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[i-my-me01]

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Christmas Around the World: Unique Traditions and Celebrations

Christmas is a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration, but how people mark the occasion varies greatly across the globe. Each culture brings its unique flavor to the festivities, making Christmas a truly universal yet diverse holiday. Here’s a glimpse into how different countries celebrate Christmas.

1. Philippines: The Longest Christmas Season

In the Philippines, the Christmas season begins as early as September, known as the “ber” months. Festivities include the Simbang Gabi (a series of nine dawn masses) and the display of parols—star-shaped lanterns symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. The season concludes with a grand feast on Christmas Eve called Noche Buena.

2. Iceland: The Yule Lads

Icelandic children enjoy a quirky tradition involving the 13 Yule Lads—mischievous figures who leave small gifts in children's shoes placed on windowsills. However, naughty children might receive a potato! These Yule Lads descend one by one in the 13 days leading up to Christmas.

3. Mexico: Las Posadas

In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated with Las Posadas, a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. The nine-day celebration involves processions, caroling, and parties with piñatas. On Christmas Eve, families gather for a midnight feast and attend Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass).

4. Germany: Advent and Christmas Markets

Germany is famous for its Advent traditions and enchanting Christmas markets. Many families have Advent calendars or wreaths, lighting a candle each Sunday leading up to Christmas. Markets like those in Nuremberg or Dresden offer festive foods, mulled wine, and handcrafted gifts.

5. Japan: A Festive Feast of Fried Chicken

In Japan, where Christmas is more secular, the holiday is associated with romantic dinners and a surprising tradition: eating KFC. This started as a marketing campaign in the 1970s but has become a beloved custom. Families also enjoy a Christmas cake, often a sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

6. Australia: Christmas in Summer

Christmas in Australia falls during summer, so celebrations often involve barbecues, beach outings, and outdoor caroling. Cities like Sydney host spectacular light displays, and the iconic Carols by Candlelight bring communities together under the stars.

7. Italy: La Befana

Italian Christmas celebrations extend to January 6th, Epiphany. According to legend, La Befana, a kind old witch, delivers gifts to children. Italian families also enjoy a grand Christmas feast with traditional dishes like panettone or torrone.

8. Ethiopia: Genna on January 7th

In Ethiopia, Christmas, called Genna, is celebrated on January 7th, following the Julian calendar. The day begins with a church service, where worshippers wear traditional white garments. Feasts include dishes like doro wat (spiced chicken stew) served with injera.

9. Finland: Honoring the Departed

In Finland, families visit cemeteries on Christmas Eve to light candles in memory of loved ones. This creates a serene and magical atmosphere. Sauna visits are also a cherished tradition, symbolizing cleansing and renewal for the holiday season.

10. Brazil: Vibrant Celebrations and Midnight Mass

Brazilian Christmas is a colorful blend of European and local traditions. Ceia de Natal (Christmas dinner) includes dishes like roast turkey and rabanadas (Brazilian-style French toast). Families attend Missa do Galo (Rooster’s Mass) and enjoy fireworks displays.

Why Christmas Traditions Matter

These diverse celebrations highlight the cultural richness of Christmas and remind us of the universal themes of love, generosity, and hope. Whether it’s caroling in the cold or barbecuing in the sun, each tradition carries its unique charm, making Christmas a beautiful mosaic of global joy.

How does your country celebrate Christmas? Let us know in the comments!

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Thank tou for reading.

[kingjamesroystonpub]

Christmas Celebration in Royston | Christmas Traditions from Around the Globe

Christmas is a season of cheer, community, and celebration, celebrated in myriad extraordinary ways worldwide. While we've all seen Santa Claus and Christmas lights before, it's intriguing to learn about how other cultures celebrate this time of year. This blog will take you on a tour of some of the most interesting Christmas traditions worldwide, illustrating how Christmas celebrations in different nations weave together a diverse and beautiful tapestry of cultural practices and beliefs. Let us rejoice in the rich variety of Christmas traditions that span the globe, from the United States and the United Kingdom to South America and Australia. Plan your Christmas celebration in Royston at King James Royston Pub by pre booking the venue.

Christmas Pre Bookings in Royston:

America: A Seasonal Extravaganza

The Christmas celebration in the United States is a spectacular event. On the evening before Christmas, families get together to open presents and eat a special supper. The masses sing carols, and towns are decked out in lights and decorations. For many American kids, Christmas wouldn't be the same without the jolly old elf known as Santa Claus.

The United Kingdom: Where Modernity Meets History

Traditional and contemporary celebrations coexist in the United Kingdom throughout the Christmas season. Families exchange gifts on Christmas morning and have a wonderful meal with turkey, roast potatoes, and all the fixings. Carol services and philanthropic events are held to celebrate the Queen's Christmas Message.

Australia: A Sunny Christmas Down Under

Since Christmas in Australia occurs in the middle of summer, the holiday is celebrated in a very particular way. Many families gather for a picnic in the park or on the beach to celebrate. Homes are lit up with Christmas lights and decorations, and carol-singing events take place in the streets. Australians are known for exhibiting the country's stunning natural landscapes by decorating with native flora and animals.

Germany: Markets and Traditions

The German Christmas market, or Christkindlmarkt, is world-famous for its festive atmosphere. These fairs have a wide selection of handmade items, seasonal delicacies, and tasty delights. Advent customs such as the calendar and wreath originate in German culture, as does the Christmas tree (Tannenbaum).

Mexico: Las Posadas and Nativity Scenes

Reenacting Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem, Las Posadas is a treasured Mexican ritual. Families sing and pray as they travel from home to home, searching for "posada" (shelter). El Nacimiento, the nativity scene, is a centrepiece of Mexican Christmas celebrations, frequently boasting exquisite displays.

Ethiopia: A One-of-a-Kind Occasion for Joy

Christmas in Ethiopia is celebrated on January 7 because the country uses the Julian calendar. After attending morning worship, the community gathers for a traditional breakfast of injera and wat. The occasion draws districts together for spiritual meditation and joyful activities.

Sweden: St. Lucia's Day

St. Lucia's Day, observed annually on December 13, holds a special place in Swedish culture. To play the part of St. Lucia, a little girl dons a white gown and a crown of candles. She leads a group of girls dressed the same way as her, bringing cheer to people's homes.

Japan: KFC and Illuminations

Christmas is frequently celebrated despite not being a traditional holiday in Japan. As a result of a clever advertising effort in the 1970s, many people now enjoy a meal of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on Christmas Eve. Cities like Tokyo and Osaka also have impressive lighting displays that add to the holiday spirit.

Ethiopia: Ganna - A Solemn Celebration

In Ethiopia, the holiday of Christmas (known as Ganna) is observed on January 7. Traditional delicacies like injera and wat are served at the feast that follows the morning church service. It is a time for people to unite and focus on their faith.

Philippines: Simbang Gabi

Beginning on December 16 and concluding on Christmas Eve, the Philippines observe a novena of dawn Masses known as the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo. This custom is a distinctive manner of celebrating Christmas and a reflection of the profound Catholic influence in the Philippines.

Greece: The Feast of St. Basil

"Christougenna" is the Greek word for Christmas, celebrated enthusiastically. Vasilopita is a traditional New Year's Eve bread or cake in which a coin is buried and shared among family members. Whoever discovers the cash will be blessed with good fortune for the coming year.

Best Pub Grub Food in Royston

Christmas Culinary Delights: Recipes for Festive Feasting

This collection of mouthwatering recipes will add a touch of culinary magic to your celebrations, whether you're hosting a festive brunch, a grand dinner, or just looking for delightful desserts. From traditional favourites to modern takes, these recipes will delight your guests and leave them wanting more.

