#just had the most banger soup for lunch

[cavefairy]

ooouuuughhhghghhgughhhhhouhhhughhuggohhh i love soup

[toulousewayne]

Batfamily Shenanigans:Head-canons Pt: 2

Dick and Tim have the most inside jokes,Jason ignores them and Damian is but jealous. But the two bonded a lot before the arrival/return of the other two.

Jason takes his little brothers to Diner’s at 2 am. Alfred would rather he do it during regular hours,but then he remembers they’re nighttime activities and is just happy he’s not trying to shoot them.

Talia before having Damian loved seeing a young Dick Grayson as Robin.He was so full of cheer and it warmed Talia’s heart, she hoped to have a son as bright as him. (She did he’s just a little shy)

Cass doesn’t have her drivers license and prefers to be passenger princess.

Duke has naturally curly hair but cuts most of the time for easier management.

Jason can mimic voices the best. He can do a pretty decent Bruce Wayne impression and it has made Bruce ask his children multiple times if he sounds like that. Alfred gets a chuckle out of it too.

The Robins most definitely play pricks on JL members who annoy their Dad, that’s there job. Hal goes to pay his bills and all his passwords have been changed, Oliver is getting dressed for a party and all his clothes are pink.

Bruce is a big baby when he’s sick. He cannot find for hisself and his family take turns caring for him. Jason makes him soup, Tim gives him medicine, Damian and Duke make him rest, The girls block him from working on cases files and Alfred makes sure he has plenty of fluids. And if that fails they call in the big guns. Diana.

Speaking of Wonder Woman, she visits the Manor every Sunday and her and Damian feed and pet his animals.

Tim,Jason and Dick all have “R” tattoos. Dick promised Damian he could get on when he turns 18, and they let Damian sketch it too.

Dick’s is on his right hip, Jason’s is on his left wrist, and Tim’s is on his right ankle.

Stephanie and Selina are tied for the most ear piercings.

Jason is the only former Robin who can drive stick currently. Dick hasn’t done it in years but probably could after a few lessons, Tim never learned, Damian can but prefers not to. Jason is currently teaching Duke and Steph and had regretted it ever since.

Alfred enjoys making lunches for everyone still. Some days he gets to make everyone lunch. He first makes Damian(PB&J with crust cut off, and cut into triangles) and Duke’s(Ham and cheese toasted sandwich with pickles slices) school lunches.

Bruce usually leaves for the office before breakfast so when Tim eventually comes downstairs Alfred will have his breakfast Togo and both their lunches. (Usually for B it’s a BLT with turkey bacon and cheese. And Tim’s is Tuna and Swiss on whole grain bread.)

Dick on Tuesdays and Friday’s, sometimes Sundays spends the night the prior at the Manor. He’s usually the only home so Alfred can make whatever he wants for lunch. He’s top two favorite lunches are Janija one of the only dishes Alfred can make that tastes similar to how Dick’s Mom prepared it. And Bangers and Mash. When he first arrived he say Alfred eating this and wanted to try it. He always requests this dish,but only if he can eat it with Alfred.

Jason likes either Club subs or a simple pasta with fresh spinach and a cream sauce.

Depending on the day Alfred will drop off lunch to the Clocktower for Barbara and the girls. Sometimes the other birds are in town and he always knows when to make extra. Most of the times me it’s wrapped sandwiches a mix of cold cuts and vegetarian options. Barbara always get turkey with cheddar, Steph gets chicken salad on a croissant bread and Cass gets ham and cheese pinwheels.

He even makes weekly meals and drops them off for the Titans and Young Justice. Seeing as most of them cannot cook. He packs extra knowing their speedsters on each time. Looking at you Wally and Bart. They’re all just grateful they don’t have to eat Pizza or Big Belly Burger for a few nights. Dick enjoys when Alfred visits and so does Kory. Tim and his friends are over the moon to have Alfred visit them too, and Bart even makes request for his next meal.

The league even gets random lunch. They return from training and find fresh out meals at the sits. Batman just shrugs but Superman and Wonder Woman make him call Alfred so he can be thanked.

Sunday’s are days that’s it mandatory for everyone to come for dinner. Once a Month several members are the League are expected to come for dinner and everyone better be on their best behavior.No wants an angry butler, so everyone always attends.

Jason and Duke are the only people allowed to help with preparing food, Dick isn’t allowed because he sampled everything to the point he’s eaten half of the dish. Tim and Damian are assigned to setting the table. And Bruce must stay either in the living room or dinning room if Alfred even hears the grandfather clock tick he’s going to skin a bat.

Cass enjoys getting ingredients from the fridge and pantry for them. And Stephanie is on Bruce Watch, if he moves she sprays him with water like a misbehaving kitten.

Most the the time Barbara is greeting the guests and depending on is Stephanie is needed to help bring the food out Barbara will have Bruce greet everyone with her. She especially makes him greet Green Arrow and Green Lantern.

Sometimes Alfred asks other to bring dishes for a potluck.Clark will usually bring Jon,Lois and Conner with him and he’ll bring pies. Diana always bring Donna. Usually they bring wines and vegetables.Ollie and Dinah usually are late but the bring brownies and cobbler, Roy and Lian bring meatballs, Hal brings beer and he’s makes a mean Mac and cheese on his smoker, Barry and Iris bring sodas, Arthur provides fresh fish, and J’onn brings a tasty and beautiful charcuterie board.

It’s a blast and all the kids have fun too with their friends and Alfred swears he sees Bruce double over laughing at Hal and Barry fighting for the last brownie.

All in all the butler that would take on the entire League of Doom himself enjoys making food for his family and spending with them too.

[kcalsforhim]

saturday 9 november 2024 - 𐙚 ˚🍰 ⋆｡˚⊹❀˖°

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cals : 697 steps : 10.4 k

lunch : one sugar free monster.. the purple one dinner : half a portion of chicken noodle soup, chicken thighs, a small amount of potato wedges, cauliflowers. and a slice of cheesecake. it was not sweet so idk what flavour this was LMFAO

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ok so really i dont know what this day was. i woke up not planning to do anything and literally just planned to play minecraft all day and maybe draw. i went out with my friend to the gas station to pick up cigarettes and it was all fine and dandy for the most part. i get a text from my coworker and its an adress and a time, with a band name above it. text says "adress for concert, guy says he invited you last week" and i remembered... thats right ! at work a guy told me about a concert he was giving and invited me, but i forgot about it 5 mins later cause well.. yeah i was busy at work

so, i go home and i told my mom like hey mom i have a concert thing later, local thing idk. trash metal, she says ok. so i eat dinner and get ready for the concert.

dinner was very good, the soup was nice but i didnt like howwww many noodles my mom put... sigh. the other food was mildly cold too, but its ok i survived. the cheesecake was good and not very sweet but thats why i liked it.

then i get ready for the concert and my friend who was coming with me brought us goldstrike. we arrive there already a little fucked. there were 3 gigs and through the progression of the gigs i got myself more and more drunk on fucking beer. i ended up having 5 beers give me a break LMAO. after the final song we all get ready to leave and me and my friend get on the bike and sit on a random bench. some girl gave me a joint for free if i kissed her like a peck so i said ahh fuck it sure. it was SO GOOD but that was a problem cause... the munchies would kick in and fuck they did.

we made it our mission to go to the only place open at 1:30 am and we went there with so much struggle and we stayed there for AN HOUR. i did count the cals yes, i am not crazy... but i did count them into the next day... so ill write about that in my next entry. then i went back home and had chocolate... sigh... but again i counted it... then went to bed. sigh. i cant wait for soup week, i hope i actually make some progress.

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no bodychecks or thinspo, but i do have this picture of the bench we sat at when i was fucked.

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okay song time ! here's one of the songs i heard live. never listened to any of the artists before going LOL. i think the intrumental is actually fucking banger, but the vocalist is.. mehhh. i reallllly enjoyed the like instrumental parts though LOL

୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ˚⊹

[sparkypantaloons]

Pub Lunch

Alfred would never admit it, but he lived his life always awaiting the next disaster. Expected it with every phone call, every post patrol check-in, every unforeseen knock on the Manor door.

He just never expected to be there when it happened. Funny how what starts as mundane Tuesday, can end indelibly etched into your mind as the day everything changed.

Jason takes Alfred out for lunch, and somehow that changes everything.

Night time activities being what they were, Alfred had always expected a life changing injury.

If not for himself, and largely it wasn't, then certainly for the loved ones in his charge. It seemed inevitable... one way or another.

By some miracle beyond his comprehension, Bane's attack on Bruce had ultimately not been permanent. And whilst he wanted to attribute the recovery to Bruce's sheer, unrelenting stubborness, it would hardly be fair to darling Miss. Gordon. Who was just as stubborn and pigheaded as the rest of them, after all.

Bitter stubborness and iron will aside, whatever the reason for miraculous recoveries, a mere two injuries in the realm of permanent, physical impairment hardly seemed the fill of a lifetime spent tempting fate. Alfred would never admit it, but he lived his life always awaiting the next disaster. Expected it with every phone call, every post patrol check-in, every unforeseen knock on the Manor door.

He just never expected to be there when it happened. Funny how what starts as mundane Tuesday, can end indelibly etched into your mind as the day everything changed.

"I'm telling you Alfred," Jason said, full of enthusiasm and a spring in his step, "this is the most authentic British pub in the state."

"Shepherd's pie." Cass said, pinching her finger and thumb together in the 'okay' sign. "Very good."

Jason nodded, slung an arm around Cass' shoulder. "We tested them all."

Alfred raised his eyebrows. "All?"

"Well yeah," Jason shrugged, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We wouldn't bring you somewhere shi-ort of your expectations."

Alfred rolled his eyes fondly. "Nice recovery, Master Jason."

They were some forty minutes out of Gotham. A sunny spring day, though still with a chill in the air. Once a month Jason insisted on taking Alfred out for lunch, only very occasionally allowing one of his siblings, or if he was in a parituclarly giving mood, Bruce, to join them. This month Cass was the chosen one.

The pub was called The Bat and Ball. An allusion to cricket of course, but Gotham being as close as it was, the pub sign that hung over the door couldn't resist adding a few bats flying above the painted cricket pitch.

Alfred had long given up trying to find an authentic British pub in New Jersey. Even neighbouring New York struggled to provide the real deal. The Bat and Ball gave it a good go though, with picnic benches in a small beer garden out the back, Old Speckled Hen on draught and, as promised, a bloody good Shepherd's Pie.

"So, what do you think?" Jason asked, oblivious to Cass' fork surreptitiously stealing a bit of sausage from his Bangers and Mash.

Alfred sipped his bitter. "Delightful Master Jason, and at least a seven out of ten for authenticity."

The younger man grinned, looking pleased with himself.

"What about you, Miss Cassandra?" Alfred asked.

Cass screwed up her nose and shrugged. Her Fish and Chips were barely touched. "Next month, dim sum."

Two pints and a full belly later, Alfred had near exhausted his stories of the various pubs he had frequented with friends back in the West Country, when Somerset had been home, and excessive drinking a perfectly acceptable hobby. Jason was already planning a trip for the two of them to visit, whilst Cass was promising a far superior lunch next month at Lan Kwai Fong. They've got the best Tom Yum Soup outside of Hong Kong, you know.

So benign had the afternoon been, so quietly pleasant with his darling grandchildren, more his than any blood could hope to prove, that for the merest of moments Alfred had quite forgotten the always inevitable, impending disaster. Which made the car careening towards them as they crossed the road to the parking lot, all the more of a shock.

"Look out!" Jason had shouted, voice thick with panic as he had violently shoved Cass and Alfred away from Bruce's old Jaguar.

Cass had twisted midfall, caught Alfred under the arms and safely pulled him to standing, away--

And Jason had been hit, left leg crushed between Jaguar and Cadillac. American motoring meeting British manufacturing, and Alfred's second grandson caught between the two.

"Oh no." The word's tumbled from Alfred's lips. "Oh no, no, no."

