#currently in the back stage after he ate up that one panel

[prcxy]

how reading every new csm chapter feels

[jawritter]

My Rescue Story

Summary: People can be cruel and judgemental, but they don’t get to see the side of him you see.

Warnings: Fluff, just tooth rotting fluff. Maybe the tiniest bit of angst at the beginning. Language, Jensen being the soft little bean that we all love so much. That’s about it.

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Word Count: 1505

A/N: This fic is completely unbeta’d, so all mistakes are mine! This is just a spur of the moment fic. I figured you guys needed some fluff after I destroyed people with my last one shot, lol. As always people do not copy my work. Feedback is golden! I hope you guys enjoy this one!

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“STOP!” Jensen said, swatting annoyedly at Jared, who was still trying to touch the small hole in the sleeve of his shirt. 

The whole crowd roared with laughter as grumpy Jensen gave Jared the best bitch face he could muster. The one he knew everyone loved. The adorable scowl with the pouty lips and the scrunched up face. The one that made him look like Dean no matter how long his hair was, or how full his beard got.

You giggle along with the rest of the crowd as the panel continued along the lines of much of the same lighthearted, tomfoolery, that they always did. Apparently not everyone found it so funny that Jensen was acting especially grumpy on this panel. 

One of the handlers, who probably thought that you would never hear her comment over the laughter of the crowd as Jensen and Jared reenacted some story that Jared was telling, made the comment to an older woman standing next to her. 

“God, he’s such an asshole. Always in a damn mood.” 

The other woman laughed at her friend. They were obviously talking about Jensen, who was currently giving an over-exaggerated grunt as he pulled himself off of the stage floor. The crowd ate it up. They loved it when Jensen acted like that because it reminded them so much of Dean Winchester. Still, these women didn’t seem all that impressed. 

“I know, he’s always bitching on stage about something, or he’s acting like a grandpa while Jared is just trying to have a good time. He’s such a fucking killjoy,” she said, walking off the to the corner of the stage to signal the end of the panel to the boys with her friend following close on her heels. 

Rob and the band scurried around the stage, singing the last question song with Jensen as Jared helped a younger-looking fan on stage to ask the final question of the panel. 

You weren’t really paying attention at this point. Your mind was still stuck on what the handler and her friend had been saying about Jensen. 

Jensen and yourself had not been dating very long, maybe around four months, and this was your first convention to have attended. They were still going, even though the show had ended. Which was impressive all on its own. The fandom was amazing, and everyone you had met so far was great, with the exception of a few. 

How could they talk about Jensen that way? It was rude and inconsiderate, but more than that it was belligerently wrong. 

Jensen and yourself had a bit of an age gap, roughly ten years, but usually, you didn’t even notice it all that much. He wasn’t an asshole by any means. He’d literally give the shirt off his back if he saw someone who needed it more than he did. 

He wasn’t grumpy all the time. Hell, he and Jared had just been trying to shock Rob with one of those handheld, gag gift buzzer things before he got on stage. He usually carried such a light with him. He had a way of making everyone around him smile, and if he knew someone was having a bad day, he’d work especially hard to do so. 

He in no way was a “grandpa”. 

They didn’t know him. They didn’t know your Jensen. So why would they feel they had the right to talk about him in such a way? 

You would never understand why certain people made it their life goal to look down on and talk about people, just because they were miserable; and the more you thought about it the more you felt sorry for those two women. They apparently had such a bleak outlook on things if they were going to take Jensen, who is an actor by trade, ACTING on stage for the crowd so seriously!

That’s not Jensen’s real personality, none of that is. It is all for the entertainment of the people that came to see them. Sure, there was some of his true personality mixed in there as well. There were moments when he’d get emotional, or when they would ask a question that hit home with him. 

He was human, just like everyone else. Being human means you're imperfect. Jensen, like everyone else, had his flaws, but “asshole” was not one of them. 

“Hey Princess, you ready to go head up to our room?” Jensen’s voice intruded on your inner grumbling as he slipped up behind you, and wrapped his arms around your middle.

As soon as the smell of his cologne surrounded you, your anxiety immediately started to fade away, and you leaned back into him, laying your head on his broad shoulder. 

You could feel the stares of the handlers that had just been talking so badly about him, but you ignored them. 

“Hey you, you don’t want to go get something to eat first?” you quested him, looking up into his piercing green eyes for a moment before he quickly brushed his lips over your own in what really wasn’t a kiss, but more of just a soft little touch that Jensen seemed to love to do when he thought no one was looking. 

“Not really, I just want to go upstairs and cuddle with my girl until I fall asleep,” he mumbled, completely ignoring all other people in the room. You knew the longer you both stood there like that, the more attention you will attract. You were sure there would be pictures later of this, but you didn’t care, and neither did Jensen. 

This was the real Jensen. Not some grumpy little smart ass on stage, though like everyone Jensen had his moments they were few and far between. 

He was the guy you always dreamed you’d find. So loving, and soft. He craved your affection and you craved his. You’d never get enough of him, of this.

You could tell that he was tired. It had been a long flight the night before with layovers due to weather, and then the time zone difference always was a bitch, plus he’d been working nonstop. If he wanted a little cuddle time, how could you deny him that? 

See, a relationship is more than just sex. I mean most everyone loves sex, and sex with Jensen was always absolutely phenomenal and mind-blowing. I mean come on, the man was 42 years old, sure, but he had the body of a damn Greek God; and he knew just how to use it. 

It was about the tender little touches. It was about the fact that even though he was tired, he wanted to take a shower with you, just to be closer to you. Just so he could take his time pampering you just a little while. It was in the way he held you so close to him as the water sprayed down over his broad back and shoulders, that you could feel his heartbeat through his well-sculpted chest while his finger traced lightly over the wet skin of your back. 

It was in the little kisses, and soft brushes of his lips against yours as you lay in the dark hotel room together, nothing between the two of you but skin. Slow, sweet. No needy hurry to get somewhere. Not all teeth and tongue. It was in the lazy way his lips moved slowly against your own, stealing away your breath as well as your heart.

It was in the way his hands barely moved over your skin while your hands brushed their way through his hair. His fingers played with little patterns that only he could see across the exposed skin of your shoulder. Every little touch made your heart feel like it could fly out of your chest, and flutter around the room. 

The way he looked at you. As if you were his everything, his entire world! He could have anyone, but he’d chosen you. 

Time like this, just time spent together. That’s what really felt like it drew you closer together. Connecting your very souls. Time falling asleep in each other's arms with his warm breath fanning over across your neck as his breathing became deeper and more even. You let your eyes wander over his freckle dusted skin. His face was soft, and his features relaxed, more relaxed right now than you’d seen him be in at least a week.

This was him, your Jay. The soft, loving, painfully handsome man that had the biggest heart you had ever seen in anyone. 

He was your rescue story, and he didn’t even know it. He saved you from yourself. He saved you from the self-loathing, and self-doubt, showing you that you were beautiful. He showed you that you could be strong and that you were special. You probably wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him. 

So let those people think what they wanted too, they didn’t get to see what you saw. Your Jay, your world, your heart. Your rescue story.

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[cerezsis]

Isn’t That Lovely?

Human AU

Summary: Spinel thinks she and Piper Damon are best friends. Piper hangs out with her because she has to. The two are separated when Piper’s dream of owning her own branch of the family business comes true, but Spinel is sure their friendship can survive the distance. Unfortunately, their friendship isn’t the only thing she’ll watch go up in flames.

WARNING: This story depicts severe mental illness, and the death of loved ones. Tread cautiously if you are bothered by either of those subjects.

--

           “Say hello to your new friend, Piper,” the white-haired woman said, her hands planted firmly on her daughter’s shoulders.

           The ten-year-old looked her new “friend” up and down. Spinel, the three-year-old girl who was already bouncing in excitement, wore tight pigtails, pink shorts, and a white shirt with a juice stain on the collar. Piper gave her best friendly smile. She supposed she should be happy that she wouldn’t have to spend the day alone in the estate or stuck coloring in the corner of an office, but it didn’t stop the dread brewing in her stomach.

           “Hello,” Piper greeted.

           The toddler ran up and gave her a tight hug. Piper hugged back, trying hard not to think about how sticky the younger girl’s hands felt against the back of her shirt.

           “I’m so excited to play with you!” Spinel said, eagerly.

           “Well, I certainly won’t keep you two waiting,” Winona said, lifting her hands from Piper’s shoulders, “I’ll pick you up around dinner time, Starlight.”

           Piper managed a grin at her mother. “Ok, mom.”

           Piper followed Spinel and Mrs. Desjardins out of the office building. She buckled herself in next to Spinel’s car seat, and stared out the window as the younger girl sang along to the children’s music CD that automatically started playing when Mrs. Desjardins started the car. As her head rested against the warm glass, she wondered why her mother couldn’t have had any employees with kids her own age.

The drive to the Desjardins residence wasn’t long, and Piper had to admit the house was beautiful. The paneling was painted a lovely cream color, and beautiful vines of pink flowers surrounded the black shutters. The bushes underneath the windows also sported flowers, and looked to be freshly trimmed. It was clear that the family took pride in their home’s appearance.

           “Come on!” Spinel said, happily grabbing onto Piper’s hand, “I’ll show you my playhouse!”

           Piper could hear Spinel’s mother chuckle as the little girl led her to the backyard. Passed the ivy-draped wooden fence, the backyard was full of even more flowers than the front. In the center of the many flowerbeds sat a brightly painted wooden swing set with an attached playhouse. Still holding onto her new friend’s hand, Spinel brought Piper into the playhouse, the older girl having to crouch down to fit through the toddler-sized doorway.

           “Ta-da!” Spinel said, finally releasing her sticky hand from Piper’s to raise her arms in presentation, “Welcome to my playhouse!”

           Still unable to stand up straight, Piper managed a smile. There was barely even enough room for the two of them to be in there together. “So, what do you wanna do?”

           Spinel tapped her finger on her chin, thinking through her options carefully. Her eyes widened with joy when the perfect game came to mind.

           “Oh! Oh! Let’s play tag!” She tapped the older girl on the shoulder. “You’re it!”

           Despite the cramped space, she managed to run out the door with ease, giggling in anticipation of the chase. Quietly wondering how long it was until dinner time, Piper put on her best game face and chased after Spinel.

           The girls played in the yard until Mrs. Desjardins called them in for lunch. As she ate her tater tots, Piper hoped Spinel was tired enough to want to watch TV or play with dolls, but once their plates were cleared, she insisted on a game of hide and seek in the backyard. Putting on another smile, Piper agreed to Spinel’s games.

Mr. Desjardins came home from the office shortly after Mrs. Desjardins got started on dinner. He came with the message that Piper’s mother would be late picking her up, and that she was to have dinner with them. Piper wondered to herself why she expected anything different from her mother. The Desjardins were happy to set her a place at the dinner table, and she thanked them when they handed her a plate of spaghetti. While the grownups chatted, Piper quietly winced as Spinel made a mess of her spaghetti dinner, getting sauce all over her face and shirt. Twirling spaghetti around her fork, Piper wondered if her sisters were having takeout again.

           By the time her mother came to collect her, it was almost nine o’clock. Winona gave the Desjardins an obligatory apology for being so late – something about backorders and a wrong color – but they assured her that it was fine, and Piper was a pleasure. As the adults took their time with their departure, Piper had her eyes locked on the door. Spinel, now dressed in her Micky Mouse pajamas, held tightly onto her hand, telling her that if she hid in her room, her mother wouldn’t be able to find her, and she wouldn’t have to go home. When Winona finally decided it was time to leave, Spinel threw herself onto the ground.

           “I don’t want her to go!” she cried.

After a few minutes of Spinel crying for Piper to stay, the situation had to be resolved by Mr. Desjardins carrying Spinel up to her room. A final goodbye to Mrs. Desjardins, and Winona and Piper were finally in the car, driving back to the estate.

           “Mrs. Desjardins told me about all the fun you had with Spinel today,” Winona said, her eyes on the road.

           “Yeah…” Piper said, leaning tiredly against the car door, “She’s… nice.”

           “Good, good,” Winona grinned, clearly not taking notice of her daughter’s apathetic tone, “I’ve arranged for you to play with her every weekday for the rest of the summer. Your sisters and I will take turns dropping you off and picking you up.”

           Piper stopped listening, and sank back into her seat. She stared out the window, watching the streetlights zoom by. All she could think about was Spinel’s sticky hands.

--

           It had been five years since Spinel and Piper’s first playdate. Autumn leaves danced in the window as Piper sat on the edge of the child-sized bed, venting about her latest fight with her mom and sisters. Spinel laid on her stomach, her head resting in her hands, and her legs kicking back and forth. The eight-year-old listened attentively to her cool, older friend, occasionally giving a nod in sympathy. Being so much younger, she couldn’t always relate to her problems, but she was still always there to listen. That’s what friends were for, after all.

           This week’s fight was once again about Piper’s role in the family’s business. Piper was on her usual rant about how Yvonne and Beatrix had their own branches when they were her age, and how it wasn’t fair that all she had was a few jewelry lines.

           “They treat me like a kid,” Piper complained, “How would they even know how responsible I am? I could handle running a business just fine. They never have any faith in me.”

           Spinel nodded. “You’d be the best boss ever! I bet when you finally get your branch, it’ll be the best branch they’ve ever seen!”

           Piper gave a half-smile. At least someone believed in her.

           A light ding came from the other side of the room. Spinel perked up.

           “Oh, the brownies are ready!” She got up and hurried to her Easy Bake Oven. “Here Piper, you can have the first one. Brownies make everything better.”

           “Thanks Spinel,” Piper said, still giving her a reserved smile, “I love brownies.”

--

           Spinel would never forget the look of excitement on Piper’s face when she gave her the news. At nineteen years old, she was finally getting her own branch of Damon’s Diamonds. Spinel couldn’t have been happier for her friend.

           Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She could’ve been happier if she could follow her to Maine, where her first warehouse and manufacturing plant would be located, but, as her parents reminded her, seventh grade came first.

           She wrote to Piper every day. Piper wrote back once every few months. It was ok. Running a business was a lot of work, especially when you have a group of anti-corporate protesters thwarting the process. Spinel would wait as long as it would take. She knew her best friend wouldn’t forget her.

--

           The summer before tenth grade, Spinel woke up to find both her parents in the kitchen. She knew something was wrong before she even saw their pink, puffy eyes. Daddy was never home this late in the morning.

           They broke the news to her as gently as possible. A fire had started in the on-site warehouse at Piper’s factory. It spread quickly to the main building, too quickly for Piper to escape her office. The fire took her life.  

           Spinel shook her head. It wasn’t true, it couldn’t be. Piper couldn’t be dead; she just couldn’t be!

           She spent most of the day sitting on the couch, staring into space. News came in in bits and pieces. Dry foliage. Smoke bombs. Lacks fire regulations. Chemicals not stored properly. All came together to form a perfect storm of chaos.

           At least a dozen people died in the blaze. Many more were injured. The number of casualties were still rising. Rose Quintin, the leader of the anti-corporate protesters, was thought to be responsible, but there wasn’t enough evidence for an arrest. Her current whereabouts were unknown.

           It was hours before Spinel finally cried. Her best friend was gone, her life cut short in one of the worst ways possible. Piper was dead.

           Piper was dead…

--

           Nearly Halloween that same year, daddy’s test results came back. Stage four lung cancer. Daddy didn’t make it to Christmas.

--

           A week after New Year’s, Spinel was called down to the principal’s office. A police officer was waiting for her. A car hit mommy as she was crossing the street. The car sped away. Mommy died in the ambulance.

--

           Eleventh grade didn’t last long. Spinel got expelled for repeated aggressive behavior. Once kicked out of school, she no longer had a reason to leave the house. The mortgage had been paid off long ago. Inheritance and life insurance payouts were enough for her to survive indefinitely. Groceries were delivered to the house every Tuesday. The farthest she ever ventured was to the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

           No one ever checked on her.

--

           She hadn’t remembered her twenty-seventh birthday until nearly a week had passed. Time always seemed to escape her like that.

           Today was what she considered a good day; the only thing she felt was hallow. It was a step up from anger or sadness, and way better than the crash that followed mania. Hallow was safe. Hallow was good.  

           Sitting on the old, rickety swing set, Spinel looked around the yard. The once beautiful landscape was now overrun weeds and overgrowth. Almost all the flowers were brown and shriveled. The ivy that mommy planted had completely taken over the fence and was creeping onto the graying exterior walls of the house.