Brunch Delights-

Eggnog French Toast:

Ingredients:

Slices of brioche bread

Eggnog

Eggs

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract

Butter for frying

Instructions:

Whisk together eggnog, eggs, and spices.

Soak slices of brioche in the mixture and cook in a buttered skillet until golden brown.

Dinner Delights-

Herb-Roasted Prime Rib:

Ingredients:

Prime rib roast

Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme)

Garlic cloves

Olive oil, salt, and pepper

Instructions:

Rub the roast with herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast until the desired level of doneness is achieved.

Wild Mushroom Risotto:

Ingredients:

Arborio rice

Assorted wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, and chanterelle)

Shallots, garlic, and white wine

Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley

Instructions:

Sauté shallots and garlic, add rice and wine, then slowly add broth while stirring until creamy.

Dessert Delights-

Gingerbread Cheesecake:

Ingredients:

Gingerbread cookie crust

Cream cheese, sugar, and eggs

Molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg

Instructions:

Prepare the gingerbread crust, then mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and spices. Bake until set.

Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log:

Ingredients:

Chocolate sponge cake

Peppermint buttercream filling

Chocolate ganache and candy canes for decoration

Instructions:

Roll the sponge cake with peppermint buttercream, frost with ganache, and decorate.

This Christmas will be a culinary delight with these delicious recipes. Everything at this holiday meal, from the tender prime rib to the spicy gingerbread cheesecake, has been carefully curated to work together in harmony. Get the family together, make your way to the kitchen, and start the holiday feasting! I hope this Christmas brings you all the happiness, love, and enchantment of delicious cuisine you deserve.

King James Royston Christmas:

A Christmas party at the King James Royston Pub is a great way to get the holiday season started. From November 25 through December 24, our venue will be transformed into a winter wonderland, making it the perfect setting for your most spectacular events. When you reserve the King James Royston Pub for your Christmas party and enjoy our specially designed Canape menu. You will receive complimentary entertainment like Karaoke, Disco or DJ when you reserve your venue..

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Random Writing #23

Christmas Around the World

I know, it's July now, but I can't wait for Christmas. And I wanna find out about Christmas in other countries.

Australia - Many “Carols by Candlelight” services are performed on Christmas Eve, where people gather and sing while holding candles.

Brazil - In Brazil, Papai Noel is said to visit on Christmas Eve from the North Pole to deliver presents to kids. Some say he wore silk to stay cool during Brazil's hot summers.

Canada - Cookie or biscuit baking parties are frequent around the holidays in Canada. Cookies are baked, recipes are shared, and each party guest leaves with a batch of cookies.

China - One of the most popular Chinese Christmas customs for youth is to give cellophane-wrapped apples to their friends as gifts. The apples are usually given with written words including 'love,' 'peace,' and 'Merry Christmas.'

Denmark - Before unwrapping presents, it is customary in Danish homes to dance around the Christmas tree as a family, holding hands and singing Christmas carols. Some families might want to do this before supper.

France - In France, advent calendars are a huge deal. Children excitedly anticipate the 1st of December to open the first door, which often contains chocolate or candy treats.

Germany - Most town squares have their own high Christmas tree in front of the townhouse or city hall that is magnificently lit with fairy lights, and the lights are usually turned on early in December with a great celebration.

Japan - KFC is a Christmas tradition in Japan since the 1970s, due to its popular motto and advertising campaign. It's not uncommon to pre-order meals for Christmas week in advance, and it's likely the busiest time of year for the fast food giant.

Mexico - During the Christmas season, the weather in Mexico is nice and warm. In the market stands, known as puestos, families shop for presents, decorations, and delicious foods. They use lilies and evergreens to decorate their houses.

Singapore - Despite the fact that only 19% of Singaporeans are Christians, Christmas is a highly observed holiday. In Singapore, Christmas lights are extremely popular. The shopping area on Orchard Road with a stunning light show.

South Korea - On Christmas Eve, people in Korea traditionally give one present (or a cash gift) rather than a stack of gifts.

UK - Eating mince pies (small pies filled with currants and dried fruit along with herbs and spices) is a traditional Christmas custom in the United Kingdom. Although the pie's filling is called "mincemeat," mince pies doesn't include meat.

USA - Most Americans mix religious and secular traditions with their own traditional customs, typically adding cuisine, decorations, and traditions from areas where they or their ancestors originally lived.

These are the countries that I picked with jolly good traditions that are interesting. Also, I'll include my country in the next writing, so you can read what happens.

[mickminehan]

Coming Of Age

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an adult so I could buy as many caramel koalas as humanly possible. For those of you not from Australia, caramel koalas are just koala-shaped-chocolates full of caramel. When I got my first job, working as a kitchen-hand at KFC, I spent my first pay-check on as many caramel koalas as it could afford, which turned out to be around eighty-seven chocolates. I ate them all in one sitting and felt sick for three days straight.

For reasons I couldn’t understand at the time, this life decision wasn’t immediately followed by a sense of “adulthood”. I didn’t feel a “coming of age�� through this endeavour, I just didn’t feel like going into work the next day.

In reality, the “coming of age” experience I eventually went through to feel like a grown man didn’t happen in one instance, but in multiple instances over a number of years. It was a transition I would later think of as the slow realisation that I was allowed to EXPECT from the world. Now, I’m convinced, this is actually not just my experience, but the universal experience of maturity - when you begin to view yourself as an equal part of the mechanisms of society, and not just as a reactionary element to it.

For example, when I was a kid, I would NEVER ask for a raise. My entire conception of having a job was that it was some sort of gift that I was being given by my employer. Now, as an adult, I know that employment is basically just a deal - my services for their money. I am an equal participant in that transaction, and so I have zero problem questioning the terms of that deal or negotiating for a better one. This was a huge transition for me.

And now, that mentality has permeated into other aspects of my life. I no longer worry what people think about me, as long as I know that I’m doing the right thing. I can negotiate a good deal on a car, or fight my way out of an unjust fine, or handle any legal issues I’m faced with, because I know my expectations from the world and what I can expect OF the world in return.

This realisation also highlights a problem with the world today, or at least in Western culture. Here in Australia, it’s become the norm for people to abstain from maturity. They see all the expectations that the world has of them, and never grow to see how even-handed the game actually is. They don’t realise that their bosses are just the other end of a business transaction, so they conceptualise them as some sort of evil authority figure - a capitalist devil they need to overthrow. This straw-man ideology, in the other direction, permeates into every other aspect of a persons life, until they can only conceptualise the world in that way. No matter what happens, they’re always the victim of a world of evil authority figures working against them.

I’m not sure what the answer to this problem is, but I think it’s that the adoption of responsibility needs to be more widely taught. Maybe then, it wouldn’t have taken me several jobs before I realised my worth as an employee. Maybe it wouldn’t have taken years before I realised I could work to fight a system I disagreed with, or negotiate with any authority figure as an equal being. Maybe I could have caught the responsibility-train before I stuffed eighty-seven chocolate bears into my stomach and called myself a man.

But hey, if that’s what it took, then it was probably worth it.

[1079mixfm]

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22 Corporate April Fools' Day Pranks, Ranked from Best to Lamest

Well, we survived another April Fools’ Day.  And, as it always goes, most brands unveiled some kind of mild, inoffensive prank for the holiday.

Here are 23 of the more notable April Fools’ Day pranks from yesterday, which we’ve subjectively ranked from best to lamest.

1.  Jagermeister went edgy with the “Jagerbong” . . . a gift box that helps you turn an old Jagermeister bottle into a bong.  It includes a pipe, a lighter, eye drops, and a hackey sack.

German engineering reaches a new high… pic.twitter.com/Az0Bf6dcQu

— Jägermeister USA (@JagermeisterUSA) March 29, 2019

2.  The “L.A. Times”parodied the “New York Times” rep for writing about the rest of the U.S. like it’s a mysterious, cultural wasteland, quote, “No one associates New York, a city in the eastern United States, with good restaurants.  That’s beginning to change.”

