#lite life smoky | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

knitmoregirls · 5 years ago

Text

Cinderella Dress - Episode 576 - The Knitmore Girls

Carry your creativity with Erin Lane Bags! Whether you show your fiber fandom with the woolly wonder Sheepleverse, or dive into history with the Curiosities collection, our project bags, totes, and hook and needle organizers are at the ready to keep your hobby happy.

We all have it, we all snicker about it.

Fun Fur.

Whether it’s eyelash, boucle, or just generally furry, it’s hard to find projects for novelty yarn.

With a sweet face, spiraling horns, and delightfully rotund body, Friendsheep by Cate Carter-Evans lets you transform your novelty and textured yarns into sweet, fleecy little friends. Pattern available on Ravelry; more info at infinitetwist.com

Have you ever had to frog because you forgot a step several rows back? Or lost your spot because you dropped your magnet board or lost track with your highlighter tape? Instead of wrestling with paper, use the knitCompanion app. It keeps you on track so you can knit more and frog less. knitCompanion works with ALL your patterns and is available for apple, android and kindle fire devices.

Books plus knitting plus happy memories. That’s Little Skein in the Big Wool. We make kits, yarn and project bags that bring your favorite stories to life. Find *your* favorite story at littleskein.com

LoLo Body Care, formally Bar-Maids, creates exceptional moisturizers hand-poured by staff who add a good dose of heartfelt love to each one. Most all their supplies are made in the US, and their beeswax sourced from a local farm. Besides quality, the value of their product lies in that they last a very long time and are loved to the very last bit. They built their brand on being eco-friendly and their new packaging rocks. Their customers and customer service are rare and treasured jewels.

On the Needles:(0:41)

Gigi finished the knitted-on lace border for the French Cancan

Jasmin is almost at the armholes on her Embrace Octopus pullover in Oink Pigments “Motion of the

Ocean” and “Hibiscus Kiss”. #projectsweaterchest

Gigi dug out Opus the Octopus.

Gigi likes her Ott-lite, and Jasmin likes her fancy Ott-lite.

Gigi is working on the Ochre cardigan out of Lisa Souza yarn, in a denim color with Knitcompanion

She is having a hard time getting used to technology

Jasmin is nearly finished with the first half of a FoolProof cowl in Alexandra the Art of Yarn,

Sun River base in “persimmon” and “Espresso”.

Jasmin is working on the Cardizen in Onyx Fiber Arts

Gigi finished Vanilla is the New Black sock in Plymouth Yarn, Superwash merino Nylon and Lurex

She found some Hue Loco sock yarn

Jasmin has her Musselburgh hat in her purse.

Gigi is working on the Clockwork by Stephen West, in grey and white Oink Pigments yarn.

Jasmin is enthusing about black yarn with a rainbow (Veronica from Onyx Fiber Arts) and she mentioned the Classic Cozy Raglan

Gigi is knitting preemie hats again

Gigi cast on the Pointed Firs shawl in Outlaw yarn: Polwarth , Alpaca, Possum in a pale smoky grey.

Jasmin has finished both sleeves and is nearly finished with the body of her Ursa pullover in

Knitted Wit Aran Shimmer

Gigi set up a preemie hat kit. She knitted one, it needs a pompom.

In Stitches (21:25)

Gigi: has gotten out her summer stuff . #MeMadeMay is coming up; Gigi wore an old nightgown she sewed.

Events(25:09)

knitty.comhttps://knitty.com/sos.php has a comprehensive list of events that have been canceled

Virtual Vogue Knitting Live

Stash Dash 2020 Dates 5/22 to 8/22/20 #teamcuteknitter #beatbostonjen

Fiberworld 2020

Mother Knows Best:(27:41)

Treat yourself. Something small. A good smell, a favorite meal. We mention Dr Gemma's Daily tips.

Please share the small things you are doing, and your small treats in this weeks thread.

When Knitting Attacks: (35:43)

Gigi ripped back the Ochre cardigan again.

Gigi started the Pointed Firs, she loves the yarn, the light color does show the pattern.

She needed to start it three more times anyway

Knits in Space:(40:21)

Some Good News! A great way to start your day.

And Sew On:(43:04)

Gigi is almost finished with two half-lined nightshirt, she did the coverstitching;

She told the saga of the box of presser feet.

But she found two stippled pieces for sofa cushions, and is planning a quartet of quilts

Check out this episode!

1 note · View note

loveandotherletters-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Dear Boyfriend

Dear Boyfriend,

The first thing I remember you telling me about your father was that you used to go to the park with him every Sunday afternoon to catch turtles. An odd memory, perhaps, but you told it in a way that conveyed lots of sunshine and laughter.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about Nolan. He is unreliable, an alcoholic who spends his days drinking Miller Lite and calling family members to ask for money, always alleging that he needs to fix his car or pay his rent. He frequents the hospital; when he runs out of money for beer he is forced to stop drinking and goes through life-threatening alcohol withdrawals. The most recent of these episodes was last year when you were in town for your paternal grandfather’s funeral. Nolan promised to quit drinking after he missed the death of his own father, but that had lasted for at most a couple of months. He goes weeks and months without returning your calls, and from 2,000 miles away you worry that he’s dead.

The first time I went with you to visit Nolan, the small, tan buildings of the apartment complex reminded me of the apartment that my own dad rented for a few years after the divorce. It was a big downgrade for him; he had just moved out of the huge house that he and my mother had built together in our town’s wealthiest neighborhood. I think his least favorite part of the apartment was that Christmas trees were forbidden. My dad loved to drive two hours to Amish country each winter and tromp through snowy fields of blue spruce, douglas fir, and white pine trees. We would pick the tree we thought was most stately, watch my dad cut it down, and catch a wagon ride back to the parking lot with our new tree. We listened to Queen and the Rolling Stones on the way home and spent the evening drinking cocoa and stringing lights and sparkling ornaments across our tree’s branches. While we lived in the tan apartment, we had to forego this tradition. Instead, my dad decorated a small potted tree with shimmering silver icicles and miniature glitter-coated ornaments. I think Dad harbored some embarrassment about that potted plant, but to me it gave the apartment warmth on the inside despite its dismal exterior. Your dad was thin, with scraggly, greasy grey hair. Though he's only in his early sixties he kept a walker next to his seat on the couch. While we were there he kept reaching out and clasping his hands on the walker's handles, trying and failing to stand up as though to prove to you that he could. He gave a forced, awkward laugh each time he fell back onto the couch, which was covered with a towel stained with what honestly looked like shit. I thought of last Christmas Eve, when you treated him to waffles and got to clean vomit out of his beard in the restaurant restroom in return.

There was a rocking chair in the corner with four or five huge stuffed teddy bears, one big enough to take up the entire chair. I assumed somebody had bought them for him, because how the fuck else does a grown man end up with five supersized teddy bears? You asked Nolan where he got them, and he was surprised. "I don't remember where I got them," he said. "Somebody gave them to you?" you asked with a smile (the smile that unfailingly reminds me that I am deeply in love with you). "Bought 'em," said Nolan. "But I don't remember where." I have had sadness in my life, a perfectly adequate amount of sadness. But I cannot imagine how heartbroken I would be if he were my father.

I busied myself by putting away the food we had brought - bread, ham, bananas, canned soup. I didn’t have much to say to this man. To me, you were gracing him with your presence. You could have been enjoying the holidays with your sister and the man who raised you both - the man you actually called "Dad." Instead, you rented a car and drove two hours to this crummy apartment in the middle of nowhere to see your biological father who sat before us claiming he hadn't been drinking. True, perhaps: his hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't even pick up his remote to turn the television down. But the empty cans of Miller Lite that littered the kitchen floor suggested that Nolan’s newfound sobriety was not voluntary. Despite all this, you sat seemingly at ease on a dining chair that you pulled from the kitchen into the living room, smiling at Nolan and asking him how things were going. Sometimes his responses made sense and sometimes we smiled as though we understood what he was trying to say even though we didn't. You pretended like the long pauses in conversation didn't matter. You showed him how to turn his phone's ringer on and set up a voicemail account so he would know when you called him. As you did all this, there was a kindness in your voice that I don't think I could have mustered in the same situation. I realized with amazement that it was genuine. You hated Nolan a little bit, sometimes: for being an alcoholic, for letting another man do most of the things that a father does for his son. For never answering his phone and making you worry that when you opened his door you would find him unconscious or worse. But even with all that, you loved him. He had done nothing to redeem himself, yet you were kind to him.

I told you later that I was impressed by how you treated Nolan. You were kind and generous even though he hasn’t been there for you in years, or maybe ever, really. You told me you were used to dealing with disappointment. I still think you’re a better person than I’ll ever be. I had already fallen in love with you three years earlier, as soon as we both stepped out into a rainy Atlanta evening and proclaimed that it smelled like spring. From there we had fortified our love with hikes to Alpine lakes and lazy weekends spent drinking too much coffee during the day and eating too much pizza at night and dancing together for the first time and cooking smoky spicy soups together on Sunday evenings. Before we visited Nolan, I would have thought that I already loved you as much as I could possibly love you. But you smiled and said his teddy bears were nice. You added lunch meat and white bread to his refrigerator even though if things went the same way as they usually did he would be so drunk he would forget to eat in a day or two. He doesn't deserve you. I don't know that he ever did. You want him to be sober and presentable and able to attend his own son's wedding, and we both know he's not going to give you that. But when you're with him you don't make him feel like you're thinking about his shortcomings. You remind him of the days when you used to catch turtles.

