#i am a grilled cheese sandwich. walking about with my latte and such

[hearditinapastlife2019]

i’ve been walking around for an HOUR after my shift with a piece of tape that reads “grilled cheese” stuck to my jacket

[dom-bastiansmythe]

May I Take Your Coffee Order? || Andersmythe

TAGGING: @dom-bastiansmythe & @elliottanderson-gabriel

LOCATION: Sebastian’s suite

TIMING: Tuesday, October 27th, morning hours.

SUMMARY: Pumpkin latte ot black?

Sebastian got out of the shower and dried himself quickly before he wrapped the towel around his waist and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His heart was beating really fast and he had to take a few deep breaths to calm it down a little. 

Was he having a panic attack? Maybe. Will he push it down and continue, much like he did with everything else? Absolutely. 

Soon after that he changed into a pair of dar gray slacks and a white shirt, which would later have a black vest on top. Good look to go to class with. He looked at the hour, and hoped Elliot would get there soon. He didn't want to be late for class.

Elliott had got up earlier that morning to do his routine for school, he had a quick shower and got changed into a tight white V-neck, leather jacket and some tight jeans before he got to work on both his and Sebastians coffee. 

He had them made in no time and grabbed his satchel before he headed to the dominant dorms, though they were together in secret, Elliott didn't want to push buttons so he used his foot to knock on the door before waiting patiently with both their pumpkin spiced lattes

Sebastian had just finished putting his books inside his bag when there was a knock on his door. He chuckled and shook his head before he went to get it. "Good morning, Anderson" he told at the other man, then stepped aside so he could go inside.

Elliott looked up when he saw Sebastian answer the door "Good morning sir" he winked before he walked inside and to the kitchen so he could put the coffees down, placing his satchel on a bar stool then turning back to Sebastian "Good start so far?"

Sebastian closed the door and waited until Elliot put the coffees down, and he put his arms around his waist and pulled him close. "Looks promising" he said and kissed him.

Elliott grinned as he was embraced, kissing him softly and humming "Mmm the coffee or day because I agree with both" he joked

Sebastian held his face with both hands as they kissed, then pulled back a bit and hummed. "Definitely both, yes." He then turned to grab one of the cups and stopped halfway, his brow raised. "What is that...?" he asked, pointing at the cup as if it was a weird thing.

Elliott never felt happier, he smiled against Sebastian's lips, kissing him back gently before nodding "Agreed...good day" he whispered before he watched him. He smirked "It's pumpkin spiced latte, to get you into the fall spirit" he said proudly.

Sebastian tilted his head and looked at him curiously. "I thought I said I like my coffee black, some say like my soul is." He grinned.

Elliott tilted his head "Yes I know but please try it? It's really amazing" he batted his eyelashes for good measure "Your soul is not black, it's bright and shiny"

Sebastian's brow got even higher. "Don't you bat your eyelashes at me, Anderson. You will find I'm a lot harder to convince than that." He grinned, then looked at the cup and scrunched his nose, then looked at him. "You haven't looked deep enough yet, babe." He sighed and grabbed the cup to give it a sniff.

Elliott chuckled "Do you blame me, I have to use my wiles sometimes" he said innocently.  He watched as comically Sebastian glanced at the cup "C'mon, try it" he begged before he moved closer "I've seen some sides" he said all too cheekily before winking.

Sebastian sighed. "If I get sick you will be in charge to nurse me back to health." He chuckled softly. "That's nothing, trust me" he said, then took a small sip of the spiced up coffee. "Hmm... That's interesting."

"I'll happily dress up and nurse you back to health sir, you know it" Elliott teased, he knew that Sebastian was just teasing, but Elliott liked to play along. He raised his brow and smiled "Interesting good or bad?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Oh really? Short skirt and white long socks and everything?" he joked, then shrugged. "It's... drinkable. I'll give you that much." He kissed him again, then headed to the fridge. "Did you have breakfast already?" he asked him as he pulled the  bread and cheese out.

Elliott laughed "Maybe not the skirt, but booty shorts?" he offered before laughing "Alright if you don't want it then you don't have to, thank you for trying" he kissed him gently before shaking his head "No actually, just...forgot, had other things on my mind" he smiled.

Sebastian nodded. "I'll take that" he said and nodded. "Do you want to try my grilled cheese sandwich?" He winked at him and pulled four breads out of the bag, along with some cheese slices.

Elliott leaned against the counter as he watched on "Yes please, would love to see the master at work" he smiled, it was just easy being with Sebastian, how it should be "Thank you for giving the coffee a go, I know you prefer black".

Sebastian turned the stove on and placed the pan on top. "I do. But it's always good to tru everything at least once." He took another sip of the coffee and made the sandwiches so they could go inside the pan. "So how's your day looking today?"

Elliott was happy that Sebastian gave it a go, though he would make it up to him later in some way, he sipped his own coffee and hummed happily before smiling "Well...got regular classes and then swim practice, finished my costume so smooth sailings, you?"

Sebastian gave the sandwiches a couple of flips. "Regular classes too, then Glee club and a couple of hours to spend at the library." He looked at him and smiled. "Mine's ready. Are you excited about the party this weekend?"

Elliott nodded "Well depending on time, I may come by the library? If that's okay?" He asked as he grinned "Oh my gosh yes! Halloween and Christmas are my all time favourite holidays"

Sebastian sure made the sandwiches didn't burn and after he noticed the cheese was starting to look crispy on the edges he grabbed a plate and placed them on it. "Sure! As long as you promise not to distract me from the assignment." He elbowed him playfully on the arm, and put the plate on the counter. "Is it? That's good. Come on, eat up."

Elliott watched him cook and honestly seeing him in the kitchen did things to him, he nodded "I'll behave... maybe" he teased before he followed eagerly and sitting down "Yeah it is, I love pumpkins during Halloween and Christmas is mistletoe" he beamed.

Sebastian took his seat next to Elliot and chuckled. "It's good to know you'll be around, you know, just in case I have an urge of getting my dick sucked or anything." He winked at him, then shrugged. "You do know mistletoe is deadly if you eat it, don't you?"

Elliott couldn't help the laugh that escaped him "Well there is that as well sir" he replied before frowning "You know I don't plan on eating it?"

Sebastian took another good bite at his sandwich and shrugged. "It never hurts to have that information." He smiled. "Are you one of those hopeless romantics, the kiss-you-under-the-mistletoe kind of guy?"

Elliott nodded before taking a bite of his sandwich, he hummed as it tasted amazing "Mmm....what if I am?" he said before fiddled a little bit with his fingers "I never got to kiss anyone under the mistletoe so..." he shrugged.

Sebastian shrugged. "That'd be your problem then." He looked at him and grinned. "Aww how sweet. And you're waiting for your prince charming to do that for you?"

Elliott looked up at Sebastian "Well you know, you could fix that problem" he quipped back easily before he put his sandwich down "No I was waiting for someone I care about" Elliott grabbed the plate and stood up to clean up.

Sebastian raised a brow as he saw him standing up. "Suddenly it got chilly in here" he said with a chuckle and also stood up to take his place to the sink.

Elliott cleaned up his plate and anything else before looking to Sebastian "Sorry" he mumbled before he dried his hands "You do mean a lot to me Bas, and happy to keep it between us, it's just...this has been something I've always wanted and maybe shouldn't have been snappy just now but can you blame me?"

Sebastian folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the counter. He looked down and sighed, then took a deep breath and cupped his face gently. "And you to me" he simply said, hoping he didn't have to elaborate.

Elliott moved over to Sebastian and when he cupped his face, it only made him smile a little "And that's all I need" he whispered before he leaned up and kissed Sebastian gently "Come on stud, you have some horrible coffee to drink before classes" he teased.

Sebastian held Elliot's face with both hands when they kissed, then scrunched his nose. "You see the things I do to make you happy?" He winked at him, then went into the living room to get his bookbag. He came back to the kitchen and grabbed his cup. "Let's get this day started then. And thank you, for the coffee." He kissed him again, then held the door open for him.

Elliott grinned because the whole moment was just perfect, he nodded "Mmm and very thankful for it" he pecked his nose before he grabbed his bag, then coffee before he sipped it "Not a problem, I'll stick to giving you your coffee order though next time" Elliott kissed him once more, sighing against his lips before he slowly moved backwards out the suite "Oh if only we didn't have classes".

END SCENE.

[identityexcavationstation]

The High Fidelity Remake is Good and my Identity is Irreversibly Linked to Music Consumption

Hi! So, I’m kinda insane about playlists.

This year I’ve made a lot of them. They’ve been short and snappy on index cards, scanned and pasted in a book and uploaded to the internet. (I’ve really fallen in love with index card playlists and they’re my thing now and I think everyone should do them always and forever.) They were easy to churn out as a retrospective exercise because the music I listened to as a teenager really defined my high school experience. Also, I have most of my favorite songs from that period in a very dramatic playlist I started in 2014 so it was really a game of copy-and-paste. 

Making these smol boys in batches has been a really peculiar experience because for years now, I’ve only made one playlist at a time. In my second semester of college, I’d officially burned myself out listening to only CHVRCHES for three months and began venturing elsewhere. (Don’t get me wrong, CHVRCHES absolutely bangs, but you can only listen to “Never Ending Circles” so many times before getting seasick.) All of the random songs I was listening to made me feel kinda hazy and purple, like I’d done all of this before. So I made a playlist full of them and called it “Deja Vu.”

I added to it all semester, and then suddenly it was summer and I didn’t feel purple and hazy anymore⁠—everything was blue and crisp on the way to South Haven as my friend blasted “Settle Down” by Kimbra in her beat-up Honda. So I started a new playlist and named it the first word that popped into my head: ��Roots.”

Using Deja Vu as a rubric, I developed some ground rules for the playlists I would go on to create. They are pretty nonsensical but also exceedingly firm because if I don’t make rules for every area of my life I feel like I’m falling into a deep and limitless void. Health! Anyway, the rules are:

The playlist’s title has to be a short noun (seven letters maximum).

This has since transformed into a noun that is also a verb.

To generate a title, I ask myself what short word I would use to describe the phase of life I’m currently in. The answer comes quickly and reflexively, and I choose the very first word I think of.

One song per artist, no repeats!

Exceptions are made for artists who are featured on a track.

There have been times when I’ve obsessively listened to a whole album or an artist’s entire discography, so I have to choose just one song that represents the very best of that album or artist.

Tracks are added chronologically, based on when I first hear them and/or start listening to them compulsively.

The playlist has to contain an amount of tracks that is divisible by five.

If a song in a playlist is deleted from Spotify, I have to find a replacement asap that is accurate to what I was listening to when that playlist was being created.

and, most importantly, 

I can’t make a new playlist until I feel I’m finished with the current one.