"Alfred." Cass' voice was sharp in his ear. She was still supporting his weight. "Alfred!" She said again. And the older man righted himself. "Deep breaths." She instructed, satisfied he could hold himself up before running to her brother.

Jason was bent over the bonnet of the cadillac, teeth grit and skin already a horrible, clammy grey. Alfred watched as Cass ran her hands over his head and neck, down his spine. She took his face in her hands. "No head or spinal injury." She told him. "Good sign."

Jason grunted in response, tried to mumble something sarcastic that quickly devolved into a grimace.

Alfred's brain switched back on, he rushed over.

"Miss Cassandra, check the other driver." He instructed, sounding far more in control than the situation warranted.

He turned to Jason, took the younger man's hand in his. "You're alright, son." He said gently. "Deep breaths."

"M'leg" Jason mumbled, teeth still grit and tears in his eyes. His head hung on his shoulders, eyes fixed where Cadillac met Jaguar with no space for limbs between. "M'leg Alfred." He said again, voice rising in pitch, as panic set in.

"Hey, hey now." Alfred said softly. Only vaguely aware of Cass beginning to perform CPR on the other driver behind him, of the panicked voices of the other pub customers and the distant shrill of sirens. "Focus on me, lad. You're okay. Deep breaths."

Jason's eyes met Alfred's, glazed with pain and unshed tears, and so full of trust it made the older man's heart hurt. "You're okay, Jason. The ambulance is on its way."

"GitDad." Jason gritted out, hand clutching Alfred's so tight it was starting to ache. "Bruss."

"He's on his way, Jason. He'll be here as soon as he can." Alfred reassured him, hating the lie but having no free hand to make any phone calls.

"M'leg." Jason said again, misery and pain etched on his features, his eyes drifting down again.

"Jason, darling boy, look at me." Alfred said, voice firm but kind. "No looking down, okay? Just keep looking at this ugly old mug and don't worry about what's going on down there."

"Not ugly, Alfred." Jason forced the words past his lips, eyes obediently locked on the older man.

"You flatter me, lad." Alfred said with a sad smile. "Either way, eyes on me. Tell me what we're going to do on our trip."

Jason grimaced, eyes sliding in out of focus, as blood began to pool beneath them. "Stone 'enge. Mm... pub lunch."

Bless this boy for still being willing to ever go near a pub after this, Alfred thought distantly, as the sirens suddenly reached his ears. Louder and more urgent than before now they were on scene.

Two police officers jumped out of the squad car, one closing off the road and the other immediately radioing for the fire department, as the first ambulance pulled up too.

Cass reappeared at Alfred's side, took one of Jason's hands from him. "Bruce on his way." She said, eyes on Alfred and full of concern. Then she turned to Jason and pushed his hair back from his face. "Okay, baby brother." She said softly, as if she were any more than a few months older than Jason. "Dad is coming."

Jason let out a sob, rested his head on the bonnet.

It took over two hours for the fire department to safely extract Jason from between the two cars. He drifted in out of consciousness, sometimes crying out for Alfred and sometimes for Bruce, and at least once for Catherine. A bag of blood replacing the fluid as fast as Jason was losing it.

At the ninety minute mark the fire chief pulled Bruce, Cass and Alfred aside and said very seriously that they may not be able to get him free without amputating his leg. "Even if we can avoid an amputation onsite, I want to be very clear that at this point it's highly unlikely the hospital will be able to save his leg."

At those words Alfred saw the exact moment that Bruce went to pieces. Insides crumbling down to dust, despite the stoic exterior.

Cass had seen it too. Had turned to both men and said, with fire in her eyes. "Just a leg." As though it was like losing a pair of shoes.

At two hours and seventeen minutes Jason was free. Delirious with pain medication, and already on his fourth blood transfusion. They'd strapped him to a stretcher and hurried him to the rescue chopper. Bruce had followed in a daze, eyes on what was left of his son's still attached leg, mangled, and withered and black.

For once, Brucie Wayne put his considerable resources to use, and Alfred and Cass followed in a Wayne Enterprises helicopter. Landing on the WE tower beside the hospital.

When they reached the ward, Jason had already been taken in for surgery.

"My poor boy." Bruce had sobbed, all but collapsing into the older man, as Alfred and Cass entered the ward. It had been enough to tell Alfred that the leg was gone.

"Just a leg." Cass had said again. Angrier this time. "Look at Babs and Cyborg and Arsenal." Her eyes were hard as flint. "Jason is alive." She said. "Forget the leg."

Bruce reigned in his sobs after that.

Five hours later and the private waiting room was a pile of Wayne's and Wayne adjacents. Tim and Dick and Damain, Steph and Babs and Roy. Even Clark was there and little Jon Kent too. Huddled in a corner with Damian, occasionally whispering to his friend. Listening to the doctors upstairs, Alfred would wager. Given that's exactly what his father was doing for Bruce.

A few hours after that and Jason was out of surgery, lucid but tired.

"Does he know?" Alfred asked the doctor, tight lipped when she said he and Bruce could see their boy.

"That he's lost a leg?" She asked, eyebrow raised. "Yeah, he knows."

Bruce and Alfred had followed her into the room, Alfred nodding sagely as she reeled off updates about Jason's condition, his projected recovery.

Bruce had gone immediately to his son's side. Had taken his hand and pressed it to his lips. Had pushed the hair back out of his boy's eyes and promised, promised, promised they'd have the best orthotists and prosthetists working on his case, that R&D at Wayne Enterprises was already working on an Nth metal and a promethium option, that Victor had already been in touch to offer his help--

Alfred placed a hand on Bruce's back. "Breathe, lad." He said gently. "He's fallen asleep."

Jason's soft snores filled the room. Bruce took a deep breath.

"What if I had lost him again?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper.

"You didn't." Alfred replied, heart twisting. He hadn't allowed himself to go down that particularly dark path.

"But what if I--"

"You didn't." Alfred said again firmly, then softer said "This is a second, second chance, Master Bruce. Let's not waste it."

~~

True to his word, Bruce brought together the best of the best to create Jason's prosthesis. It was ready before Jason was, waiting until he was well enough to begin physiotherapy. An Nth metal, depleted prometheum hybrid, that made the already formidable Red Hood a new force to be reckoned with.

Jason had at one point joked he would change his name to the Red Leg, utterly delighted as he was when Bruce gifted him a version of the prosthesis to match his helmet. And more than once, Alfred had had to scold him for using a spare prosthetic in a sword fight against Roy Harper and one of his own spare arms.

Not that recovery had been without it's trials. Phantom limb syndrome was an enduring issue, as was Jason's total inability to rest when medically ordered or required.

But life continued on, and as Cass had so fervently promised, it had been just a leg. And perhaps losing it had allowed Jason to let go of so many of the other doubts and fears that plagued him. He had almost died again, afterall, bleeding out and crushed between his father's old Jaguar and that of a poor stranger, who had had their first ever epileptic fit behind the wheel of a car.

Alfred would never have chosen this course of events, visions of Jason grey and slumped over a cadillac bonnet still haunted his sleeping moments, would always, he suspected. But the rage that had driven Jason before, so often directed at Bruce or Tim or whoever was in his line of sight, had lessened.

Which was how, almost a year to the day, Alfred found himself back at The Bat and Ball, sharing a pint not just with Jason but with Bruce too. The youngest of them regaling his father of their recent trip to Somerset, to see Stone Henge and to enjoy a proper English pub lunch.

Life changing injuries indeed.

[recurring-polynya]

Do you think Renji, Orihime, and Chad ever swap recipes? I can't decide if Renji is more like "oh man your tortilla soup is the best I could never do justice I don't even know where you get fresh limes" or "I spent fifty years of my life pursuing an impossible goal to hook up with Rukia and she REALLY likes this soup so ORA ORA ORA". I don't even know what an Orihime and Chad collab would look like and I crave your hot take on the matter.

Wow, okay, I hope you wanted a novel on my Six Hearts Gang Food Prep Headcanons, because that's what you're getting. .

Quick answer: Of course they swap recipes, the Karakura kids have an entire recipes channel on their Discord (or Line or whatever they use)

Here is a cut for the sake of everyone's dash:

So let us start off with an overview of everyone's cooking styles:

There are many hills I am willing to die on, and one of them is that Orihime is not a bad cook. There are two things that are very important to understand:

- Orihime loves flavors, the more flavors the better

- Orihime is not afraid to experiment

I am constantly reading fanfics where Orihime makes trash and feeds people trash, oblivious to their rude reactions and it makes me want to flip a table every time. In canon, mostly what we see is Orihime cooking for herself and occasionally offering someone a bite of her weird lunch, which they politely refuse. The one time I recall her cooking for others was the time she made Matsumoto and Hitsugaya dinner while they were staying with her. Matsumoto gushes over how good her cooking is (Hitsugaya doesn't have any, but he also refuses to come inside, so I'm not sure that's a judgment on Orihime's cooking) and Orihime laments that no one ever wants to eat what she cooks. Also, keep in mind that Orihime is a teen at this point, and it's highly doubtful she had anyone teach her to cook (Sora ran away from home himself at 18). I think Rukia and Renji will also eat literally anything happily, and they love Orihime's cooking, too. Over time, the other Karakura kids start eating her cooking out of their love for her and find that a) it's not actually bad, some of her wild combos are amazing actually, and b) she starts keeping track of what her friends like and dislike and starts tailoring her cooking to their preferences. Like, when Ichigo discusses the things they eat at home, it’s literally like he’s from another dimension, but he’s just used to it, it’s normal.

Chad was taught to cook by his grandfather, who I think Cooked Like a Bachelor. Chad has a small stable of classic Mexican dishes that he can make, and a lot of it is mix and match proteins and sauces, etc. He never measures anything. Every one of these meals is an absolute banger. He can also do some related cuisines, like he can make marinara sauce, but he just doesn’t vibe with Japanese cooking generally, the flavor profiles just don’t match his instincts. It’s fine, though, because that’s what Uryuu is most comfortable with (they are married in this headcanon, not-sorry). Uryuu owns a lot of books about the chemistry of cooking and talks a lot about umami and tenderizing connective tissue and stuff like that. They once took a French cooking class together for 🌹romance🌹 and had a lot of fun.

Ichigo is actually a reasonably competent cook! Orihime likes to do it, and it works out for their household, but he happily fills in when she’s busy or just needs a break. He’s not very fancy about it, but he can definitely throw together a decent meal; the family joke is that (boxed) curry is his specialty. He is also a very good sous chef, and is always willing to chop veggies or stir a thing on the stove, mostly because he’s just likes to hang out with his wife. 

Renji cooks like one of those dudes that you sometimes see videos of, slinging noodles in an Asian open-air market somewhere. He does everything extremely quickly, on some inner rhythm. Everyone except Rukia is always afraid to talk to him while he’s cooking out of the fear that he’ll chop off his own finger, but Renji’s brain and body operate entirely independently. Renji owns one cookbook, which he only consults when he is trying to make something he never has before. He does not use recipes. He has a bedraggled notebook that contains the most arcane and minimalistic notes possible, like an onion-to-meat ratio, or a single ominous statement like “if smoke comes out of it, start over”.

Rukia does not cook, unless you count the time she set Ichigo’s microwave on fire (he does not). If Renji is off on a mission or otherwise indisposed, Byakuya sends over care packages. It’s always enough food for about six people. Sometimes Renji has already cooked ahead for her. Rukia loves when this happens.

On to collaboration:

There is a small amount of recipe swapping: Chad’s mole sauce hits Orihime’s taste aesthetic perfectly, and Ichigo is gonzo for it, so he taught her how to make it. Chad will also straight up make gigantic batches of sauces and give some to the Kurosakis in exchange for bread-seconds. Orihime invented a surprisingly tasty, Ponyo-inspired concoction that’s sort of a clam chowder with ham enters the Sado-Ishida meal rotation in the winter months. Uryuu often puts “easy weeknight meals” in the Discord and everyone knows they’re for Ichigo.

