#fun sized australian steak

[chanrizard]

WALKIN ON WATER MV MakingFilm // Bang Chan

[ozeliquid]

How To Prepare For A Cool Summer Beach Party

Summer Beach Party: Australia has four seasons and summer gets hotter in December, January and February. Numbers of amazing beaches, seafoods and aquatic life keeps Aussies busy and entertaining even in summer.

And what better way to make the most of the beautiful weather than by throwing a beach party with your friends and family?

Whether you’re a seasoned beach party host or planning your first one, this guide will take you through everything you need to know to throw a successful and memorable summer beach party in Australia.

From choosing the perfect beach location to planning your guest list, preparing your menu, and bringing the essentials, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we’ll share some summer beach party ideas that will keep your guests entertained throughout the day.

So, grab your sunscreen, and let’s get started on creating an unforgettable summer beach party experience in Australia!

Beach Party Location

There are endless beaches but you might prefer one based on your location convenience and other factors. Australia has some of the best beaches in the world, so you’re spoilt for choice. It is essential to ensure that your party is a success.

Look for a beach that is spacious, clean, and has amenities such as toilets, showers, and BBQ facilities. Consider the location and accessibility of the beach, as well as the size and capacity to accommodate your guest list comfortably.

Some of the best beaches for a party in Australia include Bondi Beach, St Kilda Beach, Surfers Paradise Beach, and Byron Bay.

Do your research and choose a beach that suits your needs and will provide the perfect backdrop for a fun and memorable beach party.

Look for a beach that is spacious, clean, and has amenities such as toilets, showers, and BBQ facilities. Some of the best beaches for a party in Australia include Bondi Beach, St Kilda Beach, Surfers Paradise Beach, and Byron Bay.

Drinks

If you’re hosting a summer beach party in Australia, you’ll want to have a selection of refreshing drinks to keep your guests cool and hydrated. Here are some ideas:

Beer: Beer is a popular choice at any Australian gathering, especially at a beach party. Consider stocking up on a variety of local beers, such as VB, Tooheys New, or XXXX Gold. Keep them chilled in a cooler filled with ice.

Wine: Wine is another excellent option for a beach party, particularly if you’re catering to a more sophisticated crowd. Consider serving crisp, refreshing whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, or fruity rosés.

Cocktails: Nothing screams summer like a fruity cocktail! Some popular beach party cocktails in Australia include Margaritas, Pina Coladas, and Mai Tais. Don’t forget to offer some non-alcoholic options, such as virgin daiquiris or mocktails.

Hydration: Keeping your guests hydrated is crucial, particularly during hot weather. Set up a hydration station with plenty of ice-cold water, coconut water, sports drinks, and electrolyte-enhanced beverages.

Iced Tea: Iced tea is a delicious and refreshing option for those who don’t drink alcohol. Offer a variety of flavors, such as lemon, peach, or mint, to cater to different tastes.

Remember to drink responsibly, stay hydrated, and have fun!

Food

Hosting a summer beach party in Australia requires delicious food that is easy to prepare, serve and eat while enjoying the sunshine and the waves. Here are some food ideas that will keep your guests happy and satisfied:

BBQ: A classic Australian BBQ is the perfect option for a beach party. Set up a portable grill and serve up some sizzling sausages, burgers, steaks, and seafood like prawns, calamari, or fish.

Salads: A variety of fresh, colorful salads are an ideal complement to the grilled meat. Think crunchy and refreshing salads like Caesar, Greek, or watermelon salad, that can be prepared in advance and served in easy-to-grab containers.

Finger foods: Small bites and finger foods are great options for beach parties, as they are easy to eat and require no utensils. Some ideas include dips with chips, veggie sticks, and crackers, fruit skewers, mini quiches, or sliders.

Fruit platters: A platter of fresh, seasonal fruits is a perfect healthy and refreshing snack option. Cut the fruits into bite-sized pieces for easy snacking.

Ice cream: Nothing beats the heat better than a scoop of ice cream. Set up a make-your-own ice cream bar with various toppings like sprinkles, chocolate sauce, and fruit syrups.

Remember to pack plenty of sunscreen, disposable plates, cutlery, and cups, and keep your food and drinks cool with ice-filled coolers. Most importantly, enjoy the beach party with your guests!

Vape

Vaping is popular in Australia among teen and youths. It’s hot trend for young people. By now every single one of your friends is now a vaper, and majority of your guests are going to bring their own vapes and probably going to share their vapes and favorite flavors with each other.

Set up a vape station because it is almost guaranted that someone will have a leak vape mods or pods, a piece will get misplaced, or that someone will run out of/lose/spill the only vape flavors they have come with.

No problem! You can provide guests peace of mind & create an awesome conversation piece.

Pair some best vape flavors with snacks to give it a different taste. Infact this is the perfect opportunity to spice up your snack table by using your favorite vape flavors as inspiration. It is better to stock some of the vape equipment like vape starter kit Australia and ejuices for the party.

You can consider buying vape wholesale from reputed vape shop online in Australia who stock from local premium liquid labs.

You might also need to take care of some non-vapers who may be – maybe not want to try vaping as well.

Read more – How To Prepare For A Cool Summer Beach Party

[ask-an-aussie]

Aussie Wildlife FAQ

So here's questions I'm frequently asked as both a wildlife rescuer and carer and keeper at a wildlife sanctuary. Heads up, this is a long post, I've made the questions stick out so you can easily skip through. I've tried to make it as easy to read as possible, and to find what you're after, whilst also providing lots of info.

Poison Vs Venom, what's the difference?

Well, mostly, poison just never stops killing. Like if you poison an insect, then a bird or small mammal eats that insect and they slowly get poisoned by all the poisoned insects they eat, then something eats them, like an owl, and that gets poisoned, then as it rots the poison goes into the environment, etc. Poison never dies. Venom has to be injected, so yes you can be envenomated by a dead animal, if you are stupid. Poison can be inhaled, eaten/drunk or even through touch. So if a cow is poisoned you have to dispose of the body safely, if a cow is bitten by a venomous snake, technically you can still have steak for dinner.

Are all Australian animals out to kill you?

Maybe.

They could want to kill us, I mean as a species we aren't that great. Their ability to kill us however is limited. So are all Aussie animals able to kill you? No. So we have lots of cute small mammals, like antechinus, dunnarts, pygmy possums and the like, that can bite and scratch but are very tiny bois. We even have lots of non-venomous snakes, pythons and blind snakes. Most lizards outside of Goannas can't cause too much damage. Echidna's are completely defensive, have no attack whatsoever. Lots of birds have no interest in you, unless you get near their nest. Freshwater Turtles, Little Penguins and Tawny Frogmouths all main defense is shitting really stinky shit at you. Even our venomous snakes, as long as you seek medical attention you should be fine. Considering we have the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world but average only 1 death a year that's pretty good.

But you still have lots of dangerous animals right?

Yes.

Maybe I should elaborate. Any animal is dangerous, including you, if given the right circumstances. I'm a lovely person but hurt my dog and you better run. Most animals don't want a bar of you. However, if you are a threat to them, or their babies, they will defend themselves. A lot of animals get tagged with the word 'aggressive' which I don't like, aggression is a human emotion that I've never seen in wild animals, or even pets and things. Mostly it's defensive behaviours that people read wrong. For example, the most venomous snake in the world is the Inland Taipan (found in Aust.), however the most dangerous snake in Australia is the Eastern Brown snake, less venomous but also less shy and lives in suburbia. Still, it only ever strikes at people when it feels cornered and needs to get you to back the hell off. And lets be real here, what else can they do? They can't yell and scream, they can't punch or kick. Legit their only option is to bite, and even then mostly it's a closed mouth strike to freak you out into stepping back, and most people bitten by snakes are given a 'dry bite' where no venom is injected, as they want to use it on their food not waste it on us. And 90% of snake bites that happen in Australia are people either trying to catch or kill a snake.

It's fairly simple. Don't threaten animals, don't give them a reason to be dangerous and you are fine. Crocodiles in the water? Don't swim there. Sharks around? Avoid swimming at twilight. Snake? Leave it alone. Nest with baby birds? walk away. You don't randomly show up in some strangers home and expect them not to react, so why do we expect different from animals?

What animals are on the most 'dangerous list' then? Which animals should I really avoid pissing off?

Start with the obvious. Crocodiles, venomous snakes, sharks, some jellyfish, venomous spiders, stone fish, blue ringed octopus, birds of prey (our Wedge Tailed Eagle WILL attack drones, hang-gliders and helicopters if they come into their territory) Then you've got the less obvious. Ants - like meat ants, they will swarm over you then all bite down at once. 1 bite isn't so bad, a whole colony biting you, deadly. Then there's other ants in the Myrmecia family (bull ants and the like) that are just HUGE, and have massive mandables for biting and also can sting you, and are one of the most toxic insects in the world.

Wombats - Can run at 40km/hr, skull so hard it's the only thing a Tassie Devil can't eat, able to bite your calf muscle clean off your leg, oh and they have killer booty. A hard cartilage plate in their lower back that they use to block their burrows, and if threatened can lay down and as the animal tries to get past jam their legs straight and crush the skull of a fox against the roof of their burrow, easily break a dingoes jaw or even destroy your hand.

Kangaroos - yes they box, hahaha wouldn't it be funny to box with a kangaroo. NO. Kangroos box for fun but also to defend themselves and their mob. The Alpha male is the big buff one that looks like he's on steroids. He looks like that for a reason, to defend and protect his mob. DO NOT MESS WITH ANY KANGAROOs, but really don't mess with Big Daddy (for being the alpha he gets all the ladies) Kangaroos are made for this. A punch from a Kangaroo can easily break you ribs. They can lean back on their tail and bring both legs up to kick you, easily tearing you open, which they can do with the claws on their toes, and so basically dissecting you from sternum down. Oh and if they gran you round the neck for a 'Cuddle' DUCK AND RUN. They will hold you in a kind of choke hold and then bring their legs up to kick you and basically snap you in half. Don't even mess with Wallabies man, they may be smaller but can still do damage.

Tassie Devils - are extremely shy and slower than you, like you can actually run away from them. BUT. They have the strongest bite strength compared to size of any animal. The have a PSI of 1200 and males weigh around 8 kg. For perspective, Hyenas have a PSI of 1100 and males weigh around 50kg

Brushtail Possums - They may be cuter than the American Opossums but trust me, they don't want you around. They are solitary so most people have heard them fighting of a night, screeching, shrieking, hissing, growling and making darth vadar noises. Heads up from someone who has had to rescue them from awkward places (fire-places, BBQs, closets) They are stronger than you and they will f*** you up. Even without them meaning to I've gotten injuries from my joey Brushies, they get so keen on their milk when you put it in that they climb your arm and their claws are sharper than cats. Also the sheer strength of them. I'm stronger than I look but if they are clinging on to a tree you are gonna need all your strength to get them off. The can also bite your finger clean off. And I've seen injuries from people who feed wild ones and for some reason have been late to put out the food or something and they've climbed their leg or even jumped on them - stitches were required in a few of those cases (human skin is not thick like tree bark)

What's with Magpies and swooping?

Simple, they have nests/babies and are protecting them. Australia Magpies are very smart and can recognise faces. If they think you are a threat they will try and scare you off. Just like if you're walking along with your toddler and there's a weirdo doing something strange you hold the kid tighter and closer to you and move through faster. But these guys can't just move their nests or their babies. The spot is chosen based on food availability and shelter from sun and rain, but also not being too cold. It's their spot. I've never been swooped by Magpies, other birds yes, but not Magpies. My local birds know me as the lady that cleans and fills the bird bath. Legit the Magpies sing a specific song when it needs filling to call me out to do it. So don't be a threat. If they are swooping in that area, try to avoid it or go through quickly. We used to have Plovers at my school, in the bush at the end of the oval. Never a problem. One day some kids go into the bush and stomp on their nest and eggs. After that they would swoop anyone who came close to there. So the school blocked off that end of the oval. Fair call. Wasn't the birds fault.

Why is everything named so basic?

Oh you mean the snake that's black with a red belly being balled a Red Belly Black Snake, and the tree with all the doodles on it being called a Scribbly Gum? 80% of plants and animals found in Australia are found NO WHERE ELSE. So the early Europeans had a lot of things to name and when they tried naming it themselves they would get it wrong. 2 good examples are: The Death Adder (only considered highly venomous, not deadly, and not an Adder). Also you're only likely to get bitten if you stand on it or try to pick it up. The Australian Magpie, they saw a black and white bird so it must be a magpie. Nope. Actually not in the corvidae family but in the butcherbird family - Artamidae. So their solution was to either take the Aboriginal word, for example, Quoll, Kookaburra, Koala, Quokka, Taipan. Or name it after what it looks like/sounds like/ is found Boobook Owl - makes a sound like booooo-book Squirrel Glider Eastern Water Dragon Grey Headed Flying Fox Flaky Bark Tea Tree Old man Banksia This can cause confusion though as not every brown coloured snake is a brown snake, and not all Eastern brown snakes are brown. Squirrel Gliders aren't related to squirrels. Flying foxes are bats not actual foxes that fly.

What do I do if I find injured wildlife?

Well, depends on the wildlife and where it is. If it's in a dangerous position, like the middle of a highway, don't try anything. First thing, call a wildlife rescue group, there are plenty around and they have trained people who know what to do. A quick google search should show you all you need to know, also the IFAW's Wildlife Rescue App will identify the closest group to you.

If it's a snake, adult wombat or kangaroo, or any other animal that can cause you serious injury, leave it be. The wildlife rescuers you call can give you basic info on how to help but mostly calling them is the main thing.