These playlists represent seasons of my life, cycles in which I change and evolve and stagnate and fuck up and try again. The only rule I have for beginning a new playlist is that I feel done with the current one—those songs are a little stale and don’t represent me anymore. These “seasons” don’t have any set length, and I can never predict when I’ll feel like a new being who needs new songs to define her. So far, my life has looked like this:

Deja Vu - 176 days (12.03.16 - 05.28.17) Most common lyrics: now, love, time, need, take

snow that covers ivy that covers bricks, towers made from dining hall dishes, smiling at the bus stop without knowing, sheet masks in the dorm bathroom at 2am, pink string lights and pink crocheted blankets and pink shag carpeting, cheap beer behind tarps and walking everyone home

Roots - 111 days (05.28.17 - 09.16.17)  Most common lyrics: love, one, give, wanna, know

t-shirt tan lines, mozzarella and tomato and basil and singed spaghetti, sunset walks around abandoned high schools, green leaves outlined in watercolor, the smell of mildew and old paper in banker’s boxes, sweat-soaked french braids, the knife twist of eye contact, tarot readings under lamplight

Walls - 110 days (09.16.17 - 01.04.18)   Most common lyrics: wanna, know, baby, take, feel

crying in the gender-neutral restroom, pretty boys holding guitars or rolling rock, photos in the forest, blue carpeting and lofted bedframes, pitch-black bonfires, sitting in the dining hall to just watch the people pass, snow on eyelashes in large wet clumps, laughing at lies

Bite - 78 days (01.04.18 - 03.23.18)    Most common lyrics: know, love, stay, come, need

impatience at the airport, texting on the laundry room floor, nervous night drives, five grilled cheese sandwiches, acne like freckles, ceiling photos taken in secret, watercolor lines and paper houses, broken glass on the sidewalk, ink-stained forearms, notebook paper comics, writing small on basement walls

Windows - 131 days (03.23.18 - 08.01.18)   Most common lyrics: love, now, know, baby, fall

books piled up by the bed, rum and coke and orange juice and vodka and cheap white wine, rainy day night walks, streetlights turning the leaves orange, echoes from the party upstairs, solo trips to the grocery store, always leaving the blinds open, aperol and chai lattes and smørrebrød, never coming home

Grip - 136 days (08.01.18 - 12.15.18)    Most common lyrics: know, boy, lost, girl, night

read receipts, the creaking of an empty house, sand and bricks and traffic cones, sitting on the curb and shaking, applause at dinner, bubble tea, bike rides in torn jeans, mr brightside blasting at 10am, doodles during lectures, embroidery at the kitchen table, blue bus panic attacks, half an apple for lunch

Wait - 117 days (12.15.18 - 04.11.19)  Most common lyrics: heart, want, one, back, know

crying in the lobby, measuring oats by the quarter cup, drunken voice memos, shoes on power lines, another bowl of granola, reading all the lyrics, photos taken with the flash on, sleeping on strange couches, shoeboxes full of photographs, wire catching the sunlight, fifteen minutes of windchill

Wave - 108 days (04.11.19 - 07.28.19)  Most common lyrics: wanna, know, now, love, come

dancing on the porch, reading on the roof, tipsy trips to the corner store, silent heavy parlor air, chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, barred windows and string lights and exit signs, highlighting the important parts, nails tapping on wooden tables, wet wind before the storm, biking straight into the smoke

Home - 178 days (07.28.19 - 01.22.20)   Most common lyrics: down, know, now, wanna, think

steep downhill walks, fingertips covered in graphite and lead, blank faces on green walls, forest walkways, hands gripping thighs too tightly, light leaks in darkrooms, the handwriting of strangers, chains trapped between teeth, white words left unread, twirling at the tennis court, yellow becoming blue

Hand - 63 days (01.22.20 - 03.25.20)   Most common lyrics: know, time, love, die, back

masking tape messages, laughing four shots in, BiC .07mm HB mechanical pencils slipped into coat cuffs, cheeks blushed with red ink, green floodlights and kissed knuckles, windows fogged from the inside, falling asleep with earbuds in, finger guns and everything in boxes, wedging open locked doors

_______________________________________________________________________

It’s interesting to look back at these playlists altogether, see them as self-contained units, little stories I tell about myself, about the people I used to be. Adding a song to one of these playlists was like making a vow, entering a relationship with a collection of sounds. It’s like I was saying “this song is now a part of me.” I constructed this little world for myself in the space between my ears, and it, in turn, created me.

I really mean it when I say that the first word that floats to the front of my mind becomes the title of whatever playlist I’m making. I never question what the word means, and its meaning always ends up describing that season of my life. 

“Roots” became a period of reconnecting with essential pieces of myself I thought I had abandoned. 

During “Grip,” I was holding on so tightly to things that had left me ages ago, and I think I knew that, even if I was unable to admit it to myself. 

“Wait” revealed itself in two ways: it was a time in which 1.) I felt stagnant and restless, unable to be patient, and 2.) I was forced to grasp with a physical and emotional weight that had been bearing down on me. 

The mind is a magical thing—it processes what we refuse to recognize. 

Speaking of which, these playlist covers have been driving me up the wall for ages. They’re like nails on a freaking chalkboard for my synesthesia. Is “Bite” a heavily blue playlist? Sure. But is “Home” purple? Is “Grip” pink??? I think the fuck not! 

(I could do a whole goddamn blog post on synesthesia, and I might.)

Now that I know how to switch out playlist cover art (can you believe it’s taken me this long to figure out how to do that?), I have decided to issue myself a challenge/project/way to procrastinate actual work I have to do. 

I’d like to make a piece of cover art for all of the above playlists. And because I am, to reiterate, insane, I’m setting up some Rules For Creation:

All works must be the same size, on the same type of paper using similar materials (tbd but probably graphite, colored pencil, watercolor, fineliners, and/or collage).

The preliminary sketch for each cover must be created while listening to the playlist.

Each piece can (must?) incorporate the five most common lyrics as listed above because goddammit I did not spend four hours compiling lyrics in a web-based word cloud generator for nothing.

If I’m not having fun, I won’t make myself do it because this is literally just for laffs. 

Anyway, I’m looking forward to creating some fun weird art! I know nobody is gonna read this and nobody is gonna comment but if, by some miracle, you feel like it, comment a playlist you’ve made that you’re really proud of! Or comment if you have some weird playlist rules! Or cyberbully me! Anything’s fair game. 

TL;DR playlists are fun and I’m a maniac :)

[hillywooddestiel]

The Retreat- Chapter 9

Characters: CEO! Bucky x reader

Warnings: language, angst

Word count: 1.6k

Series description: Y/N Y/L/N: determined business woman, sought after by most businesses, creative visionary for advertising. She has it all. Or so she thinks. Life has a way of kicking you sideways when you least expect it, want it or are in anyway prepared for it. Numerous times. How can Y/N remain from cracking under the pressure when her career isn’t the only thing on the line and everything isn’t all that it seems?

A/N: TR day again! I promise I’ll update my masterlists soon. Enjoy xx Series Masterlist Marvel Masterlist

Story:

Nat waits for me in the corner of my office while I just finish typing an email, her eyes shifting around to look at all of my various framed designs and awards (not to toot my own horn or anything).

“Okay and… I’m done! You ready?”

“I’ve been ready for the past five minutes Y/N. C'mon, there is a cinnamon roll with my name on it.” Nat swings her bag in the direction of the door as I scurry to keep up with her.

“Out for lunch?” Maria asks as she passes us, a large stack of papers in her arms.

“Yeah, want to join?” Nat continues to the elevator to call it whilst I chat.

“I can’t. I’ve got to get through all of these before six, lucky me. Think of me while you drink your coffee.” Maria heaves the papers up higher and wiggles her hand a little in a goodbye before trudging into her office. I’ll surprise her with a takeout when we get back; she looks like she could really use it.

We have a long lunch, but it’s not huge so our main options in walking distance for lunch are the office cafeteria (just no), a corner shop selling sandwiches in cardboard boxes, some vegan and gluten free cat cafe (for the insta-braggers) and a trusty Starbucks. We opt for option number four. Saying a big ‘screw you’ to my diet (I only started on Monday… it’s Tuesday), I order a grilled cheese and an almond latte with full fat milk. Nat orders her aforementioned Danish pastry and a flat white.

“So, who is he?”

“What?” I choke on my drink as it goes down the wrong way.

“You’re working yourself too hard and you keep zoning out with a smile on your face. It’s too soon for you to be dating again on purpose given how long your last relationship was so you must have bumped into them in the past week or so plus they must be nothing like she-who-shall-remain-nameless, a general rule most people follow, which means statistically for you it’s more likely to be a guy. So, I’ll ask again, who is he?” Nat finishes in one breath, eyeing me up as she takes a sip of coffee, my jaw nearly on the floor.

“How the hell did you figure all of that out?! Seriously, you could be like a spy or something!”

“I’m good at reading people. Don’t change the subject.”

“Fine! We’ve not been out on any dates we just… made out a little bit. It was never going to be anything serious.” I wave the subject away, desperately hoping she’ll drop it. Who am I kidding, this is Natasha Romanoff we’re talking about.

“Why not? You deserve to be happy and clearly this guy is on your mind.”

“He is. But I don’t want him to be!” I whine, stabbing my grilled cheese with a knife. Nat just gives me a look of 'why?’, “I can’t date him, it wouldn’t be right.” She ponders this for a moment as I take a sip from my coffee.

“Just because it’s only been a little over a week doesn’t mean it would be wrong to move on. If this guy is truly as great as he seems, you’ll be kicking yourself for not going for it.”

Natasha’s words hang in the air like perfume as I think things over. It’s not the time that’s the issue, I should have corrected her- why didn’t I correct her? She would have judged me, obviously, but she would have given me some advice too. Okay, let’s lay it all out. Bucky is my boss. I have known him for nearly ten years. He’s only just got out of a rollercoaster of a relationship that nearly became an engagement and I was dumped on the same day from a long term relationship. We’ve kissed a grand total of two times, nearly three, and both times were (excuse my French) fucking fantastic- I felt alive and full of fire. I like him. Oh my God… I like Bucky. I like him.

“You okay, Y/N? You’ve been staring into space for a full ten minutes now.” Nat waves her hand in front of my face, breaking my trance.

“Hmm? Yeah, I’m fine. I just… think you’re right. I should go for this!”

“That’s great! Ooh we need to get going back soon.” She gets up out of her seat and smooths her pencil skirt.

“Hold on, I gotta order Maria a coffee. She never asks but I always see her looking for one whenever we come back from having lunch out.”

The bar fills up quickly with various people in suits and office wear, the working day having drawn to a close. Bucky and Steve are sat in a booth for privacy, each with a small glass of golden liquid.

“Look out.” Steve mutters under his breath, making eye contact with Bucky.

“What?”

“Stark, incoming.” He warns making his friend groan in annoyance.

“Hey! If it isn’t my favourite joint CEOs.”

“Tony.” Steve nods his head acknowledgingly, “Did you want something?” Tony takes this as an invitation and slides into the booth along with his head of security.

“Well since you asked, a little birdy told me that you had a nasty break up with your girlfriend recently.” He grabs Steve’s drink and downs it in one, much to Steve’s annoyance.

“What’s it to you?” Bucky grumbles, holding onto his own glass very protectively.

“Well I happen to be in the possession of a few girls’ phone numbers that are happy to throw themselves at anyone willing to give them attention. And I have no need for them any more.” the billionaire shrugs, his sunglasses reflecting the overhead lights.

“Does Pepper know about these girls?” Steve asks a little threateningly. Tony ignores him, continuing his conversation.

“So what do you say? Or are you going to let your Labrador yap for you?” He grins. Steve almost leaps out of his seat to argue; he would’ve flipped the table of it weren’t for his friend holding him down.

“I’m fine, thanks Tony.”

“Really? Suit yourself then. Happy?”

“Yes boss?” The man finally speaks.

“Let’s go.”

Not long after Tony leaves, Bucky mumbles something about going home. Steve quickly gets up after him, running outside to catch up.

“Buck wait!”

“What Steve?” He stops but only to hail a cab.

“What was that about?”

“What was what about?”

“Just then! I get that you don’t like Tony but why did you leave in such a hurry?” Steve reaches out to his friend’s shoulder to turn him around. Begrudgingly, Bucky does so just as a cab whizzes past in a blur of yellow. “Buck… I think I know you well enough by now to know when somethin’ is on your mind.”

“I’m fine Steve, it’s just stress. You go, get home to Peggy.”

“Buck-”

“I said I’m fine!” Bucky says quite sternly, turning to try and get the attention of another cab driver.

A yellow car pulls up to the pavement and Bucky opens the door to get in. However, before he’s even got his seatbelt on, Steve slides in after him.

“East 102nd Street please.” He tells the driver, who nods and pulls out onto the street.

“Steve, what are you doing?”

“You’re going to talk to me. I know you’ve had it rough recently but that’s not it so, what’s got you so distracted?” Steve gives his friend an intense look, hoping it will make him crack. It’s always worked in the past: as kids, Bucky would be the one to look out for Steve and that included keeping him from doing anything that would hurt him. When he was younger, Steve had chronic asthma so Bucky didn’t like to over-exert him to avoid him having an attack. That didn’t stop Steve though. With one stern scowl and his arms folded, Bucky would break saying “Alright, we can play. But if my mom asks, you wouldn’t shut up until I let you, okay?”. He didn’t have to use it so often anymore but it’s surprising how many business negotiations can be solved with that one look.

“Look, it’s not work and it’s not Caroline. But it’s personal.” Bucky sighs, starting to reveal what’s plaguing his mind. “I didn’t mean too, it was a complete accident, but I think I might have found someone.”