Love, Your Girlfriend

#love letter #writing #writer #letter #boyfriend

1 note · View note

zombiiesque · 4 years ago

Text

Nocturne Alchemy Vaults: Part One

Originally published on 4/30/2019

I'm on a mission, after completing my month of samples! I've got a good collection of what I call Vaults - perfumes from the early days of Nocturne Alchemy, long before I started collecting. And I tend to hoard these, rather than wearing them. I don't think I have enough for a solid month, but I'm going to try to do a few weeks of these, spread out over the course of a month, and do a bi-weekly update. Maybe it will force me to wear these beauties as intended!

I have a mixture of both LC (limited collection) and PC (permanent collection), but it's mostly LC in these, so I want to go ahead and warn you now, these are probably hard to get, but it can't hurt to put out an ISO (in search of) in the NA Marketplace Facebook group. They age wonderfully, so it might be worth the hunt!

Let's get this shindig started!

Eternal Egypt Summer Crystalline REZ: White Amber Absolute, Limestone Amber Resin, Lime Zest, Saffron, Gold Santalum, Moonstone (African White Vanilla Bean), with the new addition of Crystalline (Egyptian Vanilla Orchid stigma Resin) Absolute aged with Kyphi (a honey, raisin, & wine based incense), Guaiacwood eo, Mandarin Skin, Egyptian Sugar and French Golden Amber Resin. This baby is a favorite of mine, I have several backups of this with varying fill levels that I've nabbed over time from the Marketplace, and from Laura. It came out in 2015, the first year I started collecting NA. It's SO, SO GOOD. Like, my ultimate summer scent, honestly - besides the Tea collection! I will continue to keep an eagle eye out for more. A girl can never have too many, right? Right!! Hah. Okay, so if you've ever experienced Eternal Egypt, this is an enhanced version, with a zip of citrus (the lime is fabulous, seriously) and the beauty of Crystalline vanilla - honestly, it's just the right amount, it doesn't take over the other notes. It's so aged, I don't get really the kyphi, which I love, or the saffron. But that's okay. It seems simple, but there's definitely some complexity. I have raved and raved about this one, maybe one day they'll make a version something like it in the future! PS. If you haven't tried Eternal Egypt, what in the world are you waiting for? Remedy that as quickly as possible! *wink* Seriously, it's a fan favorite, and it's a lovely scent.

SP 8: Sandalwood, Teak, Rosewood, Cedar, Black Amber, Black Musk, Black Myrrh and Black Patchouli in a sea of memory. This is from 2013. This is a beautifully dark scent, the woods and resins are just, at this point, incredibly potent. I don't need a lot. I love to pair this with a vanilla, like Crystal, or Protoceratops, to keep it from going too dark on me. I think this one is pretty unisex, and I think it would be fantastic on a guy too. The sweetness of the myrrh, amber, and cedar is perfect against the heavier patchouli and black musk. I don't know a lot about this collection, but somewhere in my dusty memory I remember that SP stands for Steam Punk, and this was a pretty limited collection, so I treasure having both this and SKL, below.

SP SKL: Damp woods, Aged Velvet Crystal Vanilla (Vanilla Musk), the scent of old linen in a coffin, a touch of graveyard musk and a sentient of mystery. Like SP 8, this is also from 2013. Gorgeous. I have a bottle of Crystal, from the SL section, and I love it. First thing I catch is that vanilla musk, but it's aged and deepened. Paired with the woods, this is so gothic. I particularly love to wear this one in the fall and winter, it feels very cozy and like a warm, dark hug. There's like a dark sexiness lurking under the snuggly vanilla.

Cleopatra Moon: Fresh Peach Incense, Peach Essence, Egyptian Frankincense Resinoid, Egyptian Myrrh Lite Resinoid, Sapphire Amber-Musk, Persian Sandalwood, White Peppercorn Essential Oil and a drop of Egyptian Hibiscus and a breath of Egyptian Hyacinth Petal. This treasure is from 2011, the Pharaoh Moons collection, from what I can see. I got this one from my friend Melissa, and oh, how hard did I fall for this? She's gorgeous. It starts out with their luscious, juicy peach, just bursting out of the bottle and onto your skin. That's followed closely by a melange of resins, so well blended I can barely pick them out, but I think that the Sapphire keeps this bright and helps the peach linger. I don't really get the hibiscus or hyacinth, on my skin - they may be background notes, or as aged as this is, impossible to discern. I do get a little kick of pepper, which is always a welcome smell for me. It adds the slightest spiciness, but it's not obtrusive. Cleopatra Moon curls around me for quite a long time, I get at least eight hours from it. It's enchanting and mysterious, what I imagine her namesake to be.

Selket Anti-Venom Rez: In the new composition I took the old recipe and changed it toward more of an ode to Crème de Menthe bringing up the mint essential oil note and adding nuances of Crystal, Blue Sugar and a little Incense in the shadows before the scorpion Goddess stings with her tail. The Crème de Menthe composed with marshmallow and peppermint eo. This one came out the same year as Eternal Egypt Summer Crystalline REZ, 2015. If I remember correctly, it came out in the summer - and while I absolutely adore my Victorian Candy Cane Crystalline, this is the mint I reach for when I want something cool feeling in the summer. It's like a creamy, mint drink, on a long screened in verandah. There's a crust of sugar in here, as well - I love their sugar notes. But this definitely feels green, it's different than the Christmas VCCC. There's a slight hint of liqueur. Absolutely adore this, and I should wear it more often, but I'm guilty of hoarding it. I will note that in long drydown - this lasts a while! - the mint fades a little bit, and you're left with a sweet, creamy, sort of musky marshmallow, with just a hint of the mint. Just as beautiful as the beginning stages, though.

Bastet's Witching Hour: Black Incense, Black Vanilla, Black Haitian Voodoo Vetiver, Black Aged Cedar, Black Cherry Extract, Black Aged Saffron and Black Amber rests at the death of this hour. I usually store all my Vaults in the same box, but - in order to confuse myself, hah! - I store my NAlloween Vaults in with the NAlloween box. So I'd actually realized when I was pulling out my Sleep Elixir that I had more Vaults than I realized! Anyway. this beauty is from 2011. I have two bottles of it, this was my first experience with NA's cherry and I fell hard for it. This isn't a candy or cough drop cherry by any means - this is a sexy, alluring fruit and dark resin perfume. The incense curls around you, and entwines with the slightly tart cherry. The vetiver is smoky, and the cedar is sweet and woody, they sure do woods right. I feel dark and witchy when I wear this, and I crave it all year. But of course, my favorite time of year to pull it out is fall, and I reach for it often. Incredible.

Hathor's Peach Kaproret Tea: Sensual Peach, Coconut powder, African Kaproret Tea, Fresh morning Apple (subtle), Tibetan Black Tea Leaves and Egyptian Plum. Here's another early one, from 2009. I've got about a quarter of a bottle left, it's one of the beautiful green 5mls. This one is a lovely summery scent, a little bit of tropical feel with the fruit/tea blend. I'm not sure what kaproret tea is like (EDIT: I've since learned it's a black tea type from Kenya!), but I definitely get the black tea, but there's another tea-scent in there that I've never had myself before, and it's almost got a zing to it, and it works really well with the lush peach and coconut notes. Thankfully I don't need a lot of this, because it's so aged, because I love it, and I'm hoarding it. I do have Peach Cardamom Tea from the Summer Tea Service, but that's quite a bit different than this. If you love tea and fruit, and happen to come across this one, I would not hesitate to get it! As with my other Teas from NA, there's never a bitter edge to the black tea, it's smooth and distinctive, and balances so well with the fruits. I've also worn this with a few of the Tea Service, Coconut Milk, Sugarcube, and Rice Milk, and they all pair well with it.

Y'all, I got pretty behind on this - life got really busy! I meant to have it up a week ago, but there's all kinds of stuff going on here in our little corner of the world. I'll try to get on the second half of this with a little more expediency! I hope you enjoyed this first half, though. There are some pretty amazing treasures to be had in hunting these down.

0 notes

sillygoblinantics · 5 months ago

Text

I haven’t drawn this character of mine in a long while!

He’s a character from my one series I hope to one day make into an indie animated series: Lite Life!

I want to draw the other ocs before I make a side blog for Lite Life content so I’ll be sharing more about him there!

He also has smoke/fog hair, eartips and exhales smoke 👀

That’s all I’m telling yall now

#sillygoblinantics #just goblin things #artists on tumblr #original art #oc art #lite life original series #lite life Smoky

5 notes · View notes

solomonmaxx · 7 years ago

Text

Thunderhead

Hiking the Appalachian Trail - March 21, 2015

The grandeur of the mountains never ceases to amaze me. Although the morning started out dreary and I thought I was embarking on yet another long hiking trip, by mid day, I was standing above the clouds on top of a mountain enjoying the clear skies at 5527 feet.

