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magicfootballstuff · 2 years ago

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Are you flirting with me? - alessia russo x reader

Summary:

Things that Alessia Russo is good at: football, looking like a goddess, taking your breath away by simply existing.

Things that Alessia Russo is bad at: staying upright, flirting.

———

Alessia Russo has a gift for scoring goals. Tap-ins, clever shots from distance, decisive stoppage time headers, even backheels in a European semi-final - Alessia can make it all look easy.

But there are also some things she’s not very good at. Like elegance and grace.

Right now, Alessia is face down on the grass, her boot caught in the net of the mini goal she’s somehow managed to not notice and trip over during training. It takes three of you to untangle her foot, a difficult task when you’re all cackling at how Alessia ended up in this predicament in the first place, but eventually she manages to break free and gets back to her feet, brushing the grass off her training top as she walks away.

“What am I like?” Alessia laughs at herself, as one of the coaches sets the mini goal the right way up again so that the training drill can resume.

“Just another clumsy day in the life of Alessia Russo,” Ella jokes alongside her.

———

Alessia’s lack of spatial awareness is such a running joke that you bring it up the following day as you head out onto the training pitches for the warmup.

“Planning on tripping over any more equipment today?” you tease her.

Always willing to laugh at herself and her clumsiness, Alessia grins at you and says, “Well, I’m always falling over things when you’re around.”

It’s … well, you don’t quite know what to make of Alessia’s response. The words themselves almost feel like they should be flirty, but it slightly misses the mark and there’s nothing flirty at all about Alessia’s tone. It can only be more self-deprecating humour where your brain is desperately trying to search for flirty undertones.

Because the thing is, you’ve got a little bit of a crush on Alessia. Her dazzling smile, her gorgeous blue eyes, even her complete lack of coordination is endearing to you. But there’s never been anything overly flirtatious between you and Alessia so you don’t know if she’s ever going to feel the same. Instead, you just end up reading into the things she says and hoping that she’s flirting with you, when the idea has probably never even crossed her mind.

Surely if she was flirting with you, you’d know about it?

———

You enter the changing room after training one day, having stayed out late to practice shooting, to a strange sight. Alessia is the only one still in there, but she’s standing up on the bench, apparently midway through changing as she’s wearing only her tracksuit bottoms and a sports bra, but her entire body is tense and she wears a look of concern on her face.

“Lessi, what the…?”

“Oh thank god,” Alessia says, as soon as she sees you enter the changing room. “Promise you won’t laugh at me?”

“What are you doing?” you ask her.

“There’s a spider,” she tells you, pointing to a spot on the floor. “I thought I was going to be trapped up here forever.”

It takes you a moment to realise exactly what she’s pointing at, that’s how small the spider is. From Alessia’s terror and the way she stands on the bench, you were expecting a tarantula, or at least a spider bigger than a penny coin. It sits still on the floor, unmoving, a safe distance from where Alessia would have been getting changed, hardly a threat at all.

“Do you want me to get rid of it?” you ask.

You try not to be judgemental, but you arch an eyebrow at Alessia. She says nothing, her wide eyes fixed on the spider, as if afraid that it might quadruple in size and jump at her if she even dares to take her eyes off it for long enough to blink, but nods frantically.

You walk carefully around the still motionless spider to get to your own cubby and unzip your bag, rummaging around inside until you pull out a crumpled piece of paper that has some old notes from some match analysis you did a couple of weeks ago.

Crouching down on the floor, you carefully slide the paper towards the spider, and it moves when you touch it. From the shriek that Alessia lets out when the spider twitches, you’d have thought it had bitten you, but you ignore her and keep your cool as you shuffle the paper until the spider crawls fully onto it.

“I can’t watch,” Alessia says, wincing as you stand up slowly and walk towards the door, holding the piece of paper that carries the spider at arm's length.

You exit the dressing room and take the spider outside, shaking it off the piece of paper and into the nearest bush. When you return inside a moment later, Alessia has climbed down and now sits on the bench, relief on her face.

“All gone,” you announce.

“I need you as my girlfriend,” Alessia blurts out. Her eyes widen suddenly as she realises what she’s said, and as her cheeks redden, she stumbles on quickly to correct herself by saying, “Wait, that came out wrong. I meant that I need a girlfriend like you. You know, someone who can take care of the spiders at home.”

There’s probably not anything behind Alessia’s words, just a slip of the tongue, but one that has you picturing a scene of domesticity, of a shared home where Alessia stands on the sofa in her pyjamas shouting hysterically while you deal with a spider. Of Alessia wrapping you up in her arms once the pesky creature has been returned to the outdoors, thanking you with a kiss for saving her from inevitable spidery doom.

Now it’s your turn to blush.

You should not be having those thoughts about a teammate.

“It was no trouble,” you say, shrugging off your heroics. “The spider was only a little one.”

“Promise you won’t tell anyone about this,” Alessia pleads with you. “Or if you do, tell them it was massive.”

“It’s our little secret,” you promise her.

———

The day after the Manchester derby you only have recovery with the team physios, then the rest of the day off. Some of the team decide to go out for dinner to celebrate, a nice excuse to dress up a bit and spend time together away from a football pitch.

As celebrations go, it’s not a wild one, with everybody’s mind still on the final game of the season next week. Alessia sits a few seats down on the opposite side of the table, which means you have the perfect view of her, and you spend far longer than you’d care to admit staring at the gold pendant around her neck that hangs in the low neckline of her top.

Afterwards, you’re outside the restaurant waiting for a taxi which you and Alessia have agreed to share as you both live just a few minutes from each other, you decide to compliment the piece of jewellery.

“I like your necklace.”

“Thanks, you too,” Alessia replies.

You’re not wearing a necklace and Alessia must immediately realise her mistake, because her cheeks flush under the lamplight and she’s quick to cover her error.

“I mean, if you were wearing a necklace it’d probably be nice because you…” Alessia trails off, desperately searching for the words that can get her out of this mess, then continues, “Because you have nice taste … you know, in necklaces.”

You try to keep it together, seeing how Alessia gets steadily redder as she rambles and not wanting to embarrass her by laughing at her, but you can’t help the way that your mouth curls upwards in amusement.

“I’m sorry, that was really weird,” Alessia says with a groan. “Can you forget I said any of that?”

“It’s cute,” you try to reassure her.

“It’s not cute, it’s embarrassing. I feel like I’m always making an idiot of myself around you because, well…” Alessia hesitates and gestures vaguely at you, as if that’s supposed to offer an explanation for her weird behaviour, then finishes by saying, “Well, you’re you, aren’t you?”

You feel your heart start to pick up pace in your chest as your brain has a really stupid idea, but surely Alessia is in no place to laugh at you for what you’re about to ask, not after the weird word vomit that’s just left her lips.

“Lessi, are you flirting with me?”

Alessia’s eyes widen in surprise, then her shoulders slump as she relaxes with a laugh.

“To be honest, I’ve been trying to flirt with you for weeks but I have no idea what I’m doing! You must think I’m such an idiot.”

“Like I said, it’s cute,” you tell her, with an amused smile.

“You’re cute,” Alessia blurts out.

“Alessia Russo, please never change,” you grin at her.

You reach for her hand, tangling your fingers with hers, and she looks down at your joined hands with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

“Do you want to go out with me?” Alessia asks dumbfoundedly.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” you tease her. Your taxi pulls up at the side of the road and you decide to put Alessia out of her misery. “Yes, I’ll go out with you.”

“Oh, thank god for that!”

#alessia russo imagine #alessia russo x reader #woso x reader #woso imagine

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bolsino11 · 3 months ago

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Discovering the Best Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff Bags

When it comes to iconic fashion accessories, both Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff bags have made a lasting impact. Known for their blend of style, quality, and functionality, these bags offer something unique for every fashion lover. In this guide, we’ll explore the key features of both brands to help you make the best choice for your next bag purchase.

A Closer Look at Tory Burch Bags

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Our website is a valuable resource for more information.

Hermes Evelyne Sizes

Coach Bag Guide

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butterflyintochains · 6 months ago

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Best With Three: Part Two

Gabriella ''Ella'' Lemieux is a 23 year old tennis star from Montreal. A devoted cat mom, lover of the hard courts, and tennis history nerd to her atoms. Best friends with just about everyone, she courts no controversy. Beloved and admired for her elegance on court, as well as her charity work off court. One of the icons of the young Canadian King Cup Team. With her besties, Leylah and Bianca, at her side, she's unstoppable.

That is, however, until a wild Christmas in Vancouver while visiting family out west before going to Australia. When she meets two local hockey stars.

TW: some sexism, social media au, press being stupid, and allusion to cheating.

part one

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@/WTA_updates:

With Gabriella falling in the round of 16 to her good friend Coco Gauff, will we see her go to Toronto for the NHL All Star week? Both of her boys will be there for the weekend, so, will she go as well? 1/3

@/WTA_updates: In her post match presser, Gabriella was asked about her next event, Gabriella said this: ''Doha and Dubai, I was considering Romania, but Danny and I thought I should rest. We've been at this since last thanksgiving, so, the 1000 events.'' She sure knows her body, good coach, Mr Nestor! 2/3 @/WTA_updates: Last one! When asked about her plans for the next two weeks, Gabriella had a wry smile to herself, and said: ''Toronto, I'm desperate to meet my guys again, so we can hang out and figure out where to go from here.'' That was the last english question she took before the french portion of her presser. 3/3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: leylahannietennis, felixaliassime, denis.shapovalov, and 15k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Not quite home, but I'm back in Canada!! No sign of Elias and Quinn yet, but, I'm doing well back in my home country. Happy to be back here, re-adjusting to winter is weird. Can't wait to finally find the boys again, and get this entire thing sorted out at last.

replies:

denis.shapovalov: God, I miss Toronto sometimes. 😥

leylahannietennis: Hope you get the progress you deserve, angel!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Me too, sunny.

biancaandreescu: Awesome to see you again, sister! Stay over as long as you need!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Happy to be home at last. And, to see you again, BiBi. 💖🍁

felixalissime: What do you think you're gonna do, Ella?

Gabriella.Lemieux: Honestly? I'm not entirely sure.

_eliaspettersson: We're coming over in a couple of days, sit tight.

_quinnhughes: We'll not be long, promise. Gabriella.Lemieux: Thanks.

cocogauff: Sorry again for beating you, angel. 😥

Gabriella.Lemieux: Stop apologising, cookie, only one of us could've won that match anyway!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/HockeyDad:

So, about Whistlergate, am I the only one who finds it gross and inappropriate that one girl is courting multiple guys? I'm seeing all this weird shit about how cute they'd all be together, and... I honestly think it's a bad example to the kids? This girl should have to pick one, or piss off imo.

@/BruinsFan33: Amen to that, brother! This chick should just decide which one she wants, and get on with her tennis. It'd be more normal that way. @/MapleFam: Not some boomers preaching about 'normal' and 'bad examples' in the year 2024, smh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: _eliaspettersson, _quinnhughes, leylahannietennis, and 5k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: So debrief time. Contrary to some people in twitter, I did not have to 'choose one of them'. I choose both of them, Quinn, Elias, and I are committed to making this whole thing work, they are truly the best guys I've ever met. We've got a little group chat set up for when I'm in the Middle East soon. I'm probably going to be moving to Vancouver soon-ish. Which means: Atticus, Arwen, Daenerys, and Legolas will be moving with me!

replies:

_eliaspettersson: Happy to have you both at last!

_quinnhughes: I've not stopped smiling since we got back from lunch, holy shit.

canucks: Welcome to the family Ella! 💚🤍💙

Gabriella.Lemieux: All Together, All In! 💙🤍💚

bboeser: Who are Atticus, Arwen, Daenerys, and Legolas?

_eliaspettersson: Ella's cats, they are the cutest ever! _quinnhughes: And, they're going to be living with us at some point!

MapleFam: Girlie defo saw those tweets...

liked by Gabriella.Lemieux. liked by _eliaspettersson liked by _quinnhughes

BelieveInBlue: Challengers is out in april, but I think this movie is better y'know?

wta: Absolutely! canucks: we'd watch this movie too.

tdemko30: Can't wait to finally meet you, Ella!

Gabriella.Lemieux: I've heard so much about you guys, I feel like I already know you all!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_eliaspettersson

liked by: Gabriella.Lemieux, _quinnhughes, bboeser, and 75k others.

_eliaspettersson: Me, my man, and our lady at the all star game. I'd say we're looking pretty good, wouldn't you?

replies:

_quinnhughes: For once, I agree, though it may just be the beautiful tennis player we're dating.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Nah, we're serving, honey. Trust me, I serve for a living.

BelieveInBlue: Petey really said 'here's me, my bf, and our gf. we're sexy, deal with it.' And, he's right!

tdemko30: So cool to finally meet you, Ella!

bboeser: Yeah, you're just the coolest person. j.tmiller9: I have a new daughter!! Gabriella.Lemieux: Aww, thanks! So cool meeting you guys too.

MapleFam: Take care of her, boys, she's part of our found family.

leylahannietennis: Good to see you happy, angel! Treat her right, boys!

_eliaspettersson: We will, promise. _quinnhughes: She's in four good hands, Leylah.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Those pics are defo going in my racquet bag for this year! 💖

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_quinnhughes

liked by: Gabriella.Lemieux, _eliaspettersson, bboeser, and 60k others.

_quinnhughes: The best weekend of my life, bar none. Finally did something about a longtime crush I've had, found the coolest girlfriend ever. And, had a whole week with my guys! What else could I want?

replies:

_eliaspettersson: More time with our girlfriend? Can't believe she's leaving for Qatar already. 😥

Gabriella.Lemieux: I'll not be gone long, boys, promise. 💖💖💖 _quinnhughes: Go win that trophy, Ella!!

MapleFam: Wait... Quinn and Elias already liked each other? And, Gabriella is the final piece they needed? That's it, love story of all time.

_quinnhughes: Yeah, it's kinda embarrassing actually...

bboeser: Gonna miss Ella already, feels like part of our family is leaving.

leylahannietennis: See you in Doha, Ella!!

_quinnhughes: Hope the tournament treats our girlfriend right, she's due a win. _eliaspettersson: Could not agree more, Huggy.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Crying on the plane rn, I miss you guys so much, and it's only been a few hours since I left!

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@/WTA_updates:

Gabriella is finally in town for the Qatar Open! She looks tired, a bit overcome with emotion as she trains with her coach, Daniel Nestor. Toronto has clearly opened her heart up, and she must miss her boyfriends a lot. With the all star weekend over, Quinn and Elias are back in Vancouver. Quite literally half a world apart. 1/2

@/WTA_updates: She appears to have added some patches to her racquet bag as well. A Canucks patch, and those of the Swedish and American flags alongside her Canadian flag. Very sweet. 2/2

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Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: leylahannietennis, _eliaspettersson, _quinnhughes, and 60k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Ready to get to work in Doha! I miss my boys dearly already, is this normal? But, I'm soldiering through. Ready to get back to work, and bring this title home to Montreal.

replies:

leylahannietennis: Glad to have you back, angel!

danielnestor1: We've got Kudermetova first, let's get this title!

Gabriella.Lemieux: 🙏

felixaliassime: Hope those two are treating you well so far, angel.

Gabriella.Lemieux: They are, promise.

denis.shapovalov: Lookin' good so far, angel!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Danny told me that stretch would be good for my back. It was. 10/10 would recommend.

cocogauff: How's life with two boyfriends, Ella?

Gabriella.Lemieux: It's pretty cool so far, Coco. 💕

_eliaspettersson: Miss you so much, alskling 💖

_quinnhughes: So do I, flower 💙 Gabriella.Lemieux: I miss you guys too, both of you.💖💖

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@/WTA:

The biggest win of her career so far! Gabriella Lemieux claims an emphatic and emotional 7-5, 6-3 victory in the first round over Veronika Kudermetova in Doha. Fighting jetlag and jeers from the local crowd on the way. 🍁

@/MapleFam: Ella said in her post match interview: ''The Middle East has its customs, and I am not here to upend anything. I'm with two men who care for me, and who I care deeply for. That's all.'' @/BelieveInBlue: And, when asked about her love life, Ella said: ''Well, last monogamous relationship I was in, he cheated on me. So, I think I'd rather be with two men who care for me, than one who hates me.'' Preach!

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Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: leylahannietennis, _eliaspettersson, _quinnhughes, and 50k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Quarter finals bound!! Leylah and I are so excited to possibly play a semi final against each other! Can't wait to face Nastia tomorrow evening, should be a fun match either way.

replies:

_quinnhughes: Go and get this title, Ella!! Petey and I watched your highlights on the plane, you're incredible!

_eliaspettersson: I totally didn't cry at the team logo on your bag (lies). Gabriella.Lemieux: Keep on winning as well, boys! I'm watching your highlights too!

MapleFam: Ugh, their little relationship is so cute! Watching each other's highlights and supporting each other. #loveisreal

bboeser: No sets dropped, keep it up, Ella!

danielnestor1: So proud to be your coach, angel.

taylor_fritz: I am so confused about how this whole relationship works, but so happy for you, Ella.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Me = tennis player and their wag. Them = hockey power couple and my habs. cocogauff: That clears it up, lol 🤣

j.tmiller9: Keep it going, Ella! Scottie and Scarly are rooting for their new aunt!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Give the girls and baby Owen a huge hug from me, JT!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/WTA:

And, the dream run ends. Pavlyuchenkova beats Lemieux 7-5, 6-4 in the quarter finals. A warm hug between the ladies at the net, though. The women of our tour have been regularly voicing support for Gabriella's new relationship this week. Nastia even saying: ''Ella is a grown woman who can make her own choices, if she loves two men, who are we to judge her for it?'' Pavlyuchenkova will face Rybakina in the final four.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Whistler Trio gc 💙🤍💚

Caldersson: Hey, Ella, chin up, you played so well. HuggyBear: We're proud of you, quarters is such a good result with the jetlag you've had. AngelElla: I know, it just sucks. AngelElla: I was doing so well, and it all messed up on me. Caldersson: Maybe Dubai will be better? You're used to the time zone now, so you'll do better. HuggyBear: We're with you, Ella. AngelElla: And, I'm with you, boys. I just wanna win one of these so badly. HuggyBear: We know, and you will. Caldersson: You'll be back in NA soon, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: leylahannietennis, _quinnhughes, _eliaspettersson, and 30k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Salam, Dubai! Training with Danny already. Went on an evening run as soon as we got here. BTW, the Burj Khalifa is absolutely insane! A building a mile high? Sofia, I am so sorry they matched us up tomorrow!

replies:

sofia.kenin: Not our fault, Ella. Let's give them a good show!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Let's do this 🎾🎾

felixaliassime: ikr? The Burj constantly takes my breath away, it's so damn big!

biancaandreescu: Hope I'll be back in the saddle soon, I miss our breakfasts. 😥

_quinnhughes: _eliaspettersson, our girlfriend is so pretty, dude, oh my God! 🥵

_eliaspettersson: I know! How is one woman allowed to be so pretty? And, talented at her sport? Unfair, tbh. 😍

denis.shapovalov: Ella!! Your boyfriends are thirsting on main!

Gabriella.Lemieux: That's fine, DJ. As long as it's over me or each other, I'm happy.

BelieveInBlue: Ella really said; 'go ahead, boys, thirst over me and each other all you want'. ✨ Iconic ✨

MapleFam: I know, right? The Whistler Trio are becoming my ot3 really quick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/WTA:

Second round for Lemieux! The Canadian beats her good friend in the first round 6-3, 7-6(7/2) in straight sets, and faces a rematch with Kudermetova. In her post match interview, Lemieux was asked about her plans to move to Vancouver: ''Yeah, that's in the plans for some point this year, my boyfriends live there, so we all would prefer to live together. It's gonna be hard, but I love the city, so, I'm excited.''

