#holiday event; jade thread

[alliannahvaughn]

𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 @jademeilittle

"Ooh that's so pretty!" Alli spoke, pointing at a frosted teal ornament that was directly in front of the other. "Do you mind handing it to me? Of course if you're not using it." she smiled. She looked down at her wreath for a moment, using the opportunity to tie the bow a little straighter, making sure it was the perfect fit before she looked back up again. Wreath making wasn't her specialty but, she was using the same skills she used for jewelry making to prefect it, and surprisingly it was working out quite well. "I can't wait to finish this and make some ornaments too. Maybe even make another wreath with the ornaments I make, I think that'll be fun."

[yuurei20]

Hello! I know all the students at NRC use the dark mirror for going certain places during events and going back home on holidays. However, is there any instances where they mention how they get back to NRC? I do know both Ace and Deuce came back on boat and bus but is that the same for everyone? can they cast portals to come back through the mirror?

Also, thank you for all the hard work you put into this blog!♥️

Hello hello!! Thank you so much for this question, you are too kind! ^^♡

On the subject of transporting to NRC from outside of NRC, these are the only two references I have been able to find: Halloween and Book 4!

Ace says that they had to take public transportation back to the school in Book 4 because "the mirror gate wasn't open," and in Halloween he says, "the school mirrors let us go home and back instantly for holidays and stuff," but I am not sure we have heard anything about logistics!

During Spectral Soiree Leona explains that mirrors are often used in magical artifacts, listing the examples of the Dark Mirror, the Hall of Mirrors, and the viewglasses. We know that the viewglasses require at least two mirrors to work, and Malleus transports the students via the Dark Mirror using the mirror that is the disco ball.

This makes it sounds as though maybe a mirror should be required for returning to NRC, much in the same way that a mirror is required for leaving it, but the students tend to appear in curious places for mirrors to be:

They show up just outside an abandoned cottage in the prologue and for Vargas Camp, and on what appears to be the outskirts of Epel's village for the Harveston event.

They then appear in the middle of city centers for Firelit Sky, White Rabbit, Tapis Rouge and Tamashina, while they step directly into a lecture hall at Noble Bell College.

Is it possible that all those city centers, the outskirts of Harveston, the outside of that abandoned cottage and the lecture hall all have a mirror set up specifically for mirror-based transportation?

It might not be impossible!

The Dark Mirror is "one of Night Raven College's most prized magical artifacts," requiring Crowley's permission to use.

Being so well guarded, setting up similar mirrors in public spaces might be unlikely, but it seems that the Dark Mirror is special (according to Vargas), doing more things than teleportation.

Maybe the mirrors in places like the woods and Clocktower Square (assuming they exist) are more generic?

I found a recent Twst Soku thread on this same topic, where some interesting points were made!

In the first novel a ghost tells Yuuya that "high-quality mirrors can be used for transportation." So maybe any mirror at all will do, so long as it is of a certain quality?

If that is the case, it would explain why the students appeared where they did in Firelit Sky, Harveston, etc.: they were the most convenient locations for Kalim and Jamil to introduce the city, for Epel to show off his village's orchards, etc., but maybe they could've teleported directly into their own bedrooms if they'd chosen to?

But that introduces a different question:

Jade, Floyd and Azul do not go home in Book 4 because of ice floes that make travel difficult--but why do they need to travel at all? Do they live an inconveniently far distance from the local transportation-mirror?

If any mirror can be used, does this mean that they do not have mirrors at home? We know that underwater-mirror-travel is possible because of Book 3, where characters go to both Octavinelle dorm and the Coral Sea via mirror.

Things might still be vague as of this post, but it is almost conspicuous how the game, manga and novel have all expertly avoided answering this question 👀

Commenters in the Twstsoku thread above generally seem to agree that it might be something of a bus-stop situation, with public mirrors that can access NRC during pre-determined time slots, but I do not think anything is official at this time!

Looking forward to an answer one day :>

[musicarenagh]

"Place To Be" by Cam Blair: A Daring Soundscape Imagine you’re enraptured in the paradox of a jaded nightclub’s heart, where strobe lights carve silhouettes out of smoke—an ambience that could serve as Cam Blair's impromptu canvas. His latest single,  “Place To Be” is less of an auditory event and more like strolling through an astral dimension where hip-hop brushes daringly against classical echoes—J. Cole dances with Beethoven, perhaps. https://open.spotify.com/album/74lFCa7NZqltzIXKTmXGNu Blair dips his lyrical quill into vibrant memories of South American nights; every beat in this tantalizing track carries notes plucked from Lil Wayne’s audacious oeuvre, seasoning our ears like Jay Z conducting at Carnegie Hall. Yet there's clear nectar poured over foundations robust and storytelling so vivid it crackles cinematic around edges blunt yet elegantly roughened by rap battles fought on landscapes drawn from holiday escapes. A dash eccentric—the narrative swirls affectionately around infatuation birthed under laser beams: he meets a girl neither ordinary nor obscure but splendidly shimmering just on the brink of recognition. Here lies not mere flirtation but epiphanies in verses cascading smoother than any velvet rope that has dared to brush Blair’s pulsating ethos. [caption id="attachment_55708" align="alignnone" width="768"] "Place To Be" by Cam Blair: A Daring Soundscape[/caption] Recorded amidst Mixerhead Studios’ musical sanctity under Jason Siegel’s sculptural direction, each sonic thread is woven sharply across tapestries reflective not just of encounters translated into rhythm, but also moments speckled with introspective spikes sort hoisted up high by "Bad times don’t last but bad guys do." Cam Blair spins quintessentially cool kaleidoscopes within bars housing tales too intoxicant to sip without due contemplation—an intoxicating synthesis left hovering long after final echoes blend back into silence crisper than prelude whispers promised initially. In essence? A dashing entanglement between string-section majesty and streetwise decrees—a scholar's romance penned on pavements borrowed temporarily for hearts possibly transient yet eternally stamped beneath beats hauntingly baroque. Follow Cam Blair on Website, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

[sunlightinourheadlights]

HANANENE HUB SECRET SANTA FICS MASTERLIST

Happy holidays everyone! This year we did an art/fanfiction secret santa swap on the Hananene Hub, and here is the masterlist of the christmas/winter themed fanfics! They are in alphabetical order according to fic title. Thank you to the amazing writers on this list and for everyone who contributed in the event. 

[WARNING: it may be the holidays, but do check the ratings and read the tags for each fic carefully. Not all the fics are fluff. This is still JSHK after all.]

Hope you all enjoy!

Give Me Your Stars to Hold by sincerelyand (me!) for Rapid (@rapidfur) -  If Nene knew one thing, it was how difficult it was being childhood friends with the Yugi Twins.

Honey, Don't Feed Me, I Will Come Back by thebonezone  (@fangirlingforeverz) for sincerelyand (me) - Nene wants to marry a prince more than anything.And what price will she pay for that wish? (Bluebeard AU, Aged Up Characters) 

Imperfect by thatsrightdollface (@thatsrightdollface) for hopesartcastle ( @thehopeelias)- When she was young, Aoi Akane had liked the funny-shaped, imperfect sugar cookies best of all.

if anything happens i love you by zileywrites (@muffindounat​​)  for teafloof (@teafloof) - Amane was a young precious boy with stardust running through his veins and galaxies swirling in his soul, who had been trying in vain to protect himself from the harsh realities of life. [or, three times Yugi Aname felt utterly alone in december after the passing of Tsukasa, and one time he didn’t.]

Lemon and Peach (and you and me under the mistletoe) by Baronesscmd (SweeterThanYourDarkestSin) (@baronesscmd) for HanaNoHanabira -  Tsukasa has a plan. It may involve threatening his brother's little assistant and making Natsuhiko's life a living nightmare, but if Sakura is happy in the end it will all be worth it.

No Place Like (Someone Else's) Home for the Holidays by Hammsters (@uglierdaikon) for Sharkbytez - Yashiro Nene is down on her luck; dumped and alone in a new city where she knows no one, she's preparing to spend her holidays alone for the first time. That is, until the flirtatious bartender at the restaurant where she works makes her an offer she might regret accepting- an invitation to spend Christmas with his family instead.

Once Upon A December (Things I Almost Remember) by banjjakz (@banjjakz) for piyo_nii (@piyo-nii) -  Aoi went missing last Christmas, and the chilling bite of the new year rendered her case cold to the touch. This year, on December first, Nene opens an anonymous Christmas card to find a lock of deep purple hair. Terrified, jaded, and freshly incensed, she teams up with the boy next door to track down her best friend before it's too late.

partly cloudy, chance of snow by sourlemoncandy (@sour-lemon-candy) for Naomi -  Amane is right in at least one respect- his apartment is close to her job, vacant, and perhaps most importantly, he makes the best chocolate chip cookies she's ever tasted. 

Pining Amongst the Pines by corologs  (@corologs​) for Cheyenne / Anu (@anubis-005) -  Just as Prince Hanako had found his favorite little gardener, news of an accident brings about an opportunity for Nene Yashiro to prove her usefulness.

snowfall and frostbite by lilaflo (@istoleyourboat) for sourlemoncandy ( @sour-lemon-candy) - After blossoming into a stunning, young college student, Yashiro Nene decides to push all her past regrets and mistakes behind her.That is... until her graduating class decides to throw a high school reunion on Christmas Eve. After finding out that her ex will be there, Nene seeks out a fake boyfriend to spare herself the humiliation.And who better than her best friend, Yugi Amane.

Time, Space, and the Worlds in Between by milkteamoon (@spades-queen) for Indigo_Floof (@indigosienna) -  Amane Yugi is an astronaut stationed on a planet far away when he catches a glimpse of something he's not meant to see.

the golden age of something good by piyo_nii (@piyo-nii) for Hammsters (@uglierdaikon) - Under the silver-streaked heavens, you pray to whoever is listening. You vow to become someone she can come to rely on. Someone who can protect her, someone she can learn to love.(That night, you dream of Yashiro’s shy smile and the clicking sound of a turning lock, and that can only be an omen.)

The Greatest Gifts Come in the Most Unorthodox Places by insipidenvy (@insipidenvy) for paopu_moo (@macey-wacey) - Hanako and Tsukasa spend Christmas catching up on lost time and opportunities. The past and present couldn't be any more different.

Threads of Nettle, Threads of Gold by Indigo_Floof (@indigosienna) for thebonezone (@fangirlingforeverz) -  Nene's siblings have been cursed to turn into swans, and as for the solution...she literally can't say anything about it.

When you get together with your friend to bake, it's usually a good idea to get the recipes beforehand by Chykori  for Miko (Mito Mitochondria) -  Amane and Nene cooking together at Amane’s house! With no adult or Kou supervision. Lots of fluff, no angst allowed here in this household. At one point they do pull up Kou on the videochat because he is on a vacation trip with his family and couldn’t make it to their baking day.

Please make sure to leave the incredible authors kudos and comments! Everyone worked very hard! ❤️

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

i LOVE the person who did the other izuku ask, it was so wholesome and precious to read and i generally just adored it. i was wondering if i could ask him to make hot chocolate with me so we can drink it while we watch christmas movies together and cuddle underneath a fluffy blanket ?? we could play with each other’s hair after a bit and maybe, if he wants, i can give him as many kisses as he has freckles because i love him so much and all i want to do is make sure he feels loved and appreciated. i know that’s a lot but i constantly dream of this boy and this is as close as i’m gonna get to interacting with him sojfkwksksdhsh so thank you so much for doing an event like this, sugar <33 - neo

Haha, here it is! Again, happy birthday, Neo (even though it’s a bit late 😅)! I’m so grateful to have you as my anon here :] I know you kinda asked for a character response ask, but I liked your detail so much that I just had to write something out. I hope you like it! And if you’d still like to do a character ask, you can always send another in! Wednesday is my last day until I close the event! Feel free to flood my inbox (literally seeing an inbox notification makes me so so happy I can’t even begin to describe it hshshfh)!

Anyway, on with the fluff!

...