“Really? That’s great!”

“Is it? Like you said, I only just broke up with Caroline and she’s only just got out of a relationship-”

“Buck, listen to me, if I had waited with Peggy, who knows where I’d be right now? So what if it’s not been very long- you’re not getting any younger.”

“Hey! I’m only a year older than you.”

“You know what I mean.” Steve laughs as they pull up outside Bucky’s huge apartment block. “Just, if any part of you thinks that this could be something, please go for it. I’m with you whatever you decide.”

Dropping his keys into the bowl, the lights turn on automatically to welcome Bucky home. Could it really be something? Steve generally does have the wisdom of an old man. There must be rules about dating employees though- even if there isn’t it would be weird nonetheless. She’s all he thinks about; maybe it would be worth a try just to get her out of his system. God, why do life decisions always have to be so difficult?

[sandwichbully]

Sammy’s Avenue Eatery, 23 November 2018

   “When people are hungry, you feed ‘em.”

   OK, so about three years ago, I was working at UCare - “UCare, health care that starts with denying you your oxygen!” - and it was a slow afternoon one afternoon. Most afternoons were slow and the mail room was overstaffed for what we needed, so I logged a lot of time on Facebook and I saw this joint, Sammy’s Avenue Eatery, and I thought their sandwiches looked pretty good, so I made it a point to go there.    ... aaannnddd I never did.    I was broke as shit at the time, working fourteen hours a day six days a week between two jobs (and still being broke all the time) and feeling like shit because I was a terrible letdown to my then-girlfriend (the one from this episode) because I was always tired and just wanted a goddamned beer and two cigarettes. Eventually things improved but not by much and yadda yadda yadda, a whole bunch of shit happens, and going up to Sammy’s Avenue Eatery has been low priority.    But I never forgot it. It kind of even nagged at me. And today, with it being almost fifty degrees for what is surely the last time this year if it isn’t the next to last time this year, I made it a point to go to what is likely going to be the final Sandwich Bully episode for 2018 - unless y’all want to come pick me up in your petite bourgeoisie automobile with “the heat” on in December and January.    So I rolled up on the corner of Emerson and Broadway and walked in and looked over the menu and waited for the nice lady to finish making a chai latte for this other lady and I asked her which she preferred, the Hot Roasted Chicken or the Turkey Bacon Club.    She said honestly that she preferred the chicken but they were out of that so turkey and bacon (I had to specify because I’ve had exactly one experience with turkey bacon and that shit is fucking gross and it’s so gross that I’m compelled to put up a picture of my first ex with a caption mocking her voice in which she chides me for having high blood pressure but that is seriously some SD&A shit and - Hm? Oh, Sound Design and Assembly. That was my old record review blog but I didn’t review records so much as I bitched about pop culture and waxed poetic on having picked up nookie the night before.)

   Wait. Where are we?

   OK, let’s start that over.    She said honestly that she preferred the chicken but they were out of that so turkey and bacon (I had to specify because I’ve had exactly one experience with turkey bacon and that shit is fucking gross) it was and I grabbed a cranberry ginger ale and I found myself engaged in a conversation with her. Lot of personal stuff that isn’t my business to put up here but I guess maybe I can talk about the political side of it and that part was refreshing because nobody was bringing out words with “-ism”s on the end, we were just on the same wavelength, talking about how Minneapolis government is mishandling or outright ignoring a bunch of problems and how there are easy - very easy solutions to them. The homeless encampment whom the city couldn’t decide to house in either a warehouse or a vacant fucking lot? Well, hell, how many boarded up houses are there in north Minneapolis? I figured put the homeless at least in the warehouse out of the elements. The woman I was talking to told me they had plenty of empty houses in this neighborhood. A solution I never thought of. And even thinking about it now, I realize that there’s a lot of red tape and the banks own those empty houses but why does the bank own an empty house? Why is it held by a private entity and not by the state? What are the escheat and adverse possession laws in Minnesota? (And that’s over thinking it but that’s because capitalism doesn’t provide for simple solutions without the transfer of liquid assets.)

   And enough of that.    Anyway, at one point, this dude comes in and says he doesn’t have time to stop in and eat at the moment but he was just wondering what the soup of the day was for when he came back later and the woman said it was alright if he didn’t have time to eat, she’d fix him a “little” to-go cup (it was more like an eight ounce cup and I don’t know how metric people measure soup; by volume - 237mL - or by mass - 227g) and she handed it to him and told him to have a good day and he said thank you and he walked out the door and she stared out the window and she said, “When people are hungry, you feed ‘em.”    No conditions, no clauses, just simple straight to the point action and solution.    And she told me about how she wanted to start a homeless shelter, not like the ones downtown where you have to "tell ‘em everything about your life just to get in the door”, she wanted to start one where if you were tired, you could sleep, and if you got caught fucking up, you got kicked out. Simple as that.    And my brain goes to how dangerous that would be because what about all the rapists and murderers and then my privilege checks itself and I got to remember that homeless folks aren’t homeless because they’re murderers and they do just want a warm place to sleep and a little something to eat.    She told me she wanted to open a soup kitchen, too, and told me that one place downtown was in such a great location because it was centralized and somebody could even walk for forty blocks to get there, and they would, too, because, as she put it, “hunger travels”. I know that. I remember the time, it was like ten years ago or so, that I was with Georgie and we were starving and I walked two miles in a snowstorm to the food shelf and I lied on the paperwork and told them our twenty eight year old roommate was our four year old son because I thought I could get us more food that way (and, hey, there were three people in the house). I remember being dismayed at what we got and dutifully trundled it back home. I remember all that.    Maybe it was meant to be that I didn’t get to Sammy’s until today to have this conversation. Maybe as a (timely) reminder to be thankful for what I do have, maybe as a reaffirmation of my beliefs, maybe to just talk to somebody over lunch, which I never get to do because I live alone and work alone.

ANYWAY!    How was the sandwich!? How was the fucking sandwich, Charlie!? Remember how this blog is called Sandwich Bully? And it’s about sandwiches? And how it’s not a place for you to peddle your bleeding heart commie* beliefs or pontificate on how we need to be good and charitable toward our brothers and sisters!? HOW THIS PLACE IS MEANT FOR SANDWICHES!?!?!? TALK ABOUT THE FUCKING SANDWICH, CHARLIE!!!    It was good. As I was grabbing a pop, the woman (I know her name I just don’t know how she spells it) told me that if I wanted to bundle the sandwich and drink into a combo, that she had chips and I told her nah, I had to watch my salt and she said she knew that was right. I watched her slice my tomato right out of a whole fresh tomato which I’ve seen maybe only Trieste do - slice fresh to order. And she asked if I liked onions and I said I did and she asked if I liked pickles and I said I did and then she held the pickle slices over the container and gave them a little wiggle and told me, “Getting the salt off them for you,” which was cool. Aint ever had anybody do that for me before. And then we set to talking while I ate at the counter and you read about all that.    Well, let’s start with the size issue. I ordered a half sandwich (around seven dollars) and it was big enough that I feared what I might have gotten if I had gotten a whole one (around eleven dollars). Trust me, I beg of you, please trust me, I am on my knees begging you to trust me: Order the half sandwich. That is the reasonable human serving size.    The tomato was crisp (natch) and the pickles and onions added necessary sour and bite. The cheese, I don’t know what it was but it was white and it was creamy and, tag-teamed with the bacon, it kind of overpowered the turkey but the bacon-cheese combo overpowers most things. The mayo on the sandwich was applied to the bread pre-grilling which, a few years ago, I would have said “ew” to but recently I had the revelation that mayo is just eggs and oil (no, not that part) which are both things that are perfectly alright to be applied to direct heat (that part) and I’ve been waiting to try frying my grilled cheese with mayo on the outside but I never buy bread and I never buy mayonnaise - Why buy mayo when you can make aioli? - so I finally got to try this technique at Sammy’s and I have to admit I didn’t notice anything inherently distinguishable about it but, again, bacon-cheese combo. Overpowers everything but...    OK, probably the last time we get to do this this year unless somebody wants to drive me somewhere during December and January so we have to make this one good.    Let’s see, let’s see, let’s see...    [clears throat] But the real blackout drunk correspondent of Armenia Decides, 2018... No no no.    [clears throat again] But the real evil twin unplugging the good twin’s life support so she can assume her identity and run off with her husband... No. Come on, man, you got this. You have literally nothing else.    OK, I think I got it.    But the real guest star in the dangers-of-huffing-gas-as-a-pregnant-teen episode of this highly rated Saturday morning teen show never to be seen again as, metafictionally, her character had been shipped off to an island of misfit one-off characters, each themselves never to be seen again, turned cannibal after the last hunt didn’t yield the boar’s head required to appease the god behind the sun, he who in-turn took his great veil from the white ball in the sky and scorched their crops in anger and now, teen pot dealer and teen wheelchair basketball player and teen army brat and teen with an eating disorder and all the rest, none of whom were ever seen again, are forced to turn on each other for survival, their malevolence a dance for the god behind the sun’s enjoyment, for when enough blood is spilled he veils his white ball and grants them rest from the heat, but now, a new arrival - The Pregnant Teen Gas Huffer... is the house sauce, which I suspect is a honey dijon vinaigrette. It was sweet, a little complex but not so complex that I couldn’t guess what it was while I was eating it. It stood out and balanced the savory fattiness of the bacon-cheese combo.    The lettuce?    We don’t have to do the lettuce thing, do we?

   I mean, it’s probably the last time this year.

   Overall, not a bad bike ride, it was a pretty decent sandwich - it was good but I’m not falling over stupid for it. I mean, hey, it filled me up and I ordered the half sandwich. If there was a quarter sandwich option, I’d go for that. It tasted good, too. She asked me how it was and I told her it was wonderful and she said she was glad I liked it and I told her I was glad she made it.    I guess that there was a sense of openness, of community to the place, which we’ve been over before: I prefer to go to places that feel worn in and homey. Places like Band Box and Ideal where the proprietors and the patrons are literally neighbors, where people have been going for years, people who are eating there now worked there in high school because their parents knew the manager. Sammy’s has that vibe.    It’s kind of like Nye’s.    I liked Nye’s (yes, past tense) when you could walk in and say hi to Phil, sit down, and have an ice cold Żywiec and there was a college football game on you could ignore and it was red Corinthian leather booths and tacky martini murals on the walls and mirrors behind the bar to make the liquor selection look more impressive (or whatever the mirrors are back there for) and it was locals in there.    Last time I was in Nye’s, there was no Phil, the new guy didn’t know what Żywiec was, the interior designer clearly got all their ideas from IKEA (still love you, IKEA, but you are not meant for a bar), and the only patronage in there were literally tourists asking about the history of the Mississippi River.    I can’t fuck with that scene because it doesn’t feel like it’s a part of the community that supported it through the years. Ownership changed and nobody gave a fuck about preserving the community aspect of the place, it’s clearly a cash grab more cynical and distasteful than when they made Game of Death with B-roll of Bruce Lee and two actors who looked nothing like him.    Sammy’s, on the other hand, feels like it’s part of its community. Established in Near North, playing a role in Near North, employing Near North, feeding Near North.    GO.    GIVE.    THEM.    YOUR.    MONEY.

* I was once briefly involved with a Randian Libertarian who called me literally a “bleeding heart commie” because I told her Atlas Shrugged was “right-wing oriented”. Ah, to be young again.