If it's something smaller, like a young animal or glider or baby bird and you are able to put it into a cardboard box that will be perfect. The 3 main things injured/ill wildlife need are warmth, dark and quiet. You don't need to worry about food or water. The rescuers will organise that. If you give food or water to an animal in shock you can cause more damage.

THE BEST THING IS TO DO NOTHING. I know this sounds stupid. But so many problems can occur from people who don't know what they are doing helping out. You know what they say about good intentions. For example, picking up a Koala like you would pick up a human child (under the armpits, around the chest) you could actually break their ribs. Also so many Koalas end up needing vet care during heat waves because people pour water into their mouths - they can get pneumonia as the water goes in too fast, it is not a natural way for them to drink. You can also get yourself injured or make the animals injuries worse. I have seen Kangaroos with broken legs get up and try to hop away from people. I have seen severe scratches on other people because they tried to pick up an animal.

What diseases can wildlife give me?

Well. I only know about Australian wildlife, and it's very different to other parts of the world. If you get a bad bite or scratch from wildlife you should see your doctor ASAP, get the wound cleaned properly and make sure your tetanus is up to date (same as if a pet gives you a bad bite or scratch).

There aren't that many Zoonosis that are around in Australia that are easy to catch. Mostly you have to be dealing directly with sick wildlife to get them.

The main thing is Australian Bat Lyssavirus. ABL for short. Now our bats can carry it. About 1 in 1000 bats may have it and you HAVE to be bitten or scratched for it to be transmitted to you. If you are bitten or scratched by a bat your chance is 0.1% of getting ABL but it is related to Rabies, so head straight to hospital for treatment. If you don't touch a bat you won't get bitten or scratched and so your chance of getting it is 0. Hendra is the other virus our bats carry, however it has to go through a horse before it mutates enough for humans to get it.

Basically it's only when you get involved with wildlife that your risk of getting a disease from them is higher than VERY unlikely. If you happen to help some wildlife, and you maybe wrap them in a towel or jumper, even if they urinate on it. You can just chuck it in the wash (I usually add a little extra disinfectant) and it will be fine. Treat it the same as if a pet had used it or urinated on it.

What's some Good Wildlife Apps to have?

Well, there's so many out there now hey? Here's some that I've found handy or know people that use. WomSAT EchidnaCSI PlatypusSPOT are all for recording sightings of these animals (wombats/echidnas/platypus) this helps researches track where they are and how they are going which means we can help them more as well. OzAtlas - record a sighting of anything Australian, animal, plant, fungus, insect. FrogID - need to identify a frog? This is the app for you. Use photos or sound recordings, Field Guide to *insert state/territory* Fauna - Have a field guide on you wherever you are without having to carry a book. Seek by inaturalist - Helps you identify any animals, plants, insect, fungus. IFAW Wildlife Rescue - wildlife rescue app (currently for NSW only but soon expanding) will give you advice on what to do and put you into contact with the local wildlife rescue groups.

Besides Cats and Foxes, what other invasive species have you got that cause problems?

First up, any invasive species causes a problem. In Tasmania they have issues with Sugar Gliders, because they are not naturally found there and use up tree hollows that other animals need. Invasive species cause competition for food, water and shelter. They can also bring in diseases that didn't exist in Australia before and that our natives have no defence against (like cats and Toxoplasmosis) Here's a quick list of invasive animal species in Australia. Cats, dogs, foxes, pigs, water buffalo, ferrets rabbits, horses/brumbies, goats, camels, Cane Toad, European Honey Bee, Common Myna bird, deer, donkey, common starling, common pigeon, black rat, brown rat.

There's more, there's reptiles, and weeds and fish but those guys ^ are the main ones that cause problems.

I am an animal lover but unless we get rid of these animals you loose more in the long run. I'm 100% against use of poisons, I prefer having people hunt them to be honest. If you know what you are doing and have the right equipment you can give them a quick, painless death. To give you an idea how bad invasives are:

The introduction of the rabbit is the main cause the Lesser Bilby became extinct.

The introduction of cats and toxoplasmosis is believed to be the main reason Eastern Quolls became extinct on mainland Australia

Rats led directly to the extinction of 5 of Lord Howe Island's bird species

30% of our land snakes and Goannas are at risk as Cane Toads are rapidly spreading and eat their eggs.

The Common Myna Bird is the 2nd greatest threat to Australian native birds (habitat loss being the 1st)

The fox population has been estimated at 72 million and consume around 190 million birds a year

There's an estimated 23 million wild pigs/boars and an estimated 2.6 million goats - all eating whatever they come across.

How can I help Australian Wildlife?

There's the stuff we already know, like reduce/reuse/recycle and don't litter. But there's other things you may not know about.

Turn off lights at night - any lights that you don't need, don't have them on, especially if they are outside. Lots of animals require insects in their diets, particularly moths, which can be distracted by lights. Zoos Victoria have launched educational stuff for this https://youtu.be/ZAcL4FKPtHw

Learn about them - It's not hard, there's multiple ways you can do it. There's books, tv shows, pod casts, you can follow sanctuaries and other people who work with wildlife on social media. Planting flora that's native to your area is great as different plants can attract different animals and it's much lower maintenance, being made for that environment. You can even find cool life-hacks like Lemon Scented Tea-Tree doesn't just smell amazing and feed lots of wildlife, it keeps the mozzies away! There's different kinds of nesting boxes out there specific to different species that you can put up to help 'foster' that species. You can even become friends with your local Magpies! Mine know me as the lady who cleans and fills the bird bath and all I had to do was whistle to them when I was done and now they are really chill around me and I get to watch their antics. Debunk Myths! - In learning about wildlife you can debunk lots of myths like: a mother bird won't take it's chick back if you've touched it (fake news!) or that snakes dislocate their jaw to swallow their prey (that would be soooo painful!)

Put out water - have a bird bath and keep it clean and full. Or if you don't have one or want to get one just put water out on hot days. Summer's getting hotter and hotter and our animals really suffer. So put out a nice pot or container of water. Don't forget to put a rock or a stick in it if it's a slippery surface (like plastic or metal) so that little animals and bugs don't fall in and drown, and keep it out of the sun if it's likely to heat up.

Check roadkill - it's not pleasant but needs to be done. Don't do it if it's a motorway or somewhere dangerous, but if you can PLEASE do. Roadkill sometimes looks dead but isn't and you don't want them laying there suffering. They may have pouch young if they are a marsupial or young nearby that will need care without their parent. And where possible get it off the road. Species like Tasmanian Devils, Goannas and Wedge Tailed Eagles feed on roadkill and can then end up as roadkill themselves. Even if you have to drag it, it's dead and not gonna feel any more pain. 100% of people I have attended a rescue for who have called because they stopped and found a joey or young in a pouch or hiding nearby have not regretted their decision at all. Even if they were late for work, they saved a life and it was worth it.

Avoid using poisons - insecticides, pesticides, snail bait and straight up rat poison. Like mentioned in POISON VS VENOM, it just keeps killing. There are so many other options out there and they aren't hard to find. There's stuff on the internet but also at Bunnings I've found more environmentally sound options that use Tea Tree oils and Eucalyptus instead and work just as well.

Don't feed them! - Most Aussie animals are gluten and lactose intolerant. BREAD IS REALLY BAD! and if not eaten it gets mouldy and causes disease. Putting out bird seed is the number 1 problem when we talk 'feeding wildlife'. WHY?

The 'wild birdseed' that you buy in shops isn't actually for wild birds. JUST LOOK AT IT, you don't see those seeds growing out in the wild. The main seed wild birds eat are Bottle-brush, She-oaks, Banksias, Wattle and Eucalypts. None of those are found in these bags of seed.

Even for seed eaters that seed you buy is too fatty and unbalanced

For those that don't usually eat seed, like Lorikeets, eating the seed destroys the specialised bristles on their tongues that they need to eat their natural food - nectar and pollen.

If you don't keep it clean you will spread diseases, especially psittacosis (beak and feather) for which there is no cure just a slow, drawn out death. You can also catch it and end up in hospital.

You cause an imbalance. Animals breed based on food availability, if you make food available they will breed but there might not be enough space or trees available and you create more competition and also they end up relying on you and if you go on holiday or anything they can die without that food.

You can cause health issues in other animals. Possums love bird seed but it makes them fat, making it harder for them to escape predators.

You will be feeding non-natives. For example, the Common Myna bird cannot survive on wild plants, but if there is a food source around they can. Got rid of Common Mynas in my neighbourhood by convincing my neighbours to stop putting out bird seed.

RATS LOVE BIRD SEED. Specially feral rats. Mice also love bird seed.

You make a predator hot-spot. It won't take long for predators to realised animals they prey on visit your feeding station and they will come. The most common predator I find around bird seed? Snakes. Snakes love rats and mice, rats and mice love bird seed. You do the maths.

If you want to feed them just do some research and plant trees that are food for them.

How many species are endangered?

Sadly, it's almost quicker to list what's NOT endangered in Australia.

That's hard to say as there is different ways they can be endangered. In one area they may be common, but in another they could be disappearing. You can have Endangered lists at different levels; local, state, national and international.

But the most used list is the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species. AKA the IUNC Red List

Here's a bit of a breakdown: EXTINCT 26 mammals 7 birds 4 amphibians CRITICALLY ENDANGERED 7 mammals 8 birds 15 amphibians 13 reptiles ENDANGERED 18 mammals 29 birds 18 amphibians 21 Reptiles VULNERABLE 51 mammals 40 birds 23 amphibians 35 reptiles NEAR THREATENED 43 mammals 37 birds 9 amphibians 21 reptiles

Then there's the "data deficient" category where they really just don't have the info. 10 mammals 11 amphibians 42 reptiles

I will continue to update this post as I think of other things. Feel free to send me any questions you have

[ladydorian]

tag game ★~(•◡•✿) 50 questions you’ve never been asked before

THIS LOOKS SO MUCH FUN thank you @ithinkwehitametaphor​

what colour is your hair brush?

I had a green and white one for years but it just broke so I’m using my backup mini black one that I keep in my purse until I can get another.

Are you typically too warm or too cold?

I’m usually cold except for in the summer.

what were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Proofreading IFUs while blasting music to drown out the sound of my neighbor blasting music.

what is your favorite candy bar?

Oooh Japanese Kit Kats. I’ve got some matcha ones in the cabinet right now, but the apple pie ones were also really good.

have you ever been to a professional sports event?

Mostly baseball and hockey when I was younger. Nothing recently, I’m not terribly interested in sports.

what is the last thing you said out loud?

“Saigo ni nan to itte ita kke anata wa nan to itte ita kke...” (I was not even paying attention while writing this but “Kekka-ron” by SUPER BEAVER came on and I automatically started singing the opening lines)

what is your favorite ice cream?

So I really can’t eat dairy (even tho I do sometimes), but there’s this brand of coconut milk ice cream called Luna & Larry, and their cherry amaretto is the besssssst.

what was the last thing you had to drink?

Drinking coffee right now.

do you like your wallet?

It’s cute, it’s pink and black and has cats on it, and I bought it from an anime con a couple years ago.

what was the last thing you ate?

Chocolate almond milk pudding for breakfast.

did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

No but I bought these awesome Shintaro Kago enamel pins for when I finally get off my ass and redo my itabag (link contains kittens exploding from cute girls’ faces, and there is a bit of blood - also the site is very NSFW).

the last sporting event you watched?

We watched some marble racing after seeing John Oliver talk about it.

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn?

Caramel I guess. Not a huge popcorn eater.

who is the last person you sent a text message to?

I texted my brother Mark about Rakuten Global Market closing. Though I’ve only bought maybe one j-rock CD off of there once. I usually just go to cdjapan.

ever go camping?

A few times. I’m really scared of bugs and spiders, so it’s not something I do often. But I’ve had the fun experience of getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing a snake slither right past the building.

do you go to church every Sunday?

I haven’t been in a church since I was in high school (except for funerals) and I’d like to keep it that way.

do you have a tan?

I don’t tan, I burn. I got my dad’s Italian hair and my mom’s Irish skin.

do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?

Oooh, Chinese food. Especially crab rangoon if they’re homemade.

do you drink your soda with a straw?

I slam that shit straight outta the can.

what color socks do you usually wear?

If I had a choice, I would never wear socks. But when I do wear them, they’re usually novelty socks with, like, tacos and poptarts all over them.

do you ever drive above the speed limit?

When my stepdad taught me how to drive, he said “always go 10 miles over the speed limit, because that’s what everyone else is doing and they’ll run you off the road otherwise.” I’ve only gotten caught about 3 or 4 times.

what terrifies you?

Talking to people. Being judged. Failure. All my friends abandoning me. Being alone.

look to your left, what do you see?

My ONE OK ROCK tote bag with an Arches cold press watercolor pad sticking out of it. I need to paint larger pictures more. That’s good quality just sitting around going to waste.

what chore do you hate?

Emptying the dishwasher when it’s cleaned.

what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent?

That episode of the Simpsons when they went to Australia because Bart got in trouble, and Marge went to the bar asking for a tea and the guy just kept saying “Beer?” -- “No, TEA.” “BEER?”

what’s your favorite soda?

La Croix, though it’s technically sparkling water.

do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thrus?

I usually just get takeout, I haven’t been in a typical fast food place or a drive-thru in years (unless you count the Korean chicken wing place, I guess that’s kind of like fast food. But I don’t go to McD’s or anything.).

who’s the last person you talked to?

I told Greg I was going to throw some laundry in but he already did it.

favorite cut of beef?

Not really a steak person but I’ll eat a burger all day long.

last song you listened to?

