#great american burger book

[abramsbooks]

RECIPE: The Flame-Grilled Burger (from The Great American Burger Book (Updated and Expanded Edition))

Cooking over direct flame is one of the most difficult ways to make a hamburger. One of the reasons so many of the hamburgers made a hundred years ago were cooked on flat tops was simply because the results were predictably good. Squash a ball of beef on a skillet and reap the rewards of the path of least resistance. I also would imagine that way back then, lighting a big charcoal grill and flame cooking at small burger stands and joints throughout America would have been pretty dangerous. But we all know that a burger cooked on a flame grill is a very different burger.

It’s easy to master the skillet-cooked burger. Grilling a burger on open flame requires more dedication to the craft, more time, more equipment, and a willingness to fail. That’s because cooking on an outdoor grill can be very unpredictable. The grill master is at the mercy of uneven temperatures, depending on the type of coals used and where those coals are in relation to the grilling grate. Even the weather can be a factor. The outdoor propane grill solves a few of these issues, but if you really want to experience a flame-cooked burger, super-hot charcoal is the only way to go.

There’s something fundamental and primal in our desire to harness fire and grill. “The greatest advantage to cooking over flame is the grilled flavor,” Michael Ollier, corporate chef at Certified Angus Beef®, told me once, adding with a smile, “I crave that.” It’s a flavor that you cannot ever achieve cooking on a flat top or by any other method. Chef Ollier explained the science behind this perfectly: “The fat that drips onto the coals becomes airborne, flavoring your burgers.”

The keys to grilling success are high heat and confidence. Get your coals super hot and your tools, patties, and condiments ready to go, and you’ll be all set up to grill like a pro. When family and friends are hovering around you at the grill, waiting for magic, it may feel like there’s a lot at stake. Just follow the recipe below for the classic grilled cheeseburger—and remember, practice makes perfect.

Makes 8 burgers

Equipment

A 3½-inch (9-cm) food ring or round cutter

Parchment paper

A charcoal chimney

Charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal

A charcoal kettle grill, hibachi, or similar

A stiff spatula (with a long handle)

The Burger

2½ pounds (about 1 kg) fresh-ground 80/20 chuck

Salt and coarse black pepper, for seasoning

8 soft white buns

The Toppings

8 thick slices American, cheddar, or any other good melting cheese

Green-leaf lettuce

1 or 2 red beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

1 medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, sliced

Divide the beef into 8 equal portions (5 ounces/140 g each).

Place the food ring on a cutting board or clean surface lined with parchment paper and add a portion of beef. Gently press the beef into the ring to create a perfectly round patty. (I use the ring for consistent thickness, but you can eyeball the size if you prefer. Both methods work fine. Just be sure not to over-press the meat—you want it to maintain a somewhat loose grind.)

Return the patties to the fridge to chill until you’re ready to grill (hey, that rhymes).

Using the chimney starter, light the charcoal. When coals are ready, transfer them to the grill, making sure that the bottom vent is open. Spread the coals out, leaving a small space on one side (as a rest spot in case things get too hot in there).

Place the grate over the coals and, using a grill brush, scrape off any residual buildup from your last grilling adventure. Cover the grill and make sure that the top vent is wide open. Give your grill grate a chance to heat up—you don’t want to plop raw burger patties onto a lukewarm grill. That grate should be ridiculously hot!

At this point, and not before, season both sides of your patties with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Salting too early will bind the muscle fibers together and make your burgers tough (yuck).

Place the patties on the hot grill grate, cover the grill, and leave them alone. Allow the patties to cook for about 5 minutes. The cooking time can vary depending on environmental and equipment factors, so you’ll have to use your best judgment here. Chef Michael Ollier from Certified Angus Beef put it best when he told me, “Let the burger speak to you.” If you understand this statement, you’re probably drinking too much at the grill. But seriously, with experience comes wisdom—the burger will actually tell you when it’s time to flip. One good visual cue is when you see red liquid start to form on the uncooked surface of the burger. Go ahead and take a peek just shy of 5 minutes.

This would be a good time to toast your buns. Toast them indoors using a skillet on your stovetop, or toast them with butter in a small cast-iron skillet, directly on the colder side of the grill.

Cook the second side (again, untouched and covered) for an additional 4 minutes. With about 1 minute to go, top each patty with a slice of cheese and cover the grill. As the burgers finish cooking, slide them to the cooler rest spot section of the grill, away from the hot coals. Once all your burgers are done, remove them from the heat and allow them to rest for 1½ minutes. The internal temperature of the burgers should be about 143°F (62°C) for medium-rare.

Top the toasted buns with the lettuce, tomato, and onion slices, or your condiments of choice. (I love a good, crisp slice of onion on my grilled burgers, as well as mustard, pickle, and sometimes mayonnaise.) Transfer the patties to the toasted buns and serve.

The definitive guide to creating the most mouthwatering hamburgers by America’s leading burger expert—expanded and updated with new and improved recipes

The Great American Burger Book was the first book to showcase a wide range of regional burger styles and cooking methods. In this new, expanded edition, author and burger expert George Motz covers traditional grilling techniques as well as how to smoke, steam, poach, smash, and deep-fry burgers based on signature recipes from around the country.

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific regional burger, and includes the history of the method and details on how to create your own piece of American food history right at home. Written by Motz, the author of Hamburger America and hailed by the New York Times as a “leading authority” on hamburgers, The Great American Burger Book is a regional tour of America’s best burgers.

Recipes feature regional burgers from California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. International locations include: Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Malaysia, and Turkey.

These mouthwatering recipes include Connecticut’s Steamed Cheeseburger, The Tortilla Burger of New Mexico, Iowa’s Loosemeat Sandwich, Houston’s Smoked Burger, Pennsylvania’s The Fluff Screamer, and Sheboygan's Brat Burger.

This is a book for anyone who loves a great burger, unique or classic. And who doesn’t love a great burger?

For more information, click here.

[disneyprincemuke]

you’re embarrassing me * ls2

it's never fun feeling like an outsider, so you'd sworn that nobody would ever feel the way you did all those years ago

pairings: logan sargeant x platonic fem!driver

notes: inthaf logan and femdriver live in my mind rent free like i love them and they are absolute best friends, your honour!!!

i might be at work today but you can’t stop me from thinking of logan hunter sargeant

| "wanna hang out?" | driver's parade | american burgers | american football | the thanksgiving incident | another williams adoptee | beating the heat | you’re embarrassing me | santa baby | the favourite driver | the situationship | it's nice to have a friend |

“happy birthday!” logan smiles, extending his arm to you. “sorry i’m late — i had to get benny to wrap your present.”

you look up from your spot at the other end of the table. you smile, putting your phone down. “oh, i was just about to ask you where you were. thanks for even bothering to get me something!”

you hop up from your position and push yourself through the rows of seats that are strewn lazily. “thank you.”

“of course,” logan smiles, wrapping his arms around you. he presses a kiss to your “happy birthday again. thanks for inviting me to dinner.”

“it wouldn’t be complete with you,” you giggle, pulling away.

it wasn’t until you turned back around to the table that you noticed that your friends were staring at you. alex’s jaw is dropped and george looks absolutely gutted. in the corner, lily and carmen are giggling to themselves while lando had his camera up and pointed at you.

“what?” you ask, scoffing slightly at the camera flash that goes off.

alex’s arm comes out to grab george’s shoulder. “she hugged him.”

you raise an eyebrow. “yeah, so?”

“you never let us hug you,” george says slowly, eyebrows furrowed in frustration at you being oblivious. “you damn near killed me the last time i tried to hug you!”

“yeah?” you hum, grabbing logan’s wrist to drag him along with you. “you sit with me.”

“what?” alex scoffs. “i’m sitting next to you.”

“not anymore. i’ve got a new favourite williams driver,” you beam, shaking his seat to get him off the chair. “and anyway, i already told you logan’s sitting next to me. you’d have bullied him all night if i don’t stop you.”

“and i told you first come first serve!”

“who’s the birthday girl? me or you?” you drop logan’s arm and put your hands on your hips. “who?”

alex starts to act flustered, slumping his shoulder and grabbing his cheeks with a smile. “you’re saying i can be birthday girl today? you serious?”

“ah, piss off!” you groan, shaking his seat again. when the thai doesn’t budge, you look over his head. “lily! alex is being an ass again.”

“alex.”

“yeah, okay. fine,” alex sighs in defeat, pushing himself off the seat. he turns to you. “you get a pass today because it’s your birthday. this won’t happen again, bro.”

logan giggles as he takes the seat previously occupied by his teammate. “what dish did you get? do you have a birthday cake?”

“no, we were waiting for you, silly!” you laugh and pick up the menu from the table and lean into him. “we also just arrived not too long ago. because somebody-“

“hey! it’s not my fault the uber cancelled on us!” george screams from your other side, reaching forward to hit you on the shoulder. “it’s not my fault!”

“it is,” alex sighs, shaking his head. he looks at logan. “this idiot forgot to tell us he booked a taxi — i was fresh out of the damn shower!”

“no, it was her fault!” george fights back, pointing at you.

at that point of the argument, you’d already drowned them out while you looked at the menu for something to order. you simply look up and press your lips together. “are we ordering cake?”

“absolutely! it’s a birthday, duh?” alex scoffs. “anyway, let’s take a picture so you can post it on your instagram about how great friends we were to you.”

you stare at alex. “sure. if you say so.”

you turn as lando gets up to ask someone to take a picture. “wait, your hair is messy,” you grumble, instinctively reaching out to fix logan’s hair. “how benny let you leave looking like this, i’ll never know.”

“what?” you hear logan mutter, pulling his head back slightly. “i did my hair. you don’t like it?”

“what?” you go up an octave as you try to laugh it off, retracting your hands. “no, it looks good.”

“but you said-“

“oh, look! lando’s found someone to take a picture,” you point over at the man holding lando’s camera. you dust off logan’s shirt and straighten it slightly. “look good — i’m announcing to the public that i’ve adopted you as my grid kid.”

