#normally i just get cream from safeway...

[softgrungeprophet]

this most recent batch of ice cream, my mom got trader joe's heavy whipping cream so i used that, and i can say confidently... not to use that for ice cream. the result is great in a root beer float but besides the texture being off it's also like ... greasy lol so it's unpleasant to eat in its own as ice cream because of the grainy + oily combo and cleaning the utensils is a pain

[pearl-pilots-in-chains]

Ice Cream Expertise (All the Little Lights #1)

Fandom: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Ships: Kawoshin

Rating: G

Summary: Shinji is faced with a dilemma of sorts, and is characteristically indecisive. Fortunately, Kaworu is there to give some helpful advice. Or maybe just call himself an ice cream expert. Let's be honest, it's a bit of both.

Notes: This is intended to be the start to All the Little Lights, my attempt at a relatively happy Evangelion high school AU featuring the pilots we know (and maybe love) actually getting to live a normal life (including all the cute gay romance they deserve). That said, it also works totally fine as a one shot. Considering it's an AU, there's going to be some rather interesting deviations from canon, some of which are alluded to here. So, if something seems off, that's probably because it is.

As usual, any errors, grammatical or typographical, are mine. I apologize in advance.

This was originally posted to my old AO3 on May 21, 2020. I hope you enjoy it!

_________________________________________________________

Shinji Ikari was not having a good day. No, perhaps that was an understatement. He was having a distinctly bad day. School had been tedious to say the least, considering that testing week was approaching, and the teachers seemed to be doing their best to “prepare” the students using every form of academic torture known to humankind. Okay, perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it had been a hectic hell all the same. Not to mention the fact that his best friend Touji was going through a rough patch (not the first one, mind you), with his girlfriend Hikari, which led to a tense mood within their friend group outside of class as well. Adding onto this was the fact that he was getting worried about his sister (what wasn’t new?) Rei, who had been especially quiet the past week or so, even by her standards. That was usually a sign that her depression was going through a rough spot. He had wanted to mention something to his mother about it, considering she usually had better luck at getting through to Rei than he did when his sister was going through a difficult time, but unsurprisingly, he hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He was gone too often, and his mother was gone too often. There was all of a one to two hour period when they were both home and awake on any given night. Rei always ending up alone probably doesn’t help her state of mind improve either. I wish she had more friends. People she could connect with.

And, of course, to top all that wonderful baggage off, he had had work after school, which had gone lovely. Just lovely. A simply wonderful group of customers had come in, and stayed for a better part of three hours, ordering intermittently while they all talked (way too loudly, in his opinion) at their shared table, which, in a predictable move, they hadn’t even bothered to clean off. He was a barista, not a waiter, despite what some people seemed to think. To make matters worse, they had been laughing so hard partway through their “discussion,” that one of the party had practically flung her iced latte through the air by accident (how someone could do that by accident, was a whole other topic for conversation), sending its contents flying halfway across the room (in a bafflingly impressive display, he had to admit, as irritating as it was). Of course, he had drawn the short straw and been the one tasked with cleaning it up. His boss seemed to get a special satisfaction out of giving Shinji all the “fun,” jobs. Okay, maybe Mr. Anno’s not that bad, but he still gets a kick out of watching me suffer. Or something like that.

Shinji sighed as he pulled his car into the store parking spot. As he exited it, he glanced down at his phone. 7:16. That meant he should have enough time to get home and get dinner going before his mother got home. These days, it seemed as though she worked progressively later and later. It had been a couple months since she’d been home before 8. She was almost certainly still out at the base at that moment. Whatever project she’s working on now is one of the more intensive ones.

He headed for the doors. He was planning on making stir fry, which meant that he needed to get soy sauce for sure, since he knew they had run out from the last time. He thought they had most of the rest of what he needed at home. So, this should be a quick run. Just in and out. After a day like today though, he was tempted to grab something sweet. Come on, after this whole mess, I think I at least half deserve something to take my mind off of it. Just a little.

Inside, he made a bee line for the condiments aisle. Alright, first things first. Get what I need. Then, maybe, I’ll just check out what they have. He grabbed soy sauce, and then wavered for a moment, trying to decide just for what he was in the mood. Okay, just something little. Nothing too big. I am going to be cooking, after all. Hmmm . . . I mean, it’s probably not the best idea, but . . .

Making his decision, he set off for the frozen section. Once again, he paused when he arrived at the aisle, looking through the glass freezer doors at the available options. I’ll just get a pint. That should be more than enough. Even if Rei goes for some too. ‘Cause mom hardly ever eats anything sweet, so I doubt she’ll have any. He tilted his head, tapping the soy sauce bottle against his thigh as he considered the selection. Why are there so many flavors? I didn’t even realize they sold Pumpkin outside of November. And Lime-Raspberry? What would that even taste like? Who comes up with these things? I’ll go for something classic. I could always do Vanilla. But, that’s a little boring. I don’t even really like it that much. Chocolate’s always classic, except that Rei doesn’t like it. And her favorite is Cookie Dough, which I don’t like the texture of . . . there are way too many choices here. Running his eyes over the racks, he did a quick count. Forty-two different flavors. Why are there forty-two different flavors? I wonder if anyone’s ever tried them all. Then again, that might take a while. And be kind of pricey. Dammit, I’m getting distracted again. The only conclusion that Shinji was coming to was the fact that he liked ice cream far too much, and was wasting far more time than he should be trying to pick out something. Maybe I should just get the soy sauce and head home. He peaked down at his phone. 7:29. Yeah, I’ve already been here longer than I should be.

A voice interrupted Shinji’s thoughts. “So, what’s your drug of choice?”

Shinji head snapped to the side, his concentration broken. “What?,” He asked, a little surprised.

The source of the interruption was standing a little further down the aisle, casually leaning on one of the freezer windows, his head cocked to the side, watching Shinji with a friendly smile on his face. Shinji thought the interrupter looked to be about the same age as him, though that fact was complicated slightly by the fact that though his face was youthful, his hair was an ashen grey. He must dye it. Is grey hair a style though? The interrupting individual sported a pair of black jeans and a band shirt for a group whose name looked vaguely familiar to Shinji. Porcupine Tree . . . I feel like Rei might listen to them. Maybe. Not to mention the fact that the newcomer had red eyes. Red eyes. Okay, so maybe this is a look he’s going for. I mean, those are definitely contacts, right? Unless there’s a genetic mutation I’ve never heard of, I don’t think humans can be born with red eyes. Which means that they’re contacts. Which means that the hair is almost definitely dyed too. I’m pretty sure that’s not what ‘scene’ looks like . . . there’d be brighter colors . . . and I don’t think it’s emo either . . . I’m pretty sure his hair would be black then . . . huh . . . maybe that’s goth. Yeah. Let’s go with that. In addition to making him second guess what scene fashion looked like, Shinji’s visual analysis of the interrupter also led him to a more definite conclusion. That regardless of what category his fashion fell under, he was pretty cute. Seriously Shinji, focus here, and stop thinking about how some random boy in Safeway who asked you what type of drugs you like is cute. Don’t be an idiot. Sure, you haven’t been on a date in months, ever since Martin broke up with you, but he was a manipulative jerk anyway— Shinji realized the interrupter had started talking again, which snapped him back into reality and out of his wandering mind.

“Yeah. What flavor is your favorite. I mean, out of the forty-two, there has to be one you’d pick, right?”

“Oh. Yeah. Probably cookies ’n’ cream,” Shinji answered, feeling more than a bit confused. On an afterthought, he added, “You’ve counted all the flavors too?”

“Not a bad choice,” the boy said with a firm nod. “Although, I’m more into mint chocolate chip myself. And yes, I’ve counted them all. It’s an important part to being an ice cream expert. Keeping track of the available flavors at the nearest store.”

“Okaayyy.” Shinji’s tone betrayed his uncertainty concerning just how he should deal with this stranger. “Ice cream expert?”

“Yep, that would be me,” the boy replied matter-of-factly, as though the question was a pointless one. He strolled over to Shinji and extended his hand. “Kaworu Akagi, ice cream expert, at your service.”

Shinji shook the offered hand, deciding he should be polite, despite the fact that his perplexity had not been substantially diminished in any way. This guy is . . . interesting, to say the least. As their hands met, Shinji was struck by the strange, but intense, sense that this wasn’t his first time meeting Kaworu.

“Shinji Ikari.” Against his better judgement, he decided to follow his introduction with, “Have we met before?”

Retracting his hand, Kaworu pursed his lips, ostensibly mulling over the question in his mind. After a few moments, he shook his head. “I don’t think so. At least, not that I can recall. I just got into town a few days ago. Why do you ask?”

Shinji shrugged, trying to play off his earlier question. “Oh, I think you just reminded me of someone I used to know.”

Kaworu nodded, seeming to accept this answer. “Ah, that makes sense. So, have you come to a conclusion, or would you like a second opinion?”

Shinji raised an eyebrow. “About the ice cream, you mean?”

“Indeed. That is the topic on the floor, as they say,” Kaworu responded nonchalantly.

Shinji blinked. “Who says?”

“Why, they do of course.”

“Oh. Umm, alright.” Shinji looked back through the window, surveying his options once more. A obvious choice didn’t present itself. “Well . . . I suppose a second opinion probably wouldn’t hurt.”

“Great,” Kaworu stated, his tone even and pleasant. “Any occasion in particular you’re buying for?”

Shinji shook his head. “Nope, not really. Just . . .” he hesitated, uncertain how much he wanted to tell someone who was still basically a stranger to him. “Just a bad day,” was what he ended up deciding on.

Kaworu pretended to stroke nonexistent hairs on his chin, nodding slowly as did so, in an amusing imitation of the stereotypical philosopher. “Hmm . . . ice cream for a bad day, you say?”

“Uh. Yeah. I guess so.”

“I’d have to recommend Cherry Chip for that. It’s a guaranteed mood improver from my experience. It is nearly impossible to feel down while you’re eating Cherry Chip ice cream.”

“Really?” Shinji’s ice wandered down the display, finally locating the flavor in question. Fortunately, they had it in pint size, which meant that the option was on the table. He couldn’t think of any reason not to go for it. As far as he knew, Rei liked Cherry Chip. At least, he thought she did. He wasn’t entirely sure that he’d ever seen her eat it. For that matter, he wasn’t entirely sure that he’d ever eaten it himself. Which means it might be pretty good, and I just don’t know it yet. You never know. “Really. Trust me, I’ve tested its potency. It won’t let you down.”

“Alright. Why not?” Shinji opened the door and grabbed a pint of Cherry Chip. He examined the container in his hands for a few seconds, before looking back up at Kaworu, who now seemed to be smiling in encouragement, which had the effect of making him look even cuter than before. Come on Shinji, don’t get distracted! Sure, he might be attractive, but he’s also a self-proclaimed ice cream expert. . . not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing yet, to be honest.

“That’ll do the job,” Kaworu remarked, in a straightforward tone that made it sound as though he was utterly confident in the truth of his words.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Shinji furrowed his brow as another question popped into his mind. “Hey .. . you said you just got into town a few days ago. How is it that you already know all the different flavors they have here?”

“It was one of the first things I scoped out after we got into town. Always important to know what kind of ice cream game you’re going to be dealing with. Plus, I had plenty of free time once we finished unpacking, considering I won’t be in school up here until the fall.”

“Ah, okay. That makes sense.” Almost on a whim, Shinji was tempted to ask Kaworu where he had moved from, but decided that could come across as prying a little too much, since Kaworu hadn’t offered that information. As it was, Kaworu gave a partial answer to the question without Shinji even verbalizing it.

“School down south ends earlier. Though, to be fair, it also starts earlier there as well. We left a couple days after my semester ended. Which means I currently have relatively few obligations, other than locating and obtaining a job for the summer.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Shinji still wasn’t exactly sure how to respond, but he decided to field a question of his own. He figured it could come across as a polite inquiry, rather than being nosy, taking into account what Kaworu had just revealed. “So, what brought you up north?”

“My mother got transferred out to the base,” Kaworu returned offhandedly.

Shinji tilted his head in response to this answer, the gears in his brain turning. Well, that’s interesting. He almost wanted to make some sort of follow-up remark expressing their similarity in that regard, but he decided that might be a bit too much to say for the moment. Instead, he merely offered a casually, “I gotcha.” He continued with an amiable, “Well, welcome to Asherdale,” along with a more ironic, “It’s halfway decent, once you get used to it.”

Kaworu’s face broken into a grin at the humor, an expression that Shinji couldn’t help but feel made him look all the more attractive. Oops, getting distracted again. . . don’t do that . . . too much.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Kaworu said warmly.