My parents and I woke up early to pack our gear and eat breakfast before driving to the mountains. Luckily, we only live 45 minutes out from the Great Smoky Mountains. We started our trek at 9am, hiking from Cades Cove to the Spence Field Shelter. The trail was, of course, uphill the whole way. Although uphill used to be the most dreaded part of the journey for me, I have actually grown to prefer the uphill climb over the downhill descent. We reached Spence Field by noon and stopped to eat a lite lunch before we continued on to Thunderhead.

As we began our climb to Rocky Top, the mountain peak before Thunderhead, we were quickly engulfed in scenic views that stretched for miles across the Tennessee Valley and into North Carolina and South Carolina. By the time we reached Rocky Top, we had a line of sight over the tree tops, and the panorama was breathtaking. The views were so spectacular and vivid that the walk from Rocky Top to Thunderhead whizzed by as we looked around in awe.

We made it to Thunderhead, and my parents were able to cross the goal off of their bucket list. There are few days in the year, according to my dad, when you can see as far as we could from the mountain top (so I hope you enjoy the pictures). We shared the views with through hikers and day hikers, and we actually ran into my old swim coach and an Appalachian Trail hiker from Germany. My parents, being the talkative people that they are, stopped and engaged in conversation. As we caught up with an old friend and made a new one, I couldn't help but think the cliche, "what a small world."

Here I was on a mountain top talking to a swim coach I hadn't seen in three or more years. Then I exercised my German skills with an AT hiker who actually lived in a German town near my relatives in Bielefeld. As big as the Smoky Mountains are, what are the chances we would run into those two people?

I recalled my childhood endeavors as a competitive swimmer and my familial heritage in Germany, two things that mean a great deal to me. My mindset was returning to its roots and values. Added with the stunning beauty of the landscape around me, I began to feel grounded and strong, standing on top of the mountain. My uncle describes hiking in the mountains as a spiritual journey, and I have to agree. Each time I climb to a new height, I discover something new about myself and about life.

Our dissent began at 3:30pm, and we were able to make it back to our car by 6:30pm, just before the sun set. The timing worked out perfectly. One thing that did not work out for the three of us, however, was that the downhill dissent killed our feet. I guess that is the price of being ambitious when one is out of shape.

After our 16 mile excursion and a nice warm shower, I am in my bed ready to sleep.

Over and out,

Lo Main

Ps: "Lo Main" is my new trail name. Lo Mein like the noodle dish, Main like the street I grew up on, and Lo Main like low maintenance.

#hiking #hiking journal #lomain #at #appalachian trail #hiking legs #lifetothemaxx #solomonmaxx #thunderhead #greatsmokymountains #hikingtheat

1 note · View note

curutquit · 4 years ago

Link

Asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet. Smoky kielbasa sizzled with sweet bell pepper, onions and garlic in vibrant tomato sauce. This quick and easy sausage, pepper and rice skillet is downright delicious! Kale + Chicken Sausage StrataA Clove Of Garlic, A Pinch Of Salt.

A one-pot meal of chicken cooked with rice, peppers, corn, black beans, and lime. With that caveat aside, I'd also recommend a generous squeeze of lime on the rice and chicken—it delivers a nice bite of acid that's really necessary to round out the meal. Discover Knorr® Rice Sides: Chicken Rice.

Hey everyone, it's Louise, welcome to my recipe site. Today, I'm gonna show you how to prepare a distinctive dish, asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet. It is one of my favorites food recipes. For mine, I'm gonna make it a bit unique. This will be really delicious.

Smoky kielbasa sizzled with sweet bell pepper, onions and garlic in vibrant tomato sauce. This quick and easy sausage, pepper and rice skillet is downright delicious! Kale + Chicken Sausage StrataA Clove Of Garlic, A Pinch Of Salt.

Asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet is one of the most well liked of current trending foods in the world. It is simple, it is quick, it tastes delicious. It's appreciated by millions daily. Asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet is something that I've loved my entire life. They are nice and they look wonderful.

To get started with this particular recipe, we must first prepare a few ingredients. You can cook asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet using 12 ingredients and 4 steps. Here is how you can achieve that.

The ingredients needed to make Asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet:

{Make ready 1 pack of Costco chicken Asiago garlic chicken (it’s precooked but I brown it in the oven).

{Prepare 1 of large onion chopped.

{Make ready 1 of red pepper and 1 yellow pepper chopped.

{Prepare 1 tbsp of minced garlic.

{Make ready 4 cups of chicken broth.

{Make ready 1 3/4 cups of par-boiled rice.

{Prepare 1 of small can tomato paste.

{Make ready 1/3 cup of lite cream.

{Get to taste of Salt and pepper.

{Prepare of Adobo seasoning.

{Take of Garlic powder.

{Prepare 1/2 bag of low fat shredded cheese (optional cause the sausage had cheese in already).

This sausage, peppers and rice casserole is full of flavor, uses pantry staples and the best part? For this sausage and rice casserole I used uncooked white jasmine rice. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes with. To prepare the Rice and Chicken Sausage: Cut sausages in half lengthwise.

Instructions to make Asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a deep oven safe pot with Pam and brown the chicken sausage in it for 30 min.

Let it cool then place in fridge cause if you cut even at room temp the CHEESE WILL OOZE OUT!.

Chop up onions and garlic and place in pot that has the juices from the sausage in it. Add seasonings. Sauté til clear then add garlic and broth. Bring to a boil.

Add rice and reduce to a simmer. Once rice is almost done add paste and sausage and lite cream. Add cheese if you want too..

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting any added salt and Stir the spinach, cucumber, and pepper into the rice mixture. Sausage and Rice with Peppers +VIDEO This quick and easy sausage, pepper and rice skillet is downright delicious! You'll LOVE "Southern Style" chicken n' dumplings the way my Texas Grandma used to cook them! Kung Pao Chicken Recipe - How to Make Restaurant Style Kung Pao Chicken.

So that's going to wrap it up for this exceptional food asiago chicken sausage and peppers with rice skillet recipe. Thanks so much for your time. I'm confident you can make this at home. There's gonna be interesting food at home recipes coming up. Remember to bookmark this page in your browser, and share it to your loved ones, friends and colleague. Thank you for reading. Go on get cooking!

#recipesfood

0 notes

concerthopperblog · 4 years ago

Text

Review: Staci Griesbach Takes Up The Challenge To Jazz Up the Songs of Shania Twain

I should preface this review with a caveat; I don't like the music of Shania Twain. This isn't the kind of dislike I feel for “Random Bro Country Person.” This is a level of dislike reserved for few. I consider she and Toby Keith to be the Exhibits A and B for the downfall of country music into pop schlock. Twain and producer Mutt Lange, who had long since abandoned the grit of Back in Black for the lite rock croons of Bryan Adams, Michael Bolton, and Def Leppard created one of the best-selling country albums of all time by not creating a country album by any reasonable definition of the word. The result was a twangy Canadian Michael Bolton. It made a lot of money. Like a LOT of money. But it wasn't for me.

I say all that to both color my commentary to come and to stress just how much Staci Griesbach impressed me with 2019's My Patsy Cline Songbook, featuring jazzy reworkings of one of the queens of country music. The album worked really well and Griesbach's vocals and arrangements were stellar. On the 25th Anniversary of Twain's 1995 breakthrough, Griesbach is taking on a much more daunting challenge with My Shania Twain Songbook. Could her sublime vocals and cast of top notch players actually make Shania Twain listenable? The answer is “kind of.”

Where My Shania Twain Songbook works, it works on a level approaching her Patsy Cline covers. Unsurprisingly, these come with some of the less-known songs from Twain's catalog. The album's unrivaled highlight is album opener “No One Needs to Know Right Now.” Griesbach transforms the song into a Western swing toe tapper in the vein of Hot Club of Cowtown or Asleep at the Wheel. I'm not as familiar with this song as some of Twain's other played to death singles, so I was able to take it at face value more easily. But I think, save one, any of Twain's songs could have been at least somewhat salvaged by the arrangement. For a singer most comfortable in jazz, Griesbach handles Western swing well and, if she decided to dedicate her next Songbook to Rose Maddox or Hot Club of Cowtown, I wouldn't complain.

On more familiar footing for Griesbach is the ballad “Is There Life After Love?” What was a hollow romantic bit of candy floss in the hands of Twain becomes a mournful smoky jazz number that one could imagine being sung by the femme fatale in a Humphrey Bogart film. “God Bless The Child” also finds a total makeover, finding a Billie Holiday groove that actually fits the song better than its original arrangement.

That's not to say there aren't misses on My Shania Twain Songbook. For there not to be would provide Griesbach enough miracles to warrant canonization in the church of country music. As expected, the misses are Twain's biggest hits, the songs that are seared, for better or worse, in everyone's brain. “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” gets an upbeat '20s flapper jazz skin. It's not bad. You can more or less remove yourself from the source material and enjoy Griesbach's vocals. It just isn't as memorable as other songs.

