#i have checked every single charity store in my city just in case and NOTHING

[sevenpillz]

UAAAAHHH I keep having dreams that I find Furbys at thrift shops and flea markets and every time I wake up I am SO DEVASTATED that it's not true !!!! Like cmon man this is unfair !! I think I've had like 8 different dreams where I found furbys for sale in stores, this is torture

[emospritelet]

Heatstroke - chapter 8

*snickers*

[AO3]

x

“Here.” Sidney Glass dropped a file on her desk, making Lacey look up. “Next assignment.”

She sat back slowly, picking up the file and raising an eyebrow.

“So what is it this time?” she asked. “Flower-arranging at the local church? First prize in the pumpkin-growing contest?”

“Pumpkins aren’t in season yet.”

“Then the story will only be slightly more boring than it otherwise would be.”

Sidney sighed.

“I have no idea why you even moved here if you find it so dull,” he said. “Wouldn’t you have more fun in the city?”

She gave him an amused look.

“Would you believe me if I said I actually wanted a quiet life?”

“Not really.”

“It’s true,” she insisted. “Or at least it’s mostly true. I grew up in a small town. Being back in one is kind of - it’s like I’m a teenager again, so I’m rebelling against it even though I know it’s a good place to live, you know?”

“Good,” said Sidney. “In that case you won’t mind writing a piece on Zelena West’s charity work.”

“Charity work,” Lacey snorted. “She’s a mean-spirited witch.”

“True enough, but she still organises the food drive every year.”

“Probably because it’s the only way she can hold any power over people,” said Lacey. “I bet she takes the best stuff for herself.”

“Get some proof of that and the piece might get interesting,” said Sidney. “In the meantime just stick to the brief.” 

“Five times Zelena West didn’t get bitch-slapped for talking shit about people and one time she did?” suggested Lacey.

Sidney chuckled as he sat back down at his desk, sending her an amused look.

“I’d read that,” he said. “But she’s going beyond the food drive this year. A charity dance. All profits to the church outreach program.”

“Wow.” Lacey pursed her lips. “She trying to bang the priest?”

“I doubt it,” said Sidney, shuddering. “She’s been trying to get her claws into Mr Gold.”

“Really?” Lacey sat up, an odd sensation going through her. It almost felt like outrage, which she couldn’t understand. “She had any success?”

“What do you think?” he said dryly, and she nodded, settling back in the chair.

“Okay, I’ll interview her,” she said. “If she’ll talk to me.”

“Good.”

There was a moment of silence. Sidney tapped at something on his keyboard, glancing at the screen in front of him. Lacey pondered the unwelcome image of Zelena West throwing herself at Gold, and shuddered just as Sidney had. Not that Zelena was unattractive. Just unstable. Lacey got the feeling she didn’t easily take a hint, and she was almost intrigued to know what Gold’s response to her would be.

It had been several days since she had come across Gold naked at the cabin. Clearly the guy was comfortable letting everything hang out. Maybe that was how he relaxed. She supposed she could understand that. It wasn’t as though it had been an unpleasant sight, anyway, just - unexpected. She still hadn’t summoned the courage to go and apologise to him, and told herself they had both been busy.

“So,” said Lacey, putting her feet up on the desk and her arms behind her head. “Mr Gold. What’s his deal?”

Sidney looked surprised at the question.

“Well, he’s landlord for most of Storybrooke,” he said. “Owns a pawnshop, richest guy in town…”

“No.” She shook her head. “I mean, what’s his history? He married? Single?”

Sidney’s surprise turned into alarm.

“Please don’t tell me you’re planning on hitting on him.”

“What? No!” Lacey was surprised at her own vehemence. “No, it’s not like that. I’m just - interested, that’s all. He seems like kind of a loner.”

“Well, he keeps to himself, that’s for sure,” said Sidney. 

“That has to get to you, after a while,” observed Lacey, tapping a pen against her lower lip. “Alone every night, only your own thoughts for company… You think he’s into anything weird?”

“Oh, I can’t begin to tell you how much I do not want to think about that,” muttered Sidney, and Lacey smirked.

“That’s not a no.”

Sidney sighed, slapping a file down on her desk.

“I don’t know a thing about Gold’s private life,” he said. “No one does. He keeps it - well, private.”

“So he could spend every Friday night dressed in leather and riding a huge butt plug and no one in town would know?”

“Oh my…” Sidney ran his hands over his face. “I’m gonna need bleach to get rid of that mental image.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lacey snickered, and Sidney shook his head.

“Look, aside from being a hardass with people who don’t pay their rent, he’s quiet and reserved and spends every hour holed up in the pawn shop,” he said. “He’s a generous donor to Storybrooke General Hospital, particularly the children’s ward. He takes a walk every morning and gets coffee at Granny’s. About as straight-laced as you can get.”

“It’s always the quiet ones.”

Sidney sighed, shaking his head.

“Okay, you want to cover something more interesting than the church fundraiser, and I want to pretend this conversation never happened,” he said. “How about we make a deal?”

Lacey perked up.

“Really?” she said. “What deal?”

“Simple,” said Sidney. “Get Gold to give you an interview.”

Lacey felt her face fall.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“You get him to agree to sit down and talk to you for half an hour, you’ll do something no one else at the Mirror ever has,” said Sidney. “Make it something personal and I’ll even give you a raise.”

“But he hates me,” she complained.

“Why would he hate you?”

Lacey shrank down in the chair a little.

“We kind of - got off on the wrong foot,” she muttered, and he shrugged.

“Guess you can’t want that raise too much.”

“Okay, not so fast,” she said, sitting up again. “I’m not saying I won’t do it, I’m just saying - well, it’s not gonna be easy, that’s all.”

“Nothing worthwhile ever is,” said Sidney. “So I’m told.”

x

Gold made his way up the path, wincing at every step. His leg had been giving him hell all day, and he suspected that it meant rain was coming. It was a night for taking a couple of painkillers, drinking whisky and losing himself in a good book while he waited for them to take effect.

He mounted the steps, pausing when he saw a cardboard box in front of the door. Probably his delivery of special ingredients from August’s in Boston. He found that Storybrooke could satisfy most of his culinary needs, by and large, but there were things he couldn’t get in town, like dried porcini, smoked paprika and loose-leaf Earl Grey tea. Smiling at the thought of the things he could make with the box contents, he opened the front door, scooped up the box and went inside.

It had been a long day, and he went straight to the kitchen, dropping the box onto the table and pouring himself a glass of wine before shrugging out of his coat. Taking a sip, he pulled a knife from the wooden block and sliced open the tape sealing the box. The contents made him frown; he was used to gleaming jars of ingredients nestled in packing noodles. This box was padded with scrunched up brown paper, wedged around boxes containing - oh.

Gold withdrew one of the boxes, a full ten inches, the cardboard thick and gleaming, silky to the touch. On the box was a picture of an anatomically-improbable plastic penis, the text on the box boasting ‘realistic feel and ten-speed vibration’. He dropped it back, picking up a smaller, square box with a bright pink wand made of curved silicone. Intense clitoral stimulation for rapid climax, announced the box. Perfect for solo play.

Gold pushed the box back in amongst the brown paper, flipping the lid closed again and eyeing the label that he hadn’t bothered to check. Miss L French. Of course.

He could feel his cheeks heating, and a vision of Lacey using the products on herself burst into full colour in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying and failing to dispel it and cursing the telltale twitch of his cock. The image changed, and to his dismay he realised he was imagining himself using the toys on a very naked Lacey, her body undulating against his as she moaned in pleasure. His cock began to swell, and Gold shook his head, remembering the look on her face when she had seen him naked, the disparaging words she had used to describe the encounter to Miss Lucas. The images disappeared at once, and he sagged in relief. Sighing to himself, he was about to seek out some tape to seal the box again when he paused, fingers drumming against the sides. Fuck it. I’m taking it over there now. If she’s the one embarrassed by our encounter it’ll make a bloody change.

x

Lacey peered inside the fridge, chewing her lip and trying to decide which of the unappetising contents to have for dinner. She really needed to go grocery shopping, but kept forgetting that Storybrooke’s stores didn’t stay open late. One drawback of being in a small town. 

She closed the fridge door and opened the freezer section. God, not frozen pizza again! Jesus, Lacey, get your life together. The cat eats better than you.

As though he had heard her thoughts, Darcy appeared at her feet, mewing, and she sighed, pulling out a pizza box and dropping it on the counter.

“I have to learn to cook something more than omelettes,” she told him.

Darcy stood on his back legs, paws against the fridge, and Lacey grinned.

“Okay, let’s feed you first, or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

She gave him a pouch of food, and although he sniffed at it cautiously, he settled down to eat. She wasn’t sure where his recent lack of appetite had come from, but he was in good condition, so if he wasn’t eating what she put down, he was clearly eating somewhere else. A knock at the door made her glance around, and she headed for the hallway, pausing as she recognised the silhouette of her neighbour, cane held a little out to the side. Lacey took a deep breath, fists opening and closing, and nodded to herself. Well, he’s here. You may as well apologise. Suck it up, girl.

She strode towards the door before she could think about it too much, wrenching it open and nodding at Mr Gold. He was carrying a cardboard box in one arm, his gaze steady.

“Hey,” she said abruptly, and Gold showed his teeth.

“Miss French," he said. "I apologise for disturbing your evening.” 

The words weren’t said in the stiff, terse way she was used to. Instead they seemed to flow, dark and soft, like black silk. Idly, she wondered if he wore underwear that matched his silk shirts.

“Yeah, you interrupted a heavy evening of heating up frozen pizza and drinking wine,” she said. “What can I do for you?”

He glanced down at the box, then back up. There was a gleam in his eyes she hadn’t seen before, and she wasn’t sure if it was amusement. The corner of his mouth pulled up in a smirk.

“I appear to have something of yours,” he said. “I was expecting a delivery, and so I opened it without checking the address label. My apologies.”

Lacey shrugged.

“Sure. No problem. Happens to all of us, I guess…”

Her voice trailed off, a heavy weight sinking into the pit of her stomach as she recalled what she had been expecting to arrive that week. A shipment of sex toys for a freelance review piece she was doing. A blush rose in her cheeks, and Gold’s smile grew.

“I’ll leave these with you, then,” he said, handing her the box. “Do enjoy your evening, won’t you?”

He bowed his head, heading down the porch steps and swaggering back to the house. She was desperately trying to think of something clever to say, but her brain had gone blank.

"Well, I will now!" she shouted, and he glanced over his shoulder, grinning widely. The bastard.

Lacey slammed the front door, leaned back against the wall with the box in her hands, and waited for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

She still hadn’t apologised.

[mercurryblack]

Chapter 10: Hattie

The night is but young.

❃❃❃

“Are you done yet? Are you done yet?” Hattie asked, squirming as she repeated her question for what seemed like the thousandth time.

“For the thousandth time, no, I’m not done yet. Stupid three thousand word count.” Cait groaned, slouched over their desk. “I swear, the day I graduate, I’m gonna kick Professor Rook square in the junk… boring old bastard… ”

“Sorry, time’s getting away from me.” Hattie apologized. “You’re still using that trick I told you about?”

Cait shrugged. “Even if I don’t count it as I go, it still feels like I’m never gonna finish it.”

The two had been spending the entire evening in their dorm room; Cait had been working on their assignment since the moment the Armilde sisters had left, and Hattie had been trying to keep herself busy by dusting, staring outside, dusting again, and even going as far as to read a lesson they hadn’t yet covered in class.

Tossing the Modern Remnant History textbook to her side, Hattie fell back on her bed spread-eagled, disappointed at the evening so far. She regretted how she had never really fostered a social life outside of Haven Academy— or much less her team, for that matter.

She had grown up as a ward of the underground Sisterhood, mostly keeping to herself and her small collection of fairytale books back then. Having dwelled for so long down in the habitable mine tunnels that the Sisterhood called home, she had recently found herself wanting to explore the world outside more often, if only to make up for lost time.

Those extracurricular lessons with Professor Gormlaith don’t count, she mentally noted.

Hattie didn’t have many friends, either— ironically, the happy-go-lucky girl could be a lot more introverted than extroverted at times. She knew a few students in their year by name, but not enough to warrant anything closer than a “hello” in the hallways. Plus, she didn’t find it to be much fun going out without her friends, which essentially consisted of LLAC and pretty much nobody else.

Well, there is CMYK, she thought to herself, remembering the team of now-second-years that they had tutored in the previous semester. I bet ol’ Mallow or Kara would have been free at this hour… but they’re all over in Vale helping with the set-up for the Vytal Festival, lucky dogs.