[Alexandros] - “Philosophy” (it’s gotten me thru some tough shit a couple months ago)

last book you read?

I read @ithinkwehitametaphor​‘s Narcos fanfiction and @mouthface​‘s Brommet wip. I’m a straight-up fanfic person these days.

favorite day of the week?

Probably Saturday, but Friday is a close second.

can you say the alphabet backwards?

Oh god no.

how do you like your coffee?

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of sugar. No cream.

favorite pair of shoes?

I got an old pair of Chinese Laundry black boots with studs in the heels that I wish I had bought 2 pairs of before they were discontinued.

the time you normally go to sleep?

During the week, about 10:30PM - 11:30 (it’s a little later now that I’m working from home). Weekends are usually between 1AM-2 (look, I’m old OK).

the time you normally get up?

8:30AM or so (working from home), and between 9AM-10 on weekends.

what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets?

I have maybe been awake for 2-3 sunrises in my life, so sunsets it is.

how many blankets on your bed?

Just one.

Describe your kitchen plates.

I have a couple plain blue ones and then some white with black trim. I think they were all housewarming gifts from my grandma from about 10 years ago.

do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage?

Vodka and beer.

do you play cards?

I used to on occasion, but I don’t have friends who live around me, so I don’t really have anyone to play with.

what color is your car?

Red with the coolest bumper stickers ever.

can you change a tire?

If I need to, I guess.

favorite job you’ve ever had?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a job I liked.

how did you get your biggest scar?

I fell off a bike at Soulcycle a couple years ago and punched a quarter-sized hole in my right thigh. Rode thru the entire 45-minute class, drove home, made dinner, and about 2 hours later finally asked Greg to take a look at it. I thought it was just a scrape, but he told me we were going to the hospital immediately as fat tissue was leaking out of it. I ended up getting 10 stitches and was called “one badass bitch” for my ridiculous pain tolerance.

what did you do today that made someone else happy?

Idk, I like to think I’m a good listener if anyone wants/needs to talk.

I’m always terrified of bothering people, so if you want to do this, please do!

[forbiddenfantasies1]

Tagged by @twelvemonkeyswere and @samirant. I'm putting off adult responsibilities yet again so sign me up!

What is the color of your hairbrush?

I have a plain black one, and a bright yellow one my son bought me at Christmas.

Name a food you never eat.

Fish. None of em. And people always say "Oh but have you tried..." and the answer is yes. I've tried it, most likely. Saltwater fish, freshwater fish, grilled, baked, fried, stuffed. I don't like it. I will catch it, clean it,and cook it, but I don't want it.

Are you typically too hot or too cold?

Hot. I am so hot natured I keep blankets and jackets on hand for when my mom and sister visit because they freeze.

What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Watching the last part of Ender's Game with my kids. They had never seen it, and were losing their damn minds.

What's your favorite candy bar?

I'm not really a candy bar person, but I guess maybe a Kit Kat? Is that really a candy bar? I'm unsure.

Have you ever been to a professional sports game?

I have. I love going to games. I really miss sports. Like a lot. A LOT.

What was the last thing you said out loud?

In the spirit of honesty it was "His entire fucking face just annoys me."

What is your favorite ice cream?

My Uncle Vernon's homemade peach ice cream. It tastes like summertime and childhood and love.

What was the last thing you had to drink?

A sip of my husband's rum and Coke. He drinks Captain Morgan Black, and wanted to prove it didn't taste like spiced rum. He is correct. It honestly tastes like vanilla Coke.

Do you like your wallet?

I guess so. It is an arty, swirly thing my sister gave me.

What was the last thing you ate?

Zuppa Toscana and ciabatta bread.

Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

I bought belly buddy 2.0 an outfit for part of her birthday gift if that counts.

What's the last sporting event you watched?

I rewatched the Rose Bowl game between Oklahoma and Georgia just because I was desperate. That game landed me in the ER after my BP spiked when we blocked their field goal attempt in the 2nd overtime, and left me with a migraine I couldnt shake. It was worth every penny.

What's your favorite popcorn flavor?

Just butter and salt, I guess. I mainly like popcorn at the movies.

Who is the last person you sent a text message to?

My Mama to see if she needed anything.

Ever go camping?

More times than I could possibly count.

Do you take vitamins?

No. But I get bloodwork done and my levels are excellent.

Do you go to church every Sunday?

No.

Do you have a tan?

Not overly much at the moment, but give it a few weeks. I am naturally olive skinned (but like a light olive) and tan very quickly.

Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?

Probably pizza. It is a comfort food.

Do you drink your soda through a straw?

If my almost 10 year old ever sees me with a straw he will be so ashamed so I try to avoid them.

What color socks do you usually wear?

None. I tend to be in flip flops or sandals. When I do wear shoes or boots, I usually wear smart ass socks. Exhibit A:

Do you ever drive above the speed limit?

According to my driving report...yes, very often.

What terrifies you?

On a deep level, losing someone else I love, especially one of my kids or my husband.

On a shallow level, I am such a punk bitch with really deep water. There are fish the size of my car. Bigger. That's creepy.

Look to your left. What do you see?

My shirtless husband reading a book with his stupid beard and reading glasses and tattooed arms.

What chore do you hate the most?

Folding laundry. I love cooking, my husband and sons clean bathrooms, and I dance while I mop. But fuck folding clothes.

What do you think when you hear an Australian accent?

The Thornbirds. I may have read that and watched it at too young an age. It left an impression.

What's your favorite soda?

Dr. Pepper, I guess.

Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru?

Drive-thru pretty much always.

What's your favorite number?

I don't have one, but my least favorite is 12.

Who's the last person you talked to?

My 8 year old. He asked me if I'd rather be able to fly or to breathe underwater. He designed them after two of my biggest fears, the sadist.

Favorite cut of beef?

Like in butcher terms? I guess the sirloin. But I like tbone steaks the most. I think.

Last song you listened to?

Ain't Too Proud To Beg by The Temptations. It came on while I was showering. It was quite the concert.

Last book you read?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I'm doing a 2 person bookclub with my nephew.

Favorite day of the week?

Friday.

Can you say the alphabet backwards?

I sure can.

How do you like your coffee?

Literally half a cup with the other half being either heavy cream or half and half. Then an assload of sugar. I want it super light and sweet.

Favorite pair of shoes?

I hate shoes. I wear them out of necessity.

Time you normally get up?

It varies from 5:30 to 9:45.

Sunrises or sunsets?

Sunsets. Sunrises come so early.

How many blankets are on your bed?

One.

Describe your kitchen plates.

They're big and green, with a slight upward curve.

Describe your kitchen at this moment?

Dishes in the dishwasher. Pan of brownies on the counter. There's a loud kid at the table, eating cheese dip. Another one is sitting on the floor in boxer briefs, doing an occasional booty dance.

Do you have a favorite alcoholic drink?

It is summer so I like ice cold beer at the moment. In my bar days, I liked CPRs.

Do you play cards?

My kids have become obsessed with card games during quarantine so now I'm forced to play blackjack, 5 card draw, Texas Hold Em, and War.

What color is your car?

Black.

Do you know how to change a tire?

I wasn't allowed to get my license until I could do that and a handful of other things to a car. My dad was super laid back about a lot, but not that.

Your favorite state?

I like every state I've been too so far other than a big chunk of Florida and Missouri. And to be fair I only hated driving through Missouri.

Favorite job you've had?

It wasn't a job, but my internship at an elementary school was amazing. I also like my bullshit clerk job I had where I met my husband but that's because it was super easy, paid decent for what I needed at the time, and the hot older supervisor (not mine) let me shamelessly flirt with him.

How did you get your biggest scar?

I guess my csection scar is technically my biggest, and I got it by having 5 babies harvested out of me.

My biggest noticeable one is on the back of my forearm. I had a drunk woman put a cigarette out on me many years ago. The night did not end well for either of us.

Whew. That was a lot, but they were fun questions! Most of the people I would have tagged have already been tagged so if you have been, consider yourself tagged again. And if you haven't, consider yourself tagged if you want!

[mxstshamelesswoman]

49 questions I’ve never been asked tagmeme

Thanks @oediebees​ for tagging me to answer some random questions :D tbh feel like I don’t know that many peoples on here so I’ll tag @enemy0gene​ @halcyonnhood​ @kitsnicketts​ and also any of my followers who want to do this, answer some questions. Let’s get this thing going :D:D

1. What is the color of your hairbrush?

I have really long thick hair, so I have about 4 different brushes and combs. I have a shower comb that’s light blue, a purple hairbrush, a yellow and pink hairbrush, and I think I might have a green one too somewhere. 

2. A food you never eat?

I cannot stand mayonnaise, ketchup or other condiments. 

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold?

I feel like it alternates, but usually I’m too cold. 

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Driving my mom’s car

5. What is your favorite candy bar?

I really love York bars, with mint in them. 

6. Have you ever been to a professional sporting event?

I’ve been to a Rockies game. I really want to see a professional MMA match, but we’ll see. 

7. What was the last thing you said out loud?

Told my brother where to find his shoes. 

8. What is your favorite ice cream?

Mint chocolate chip or butter pecan

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?

Milk, probably. I’m a cold glass of milk in the morning. 

10. Do you like your wallet?

Yeah, I guess. It’s a rip off of Yves Saint Laurent that I got from some street cart in Turkey.

11. What was the last thing you ate?

I had a waffle with some strawberries for breakfast. 

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

Nope. I haven’t gotten new clothes since last winter, I haven’t really needed any. I think I might buy some cute bras soon, I moved up a cup size :/

13. The last sporting event you watched?

I have no idea...I watched like 5 minutes of some tennis match rerun on TV the other day, does that count. 

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?

I love caramel kettle corn. 

15. Who was the last person you sent a text message to?

My dad

16. Ever go camping?

Yes! I love camping, I actually went backpacking last with some classmates as part of our school’s orientation program. We went to Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and it was really awesome. Before I’ve been with my family and on some group trips. I really want to go on a big camping trip with just friends and no family. 

17. Do you take vitamins?

I take one of those gummy multivitamins everyday, don’t really know if it does anything but my dad’s kind of a nut about that stuff so I just do it. I also take those vitamin c packets you put in water, more as like yummy juice than anything else. 

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?

I’m Muslim, so that’s a big nope. I also don’t go to Masjid on Fridays (I did while I was at school, but not since coronavirus and never before going to college) I’ve been to church a couple of times for friend’s holy communions and family friend’s baptisms. 

19. Do you have a tan?

Kinda. My skin is pretty tan, but I’d love to just sunbathe and get a good tan going. 

20. Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?

Probably Chinese food, but good Chinese food, not like Panda Express or something. 

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?

Don’t drink soda so I guess that answer is no. 

22. What color socks do you usually wear?

Usually grey or black, depending on what I’m wearing. I wear neon socks when I go running, because they’re fun. 

23. Ever drive above the speed limit?

Omg, yes. It’s really bad, but there’s a lot of roads in my town that have like a “unofficial speed limit” that’s usually 5-10 mph higher than the actual limit. 

24. What terrifies you?

Everything. Real question is what doesn’t. I’m so scared for the future, especially the immediate future with coronavirus, and the state of our world and the election. 

25. Look to your left what do you see?

The couch back up to the wall in the office. My dad’s weird giant globe. My dog’s leash, abandoned on the couch where my brother left it after walking the dog. A pretty painting of some white flowers. 

26. What chore do you hate?

I hate filling the dishwasher with dirty dishes. I just don’t like touching dirty dishes in general. 

27. What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent?

The Hemsworth brothers, tbh. Or my friend Sydney, who got her name because she was born on the first day of the Sydney olympics. 

28. What is your favorite soda?

I haven’t really had soda in a few years, but I really like Izzy’s which I guess might be soda. I like La Croix too. 

29. Do you go into a fast food place or just hit the drive through?

Always drive through. I hate going them, always smell like grease and bleach. 

30. Who was the last person you talked to?

My brothers,

31. Favorite cut of beef?

I love a good steak, so probably some cut of steak. 

32. Last song you listened to?

Right this minute, I’m listening to Lego House by Ed Sheeran. Before this, it was Bright by Echosmith. 

33. Last book you read?

Right now, I’m reading How to do Nothing by Jenny Odell, but the last book I finished before this was We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed with our Families by Phillip Gourevitch, which details the Rwandan genocide and its progression. It’s really graphic and depressing, but a good read. 

34. Favorite day of the week? 

I really love Tuesdays and Fridays.  I feel like they both have really good vibes. Nowadays though, all days feel the same. 

35. Can you say the alphabet backwards?

Probably yeah. I tried just now and my dog started staring at me like I had three heads. 

36. How do you like your coffee?

Little cream, a lot of sugar. 

37. Favorite pair of shoes?

I have ratty pair of black vans I like. And a pair of faux leather half cut cowboy boots. 

38. At what time do you usually go to bed?

I get in bed by around 10 but I don’t fall asleep until like midnight. 

39. At what time do you normally get up?

6:30 or 7, I like to go for runs in the morning before work. 

40. What do you prefer - sunrises or sunsets?

Sunsets, they’re so calming. 

41. How many blankets are on your bed?

I have 4 blankets on my bed right now, along with a plain old sheet. By the time I wake up, usually all but one have been karate kicked off the bed by yours truly. 

42. Describe your kitchen plates?

Um, at school I have just one blue plastic one, cause that’s all I need. At home, we have these white square ones with green flowers on them. 

43. Do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage?

I don’t drink alcohol, but my friends make these mocktails out of grapefruit juice and Sprite that I like. I also like mojito gummy bears, so maybe I'd like mojitos. 