You hummed a gentle tune while you watched two mugs spin on the turntable of your microwave. A gentle squeeze of your hand reminded you of who stood next to you, and you allowed yourself to lean against his arm. There was a comfortable silence between the two of you, allowing you to fully appreciate his scent, his warmth, and how fuzzy his sweater felt against your cheek.

“What’s your favorite Christmas movie?” he finally asked you, letting go of your hand so he could wrap his arm around your waist and pull you even closer to his side.

“Hmm . . . .” You considered your answer for a moment, racking your memory for one that would strike you as the best. “I guess I can’t pick just one,” you said, toying with his right hand. “Some of them are a little embarrassing, though.”

“I don’t mind.” Izuku watched as you gently traced one of the scars on his knuckle. “It’s the nostalgia, right? It can be fun going back. And we can watch however many you want. I want to spend time with you.”

You smiled up at him, and the authenticity of your expression made his heart flutter. You never failed to have such an effect on him, even in moments like this; wearing cozy sweaters in the middle of your kitchen, preparing to spend an evening together.

The microwave eventually beeped, and Izuku was quick to replace your mugs of steaming milk with a bag of popcorn kernels. You opened the tin of hot cocoa powder, helping yourself to it and a bag of marshmallows. Once your hot chocolates had been topped off to perfection and the popcorn was ready, you headed back to your bedroom where you’d already made a blanket fort for yourselves.

You opened your laptop, letting Izuku settle in next to you as you chose your first movie. Finally you were able to hit play, sitting back and snuggling into his side again. Your hot chocolate had cooled to the perfect temperature, and you sipped at it as the movie played.

Several minutes later, both Izuku’s and your mugs had been drained and were sat away from you on the floor. He’d wrapped you both up in a blanket while you cuddled, and your cheek was comfortably nuzzled into his chest.

“(Y/N)?” he asked out of the blue.

“Yeah?”

“Can—would it be alright if I laid in your lap?”

You grinned. “Of course.”

You shuffled so he could position his head onto your legs, shifting until he was comfortable. Midoriya sighed, contented, still watching the holiday movie you’d put on. It was almost over, but you knew this was the good part.

Your hands wandered up to his scalp, fingers experimentally threading through his emerald curls. You let your digits glide through them with ease, watching as they parted for you. They were so soft, and you loved the way they curled back once you released them. Moving in again, you let your nails gently scratch at his roots, pausing to card through his locks again and even rub circles into his skin.

Relaxed hums bubbled out of his throat, already feeling almost overwhelmed by the pleasurable feelings of your fingers. You continued until the movie ended, distractedly letting your fingers do what they wanted when it came to playing with his hair. Once the credits began to roll, he reached over and paused it, finally letting silence fall between you.

“Feels good,” he murmured, snuggling even closer into your belly.

“I’m glad,” you said, smiling down at your adorable boyfriend. “Do you want me to get another movie started?”

He paused, stroking his fingers over your knee. “Actually . . . I was wondering if I could kiss you for a bit?”

“Sure.”

He sat up again, quick to pull you into his lap. You settled on his thighs, and soon Izuku was on your lips. At first, you could feel his excitement, what with how he darted in to give you multiple swift pecks. But then he slowed, taking his time as he savored the feeling of your mouth against his. He was so warm, and he still tasted sweet.

He sucked on your bottom lip for a moment, rolling it between his own. When he released you, you dragged your nose up his bridge. Your lips met his cheek, beginning to pepper kisses all over. Peeking your eyes open, you took notice of his cute freckles. Unable to resist, you made a sort of game for yourself to see how many you could kiss, aiming for one and then another.

You loved the way his face scrunched up at your contact, the apples of his cheeks only seeming to get even fuller. “I love you,” you murmured against his skin before you gently attacked another freckle. “More than anything.”

“Me too.” Izuku opened his eyes to look into yours.

You stopped long enough to meet his jade hues. Captivated, nose to nose, forehead to forehead; you couldn’t bring yourself to end the moment. Finally he moved to peck your parted lips again, and he stayed there for a long time.

“Do you want to watch another movie?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper as he pressed slow kisses of his own against your nose and cheeks.

“Is it my turn to lay on your lap?” you asked.

“Of course.”

You pecked his eyelid one last time, choosing a second movie before laying down. Izuku grabbed one of the last pieces of popcorn and fed it to you, letting you take it into your mouth before immersing his own fingers into your hair.

And that’s how it went for the next hour or so; the soothing motions acting as a constant reminder that he was there. You couldn’t feel more content, and you knew it. There truly wasn’t a better way to spend a winter evening.

...

Hehe, got a lil spicy there with the kisses >:)

[claimthatbooty]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Jamil Viper/Kalim Al-Asim Characters: Jamil Viper, Kalim Al-Asim, Jade Leech Additional Tags: Blow Jobs, First Time Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Friends With Benefits, Mutual Masturbation, Smut, Post-Chapter 4 Summary:

“I understand now, Jamil,” Kalim raised his head and looked into Jamil’s eyes, his golden earrings swaying from left to right with the gentle movement. “You said we’d be friends. Isn’t this what you want?”

In which Jamil and Kalim explored the definition of "friends" after the events of the winter holiday in Scarabia, where the Master mustered up the courage to serve the Servant, in hope of upholding the fragile thread connecting the two together still.

Shameless smut! My second Jamil/Kalim and fic is here and I hope I haven’t missed any typos and inconsistencies. All kinds of comments and feedback welcome! 

[betterlatethannever2]

THE ALLY PALLY CONNECTION

I recently came across a photo, taken from Mountview Road, near Crouch End, where I lived as a child.  I was amazed to be able to see Alexandra Palace on a further hilltop, which I am sure was not visible from there in the 1940’s.  Grandma and Grandad Hoad (my mother’s parents) lived at 103 Rosebery Road, Muswell Hill, which was barely a stone’s throw from the Palace, and my mother and I were frequent visitors there.  This was the house that was provided for my grandparents after their own house at Nunhead (102 Drakefell Road) suffered war damage.  These visits are among my earliest memories, and I certainly remember being there in June 1944 when a telegram was delivered to announce that my Uncle Leslie had been killed in a motor-cycle accident on Malta.  He was on War Service but wasn’t involved in hostilities at the time.  I remember the grief, but it was stoically borne, in my presence anyway.  I was four at the time.

The second sad event at this address was the cot-death of my first brother, Anthony.  We must have been staying for the night.  This was totally unexpected, and I remember my mother’s devastation.  For a few weeks it seemed as though I had become the responsibility of Grandma, and my Auntie Marjorie who was still living at home at the time.  Nobody spoke to me about the tragedy, and I had to work out for myself why my mother was unable to cope with my care, and why she did not wish to speak to any body.  I do not recall being present at the funeral, but I presume my mother was able to regain her composure once all the procedures had been dealt with.  We manage things very differently now.

My grandparents were still at this address in 1947, and by this time I was trusted to go and see them by myself on the bus.  The bus stop, at the bottom of the green sweep, and on the road that curves round and up to Alexandra Palace was still there fifteen years ago, and I am sure it is still there now.  I would get off the bus and make my way through a small cutting, turn left, and then right, and straight on down Rosebery  Road to 103.  The semi-detached house, in an area now beloved by TV executives, had a very relaxed appearance, and a certain ‘graciousness’ inside.  There were two quite large and formal rooms on the ground floor, and stairs down to the kitchen, where we all sat unless there was a big family gathering.  the front room was very rarely used, but the back room could accommodate a sizeable party, and I enjoyed one or two of these, at adult knee height.  This room had french windows which led out onto a raised wooden veranda overlooking the garden.  I can smell the damp woodland feel its slippery surface under my feet, even now.  I loved all these visits.

I was the first grandchild, and while not actually spoilt in that sense, I enjoyed lots of affection and attention.  On my arrival, Grandad would reach for his ’sweetie’ tin on the piano, and while intoning Fe Fi Fo Fum, would invite me to plunge my small hand into the  sweet smelling and sticky selection.  I was particularly fond of pear drops.  Grandma had a selection of toys, wind-up tin animals and vehicles, simple construction sets, and jigsaws.  And of course, there were the Just William books.  I was never, ever bored, and always happy to listen in to the adult conversation, without making that too obvious.

Grandad was a very practical man, and was always making useful gadgets and small pieces of wooden furniture, and even toys.  He also repaired the family shoes on his lasts - a great saving then, as shoe repairs were very costly.  His workshop was a small room tucked away under the veranda.  He was also very proud of his garden.  His new potatoes, garden peas and strawberries have never been equalled in my experience.  I can just about summon their exquisite flavour, together with that of the pears from the trees  that grew in the garden.

On a Sunday morning he would take me to the newsagent’s to buy a comic for me, and a couple of the less salubrious Sunday papers for him, together with Titbits.  I read them all!  In the afternoon he would pack up his leather cases, and take his bowls up to the Muswell Hill Bowling Green.  I still have the smaller case, and I treasure it - not with the bowls in unfortunately.  I expect other members of the family took care of those.

Grandma, or more often my Auntie Marjorie, would take me to play on the swings in the grounds of Alexandra Palace.  On the top terraces, you had a wonderful view over London.  On one unforgettable occasion, my mother, Aunty Marjorie and myself dressed up in the beautiful dresses my mother had made out of  nylon parachute material.  Mine was white with red silk thread embellishment to the frills, and theirs were yellow with jade thread.  We were off to the Ball at the Palace.  Even at the time I thought it was very nice of them both to take me too, but with hindsight, I guess I made a useful chaperone.  They didn’t have to dance together all evening, there were gentlemanly invitations too.  I am always trying to reconstruct that evening in my mind, and comb the television screen whenever there is an event at Ally Pally, but it always eludes me.

These memories have been stirred by finding the paperwork connected with the requisitioning of the house that Grandad actually bought in 1933, located between Nunhead and New Cross.  He was a draughtsman by profession, and went to work in a suit, white shirt and tie.  His recent ancestors had been boatbuilders at Rye, hence his handyman skills, but clearly he was ‘upwardly mobile’.  The house cost £650.  By 1953, and after a great deal of ‘argy bargy’ about the war damage repair costs, and who was responsible for them, the house was valued at £350.  I have not been able to follow the line of argument, but clearly my grandfather knew when and how to dig his heels in when necessary, but he may have lost out on value as a result.

My grandparents were delighted to be back in their own house at last, and I hope that I never let on that I much preferred the house at Rosebery Road.  The railway ran at the bottom of their garden which was interesting, but noisy.  When I was ten, or eleven, my father (long home from the army by then), accepted a transfer of his post with the Public Trustee (a branch of the Civil Service, dealing with wills and probate) and we moved north to Manchester, settling in the nearby village of Romiley, then in Cheshire.  I was very homesick, but my parents allowed me to travel back to Grandma and Grandad’s for some of my school holidays.  I had the sort of freedom I would tremble to give my own grandchildren now.  Nunhead station was just down the road, and I would regularly take myself into central London to explore.  I also enjoyed visits to places like Kew Gardens, and to see other relatives, with Grandma and Auntie Marjorie.

When I watch TV programmes like ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ I know I am very lucky to know exactly who I am. 1st June.2020

[sleepychai-fics]

Discord Holiday Exchange

This is my contribution to a Holiday Exchange event on discord.

My person who I was assigned to and the person I am dedicating this fic to is @obacchus .

Hope you have great holidays and a happy new year!

Honestly, i wasn’t sure where to go with this one and i think its utter shit. Sorry for my shitty fic.

I fell down a hole and it obviously affected this. I’m really sorry.

Pairings: Sheith and Griffkink (? Idk what their ship name is), Shiro x Keith and James x Ryan.

Words: 2054

~

“Here you go ma’m.” Shiro places the box of goodies into the elderly womans’ hands.

“Thank you so much dear. Sorry to keep you from closing, I just hadn’t had the time to grab these.” The elderly woman takes the box and slowly walks towards the door.

“It’s perfectly fine. Hope you have a nice night and Merry Christmas.” Shiro steps in front of her to open the door, letting her pass.

“Merry Christmas to you too dear. I hope you and Keith have a lovely night.” She calls out as she begins to walk down the street, waving to Shiro as she leaves.

As the door closes, Shiro flips the sign over, displaying the shops’ status as closed.