And since Lillian and Amaryllis were out doing their own things, she was left cooped up with Cait, who had been taking their time in writing an essay she had already finished.

“…Don’t you have anywhere else to go, Hattie?” Cait asked, glancing over their shoulder.

Hattie turned, wilting slightly as she did. “Should I leave you alone?”

“Nah, it’s not that.” Cait replied. “I just don’t want you to feel stuck here with me, y’know? You could go if you wanted to.”

Hattie shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t really wanna. I’d prefer to wait for you rather than leave by myself.”

“Fair. Are we going somewhere after I’m done, anyways?” Cait said, turning back to their writing.

“I don’t know. I mean, Ammy said we can come down to her boyfriend’s family’s charity event, but it sounds kinda formal.” Hattie said, then shook her head. “I’m not in the mood for formal tonight.”

“So you don’t have a plan for this evening?” Cait inquired.

“I was kinda hoping you had that part sorted out,” she said with a lopsided smile. Having hung out with them the most, Hattie had always left the ideas up to Cait— they did always know where to go for a fun time. Also, she tended to worry that she’d make a big plan and it would turn out to be a flop.

Lost for any follow-up, she wondered aloud, “What do you think Detective Yuen and the old guys are up to now?”

“Probably living their nice and worry-free adult life.” Cait said sarcastically.

“Do you think we should give them a call? You know, check up on them?”

“Nah. I’m sure they’re doing fine on their own for one night.”

Hattie grabbed her Scroll from the far edge of her bed and waved at Cait, sticking out her tongue. “I’m gonna do it anyways! What if they’ve finally found the bad guys or something?”

Cait rolled their eyes. “Whatever you say…”

***

Sardion paced back and forth in Yuen’s office, his gaze fixed on the vinyl floor. The day had been yet another bust— Rudyard had hung back at Yaara’s house, while Sardion and Yuen, with little else to do, had returned to the precinct.

“I’m just saying, don’t you think we should give LLAC a call?” Yuen suggested. “They’re part of this investigation too, and we could really use some help right now. Plus, they might see something we’ve overlooked.”

“They’re having a night off, Yuen. I’m sure they have better things to do.” Sardion replied. “You don’t want to tire the young’uns out before they even graduate, right?”

“Maybe.” Yuen sighed. “Hear anything from Rudyard?” 

“Not yet, but he said he’d call if he found anything to go on.”

***

Rudyard stared up to the inky heavens, taking in the starry night sky from Yaara’s old lawn chair, a half-empty bottle of beer loosely grasped in his fingertips.

In the backyard of her humble home, the Huntress had cultivated a small flower garden. In the back of his mind, Rudyard reflected on the visits he had paid her, how she had meticulously tended to them every day; thoroughly watering them, rooting out any weeds, gently humming while she kept her garden impeccable.

Now, seeing as their owner had been dead for a week, the garden had slowly begun to die as well. The bright petals and leaves of the flowers had begun to fade and wilt from a lack of water, and weeds had taken over a small patch of dandelions.

Rudyard rose to pick up a rusty old watering can on the back veranda, then filled it up with a nearby hose. As he let the water trickle down onto the garden’s parched soil, he let out a long sigh— after all she had done for him, it was the least he could do. Eventually emptying the can, he opted to go back inside, as the night air started to grow colder.

Searching for a spot where the police hadn’t tagged or taped anything of interest, he made himself comfortable in a reclining chair in her personal study. Looking around, a single book lying on her desk caught his eye, the tip of a torn sheaf of paper stuck in the pages halfway through. The title on the cover read Eternal Blue Sky, luminescent gold font on a pastel blue background.

“Of course.” Rudyard chuckled to himself. “You would have hated this, Yaara, leaving a book unfinished.” Absentmindedly, he picked up the book and opened it up to the bookmarked page.

He paused.

Written on the scrap of paper in what was unmistakably Yaara’s handwriting was a short message; 1100 apr 23 for further details - stored on hosaki comm log 1138.

“April…?” Rudyard muttered, squinting at the writing. He remembered that April 21st had been the starting date of the last mission on her and Berilo’s record, and it had been marked as remaining within city limits.

He had never heard of a place called “Hosaki” anywhere in Mistral City.

Frowning, he tucked the sheaf of paper into his pocket and rose from the chair, reaching into his pocket. “Wonder what Yuen’ll make of this.”

He paused, fingers fumbling inside an empty pocket.

“…Where’d I put my Scroll?”

***

“Do you know of any other places they might have escaped to?” Sardion asked as he took a closer look at the map of Mistral spread over Yuen’s desk, doing his best to focus despite his inner restlessness slowly clouding his mind.

“Besides the forest, nothing, and if that’s the case then they’re likely long gone by now.” Yuen said, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe the Manju-Shage District, but I doubt it. The whole thing’s cordoned off by a tripwired security fence. There’s no way someone could’ve broken in without us knowing about it.” She continued, tapping her fingers against the armrests in mild frustration.

“Well, maybe they could’ve snuck in, if they had the right Semblance for the job. At this point, I’m ready to try anything if it means we might find a lead,” Sardion paused, sharply exhaling, “Any step we take, no matter how small, is at least a bit closer to the whoever’s behind this.”

“True.” Yuen said, glancing up at him. “After all, there’ve been times that thugs occasionally get the great idea to break in and squat there, to lay low or whatever… you want to check it out, just in case?”

“Might as well. I’ve already got my weapon on me.” Sardion shrugged. “I’ll call up Rudyard first, see if he’s up for it.” He pulled out his Scroll and sent a call to Rudyard’s contact.

Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. A small buzzing hum came from beneath a stack of papers on the right of Yuen’s desk. The Huntsman and the detective exchanged confused looks, before realizing what was making the noise.

“Oh, for the love of…” Sardion muttered, sticking his hand underneath the stack and pulling out a Scroll— Rudyard’s own. “Perfect time to forget this, you freakin’ cueball…” He stuck his Scroll back in his jacket and tossed Rudyard’s onto Yuen’s desk.

“Okay, well, that’s a bust… like I said before, we could call up LLAC.” Yuen suggested.

Sardion was inclined to disagree with her, given that it had been the students’ night off— calling them in for duty at such an hour wouldn’t be the most gracious move. However, he figured that they’d best bring some backup, if only to cover more ground if nothing else.

“Alright, go for it.” he said.

Yuen took out her Scroll and pulled up Lillian’s contact. “Here goes. Hope for the best.”

***

“Why do I always have to be the one to make the food?” Rosario asked, swinging her now-empty basket from one hand as she walked alongside Lillian down the cliffside path.

“You’re a great cook, and I can’t even season my food correctly.” Lillian replied. “Do you remember the last time when I tried to make instant ramen unsupervised?”

“Point.” Rosario said. “You did literally set a pot of water on fire. I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty certain that violates every law of thermodynamics that there is.”

Lillian nodded. “See?”

“Riiiight.” Rosario drawled. “Imagine what adult life would be like. Every night, it’ll just be me greeting you, ‘Welcome home, mi amor! What do you want first? Dinner? A bath? Me?’ And then you’ll go, ‘I’ll have you for dinner in the bath!’”

“I know you’re trying to make fun of me, but you’re drooling, Rosario.” Lillian said, giving her girlfriend a flat stare.

Rosario flushed red, wiping the corner of her mouth. “I am not.”

Lillian snorted.

***

“Damnit, her Scroll’s turned off.” Yuen groaned. “Her sister’s offline as well.”

“Thought so. They have private lives too, you know.” Sardion shrugged, slinging his coat over his shoulders. “C’mon, might as well see if any airships are available and just get this over with.”

Yuen rose from her chair. “Fine. I’ll leave them a message if we do find anything.” Just as she was about to follow Sardion out, her Scroll suddenly vibrated in her coat.

The profile picture that displayed the caller wasn’t Lillian— rather, it was the Lazuli kid calling her.

It’s something, I guess. Yuen thought to herself, swiping to accept the call.

“…Hey, Detective Yuen.” Hattie chirped up on the other end.” How’s it going? It’s Hattie from, uh, Team LLAC. Uhm, we just wanted to check in, and��” She continued, stumbling slightly over her words.

“As a matter of fact, I’m glad you called.” Yuen replied. “Listen, Sardion and I are going to investigate a possible lead down in the old Manju-Shage District, and your help would be very much appreciated.” She hesitated before continuing. “That is, if you’re not already preoccupied.”

***

On the other end of the line, Hattie’s face lit up as she heard Yuen’s invitation. For the moment, she managed to suppress the urge to whoop and cheer out of deference to the still-working Cait. “Nononono, no problem. We’ll be there right away, Detective,” she said, struggling to contain her excitement as she ended the call.

It took her a few seconds before she was able to produce words, since all that was coming out of her mouth were muffled joyful squeaks. “…Cait?”

“Gimme a sec.” Cait replied, holding up a finger.

Hattie paused, her smile falling slightly.

“Cait.” she repeated, her tone becoming  normal.

“Wait, I’m almost done.” Cait said, focused on their computer’s monitor.

“Cait!” Hattie repeated for a third time, her voice rising slightly as she grew irked by their dismissal.

“I said wait, Hattie.” Cait said, still not turning around. “…’Make sure to provide footnotes along with citations’? Aw, what the hell’s the point of that?” they muttered to themself as they reviewed their essay.

Hattie scowled darkly, thoroughly annoyed at the brush-off. After a moment, she tiptoed up next to her teammate’s shoulder and leaned in towards their ear as close as possible.

“CAAAAAAAAAAAIT!” she screamed.

“AUUUUUUUGH!” Cait screeched, jumping up from their seat in shock as they spun around to face her. Their brow contorted, startled and frustrated at the girl’s outburst.

“WHAT?!” they snapped.

Hattie’s expression morphed into a tooth-bared cheshire grin, her attempt at emulating Cait’s own habit.

“I know what we’re gonna do tonight~♪.”

[violetsystems]

#personal

I had to let the little tabby go this morning.  I woke up to the third day of shitting on the rug in a row.  They had tried unsuccessfully to roll the carpet up like a burrito ignoring the litter completely.  I had brought it in earlier in the week and gave it a full wash.  Yesterday I went so far as to get doggie pads from the pet store and laid them out near the litter.  It had been locked in my back studio for most of the time until I cracked the front door open this morning.  I gave it a choice as it hesitated on the porch and it slowly lunged then jumped over the divider.  It stared down at me for a minute then went off.  Not two minutes later when I went back out to check, another black cat was staring up from the stairs confused.  I wondered if they were lonely too.  There are no shortage of strays in our neighborhood.  I say this almost metaphorically sometimes.  One fateful November on the coldest night of the year I brought the Calico in from the cold.  These days more often than not I wake up to her cuddling me like teddy bear.  She was fairly vocal about the arrangement but not overly aggressive to our visitor.  She adjusted to the litters almost automatically with a few months of peeing where she shouldn’t.  This cat was a different story.  I had felt guilty.  I’m the only one who seems to care about the wildlife it seems.  When it becomes my responsibility, the landlord finds new things to single me out on.  But for the most part, I can’t really save the entire neighborhood by myself.  Especially when people just ignore me and talk behind my back about the Fundamental Attribution Error they perceive me to be.  I’ve been learning to make my own decisions however heartbreaking they may be.  And in this case, I felt if I kept them indoors any longer it would not be a happy situation for any of us.  It hurt.  I cried a little.  But ultimately, every hard decision is easy to make when nobody cares what you do.  And lately it’s really felt like for the most part nobody really gives a fuck about me.  This is not to say I believe it through and through.  I obviously continue to write these because there are people out there who read into them for my insight.  Mostly because I feel they care about me and how I think.  But I can assure you that I am very much alone in my life here in this city.  It is such a catastrophic failure of isolation that I’ve wondered if it’s for the best.  How do you let go of the things that hurt you?  How do you make decisions for yourself that tear you apart inside daily?  How do you live with the guilt?  Personally I’ve lived in the silence of the choices I make for so long that I am at peace with my trajectory.  It doesn’t mean that it’s not a brutal process of letting go and growing at the same time.  

