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roomchailimited · 2 months ago

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Warsaw’s Revival: Exploring Poland’s Phoenix City

Warsaw, the capital of Poland, has a story unlike any other. A city that was once almost completely destroyed during World War II, it has risen from the ashes to become a vibrant, modern metropolis, all while preserving its rich history. Known as the “Phoenix City,” Warsaw is a place where the past and present intertwine seamlessly. From its carefully reconstructed Old Town to its bustling cultural hubs, Warsaw offers travelers a fascinating mix of history, art, and a glimpse into Poland’s resilient spirit. Let’s explore what makes this city so special, as we uncover the layers of its revival.

The Rebirth of Old Town

Start your journey in Warsaw’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site that stands as a symbol of the city’s post-war rebirth. Walk through the Market Square, where the colorful facades of the townhouses will transport you back to a pre-war Poland. While the Old Town looks like a centuries-old historic area, it was almost entirely rebuilt after the devastation of WWII, a testament to the city’s determination to reclaim its heritage.

Key landmarks here include the Royal Castle, which was also meticulously reconstructed after the war. The castle served as the residence of Polish monarchs and now functions as a museum, showcasing Poland’s royal history and art. Stroll down Krakowskie Przedmieście, one of Warsaw’s most famous streets, lined with churches, palaces, and cultural institutions.

The Warsaw Uprising Museum

To understand Warsaw’s resilience, a visit to the Warsaw Uprising Museum is essential. This museum chronicles the tragic yet heroic 1944 uprising, when Polish resistance fighters attempted to liberate the city from Nazi occupation. The exhibition is immersive, with photos, artifacts, and video footage that bring the struggle of the city’s residents to life.

The museum’s multimedia displays and interactive exhibits provide a deep insight into the suffering, courage, and sacrifice of Warsaw’s people during one of its darkest periods. It is both a sobering and inspiring experience, shedding light on why Warsaw is often referred to as the "Phoenix City."

A Stroll Through Łazienki Park

For a break from the city’s historic weight, head to Łazienki Park, Warsaw’s largest park, and a beautiful retreat from the hustle and bustle. Known for its palaces, pavilions, and lush gardens, the park is a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city. Be sure to visit the Palace on the Isle, an elegant 18th-century palace that appears to float on the surface of a serene lake.

During summer, the park hosts free Chopin concerts near the statue of Frédéric Chopin, one of Poland’s most famous composers. Bring a picnic, relax under the trees, and listen to live classical music as you soak in the park’s serene atmosphere.

The Palace of Culture and Science

Dominating Warsaw’s skyline is the towering Palace of Culture and Science, a Stalinist-style skyscraper that remains one of the most controversial buildings in Poland. A “gift” from the Soviet Union in the 1950s, this colossal building has long been a symbol of Warsaw’s post-war communist era. Today, however, it is embraced as a cultural center, housing theaters, cinemas, museums, and even an observation deck offering panoramic views of the city.

Despite its mixed history, the Palace of Culture and Science is an iconic part of Warsaw’s landscape. Head to the top for one of the best views in the city, where you can see both the modern skyline and the historic Old Town.

Warsaw’s Culinary Scene

Warsaw’s culinary scene is as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. Start with a traditional Polish lunch at one of the city’s milk bars, such as Bar Mleczny Rusałka or Bar Bambino. These budget-friendly cafeterias were a staple of communist-era Poland and remain popular for serving simple, hearty Polish dishes like pierogi (dumplings), bigos (hunter’s stew), and żurek (sour rye soup).

For a more contemporary culinary experience, Warsaw boasts a thriving restaurant scene. Explore the city’s modern take on Polish cuisine at places like Rozbrat 20 or Ale Wino, where chefs blend traditional flavors with global influences. And don’t miss the burgeoning street food scene – zapiekanka, an open-faced Polish sandwich, is a local favorite.

Wilanów Palace: Poland’s Versailles

Just outside the city center lies Wilanów Palace, often referred to as the “Polish Versailles.” This stunning Baroque palace was the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski and is one of the few architectural gems in Warsaw that survived WWII intact. Surrounded by sprawling gardens, the palace is a glimpse into Poland’s royal past.

The palace interior is as impressive as its exterior, with lavish rooms filled with period furniture, art, and historical artifacts. The Wilanów Museum located within the palace offers exhibitions that delve into Poland’s royal history and cultural heritage.

The Vistula Riverbank

End your day with a relaxing walk along the Vistula River, the lifeblood of Warsaw. The Vistula Boulevards offer a picturesque setting for an evening stroll, with pathways lined by trees, benches, and cafés. In the summer, locals and visitors alike gather here to enjoy the lively atmosphere, with pop-up bars, food stalls, and music filling the air.

For those looking to explore further, the riverbanks also provide access to Warsaw’s beaches, where you can unwind with a drink in hand as the sun sets over the city. The contrast of the modern city skyline and the peaceful river reflects the balance of old and new that defines Warsaw.

Conclusion

Warsaw’s revival is a powerful testament to the city’s enduring spirit. It’s a city that has seen devastation but has chosen to rebuild, preserving its history while embracing modernity. From its carefully restored Old Town to its vibrant cultural scene, Warsaw offers travelers a rich, multifaceted experience. For those looking to explore further, travel agencies like Roomchai Limited, alongside Polish Heritage Tours and Warsaw City Guides, can help tailor a trip that dives deep into Poland’s past and present. Warsaw may have been a city in ruins, but today it stands proud as one of Europe’s most captivating capitals, ready to share its stories with the world.

#roomchailimited #travel #traveltips #dhakatravel #bangladeshitravelers #travelagencies #gozayaan #europe #sharetrip #obokash #warsaw #poland

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sfarticles · 9 months ago

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Dish up some comfort

Recipes and images courtesy of Julia Rutland, author

As seen in https://www.mainlinemedianews.com/2024/02/25/dish-up-some-comfort/

Is it the taste, nostalgia, mood or being lonely that causes one to resort to eating comfort food?

Whether it be high-fat, sugar, carbs or salt, at certain times we crave eating homestyle foods. As I write this column, it is a cold, gray and blustery day. Easy to prepare, although not exactly gourmet, this category of food we’ve come to savor comes to the rescue.

Creamy mashed potatoes with spinach fit the bill for me on this bleak day. It’s a dish Mom and Grandma served frequently.

Depending upon the region or country you are from, what one considers comfort food varies. Brazil’s feijoada, French onion soup, Greece’s moussaka, Irish stew, Italy’s lasagna, Poland’s pierogi, United Kingdom’s fish and chips and the United States’ macaroni and cheese are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this type of connection to our food.

According to an article in The Atlantic, “The phrase ‘comfort food’ has been around at least as early as 1966, when the Palm Beach Post used it in a story…”

A feature by Bert Gambini in a University of Buffalo newsletter says: “Regardless of what you identify as comfort food, it’s likely the attraction to that dish is based on having a good relationship with the person with whom you remember first preparing it…. Comfort foods are often the foods that our caregivers gave us when we were children.”

“If we have a positive association with the person who made that food, then there’s a good chance that you will be drawn to that food during times of rejection or isolation,” says University of Buffalo psychologist Shira Gabriel.

The top five comfort foods listed in Discover Magazine (https://bit.ly/3uuiQI3) are grilled cheese, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs.

It goes on to say, “Ralph’s Italian Restaurant (oldest Italian restaurant in the U.S.) in South Philadelphia is recognized as having the best meatballs in the U.S.”

Check out this link, bit.ly/3OOgudJ, for a video of them being prepared.

There are myriad books devoted to comfort food and homestyle cooking. So many of these recipes celebrate American cuisine, countless handed down through the generations.