He turns towards the shop, facing his fellow co-workers. He lets out a breath of exhausted relief and unties his apron, throwing it onto a nearby chair.

Allura closes the cash register and places her purse of spare change into a drawer before lacing her fingers with Lance’s.

Both adorned classy-casual outfits. Lance with a formal navy blue shirt and black jeans and Allura with a knee-length dress with the top being plain white and the skirt having a pink background with flowers spreading on the fabric. 

“Ok so the register is filled with change, the kitchen in clean, floors are almost done, food it ordered, drinks ordered, back door is locked.” Allura flicks her gaze throughout the cafe as she goes through her list. Her blue eyes land on Shiro. “Shiro, are you sure you’re okay doing this? I can-“

“Allura, go have fun! You deserve it.” Shiro interrupts her before she has a chance of changing her plans. “Enjoy your night!”

“You heard him babe! Let’s go!” Lance waves to Shiro and the rest of the crew and hastily drags Allura out of the shop, leaving no room for argument or hesitation.

Shiro smiles and turns to face the others.

James drags the mop across the last strip of floor before dunking it into the bucket, sighing with complete exhaustion.

Keith sanitises the last few tables and throws the cloth into a nearby bucket.

Ryan rearranges menu’s and drinking glasses at the designated work stations.

The mop is thrown on the ground and James collapses on the freshly cleaned floor. “Fuck it, I’m done.”

“Dude, you’re going to have to mop the floor again.” Keith says as he slips into the bar to put the cleaning supplies away.

“I don’t care. I’m tired. I’m stressed. I just want to stay in bed for the rest of the week.” James replies as he lays spread out on the floor, eyes closed lazily.

Ryan chuckles and walks over to James, hovering over him. “Would you feel better if I make lasagne for dinner tonight?”

“A little bit.” James grumbles, barely audible but enough for Ryan to hear.

“Drink anyone?” Keith calls out from the bar.

Simultaneous ‘no’s come from Ryan and Shiro whilst James gleefully shouts ‘yes’.

Shiro takes his seat on one of the chairs and starts to go through timesheets, transferring information onto his laptop.

Keith comes out of the bar with two bottles of beer in hand. James reaches for one of the bottles as he approaches him.

James then sits up and in a lazy attempt, drags Ryan down with him who pulls him into his lap. James opens the bottle and takes a long sip of it whilst leaning his head on Ryan’s chest

Keith plumps himself on Shiro’s lap and drinks nearly half his drink.

“So, what do you guys have planned for Christmas?” Keith only receives a groan from James.

“My Mom’s practically forcing me to go to this family dinner and she’s even begged for Ryan to be there.”

Ryan brushes a few stray strands of hair out of James’ face, placing a small kiss pin his forehead. “It’s not that bad.”

“She’s going to interrogate us.”

“That’s only because you didn’t let us meet each other before hand.”

“She’s my mother, of course I’m going to avoid her meeting my boyfriend.”

Ryan sighs and turns back to Keith. “We’ve also got lunch plans with my family. You guys have anything planned?”

Keith shrugs. “We’re having brunch with my Mom and Kolivan then we’ll be staying the night at Pidge’s for dinner and celebration.”

James scoffs. “At least you’ll be doing something fun.”

“You Mom isn’t that bad.” Ryan says.

“Only because you haven’t met her yet.”

Ryan chuckles and ruffles James’ hair, earning a dissatisfied grunt from the boy.

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.” Shiros says as he promptly packs up his laptop and papers. “did you two need a lift home?”

“That’d be great. We took the bus here and I don’t think there’s another one for a while.”

“What happened to your car?” Keith asks as he stands up from Shiro’s lap.

“It’s being serviced. The oil needed changing and I figured I’d get it serviced before Christmas.” Ryan explains.

“Well, I guess we better get going then.” Shiro stands up and gestures for the others to follow him as he walks towards the door.

Jade

The door unlocks with a soft click. Ryan flicks the light switch as he open s the door. The small apartment is flooded with light, presenting the open apartment with a hallway leading to two bedroom, one simply dedicated to storage, and a smaller room at the end being a bathroom.

James lazily walks passed Ryan and collapses onto the couch situated at the wall.

Ryan chuckles. “Are you that tired that you can’t make it to the bedroom?”

James groans loudly into the couch cushions in response.

Ryan walks over and kneels down next to James’ head. His fingers delicately thread through his soft brown locks, it’s easy to find James lost in the contact as he leans into the hand.

“Why don’t we get into the comfort of our bed? It’ll be better to sleep there then on this couch.”

“Nope. Can’t move.” James replies, moving his face out of the pillow and towards Ryan. Dark bags shadows his eyes as he stares into Ryan’s.

“Seriously?” Ryan only receives a grunt in response.

Ryan sighs and shakes his head in annoyance. Mischief flushes across his eyes and a smirk plays at his lips as a plan pops into his mind.

“That’s too bad.” His voice drops lower in a seductive way, something James doesn’t miss, and is clearly intrigued by the way his eyes glaze over with obvious want. “‘Cause I was thinking we could do something tonight.” Ryan leans closer to James, barely a breath away from him.

James instinctively does the same. “Yeah? Like what?” His voice suggests one thing, but Ryan does another.

“Like this.”

Lightning fast fingers jab into James’ side  and begins to ferociously tickle him.

James yelps and barks out a laugh, turning to escape Ryan’s wrath. But all that does is provide him access to his stomach, which Ryan immediately takes advantage of.

Limbs jut out in a flimsy attempt to escape. James continues his rambunctious laughter as Ryan attacks his stomach with his fingers.

Ryan climbs on top of James and it soon becomes a chaos of flailing limbs.

Finally, after what what seems to be hours of torture, James grabs firm hold of Ryan’s hands, stopping his attack.

Giggles remains to emit from the two boys’ lips. Eyes shine with joy and admiration, combined with a gaze of longing lust.

The quiet giggles soon slow to a stop. Lips move closer together. Entangled hands move to lay on top of the arm rest above their heads.

Eyes flutter close as lips meet in a feather light touch, one that progresses easily.

The sensation of the kiss flows with affection and want, but borders on the line of complete lust.

It defies their love and want for their presence. It resembles their commitment to each other and their relationship. It electrifies the deep bond between the two.

~

Sheith

As soon as the door opens, Keith saunters in and makes a direct course to the kitchen, leaving Shiro to close the door.

Shiro makes naturally quick work of putting his keys on the hook and disposing his shoes off his feet and hooking his coat on the coat rack. After putting down his laptop, Shiro walks through the archway into the kitchen, only to be met with a surprise.

“How long did you hide that for?”

“’Bout a week.” Keith answers as he continues to casually snack on the chocolate bar. “If you knew when I bought it, you would’ve eaten it before I would’ve gotten a chance to.”

Keith was right on that one. Contrary to what people would expect of Shiro to be around sweets, he actually really enjoyed them. Especially chocolate.

Shiro smiles at his comment and steps towards him until he’s within arm’s reach. He watches his as he bites and chews the chocolate before swallowing in a way that may as well be teasing him.

Shiro looks between the last bit of chocolate and Keith. “Are you going to share the last bit?”

Keith’s smirk only represents evil and the sinister look in his eyes suggest something mischievous planned in his mind.

Shiro’s eyes go wide with shock and horror as Keith shoves the rest of the chocolate into his mouth, chewing slowly in an obvious tease.

“Too late.” Keith muffles through the melting chocolate in his mouth as he continuous to stare at Shiro with a victorious glint in his eyes. But as quick as that glint appears, it’s instantly washed away with shock.

Shiro closes the distance between them in a second and collides his lips with Keith’s. The force of his action causes Keith to hit to kitchen counter behind him. Keith gasps as he is hit with the sudden unsuspecting action from Shiro. But now that he thinks about it, he probably should’ve expected this as well.

Shiro takes the chance to plunge his tongue into the velvety and chocolate filled cavern. He swirls his tongue along the insides of his cheeks, gathering up as much chocolate as he can. Keith can do nothing but take it as he is pushed against the counter.

The added sweetness to the kiss is intoxicating and delicious. Sparks flutter down each of their spines, extracting feelings of desire from them.

Shiro’s hands slide down to Keith’s thighs, squeezing before lifting him up onto the counter gaining a better angle at his mouth.

Keith’s arms comes up to wrap around Shiro’s neck as they devour each other in want and love. It seems like hours pass before they part from each other.

A strong of chocolate coated saliva hangs from their lips and they gasp to catch their breaths.

“We’ll have to kiss every time we have chocolate. It tasted so much sweeter in your mouth.” Shiro doesn’t have to open his eyes to know that a deep red blush consumes Keith’s cheeks.

Keith hums in approval as ge buries his face in the crook of Shiro’s neck, stifling a yawn.

Shiro smiles at the boys attempt to hide his exhaustion. He kisses his temple before dragging him off of the counter, supporting his weight with two firms hands on either thigh.

Keith easily latches onto him and allows Shiro to take him to the bedroom.

Shiros carefully lays him down on the bed, shuffling them both into comfortable positions before pulling the blanket up to them.

Their eyes scream for sleep but it doesn’t stop the look of love as they gaze deeply into each other’s eyes.

With a delicate finger, Shiro tucks a strand of hair behind Keith’s ear.

“I love you.” His voice in barely a whisper, but holds all the admiration he has for Keith.

“I love you too.” Keith’s reply holds just as much emotion as his boyfriend, and neither of them can stop the incoming smiles from stretching their lips.

Their lips meet in several small butterfly pecks, the quiet clicks of each kiss resonates in their small bedroom.

One final, long kiss signals the end of their spree. They tuck into each other impossibly closer before they let the looming need for sleep take over, whisking them away into the beautiful landscape of the dream realm.

~

like i said, utter shit.

anyone else done with life? or am i just stuck in this dark hole alone? wouldnt be the first time

[linuxgamenews]

ARK: Survival Evolved event Fear Evolved 4 now available

Fear Evolved 4 under way for ARK: Survival Evolved on Linux, Mac and Windows PC. Thanks to developers Studio Wildcard, Instinct Games, Efecto Studios, and Virtual Basement LLC. The even is now live on Steam for all owners of the game. It's time to Trick or Treat whilst howling under the blood moon. The fourth annual ARK: Survival Evolved “Fear Evolved 4” in-game event is under way. Due to run until November 6th. While the DodoRex and DodoWyvern will be striking fear into the hearts of Survivors. Along with their menacing return to the ARK. So jump in game now to hunt for new diabolical chibis. Also the spectral creature skins, event themed threads, and new holiday emotes.

During the ARK: Fear Evolved 4 event, players will get 2X Experience. Along with Harvesting, Taming and Breeding (mating interval, egg hatch speed, and maturation). In addition to many fan favorites from past Fear Evolved events. Survivors will also find themselves on the hunt for 11 new spooky themed chibis’ to add to their growing collection. Plus, seven new ghostly dinosaur skins and other rawrsome fun, including:

Fear Evolved 4 Features:

Scary Dino Encounters: Take on the DodoWyvern and DodoRex bosses. Since they lead the scary band of creatures found during Spooktober on the ARK!

Spooky Chibis: Collect the 11 new event chibis. Including Skeletal Rex, Bone Wyvern, and Skeletal Stego. Even adding a Zombie Wyvern to your collection!

Ghost Creature Skins: Find a Ghost Creature in the wild and after you kill it. Then you also get the skin to add to your creature in Fear Evolved 4. Available for Reaper, Bulbdog, Rex, Basilisk, Snow Owl, Mantis, and Direwolf.

Creepy Emotes: Choose from five event emotes. Such as the new Knock and Scare expressions to spook your friends.

Festive Clothing: So pick your favorite Halloween themed Hawaiian shirt or swimsuit. Including new stylish Reaper and Jack o’ Lantern swimsuits.

Special Creature Event Colors: This year’s colors now include Vermillion, Actual Black, Midnight Blue, and Medium Autumn. Along with Dark Warm Gray, Orange, Dark Lavender, and Jade.

For the latest updates including Fear Evolved 4. This is also available to owners on Steam for Linux, Mac and Windows PC.