It’s important to note sometimes that people ask too much of you without anything in return.  And this can go on and on until you are saddled with responsibilities.  Society in America is the worst for that these days.  You can never be good enough for most people.  The real trick is that people aren’t really aware of what’s good enough.  And so their perception of who you are and what you do is always skewed.  Celebrity is a hallucination based off of this.  I personally think I’m never good enough for anyone.  I’m not good enough at anything to not be compared to someone else.  And yet the entire last week my net worth crept up without me doing much of anything other than readjusting my finances.  I compare myself constantly because nobody ever treats me like a human being.  Nothing I do is good enough.  The job market is the worst for this kind of mental torture.  You feel picked over and ignored.  You read into the narratives in the news about how the next recession will be the worst.  There will be no jobs.  It will be a musical chairs situation and you will have sat out too long.  Your skills are useless.  Your pay won’t compare to what you were making.  You’ll have to make sacrifices in your life while the rich dance on the ashes of your bottom line removed from their fiscal budget.  And the more I compare myself to the American narrative the more I realize how pigheaded and pompous it is.  It never meets you eye to eye.  It isn’t that proud.  It never wants to face your pain and admit that it has contributed to it by playing into the very same game that hurts you.  It wants a savoir and a martyr at the same time.  A fall guy and a shill.  An inside outside man.  And when you look yourself in the mirror and try to be that all you can see is more pain reflected back at you.  I never wanted to be in this mess.  I only wanted to be a good person.  I show love every day and it is not returned.  And sometimes you have to reevaluate how much of it you want to squander on people who use it like a prop.  Everybody wants a superhero until they realize they’re the villain.  Everybody thinks they’re better than you until you prove them otherwise.  They waltz around in the street like it’s a parade or fashion show.  Expect you to read into every single nuance without understanding the context and the history of what you’ve honestly been through.  And after awhile the writing becomes clear on the walls.  The shit on the carpet is consistent and without fault.  It’s in their nature.  The human animal isn’t so hard to understand and neither is love  Love is waking up to your cat inexplicably attached to your chest until you cannot breath.  Envy and jealousy have nothing to do with it.  Love sometimes after all these years is an understanding of just how fucked up it is.  Like a caged bird, you open the gate and wonder if they’ll leave.  I open the back door and it’s just me and my cat staring out waiting for things to change.  And the more they do, things around here have pretty much stayed the same.  And the angels on my shoulder however you’d like to visualize them never leave my side.  So I have all the information I need to make the hard adult choices for myself and live with them.

Everything does pretty much suck lately.  I’m about to face another winter alone.  Aside from my cat and my long distance friendships which are more fulfilling than I could ever explain.  I feel targeted and attacked almost every day.  I do think about leaving entirely.  I also think about how logistically that can happen with one cat as opposed to two.  It hurts the most to admit that things aren’t really working out for me.  And it becomes a game of figuring out what actually does.  Because if you wallow in the misery of it all you can miss some opportunities.  My bank missed a rally on a stock I got in on early.  Now they’re projecting it forward to 2025.  All I ever hear from any business talking head is this idea of pivots.  How we’re supposed to continually get knocked off our bikes and get back up again.  The pivot is the musical chairs game corporate America loves to play.  Thin the ranks and the benefits and offer more duties to the next person for less pay.  When you’ve been kicked out of every elite club and shunned into nothing more than a ghost where do you actually go?  What do you have to do to be valued as a human being?  I can save every cat in the neighborhood and donate my proceeds to charity and I will still be invisible.  And if I don’t snap out of it I will fade like Casper the friendly ghost.  It’s not a joke anymore.  This is my reality.  I am phased out of everything and whispered about like some legendary scarecrow.  Nobody ever talks to me.  Nobody ever calls me by my name.  I never hear the words “Hi Tim” other than in personal assistance from Artificial Intelligence.  Animals speak to me clearer than most humans.  And what I heard from the little tabby I tried to help was pretty clear.  They didn’t belong here.  And in some ways neither do I.  And yet where do I go?  I feel like I’m trapped in a constant episode of the Prisoner.  This happy little village wants to pretend they’re better.  That I need to acknowledge them and their fucked up ways before I’m accepted again.  And then there’s the undercurrent beneath all of that.  The idea that people understand that I try to lead by example.  That I’ve already communicated what I’m about.  That nobody wants to believe my narrative on things because it would be a horrible reality.  To realize that I am better than this.  And in some ways, admitting this to myself I’ve realized why I’ve waited so long.  I wanted to know for sure.  And I wanted to make decisions that were true to myself that people could be proud of.  And the one thing I have never given up on is the future.  I don’t have room for any more cats.  Nor do I have room for any more people.  No new friends.  Angels only.  Yes I do sometimes feed the strays.  I’m a polite and genuine person by nature.  But don’t take my kindness for a weakness.  And when I close the door on this chapter of my life.  Don’t come knocking when the story is over.  <3 Tim

[winterinpanem]

Christmas Angels - Chapter 1

AN – My dad didn’t grow up with very much. About 10 years ago, he decided he didn’t want my husband and me to pay the money to ship a gift halfway across Canada to his door. Instead, he wanted us to donate what would have spent on his gift to a children’s charity. He does the same for us. Thus began our annual tradition of choosing gifts for needy kids off the angel tree at our local mall. This story is inspired by our tradition. And by my Peeta, who has become so invested in the project that he motivates his students at the business college where he works to purchase gifts as well. Over the last three years about 300 kids have benefitted from their work.

——-

December 16

The incessant beeping of the back alarm is making my skin crawl, but I still manage to get the cargo van aligned with the receiving doors at the back of the little bakery in Panem’s downtown. When they finally disappear from sight in my side mirror, I shift the van into neutral and set the parking brake.

Normally, I’m busy packing hampers during my Saturday volunteer shift at the Seam Street Food Bank, but Mags, the manager, had been frantic this morning. Haymitch, her usual truck driver had called in sick, which really meant drunk. Without him, Mags had no one to pick up the Saturday donations. So, I’ve been spending my time, backing up to door after door as Panem’s local restaurants and grocery stores pass on perfectly good food that they’d just be tossing in the trash because it’s not quite as fresh as their customers demand.

Had it not been for the food bank a few years ago, I’d have been digging through the dumpsters of every one of these establishments, trying to put enough food on the table to keep my little sister and I fed. My mother was a lost cause, too busy spending our meagre welfare cheque on booze to make sure we got something to eat. I guess I was just lucky Mags didn’t ask questions the first time I went into the old warehouse on Seam Street and signed up for a hamper. Or she’d seen it so many times that she knew reporting my situation to the authorities was likely to make my life worse instead of better. Either way, she and her food bank saved me and my sister. Every Saturday since I got a job and got out on my own, I’ve spent a little time packing hampers, trying to pay her back for what she did for me.

The holidays are the busiest time of year at the food bank. Not because there are suddenly more poor people. It’s just that all of the sudden, the not-so-poor people decide they need to give more to charity to make up for the ridiculous amounts they’re spending on stuff they don’t need. Mags makes sure to stow away the canned goods and frozen foods for the lean months in February and March when everybody’s credit card bills have rolled in and they’re too pinched for cash to remember that human beings need to eat every day and not just at Christmas.

I take a quick glance at the list on the clipboard Mags gave me. Mellark’s Bakery. Well, it looks like I’m in the right place. I guess the baker must have made too many cookies this week. Or some bread is about to go stale that can’t be sold to paying customers. Our clients won’t complain. Slightly stale bread toasts just fine. Throw on some peanut butter for protein and you’ve got a happy, reasonably well-fed kid. I snatch up the receipt book, just in case the baker wants one for his unsalable goods, and do a quick check in the rearview mirror. Can’t represent the food bank with something stuck in my teeth. I stare back at my reflection. My grey eyes look clear. My braid is neat. Nothing stuck between my teeth. Since I don’t look like I’ve been hit by the ugly stick, I jump down from the cab, my breath swirling in the crisp, winter air.

The sound of my hiking boots crunching on the packed snow echoes through the alleyway as I make my way to open the van before banging on the bakery’s back door. I only have to give a few swift knocks before I hear someone snapping open the locks on the other side of the door. The door swings wide and I’m face to face with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, set in one hell of a handsome face topped by wavy blonde hair. That face is the picture of surprise at the moment. I guess the baker was expecting Haymitch.

“I’m from the food bank?”

The eyes blink twice and then he manages to flash me a blinding smile full of straight white teeth. “Oh! Great! I’m Peeta Mellark.” He sticks out his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.” I wait for him to open the door to let me in, but instead he steps outside. He’s still in his shirt sleeves, but he doesn’t seem cold. “They’re up in the apartment,” he says, as though that explains something I should already know. He starts climbing a wooden staircase that runs between the bakery door and a second door. He stops about halfway up. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Into your apartment?” I wait for him to figure out why that’s not on.

He reddens a bit and rubs his hand over his hair, making it stand up in spots. “I’m not a creep, I swear. I mean, I was expecting a guy. She said Haystack, or something, was coming to pick them up.”

I guess he’s got a point, but I’m stubborn. “Not today. Can’t you just bring whatever it is down?”

He sort of laughs. “Why don’t you just come and see for yourself?”

I can’t help it. I’m not exactly a shrinking violet and he’s piqued my curiosity as to what this is all about, so I huff and start stomping up the steps behind behind him. He leads the way, which gives me a close up view of his very fine ass, nicely rounded underneath his shapeless white pants. I don’t have long to admire the view, however. In less than a minute, we’re standing at the top of the stairs and he’s opening the door to the apartment. We step inside and I immediately understand the problem. Every surface of the apartment is covered in brightly wrapped packages topped with shiny bows. Each package also sports an angel-shaped tag, bearing the a child’s first name and their Christmas wish.

Every year, the food bank encourages its clients to make a wish for each of their children on one of those tags and they’re hung on a Christmas tree in the mall. Shoppers pick them up off the tree, and then return the gift to the food bank. I can’t say for sure, but by my estimation, this guy has single-handedly fulfilled the wishes of at least 100 kids who wouldn’t be getting anything for Christmas otherwise. I should know, I wrote my little sister’s name on those tags every year and then crossed my fingers for the kindness of strangers.

“How many?” I blurt out. The real question is why he did it, but that question seems a little too personal to be asking someone I just met.

“One hundred and forty-two,” he tells me, and if there’s a trace of pride in his voice, I don’t hear it..

I’m not sure why this stop was last on my list. The old cube van is already about half full with my other pick-ups. Mags must have known what I was picking up here. There’s no way she wouldn’t have noticed one person had committed to granting so many angel tree wishes. “I can get about half of them in the van now,” I tell him. “I’ll have to come back for the rest.”

The guy, I think he said his name was Peeta, nods quickly and sweeps a pile from the table top into his arms. I grab another pile off a nearby couch and we start back down the stairs. He holds the door and I lead the way down the stairs, finally stopping in front of the open van to load in the presents.

I realize then, that in order to load the van properly, one of us is going to have to wait inside the van to stack the gifts while the other brings them downstairs; otherwise, we’ll be climbing in and out of the van all afternoon.

Peeta recognizes the problem at the same moment. He puts down his load of gifts and gives me a bright smile. “I’ll go for the next load, while you pack these. Deal?”

“Sure.” I climb into the van and begin sorting the presents into piles. I decide to use the larger ones to form a base layer and set the small ones off to the side where they won’t get damaged.

Before long, Peeta returns with another armload. “Here are some more, um-” I can feel the corners of my mouth turning up I as gather the stack into my own arms, but a little wrinkle forms between his brows. “I don’t think I actually got your name.”

“Katniss,” I tell him, going back to playing Tetris with the gifts. I suppose it’s rude not to introduce myself properly. “Katniss Everdeen.”

“Katniss?” He sounds surprised and I tense, waiting for him to react to the unusual name my father chose for me. “Like the plant? Nice.”

I give him a quick look and he’s sporting a little smile with just the right touch of shyness, that makes it impossible to look away. “You know what a Katniss plant is?”

He shrugs. “Sure, I’m a baker. I have a book of all different sorts of plants. I sculpt flowers for wedding cakes all the time.”

I think of the simple blossom on my namesake plant. “Can’t be much call for Katniss cakes.”

His hand rubs against the back of his neck and I wonder if he’s getting cold. He’s still not wearing a coat. “No, but I flip by it all the time on my way to the lilies.” I nod in understanding and his hand falls to his side. “I’ll just, ah, get some more presents.” He shuffles away and I crawl out of the van to make more room. After a couple more loads, it’s as full I as I feel is safe. I slam the van’s rear doors closed.

“I’ll be back,” I tell him, and he’s just goofy enough to reply with a Terminator impression. I can’t help but laugh. “Give me an hour and we’ll get the rest of them loaded up.”

A few minutes later, I’m driving back through the city, once again grinding my way through the gears of this old van and hoping it holds together long enough for me to finish the gift delivery.

Mags meets me in the loading bay of the food bank. She gives me a cheery wave when I jump down from the van. I don’t know how the older woman manages to maintain such a positive attitude when she spends day after day in this place with all she has to deal with.

“You should have warned me about what was at the bakery,” I complain as I open the van doors.

Mags rolls her eyes and waves me off. She had a stroke last year and while she gets around just fine with the help of a cane, she lost her ability to speak.