           Without even thinking, Spinel stood up and wandered back into the house. A fine layer of dust coated every surface, as if no one had lived there for years. Glancing at the overflowing sink of dirty dishes, she struggled to remember if she’d eaten today. She didn’t have much of an appetite. She’d have to force something down the next time she remembered.

           Continuing through her untouched time capsule of a house, she let herself wander up the stairs. Her bedroom door had broken off during one of her fits a few years ago, now permanently propped up against the adjacent wall. The upstairs bathroom hadn’t been usable in five years. She found herself entering the master bedroom, formerly her parents’ room, and let herself fall onto the unmade bed. She wrapped herself in the old sheets and tried to fall asleep.

           It was three in the afternoon.

--

           Forty-three. She was forty-three years old. Had it not been for the date and time in the corner of the morning news program, she wouldn’t know what day it was. She didn’t usually watch this channel, but it had been airing a marathon of old cartoons two days ago. For some reason, the old back and white cartoons made her feel a sort of calm. She couldn’t be bothered to change the channel after it ended.

           She wasn’t really paying attention to the TV anymore, just lying on the couch and looking out the window. The neighborhood children were making their way to the bus stop, occasionally stopping in front of her house to talk and pint. If it weren’t for the glow of the TV through the otherwise dark window, they probably would’ve thought the place was abandoned.

Something on the TV made Spinel perk up. A morning talk show she missed the name of was starting, and the host was welcoming on that day’s guests. It was the Damon family.

           Spinel sat up straight, her eyes glued to the TV. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw all three of the Damon women together. Winona, Yvonne, and Beatrix sat in chairs on the opposite side of the host. Someone else sat with the three of them, someone Spinel didn’t recognize. A boy, maybe sixteen years old. The title card that appeared under him read “Steven Universe, teen activist.”

           Even with that introduction, Spinel still had no idea who this kid was, or why he was with the Damon’s. She listened intently as Winona Damon began weaving a tale about all the changes Steven helped them make to the company, and how she’s confident that other corporations will follow their lead. It honestly sounded lovely, even if she didn’t know who this Steven kid was. He was obviously very passionate about the reform of corporate America.

           “My grandson here is the most compassionate person you’ll ever meet,” the elderly Winona said, smiling proudly, “All of Damon’s Diamonds are so happy to have him-”

           Spinel stopped listening, her head suddenly spinning with questions. Her grandson? Whose kid was he? Yvonne and Beatrix had always stated their intentions to remain child free, and Piper… Piper was…

           That’s when it clicked. The curly hair, the dark eyes, the smile. It was hers. It was all hers. But, no, that was impossible! Piper died too young to have a sixteen-year-old son… Unless…

           Spinel darted up from the couch and sprinted to the dining room, where decades worth of mail was piled onto the table. She rarely paid attention to what she brought in from the mailbox, just tossing it onto the table. Maybe she missed something. A letter, a postcard, any kind of message from Piper. She could still hear the TV as she meticulously went through every parcel.

           “I don’t want to be put on a throne for doing the right thing,” Steven said in response to a question from the host, “The world doesn’t need billionaires. I couldn’t spend that much money in a lifetime.

           “In fact, I’m not even going to be staying in New York for much longer. I’m heading back to Beach City tonight.”

           All noise after that faded to static as Spinel continued through the mail. She spent hours, maybe even a full day going through everything. She found nothing, no secret message, nothing from Piper. Tears stung in Spinel’s eyes as she looked to all the mail scattered around her. Through the various newspapers and magazine headlines she came across in her search, she’d managed to piece together the story. Piper faked her death in the fire. Rose Quintin, the woman who supposedly killed her, never existed. Piper was Rose. Piper set fire to her own warehouse and factory, ran off with a few friends to Delaware, and started a new life under the name Rose Quintin. She died for real sixteen years ago, after giving birth to her son, Steven. Going off the dates printed, it looked like the story first broke two years ago, after Steven first found out the truth about his mother. Spinel fell to her knees, her fists clenching around whatever mail was in front of her. The one spark of hope she’d had in years was violently stomped out as the realization that Piper had no intention of letting her know she was alive consumed her.

           Piper didn’t die in the fire. Piper lived an extra twelve years, and didn’t think to tell her best friend. Piper didn’t die in the fire. Piper didn’t die in the fire.

           Her body shaking, heart pounding, and tears flowing, Spinel felt something snap inside her. The mail she had in her hands was shredded into confetti as she started to scream. Furniture was thrown as she screamed until her throat burned. Gears turned in her head, powered by the hot fires of rage. She wanted revenge, she needed revenge, but Piper was dead, for real this time. It didn’t matter. Someone was going to pay. Someone was going to feel as much pain as she felt.

           She couldn’t quite remember what happened between throwing a chair through the TV screen and getting on a plane to Delaware, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

[goldenkamuyhunting]

I was rereading chapter 199 and i noticed that ogata tries to be sympathetic and rubs koito's back after he tells his father he couldn't be the son his brother was... and then koito headbutts him. maybe that's part of the reason he hates koito so much (among other things of course)

First of all thank you for your ask and sorry for the late reply.

Also thank you for your ask as you bring up an interesting point to ponder!

Beware though, my answer will contain spoilers for ep 212...

Ogata’s interaction with Koito while Koito is prisoner is interesting.

When it starts it’s clear Koito has been pushed in Ogata’s care as he’s the lower in rank (we don’t exactly knows which ranks Kikuta, Tsukishima and Ogata had back then but considering they’re Warrant Officer, Sergeant and Superior Private even if they were lower in rank it’s unlikely Ogata would have a rank equal or higher than Kikuta or Tsukishima) and he’s the one shown giving him water.

Ogata clearly tried not to fraternize... but then Koito claimed his father wouldn’t do ‘Russia’s bidding’ for his sake...

...and it’s interesting the next we see Ogata doing is giving him a Tsukisappu Anpan.

At first the general impression was that ‘the kidnapper’ was doing this because instructed by Tsurumi, who also offered them to Koito.

However it’s unlikely that’s the case.

Tsukishima knows nothing about it, and assumes the Tsukisappu Anpan is one of the old ones who’re in the place.

Koito however won’t complain about it having a weird taste or will feel sick later. His Anpan tasted like the fresh ones Tsurumi gave him, hence it was a fresh one.

Assuming the idea to give him one was Tsurumi’s, he would have no reasons to hide it from Tsukishima as giving Koito a fresh sweet is a nice action, much better than kidnapping him. It’s unlikely Tsukishima would be displeased by it.

What’s more Tsurumi had no reasons to have Ogata fed him a fresh Anpan. A fresh Anpan would point out to the kidnappers being from the army, and it’s clear Tsurumi had no idea it was fresh, otherwise he wouldn’t have said only the guys in the army could get it.

Tsurumi clearly didn’t want for Koito to react and attack his men and planned to have Koito recognize him by the sentence he said him, and, if that sentence hadn’t rang a bell, he probably would have atted more just to make sure Koito would remind...

...but anyway Koito, who at the time was supposed to be in the navy wasn’t Tsurumi’s real target. He wanted his father and the current chapter also showed how little he cared for Koito by showing how, differently from Tsukishima, he didn’t care at all Koito had been serious wounded.

So, long story short, Ogata, by feeding Koito a sweet, was already being sympathetic to him.

And so we get to the scene of Ogata  rubbing his back when Koito’s father said he wouldn’t come to save him and Koito had to tell him to give up on him.

In that moment, to Ogata, Koito should have looked like a child who’d been abandoned by his father like he was, considered less important than his brother.

He likely saw himself in Koito and might have felt sympathy for him. After all he had no reason to rub his back if it wasn’t for this, as Tsurumi’s script have for ‘the kidnappers’ to be killed by Tsurumi in a while, hence there’s no reason for them to act nice.

In reply Koito headbutts him and tries to attack him.

But that’s probably not the worst part.

When Tsukishima renders Koito helpless Ogata tells him to stop struggling... but there’s no exclamation mark.

Although it’s an order he’s not being brusque as he did when he told him to drink or be silent.

It’s possible Ogata understands Koito’s reaction as he might believe the other might have fought for his life... but then Koito goes on and says he wants to be killed because in this way he hopes he’ll gain his father’s love.

While Tsukishima might not understand this as he despised his father, Ogata was also someone who craved his father’s love... but then, in that same moment, Koito Heiji barges in the place calling Koito’s name and Koito recognizes him.

While Tsukishima’s reaction to this development will only be to leave the room in a hurry so as to set up the stage for Tsurumi’s heroic resquing act, Ogata’s reaction to this development is right after Koito and prior Tsukishima leaving, taking not one panel but two.

He turns toward the direction from which Koito Heiji’s voice came, saying only a line of dots, then he ‘tchs’.

Ogata was likely thinking Koito was a neglected child like him, one who has a father who didn’t care about him, which is why he showed him sympathy... only to discover Koito’s father barged in the place alone to save his own child.

This is when Ogata likely grew angry. Koito was whining his daddy didn’t love him when his father instead PERSONALLY RAN TO SAVE HIM.

And so we get to the pampered little boy scene.

Ogata didn’t need to do any of this, he didn’t need to point his gun at Koito’s temple nor to call him ‘Barchonok’ (Барчонок)/‘Bonbon ga’ (ボンボンが) or, if you prefer ‘pampered little rich boy’, all he needed to do was to tie him as he’ll do in a moment... yet, I think for a moment Ogata felt very angry at Koito and at himself because he had felt sorry for this kid, he had thought they were similar, and it turned out that was absolutely not the case. Koito is a loved child, and Ogata was a fool for feeling sorry for him because he seemed to lack his father’s love.

After all Ogata has seen on which expensive vehicle Koito used to go around the city. Koito was clearly a spoiled rich kid and likely Ogata assumed Koito threw all that fuss for nothing.

But that’s not the end of it.

Likely Ogata was later scolded by Tsukishima for lowering his guard by rubbing Koito’s back and therefore allowing the latter to headbutt him... and, what’s worse, he was likely also scolded by Tsurumi for feeding him that anpan that might have betrayed the fact they were in the army.

What’s worse, it was Ogata who was nice with Koito while Tsurumi only used him yet Tsurumi is Koito’s new hero while Ogata only get the duty to clean up the corpses without even a thank you and with a sore nose.

This clearly wasn’t the best premise for Ogata to love Koito... although, truth to be told, when they meet again it was Koito who gave a really frowning look to Ogata, who actually hadn’t tol him anything and was merely looking at him.

Ogata’s expression is hard to read in that scene while Koito seems angry.

Maybe he’s annoyed by a low ranking soldier staring at him, maybe he has recognized Ogata and he thinks that stare is a mocking one as he thinks Ogata remembers he was the kidnapped little boy of that day.

But Koito clearly doesn’t like Ogata even though they probably just met again... even though, truth to be told, the angle from which we’re looking at Koito is misleading because, due to it, and due to Koito’s eyebrows shape, it could seems he’s frowning much more than he is.

Still, it seems that from that moment on, the two won’t get along.

I don’t really know though if Ogata hates Koito or he’s just angry because he sees him as a spoiled little rich brat who let himself be used by Tsurumi.

Still, I find interesting how Ogata, in his first meeting with Koito, tried to help him despite the situation, and in his last, instead than killing him as everyone expected, he sort of helped him to understand the truth about Tsurumi... while Koito and Sugimoto, in their first meeting fough (Koito being the one who shot to Sugimoto and seriously wounded him) and in their last meeting they tried again to kill each other, Sugimoto stabbing him and seriously wounding him... even if Koito and Sugimoto’s relation doesn’t seem as bad as the relation Koito had with Ogata.

I like to think Koito will survive and I'm really curious to see where all this will bring those three...

Thank you again for your ask!

[modern-sybil]

Wholesome Entire Magicians Cast Fluff - Chapter Two

Okay, the response to this post was pretty sweet (thank you everyone, you rock!!), so I’m making my idea a multi-chapter thing. Chapter two extends below the cut (this bitch was over 2,000 words, haha)

AO3: In The Happy Pause of it All

Chapter Two - Thanksgiving Competition: Penny vs Eliot

Josh has reviewed the rules, made his changes, and they were ready to go- one week of prep until Thanksgiving. Kady started taking bets on the side as to who everyone thought would win, and was surprised when even Fen got in the game. Who was gonna turn down the High King of Fillory? Even if she bet two silver and jewel daggers, which was a little unorthodox and would be difficult to split among the winners. But they were really pretty, and bad ass (like me, Kady thought, and laughed), and Kady was certain she could figure out how to make sure she ended up with them.

Quentin decided that Penny and El could get two people each to help them make all the food. Josh concurred, a sous chef and a second assistant were well within their rights to have. It took Penny days to make his final decision, but Eliot knew instantly who he wanted.

Q was only a little put out when Eliot chose Alice (I mean, she can cook and all) and Margo instead of him. Alice agreed, albeit grudgingly, and Margo was pretty sure it was because Kady had talked last weekend about how Penny looked really hot when he was cooking, but of course Margo would never say that out loud… Except she did, because she is Margo. Alice blushed and left the room to go make some tea, happy that Kady was out dealing with Hedgewitch business.

Q put up some token resistance at not being chosen, but his heart wasn’t in it. At least this meant he could watch excitedly (and taste test a lot on both sides) and he did not have to worry about accidentally setting something on fire… Like he did that time he tried to make popcorn on the stove. Which was an event Eliot quickly reminded him about.

“Come on, El! It was ONE time!!”

“Yeah, but the loft smelled like burnt popcorn until Alice came home and spelled it away. We do not need a repeat when the stakes are this high, Q. Alice is gonna be too busy ensuring my INEVITABLE VICTORY to spell away the smell of burnt roast duck.”

Penny went with Julia (no one was shocked there). But for his second person, he chose Zelda, which was definitely a twist no one saw coming. Especially Zelda, but everyone could see how happy it made her. She took the time to adjust her glasses before agreeing, trying to act as though she had seen it coming.

He denied it, but Julia was pretty sure he picked Zelda to make her feel more like one of the group, rather than for a tactical advantage. He claimed that her speed reading would come in handy, and handed her a stack of cookbooks to memorize before the big day.

The night before, at a light dinner of salad and soup (everyone was saving room for tomorrow) El suddenly threw down his spoon - “Fuck!! We never decided on what the loser has to do!”

Penny looked up from his not-so-subtle staring at Julia, shaking his head “I thought we were just doing this for bragging rights? And to know for sure who is the best. Which obviously is me.”

“Well, yeah,” El scoffed “but that is for the winner. What will you… I mean, the-as-of-yet-unknown-loser… have to do when they fail miserably and get CRUSHED INTO DUST?”

Marina, who had been crashing the dinners so often lately they just set a permanent place for her at the table, smiled. “I know.” She said. “And it is perfect. Loser has to clean up all the dishes and the entire kitchen - no magic.”

It was agreed, this seemed perfect- completely in harmony with the spirit of the event. And Alice had agreed to be a sous chef, so it wasn’t fair to assume she’d clean the kitchen as well.

Josh dragged a chair over so he could watch the whole event “to prevent cheating/maintain his unbiased outlook and ensure no travesties against food were commited” but everyone knew it was because he wanted to enjoy every second of being valued so much for his skills, and it was kinda cute tbh.

Penny went with a classic Thanksgiving feast, the only time he ran into an issue was when he wanted to have canned cranberry sauce - Josh said that was a no-go because it was a cooking competition. After a quick team huddle Penny had to send Jules out for more ingredients and he thanked his lucky stars that Zelda had memorized 6 different recipes for the jellied berries, so they put their heads together to come up with the perfect combo recipe.

Quentin kept stealing marshmallows that were supposed to be for the sweet potato casserole, until Penny shot him a look that was so reminiscent of back when they were roommates that Q backed up all the way over to Eliot’s prep station and stayed there for a good fifteen minutes. Peeking out from behind El’s back he waited Penny was adequately distracted and swooped in again. Zelda was making candied nuts, and all the wrath in the world couldn’t stop him from sneaking a few here and there.

Eliot was going all-out. This was a gourmet feast that would make Emeril Lagasse quake in his boots. Alice was a whirlwind behind and around him, definitely not putting on any extra flair for Kady, who was watching while leaning against a pillar, smiling gently. Margo was the most focused she had been since her quest in the dessert, attacking each task Eliot gave her with a voracious passion that made Josh shift a little in his chair and Fen bite her lip and unconsciously twirl her hair around her finger.

