#milk brand reviews

[rdmilk]

RD UHT Milk: The Best Milk Brand in Bangladesh (2023)

RD UHT Milk is the best milk brand in Bangladesh, offering a wide range of high-quality milk products. RD UHT Milk is made from fresh, pure milk and is processed using the latest technology to ensure that it is safe and nutritious. RD UHT Milk is also affordable and available in a variety of sizes and flavors to suit your needs.

[luckystorein22]

The Irresistible Delight: Indulge in Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Drink for Pure Bliss!

Indulge in the Irresistible Delight: Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Drink for Pure Bliss!

Discover the perfect treat to satisfy your chocolate cravings with Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Drink. Delve into a world of pure bliss as you indulge in the rich, creamy goodness of this delectable beverage.

Every sip of Nesquik takes you on a journey of pure delight. The smooth, velvety chocolate flavor tantalizes your taste buds, leaving you craving for more. Whether you enjoy it hot or cold, Nesquik is the ultimate companion for a moment of pure indulgence.

Made with the finest quality cocoa and a touch of sweetness, Nesquik offers a harmonious blend that is simply irresistible. It's the perfect beverage to start your day on a sweet note or to enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up. Kids and adults alike will find themselves captivated by the delightful taste of this beloved chocolate drink.

Not only does Nesquik taste incredible, but it also provides essential nutrients. Packed with vitamins and minerals, it is a wholesome choice for a quick and convenient beverage. You can feel good knowing that you're treating yourself to a delicious drink that also supports your well-being.

So, why resist the allure of Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Drink? Dive into a world of pure bliss and let the irresistible delight of this beverage transport you to chocolate heaven. Give in to your cravings and experience the magic of Nesquik today!

[avis-writeshq]

pairing: early seasons!spencer reid x sunshine!fem!reader genre: fluff, pining, best friends to lovers warnings: reader struggles growing her nails out, reader gets her nails done. vietnamese women are the best at doing nails i swear (also if you get the reference you win another kiss) wc: 1.08k

Spencer thinks you deserve all the best things in life. There are various reasons for this but the one that sticks out to him the most is that fact that you have always been exceedingly kind to him. You have always listened to him when he talks and never once tried to belittle him for any of his interests. A part of him thinks that it’s because your ages are so similar. Another part of him thinks that you’re just pitying him. He truly hopes that isn’t the case. 

He makes you your coffee in the mornings. He knows how you take it– which milk you prefer, the amount of sugar. He has even gone as far as to buy your favourite instant coffee brand– the kind that are unreasonably expensive and have to be bought through a weirdly sketchy website despite its raving reviews. He remembers the way your eyes lit up as you held the familiar box excitedly and he can’t help but preen at the memory. 

“Thank you for coffee, Spence,” you chirp as you spy your unofficially assigned mug on your desk. You’re wet from the rain, the shoulders of your coat darkened from where your umbrella has dripped water onto it. “Hotch would’ve killed me if I had to spend another five minutes at the kitchen. It’s not my fault my train came fifteen minutes late.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs, watching as you shake your hair away from your face before warming your hands with the mug. “I did tell him that there was a correlation between rainy weather and increased train delays which could have been a reason that you were late.”

You smile, clearly amused, asking, “how did he take it?”

“He pointed out that I’m still earlier than the rest of the team,” Spencer responds sheepishly, his cheeks growing pink. “I planned my train route for when the rain would be the least heavy.”

“I should follow in your footsteps,” you muse, sipping at your coffee and sighing in relief. “You always make this better than me.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he murmurs, his hand brushing against his scarf. “I was– um, I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch together later?”

You laugh softly and he relishes in the sound. “I only just got here and you’re already asking about lunch?”

He feels his cheeks glow hotter as he scrambles to explain himself. “Well– usually– uh, JJ usually asks you so I guess I wanted to ask before she did. And you have lunch with Garcia a lot so I thought I should ask when you get here and– sorry, is that wrong?”

“No, of course not,” you assure, beaming. “I’m touched that you think that I’m so popular that you need to book an appointment with me.”

“You are popular?” He says it like a question because a part of him is genuinely baffled that you don’t realise how well liked you are. He has found that you always manage to command the attention in the room and he has seen first hand the way people would be instantly drawn to you. He finds that he is no different. 

“I promise you that I am not as popular as you believe I am,” you say with another laugh. “I’m flattered though, truly. I’d love to have lunch with you.”

Spencer cannot stop smiling.

*** 

“You’re whipped.”

Spencer shoots JJ a look, his cheeks glowing hot with embarrassment. “I am not whipped.”

“You have been staring at her talking to Officer Deetmore for the past six minutes and twenty seven seconds,” she points out, her eyes narrowing. 

“They’re probably just making small talk.”

Emily shrugs from her desk, mixing her cup noodles around. “I don’t know, I’m surprised that she can hold a conversation with someone so intellectually disinclined.”

JJ snickers. “You’re just mad that he mislabeled a file and spread the profile.”

“Intellectually disinclined.”

“Guys,” Spencer pleads, inconspicuously gesturing to you saying your farewells and already heading in their direction.

You’re smiling although it doesn’t quite reach your eyes. Your arms are folded over your chest, a classic sign of discomfort, and your hands are tucked into your armpits. “Hey. What’s going on?”

“Are you alright?” Spencer asks instead of answering, soft enough as not to call attention to your little group. “What’s wrong?”

“Hm? Oh. I broke a nail.” You show him briefly– your natural nail has split at the corner just where they’re gaining length. “I’m a little bummed. It caught on the zipper of my go-bag.”

“Do you want to get your nails done after the case?” He asks, brows furrowing. “I have a nail clipper and file in my bag.”

JJ can’t help but be amused at this new fact. “You have a nail care pack in your bag? What, do you just take it around with you everywhere?”

He shrugs, ignoring the slight jab, pulling out the little pack from his satchel and handing it to you. He is well aware that you take pride in what you look like, especially your nails. You’ve told him the reason before, that your school was so strict that they wouldn’t let anyone grow their nails long and if they did they would be cut short by the nurse. He thinks that it’s borderline abuse. 

“Manicures are expensive,” you murmur, your eyes downcast as you focus on clipping each of your nails to an equal length. “Are we even allowed to have our nails done?”

“Federal Enforcement Resources states under grooming guidelines that ‘Makeup (including fingernail polish and artificial nails) may be worn by employees but must be professional and must not interfere with the proper use and handling of equipment necessary for their assigned duties’,” Spencer provides helpfully. “I can pay for your nails, too, if price is the issue. The bakery I buy my banh mi from has a nail place next door. I’m sure I can get a discount.”

You laugh as you file down your nails into a smooth edge. “You want to pay for my nails?”

“Oh, um, yeah.” He nods, cheeks suddenly hot and he wipes his palms on his slacks. “If you’d let me.”

“Gosh, well, at least take me out to dinner first, Spence.” You say it with jest, your eyes lighting up with mirth.

He doesn’t seem to catch your joking tone, nodding in earnest. “Alright. After the case, how does Saturday sound? I can pick you up at 6?” 

Emily and JJ are all too pleased. 

reblogs are always appreciated !!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

To a Tea 3

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc. 

Part of the Sweet and Spicy AU 

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk. 

18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you. 

Summary:  A demanding customer grows increasingly needy.

Character:  Raymond Smith

The title is a pun, don’t @ me.

Please comment and reblog if it’s not too much. I always love getting to chat about these stories and hearing all your ideas! You all are wonderful and loved. 

Six days in a row and you’re ready to keel over. Amid your busy schedule, you hadn’t a chance to fill your quickly dwindling cupboards and fridge. So, after a ten-hour shift on your feet, running all around the tables and between tea rooms, you expend the last of your strength on a quick trip to the shop. 

It isn’t too far out of your way. It’s just a half-block away from your stop. You could wait until tomorrow, your day off, but you’re dying for a strawberry shortcake mochi before you tuck into bed. The rest of your night isn’t too unusual; you’ll be happy to fall asleep to an episode of the same old sitcom that you know by rote. 

You yawn over the bask hooked over your elbow. You have your mochi and a few other staples to get you through; eggs, oat milk, and your favourite brand of granola. You rub your forehead as a stitch threatens to imprint itself permanently. Tomorrow you’ll do a proper shop. 

You stop just before the cashier and peruse the discount shelf. Those chocolate-covered gummy worms are deadly. You shouldn’t. 

You reach for the package, eyeing it up, blinking away another yawn. Those will only have you waking up with a sore tummy. 

“You’d be better off with the dark chocolate, or even the peanuts,” someone says. The timbre is dulcet but firm, and strangely familiar. 

You look over at the figure standing around the side of the shelves. You fear you might be hallucinating as you stare at Raymond. He has a square of protein chocolate in hand but sets it back where he got it, making certain it and every other bar is straight. 

“Oh, hi?” You stammer.  

The tea shop is busy and you’re certain you’ve probably crossed paths with at least one customer outside store hours, but never like this. If anything, you both look the other way and carry on. Instead, he’s intent on you, shifting to face you fully as he sets his shoulders, clutching his hands before him. 

“Though I do suppose you’ve already got the ice cream, it hardly matters what else you add to your lot,” he muses. 

You look in your basket then at him. Is he judging you? Mr. Black Tea, plain. You hang the bag back on the hook. As you do, he steps forward and you shuffle back on your heels. He pulls the bag in line with others, rescinding his hand with a flutter of fingers. 

“If you’re in the mind for something sweet, there’s a place near here, it has a sticky toffee pudding more worth the expense,” he suggests. 

You don’t know what to say. You haven’t seen him since he muttered about your apron strings. In the two weeks after, you assumed he might not come back. As particular as he is, you thought you’d gone egregiously over the line. And yet, you’d forgotten about him for all the other bodies passing through the door. 

“Thanks, I’ll look into that,” you say. 

“Mm,” he hums and his eyes flit up and down behind his lenses, “you sound different.” 

“Do I?” You reach to scratch your neck. 

“You look different too.” 

You tilt your head and give a confused grimace, “well, I...” you glance down, “suppose I'm not wearing my apron.” 

“Must be it,” he agrees, “you sound tired.” 

“I guess... yeah,” you take a breath and let it out slowly.  

It’s strange. He’s not a customer here, there is no need to please and yet you feel you must. You poke the tip of your tongue out then hide it behind your lips. 

“Not in a bad way,” he assures you.  

“Right, thanks,” you say in a fracture, “that’s nice, but uh, I... I’m just on my way home.” 

“I know,” he says. 

“...so then I’ll just be--” you point towards the checkout and falter, “what did you say?” 

“Yes, down Trafalgar. I know. It’s late,” he peers over towards the transparent walls along the front of the shop, “these parts aren’t too safe this time of day.” 

“Trafal--“ you begin but can’t finish, “Raymond.” 

He blinks, his expression scarily placid. 

“Details,” he says evenly, “it is best to keep note of them. It is dangerous not to mind them.” He raises a finger, “one might not notice the shadow that walks behind theirs or the window they left open in the kitchen.” 

Your lip trembles as your heart sinks, “have you... have you been following me?” 

“Following... that sounds sinister,” he gives a crooked expression, “no, no, I would consider it... I keep you safe.” 

“Safe. From what, exactly?” 

He narrows his eyes and his lips straighten thoughtfully.  

“Well, from men like me.” 