Julia Rutland, author of a book that will be available on April 16 titled “Homestyle Kitchen: Fresh & Timeless Comfort Food for Sharing” (2024, Adventure Publications, $22.99) said: “Homestyle cooking creates the type of food that embodies the warmth and familiarity of a loving home. While family and cultures differ, homestyle cooking relies on fresh ingredients, traditions, generational recipes, and comfort.”

Rutland’s hope is to inspire memories. Many of the recipes featured are from her mom’s recipe box with her own twist on them. The recipe for Wacky Cake, she mentioned, is the first recipe she ever made when she was a child. Making this cake today preserves not only the flavors but also the memories of shared meals around the table; emotionally comforting.

During an interview, Rutland used a food term I was not familiar with: “meat ‘n’ three.” Do you know what it is? Well, if you are from the South, you might. It’s a way Southern comfort food is served in many restaurants… you choose a meat (often it is meatloaf, fried chicken, country- fried steak) plus three sides from the menu.

Guess what some of the side selections might be? Mac n’ cheese, collard greens, hush puppies. My mouth is watering thinking about the meals I enjoyed in the South.

Comfort food and homestyle cooking don’t seem to be falling out of popularity. Let’s get cooking a few recipes from Rutland’s book, food that is approachable, food we cherish that brings back fond memories. One of these may be or become a dish you savor. For the recipe for Parker House Rolls, visit https://stephenfries.com/recipes.

Even with warmer weather around the corner, I’ll still be eating mashed potatoes and spinach when I crave comfort food.

Here are come recipes from Rutland’s upcoming book.

Baked Four- Cheese Macaroni: This crispy-topped and creamy-centered macaroni and cheese features four cheeses that take the company-size side dish to the next level. (Courtesy of Julia Rutland)

Baked Four-Cheese Macaroni

The headnote says: “This crispy-topped and creamy-centered macaroni and cheese features four cheeses that take the company-size side dish to the next level. Use a variety of your favorite cheeses — smoked Gouda is lovely! Grate from large pieces rather than buying packaged shredded cheese because those contain starches that keep them from clumping and melting well. It’s okay to skip the topping and eat the dish before baking, but you’ll miss the golden-brown crust. Instead of panko, feel free to try cheese crackers as a variation.”

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gouda, provolone or Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese

½ cup salted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups milk or half-and-half

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into pieces

1 (16-ounce) package macaroni, penne, or other short pasta

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (with butter) a 9-by-13-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Toss cheddar, Gouda, and Parmesan together in a small bowl. Reserve ½ cup shredded cheese mixture.

Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and milk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream cheese; cook until smooth. Stir in all but reserved 1/2 cup shredded cheese mixture; cook, stirring frequently, until smooth.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to prepared baking dish.

Pour sauce over pasta, stirring until well blended. Stir panko into reserved ½ cup cheese mixture; sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

This Chicken Divan’s origin is said to come from the Divan Parisien Restaurant at the Chatham Hotel in New York City sometime in the 1930s or 1940s. While many recipes use canned-soup shortcuts, this one is closer to the original with a homemade bechamel sauce. (Courtesy of Julia Rutland)

Chicken Divan Casserole

The headnote says: “This dish makes a comforting meal with or without a side of buttered noodles or hot cooked rice. Its origin is said to come from the Divan Parisien Restaurant at the Chatham Hotel in New York City sometime in the 1930s or 1940s, but it wasn’t likely served in a casserole form. It became wildly popular in households in the 1950s; while many recipes use canned-soup shortcuts, this one is closer to the original with a homemade béchamel sauce.”

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

6 cups broccoli florets (about ¾ pound)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

5 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth or Quick Chicken Broth (on page 44)

1 cup half-and-half or whole milk

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup sour cream

Cheesy Topping (recipe below)

Hot cooked pasta or rice (optional)

Directions:

Lightly grease (with butter) bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch (3-quart) baking dish.

Cook broccoli in boiling water to cover for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. (You can also place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover and microwave on high for 3 ½ minutes.) Drain and transfer to prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same skillet (no need to wipe clean) over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and half-and-half. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese, Worcestershire, cayenne pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir in sour cream. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli.

Sprinkle Cheesy Topping evenly on top. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve over hot cooked pasta or rice, if desired.

Cheesy Topping: Combine ½ cup shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese, ½ cup panko or fine breadcrumbs, and 2 tablespoons melted salted or unsalted butter in a bowl. Makes ¾ cup.

Originally made famous at Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant, this Cobb Salad has changed little over the years. (Courtesy of Julia Rutland)

Cobb Salad

The headnote says: “Originally made famous at Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant, this salad has changed little over the years. In 1937, owner Bob Cobb explored the kitchen one night in search of a snack. He pulled out various ingredients from the refrigerator and created a hearty salad that he shared with his friend Sid Grauman of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Grauman returned the next day and asked for a ‘Cobb salad.’ The Cobb salad is a favorite on menus today. Off season, endive and watercress might be tricky to find in markets. Substitute easily found spring salad mix instead.”

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 small head Romaine lettuce, chopped

½ head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 small bunch curly endive, chopped

½ bunch watercress

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

2 tomatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts

6 bacon strips, cooked and chopped

3 hard-cooked eggs, diced

1 ripe avocado, diced

½ cup crumbled Roquefort or blue cheese

French Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)

Directions:

Combine Romaine, iceberg, endive, watercress and chives in a large salad bowl, mixing well. Place on a serving platter or on individual salad plates. Arrange tomatoes, chicken, bacon, eggs, and avocado in strips across salad greens. Sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle with French Vinaigrette Dressing.

French Vinaigrette Dressing: Combine ¼ cup water, ¾ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 minced garlic clove in a bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Blend well just before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 ½ cups.

Named for their creation in the 1870s at the Parker House hotel in Boston, these rolls differ from regular yeast rolls in that they are folded into layers, brushed with butter and baked close together. (Courtesy of Julia Rutland)

To see the recipe for Parker House Rolls, visit https://stephenfries.com/recipes.

Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 16 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at [email protected]. For more, go to stephenfries.com.

#homestyle cooking #comfort food #julia rutland #homestyle kitchen

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copperbadge · 5 years ago

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ihopeyoucontinue4ever replied to your photo “Time to start work on mini cheesecakes for Shavuot! These are crusts...”

Wait, Shavuot? You’re Jewish? ��

I was actually raised gentile, but I’m considering conversion! And I’ve been invited to a couple of Shavuot events including a Zoom Seder with some local friends, so I thought I’d make cheesecake to show off.

Quarantine really slowed down the whole conversion process, but I figure Judaism, if history is anything to go by, will still be there a few months from now. :D Also, in some ways it makes shopping for a shul a bit easier because you don’t have to endure the awkwardness of attending services in person and not knowing anyone or half the stuff you’re supposed to do.

raziya63 replied to your post “kimmiesue13 replied to your photoset “I made Hokkaido Milk Buns and...”

I read that as “autumnal straw accident” and now I can’t stop snorfling

Honestly I have definitely been the survivor of at least a few autumnal straw accidents.

thelostamazingcity replied to your post “you dye your hair?”

I somehow misread "purple" as "plaid" the first time I read this and was really intrigued about how you managed that

zorilleerrant replied to your post “you dye your hair?”

I've seen people with plaid hair before! You have to use the same techniques used for streaks and tips, and it takes super a lot of planning, but professional hairdressers totally can do (simple) plaids! It's similar to people who have that rainbow waterfall thing going on

Guys, plaid hair sounds amazing and I want it. I’ve never had my hair dyed professionally, but perhaps someday.

rocketmouse replied to your photo “I thought today about a villanelle I had an inspiration there and then...”