44. Do you play cards?

Yeah, I like poker, usually play 5 card draw. I also like Speed, Spoons, and BS, which I feel are more childish games but very fun. 

45. Can you change a tire?

Do I know how to? Yes. Would I be able to physically use the jack and lift a tire if I needed to? Guess we’ll see if I ever end up with a flat. 

46. What is your favorite province?

In Canada? British Columbia, I really love Victoria Island. 

47. Favorite job you ever had?

Right now, I’m an intern at a nonprofit and it’s a really great job. 

48. How did you get your biggest scar?

I have a lot of stretch marks, which I guess are scars? I was really small as a kid, because I was born premature, with a lot of growth issues. When those all got fixed, I shot up and out, and so I ended up with a crap ton of stretch marks, especially on my back, legs, ass and boobs. 

49. What did you do today that made someone happy?

I haven’t done much of anything today, but I went to see this car and that made my dad happy, even though I didn’t want to. So I guess that. 

If anyone read this to the end, thanks for playing along. If you decide to do it, tag me, I wanna see other people’s responses!

[verytamenow]

Any or all of them, huh? All of them

That wasn’t a this or that thing but I’m bored and technically did ask for it so fine...smartass...

1. What is you middle name? Eric Lynn

2. How old are you? 27

3. When is your birthday? June 8

4. What is your zodiac sign? Gemini

5. What is your favorite color? It depends. To wear? For walls? For a car? In general, steel blue.

6. What’s your lucky number? I don’t really have one, but I’ll choose 7 or 13 if I have to pick one.

7. Do you have any pets? I’m not a pet person

8. Where are you from? Socal

9. How tall are you? 5′5.5″

10. What shoe size are you? US Mens 7

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Umm...shit...like....6?

12. What was your last dream about? I honestly don’t even remember.

13. What talents do you have? Bold of you to assume I could have talents

14. Are you psychic in any way? I’ve had a couple premonition like dreams, but they clue me in to anything important and I don’t wake up remembering much of them.

15. Favorite song? Losing My Religion by REM

16. Favorite movie? Alien, maybe? Or Iron Man.

17. Who would be your ideal partner? I don’t have a specific person in mind. Definitely someone patient but unwilling to tolerate any bullshit. Must understand sarcasm.

18. Do you want children? Dear gods NO!

19. Do you want a church wedding? I don’t particularly care. I don’t really want one but I’d do it if my partner wanted one. No guarantee I’d not get struck down entering the church.

20. Are you religious? Not really. I struggle with the concept of organized religion. But I do respect spirituality so long as it’s not being used to justify bigotry and have some sort of vague belief in it. 

21. Have you ever been to the hospital? Yes. Both for my own care and to visit family, none of which are fond memories.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law? I haven’t.

23. Have you ever met any celebrities? No, not yet. But hopefully one day Taylor will run out of other people to meet and finally take pity on me.

24. Baths or showers? Showers! I can’t stand baths for more than 10-15 minutes but can take an hour long shower.

25. What color socks are you wearing? Light and dark blue striped socks.

26. Have you ever been famous? No.

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? Yes and no. I’d not say no to the potential money involved. But I’m a quiet guy and if I couldn’t find a way to protect my privacy like Taylor’s managed, I’d be done with it pretty quickly.

28. What type of music do you like? A bit of everything, but I’ve been on a pop kick recently.

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? No, but I’d give it a go in the right setting.

30. How many pillows do you sleep with? One, unless they’re not firm enough.

31. What position do you usually sleep in? I usually fall asleep on my side.

32. How big is your house? Few bedrooms and a couple bathrooms, 2 stories. Decent sized.

33. What do you typically have for breakfast? I usually don’t. But if I wake up starving, I’ll try to find some leftover chicken or something to munch on, usually cold. 

34. Have you ever fired a gun? Yeah, fired a few different types. I’m not a great shot and I don’t handle the noise well. I struggle pulling the trigger for whatever reason.

35. Have you ever tried archery? I haven’t but I really want to!

36. Favorite clean word? Strobocopic is the first word that comes to mind and that’s 100% my dad’s fault, damn him.

37. Favorite swear word? Fuck.

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep? About 48 hours? I’ll usually take a sleeping pill or pass out on my own by then.

39. Do you have any scars? Ignoring the obvious quip about mental ones, I’ve got a couple physical. Got a faint one on my knee from busting it open as a kid that you can’t really see now. Got a fair few stretch marks and some acne scars as well.

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer? If I did, they were so secret I didn’t know about them.

41. Are you a good liar? Depends on what it is and how close I am to them. I can lie alright on phone or text unless you know me well or tell a stranger a white lie. But I’ve got no poker face whatsoever so I suck at the big ones, and the closer I am to someone the worse I get at lying. 

42. Are you a good judge of character? Kinda? I haven’t trusted too many assholes but like anyone I can overlook the bad in someone I care about. 

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own? Nope.

44. Do you have a strong accent? I don’t think so.

45. What is your favorite accent? British or Australian.

46. What is your personality type? Impatient but laid back smartass with a mixed sense of self preservation. I’m a pretty go with the flow guy, but yeah patience isn’t my strong suit.

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing? My redwing boots.

48. Can you curl your tongue? Yes.

49. Are you an innie or an outie? Innie.

50. Left or right handed? Strongly right-handed.

51. Are you scared of spiders? I’m fucking terrified of them. It’s sad, really. Even the small ones.

52. Favorite food? Seafood in general or a good rare steak.

53. Favorite foreign food? Sushi!

54. Are you a clean or messy person? I’m a mess tbh. I try but I can’t quite seem to keep things up.

55. Most used phrased? “Fuck” probably.

56. Most used word? See above.

57. How long does it take for you to get ready? About 30 with a shower.

58. Do you have much of an ego? I’d like to say no, but I know I’ve got a bit of pride about some things.

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops? Suck until they’re almost gone and then bite.

60. Do you talk to yourself? Not so much now. If I’m alone in the house for an extended period, or I’m trying to work something out or stay focused, then yeah.

61. Do you sing to yourself? I rarely sing along to music in the car, let alone casually to myself.

62. Are you a good singer? Gods no.

63. Biggest Fear? The glib answer is spiders. But in the spirit of the question lise: the actual answer is the inevitable fuck up that is the last straw that leds to people leaving.

64. Are you a gossip? Yes and no? I don’t spread serious rumours, but I’ll absolutely talk shit with those I’m closest with. Kinda a nosey little prick too, I like knowing things.

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen? My mind kinda went straight to titanic. The 90s jumped out.

66. Do you like long or short hair? I wear my hair short (because getting misgendered makes me want to fling myself off the nearest cliff), but would theoretically consider wearing it longer if/when my facial hair comes in. On a partner, I like either.

67. Can you name all 50 states of America? I wouldn’t put money on it, but if I could see a list as I named them, I’d probably manage okay.

68. Favorite school subject? History. Or mythology, though that wasn’t a dedicated subject.

69. Extrovert or Introvert? Introvert AF.

70. Have you ever been scuba diving? No and I don’t think I ever would. 

71. What makes you nervous? It’s the anxiety, bro.

72. Are you scared of the dark? More scared of the tricks my mind can play on me in it, especially if I’m trying to sleep.

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? Depends on how close I am and what the mistake is.

74. Are you ticklish? Very and I don’t find being tickled funny or enjoyable. I’m likely to get pretty pissed off if someone tickles me intentionally.

75. Have you ever started a rumor? Never intentionally.

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority? Not really? Not with any real power.

77. Have you ever drank underage? Tried a few things, didn’t care for the taste.78. Have you ever done drugs? I tried pot but I can’t inhale for shit so it didn’t do anything for me.

79. Who was your first real crush? The first I can recall was a boy named Corbin in the first grade. He had dark hair and eyes and was nice and I thought he was cute and fun to play with. Then there was a girl named Emily who was tall and blonde. I don’t think I really knew they were crushes though. The first time I had a crush and KNEW it was a crush was high school, on a girl in my chem class and then on my physics teacher in my junior year.

80. How many piercings do you have? None.

81. Can you roll your Rs? Not anymore.

82. How fast can you type? 45-ish WPM?

83. How fast can you run? Not very fast.

84. What color is your hair? Dark blonde.

85. What color is your eyes? Blue.

86. What are you allergic to? Some laundry detergent. If it’s heavily scented I will break out in hives.

87. Do you keep a journal? No, but I’ve been told I should.

88. What do your parents do? My dad works in IT.

89. Do you like your age? Yes and no. I don’t have a problem with my age or nearing 30, but I could also fuck up my life in new and interesting ways if I could be younger knowing what I know now.

90. What makes you angry? Bigotry. Willful ignorance and unwillingness to listen. Hypocrisy. 

91. Do you like your own name? Yes, which is why I picked it.

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they? I have zero, if not negative, desire to reproduce. But I like gender neutral names for girls - Parker, Peyton, Reagan, etc.

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child? I don’t want either but I REALLY would not know what to do with a child who liked traditionally feminine things.

94. What are you strengths? Sheer stubbornness.

95. What are your weaknesses? Impatience.

96. How did you get your name? I wanted to keep my initials and Zach was the name that came to mind and felt right.

97. Were your ancestors royalty? If you go back far enough, you’ll usually stumble across it.

98. Do you have any scars? Wasn’t this a previous question???

99. Color of your bedspread? Blue, not that I use it.

100. Color of your room? White. Never did get around to painting it.

[mitchamsocialuser]

Mitcham Social — The Real Hawaiian Wood Fired Pizza

Mitcham Social is a wood-fired pizza café that serves a selection of wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and other snacks. The restaurant is located in the Mitcham Town Centre. It also offers a wide range of drinks, beer, and wine.

Longboard Legends

The Wood-fired Pizza Café is a great place to indulge in some wood-fired pizza, steaks, and burgers. The cafe also serves a variety of snacks. The menu changes frequently, but there’s always something to please everyone. Here, you can look forward to a unique dining experience, whether you’re a local or just passing through.

Located inside a converted steel factory, Mitcham Social serves delicious food and drinks in a modern and industrial setting. Open-plan dining rooms are combined with intimate bar areas. The menu features wood-fired pizzas with creative toppings. Guests can enjoy a night out with their friends in a fun, relaxed environment.

The ingredients used in the Longboard Legends’ pizza are fresh and authentic. The recipe uses taro flour to create a crust that has more crunch than the typical wheat-flour pizza. The sauce is made with basil grown nearby, local mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and fresh pineapple and tomato.

Ciao Down

Wood-fired pizza is not just for the Hawaiians. This quaint wood-fired restaurant also serves steaks, burgers, and other snacks. Its name may give you a hint of what you’ll find here. Located in Mitcham, this place is a great spot for pizza lovers in London and the surrounding areas.

After visiting the Hawaiian Islands almost a decade ago, Brandon decided to invest in wood-fired pizza. He bought a wood-fired pizza oven and set it up on his back porch. After a month or so, he went to Las Vegas to attend the International Pizza Expo. There, he found a great opportunity to learn more about the craft of making pizza and even met fellow foodies and chefs. The show floor was large enough to accommodate 90 demonstrations, workshops, and networking sessions.

Rollin’ Stone Woodfired Pizza

Rollin’ Stone Woodfired Pizza at the Mitcham Social is a cosy pizza joint located inside an old steel factory. The food is made using a traditional wood-fired oven and a variety of locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Thursday to Sunday. Guests can enjoy a wood-fired pizza, as well as a variety of Australian dishes. The relaxed atmosphere is ideal for groups of all sizes. A full-service bar offers a selection of wines and beer and the location has outdoor seating.

The Mitcham Social also offers a weekly specials menu. On Thursdays, there’s a “Thank You” deal, which is $10 wood-fired pizza. On Saturdays, there’s a bottomless menu for two hours, which includes unlimited Prosecco or tap beer. There’s also a weekend brunch where you can spend as little as $60 and eat as much as you like. There are several different options for dessert, including sticky date pudding and gulab jamun.

Rollin’ Stone Woodfired Pizza at the Mitcham Social is a great place for a drink and pizza. The menu is extensive and made from locally sourced ingredients. There’s also live music on weekends, and two bars make it easy to enjoy a meal with friends.

Mitcham Social

At Wood-fired Pizza Café, you can enjoy wood-fired pizza and more. The café also serves steaks, burgers, and other snacks. It’s a great place to meet friends or family over a meal. The staff are friendly and eager to help you find the perfect meal.

The restaurant is located in a converted Thatcher steel factory. It’s an urban oasis with a relaxed atmosphere and great food. The menu includes wood-fired pizzas as well as modern Australian dishes and drinks. The restaurant also hosts live music every week. There’s outdoor seating, a kids’ play area, and a full bar.

Mitcham Social is a great place for an upscale meal. This former steel factory has been converted into an upmarket dining space with upscale seating and a lively bar. The wood-fired pizza is one of the highlights of the menu, but there’s also a large selection of burgers and traditional Italian dishes.

[marauders70s]

So recently I’ve seen a lot of tumblr posts about Ms. Frizzle being a witch in a muggle community (as a teacher of pre-Hogwarts magical students who may not know about the w/w community). I’m 100% on board.

But something I REALLY want is Harry meeting Ms. Frizzle...so I wrote a drabble.

c. Summer holidays 2004 - Harry, Ginny, and Luna aged 24. Hermione aged 25. - The Rookery, the Lovegood Home near Ottery St. Catchpole.

“Harry, come in!” Luna beamed. “Ginny and Hermione are already here.”

“Ron sends his apologies,” Harry fumbled for a moment over the doorstep to take off his shoes and socks. Luna was adamant that he might step on the dust sprites otherwise. “He’s tied up with the Shop. He and George are really working to overhaul.”