His words turn your blood to ice. Men like him. What does he mean? 

“I...” you take a step back and he moves with you. You put your hand up to stop him as you still, “Raymond, do not come any closer.” 

“You don’t understand, I wouldn’t hurt you,” he says, “that’s what makes me different. Not like those other men.” 

“I mean it,” you warn him. “If you come any closer, I will make a scene.” 

Your adrenaline courses through you. You’re awake now. The yawns have dissipated and your eyes are wide. 

“Ah, and that’s where I am like the other men,” he shrugs, “it doesn’t matter if I come closer to you right now. Hardly matters. Because I can wait. I have waited. And when I...” he steps towards you and you put the basket between you, his stomach pressing against it, “come closer, you will not even see me coming.” 

You stare at him, horrified. His blue eyes gleam and he reaches to straighten his glasses. He smirks and his brows draw up coyly. He leans in and you lean away. Then suddenly, he backs off and tugs his cuffs straight, then fixes his tie. 

“Don’t forget to close your window,” he says as he spins on his heel, “wouldn’t want some nocturnal creature creeping in.” 

You gape after him as he saunters off. You can’t quiet move as disbelief has you stuck to the spot. It’s all so sudden. So unexpected. How could you ever predict something like this? The uptight man from the tea shop, a stranger really, a face who disappeared for a whole fortnight, and he’s just shaken your entire world into disarray. 

Men like him? You don’t even know who he is. Only his name and how he likes his tea. 

[bluecloudsandpinksnow]

strawberry milk (akabane karma x reader)

summary:

He likes it. It’s his favorite brand and you are so good at this ‘communicating’ thing. You’re pretty sure Karma said something after that, but currently, you are on cloud nine and you can barely process the words over your feelings of success.

You would have fist pumped and yelled ‘sublime’ too, had he not waved a hand in front of your face in concern.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re acting kinda- weird?”

Okay, you did not respond fast enough, what did he even say before that? You shake your head and prepare the fastest, most soundproof response you can muster.

“Sorry, I fell down the stairs this morning.” fandom: Assassination Classroom by Yûsei Matsui pairing: akabane karma x gender-neutral! reader warnings: none, unless you count second hand embarrassment notes: - cross posted on ao3 under the same name - first fic ever posted for me, i have more plans n drafts for this universe already but that depends on my motivation lmao - i hope you have as much fun reading as i had writing --- START ---

Mustering up the last bits of courage you can, you pull the two tetra packs from your bag and abruptly stand up.

Unfortunately for you, your chair screeches against the floorboard from the force, and all of your classmates look in your direction.

You could feel the heat creeping up your neck as you quietly mutter out an apology. Thankfully, no one makes a big issue of your disruption and they all return to their own activities.

Now to face the daunting task that’s been plaguing your mind ever since this morning at the train station, where your whimsical decision-making had you convinced that you should totally, definitely, get something for Karma.

You briskly walk across the room, over to where the aforementioned red-headed boy was conversing with Nagisa about some topic you couldn’t process at the moment.

All you want to do is to get to know him better, that’s it. No underlying motives, whatsoever.

“Hey, this is for you.”

You shoved the strawberry milk carton into his hand. A flash of innocent confusion crosses Karma’s face, and you almost let yourself think about how cute of a look it was for someone like him. Before you get to entertain that preposterous thought, he tilts his head in amusement, waiting for an explanation.

“So, uhm- The vending machine! I got lucky, cause it, uhm- it broke, so I got two instead of one- Not that it’s lucky that it broke of course! That’s bad, that has some very bad implications. Uh, you know?” you wave your hands around in an attempt to explain, gesturing to your milk carton as if it would suddenly start talking in your defense.

From the corner of your eye, you see Nagisa giving you a sympathetic smile before grabbing his notebook and gesturing to Karma of his intent to review for the next class.

You were thankful at first, until the realization sunk in that you now have to explain yourself to Karma.

Alone.

No verbal or social support from your peers.

This will be fine. You convince yourself this before the urge to backflip out of the classroom window can overtake you.

“Thanks, I guess? Why the sudden gift, you like me or something?” He teases, because of course he does, and now you have to come up with the reply or he will know that you lied about the vending machine and that there’s some dubious reason as to why you got two strawberry milk cartons that just so happen to be his favorite brand.

Karma cannot know. He absolutely cannot.

“Huh? Psh! Of course not, I just wanted to thank you for helping me last week, you know? Math isn’t my strongest subject and I- what you told me, that shortcut? It just- it’s cool! It really helped me and I felt like I had to thank you. Yeah?” you ramble, and a part of you wishes the ground would collapse beneath your feet just so you could escape this tragedy of a conversation.

You stare awkwardly at Karma, anticipating his response. You swear he looks like he wants to ask what on earth is wrong with you, but maybe it’s just the nerves.

He shrugs, “No biggie. You didn’t need to go through the effort of buying me something just for that one tip.”

He hates it. He thinks you’re weird and over the top. It’s time for you to exile yourself.

“Thanks, though. How’d you know I like this brand anyway?”

He likes it. It’s his favorite brand and you are so good at this ‘communicating’ thing. You’re pretty sure Karma said something after that, but currently, you are on cloud nine and you can barely process the words over your feelings of success.

You would have fist pumped and yelled ‘sublime’ too, had he not waved a hand in front of your face in concern.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re acting kinda- weird?”

Okay, you did not respond fast enough, what did he even say before that? You shake your head and prepare the fastest, most soundproof response you can muster.

“Sorry, I fell down the stairs this morning.”

‘WHO SAYS THAT? WHY DID I SAY THAT?’

You need to pass out right now. Maybe if he thinks you have a concussion you can still salvage your reputation in his eyes. Karma’s eyes widen in concern and you can’t help the butterflies ricocheting in your gut.

“Woah, maybe you should go have that checked with the nurse? I can take you there, I wanna skip class anyway.”

In normal circumstances, you would have reprimanded him for even suggesting that he skip classes and use you as a reason. However, now it is different. Now it is very different when you feel these very dreadful, un-platonic feelings for the redhead.

‘Calm down butterflies, he just suggested a friendly gesture of good, normal, regular, concern.’ You reassure yourself, because if you don’t, you might just blast off into the stratosphere like you were Koro-sensei being complimented by a pretty barista lady.

Karma puts his hand on your shoulder.

‘ÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ'

You imagine swatting away the butterflies to keep yourself sane, and you try your best to collect an actual, reasonable response this time.

“No, no, it’s fine. Thanks for the concern. A lot of things just happened today, and I’m just a bit overwhelmed. I’m sorry if I’m acting strange.” you speak slower than you did prior, and you find yourself more composed.

Well, as composed as you can be considering Karma still has his hand on your shoulder. You bow your head in shame, not being able to meet his eyes.

He scoffs in amusement, “Hey, don’t worry about it, and really, thanks for the strawberry milk.”

You look up at him and sigh in relief, thankful that he doesn’t think you’re completely insane. He gives your shoulder another pat before moving his hand off to pry the straw from the back of his tetra pack.

“No problem! Thanks again too, for helping me last week.”

A big part of you is relieved that he took his hand off of your shoulder so your heart rate could normalize itself, but a tinier, more delusional part of your brain feels disappointed that he had to pull his hand away at all.

You move to turn and walk away, but Karma speaks again.

“Hey, if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, you can always skip class with me. We can just tell Koro-sensei you weren’t feeling well.” he offers, and it takes every ounce of sense in you to not just accept it then and there. Especially not when you meet his eyes and see them light up with mischief.

You have to be reasonable. Doing so just to entertain your silly little infatuation would disappoint Koro-sensei and tarnish your good record. You can find more excuses to spend time with him without breaking the school rules.

“No thank you, it’s okay. I think I’ll just go to the bathroom and wash my face. I appreciate the concern though.” You nod your head and flash Karma a light smile, to which he shrugs and moves to sit at his desk, drinking the strawberry milk you gave him.

You move to make your way out of the classroom, and you see Nakamura smirk at you. She was probably watching you make a fool out of yourself in front of Karma, and you know for a fact she will tease you about that horrid display of human interaction later. You squint your eyes at her, daring her to laugh or say something, to which she just smiles at you wider and you swear you can see devil horns form on her head.

Nakamura held her phone up while you were walking past. You gape slightly in frustration as you realize what she had shown you.

She had recorded your god awful attempt at giving Karma the strawberry milk. There was physical evidence of it for others to witness.

The worst part? There was physical evidence of it for Koro-sensei to witness.

You quickly stomp into the bathroom and turn on the sink, shoving your face into your hands before you let out an exasperated groan.

There was no living this down for you.

You just hoped Karma wouldn’t take the news so harshly if he found out.

---END---

Thanks for reading! :DDD

[aihoshiino]

Episode 3 Rewatch: "Manga Based TV Drama"

YEAH WE'RE BACK ON THESE AGAIN!!! As much fun as the liveblog format was, I found it was actually getting in the way of me *doing* the liveblog (it could take multiple hours for me to watch and queue up One Single Episode) so I've decided to return to a format a bit more like my chapter reviews just in the desperate hopes of getting these actually done before season 2 airs. In the immortal words of Brian H oobh i got plany off time. But let's get to it real quick anyway!!!

I have a really soft spot in my heart for episode 3 in particular because it was the first episode I actually anticipated watching after I got into the show - episodes 1 & 2 were already out when I fully contracted brainworms so episode 3 was the first one I had to actually wait for. A lot of the cuts from it are like carved into my brain because I watched that episode preview so many times while waiting for it to air lol…

I've said this before but the anime's take on her really is what turned me into an active Kana Enjoyer. Megumi Han's delightful performance and her character acting an animation all combine to make it really hard not to be endeared to her. Her excitement at being reunited with Aqua is really cute, too - I remember Han saying that she was specifically told not to play Kana as a girl meeting an old crush but as someone excitedly reuniting with an old friend and I think that's particularly sweet. The AQKN dynamic at its heart is kind of just two lonely kids who don't have a lot of other connections that aren't couched in transactional utility creating a space together where they can just exist without any ulterior motives.

gotanda's words being visualized as literally skewering kana is so fucking funny too. bro killed her. you really can't blame her for biting back during dinner later lol

Kana's putting on a pretty positive face about it, but knowing how deeply alone and abanoned she feels by her parents, it's hard to not feel really sad about this scene. She's chipper about it but this is the first hint towards Kana's current honestly kind of dire circumstances we'll see get expanded on all the way to the end of the anime.

Aqua's refusal to let Kana see his old acting is also really interesting to me. Intentionally or not, it feels like it's sewing the seeds for some stuff in Tokyo Blade; Aqua respects Kana's acting and Kana herself as a professional to the degree that he doesn't want to 'lose' to her in that sense. Or rather, he'd be embarrassed to have someone he respects seeing him stumble like that - a little like Ruby's freakout in episode 1 over the idea of Ai, specifically, seeing her be bad at dancing.

Aqua trying to play it cool and then immediately nerding out when Kana mentions Sweet Today is so so so so soooooooo cute. I love it when that side of his personality pokes out…

KABURAGI NAMEDROP JUMPSCARE!!!!! i made the same face, aqua... I won't go into my Kaburagi Villain Propaganda here, but it really is so deeply suspicious that Kaburashi was on her oldest, most private phone…

KANA'S LITTLE 'I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE' MOMENT………. AQUMELT REAL AFTER ALL…. (NOT CLICKBAIT)

ruby's lain brand milk vexes and haunts me

Aqua's quietly pained, guilty expression when Ruby misreads his intentions for becoming an actor is so good, as is his cold internal dismissal of Ai's wish… it's funny to see him insisting he's not doing this for Ai's sake when really, everything Aqua does comes back to his mom.