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: _eliaspettersson, _quinn hughes, leylahannietennis, and 10k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Quarters bound in Dubai! All credit to Donna for the match, cannot wait to face Marketa. Taking some well earned r&r tonight. Longest match in my career so far. The body is feeling it, but, onward and upward. 🍁

replies:

felixaliassime: Allez, Ella!

leylahannietennis: Epic match today, angel!

taylor_fritz: Was glued to my screen, holy hell! 💪

moorrgs: Can attest, was literally right next to him. 😊 Gabriella.Lemieux: Thank you for the tea, Morgan 💙

denis.shapovalov: You are insane, Ella!

MapleFam: Love how Ella credited Danny in her post match presser, she loves him so much. 🥰

Gabriella.Lemieux: He's an amazing coach, and I'd be so lost without him.

_eliaspettersson: So excited for a match I'll get five minutes of!

_quinn hughes: Me too! GabriellaLemieux: Do not make me cry again, please.

dakotajoshua8: BTW, Huggy and Petey won't shut tf up about you, Gabriella!

_eliaspettersson: Can you honestly blame us, JoDak? _quinnhughes: We are two very lucky dudes, so...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/WTA:

Semi Finals booked in fashion in Dubai! Gabriella Lemieux had to use all her weapons to take down Marketa Vondrousova: 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. Another epic three setter. Lemieux is to face Jasmine Paolini in the final four. When asked about recovery she said with a laugh: ''Dinner, ice bath, text my boyfriends, and sleep.'' The Cinderella run continues for the young Canadian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Whistler Trio gc 💙💚🤍

AngelElla: Well... that was something, my legs won't stop shaking! I'm actually in a semi final! HuggyBear: Go and get this, babe! Caldersson: The entire team are rooting for you, darling! AngelElla: I think this might just be the one, guys, all I've worked for since 2021. Caldersson: Keep your head in the present, but go fucking get that trophy! HuggyBear: We're gonna need more trophy shelves in the house, huh? AngelElla: Hopefully, yes. AngelElla: How do you feel about my cats moving in? I can't give them up. Caldersson: Your cats are our cats, Ella. HuggyBear: Yeah, Atticus, Arwen, Daenerys, and Legolas are gonna be so welcome in our house. AngelElla: Phew! Good, I'm glad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: leylahannietennis, _eliaspettersson, _quinnhughes, and 60k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: I'm lost for words, but I'll do my best! Finals bound at long last! All the love in the world to Jasmine, the Italian Pocket Rocket herself! She fought like hell last night, and we gave our all to the match. I look forward to more of us in the future, love you, Jas! danielnestor1, thank you for everything so far!

replies:

leylahannietennis: You deserve this so much, angel!

GabriellaLemieux: Love you, sunny!

_eliaspettersson: Wish we could be there to see you, darling!

Gabriella.Lemieux: You are, in spirit, sweetheart. 🥰 _quinnhughes: We love you, babe 💕 Gabriella.Lemieux: I love you both too, honey. 💖💖💖

jasmine_paolini: Wasn't my day, you earned this, Ella. Go and win it now!

danielnestor1: So proud of you already, Ella.

BelieveInBlue: How iconic would it be if a poly woman won her first career title in the Middle East of all places?

MapleFam: Ella is truly groundbreaking, isn't she? BelieveInBlue: Right? Winning your first title in such a restrictive place?

denis.shapovalov: Keep 'er goin', sister!

mirjambjorklund: That's our girl, Ella!

tdemko30: The boys still won't shut up about you, but this time I understand why.

Gabriella.Lemieux: Give Dawson and Delilah my love, Thatch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/WTA:

And, out they come for the finals in Dubai! Some nerves from both Lemieux and Kalinskaya, but that's to be expected. A young final, we are so here for this! Lemieux won the toss, and elected to receive. Kalinskaya to serve to open the match up. Good luck to both! 1/7

@/WTA: A scratchy set from both players, but Kalinskaya wins the big points to take a 1-0 set lead 6-4 in the first. Lemieux is thumbing over the Canucks logo on her bag during sit down, exchanging looks with Nestor. 2/7 @/WTA: Oof! Big final service game from Lemieux to level this final to one set all 7-5 in the second. She's striding back to her seat, twirling her racquet in her hand all the way. Kalinskaya goes for a bathroom break. 3/7 @/WTA: And, we are all square at 5-all in the third set! Tiebreak possibly? Kalinskaya is serving to force the issue, let's see 👀 4/7 @/WTA: A break to 30 gives Lemieux the service game for her first career title, can she do it? Or, will Kalinskaya break right back? 5/7 @/WTA: With an ace out wide, Gabriella Lemieux has won the Dubai Tennis Championships! 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. A warm embrace at the net, and she bursts into tears holding her coach's hand. Not a dry eye in her box. 6/7 @/WTA: After thanking her opponent, Lemieux also thanks her coach, family, and Team Canada friends. Pausing for thought, she ends her speech with: ''Quinn, Elias, both of you, I love you so much. Thank you for taking a chance on this relationship.''💖 7/7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella.Lemieux

liked by: danielnestor1, leylahannietennis, _eliaspettersson, _quinnhughes, and 70k others.

Gabriella.Lemieux: First title at long last! So happy to have finally reached this milestone. Danny, I love you, let's keep this going! Felix, Denis, Bianca, and Leylah - you are the best friends a girl could ever ask for. Mama, papa - thank you for putting up with me all these years! Anna - here's to more epics like that one! Finally, my boyfriends - I love you both so much, and will see you soon... hopefully. I just cannot believe this is real right now. 💖🍁🎾

replies:

leylahannietennis: So proud of you, angel! No one deserved that trophy like you did this week!

Gabriella.Lemieux: Love you too, sunny!

felixaliassime: That final was lit 🔥

Gabriella.Lemieux: Hope the next one is easier! My legs are shaking still.

denis.shapovalov: Edge of my seat type stuff, Miri barely spoke for the whole time!

mirjambjorklund: That's my doubs partner, babes, I have a right to be nervous! Gabriella.Lemieux: Thanks for the info, Miri and DJ.

danielnestor1: Love you, kiddo. 💖💖

Gabriella.Lemieux: Love you too, Danny 💕

biancaandreescu: We're all titlists now! All five of us!

Gabriella.Lemieux: All for one, one for all, BiBi!

_eliaspettersson: So proud of you, darling! 💙

_quinnhughes: So am I, babe! 💚 Gabriella.Lemieux: I love you both so much! 🤍

canucks: So happy to congratulate you on your first career title, Gabriella! - PA & JR

bboeser: That's our managers: Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford, btw. You've met Tocchet already. Gabriella.Lemieux: Thanks for the help, Boes! And, thank you, Mr Allvin and Mr Rutherford!

Gabriella.Lemieux: I'll get to everyone else in the morning, I'm going to bed. 😴😴

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@/WTA_updates:

Ran into Gabriella and her team in the airport this afternoon! She is so nice and friendly! Got an autograph, no pics bc she looked so tired and ready to get back to Montreal. Literally the nicest person ever, and Daniel was so fatherly with her too!

@/Canada_Family: I know! I met them at the United Cup, and Ella is so sweet to everyone! Francois and Veronique should be very proud of their little girl. Gave me a wrist band, and one of her cute tennis cardigans. @/BelieveInBlue: Future number one material right there. Once Iga takes her eyes off the ball, ofc. @/MapleFam: I'm so proud to be Canadian when I see her and the rest! She's just so classy, like Steffi Graf was, but with the warmth of Monica Seles. Defo gonna be the first Canadian number one someday. @/WhistlerTrio: And, like, she's navigated the whole Whistlergate thing so well too. She, Elias, and Quinn are so right for each other. can't wait for them to move in together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's part two! Finally figured out the linking function, so part one is linked in the header! I'm obviously fiddling around with tournament winners, so no hate to anyone (except a certain Romanian who Ella replaced in Dubai, but no one likes SC anyway, right?) She, Elias, and Quinn are a throuple here, and love each other very much already.

Anyway, enjoy!

#canucks social media au #tennis social media au #hockey/tennis crossover

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beclynn-herondale · 4 years ago

Text

In Another Universe: Chapter 2

(tsc and the characters belong to Cassandra Clare)

The next day Clar was laying around on the coach waiting for his mom and Luke to get home, his sister was sitting on the other side, they had a rule she gets a side and Clar gets a side, the stupid sibling things you did

He was still thinking about the girl, Jayce, there was something strange about her and her companions, Simone couldn't see them and it only made him find it more strange, was magic real?

Luke walked in with boxes and brought Clar back to reality

"Hey," Clar said

"Hey, Clar," said Luke

"What are the boxes for?" He asked

"Your mom wants to put some stuff away," he said.

"Can I ask you something?" Clar asked

"Sure, what is it?" Luke said

"If you saw something, someone no one else could see, what would you think?" He asked

"Clar you're am artist like your mother, you know that, it gives you the ability to see the beauty and the horror," Luke answered

And then his mom walked in

"Thank you, Luke, for the help and sorry it took me a bit, had to find a parking space," said Jocelyn, Clar's mother

People said Clar looked like a boy version of his mother, but her shade of red hair was slightly darker than Clar's,they both had the same green eyes, they both had freckles and the same face shape, but his mother was beautiful and he didn't see much of beauty in himself, not that society really let's boys be called beautiful.

His sister was beautiful but in a different way, she had very pale blonde hair, and she had green eyes but they were more of a forest green where Clar's and their mom's was more emerald green, she also had freckles though.

Mom and Luke were talking and Clar got stuck in his head again like he did so often

"Kids," their mother said.

Both Joan and Clar looked up at her, it was moments like these that they resembled each other.

"We're going to Luke's farm for a while."

"oh..." Joan said

"But I paid for art classes," Clar said

"I'll pay you back Clar," she told him

"Mom, no I want to go and besides I can get a job and stay here of you want to go–" he was saying

"Clar, no, it's final," She said. "We're going."

"Jocelyn, just tell the truth," Luke said

Tell them the truth what? Clar had no idea what he was talking about, were they in trouble somehow?

"No, Luke," said Jocelyn. "They are too young."

Joan looked bored with this, though to be fair she got bored with a lot of things.

The doorbell rang and there was Simone and Clar grabbed his bag and went with Simone to Erica's stupid poetry reading.

"I'm going with Simone to Java Jones, don't wait for me," he said more coldly than intended.

——————

Jayce was wondering about that boy she saw, and trying to figure out how he could possibly see them, her and Alec were training but she could do both, she was like that good at two things, good at many things.

"You look like your head is in the clouds today," Alec said

"Just thinking," said Jayce

"Wow, you actually thinking, that's new," Alec teased

"I know I have an incredible brain as well as elegant looks and amazing charm," she said

Alec just rolled her eyes

"You're thinking about that boy aren't you?" Alec said with some venom in her voice.

"How'd you know?" She asked

"Because I agree he's a danger now that he can see us."

"I asked Hodge if I could find him and figure how he can see us and he gave me permission, so I am gonna put gear on and do that," she said

"Do you want me to go with you?" Alec asked

"No, I think it's better if it's just me," Jayce told her parabatai

And she heard a mumbled something from her, not knowing what it was.

——————

Clar was finding the a place to sit, while Simone got them coffee, he needed to get away from his mom or he would say something he would regret.

Clar noticed a guy watching Simone and wondered if he liked her, although girls sometimes looked at Simone like that too.

He ended up asking Clar if Simone had a boyfriend or was seeing anyone, to which Clar said no, it did make him wonder himself now.

"They were all out of the nice cups," said Simone as she returned with their coffee

"Be careful, you're burning yourself," he said

"You'd be surprised Fray, it don't bother me," she said right before she yelped

Clar sighed

"hey, question," he asked.."why don't you have a boyfriend?"

Simone jumped

"What?" she said

"Just wondering, there are people at our school who are interested in you," he teased

"The reason I don't have a boyfriend is—"

Clar had stopped listening, there she was behind them laughing, and walking away.

"Clar?" Simone said. "Are you alright?"

It snapped Clar back to reality

"I'll be right back," he said as he was heading for the door.

When he got to outside, there she was leaning against the wall of the building, and acting like she was better

"Why were you laughing at us!?" Is all Clar could say. "You think you are so much better?"

He didn't know her so why did she make him so angry?

"I was laughing because people confessing their love to someone amuses me," she said

"What?" He said. "I don't know who you are or who you think you are but—"

"But, you're stunningly beautiful," she said with sarcasm and arrogance

She made his cheeks turn red with anger

"Wow you're something aren't you?" Was all he said

"Yes, I am many things," Jayce said

"Why are you following me? I really will call the police," Clar told her.

"And tell them 'oh police officer, you gotta help me, there's this invisible girl following me', hate to tell you but they can't see me," she said.

"I swear to—"

"Careful, don't use such language around a lady like myself," she interrupted

And stared at him with a strange look for a few moments

And said "You aren't a Mundane, but how can you see us?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about but you seem out of your mind."

"Let me see your right hand," she said

Did this girl seriously just ask that?

"Here see," she held out her left hand and there was a tattoo like thing there. "Usually they are on the right hand but I am left handed so mine is on my left," she said.

Clar didn't know why but he held his right hand out to her, and she looked at it

"Nothing," she said. "You are working out to be a conduit puzzle."

Then Clar's phone rang after she said that

"Take that, it's not like i am in a rush or anything," she said with sarcasm

"Hello," she said, it was his mom and all he heard was 'don't come home' and crashing and terrible noises

And then his mom was gone, the phone was hung up, he dropped his phone and it broke

"Are you ok?" Asked Jayce

"I need a phone," said Clar

And saw she had one on her belt and grabbed it, probably not the most proper thing to do but he needed it

"That's not a phone," she said

He pressed at it and noticed she was right but his brain wasn't thinking right and so he ran off towards home, the last thing he heard was her calling after him

"I can help!"

——————

When he got to their home everything was a wreck, and his Mom and Sister were nowhere to be found, he went down to his bedroom towards a noise he heard and stood in horror and shock at what he saw

There was some kind of creature there, talking about blood and crunching bones, Clar felt frozen in place, the thing came at him, he was fighting back, hitting it with what he could find around him, and then he remembered he had the phone thingy that Jayce had, he shoved it in the things mouth, but as he was running he felt pain in his neck and everything went black.

——————

When he woke up his head was aching, and he saw that Jayce was looking at him

"You're awake," she said

"Where am I?" He asked

And looked around, he was outside his apartment

"We need to get out of here," she said

"Why?"

"Those police officers are demons not actually police officers," said Jayce

Clar looked up and saw what she was talking about, and he saw a creature again, he tried to get up, Jayce was helping him up but the moment he got up he felt a rush of pain go through his head, and passed out again.

(sorry I know it's kinda the same scene all over again in the beginning but the next stuff will be different)

Tag list: @khaleesiofalicante @chibi-tsukiko @spotsandclawsthings @replayfootsteps @megs-readstoomuch @bookfast-at-tiffanys @simply-ellas-stuff @magnus-the-maqnificent

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rkheejin · 5 years ago

Photo

‧ ₊ ˚ ♡ MGA SEASON FIVE, EPISODE SEVEN— THE FINALE!

• • • astro’s all night ❪ 0:30 — 4:21! ❫ + she’z luv ❪ 0:00 — 3:58! ❫ royal flush's queen of hearts w. kyungsoo, suwoong & eric

there's anticipation prickling at her skin, shivers running up and down her spine the longer time ticks away, and heejin can't help the way her nails dig harshly into her palms— it's all to ground herself, all done to serve as a reminder that this is real, that she truly has come this far.

it's a reminder of her impending future, now glimmering just beyond the horizon as if to tease.

the finals.

heejin had made it all the way to the finals.

the very thought of her imminent success, of all the hard work she'd put in over the last month or so ( nights rendered sleepless in favor of soothing throbbing muscle aches, vocal chords soaked in honey to relieve and mend, heart shaken and shattered only to be put back together by warm hands and yearning gazes ), brings a wistful smile to her lips. there would be no denying her talents now, no sense in keeping her from what she'd done well to earn— what she felt she rightly deserved.

triumph looked beautiful on her, that much heejin was well aware of— the way it'd sat atop her head like a crown, chin high in her poised stance, eyes shining with excitement as a content grin spread across her lips the very moment her team was revealed to have put on the best performance during the semi-finals. that feeling of pure victory, of not only her efforts but the efforts of her teammates as well, of being rightfully acknowledged had been everything.

in that moment, heejin couldn't recall ever feeling as high on stage as she had then.

it serves as motivation immediately. she would finish this competition with a bang, go out with the same lasting impact she'd had with youth of flowers as they took charge of the stage.

it was the final stretch now, and heejin would be damned if she let herself fall and leave with nothing for her efforts.