“That’s alright,” Luna smiled dreamily. “Dad’s not here either. He’s gone on a fishing trip.”

“Your dad fishes?” 

“Not for fish,” Luna said eagerly. “He sends messages down to the local river folk with a sinking bottle and they write back. He’s looking for the Australian bunyip that’s supposed to have come through the waters over Russia.”

“Of course,” Harry shook his head. He shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Come into the garden,” Luna beamed. “The weather is gorgeous.”

Harry followed Luna through the new pattern - so familiar now - of the Rookery. Most of it had been destroyed in the Graphorn blast in six years previous, but Minister Shacklebolt - on Hermione’s insistence - had set up a war relief fund to help survivors rebuild. Most had gone into Hogwarts, and for a brief, painful moment, Harry felt his heart squeeze. He averted his gaze as they passed a bright purple wall, covered floor to ceiling in moving photographs of a laughing, blonde haired woman, cooing over a baby, or teaching a young Luna how to pour potions with fire tongs. 

Luna’s scatterbrain hid a deep intuitiveness, and she paused before the wall, sensing Harry’s discomfort. “I do miss her,” she said, staring at the pictures with her bulbous, frost blue eyes. She turned them on Harry. “I miss her every day.”

Harry didn’t know why fhe was blinking so hard behind his glasses but he only nodded, managing. “We all do...we miss them all.”

Luna reached out to touch a framed shadowbox of a lock of hair wrapped around a birch wand. “But remembering is important,” she said simply. “Come on, you won’t believe how big Ivy is getting.”

Harry followed her out the great back of the house, which had been completely folded away for the summer weather. Huge, garage-like paned windows made up the entire back of the Rookery. His heart seized up a moment when he saw her. It still did. Every time.

Ginny and Hermione were sitting at a table under a century old oak tree. The table, like most things Luna owned, was a battered pastel - light blue - and had an eclectic patchwork quilt of a tablecloth spread with tea things. There were places set for animals as well, and Harry noticed one plate was still swimming in blood. He squeezed his bare feet in the cool grass as he crossed over to the table.

“Hello stranger,” Hermione said, wrinkling her nose at him as she pointed her wand at her bushy hair. It cinched into a bun on the top of her head as she fanned the back of her neck.

“Long time,” he teased back. They had seen each other the same morning in the elevator. Harry had exited to the Auror’s offices, and Hermione had continued to the Department of Magical Law where her current campaign was wage equality for Being status creatures.

“You look beautiful,” he told Ginny, who was braiding her own long hair by hand, scowling at him. 

“No I don’t,” she said crossly. “I’m sweating like a troll and I’m fat and I’m hungry.”

“Harry’s here, so we can eat,” Luna promised, waving a wand over the table. The water - which had been drunk dry - was refilled by a steaming kettle. Lemonade and ice filled a waiting pitcher. Peaches, plums, and raspberries filled the cups alongside tea cakes. “And you are not fat,” she added unnecessarily. “You are just very pregnant.”

Ginny leveled a look at Harry, who only laughed, and swooped in to kiss the side of her neck. 

She writhed away. “GET OFF,” she barked. “It’s a thousand degrees and you haven’t shaved!”

“Down girl,” Harry snickered, offering her a plate meekly he had spelled together.

She hissed back at him like an angry cat, but took the plate mollified, while Hermione buttered toast for him and Luna. 

“Any day now,” Hermione said placatingly. “He’ll come any day now.”

“He will not,” moaned Ginny as she spooned loose leaf - collected by Luna herself - into a strainer. “He’ll live in me forever. He’s set up camp. He’s not coming out. I’ll never play quidditch again.”

“You could play quidditch now,” Harry pointed out. “You just might tump sideways off your broom. People might mistake you for the bludger. If you scored you’d count for two! If...”

Ginny chucked a perfectly good bun at his head for that, and it bounced off his glasses and rolled into the grass where it was immediately snatched up by Luna’s puffskein Fauntleroy. Fauntleroy often played with Ginny’s pygmy puff Arnold, but while hers was the miniature version, Fauntleroy was close to twenty pounds and roughly the size and shape of a quaffle. 

“Well I’m never having any human children,” Luna said serenely. “Ivy keeps me perfectly busy.”

“Where is Ivy?” Harry asked curiously, looking around.

“She ate all her steak and snuck off,” Ginny glowered. “She was fed before we were!”

Luna gave a trilling call. “Ivy! Ivy love, come here!”

A long black neck poked up out of the shrubbery. 

“There she is,” Luna said, quite unnecessarily, as the yearling thestral extricated herself gawkily from the bushes and came trotting over eagerly, looking around with white, bulging eyes for any promise of more food.

“No more!” Hermione laughed as Ivy nuzzled her neck. “You’ll get fat!”

Harry returned Ginny a look as Ivy was - as all thestrals - skeletal. Ivy was a gift from Hagrid, who trusted Luna to look after her. Luna often fostered the thestrals that needed a little extra care before they returned to their herd at Hogwarts. Yet Harry suspected Ivy would not be leaving; Luna had been given her the same day Ivy was born to a dead mother, and they were inseparable. He suspected Hagrid was trying to create a secondary herd out in the countryside around Ottery St. Catchpole, as thestrals were widely hunted and endangered. Luna would be the perfect custodian.

They chatted for a time while Luna stroked Ivy’s long neck, but when it became apparent more food that Ivy cared for (besides ivy nettles, long centipedes, and bloody meat) would not be forthcoming, the thestral wandered back into the shrubbery.

“Luna?” It was a woman’s voice, and the three of them looked at one another in surprise as Luna looked about.

“Outside!” she called back, obviously unperturbed that a strange woman was in her house.

“Were you...expecting someone?” Hermione asked tentatively.

“Oh no,” Luna said, smiling as she quartered a peach. “But friends can just drop by.”

Hermione’s mouth looked a bit like McGonagall’s, or as if she had eaten something quite sour. Unexpected drop ins were not the Granger-Weasley way, although Ron would be far more amenable than Hermione.

“What about family?” said the voice again, as a woman stepped out the doors onto the grass.

“Aunt Valerie!” Luna leapt to her feet and dashed from the table, skipping lightly over the grass to embrace the woman.

Harry would not have needed any introduction to spot that the newcomer was related to Luna. Her clothes were even more eclectic - hard to do - as she was wearing a dress covered in a moving pattern of blooming flowers. She had earrings made of literal flower bulbs; they kept shedding dirt on her shoulders. Her hair - like Luna’s - was a mass of wavy hair. Unlike Luna’s, it was a light orange and pushed into a messy beehive held in place with her wand. She had Luna’s same frost blue eyes, pale complexion, and slightly crooked nose. Luna was chatting volubly as she led her by the hand back to the table.

“These are my friends,” and Luna beamed the way that always made Harry’s stomach swoop when Luna said it. Like she was both proud and disbelieving. “Harry Potter, Ginny Potter, and Hermione Granger-Weasley.”

“And?” asked the woman, glancing pointedly at Ginny’s stomach.

“James Potter the second,” Harry said quickly, afraid Ginny might unhinge her jaw and swallow the woman whole. To his surprise, she laughed.

“If you stick around long enough, he might come meet you before dinnertime.”

“Wouldn’t that be lovely!” exclaimed the woman in a loud, sing-song voice. Like Luna, she tended to stress words without seeming rhyme or reason. There was something about the voice that puzzled Harry.

“This is my Aunt Valerie,” Luna introduced, holding out a chair for her aunt as she settled down. “She’s my mother’s sister.”

“Pandora,” agreed Valerie, still smiling. “And what are we doing here?”

“It’s a garden party,” said Luna in delight, and Harry realized guiltily that this set up he had taken for granted had probably taken Luna time to prepare. She might have been planning for days. From the look he got from Hermione - cool approval at his finally noticing - he guessed he was right.

“How marvelous,” said Valerie, and it clicked into place for Harry.

“You’re American?” he blurted. 

“Yes, I live in America,” she corrected tacitly. “I’m a teacher.”

“A professor?” asked Hermione eagerly.

“No, I teach third grade! It’s the most fun I’ve ever had!”

“At a magical school?” Hermione tried again. “I don’t know anything about American wizarding education!”

This was a lie, and it made Harry grin. Hermione knew a little bit about everything, thanks to reading and genuine curiosity. After the Quidditch Cup in 1994, he discovered she had researched the history of Quidditch in Bulgaria and Ireland extensively since its inception after Aztec and Greek wizarding societies met.

“No! I teach at a muggle school!”

Even Ginny looked up from plowing through a third bowl of berries. Harry couldn’t tear his gaze from her stained red lips.“What?” she asked in astonishment. “But why?” 

“It’s so much more fun!” Valerie beamed. “When the students don’t know they’re going to be witches and wizards.”

“You teach a muggle born class?” asked Hermione in mixed shock and amazement. “And you don’t tell them?”

“And ruin the fun?” laughed Valerie. “What good would that do?”

“Auntie V,” Luna interrupted. “They don’t understand your curriculum. Explain it properly.”

“Well,” and Harry could have sworn the bulb earrings glowed for a moment. “What would you all like to learn about here? Moona?”

Luna beamed at the nickname, and looked around. “Oh, I don’t know...how about...the sun?” she turned her eyes back to the table, blinking sunspots away.

“Well we know about the sun,” said Hermione, glancing at Harry and Ginny before faltering. “D-don’t we?”

“I’d like to learn,” Harry said firmly, and was gratified when Luna’s nervousness melted into pride.

“Sounds like,” Valerie said, quickly dabbing her mouth but not touching her wand. “It’s time for a field trip!”

Want a drabble? Ask!

[rememberthattime]

Chapter 46. Australian Bucket List

Australia is a big country. You wouldn’t guess by its population, but geographically speaking, it’s the sixth biggest country in the world. SIXTH! It’s basically the size of the lower 48 US states.

Now, what comes with geographic vastness? Rednecks. Nooo-Wait, actually yes. But also diverse ecosystems. Think of the US: Washington forests are nothing like the plains of Iowa or swamps of Louisiana.

Now, in our 14 months down unda, Chelsay and I have visited several unique Aussie ecosystems, but have mostly grown accustomed to Manly’s: “80 & sunny”. If Australia is the size of the lower 48 though, there are countless climates & terrains waiting to be explored.  

So, for our 10-day Easter trip, Chelsay and I teamed up with our Manly fam Pete & Megan to see how many different Aussie ecosystems (and related footwear requirements) we could find.

Part 1: Sandals

The first stop in our Grand Aussie Tour was Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays. This place is pure relaxation… but it’s also classy so you can’t just walk around barefoot.

Instead of cars, visitors buzz around the small island in golf carts like they’re in some Florida retirement community. Actually, Hamilton Island kind of reminds me of a picturesque island in the Keys. The Whitsundays are too manicured to be exactly like Florida, but if you catch Key West in the right light, it might resemble Hamilton Island’s palm-lined beaches, small community feel, and charming boutique (singular, as everything on this tiny island is).

The Whitsundays aren’t known for “being like Key West” though... They’re known for turquoise waters and bleached white beaches. Like, the best bleached white beaches in the world. And the best of the best bleached white beaches is Whitehaven, consistently ranked among the prettiest places in Australia. What makes it so great? One, it’s a beach – people love beaches. Two, its 4.5 miles of silica-infused white sand, bumping right against the bright blue Whitsunday waters. If that isn’t enough, on its northern end, the bright beach yields to tidal inflows forming Hill Inlet, where the white sand and turquoise waters fuse to form colors you’d only imagine on canvas.

Hill Inlet is more than a painting though, and the best way to see it is from above: *Aussie accent* choppaaa’.

It was Chelsay and I’s first time in a helicopter, so even the flight itself was fun. Surrounded by windows, we had unobstructed views for the heli’s bizarre maneuverers: vertical take-off, hovering without moving, side-to-side rotations… and of course the escaping-villain-feeling when the pilot accelerates and the nose of the helicopter dips forward.

Our pilot quickly passed Chelsay as the coolest person I knew, so I flooded him with questions.

Mike: “Have you seen the latest Mission Impossible – can you do a chopper flip like Tom Cruise??”

Pilot: “No.”

Mike: “Well can you do barrel rolls??”

Pilot: “No.”

Mike: “Have you flown anyone famous??”

Pilot: “Oprah flew with us once.”

Chelsay chimes in: Oprah voice* “We’re FLY-INNNGGGG!”

…Chelsay has retaken her coolest person title.

Back to the flight. Our itinerary had us flying 20 minutes from Hamilton Island to Whitehaven Beach, landing on the beach, kicking it for an hour, then returning to Hamilton Island. Bad news though: the weather during our first leg was dreadful. Dense grey clouds and a sheet of rain meant we couldn’t see anything… Not the pristine beach, not the bright blue water, not the Hill Inlet. Plus the pilot wouldn’t do a barrel roll.

The rain actually yielded a bit as we landed on Whitehaven, so the pilot pulled out a picnic basket: fruits, cheeses, and two bottles of champagne. Now, on one hand, it was 9:30 am. But on the other, we’d just taken a private helicopter to a secluded beach. Morning champagne must be protocol for rich people vacations… along with bathrobes and hotel rooms with HBO.

Luckily the clouds soon parted and we took advantage, playing around in the sun, silica sand, blue skies, and warm water.

On the flight back, we were treated to the tidal fusion of Hill Inlet and the gleaming turquoise coastlines of the Whitsundays. Still no barrel rolls though.