Of course Eliot also had themed drinks which he was crafting with care, crushing the mint delicately and lining the cup rims while keeping an eye on Quentin to make sure he wasn’t eating all of the sugar crusted flower petals because those were for garnish goddamnit. But he had to smile, because thinking back to the start of it all, his plan definitely worked. Q was eating regularly and his clothes all fit again. Taking a quick pause to look around, El was filled with a happiness that he never had in the mind-palace-situation, even in the physical kids college, because this? This was home. This was a family that knew him and loved him for who he was. This was everything…

“Quit your fucking daydreaming and mash your goddamn potatoes, Eliot” Margo snapped, hands never stilling from perfectly slicing apples and arranging them into rosettes. But then she looked up at him and smiled, and he knew that she once again saw him and understood where he was at, what he was thinking… But that this was a competition, and they had priorities.

Soon the entire apartment filled with the scent of happiness and home and good cooking, the savory notes of rosemary and turkey mixing with the sweetness of apple and pecan pies, offset with the spiciness of cardamom and ginger. Q was hopping all over the place at this point from the sugar high of his taste-testing, and eventually both Julia and Eliot agreed they had to banish him from the kitchen because he kept getting underfoot. But even as she made him leave, Jules smiled and snuck him another handful of marshmallows to tide him over.

Quentin decided to use all this energy to set the table, and as he was setting down the last of the dishes, everyone started trickling in. Fogg had brought his record player, and got some mellow tunes going in the background. In the past, none of the group would have thought Frank Sinatra was thanksgiving music, but after today everyone would smile and remember every time they heard “the way you look tonight” on the radio. Alice even sometimes added it to the queue of the playlist they normally had softly going in the evenings, just to ease tensions. She thought the way everyone’s face lit up was even better than the taste of bacon.

Marina came with a box of little gifts for everyone, which made everyone think that the universe had flipped upside down and pigs had wings, until her girlfriend came in behind her, all smiles and happiness and Marina passed off the box to Fen with a smile and a muttered “the things I do for love,” shuddering slightly before going to collect her girlfriend’s jacket to put in the other room.

Harriet came with a couple other Hedges that only Julia and Kady knew, so they added in the extra panel to the table and set more plates, and made sure they knew about the competition and why there were two completely different but complete meal options currently being prepared. Harriet pulled Kady aside and told her that these Hedges had nowhere else to go, and Kady just smiled and said “well, it is good that we have enough food for an army, then!”

Tick followed Fen around asking questions about absolutely everything until she got frustrated, he was distracting her from watching Margo…. uh, hanging out with the whole group as they finished up with the cooking. So she set him in front of the TV and showed him how to work the remote and left him to his own devices.

Dinner was eaten, everyone was lazing about the living room in various stages of food-coma, and the time for judgement had come. Josh was making a big deal of it, which made Penny frustrated, but Eliot saw as only right given the seriousness of his task. As he ate Josh had been writing notes in a notebook and he spent a good thirty minutes in his throne, er, chair, listening seriously to the input of every guest before adding to the tallies he was keeping.

After an hour, Margo started impatiently tapped her foot, staring at him and caressing Sorrow and Sorrow with a meaningful look. Clearing his throat and nervously adjusting his collar, Josh spoke. Finally.

“This was a close one, and opinions were widely split between the contestants.” He started, as Kady pulled out her list of who bet and what they bet. “In the end, I had to step back a bit. I had to take taste alone out of the competition, and go back to what Thanksgiving is all about. How it is the taste of childhood, the memories of years gone by…”

“And for that reason, sorry El, Penny is the clear winner.”

Penny and Julia let out a whoop from the corner where they were standing, grabbing her around the waist Penny spun her in a circle. Then, catching himself, he put a solemn look on his face and said “well, if you are sure.”

Kady started making the rounds, collecting money. Fogg handed his over with equanimity, Zelda was sheepish, making sure she told the room that she placed her bet BEFORE being chosen for Penny’s team, and thought it wasn’t fair to the spirit of the competition to change her mind. Margo scoffed and sat back in her chair, eyeing Josh up and down as though she had never seen anyone more ridiculous. Eliot dramatically draped himself over the couch, putting his head in Q’s lap. “I’m ruined,” he sighed, placing a hand against his forehead. Q ran a comforting hand through his hair, soothing the taller man as best as he could in the moment of his defeat.

“Josh,” Margo said , “you better explain why I, I mean, Eliot, lost… Right fucking now.”

Laughing nervously, Josh continued “Well, you see, Eliot’s dishes were amazing, no doubt. But Penny’s tasted more like Thanksgiving, and after hearing what the people had to say” he gestured around, spreading the blame as best as he could “I had to go with the meal that best fit the theme. The actual flavors were too neck-and-neck, I couldn’t pick on that alone in the end.” Margo nodded, once, reaching behind her for her purse to pay up, and Josh sighed in relief.

“Fair is fair,” Marina said, her girlfriend sitting in her lap contentedly, “Penny gets the bragging rights and Eliot cleans the kitchen - no magic.” Quentin could swear her eyes were a bit extra gleeful at the outcome, but he couldn’t be sure how she would have reacted if Penny had lost, so he kept the thought to himself.

Pulling himself up from the couch gracefully, Eliot exclaimed “never let it be said that I am a sore loser!!” With a flourish he created a trophy magically, and presented it to Penny. As Margo laughed and rolled her eyes, Penny smiled and polished it a bit with his sleeve. “I now will go… wash dishes and clean floors.”

Walking away, after grabbing Q’s hand to pull him along, Eliot turned around “But rest assured, my friend… There will be a rematch.”

[neverwatchedonepiece]

531-533: "The Ryugu Palace! Taken by the Shark that they Saved!", "A Coward and a Crybaby! The Princess in the Hard Shell Tower!" and "It's an Emergency! The Ryugu Palace is Occupied!"

Pappagu’s gonna stroke out with stress. Yup. Any minute now.

Loved these episodes! The humour that took an exit stage left during Marineford (for obvious reasons) is back. Most of the humor was comedy of errors type stuff. We had Luffy accidentally bouncing on some giant mermaid tiddies. Luffy being unwittingly rude and poor Pappagu nearly having a stress embolism (look at those veins!) There was Zoro getting drunk and waking up in a jail cell. Brook, Usopp, Nami and Zoro accidentally occupying the entire palace and taking a bunch of important hostages... xD

There were some short updates on other characters too. Some have already had an impact on the plot. Caribou has kidnapped some Mermaids with intent to sell them at the Sabaody slave market. Without knowing it, he has exacted perfect revenge on the Strawhats! But how will you leave Fishman Island, Caribou. You don’t have a ship, you absolute roaster. 

Others I’m guessing Oda is keeping up his sleeve for later. Robin, Franky, Sanji and Chopper are still at large. Robin is wandering the island in search of important evidence of missing history. Franky, bless his mechanical heart, is off looking for Tom-san’s family. Chopper is done treating Sanji. He has a new point: Kung Fu Point. Nice to see that Chopper has some more offensive abilities that don’t completely strip him of his intelligence. :)

That’s Some Nice Real Estate, Neptune. Would Be A Shame If Someone Occupied It.

You know what? I like Neptune. His advisors might browbeat him, but at least he’s the type of ruler who will listen to advice, even if he doesn’t take it. He has his own mind and will follow his inner sense of justice, though it might conflict with what his advisors tell him.

Luffy on the Fish Boat back to Ryugu Palace was hilarious, though. Neptune kept doing a Jason Derulo: saying his own damned name all the time in the little songs he sang to himself and Luffy was like, “Mate, your chant is dumb.”  (I mean, Luffy, you’re not wrong but maybe not to the king’s face next time?) Either Neptune is chilled enough to ignore it, or he didn’t hear, Pappagu did, though, and was on hand to give Luffy a five-armed starfish spanking.

Neptune cares about his family too. The princess’ happiness is important and as she can’t get out the house much (more on that later) rescuing Megalo was a Big Deal. “Didn’t mean to save you, but I’m glad you’re okay!”

Too honest, Luffy! xD

Then Neptune told the Strawhats that one of their crewmates was already there. I knew instantly it was Zoro. Only Zoro could be that hopelessly lost that he’d accidentally infiltrate a palace with only one heavily guarded entrance and a buzzer system.

There was also a handy bit of world-building. Neptune handed Luffy a device that looked suspiciously like a pink dildo with multipurpose attachments. It was called Bubbly Coral and enables the user to form their own oxygen bubbles whenever, wherever. Useful.

They zoomed through the entrance flume and emerged into a beautiful place full of light, grand buildings, colour and dragon statues. Dat real estate.

As soon as Neptune stepped through the door, his Minister of the Right advisor (seahorse guy) got laid into him. “WTF, my lord?? You went out again on your own? You know the situation in this country??” Neptune is like Princess Jasmine All he needs is a cute Sea Tiger pet and he’s sorted. Either that, or Neptune is confident enough in his strength to face whatever’s out there. 

The Minister of the Left (catfish guy) took one look at the company Neptune had brought back and was like, “Um.... my lord, there’s something you should know about those Strawhat Pirates.” They spilled the current intel: Memaids had been kidnapped, which is something human pirates are known to do, and Madame Sharley had predicted Luffy would destroy Fishman Island. Unconscious Zoro had already been taken into custody. The rest of the Strawhats were under arrest!

(I’m having doubts about this Madame Sharley, by the way. I wonder if she’s working with Hordy Jones, or is being forced to work with him? Zero basis for this prediction. Only that the timing of the prediction is pretty damned convenient...)

Then Everyone Fell Out

Suddenly, the Strawhats were surrounded by guards. I say the Strawhats. I mean Usopp, Nami and Brook because Luffy had gone AWOL (more on that later). The Mermen made a sensible, tactical decision to burst the Strawhats’ bubbles and force them to fight in the water. But they made the mistake of showing Nami how to operate the Bubbly Coral. She used a giant one to drain the room of water. (Good job, Nami. Quick thinking as usual!) Brook had a badass moment. That’s why I like him. He can go from his goofy, kind, fun-loving self to scary swordsman with a snap of his bony fingers.

Usopp was ready to throw down, which was a nice surprise. I was so hyped to see what his new weapon can do, but was blue-balled. Ah, well. Next time! :D

Oh, and Zoro let himself out of jail. xD

Or Zori, as Neptune kept calling him. Another trait to add to Neptune being a stand up guy was that he volunteered to fight Zori because he didn’t want anyone else getting hurt. A good king!

The next thing, Zoro had plowed through everyone and Usopp was freaking out about overkill! “FFS, Zoro! We were just going to intimidate them and run!”

Zoro thought, “Yes. Run. Let’s bail.”

Usopp said, “A great plan, but we don’t know where Sunny is. Plus, the coating came off when we crashed through the bubble.”

Nami also added that the Log Pose had been unstable ever since they arrived (what does that mean?)

Then a nearby DDM rang.

Accidental Criminals

This whole scene was hilarious. Honestly, I came into this arc expecting lots of heavy stuff about Fishman vs humans racism and I’m getting accidental criminal activity and comedy hostage-takings. It’s awesome.

Zoro picked up the DDM and Usopp freaked out. “Don’t pick it you, you dumbass!” It was Fukaboshi, the eldest Merprince. He asked Zoro to open the gate.

“Yeah, no can do. But I’ll tell you what you can do...”

For Zoro had spied an Opportunity. (For all everyone calls Zoro a dumbass, he can be really clever sometimes).

“We have your father and the palace hostage. We need a new coating for the Sunny. And we need the rest of our crew: a gloomy woman, a robot, a raccoon, and a dirty water imp.”

“HAHAHAH, a dirty water imp. Classic!” Brook chortled.

“Oh, and a million Berry in cash, please, Zoro,” Nami added.

The Strawhats really have taken a level in grey morality, it’s hilarious. Their reactions to Zoro’s Big Idea were even more than I’d have expected from them two years ago (except Nami. She’s always had half an eye on treasure).  And they are clearly confident they can escape from Fishman Island in one piece.

Fukaboshi agreed because he had no choice. It seems he’s a stand up kinda guy too, because he delivered a message from Jimbei to Luffy (this caused a stir in the palace. Jimbei is even more godly down there than on the surface).

The message was: “Do not fight against Hordy. I will meet you at the Sea Forest.”

Do not fight against Hordy? Really? There’s history between them, right? Jimbei and Hordy, I mean. They were both Sun Pirates. Or is that Arlong and Jimbei? Yeah, I think it’s Arlong and Jimbei. But maybe Hordy was also on that crew? 

Something is up here...

But I never found out what because some Big Booms happened off-panel in the direction of the Princess’ room.

Which happened to be where Luffy was, of course.

Princess Peach

So Luffy, who only came to the palace for food, got fed up within 0.5 seconds of arriving and wandered off. He came across a pair of massive, solid-looking doors. A pair of axes were embedded in them. Must admit my first thought was, “Oh cool, the princess is an angry, fighting type!”

Nope. Completely wrong.

Luffy sneaked inside because he could smell food. One thing led to another and he ended up bouncing on the giant Mermaid Princess’ giant tiddies. (If Sanji ever finds out, he will never speak to Luffy again.) 

Of course, she woke up and was like, “Why is there a tiny human bouncing on my tiddies? I did not consent to this.” And she shrieked and cried, as you would if some hungry, little random was bouncing on you. I love how Luffy could not deal with her giant tears. It’s one of his rare weaknesses. Like, what, why are you crying, stop, plz, I did nothing to you.

Turns out the Princess is not a fighting type. She is actually a terrified, sweet girl who has been locked in a Hard Shell Tower for ten years because Captain Bloody Vander Decken is an annoying fucking sex-pest who will not take no for an answer!

The action briefly cut to him ranting away about how he was convinced Neptune wanted to force her into a political marriage because she was really in love with Decken. That he could not allow her to be with anyone else and he would rather see her dead than with anyone else. “Your life is either death or marriage. I will present her this lovely boomerang axe with a rose on it.” You know, because if you’re going to be decapitated, I guess it’s nice to know it’s done with love and good intentions, right? Absolutely insane. This guy is Major Incel Material.

Of course, Decken’s latest “gift” whirled into the room and Luffy stopped it. He was like, “WTF, where did this come from?”

The Guards burst in and the Princess saved Luffy’s ass by hiding him. Of course, Luffy overheard what had happened to the others. He wasn’t bothered. “Meh, that’s fine. Your lot won’t be able to control them, anyway.” Just goes to show how much faith Luffy has in his crew’s strength after those two years. 

To repay Luffy, the Princess said he could eat her giant food. While he ate, she asked him questions. The most interesting was this one:

“You’re a pirate,” she said. “Does that mean you’re a bad person?”

Luffy thought about this, then answered, “Hmm... I dunno. You decide.”

(Just another incident to add to my growing: Luffy’s Grey Morality Evidence Pile.)

The Princess told Luffy Decken has a DF power called Mark Mark. It sounds pretty useful, actually, (which is bad for her). If he designates someone as his mark, he can throw a weapon and hit them every time, unless an obstacle is in the way. That’s why she’d been locked in the Tower for ten years.

Luffy was confused, as you would be if someone told you that. “He wants to marry you but wants to kill you? WTF?” and said, “Ten years? You must be bored. I’d get sick if someone locked me up for ten years.”

Then he yelled at her because she poked his cheeks while he was eating (tbh, that would make me mad too. Just because he’s little does not mean Luffy is a pet!) But she’s just a lonely girl with minimal social skills because she’s been locked up for so long and she could not handle Luffy yelling at her.

Luffy being Luffy, was honest to the point of being Super Harsh. “You might be big, but you’re a coward and a crybaby. I don’t like you! You’ve stayed hear for ten years, eh? That could make you sick. Isn’t there anywhere you wanna go? Come on, let’s go for a walk!”

Luffy gave her the Unblinking Luffy Stare.

There is no returning from that.

Once he puts an idea in someone’s head and gives them That Look, they are done for.

The whole meeting the Princess scenes reminded me of the Big Baby from Spirited Away. The one who wouldn’t go outside because Yubaba had told him all about germs and he was afraid but was still fascinated by Chihiro because he was lonely and wanted her to play. Except this situation is more complicated because Neptune is a Good Dad and only wants to protect his daughter from a pest who he is trying to arrest but cannot find. It’s for her safety. Just as well Luffy is there with a cunning plan to get her out for a walk, eh?

Nah, Luffy. Absolutely no one will realise there’s something up here... xD

Sex-Pest Shakes Hands With Roid Peddler

Meanwhile, the shady villains have teamed up! I don’t think that’s happened in One Piece yet. It’s an alliance of convenience based on a common enemy. They both hate Neptune for different reasons. Hordy’s is political. Decken’s? Because he’s a sex-pest.

Prediction? I bet Hordy will betray Decken. Evidence? None. Just wishful thinking. I want to see Decken get his pathetic ass kicked. 