♡

there's a clear contrast to be seen in their dynamics in comparison to the week before the moment they come together for another week of practices, the air far calmer and easier to breathe, bodies forgoing tense shoulders and careful words in favor of pleasant familiarity and ease. it's an unexpected change, at least to heejin it is, but it's a change she's more than grateful for— she no longer feels as if she's a simple stranger working amongst fast colleagues, no longer feels the strong urge to keep her distance, to only let them in on what she wants to let them in on. no, it's as if a switch had been flicked, their presences alongside hers in their practice room appreciated.

it had been different last week— then, the only thing on her mind had been doing what she needed to in order to ensure her own safety once the final round of eliminations came around, wanting to coast high above the conflicts that seemed to come on after another between the majority of them as best as she could.

however, now, mingling about with her team as they geared up to begin preparations for their final performances together, heejin wanted to do more. she wanted to do more than just do what she needed to do, wanted to do more than simply offer civil smiles and work without even a little bit of fun. after all of the rocky roads they'd traveled with one another only a few short days prior, she felt they deserved at least that much, especially after proving how well of a team they could actually be once conflicts were out of the way.

they had proven they were a force not to be underestimated— having a little fun here and there to make up for lost time was valid.

that fun, surprisingly enough, begins with cheri.

the rush of emotions she feels the moment the older woman walks through their practice rooms door, a surprise celebratory cake held in her hands, cause heejins heart to pick up in its pace— it catches her off guard ( and, judging by her teammates' reactions, it catches them off guard as well if suwoongs eager rise to his feet was anything to go by ), her brows shooting up, hands clasping together in her own bubbling happiness. it's just as she, herself, begins to get up from where she's sat, head down as she quickly adjusts her slightly wrinkled shirt that she hears a sudden plop.

her heart wrenches in her ribcage, head quickly snapping up, eyes immediately bouncing around in search of the cake that'd been in cheri's hands only a few seconds ago. the lower her eyes travel, the more her lips begin to pull into a saddened frown, shoulders deflating as her hands unlock themselves from one another and fall limply at her sides— it's a sad sight to see, already melting ice cream and cake bits unpleasantly smooshed and scattered about the floor, and if it wasn't for the heavy disappointment beginning to take root in the pit on her stomach, she might have found the older woman's reaction to her mistake rather odd.

maybe that's why, as a second cake is suddenly brought in by ella and wonwoo, the first momentarily forgotten about as heejins mouth falls open slightly in shock, their prank is more effective than it might've otherwise been. of all the people in their group to pull a stunt like this, heejin wouldn't have pictured cheri begin its main orchestrator, but maybe that's why it worked so well— this was something she'd never have seen coming.

it's only later, the mess from the first cake having long since been cleaned up, utensils in hand as they all dig into the second cake, that heejin feels herself, ones again, in higher spirits. even when the prospect of calling hyojin, their fallen member, is brought up, she finds herself easily wearing a pleasant grin— while the loss of a member had been inevitable at this point, she wouldn't deny that it'd surprisingly made her sad to see him go ( just like the rest of them, hyojin worked hard to ensure the success of their performance— as the judges had pointed out, however, at least he would be the one to leave a winner in some sense of the word ). during the call, as jokes are made and the mood is kept as light as it can be, heejin can't deny that she's happy.

it surprises her, but she knows, within herself, that it's true— sat amongst her group, cake being enjoyed to the fullest under the caring and watchful eyes of their coaches, heejin is happy that this is the team she'll be seeing the competition to the end with.

as the call ends, they're brought back to their reality— song choices.

the idea of having to put on two performances is a daunting one, especially when both needed to include choreography, something that'd proven to give them a bit of difficulty when it came to their more vocally focused members ( heejin being included in this ). the task, however, doesn't intimidate her the way it might have a few weeks ago. no, with their win from the semi-finals, heejin knew she would be fine— they would be fine. though it may not be by much, she was aware that she had improved some when it came to her capabilities as a dancer, and that she would only continue to improve. what worried her more was the prospect of needing to put together two different performances.

if the task had been to simply one-up what they'd done last week with one last stage, she felt that'd be more doable, having the full week to put in the intense focus needed to ensure everything, again, was perfect. now, however, their time and focus needed to be split between making sure two separate performances were perfect.

as song ideas are thrown around for what their first performance would be, the tone once again needing to reflect that of royal, heejin can't help but think of sphere, the company they'd need to revolve their second performance around. choosing something for royal had been the easiest thing, a unanimous agreement towards all night settling that early on, but sphere proves to be more of a challenge. it's hard for them to all agree on what song to go with, two more boy group choices up in the air, and for a moment, heejin isn't sure if they'll be able to decide. it's only after prompting for opinions from their coaches that they're thrown a curveball— rather than do a song by a boy group, cheri suggests thinking of possible girl group songs.

at the thought, a whole new realm of possibilities seems to open up in heejins mind.

she hates how she'd never even thought of proposing something more feminine for them to do, the overwhelming testosterone emanating from their group causing her to think that going along with things that leaned stronger and more masculine might suit them more than making the boys try to conform to something they might not be comfortable with ( sure, she was a pretty girl, one who could be cute or elegant when she needed to be, but not everyone had that talent ). silently, she's grateful for the way it causes their conversation to do a complete u-turn, providing her with the possible chance to show off more of her own charms the way she had at the beginning of the competition.

with more discussion and options being thrown around, they finally decide on a song for sphere— a song by one of the companies senior artists, luv. heejin can't help the way her excitement only grows as their choices are finally solidified, her eagerness for their sphere stage eminent, and she's ready to get to business.

if only she'd known earlier that business meant doing intense workouts in the form of squats, all in preparation for their all night stage, courtesy of coach ella, only for coach cheri to have them work on their harmonization skills...while still doing squats.

by the time the day ends and she's back home in her room, readying herself for a much-needed shower, heejin feels as tired as she looks, and that's saying something, seeing as she looks like she's been run over by a truck.

it's the final stretch, heejin— it's the final stretch.

♡

if there's one way heejin didn't want to be welcomed to the practice room so early in the morning, her legs still aching from the squats they'd been made to do the day before, a hand raising to rub the last dregs of sleep from her eyes, it's by being scared.

well, by attempting to be scared.

she can't help the way a single brows lifts itself the moment she opens the practice rooms door, suwoong jumping into her field of vision, and she catches sights of kyungsoo lingering off in the corner the former had jumped from with something akin to amusement playing at his features. it's a childish prank, one heejin hasn't had the thought to try doing since she was in middle school, but it's one she doesn't protest against as suwoong quickly tugs her along with him back to where he and kyungsoo had previously been hiding. she does, however, roll her eyes playfully. "you do know you're not exactly quiet, even when you try to be, right? if you couldn't scare me, what makes you think you can scare them!" her words fall from her lips in a hushed rush, but still, she follows along.

she eats her words, however, when the next person to walk through the door, poor, poor eric, is scared by them within an inch of his life.

ok, so maybe they could scare the coaches.

the wait, however, proves to be longer than they'd originally thought it'd be. the longer the four of them are stood there, huddled closely together in order to stay as hidden away as they possibly could, heejin can feel her legs cramping, the need to shift her weight from foot to foot strong. it's only as she begins to roll one of her ankles gently that the door finally opens, and while she doesn't jump with the same enthusiasm that suwoong and eric seem to have, choosing a more laid back approach like kyungsoo, heejin still yells with the intent to startle.

she watches on with a wide grin, arms crossed loosely at her front, and it takes everything in her not to laugh out loud too hard. sure, this little prank was all harmless, done simply as payback for the one the coaches pulled on them, but they're still their coaches— they're authority figures, possible future seniors, and heejin wouldn't let herself be seen as too eager to pull a fast one. not so subtly, she points a finger in suwoongs direction, brows raised, a silent declaration that this was all his idea. quickly, however, she dissolves into another gentle fit of laughter as they help their coaches recover and the day proceeds as they'd originally planned.

it's another day of intense preparations, workouts starting right from the getgo, but the burn is less intense than it had been the day before, so heejin takes that as a sign of improvement.

as the next day progress', they take slight detours— it doesn't surprise her when suwoong approaches her in secret, proposing the idea of secretly shopping around for outfits their group could wear for their stages, his acknowledgment towards her being one of their more stylish members doing nothing but strengthening her pride ( in all honesty, he was correct— to heejin, style was important, no matter the event or occasion. you never knew who you'd see anytime you stepped out of your house, so it was always better to make sure you looked nice on the chance you were suddenly in the presence of someone important. heejin also wouldn't deny that suwoong seemed to have a good read on style himself, so naturally, it made sense for them to take up the task if anyone was going to ).

it's easy to piece together certain looks, both of their outfits coming together quickly. she's happy that yellows, especially the pastel yellow they'd decided to stick to as the main color point of their luv outfits, are still so popular this late into summer, the tennis skirt she'd found pairing nicely with the simpler white blouse she'd latched onto early on in their search.

she's proud of what they're able to find, especially when it comes to erics cute sweater vest, an absolute steal of a find, one they'd practically ripped their hair out in order to find, but they do it despite the odds. kyungsoos attire, however, is where they come to their disagreements— with judgemental stares, heejin does her best to do away with all of the horrid pieces suwoong enthusiastically shows her, her disbelief growing more and more the worse options seem to get. her rejections, in the end, fall on deaf ears, however.

heejin can picture the scene easily as they make their way back to the royal building, kyungsoos protests towards suwoongs choice in clothes for him only a short ways away.

oh well, she had tried.

they run into kyungsoo sooner than they'd planned, however, completely taken by surprise as they watch him put on a solo performance on the streets. her confusion is met by suwoongs equally as confused glances, her head shaking at his questions. "he never mentioned he was gonna be out here to me, either," she speaks, turning back to watch their teammate. her head bops gently to the rhythm of his song. "maybe he wanted to get in a little extra practice performing for a large crowd?"

it's a shot in the dark, one made with pure curiosity.

when they see him again in the practice room, thoughts of his performance as long since forgotten in favor of watching him try and wrestle himself away from suwoong, heejins eyes bright with amusement as they argue over the outfit suwoong had gotten for him, just as she knew they would.

maybe, however, the ruckus is worth it once kyungsoo begrudgingly has the outfit on, kyungsoos face saying it all.

damn, heejin really hoped all of this would be aired.

♡

on tuesday, when suwoong suggests yet another prank, heejin already feels tired.

with them being this was into the week, their practice still going strong for both of their routines the closer saterday gets, heejin has her doubts with trying to pull another stunt. it's not that she doesn't want to, exactly, she just doesn't want them to fall into this sort of routine— of them allowing themselves to get so easily distracted, putting the practice they needed off to the side in favor of pulling joke after joke. sure, they were generally funny, but they had a goal to work towards.

she decides she'll go along with it in the end, however, once she hears how small it'll be. it's harmless in comparison to the stunt they'd pulled before, nothing involving jumpscares. while it does take away from real practice time, it doesn't do so by much, and by the time they've generally got it all down, heejin feels good.

the next day, as the put the plan into action, heejin is sure to keep her face as close to stone as she can, not wanting herself to be the one that gives them away before they even start with a loose grin. as suwoong does the talking, telling the coaches of their sudden want to change their sphere song choice, she gets into position, standing beside kyungsoo in the center of the practice room, suwoong and eric at their sides, the two of them begin to sing. their voices fill the space, ppap falling from their lips as the other two begin to dance. as kyungsoo and heejin finish their lines, erics otamatone suddenly filling the void they've left as they all dance. it's then that heejin finally cracks a smile, letting herself laugh at the sight of their coaches showing their own amusement.

it's all fun and games until they're made to return to their normal practice, morale at an all-time high.

♡

taking the stage for the first of their two performances, heejin is as confident as ever, the four of them stood together as they give their introductions. their voices sign off in unison, clear for the audience to hear. “hello everyone, we are royal flush!”

once it's time for heejin to give out her individual introduction, she does so with a beautiful smile, hands coming together to form a cute heart. "i'm jeon heejin, you're queen of hearts!" with them all having spoken, they quickly get into their starting positions, and the mood of the stage is set right away, just as it had been last week. different flowers and foliage alike decorate the stage, placed with absolute care and balance, flower petals and deep blues playing on the screens behind them to help with the ambiance.

they're visions in white, pure and sweet, and while they all begin on the floor, their expressions already reflect the dream-like effect they hope to give off wonderfully despite only one of them being seen right away— as the music begins and they move with an almost effortless feeling, graceful in their delivery in order to help paint a picture, heejin is sure to give it her all from the start. as kyungsoo opens with his vocals, performing his part with ease, heejin is more than glad for ellas insistence on squats earlier on the week— it makes the rise they all perform as kyungsoo walks across the stage far easier than it would have been otherwise, all of them falling to their knees except for suwoong as he sings his part.

as they all spread out, rolling across the floor to get to their spots, heejin rises with controlled ease, her voice smooth against the slowly picking up beat, eyes finding the cameras with ease. her voice holds strength, however, and not a note is missed.

전하지 못한 얘기 밤새 들려줄 테니 눌러 봐 지금 sending

as the beat picks up more, suwoongs voice finishing off the pre-chorus, kyungsoos lines coming in as they move across the stage, heejin is glad they'd change the spin jump to keep things more controlled. moving to the center, she begins the first part of the chorus, her voice stronger than it'd been before to match the intensity now present.

니 목소린 간질간질 간질 하게 들려 맘이 포근포근 포근하게

moving into her next position, she's sure to keep her movements as fluid as she can as suwoong and kyungsoo do their own parts back to back, doing her best to keep her facial expressions in charge— her eyes say a thousand words despite her silence, gaze holding the camera as they face it, the dread squat move they'd practiced time and time again showing itself as they do it in unison, something that'd taken them a lot of time and dedication to master. she's glad her legs no longer shake as it's done, letting herself move fluidly. when they'd first began learning the dance, certain gestures relating to the crotch area had been a bit much to heejin, but now, she does them as if they're nothing, mirroring the boys, but allowing herself to be a bit softer with it for her own sake.

moving on to erics rap, it's up to everyone not singing to move as a unit, matching the intensity of his rapping as they go along. soon enough, however, heejin take the attention once more.with her vocals, smooth as ever.

아무도 모를 얘기 네게만 해 줄 테니 더 늦기 전에 sending i can't wait, i can't wait, i can't wait

this time, however, she takes on the whole verse, suwoong voice underlying her own with a brief part of his own before he and kyungsoo once again take charge of their own, one singing part of the chorus, only to hand it off to the other to finish it.

as she takes the center to finish off the chorus, the boys falling to their knees slowly as they dance together, heejin lets herself throw a gentle wink to the camera, her side profile on display for only a moment, a feature she knows is a killer.

그저 밤새 듣고 싶은 것은 니 목소리뿐이거든

as the next rapping portion begins, this one shorter than the first, their dancing takes it down a slight notch, allowing them the freedom to move without needing to push themselves too hard, but still showcasing fluidity and unison in their bodies. it's all about the timing, about the rhythm of the song, together working hand in hand. making their way to the floor move by move, traveling along it as the go, heejin prepares herself, rising from where she lays as she sings once more.

어느새 고운 숨소리 속삭이듯 잠이 드는 너

unline the original choreography, however, heejin doesn't simply stay stationary as she delivers her high note. no, as her vocal pierce through the air, strong and clear, she makes her way across the stage, nearing suwoong. she feels him take her wrist loosely, just as they'd planned, letting him pull her farther in as her note fades off, and he delivers his own line, their killing part completed as they hold one another in a lenient embrace. parting from one another as they move into the last portions of the song, heejin gives beautiful adlibs the entire way before she sings once more.

잠이 들 때 듣고 싶은 것도 니 숨소리뿐이거든

as they shout together one last time, confetti shoots into the air, fluttering prettily around them, the stage, and the audience. the song reaching its end as they deliver their finishing line, they move as one to find their ending pose positions. singing the performances final line, heejin give it as much heart as she can, head tilted slightly as it all comes to a close.

그저 밤새 듣고 싶은 것은 니 목소리뿐이거든

♡

by the time they take the stage for their final time, the mood and tonal shift from their first stage is already apparent— gone are the all-white ensembles they'd worn previously, their outfits this time consisting of the pretty pastel yellow and white clothes she'd gone out to buy with suwoong earlier in the week.

as they introduce themselves for a final time, both kyungsoo and suwoong being given the time needed to give light explanations as to why they picked this particular song, they set off into their formation, taking their starting positions. as their track begins, so does heejin, taking the opening vocals.

기억하나요 우리 함께 했던 시간 l.o.v.e luv 설레이나요 한 땐 모든 것이었던 l.o.v.e luv

in comparison to everything else they've done during their time as a group, this is by far the least intense ( maybe even the least interesting ), but to stand out and take charge hadn't been the point of this songs choice. no, they'd already proven they could impress viewers, had already shown their strengths in a variety of ways, taking on challenges and bettering themselves as days passed. now wasn't the time to blow people out of the water. now was a time for reminiscing, remembering the good times they'd had over this season, and seeing just how far they've come.

her voice is sweet, but with a certain heaviness to it, clear in its tone as she delivers her lines with ease and kyungsoo sings next. following in the vein of not trying to blow people minds, heejin had been happy for the songs easier choreography in comparison to all night, the moves doable without much of a hassle, providing them ample time to learn it perfectly in order to give them the time they needed to perfect their first performances dance. now, they move together with ease, and as the song progress with heejin singing small lines hear and there underneath her partners' main vocal lines, heejin comes to the center once more the begin the chorus.

기억하나요 우리 함께 했던 시간 l.o.v.e luv 설레이나요 한 땐 모든 것이었던 l.o.v.e luv

moving through the chorus, a small breakdance is done without fail, heejins body moving along to the beat with a gentle hop to her step, eyes finding the camera to give it a wink as the hit their final move, the next verse starting up immediately as they take their next positions. again, her voice chimes in here and there during certain parts of the song, taking the back seat as the boys do their parts.

this time, however, instead of her next lines being the start of the next chorus, she takes of the beginning of the pre-chorus as they form a skewed line across the stage, heejin being most in the foreground as they dance. head tilting from side to side with each step, she's sure to make her eyes slightly larger, brows furrowed gently as she sings.

너와 나 너무 행복했던 그 시간 서로를 마주 볼 때면 yeah

then, after eric takes the attention as he sings and finishes up the pre-chorus, heejin comes back to begin the chorus once more.

기억하나요 우리 함께 했던 시간 l.o.v.e luv 설레이나요 한 땐 모든 것이었던 l.o.v.e luv

as the bridge begins, the song building up lightly as suwoong and eric sing, only to come together right before heejin walks through the center, her hand takes hold of the flower that'd been carefully pinned to her shirt before they'd walked onto the stage. taking slow strides towards the front as she sings, the flower in hand, she tosses it towards the camera as she strongly holds out the last note in her line.

넌 나의 기억 속에 추억 어딘가 그렇게 남아있죠

then as they move about and find they're places for the final chorus, they let their voices come together in a unified shout, prompting the audience to dance along with them for this final stretch, a way of including them, those who'd watched them through the season and gave them the support they needed to do well. "do it with us!" it's meant to be a special moment, one that doesn't fail at making heejins lips turn upwards gently into a smile, eyes scanning the crowd as they do, in fact, join in. it's a wonderful moment, one she's not sure she'll ever have the pleasure of enjoying in this way ever again, but she won't let thoughts like that bring her down.

not now, when there was nothing left for her to feel but happiness.

as the song comes to a close, the four of them sing the songs ending line together, coming together for their last finishing pose together. a heart made up of their arms, heejin and eric making up the top of it while kyungsoo and suwoong join their arms to form the point below.

her chest heaves with exertion, taking deep breaths as they hold their pose, but heejin doesn't mind the aches she feels beginning to take root in her bones. no, she would never mind if they were a result of this, a product of the time and work she put in to her time on stage.

no, heejin wanted more of it, because to feel that meant she was doing what she was meant to do.

this was where she was meant to be.

지나버린 우리 얘기

#˚ ♡ ‧₊˚✧ › THE SOLOS.#˚ ♡ ‧₊˚✧ › MGA5.#˚ ♡ ‧₊˚✧ › WC: 4825.#rkmga5 #rkmga5finale #rkkyungsoo #rksuwoong #ericxrk #rkcheri #rkella #rkwon #( THIS BITCH DONE I Y E E T #( click the song titles to line distributions!

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hyojinrk-archived · 5 years ago

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#5020 — KIM HYOJIN, WITH: #5042 — sohn youngjae ( @ericxrk ) & #5007 — do kyungsoo ( @rkkyungsoo ) & #5032 — lee suwoong ( @rksuwoong ) & #5013 — kim heejin ( @rkheejin )

MGA 5 SEMIFINALS: vixx′s shangri-la — youth over flowers ver.

mentions: @rkcheri, @rkella, @rkwon and a few more!

representative flower: pink hydrangea; outfit

there’s no good way to describe how he feels at that very moment other than absolutely devastated.

it’s okay if they’re not called to be at the very top, hyojin thinks -- no, he dares to think -- but then they start announcing the people at the bottom without even touching the middle. it sends him straight into fear, because there’s an ugly premonition building inside of him, telling him that something was going to go sideways right about now, and he dreads the possibility of them being named. yugyeom, joohyuk, jackson. hansol, jungeun, kenta.

the judges announce their respective eliminations, sending home two out of the six, and hyojin braces himself. there’s no way they would have gotten lower, would they? would they? that’s already six out of ten duos done. all he wants, no, all he needs is for them to be one of those two who hadn’t been named. #4 or #5. #4 or #5, please --

“kim hyojin.”

he loses his breath at that, exhaling sharply without even realizing that he had been breathing in, because that’s his name. that’s his name, and at this very moment, he wished it wasn’t. it feels like a sin to think that when his mother had spent months thinking of what to name him, to carefully put together his name and taking the time to go to a fortune teller to increase his fortuity.