Then there's the undeniable miss, the song I find myself skipping on each listen after the first couple. It was a cover that had to happen when Griesbach decided to take on Shania Twain, but it was almost always certainly going to be the sinkhole that no one climb out of; “Any Man of Mine.” The faux “girl-power” teeny bopper that somehow managed to reinforce every negative stereotype men have of women (not a surprise since it was primarily written by the decidedly not-female Lange), and was so thoroughly surpassed the next year by The Spice Girls' true girl-power anthem “Wanna Be”, contains no discernible redeeming value. Griesbach gives it her all. She really does. As good as her vocals are and a strong as the horn section behind her is, it just doesn't work. In the end, the entire storage warehouse at Avon doesn't have enough lipstick to put on that musical pig.

While My Shania Twain Songbook contains some misses and is a pretty significant step backward from her collection of Cline songs, there's still enough good here to recommend a buy. Griesbach's “all-in” attitude and a cast of players that include fiddle god Stuart Duncan and Wrecking Crew upright bassist Chuck Berghofer gives it a charm that's hard not to enjoy, if only for the sheer audacity of the thing.

My Shania Twain Songbook is out now and can be ordered from Amazon and other online outlets (though not yet on Bandcamp so keep an eye out for it when it hits that platform if you want to maximize the artist's cut).

#album review #new #staci griesbach #shania twain #jazz #country #review #concerthopper #2021 #new music #music

0 notes

enterinit · 5 years ago

Text

New Xbox One Games for January 27 to 31

Stone (January 27)

G’day, I’m Stone. Here’s our Xbox page. Play this single-player third-person movie length interactive story and see what happened. Yeah it was rough, but a good life lesson. Enjoy, and remember don’t do this at home ya bunch of crazy animals. By the way this story really isn’t going to be for everyone. So enter at your own risk, mate. Plus this was created by a global team including the narrative designer of QUANTUM BREAK, CONTROL and VFX artist from GRAVITY, PROMETHEUS & more. You're in good hands, mate. FLAMING FEATURES: 3rd person so you can rotate a drone cam around me and move me like VoodooDeep, reference heavy interactive story never told, mate.Drinking, dancing and smoking for your pleasure.Map based free roam so you can explore the world at your own pace. Here’s some tips:Echo for great techno, Smoky Possum for some liquid gold and my flat. It’s comfy mates.A cast of my mates. Like Les, weirdo and kanye lover and my gorgeous chookie Alex.BTW if you see Cockie, tell her I’m sorry again. If you see Devil, run, run, run! • Amazing licensed tracks from sick up and coming indie musicians at the Record Shop.Like Ryan Little, Luchii, Ilkka S, Warchief, James Tottakai & MoreSeriously the music is great. There’s hip hop, trap, stoner rock and heavy techno!Also THERE”S CLASSIC MOVIES!!! Yeah you can watch film classics likeSentimental Bloke, Night of the Living Dead & Story of the Kelly Gang ( CONVICT REPRESENT )Hang out with me.It’ll be bonza and hell, I think you’ll be a better person from it too.

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition (January 28)

A magical realist adventure game in five acts, featuring a haunting electronic score, and a suite of hymns and bluegrass. Rendered in a striking visual style that draws as much from theater, film, and experimental electronic art as it does from the history of games, this is a story of unpayable debts, abandoned futures, and the human drive to find community.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire – Ultimate Edition (January 28)

The award-winning RPG from the masters at Obsidian Entertainment finally arrives on Xbox One, featuring all major updates and expansions. The god Eothas awakens from his slumber, killing you and stealing a piece of your soul. Now resurrected, it is up to you and your companions to use magic, gunpowder, and steel to uncover the rogue god's machinations as he tramples across the Deadfire Archipelago. Bend the world to your will as you explore the depths of infinite possibilities, including detailed character customization, total freedom of exploration, and more meaningful choices at every turn. Featuring an enormous open world, a massive cast of characters, and a story you can play your way, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Ultimate Edition redefines the role-playing game experience for a new generation. Play in either Turn-Based Mode or Classic Real-Time with Pause: Immerse yourself in a deeper single player RPG game experience - now with both classic real-time with pause and new turn-based combat, Deadfire builds on the foundation of classic tabletop gameplay more than ever before.A massive adventure: Over 100 hours of gameplay per playthrough.Play however you want: Detailed character creator character and over 1000 class permutations gives you the freedom to be whoever you want.Gather your party: Build your party and customize your companions to join you on your quest. Assign multiple classes and deeper abilities for each. Witness their personal relationships, reactions to player choice, and interactions with each other unfold.Beast of Winter DLC - heed the call of Vatnir, a priest of the god of death, to halt the tide of destruction encroaching upon the living.The Forgotten Sanctum DLC - battle your way through the bowels of a vengeful, sleeping god. Seeker, Slayer, Survivor DLC - Triumph or die in the Crucible of Kazuwari, where only the mighty reign. https://youtu.be/thbGhvZJNjc

It Came from Space and Ate Our Brains (January 28)

A merciless alien species that feeds on human brains (duh) has invaded the Earth. Who can stand up to them? You, obviously! Save the world—or at least yourself. Send aliens to oblivion in It Came From Space and Ate Our Brains—a unique top-down arcade shooter. Addicting gameplay elements, co-op mode, and a way to turn aliens into goo? It’s all here! Explore atmospheric locations with a flashlight and a weapon powerful enough to blast those unwanted intergalactic guests back into space. Survive hordes of enemies trying to corner you and get inside your skull… at least until you set a new high score and die like a badass! Key features: Six exciting co-op campaign missions for up to 4 playersDifferent alien typesPowerful weapons and special powersAn incredible techno soundtrack that serves as the perfect background for brain-eating mayhem

Journey to the Savage Planet (January 28)

Welcome to the Pioneer Program! In this upbeat & colorful, co-op adventure game you play as the newest recruit to Kindred Aerospace. Dropped onto an uncharted planet with little equipment and no real plan, you must explore, catalog alien flora and fauna and determine if this planet is fit for human habitation. But perhaps you are not the first to set foot here… Onward to adventure! Good luck – and mind the goo! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvceKg6bSMg

Music Racer (January 29)

Music Racer is the dynamic rhythm game loved by millions of players around the world. Rush along futuristic, neon tracks. Gather beats, catch the rhythm. The racetrack is created in real time based on the game's music tracks. The speed and mood of each run are determined by the compositions chosen. Obstacles and awards are generated from the music. Get into the rhythm and collect as many points as possible. Features: 14 levels25 cars with the ability to customize themBeautiful neon, Retrowave style graphics4 game modesMusic library

Milo’s Quest: Console Edition (January 29)

The young puppy, Milo, is enjoying his time in the park and sees a delicious bone to chew on. But its cursed and sets free the evil king Old Skull. Now it’s up to Milo to go on an adventure to stop the curse! Choose from a variety of difficulty levels for your adventure, pick up items and tools on your quest to help defeat ghosts and solve puzzles to stop the evil king in this retro-inspired adventure game.

Monster Energy Supercross 3 – Special Edition (January 30)

Double your credits at the end of every online and offline race, race with the legends and in a legendary track that made the history of Supercross. Have fun changing your bike's livery and your rider's tracksuit with incredible customization items, enjoy the spectacle of the Monster Energy Cup with its set of special rules, customize your game menu showing your loyalty with your favorite bike manufacturer and customize your track editor with new items! https://youtu.be/dRKcbp2mcjU

Code Shifter (January 30)

The story takes place in the development offices of a software company, ""Awesome Rainbow Corp"". Trouble arises just as you're gearing up to release the final version of the game! Many mysterious bugs are occurring, and time is running out! To deal with this situation, a programmer, Stella, whips up a debug program: ""CODE SHIFTER"". ""CODE SHIFTER"" will let Stella's avatar ""Sera"" dive into the game and start fixing things up. Will Stella and her coworkers be able to find the origin of these bugs and deliver the game before the launch date?" Original style with a retro twist! Enjoy the delightful graphics from titles past and present remixed with 2D watercolor and 8-bit pixel art.Game system Players will explore the stage while transforming into various characters from different IPs created by Arc System Works! Successfully adapt and complete all stages using a large volume of 30 playable characters animated in 8-bit!Comedy Take a break from debugging with a comedic story between the ARC staff Stella, Mozzie, Rudy, Hudson, and Greig.Arc System Works crossover This game is a 2D 8-bit action game where various IPs created by Arc System Works crossover, players explore the stage while transforming into various characters animated in 8-bit. The IPs included in this game are all 25 titles of Arc System Works' massive library! A large volume of 30 playable characters and 70 support characters are featured. A dream crossover between IPs are finally here!Brawl fighting action mode In addition, the 4-player brawl fighting action ""Colorful Fighters"" is also included as an extra feature!