“No problem.” The thought suddenly entering his mind, Shinji shot a momentary glance down at his phone. Hmm, what time is it? The answer was 7:37. 7:37?! I’ve been talking for eight minutes?! That felt like four or five at the most. I have to bail, now, if I’m going to make it home in time to get cooking.

He looked back up at Kaworu, who was still watching him, his gaze soft, the smile still on his face, his head tilted to the side. Shinji had the strange feeling that if it had been anyone else, the observational pose the boy had struck would have looked unusual, to say the least, but somehow, on Kaworu, it didn’t look half bad. It gives him a kind of elegant aesthetic . . . okay, where did I come up with that? I definitely need to head out.

“Hey, look, I’m sorry to leave so quick, but I need to get going.” Shinji cringed a little internally, hearing the awkward tone in his voice. You could have said that in a way that didn’t basically announced the fact that it made you flustered. Great going.

“Understandable. You wouldn’t want that ice cream to melt before you get the chance to test out its powers.”

“Haha, yeah, you know it.”

Kaworu nodded, imply that yes, he did indeed know it. “Why don’t I give you my number?” He remarked. “That way, you’ll have someone on hand for any future ice cream dilemmas.”

“Ahhh . . .” Okay, that was actually kind of smooth, in an odd way. And . . . it’s not like it could really hurt anything. I mean, he didn’t even ask for my number. Which means he’s not even necessarily flirting with me. It’d probably be a bit of stretch to say he is. After all, if I have his number, and he doesn’t have mine, that means I can choose whether I want to text him or not, and there’s nothing he can do about it. Which isn’t really a good way to flirt with somebody. I think I’m stalling again here . . .”

Shinji noticed Kaworu was watching him again, waiting for a response. “Sure. Sounds like a good plan.” He pulled out his phone and hastily created a new contact, before offering it to Kaworu. “Here, you can put it in.”

Kaworu nodded, his smile remaining intact, and typed in the digits, before handing it back to Shinji. “It was nice to meet you, Shinji Ikari,” he commented affably.

“You can just call me Shinji,” Shinji quickly responded.

“Alright then. It was nice to meet you Shinji.”

“You too . . .” Should I use first and last name like he did the first time? Or just go with first name. I don’t want to offend him, if that’s the sort of thing that’s important to him. After all, he does seem a bit, umm, particular.

“You can just call me Kaworu,” the boy suggested, his smile widening.

“It was nice to meet you Kaworu,” he finished lamely. “Guess I’ll see you around.”

“Yes, maybe so.”

Shinji nodded again, spun on his heels, and promptly made for the registers. Well, that went excellently. You meet a boy who’s kind of cute, even if he is a little eccentric, and straight off the bat, you’re second guessing yourself and fumbling for words. Fantastic.

Shinji shot a brief glance back as he reached the end of the aisle, to see that Kaworu was now retrieving an ice cream carton of his own from the merchandise freezer. Shinji turned away again before the boy could look back in his direction. Don’t want him to think I’m staring at him or something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shinji collapsed back onto his bed with a satisfied sigh. He was glad to have finally reach it, after the nigh-interminable day. Well, maybe not quite interminable. But definitely overlong. Without much thought, he grabbed his phone from his nightstand and spun in about in his hands a couple times, feeling the sensation of the textured case against his skin.

Dinner had been a success, such as it could be, anyway. He had impressed himself with just how fast he managed to throw things together when he went into slight (well, maybe more than slight) panic mode.

The ice cream had been a success as well. He had to admit, Cherry Chip was a pretty good flavor. He still wasn’t sure whether he had tried it before or not, but he was glad he had definitively tried it now. Rei had also enjoyed it, which was an added plus. In fact, their mother had even had a bowl, something altogether unexpected. Apparently, Cherry Chip ice cream was one of the sweets she would indulge in. Didn’t see that coming. All in all, the majority of the pint was no more.

Powering on his phone, Shinji was faced with another choice for the evening. Unlike his earlier ice cream deliberation, however, this cerebration was of a cursory duration. After a few seconds, he had composed the text, and was hovering over the send button. Alright. Let’s do this. He tapped the icon.

Shinji I.: Thanks for the recommendation. It was a good choice! Lol. This is Shinji, btw.

The response to his message came swiftly. Wow, he must type fast.

Kaworu A.: Happy to be of service. I’m glad it worked out.

Shinji found a smile edging its way across his lips. Maybe, in spite of everything, today wasn’t such a bad day after all.

[kt-cant-focus]

Tagged by the asexy @seblainelove and amazing @sebandblaine. :)

1.what is the color of your hairbrush? I have two, one is a light wood and the other black and blue.

2.name a food you never eat? Green beans

3.are you typically too warm or too cold? Too cold, I actually run a couple degrees less than normal.

4.what were you doing 45 minutes ago? At work.

5.what’s your favorite candy bar? KitKat.

6.have you ever been to a professional sports game? Nopes, not a sports person.

7.what is the last thing you said out loud? No, I was too busy slamming on the brakes. (Some genius almost caused a wreck.)

8.what is your favorite ice cream? Batman. Yes it’s real. It’s the bomb dot com.

9.what was the last thing you had to drink? Water

10.do you like your wallet? Yes, more than I thought I would. It’s a Star Wars paper wallet from a Loot crate my brother got a while ago.

11.what is the last thing you ate? A donut with chocolate frosting.

12.did you buy any new clothes last weekend? ... I don’t think so.

13.what’s the last sporting event you watched?  I watched baseball on the TV for like 5 minutes at my uncle’s house 2-ish years ago.

14.what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? White cheddar, or garlic.

15.who is the last person you sent a text message to? My roommate.

16.ever been camping? Not recently. I used to go all the time as a kid, but my parents got too old for tents.

17.do you take vitamins? Yes, right now only an iron supplement, because I didn’t have a job until recently. I usually also take a multivitamin and a skin vitamin.

18.do you regularly attend a place of worship? Not anymore. I grew up in church, but after moving to a new town I stopped going. Just too early in the afternoon and finding an LGBT friendly one seemed like a struggle. I did find a website that shows which churches in your area are LGBTQIA friendly. So once the pandemic clears up, I’ll check them out.

19.do you have a tan? Weirdly, yes. Going outside for less than two hours a week is enough to get 3-4 shades darker. Usually I’m a vampire.

20. do you prefer Chinese or pizza? oof, asking the hard questions. Pizza, I have it more.

21.do you drink your soda through a straw? Typically, only when I’m wearing lipstick or something.

22.what color socks do you usually wear? Winter socks. I get cold and wear ankle braces, so I need taller ones.

23.do you ever drive above the speed limit? Usually about 5 over.

24.what terrifies you? HAHAHAHA lots of things. Letting my mental health stuff rule my life more than it already does, I suppose is the biggest one.

25.look to your left, what do you see? My manga bookshelf and my makeup.

26.what chore do you hate most? Cleaning the tub, but I find all of them super tedious.

27.what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? In person: Wonder if they are here to work or for vacation? On a show: Is my mom watching McCloud’s Daughters again?

28.what’s your favorite soda? Root beer, but I’m a sucker for the blue Jones soda.

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Neither, I’m vegetarian and most places don’t give me a big selection.

30.what’s your favorite number? *Shrug* 23 I guess? It’s my age so meh *shrugs again*

31. who’s the last person you talked to? My amazing roommate.

32. favorite food? Stir-fry or my mac n cheese

33.last song you listened to? Not Today by Unlike Pluto

34. last book you read? The Bible

35. favorite day of the week? Thursday?? I don’t really care.

36.can you say the alphabet backwards? Kinda, not really without thinking about it.

37.how do you like your coffee? Nah fam, too bitter and too much caffeine 5 me.

38.favorite pair of shoes? My converse. They look awesome and I don’t have to wear my ankle braces with them.

39. time you normally get up? 8-9am

40.what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets, I see a sunrise only when I’ve stayed up that late.

41.how many blankets on your bed? 3, comforter, and 2 blankies.

42.describe your kitchen plates? White.

43.describe your kitchen at the moment. Small, with barely any counter space.

44.do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? Ew, none. Of all the ones I’ve tried, they all taste funny, like vinegar. Even when mixed with something.

45.do you play cards? Not regularly. It’s funny though, I have weirdly good luck with card game. Even though in most games I have the worst luck ever.

46.what color is your car? Green.

47.can you change a tire? In a shop, not on the side of the road. I learned how to change a tire at my uncles shop.

48.your favorite state or province? *Shrug* WA?

49.favorite job you’ve had? lol cashier at Safeway. I got away with so much shit.

Tagging (if they didn’t do it already): @viria  @seblainedaily @rhandytaylah @staff

[xserpentlife]

50 questions tag !

Tagged by no one but I saw @romanticgumchewer do it and thought it was cool so

1.) What color is your hairbrush?

so like i have bout 5 probably but now i only use one in the shower ad its this turqiouse bue color cause ya’ll if you got frizz or curls dont brush ya hair really at all just use ya fingers but also do it with conditioner and in the shower

2.) Name a food you never eat

freaking seafood eh blegh

3.) Are you usually too warm or too cold?

warm. all. the. time.

4.) What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

uhm swimming... no dinner and smelling disgusting seafood that made me wanna barf cause thsts whst my aunt/uncle and grandparents were making for dinner

5.) What’s your favorite candy bar?

oo idk uhm crunch noooo a flake bar they are from europe no like ireland i think so fucking good lemme tell you

6.) Have you ever been to a professional sports game?

yeah. Eagles, flyers, and phillies, and the reading phillies if you count them, oh and the 76ers and some college gsmes i think that is it

7.) What’s the last thing you said out loud?

nope i don’t want a smore

8.) What’s your favorite ice cream?

yall i got so many lemme get you on this shit. okay so ben and jerrys we talkin then its gottabe phish phood oj shit, but like all in al my fav is black raspberry tbh but also like i do keto so i do love me some coffee ice cream cause i can usually find that in “keto” ones. i like keto enlightened ice cream bars they are decent and low carb

9.) What was the last thing you had to drink?

crystal light or it may have been turkey hill diet green tea

10.) Do you like your wallet?

i mean yeah its a black michael kors it does it purpose lol, mostly i like it cause it has a lot of space for cards which like all my gift cards go there the only thing i don’t like is that the bitch gets hela heavy when coins get in it like jesus

11.) What’s the last thing you ate?

ham and cheese roll ups for diner cause they had fuckin seafood lol boutta be carots, but also wasn’t that hungry lol

12.) Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

nope!

13.) What’s the last sporting event you watched?

i believe that it was UFC

14.) What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?

butter or white cheddar

15.) Who’s the last person you sent a text to?

my best friends so my friend from vegas and @wayward-river

16.) Ever go camping?

yep!

17.) Do you take vitamins?

i take a probiotic

18.) Do you go to church every Sunday?

nope

19.) Do you have a tan?

yupppp

20.) Do you prefer Chinese or pizza?

oooo uhm depends on what type of piza but ima say pizza... i have a cheese addiction

21.) Do you drink soda through a straw?

i don’t drink soda anymore

22.) What color socks do you usually wear?

vans socks in literally any color usually not black i try to get colored ones cause if i get the black i can never tell te old from the new unless they are like streched out or somethin

23.) Do you ever drive above the speed limit?

uhm yes lol. its my downfall but also like either go the speed limit or go 5 miles over do not go under becuase that is just not an option

24.) What terrifies you?

many things.

25.) Look to your left, what to you see?

flowers

26.) What chore do you hate the most?

vacuuming the sound drives me nuts. or no putting away laundry like hanging it up idk why i hate it but i do lik ill wash shit and fold it but actuly putting it way drives me nuts

27.) What do you think when you hear an Australian accent?

uhm hiiii but also adelaide idk why

28.) What’s your favorite soda?

dont drink it i drink ice drinks instead or the safeway brand sparkling water

29.) Do you go in fast food or in the drive through?

drive through

30.) What’s your favorite number?

24

31.) Who’s the last person you talked to?

in person? my little cousin

32.) Favorite cut of beef?

chicken just so many things can be done. chicken parm, grilled chicken, bbq chicken need i go on

33.) Last song you listened to?

welp i checked spotfy we were at the pool and it was me and my little cousin i was playing ehr playlist so it was did i mention from descendants hahah

34.) Last book you read?

oh god uhm i have no idea 

35.) Can you say the alphabet backwards?

no unless i go throguh the whole thing letter...... by.... letter

36.) Favorite day of the week?

thursday

37.) How do you like your coffee?

Iced with heavy cream i prefer cold brew or espresso tho, but usually cold brew

38.) Favorite pair of shoes?

Vans

39.) Time you normally wake up?