( looks like his luck has run out. )

he’s limp in his seat as they name eric and taeyang as well, unable to meet their gazes. he knows it’s him. he knows, also, that it’s absolutely his fault that they’re there. if he had been a better dancer, or had not been in their trio at all, maybe they would have been at the top. maybe they would have won. instead, he’s getting ready to hear jisub call his name, to tell him that his dancing wasn’t good enough, their stage was impressive and vibrant but he was the only one who didn’t make it so.

instead, he hears a name that isn’t his. it starts with a yoo and ends with a --

“hyung,” he breathes it out weakly, eyes wide and shining with hurt as he turns to taeyang next to him, trying his best not to look back at eric, who he was sure was probably glaring at him. there’s thousands of thoughts flying through his head -- he’s sorry, god, he’s so sorry, but he’s also guilty, and then he’s mad, at himself, at this matchup, at everything, because he shouldn’t have been put with them but he still was, and now this is nothing but a loser’s game where either he loses himself or loses another. this man taught him how to dance, and even as the stronger vocalist, it hurts hyojin realizing this.

he doesn’t know what to say except for sorry, but it’s weak and falls flat and he can only choke it out ever so quietly, falling deaf on their ears. he’s so sorry.

it tastes bitter and cruel on his tongue as he sits through the last few eliminations, none of them as emotional or shocking as this one to the teams, but he can’t stop thinking about his teammate next to him, and the other on his other side, and how he let them down. he doesn’t even feel like he has the right to enjoy the new challenge that’s presented to them, to be in awe at the fact that they were going to be coached by famous idols and trainees who had competed in previous seasons of the show.

all he can do is look at the judges, wondering, why him? not just why did they eliminate taeyang, but why did they keep him?

( the answer is simple: because the dance was made easier for someone like hyojin, at the cost of taeyang. it’s a scale, not a tower. adding more to one side takes away from the other. )

coaches... voting...

he catches that the supposed mentors had voted for who would be put into their teams to represent each company, but he’s still caught up on the fact that taeyang was gone. he was out. maybe they’d call his name instead of hyojin’s for the teams. but sphere passes by, and then nova, and then trc, and then kt, and then he hears royal, the name making his chest tighten because that was exactly what he had put on his application when applying for this show; it was, in his mind, the best option for him if he wanted to keep on singing and for people to keep on hearing him. but why did it have to be this way?

surely enough, the people are expected. kyungsoo, then heejin, and then... him. not taeyang, him.

this was the reality. this was the crime he’s committed.

❀ INTERACTIONS ; FRIDAY

he’s tense on the first day, more so than he would have been had it not been for yesterday’s awful events. stepping foot into royal does much to alleviate his stress and the guilt that still hovered behind him everywhere he went, but it doesn’t change the fact that he now bears the weight of someone else’s elimination on him. the previous weeks, he had either been solo or tied to his partner, meaning that it would either be both or none, but the fact that they lost a member this time and didn’t have to is what gets him.

“hi, i’m kim hyojin. please take good care of me, i’ll work hard!”

he tries to greet everyone with a bright smile and a polite bow as always, but it’s obvious how his thoughts weigh him down, especially considering that he’s having a hard time looking eric in the eyes, even more so than before.

even with this burden, though, it doesn’t stop him from finally getting starstruck when in front of the coaches, which included both the leader of luxe and one of its well known dancers, as well as won, a former mga finalist. he can’t stop his gaze from constantly wandering between them, his hands folded neatly in front of him as he stands respectfully, nodding along to their words attentively and with curious eyes, shyly avoiding ella’s glance whenever her eyes got close to his. despite this, he takes their words and advice to heart, and as the team starts to settle on their song, he finds himself slowly warming up.

( this time, he won’t talk about his dancing. this time, he can’t let them suffer because he’s lacking. )

instead, he listens attentively to the ideas thrown around, adding some of his own into the mix like mamamoo or got7, nodding thoughtfully despite being a bit reserved, especially with eric in the group. they eventually decide on shangri-la, a song with a backing track that makes heavy use of traditional sounds and instruments, and also conveyed a sense of elegance and chicness through use of fans. fortunately, because not all of the members are dancers -- and also because royal isn’t exactly the most dance oriented company -- they decide to water down some parts after realizing that not everyone can do it in sync, making it simpler.

at the same time, though, hyojin knows that he has a long way to go, and tries to follow along as closely as he can. he’s sparing in his questions unless it’s to a coach like ella, because he knows he can’t take away too much from the other contestants’ practice time.

as the night grows darker and later, hyojin finds himself one of the only ones left in the studio, still practicing and even trying to learn ahead in the dance, watching the video over and over again and recording himself before monitoring. it’s with this strategy that he hopes to stay ahead without burdening anyone, and certainly without making them sacrifice their time and efforts, and he gives a little wave to the camera before he leaves for the night, turning off the studio lights.

❀ SATURDAY ;

line distribution takes a turn for the worse as parts are doled out -- surprisingly enough, hyojin, heejin, and eric don’t have too hard of a time figuring out who does what, as heejin got the high notes and the main vocal position, and hyojin the beginning and ending of the song, as well as part of the chorus as the secondary main vocal. eric seemed fine enough with the rap part, and even though hyojin volunteers to collaborate with him to help increase his rapping experience, the other seems terribly cold about it.

trying his best not to take it to heart, hyojin instead finds himself witness to kyungsoo and suwoong’s conflict over the song’s killing part -- also known as the part where the stand ins for n and ravi harmonize, resting their heads on each other’s shoulders. he has to admit, it’s a pretty and enchanting part, and he understands why it’d be so heavily contended -- at the same time, though, he’s surprised at the fact that they seemed so hostile. the day before, they seemed to be fine, even playing around with the cameras.

nevertheless, the issue is resolved when kyungsoo’s height and singing skill seems to fit the bill for the coaches, who ultimately give him the part, and hyojin sighs a breath of relief at the peaceful resolution. the tension still remains, though, with eric even chillier at hyojin than yesterday, and it troubles deeply him as he watches the younger brush by him while he goes to cheri for some advice.

“coach cheri-ssi.” clearing his throat shyly, waiting for the woman to notice him, hyojin asks, “could you tell me if i’m doing this part right? the expression is a little complex at this line.” singing the opening line sweetly, he waits and listens for her feedback, retrying a few times before capturing the right mood. it’s sensual, but not too sensual; a mix of mystic and lovely, making for a hard execution but an impressive one if done correctly.

consequently, with her kind words and patience, he finds himself relaxing after realizing that he’s been tensing up this whole time, and when asked why he seemed to be so uneasy, he ends up spilling his troubles with the team to her, telling her about how taeyang had gotten eliminated and he’s fairly sure eric is upset about it, as the former had taken so much time to teach him how to dance.

she responds by saying that the judges’ decision was not his fault, soothing him with warm but reasonable words, telling him that he shouldn’t think so negatively of himself as a burden. this comforts him greatly, almost to the point of tears, but he wipes away at his eyes before they can form fully, and nods. he doesn’t exactly think that he can go on as normal after this, especially when he hasn’t talked to eric or taeyang about it, but maybe now he could consider gaining the courage to approach them.

practice goes by a little troubled, with suwoong constantly dropping his fan on heejin and hitting the poor girl, much to hyojin’s dismay -- he asks her if she’s all right more than just a few times, but it seems to just be a rampant case of butterfingers rather than malicious intent on the former’s part.

he stays late again, focusing more on the chorus this time, going through each move slowly and pretending to hold a fan ( they had yet to arrive for the team ) the whole time, feeling his body start to ache at the intense dance. unlike last time, with the simple choreography, this was only slightly modified, meaning that most of the elements remained the same. not only that, but there was now also a dance break, meaning that hyojin would seriously have to pick up the pace.

he can’t remember the last time he’s picked up a guitar or played the keyboard, and, honestly, his bones and limbs are hurting so much nowadays that he doesn’t even recall the feeling anymore. he’s too tired to even try to talk to the camera anymore like he did last week, instead resting on the floor, sprawled out, sometimes flashing a tired smile or peace sign at the camera from time to time, or trying to move his lips up into a smile in the mirror despite the bags starting to appear under his eyes. he knows kyungsoo is probably struggling the same, coming in early on weekends instead of staying as late.

with this in mind, he still powers through, taking breaks only if needed and not complaining.

❀ SUNDAY ;

kyungsoo’s words are harsh, and they cut through the air smoothly like a fine-sharpened knife. hyojin’s eyes are wide as he sees the shorter male storm out of the studio after saying his final words to suwoong, having overheard the whole fight but knowing better than to butt in between them when clearly this was their own battle.

it doesn’t stop him, though, from also dropping his fan ( that had arrived that morning ) and going out after kyungsoo, leaving the rest of his teammates standing, shocked, in the practice room. there’s a slight panic to him as he tries to scour the building, before realizing that royal’s hallways are winding and confusing, and that kyungsoo was nowhere to be found. after looking in a few other rooms and even finding the backdoor exit, hyojin realizes that he’s lost the male. but instead of going back to the studio, he decides to exit the building, knowing that suwoong undoubtedly had yet to calm down, and that, knowing kyungsoo, he probably wouldn’t be getting lunch anytime soon.

by the time he comes back with two sandwiches in his hands, along with two drinks, hyojin finds that the studio is empty except for kyungsoo, who looks as quiet and grim as ever. hyojin himself is a little less frazzled at the sudden outburst from before, and is visibly glad to see that the singer had come back, making his way over almost a little too eagerly with the extra meal.

“here, 'soo. i got one for you -- you’ve been working hard.”

it’d be a lie if hyojin said he didn’t know why suwoong and kyungsoo had fought -- quite simply, as someone who also had difficulties dancing, hyojin had noticed how suwoong always seemed to tell them to start again, even occasionally teasing kyungsoo, who seemed increasingly more irritated and less amused. push would come to shove and increase tensions instead of resolving them, hence leading to this situation.

sitting next to kyungsoo as he opens his sandwich, taking a little bite, hyojin glances at his friend, concern clear in his eyes. “i know suwoong hyung has been a little tough lately, but let’s hang in there, okay?” trying his best to convey his worries, hyojin ends up saying it in order to convince kyungsoo to take the dancer a little less seriously, “i’m sure he doesn’t mean any harm, so let’s both try to be a little more understanding.”

with that, he pats the male’s shoulder, and they eat together in silence.

the moment the rest of the team comes back, hyojin can’t help but notice the unsettling feeling that was starting to pervade the room. although he greets suwoong brightly, the other male seems a little bit colder than usual, and with eric following in behind him, the dots connect and hyojin feels his chest tighten. he knows he deserves it ( no, he doesn’t -- that’s what cheri told him to keep in mind, but it’s hard ), but it still hurts the same, especially with how nice and energetic suwoong had been towards him for the first few days. it feels like the more he tries, the more he’s shunned, but there’s no option for him to leave or give up.

regardless, hyojin still catches him when they’re alone, trying to bring up the conflict with kyungsoo, albeit nervously at first. “hyung... earlier this morning... i noticed you and ‘soo seemed to have some difficulties?” when the other male doesn’t respond, expression only growing colder, he continues, voice still strong despite his confidence faltering inwardly, “i was just thinking... maybe it’d be a little nicer if you complimented him more, or were a little more lenient. i know i shouldn’t be saying this when i’m not as good at dancing, but it’s discouraging to have mistakes constantly be picked at, and in some cases, frustrating. i don’t think it’ll help a lot with teaching someone in the end, but it’s just my perspective. you’re the best dancer out of all of us, so i’m sure you’ll make the right call in the end.”

laughing awkwardly, he notices the look on suwoong’s face, foreign and almost hostile, before asking quietly, “have i done sometihng wrong?”

when suwoong explains what hyojin had been fearing, he visibly falters. ah, taeyang was his best friend. how much collateral damage had he caused?

( none. it’s not his fault that was how the elimination was decided, but he can’t quite seem to convince himself of that. )

they end up talking for a while after that, hyojin explaining how he had felt guilty about it and how he was working extra hard to make up for taeyang’s elimination, explaining that he was both fortunate to have such an understanding teammate but also be allowed to survive. he didn’t plan on letting it go to waste anytime soon, and this seems to please suwoong, who seems to have loosened up ever so slightly.

when they finally split up, hyojin approaches eric again carefully to confirm their collaboration, and they decide, albeit one-sidedly, to go perform in hongdae on tuesday to promote the team and practice. he goes home that day after the same hard practice, this time finally sending a text to taeyang before sleeping.

❀ MONDAY - WEDNESDAY ;

he wakes up to a warm and frankly far too kind response from taeyang, who encourages and comforts him instead of the other way around. this relieves hyojin, more than he can ever admit, and for the first time, he walks into the studio with a smile blooming on his face, no longer withering away with every passing day and cold interaction with some of his teammates.

suwoong and kyungsoo also come in with food, and after everyone thanks them and enjoys it, hyojin gently suggests that they all sit down and have a heart-to-heart in the studio, talking about their worries. he, for one, brings up the tensions with eric, telling the younger how he’s been feeling.

“truthfully, it’s been hard keeping it to myself all these days. i didn’t know what to say to make it better, or how to properly apologize and decrease the tension. i had a hard time looking any of you in the eyes, because i spent all of my time when i wasn’t practicing wondering, should taeyang hyung be here in my place instead? do i really deserve this?” trying not to tear up, he pauses, licking his lips as he tries to look at eric and suwoong confidently, sitting criss cross on the studio floor in a circle with everyone else, “but eric... suwoong hyung... i promise you that i’ll work as hard as i can to make sure taeyang wasn’t eliminated for nothing. i won’t be a burden this time, i promise.”

with that, the conflict seems to be resolved, suwoong comforting him again, and eric seeming a lot more relaxed, even friendly. during practice time this time around, hyojin opens up a little more, his brightness back and still burning even late at night, where he finally practices effortlessly without looking like the world was on his shoulders.

before he heads out for the night before his collaboration with eric, he sits with the camera again for the first time that week, a genuinely happy smile on his face despite his weary bones and soul.

“tomorrow is busking day! i’ll finally get to collaborate with eric, even though i can’t bring you along, camera-ssi... it’s okay, i can show a recording later, if you want! sleep well. i’ll see you tomorrow!” giving it a little wave and a pat, hyojin finally heads out of the studio.

❀

two days later, after his collaboration with eric in hongdae, in which suwoong had tagged along and they attracted a rather large crowd, hyojin and his team present fans with letters on them to the coaches -- won, ella, and cheri. during the process, though, he finds himself bowing deeply to his teammates in apology, a little flustered at how long his messages appeared in comparison to theirs.

“sorry! i must have written too much, otherwise you would have had space to write more.”

regardless, it’s laughed off, and they finish up their performance with some more ideas, like stage lighting and even a team name. with the team atmosphere finally comfortable and good after a grueling week, he feels like they’re going to burn up the stage together.

❀ ON THE STAGE ;

the robes are a little heavy despite him being used to wearing them a few times now, and he nervously fingers his red-tinted fan as they sit in the waiting room with all the others, watching performances. he’s so nervous, in fact, that even though he applauds the others during each stage, he can’t help but think about theirs, and the fact that they were going to be the last performance of the night.

( he really hopes -- no, he’s confident -- that they’ve saved the best for last. )

as they get onstage, hyojin responds to suwoong’s question before they reach backstage with a firm “yes” despite his stomach feeling like jelly, the screams becoming louder at their appearance when they finally see the audience. at the attention and the bright lights hyojin grows shy and steps a little closer to suwoong, his cheeks growing warm when he thinks that he might hear his name somewhere in there.

they introduce themselves as youth over flowers, with hyojin’s own tagline being, “i’m kim hyojin, the lovely pink hydrangea who will fill your hearts with emotion.” at suwoong’s cheesy ending line, they then get into their positions, starting the song.

흐드러져 피는 꽃 바람마저 달콤한 이곳은 꿈 gorgeously blossoming flowers even the wind is sweet in this dream like place

as the instrumental begins, the lights dim and the stage fills with fog. the dance starts with an elegant wave of their fans, and hyojin starts in a sitting position, opening his with a flourish. at his line, he starts in the center with his knees on the ground, his expression charismatic and alluring as he sings sweetly. much like honey that attracted bees, he hoped to grasp the attention of the audience and the judges as well, showing off his ability to adapt to such a sexy and elegant performance.

the next member follows, then heejin -- hyojin stands on the outside of the circle, before completing more elegant moves next to her, getting into line with the others. as they expand outwards, he takes the center for the chorus.

덧칠해 좀 더 짙게 이 밤 깊이 번져가고 있어 벗어날 수 없게 눈 감고 내 안의 널 또 찾잖�� paint it on a little thicker this night is deeply spreading so i can’t escape i’m closing my eyes and looking for you inside of me

having practiced tirelessly to perfect his movements, hyojin does the chorus with confidence and pays close attention to his expressions as he performs, moving his arm smoothly in a pseudo-body roll, then freestyling for the next two lines, looping his arm in a circular movement over his head gracefully, singing stably into the microphone.

he gives a sideway glance to the audience, lips slightly parted and eyes blazing, making good use of the gentle curve of his eyes and disposition to give off an almost feminine but powerful aura, strong but sweet. it asserts his presence, allowing him to shine until his part ends, letting heejin take over.

he dances in time, arms and legs moving around elegantly in the hanbok, blending in well until it was time for the chorus again.

덧칠해 좀 더 짙게 이 밤 깊이 번져가고 있어 벗어날 수 없게 눈 감고 내 안의 널 또 찾잖아 paint it on a little thicker this night is deeply spreading so i can’t escape i’m closing my eyes and looking for you inside of me

repeating the moves, he does the second part a little differently this time, a little more alluring than before with a sweet curve of his lips, blinking slowly and eyes shining half moons as he sings powerfully and stably, as if pulling them in more and more with his words, capturing every last drop of their attention.

as they go into the bridge, hyojin goes down to the ground before lifting himself up to sing.

너로 물든 색이 아련하고 눈부시게 빛나 gets filled up with your colour

softly but coaxingly, he sings, walking around his members to the center gracefully, flicking his wrist and opening the fan so that it obscured the bottom half of his face teasingly. with that, he steps to the side for kyungsoo to take over, singing the killing part.

with that, the dance break begins, and hyojin follows along on the outer wings easily -- it’s moody but not too technical; instead of having tons of moves crammed in, it’s just a few charismatic ones that just need to be executed gracefully and mindfully. opening his fan in time with the others, he does a spin while suwoong jumps in the center, the middle switching to eric.

taking the fan and hiding his face, hyojin leans over to the side, eyes piercing the camera with a blazing expression, tearing away the thinly veiled expression of sensuality that he had worn before for the break, lifting his finger into a “sh” position. as the dance break ends, heejin goes into her high note, and the chorus continues, this time hyojin dancing normally on the side instead of the center.

다시 눈을 뜨면 내게만 스며들어 when i open my eyes again you only come into me

ending on a final, graceful high note, hyojin takes the last two lines at the center with his now completely exposed, charismatic expression, ending the dance as each row of members turned around, leaving him still facing forward before he turns, too, flicking his fan to the side of his face and looking to the opposite direction gracefully.

at that, the cheers rise to meet them, and they slowly turn back around, bowing before getting offstage.

even though his heart is pumping, hyojin finds himself happily hugging suwoong as they get off, relieved at how well it went. it had been a hard week, but they had done it.

( maybe now he could rest in peace. )

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icedanceupstarts · 6 years ago

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2019 US Junior Nationals Preview

Gold, silver, bronze and that world famous pewter are on the line here. Out of the thirteen teams that qualified to Junior Nationals, five of them are siblings, which is not a ratio you are likely to see anywhere else in the world.

As a warning to those who haven’t already heard, due to recent unfortunate events there is a brief discussion of allegations regarding sexual abuse of a minor under the cut.

Ella Ales/ Daniel Tsarik

Age: 17/17

Coach: Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Carmerlengo

Season's Best: N/A, scored 140.14 at Midwestern Sectionals

Sectionals Result: 2nd at Midwestern

Rhythm Dance: La Cumparsita

They are a new team this season and train in Novi. Ella was a singles skater until recently and this seems to be her first dance partnership, he competed with Amanda Miller last season. Until just a few years ago, he was also a competitive ballroom dancer. Look at him go!

