#gorgeous place and the staff were packing up and it was chill and fun

[dreamerwriternstargazer]

Broke: going to a random stranger’s wedding for free food and a chance to dress up and dance

Woke: going to a random stranger’s wedding purely as a chance to get together with your friend and her family, getting free food, dressing up and dance ✨together✨

[shypotato-translations]

QTVW Chapter 19

Showbiz* Sexy Queen (VI)

----

Ling Yi Yao finally drank the so-called "love" green bean soup. Although she didn't know why she did it, she knew very well that if she didn't do it, this strange woman in front of her would definitely do something that she would regret.

It was an instinct she had acquired on the battlefield after years of experience in the midst of gunfire, and now she felt a crisis that also sent chills down her spine.

Mei Mu Lan saw the spring smile on her face after she drank the soup.

She was already extremely gorgeous, and when she smiled, she was even more charming, and the few staff members who were quietly watching from across the room couldn't help but cover their beating hearts when they saw this scene.

Mei Mu Lan took back the thermos and packed all these things away, then immediately asked Ling Yi Yao with a serious face, saying,

“I don't know much about anything and I've never acted before, so I'm going to work very hard this coming week to learn from you, and I won't let you down!”

Ling Yi Yao: “……”

Why does it always feel like that, something doesn't sound right?

Mei Mu Lan continued,

“Good, I'm glad we've come to an understanding, so I think it's a good idea to move in with you so that we can study night and day. You see, I'm good-looking, so I won't bring down your taste when I walk with you; I have four-star hotel cooking skills, so I can make you eat delicious food; I can also talk with you to relieve your boredom, be a mood bin and so on; I can also……”

Mei Mu Lan made a mishmash of words and phrases, words that came out automatically without her being aware of them. In the end, even she believed that she was so talented that the person she was 'dating' was taking advantage of her.

Ling Yi Yao: “……”

No, it's always been you.

Ling Yi Yao smiled stiffly and said,

“It's not good for us to live together, it's not convenient.”

A very clear indication of rejection that any ordinary person could understand.

But it was clear that Mei Mu Lan was no ordinary person, as she turned pale and went from bright sunshine to thunder and lightning in a fraction of a second.

She saw her head slightly lowered and the back of her white hand wiped her cheek, and crystal drops of water fell on the back of her hand,

“I thought……,”

Her slow voice said,

“We've spent so much time together that we've at least been friends, but……”

Her voice was as mournful and silent as the autumn breeze sweeping through the hearts of the people.

Before Ling Yi Yao could react, a cry sounded again. Although the voice only had two tones, it could fully express the owner's disbelief, heartache, grief and despair at that moment.

And it is because there are only two tones that the tolerance of the owner of the voice can be expressed in a way that is so clear.

Ling Yi Yao instantly felt that she had done something unjustifiably bad, and the staff around her, who were seriously working and actually watching the show, couldn't help but tsk twice and sigh longingly to the heavens,

“People's hearts are not in the right place,”

“The times are changing,”

“Rites and ceremonies are in ruins,”

“The world is a cold place,”

Ling Yi Yao drew a cold breath in her heart and could barely keep the smile off her face, while the woman opposite her was already crying with her shoulders shaking.

Ling Yi Yao frowned, thinking that this person's behaviour was really weird and scary, but although this person was behaving strangely, as far as she could see, she hadn't done anything too out of the ordinary, and as for the previous ones, they were just the daily behaviour of fans towards their idols, which was understandable.

She frowned and said,

“I think of you as a friend, but living together, it's……”

Her words were interrupted as the woman opposite looked up, teary-eyed, but still smiling brightly, and said,

“It's convenient, right? Don't worry, I'll follow you when you're done, I won't get lost.”

Ling Yi Yao: “……”

This inexplicable chest tightness and heartache!

Just as Ling Yi Yao wanted to speak again and explain clearly, an abrupt man's voice interjected and he said,

“Yao Yao, is this a friend of yours?”

Mei Mu Lan and Ling Yi Yao looked over together and saw a dozen men and women in suits walking over, and standing at the front was the man who had just spoken, looking about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, playing with a white mobile phone in his hand, taking off his suit jacket and wearing only a white handmade shirt because of the somewhat hot weather, the corners of his mouth and eyebrows were frivolously raised, and the whole person looked somewhat cynical.

Mei Mu Lan scanned him and inclined her head, then saw the woman who was following him and holding his suit.

This woman was familiar to her, namely Bai Jieying, who had been interviewed with her yesterday, and when Mei Mu Lan saw her, she guessed the identity of the visitor.

The thought occurred to her: This man is the male lead in this novel, Ling Yi Yao's uncle Ling Tianye. It seems that the power of the plot is indeed great, the male and female leads finally met and hooked up even earlier than before, it is written in the original novel that the female lead only agreed to become Ling Tianye's mistress on the third day after the interview, but from the current situation, they should have fallen in love last night, right?

Mei Mu Lan looked at Bai Jieying, and saw that she was exuding charming beauty, her body was shaking, and she looked like she had been tortured all night, which made Mei Mu Lan grimace.

Naturally, Ling Yi Yao could see what was going on between them and asked,

“Ling Tianye, why are you free to come to the set today?”

Ling Tianye looked at Mei Mu Lan with interest and hooked out a reply,

“I came to have a look and recommend someone to try out for the crew, here……”

As he said this, he dragged Bai Jieying behind him into his arms and said,

“This is a new toy I found, it looks good, doesn't it? It's fun to play with it, and since she's making me comfortable, it's only natural that I should pay her back a little.”

Bai Jieying's face was white, she didn't expect this man to tell the truth about their deal in public, and he said it in such an unpleasant way, as if she was a cheap woman who had fallen back on him, she didn't dare to look at the expressions of the people around her, her nails were embedded in her hands, her heart was overwhelmed with hatred, thinking: when I become famous, I will kick you, this slag, immediately!

Ling Yi Yao only casually glanced at Bai Jieying before looking at Ling Tianye and said,

“This one wasn't bad, it looked much cleaner than the previous warbler, but the pay was too high.”

The director, who had been concentrating on filming the scene, saw Ling Tianye, the director’s investor and a good friend, had come to the set, so he also came over, and after seeing what was happening here, he said,

“This woman came to the audition yesterday, we were there, and her acting skills were not good at all, she was very stiff and weak, so she was dismissed. I didn't expect her to find you there, man, this is our company's annual blockbuster, the company's masterpiece in the film industry, don't mess around, if you want to play, invest in a small budget film for her, give her a chance to play.”

Ling Tianye stretched his hands and pushed Bai Jieying to the side in a bored manner, saying to her helplessly,

“As you can see, Wang Ye did not agree to your role, and what did you tell me last night, you said you were a good actress but those people had backing, so I agreed to your role, but look at the result now, this is making me look bad in public, okay, assistant, write her a cheque and kick her out.”

Bai Jieying cried out on the spot, she grew up without a father, but her mother has always been powerful and awesome, rich and beautiful, and she has always been sought after and adored by others, but ever since her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, everything has gone wrong for her, her mother wants her to marry a balding old man in his forties, her stepfather doesn't care about her, and she chooses to go into the entertainment industry, but has no corresponding work experience and no acting skills, so she was always rejected.

By the time she got a good chance, she was also brushed off.

Last night, after accidentally meeting this young and wealthy man, she committed herself to him for her future, and now she is in this situation.

This time, she would definitely keep it in her heart, she thought with hatred, her eyes coldly swept a glance at Ling Yi Yao and Mei Mu Lan, then looked at Ling Tianye with resentment, raised her head and left in high pride.

Ling Yi Yao's face sank, this was the first time someone had given her a scowl, and when Ling Tianye saw this expression on his niece's face, he knew she was angry now and this was how she would sulk when she was angry, then her heart would stifle and wilt, secretly she would definitely find a way to attack back.

Ling Tianye shrugged his shoulders helplessly, then waved his hand and said,

“In that case, I'm going back to the office, so go for it.”

“……”

Ling Yi Yao looked at him coldly, turned her head and walked away.

Leaving Ling Tianye to shrug his shoulders with a bitter smile and rub his brow, he led the elite men and women behind him away.

Mei Mu Lan frowned and did not go after Ling Yi Yao, but sat down on the recliner, her heart full of sorrow.

What's going on here? Why is reality completely different from the plot?

Not only the attitude of the male lead towards the female lead, but also the feeling that the female lead gives off, it's like a child who hasn't grown up, her emotions are all on her face, which is completely different from the description of the novel that depicts a happy and angry woman who is strong in social skills and has completely taken over the male lead.

Moreover, although the plot did not describe how Ling Yi Yao and Ling Tianye got along, in the middle and later stages of the novel, the two of them did have a very bad relationship, even to the point of death, but now, as far as she could see, the facts showed that their relationship was clearly very good and close.

Mei Mu Lan frowned at these anomalies and pondered the reasons for them: The villain Ling Yi Yao, the male lead Ling Tian Ye, the roadie Aunt Wen, the director…… The female lead, on the other hand, seems to be a different person, with horribly awkward methods, and she was not chosen as a cast member, so that means that her acting skills are also average.

What's going on?

Mei Mu Lan recalls the female lead in the original owner's memory, which is somewhat similar to the current female lead, who looks like she gives the impression of a noble and high-minded literary artist.

And now the female lead, although her words and actions are in line with the plot, the end result, however, produces a great deviation.

And the female lead in the novel's plot is a queen of all variations.

On-screen, she can be charming and flirtatious at the same time; off-screen, she is kind and gentle to her fans and journalists; when facing her male lead, she is very tactful, combining pampering with warmth and consideration.

And so on, which means that the root of all the anomalies is the female lead, Bai Jieying, who has something very wrong with her.

When Mei Mu Lan figured this out, she felt a cold sweat in the heat of the day.

This situation is very much like the classic situation in a crossover novel, where the all-powerful female lead enters the body of the clumsy original owner and uses her powers to make her way in the crossover world.

So, the system provides the female lead in the novel's plot, which is, in fact, a fictional world that unfolds when an outside crossover enters the female lead's body.

And as the manager of the virtual time and space, she had never understood before what made her suddenly enter the fictional world to do her mission? But after this incident, she understood the reason behind it, it was because the virtual time and space had been intruded by travelers from the real world.

Just as the truth of the crossing dawned on her like an enlightening experience, a familiar cold mechanical voice rang out in her head,

【Host Mu Lan, decipher the true meaning of the system's mission and activate the system's hidden mission to solve the arrogant travelers who have crossed over from the real world.】

【The system rewards a random prize pack, which can be opened after the completion of this mission. Wish the host Mu Lan to complete the mission soon.】

[adventures-or-death]

Road Trip Notes 8/24 Thur 8/28

Covid put the kibosh on visiting my Dad in Florida so we canceled our flights, hotel and rental car and made a last minute decision to go on a road trip instead. It wasn't hard to figure out where to go because we love the beach and have road tripped from Las Vegas to California many times before. Our last road trip was to Newport Beach, California, which was nice, but it was crowded and touristy. Before the Newport trip we went to San Diego and stayed at the Hampton Inn near Seaworld, but the location was too far from the beach and I didn't feel good about the crackheads running around outside 24/7. We always take our dog with us on road trips. The last time we visited San Diego we found Dog Beach, which is a huge off leash beach dog park located in Ocean Beach. Shooter loved it and we loved watching him and all the dogs play in the sand and swim in the ocean. So going to San Diego again was almost a no brainer for us. I booked an Airbnb a couple blocks from Ocean Beach, which is right next to Dog Beach.

The goal for this trip was to chill out. No running around seeing the sights. We’ve done that before in San Diego. It's a gorgeous place and I love seeing the sights, but this time I needed some time to decompress.

Day 1

We arrived, plopped our bags on the bed and took the dog for a walk to get the lay of the land. Before going, I did a little research about Ocean Beach and learned that the town of Ocean Beach was laid out in the late 1800’s, but it didn’t really take off until the first decade of the 1900’s when electricity and paved roads arrived. It became a big vacation haven until the depression hit in the 1920’s. The town tanked for a while, but the 50’s came along and the population exploded. The 60’s brought in a heavy hippy surfer vibe, which still strongly remains today. I’ve been told that Ocean Beach is one of the only original California surf towns left in California that hasn’t changed all that much since the 60’s. The town motto is “Keep Ocean Beach Weird.” Perfect for us!

We left the cottage, walked the dog two blocks to the beach, made a right, and just past the rocks, Dog Beach begins. Dog Beach is one of the country’s first beaches for dogs to run freely off leash. Not many rules apply at Dog Beach except you must pick up your dog’s poop and make sure your pup behaves well with other dogs and humans. We’ve been to Dog Beach a couple times on past road trips and have never seen a vicious dog fight. Dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes zip around the beach in harmony. It's fun to watch them smash in to waves while fetching balls and playing with each other in the water. After watching surfers ride in waves and exhausted Shooter with exercise and play, we made our way back to the cottage. Before going inside, I hosed Shooter down with fresh water and did the best I could to get the sand out of his coat. Once cleaned up, I went inside to do some organizing. The first thing I noticed when entering the Airbnb was the heat. I looked for the air conditioner right away and that's when I realized there wasn't one. How did I overlook this detail? I looked down and saw a small box fan and let out a laugh. Seriously? I looked up and there was one ceiling fan over the main bed. Oops! Thankfully San Diego weather is perfect almost all year around, but the heat inside the place was really noticeable. I also noticed no television. Great! I can't stand the TV on while on vacation. The place was quirky to say the least. It was decorated in a cute beachy way and had two queen beds, a kitchenette and a bathroom. The shower was almost too tiny for Mark to fit in to it. We laughed. Ocean Beach is old! The cottage floors sloped and felt spongy in some places. Outside we had a big picnic table, umbrella, barbecue and a thankfully we had a dedicated parking space in the back (This is extremely important in Ocean Beach). After unpacking and turning the fans on full blast, we walked a few blocks to a Mediterranean food truck for dinner. The falafel was great! We brought the food back to our picnic table and sat outside in the cool salty air talking the rest of the night away.

Shooter G.

Beach Cottage

Day 2

Went to breakfast at Day Break Island Grill on Bacon street. I had sourdough waffles and Mark ordered an omelette. We were the only customers so I worried about the quality of the food. Turns out the food was amazing. So much so that we went the next day and I ordered some delicious peanut butter, banana chocolate oat bread breakfast thingy that I wanted to eat every day for the rest of my life. The staff was laid back and super friendly. Businesses in Ocean Beach encourage you to bring your dog. It's probably the most dog friendly town I've ever been to. As soon as we walked in to the restaurant they plopped down a water bowl for Shooter and gave out menus for us and our dog. They have a doggie menu! I love that. After breakfast we changed and went to the beach. The Pacific Ocean is cold. Mark went in up to his waist and waded for a while. I stayed by our chairs and watched the world go by. The beach is my happy place. I practically grew up on a beach, so whenever I get the chance, that’s where I’m going. We walked Shooter in to the waves and all along the coastline. It was a pretty day.

After the beach we returned to the house, showered, rested for a while and went out for seafood. Shooter is the most well behaved boy! We're so lucky. He quietly lays under the table and watches things while we eat. After dinner we spent the majority of the time outside at the picnic benches then went to bed. The sun wore us out! Thankfully the cottage cools when the sun goes down.

Day 3 We went back to Day Break Island Grill and chatted with the waitress again. She was telling us about the town and how most of the people there aren't tourists. She said some of the homes are Airbnb's, but most are either owned or regular yearly rentals. It made sense because the area didn't feel touristy to me. It's extremely laid back and really quite. I expected it to be rowdy at night because I assumed all of the houses were vacation rentals, but I was wrong. You could hear a pin drop outside once the sun goes down. After the beach we grabbed some lemonade and walked through a tent festival where a bunch of legit hippies were selling all sorts of weird shit that only made sense to them. They had a giant bongo circle where twenty or so people slapped bongos while smoking giant blunts. The smell of patchouli oil was strong and the smoke was thick. I felt old. After getting a contact high at the festival we walked to the pier and around town to check out the sights. I didn't see one big box store. It was like the town was frozen in time at that 70's peak surf town time. Perfect.

Got home, took showers and slathered on as much lotion as possible to keep my skin from leathering. We hung out at our picnic table and talked a lot again. Yay for no television! Eventually beachy breezes fanned us to sleep.