No one associates New York, a city in the eastern United States, with good restaurants. That's beginning to change. https://t.co/WpPyyvqKHU

— L.A. Times Food (@latimesfood) April 1, 2019

3.  This got a lot of press coverage leading up to April Fools’ Day . . . but yes, Tinder’s new “height verification” feature is fake.

4.  Honda Canada announced a new “polite horn,” where instead of honking, your horn makes a passive aggressive coughing sound.

5.  McDonald’s Australia posted a picture of the McPickle . . . which is basically a Big Mac with a bunch of pickles replacing the meat.  But it may backfire . . . because someone tweeted instructions on how to actually order it.

View this post on Instagram

Pickle lovers, it’s the news you’ve all been waiting for. We’re super stoked to announce the launch of our brand new McPickle Burger. It’s time to tuck into juicy, flavoursome pickles layered between melted cheese, ketchup sauce and toasted sesame seed buns. It’s sure to be a treat for all your senses. #dailynuggets #mcpickle #pickleoverload #maccas #imlovinit

A post shared by McDonald's Australia (@mcdonaldsau) on Mar 31, 2019 at 1:03pm PDT

6.  Popchips went edgier than expected and announced individually-wrapped chips that are, quote, “ridged for your pleasure.”

View this post on Instagram

introducing our new single serve pack – Just the Chip! now you can practice safe snacking on-the-go, anywhere, anyplace, anytime, any position. #justthechip learn more via the link in our bio!

A post shared by popchips (@popchips) on Apr 1, 2019 at 6:00am PDT

7.  The U.S. Open tweeted a Photoshopped picture of a cute dog serving as a tennis ball retriever for the next tournament.

BREAKING: The US Open to add puppies to the ballperson team at the 2019 tournament for the first time. All breeds welcome. pic.twitter.com/Yu5ySEhriF

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) April 1, 2019

8.  Mova Globes announced a new flat globe for flat earthers.

You asked. We answered. The #FlatEarth MOVA Globe is available now on https://t.co/4HtFIUr2qg. pic.twitter.com/MFrphk9UGA

— MOVA Globes (@movaglobes) April 1, 2019

9.  T-Mobile went for irony, and announced a new line of phone booths, to let you talk in privacy even on busy streets.

View this post on Instagram

Portable Public Privacy at its finest – go anywhere with our Phone BoothE Mobile EditionE.

A post shared by T-Mobile (@tmobile) on Mar 31, 2019 at 9:16pm PDT

10.  McDonald’s announced “Shake Sauce” . . . little packets of shakes to dip your fries in.  The comments are all people wishing it were real . . . it’s never good when people like your fake products more than your real ones.

View this post on Instagram

Meet #ShakeSauce — a sweet new way to dip.

A post shared by McDonald's (@mcdonalds) on Apr 1, 2019 at 5:01am PDT

11.  SodaStream announced a new plan where you can add bubbles to your soda using your own bodily functions. 

Houston we solved the problem! Burping in space is a thing of the past. Introducing our new collaboration with @StationCDRKelly, SodastreamME! Tag a friend you KNOW needs this :) pic.twitter.com/Cx3BIaickU

— SodaStream USA (@SodaStreamUSA) April 1, 2019

12.  KFC announced chicken-flavored ice cream, infused with bits of candied chicken skin in a cornbread cone.

13.  Lego announced a new “Find My Brick” app that scans a pile of Legos for the one you want.  I know brands don’t want to be TOO edgy, but this is just TOO un-edgy.

The long search is finally over… 📱 #FindMyBrick pic.twitter.com/3yBIPJ2OPk

— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) April 1, 2019

14.  Durex announced new fish skin condoms with a Mala hot pot flavor.  Never mind, you CAN take a joke too far.

Spice things up & experience the taste of the NEW Fish Skin Condom with Mala Hot Pot flavour. Packed with handpicked…

Posted by Durex on Sunday, March 31, 2019

15.  Google let you play the old school video game “Snake” on top of Google Maps.  That’s not exactly a prank, it’s more of an Easter egg they’d roll out any other day of the year.

16.  Hasbro played on the “millennials kill everything” cliché by announcing Mr. Potato Head has been replaced with Mr. Avocado Head.  But it’s not landing great, probably because millennial-avocado jokes are just so played out.

Holy guacamole! We’ve given Mr. Potato Head the sack and we're introducing his new hipster companion, Mr Avo Head! pic.twitter.com/Y9aRITCTd7

— Hasbro (@Hasbro) April 1, 2019

17.  Michelob Ultra started an online petition to create the first-ever cat park.  Not sure what that has to do with super light beer, but there you go.

Dogs have dedicated parks everywhere. Cats have 0. Let’s change that. We’re petitioning on @Change to give cats & their owners the space they deserve to exercise together—the first-ever cat park! Show support by RTing and signing the petition in our bio! #ULTRACatPark. 🐈 pic.twitter.com/A0t8jl3Bgx

— Michelob ULTRA (@MichelobULTRA) March 30, 2019

18.  Lockheed Martin announced a new fragrance called Vector, which smells like space.

19.  Dunkin’ Donuts created a “super dough holder” . . . which is just two giant donuts around a cup of coffee.

View this post on Instagram

Introducing… The Super Dough Holder! 🍩

A post shared by Dunkin’ (@dunkin) on Apr 1, 2019 at 5:07am PDT

20.  Auntie Anne’s kind of lazily announced pretzel shop yoga with a picture of a woman sitting cross-legged, holding two pretzels.

View this post on Instagram

Join us in our new hybrid pretzel shop hot yoga studios today! Nom nom namaste. Link in bio

A post shared by Auntie Anne's (@auntieannespretzels) on Apr 1, 2019 at 6:03am PDT

21.  Dippin’ Dots announced a new roll-on deodorant but, unfortunately, it appears they only spent about 30 seconds on an AWFUL Photoshop job.

Smell the fun! Starts out colorful, stays on cool. pic.twitter.com/A4SlyhZAyR

— Dippin' Dots (@DippinDots) April 1, 2019

22.  And finally, Starbucks announced Pupbucks, a store for dogs.  The video they made for it isn’t close to as funny as they think it is . . . quote, “I have a whole grain beagle for a good boy.”  Nope.

We're so excited to announce our newest concept stores: Starbucks for your best fur-iend. #Pupbucks pic.twitter.com/xgAEn0Dxss

— Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) April 1, 2019

.fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe width: 100% !important;

[surveysonfleek]

1123.

You win a shopping spree at three stores! Which stores do you choose? Barnes and Noble Target Maurices Kmart Micheal’s Rue21 Aeropostale Hot Topic Abercrombie and Fitch Victoria’s Secret Payless Shoe Source Claire’s Dunham’s Gamestop