We first saw Ales/Tsarik at Dance-Pairs Chicago, where they had some glimmers of promise but weren't even close to being soup. They're proof of just how quickly a young dance team can pull things together and show massive improvement and growth as a team in a very short amount of time. They have nice posture skating in hold, and fluid, expressive upper bodies as well as a charmingly hammy performance style. Combined with their massive technical strides over the past few months and they surprised quite a few fans by rocketing seemingly out of nowhere to grab silver at their Sectionals with fairly competitive scores. They're not likely to qualify for the junior world team, and they don't have the minimums, but they can get a great jumpstart on next season and make a statement by having a good finish here.

Oona Brown/ Gage Brown

Age: 14/16

Started Skating Together: 2012

Coach: Andrew Lavrik*** SUSPENDED

Season's Best: 133.83

Sectionals Result: 2nd at Easterns

Rhythm Dance: La Cumparsita/Tangled Up

Free Dance: Still Got the Blues

Sibling teams and color names, a US ice dance specialty! 5th at Novices last year, these two made quite the splash in their first junior season. They're great skaters with a lot of projection and maturity for their age, as tiny as they are. They've got such a great sense of showmanship and musicality, and are quite polished too. While it's their basic skating and charm that makes up the bulk of their marks, crowd pleasing elements like the hydroblading in their free dance or Oona lifting Gage while giving incredible face and sass are just a sample of great highlights that commit these two to memory. Their inexperience shows in some of their level struggles and stumbles, and they got called for a music violation in the free dance at their first JGP, and they had to rework the program from its original incarnation. It's still great even with a more obvious rhythm change, and we love their confidence and attack. With a team this young, some stumbles and mistakes are honestly more expected than not, and some low levels are not an issue either. Here's hoping that they deliver two fabulous, confident performances and start making their mark, regardless of the results.

***We have been struggling with how to address this, and it's an awful situation all around, but it would be remiss of us not to mention that while Andrew Lavrik has been their coach and choreographer all season, he has been suspended both by the rink and the Professional Skaters Association due to his arrest on January 7th for alleged sexual abuse of a minor. While we separated this section so as to try to not take the spotlight from where it's supposed to be, the Browns and their talent, it would be naive and shallow of us to say we hope that this doesn't affect them at Nationals. We do not want to speculate further, but at the very least the Browns are in a very stressful, upsetting situation as well as in the position of having to find a new credentialed coach to at least accompany them to Nationals. Our hearts go out to them and every other person affected, directly or indirectly, by Lavrik's alleged crimes.

Molly Cesanek/ Yehor Yehorov

Age: 17/19

Started Skating Together: 2018

Coach: Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov

Season's Best: N/A(142.03 at Sectionals)

Sectionals Result: 1st at Pacific Sectionals

Rhythm Dance: Mas Alla Del Sur

Free Dance: Flamenco Medley(25:00 on the video)

Another new team, Yehor previously competed for Ukraine last year. They started their season finishing third overall at Lake Placid and later pulled out a surprise victory at Pacific Sectionals over several more experienced teams who competed on the JGP this season. As a newer team their connection isn't automatic but they've really developed and are showing lots of promise. They’ve obviously been very focused on the skating and elements with that concentration on getting through the steps showing in their performance, but they’ve already managed to match each other well. They do have great energy in their free dance which helps distinguish it from their rhythm dance. If they continue their steady improvement of the past few months and continue to develop their connection and performance, they could place much higher than you might expect.

Katarina Delcamp/ Maxwell Gart

Age: 14/16

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Svetlana Kulikova and Mathew Gates

Season's Best: 122.09

Sectionals Result: 4th at Midwestern

Rhythm Dance: Otra Luna/Libertango/Tango Amore

Free Dance: Italian Folk Medley

The 2017 Novice Silver medalists are one of the most charming young teams we have the pleasure of watching, but unfortunately also one of the messiest. We're not sticklers for polish, but Delcamp/Gart have a habit of slipping off their deep edges at the wrong moment and losing levels. They have incredible energy, speed, and commitment, but something about their skating lacks the innate security that makes everything feel planned, and it can leave you on the edge of your seat, and not in a good way. They are incredibly talented though, fast and expressive, with a strong connection, and they use her flexibility to create great elements and highlights in the choreography. The upbeat, chaotic energy of their free dance suits their skating very well and showcases their strengths while minimizing the areas where they're not quite as developed.

They've both been around despite their young ages, and he in particular found success with other partners, like his 2016 Intermediate silver medal with Avonley Nguyen. He was also the 2014 Juvenile silver medalist and 2015 Intermediate bronze medalist with Molly Cesanek. That previous experience does shine through for such a young, new team. They'll be looking to harness their strengths of energy and performance quality and add a refinement and maturity to make the judges sit up and make note of them for next season.

Alina Efimova/Alexander Petrov

Age: 17/20

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Carmerlengo, and Adrienne Lenda

Season's Best: 131.50

Sectionals Result: 4th at Pacific Sectionals

Rhythm Dance: Toute Tourne/Ontra Luna/Pa Bailar

Free Dance: Who Wants to Live Forever

We've enjoyed Efimova/Petrov for the past couple seasons, and were very pleased to see them finally get a JGP in their last season of junior eligibility. They're a really fun, expressive team, and are so lovely to watch. While there have been a lot of great, enjoyable tangos this season, most of them tend to be pretty serious, whether they go for a classic drama, a more sensual elegance, or something more flamenco styled. These two have a really fun, upbeat, sassy tango that borders on downright playful at times. They clearly love their free dance and commit to every second. We personally might recommend a little less exuberant grinning for Who Wants To Live Forever, but perhaps we have found the answer to that question! It's a thrilling, engaging performance regardless. They weren't at their best at Sectionals, but they're more than capable of rebounding for a higher finish at Nationals than you might expect, and ending their junior career on a good note.

Sophia Elder/ Christopher Elder

Age: 15/17

Started Skating Together: 2011

Coach: Kelley Morris-Adair, Donald Adair, Igor Shpilband

Season's Best: 137.42

Sectionals Result: 3rd at Midwestern

Rhythm Dance: Tango Classico

Free Dance: Halo Theme

A sibling team sans color last names! Two JGP assignments this year after making their debut on the 2017 circuit and placing twelfth is a great showcase of how much young teams can improve when given the opportunity. Their programs this season are a great showcase of their flow and ease of skating together as well as a bit of drama. Their free dance is a nice step up in maturity with unique choreographic twizzles and spin matched well with the music. They have great tango posture and feel for the style, and there's drama in their movements and choreo even if they could at times bring a little more of that expression to their faces. With the added international experience under their belts, we expect these two to make a major push in the standings from their 11th place finish last season.

Caroline Green/ Gordon Green

Age: 15/17

Started Skating Together: 2009

Coach: Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov

Season's Best: No ISU SB, 157.41 at Mentor Torun Cup

Sectionals: 1st at Easterns

Rhythm Dance: "Essa" by Ostra Aires

Free Dance: The Devil Violinist

Sibling teams with color names part 2! Two time novice National champions, top 5 at their first junior Nationals in 2017 when they weren't age eligible internationally, reigning junior national silver medalists, earned bronze at both JGPs in their international debut and went on to finish sixth at their first junior worlds. An impressive resume for a team so young, and one that made them seem the obvious next top junior American team with Lewis/Bye on hiatus and Carreira/Ponomarenko moving up to the senior level. Unfortunately Caroline got sick and they were forced to miss the first half of the season, leaving Nguyen/Kolesnik to fill the gap.

Even with the late start, they're great skaters in good shape. Their performances at Sectionals and Golden Spin were a little reserved, but they got a level 4 on every element in both programs at Golden Spin. They started really coming alive at Torun, where they performed with their more customary levels of speed, expression, and attack. They've always been fast, dynamic skaters, and the tango works well with those strengths, but they've also really grown up over the past year. There's an added power and maturity in their skating this season, and their long lines are well displayed in both programs, although especially the rhythm dance. Caroline's free dance dress is literally a violin, which is a neat sartorial choice, although a trip through Wikipedia indicates that Gordon is neither the devil nor making a deal with one. It's a pretty powerful vehicle for them, and is clearly telling a story, albeit apparently not a more classical adaptation of The Devil Went Down to Georgia. There's such a natural drama to their skating which this program takes perfect advantage of. If they can marry their technical performance from Golden Spin with the more engaging performance from Torun, they have a shot at not just the junior national title, but setting themselves up for a junior world medal.

Eliana Gropman/ Ian Somerville

Age: 17/18

Started Skating Together: 2009

Coach: Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov

Season's Best: 148.51

Sectionals Result: 1st at Midwestern

Rhythm Dance: Nuevo Tango

Free Dance: Mozart L'Opera Rock

The reigning National pewter medalists will be looking to move up at least one step on the podium and make their first junior world team. Gropman/Somerville won their first JGP medal this season but were off the podium at their second assignment due to some errors. They still need to add more power and size in their skating, but they have lovely glide across the ice, and their lines and edges in the pattern dance are simply beautiful.

We've been watching Gropman/Somerville for a few years now and they have really grown up. He's such a strong lead in the tango and her movements are so placed, and they just have really fluid, seamless partnering. They're one of the teams where you can just tell that they've been together a long time. Their free dance is charmingly offbeat and clearly has a story behind all the movements. If they avoid some of the twizzle errors and other bobbles that nagged them at earlier events, they should have no trouble moving into the top 3 and making their first junior world team.

Jocelyn Haines/James Koszuta

Age: 16/20

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Blanka Szijgyarto, Carly Donowick

Season's Best: 123.02

Sectionals Result: 2nd at Pacific Sectionals

Rhythm Dance: Sentemientos/ “Sweet Dreams(Are Made of This)”

Free Dance: Pearl Harbor

In ice dance, it pays to get together early, but these two are determined to succeed despite their rushed timeline. Haines/Koszuta won the 2017 Novice title in their first season together, and age out of juniors after this season. They are a team small in stature but with impressive lifts nonetheless, in particular their curve and choreographic lifts in the free dance. Their free dance in general in a great vehicle for them with a triumphant build they match in performance. They had some technical issues in the rhythm dance at Sectionals, but came roaring back in the free dance to win that portion of the competition and very nearly overall. If they can clean up their levels and skate full out, they have every chance of leaving their junior career on a high note.

Avonley Nguyen/ Vadym Kolesnik

Age: 16/17

Started Skating Together: 2017

Coach: Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Carmerlengo

Season's Best: 165.63

Sectionals Result: N/A

Rhythm Dance: Building the Bullet/Vuelvo Al Sur

Free Dance: “Demons” by Imagine Dragons/Experience by Ludovico Einaudi

The only team in the field who didn't have to qualify through Sectionals, Nguyen/Kolesnik have had a great breakout season. They were high on charm in their debut last season, but have developed enough technical prowess over the last year to challenge for the top of the junior field, and not just domestically. With the entire junior world team from the year before being absent from the junior circuit for one reason or another, they were able to take full advantage and make huge strides up the ranks, and now they're looking at their first national medal as a team, and possibly the title. They'll want to drill their tango to do that, as their size difference means their patterns are never their most comfortable element, but they make up for it with speed and charisma, and fabulous lifts. They had some issues on their twizzles at JGPF, which they'll want to avoid here to take the title. If they bring the attack and security in their elements that they displayed at JGP Ljubljana, it's going to be tough for any team to beat them out for the gold.

Katarina Wolfkostin/ Howard Zhao

Age: 14/16

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Carmerlengo

Season's Best: 127.58

Sectionals Result: 3rd at Pacific Sectionals

Rhythm Dance: Differente

Free Dance: Dr. Zhivago

The reigning Novice national champions may not have the highest season's best, but they're definitely still a team to watch. They have a number of fantastic qualities and they're great skaters, but at the moment their technical abilities outstrip the rest of their skating, leading to lower scores. They've been losing a lot on GOE, but at JGP Ostrava their free dance BV was the highest of the entire event, and their BV in the rhythm dance was pretty solid too. There did seem to be some moments where they were more focused on making sure their edges were clean and precise than on skating as big or as fast as they could. That's perfectly fine-- they're building a strong technical base for the future, and depending on how training has been going, it could already pay off for them this week.

While you can see all the places they need to tighten up their skating in order to start raking in the GOE, they're still a wonderful team to watch. While a number of junior teams their age have approached the tango with noticeable timidity, these two attack it and give amazing face throughout. Their free dance is much softer and downright playful at times, as they toss off in sync salutes with a wink and a smile. Hopefully they've worked on smoothing out their elements and transitions, because these two are really a delight. We hope that they bring their best here to set themselves up well for next season.

#ice dance #2019 us nationals #season: 2018 2019 #juniors #preview

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mocahcakes-blog · 5 years ago

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Cindy's story

Once upon a time, there was a kind girl named Cindy. All of the animals loved her, especially two mice named Augustus and Jaque. They'd do anything for the girl they called Cinderelly. Cindy lived with her stepmother and her two stepsisters, Ana and Ella.They were very mean to Cindy, making her work all day cleaning, sewing, and cooking. She tried her best to make them happy. Cindy's stepmother, Lady Maine, was cold, cruel, and jealous of Cindy’s charm and beauty.She enjoyed giving Cindy extra chores to do, such as bathing her cat, Lucifer.

One day, a messenger arrived with a special invitation. There was going to be a royal ball at the palace! The King wanted his son to find a bride. Every young woman in the kingdom was invited—including Cindy!

Cindy was very excited about the ball. In the attic, she found a dress that had belonged to her mother. It was a bit old-fashioned, but Cindy could make it beautiful. Lady Maine didn't want Cindy to go to the ball. She wanted the Prince to meet Ana and Ella. Maybe he would marry one of them!

Lady Maine kept Cindy busy with chores that would take her all night to finish.While Cindy was working, the mice and birds fixed her dress. They added ribbons and beads that the two stepsisters had thrown away.Working together, the animals turned a simple dress into a fabulous gown!Cindy was overjoyed when she saw the dress. Now she could go to the ball!

"Oh, thank you so much!" Cindy told Augustus, Jacque and the birds.

When the stepsisters saw their old ribbons and beads on Cindy's dress, they flew into a rage.They ripped the dress and pulled off the beads. Lady Maine didn't stop them. Cindy's dream of going to the ball was through

Cindy ran away to the garden to cry. Suddenly, her fairy godmother appeared.With a wave of her wand, she turned a pumpkin into an elegant coach. Cindy could now go to the ball, but her dress was still ruined

"Abrakadabra!" said the Fairy Godmother, waving her wand again.

Cindy is now wearing a beautiful gown and sparkling glass slippers.

But all of this came with a warning: When the clock struck midnight, the magic spell would wear off!

At the ball, Prince Charming couldn't take his eyes off Cindy. The orchestra played, and the Prince began to dance with the wonderful girl whose name he still didn't know. For Cindy, the night was a dream come true.

Before too long, the clock began to strike midnight. "Good-bye!" Cindy said, hurrying away.

"Come back!" called the Prince. "I don't even know your name!"

As Cindy fled, one of her glass slippers came off.The Prince sent the Grand Duke to find the girl who fit the glass slipper.

Lady Maine locked Cindy in the attic, but Cindy's mouse friends freed her.Then Lady Maine tripped the Grand D and the glass slipper shattered. But Cindy had the other in her pocket. And it fit!

Cindy and the Prince were soon married. To help Cindy get back to her step family, the prince ordered Lady Maine, Ana and Ella to serve Cindy in the palace. They cooked, cleaned and sewed in accordance to what Cindy needs. At first, they were having a hard time since they are not used to do chores. In the end, Cindy's step family leanrned how to be independent and it finally teaches them a lesson. They said sorry to Cindy and Cindy forgave them

Everyone rejoiced, including Cindy's mouse friends.Filled with joy, Prince Charming and Cindy lived happily ever after.

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fairytale-poll · 11 months ago

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LOSER'S BRACKET, ROUND 1A! MATCH 8 OUT OF 8!

Loser's Bracket Propaganda Under the Cut:

Elegance "Ella" Herringbone Coach:

She’s a union gal.

As a reminder: she's a former child laborer who wants to use her family's newfound privilege to fight for workers' rights. She's brave, smart, and compassionate, although she can also be reckless, because she's just a kid trying to do her best and she deserves BETTER. She actually develops a good relationship with her step-family, who are badass and Black like her, and there's this really touching moment at the end that recontextualizes things a lot and it's very sweet and cool worldbuilding. Her fairy godmother is two gay contractors who overthrow their boss for being complicit in a corporate espionage/coup scheme. She has a nice and believable relationship with her prince, who is a fucking dork that learns to be less of a privileged idiot and would put his ass on the line for her in return. She's just so GOOD and Disenchanted is UNDERRATED, everyone go and read it.

Hoshizora Miyuki / "Cure Happy":

Because I love her and I think we need magical girl representation

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piscesbag21-blog · 6 years ago

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Super-Sized Rainbow Wedding Ideas from The Jam Event

Hold on to your hats, folks! Today we have a super-sized, super-colorful, SUPER inspiring post from one of the dreamiest wedding showcases, The Jam Event! Sponsored by Wild Heart Events and Bella Vista Designs, we’ve had the pleasure of sharing recaps of the event for several years now. With each iteration we see new wedding trends take off! Wedding artists and design professionals gather for the collaborative event to show off their work with breathtaking installations and interactive demos—all of which we get to showcase right here.

The 2019 theme was rainbow! Perfect timing too! Not only with St. Patrick’s Day around the corner but lately, the colorful wedding trend has absolutely taken off. Photographers Jake & Necia and Alexandria Monette were on hand to photograph all the details at Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm. And so, without further ado, let’s dive into the colorful world of this year’s Jam Event!

Somewhere Under the Rainbow

Nothing like making an entrance!

So fun to see our Lovers Society X Green Wedding Shoes dress collection pop up at this year’s event!

True Colors

The first rainbow-inspired installation proves that an array of color can still be understated and refined. Team “True Colors” pulled together a sophisticated setting relying on soft florals, delicate fruits, and elegant place settings.

Love the simple black and white invitation to offset the colorful decor!

Team True Colors: Tyler Speier, Theoni Collection, Bella Vista Designs, Elan Event Rentals, The Tent Merchant, La Tavola Fine Linen, Omni Catering, Lotus and Dash, Calligraph.yee, Florabundance Inc, By Paper and Cloth

Rainbow Connection

Turn the corner and you’re at “Rainbow Connection,” where the team designed a funky + whimsical space for color-loving couples! A bit of boho, a touch of geometric elements, and painterly details combined for loads of fun inspiration.

It’s raining flowers!

Team Rainbow Connection: Onyx and Redwood, Ella and Louie, Lazy Creative Designs, Elan Event Rentals, Theoni Collection, La Tavola Fine Linen, Debbie Bean, Black Mountain Ceramics, The Candy Coach, Otis and Pearl, Cakes by Colin, Bella Vista Designs

Rainbow Dash

Loving this 3D floral show stopper!

Team Rainbow Dash: Wedding Kate, Casablanca, Theoni Collection, Calligraphy Nerd, My Lovely Events, Bella Vista Designs

She’s a Rainbow

Imagine seeing a rainbow in the desert…like a magical mirage! A prism of colors mixed with gorgeous natural elements brought the dream to life.

Team She’s A Rainbow: Hive Events, Dulce Blomma, Brown and Co Designs, Scout Rental Co, Theoni Collection, Coyote Crystals, Shop Dusk, La Tavola Fine Linen, Otis and Pearl, Work of Heart Face Painting, Bella Vista Designs

Rainboho

You knew the boho was coming! Rainbows and boho were meant to be, as proven by the Rainboho install. Woven elements, vintage pieces, and floral garland made for some dreamy design inspiration.