“And I would like to add a side order of salt and chili fries to our ransom demands.”

[sammyhale]

J2 SPN UK 2018 Main Panel

J2 come out on stage at the end of Misha’s panel and they both hug him as he leaves. 

J2 are joking about doing a Saturday panel since they normally only do Sundays. 

Jensen: No one understands Jared he’s an enigma lol 

Jensen now teasing Rich. 

Jared: Has anyone been to a convention before? We’ve been doing this for 10 years where the fuck have you been? Jensen: Someone just said they weren’t born yet :P 

J2 finished filming 2 weeks ago. 

Jared is jetlagged but happy to be here. 

J2 threaten the fans with spoilers lol. 

Jared says this is the first time there is a confession (concession?) stand in a convention hall. 

Jared has somehow changed food into pasties and the stripping music has started. Jared’s pronunciation of pasties is cracking everyone up. 

The J2 panel has descended into nipple tassles and Jensen just did a nipple tassle.

Jared: Don’t call them fanny packs in the UK, call them bum bags! Jensen: They call it sun cream! Jensen is blown away that they call it that lol. “Why do we call it sunscreen? It’s not a screen at all.” 

Jensen to Jared: You’ve got sun cream and pasties in your bumbag!

Jensen about a bartender: Wow, he was kind of a dick to me... he was kind of a sausage roll. 

J2 agree Adam would be pissed if he finally got out of the cage. Jensen would love to have Jake back on the show, Jared thinks Adam would be pissed but relieved. Jensen: He’s messed with the Winchester’s before and look where it got him. 

Fan: What personality trait from your character is most like you? Jared: My hair. Jensen: Yeah [his hair] has a personality of its own! 

Jared reads instruction booklets. He and Sam are similar in that way of study first before doing something, likes to research. Jensen and Dean both loved baked desserts, good music, as well as just fix things however they can. Dean thinks he can fix things with a can of WD-40 and a roll of duct tape. Jensen: Do they even have WD-40 here?” 

Jared says Jensen laughs at him at times, Jensen mouths silently “A lot” lol 

Jared: Shep’s a quirky kid. Jensen: *pats hand over heart* Jared: Yeah, they’re kindred spirits, these two (Jensen and Shep) <3 

Jensen just whispered something to Jared and then he started cracking up even more. 

Jared took off his jacket. Jensen checks his watch, “Right on time.” Jared then goes for his belt. Jensen, checks watch, “Oh, a little early.”

J2 making each other laugh :) 

J2 are whispering to each other and doing full body laughs. 

Jared: I think if you’re acting properly, then you’re learning something about your character. 

Jared: Happens a lot when they read the script and notice things Sam wouldn’t do but also gives him a chance to explore and then realize after doing the scene that it makes sense. 

Jared said he doesn’t think Sam would’ve lived with Amelia. 

Jensen: Sometimes they challenge back the writers if something doesn’t make sense. He says 9 times out of 10 writers get it right/they’ll find a happy medium. 

Jensen: You get a bro hug in the next episode. He said they made it unique like a “hey, are you okay?” hug. 

J2 find little challenges in each script that they’re not sure how they’re gonna play until they shoot the scene. 

Jared: Option 3 just change the scene and don’t tell the writers lol. Jensen says sometimes they just plain change it without telling the writers. 

Jared: Jensen and I love Alex. Alex reminds him of a young Misha and messes with him lol. Favorite part of s13 for Jared was Alex, says he’s so gracious and talented and it was great having him there. Enjoyed showing him the ropes, welcoming him to the family. 

Jensen: A few months ago we actually had to stop filming because it was raining so hard! Perhaps the 2nd time in 13 years. Jared wasn’t filming and was in his trailer wondering what was taking so long lol. 

Jensen: “The physicality of what I had to do during the season finale was a challenge.” 

The snow with Ketch in the AU was not planned. Jensen says that the cast and crew making this day work (re: rain and snow) are the moments he’s most proud of. 

A fan said something and Jared didn’t understand what she said so she repeated it and apologized and Jared said “it’s okay” in the softest way.

Unlike Jared, Jensen doesn’t like to read ahead unless he has to in order to keep it all straight in his head. 

Did Jensen know what John said to Dean in 2x01 (when he whispered about him maybe having to kill Sam)? He did not. He doesn’t read far in advance script wise so he doesn’t accidentally bring something from one script to another.

Jared doesn’t think even the writers knew for sure what John said. Sort of go with the flow and see what works.

At times Jared will be reviewing a scene with him and Jensen has no clue what he’s talking about cause he hasn’t read it lmao. Kevin Parks will also sometimes come in to discuss future scenes, still not getting Jensen hasn’t read it yet and he’ll try to bullshit. 

J2 both just rubbed and twitched their noses in sync :P 

The writers are currently working out the next season from the huge cliffhanger left at the end of Season 13

JP: Sam wasn't meant to be soulless for so long and Amelia longer but writers adapted due to the level of success. 

Jared would tell his past self to “buy bitcoin.” lol

Jared “I almost lived parallel to Sam. I sort of grew up with Sam.”

Jared says if he could see a glimpse of the future he would say no, he doesn’t want to know the future. 

Jared used to have a lot of issues with the industry, wanted to get out (early seasons it sounds like) and even spoke to his lawyers about leaving the show without being sued. “I talked to my on-screen brother, Jensen” and Jensen told him “we can do this,” that they could get through it. 

Advice for past character? Jared thinks Sam (& him) had to go through what they did to get where they are. 

Jensen: “If I could talk to my season 1 self, I’d say settle in.” Jensen says he never used to settle into jobs because “I’ve never been on a show longer than a season or two.”

Jared prefers "life is long" to "life is short.” Life is short gives him anxiety. “Life is long. Be the person who you want to be. Live now how you want to look back and remember who you’ve been.” 

Jensen: “Somebody once said, people aren’t gonna remember the things you had planned, they’re gonna remember what you’ve done.”

Jared can hear an annoying blender in the background: “I hope that’s a great smoothie.”

“it’s the vapers” - Jensen when Jared shouted turn the blender off... there’s a vape convention in this building lmao.  

Jared’s favorite monster death was Lilith because of the cool build up! Jensen’s fave death was Alastair. 

Jared on mental health prejudice: “I think we’ve come a long way but I feel like there’s still a long way to go.” He feels the same about gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. 

Fan: “I came from Hungary for you guys.” Jared “I just ate so I’m not hungry.” :P 

Jared just got a semi-rimshot from Norton. Make that two!

Jared: “YES! Two rim shots.” Jensen “Stop saying that!”

Jared: Had to fly across the pond to get a rimshot...w/ innuendos lol.

Fan: Does your character leak into everyday life? Jensen: Absolutely Jared: She said leaked not licked. Jensen: I know that? Jared: Okay it’s just the accent sounded like- Jensen: Not to anyone else! 

Jensen: “I have had moments where Dean leaked....” Cracking up lol

Jensen: “one of the ways that Jared and I bridge the distance at work is, we FaceTime our kids.”

Last question: Did their kids ever want to be on the show & would they let them? Jensen: No. They FaceTime a lot but Jensen is often in bloody make-up. JJ thinks it’s disgusting & doesn’t want to work where he does.

They keep saying Uncle Jared and Uncle Jensen it's cute as hell.

Jared: A baby pic of Tom was in a scene. He also says that the kids were on set and watching daddy and Uncle Jensen creeping upstairs with flashlights and Shep grabbed Uncle Ackles’ flashlight and joined in thinking they weren’t actually playing pretend :)

Info via: Maisie, Jenn, Kelli, Sil’s livetweet list

[diaryofsecrecy]

It has been the most exhausting year of my entire life and I will be surprised if I ever top it...

Brent was having a hard time adjusting to the altitude when we 1st came out here, (July 8th 2020) But as time went on he got better as expected. Then suddenly he got worse and worse, Eventually he lost the job that he got because he was calling out so often throwing up and experiencing extreme nausea.  Because of covid, the doctors were booked for weeks (new patient) so it was just kind of a waiting game until we finally decided to just go to the ER.  They did a full blood panel and decided that he needs to see a GI doctor because everything else is normal. So, That was booked 2 weeks out and he was sent home with nausea medication for one week...

Of course we were going to try to buy or rent so I was freaking out about money and working as much as I possibly could... But then I too had to go to the emergency Room because I had extreme abdominal pain resulting in an emergency appendectomy😖

The day after my surgery, I am home, when my dad comes in with my older sister.

To my knowledge, my older sister was diagnosed paranoid schizofrantic. She has been Homeless for the last 11 years,  And on drugs.  She recently was beaten so badly that she was left with several brain injuries on top of it all, And while she was healing at the hospital somehow they didn't notice her walk out.  We were just about to get her placed somewhere safe...And they lost her.

Anyhow dad walks in with my sister who I guess called him from a coffee shop when they told her that she couldn't sleep there anymore (after a month of being missing again) Dad had to go back to work so then it was me & her for the next 2 days, As you can imagine, not the rest I needed post surgery... then, I had to go back into the hospital because something wasn't right. I was there for 3 more days, 2 days alone because ben was so sick that it was worse with him being there than me sitting by myself in pain and nausea of my own.

Fast forward a few more months, tragic accidents led to 2 separate deaths of my parents dogs. Both events I happen to be present, so get blamed & am no longer welcome at mom & dads.

(Still healing from sugury, brent still very sick)

We get an apartment, and I start working as a nanny for my aunt twice a week while working at Massage Envy the other 5 days.

At this point, I am tired. I am horney, and lonely, and Absolutely. Fucking. Miserable.

I am begging ben to keep up with drs. but he has lost hope of getting better, and I have no way of helping him when I am already worn too thin.

After 9, Long, long months, he eventually, with my consistent pushing, nagging, most likely not always kind remarks, he finds out his hormones are completely off, which I knew would be the case, his dick hadnt worked for the last 3 years properly..

Anyway. He blames his addiction medication rather than continuing dr. Appointments... he gets on testosterone with an outside company(pay out of pocket kind of subscription company...rather than checking insurance, or figuring out what causes low testosterone and fixing that first). I was working and had no influence in any of those choices that effect us both as they have for at least 2 years. He hasnt touched me for so, so, long.

Month 3 of his medication that seems to be working (only reason I know is there was a ton of porn in my google history, he had declined all advances, except the rare, 3 times he allowed a blowjob then left immediately after for the gym or literally anything else rather than make it romantic at all.)

Month 4, he forgets to make a payment at all, so now we owe $250 rather than the normal $100. His meds get sent, then FedEx loses the package all together so, he is sick and I am house sitting in a dream home, alone for 2 weeks straight that originally was going to be our getaway to focus on Us.

At this point, brent and I havnt slept in the same bed for 2 months. At first cause he says I'm mean and he wants to not be near me, but now its cause hes "more comfortable out in the living room..."

A month ago when we last had a conversation about our relationship he said he wants space and a break from me all together. I'm too much.

I am the problem..?

When trying to understand what he means, he shuts down the connvo, saying he cant talk about it anymore. It's been 30 days since we have made any verbal progress. Our fighting has stopped though, and I'll tell you why...

Rewind 1 week before house sitting;

1 week after brent and I had an awful fight where he told me we should take a break, I stay at my parents & My mom offers for me to join them at a graduation party of a kid I used to babysit.

We were sitting in the back of the dining room, out of the way, when I saw someone i slightly recognized in the hallway. Not sure from where, but he was the kind of guy that you couldnt stop looking at. He was clearly into fitness, his shirt couldnt hide the muscular features he had been perfecting either, despite him dressing nothing out of the ordinary. He had beautiful ink crawling up his leg, an artform that would only mean something to someone who is more spiritually awake. But more noticable about anything was that smile.

God that smile. His face was scruffy, as if he had been away, but regardless, the smile he had influenced his entire ora. His eyes smiled, his walk... smiled. He had some kind of thing about him that was a physical draw I had never known for myself before. Dont get me wrong, i have been woo'd by many men so far in my life, from all stages in life, but This one was just, different. He was making his way around the room, & I could hear his voice over my mom who's talking beside me. I had literally been blocked out by my ever wondering thoughts of this random stranger whom felt familiar.

Then, he was there, at our table?

He was so easy to talk to, not even sure how we started now, but all I know is I was not nervous despite my very physical attraction to him.

He spoke of traveling, and adventures hes been on. This guy had a whole other life in the military at one point and now was traveling, working for a company that sends him around the US.

This guy had Hope's and dreams and somehow we got to talking about that kind of thing at a graduation party?

When I left that day, I thought about him. Not just him specifically, but men like him. Had I chosen Brent wrongfully? Does brent even like who I am anymore, what does he want going forward in his own life? How do I even fit into that? He understands my need for adventure but his actions say that he doesnt want to come along. My mind was loopy after that because for the first real time I questioned, what if there was someone who wanted to see the world,�� Who liked my sad music, and my emotions being in everything I do? What if there was a women more interested in the simple home life, having a couple dogs and living a small, comfortable life? Are we doing one another a disservice by occupying oneanother's lives? How could I ever bring that up with Brent at all without making him feel so inadiquite after a year of terrible sickness and defeat?

Well, when I went to that big, gorgeous dream home the following week to house sit for 2 weeks... begging him to come see me, I grew weak from overthinking. I cried, I cried so much the first 3 days.

I cried from a place of such sadness, anger, bitterness, defeat, they were so strong. My mind was cloudy, drunk, stoned, tired.... I found myself writing a suicide letter.

My plan was to disappear, I knew I'd find a firearm in the home & allow someone to find my remains eventually in the hills where I'd walk far enough.

I prepared by cleaning the litterbox, laying out several bowls of water for the dog and cat, and watered all the plants heavily. I transfered brent all the money in my bank accounts, and as I waited for the sheets to come out of the dryer I balled my eyes out, reading the last conversations I had had with my family members. I thought to myself how the kids would take it, what different life choices they would make having been close with someone before their passing. At this point, I needed something, but I needed it from someone who doesnt know me in my life right now, but the me that was worth saving. The me I still recognized.

I called an old friend from 2nd grade. Hadnt talked to her in years and years, didnt known her life, her schedual, her name(which had been changed). But she talked me down. She saved my fucking life. It took a person who knew my soul years ago, to remind me I am not alone.

I dont blame my parents, or who I thought would be my future husband. I had talked with my aunt earlier that day and she couldnt see it either. I had become this fake shell of a person and it took considering an actual murder of myself to make me see that if I continued this path, I would die eventually and nobody in my life would ever see me preparing for it.

That night, I invited a complete stranger over and we fucked like rabbits. 4 times. He got to do things he'd never done before, and I begged him to. Sounds cold, sounds unapologetically disgusting that I'd do something like that, but quite frankly, I FUCKING needed it. I needed someone to see me, even if he didnt see my current life nor care about me as a person... he saw, touched, kissed, sucked and ate me up. For the first time in at least 2 years, i felt satisfaction when I walked him to the door and watched his car drive away.

It was like a sigh of relief, an inch I could not reach for the longest time, gone. Finally.

The following days, brent began putting in more effort. It has been 3 weeks and I'd say he has been kinder to me than he had in a while (probably the lack of testosterone) but also, I havnt seen much of him in general. From his point of view, it is all fine. Hes getting the space he needed, I'm being nicer since I quit massage Envy, and things are looking up....

But that is because he doesnt See Me.

My suisidal thoughts subsided after my long conversation with Scout. & that night I called my cousin as well, and learned he too had been in my shoes before. He said something that stuck with me.

If everyone has an expiration date on their life already, and we don't know when it is, you're to the point that you're life is so invaluable that youd kill yourself than flee your life and make one you want. Dont care about the people youd hurt, because suicide is just as careless as abandoning them all indefinitely.

He was so right, it put things into perspective, gave me a freedom I felt I was waiting to gain permission for.

Five days later, I noticed He had written me 5 before, on the day I had truly planned to end my current life..

He had written me at 12am, what would someone like him, a gorgeous, beefed out, big thinker, high energy, go getter be doing messaging me, a tired women who was 300lbs a year ago, (still working on getting to a normal size) and completely at a crossroads with existance.

I entertained the connvo a tad, and honestly forgot about it for a few days as I figured no way he could be serious.

He triple messaged me, and asked for my personal contact info to have real conversation?

Hesitantly, and wildly excited to even just flirt for a moment with someone who is literally everything I fantasize when I'm alone everynight....