You can take three vacations next year! Where do you go? Walt Disney World The Bahamas Alaska Washington state New York City England China Japan Australia The Grand Canyon Chicago Paris Italy Siesta Key, Florida You win three free meals! Which three restaurants would you eat at? McDonald’s a Chinese buffet a Mexican restaurant a sushi bar Wendy’s Applebee’s Steak ‘n’ Shake Arby’s The Cheesecake Factory Rainforest Cafe Hard Rock Cafe an Indian restaurant Subway KFC You win three adventures! Which three activities do you choose? skydiving bungee jumping snorkeling parasailing hot air balloon ride watching a movie at the cinema white water rafting amusement park water park camping at a national park skiing snowboarding ziplining dancing like no one’s watching You win three of these luxuries! Which three do you choose? professional massage getting your hair done at a salon professional manicure and pedicure professional make-over a visit with a fortune teller a new tattoo a new piercing a visit with someone who will really listen to you a sauna a gym membership a personal fitness trainer plastic surgery a date with a celebrity of your choosing a day playing with puppies You win three free items for your bedroom! Which do you choose? new curtains a new bedspread/comforter a new waste basket a bigger closet a new piece of art for your wall a new poster for your wall more clothes hangers a mirror a disco ball hanging from the ceiling a stereo system a loft new carpet stylish organizational bins a dreamcatcher You win three gift cards! Which three gift cards do you choose? your local coffee shop Amazon iTunes an ice cream parlor a department store a gas station Panera Bread Build-A-Bear Workshop a toy store a candy shop a bakery a health food store Spencer’s a pizza parlor You win three high-end luxuries! Which three do you choose? a professional photo shoot dinner at a fancy restaurant a cruise vacation a new car a ride in a limousine a trip to outer space a full scholarship to the school of your choice a professional camera new glasses fancy sunglasses a hot tub a swimming pool your own private island your own personal robot that does your bidding You win three more shopping sprees! Where do you choose to go? Buckle Kohl’s Macy’s Old Navy Hollister Petco Sally Beauty Supply Nordstrom’s JCPenney Sanrio Office Max Plato’s Closet H&M Forever 21 You have to choose three embarrassing problems. Which three will it be? huge zit on your face for a week slip and fall in front of a group of people walking by your diary read in front of the entire school someone opening the door when you are in the bathroom forgetting what you are talking about in the middle of giving a speech sitting on a whoopee cushion in front of a group of people having your secret crush announced on facebook walking around with toilet paper stuck to your shoe sitting on something wet, with no jacket to hide it falling in a mud puddle going without a shower for a week having your stomach growl loudly in public so everyone can hear having your phone go off in church throwing up in class If you could choose three items of clothing to win right now, which three would you pick? new swimsuit new skirt new jeans new pants new shorts new shirt new pajamas new dress new leggings new shoes new hat new headband new scarf Mark three of the most painful things you have ever experienced. childbirth cancer menstrual cramps getting braces on getting a tattoo broken bone appendicitis heartache migraine headache depression burns from a fire stomachache wasp sting other: You HAVE to get three tattoos. Which three do you get? a peace sign dreamcatcher a cross a skull a quote a name a Japanese letter a flower stars a heart a semicolon a question mark a smiley face something else Three rumors are being spread about you. Which three would you prefer? that you’re gay that you’re a thief that you’re pregnant that you cheated on someone that you’re dating a rock and roll star that you were switched at birth that you are rich that you are an abuse victim that you are transgender that you are poor that you are highly gifted that you are special ed that you can’t dance that you are dangerous Pick 3 movies you’d most like to watch. Mean Girls Toy Story 3 God’s Not Dead Despicable Me Titanic Cheaper by the Dozen Spy Kids A Cinderella Story Cars Beauty and the Beast The Little Mermaid Frozen The Cheetah Girls Good Burger You win three new electronics! Which three do you choose? laptop cell phone camera smart watch tablet stereo system ipod television gaming system digital picture frame calculator digital watch alarm clock digital clock

[ploddingaroundtheglobe]

Tokyo

Travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo via plane was around 7 hours, we travelled with Air Asia for a second time. We arrived in the evening of 20th December 2016. Very little research was done before we arrived, Japan was not one of our planned destinations. Our next venture was supposed to be Australia but due to visa issues, we decided to be spontaneous and travel somewhere random. Japan was totally different to what we imagined and exceeded our expectations. What an amazing little country! We hopped into a taxi transfer to our small apartment, we had rented for several days, little did we know and not until we reached the highway, that we was in a chauffeured hat and suit taxi and the meter was going up very quickly, when we arrived it was equivalent to £112.00, we felt sick and reluctant to pay the guy but it was our own faults for just jumping in, we may still have been in Asia but it was not as cheap as Thailand and actually quite an expensive city.

Tokyo is the capital city of Japan, with 37.393 million residents all residing in this one city. Tokyo was originally known by the name Edo, the city was founded by the Edo clan in the late twelfth century, they went on to build the Edo Castle. Japanese currency is known as Japanese yen, their seasonal weather is identical to the UK. Although it does get much warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter months. Spring is one of the most popular months due to the cherry blossom season. Japanese love cherry blossoms, it symbolizes human life, transience and nobleness. They hold flower watching parties known as “Hanami”. We would have loved to have visited the cherry blossoms but unfortunately it was mid winter when we arrived. 

Me and Tom were literally lost in translation in Japan, obviously we had not learnt any Japanese language apart from Hai which meant yes and Arigato which means thank you. When we went into the shops, locals would spiel off full conversations and all we could reply with was Hai, we could have been agreeing to anything. Occasionally we would come across a local who spoke broken English which was a god send, but some how we made our way about Japan winging it. At the train stations the places and locations had English spellings underneath which did help us and they usually had English speaking person on the information desk. The trains were always rammed with people, doing their daily commutes. The Japanese are very reserved people, so trains were busy yet so quiet. It was forbidden to make loud conversation on the trains.

Spending Christmas in Tokyo felt right as it was their winter too, we come prepared with clothing as in Malaysia we decided to buy coats and winter accessories to keep us warm. It was the first time we had experienced cold weather in about 5 months so it was actually quite delightful. We spent Christmas in Tokyo in our little apartment. We had traditional Japanese style beds on the floor, which consisted of a wooden mat and padded cushions. It was actually really comfortable and has better benefits for the back allowing you to sleep in a more firm supportive position. we purchased our xmas gifts to one another from the 100 yen shop, which is like their pound shop. We got each other essentials like gloves, back massagers and chop sticks and of course Christmas hats. In Japan their traditional Christmas dinner is a KFC take out. 3.6 million Japanese families enjoy KFC on Christmas day. People have to prebook their meals due to the popularity and demand at Christmas time, otherwise they have to face long ques. We managed to scrape together some ingredients to make a Christmas meal. Going back to the part about getting lost in translation, what we thought was a traditional gravy was actually a soy sauce so when our meal was prepared we covered our meals in soy sauce and that pretty much cremated the meal.

There is so much site seeing to be done in Tokyo, our feet were aching most days from the amount of steps we put in. The city has arcades splashed all around, from photo booths, to teddy crane machines. Japanese are not allowed to gamble with actual money so they all play a game called Pachinko. It is a type of mechanical game used as both recreational and gambling. Purchasing Pachinko balls in the hope to win double back. Its like a loophole into gambling. watching them all fixated on the machines was crazy, there was even some areas where it was legal to smoke and play. Some of the players would sit there hours on end. 

A lot of the locals walking round were wearing wacky clothing or fancy dress, Japanese love to bring out their inner child. There is a street in Tokyo called Takeshita Street. It is a pedestrian shopping street, lined with fashion boutiques cafes and restaurants. The street is mobbed with people in fancy dress, the shops are full of the latest gadgets and accessories, full of colour and character. Tokyo has the best crepe shops filled with your desired choices. Definately a must try whilst here!

Dressing like childrens toy dolls is popular in Japan, there is even a barbie cafe, where female Japanese would dress up as their favourite dolls and take a long their toy dolls, they would all meet up and enjoy afternoon tea together. Back home people would think it was a bit weird, but it was something that made them happy and reminisce been a child. 

We visited one of the Maid cafes in Tokyo, in these particular cafes the staff dress up in maid costumes and act as servants, treating the customers as their masters in their private homes. This was definitely even a bit weird for me, it was a place for fetishes. The clientele was predominately old creepy men. As we sat down in the cafe, we was each given animals ears, and when we wanted to order we had to make animal noises. It was all too weird for me, you was not allowed to video or take pictures until your designated time where you would pose for a picture with one of the cafes maids. 