“I’m serious, Mags, I would have done things differently had I known.”

The old woman holds up two fingers.

“I know I would have had to make two trips anyway, that’s not my point.”

Mags crooks her finger at me, indicating I should follow and heads for the doors. Her long grey hair is tied up today and trailing over her back. She stops on the threshold and points at two teenagers lounging against the building, cigarettes smouldering between their fingers, their expensive brand name jackets hanging open. They’re not clients. Mags never says, but we often have this type around the food bank. Working off their court appointed community service, I presume. She snaps her fingers at them and then points at the van. Marvel and Cato, at least I think that’s their names, put out their cigarettes and slouch off to do her bidding.

The warehouse is a hive of activity. Effie Trinket’s shrill voice carries from the back right corner. Effie’s been a food bank volunteer for as long as I’ve been coming here. With brassy gold hair that can’t possibly be real and sporting more makeup than any woman ought to wear, Effie is a force to be reckoned with. She’s managing the angel tree program this year, and from the looks of things, she’s got everything organized to the enth. Mags waves to Effie on her way to her office and gets a cheerful greeting in return. We pass rack after rack of shelving units. The macaroni and cheese section looks particularly loaded down right now. The tables where volunteers pack the hampers that go home with the clients are nearby. On the left, near the front doors, Chaff and Seeder are in the soup kitchen prepping for today’s hot meal, like they do every Saturday.

Mags’ office is in a closet-sized space near the front doors. I think it was where the factory workers used to punch in before heading out onto the floor to work. She snatches a small whiteboard off her desk.

So you met Peeta?

“Yes, Mags, I met him.”

Handsome.

She can say that again. “Yeah, I guess.”

Mags’ eyes are dancing as she erases her board. My second favourite volunteer, she scrawls.

Seriously? If cheerful, kind – and okay, yes, gorgeous – Peeta Mellark, with his sky blue eyes and sexy jaw is her second favourite volunteer, who would qualify as her favourite?

“He volunteers here? How come I’ve never seen him around?”

Mags shakes her head and picks up her marker again. He’s here on Thursdays. Soup kitchen. She holds the board up so I can read it. When I nod in understanding, she erases it and starts over. Always a long line for his cooking.

I snort. “Figures.”

Mags chuckles and erases her board again. Lots of women here on Thursdays.

This conversation is annoying. “Well, I should go see if those two slackers have got the van unloaded. I told your favourite volunteer I’d be right back.”

Mags shakes two fingers in my direction. “Right,” I recall. “Second favourite. Be back soon, Mags.”

She waves me off. When I come back into the main room, I find Effie practically having an orgasm over Peeta’s wrapping job.

“Oh Katniss,” she enthuses. “So few people appreciate that it’s the little things that make the difference. A child in need has as much need to be recognized as someone special as anyone else, to know that someone cares enough to make things nice for them. Oh!” She wipes a tear from her eye and holds up a brightly wrapped package topped in a hand-tied scarlet bow. “Look at this! It’s a work of art.”

Clearly, Effie Trinket has no idea what a ‘child in need’ actually needs, but I decide to let it slide since her heart is in the right place.

“Pretty,” I agree. “Well, I better go get the rest of them.”

“There’s more?” Effie is truly beside herself now. “Oh Katniss, think of the children!”

I shoot Effie a grimace wrapped in a smile, shake the keys to the van at her and head for the back door. The layabouts seem to have found a new hiding spot, at least but the van is empty. I fire it up and head back across town.   

I’ve barely backed up to the bakery and Peeta is throwing open the door, a delighted smile on his face. As I approach, I see that his blue eyes are twinkling.

“You’ve got perfect timing,” he calls as I open the back door of the van. “I’ve just flipped over the closed sign for the day.”

Now that I know this guy has Mags’ seal of approval, I’m more than ready to help him carry the gifts down from the apartment.

I start for the stairs, but Peeta appears in the bakery doorway, his arms full of gifts. I notice a blue and silver bow and envision Effie’s reaction. I don’t realize I’m scowling until he does a double take and shrugs good-naturedly. “I brought them down already. I thought it would save time.”

I hold out my arms and he passes the load off to me to stow in the van. The process goes much more smoothly with an empty van and we are soon moving swiftly past each other to pack the parcels inside. Well, I’m moving swiftly. Peeta seems to be limping.

“Hold up,” My hand closes around his rock-hard biceps. Who would have thought a baker would have arms like that? “Are you okay?”

His brow furrows. “Sure. Why?”

I give his leg a pointed look.

“Oh, he says. “Old injury. It gets aggravated when I overdo it.” He turns his back and shuffles back into the bakery kitchen.

I want to kick myself. Of course that’s why he asked for our van and needed help bringing them down the stairs. Thanks to me, this poor guy has made about 50 trips up and down the stairs today that he didn’t need to make.

“You should have told me,” I grumble as we sweep the last of the gifts into our arms and head back outside.

He stops and gives me an odd look as he stands at the van doors. “Crawling on my knees in the van wouldn’t have been any better for it Katniss. And I’m the one who decided to bring the rest down. You didn’t ask me to do that.”

I put my load down. “Because I balked at going upstairs.”

Peeta stows his pile. “Well, that was a little of it. Mostly, I was hoping to save a little time.”

I’m still frowning when I slam the van doors closed, but Peeta has his hands in his pockets and a slight smile on his lips. His wavy blonde locks have fallen into his eyes and he reminds me of little boy trying to charm himself out of trouble.   

“Have you got a few minutes? I make the best hot chocolate in town.”

I check my watch, but it’s not like I have to hurry back. The food bank will be open for hours yet, and it might be Saturday, but I don’t have any plans this evening. So, I shrug and agree.

Peeta’s smile transforms into a toothy grin and he leads the way back into the bakery. The kitchen is spotlessly clean. Every stainless steel surface is sparkling and while the ovens are clearly off. The heat in here is a startling difference from being outside for the last half hour. No wonder Peeta was loading gifts in his shirt sleeves.

He leads the way out into the cheerful storefront and moves toward an espresso machine where he heats the milk. Before long, two piping hot chocolates are steaming away in colourful mugs on the counter.

“The secret,” he confides, “is in the quality of the chocolate and real whipped cream.” He pulls a little container from the fridge. “Chocolate I grated this morning,” he explains as he sprinkles it on top.  He passes me a mug and waves me toward a couple of cafe tables set up under a colourful painting not far from the cash. Once we’ve settled in, he smiles at me and holds up his mug, “to a job well done.”

With a hear, hear, I clink my mug against his. I take a sip of the hot chocolate and don’t quite manage to stifle a groan. “You’re right,” I tell him. “This is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.”

Peeta smiles brightly at me and then chuckles. He leans across the table. “You have a little…” He flicks my nose and holds up his finger. A little blob of whipped cream sits on the pad. He pops it in his mouth and grins.

I don’t know whether to laugh or scowl, but I feel a blush stealing across my cheeks so choose the latter.

He laughs. “I can’t help but tease you, Katniss. Your reactions are priceless.”

“And here I was thinking you might be one of the good guys.”

He puts his mug on the table and watches as it spins it between his fingers. “I try to be. My dad always said being a good man was the most important thing I could do with my life.”

I recognize the tone. “When did you lose him?”

“This past summer,” he sighs and rubs his hands on his thighs before sitting back in his chair. “Cancer.”

“The first Christmas is rough,” I tell him, sipping my hot chocolate and taking care to wipe my nose. “It’s never easy, but it gets a little less hard every year.”

He leans forward. “Did you lose your dad?”

I nod. “Hunting accident.” It hurts even now to think of what happened, but I’ve had years of practice at disguising my feelings about it. My father was a hunting guide part-time to make extra money for our family. He was leading a group of guys from the Capitol out on a deer hunt. One of the idiots forgot to turn the safety on his gun. He got over-excited, mishandled the weapon and it went off. My dad got shot in the chest and he bled out before they could get him out of the woods. Our family was never the same after that.

“I’m sorry,” Peeta offers, and for once, I know that it isn’t a platitude. He understands exactly what it feels like to lose a parent.

“Thanks,” I tell him. “I’m sorry for your loss too.”

“This whole gift thing was about him,” he confesses. “He was a big supporter of the food bank and the angel tree was really important to him. Each year he would take my older brothers and me to the mall. We each picked an angel off the tree and then Dad would take us shopping to fulfill the wish. He said it was our gift to him.”

“Too bad there weren’t more people like your dad,” I remark. Peeta and I are about the same age. I wonder if he or his brothers ever took Prim’s angel off the tree.

“He was special,” Peeta agrees, and takes a sip of chocolate, watching me over the rim of the mug. “Once I grew up, we stopped buying gifts for each other and just did the angel tree. My brothers live out west and they do the same thing.” I don’t know what to say to that. I volunteer every week at the food bank, but this level of generosity is beyond what we usually see, even there, so I just nod and sip the rich nectar in my hand. “This year, it just seemed so incredibly sad that we wouldn’t do it together, I decided I needed to do something to honour him.”

“Well, you definitely did that. I’m sure he’d be very proud of you.” The words burst from me, and I cringe inside at my unusual burst of sentimentality, but Peeta accepts my words graciously, his cheeks a little pinker than they were minutes before. “Seriously, Peeta, you’ve made a huge donation. I’ve never seen anything like it from a single person.”

He shrugs. “I didn’t pay it all out of pocket. I held a silent auction here in the bakery. Told people what I was doing in memory of Dad. It was just way more successful than I imagined.”

I can just imagine the long list of bids on the auction items. There’s no doubt of my mind that Peeta could charm people into parting with their hard-earned money.  

I raise my mug to my lips only to find it empty and the corners of my mouth turn down in disappointment.

“I guess I should get going,” I sigh as I rise from the table, pushing away the urge to linger.  “Thank you for the hot chocolate.” He waves that off as though it were nothing. “And on behalf of the food bank, thank you for your donation.”

“My pleasure,” he replies, “on both counts.”

He collects the mugs and once we make our way into the kitchen, I head for the delivery door zipping up my jacket and adjusting my scarf. It’s really going to suck to have to climb into that frigid truck after the warmth of bakery.

“Hey Katniss?”

I whip around to find Peeta massaging his neck, a shy smile on his rugged features. “Do you want to, uh, exchange numbers?” I’m so distracted by the butterflies winging around in my chest that I forget to answer. He begins to backpedal. “I mean, don’t feel obligated or anything. But I feel like we made friends today. But I won’t be hurt if you don’t want-”

Friends. Of course he just wants to be friends. Why would a guy like him be interested in me? The butterflies come back to Earth and I pull my phone out of my pocket. “What’s your number?” The smile returns to his face and he rattles it off while I punch it in. I type a quick ‘It’s Katniss’ and press send.