Day 4

No matter how much sun block I slathered on to my body, I still managed to get a sunburn. I didn't bring an umbrella from home, but I still wanted to go to the beach. It was our last day! I called a couple surf shops and none of them rented umbrellas. Why would they? I took a shot and called an equipment rental place and they told me that they had one umbrella, but they didn't rent it out. They must have heard the desperation in my voice because they broke down and rented it to me for 15 bucks for 24 hours. Yes! The place was within walking distance so I picked it up. It was one of those big half dome umbrellas that you pitch like a tent. Even better! Mark wanted to check out Coronado Beach. We ran out of time the last time we were in San Diego so we gathered everything up and spent the day there. Coronado Beach sand has a mineral in it that makes the sand sparkle like there are diamonds in it. It's beautiful. The town is ridiculously rich. Nothing like Ocean Beach at all. The homes are in the multi-millions. Ridiculous. We pitched our half dome tent and went for a really long walk along the shoreline. Everything sparkled. The waves were big. Many were out swimming in the chilly Pacific. After our walk, we hung out under our half dome for a long time talking. Mark went in for a swim while I zoned out. Towards the end of our stay, we went for another long walk in the opposite direction. I didn't want to leave. Got back to the cottage in the late afternoon/early evening, took showers and walked to dinner to a Thai fusion place in Ocean Beach. The food was great. The air cooled down our sunburns. We ate outside and watched people pass. Shooter was under our table and was being the goodest boy. Sadness sunk in towards the end of our meal because we knew it was our last night. We had to go back to the Airbnb and pack up for an early departure the next morning.

We'll definitely go back to Ocean Beach. I hope the town stays the just the way it is and doesn't turn in to one of those instagram tourist traps.

Thank you for a great time Ocean Beach!

[chubbyheroesworthyheroes]

Same Kaden anon, 5 9, 14 and 19

5) stuffing/feeding/etc.9) button popping/seam ripping/etc14) weighing and/or measuring and/or numbers kink19) fat camp AU setting

It didn’t seem to matter how light-hearted he was, or how beautifully maintained his fur was, Kaden’s father didn’t see him as fit to take over as chief yet. Everyone loved him, and despite his sometimes air-headed tendencies, he was exceptionally good at speaking with others and handling the duties of chief – which, honestly, was such an outdated title nowadays. The Kitsune had integrated rather well with humans, time marching on and on, and it was almost like they’d never been a hidden people at all! They lived and worked just like everybody else, though they still maintained close ties as a race.

And, apparently, being the next in line as chief of their people, Kaden was expected to look and act like the quintessential Kitsune. He had the acting part down pat, but the looking…? Well, his father seemed to think he didn’t fit the bill.

Most people thought Kitsune were all svelte and lithe. They had to look look like models. They had to be pale as moonlight or sun-kissed and glowing. Bushy tails and perfectly pointed ears. Fur with a softness that simply couldn’t be matched or compared to anything else. Kaden certainly had the most luxurious fur around, and he had a pleasant enough tan from his time lounging or playing around outside. But…thin, he was definitely not; not by any definition of the word. Kaden enjoyed life, and most of the time, that meant spoiling himself! He slept in when he could, bought little trinkets that caught his eye, and ate whatever he had a craving for – usually something sweet, like fruity flavored candies.

This carefree style of living, of course, ended up leaving Kaden with a bit more…fluff than the average Kitsune. He was delightfully pear-shaped, wide hips and a round ass drawing even more attention to his gorgeous tail and vice versa. Chunky thighs that rubbed together whenever he walked, and meaty calves that were soft to the touch. His belly was soft and malleable and his chest was puffy with starter moobs, but neither were as big a star as his rear end – which suited him just fine. There was nothing better than sashaying around his favorite haunts, feeling eyes immediately go to his ass.

He had it, so why not flaunt it?

But, there was still the problem of being chief.

Kaden had agreed to go to a weight loss and diet correction center. At least, that’s what his father called it, but Kaden knew it was just fat camp for adults. He was humoring the old fox, but he’d only agreed to go on the condition of, if he didn’t end up losing any weight during his time here, his father would give him the chance to prove himself as a good chief.

Tit for tat, as it were. Kitsune were good at that sort of thing.

The place wasn’t really all that bad. It was out in the mountains; a shining lake, tons of trails to walk. It was all very scenic! Kaden was actually happy to get out of Hoshido’s busiest, modern city. The food didn’t even taste bad, like he was initially thinking; it was mostly just portion control and hardly any junk food. That’s not to say that there wasn’t any. If they met their personal workout and meal goals for the month, they were allowed to request one food item that wasn’t part of their regular diet at the center.

Kaden had stuck to his program – the trainers were all very nice, and he’d caught more than a few lingering touches or looks when working with him. He was actually banking on those little moments tonight…

See, he’d purposefully not requested anything for his cheat treat. Ditzy as he could be, Kaden was still a fox, and he could be clever. It was easy enough to tell one of his trainers that he’d forgotten to let the staff know what he wanted, and with a little schmoozing, he’d talked his way into getting the codes to the kitchen and food storage. At first, he simply snuck a few things here and there; an apple, a chocolate bar, some cookies or jerky. But, getting a taste of the good stuff – food he’d been craving ever since the day he got there – he slowly started to up the ante.

One night, he snuck an entire pie back to his room. It was a delicious, juicy blueberry one; at best, he would have only been able to request a small slice of it, but he had the whole thing to himself now. After a good while of eating smaller portions, an entire pie was actually a challenge to get through. After one or two thick slices, Kaden was moaning and groaning at the fullness, berry stained hands rubbing futilely at his stomach as he continued to eat. After all, he’d smuggled it from the kitchens, he had to get rid of all the evidence!

Every…last…crumb.

He’d felt sick all through the morning, but that taste and wonderful, warm full feeling was absolutely worth it! So, he kept on sneaking things, going bigger and bolder with his takes as the weeks turned into months. Most of the trainers were baffled at how he was putting on weight, not losing it, and the kitchen staff was starting to get suspicious at all the food going missing. It became a bit of a game to the Kitsune: just how much could he get away with? And just how much weight could he gain while he was supposed to be losing it all? The numbers on the scale at weigh-ins kept going up, and something about seeing a new result was just fun to him.

That’s when Kaden got it into his head to simply eat as much as he possibly could in one night.

Ears on a swivel, he crept through the halls of the stone and wood building. He knew all the noisy floorboards, where there were cameras, and what time staff stopped patrolling around the grounds. He was an easy going guy, but when Kaden wanted something, he knew exactly how to go about getting it.

Entering in the four digit code for the kitchens, Kaden slipped through the door on silent feet, hips brushing the door and doorframe as he did so. Rubbing his hands together, Kaden did a little dance as he surveyed everything the cache of food had to offer him, his belly and thighs jiggling with his erratic movements.

There was just so much to choose from!

He started in on the breakfast things: fruits of all kinds, easy to munch on and light on his stomach. Cereals, and toaster waffles – washed down with plenty of milk and even a swig or two of maple syrup; his mouth left sticky with the sweetness of it. He didn’t feel hungry at this point, but after all the food he’d been nicking, just this was hardly going to fill him up. Next came the premade lunches: salads that he could drown in dressings, sandwiches built with whatever he wanted to stuff between two pieces of bread. All the bread soaked up a good deal of room in his gut, and left him feeling rather bloated, but he wasn’t going to stop now! He hadn’t even made it to his favorite part yet!

Dinner items next, though Kaden did take a little break to munch on a few of the supposedly better for you kettle chips. The salty seasoning and crunch of them were addicting, and they helped to fill in some of the little gaps. This was where he got into the meats and easy to make, instant packaged things. Microwavable rice and orange chicken, fluffy mashed potatoes and all kinds of portioned out meals that he downed in record time.

At this point, Kaden was panting on the cool floor of the kitchen, legs splayed out in front of him and tail curled about his side. This was more than he’d ever eaten in his entire life, and it was definitely showing how much he’d shoved down his throat so far. His stomach was so tightly packed with food, it had rounded out in a hard dome. Rubbing it did little to actually ease the overburdened ache there – besides, it always felt better when someone else did it, but he was all on his lonesome here.

But, he’d made it, he’d reached the point where he could finish this whole night off with his favorite thing: ice cream.

Too full already to bother with eating it properly, Kaden simply nuked it in the microwave until it was melted enough that he could just drink it down like a milkshake. He mixed chocolate and vanilla together, creating a slurry of classic ice cream swirl goodness. Tipping the container back as he stood at the counter, Kaden chugged it. Some spilled past the corners of his mouth, dribbling down to his double chin, but the majority hit its mark in his stomach. It wasn’t entirely a pleasant feeling, being so thoroughly stuffed to the brim, but the taste of it all on his tongue was what kept him going.

Squeezing his eyes shut as he continued to gulp down the semi-cold slush, a series of high pitched tings caught his attention, quickly followed by the feel of the cold counter surface suddenly touching the underside of his gut.

He’d just popped the buttons right off his pajama shirt, his overstuffed belly rushing forward to rest in the open space.

Kaden shivered at the clinical chill seeping into his skin, setting the now empty container of ice cream off to the side as he groped around his belly in a food-drunk sort of manner. He felt absolutely enormous, and his gut was squealing at him to stop eating. He almost wanted to ignore it, but the Kitsune was fairly certain that if he ate anything else, he’d make himself well and truly sick.

No, it was best to just leave the mess, and waddle on back to his bed for the remainder of the night. He’d repay them in the morning!

[juniorformulamotorsport]

Sunday, 14th July 2019 – The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia

Sunday night was the blow out meal of the weekend, a 2 Michelin-starred tasting menu in what might be the best hotel in the area, the Yeatman. First, however, we stopped off for a drink in Porto before getting a taxi across to Vila Nova de Gaia. In our search for a good place to get a drink, we stumbled upon the Livraria da Baixa, another of the ex-bookshops that have become other things over the years. There seems to be quite a bit of that going on in Porto. We had yet another porto tonico, and this one was different again. The barman asked us which one we liked best, but they were all good in their own ways.

After we’d finished our drinks we headed to the Intercontinental and asked the concierge to find us a taxi to the Yeatman. It didn’t appear, after all, to be the sort of place we wanted to fetch up in looking all sweaty and dishevelled! Also, we wanted to get there a little early so we could have a second round of drinks in Dick’s Bar up there. We’d heard it had excellent views. The taxi pulled up and several uniformed doormen appeared to hold doors open and point the way for us.

It’s very nice! We were escorted in, shown to the restaurant, and asked if we could start the evening in the bar. We were soon installed in a table on the terrace overlooking the river and it is certainly reasonable to say they have a view. As well as the river, and Porto opposite, you get a view of the gardens and the swimming pool – the latter appeared to be full of seagulls using it as a giant birdbath. Perhaps they have a better class of seagull at the Yeatman. Who knows!

Armed with a port cocktail each we dragged our attention away from the seagulls, and towards the view. The weather was not as clear as we might have liked, but the vista is still pretty impressive, even without sunshine and blue skies. I rather imagine in fine weather it would be gorgeous.

The port cocktails were pretty good too!

We decided it was best not to have a second round, and instead moved across to the restaurant to start dinner. There is only the tasting menu (at €170 per person), but if, as we did, you reserve online, this is emailed to you along with your confirmation so you can let the restaurant know if there is anything you don’t eat. In our case it was the pork option, so we let them know and then relaxed into the evening, knowing we’d be well looked after. I should also say that the restaurant has great views, but we weren’t on a window table (I assume those probably go to people actually staying at the hotel), so I only got a photo at the end of the evening.

The first thing that happened, given the Yeatman is part of the Taylor’s port group, was that we were offered a glass of white port as an aperitif while we looked at the menu to make sure it was still to our liking, and we checked the wine list and decided on that or the matching wines chosen by the restaurant for an extra €75 for 6 different wines).  The wines in question can also all be bought through the Yeatman Wine Club so it was really easy to establish what we’d had for once. The aperitif was a glass of Churchill’s Dry White which is rather more sweet than the name implies, though it still has a good, dry finish and peppery notes that would probably mean it’s good with cheese too. It worked very well in the heat, well chilled as it was, even if taking a good sniff of it left condensation all over the glass!

Before the first course of the tasting menu arrived, our first glass of wine was delivered, a Filipa Pato 3b Rosé (https://www.theyeatmanwineclub.com/en/espumante-filipa-pato-rose-3b) or more precisely perhaps Filipa Pato & William Wouter 3B Metodo Traditional Rosé, Bairrada, Beiras, Portugal, fresh, elegant, sparkling and just the thing with the parade of amuse bouches that arrived next.

First up, however, was a pair of cool towels for us to freshen up with, which were much welcomed.

The first morsels of food started to appear! And they were good! The first items was described as a Cocktail of apple, spinach and kale (manzana, espinacas y col) and was served with a very fresh bowl of oyster, jalapeños and apples with was fresh from the apples, tasted of the sea and packed a lively punch from the jalapeños.

It was soon joined by a tiny selection of “fish and chips” with two tangles of thinly chipped potato, and a piece of batters fish each. It was both fun and fabulous, and it was quite clear that the kitchen and the chef know what they are doing and have a sense of humour.

The cocktail was delicious (and may be the only way to deal with kale in a way that makes it palatable rather than like trying to eat crispy cardboard)! It was also a slightly alarming shade of green, with sweetness from the apple overlaying a slight cabbage-y bitterness.

The next round was barbeque chicken, and again demonstrated both humour and skill with a chicken sandwich, a smoked chicken oyster in panko breadcrumbs, and a chicken liver mousse, and superb even to those of us who normally avoid chicken (mostly for fear of how it might have been raised, though I rather suspect that the Yeatman is as concerned about provenance as Lynne and I are).

The final round of amuse bouches was tuna-based with a bonito “nitrogeno” that was tartare-style…

And a tuna “sandwich”, with fish roe and mayonnaise wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet. It was a fun thing, full of flavour and it came with its own little dramatic reveal from inside a scroll of paper that the waiter then opened at the table. I was liking this place, because although there is a formality to the Yeatman, there is also a great deal of playfulness, and the staff could not be friendlier.

The sommelier brought the next wine, an Ilha do Pico Arinto 2017, from the Azores and fermented in oak vats for 6 months. The result is incredibly drinkable, especially with seafood, which is where the menu started. It doesn’t look as if it often escapes from the Portuguese speaking world, which is a pity because I really enjoyed it and would like to drink more of it.

It went brilliants with the Gamba Blanca (crayfish) with crab and clams. The crab and clams were in the form of a neat little beignet, and we were encouraged to use our hands to eat it rather than being wussy and using cutlery, neat though the cutlery was.

There was a sauce with it that needed to be scooped up and smeared on the beignet, and it was a positive pleasure to do just that. The dish was described as including chawanmushi, a traditional Japanese appetiser of steamed savoury egg custard and usually full of things like prawns, fish cake, mushrooms and so on so I assume that was what was holding the crab and clam mix together.

The crayfish came separately, carrying on the egg custard theme but being decorated with what the French would probably call mimosa style eggs, coriander and a traditional broth. It was a most excellent portion of shrimp, prawn, crayfish, whatever you want to call it.

We had moved, oenologically, onto a new white wine, this time a glass of Anselmo Mendes Parcela Unica 2016, made from Alvarinho grapes. We got the expected peach, citrus and minerality from it, which went well with the shrimp, and also with the cuttlefish that was brought out next. These were tiny cuttlefish served  two ways, with fried rice and with a gloriously unctuous spicy Hollandaise sauce. The first pieces were served an a plate possibly made from a dried cuttlefish, which just made me laugh…

It also tasted good, especially dredged through the spicy Hollandaise sauce.

The other pieces came on a plate decorated with octopus shapes. It seemed a lot of trouble to go to, but then it’s that sort of place.

We knew we’d moved on from fish when the waiters brought us some butter in a very stylish box…

There was also a dish of olive oil, the oil a lovely shade of golden yellow that instantly made me want to dunk some bread in it.

That was made possible when the loaf of sourdough was put in front of us.