[lalka-laski]

Do you know anybody who is ambidextrous? A kid I went to middle school with. It's weird what memories stick with you for no reason. Have you ever been 4-wheeling? Mhm What’s the weather been like today? It's the first reasonable day in what feels like forever. It was only in the 60s this morning on my walk to work and what a glorious walk that was! What was the last exam you sat for? Couldn't even tell ya Will you be attending any weddings in the near future? Jess's in a few months!! And then mine next year :)

Do you currently have any unread text messages, and who from? Nope Speaking of text messages, what colour is your cell phone? Rose gold Do you live anywhere near the woods? Kinda Would you ever consider a career in the tourism industry? It doesn't really seem for me When was the last time you used q-tips? A week or two ago How does your hair react to humid weather or rain? It gets a little frizzy but it's not too bad What’s your favourite flavour of iced tea? Lemon Do you understand music theory? Not even a little

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? 6 or 7ish? Are you expected to act professionally at your job? Define "professional"? I have to be cordial and professional with patients, sure. But I'm friendly and casual with my coworkers. Infomercials: entertaining or stupid? Entertaining and calming! I love throwing on home shopping channels to soothe myself What’s your favourite brand of energy drink? I don't drink them. That would be a NIGHTMARE for my anxiety. Do you have (or have you ever had) acne? I actually have a fucking planet-sized zit on my eyebrow right now. I never struggled with acne as a teen but my 20s have been a different story Why did you click to take this survey? I usually peep the length of a survey to see if it's worth my time. Short surveys annoy me for some reason. If you have glasses, have you ever smashed them? Smashed, no. Broken, yes. How do you get new music? Buy or download or what? Spotify Have you ever sent someone an abusive text message? Whaaaa? Do you require a lot of time to do things or are you quick? Oh I need lots and lots of time. More than the average person for most tasks, I'd say. What will be the next concert you attend? Luke Combs, who I don't even know. But I was invited, it's cheap, and I love live music so Turn the nearest television on, what’s on? I don't have a TV here How often do you “wake up on the wrong side of the bed”? Most days. I'm very bad at waking up and snapping myself into reality. Can you rap? L O L. Just look at me What do you usually order when you’re at McDonald’s? Grilled cheese if they'll serve me it, or an egg & cheese breakfast sandwich. Are there any textbooks near where you are right now? Maybe some medical textbooks upstairs What’s the time? 9:28 How’s your body temperature right now? I'm comfortable. I'm wearing a sweater but also have my desk fan blowing on me which seems unnecessary but, lol Do you use Celsius or Fahrenheit? Fahrenheit. Though I believe America really needs to make the damn switch. What was the last thing you got a really good deal on? A few things from Wegmans Have you ever studied any ancient societies? In school, yeah. Do you like to wear long, dangling earrings? I don't wear earrings at all What was the last reason you took medicine? ANXIETY Do you exercise regularly? I'm trying to make it more of a habit What is your coffee of choice? (flat white, cappuccino, etc.) Just plain brewed coffee. But I like an iced latte for fun now and then. Do you pay any attention to your country’s politics? It's kind of impossible not to Are you feeling worried about anything right now? I mean, I live in a permanent state of worry Are you a gossipy type of person? As much as I want to act like I'm not, I totally am When will your next meal be, and do you know what it will consist of? Lunch when I get home from work. No clue what I'll have though. It's slim pickings in our kitchen... What’s your opinion on your in-laws, if you have any? I'm very, very blessed to have the in-laws I do. They've been nothing but welcoming, supportive, and affectionate from the beginning. I truly feel like I gained a second family. Have you seen your best friend today? Glenn, yes. What can you smell right now? The coffee I'm drinking Any important birthdays coming up? Glenn's on Saturday! Then my goddaughter's the day after. Then Kathleen's & mine the following week. July is a busy month for birthday ha. Fireworks: yay or nay? I like how they look but the sound (and sensation) scares me Do you have any plans for the rest of the day? I work 'till 12 and then the rest of my day is wide open. Maybe I'll do some reading. How about tomorrow? Any plans? I have some returns to make at the store and I have to stop at my parents' house. But beyond that... whole lot of nothing. Do you know how to do your own laundry or does someone else do it? I do my own If you could eat or drink anything right now, what would it be? A piece of pizza would be dope right now. But when DON'T I want pizza?

What colour are your headphones? Blue Think of the last long car trip you had, where did you go? I haven't been in the car for longer than 40ish minutes in a long time

Do you have a Twitter account that you use regularly? Yep Have you ever seen a horseshoe crab? They’re scary, right?! I haven't but I'd probably think it's cool Are there any new movies that you’d really like to see? Not really. I'm not a movie person If you could play one instrument flawlessly, what would it be? Piano Do you overthink a lot of things? Please

Is there anybody you miss but can’t see again? Nora When was the last time you had a hangover? Couple days ago. The hangxiety was BAD

[mattprivettwrites]

I lost 101.2 pounds in four months. Here’s how.

In late February I joined a private Facebook group of men dedicating themselves to lose weight and/or get in better shape. The group was designed to last through March and we checked in every Sunday with our weights. On March 1, then, I weighed in... at 328.4 pounds. 

I’ve struggled with my weight for years. Gaining, losing, then gaining more, then losing, then gaining more.

I kept telling myself it’s time to get serious and get this weight off and get healthier once and for all, but it was the invitation to that Facebook group which spurred my decision to finally get going (again). So on March 1 I weighed in at 328.4. Today, July 1, exactly four months later, I weighed in at 227.2. 

Yesterday was when I crossed the 100 pound mark, and I was so happy I posted a picture of me in a 2X shirt. I was wearing it comfortably, whereas four months ago 4X shirts were getting iffy. Anyway, the response by people on Facebook was so cool. Not only were there lots of congratulations, but a surprising number of people asked how I’ve done it. I typed out a little something in a Facebook comment, but thought I would expand upon it here.

Let’s get the exercise part of it out of the way first because it’s the simplest part. I walk... A LOT. I’m usually walking my neighborhood within 20–30 minutes of waking up, and usually walk for just under two hours. Then, after lunch I usually walk again for a little over an hour. I’m able to do this because my work is in the evenings. I know not everyone can do that. I usually get in over 25,000 steps a day, and more often close to 30,000 or more by the time I get home and go to bed. I know I won’t be able to maintain this pace permanently, but hopefully I won’t need to, once I transition from weight loss mode to maintain weight mode. For now, it’s what I’m able to do. My Fitbit is great, constant accountability.

Equally important to exercise it what I put into my body. At my worst I’m drinking sugary soft drinks like no one’s business and snacking with the best (or worst) of them. I’ve had to undergo a lifestyle change to do this. Right now I’m staying under 1500 calories, usually closer to 1200.

In the morning I drink a 30g, 160 calorie Premier Protein shake. You can find these at Walmart or other grocery stores and they come in several flavors. I think Caramel is my favorite, but my wife has discovered the Café Latte. That’s it, though. That’s my breakfast. I drink it and go on my walk, then, when I get home I usually drink a Lipton Diet Green Tea, and usually have another for lunch or in the afternoon. 

Speaking of lunch, because I’m usually working in the evenings this has become my *big* meal of the day, and one of the things that has made this journey a lot easier is that it hasn’t cost me foods I love. For example, more often that not I’m usually eating something for lunch that I’ve grilled in the past few days. The past three days I’ve eaten cheeseburgers (without a bun). I add carrots, a boiled egg, and/or a cheese stick, and that’s lunch.

I don’t snack in the afternoons. Usually I have another bottle of water or another drink.

Dinner is usually while I work and usually looks like the picture above. A half sandwich (bologna or salami, usually) on wheat bread, carrots, turkey pepperoni, a boiled egg, and usually the one soft drink of the day (always diet, right now Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi). No snacking after dinner. I’ll drink water or maybe another diet soft drink. Also, if I’m feeling hungry I’ll eat ice, as it tricks my brain into thinking I’m eating something, when really I’m just taking in water.

Aside from that breakfast protein shake, all of my *eating* is done between 12 and 8 at the latest, so you could say I'm partially fasting too.

I should add I don't take any special weight loss supplements or anything, but I do take several vitamins, given my limited diet -- a daily multivitamin, Super B Complex, C, D, and magnesium -- to make sure I'm getting what I need. Sometimes I crave *good* food, but mostly I'm past that. I've had a few slices of birthday cake here and there. Cheeseburgers are just about my favorite food in the world and I’ve already talked about that. Mostly, though, I've been incredibly disciplined with this new lifestyle with regard to food and had great support from my wife and children. No one is more surprised than I am that I've stuck to it so well. When I get to where I want to be weight-wise I'll make adjustments to maintain, rather than keep losing, but this is working very well for me. I can't believe I've averaged 25 pounds a month since March. That's insane. It's definitely not for everyone, but I feel so much better. The hard part will be keeping it off once I slow down. Many of you probably know I lost weight similarly, though not as quickly, in the second half of 2018, but by June 2019, for a variety of reasons, I gained it all back and then some. That ain't happening again. I haven't been under 200 since high school but that's going to change. Advice from a non-expert for those wanting to lose weight: Make sure you get protein. Limit your carbs. Try to get your sugar from unprocessed foods (i.e., fruit, not candy). And exercise. I just walk the neighborhood. That's it. Nothing fancy. If you have more questions or want more non-expert advice, send me a private message. Thanks for your encouragement. I'm not nearly done yet.

[theofficialcunt]