10- 10:30 sometimes 9

40.) Sunrise or sunsets?

sunsets

41.) How many blankets on your bed?

usually just my comforter sometimes my comforter and one or two otehrs dring the winter cause i like to be cold and keep my window open i keep my bedroom door closed and the heat in my room off

42.) Describe your kitchen plates?

i live with my aprents im still in college but when im at school rndoms hit that is cheap 

43.) Describe your kitchen at the moment?

tiny dorm kitchen or it will be first on campus apartment that looks like an insane asylum checkkkkkkk

44.) Do you have a favorite alcoholic drink?

i mean its not legal to sayyyyy

45.) Do you play cards?

yes omggggg my grandma s from the south i grew up on card games 500 rummy, oh hell too, i played poker with my grandpa to and 21

46.) What color is your car?

dark blue... kiki

47.) Can you change a tire?

yeppp!

48.) Your favorite state, province, country, etc.?

uhm idk i live in pennsylvania but I wouldn’t say i have a favorite state at least not yet

49.) Favorite job you’ve had?

I worked at this axe throwing place and honestly it was my favorite job i had. I was an axe master I basicaly taght people how to throw axes and like led mini games for hour long sessions it was hella fun, but my college scheldue and doctors appt got in the way so i got let go but it was fun while it lasted. or my own business i do photography on the side so that is also amazing and i absolutely love it and ned to do more of it.

50.) How did you get your biggest scar?

oh god i don’t even know.. i have huge scards from my chronic skin condition so either that orrrr maybe the scar on my leg it is not that big though like size of a nickel where a kick stand went into my leg, a lot of my scars are smaller or like blend into my skin fairly ell cause of my other scars or honestly i forget about them cause. i hae so many so i realy am not sure.

i tag @wayward-river @the-gargoyle-queen @whenallsaidanddone @riverdalebingo @theangriestpea @southsidevixen-blog

[mosylufanfic]

Some Rules Are Meant to be Broken

Killervibe Week Day 4: Free Day

So . . . a little background on this. A long time ago (looooooooooooong time ago) some lovely nonny sent me a request for a matchmaker AU. I went OOOOOO. My brain started popping and fizzing with thoughts and before I knew it I had a whole multi-chapter story in my head. Which was where it stayed, because I think I was working on other multi-parters at the time and there are only so many hours in the day. I maybe wrote one scene, and then it sank into the depths of my Gdocs like a dinosaur succumbing to the tar pits.

This happens way more often than I care to admit.

Then I was whining on Discord about how I was suffering from choice paralysis for Free Day. Too many ideas, not enough words. And I realized I had a whole bunch of partial fics just sitting around, waiting for me to actually finish them up. So what did I do? Went back to the matchmaker AU and wrote the end. From scratch. In about a day and a half. In my defense it was all in the primordial ooze of my brain-meats, I just had to find the words and put them in the right order.

Anyway I hope if that very patient and long-denied nonny is reading this, you like it.

Some Rules Are Meant to be Broken

The offices of Connections were dim and shadowed as Cisco unlocked the door. He didn't bother hitting any lights, so familiar with the layout that he could navigate the waiting room by the dim light of the Central City skyline outside the windows.

He walked down the hall, past a wall of framed pictures that gleamed faintly in the low light. Happy couples, wedding invites, birth announcements, even the occasional letter or printed email thanking Connections for matching the client with the love of their life.

There were more inside his office, some of his personal triumphs. He turned away from them and felt around until he released the catch on two doors set into the wall. He pulled them open to reveal a small but well-stocked bar.

He ignored the glasses and the minifridge full of ice and chilled drinks, and grabbed a bottle of Scotch right off the shelf. A couple of steps took him to a small sitting area arranged by the window, and he dropped into one of the comfy chairs. Scowling, he worked the cork out. It released with a pop, and he tossed it aside and drank right from the bottle.

He didn't normally drink at work unless he was entertaining a client, but this was a special occasion. 

Twenty minutes later, the lights in the waiting room flicked on, and then his door opened and his overhead lights blazed. He squinted and said, "Hey."

His business partner, Iris West-Allen, leaned in the doorway. "Well, don’t you look pitiful."

He slouched in his chair, looking up at her.

"You gonna share?" she asked.

He swung the bottle in her general direction. "Have a snort."

She looked at it, shook her head, and got up to grab a glass from the bar, as comfortable in his office as she was in her own. She poured herself a couple of fingers of scotch and sipped. "You're chugging this?" she asked. 

"Yes," he said. "What’s the problem?"

"Nothing, if it was flavored vodka from Safeway. But this is a Lagavulin that's old enough to drive."

"Time it got drank, then," he said, and took another slug straight from the bottle, while she shook her head. "Great party," he said when the silence threatened to drown him.

"One of our best," she replied. "I saw at least five couples pairing off."

He stared at the label on the bottle. "Uh-huh."

"Even Caitlin Snow seemed to find someone she liked."

This time, the answer was much slower in coming. "Uh-huh."

"I don't know why we didn't think of introducing her and Ronnie before."

He shut his eyes and saw again the way that Caitlin had smiled and laughed with Ronnie Raymond. One of Iris's clients, not his, but Cisco knew him anyway because they matched up each others' clients all the time. Tall, good-looking, nice, smart, a go-getter, and on top of all that a genuinely good guy. Perfect for Caitlin. One of his better matches, honestly. 

Shit.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "They were perfect together."

Iris stared at him, then shook her head. "You ding-dong," she said. 

He rubbed his eyes and didn't offer a defense. He had none. 

"What's the first rule?"

"Don't talk about Fight Club?" When she glared, he sighed. "Figure out what the client wants, and give it to them."

"And the second rule?"

"Don't fall in love with a client."

"I told myself you were fine," she said. "I told myself you were a pro and have been for years. I thought, hey, Cisco really likes this client. She's a challenge, and he likes a challenge. You're meeting her week after week, talking over her dates, texting with her, but that's no big deal. We've all had clients we just clicked with."

"Yeah." Some of his best friends were former clients.

"And then Caitlin and Ronnie hit it off at the party, and I look over expecting to see you doing a goddamn happy dance. Instead you look like someone ran over your dog."

He remembered that moment. Not that he'd noticed Iris looking at him. But the moment he'd seen Caitlin laugh at something Ronnie said, touching his arm, smiling up at him, he hadn't had the bright zing! of a match successfully made.

Instead, it had been like cement pouring into his gut, as he realized that he was watching the woman he loved fall in love with someone else.

Iris swirled her Scotch and stared him down. "Did you sabotage her intros?"

He sat up straight. "No!" 

"Are you sure?"

"I - " He stopped.

What if he had? Maybe, subconsciously, he'd been in love with her since the moment she'd come into his office, grumpy and uncooperative because her mother had bought her a package of five introductions through a matchmaking service. What if he'd been finding matches that he could tell himself were the right guys for her, but in reality, were just wrong enough for her to keep coming back?

Keep seeing him. 

Keep talking to him.

Keep smiling at him with those big beautiful brown eyes. 

"I don't know," he muttered finally. 

Iris held out her hand. "Her file. Now."

Cisco slumped down into his chair and drank again. "Top drawer."

She went and got it, and refrained from pointing out that Caitlin's file was the only one in the top drawer. She flipped it open to study his notes for a moment. "She's got one more intro."

He took another drink. "From the looks of it, she won't be using it."

She shrugged. "We deposited the check for the full package. Until she uses it all, she's still a client."

"Right." Caitlin could come back years from now, asking for her last intro, and she would be entitled to it. 

What would he do if she did? Would he smile at her fondly, remembering that long-ago time when he'd fallen in love with her, the feelings soft and faded like old flower petals?

Or would they still be simmering away? Rising up in him like a volcano?

He didn't know which to hope for.

Iris tucked Caitlin's file under her arm and came back to the sitting area to give him a hug. "I'm sorry," she said in his ear, her voice gentle.

He leaned against her. "My fault," he muttered back. "I should have known what was going on sooner."

"Love catches us all unawares." She ruffled his hair and he ducked away from her, scowling and finger-combing it back into place. 

"You want to come over and watch terrible horror movies with my husband?" she asked. "I'll supply the ice cream and the tissues."

Tempting, but he knew that the whole time, he'd be remembering an evening he'd spent with Caitlin in much the same way. She'd been down because she'd gotten stood up for a third date, and Cisco had been the one supplying the ice cream. They'd ended up snuggled together on the couch - that exact couch right here, across from the chair he sat on - giggling helplessly over a cheesy sci-fi movie cued up on his laptop.

(He'd also taken great pleasure in calling Julian and ripping him a new one the next day. No spark or not, Connections clients did not stand up other clients without so much as a text.)

"I think I'll go home and wallow on my own for a day or two," he said, re-corking the Scotch and setting it on the coffee table. "Maybe crack open some Safeway vodka. I got a bottle of caramel flavor that's calling my name."

Iris eyed the level of the liquor. "Want me to drive you?"

He got to his feet and gulped when the floor tipped under his feet. "Maybe you'd better," he said.

He felt a little steadier when she dropped him off at his building. Steady enough to get up to his loft, anyway. She leaned over from the driver's seat, eyes compassionate. "Call me if you need me. Don't drink yourself to death."

"No promises," he said. 

"You gonna be okay?" she asked.

"I've fallen in love before," he said. "This is just one heartbreak. I'll survive, and I'll fall in love again someday."

But none of them would be her.

A week later, Cisco had clocked several hangovers, lots of empty Kleenex boxes, and about a million calories in ice cream. The sharp slice of pain had dulled to an ache in his chest. 

Three or four hundred times a day, he picked up his phone to text Caitlin. Sometimes it was an absent-minded, Oh hey, she'd enjoy this meme and sometimes it was what would it hurt to say hi? 

Sometimes, when he was being honest with himself, he was about to declare his love and beg her to be with him. 

She hadn't contacted him. Obviously, too busy being wildly in love with Ronnie Raymond. 

In his weaker moments, he pictured them holding hands as they walked by the river, dining by candlelight, kissing on a balcony before slipping inside to a darkened bedroom.

That was usually followed by more drinking, more tears, and more ice cream. 

He managed, somehow, to keep the messier moments out of the office, if only because he was intensely aware of Iris's compassionate and piercing eye. It helped that he'd given their office assistant the key to his liquor cabinet, with strict instructions not to give it back unless he was with a client, and threats of death and dismemberment if he caught Ralph with liquor on his breath at work. 

So Cisco was unfortunately sober as he sat at his desk, riffling through index cards with client names and brief notes on them, trying to figure out who would be enough of a match for each other to set up intros. 

Usually it felt like a jigsaw puzzle, moving people next to each other, making guesses at who would click into place. This guy would love that girl's quirky sense of humor. That guy would gel nicely with this guy's freewheeling lifestyle. That girl would be impressed by this girl's high-powered job. 

But for the past week, it had felt like shoving paper dolls around. The client cards sat on his desk, click-less. Not buzzing or fizzing in the way that meant this could be true love. Just . . . two people standing next to each other. 

He shoved his hands through his hair and let out a deep groan. 

This is what you do. You're good at it, and you love it.

"Not right now, I don't," he said to his empty office. 

His phone dinged with a text. He picked it up. Iris had written, Running late. Not going to be back for my 2:30. It’s an intake. Can you do it for me?

No prob, he wrote back. Here?

She'd prefer to meet at Jitters

Sometimes people asked for that. They didn't want to feel so much like they were contracting a service. More like they were chatting with a friend, asking for a casual setup. Cisco was happy to let them feel that way, even as they were John Hancock'ing the contract and promising to pay their more than healthy fee. 

And it would be good to get out of here. Stretch his legs, get some air and caffeine. Who knew - maybe a new client would kickstart his mojo. 

He tapped out, Has this new girl got a file?

On my desk 

You're the best

Damn right I am

He glanced at the time and realized he was going to need to book it in order to get downstairs to the coffee shop on time. Damn, Iris had cut it close. He dashed across the hall to his partner's office and grabbed the manila envelope that sat on her otherwise pristine desk. "Client meet at Jitters," he called out on his way through the waiting room. "Text if you need me."

"Got it, boss," Ralph said cheerily, scrolling through Facebook as he did a basic background check on a prospective client. 

"And don't call me boss."

"You betcha, boss."

Cisco rolled his eyes and yanked the door shut behind him.

He'd planned to have a quick look at their new client's file on the elevator, but it was occupied by a guy from the next floor up, someone he'd successfully set up last year. Cisco smiled and glad handed and made appreciative noises over the pictures of the house the couple had just bought together, but he stepped out of the elevator with the envelope still sealed. 