We had reached what would usually be the suckling pig course, but the restaurant swapped things round and served us the national beef first. It was a small but perfectly cooked piece, the iron of the rare meet working brilliantly with the roasted spring onion, the Jerusalem artichoke puree, and the rich, deep civet sauce. The meat would probably have fallen apart with just the application of a spoon, but we used our knives, cutting small pieces to try and make it last as long as possible. With it was drank a mighty fine, deep Maria João Private Collection 2008 from the Dão, and made possibly from Alfrocheiro, Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, and Jaen grapes (at least the 2010 was), with notes of chocolate, toasted cocoa, spices and dried red fruits that I definitely picked up.

If the beef and wine combination was good, the replacement for the suckling pig, which came next was sublime. It was the same accompaniments or mango, coconut and chilli, but served with two perfectly cooked pigeon breasts, the skin beautifully seasoned and crsip. We drank a Boavista Reserva 2015. I’ve seen the wine described as “deep ruby colour. Complex, deep, intense and seductive hints of both red and black fruit, plus tobacco, spices and dark chocolate”. I see no reason to disagree with that assessment.

The last of the pigeon was gone, and it was on to the home straight for a dessert or two, starting with wild strawberries (in different textures), including a soup served in a wonderfully complicated drinking vessel. This definitely was essence of strawberries in all their wonderful forms, and it was a brilliant way to complete an excellent meal. Especially with a glass of Adega de Favaios Moscatel Colheita 1999, a sweet white moscatel instead of a port, but made with much the same levels of care, commitment and, dare I say it, obsession to create an ideal dessert wine. The Moscatel Galego grape produces a clear, bright, golden coloured wine, with citrus freshness and honeyed sweetness that matches fruit as well as chocolate. It’s a wonderful wine.

There was also São Tomé chocolate (with toasted corn, toffee, and whipped cream) which came along with the terrifyingly well-stocked petit fours trolley. We resisted the temptation of an offer to let us have a piece of everything on the trolley because I think we’d have needed to be put of trolleys to be taken out to the foyer if we’d done that.

I did weaken and have a tiny doughtnut, and a pastel de nata though, along with a cute little meringue.

We turned down the offer of infusions or coffee and were presented with a copy of the menu each in a lovely sealed envelope, along with a list of the wines we’d drunk. It was a lovely evening, and we were more than happy to get a taxi back to the Intercontinental instead of trying to walk to the metro (which would be doable, but who wantes to after a meal like that, right?)

Food 2019 – The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia Sunday, 14th July 2019 - The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia Sunday night was the blow out meal of the weekend, a 2 Michelin-starred tasting menu in what might be the best hotel in the area, …

[canaryatlaw]

okay I'm tired, who would've guessed. I felt pretty shitty for most of the day, but tonight was good at least. Woke up at 7 and went into the office, low key day since we only had a few staff members around. I wasn't on clinic, so I was mainly running around doing different things, and running around for my hearing that was (supposed to be) this afternoon. I logged on for 11 am court only to be told it was supposed to be up at 9 and since we weren't there the case had been dismissed, so I pulled out the fastest emergency motion to reinstate in history and had the case back in place 45 minutes later (not bad, if I do say so myself). things were kinda messy with the hearing prep, but I wasn't too concerned because we had a super strong case. I ended up having to meet my client and her son outside the courthouse and wait in the outer hallway with them outside security because the sheriffs were being dicks (and apparently it's my fucking job to do everything around here, even when I've been explicitly told in the past that it's not my responsibility. okay great, whatever. we had to wait until like 2:20 for the "judge to be on the bench" until we could go in which was dumb AF but whatever, we finally get up there only to discover nobody ordered an interpreter for the hearing (which is 100% not at all my job), so we couldn't go forward with the hearing, because both parties spoke pretty much entirely Swahili (I was only able to explain to my client what was happening since her son was there with her). So we ended up having to reschedule, and of course the next date available wasn't until the end of September. It's not a huge deal on our end of things because her OP will be extended until then, but it's still super frustrating to have something so stupid like that happen just out of sheer incompetence and having the case delayed as a result. I then had the "fun" experience of using our client's caseworker to translate for me to explain to the Respondent what was happening, which was deeply uncomfortable on many levels, many of which being that I have video evidence of this man being very violent. there was one point when we were waiting in the hallway where he was heading towards the hall towards up and I was 100% ready to jump up and get between him and my client if needed, like I wouldn't even think twice about it, I don't care if I get punched in the process, you are NOT hurting my client on my watch. luckily (for him, mostly) he turned and sat down at a further bench and didn't start anything, so that was good at least, because I was so ready to take him down. sigh. so the whole thing ended up being a huge trainwreck, and I basically just returned to the office after that, and that was that. sigh. I did at least get one more video for evidence I can use out of it, so that was good. the rest of the day wasn't particularly exciting, not much I could actually work on. Left a bit after 5, and headed to the starbucks to chill for a bit. we were doing a small group social night at the condo complex of one of our members that had a pool and shit, so I ended up taking a bus to the nearest train station to her house (I was originally going to take the train there ofc but I realized the bus was a lot more direct and easier so I just did that) and met up with guy who's been giving me rides there. we made a short trip into the 7-11 that was right there to see if they had some drinks to bring (like sparkling water in a 6 pack) but they didn't, so we ended up making a quick grocery store run before heading over. the community was REALLY nice, it was still considered downtown area but in a more residential area than the business district, so that was good. we sat and ate in a little courtyard area for a bit, and then headed up to the pool which was on the 5th floor of the building. the pool had the most gorgeous overlook of the city, just buildings everywhere, and god seeing it just made me feel so happy honestly lol like damn, I really want to live here (though that's obviously not feasible at the moment for several reasons).

a few of us ended up fully in the pool, but most of us just kinda put our feet and legs in. it was a nice temperature, not too hot or cold. so we did that for a while, which was really nice. we headed out around 10, since that was when the pool closed. guy drove me home, I pretty much immediately just showered and started getting ready for bed since it was late, and now I'm here. Of course it's 1 am at this point and I have to get up and go to the office again in the morning, so I'll definitely be signing off now. Goodnight friends. Hope you had a nice return to work Tuesday.

[iamsonyeondone]

your anchor // min yoongi

♥ fluffy!!

♥ 2k words

♥ summary: some friendships are forgotten while others are just meant to take a break, and evolve into something better

wow news anchor! Yoongi with his full on attire - a crisp black suit and a black tie around his collar while his hair is swept back

A look™

But there’s a huge contrast between his appearance on and off camera

He tries his best not to wear his suit and tie that much because it gets really stuffy at the broadcasting station, people scurrying from place to place and the vicinity in general is always being packed with writers and his other fellow colleagues

Despite his calm and chill demeanor behind the camera, he still remains professional and respectful to his superiors

Unless they get on his nerves and he has to hit them with the Facts

Which Writer! Namjoon has to refrain him from doing so and drag him away from the situation

It’s also a huge bonus that his expressions are always stoic and it takes A LOT for someone to crack him up

Once he was switching the camera to his colleague, Weatherman! Taehyung, and Tae had this green suit on so only his head was floating

It was a Halloween special afterall

Everyone else in the room was trying to snifle their giggles but Yoongi just sat there with an emotionless expression and nodding his head for Tae to go on

Only the other weatherman! Hoseok and Cameraman! Jungkook has ever made him giggle

And everyone’s trying to find out why??

But we all know he has a soft spot for them

But Yoongi generally a respectful, intelligent and hardworking so even if his cold expression stirs people away, they don’t necessarily hate him because he does his work right 

so you on the other hand was a cameraperson!! because you were always interested in filming and even had a minor in it during college

and you’re pumped!! but also super stressed because what if you don’t do your job right and some sort of malfunction happens??

but you’re just being paranoid because you always double check before filming starts

sometimes it’s hard to film because someone cracks a good joke on set but you’re filming right now and it is NOT the right time to snort right now (y/n)

it happened once and the celebrities joined in the fun with you as you hid your face behind the huge camera

you were lucky enough that everyone else burst into laughter a second later because you would have been in big trouble

and what does Yoongi have to do with you???

because you guys go wayyyyy back!!

the both of you had known each other by being in the same high school

the both of you weren’t the best of friends, but you guys still put in the effort to watch out for one another 

your reason being because he was cute!!! :(((

he was 70% squishy and soft back then

but cute like a little brother, even if he was a few years older

but as time passed and it was time to part ways, there were many friends you had distanced from, one of them being Yoongi

but you didn’t expect to see him in the same broadcasting station as you

and the first time the both of you met felt so nostalgic and awkward

“Yoongi? Min Yoongi?”

“(y/n)?? What are you doing here?” he chuckled, bringing his hand out of his pocket to shake your hand

“I just got a job as a cameraperson here. Looks like you landed a job as a news anchor?” you smiled, and you couldn’t help but swoon at the sight of him

because squishy yoongi has grown mature and handsome and wow that watch on his nice hands look-

“heh yeah,”

and then it’s just s I l e n c e

“I’ll get going then, see you around?”

“yeah, sure. see you around too,”

and you just sonic zoomed right out of there because your heart is racing a mile a minute, your palms got clammy and what is this??? why is your face so red???

you only thought he was cute like just average cute

but he turned into a Whole Man

and if you hadn’t run off, maybe you could’ve caught a glimpse of his gummy smile

but you didn’t hear that from me

and it was to be expected that you’d see him almost everyday now because they were currently short on staff for the camera crew so you always took the shift for the 8 oclock news

which was when Yoongi is doing his job as the news anchor

and oh my goodness can he look any better on camera??

and every time the news ends, Yoongi comes your way and gives you a smile, saying you did a good job and you could melt on the spot

and after working there for a month, it becomes routine that the both of you hangout at the break room with instant coffee and reminisce about the old days and finding out about the current lives of your former schoolmates

and it feels like the bond had never left

It feels exactly like the old days because Min Yoongi becomes even more enamored by you

the way you smile so wide and chuckle over the shooting you had that day or the way your face turns all serious with your eyebrows furrowed when you’re concentrating

and dare I say, he is Whipped for you

since day 1 but he never had the guts to tell you

that’s when the anniversary of the broadcasting station came and all the workers were invited to celebrate it

of course it was a formal event so you had to wear something more special other than the hoodie and jeans you wore to work everyday

and it feels weird arriving to the venue all dolled up as your colleagues cheered for you because you look stunning hunny!!

and as you’re walking through the hall, talking to fellow friends and colleagues, you spot Yoongi at the corner with a wineglass in hand

you made your way to him and once he spotted you, he nearly spilled his wine

because can you get any more beautiful??

“Keeping to yourself again?” you chuckled, swooping up another glass from a waiter who was passing by as you chuckled

and that gummy smile hoLy

“You should already know how I am as a person, (y/n). Just as much as I know you feel uncomfortable wearing that, even if you look gorgeous in it”

and you kinda just,,, took a few seconds to think because,, Min Yoongi just complimented you

you shouldn’t get ahead of yourself, you thought to yourself as you took another sip from your glass

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Suga,” you teased as you looked towards him from behind your glass

and that shocked looked on his face makes your burst out laughing

“We don’t talk about my Soundcloud here you, doofus,”

“Yeah, but they’re missing out on a masterpiece,”

“Oh really?? How about the one that’s standing right in front of me?” 

and the tables just FLIP the don’t turn they FLIP because you’re losing your mind and internally panicking over that deliberate flirting

and,,,you don't know how to respond

your cheeks turn rosy pink to the point where it reaches your ears and your eyes immediately avoid his gaze because suddenly there’s this look in his eyes you can’t decipher

it’s love (y/n) get it together will you??

and yoongi is losing his mind too because where did all these obnoxious flirting come from??? who did you learn this from, min yoongi??

“I’ll go take a breather, it feels a little stuffy in here,” you chuckle nervously as you shoot him a sheepish smile before leaving the hall to enjoy the calm and quiet of the hallways

at that moment, yoongi knew he effed up

did he just destroy a friendship like that?? and the thought of him losing you had his mind running a mile an hour and before he knew it, he was tracing your steps to see where you had escaped too

a part of him wanted clarification, to see if you really didn’t reciprocate his feelings

or else he wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully that night, or even from that day onwards

as soon as you heard footsteps behind you, you turned your head quickly to the source of the sound 

the person you least wanted to see standing in front of you with a,, worried expression?

you wished he had come later, when your thoughts were rational and not thinking about a way to plant your lips on his or runaway to another country

but you couldn’t run away now that he stood a few inches from you, a little breathless from frantically searching for you along the corridors

“Sorry if I startled you back there I just- goddamnit,” he sighed, frustration evident in his voice as he continuously ran his fingers through hi hair, his sleak and swept back hair turning messier by the minute

“What? What are you apologizing for?”

“I took it too far and flirted with you, my friend. I should’ve known you didn't like me back-”

“like you back?”

“Yes, (y/n), I like you, is it not obvious enough?”

and you’re just standing there with a flustered and frustrated Yoongi, his eyes trying to see what kind of emotion your eyes were portraying

it took you a few minutes to let everything absorb into your brain as you chuckled nervously, brushing stray strands away from your face

“so the feeling’s are mutual?” you questioned him, hope in your eyes as you bit onto your lips

and his eyes sparkle

and he wants to kiss you and sweep you off your feet

but instead, he lets out elated giggles, gently taking your hands in his as you allowed him to do so

he planted a soft kiss on your knuckles while his gaze never left you

but you catch his eyes trailing back to your lips as they curled into a soft smile

“You know, kissing doesn’t sound that bad right now. Maybe I should find a dashing guy back at the hall-”

Yoongi chuckles, his gummy grin plastered on his face as he slowly grabbed you by the waist and brought you closer

placing his hand at the back of your neck, he gave you one last look before planting a soft kiss on yours, the feeling of it melting your heart

you couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, causing him to break out into another fit of giggles as the both of you broke apart, resting against one another’s foreheads

“We’re idiots aren’t we?”

“Yeah, two idiots in love,” he smiled endearingly towards you before going for another kiss

“Wanna ditch the party and get some lamb skewers? the sliders here taste like bricks,” you scrunched your nose in disgust as the both of you walked down the hallway with your fingers interlaced

“Sure thing, babe,” he smirked, as if you couldn’t get any redder by the nickname

wow you guys are so cute :’))

so now that the both of you are now a couple

meeting at the break room doesn’t only consist of instant coffee ;)) 

and now that every time your behind the camera, Yoongi sometimes break out into a smile when he reads out articles that remind him of you

and everyone around the world has been shaken to the core

because handsome stoic dude has emotions

and of course his friends tease him about it

but he’ll gladly boast about you to them

like one time Hoseok teased him for smiling at you so endearingly while you prepped the cameras before filming

because he’s Whipped, didn’t I say that already??

and he’s like so what? they’re cute as hell, of course i’ll smile

and he HAS to say it in front of you and embarrass you

now everyone is pushing you guys to get married with all these articles of famous celebrities getting married

it’s understandable because time flies and the both of you have been together for 3 years now??

but I don’t think you have to wait that long ;))

you didn’t hear that from me or Yoongles will kill me HAHA toodles

a/n: I’ve got stupid writer’s block for the past few days so I took a break and caught up with all my groups until I stumbled upon that post about Yoongi wanting to be a news anchor HAHA I love me man ok bye bye hope you guys are having a good day/night!! 

[anodyne-sunflower]

Neptune-BalemxReader (Request)

A/N: Balem is ridiculous, and makes it hard to enjoy the Christmas spirit. So picking a plot for him was a challenge lol Also, this takes care of another request...for a reaction I wouldn’t consider very ‘Balem’ but fun to write ;)

MOOD MUSIC: Battlefield by Svrcina

***

A strong-willed woman, that’s what it took, and Balem would find himself incapable of denying you even the smallest of requests. He could not fathom how low he had sunk on his own personal view of people, but who was he to find fault in the love he held for you. As far as he could remember, you had undeniably hooked him into your world and refused to let go. Breaking down each barrier of his brash personality, until all that was left was a ruler who found his one weakness in the form of a gorgeous earthling.

“No.”

“Balem-“ The Primary growled deeply in his throat, almost a purr of annoyance that you had sensed building. He was a stubborn man, but you knew better than to give up on the first try with him. “My dear husband...”

Balem’s inquisitive eyes fell upon your figure, voyaging over the curve of your tempting hip and stopping just when those pretty lips came into his view. He could play this game with you, pretend you had little to no effect over him, but that would be disastrous by the end of it. It was unlikely he was even able to feign such a display, because those pleading eyes of yours were enough to earn a ‘yes’ from him. “Very well....” By now his tone had lost some of its potency, but it would be in bad taste to immediately destroy the aloof reputation he had built himself. He couldn’t have his staff bare witness to these softer moments with you, and judging by the curious stares of his advisor he already felt that part of his life ending.