Simplicité - Chapter 6

Simplicité Saturday ahhh! I can’t believe it’s already been another week. Is it just me or is this year coming to an end really fast? Anyway, this chapter is surprisingly fluffy, other then a few minor details! Thanks to @veronicasanders for always being a quick efficient beta! This story would probably be going nowhere without her ✨TW: Smoking, drinking. Teensy bit of angst. PS: The Biadore is coming 😉 “So you’re probably wondering why I’ve called you in here.” Bianca started, watching Courtney seated across from her. She was nervous, mostly because she felt like a terrible person and Courtney probably wasn’t going to forgive her for what happened between them. Bianca felt so bad that she had toyed with Courtney’s emotions that way, it felt like she was being crushed by it. “I am.” Courtney nodded stiffly. “Am I here to be reprimanded by my boss?” She didn’t know what was about to happen, but whatever Bianca decided she felt would be for the best. “I want to apologize to you, Courtney.” Bianca began, voice barely above a whisper. “I-I’ve been thinking all morning about what you and Bob said to me and it’s really sunk in.” Out of all of the things Courtney was thinking would happen, this was not one of them. She sat up straighter, feigning alertness and trying to hide the fact that she was severely hungover and wearing the backup outfit out of the trunk of her car. “I’m just really sorry I put you through that Court.” Bianca sniffed uncharacteristically. Courtney raised an eyebrow, slightly unsure of how to react to her best friend crumbling right in front of her. Bianca was usually rock solid emotionally, other than these last few months of her grieving. “Bianca-” “If you don’t want to work for me anymore then I understand.” Bianca sighed, shoving a stack of paperwork towards Courtney. “No pressure.” “Bianca, can you just relax? I’m over it,” Courtney said nonchalantly, pushing the paperwork to the side. “W-what?” Bianca stammered, thrown off by her cool response. She was over it? “Just last night you were going on about it-” “Honestly Bianca, I’ve done some thinking too and yes it happened and it sucked, but I just want to move on. You’re my best friend, and it seems like you’ve had some sort of epiphany or something. That’s all the closure I wanted really,” Courtney blurted out. “I just wanted an apology.” Bianca leaned back in her chair and studied Courtney. She seemed to be 100% serious about being over what happened, and she knew better than anyone when she was being honest. Her heart felt lighter now that they seemed to be on the same page, and for the first time in months Bianca almost felt normal again. “That’s it? It’s never that easy,” Bianca muttered in disbelief, still not sure. “Seriously Bianca. I don’t care.” Courtney shrugged. She coughed into her shoulder, holding back the urge to gag. She hadn’t been able to keep anything down today, which had made work very difficult. She gulped, clearing her throat trying to push whatever was about to come up back down. Bianca raised an eyebrow at Courtney, narrowing her eyes in disbelief when she noticed that she didn’t look 100%. Her hair was different and she swore she had seen that outfit somewhere…. “You’re hungover.” Bianca realized incredulously. “You’re wearing your backup outfit and you brushed out your curls from last night!” “I am not!” Courtney shrieked, trying to keep the smile from creeping onto her face. “Oh my god did you get laid?” Bianca teased, letting a long cackle ring out. “I don’t need to discuss my sexual encounters with the likes of you!” Courtney laughed as her cheeks burned red. “Since you aren’t firing me, I’m leaving!” “No, no, no! I’m curious, who had the honor?” Bianca smirked, amused. “It doesn’t matter, she lives in Indianapolis and it was just a one night stand-” “You went to fucking Indie last night?” Bianca roared. “God, no wonder you’re so tired looking. You must’ve driven all night.” “I did,” Courtney admitted. “Her name was odd, I can’t remember it exactly but she went by Will for short. She was pretty hot.” “Oh god.” Bianca chuckled, shaking her head. “Tell you what, go home. You don’t have anything scheduled for the rest of the day, right?” “No, I don’t. Are you sure you want to send me home though? You don’t want help with Adore?” Courtney questioned, standing up from her chair. “Adore is a grown woman, Courtney. I think I can handle it from here. Go home and get some sleep.” Bianca ordered. Courtney nodded as she walked around the desk, tackling Bianca in a tight embrace. Bianca laughed and squeezed her tight, thankful that Courtney forgave her. She was lucky to still have her in her life after everything that they went through. As Courtney squeezed Bianca, she didn’t feel like the usual tortured soul pining that she usually did when she hugged her. Things were different now, she was glad that they could stay friends and not be weird. “Courtney?” “Yes, pussyface?” “I’m glad to see that you’re back out there trying to date.” “Awe, I’m so glad you approve,” Courtney smirked. “Now I can continue my day in peace, knowing that I’ve finally gotten the approval I’ve been waiting for!” “I can’t stand you,” Bianca laughed. ——— Courtney and Bianca chatted for what seemed like forever before they came back upstairs from their meeting. Bianca clapped her hands loudly together as she entered the salon room, startling everyone out of looking down at their phones. Adore looked up at the both of them with wide eyes, wondering what exactly was about to happen to Courtney. “So before you guys start talking shit, I’d like to say that Courtney isn’t being fired. I am however letting her go home early, so Courtney, go home.” Bianca announced, waving her hands towards the front door. “Bye guys.” Courtney waved, scurrying out of the salon like a bat out of hell. Her face seemed calm, which was odd to Adore but hell, maybe things ended up working out between the two of them. She turned her attention back to Bianca, who also seemed at peace after what had happened. “As for the rest of you, shouldn’t you be working? Go practice on the mannequins or something. Or better yet, Valentina go stand out front and hand out brochures.” Bianca ordered. “Yes cousin.” Valentina mumbled, grabbing a pile of brochures before walking out. “Who’s going to answer the phone then?” Farrah asked confused. “Adore needs the phone because she’s about to make some phone calls for me.” Bianca smiled wickedly, brown eyes burning into hers. “I-I am?” Adore stuttered, suddenly feeling nerves infiltrate her stomach. “Yes, so come sit down and I’ll tell you who you need to call.” Adore walked meekly behind the desk, planting her ass on the chic looking chair as Bianca leaned over her. “Okay, so Modern Salon called and wants to set up an interview with me. The only days that work for me are Thursday morning and Friday evening, so see if that works.” Bianca ordered, giving Adore the phone number. Adore stared down at the piece of paper and nodded. “Why aren’t you writing anything down?” Bianca barked. Adore jumped, grabbing a nearby piece of paper and writing down the times swiftly. Bianca rolled her eyes annoyed. “Where the fuck is your notepad?” Bianca asked. “I forgot it! Sorry!” Adore exclaimed flinching slightly. “What else?” “I need you to book the Chicago Spring Fashion Week slot. We’re going to be doing hair and makeup there in about 4 weeks. I need you to book 6 slots: one for you, Courtney, Me, Bob, and Farrah. Oh, I guess that makes 5-” “Bianca, I can’t do makeup.” Adore reminded her. “You’ll be ready by then. Tomorrow you’re spending the day painting everyone’s face. Including mine. Hope you’ve been paying attention to your reading.” Bianca patted her on the back, smiling before turning to Farrah. “Can you go order food from Eureka? I’d like a cuban sandwich and a blood orange scone, Also, a skinny latte from Starbucks would be fabulous.” “Bianca I have no money-” “Take my card.” Bianca reached into her pocket handing her the business card. “Adore, do you want anything?” “Can Eureka make me a grilled cheese?” Adore asked. Bianca rolled her eyes, and Farrah nodded smiling. “Really queen, a fucking grilled cheese?” Bianca asked, shaking her head. “Add on a scone for her too.” “I’ll be back.” Farrah winked before walking out behind Valentina. “You better get going on those calls.” Bianca called as she walked downstairs. Great. ———- “Farrah! What am I getting for you today?” Eureka exclaimed, face lighting up as she walked through the door. “Hey,” Farrah said stiffly. “The usual for Bianca and I, and add on a Grilled Cheese and a scone.” Eureka’s smile faltered at the girl’s unusual mood, and she nodded inputting the total into the cash register. “14.50 please.” Farrah handed over the card, pacing awkwardly in the front of the cash register. It was a cute place, modeled partly after the café’s in France, and partly after the tea rooms in England. It was a weird mix but somehow, it worked. There were a dozen small round white tables, a couple spilled out in front of the quaint shop. It was decorated minimally, doilies littered the table tops and various pastries were on display in the front. “Do you have time today?” Eureka murmured, eyes shifting from side to side making sure no one was around. Eureka was too good to her, which was going to make this even more awkward. She visibly trembled as she realized the dreaded moment was here. “Eureka, there’s something I need to tell you.” Farrah started, voice cracking. Eureka looked up, eyes wide before she continued, “I uh, I don’t know how to say this but I met someone else. And I think we could have something. I know you aren’t ready to come out of the closet yet, and I totally respect that. I just want to kind of play the field a bit-” “It’s fine Farrah.” Eureka said, abruptly cutting her off as her eyes became glassy. “I get it. Let me go fix your food.” She quickly left the cashier area, pressing her lips together tightly to prevent herself from letting out a wail in front of the girl. “Eureka-” Farrah started but it was too late. Eureka was already in the kitchen. Eureka couldn’t really blame her, if she were in Farrah’s position she would probably do the same thing. She just couldn’t come out of the closet, due to her very religious parisian mother. She would probably disown her, and Eureka couldn’t bear to lose her mom. She was in Paris most of the time but her dad was here with her in Chicago, he helped her in the kitchen a couple of days a week. As she got the breads ready for the sandwiches, she sniffled, letting the tears fall onto the smooth quartz countertop. Today the food wouldn’t be made with love, today the food would be made with sorrow. ——– “Okay great, Bianca and I will be there Thursday morning!” Adore exclaimed. “It was nice talking to you too, buh bye.” “You and me?” Bianca asked confused, making Adore jump. “Don’t do that!” Adore laughed, jabbing Bianca playfully in the arm. “Yeah dude, the Modern Salon chick liked my energy so she wants to meet me too.” Bianca was pleased, she didn’t expect Adore to charm the editors just like that but she was learning everyday not to underestimate her. “And the fashion week booking?” Bianca asked. “4 weeks out, all 5 of us are set. We’ll be set up in between MAC and Redken.” Adore beamed. “What?” Bianca asked surprised. “How in the hell did you get us a slot in between those two huge names?!” “Oh, I just really stressed that we needed as many outlets as possible and that you wouldn’t do the show if we weren’t near at least Redken.” Adore shrugged. “On one hand, I’m pissed that you would risk our slot like that.” Bianca started. “But on the other hand, I’m extremely impressed. Nice work.” Adore felt her heart soar at the positive feedback from Bianca. Finally, it was starting to feel like she was getting the hang of things around here. “So I wanted to talk to you about my salary…” Adore trailed off. Bianca nodded in agreement. “Let’s go downstairs and talk about it.” ———– “Here’s your food.” Eureka handed the food to Farrah quickly before going back into the kitchen. “See you around, Farrah.” “Eureka, wait!” Farrah called, panic tainting her voice. She stood there for a few minutes, waiting for her to come back, hoping that a customer would come in so that she would have to come back out. But of course a customer never came, and soon after a defeated Farrah left. ——- “$17 an hour?” Adore asked, shocked, as she stared down at the piece of paper stating her salary. In LA that wasn’t much but here, that stretched a lot further than before. “Your job is very demanding. You haven’t really gotten into the full part of it yet, but once you do you’ll see why you deserve the salary.” Bianca nodded. “I’m open to negotiations if necessary-” “There’s nothing to negotiate.” Adore cut her off. At 40 hours a week, possibly with overtime pay, she’d be bringing anywhere from $2700 to well over $3000 a month. She’d have enough to buy whatever fancy clothes Bianca wanted her to wear. “Okay, sign here then.” Bianca pointed to the line underneath her own signature which was regal and elegant looking. Adore signed her name messily before handing the piece of paper back. “Okay, well I’ll let you study for the rest of the day and then after that we’ll go home and-” “Actually, I’m hanging out with Farrah after work. I’ll probably be back late. Is that cool?” Adore interrupted, tilting her head. “Yeah, that’s fine.” Bianca said through gritted teeth. She didn’t know why their friendship was bugging her so much but alas, she sucked it up. “We’ll talk when you get home.” “Great! Thanks Bianca.” Adore exclaimed happily, walking around the desk to engulf her in a big hug. ——— The rest of the day went pretty quickly, albeit Farrah acting a bit weird after coming back from Eureka’s. Adore waved goodbye to Bianca, who was flat ironing a clients hair as she clung onto Farrah’s arm. Bianca smiled faintly, watching the two girls run out of the salon and onto the street where Farrah’s mini cooper was parked. Bob stared at Bianca, shaking his head at her as he watched her pine for Adore. “Fucking lesbians.” Bob muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he refocused on mixing his color. From a few doors down, Eureka stared at the same scene grimly. The girl Farrah was with was beautiful, with long sleek black hair and on point makeup skills. Of course she would want to drop everything to be with her, she was literally everything that she wasn’t. Tall, skinny, and dark hair. She sighed, running a hand through her long bright blonde hair, hoping that somehow some way, Farrah would make her way back to her one day. Even more importantly, she was hoping one day she would muster up the courage to come out of the closet. Maybe that day would be soon, she thought as she watched Farrah throw her head back in laughter at whatever the raven haired girl had just said. —– Farrah had brought her to a vacant spot in Millennium park, where they were cloaked on a bench under a few trees. Rabbits hopped nearby, and Farrah handed Adore a joint before lighting her own. It took a few tries before it lit, due to all of the crazy wind. “It’s probably not as good as what you’re used to, but hopefully it satisfies.” Farrah winked. Adore took a hit and nodded, tasting the foreign weed for the first time. “I guess what they say is true. California really does have the best weed.” Adore laughed lightheartedly, tasting the sourness on her tongue. “Awe no! It’s not that bad is it?” Farrah whined. Well it wasn’t terrible, Adore thought. It did the job well enough - she thought, as she took another hit. “It’s not bad. Thanks for smoking me out.” Adore smiled, nuzzling her face into her shoulder. Farrah froze, feeling the urge to shrug her off but fighting it. What was wrong with her? Farrah and Eureka were just fuck buddies for a few months and nothing more. Why did she feel so guilty about the way she left things? Furthermore, why couldn’t she enjoy the time she had with Adore, who was fucking smoking hot? Eventually, Farrah relaxed, slumping into the bench, and let herself enjoy the moment as much as she possibly could. They sat there for awhile like that, Adore’s head on Farrah’s shoulder as they smoked their joints together quietly. Adore’s tolerance had already gone down a little, but she knew she still needed something to kick it up a notch. The silence felt awkward, she thought. Farrah also seemed a little bit off, she noticed as she had stiffened originally when she rested her head on her shoulder. The mixed signals. Lifting her head up, she sat up and dug through her purse, finding her bedazzled flask. “Oh my god where did you get that?” Farrah squealed, grabbing the flask. It was encrusted with a ton of swarovski crystals, shimmering in the low light. “Amazon girl. Have some!” Adore gestured. Farrah unscrewed the flask gratefully and tilted her head back, letting a generous amount of vodka swirl down her throat. She chased it with a splash of water, handing it back to Adore. Adore made a mental note that Farrah had basically chugged the better part of the liquid in the flask. She decided that maybe it was just the nerves, and thought nothing of it. They sat in the park, passing the flask back and forth and before they knew it they were off stumbling drunk and around the bean. “Adore,” Farrah slurred. “Look how fucking cute we are.” She grabbed her hand and pointed at their reflections in the giant mirrored bean. Adore smiled, stumbling into Farrah as she watched their reflections. Adore towered over Farrah, but the combination of dark hair and platinum blonde complemented each other. “Let’s take a picture!” Adore exclaimed, pulling out her phone. She pointed the camera at the bean, getting their reflection in it before snapping the photo. She then turned towards Farrah, who was already looking up at her expectantly, pink lips slightly parted. Adore closed the distance between the two of them, cupping Farrah’s chin up into her hand as she kissed her gently. She tasted of cheap vodka and weed, but smelled like a vanilla cupcake. It was confusing to her senses, but it just worked with her. Farrah stood on her tip toes, throwing both arms around Adore’s neck as the kiss deepened. Soon it was becoming violent, and Farrah ended up pushing Adore against the metal bean. Adore groaned, grabbing a fist of Farrah’s hair in her hands. She pulled away gently, before smiling and pushing her away. “That’s gonna be a hot picture.” Farrah finally said. Adore roared with laughter and grabbed Farrah’s hand, moving on as they spent the rest of the day exploring downtown Chicago together.