I read this and said "Sam. Sam. You fucker." out loud, and my sister knew immediately that I'd just read this post. She wants the pierogies one.

I hope to write one eventually!

I enjoy that occasionally I just drop a post into the universe that I know will fuck some shit up :D

#reply all #rocketmouse #zorilleerrant #thelostamazingcity #raziya63 #ihopeyoucontinue4ever

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flameandshadowx · 6 years ago

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VICTORIA AVEYARD IN POLAND PART 1

Hi guys! So I’m finally ready to tell you about the meetings we had in Poland with Victoria. I must say it was an amazing pleasure but also such a big stress that my hands were shaking and I couldn’t make a single proper sentence.

SATURDAY MEETING

So on Saturday we had a close meeting for bloggers and fans in cafe. There was 10 of us including the lady from our publisher, Victoria and her agent Suzie. When Victoria came I had tears in my eyes and I couldn’t say anything for couple minutes 😂

We talked about our favourite TV series, moovies and books (Victoria said second book of Cruel Prince is better than first and we should read it!!!) She said she’s waiting for King of Scars and second Wonder Woman movie.

I mentioned the fact that thanks to Red Queen I met my friend here on tubmlr @znanyjany and Victoria said that when she was young se was talking on internet forum with some Harry Potter fans and she met with them in a mall and that she’s glad they turned out to be her age, not old men 😂

About Red Queen novellas, Victoria said they will tell us how the world came from today to the Red Queen world. They will also continue War Storm and we will find out what happened with Maven and as she said before one of them will tell Red Queen story from another perspective.

Victoria also said that if she could change sth in her book she would write them better but she wants to finish Red Queen and she don’t want to write anything more in this world now, maybe after couple years of break. Now she wants to focus on her new fantasy series which will include dragons if i heard well.

We talked about WS ending and Victoria said she’s aware that some people liked it and some not but once she accepted that fact it became easier for her and she’s proud of the ending. Victoria also said the ending and what happens next is pretty obvious for her.

We also talked about RQ alternative ending and that she’s glad she gave up on it because all of the time travels would be too complicated.

Victoria’s favourite characters are Mare ‘cause she’s a lot like her, Evangeline ‘cause she loves how she evolved from being the sassy girl to who se is now and Maven because of how complex he is.

Victoria said she loves RQ fan arts and she loves receiving them. She told us that once someone told her he imagines Maven as bald and she said okay but it’s written that he’s not 😂

About Red Queen movie Victoria said that it is not a closed thing and also sth about writing a script but I didn’t hear much and she said she is not allowed to talk much about it.

We also talked a lot about writing ‘cause some of the girls are writing there own stories and Victoria was giving them advices. Victoria also talked about drawing maps and that she really enjoys it.

During the visit in Poland Victoria ate a lot of our traditional meal - pierogi and she really enjoyed it. I hope she’ll try to make them herself. She also visited some museums but she was in Poland only for 4 days.

The meeting lasted about 2 hours and we took pictures together and Victoria signed our books. I don’t remember much more of what we talked about but there was small talk about Maven and Cal I think.

It was a great thing to me and as I said I was terribly nervous but Victoria is so kind and lovely and I enjoyed every second of our meeting. Unfortunately I forgot every question I wanted to ask about the books ‘cause I was focused on stoping my hands from shaking ‘cause I would drop my cup with coffee 😂

VIctoria received from the girls fanarts and bookmarks with RQ characters (you can see one in my previous post) and I think she posted them on her instagram.

@vaveyard Victoria if by chance you’re reading it I’d like to thank you for your visit. There was a terrible time in my life when I didn’t know what to do and I thought that I have to know the Red Queen ending so it’s time to get out from bed and do sth. I always found comfort in your books and I got so involved in them like never before. And also I met some great people on tumblr and that wouldn’t be possible without Red Queen. You’re such an inspiration for me and after our meeting I feel extremely motivated. Hope I’ll see you again someday and I hope you hugged Indy from me!

So down there there are some pictures from the meeting and I’m going to write second post about Sunday meeting ;)

@industrial-sized-imagination @warstoned @redqueenfandom@spookymareshmallow @hannaharies @calmareforever @quiteliterallyinthis @nightmarebarrow @christineflame

#red queen #war storm #victoria aveyard #victoria aveyard in poland #poland #meeting #is there a guide how to live after sth like that?#i feel so blessed rn #actually i can't believe that i was that lucky #red queen fandom

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in-this-light-on-this-evening · 6 years ago

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99 Question Tag

@your-basket-case tagged me - thank you so much dear!!! I'm a giant sucker for tag games, so here. WE. GO.

1.DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR CLOSET DOORS OPEN OR CLOSED?

Actually it's always half open because I need that air to circulate hah!

2. DO YOU TAKE THE SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONER BOTTLES FROM HOTELS?

Only if I like the smell.

3. DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR SHEETS TUCKED IN OR OUT?

Tucked in! How can you sleep with sheets tucked out omg?

4. HAVE YOU STOLEN A STREET SIGN BEFORE?

I WISH

5. DO YOU LIKE TO USE POST-IT-NOTES?

Hm not really. I usually keep a big notebook/notepad on my desk and I fill it with things to remember, drafts, etc

6. DO YOU CUT OUT COUPONS BUT THEN NEVER USE THEM?

We don't have as a big coupon culture here in Italy as it happens to be in America but sometimes I do!

7. WOULD YOU RATHER BE ATTACKED BY A BIG BEAR OR A SWARM OF BEES?

Bear.

8. DO YOU HAVE FRECKLES?

No but I wish I had them!

9. DO YOU ALWAYS SMILE FOR PICTURES?

For selfies yes, for other pictures not so much.

10. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE?

I have to many, honestly, but I guess Cancelled Culture and psycho stans are the biggest at the moment.

11. DO YOU EVER COUNT YOUR STEPS WHEN YOU WALK?

Maybe.

12. HAVE YOU PEED IN THE WOODS?

Yes. Traumatising experience.

13. HAVE YOU EVER POOPED IN THE WOODS?

You insane? I'm too scared of pooping in the woods.

14. I think I deleted this question on accident.

Lost in time and spaaace!

15. DO YOU CHEW YOUR PENS AND PENCILS?

Chewing pens and pencils? In this economy?

16. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU SLEPT WITH THIS WEEK?

3 with my imaginary lover.

17. WHAT SIZE IS YOUR BED?

I think it's an European King sized but I'm not 100% sure. I WANT THE CEASAR ONE.

18. WHAT IS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK?

Hm, I'm still losing my mind over "Almost (Sweet Music)" by Hozier but I just discovered the new James Blake's album and that, as a whole, is a big mood for this week as well.

19. IS IT OK FOR GUYS TO WEAR PINK?

Bitch yes?

20. DO YOU STILL WATCH CARTOONS?

Sometimes.

21. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE?

Hm, nothing comes to my mind at the moment.

22. WHERE WOULD YOU BURY HIDDEN TREASURE IF YOU HAD SOME?

I can't tell you. It wouldn't be hidden anymore although:

23. WHAT DO YOU DRINK WITH DINNER?

Diet coke or water because I'm too broke for wine.

24. WHAT DO YOU DIP A CHICKEN NUGGET IN?

Nothing. I die like men.

25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

Sushi, pizza, pierogi, carbonara, tomato & corn salad, fried mozzarella, tiramisù.

26. WHAT MOVIES COULD YOU WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND STILL LOVE?

Stardust, Dead Poets Society, Mean Girls, Little Miss Sunshine

27. LAST PERSON YOU KISSED/KISSED YOU?

A guy that broke my heart last year.