Their real strength in invention and troubleshooting. Whenever someone is workshopping a new recipe or has a project start to go south, everyone will jump in to help. As I said earlier, Uryuu is very knowledgeable on the principles of cooking. Chad is extremely good at salvaging disasters with the proper application of condiments. Orihime has a vast reservoir of knowledge-gained-from-disaster. Her advice often sounds insane (you need to ADD a RAW EGG) but it works miracles. Orihime also knows a ton about baking. Ichigo may not have much to add, but he is extremely quick with a fire extinguisher. 

Now we come to the question of Renji. Renji’s entire culinary oeuvre is built around “things Rukia likes.” Of course, he is going to try to replicate his friends cooking, but as you say, the peculiarities of Soul Society make these things difficult. Many of the foodstuffs that the Karakura kids are used to buying come in convenient, packaged or frozen formats. Renji can sometimes find the equivalent, but then he has to figure out what to do with it. Soul Society vegetables sometimes taste radically different from the ones in the Living World, because they are different varietals. (Byakuya’s favorite bananas are probably Gros Michels, rather than Cavendish, for ex). Some things are just straight-up unavailable. Renji does his best, with feedback from Rukia. Sometimes he achieves Good Enough, sometimes he just has to give up. He has successfully replicated a large number of Living World condiments, which is honestly what Rukia cares about the most.

When the Karakura kids found out that he does this, though, they got extremely invested in trying to adapt their own recipes for the Soul Society grocery situation. For example, Chad didn’t used to bother making his own tortillas from scratch, but in the course of teaching Renji, he realized it wasn’t as bothersome as he remembered, and the results were worth the effort. At first, they were also very concerned about Renji’s lack of modern appliances, like a food processor or a mixer, but it turns out that Renji’s knife skills and bicep strength tend to make up for it. The real MVP of this effort is Uryuu, who got so into historic food that he started a YouTube channel about Edo Era cooking, that is half historical research and half stuff Renji tells him. Soul Society is not actually historic though, it’s just weird, so there have been a couple of episodes where Uryuu says something absolutely insane on camera. Many of his viewers suspect he is actually a time traveler from an alternate reality.

Renji is so grateful for the help, and he’s a little embarrassed because he can’t really reciprocate (no one wants to learn how to cook labor-intensive, bizarro Soul Society food), but he will mix up some pickles for anyone who wants them whenever he’s in the World of the Living. He considers this pretty basic kitchen stocking, but the Karakura kids are obsessed with Renji-pickles and will go crazy for them. He’s even gone to the trouble of writing down how to make them, but it’s not the same. Orihime insists this is because he is a ghost and is therefore somewhat preserved himself. Rukia says it’s because he probably doesn’t actually follow his own instructions.

[miastideclock]

Stray Kids Reaction To Their S/O Being Shy About Their Singing-Talents

anon asked:

Can you do stray kids reaction to their s/o being a good rapper and singer but they get shy and have low confidence? - 🐻💙

Of course love! I hope you like it x So sorry for the wait! While we're here, I just wanna say I'm sorry for the length difference of the individual reactions! * y/n/n is what i use for your nickname btw

Word Count: 3.5k-ish

Bang Chan

Silence. At least for the most part. You clicking the keyboard of your computer, Chan humming slightly as he clicked around on his own, as well as twisting and turning the dials on his audio mixer, connected to said computer. The sounds had sort of blended into the silence though, so neither of you really noticed it at this point.

A click louder than all of the others soon came from Chan's computer, meaning he was going to connect his progress to the speakers of his studio, so he could fully take in the track he was working on. He had played it what seemed like a million times already, but you didn't mind. You were already so phased out that he could be announcing the break up of Stray Kids', and you honestly wouldn't even catch it.

The familiar beat of their upcoming title track boomed through the speakers, and as if on autopilot, you sang along. You had heard the beginning of that very song so many times now, the lyrics were as good as engraved into the inside of your eyelids.

Once the first verse and chorus were over, the song stopped, as did you. It was when the song didn't play again you finally snapped out of your computer-trance. You shifted your eyes from the screen over to your boyfriend who was sitting on the other side of the room.

"Y/n."

You then realized you had been singing along, and probably not as quiet as you had thought. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to distract you. I'll keep quiet." You quickly apologized.

You were hanging out with your boyfriend, yes- but he was still at work, and you'd hate to be the reason for him switching out of his creative-mode.

"No! No, no, don't worry. You're just so good? How come I have never heard you sing before?" Chan grinned as he turned his spinny-chair to face you and fell back into it, looking at you with admiration.

You had been sitting on the floor with your back against the seat of the couch, so the coffee table by the mentioned couch had your laptop at shoulder-height, meaning you had to close the screen of your computer to see your boyfriend. Once you had done so, you moved your hands up to your face, covering your cheeks.

"I don't like the attention. I hate it when people look at me like- exactly like you're doing now, stop!" You giggled when Chan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He decided to mess around with you and started staring you down. You laughed and begged him to stop, but the more you did, the more intensely he stared at you- until he eventually cracked, sending you both into fits of laughter.

Lee Know

"First things first rest in peace Uncle Phil."

The music blared from your headphones straight into your head, being the only thing keeping you motivated as you did some housework. Seeing as you were mopping when the J.Cole song started playing, you figured the handle would prove to be the perfect microphone.

"For real, you the only father that I ever knew." You continued, singing and rapping along while shaking your butt and cleaning the floor. Maybe not the world's most efficient cleaning strategy, but my-oh-my did it get the job done.

Due to the loud volume in your headphones, you didn't hear the front door open and shut, as your boyfriend came home for the day.

Minho didn't even get the chance to put down his bag before his attention was completely wrapped around you having a concert in your living-room. He quickly recognized the song and let his head bob along to the beat, even though he could only hear you rapping, and not the song itself. He kicked off his shoes and placed his things on the ground before he slowly made his way into the living-room, doing a little boogie as he did so.

It wasn't until you finally turned around almost a minute later you saw your boyfriend joking around, dancing to your rapping. You instantly dropped the mop and let out a little scream as he startled you, covering your face with your hands once you saw it was just him.

"Minho! What are you doing?" You cried out in embarrassement after removing your headphones. Minho couldn't help but chuckle at you before he came closer and gave you a kiss-hello.

"Y/n, I never knew you had such voice-control! You've never rapped in front of me before, why?" He asked when he pulled away, his arms still wrapped around your waist, but his face a few inches away from yours.

"Because you're an actual rapper in an actual band!! That's like showing Michelangelo your drawing!" You argued back, a massive smile on your face. Minho then continued to shower you in compliments, making you hide your blushing face from him by burying it into his chest.

Changbin

The kitchen had all kinds of different smells as you were stirring the pot of soup you had on the stove in front of you. The kitchen-window was open, letting in a fresh spring breeze, and the radio was playing a familiar song.

"Hold me close and hold me fast The magic spell you cast This is La Vie En Rose." You softly sang along, your body swaying back and forth to the tune. You continued to sing along as you used the wooden-spoon to stir around, making sure it didn't burn.

(bro, i think i fucked up my sOUP)

"Hey, Y/n/n." It suddenly came from the doorway to the kitchen, instantly causing you to stop singing and spin around. "Hi, Binnie." You gave him a smile and then turned back around, squeezing your eyes shut, only for a second- as if you were trying to erase the past ten seconds. You hoped the radio was louder than your voice, but that hope soon came crashing down.

"No, why'd you stop?" He asked as he placed a few sheets of paper on the table and continued over to you. You started smiling like an idiot for a second before you raised your hands to cover your face. Chanbin noticed and chuckled as he came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you. "Don't be shy!"

He then spun you around so you were facing him, but your hands still covered your face. This made Changbin just chuckle even more. He tried to jokingly pry your hands from your face, but you just shoved your head into his shoulder so he wouldn't be able to grab you properly. You either couldn't help but chuckle as you messed around, but quickly stopped once you remembered you were cooking.

You turned around to keep stirring your soup, Changbin never let go of you. "But tell me, why have I never heard you sing before when your voice is THAT good?" He asked, but you ignored him.

"For real?" He tried again, but you pretended he didn't say anything.

"Would you like some soup?" You asked him, turning slightly to look at him. He seemed amused, but he just nodded, accepting your choice of lunch.

Hyunjin

Hot water poured down your back, the whole shower smelling like your body wash. You had just gotten back from a run and decided to clean up a bit before Hyunjin came back from work. So after getting out of your leggings and hoodie, you had grabbed your speaker and headed for the washroom.

Knowing Hyunjin wasn't home, you qued the best of the best from your playlist, getting ready to absolutely shred the imaginary rap battles you were about to have. Banger after banger played as you sang into your microphone. Your mic being an empty shampoo bottle you had yet to throw out.

You were mid-shampoo when Streets by Doja Cat played, and you almost slipped and fell while hurriedly reaching for your microphone.

"Damn, papi, you a rare breed, no comparing." You borderline yelled, as if you had just gotten out of a failed relationship where you still loved your partner, when in fact that wasn't your case at all. You were very much in love with your boyfriend, and you were on great terms- but for the sake of your rap battle, you had to get into it.

"When other chickens tryna get in my coop 'Cause you're a one in a million There ain't no man like you!" Not to toot your own horn or anything, but you could confidently say you absolutely bodied that verse, and you were soon let know you weren't the only one who thought so.

(I don't actually think he is the one to cuss, but this is simply because I cannot think of another way to say it, so for the lack of a better word:) "Fuck it up, baby!" You heard Hyunjin hype you up on the other side of the bathroom door, making your stomach drop for a second.

"You're not supposed to be home yet." You answered him after turning off the speaker, and the shower. You stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around you, then went to open the door.

"Well, I had to hurry home when I heard the rap God themselves was having a concert in our bathroom." Hyunjin chuckled once you opened the door with almost a shameful face. "Should I talk to JYP about getting you a rap-audition, or..?" He dragged out the last word, kind of he was taunting you, but in the most loving way possible. Feeling your cheeks grow hot, you closed the door back up and locked him out.

"I'm never leaving this bathroom." You announced as you covered your face, even though Hyunjin could no longer see you.

"Y/n/n, I was kidding! You were great though, I might actually talk to JY-" He started again, but you cut him off by groaning, causing the both of you to break out laughing.

Han

Clicking of a pen. Gentle tapping of a foot. Frustrated hair ripping. You had seen these symptoms before- that's right, Jisung was in a slump.

You were at the studio with your boyfriend, and you were both seated in the sitting group, Jisung leaning his elbows on the table, head in his hands, tugging at his hair as if it would activate his creative juices. You had tagged along just to get out of the house, and maybe Jisung needed moral support, and wouldn't you have guessed- that was exactly what he needed.

"You good?" You asked him after he let out the umpteenth sigh in the past hour. He then finally confessed he just couldn't get the ending of the second verse down. "Why don't you sing it, so you can hear what's missing, rather than just reading it?"

He did as you suggested and sang through it. When he came to the part he was talking about, you also heard it. Something about it was just kinda.. off.

You tilted your head to the side as you were thinking of ways to better it, to try and help him. An idea popped into your head, and maybe it could work- after all you were no song writer. You tried your best to explain to Jisung what it was you were thinking, but about half-way through, you could see he was as lost as that one time Chan and Changbin had accidentally left the two of you behind at IKEA.

"I'm so sorry, babe. I don't fully understand what you mean." He confessed, and you nodded, knowing well that was him being sweet about the fact that you sucked at explaining things. So in the spirit of making it easier for him to understand, you just sang it. You sang through the song and added the part you had tried to explain.

"Did that make more sense?" You asked when you were done, looking from the sheet of paper up at your boyfriend, who was sat there, his lips slightly parted as his jaw hung lose. "Jisung? Babe?" You tried to snap him back to reality as it seemed he had zoned out, but only for a moment.

"Wait, that was so good? Since when were you that good?" Jisung suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree, smiling and almost bouncing in his seat. He continued to shower you in compliments, making you feel like a turtle trying to get back into its shell.