HyperDot (January 31)

HyperDot is a minimal action arcade masterpiece with one rule: dodge everything. Evade enemies and test your skills in over 100 trials in the campaign mode, outlast your friends in multiplayer battles, or build custom challenges with the level editor. Features: CAMPAIGN MODE: Dodge your way through over 100 hand-crafted trials in the single player campaignBETTER WITH FRIENDS: Local co-op play has an easy drop-in/drop-out system that gets up to four players in-game fastLEVEL EDITOR: Create your own one-of-a-kind levels with unlimited possibilities, from dizzying patterns to relentlessly difficult challengesNEVER PLAY THE SAME GAME TWICE: Extensive gameplay customization offers more than 1 million enemy, arena, and modifier combinationsPLAY WITHOUT COMPROMISES: HyperDot features high contrast mode, adaptive controller integration, and full gameplay support with seven unique controllers including eye-tracking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uad_WQ-UQDk

Sky Rogue (January 31)

A fwooshy rogue-lite action flight simulator where you blow things up over land, sea, and air across an infinite number of procedurally-generated islands. Go toe-to-toe with enemy aces or assault giant flying aircraft carriers… but watch out for volleys of missiles; when you die, you’re dead.

Coffee Talk (January 31)

Coffee Talk is a game about listening to people’s problems and helping them by serving up a warm drink out of the ingredients you have in stock. It is a game that depicts lives as humanly as possible, while having a cast that is more than just humans. Immerse yourself in the stories of alternative-Seattle inhabitants, ranging from a dramatic love story between an elf and a succubus, an alien trying to understand humans’ lives, and many others modern readers will find strongly echo the world around them. Features: Tales of people from an alternative-Seattle, a city where elves, orcs, mermaids, and many other fantasy races live together with humans in a modern world we will all find familiarBranching storylines, where the branches are determined not by the dialogue options you choose, but from how you serve your café customers90’s anime-inspired pixel art visuals and chill vibes-inducing color palette help to immerse you in the game’s worldSelection of jazzy and lo-fi music to accompany the late night warm drinks and conversations An experience to make you think, feel, and rest both your body and your soul https://youtu.be/WA1lEU_zTCw Read the full article

#Games #XboxOne

0 notes

isozyme · 8 years ago

Text

The Once And Future Queer: What’s Up With These Identity Conflicts?

There is always a border war going on somewhere in the queer community. Who gets to be a fag? Who is only a diet fag? (Do diet fags get to use the word fag?) Line up to put your think pieces in the box!

What is the point of this endless squabbling about how far the queer umbrella reaches? Is there some magic moral set of criteria that, once agreed upon, will create a perfectly inclusive-yet-cohesive queer community? No. Of course there isn’t a solution; and what’s more, I don’t think that the people engaging in these arguments think there’s a solution either.

So if the problem is insoluble, and clearly no amount of argument will produce a binary yes/no answer on queerness, why do we keep having this fucking argument? I think for two reasons: 1) a lot of queer people are afraid that straight people will hurt them, and 2) a lot of queer people are afraid that they might secretly be straight. Until we address these two sources of anxiety, we can’t ever solve the gatekeeping problem.

Straight people (cisgender heterosexuals) are often perfectly nice people and I am friends with some of them, but if they want an honorary queer badge they can sit on my dick and wait for it. Straight people are not allowed in my community. I am not a lesbian fantasy for heterosexual male consumption, and I am not a cool ego boost or hipster fashion resource for straight female consumption either. Our Vice President is Mike “Religious Freedom” Pence, who thinks that gay wedding cakes are sweeties for satan. I get to be a mean bitch about this. If you’re straight, get the fuck out of my club.

If you are not straight, but you felt a deep terror reading that paragraph, as if you were a spy in a smoky room with dark wood panelling and a very dangerous man just looked you in the eye and said, regretfully, “I was hoping that tonight, I wouldn’t have to kill any spies,” I have good news for you: you are not a spy. You are experiencing one of the definitional queer emotions: being afraid that you are secretly one of the hated straights and soon all of your cool gay friends will abandon you and you will end up in the suburbs with a subscription to Cooking Lite and your life will be over. Lots of queer people feel this way. I am marrying a woman in a few months and yet: the terror of heterosexuality persists.

Let’s imagine a simple logical progression: if queer people hate straights, and I am afraid that I am a straight, then by the transitive property queer people hate me and I need to defend myself. And lo, we’re off to the Twitter Discourse races.

Defending one’s queerness seems like it should be easy! After all, it’s not like there’s extensive prerequisites for being queer. All you need to be queer is some feelings. Got gender feelings? Sexuality feelings? Grab a label, and lo: basic requirements fulfilled.

But, surprise! Turns out feelings are fickle, useless bastards. Building a permanent, born-this-way, out-and-proud identity out of refined self-awareness is a daunting task. Comparing notes with other queer people is complicated by our emotions being trapped in our own skulls. If we want to put them into someone else’s skull the best we can do is translate those feelings into flappy mouth sounds and pray the message gets turned back into feelings in their head without too much signal degradation.

Robbed of the ability to verify everyone’s queer feelings, we latch onto actually quantifiable stuff, like how funky their haircut is or how long it takes cashiers to decide on sir or ma’am or how many genitals they’ve touched on purpose, and what sorts. And this, I think, factors into our straightness anxieties.

Using the first, feelings-y framework to show that everybody is all the same amount of queer causes cognitive dissonance when obviously some people do more openly queer shit per day than others. We don’t have good vocabulary to differentiate between describing queer actions (different from person to person, and some people do more of them) and describing queer identity (you are or you aren’t, it’s opt in and what you do with it is up to you). All the platitudes in the world about how “we’re all the same amount of queer” will not stop our community from feeling like it’s separated into TruGays and HomoLite when “queer" describes both a suite of identities and a suite of actions.

This puts everyone’s backs against a wall. On one side, queers who are tired of tiptoeing around their anger at straight culture invading their space. On the other, queers who feel like that anger attacks the lack of obvious queer actions supporting their queer identity. Before we can stop spending energy on this fight, we need to squash the fallacy that all queer identities being valid means that all queer identities should have an equal impact on your daily life.

If your reaction to this post is to angrily list all the impacts that your queer identity has on your life because you are being attacked by a gatekeeper, perhaps take a moment to re-assess: are queer actions required for queer identity? What are the costs of maintaining the fiction that all queer people have the same amount of quantifiable queer stuff in their lives when, by definition, we are a diverse group of people with incredibly diverse experiences that don’t invalidate our identities? And if we spent more time addressing the hostile world that destabilizes all queer identities, and less time pissing a line around the perimeter of queerness, wouldn’t that be nice for everyone?

We build our queer identities using many facets of our lives: our bodies, our spaces, our relationships, our actions, our desires, our connections to queer history. Constructing a stable identity is work. We can all be at different points in shaping ourselves, working towards different end goals, while still deserving a place within the community.

#long post #discourse #worse: queer discourse #isozyme gets salty

207 notes · View notes

colesbarbeque · 5 years ago

Text

🥇🍖 Top 10 Best Gas Grills under 2000 in 2020

Our editors separately research study, test, and suggest the most effective items: Best Gas Grills under 2000, you can learn more regarding our evaluation procedure right here. We may receive compensation on acquisitions made from our chosen web links.

The Best Gas Grills under 2000 Dolla

Blaze Grills 32-Inch Built-In 4-Burner Gas Grill B008FL9SUO

Blaze Grills is a widely known maker of various grill types, as well as this is one of their leading gas grill models.

This design was made with a push and also turn, flame-thrower primary ignition system, that makes it much easier to lite the grill than other types of ignition systems. The grids are created to be flame supporting, which aids to prevent random flare-ups that can be a fire risk.

The entire grill is designed from sturdy stainless steel, as well as it even has a back-up ignition system, which makes it outstanding for individuals that like having a backup strategy in situation the main ignition is having problems.

This grill is developed with 4 burners, which makes it less complicated to reach hotter temperatures and also maintain the warmth for longer.

Pros

Has push and turn flame-thrower main ignition system

Has fire supporting grids

Backup ignition

Made from premium stainless steel

Cons

Minor concerns with flare

Broil King 957347 Regal XLS Pro NG Barbecue Grill B01MRUDCKS

Broil King has actually been manufacturing grills much more many years, and also this is one of their Pro collection gas grills. They made this grill with sturdy stainless steel rods and relatively easy to fix cast-iron grids that make it simple to clean after every usage.

The burners are likewise made from stainless steel, and the grill has a Flav-R-Wave stainless cooking system, that is developed to help guarantee the taste of whatever you are preparing on the grill.

As a premier maker, Broil King has actually also offered numerous service warranties with this version to assist with their consumer’s assurance. The cooking grinds, Flav-R-Wave, and also heaters are all covered by a 10-year service warranty, as well as all of the staying components are covered by a 2-year guarantee.

Pros

Resilient food preparation grids made with a stainless steel pole and also relatively easy to fix cast-iron grids

Has stainless steel dual-tube heaters with a Flav-R-Wave stainless steel food preparation system

Features a 10-yer service warranty on food preparation grids, heaters, and Flav-R-Wave

Includes 2-year warranty on continuing to be parts

Cons

Poor shipment and customer support experiences

Weber 66006001 Genesis II S-335 B07H5Z64FV

As one of the giant names in the grill market Weber makes it an indicate supply top quality outdoor food preparation home appliances to address every imaginable niche.