28. WERE YOU EVER A BOY/GIRL SCOUT?

Yes!

29. WOULD YOU EVER STRIP OR POSE NUDE IN A MAGAZINE?

If I wasn't an ugly potato... yes.

30. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE A LETTER TO SOMEONE ON PAPER?

2 years ago, I think.

31. CAN YOU CHANGE THE OIL ON A CAR?

32. EVER GOTTEN A SPEEDING TICKET?

Who do you think I am? A redneck?

33. EVER RAN OUT OF GAS?

No.

34. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF SANDWICH?

Rye bread + thin spread of cream cheese + lettuce + thin slices of chicken or smoked ham + tomatoes + red onion + pickled artichoke

35. BEST THING TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

Granola. Dry. Straight from your hand as if you're a starving horse in disguise.

36. WHAT IS YOUR USUAL BEDTIME?

00:00-01:00AM

37. ARE YOU LAZY?

I'm not lazy. I procrastinate.

38. WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU DRESS UP AS FOR HALLOWEEN?

Back in time Halloween wasn't a thing in Poland, so unfortunately I didn't dress up.

39. WHAT IS YOUR CHINESE ASTROLOGICAL SIGN?

I'M A HORSE.

40. HOW MANY LANGUAGES CAN YOU SPEAK?

3: Italian, Polish and English

41. DO YOU HAVE ANY MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS?

Nein, but I'd like to get Wired subscription.

42. WHICH ARE BETTER: LEGOS OR LINCOLN LOGS?

What are even Lincoln Logs... Did Lincoln harvest the logs himself, though?

43. ARE YOU STUBBORN?

Yes and no. Depends on the situation.

44. WHO IS BETTER: LENO OR LETTERMAN?

My tit.

45. EVER WATCH SOAP OPERAS?

Not anymore.

46. ARE YOU AFRAID OF HEIGHTS?

Not really. But if I find myself on the edge of something high without a fence, I'll probably panic and casually fall down.

47. DO YOU SING IN THE CAR?

Do I sing? No. I PERFORM.

48. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?

Only when I'm home alone.

49. DO YOU DANCE IN THE CAR?

Yeah, sometimes when the inspiration and the right bop kick in.

50. EVER USED A GUN?

A glue gun.

51. LAST TIME YOU GOT A PORTRAIT TAKEN BY A PHOTOGRAPHER?

Does the mugshot for the drivers licence count?

52. DO YOU THINK MUSICALS ARE CHEESY?

Depends.

53. IS CHRISTMAS STRESSFUL?

The concept by itself isn't stressful. My family tends to ruin it with the overdramatic stress.

54. EVER EAT A PIEROGI?

BITCH THAT'S MY MOTHERLAND'S MEAL WE SNIFF THAT SHIT LIKE COCAINE.

55. FAVORITE TYPE OF FRUIT PIE?

Apple, rhubarb, pear.

56. OCCUPATIONS YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?

Doctor, fashion designer, archeologist, paleonthologist...

57. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?

Yes. I've had paranormal experiences and I'm still not over it.

58. EVER HAVE A DEJA-VU FEELING?

Very often.

59. DO YOU TAKE A VITAMIN DAILY?

No. I die like men.

60. DO YOU WEAR SLIPPERS?

Yes!

61. DO YOU WEAR A BATH ROBE?

I don't have any but I would like to wear one of those super cozy and soft ones!

62. WHAT DO YOU WEAR TO BED?

Hmm, depends. Now I'm wearing a hoodie, leggings and socks because it's cold as fuck.

63. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT?

I'm pretty sure it was DeMono, a Polish band. I casually saw them with my parents when we were on holiday back in 1997.

64. WALMART, TARGET, OR KMART?

I'M NOT AMERICAN BITCH. TESCO.

65. NIKE OR ADIDAS?

Both actually!

66. CHEETOS OR FRITOS?

What the fuck are FRITOS? I've never tried them, so I can't answer lol!

67. PEANUTS OR SUNFLOWER SEEDS?

BOTH. I'm a sucker for NUTS.

68. EVER HEAR OF THE GROUP TRES BIEN?

Of what now? Is this another American thing I'm not aware of because of my ancient and unbothered European nature?

69. EVER TAKE DANCE LESSONS?

Nein!

70. IS THERE A PROFESSION YOU PICTURE YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE DOING?

I don't care, really. I do care about them doing what they love and want to do. If they'll be happy about it, so will I :')

71. CAN YOU CURL YOUR TONGUE?

Sí, señor!

72. EVER WON A SPELLING BEE?

We don't have this in Europe asdfkgkf

73. HAVE YOU EVER CRIED BECAUSE YOU WERE SO HAPPY?

Kind of.

74. OWN ANY RECORD ALBUMS?

I have regular cd's but I would love to start a vinyl record collection.

75. OWN A RECORD PLAYER?

Not yet!

76. DO YOU REGULARLY BURN INCENSE?

I used to but I don't do that anymore.

77. EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

Yes but nobody loved me back.

78. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN CONCERT?

QUEEN. On the more possible side: Andrea Boccelli, The Struts, George Ezra, MORE HOZIER, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys... The list goes on!

79. WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU SAW?

HOZIER. It was a magical experience, I love him so much, I want to cry 😭♥️

80. HOT TEA OR COLD TEA?

Both.

81. TEA OR COFFEE?

Tea.

82. SUGAR COOKIES OR SNICKERDOODLES?

Both.

83. CAN YOU SWIM WELL?

Avarage just so I don't die sucked into the abyss.

84. CAN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH WITHOUT HOLDING YOUR NOSE?

Wait, people CAN'T do that? What dysfunction do you have? It's literally so easy?

85. ARE YOU PATIENT?

Yes, very much but in the last couple of years I've started slowly losing my shit in certain situations.

86. DJ OR BAND AT A WEDDING?

Band.

87. EVER WON A CONTEST?

No. I'm an avarage bitch that thinks she's more than that but the truth is that I'm not a winner.

88. HAVE YOU EVER HAD PLASTIC SURGERY?

Does the surgery on my toe count?

89. WHICH ARE BETTER: BLACK OR GREEN OLIVES?

BLACK

90. CAN YOU KNIT OR CROCHET?

Not yet but I will learn at some point!

91. BEST ROOM FOR A FIREPLACE?

Living room.

92. DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED?

If I meet the love of my life then yes. The bar is too high, though, so I'm not sure if that's gonna happen haha!

93. IF MARRIED, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED?

94. WHO WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH?

His name was William and that was the most embarrassing moment of my life because a bitch that considered herself as my "friend" told everybody that I had a crush on him. When he got to know it, he basically humiliated me in front of the entire clique, if not the whole school. I hate him ever since and it's been already 10 years or so.

95. DO YOU CRY AND THROW A FIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR OWN WAY?

No.

96. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

My dog is my son.

97. DO YOU WANT KIDS?

Kids? In this economy? On this planet? Just for my liking? Absolutely fucking not. That would be a crime and absolute torture for them and I don't want them to suffer as I do.

98. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Black, emerald green, gold, yellow, purple.

99. DO YOU MISS ANYONE RIGHT NOW?

Freddie Mercury.

I tag: @santonicababy, @chaotic-pansexual, @songparade, @fossa-poplitea and everybody else who wants to do this! :’D

#tag thingy #long post

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fbnjurdcn · 6 years ago

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Title: I Don’t Want To Talk About It (2/3)

Rating: T

Pairing: Bucky x Natasha

Word Count: 1k-ish

Summary: Natasha Romanoff is a master of disguise, and not many people see through her. She doesn’t let them. But when he shows up at her front door after an emotionally demanding mission, she feels more exposed than she’s ever been.