"Stop. If you ever mention me singing again, I will throw myself out the window." You said, both humor in your tone, and being dead serious at the same time.

"Okay, dramatic much?" Jisung joked back, making you shove his shoulder as you chuckled alongside him.

Felix

A car zoomed past you as you walked on the pavement on the side of the road, admiring the spring at its full bloom. You were almost a bit disappointed when you reached your home as you wanted to continue to look at the flowers, but that thought soon fell right out of your head. As you walked up the staircase to your apartment, you heard a constant noise grow louder and louder. You were about to turn the key when you realized the noise was more rhythmic than you originally thought, and that the music was coming from inside your apartment.

Curiosity completely consumed your body when you finally opened the door, and was met with a wall of noise. You took a few steps in and shut the door behind you, protecting the outside world from the sight you had in front of you.

Felix was using a hairbrush as he jumped around both on the floor and in the couch, crying out the lyrics to a song you didn't quite recognize. You laughed at your boyfriend as you kicked off your shoes and hung your coat in the closet.

Felix finally spotted you and quickly pulled out his phone that was connected to the speakers, and changed the song. The familiar intro of your favorite song soon played, and it didn't take as much as a second before you were as hyped as Felix were. You began jumping around and dancing with him, matching his energy.

Felix screamed the lyrics into the hairbrush before he swiftly tossed you the brush, letting you pop off as well. You rapped the words perfectly into the brush, standing on the couch as your concert evolved.

The song eventually came to an end, causing the both of you to fall breathlessly to the ground, heaving for air- massive smiles on your faces. The ground was cool against your now sweaty backs. A few seconds passed before Felix spoke.

"I don't think I have ever heard you rap before." He admitted. You kept staring at the ceiling, ignoring the boy at your side for a few seconds before you decided to answer him.

"And you will never hear it again."

Both you and Felix could back the claim that he had never moved as fast as he did when you said that. He had jumped up so he was on his elbows, facing you with wide eyes.

"No!! Please! You were so good!" He cried out, making you laugh at him. You just gave him a wink before you got to your feet and went to get the groceries you had left in the hallway.

Seungmin

"How about we go in there? Maybe I can find you a shirt?" You spoke after pointing to a store.

You were currently out shopping with your boyfriend, Seungmin. He had asked you to get him an outfit, not for any special occasion of anything, just for shits and giggles. It was your favorite type of dates, the ones where you don't really plan anything, you just end up doing fun and silly things.

Seungmin nodded and you soon dragged him into the store. The layout of the shop was like any other, so you soon made your way to the back where the mens clothing was.

As you were casually roaming the racks of clothes, the speakers soon started playing one of your favorite songs, making it impossible for you to not hum along. You kept looking at the different items of clothing on your left, Seungmin behind you, looking through the clothes on your right hand side.

Soon, the song picked up, you quietly jamming along, allowing yourself to softly sing along as there were no other customers near you.

Your hand suddenly slid over a material that caught your attention. It was a green oversized tee, with some colorful and funky letters on the front. You cut yourself off to turn around and show Seungmin the shirt, asking him what he thought about the item.

You held it up, but no reply. "Seungmin?" You tried again. It was odd seeing as he was looking at you with a slight smile, yet he was not replying to your question. You then lowered the shirt and waved your hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"You okay?" You asked him once he gently shook his head to re-focus his eyes. He nodded gleefully.

"Sorry, your voice was just so good that I completely forgot where we were." He admitted, giving you a look. You pursed your lips and spun on your heel, so he wouldn't see your burning cheeks.

I.N

Date night! You and boyfriend Jeongin had just been at a local restaurant for a cute night out. Nothing overly fancy, just a chance to enjoy each others company, since you both had been busy lately.

After you had paid your bill, the two of you went for a walk to enjoy the warm, evening air. With nowhere in mind, you just casually wandered down the street, your hands intertwined as you swung them back and forth, pulling and pushing at each other in a joking manner.

"Woah, when did this get here?" Jeongin suddenly asked as you passed a building with a bright neon sign hanging out front. You looked to your side to see what it was he was talking about.

Karaoke, the neon sign read. You turned back to your boyfriend and gave him a smug smile, hoping he was thinking the same as you. He returned the smile and suddenly you were being shown to a private room by the hostess.

The first few songs were just the two of you messing around, screaming ABBA into your respective microphones. At one point while picking the next song, Jeongin saw a song he really wanted to do, but as you didn't know the lyrics, you decided to sit this one out.

He belted his heart out to the tune you found unfamiliar, but you enjoyed it nonetheless. Jeongin was after all a singer in a world-renowned band- boy had talent.

The song came to an end, resulting in you giving him a standing ovation as he playfully bowed repeatedly.

"I'm your biggest fan!" You raised your hands to your mouth and pretended to be yelling it at the 'stage', like he just held a concert for thousands. You both laughed at yourselves before Jeongin announced it would be his turn to sit one out. You took that as you cue to get up from the couch and pick a song.

You were no singer, never was- never will be, at least not in public. So when you had to pick a song, you didn't care if it didn't 'fit your range', or 'suit your voice'. You picked a song you liked and ran with it.

The melody started, and you raised your mic to your lips, singing the words that were showing on the large screen in front of you. You found it wasn't as fun to sing without your boyfriend, but got through the song anyways.

As most things do, the song came to and end. You placed the mic on the table and turned around to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Mid turn, you saw your boyfriend like you never had before. His eyes were wide and his jaw was lose.

"What?" You asked him, uncapping the water bottle and taking a swig.

"Where did that come from?" He asked, eyes still wide as dinner-plates. You raised your eyebrow in a questioning manner, as if you were asking him to elaborate. "You're an amazing singer! How have I never heard that before?"

You felt your cheeks grow hot, and your eyes instantly found the ground, suddenly too shy to look at Jeongin. He chuckled at your reaction, and leaned forward so he could reach your hand from where he was sitting. He then pulled you back so you fell to the couch, crossing your arms over your chest, your shoulders up to your ears by now.

"We have to do this more often so I can hear you sing more!" He stated as he poked your arm, trying to get you to be less shy- and somehow it worked.

Hope you liked it! Feel free to request again!

-bentley

[larpgourmet]

Making Food Look Genre

No matter what you do, some food just looks modern. There’s some easy and obvious fixes -- serve your food in bowls that fit the theme, and don’t eat with plastic flatware off paper plates -- but sometimes food just looks too modern, or too pristine for LARP.

No matter if you play in a fantasy or a post-apocalyptic LARP (those are the two most common, though I realize this list is hardly comprehensive) the best thing to do is remember that a lot of modern, processed foods would be difficult to make, or impossible to find in your world. Modern packaged breads, things like cheesecake or quiche, or packaged foods that deteriorate quickly are all all bad fits for meals where you’d like to be very genre appropriate.

Fortunately, some things can be done with simple substitutions -- though you may pay a little extra for below I’ll give you some ideas for substitutions to food you may be wanting to make, that will look a little more genre appropriate! 

Bread / Sandwiches The go to of many LARPers. No matter what, modern, bagged bread always has something of a modern look to it, and sandwiches always carry a bit of that same modern appeal. If you’re serving bread as a side to a salad or soup, consider making a more rustic bread (I have a great beer bread recipe that I’ll link below!) You can cut or break off chunks, and serve it with butter, and the bread will look much more interesting!

Beer Bread: https://happyherbivore.com/recipe/beer-bread/

Consider breaking Sandwiches apart into what’s called a Peasant Lunch. Instead of making a regular sandwich, serve a small pre-sliced ham with some cheese you cut on site, and have a salad, fruit, and rustic crackers on the side. People can serve themselves slices of the meat or cheese, and eat vegetables and fruit. You get the same style of easy nutrition, but now it looks like a medieval feast!

If you still want to eat a normal sandwich, consider putting it in pita bread. It’s easier to carry anyway, and pita bread always has a slightly more rustic look about it.

Ultimately -- I think the big thing is to avoid potato chips as a side to a sandwich. They never look genre, and they really don’t offer you any serious health benefits. Go with a good side salad, cottage cheese, fresh fruit or vegetables.

Bonus Sandwich: The Beloved PB&J Nothing in this world is easier to eat than a good, old fashioned, PB&J sandwich. I think this one comes down to presentation. Consider toasting your bread, if you have access to a camp stove -- or cutting from a more rustic loaf. Use crunchy peanut butter and more classic preserves with fruit pieces. This is  a great sandwich for pita, as pita covers a lot of sins since no one can usually see what’s inside. Also consider adding sliced banana to give the sandwich some weight. (Especially if you, like me, enjoy peanut butter and honey sandwiches). Then serve it with something like cottage cheese or baked apples.

Hot Dogs Inexpensive, full of protein, easy enough to heat, but can be eaten cold. Hot dogs are a staple of inexpensive LARP food. Fortunately, they don’t take a lot of work to make a little healthier, and a little more LARP friendly.

Instead of cheap hot dogs, consider getting inexpensive sausages from the deli section. Serve these without a bun, and have mashed potatoes and peas on the side. (Bangers and Mash for those of you who don’t know your UK dishes!) If you’re looking to make life easy on yourself, you can always go with canned peas, and instant mashed potatoes, and just heat everything up on your camp stove while at game. The meal will look much more rustic -- and will be much more filling! If you still want to be able to eat your sausages cold, then just be sure to cook them at home ahead of time.

Tacos Admittedly, this one I had to think about for a bit. I know a lot of people who love tacos. I think the dead give away on tacos tends to be the shell. So consider turning your normal taco into a chopped taco salad. You can top the salad with broken tortilla chips to give you the taco crunch if you need! Making a chopped salad makes it a lot easier to eat, no giant lettuce leaves to try to spear with a period accurate two-pronged fork. (Trust me, it doesn’t work.)

Burgers Who doesn’t love a burger? I know I do! I think buns are really the ill that makes burgers look modern. The quick fix is to advocate for slices of a more rustic bread, and go for a non-french fry/chip side. Mashed potatoes, or coleslaw can be made to look fairly genre, and also offer more nutrition (in general).

If you want to be totally extra, consider making Sloppy Joes on rustic bread! You get all the fun of ground beef, but they have a deconstructed look that makes them fit into genre just a little bit better.

The bonus with making Sloppy Joes, is you’ll need fewer condiments with you. So leave the ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise at home -- people won’t need to sauce this meal.

For recipe ideas on Sloppy Joes, check this out! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/super-sloppy-joes-recipe4-1949927

Final Thoughts: Ultimately, I think the trick with genre food is that it should look less perfect if possible. Hand chopped vegetables, rustic (uneven) breads, food you made in a single cookpot (like mashed potatoes, or Sloppy Joes) -- those dishes give a world a more lived in feel, instead of brought from home, and many of them can be done easily and quickly!