“Mr. Night,” Balem stared icily towards the splice, not appreciating the way he lingered behind him like some child awaiting permission. The intimate moments he shared with you would remain behind closed doors, and he intended for that rule to apply to the throne room as well. “Do not stand there like some fool-!”

“You can go, Mr. Night.” Your palm fell over Balem’s clenched fist, acting as an instant calmative for the rage filled man. It was endearing how quarrelsome he could become under the scrutiny of his staff, but you suspected being the intimidating ruler of planets could make anyone testy. “You really shouldn’t be so cruel, Balem.” You waited until the rest of the servants left the throne room, knowing he’d be better off to receive your affections that way. “If you really don’t want to go then-“

“You’re a bothersome woman.” Balem scoffed in frustration, crossing his arms as he took a seat back on his hovering throne. You knew better than to take his words seriously in this instance, but it still made you pout down at him. Call it a sweet revenge, but you took advantage of the influence you had over him.

“I only asked for one thing...don’t be so melancholy.” Your fingers tugged gently on the ends of your dress, lifting it up and out of the way as you took a seat on his lap. Despite his initial cold shoulder, you still felt the brush of his fingertips on your lower back, softly massaging the skin that was bare from the dip of your gown. “Do you really not want to go?”

“Hm.” It was barely a reply, but you understood him well enough to know that his simple remarks meant he was caving to your desires.

“Oh, thank you!” With a relieved sigh, you tangled your arms around his neck, kissing his cheek happily and leaving him to gripe about the upcoming trip as you went away to pack.

***

“Neptune?! I thought we agreed we would go to earth? You said that-“

“Earth, Neptune...it’s all the same.” Balem shrugged your exasperation off, his shortened nails tapping away at the rim of his wine glass. He was in no fine spirits to be traveling away from Jupiter, as he usually was, but for you he was willing to make the small sacrifice. He hated most planets, they were often over populated, and the customs changed so frequently he never had time to register what was going on. He relied heavily on his advisor to notify him of such trivial details, but if he had to pick one planet he found tolerable alongside Jupiter, it would be Neptune. It was cold, desolate, and held a peaceful silence he was proud to call his own. He may have promised you a trip for the holidays, a Christmas tradition you forced upon him, but he was under no obligation to make it on earth.

“You stubborn, bull-headed, man!” Was it really so much to expect him to keep his word? He was always so skilled at deceiving his business rivals, you felt he might be transferring those ideals to his marriage. “One Christmas, just one, that’s all I wanted. Back home where people actually decorate, make hot chocolate, sing carols, and exchange gifts!” There was no use covering up your disappointment, and in hindsight you were being rather childish about it. But you were homesick, as anyone would get during the holidays. All you wished was for one Christmas abroad, and to delight in the extravagant traditions earth offered.

“You begged me for a winter, and now you have it.” Balem muttered back to you, gesturing to the white landscape below as his clipper descended onto the docking bay. “Neptune is forever in a state of endless snowstorms. You have your wish, my queen. Do not presume to ask me for more.”

Balem was not an easy man to be married to, but you loved him anyway. However, your forgiving nature didn’t extend to trickery and lies, or his terrible attitude on most things. Christmas was your favorite time of year, and having to brave the boring atmosphere of Jupiter for one more year would’ve been hell. “You are selfish, Balem! I hope you enjoy your solitude, because I’m,” With a displeased demeanor, you grabbed your pale blue cloak from the bed and stormed out of his clipper chambers, barely acknowledging him on your way out. “Going out and enjoying what I can of this foreign place you’ve brought me.” Drama wasn’t your talent, but being with Balem sometimes brought that out in you. Mainly when you wanted to get away and deal with your conflicting emotions on your own. Or, if you were being perfectly honest, to gain some sympathy from your husband.

“Y/N.” Balem rose from his seat, debating whether to chase after you or let you simmer in your anger. He despised conversations about feelings, but he couldn’t deny the small pang of grief he felt at your departure. “Wait...” He grumbled to himself, cursing the gods for ever letting him fall victim to his heart’s passions.

The ship came to a halt on the docks, anchoring to the metal and releasing the ramp for you to exit. You could feel Balem’s presence looming behind you, but in your sour mood it wasn’t worth giving him the time of day now. “That awful...handsome, petulant man...” To say it was difficult to insult your husband would be an understatement, because he brought you more joy than headaches in the past years. However, today he was on your list of people you wanted to slap upside the head for their unbecoming behavior. “I swear.”

You greeted Mr. Night on your way out, smiling when he fussed over you staying warm whilst exploring about. You had never set foot on Neptune before, but the minute you looked out at the sea of white in front of you, your heart nearly stopped from the grand scenery. It was stunningly beautiful, sparkling white in the soft glow of the sun that beamed from so far away. There was very little light that was given to the planet, but regardless of that fact, you were amazed at how gorgeous it looked. Darkened trees dotted the horizon, the lakes frozen over and proving even prettier upon closer inspection. If ever there was a winter wonderland, it was this. The odd part was, that it angered you, because not only had he specifically chosen a planet that would perfectly capture what you wanted, but he went out of his way to even agree to travel. It sounded immature and petty, but you liked to actually stay mad at him for once. Instead of finding out his selfish nature was actually him just working around what you had requested of him.

With a small groan of annoyance, you finally trekked into the snow. The chill of it running up to your knees and causing you to smile in fondness of your childhood memories. You had missed such weather, and knowing Neptune was in a perpetual state of winter made you warm with joy. Unfortunately, the holiday spirit was meant to be shared with your hotheaded husband, who didn’t seem to be following you any longer. “Merry Christmas, to me...” You sullenly whispered, stopping at a stone archway that was covered in iced over vines. The path lead down into the valley, where an enchanting castle stood alone on the hill surrounded by old metal gates and plants that had withered away without proper care. Even then, it still looked elegant to you, and the more you thought it over the more you were willing to spend your vacation here.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” His dark voice trailed into your mind, making you turn around and come face to face with him in his brooding company.

“Yes.” There was more descriptive words you could’ve used to explain your love for this place, but Balem would’ve been smug about it. Something you weren’t willing to fully put up with just yet. “It is.”

Balem sighed heavily, picking up on your cold shoulder and not wanting to further the wrath you had developed against him. Normally he’d be fine with the silence, but the sentimental half of him loathed your aloofness towards him. “My flower.” He eagerly reached for you, ignoring your gentle resistance of his touch when he tugged you into his arms.

He stayed silent, but you felt the love he harbored for you through his embrace. The warmth that came with his hold, it was comforting to your frustrated soul, and even if you still wanted to bite back for his irritable ways you allowed him the proximity. “You’re still in trouble, Balem.”

The Primary smirked at your weak threat, burying his nose into your hair and drinking in the heavy scent of your perfume. It provided its own pleasure for him, and if this was the events Christmas would bring in the future, he was happy to play along next time. “Will this palace suffice?”

The answer, was an obvious yes, but you weren’t going to satisfy his ego with it just yet. He could wait to hear how much you adored him for bringing you to Neptune. Especially when all you wanted to do now was hurry inside and bask in the heat of the fireplace that undoubtedly adorned the castle walls. “Balem,” You pulled away from him, still staying within his hold as you gazed lovingly up at the Primary. He looked devilishly handsome against the backdrop of winter, the distinguished gold and black cloak he wore emitting a kingly vibe. If it wasn’t for your vengeful side, you’d of enthusiastically dragged him into his winter palace and spent Christmas locked in his heated embrace. But that special gift could wait until you got precisely what you wanted. “Do you love me?”

The inquiry caught him off guard, his eyebrow raising in suspicion as he stared curiously down at you. “Little bird,” he warned, scowl growing deep when you simply smiled up at him. He couldn’t gauge what your plan was, but he assumed you wished for nothing more than his suffering. Dramatic as it was, he was not capable of voicing the extent of his adoration of you. “Do not-“

“Answer me, Balem.” You prodded him for a confession, even when you knew he loved you deeper than anything else in his life. You valued actions above words most days, but on the rare occasion, you rather enjoyed hearing him admit it. Nothing screamed payback like watching the most powerful man succumb to his woman.

Balem could not comprehend why you’d burden him with this nonsense, and truthfully he just wanted to whisk you away into the castle and find more creative ways to keep warm. But that determined stare of yours was making him feel a vulnerability he wasn’t accustomed to, and he hated every minute of it. “I...” He muttered, brow furrowing in distaste of this topic. Courting you was the most romantic side of him you’d likely ever witness. He had hoped, in vain, that you’d be satisfied with that outcome. Only now, it would appear otherwise. “This is nonsense, enough of it.”

Balem gently shoved you aside, his mind set on leaving this foolish conversation behind. He had better things to attend to than placate the sentiments of your earthling heart. “Come, I’ll have the servants build us a fire. We’ll have dinner together.”

It was his way of showing you just how much you meant to him, you were aware of that. And you couldn’t help but smile at his discomfort over the topic of love. He was never going to be an open person, but you were his wife, and you intended to tease him about it until the end of your days. “Balem, just say it. It won’t kill you.” You hooked your arm around his, leaning your head happily against his shoulder as you walked along the snowy path and towards the palace gates.

“I said enough.” His words were straight and to the point, laced in a discontent that made you giggle madly. He could be curt all he wanted, because when you glanced up and saw that heated trail of pink along his cheeks you knew you had won this time.

***

A/N: In case it wasn’t obvious, the request was for ‘Balem blushing’. Not a very realistic reaction for the ass, but I tried to put him into a position where I thought maybe, just maybe, he’d blush lol So, hope it was decent 🤷🏻‍♀️

[promisedangel]

Dollywood Review

Welp, now I know one of my friends knows of my Tumblr, so I kinda have to put this up.

Tuesday: -Travel day. Drove from home to Tennesse in about ten hours with the stops. Made more than we should have, but that’s mostly because one gas station was being a pain with my card, so I cash prepaid a bit and then got out of there cuz I was pissed at the damn machine. -Was snowing when we left our home in Ohio. Once we got near Cincinnati, no more snow! NO MORE SNOW! -Lovely scenery on the way to Pigeon Forge. -Once again, my mind saves me from boredom. I wanted to put Critical Role on in the car, but with three other people, it would be a captive audience. y mind instead went to dumb and fantasy scenarios to pass the time as I shuffled the music on my phone. -HOLY SHIT Pigeon Forge is such a tourist trap! There’s so much stuff to do there! We only went for Dollywood, but we are considering going back to do more touristy things. -The hotel we stayed at, the Music Road Hotel, was GORGEOUS! We loved it. Beds were a bit weird for me; I kept tossing and turning one night, and I think it was the firmness of the bed. Dunno. -After we got settled, we heard about this alpine coaster, which is a track that uses the mountainside to have a coaster-like experience. The one we heard of first, Pigeon Forge Alpine Coaster, was unfortunately closed for seasonal repairs. BUT, it was set to reopen Friday, the day we leave. We decided to do it then. -Went down the road some more and found ANOTHER alpine coaster not too far from the first one. It was called the “Goat Coaster” at Goats on the Roof of the Smokey Mountains. Loved it, great start. -Went to a place called Calhoun’s for dinner. Pretty good place. Had my only glass of booze for the whole trip there. I liked my chicken sandwich, but I wish they put honey mustard on it. -Went back to the hotel and found out one of my friends brought his Nintendo Switch! We played Mario Kart until it was time for bed. We had Dollywood in the morning!~

Wednesday: -The first day of Dollywood! -Decent breakfast at the hotel. Too used to bacon, cuz they had none and I was sad. They had some good tea, though! -Got to everything we wanted to, so this’ll be the long one. -CUBBIES! Oh my gods. Every single ride had cubbies for stuff! Love it! -Played Pokemon Go a lot of the time at Dollywood in between rides. Got a lot of pokemon and powered up a couple I already had. Got my first Moltres there <3 -First up was Lightning Rod. Pretty fun ride. Has a lot of airtime that kinda jerks you a bit. Could do with a little more padding but it doesn’t really hurt ya. -Had some fun doing some flat rides. The Carousel, bumper cars, swings, sky rider, Dizzy Disk. Pretty fun. -Went and got some of the supposedly famous cinnamon bread. It was good, but not overly so. But that’s also not the thing I’m overly into. -Brainstormer was fun, always good to have a giant swing ride. -Saw the park had its own Bald Eagle preserve and displayed some other birds like owls, hawks, and a raven! You never know how big ravens actually are until you see one! They’re twice as big as you think they are. Beautiful birds. -Blazing Fury was kinda boring dark ride. It was interesting to have a fire figther theme, but they didn’t really do much with it. -The Tenesse Tornado was really fun! Even though it was mostly just a few loops. Short, but sweet. But the walk to the loading station was so darn long! Kinda common for these rides. -Wild Eagle! Probably one of my favorite rides in the park! Nice wing coaster with awesome airtime and the turns take you by surprise in the back! -Firechaser Express was a fun little family ride. The surprise backward part was fun! -Drop Line was a fun little drop tower that spun you on the way up! Still think the one in King’s Island was better. -Had some trouble with Thunderhead at first. It’s an older wooden coaster so younger coaster enthusiasts will think it’s bumpy. Take my advice that I learned on the second day; sit in the back, it’s tamer back there and you get sweet airtime on the turns. -We hit the water rides next cuz it was in the seventies and we didn’t want to do  them the second day cuz it dropped to the fifties. We hit River Rampage first. We didn’t get as soaked as we were expecting, but most of our pants were soaked while our tops were mildly so. The ride also teased times we could have gotten soaked. -Daredevil Falls also didn’t get us too soaked. Two of us stood on the bridge to purposefully get soaked. Also, one of the operators noticed two of us wearing brony t-shirts and commented positively in a way we didn’t get at first but we laughed at regardless. -Rockin’ Roadway was one of those nice little automated car rides. Just nice. -Relaxed on the Dollywood Express. Got a little history of the area and park with a couple laughs. It was a real steam engine, too, so there was a bit of soot and some of us had to cover their mouths. Still found some soot on our clothes after we returned to the hotel. -The Mystery Mine was closed until near the end of the day cuz of mechanical issues. So we hit it last. This ride had the best theming in the park and was fun overall. Pretty lite in intensity until the end, but it can bump your head around a bit if you’re not careful. -After the park closed, we changed out of any wet clothes at the hotel and went out to dinner. The same guy who brought the Switch found this restaurant called the Old Mill and it was AWESOME. Good southern three-course meal for about $20 per person. Had some authentic southern sweet tea with it. Started with corn fritters, salad, and corn chowder. Didn’t care for the chowder but the fritters were so good! Next was our main dishes. I got the country fried ham and OH MY GODS IT WAS LIKE I WAS EATING A GIANT PIECE OF BACON IT WAS SO GOOD! We also got dessert. I got a good chocolate cake while two of our group had a blackberry cobbler that they said they would sell someone’s soul for. Seriously. If you ever go to Pidgeon Forge for any reason, eat here! -Relaxed in the room with more Switch before bed.

Thursday: -This was our relax day. We took things slower and rerode anything we wanted to and ignored what we didn’t. Wild Eagle eventually got closed for the day, but not before we rode it a couple times. -We took our time and did some shopping. Bought a necklace for my moirail and two plushies, a sheep and a fox. THE SHEEP IS SO ADORABLE and the fox is prety cute too. -Since we did Pokemon Go things, three of us did a raid which we won! But I was the only one who didn’t get the pokemon from it! I was so pissed. -We ate at the buffet in the park for an early dinner. Funny story about it. The guys wanted to reride the flat rides, but the girls of the group didn’t. We decided to split off and do our own thing and meet at the buffet. So, the guys went on the teacups and one of them spun the cup as fast as he could. We found that he got the other one kinda sick cuz of it. Our waitress at the buffet, Charla, was so concerned about him, asking if there was something she could do to help. He just walked outside the buffet a couple of times and got better. We eventually chatted with her throughout the meal. Lovely woman. -On the note of customer service, we loved the rumored ‘southern hospitality’! Everyone was so nice and things were served quickly! I swear, if someone was rude to the Dollywood staff, ESPECIALLY CHARLA, I swear I will physically manifest into the park and punch them in the face! They were nothing but nice, giving us directions when we mildly expressed some confusion among other things. -The buffet was good. Mac and cheese was a bit bland, but the mashed potatoes and the turkey were so good!! I regret not eating half of my second slice of turkey, but I wanted to save room for dessert. Then after I ate dessert, I had room, and I know I could have finished off the turkey T.T -Finished off with more rides on Lightning Rod before running to the bakery and sweet shops at the front of the park for some chocolate truffles, cookies, and cupcakes at the hotel. We were gonna get some monkey bread, but they were out of over an hour before we got to the shop. I got some truffles and a giant cookie. They were good. -We relaxed back at the hotel and began to pack up a bit to help ourselves in the morning.