Warnings: subtle self-injuring tendencies / rituals, a little bit of sweetness, eventual hinting on non-con & mature content

A/N: Been working on this since being inspired by a piece of work posted up by @elithien — post-op shower. Was supposed to be short and to the point but because spontaneity is my enemy, I ended up doing up a bit of a build-up. This is my ‘what happened’.

••••••

Part 1

••••••

She stared at the space between her fingers, the membrane that webbed from one phalange to the next. Foolishly, she had spent the past half hour over her bathroom sink lathering pumps of soap into her skin, scrubbing with her fingernails to the point that her skin was turning hot and raw.

The past half hour did absolutely nothing. She still felt the filth over every bare inch of her skin, not to mention every clothed inch too. The disgust seeped well beneath the fabric of her cloths.

Natasha was getting frustrated with herself. She was wasting so much time and nothing was making her feel any better.

Spotting a couple of residual suds and a bit of dried blood between her fingers, she ran them under the tap and scrubbed away, but seemed to not be able to wash them off. When water didn’t work, she let the sink drain and used a washcloth instead to dry her hands off vigorously. It burned her skin as she pulled the rag across raw flesh, but the filth didn’t seem to wash away anywhere.

Eventually, the redhead tossed the washcloth into the basin a little harder than she should have. The force of it knocked a glass cup and one of Clint’s fake succulents — back then, it’d been his sorry attempt at a housewarming gift — onto the floor. The cup shattered, while the fake succulent rolled about the foot of the sink in its also-fake pot.

“Fuck,” Natasha cussed out at herself.

She didn’t like being in this mood. She didn’t enjoy how horrible it made her feel, and how being in such a mood always caused some kind of mess. She’d either mess up her assignment, mess up a perfectly good relationship, or just mess herself or her space up. But she just couldn’t quite help it.

With both elbows resting on the edge of the sink, she pulled both of her palms over her face and tried to breathe and slowly as she could. “Ride it out,” she repeated over and over to herself like a mantra.

She paused when she heard a knock at her front door.

At first instance, she had assumed it was Clint. But Clint had his own key — he would’ve just let himself in; there wasn’t a time where he didn’t.

Then, she had figured it was Stark, but Stark being Stark would’ve let himself in (in one of his suits) through a window and apologize after. He would’ve cited that he’d ‘heard something’ and was only taking precautions.

Then, she figured maybe Steve. Except, Steve very rarely did house visits and she would most likely hear the sound of his pacing footsteps — as he thought of what to say — right outside her door before she’d even hear the first knock. It’s happened once before, and all he did was greet her with a single-worded, “hi.”

Feeling the slightest bit surprised, she had answered the door to the last person she would’ve thought would show up at her front door. Yet strangely, the only person she would’ve expected.

“Here to check on my head, doc?” She grinned, leaning against the frame of the door with her arms crossed.

Bucky offered her a half-smile. “Heard you hit your head pretty hard.”

“Well, I’m feeling pretty alright, no need to worry about me. Consider it checked.”

“Yeah, about that...” He contemplated slowly. “I was thinking I’d stay a little longer. Make sure everything’s all right-side-up in there.”

“Bucky...” The redhead sighed as she began. She had her hand on the doorknob by now. She could feel the smile that she’d felt on her features just seconds ago, watering away bit by bit with each passing thought. “I’m fine. I’m just tired, okay? I wasn’t expecting visitors.”

“How about you let me in till we get to the bottom of this,” the soldier held up a plastic bag with two boxes of take-out cradled inside it. “And if you still want me to leave by the end of it, then I’ll go?” He offered.

Natasha was about to groan with faint annoyance that she really wasn’t in the mood for this, and that she certainly wasn’t hungry. But a faint scent hit her nostrils and she couldn’t mistake the smell for anything else. A faint smell of home.

He still remembered.

“I remember you used to love these after a long, crappy day. Not sure if you still do, given it was over a decade ago, but it was worth a shot,” Bucky urged, a larger grin dancing on his lips to match the growing one on hers. “You only had a handful of kale chips for breakfast before we were wheels up. I figured you’d be at least a little bit hungry.”

She eyed the takeout box for a full second, and then brought her eyes back to meet his. He still watched her, like it’d been his mission to do so. She then pointed at the two unmarked styrofoam boxes in the takeout bag in his hand.

“Where’d you get it?”

“Who do you think I am? Baba’s, obviously,” he remarked, a tinge of confident playfulness in his voice that she had long missed. Then, he simmered down. “One’s Potato & Cheese, and the other’s called Crunchy Chocolate, I think. I haven’t tried the other one before, but it sounded good.”

“It is,” she supplemented. She was a frequent patron of the Eastern European pierogi restaurant, which was stowed away on 3rd Avenue. “You should try it.”

“I will, if you let me in.”

“Did you get the onions?”

“Yeah. And the sour cream dip,” he shrugged nonchalantly. Natasha nudged the door open with her foot, gesturing him in. “Were onions really the dealbreaker for you?”

“No,” she chuckled softly to herself as she shut the door. “The effort.”

Under the warm yellow light that engulfed her apartment, she swore she saw the soldier blush a little at the tips his ears. She had thought of him as reserved, knew him as contemplative and quiet, but she’d never figured him to be shy — at least, not according to their long history, and certainly not according to Steve’s many recollections of his old, charismatic conquests.

He set the boxes down on the polished marble island. She helped with two forks and two bottles of blonde ale, and steadied herself onto the bar stool adjacent to him. The next time she looked back up at Bucky again, she found the tips of his ears covered with the length of his hair.

He stabbed a fork through the first pierogi of the bunch and offered it to her, the slightest smile light on his lips.

#buckynat fic #buckynat endgame #buckynat #bucky x natasha #bucky barnes #natasha #natasha romanoff #bucky #fanfic #woooooo #pierogi

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icarusthelunarguard · 3 years ago

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This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

Aries

When you hear the terms “Kings” and “Queens” do you think of monarchies, chess boards, or New York City? It says a lot about who you are that your first thought is, “Kevin James & Leah Remini” instead of “Jackie Gleason & Audrey Meadows”.

Taurus

Had a good Saint Paddy’s Day? Good, because it’s only one more month until Dyngus Day! Start stocking up on Pierogi, Kielbasa, and a Szarlotka to leave out for the Butter Lamb’s visit that night.

Gemini

You want to recreate your Saturday Night Roller Disco look, but you don’t want to give up on your hobby of welding. You can do them both, just not at the same time. Welding on roller skates while wearing polyester clothing is a recipe for disaster. Learn to prioritize your life.

Cancer Moon-Child

Wake up, get up, and get out there! You’re running this game in Ironman Mode and even the Sun is out to kill you. So don’t fear the Reaper; when he comes for you kill him and take his job. Yes, Death is a job title, not an event. Your next promotion: Assistant to the Regional Manager of Afterlife Acquisitions.

Leo

There is an expression: “If It’s On The Internet, It’s Forever.” This is why Polorioid cameras are still popular. Stop taking pictures of yourself and posting them - not for security reasons but because no one wants to see your morning bed head… unless your name is Wil Wheaton!

Virgo

Are you alright? No, really, are you? Because The Stars aren’t getting good vibes off you right now. Maybe you need something to help you get through the week. Buy a potato, an onion, a bulb of garlic, and a tomato and plant them in your yard. In a few weeks you’ll start to have new life showing up - and they won’t chew up your shoes.

Libra

Take a day off this week and go see a movie. Treat yourself to a 3D IMAX experience with food and coffee and as few people around as you can get. Things have been stressful enough - learn how to decompress.