This includes high-end gas grills like the WeberGenesis II S-335.

It has 3 independently regulated burners that are made to operate on natural gas and also are started by Weber’s Infinity Ignition system.

There is also a propane version for the exact very same cost point. Both have the same essential functions, including Weber’s very own GS4 cooking system.

This consists of points like “Flavorizer Pubs” which act as heat camping tents that cover each heater element. Not only do they help divert the warm equally across the key cooking grate, yet they also secure the fire ports, along with vaporize drippings to impart an extra great smoky taste to the meat.

Pros

The GS4 grilling system with the Infinity Ignition, built-in oil management system, huge drippings pan, as well as Weber’s “Flavorizer Bars” to make your cooking experience easy.

The sear station built seamlessly into the side table spares you the trouble of needing to run to and fro to the kitchen area simply to check on side recipes.

The 513 square inches primary grill grate as well as the 156 square inch tuck-away warming up rack provide you ample room to grill for a great deal of individuals at one time.

Weber Backs the Weber Genesis II S-335 with a remarkable 10-year warranty. The majority of competitor grills in this variety just use a 5-year.

Cons

The grill grates and also Flavorizer bars are stainless-steel, without any kind of safety covering, which you see in their slightly smaller gas grill the Weber Spirit E-310.

Weber doesn’t use a specific conversion set for the 3-burner design of this grill which implies if you pick the natural gas version as well as you transfer to someplace that does not have a plumbed line, you won’t be able to easily transform it over to melt on liquid lp.

Weber 67006001 Genesis II S-435 B07H6FVK9D

At first glimpse, the Weber Genesis II S-435 looks a whole lot like the Weber Genesis II S-335. Though when you take a closer appearance there are a few key differences.

They both include Weber’s GS4 Grilling System with things like an integrated oil management system, natural gas heaters, “Flavorizer Pubs” and a very hassle-free Infinity Ignition System. All of these functions represent the leading side in high-quality barbecue grill throughout the market.

Both versions of the Weber Genesis likewise bring an excellent 10-year service warranty with Weber’s 100% assurance, as well as a hassle-free side burner. This allows you prepare side meals right at the grill without having to face the cooking area.

Pros

The GS4 grilling system with grease monitoring functions, an extra-large drippings tray, Flavorizer bars and also infinity ignition system represents the height of gas cooking benefit.

The 10-year guarantee with Webers 100% guarantee offers you the guarantee that you are investing in a truly quality gas grill.

The broadened capacity with the 646 square inches key grill grate and 198 square inch heating rack gives you a lot of grilling space.

The extra-large capacity of the rotisserie is additionally great for times when you want to make more than simply a broiler-fryer chicken.

Cons

Just like the 3-burner model, the grates and also Flavorizer bars are sticky stainless-steel with no kind of porcelain or other non-stick layers.

Weber 7470001 Summit S-670 B003EG2KLE

As the name indicates the Summit line of grills rests arguably at the top of Weber’s line.

Among them is the Top S-670, which is made mostly from stainless-steel, as well as features six main natural gas burners.

Like much of the other grills in the Top line, this unit is backed by an excellent 10-year guarantee, which makes a very early declaration about the total top quality and the confidence Weber puts in their engineering.

It likewise includes a 10-foot natural gas supply hose pipe, which lets you move your grill out to a secure range from the wall surfaces of your home.

The Weber Summit S-670 has a proprietary “Break Jet Ignition System” with six, 10,000 BTU primary natural gas heaters spread equally throughout the impressive 693 square inches stainless steel primary grate.

Though they are not the only heaters included in the basic S-670 package. There is likewise an 8,000 BTU per hr smoker burner, along with a 12,000 BTU per hr flush-mounted side burner nicely tucked right into one of the side tables.

Pros

The 10,600 BTU per hour infrared rotisserie does a superior work of food preparation chicken and also various other meats without burning, along with preserving dampness.

The 6 10,000 BTU primary heaters allow you to develop multiple warm areas across the 693 square inch cooking grate.

The 8,000 BTU cigarette smoker heater is perfect for making virtually competition-level barbecue, all with clean-burning gas for more pure meat flavor!

The 12,000 BTU side table burner allows you to prepare your side meals without having to leave the grill for a quick go to the kitchen area.

There’s a small light in the handle for times when you require to tend the grill after sundown.

Cons

The grill grates are made from stainless steel, which can cause lean meats to stick.

There isn’t a smoker box included in the initial acquisition.

The four casters are relatively tiny, which makes it a little rough to relocate this grill over an unequal surface area like a plank deck or a paver rock patio area.

Weber 47510001 Spirit E-310 B0098HR10I

BTU-per-hour input 32,000

424sq Surface area

Porcelain-enameled lid

Built-in cover thermometer

Integrated Stainless-steel side tables

Repainted steel door

With the Weber 47510001 Spirit E 310, you add flavour to your food selection and also spark life. This grill is optimal for a tiny group or the perfect service to any family dish. Area the serving tray and seasonings on the side table to make sure that everything you require exists when you need it. It is made with functions such as porcelain-enamelled, cast-iron food preparation grates that, while maintaining the warm, guarantee you a great-tasting dish.

It is constructed to last with a cook box that does not rust or peel gradually and is conveniently geared up with 6 device hooks for very easy accessibility to the cooking device. With this, if we talk about its handling, after that the reduced maintenance as well as simple to clean management system eliminate the hassle of cooking.

Pros

It is made from premium parts.

Excellent craftsmanship is evident from the quality of the item.

It has a built-in storage option in which you can save tools and also tools.

With sufficient room, you can easily prepare for a small group with this grill.

It has everything to supply that a griller would preferably want from a cost-effective grill.

This cooking grates is really simple to clean.

Cons

A decrease in its top quality has been observed.

Napoleon LEX 605 B00SZRL680

Piezo Jetfire ignitio

Complete 64,000 BTUs

I-Glow backlit handles

Hooks for grilling tools

Double-walled cover

Removable drip frying pans

Napoleon LEX 605 Gas Grill uses you a luxurious outdoor BBQ grill. It is layout as well as building and construction are far better and eye-catching than others. Its three stainless steel tube burners are rated for 16,000 BTUs for boosted warmth output, while stainless-steel Ser layers make certain a consistent warmth surface area and protect the flare as well as oil the heater.

The durable stainless-steel “wave” food preparation grid includes Napoleon’s trademark “S” pattern and also top quality grill markings for 12,500 BTU as well as infrared burner listed below to produce the excellent “sizzle” area for steak and other food. Its incorporated back infrared heater is ranked for 13,500 BTUs to give constant heat.

The JetFire ignition gives a convenient and trustworthy start-up whenever while the chrome-plated warming shelf adds additional space. 4 business grade wheels provide convenient mobility to finish an outstanding product offering.

Pros

It has very easy temperature level control for cooking.

This provides you a large cooking area (850 sq.

In). It is offered as propane or natural gas device.

It has a strong, stainless-steel construction.

It has a total of 5 burners, with 4 keys, as well as 1 back.

Cons

It is not entirely stainless steel.

Bull Outdoor Products 87049 Lonestar B00CQGFSI0

Bull ReliaBull Technology

Twin Illumination System

60,000 BTU’s.

Cigarette smoker Box consisted of.

Piezo Igniter on every shutoff.

4 Welded Heaters.

The Lonestar Select 4-burner gas outdoor grill produced by 14 scale 304 stainless steel prepares to cook for a very long time in your kitchen. It has 15,000 BTU cooking power with 4 bonded stainless steel bar heaters, piezo igniter for 60,000 BTU each, and also zinc knobs for each burner.

It additionally features a solitary item dual-line hood with solid stainless steel. Twin illumination system for simple night time cooking that makes it much more attractive. A hot rack is supplied 210 square inches as well as has a complete food preparation surface of 810 square inches. It is a natural gas design. When you acquire a grill, do not you think you should be able to use the entire thing?

At Bull Outdoor, something comparable. Consequently, with the assistance of specialized design professionals, ReliaBULL developed the technology. This brand-new innovation enhances warm spread out by approximately 50% on your grill. These flame tamers produce an also better grilling surface area, ruining hot and cold areas to make sure that you can utilize your whole mill surface area.

Pros.

It provides you 60,000 BTU power for food preparation.

It is manufactured by tough 304, 14 gauge stainless steel.

It will certainly have the ability to make use of 4 welded stainless-steel bar heaters.

It has a piezo igniter and zinc knobs for fast home heating.

A substantial location of cooking is offered here.

Cons.

A little problem in its food preparation surface area.

Finest Stainless-steel: 4 Heater Blaze 32-Inch Gas Grill B072F3JWBH.

A commercial-style grill developed to be built right into your home’s exterior patio area kitchen, this grill has easy-to-clean stainless steel cooking poles that will never rust and cast 304 stainless-steel heaters that are developed to last. The lid is made from a double layer of stainless steel to secure the external surface area from warm staining, so it will certainly look comparable to brand-new after years of use.

When you’re cooking in the evening, indoor lights let you see what you’re cooking, so you can keep making hamburgers well after dusk, and also the knobs light up with red LEDs so you can inspect the settings easily.