[harryseyebrows]

give me your experience in full detail about harry’s show... i need to mentally prepare myself for msg

1. there is nothing that can prepare you for the moment he first comes on stage. its indescribable. we spend so much time on here reblogging pictures and videos and interacting with content about or surrounding harry, that you can sometimes lose touch with the actual human person who its all for and about. but when you see him, its just.... amazing. theres not a strong enough word for it. and to be in a room where everyone is feeling that way? the palpable excitement and joy?? you can feel it in your blood

2. i know this point has been exhausted by anyone and everyone, but he is truly meant to be a performer. we knew this from when he was in 1d but nothing will ever touch him being on his own. you can tell that having the band up there makes him feel more comfortable, and given how much he interacts with them and makes them a part of the show, you know that him doing his ~solo stuff~ is not about trying to hog the spotlight. he’s a self-proclaimed narcissist, but dont be fooled; harry styles is a ham but he’s not selfish or arrogant. he still needs his support group, he still needs to be able to shard a bond with the people he performs with so that he can be confident and comfortable, and try to afford them the same. he works the stage like its the only thing he’ll ever do, giving it 110% with the most genuine adoration for his audience that ive seen from anyone, ever. he doesnt just wave blindly or make grand sweeping gestures. he looks at people, really looks at people, and tries to make a connection with individual people in a room full of thousands. im pretty sure if he had the time to do that with every single person, he would. he’s chatty and loves to joke, talking to people like theyre old friends, and just for a moment, he turns the dynamic between fan and celebrity on its head. he’s hardly ever still, moving and bopping along like he’s in his own little world, but that world also happens to house the audience and everyone else in the room. youre standing there, 1 of thousands of people, and you can feel like youre one-on-one with him. he’s just incredibly personable and good-natured. and then when he’s not being a professional nice young man, he’s exploding with energy and utilizing the entire stage and all of his limbs. ‘born for it’

3. he’s so funny. he’s goofy and charming and not afraid to be weird or awkward, and its just really admirable, to see him up there, clearly having a great time, laughing and smiling. i loved seeing the more ~private~ moments between him and the band, if anything can be considered private when performing. but he’s constantly grinning at them and making faces, sharing silent jokes or saying things in passing that we cant hear. and of course, you never quite know whats gonna come out of his mouth next when he spots someone or something that earns his attention from the audience. he pokes fun at people but he also pokes fun at himself. it’s just nice. comfortable, even, when he talks to people from the crowd. if youre in the back and out of range for what he can see, and he can make you feel like the only two people there, i cant even begin to imagine what it must be like when he has his laser beam focus on you, directly. 

4. his voice is incredible. all of the little runs and ad-libs that he does are great. i remember reading a quote from a while ago, when he was still in 1d, and someone had said that harry has a great ear and that harmonies and other such things come really easy to him. and i always think about that when i hear him sing live, whether in concert or in a video. the tone quality of his voice is so beautiful, even when its being amplified to crazy decibels. you can tell he puts his whole heart and soul into every song he sings, whether its a slow one like mmith or the absolute banger that is kiwi. and its so fun to hear his renditions of old 1d songs -- the arrangements are so good and its so nice to hear those songs with just his voice. sott is still just That Song™ and hearing it live is something that stays with you forever. 

5. THE OUTFIT. when the screen went up, i was so excited to simply see him that i wasnt even thinking about ‘oh what is he wearing’ until about 5 minutes in when i realized that i was no other than harris reed. harry has always marched to the beat of his own drum, and we’ve poked fun at his fashion sense for years, from the toe-revealing brown boots, to the double plaid button downs. and it wasnt really until the white gucci floral suit that, in my opinion, he started to really come out of his fashion shell in a big, loud, in your face way. its been so interesting to watch him experiment over the years with different trends, different styles, different vibes, etc. but now he’s still just as adventurous, if not MORE, but in a really refined and arguably more cohesive way. because while all of his outfits are different and wild, the unpredictability and diversity make up a category all on their own; they common thread among them is that they’re all so unique. and while we might not like every single look or every single suit, no one can deny that he’s going out there and putting his own stamp on the men’s fashion world. look at the number of little boys who adore him and put on printed suits to be like him. what he’s doing matters. and he looks so comfortable and so in his element when he’s on stage, wearing whatever flowy or glitter ensemble thats on the docket for that evening, prancing around and looking like he doesnt have in care in the world that his trousers are flared and he has a giant silky bow around his neck. i love that he appreciates new and adventurous designs, and it really pays tribute to his character that he supports different designers, like harris reed, whos still in school and is getting the recognition he deserves, 100% on his own merit but also because harry helped boost his platform. harry is doing his own thing, doing the whole glitz and glamour performance thing, but none of it feels cheap or over the top. its just right and really reflects his personality and style. go on with ur bad self, harry.

6. the butt. what can i say? its now an element of the show. she’s plump and proud. he worked hard to get her where she is and she deserves to be showed off. like two beautiful melons draped in fabric, whether it be a solid color, black, a print, or glitter. she does it all. and she does it well. AND shes au natural. no fat transfers here. just smooth, firm but also pleasantly supple, muscle and butt meat. surely youve heard of all you can eat buffets, but his butt takes it to a whole new level. that is a multi-course meal and then some. the glass of water you have when you wake up in the morning, parched and in need of something to help your dry mouth; breakfast, something healthy but still delicious... some thick maple and brown sugar oatmeal; lunch, a perfectly toasted grilled cheese with tomato soup; dinner, some top sirloin steak because you need some MEAT, accompanied by potatoes and another less starchy vegetable, perhaps a green bean?; dessert, cake of course. and all the snack in between. delicious. 

[takeeachdayonebookatatime]

Triple f day [flashpoint fanfiction friday]

Flashpoint fanfiction (a real head banger)

Featuring sam and jules

Loosely based on  the good cop

Team One is sent to protect

officer William Greeley who is in court over the case of a younger man killed in a greenhouse the protesters want the victim Luke Buteau, to receive justice for his death spike who was left alone in the suv that is getting messed up the team and some riot police have to rescue him after a smoke grenade goes off in the car beside the little bit of smoke spike is fine and gets back to work Jules goes undercover as one of the protesters to gain intel on the case a comes up with 2 promising names 

After jules  questions one of the culprits Joshua LeClair, they then  discover that the other one who Josh reveals that her full name is Philippa Durst to the other protestors she is only as "Pip," the team also discovers she used to be Luke's best friend She also thought that the media was trying to cover up Luke's shooting,

 so she was trying to rally a large amount of the public to support her for the case so that it wouldn't go unnoticed and the court would be pressured to charge William and  find him guilty. Ed and wordy were now looking for pip on the way back into the court jules got whacked on the left side of  the face/head Sam who was waiting for her at the door managed to run out and grab her before she fell once inside he had her sit down on a chair so he could check her out she said she was fine Greg was watching William  but went over to see about jules who was getting checked out by Sam who got a pen light to shine in her eyes he said he was a little concerned by her pupils it looks like a concussion jules said she was fine and if it was a concussion I have had worse like getting shot I'm fine I will get checked out after shift it it makes you feel better overprotective Sam, how could she call him that when he was looking out for her safety his injured team member he was not convinced she was okay at all when sarge went back to check on William he was gone the rest off the team minus Sam and jules were looking for him for over 40 minutes and looking for leads on where he could be jules was quiet for a bit but then again Sam was hovering close by he asked her again if she was okay and she said yes which he knew was a lie

jules suggested pip took him somewhere but before she could finish her sentence on were that would be she projectile vomited everywhere and all over her uniform and Sam's and the floor he used a towel to clean her up a little and himself sarge was so surprised by what just happened Sam  asked her if she was nauseated, had a headache, blurry vision or was dizzy she said yes to all Sam was mad at himself for not taking her  to the er earlier and for her not telling the truth he asked Greg if he should call an ambulance of take her himself sarge said it might be hard for an ambulance to get through so the suv it was spike said since luke was shot in the greenhouse would that not be your first place to go ed said it makes sense Greg told ed Sam was talking jules to the er because she just threw up everywhere and lied about her having symptoms of a concussion the rest of the team left to go find William while sam took jules to the er a few minutes in to there drive  he had to pull over for jules who was getting sick thank God he was in the suv and could put the lights on Winnie was nice and called ahead for him so they knew he was coming as soon as he pulled up a dr named frasier had her out of the car and onto a stretcher and into the er exam room 1 Sam was holding her hand a nurse checked her vitals like her pulse, heart rate, bp and oxygen level and the dr put an oxygen mask on jules to help her breath she winced when the dr shined the light in her eyes which meant she was now sensitive to the light and the dr was concerned with her sluggish response Sam told the Dr frasier about her vitals earlier when he checked her and his concerns and about how she lied to him the dr agreed with his concerns and ordered a CT scan and mri

Sam went with her once the scans were done jules threw up everywhere which concerned the dr they sent her back down to er exam room 1 to wait for the results when dr Frasier came over to talk with Sam about the results, when all of a sudden jules  starts to have a seizure and was throwing up everywhere the dr timed it at 4 minutes and 50 seconds a long one he turned her into the recovery position the nurse administers a dose of anti seizure meds and then jules started to lose consciousness dr Frasier order some more medicine for her to be given and a nurse to monitor her closely he said on the gsc scale her concussion is considered moderate since it is a 11 and she has a little swelling she would need to be closely monitored for the next 24 hours make sure nothing gets worse but he would like to intubate her since she had a seizure Sam said it was fine and to go ahead once the dr was prepared he inserted the breathing tube down her throat and secured it in place to help her breath better she was then moved to the icu and covered in wires and to be closely monitored they were also monitoring her temperature making sure it does not turn into a fever he texted Greg an update on her condition and Greg said they were wrapping up at the greenhouse and that her intention was to have Luke's father shoot william so that he can get justice for his son but he confesses it was an accident

Sam tell Greg jules is not allowed to have visitors for 24 hours besides him since he is her next of kin the rest of the team finished up at the call and went home they would come to visit tomorrow night after shift if it was allowed it was now the next day and 12 pm in the morning and jules was coming in and out of consciousness so dr frasier took her for another CT and mri and said there was minor improvement  in the swelling but until she wakes up 100% the breathing tube stays in at 4 in the afternoon she started to wake up and become more aware of her surroundings so dr Frasier decided to take out her breathing tube and switch her to the oxygen mask to make her more comfortable he also shined a light in her eyes to see if she could follow the light she winced when he did it and tried to close her eyes jules was still very sensitive to the light and threw up everywhere and seemed in pain the nurse made sure the curtains were closed all the way and gave jules her medicine and she kept trying to reach to pull out her iv so the nurse held her arm down until she stopped it, only the top blankets were barfed on so the nurse only changed them and then jules fell back asleep for an hour which the dr said was normal and to call when she wakes up it was now 5:20 and jules was trying to say Sam's name but it made the pain in her head worse she said what happened and he whispered do you remember and she said no Sam called dr Frasier and he asked her some questions about yesterday and she had no clue he told her what happened and that she was in the hospital dr Frasier told Sam she has a type of amnesia that is temporary he gave her more of her medicine and she feel back asleep at 6 the team came by to visit wordy had stopped at the gift shop and got her a teddy bear and some balloons they decided to wait until she was up and at 6:20 she started to wake again but this time she was crying he held her until she stopped the team came up to sit and visit with her it was hard to see her like this and hurting it was so not jules like after they left the neurologist dr Frasier took her for more scan just to be on the safe side and he said it looks like everything is heading in the right direction swelling wise but she still will be in excruciating pain for a few days but tomorrow they will let her try and eat something every 3 hours a nurse came in and checked on her and asked her questions it was now the next day and she was off of the oxygen and the food she was given was jello the nurse had given her nausea medicine before hand in hopes it would try to keep her food down she was talking a lot more but still in severe pain after breakfast

she slept for 3 hours until the nurse woke her up for her next scan the neurologist told Sam her swelling was going down lunch was more jello and more sleeping at six it was time for dinner even more jello and some broth the team came to visit with her and were happy to see her more alert and said they miss her alot and hopes she gets better soon ed had some food Sophie made but jules was not allowed to eat it so Sam gave it to her nurses for dinner after the team  left jules went for her night time scan dr Frasier said everything is looking good and she can try and walk around tomorrow the nurse checked her every 3 hours all night long the next morning she was allowed to eat soup and walk around a little and the dr took out her catheter so she could go to the bathroom with Sam's help her morning scans were looking amazing just a tiny bit of swelling she slept most of the day because the pain in her head was bad lunch was a different type of soup the neurologist dr Frasier even cleared her for a shower he got Sam a shower chair so she could get clean 30 minutes later and she was clean and back asleep Sam asked about her sleeping and the dr said it was fine just her body's way of healing itself at six the team stopped by again to visit her dinner was chicken noodle soup they talked for a little then left it was time for jules nightly scan the neurologist dr Frasier said to Sam he did not see any swelling  but would still monitor her with regular scans she fell asleep after her meds the nurse woke her up every 3 hours it was the next day and jules was eating oatmeal for breakfast after her morning scans dr Frasier talked to Sam about releasing jules tomorrow since her new scan showed no swelling and the same about the ones last night which is good she slept most of the day lunch was oatmeal at 6 she talked to Greg about how excited she was about getting released tomorrow and not having any swelling her nighttime scans looked very good her meds were decreased a little dr Frasier talked about symptoms to look out for and for her to take it easy while she recovered more at 10 the next morning she was released and went home.