Jitters was on the street-level floor of their building. When he walked in, a barista waved to him and started making his usual without asking. He waved back and looked around. Nobody was obviously waiting, so he grabbed a quiet corner booth and settled down to open up the client file.

Instead of the usual intake form with attached picture, there was just a sheet of blank printer paper with Iris's scrawl dashed across it. 

Remember rule one.

He gaped at it. 

Then the heaviness of the envelope registered. He put his hand in and pulled out the sparkling starburst pin that they issued to all their clients, so they could identify each other at an intro. Worlds away from a chrysanthemum and a copy of Wuthering Heights. 

"What?" he whispered.

The bell over the door jingled, and he looked up. "Caitlin," he said numbly.

It felt like a year, not a week, since he'd seen her. He drank her in. God, she was so beautiful. But pale. She looked pale. And there were shadows under her eyes, even though she'd tried to hide them with makeup. 

Had she been lying awake like him? Or . . . maybe she'd been awake for a better reason, with Ronnie.

She smiled. Was it his imagination or was it a nervous smile? "Hi, Cisco. Can I sit down?"

"Hey. I actually - uh - I'm meeting a client here -" He saw the starburst pin on her blouse, identical to the one he held, and stopped. 

"You're meeting me," Caitlin said, taking a seat across from him.

"I don't - " Maybe he wasn't caffeinated enough, even though he'd downed three or four cups since this morning. "Did Iris talk to you?"

"Yes," she said, twisting her hands together on the tabletop. "You didn't text."

He avoided her eyes. "No, sorry, we've been busy - "

"You usually text the day after a date to see how it went, but you didn't, after the party. And you left that night kind of quickly, without saying goodbye. So I -  I waited a day and then I called the office, just in case you weren't feeling well. And Iris told me that she was going to be my matchmaker now."

"We do that sometimes," he said. "Shuffle things around. To redistribute the workload."

Lie and a half. They never, ever did that. They matched clients with matchmakers as carefully as they matched clients with each other. 

"Yes," Caitlin said. "That's what Iris said." 

"So - um. What's this all about? You just wanted to talk?" 

Was this Iris's idea of closure? Did she somehow think this would be good for him?

This was very much not good for him. He was already mentally selecting which flavor of vodka was going to destroy his liver tonight.

"I met with Iris here yesterday," Caitlin said. "We talked for awhile and then she asked me what I want. And I told her." She bit her lip and held his gaze. "I want you."

"Me," he said.

She nodded. Her hands twisted around themselves like a nest of anxious worms. "Not as my matchmaker. As - as my match."

He felt his mouth fall open. "But . . . " he said numbly. "But Ronnie. You were totally into Ronnie at the party."

"Ronnie was very nice," Caitlin said. "He asked for my number and we had dinner the next day. And if things were different, I could see us becoming something. But there was already you."

He swallowed hard. Him.

Him over Ronnie. Tall, hot, good-guy Ronnie. 

She twisted her hands again. "And I know I'm a client and you're a professional and there are rules about this kind of thing. But the best part of this whole experience has been you. Every date I went on, I was just thinking the whole time how to tell you about it. Every time your name pops up on my phone, my heart skips a beat. Every day I just want to come by the office here and see you, talk to you, and the days I could were just . . . better, Cisco, they were better."

She gulped air, as if the cascade of feelings had drained her lungs to the bottom. 

"Maybe this is like therapy where transference is a risk, and maybe you're just like that with everyone, but I -"

"I'm not, though," he said, reaching out across the table for her hand.

She stopped dead, her eyes going big. "You're not?"

He shook his head. "Only with you."

"Oh," she breathed.

"And I am a professional and we do have rules, but I was just - I was in the middle of it before I even knew what was happening."

"The middle of what?"

"Love," he said. "I'm all the way in the middle of love with you, and I've been a complete wreck trying to find my way out."

Her hand tightened on his. "Don't," she said. "Don't try to get out. Just stay here. With me."

She was too far away, a continent of table in between them. He scooted around the booth and took her face in his hands, asking a silent question.

She answered it by leaning forward and kissing him. 

Joy bubbled up, floating him away until his only anchors to earth were her lips on his, her arms around his neck, the curves of her body pressed up against his.

Something thumped, and someone coughed.

They broke apart and found the red-faced barista setting two coffees down in front of them. "Both on the Connections tab?" she asked.

Cisco dug in his pocket. "No, this is personal." He wiggled his brows at Cailtin. "I know how you feel about the first date, but seriously, let me get this."

She leaned into him. "Fine but I'm buying the ice cream later on."

The barista took his credit card away, still blushing, and Cisco took a sip of his latte. It was the same thing he always got, but it tasted like ambrosia. "So, ice cream?" he asked, taking Caitlin's hand.

"Well, or dinner, or . . ." She trailed off. "You're not going to get in trouble for this or anything, are you?"

"Considering Iris set this whole thing up like the scheming schemer she is, I'm gonna go with no."

"But what if you get your license revoked, or something?"

"Just how organized do you think we are?" He kissed her knuckles. "No, I'm not gonna lose my license. No license to lose. There are a couple of rules in the matchmaking biz, but they're kinda like the pirate code."

"Guidelines," Caitlin said, and he grinned hugely at her. 

"Exactly. There is a rule about never falling in love with a client, and that's a grey area for us, but technically you're Iris's client now, not mine."

"Mmmm. Seems like splitting hairs."

"I'll gladly split a few hairs for us," he said. "But the very first, most important rule is, get the client what they want." He squeezed her hand. "And you already told me what you want. Which is coincidentally what I want, which . . ." He paused. "Hang on, does that make me my own client now?" How much did he owe himself? Hmmm.

"Oh! Iris asked me to give you this," Caitlin said. She dug around in her purse and handed over an envelope with the logo of Connections in the return address corner. 

Somehow knowing what he would find, Cisco opened it anyway. Inside was an invoice. Iris's name was neatly typed in the Matchmaker line, and on the line where they would put the client's name, he saw his own.

One introduction, the invoice read. And down where the price would be, Iris had written I totally expect to be your best man.

Cisco grinned at it and tucked it away. "Hey," he said, reaching out to touch the starburst on Caitlin's shirt. "You can take that off. You're not going to need it anymore."

Caitlin peered down to undo the pin. "No, I most certainly won't."

FINIS

[northernrainforest]

Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving here in Ketchikan (and everywhere else in the US) and the past few days have been an interesting study in island living. Tuesday Ladybug and I ran a few errands after her morning at the gymnastics club – they open it up to little ones one day a week and it’s a pretty awesome way to blow off some steam when the rains are hitting hard. Our first errand was to drop a package at the post office. Hot tip: if you’re ever in Ketchikan, and the line of one or two people at the post office right by the Alaska Marine Highway ferry terminal seems interminable, you can head five miles north and go to the post office in Ward Cove. Ward Cove as a neighborhood is just a blip: if you’re driving fifty up Tongass Highway (not, by the way, an actual highway by most people’s standards) you’ll have to downshift slightly as you go around the bend, the cove to your left, with its Fed Ex outpost and handful of float planes. The gymnastics club is tucked in next door to Fed Ex, in a converted warehouse. They moved recently (though before we arrived) and there was some grumbling about the jump in price: a 10-punch card for Tot Gym is now $40, up from $25. I could see how this would feel like a big increase. On the other hand, I would encourage anyone who’s actually mad about this to go to any indoor play space in a big city in the lower 48; it will cost at least twice as much.

Anyway, if you continue north less than a quarter of a mile, you’ll see the Ward Cove post office on your right. Tucked into the same little shopping strip – can I call it that? I’m going to – is a combo gas station/liquor store/pizza place, a hair salon, and the Green Bean, one of the best coffee places on the island. They roast their own beans – a good reminder that we’re living in… well let’s call it the GreaterPacific Northwest. I doubt anyone in Seattle or Portland is looking to Ketchikan for our coffee culture, but it’s here and it’s real. It’s similar to how good coffee is omnipresent in Amsterdam – walk into any office or home there and one of the first exchanges you will be a part of is “Koffie?” “Ja, lekker.” I think the weather and the dark winters foster this attachment to warm deliciousness, which is fine by me. I’ve always been a fan of a hot drink on a cold day.

All that to say: you’ve just experienced Ward Cove. You could continue north and you’d never know that you missed a magical feature of the island. So instead, turn inland from Tongass Highway via Revilla Road (within a very short distance, you’ll be fully surrounded by Tongass National Forest), then turn onto the road with the brown campground signs and you’ll hit Ward Lake, with its forested loop. The first time Steve and I did this easy little hike, he told me he’d Vision-quested it: as in, when we were trying to escape Los Angeles like we were in an old Kurt Russell movie, he pictured what he wanted, and the Ward Lake loop was it. Dark and mossy, it’s the kind of path that desperately wants to grow over itself; but for all the pesky walkers, it would undoubtedly succeed. In the time of the WPA, folks up here erected several wood and stone shelters with fireplaces – after a walk or a fishing expedition, and even in the pouring rain, a person could have a pretty excellent picnic, looking out at the lake. The last time Flo and I were up there, someone had made a fire and left it burning; the little cabin beckoned us, and we sat by the fire and warmed up.

So that’s Ward Cove andWard Lake. But back to the post office. It was raining (I forgot to mention: it’s always raining now) and Ladybug whimpered about not wanting to get out of the car again. So I gave her an apple, I locked the doors, and I left her in the car. It’s worth noting that there have been incidents of arrests for leaving small children in parking lots in big cities and suburbs. It’s also worth noting that I wouldn’t have left her alone in the car even in our gatedcarportin Los Angeles. But if you could see this post office, you’d understand. There’s just no reason to imagine that a child wouldn’t be safe there. And of course if you’re reading this in a small town like Ketchikan, you’re probably wondering why I’m bothering to mention it at all – of course a five-year-old is okay on her own, in a parking lot, for three minutes, especially with the doors locked. What could possibly happen? It’s just such a shift for a kid raised in New York, who started raising her own kid in LA – places where anythingcould happen.

Errand number one: done. It was back to town and into Island Pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Island Pharmacy is one of three pharmacies in Ketchikan, and it’s the only one that’s independent (the other two are at Safeway and Walmart.) It’s also a single minute from our house. While we were in there, one of the women working behind the counter mentioned that she still needed to go shopping for Thanksgiving.

“Don’t,” said the older woman paying for her prescription.

“Uh oh,” I said. “Are the stores crazy?”

“Yes,” she said. “And there’s nothing on the shelves.”

I’m not sure I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but it is possible to walk into a grocery store here and find that they’re completely out of, say, eggs. And I mean completely out. Not, like, you might have to buy brown instead of white, or the only ones they have are the $7 cartons where the chickens sleep on memory foam mattresses and only eat kale. (I’m usually somewhere in the middle: uncaged, ideally organic, but I don’t need the chickens to have been massaged on a daily basis.) There are simply no eggs, and any plans you may have had involving eggs will have to be put on hold. So the idea that the shelves were wiped clean was not a crazy one.

Flo got home early that day, so the three of us hightailed it to the grocery store. As we’d been warned, there were some gaping holes. No heavy cream. No egg nog. And, as a lady told me grumpily in the produce aisle, no canned sweet potatoes. We had a long talk about how many fresh sweet potatoes she’d have to use to make her casserole, which normally required three cans; this conversation felt so backwards that I wasn’t even sure I could be helpful, but I tried.

In the end, we got everything we needed. We’d already found a pasture-raised turkey (read: the kale-eating kind) a few weeks prior (two turkeys, in fact; we did a test run when our friend Charlotte came up – Flo made a full on Thanksgiving dinner for her birthday.) It’s Thanksgiving morning, the turkey is thawed out, I have some pumpkin and cranberry-related items to start making, and my parents will get here tonight. When people ask when they’re coming, I say either “Flight 67” or “the 5:00 ferry,” and everyone knows what I’m talking about. It’s like living in an extended episode of Wings.

Last year, our family was one of millions who drove east out of Los Angeles the day before Thanksgiving. We were headed to Castle Valley, Utah, to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law’s magical place (Flo and I got married there, in the shadow of Arches National Park.) It took us two hours to drive twenty miles; we pulled over and had dinner, after which things picked up a little bit. Flo showed me a picture of that same exodus a year later – lines of unmoving cars, brake lights illuminating the freeway. This year we’ll be driving a mile and a half to pick up my parents from the airport ferry.

I’m thankful for a lot of things today – for Ward Lake, and for the Ward Cove post office with its empty parking lot, save a small apple-eating girl. For Green Bean coffee, and the local pharmacy, and the fact that I can live without whipped cream on my pie (BUT JUST THIS ONCE.) For the people I’ve met here, and the people I haven’t met yet, but will. For the sunshine and long days we had when we moved here, and for the rain and the darkness we have now. For the two people I live with whose hearts are all wrapped up with mine, and the third little person who’ll be joining the party soon. And for all of you, wherever you are. Happy Thanksgiving from southeast Alaska. Please eat enough whipped cream for me.