The flame-thrower ignition system obtains the grill began conveniently, whenever. When you want to cook steaks and fish, the heat zone separators will ensure you’ve got the ideal temperature level for each, so you can scorch your steak while the fish remains at a much more mild warmth.

Each of the 4 heaters produces 14,000 BTUs of power, while the infrared back burner creates 10,000 BTUs, and also is excellent for us with the optional rotisserie set, sold independently. The main cooking location is 740 square inches, and a detachable warming rack is included, to keep your food at the correct offering temperature level or warms your burger buns before serving. When cooking is done the full-width drip tray makes cleanup a wind.

Ideal Kenmore: Kenmore Elite 5 Heater Propane Barbecue Grill.

This 5-burner grill has stainless-steel cooking grates, a heating rack, a flame tamer and also a stainless-steel lid as well as lining. It gives a total of 84,000 BTUs of cooking power as well as 832 square inches of cooking room. The control board has actually LED lights that make it very easy to see in any type of weather and also the temperature gauge in the hood lets you conveniently monitor the cooking temperature.

The heaters light individually with electronic ignition so you can cook on the full grill or pick simply component of the grill for small amounts of food. This additionally consists of an actors iron side burner for simmering sauces and a heating rack delicately warm foods or keep them cozy while you’re waiting for the rest to cook.

Two halogen lights make it simple to prepare after the sunlight decreases, as well as a mechanized rotisserie set lets you cook roasts or poultries like a pro.

source https://colesbarbeque.com/best-gas-grills-under-2000/

0 notes

thedeterminedhero · 5 years ago

Text

Benefits of a Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Many rundown pizza as one of their preferred nourishments. It's no uncertainty that this basic Italian creation has become a worldwide sensation. In the United States alone, pizza deals at cafés bested $37 billion dollars in 2013. Furthermore, yearly solidified pizza deals aggregate over $950 billion in the U.S. That is a ton of pizza!

On the off chance that you are a genuine foodie, you ache for quality fixings and valid cooking encounters. You appreciate making your own dishes unquestionably more than removing open bundles or requesting a menu. Why settle for anything short of the best with regards to pizza? Just a wood terminated pizza broiler can give you the rich flavor and conventional cooking rehearses your culinary enthusiasm merits.

Regardless of whether you don't see yourself as a talented at-home gourmet expert, you can include a wood terminated pizza stove in your yard or cultivate and appreciate cooking a family most loved over an open fire. Furthermore, an open air pizza broiler takes your engaging capacities to the following level. You can without much of a stretch custom-make pizzas to suit everybody's taste—in the case of cooking for a couple of individuals or an enormous gathering with numerous visitors.

Wood-consuming broilers are old strategies for nourishment planning. Culinary specialists express that there are numerous advantages to cooking pizza, and other nourishment, in a wood-consuming stove.

On the off chance that you need the best-quality pizza broiler for your terrace, you should go to Mason-Lite. Our group has over a time of consolidated involvement with chimneys and can assist you with seeing how a stone work chimney or Pizza Oven fits in to your open air scene.

Have you encountered the enjoyment of cooking your pizza in a wood-terminated stove? Provided that this is true, we couldn't imagine anything better than to get notification from you:

How has cooking pizza over an open fire changed your view of this exemplary dish?

What's going on tips do you have for anybody new to cooking pizza in an open air over?

Add a remark beneath to share your story.

Wood-Fired Ovens Cook Pizza Quickly

Pizza has become a most loved comfort nourishment for occupied people and families. Numerous individuals stop by their neighborhood pizza shop to get their preferred pie all the time. Endless others depend on pre-made solidified pizzas or incorporate their own utilizing parts, for example, bundled coverings and canned sauces.

Regardless of how you set up a pizza, there are impediments to how rapidly your home stove can cook it. While a pizza shop can warm their broilers to 700 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, most traditional home stoves maximize at around 500 degrees. At that warmth, it takes somewhere in the range of 20 and 30 minutes to preheat the broiler, in addition to eight to 15 minutes to heat a pizza.

With a wood terminated pizza stove, you can achieve higher temperatures—around 500 to 700 degrees. This strongly cuts pizza cooking time. Thus, you can anticipate that your pizza should cook in only two to five minutes in a wood-terminated stove (contingent upon the mixture thickness).

Wood-Fired Ovens Boost Food Flavor

On the off chance that you have ever experienced pizza cooked in a wood terminated broiler, you've without a doubt seen a noteworthy taste distinction. To a limited extent, the improved flavor that wood-terminated cooking offers is expected to try and warmth circulation. Moreover, cooking pizza wood confers a remarkable, smoky flavor that is difficult to reproduce with a conventional home stove.

Wood-Fired Ovens Help Food Retain Nutrients

Numerous wellbeing cognizant people top pizzas with delicious leafy foods. Cooking over an open fire in a wood-terminated stove cooks vegetables and organic products rapidly and encourages them hold explicit supplements and cell reinforcements. A more drawn out cooking procedure can cause consumption of these cell reinforcements and supplements and reduce the pizza's dietary benefit. Indication: Add cornmeal on your pizza strip before adding the pizza to enable the pizza to slide into the stove simpler.

Wood-Fired Ovens can Fulfill Other Cooking Purposes

While cutting edge Americans regularly look for an outside broiler for pizza, these adaptable chimneys can cook numerous different sorts of nourishment also. Looking at the situation objectively, the greater part of cooking all through mankind's history has been done in a wood-terminated stove. Numerous contemporary stoves can heat bread, cook meats and vegetables, and considerably more.

Wood-Fired Ovens Save Energy

Any individual who needs to keep up a green way of life is consistently vigilant for approaches to trim their vitality utilization. In those cases, a wood-terminated broiler is an extraordinary choice. A wood stove doesn't require any power or gas to work. The main vitality source is heat from the fire.

In any case, cooking over an open fire produces smoke. In certain zones of the nation, regions have founded limitations of wood consuming to help lessen air contamination. Before putting resources into a wood-consuming chimney, you should beware of wood-consuming guidelines in your nearby network and see any significant limitations.

Appreciate all the Benefits of Cooking Pizza in a Wood-Fired Oven

bite1To the unenlightened, cooking pizza over a wood-consuming stove may sound confused, yet it is really extremely straightforward. Indeed, you can follow similar advances you would use to make a pizza without any preparation in your traditional condition. Select or make mixture, top with sauce, cheddar, wanted backups and heat. The main advance that is genuinely extraordinary is that you make a magnificent fire as opposed to flipping on a switch.

Wood-terminated pizza is a genuine culinary pleasure that takes an unsurpassed most loved higher than ever of flavor. You likewise increase nourishing advantages from the wood-terminated cooking process, yet don't lose the comfort of this simple to-cook staple.

On the off chance that you might want to include a wood terminated pizza stove to your outside scene, you should search out the most elite. At Mason-Lite, our group of workmanship specialists can assist you with choosing a simple to-introduce pizza stove to help your outside cooking blessings from heaven. Each Mason-Lite brick work pizza stove is 100% made in the USA.

Do you have inquiries concerning owning a wood-consuming pizza broiler? Provided that this is true, add a remark to tell us what is at the forefront of your thoughts:

What amount open air space do I have to include a wood-terminated stove?

In what capacity can a wood-consuming broiler fit into my open air style?

The master group at Mason-Lite is constantly accessible to respond to any inquiries you have about our items. We anticipate got notification from you.

0 notes

scottandersmauritius · 6 years ago

Text

North on the island

Last night we drove into a nearby town to see some of the houses lite up for Diwali. Similar to Christmas lights but with more blue and pink, we admired the colourful houses in many neighbourhoods.

Due to all the traveling I do for work, I’d hit a high status with SPG hotels which is where we’re staying now. Based on this fact, we got a generous upgrade to a comically large, two storey suite in the resort we checked into. It’s larger than our actual apartment, which seems silly. The only way up to the lofted bedroom area is a tight spiral staircase meaning that our over packed suitcases have remained in the foyer (yes, the room has a foyer) - see the video for the beautiful, if not absurd room. After our late check in, we headed for dinner at the resort before heading to bed. These early mornings and full days are leaving us tired for long and restful nights of sleep. I woke up this morning early before my alarm and enjoyed a coffee on our enormous balcony, taking in the sound of the waves lapping against the nearby shore.

We spent the morning on a sea kayak tour through a large area of mangroves and small islands. Due to their natural success in shielding from the elements, the government here has begun to plant them in high risk areas. They provide protection to all sorts of marine life including bull sharks in the January and February, where the females watch over the newly born baby sharks. Our guide reassured us that we’d be safe this time of year but did mention on the unprotected side of the reef, even a small cut would attract many species of sharks. Despite the potential of running into some sharks we snorkelled around. Laura was again lucky enough to spot another lion fish - the photo shows the lion fish intimidating a group of much smaller fish. We enjoyed some juice and almond cake on one of the islands that served as a salt farming community after a shipwrecked crew discovered the land some many years ago. As we kayaked back to main land, we spot lots of fish jumping out of the water. Most were quite small, but one was easily a foot long and jumped right in front of us. Our guide said it wasn’t uncommon to be struck in the face by one of the frightened fish! We were kayaking back against the wind and current and worked up an honest appetite.