[hooliainprague-blog]

galway, ireland

22.3.2018

I woke up at 6:30 to inhale three croissants and some cheese and go to the airport. Prague airport is really weird because you check in, go through passport control, go through all the shopping, and then you sit in the terminal and wait until about an hour before your flight before going through security. I also think that lemon Pepsi will be my new “waiting for a flight” drink because it’s so good and the only place I’ve seen it so far is in the airport. 

Upon arrival in Dublin, I got some water and a vegetable and mozzarella “toastie” (hehe) and went to find my bus to Galway. I’ve already noticed so many differences between Prague and Ireland and I’ve been here for less than an hour.

After the three hour ride to Galway, I met Alyssa at the bus station and we basically went straight to dinner.

Galway is the third largest city in Ireland, but it really has a small town vibe more than a city one because there’s only about 75,000 people. It’s perfect.  For dinner I had chicken kiev, and it was delicious and full of garlic. I also tried “brown sauce” for the first time. I dipped some fries in it, and it tastes like if you mixed a teeny tiny bit of ketchup into a lot of apple cider vinegar....I stole some packets to take back to Prague. AND the water was free and cold. 

There’s so many cute little canals and rivers and waterways around Alyssa’s apartment (which is the nicest student apartment I’ve ever seen, might I add).

When we got back, Alyssa did my makeup for fun, we relaxed for a while after my journey, and then we went out for drinks in some Irish pubs. We jumped around for a while listening to a bunch of different live music (which is so lighthearted and fun and in every bar).

By the time we made it out of the apartment, the live music scene was winding down, so we walked around Galway at night. We saw some beautiful things and had a great time. We also got some BIG pizza!!!

It was a great first day.

23.3.2018

We ate some bagels for breakfast, and Alyssa took me to her school to show me the campus. It was beautiful, and it was also kinda nice to be on an actual college campus separated from the rest of the city for a little while. 

We then walked the short distance to the Galway Cathedral, which is the last great stone cathedral to be built in Europe. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go inside because there was a mass going on when we arrived. 

We went to Tesco to buy some snacks for the next day, went back to the apartment to drop them off, and walked around town stopping in different stores and showing me the city in the daylight. 

I also got to go into TK Maxx and felt at home a little bit. Miss you, TJ Maxx!!!!!!!

After that, we got some coffee at a cute little coffee shop and ventured home, making a pit stop at the Spanish Arch (sparching: sitting along the water at the arch) and strolled on a part of the Long Walk (thanks to Alyssa and Ang and the entirety of Galway, I can’t type that out or think of Galway at all without thinking of this song, but tbh, I’m not mad about that at all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3V-oXwCWL4).

We got some garlic bread on the way home, went to take a lil snooze, ate some soup and grilled cheese for dinner, and decided to go out to a bar/pub again after. But first, look how cute this little canal spot is. 

Here’s a nice picture of me, Alyssa, Ang, and my new pal Katie.

My first Guinness (both in Ireland and ever)!

This was a super fun night because the live band was incredible and sang songs we all knew, and there were a couple of Irish girls who made us all dance with them. It was a lighthearted and almost spiritual even. Ethereal, you could say, if you said it in the right tone. 

After we left, we got the most amazing pineapple pizza with ranch dip (the best in Europe!!) and went to bed.

24.3.2018

Surprise, we ate bagels for breakfast again!! We met up with Alyssa’s friend Lauren and we all headed to the coach station to get on our tour bus for the Cliffs of Moher and a few other destinations. 

Our first stop on the bus tour was the Dinguaire Castle from the 16th century.

Alyssa is good at almost falling.

We got back on the bus and took some cute cow pictures through the window on our way to our next stop.

The next stop: Poulnabrone dolmen.

Next: The Celtic High Crosses. It was unsettling to have to walk and jump over graves to get to them.

After that, we had a break for lunch in the teeny tiny town of Doolin. I got bangers and mash, which was even better than I imagined. We also had a couple of minutes to go in some small shops and take some pretty pictures. 

Finally, what we’ve all been waiting for, we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher. I am not exaggerating when I say that the cliffs were the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in Europe so far this semester. We really lucked out with this beautiful warm sunny day considering Ireland is usually at least cloudy if not rainy and windy. My words don’t do the cliffs justice, and the pictures barely do either. 

You know we had to give my mom a heart attack (don’t worry, I was actually standing on a ledge, sorry to ruin the illusion).

OK here’s the cutest little wet floor sign in the bathroom at the bottom. I’m obsessed.

Our final stop on the journey back to Galway included a stop on the Burren where the ground looks like the surface of the moon.

When we finally got back, we were chilly and tired, so we got some pasta from Pasta Factory and went back to the apartment to eat that and cookies. We were going to lay down for a bit and get up to do something else, but we ended up crashing at like 8:30 pm. I don’t blame us, it was a long day on the bus.

25.3.2018

We woke up after a long night of sleep even though we lost an hour for Daylight Savings, and we went to walk around town in the morning waiting for brunch places to open. How CUTE IS THIS PLACE?!

I’d been craving pancakes and bacon and a smoothie for as long as I can remember, so thank gosh for this delicious place. I’m getting hungry again just looking at this picture.

Alyssa then walked me to the coach station and we said our goodbyes. I got to get on a bus an hour earlier than what I paid for because my flight was scheduled to leave earlier than I thought it would. I’m grateful for the kindness of Irish men who work for this bus company. The three hour ride was fine and seamless, but the Dublin airport is one of the most stressful ones I’ve been in so far. I’m glad I got there earlier. It was a long day of traveling, but it didn’t feel like it because everything was fine and Ireland is beautiful.

My last picture I took in Dublin, Ireland before getting on the plane home to Prague (miss you sweetie). 

I think that if I had the opportunity to study abroad again after Prague, I would choose somewhere in Ireland. It was so fun, relaxing, beautiful, and full of nature and nice people. 

Differences between Ireland and Prague:

Everyone I encountered in Ireland in the first hour of me being there has been incredibly kind, even when their jobs are typically those who get negatively stereotyped as being miserable, such as passport control, bus drivers, fast food stops in airports, etc. 

They drive on the other side of the road. I knew it when I booked the flights, but it’s a weird concept to see in real life. 

A total stranger asked me to use my charger on the bus and then called me a “fine woman” when I said she could. People in Prague don’t even look at me!!

Night life is so pure and good. There’s live music everywhere and everyone is happy to be there and everyone dances with everybody. 

Alyssa’s school has a designated campus. My school in Prague is extremely integrated into the city, while hers feels like a separate community in a way.

Prague uses bars as social gathering points to sip on beer and talk to old friends, while Ireland uses bars and pubs as places to drink a lot and dance with new friends. Both are great!

They all speak English, and I love the Czech language and I think I’m picking up some phrases relatively well, but it is so refreshing to hear English everywhere.

I’ll be back, Ireland!

[unconditionallyss]

Abroad Health & Fit Journal Entry 1: November 9, 2017

Breakfast: Multigrain bread, butter, and jam with mint tea. Not the healthiest but the norm in España.

Lunch: Lucy (my host mom) gave us paella but peruvian style with the most godly salad I could have ever asked for. She really knows what’s up. Lucy works at a hospital so everything she makes is handmade. I’m talking juices, sauces - everything. She also made this mango and mint lemonade (YES BY HAND). No added sugar and delicious.

Snack: … a kit kat 🙈 I KNOW! But I have been craving one and they’re so much better in Spain. Ask anyone who has had kit kats in Spain. But just one! And no more for the week! I shall take that as my cheat meal.!

Dinner: Yet again Lucy outdoes herself with this wonderful (YES HOMEMADE) vegetable tortilla soup; sin tortillas. Delicious. And then she gave us her own pizza. Another banger with Lucy tonight. Ended the night with a lovely mint tea and Lucy promised to buy more.

Exercise: WOOOOHHH just did some leg sculpting and a 25 min kickboxing warm up and boy could I barely breathe. But it’s done and I feel great!

PS: May I say that my spanish is LOADS better. Lucy knows zero English so if I want anything, tis in Spanish. I am going to bed early tonight so I may pop up early in the morning, pack, and get my workout on.

[bostonfly]

1. Foam Brewers (Burlington)

This BTV hot spot is a hop, skip, and a jump from Lake Champlain’s Waterfront Park, boasting Adirondacks views. Warm up inside as you sip your way through their rotating tap of double IPAs and unique brews. This season’s “weird beer” is called Fox in the Snow, and it’s eggnog-inspired, brewed with vanilla, and toasted with coconut and nutmeg.

HUNGRY? Duck into The Skinny Pancake next door for your choice of crêpe: sweet or savory. Might I suggest the Cattle Rancher? It includes braised local steak, Cabot cheddar, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and a side of chipotle sour cream.

2. Zero Gravity (Burlington)

This hipster hangout is smack dab in the middle of Pine Street, which, if you ask me, is the coolest street in Burlington. You can spend all day eating, drinking, and shopping your way along it. But first, beer. Opt for Zero Gravity’s Conehead IPA and their pilsner, the Green State Lager.

HUNGRY? After enjoying Zero Gravity’s $2 bowls of bottomless popcorn and other snacks, visit The Great Northern directly next door for an excellent brunch. Or venture to August First on nearby Champlain Street, where The Vermonter is a favorite sandwich on their ample menu.

3. Switchback Brewing Company (Burlington)

Flynn Avenue, where Switchback sits tucked away, is another fun street to explore in the city’s downtown and is home to the Burton flagship store. But once you arrive at Switchback, you’ll want to stay awhile. Their classic Switchback IPA is a must, as is the Connector IPA. Ask the bartender to tell you the story behind this beer and to point you to the world’s tallest filing cabinet. No joke. The cabinet, created by a Vermont-based artist, sits a few hundred yards away from the brewery and is definitely a sight to see.

HUNGRY? Burlington’s famous co-op City Marketrecently opened a second location a few miles north of Switchback. Swing by for lunch from the hot bar and deli or just to peruse this community-owned grocery store’s local, fair-trade, B-corp certified, farmer-produced, you-get-the-picture aisles. This is also a great opportunity to grab some crusty bread and a selection of cheeses from their fabulous cheese department. Some of my favorites: Cabot Farmhouse Reserve Cheddar, Vermont Creamery Bonne Bouche, and Blythedale Farm Vermont Brie.

4. Frost Beer Works (Hinesburg)

This quaint little town (population: sub 5,000) is worth the trek for Frost Beer Works. Don’t leave without trying the Lush (a double IPA), the Shush (an IPA), Ponyboy (an IPA), and the Really Pale Ale (a blonde IPA). Take the chance to play pool in their newly expanded taproom.

HUNGRY? Stop in at Lantman’s Market, a charming little grocery store. Snag some Champlain Orchards apples, Cabot Cracker Cuts, and Castleton crackers to bring with you for snacking at Frost. I also can’t recommend the market at nearby Philo Ridge Farm enough for breakfast, lunch, and really great coffee to keep you fueled on the rest of your brew tour.

5. Stone Corral (Richmond)

This western-themed brewery started on a horse ranch in Huntington, Vermont. You’ll want to toss back their staples, like the Palomino Pale Ale, Trailblazer (a lager), and Bramble (a sour beer made with blackberries). Plus, make your way through their seasonal offerings, like the Wicked Bad Rooster (a double IPA) and the Heart Breaker (an imperial chocolate stout).

HUNGRY? Stone Corral has its own tasty menu. I recommend the tacos, Ole’ Reliable in particular. Nearby Sweet Simone’s in downtown Richmond is also well worth the visit for delicious pastries, cookies, pies, and tarts.

6. Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Waitsfield)

On a blustery winter weekend, there’s no place I’d rather be than this newly opened and gorgeously designed taproom. Watch the snow fall behind their large picture windows while you enjoy their famous Sip of Sunshine (a double IPA). Then, challenge your friends to foosball or chess by the roaring fireplace as you sample from the 12 other beers on tap.

HUNGRY? Visit the Cabot Farmers’ Store in Waterbury Center for endless cheese samples. Then, walk over to Lake Champlain Chocolates to snag some sweet treats. While you’re at it, visit Danforth Pewter for hand-crafted metal trinkets and the Smugglers’ Notch Distillery tasting room for some Vermont vodka.

7. Fiddlehead Brewing (Shelburne)

Try the classic Fiddlehead IPA, plus snag some cans of the Second Fiddle (a double IPA) in this standing-room-only brewery. You can also fill up a growler or growlette of your favorite brew to take next door to the wood-fired pizza joint.

HUNGRY? Step right into Folino’s, the aforementioned pizza spot, where I suggest you remember two words: buff chick. Since you’re in town, pop into Village Wine and Coffee for the best coffee around, or head to O Bread Bakery at Shelburne Farms for the flakiest chocolate croissants you’ve ever had.

8. Long Trail Brewing Co. (Bridgewater Corners)

Named for the 273-mile hiking trail that traverses through Vermont’s Green Mountains, Long Trail Brewing Co., perhaps unsurprisingly, sticks to a hiking theme for its brew names: Long Trail Ale, Trail Hopper IPA, and Green Blaze IPA. They’ve always got a large selection of new beers on tap, like their seasonal Hibernator and Base Layer brews, too.

HUNGRY? Warm up at their pub with the Long Trail Cheddar Ale Soup, made with Cabot Cheddar, carrots, leeks, and Long Trail Ale. You’re also just under an hour away from King Arthur Flour, in Norwich, Vermont. I’d highly recommend you head there to check out their bakery, cafe, and store. Every home baker and just plain baked-goods-eater will agree it’s worth thedetour.

9. The Alchemist (Stowe)

You’ll need a game plan for this trendy spot. Step 1: Show up in Stowe. Step 2: Head to The Alchemist. Step 3: Drink some beer. Step 4: Buy Heady Topper (a double IPA). Step 5: Add the Focal Banger (an IPA) to your order. Step 6: Grab yourself a piece of their creatively designed swag.

HUNGRY? Visit Doc Ponds for warm-up comfort foods like the Daily Soup in a Mug, the Doc Burger, and the Baked Mac & Cheese. Or head to The Roost, where you must try the Cheddar Burger, made with Vermont’s own Cabot cheese and a bun from local loaf-maker Mansfield Breadworks.

10. Hill Farmstead (Greensboro)

I saved the most famous—and likely the farthest-away-from-where-you-live brewery—for last. If you’re willing to make the pilgrimage, have an Edward for me. And a Marie. And an Everett. And, OK, a Harlan.

HUNGRY? Snag some Jasper Hill Farm cheese from Willey’s General Store, or have a sit-down meal at the Hardwick Street Cafe. Order the Jasper Hill Cheese Plate to start. In true neighborly Vermonter fashion, Jasper Hill and Cabot Cheese collaborate to create Cabot Clothbound, a uniquely savory but sweet, must-not-miss cheese that’s ripened in a specially calibrated vault at Jasper Hill Farms. Round out the meal by chowing down on a hearty salad topped with the house-made blue cheese dressing.

[runningwitches]

What are your headcanons for the meals at Hogwarts? I often read in fanfics that it's unhealthy and/or greasy but I'm not so sure about the elves delivering only unhealthy food. What are your thoughts? :)

Yeah, I agree with that, I never really thought that they would only serve unhealthy food.

I think the confusion comes from people not associating a lot of healthy foods with foods that taste good. 

So when the house elves turn food that people wouldn’t consider ‘good’ due to it’s nutritional value into something delicious, they kinda forget that it’s healthy in the first place. 

Don’t get me wrong, not everything is healthy, but a fair share of it must be?

Like 90% of those kids spent their whole Hogwarts career not doing any exercise because they don’t really have required PE classes or whatever? There’s no way they can not exercise and also only eat junk.

Anyways, I feel like a lot of it would be meat based. Things like meat, potatoes and bread must be served a lot. But it’s definitely all accompanied by some vegetables and such. 

Obviously there’s the steak and kidney pie, I’ve never had something like it (I’m from Southern California, and British cuisine is something that escapes me a bit) but I’m sure it can’t be bad for you. 

Bangers and mash, Bubble and squeak cakes (my friend recently told me about these and they sound really good imo but idek man), Fish and Chips. 

Those all have potatoes and let me tell you. They must be pretty good. 

Obviously not the best for you, but not completely unhealthy or greasy.

Then there’s Yorkshire Pudding which is just like carbs galore, and that’s not necessarily good for you but the students love it.

And that’s just dinner? Like of course dinner is supposed to be more hearty and filling than the other meals?

Hence the meat and potatoes and carbs. 

They’ve got the hold the kiddos off for a whole night before they can eat again (if they’re good kids who don’t sneak down to the kitchens at night)

Also they’re children. They’re growing. Of course dinner’s gotta be huge.

But for lunch?

For lunch you best know that the elves are serving bomb ass sandwiches. 

Also soup.

Sandwiches and soup at Hogwarts is amazing. 

You got cheese sandwiches, ham sandwiches, prawn sandwiches, like there’s so may different types of sandwiches. 

And soup to accompany it.

Vegetable soup, chicken noodle, tomato, and those are just the basic ones. 

And salads. Lots of salads.

Lunch at Hogwarts is actually the best (And kinda healthy too?)

And for breakfast (don’t ask me why I did this in backwards order, I don’t know.)

Toast

Eggs

Tomatoes

Black Pudding (which is apparently a superfood? I don’t know, I just googled black pudding and people are telling me it’s good for you?)

Bacon

Beans

Your traditional full English Breakfast. 

All of those are options there, but there’s obviously other foods there too. 

Overall, Hogwarts food isn’t necessarily the healthiest, but it’s not all greasy and fried. 

Also it’s pretty damn delicious, so like ? Even if it was all fried, most of those kiddos wouldn’t be complaining.

Thanks for sending this in! I really enjoyed writing this! If I got anything wrong or you think I should add to it, totally let me know!

[adventuresinmorocco]

So the big trip has officially come and gone. I actually went to Ireland! This is going to be a pretty lengthy chat, so I’ll get right into the adventures!

It all began Tuesday morning at 11:30 am when my friends Abby and Nicole joined me in a taxi ride to Tangier’s Ibn Battuta airport for our flight from Tangier to Amsterdam. Everything was going smoothly. We checked in for the flight, went through security and passport control, and were sat waiting for our boarding to be called. Of course, this is when problems began to arise. When you live in Tangier for a little while, you notice that things run on Moroccan time which is the same as saying everything runs late. We finally boarded though, getting settled onto the plane 40 minutes after we were supposed to have left the tarmac. We weren’t worried though; our layover gave us plenty of time to make up for those 40 minutes. Boy were we wrong! It was at that moment that the pilot announced over the intercom that due to air traffic control problems at Amsterdam airport, our flight would not be taking off for another hour! So we were left to nervously await the departure time and hope with all our hearts that we would make our connecting flight to Dublin or that it would be delayed. When we finally made it to Amsterdam, the sprint began. Abby and I raced through the airport, separated from Nicole who had to go get her checked bag since the flight was a self-transfer. Our connection hadn’t been delayed at all! We made it to the gate, panting and sweaty, begging the flight attendants at the desk to let us on the plane that was still standing at the gate. Unfortunately, because it was a self-transfer and we had missed boarding, they were unable to put us on the flight. Luckily, they put us on one for the next morning, but they were unable to get us a place to stay in Amsterdam so we were stuck for 12 hours in Amsterdam airport rather than being in our hotel in Dublin. 

We spent an uncomfortable night trying to sleep in the airport before we finally got up and went to wait for our flight Wednesday morning. But in the end, the important thing was that we made it to Dublin eventually and we headed straight for the taxi line after landing to head to our hotel. We got in the taxi and were on our way... or so we thought. About 5 minutes into our drive, the taxi driver was forced to pull over because of a flat tire! Just our luck, huh? Thank goodness he had a spare in the trunk and was able to fix it up quickly and get us to our hotel. Once we had checked in and settled, we immediately headed off into the city for our first destination: the Guinness Storehouse. 

After a lengthy walk through the pouring rain, we finally made it to our destination. The storehouse was really neat. Each room took you through a different step in the process of making Guinness from the individual ingredients to the roasting to the bottling and advertising. We had such a fun time going through each floor and learning about how this internationally famous beer is created. We then took advantage of the amazing restaurants within the storehouse and our vouchers for a free beer and headed to get some lunch which was delicious. 

Our plan after the factory was to get a ride to the train station to purchase our tickets for our train to Waterford the following day, but we got lucky and our friendly cab driver informed us that it was easier to book online, taking us to an internet cafe near our hotel where we could get internet to check out the prices (our hotel wifi took a while to figure out). Once that was done, it was starting to get late so we did some brief shopping on our walk back before we headed into our hotel room, passing out way earlier than we expected. We obviously were super tired after the whole airport fiasco and then exploring Dublin. The next morning, though, we were up early to check out and on a train to Waterford. 

The moment we set foot in Waterford’s beautiful, riverside city, I was hooked. This place is seriously one of the most amazing places I’ve been. Sitting proudly along a beautiful river, the oldest city in Ireland is a sight to behold. There’s nothing super fancy or special about it in a factual sense, but to me it felt like I was right at home and I loved every second of being in that city. We checked into our hotel and immediately began to explore. Our first stop was the famous Waterford Crystal factory where we had a tour booked. This tour was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. I got to walk through each section of the factory and watch the men and women work right up close. Every stage from molding the crystal to cutting it was right there for me to watch live. After the tour, we were able to take a look around their sales floor and their Christmas ornaments definitely caught both our eyes. 

After that first plan had been completed, it was time to finish up one other plan I had in store while we were in Waterford: getting my hair cut. Now, I know what you’re thinking... “Why couldn’t you just wait for when you came home?” I could’ve for sure, but to be honest, I was getting really, really sick of having my hair long and I found a walk in salon so I thought, “why not?” So now my hair is short again and I can actually say I’ve gotten a haircut in Ireland of all places!

After this, we headed back to the hostel for what was supposed to be a quick stop, but ended up being pretty stressful in the end. Our original plans involved heading to the Cliffs of Moher from Waterford on Friday so we were working on the hostel’s desktop to figure out the travel plans and make sure we were set for the next day. Unfortunately, that’s when things began to fall apart again. We both realized that the cost was going to be much much more than we thought and we began to second guess our choice. After a tear-filled conversation with my aunt and some more debating about buses, trains, and taxi rides, we made the final decision to stay another day in Waterford and skip the Cliffs. We immediately felt a huge weight lift off our shoulders. Although we had both really wanted to go to the Cliffs, we ended up being very happy with our choice to stay in Waterford, especially because we were enjoying it so much already. 

The rest of our Thanksgiving day was spent wandering the streets of Waterford, experiencing the churches and other sights along the way and stopping at several of the little shops. That night, we were ready to head out to a pub for dinner, hoping to treat ourselves to a Thanksgiving type dinner. I’ll tell you right now, the pub around the corner from our hotel that was recommended by our hostel hosts did not disappoint. When we walked in, it was still fairly early for a pub so not many people were there, but I can tell you now that the owner was tickled to death that he had two Americans in his pub. While he took our orders, he happily chatted with us about our visit and study abroad experience. On top of his cheerful friendliness, he served us some amazing food. I personally had some vegetable soup with Irish soda bread to start, followed by the classic bangers and mash, ending with a scrumptious sticky toffee pudding with hot custard. Everything tasted so delicious and I got to check off several of the foods I had hoped to try in Ireland off my list! After our meal, we bid the owners a fond farewell before heading back to the hostel where we both separated to chat with our families and spend some time with them on the holiday, both of us needing the family time to get over the homesickness of missing Thanksgiving. 