Man, though. What even is there to say about the Sweet Today bits lmao. Holy shit. Particular shout out to Melt's seiyuu, Seiji Maeda, for making his in-character acting so authentically awkward and clunky without it coming off as overwrought or like he himself was giving a bad performance. That's suuuuuch a delicate thread to weave but he does it exceptionally well.

This scene also has one of my all time favourite punch ups from the manga - in the original, Ruby just kind of gets the manga from nowhere and makes the comparisons that way but the anime makes Aqua the one to go get his copy and start silently flipping through it to compare until Ruby snatches it… it really is the perfect teeing up for him to run off and tattle to Kana even though he was pretending he didn't give a shit lol. Dork ass boy.

This talk at the karaoke bar is really good, too. The directing is pretty simply but I feel like the anime producton really shows off just how strong its expression and character acting work is here which does a lot to help along what's otherwise a very static conversation. The contrast in Aqua and Kana's energy is also very fun - Aqua's really still while Kana's very animated.

The manga hasn't really touched on this in a while but the content of the conversation here also starts a thread that I really liked in the early parts of Oshi no Ko about how hard it is to create good art in an environment like the entertainment industry. Tokyo Blade centers this more and is almost explicitly a follow up to Sweet Today's exploration of this idea but the seeds are sewn here, of the necessary compromises that need to be made just to get something out the door and how that can ultimately destroy the final product no matter how many well-meaning and passionate people are doing their absolute best to make something worth engaging with.

i'm also pretty sure this talk is the first time we see aqua smile after episode 1… cute.

The directing also really shines in that little moment at the end where Kana grabs Aqua's hand. In prior cuts, the two are visually separated in that they're both sat apart and there are multiple lines running between them in the background to section them off from each other.

But then just as Kana breeches Aqua's defenses and disarms him, she physically reaches past all these little barriers to finally get into his space. It's subtle but well done.

His wide-eyed slightly stunned face is also really sweet. We see this look on Aqua a lot when it comes to Kana and it always makes me smile a bit. She's excellent at getting under his skin whether she means to or not.

"now my body has caught up with my mental age" says aqua, confirming his mental age is that of a teenager, and mfs are still out here acting like he's a 30 year old man.

Oof, oof and oof. Kana's little speech here already makes me so soft and knowing how it's going to be utterly spat upon in just a moment by Kaburagi's callousness towards her just makes it hurt even more. We continually see reference to this supposed good relationship between Kana and Kaburagi during this episode and so knowing that he's ultimately just another shitty adult taking advantage of her clear desperation… masaya kaburagi when i see you it's on sight

This is also a really fantastic character moment for Aqua, I think. He himself says he's done everything he needed to do on set, so there's no need for him to start shit like he does. It's purely out of respect and fondness for Kana as a person and anger on her behalf as a fellow actor. For as much as Aqua likes to convince himself he's a coldhearted bastard, he really just cannot help himself when it comes to leaping in and helping people. He's a lot like Ai in that once somebody has his heart, he's theirs for good.

i also just have to fucking Scream at this cut of him. it hit me like a fucking TRUCK when this episode dropped. because it doesn't quite look like the equivalent panel of the manga, does it?

But doesn't it feel super familiar, even so? Doesn't it remind you of something? I wonder wh-

OSHI NO KO ANIME STAFF, WHEN I GET YOU!!!!!! (ENRAGED) (POSITIVE)

[loughie]

Not to sound like a crybaby, but this perfume literally traumatised me. I had always wanted to try it after reading many polarising reviews and just hearing about it from perfume ppl on tumblr. Of course, a perfume that is said to smell like blood, sweat, semen and saliva would be disgusting for most noses. But... I love the "idea" of these smells and was really expecting an almost sympathetic version of these notes. "Why would they make a perfume with those notes and have it smell horrifying?" Oh babe......babe...I am silly to believe that this would be a nice, considerate perfume.

So I haven't tested it on my skin. I tested it on a piece of paper, and within the first spray, I was shocked. I couldn't really describe the scent. Maybe it's like if someone breathed in my face? Maybe it smells like the bins I change at the clinic? But after 5 minutes and attempting to identify the smell, my body was just fully rejecting it. It started to smell like someone's scalp after not washing their hair for weeks, which I don't necessarily find to be a gross smell. In fact, I quite like that smell. But the mixture of all these notes together is just traumatic.

My brain wasn't letting me figure out what I was smelling because I could tell my brain instinct was telling me, "You're smelling something dangerous, reject it and don't smell it" like when you smell a bio-hazard, or a toxic chemical. This mix of notes creates a unidentifiable, yet human smell. Too human. Blood, cum rag, sweaty hands, skin, hair.

After about half an hour, I tried smelling again. My reaction was even worse than before. I just kept instinctively pushing it away from me the moment I tried to give it a sniff. I'd just dry heave. I was so disappointed. Not in the perfume, but disappointed in myself. "I'm not weird enough to like the weird perfume." I thought. The same night I projectile vomited in the bathroom after smoking a bit too much, this rarely happens. So, I low-key blame this perfume for allowing that to happen and weakening my stomach.

I love perfumes that smell like sweat and body odour, but this was just disgusting. It smells like those scents you block out of your mind the first time you smelled it because it was so traumatising. However, I really like the concept. I wish I had a perfume that evoked the idea, but maybe with less lactonic notes. I think the "off-milk" scent along with the metallic "blood" notes is what was making my body so scared and frustrated. I can not explain the visceral emotional reaction this scent gives me. I have a huge amount of respect for Etat Libre D'orange for creating such a unique, disgusting, bodily perfume with absolutely no attempt to make it pleasing. It's a great marketing technique for their brand, and after smelling their other perfumes, I've found some that I definitely want to buy. Jasmine et Cigarette is amazing, and so is Afternoon of A Faun.

7/10. Higher rating because I have a lot of respect for the nerve and audacity they had to make this. I'm definitely going to buy a bottle of Jasmine Et Cigarette. Very Courtney Love vibes.

[emmaharrison]

Essential Ingredients for a Perfect Vegan Pantry: How Vegan Connects Can Elevate Your Plant-Based Lifestyle.

If you are you ready to transform your kitchen into a plant-based paradise. Stocking a vegan pantry is the first step towards embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. But where do you start? With so many ingredients to choose from, building a well-stocked vegan pantry can seem overwhelming. Luckily, Vegan Connects is here to help you every step of the way!

Vegan Connects is a vibrant new Facebook group dedicated to vegans, aspiring vegans, and plant-based enthusiasts living, working, or visiting London. Our community is the perfect place to share and discover tips on vegan nutrition, find the best vegan-friendly products, and connect with fellow plant-based foodies. Let’s dive into how you can stock your vegan pantry with essential ingredients and why Vegan Connects is the best place to do it!

Common Challenges in Building a Vegan Pantry

Identifying Essential Ingredients Starting a vegan pantry can be tricky when you’re unsure which staples are essential. With so many options available, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of beans, grains, nuts, and spices. Knowing what to stock up on can make a big difference in the ease and success of your plant-based cooking.

Navigating New Products With the rise in popularity of veganism, new products are constantly hitting the shelves. Keeping up with the best brands and new arrivals can be time-consuming. Finding reliable recommendations for high-quality, affordable products can save you both time and money.

Balancing Nutrition Maintaining a balanced diet while stocking your pantry can be challenging. It’s important to ensure you have a variety of ingredients to cover all your nutritional needs. This includes protein sources, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Avoiding Food Waste Purchasing large quantities of ingredients without knowing how to use them can lead to food waste. Learning how to effectively store and use pantry staples is crucial for reducing waste and maximizing your investment.

How Vegan Connects Can Solve These Challenges

Vegan Connects is a new Facebook group designed to make your vegan pantry-building journey smooth and enjoyable. Here’s how our community can help:

Discover Essential Pantry Staples Wondering which ingredients are must-haves for your vegan pantry? Vegan Connects is the place to get expert advice on essential items. From versatile legumes to nutrient-rich grains and spices that pack a punch, our community members share their top picks and tips for stocking up. You’ll get recommendations on the best products to keep your pantry well-stocked and ready for any recipe.

Get Recommendations on the Latest Products Stay ahead of the curve with the help of Vegan Connects. Our members are constantly sharing their favorite new vegan products and brands. Whether you’re looking for the perfect plant-based cheese or the latest in dairy-free milk, you’ll find real reviews and recommendations from fellow vegans who’ve tried and tested them.

Balance Your Nutritional Needs In Vegan Connects, you’ll find guidance on creating a nutritionally balanced pantry. Our community shares tips on how to ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients, from protein-packed beans to vitamin-rich leafy greens. Learn how to incorporate a variety of ingredients into your diet to support your health and wellness goals.

Learn Smart Storage and Usage Tips Avoid food waste with the help of Vegan Connects. Our members offer advice on how to store your pantry staples properly, ensuring they last longer and stay fresh. Plus, get ideas for how to use up your ingredients in creative and delicious ways, so you make the most of what you buy.

Connect with a Supportive Community Building a vegan pantry is easier and more enjoyable with the support of a like-minded community. Vegan Connects provides a platform for sharing your experiences, asking questions, and learning from others. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or just starting out, you’ll find support and inspiration in our vibrant group.

Join Vegan Connects and Elevate Your Plant-Based Lifestyle

If you’re excited to enhance your vegan pantry and connect with a supportive community of plant-based enthusiasts, Vegan Connects is the place for you. Our group is dedicated to making veganism accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Share your favorite vegan products, discover new ones, and get the tips you need to stock your pantry with confidence.

Ready to transform your kitchen and embrace the benefits of a well-stocked vegan pantry? Join Vegan Connects today and become part of a dynamic community that celebrates plant-based living. Your journey to a perfectly stocked vegan pantry starts here!

Links!

https://www.instagram.com/vegan_connects?igsh=YzljYTk1ODg3Zg==

[satoshi-mochida]

Metaphor: ReFantazio ‘ATLUS Exclusive’ introduces locations, traveling on the gauntlet runner, quest dungeons, and Eupha - Gematsu

Publisher ATLUS and developer Studio Zero have released the fifth “ATLUS Exclusive” showcase video for Metaphor: ReFantazio, which introduces several locations players will visit, traveling on the gauntlet runner, quest dungeons, and new party member Eupha.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on October 11.

Watch the footage below, including a full transcript.

Extended Travel Beyond Fantasy Trailer

English

Japanese

ATLUS Exclusive 5 Showcase

English

Japanese

Transcript:

■ Introduction

Hello everyone, I’m Katsura Hashino, the director of Metaphor: ReFantazio. My representative works include Shin Megami Tensei III, Persona 3, 4, and 5.

In previous showcases, we’ve revealed the general flow of the game, as well as the combat and story elements. In this ATLUS-exclusive showcase, World Tour Edition, we will be going over the “journey” aspects, a wonderful hallmark of fantasy RPGs.