When his phone chimes a second later, he pulls it from his pocket. “There you are,” he says with a smile and with some quick flicks, adds me to his contacts. “You’ll be sick of me in no time.”

~~~

Thank you @burkygirl!!!

[easyfoodnetwork]

Where to Donate Amid an Avalanche of Need

Food for hospital workers Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering | Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering

From the Editor: Everything you missed in food news last week

This post originally appeared on April 11, 2020 in Amanda Kludt’s newsletter “From the Editor,” a roundup of the most vital news and stories in the food world each week. Read the archives and subscribe now.

I’m just going to say straight out I haven’t been doing what I should be doing for the restaurant community during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been a good consumer, buying as much wine and product, merch and gift cards as I can from small businesses, especially in my neighborhood. I feel good about my role as a leader of a news organization and the work my team has done to highlight all the important issues and struggles on the local and national level.

But I’m feeling real guilt about my lack of work on a personal level, when it comes to giving money and time or being vocal about the current crisis on social media. Oftentimes people send me flyers to put up on my Instagram or messages to tweet and it seems so empty and performative. How is a hashtag going to do anything?

But then how is doing nothing and wallowing in despair helpinganyone?

So, I decided yesterday I need to get out of my funk and actually try to help. I’m telling you this in the off chance you, too, are paralzyed by the scale of this problem. My plan of action:

Create a budget for donations, based on my usual annual charitable giving. I’ll keep a reserve of that money to give over the next couple of months as new initiatives pop up.

Choose where I’d like to focus the money. Right now, I’m planning to divide attention between feeding the front line workers (I’m thinking Treats Help and Share a Meal), national charities focused on restaurant workers and owners (Restaurant Workers Community Foundation), community kitchens (The Lee Initiative), and something that’s not about food at all (would love suggestions).

Find ways to offer time. For example, I just learned a restaurant near me is looking for people to transport meals to hospitals and I happen to have a car. I’m also inspired by my interview with Ed Lee this week (please listen) to bring some Easter candy to the community kitchens in Brooklyn this weekend.

And, of course, I’ll just keep buying up as much wine and gift cards from my locals as possible. If we are friends, you know what your holiday gift will be this year.

On Eater

Wonho Frank Lee

Jessica Koslow at Sqirl before shutting down for takeout | Wonho Frank Lee

COVID-19 Coverage

Illness: More coronavirus cases have hit the restaurant community, in what I fear is only the start of a wave that will hit hard. Confirmed illnesses this week include Keith McNally and Nancy Silverton, and deaths include a beloved butcher in New York and restaurant owners in Seattle.

News to know: LA is asking residents to skip grocery store runs; Yelp laid off 1,000 employees and furloughed 1,100 others; major restaurateurs are pushing lawmakers (and the presdient) and suing to get insurance companies to cover COVID-19-related business interuption costs; restaurants are having troubles getting their moneyfrom GoFundMe campaigns; and bakers in San Francisco are leaving sourdough starter all around the city.

Delivery beat: A number of notable restaurants and restaurant groups, including Sqirl in LA, One Off Hospitality in Chicago, Donald Link’s restaurants in New Orleans, and restaurants across Detroit have ceased delivery and takeout after assessing the health risks; meanwhile Caviar and its parent delviery service Doordash will slash commissions for restaurants while Grubhub is fighting SF City Hall to maintain its cut.

Innovative fundraisers: Some out-of-work industry workers in Dallas are selling nudes to raise money; an Etsy seller made Jose Andres prayer candles; a bunch of amateur and pro artists are selling drawings on Instagram; and high-end restaurants are selling off trophy bottles.

Traditional relief: Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah, and Laurene Powell Jobs donated millions to start a new fund that will mainly work with World Central Kitchen to feed people in need; Guy Fieri pledged to raise $100 million; Rachael Ray is giving $2 million; Rick Bayless is feeding 800 out of work industry workers a week; more community kitchens are popping up in Dallas, Oakland and Sonoma, Detroit, D.C., and inside the Nationals Stadium. Meanwhile, relief funds are completely overwhelmed, food pantries are completely overwhelmed, and schools are picking up the slack.

The stimulus: It’s not enough, and banks aren’t ready. Here’s what the Independent Restaurant Coalition is asking for.

And while you’re home

Natoora [Official]

A Natoora fruit box | Natoora

If you would like to know about the best delivery options, wholesalers doing home delivery, and more, we have giant service guides in New York, LA, Portland, and San Francisco and some fantastic maps in every single city site so go check them out.

Once you have your order, here’s how to make your takeout look good.

If you are trying to get into baking, you might be wondering, what is yeast anyway? And if you need a starting place, here are the best Smitten Kitchen recipes and best Ina Garten recipes, according to Eater editors.

This week on the podcast

Daniel and I talk to chef Ed Lee about the community kitchens he’s set up across the country and the heartbreaking decisions he has to make on a daily basis. Then we talk about the biggest stories of the week.

Off Eater

How beloved Texas supermarket H-E-B was well-prepared for the pandemic. [Texas Monthly]

All your questions about grocery shopping answered. [Vox]

Chef Hugh Acheson’s poweful articulation on how fucked restaurants are. [Atlanta Magazine]

Dining along the empty freeways of LA. [NYT]

A new movement to help Chinatowns through this. [Grub Street]

Bodegas are always there for you in a crisis. [NYT]

How the novel coronavirus is impacting the real estate market across the U.S. [Curbed]

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2K3Twxq https://ift.tt/34xsh81

Food for hospital workers Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering | Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering

From the Editor: Everything you missed in food news last week

This post originally appeared on April 11, 2020 in Amanda Kludt’s newsletter “From the Editor,” a roundup of the most vital news and stories in the food world each week. Read the archives and subscribe now.

I’m just going to say straight out I haven’t been doing what I should be doing for the restaurant community during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been a good consumer, buying as much wine and product, merch and gift cards as I can from small businesses, especially in my neighborhood. I feel good about my role as a leader of a news organization and the work my team has done to highlight all the important issues and struggles on the local and national level.

But I’m feeling real guilt about my lack of work on a personal level, when it comes to giving money and time or being vocal about the current crisis on social media. Oftentimes people send me flyers to put up on my Instagram or messages to tweet and it seems so empty and performative. How is a hashtag going to do anything?

But then how is doing nothing and wallowing in despair helpinganyone?

So, I decided yesterday I need to get out of my funk and actually try to help. I’m telling you this in the off chance you, too, are paralzyed by the scale of this problem. My plan of action:

Create a budget for donations, based on my usual annual charitable giving. I’ll keep a reserve of that money to give over the next couple of months as new initiatives pop up.

Choose where I’d like to focus the money. Right now, I’m planning to divide attention between feeding the front line workers (I’m thinking Treats Help and Share a Meal), national charities focused on restaurant workers and owners (Restaurant Workers Community Foundation), community kitchens (The Lee Initiative), and something that’s not about food at all (would love suggestions).

Find ways to offer time. For example, I just learned a restaurant near me is looking for people to transport meals to hospitals and I happen to have a car. I’m also inspired by my interview with Ed Lee this week (please listen) to bring some Easter candy to the community kitchens in Brooklyn this weekend.

And, of course, I’ll just keep buying up as much wine and gift cards from my locals as possible. If we are friends, you know what your holiday gift will be this year.

On Eater

Wonho Frank Lee

Jessica Koslow at Sqirl before shutting down for takeout | Wonho Frank Lee

COVID-19 Coverage

Illness: More coronavirus cases have hit the restaurant community, in what I fear is only the start of a wave that will hit hard. Confirmed illnesses this week include Keith McNally and Nancy Silverton, and deaths include a beloved butcher in New York and restaurant owners in Seattle.

News to know: LA is asking residents to skip grocery store runs; Yelp laid off 1,000 employees and furloughed 1,100 others; major restaurateurs are pushing lawmakers (and the presdient) and suing to get insurance companies to cover COVID-19-related business interuption costs; restaurants are having troubles getting their moneyfrom GoFundMe campaigns; and bakers in San Francisco are leaving sourdough starter all around the city.

Delivery beat: A number of notable restaurants and restaurant groups, including Sqirl in LA, One Off Hospitality in Chicago, Donald Link’s restaurants in New Orleans, and restaurants across Detroit have ceased delivery and takeout after assessing the health risks; meanwhile Caviar and its parent delviery service Doordash will slash commissions for restaurants while Grubhub is fighting SF City Hall to maintain its cut.

Innovative fundraisers: Some out-of-work industry workers in Dallas are selling nudes to raise money; an Etsy seller made Jose Andres prayer candles; a bunch of amateur and pro artists are selling drawings on Instagram; and high-end restaurants are selling off trophy bottles.

Traditional relief: Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah, and Laurene Powell Jobs donated millions to start a new fund that will mainly work with World Central Kitchen to feed people in need; Guy Fieri pledged to raise $100 million; Rachael Ray is giving $2 million; Rick Bayless is feeding 800 out of work industry workers a week; more community kitchens are popping up in Dallas, Oakland and Sonoma, Detroit, D.C., and inside the Nationals Stadium. Meanwhile, relief funds are completely overwhelmed, food pantries are completely overwhelmed, and schools are picking up the slack.

The stimulus: It’s not enough, and banks aren’t ready. Here’s what the Independent Restaurant Coalition is asking for.

And while you’re home

Natoora [Official]

A Natoora fruit box | Natoora

If you would like to know about the best delivery options, wholesalers doing home delivery, and more, we have giant service guides in New York, LA, Portland, and San Francisco and some fantastic maps in every single city site so go check them out.

Once you have your order, here’s how to make your takeout look good.

If you are trying to get into baking, you might be wondering, what is yeast anyway? And if you need a starting place, here are the best Smitten Kitchen recipes and best Ina Garten recipes, according to Eater editors.

This week on the podcast

Daniel and I talk to chef Ed Lee about the community kitchens he’s set up across the country and the heartbreaking decisions he has to make on a daily basis. Then we talk about the biggest stories of the week.

Off Eater

How beloved Texas supermarket H-E-B was well-prepared for the pandemic. [Texas Monthly]

All your questions about grocery shopping answered. [Vox]

Chef Hugh Acheson’s poweful articulation on how fucked restaurants are. [Atlanta Magazine]

Dining along the empty freeways of LA. [NYT]

A new movement to help Chinatowns through this. [Grub Street]

Bodegas are always there for you in a crisis. [NYT]

How the novel coronavirus is impacting the real estate market across the U.S. [Curbed]

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2K3Twxq via Blogger https://ift.tt/2Rzor8Z

[tamboradventure]

My 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers

Posted: 11/25/19 | November 25th, 2019

Travelers can be a fickle group of people to buy gifts for as we’re constantly coming and going. We usually don’t carry a lot of stuff with us, and no two travelers are alike so finding the perfect gift for the traveler in your life can be tricky.

While a plane ticket is never a bad idea (I’m a window seat in case anyone is thinking of getting me one), I’ve put together this ultimate holiday gift guide for travelers as there’s a lot of great travel gear out there these days that helps people travel cheaper and better.

Even me, the gear-adverse traveler, likes a lot of this stuff!

This is stuff I actually think is super useful. No nonsense. No fluff. Just the best gifts for intrepid travelers and globetrotting nomads!

Table of Contents

Gifts Under $25

Gifts Under $100

Gifts Over $100

  Gifts Under $25

1. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are an awesome tool to help you stay organized while you travel. Whether you’re a budget backpacker or traveling with half a dozen suitcases, packing cubes will keep you organized as you travel the world. They come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to store items big and small. If you know a traveler who needs a hand staying organized, this is the gift for them!

Buy now on Amazon!  

2. Travel Padlock

This simple item is one of the most important for the budget traveler. Since many hostels have lockers, backpackers need to have their own travel lock when they’re on the road. While you can usually rent them at hostels, those prices add up after a while. I never leave home without a lock because I never know when it will come in handy.

Buy now on Amazon!  

3. Earplugs

Anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel knows that a good pair of earplugs is a necessity. From chronic snorers to late-night drinkers to copulating couples in creaking bunks, hostels are known for their less-than-quiet accommodation. Add some earplugs to your shopping list. Because the gift of a good sleep is priceless!

Buy now on Amazon!  

4. Sea to Summit Quick Dry Travel Towel

Having a lightweight, quick-drying towel makes a huge difference when you’re on the road. Big, bulky towels take up a lot of space in your backpack and they take a long time to dry. If you’re on the road, you don’t want a towel to delay your plans or stink up your bag. Enter the travel towel. It’s the compact, quick-drying solution that every backpacker needs.

Buy now on Amazon!  

5. Travel Adapter

Nothing is more tedious than arrving to a new destination only to realize you can’t charge your devices because the electrical outlets are different. That’s why you’ll need a travel adapter. They’re a simple accessory. There’s a million out there but this is one I use as it covers every region of the world and comes with USB ports too. It’s cheap, easy to use, and lightweight. Everything you need in an adapter.

Buy now on Amazon!  

6. Scratch Travel Maps from Landmass

Scartch maps are a fun way to keep track of your past travels while helping you stay inspired as you plan your future trips. You simply scratch off the parts of the world you’ve been. Simple. Easy. Landmass is my favorite company that makes these, though there are plenty of other companies that make them now, so you can also find them in all sorts of sizes and colors.

Buy now on Amazon!  

7. Passport Holder

A passport holder is a must-have for any avid traveler. Not only does it protect your passport from wear and tear, but it makes your travels much more convenient. Most passport holders have slots for your travel credit cards as well as any cash you have, making it a safe and convenient way to keep your valuables secure while you travel. While there are tons of expensive and fancy passport holders out there, a simple one will get the job done and save you money in the process (money you can spend on more travels!).

Buy now on Amazon!  

8. Toothpaste Bites

Traveling with liquids is always a pain. They’re a hassle at airport security and, when it comes to toothpaste, there is a lot of waste. The plastic tubes end up in landfills and you can never really get all the toothpaste out of the tube. Enter toothpaste bites. These dry tabs of toothpaste that come in a recyclable jar (no plastic!). They take some getting used to but they’re a great eco-friendly option for the environmentally-conscious traveler. (And they clean your teeth well, which is also very important!)

Buy now at Bite!  

9. Hand-drawn Food Maps

These are unique, hand-drawn typographic maps of food from Legal Nomads and artist Ella Frances Sanders. They make a great gift for anyone who loves to eat and travel (and who doesn’t!). They come in a variety of sizes too! Jodi’s maps are the best! (Use the code SEALUP for 15% off!)

Buy now at Legal Nomads!  

10. The Fearless Guide to Solo Female Travel

Kristin Addis created this detailed guide to solo female travel, addressing all the concerns women have about traveling. The book includes tons of tips and advice, as well as interviews with other female travelers and writers. It gives you the specific, actionable information you need to conquer the world on any trip!

Buy now at Nomadic Matt!  

11. Moleskine Notebook

I never leave home without one of these. They are the perfect notebook for journaling during your trip as well as for writing down travel notes such as directions, contact information, and language tips. I think everyone needs to write more during their travels so they have something to look back on (other than photos).

Buy now on Amazon!  

12. Travel Books

Few things can inspire you to travel like a great book. They can transport you to new places and keep your wanderlust stoked while you work towards making your own travel dreams a reality. If you’ve got an avid reader who loves to travel on your holiday list (or if you’re just looking for something to read over the holidays), get a travel book. Books are the best gift in the world and on my Amazon page you can get a list of all the best travel books I’ve read over the years.

Buy now on Amazon!  

13. Celiac Travel Cards

My friend Jodi from Legal Nomads created these helpful travel cards for anyone traveling with Celiac disease. They are in-depth resources that communicate your concerns to restaurant staff in a way that allows anyone traveling with the disease to have a worry-free meal. If you or someone you love has Celiac disease, these travel cards are a great resource! (Use the code SEALUP for 15% off!)

Buy now at Legal Nomads!  

14. Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a convenient liquid-free alternative to regular shampoo. It’s a useful minimalist solution for budget travelers who travel carry-on only and an eco-friendly choice as well. Natural dry shampoos absorb the grease and oil in your hair, keeping it clean while you’re on the road — and with minimal effort too. It works for all types of hair and hair lengths as well so you don’t need to shave your head or do anythign drastic either.

Buy now on Amazon!  

15. Ten Years a Nomad

This book is my memoir about my ten years traveling and backpacking the world, my philosophy on travel, and the lessons I learned that can help you travel better. It takes you on a trip around the world from start to finish: getting the bug, the planning, setting off, the highs, the lows, the friends, what happens when you come back — and the lessons and advice that come with all that. People have been really enjoying and connecting with it and I think you or any other traveler would love it!! (Plus, getting it helps support everything we do here!)

Buy now on Amazon!  

16. Donate to Charity!

For the traveler in your life who has everything, why not make a donation to charity on their behalf! FLYTE is an awesome charity that I started back in 2015 to help high school students in underserved communities experience the transformational power of travel. Every year we send a new group of students abroad, but we can’t do it without your help!

Donate the gift of travel today!

  Gifts Under $100

17. Trtl Travel Pillow

Travel pillows are perfect for those long-haul flights, delayed buses, and airport naps. Every traveler needs to have a travel pillow on hand to maxamize that downtime and time in transit, and Trtl pillows are the best on the market. They’re great for helping prevent jetlag and make even the longest, most uncomfortable trip a little more bearable.

Buy now on Amazon!  

18. Suavs shoes

Suavs shoes are super versatile and durable, making them great for traveling. Whether you’re just exploring the city or in need something that looks a bit fancier, these shoes can do it all so you don’t have to pack multiple shoes. They are flexible, light, washable, and breathable. I love them! (They look great too!)

Buy now on Suavs!  

19. Travel Headlamp

This is a great tool for both backpackers and anyone looking to do any hiking or camping. In a hostel, a headlamp is helpful if you need to check in or out but don’t want to disturb your fellow travelers. For outdoorsy folks, they’re useful for hiking, setting up camp in the dark, and for emergencies.

Buy now on Amazon!  

20. LifeStraw

Environmentally, pollution from single-use plastics is something every traveler has witnessed. And, monetarily, when you’re traveling, continuiously buying water gets expensive. Do your part to help the planet by traveling with a reusable filter. LifeStraw is an awesome brand with a built in water filter. The filters last 5 years so you save money on changing them too.

Buy now on Amazon!  

21. Superstar Blogging

Is there someone on your list looking to start a new career? Why not give them a leg up and enroll them in Superstar Blogging! We offer comprehensive courses on blogging, writing, photography, and vlogging that outline everything you need to know to succeed in the travel industry. You’ll learn from me and other top travel experts on how to level up your game, reduce mistakes, and get you heard above the noise!

Buy now on Superstar Blogging!

  Gifts Over $100

22. Travel Backpack

If you’ve got a budget traveler on your holiday list, a travel backpack is the gift that keeps on giving. A well-made bag will last for years and through dozens of adventures. Having a reliable travel backpack is one of the most important items for a traveler.

My favorite bag is the Flash 45 from REI but other great companies worth checking out are Osprey, Nomatic, and MEC (for Canadians).

Some bags worth checking out are:

Men’s Osprey Farpoint 40

Women’s Osprey Fairview 40

NOMATIC 40L

(For a different backpack, check out my guide finding the right backpack for more options!)

23. Travel Clothing from Unbound Merino

These travel clothes are some of the most versatile on the market. Made from merino wool, Unbound offers clothing that can be worn daily for weeks (and months!) without getting smelly. They are perfect for the traveler who wants to pack lighter. I really love the material, they feel great, they hardly ever need a wash, and they last forever!

Buy now on Unbound!  

24. Eco-friendly Luggage from Samsonite

If you’re in need of proper luggage, Samsonite has been a go-to brand for durable, reliable luggage for ages. Now, I’m a backpack guy but I love this new luggage set. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic! Every little part of it! I can get behind something that environmentally friendly. It also comes with a limited 10 year warranty too in case something goes wrong.

Buy now on Amazon!  

25. MacBook Air

This is my favorite travel computer. It’s light, it’s powerful enough for regular use, and the battery life is great. While an iPad might be another potential travel choice, I find the Air much more versatile. You can do a lot more with it. When I’m on the road, this is the laptop I travel with.

Buy now on Amazon!  

26. iPhone

While not a cheap phone, the iPhone 11 has such a good camera that you don’t need to take a traditonal camera with you when you travel. It has a solid battery life, a grat lens, beautiful screen, and, is overall, just awesome. True, I’m an Apple fanboy so I might be biased but hey, it’s my list!

Buy now on Amazon!  

27. Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

These are great for those long flights or bus trips as they block out background noise so you can read, work, or sleep without being distrubed. The wireless Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones are fan favorites and my go-to brand. They are comfortable, rechargable, and do an amazing job at removing background noise. If you’re on a budget, consider the QuietComfort 25 instead.

Buy now on Amazon!  

28. Mophie External Battery

These days, we all travel with numerous electronic devices like phones and tablets. It can be hard to keep them all charged. An external battery solves that problem. Two high-output USB ports make this external battery incredibly convenient, and it can charge up to 100 hours of battery in one go.

Buy now on Amazon!  

29. Kindle

While I personally prefer to read physical books, I can’t argue against the convenience and simplicity of the Kindle. Hauling around physical books is a pain if you’re traveling often. With a Kindle, you can pack hundreds of books into a single device, and many versions can also use apps and access the internet. It’s a great gift for the avid reader.

Buy now on Amazon!  

30. GoPro Hero 7 Black

Every traveler needs a camera, and few are as versatile and durable as the GoPro. They’re great for photos and video no matter the climate. They’re waterproof and are perfect for both everyday city exploring as well as more extreme and adventurous activities. They’re just awesome.

Buy now on Amazon!

*** Whether you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift for a traveler in your life or just looking for some holiday inspiration for yourself, this list will help you find an awesome gift for the holidays. No matter your budget, there is something here for you that will help you level up your travels or the travels of a loved one.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years.

My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Photo credit: 13 – Electric Teeth

The post My 2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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[lynnkeefe]

Party Poopers

You ever work with someone that insists on ruining everything that everyone is doing? I worked with one for six years. I have two stories.

First, Staples. At my store we were doing a lotto pool. Everyone who wanted in chipped in 5 dollars, and we let them do an extra 5 for their spouse, if applicable.

Of course, in the event of a win, you’d get money proportionate to what you put in. Had a nifty spreadsheet to keep track of it going, just in case of a win. Pop in the cash value amount, boom, there’s the splits.

Now, this coworker finally decided she wanted to play. But only wanted to do a dollar. As in one set of 5 numbers (playing Lotto Texas, primarily). The ones running the poll finally caved in and let her. Let me know, so...[name,1] into the spreadsheet it goes!

She was on her way to the manager’s office one day when I was adding all of the ticket numbers for quick checking...asked what I was doing. Everyone who was participating had seen it, so I show her the check and split and whatnot. I think nothing of it.

Until a few days later when the District Manager comes down asking about it. Turns out that she thought that the split was going to be based per person, not per ticket. So when she found out that, in the event of a win, instead of the few hundred thousand the rest of us would get before taxes, she’d end up with under 100k...she threw a fit. Thought she’d get 1/(total players)th of the winnings.

So...DM comes down, we show him how we’re doing it, show him the spreadsheet, he’s like ‘whelp, no rules against it, looks like you’re doing it fairly, I’ll tell her’...so she escalates it. After he had to come out for the 5th time because he had to investigate the complaints, he politely asked us to stop...mostly due to the waste of time it was. Since he had to investigate it every. Single. Time....since she was making a discrimination complaint.

And the second. We had an ‘associate fund’...was for the store to fill the fridge, buy us lunches occasionally, and so forth. Renewed ever year, couldn’t be carried over. So...end of the year, we’ve done for us what we can do. Everyone got a ham or a turkey for christmas and thanksgiving, our breakroom fridge was full, and we had about 2 weeks to figure out what to use it on. We couldn’t turn it into cash for us, corporate citing something about taxation.

So management discusses it, and comes out to us to present what they want to do. Buy toys for a charity for christmas. Good PR for us, city hall wants in on the festivities for it...huzzah!

Now...I was often a dissenting voice on such things. So...everyone looks at me when they ask for any objections. I just request no Salvation Army, which is cool with them.

“Any others?” ...is her cue. She goes on and on about how we shouldn’t do something like that when HER grandbabies need gifts and so on and so forth. Had to be about her.

Ultimately...since it was literally ‘entire store’ v ‘her’...they called up corporate, who okayed a gift card for her, which she accepted. We get the gifts with the remainder, get ‘em all wrapped up...city council comes out with a photographer from the paper, who wanted to run a story about it.

Two people weren’t in the picture. Myself, since I refuse to allow my image to be used for marketing or publicity for my employer unless I’m reimbursed for it...and her.

She WANTED to be in the picture...but was told ‘hey, since you didn’t want to do the gifts, you don’t get to be in the picture’.

Y’all work with any people like that?

[minnievirizarry]

How Brands Use Hashtag Marketing to Increase Brand Awareness

Did you know that using more than two hashtags in a tweet can negatively affect your engagement? But on Instagram, you can use up to 10 hashtags before you see a dip in engagement. Small details like that can mean all the difference in building brand awareness on social.

To get the most out of your hashtag marketing, you’ll need to define your goals. Will you be using hashtags to discover content or to contribute to a conversation? You can certainly do both in different campaigns, but having a more narrow goal will help you pinpoint the best content and hashtag use.

Brands use hashtags in their marketing in a variety of ways. This article will provide you with a few real-life examples of how some popular companies used hashtags to increase their brand awareness. At the end, we’ll also discuss how you can keep track of each campaign’s success.