The next morning, we woke to a freshly cooked full Irish breakfast, another thing I had hoped to try, made by our hostel hosts and had the dining room to ourselves to enjoy the yummy food. We then headed out into the town, spending the whole day exploring more of the tourist sights, stopping into almost every little shop we passed to see what they had to offer, and chatting to some of the locals. We were quite amused by the amount of signs exclaiming huge Black Friday sales when we were in a country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but we weren’t complaining about some of the sales we managed to get! By the time we stopped for lunch, our ankles ached and our bellies rumbled. I was very excited to try this lunch, though, because back when I first started researching this trip, I discovered something Waterford is known for called the Burzza. Now, the Burzza is a pepperoni pizza calzone that is stuffed with a hamburger. Abby and I happily ordered one of these to share, along with a glass of Prosecco which I enjoyed, and were blown away by how good it tasted. After our late lunch, it was getting dark outside but the people in Waterford were just getting started. 

By chance, we had arrived in Waterford just as their Winterval (winter festival) was starting. The streets were filled with thousands of Christmas lights, tons of food stands cooking up delicious smelling and tasting treats, and rides for all the kids to enjoy. They had music playing from a DJ stand, a host calling out for people to win prizes by competing in a dance off, and tons of people just enjoying the atmosphere. We joined in on all the festivities as we headed towards Waterford’s ferris wheel. The night time view of the city was gorgeous from the top of this ferris wheel and a perfect way to end our walk before dinner. That night for dinner, we wanted to be sure to go to another Irish pub and ended up at one that was fairly modern, filled with colorful lights and the best Christmas music. We both ordered huge plates of fish n chips to go with our drinks, beer for Abby, wine for me. I enjoyed the wine and fish n chips, but found myself not enjoying the taste of the dark Guinness beer that Abby gave me. We spent the evening laughing and enjoying the atmosphere of the bar before heading back through the festive streets to our hotel. 

We were both sad to be leaving Waterford on Saturday morning, but we had plans to attend to in Dublin for our last day in Ireland. After the quick train ride Saturday morning, our first stop was Dublin’s National Botanic Gardens. The gardens are free and open to the public. We headed in and took our time walking around the expansive outdoor gardens and the indoor greenhouses. After the gardens, we headed to the Museum of Natural History which is also fondly known as the Dead Zoo. Filled with skeletons and stuffed animals, the museum gave us a lot of information about different animals, their evolution paths throughout history, and even their significance to Ireland/other parts of the world. After we had finished the last few stops we wanted to make, we walked the streets and went into different shops. We eventually stopped for a late lunch at a well known and busy restaurant called Gotham Cafe where I feasted on a prosciutto and goat cheese calzone paired with a bottle of Irish apple cider. Once we had finished eating, we finished up the last of our shopping, including a quick self-indulging trip to the Disney store on Grafton Street. Since it was getting late and our hotel was close to the airport, aka far from the city center, we decided to head to a grocery store and grab some dinner and other snacks before we called it a day and headed to the hotel. On our way, we happened to come across a huge crowd in front of a hotel where bagpipes were playing patriotically into the cold air. As we got closer, we realized that everyone was clustered to try to catch a glimpse of the Irish National Rugby team! How cool is that? 

Soon after, though, we headed back to our hotel for the night, getting ready for our flights back to Tangier the following day. The flights home went smoothly, thank goodness, and we met up with some other UNE students on our way. Although I never wanted to say goodbye to Ireland and its beautiful landscapes and kind people, it was time to head back for, get this, my last three weeks abroad! Now all that’s left is the last 2 weeks of classes and final exams before I’m back home in Maine. It doesn’t feel real and I find myself never wanting to leave and wanting to be back home with all my family and friends at the same time. It’s weird how the travel bug works in your system, making you want to go everywhere at once while another part of you wants to stay in one place and be with your loved ones. Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who has kept up with all my posts and adventures these past few months. This will be one of my last posts. I may post once more about these last weeks in Tangier if anything more exciting than exams occurs and I will definitely post one last time about my trip home, but for the most part, my adventures in Morocco are coming to an end. 

For anyone out there reading this who is on the edge of an adventure, go for it. Don’t wait. I can tell you from experience that you will regret it if you don’t and you will never regret it once you’ve gone. 

[nationaltrustlunchreviews-blog]

Wimpole Hall

Old Rectory Cafe and Farmyard Cafe, Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire

On the request of one of National Trust Lunch Reviews' many fans in the East of England, we decided to brave the myriad roundabouts of Milton Keynes to reach Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire.

After the dizziness has subsided, we headed for lunch at the Old Rectory Cafe. The cafe had a lovely open quality, with a glass roof that let lots of light into the large atrium, which was filled with air, flies and wasps in an approximately 5:3:1 ratio. There were white columns around the room, between which were hung large photographs of cows and bucolic scenes on the wall: picture what a Roman villa would look like if it was sponsored by Country Life butter.

The lunch

The Old Rectory Cafe serves cafeteria-style cooked lunches, which is always a good sign. A lot of the food, including most of the meat, is from the estate farm, and there were many award certificates hanging on the wall (though they all seem to have been given out by the National Trust itself, so make of that what you will). Laura was suffering from acute morning sickness, so opted for a light jacket potato with tuna (£5.60). Luke had no such limitations, and so went with the Wimpole sausages with stilton and spring onion mash. chard and garden chutney (£8.95), with a sausage roll on the side (£3).

The bangers and mash were pretty impressive. The mash was creamy (though not particularly Stilton-y), and the chard had a great texture, walking the chard-tightrope masterfully between too leafy and too mushy. The garden chutney was fruity and fresh, and went very well with the very traditional herbless pork sausages. The real star of the show, however, was the onion gravy: pour-your-own from a large jug, filled with thick strands of onion, slightly sweet, almost like French onion soup. It tied everything together perfectly.

The jacket potato was much less impressive. Firstly it was only almost tepid and had more hard bits than soft bits, which is never ideal. Secondly, the tuna was definitely suffering from 'too much mayonnaise' which is actually a thing, especially if you are feeling as sick as Laura was. Half way through and pretty green of gill Laura abandoned ship (the potato) and sent Luke in search of another potato with the hope this one would be hot and topped only with cheese. Luke returned triumphant, with a new potato which he blasted in the nearby resident microwave for good measure and a helping of grated cheese. This second potato was excellent: warm, soft and covered in melting cheese.

The sausage roll was disappointing - the ends had gone stale, and the pastry was too hard and too dry. The inside was marginally better, but was still under-seasoned and bland.

The cakes

Wimpole's second cafe is in the middle of the farm, surrounded on this particular day by the entire child population of Cambridgeshire. In an attempt to dodge another swarm of wasps we opted to eat inside, optimistic that the sign on the door saying "keep closed to keep wasps out" (or something to this effect) meant the greenhouse style cafe would be a safe haven. Alas, it was a sweaty box full of people meaning the other door at the other end was propped open and again we were forced to make friends with a wasp over our tea and cake.

There was a good selection still on display despite the hoards of visitors. Laura played it safe and opted for the flapjack (£2) and Luke, ever more adventurous, opted for the intriguing courgette, lemon and thyme sponge (£2.75). In a shocking breach of protocol, Laura took a bite out of the flapjack before we could photograph it, an act for which she has been approparitely reprimanded.

The flapjack was, happily, a pretty much perfect flapjack. Gooey and more syrupy than buttery but stopping short of being too sweet. Also it was big enough that Laura willingly gave Luke a bite. Well done, Wimpole.

Luke's cake was certainly a different experience: the lemon and thyme combination gave the cake tinges of both fruit and savoury. The cake was very light and very moist, but in the end it was just too mild - too little cream, too little sweetness and too little flavour meant that by the end it just felt like a bit of a slog.

The verdict

Some flashes of brilliance, but a few too many disappointments.

[foggyinjapan-blog]

26th Oct. Beer & Friends

Wake up. Sore back. Weird dreams!

I was deciding what to do today and I've decided I'm going to have a look at the Sapporo beer museum. I love beer! I don’t think I’m an alcoholic but after this weekend I’m starting to wonder... I didn't have a drink yesterday; I mean I didn’t have a drink on purpose.

So I get there and I’m 40 minutes early... I thought it opened at 10.30 but google was wrong, it was 11.30… no worries, there's a beautiful park here so I'll do some more Japanese on Doulingo! Man I love that app! A few minutes passed and through these old school looking speakers randomly placed throughout the park they started playing some old school bangers! I felt like I was a part of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or in Santa’s Village or something... except the main focus was beer! GREAT!

So 11.30 came around and I wondered in. Beer beer beer! 'Sweeeet, what does mine say!' There was a short film in Japanese that I couldn’t be bothered watching and then there was the layout of the old factories, the different labels over the years, different bottles and how Sapporo Beer became famous! It was quite interesting but again, most of it was in Japanese. There was English writing on the side but I am lazy so I didn’t read it. I'm happy with the brief explanations, straight to the point. On the way out there were pictures of the old posters they used to advertise Sapporo beer! So cool! Then I went down to the tasting. You had to pay at a vending machine and then take your ticket to the counter. Most people were getting 3 but I had no idea what I was doing so I just got one. Not really a tasting of different beer but whatever, I loved it and it was probably a good thing that I only had one! Oh and only $2.50 for a pot, bargain!!.

After the Sapporo beer museum I wondered back the way I came. Saw a 7/11 so I went to steal their Wi-Fi. I knew there was another op shop in this area so I had a quick Google and it was literally a block away! Perfect! Picked up a new hat, some jewelry and a new coin purse. So many coins in Japan I can't keep up! I headed back to Sapporo station where I over ordered and got fried rice, pork curry and miso for lunch! It was so delicious! Japan's food is amazing and I am so stoked to be here! (Keeley pleeease watch what you eat so you don’t get fat!)

Back at the hostel I have to get ready for dinner. I am meeting up with Saori and her family. Saori came to Australia with an exchange program when I was in year 4 and she stayed at our house for 6 weeks. I was getting nervous.

She picked me up around the corner from my hostel with her daughter. We drove to her house and I could tell that her daughter was very nervous. She had told all her friends that her mum’s friend from Australia was coming for dinner and they all wanted to meet me! Now I'm nervous haha! I gave her one of the koala souvenirs I had bought from Australia which seemed to lighten the mood. We got to their home and walked to the park where the friends were waiting for us. They were very cute and shy but we were all smiling. They introduced themselves in English and looked very happy when I could understand them. Also the dogs were so kawaii!! Except Saori's, that pup got super vicious later on! Angry puppy! We left the kids and went to the cake store where we picked a small cake for everyone for dessert and to the groceries to get some things (sashimi and beer) for dinner.

When we got back to the house, the dog was going mad! Saori stepped out with him to try and calm him down and I hung out with the kids. I gave them some more koalas for them to give to their friends which they loved!! Kawaii they said! They showed me their rooms (which were very clean) and then Saori's daughter gave me a gift! It was a love heart she made from colourful plastic the day before, it was very cool! Her husband Yuki is very nice as well. We talked about our love for beer and their lovely new house! Saori designed the house and Yuki was allowed to design the shower room. This meant that the shower room was 3 times the size that it was originally supposed to be! He was very happy with his input! As you would be!!

We sat down for dinner and on the menu was temaki (roll your own sushi), a pork and rice dish and pork miso soup. Very delicious!! We had a break before dessert where we drank more beer and played her son's video games. I did beat him in the end mwahaha! Nailed it! (I’m sure he let me win though!) Then we had our cakes with a coffee and it was time to leave. It was so great seeing Saori and her family! They welcomed me into their home and we all had a great night! She dropped me off at my hostel and gave me a cute little Halloween gift with sweets inside! What a great night!