[kevinychen]

Anchorage -> Talkeetna (7/13)

Before our drive to the small town of Talkeetna, we had brunch at one of Natalle's recommendations. It was called Snow City Cafe.

As with all things Anchorage, the wait was an hour and a half.

We put our name down. Luckily, we were right next to downtown Anchorage, so we started to stroll in that direction.

We walked east on 4th ave. It was pretty normal for a city downtown, with gift shops, cafes, and a courthouse. The first mile the interesting thing we saw was the Visitors Center, so we went in.

When the guide inside saw us, his eyes lit up. "Hey, are you Japanese?" We shook our heads. "Oh, well you should check out this building across the street. They have this cool exhibit about earthquakes in Japan. And I thought you all would be interested because I thought you were Japanese."

Becky, Tommy, and Natalle must have cringed and immediately left because when I turned around, they were already gone.

We saw a statue of a sled dog. I got excited because I thought it was Balto, from the Disney movie, but that turned out to be in the town of Nome over 500 miles away.

Downtown Anchorage was all about these commemorations. Here's a plaque right across the statue celebrating the first building built in Anchorage.

And finally (and this one to go while to find), we found the statue of Captain James Cook, the first European to discover the land of Alaska.

There was now only about 30 minutes until the estimated seating time to Snow City Cafe. Perfect for a quick trip to a Safeway about seven minutes away, right? Were driving to Talkeetna the next day, and we want to make some smores there.

We drive seven minutes to the Safeway, get out of the car, and... Natalle gets a text from the cafe saying that the table is ready.

We drive back empty-handed.

The caffe was ok in my opinion; I got a salmon cake benedict. Becky and Natalle really liked it though, and Becky even said it was her second favorite meal after her home cooked meal with asparagus on the first night.

After brunch we went back to the Safeway and had quite an adventure trying to find marshmallows. "Maybe we should also get fire starter," said Tommy. "We're getting everything else so we might as well get that too."

"Nah, everyone goes to Talkeetna for smores, so they'll definitely have fire starter there," said X. "Even though I see the fire starter right in front of me," X continued, pointing at it, "let's just hope they have it at Talkeetna and get it there."

We bought all the food and materials for smores, except for the fire starter.

When we got to Talkeetna, we had dinner at Shirley's Burger Barn, where I got a halibut burger and some really really good tater tots.

We then had a little bit of time before our scheduled hike at 6:30pm, so we walked over to the main downtown street. We saw Shirley's Ice Cream, with the special fireweed ice came flavor! But Becky and Natalle were out of character and for some reason didn't want any (yet).

"Do you think this is the same Shirley?" said Tommy. We kept walking.

We walked past a couple of souvenir stores, but didn't go in because of time. then I saw an old man greeting a woman as she got out of a car. "Hey Shirley!"

Apparently everyone here is named Shirley. On an obviously completely related topic, we pretended to do some mushing.

What is a dogsledder's favorite place?

Mushroom.

Anyway, we made it to the trail head at 6pm. The place was called XY lake, because there were three lakes: one was in the shape of an X, and the other two were named Y and Z probably because the namers didn't have imagination. And Z didn't even make it into the final name.

At about 6:05pm, a big van with a bunch of other people who were to join us on their walk drove up to us. A hairy guy who seemed like he was our tour guide stepped out and greeted us. "Hi, my name is Bernard." He gave a small speech about the area which I didn't find memorable. He also suggested us to put on bug spray. If you read my post on July 11th, then you'll know that we didn't need this reminder.

The walk started out being very informative, basically a brain dump from Bernard to us about all the different plants and berries along the trail. There was the Devil's Club, which was all along the trail, and has dangerous barbed thorns that can be really hard to remove. There were watermelon berries, granny smith apple berries, and delicious red currant berries. (But also similar looking red baneberries that can kill you.).

By the way, Becky already learned about Devil's Club, the raspberries, and all sorts of trees from her hike at Potter Creek. Wow, she's objectively so smart!

Next were the fungi. Basically in the summer time, Bernard would come here often to forage stuff for salads. So there was Old Man's Beard, which is a fungus that looks kind of like Spanish Moss, and tasted like black pepper.

We also saw a loon! And some moose hairs on the ground! And yarrow. And lupines! Which Becky had used to explain to Tommy about the pea family. (Though these purple lupines aren't edible.) And oak ferns! And moss ferns! (Though not really any ostrich ferns there.)

Towards the end, Bernard stopped talking about the plants and instead started talking about himself. Apparently he had been in Alaska since April 2011 and had worked as a guide for a lot of that time, even working at some very secluded and expensive lodges, and conversing with the Alaska elders to learn more about the local foliage.

After about three hours, and a bit of rain towards the end (but I had no shame taking out my umbrella), we finished the walk and headed home.

As we entered the Airbnb, I realized that a mosquito had followed me in. "Darned mosquito," I shouted. I lunged out and grabbed it by the leg. Then I released it back outside.

Rid of that mosquito, we played charades!!!

<insert picture of Snaky smiling here>

[smovlov]

S240 - Quickbeam to Marshall

This is a write-up I posted to the Rivendell Owners Bunch. I rode from SF to marshall Saturday July 1 to Sunday July 2. Click the break if you would like to read it!

all dressed up and somewhere to go

Started on July 2nd around 4:00 in the afternoon. Took the BART over to Embarcadero station and went to the ferry building where I got an empanada and a coffee ice cream in a sugar cone. snacked on those and took a few photos.

Ferry Building with Quickbeam foreground

Made a quick stop at the marina Safeway to pick up some bananas, protein bar, avocado, 4 pack of Hawaiian rolls, and a vegan chocolate chip cookie. After that I did a quick visit down to fort point where I encountered a pod of humpback whales breaching and lobtailing under the Golden Gate Bridge! I spoke to a woman named Elizabeth who was snapping some photos and she sent some to me! 

Humpback lobtailing in the SF Bay, photo credit: Elizabeth

under the Golden Gate Bridge

I stood under the bride for a while until it got too chilly. it was after I got over the bridge that I realized that it would be dark by the time I got to the campsite. I was planning on riding through the Marin headlands and going to Samuel P. Taylor the back way but did not feel like riding later into the night. I pressed on to Corte Madera.

Mt. Tamalpais in the distance, Quickbeam again, foreground

I took the highway route which I had not done before, feels scary facing traffic on 101 separated by a chain link fence, low guard rail, and an emergency lane. I think ill take my chances with traffic on Camino Alto next time. The ride on the trail through Ross and San Anselmo is always nice. I especially like Shady Ln, even more when there is no traffic. I stopped shortly in Fairfax to do a little snacking on a banana, bar, and some bread. I was thinking that whites hill was a little closer so I switched to my lower gear (36,21). Only when I started riding did I realize it was much farther, especially when you're spinning 45 gear inches! I didn't mind it though as it was a nice change of pace, even slowed down a little bit. Finally I hit the hill, its not terribly long or steep but it is a climb, especially with a load and riding a fixed gear in flip flops. I reached the top and spun downhill to a little turnout next to a raving where I switched into the high gear. From here, I rode through the San Geronimo valley. By this time is was dusk and the hills were turning into images that should be painted, photographed, and cherished. I thought about taking a photo but decided to take it all in and keep pedaling with the slight downhill to Lagunitis. 

I arrived in Lagunitas, home of the brewing company of the same name, and jumped onto the Marin cross trail. I tilted the light back just a little to capture any stray branches that were at face level. The ride was pleasant and I didn’t see anyone on the trail. Come to think of it, I hadn't ridden next to anyone since Sausalito!

cycling the Marin Cross Trail, B&m Eyc provides good light

I pulled into the hiker biker site at Samuel P. Taylor state park around 8:30, had dinner and a chat with two groups there. Two dads had brought their 4/5 year old daughters form Corte Madera on the back of two Yubas (think xtracycle/big dummy). The other group parked at Lagunitas and rode in by bike to score a site. I slept without a tent (don’t own one) and listened to the raccoons quarreling down by the stream.

In the morning had a breakfast of banana, oatmeal, and earl grey tea. Bid everyone farewell then headed to Pt. . Reyes Station. the Marin Cross Trail is a great trail with wonderful scenery I hit the bottom of the hill and switched into the lower gear.

Marin Cross trail in the morning light (if 9am counts as morning)

Base of climb up to Bolinas Ridge trail head

Topping out at Bolinas ridge and back into the higher gear, I spun down into the valley, heading towards Pt. Reyes Station.

Top of Bolinas Ridge, ready for the downhill. Drying laundry on the saddle bag.

Arrived at Bovine Bakery and got a fruit slipper (blueberry and cream cheese), armando bun (blueberry and walnuts), and a hot coffee. Sat out front for a while then purchased some more food at the grocery across the street. When I returned to pack everything up I met a man named Jody. We talked bikes, mountain bike history, architecture, construction, and the state of the SF Bay Area in general. Jody had to help his friend unloading a truck so I headed to Marshall for some seafood. There’s a series of rollers that don’t quite fit into my high or low gearing. It was at this time I found out that I have a third gear right in the middle cross chained between my 36 front and 17 rear. I named it the roller gear. I cruised the narrow highway 1 and turned off at the Tomales Bay trail for a little exploration. Bumped down the trail to meet the foot of the marshy bay. Changed out of my pants and into some shorts then headed back to hwy 1 in a tiny exploratory loop.

Trail out to Tomales Bay

Foot of Tomales Bay

Got back on hwy 1 and an appetite was gaining on me. Finally got to Marshall store and ordered six BBQ oysters and a crab sandwich. The oysters were great and by the time I was finished I was wondering how I would find the room to finish the sandwich. Luckily the sandwich never came and I got a refund. I spoke with a couple visiting from Sacramento and gave them a few suggestions on things to do then headed off on my way back to Pt. Reyes. On Saturday I was considering heading up to Jenner but decided against it as it would take too long to ride back the following days.

These were excellent and surprisingly filling, maybe it was the bread!

Note: not a normal sized fork but larger than a standard cocktail fork

It was on the return leg that I started to feel some tightness in my right Achilles tendon. At one point, I stopped to strectch on the side of the road and found in the grass a Stanley 6 1/12 block plane! What luck! Back in Pt. Reyes I grabbed some ibuprofen and WD-40 (not great but it works). One helped the heel and the other helped the squeaky chain. I continued down highway 1 through Olema Valley, accompanied by a consistent headwind

Olema Valley, equipped with great road surface and strong headwind.

Bolinas Lagoon

Made it to Stinson Beach where I laid out in the sand, stretched my legs, then soaked my feet in the chilly Pacific. When leaving I saw a young teenager getting his book bag raided by the park service. Nearby there was a paper plate with pot and an big fat in progress joint.

By the time I left Stinson it was starting to get chilly

From Stinson I decided that instead of taking the detour up Panoramic highway, I would try to dodge the barricade at the Steep Ravine landslide on highway 1. I watched the highway from the beach and saw some cyclists riding down and a few cars driving up so I figured there might be a way around. It was a beautiful exposed climb. Felt like I was riding into the sky!

Stinson Beach below, Pelicans above, magic all around!

When I reached the barricade, I found a lot of fence, a lot of signs, and a police vehicle on the other side. I briefly considered portaging through the Dipsea trail but with a mildly large load and a narrow trail I felt like my best bet would be to descend and take the detour route. Switched back to high gear and spun down to the base, stopping briefly to ponder the pacific ocean and watch some sport climbers attempt a route down at Mickey's beach.

This approach has worked a total of one times, Authority vehicle in background.

unspecific Pacific pondering

At the base of Panoramic I put some water in my bottle and switched into the lower gear. I changed into pants and a shirt as the fog was rolling in and it was getting chilly. I had driven the road before and thought that it would be difficult on a bike, what I didn’t realize is how LONG it was! The climb for me was not easy by this point and I could have sworn it was over seven or eight switchbacks earlier! I think its around 1300' in about 5 or 6 miles. Finally, after climbing out of the fog I reached Pantoll, hot and tired with the fog gaining on me. I ate some bread and nibbled on the Armando bun, refilled the bottles, and switched back into high gear. Almost didn’t make it over the first hill out of parking lot!

foggy and chilly panoramic highway

Spun down Panoramic towards Mill Valley riding the brakes. Traffic was heavy due to the detour and I felt the need to pull off to let the cars pass. Conditions turned epic when I hit the ridge with fog and 25mph winds whipping though. Dropped into mill valley and put on wool socks, changed batteries in my rear light, and switched to the middle gearing. At the Tennessee valley intersection I met Mark, who slowed and allowed me to pull alongside. He asked me about my bike and my tour (not much of a tour, more of an extended ride). He was riding a very nice silver Davidson with a Dura-Ace group. He was preparing for a tour in northern Californian around the Trinity Alps. We talked about riding and a little bit about bikes. He also showed me the back way to get through Sausalito which was pretty cool. Less traffic and a little slower paced which I was completely fine with by this point. After we crossed the foggy, wet, windy Golden Gate Bridge we stopped and chatted for a bit. Hes been riding since moving to California in the 1970's and was turning 78 soon! At the end he said I was doing good for riding on a fixed gear, but I think he was doing much better!