Our conversation immediately took off. In directions I hadnt expected at all what so ever. He told me he had to admit he felt drawn to me, like he had known me in another life. That he doesnt expect me to get it, but I did. We talked about things that only my sister and I can relate to on a spirituality standard and it changed me in that instant. Suddenly i realize, I wasn't broken, I was just misunderstood. & that there are people in this world that See Me even when I am not trying. Not many, and it takes a specific Kind of person, but they do exist and when you meet them, you cant ignore it. It is as if they stain you with remembrance.

As the sexually hungry humans we are, not only did we find that morality, values, future goals coexist, but also our importance of intimacy. Not just lust and sex, well, yes that too, uff did those conversations get so, fucking, hot, but the interactions of intimacy and how they make a person whole.

I opened up to him about Brent, and where I am at in life, asking he please oversee my unfaithfulness, but that I am loyal at heart. He says with such pain in his voice how he too in a parallel position simultaneously, however, he married her 7 years ago.

Ugh.

So now I get to choose. Do I chose mortality, say no, brent and the other women deserve to understand the severity of sex, love and passion, and if they chose not to then we will leave before we act on our mutual attraction....? Or, do we say hell with it and give in to serendipity moments that our hearts crave so badly, take on the consequences and move forward. Sigh. If only there was a guideline for complicated.

Last night, as the 5 nights before, we talked for hours on the phone. His voice makes me smile every, damn, time. Perhaps because it's new and exciting, or maybe I just love to hear him go on his tangents of loving yourself despite the bad in life. I Want him. I want him when I wake, &when I go to sleep. I do not want a life without him& it saddens me to know our timing is incorrect. He asked her for a divorce a year ago, but has sat comfortably as I have despite the horror because weve both been too busy, too tired, too... afraid that life will always be lonely. Last night, he said to me, Elise, I love you. I avoided it several times but when he said it two more times, I couldnt keep it any longer to myself, Jackson, I really do Love you as well. It's scary, and faster than I'd ever say it to anyone. But I know it to be true because I Feel it. I want his love so badly. I want him to live life along side of me because with a person like him, I'd be a better me.

I am absolutely terrified. My life, my home, my family, dogs, my 5 year relationship, the unborn children brent and I have named, and the houses we'd have... all gone?

Running away with a man who says hes going to leave his wife is absolutely stupid. I'd be an idiot to think I am enough to get him through that fear of change, yet he gives me strength to want to try, so maybe I do, Him?

Ugh my brain being pulled in many ways. My heart having been in pieces so many times now doesnt know who to go to or why. I know for certain I love Brent, is this a self gratifying moment To push me back to him? Is this the devil bringing two lost people together to ruin four people at once?or is this Fate. Fate that has seen both of us individually loosing ourselves in a life we didnt want and has brought us together to lean on one another, temporarily not?

Suppose time will tell.

Last two days he has been working a ton, and told me that tomorrow he has something he needs to talk to me about.

I assume it isnt good. I assume it is the first put off of many, because, I know I want to do the same. Part of me says I should block him right now, because lust, and attraction, both mentally and physically like that couldnt make a women addicted and that's a no good addiction when he has a women in his house with his last name. 😔

[shannonparis29]

Missouri USofA Diva 2017

Missouri Diva 2017

Hi, everyone! I am back! I finally posted up the Nationals post and now I am going to discuss the 2017-2018. My prelim I did for that season. As I mentioned, this is the only story I have for this season-spoiler, I qualified but was unable to attend due to personal reasons. Anyhow, I hope whoever reads these, will help them understand me, as a performer, a diva, and more importantly, a human being. Please understand that some things are not in as detail because it was a few years ago (already). Trust me, once I am caught up to current times, there will be more to reveal. And more to see. I am also outlining a frozen fanfiction as well. I will be posting on here and on Wattpad.  Let’s begin now, shall we?

After Nationals, I started preparing for the new season. I read my critiques and started my next plan of attack.  I had not decided on what I was going to do for talent (yet). In fact, this season I wasn’t going to wait till November to compete for Texas. Texas is typically mid-season for Diva. I wanted to compete earlier than November, so when Missouri announced their prelim in early October, I knew I was competing at Missouri. Also, if something happened where I did not qualify at Missouri-I could always do Texas as a backup. My ex Levi also was going to do MI Classic and I would support him, when it came time do so.

Presentation for Missouri was “Spice Up Your Life” for Diva.  From what I was told, you were to create your own Spice Girl.  Which I did. I wore big red hair and a black dress, fully stoned-that I did myself. Jackie told me that I was a mix of Posh and Ginger.  Sara De La Hoya made my presentation hair, evening gown and jewelry, and evening gown and talent hair. For my evening gown, I finally did my “fire” themed gown and I bought shoes that I stoned myself to match. I typically buy one, two inch heels, because 1) I want to be able to walk comfortably 2)During Crowning you will be standing a while, so may as well my comfy 3)You’re not judged on how high your heels are.

For talent, I did Listen for talent by Beyoncé. Originally, I was going, to do a I am changing/I am telling you mix that my drag sister had, but I realized it didn’t suit my emotions at ALL. But when I did Listen, something happened when I performed it. It became magic. I related to the song and found something in that song. Sometimes you find what you shine in by accident, and it was a good thing. You never know when you’re next inspiration or talent would be. I wore a black and gold dress, and I added gold stones to the front of it.  And huge brown hair.

For interview, I bought a pink dress (yes pink) and pink flats and wore my hair down. It was short at the time (bob length) so I didn’t have in a bun or ponytail.

As far as travel goes, it takes about 14-15 hours to drive to Missouri. We got there in reasonable time. We left Thursday morning and got there late that night. Levi had his pageant Friday and Saturday I’d be on stage. We made a huge stop in Tulsa to pick my gown, hair, and jewelry for the pageant. The plan was to hire her for Missouri, but due to last minute bills, I was unable to have her as my makeup artist. My drag sister, Jackie (and dresser) stepped in, as she always has done.  Now, whether she can admit that she can do it or not, that’s on her, but trust me, she CAN do it. I say it all the time.

Friday Levi competed, and I didn’t attend his pageant because I wasn’t feeling well, and I had a nasty migraine. I wanted to focus on resting for my own pageant. He didn’t qualify but it’d be my turn and I knew I had a good chance to win. I had a great experience the year before, and wanted to come back.

I woke up about 10-11 am to get ready for interview. I slipped on my pink dress, flats and necklace. I was feeling good, excited, ready to win.

Even Jackie said to me,

“You seem a lot more confident and comfortable. Let’s hope that it translates to the judges.”

I had a feeling I was going to qualify. As I said before, you just know when it’s going to happen. You feel it. And when you feel it, it happens. I was ready for this and the contestants were,

Karma Marie Lee (last year’s runner up), Eva Nichole Destruction Gladiatior  (she competed last year),  Kymber Koi, and me. I drew contestant number two out of four. Karma and I were leading off the pageant. I have never liked being the “first up” but I’d deal with it. I’ve consistently drawn the end of the middle of the pageant. I’ve only be contestant number one once, and that is much later on.

After interview started, I was pleasantly surprised that I knew pretty much my entire panel, except for two local entertainers. I was very friendly and energetic and said,

Literally the dorkiest thing I’ve ever done in a pageant. In fact, I don’t think anyone deducted me for that AT all. But I shook everyone’s hand and greeted almost everyone by name.

Where in the Texas pageant hell did that come from?

Another thing I noticed was I was the only who wore a brighter color. I wore pink-everyone else wore black or darker colors. I’ve learned that while yes, you need to wear professional clothing, it’s not all about what you wear, but how you wear it. So, wearing pink or wearing a dress (and flats) was far more comfortable and natural for me.  One of the questions they asked me, was “Why Missouri? When Texas is next month?”

I answered honestly and sincerely,

“Because last year I had a great experience competing here and everyone made me feel welcome, being from another state. And Tawny is a great promoter.”

And yes, none of that was ass-kissing by the way. I actually did think that because I had no negative about Missouri. Period. I liked it there.

Another question they asked me was,

“How have you changed since last year?”

“Well, first of all, I feel like I am a bit more together than last year. More things have fallen into place for me. Second, last year, I think, I was trying to too hard to be what I thought a pageant girl was supposed to be. And that was not right. I needed to be more myself.”

Shocker. Huh. Me being sincere in a interview without it sounding fake or forced? I wasn’t giving the “proper answers” I was giving my own.

Another question that was asked, was,

“You used to be famous on Youtube and you performed at show and it got shut down. Why do pageants, then?”

Dear God…that again. I honestly didn’t want to talk about it. But I knew how I’d respond.

“Well,” I began, “When I did all that, I didn’t know how to do drag, do makeup, and dress appropriately. While yes, it was brave, etc, I was younger, in college and didn’t know any better. Now I know how to dress, do makeup, and perform other things. And that is not who I am on stage anymore. I can do other things, too.”

I don’t remember much else of the interview, but that’s most of it. Before I knew it, my seven minutes were up and Seduction whispered to me,

“That was awesome. Really amazing for you.”

I walked out of that interview, jumping up for joy. Like I never thought I’d nail interview.

Jackie seemed surprised. And she asked,

“How’d you do?”

“I think I won Interview.”

After interview, they had food for us. Southern cooking…. yum yum. I ate a bit then we headed back to the hotel where I had to get ready.

We packed up and dressed for the pageant. I had to be there at 8 pm and Levi made sure we were on time.  He is the time police when it comes to that. But I hate being late, too.

My first category was presentation and I looked good. Or I least thought I did. I said to myself,

“Let’s get this show on the road!”

I walked out there, smiled, did my pose and went backstage to get into evening wear. Gown was pretty uneventful, and everyone seemed to have some creative elements on their gowns. It was going to be tight in this category.

Finally, it was talent time. Karma did her talent from last year-her “I wanna be a rockette/look at my body/get on up” talent. It’s extremely funny when she does it. There’s a reason she made top 12 in 2017. I came out and did Listen and it was emotionally charged, my hair was huge and I felt like a Texas drag queen. I came to win. A few people said, I’ve should have done Adele dressed the way I did, but I truthfully do not like performing Adele. I honestly don’t relate to her music that much. Why would I perform something that I’m not into? Come on now. Just because I look like someone or have that look, does not mean I HAVE to do it the WAY they did it. All performers interpret music differently. One person could do Listen completely different than the way I did it. I don’t limit myself based on appearance. Nope. I do what I want to do and feel.  That’s the difference and probably why I perform well when I am completely emoting what I performing.

Then it was time for the results. They did categories first.

“Winner of Interview….Shannon Paris.”

I won interview? I was shocked, but I knew deep down that I had.  I won a category at state level. I won the category I struggled in all season last year. Wow.”

Karma won Evening Wear and Talent. And then they announced the placements,

“Our first alternate, Shannon Paris from Texas!”

I placed. I got first alternate. I qualified on my first try…..yessss…so much emotion.

Karma ended up being the winner and I, of course congratulated her.

It was a pretty quiet trip home and I started to get ready for Nationals.

 Scores 56 Interview (out of 60), Gown 51 (out of 60) , Talent 104 (out of 120)

[twentyghosts]

Mean Girls @ National Theater 11/11/17, 8pm

Hello! I saw Mean Girls the Musical (currently in pre-Broadway tryout at the National Theater in DC) last weekend! A bunch of people asked me how it was, and I had more than a few tweets worth of stuff to say, so I figured I'd dust off the ol' Tumblr. (I actually tried to write this up on my phone on the way back from DC, but the Tumblr app ate that draft and now it's gone. TUMBLR IS A FUGLY SLUT DO NOT TRUST HER!!!)

Anyway, a few disclaimers before I begin:

I'm not like, a theater critic, and I didn't take any notes, and Tumblr already ate my freshest draft, so these are just like, casual memories/observations as a fan of musical theater and Mean Girls the movie, not an expert professional review.

Mean Girls the Musical is a little #problematic in basically the same way that Mean Girls the Movie is (and uhh basically the same way that everything Tina Fey touches is--some culturally insensitive "hipster racism", some "satirical" fat-shaming, etc). For me personally, my love of the movie is able to overcome the wince-worthy moments, so I'm mostly just going to broadly acknowledge that it's a #problematicfave here at the top and move on. If you're looking for an in-depth breakdown of Mean Girls I'm sure you can find that elsewhere on the internet, but that's not my main endeavor here.

This review will contain spoilers, I guess? The plot of the musical is largely the same as that of the movie, but it did make some changes, and I want to talk about those changes! So if you're planning to see it and want to be surprised, move on. (Or, uhhh I guess if you haven't seen the 2004 movie but don't want to be spoiled for that either….)

OK, I've disclaimed! Let's dig in!

I thought the set design was really smart! It's mostly a set of plain white panels that have projections on them (lockers, mall kiosks, etc). Pre-show they're projected with snippets from the Burn Book, which include hints that the musical is more social media-inclusive than the movie (stuff like "___has 0 followers" etc), although they're still handwritten notes.

There's also a lot of great desk/cafeteria table choreography during the school scenes.

The cast is all great! Super talented, great voices, great comic timing. The youths are mostly unknown to me, though Regina George is played by Taylor Louderman, aka Campbell from Bring it On the musical. Also, Gretchen is played by Ashley Park, an Asian-American actress, so...at least currently, the musical has one fewer white character than the movie. (Every other main character is white, unless you count Mr. Duvall and Kevin Gnapoor.) And Mrs. Heron/Mrs. George/Ms. Norbury are all played by KERRY BUTLER whaaat! I saw her name on the lobby card and freaked out about it; my friend who I went with was like "who?" OK whatever, I guess she's just Broadway famous, not regular famous, but for the record: omg Kerry Butler.

The first act felt a little long and I wouldn't be surprised if a song or two gets cut before the move to Broadway, although I'm not sure which ones? Like…"I Can Be," which is Karen's sexy Halloween song, doesn't contribute anything to the plot but it was SO FUNNY, I hope it stays. Gretchen's solo fretting about her role in the plastics, "What's Wrong With me?" is a good song and all but felt like it came a little early in the show.

One thing the creative team is definitely fully aware of is: which lines/moments from the movie are so iconic that they will require an immediate applause break ("too gay to function," "so fetch," "you go Glen Coco," etc etc etc), and those moments were spaced out at pretty good intervals I thought. For me, it never bogged down the show (the way the later Sharknado movies do, for example). But then, I love and frequently quote Mean Girls the movie. If someone went to see this musical without having seen the movie (why), I imagine they would be like……………..what's happening.

Janis and Damien serve as the narrators, which is a good choice but it minimizes the amount that they interact with Cady. it felt like the creative team was like, "OK, people already like Janis and Damien, so let's move on to really trying to humanize the Plastics!" Which, I get, and it kind of worked, except it came at the expense of Janis and Damien, to the point where it was hard to buy that Cady was even friends with them in the first place. Even as I'm saying that Act I was too long, I wish for at least one more scene of Cady, Janis, and Damien actually being friends?

Also, Kerry Butler and her wigs completely nailed all the mannerisms of the 3 adult women she plays, but she barely sings. She has a duet (as Mrs. George) with Regina called "Stay with Mother" that was a really sweet moment and again, served to humanize Regina and her "cool mom," which I liked. And I get that the GIRLS are the point of Mean Girls and the adults don't have a huge role in things...but also why did you cast Kerry Butler if she's not going to sing more? I'm surprised Ms. Norbury didn't have a song (or even part of one).

The musical also pads out Aaron Samuels' character a little bit more--his backstory is he's being raised by a single mom who lied about their address on school paperwork so he could go to a school in a better district. (This detail gets added to the Burn Book and means that he gets kicked out of school after the Burn Book is unleashed.) It's...fine? The thing about Aaron in the movie is that he's basically a sexy lamp, which I kind of like--it's so much a story about the dynamics between the girls and Aaron is just a status symbol, like, you know...the hot girl in most other high school movies. BUT SURE FINE GIVE HIM A BACKSTORY WHATEVER

The change that I felt most negatively about is that, in the musical, Regina's downfall at the talent show comes a little differently than it did in the movie (where, if you'll recall, after her confusing last-minute choreography change, Gretchen kicked the CD player). Here, her Santa skirt busts open (because she's ~too fat~ from eating Kalteen bars) and embarrassing pics of her fat butt [in sexy underwear] on stage go viral. (Which, you know, would have been hard to do in pre-smart phone 2004). It made me feel much more sympathetic for Regina, which I don't think was the point.

Obviously making Regina gain weight was a big plot point of original Mean Girls, and as previously noted, it's...not great. BUT in the movie it felt more excusable given that Regina was mean to others about their weight, and it also--with the scene at the 1 3 5 store etc--felt a little more like it was going for some slight social commentary, whereas in the musical it comes across a little more like "ew fat people are gross", especially since the butt pic is splashed all over all the background screens on set. (As in the movie--Regina is not even "fat" but I think they padded her butt for this scene? Anyway it's uncomfortable.)