The journey gameplay is what uniquely sets this game apart from the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. I’m extremely excited to share the details with you all. For today’s Exclusive Showcase, World Tour Edition, I’ll be sharing brand new, never-before-seen content. For RPG fans as well as those who are first learning about Metaphor through this showcase, I hope you see the fun adventure you can experience through this game.

Without further ado, let us depart to the world of Metaphor: ReFantazio. I hope you stick with us until the very end.

■ The Start of the Journey

First, let us start by reviewing the beginning of the game: the story is set in the United Kingdom of Euchronia. The protagonist is on a mission with his fairy companion, Galica, to save his friend, the prince, from a curse. During his journey, he awakens an Archetype, The Seeker. In order to save the prince, he has to defeat the person who cast it. And not only did they curse the prince, the culprit also assassinated the king. The protagonist travels to the Royal Capital to take him down.

However, upon the king’s death, the king evoked royal magic, which began the Royal Tournament, where the people’s faith is the key to select the next king. As a result, the entire kingdom is thrown into chaos. In all the turmoil, the protagonist makes the decision to participate in the Royal Tournament for the throne, to catch the culprit, Louis. This is how they begin their battle—a journey that takes them all across the kingdom, traveling on a mechanical carriage called the Gauntlet Runner.

■ Old Castle Town Martira

This is a town out in the countryside that the party visits in the beginning of the story. While we designed the game to incrementally increase freedoms for the player, obtaining a Gauntlet Runner after the story prologue increases the player’s ability to travel around.

Let’s explore the town. At each destination are activities unique to that area. In this town, there’s a test of courage where you bungee jump up a cliff. You can also do things like milk cows. Through these activities, you can increase your virtues as a traveler. Increasing these virtues enables you to take on new requests.

It’s up to you, the player, on how you want to spend every single day of your journey before encountering your main quest. Leading up to your main quests, you can strengthen your forces by completing side quests, increase your bonds with your followers, or do activities that increase the protagonist’s virtues. You have the freedom to choose what you want to do each day, much like real life.

If you want to improve your fighting abilities, you can visit the recruitment center to accept side requests called bounties to exterminate monsters. We took on a request to exterminate a monster called Valmo. You get information on its whereabouts, but there’s no need to head out immediately if you’re not prepared for the fight.

This person standing outside looks like he has a request for us. We’ve been asked to buy something from a nearby town. There’s a stop on the way to the labyrinth where the Valmo is, for the extermination request we took on. There’s a lot of people in town that have information. There’s some who will talk to you about the main quest, but in this town, you can also ask about the town’s specialties. Among these people, the informant is particularly valuable for getting intel. They’re useful resources, as you can learn more about rumors as well as the habits of monsters that you might come across. But the information costs money. If you’re confident in your fighting abilities, you could choose to tackle enemies without buying the information beforehand.

Here’s someone who can tell us about how the Royal Tournament is going. The protagonist’s goal is to get closer to Louis, who also has the ability to become king himself because of the royal magic. Let’s see what our current standing is. Looks like we’re quite a ways from being in the public eye. This ranking changes through story development, but it also increases through completing quests.

As you can see, the player has a lot of options on how they want to spend each day of their journey. You can use the online feature, Traveler’s Voices, to see how other players spent that day. You can also use it to reference the party formations of other players who beat the quest you’re tackling. Each player will have their own day-to-day way of progressing through their journey as they move through the story, which is one of the true charms Metaphor offers.

Let’s move on and see how it’s like to travel on a Gauntlet Runner.

■ Traveling on the Gauntlet Runner

Expeditions on the Gauntlet Runner

When you open the map, your allies will give advice on destinations and tell you what the schedule will be. We have two requests to do in Komero, so let’s head there.

It’s dangerous outside of town, so traveling is done by Gauntlet Runner. While on the road, you can do things you might do in real life when on a camper van, such as reading or cooking. How you perform in battle can vary greatly depending on how you decide to prepare yourself while en route somewhere.

Passing Time in the Gauntlet Runner

Your allies have their own things they do while on the Gauntlet Runner. Let’s try talking to Strohl to see what he’s up to. He invited us to do weapon maintenance with him. It looks like maintaining your weapon hones your Courage. By improving your virtues like this, others’ perception of the protagonist changes. It’s particularly indispensable for gaining cooperation from your Followers, so we should do what we can to raise these virtues.

Players are free to choose how they spend their time while on the gauntlet runner. You can make special items in the kitchen, or even do laundry with your allies. Looks like we found an item from the laundry; someone must have been hiding it.

Like how you spend time in town, players can choose what to do and enjoy their journey at a smooth pace. You can also stop by a nearby village if there is one. We got something; let’s go hand it to our ally right away.

We’ve finished our request from Neuras, the gauntlet runner engineer. Thanks to that, we awakened the Gunner Archetype. Completing quests like this is an important factor for deepening your bonds with your followers.

Let’s go buy the eggs that someone requested we get for them. They’re also selling bath salts that you can’t find in town. You can buy valuable items like this on your travels, so you should try visiting as many places as you can.

■ Quest Dungeons

Looks like the gauntlet runner arrived at the labyrinth called “Man-Eater’s Grotto.” Let’s try channeling that Gunner Archetype we just got. The Gunner can attack quickly from afar in Fast Battle, so it’s relatively easy to get an advantage and move to a Squad Battle, even for those who aren’t that good with real-time action.

In Squad Battle, the Gunner shoots ranged physical attacks and also maintains its attack power from the back row. One of the benefits of improving your bonds with your followers is that you can obtain new Archetypes, which gives you more strategies to use in battle in addition to unlocking all kinds of useful abilities you can use in battle.

By the way, you can always return to your base town from the dungeon in an instant, so if you feel underleveled, you can always retreat. If you can’t complete a dungeon within a day, you can set up camp in front of the dungeon and go back to tackling it the next day. However, don’t get too distracted on tackling dungeons that you forget the time limit for your main mission.

In the Belly of the Worm

What we just looked at were dungeons for the mini side quests we have in store for you, but let’s take a look at another kind of dungeon as well. Here’s a first look at a main quest dungeon: it’s the belly of a giant worm, believe it or not! It’s a dungeon with a special time limit since you have to escape before you get digested and dissolve.

There are a lot of creative fantasy dungeons that await you on your journey in Metaphor. We’ve prepared a lot of dungeons, big and small, and we hope you look forward to them. Now then, let’s continue on with the main quest.

Now then, let’s continue on with our journey!

■ Port Brilehaven

Here’s a first look at the town, Port Brilehaven. It’s a lively port town where sailors come and go. First, let’s head towards the port itself. You can see a lot of street stalls lined up.

Let’s take a look at the armor shop. Thanks to one of my followers’ abilities, I can get a discount here. And after talking to the owner, it seems like there’ll be a sale soon.

Here’s the port area. There’s some strange balls of water. There are a lot of strange sights throughout the area of Brilehaven. There’s also a coliseum further inside the city. Can you tell how many things are in store for you to do?

Let’s keep walking. Now we’re in the area where the tavern is. There are a lot of inns, too. Business is booming from people coming in for the Royal Tournament for the throne.

Here is a seafood restaurant, which you might expect from an ocean town.

The more you progress through the story, the more there is for you to do. If you’re unsure about what to do, you can always press teh Ask Gallica button to ask your fairy companion for advice. She’ll always help show you around, like a concierge for your travels.

■ Travel Routines

Planning Your Travel Route

Your travel map will slowly get more and more complex. As you can see on this screen, there are multiple routes you can take to get to the same location. If you visit multiple places in one stretch, the number of days you use will decrease proportionally, but you may end up needing to tackle battle after battle, so you’ll need the power to match. Planning your travel route is another area of the game where you’ll have to strategize carefully.

Campsites

Despite how tough gauntlet runners are, it’s still dangerous to go around at night because of the monsters running free. So at night, the party pause their travels and rest up at a campsite. Here, you can take your pick of nighttime activities, such as having a relaxed conversation with your allies, or taking a bath.

Let’s try taking a soak in the cask tub at the back of the deck. While we’re at it, let’s use the bath salt that we bought at one of the villages before. It has a relaxing effect, which increased the protagonist’s stats. By the way, there are different kinds of bath salts available, which you can find as you travel throughout the land.

Encountering the Scenic Sights

Looks like we came across something. Another pleasure of traveling is coming across scenic sights you’d only see in another world. An ally will draw you a commemoration sketch. If you give it to one of your Followers, a young girl who’s awaiting your return in Grand Trad, will be happy.

■ The Uncharted Isle: Virga Island

Here’s another location reveal: a place called Virga Island. On this island, you can enjoy unique tracks themed after religious music composed by Shoji Meguro, who is well known for his work on the Persona series.

Here, the protagonist makes yet another new encounter. Her name is Eupha, a new ally that’s only now being revealed in this showcase. I wonder what role she plays in the protagonist’s journey. I hope you look forward to learning more about her in the future.

■ Review

So, what do you think? If you had to actually go on a long journey in real life, it wouldn’t be a simple endeavor. Taking that into account, we hope that you enjoy the journey of Metaphor, where you can travel as you please in the comfort of your own home.

Though we’ve largely focused on the profound fantasy elements Metaphor, simply, it is also a game filled with the joys of traveling from town to town, an element we hope for in fantasy RPGs.

Though this title is a rare attempt from us at the fantasy genre, we aim to make this a culmination of the efforts in our previous RPGs.

We hope everyone, including fans familiar with Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, as well as those who love fantasy RPGs, enjoys playing Metaphor.

We’ve shared information on Metaphor‘s world setting and story, battle system, and other aspects of the game in other Showcases. Please feel free to take a look at those if you haven’t already.

The next Exclusive Showcase coming out this fall will reveal exciting new information. Please look forward to it. In addition, Tokyo Game Show 2024 is taking place this fall, and we will be having a large exhibit where we’ll offer a hands-on game experience of Metaphor: ReFantazio. On top of being able to experience the journey gameplay like we introduced today, there will also be another special demo available to play at the event. We’ll release more details related to the event in the future. We look forward to seeing you at Tokyo Game Show.

Once again, Metaphor is scheduled for release this fall on October 11, 2024. Both the physical and digital editions are available for pre-orders, so please pre-order your copy or add it to your wishlist. Along with the standard edition, a Digital Deluxe Edition commemorating the 35th anniversary of the ATLUS brand is also available.

See you at the next ATLUS Exclusive Showcase. Thank you very much for your time today.