The cutest rainbow of all time!

Team Rainboho: Wild Heart Events, Idlewild Floral, La Tavola Fine Linen, Heather Taylor Home, Sophia Loves Letters, Theoni Collection, Otis and Pearl, Party Pleasers, Bella Vista Designs

Dirty Pop

Rainbows got the disco-pop treatment from the Dirty Pop team! Monochrome pieces combined for an overall colorful setting that’s just begging for a bride in a white jumpsuit and some oversized hoops!

Team Dirty Pop: Soo Rew, Unique Floral Designs, Party Pleasers, Table Method, Foto Vibe Photostation, Bella Vista Designs

Cheers, Darling

Take a load off with a colorful look at our dream bar scenario! A rosé tower took center stage for the cutest tablescape to perfectly highlight the rainbow’s rosiest colors.

Team Cheers, Darling: Joelle Charming, Forage Florals, Three on the Tree, All Heart Rentals, Party Pleasers, Theoni Collection, La Tavola Fine Linen, Bella Vista Designs

At the End of the Rainbow

A pot of gold…en hour? Ladies looking so good in the greenhouse!

Somewhere over the rainbow…our dream cocktail exists!

A mobile candy shop in a trolly? SO cute!

We’ll all be dreaming rainbow dreams until next year! Cheers to all the amazing artists who put their heart and soul into the most amazing day! 🌈

photography: Jake & Necia, Alexandria Monette // venue: Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm // main event sponsors: Wild Heart Events, Bella Vista Designs // main rental sponsors: Theoni Collection, Party Pleasers, La Tavola Fine Linen, The Tent Merchant, Elan Event Rentals, Tiger Lily Rentals // front installation + main floral sponsor: Bright Floral // lounge florals: Forage Ojai // bar services: Liquid Cult, Three On The Tree, Compass and Cork, Malene Wines, Chamislvyd // bus: Jump On The School Bus // valet: Blue Star Parking // entertainment: Dart Collective, Brett Hunter Music, Liz Watts and Co, Party Proper Productions // catering: Omni Catering, The Wild Posy, Feast and Fest, First and Oak, Slate Catering // candy: The Candy Coach // scent bar: Grape Seed Co // glitter face paint: Work of Heart Face Painting // beauty: Joelle C Beauty, Chaneyalexishair //photo booths: Aisle Planner, Amaze Booth, Foto Vibe Photostation // star wedding dress: Moon Dance Bridal // suit: The Black Tux // wedding dresses: Green Wedding Shoes x Lovers Society

Source: https://greenweddingshoes.com/rainbow-wedding-ideas-from-the-jam-event/

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mindframe64-blog · 6 years ago

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Blues and Jazz in New York City This Weekend - January 25-January 27 - City Guide NY

Photo: Nick Amoscato/Flickr

NYC is filled with blues and jazz clubs, and City Guide's got all the best weekend shows in one place. Get your groove at some of New York City's most famed establishments, including the likes of Blue Note Jazz Club, the Jazz Standard, the Village Vanguard and Terra Blues.

Gatsby in Paris French chansons & jazz standards from the 20s to the 40s Feat.Chloé Perrier & French Heart Band - Club Bonafide January 25, 2019 - New York

Gatsby in Paris: French Chansons & Jazz Standards From the '20s to the '40s, featuring enchanting French singer Chloé Perrier and her new band, the French Heart Jazz Band. This irrepressibly charming show is a mix of French chansons and American jazz standards from the '20s to the '40s with a continental flare. Chloé sings an intriguing mix of jazz, chanson, Brazilian and occasionally Romany-tinged numbers in French, as well as in English. The group is known for its reinvention of the old chestnut "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" as a bolero-tinged Twin Peaks theme, an obscure '20s hot jazz tune that Perrier had found in a history book, and the classic "La Vie en Rose." Come to Club Bonafide in New York City and listen as exes get dissed and relationships gone wrong are dissected and remembered through glasses that aren't exactly rose-colored.

La Vie En Rose: An Elegant & Tasteful Blend Of American Jazz, French Chanson & Pop Music. Feat. Violette - Club Bonafide January 25, 2019 - New York

Jazz-influenced French indie singer/songwriter Violette comes to Club Bonafide in New York City. Born in Paris and raised in a small village on an island off the French Atlantic Coast, and now making her home in Brooklyn, Violette has clearly been influenced by such French luminaries as Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf, but Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson have also had a hand in the development of her sophisticated pop sound. Her most recent album, 2014's Falling Strong, showcases a collection of originals that, although rooted in jazz, reflect the young artist's eclectic range of influences from pop to rock and R&B. Upbeat and sassy, sensual and intimate, her soulful voice immerses you in emotion. Violette Raised in Ars-en-Re, a small village on an island off the French Atlantic Coast, and now making her home in Brooklyn, NY, singer-songwriter Violette began her musical journey at an early age, taking up the piano at five and later learning percussion while studying at the Conservatory. Her musical endeavors were clearly colored by influences from such French luminaries as Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf but quickly found her tastes and palette ranging much farther th... (read more)

Chris Bergson Band - 55 Bar January 25, 2019 - New York

Chris Bergson...Guitar & Vocals Craig Dreyer...Tenor Saxophone & Organ Matt Raymond...Bass Adrian Harpham...Drums

Kendra Shank - 55 Bar January 25, 2019 - New York

Kendra Shank...Voice Pete McCann...Guitar Drew Gress...Bass

Kacey Musgraves & Natalie Prass in New York - Beacon Theater January 25, 2019 - New York

Kacey Lee Musgraves (born August 21, 1988)[2][3][4][5] is an American country music singer and songwriter. She self-released three albums[6][7] before appearing on the fifth season of the USA Network's singing competition Nashville Star in 2007, where she placed seventh. In 2008, Kacey recorded two singles for Triple Pop in Austin, Texas[8]. She later signed to Mercury Nashville in 2012 and released two critically acclaimed albums on the label, Same Trailer Different Park (2013) and Pageant Material (2015).[9][10] Her first Christmas-themed album, A Very Kacey Christmas, was released on October 28, 2016.[11] Her third studio album, Golden Hour, was released on March 30, 2018, to widespread critical acclaim.[12]

Belén Cusi - The Groove January 25, 2019 - New York

Belén Cusi is a Latin-American singer from Argentina. Her music can be described as a cross between Norah Jones and Buena Vista Social Club. Expect an eclectic, intimate set of english & spanish tunes from this exciting performer, including her latest single, "Closer."

G. Love & Special Sauce: The Sauce Tour - A Celebration Of 25 Years - Irving Plaza January 25, 2019 - New York

Garrett "G.Love" Dutton, Jeffrey "The Houseman" Clemens and Jimmy "Jazz" Prescott are celebrating their 25th year as touring and recording artists. With over 15 records released, this pioneering band has been an influence to artists such as Jack White, Jack Johnson, The Avett Brothers, Slightly Stoopid and many more. With their signature blend of Delta Blues, Hip Hop, Funk, Rock and Roll and Jazz, The Special Sauce have literally created their own funky stew of American music. Expect a high energy mashup of funky beats and songs written from the front porch to get the world smiling and dancing to the positive message of Love and the Blues.

Move Forward Music Presents: Braxton Cook - Baby's All Right January 25, 2019 - Brooklyn

This event is 21 and over

Erica Buettner - Pete's Candy Store January 25, 2019 - Brooklyn

Erica Buettner is a poetic singer-songwriter who moved to Europe at the age of 20 and spent the following years winding her way through Paris all the way to the shores of Portugal before returning to New York in 2016. After surviving triple negative breast cancer and putting her music career on hold, Erica's long-awaited second album, The Book Of Waves was just released. Come celebrate and pick up your copy!

The Danny Mixon Trio - The Sound Bite January 25, 2019 - New York

Danny Mixon is a prolific piano virtuoso who has performed in the U. S. and internationally. He began piano lessons at the age of 13 and never looked back! His exceptional talent has paved the way for him to work with such legendary performers as Lionel Hampton, Joe Williams, and Frank Foster, and he continues to be in Frank Foster's Loud Minority Big Band and his Non-Electric Company. Danny was honored to have participated in the first Newport Jazz Festival at Sea on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Danny's greatest joy is performing, composing, and arranging for his own group "The Danny Mixon Trio or Quartet," and has recently completed his new CD entitled "The Danny Mixon Trio Live at the Rubin Museum." He has also performed, toured and/or recorded with Yusef Lateef, Savion Glover, Pharoah Sanders, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Stanley Turrentine, Eubie Blake, Noel Pointer, Marlena Shaw, Houston Person, Dakota Staton, Ben Vereen,

The Dog's Bollocks - The Bitter End January 25, 2019 - New York,

Emily Cavanagh Coach Z South Second Tatiana Lima The Justin Timberlake Experience

Bordombo Duo - Terraza 7 January 25, 2019 - Elmhurst

Featuring: Andres Fonseca Alfonso / Percussion Nicolas Castañeda Lozano / Harp Bordombo Duo is a musical project based on the creation of contemporary sounds mixed with Colombian folk music and presented ambiguously through a non-common instrumentation: Drums (Andres Fonseca) & Harp (Nicolas Castaneda). Originally founded in Boston on 2015. Bordombo Duo is actively playing shows on the east coast. Primarily Boston and NYC while planning to record their debut album to be released in 2019.

La Cumbiamba NY – Gaitas y Tambores - Terraza 7 January 25, 2019 - Elmhurst

La Cumbiamba NY is bringing the joyful celebration that characterizes this amazing band for you to enjoy to the fullest! As the result of being a New York born and based group, where interactions and continuous contact with musicians from different places around the world generate new possibilities. The group takes coastal music as a departing point and source of work not only because of the musical background of some of the members, but because coastal traditions in Colombia, as in other regions of the Caribbean, are inexhaustible fountains. Don't miss this wonderful performance! Performing: María Alejandra Jimenez/ Voice. Andres Fonseca / Tambora. Julian Gomez / Llamador & coros. Chris Rodriguez / Percussion. Martin Vejarano/ Gaita hembra. Sebastian Angel / Gaita macho.

Focus Festival 2019: On The Air - The Juilliard School January 25, 2019 - New York

A Salute to 75 Years of International Radio Commissioning New Juilliard Ensemble Joel Sachs, Founding Director and Conductor Nicolette Mavroleon, Soprano

The Birdland Big Band - Birdland Jazz Club January 25, 2019 - New York

Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year, the "BBB" roars into action playing a thrilling and original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music for sold-out audiences. Featured weekly guest artists drop-in from television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and pop music touring bands (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart). Come see for yourself why Time Out New York called the BBB, "a completely unique experience... there isn't another band like this anywhere," and yelp.com proclaims, "if you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it... and prepare to be blown away!"

Jessica Jones Quartet Continuum Album Release Concert - The Jazz Gallery January 25, 2019 - New York

Jessica Jones -tenor sax Tony Jones -tenor sax Stomu Takeishi -bass Kenny Wollesen -drums

Piano Jazz Series: Bruce Barth Trio - Zinc Bar January 25, 2019 - New York

One of the best pianists in town, period."—The Village Voice Acclaimed jazz pianist Bruce Barth brings his trio to the Zinc Bar for a splendid evening of jazz piano on Friday, January 25. He's supported by bassist Dave Baron and drummer Pete Van Nostrand. Jazz pianist and composer Bruce Barth has been sharing his music with listeners the world over for more than two decades. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, his music reflects both the depth and breadth of his life and musical experiences. In addition to traveling widely performing his own music, he has also performed with revered jazz masters, as well as collaborated with leading musicians of his own generation. And most notably, his performances feature material from his large book of very powerful and imaginative original compositions, written in a voice that is both deeply personal and expressive. In a recent review in the Newark Star-Ledger, Zan Stewart writes "No one sounds quite like Barth. His solos are characterized by robust swing, his ability to tell a story, and by his rich, beguiling sound." Bruce has performed on over one hundred recordings and movie soundtracks, including ten as a leader. He is equally at home ... (read more)

Ken Fowser Quintet - The Django January 25, 2019 - New York

Ken Fowser Quintet

Talavya - Flushing Town Hall January 25, 2019 - Flushing

Global ambassadors for Indian percussion, contemporary classical tabla ensemble Talavya is a leading example of tradition and modernity coming together seamlessly. Created by Indian rhythm maestro Pandit Divyang Vakil, the Indian tabla comes to the center stage. The ensemble revels in the tablas' hidden potency as a rhythmic and melodic instrument capable of expressing just about anything. "Fabulous technical expertise, excellent showmanship, and an engaging personality brought scores of new fans to tabla music." - CHICO WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL

Jd Allen 'After-Hours' - Smalls Live January 25, 2019 - New York City

JD ALLEN tenor sax Hailed by the New York Times as "a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard-driving style," J.D. Allen is one of the most thoughtful jazz saxophonists on

Broadway Brassy and the Brass Knuckles - Fine & Rare January 25, 2019 - New York

Live performance by Broadway Brassy and the Brass Knuckles

Tyrone Govan and Top Secret R&B Band - Paris Blues Through January 25, 2019 - New York

Tyrone Govan and Top Secret R&B Band

Life of a Legend: Carmen de Lavallade - Dizzy's Club Coca Cola Through January 25, 2019 - New York

A singular icon graces The Appel Room in this special Life of a Legend performance. Dancer, actor, and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade has a unique gift for movement, and her groundbreaking dance concepts have inspired artists and audiences for generations. Tonight we celebrate de Lavallade's love of both dance and jazz, revisiting some of the iconic dance works she performed with jazz musicians. Though she has long been a star on Broadway and in Hollywood, Shakespearean theater, and many genres of dance—including ballets choreographed for her by the likes of Lester Horton, Agnes de Mille, and Geoffrey Holder—her roots in jazz run especially deep. She improvised dances with Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Bill Evans, and Jane Ira Boom. She brought Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to tears in 1960 with her embodiment of Billie Holiday in "Portrait of Billie"—a piece that de Lavallade performed with a friend whom she brought to the dance world: Alvin Ailey. De Lavallade's artistry goes so much deeper than technical mastery; she approaches dance as an act of storytelling, a transfixing form of communication that she still achieves with grace at age 87. De Lavallade was named ... (read more)

French Jazz & Tango Celebrating Piaf, Brel, Aznavour & Piazzolla - Club Bonafide January 26, 2019 - New York

Celebrating Piaf, Brel, Aznavour & Piazzolla Few things are more distinctly French that the music of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour. These and other Gallic icons are the focus of From Paris With Love, a musical homage to the City of Lights from the duo Yael & Gabriel. Yael Dray-Barel is a French/Israeli singer/songwriter influenced by rock and gypsy jazz, and her songs often incorporate the five languages she speaks. Argentinian guitarist Gabriel Hermida infuses his compositions with the essence of classical tango, flamenco and contemporary jazz. Together, the pair will salute such timeless French songs as "La Vie en Rose," "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" and "Hymne a L'Amour, along with work from Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, at Club Bonafide in New York City

Martin Nevein Quintet - The Jazz Gallery January 26, 2019 - New York

Martin Nevin -bass + compositions Kyle Wilson -tenor saxophone Christopher Hoffman -cello Ari Chersky -guitar Craig Weinrib -drums

Angel Williams - Jules Bistro January 26, 2019 - New York

Angel Williams

Angel Williams - Jules Bistro January 26, 2019 - New York

Angel Williams

Wadada Leo Smith: America's National Parks - Dizzy's Club Coca Cola January 26, 2019 - New York

For one night only, witness the live New York debut of Wadada Leo Smith's America's National Parks. When Smith recorded this visionary suite in 2016, it was voted Album of the Year by DownBeat magazine (Smith also won Artist of the Year and Trumpeter of the Year), and it was selected as a top-ten album of the year by the New York Times and NPR. Though the music alone is worthy of its critical acclaim, nothing compares to the live, multimedia concert experience of America's National Parks. Visual projections blend real-time footage of the five-piece band with moving images of each song's subject, marrying improvised music with historic photography in a powerful and collaborative vision. If you've ever wanted to dip your toes into the more avant-garde side of jazz, experiencing this show in person would be a compelling way to start. Topics range from established, natural national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite) to pointed subjects of historical and cultural significance ("New Orleans: The National Cultural Park USA 1718," "Eileen Jackson Southern, 1920–2002: A Literary National Park"). It's a thought-provoking and entirely wordless journey that conveys both the grandeur and sense... (read more)

Jazz Vocalist TAEKO - The Sound Bite January 26, 2019 - New York

Japanese native, TAEKO moved to New York City from Shiga, Japan in the late 90's and quickly garnered the nickname "Songbird" from the NYC Jazz elite. With a never-ending stream of musical ideas and a fluid delivery that shows years of dedication in studying her craft, little is left to doubt how TAEKO has built a dedicated fan base in both the U.S. and overseas. She has graced the stages of some of the most heralded Jazz clubs on the East Coast, including Birdland, Smalls Jazz Club, The Kitano, the Zinc Bar, Minton's Playhouse, and the Blue Note. Additionally, she has been featured at such prominent U.S. festivals as the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Women in Jazz Festival in New York City, the United Philadelphia Jazz Festival, the North East Florida Jazz Festival, and Newburgh Jazz Series, in addition to her performances at numerous Jazz festivals in Japan.

Cait and the Critters - The Flatiron Room January 26, 2019 - New York

Performance by Cait and the Critters

Broadway Brassy and the Brass Knuckles - The Flatiron Room January 26, 2019 - New York

Performance by Broadway Brassy and the Brass Knuckles Broadway Brassy and The Brass Knuckles

Acoustic Open Mic Hosted By Evan Kremin - The Bitter End January 26, 2019 - New York,

sign up begins at 12:30pm) Singers/Songwriters, Comics, Poets Acoustic Guitar & Piano available All Are Welcome Happy Hour Prices All Day Long ---plus---- Grace Bergere (7pm) ORISSA The Ninth Autumn State Andrew Nappo & The Disappointments Lou's Lips Maquina Mono

Martin Nevin - The Jazz Gallery January 26, 2019 - New York

Martin Nevin -bass + compositions Kyle Wilson -tenor saxophone Christopher Hoffman -cello Ari Chersky -guitar Craig Weinrib -drums

The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular – 84th Birthday Celebration - St. George Theatre January 26, 2019 - Staten Island

Shawn was a featured performer on the Late Show with David Letterman performing to over 5 million viewers with the entire CBS Orchestra on Network Television and in 2016 will portray Elvis in the new HBO series called Vinyl produced by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger.Celebrating the 84th Birthday of Elvis Presley, The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular is the most successful touring Elvis tribute show in the world. It is an amazing era-by-era tribute to the King of Rock-N-Roll starring the best Elvis tribute artists in the world – Shawn Klush and Cody Ray Slaughter.