Scorpio

Now that you’re old enough, it’s time you learned a harsh truth: Neil Diamond’s song, “Heartlight” cost him over $25,000 to settle allegations it took inspiration from “E.T. the Extraterrestrial”. So remember to only create something new if you’re feeling inspired.

Sagittarius

Remember that old Saturday Morning cartoon series from the 60’s, “Johnny Quest”? It was originally broadcast on ABC on Fridays at 7:30pm and only lasted for one season. It fared better than another ABC show, “Turn-On”. It was SO bad, some stations put on a test pattern with organ music at the first commercial break. In other words, if you quit a new job during lunch break, it was a BAD job.

Capricorn

Just because you can buy a D.I.Y. violin doesn’t mean you SHOULD! The Amazon ratings might be good, but look for some independent unboxing reviews on YouTube. If the tuning pegs don’t have holes for the strings, if the sound post is longer than the body’s height, and if it doesn’t have a peg for the tailpiece to attach to, you might need to just save it for a camp out fire.

Aquarius

Yes, yes. Another actual Horrible-Scope for you this week. The Georgia Satellites song, “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” is fast approaching Forty Years Old and you still like it. It qualifies as “Southern Rock”, which is just a stone’s throw from legit Country Music. You might as well face the inevitable and buy some cowboy boots and an oversized belt buckle.

Pisces

You've always heard about “The Man in the Moon”, but how often do you think about “The Rabbit in the Moon”? Hardly ever we bet. It’s time to start learning about more legends and myths; and once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to make a new board game pitting pantheon against pantheon! So who would win? The Moon Rabbit or Artemis the Greek Goddess of the Hunt? Think carefully, because Dianna, the Roman Goddess of the hunt falls in this category too! Roll for initiative!

#horoscope #horrorscope #humour #parody #funny

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santiagoswagger · 7 years ago

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"Jake was constantly telling her that he didn’t care what she looked like – he’d literally once said she could wear a shower curtain as a dress and still be beautiful – and Amy would rather stick pins in her eyes than change the way she dressed for a boyfriend. The one thing he couldn’t wrap his head around was her tiny, dismal shoe collection."

After an exhausting double shift at the precinct, Amy comes home to a surprise from Jake.

Inspired by a post from @juliadorable about Jake and Amy's matching shoes in the '99' promo pics!

It was no secret that Amy Santiago hated shopping, perhaps more than anything in the world. She always had, even as a child; being the only girl in a house full of boys meant that anything she wore would end up stained or torn almost immediately, so she tended to wear whatever was clean. As an adult, the idea of dropping wads of cash on trendy clothes she hardly had the time to wear just didn’t make sense to her. She had a fairly sizable collection of blouses and pantsuits for work, all compliant with the NYPD dress code, but her cache of personal clothing items was sparse, to put it lightly. She’d made the effort over the years to find a few pairs of jeans that fit well and had collected some fun, after-work blouses to wear on her days off. She even owned some nice date night dresses that made her feel confident and she was sure Jake appreciated, given the way his eyes went soft every time she put one on.

Her shoes, on the other hand, were a much sadder story.

There were her sensible, heeled boots for work, of course – comfortable enough to wear to chase a perp, black leather (so they went with everything) and fashionable enough that she didn’t feel too frumpy when she wore them around the precinct. Then there were a few pairs of flats and low heels that went well with casual and dressed-up outfits, plus her gym sneakers, which only saw the sun when she had time to spare for a morning run on the weekends.

Jake was constantly telling her that he didn’t care what she looked like – he’d literally once said she could wear a shower curtain as a dress and still be beautiful – and Amy would rather stick pins in her eyes than change the way she dressed for a boyfriend. The one thing he couldn’t wrap his head around was her tiny, dismal shoe collection. Jake never did anything small in life, always in search of a blaze of glory, a trait that certainly extended to his clothing arsenal. In addition to his ridiculous number of flannel shirts, and his three (yes, three) expensive leather jackets, Jake had a pretty serious shoe problem. If Amy had a dime for every time Jake came home from a day at the outlet mall carrying an overstuffed bag of sneakers, she’d be moving to a penthouse on Fifth Avenue any minute now.

Amy tried her hardest to be supportive of his obsession but she truly did not understand the difference between the Air Jordans he drooled over and the pink-striped Nikes she wore to exercise. His only response to her confusion was, “It’s a lifestyle, Ames! A lifestyle!” It didn’t really answer her question, but she loved seeing him so passionate about something, even if it was his dumb sneakers.

One Saturday, Jake had the day off and decided to make the day-trip to New Jersey and scour the outlet mall for good deals on new shoes. He’d recently scuffed his favorite pair of sleek, white sneakers and was devastated, so he was on the hunt for a replacement pair. Amy was stuck working a double shift at the precinct that weekend so he took Charles to Jersey as his co-pilot. Amy had groaned on her way out of the apartment that morning, cursing the powers that be for giving her a weekend double shift with Hitchcock, of all people, Jake’s sympathetic smile kissing her goodbye as she walked out the door. While Amy was elbow-deep in paperwork at the precinct and trying to block out the horrifying sounds Hitchcock made as he ate an entire pizza by himself, she texted her boyfriend to see how his day was going and ask him if he wanted her to pick up takeout on her way home that night. He didn’t respond right away, which was unlike him; the three chat dots usually appeared under her texts immediately after she sent them and were often followed by a string of random, unrelated emojis. She didn’t have time to overthink it, however, when she was assigned an urgent bodega B&E and she hurried to the crime scene a few blocks over to investigate.

When Amy finally returned to the precinct two hours later and had time to check her messages, she saw that he had responded (“Hey girlfriend, I’ve got dinner locked down. See you later tonight!”, accompanied by a winky face, six red hearts and the praying hands emoji). She smiled softly to herself at his proper punctuation and shook her head at his emojis, turning to the mountain of files on her desk. She had a robber to catch.

Amy left the precinct at seven-o-clock on the dot that evening. The double shift had really done a number on her and all she wanted to do was go home, put on her comfiest sweats and eat bad takeout with Jake. She turned her key in the lock and opened the door to their apartment, breathing a heavy sigh of relief the minute she passed the threshold. But as she walked further inside, she was startled to find her favorite Polish takeout spread out neatly on the dining room table, complete with her floral china and nice silverware. A bottle of red wine and two full glasses had been placed next to the styrofoam takeout boxes and she suspected it was the bottle of cabernet she’d been saving for a special occasion. She also spotted a large, red gift bag sitting on the chair Amy usually claimed as her own.

She was frozen in place, taking in the strange scene before her with a slightly slacked jaw, when Jake absentmindedly walked out of her kitchen carrying napkins. His eyes lit up when he saw that Amy was home and he swiftly crossed the room to peck her quickly on the lips, tossing the napkins unceremoniously on the table.

“Hey, babe. How was work?” He said it so nonchalantly, like he hadn’t put together most romantic tablescape in the history of their dining room.

Amy tilted her head to look at him. He was smiling and gazing at her intently in the way that always caught her off guard as he adjusted the napkins he had previously tossed aside, placing them gently next to each plate setting. She tucked her knotted hair behind both ears as she answered, “Fine, just busy. It looks like you’ve been busier, though.” She gestured to the table and smiled with her mouth closed, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

Jake’s ears turned slightly pink and he scratched the back of his neck. “I just- I thought you could use a pick-me-up after today. You hate Saturday shifts.” He brought his arm back down to his side and shrugged.

Amy’s heart swelled. It wasn’t the first time in their relationship that Jake had been this thoughtful and romantic, not by a long shot, but it never failed to catch her by surprise. He constantly went out of his way to show her he cared and it meant more to her than any “I love you”.