[sugarpuptard]

yesstyle haul from april ❤︎ $66 ε(*´･ω･)з

i felt like sharing how i feel about the stuff i got! the price raise on yesstyle goes crazy compared to the true price in japan but i got stuff on sale + with coupon codes (use my rewards code here! or use EBHJPT for money off any YesStyle orders Σ(ノ°▽°)ノ)

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

❤︎ Products *:ﾟ*｡⋆ฺ(*´◡`)

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

クリアターン うるうるBOMBマスク (clear turn uruuru bomb face mask) ❤︎ $11.70 on YS, ¥527 in JP

❥ これが大好き hydrating asf it rlly lives up to the name, its for dry skin and it really helped plump my skin when i notice dehydration lines. it has ingredients such as white jellyfish extract, hyaluronic acid, amino acids & others and is very gentle, i have sensitive skin and this works wonders! it has so much serum too

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

クリアターン ごめんね素肌 キニナルマスク (clear turn gomenne bare skin kinishinai mask) ❤︎ $11.70 on YS, ¥660-¥718 in JP

❥ another mask from the same brand i rlly like, this one is for acne breakouts using stuff like salicylic acid, licorice for anti inflammation, yokuinin calendula, niacinamide, lactic and amino acids, and vitamin C to take care of blemishes gently, it works really well on my sensitive skin, sometimes SA makes my skin react but this didn't! it works quite fast too

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

ロート製薬 肌ラボ 極潤 ヒアルロン乳液 (hada labo gokujyun hyaluronic acid hydrating milk) ❤︎ $12.06 on YS, ¥868 in JP

❥ i need all the hydration i can get and this lotion/milk is amazing for that, it doesn't feel heavy or sticky to me and it soaks in very well, i like to layer it on depending on how much hydration i need. sometimes i wear another moisturizer on top but especially during the day this works great as a moisturizer on its own

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

ファイントゥデイ資生堂 fino（フィーノ） プレミアムタッチ浸透美容液ヘアマスク (fino premium touch hair mask) ❤︎ $15.90 on YS, ¥752 in JP

❥ my hair gets so shiny with this mask and it helps make it a lot softer, i used it while also using rice water on my hair and my hair was the softest i've ever felt it, it smells so good too it feels like a nice salon product

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

花王 ビオレUV アクアリッチウォータリーエッセンス (biore UV aqua rich watery essence sunscreen SPF 50+ PA+++) ❤︎ $15.40 on YS, ¥785 in JP

❥ i only tried this once so far since i haven't really been leaving the house so i cant give a full review but i like it so far, its not heavy to me but it does make me look quite shiny, but i think some setting powder would fix that issue easily

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

資生堂 尿素10％クリーム チューブ (shiseido urea 10% hand & foot cream) ❤︎ $9.70 on YS, ¥906 in JP

❥ love this stuff, i get dry spots and this helps heal them pretty fast, definitely will be repurchasing

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

mask fit red cushion foundation trial kit ❤︎ $1.00 on YS, ¥??? in JP

❥ i actually haven't tried this yet (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀) but i'll update when i do

· . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . · . ·

（アンドハニー） &honey Melty モイストリペア シャンプー1.0／ヘアトリートメント2.0 お試し 10ml+10g シャンプー・コンディショナーセット (&honey melty moist repair trial set) ❤︎ $1.00 on YS, ¥110 in JP

❥ this smells so good omllllll, my hair felt quite nice after too, i wanna get more trials tho and see how it is using the whole packet in one wash instead of half, my hair is pretty thick so i might of not washed it 100% good

[batrachised]

Adventures in Maud's Recipes

New Moon Pie

The Recipe

I got the recipe book of LM Montgomery's recipes today and knew I needed to start immediately! Most of the recipes were beyond my skill level (hey, anyone know how to gut trout?) or else had ingredients/tools I do not (hey, anyone have a damp cellar to store fermenting raisin wine for a year?), but there was ONE I did have ingredients for (two, actually, but I didn't feel like canning several pounds of plum jam tonight, sorry ya'll) - New Moon Pie! Apparently LMM served this quite a lot! And after making it, I can tell why.

New Moon Pie is a bread pudding-esque substance made of bread crumbs, milk, sugar, eggs, lemon rind, and topped with meringue. At first, looking at the list, I suspected it would be granola esqe (see bread crumbs) but it was very moist!

The Results

(without meringue, this beautiful golden color!)

(with meringue)

The Reviews

my food photography skills are those of a caged monkey, and so I do not have any photos of the slices. Suffice to say, it was delicious. Lightly sweet without being too overpowering (much like Teddy Kent). Here is a review from Roommate (of the clifford debate fame).

"It tastes like a warm friendly treat for a pleasant afternoon chatting with friends about our recent comings and goings."

On brand for LM Montgomery! Will I make this again in the future? Absolutely yes! it was simple and (taking out baking time) VERY quick to make the base. Overall, what would I rate it? Well, if a ten is Valancy telling off her family, and a zero is Kilarney's (hehe) axe scene, then I'd rate this an Una visiting Miss Meredith! Onwards!

[postgamecontent]

Nintendo Switch Weekly Round-Up for the Week Ending September 28, 2024

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the Nintendo Switch Weekly Round-Up for the week ending September 28, 2024. This has been a busy week for new releases, with a handful of obvious attention-grabbers and a lot of weird and interesting smaller games. I've included as many as I could fit, and I hope this helps you separate the cool junk from the boring junk. Let's check out this week in the world of Switch!

Select New Releases

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom ($59.99)

A brand-new top-down Zelda game, this time featuring… Zelda?! Wow! Link has gone missing, and Princess Zelda is going to flex her magical power to save him and the rest of Hyrule. She has some help from a fairy named Tri and a magical artifact called the Tri Rod, the latter of which opens up all kinds of fun-looking mechanics. I might do a review of this one, in case anyone needs a review of something like this. You probably have already decided if you want it or not, though.

EA Sports FC 25 Standard Edition ($59.99)

It's the latest edition of EA Sports' long-running series of soccer/football games, and I'm not going to disrespect either of us by pretending I know what's new here or even what makes one of these good or bad. Consider this a notice that it is now available for general purchase on Switch, no more and no less.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed ($59.99)

Warren Spector's much-hyped Mickey game gets remade for the Nintendo Switch with this release. I haven't played the remake yet, but the original game was decent enough. If nothing else, this gives me the chance to remind everyone that Disney traded play-by-play commentator Al Michaels' contract to NBCUniversal to acquire Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for use in this game. And, you know, elsewhere. But the first use was in this game, and that's really funny to me. Anyway, try the demo and see how it sits with you.

Iron Meat ($19.99)

Hailed by folks with numerous conflicts of interest with the publisher as "better than Contra" and by others as "a pretty good run-and-gun", Iron Meat is another solid entry in a genre that has seen a decent amount of love in recent years on the platform. Is it better than Blazing Chrome? Better than Operation Galuga? Does it matter? If you enjoy games like these, stop comparing flavors and dig in! You never know when winter is coming for any given genre.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 ($39.99)

Sure, why not more World Brothers? Look, this isn't the Earth Defense Force some people would ideally want to see on Switch, but this is what we've got. And it's fine for what it is. Very much in line with the first World Brothers in design and performance, so if you liked that game on Switch then you're all set here. Similarly, if you found the technical sacrifices were too much in the original game, you won't have a better time with this one.

Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition ($24.99)

Why would you buy Worms Armageddon for twenty-five buckeroos when you can get W.M.D. for six dollars during its very regular sales? The addition of the Game Boy Color version of the game probably won't be much of a pot sweetener for many, but this being a stealth Digital Eclipse Gold Master entry might. Yes, you get that timeline hotness! You don't even have to like the game, so long as you have an interest in gaming history. I can vouch for that, because I hate this game but I think this is a neat release that could have been even better as a full-blown Worms collection.

Cash Cow DX ($5.99)

Moo-ve over, Donut Dodo. There's a new retro-style arcade action game in town, and it's ready to milk you out of your six bucks. This game comes from the developer of Donut Dodo and has a lot of the same qualities to it. You're running around each stage trying to grab all the cash while avoiding enemies. Very enjoyable stuff. Feel free to have a look at the review I posted yesterday, if you haven't already seen it.

REYNATIS ($59.99)

Oh, it's FuRyu time again. I suspect we've got the usual FuRyu experience on our hands here. Which is to say, a rather middling game hobbled by its low budget with a few glimmers of greatness that might be enough to satisfy a few players. This one is an action-RPG, and the famous names that have been affixed to lure in the blissfully ignorant are scenario writer Kazushige Nojima (Zodiac: Orcanon Odyssey) and composer Yoko Shimomura (Code Name: Viper). This game is not very good at all. I might write up a review to explain why, if I have the time. No one brought their best here, but it's FuRyu, so what do you expect?

3 Minutes to Midnight ($24.99)

It's never encouraging when you see that registered trademark name on a title. It suggest a certain set of priorities that are sometimes at odds with a quality creative endeavor. Fortunately, this bucks that assumption by being a rather decent point-and-click adventure game. It's one aimed at the more hardcore fans of the genre, as it is quite lengthy and involved, but there's nothing wrong with that. If you're a fan of the genre, this is worth investigating.

Go Mecha Ball ($19.99)

Add another twin-stick roguelite to the pile. We've got tons of these, so what's this one's gimmick? Basically, you can ball up Samus Aran style and roll around at high speeds. You can get a bunch of weapons, abilities, and upgrades to help you on your way, which is more or less how these things go. There's something here, but I don't know that the spark of potential properly ignites. Not bad, but I wouldn't rush out and buy it or anything.

Exographer ($19.99)

An exploratory adventure that sees you on a rescue mission on an alien planet. You'll explore levels, investigate an extinct civilization, and earn new powers that will help you reach previous inaccessible areas. There are puzzles to solve, and you'll have to make use of your special camera to figure things out. This game is really pushing science as its selling point, so we'll have to see if that results in an enjoyable game or not.

Lets castle ($13.99)

I've retained the exact title from the eShop here, and believe me, I also find it a little irritating. This is a relatively low-pressure game where you have to build a castle from given parts. You'll occasionally get specific orders from the Queen and will need to build to her specifications. I like the pixel art, at least.

Ahro ($11.99)

Okay, get this. Ahro is a side-scroller with a simplified yet stylish look, and it's a metaphor for mental health issues. Anxiety and panic disorder, to be specific. The gameplay gimmick is that you can release your spirit to explore and collect goobers. I'm kind of tired of this kind of thing by now, but perhaps you're feeling more fresh about the idea.

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports ($49.99)

Oh no, it's Game Mill. Don't expect too much. You get four sports here, including Basketball, Soccer, Golf, and Tennis. Up to four players can join in via local multiplayer, and there are nine playable Looney Tunes characters. I'm sure it's at least as competent as some of the sports games we see around the ten dollar price point on the eShop. If you really love the Looney Tunes, don't let me stop you.

Murder Is Game Over: Deal Killer ($4.99)

I guess these must be going well for Ratalaika. Another mystery for Detective Guy and his dog to solve, this time concerning the murder of an executive of a video game publisher. I choose not to read anything into that. You don't have to have played the previous games to enjoy this one, so feel free to jump in if you're interested.

Luna-3X ($9.99)

An off-beat game about a pair of heroes trying to save as many creatures as they can before the world ends in seven days. They do that, of course, by having one play the tamborine while dangling from a fishing rod held by the other. You can play alone, but this one is built for two players. One person controls the fishing rod while the other plays their instrument in rhythm to lure the creatures in. Charming and quite unique.

Arcade Archives Blast Off ($7.99)

You would think that a 1989 release from Namco in a well-worn genre that also serves as a follow-up of sorts, albeit in name only, to Bosconian would be a safe bet. Alas, Blast Off is a rather dull example of the vertical shoot 'em up genre. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone except those are basically buying every Arcade Archives game or every shoot 'em up. A really rare total miss from this publisher, but history is history. Hamster isn't just in it to reissue the hits.

JALECOlle Famicom Ver. Bio Warrior DAN The Increaser War ($7.99)

The Earth is on the brink of total ruin, and only a time traveling bio warrior named Dan can save us! City Connection packed in a lot of extras for this one, including a new map screen, quick weapon switching, and a number of other UI improvements. The game is also fully translated into English, so that's nice. I'm really appreciating these releases so far.