Dan Aran Band - The Django January 26, 2019 - New York

Dan Aran Band

Fleur Seule Latin Big Band - The Django January 26, 2019 - New York

Fleur Seule Latin Big Band

Smalls Showcase: Detroit Brotherhood - Smalls Live January 26, 2019 - New York City

NICK MASTERS piano KASAN BELGRAVE alto sax NOLAN YOUNG tenor sax ADAM OLSZEWSKI bass KAYVON GORDON drums

Philip Dizack Quintet - Smalls Live January 26, 2019 - New York City

PHILIP DIZACK trumpet BARRY STEPHENSON bass IMMANUEL WILKINS alto sax Immanuel Wilkins is an American Saxophonist, Composer, Arranger, and Band Leader. While growing up in the Philadelphia area, he played in his church and programs dedicated to Micah Thomas photo MICAH THOMAS piano KWEKU SUMBRY drums

Jon Beshay 'After-Hours' - Smalls Live January 26, 2019 - New York City

JON BESHAY tenor sax "I play music because I like to listen to music, and when I'm playing I'm in charge of what I'm hearing." Davis Whitfield photo DAVIS WHITFIELD piano As the son of two musicians, Davis Whitfield's early years were filled with music. He began playing the guitar at age 5, and moved to Jersey City, New GEORGE DELANCEY bass A native of Cambridge, OH, and a student of such prestigious programs as the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Program, CURTIS NOWOSAD drums CURTIS NOWOSAD is a New York-based drummer, composer and bandleader. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Nowosad has distinguished himself touring coast-to-coast with his quintet, and performing

Jazz Brunch: Live Jazz Trio - Fine & Rare January 26, 2019 - New York

Enjoy our new brunch menu, an array of crafted cocktails & spirits and a live jazz performance.

The Natalie Dietz Trio - Fine & Rare January 26, 2019 - New York

Live performance by The Natalie Dietz Trio

Melvin Vines & The Harlem Jazz Machine - Paris Blues Through January 26, 2019 - New York

Melvin Vines & The Harlem Jazz Machine

Mike Dirubbo Quartet - Smalls Live Through January 26, 2019 - New York City

MIKE DIRUBBO alto sax "Something about the sound Mike DiRubbo elicits from the alto saxophone - deep, dark, immense, with a machete edge that denotes a ready-for-anything urban sensibility - immediately DAVIS WHITFIELD piano As the son of two musicians, Davis Whitfield's early years were filled with music. He began playing the guitar at age 5, and moved to Jersey City, New PAUL GILL bass Bassist Paul Gill is veteran of the New York jazz scene and is recognized for his buoyant, swinging bass lines and virtuosic arco solos. KUSH ABADEY drums Kush has performed and/or recorded with many notables including Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, JD Allen, David Weiss, Andrew White, Gilad Hekselman, Azar Lawrence, Terrance Blanchard, Frank

Vijay Iyer Sextet - Jazz Standard Through January 26, 2019 - New York

DownBeat's "Jazz Artist of the Year" for two years running and a 2013 recipient of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, Vijay Iyer is among the most freely creative and forward–thinking musicians of our time. This week at Jazz Standard, the pianist, composer and bandleader will present a series of special projects that together will comprise a high point in New York's musical year. Jazz Standard welcomes the "Jazz Band of the Year," so named in the 22nd annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards. Far From Over is the Vijay Iyer Sextet's latest release on ECM Records. "If you're looking for the shape of jazz to come, here it is...the sturdiness of its design and the passion of its execution make Far From Over 2017's jazz album to beat." (Hank Shteamer, Rolling Stone) Vijay Iyer – piano, Fender Rhodes Graham Haynes – cornet, flugelhorn, electronics Steve Lehman – alto saxophone Mark Shim – tenor saxophone Nick Dunston – bass Jeremy Dutton – drums

Ingrid Jensen Quintet - Birdland Theater Through January 26, 2019 - New York

Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Ingrid Jensen has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpeters of her generation. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1989, she went on to record three highly acclaimed CDs for the ENJA record label, soon becoming one of the most in-demand trumpet players on the global jazz scene. After a teaching stint in Europe in her early twenties – as the youngest professor in the history of the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, Austria - Ingrid settled in New York City in the mid-1990s where she joined the innovative jazz orchestras of Maria Schneider (1994-2012) and Darcy James Argue (2002-present). More recently, Ingrid has been performing with the Grammy-winning Terri-Lyne Carrington and her Mosaic Project. Ingrid is a featured soloist on the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra's Juno-award-winning album, Treelines (2011), and its successor, Habitat (2013). She has performed with a multi-generational cast of jazz legends ranging from Clark Terry to Esperanza Spalding; Ingrid has also performed alongside British R&B artist Corrine Bailey Rae on Saturday Night Live, and recorded with Canadian pop icon Sarah McLachlan... (read more)

Ann Hampton Callaway - Birdland Through January 26, 2019 - New York

Tony nominee Ann Hampton Callaway, one of the leading pop/jazz singers of our time, has created an exciting night of songs and stories in celebration of one of America's most beloved artists, Linda Ronstadt. On the heels on Ann's symphonic/PAC triumph, The Streisand Songbook, this show celebrates the many faces of love in Ronstadt's iconic songs from her Stone Poney Days like "Different Drum" and "Long Long Time" to pop/rock classics like "You're No Good," and "Desperado" to unforgettable classics from her three Nelson Riddle albums like "What's New" and "Am I Blue," to her iconic duets which Callaway will perform with her brilliant MD, Billy Stritch. Adding to the electrifying sound is Martin Wind on bass, Tim Horner on drums, and Linda's long time guitarist and arranger, Bob Mann. Romantic, rousing, and joyous, The Linda Ronstadt Songbook promises to be the perfect night of music.

The Kat Vokes Trio - Fine & Rare January 27, 2019 - New York

Live performance by The Kat Vokes Trio

David O'rourke, Jim Ridl & Lorin Cohen - Mezzrow Jazz Club January 27, 2019 - New York

The wonderful David O'Rourke has invited his trio featuring Jim Ridl on piano and Lorin Cohen on bass, join them for an evening of trio.

Tangos From Gardel To Piazzolla - Club Bonafide January 27, 2019 - New York

The illegitimate son of a French laundress in turn-of-the-century Buenos Aires, Carlos Gardel would ultimately rise to fame as one of the greatest tango singers of all time. Now the legendary tango star gets a rousing musical tribute by popular musical duo Yael & Gabriel at Club Bonafide in NYC. Yael Dray-Barel is a French-Israeli singer-songwriter influenced by rock and gypsy jazz, and her songs often incorporate the five languages she speaks. Argentinian guitarist Gabriel Hermida infuses his compositions with the essence of classical tango, flamenco and contemporary jazz. At this special concert, the pair will pay tribute to the bossa nova legend and put a spotlight on Hermida's countryman Ástor Piazzolla, who's credited with adding a touch of jazz and classical to tango, forging a new style called nuevo tango.

From Paris With Love The Famous Voices Of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel & Charlez Aznavour - Club Bonafide January 27, 2019 - New York

The Famous Voices of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel & Charlez Aznavour You can search atop the Eiffel Tower while eating a baguette and still fail to find anything more French than the famous voice's of Edith Piaf,Jacques Brel,Charlez Aznavour,Georges Brassens & Many More .French singer Yael Dray and Argentinian guitarist Gabriel Hermida pay homage to France's national Gretest Singers, with their musical tribute " From Paris With Love" Yael Dray-Barel and Argentinian guitarist Gabriel Hermida combine their musical styles to summon the spirit of Edith Piaf with stirring renditions of the star's greatest hits, including "La Vie en Rose," "Non, Je Ne Regrette," "Milord," and "Hymne a L'amour." & Many More .Join jazz duo Yael and Gabriel as they transport you to the City of Lights with a Sunday brunch in celebration of Paris' most captivating chanteuse at New York's Club Bonafide.

The Slipper Room Show: Slippery Sundays Burlesque - The Slipper Room January 27, 2019 - New York

Muffy Styler, Tiger Bay, Michael Karas, Alexander Boyce, Zero Boy, Gigi Bon Bon, Velvetina Taylor This event is 21 and over

Sunday Brunch French Cabaret with Margot Sergent and Yael Dray - Jules Bistro January 27, 2019 - New York

Margot Sergent is a classically-trained harp player and singer and has performed in orchestras, chamber groups, and as a soloist in France for ten years. In 2015, Margot moved to New York City from Paris where she was performing in several prominent jazz clubs such as 38 Riv, Club Rayé, and Baiser Salé, as well as other publicly sponsored musical events, such as Fête de la musique (the most important national event about music in France) and Dialogue on Humanity in Lyon (conferences withleading intellectuals, writers and poets of France and all the continents on the sustainable alternatives for the future in economy, education, health). Margot has toured with two high-profile big bands: a Brazilian jazz band with the notable bandleader Mônica Passos, where she had the honor to collaborate with legendary saxophonist Archie Shepp, and also a band led by French singer-songwriter Nolwen LeRoy, the best selling artist in France in 2011.

Sunday Jazz with Renaud Penant & Friends - Jules Bistro January 27, 2019 - New York

Sunday Jazz with Renaud Penant & Friends

Jazz for Kids - Jazz Standard January 27, 2019 - New York

The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra is a performance driven program that gives talented and dedicated young jazz musicians the opportunity to perform regularly in one of New York City's leading jazz clubs often with guest artists from the New York scene. The visiting guests give a workshop to the band members in addition to providing the experience of playing with the top musicians on the scene. On Sundays during the school year, the students rehearse and workshop in the room before opening the doors at 1:00pm and giving a concert that is free and open to the public at 2:00pm.

Sunday Evening Jazz w/ Guitarist Jamie Fox - The Sound Bite January 27, 2019 - New York

Jamie Fox, originally from California, has performed world-wide, in concert and on television, including the Montreaux Jazz Festival. He has taught students of all ages for the last 20 years and is on the faculty of The New School, Trinity School, and Steiner School. A semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz competition in 1995, he has worked with artists as diverse as Brother Jack Mc Duff, Dr. John, Ernie Watts, Gene Harris, Tiger Okoshi, Carla Thomas, Otis Clay and The Shirelles. He played lead guitar and served as Musical Director for the Joan Baez World Tour (1989-1991), filming a popular PBS television special with Baez and Jackson Browne. Fox was lead guitarist for Blood, Sweat, & Tears (1998-2000), touring the USA and Canada. The New York Times referred to him as "an unflappable melodist". He currently performs with Jen Chapin, Stephan Crump's Rosetta Trio, Tin Roof Trio and many others in and around New York City. Jamie has recorded two CD's of his original compositions.

Kate Curran Trio - The Flatiron Room January 27, 2019 - New York

Live jazz performance by the Kate Curran Trio

The afro latin jazz orchestra - Birdland jazz club January 27, 2019 - New York

Grammy Award winning pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill -- leader of the "first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz" (NY Times) -- was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. Son of the late, great composer Chico O'Farrill, Arturo was Educated at Manhattan School of Music, Brooklyn College Conservatory and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. He played piano in Carla Bley's Big Band from 1979 through 1983 and earned a reputation as a soloist in groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Turre, Freddy Cole, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis and Harry Belafonte. The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra is the resident large format ensemble of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA) founded by Arturo O'Farrill in 2007 and dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of big band Latin jazz, supporting its performance for new audiences, and educating young people in the understanding and performance of this important cultural treasure. For more information about the orchestra and other ALJA initiatives, please visit us at www.afrolatinjazz.org

iSchool - The Bitter End January 27, 2019 - New York,

Jake Friedman & Friends (DCM) ----plus---- The Bitter End Allstar Jam With Mark Greenberg

Terraza Sunday's Jazz Jam - Terraza 7 January 27, 2019 - Elmhurst

John Benitez / Bass. A Latin Jazz, Brazilian/Straight ahead Jazz Jam Session. This is a weekly Jam Session in Queens, NY, where local musicians are able to play and create music in a collective and harmonious way. Musicians welcome and everyone else who wants to enjoy some quality music on Sunday nights. Come support live music and our community!

George Gee Orchestra - Birdland January 27, 2019 - New York

George Gee Orchestra

Vijay Iyer's Ritual Ensemble - Jazz Standard January 27, 2019 - New York

The Ritual Ensemble blends the improvisatory traditions of jazz with those of Indian classical music, with the singular voice of Ganavya Doraiswamy at the forefront. "Ganavya creates a lush twine out of American and South Asian traditions, and on Aikyam: Onnu, this vocalist and scholar's majestic debut album, the upshot feels more like an expansive invitation than any definable hybrid…No matter the language or the content, Ganavya's voice is a thick ephemera, like smoke as dark as ink, just coming off the fire." (Jon Pareles, New York Times, 5.4.2018) DownBeat's "Jazz Artist of the Year" for two years running and a 2013 recipient of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, Vijay Iyer is among the most freely creative and forward–thinking musicians of our time. This week at Jazz Standard, the pianist, composer and bandleader will present a series of special projects that together will comprise a high point in New York's musical year. Vijay Iyer – piano Yosvany Terry – saxophones Ganavya Doraiswamy – voice Rajna Swaminathan – Indian percussion (mrudangam)

The Justin Rothberg Group - Funk - Silvana January 27, 2019 - New York

We try to explore a variety of different styles of music. While the group is firmly dedicated to jazz, we try to stay as open minded as possible. Songs are influenced by hiphop, funk, dub reggae, Latin, world music, and anything else the band has been listening to. To keep the music from sounding stiff, everyone tries to trust each other's musical taste. Even though I write all of the tunes, it's still a very open vibe on stage. No matter what song the band is playing, we're always open to experimentation.

Christopher Mcbride - Minton's Playhouse January 27, 2019 - New York,

Singer Meets Saxophonist During performances, quiet policy is enforced

Vocal Masterclass with Marion Cowings - Smalls Live January 27, 2019 - New York City

The Marion Cowings Jazz Vocal Workshop is a weekly session that gives vocalists a forum to develop the elements that define a jazz vocal performance. Vocalists at ALL levels, beginners to working pros, are encouraged to participate in this upbeat environment. Bring your questions! The format is simple: Vocalists come prepared with a song they already know, along with two copies of the sheet music. We usually begin with a group warm-up and/or discussion. You'll perform your selection and get comments and advice on how you present yourself and your material. We work with a variety of professional jazz accompanists, pianist or guitarist, bass, drums etc. MARION COWINGS vocalist Jazz singer Marion Cowings is a native New Yorker. His smooth baritone voice and considerable range has been delighting audiences around the world for decades.

Ben Zweig Trio 'After-Hours' - Smalls Live January 27, 2019 - New York City

BEN ZWEIG drums Jazz drummer and educator, Ben Zweig, “is able to combine history with the current musical environment, making it sound fresh” (Don Sickler, Grammy winning producer). After moving to NYC

Jc Stylles/Steve Nelson Hutcherson Project - Smalls Live January 27, 2019 - New York City

JC STYLLES guitar New York based Jazz Guitarist JC Stylles (aka Jason Campbell) first touched a guitar around 7 years of age, and was introduced to the world of jazz STEVE NELSON guitar JON DAVIS piano Pianist, composer, Jon Davis has been performing and touring with many of the finest jazz musicians around world for more than twenty five years. GEORGE DELANCEY bass A native of Cambridge, OH, and a student of such prestigious programs as the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Michigan State University Jazz Studies Program, BYRON LANDHAM drums In the '90s, Byron "Wookie" Landham came to be recognized as one of the top jazz drummers in Philadelphia, where he has been employed by well-known hard bop

Jazz Brunch: Live Jazz Trio - Fine & Rare January 27, 2019 - New York

Enjoy our new brunch menu, an array of crafted cocktails & spirits and a live jazz performance.

People's Music Network Winter Concert - People's Voice Cafe Through January 27, 2019 - New York

This special concert in main sanctuary upstairs marks the beginning of the People's Music Network 2019 Winter Gathering in New York City, January 25-27. The concert features Francisco Herrera (PMN Artist-in-Residence), MacDougal Street Rent Party, Brooklyn Women's Chorus, Raymond Nat Turner, Jeremy Aaron, Lindsey Wilson, Dilson Hernandez, and Filthy Rotten System – all singing out for freedom, peace, human rights, social and economic justice, environmental protection, and more.

Donny Mccaslin - Village Vanguard Through January 27, 2019 - New York

Donny McCaslin (tenor sax) Jason Lindner (piano) Nate Wood (bass) Mark Giuliana (drums) The group has a bedrock relationship with groove, but also a genius for permutation: Mr. Guiliana chops up the beat in deft, destabilizing ways, and Mr. Lindner, favoring a Wurlitzer electric piano with pedal effects, brings welcome grit and woozy atmosphere. Mr. McCaslin seems to have direct access to emotional expression in his playing, as if it were a valve he could open at will. He's exceptionally sure-footed with his phrasing, almost never caught off balance, but he knows how to convey risk or fury through the compressed force of his tone.

Melvin Vines & The Harlem Jazz Machine - Paris Blues Through January 28, 2019 - New York

Melvin Vines & The Harlem Jazz Machine

La Banda Ramirez - Paris Blues Through January 28, 2019 - New York

La Banda Ramirez

Guest Band - Paris Blues Through January 28, 2019 - New York

Guest Band

Gretchen Parlato - Jazz Standard Through January 30, 2019 - New York

In the ten years since her arrival in New York City, Gretchen Parlato has emerged as one of the most inventive and mesmerizing vocalists of her generation. She has introduced a musical sea–change, making the power of subtlety front and center in jazz through her artful communion of space, texture and a genre–bending repertoire. All of us at Jazz Standard are pleased to welcome back this gifted artist, leading an outstanding new band to present the songs from her much–anticipated new CD flor. "A singer with a deep, almost magical connection to the music." (Herbie Hancock) "In an inconspicuous way, Gretchen Parlato knows how to play the same instrument that Frank Sinatra played. There's no one out there like Gretchen." (Wayne Shorter) Gretchen Parlato – voice Marcel Camargo – guitar Artyom Manukian – cello Léo Costa – drums, percussion

Jimmy Cobb's 90th Birthday Celebration - Jazz Standard Through February 03, 2019 - New York

A superb, mostly self–taught musician, drummer Jimmy Cobb is the elder statesman of the incredible Miles Davis bands of the 1950s and early '60s. Jimmy's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, and Cannonball Adderley spanned the years 1957–1963, and included the 1959 masterpiece Kind of Blue, still the best–selling jazz album in history; he also played on the Miles Davis albums Sketches of Spain, Someday My Prince Will Come, and Live at Carnegie Hall, to name a few. After leaving the Davis group, Jimmy continued to work with Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers behind such leaders as Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, and J.J. Johnson before joining Sarah Vaughan's trio for a nine–year run. Cobb made his recording debut as a leader in 2002 with Yesterdays, with contributions from Michal Brecker, Roy Hargrove, and Jon Faddis; his 2014 live album, The Original Mob, featured pianist Brad Mehldau and guitarist Peter Bernstein. "His time feel hasn't changed substantially in 50 years, which would be a problem if he weren't fully in command of its great undercurrent. So while his playing can suggest its own tribute, it also continues to be a living language…For someone like Jimmy Cobb, jazz ... (read more)

69th Street Band - Paris Blues Through February 17, 2019 - New York

69th Street Band

Tobin's Run on 51: Village Vibes & Chasin' the Trane - Irish Arts Center Through November 29, 2019 - New York

FEATURING Christine Tobin, vocals Phil Robson, guitar Tim Armacost, saxophone Peter Brendler, double bass Ingrid Jensen, trumpet Jimmy Macbride, drums David O'Rourke, guitar Village Vibes & Chasin' the Trane In the 50s and 60s, a counterculture grew throughout the States, and the iconic Greenwich Village of New York City became the center of a revolution that was happening in jazz music with artists such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, and many others. This Tobin's Run celebrates their pioneering spirit, alongside songs from great vocal artists of the day, Abbey Lincoln and Sarah Vaughan. The evening will also feature film clips of musicians and Village clubs from the era.