She crossed the room in three strides of her sensible boots and kissed him, taking his face in both of her hands. His hands came up from his sides to cradle her back and pull her body tightly into his. A minute later, they pulled apart and smiled at each other before her growling stomach interrupted their quiet moment.

“So, dinner?” Amy asked, her hand moving to brush his flannel-covered bicep affectionately.

Jake laughed and said, “Certainly, m’lady.” He made a big show of pulling out her usual dining chair, hastily moving the mysterious gift bag to the floor beside him.

They ate potato pancakes and pierogis together, catching each other up on their days. Amy told him all about Lohank’s cabin foreclosure and he helped her theorize motives for the string of homicides she was working. He told her all about his day off, which mainly consisted of the amazing soft pretzel he’d eaten between stores and how he’d tried to convince Charles to buy clothes that weren’t beige; he had not been successful.

When he was finished describing the pretzel, she paused before deciding to rip the band-aid off. “Alright, tell me about the sneakers. How many pairs did you buy this time?” She could care less about sneakers, but she loved the way his eyes crinkled with excitement and his hand gestures kicked up about ten notches when he spoke about them.

He laughed and put his hands up in self-defense. “Okay, okay. I wasn’t that bad today. I only bought two pairs. Are you proud of me?”

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head at him curiously. Buying only two pairs wasn’t bad at all, especially for someone in as much debt as Jake, but he usually came home with five pairs minimum after every trip to the Jersey outlets. “Only two? I thought the Nike outlet was having a huge sale. You said, and I quote, it was the sneaker sale of the century.”

He looked down at the table for a moment before looking back at her. She noticed his hands wringing in his lap, something he only did when he was nervous. “I’m trying to cut down on spending. Y’know, get my crushing debt under control.” He shrugged his left shoulder in false indifference, indicating he cared more than he wanted to let on.

Amy melted. She reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it three soft squeezes. “Babe, that’s great. And, for the record, I’m really proud of you.” He squeezed her hand right back and smiled her favorite closed-mouth smile. “Alright, let’s see the shoes.”

His eyes sparked mischievously and he crossed his arms tightly against his chest, leaning back in his chair. “Oh, Ames. I’ve been wearing my new kicks the whole time you’ve been home and you never even noticed. Some detective you are.” She looked down and, sure enough, there were brand new black-and-white sneakers on his feet under the table. Amy cursed herself inwardly for missing the obvious; she needed to say something to wipe the self-satisfied smirk off of her boyfriend’s face. Before she could come up with a retort, the smirk left his face on its own and morphed into something more sheepish and apprehensive.

“I actually got you something today.” He leaned over the side of his chair and came back up with the mysterious gift bag she’d seen when she’d first walked in that evening. He placed it quietly on the table in front of her before clasping his hands together in his lap, waiting. She looked from his hesitant eyes to the silvery tissue of the bag and sifted through the wrapping until her hands hit something solid. She reached in and pulled out a cardboard shoebox.

She couldn’t help but be surprised. Jake had never bought her clothing before; he knew it wasn’t her thing and they had such different tastes. He was much better at small, thoughtful gifts anyway. Nobody knew her as well as Jake, so the shoes couldn’t be that bad, right? She steeled herself, preparing to plaster a fake smile on her face just in case the shoes weren’t her style.

She pulled off the top of the lid and her eyes settled on a pristine pair of black-and-white sneakers, identical to the shoes Jake had purchased for himself. They were clean and simple, and she could tell immediately that they would go with most of her casual wardrobe.

She looked up at Jake who was practically bursting with excitement – his hands were wringing nervously in his lap again and his lips were slightly upturned waiting for her response. His eyes were doing the crinkly thing she loved.

“Jake, did you get us matching shoes?” She couldn’t hide the affection in her voice.

His slightly quirked lips transformed into a full-blown, wide smile as he practically shouted, “Yes! So we can be twinsies!” She laughed outright, his glee starting to infect her. “And…”, his voice was quieter now, more serious. “I wanted to give you your first pair of non-exercise sneakers.”

Amy knew what Jake wasn’t saying. He wanted her to share his passion, to understand him on a deeper level – the sneakers were a fragment of Jake’s identity and he wanted her to be a part of that. Amy had never loved him more. She leaned across the table and softly pressed her lips to his once again, stroking his left cheek with her right thumb as she pulled back. She looked him in the eyes directly and reassured him, “I love them. Let’s be twinsies.” He shook his head a little and grinned as Amy went to pull her boots off and put her new sneakers on.

She had to admit they were cute and comfy, definitely nothing like the thick, heavy sneakers Jake usually gravitated to. She stuck her right foot out next to his left foot, their matching shoes lined up perfectly on the hardwood floor. She looked up at Jake and smiled, placing her hands on her hips in an attempt at a supermodel pose. “What do you think, babe?”

Jake’s entire face lit up as he looked down at their shoes before sweeping his eyes back up to Amy’s face. “I think I’ve never been more attracted to you than I am right now.”

Before she could even begin to respond, he gently grabbed her around the waist and picked her up bridal-style, jogging with her to their bedroom. Amy yelped and laughed, her hands clinging to his neck and her shiny new shoes dangling in the air. She didn’t care much about sneakers, but she would wear the hell out of them if they made him smile like that.

#i wrote a thing #jake x amy #peraltiago #peraltiago fic #b99 #brooklyn nine nine #fic #b99 fanfiction

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lillyelizabethh · 7 years ago

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I was tagged by @merrie-chan thank you :) (sorry it’s so late tho)

1. Name/nickname: Ilona

2. Gender: female

3. Star sign: pisces

4. Height: 170cm

5. Hogwarts House: ravenclaw

6. Favourite animal: cats

7. Hours of sleep: as much as i can get which is usually from 6-8 to 12

8. Dogs or cats: cats

9. Number of blankets: one

10. Dream trip: either Japan or London again

11. Dream job: something with languages, translator or maybe a teacher idk

12. Time: 9:30 pm

13. Birthday: march 20th

14. Favourite Bands: all time low, set it off

15. Favourite Solo Artists: hayley kiyoko

16. Song Stuck In My Head: Sugar song and Bitter step by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

17. Last Movie I Watched: kara no kyoukai

18. Last Show I Watched: brooklyn nine-nine

19. When Did I Create My Blog: august 2014 i think

20. What Do I Post/Reblog: mostly anime and gay stuff

21. Last Thing I Googled: the strangers movie

22. Other Blogs: i have a photography blog i haven’t updated in like 2 years lol

23. Do I Get Asks: sometimes

24. Why I Choose My URL: um it was supposed to be kinda like english version of my first and second name

25. Following: 526

26. Followers: 390

27. Lucky Number: 6

28. Favorite Instrument: piano

29. What Am I Wearing: leggings and a sweatshirt

30. Favorite Food: pizza and pierogi

31. Nationality: polish

32. Favorite Song: at the moment probably pretty girl by hayley kiyoko

33. Last Book Read: "Ferdydurke” by Witold Gombrowicz

34. Top Three Fictional Universes I’d Like To Join: obviously magi universe and also gintama maybe boku no hero academia

I tag: @alpha-hyaenchen, @my-wasted-youth, @ohtakudesu, @chinatsuhiyama @juhaku-inspired, @lavendersayuri, @lostfuzzysock, @dr-sandman, @neverenoughgay

~If you don’t want to do it or already done it, it’s okay to ignore~

#tag

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lucifers-tacos · 8 years ago

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I was so inspired by my asks to share the love 😏 so all please!!!! And I totally hate you 😂

1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed. I always have my closet closed

2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? Yes

3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? I don’t sleep with a sheet

4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before? Never

5: Do you like to use post-it notes? Oh god no

6: Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? nope

7: Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? bees because I could hide somewhere

8: Do you have freckles? Yes, a lot and I hate them

9: Do you always smile for pictures? Eh not always

10: What is your biggest pet peeve? people who chew with there mouths open

11: Do you ever count your steps when you walk? nope

12: Have you ever peed in the woods? yes

13: What about pooped in the woods? nope

14: Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? I don’t like dancing

15: Do you chew your pens and pencils? I snap those plastic thingys off of mechanical pencils and hold onto them with my teeth

16: How many people have you slept with this week? 0

17: What size is your bed? full

18: What is your Song of the week? Unstoppable by Motionless In White

19: Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Go for it Im not the one to tell you what to do

20: Do you still watch cartoons? Bob’s Burgers all the way!!!!