[moonstew16-blog]

Workshops 2019

Good ideas – Moveable feasts

When we first found and fell in love with the big house at 1 rue de Loudenne, a building rich with history and many past lives, we wanted to turn parts of it into a restaurant. It was a good idea but we soon came up with something better, more intimate and more enjoyable. How about, a few times a year, having groups of people come to our house, not for one meal but several. Cook with them, get to know them, share our lives, our knowledge of food, photography, wine and France. My blog, that I had started a few years earlier, was keeping me occupied and happy, communicating with readers, sharing recipes and glimpses of my life a very satisfying experience but I always felt the need for an increased reality, talking about a place is one thing, actually being there is another. A chef in a restaurant rarely meets his diners, a waiter does but usually only on a superficial level. Having many meals together in a row, many wines in a row, cooking together, sharing a bountiful table seemed like a good idea, and it turns out it was. We are in our 4th year of hosting workshops and I’m quite frankly loving it. I always had a feeling my readers were wonderful people and now I’ve found out they really are. You’ve come here in great numbers, some of you every year (which must be a compliment) and instead of things getting jaded or ordinary they are getting better. The basic idea remains the same, people come here in the morning, we cook, eat, drink and when we’re done we do it all over again. Of course there are all sorts of distractions, differently emphasized depending on the theme of the workshop, the time of year. Wine always plays a huge part, sometimes photography does too. Exploring the region, foraging, meeting our friends, sometimes cooking at their place, especially if they live on winemaking châteaux.

But this good idea has evolved, taken on a life of its own – it’s almost a concept by now, 1 rue de Loudenne is a real house, a house where you can visit, have champagne, make soufflés, have wine tastings, lunches under the olive trees or drink wonderful Bordeaux wines in front of the fire as the duck breast snarls on the sarment wine branches in the fireplace. But it’s also a virtual place, an idea of how life can be lived, something you can bring back home with you like ( a much better writer than me once called it ) a moveable feast. In a broader context this is what we are working on creating with our new website that’s very delayed but still very much happening. www.rueloudenne.com will be the projection of our house online, a mirror of the ideas that come from here, and not just projecting online what’s happening in this house but in other places where food and quality takes a central stage. Places you can visit for real … or in spirit, places of the heart … and stomach.

I have also found that good ideas can travel, they are not bound to a house, no matter how good the house may be. And good ideas must evolve to stay young and fresh. This year I’m working on a new cookbook once again with Clarkson Potter (the Crown Publishing Group), on a subject that’s very close to our hearts – Italian cooking. We’ve taken most of our holidays, forever, in Italy. We’ve traveled there extensively, spent much time and discovered places, sometimes through our work for Condé Nast Traveler, that we could never have imagined but always knew were there (if that makes sense). The idea is to bring to the reader, not only my take on Italian cooking but that of my Italian friends who have helped me discover the originality and specialness of their respective regions. To do this well (and why would I bother if that wasn’t the plan) we have decided to take up a secondary residence in Torino (Turin), a city we have all fallen in love with. Rue Loudenne will remain our home but this is a new chapter in our lives and as I once said, why not? – while we’re still young. As I said, I believe that good ideas can travel and the idea is to bring the moveable feast that is Rue Loudenne to Italy for some special workshops throughout the year as we’ll be partially based there.

A guest attending once asked me, in the early days, “Is there anything special I need to bring to the workshop?” My answer then was “Just bring an open mind and an empty stomach”. That is still the answer.

I hope you like what we have planned for next year, I know it seems quite far away now but as always I have received so many requests from people who are more organised than myself to give the dates and I’m glad they do – it’s wonderful to have something to look forward to.

Workshops of 2019

2019 being our fifth year I believe we’ve come up with a good “formula” for the classic workshops, something that works for most people and is enjoyable. 3 days seem to be the magic number of days, we usually start at 10.30 in the morning, cook a lunch together and then take a 2 hour break in the afternoon before reconvening, with a glass or two of champagne in one hand, some kitchen utensil in the other (and sometimes that kitchen utensil is just a cork screw), cook dinner.

The price for a standard workshop is 2.000 euros per person with everything included except accommodation which guests choose themselves – but don’t worry we have plenty of good options for you, wonderful B&B’s, beautiful houses rented out by friends …

Some workshops have additional supplements in terms of cost, often due to the fact we’re traveling, with some or all accommodation included, some restaurant meals or transportation. How much depends on which workshop. The two road trips are also longer workshops and therefore more costly.

Please note that all deposits are non-refundable. I find that to be a necessary step to avoid confusion and frivolous bookings. Should, however, something prevent you from attending the workshop you booked (and I know from experience that this can happen) I would be very happy to find other dates that work for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you all, Mimi xx

For all bookings and further information please contact: [email protected]

Workshops at my house in Médoc, France

May 15 – 18, 2019 “The French wine Master class”, a roadtrip

Having lived and breathed Bordeaux wines for almost a decade now, having always loved wine, having wine makers as some of our closest friends, having even made our own wine – it’s safe to say that we’ve learnt a thing or two along the way. Wine has truly become a passion for us on so many levels, a nectar full of history, flavor, terroir and tradition. While most of the workshops touch to a larger or lesser degree on the subject of wine we thought, 4 years later, it was time to devote a whole workshop, not just to our beloved Bordeaux but also to the wines of other French wine regions we love. We’ll start in Champagne, meet some of our favorite producers, do tastings and end the day in Paris with a feast at one of our best-loved restaurants. The following day we’ll head down to Burgundy where we’ll continue our education/indulging and spend a night in the region after a typical Lyonnaise bistrot meal. On the third day we’ll head down to Bordeaux (it’s a bit of a drive so be warned), starting in St Émilion and spending the night in Bordeaux city. On the last day we’ll drive up to Médoc, meet our friends who make wine and finally cooking a last feast together at our house, 1 rue de Loudenne in St Yzans.

This is a 4-day workshop which is unusual but we just don’t feel we can do this properly and enjoyably in 3 day. This workshop carries a supplement due to accommodation included, restaurant meals etc.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

June 12-14, 2019 “The Playing restaurant workshop”

This is a workshop I’m particularly excited about. As I mentioned earlier in this post we had an idea, briefly, to turn parts of our house into a restaurant. We did a pop-up the first year we lived here and we’re still in love with the idea of creating the “perfect bistrot”. So while this will partially be a classic workshop it will also be built around the idea of conceiving a restaurant. Before the last day we’ll split the group in two with each party taking care of one meal, one lunch, one dinner. Each group will come up with a menu, wine pairings, table settings, flower arrangements. Which little treats to serve the guests when they arrive, the music, the coffee. And cook of course – with each person playing on his or her strengths. For fun we’ll invite a professional restaurant critic who will declare one team the winner. Sounds like fun, right?

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

June 19 – 21, 2019 “The annual Summer abundance workshop”

Probably the most popular workshop of the last 2 years, so popular in fact that we added a second one in 2018. This is a celebration of summer and seasonal produce, when the season is still young and full of the freshest fruits and vegetables. A traditional workshop in summer clothes, with al fresco lunches and dinners, long communal tables, picnics and barbecues on the beaches and in the vineyards – the color of this workshop is rosé …

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

September 25 – 27, 2019 “The first Fall harvest & wine workshop”

Médoc is a wine region above anything else and while the talk most of the year is of nothing but wine (and perhaps meat, mushrooms and oysters) the harvest is September is the culmination of it all – the region really comes alive, migrant workers flock to Médoc to pick in the day, party in the evenings – there are endless feasts and events, a time for celebration and sometimes also worry. The most Médoc of all periods. This will be a classic workshop, with much cooking and eating at our house but the thread of intrigue will be the wine picking (which we will participate in) the wine partying (which we will also participate in), some early foraging, some late summer celebrating. One of my favorite times of the year when we can still enjoy tomatoes and are already having mushrooms and pumpkins.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

October 2 – 4, 2019 “The second Fall harvest workshop”

Another classic workshop that’s proven incredibly popular. A similar take on the season as the Summer abundance but with slightly warmer clothes and different colors and flavors. Foraging for mushrooms, a feast in the forest, hanging out with local hunters (for those who dare), serious wine tastings, recipes rich with autumn produce and local game.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

Workshops in Italy

April 17 – 19, 2019 “Spring in Piemonte”

By then my Italian cookbook will be done and I’ll be full of knowledge, new tricks and inspiration. Piemontese cooking has really taken me by storm and I can’t wait to share all my newfound secrets. We’ll stay in the Langhe – Roero winemaking region (where they make Barolos) and spend our days cooking together, eating together, visiting one or two restaurants to sample the best of the region. We have decided, for the sake of variety and to make everyone happy, that I’ll stay put in the kitchen while others, like my husband Oddur who is a photographer and who loves wine intimately – will take those who want on wine tours and offer photography classes – a sort of cooking relief for those who need it, or spouses and friends who come along for the ride but would rather taste wine than actually cook too much. It’s a something for everyone formula 

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

July 4-6, 2019 “The Mysteries of Turin”

The most unusual workshop of the year … and the most mysterious. Turin is a legendary city, the only one in the world that lies on both the so-called Black and White triangles. For three days we’ll indulge in good food and wine, while diving into these mysteries, like in a good detective novel (where the detective likes to eat and drink), fascinate ourselves with the legends, the shroud of Turin, the origins of Italian cinema, the legend of Carlo Mollino. Where Julia Child meets Agatha Christie. I’ve got goosebumps writing this …

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

October 15-19, 2019 “The Great Italian roadtrip” … a cookbook revisited

Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to visit some special places in Italy and the coming year will see us do even more travel as we put the finishing touches on my Italian cookbook. Come October 2019 we’ll be, not only celebrating the realisation of all that cooking and travel in the form of a book, but also inspired to revisit the settings of our food discoveries and photographing, sharing our favorite destinations with a few good and interested people who love Italy and want to know her better. We’ll start in Rome and work our way up through 5 regions until we’ll end up in Piemonte (of course) where we’ll have a farewell dinner (that we’ll cook together ) in our Turin apartment.

This is a 5-day “extravaganza” workshop

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

December 5-7, 2019 “Festive in Piemonte”

The white truffles of Alba are one of the most sought after foods in the world. And for good reason, come October/November and Piemontese chefs & waiters will grate or slice truffles on just about everything they serve you – and it will all be delicious. We’ll escape the crowds but catch the truffles in local restaurants, set up a kitchen where we’ll cook away and explore the early winter country and festive cooking of Piemonte. This will be a workshop comparable to the “Spring in Piemonte” workshop but with vastly different ingredients and weather and some early Christmas influences for a festive atmosphere.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

Source: http://mimithorisson.com/2018/05/09/workshops-2019/

[wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog]

You won't believe how many fashion and beauty sales are happening this Memorial Day

Your Memorial Day shopping guide to the best fashion and beauty deals. See how you can save up to 50 percent off your favorite designers. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ready, set, shop! Memorial day is here and all the best fashion and beauty sales are right at your fingertips. From sun dresses and sandals to lipstick and skin care, you won’t want to miss out on this holiday weekend’s style and beauty sales.

We did the hard work, so you don’t have to. After scouring the web for the best sales this weekend, we’re certain you’ll get the best bang for your buck with this guide.

Shop all the best Memorial Day fashion and beauty deals below.

Alala

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AMO

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Aritzia

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AUrate

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Spend up to $250 and receive 15 percent off

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Spend over $750 and receive 25 percent off

Avenue

Buy one, get one 75 percent off most items and 50 percent off swim.

Universal Thread Scoop Tank (Photo: Target)

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Blundstone

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Catherines

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Clinique

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Cos

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Covry Eyewear

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Dermstore

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Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. (Photo: Dermstore)

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Dr. Scholl’s Shoes

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Draper James

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Elemis

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E.L.F.

Get 50 percent off orders of $30 or more.

E.L.F. Opposites Attract Eyeshadow Palette. (Photo: E.L.F.)