Tokyo is so noisy and busy at night time, venturing the streets at night is amazing. Shibuya crossing is the famous and most busiest crossing at the peak times. When the lights turn red and green for pedestrians, people from all directions cross the road at the same time, you literally cannot stop in the middle as people would just stamp all over you.

There were even tours which you could join, where you could ride real life Mario go karts around the city. The gadgets in Tokyo are  on another level, the toilets are amazing, you could literally loose 20 minutes just playing with each toilet function, the heated seat was my fave especially on a winters morning. 

In Tokyo there are love rooms which can be rented by the hour, for people who would like some privacy for a few hours. The rooms usually come equipped with jacuzzi tubs, complimentary condoms and mirrored ceilings. We rented a room for the experience, we mainly just wanted to sit in the jacuzzi, nothing seedy about the visit.

It was essential that we didn’t leave Tokyo without seeing the sumo wrestlers. Sumo is a form of competitive full contact wrestling, where the wrestler “Rikishi” attempts to force his opponent out of the circular ring. Japan is the only place where the sport is practiced professionally and considered a national sport. The sumos wear a Mawashi which is a 30 foot long belt that they tie in a knot at the back. The thickness of the belt will cover the nether regions, the belt can be grabbed by the wrestler and used to assist them during the tournaments. Living a sumo life sounds very regimented, certain behaviours have to be followed, for example growing their hair into a top knot, they are also expected to dress in Japanese traditional wear, the type and quality of their dress depends on their hierachy status. Their strict eating regimens state that they should skip breakfast and have a large lunch, they will then have a siesta after this. This time allows them to gain the weight they need. Rich diets of meats, fish, and veggies washed down with a beer. The lifestyle of a sumo impacts their health as they usually only have a life expetancy of 60-65 years of age, as they usually develop health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. In the neighborhood of Ryogoku, there is a training facility for sumos, we was able to visit one morning and watch them in training through the window. They even ventured outside afterwards to pose for pictures. The stance and stretches that they can get into is unbelievable. with all that weight and they are still so flexible. 

Tokyo's famous landmark is the Sky tree, it is a observation and broadcasting tower. It became the tallest tower in 2011 at 634 metres high and the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa. 

Our 6th year anniversary on boxing day was celebrated in Tokyo. We visited Meji Jingu Shrine. This is one of the most popular shrines in Japan. Nestled in the heart of the city and a bit of an escape from the busy city outside. It is located just outside the Harajuku Station, and there are approximately 100,000 trees in the surrounding area. The shrine is dedicated to the derifed spirits of the Emperor Meji. Inside the shrine was a station where visitors were writing down their wishes before posting them into a sealed box. We wrote down our wish and placed it into the love box. The shrine was vibrant and beautiful, a great little visit if your in the area. 

We absolutely loved Tokyo and we would definately return in the future maybe in the spring next time. Our next venture was to Hakone to visit the Yunessun Spa via train.

[madstars-festival]

AD STARS 2020: 11 GRAND PRIX WINNERS REVEALED!

AD STARS is pleased to congratulate this year’s Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners, which were chosen from 20,028 entries from 60 countries.

Levi Slavin, Chief Creative Officer at Colenso BBDO, New Zealand was an Executive Judge at the AD STARS 2020 Awards. He says: “Overall, we did get a sense of the power of creativity through the work we judged this year. As a tool and weapon, applied properly, creativity can solve anything.”

Due to coronavirus travel restrictions, the Final Jury voted on winners remotely this year. Slavin explains: “The process was more difficult than people might realize, but nobody on the jury once said, ‘Let’s not do this.’ Everybody felt it was critically important to celebrate creativity and its power. Any metal awarded at AD STARS this year is a career highlight – all winners should be very proud.”

Valerie Madon, Chief Creative Officer, Asia at VMLY&R also joined AD STARS 2020 as an Executive Judge. She says: “It’s really exciting to see that some of the best works this year came from markets like the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. We see more culturally relevant work getting recognition for being insightfully inspired: the impact is clear, even if the executions can be simple.”

11 Grand Prix trophies were awarded to 9 creative companies: 

- 72andSunny Los Angeles, USA: ‘Swipe Night’ for Tinder (Brand Experience & Activation Grand Prix) and ‘Next 100’ for NFL (Film Grand Prix) - Ogilvy Australia: ‘KFC Secret Menu’ for Yum! (Mobile Grand Prix and Social & Influencer Grand Prix) - Dentsu Inc., Japan: ‘Pocky THE GIFT’ for Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd. (Design Grand Prix) - Clemenger BBDO Wellington, New Zealand: ‘Belted Survivors’ for NZ Transport Agency (Diverse Insights Grand Prix) - Alt.vfx, Australia: ‘Dinosaur Vs Unicorn’ for AA Insurance (Film Grand Prix) - Walt Disney Company, United States: ‘Pixar Street View’ for Walt Disney World (Outdoor Grand Prix) - Flock Creative Network, Indonesia: ‘Mad Cousin’ for McDonald's / PT. Rekso Nasional Food (Print Grand Prix) - Jung von matt, Germany: ‘For Seasons composed by climate data’ for NDR Elbphilhamornie Orchestra Hamburg, Germany (Radio & Audio Grand Prix) - WPP Marketing Communications, Thailand: ‘Thai Stay Home Miles Exchange’ for Thai Airways International (Pivot Grand Prix)

To see the full list of AD STARS 2020 Award winners, click here.

[thaimassagegreenock]

Weekly Link Love — Edition 60

Thai Massage tutorials and tips.

This article was provided by Mark's Daily Apple, which is the go-to destination to learn how to lead a healthy Primal life in this hectic modern world. I find their posts usually offer some interesting opinions and useful trips and advice

Research of the Week

Analysis of Stone Age chewing gum reveals the DNA of a hunter-gatherer woman from ancient Denmark; duck and hazelnut remnants from her last meal were also detected.

Once again, insulin resistance is linked to Alzheimer’s.

Going vegan for a month drops B12, iodine, zinc, and riboflavin status. Good luck with all that.

Living in space presents health quandaries for humans, like “reversed blood flow.”

Neanderthal guts carried many of the same species as we do.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 394: Dr. Erin Fall Haskell: Host Elle Russ sits down with Dr. Erin, creator and host of Good Morning LaLa Land.

Primal Health Coach Radio, Episode 39: Laura and Erin chat with Haile Thomas, a health coach wise beyond her years.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

Media, Schmedia

Why your brain needs exercise, too (but not “brain exercises”).

Homo erectus survived far longer than we thought.

Interesting Blog Posts

How the US is changing.

Time will proceed, but your abilities don’t have to degenerate.

Social Notes

Not everything is negotiable.

Everything Else

Form check.

Bacon fat trends.

How growing demand for nuts is affecting our water supply.

Youngsters just don’t know.

This is your brain in Antarctica.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

I love to see it: Researchers exploring the merits of indigenous knowledge in Australia.

Blog post I found interesting: Cholesterol Fears, Fake News, Statins, and the Age Game: Who Plays?

I’d wear it while campaigning in Carthage: Roman crocodile-skin armor.

Story I enjoyed: How KFC made it in Japan.

Easy money: All you gotta do is meet Dave’s challenge.

Question I’m Asking

If we make it into space long term, what kind of side effects do you think we’ll see? Health, lifestyle, social, etc.

Recipe Corner

Also a great gift idea: chocolate cherry paleo granola.

It’s Christmas soon and you know how to handle binges, so go ahead and make these pecan muffins.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Dec 14 – Dec 20)

How Does Alcohol Affect a Workout? – Well, how does it?

Dear Mark: Broth, Fasting, Coffee, Metformin, and More – A good Dear Mark.

Comment of the Week

“8. Don’t Throw In the Towel and Continue Overeating For the Foreseeable Future or ‘Until the New Year’

Awww, come on! That was my game plan. ”

– Hate to break it to ya, jenny.