Mark riding at a good clip across the windy, foggy bridge

I finished the ride in my middle gear through the Presidio and ended up getting take out at Osha Thai. Padang curry and coconut rice. Returned to Berkeley via BART at around 9:30pm.

back in "civilization"

Great trip and always great to meet so many nice people. For the most part the cars were polite. I had a few close passes but nothing too bad. I only had one kid yell something at me while riding. Other than that smooth sailing! Next time I might drop my chain rings down 2 teeth each for the "touring" load. I found after the first day, the only reason for the highest gear was for the downhills. Hopefully I can get that freewheel on there before the next ride...

Additional photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/QDize276hRjdi23Y7 

[dcnativegal]

Compulsion & Identity

Ruminations of a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor--Intern

I’m sitting in one of the group therapy sessions with clients who have kept sober from a variety of substances for months or perhaps only days. They pee into a cup or suck on a saliva stick to prove their sobriety to me and their probation officers. They are biding their time and showing up and jumping through hoops that include community service, visits to Treatment Court, and paying off probation fines. Each one of them has harrowing stories. I have so much respect for them. Even when I know for sure they are flat out lying.

I’m trying to understand what it’s like, mentally, emotionally, and socially as they maneuver through their lives and all their important relationships as a sober person. We talk about it. One person admitted, I still don’t know who I am, sober.  I know I was funnier when I was high…

I’m learning all about “Substance use disorder” which is the newest term. (No longer abuse, and less use of the term ‘addiction.’) I have a stack of books with titles like “Buzzed” and “Uppers and Downers.” I remember from my early social work training that there is a stunting of brain maturation when a person starts using a substance regularly. Each of these people starting using as young teenagers. The growing human learns to navigate through life with the help of the mellowing effects of pot, the mania and energy of meth, the disinhibitions of alcohol. There are supremely stupid choices that are made under the influences.  They don’t know how to deal with frustration, with a broken heart, with the moments included under the umbrella: ‘shit happens.’

I don’t know anyone who deals with ‘shit happens’ perfectly.  Well, maybe the Dalai Lama, and the late great Maya Angelou.

My personal drugs of choice are carbs and yarn. Carbs may kill me in the end. I’ve developed pancreatitis, in large part because it’s a side effect of an injectable drug that worked well for me for a couple of years. The other part of why is, simply, gluttony. (Noun. Habitual greed or excess in eating. Ouch. Literally.) My side started hurting in December, and I self-diagnosed kidney stones, so upped the liquids. Didn’t get into see my family nurse practitioner until mid-January. NOT kidney stones but pancreatitis. What the…?  Clear liquids for me. Who knew that there are dozens of kinds of broth.  Although the pain did not disappear, it lessened, and the lipase and other lab values went down to normal when I stuck to liquids. When I eat solids again, the pain and labs worsen. So I’ve been off and on solid food for a while. Every one to two weeks, I give a couple of vials of blood and 3 hours later, my nurse scolds me. Kinda like peeing into a cup, or sucking a saliva test strip. Clean UA? Good labs? It depends on behavior.

Humbling.

A client ‘bangs’ (injects) meth. I indulge in a cookie, or three. Not equivalent, exactly. But pancreatitis is dangerous. Meth is, too.

When ‘shit happens’ to me, which includes simply a bad day, I realized some time ago that I have  a sense of entitlement, of somehow ‘deserving’ the special treat of new yarn, or a Peppermint Patty. Because…. Insert self justification here….  I can imagine that some of the same justification goes on in the mind of people who use meth or pot or beer compulsively.  “I’ve been good… It was a shitty day… Fuck you, bossy bitch, I’m going out… “  As I stand in the checkout line at Safeway, I’m like, I’m tired, just one Peppermint Patty won’t kill me…

Dark chocolate, ice cream, cookies. I’ve heard alcoholics say that if there’s alcohol in the house, it calls to them. Same for me with chocolate. Valerie hides it. At the moment, I think we are totally out. Which is good. (I found her stash. ‘Bye, ‘bye stash. I am a gluttonous theif.)  I’ve been keeping a pile of tiny chocolates in my office for my clients. I give up. They’re all gone now. I couldn’t resist them. I’ll put stress balls in the box that held the mini-snickers and Twix. The Twix were very popular. I was especially fond of the mini-Milky Ways with dark chocolate. Val discovered Russell Stover’s sugar free peppermint patties. Oh. My. God. They are now on the banned list, even though they are sugar free. Even after I start feeling sick, I can eat 10 at a sitting. Like the rat hitting the cocaine water until he dies.

I knew someone who had a compulsion to use pornography. The idea would take root and next thing, that person would be walking into a strip club. Feeling disgusted later, dirty and depressed, the urge would diminish for a while, until the next time. My basic feeling about this whole arena is: tip the sex worker very well and be respectful. But, the compulsion, if it harms relationships with real live humans outside the club, is a problem. Not to mention how porn distorts what men think women actually enjoy.

Cravings.

Chocolate or yarn doesn’t HAVE to be a problem, but for me it is. Everything in moderation, except for me with sugar or yarn. I can ignore a wine bottle. No interest in illegal drugs. But keep sugar away from me. And no more yarn… hm… until I hit the new Willows store in Christmas Valley again.  Seed planted, insert rationalization: I’m supporting an independent local business! (I think this is called ‘stinkin’ thinking’. )

What is your ‘self medication’ of choice, dear reader?

Weed, which seems to be the drug of choice for teens in Lake County is a mixed bag. Pun intended. It made me paranoid and more anxious than I already was when I used it in college. It’s legal in some states but federally illegal. The medical marijuana card is a great thing for those who need it. I’ve seen the videos with people who have Parkinson’s go from violent tremors to graceful movement. For young people, though, I’ve seen it among my kids’ friends, how all motivation seems to vanish. It is the slacker’s drug of choice. I have teenaged clients who are mandated to see me because of weed, and they pee into a cup. I want for them every ounce of motivation to get them out of poverty and do well in school, find a trade, make a better living than their parents.

Our group discussion gave me a chance to revisit my own struggles with identity, as well as my own compulsive behavior.  Perhaps there is a parallel between my deep discovery in my early 40s that I am really and truly gay and my clients’ growing familiarity with their sober selves. For me, it was 2003. My husband had given me permission to figure out whether or not I was gay, bi, whatever. He’d had a serious heart attack, and earnestly pointed out that life is short. What a gift. What insanity.  This journey led to the end of our marriage, which was a hard and painful process but also, to lives lived with authenticity. Thank goddess for therapists. The kids survived and thrived, and he has been with a lovely, gifted, hilarious and STRAIGHT woman for something like 10 years. I have been with the cowhand for nearly 6.

What made that part of my history relevant, perhaps, to the path of the newly sober, is that I had to regroup my identity. As my children’s father put it, I’d changed teams. Not only was I on a different team, that team had a culture, a lingo, a look and feel that was perceptible by something called ‘gaydar’ which I had the beginnings of but really needed to step up. I rented every classic lesbian movie I could find, and some of them were terrible, but all of them taught me something. As a feminine-appearing gay woman, I needed to learn about femmes and femme culture since I am so not a butch. I read Joan Nestle, founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, and the hilarious Leslea Newman who wrote, ‘Out of the Closet with Nothing to Wear’, and the classic, “Heather has two Mommies.” I watched lesbians, especially in lesbian spaces. I learned about my own body, my own range of gender expression.

I moved to the Oregon Outback to be with my sweetie full time instead of half the year, and out here, I miss gay space (like a gay bar, community center, or Pride event), other gay people, any tiny glimpse of a gender bending queer sensibility.

We all feel this way, in each of our identities. Jewish people feel more comfortable when surrounded by other Jews. Women feel relaxed when there are no men present, and vice versa. Alcoholics can avoid the stigma when they are with other alcoholics. Ranchers enjoy the company of other ranchers.

Just this past week I met, FINALLY, another gay person who lives in Lake County. This person is married, and so now I know there are FOUR GAY PEOPLE IN LAKE COUNTY.  We’ll have a tiny gay pride parade in our living room come June, with a very large rainbow flag.

For my newly sober clients, it’s an adventure to learn who they are with their families, with their wives or husbands or girlfriends or boyfriends, with their employers, at their church. To say to their children, “yes, I have messed up, and I’m getting it together. No need to be sarcastic with me. I am still your parent.” They seek out the company of others in recovery to survive. There are several twelve step meetings in the county, thank goodness.  Since all of my clients started using in their early teens, there is a lot of growing up to do, all the while they have very real and heavy adult responsibility. It’s a lot to manage, in a punitive and financially strapped environment.  

For the sober, a hot bath has to take the place of a beer, or a bowl. All of those strong emotions cannot be mediated by a substance. Frustration? Anger? Sadness? How does one deal with those without an upper or a downer?  And if I have a rough day, I do not have to buy a Peppermint Patty.

I seek to relate to them and their stories, even while I immerse myself in online courses about substance use disorder. It’s a bit narcissistic, I know, to search for my own parallel struggle to humanize theirs. But as Anne Lamott once so wisely said, I am the turd around which the world revolves.

On New Year’s Eve, I went to Soul Collage at Toni’s house in Paisley, and made a New Year’s mandala (which I shared a picture of, two posts ago.)  In the center is a primate surrounded by bananas, and around the primate were examples of embodiment, words of encouragement, and healthy foods. It was shortly into 2017 that I was diagnosed with pancreatitis. I am now FORCED by my side pain and bad labs to get my eating act together, out of the realm of gluttony. Be careful what you wish for.

I went to Soul Collage again recently, and created two cards to help me tell the story of my clients, and also my own story. They depict the journey from serious faces to happy faces, with stops at

·        Know thine enemy and maybe befriend them, (the man and the skunk, the user and the dealer, the lesbian and the Trumpette)

·        Find your people and cuddle up to them to rest (like a pile of kittens)

·        Be creative in all things, with colored pencils or your new sense of who you can be now

·        Get used to feeling your feelings including the negative ones. They will not kill you. Smoking or ‘banging’ them away is procrastination. So are Peppermint Patties.

·        Do the work. No way to short cut the work. Carry the water that needs carrying and don’t be a whiney child about it. I know it’s a bitch to be a grownup and exercise self-control when other people are allowed to be such pains in the asses!!! Remember: sometimes, I AM THAT BITCH.

·        Allow time for joy, for running free, for deeply enjoying pleasure that doesn’t carry guilt. Find that joy if it’s new to you, the guilt-free kind! (Salad? Sigh. Knitting with the yarn I already own? YES.)

·        Make a home within yourself if not in the outside world. Make that home cozy and full of love. Beautiful and familiar. Full of life and healing. (I’m ALWAYS working at this, the finding and maintenance of home…)

The journey to sobriety, to a whole and generous life, is not a straight line, more like a circle or a spiral, hopefully forward. All the same, as Proust said,

The real voyage of discovery consists in not seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.         

[backyardnomads-blog]

“In my food world, there is no fear or guilt, only joy and balance.”

– Ellie Krieger 

  EATING HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS MEALS is no easy feat for most of us even on a good day, so trying to find them when you are setting out on a week long road trip with no kitchen, fridge, or counterspace can feel nearly impossible! …Or at least, that is how I felt during those early road trip adventures.

Even, a simple three day trip can seem easy enough, but when you are have a set budget, just squeezing every penny, you really got to get creative! So PREPARATION, ORGANIZATION, RESEARCH, & CREATIVITY are central ingredients to success & have quickly become dear friends of mine over the years!

Obviously, being equipped with the PROPER GEAR can make the process a whole lot easier, such as refridgerators or travel coolers, but it isnt always essential to eat tasty, nutritional meals.

  Read Below to find my CURRENT TOP FAVORITE ideas when embarking on a long road trip.

Spark your CREATIVE mind and make your PLANNING a whole lot EASIER this summer!

#1  Refried bean burritos. Wraps, salsa pack, jar of salsa.