Source: https://www.cityguideny.com/article/Blues-and-Jazz-in-New-York-City-This-Weekend-January-25-January-27

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highlightsandhotchocolate · 7 years ago

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Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella (Tyme, #2) - Megan Morrison

Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella (Tyme, #2) – Megan Morrison

Source: Goodreads Ella Coach doesn’t want riches or fame, only justice for a mother who died working in a sweatshop. Prince Charming isn’t looking for true love, but he’s done playing with people’s hearts too, now that The Charming Curse has been broken. Serge is an executive fairy godfather. He’s granted wishes beyond your wildest dreams, even made queens out of barmaids, but now he caters…

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theonewholikesgirls · 5 years ago

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Cinderella (or rather Tiffany)

Once upon a time, me, my sister, my mother and father all lived together. But father fell ill, and not long after, he passed. Mother was devastated, and her sorrow made more affectionate of me and sister. Though it was not our beauty that shined, but our mothers constant need to buy us things. Time went on and mother remarried. A man, with a hardworking daughter, who wasn’t just talented but also beautiful. Mother did not feel affectionate towards our new stepsister. Soon her new husband died, and because mother was his wife, she inherited everything. Mother made her clean and cook. After a few months my stepsister, Ella (called Cinderella by mother), was basically the house help. Of course, we got affected of the way Cinderella was treated and me and sister started acting like mother. She started talking to the cat, which indicated that she had turned mad. Weeks became months and the king held a ball. A ball where his son, the prince, would choose a queen. Normally it’s only the nobility who is invited to the balls. But the prince had requested that every maiden in the kingdom should be invited. Mother was very enthusiastic about the ball. She thought that either me or sister could snatch the prince. Mother spend a lot of the inherited money on dresses. They were beautiful. I could see by the look of Cinderella, that she had wanted one to. Of course, she didn’t ask for one. She was barely allowed at the dinner table, so why would she be allowed at the palace? Mother had also ordered a beautiful coach at our service. The ride was “

Interesting”

… Mother kept telling Patricia to quiet down. When we arrived, mother walked ahead of us, so that we all got our deserved shine. When our names got announced, everybody was looking at us. Probably because of the “

beautiful”

colours of our dresses. Mother told us it was because of our beauty. I knew that was a lie. No matter how much she told us we were beautiful, Cinderella was a natural beauty. Our stepsister looked graceful with ash on her face, so how in the world would we be able to compete with her in a ballgown? We looked for the prince, but he was nowhere to be found. Suddenly the ballroom fell silent. A new maiden had entered, and she was amazing. Her movement was elegant, and her dress was perfectly fit for her body, just so it highlighted her best feature. Her doe eyes. I was dumbfounded by her beauty. Not long after falling in a trance, sister elbowed me in the ribs, which sent me back to reality. She quietly spoke, “Tiffany, you useless sapphic!”. I whispered, “Patricia!”. Mother was not amused, her words were quiet but rough, “Tiffany and Patricia! Will you to stop arguing and focus on stealing the princes’ heart?”. Our hushed mumbles were enough agreement for mother. As the lovely maiden walked down the stairs, the prince walked towards her. Time stopped as their eyes met, and I found myself wishing to be in their shoes. Suddenly the music started, and they began dancing. In the kindest way to put it, she was like a broom. Sweeping across the ballrooms floor. Just as elegant as when Cinderella was sweeping the kitchen floor. Once again, I was mesmerized, and mother pushed me and sister towards some handsome looking gentlemen. Multiple people joined the dance, me and sister included. During the dance most dancing couples paid attention to each other and themselves, but because I did not enjoy that dance, at all, I noticed the beautiful maiden and the prince slip away. Hours passed and at midnight mother decided that we had to return home. It was quiet a shame, since I had met an amazing young duchess. We arrived home and quickly fell asleep because of all the dancing. Days passed and the kings guards arrived at our home. The guard explained how the mystery maiden had lost her shoe on the way out of the palace, and that the prince would take the girl whose foot fit in the glass slipper as his queen. Mother told Patricia to try it first. Sadly, the luck did not shine upon us, so her foot did not fit. I silently prayed that the luck would fall upon me making the shoe unbearable. I thanked the gods and quickly took a seat. The guard asked mother if there were anymore maidens in the house. Mother did not want dirty Cinderella to try the shoe, but the guard saw through her eyes and quickly found Cinderella. She sat down on the couch and tried the shoe on. I could not believe my eyes. The shoe fit! As I started thinking about it, it suddenly made sense. The elegance, the beauty and the grace. Of course, it had been her at the ball. When my mind train had reached its end station, all I could do was wave goodbye to Cinderella as she sat behind the guard on a tall horse. I heard she married the prince and ended as a very happy woman. I can say the same thing about myself. I moved in with the duchess from the ball, which made us roommates. I was able to do this after I removed myself from the toxic household, I had been raised in. And even though my fairy-tale had had a rough start I can now finally say that I lived happily ever after. The end.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @laadychat

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socialattractionuk · 6 years ago

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How to deal with the curse of cuffing season insomnia

(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

‘It’s taken me stacks of selfies to perfect my sleeping-face, and if a guy stays over, I lie there in my “aren’t I pretty and elegant” sleeping position, getting no sleep at all.

‘It takes time for me to feel comfortable sharing my bed with a new boyfriend.

‘Sometimes I ask them to leave after sex, saying I have a 3am conference call with Australia. One guy made a fuss about getting up, so I accidentally spilt water all over the duvet…’

Lexi’s problems sleeping with a new partner will probably ring a bell with almost everyone who’s recently paired up for cuffing season. What’s that? You haven’t heard of Cuffing Season? It’s totally a thing. Cuffing season is like the human equivalent of finding a bear to hibernate with. It’s getting loved up as the temperature drops, eating stew on the sofa, and wearing matching onesies. When it’s five degrees outside, it’s less about a partner in crime, and more about a partner for Amazon Prime.

But as lovely as it is to snuggle up with someone who’ll keep our feet warm, sharing a bed with a new partner isn’t always easy – and cuffing season insomnia is leaving us bleary eyed.

‘It takes a while for me to get used to having someone in that space,’ says Louise. ‘Sometimes they snore, or steal the covers, or try to hug all night. I like space when sleeping – I’m not a snuggler, so that can annoy me.

‘And it’s feeling self-conscious too. One guy thought I was awake all night worrying about my ex, when actually I just didn’t want to fart or snore when I was sleeping.’

Gemma has similar problems. She tells us: ‘I wake up with their every move, then I lie there wide awake, feeling very aware of myself moving and fidgeting and breathing. I can’t relax or switch off – I think I wake them up sometimes. And I’m such a farty a person, I have to hold it in or sneak off to the loo, because I hate farting in front of guys.

‘I just feel so tired and useless the next day – it can easily take a couple of months before I’m comfortable enough to sleep through the night.’

It’s not just women who are suffering from cuffing season insomnia. Ed says: ‘when I stay over in a new relationship, it’s unfamiliar surroundings – it’s their bed, not my bed, so I have trouble sleeping.’

(Picture: Erin Aniker for Metro.co.uk)

Even when Ed hosts the slumber party himself, getting to sleep with a new girlfriend isn’t easy.

‘Some people are fidgety in their sleep, and even the calmest sleeper usually moves around a bit, so I’m likely to wake up,’ he explains. ‘Then I’m awake, and this person I’m attracted to is sleeping, and I’m lying there feeling horny.

‘I also feel self-conscious when I’m in bed with someone I don’t know well – I worry about flatulence, and waking up drooling over someone else’s pillow.’

For Ed, it can take three to six months before he sleeps through the night with a new partner.

Jack finds it can take easily six months. He says: ‘I’m used to having a king size bed to myself, so it’s difficult if I stay over and have to share a double. And you’re never going to sleep in your natural position. Spooning’s great, but I can’t lie like that all night, so I’m conscious that I’ll have to move, and I worry about waking them.

‘It makes sleeping with someone in the initial stages quite difficult. When you’re comfortable in the relationship, you can have a cuddle then separate and it’s not a problem – it’s not, “oh he doesn’t like me,” or “doesn’t she like me?” But in the initial stages, it’s tricky.’

Despite the lack of sleep caused by spending the night with a new girlfriend, Jack finds he functions well at work the next day.

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‘I think it’s my endorphin levels from the night before,’ he notes. ‘Also, when I spend the night with someone I really like, I think my sleep quality is better because I’m happy and content. I might not get as much sleep as I would by myself, but the sleep I do get feels like a really good deep sleep.’

Psychologist and sleep expert Hope Bastine backs up Jack’s theory. She tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Being in love is equivalent to being on ecstasy, and it’s proven that being with a loved one improves sleep quality.’

So why is it so tricky to sleep with a new partner?

‘In dating, when the couple are taking turns to sleep over, they’re experiencing continuous change,’ explains Hope. ‘The sounds are new, the environment’s new, and it causes our brain to go into dolphin mode, where half our brain is asleep, and the other half is awake.’

In an effort to cure cuffing season insomnia, here are Hope’s tips for a better night’s sleep with your hibernation mate:

How to remedy cuffing season insomnia:

Create a home from home

When you sleep over, bring things that remind you of your bedroom at home. It could be a favourite book, a throw, or a print of some artwork you have on the wall.

Masking tape

Mask out unfamiliar sounds with white noise – or pink noise, which is more relaxing – using an app like Sonic Sleep.

Noise Patrol

Don’t feel you have to be ‘perfect’ – but if you’re worried about farting, avoid gas-producing foods like pulses and cabbage.

Choose foods such as turkey, tuna, and tofu, which help you to sleep; eat light, and have a banana – they help you sleep and they’re good for your gut.

Keep clear

Get snoring checked out by a doctor, but sleeping on your side can be a quick fix, as can using eucalyptus oil to open the air passages and make breathing clearer.

Bend to bond

Create a sleep ritual to cement the bond in your relationship – it will create a feeling of well-being that will relax you for sleep. Start with a sleep tea from Pukka or Clipper, then meditate or do yoga together in bed – and make sure you leave time for pillow talk.

Shot to pieces

If you’re feeling fatigued the next day at work, don’t over self-medicate on caffeine. Instead, reach for a Berocca, or a ginseng energy shot, and try to find somewhere quiet to meditate – it will regenerate your brain!

And if you think your relationship has the potential to last beyond Cuffing Season, don’t jack it in just because of a few sleepless nights.

Dating and relationship coach James Preece says: ‘A new bed, a new partner and new surroundings can take some getting used to. However, if things work out between you, you’ll both learn to relax in each other’s company.’

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MORE: You can have a sleepover at London Zoo this Christmas

MORE: Why do men lie about their age on dating apps?

MORE: What is ’emotional masturbation’ and are you doing it?

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recentnews18-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/hey-stupid-yeah-you-across-the-dutch-kiwi-scribe-lays-in-boot/

Hey stupid! Yeah, you across the dutch – Kiwi scribe lays in boot

Rattue goes on to list the latest salary cap scandal in the NRL – the 90th by his count, with no sign of abating.

Fair call? Chris Rattue sledged Michael Cheika, the cricket team and Nick Kyrgios among others.

Photo: Rugby.com.au, AAP, EPA

He looks at our erstwhile passions of summer: “The nation which produced legendary and respected tennis icons such as Rod Laver, Yvonne Goolagong and Margaret Court now comes up with knuckleheads like Nick Kyrgios and Bernard ‘the Tanker’ Tomic.”

Enough, already?

No, Chris had barely cleared his throat.

“As for cricket, there has never been a sadder more pathetic episode in sport than the sandpaper scandal in South Africa, the nadir for a team which had spun out of control on anger and arrogance.”

Perhaps, he might be kinder to the Wallabies?

Fault: Bernard Tomic is an enigma.

Photo: AP

“As for rugby . . . sophisticated, clever, that’s how the best of Australian rugby used to be. There were elegant leaders like John Eales and Rod Macqueen, and never-to-be-forgotten players such as David ‘Campo’ Campese, Mark Ella, Stephen Larkham and many more . . . What have we got now? Whinging Michael Cheika and a team which doesn’t know what it is about.”

He finishes: “Hey, if the once great Australian sports nation is determined to be a sporting laughing stock, it’s a free world.”

Too harsh? Too unbalanced? Too brutal?

Nuh.

Too shay.

But hey, at least we’re light years ahead of those Kiwis in politics, and are not infected by the same stupidity there.

Oh, wait!

Hopping to it

Good around the house: John Hopoate.

Photo: Fox Sports

As you will see in the quotes section, we have it on the sincere authority of Will Hopoate that his father John has another side: “If people saw him at home, they’d see mum is the real boss, she’s got him under the whip, vacuuming and doing the dishes.”

As one who’s had my fair share of goes at Hopoate Snr over the years, I am glad to hear it. In similar spirit, as one who has criticised Josh Dugan many times, and those who only go to children’s hospitals as the cameras roll, a reader sent me a story this week that showed another side.

It concerned his eleven year-old grandson Gabe Smith, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour and admitted to the Randwick Children’s Hospital, where Dugan came across him . . . and held on, going to see him many times thereafter, through all his many treatments and even into palliative care at Manly’s Bear Cottage, where he would stay for four hours at a time.

For yes, young Gabe tragically didn’t make it, and died in July. Dugan and his girlfriend attended the funeral at the Avoca Beach Surf Club and stayed for the wake.

So, there you go. Just as I struggle to put the public Hopoate I know of with the private figure described by his son, I can’t quite fathom that the Dugan described above is the troubled, swaggering bruiser we know – but accept that it is.

Still, if it turns out that Greg Norman has a humble side, that Shane Warne actually delights in Dosteovsky, and Nick Kyrgios is releasing a motivational lecture , I’ll give up!

Fat chance

Très drôle, as we say in the classics. The 53-year-old pro golfer from Michigan, Scott Parel, see, was asked at the end of the second round of the PGA senior tournament what he thought of his chances of winning.

“I think I have two chances – slim and none. And I think I just saw Slim heading out of town.”

It might be straining the metaphor a little, but Slim came back and tucked into the buffet something fierce, because he soon became Huge, and Parel shot 63 on the final round to win the whole thing.

Lunch date

As mentioned, this year’s Cauliflower Club lunch is at the Hyatt Regency on Sussex St on October 12, with special guests Wally Lewis, Michael O’Connor and Ricky Stuart on deck, and you can book at www.cauliflowerclub.org.au.

This week though, our Chair, John Fordham, secured a very interesting auction prize: a big lunch with all of Bob Dwyer, Alan Jones and Rod Macqueen.

Father’s Day

Reluctantly, I must accept that there is some chance that, for Father’s Day, some of you won’t be buying or getting my own latest book, Monash’s Masterpiece, the 93 Minutes That Changed the World. In that case (sniff), allow me to recommend Greg Growden’s The Wallabies At War, which looks at the stunning service of many Wallabies from the Boer War onwards, or Michael Visontay’s Beyond the Stereotype: A Celebration Of Jews In Australian Sport.

Both are, as you’d expect from two long-time Herald scribes, exceptionally well-written and chokka with good yarns.

In Growden’s book, my favourite is about the great Stan Bisset – a man I was proud to call a friend – who was decorated for his bravery on the Kokoda Track where, during the Battle of Isurava, his brother Butch was riddled with machine gun bullets. Stan carried Butch to a clearing, where he held his hand through the night, singing him songs from the old days, till he died just before dawn. Vale, great men.

Steve who?

Take a hike: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.

Photo: AAP

Meantime?

Meantime, reader Michael Milgate reports that when about to head off on a hike along New Zealand’s spectacular Milford Track with his daughter last year, they were encouraged to have dinner the night before with other hikers. As dinner is being served, his daughter finds herself in the company of a group of charming strangers, one of whom is notably robust, resplendent in a black tracksuit, introduced as “Steve” but addressed by his companions as “Coach”.

“And what do you coach?”

“Rugby,” he replies.

“Oh, and is it a local team?”

“Have you heard of the All Blacks?”

Oh . . . pass the bread?

Short and sweet

The way forward for the Wallabies? Fitzphile Robert King has the answer! “In the same way T20 has rocked the cricket world,” he writes, “let’s push for a shorter version of the Bledisloe Cup. We will play the first 35 mins only, two-man lineouts and no scrums. I understand Lord Bledisloe died in 1958 so he can’t object.” That works!

What They Said

Lovely writing from Matthew Johns on the early days of Johnathan Thurston: “He first came to the Bulldogs in the mid-2000s and he looked like a rabbit trying to find a hole in a barbwire fence. He was a ducker and a darter . . .”

When ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert asked Nick Kygrios after the first round if all his carry-on was to get himself going, Kyrgios replied: “Not really. It keeps me relaxed.”

Tennis umpire Mo Lahyani to Nick Kyrgios during a break in the second round of the US Open, asks him to carry on with more purpose:

“I want to help you. I want to help you. I’ve seen your matches: you’re great for tennis. Nick, I know this is not you.” Kyrgios won nineteen of the next 25 games to win the match. There was hell to pay.

Helpng hand: Mo Lahyani and Nick Krygios. Illustration: John Shakespeare

Will Hopoate on his dad: “For most of my life I’ve seen the John Hopoate off the field, and that’s the man I respect and love as a father. The bloke you see on the field and off the field are two different blokes. If people saw him at home, they’d see mum is the real boss, she’s got him under the whip, vacuuming and doing the dishes.”

Venus Williams laughs at the prospect of playing her sister, Serena, in the American Open: “The last time we played, in Australia, it was two against one. At least this time it’s fair.” On that occasion, at the 2017 Australian Open, Serena was pregnant.

Barry Hall: “I got no income, and there’s no real light at the end of the tunnel of when that will change or when that will be. So it’s a big cock-up.”

Collingwood President Eddie McGuire on another Pies player testing positive: “The last person to find out anything to do with drugs is the club itself. It’s an AFL issue. They have control of everything that goes, as far as the testing is concerned. In fact, as the president of the club I’m not even allowed to ask about these situations.”

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton on the upside of having won two games for twenty losses this season: “In some time we’ll look back and say this time paid us back.” Sure you will, Coach.

Wayne Bennett following the Roosters game: “I could make a headline easily, but I won’t tonight. I’ll leave you with this guys, you’re all journalists here, you see what I see, why don’t you write the stories?”

Eels coach Brad Arthur on the wooden spoon, after his side lost 44-6 to the Cowboys last Friday: “At the end of the day, I’m in charge. Someone has got to claim responsibility, that’s me. I feel a sense that I’ve let people down. It’s just embarrassing. I have to face up to it, I can’t run and hide from it.” Coach? Look to the blokes laughing and joking within seconds of being on the wrong end of a 40-point drubbing – and wipe them. Start with Jarryd Hayne, who was doing precisely that.

Gus Gould: “Sunday afternoon at Jubilee Oval. One of the great pleasures of life.” Andrew Johns: “Gus, you’ve gotta get out more.”

Team of the Week

Fond farewell: Thurston waves goodbye to the Cowboys home crowd last week.

Photo: AAP

Johnathan Thurston Plays the final match of his extraordinary 17-year career tonight, against the Gold Coast Titans.

Richmond and Hawthorn How very odd. Between them they have won 24 Premiership flags and yet next Thursday, for the first time, they contest a finals match.

Argentina Pumas Snapped an 11-match losing streak in the Rugby Championship by beating South Africa.

Sunshine Coast Lightning Gone back to back to claim their second Super Netball title. So I suppose it does strike twice!

The second annual Chappell Foundation Golf Day To raise money for the homeless, it will be held on Tuesday September 11 at the spectacular NSW Golf Club, La Perouse.

Italy Has just banned all advertising for gambling, most particularly including sponsorships of sporting teams. Watch this space!

Caloundra Won their first rugby grand final since their foundation in 1982, beating Noosa.

Twitter: @Peter_Fitz

Peter FitzSimons is a Herald journalist, columnist and author, based in Sydney. He is also a former Wallabies player.