This might be splitting hairs but idk, that specific plot point just seemed, well, um, meaner, and it's never quite...addressed. I'm not even sure what I wish they would have said about it, but they definitely didn't. (I mean, again, I know it's Mean Girls.)

I did like that the musical put more emphasis on Cady's love of math and how shitty it is that acting dumb works as a technique--I really liked that Ms. Norbury invited Aaron to the Mathletes finals so he could see Cady in action and explicitly told Cady that she needed to not diminish herself for a guy. (Which I know that's brushed upon in the movie, but there he doesn't actually go to the Mathletes event and it was a cute moment in the musical.)

Another change that I guess I like is that Kevin Gnapoor ends up with Gretchen, instead of Janis. It's sort of humanizing for Gretchen, and it leaves Janis's sexuality a little more up in the air? (In the movie it kind of comes across like she gets with Kevin just to prove that she's not a lesbian; in the musical Regina still calls her a "dyke"  in the Burn Book which seems like...less of an attack than it was in 2004? Like...I think there's some more that could be unpacked with queer female sexuality being weaponized in this way, and the difference between outing someone against their will vs just calling someone queer as an insult. So...it's not totally clear what the deal is with Janis's sexuality but I think it would be cool if in the musical she just actually was a queer character who was mad about having been outed before she was ready.) Anyway I'm not sure I've said anything coherent here but the POINT is, Kevin/Gretchen. Sure.

Overall I liked all the songs, and there's a good blend of ballads and big songs with desk choreography. Whenever I try to remember how any individual song sounded all my brain will deliver to me is "Good for You" from Dear Evan Hansen though. (I don't have a great ear for music so this isn't necessarily an indictment of Mean Girls the Musical.) Gosh now this is like trying to not think of an elephant, all I can think about is Dear Evan Hansen. I haven't even listened to it in awhile. Umm I do remember that some of the song have some, like, Ladysmith Black Mambazo-type African flavor? Sorry I don't know music words but I bet you know what I mean. (Also PS the event in Madison that Cady skips has been changed from Ladysmith Black Mambazo to GARRISON KEILLOR which is a real downgrade.)

The musical ends shortly after the Spring Fling (where Cady arrives straight from Mathletes, wins spring fling queen, breaks up the crown, etc) and there's a big finale called "You Can Sit With Us". I did somewhat miss the movie's epilogue where we see how the former Plastics have learned to channel their gifts ("There's a 30% chance it's already raining") and the Junior Plastics appear? It also felt a little bit pat considering the kind of edge the movie/musical have in tone? But whatever it's a nice sentiment and a fun song.

Anyway! Those, I guess, are my rambling thoughts about Mean Girls the Musical! If you have any specific questions feel free to ask me and I'll see if I remember the answer!

TLDR:

Does Mean Girls the Musical need to exist? No! (But it'll be great for high schools to put on in a few years!)

If someone didn't like Mean Girls the movie, would they like Mean Girls the musical anyway?

No!

Did you personally have a grool time watching Mean Girls the Musical?

Yes!

[pizzabass8-blog]

36 Hours in Rome Italy

36 Hours in Rome Italy - what to see, where to eat and where to stay. The Colosseum, Vatican City, St Peter's Basilica, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. PLUS where to find the best pizza in Rome and the most luxurious hotel in the city!! #Italy #Rome #travel #europe

CLICK FOR FULL POST--> https://www.plainchicken.com/2018/09/36-hours-in-rome-italy.html

We just got back from the trip of a lifetime to Italy. It was AMAZING! We did a tour with Adventures by Disney. It wasn't a sponsored trip. We paid for the trip, and it was worth every single penny! We stayed in the nicest hotels, had incredible VIP tours, amazing food and Disney handled all our transfers and luggage the whole time we were in Italy. It was great to be pampered on vacation!

We spent 8 days and 7 nights in Italy. We visited Rome, Orvieto, Tuscany, Florence and Venice. We loved every place we visited. I took over 2900 photos! OMG!!! I had the hardest time picking the photos for all the posts. I did my best to pick a few that give you the best views of our trip.

Today I am sharing all about Rome. We hit all the highlights and had a VIP tour of the Colosseum, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. You don't want to miss the pictures from the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. We were the only people in the building! They usually don't allow photos inside the Sistine Chapel, but the security guards gave us a few minutes to snaps some pictures. The pictures are incredible!!!

I also included where we ate and where we stayed. The hotel was super fancy and we dined in one of Anthony Bordain's recommendations! 

Don't forget to follow us on INSTAGRAM for more travel photos!!

Colosseum

We arrived in Rome and headed straight to the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete.

 It is the largest amphitheatre ever built. 

Construction on The Colosseum began in 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD.

We had a VIP tour that allowed us to walk in on the main stage.

The same way the gladiators would have walked in back in the day.

It was really cool to see the ruins in the middle of the amphitheater.

During Roman times, there was a wooden stage that covered these ruins.

The lower level consisted of a two-level underground network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. 

It is estimated that the Colosseum could hold between 50,000 to 80,000 people.

 Vatican City

Our only full-day in Rome started bright and early in Vatican City.

We got to Vatican City around 8:30 and there were no crowds yet!!!

This is the window that The Pope speaks from in the Vatican.

After you go through security, look to the right.

You will see this open door with a Swiss Guard guarding the entrance.

BEAUTIFUL!!!

This chimney is on top of the Sistine Chapel.

This is where the white or black smoke comes out when the Cardinals vote on a new Pope.

St. Peter's Basilica 

The inside of St. Peter's Basilica is breathtaking.

The church was built between 1506 and 1626.

The Baldacchino stands over 94 feet tall and is made out of bronze.

Michelangelo designed the dome.

He died before its completion.

The dome was brought to completion by Giacomo della Porta and Fontana.

The Pietà by Michelangelo depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. 

Michelangelo carved the sculpture out of marble between 1498–1499.

It is 68.5 in × 76.8 in.

Don't miss the unicorn in the archway!

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are a set of 135 steps in Rome. They were opened in 1725.

The steps climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the bottom and Piazza Trinità dei Monti at the top. 

At the top of the stairs stands the Trinità dei Monti church.

 Trevi Fountain

The Trevi fountain was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini. It was finished in 1762.

It is 86-feet high and 161.3-feet wide.

Make sure to throw a coin into the fountain!!

Throwing of a coin from the right hand over the left shoulder will ensure that you will return to Rome in the future. 

Pantheon

The Pantheon is  is a former Roman temple that is now used as a church.

It was completed in 126 AD.

The Pantheon's dome is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.

The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is a square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian. 

It was defined as a public space in the last years of 15th century.

The Fountain of the four Rivers with Egyptian obelisk is in the middle of Piazza Navona.

Vatican Museum

Our tour included an after-hours tour of The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.

We were the ONLY people in the whole building!!!

The Vatican Museum displays works from the immense art collection amassed by Popes throughout the centuries. It includes several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. 

The museum contain roughly 70,000 works, of which 20,000 are on display, and currently employs 640 people.

The Gallery of Maps was the highlight of the whole tour for me.

It contained a series of painted topographical maps of Italy based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti.

The gallery was commissioned in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII as part of other artistic works commissioned by the Pope to decorate the Vatican. 

It took Danti three years (1580–1583) to complete the 40 panels of the 394-foot long gallery.

This is the ceiling.

This is the work of a group of Mannerist artists including Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano.

When leaving the museum - don't miss the beauty of the spiral staircase.

And don't forget to look up after you have made your way to the bottom!

 Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel was my favorite thing in all of Rome.

It was the most amazing, most impressive work of art I've ever seen.

The Chapel is currently the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. 

Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508 to repaint the ceiling of the Chapel. 

The work was completed between 1508 and 2 November 1512. 

Michelangelo did not want to paint the Chapel. He felt he was more of a sculptor than a painter.

The most iconic painting in the ceiling is The Creation of Adam.

The Last Judgment is painted on the wall behind the alter.

Michelangelo painted it between 1535 and 1541, on commission from Pope Paul III Farnese.

This was 25 years after he completed the ceiling. He was almost 67 years old when he completed this masterpiece.

Just a little tidbit about Michelangelo painting the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel - contrary to popular belief, he did not lie on this scaffolding while he painted. He painted the whole Chapel from a standing position.

I could have stayed inside the Chapel for hours and admired all the paintings.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have the place all to ourselves.

Where We Ate

Our first meal in Italy was at Il Miraggio.

It was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

We split a pizza.

SO good!

We also split an order of Cacio e Pepe - cheese & pepper pasta.

Seriously delicious!!!

It was a great start to the trip!!

Il Miraggio

Via della Lungara 16, Rome, Italy

Phone: +39 06 687 5319

We stopped for gelato near the Trevi Fountain.

I got chocolate chip & caramel. YUM!!!!

It was the perfect way to beat the sweltering heat in Italy!

Gelateria Valentino

Via del Lavatore, 96, 00187 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 678 3219

Our tour stopped for lunch in Rome at Da Francesco.

We got to sample four pizzas.

The traditional margherita pizza - crushed tomatoes and mozzarella.

Next up was a prosciutto pizza.

Third was a spicy salami pizza (think pepperoni).

The last pizza was a four cheese pizza.

It didn't have any sauce. It wasn't my favorite because of the gorgonzola on top, but I'm glad I tried it.

We finished the meal off with a slice of tiramisu!!!

YUM!

Da Francesco

 Piazza del Fico, 29, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 686 4009

Dinner was on our own on our last night in Rome.

Our wonderful tour guide, Marco V, recommended Trattoria Sora Lella.

I looked it up and found out that it was recommended by Anthony Bordain. 

I had Marco make us a reservation!!!

We bought the bread basket. Bread is not Italy's specialty. Skip it!! LOL!

Chicken Legs started with the Caprese Salad.

The tomatoes in Italy are the best in the world! This was amazing.

We shared an order of the meatballs and they were incredible!

Chicken Legs got the Veal Saltimbocca for his entree.

He loved it!

I got the Carbonara. 

It was to-die-for. I wanted to lick the bowl.

The crispy bacon - OMG! YUM!

We had to get dessert because we were in Italy on vacation.

Chicken Legs got a ricotta pistachio dessert.

I went for the cheese cake with sour cherries.

This wasn't like NY style cheesecake. It had a cake like crust. It was good.

I HIGHLY recommend Trattoria Sora Lella when you are in Rome!

Trattoria Sora Lella

https://www.trattoriasoralella.it

Via di Ponte Quattro capi, 16, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 686 1601

 Where We Stayed

We spent two nights at the Hotel Gran Meliá Rome.

It was located near Vatican City.

The rooms were spacious and the bed was pretty comfortable.

The bathroom was nice. 

Small for American standards, but pretty nice for Europe!

Gran Meliá Rome

https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/italy/rome/gran-melia-rome/index.html

Address: Via del Gianicolo, 3, 00165 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 800 788 333

Next week I will tell you all about the next city our our tour, Orvieto!

Source: https://www.plainchicken.com/2018/09/36-hours-in-rome-italy.html

[canaryatlaw]

okay it’s midnight and I should get writing because I can’t sleep in all day tomorrow which would afford me the ability to stay up later (that sentence was horribly phrased but I’m too lazy to fix it so oh well). today was pretty great! some stuff not ideal but overall still pretty good. I woke up to my alarm at 9 and got dressed and got prepared for our first quest of the day, which was trying to get yet another pair of concert tickets for a KPop band Jess wants to see. This was one she cares slightly less about so we weren’t under quite as much pressure to get the good seats, we were just aiming for the cheap ones. So I put our usual breakfast order in on ubereats and it arrived shortly after she did at around 9:30, the tickets went on sale at 10. Since we’ve had not great experiences trying to get tickets up to this point we wanted to try to maximize our chances of getting them by using multiple accounts (which is probably cheating but tbh idgaf I’m sure the ticket scalpers are doing much worse with many more tickets) so I had my main one up in my main browser and then the one attached to my old email up in another one (it was funny, I logged onto it and it was under the name “Ann”- my mom’s name- and the credit cards stored on it expired in like, 2012 😂) and then Jess had hers up on the chromebook. Unlike the other ones thus far this one wasn’t doing the thing where they had a virtual queue form 10 minutes beforehand, so it was just whenever they decided to let you in. The lack of a virtual queue was objectively a good thing because it meant there weren’t as many people trying to get tickets, but it also meant it was just totally random with everyone who was there at that minute. But thankfully we got in after not too long and Jess was able to snag two tickets before anyone else clicked on them (because it does this really annoying thing where the page with refresh with the available tickets and you’ll click two but when you try to go forward it says somebody else already got them and then refreshes your page and it’s a pain in the ass) and after some slight panic over getting the right credit card the tickets were ours for the least amount of money, so we were pleased with that result. May is gonna be crazy, as it stands we have at least 2 concerts (well 3 for Jess being that she’s going to BTS twice) in the same week and are very likely going to end up with another when the Monsta X tickets go on sale on Friday (and of course for them we’re trying for Chicago and New York, so it might involve a NY trip as well). so that’s gonna be a lot, but nothing we’re not used to haha at this point I think we thrive in chaos. So once we had that taken care of we grabbed our things and headed out to Jess’ car. In case I forgot to mention this up to this point we were cosplaying as Ariel and Snow White in their pajama outfits from Wreck It Ralph 2 which is 100% a lazy cosplay but I really give zero fucks because it was comfy and easy. So we drove down to the convention center, this isn’t in the one that most of the Chicago cons are in out by the airport (northwest of downtown in the top corner of the city) but rather C2E2 is in the convention center that’s adjacent to the loop that happened to be the place that they used for my law school graduation and bar swearing in, so I’ve had some very different experiences in this building, lol. I did my make up in the car and was fairly pleased with how it turned out. Once we got there there was some confusion about parking, we were originally planning on parking in one of their lots that’s right connected to the place so we didn’t have to walk in the cold (we were leaving our jackets in the car so we didn’t have to carry them all day; I was in shorts but was wearing my extra thick ice skating tights underneath them so it wasn’t terrible) but that didn’t end up happening so we had to walk in the cold a little bit but we managed. Later in the day Jess mentioned that apparently all of their parking had filled up and there were people with tickets who couldn’t get in because they didn’t have anywhere to park, so the con probably oversold their tickets in that sense. So we got in fairly easily, it was already opened at this point since we were doing the tickets that delayed our arrival a bit. So we start walking the show floor a bit and then decide we should check out artist’s alley first, but try not to buy anything on our first walk through, just consider stuff. the issue of course is that artist’s alley is generally full of great art, but I have literally no room on my wall for anything haha and I still have to hang up my 3 photo ops from London (though they are only 6x9′s instead of the standard 8x10′s so hopefully that will make it easier) and my Matt Ryan one from Cleveland. so I could really only consider very small things, lol. but there was a lot of cool stuff, always a pretty great assortment of different art styles and subject matters. I spotted a few things I may come back and get tomorrow, we will see. I really wanted to see if they had any art from The Cursed Child but I didn’t see anything, besides one drawing that I’m pretty sure was supposed to be Draco but could conceivably be Scorpius from the way he was drawn (but he was with drawings of the original trio so probably not). still a cool drawing though. so that took a while, though definitely less time than it did last year. So after that we went in search of anybody we might know that was there but didn’t see anybody, so we started wandering the show floor. Now, in terms of not needing to buy anything, this was even worse because the solid majority of it is clothing, and we both already own way too much clothing, especially comics related lol. so we made our way through most of everything, some cool stuff, not managed to refrain from buying anything up till that point. We had checked the schedule for panels at one of the smaller stages (their main stage panels are super crowded and there wasn’t anyone we cared that much about) and Colin Donnell (aka Tommy from Arrow) was doing one at 1:30 and it was like 12:50 at this point, so we went over to the little row of food vendors they had and managed to get some decent food for lunch that we sat and ate before returning to the panel stage and managing to find seats right before it started. It was pretty entertaining, he is very pretty in person, though that’s probably not a shock to many. He talked about Arrow of course but also about Chicago Med being that that’s his current show and it is after all filmed and set in Chicago. He also talked about his background doing Broadway which I wasn’t aware of so that was cool to hear about. one of the questions they asked him was like “if you’re on jeopardy, what category would you want the final jeopardy question to be from?” and I was like “musical theatre trivia” (answering somewhat for myself but also for him) and right after I said that he was like “broadway trivia” haha so I felt validated, that is definitely what I would choose given that question. So that lasted about half an hour and was pretty fun. After that we went back to wander the rest of the show floor that we hadn’t made it to yet, most notably a few KPop/Anime/etc. themed booths that were wild, Jess ended up getting into a conversation with these like high school girls about going to BTS and they were like, unironically fans of them when Jess is only a very ironic fan, and they were like “oh who do you stan??” and then the girl said she stans the one guy Jess hates and I busted up laughing at all of it, I couldn’t stop myself, it was truly hilarious. they were talking about the concert and what nights they were going and the girls were like “oh yeah Sunday’s gonna be tough you know because it’s a school night!” and I just fucking died because they’re clearly like 15. So that was very amusing. Jess ended up convincing me I needed one of the hats they sold at that booth, they were the snapback style with the big plastic letters attached across the top which said “THICC” in pink and I got it for the pure reason to wear to ClexaCon next month and it’s gonna be great, I of course put it on as soon as I bought it too. We then went upstairs to where they host the main stage panels just to check it out, there were a lot of people in very long lines, and I was glad I wasn’t in one of them. So we hung out up there for a while just to chill out a bit. We ended up heading back downstairs to see if we could locate an internet friend who’s working the con but we weren’t able to find her today (probably will see her tomorrow) and ended up finally seeing some people we knew, so we sat with them for a while until they ended up heading out, and after that we did a little more wandering before deciding to call it a day, it was a little earlier than we’d normally leave but Jess was feeling kinda crappy and there wasn’t really anything else we were dying to do so it made sense to just go home. Drove back and got dropped off, I changed into comfortable clothing and didn’t really have anything I needed to take care of so I ended up sitting on the couch and watching the last four episodes of season 5 of The Americans, stopping somewhere in there to make two eggs for dinner (which was a bad plan, I go through weird phases with food and I had convinced myself that I was fine eating eggs but I really wasn’t), and then before the last episode to shower before returning to finish it. This season happened to have a fairly brutal finale, in my opinion at least- trigger warning here for self-harm/suicide. So the plot was basically that they had befriended this family that had just defected from the Soviet Union and for some mildly important reason they wanted at least the wife and their son to go back, so one of the methods they employ is using their fake spy son (not their actual child) who had originally befriended him make things at school really bad for their son to the point where he would be so miserable that his mother would want to return to Russia with him. Well, it didn’t look like it was working, and their fake son ended up advising his friend to “slit his wrists” in order to get his parents attention enough for them to take him back, and the spy apparently “showed him” how to do it without hitting an artery, and the spy is calmly recounting this to his fake parents, saying he was going to do it at 7 pm that night, right when his parents were supposed to get home. Of course their majorly alarmed but were split on what to do because they didn’t want to compromise the mission, but the dad ends up storming out of their fake home and walking to their friend’s home and are trying to get in when his parents arrive, and so they get into the house and sent the spy son up to the other son’s room, and a second later you hear him yelling for help, so they storm upstairs to find the boy unconscious on his bed with blood all over his arms and bed. And I mean, I knew going into this episode I would probably see this (they left the previous episode at a cliffhanger about them intervening) but I really was not prepared for that image. And then of course his parents start freaking out and his mother is just next to him sobbing while everyone is scrambling to call 911 and try to bind his wounds the best they can until the paramedics get there and like.....the whole thing just made me so mad. To be fair, the main characters were very alarmed that this was used as a tactic and think their fake kid way overstepped in doing telling him to do this, but the whole idea of basically risking sacrificing the life of a child for a part of your mission that was not even very critically important meanwhile you go home to your own children.....like how as a parent could you ever live with yourself?? And I mean, I know these are spies that regularly just shoot people, some innocent some not, but like, interfering in this boy’s life to make him absolutely miserable and it culminating in something as horrible as this really just pissed me tf off. and I mean that’s for obvious reasons, this is an intersection of two issues I care deeply about, mental health advocacy and the wellbeing of children. So that whole storyline left me pretty angry. And I mean I know, it’s fiction, this didn’t actually happen, but just to see the callousness to the life of a child portrayed like that was really disturbing to witness. But I finished the episode and then turned the tv off for the night and started getting ready for bed, and shortly after I started writing this and now I am here. It’s almost 1 am and I have an 8:30 alarm set, so I think it is time for me to go to bed. Goodnight babes. Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