21: Whats your least favorite movie? I Saw the Devil

22: Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? In this weird rock wall in the woods behind my house

23: If you're a girl, bra size? If you're a guy, pants size? 36C? Im honestly not sure

24: What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Sweet and sour if its from McDs or bbq sauce

25: What is your favorite food? chicken

26: What movies could you watch over and over and still love? The Goonies, Scary Movie 3, and Amityville Horror

27: Last person you kissed/kissed you? idk

28: Were you ever a boy/girl scout? yep a girl scout

29: Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? no thanks

30: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? For my friend Dani’s birthday

31: Can you change the oil on a car? yeah

32: Ever gotten a speeding ticket? no

33: Ever ran out of gas? no

34: Favorite kind of sandwich? roast beef

35: Best thing to eat for breakfast? I hate breakfast

36:What is your usual bedtime? im usually passed out at like 9:30-10:00

37: Are you lazy? yesssss

38: When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? anything and everything

39: What is your Chinese astrological sign? snake

40:Are you horny? all the time

41: Do you have any magazine subscriptions? nope

42: Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Lincoln logs

43: Are you stubborn? absolutely

44: Who is better...Leno or Letterman? who???

45: Ever watch soap operas? nope

46: Are you afraid of heights? no

47: Do you sing in the car? yes

48: Do you sing in the shower? no

49: Do you dance in the car? I dont dance

50: Ever used a gun? yeah

51: Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? 2009?

52: Do you think musicals are cheesy? depending on what it is

53: Is Christmas stressful? yes

54: Ever eat a pierogi? ??

55: Favorite type of fruit pie? the only pie i eat is chocolate

56: Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? scientist

57: Do you believe in ghosts? YESSS

58: Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? ALLL THE TIMEEEEE

59: Take a vitamin daily? yep

60: Wear slippers? no

61: Wear a bath robe? no

62: What do you wear to bed? shorts and a tshirt

63: First concert? Fall Out Boy

64: Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? Target

65: Nike or Adidas? Nike

66: Cheetos Or Fritos? Cheetos

67: Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Sunflowers

68: Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? ?????????????

69: Ever take dance lessons? no

70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? what ever they want

71: Can you curl your tongue? yep and i can make it in the shape of a clover

72: Ever won a spelling bee? I am an awful speller (I almost spelt it aweful)

73: Have you ever cried because you were so happy? yep

74: Own any record albums? no

75: Own a record player? no

76: Regularly burn incense? no because it gives me a headache

77: Ever been in love? I dont believe in love

78: Who would you like to see in concert? MCR *single tear falls*

79: What was the last concert you saw? Dead Girls Academy, Danger Kids, Motionless In White, Issues, and Falling In Revers all at once and it was amazing

80: Hot tea or cold tea? hot

81: Tea or coffee? tea

82:Sugar or snickerdoodles? sugar

83: Can you swim well? yep

84: Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? yeah

85: Are you patient? absloutly not

86: DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ

87: Ever won a contest? yeah

88: Ever have plastic surgery? mope

89: Which are better black or green olives? fuck olives

90: Can you knit or crochet? no

91: Best room for a fireplace? living room

92: Do you want to get married? yeah

93: If married, how long have you been married? 0

94: Who was your HS crush? Josh

95: Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? i dont cry

96: Do you have kids? nope

97: Do you want kids? yep

98: Whats your favorite color? green

99: Do you miss anyone right now? my friend that lives in Florida

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tachyonpub · 8 years ago

Text

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS did a great job creating stories inspired by Lovercraft’s creatures

Photo: Scott Edelman

At IT'S A BINARY WORLD 2.0, Eric Mesa enjoys his first exposure to the Lovecraft Mythos with Ellen Datlow’s LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As usual for an anthology I will post my status updates per story. Before I get to that, I wanted to note that this is the first time I’ve read anything Lovecraftian. (There were Eldritch horrors in the first couple Discworld books, but I had no idea what that was at the time) I think these authors did a great job creating stories based on or inspired by his creatures. If, like me, you’re a Lovecraft neophyte, be sure to read the introduction as it helps explain some of the concepts. And now the stories:

“The Same Deep Waters as You – Lovecraft as a metaphor for the war on terror, gitmo, considering others as less than human, etc. Also, what a horrific ending. HOLY MOLY!

“A Quarter to Three : Fun, more unpredictable on its own. But at this point in the anthology I have a good feel for what Innsamouth means.

“The Dappled Thing – I think this is my favorite story so far. A steampunk journey into the jungle to find the daughter of some important Lord. Mostly written in a great Victorian manner as they trek through the jungle. The Lovecraftian element is almost absent until the end when it makes for a chilling ending.

“The Bleeding Shadow” – “gave the hotel the gander. It was nice looking if you were blind in one eye and couldn’t see out the other.” – I love phrasing like that.

A noir Private Eye with Lovecraftian elements. Also, dunno if I’ve just been living under a rock, but never read a noir private eye story with an African American as the PI in the 50s. It was a neat change from the usual while still keeping lots of the tropes.”

Ellen Datlow binged on blintzes with Scott Edelman on the podcast EATING THE FANTASTIC.

My wife has been attending the New Jersey Romance Writers Convention for decades, and for many years, I’ve been tagging along, using that trip as an excuse to head into Manhattan and hang with friends. The most recent trip was different from all the rest, though, in that now, I have a podcast (one which you can help grow bigger and better via your Patreon support), which means you can eavesdrop on all those lunches and dinners.

This first to be recorded this visit took place at the Ukranian restaurant Veselka, which turns out more than 3,000 pierogi each day, and has been around since 1954. My guest that afternoon was editor Ellen Datlow, who for more than 35 years has brought readers amazing stories in magazines such as Omni, on sites such as SCI FI Fiction, and in anthologies such as Fearful Symmetries, The Doll Collection, and more than 90 others.

We discussed why reading slush is relaxing, which editors she wanted to emulate when she began editing, how she winnows down her favorite stories for her Year’s Best anthologies, the complexities of navigating friendships when making editorial decisions, how Ed Bryant challenged her to become a better editor, and much more.

In an interview with Stephanie M. Wytovich at JOIN ME IN THE MADHOUSE, Erik Hofstatter lists the books on his to-be-read pile.

I’m constantly drunk on Gary McMahon, but these books dominate my bedside cabinet: THE NAMELESS DARK by T.E. Grau, PRINCE LESTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS by Anne Rice, A LONG DECEMBER by Richard Chizmar, CLIVE BARKER: THE DARK FANTASTIC by Douglas E. Winter, NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR by Ellen Datlow and so on. You could built an igloo with my TBR pile.

For more info about LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover and illustrations by John Coulthart

For more info about NIGHTMARES: A NEW DECADE OF MODERN HORROR, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Nihil

Design by Elizabeth Story

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