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Farfetch

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Felina

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Furla

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Take 30 percent off a wide assortment of denim in men’s and women’s

Spend $100+ and receive a free clear tote with your purchase

Charter Club Hooded Anorak (Photo: Macy's)

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Halston

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Hanky Panky

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Hobo

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Jack Rogers

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Jade Swim

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Kade Spade Sylvia Large Dome Satchel (Photo: Kate Spade)

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Kate Spade

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Keds

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Kipling

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Lancôme

Enjoy 20 percent off and free shipping on orders over $49 using code FRIENDS.

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation. (Photo: Lancôme)

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Lane Bryant/Cacique

Save 40 percent off apparel, accessories, sleep and swim. Buy one, get one 50 percent off Cacique bras. On May 25 only, cotton bras and bralettes (select styles) are $19.50.

Lilly Pulitzer

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Last Call Neiman Marcus

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Macy’s

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Choose a free 7-piece gift with any $45 Estée Lauder purchase

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Marciano

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Marimekko

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Mark & Graham

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Veja Nova Logo-Print Canvas Trainers (Photo: Matches Fashion)

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Matches Fashion

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M.Gemi

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Mikoh

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Modcloth

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Naadam

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Old Navy Color-Blocked Swimsuit (Photo: Old Navy)

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Neiman Marcus

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Net-a-Porter

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Nordstrom

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Old Navy

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Paravel

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Paravel Mini Main Line Duffle (Photo: Paravel)

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Primary

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RACHEL Rachel Roy

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Rebecca Minkoff

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Reebok

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Sephora

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Clarisonic Mia Smart 3-in-1 Connected Sonic Beauty Device. (Photo: Sephora)

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Shopbop

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Solid & Striped

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Stila

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Target

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Tarte Cosmetics

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Ted Baker

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Trina Turk

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Ulta

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Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo and Conditioner. (Photo: Ulta)

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Vera Bradley

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Volcom

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Walmart

Take 30 percent off all maurices dresses and sandals.

Westward Leaning

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Zappos

Save up to 40 percent off select shoe styles

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• The best Memorial Day tech deals include 4K TVs, laptops, tablets and more

• Wayfair kicked off Memorial Day sales early: Here's every deal you need to know

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[shortsrifle7-blog]

Workshops 2019

Good ideas – Moveable feasts

When we first found and fell in love with the big house at 1 rue de Loudenne, a building rich with history and many past lives, we wanted to turn parts of it into a restaurant. It was a good idea but we soon came up with something better, more intimate and more enjoyable. How about, a few times a year, having groups of people come to our house, not for one meal but several. Cook with them, get to know them, share our lives, our knowledge of food, photography, wine and France. My blog, that I had started a few years earlier, was keeping me occupied and happy, communicating with readers, sharing recipes and glimpses of my life a very satisfying experience but I always felt the need for an increased reality, talking about a place is one thing, actually being there is another. A chef in a restaurant rarely meets his diners, a waiter does but usually only on a superficial level. Having many meals together in a row, many wines in a row, cooking together, sharing a bountiful table seemed like a good idea, and it turns out it was. We are in our 4th year of hosting workshops and I’m quite frankly loving it. I always had a feeling my readers were wonderful people and now I’ve found out they really are. You’ve come here in great numbers, some of you every year (which must be a compliment) and instead of things getting jaded or ordinary they are getting better. The basic idea remains the same, people come here in the morning, we cook, eat, drink and when we’re done we do it all over again. Of course there are all sorts of distractions, differently emphasized depending on the theme of the workshop, the time of year. Wine always plays a huge part, sometimes photography does too. Exploring the region, foraging, meeting our friends, sometimes cooking at their place, especially if they live on winemaking châteaux.

But this good idea has evolved, taken on a life of its own – it’s almost a concept by now, 1 rue de Loudenne is a real house, a house where you can visit, have champagne, make soufflés, have wine tastings, lunches under the olive trees or drink wonderful Bordeaux wines in front of the fire as the duck breast snarls on the sarment wine branches in the fireplace. But it’s also a virtual place, an idea of how life can be lived, something you can bring back home with you like ( a much better writer than me once called it ) a moveable feast. In a broader context this is what we are working on creating with our new website that’s very delayed but still very much happening. www.rueloudenne.com will be the projection of our house online, a mirror of the ideas that come from here, and not just projecting online what’s happening in this house but in other places where food and quality takes a central stage. Places you can visit for real … or in spirit, places of the heart … and stomach.

I have also found that good ideas can travel, they are not bound to a house, no matter how good the house may be. And good ideas must evolve to stay young and fresh. This year I’m working on a new cookbook once again with Clarkson Potter (the Crown Publishing Group), on a subject that’s very close to our hearts – Italian cooking. We’ve taken most of our holidays, forever, in Italy. We’ve traveled there extensively, spent much time and discovered places, sometimes through our work for Condé Nast Traveler, that we could never have imagined but always knew were there (if that makes sense). The idea is to bring to the reader, not only my take on Italian cooking but that of my Italian friends who have helped me discover the originality and specialness of their respective regions. To do this well (and why would I bother if that wasn’t the plan) we have decided to take up a secondary residence in Torino (Turin), a city we have all fallen in love with. Rue Loudenne will remain our home but this is a new chapter in our lives and as I once said, why not? – while we’re still young. As I said, I believe that good ideas can travel and the idea is to bring the moveable feast that is Rue Loudenne to Italy for some special workshops throughout the year as we’ll be partially based there.

A guest attending once asked me, in the early days, “Is there anything special I need to bring to the workshop?” My answer then was “Just bring an open mind and an empty stomach”. That is still the answer.

I hope you like what we have planned for next year, I know it seems quite far away now but as always I have received so many requests from people who are more organised than myself to give the dates and I’m glad they do – it’s wonderful to have something to look forward to.

Workshops of 2019

2019 being our fifth year I believe we’ve come up with a good “formula” for the classic workshops, something that works for most people and is enjoyable. 3 days seem to be the magic number of days, we usually start at 10.30 in the morning, cook a lunch together and then take a 2 hour break in the afternoon before reconvening, with a glass or two of champagne in one hand, some kitchen utensil in the other (and sometimes that kitchen utensil is just a cork screw), cook dinner.

The price for a standard workshop is 2.000 euros per person with everything included except accommodation which guests choose themselves – but don’t worry we have plenty of good options for you, wonderful B&B’s, beautiful houses rented out by friends …

Some workshops have additional supplements in terms of cost, often due to the fact we’re traveling, with some or all accommodation included, some restaurant meals or transportation. How much depends on which workshop. The two road trips are also longer workshops and therefore more costly.

Please note that all deposits are non-refundable. I find that to be a necessary step to avoid confusion and frivolous bookings. Should, however, something prevent you from attending the workshop you booked (and I know from experience that this can happen) I would be very happy to find other dates that work for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you all, Mimi xx

For all bookings and further information please contact: [email protected]

Workshops at my house in Médoc, France

May 15 – 18, 2019 “The French wine Master class”, a roadtrip

Having lived and breathed Bordeaux wines for almost a decade now, having always loved wine, having wine makers as some of our closest friends, having even made our own wine – it’s safe to say that we’ve learnt a thing or two along the way. Wine has truly become a passion for us on so many levels, a nectar full of history, flavor, terroir and tradition. While most of the workshops touch to a larger or lesser degree on the subject of wine we thought, 4 years later, it was time to devote a whole workshop, not just to our beloved Bordeaux but also to the wines of other French wine regions we love. We’ll start in Champagne, meet some of our favorite producers, do tastings and end the day in Paris with a feast at one of our best-loved restaurants. The following day we’ll head down to Burgundy where we’ll continue our education/indulging and spend a night in the region after a typical Lyonnaise bistrot meal. On the third day we’ll head down to Bordeaux (it’s a bit of a drive so be warned), starting in St Émilion and spending the night in Bordeaux city. On the last day we’ll drive up to Médoc, meet our friends who make wine and finally cooking a last feast together at our house, 1 rue de Loudenne in St Yzans.

This is a 4-day workshop which is unusual but we just don’t feel we can do this properly and enjoyably in 3 day. This workshop carries a supplement due to accommodation included, restaurant meals etc.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

June 12-14, 2019 “The Playing restaurant workshop”

This is a workshop I’m particularly excited about. As I mentioned earlier in this post we had an idea, briefly, to turn parts of our house into a restaurant. We did a pop-up the first year we lived here and we’re still in love with the idea of creating the “perfect bistrot”. So while this will partially be a classic workshop it will also be built around the idea of conceiving a restaurant. Before the last day we’ll split the group in two with each party taking care of one meal, one lunch, one dinner. Each group will come up with a menu, wine pairings, table settings, flower arrangements. Which little treats to serve the guests when they arrive, the music, the coffee. And cook of course – with each person playing on his or her strengths. For fun we’ll invite a professional restaurant critic who will declare one team the winner. Sounds like fun, right?

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

June 19 – 21, 2019 “The annual Summer abundance workshop”

Probably the most popular workshop of the last 2 years, so popular in fact that we added a second one in 2018. This is a celebration of summer and seasonal produce, when the season is still young and full of the freshest fruits and vegetables. A traditional workshop in summer clothes, with al fresco lunches and dinners, long communal tables, picnics and barbecues on the beaches and in the vineyards – the color of this workshop is rosé …

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

September 25 – 27, 2019 “The first Fall harvest & wine workshop”

Médoc is a wine region above anything else and while the talk most of the year is of nothing but wine (and perhaps meat, mushrooms and oysters) the harvest is September is the culmination of it all – the region really comes alive, migrant workers flock to Médoc to pick in the day, party in the evenings – there are endless feasts and events, a time for celebration and sometimes also worry. The most Médoc of all periods. This will be a classic workshop, with much cooking and eating at our house but the thread of intrigue will be the wine picking (which we will participate in) the wine partying (which we will also participate in), some early foraging, some late summer celebrating. One of my favorite times of the year when we can still enjoy tomatoes and are already having mushrooms and pumpkins.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

October 2 – 4, 2019 “The second Fall harvest workshop”

Another classic workshop that’s proven incredibly popular. A similar take on the season as the Summer abundance but with slightly warmer clothes and different colors and flavors. Foraging for mushrooms, a feast in the forest, hanging out with local hunters (for those who dare), serious wine tastings, recipes rich with autumn produce and local game.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

Workshops in Italy

April 17 – 19, 2019 “Spring in Piemonte”

By then my Italian cookbook will be done and I’ll be full of knowledge, new tricks and inspiration. Piemontese cooking has really taken me by storm and I can’t wait to share all my newfound secrets. We’ll stay in the Langhe – Roero winemaking region (where they make Barolos) and spend our days cooking together, eating together, visiting one or two restaurants to sample the best of the region. We have decided, for the sake of variety and to make everyone happy, that I’ll stay put in the kitchen while others, like my husband Oddur who is a photographer and who loves wine intimately – will take those who want on wine tours and offer photography classes – a sort of cooking relief for those who need it, or spouses and friends who come along for the ride but would rather taste wine than actually cook too much. It’s a something for everyone formula 

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

July 4-6, 2019 “The Mysteries of Turin”

The most unusual workshop of the year … and the most mysterious. Turin is a legendary city, the only one in the world that lies on both the so-called Black and White triangles. For three days we’ll indulge in good food and wine, while diving into these mysteries, like in a good detective novel (where the detective likes to eat and drink), fascinate ourselves with the legends, the shroud of Turin, the origins of Italian cinema, the legend of Carlo Mollino. Where Julia Child meets Agatha Christie. I’ve got goosebumps writing this …

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

October 15-19, 2019 “The Great Italian roadtrip” … a cookbook revisited

Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to visit some special places in Italy and the coming year will see us do even more travel as we put the finishing touches on my Italian cookbook. Come October 2019 we’ll be, not only celebrating the realisation of all that cooking and travel in the form of a book, but also inspired to revisit the settings of our food discoveries and photographing, sharing our favorite destinations with a few good and interested people who love Italy and want to know her better. We’ll start in Rome and work our way up through 5 regions until we’ll end up in Piemonte (of course) where we’ll have a farewell dinner (that we’ll cook together ) in our Turin apartment.

