color with thick, slow moving legs (kinda like G-LO).

ABV: 52.9%

Aroma

G-LO: Warm and inviting (unlike me) with lots of dark brown sugar, cinnamon, hints of clove, baked apple, a touch of tobacco, and just a wee bit of subtle smokiness.

LimpD: Not as hot as the 52% would suggest with a fair amount of sweetness (sugar, candied fruits), some astringent notes, and then a bit of leather.

Taste

G-LO: Very light mouthfeel, i.e. not particularly thick or oily. Starts off quite spicy with a blast of cinnamony heat that tingles the tip of my tongue. Dark fruit and tobacco comes through in the middle with that heat never letting go. Gets very dry at the finish with an almost tart quality coming through. Tobacco and spicy, dried fruit lingers in the aftertaste. Adding water brings out the brown sugar notes which lends a nice balance to all the fruity spiciness.

LimpD: Again, not as powerful as the 52% would suggest, a bit of spice (more cinnamon than pepper) but then a good bit of raisins and figs that more than compensate for the spice. There is some oil, leather, pipe tobacco and more dried fruit as we progress to a nice, warm finish.

The Verdict

G-LO: Yum yum yum! If sherried whisky is your thing, then The Dark is well worth trying. It gives you that subtle Highland Park smokiness and adds oodles of dark and delicious dried fruits to the experience. I tried this before reading the product information that came with the sample, not realizing that this clocked in at 52.9% ABV. This whisky hides it high octane very very well and goes down very easy. Unfortunately, what doesn’t go down really easy is the price. The MSRP is $300 which is way too rich for my blood. Good whisky for sure, but a bit overpriced given it’s age. For that kind of money, I can pick up a bottle of Aberlour A’bunadh, a bottle of Bowmore The Darkest, and still have a few sheckles left over.

LimpD: I find that some of the Highland Parks have a quality that I can’t quite put a name to. Maybe it is too much wood or too much iodine, but the flavor is, too me, a bit off-putting. I didn’t find any of that with The Dark. Rather, I found this to be a very approachable and easy drinking whisky (despite the 52% ABV. I don’t have a problem. I can stop at anytime. Or can I???). My only concern is the price. Much like G-LO, I find the $300 price tag a little outside my price range (apparently, the kids need food and clothing). I would rather put that amount into a couple of Japanese bottles or maybe a couple of SMWS bottles or John Milroy bottles as I am more of a volume drinker (and the guys who show up at the Barthenon might not be worthy of a special vintage. If they’re reading this, they know I kid).

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Many thanks to Justina Rapala Nielsen of Forte Mare Marketing + Management for sending us this very generous sample!

Evasive maneuvers and a review of @HighlandPark The Dark. #Whisky The other day, I walked over to LimpD's to deliver his share of our latest and greatest package of liquid gold, because I was raised right (or maybe I was raised wrong?