[abiteofnat]

SPRINKLES & SPICE & EVERYTHING NICE...

But also for sure naughty. This post is not for the faint of heart, stomach, or soul. 

It turns out when I get the flu (and a sinus infection, and an antibiotic cocktail) I can’t work out at ALL, which somehow in my mind gives me a free pass to eat all the treats. It should be the other way around, right? Nope. If I know I’m not getting up at the ass-crack of dawn to do crunches and heavy lifting, I am eating heavy... like anything fried, crunchy, salty, sweet, you name it. Plus I don’t feel well, so I have to comfort myself with delicious foods to make life not freaking terrible! Add in grad school finals, the first freezing week of the year, and the fact Trump is running our country and it’s amazing every single meal hasn’t been churros. 

Which brings us to the theme of this post: 2 wintery day plans that mix savory and sweet and promise to be delicious. When it’s gray outside and you’re sick of shuffling to the nearest burrito house to get something warm and filling to eat, it’s hard to figure out where to go that’s worth entering shitty weather. You want to explore with friends... but to where? I’VE COMPILED SOME IDEAS (while swaddled in sweaters and a little delirious from the fever). 

WINTER DAY PLAN 1: 

Late lunch at 3 Arts Club Cafe and churros from La Bodega de Barrio! 

One of my must-have meals in Chicago is the Truffled Grilled Cheese from 3 Arts, and every time I go it’s a no-brainer that fries are the side comin’ along with it. This sandwich is thick slabs of sourdough dripping with cheddar, truffle oil, sea salt, and a healthy amount of butter that will stay on your fingers for hours. Don’t try cutting it with a fork and knife- your efforts will be futile, and you just gotta ruin that lipstick and dive right in. The french fries... are... unreal. Crispy, golden, coated in sea salt and herbs, reeking of garlic, and they come with a garlic aioli to dip in. All this and you’re sitting in the most gorgeous casual lunching venue Chi-town has to offer??? Crystal chandeliers and cozy as heck chairs? That’s as good as it can get... OH WAIT. They’ve completely decorated the place for Christmas, and it’s a winter wonderland (but in a very classy way). NOW it can’t get better.  

Then, after you grab a coffee from their sleek, mirrored cafe to wash it all down, you should grab a cab or walk the mile to La Bodega de Barrio for a dessert that won’t let you down. Attached to Barrio, the delicious and kooky Hispanic restaurant in River North, there’s a little bodega that sells chocolate, hot sauces, cooking kits + supplies, and best of all: FRESH CHURROS. You wander up to the case packed with churro options and then pick two, wait 5-10 minutes for them to fry you up some fresh dough sticks and decorate them with icing and toppings of your choice, and then sit at the adorable window bar to enjoy. These churros are the perfect warm, sweet, cinnamon-spiced treat for a cold afternoon and the red velvet one with chocolate topping could not be better. Simple cinnamon-sugar you can’t go wrong with, but when Fruity Pebbles are an option... you HAVE to try it. And they offer tacos a la carte should you still need a bite after lunch! 

(Window views at Bodega!)

WINTER DAY PLAN 2: 

Heavy Southern eats at Wishbone West Loop followed by a Military Latte at Sawada Coffee!

Wishbone is such a fucking incredible restaurant for vegetarians, seafood lovers, simple food eaters, and those looking for cornbread muffins that don’t taste like dust. Focused on Southern staples such as po’boys, gumbo, shrimp & grits, black bean cakes, and a million savory sides, it’s ideal late afternoon lazy-meal eating. With humble and cozy locations across Chicago you don’t have to go far to find their okra, however the West Loop one became my favorite the second we walked in. It’s old-time diner meets New Orleans and Nashville, and I can’t wait to return for the Vegetarian Platter!!! As a veghead it’s typical for me to create a meal out of meatless sides, however they actually offer a platter of 3 of their vegetarian-friendly sides AND a corn muffin AND coleslaw for under $12. Finally, a whole plate of real food that they WANT to pile together for me! I go for the mac & cheese, home fries, and a fruit salad. The mac & cheese is baked in a pan and tastes homemade in the best way, with dark, gooey cheese on top, and the home fries are big ole chunks of tater with rock salt and onions mixed in. With the moist lil corn muffin and a bite of crisp coleslaw on the side, it’s quite literally the perfect meal. Crazy combo of flavors and you will be full for a hot minute. 

My mom engrained in my brain that a warm, comforting meal should always be followed by coffee. Whether it be a French Press, black coffee, or a caramel macchiato- there’s no excuse to skip a caffeinated nightcap(puccino). (Ha). So through West Loop we explored and went to Sawada Coffee right across from SoHo House, which you could almost miss if you didn’t know what door to look for! Find the metal door coated in band flyers and Vans stickers and you’ll enter a prime example of West Loop MAGIC: a big brick warehouse turned coffee shop and BBQ heaven, not even kidding. Lights strung all over the ceiling, donuts and croissants offered along with a simple coffee menu, and big picnic benches for communal work + play. 

Sawada is known for latte art out the wazoo and most importantly, their Military Latte! Matcha (a green tea powder blended with milk that tastes very grassy but is very good for you) is a big deal to them and while I ~H A T E~ matcha , I’m a sucker for trying new things... so I got the Military Latte. It’s matcha and cocoa powder blended together and then poured insanely elegantly and far beyond my shaky-kinda-lopsided-heart latte art skills, and wow. It was delicious. I think the chocolate offset how much matcha can taste like licking rocks, and the vibes were so good that I would have drank anything they gave me just to sit their longer. New favorite nook? Oh hell yeah. 

If you haven’t seen my last post on the in’s and out’s of the West Loop, keep scrolling down!!! It’s the best part of the city right now. So much to try...I’m fatigued by choices. 

While eating all of this has been FANTASTIC and indulgent, and even though I am such a big “eat what you want when you want it gurrlll” pusher, I could not be more excited to get back into the gym and not feel like a beignet in skinny jeans. There’s something great about not giving a fuck and just enjoying some fun money & fun times with friends finding new favorite treats while you’re on an antibiotic time-out, but I also need that balance in the gym or running outside to connect with my body that’s now hidden under cornbread. Remember during finals and the stress of the holidays to take some time for yourself and snack to your heart’s delight- but also go for a walk with your family/dog, find a dope neighborhood to explore on foot, and don’t be afraid to sweat out what your mind is spiraling on! You’ll feel good about your choices, your body won’t be sluggish, and the holidays won’t catch up with you by New Year’s “Resolution” workout time. Balance is key entering the winter season, and you’ll probably also avoid the flu if you don’t eat like this. For at least one day of the week ;) 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/sports/superstitious-minds-the-rituals-that-obsess-winners/

Superstitious minds: The 'rituals' that obsess winners

“It’s not really superstitious. It’s a thing you do every time. There are guys literally that think they won’t play good if they don’t do the same thing (every time),” Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones tells CNN Sport, speaking ahead of the NHL Playoffs’ start.

Let’s face it, even if you might find it hard to admit, we all probably have a few habits that get us out of the house and through each day.

A Montreal Canadiens video crew chronicled Andrew Shaw’s intriguing pregame routine — including slashing a teammate in the knee pad and orchestrating 50 different handshakes — in which he admits: “I’ve added little things that I find just help me get ready for the game.

“I think now it’s just being superstitious going into every game. Most players do have a routine. If they say they don’t, they are lying to you.”

‘Rigid routine’

When NHL players are asked about their pregame routine, they often answer in a sheepish, almost noncommittal way — “Oh that’s not me but let me tell you about my teammate.”

Many players don’t readily expand on their daily routines likely out of fear of not wanting to sound odd or give away a secret that an opponent, or even worse a teammate, can use against them.

Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele warns: “We have (Dustin) Byfuglien on our team who is a big jokester, so anyone who has a superstition probably needs to get rid of it if you play on the Winnipeg Jets. If you set your sticks up a certain way. You put your pads a certain way. Buff’s gonna knock ’em over.”

Even so, Scheifele, who is the Jets leading goal scorer, has a ritual that ‘afflicts’ several other NHLers — wanting to be the last skater off the ice after the warm-up.

“I am the last one to go off. I like being on the ice. I like shooting around. I like it when no one else is out there. The way I look at it is that if I’m the last one off the ice, I’ve prepared the most.”

READ: Carolina Hurricanes — NHL side dividing opinion with outlandish celebrations

Rock, paper, scissors

Problem is that the Dallas Stars’ Tyler Seguin has the same last man mentality — cue an impromptu game of rock, paper, scissors.

“It’s not like I have ever gone up to Tyler and said: ‘Hey, let’s play rock, paper scissors to see who gets off the ice last,’ says Scheifele. “Sometimes I would just give it to him. Or he would give it to me.

“And then one time he put out his dukes like he wanted to play rock, paper scissors, and I was like this is awesome. I think that’s the fun part of hockey. Obviously, we are competitors but that is a fun way to settle that score.”

When St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly arrives at the arena, he’s intent on chilling rather than warming up.

“When I get to the rink, the first thing I do — I get in the cold tub. Its one of those things that wakes myself up. It gets my legs feeling the right way.”

Speaking of cold, according to Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle, his former teammate Jeff Halpern, who is now coaching with the (Tampa Bay) Lightning, used to put his skates in the refrigerator.

“I remember seeing his skates in the fridge and thought that was kinda of … something quirky,” laughs Yandle.

READ: Filip Forsberg on his journey from Sweden to the Nashville Predators

‘Stick in the bathroom’

Other notable pregame routines center around food, with carb consumption high on the menu.

“Chicken and pasta. I think everyone does it. Grilled chicken and penne vodka (sauce),” said Yandle.

It’s pasta and chicken every time for Vasilevski, who is also intent on not varying his breakfast.

“Eggs, bacon, toast, latte. I’m doing latte at home. I have a big café machine. I can be a barista at Starbucks at this point.”

Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot doesn’t want to disrupt his meal routine but also doesn’t want to tire of it.

“Chicken and pasta at home and on the road, I’ll do salmon and rice or salmon and pasta. Just ’cause we play so many games, I feel like I’ll get tired of chicken and pasta and I don’t want to get tired of it ’cause I like it.”

Scheifele is a fan of beet juice, while Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller has a soft spot for sweet potato.

The Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup run last season highlighted Alexander Ovechkin’s carb-powered Italian combo.

The Russian forward has a local Italian restaurant — Mamma Lucia — deliver to him before every home game, chicken parmesan, pasta, bread, and four separate sauces — alfredo, meat, mushroom marsala, and marinara.

“There’s no shame,” Ovechkin’s teammate Brooks Orpik told the Players’ Tribune. “It’ll be 11 in the morning, way before anyone is really thinking about eating lunch, and Ovi will walk into the dining area yelling, “Mama Lucia! Mama Lucia! [sic].

“I don’t know. It’s weird, but it seems normal now. Then, a few hours later, he’s outskating everyone on the ice, knocking guys on their asses.”

READ: Gabriel Landeskog — From Stockholm to NHL stardom

‘Great One’

Widely known as the best player to ever play the game, “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky, told Graham Bensinger in 2016, that back in his day, Snickers, hot dogs, and Diet Cokes were the fuel that powered him through.

Compare this to three-time Stanley Cup champion Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain counts on a simple peanut butter and jelly before each game.