This is a 5-day “extravaganza” workshop

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

December 5-7, 2019 “Festive in Piemonte”

The white truffles of Alba are one of the most sought after foods in the world. And for good reason, come October/November and Piemontese chefs & waiters will grate or slice truffles on just about everything they serve you – and it will all be delicious. We’ll escape the crowds but catch the truffles in local restaurants, set up a kitchen where we’ll cook away and explore the early winter country and festive cooking of Piemonte. This will be a workshop comparable to the “Spring in Piemonte” workshop but with vastly different ingredients and weather and some early Christmas influences for a festive atmosphere.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

Source: http://mimithorisson.com/2018/05/09/workshops-2019/

[carrotlunch07-blog]

Workshops 2019

Good ideas – Moveable feasts

When we first found and fell in love with the big house at 1 rue de Loudenne, a building rich with history and many past lives, we wanted to turn parts of it into a restaurant. It was a good idea but we soon came up with something better, more intimate and more enjoyable. How about, a few times a year, having groups of people come to our house, not for one meal but several. Cook with them, get to know them, share our lives, our knowledge of food, photography, wine and France. My blog, that I had started a few years earlier, was keeping me occupied and happy, communicating with readers, sharing recipes and glimpses of my life a very satisfying experience but I always felt the need for an increased reality, talking about a place is one thing, actually being there is another. A chef in a restaurant rarely meets his diners, a waiter does but usually only on a superficial level. Having many meals together in a row, many wines in a row, cooking together, sharing a bountiful table seemed like a good idea, and it turns out it was. We are in our 4th year of hosting workshops and I’m quite frankly loving it. I always had a feeling my readers were wonderful people and now I’ve found out they really are. You’ve come here in great numbers, some of you every year (which must be a compliment) and instead of things getting jaded or ordinary they are getting better. The basic idea remains the same, people come here in the morning, we cook, eat, drink and when we’re done we do it all over again. Of course there are all sorts of distractions, differently emphasized depending on the theme of the workshop, the time of year. Wine always plays a huge part, sometimes photography does too. Exploring the region, foraging, meeting our friends, sometimes cooking at their place, especially if they live on winemaking châteaux.

But this good idea has evolved, taken on a life of its own – it’s almost a concept by now, 1 rue de Loudenne is a real house, a house where you can visit, have champagne, make soufflés, have wine tastings, lunches under the olive trees or drink wonderful Bordeaux wines in front of the fire as the duck breast snarls on the sarment wine branches in the fireplace. But it’s also a virtual place, an idea of how life can be lived, something you can bring back home with you like ( a much better writer than me once called it ) a moveable feast. In a broader context this is what we are working on creating with our new website that’s very delayed but still very much happening. www.rueloudenne.com will be the projection of our house online, a mirror of the ideas that come from here, and not just projecting online what’s happening in this house but in other places where food and quality takes a central stage. Places you can visit for real … or in spirit, places of the heart … and stomach.

I have also found that good ideas can travel, they are not bound to a house, no matter how good the house may be. And good ideas must evolve to stay young and fresh. This year I’m working on a new cookbook once again with Clarkson Potter (the Crown Publishing Group), on a subject that’s very close to our hearts – Italian cooking. We’ve taken most of our holidays, forever, in Italy. We’ve traveled there extensively, spent much time and discovered places, sometimes through our work for Condé Nast Traveler, that we could never have imagined but always knew were there (if that makes sense). The idea is to bring to the reader, not only my take on Italian cooking but that of my Italian friends who have helped me discover the originality and specialness of their respective regions. To do this well (and why would I bother if that wasn’t the plan) we have decided to take up a secondary residence in Torino (Turin), a city we have all fallen in love with. Rue Loudenne will remain our home but this is a new chapter in our lives and as I once said, why not? – while we’re still young. As I said, I believe that good ideas can travel and the idea is to bring the moveable feast that is Rue Loudenne to Italy for some special workshops throughout the year as we’ll be partially based there.

A guest attending once asked me, in the early days, “Is there anything special I need to bring to the workshop?” My answer then was “Just bring an open mind and an empty stomach”. That is still the answer.

I hope you like what we have planned for next year, I know it seems quite far away now but as always I have received so many requests from people who are more organised than myself to give the dates and I’m glad they do – it’s wonderful to have something to look forward to.

Workshops of 2019

2019 being our fifth year I believe we’ve come up with a good “formula” for the classic workshops, something that works for most people and is enjoyable. 3 days seem to be the magic number of days, we usually start at 10.30 in the morning, cook a lunch together and then take a 2 hour break in the afternoon before reconvening, with a glass or two of champagne in one hand, some kitchen utensil in the other (and sometimes that kitchen utensil is just a cork screw), cook dinner.

The price for a standard workshop is 2.000 euros per person with everything included except accommodation which guests choose themselves – but don’t worry we have plenty of good options for you, wonderful B&B’s, beautiful houses rented out by friends …

Some workshops have additional supplements in terms of cost, often due to the fact we’re traveling, with some or all accommodation included, some restaurant meals or transportation. How much depends on which workshop. The two road trips are also longer workshops and therefore more costly.

Please note that all deposits are non-refundable. I find that to be a necessary step to avoid confusion and frivolous bookings. Should, however, something prevent you from attending the workshop you booked (and I know from experience that this can happen) I would be very happy to find other dates that work for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you all, Mimi xx

For all bookings and further information please contact: [email protected]

Workshops at my house in Médoc, France

May 15 – 18, 2019 “The French wine Master class”, a roadtrip

Having lived and breathed Bordeaux wines for almost a decade now, having always loved wine, having wine makers as some of our closest friends, having even made our own wine – it’s safe to say that we’ve learnt a thing or two along the way. Wine has truly become a passion for us on so many levels, a nectar full of history, flavor, terroir and tradition. While most of the workshops touch to a larger or lesser degree on the subject of wine we thought, 4 years later, it was time to devote a whole workshop, not just to our beloved Bordeaux but also to the wines of other French wine regions we love. We’ll start in Champagne, meet some of our favorite producers, do tastings and end the day in Paris with a feast at one of our best-loved restaurants. The following day we’ll head down to Burgundy where we’ll continue our education/indulging and spend a night in the region after a typical Lyonnaise bistrot meal. On the third day we’ll head down to Bordeaux (it’s a bit of a drive so be warned), starting in St Émilion and spending the night in Bordeaux city. On the last day we’ll drive up to Médoc, meet our friends who make wine and finally cooking a last feast together at our house, 1 rue de Loudenne in St Yzans.

This is a 4-day workshop which is unusual but we just don’t feel we can do this properly and enjoyably in 3 day. This workshop carries a supplement due to accommodation included, restaurant meals etc.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

June 12-14, 2019 “The Playing restaurant workshop”

This is a workshop I’m particularly excited about. As I mentioned earlier in this post we had an idea, briefly, to turn parts of our house into a restaurant. We did a pop-up the first year we lived here and we’re still in love with the idea of creating the “perfect bistrot”. So while this will partially be a classic workshop it will also be built around the idea of conceiving a restaurant. Before the last day we’ll split the group in two with each party taking care of one meal, one lunch, one dinner. Each group will come up with a menu, wine pairings, table settings, flower arrangements. Which little treats to serve the guests when they arrive, the music, the coffee. And cook of course – with each person playing on his or her strengths. For fun we’ll invite a professional restaurant critic who will declare one team the winner. Sounds like fun, right?

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

June 19 – 21, 2019 “The annual Summer abundance workshop”

Probably the most popular workshop of the last 2 years, so popular in fact that we added a second one in 2018. This is a celebration of summer and seasonal produce, when the season is still young and full of the freshest fruits and vegetables. A traditional workshop in summer clothes, with al fresco lunches and dinners, long communal tables, picnics and barbecues on the beaches and in the vineyards – the color of this workshop is rosé …

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

September 25 – 27, 2019 “The first Fall harvest & wine workshop”

Médoc is a wine region above anything else and while the talk most of the year is of nothing but wine (and perhaps meat, mushrooms and oysters) the harvest is September is the culmination of it all – the region really comes alive, migrant workers flock to Médoc to pick in the day, party in the evenings – there are endless feasts and events, a time for celebration and sometimes also worry. The most Médoc of all periods. This will be a classic workshop, with much cooking and eating at our house but the thread of intrigue will be the wine picking (which we will participate in) the wine partying (which we will also participate in), some early foraging, some late summer celebrating. One of my favorite times of the year when we can still enjoy tomatoes and are already having mushrooms and pumpkins.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

October 2 – 4, 2019 “The second Fall harvest workshop”

Another classic workshop that’s proven incredibly popular. A similar take on the season as the Summer abundance but with slightly warmer clothes and different colors and flavors. Foraging for mushrooms, a feast in the forest, hanging out with local hunters (for those who dare), serious wine tastings, recipes rich with autumn produce and local game.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

Workshops in Italy

April 17 – 19, 2019 “Spring in Piemonte”

By then my Italian cookbook will be done and I’ll be full of knowledge, new tricks and inspiration. Piemontese cooking has really taken me by storm and I can’t wait to share all my newfound secrets. We’ll stay in the Langhe – Roero winemaking region (where they make Barolos) and spend our days cooking together, eating together, visiting one or two restaurants to sample the best of the region. We have decided, for the sake of variety and to make everyone happy, that I’ll stay put in the kitchen while others, like my husband Oddur who is a photographer and who loves wine intimately – will take those who want on wine tours and offer photography classes – a sort of cooking relief for those who need it, or spouses and friends who come along for the ride but would rather taste wine than actually cook too much. It’s a something for everyone formula 

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

July 4-6, 2019 “The Mysteries of Turin”

The most unusual workshop of the year … and the most mysterious. Turin is a legendary city, the only one in the world that lies on both the so-called Black and White triangles. For three days we’ll indulge in good food and wine, while diving into these mysteries, like in a good detective novel (where the detective likes to eat and drink), fascinate ourselves with the legends, the shroud of Turin, the origins of Italian cinema, the legend of Carlo Mollino. Where Julia Child meets Agatha Christie. I’ve got goosebumps writing this …

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

October 15-19, 2019 “The Great Italian roadtrip” … a cookbook revisited

Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to visit some special places in Italy and the coming year will see us do even more travel as we put the finishing touches on my Italian cookbook. Come October 2019 we’ll be, not only celebrating the realisation of all that cooking and travel in the form of a book, but also inspired to revisit the settings of our food discoveries and photographing, sharing our favorite destinations with a few good and interested people who love Italy and want to know her better. We’ll start in Rome and work our way up through 5 regions until we’ll end up in Piemonte (of course) where we’ll have a farewell dinner (that we’ll cook together ) in our Turin apartment.

This is a 5-day “extravaganza” workshop

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

December 5-7, 2019 “Festive in Piemonte”

The white truffles of Alba are one of the most sought after foods in the world. And for good reason, come October/November and Piemontese chefs & waiters will grate or slice truffles on just about everything they serve you – and it will all be delicious. We’ll escape the crowds but catch the truffles in local restaurants, set up a kitchen where we’ll cook away and explore the early winter country and festive cooking of Piemonte. This will be a workshop comparable to the “Spring in Piemonte” workshop but with vastly different ingredients and weather and some early Christmas influences for a festive atmosphere.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

Source: http://mimithorisson.com/2018/05/09/workshops-2019/

[technologicalgambler]

  ((Well, that whole December/January shtick went so well.  Hope ya caught my sarcasm, because I’m mad at myself.  The inability to complete plot threads was mostly due to end of year depression/anxiety, school being a bitch, and the fact that neither of us (Technomun who is simultaneously Grimmun, and Cathartimun) can get our shit together. 

  ((This post is just playing catch up with all of the shit that happened out of tumblr over the course of the last two months.  So a lot of stuff has happened, that’ll be under the cut.))

  ((Alright, let’s get this started.

-The Birthday Weekend

  That went.  Fairly alright, all things considered since it involved several parties that hate each other.  Eridan was an ass the entire time (no big surprise here), and harassed the shit out of Vriska.  Terezi was an obnoxious brat through and through, Karkat cried a lot, Vriska got drunk to avoid her feelings...so nothing new among the trolls.  Well, other than the fact the Destiny Islands crew and the Radiant Garden crew got to meet up again.  Eridan, an ass as usual, tormented Vriska whilst invisible until he got caught.  This is why she drinks.