Night Slashers: Remake ($9.99)

I like Night Slashers as much as the next Data East fan, but even I wouldn't have had it near the head of the list for a remake. Nevertheless, here we are. Night Slashers in a very clean, modern graphical style that is probably trying to evoke Streets of Rage 4 but not quite getting there. Still, the price is right and it's as gory and goofy a time as ever, now with support for four players. I gave my thoughts on this one yesterday in my review, so do check that out if you haven't already.

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles ($24.99)

Hey, it's another one of these Slay The Spire/Darkest Dungeon deckbuilding turn-based roguelite things. As you can guess from the name, you'll be playing with dice in this one. It seems to have reviewed rather well on PC, and I imagine there are many Switch owners who will appreciate it as well.

The Holy Gosh Darn ($19.99)

A time traveling narrative action-adventure, with four different worlds to explore across space and time. You'll have to engage in some time shenanigans to solve the puzzles and move the story forward. I feel like this has some real potential, but I haven't had a chance to try out the demo for it yet. But hey, the demo is indeed right there. Give it a shot and see if you like it.

Bloomtown: A Different Story ($24.99)

This is a turn-based RPG with a 1960s Americana theme, and that's enough to help it stand out a little right off the hop. There's monster taming, some life sim bits, and a mystery involving two very different sides of one small town. Naturally, it's up to some kids to save the day. Early reviews on this have been positive, if not excessively so. If you're keen on the premise, you might want to look into it further.

Silver Axe - The Honest Elf ($18.99)

Another Metroidvania-style adventure for the pile. This one has a nice look to it and it's not outright terrible or anything, but in a genre this competitive I don't think it has what it takes to really stand out. It's just a bit too floaty, and the map designs don't have a nice flow to them. You might feel differently, though.

revive of the moon ($19.99)

I suppose it is almost October, isn't it? Here's a zombie action game supervised by Japanese comedian Hidetaka Kano. It's not the fanciest of dinners, but there is a certain charm to its straightforward approach. The writing is a little better than you would expect, too. I'm not very interested in zombie stuff anymore, but if I were? This might be something I'd go for.

Creepy Tale: Some Other Place ($9.99)

This little series has clearly found its audience. This is the fourth game in the series, and it tells its own little self-contained story within the fairy tale world and aesthetic that Creepy Tale is known for. Anyway, the usual business. Solve puzzles, follow the story, immerse yourself in the atmosphere. I've never been able to get into any of these, but I can at least see the appeal.

Beyond Galaxyland ($17.99)

A sci-fi RPG about a human high-schooler named Doug who, along with his guinea pig Boom Boom, narrowly escapes the destruction of Earth. Now residing in a zoo-like collection of planets called Galaxyland, Doug embarks on a quest to try to set things right. He'll meet an odd cast of characters along the way, of course. This game fits a lot of things in, including puzzles, platforming, turn-based battles, and a creature-capturing mechanic for good measure. So far reviews seem relatively good, and I'm looking forward to checking it out when I have a hot minute.

Resope! ($2.99)

It's always fun to find really low-priced games that serve as a good distraction for an evening, and Resope! is certainly one of those. There are sushi pieces trapped between wood blocks, and you need to free them. You do that by igniting the wood blocks, letting the sushi drop to the bottom. Make combos for a higher score, as one does in this kind of thing. There are a couple of extra modes here but the main one is fairly short, so be aware of that before you buy.

Anarkade ($14.99)

This genre of game feels like it has dropped off a high cliff in terms of popularity, but you still see the odd one release now and then. It's a 2D multiplayer arena shooter for up to four players, either local or online. Nothing particularly special about this one as far as I can tell, but it seems well-made for what it is.

Food Boy ($11.99)

It's like Paper Boy, except you're tossing pizzas at customers instead of newspapers. Run down any angry customers, and try to make a solid buck. Watch out for the many obstacles that will get in your way, of course. I'd rather have Paper Boy, but WB Games seems shy about sharing their old toys these days. That leaves an opportunity for games like this one, I suppose.

That's all for this week, friends. We'll be back next Saturday with another Round-Up as we make our way into October and the many games that will come with it. As ever, I will plug both my Patreon (where you can find lots of cool exclusive articles) and my Ko-Fi (tips help me run this blog). There, plugged. I hope you have a super Saturday, and as always, thanks for reading!

[not-poignant]

PIA. WHAT. please tell us about being a professional tea taster!!!!

Ahahaha, there's honestly not much to tell!

I fell into it completely by accident. I didn't actually even used to like tea, but that was because my only exposure was like, the milky sugary shit my english side of the family used to give me, and turns out, I don't like milk or sugar in my tea! I would've liked it just fine if they'd given it to me without those things.

(No shade to people who like milky sugary tea, I believe that stuff is the bomb if you love it, especially with biscuits).

However, a friend's older brother was just starting to be the first place in Western Australia to import in very high quality green, white, oolong and pu-erh teas into the state, and would do so by touring through China first, etc. This was before green tea drinking was really a 'thing' here (late 90s, early 00s), so they were here before any of the 'boutique' tea shops etc.

I started getting involved in tea ceremonies through said friend, started tasting the teas, and eventually we all realised I had a pretty good palate for it, and so I engaged in further training to help them write out their labels / brands etc. and eventually became a tea taster. I specialise in green and oolong, and started to get into white, but I think I miss too much of the nuance to do much more except enjoy it, lol.

Unfortunately their company never went far, they were outcompeted due to being at the crest of the 'green tea drinking is a thing' and while I kept it up for a while, I decided I didn't want to go the tea sommelier route (pairing tea with food), and just kept it up as a general skill, doing tea reviews for a couple of websites.

When I developed anemia, I had to stop drinking tea for a long time, because tea is actually one of the worst things you can drink if you have iron deficiency or any kind of anemia (yes, really, ask your hematologist if you don't believe me).

I can probably have about one/two cups a day now, and I'm one of those elitist bitches who has the temperature kettle (certain teas are best brewed at specific lower temperatures), and only drinks loose leaf tea with no milk, honey, lemon or sugar in sight and sets all my brewings to strict temperatures. But that's just because that's the way I like it. I can't stand matcha, unless it's in a matcha tiramisu. And my personal taste means nothing, because it's about other people's personal tastes. The tea you like says nothing in particular about you, except that you like it. :)

I once had a moment when we had some tradespeople come over and I offered them coffee/tea, and when they said tea, I realised they wanted like... a teabag brewed tea with milk and sugar and on the day we had no milk (I'm lactose intolerant) and only had green teas and I felt so embarrassed, lmao, so now I always carry some teabag tea for guests.

This is now my favourite brand:

And this is what they all look like.

I go through them a lot more slowly than I used to! And I don't drink much black tea anymore sadly due to reflux, but I'll still make time for it.

I can talk a little too much about different provinces, aging techniques, and more, but not enough to do it as a job anymore. But I loved it when I did it and I still love sharing green tea with the friends who love it these days.

Lmao me like 'there's not much to tell' but still manages to turn it into like 100 paragraphds fasdlkjfsa

[amphtaminedreams]

Relevant on the Runway in the Run Up to Fashion Week: F/W23 through to Pre-Fall 2024 & My Top 25 (Part 6)

-Susan Fang, top to bottom: RTW F/W23, S/S24-

-Tanya Taylor, top to bottom: pre-fall 2023, RTW F/W23, resort 2024, RTW S/S24, pre-fall 2024-

-top to bottom: The Attico RTW F/W23, RTW S/S24, resort 2024, Theory RTW F/W23-

-top to bottom: Tia Adeola RTW F/W23, S/S24, Tokyo James RTW F/W23-

-top to bottom: Torey Burch RTW F/W23, resort 2024, S/S24, Tomo Koizumi RTW F/W23-

-top to bottom: Trussardi RTW F/W23, Vera Wang RTW S/S24-

-Ulla Johnson, clockwise L-R: RTW F/W23, S/S24, resort 2024-

-Valentino, clockwise L-R: RTW F/W23, S/S24, pre-fall 2024, haute couture S/S23, pre-fall 2023, haute couture F/W23-

-Versace, clockwise L-R: RTW F/W23, S/S24, pre-fall 2023-

-Victoria Beckham, clockwise L-R: resort 2024, RTW F/W23, S/S24, pre-fall 2024, pre-fall 2023-

-L-R, top to bottom: Viktor & Rolf haute couture S/S23, F/W23, Vivetta RTW F/W23, pre-fall 2023, RTW S/S24-

-top to bottom: Viviano RTW F/W23, S/S24, We11done RTW S/S24-

-Vivienne Westwood, top to bottom: RTW F/W23, S/S24-

-top to bottom: Wiederhoeft RTW F/W23, S/S24, Y/Project “ -

-Yohji Yamamoto, clockwise L-R: RTW F/W23, S/S24-

-Yuhan Wang, top to bottom: RTW F/W23, S/S24-

-Zimmerman, clockwise L-R: resort 2023, 2024, RTW S/S24, S/S23, F/W22-

-Zuhair Murad, top to bottom: haute couture S/S23, F/W23-

And that’s the lot! 

So to round it all up, here’s a quick recap of my standouts from the last year or so of collections, and what’s still on my mind to get me through this winter. 

It was hard to choose how many to limit myself to. A top 50? Too much, a whole post on its own. But a top 20? That’s not enough.

So signing off, in no particular order, here are my top 25 from F/W23 all the way up to S/S24, in time for the start of the FW24 collections we’ll be seeing over the next few weeks!

Schiaparelli EVERYTHING: Is it any surprise Schiaparelli is on the list? Alll the fashion girlies atm are obsessed with everything Schiaparelli does, and how could you not be? Daniel Roseberry’s designs are intricate, luxurious, dramatic, and consistently ahead of the game in terms of creativity. Nobody is doing it like him right now, and for that reason, his pieces are instantly recognisable.

-clockwise L-R: Schiaparelli RTW S/S24, haute couture F/W23, S/S23, Fendi haute couture F/W23, S/S23, Schiaparelli RTW F/W23-

2. Fendi Haute Couture F/W23 and S/S23: Fendi’s Haute Couture collections never disappoint me. Time and time again, Kim Jones offers us her elegant take on glitzy femininity, balancing glamour with soft, ethereal colour palettes, silhouettes and fabrics. This year, she’s given us the red carpet iteration of balletcore (which is an aesthetic I never saw coming or thought of but am obsessed with btw) and for that, I am forever thankful.

-clockwise L-R: Dilara Fındıkoğlu RTW F/W23, Ambush RTW S/S23, F/W23, S/S23, S/S24, Chopona Lowena RTW S/S24, Di Petsa RTW S/S24, Roberto Cavalli RTW S/S24, Yuhan Wang RTW F/W23, Moschino RTW F/W23, Rave Review RTW S/S24, Yuhan Wang RTW S/S24, Roberto Cavalli RTW F/W23, Di Petsa RTW F/W23,  Ermanno Scervino RTW S/S24-

3. Dilara Fındıkoğlu RTW F/W23: Dilara’s ethereal, post-apocalyptic take on grunge delivers everyyy, singleee time! As if I didn’t wish I had Bella Hadid’s life enough already (minus having Yolanda “have a couple of almonds and chew them really well” Hadid as a mother), she then stepped out in that DF custom set and my envy increased tenfold.