Friday: -We had a nice surprise when we went down for breakfast at the hotel. This guy was down there with a cockatoo and another small bird i forget the name of! We was advertising this interactive bird zoo thing and we got to play with the birds! This guy next to us was playing with one of the birds when we had the other one. It was clear he was a bird guy. He flipped the small one onto his back and gave him belly scratches. He snuggled the cockatoo and gave her neck scratches. They were in heaven. The cockatoo liked to nibble lightly at our sweatshirts and was pretty chill. The other guy liked to explore and zip to our shoulders. He even gave one of us kisses! I was so jealous. -We went to the alpine coaster that was closed. It was a lot of fun. Better than the one at Goats on the Roof, but both of them were still fun. -We said our goodbyes to Pidgeon Forge and headed home. Got stuck in some Cinncinatti traffic, but we were fine other than that. Arrived later than I would have liked, but we also kinda stopped a lot so that’s on us.

Overall, good trip!

[aliceellablog]

Holiyay?

*08/10/17*

Sorry I haven’t posted for so long... ironic when you’re not well enough to write your blog about your illness aint it!?! 

Anyway, I’m gonna cut right to the chase. Instagram vs real life is such an issue for me. One I probably need to get over…. It’s so hard I don’t know wether I should try and only post positive fun photos and make it look like I’m having a right old great fucking time or to keep it more ‘real’? But then no-one wants to see pics of an ill sad girl and it’ll probably just look like I’m trying to get attention.

I guess this blog is my outlet for now…

I have people who are close to me who tell me that if I post about being ill all the time I’ll never get booked for work or gigs, but then when it comes to my (failing) career as an artist I want to be real. I want to be honest and build a genuine following of people who care enough to join me on the real journey??Answers on a postcard please thanks.

So if you’ve seen the recent Insta posts you will have seen that I managed to go on holiday with my besets friends - genuine yay!I’ve never been away with friends before and could not wait to get ma body in the sun!! Oh that sweet sweet vitamin D!

But maybe I underestimated how tiring travelling was and how hard it would be…

Don’t get me wrong I don’t regret going and there were some really genuinely lovely times - that and I feel so much closer to my friends, but I’ve been back home now for three weeks and I’m just about making it to the supermarket or doing small tasks around the house each day. BIG FAT MEH.

I know I say it a lot but M.E. is so fucking frustrating!!! Because the more you push through and try and go for it the worse you get, so you physically can’t just get on with things- and the pay back is hell.

So on the way there we had the biggest nightmare…. I met Katie, Grace, Tilly, and Nicki at the airport and all was chill- I was feeling pretty shit but not too terrible. We had a bit of food at the Wetherspoons - keeping it classy - and then all went off to get out bits and bobs from Boots, WHSmiths etc - classic airport essentials!! - now… I’ll spare you the details… but I also have Crohns disease, and was not tooooo well!! It seemed that all of a sudden our gate was called… and I was… erm… busy…

I was as quick as I could be (awks), but there is no rushing somethings man!!! We were all panicking on the WhatsApp group and I told the gals I would meet them at the gate… Grace (bless her heart) said she would wait for me - she went to the information desk and told them my situation and asked if we could get a wheelchair or one of those buggy things to assist us to the gate - which of course was the furthest one away!!!

Do you know what they said to her??

‘You have four minutes until the gate closes and you won’t get there in time. You have to go now and leave your friend’ Grace being Grace said no, and waited for me. She tried to explain but they said to her ‘If she’s ill she shouldn’t be travelling’ - THANKS GATWICK - REAL BIG HELP THERE!!

Anyway… I came out of the toilets (why oh why am I selling you all this hahahaha) and found Grace - we had less than 4 minutes to do like a good 10 minute walk.

I don’t think I’ve moved so fast in a long time!! We were proper power walking through the airport and Grace would break into a jog at some points. I was fast trailing behind her shouting ‘just go!’ ‘Go on without me!’ Which of course she didn’t….

Stress levels were ridiculous, and I almost collapsed on an escalator - I sat and G rubbed my back…. After what seemed like a marathon we got to the gate… where everyone was sat chilling and they hadn’t even stared boarding yet. cool. whatever… Then Tilly comes walking up behind us as my body is shaking and I start to cry from all the adrenaline- ‘oh hey guys! you got here quick!’ - yea Tilly… real quick….LOL

By that time my legs were utter jelly and I thought I was going to pass out - very pleasant- but we all got on the plane and were laughing so hard at the messages of sheer panic in the WhatsApp group! We were all SO RELIEVED that we had made it!! I literally thought I had ruined everyone’s holiday!! - oops!! Never eating before a flight again! ;)

So we got to Spain and yet again the airport staff were assholes - I was as you can imagine feeling awful and there was a huge queue to get through passport control- I had my disabled parking badge with me as way of proof (people look at me and just don’t get it) and so Kaite and I asked if there was any where I could sit to wait for the queue to go down or any way we could go to the front. After they’d asked ‘where is the disabled girl?’ looking straight past me, and told me no, we’d had enough and just walked straight through while they shouted ‘Policia’ at us etc…. Luckily the police did not come and we went straight through!

What is it with these people?? Like even if I was a healthy girl who became ill on the plane they should WANT to help someone who is asking for assistance??

They can all get in the bin. End of.

So next was the drive (thank you Nicki for driving on the other side of the road for us all!!) to the villa and then we were there! Bloody exhausting.

The gals all then went out for dinner and I went to bed and ate a gluten free pot noodle I had packed in ma suitcase. Living the dream I tell ya!

The next day I was feeling pretty awful and chilled all day by the pool - now of course I am not complaining as I am so lucky to have been able to go on holiday at all, but that day, and most of the time actually, it was just a massive head fuck.

How was I was sat by the pool, surrounded by palm trees in the gorgeous sun, yet all I felt like doing was crying. I couldn’t shake it.

I didn’t want to be with my friends and I didn’t have the energy to make conversation, but kept trying and didn’t want to ruin everyone else’s holiday or be a downer.

Some of the time it just felt I was like having salt rubbed in my wounds right in my face. I was surrounded by four other healthy girls doing what I wished I could be.

I guess at home where I can escape to my room, and the fact that they are all at work everyday, it’s a little easier to cope.

But watching them all have fun and go out without me, and drink wine every night etc. was just a bit rubbish I guess.

I’m sure I sound ridiculous but you can’t help what you feel, and that’s what I felt.

The second night I went for dinner with them all but got so unwell I was in tears at the dinner table and got a cab home and left them to it. Fuck sake. (Sorry for all the swearing… just feel strongly lol)

I did improve a bit as the holiday went on, and my god they were all SO helpful and caring - always carrying the sun lounger out to the pool for me, and making me food when I was super tired (great omelette’s Nix!!), taking my suitcase for me at the airport, all that kinda stuff - and for that I thank them all, I must have been such a burden always having to be ‘looked after’ and I hated that. But they were beyond wonderful. Love you all SO MUCH!!

Then Emily arrived for the last few days which was awesome as we don’t get to see her as much now she’s moved out- so that was cool and we had a really lovely day at the beach which I genuinely enjoyed and did feel a little better - oh and I got duck pancakes that day too… nuff said!! :)

On the Saturday we had decided to have our one ‘night out’ -it was really nice to all get dolled up and as most of us are single now there was a lot of banter with the bar staff etc!

But again I was there drinking a Diet Coke and they were there making bloody boomerangs of them cheersing with their champagne glasses and getting drunk. God I am bitter!! hahaha

How do I always end up writing about my long to get drunk on this blog haha…. I just really miss it I guess… It’s hard cos my personality is so full of get up and go and lets go get drunk and dance!!! But instead I get to a club, can’t drink and all I think about is where can I sit down and what time shall I get a cab home on my own.

Wow… I really can complain huh!!!

On a positive note- I did have a dance that night!! Ok it was for maybe like 2 songs and it was more of a side step LOL but it felt really good! … and again…. Bar staff were on fleeek - for a laugh Nicki and I went up and she dared me to ask for his number… which I did…he was like the most gorgeous man I had ever seen!! But he had to get a woman over to translate as he didn’t understand a word I was saying and then when he did give me his number he asked if I spoke Spanish… to which I said no…. Most pointless exchange ever but Nicki and I were dying laughing and then just kinda ran away! I felt 13 again!

Then Grace did a high kick on the dance floor and fell flat on her face - and got glass in her hand. Doh! Oh Grace- your dance moves make me so happy- man I wish I could do crying laughing emojis on here!!!

-Don’t worry, Grace got looked after! After being told she would need stitches by the bar staff, she ended up in A&E but came home a mere plaster

Anyway I am rambling now -

After that night again I felt terrible and didn’t make it out to dinner with the gals but was glad I had made it out in the first place. I sat and ate chocolate watching the sunset instead. All good ;)

Then the journey home of course was pretty rubbish - British Airways you suck balls. - We pre booked assistance on the way home after our first ordeal! But this then meant waiting on the (very cold) plane for another half an hour, then being wheeled to a dark hallway and being left sat there alone (no staff anywhere) for about 45 minutes. We got so fed up that Katie found a few wheelchairs and stole one- I mean if they’re not gonna help we will help ourselves… it was at that moment that the buggy arrived and faffed about for a long time and then took us through passport control etc. LONG. Would have probably been less tiring to walk but then you never know how far it is!

After hitting my head at the train station I arrived home to Sussex where my mum picked me up.

Then HOME!! Oh the joy!! Bed with my cat! YAAAASSSS!!!

Unfortunately the next day I had hospital in the morning but it was to see a consultant I’ve been waiting forever to see who is giving me a trail of some new medication.

I don’t want to get my hopes up so am trying not to think about it but my god I am PRAYING that it might just help! - I’ll let ya know ;)

So now that I am back in London I am back to trying to do small realistic tasks each day and build back up from there. It’s depressing. It’s frustrating. It’s lonely. But it has to be done.

Much love for anyone who has actually read that!!! Means so much and am just trying to turn a negative into a positive - I enjoy writing this and hope that someone in a similar situation might be able to relate, and that someone who has never heard of M.E. might gain a little understanding.

Please get in touch if you wanna chat :)

My website: www.aliceella.com

Insta: @aliceellagram

MWAH x

[anachef]

First Look and Review! The NEW Pepe by Chef José Andrés at Jaleo in Disney Springs

Pepe is now open on the West Side of Disney Springs!

Learn About: Pepe by Jose Andres

Downtown Disney Disney World Restaurants

Pepe is the new counter service component of Jaleo by Chef José Andrés (which will open for its dinner debut this evening). This location in Disney Springs is the first brick-and-mortar location for Pepe, following the Pepe food truck which has been a hit for the last six years in Washington, D.C.

You’ll find Pepe on the front corner adjacent to the main entrance for Jaleo. So, if you’re hoping to catch some of the authentic Spanish cuisine by Chef Andres, but don’t have plans to dine inside Jaleo, we’re going to check out what Pepe has in store for you!

Pepe

Atmosphere

Pepe — just like Jaleo — was designed by Spanish designer Juli Capella.

Pepe

Upon walking in, a counter stands with the menu posted above. (We’ll take a closer look at the offerings on the menu in the next section of the post.)

Pepe counter

And, of course, friendly staff are there to greet you!

Pepe Staff

The most striking visual in the immediate area is a mural by Marc Jesús, a famous Menorcan painter known for “his ever-happy, blue-skinned female characters.”

Mural

And there is space inside the bright and colorful Jaleo dedicated to seating for guests at Pepe!

Indoor seating area

Indoor seating area

Simple chairs and tables set the scene underneath gorgeous and striking red lantern-style chandeliers.

Indoor seating area

Indoor seating area

The spot is strategically placed by the Matador Bar, since that’s where Pepe guests pick up their beverages.

Matador Bar

By the way, even though this part isn’t technically about Pepe… here’s just an FYI that the bar will be open for dinner for first-come, first-served seating and guests sitting there will be able to order off of the Jaleo menu.

But for now, it’s back to the PEPE menu!

Eats

Sandwiches, gazpacho, salads, sangria, and more are all on the menu at Pepe!

Pepe Sandwich Menu

Pepe Sides Menu

Pepe Other Bites Menu

Pepe Drink Menu

Let’s see… where to begin? How about with some Sangria?

Sangria

Oh, my… what a way to start! This Sangria is not uber-sweet at all (which is something we’ve come to expect from other sangrias at Disney). It is very fruity, of course, but the sweetness comes through on the back end. It’s truly enjoyable.

Notice the extra-large cubes in the cup which melt more slowly than crushed ice. Oh, and it’s served in a plastic cup as opposed to glass for sipping outside, if you like.

Sangria

And if you’d like a little (or a lot) of something to go with your Sangria

… let’s take a look at a few of the sandwiches, starting with the Pepito Ternera.

Pepito Ternera

The Pepito Ternera is one of the Pan de Cristal selections, which is a thin, crispy bread unique to Spain. It features flat iron steak, caramelized onion, cheese, and mayo. It is SERIOUSLY good, with huge chunks of perfectly grilled steak. The grilled onions add some terrific taste and the cheese is mild, but not lost in the flavor.

Pepito Ternera

Pepito Ternera

And the bread is surprising because it’s crunchy, yet somehow still chewy on the inside.

Pepito Ternera

We learned that Pan de Cristal translates to “glass bread” and was named such since it makes the sound of shattering glass when you bite in.

Next up is one of the Pressed Bikini Sandwich selections: Bikini Quatro Quesos — grilled cheese! It’s served with a side of honey mustard.

Bikini Quatro Quesos

The steak sandwich was so good that we thought this might be underwhelming following it. But no…

Bikini Quatro Quesos

The toasty bread has a nice bit of crisp surrounding the cheese (which tasted mostly of Swiss).

Bikini Quatro Quesos

I’ve not previously dipped grilled cheese into honey mustard before, but it’s something of a game changer. This particular version isn’t as sweet as traditional honey mustard, with something of a Dijon taste.

Bikini Quatro Quesos

Our final sandwich is the Pollo Fritto, served on a roll.

Pollo Fritto

Breaded chicken breast comes with piparra peppers, gem lettuce, alioli, brava sauce (you’ll see this sauce again soon), and a sherry dressing.

Pollo Fritto

And it’s yet another winner! The chicken is flavorful, but not too heavy. The tomato-based brava sauce tastes great and the peppers add some good heat.

Pollo Fritto

You can also pick up some sides to pair with your sandwich. The Patatas Bravas are potato chips with alioli and Brava sauce. Upon receiving the “dish,” it looks like a normal bag of chips, right?

Patatas Bravas bag

But when you reach inside…

Patatas Bravas

Surprise! The alioli definitely presents a pronounced garlic paired with the tomato-based Brava sauce with its natural sweetness and lots of flavor.

Patatas Bravas

This side is tasty, messy-in-a-fun-way, and very shareable!

Another side option is Gazpacho. And if you were expecting a bowl of this chilled soup, like I was… think again!

Gazpacho

Served in drinkable fashion, this soup made of tomato, cucumber and peppers is — despite its thick appearance — quite light and refreshing!

Gazpacho

The cucumber shines through unexpectedly and there’s even some nice spice from the peppers.

Gazpacho

And for dessert? Soft-serve options are Leche Merengada, Fresa (Strawberry Sorbet), or a swirl. The Leche Merengada is based on a classic Spanish drink of sweetened milk with cinnamon and lemon.

Leche Merengada

The Cast Member strongly suggested we pick up a Spanish-made torta to go with the ice cream (which you can purchase individually or take home in a pack).

Tortas

Tortas

The Leche Merengada is terrific and unique. We didn’t pick up much of the lemon flavor, but it’s super creamy and bursting with the cinnamon. It is tasty on its own…

Leche Merengada and Torta

But we have to hand it to the Cast Member who suggested the torta to go with it!