  Dave had to be mostly tipsy through the whole thing, and practically leashed to Karkat to avoid him killing Dirk, and later got REALLY drunk...Dirk got horribly drunk on only a few drinks, and kept going between sober and smashed through the weekend.  Those two still aren’t on good terms, but on...better?  Dave can at least (slightly) stand being in the same room with him.  Roxy’s tired.  Grim got drunk...Terezi was hitting on everybody (except the trolls).  Jade was one of the two people who remained totally sober (the other being Eridan), and declared the couch the Sane Zone, for anyone who was sober or could handle being drunk (translates to her, Eridan, Roxy, and Grim).  Anyone who succumbed to intoxication was promptly, and literally kicked off of the couch and onto their ass.  This happened to Karkat at some point.  This allowed her to be on...eh, better terms with Eridan.  They got to talk shit over, and now they’re not at each others throats most of the time and can agree on a few things.  Not great friends, but not openly shit talking each other.

  It was the last day of the weekend - Roxy and Grim’s birthday - that they actually distributed presents.  Here’s the list that we made to keep shit straight because there’s so fucking much.

To Dave

Sword from Jade

MIDI fighter from Roxy

Crow from Karkat (Dave named it Fido)

A knife named The Ace from Karkat’s boss (story about that later on)

A suit from Dirk

Ice troll skull from Vriska (as in Skyrim)

“Oh my god, it’s R2-D2! I loved him in Star Trek!” (Dalek) shirt from Grim

Red and white Scalemate with shades sewn onto it from Terezi (Red with a white belly)

To Jade

CD case/shelf from Dave

RHCP album from Karkat

New bass from Vriska

Soldering kit from Dirk

Danger Days Union jacket from Roxy

Badlands/Halsey sweater from Grim

Black and green Scalemate from Terezi (Black with a green belly)

To Roxy

MCRX Black Parade jacket from Jade

Pokemon Sun from Dirk

Pokemon Moon from Eridan

Super Mystery Dungeon from Terezi (and her 3DS)

MCRX flag and album from Grim

A poster that Dave drew of one of Roxy’s favorite scenes from the Complacency of the Learned – the scene where Calmasis cruelly curses Frigglish

Pink and violet Scalemate from Terezi (pink with a violet belly)

To Dirk

Last minute gift from Jade of Genji’s sword

Entire series of the Free! sub from Roxy

Iwatobi jacket from Eridan

Orange and black Scalemate with shades sewn onto it from Terezi (orange with a black belly)

“I’m BATMAN” shirt with the words in the logo, and a nice Batman cape from Grim

To Grim

Galaxy aesthetic assault rifle from Jade

Black and pink Scalemate with white eyes from Terezi (black with a pink belly)

Authentic Atom Cats jacket from Dave

Exorcism book from Vriska

Tickets to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them from Dirk and Roxy

Harry Potter movie collection from Karkat

Glowing pink nautilus necklace from Eridan

  This is why we needed a list.

  Suffice to say, the birthday weekend was...eventful, hectic, and fun.

-Christmas Weekend

  This time, they spent Christmas weekend at the Radiant Garden castle.  Which was an adventure, since they not only had to leave Jackie behind (like they were bringing a Deathclaw to a place like that), but also had to deal with Eridan’s dogs, Pronauma and Terancor (note: they’re massive, not adults yet, and will be about the size of Polar Bear Dogs from ATLOK), and the looming threat of being thrown into the dungeon with Dragon Mom.  

  More drinking, more antics...Dirk had to be dragged out of his room more often than not.  Nothing MAJOR happened (other than Jade embarrassingly mentioning something about her and Karkat, causing Roxy and Grim to scream), but it was certainly something.

  The loot pile this time is as follows (WARNING: LONG)

To Roxy

VR set up from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

A cat plushy from Vriska

A plasma rifle from Jade

A robotic cat tail from Dave

Super Mario Maker for the 3DS from Terezi (along with Roxy’s copy of Fire Emblem: Conquest)

Pink cat cloak made of fleece from Terezi

A blue LED constellation scarf from Eridan

To Dirk

A Cintiq from Roxy

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

A Kamina body pillow from Jade

A Genji butt mousepad packaged in a condom box from Dave

Fleece Batman hooded cape (similar to the dragon cape) from Terezi

A tank top like this from Eridan

To Dave

Final Fantasy XV + Season Pass from Roxy

Bleach: the Diamond Dust Rebellion from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

A new DSLR camera from Karkat

A Princess Peach 3DS carrying case from Vriska

A new skateboard with a crow deck from Jade

A black, fleece cloak based around a crow from Terezi

To Jade

Seasons 1-3 of Sherlock from Roxy

A Fionna hat (Adventure Time) from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

A GIANT husky plushie from Karkat

Glow-in-the-dark space-themed guitar/bass picks that come with stickers from Vriska

A Tunnel Snake’s jacket from Dave

A white wolf cloak made of fleece from Terezi

A set of camo bandana collars for Becca from Eridan

To Grim

Black and gray leopard print weighted blanket from Roxy

Resident Evil VII from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Terezi

A devilishly sultry Alternian romance novel from Karkat

The Bible from Vriska

A pink beanie with cat ears attached to it from Jade

A Lucid Plasma Caster that has a slag element from Dave (picked it up from a job in Pandora)

Black cat cloak made of fleece from Terezi

This tank top from Eridan

To Terezi

Super Smash Bros for 3DS from Roxy

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright; Ace Attorney from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

Super long red dragon plushie from Karkat

Replica of Falchion from Fire Emblem: Awakening from Jade

Red dragon shoulder puppet from Dave

A D&D starter kit from Eridan

To Eridan

A book heavily detailing battles from WWII from Roxy

A coffee mug with skull and crossbones on it from Dirk

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

An Alternian wartime romance/tragedy movie that the two would always watch back on Alternia from Karkat

Some more of that Death’s Brew coffee from Jade

A violet sea horse cloak made of fleece from Terezi

To Karkat

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

Condoms from Vriska (JOKE PRESENT)

Yurio’s leopard print hoodie from Vriska

A red sickle that looks a lot like this from Jade (custom made! <3)

A Krabby plushy from Dave

A silver fleece dragon cloak trimmed with red from Terezi

A copy of the sketch of the Signless and his group from inside of Dualscar’s journal, copied meticulously by hand by Eridan, and framed (gift from Eridan)

To Vriska

Ugly Christmas sweater from Grim

Hardcover collection of the Spider-Gwen comics from Karkat

A red, electric guitar (Charvel Desolation DS-3) from Jade

A Spider-Gwen sweater from Dave

A tiny poop emoji phone charm from Terezi

  Too many people.  Eridan got his girlfriend, Aradia, a new necklace he made, but he gave that to her later on to avoid Vriska’s prying eye.

-New Years

  I can skip a lot of shit with this one because we wrapped that up recently.  New Years was just a few people getting drunk, Jade and Dirk getting into it and resolving shit, and then setting out on a quest to find her siblings, Jake and Jane.

  What’s more interesting is the month that followed, as they proceeded to search worlds she had coordinates to to see if his soul string ability reacted, via her workshop door.  They nearly got killed a few times by some of the worlds’ fauna, nearly lost Dirk to some of the worlds, and Jade managed to scoop Dirk’s fake eyes out from his skull, and replace them with better prosthetics.  Roxy caught them because Dirk’s medical bot, HAL, showed up to the workshop when he felt Dirk go under, and have some nerves severed.  Roxy knows about the eyes now (and got a ton of new prosthetic arms, and a better anchor for them), but doesn’t know about their project.

  Like I said, a lot of shit went down.  This is just a summary of all we talked about when I was dealing with finals, and we were both dealing with the weird funk of the holidays, and coming of the end (of the year).  Finally able to write again, so here ya go.

  Let’s see if they can actually get shit moving again.))

[costaricaexperts]

11 Best Costa Rica Art Museums & Galleries

One way to understand the heart of a culture is to walk through its art museums and galleries. Discover through the eyes of its visionaries and most talented forefathers the events that have shaped it. En route to the rainforest or one of Costa Rica’s many well-known other natural wonders, many traveler’s will pass through San Jose, the capital city and cultural hub. Whether your time in San Jose is an extended stay or a short stop-off, it’s worth exploring the underlying threads that bind Costa Rica’s busy capital city. Additionally, I’ve included some other small, but noteworthy galleries located outside the busy city center.

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum | San Jose

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum via @un_juanjo

Also known as the Central Bank Museum of Costa Rica, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is located beneath the Plaza de la Culture in the center of San Jose city. It houses a collection of over 1600 gold artifacts dating back as far as 500 AD and is one of the largest collections of Pre-Columbian gold in the Americas.

Costa Rican National Museum | San Jose

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica via @arq_costarica

Originally utilized as a military barracks during the 1948 civil war, the Costa Rican National Museum resembles a yellow fortress in San Jose’s city center. Even today, visitors can see hundreds of bullet holes that mark the walls. Discover pre-Columbian artifacts unearthed at Costa Rican archaeological sites like grinding stones called metates. The latest addition to the exhibit is the butterfly garden with over 25 species of butterflies and a fascinating overview of their lifecycle. You can explore the entirety of the museum in about two hours.

Costa Rican Art Museum | San Jose

Museo de Arte Costarricense

The Costa Rican Art Museum or Museo de Arte Costarricense sits at the end of the Paseo Colon, the main street in downtown San Jose, in La Sabana Park. The collection includes an array of styles which demonstrate how Costa Rican artists throughout history have interpreted major European art movements. The permanent collections feature paintings, sculptures, and prints alongside rotating expositions.

Museum of Contemporary Art & Design | San Jose

Museo de Arte y Diseno Contemporaneo via @orange.sunflower

Founded in 1994, the Museum of Contemporary Art & Design is situated on the site of the old national liquor factory. The museum has four exhibition rooms for rotating and permanent collections, an auditorium, and an open-air terrace for performances and events. There are approximately 900 pieces housed in the museum’s permanent collections.

Jade Museum | San Jose

Costa Rica Jade Museum via @she.abigail

The Jade Museum houses archaeological treasures of the region, including the largest collection of pre-Columbian jade artifacts in the world. In 2014, the Jade Museum reopened at its current location allowing visitors greater accessibility to its collection of over 7000 artifacts. Discover semitransparent jade carvings representing reptiles, shamans, and fertility goddesses and ceramics with some Mayan influences.

The National Theater | San Jose

The National Theater via @rawndall_ms

Although admittedly not technically a museum, the National Theater in downtown San Jose features ornate columns in the neo-classical style reminiscent of another era. Located in the heart of San Jose city on the Plaza de la Culture, the National Theater is hard to ignore. Originally opened in 1897, the National Theater was modeled after the Paris Opera House. Most of the performances are in Spanish, but self-guided tours of the theater can be arranged during the day. Check out their website for a list of upcoming performances. Even if you are unable to catch a performance, the museum’s elegant interior is worth a day tour if you are an appreciator of the arts!

Children’s Museum & National Gallery | San Jose

Costa Rica Children’s Museum via @rawndall_ms

Previously constructed in 1909 as a penitentiary, the Children’s Museum of San Jose is actually two museums in one. Children can experience hands-on exploration in the sciences, natural history and geography while adults discover the art gallery which artistically displays contemporary art within the penitentiary’s old prison cells.

Orosi Church & Religious Art Museum | Orosi

Colonial Church of Orosi via @notso_runofthemiller

Originally built in the mid 18th century by Franciscan monks, the white stucco adobe of the Orosi Church sticks out on a backdrop of green rolling hills within the Orosi River Valley. It’s recognized today as Costa Rica’s oldest church still in operation. Within the church, you’ll find a small museum with religious artifacts and paintings along with period clothing and some of the original furniture from the 18th century.

Museum of Popular Culture | Heredia

Once the home of former Costa Rican president, Alfredo Gonzalez Flores, the Museum of Popular Culture was founded in 1995. The small museum is surrounded by labeled gardens with a little restaurant serving lunch that can be enjoyed on their open-air terrace. Browse their collection of period ceramics, textiles, and furniture from the region.