The remainder of our time in Hamilton Island was spent relaxing. These few days took on a quiet, tranquil routine: slow starts with coffee on our back patio, homemade lunches (the best of which were our steak, egg, & tater breakfast burritos), cocktails starting at noon, and maybe a leisurely afternoon activity (hill-top hikes, critter catching, or throwing rocks into puddles so that we could capture the splash in slow-mo). Read those activities again, and then consider they came after the midday cocktails. Makes sense.

We’d wrap up each peaceful day with colorful sunsets from One Tree Hill, before breaking out the board games: the newlyweds game, Bananagrams, and our homemade version of Pictionary. How do you draw koala chlamydia?

As the first stop in our 10-day tour, the Whitsundays were meant to be a transitional limbo between the mental mindsets of work & play. Before heading to the really extreme Aussie ecosystems, these couple days in Hamilton Island gave us all a chance to exhale.

Part 2: Flippers

After flip-flop friendly Hamilton Island, our Manly fam was heading north for a few days on the Great Barrier Reef. Although the Whitsundays also border the GBR, remote “Far North Queensland” offers more pristine diving.

We had an extra day before our live-aboard departed from Cairns, so we decided to roadtrip up from Hamilton Island. On a map, this doesn’t look too far… They’re both in North Queensland and have easy access to the GBR, right? No. This is Australia. It’s a 7.5 hour drive.

This is actually a really impressive gauge for how big the GBR is: we drove 7.5 hours along the coast and didn’t leave the reef. Anyway, the drive wasn’t a problem for us: we were more than content with the West Cork murder podcast, beautiful sugar cane plantation views, and a brief stop at the Cardwell natural pools.

Flipper-based activities began the next day. Our overnight liveaboard gave us six dives in 24 hours, all further offshore than any day-trip could venture. This is the beauty of a liveaboard: the boat is always moving, so you aren’t anchored to nearshore dive sites. In fact, our liveaboard was so far out, it didn’t even come into the Cairns’ port: you have to bum a “taxi” ride via day-tripper boats.

The ride with the day-trippers was an experience in itself. Joining a liveaboard means you’re probably pretty ocean savvy: you’re committing to a bed that rocks back-and-forth with the waves all night. On the other hand, the day-trip boat is for those with less experience seeking a taste of sea life… Unfortunately for many first-timers, that taste was barf.

It was chaos. Imagine the Battle of Winterfell scene where the living are swarmed by the Army of the Dead… Pete, Megan, Chelsay and I were the living. One of us was Brienne with her back against the wall. One of us was Greyworm, white-faced zombies crawling all over our legs. I was Sam: in the corner, crying among the chaos.  While the boat’s crew bravely carried on explaining how to put a snorkel mask on (seriously!… the mask is shaped like a face!), roughly 10% of the passengers were throwing up off the stern. One guy didn’t even make it to the back and just threw up in a towel. I tried to escape the carnage in the boat’s bathroom – as I was in there though, some guy ripped open the lock in sheer panic. God bless the crew who probably deal with this every single day.

Our taxi eventually arrived at the liveaboard and Pete, Megan, Chelsay, and I disembarked as quickly as possible. The liveaboard’s vibe couldn’t have been more juxtaposed: in the large, wood-clad foyer, other visitors were lounging on leather couches, enjoying tea, coffee, and fruit, and comparing different sea life they’d seen that day.

We weren’t on the liveaboard to mingle though, so we geared up and were 30 feet under in no time. Rather than write dive-by-dive, I’ll speak broadly across our six dives.

The sea life was vibrant and abundant: bright pink, electric blue, lime green, highlighter yellow. And that could be just ONE fish. Chelsay compared it to wearing those 90s Starter jackets.

The reef was also in better shape than I expected. Although we’d intentionally visited well-preserved sites in Far North Queensland, I’d still heard discouraging reviews. Maybe this set lower expectations, but we found packed gardens of hard and soft coral, thriving fish communities, and reef structures larger than any we’d seen in the Maldives or Indonesia.

Chelsay and I also did our first night dive. I didn’t take a video (you wouldn’t be able to see anything), but it was a bizarre experience. 20 feet under the surface, you’re surrounded by pitch black. Your body is moving forward, but you have no bearing of direction: am I swimming up or down? Left or right? Towards safety or into a shark?

Diving already feels like floating through space, but completely void of light, the experience is even more extra-terrestrial. We used flashlights sparingly, which illuminated some strange nocturnal sea life: a crown of thorns starfish, a giant five-foot potato cod, several moray eels, and a venomous lionfish. At one point, the instructor gathered Pete, Megan, Chelsay, and I in a circle and had us turn off our flashlights. She then swiped her hands toward the middle of the circle and, through the pitch black, blue specks floated through the void. Bioluminescent plankton had been illuminated by her movement.

This bioluminescent plankton was probably the most bizarre sea creature we saw, but it certainly had contenders. In our day-dives, we also saw a color-changing octopus, a flying feather starfish, a flat flounder (whose eyes can migrate from one side of their face to the other), several 5+ foot reef sharks, moray eels, giant clams, and a HUMAN-SIZED BARRACUDA! These fish probably had similar reviews of the four bizarre humans they saw:

To wrap up this flipper-based section, I’d like to reiterate that we were 30 feet underwater for 6 hours in a 24 hour period. That’s a lot of time in a different world, but also a lot of time plodding a heavy metal tank along the bottom of the ocean… Based on the GBR’s vibrant colors and scale, unmatched anywhere else on Earth, I wish we could’ve been down there longer.

Part 3: Shoes

Now comes the portion of the trip where we had to wear shoes, a real bummer until you consider the exciting destination: Daintree Rainforest.

Daintree is the oldest rainforest in the world, formed during the JURASSIC period 180 million years ago. Wait, WHAT!? Just read that sentence again. Dinosaurs first appeared ~220 million years ago, and went extinct 60 million years ago. For reference, the Amazon is only 50 million years old. That means Daintree saw the entire rise and fall of the DINOSAUR SPECIES, while the Amazon slept in & missed the whole thing.

Back to present day. The entrance to the park is a short ferry across the Daintree River. Let me paint a picture for you: here we are, four homo sapiens sitting on one-side of the prehistoric Daintree River, waiting for a ferry to take us into the National Park. I can’t even comprehend the scale of Earth’s history that stared back across that river. At some point in this forest’s life, a stegosaurus drank from this same water way. Meanwhile, I’m sitting in a Mitsubishi ASX, streaming the West Cork murder podcast from my iPhone. That stegosaurus was 60 million years too early to see a human, let alone our species’ invention of commerce, capitalism, the wheel, automobiles, satellites, the murder mystery genre, microchips, gorilla glass and every other advancement that made my existential reflection possible. This time scale is impossible to grasp, but the thought of a stegosaurus popping out onto the road felt like a real possibility in this prehistoric jungle.  

Moving on, I’d say our main activity while in Daintree was sweating.  It wasn’t that hot (around 80), but the humidity had to be at 10,000%. We went on two different hikes and I was drenched no more than 10 steps in.

Our two hikes were Mossman Gorge and Jindalba, with the latter being a true jungle bush walk. Mossman was nice, and included some of the strangest vegetation I’d seen: massive buttress roots and vines so heavy that they choke the trees from which they hang.

That said, Mossman was pretty touristy (gift store, crowded parking lot, boardwalks), but Jindalba felt far more natural. We genuinely had to brace buttressed roots for grip along the red jungle floor, all the while on the lookout for massive bugs, leaches, wild pigs, and cassowaries.

Beyond the whole “age thing”, Daintree’s other unique trait is that it bumps directly against the Great Barrier Reef. Underwater and overwater jungles side-by-side. Our best views of the reef meeting the rainforest came at Cape Tribulation, where we used Pete & Megan’s drone to take in the stark blend of green treetops, white sand, and turquoise waters. When you look at the below picture, just remember how many bugs there are in the dense green part.

With the unique mix of rainforest vegetation and saltwater nutrients, Cape Trib also hosts several mangrove forests, where Daintree’s oldest living tenants call home: crocodiles. These salt water residents can grow up to 15 feet long, and have been roaming Daintree for its entire existence (again, 180 million years). Let me take a quick pause: I’m writing about Day 6 of our 10-day trip, and to this point, I’d only seen 1 or 2 crocs in my life – they were in zoos. Over the next 3.5 days though, I’d see at least 100.

That’s jumping ahead though. Our next stop in Daintree was Emmagen Creek. After Cape Trib, we were debating whether we should just head back to Port Douglas for dinner… and a shower. We were REALLY sweaty, but it was also only 3:00, so we guilted ourselves into one more walk. We’d read about the Emmagen Creek hike, but there just wasn’t much information available. For reference, this is probably the internet’s longest article about Daintree.

We traversed an unsealed road to the trailhead, and packed for the unknown: plenty of water, bug spray, sunscreen, and bathing suits just in case. With numerous croc warnings, we didn’t expect to swim, but there’s no harm in bringing suits.

We started down the trail, again without much information where we were going, and quickly realized the trail wasn’t as long as we expected. After just 10 minutes, we hit Emmagen Creek. There was a long rope swing hanging from the tree, and we arrived just as someone was Tarzan swinging into the creek. Shouldn’t we worry about crocs? There were other people hanging downstream, so I guess they’d be easier prey.

After hiking through 10,000% humidity, cooling off in the creek was the perfect way to end the day, and a welcome surprise given how little we knew about the hike. We played around on the rope swing: Chelsay did some cannonballs, Megan showed Olympic-level steeze, and I… took a different approach.

We’d leave for our fourth Aussie ecosystem the next day, but not before stopping at Hartley’s Crocodile Farm to learn about Australia’s deadliest animal. Our guide had been doing croc shows for 30 years, and therefore quickly replaced Chelsay as the coolest person I know.

Some highlights from his show:

Aussie crocs have the strongest bite ever recorded – 3700 lbs/sq inch, compared to a lion’s bite of 1000 or a human’s bite of 150.

Australia’s most poisonous snake is an inland taipan – one drop of its venom could kill 250,000 mice or 100 humans.

Cassowaries are just velociraptors with feathers, and I'm glad we didn't see one in the wild.  

I’m glad we learned all this after our day in wild Daintree.

Part 4: More shoes

Hartley’s taught us about Australia’s crocs, snakes, and spiders… And now I’ll never where sandals in Australia. That’s especially true in our next destination: Kakadu National Park.  

At this point in our Aussie adventure, we’d visited some of the prettiest beaches in the world, the oldest rainforest ever, and the largest organic structure on Earth... Yet somehow, Kakadu might be the most impressive of the bunch.

It’s a land before time. I realize Daintree is much older, but Kakadu felt truly pre-historic. It’s half the size of Switzerland yet somehow only has two hotels, four gas stations, and two paved roads – the rest is just red dirt tracks! Only about 500 people live in the park (mostly Aboriginal), and they’re outnumbered 20:1 by crocodiles! Also, literally NO ONE I know has been there. Not even the Aussies. Maybe because the closest town is Darwin, a city closer to Malaysia than it is to Sydney.

Kakadu really is unspoiled. Just pure, perfect, and pristine nature. That isn’t to say it’s untouched though. Aboriginal people have called Kakadu home for nearly 65,000 years... They just haven’t screwed it up. Kakadu’s Aboriginal residents live by the laws of nature, looking for subtle signs in their surroundings to guide their daily, seasonal, and annual activities.

A perfect example is their land management techniques. In 2018, California experienced devastating wildfires that resulted in $3.5 billion in damages. Forest fires spark a number of ways, but they’re really fuelled when the fire catches dead brush – then they become uncontrollable. To avoid the same destruction this year, the state has taken extensive measures to clean out brush before the upcoming dry season, including dispatching brush-eating goats. This is 2019… and the big solution is goats.

Aboriginal people have had this under control for thousands of years! And it all comes from listening to the seasons. In Kakadu’s Aboriginal calendar, there are six seasons. We happened to visit during the dopest season: Banggereng. Banggereng (known by Aboriginals as Knock Em Down season) is like spring: it’s at the tail-end of Kakadu’s wet season, when up to a third of the park is flooded in 3 feet of water, but it’s not quite dry season, where wildfires become a risk. That makes it the perfect time for controlled burns to clean out the brush and avoid larger, less controllable fires during dry season. The crafty Aboriginal people didn’t need goats… They just paid attention to the season and acted accordingly.

I took an important lesson from this lifestyle. Aborginal people have lived off of and through the land for 65,000 years. By my brief observations, they didn’t have video games, or Instagram, or many other modern complications. A lot of the people I saw didn’t even have shoes! And yet, their needs were met. They were content, and smiling, and happy.

Now, I’m happy almost all the time, but there will always be things that frustrate me: traffic, work, the wifi signal dropping. Seeing the Aboriginal people’s much simpler lifestyle, but equal happiness, gave me perspective. Miles and miles away from any wifi signals, there were much simpler connections available.

That was a great pun, but I’ve digressed. I’ve written an entire page about Kakadu and not a single word was about what we did there.

We arrived in Kakadu in the late afternoon, and our first activity was a two-hour sunset cruise through the Yellow Water Billabong. If there is one place that inspired the past 600 words about my love of Kakadu, it’s Yellow Water. Our cruise guide’s family has lived in Kakadu for generations, and she used her knowledge of the billabong to show us the abundance of life it supports:

The jacana or “Jesus bird”, who walks on water by lightly hopping from lotus to lotus. Fun fact: they also hide their chicks in their feathers. Chelsay got a shot of one family snuggled up.