Leche Merengada with Torta

It’s crispy and dusted with sugar, without being too sweet. It’s delicious and adds great crunch to the soft-serve. A sweet end to our first visit to Pepe!

Nosh or Not?

You’ll want to stop by Pepe if:

You really want to try some of the cuisine by Chef Andres, but do not have plans to dine at Jaleo.

You do have plans to dine at Jaleo, but would like some more Sangria, please

.

You’d like to introduce yourself or your family members to Spanish cuisine if it’s new to you. This is a great place to start!

You’ll want to pass by Pepe if:

You need to save room for your first visit to Jaleo

.

Overall

What a great first impression Pepe offers! There really wasn’t a weak spot in the bunch in our selections, but our favorites were the Pepito Ternera (steak sandwich), the Leche Merengada… and, of course, the Sangria! But no matter what you choose, the more upscale atmosphere and the unusually good eats make this a very memorable counter service option, and we’re so glad it’s available for guests who may not have the time or opportunity to dine within Jaleo. And the really nice thing is that Pepe is not simply an after-thought to add on to Jaleo. It’s a great destination on its own already.

Some logistics: Pepe’s hours are 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM. Pepe is one Quick Service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, with Plan guests receiving one sandwich or salad and any drink (including Sangria for of-age guests). Dessert is not included in the quick service meal credit; however, you can get a dessert as a snack credit.

And with that, we say “Welcome, Pepe!”

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Would you like to dine at Pepe? Please let us know with a comment!

Related posts:

Pepe by José Andrés Coming to Disney Springs

What’s the Latest on Jaleo’s Opening Date in Disney Springs?

What’s New in Disney Springs! August 10, 2018

from the disney food blog https://ift.tt/2TMK60D via https://ift.tt/LNvO3e

[writejiminie]

Empty Canvas

Pairing: Art Student!Taehyung ♡ Reader

Word Count: 1.6k

Genre: Fluff~ 

Inspired by this prompt

You’ve been sketching me for half an hour now, and just shuffled up to hand me the finished product and it’s TERRIBLE but you just wanted an excuse to talk to me

“Agh! Right?? This project is such a hassle, it’s so difficult to even find a model to draw!” He complained to you as you both conversed down the halls of your university, on the way to your designated classes. 

You giggled as Taehyung roughly tugged against his hair, ranting by each strand. Don’t get it twisted, Taehyung is “usually” a talented artist who can muster the patience and manage the time to make a really good art piece. For this particular project, however, he just seemed exaggerated and tired.

"-and that’s why I’ve decided you’ll be my model!” Instantly you freeze and turn towards him, a grin stretching across his face to your own shocked expression.

"What?? I can’t possibly! I mean, I don’t even know what to do and I don’t stand very still and-” What even is modeling??

"Relax!” He stretches to wrap his arm around your shoulders, waving his hand nonchalantly before you, "My idea was that the model simply just has to sit down and talk with me. I want to represent a unique piece that shows motion only at the mouth, like as if the painting was literally telling you a story.”

You’re doubtful about this, worried that it could be too awkward and long, and try to convince Taehyung that you had another friend in mind to suggest.

"Why don’t you use Yoongi as your model? He’s a guy known to be motionless! Or Taeyeon, she’s gorgeous and you two get along-”

He squints and cocks his head at you, "Eh? But I’ve already drawn all of them at least once…Besides, I only want to paint my best friend! I’ve never gotten the chance to draw you before, so today would be a good start because this may be my best piece yet!” He pokes you desperately, his eyes begging while he slightly pouts for further enhancement.

You sigh and decide to give in, "Very well Taehyung…“

His face lightens up and he grabs onto your hands, his eyes twinkling at you, "Woah!!?? Seriously??”

You looked over his glowing expression and close your eyes, "Just, try not to take too long please. I have to study tonight.” 

He chuckles and murmurs with a smug smile drawn on his face, "Don’t rush an artist Y/n! Don’t you know?” He gives you a wink, erupting an irritated scoff from you. You both decide to meet afterschool, preferably outside for the better lighting, at one of the tables in the court yard.

It’s your first time posing for anything really and you’re nervous, sitting tensely in your seat as your hands grip onto each other making the knuckles white. He frowns at you and gestures for you to chill whining, "You look too stiff, I’ll paint you funny if you look like that…”

You laugh and that seems to relax you a little as you distract yourself in the silence while Taehyung starts sketching you onto the canvas, soft scratching vibrates through the air. A few seconds after, the sound is replaced by the rough erasing that follows. It was a really nice day outside and a feeing of contentment began to wash over you before–

"Ahh, talk to me Y/n, considering this is a piece that sortaaa requires you to!” Taehyung glances at you from above the stilt to encourage you.

You were never very good at initiating conversation and mostly it was him who took care of the topics, but you were determined to try if it was to help your best friend with his art project.

You nervously blew a hair out of your face as you asked the first question you could think of, "Uh…anything happen at lunch today?” It was the question you’d ask him whenever you got to see him, when you two were able to be alone together away from classes and stress, relaxing and talking just like this. He knew you never ate lunch, so he would always tell you about it and what happened around him during the 30 minutes while you sat isolated in the library to do homework.

"Ahh the usual really. A couple of my friends, you remember Jimin and Jungkook, screwed up and ended up making me spill my lunch tray and the staff was there with us…” He groans at the memory and you chuckle in return. His eyes light up, "Ohh that’s a good face! I’ll draw that in…” Lightly, he sketches your bright eyes, trying his best to represent the way they faded into crescents when you laughed. Beautiful.

You bite your lip, not just because you were self-conscious of how the painting would turn out with your lacking modeling skills, but because you couldn’t seem to think of anything else to ask about or comment on. Taehyung notices this and his voice startles you, causing you to jump a little in the chair, as he breaks the lingering silence, "I’ve never wanted to bother you so I haven’t asked, but what do you like about chilling in the library anyways?”

Your eyes widen and immediately you’re happy to share, "Ohh, it’s always quiet in there and everyone is there for basically the same reasons. To catch up on work, study, read, it’s a nice connection even though nobody really talks to each other, we recognize and respect one another.” Your ears turn red when you realized how passionately you were speaking of a library that was full of strangers that you didn’t know what they were truly thinking. 

But Taehyung nods surprisingly understanding, "I see…that’s good. I think I’ll join you next time, I don’t read enough.”

"Was that a joke?” Your eyebrows rose and your smile keen as you teased him, "I've seen those huge art textbooks that you’re given and I could’ve sworn you were smiling like a pedophile looking at all those nude-”

Immediately his eyes flicker to yours, the pencil put down temporarily, "You know I don’t look into art because of those reasons!” He exclaims, disbelief written on his face and you can’t stop smiling. It was fun to tease him.

"Oh? But you were looking at sooo many!” His cheeks had gone red and clearing his throat nervously he picked the pencil up again, not replying to you as he continued to observe your form and sketch.

For a while, the conversation continued to range from many subjects like how your households have been lately, if you both were ready for that cursed calculus test tomorrow (Taehyung forgot and flipped out), and eventually Taehyung was already packing away his paints. The painting was finished.

"May I get up now?” You asked and he briefly nodded his head, his eyes directed and focused clearly on his finished work even as his body was turned to stuff his things in his bag.

You stretch to rid of the stilled muscles from sitting for so long, you look at the clock and shout in amazement, "Wow! You took a long time alright…it’s been 2 hours!” It hadn’t felt that way, you didn’t even notice how numb your bottom was getting from sitting for so long until he placed down his paintbrush.

He smiles at you, "Didn’t feel like it though, right?” You shook your head, now curious to see how it turned out and no longer nervous.

However, he quickly swipes the canvas off the stilt and holds it up and away from you and your mouth is agape. "Wah?! You’re not going to show the model the piece that was inspired by her?” You tried to grab it, but he pulled away just as quick, smirking at you and shaking his head, the brown bangs moving with him.

"You won’t like it…” He sticks his tongue out teasingly, but his eyes move to the painting and they fill with admiration. A chill runs up your spine as you start to assume many possibilities of what he could have done to alter your face, form, or dignity that you already had less confidence in already!

"I won’t show you unless…” Your ears have perked up by now and you look at him desperately, the curiosity and desire to see it painstakingly high that you nod your head ready for anything,  "You promise to talk to me again, forever.” 

A relieved sigh escapes your mouth and you smile, nodding again, that was easy enough. You already talked to him every day so that just seemed normal.

He stares at you for a while longer to ensure that you’ve kept the promise and hands you the canvas, still faced away from you. You turn it around and you could’ve sworn the gasp that ripped out of your lungs would make you lose your voice for an entire century from what was on the canvas before you. 

Absolutely nothing and your face drops in shock. How was that even possible? 

By the time you look up with the intention of giving Taehyung a death stare, he’s already disappeared. At least, that’s what you had thought before he turned you around revealing himself and kissing your lips, slyly peeling the empty canvas from your hands and running away as quickly as he started. He had run faster than you were able to scream, "WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME YOU-”

Then you stop, and remember. You promised to talk to him again, forever, which meant you had to talk to him tomorrow. The canvas was empty, so he’ll ask you to model again because he needs to draw you for the project. That means you need to question him about the kiss. The kiss! Your eyes widen and the curve of your upper lip starts to twitch.

Now he has left you to question and ponder in your own thoughts until you can talk to him about them tomorrow.

                   Thank you soooo much for reading~ ˙˚ʚ(´◡`)ɞ˚˙

[artificialqueens]

Check You Out - Chapter 4 - May

A/N: It’s here! Thank you so much to everyone who left feedback, it means so much to me. I have one final chapter planned out, and I can’t believe I’m almost at the end of this, and I really hope you enjoy it. The gap between this chapter and the next should be shorter as I’ve already written most of it, and I’m a tad less busy with life atm. If you have any feedback or comments I’d love to hear it, either here or hmu at artificial-may 

“No ma’am I cannot give you a refund on this opened packet of crackers, especially with no receipt and half of the crackers mentioned missing. I’m sorry about that,” Bianca told a particularly obstinate woman, giving her a look that said you-are-an-absolute-pain-in-the-arse-and-please-get-out-my-vicinity-before-I-yell-at-you. The lady retreated, grumbling about poor customer service while Bianca rolled her heavily lined eyes and the young checkout operator working alongside her smiled sympathetically.

 “Customers suck don’t they?” she said, tossing her black hair over a shoulder, having heard the entire exchange. Bianca saw her name was Violet from her name tag. “God, most of them,” responded Bianca, rolling her eyes again. “There’s one or two that make me smile though.” Bianca noticed the corners of Violet’s twitch upwards at that, and her eyes became a little softer, as if she’d just remembered something. Bianca raised an eyebrow. “What’s that expression for?” she asked. Violet flushed a pale red, and her closed expression returned. “Does someone have a little crush on a customer?” teased Bianca in a sing-song voice, and the colour in Violet’s face deepened. “N-no,” she stammered. “Some of them are just nice.” Bianca smirked. “Nice to look at you mean?” Violet shrugged and tilted her head to the side. “Yeah,” she conceded. Bianca snickered and Violet looked indignant. “It’s just one, and yeah, she’s pretty and has the loveliest hair ever, I just like talking to her because she’s super chill and actually listens to me and is nice. I most certainly don’t have a crush on her.” “Sounds a little like you do,” responded Bianca, seeing right through what was obviously a lie. “So you can’t empathise?” asked Violet, a challenge almost, not a question. “No, I cannot. Because unlike you, I have never fallen in love with a customer,” responded Bianca. Violet was nearly shouting now. “I am not in love with any-“ She broke off suddenly as a tall blonde tentatively placed her basket on Violet’s conveyer, Violet’s eyes widening in surprise. “Hey Pearl,” she said, a little breathlessly.

Chuckling to herself at Violet’s foolishness and denial, Bianca turned away, and locked eyes with Adore, entering the door, who raised her hand and wiggled her fingers in a lazy wave. Bianca’s stomach jumped.

 “Adore!” she called out, the green haired girl turning her way in surprise. Bianca idly noted she needed to get her roots redone. Bianca held up the bottle of Berocca and wiggled it in the air. Adore smiled and made her way to the express lane, hurdling a barrier in order to get there. “You’re not supposed to jump the barrier,” Bianca said automatically and Adore grinned. “'Kay,” she responded. “Why’d you keep this at the checkout?” “Didn’t want a repeat of yesterday where I didn’t get to talk to you,” responded Bianca, fake pouting. “Yeah that sucked man,” responded Adore.

 They were both quiet for a second, before Adore spoke again, after checking her phone. “Well I’ve got seven minutes before I need to leave, tell me something fun.”

 +++

Violet’s insides were twisting with embarrassment as she greeted Pearl, hoping she hadn’t heard the conversation that she’d been having with Bianca seconds before. In all fairness, she had been screaming, fairly loudly she had to admit.

 It was no secret Violet liked to be in control. Everything in her life, she lived with control over, she prided herself on that. But for some weird reason, her weird quasi-friendship with Pearl had her feeling out of control. And she was too proud to admit it to anyone, especially Bianca, that there was a tiny part of her that liked Pearl in that way. Even the thought of it, made her want to cringe. Violet was powerful, she had dreams. She was not someone who got distracted by other girls, or who pined after the moments they would come in and make her shift a little bit brighter.

 Yet here she was.

Pearl was standing in front of her a little uneasily, and with every passing second Violet could feel some sort of weird tension build between them. Crap, she thought, she heard me didn’t she?

“Right,” she said, smiling, “how are you today?” The tension that had been building crumbled a little, and Pearl smiled back at her. “I’m good, sorry, I’m a little out of it today,” Pearl responded. Violet laughed, and they were back as they usually were, laughing, joking and chatting like good friends. Not a hint of tension.

In a small part of her mind Violet acknowledged that she really needed to get a handle on the feelings that were pooling up in her stomach. She knew it wasn’t healthy to dwell on the fact that the two literally knew nothing about the other, yet they felt as close as old friends.

Violet felt like she was going to burst.

“See ya then,” said Pearl, all too soon, and Violet hated the fact that she wished Pearl had bought more just so she could have stayed chatting longer. “Have a good day Pearl,” responded Violet, waving as she passed over the receipt. Pearl left, not throwing a second glance over her shoulder, but Violet remained with her eyes locked on the retreating head of blonde hair.

The automatic doors shut behind Pearl with a snap, pulling Violet’s gaze from the blonde girl. She glanced at Bianca, who was watching the girl with green hair saunter out the store, with the same expression that Violet was pretty sure she had been wearing just moments before. Violet snorted, and Bianca turned with a start, to see Violet’s smirking face.

“You really don’t empathise with me?” asked Violet.

In response, Bianca turned a deep pink. “If you tell anyone I will come to your house at night and cut off all your hair and weave it into an ornamental throw rug.”

Violet laughed loudly.

 +++

“Can I tell you something Phi Phi?” asked Sharon in between customers as they stood together at express. “Yeah, of course,” responded the shorter girl, running her hands through her newly blue streaked hair. She’d taken the plunge a week ago after Sharon had almost convinced her to apply for a fashion course, before deciding her parents would be a lot gentler on her if she did something that wasn’t going to change their idea of a perfect daughter. “I’m quitting at the end of my shift.”

Phi Phi couldn’t respond, opting instead to simply and openly stare at the white blond girl next to her. “You’re what?” “Quitting,” responded Sharon, simply. “This isn’t what I want to do.” “But your dad- “ “He can get over himself,” shrugged Sharon. “If he really wants me to work here, he can work here himself.” Phi Phi gaped. “Like two weeks’ notice?” Sharon smiled. “Effective immediately.” “Damn.” Phi Phi let out a low whistle. She knew Michelle, the store’s manager, hated sudden staffing breaks. If she’d been yelled at for pulling out of a shift with not enough notice, God knows what she’d do to someone straight up saying they were leaving. Eat them alive probably.

 Then again this was Sharon she’d be up against.

 More than that, Phi Phi thought, she’d miss working with Sharon. Most of the time Sharon was bored, sarcastic and didn’t want to be there, which clashed with Phi Phi’s attitude sometimes, but Phi Phi would miss the times when there was a lull in customers when Sharon seemed to drop her attitude a tiny little bit. And maybe, just maybe she’d miss having Sharon standing opposite her for five hours a day. Sharon might be the bane of Phi Phi’s existence sometimes, but Phi Phi couldn’t deny she was straight up gorgeous.