But don’t let the simple sandwich fool you. Crosby’s before-the-puck-drop rituals might be the most well known. But as someone who has won multiple Olympic golds and Stanley Cups, who can say they aren’t working?

“There is just too many, it’s hard now after you do things for so long to know what is a superstition and what’s just part of your daily routine,” Crosby acknowledged in a 2017 post-practice interview. “There’s a lot of guys in here that have them — they just don’t want to admit it.”

During Crosby’s sixth season, a HBO camera crew followed “Sid the Kid” during his pregame routine — willingly taking the long way around the arena as to not walk in front of the visitors’ locker room.

The aforementioned Jones, who says he is not really superstitious, is quick to smile and highlight one of his teammate’s routines. “Boone Jenner is one of the weirdest ones I’ve seen on the bench.

Every time he comes on the bench from a shift, he’ll take (a sip of) water, then Gatorade, water, Gatorade, spit, spit … there is like a certain sequence to it. And if he messes it up — he’s done.”

Jenner counters with, “I’m not the worst.” But in jest seems to admit that if he has a good game or scores, the next pregame meal must be reenacted – right down to the same time, same table and same guy paying the bill.

Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson almost appears to laugh in the face of superstitions — the All-Star forward wears the #13 on his back.

When called out about the monotony of his chicken and pasta routine, Atkinson countered: “you should ask (Johnny) Gaudreau about his pre-game lunch.”

At this point Atkinson cracks a big smile. Atkinson knows the Calgary Flames star well. So, well that Gaudreau actually wears the #13 in homage to Atkinson.

“Gaudreau has pasta but has never had pasta sauce in his life. So he gets a big bowl of pasta with nothing — not even butter, no cheese, nothing. I don’t know how you can do that.”

Gaudreau too seems impervious to all of this. “I’m not superstitious at all. I was born on August the 13th. Friday the 13th.”

‘Left side first’

Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, a 10-year NHL veteran, has learned not to allow specific routines to dictate his game approach.

“You can’t just throw away a game because you are superstitious. I always told myself is to make sure to never let it affect what you are doing if you are unable to do it. That’s the difference to having a routine and superstition.”

Then again, someone like Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry, a 2-time Olympic champion and Stanley Cup winner, readily admits that he counts on his elaborate routine to prepare him for a 60-minute game.

“I stretch at the same time,” he told the Players’ Tribune. “I ride the bike the same amount of minutes. I get dressed left foot first — everything left side first. Touch all the doors on the way out (to the ice). The list goes on and on.”

Team-based Stanley Cup Playoff rituals vary; refusing to shave in order to grow thick beards as their teams advance toward the Final, or the subtle tradition of “to touch or not to touch” the conference championship trophy en route to playing for the Stanley Cup, and lest not forget one of the most unique title winning traditions — spending the day with the trophy.

Confidence is key

There is scientific reasoning behind the myriad of rituals on display in the NHL.

George Gmelch, a professor of anthropology at the University of San Francisco who has studied superstition in baseball for decades, says that superstitions tend to be more prevalent in areas where there’s a lot of uncertainty — such as elite sport.

“What they’re really doing is giving themselves confidence,” said Gmelch.

“If I do these little rituals, then I’m gonna feel confident going into this activity, and I can succeed and do well.”

So for the next two months as the post-season plays out, before the coveted Cup is lifted skyward, keep an eye out for the unique – dare we say fun — individual routines. But whatever you do, just don’t mention the word superstitious.

[canaryatlaw]

ok, long but good day. woke up to my alarm at 7:45, got up and got dressed, stuck the last of my toiletries in my suitcase and got an uber to the airport. Got there about 8:45, which was my goal time, so I was happy about that. got through security no problem, something I was like low key nervous about because I had originally thought the Real ID law going into effect meant I needed an enhanced driver’s license to use as ID, but I did a bunch of online research and knew that wasn’t the case, but was still a little worried about lol. I walk to my gate, which is allllll the way at the very end of the terminal. there’s a starbucks there, so I order a breakfast sandwich and a drink. I keep making the mistake of thinking that if a drink is on the app’s mobile ordering menu the barista will know how to make it, when that is clearly not the case. I asked for a “violet drink” which is the equivalent of “pink drink” but made with the berry hibiscus refresher instead of the strawberry acai refresher. but the cashier didn’t know what I was talking about so I just ended up with a normal berry hibiscus refresher 🤷🏻‍♀️ oh well. I sat for a while and used the free wifi while charging my phone on the conveniently located outlets, and in not too long they were boarding. My zone gets called, I swipe my boarding pass on my phone, and the lady is like “you’re good- oh wait no you’re not” because the machine was saying there was something wrong with my boarding pass and she was like “are you on standby?” and I was like....no....I bought this ticket a month ago I’m not on fucking standby. so she has me come around to the front of the desk and wait while she gets other people on the plane, where there are apparently other people waiting who also had boarding pass issues. At this point I’m fairly ticked off, and if I somehow don’t get on that plane I’m mentally planning what I can threaten to sue them over (clearly breach of contract, they made false promises that I relied upon to my detriment and I should be able to collect damages for the ticket prices and waste of my time), but then she types some things into the computer and gives me a paper boarding pass with a different seat number (which was exactly 5 rows in front of my original one). So I’m just like hey whatever, I don’t really care, just let me get on the plane, and if I don’t have to threaten to sue anybody than that’s good. So I boarded and got settled, opened the in flight magazine to see what sudoku they had going, they had easy and hard kenken puzzles, both of which I completed before the plane even pulled away from the gate 😂 (hashtag expert status) and I made pretty fast work of the easy sudoku puzzle before pulling out my phone and reading some fanfic I put on there forever, and then I was gonna start the stuff I loaded on it last night, but ended up wanting to reread one of Jess’ longer fics, and that pretty much took the rest of the time of the flight, lol. We landed at 1:30 NY time, I get off the plane and get my bag just fine, I’m texting my mom about where to meet her and I literally walk out of the airport just to see my mom driving by and I’m like, waving furiously trying to get her attention but NOPE she just keeps driving and I’m just like DAMMIT because if you’re familiar with laguardia airport you know they’re currently doing a massive construction project that has been making everyone’s life hell, so she had to do another full loop around to get back to where I was, which took another like, 15 minutes. So I finally get in the car and we start the drive home, my mom randomly pulls off the highway to this little town in search of somewhere she can get a green tea latte (which is apparently her thing now) and we end up in this adorable little place that’s billed as a coffee and ice cream shop but has a whole lot of interesting food options like fancy grilled cheeses and an assortment of belgian waffle flavors. And if you know me you know I’m obsessed with well-made belgian waffles, so I got a “churro” flavored one which was made with cinnamon in the batter, then topped with cinnamon sugar and vanilla ice cream, and damn I was pretty much in heaven. so we go back to the car and finish the drive home, pretty soon after we get there my mom has to take my sister to her therapy appointment (apparently she’s doing much better now than earlier in the year and my parents are very happy about it) so I was mostly alone and just did stuff on my computer for a while. eventually people returned and we decided to order pizza for dinner because my mom hadn’t been to the store and didn’t have anything to bake, so I called that in and the delivery guy came, and there was a very awkward exchange during which I was just standing there with the door open holding the collar of our golden retriever so he didn’t go run and jump on the delivery guy (he’s totally harmless, but he’s rather big and I know some people would not appreciate being jumped on) while my mom went upstairs to get money out of the sock (where my parents stash their cash) to pay for the pizza lol. But we got the pizza and paid for it successfully, and I put my piece under the broiler for a few minutes so the cheese gets nice and crispy and I’m in pizza heaven. dad comes home pretty soon and my mom pulls out some anchovies she was apparently saving for him (my favorite topping combo is pepperoni and anchovies, but I can’t really have pepperoni now so it just ends up being anchovies) so I had my second piece with them and it was very enjoyable. After dinner we just kind of chilled, me still on my laptop and the parents watching HGTV or whatever while the other siblings kind of milled about, and that ended up being out it for the night. we figured out train schedules to get me to the city tomorrow, the interview is at 11 and it’s about a 20 minute subway ride from penn station, so I’m gonna take the 8:30 train that gets in at 9:56 so I’ll surely have enough time to get there, even if everything goes haywire and I end up having to just hop in a cab or an uber (I’ve successfully navigated New York’s subway system before, once you’ve mastered one you can really figure out all of them, so I don’t expect anything to go wrong). the interview is supposed to last a little over an hour, and then I can take the train back home. It’s still been on my mind all day about whether it’s a job I want to take or not (assuming I get offered the job of course) and as much as it pains me to admit it because I’ve really, really liked my life in Chicago lately, I know this is the best opportunity for me and it’d be foolish not to take it when I don’t have any other possible offers or even interviews for any other job period, much less any job that actually deals with children. and like, I could make a job in a similar field like domestic violence work for a few years, but my heart wouldn't be in it (I mean, for DV in particular it is a cause I’m very much invested in so I would have my heart in it, but not the same way it’d be when it comes to kids where I really want to be) and it’d just be passing time until I can get hired at a job with kids. Right now I’m not crazy about the idea of being close to my family, even though they obviously REALLY want me back, and at one point in the past year I was convinced that it’s what I wanted to do and I probably accidentally got their hopes up on it, something has shifted, I don’t know what, but I’m not quite in that frame of mind anymore. I guess part of it is realizing that if I took this job in the city I don’t really have a group of friends there and I’m scared about being lonely, especially when my friend situation has been so great lately. So I don’t know. I think if it gets offered I’ll probably feel obliged to take it, but then I just have this overwhelming sense of foreboding of my time in Illinois and my time living this awesome life I’ve been living is going to be over, and like, that really sucks. But that’s about all I gotta say on that subject. Another thing worth noting that happened today though was I convinced my parents to pay, as my birthday gift, for me and Jess to go to Collective Con in Florida the weekend right before my birthday, because Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford are going to be there and we *obviously* need to take advantage of this and be able to experience seeing them as a couple outside of the show. I was pretty sure I could get my dad to go for it if I framed it right, so I looked up flights to make sure I got the absolute best prices (which were unfortunately still like $500 a pop, but there were ones that were much worse) and identified an airbnb and convention passes to give him a final number because I know that he’s more likely to approve stuff like that if I frame it the right way. So that’s gonna be coming up at the end of the month and I am SUPER psyched about that, we’re gonna fly out Friday morning and come back Monday morning, which is my birthday, and also the night “I, Ava” airs, then in two weeks we have C2E2 and HVFF Chicago, so it’s basically gonna be the best time ever and hopefully I won’t start flunking all of my classes because of it. But yeah, that was mostly my day. Hopefully tomorrow will go well. I’m always trying to think of questions to ask them because I know in job interviews they want you to have questions, but I always end up defaulting to like “what’s your favorite part about working here?” which I feel is kinda lame, so if any of you have ideas on that front, please hit me up with them by tomorrow morning lol. It’s almost 1:30 am now though and I have to be up at 7, so it is definitely time for me to go to bed. Goodnight my lovelies. Happy Friday.

[pantysleep64-blog]

48 Hours in PARIS

Nine years ago I was diagnosed with my gluten allergy. Nine years ago was also my first time in Paris, France. The city of love. Also the city of bread. Needless to say, I was the unhappiest tourist in Paris. Watching my siblings indulge in fresh baked croissants and loaves was quite hard, especially as I munched on rice cakes. Well nine years have passed, and I am excited to report that I had the most incredible 48 hours in Paris. From the delicious gluten-free breads and baked goods to the restaurants and activities… I did 48 hours in Paris RIGHT. And I want you to, too!

My friends and I met in Paris on our way to Mykonos and checked into the Prince de Galles Hotel. Located about ten minutes (walking) from the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and more, the hotel was not only beautiful but also extremely convenient. I am the queen of walking, and if it’s possible, I walked more my two days in Paris than I walk in an average week in Los Angeles. I even gave my New York walking days a run for their money!

First stop- breakfast. Our concierge told us La Belle Ferronniere was one of the most well known cafes in the area, so we gave it a try. Whenever I am in Europe I go to town on eggs, because they are fresh, richer, more flavorful, and the yolks are a nice, dark orange. Aka how eggs should be. I ordered the three egg omelette with herbs, and my friend ordered three fried eggs with prosciutto. Both entrees were absolutely DELICIOUS. There were no added oils or butter (ew) to the eggs, and they tasted so GOOD. It goes to show how food taste is so easily compromised when once processed.