“he’s turning 23 this year, you know that, right?”

“shut up, alex.”

[deedeeznoots]

Let’s Stop Time For a Bit

➺ Characters: Suguru Geto, GN!Reader 

➺ Word Count: 1.5k

➺ Genre: Fluff 

➺ Content: American 80s!AU, Established Relationship, Burgers and Milkshakes (sorry to any vegan readers 🥲), Geto Smoking (kind of), Lots of Kisses, Swearing

➺ A/N: I really enjoyed writing this story so I hope people enjoy reading ❤️

➺ Synopsis: Dates at the local Diner with your loving partner Suguru Geto are always a hit! But what happens when your boyfriend, always eager to try new things, finds his eyes attatched to a small little speaker with microphones attached to each end?

The loud slurp from your milkshake as you take a sip fills your ears and distracts you from the various sounds of the Diner. The loud music playing on the jukebox, waiters taking orders, and people laughing and talking together. Sure, all together it was a little overwhelming and chaotic, but otherwise the place was perfect. 

Not only that, but the food was amazing as well. The flavor of the cold milkshake hitting your warm tongue as you took a sip brought nothing but absolute bliss to you. The burger in front of you that was nearly the size of your head right next to the large bucket of fries was no laughing matter either. Whenever you order from this Diner, you find yourself shocked by the sheer proportions. Still, you always end up finishing all your food anyways, so these thoughts are short lived.

“This Diner never misses. Don’t you agree, love?”

Plus… you always had a great partner who helped you just in case you couldn’t finish all the food on your own.

You looked at your boyfriend across from you. A bright smile plastered on his face as he looked back at you with heart eyes. Your gorgeous partner and high school sweetheart, Suguru Geto. It has been a few years now since graduation, and while you both have evolved since then, inside he’s still the same Suguru that you always knew. His kindness, his gorgeous eyes, and of course– his luscious long black hair. 

While lots of things drew you to Suguru, in hindsight it was probably his hair that stood out the most. During a time when hairspray is essentially injected into people’s veins, seeing Suguru opt for a simple bun in his teens to now allowing his hair to fall completely down, is one of the things that constantly hook you to him even through the present day.

“...Darling? Are you okay?” Suguru asks, his smile fading slightly and his features now painted with worry. 

“Huh? Oh– Sorry, haha,” you reply, swirling your milkshake around with your straw, “I was just lost in thought”. 

“Oh? About what?” Suguru asks, curious about what made you lose your focus so intensely. 

“Hmm… just about how much I love you” you say with a giggle. Suguru was taken aback by your answer, he had assumed the worst when you said you were lost in thought, but your soft smile fully convinced him otherwise. So he simply laughed back at your comment, “God, you’re so corny…” he chuckled. “Yeah but you love it” you reply, feeding him a fry that he readily accepts. 

Loud music filled up the entire Diner as you both laughed together and ate. No matter how big the crowd, when you and Suguru are together it truly feels like you two are the only ones in the room. Time feels fast, with hours feeling like seconds, but at the same time it feels like time decides to not move at all and simply stops. Still, in what feels like no time at all, you two are completely finished with your meal.

“Man, that was good” you sigh, a bit disappointed that the day has come to a close already, yet satisfied that you were able to have this day with your boyfriend nonetheless. Though, when you look at Suguru, you notice that he isn’t looking back at you. Instead, he’s looking behind you. You turn around and see it, a small radio with two microphones connected to each end, and a book of song lyrics right next to it.

“Absolutely not” you say abruptly, which catches your boyfriend’s attention. 

He pouts in disappointment “But…why?” his eyes grow bigger, pleading with you to at least consider singing on the karaoke machine with him. 

“B-Because there’s so many people here!” you cross your arms at him, shy at the idea of singing in front of so many eyes. It’s a Saturday night, meaning that the Diner was as crowded as ever. The thought of having to sing with such a full house made you shiver in your seat. 

“Come on…no one will even look at us” Suguru leaves his side of the table and kneels next to where you sat “...please?” he asks, grabbing your hand. To the average observer, it probably looked like he was about to propose. Shit…if he did, you would have probably said yes with how convincing he was as he looked up at you, his pleading eyes sparkling, like he’d give you the world if you just accepted it. God… you could never truly say no to him, even if you tried. So you begrudgingly took his hand and allowed him to lead you toward the machine. 

“You’ll love it, I promise!” he says with glee as he stands up, practically dragging you toward the mics. You keep his hand intertwined with yours as you take baby steps on the tile floor. You both walk past the bright out of place disco ball in the middle of the restaurant and the red couches filled to the brim with people. As you look at the crowds, they serve simply as a reminder of what you’re about to do. In the end though, you both make your way to the machine.

Suguru, ever the gentleman, hands you the mic and goes “Okay…what song should we do? It should be a love song, of course” he chuckles, but you remain distracted. Suguru frowns, “Hey, I’m sorry… we don’t have to do this if you really don’t want–”. 

“No! It’s not that it’s just…” you laugh nervously “Suguru…people are staring” you blush and scratch the back of your head as you look toward the crowd of people. You aren’t completely sure if they’re looking at you, but it sure feels like it.

Suguru cups your face, and as your eyes meet his own he makes sure to caress your cheeks gently. Leaning into your ear, he whispers, “Shh… that’s just your pesky nerves getting in the way. Plus, if they are staring they’re about to witness the greatest show of their lives”. 

You laugh and touch his lips with yours, completely forgetting about how nervous you were just a few seconds ago. You pick a song from the book and giggle as it starts on the radio. 

Now… neither you nor Suguru were singers by any means. In fact, you both likely leaned more toward the opposite end of the spectrum. Still, this was a performance just for the two of you, the off-key singing, silly dances, and voice cracks doing nothing but accentuating how much fun you both were having with each other throughout the whole song. To your glee and to the rest of the Diner’s dismay, you and Suguru spent a good hour singing various songs together on the machine before you were forced out by the restaurant staff. They say it was to give others a shot, but there didn’t seem to be many people waiting their turn, though there were most likely people just begging inside for the two of you to finally stop. 

“Whew!” you spin around in glee as you both exit the Diner, the bright light of the 24-hour sign casting your shadow during the dark night. Despite you both essentially getting kicked out, you had absolutely no shame, only looking at Suguru’s happy face. 

Suguru simply hummed as he took out a cigarette from his pocket. Just as he was about to light it though, he looked at you as your face dropped in sadness. You froze and looked at him, before looking away awkwardly. 

“Sorry, sorry…” he spat out the white stick, letting it fall to the ground. “I know I need to quit” he tucks the lighter in his pocket and wraps his arms around your body from behind you and kisses your neck, bringing your mood up once again. “Mmm… thank you for today” Suguru mumbles into your neck. “Aw… of course, baby” you turn around to face him and give him a passionate kiss that he gladly leans into. “I love you” you mumble into his lips, and he hums back at you. 

As you both pull back, Suguru quickly goes “I love you too!”, and as he finishes the phrase he suddenly lifts you up and spins you around the parking lot, causing you to let out a short scream in shock. “Suguru! What–”.

He laughs, cutting you off, “Sorry! Sorry! Did I scare you?”. He bounces your body around, his strong arms keeping you secure. 

You laugh “No, it’s fine but give me a warning sometimes!” you playfully slap his chest and smile, kissing his lips for the nth time today. “Sorry, sorry, sorry” he says again, if he could lift his arms up to the air as an act of peace, he would. “Let me carry you home though… to make it up to you, yeah?” he smiles. 

You roll your eyes sarcastically but go “Okay… let’s go” as you lean into his chest. 

Wrapping your arms around him, you think about the man carrying you. The man who constantly has you do crazy things like karaoke at the Diner until they’re forced to kick you both out, the man who always gets you out of your comfort zone, and the man who always makes sure to tell you how much he loves you during and after the fact. Yeah… that man… the man you’re in love with, and the man you’ll stay in love with for decades to come. 

[apeekintothepantry]

Happy Pokémon Day! February 27th is the anniversary of the first two Pokémon games’ release in Japan, and it’s a minor holiday in my house, as a fun excuse to make Pokémon inspired food, watch some Pokémon shows or movies (we’re going to watch Netflix’s new Pokémon Concierge this year!), and get excited about upcoming games and releases. This year, we’re making a Pokémon Sword and Shield inspired burger-steak curry and I’m making a dessert from the Pokémon Cookbook by Victoria Rosenthal. It’s one of my favorite fandom cookbooks – all the recipes are vegetarian or vegan, to get around the awkward question of where does the meat in the Pokémon universe come from?

But that’s not all we’re making! Ever since Nicki and Isabel were released, I’ve been dying to do a post about them and Pokémon’s infamous “Jelly Filled Doughnuts”, better – and more accurately! – known as onigiri.

Pokémon was released in the United States in 1998 via two Gameboy games: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue. The games quickly caught on to be one of the biggest pop culture phenomenon of the late 90’s and early 00’s, and as a kid at the heart of this explosion, I can’t overstate how much of a big deal it was. One of the great things about Pokémon – and probably why it has such lasting, widespread appeal – is that there are so many ways to interact with the franchise, and the marketing doesn’t skew hugely towards one gender or the other. Cool, tough Pokémon like Charizard got pretty similar billing to cute, pink Pokémon like Jigglypuff, and there were so many options for potential favorites that it was easy for any kid to find some creature to attach themselves to.

One of my petty complaints with Nicki and Isabel’s collection and books is the almost complete lack of mention of Pokémon and other anime that was really popular among kids in 1999. I know AG probably didn’t want to shell out for licensing deals with Nintendo or The Pokémon Company, but their stories just don’t feel accurate without discussing their prized binder of Pokémon cards or begging their parents to take them to see the Pokémon movie in theaters. Maybe the authors were just a little too old to get caught up in Pokémania?

I’ve also always thought its close overlap with the Beanie Babies crazy helped get millennial children like me very into the “gotta catch ‘em all” aspect of the franchise. Is this why I’m such a crazy toy collector as an adult? Who knows.