The black-necked stork

White bellied sea eagle

Hella saltwater crocs, sneakily poking their eyes above water, or showing their teeth to intimidate the boat

The scene was just incredible – so natural. Green grass filled the flood plains, ripples from the Jesus birds dotted the blue water, and the blazing red sun set under the horizon. Our guide’s commentary significantly enhanced the experience, as we learned how her family adapts to Kakadu’s divergent seasons and lives from the land. Because our sunset tour was around dinner time, her take on “living from the land” seemed especially food-focused: our guide would point at a bird or plant, then just talk about how she eats it – “We bop it on the head, stick in a ground oven, and let it cook.”

Needless to say, we loved the billabong tour, and actually did the exact same tour the next morning for sunrise.

After touring a croc-infested creek, it only made sense to visit one of Kakadu’s most famous swimming holes: Gunlom. Obviously we’d done our research to make sure they were croc-free, but to quote the guy sitting next to me on the Darwin flight: “It’s not the crocs you see that get ya.”

Actually, before talking about Gunlom, I’ll quickly mention how lucky we’d timed our trip. Earlier, I wrote that we visited Kakadu during Bangarreng, the transitional period between wet & dry season. As previously stated, Bangerrang the dopest time of year, but it does come with some risks. As wet-season flood waters recede from the vast plains, roads slowly open and croc-inspections begin. There are 10,000 crocs in Kakadu and its half the size of Switzerland, so it takes the rangers a bit of time to give the All-Clear. I checked the park website and found Gunlom’s average opening was mid-May, but we were travelling at the end of April.

Lucky for us, it was an especially mild wet season, which meant Gunlom opened just in time. Pete, Megan, Chelsay, and I would be the Guinea pigs testing the water. Joking, the park rangers don’t mess around. There’s actually a TV show that follows Kakadu’s rangers around – like the Aussie version of Cops.  “Bad crocs, bad crocs, whatcha gonna do?”

The Gunlom Pools are nearly as famous as the park’s croc-fighting cops, and were featured in Crocodile Dundee (which only emphasizes how ‘Straya they are).

The pools sit above Gunlom Waterfall, and the views from the top were just stunning. A slow-moving creek tumbling between tiered pools, red stone walls sharply descending into the deep dark water, all with elevated views over the surrounding plains.

It was 95 degrees out, but our group stayed comfortable in the cool water. Things felt easy going here. Gunlom didn’t have an epic or ethereal feel – it was just an ideal natural setting to casually kick it: we had a bottle of wine with us, we were splashing around, just taking in the views. I’d consider living in this remote speck of Australia, forced to “bop” things on the head for food, just to relax in the Gunlom pools whenever I wanted (...and let my legs weirdly float up - see picture below).

Gunlom is in the south-western end of Kakadu, and our accommodation that night was way up in the north-eastern tip. To break up this big drive, we made a pit stop at Nourlangie Rock, one of many Aboriginal rock art sites in the park. These paintings document Aboriginal legends (e.g. the Lighting God, who brings the floods preceding Bangerrang) and life in the region over the past 20,000 YEARS. I might be misinterpreting the drawings, but it looks like they liked to party. 

It was getting close to sunset, and I’m basic, so we visited nearby Nawurlandja Lookout to enjoy Kakadu’s natural nightly show. After a short hike, we perched ourselves atop a rocky outcrop, and quietly took in the kaleidoscope of colours changing above the Anbangbang floodplains. The cliffs of empty Arnhem Land glowed red in the distance, while Chelsay went all Annie Lebowitz with the camera.

The next day was the last of our trip. We started with a morning hike to Mirai Lookout, before our long trip back to Darwin. With plenty of daylight left, we decided to stop in Litchfield National Park on the way up.

Litchfield is like Kakadu (swimming holes, crocs, etc), but a bit smaller & closer to Darwin. That said, it still has some stunning waterfalls, as we stopped at Wangi, Florence, and Tolmer Falls. While cooling off in our 17th swimming hole of the trip, Chelsay impressed some young’ns with her back flip abilities -- ”Still got it”. Later in Litchfield, our Manly fam also “captured” a few new Aussie Pokemon: two dingos and a water monitor. 

Whew – made it! That was our 10-day Aussie adventure. This was a long post too: 4500 words.

I’m thinking about how to pull this all together, and I keep coming back to the fact that Chelsay and I are nearing the tail-end of our time in Australia. Plans are afoot & moves are being made, but I’ll save all this for a later post.

That just means this could be our last big Aussie escapade, and if so, it was a bucket-list adventure fitting for our final trip: four iconic Australian geographies, four distinct ecosystems, and a range of related footwear requirements.  If this was our last adventure Down Unda, we went out with a bang(errang).

[chanrizard]

WALKIN ON WATER MV Making Film // Bang Chan ft. The Horse

[wherethefoodtho]

Blown away by Hurricane’s Grill

If you didn’t know already Dubai Mall have built a new extension that houses all the designer fashion brands. This has made way for wonderful new restaurant concepts, including the Hurricane’s Grill, new steakhouse restaurant! If meat is life for you this is the place to visit!

Outdoor and indoor, the atmosphere is chilled and staff are super friendly and attentive. There is always a flow of people because of the close proximity to the Burj Khalifa so it can busy, but there is ample space to dine so you’re guaranteed seating.

They have a funky menu presented on an iPad, that not only shows you pictures but videos to help you choose exactly what you want to eat. Hurricane grill has a vast menu with mainly meaty dishes.

For our starters, we chose chicken wings - which were massive and well seasoned; calamari - which I found quite oily, so I couldn’t eat too much of it personally; the salad - this could have been a meal on its own because of the size of the portion.

So we tried the meatiest main dishes we could find ha! We shared a full rack of beef ribs which was intense! It tasted great! The meat was the right chewy consistency, it wasn’t dry at all and there wasn’t too much oil/grease. One of the best I’ve ever tried in Dubai for such a decent price!

We also tried the Australian beef cut burger, which was massiveeeee. I could not even hold the burger in my hands and neither could Joe! We had a fun time cutting through it haha. I asked for a burger that was medium/well done and sure enough, the meat in the burger again was not dry and was chewy enough, not to the point where you are finding it hard to swallow. It was absolutely on point. One thing I should comment on where the steak chips, OMG, I absolutely loved them.

Overall I must say, I was taken aback with how flavourful all the meat was, it was marinated very well cooked to perfection!

We could not fit any dessert in unfortunately because the meals were so filling. So we have to go back!

I loved the food at the Hurricane’s Grill! I will definitely recommend this place, great price and delicious food and creative drinks!

[ldotangel]

Blown away by Hurricane’s Grill

If you didn’t know already Dubai Mall have built a new extension that houses all the designer fashion brands. This has made way for wonderful new restaurant concepts, including the Hurricane’s Grill, new steakhouse restaurant! If meat is life for you this is the place to visit!

Outdoor and indoor, the atmosphere is chilled and staff are super friendly and attentive. There is always a flow of people because of the close proximity to the Burj Khalifa so it can busy, but there is ample space to dine so you’re guaranteed seating.

They have a funky menu presented on an iPad, that not only shows you pictures but videos to help you choose exactly what you want to eat. Hurricane grill has a vast menu with mainly meaty dishes.

For our starters, we chose chicken wings - which were massive and well seasoned; calamari - which I found quite oily, so I couldn’t eat too much of it personally; the salad - this could have been a meal on its own because of the size of the portion.

So we tried the meatiest main dishes we could find ha! We shared a full rack of beef ribs which was intense! It tasted great! The meat was the right chewy consistency, it wasn’t dry at all and there wasn’t too much oil/grease. One of the best I’ve ever tried in Dubai for such a decent price!

We also tried the Australian beef cut burger, which was massiveeeee. I could not even hold the burger in my hands and neither could Joe! We had a fun time cutting through it haha. I asked for a burger that was medium/well done and sure enough, the meat in the burger again was not dry and was chewy enough, not to the point where you are finding it hard to swallow. It was absolutely on point. One thing I should comment on where the steak chips, OMG, I absolutely loved them.

Overall I must say, I was taken aback with how flavourful all the meat was, it was marinated very well cooked to perfection!

We could not fit any dessert in unfortunately because the meals were so filling. So we have to go back!

I loved the food at the Hurricane’s Grill! I will definitely recommend this place, great price and delicious food and creative drinks!

[naturescart]

9 Ways to People Afford Organic Food

You desire to feed healthier and purchase more organic food and products, but you’re concerned about the price?

When we decided to feed real food as a one-income family with an already tight budget, it was difficult to justify paying more money on healthier meals (especially while attempting to spend off tens of thousands of dollars in school loan money!).

But as we started making modifications and taking more high-quality foods, including several organics. We’ve been able to keep our grocery spending among $300-$350 each month for our family. It’s not forever easy, but understanding that it was really possible for our family supported us to tell others that they can do the similar!

How Can I Afford to Buy Organic?

As long as our family is surviving off of just one salary, it will be a stretch to purchase all organic food. However, we currently attempt to do the best we can to get the most for our capital and well-being.

Here Are My Best Tips For Making Organic Foods More Affordable:

1.  Limit Meat

Meat is costly, mainly organic meat, and we usually think it wants to take the center frame in every food. Instead, try stretching it more by serving meat topped on a salad, blended into a soup or chili, or also serve a meatless meal once or twice each week. If you do desire to feed more meat, consider purchasing less costly cuts (whole chicken vs. boneless chicken breast, ground beef vs. steak).

Some Of Our Favourite Meatless Dishes Are:

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (fast, fresh and versatile)

Veggie Stir Fry (a simple way to toss mutually leftover veggies and rice)

Baked Potato Bar (affordable and toppings to please everyone)

2.  Buy in Bulk

Buying meat in larger quantities cuts the value per pound and only needs a few minutes to distribute into shorter amounts and refrigerate for later. I like to apportion bulk raw meat into 1-pound servings and refrigerate in quart-sized freezer packs. Alternatively, I cook the bulk meat (plain or seasoned for tacos, etc.) and then split it and freeze. Pack holders with clips are helpful to take the freezer packs open for you!

Check if your regional farms allow the share of an animal, such as a quarter or half cow. If you have a deep freezer, this is a simple process to purchase quality meat at an excellent rate and you’ll be stocked for approximately a whole year!

3.  Buy Local and in Season

Farmer’s supermarkets and local farm stand normally have aggressive charges on greatly fresh, in-season organic produce. Even if the goods they sell aren’t labeled or advertised as organic, communicate to the producer to learn about their growing practices. Small farms may not be able to afford the costly method to become “certified organic,” but they may yet use organic food methods, at least apply fewer pesticides than bigger farms.

If you don’t have several regional options, picking in-season fruits and veggies at the market will still be your best bet.

4.  Don't Ignore Frozen

Organic fruits and vegetables from the freezer part are usually less costly than some fresh opportunities and are just as nutritious. Frozen food is prepared directly during peak ripeness, unlike the “fresh” objects in the produce section, which are usually chosen before development, dispatched around the nation, and then sit in the supermarket until they are bought.

5.  Cut Out Processed Food

This may surprise you, but available packaged foods like snacks, drinks, energy bars, and cereals are more costly than feeding “real” food from the source. Reducing the number of boxed, bagged, and pre-made meals you eat will free up additional money you can apply toward healthier alternatives. To prevent grab-and-go snacks available, try performing a huge batch of homemade granola bars, muffins, popcorn, or other family favorites.

6.  Join a CSA

A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) allows you a share of what a regional farm produces each month, which is usually organic food. Seldom they also allow shares of flower fields or a share of cattle. But most often, you’ll get fresh, regional produce for a high cost. Getting a variety of vegetables and fruits may push you to attempt new foods and processes of cooking, which can be enjoyable for the whole family.

7.  Pick Your Own

Visit a regional farm to select your own berries, apples, pumpkins, and more for an affordable cost. Except for winter, each season will have various seasonal favorites to try. It’s also an economical and fun family activity!

To get your savings last throughout the year, learn how to freeze fresh summertime berries so you can enjoy the ripe taste of fresh-picked fruit also after the peak period.

8.  Grow Your Own

Plant as many or as tiny as you desire; even a little garden can produce huge rewards. If you don’t have the area for a garden, try some potted herbs and vegetables alternatively. Developing your own food involves no pesticides and greatly fresh, comfortable, organic food that is only several steps away.

9.  Shop Smart

Natures Cart: Nature Cart is a leading grocery e-commerce portal that allows organic fruit and veg boxes and vegan produce in Melbourne Australia. Our aim is to provide a wide range of fresh fruit and veg and premium quality products to our local Australian community. We ensure the quality of products before delivering to your doorstep. We are the best organic and vegan food suppliers in Melbourne, and also we allow convenient organic fruit and veg delivery Melbourne. They welcome all kinds of inquiries related to the order.

If you want to know more organic food suppliers in Melbourne Australia. Then click this blue link.

Organic Food

Consuming more organic food will numerous likely be regular—not immediate—change for your family. But don’t let the justification that feeding any organic food is out of range. No matter your budget, it certainly IS possible!

Discover alternatives to begin tiny and join just some organic foods into your weekly meals. By purchasing some organics, you’re “voting” with your capital and generating more demand for those details over the conventional options.

Related Content: 14 Reasons Why do Australians buy organic food?

[tennistimeblog]

Ashleigh Barty: Now we have a holiday, but then everything will start again

Ashleigh Barty: Now we have a holiday, but then everything will start again

Australian Ashleigh Barty told how she celebrated her victory at Roland Garros.

“I spent this evening with the closest people. It was beer, pasta, steaks. No speeches, we just had fun.