For lunch, we headed to a former sugar cane plantation turned restaurant. The beauty of the property has been carefully maintained. A long, elegant drive is lined with enormous, twisting trees. The balconied, two storied mansion painted creamy yellow and lavender, stands firmly amongst the lush, green surrounding. Laura and I both throughly enjoyed our meals. I had a local delicacy of smoked marlin to start, it was smoky, fatty and rich, served with coconut. For my main, I tried chicken and prawn curry as well as a famous sausage ragu dish served in a similar tomato sauce as the delicious fish from yesterday. Laura enjoyed a Thai inspired veggie curry. Sitting on the patio area after the rain made the stone glisten in the sun. Dining amongst the trees, the smell of fresh rain mixed with curry, coconut and fresh fruit.

We visited the national botanical gardens where we wandered aimlessly while admiring the enormous trees from around the world. The garden has a pond full of giant water lilies which can grow to be up to a meter across. It’s so interesting to get to see such different flora and fauna around the world.

At the same time that I’m becoming more comfortable driving on the wrong side of the road, I grow increasingly frustrated with our car that is more closely related to a go cart than an actual road-worthy vehicle. It has a strange fusion of a transmission, that while advertised as automatic drives distinctly like a manual car that is being driven by a forgetful driver. It lurches forward from first and abruptly into second. There’s no park, you simply throw in it neutral and add the parking brake like a manual. It’s a feature called auto gear shift from Suzuki, which I do not enjoy.

Despite some clouds and light rain during the day, we are always faithfully greeted by hours of sun before the evening. We enjoyed our books from lounge chairs on the beach and watched as the sky turned blue to yellow, orange and finally pink before heading to our rooms to get cleaned up for dinner. Two English women we met while kayaking had recommended a small family run Italian restaurant near our resort. After a quick drive down the coast we arrived and ate some lovely food. I started with deep fried baby squid and Laura had buratta. For our mains, we each had pasta, mine with squid ink and prawns the size of lobsters and Laura’s with pesto. It was exceptionally delicious food. One of the benefits of Mauritius’ storied past in colonial history is the fusion of cuisines from France, India, Italy and many others.

0 notes

latestnews2018-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Mid-year review: Best and worst of 2018’s music releases

New Post has been published on https://latestnews2018.com/mid-year-review-best-and-worst-of-2018s-music-releases/

Mid-year review: Best and worst of 2018’s music releases

tabloid! rounds up 15 albums that hit the right note or missed it completely in the first half of the year

1. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Invasion of Privacy is an honest, catchy and grounded rap-pop album that lays its heart on its sleeve. The 13-track ode to making it against all odds marks the Bronx rapper’s first full-length record. Yes, a rudimentary quality runs through some of Cardi’s lyricism — “my heart is like a package with a fragile label on it” — but her flow is fun, straight-shooting and distinct. It’s impossible not to celebrate her success with her. Our stand-out single has to be the boisterous and triumphant Best Life ft. Chance the Rapper.

2. Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer

The combination of glossy production, old school influence, sticky hooks and Monae’s airy delivery make this album an easy listen. Dirty Computer is a nostalgic pop lover’s dream, with 14 tracks flying by like a breeze. The album can come off as too polished at times, veering from suave into slippery, but it asks little more of its audience than to shimmy along and enjoy the ride.

3. Black Panther: The Album – Kendrick Lamar

Who knew one of the best albums of the year would be a soundtrack? Black Panther: The Album is a visceral, cohesive record that might convince you of your own invincibility. It also revives the lost art of delivering a score that is as powerful as the film that inspired it. With features from SZA, The Weeknd and Future, this isn’t an album you want to miss.

4. Justin Timberlake – Man of the Woods

Perhaps Man of the Woods was intended as Justin Timberlake’s reincarnation — his chance to become a contemporary pop star who’s up-to-date on his 2018 references and slang. The result is contrived at best and cringe-worthy at worst, failing pretty much every genre it attempts. Say Something, the lead single, is the only good thing about it (and that’s partially due to Chris Staples’ feature). Timberlake has earned a few stumbles in his career, but hopefully, something more authentic next.

5. The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy

The Weeknd’s vices have always seemed easier to lay bare than his virtues, and My Dear Melancholy is no different. The EP is an open wound of a break-up album that cements Abel Tesfaye as one of the more compelling storytellers of our time. Six tracks stretch like taffy, with Tesfaye’s electro-R’n’B sensibilities firmly intact. But unlike previous records, you get the feeling that his target is singular here. On track number three, he declares, “I ain’t got no business catching feelings.” Yet he catches feelings left and right, resulting in a downtempo EP that weeps and bleeds in all the right places.

6. Drake – Scorpion

Keke, do you love me? Even if you haven’t heard Drake’s new album, you’ve probably come across a meme of In My Feelings. That’s Drake for you: king of viral content. Screenshots of his Hotline Bling music video are still circulating the web two years on. Even still, Scorpion is a predictable, sample-ridden affair, filled with Drake’s tried-and-tested me-against-the-world rhetoric (e.g. “I wasn’t hiding my kid from the world, I was hiding the world from my kid.”) The double-sided album is catchy, yes, but it leaves something to be desired despite its hour and thirty minute runtime.

7. Florence and the Machine – High as Hope

On the band’s fourth LP, Florence Welch transforms to her most stripped-down form. No tricks, no grand theatrics, just the simple truth couched in Welch’s penetrating vocals. The English singer drifts somewhere between dream and reality, but never quite commits to either. And though there are suggestions of aggression every few tracks, the album is far more suited for relaxed listening.

8. The Carters – Everything is Love

As always, The Carters — that’s Jay Z and Beyonce Knowles — blessed their fans with this slick nine-track collaboration with no prior notice. The result is a deliciously sharp and silky-smooth summer album, twisting and turning up the funk at all the right moments. Songs like Nice, 713 and Lovehappy teeter on belligerence, with plenty of fighting words to prep you for the demise of your enemies. When Beyonce wins, we all win.

9. Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Frontman Alex Turner, utilising a piano he was gifted on his birthday a couple of years ago, makes a quiet comeback with Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino. It’s the band’s first album since 2013’s AM. But the album doesn’t suggest five years of growth. If anything, the band reverts to dated and fun-free melodies, as Turner’s vocal performance channels Frank Sinatra-lite. The album received generally positive reviews, but if you’re looking for that wide-eyed, hungry hostility from the band’s early days — or even their coy banter — you’d be better off listening to older records.

10. Christina Aguilera – Liberation

In a competitive soundscape that can force pop stars to chase cookie-cutter glory, it’s refreshing to hear an experimental vein run through Christina Aguilera’s Liberation. The 15-track album is filled with unlikely collaborations — Demi Lovato, Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz — and ranges from sensual to striking, soul to rap, pop to hip-hop. Despite a jarring change in tone somewhere down the middle of the record, it comes off as effortless overall.

11. Craig David – The Time is Now

Craig David’s still got it. There’s something about listening to the English hit-maker’s distinct flow that will take you right back to the mid-noughties. Starting off with a banger in Magic, before leading us through to his finger-snapping single Heartline, David proves right off the bat that he hasn’t lost his magic touch. And somehow, nearly 20 years on, he manages to sound just as young and fresh as the moment he hooked us with Walking Away and 7 Days.

12. Charlie Puth – Voicenotes

The disappointment of Charlie Puth’s debut album Nine Track Mind was inescapable, but Voicenotes makes up for it plenty with its heavy-hitting earworms. There’s an addictive quality to Puth’s smoky vocal performance. But the pop star finally manages to amount to more than just his singles as he lets well and truly loose on album tracks such as The Way I Am, LA Girls and BOY. It’s nice to see Puth put down his wall enough to experiment with his musical identity.

13. Camilla Cabello – Camila

After years with girl group Fifth Harmony, Camilla Cabello broke off to be the first to release a solo record. And it seems the split came right on time for Cabello, who sounds in her element on Camila. The Cuban pop star’s playful vocals shine through, layered over fusion-pop beats. At 37 minutes and 11 tracks long, the album is short and concise, but suggests that Cabello is on her way to carving a space for herself in the pop world.

14. Kanye West – Ye

Ye was mired in controversy since day one, as Kanye West made himself plenty of enemies via his political Twitter rants and the ludicrous suggestion that slavery was a choice. But even without all that, Ye would have likely fell flat, paling compared to West’s previous efforts. Despite debuting at No 1 on the Billboard 200, the album polarised reviewers and listeners, leaving it with an overall lukewarm reception.

15. Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes

There’s a reason Shawn Mendes’ third album is his self-titled one. The Canadian pop star finally comes into his own on this 14-track effort, ditching his over-commitment to ballads and the confines of the singer-songwriter genre. Pure pop songs like Nervous and Queen show Mendes’ youthful side, while Lost in Japan borrows a page from Frank Ocean’s book. Meanwhile, In My Blood serves to remind us of Mendes’ vocal prowess. Another solid album from Mendes, and perhaps his most balanced yet.

0 notes