The Pokémon anime was one of the main ways kids like me got hooked on the franchise, because not everyone was allowed to have a Gameboy of their own (me), and not everyone liked video games, but even if you didn’t like video games, the cartoon might appeal to you. Although it was far from the first Japanese cartoon to air on US television, Pokémon was one of if not the first truly mainstream favorites of the 1990’s. 4Kids, the company in charge of dubbing the show into English, decided that American kids wouldn’t understand or be open to certain aspects of the show that reflected its Japanese roots, and so made a lot of strange choices in rewriting the script. One of the most notorious was deciding Brock’s rice balls were actually jelly filled doughnuts:

Onigiri – also known as omusubi or nigirimeshi – are balls of rice with a variety of fillings inside. They’re often compared to sandwiches, as an easy, quick, cheap meal or snack that combines carbs and other ingredients. While the concept of taking a rice ball and stuffing it full of other tasty treats goes way back to ancient Japan, the triangle shape became popular in the 1980’s thanks to a new machine that automated the filling process. Further developments over the last 40 years have created unique ways to prepackage onigiri without making the nori wrapping sticky. The ones we made were an attempt at recreating the “Hawaiian” (spam and pineapple) rice balls from our favorite food hall back in DC. One of my favorite pandemic indulgences was getting take out from the food hall, which often included a sampler of some of my favorite onigiri, and I haven’t been able to find anything close to similar where we are now. One of the many reasons I’m excited to move!

Even as a kid, I wasn’t convinced the food in the anime was fried dough with fruit jelly inside, because they sure look like rice. I also think 4Kids didn’t anticipate that Pokémon’s widespread popularity would inspire many of its fans – including me – to become absolutely obsessed with Japanese food and culture. I would’ve been more excited if they’d just been straight with me and shown more Japanese food on the show, and then probably begged my parents to make it or take me to a restaurant that made it. While I can’t confidently cite numbers of how many other people were first exposed to Japanese culture and food through Pokémon and franchises like it, I do think it’s a bit of a missed opportunity to highlight how things like this exposed kids like Nicki and Isabel to parts of a culture outside their own!

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Weeks in Review (September 10-30, 2023)

I adore Godzilla Final Wars, but it's a movie with an identity crisis, unsure whether it wants to be headlining a Toho Champion Festival or mesmerizing American teenagers at a mid-aughts multiplex. @spacehunter-m's Final Wars 2004: The Year We Make Corn-Tack gives it a strong tug in the first direction, whittling the runtime down to 77 minutes and replacing most of the music and sound effects. She was inspired by Space Warriors 2000, of all things; as she put it, both films are "largely comprised of nonstop, monotonous action." As in that bizarro Ultraman compilation film, the kaiju trash-talk each other. It makes you wonder why Ryuhei Kitamura didn't at least bring back the speech bubbles from Godzilla vs. Gigan. Kaiju fan edits are rare, and this is in a class all by itself. Download it here.

Shigeru Kayama's novelizations of Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla Raids Again are out—hopefully the first of many to come. My copy only arrived on Saturday, so I haven't had the chance to read the whole thing yet, but I've made it through Godzilla. It's interesting to see Kayama, who wrote the initial treatment, take another swing at the story after the film was finished. He puts back moments like Godzilla eating a cow and attacking a lighthouse, and is also more overt with the wartime allusions. There's an incredible moment where Dr. Yamane muses that studying Godzilla and learning his secrets could be Japan's way of redeeming itself after "caus[ing] a great deal of trouble to people throughout the world." Note that these are novella-length, so much less in-depth than the novelizations of American Godzilla films you might be used to (Godzilla Raids Again is less than 80 pages). The book ends with an afterword by translator Jeffrey Angles contextualizing the tales.

Godzilla: War for Humanity continues to be a standout IDW miniseries. There's a new and very weird monster in the second issue, plus a no-nonsense Mothra (she tries to recruit Godzilla to fight Zoospora by shooting him in the back of the head and dragging him into the ocean in front of Minilla).

I've also got to mention the solicitation for another Godzilla Rivals installment, due December 20. Nola Pfau is writing, Megan Huang is illustrating.

Jen Onça is not excited to start her new, fast-paced fast-food career at Minilla Burger, but she'd much prefer a mundane day to the sudden return of Megalon! The monster brings destruction, trapping Jen in a forgotten lab deep beneath the restaurant with only the half-built form of Jet Jaguar to help her get out! She must repair the robotic defender to save herself and the city, but first she needs to escape the rubble trapping her in this tense adventure!

Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo, Yoshikazu Ishii's follow-up to Attack of the Giant Teacher, has also been picked up by SRS Cinema. No release details yet. I can't really speak to the film either, since it screened at the same time as Yumiko Shaku's panel at G-Fest, but as you can see from the poster, it's set during the pandemic.

The GAMERA -Rebirth- Gyaos has joined Godzilla Battle Line as an unusual sort of swarm unit. Your first summon of the match calls forth two sub-adults, and by the fifth summon you're sending out two sub-adults and three adults, still for four energy. They're probably the best swarm in the game, though still highly vulnerable to AOE units like Godzilla '01. I'm having fun with them in the Challenge Battles.

Notzilla, one of the sharpest kaiju comedies out there, is unexpectedly getting the graphic novel treatment. Mitch Teemley is adapting his own screenplay, with art by Zumart Putra. The comic is already finished, although I'm not clear on how folks who didn't back the Kickstarter (which wrapped on September 11) will get it. Useless trivia: the terrific cover above (one of four) is by Ben Dunn, who wrote the How to Draw Manga book I poured over in middle school.

After Troll shattered Netflix streaming records (according to Netflix), it's not super surprising that the company wants a sequel. Priority one: coming up with a title that's not Troll 2. Screenwriter Espen Aukan and director Roar Uthaug will both return.

Toy highlights of the past few weeks:

After confusing everyone by teasing its silhouette the day before April Fools', Tamashii has fully unveiled an S.H.Monsterarts Godzilla '72, a rare Showa figure from the line. It comes with two heads, one of them bloodied (see above). Due at the end of February.

After finally running out of ways to repaint their mold of Hedorah's Perfect Stage, Bandai is making a Movie Monster Series figure of the kaiju's Landing Stage. A Godzilla Store exclusive, it'll be released October 25.

After over two years, Funko is releasing a trio of Godzilla Singular Point Pops. Hopefully they go all-out with this show—it's not like there's any other plausible way for a Satomi Kanahara figure to exist.

[deadpresidents]

Could you recommend books on the Supreme Court? I honestly didn’t think there were any.

There are countless numbers of books about the Supreme Court, so it really depends on what exactly you're interested in reading about, whether that might be a general history of the Court itself, biographies of the most influential justices, landmark cases, and so on.

By no means is this a complete list, but here's some suggestions that I can recommend:

GENERAL HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT •A People's History of the Supreme Court: The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our Constitution by Peter Irons (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Nine Scorpions in a Bottle: Great Judges and Cases of the Supreme Court by Max Lerner and edited by Richard Cummings (BOOK) •The Supreme Court by William H. Rehnquist (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) -- This history of the Court is especially interesting because it was written by the incumbent Chief Justice. •The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

BOOKS ABOUT SPECIFIC JUSTICES OR COURTS •The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Leaving the Bench: Supreme Court Justices at the End by David N. Atkinson (BOOK) -- A unique book about Justices at the end of their time on the Court and how they ultimately left the Court. Most of them died in office because the Court is a lifetime appointment, but the book looks at how some Justices held on to their seats and remained on the bench despite failing health or faltering cognitive abilities. •First: Sandra Day O'Connor by Evan Thomas (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Sisters In Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World by Linda Hirshman (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) -- An excellent dual biography about the first two women ever appointed to the Supreme Court and the impact they had on American law. •The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) -- The legendary journalist from the Washington Post gives the Woodward treatment to the Supreme Court presided over by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. •The Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America by Wil Haygood (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) -- The remarkable life of Thurgood Marshall, who was already a legendary figure in the annals of American justice as a civil rights lawyer who successfully argued the case the led to the Supreme Court striking down Brown v. the Board of Education. Marshall's place in history became even more important when President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him as the first-ever Black Supreme Court Justice. •Five Chiefs: A Supreme Court Memoir by John Paul Stevens (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) -- This is probably my favorite of the recommendations. John Paul Stevens, the third longest-serving Justice in the history of the Supreme Court, writes about the five Chief Justices (Fred Vinson, Earl Warren, Warren E. Burger, William H. Rehnquist, and John Roberts) that he worked for or with throughout his long career, beginning as a law clerk under Chief Justice Vinson and eventually serving as Associate Justice alongside Chief Justice Burger, Chief Justice Rehnquist, and Chief Justice Roberts.

BOOKS ABOUT JOHN MARSHALL (Longest-serving Chief Justice of the United States and arguably the most important judge in American history) •John Marshall: The Chief Justice Who Saved the Nation by Harlow Giles Unger (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times by Joel Richard Paul (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court by Richard Brookhiser (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

I also strongly recommend checking out James F. Simon's books about the Supreme Court and the Presidency, which focus on the impact that the Court and the Chief Justices at the time had on specific Presidential Administrations. These are all written by James F. Simon: •Eisenhower vs. Warren: The Battle for Civil Rights and Liberties (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney: Slavery, Secession, and the President's War Powers (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •What Kind of Nation: Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and the Epic Struggle to Create a United States (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •FDR and Chief Justice Hughes: The President, the Supreme Court, and the Epic Battle Over the New Deal (BOOK | KINDLE)

[https-hunter]

In honor of pride month, here’s my research paper on representation within bob’s burgers. I wrote this for my history of animation class last year

Bob’s Burgers: A Powerhouse of Representation in Adult Animation

The hit Fox animated comedy, Bob’s Burgers, revolves around restaurateur Bob Belcher, his family, and the burger establishment that they run together. The family consists of titular cook Bob, eccentric wife Linda, awkward and hormonal 13-year-old Tina, boisterous 11-year-old Gene, and mischievous 9-year-old Louise. The show premiers on Sunday nights as part of Fox’s Animation Domination (AniDom) lineup, alongside The Simpsons, The Great North, Family Guy, and previously American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. The show started out with the edgy humor like that of most adult animated sitcoms, but that vibe was ultimately dropped in favor of a more healthy and realistic family dynamic. What sets this show apart from most programs in adult animation is its diversity and the representation of marginalized groups, particularly the LGBTQIA+ community.