4. Ambush EVERYTHING: The way Yoon Ahn’s styles the garments she designs under her label Ambush is the end result I’m trying to achieve whenever I actually make an effort in putting together an outfit these days, as rare as that is atm. Yes, at it’s core, the brand embraces a street wear-friendly version of the grunge aesthetic (I know, I use the word grunge to death but my love for that way of dressing will never die! I lived one full year in the 90s and I’m going to milk being a 90s baby only in the very literal sense for all it’s worth!) But through that lens Yoon plays with a number of other trends, from techwear to the academia-influenced styling craze, and has all that fun incorporating elements from those avenues, whilst retaining the edge that underlies her vision of the brand. The level of flexibility she manages to display without compromising the Ambush blueprint is exactly what makes Yoon’s collections a reliable source of outfit inspiration for those of us who have a strong attachment to one particular style but like to take cues from whichever other aesthetic is dominating the trend cycle at that moment too.

5. Chopona Lowena RTW S/S24: Cutesy ‘90s inspired grunge? Bloody love it. Which reminds me that I should reiterate, NO you don't get a pound every time I say grunge. Not in this economy:(

6. Di Petsa RTW F/W23 & S/S24: I was lucky enough to see a Di Petsa piece in person at the Design Museum’s Alexander McQueen sponsored REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion exhibition, and yes, it was as perfectly sculpted to the mannequin as her pieces are to the models who wear them on the runway IRL. Dimitra Petsa is a little bit of a genius I think. She’s so clearly fuelled by an appreciation of the divine feminine energy of women in the sense which we originally started using the term rather than the way we mostly use it now which is more often than not sardonically to justify our bedrotting days (which I’m totally on board with btw because performing femininity is fucking exhausting tehe), meaning her designs highlight the raw, stripped back power and beauty of the female body and everything it does without us even having to try. Di Petsa’s collections give the world a much needed reminder of the strength and grace of women whatever size or shape we are, and shows us that we don’t need to A). have some otherworldly power or B). Get a shit tonne of filler and plastic surgery to emulate the goddesses of both today’s and yesteryear’s standards.

7. Roberto Cavalli RTW F/W23 & S/S24: Fausto Puglisi treads carefully along the line separating bold and gaudy with his take on Cavalli but both the RTW collections were fucking phenomenal this year, taking it back to at a time when Coachella fashion was at the peak of cultural relevance, and what a TIME to be alive that was.

8. Yuhan Wang RTW F/W23 & S/S24: Take something bit granny chic, a bit little girlish, a couple of pieces from a motorcycle gang and throw it all together, and you get that signature Yuhan Wang look. To quote Liam Hess’ review for Vogue Runway of Yang’s RTW S/S24 collection: "Yuhan Wang’s vision of femininity may appear delicate on the surface, but it’s always undercut with something steelier and a little dangerous." Yah. He said it much better than I can. That's why he writes for Vogue and I talk to myself on here, lol.

9. Moschino RTW F/W23: Glitzy, opulent, old-Hollywood infused punk? Consider me obsessed.

10. Rave Review RTW S/S24: SoOoo glad to finally see a collection from the pioneers of chintzy grunge (I’m sorry but what other word can I use?!) on the runway. See, I make the distinction between Rave Review, Chopona Lowena and Yuhan Wang because Rave Review, in the best way possible, excel at a creating pre-loved feel to their collections. That isn’t to say it looks like the shit no one wants. It looks like the wardrobe of the coolest girl you know who can spend an afternoon browsing her local charity stores, the evening in front of her sewing machine, and by the morning can produce some up-cycled magic that you wish you had the talent to create yourself. I want to be that girl! I’m just a sewing machine and few decent charity shops in my local area short but trust and believe I’m working on it, lol!

11. Ermanno Scervino RTW S/S24: How very high-end LoveShackFancy of Ermanno Scervino to give us this Y2K style Bohemian dream and then refine it in line with the whole “stealth wealth/clean girl” minimalism craze that had such a chokehold over 2023 (and which I hope we leave behind, for the sake of its racist undertones if nothing else). Taken to either end of the spectrum, as in pink frilly floral overkill or an endless cycle of shapeless neutrals, I’m beginning to get a bit worn out with both but the meeting of the two here with the pops of colour in the embroidery was something magical, a beautiful partnership<3

-clockwise L-R: pre-fall 2023, RTW F/W23, resort 2024, RTW S/S24-

12. David Koma EVERYTHING: Beyond slept on and idk why! This man was behind Mugler for several years, which is one of my alll time favourite brands, and I think it’s safe to say a staple for many. So where is the buzz about his solo offering? Idk. It is strange because I feel like his collections share a lot of the attributes (y2k feel, hyper-feminine, sex appeal, a bit of edge, overall bit of a Bratz doll vibe if ygm?) as Blumarine and everyone is head over heels for that? So yeah, I truly don’t know. Maybe it’s not luxury enough? I’ve never really cared about that. You don’t get much more luxury than a Hermes Birkin and yet I think they’re dull as dishwater and no one can convince me otherwise regardless of how much a status symbol they’ve become. Maybe it’s my youth, maybe I’d feel differently if I too was a real housewife of Beverly Hills but yeah, give me David Koma over Hermes any day.

-clockwise L-R: Diesel resort 2024, pre-fall 2023, pre-fall 2024, RTW F/W23, S/S24-

13. Diesel EVERYTHING: Wow, Diesel must be the no.1 contender for fashion house comeback of the 2020s so far. And it’s what’s deserved for a name as cool as Diesel, I mean, it is so simple but so good!

As far as I’m concerned Diesel had been relegated to the leagues of the higher price mark section of the Next catalogue for the past decade and yet the past couple of fashion weeks their shows have arguably been amongst the most anticipated. I feel like I’ve said sexy biker grunge or some combination of these 3 words too many times in this post already but look, it’s kind of like the aspirational aesthetic of choice for me minus the sexy part and add in a girlier, more dainty strain of femininity instead bc I do not have the body nor the bone structure or the RHYTHM to have sex appeal. I was built with the body that’s giving little boy at its lowest possible weight and chubby baby at its highest so yay. The sexy thing isn't gonna happen for me, I’m at peace with that, lmao.

-clockwise L-R: Erdem pre-fall 2024, RTW S/S24, pre-fall 2023, RTW F/W23, resort 2024-

14. Erdem EVERYTHING: Genuine question here, would Erdem Moralioglu's work be fitting of what Gen Z mean when they talk about whimsy goth or am I way off-base? Honestlyyy, I’m so out of the loop when it comes to this phenomenon of coding everything and idk if I like it because tbh, it seems like it’s only accelerated the pace of fast fashion. Once TikTok has put a label on aesthetic, it starts getting manufactured cheaply en masse and within a matter of weeks, everyone is fatigued and moves right onto the next craze of X/Y/Z “core”. Like apparently mob wife core is a thing now? Kill me FR. When I hear that all I think of is Teresa Giudice flipping a table and calling Danielle Staub "prostitution whore".

Sorry, I'm getting wildly off-topic here, back to whimsy goth…I don’t know what the TikTok/Pinterest certified cues for that vibe are, but within my understanding of the word, it’d be something like this? Because romantic, gothic, elegant, and eurgh, I hate this term, but also like, badass. Essentially, Erdem's dark dramatic touches constitute what I think of as the gothic part and the former adjectives contribute the whimsical part. Anyways, yah, sorry I had to say the word badass. I’m now thinking I could’ve more accurately summarised my understanding of whimsy goth by saying steampunk Disney princess, lol. It pained me to type especially because we don’t really say ass in England, but badARSE sounds really awkward and yeah, let's just move on...

-clockwise L-R: Zimmerman resort 2023, RTW S/S23, F/W23, S/S24, resort 2024-

15. Zimmerman EVERYTHING: I feel like the two opposing sides of the coin representing my personal style are in such stark contrast to one another because yes, one the one hand, I will always be obsessed with that whole forbidden g-word ‘90s look but I also do adore the whole flower power vibe, and for me, Zimmerman does that perfectly. This is to say, essentially, it leans subtly enough in that direction that you can still imagine a Zimmerman dress looking gorgeous with a big, vintage oversized coat, clunky boots, and dark makeup if you get me? There is one particular FKA Twigs look I’m thinking of as I type this, iykyk. But yeah, I never don’t love a collection from them, hence the inclusion on this list!

16. Jacquemus RTW F/W23: Speaking of clunky boots…Can you IMAGINE one of the little white dresses from this collection with some black platform Doc Martens and a black velvet choker or corsage? Like to reference Courtney Love for what is probably the millionth time, this would be the dream outfit inspired by her, however much of a groupie that makes me sound.

On a side note, Jacquemus’ S/S24 collection only came out, like, last week which is why it wasn’t included in the post but I can’t lie…it is a hugeee step down from this. The disappointment echoes my feelings the new Gucci collection, only I guess I can hold onto the hope this is just a meh year for Jacquemus rather than the loss of another absolutely legendary creative spark. Yeah, Alessandro Michele I miss u xx

-top to bottom: Le Fame pre-fall 2023, RTW S/S24-

17. Le Fame EVERYTHING: I only found out about Le Fame, Miss Sohee, Sultry Virgin etc. through HF Twitter (yeah, X is never catching on) and I feel indignant that only a handful of those are on Vogue Runway. Look when it comes to my A-Zs, if I find anything I like in a collection, I will include it, even if it’s nothing groundbreaking in my eyes. Because range, you know? But amongst the standouts from a collection, the rest can be really fucking drab, and yet the brand makes the top of the Vogue feed regardless, purely based on reputation. Yet Le Fame gets tumbleweeds. Where is the justice for Shanghai Fashion Week? ALL the non-western centric fashion weeks for that matter. WHY has ShuShu/Tong only just got a place on the Vogue Runway archive? I mean, it’s bad all round but the erasure of Shanghai FW in particular bothers me because western fashion is so clearly influenced by East Asian fashion and atm it’s just like we capitalise on it without paying our dues (shocker).

-clockwise L-R: Rahul Mishra haute couture F/W23, S/S23, Giambattista Valli haute couture F/W23, S/S23-

18. Rahul Mishra Haute Couture S/S23 & F/W23: Whilst we're on the topic, thank god for HF Twitter for alerting me to yet another designer ignored until very recently by Western fashion critics. Don’t get me wrong, I like a bit of Elie Saab as much as the next girly girl but every collection lately has been more of the same, risk-free and repetitive. You look at Rahul Mishra, and instantly, you can see just how much work and passion goes into his designs. The end results are that these dresses are utterly ETHEREAL. I have been seeing more talk about RM lately and his collections have recently started being covered by Vogue. I hope this acknowledgment continues!

19. Giambattista Valli Haute Couture F/W23 & S/S23: The princessiest (yeah, that’s a word now) of princess dresses. OFC GV makes it on this list. For the sake of my inner child, if not anything else, who thought that a job in the fashion industry was actually achievable and that wearing a dress like this one day was within my reach. The little me who didn’t know what nepotism even meant, this is for you.