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Please let me have your feedback below in the comments section.

Let us know what topics we should cover in future.

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[seeker372011]

Roads Less Travelled -6

We spent today exploring White Cliffs, turning off just before Wilcannia and travelling 90 km on a sealed road.

The drive from Broken Hill to Wilkenia was not dissimilar to the drive from Wentworth to Broken Hill. Long stretches of red desert, with ever present mirages promising large inviting bodies of water only to fade on approach like an old supermarket docket or promises of a better future.

There was, again, just one roadhouse, though this actually had petrol pumps that worked. I just had to take a photo in recognition.

Broken Hill has KFC and Maccas. White cliffs is the real thing, a genuine outback town and feels really remote in both time and place

Like Coober Pedy, another opal mining settlement, people in White Cliffs live in dugouts. There is even an underground motel but unfortunately it is closed for the summer and will reopen only in March or April. We went to have a look to see if the cafe or gift shop was open but neither was unfortunately. Would have dearly liked to have stayed the night there

The underground hotel does have a small in ground pool looking out on the red desert ranges and the pool pump was running but there wasn’t a soul to be seen who we could perhaps ask to let us have a peek inside.

We spent the rest of the afternoon looking around the town- the quirky house built out of beer bottles; Australia’s first commercial solar electric plant; an opal showroom and so on before heading to the opal fields to try our hand at fossicking

As I could have predicted safely all we found was a sweat after scratching in the opal fields for an hour. I thought I might have picked up a stone with a trace of some colour but now, having washed it, realise it was probably wishful thinking when all hot and bothered.

I think I rather like White Cliffs - it’s the real thing. It’s not there for tourists - I think-though I suppose they don’t mind the odd one or two wandering in there. There are people trying hard to make a living- or a fortune- just like

Miners and prospectors always have - and always will, though the pickings are probably getting thinner and thinner. Opal fever I suppose is not too different to gold fever.

[iwastoldthisisgoodforme]

1.1.19

Woke up pretty late since I was really tired from the previous day and from standing quite a while talking to Juno and Mio. Mio texted me pretty quickly after I woke up though and said we’d meet at Circular Quay to catch a ferry to Watsons Bay at 230. Decided to take it easy until 1 when I started getting ready.

I wanted to grab some Hungry Jack’s before I met up with them but the bus I caught was running behind and there were quite a lot of people out at Circular Quay. I was actually quite surprised how many people were out and about on New Year’s Day since it is basically a ghost town in the US (Mio would later say the same thing and how uni students liked to do marathons in Japan). I got there earlier so I texted Mio that I was waiting at the Watson’s Bay wharf. Her and Juno showed up soon after. Apparently they didn’t get home until 3am since they had to wait quite a while just get a train and the trains didn’t start running until 130. I showed them my tan that I had noticed when showering. Juno asked if I like coffee and we talked about the coffee here in Sydney and in Melbourne. We also talked about ice cream like Golden Gaytimes and Connoisseur.

When we got on the ferry, we talked a lot about languages such as how Mio had already started to forget some keigo and couldn't remember some of it during her internship. We also talked about the Japanese language and how it related to Chinese and Korean.  I told them how they could actually be quite similar with the words.  I also told them how languages had an effect on how people think and told Mio to watch Arrival. We were talking about linguists and I told them how my friend majored in linguistics and could speak five languages.

When we got to Watsons Bay, the area was pretty packed with people on the beach and a nearby restaurant. Mio said her roommates had recommended her some areas to visit so she navigated us. We walked towards some beach area which led to a hiking path. We saw some people taking wedding photos and I told Mio how I had seen people taking wedding pictures twice already in the alley behind Lentils. She found that funny and said she always misses out on the funny stuff like the puppy I showed her. I told her how a customer got scared from it and how the puppy was just randomly sitting in the hallway. She asked if it was someone’s dog and I said yeah but at first I thought it was some random dog just sitting there. Mio also asked about weddings in the US, if we had to give money in addition to a gift but I told her we usually give gifts or money otherwise. She said in Japan it’s expected to give money along with a gift so it becomes quite expensive and has a bit of controversy. We also passed by a nude beach and talked about the different bathing cultures like Japan's onsens.

We eventually made our way to the nude beach that Yingying had mentioned but didn’t see too many nude people. We also saw the popular lighthouse that overlooked the sea. There was two guys in the little building next to the lighthouse that had a dog that Mio and I took a picture of. There were some fortifications that used to house cannons that Mio went into to see if there was anything there but there wasn’t.

We went back to the wharf area to see the Gap Lookout. On the way there, we talked about the US military bases and Okinawa. Mio said she has only been to Okinawa once since her family doesn’t really go out to beaches and more to the mountains. She said she made up for it though by living here in Australia. I told her how getting a job on the US military base is the best way for an electrical engineer to get a job in Japan. She also said she wanted to see some other famous beaches in Sydney like Cronulla beach. When we got to the lookout, Juno commented how this was very similar to Great Ocean Road minus the Twelve Apostles. It actually reminded me of England and leaving Dover to go to France. We then went to the National Park area and stood at a lookout and talked for a while. I told the girls how there were two guys that were building the decks on the Whitsunday Islands and one guy stayed there for almost three months. We talked about how I used to travel quite a bit for work and also about airplane travel. Mio said she didn’t like the food on Qantas and neither did I and Mio said even the flight attendants said not to drink the coffee. I said I read something how the water on an airplane was pretty dirty. Mio said the best flight she went on was on Air France and I told her how Singapore Airlines had great service such as giving metal utensils and serving Haagen Daaz ice cream. Juno said she liked Cathay Pacific. I asked Juno if she had to transfer when flying back home but she said no, she could get a direct flight. We talked about dual citizenship since I brought up how Alec had three passports. Apparently Japanese citizens aren’t supposed to have dual citizenship but people will get multiple passports since it is something that can easily slip between the cracks but if you get caught it can be trouble as there was some scandal with a politician or something. I confirmed with Juno that Chinese had to give up their citizenship and she said it was weird to think that to go back home she would need to apply for a visa. I told her how Jenny had to apply for a visa to go back home after receiving US citizenship a few years ago. Mio asked how I have a lot of international friends which caught me by surprise since I didn’t feel that was the case. She asked if it was cause I worked for an international company but I said it was more from my Europe trip and staying in hostels. I also mentioned how I always became friends with British people and made sure to become friends with Michael on the Contiki tour and also mentioned how Remy was natural at talking to random people. Mio said that whenever she’s stayed at a hostel, everyone seemed pretty closed off and I said that people sometimes tend to not be very outgoing if they can’t speak English very well. Juno interrupted our convo and asked if we wanted to go somewhere else. Mio asked if she wanted to go to Diamond Bay but she didn’t really want to go anywhere herself so Juno said she would just go into the city and explore on her own. Mio said okay and we started heading towards the ferry to go back home. As we crossed into the park though, we lost Juno and she had decided to just go to Diamond Bay by herself. 

Mio told me that she had actually been getting irritated with Juno since she kept changing plans like that and would keep going off on her own and doing her own thing. She said she tried to hold back her feelings but they probably showed and Juno could probably tell she was annoyed with her. I told her how I’m usually someone that just goes with the flow but I get annoyed when people change plans especially when they get me involved since it defeats the purpose of us planning and told her about the time I got annoyed with Remy in Japan. She said she didn’t know how she was going to survive the Bondi to Coogee walk tomorrow with her since it was a pretty long walk and she had just gone fairly recently. She told me she went with a “friend” which was her dad’s host when he lived in Melbourne and Mio had gone with her when she visited Sydney. She told me how that was a little weird too since this lady had just broken up with her boyfriend and although he did a lot of bad things to her she still loved him. Although the beautiful view kept her distracted most of the time, at times she would remember him. I commented that yeah that is a bit hard to deal with someone like that. It was just us two at the wharf waiting for the ferry so we got to know each other more. We talked about sports and how I used to swim and play basketball. Mio used to do ballet but she hated it and said she wasn’t a very athletic person. She said because she’s not really into sports and doesn’t have typical hobbies, she found it hard to bond with people. She said she used to be very bad at English and was very concerned at first with her English but thought about how people probably have to slow down to accommodate her so she should always remember to improve. I told her she had very good English and that I didn’t really have to slow down when I talk to her cause usually I had to speak really slowly and simply when talking to other girls like Mai or Chihiro. 