It is no secret that representation matters in entertainment. Seeing a character with the same skin tone, sexuality, or gender identity gives the viewer the liberating and euphoric feeling of being seen. In her book entitled “Queer Representation, Visibility, and Race in American Film and Television”, author Melanie Kohnen, when discussing the concept of the closet and LGBT characters, writes “the closet can never fully screen queerness from view; a specter of queer acts and identities always remains, even in those spaces that appear to be fully saturated with heteronormativity”. By saying this, Kohnen insists that the closet can never hide the fact that a character is queer, even when surrounded by straight characters and ideals. However, sometimes, it is important for a character to come out of said closet to give queer fans that sensation of feeling visible and seen.

The start of Bob’s Burgers and its incorporation of representation began all the way back in the show’s first season. The show’s sixth episode, “Sheesh! Cab, Bob?”, revolved around Tina’s birthday party and Bob’s struggle to make extra money to pay for the party. He ends up taking up a job as a taxi driver during the night shift, where he drives and befriends numerous transgender sex workers and drunkenly invites them to the birthday party. They show up, much to the surprise of the rest of the family, but they end up saving the episode when Tina is upset that her crush, the son of Bob’s nemesis, is not allowed to attend the party. They remind her that Bob worked very hard for the party and that he cares deeply for her, which improves Tina’s mood. The episode has since been criticized as being problematic due to the use of the term “transvestite” as opposed to “transgender” when referring to the women. Their designs (seen below) can also be viewed as transphobic, particularly due to their highlighted masculine features. In addition, these characters are voiced by cisgender men, although most of them never returned to voice the characters again. However, people have to keep in mind that the episode came out in 2011, four years before the nationwide legalization of same sex marriage in the United States. The country has changed since the episode premiered, and although living as a trans individual is not easy, awareness has been spread and people are learning. Although the episode is on the problematic side, the creators listened to the criticism from fans and did not repeat their mistake, but rather improved upon them, pushing forward to become the representation powerhouse it is today.

(IMDb, 2022)

Among the openly transgender characters that appeared in the first season of the show, only one of them went on to have several appearances: Marshmallow. She is a 23-year-old transgender woman of color that frequents the titular restaurant and appears to be good friends with Bob. She is a fan favorite, known for being her true, authentic self, and has been described by Bob as someone who “comes and goes as she pleases. She answers to no one. And she's truly free.” However, even after the show improved its portrayal of trans individuals, Marshmallow still had room for improvement. In 2020, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, while people were pushing for recasting Black characters played by white actors, Marshmallow came into the spotlight (Comic Book Resources, 2020). Ever since season one, she has been voiced by David Herman, a white cisgender man who voices other characters on the show. Due to this, the character has not had a speaking role in a few years, despite being one of the most iconic characters to come out of the show. However, Marshmallow had a special moment for the transgender community in the credits sequence of the Bob’s Burgers Movie (2022), when she danced in a dress comprised of the colors of the transgender flag (seen below). Marshmallow is an icon to the trans community and has been the driving force that turned Bob’s Burgers into the transgender ally fans know it to be now.

Twitter (2022)

When it comes to representation in entertainment, the Belcher family, themselves, are at the forefront of the fight. In the season four Thanksgiving episode, “Turkey in a Can”, Bob is heavily implied to be bisexual. The plot of the episode revolves around the Thanksgiving turkey ending up in the toilet each night the week of the holiday. After several visits to the grocery store to purchase a newer, fresher turkey, the deli clerk begins to suspect that Bob is romantically interested in him, and turns him down. Bob responds by saying “I'm straight. I mean, I'm mostly straight. And I'm married. But if I wasn't… who am I kidding, you're out of my league." (Digital Spy, 2021). This is not an isolated incident, as Bob has occasionally expressed finding other men attractive and even discussing his “type”. Bisexual male representation is so few and far between, so having positive and casual representation, in the titular character, no less, is refreshing to see in television.

However, Bob is not the only queer member of the Belcher family, as his eldest teenage daughter, Tina, is canonically polyamorous. In the season three episode, “Two for Tina”, Tina gets caught in a love triangle between two boys, Josh and Jimmy Jr. When the two have a dance battle to settle who gets to date Tina, she suggests that they attempt a relationship in which she can be with both boys, suggesting that they “put the ‘try’ in ‘triangle’”. In the season nine premiere, Tina, after being called boy crazy due to falling for several boys in a single day, accepts this about herself and sings a musical number in which she dances with just about every boy she has had feelings for up to that point in the show’s run. What is so intriguing about the representation of Tina’s polyamory is that no one in the show sees this as unnatural or a negative trait; everyone just accepts it as a part of who Tina is. Tina can also be interpreted as transgender, since she was originally a boy named Daniel in the show’s concept art and initial pilot, and is voiced by male actor Dan Mintz.

Although Bob and Tina are the only confirmed members of the Belcher family to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, the other family members are also implied to be somewhere on the queer spectrum. The only Belcher son, Gene, is heavily suggested to be genderfluid, or as many fans have suggested, Gene-derfluid. He has often referred to himself as a girl and has even claimed to have a vagina. He has often dressed in drag, and in an episode where Bob asks him why he was wearing a dress, Gene passionately responds “I’m just a girl with a dream who got tired of hearing the word ‘no’!” Many fans under the transgender umbrella relate the Gene’s character and have made compilations of his implied identity, one such video being titled “Gene being a closeted trans girl for 21 minutes: Bob’s Burgers” (Youtube, 2022). No one in the family represses or stifles Gene, but instead, they encourage him to be his true self.

To top off the Belcher children trio is Louise, the youngest and most chaotic member of the family, and the nonbinary coded character of the bunch. Louise is often one to reject typical gender expectations of a nine-year-old, such as liking sleepovers, stickers, and fairy princesses in favor of knives, anime plushies, and threats. In the season twelve premiere, aired in 2021, Louise and Tina share a moment in which the younger sister asks the elder why she doesn’t like traditionally feminine things and if she is being a girl correctly. Now, Louise could simply be a tomboy and not interested in girly things, but questioning if one is being their gender properly is not a thought that typically crosses cisgender children’s minds. Whether intentional or not, all of the Belcher children come across as queer, or freely themselves, in some way, shape, or form.

While Linda is not coded or canonically queer like the rest of her family, she still plays an important role in representation within the show. She is voiced by John Roberts, a gay man, so her voice in and of itself adds a queer flair to the show. Furthermore, part of the appeal of Linda’s character is how accepting she is of her family, their many, many quirks and all. If anything, Linda is a little too supportive and goes to great lengths to show those she cares about that she has their back. The Belcher family is perhaps the most LGBTQIA+ friendly family on television, despite their show not revolving around this aspect.

Part of the beauty of representation in Bob’s Burgers is how casual it is, particularly in its minor characters. Other than Marshmallow, there are several side characters who are confirmed to be queer. A notable example is Nat Kinkle, a limousine driver and family friend to the Belchers. She is known for her eccentric personality and enthusiasm for lizards, but also the fact that she is a lesbian. In one of her appearances on the show, Nat casually mentions her ex-girlfriend, which no one questions and the episode carries on. A funny, albeit odd case of representation can be found in the raccoons Linda watches in the alley. She dubbed one the raccoon king and accordingly named him Little King Trash Mouth, claiming that he is gay and has a husband named Gary. While other shows either have no representation or make being queer the only aspect of a character, Bob’s Burgers has nearly perfected the craft of LGBTQIA+ representation in portraying it casually.

When it comes to adult animation, Bob’s Burgers goes above and beyond compared to its television counterparts. For example, Family Guy, which airs immediately after Bob’s Burgers on AniDom, is notorious for being one of the most offensive shows on television, often making unfunny jokes at the expense of others. Some of these jokes include bashes on the LGBTQIA+ community, and while it is lightening up on these jokes in the modern day, the show has not made any attempts to right its wrongs.

Bob’s Burgers circles back to several points discussed in our class as we learned about the history of animation. Firstly, the show was directly mentioned when we studied international animation, due to the fact that Bento Box Entertainment, the American studio that makes Bob’s Burgers, outsources its animation to studios in South Korea. The use of LGBTQIA+ visibility in Bob’s Burgers, like with Marshmallow, ties into the lesson on representation in animation, particularly the portion including the voice of Apu in fellow AniDom program, The Simpsons. Both characters and studios have since had their white voice actors removed from the roles in favor of listening to criticism from fans. Bob’s Burgers relates to the history of animation because of its significance as an example of how to get representation right and to own up to one’s mistakes.

Bob’s Burgers has one of the best cases of queer representation in adult animation. Most of the main cast are queer, themselves, whether in canon or through subtext, and has mastered the art of casual and organic displays of queerness. The show does an excellent job in representing the transgender community and owns up to the errors showcased in earlier episodes so that it can move on and become a better program. Every show, particularly other adult animated ones, should take a page from Bob’s Burgers’ book and learn to properly represent marginalized groups in a healthy and positive way.