Simple. Quick. Delicious. We love this QUICK MEAL when we are driving, plus the ingredients can be easily switched out for a new TASTY EXPERIENCE everyday!

The possibilities are endless, truly limited only by your imagination!

Buy:

6-8 packs of tortilla wraps (cheese, spinach, tomato, or original),

jar of Old Salsa,

taco/burrito seasoning packets,

refried beans (substitue with your choice),

& whatever veggies you like.

Pre-cut veggies are ideal when making these in the car & dry veggies are our top picks: bell peppers, lettuce, & cilantro.

*If you have a cooler then your options widen even more…but if not then stick to simple and mess free options (aka, steer clear of soar cream until you are safely parked!)

  #2 Rotisserie Chicken and Potato Salad

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE TRAVELLING, local grocery stores can be a termendous money saver! THREE top stops include: Safeway, Walmart, Superstore, from which we often find late night suppers after a long day on the road!

Many grocery stores that cook whole, fresh CHICKEN or hams located in deli or “ready to eat” sections.

Fill out the meal: prepped SALADS, freshly baked BREAD, CHEESE, & club soda

Selections vary & its “first come, first serve” so planning ahead can ensure that when you arrive there are chickens left!

#3 Sandwiches & Wraps

A GREAT OPTION if you are planning to prepare the sandwhiches at home and consume them during the first leg of your journey! (Depending on what you put inside, it can get messy if you try making them out on the road, although not impossible, it just requires more creativity and possibly stopping at a sideroad park or rest-stop).

Instead of the traditional bread, try using tortilla wraps or big buns instead! They do a better job of keeping all the sauce & ingredients tightly together and prevents spilling!

Fresh Buns & Lunechon Meat with Cheese: This may not win any instagram contests anytime soon, but it sure does hit the spot when you are hungry!

What’s even better…keep your eye open for those local, small town bakeries which often sell delicious, freshly baked buns for extra yumminess!

  If you are a sandwich lover…then you will appreciate Arielle Weg’s

“14 healthy snacks and meals that travel well”

@ cookinglight for more 10 sandwich ideas!

  #4 Muffins, Muffins, Muffins

We ABSOLUTELY LOVE this option, especially when they are freshly homebaked the night before (or perhaps more realistically…store bought haha).

From our experience, a 6 pack muffins tend to last 1-2 days before they begin to loose their freshness…but if your family is anything like ours then they will probably be long gone before then!

Convientent, mess free, & filling…muffins can easily be enjoyed all through the day. (Bring along a sturdy storage container to prevent any squashing).

Love Banana or zuchinni bread?!

Stop by Lisa’s 100 days of real food  for her delicious recipes…

whole-wheat zucchini bread   & whole-wheat banana bread.

These can be healthy breakfast or tasty snack to bring along!

  #5 Fruit

This probably goes without saying, but FRUIT CAN BE THE PERFECT OPTION if you are setting out on the road. The best part is that they are highly nutritional and affordable. Even if you are not a huge fan of fruit, when you are out there on the road they can help keep away those afternoon sugar lows and boost energy levels! 

Top picks for fruit that don’t require any or much refridgeration:

 Bananas.

(Try pairing with peanut butter for an even sweeter treat). Buying in bulk is cheap and perfect if you have limited cooler space. These often last for days so long as they are kept in a cool, dark space in our car.

  Apples. 

Surprise, surprise…of course you just gotta try it with peanut butter! **you can now buy PB from a tube now! Save the hassile of knives!!

  Watermelon.

Bursting with nutritional benefits, it will leave you feeling refreshed during those steaming hot days. Pack one to enjoy either throughout the day or once you arrive at your destination. Be warned though, it is very messy & juicy, so best to pre-cut (cubed without the peels) & store before leaving!

Christmas Oranges.  

Perfect only if they can be easily peeled without a knife, otherwise they become an absolute nightmare!

    Berries: Strawberries, Blueberries, Cherries.

...depending on what time of year you are traveling, it is possible to find local fruit vendors selling alongside the road!

Whenever we travel to British Columbia, there are sellers at almost every street corner!

#6 Prepared Veggies

PREPPING beforehand can be a lifesaver when those cravings hit and you are hundreds of miles away from the nearest convenience store! Keep them in portion sized ziplock baggies or containers to make it a bit more easier & keep eating time organized.

Nowdays, grocery stores sell pre-cut, pre-washed veggies in bags ready to eat, which can be a lifesaver for campers or road nomads!

Our top favorites, include:

Ants On A Log.

Take pre-cut celery stocks, spread them with peanut butter & top off with rasins!

Pre-cut & pack the celery to combine later to avoid peanut butter getting everywhere!    

      Pre-Cut Carrots                             Snap Peas                                     Bell Peppers 

     Cherry Tomatoes

  OH! Don’t Forget DIPS:

Ranch, Hummus, Tzatziki or……!! 

#7 Dark Chocolate

WHILE NOT A MEAL, I couldn’t deny that this is a #1 on our grocery list! It keeps away those gas station cravings & impulse buys.

We normally buy one large bar of chocolate at Superstore which we then portion out to last our entire trip…give or take 😉

But that is not all…. also check out pudding cups & fruit cups, which come in bulk!!    Just don’t forget spoons 🙂

Check out Women’sHealth’s 9 Health Benefits of

Chocolate that will have you jumping for joy!

  #8 Soda or Infused Water (Stay Hydrated!)

It is easy to go for soda while traveling & while this may be the best option for some, we have found that in comparison to when we used to buy it, we stay better hydrated & refreshed when drinking club soda or sparkling water instead!  **Don’t forget to pop in a few lemon or lime slices for extra zest! These come in cans or bottles, along with all sorts of flavours for every mood!

Regardless of your choice of beverage, it is a smart idea to bring some water supply in case of emergencies, car trouble, or traffic jams. Although we like to rely on our reusable travel sized water bottles, we also fill up our 7 gallon (26.5 Litres) camping water jug just as back up. Plus this can easily be used for cleaning hands & washing dishes!

#9 Cured Meats – Charcuterie (with pennies)

This has got to be by far our most favorite foods & meal option! I’m not sure if it is the romanctic allure that makes this feel both classy for date nights or just practial when driving, but either way it is tasty & filling!!! At most grocery stores you can buy cured sausage, cold cut meats, & salami. 

(Downside: for the most part, meats need to be kept in a cooler or refridgerated. SOooo, we just “buy as we go”.… besides, we rarely have leftovers its so delicious!)

Traditionally, charcuteries can become very expensive, however, there are ways to still enjoy it without busting your budget! In fact, Holly from “spend with pennies” beautifully describes everything you need to know about achieving a budget friendly charcuterie: 

“HOW TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD”

Suggested Cured Meat for travel Charcuterie:

proscuitto salami

genovia salami

garlic or chorizo sausage

sliced chicken

sliced smoked turkey      Honey/ black forest hams

  You can also add: pre-pack pickles, olives, grapes, pate, spinach dip, dried apricots, fresh fruits, &, of course, aged cheese to create a full meal!

 **Who says you can’t splurge & fine dine while traveling!  

  To learn more about the traditional style, 

take a quick peek at “Making a Charcuterie

Plate” @ Dartagnan! 

  #10 Hard, Aged Cheese

IF YOU ARE A LOVER OF CHEESE THEN THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! Sadly, despite my love, I am no coniseour of cheese, so I have relied on those more experienced to learn which types of cheeses are safe to eat without refridgeration!

Thankfully, assistant chef on The Martha Stewart Show, Nora Singley provides us with excellent insight in her article,  “Have Cheese, Will Fly: What Cheeses Travel Well The Cheesemonger”, while also outlaying the essentials to remember when choosing which cheese to buy.

Singely advices that hard, aged, and/or goat cheeses with an exterior rind are best, while avoiding semi-soft like Fontina or Brie or any fresh cheeses like Ricotta.

                                                – READ Singley’s full article here.

Likewise, our next cheese expert & backpacker, Laurel Miller suggests avoiding “mozzarella…camembert…blue cheeses or washed rinds (this refers to stinky cheeses, regardless of texture, like Delice du Jura, Taleggio, or Epoisses“

                   – EXPLORE Miller’s FULL Article @ Backpacking with Cheese.

Below are MORE Suggestions:

“Super-aged cheeses, most of which get more than two years of age: Goudas, Parmigiano Reggiano, Piave, Grana Padano, and Mimolette“

 – Nora Singley, kitchn

“Aged cheeses like a 2-year Gouda or 5-year Cheddar will have nutty, caramel and butterscotch characteristics, as well as some crystallization (those pleasingly crunchy bits, which are actually proteins). Try these with a post-dinner whiskey or bourbon (you know you have some) around the campfire”.

 – Laurel Miller, Backpacking with Cheese.

  Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Appenzeller Gruyère

English Montgomery’s Cheddar

– Jennifer Meier, “Which Types of Cheese travel well?”

#11 Salads

When grocery stores now selling pre-package SALADS with little salad dressing packages, enjoying a tasty salad has NEVER BEEN EASIER! When it comes to meal options, this is a must have for us, whether it be a side or main course meal.

Due to its versitility, if you plan & prep correctly you can go many days without having the same variety twice. Not only that, but it will provide you with the vitamins, nutritional energy necessary to cope with travel stresses!

 *Try adding pre-cooked chicken strips, found in most major grocery stores’ meat or deli sections (walmart, superstore).

#12: Canned Goods

WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPING & ROAD TRAVEL canned foods can be an astoundingly affordable choice! Traveling is not cheap and every little cost adds up, so having some meals on hand can not only save you money but also provide an emergency supply!

Our top favorites, include:

Ravioli. These often come in 8-12 family packs, which is sufficient for snacking during long road trips. *Just remember to pack forks & napkins/wipes.

Fish:  Tuna. Salmon. Sardines. If this is your thing then you are in luck! Nowadays, there is such an incredible selection of ready-to-eat tuna packets paried with crackers & all sorts of varieties to choose from.

Soups:  Unless you want to eat this cold…this one is best left as a quick meal once you arrive at your destination, assuming you are not staying at a hotel. (I like to heat this up on our camping propane burner stove as soon as we arrive, so that once our campsite is set up dinner is ready to go!)

Veggies: Green Peas or Cream Corn.

Pesto & Bruchetta.  Add flavor to pretty much anything with these two, whether its for a full meal or afternoon snack. Combine it with fresh bread loaf, garlic bread, or crackers.

**Be sure to choose cans which have peel/pull off lids so that you don’t need the hassle of a can opener. We have had many a story where sauce or tuna juice went flying all over the car dash leaving us smelling like a fish market for the remainder of the trip!!

#13 Popcorn

Fun. Buttery. Tasty.

THIS CLASSIC.. never gets old & is designed for larger qualities, which is a perfect snack food for trips that will feed the whole family! Just pop a bunch & pack the popcorn away in sealed containers or brown paper bags for a delicious, quick snack.

It will remind you of the comforts of home when you are miles away.

  #14 Nuts

I am not a huge fan, but my fiance swears by them & is often caught sneaking bags into our grocery cart, especially when shopping for trips!

 Almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, trail mix, pistachios

#15 Chips with Salsa/ Dip

You didn’t think we would make it through without mentioning CHIPS & DIP?! Yes, we can all agree that this one isn’t going to win any awards for being the healthiest meal choice, but let’s face it the salty taste has us coming back for more!

The great thing about it is that its cheap and there are a zillion flavours to choose from. Kettle chips is a great option when it comes to enjoying a more healthier verison of the classic potato chip!

Hummus, cheesy dips, & salsa are yummy paired with chips & don’t create too many messes. If you store them in tight, re-sealable containers there shouldn’t be an issue. However, refridgeration after opening is key.

  **Remember: keep napkins, wipes, or paper towel closeby for any spills.  

DON’T FORGET about the beloved pretzel or crisp rice puffs!

#16 Pre-cooked Sausages

Over the years, I’ve read about so many families who have great success with sausages while travelling, so it we thought it deserved to make it to the top 20! You can find them at your local grocery store, either in bags of mini sized sausages or one big jumbo ring which offeres different styles.

Along with the sausages, we never hit the road without picking up several bags of pepperoni sticks! Variations include: Hot, honey garlic, original.

If you are a meat lover, this is a “must have”!

#17 Pre-cut & Packaged Garlic Bread (Packs of 6)

#18 Crackers, crackers, crackers…make great snacks!

Crackers are not just for kids, although they can be fantastic snacks for them too! Being versatile, they can be eaten with pretty much anything & still be delicious.

  *Try adding jams, peanut butter, cheese, meat!