When we got on the ferry, I asked her what her hobbies were since she said she didn’t have typical hobbies and she said she was really into musicals and in high school she was part of a female only theatre group. She said she would go to karaoke places by herself and spend hours just singing there. She told me in Japan how it was pretty common to do that and some places would even offers solo plans. She also told me how Daiso was one of her favorite shops and she was surprised to see they have so many here, along with Muji. I commented on how it’s expensive here, even compared to the ones in the US and she agreed. We talked about Christmas and KFC and how there were many couples on Christmastime and I told her about the Japanese guy in my hostel who complained about just seeing couples and she told me about “riaju” which was short for “riaru juujitsu” which meant real-life fulfillment so people who were dating someone had riaju. She said sometimes some people would protest riaju out on the street and although they didn’t have many political protests, they would have people protesting things like this.

Around this time, the ferry had landed so we made our way back to the train station. We both acknowledged how we were surprised to see so many people out and about on New Years and that’s when she told me about the marathon runners. She was going to take the train home and go to Ikea to replace the dishware she lost and I was going to Maccas for food. She thanked me for my patience and for coming along as she was really concerned since she knew I was tired. I told her not to worry about it, I was happy she invited me since I wanted to go to Watsons Bay but didn’t know anyone who wanted to tag along. I asked when she was going to Lentils again and she said some time after Juno had left and she remarked how she didn’t know how she would survive the Bondi to Coogee walk. We said goodbye and I headed to Maccas.

Later that night, Mio texted me saying thank you for the company and she got the plates sorted out and that she would see me in a few days. I thanked her for inviting me and said I would love to do karaoke with her before she leaves. She texted me late at night saying probably after a Lentils shift would be best but she would get back to me.

[samanthasroberts]

Slash and Bern: Guns N’ Roses fans on Coachella, Sanders and banana shirts

For many the appearance of GNR was the highlight of the California festival but OJ Simpson and a certain Vermont senator also had their fans

Guns N Roses headlined on Saturday night at the Coachella music festival in Indio, California, to the delight of many.

Of course, this being a gigantic music festival intended to have something for everyone, there were just as many people disappointed by what they witnessed: an injured Axl Rose looking constipated on what looked like a giant electronic toilet. Maybe it only looked like that to me because my brain was fried from constant exposure to the sun and too much lager.

Even if I, and quite a few of my fellow festivalgoers, werent satisfied by the long-awaited reunion of Axl, Slash and Duff McKagan, there were plenty of folks who were. Before their performance, I went in search of the men and women who braved overpriced tickets, overpriced beer, overpriced food, overpriced parking, and vomit-inducing toilet odors to experience a small piece of rocknroll history.

Darryl, 39, and Lloyd, 33, from Chicago. Photograph: Dave Schilling

Darryl, 39, and Lloyd, 33, had come from Chicago to see GNR. Even though they only cared about one band, they had to pay for all three days. Fortunately they made the trip worth it, as Darryl dressed as Axl and Lloyd dressed as Anchorman director Adam McKay in a top hat. Darryl and Lloyd said they attended the Chinese Democracy tour, the ill-fated attempt by Axl to use the Guns N Roses name in conjunction with a brand-new lineup which included Buckethead a man who plays guitar while wearing a bucket on his head.

It was good, but it wasnt the same, they said. And what of Buckethead? Will he be missed at Coachella? Hes awesome. He wears a bucket of KFC on his head. What else is there to say?

Indeed.

Jasmine, 24, and Juan. Photograph: Dave Schilling

Jasmine, 24, and Juan drove down from the Bay Area and staked out a spot close to the stage early in the afternoon. By afternoon I mean a solid 10 hours before Guns N Roses were scheduled to play. Their plan was to switch off going to the bathroom, getting drinks, and procuring food. We dont care, we wanna see them, Juan said of the half a days worth of sitting in the desert.

The trip to Coachella was a gift from Jasmine, so they wanted to get their moneys worth. I was gonna go to Vegas, and she was like, Dont go, I got a surprise for you.

Matt, 28, and Kaitlyn, 25, from Perth, Australia. Photograph: Dave Schilling

Matt, 28, and Kaitlyn, 25 were from Perth, Australia. Theyve been living in Vancouver for the last six months and lucked into tickets thanks to a friend who couldnt attend. So, at the last minute, they drove from Canada to Indio, which takes about three days by their estimation.

Since their presence at the festival was a bit of happenstance, who are they there to see?

So, Im more electronic. Id like to see Ice Cube as well, Matt said.

For Kaitlyn, My No1 is Chvrches. Hallsey as well. And Ice Cube tonight.

What about Guns N Roses? Not personally, no. Its a bit out of our age bracket.

Curtis, Kenji, Wesley and Brian. Photograph: Dave Schilling

I stumbled upon a pack of proper dudes from Orange County, California Curtis, Kenji, Wesley and Brian all wearing shirts with banana prints on them. Needless to say, I had to stop and ask them the meaning of life. They looked like they had some answers.

Curtis, Kenji and Brian were all thrilled to be there for Guns N Roses. Wesley, the clear black sheep of the crew, dissented. He was all in for Elle Goulding on Friday, which drew hearty jeers from his fellow bros.

They dont appeal to me as a person, musically, Wesley said of GNR. Theres plenty of rocknroll artists from that era that are better.

The subject of Axls injury came up, which led to a discussion of Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, who suffered a similar injury. That really set Wesley off.

Dave Grohl is like twice the rocker, dude. Hes the only person alive who makes legit rocknroll. That guys got so much energy. Hes off the charts, man.

In order to soothe the savage bro beast, I changed the subject. Whats with the bananas, guys?

We love bananas. We wanted to have a matching set. We know how alluring it is, Kenji told me. I turned to a couple of women sitting on the same park bench. I asked Sammy, 30, from Houston if she was talking to these dudes because of their shirts. Yeah. They drew us in from their banana shirts.

Lesson for future festival attendees: never underestimate the power of the banana shirt.

Sarah, 22, Rachel, 21, and Aaron, 24. Photograph: Dave Schilling

In the same beer garden, I spotted a girl carrying a Bernie Sanders sign a giant Bernie head, to be exact. Sarah, 22, Rachel, 21, and Aaron, 24 are siblings from Oak Park, California, in the San Fernando Valley. Coachella is something of a tradition for them. Its Aarons seventh year at the festival and Sarahs fifth. This year, they brought along their friend, Savannah, 22.

Who were they most excited to see? Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. And Guns N Roses? Did they care?

Id say youd be crazy not to be. That era of music is insane, though. One of the best time periods for music. The vibe the music gives people brings people together, Sarah said.

What possessed Sarah to bring a Bernie Sanders sign to a music festival?

This is an informal form of propaganda. Im an avid Bernie supporter. I think hes someone you can believe in, someone you can trust. Hillary Clinton contradicts herself a lot. Her stance on gay marriage changed a lot in the last few years, and I think thats terrifying, the thought of our president being someone so blatantly dishonest.

Before I left, I had to ask which is a better festival experience, Coachella or a Bernie rally. Sarah didnt hesitate. Coachellas got nothing on Bernie, but I think the crowd is pretty similar. A lot of dirty hippies.