20. Selkie RTW S/S24: So I wouldn’t usually include Selkie in a fashion week post as maybe, for reasons stemming from my own prejudices, I assume anything I have ever been able to afford at any point in my life does not count as high fashion. But the Selkie show for this season, imo, truly epitomised what is supposed to be the whole point of fashion which is to translate our inner beauty to outer beauty on our own terms, in a way that makes us feel empowered and the most magnificent version of ourselves. Selkie speaks to the playful feminine spirit within me, and to see women of all sizes, ethnicities, ages, and abilities looking absolutely enchanting made me feel hopeful for a day when I don’t still feel like the only version of myself that is worthy of being “perceived” (lmao) is the one who still owned that beautiful, tiny Selkie dress, who has to punish and deprive their body to fit into it! Seeing this runway on Twitter gave me a degree of faith that this future where I feel confident and comfortable in my recovered body does exist. So yeah. I had to include it here:)

-top to bottom: Shushu/Tong RTW S/S24, F/W23-

21. Shushu/Tong RTW F/23 & S/S24: I hate to introduce new material at such a late stage but I was choosing my favourite looks from ShuShu/Tong’s S/S24 collection and just thought, I want more! So I did some Googling and managed to find the F/W23 collection too! And it’s just as stunning as S/S24. This is why it’s such a calamity that we don’t get more Shanghai FW coverage, I s2g.

-clockwise L-R: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini RTW S/S24, Cult Gaia resort 2024, Dominnico RTW F/W23, Zuhair Murad haute couture F/W23-

22. Zuhair Murad Haute Couture F/W23: Okay so obvs the S/S23 couture collection was gorg and lush too buut holy shit, the gothic touches of F/W23 took things to another level for me!

23. Dominnico RTW F/W23: If Sam Levinson decides to have Maddy Perez go through a kawaii-influenced cyberpunk phase and then become a dominatrix in season 3 of Euphoria (and let’s be real, equally nonsensical things have happened on that show), this is what her character should be wearing in keeping with her personal style. Niche, I know. Just please, for the love of god, make her come of age first. I have no time for that man’s insistence on sexualising minors. Justice for Barbie Ferrera and Kat Hernandez, honestly.

24. Cult Gaia Resort 2024: Is it…mermaid core?

And lastly…

25. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini RTW S/S24: He made layers SEXY.

Honourable mentions go to a few brands I plan to focus on anyway over my next couple of posts (another In the Front Row at…kinda post, and also little 2023 Pt.2 Recap) so I won’t go overboard yapping on about them here too, but to summarise a few points:

I was pleasantly surprised by Maria Grazia Chiurui’s work at Dior this past year? IDK if it’s just that my expectations of Dior based on the collections we’ve seen over the previous few years have set the bar really low, but almost all of it was super pretty. Maria has garnered a reputation for being all quantity and no quality, which is fair enough, however I truly think we saw both this year. So maybe this is all to say…Dior gets the Most Improved award?

Alessandro Michele’s final Gucci RTW collection was full of showstoppers and honestly, I don’t know how Sabato De Sarno is supposed to follow on from that. His Gucci S/S24 was nice enough and probably more in keeping with the brand's old school aesthetic but the character Alessandro brought to the brand is gone and I feel like a little part of me has died along with that. I don’t know what to feel because his version of the brand is the brand in my eyes, at this point, like he resuscitated it and nourished it and got people excited enough about it to reestablish Gucci's place at the precipice of high fashion, and yet seeing S/S24 I feel that artistic flair is gone. If I’m being optimistic, maybe De Sarno is just playing the long game and that, in going back to basics, his aim is to create a point of reference he can build upon over time to develop his own equally bold vision of luxury. Let’s say Sabato De Sarno gets the Person I Most Hope Will Improve award.

Finally, in the absence of Michele’s Gucci and on the back of another year of incredible collections, I think I can finally say…Rokh, you’re my new number one.

To conclude, though, that’s enough from me! I’ve already done way too much chatting shite for a photo post. If I start talking about anything else now, it’ll surely end up as some rant about the state of the world which will inevitably be coming soon, anyway, so for now all I have to say is 1. Free Palestine and 2. I hope anyone reading this is doing otherwise okay notwithstanding the horrific levels of injustice occurring, i.e the abhorrent displays of solidarity with a government perpetrating war crimes by many Western “democratic" leaders. Even when we knew they were awful before, seeing this situation play out is devastating. Be kind to yourself. All we can do some days is get by and that’s okay. To exist in a place where our lives are not constantly at threat is in itself a beautiful thing that everyone deserves, and I know most of us appreciate that and want that for everyone else too.

With that, I’ll say goodbye and will be posting again soon.

Lauren x

[helioclematis]

Damn coffee shop AU curse

Eddie is trying to take care of the rest of the line, even longer than usual due to some crafts fair nearby, but that means Chrissy is, unfortunately, stuck with Brad. 

Brad is pretty much everything Eddie hates in a human being and a customer, and today Brad's brand of bullshit involved his cappuccino, that he insisted on weighing. 

Not that a drink that was two grams 'off' from whatever standard Brad pulled out of his ass this week was different in any way that could be perceived by a human being, but Brad probably huffs his own farts.

Chrissy looks like she's about to cry, there are at least six people in line desperate for their caffeine of choice, and Eddie is making three drinks at once and closing the milk fridge with his foot. 

The dilemma:  Eddie still isn't allowed to kick Brad's stupid Oakley shades and plaid pants wearing ass out, nor is he allowed to rip him a new asshole, which is tragic and would probably do him good. So Brad just freely continues to be the worst-

"Hey, dude, I realize that you have severe limp dick and nothing helps you get it up like harassing service workers, but can you not make it their problem? I want coffee, as does everyone else here, so can you take your two hundred and fifty-eight-gram cappuccino and shove it up your ass so the rest of us can get on with our fucking day?"

For a second Eddie thinks his inner monologue is suddenly audible to the entire coffee shop, but no. That came from Preppy Hottie, who is sort of obnoxiously hot and has never said anything before today other than 'Can I please get X' and 'thanks,' and Eddie is having entirely inappropriate thoughts about him. 

Like, ‘hey do you want me to just bend over right here’ level of inappropriate. 

Brad starts to say something, but Chrissy giggles. The girl with Preppy Hottie (Steve, says some part of his brain that must have read it off his cup some weeks before the quagmire of the holidays, associated Beverage Hell, and now gross winter) laughs, as do the rest of the people in line. And he deflates, because a guy who is hotter and less of a douche has gotten women to laugh at him, and thus Brad's entire sense of self is ruined. He takes the cappuccino off the counter, says something about a Yelp review but splashes milky espresso out of the top of the cup, curses, and walks out.

Chrissy smiles at Steve-slash-Preppy Hottie. "Whatever you're getting, it's on the house." 

"Nah, that's okay. He's a dick."

"I insist." Steve smiles and Eddie almost drops the latte he's finishing. Damn. That’s…the man really looks like he escaped from the nearest modeling agency.

"Okay, just a medium skim latte with an extra shot and...Rob, what do you want?" 

"A dirty vanilla chai, please." The girl, Rob, smiles at Chrissy too, and oh she's pretty, and Chrissy's type of pretty. Eddie’s gonna be subjected to the glacial pace of watching queer girls flirt. 

But they put money in the tip jar, so what the heck, they can live here if they want after all that.

It's Steve who comes to get their drinks, and he smiles again.

Red Alert. Red Alert. Eddie is too gay for this, Red Alert.

"Uh. Thanks man. For getting rid of Brad." 

"Oh, I've been holding back on that for years. I did food service all through college. Nightmares, man, nightmares. It's practically therapeutic to be bitchy to assholes now." Steve smiles again, like he’s licking something sweet off his lips, tucking a bit of hair behind his ear. 

Eddie is lucky the world doesn't operate on cartoon rules because right now he'd go full wolf, awhooooooooga! “Well, any time you need the catharsis, feel free to work that out here. We’ve got plenty.” Steve takes a sip from his latte. “Well, if it means you making my drinks, how can I pass that up? Later.” Eddie is only fifty percent sure he actually says something human-ish as Steve walks away and walks into the tiny ‘back’ of the shop to slap himself. Focus, he can’t be horny gay mush while on the clock. That’s how you get burned. 

He gets steamed milk all down his apron anyway.

(Am I gonna do anything with this? No idea, but it exists in the universe now anyway, and I thought it was cute.)

(Brad is based on a real customer, who I still hope is walking on a moist carpet.)

[tiffyfoundsomething]

Long Post full of Affiliate Links

So I bought 3x of the new MGA Miniverse UV resin Diner food kits and reviewed them.

https://amzn.to/3Goo2PC

These are the larger kits.

After that I ordered 3x of the smaller Cafe sets.

https://amzn.to/3Goo2PC

And will review them, too, though as a toy collector, not as an adult worried about marketing UV resin to kids.

When the cafe sets are in stock, they cost $6.97 vs the Diner sets at $9.97. They’re also smaller.

There is no table. Some of them come with a little cake stand, though.

I got these three sets and I have to admit, I’m kind of disappointed...

The quality of the pieces is the same, but there’s just not much to do with these. The Diner sets have you arranging items in a dish or on a plate, but the Cafe ones are more like, put the thing, put the resin, done.

At least the three that I got are. The ones with donuts might be more entertaining.

The enormous mason jar coffee made me laugh because it’s not in scale for Barbies like the other food items, but then I looked over at my water jug and.....

Yeah, ok.

I was actually rather put out opening these because there are three layers of plastic outside the shell, the plastic shell, lots of plastic bags inside, and in the cafe latte one there is a tiny plastic straw in a tiny plastic straw wrapper.

There are tweezers/tongs but you don’t need them for these sets. These three are all dump and go.

I chose not to do the cafe latte nor the tropical fruit salad because the cafe latte kit was too boring and I’d rather keep the fruits in the cute little boxes.

That kit could easily be made and remade as long as you don’t add the resin.

Inside the cereal box is a little plastic bag of plastic beads. I did decide to put the cereal together to test whether the resin set properly.

It did. It’s not opaque like milk. I kind of wish I hadn’t bothered, because it looks...

Unpleasant.

But this did get me thinking.

Are these kits worth it to me?

It cost me $53.80 for this:

The cafe sets certainly I feel like weren’t worth the $7. Part of the pull of these is supposed to be an experience in addition to getting a cute toy in the end, but the cafe sets are so simple that there was no experience.

Being someone that’s made a bunch of little resin trinkets over the years, I could spend the same $54 and get enough comparable materials to make these kits many times over with less waste because every item wouldn’t come in it’s own little plastic bag.

And personally, I don’t collect mini food. I collect mini toys.

Compare the price of one of these kits (we’ll round up so $10 and $7) to the price of 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands, and... Well.

Miniverse for $10 will get you one cute food item that you have to assemble and a bunch of small packaging associated with it plus 5 or so big pieces of paper all folded up, a table, a display case, a bunch of plastic bags, and three layers of outer plastic.

If you’re not keeping all of the empty containers, the bread bag, the pie crust box, the bottles of resin, all the duplicate tongs, etc, you’re throwing away the majority of the kit in the end.

Mini Brands for $7 will give you 5 preassembled minis (sometimes four and one piece of useless crap like a too-small shopping cart, also too small shelving unit, or paper bags) with 2 layers of outer plastic, one collector’s guide, 5 small sheets of plastic, two weird rubbery end caps, and a useless set of plastic wedges.

https://amzn.to/3WU8mdR

https://amzn.to/3IxF3JH

All together this was $27.54 for 15 items and a collector’s case.

BOTH brands are blind packed.

tl:dr is that I won’t personally be buying any more Miniverse food kits, but I am excited for Toy Mini Brands Series 3.