Works Cited

Flint, Emma, “Bob's Burgers — Bob Belcher is actually bisexual (and always has been)”, 2021

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a37724151/bobs-burgers-bob-belcher-bisexual-lgbtq/

IMDb, 2022

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1854660/

Kohnen, Melanie, Queer Representation, Visibility, and Race in American Film and Television, 2015.

https://docplayer.net/57154947-Queer-representation-visibility-and-race-in-american-film-and-television.html

Me0my, “Gene being a closeted trans girl for 21 minutes: Bob's Burgers”,, 2022

https://youtu.be/yot6MUwwxbE

Murphy, Z, In-Depth Analysis | The Unexpected Queerness of ‘Bob’s Burgers’: Why the Show is an Animated Ally

https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/bobs-burgers-queerness/

Piipstachio, Twitter, 2022

https://twitter.com/piipstachio/status/1542167300081864704

Ridlehoover, John, “Bob's Burgers Will Recast Show's Black Transgender Character, Marshmallow”, 2020

https://www.cbr.com/bobs-burgers-recast-black-transgender-character-marshmallow/

[art-of-manliness]

The Art of Manliness’ Ultimate Guide to Summer

The summer months are here, and with them, a change in mood, expectations, and itineraries. If you (and your family — you only get 18 summers with your kids, after all!) want to make the most of the season’s unique possibilities for fun and memory-making, below we offer a list of the many summer-related resources we’ve published over the years. Hopefully they’ll inspire you to throw a backyard party, swing in a hammock, take a hike, read a book on the beach, and generally enjoy the heck out of the sun-filled, laid-back days ahead. What to Wear When the weather warms up, a new set of clothes in your wardrobe gets put into rotation. It’s harder to dress stylishly in the summer than it is in the colder, layer-friendly months, but you don’t have to (only) default to t-shirts and shorts. The articles below will acquaint you with alternatives that look sharper, yet still keep you cool, and even offer some tips on how wear that t-shirt better when you do opt for it. Read these style guides to specific sartorial pieces: * Summer Smart Casual: 3 Getup Ideas for the Office, Date Night, and Weddings * The Guayabera * The Classic Camp Collar Shirt * The Polo Shirt * The T-Shirt * Khakis * The Seersucker Suit * Boat Shoes * Mohinders (My #1 recommendation for summer shoes!) * My Go-to Sunglasses for Summer And check out these overview articles as well: * A Man’s Guide to Summer Dress: Part I and Part II * Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Casual Summer Style * Summer Style: How to Dress for an Outdoor Social Event What to Do Warm weather, school vacation, and holidays like the Fourth open up new possibilities for recreation, relaxation, travel, and general mischief. If you’re looking for ideas on how to while away your summer days, or just want to better execute your excursions and adventures, consult the list below: * 18 Things Every Man Should Do This Summer * 23 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do * The Ultimate Guide to Fireworks * 10 Awesome 4th of July Traditions  * How to Make a PVC Blowgun * How to Make a PVC Archery Bow * How to Make a Marshmallow Shooter * How to Make a Potato Cannon * How to Build a Man-Sized Slip-‘n-Slide * Backpacking Basics * The Complete Guide to Hiking (And Enjoying It) * Podcast #711: How to Plan the Ultimate Road Trip * 39 Things to Do Before Leaving on Vacation: A Handy Dandy Checklist * The Complete Guide to Flying With Babies and Toddlers (While Avoiding a Defcon 1 Meltdown) * 5 Ways to Streamline Your Next Camping Trip * Podcast #895: The Essential Guide to Visiting and Camping in the National Parks * The Great American Road Trip: Thoughts on Driving Across the Country What to Cook In the summertime, you’re less inclined to heat up the house by turning on the oven, and more inclined to take your cooking outdoors. When you’re firing up the grill, you’ll want to consult these articles, podcasts, and videos to become a master backyard chef: * The Science of Grilling * Podcast #612: Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection * Podcast #720: The Secrets to Making the Perfect Burger * The 3-Zone Fire * How to Light a Charcoal Grill * How to Grill Perfect Chicken Breasts * How to Grill the Perfect Burger * How to Grill the Perfect Steak * How to Make Your Own BBQ Sauce * How to Make Your Own BBQ Spice Rubs * Smoking Meat 101 * 3 Easy Marinades for Your 3 Favorite Meats * How to Smoke Brisket * How to Smoke Baby Back Ribs * How to Smoke Pulled Pork Also be sure to check out these fun tips for leveling up your next backyard BBQ: * The Best Way to Hold a Burger (According to Science!) * The Best Order to Stack Your Burger Toppings * The Best Way to Ice Drinks in a Cooler What to Read You often have more time to read during the summer, and you may be wondering what book to pack for your upcoming trip. Any of the recommendations on our many book lists could fit the bill, but as people are often looking for something lighter… http://dlvr.it/T7WjL6

[caliburn-the-sword]

💙💙💙

my parents got a little boat but i CANNOT go on it because i developed a fear of the open ocean. my great uncle is a sailor and was describing how he sailed from san fran to somewhere in south america FOR FUNSIES for about 2 months and described having to check the weather at the start and the end of each day to make sure he wouldn't get caught in a storm, about staring at the night sky unobstructed by pollution and how it made him briefly religious each night and existential, etc etc. and i couldn't get over the fact that if he interpreted a map wrong he could literally just get lost forever. fucking scary as shit, no thank you

i was reading the riordanverse for the first time when i was in year 8. i was up to the dark prophecy and was reading it in the school library when some new year 7 kid came up to me and asked what book i was reading. when i told her she laughed and said "jason dies in the next book" and SKIPPED AWAY THE LITTLE SHIT. i was inconsolable and i did NOT do as well as i usually did in my italian test that was in the VERY next period. worst way i've been spoiled for anything ever

because i loved marvel and captain america when i was like 10 i became obsessed with "american culture". but like in the same way that 14 year old white kids become obsessed with anime and japanese culture. i perfected the generic movie american accent (but tbf most aussies can do an american accent because of all the american tv and news we see). celebrated halloween (back then halloween wasn't that big here and only specific neighbourhoods really did trick or treating so my mum would have to drive me out to those ones) and it was not at all like how it was on tv like only every fifth house in neighbourhoods that did celebrate actually have lollies. i loved the fourth of july as a concept like fireworks and all that. i forced myself to eat quite a few burgers (i hate burgers it's a sensory nightmare for me). the phase lasted for an entire two years until i got into politics and got disillusioned with it (ofc i'm still obsessed with halloween but at least that's becoming more widely celebrated here). yeah i don't even fucking know lmao it was embarrassing as fuck. thank GOODNESS i didn't know about hamilton at the time or i literally would have been so much worse

[sixbucks]

Lemme see all my AARPeeps!

This list is floating around on the social medias. I can’t speak to each of these discounts, but some of them are legit.

Not all these are AARP discounts but are available to anyone over 65, 60, 55, or even 50.

I know there are at least 3 tumblrs who fall into this category, because I am one of them.

Embrace your seniority and go get that discount!

Dunkin Donuts gives free coffee to people over 55 .

If you're paying for a cup every day, you might want to start getting it for FREE.

YOU must ASK for your discount !

RESTAURANTS:

Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)

Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)

Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)

Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)

Boston Market: 10% off (65+)

Burger King: 10% off (60+)

Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)

Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)

CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)

Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)

Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)

Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)

Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)

Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)

IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)

Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)

KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)

Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)

Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations ( 55+)

McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)

Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)

Shoney's: 10% off

Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)

Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)

Subway: 10% off (60+)

Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)

Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)

TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)

Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)

Village Inn: 10% off (60+)

Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)

Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Whataburger: 10% off (62+)

White Castle: 10% off (62+) This is for me ... if I ever see one again.

RETAIL & APPAREL :

Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)

Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)

Belk's: 15% off first Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)

Big Lots: 30% off

Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)

C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)

Clarks : 10% off (62+)

Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)

Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)

Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off

Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions

Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)

The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)

Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :

Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)

American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)

Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)

DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)

Food Lion: 60% off every Monday (60+)

Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday ( 55 +)

Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)

Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)

Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)

Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)

Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)

Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :

Airlines:

Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)

American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)

Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations

Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

Rail:

Amtrak: 15% off (62+)

Bus:

Greyhound: 15% off (62+)

Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

Car Rental:

Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members

Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members

Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)

Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members

National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

Overnight Accommodations:

Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)

Best Western: 40% off (55+)

Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)

Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)

Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance

Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)

InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)

Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)

Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)

Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)

Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)

Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)

Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT ;:

AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)

Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)

Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)

Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off

Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)

U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)

Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)

SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)

Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)

Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)

Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

Remember YOU must ASK for your discount!

[headingalaxys-spicy]

I have arisen from my deep slumber 😌

Could I request a part 2 for the Yandere Bully America ask? I like these kind of dynamics, which I also have discovered in another tumblr blog a few months ago, where America is being a total douche to the new country. I think their name was llamacup or something like that.

Anyway, have a nice day or night, thank you~

🥹😘

Hello there it’s 2023 and I’m filled with DETERMINATION ahahaha.

I want to answer all my story posts this year! 🌟

Tw: Death-of minor characters and torture.

✨⭐️Happy First Friday of the year⭐️✨

“You’ll never see the light of day again,” was a promise that hasn’t been broken.

Darkness became your new muse for crafting your mindset in captivity. Fear was on the loudspeaker having your mind teeter on the edge. When would you hear the dreaded clicks of his oxford loafers on the marble floor? Anxiety permeated your nervous system causing you to tremble like a neverending earthquake. How did things get this bad? Why, you? Why did it have to be you?

You felt hollow and sullen like a decaying tree succumbing to an infestation of black turpentine beetles. This is already after America stormed into your life like a hurricane and damaged you and your nation permanently with his supreme act of violence against you and Britain at the world meeting.

However while you may have been in captivity your love was not.

“Mr. Kirkland, how would you like us to give you some added assistance? We don’t have our duties at the palace today.” Some of his loyal long-time palace guards wanted to join in on Operation: Silent Alarm.

The messy golden haired blonde ceased his hurried pace towards the black Audi A1 car headed to the airport.

“It’s quite alright, gentlemen. I already have some of my best men with a solid plan to rescue Y/N.”

“Oh come on lad. You know that brute will definitely try to kill ye again. We can be a great backup after all we are trained and well equipped with weapons.”