“You all good there?” asked Sharon, jolting Phi Phi out of her reverie. “Huh? Yeah, I was just thinking,” responded Sharon “Aww, are you going to miss me Phi Phi?” teased Sharon, raising her voice in an annoying sing-song way. “No!” exclaimed Phi Phi loudly. “I’m already planning the party I’m going to throw once you’ve left,” she joked. “I’ll miss you,” said Sharon, her voice low, a quiet contrast to Phi Phi’s outburst. Phi Phi looked over, slightly stunned. She didn’t think Sharon particularly liked her. They had a relationship that was essentially based on I-really-don’t-care-for-you-but-we-both-hate-the-bloody-customers-more-so-lets-chill. “Really?” Phi Phi’s own voice was also now no more than a whisper. She cleared her throat, cringing inwardly at how sappy she sounded.

“Yeah Phi, you’re a real laugh sometimes. Probably the only good thing about working in this place.” Phi Phi smiled against her will, and pushed down the thoughts she’d been having about Sharon for weeks now. Thoughts of maybe, possibly, if she did ask Sharon about a relationship if something would ever work. It was purely hypothetical of course. Sharon and I will never be a thing. Stop right now Phi Phi, she thought. But those thoughts didn’t stop her from hoping.

 +++

 It was 4pm, which meant the staff room was packed with day staff all trying to log off and go home. Willam had already clocked off, and had just gotten out of Michelle’s office, and was now leaning against the lockers waiting for Courtney to come through so she could talk to her.

 She saw her blonde head appear in the crowd, and she kept her eyes on the other girl, watching as she scanned her fingerprint and logged her time. “Courtney!” she yelled attempting to get the other blonde’s attention. Failing, she looked around as Courtney started to leave the room, trying to figure out a way to get across the room to talk to Courtney. Her eyes alighted on a chair next to the lockers, and without really thinking about what she was doing, she mounted it, and banged on the locker next to her, creating a metallic reverb that clanged through the room. Courtney turned to see her, as did every other worker in the staff room. “Courtney!” she yelled a second time, trailing off a little under the glare of the others in the room. She smiled widely at Courtney who just looked mortified and jerked her head, indication Willam should come talk to her outside. Smiling, Willam hopped down from the chair and

 The afternoon sun was low in the sky, and it threw a buttery orange filter over the carpark, making it romantic, almost beautiful WIllam thought. Courtney was standing next to the ticket machine, hair reflecting the rays of sunlight. Pretty, she thought. Courtney caught Willam’s eye and approached, hands on her hips. “So what was that palava in there about?” “I thought it was pretty clever-“ “Everyone saw you.” “I got your attention,” Willam shrugged. Courtney rolled her eyes. “Yes. You did. I’m here. What do you want?” “I wanted to let you know that as of today, I will no longer be working in conjunction with you.”

 Courtney’s eyes widened. God that’s cute, thought Willam, shaking her head at herself for her thoughts. “You’re quitting?” “No, sadly, I will not be working in conjunction with you as meat manager.” Willam paused dramatically. “As I am transferring to the dairy department.” Courtney’s eyebrows knitted. “And you thought to tell me this because?” “Because we’re friends!” Seeing Courtney raise an eyebrow she added “kind of. Also your little chat last week about you being vegan inspired me a little.” “You do realise as a vegan I still don’t do dairy,” responded Courtney, face blank. “Yeah but for me you’d make an exception wouldn’t you,” smirked Willam. Winking at Courtney’s shocked face, Willam turned on her heel to saunter over to her car.

“That’s inappropriate!” yelled Courtney as Willam got into her car. “I’ll report you!” “No you won’t!” Willam yelled back through the open window, blowing a kiss and driving off, leaving Courtney alone in the afternoon sun, smiling a little bit to herself.

+++

Over the past few months, Trixie had gotten into a routine at work. She would turn up five minutes early precisely, scan in and take over from Kim at express. She would wait there, maybe serving a customer or two, until Katya would rush through the door, between five and ten minutes late. Trixie knew this routine well, which was why she was confused that it had been twenty-five minutes with no sign of Katya, and Kim still on express.

 “Where’s Katya tonight?” she asked Kim, after another couple of minutes ticked past, worried that something had happened, envisioning a car pretzelled around a tree, or a maniacal stabber, or something very bad. Katya was often late, but never this late “Oh didn’t you realise,” responded Kim, “there’s been a bunch of shifts shuffled around.” “What? How come?” “Um, some people wanted to work different shifts, so some other people moved to accommodate them.” “You wanted to work the closing shift?” asked Trixie incredulously. Kim shuffled a little bit looking awkward. Trixie normally loved that Kim was transparent enough to always know what she was thinking, but right now she wished she could truly believe that Katya wasn’t there because Kim had a deep desire to work the closing shift.

 “Katya wanted to move?” she asked quietly, disbelief colouring her tone. “I’m so sorry,“ said Kim, gently, “I know you guys were good friends, I’m sure she had a reason though.” She trailed off a little, and the two lapsed into silence.

 Katya doesn’t want to talk to me, she thought, and she mentally scanned through conversations she’d had recently, and found nothing that she thought could cause the Russian to want to avoid her. Pulling out her rhinestone encrusted phone she flicked a quick text off to Katya.

 To Russian Whore: Heyyyy

To Russian Whore: Where u at? Kim said you wanted to switch shifts x

 “She wouldn’t be avoiding me would she?” asked Trixie tentatively. Kim shrugged, “I mean you are the worst person I’ve ever met,” she joked, “but maybe she just didn’t want to work here so late.” Trixie made a noncommittal noise, knowing that wasn’t the case. Katya had often said she like the night, because there was no one either on earth or in heaven above she would get out of bed before 10am for.

 She checked her phone. Read 9.42pm.

 To Russian Whore: Did you turn read receipts on just so you could leave me on seen?

 Another read receipt popped up and the three little dots started flashing at the edge of her screen, and Trixie breathed a sigh of relief, though she instantly wished she could take it back, as the message simply read.

 From Russian Whore: Out on a date. Pls don’t text atm, phone’s turned off

 Trixie stared at her phone until the screen autolocked and she was staring at her dismal reflection in the black screen. It doesn’t matter, she thought, Katya’s allowed to have her life.

 Her phone buzzed with a snapchat notification, she opened it to see a snap from Kim from a couple of tills over.

 From Kim Chi <3: Stop being sad!!!!

 She chuckled, and saw Kim smile out of the corner of her eye, before turning to serve a tall, long legged customer purchasing a packet of gnocchi. Trixie was about to turn her phone off for the night, when she noticed the purple notification, showing someone had updated their story. More to get rid of the notification than out of actual interest she flicked over to the Story tab. It was Katya’s story, and Trixie’s thumb hesitated over the story before she opened it. It consisted of three snaps: the first a snap of Katya in her bathroom, evidently getting ready for her date, the second a video of Katya dancing with a girl with long messy blonde hair whom Trixie recognised from the meat department, with a heart eyes emoji overlaying. Trixie tapped the screen and bile rose in her throat at an image of Katya and the other blonde in a deep embrace, attached at the lips, at the hips. Trixie shut off her phone instantly as she felt her stomach sink so far through the floor she thought it was looking to begin an independent oil drilling venture.

 In a flash, Trixie remembered the conversation they’d had a few nights ago, where Trixie had mentioned her boyfriend, and Katya had become oddly closed off. Trixie wasn’t the most emotionally sensitive, but she had definitely felt a weird kind of tension in the air between them in the recent weeks before that conversation – something more than friends, the kind of flirting that you did with your friends but sort of – different. Trixie couldn’t quite explain it. It still didn’t explain why Katya would try to cut her out of her life, not unless –

 Trixie gasped audibly as she realized what had really been in front of her the whole time.

 Katya liked her. Like, liked liked her.

 That explains the petty snaps, she thought. But she needs to deal with the rejection. I have a boyfriend.

But she still felt an inexplicable hurt and, for some reason, jealousy at the idea of Katya making out with someone else. She shook her head a little.

 God, why do you even care Tracy? she thought.

[cilldaracailin]

Under Pressure

Story is on AO3 here: http://www.archiveofourown.org/works/23570293/chapters/56548318

3

“I think it's an Irish thing. We don't really care. We say it as we mean it, and you have to deal with it. The truth is the truth.”

Robyn stood in the queue for less than two minutes before she was called forward to the next cashier.

“Ahh my favourite Irish lassie!” laughed the girl behind the till.

“Ah-ha my favourite Floridian surf chick,” Robyn laughed back. “Hey Maggie!” Robyn carefully lifted the basket and placed it on the counter. “How has your day been?” Maggie had become one of Robyn’s close friends since she had arrived in Clearwater. They had bonded on the beach over a sunset on Robyn’s first evening on the beach and decided it was faith when Robyn arrived in the 7/11 the next day to buy in some supplies for her flat and found Maggie serving at the counter. They became firm friends quickly.

“Better than yours it seems,” said Maggie as she looked in her friend’s basket.

“Ahh yeah, well Claire wants some American chocolate and, ya know, those turtles, I can’t resist them.”

“So I can see,” replied Maggie as she scanned the fifth packet in. “Christina been at it again?”

“Do you even need to ask. That’s definitely one person I am not going to miss and I plan on just pigging out this evening. Total chill before my flight tomorrow.”

“And what movie will you be watching?”

“Thinking maybe Rocketman?”

“Ahh good choice. That Taron, man, do you know what I would do if I got my hands on him in those hot pants!”

“Maggie!” Robyn cried. “Seriously. You and Claire are two peas in a pod. I happen to enjoy the music of Elton John you know.”

“And it has nothing to do with the beautiful pair of white dungarees he wears or the exceptional fore mentioned tight hot pants.” Grinned Maggie.

“Jesus Maggie.” Exclaimed Robyn. “No. I just enjoy a good musical.”

“Oh, you enjoy a good musician? Do you class Taron as a good musician, yeah? And I am going to say yes. Your cheeks are blushing”

“No that is from being outside in the garden with the children today and not wearing any sun cream. I still burn even after six months here.”

“Hmm yeah sure. So, nothing to do with those wonderful scenes during the Bennie and the Jets number, no?”

“No Maggie, because those scenes were an insight into Elton John’s tumbling mental health and issues which almost killed him and I am now ending this conversation.” Replied Robyn firmly as she pulled her purse out of her shoulder bag.

“He was looking gorgeous in those scenes though…”

“…So yes, change of subject. How was the beach today?”

“Taron would look gorgeous on the beach.” Robyn gave Maggie one look. “Ok ok don’t use your teacher stare on me.”

“He’s just a normal person, Maggie, doing his job. He’s not an object for ogling or sexualising. He’s a talented man who played his part brilliantly. Now, moving on.”

Maggie could tell the conversation was definitely over as she heard her friend’s Irish accent strongly coming through. Robyn had picked up a slight American twang while living in Florida but her own accent always shone when she was angry, annoyed or frustrated. Maggie knew it was time to definitely change the subject.

“Are you all packed?” Maggie asked sadly, instead. She was feeling at a loss as her new friend was going home tomorrow. She had unquestionably enjoyed her company over the last six months and they had had many fun adventures together.

“Well talk about a complete change of subject. Nearly packed. Just a few last bits to throw in.” replied Robyn. “You know my offer still stands, Maggie. Whenever you want to come and visit, you can stay with me.”

“You know I am going to take you up on that. I have always wanted to see the Emerald Isle.” She giggled as Robyn groaned. She quickly packed up all of Robyn’s purchases into a bag. Maggie knew how to push Robyn’s buttons easily, and it was even more fun when her friend was already stressed after a hard day at work. “I will come and see you and you know you can stay with me when you come back to Clearwater.”

“I am going to come back, but that is to see the dolphins, Maggie. Not too sure about you.” The two looked at each other and laughed. Robyn reached over and took Maggie’s hand before pulling her in for a tight hug over the counter. “I will be back and I will be staying with you.” They let each other go. “Right how much do I owe you?”

“That will be twenty-two dollars and seventy-three cents.”

Robyn opened up her purse and went to pull out her debit card, when a loud crash and sound of glass breaking caused her drop her purse, while a scream from Maggie made her look up. Behind Maggie all the glass of the alcohol shelf had been shattered, glass and smashed spirit bottles falling onto the floor behind Maggie and on the counter between the two girls.

“What the...?”

“Nobody move!” shouted a loud gruff male voice.

Robyn looked up to the entrance of the 7/11 where stood four men, with a gun in each hand. There were a few screams from the few other customers in the store.

“I said nobody move and shut the fuck up!” the man shouted again. He then turned to the tills, looking at the three cashiers standing there. “Close the door.” He bellowed.

Maggie looked her co-workers before the man came striding over and pointed the gun towards the male cashier, two tills away from Maggie and Robyn. “I said close the fucking door.”

He looked to Maggie and the other cashier, Jane. “Jesus close the door, Dave.” Said Maggie quickly. Dave was the senior member of staff in the store during their evening shift.

Dave pulled the keys out of his pocket with shaky hands and walked over to the entrance of the 7/11, put the key in the lock slot and the glass door closed automatically.

“Now the metal shutter. That needs to be closed too.” Dave took a difference key from the set and slot it into the electronic lock below and turned it to the left, the shutter clanking closed slowly. “Now the back entrance too.” Said the man once the shutter was down. “Go with him.” He signalled to one of the other men with the gun towards the back of the store. Again, Dave looked to Maggie for help, who shrugged her shoulders.

The man took three long steps towards Dave and placed the gun at his head. “Go and close the back entrance now before I do something stupid that involves my fingers slipping and pulling this trigger.” Maggie looked to Robyn with wide scared eyes.

Those at the front of the store heard the gun click into place, as Dave stood frozen in his place.

Working with children, meant that Robyn had an extremely protective nature within her and of course, a fiery temper which she inherited from her father, especially when there some sort of injustice around her. She bravely took a step forward., ignoring the shake of Maggie’s head which she could see out of the corner of her eye. “Jesus, ok, ok. No need to for the dramatics’,” Said Robyn. “Holding a gun to his head is not going to make him move.” She took two steps towards the man, who stared her down. “Dave go and close the back entrance, now.” Dave glanced at Robyn nervously. She took another two steps towards him, holding out her hand which she placed on the man’s arm and with a small bit of pressure, made him lower the gun from Dave’s head. “Dave go and close to back entrance now, please. It is ok. Just go and do it. Same as the front. Pop the key in and close the shutter.”

“Go with him,” said the man to one of his cronies beside him.

Robyn brushed her hand discreetly off Dave’s for support as he walked past, turned her head to watch them go down the aisle towards the store room and back entrance to the 7/11. She then turned back to look the man straight in his eye.

“The bitch has balls.” Sniggered the man, folding his arms across his chest.

“And they are obviously bigger and better than yours,” Robyn replied. The smart remark just naturally came to Robyn. She would love to blame it on her nations ability to be sarcastic and witty and mean nothing but a joke by it but unfortunately in these circumstances she couldn’t. There was no one to blame this time except Robyn herself and this was the wrong moment for her to use her defensive tactics.

She suddenly understood how poor Kevin felt that morning after he had crashed into the wall except her head was hit cruelly with the butt of a gun rather than a wall. She hit the floor hard, not expecting the strike and her vision was blurred for a moment before she quickly got back to her feet. She felt a pair of hands on her shoulders as she stood up and looked to see Maggie standing beside her, her face filled with worry. Lifting her fingers to the left side of her forehead Robyn felt something wet and damp and bringing her fingers to her eyes she clearly saw blood there.

She was jerked forward as the man grabbed her by the front of her t-shirt. “I wouldn’t do that again if I were you. Keep that smart mouth closed.” He placed the gun alongside Robyn’s cheek, glaring at her. “My name is Frankie and yours is?” The gun slid down Robyn’s face toward her neck. “My name is Frankie and yours is?” he repeated as the gun travelled lower down her body.

“Robyn,” she replied keeping constant eye contact with Frankie the whole time.

“Robyn? Pretty. Like I said. I wouldn’t do that again if I were you. Now I suggest you get back and cower like everyone else is doing and do not dare to smart mouth me again. You got it Pretty?” He pulled her closer against him. “Pret-ty?” His eyes darted left as Dave came back with Frankie’s buddy walking behind him. He got a nod from his friend and a smile graced his face and he turned his attention back to the women in his arms. “Got it?”