Gio, 35, David, 30, Alex, 39. Photograph: Dave Schilling

Slash cosplay was not uncommon. Besides my new friends from Chicago earlier in the day, I met Gio, 35, from Los Angeles. His costume might not have been as elaborate as Lloyds, but it was certainly heartfelt.

Gio was sitting with his friends David, 30, and Alex, 39. Theyve all been fans since they were teenagers. Alex, being the oldest, has the most vivid memories of the band, though hes never experienced anything close to the classic lineup.

Ive seen Slash before, but not the whole group. He sucks by himself. Its the chemistry [thats missing].

But this isnt even the true classic lineup, as Izzy Stradlin, the guitarist, is still holding out.

I really think thats gonna be a big issue. I think Izzy was the most underrated part of the band. Hes gonna be missed. I know hes not gonna be there, but I wish he was.

As the hours ticked away, I began to wonder when all these superfans would make their way to the main stage. Would Gio, David, and Alex be grabbing spots like Jasmine and Juan? Theyd be staying put.

Were big guys. We push everybody out, Gio said.

Michelle, 47, Kevin, 50, Logan, 15. Photograph: Dave Schilling

A family from Indio Michelle, 47, Kevin, 50, Logan, 15 entered the festival. I never went to a music festival with my father growing up, but I cant say Id be totally stoked if he showed up with his shirt off. Granted, my father wasnt totally ripped like Kevin. I asked Logan if he was excited for Guns N Roses.

I like rocknroll, but I mainly just listen to EDM.

Are his parents trying to get him into GNR?

I try. He listens to it indirectly.

Before walking off, Michelle stops me to jump into what sounds like a paid advertisement from festival producer, Goldenvoice.

This is the best music festival ever. They do it all right. Ive been here for 10 years, and its better every year. They provide so many great amenities here.

If only they provided flushable toilets. Maybe thatll be next year.

Jacob, 24 and Jasmine, 23. Photograph: Dave Schilling

As the sun set, I spoke to one final couple: Jacob, 24, and Jasmine, 23, from San Diego. Jacobs originally from Tennessee, and said his parents got him into Guns N Roses. So, there must be hope for Kevin and Michelle as they try to indoctrinate their little Jack U/Calvin Harris fan into the rock world.

I ask Jacob and Jasmine if they bonded over their shared love of Guns N Roses when they met.

No, we met on Tinder.

I wonder if they know a lot of fans their own age. Jasmine chimes in: For me, its half and half. I was talking to one of my co-workers and I was super stoked on the lineup and the reason why they didnt come is because they said, Oh, Guns N Roses is gonna be there. Nobody cares. Excuse me? No, this is history.

Author, meet reader. Photograph: Dave Schilling

With my day behind me and the night of heavy metal debauchery ahead, I endeavored to brave the onslaught of Disclosure fans and find a spot near the main stage. On my way there, I met a man named Lance who didnt seem at all interested in Guns N Roses. Curiously, he seemed more interested in the legal status of one Orenthal James Simpson.

I didnt get into his reason for believing OJ is innocent, as I didnt want to wreck the good vibes of our photo shoot, but his purpose for wearing the shirt to the festival beyond the obvious attention it brings isnt all that different from the folks rocking GNR shirts. Its all nostalgia, after all.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/slash-and-bern-guns-n-roses-fans-on-coachella-sanders-and-banana-shirts/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2018/02/16/slash-and-bern-guns-n-roses-fans-on-coachella-sanders-and-banana-shirts/

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Rogers Garden Centre Eftpos

Samsung (8) san jose mercury news; Advice from my mum my mum’s voice rings in my ears if i am ever tempted to jump into bed without removing all of my make up.

Spring 2015 in 2020 Country store display, Rogers

Centre to the left of the ticket counter and is open 10am daily until closing.

Rogers garden centre eftpos. Join facebook to connect with lorraine rogers and others you may know. Hamilton gardens is open every day of the year and entry is free our address is hungerford crescent, hamilton east, hamilton 3216, new zealand. Rogers rose garden the national pacific rose bowl festival is held in november at hamilton gardens and rogers rose garden is rich with the scent of many varieties.

Royal canadian mint (2) rsr research; Disclosure documents · privacy policy | © bendigo and adelaide bank ltd | abn: Peak time for visitors to hamilton gardens is between 11am and 3pm on summer weekends and public holidays.

The car parks will be busy and you may experience delays within the enclosed gardens. The work generally starts from life observations and photo references, and together with a bit of imagination they can take many, many hours to complete. Because help is what we do.

Merchandise and displays are also available throughout the visitor centre foyer. Westfield is the leading destination for shopping. The hyde park medical centre is a reputable doctors practice in townsville that is dedicated to looking after you and your family’s wellbeing.we’re actively engaged in the community and our staff and doctors are committed to providing you with exceptional service and care.

Complete our queensland household energy survey before 18 december for a chance to win. Add will be taken down when all is gone. (i've used some in my garden bed for veggies and mixed some mushroom compost and sugar cane through it.

But with a police booze bus at both ends of the town, the main road closed to regular traffic, a hefty police presence and 50 soldiers from linton on security, mr rogers was confident the event. Due to layout space, this store has limited accessibility. Visit asic's website for more information.

A summary of the retail eftpos 90 conference is given. 5:22 am victoria hits huge covid milestone ahead of announcement weekend; She has always stressed the importance of taking off ‘my face’ at the end of a day and washing the day away.

On farm complete veterinary service including. We accept payment by eftpos, visa, mastercard, alipay, and wechat pay. 4:41 am police action taken after 'disturbing' posters distributed at melbourne train stations;

11 068 049 178 | afsl/australian credit licence no. Spotless is a leading provider of integrated facilities services with clients across australia and new zealand. Has turned up a massive yield!) pick up clontarf at 1 rogers rd.

Dr wendy rogers bsc bvms fully mobile experienced equine vet based in albany. Discover 1000s of products from popular retailers in fashion, beauty, home, electronics and more. Westpac new zealand provides online banking, everyday transaction accounts, home loans & mortgages, credit cards, foreign exchange, insurance, savings and investment solutions to kiwis.

Cash or eftpos is accepted. Providing us with safe entry. Jarrah ladner, 20, who threw soft drink cans and an eftpos machine at kfc staff during an angry tirade has avoided jail.

101 kioreroa road, whangarei (next to the dog pound and behind john deere tractors) phone: Lorraine rogers is on facebook. We also include troubleshooting tips to get around known issues.

Good for fill or garden bed. Ms ladner was sentenced at adelaide magistrates court on thursday. Great southern equine veterinary, albany, western australia.

Facebook gives people the power to share and makes. The information centre and gift shop is open every day except christmas day. Four seasons nursery & garden centre located in belrose in the northern beaches area of sydney, is your one stop shop for everything that you will ever need for you garden.

Give the gift you know they will love …they can buy whatever, from wherever, whenever. Garry rogers garry is a wildlife artist working in graphite, a medium which leans toward fine detail, and occasionally charcoal. Silk flowers and plants, cushions, rugs, wall prints, scanpan and flavorstone cookware and accessories, stanley rogers cutlery.

Knowledgeable & qualified trade staff. 4:37 am nsw students to be tracked after school; View a list of walks in and around christchurch.

Win a $100 eftpos card! The souvenir gift shop offers a range of gifts including farm themed items, clothing and toys. Earn great rewards for households and businesses from our positive payback program.

Extensive indoor and outdoor plant range, plant care products and designer pots and garden ornaments. 4:36 am footage of 'aged' david beckham emerges as he tells of 'defeating deadly disease' Any interruption to asic's online services will be listed here.

This business servicing terrey hills is a local sme in the garden nurseries category.

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