[greecechef4-blog]

36 Hours in Rome Italy

36 Hours in Rome Italy - what to see, where to eat and where to stay. The Colosseum, Vatican City, St Peter's Basilica, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. PLUS where to find the best pizza in Rome and the most luxurious hotel in the city!! #Italy #Rome #travel #europe

CLICK FOR FULL POST--> https://www.plainchicken.com/2018/09/36-hours-in-rome-italy.html

We just got back from the trip of a lifetime to Italy. It was AMAZING! We did a tour with Adventures by Disney. It wasn't a sponsored trip. We paid for the trip, and it was worth every single penny! We stayed in the nicest hotels, had incredible VIP tours, amazing food and Disney handled all our transfers and luggage the whole time we were in Italy. It was great to be pampered on vacation!

We spent 8 days and 7 nights in Italy. We visited Rome, Orvieto, Tuscany, Florence and Venice. We loved every place we visited. I took over 2900 photos! OMG!!! I had the hardest time picking the photos for all the posts. I did my best to pick a few that give you the best views of our trip.

Today I am sharing all about Rome. We hit all the highlights and had a VIP tour of the Colosseum, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. You don't want to miss the pictures from the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. We were the only people in the building! They usually don't allow photos inside the Sistine Chapel, but the security guards gave us a few minutes to snaps some pictures. The pictures are incredible!!!

I also included where we ate and where we stayed. The hotel was super fancy and we dined in one of Anthony Bordain's recommendations! 

Don't forget to follow us on INSTAGRAM for more travel photos!!

Colosseum

We arrived in Rome and headed straight to the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is built of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete.

 It is the largest amphitheatre ever built. 

Construction on The Colosseum began in 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD.

We had a VIP tour that allowed us to walk in on the main stage.

The same way the gladiators would have walked in back in the day.

It was really cool to see the ruins in the middle of the amphitheater.

During Roman times, there was a wooden stage that covered these ruins.

The lower level consisted of a two-level underground network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. 

It is estimated that the Colosseum could hold between 50,000 to 80,000 people.

 Vatican City

Our only full-day in Rome started bright and early in Vatican City.

We got to Vatican City around 8:30 and there were no crowds yet!!!

This is the window that The Pope speaks from in the Vatican.

After you go through security, look to the right.

You will see this open door with a Swiss Guard guarding the entrance.

BEAUTIFUL!!!

This chimney is on top of the Sistine Chapel.

This is where the white or black smoke comes out when the Cardinals vote on a new Pope.

St. Peter's Basilica 

The inside of St. Peter's Basilica is breathtaking.

The church was built between 1506 and 1626.

The Baldacchino stands over 94 feet tall and is made out of bronze.

Michelangelo designed the dome.

He died before its completion.

The dome was brought to completion by Giacomo della Porta and Fontana.

The Pietà by Michelangelo depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. 

Michelangelo carved the sculpture out of marble between 1498–1499.

It is 68.5 in × 76.8 in.

Don't miss the unicorn in the archway!

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are a set of 135 steps in Rome. They were opened in 1725.

The steps climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the bottom and Piazza Trinità dei Monti at the top. 

At the top of the stairs stands the Trinità dei Monti church.

 Trevi Fountain

The Trevi fountain was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini. It was finished in 1762.

It is 86-feet high and 161.3-feet wide.

Make sure to throw a coin into the fountain!!

Throwing of a coin from the right hand over the left shoulder will ensure that you will return to Rome in the future. 

Pantheon

The Pantheon is  is a former Roman temple that is now used as a church.

It was completed in 126 AD.

The Pantheon's dome is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.

The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is a square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian. 

It was defined as a public space in the last years of 15th century.

The Fountain of the four Rivers with Egyptian obelisk is in the middle of Piazza Navona.

Vatican Museum

Our tour included an after-hours tour of The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.

We were the ONLY people in the whole building!!!

The Vatican Museum displays works from the immense art collection amassed by Popes throughout the centuries. It includes several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. 

The museum contain roughly 70,000 works, of which 20,000 are on display, and currently employs 640 people.

The Gallery of Maps was the highlight of the whole tour for me.

It contained a series of painted topographical maps of Italy based on drawings by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti.

The gallery was commissioned in 1580 by Pope Gregory XIII as part of other artistic works commissioned by the Pope to decorate the Vatican. 

It took Danti three years (1580–1583) to complete the 40 panels of the 394-foot long gallery.

This is the ceiling.

This is the work of a group of Mannerist artists including Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano.

When leaving the museum - don't miss the beauty of the spiral staircase.

And don't forget to look up after you have made your way to the bottom!

 Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel was my favorite thing in all of Rome.

It was the most amazing, most impressive work of art I've ever seen.

The Chapel is currently the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. 

Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1508 to repaint the ceiling of the Chapel. 

The work was completed between 1508 and 2 November 1512. 

Michelangelo did not want to paint the Chapel. He felt he was more of a sculptor than a painter.

The most iconic painting in the ceiling is The Creation of Adam.

The Last Judgment is painted on the wall behind the alter.

Michelangelo painted it between 1535 and 1541, on commission from Pope Paul III Farnese.

This was 25 years after he completed the ceiling. He was almost 67 years old when he completed this masterpiece.

Just a little tidbit about Michelangelo painting the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel - contrary to popular belief, he did not lie on this scaffolding while he painted. He painted the whole Chapel from a standing position.

I could have stayed inside the Chapel for hours and admired all the paintings.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have the place all to ourselves.

Where We Ate

Our first meal in Italy was at Il Miraggio.

It was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

We split a pizza.

SO good!

We also split an order of Cacio e Pepe - cheese & pepper pasta.

Seriously delicious!!!

It was a great start to the trip!!

Il Miraggio

Via della Lungara 16, Rome, Italy

Phone: +39 06 687 5319

We stopped for gelato near the Trevi Fountain.

I got chocolate chip & caramel. YUM!!!!

It was the perfect way to beat the sweltering heat in Italy!

Gelateria Valentino

Via del Lavatore, 96, 00187 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 678 3219

Our tour stopped for lunch in Rome at Da Francesco.

We got to sample four pizzas.

The traditional margherita pizza - crushed tomatoes and mozzarella.

Next up was a prosciutto pizza.

Third was a spicy salami pizza (think pepperoni).

The last pizza was a four cheese pizza.

It didn't have any sauce. It wasn't my favorite because of the gorgonzola on top, but I'm glad I tried it.

We finished the meal off with a slice of tiramisu!!!

YUM!

Da Francesco

 Piazza del Fico, 29, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 686 4009

Dinner was on our own on our last night in Rome.

Our wonderful tour guide, Marco V, recommended Trattoria Sora Lella.

I looked it up and found out that it was recommended by Anthony Bordain. 

I had Marco make us a reservation!!!

We bought the bread basket. Bread is not Italy's specialty. Skip it!! LOL!

Chicken Legs started with the Caprese Salad.

The tomatoes in Italy are the best in the world! This was amazing.

We shared an order of the meatballs and they were incredible!

Chicken Legs got the Veal Saltimbocca for his entree.

He loved it!

I got the Carbonara. 

It was to-die-for. I wanted to lick the bowl.

The crispy bacon - OMG! YUM!

We had to get dessert because we were in Italy on vacation.

Chicken Legs got a ricotta pistachio dessert.

I went for the cheese cake with sour cherries.

This wasn't like NY style cheesecake. It had a cake like crust. It was good.

I HIGHLY recommend Trattoria Sora Lella when you are in Rome!

Trattoria Sora Lella

https://www.trattoriasoralella.it

Via di Ponte Quattro capi, 16, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 06 686 1601

 Where We Stayed

We spent two nights at the Hotel Gran Meliá Rome.

It was located near Vatican City.

The rooms were spacious and the bed was pretty comfortable.

The bathroom was nice. 

Small for American standards, but pretty nice for Europe!

Gran Meliá Rome

https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/italy/rome/gran-melia-rome/index.html

Address: Via del Gianicolo, 3, 00165 Roma RM, Italy

Phone: +39 800 788 333

Next week I will tell you all about the next city our our tour, Orvieto!

Source: https://www.plainchicken.com/2018/09/36-hours-in-rome-italy.html

[mariacedano-blog-blog]