We did a great job with the team and received a well-deserved reward. Now we are waiting for Birmingham. It is necessary to work out a number of techniques to go on the grass. Now we have a holiday, but then…

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/emerald-star-european-river-cruise-ship/trip-planning/

Emerald Star European River Cruise Ship

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Emerald Star River Cruise Ship Overview

Linda Garrison

Scenic Tours launched Emerald Waterways in 2014, and it was a new brand product for the deluxe river cruise market. The 182-guest Emerald Star was one of the first two ships in the Emerald Waterways fleet, which now includes four ships, with three more European river ships to be added in 2017.

Emerald Waterways is a sister brand to Scenic Cruises, which is the parent company's more upscale and higher-priced river cruise line. Emerald Waterways' ships might not be as all-inclusive or luxurious as Scenic's, but both companies offer great service, experienced onboard staff, and excellent itineraries and shore excursions. Both companies have bicycles available for use by the guests, but the ones on Scenic are hybrid–electric or man-powered, and the ones on Emerald Waterways are traditional bikes.

Although the Emerald Star does not have the butler service or unlimited beverages I enjoyed on Scenic Cruises' ships like the Scenic Jewel or Scenic Crystal, the river cruise ship is gorgeous, with comfortable amenities and touches of luxury like the indoor/outdoor pool shown in the photo above. Its cruises are great for anyone who enjoys traveling with a nice mixture of English-speaking travelers from Australia, the UK, North America, and around the world. 

I sailed on the Emerald Star on one of the cruise line's “Rhine-Main Discovery” cruises, which is an 8-day cruise between Nuremberg and Amsterdam (or reverse). 

This article provides a detailed look at the Emerald Star river cruise ship, including the exterior, dining, interior and exterior common areas, staterooms, itineraries, and activities.

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Facts and Stats

Linda Garrison

Launched in 2014, the Emerald Star was built to cruise the Danube, Main, and Rhine Rivers. The ship is narrow enough to sail through the Main-Danube Canal and low enough to sail under the old bridges of the Danube and Main Rivers. 

The Emerald Star is 135 meters (443 feet) long and has 92 cabins and suites. The river cruise ship carries 182 guests and 47 crew and has four passenger decks. 

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Emerald Star River Ship Reflections Restaurant

Linda Garrison

The Emerald Star has one main dining room, the Reflections Restaurant on deck 2 forward. Like other river cruise ships, this restaurant has large windows on both sides, giving the guests terrific views when the ship is sailing. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, and guests order dinner from a menu. Wine, beer, and/or soft drinks are complimentary at lunch and dinner.

The breakfast buffet caters to all sorts of cruise favorites for different nationalities–baked beans, fresh vegetables, and limp bacon for the British, crispy bacon and eggs for the North Americans, and even Marmite or Vegemite for the Australians. The buffet also has a selection of fruits, cereals, bread, and pastries. 

The lunch buffet has an excellent salad bar, along with soup, hot and cold main dishes, and a selection of desserts (including ice cream). 

Each night's dinner menu is printed on the back of the daily schedule, so guests can start thinking about the next day's dinner before they go to bed the night before! Many guests appreciate that the Emerald Star dinner menu is coded for different preferences and/or common allergies such as gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk or lactose, edible nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulfites, lupines, or mollusks. Individual dishes were also coded for vegetarian or regional selections. 

The menus are designed fleet-wide by the executive chefs at Emerald Waterways headquarters. On a 2-week cruise, the dinner menu changes every night depending on the region/location where each ship is sailing.

Every dinner includes an “Emerald's Classics” menu that includes alternatives such as a clear bouillon soup, Caesar salad, rump steak, poached salmon, or grilled chicken breast. I thought all the dishes were “right-sized”; the servings weren't too large. Anyone who loved a particular dish could always order seconds at no extra charge. Many guests tried two appetizers or shared a second main course if they were extra hungry.

Light Breakfast and Lunch in the Horizons Lounge

The Emerald Star provides an early and late riser breakfast on the bar in the Horizons Lounge. It opens earlier than the buffet and stays open after the buffet is closed. This breakfast bar features continental items like bread and pastries but also has hot dishes. It's ideal for those who like to have a quiet breakfast or want to sit and watch the river scenery from The Terrace or the bar overlooking the bow of the ship.

A light buffet lunch is served in the Horizons Lounge at the same time the regular buffet is served in the Reflections Restaurant. It's a nice option for those looking for a quicker or quieter lunch.

Overall, the food and variety on the Emerald Star were good to excellent, and the presentation was interesting and made each dish tempting to eat. The next two pages include representative menus and photos from dinner. 

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Lamb for Dinner

Linda Garrison

This “trilogy of salt marsh lamb” was one of many excellent main dishes on the Emerald Star menu for dinner. It featured lamb cooked three ways and accompanied by a potato gratin with olives, ratatouille, and a rosemary sauce.

In addition to the “Emerald's Classics” alternative menu discussed on the previous page, other items on the menu that night included:

Appetizers

Creme Fraiche Caviar Terrine with salmon coat, fancy cucumber salad, and a honey-dill sauce

Angel Hair Pasta “Asian Style” with soy sauce, sprouts, and scallions

Soup

Cream of Beetroot with sour cream trout caviar

Main Courses

Grilled Fillet of Seabass with Costa Lupo sauce, bell pepper vegetables, and risotto

Eggplant Escalope with a cauliflower mash (vegetarian)

Desserts

Strong Beer Semi Freddo with an apple and ginger compote

Couple “Melba” with vanilla ice cream, peach chunks, and raspberry sauce

Fresh Fruit Salad

International Cheese Selection with nuts and dried fruits

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Yogurt and Lime Terrine for Dessert

Linda Garrison

Desserts on the Emerald Star were often presented in a whimsical, fun approach, just like dessert should be. This yogurt and lime terrine was accompanied by forest fruits. 

Other items on the menu that evening included the “Emerald's Classics” and these delectable dishes:

Appetizers

Farmer's Ham wrapped in a pancake with a horseradish cream

Colorful Salad topped with grapes and a Gorgonzola dressing

Soup

Grilled eggplant creme soup with a thyme crostini

Main Courses

Sliced roast beef with mushroom, green peppercorn sauce, Romanesco, and potato croquettes

Butterfish gratinated with mustard butter and served with oven baked pumpkin and polenta

Cabbage roll with sticky egg fried rice, soy sauce, and chili vegetables (Vegetarian)

Desserts

Peach chunks with chocolate ice cream and vanilla sauce

Fresh fruit salad

International cheese selection with dried fruits and nuts

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Sun Deck Barbecue Lunch

Linda Garrison

On the day the Emerald Star was docked in Rudesheim on the Rhine River, we had a delicious barbecue buffet cooked and served on the sun deck. The galley chefs prepared a nice selection of typical salads like coleslaw and potato salad, baked potatoes, and grilled bratwurst, pork, chicken, and beef. We washed the delicious meal down with ice cold beer or a nice rose wine.

The day was sunny and warm, and the crew set up covered seating where guests could sit in the shade if they wanted to stay near the food. Some guests opted to take their plates down to the Horizon Lounge where it was cooler (but further from seconds).  

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Sun Deck Putting Green

Linda Garrison

The Sun Deck on the Emerald Star has a walking track, putting green, and giant tic-tac-toe board. 

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08 of 21

Sun Deck

Linda Garrison

Guests on the Emerald Star enjoyed sitting on the top deck in the sun or in the shade when the ship was on the Rhine River.  Because of low bridges on the Main-Danube Canal, the sun deck was closed most of the time while the ship was sailing there.

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Ship Sun Deck

Linda Garrison

 The Emerald Star Sun Deck features both seatings in the sun and in the shade.

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Horizon Lounge

Linda Garrison

The Horizon Lounge is the busiest place on the Emerald Star (except during meals). It features lots of comfortable seating, a 24-hour complimentary self-service specialty coffee/tea bar, and several video screens used for presentations and strategically placed where one can be seen from every seat in the lounge. The lounge also has a fully equipped bar, with bartenders who quickly learn your favorite drink. 

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Horizon Bar and Lounge

Linda Garrison

This photo shows the size and great views of the river from the Horizon Lounge. The bar is forward near the bow. 

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Horizon Bar

Linda Garrison

The Horizon Bar is very modern in style and lights up in the evening. Very dramatic look if you are ashore after dark or sailing on another ship and pass by.

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View of the Forward Terrace from the Horizon Lounge

Linda Garrison

This bar offers great river views and is located next to the Horizon Bar where a light buffet breakfast and lunch is set up. This was a favorite place for many guests to sit if it was too hot on The Terrace.

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The Terrace

Linda Garrison

The Terrace is found forward on deck 3 and is a terrific place to sit if the weather is good. It certainly has some of the best views on the Emerald Star. 

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Indoor Swimming Pool and Cinema

Linda Garrison

The Emerald Star is marketed as a four-star, deluxe product, but this indoor/outdoor swimming pool with retractable roof is a five-star river cruise ship experience. The pool is heated and too small to swim, but perfect for relaxation. 

On some evenings, the swimming pool is covered, and a large screen is set up at the end of the ship. This transforms the aft lounge into a cinema. 

The aft lounge has quiet seating, a bar, and a 24-hour self-service specialty coffee/tea machine like the one in the Horizon Lounge. Small complimentary bottles of water are also available in this lounge. 

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Atrium on Horizon Deck

Linda Garrison

The interiors of the Emerald Star river cruise ship are sleek and contemporary. These large chandeliers are lovely by day or night. However, every time I walked down the Horizon Deck 3 hallway, I had a movie flashback. Check out the next page to see if you agree.

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Horizon Deck Hallway

Linda Garrison

I love the look of this large chandelier in the atrium at the end of the hallway on the Horizon Deck 3 of the Emerald Star. But, my overactive imagination made me smile every time I walked down the hallway because I felt a little like Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Do you remember the giant boulder chasing Indy down a mine shaft? 

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Grand Balcony Suite

Linda Garrison

The Emerald Star river cruise ship had five different types of cabins and suites:

Emerald Single Stateroom — The ship has two single staterooms for solo travelers. They measure 117 square feet, are found on deck 1, and have one bed and a window that does not open. The bathroom has a nice shower, and the room comes with a bathrobe, slippers, hairdryer, personal safe, and individual temperature control. Like all the accommodations on the Emerald Star, the single staterooms have a mini-bar and complimentary water that are restocked daily, along with complimentary Wi-Fi.

Emerald Stateroom — The ship has 18 staterooms on deck 1 that measure 162 square feet each. The interior and amenities in these staterooms are identical to those in the Emerald Panorama Balcony Suites, but they do not have the large panoramic window that opens since they are on the lower deck.

Emerald Panorama Balcony Suite — The 60 Emerald Panorama Balcony Suites are located on decks 2 and 3. These staterooms have all the amenities found in the staterooms on deck 1, but also feature a huge panoramic window that opens at the push of a button. As seen in the next photo, it's like having a balcony built into the cabin, so it can be enjoyed in all sorts of weather.

Emerald Grand Balcony Suite — The 8 Grand Balcony Suites on deck 3 of the Emerald Star are larger than the Panorama Balcony Suites because they have a combination sunroom/balcony as seen in the photo above. This makes these staterooms about two feet wider than the Panorama Balcony Suites. The Grand Balcony Suites also come equipped with their own Nespresso machine and guests can order continental breakfast served in their cabin. They also get treated to late afternoon canapes and evening sweets delivered to the suite. The bathroom and storage areas are identical to the Panorama Balcony Suites.

Emerald Owner's Suite — The 4 Owner's Suites on deck 3 of the Emerald Star ​is true two-room suites, with a separate bedroom and sitting area. They also have an outdoor balcony with the Grand Balcony Suites. The Owner's Suites have all the amenities found in the Grand Balcony Suites, but also have a walk-in closet, larger bathroom, and complimentary iPad to use during the cruise.

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Panorama Balcony Suite

Linda Garrison

 I stayed in one of the Panorama Balcony Suites on the Emerald Star. It had plenty of storage space for two guests, with a closet, six large easy-open drawers, and two spacious medicine cabinets behind the mirrors in the bathroom. A small nightstand is on each side of the bed, and two bright reading lights make reading in bed easier. 

Like all the accommodations, it had a large flat screen television with several English speaking channels, cameras looking out over the bow and sides of the ship, and in the Horizon Lounge. The daily schedule and menu were also on the television.

The ship has European (220-volt) plug-ins, so guests will need to bring an adapter plug to recharge their electronic devices like mobile phone, cameras, tablets, and laptop computer. The cabins have three plug-ins on the large cabinet/dresser, but the audio devices are plugged into one for charging. Another plug-in is next to the bed near the baseboard. I used it to re-charge my phone that I also use for an alarm clock. 

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Panorama Balcony Suite Bathroom

Linda Garrison

I've included this photo to demonstrate that the bathroom entrance in all the accommodations is next to the bed, which is different than most ocean and river cruise ships. It's a convenient location for whoever sleeps next to the bathroom. The bathroom has a blue night light, which might bother some sleepers who require darkness, but the door slides closed easily. The shower is very large, and the two storage cabinets behind the mirrors in the bathroom are among the most spacious I've seen.

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View from Panorama Balcony Suite Window

Linda Garrison

The Emerald Star sails the Danube, Main, and Rhine Rivers for Emerald Waterways. I sailed on an 8-day “Rhine-Main Discovery” from Nuremberg to Amsterdam. About 2/3 of the guests on our cruise were doing the 15-day “Splendors of Europe” itinerary, which is a combination of the “Danube Delights” from Budapest to Nuremberg plus our itinerary. 

Views like this one make sailing on the Emerald Star and other river ships exciting. Sometimes you're in the cabin, glance up, and see a castle or fortress as the lovely river ship glides by. It's one of my favorite things about river cruising, and an excellent ship like the Emerald Star makes the experience even more memorable. ​y.

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