Historical Marine Museum | Puntarenas

Located within the central plaza around the Catholic church, the Historical Museum is a small museum featuring the maritime and history of Puntarenas. The museum covers the history of the region’s ecological resources and features artistic and cultural exhibits from local artists, an outdoor amphitheater with performances, and features the legends of treasures and pirates of Cocos Island.

Juan Santamaria Historical Cultural Museum | Alajuela

Museo Historico Cultural Juan Santamaria via @chubbxs

The Juan Santamaria Historical Cultural Museum honors Juan Santamaria, a national war hero who died defending Costa Rica from a small army led by William Walker, a U.S. citizen with aims of converting Costa Rica to a slave state in 1856. The museum features a series of rotating cultural and art exhibits as well as dance, theater, and musical performances.

Cartago Museum | Cartago

The Cartago Museum was once a military barracks that has since been stored. Today, a series of historical and artistic displays celebrating Costa Rican culture rotate throughout the year.

Ready to discover the Costa Rican art scene? Customize any of our vacation packages to include a stop off at one of your favorite museums!

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Costa Rica Holiday Celebrations, Festivals & Events: Month by Month

The Most Instagrammable Spots in Costa Rica

The post 11 Best Costa Rica Art Museums & Galleries appeared first on Costa Rica Experts.

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[stockbeaver96-blog]

Workshops 2019

Good ideas – Moveable feasts

When we first found and fell in love with the big house at 1 rue de Loudenne, a building rich with history and many past lives, we wanted to turn parts of it into a restaurant. It was a good idea but we soon came up with something better, more intimate and more enjoyable. How about, a few times a year, having groups of people come to our house, not for one meal but several. Cook with them, get to know them, share our lives, our knowledge of food, photography, wine and France. My blog, that I had started a few years earlier, was keeping me occupied and happy, communicating with readers, sharing recipes and glimpses of my life a very satisfying experience but I always felt the need for an increased reality, talking about a place is one thing, actually being there is another. A chef in a restaurant rarely meets his diners, a waiter does but usually only on a superficial level. Having many meals together in a row, many wines in a row, cooking together, sharing a bountiful table seemed like a good idea, and it turns out it was. We are in our 4th year of hosting workshops and I’m quite frankly loving it. I always had a feeling my readers were wonderful people and now I’ve found out they really are. You’ve come here in great numbers, some of you every year (which must be a compliment) and instead of things getting jaded or ordinary they are getting better. The basic idea remains the same, people come here in the morning, we cook, eat, drink and when we’re done we do it all over again. Of course there are all sorts of distractions, differently emphasized depending on the theme of the workshop, the time of year. Wine always plays a huge part, sometimes photography does too. Exploring the region, foraging, meeting our friends, sometimes cooking at their place, especially if they live on winemaking châteaux.

But this good idea has evolved, taken on a life of its own – it’s almost a concept by now, 1 rue de Loudenne is a real house, a house where you can visit, have champagne, make soufflés, have wine tastings, lunches under the olive trees or drink wonderful Bordeaux wines in front of the fire as the duck breast snarls on the sarment wine branches in the fireplace. But it’s also a virtual place, an idea of how life can be lived, something you can bring back home with you like ( a much better writer than me once called it ) a moveable feast. In a broader context this is what we are working on creating with our new website that’s very delayed but still very much happening. www.rueloudenne.com will be the projection of our house online, a mirror of the ideas that come from here, and not just projecting online what’s happening in this house but in other places where food and quality takes a central stage. Places you can visit for real … or in spirit, places of the heart … and stomach.

I have also found that good ideas can travel, they are not bound to a house, no matter how good the house may be. And good ideas must evolve to stay young and fresh. This year I’m working on a new cookbook once again with Clarkson Potter (the Crown Publishing Group), on a subject that’s very close to our hearts – Italian cooking. We’ve taken most of our holidays, forever, in Italy. We’ve traveled there extensively, spent much time and discovered places, sometimes through our work for Condé Nast Traveler, that we could never have imagined but always knew were there (if that makes sense). The idea is to bring to the reader, not only my take on Italian cooking but that of my Italian friends who have helped me discover the originality and specialness of their respective regions. To do this well (and why would I bother if that wasn’t the plan) we have decided to take up a secondary residence in Torino (Turin), a city we have all fallen in love with. Rue Loudenne will remain our home but this is a new chapter in our lives and as I once said, why not? – while we’re still young. As I said, I believe that good ideas can travel and the idea is to bring the moveable feast that is Rue Loudenne to Italy for some special workshops throughout the year as we’ll be partially based there.

A guest attending once asked me, in the early days, “Is there anything special I need to bring to the workshop?” My answer then was “Just bring an open mind and an empty stomach”. That is still the answer.

I hope you like what we have planned for next year, I know it seems quite far away now but as always I have received so many requests from people who are more organised than myself to give the dates and I’m glad they do – it’s wonderful to have something to look forward to.

Workshops of 2019

2019 being our fifth year I believe we’ve come up with a good “formula” for the classic workshops, something that works for most people and is enjoyable. 3 days seem to be the magic number of days, we usually start at 10.30 in the morning, cook a lunch together and then take a 2 hour break in the afternoon before reconvening, with a glass or two of champagne in one hand, some kitchen utensil in the other (and sometimes that kitchen utensil is just a cork screw), cook dinner.

The price for a standard workshop is 2.000 euros per person with everything included except accommodation which guests choose themselves – but don’t worry we have plenty of good options for you, wonderful B&B’s, beautiful houses rented out by friends …

Some workshops have additional supplements in terms of cost, often due to the fact we’re traveling, with some or all accommodation included, some restaurant meals or transportation. How much depends on which workshop. The two road trips are also longer workshops and therefore more costly.

Please note that all deposits are non-refundable. I find that to be a necessary step to avoid confusion and frivolous bookings. Should, however, something prevent you from attending the workshop you booked (and I know from experience that this can happen) I would be very happy to find other dates that work for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you all, Mimi xx

For all bookings and further information please contact: [email protected]

Workshops at my house in Médoc, France

May 15 – 18, 2019 “The French wine Master class”, a roadtrip

Having lived and breathed Bordeaux wines for almost a decade now, having always loved wine, having wine makers as some of our closest friends, having even made our own wine – it’s safe to say that we’ve learnt a thing or two along the way. Wine has truly become a passion for us on so many levels, a nectar full of history, flavor, terroir and tradition. While most of the workshops touch to a larger or lesser degree on the subject of wine we thought, 4 years later, it was time to devote a whole workshop, not just to our beloved Bordeaux but also to the wines of other French wine regions we love. We’ll start in Champagne, meet some of our favorite producers, do tastings and end the day in Paris with a feast at one of our best-loved restaurants. The following day we’ll head down to Burgundy where we’ll continue our education/indulging and spend a night in the region after a typical Lyonnaise bistrot meal. On the third day we’ll head down to Bordeaux (it’s a bit of a drive so be warned), starting in St Émilion and spending the night in Bordeaux city. On the last day we’ll drive up to Médoc, meet our friends who make wine and finally cooking a last feast together at our house, 1 rue de Loudenne in St Yzans.

This is a 4-day workshop which is unusual but we just don’t feel we can do this properly and enjoyably in 3 day. This workshop carries a supplement due to accommodation included, restaurant meals etc.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

June 12-14, 2019 “The Playing restaurant workshop”

This is a workshop I’m particularly excited about. As I mentioned earlier in this post we had an idea, briefly, to turn parts of our house into a restaurant. We did a pop-up the first year we lived here and we’re still in love with the idea of creating the “perfect bistrot”. So while this will partially be a classic workshop it will also be built around the idea of conceiving a restaurant. Before the last day we’ll split the group in two with each party taking care of one meal, one lunch, one dinner. Each group will come up with a menu, wine pairings, table settings, flower arrangements. Which little treats to serve the guests when they arrive, the music, the coffee. And cook of course – with each person playing on his or her strengths. For fun we’ll invite a professional restaurant critic who will declare one team the winner. Sounds like fun, right?

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

June 19 – 21, 2019 “The annual Summer abundance workshop”

Probably the most popular workshop of the last 2 years, so popular in fact that we added a second one in 2018. This is a celebration of summer and seasonal produce, when the season is still young and full of the freshest fruits and vegetables. A traditional workshop in summer clothes, with al fresco lunches and dinners, long communal tables, picnics and barbecues on the beaches and in the vineyards – the color of this workshop is rosé …

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

September 25 – 27, 2019 “The first Fall harvest & wine workshop”

Médoc is a wine region above anything else and while the talk most of the year is of nothing but wine (and perhaps meat, mushrooms and oysters) the harvest is September is the culmination of it all – the region really comes alive, migrant workers flock to Médoc to pick in the day, party in the evenings – there are endless feasts and events, a time for celebration and sometimes also worry. The most Médoc of all periods. This will be a classic workshop, with much cooking and eating at our house but the thread of intrigue will be the wine picking (which we will participate in) the wine partying (which we will also participate in), some early foraging, some late summer celebrating. One of my favorite times of the year when we can still enjoy tomatoes and are already having mushrooms and pumpkins.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

October 2 – 4, 2019 “The second Fall harvest workshop”

Another classic workshop that’s proven incredibly popular. A similar take on the season as the Summer abundance but with slightly warmer clothes and different colors and flavors. Foraging for mushrooms, a feast in the forest, hanging out with local hunters (for those who dare), serious wine tastings, recipes rich with autumn produce and local game.

• Cost of participation: 2000 euros per person

Workshops in Italy

April 17 – 19, 2019 “Spring in Piemonte”

By then my Italian cookbook will be done and I’ll be full of knowledge, new tricks and inspiration. Piemontese cooking has really taken me by storm and I can’t wait to share all my newfound secrets. We’ll stay in the Langhe – Roero winemaking region (where they make Barolos) and spend our days cooking together, eating together, visiting one or two restaurants to sample the best of the region. We have decided, for the sake of variety and to make everyone happy, that I’ll stay put in the kitchen while others, like my husband Oddur who is a photographer and who loves wine intimately – will take those who want on wine tours and offer photography classes – a sort of cooking relief for those who need it, or spouses and friends who come along for the ride but would rather taste wine than actually cook too much. It’s a something for everyone formula 

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

July 4-6, 2019 “The Mysteries of Turin”

The most unusual workshop of the year … and the most mysterious. Turin is a legendary city, the only one in the world that lies on both the so-called Black and White triangles. For three days we’ll indulge in good food and wine, while diving into these mysteries, like in a good detective novel (where the detective likes to eat and drink), fascinate ourselves with the legends, the shroud of Turin, the origins of Italian cinema, the legend of Carlo Mollino. Where Julia Child meets Agatha Christie. I’ve got goosebumps writing this …

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

October 15-19, 2019 “The Great Italian roadtrip” … a cookbook revisited

Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to visit some special places in Italy and the coming year will see us do even more travel as we put the finishing touches on my Italian cookbook. Come October 2019 we’ll be, not only celebrating the realisation of all that cooking and travel in the form of a book, but also inspired to revisit the settings of our food discoveries and photographing, sharing our favorite destinations with a few good and interested people who love Italy and want to know her better. We’ll start in Rome and work our way up through 5 regions until we’ll end up in Piemonte (of course) where we’ll have a farewell dinner (that we’ll cook together ) in our Turin apartment.

This is a 5-day “extravaganza” workshop

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

December 5-7, 2019 “Festive in Piemonte”

The white truffles of Alba are one of the most sought after foods in the world. And for good reason, come October/November and Piemontese chefs & waiters will grate or slice truffles on just about everything they serve you – and it will all be delicious. We’ll escape the crowds but catch the truffles in local restaurants, set up a kitchen where we’ll cook away and explore the early winter country and festive cooking of Piemonte. This will be a workshop comparable to the “Spring in Piemonte” workshop but with vastly different ingredients and weather and some early Christmas influences for a festive atmosphere.

• for furthers details and cost of participation, please send me an email on [email protected]

Source: http://mimithorisson.com/2018/05/09/workshops-2019/