Three bakeries in Paris I was told I must hit were Noglu, Helmut Newcake, and Chambelland. I decided to skip Noglu, as I’ve been to the location in NYC (although I’m told the one in Paris is even better!) and I hit Helmut Newcake on the first day and Chambelland on the second. Helmut Newcake is a 100% gluten-free bakery. It is super tiny, with no seating inside and just 3 small tables out front. I was a kid in a candy shop! The café serves everything from cookies and breads to éclairs and cakes. I am dairy-free, too, and the pastries that were dairy-free were clearly labeled. A good friend of mine told me I MUST order the chocolate éclair. If I wasn’t sold just by her suggestion, I saw the éclair had hazelnuts on it, and chocolate/hazelnut is my favorite combination. I can’t remember the last time I had an éclair!! The filling was so creamy, I had to go back inside and confirm that there really wasn’t any dairy in it. Turns out the dairy-free fillings are made with nut milk instead of cream!

That night for dinner we went to the famous L’Avenue. L’Avenue is most popular (and sceney) at lunch, but given our time crunch we went for dinner. Don’t worry, it’s just as sceney in the evening! Or I should say at night. We dined at 9pm at the tables out front, and it was still bright out! It doesn’t get dark in Paris until about 10pm this time of year!

L’Avenue’s menu is kind of my dream. Think of your favorite French Bistro’s menu, but make the cuisine 100x better. To start we ordered the Pommes Frites- best French Fries I’ve ever had. Just the right amount of salt, and cut shoestring style so you can indulge without feeling too full. We also ordered the sliced avocado, which consisted of two avocado halves sliced super thinly and dressed in olive and salt. Another homerun dish. For mains we ordered the prawns and lobster. My friends also indulged in the burrata (I’m dairy-free so this was a no-go), and the tuna tartar which I also sat out because it had soy.

On Day 2 we decided to check out the Eiffel Tower and hit the 10 district (I was told this was the Brooklyn of Paris).

For lunch, after visiting the tower, we stumbled upon Café de L’Alma. The café was beautiful and a bit on the upscale side. The first item listed on the menu was an Aperol Spritz… no shocker there! Throughout the week, everywhere I turned people were sipping on Spritz’. When the waiter came to take our order, my friends ordered their Spritz’s, and when I declined he joked, “why, are you driving?!” Drinking is such a big part of the French/European culture! The menu had everything from King Prawns, sliced avocado, salads and omelettes, to heavier dishes like free range chicken breast and seared sea bream.

I was amazed and impressed at how meat, poultry, and fish are served SIMPLY cooked with fresh oils, unlike America’s desire to drown everything in sauce. PRO TIP: The gluten culprit I had to constantly watch out for in Paris was soy! (And of course, bread). Tuna tartar and tuna dishes are generally dressed in a soy vinaigrette and therefore a no-go.

At the cafe, I ordered the baked eggs with crushed tomato (no cheese) and a side of the sliced avocado. This baked eggs dish was INCREDIBLE. Honestly one of the best I’ve ever had.

In the 10 district, we went to Chez Prune for Spritz and tea. I LOVE the 10 district, and although it was ~30 minutes outside of where we were staying, we were SO happy we made the trip. Sadly we didn’t get to the area in time for the Bastille Market (which is there on Thursday’s and Sunday’s), but we walked up and down the canal, people watched, and enjoyed our stroll.

Chambelland, gluten-free bakery number 3, was in this area! Again, everything is gluten-free, with select items dairy-free, too! I ordered the sugar loaf with chocolate and orange. You can have your loaf served whole or sliced into mini squares. This loaf was SUPER interesting… I’ve never had anything like it! It was somewhere between bread and a pastry, and the orange added just the right amount of sweetness. Contrary to what I had heard, their famous chocolate chip cookie is NOT dairy-free. For my matcha drinkers, they also have matcha/green tea! But no steamed nut milk, so no lattes!

That evening we hit the town. Our first stop was Monsieur Mouche. This beautiful bar on the water was awesome! Delicious cocktails and a cool, trendy vibe- dress to impress! This bar was located right by Crazy Horse, or the “Moulin Rouge for locals.” This was one of the COOLEST burlesque shows I have ever seen. Yes there was nudity, but it was classy AF. I’d go with my parents, friends, boyfriends, whoever! It was SO cool and the highlight of our Paris trip. Tables are served champagne as they watch, and a bread and cheese plate, which I clearly did not indulge in, ha!

The last stop on our Tour de Paris was Hotel Costes, the most recommended destination by all of our friends. For my New Yorkers, think Bowery/Mercer Hotels, and for my Los Angelinos, think Chateau/Sunset Tower. The hotel is dark, the vibe is chic, and the clientele is sophisticated for sure. Hotel Costes might be my new favorite place in Europe! Oh and to top it off, the menu was the same as L’Avenue! Did I mention the menus note a special gluten-free salmon and avocado sandwich?! I didn’t order it on either occasion, but totally plan to on my next trip. We basically ordered all of our favorites from the night before, plus a few additional items and rounds of tequila, because it was our last night in Paris so why not?!

Paris was INCREDIBLE. When it comes to food- order an omelette, prawns, fries, or main course entrée that is simply grilled- you can’t go wrong! When it comes to beverages- order a Spritz- they are everywhere! And when it comes to your experience- do yourself a favor and go with a solid crew like I did. We were all smiles, ALL. THE. TIME.

xx #nobread

Source: https://nobread.com/nobread-news/48-hours-paris

[abiteofnat]

TIME TO GET APPLE SPICE(Y).... 

Because we only have a week left of October and if that isn’t the damn craziest thing I don’t know what is!!! Somehow this month has flown past in an orange-tinged glow, between making festive drinks for every. single. customer. and eating as many seasonal donuts as possible... it’s been good. I got to visit an apple orchard in Wisconsin, our family-favorite pumpkin patch + donut plant, and literally forget what it’s like to put on other clothes than Timberlands and a giant sweater because the chill has set in suddenly and permanently. My friend asked me to start up watching Christmas movies this week with her to which my first impulse was to scream and deny, deny, deny, we only have two months until Christmas... plus I haven’t had my annual viewing of “A Nightmare Before Christmas” so that’s on the agenda for every single night this week leading up to Halloween. Can you tell I’m a sucker for fall?!?!

The one thing I don’t loveee about these autumn months is that there’s an overwhelming assumption that because I am a (fake) blonde female who slaves over Instagram like it’s my religious literature of choice, I must adore pumpkin spice lattes. It’s like a joke everyone in society has formulated- the minute it’s October, should I even mention “I want coffee” someone will go “HAHA BET YOU MEAN A PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE YOU STARBUCKS CLOWN, YEAH IT’S YOUR SEASON YOU CAN COME OUT OF HIBERNATION YOU PUMPKIN SPICE SLAYER.” Which like, yeah, I’ll enjoy a sip or two, but the hot version tastes like melted pumpkin pie and it’s kinda gross. Heckle me all you want, you’re not going to get the satisfaction of me ordering a venti-nonfat-sugarfree-half-caf-pumpkin-spice-latte-with-extra-syrup-and-a-lack-of-dignity. Sorry. 

I thought for this post I would just do a list of fall-favorites to guide you through the last weekend of this holy month and into November, which I think is a highly underrated month and deserves way more loving. November means cozy, cold nights but not snow yet, hot chocolate, the anticipation of holiday decor popping up everywhere, and a hell of a lot of dranks once classes end for winter break. I’ve got four weeks on the clock until I am officially halfway through graduate school and I’ll be damned if I don’t celebrate during every family occasion when mom feels ~spicy~ and puts out the wine.

ANYWAY, GO ENJOY THIS FALL-TIME FUN. 

1. Sutter’s Ridge Family Farm 

This place is my garden of eden. I had never been apple picking until a couple weeks ago when my friend Sheila and I went to Madison, Wisconsin and decided to spend the Sunday morning of our trip finding some fresh-picked fruit, and after a LOT of searching orchards on Instagram for authentic photos of what to expect we found Sutter’s Ridge. And it did not disappoint, not even a little. The drive there alone is stunning as you have to take a lot of long back roads along fields of wheat and grass to get to the private drive that takes you up a hill to the parking area, which after you park and jump out of the car hits you with an overwhelming sense of nature’s beauty. The whole farm looks out over rolling hills and is very quiet and picturesque; of course once you enter the farm it’s a different story because there are kids screaming and adults screaming because the kids are screaming and you really just have to take it with a grain of salt. But the prices are low; $5 gets you admission to everything and you get a plastic bag to go into the dozen rows of apples to pick as many as you please, for about $1 a pound. What a freaking steal; in Chicago an apple costs like $6 and it’s moldy. Not really but you get the picture. 

The trees are absolutely bursting with apples, and there’s enough room for everyone and their literal mom to wander. You can also pet some horses, pick out pumpkins, and enjoy brats and baked goods such as raspberry bars and the pumpkin bars with cheesecake frosting, which blew me the fuck away. I shelled out a whole $2 for a giant hunk of pumpkin cake and oh my god, it was probably made  20 minutes before and so delicious. Definitely head out here if you’re looking for a fun day/ weekend trip! 

2. Didier Farms

I have an ongoing theory I was actually born from a pumpkin here in 1995, because this might be my favorite place in the world. Lincolnshire, IL doesn’t offer much but Didier Farms is the only redemption it needs. My family has been coming here for pumpkins and all things fall for as long as I can remember, and the year I was studying abroad in London and they went without me was one of the worst days of my life. I’m not being dramatic; there are only so many family traditions that really hold up and this is one of them that I’m intent on never letting pass us by. No matter how busy October is, you bet you ass we’re going to Didier Farms. 

There are one million great things about Didier, from the hundreds of pumpkins looking for a home to the corn on the cob that’s dripping with butter, but the apple cider donuts easily take the cake. These donuts are handmade and are soft, moist, packed with cinnamon and coated with a sugar dust that melts in your mouth and makes you absolutely powerless against them. Imagine your first love- you know that rush that fills your body, how you can feel your heartbeat in your neck and your toes, and you only stay alive for that next moment you can see them? That’s me and these donuts. (Pictured- sister and these donuts)

Go for the donuts, stay for the terrible carnival rides and the hot apple cider, leave never and build a home among the corn maze. 

3. Hopleaf Bar

You’re going to need a filling dinner once all these day-trips are over, so make it a plan to head to Hopleaf Bar in Andersonville because the beer is flowing and the food is fantastic. Not only is Andersonville the perfect section of the city to walk around in on a cool fall night, given all the stores, coffee shops, and inviting restaurants, but it’s also not incredibly busy so it has a relaxed dining vibe. Hopleaf begins as a bar when you walk in, picture a very typical Irish bar with regulars at the counter but cute moms in turtlenecks sitting at the tables, and if you head back it turns into a stone-walled fortress of food. The decor yells old-English castle and the food supports that heartily, with options like heavy sandwiches and a lot of fried goodness. However, there are also a lot of unique salad/ vegetable-based dishes which shocks me about this place, and the menu is surprisingly diverse for the inside looking so Game of Thrones. 

I got the grilled cheese that was on sourdough, with house-made cashew butter, fig jam & raclette cheese, and that came with mac & cheese AND potato chips that I subbed for onion rings. That is a real dinner I ate and I felt definitely not slender and light afterwards... but no regrets whatsoever. The mac & cheese was creamy and baked to be crisp on top, and the CBJ was crunchy on the outside but warm and gooey on the inside. The onion rings were more shoestring-like than I normally enjoy, but served with some sort of chipotle aioli I was digging it. Surprise surprise, I went with my foodie friend Erin, and we smashed everything on our plates while taking advantage of the 40-page beer list that ranges from $5- $150 pints of beer. That number is correct, they have some fancy as fuck ale there that I’m sure people order once they’ve had about 10 glasses of the $5 kind. This place was awesome, and be sure to get here wayyy in advance of your planned dining time because the wait stacks up fast!!! 

Those are my top 3 fall favorites right now, enjoy this weekend and let me know what else I need to check off my list! 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie