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fxkthatdairy · 5 years ago

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The Principal’s Office: Part Two ~Grayson Dolan

Overview: (Y/F/N) (Y/L/N) was the new 5th grade history teacher at The Dolan’s Private academy in New Jersey. She moved from across the country to teach at the school. On the first day, an unexpected visitor stops by her classroom to check in on her. What happened when they fall head over heels for each other? Check out to see.

Warnings: None in this chapter

(Y/N)’s alarm began to ring at 5:30 in the morning. She rolled out of her bed and turned her alarm off. She stretched out before walking into her bathroom. Today was her first day teaching and she was excited and nervous at the same time. This was her first job as a teacher and she didn’t know how the kids would like her. Then she realized that Grayson would be there and her heart started racing. She snapped herself out of it realizing he would never be with her. Reason one was the fact that he was technically her boss and reason number two was the fact rarely did the hot guys fall for the history nerd who’s never even had a boyfriend before. She sighed and stripped from her pajamas and stepped in the shower. She took a quick shower and got out and dried off. She did her normal morning routine, curled her hair and slipped into her first day outfit which was a pair of dark green jeans with a white button down and gray sweater on top of that, a pair of nude flats and her purse(visual below).

She grabbed everything that she was going to need including all of her lesson plans for the week, her laptop, her phone cord, her good pens that she specifically bought for grading, and a few little decors to make her room unique. She moved all her stuff to her car and began heading to work. The school was about 20 minutes away from her house and she used those 20 minutes to mentally prepare herself for this day. When she arrived at the school she parked in the teachers parking lot and grabbed all of her things and made sure to throw her lanyard with her ID on it so that she was able to get into the school. She scanned her badge and quickly looked to see what hall she was on and what her room number was: 319. She walked down the long hallway until she reached the 300 hall and walked down in finding room 319. She room was larger than the rooms that she remembered from her fifth grade classes but then again she attended a public school. The room had rows of desks, a large white board, a projector screen, plenty of closet space, a beautiful white desk with a fairly comfortable leather chair, and a huge computer monitor. She placed her bag down beside her desk. It was now around 7:15 and she had an hour and 15 minutes until school started. She began pulling out the stuff she had brought to decorate her classroom and desk. She placed her pictures in her desk that included the pictures from her graduation, her family pictures, a picture of her and her mom, and many of her at historic sites. She plugged in her essential oil machine and put in a slight bit of peppermint oil in. She began hanging her history posters and maps from every topic in the semester and wrote her name on the white board in cursive. She also set up the calendar that she had bought and arranged the desks how she liked them.

“You’re here fairly early. I thought I was the only one here this early.” A voice said from the door way. That voice belonged to the one and only Grayson Dolan; the principal of the school.

“Yeah, I wanted to make some personal touches and make sure I was prepared for the day. I hope you don’t mind.” She said as she noticed he was looking around.

“These photos are beautiful. You seem very passionate about History and your family. I find that very admirable Ms (Y/L/N).” He said. Her heart fluttered almost out of her chest.

“Thank you sir. My mom has always been there for me. History has been apart of my life since as long as I can remember.” She said and made sure everything was in order before she walked back over to her desk.

“Well I’ll swing by later to check on you and see how you are doing. Maybe I can bring you lunch around lunch time. Have a fantastic day (Y/N).” He said and with that he was gone. The one thing (Y/N) didn’t know was that Grayson Dolan was absolutely in love with her. He felt a connection with her that he’s never felt before.

It was now 8:15 and she had 15 minutes until her first class of the day would arrive. She sat down in her leather chair and turned the projector on and pulled up her welcoming PowerPoint that she spent a good three hours making. Her plan for today was to introduce herself to the class and get to know some of her students. She then went and stood in front of her door to welcome the children into the classroom. The school bell rang indicating that school had begun and she had five minutes before all her kids needed to be in her classroom. As all of her students filled her room she welcomed them with a warm smile and handshake. The tardy bell rang and she shut her door making sure that it locked in compliance of school rules.

“Good Morning and welcome back to school. I hope each and every one of you had a fantastic weekend and let me be the first to welcome you to fifth grade History. My name is Ms. (Y/L/N) and I’m so ready for this year with you guys. Now it’s time for role.” (Y/N) spoke and everyone was present so she sent in attendance and then grabbed the remote to change the slides as she stood to introduce herself to the class.

“So I thought instead of giving you guys work on the first day, that we would take this time to get to know each other starting with myself. If you can not tell, this is my first year here and by my accent you can tell I am not from around here. I actually moved here from Oklahoma and this is my first year teaching actually. I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma with my mom and sister and brother, I’m 25 years old and I went to school at Oklahoma University on a full scholarship ride. I’ve been to almost every historical monument in the United States and have met several past presidents. I also am a very hands on teacher and I’ll try and start bringing some historical artifacts that I’ve collected over the years next week but it depends on if I can get them out of my moving boxes. Now does anyone want to share anything about themselves.” (Y/N) spoke. About 10 kids hands shot up. She called on the first kid she saw. He was sitting in the front row and looked like an athletic kid.

“My name is Thomas and I played football and baseball all summer and I made the All Regional Leauge in town. Also why history?” He asked.

“Well I was never good at math so I knew that would not be an option. I liked English but I didn’t want to grade a lot of essays. The only science I ever really got into was medical science and I’m terrified of blood and needles so I fell in love with history. Plus everything has history, your family, your town, even your pets have history. History is all around us and it shapes the world today.” She said and a few more kids shared their stories and soon there was only five minutes left of class. She grabbed the packet of information to send home to their parents about the class and passed them out.

“Please get these signed and returned between tomorrow and Friday. Have a fantastic rest of the day and I can’t wait to see you guys tomorrow.” She said as the bell rang. The next three classes went that way and now it was time for lunch. She sat down at her desk and rubbed her sore feet from standing. There was a knock on her door and then the door opened revealing Grayson.

“I brought lunch. I hope you don’t mind. I brought some chicken salads.” He said with a smile as he handed her a salad.

“Thank you so much.” She said with a smile on her face.

“So how’s your first day been so far?” He said as he pulled up a chair to your desk so that he can eat.

“It’s been wonderful. The students have been so respectful and amazing. This job means a lot to me and it’s perfect. I’ve had no problems at all today except the pain in my feet from standing but I can get over that soon.” She said with a laugh.

Grayson laughed as well with one of his gorgeous smiles, “Well that’s good. I’m glad you’re enjoying this. Sometimes the students are a little too much to handle when you get into the higher grades especially. Apparently I’m almost every 8th grade girls crush and it’s honestly kind of creepy some days. I’m 30 for Christ sakes.” He said with a laugh.

(Y/N) laughed remembering her awkward phase in 8th grade when she thought she was going to marry Tom Cruise. “It’s just something they go through during that awkward transition in life. I went through it, my sister went through it, I’m pretty sure my mother went through it. That’s why I picked fifth grade, they have no clue or really no interests in relationships.”

“That’s true. Well lunch is almost over and I would love to get to know you more other than helping you move in. I would like to take you out to dinner this Saturday. I’ll give you time to think about it and no hard feelings if you say no. I’ll text you the details later. Have a great rest of the day (Y/N).” He said as he put his chair back where he got it and left the room. Her heart and mind were spinning. He has just asked her on a dinner date. Her BOSS just asked her on a dinner date. The man who stole her heart with a smile asked her on a dinner date. She couldn’t even fully function. She quickly shook out of it as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. She finished off the rest of her classes before 4:30 came and she was finally able to go home. She grabbed all of her belongings and made sure everything was off before heading home. She stopped and grabbed her something to eat before heading back to her house due to the fact that she has no groceries at home. When she got home she processed long and hard about her current situation. She went to bed that night replaying every possible outcome in her head whether she said yes or no. As she was laying down her phone buzzed: One New message from Grayson Dolan.

Hey (Y/N), it’s Grayson. I would love to take you to Juliane’s Seafood and Steakhouse this Saturday night at 7:30 to get to know you more. I really hope you come, I really enjoy hearing your stories and you intrigue me. Once again no harsh feelings if you don’t want to go. It’s only if you feel comfortable. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your night. Anyways have a good night and see you tomorrow 🙂

(Y/N) thought long and hard with her decision and finally responded....

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That was part two! Sorry for the cliffhanger but hey it builds suspense ☺️ I’m really enjoying how this story is turning out and I hope you guys are too 😊 part three will be out in the next few days.

Tags: @pineappledols @frickin-bats @graysavant

#grayson dolan imagines #grayson dolan au #grayson dolan fic #dolan twins imagine #dolan twins #ethan dolan #grayson dolan fluff #grayson dolan smut #au #fanfic #Grayson Dolan imagines #Grayson Dolan

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cecilspeaks · 7 years ago

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112 - Citizen Spotlight

If you see something crawling across your floor in the dark, don’t worry. It’s probably just a tarantula. Welcome to Night Vale.

Listeners, in this fast-paced world of community radio and local news, I think we’ve lost sight of the truly important thing: the individuals who make up our diverse community.

So today, I want to try out a new segment I've put together called Citizen Spotlight, in which we will profile a randomly selected citizen, diving deep into who they are, and maybe discovering some things about ourselves along the way.

Oh, here’s an intro I’m working on for it.

[very deep, menacing voice] Spotlights, roving in the night. Hunting. Closing in. But everything is backwards. The night is hot and bright. The spotlights are deep and black. Everything they touch turns to darkness. They are searching for the light. They consume it.

[chipper voice] That’s a rough draft. I’m open to notes. Anyway, today’s inaugural spotlight was curated by closing my eyes and pointing in the phone book. And so today, we will talk about Sigrid Borg. She’s a brand new citizen who has just arrived in Night Vale. I have hear this classified dossier, we had a team of heist experts – thanks, Janice – steal from the Hall of Public Records. The dossier says that Sigrid was relocated to Night Vale as part of a witness protection program, and that Sigrid is not her real name. Nor is she of the Scandinavian origin her name might suggest. Thus all of the information we managed to obtain on Sigrid for this segment is fictional, created by a government software program to ensure her total anonymity, and in no way represents who she really is as a person. In all probability, it is in most ways the opposite of her true identity, but for safety, it’s important that we all believe this made-up biography is absolute fact. It is extremely, extremely important. She would be in great danger if anyone from the outside world started to doubt who she claimed to be.

We’ll get to our Citizen Spotlight momentarily, but first, as a way to make Sigrid feel more at home, I’ve asked other Night Vale citizens to reveal a dark secret that they’ve never shared. I will be reading those throughout today’s broadcast. The first comes from Susan Escobar, second grade teacher at Night Vale elementary school. She writes: “One night, I was at school late grading homework, and I heard strange sounds coming from the cafeteria. When I looked inside, I saw a giant mandala on the floor made entirely of frozen fish sticks. It seemed to be undulating and alive. When I blinked, it vanished. But every night I dream of flying toward a cloudless sky, and in the center of that sky is that fish stick mandala. And I wake before I reach it, but each dream a little closer. And the night that I reach that mandala in my dream is the night I will die.” Thanks Susan! Sounds fun.

Now let’s talk about Sigrid. Though new to town, Sigrid Borg was born in Night Vale and has lived here her entire life. Her parents were immigrants from the picturesque Swedish port city of Halmstad. She tries to go back at least once a year to visit her grandparents, a retired grade school teacher and a retired timber farmer, who have a lovely cottage overlooking at the mouth of the Nissan river, where it meets the North Sea. Sigrid has always been close with her grandparents, though in recent visits, has become distressed at her grandmother’s increased mental confusion and grandfather’s drinking habits. She doesn’t call them as often she used to and feels guilty about that. She’s torn between the desire to take more responsibility for their health and well being and the desire to block the situation out of her mind completely, as it has become a signifier of the irrevocable loss of her own childhood, and a direct confrontation with morality itself.

Sigrid’s favorite food is smorgåstårta, a Scandinavian layer cake that is made of sandwiches and fish paste. Ask her to make it for your next big event. She’s been carefully drilled by her witness protection handlers on the foods of her childhood, and has almost got the hang of making them, although she has failed to acquire a taste for fish paste.

Some fun facts that you may not know about Sigrid, despite having lived in the same town with her all your lives. She has a degree in marine hauntology from an online university. She has a disorder that makes it impossible for her to sweat or cry. She has served on the board of the Sand Wastes Conservation Fund for six and a half years. She is deeply embedded into our community and way of life.

And now, another confession from a local resident about a dark secret. This one from my dear friend Earl Harlan. It reads: “On a Boy Scout training maneuver near the old dirt road, I witnessed the apparition of my 10-year-old self wearing the scout uniform of my youth. He trained with us all afternoon, and I tried not to give him any preferential treatment. As the afternoon passed, new memories appeared in my mind of training at 10 years old with a group of strangers, one of whom seemed familiar and stared at me constantly in horror.” That’s adorable! Thanks, Earl!

Back to Citizen Spotlight. Sigrid spent her childhood in the Hefty Sycamore Trailer Park near downtown. She didn’t have many friends; she was shy in school. One year, she tried out for a solo in the school holiday pageant. For the audition, she sang a Flakey-O’s jingle that was very popular at the time, but no one took her seriously. They all thought she was making a joke. She apologized and faded back into the bleachers. She truly loved that jingle. It spoke to her soul, it made her feel something. She recorded it off the radio and listened to it often, rewinding and replaying it out at the picnic table on summer nights, when the rest of her family was asleep. But she never listened to it again after the solo tryouts, because it only brought back the sound of the other kids laughing, of her teacher’s scolding voice lecturing the class to take themselves seriously, or no one else would. And it made her feel ashamed. She eventually recorded over the tape with audio from a TV special about orphaned lion cubs. But sometimes, under the hungry sucking sounds of giant kittens drinking from baby bottles, she thought she could still hear the song.

In 7th grade, she finally made some friends during the unknown creature dissection unit in science class. She wasn’t squeamish, and her ability to identify and extract misshapen internal organs without flinching made her an attractive lab partner. Everyone thought she was new in town because they had never noticed her before. She still has that effect on people. In the spring of that year, someone asked her to to the junior high dance. The team was “heat death of the universe”. The boys spent a lot of time licking the crepe paper decorations to dye their tongues bright colors and impress the girls. The girls were not impressed, but laughed anyway. Sigrid’s date tried to lick her hand to see if the dye would come off on her skin. This caused Sigrid to feel a surge of strange tingling panic, and she fled to the bathroom for 30 minutes. Her friends eventually found her and dragged her back into the gym. She danced with them for the rest of the night, hiding from the boys with the blue tongues.

There were bountiful crops that year. Some say this was not a coincidence. Some say the junior high dance is a secret crop fertility ritual outlined in the town charter, but kept secret from the children who participate. When the dance was cancelled in the following years, due to the crepe paper dye related poisoning incident, Night Vale experienced extreme drought and locust plagues. Some say this, too, was not a coincidence.

A quick bulletin board reminder: the reinstated junior high dance is coming up! May all you young citizen make lush and plentiful memories, and have a cornucopia of fun.

More Citizen Spotlight soon, but first, The weather.

["Try Try Try" by Rachael Sage]

Another secret confession. Ah, what a treat! This one comes from iconic local celebrity and recent donut food truck entrepreneur, Lee Marvin. It says: “There is a void. Within that void a light. Within that light, a hand. Within that hand, a movement. Within that movement, a potential. Within that potential, everything that ever was.” Thank you Lee, and of course, a happy 30th birthday to you today!

Citizen Spotlight time. In high school, Sigrid’s left hand started to itch below the pinky finger. A small lump appeared which grew slowly over time. She became self-conscious about this and wore bulky sweatshirts with long sleeves pulled over her hands, which was luckily a fashionable look then. The nurse at the health clinic assured her that it was nothing to be concerned about, but it kept growing. Eventually, it took the shape of what appeared to be a second, smaller pinky finger. She was even able to wiggle it if she concentrated very hard. As you may know, the Hefty Sycamore Trailer Park was built on the dried-up shores of the old pesticide waste river, and Sigrid’s father felt there might be some connection between this and the extra finger. They decided to relocate.

They moved into a two-story house by the train tracks, a fixer-upper that shook on its foundation twice a day when the train came through, and once or twice erratically every night when the secret night trains passed, with their nameless and unspeakable cargos. Sigrid’s parents began to fight often, never having the money to fix up the fixer-upper, and they both spent as much time as possible away from home. Sigrid had a complicated relationship with her extra finger at this point, partially blaming it for the rift in her parents’ relationship. Once, when Sigrid was alone in the house, she heard something creeping up the stairs. She hummed the Flakey-O’s jingle til she couldn’t hear it anymore, and then she started spending a lot more time away from home also.

There was a small group of kids who hung out around the train tracks at night, so she started hanging out with them to avoid going home. They liked to smoke cigarettes and light off fireworks and dare each other to look at the secret night trains, although none of them ever did, as they all knew that to look at one of those trains meant an instant and painful death. They would talk and gossip about kids and teachers she’d never heard of before, and she began to wonder if they even went to her school. When she was hanging out with them, she would often glance up at the dark windows of her own empty house just down the tracks and see movement behind the glass. Or soft white eyes staring out.

During one of these movements, while she looked at the house, all her friends disappeared and she found herself alone on the tracks. No sign of the teenagers that had been there mere seconds before. She never saw those kids again, but she often heard their voices in portable radios on the wind, and she spent her evenings wandering up and down the tracks, looking for them.

At the end of senior year, the high school yearbook featured fun awards for each student, voted on by the class. Smartest girl and tallest boy and most likely to survive a mass extinction event, and best smile. Every single student received a commemorative award, except for Sigrid. It wasn’t intentional or out of spite. Everyone forgot that she existed. She was inexplicably absent during every school picture day throughout the years. Never participated in any extracurricular activities, didn’t speak up in class, got average grades, and ate lunch alone. Which some say contributed to her lack of memorability. But she was there, and is here, and always has been. She belongs here. It’s totally normal to forget someone you know, but you do in fact know her. Some of you know her very well.

One time you went thrift store shopping together, and she picked out a jacket for you that was too big, but she said it looked great on you. It was fuzzy and resembled furniture upholstery. Royal blue with gold stripes. The lining was ripped. She bought it for you. You found that old jacket recently, royal blue with gold stripes, you put it on. It almost fits now. You felt something that you hadn’t felt before, sticking against your ribs, tucked into the ripped lining. You reached inside and you pulled out a piece of notebook paper, folded into a hard little square. It was from Sigrid. It described a thing that she shouldn’t have seen, and couldn’t speak about. It instructed you to burn the note immediately, and you did. It instructed you to never acknowledge to her that you even received it. You can never tell anyone what the note said.

If you do run into Sigrid, remember that she is a real person filled with blood and misshapen internal organs, just like you and me. Everything I have told you about her is completely true. Well, none of it is technically true, but it was crafted by state of the art technology to evoke a range of 1-4 feelings in the listener. And as we all know, feelings are real, and truth is in the mind of the beholder. And the beholder lives out in the scorched orchard under the floorboards of the old cherry-picking stack.

Stay tuned next for a mysterious distress signal that requires urgent action, but is impossible to locate.

On behalf of everyone here at Night Vale Community Radio, welcome to your new town, Sigrid – the town where you have lived your entire life.

And to everyone else: Good night, Night Vale, Good night.

Today’s proverb: Be yourself. As if you had any choice in the matter.

#welcome to night vale #wtnv transcripts #episode 112 #citizen spotlight

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zzzwaitwhereami · 6 years ago

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When I first viewed this condo, I was happy to see that the previous owners had updated the kitchen. And they did a good job of it using high-end finishes, granite, slow-close cupboards and under-cabinet lighting. It's a 1984 building and I've since seen some of the neighbouring units with their original kitchens and let me tell you, it is not cute. It's an outdated formica, oak and linoleum eyesore. My one neighbour Kathy has been over a couple times and the first thing she always does when she comes over is walks into my kitchen, stands there and murmers to herself: "Ohhhhhh... your kitchen is so nice. So nice. I hate my kitchen. I really hate it." Lol! So, I'm very grateful for my kitchen.

During the 2 week period between taking possession and moving in, I had contractors do the ceilings (popcorn removal), paint and put in new flooring. So everything was looking nice, except... the bathroom. The bathroom was still in it's original state with a hideous golden oak vanity, and the world's worst linoleum. Now some linoleum is just fine, nice even, but this linoleum was decidedly not. The old-fashioned pattern of it I could have lived with for a while, but the colour had changed from what was presumably white, to a gross yellow. I'm not sure if it was just age, or the chain-smoking of the previous owner, but it was yellow and dirty looking. When I first moved in, I decided a good scrubbing would do wonders. Well, it did not. I tried everything: (not at the same time, pretty sure that would have created an atomic bomb) oven cleaner, ammonia, vinegar, baking soda, full strength bleach for a 30 minute soak and then a hands-and-knees scrub with a brush. No deal. It was most definitely CLEAN. But it still looked dirty. Uggh, so annoying! There were some chips in the linoleum too, which always made it look like there was dirt/debris on the surface. Back when I was coordinating the interior updates, I had asked the contractors to at least do the bathroom flooring, but they pointed out to me that if they did that now, and then later I replaced the vanity, or shower, then I'd have to do flooring again... ack! Good point. I definitely don't want to pay for flooring twice. Without any additional reno time and no more budget, I decided then I'd just live with the bathroom for a couple of years and save up for a full bathroom reno down the road. So I cleaned and cleaned and never ever did the flooring look any better. Sigh. I could totally feel Kathy's pain about her kitchen cause I was the same with my bathroom. I can live with it, but man it bugs me quite frequently. I had a handyman come by a few months later and I asked him as well, is there anything quick & cheap we can do, even just glue a newer piece of linoleum over the old ugly one? It doesn't have to be perfect, anything is better than the current state. He hummed and hawed and then said no, because then the toilet has to come off, they'd have to lift my laminate transitions that I just had custom stained and put down as well as the baseboard trim.. ugggh. Okay that sounds expensive and not at all "quick & cheap". Fine. I guess I'm stuck with it for a couple years.

About a month ago, I yet again found myself thinking "dammit I hate this dastardly bathroom floor" and I decided to do some inquiring online, surely I cannot be the only one needing a quick fix for hideous linoleum!! Surely. So I googled about and came across a few ideas and solutions, the first one being paint. I was a bit uncertain about that solution, doesn't seem to me like it's going to adhere properly, but there were quite a few people saying they'd successfully done it. But then I saw others saying they'd laid down self-adhesive vinyl tiles, right on top of old linoleum. I checked out their stories, the pictures (which looked great) and how they went about it, and this seemed like something that might work for me. So, after more reading, I found some inexpensive but cute vinyl tiles on Amazon that would go with the rest of my decor and measured all the nooks and crannies of my weirdly shaped bathroom to arrive at the square footage I'd need in tiles. (They're 1 foot by 1 foot). 4 days later, I went to the post office to pick up my 6 packages of floor tiles, and it was a bit of a miss on my part as I thought being vinyl they would be light and fairly easy to carry home from the bus. NO. Not light. Not easy to carry home!! I stopped at every telephone pole and rested the box up against it to relieve my screaming arm muscles. A lady on the street stopped to ask if I was okay. lol Yes, thank you. I'm okay. I'm just a moron. Anyway I got them home and was very pleased to see the tiles looked exactly like they were pictured on the website.

In the meantime while I was waiting for the tiles to arrive, I thought to myself, if the floor is going to look decent, then I better tackle that hideous oak vanity. Those are by far the 2 ugliest things in the room, and with those two improvements, it'll all look much better. So I cracked out the sander (yes I own a sander, that's right) and over the course of the weekend sanded the oak vanity, primed it twice, put 4 coats of paint on. I painted the baseboard trim as well while I was at it, and that was a nice improvement too. The vanity looked so much better, now I was even more eager to get to the flooring! Of course, there's always some prep work involved, so I vacuumed, de-greased, and fully dried the existing linoleum. There was silicone from the shower surround to the linoleum that was ugly and also, nothing sticks to silicone, so what am I going to do about that? I did more googling and then ended up cutting & scraping it away, bit by bit, with a box cutter and a plastic scraper. I also had to time this all properly because not until all the trim paint was dry could I wash/de-grease the flooring, but then once that's dry, I can't use the shower until the flooring is fully in and the new silicone down.... anyway, I thought maybe it would take me 3 hours on Sunday to get it done, instead 6.5. I didn't realize how many weird corners and edges and toilet and cursed bi-fold closet door in the bathroom I'd have to carefully cut the tiles around, and that was more time-consuming than I'd anticipated. So, while I was sore & tired at the end of it, it turned out looking SO much better than before that it would have been worth it even if it took triple that time and effort.

Before (egads!!):

After (so much better!):

I'm so pleased with the end result! Again, this isn't a high-quality, test-of-time solution. This is an inexpensive quick fix to tie me over for a couple years until I do the whole bathroom properly. But, so long as the tiles stay glued down and don't fall apart on me, I can probably deal with it longer than 2 years if I need to. :)

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mastcomm · 5 years ago

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The Joy of Cooking Naked

LUTZ, Fla. — Karyn McMullen is tired of being asked how she cooks bacon without any clothes on.

It’s one of those jokes people can’t help but make about nudists, and to Ms. McMullen, who has been cooking naked for more than two decades, it shows how misunderstood nudism is. Many people think only about the pitfalls — spattering fat, minor burns — and not the benefits.

“Embracing the nudist lifestyle has given me permission to feel my feelings,” she said one morning as she sautéed bell peppers while wearing nothing but a glittery manicure in her home kitchen at the Lake Como Family Nudist Resort in Lutz, about 20 miles north of Tampa. She lives here with her husband, Jayson McMullen.

“But if you want to know the truth,” she added with a resigned sigh, “I buy precooked bacon, and I microwave it on a paper towel.”

The McMullens are two of more than 10 million Americans who identify as nudists, or naturists, according to a 2011 study, the latest available, by the marketing services company Ypartnership and the Harrison Group. Some historians say the modern naturist movement in the West emerged in Europe in the 18th century as a means of promoting health, exposing the body to fresh air and sunlight; others trace its origins to Germany in the 19th century, as an effort to resist industrialization by living simpler and closer to nature.

No-clothes resorts, groups and beaches sprang up, and when Germans immigrated to the United States in the 20th century, some brought along the naturist ethos. Now nudists live all over America — though understandably, many are concentrated in warm-weather locales. Erich Schuttauf, the executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation, said they tend to skew older, more educated and wealthier. In 2017, the group estimated that nude tourism in Florida, which then had 34 nudist resorts, brought 2.2 million nudist visitors to the state each year.

So it was no surprise when The Chicago Tribune ran a recent feature on the rising popularity of the clothing-free getaway, or “nakation,” Or when Bon Appétit published “9 Rules for Naked Dining: The Etiquette of Nude Resorts.” (Tip No. 7: “Eyes Up Here, Buddy!”) Or when the American Association for Nude Recreation last fall sent out a news release with three recipes — baked chicken-and-rice, a roasted brisket and a chicken lasagna — that it deemed safe for members to bake.

But many nudists balk at any suggestion that cooking — or vacationing, or living in general — is more fraught for them than for the clothed. In fact, when it comes to cooking and dining, many nudists are unequivocal: It’s better naked. They feel less inhibited, more creative.

“It’s like a painter when his mind is free of everything else,” said Jack Clark, who lives part-time at the Lake Como resort. “He paints whatever.”

The nudist movement has historically been connected to food: When it emerged in Europe, it was as much about diet as about clothing. Some nudists avoided meat-heavy dishes, and embraced vegetarianism and healthy eating.

Today, food is still integral to the experience at Lake Como. The oldest continuously operating nudist resort in Florida, it feels like something between a summer camp and a retirement home.

Some nudist clubs and resorts offer either a restaurant or lodgings with kitchens. Lake Como has both, ensuring that guests never have to don clothes to dine. Its full-service restaurant, the Bare Buns Cafe, serves flank steak and shrimp scampi, while a bar called the Butt Hutt, decorated with license plates and string lights, offers naked karaoke and open-mic nights.

There are no dress (or undress) requirements at the restaurant or bar, beyond the rule that each naked guest must bring a towel to sit on, for hygienic reasons. On a Saturday morning in January, a man stared at his phone as he devoured a plate of fried eggs, while another rode by in a golf cart, munching on a powdered doughnut. Others gardened, played volleyball, walked dogs, read books. They just happened to be unclothed.

Residents and guests said most of the people at the resort are white. (Nationally, there are organizations like the Black Naturists Association seeking to build community among nonwhite nudists.)

Some at Lake Como said being naked had helped them cultivate a more positive relationship with food.

Ms. McMullen, 60, a flight attendant, grew up in Massapequa Park, N.Y., and in her late 30s weighed 310 pounds. “I would go to the beach in this giant balloon of a bathing suit, and hear people laughing and whispering,” she said.

A friend recommended that she visit a nude beach in New Jersey. “I got the nerve to get in my car and go, and for the first time, no one was looking at me. No one was judging. I knew right then that this was for me.”

Ms. McMullen has since lost 185 pounds, but considers that less important. All it took to feel good about her appearance, she said, was taking her clothes off.

She spoke about being naked and being a cook as if they were one and the same, as she made carnitas in her electric pressure cooker. Her husband, Mr. McMullen, 63, who is retired from the plumbing business, strummed his guitar.

“It is very creative,” Ms. McMullen said. “It is very do-your-own-thing. You take what you want and leave the rest.”

The McMullens live here but travel often, staying at nude resorts when they can. Their walls are hung with group photos from nude cruises. Ms. McMullen has two adult sons who visit from time to time, and go naked. For occasions that require them, like grocery shopping, the couple maintain a stash of clothes in a room where they keep cleaning supplies.

On the other side of the resort, another couple, Mr. Clark and Maryanne Rettig, prepared to host a dinner party — something they probably wouldn’t have done back when they always wore clothes.

“I was a very shy and nervous and introverted person,” said Mr. Clark, 63. “I’d stay isolated. I didn’t have a lot of friends. The second I was nude, that disappeared in two seconds. My whole life changed.”

Four years ago, Ms. Rettig, 62, was treated for lymph node cancer, which limited the mobility of her right arm. That arm swelled frequently, so she had to wear loosefitting clothes. One day, she accompanied relatives to a nude beach. As soon as she was naked, none of that mattered. She felt comfortable.

The two split their time between Orlando and their house in Lake Como. During the week, Mr. Clark works as an optometrist, and Ms. Rettig runs a nonprofit group called Tampa Bay Free Beaches, which lobbies for opening up more areas of Florida to nude recreation.

“I feel freer and more imaginative when I am nude while cooking,” said Mr. Clark, standing over his stove, tossing clams into garlic broth and boiling angel-hair pasta. A sign above his head read, “It’s naked o’clock somewhere.”

He deftly maneuvered around the kitchen, nearly grazing his belly with a pot of hot water while draining the pasta, wearing only oven mitts. “I’m fine!” he insisted.

Around 5 p.m., guests arrived, each dutifully carrying a towel — though some chairs already had towels draped over them, in case anyone had forgotten. They ate at a table on the deck, paper napkins slung over their thighs, slurping strands of pasta as the sun slid from the sky and Jimmy Buffett crooned from a speaker.

“I used to hate dinner parties,” said Ms. McMullen, who was in attendance. “They were always pretentious. There was all this small talk I didn’t get. Now I get to be myself. I don’t have to hide it when I don’t understand someone.”

That ease, they say, extends to eating out. At the Bare Buns Cafe, government health rules require that the staff be clothed, but most customers dine in the nude.

Nudists “are more friendly and more understanding than people who are not nude,” said the restaurant’s manager, Stephan Krienes, 78, who is not a nudist. “They are not uptight.” He said it took him “about 10 minutes” to adjust to being around naked people.

Tara Pickett, a cook at Lake Como and some other nudist resorts in the area, agreed. “They walk around like they have clothes on,” said Ms. Pickett, 36. “You walk up to someone and don’t even notice they are naked. They make you feel welcome.”

Where the restaurant does struggle, she added, is in hiring help. “When they find out people here are nudists, they seem to shy away,” she said. “They think they have to be nude here, and they don’t.”

Dee Lyman, 52, a bartender at the Butt Hutt, said she missed mixing drinks without a top on — legal in a bar setting, but Mr. Krienes requires uniforms. “I feel constricted,” she said.

For the uninitiated, residents are quick to explain their ways and distinct parlance. It’s “top-free” rather than “topless.” “Community” or “resort,” but never “colony.” Non-nudists are referred to as “textiles,” like a wizard calling out a muggle.

Being a nudist invites questions: Is it the same as swinging? Is it exhibitionist? Predatory? (No, no and no.) What if it’s cold outside?

“The philosophy is, nude when possible, clothed when practical,” Ms. McMullen said.

For all their enthusiasm about eating, cooking can pose some challenges. Ms. McMullen has learned to take a big step back when taking food out of the oven, to avoid being clipped by a hot rack. Her husband mostly refrains from frying, and wears an apron when he does. When grilling, he keeps a good distance from the flame.

Nancy Rehling, a retired restaurant owner who lives at Lake Como, said she wears a T-shirt when she cooks, to combat splatter. “I have scars all over my tummy and the top of my boobs from cooking,” she said — incidents involving fried fish, boiled-over soups and melted cheese, which “really sticks and keeps burning.”

But several cooks pointed out that safety and hygiene concerns are inevitable in any cooking. Table manners are no different whether someone is clothed or not. And a nudist is equally capable of preparing bacon, or any other food, as a cook in a full-length outfit.

“It’s not about the bacon,” Ms. McMullen said. “It’s about the freedom.”

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/the-joy-of-cooking-naked/

#Life style

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daniellesmithtv · 6 years ago

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Enjoy Illinois: Exploring Chicago and the Magnificent Mile

Friends. I love to travel. That is not a surprise. But sometimes you don’t have o go FAR away from home to have the very best experiences. Let’s talk about my recent trip to Chicago (just an hour flight or five hour drive from my home in St. Louis). I was a guest of Enjoy Illinois and the Magnificent Mile and the trip was truly so much fun. We packed in experiences, sight-seeing, FOOD and all things Chicago.

I’m so excited to share every little piece of my time there with you – from sightseeing to shopping, from fine dining to the most exquisite hotel stay.

Let’s start with the Claridge House Hotel….as much as I loved the atmosphere, I must start with the service. Every employee I encountered from the moment I arrived was truly exquisite. You must check out the ‘Chicago’ tab on my Instagram stories – not only for so much of my entire experience, but for a tour of my room – IT HAD A FIREPLACE.

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Grab your shades & your hat — and go explore this weekend! #OurHouseYoureHome #ChooseChicago . . . . . . . . . . . #boutiqueshopping #boutiquehotel #claridgehouse #chicago #saturdayvibes #mychipix #hotelroom #hotelroom

A post shared by Claridge House (@claridge_house) on Oct 13, 2018 at 2:41pm PDT

The decor was beautifully modern and so clean. I could have stayed in that comfortable bed all day long. Located in the most darling Gold Coast neighborhood, they offer a variety of amenities including a spa, room service, an evening bar and restaurant for dining.

After checking in to the hotel and taking a quick few minutes to freshen up, we headed out for the evening. Our first stop – 360 Chicago. The views of Chicago from the top of the John Hancock building are, in a word, breathtaking.

From the north to the south, from the east to the west….each floor to ceiling view leaves you with your mouth agape. For the daring (and we were!), we took a ride on TILT. From more than 1000 feet up, you tilt over the Magnificent Mile, for a view like no other.

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“I can see my house from here!” – Everyone . Share your photos with #360chicago to be featured . . . #chicago #chitecture #mychicagopix #insta_chicago #artofchi #illgrammers #exploreillinois #abovechicago #passionpassport #chicagogram #chigram #wonderlust #flippinchi #chicagogrammers #instagood #cityscape #chi_shooters #wu_chicago #artofvisuals #way2ill #likechicago #theculturetrip #travelawesome #chicagohome #viewfromthetop #tlpicks #onlinechicago

A post shared by 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck (@360chicago) on Nov 30, 2018 at 4:34pm PST

We weren’t allowed to take photos or video while on the ride (you know I WANTED to!)….and I *may* have screamed a little, but it was a very cool experience.

And who can experience Chicago without the quintessential deep dish pizza? Certainly not me. Lou Malnati’s Pizza spoiled us like crazy. Appetizers, salad and the most divine, mouth-watering pizza.

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Mmm… pizza (Photo cred: @hoekster416)

A post shared by Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria (@loumalnatis) on Dec 2, 2018 at 6:30pm PST

Founded in 1971, they were instrumental in creating the recipe for this Chicago favorite. Don’t think I didn’t eat until I was positively stuffed….I DID. And I slept like a baby will a full belly.

Our next day started as it should – with one of the city’s most iconic attractions – the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady.

In a span of an hour and a half, our docent (incredibly well versed tour guide) introduced us to more than 50 of the city’s most interesting buildings and he shared how Chicago grew from a small settlement into one of the country’s largest cities over the last 100 years….

They do close in the Winter months, but will resume in 2019.

Prepare to be jealous of this next experience…and I do mean experience: Eataly Chicago is more than a restaurant.

It is more than a market.

It is more than a little slice of Italy.

It is all of this and more.

We shopped. We explored. We drooled over produce, meats, cheeses and wines. We sampled – yes we did. And then enjoyed the most lovely lunch.

This location is one of five (soon to be six) in the United States – though there are a dozen in Italy and eight in other parts of the world including Seoul and Moscow.

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It’s the week before our birthday so what better way to celebrate than with a GIVEAWAY?! 🎉 Leave a comment with your favorite Eataly dish and tag a friend to win a dinner for SIX in any of our second floor restaurants! #myEatalyChicago – – – EAT & DRINK & WIN: To enter, follow these easy steps 1️⃣ like this post 2️⃣ follow @eatalychicago and 3️⃣ tag a friend in the comments who you’d invite to dinner! – – OFFICIAL RULES: Giveaway entries will accepted from 11/25/2018 to 12/1/2018 to followers in the US only, ending at 11 p.m. CST on 12/1/2018. Winner will be announced on 12/2/2018 and will have 24 hours to respond via a direct message on Instagram. This is in no way sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Instagram or any of the brands pictured. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram and all brands and participants of all responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. VOID where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. Dinner prize redeemable at Eataly Chicago (43 East Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60611) only.

A post shared by Eataly Chicago (@eatalychicago) on Nov 26, 2018 at 3:07pm PST

I simply cannot wait to go back.

Our lunch was followed by the most amazing shopping experience at the Shops at Northbridge.

Each and every store seems to pride themselves on making sure each customer has the opportunity to fully embrace the brand. Rather than simply shop, they want you to take your time, sample, enjoy.

From Alex & Ani to B8TA (such a cool concept), from Nordstrom to Kiehl’s – you could wander for hours.

One of my absolute favorites is the newly opened WinkyLux.

As a makeup brand that started with an online presence that has morphed in to an in-store adventure, they pride themselves on allowing you to fully experience the brand.

As you travel ‘behind the scenes’ from room to room, you have photo opportunities AND a chance to sample different varieties of makeup. And there is no charge.

Be sure to check them out.

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Rosé all (Holi)day 🥂 Say “cheers” to your weekend crew with this rose gold bag filled with rosé-inspired goodies.

A post shared by 🐩 Winky Lux 🐩 (@winky_lux) on Nov 7, 2018 at 12:57pm PST

Our shopping was followed by more history of Chicago at the Driehuas Museum. Located just steps from the Magnificent Mile (we walked from the Shops at Northbridge), the museum focuses on explores the art, architecture, and design of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While much of the home has been restored, so much of the original architecture and design is intact. I was struck by the contrast between tile and marble, between wood and stained glass. It is both beautiful and fascinating.

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HOLIDAY HOURS – The Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving but open during regular hours tomorrow and the rest of the week. We hope you join us to discover the Gilded Age at the Driehaus.

A post shared by Driehaus Museum (@driehausmuseum) on Nov 20, 2018 at 1:24pm PST

I have never visited Chicago and NOT stopped by one of my favorite stores on the Magnificent Mile – Coach. As a flagship store, this one always has the latest and most beautiful styles from the brand.

But it also has something that many Coach stores do not – a design studio. Not only can you bring your Coach products to them for complimentary cleaning, but you can customize your own bags.

IT. IS. MAGIC.

I was beyond grateful when they gifted us this experience. We were able to work our way through the entire design process – in this case, choosing the flowers for my bag and the symbols for the iconic Coach tag.

If you know me, you know won’t be surprised by my choices.

Also – I bought boots. Don’t judge me. I am obsessed with them.

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Inspired by an archival piece. Designed for the modern muse. In glossy metallics or Signature canvas, new-season Trail bags. #LightsCameraHoliday #CoachNY

A post shared by Coach (@coach) on Nov 20, 2018 at 2:36pm PST

Let them eat steak! Ohhhh is that supposed to be cake…. well, our final night in the city included an extraordinary meal at STK-Chicago.

It would be impossible for me to tell you what I loved the most – the salad? The mac and cheese? The mashed potatoes? The Tater Tots??? The STEAK? The COTTON CANDY DESSERT?

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The mystery of [The Cloud] is what’s inside. Find out next time you dine. • • • • #STKSeptember #STKChicago #STKNYC #STKDenver #STKMiami #STKOrlando #STKToronto #STKAtlanta #STKSanDiego #STKLondon #STKMidtown #STKDowntown #eats #dessertclub #dinnerdate #cottoncandy #cheatdayeats #eatfamous #thetravelingfork #hungrybetches

A post shared by STK (@eatstk) on Sep 20, 2018 at 8:26am PDT

With each course, they paired the perfect wine. The service was impeccable. If you are going to be in Chicago soon? GET. THERE. P.S. If you are celebrating your birthday? They is singing and sparklers. It is impossible NOT to have fun.

Speaking of fun, our final stop for the evening – wait for it – The Redhead Piano Bar.

This redhead was super excited.

The space and the pianist did not disappoint. Now….if only I could sing.

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Still searching for the perfect holiday party? Look no further, book your private party now! For more information, contact Sophia: rushanddivisionparties.com #Redhead #holidays #party

A post shared by Redhead Piano Bar (@redheadpianobar) on Nov 14, 2018 at 1:02pm PST

After this full day, you can imagine we needed to get some sleep. Remember I said I loved the bed at the Claridge House. Yep, perfection.

Lunch on our last day was a place I had never visited: Ramen-San in the Fulton Market. Specializing in being your favorite neighborhood noodle joint…I’m not sure what I loved the most – the food, or the constant rotation of 90’s hip-hop.

There is something to be said about pairing a great atmosphere with fantastic food.

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First snowfall means 🍜

A post shared by Ramen-san (@ramensanchi) on Nov 15, 2018 at 10:03am PST

Well….I have certainly given you some options. Do tell, what do you want to check out first? I know, I know – it isn’t an easy choice. But, if you have a trip to Chicago in your plans any time soon, I so hope these suggestions help you to get the most out of the city.

Disclosure: A million thanks to my hosts – Enjoy Illinois and the Magnificent Mile – for a stellar itinerary and making sure I loved every moment of my time in Chicago. As always, all thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

The post Enjoy Illinois: Exploring Chicago and the Magnificent Mile appeared first on Pretty Extraordinary.

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#IFTTT #WordPress

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bonniepospisil · 6 years ago

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Link Interactive Home Security System Review

The Link Interactive Home Security system is just one of dozens of DIY protection networks that have burst onto the scene in the past several years, using an array of older sensors alongside new technologies like 24/7 IP cameras to give homeowners a cheaper solution to alternatives like Bay or ADT. But will Link Interactive really be able to trust the average user (like myself) with something as technologically complex as home security? Read on in my Link Interactive home security system review to find out!

Overview

Price: $10/month + equipment from ScoutAvailable: Now Summary: The Scout Alarm home security system is a protection network made for a new generation of homeowners, and incorporates deep customization options into its network of intrusion sensors with the help of IFTTT and more. What We Liked

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn’t

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Unlike some other options in the emerging market of DIY home security, the Link Interactive system is 100% fully committed to function over form. While the Scout Alarm System comes with several different color choices and looks like something straight out of Apple’s labratory, the Link Interactive system is proudly unconcerned with coming off as chic or stylish, instead opting to look pretty much exactly how you would expect a home security apparatus to. The desk-or-wall based touchscreen panel is the only thing that looks remotely modern, and even then the LED screen is fairly grainy and by no means will you want to be watching any movies on it anytime soon. That said, it still functioned perfectly under multiple tests, including operating with a glove on and with messy fingers in case you accidentally spilled a drink on yourself in the time it took to get inside and get the alarm shut off before it alerting the authorities. Our testing kit came with the one central touchscreen panel, one motion sensor, one glass break sensor, one smoke alarm, and a door/window sensor. All were coated with a flat-white color scheme without any additional options, so if for any reason you think that might not work with your home’s decor, you’d be better going with an alternative like the Scout instead.

Setup and Installation

From opening the box to the system being fully functional, it took me about 30 minutes to get the system running the way it was supposed to (at least in practice). Unfortunately, whoever tested the system before I did stripped the adhesive off all the sensors, so I was unable to actually stick anything to the doors or windows to get the full effect. On the software side of things, the setup process wasn’t that much unlike what you’d find when setting up a mesh networking router. After plugging the “Hub” in, I then followed the on-screen instructions to go through and add each additional device one by one until the whole network of motion, door, and window sensors were live. Read More: Canary Home Security Review Unlike some other options in this category, we didn’t need to make any calls or speak with an installation assistant to make it from zero to 100% protected. Everything was handled directly from the Scout app on an iPhone 7, which also happened to be where the different devices and IFTTT connections were managed.

Software and Integrations

The Scout app for iOS isn’t as well-defined or intuitive as other general apps you might find for the device, but it still functioned well enough on its own to get the job done. Despite its lacking UI, we were still able to navigate around and set things up with relative ease, and nothing crashed during the process which is always a plus when it comes to any product that just made it off the first floor of Kickstarter. Read More: Angee Home Security System Raises Over $470,000 on Kickstarter One of the biggest selling points of the Scout Alarm system is the extensive number of external devices and apps that it’s compatible with right out of the gate. If you’ve been working on your smart home upgrades piece by piece, this is the perfect system for you thanks to its integration with all manner of smart home devices and software. This includes the ability to connect with third-party hardware like Nest Thermostats, Protect, Amazon Alexa, and Dropcam, as well as with the popular app IFTTT to create recipes that give you more control over what happens if/when an alarm is triggered. This gives the system immense levels of customization and depth that would take an entire article to explain on its own, but all you need to know here is that if you can dream it, you can just about do it with the Scout Alarm system.

Performance

Although we would normally take the IFTTT integrations into account when testing the performance of a system, we decided for our blanket reviews of these types of devices it would be best to keep things impartial and rate them on their barebone functionality instead. Without any additional recipes, devices, or software added on top, the Scout Alarm performed pretty much exactly how you’d expect it to, given the hardware. When the “front door” was opened - no adhesive to actually install on the door, remember - the alarm went off and sent the notifications we had asked it to, including an email, a text message, and a phone call (you can also set it to let off its local alarm on the Hub, which screeches at an ear-splitting 90dB). From here we were given the option to either mute the alarm or have the system call the police, and while we couldn’t actually test the police response ourselves without running the risk of getting a hefty citation, we’d imagine it’s just as quick as it would otherwise be if you’d called yourself. The included RFID key fobs, which are used to grant access without setting off the alarm, worked at a decent distance away from the front door sensor. The included RFID-laced sticker was a nice touch as well, and functioned as something we could slide into our wallets or attach to the back of a smartphone to turn it into another wireless disarming device. Read More: Netgear Arlo Q Security Camera Review The same story of quick responsiveness carried over to the window sensor, which notified us in a matter of milliseconds after the bond between the base unit and the companion magnet were broken. Last up was the motion sensor, which claims around 25ft of sight in optimal conditions. The motion sensor was very sensitive, and should only be placed in an area where you’d expect almost no movement unless an actual break-in was happening. That is, unless you like the idea of being notified two hundred times a day that a tree branch outside blew in the wind.

Pricing/Subscriptions

As I mentioned in the hardware section, everything about the Scout Alarm system is sold on a purely a'la carte basis - you couldn’t even buy a package deal if you wanted to. For the system we tested the total cost came to $345, though it should be noted this only covered the front door, one window, and our backyard. The good thing about the a'la carte system is that if you have another door or series of doors you want to monitor, but don’t need RFID access on them (basement, sliding glass, or back doors for example), you can buy the comparitvely cheaper window sensors and achieve the same effect. For a more protected household with two doors monitored, several windows, and multiple yards you could easily be looking at a cost in the range of $500 - $700, though this all depends on the size of your home and how secure you want to be. As far as the monthly subscription is concerned, you have two choices to pick from, neither of which demand any sort of contract which is a huge plus in my book. For $9.99 you can get the basic plan which adds 3G connectivity in case your home internet is cut during a burglary, and for $19.99 you also get 24/7 monitoring from professionals who will be able to respond to threats even when you’re away from your phone.

Wrap Up

The Scout Alarm is a new type of security for a new type of buyer, the “millennial” home security system that keeps members of all ages safe from outside threats. The software is simple to use, the system is easy to set up, and its deep vault of possible customization thanks to IFTTT makes it a gold mine for even the most experienced smart home geeks among us. Though the a'la carte DIY approach to home security may not be for everyone, Scout knows who it’s targeting with this product and it’s done everything it needs to do to capture that market splendidly. If I had any criticisms here it would focus mainly on the lack of any included IP camera options, but if you’ve already got a Dropcam, then getting it running with the rest of the system is a cinch. All told if you want the closest thing you’ll get to a “plug and play” home security network today, the Scout Alarm is the system to go with. Read Next: Best Home Security System

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/ Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/ Link Interactive Home Security System Review posted first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/

0 notes

lindamarionn · 6 years ago

Text

Link Interactive Home Security System Review

Overview

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn’t

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Setup and Installation

Software and Integrations

Performance

Pricing/Subscriptions

Wrap Up

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/ Link Interactive Home Security System Review posted first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/

0 notes

coniecoleman · 6 years ago

Text

Link Interactive Home Security System Review

Overview

Price: $10/month + equipment from Scout Available: Now Summary: The Scout Alarm home security system is a protection network made for a new generation of homeowners, and incorporates deep customization options into its network of intrusion sensors with the help of IFTTT and more. What We Liked

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn’t

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Setup and Installation

Software and Integrations

Performance

Pricing/Subscriptions

Wrap Up

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

0 notes

lonniemanning · 6 years ago

Text

Link Interactive Home Security System Review

Overview

Price: $10/month + equipment from Scout Available: Now Summary: The Scout Alarm home security system is a protection network made for a new generation of homeowners, and incorporates deep customization options into its network of intrusion sensors with the help of IFTTT and more. What We Liked

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn’t

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Setup and Installation

Software and Integrations

Performance

Pricing/Subscriptions

Wrap Up

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/ Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/

0 notes

jennifernail · 6 years ago

Text

Link Interactive Home Security System Review

Overview

Price: $10/month + equipment from Scout Available: Now Summary: The Scout Alarm home security system is a protection network made for a new generation of homeowners, and incorporates deep customization options into its network of intrusion sensors with the help of IFTTT and more. What We Liked

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn’t

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Setup and Installation

Software and Integrations

Performance

Pricing/Subscriptions

Wrap Up

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

Link Interactive Home Security System Review published first on http://www.gadgetreview.com/

0 notes

gadget-reviews · 6 years ago

Text

Link Interactive Home Security System Review

Overview

Price: $10/month + equipment from Scout Available: Now Summary: The Scout Alarm home security system is a protection network made for a new generation of homeowners, and incorporates deep customization options into its network of intrusion sensors with the help of IFTTT and more. What We Liked

Simple, seamless setup

Deep customization options

Responsive sensors

Contract-free subscription option

What We Didn't

Could use a native IP camera option

Scout Alarm System Specs

Hardware and Design

Unlike some other options in the emerging market of DIY home security, the Link Interactive system is 100% fully committed to function over form. While the Scout Alarm System comes with several different color choices and looks like something straight out of Apple's labratory, the Link Interactive system is proudly unconcerned with coming off as chic or stylish, instead opting to look pretty much exactly how you would expect a home security apparatus to. The desk-or-wall based touchscreen panel is the only thing that looks remotely modern, and even then the LED screen is fairly grainy and by no means will you want to be watching any movies on it anytime soon. That said, it still functioned perfectly under multiple tests, including operating with a glove on and with messy fingers in case you accidentally spilled a drink on yourself in the time it took to get inside and get the alarm shut off before it alerting the authorities. Our testing kit came with the one central touchscreen panel, one motion sensor, one glass break sensor, one smoke alarm, and a door/window sensor. All were coated with a flat-white color scheme without any additional options, so if for any reason you think that might not work with your home's decor, you'd be better going with an alternative like the Scout instead.

Setup and Installation

From opening the box to the system being fully functional, it took me about 30 minutes to get the system running the way it was supposed to (at least in practice). Unfortunately, whoever tested the system before I did stripped the adhesive off all the sensors, so I was unable to actually stick anything to the doors or windows to get the full effect. On the software side of things, the setup process wasn't that much unlike what you'd find when setting up a mesh networking router. After plugging the "Hub" in, I then followed the on-screen instructions to go through and add each additional device one by one until the whole network of motion, door, and window sensors were live. Read More: Canary Home Security Review Unlike some other options in this category, we didn't need to make any calls or speak with an installation assistant to make it from zero to 100% protected. Everything was handled directly from the Scout app on an iPhone 7, which also happened to be where the different devices and IFTTT connections were managed.

Software and Integrations

The Scout app for iOS isn't as well-defined or intuitive as other general apps you might find for the device, but it still functioned well enough on its own to get the job done. Despite its lacking UI, we were still able to navigate around and set things up with relative ease, and nothing crashed during the process which is always a plus when it comes to any product that just made it off the first floor of Kickstarter. Read More: Angee Home Security System Raises Over $470,000 on Kickstarter One of the biggest selling points of the Scout Alarm system is the extensive number of external devices and apps that it's compatible with right out of the gate. If you've been working on your smart home upgrades piece by piece, this is the perfect system for you thanks to its integration with all manner of smart home devices and software. This includes the ability to connect with third-party hardware like Nest Thermostats, Protect, Amazon Alexa, and Dropcam, as well as with the popular app IFTTT to create recipes that give you more control over what happens if/when an alarm is triggered. This gives the system immense levels of customization and depth that would take an entire article to explain on its own, but all you need to know here is that if you can dream it, you can just about do it with the Scout Alarm system.

Performance

Although we would normally take the IFTTT integrations into account when testing the performance of a system, we decided for our blanket reviews of these types of devices it would be best to keep things impartial and rate them on their barebone functionality instead. Without any additional recipes, devices, or software added on top, the Scout Alarm performed pretty much exactly how you'd expect it to, given the hardware. When the "front door" was opened - no adhesive to actually install on the door, remember - the alarm went off and sent the notifications we had asked it to, including an email, a text message, and a phone call (you can also set it to let off its local alarm on the Hub, which screeches at an ear-splitting 90dB). From here we were given the option to either mute the alarm or have the system call the police, and while we couldn't actually test the police response ourselves without running the risk of getting a hefty citation, we'd imagine it's just as quick as it would otherwise be if you'd called yourself. The included RFID key fobs, which are used to grant access without setting off the alarm, worked at a decent distance away from the front door sensor. The included RFID-laced sticker was a nice touch as well, and functioned as something we could slide into our wallets or attach to the back of a smartphone to turn it into another wireless disarming device. Read More: Netgear Arlo Q Security Camera Review The same story of quick responsiveness carried over to the window sensor, which notified us in a matter of milliseconds after the bond between the base unit and the companion magnet were broken. Last up was the motion sensor, which claims around 25ft of sight in optimal conditions. The motion sensor was very sensitive, and should only be placed in an area where you'd expect almost no movement unless an actual break-in was happening. That is, unless you like the idea of being notified two hundred times a day that a tree branch outside blew in the wind.

Pricing/Subscriptions

As I mentioned in the hardware section, everything about the Scout Alarm system is sold on a purely a'la carte basis - you couldn't even buy a package deal if you wanted to. For the system we tested the total cost came to $345, though it should be noted this only covered the front door, one window, and our backyard. The good thing about the a'la carte system is that if you have another door or series of doors you want to monitor, but don't need RFID access on them (basement, sliding glass, or back doors for example), you can buy the comparitvely cheaper window sensors and achieve the same effect. For a more protected household with two doors monitored, several windows, and multiple yards you could easily be looking at a cost in the range of $500 - $700, though this all depends on the size of your home and how secure you want to be. As far as the monthly subscription is concerned, you have two choices to pick from, neither of which demand any sort of contract which is a huge plus in my book. For $9.99 you can get the basic plan which adds 3G connectivity in case your home internet is cut during a burglary, and for $19.99 you also get 24/7 monitoring from professionals who will be able to respond to threats even when you're away from your phone.

Wrap Up

The Scout Alarm is a new type of security for a new type of buyer, the "millennial" home security system that keeps members of all ages safe from outside threats. The software is simple to use, the system is easy to set up, and its deep vault of possible customization thanks to IFTTT makes it a gold mine for even the most experienced smart home geeks among us. Though the a'la carte DIY approach to home security may not be for everyone, Scout knows who it's targeting with this product and it's done everything it needs to do to capture that market splendidly. If I had any criticisms here it would focus mainly on the lack of any included IP camera options, but if you've already got a Dropcam, then getting it running with the rest of the system is a cinch. All told if you want the closest thing you'll get to a "plug and play" home security network today, the Scout Alarm is the system to go with. Read Next: Best Home Security System

The article Link Interactive Home Security System Review was originally published to GadgetReview Expert Testing & Reviews

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noplacecalledhome · 7 years ago

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10 Best Hotels To Stay In Park Villas Georgia – Top Hotel Reviews

Park Villas Georgia is beautiful and has lots of hotels. Ofcourse we are only looking for the best hotels in Park Villas Georgia. It’s important to compare them because there are so many places to stay in Park Villas Georgia. You’re probably wondering where to stay in Park Villas Georgia. To see which hotel sounds better than the other, we created a top 10 list. The list will make it a lot easier for you to make a great decision. We know you only want the best hotel and preferably something with a reasonable price.

Our list contains 10 hotels of which we think are the best hotels in Park Villas Georgia right now. Still, some of you are more interested in the most popular hotels in Park Villas Georgia with the best reviews, and that’s completely normal! You can check out the link below.

Skip to the most popular hotels in Park Villas Georgia.

10 Best Hotels In Park Villas Georgia:

Royal Inn & Suite- Jonesboro

Description:

Royal Inn & Suite- Jonesboro is located in Jonesboro, just 15 miles from Atlanta.Some units feature a sitting area where you can relax. A TV is featured.You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property.Marietta is 31 miles from Royal Inn & Suite- Jonesboro, and Stone Mountain is 22 miles away. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 8 miles from the property.

Reviews:

Continental breakfast available. Room was truly clean, even the floors (no dirt on our feet). Plenty of hot water in shower. Pillow top beds and comfortable pillows. Plenty of ice. Grocery/gas close by. Helpful frig and microwave.

I usually don’t sleep well in hotel beds, but this one had the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in.

Price was good and employees/management were very friendly and accommodating.

We were stuck in snowstorm and all rooms 30 miles to Atlanta airport weee booked so we taxi’d here. Basic room but warm,clean,good bed, hot shower. Desk people very nice, friendly and got us toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion. Called us taxi next day.

There were no croissants. The breakfast consisted of cereal, milk and supermarket style pain au raisins

For more info click here.

Motel 6 Jonesboro Georgia

Description:

Showcasing a sun terrace and fitness center, Motel 6 Jonesboro Georgia is located in Jonesboro in the region of Georgia.All rooms include a TV with cable channels. The rooms include a private bathroom.You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property.Atlanta is 12 miles from Motel 6 Jonesboro Georgia, and Marietta is 28 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 6 miles from Motel 6 Jonesboro Georgia.

Reviews:

No reviews yet.

For more info click here.

Southside Inn – Jonesboro

Description:

The Southside Inn Jonesboro is off of Interstate 74, just a 15-minute drive from the Atlanta International Airport. Guests can enjoy free Wi-Fi and cable TV in all rooms of this hotel.A microwave and refrigerator are provided in each simply-decorated room of this Jonesboro hotel. Coffee-making facilities are also in the rooms so guests can get a quick start to their day.A 24-hour front desk is on site at the Jonesboro Southside Inn for added convenience as well as vending machines for snacks and drinks. Free parking is available on site at this pet-friendly hotel.The property is within a 20-minute drive of downtown Atlanta as well as the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca Cola. Centennial Olympic Park is just 15 miles away.

Reviews:

It was in a convenient area. It was central to everything.

Room need to be remodel has old televison remote dont work bathroom water keaking

The lighting was good. The shower was good and plenty of hot water. No bedbugs.

The staff was really friendly an attentive to needs.

I didn’t like anything!!! It was horrible. The desk clerk was high off of some sort of dope. He was laying in the floor when I got there and then told me he didn’t have time to book my room although I had reservations. I noticed when I pulled in , the hotel was next to a pawn shop that had 4 police cars outside and it appeared to just have been broken into. It took me 45 minutes to finally get the key to my room because the clerk was so out of his mind he couldn’t even figure out how to log into the computer. He proceeded to tell me that I was making a fool of him (because he couldn’t figure out what the hello he was doing). The next morning I get called to the front desk because he hadn’t even put my room in the computer! He swiped my card for $60 when it said my reservation was supposed to be $53. And on the receipt it said that my total was $55. Stay away from this place!!!!!

For more info click here.

Holiday Inn Express Fayetteville

Description:

This Fayetteville hotel offers spacious rooms equipped with free Wi-Fi and a cable TV. It features an outdoor pool and is just 3.9 miles from Dixie Land Fun Theme Park.All classically furnished rooms at the Holiday Inn Express Fayetteville include a large work desk and a seating area. A refrigerator and coffee maker are provided in every room.This hotel features a peaceful garden and poolside seating on the sun deck. A 24-hour business center with free Wi-Fi is located on site.The Fayetteville Holiday Inn features a daily breakfast with assorted hot and cold items and fresh coffee.The Links Golf Club and Fayette Pavilion Shopping Center are both within a 10-minute drive of this hotel. The Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport is 14.8 miles away.

Reviews:

Great location. Great value. Beautiful and comfortable.

The bed was comfortable and the pillows very fluffy.

The breakfast was amazing the room was comfortable and the location was perfect

The staff or management were very very helpful great attitude.

I like the location and style of the hotel. The staff was also very nice and friendly.

For more info click here.

Super 8 Forest Park

Description:

This hotel located in Forest Park, Georgia is 10.4 miles from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It features an outdoor pool and guest rooms with free Wi-Fi.Each room also includes cable TV at the Super 8 Forest Park. Guests can make free local telephone calls from every room.Downtown Atlanta is 12.9 miles from the hotel. Forest Park Super 8 is 15.2 miles from the Georgia Aquarium.

Reviews:

No reviews yet.

For more info click here.

Travelodge Forest Park Atlanta South

Description:

Featuring a continental breakfast and an outdoor pool, this hotel is located off Interstate 75. The Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a 15 minute drive away. Free Wi-Fi is provided.A microwave and a small refrigerator are found in each simply decorated room at the Travelodge Forest Park Atlanta South. Rooms come with cable TV, a work desk and tea/coffee-making facilities.Guests of the Atlanta South Travelodge Forest Park can enjoy a refreshing beverage from the on-site vending machines. A 24-hour front desk and a laundromat are provided for added convenience.The shopping, dining and entertainment of Central Atlanta are a 20 minute drive away. Fort Gillem is 5 miles from the hotel.

Reviews:

No reviews yet.

For more info click here.

Hampton Inn Fayetteville

Description:

Featuring free WiFi throughout the property, Hampton Inn Fayetteville offers accommodations in Fayetteville.Some rooms feature a sitting area to relax in after a busy day. A TV is provided.There is a 24-hour front desk at the property.The hotel also provides car rental. Atlanta is 21 miles from Hampton Inn Fayetteville, and Stone Mountain is 30 miles away. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 14 miles from the property.

Reviews:

Bed comfortable, work desk great, breakfast ok for free and had good oatmeal and coffee

I felt the staff went overboard to take care of all of our needs. They went way above board for my husband and I. My husband was so impressed he wants to make this our permanent place to go to when we visit our daughter and her family in Fayetteville!

Size of room and location of hotel as well as public areas were nice

The staff was very accommodating in arranging local transportation, on numerous occasions, in a county that has no formal taxi companies.

The inn was a little further from the interstate than we expected. The cleanliness and service more than made up for the added miles. Breakfast was excellent. We would highly recommend this Hampton Inn and will stay at others on our travels.

For more info click here.

Drury Inn & Suites Atlanta Morrow

Description:

Showcasing a hot tub and fitness center, Drury Inn & Suites Atlanta Morrow is located in Morrow, just 12 miles from Atlanta.Every room is equipped with a flat-screen TV. Certain units have a sitting area where you can relax. You will find a coffee machine in the room. The rooms include a private bathroom. Extras include free toiletries and a hairdryer.You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property.Marietta is 29 miles from Drury Inn & Suites Atlanta Morrow, and Stone Mountain is 19 miles from the property. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 7 miles away.

Reviews:

I really liked the staff that was very respectful of people’s privacy whilst checking in. I noticed to that it is very homey and at times doesn’t feel like you are in a hotel, inn, etc. the staff during the hours of food were amazing and super kind!

The breakfast was great as usual. There were enough carts for check in.

The kickback and breakfast was great! The indoor pool and jacuzzi amazing! Staff so courteous and professional!

Compare to a Hampton and it’s pretty even except the Drury gives you buffet dinner and cocktails. That is a huge deal with kids. Heated combo indoor/outdoor pool is pretty special.

Comfortable beds, excellent breakfast, extremely friendly staff and the “kickback” was an unexpectedly nice treat. We expected snacks but there was enough food to be a full family friendly dinner.

For more info click here.

Comfort Suites Southlake

Description:

Comfort Suites Morrow is located in Morrow, 12 miles from Atlanta and 28 miles from Marietta.Each room at this hotel is air conditioned and is equipped with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms feature a sitting area to relax in after a busy day. You will find a coffee machine in the room. Each room comes with a private bathroom equipped with a bathtub or shower. Extras include free toiletries and a hairdryer.Stone Mountain is 19 miles from Comfort Suites Morrow, and Decatur is 14 miles from the property. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 6 miles away.

Reviews:

The staff made it more comforting. Super clean for a bad area but the best I’ve experienced!!

The bed was incredibly comfortable and for 2 people, the room was really spacious. I wish we could’ve stayed longer. This is my 3rd time here, I see myself visiting again.

Staff was very friendly polite and courteous. The rooms were updated and clean. I would definitely go back

The room size was nice. The front desk staff was pleasant.

The staff was EXTREMELY NICE AND ACCOMMODATING. They made us feel right at home. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this hotel to others.

For more info click here.

Best Western Southlake Inn

Description:

Located off Interstate 75 at Exit 233, Best Western Southlake Inn is located in Morrow. Free WiFi access is available to Boasting a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, Best Western Southlake Inn offers accommodation in Morrow, 1.2 miles from Spivey Hall. This 3-star hotel offers a continental breakfast each morning.Rooms at Best Western include a private bathroom with shower. Each room features a flat-screen TV with cable channels. A microwave, refrigerator, and ironing facilities are also included.Guests can swim in the seasonal, outdoor pool or stop by the 24-hour front desk. A business centre and photocopying service are available on site. Non-smoking rooms are available.The nearest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 6.2 miles from the property.

Reviews:

I liked the bed. It was very comfortable. I was able to sleep in a bed with my husband & neither of us was too close or uncomfortable in the bed.

The friendliness of the staff. They were very helpful in providing info about what was going on in the area and helping to book a room at the last minute the next day

Good variety and staff kept up with the large crowd always keeping everything available. Room very tight & hard to get around.

Good coffee on the breakfast bar. Comfortable bed. Very nice staff. Restaurants in walking distance.

Very clean and comfortable. LOVED the laundry facilities. It was reasonably priced and the dryers actually worked with just one try! The breakfast was excellent also.

For more info click here.

Top Hotels In Park Villas Georgia Conclusion:

The above is a top selection of the best hotels to stay in Park Villas Georgia to help you with your search. We know it’s not that easy to find the best hotel because there are just so many places to stay in Park Villas Georgia but we hope that the above-mentioned tips have helped you make a good decision.

We also hope that you enjoyed our top ten list of the best hotels in Park Villas Georgia. And we wish you all the best with your future stay!

Related links:

https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-home-theater-systems-with-phono-input-top-reviews/ https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-video-accessories-for-camera-top-reviews/

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trekwithtaylor · 7 years ago

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Country #80 - Poland

The Business Class Flight

Last night was the first time I have slept more than four hours before leaving for a trip before, so I guess that’s a good sign? This will be a 30-day trip, my longest since the very first adventure, so I made sure to get as packed as possible as early as possible. It was still a scramble to get ready before heading to the airport for my first flight of the day, from Dallas (DFW) to Raleigh Durham (RDU). I'm flying on a family airline pass today, but the good news is that it looked like I would have no problems throughout the day with getting on flights.

My first flight was a breeze - the flight from Dallas to Raleigh was pretty quick and I made it on the flight with no problems which is all that really mattered. I landed in Raleigh with two hours to spare until my flight to London, United Kingdom. All day it looked like I would definitely get on the flight (which I still would), but now all of a sudden there was a small chance that I might get to sit in business. I thought there was no way, but everything seemed to be falling to give me a shot at it!

It was a painful two hours of waiting, that’s for sure. I would refresh the priority list on my phone every few minutes to see how it was going. It got worse, and then it got better. And then, with about an hour left, it looked like the last person was not going to show up. And they didn’t! So I got business!! I was so excited, especially for this trip, as I will be spending the night on a train tomorrow night so it would be two rough nights of sleep in a row. In my situation, the best part would actually be the arrivals lounge in London, where I would be able to take a shower and avoid feeling completely gross for the next two days.

The seat was, of course, amazing. I watched Girls Trip while eating dinner of lots of rolls, grapes, steak, and some really tasty caramel ice cream. After the movie finished I slept for about three hours, and as soon as I knew it we were landing in London. The other business perk is the fast track immigration lane! It was pretty slow this morning, so I can’t imagine how slow the regular line would have been. I headed straight to the arrivals lounge where I took a shower in the super nice facilities before having a pancake breakfast and then heading to the Heathrow Bus Terminal.

I took the National Express bus from Heathrow to Stansted instead of taking the Tube and then the Stansted Express. It was $10 more expensive but saved me a good two hours. I arrived at my least favorite airport in the world (Stansted) two hours early for my flight. I dealt with annoying security (it has never gone smoothly once for me) and then sat in the huge mosh of people waiting area for my gate to be announced. I finally had my gate, headed to my plane, and boarded. The flight itself was fine and I actually slept on and off for the entire two hours, which would be really helpful in helping me to make it through the day in Poland.

The Polish Dumplings

I arrived in Poland around 4:30pm. Immigration was a breeze and I took about a 45 minute Uber to the Krakow train station. When I arrived I bought my ticket for the overnight train tonight to Bratislava. Unfortunately, though, they couldn’t sell me a sleeper car ticket (apparently it was too close to departure) so I have to try and figure out how to buy it on the train. I then put my things in a locker which did not go as smoothly as it sounds. The first locker ate one of my coins, and the second one, once I put my things in, would not give me the key. Effectively, all of my belongings were now stuck in a locker.

I tried kicking the key, the locker, etc. I tried asking the man sitting across from the lockers in the luggage storage area for help, to which he so kindly responded “not my problem” and kept reading his book. I’ve had many encounters like this in Poland before so it wasn’t too shocking, but honestly just crazy annoying. I took off my coat, wrapped the key in my vest, and finally got it to turn! I don’t know what would have happened if that hadn’t worked, but thankfully I didn’t have to find out.

After struggling to store my things I got my signatures from the information desk where two very nice girls signed for me. I then took an Uber to the center of the Old Town to at least see a little of Krakow! I saw the Old Town Square, The Cloth Hall, and St. Mary’s Basilica. It was a very pretty area, as was all of Old Town that I saw. And, bonus, Krakow still has their Christmas decorations up!

After walking around (and freezing) I then headed to eat dinner at Klimaty Poludnia. It was a really cool spot right near Old Town. It was very popular and I was lucky enough to get the only non-reserved table! I had traditional Polish dumplings for dinner and they were so good! They were filled with chicken or cheese and had bacon on top. It was a hearty dinner and a much needed big meal. After dinner, I took an Uber back to the train station and luckily had no problems getting my things out of the locker.

I then had to wait, and wait, and wait. My train kept getting delayed until it would now be leaving an hour and a half late, sometime after midnight. Luckily the train station wasn’t too bad to wait in, as there was free wifi! The train finally arrived after midnight and the conductor would not sell me a sleeping ticket. He said they were sold out (the ticket people earlier said that it was not) so I think he just didn’t want to deal with me. I sat in my originally assigned seat in a compartment where there were two other people.

For the first three or so hours I slept uncomfortably on and off. One of the passengers left and another took her spot, and by this point, I was awake for good. It was at this point that I formally met Peter, who had been sleeping across from me. He’s a student from Australia travelling around Europe during his summer break (it took me a while to grasp the whole summer during winter thing). It was really great to make a new friend and talk with him for a few hours, especially because we were able to talk about each of our travels! Before I knew it the train was in Bratislava - how it arrived on time after being over an hour late is a mystery to me!

80 countries down, 117 to go.

For more information on Poland click here to read my guide.

#Krakow #Poland #Country 80

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mellowbananacollection-thin-blog · 7 years ago

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Authors & Columnists

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trekwithtaylor · 7 years ago

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Country #71 - Netherlands Day 1

The NYC Lights

Today was an early one, but it’s exciting because it is the start of my two week Europe trip with my mom! I’m really looking forward to having her join me for two weeks in Christmas-y Europe. We’ll be going all over, including to the Netherlands, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Our first stop is in the Netherlands (Amsterdam, specifically), but to get there we have to fly through both New York and Dublin.

We drove three hours to Atlanta where we had an 11am flight, which meant we had to leave by 6am. We were running a bit late but thanks to my dad’s quick driving ended up making it without having to run to our gate, thank goodness. I was pretty annoyed with United, though, as they made us check our carry on bags through claiming there was no space left in the overhead bins. When we got on the plane though there was still plenty of space! The flight seemed really short and our bags arrived safely in New York as well. I also found out mid-flight that Alabama would be headed to the college football playoff, so that was some exciting 37,000-foot news!

When we landed we met my Aunt Dana outside. We would be spending the day with her in NYC before departing late in the evening. There was very little traffic on our drive into the city, and after exiting the Lincoln tunnel we parked without a hassle and then took the subway towards our first stop: food! On the way to eat we stopped in the MOMA design store and walked up a small portion of 5th avenue, glimpsing the beautiful lights for the first time. We were soon at the Plaza Food Hall, one of my favorite places to eat in New York as it’s really close to where I worked last summer. I really love the pasta place there, Ora Di Pasta, which is where we decided to eat. I had my favorite, the four-cheese alfredo ravioli! We met some nice ladies from Florida sitting next to us, and after we finished we headed back out to enjoy all of the Christmas lights and window decorations.

It was so insanely crowded (much more than it ever was during the summer), but we were still able to see a lot. My favorite decorations were probably Tiffany, Burberry, and Cartier, and the best indoor decorations were Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. Saks also probably had the best lights but we didn’t realize until after we left that we needed to wait to see them turned on. The windows were cool too, though! We stopped in St. Patrick’s church real quick as well (it is beautiful and definitely worth stepping inside if you ever find yourself in New York) and then made our way across the street to 30 Rock to see the giant tree. It was, indeed, giant, and also was a pretty chubby tree. It was wall-to-wall people and we quickly made our way through to catch a cab back to our car on the other side.

We drove up the west side highway, out of the city, and on towards Newburgh where we would be flying out of. We made a quick stop at Best Buy and to see my Uncle Tom who had some chicken fingers waiting for us at a small restaurant in the town where they live right near Newburgh, Cornwall-on-Hudson. We ate quickly and then headed on to the airport. It was a great day taking a quick visit through the city and visiting with Aunt Dana as well.

It took forever to check-in for our flight, and I had my first ever bad experience with Norwegian Air (which is good because I fly them all of the time). Our bag was .2 kg overweight and they refused to let us carry it on, or to let us take anything out of it, which I have never in my life seen before. I was livid. It didn’t cost anything to check it through, but we have a dangerously short layover when we arrive in Dublin and having to wait on our bags honestly could make us miss our connection. Funny how my first bad experience with Norwegian ever was dealing with US-based gate agents, right?

The Canals

Our flight to Dublin was almost completely full and we had no window seat, only a middle and an aisle. The flight was only six hours and by some sort of miracle, I slept more than I almost ever do on international flights, even without a window seat! I guess I was just exhausted from only getting a few hours of sleep before having to get up so early today, but I truly was amazed. When we landed in Dublin it was off to the races to catch our next flight. We were changing airlines and only had an hour and a half because our flight was late on top of already having such a short amount of time. We raced to immigration where the line took about twenty minutes and then had to wait on our bags for another ten minutes (see? I had a right to be upset back in New York).

We had fifty minutes to make our flight at this point. We were flying Ryanair so we had to go to the gate to have them stamp our tickets since we are not from the EU - they call this a visa check but I call it a waste of time because literally no other airline requires it. We then went through security where our line ended up being the slowest and both of my bags were flagged for extra screening, of course. We now only had about ten minutes until boarding supposedly closed, but with European airlines, especially Ryanair, the boarding pass times can be exaggerated. However, they could also be accurate every now and then, so it is always best to play it extremely safe.

My mom went on to the gate to tell them that I was coming, and I had to run a good long ways after waiting ten minutes for my bags. Dripping sweat I made it to what seemed like the farthest away gate with only a few people left boarding. It was a miracle - we made it! It was a pretty quick flight and seemed almost over by the time we received the food that we ordered as we had yet to eat today.

When we arrived in Amsterdam immigration was simple and we then made our way to the train into the city. We bought our tickets at the terminal for about five euros and the ride itself took about twenty minutes. When we arrived we walked across the street from the train station to the GVB Tickets & Information office to buy our tram passes for two days. We then took the tram two stops to head to our hotel, Ambassade Hotel. It was a two-minute walk from the tram and boy, is it incredible!

We were greeted by Eelco, the reservations manager, and that was just the start to our amazing stay. Ambassade Hotel sits right on a canal and is such a cool place. Our room was beautiful with a canal view, amazing interior, and very cosy bed. Oh, and the best shower ever! The hotel itself has a stunning library that features over 4,000 books. And get this: they are all signed by the author, and every single author had stayed at or been to the hotel! And we are talking some really famous authors, too. There is also a lot of art throughout the hotel which I especially loved.

After checking in, showering, and resting for a bit we then headed out for a few hours. We walked around the Nine Streets area, one of my favorite parts of Amsterdam that happens to be where Ambassade Hotel is located. It is filled with really cool shops and is so picturesque. It was a beautiful night and really enjoyable to walk around. Our first stop was an obvious one: the absolute, indisputable, greatest cookie shop in the entire world, Van Stapele Koekmakerij! I am not exaggerating people, they are the best. Dark chocolate cookie, white chocolate and chocolate chip middle, served straight out of the oven still piping hot. I have been dreaming about them since last being in Amsterdam a year and a half ago, and they are still every bit as good. I would literally fly across the Atlantic just for these cookies. So I think it goes without saying, but if you are ever in Amsterdam, definitely make the stop. There might be a line out the door but it is always worth it (and we were lucky enough not to have a line!).

After the cookies we had dinner at Eetcafe Singel 404. I had a tasty bacon, chicken, and cheese sandwich. It was a really cute little spot and we had a great view out the window. After dinner we went into a few shops, walked around a bit longer, and then visited the Cheese Museum. It is really just a cheese shop (with tons of free samples) with a small museum in the bottom, but it is such a happy little store and I recommend it as well. The coolest part about walking around, though, was all of the Christmas lights! They make an already beautiful city even better. When we walked back we stopped by the Anne Frank house. I did this on my last visit and I highly recommend it. It is such an interesting and well-done museum!

Afterwards, we headed to Dam Square, which is where the Royal Palace is located. We walked around for a few minutes and then headed into de Bijenkorf, which is a department store similar to a Saks or Harrods. It was nice and warm and enjoyable to walk through all of the cool floors and to see the Christmas windows and all of the Christmas decorations. By this point, we were getting pretty tired and decided to head back to our hotel to get a much needed good night's sleep. It was a crazy forty-eight hours, but I am so glad to be back in Europe and back in Amsterdam! We have a whole nother day to explore tomorrow and I am really looking forward to it.

71 countries down, 126 to go.

For more information on the Netherlands click here to read my guide.

To learn more about Ambassade Hotel click here.

#Amsterdam #Netherlands #Ambassade Hotel #Country 71 #New York #United States

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