Branded Hashtags: Serena & Lily

The first and most basic aspect of hashtag marketing is having your own branded hashtag. Oftentimes, the hashtag is short, memorable and includes the brand name in some form. If you’re having difficulty coming up with the best one, do some research on what’s already being used for your brand. Your customers might already use a branded hashtag even without your knowledge.

Your basic branded hashtag should be used on an ongoing basis. It applies to any post and can be your fallback hashtag if you think you’re in need of one on your post.

Pick your pillowscape: which look is your favorite? Answer below in the comments. #serenaandlily #livingroomdecor (Tap to shop)

A post shared by Serena & Lily (@serenaandlily) on Jan 28, 2018 at 8:06pm PST

Serena and Lily’s branded hashtag #serenaandlily is used in practically every post the brand puts on Instagram. It also operates as a community hashtag, adding up to over 14k tagged posts.

Check out our Stories for a fun shopping trip with @JamieLSigler and designer @rwdwhitespace at #SLlosangeles: https://t.co/wUhLUxIwwl pic.twitter.com/7xIl7zmBft

— Serena & Lily (@SerenaandLily) August 18, 2017

In Twitter, though, the brand switches from tagging their own name to using a hashtag for a store location. Twitter’s shorter character limitations often force brands to prioritize their hashtags. In this case, adding #serenaandlily to a post would have been repetitive.

Community Hashtags: West Elm

A version of branded hashtags, community hashtags are often used by larger brands to engage their consumer base.

These hashtags still include the brand’s name in some form and often tacks on something like “AtHome” or “Community.” In practice, consumers will use the community hashtag on a photo that features the brand or service. The brand will then select from the hashtag and feature the best on its feed.

This practice has many benefits. Consumers often feel like they’re part of a larger community and use the hashtag to find like-minded community members. The brand incorporates user-generated content to add authenticity to its feed. And third, brand awareness is subtly spread in the hashtag.

Ideally, you won’t be only taking from consumers but also engaging on the photos with the community hashtag.

West Elm asks its customers to use the #mywestelm hashtag to share how they’re using the pieces in their own homes. Having this separate community hashtag offers West Elm the ability to showcase various styles and give their followers some inspiration.

For best practices on creating a successful user-generated content strategy, check out our complete guide!

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Campaign Hashtag: B Corporation

Used as part of a marketing campaign or a contest, campaign hashtags have a start and end date. Brands create these hashtags specifically to track contest entries and measure conversation around a marketing campaign. While these hashtags may have the brand name in them, it’s more important that the campaign slogan or message is conveyed.

When utilizing campaign hashtags, you’ll want to do some research ahead of time.

Beyond the standard search to make sure the hashtag isn’t already in use, also check how the hashtag looks in various iterations. Combining words together in lowercased letters shouldn’t spell new, off-brand words. They also shouldn’t have any unintentional double entendres.

For too long, business success has just been about profit. We urgently need more companies to consider how they make money & the impact they have on employees, suppliers, environment, & community. #BCorps are changing the face of business, and we're proud to be one! #BCorpMonth pic.twitter.com/9ccKtteKYh

— Divine Chocolate USA (@DivineChocUSA) February 2, 2018

February is B Corp Month and B Corporation runs a hashtag campaign that involves certified companies, giveaways and other content. It’s a great way to get the word out about what they do and allows other B Corporations to connect to each other.

Event Hashtag: ASCE

Like campaign hashtags, event hashtags often have a start and end date. If it’s an annual event, the same hashtag may be used. But some events also like to have a year-specific hashtag to separate new conversation from last year’s.

Brands often use event hashtags to join in and create conversation around the event.

For conferences, brands may even live Tweet using the event hashtag. In this case, a company is using another brand’s hashtag to share information. When conference attendees search on the hashtag, the company shows up as active participants and more notably, spreads brand awareness.

We will be tweeting live Friday and Saturday from the Multi Regional Leadership Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. Follow along and share your thoughts and experiences with #MRLC18. pic.twitter.com/pfRu2KYA4F

— ASCE Headquarters (@ASCETweets) January 25, 2018

Some talented local Younger Members from the Nebraska Section set an example for #leadership and #BuildingABetterWorld by organizing a charity gift bag assembly with goodies for the local @ChildrensOmaha hospital & those staying at their Rainbow House. #MRLC18 #Omaha #GivingBack pic.twitter.com/wcuH73k3Ln

— ASCE Headquarters (@ASCETweets) January 26, 2018

“The Infrastructure Report Card has not been above a D+ since 1998. What policy will you implement to put us in a position to raise the grade?” 2019 ASCE president-elect nominees answering some important and challenging questions prior to this May’s election. #MRLC18 #Omaha pic.twitter.com/Lvc1D6zuaO

— ASCE Headquarters (@ASCETweets) January 27, 2018

The American Society of Civil Engineers recently hosted the Multi Region Leadership Conference. It first posted about how it would live tweet from the events and post interesting and engaging updates for its audience.

You don’t need to host an event to live tweet from it. Attending an event and sharing updates from lectures and panels is another way to show to your audience how you participate and learn in a community.

Product or Service Hashtag: GoPro

Multi-product or service companies use hashtags to highlight different aspects of their brand. This is an especially useful strategy if your products or services have different audiences. In a way, this is similar to a branded hashtag as these separate products or services might have their own brand.

Product or service hashtags can help consumers do research on a product. If a company offers multiple products, it can be troublesome to sift through many photos just to find the few you may be interested in. A company may use both a branded hashtag and a product hashtag in a post.

From a mountain lake in #Oregon to the ancient ruins of #Jordan, travel the 🌏 with GoPro #FeaturedPhotographer @thebtown 📖👇 • Photo 1: There’s nothing like a bird’s-eye view of a beautiful mountain lake. On every drone flight, I remind myself to take some photos. It’s easy to get caught up just shooting video, but the photos help to immortalize the moment and capture the beauty of a scene. When shooting photos from the air, I try to switch up the angles and see the earth from new perspectives. Here I am shooting straight down at the lake in Single Photo Mode on the #GoProHERO6. • Photo 2: The Karnak Temple of #Egypt is mind blowing. 134 pillars shine pure gold in the light of a setting sun. For this shot, I set my #GoPro to two-second Time Lapse Mode and walked around the pillars in awe. In doing so, I was able to capture the moment organically. The moment is so impactful that it’s easy to forget you’re shooting, but I try to always look back at the GoPro every once in awhile to double-check the framing. There’s no shame in checking out your shots on the LCD screen to make sure you’re getting the shot. Some of these moments truly are once in a lifetime! • Photo 3: Every adventure is worthy of a good ol’ #GoProSelfie. They really encapsulate the moment, who you’re with, and what you’re doing. In this shot, I am with my fiancé @shaylyn.marie on one of our many adventures up to #MountTamalpais to watch the sunset. For selfies, I put my #GoProHERO6 in 1-second Time Lapse Mode and rotate the camera vertically. The great thing about Time Lapse Mode is that you can live in the moment without having to worry about hitting the shutter button. • Photo 4: Gazing down on the Treasury in the ancient city of #Petra, Jordan. It’s one thing to see the Treasury from the ground, but to make the hike up to the lookout and get a glimpse of the Treasury from a new perspective is something else entirely. For this shot, I used Time Lapse Mode, ISO 400, and dropped the EV Comp down to -0.5, so that the Treasury wouldn’t be overexposed as the camera metered for my body. This self-captured, over-the-shoulder, shot is one of my favorites because it tells the whole story.

A post shared by GoPro (@gopro) on Feb 2, 2018 at 1:08pm PST

Feed your #wanderlust with this week's GoPro #FeaturedPhotographer, @enrikui. 🏔👇 • Photo 1: One of my recent adventures led me to this wonderful place. Overlooking #Italy's Lake Garda, it's a breathtaking view! For this shot, I setup my 3-Way Mount as a tripod, placed my #HERO5 in Time Lapse Mode, and ran to enjoy the view! • Photo 2: This is me in the middle of a mountain road on the Passo Falzarego. I set up my #GoPro on the ground using the 3-Way Mount as a tripod and my girlfriend, @carlottacottini, shouted "GoPro shoot Burst!" to capture the memory! • Photo 3: I shot these #StarTrails on my #HERO4 during a trip to the #Dolomites. We were in the woods near a small village that was distanced from light pollution. Inspired by the magnificent beauty, I wanted to capture the unique moment. I started a Night Lapse and let it run for a while so that I would have enough shots to create the star trails later. • Photo 4: When there's not a lot of #snow, @pietrocaloi and I like to get creative with our GoPros. In this picture, we used snow fired from a cannon to block out the light, creating a very special background for the trick.

A post shared by GoPro (@gopro) on Jan 19, 2018 at 12:43pm PST

You break it, we’ll replace it. No questions asked. #GoProPlus now includes damage replacement, cloud backup, unlimited photo storage, accessory discounts, + more. Click the link in our bio to get started. ☁️ 🎬 🙌

A post shared by GoPro (@gopro) on Jan 31, 2018 at 1:12pm PST

GoPro offers a range of cameras and likes to use model-specific hashtags to show which cameras were used for certain posts. These hashtags may not be as popular as the simpler #GoPro hashtag but they help customers filter search results. The company also offers GoPro Plus, a subscription-based service for storage and sharing. This service has its own hashtag and is used whenever the company talks about it.

Trending Hashtag: Warby Parker

Another common strategy for hashtag marketing is to jump into trending hashtag conversations. These conversations are often fast-paced, short lived and unpredictable in their occurrences.

A major advantage in contributing to a trending hashtag conversation is that when timed correctly, the brand exposure and payoff can be astronomical. The day after a viral trending hashtag on Twitter, news networks often capture the most popular Tweets.

However, there are quite a few downsides to this strategy. Unless you’re already tracking conversations in your feeds, this strategy requires you to be more attentive, more often. It can be risky jumping into a trending hashtag without knowing why it’s trending in the first place.

Finally, your company might not be the best fit for a hashtag. Sometimes it’s better to watch things unfold than to risk being tone deaf.

We've had some unexpected visitors in our stores this week! #pokemongo pic.twitter.com/YtMT2iJR7D

— Warby Parker (@WarbyParker) July 13, 2016

When Pokemon Go first became a sensation, Warby Parker jumped in on the hype and posted some fun photos of Pokemon being spotted in their stores. The result was a more authentic and fun brand.

To find trending Twitter hashtags, check out this post to dive even deeper:

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Holiday Hashtag: Foodstirs

When planning your content calendar, you may find that certain holidays use their own hashtags. Everything from #4thofJuly to #maythefourthbewithyou to #nationaldonutday can become an opportunity for your brand to have fun.

One cautionary piece of advice is to make sure that your content is still relevant to your audience. If your brand doesn’t seem like it would celebrate National Pie Day, don’t force it into your feed just to capitalize on the holiday.

Using holiday hashtags correctly can help you brand be discovered in search results. To find some of the most popular holiday hashtags, we prepared a calendar for you.

Eat more HOLE foods 🍩🍩#nationaldonutday 〰 Shop our Out of This World Donuts before they’re gone! 👉foodstirs.com

A post shared by Foodstirs (@foodstirs) on Nov 5, 2017 at 9:25am PST

Foodstirs offers baking mixes, so National Donut Day was right in their wheelhouse. Its colorful, attention-grabbing photo tempts their audience to try the mix out for themselves at home.

Tracking Hashtags

There are various hashtag tracking tools available to you. Depending on which kind of hashtag you’re using, you may use only one or a combination of any of the below methods:

1. Outbound Hashtags

Reports like Sprout’s Instagram Outbound Hashtag Performance are good at helping you determine your most engaging hashtags. This is helpful if you’re testing between different branded hashtags.

2. Campaign Hashtag Monitoring

Any hashtag campaign needs an effective monitoring method. In Sprout’s Smart Inbox, you can have posts with the same hashtag across multiple platforms show up in one place. It makes social media monitoring easier than switching between networks.

In Instagram, you can also choose to “follow” a hashtag. If you follow an interest hashtag, like #latteart, you’ll likely find new accounts to engage with.

3. Hashtag Listening

Use social listening to track conversation around specific hashtags or phrases. Sprout’s Twitter reports let you know which phrases are most commonly used with your brand. These might give you a good idea of which hashtags to use.

Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas to try out for your next hashtag use and real-life examples to emulate. We’d love to know how you’ve been using hashtag marketing and what you’ve found to be successful. Leave us a comment down below!

This post How Brands Use Hashtag Marketing to Increase Brand Awareness originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie https://sproutsocial.com/insights/hashtag-marketing/

[viralhottopics]

SXSW 2017 didn’t have a darling app, just a constellation of ride-hailing madness

Image: mashable composite/associated press/blended images

SXSW is known for having breakout apps of the year. There was Twitter, Foursquare and, most recently, Meerkat.

But this year it’s not about anything innovative in tech that’s got every attendee pulling out their smartphone and opening the app store.

SEE ALSO: Uber’s Travis Kalanick: Yep, I’m a jerk, basically

In Austin, Texas, there’s no Uber or Lyft. To make the 25-minute drive from the airport to downtown Austin, you have to either rent a car, hail a taxi, or download a new app.

And yes, you read that right: Not even Lyft.

In Austin, for almost the last year, the two biggest ride-hailing companies in the United States haven’t operated. It’s a complicated tale of citizens versus corporations, of distaste for a duopoly and annoyance for not complying to town rules, that’s left Austin as one of the few areas in the U.S. where “Let’s get an Uber” just doesn’t fly.