Arthur couldn’t help but allow a small smile to form on his normally grumpy face. He loved how dedicated some of his people were to him and his royals. He still had to be as discreet as possible in order to get under that crafty American’s nose. It took him a few months in order to finally locate (Country Name). The bastard had her imprisoned in the New Hampshire wilderness underground in an elaborate labyrinth Alfred created back in the 60’s. He also had his pesky guards and security system to break through. Thankfully MI6 was more than ready to deal with this.

He again turned their offer down but requested that they be ready for him and his return with you. He would not be leaving without you. They relented and allowed him to leave so that the mission could begin. Arthur pressed the small button on his discreet earpiece.

“Testing operatives lavender and thyme do you read me? Have the both of you successfully landed in D.C. to carry on negotiations?”

A few moments drifted by while the diver started the car while Artheur continued to make sure all the pieces were in place for his rescue operation.

He waited tensely as he waited for a reply.

“Yes, operative Bluebell. We’ll let you know if we’ve located the Burger Man.”

“Copy that. Tally ho. To save y/n here we go.” Like a soldier getting ready to lead the charge on horseback Arthur sprints to his private jet that would take him just outside of Pittsberg, NH.

*******

After laying down in your own tears and mucus for what felt like a few minutes you lift your head up to look at the somewhat barren room you were confined to. It had the basics of what America thought you’d like to keep you entertained while you’re in captivity. A TV that had basic cable, Youtube, and Netflix. A plain (favorite color) journal, a stack of comic books and manga, art supplies, and a few old books that he clearly pulled from his attic in an attempt to try to find more things to entertain you since he plans on living the rest of your existence out in that tiny room.

You were beginning to go Stir-crazy from being confined for so long. Your only comfort was a man that you considered to be a monster that was crafted from a Stephen King novel. Your life became to that of a drawn out horror movie except the only difference is that the monster had taken a liking to you and fucked your brains out on numerous occasions.

“Damn it.” You spat in frustration. You growl under your breath, you wish the mental anguish would simply fade away. You begin to pace back and forth in your room. You listened carefully to the soft crunch of the marshmallow-like carpet given away under your feet. As you continued to do this for hours you eventually heard a few peculiar sounds that piqued your interest. At first you ignored it considering that what you were hearing was nothing more than maybe America or one of his staff milling about through the… where ever the fuck you were. Not that it mattered. No one could hear you nor could anyone-

The flatscreen TV that's mounted to your wall suddenly sparked to life. It startled you and you quickly jumped up in the air like a cat that’s seen a cucumber and flung yourself onto your plush bed and shielded yourself with your (favorite color) duvet.

“OH SHIT!”

“Y/N, Y/N do you can you hear me?” A familiar British accent called out from the screen.

With heavy drawn in breaths that filled your lungs it took you a few moments for your brain to recognize that it wasn’t the monster….

“Y/N?” He says much more gently this time. As if calling out to a severely injured dog. The tone was heavy with sadness. “Y/N… please …I hope you can hear me.”

A few tears pricked your eyes. His voice was the only thing that sounded like a daydream after being in this watered down version of hell.

“A…Arthur?” You say in a weak hoarse voice. There was still a voice in your mind screaming that it was a trick, a facade, a cruel prank that America was playing. All of the alarms in your brain were going off in a blaring symphony of panic. You were too afraid to remove your cover still and your shaking had begun again.

Silence hung over the room. You dared not to speak again.

Arthur stared at his screen that allowed him to see where you’d been imprisoned. He knew he had seen your slightly battered form run for the covers. He knew full well that you were not in the best headspace for any human nor country to be in. But he still had to try, because being left to America he'll surely turn you into a completely different country. You’d be unrecognizable. He tried not to think about all the ways that you’d change and did his best to put the images of you being America’s wife out of his mind.

Arthur called out once more with his voice cracking, this time you finally decide to take a peak from your massive duvet and look at the screen to see those dazzling emerald eyes. They were coated over with salt water that already began to spill onto his somewhat reddened cheeks.

“Oh my god it really is you. But…”

“Listen , Y/N we’ll save the heartfelt conversations for later. Let’s concentrate on getting you out of here. Within the next 30 seconds I need you to push your nightstand aside. One of my agents has constructed a tunnel that will lead you to the East and into the forest where I’ll be. I just need you to stay calm and….. It’s going to be okay.” He reassures you. Judging by the tension that you had in your face and the terror pouring from your eyes he knew he had to be more verbally accommodating to you in your fragile state.

‘Definitely going to ask France to make us a nice meal and I’ll actually have to be nice to get him to do it. Y/N is in some desperate need of pampering and escapism after this.’ He mused to himself.

You were still shaking tremendously. You hadn’t even registered his words in order to take action. However the agent Rosemary had reached you and effortlessly moved the nightstand from the hidden entrance that crumbled.

“(Country name)?” The agent calls out from the hidden tunnel. “Hurry, we have to get out of here. The guards are distracted but some of the other personnel will come to check on you and we have to allow the decoy take over for you before-”

Numerous footsteps pounding against the marble floor swarmed through the labyrinth. They began to draw nearer to your room.

“Y/N I promise it will be okay just listen to agent Rosemary. She’ll get you out of there safe and sound.”

“What are you guys going to use as a decoy?” Curious as to what your British love interest was scheming.

“This love.” A realistic hologram of you sprung to life from the screen. It was realistic. “Now tally ho. Get the hell out of there!” His transmission ends while your hologram continues to be projected through the screen. It wouldn’t be long before America’s guards figured out that it wasn’t you.

“My lady.” Rosemary pushed you into the escape route and you began to crawl for your life. With the agent right behind you couldn’t help but feel the tension that was in the pit of your stomach and made you somewhat nauseous. You had to cling to the fresher memory of Arthur in your mind to continue your escape and not be caught.

You had to get back to him you were determined to.

*******

In Washington, D.C. Burger Man I mean America was in a deadlock debate with Lavender and Thyme over trade deals. Agent Thyme’s golden hair swished violently as he pounded his fist against the table in heated debate with America.

“You can’t just harbor a personification and then begin a hostile takeover of their government and start spreading your propaganda like some twisted infestation! It’s illegal first and foremost. And second it VIOLATES THE ENTIRE BLOODY UNITED NATIONS CHARTER! And you’re supposed to be a LEADER?! You act like such a petulant child!”

“Funny that comes from a man that had more than half the world in the palm of his hand. How dare you insult me in my own senate.” He hissed back at England in pure defiance.

(they die at the end.)

“You’re acting like a super villain in one of your stupid comic books that you melt your already stupid brain with.”

The verdant versus aqua eyes collided with one another. Neither was the type to let their pride down. The air was tense with a thousand needles and no one wanted to be caught in the crosshairs. Teeth biting, nervous shifting, and over hundreds of eyes witnessing the showdown between two sworn enemies since the betrayal. Some cracked their knuckles to at least relieve some tension that was broiling within the room. America had reached the point where negotiations were at a stalemate and….

America’s earpiece beeped in his ear and although his facial expression stayed neutral and as distant as the moon. His eyes bled out with rage and stared out at ‘England’ with a look that was meant to obliterate one within mere milliseconds. He stood up suddenly as if a giant had been awoken from a peaceful slumber and was in a terrible mood.

He snapped his fingers.

Secret service surrounded Thyme and Lavender. The ruse was up.

“Kill them. Right here. Right now. They’re fakes.” America ordered.

“It was a pleasure working with you, Lavender.” The spell that Arthur originally put onto him wore off and their true identities were revealed. They raised their hands high into the air.

“We did our duty.” Lavender uttered her last words she’d ever speak in this world.

A few hundred rounds were fired off within seconds filling the air with deathly gunpowder. Two less souls came out of the senate that day. The monster raged through the White House all night. It was a scene straight out of hell. Glass broke, things set ablaze, people injured, and some even parished. The only thing that most who were in earshot of the White House could hear

Y/N HOW DARE YOU!

UK I WILL KILL YOU!

Y/N IS MINE!

Then just more hellish shrieks would follow. No one really wanted to question what was going on for fear they would be caught up in the chaos. They stayed away and allowed it to happen.

*******

For the first time in a while Y/N could rest peacefully without having a horrid lucid nightmare that would only bring her down deeper into depression. She finally felt okay for a moment between England’s athletic arms. She actually got to sleep and recharge her broken soul.

“Is everything going to be alright Arthur?” Your anxieties are still nibbling at the back of your ears. It was nice that you could talk to him but you still feared that he’d leave you because you’re damaged and neurotic. A ball of untamable wild energy that no one would want to deal with.

“Y/N it’s okay. I want you to relax. I won’t leave you. I won’t harm you like America. I promise.” He kissed the back of your collarbone. You felt a million bright butterflies fly from that area and through your entire being you felt relieved and could live in the moment. You felt relaxed and safe. Nothing could ruin this for you. You melted like hot butter in Arthur’s arms. You didn’t want to think, just feel. Nothing else mattered.

Except for the brewing storm that was brewing from across the pond.

[lareviewofburgers1]

Burgerlords, Chinatown

KS: I’ve always liked this place and admire the chutzpah it took to go full vegan.

AP: And in Chinatown to boot! It’s a great find. 

KS: They have two vegan burgers: one an old-school veggie burger with mushrooms and seeds and stuff. The other is a proprietary tech meat creation. I prefer the hippie version.

AP: I’m always curious about “proprietary” food so I had to try it, but I agree with you. The old-school veggie burger is the way to go here. Their vegan cheese was good - not too much. And I enjoyed the whole leaf lettuce. It transmitted some In-N-Out vibes, which is totally fine in my book. 

KS: Luckily the fries were way better than In-N-Out’s. 

AP: I’m an In-N-Out fry apologist, but I did also find the fries to be crisp and consistent. How did you feel about the spreads (quality and volume)?

KS: Honestly thought it was all pretty great. Good proportions on everything. I guess I should try vegan American singles on their own to see if they’re close to the real thing, but they tasted great here. Did you enjoy this vegan burger experience?

AP: I loved it. I can’t wait to bring other people here. 

[lareviewofburgers]

Burgerlords, Chinatown

KS: I’ve always liked this place and admire the chutzpah it took to go full vegan.

AP: And in Chinatown to boot! It’s a great find. 

KS: They have two vegan burgers: one an old-school veggie burger with mushrooms and seeds and stuff. The other is a proprietary tech meat creation. I prefer the hippie version.

AP: I’m always curious about “proprietary” food so I had to try it, but I agree with you. The old-school veggie burger is the way to go here. Their vegan cheese was good - not too much. And I enjoyed the whole leaf lettuce. It transmitted some In-N-Out vibes, which is totally fine in my book. 

KS: Luckily the fries were way better than In-N-Out’s. 

AP: I’m an In-N-Out fry apologist, but I did also find the fries to be crisp and consistent. How did you feel about the spreads (quality and volume)?

KS: Honestly thought it was all pretty great. Good proportions on everything. I guess I should try vegan American singles on their own to see if they’re close to the real thing, but they tasted great here. Did you enjoy this vegan burger experience?

AP: I loved it. I can’t wait to bring other people here. 

[jordoalejandro]

The Seventh Annual TV Show Rankings Movement Chart

Rankings and Movement (in alphabetical order)

9-1-1: Lone Star - 2020: 35; 2021: 13; 2022: 20; 2023: 19; 2024: N/A (delayed)

24: Legacy - 2017: 57

Abbott Elementary - 2022: 30; 2023: 37; 2024: 🔼

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - 2017: 7; 2018: 8; 2019: 9; 2020: 1

Alex Rider - 2021: 17

The Alienist - 2018: 16; 2019: N/A; 2020:17

American Auto - 2022: 8; 2023: 7; 2024: N/A (canceled)

American Crime - 2017: 6

American Crime Story - 2017: 1; 2018: 26; 2019: N/A; 2020: N/A; 2021: N/A; 2022: 18; 2023: N/A; 2024: N/A (still on hiatus, waiting for there to be another crime in America)

American Dad! - 2017: 17; 2018: 9; 2019: 5; 2020: 23; 2021: 9; 2022: 16; 2023: 18; 2024: 🔽

American Vandal - 2018: 1; 2019: 1

Andor - 2023: 5; 2024: N/A (returning 2025)

Angie Tribeca - 2017: 43; 2018: N/A; 2019: 26

Animal Control - 2023: 14; 2024: 🔽

Animal Kingdom - 2017: 5; 2018: 6; 2019: 4; 2020: N/A; 2021: 10; 2022: 12

A.P. Bio - 2018: 15; 2019: 3

Archer - 2017: 13; 2018: 25; 2019: 31; 2020: N/A; 2021: 25; 2022: 14; 2023: 13; 2024: 🔼

Arrested Development - 2018: 7; 2019: 11

Arrow - 2017: 31; 2018: 36; 2019: 35; 2020: 15

At Home with Amy Sedaris - 2018: 10; 2019: 14; 2020: 18

Atlanta - 2017: 54

Batwoman - 2020: 43; 2021: 38; 2022: 34

The Bear - 2023: 1; 2024: 🔽

The Blacklist - 2017: 34; 2018: 33; 2019: 21; 2020:39; 2021: 28; 2022: 32; 2023: 33; 2024: N/A (ended)

The Blacklist: Redemption - 2017: 35

Blindspot - 2017: 56

Blood & Treasure - 2019: 38

Bob’s Burgers - 2017: 26; 2018: 21; 2019: 25; 2020: 38; 2021: 30; 2022: 31; 2023: 32; 2024: 🔼

The Book of Boba Fett - 2022: 11

Brockmire - 2017: 27; 2018: 24; 2019: 16; 2020: 31

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - 2017: 23; 2018: 18; 2019: 17; 2020: 7; 2021: 4

Chad - 2021: 20; 2022: N/A; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

Champions - 2018: 19

Class - 2017: 20

The Company You Keep - 2023: 27; 2024: N/A (canceled)

Corporate - 2018: 34; 2019: 29; 2020: 21

CSI: Vegas - 2022: 19; 2023: 36; 2024: 🔼

Debris - 2021: 35

Defending Jacob - 2020: 16

The Detour - 2017: 29; 2018: 30; 2019: 13

Dickinson - 2020: 22

Duncanville - 2020: 34; 2021: 22; 2022: 21

The Endgame - 2022: 38

The Equalizer - 2021: 41

Everything’s Gonna Be Okay - 2020: 47; 2021: 37

Eyewitness - 2017: 10

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - 2021: 26

Family Guy - 2017: 18; 2018: 20; 2019: 23; 2020: 24; 2021: 18; 2022: 17; 2023: 24; 2024: 🔼

Fargo - 2017: 3; 2018: N/A; 2019: N/A; 2020: N/A; 2021: 14; 2022: N/A; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔼

Fear the Walking Dead - 2017: 16; 2018: 12; 2019: 8; 2020: N/A; 2021: 11; 2022: 28; 2023: 23; 2024: 🔽

The Flash - 2017: 32; 2018: 38; 2019: 39; 2020: 49; 2021: 40; 2022: 35; 2023: 40; 2024: N/A (ended)

For All Mankind - 2020: 40

Frequency - 2017: 59

Galavant - 2017: 24

Ghosted - 2018: 17

Ghosts - 2022: 27; 2023: 26; 2024: 🔽

The Gifted - 2018: 39; 2019: 44

The Good Place - 2017: 8; 2018: 4; 2019: 10; 2020:3

Gotham - 2017: 11

Gotham Knights - 2023: 16; 2024: N/A (canceled)

Great News - 2017: 22; 2018: 3

The Great North - 2021: 24; 2022: 22; 2023: 20; 2024: 🔽

The Grinder - 2017: 14

The Guest Book - 2017: 53; 2018: N/A; 2019: 40

Hawkeye - 2022: 2

High Fidelity - 2020: 13

Hit the Road - 2018: 46

Inhumans - 2018: 47

Jury Duty - 2023: 6; 2024: N/A (on hiatus?)

The Kids Are Alright - 2019: 7

La Brea - 2022: 37; 2023: 42; 2024: 🔼

The Last Man on Earth - 2017: 44; 2018: 43

The Last O.G. - 2018: 28; 2019: 34; 2020: 53; 2021: N/A; 2022: 39

The Last of Us - 2023: 3; 2024: N/A (returning 2025)

The Lazarus Project - 2023: 11; 2024: 🔽

Legends of Tomorrow - 2017: 41; 2018: 31; 2019: 27; 2020: 11; 2021: 15; 2022: 13

Life in Pieces - 2017: 46; 2018: 29; 2019: 20

Limitless - 2017: 48

Little Fires Everywhere - 2020: 48

Loki - 2021: 1; 2022: N/A; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

Love, Victor - 2020: 5; 2021: 8; 2022: 9

MacGyver - 2017: 52; 2018: 44; 2019: 41; 2020: 26; 2021: 31

The Mandalorian - 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2022: N/A; 2023: 4; 2024: N/A (on hiatus/being made into a movie)

Me, Myself & I - 2018: 42

The Mick - 2017: 33; 2018: 11

The Mist - 2017: 19

Modern Family - 2017: 37; 2018: 23; 2019: 19; 2020: 4

The Moodys - 2020: 46; 2021: 27

Moon Knight - 2022: 4

The Morning Show - 2020: 30

Mr. Mayor - 2021: 7; 2022: 10

Mrs. America - 2020: 9

Ms. Marvel - 2022: 15

The Muppets - 2017: 55

Mythic Quest - 2021: 6; 2022: N/A; 2023: 21; 2024: N/A (on hiatus?)

Nancy Drew - 2020: 51

The Night Agent - 2023: 29; 2024: N/A (renewed for season 2)

Nobodies - 2017: 40; 2018: 32

Normal People - 2020: 42

Obi-Wan Kenobi - 2022: 6

Only Murders in the Building - 2022: 5; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

The Orville - 2018: 40; 2019: 43

The Other Two - 2019: 18; 2020: N/A; 2021: 5; 2022: N/A; 2023: 9; 2024: N/A (ended)

Our Cartoon President - 2019: 42

Our Flag Means Death - 2022: 7; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

Ozark - 2020: 6

People of Earth - 2017: 50

Perfect Harmony - 2020: 45

Person of Interest - 2017: 2

The Politician - 2020: 41

Prison Break - 2017: 42

Prodigal Son - 2020: 28; 2021: 16

Quantico - 2017: 58

Quantum Leap - 2023: 35; 2024: 🔼

The Real O'Neals - 2017: 25

Reboot - 2023: 12; 2024: N/A (canceled)

Review - 2017: 12

Rise - 2018: 45

Riverdale - 2017: 39; 2018: 38; 2019: 36; 2020: 50; 2021: 39; 2022: 40; 2023: 39; 2024: N/A (ended)

Schitt’s Creek - 2019: 12; 2020: 8

Schooled - 2019: 30; 2020: 27

Scream Queens - 2017: 47

Search Party - 2017: 61

Secret Invasion - 2023: 31; 2024: N/A (miniseries)

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law - 2023: 25; 2024: N/A (miniseries)

The Simpsons - 2017: 21; 2018: 22; 2019: 24; 2020: 37; 2021: 23; 2022: 25; 2023: 22; 2024: 🔽

Single Parents - 2019: 33; 2020: 10

Snowpiercer - 2020: 14; 2021: 21; 2022: 24; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔼

So Help Me Todd - 2023: 17; 2024: 🔼

Son of Zorn - 2017: 36

Soulmates - 2021: 36

Space Force - 2020: 44

Splitting Up Together - 2018: 41; 2019: 32

Stargirl - 2020: 36; 2021: 33; 2022: N/A; 2023: 28; 2024: N/A (ended)

Stumptown - 2020: 32

Succession - 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: N/A (ended)

Sunnyside - 2020: 19

Superstore - 2017: 9; 2018: 2; 2019: 6; 2020: 25; 2021: 12

Tales of the Walking Dead - 2022: 29; 2023: N/A; 2024: N/A (still on hiatus?)

Ted Lasso - 2020: 12; 2021: N/A; 2022: N/A; 2023: 10; 2024: N/A (on hiatus)

Those Who Can’t - 2017: 38; 2018: N/A; 2019: 22

Timeless - 2017: 30; 2018: 13; 2019: 28

Treadstone - 2020: 33

Trial & Error - 2017: 28; 2018: 14

True Lies - 2023: 41; 2024: N/A (Canceled)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - 2017: 4; 2018: 5; 2019: 2

The Unicorn - 2020: 52

The Walking Dead - 2017: 15; 2018: 27; 2019: 15; 2020: 29; 2021: 29; 2022: 23; 2023: 34; 2024: N/A (ended)

The Walking Dead: Dead City - 2023: 30; 2024: N/A (returning 2025)

The Walking Dead: World Beyond - 2021: 34; 2022: 33

WandaVision - 2021: 3

Welcome to Chippendales - 2023: 15; 2024: N/A (miniseries)

Welcome to Flatch - 2022: 36; 2023: 38; 2024: N/A (canceled)

What If…? - 2021: 19; 2022: N/A; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

When We Rise - 2017: 49

Whiskey Cavalier - 2019: 37

White House Plumbers - 2023: 8; 2024: N/A (miniseries)

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty - 2022: 1; 2023: N/A; 2024: 🔽

Workaholics - 2017: 45

Wrecked - 2017: 51; 2018: 35

You, Me and the Apocalypse - 2017: 60

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist - 2020: 20; 2021: 32; 2022: 26

[sfarticles]

On the trail for the perfect burger

Wine, beer, cheese, chocolate, bourbon, pizza, dessert, ice cream, BBQ and hamburgers. What do they all have in common?

Foodies enjoy culinary exploration, and these category trails provide unique experiences, enabling us to adventure out, sampling and tasting the best of the best of their favorite food and drink.

While the above trails are more common and available in more places, here are some specific trails to check out:

• West Virginia’s pepperoni roll (It’s the official state food) https://bit.ly/4d92mp6

• Pennsylvania’s Fermented Food (It’s called “pickled”) https://bit.ly/3zRCyzv

• South Carolina’s Pimento Cheese (download the “passport”) https://bit.ly/3LAYscZ

•  Northern California Taco (40+ stops!) https://bit.ly/3YcpkaV

•  North Carolina Surry Sonker …(so what’s a surry sonker? A cross between a cobbler and a deep dish pie) https://bit.ly/3WAZHPU. And, the state also has an oyster trail https://bit.ly/3LCR4xS

• Ohio Donut Trail (visit all the shops on the trail and win a prize) https://bit.ly/4bVECE0

• Buffalo, NY Buffalo Wing (Of course, The Anchor Bar, birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing is one of the stops) https://bit.ly/3Wht4VR

I’d be remiss to not include a couple of hamburger trails.

• Mystic (CT) Burger Trail https://bit.ly/4fdrDR5

• Lawrence County (PA) Burger Trail https://bit.ly/46gLzyi

Hamburgers, aka burgers, are so popular this time of the year. Many consider it the quintessential American food, along with its “cousin,” the hot dog. Yes, there is also a trail for the latter as well, including Connecticut, where I live. In Mark Kotlinski’a film, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour,” he takes you on a road trip to the Nutmeg State’s best hot dog stands.

But for now, let’s get back to burgers. FYI, New Haven Connecticut’s Louis’ Lunch puts claim to the origin of the hamburger.

The Lassen family has operated the eatery since 1895. People visiting Connecticut put this burger joint on their “must eat at” list. But remember at Louis’ Lunch, “No ketchup allowed!”

Now, talking about lists or should I say book, burger connoisseurs will enjoy “Hamburger America: A State-By-State Guide to 200 Great Burger Joints,” by George Motz” (2018, Running Press, $20.00) The cover of the 400-plus page book quotes the late Anthony Bourdain, “A fine overview of the best practitioners of the burger sciences.”

The book spotlights America’s best roadside drive-ups, stands, diners and college-town favorites. Whether you are an armchair traveler or going out on a burger adventure, Motz’s photos, and in-depth information about the mom-and-pop establishments, take readers to some new places from east to west and north to south to find the perfect burger.

He writes, “as you enjoy your heavenly handful of greasy goodness, take a moment to ponder the history of the place you are eating in. It’s the reason that burger tastes so damn good.”

Recipes aren’t the focus of the book, though there are a few peppered throughout the title. Two are shared below from the book, with commentary from the author.

Did you know:

• There is a Hamburger Hall of Fame located in Seymour, Wisconsin.

• White Castle is the oldest burger chain in America, founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas.

• The Big Mac was introduced in 1958 and sold for 49 cents.

• A “Luther Burger” is a burger where the bun is a glazed donut.

•  At Burger & Lobster, they serve the “Beast Burger,” a beef patty topped with lobster meat, Swiss cheese, lettuce, truffle tarragon mayo. Another take on surf & turf. It is quite good.

• Check this out, the world’s most expensive burger….$6,000! https://bit.ly/3SkRMU3.

BOBCAT BITE COLESLAW

(Served at Santa Fe Bite, previously called Bobcat Bite, Santa Fe, New Mexico)

Bobcat Bite Coleslaw is served at Santa Fe Bite in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo: courtesy of George Motz)

Makes a lot of coleslaw (this is a day’s worth for the Bobcat)

1 head cabbage, shredded

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup distilled white vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon ground mustard

Place the shredded cabbage and chopped pepper in a large bowl. Pour the sugar over the cabbage and pepper. In a small saucepan bring the vinegar, oil, salt, black pepper, celery seed, and mustard to a boil.

According to Bonnie, the smell of the boiling vinegar concoction will drive you out of the kitchen. Boil for 5 minutes and then pour the hot brew over the cabbage and peppers. Don’t stir it yet! Allow it to cool before stirring. It will appear as if there isn’t enough liquid to transform all that cabbage into the saucy coleslaw of your dreams, but trust me, it’ll work.

When the bowl of slaw and dressing has cooled, mix the contents, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Bonnie suggests allowing the slaw to marinate overnight for optimum flavor.

GOOP SAUCE

(Served at Eastside Big Tom, Olympia, Washington)

Chuck Fritch of Eastside Big Tom in Olympia, Washington, trademarked the name “Goop” sauce. It has been a Pacific Northwest mainstay for burgers.(Photo: courtesy of Kristoffer Brearton)

The headnote says, “Goop is a sauce that has made its way onto many burgers in the Pacific Northwest, especially the older-style classic burgers. All the Goop I’ve had tastes pretty much the same, and all are protected by their respective burger institutions, and contain highly secret ingredients.

But to legitimately call your sauce Goop, you need to be Chuck Fritsch at Eastside Big Tom in Olympia, Washington. That’s because Chuck has trademarked the name and arguably makes some of the best Goop in the area. I can see why he keeps his recipe underwraps — Goop is addictive. It adorns not only the burgers at Big Tom, but the fries and tater tots as well (tots ’n’ Goop = heaven). I once asked Chuck for the recipe, and he said, “What’s the saying? If I told you I’d have to kill you?” So, he didn’t give me the recipe. But I’ve done some testing and I think I’ve come pretty close. When I wrote this up years ago, I read it back to myself and imagined Chuck laughing.”

Makes enough for 12 quarter-pound burgers

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Miracle Whip

2 tablespoons sweet relish

3 tablespoons yellow mustard

Whisk mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, relish, and mustard in a bowl and serve on your favorite burgers. The color should resemble a 1971 Curious Yellow Plymouth Barracuda. Tell your friends it’s not the real thing but pretty damn close.

Recipes courtesy of:

Stephen Fries, is Professor Emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, CT. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 17 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, CT, and three-day culinary adventures around the U.S. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to stephenfries.com

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What to Expect from Berlin Tickets & Tours’s Food Tour Packages

Traveling to a new city brings excitement and curiosity. Still, many foodie visitors search for experiences that reflect the spirit of the area. Berlin is no doubt an adventurous city filled with lots of gastronomical delight. Berlin Tickets & Tours explores its various locations the best with excellent Berlin food tours.

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Secret food tours Berlin offered by Berlin Tickets & Tours offers more than the famous tourist locations. The guides from Berlin Tickets & Tours show you the hidden areas of Berlin that you may otherwise overlook. These include hidden cafes and restaurants. You may discover small bakeries offering the greatest apple strudel you have ever eaten on one of these trips. The tours feature classic German restaurants, along with fusion venues. Berlin Tickets & Tours ensures that every visit presents something special.

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Berlin has a great food legacy, and the tours from Berlin Tickets & Tours let you enjoy it all. Every trip includes samples of famous foods such as bratwurst, schnitzel, and currywurst. You might discover some local flavors that are not to be found if you don’t know where to look. The aim of Berlin Tickets & Tours is still to provide a real sense of Berlin's changing food scene.

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Berlin reflects in its cuisine the melting pot of civilizations. Berlin Tickets & Tours celebrates this variety using worldwide cuisine-based trips. There is something for every taste from American classics like burgers and mac & cheese to Georgian treats like khachapuri and khinkali. Especially notable is their Berlin Georgian Food Tour, which provides a distinctive flavor of Georgia directly in Berlin.

Value Special Events

Beyond all else, Berlin Tickets & Tours offers unique experiences that will enhance your trip. Consider the TV Tower Fast View Entry combined with a 3-course dinner. You cut off the queue for a gourmet dinner while enjoying amazing Berlin views. Or you can choose the Käfer Restaurant Reichstag, where you may have fresh pastries and eggs while staring out at Berlin's skyline. The cuisine excursions of Berlin Tickets & Tours are unforgettable!

Pick lessons from Passionate Guides

The staff behind Berlin Tickets & Tours's cuisine trips are among its best aspects. Their guides are enthusiastic foodies who like sharing Berlin's food narrative on the Cold War walking tour Berlin. Each trip is super instructive since it provides amazing insights into the food scene and past of the city.

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