“Yeah I got it.” Replied Robyn and Frankie let her go. She pulled down her t-shirt and straightened it out before turning back towards Maggie, looking at her frightened face who was giving her that knowing look, one Robyn has seen many times before when her mouth had run away with itself. She didn’t need to know she had stepped over the line. The slight pain in her head told her as much.

Robyn started to follow her friend back towards the counter and she took a glance down the aisles of the store, her eyes catching those of two men who were standing in the confectionary aisle. One mouthed ‘are you ok’ to her with a small sad smile. She gave one back with a raised eye brow and a nod to his question and continued to follow Maggie around the cashier till further down from where she had been helping Robyn due to all the glass all over the floor.

“Sit.” Ordered Maggie. “You are bleeding.” Robyn did as she was told and sat down on the stool. “What can I get for you.” Asked her friend as she moved Robyn’s blonde hair out of her eyes and away from her forehead, knowing her friend had substantial first training due to the nature of her job. “Shit Ro that looks bad.”

“Got a mirror? I can look and see.”

Maggie pulled her phone from her pocket and turning on the camera, switched it to selfie mode and handed the phone to Robyn so she could look at her face in the phone screen. There was a definite trickle of blood on her head. “What do you need?” asked her friend again.

“Just some water and tissues? Maybe a clean cloth? It doesn’t actually look that bad.”

Maggie gave her another one of her looks before, she took a water bottle from under the cashier desk and turning to the lower press behind the till, pulled out a small clean cloth and handed them both to her friend.

Robyn poured some water onto the cloth and cleaned the blood from her forehead, wincing a little when she hit the actual cut, using Maggie’s phone as a mirror. “See it’s not that bad. Just a small one. It has already started to stop bleeding.” Using some pressure, she held the dry end of the cloth to the wound.

“It makes me worry a little how calm you are being about this.”

“Well what am I supposed to do Maggie? Crying and panicking is not going to help me and…”

Her sentence was cut off, as Frankie started to pace in front of the store entrance, speaking in a loud showy voice, getting everybody’s attention quickly.

[vannidajoaneblog]

Brisbane 2018

DAY 1

The first time I went to Australia it was solo backpacking in Sydney. It was a short trip that even if I was able to go around to a lot of different places, I still missed on doing other things like ride a ferry; see other beaches; try Vegemite; go to the countryside; see kangaroos and koala bears, etc. Well, the next time I went to AU, it all kinda came true - in Brisbane. Thanks for my dear host Stephen. I was very happy that he agreed to tour me around in his hometown. And because he grew up there, I got to know the city in a different level.   

Different way of flying to Aussie this time. It was not direct like when when I went to Sydney via Cebu Pac. This time it’s via Qantas Air.  And I have to experience an “amazing race” connecting flights in different countries. I actually like checking different airlines and airports so I really don’t mind. I am starting to have some favorites actually.

After spending almost a day of connecting flights and stopping-over. I was back in Australia. I arrived during midnight. My gracious host fetched me up from the airport. I told him it’s okay to be in his pyjamas.

DAY 2

From there, I started to get to know Brisbane (and Stephen) as we started passing by different places after the airport. We stopped by first, at a convenient store to grab a midnight snack and off to his place. I noticed that the streets are broader in Brisbane than in Sydney.

Kangaroo Point

The next day, I was ready to see Brisbane. Well, I do not have to go any further to enjoy the fabulous view of the city because from his balcony you’ll get to see the gorgeous City District Buildings, the Brisbane river and the Story Bridge. The highways and roads are also easily accessible and proximity to shops, restaurants, and the city ferry terminals as well. I find myself taking panoramic shots whenever I can from his balcony.

Story Bridge Deli & Cafe

Off to have breakfast first. I told about the Story Bridge - well, under it, there is a suburb. And in that suburb, is an old-style delicatessen called Story Bridge Deli & Cafe. It is the place to come for everything from breakfast or lunch as well as morning coffee. You will just happen to hear lots of cars whizzing up the bridge when you sit outside but, it is a part of its charm.

Lone Pine attempt

After breakfast, we went to the first stop - to see the koalas and kangaroos. Just a short distance from Brisbane City is the Lone Pine Sanctuary. The place is pretty popular to tourists. We happen to arrive late from sleeping-in so, a lot of people have piled up already excited to see the cute animals. So, we switched plans and went to Mt. Cootha instead.

Mt. Coot-tha

Brisbane Lookout at scenic Mt. Coot-tha is a ‘must see’ for all visitors to Brisbane. It offers spectacular panoramic views over the CBD all the way to Moreton Bay. On the mountain, there are also cafés and restaurants to cater to all visitors.

Nice to see the whole city from a bird’s eye view. It definitely is stunning in the day, but I’ve heard it’s also a wonderland of lights at night.

Vine Restaurant Bar

Looking forward to seeing Brisbane in the evening. So, we decided to go for dinner that night. Italian it is at Vine Restaurant Bar.

Not just the traditional Italian dishes. Seeing the menu, it was very interesting to decide on what to have. I believe I ordered a bird dish but it was really delicious. Soup + the dish left me stuffed. But I made room for some dessert and of course wine to go along with it.

Nice ambiance in that place. It just went pretty warm inside because of the heater. Nonetheless, the staff were very nice going from one table to another, making sure that customers are having a nice food experience.  

DAY 3

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Back at Lone Pine to catch the koalas and the kangaroos. We made it a point to really come early this time before the influx of the people. It was pretty successful the second time around. Lone Pine is popular to tourists, to save yourself from lining up, you have to get there early.  

We were able to go around the whole place and see most of the animals. I was able hold the koalas, hand feed kangaroos and see a large variety of Australian wildlife like Tasmanian devil, bats, parrots, etc. within the natural settings of the sanctuary. Yes, I was a kid for today but it’s all good. It’s fun engaging with animals. I got my 2019 calendar with this cute ball of fur.

Citycat Ferry

I’ve seen Brisbane from a bird’s eye view at Mt. Cootha, also by the road by a Benz now it’s time to see Brisbane from a  duck’s point of view from the river itself via CityCat ferry.  The Citycat ferry is a pleasurable way to travel in Brissy. It carries Brisbane passengers each day along the inner-city. It has 15 stops and if you go from one end to another, will take you almost an hour.

We occupied the padded seating outside (don’t forget to bring your jumper during winter). Definitely a great view of the Brisbane River and you’ll get past Brisbane icons, such as the Story Bridge and South Bank Parklands. It was a plus to see the the lovely sunset from the river for we rode the ferry during that time.

Eat Street Markets

After cruising along the river to the last terminal, we had an eight-minute walk and we were in Eat Street. Eat Street is a container food village that is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

It was quite overwhelming when you get there the first time. The sights, smells, tastes and sounds. Oh the food! So many to choose from! You better get a game plan as they say so you can choose the best food you would like to eat. You can check out all the stalls first before making any food decisions. You really have to! And have a snack while at it ;)

After you’ve wandered around and spotted lots of great food choices. For sure you are ready to order your main meal. They have a great way to order so while you wait, you can still check out the other stalls and finally get your food.

When you are ready to sit down and devour, you can choose from the so many colorful alleys,where there are so many tables and chairs in. There are bands playing to keep you entertained. Eat Street is definitely a feast in every sense.

DAY 4

Queensland

Heading out to a beach on the Coast and to other beautiful places like Montville, Melany in Queensland. From Brisbane, it’s a two hour drive getting there, I believe. The road getting there has a bit of surprise so, if you feel like dozing off during the trip… hold it! At least get passed the Glasshouse Mountains.

Glasshouse Mountains

There's a total of 8 of them. The Range, as it is locally known, was created by 200 million years of constant interaction by volcanoes and water which left behind a mass of hills, valleys and waterfalls.

I was half asleep and half peeping during the trip. I thought I saw a big rock formation beneath some tall trees, it was a view of one of the Glasshouse Mountains up close. Stephen thought I missed it. I hope I was not dreaming.

Montville

After less than an hour or so, we arrived in a charming little village called Montville. It is nice to walk around here in this village. You will feel the winter cold at the same time - sun striking on your face for Montville is quite elevated in location.

It is home to unique restaurants, coffee houses, art galleries and specialty shops which maintain their own special blend of character and individual style.

Montville is quaint and romantic in a sense, certainly worth a visit.

Baroon Pocket Dam

Next, near Montville is a picturesque lake called the Baroon Pocket Dam. Pretty quiet and relaxing when we got there. Perhaps it was a Monday and there’s not much people. I am pretty sure there are lots of activities you can do if you walk around the lake, shoreline and some sort of forest in there.

There are picnic tables, places for barbecues and playgrounds for the kids making it the ideal spot for a get together with family or friends.

Caloundra Beach

Last stop before we head back is the Caloundra beach. Yes, it is still winter but, you would not want to miss on the fine sand beaches in Queensland. Nonetheless, still can’t sunbathe in that cold. But, it's still pretty nice to hangout and just talk about anything under the sun while eating fish and chips.

Movie Night

Nice to just chill  and watch some movies indoors at the end of the day. Especially if my host has a wide collection of movies from CD’s to anything new that is already downloadable.

A sure nice way to relax before a long trip back to Manila the next day. All snugged up in a blanket and munching some salted caramel popcorn from Eat Street with some nice warm drink. #Hygge

DAY 5

One last breakfast at the Story Bridge Deli & Cafe before I pack my bags.

As we headed to the airport, we dropped by the grocery store to buy pasalubong - famous Timtams & Vegemites :) I’d like to thank my host for filling half of my baggage with it. He got the concept of “pasalubong.” So, if you guys took a piece from the fridge, you now know who to thank.

Back to the airport. Flying Qantas Air from Brisbane to Sydney then to Singapore. I had a six hour stop over in Changi. Initially I was planning to go around and check the whole place but just chilled in the lounge instead. Three hours more via Jetstar, I was back to the Philippines.

A 5-day holiday is never enough. Nonetheless, it’s a great weekend trip. I had the best companion who despite having an injury - toured me around Brissy and made sure I felt at home.

[zenbabytravel]

Barcelona in 3 days for us on this occassion was packed with fun, cultural gems, chill out by best rooftop pool Barcelona, gorgeous architecture, great cuisine, fantastic clubs and nightlife. About my 10th time over the last 20 years – this is a city that I got to know and love through great Spanish and Catalan friends.  So after so many years, trips and local knowledge, I wrap up in here my top 17 things to see and do in Barcelona.

1. Get in the mood for Barcelona: Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona movie – it’s brilliant, puzzling and features an all star distribution including Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Scarlet Johnson. In case you’re younger or simply nostalgic of Uni days – L’auberge espagnole is fun and features gorgeous Barcelona landmarks. If you’d rather read – my favourite is the witty and completely unreliable Secret life of Salvador Dali – this is afterall one of my favourite artists, mad, visionary and completely controversial even for Catalans after he left most of his art to the Spanish ! Alternatively Carlos Zafon’s Shadow of the Wind sets you also in a wonderful mood. Download it on ipad for the flight in and eventually finish it by rooftop pool Barcelona overlooking Barrio Gotico.

2. Embrace the Mediteranean lifestyle. From rooftop pools to lounge bars by the beach, very late dinners and cava flowing from breakfast to the wee hours of the morning, Barcelona is one vibrant happy place. Make sure you soak in those healthy vibes and you do not overdo the touristy spots.

3. Get lost in Barrio Gotico, immerse into superb arhitecture, stand by Cathedrals and listen into live street music. 

4. Eat your way around tapas bars – pintxos, Catalan gorgeous cuisine and Spanish dishes. Condessa has been historically a favourite, on this occassion we also tested Oriol by the market and Can Pintxos on the busy sea front. Our must order include croquetas (jamon, mushroom, squid or prawn), olives, pan con tomate, alioli, gambas al allio (garlic prawns). 

5. Gaudi is Barcelona’s iconic and visonary architect. Sagrada Familia is his master piece and we have seen it built over the years. Casa Batllo and Park Guell are amidst many others state of art landmarks with Park Guell ideal for a relaxing stroll .

6.Shop your way around the small boutiques and cobbled streets – Dessigual is Barcelona’s iconic colourful happy brand but there’s so much more! Artisan jewelry and hand made shoes, funky dresses and swimwear.

7.Pick a rooftop pool Barcelona and chill. We chose Ohla hotel on this recent occassion, in the past we super indulged at Grand Central – same via Laietana, just few hundred meters away.

Picasso museum or if you’re happy to venture further to Figueres – Dali museum– about an hour and a half drive. Trust they need little introduction 😉

9. Indulge in good cava and gorgeous Spanish wines, with jamon iberico/ pata negra and manchego. This is the city that taught us to have cava at breakfast years ago – Grand Hotel bar set the standard very high and since then there has been no going back. Of course Ohla hotel on Via Laietana had also very good cava in the morning. I’d usually wrap up a very late breakfast chilling by the rooftop pool with a glass or two to start the day.

Explore the chaos and colourful Ramblas – just be mindful of your bag/ purse. Take a moment to reflect on the explorers in the old days – Christopher Columbus marks where the Ramblas meet the seafront. Nothing like wanderings and the adventures on the sea disvovering new lands!

11. Engage with the locals. I have grear Spanish and Catalan friends for over 20 years – they are warm, curious and lovely. As a teen I got to spend weekends at their holiday homes in the Catalan countryside – a beautiful old farm renovated as a gorgeous villa with swimming pool, horses and animals. And then over the years I visited regularly and got to spend time with lovely Barcelona people.

On this occassion – a 7 girls getaway week-end and hen party, as one might suspect, we had plenty of attention and friendly chats. From Ohla hotel lovely personnel, to talkative taxi drivers, staff in restaurants and felow clubbers. Catalans get very excited about London and London peeps – so we got to hear so many complimentary remarks and got to talk about restaurants, clubs and even latest Catalan – Spanish developments.

12.Learn about Catalan history through architecture and museums. Palacio de Musica Catalana is a fine example – few meters away from Ohla hotel and an architectural jewel of Catalan Art Nouveau, the only concert venue in this style to be listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  By the seafront after Las Ramblas there’s also the Museum of Catalan History.

13. Enjoy the vibrant nightlife and get advice from locals on the latest non-touristy places to hang out. Over the years we partied at Omm hotel, went for dinner and clubbing at Shoko by the beach front, and had drinks at Pulitzer hotel and Cdlc. 2018 best clubbing voted the best on this occassion was Bling Bling, Gatsby and Sutton. Get a table and share champagne to skip the entrance fee and get a bit more space to dance, a comfy couch to seat and observe ocassionally, strawberries in chocolate and complimentary water. The parties were brilliant – we struggled to leave around 4am both mornings and the crowd was still going strong!

14.Tibidado for wonderful views from up high and in the summer for more clubbing.

15.Beach bars by the sea. Historically Sunday brunch was always on CDLC or Opium. They are chilled and very refreshing especially after a big night out. Alternatively, W hotel pool overlooks the Mediteranean and Barcelona from the 26th floor.

  16. Indulge sophisticated fusion cuisine. We spoilt ourselves at Ohla – both Plassohla and rooftop with salmon tartar, croquetas, foie mid cuit. The chef in residence – Martin Rodriguez – also has a 1 star Michelin restaurant – Caelis – just abova La Plassohla.

  More food for thought after visiting this gorgeous vibrant city? Watch Biautiful with Javier Bardem – drugs, nightlife, modern slavery. It’s fast paced, crazy, fun at occassions and merciless for the vulnerable.

  Please bear in mind this is not Barcelona in 3 days itinerary, but rather highlights over the years as well as my favourite fun things to do in Barcelona.

Barcelona weather April is typically a great combination of blue sunny skies and mild temperatures – an average 20-22 degrees mid to end of April. We tested Barcelona weather April on few occassion and always reached the same conclusion: perfect time to visit, sightsee, club, enjoy the pool and gorgeous rooftops without summer opressive temperatures mid 30s or even more.

Have you been and what are your favourite things to see and do in Barcelona?

17 things to see and do in Barcelona Barcelona in 3 days for us on this occassion was packed with fun, cultural gems, chill out by best rooftop pool Barcelona, gorgeous architecture, great cuisine, fantastic clubs and nightlife.