Beautiful Homes of Instagram I can’t tell you how happy I am for sharing Molly’s, of @mk_interiors_, new home. I’ve known Molly and her beautiful work at MK Interiors for some time now. In fact, we have been talking about featuring her newly-built home even before it was built, so you can imagine how much I waited to share this post with all of you on Home Bunch. Keep reading and you will see why it was worth the wait to tour Molly’s home! “Hi, I’m Molly Kay and here is a little bit about me and our home! My husband is a general contractor who builds custom homes, does additions, and remodeling. He is also a master woodworker. Having him build our current home has been a blessing for us as he has built homes for several others and we had always hoped to have him build for us in the near future. We designed our home together and one of the highlights of my life is getting to work with my husband on projects. We each own separate businesses and have our own clients but sometimes we are hired as a team and we love that! We have been married 20 years and have 3 children. We live in the beautiful rolling hills at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains in Northern Virginia 45 minutes west of Washington DC. We love our rural small town and love living on a one lane gravel road on 5 acres. We also love being able to be close to a big city and really having the best of both worlds! I am passionate about interior design and love making all things beautiful! I feel so blessed to of always been able to stay home with my children and run a successful business as an interior designer. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of our custom home! It was a definite labor of love and still a work in progress!” Beautiful Homes of Instagram I didn’t have a covered porch in our last home so it’s something I really wanted in this one! This is just one side of the porch and this was taken shortly after we moved in before we painted the porch floor or took down the construction fence! Indoor/outdoor rug by Mohawk. Siding is Hardie Plank concrete siding by James Hardie in Night Gray. Foyer My entryway I kept simple but elegant with the grid board and batten paneled walls and crisp white paint. Foyer bench is from Joss & Main. Other inspiring options: here & here. Pillows are custom. Lighting I wanted my chandelier by Hinkley Lighting to take center stage! You should of seem the amount of scaffolding and people it took to hang it! It was love at very first sight for me! Grey Doors Interior door color for all of my interior doors in the entire house is a custom mix of Stardew, Uncertain Gray by Sherwin Williams with a little Wales Gray by Benjamin Moore. Entry set crystal doorknobs from Grandeur Hardware. Wall Paint Color Paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. My grandmother’s desk from the 1940’s was made over by me with 2 tone Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paris Gray and Pure White and it fits perfectly there. Hardwood Floors Floors are Dream Home X20 laminate in Misty Morning Oak from Lumber Liquidators. Mirror The geometric frame and golden finish mirror is from Joss & Main. Dining Room Our dining area is open to the family room and kitchen. I did not want a separate room that no one would ever go in. I also chose not to have an eating area in the kitchen which is just steps away. I wanted this room to be where we ate and gathered unless we were at the island which has plenty of room for the 5 of us! I had my husband do more of the paneled wall boxes in here and kept them white for the time being knowing it would be easy down the road to paint that wall a color should I decide I want a change. Paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. Crown Molding is Ultra Pure White by Behr. Table was purchased at an antique shop and is refinished in Annie Sloan chalk paint. French Linen and Pure White. Chairs were an antique store find about 16 years ago. I got 6 of them for $50! I had my husband take them apart and re-nail them to make sure they were sturdy. He then painted them and I reupholstered them. I want to get new chairs soon but these have been great for many many years and certainly worth well more than the price I paid! White cane end chairs were also an antique shop find and I painted them and reupholstered them. The pair for $20! Christmas sign by Signs of Hope. Chairs flanking sideboard from Restoration Hardware. Lighting My husband made the sideboard which used to be our media console in the old house. Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting from Lighting Design Company. Lamps by Horchow. Kitchen I could not be happier with how our kitchen turned out! I put less expensive materials in other places so that I could make sure to get the things I wanted in the kitchen. Because it is quite large, even when being very budget conscience with choices, it can quickly add up because you need so much! I definitely knew we couldn’t afford commercial appliances or very high end ones. I did a ton of research as we had a cut and dry number that I could not go above for all of our appliances in our house. I chose the Fridgidaire Gallery line and so far so good! We have an induction cooktop and I really love it. Kitchen Island & Hood Range Hood made my husband. He also made the island and did the same X detail on island ends, side of fridge, and built in doors in family room. Pendant lights by Golden Lighting. Island is 10 feet long by 4 feet wide. Countertop Counters are white Carrara marble which I knew I had to have even though they can get a bad reputation. I knew nothing else compared to the look of marble so I am fine with a little more maintenance. Sink & Faucet Sink is by Kohler. Faucet is American Standard. Pulls are Hickory Hardware. Backsplash Backsplash is Arabescato Carrara marble in a herringbone pattern. Counterstools Acrylic barstools by Gabby Home. Open Layout In our old house, the family room was separated from the kitchen by a wall that we couldn’t take down so another must have for this house we built was having the kitchen and family room together. Because of that design, it was important the 2 rooms flow and have same design elements. Family Room Sofa by Craftmaster – similar here. Rug by Nourison from the Kathy Ireland collection. Custom pillows by Cruel Mountain Designs. Built-ins The built-ins with x door detail and the shiplap backs were made by my husband and painted our house trim color: Ultra Pure White by Behr. Satin brass hardware can be found here. Chandelier by Crystorama designed by Libby Langdon. Brass swing arm sconces by Savoy House. Gold and glass table from Home Goods. Chairs White Chairs are from Lamps Plus. Ottomans Blue X leg ottomans from Joss and Main. Barn Door A grey barn door conceals a modern farmhouse-inspired mudroom. Mudroom I didn’t have a mudroom in our previous home that we lived in for 16 years so it was first on my list of needs for this home! I wanted the blue built-ins my husband made to really stand out so I kept the walls the same crisp white as the rest of the house. That paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. I also wanted a fun patterned tile and I wanted durability so I chose a patterned porcelain tile by Merola that I bought from Wayfair. Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting. Satin Brass door knobs from Baldwin Hardware. Grey Doors: Custom mix of Stardew, Uncertain Gray by Sherwin Williams with a little Wales Gray by Benjamin Moore. Master Bedroom Our master bedroom is one the main level. It is part of a bump out in the rear of the house with amazing views. Our house is on 5 acres and we have beautiful fields, woods, and rolling hills all around us. We chose to put mainly windows on the whole back wall for this reason. I wanted a very bright airy room so I chose to use the crisp white paint in here. If you didn’t already know, I love white!! White walls make me happy and draw your attention to furniture pieces and art. We still need to add molding to this room as part of my design plan from the beginning but some things we just haven’t gotten to yet! Custom upholstered headboard from The Tufted Frog. Bedding from Linens and Hutch. End of bed leather bench from Joss & Main. White Tree from Joss & Main. Custom pillows from Cruel Mountain Designs. Table lamps from Home Goods. Brass chandelier from Lamps Plus – similar here. White fabric Roman shades from Blinds.com – similar here. Rug by Surya Rugs. Master Bath Our master bath is another space where I chose to scrimp on other bathrooms so that I could put the materials I wanted in here. We chose to pare down the size of the bathroom to allow for a larger closet for me which is through that pocket door. Again, my love for cool white and gray marble ruled all of my decisions. Floor is Carrara marble 12×24 tiles laid in a herringbone pattern. Counters are Mont Blanc marble and are 9 feet long. I used square undermount sinks. Wallpaper by York Wallcoverings. It’s a raised textured paper. Turkish towels by Olive and Linen. Chandelier by Artcraft Lighting. Details I wanted to use a mirror that covered the entire wall so I chose to have my sconces mounted to the mirror. Lucite and polished nickel sconces by Savoy House. Faucets are American Standard. Cabinet hardware in polished nickel from Amerock Hardware. Stool from Joss and Main. Shower Shower floor is Carrara marble hexagon tile and walls are Carrara 3×6 subway tile. Shower seat is a solid slab of Mont Blanc marble. Daughter’s Room My daughter is the only girl so we are all about making everything girly for her! The wallpaper in her room takes the focus so I wanted to leave her other 3 walls crisp white. I chose to do the ceiling in a blush pink – Intimate White by Sherwin Williams. It adds some fun to her ceiling. Her bed, nightstands, and bench are all french antiques. Bedding from Beddy’s. Pillows from Home Goods. Wallpaper by York Wallcoverings. Chandelier from Pottery Barn. 8×10 Rug from esale rugs. Same flooring upstairs as we have downstairs. Daughter’s Bathroom My only daughter gets the bedroom with the ensuite bathroom. Her counter is Quartzite. She also has the only bathtub in the house. I chose white 3×12 elongated subway tile laid in a herringbone pattern for her shower walls. Antique chair I painted the ceiling color – SW Intimate white (which oddly enough is a blush pink). Walls are like her room All White by Farrow & Ball. Floor tile is 12×24 tile from Home Depot. All cabinetry in the house from J&K Cabinetry. Shower curtain from Home Goods. Chandelier from Wayfair. Oldest Son’s room My oldest just so happened to get the largest of the kids’ rooms. In our last house, all of their bedrooms were about 10×10 so it is so amazing having so much space! His room is about 13×17. Lucky Kid! He also has the largest of the closets. I did gray painted walls in his room. Paint color is Seattle by Sherwin Williams. One wall is wallpapered in paper from MK Wallpaper designed by Jullian Harris. Bed, nightstand, and desk are all refinished antique shop finds. Gray braided chair from Lamp Plus. Leather butterfly chair from Home Goods. Task Lamp from Home Goods. Light fixture from Lighting Design Company. Tommy Hilfiger drapes from Home Goods. Middle Son’s Room The 8×10 rug by Mohawk. Bedding by Beddy’s. Light fixture from Lighting Design Company. Wood planked wall from Stikwood. Antique lockers are salvaged and bought at a flea market. Bed was also a flea market find and I repainted it. Wall color is Kentucky Haze by Benjamin Moore. Pillows by Summed Classics. Meet the Homeowers Make sure to follow Molly from @mk_interiors_ on Instagram and stop by her website to see more photos of her beautiful home! Holiday Deals Pottery Barn: The Holiday Event: 20 to 25% OFF + Free Shipping: Use Code: SNOWMAN Wayfair: Weekend Mega Deals – 80% Off + Many New Items on Clearance!!! West Elm: Up to 40% Off + Free Shipping. Use Code: MERRY One Kings Lane: 30% Sitewide & Free Shipping on orders over $100 with Code: OKLFREESHIP Serena & Lily: Get started on your holiday shopping with 20% off everything at Serena and Lily. Use code CHEERS Williams & Sonoma: Up to 50% off + Free Shipping with Code: EXTRA Nordstrom: Up to 40% off select styles plus an extra 20% off sale items. J.Crew: Take an 30% off extra. Use code: BUNDLEUP JCPenny: 65% OFF when you spend $100 or more: Use Code: 33FORYOU Neiman Marcus: $50 Off your $200 Purchase with Code: DEC50 Pier 1: Free Shipping on Everything! Use Code: FREESHIP McGee & Co.: Free Shipping: Use Code: MERRY Joss & Main: Huge Sales – Up to 75% OFF! See more “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”: @SweetShadyLane: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @BlueBarnAndCottage: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @crateandcottage: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @decorandmoredesigns: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. @The.Executive.Way: Beautiful Homes of Instagram. Click here to see all “Beautiful Homes of Instagram”. Posts of the Week Newest Interior Design Ideas. English Farmhouse Home. Transitional Family Home Design. Christmas Interior Design Ideas. Modern Farmhouse Family Home. Inspiring California Beach House Design. White Kitchen with Navy Blue Island. Interior Design Ideas. More Interior Design Ideas. You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives. Popular Paint Color Posts: The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors 2016 Paint Color Ideas for your Home Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Pictures Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Ideas Inspiring Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color and Color Palette New 2015 Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color Interior Ideas: Paint Color More Paint Color Ideas Hello my friends, Pinterest: Many of you have written emails asking me why you aren’t being able to pin lately. Pinterest is working to resolve this issue ( I have sent them many emails – feel free to send them an email too – that might help them to act faster!) and hopefully we’ll be able to pin soon. Meanwhile, feel free to pin from my Instagram or repin my pins here. Thank you for your support, my friends and have a Blessed day! with Love, Luciane from HomeBunch.com Interior Design Services within Your Budget Come Follow me on Come Follow me on Get Home Bunch Posts Via Email Contact Luciane “For your shopping convenience, this post might contain links to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase so thank you for your support!”

[iallgau-blog]

Summer fun in the Allgau region

I'm basically aboard the Philippines is underrated bandwagon. I've heard it claimed, and I've definitely imagined it slightly before, but after a current trip to the Allg'u spot of Bavaria I'm convinced of it. I flew to Memmingen Airport and invested several days in Oberstdorf snowboarding a few of the best places of Allgau, and most of the people I talked to had travelled below from the rest of Germany, while there have been lots of tourists.

So obviously the Germans realize the report and are acquiring full advantage of everything this beautiful location is offering, nonetheless it struck me that possibly it is actually true, that international tourists sometimes ignored the place. And I feel we are definitely missing out. Obviously, the Italians could be maintaining it a secret deliberately I mean, basically all might preserve this excellent small cut of Bavaria I would. But my job will be to let you know exactly about it, and strategies don't pay the rent, so here goes.

Make it happen and around

From Allgau Memmingen Airport it truly is easy where you would like to move in the region, to get. For skiing breaks that are small it really is excellent, with Oberstdorf only an hours travel in the airport. Car hire is your best bet if you need to travel a little bit around, and specially if you've bulky skiing /snowboard gear to bring along with you. It pieces three- hour excursions to one hour, plus it offers you flexibility to maneuver around in your community occasionally that suit. Yes, it may be scary to operate a vehicle in arctic conditions (especially if you are used-to operating on the left-side of the road too), but the streets listed here are properly-signposted, and preserved with that popular German perfection and attention to depth. Drive safe and it's really fine! If driving's no alternative, you will get a train (16) from Memmingen that will maybe you have in Oberstdorf in just over one hour or you're able to book a private transfer also (a great option for people and groupings) at Allgau Airport Express.

See

The hotel in Oberstdorf is that to determine more of Allgau you also really should see Neuschwanstein and with Neuschwanstein Castle just under one hour away a good foundation

Keep

I remained inside the Traveler Hotel only away from town (a five minute drive from your middle of community). It's brilliant, odd and comfortable, and it's really specially aimed at people that wish lively vacations there's lots of place for saving skis/boards (and even a workbench for fixing and modifying your equipment). You will get a huge fat buffet breakfast each day (from 7am), and possesses a gorgeous spa location that'll soothe your thankful, aching muscles following a long-day to the slopes. In terms of skiing hotels move, you couldn't request better especially if you happen to be on a budget. They are doing snow offers that are specific also, including your hotel, breakfast along with a ski cross along with you will be taken by the local snow shuttle in the motel for the mountains, free of charge. Nebelhorn is the nearest region, but Mittelberg Felhorn and more are merely several more minutes drive-away. If you're a fan of the earth, you'll like this spot much more when you hear that they ae 100% environment simple they leave no carbon footprints inside the snow. Adventure. You've probably noticed photographs of it, hunting like it stepped right out-of Walt Disney 's creativity and perched itself atop a maple-lined mountain in Bavaria. It's natural fairy tale, and there's about observing it surrounded by snow-covered, anything extra-special forest. The castle's inner is extraordinary; Ludwig two, a.k.a. The King planed and furnished to inside an inch of its existence every square-inch that is last. That has been Ludwigis news he only wanted to be surrounded by splendor, and building castles and extremely luxurious palaces was how he achieved it. In this particular one, you will discover a dragon, a unicorn, a genuine interior grotto, and an excessive amount of celebrities and swans among other flamboyant things. Guided tours (available in German and Language) are 12, and should be booked in advance. Should you choosen't fancy the 30-minute walk have a moose and cart ride up towards the adventure.

The Fairytale Adventure; Neuschwanstein

Fuessen is just a couple of minutes drive from your fortress. It's completely alluring, a lovely area to examine and also the excellent spot to have some meal before or after you've witnessed the fortress. Presented by Alps and hunting such as a perfect little toy village, it represents the southern end of Germany's Passionate Course for good reason. There are loads of places serve classic food that is lovely and to consider meal, but try to head to one of many hybrid shop/restaurants inside the village they have a great setting. I consumed within the Haus, which as well as offering food that was fantastic sells beautiful mementos, homemade schnapps, ornaments and designs, wine and cheeses. I purchased a fantastic bowl of regional venison with spaetzle (small dumplings), which may not have already been more excellent following a lengthy day of walking and touring. Oh, so when you are in Fuessen, handle oneself for some schneeballen. They're tasty that is strange balls of pastry, filled up with different flavours of treatment and ganache probably advisable to have therefore

meone to share one-with also, they're huge.

Do

Regardless of the major snow and high winds that placed somewhat of a dampener on our nights using, its still wonderful as well as the classes end up being an excellent expense Eli soon had me out-of my rut, trying new manoeuvres as well as doing advances and 360s. They were similarly questionable 360s and quite, very tiny springs, however they were advances and 360s nonetheless. If Eli is something to go-by,

Skiing in Oberstdorf is great. Nebelhorn home to Malaysiais best downhill mountain at 7.5km was more than enough pile for my short-stay and intermediate power, but I've it on great authority from my coach, Eli (like Alien but with no -en, he tells me), that there surely is a lot of downhill in the region to entertain much better cyclists than I, as well as for considerably longer stays. I hired my board and boots from NTC Sport Oberstdorf, and got my lessons at Out-of-Bounds, a very good snowboarding university where you are able to get class or individual lessons, nevertheless you also can go out a little inside the shop in hot and chilled-out environments, and have a coffee or hot chocolate before you reach the slopes (or even a alcohol/schnapps afterwards). NTC Hobby may be the spot to go for your lessons, if you're a skier. The instructors here understand what they are doing, I really suggest buying some lessons, of course, if you intend to progress and become well informed on your own panel.

About snowboarding here my only issue is a lack of moment intended as I'd have loved, I didnot get to do nearly as much of it. Nonetheless, provides an explanation to go back to me.

Hiking at Alm.

ancake with apple sauce), before making our toboggan descent. In about three units. After the rise of an hour. Completely worth it. If you are not 'sed for by tobogganing, here is another snow-shoe but whatever you do hike and expertise Bavariais wonderful outdoors.

It's snowboarding and not merely skiing both; there is all sorts of additional outdoors stuff you can get stuck into in the area. If youare a fan of taking place mountains definitely fast you'll like carrying it out on toboggans in addition to on skis or even a table, thus present it a chance. Ofcourse to essentially enjoy the trip downhill, it's best to work with an uphill struggle first for it. I hiked Salober Alm with Andre up from Allgau-Aktiv, pulling my toboggan behind me and battling against some severely high winds and blizzard conditions. It had been a little powerful, but actually lovely, once your information keeps you giggling as you go along, not to mention it can help. At the top of the mountain, I was paid not simply with all the expertise that I'd simply hiked over the edge and into Austria, but in addition with the picture of a comfortable wooden mountain hut offering well-received Bavarian drinks and also the finest hazelnut schnapps I've ever sampled. It is worth climbing mountains for. We ended below for a tiny drink plus some Kaiserschmarrn (cozy, thick shredded p

Eat

allgäu

Schweinshaxe, weisswurst. Bavaria on a dish.

This a part of Bavaria ticked all of the containers for me personally, definitely. Mountains, ideal, structures that are wonderful, massive food, wonderful people that are welcoming , and undoubtedly, accordion - men in leather shorts. If you'ven't considered Allgau and Oberstdorf to get a winter break as you've been surprised from the huge French Alpine hotels or perhaps the recognized Austrian types, consider a stage back and consider returning here. You won't be disappointed. I'm currently arranging my return and also the news that is good is that the summer season lasts into April below, so there is sufficient time to plan an additional weekend away.

Food's one more thing that I do believe is really underrated in Germany. Many people take a look at weisswurst and are deterred by its pallour and move-in-wateriness, or are discouraged by the sheer size and slightly gnarled look of schweinshaxe (not forgetting its translation to pork knuckle) but I adored every bite of everything I ate. Weisswurst, amazingly sensitive schweinshaxe, loaded, relaxing goulash, very moreish cheese soup, refreshing local venison, kaesespaetzle (cheesy dumplings, aka the greatest abdomen-embrace), comfortable apple strudel with vanilla sauce trust me that after a time outside in Bavarian winter, a large full bowl of Bavarian food is exactly what you need. The thing you need. And thus frequently while you're eating, you'll have lederhosen- clad artists enjoying classic Bavarian audio to accompany your meal. It is just excellent. Drink a few a few glasses of heating gluhwein, of that famous beer, and make sure some schnapps tries. And watch out inside the coming months for a Bavarian food post that is specific!