Instead, you’ll see this:

Image: uber screenshot

Austinites and visitors, like the 70,000 people who traveled for SXSW, have to use Ride Austin, Fasten, Fare, Get Me, Arcade City, Wingz, zTrip, Chariot, pedicabs, taxis, and walking insteadjust to name a few options. In a world (well, city) without Uber and Lyft, innovation’s emerged, some say, with dozens of new players seizing the opportunity to grow a transportation business.

“I would say Austin is innovative and developing. Frankly, I’m just proud of my city for being able to adapt in real-time for the loss of the big players,” Austin city Mayor Steve Adler said.

But others critique that what has happened in Austin isn’t really that innovative. “Is it really innovation, or are they just less sophisticated ride-sharing platforms?” said Austin city council member Ellen Troxclair.

Over a week spent taking cars, interviewing the new players, the tech giants, the legislators, the drivers, the riders and the visitors in Austin, we came to learn that in some ways, the city’s just created another duopoly, which has led to a state of confusion and mismanagement. Is it worth it? Is it really safer? And then, of course, what about that black market player we discovered, the one operating a service on the blockchain?

What’s really happening when you catch a ride in Austin?

Welcome to Austin

When I arrived at SXSW on March 9, the Austin airport greeted me with a sign for Ride Austin.

Downloading fake Uber http://pic.twitter.com/DxzAqMLxHQ

Kerry Flynn #SXSW (@kerrymflynn) March 9, 2017

I was joking, of course. But when I cracked open the local-use app, I found a design strikingly similar to Uber itself. How do they get away with it? Well: Just ask Facebook how they get away with all three of their Stories products. They do it because they can.

My Mashable colleagues, who I tasked with sharing their ride-hailing experiences with me, found Ride Austin to be their go-to service of the trip.

“I used RideAustin just now and it was basically exactly like Uber, but I didnt feel like shit for using it (given all the recent news/management problems),” one colleague wrote to me on Slack. “Nothing bad about the service. It was great. The car I had smelt like cigarette smoke, but the driver was so lovely that it didnt bother me too much.”

Another one of my colleagues, who’s quite familiar with product design, didn’t have an enjoyable time with the app, however.

“Ride Austin on Android is a really bad experience, to the point where I couldn’t even use it. The first screen gives you single option to sign in, on the next screen you can authenticate with FB, or use an existing email/PW combo. If you do FB it lets you go through the whole rigamarole and then gives error that you have to sign up first,” she said. “On the plus side, the cab line went fast.”

According to my first Ride Austin driver from the airport to the hotel, Austinites and visitors should have multiple ride-hailing apps on their phone in case of congestion. He drove for Fasten, as well.

“The app was crashing a bunch the first time I used it, and kept signing me out, but it seems to be holding up now,” another one of my colleagues said. “All in all, it doesn’t feel like I miss Uber all that much.”

Companies drive in

So why no Uber and Lyft? The two companies left the city last year after losing a fight against a ballot measure to eliminate the need for drivers to have fingerprint background checks. Lyft and Uber argued that this safety measure was unnecessary and funneled millions of dollars into lobbying against it.

But when the giants left, smaller players looked ahead, such as Fasten, a ride-hailing app that had so far only operated in Boston.

“We saw opportunity to do something good here. Multibillion companies have been built on top of drivers who do all the work. Why would we take a quarter out of each drivers dollar just because we can? We recognized the mistakes that Uber and Lyft were making. We saw room for a company for putting people first,” Fasten CEO Kirill Evdakov tells me in their WeWork space a few miles up from downtown Austin.

Sitting across from four men at a table, I learn that while these men consider their business to be the third biggest player under Uber and Lyft, they don’t see ride-hailing as an innovative business.

“Ride-sharing being an innovation was so much of a hype,” said Fasten CMO Roman Levitskiy. “Ride-sharing is a new business for America, not for Russia.”

Still, the men are competitive against their rivals in Austinparticularly with Ride Austin. Fasten has 60 percent of the market in Austin, according to Fasten.

Image: created by fasten

Some riders, and drivers, preferred Ride Austin due to its nonprofit status. Riders can choose to roundup to the dollar and donate the rest to a charity of their choices.

So while there apparently seems to be another duopoly at play in Austin, SXSW attendees did have some other options. Chariot, a startup acquired by Ford last year, was running its shuttle vans throughout downtown.

“Our goal is to become the first global mass transit,” Chariot CEO Ali Vahabzadeh said. “Food, clothing, shelter, and transportation has become the fourth standard of living. We’re really excited that Chariot can become a part of the solution.”

Wingz also runs in Austin as a personal driver service, coordinated through an app. “Our drivers are waiting for you, rather than you waiting on the curb for Uber and Lyft,” CEO Chris Brandon said. “You are completely under the control of the Uber and Lyft platform. On Wingz, you schedule the time. You schedule the driver.”

An underground option also exists. Arcade City takes rides via Facebook Messenger (and an app) and is built on the blockchain to bypass regulations. I asked for an interview with the regional director in Texas only to be told in an email: “I’m out there running on the front lines with the other drivers as well. So I sleep very little and drive all the time.”

The comeback

SXSW didn’t run seamlessly. Ride Austin and Fasten had “glitches” Saturday nightarguably, the busiest time for SXSW events.

The mayor, who spoke with me on the phone several times over the week, was quick to defend and champion the apps. “We had a glitch on Saturday. I can remember being at the [Democratic National Convention] in July and Uber didnt work,” he said.

“I think the real thing you should look at is how did they recover last night? I havent heard from Fasten, but Ride Austin was 14,000 [rides] strong,” he continued.

There’s always other, non-tech options in Austin. The weekend after Uber and Lyft left a conference across the street from City Hall hired pedicabs, according to Council Member Troxclair.

Image: ellen troxclair

Uber and Lyft may come back soon. During the second week of SXSW, a new ride-hailing bill was presented to the House Transportation Committee of Texas.

“Uber wishes to be in many, many more cities in Texas, and our hope is that one day we can cover the entire state,” TrevorTheunissen, Uber’s Public Affairs Lead in Texas, said in his testimony before the committee. “However, the local regulations under which we currently operate vary as much as Texas landscape, and it presents unique challenges when it comes to moving people across multiple lines of jurisdiction.”

One driver said he didn’t really miss Uber. “They were so douchey to deal with. They could care less about us,” he said.

Several of the drivers I rode with during SXSW used to work for Uber and/or Lyft. One driver said he didn’t really miss Uber. “They were so douchey to deal with. They could care less about us,” he said.

“As a consumer,” he said, “they were a good deal. I had to get a regular job when I was driving for them because there was no minimum fare. The cost got so low.”

Austinites are rather apprehensive over Uber’s return. “There are a lot of people in Austin that do really miss Uber though just for convenience factor, just because it’s a little cheaper, but most of us would rather pay $2 more,” said Elise Graham, an Austin resident and cofounder of Olivia AI.

Sometimes, though, technologybe it a major player like Uber or a minor one like Ride Austinjust doesn’t work. My boyfriend was left stranded at a strip mall after his Ride Austin ride took him to the wrong address. It was either walk in the rain for 30 minutes, wait for another driver, or find a different solution.

Turns out a few kids in the parking lot were willing to offer a ride back to downtown. Good ole Southern hospitality.

Back in New York

Walking through New York’s LaGuardia airport, after eight days in Austin, I was quickly reminded of Uber and Lyft.

Lyft!!!! You’ve been missed http://pic.twitter.com/Sp6WVQyNal

Kerry Flynn (@kerrymflynn) March 17, 2017

And Uber. Except #DeleteUber http://pic.twitter.com/NNqz8mzrUF

Kerry Flynn (@kerrymflynn) March 17, 2017

Three Uber employees were stationed by the exit, dressed in Uber shirts, holding Uber bags and handing out cards for $10 UberPool rides.

One of the employees said she “loved working for Uber because I get to help people get home. It’s a good company full of loving people.”

I thanked her for her time and said I had to go catch my Lyft outside.

“Lyft, they’re good too,” she said.

WATCH: Ditch your nail and hammer. Build your dream house in just 2 days using only wooden bricks.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2n9lait

from SXSW 2017 didn’t have a darling app, just a constellation of ride-hailing madness

[easyfoodnetwork]

Food for hospital workers Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering | Loren Michelle/Deborah Miller Catering From the Editor: Everything you missed in food news last week This post originally appeared on April 11, 2020 in Amanda Kludt’s newsletter “From the Editor,” a roundup of the most vital news and stories in the food world each week. Read the archives and subscribe now. I’m just going to say straight out I haven’t been doing what I should be doing for the restaurant community during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been a good consumer, buying as much wine and product, merch and gift cards as I can from small businesses, especially in my neighborhood. I feel good about my role as a leader of a news organization and the work my team has done to highlight all the important issues and struggles on the local and national level. But I’m feeling real guilt about my lack of work on a personal level, when it comes to giving money and time or being vocal about the current crisis on social media. Oftentimes people send me flyers to put up on my Instagram or messages to tweet and it seems so empty and performative. How is a hashtag going to do anything? But then how is doing nothing and wallowing in despair helpinganyone? So, I decided yesterday I need to get out of my funk and actually try to help. I’m telling you this in the off chance you, too, are paralzyed by the scale of this problem. My plan of action: Create a budget for donations, based on my usual annual charitable giving. I’ll keep a reserve of that money to give over the next couple of months as new initiatives pop up. Choose where I’d like to focus the money. Right now, I’m planning to divide attention between feeding the front line workers (I’m thinking Treats Help and Share a Meal), national charities focused on restaurant workers and owners (Restaurant Workers Community Foundation), community kitchens (The Lee Initiative), and something that’s not about food at all (would love suggestions). Find ways to offer time. For example, I just learned a restaurant near me is looking for people to transport meals to hospitals and I happen to have a car. I’m also inspired by my interview with Ed Lee this week (please listen) to bring some Easter candy to the community kitchens in Brooklyn this weekend. And, of course, I’ll just keep buying up as much wine and gift cards from my locals as possible. If we are friends, you know what your holiday gift will be this year. On Eater Wonho Frank Lee Jessica Koslow at Sqirl before shutting down for takeout | Wonho Frank Lee COVID-19 Coverage Illness: More coronavirus cases have hit the restaurant community, in what I fear is only the start of a wave that will hit hard. Confirmed illnesses this week include Keith McNally and Nancy Silverton, and deaths include a beloved butcher in New York and restaurant owners in Seattle. News to know: LA is asking residents to skip grocery store runs; Yelp laid off 1,000 employees and furloughed 1,100 others; major restaurateurs are pushing lawmakers (and the presdient) and suing to get insurance companies to cover COVID-19-related business interuption costs; restaurants are having troubles getting their moneyfrom GoFundMe campaigns; and bakers in San Francisco are leaving sourdough starter all around the city. Delivery beat: A number of notable restaurants and restaurant groups, including Sqirl in LA, One Off Hospitality in Chicago, Donald Link’s restaurants in New Orleans, and restaurants across Detroit have ceased delivery and takeout after assessing the health risks; meanwhile Caviar and its parent delviery service Doordash will slash commissions for restaurants while Grubhub is fighting SF City Hall to maintain its cut. Innovative fundraisers: Some out-of-work industry workers in Dallas are selling nudes to raise money; an Etsy seller made Jose Andres prayer candles; a bunch of amateur and pro artists are selling drawings on Instagram; and high-end restaurants are selling off trophy bottles. Traditional relief: Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah, and Laurene Powell Jobs donated millions to start a new fund that will mainly work with World Central Kitchen to feed people in need; Guy Fieri pledged to raise $100 million; Rachael Ray is giving $2 million; Rick Bayless is feeding 800 out of work industry workers a week; more community kitchens are popping up in Dallas, Oakland and Sonoma, Detroit, D.C., and inside the Nationals Stadium. Meanwhile, relief funds are completely overwhelmed, food pantries are completely overwhelmed, and schools are picking up the slack. The stimulus: It’s not enough, and banks aren’t ready. Here’s what the Independent Restaurant Coalition is asking for. And while you’re home Natoora [Official] A Natoora fruit box | Natoora If you would like to know about the best delivery options, wholesalers doing home delivery, and more, we have giant service guides in New York, LA, Portland, and San Francisco and some fantastic maps in every single city site so go check them out. Once you have your order, here’s how to make your takeout look good. If you are trying to get into baking, you might be wondering, what is yeast anyway? And if you need a starting place, here are the best Smitten Kitchen recipes and best Ina Garten recipes, according to Eater editors. This week on the podcast Daniel and I talk to chef Ed Lee about the community kitchens he’s set up across the country and the heartbreaking decisions he has to make on a daily basis. Then we talk about the biggest stories of the week. Off Eater How beloved Texas supermarket H-E-B was well-prepared for the pandemic. [Texas Monthly] All your questions about grocery shopping answered. [Vox] Chef Hugh Acheson’s poweful articulation on how fucked restaurants are. [Atlanta Magazine] Dining along the empty freeways of LA. [NYT] A new movement to help Chinatowns through this. [Grub Street] Bodegas are always there for you in a crisis. [NYT] How the novel coronavirus is impacting the real estate market across the U.S. [Curbed] from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2K3Twxq

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