(Don’t forget the knife & napkins) 

    #19 Buns & Bread

So far, we have briefly mentioned bringing along bulk of buns, tortilla wraps, crackers & bread loaves….but we put it on our top picks because they can be used with pretty much every meal or snack & really doesn’t need refridgeration!

  Plus, its appeal is just how affordable buying an entire loaf is in comparision to going buying one fast food combo meal.

      CAUTION: Don’t forget to protect it from being squashed…that is why the thicker crusted loaves can be a better option than the softer ones.

One of my favorite parts of travelling is stopping by local shops, bakeries, or farmer’s markets to try out new foods or baked goods.

Take advantages of these spots to source out fresh breads, buns, cookies, & pies!

    #20 Sushi

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

 Sushi! You may be thinking this a strange option for a travel food list, but so long as you are close to major shops like Walmart, Superstore, or Safeway along your route! It is cheap to pick up a bulk family pack for less than $20 that easily feeds us. Because it comes in a deep dish container, there is really no fear of spills which is perfect for eating on the road.

So there you have it, our TOP 20 PICKS for road trip food essentials! We hope that you enjoyed & found at least one new item to add to your list. 

We would also like to hear from you about your favorite picks, so please do share with us!

      Hitting the Road this summer with your family?! It can be a lot of fun, but long drives can leave you feeling hungry & low on energy. Here are 20 great food ideas to help! "In my food world, there is no fear or guilt, only joy and balance." - Ellie Krieger 

[russellsinkauai]

Thursday

We slept in again and had kayaking rentals scheduled for noon. The rental place was just 15 minutes from our hotel, near the Luau spot. When we arrived there was a big wedding party there picking up kayaks at the same time. They were quite the site. It didn't seem like they were going to make it very far. And the whole operation was pretty unorganized. It was a little frustrating to get our kayaks and get out of there. But by 12:30 we managed to get on our way. We kayaked up the river heading towards the secret falls. It was a good little workout but only took about 45 minutes to get to the docking spot. We parked our kayaks off to the left side this time in a different place than normal. The only way to get to the hiking trail from here was through the chest high water or over the water on a log. Ian and I opted for the drier, higher road. It definitely wasn't a short cut but it all worked out. We hiked the quick less than a mile hike to the falls. We hiked the lower route right next to the water. I love these falls. There isn't a lot of water but they are tall and beautiful and you can swim right under them. The water is definitely a little chilly but feels nice after the hike. Plus it's nothing compared to the water we swim in in Washington. We got right up under the falls. A success indeed. We ate lunch on the rocks and then headed back to our kayaks. By this point it was raining pretty hard but it didn't really matter after swimming and hiking. We took the upper trail on the way back that takes the same amount of time but is up above the other trail next to the water. The kayaking back was maybe a little longer but not my much. The wind seemed to be in our favor pushing us the right direction both ways of the trip. After kayaking we went swimming at the pool once again. Afterwards we showered and headed to dinner at Sleeping Giant Cafe at the coconut market. It had really good reviews, but it was nothing to write home about for us. We all ordered some variation of teriyaki chicken or Korean BBQ chicken/pork. Afterwards we got ice cream at Tropical something. It's the ice cream place right next to the safeway (across the street from our hotel). Back at the hotel we watched another movie (The Zoo Keepers Wife, we'd recommend it)!

[noplacecalledhome]

10 Best Hotels To Stay In Petworth District of Columbia – Top Hotel Reviews

Petworth District of Columbia is beautiful and has lots of hotels. Ofcourse we are only looking for the best hotels in Petworth District of Columbia. It’s important to compare them because there are so many places to stay in Petworth District of Columbia. You’re probably wondering where to stay in Petworth District of Columbia. To see which hotel sounds better than the other, we created a top 10 list. The list will make it a lot easier for you to make a great decision. We know you only want the best hotel and preferably something with a reasonable price.

Our list contains 10 hotels of which we think are the best hotels in Petworth District of Columbia right now. Still, some of you are more interested in the most popular hotels in Petworth District of Columbia with the best reviews, and that’s completely normal! You can check out the link below.

Skip to the most popular hotels in Petworth District of Columbia.

10 Best Hotels In Petworth District Of Columbia:

Asante Sana Inn

Description:

Asante Sana Inn is located in the Northwest neighborhood in Washington, DC, 10 miles from National Harbor and 22 miles from Chantilly.Each room has a flat-screen TV. Certain units have a sitting area for your convenience.You will find a shared kitchen at the property.Bike rental is available at this inn and the area is popular for biking. Annapolis is 29 miles from Asante Sana Inn, and Arlington is 4 miles away. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 6 miles from the property.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

It was nice and close to the metro station and the neighborhood was pleasant. I also liked that they sent me everything I needed in my confirmation email.

I liked the neighborhood. It had character. It is across the street from an elementary school. A regular neighborhood, comfortable accommodations, all in all excellent

The older building has some character and warmth which was a plus. Great location close to some great restaurants, bars, and convenient for traveling around DC. Full kitchen was a perk though we didn’t partake due to work constraints. Pet Friendly with a fee.

Location and access to a kitchen were the reasons we selected the inn.

The property is on a residential block and is really a home converted into an inn. It is more like a brownstone. Olivia was very sweet. Since we were 4 we were given the loft which is a walk up. You have access to the entire house but we really only used our room. There is a restaurant/bar on the corner and a large selection of stores and fast food places are about a 2 block walk. For finer dining you do have to go a little further. We were lucky and found parking directly in front of the inn. To see the sights one is better off taking a bus or the metro which is where the shops and restaurants are also a 2 block walk. Buses are $2. and children are free. On our last day we drove to the Capital and were able to find parking directly in front of the lawn. Metered parking. Warning!!! all meters with red caps are for handicapped. Luckily someone told me.

For more info click here.

The LINE Hotel DC

Description:

Housed in a neoclassical church in Adams Morgan, LINE DC features 60-foot vaulted ceilings, millwork and brass detailing, and large copper entry doors – the 20th century structure sits alongside a contextual addition connected through the lobby. It is located 1.8 miles from Downtown Washington, DC. Free WiFi is offered.All units feature a private bathroom with bathrobes and slippers. All units include a seating area for your convenience. You will find a coffee machine in the room. For your comfort, you will find free toiletries and a hairdryer. A flat-screen TV is available.“A Rake’s Progress” is a wood-fired American restaurant led by Chef Spike Gjerde and mixologist Corey Polyoka. They will also host the lobby coffee bar, “The Cup We All Race 4”.James Beard finalist and DC local Erik Bruner-Yang, of Maketto, introduces two new restaurant concepts, “Brothers and Sisters” and “Spoken English.”LINE DC features a number of dining and drinking options, a live broadcast radio station and a rooftop with views encompassing the Washington Monument and the Washington National Cathedral.LINE DC is located between Dupont Circle metro and Columbia Heights metro stations. The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is 2,800 feet away. Washington Convention Center and the White House are both within 2.2 miles of the property. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 7.8 miles from LINE DC.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

Bed was amazing. The food was fantastic and the staff very helpful

it looks very cool, and very convenient. Pretty close to Georgetown

Beautiful hotel in a renovated old church. They totally welcomed me having a dog (gave her a dog bed and bowls) and everything was gorgeous and simple and lovely.

This was the first time I stayed at The Line, and it certainly won’t be the last. In fact, I’m booking again for next week. The staff was efficient and extremely courteous, and the services and amenities are excellent.

Comfortable and beautifully decorated room, with a great bed and an excellent working space. Great bars and food, staff was very nice!

For more info click here.

Motel 6 Washington DC

Description:

Motel 6 Washington, D.C. is 5 miles from the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial. This motel offers an outdoor pool and free Wi-Fi in every guest room.Expanded cable TV and a work desk are included in the cream-colored, traditional-style rooms. Guests can make free local calls.Washington, D.C. Motel 6 offers a 24-front desk along with free morning coffee and a vending machine with drinks.The motel is a 2-minute walk from Battleground National Cemetery and a 13-minute walk from the Takoma Metro Station. The White House and downtown Washington, D.C. are 5 miles away.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

This Motel 6 was fine for our needs. It was quiet, clean, and located well for us. It was also cheap which is what you want in a Motel 6. If you are looking for frills, you need to get else where and pay more. For us, it was quiet, clean, convenient and the staff was helpful and friendly.

A comfortable, clean establishment, and a very spacious room. Located in a relatively quiet district, but with good connections and amenities. Nearest Metro station is Takoma, which is on the Red line (direct connection to Union Station). There are a number of cafés &c. in the vicinity of Takoma station, and there is a large Safeway grocery-store very close to the motel (and open late), on Georgia Avenue in the downtown direction.

They did not have our reservation we were turned away

Convenience to public transport, cheap laundry facilities, friendly staff

Near shops. Polite staff. Machines to buy soda/microwave.

For more info click here.

Windsor Inn Hotel

Description:

Originally built in 1913 as a luxury apartment building, this small European-style hotel has been updated with many styles of rooms that accommodate business travelers and tourists alike.Located close to the Dupont Metro station and the 13th/U St Metro station, the hotel provides easy access to Washington DC and the surrounding areas. The hotel is also convenient placed for visiting local restaurants and shopping.The Windsor Inn’s Art Deco lobby has original curved counters, moldings, and floor tiles from the 1920s renewal. In 1986, the owner added a 9-room annex, creating a diverse and unique 46-room hotel.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

Very friendly staff on the first night; comfortable bed.

Hotel has good location, which is the traditional blocks near White House. You can see the history of this city. There are many perfect restaurants near the hotel. I went to anywhere by bus or metro. The crews in hotel are nice, and they have a lovely cat sleeping on the lounge. If you just need a warm and clean sleeping bed, that’s it! But if you prefer the luxury room, you should go to Hilton.

The convenient location, the friendly desk staff, the price, the charming decor and building.

Easy to find and it was convenient that there was a microwave in the lobby.

It’s good value for money and much cheaper than the venue for my meetings

For more info click here.

Omni Shoreham Hotel

Description:

Situated on 11 acres in the beautiful Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington, D.C., this historic hotel has been host to presidents, world leaders and inaugural balls since 1930.Omni Shoreham offers tasteful and comfortable accommodations. After a day of work or sightseeing, relax in the dry sauna or take a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool surrounded by lush landscaping. Massages, facials and more spa services are available in-room upon request.The National Zoo, the Capitol and the White House are within 2 miles of the hotel. Experience the greats sights and atmosphere of Washington, D.C. at Shoreham.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

I loved the staff and the layout of the lobby. Very nice. And I loved the 24 hour access to the gym.

The only thing I can say that I liked is that it was a beautiful hotel once I got in.

The room service food was very nice. Housekeeping was amazing Very polite Very Comfortable bed Decent bathroom Walk-in Closet Nice tv Spacious

It’s a beautiful hotel. Good location. The price was right.

I only stayed at the hotel for one night, but it was a great stay. Overall, the staff was very friendly and helpful. I had a massage at the spa, which was small and simple but it did the trick. I think it’s ridiculous that you have to pay for wifi when you’re already paying so much for a room – how is free wifi not standard at these nice hotels by now? Besides that, no major complaints. All in all a beautiful old hotel in a fantastic location.

For more info click here.

Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row

Description:

Featuring free WiFi and a fitness center, Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row offers accommodations in Washington, DC. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant. Private parking is available on site.Every room is equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Certain rooms have a sitting area where you can relax. Every room has a private bathroom fitted with a bathtub or shower. For your comfort, you will find slippers, free toiletries and a hairdryer.You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property.National Harbor is 9 miles from Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row, and Chantilly is 21 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 4.3 miles from Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

Restaurant very convenient and good food! Comfy bed.

Location was great for our purposes, room was clean, enormous and well appointed, bed was very comfortable.

Rooms were renewed and fresh – a pleasant surprise from the last time

Truly courteous staff. The Churchill Hotel is a great value, but not high on amenities. That said, there are many restaurants and even a very good gym within a couple of blocks. Very convenient for events at the Washington Hilton. I would certainly stay again.

The staff were excellent and professional . Environment was beautiful and very neat

For more info click here.

Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle

Description:

Featuring free WiFi and a restaurant, Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle offers accommodations in Washington, DC, just 9 miles from National Harbor. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.The rooms have a flat-screen TV with cable channels. Certain units have a sitting area where you can relax. The rooms include a private bathroom fitted with a bathtub or shower. For your comfort, you will find bathrobes and a hairdryer.There is a 24-hour front desk at the property.Chantilly is 21 miles from Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle, and Annapolis is 30 miles away. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 4.3 miles from Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

Located very close to DuPont Metro. Beautiful inside. Amazing shower. Comfortable bed! Wine hour everyday from 5-6!

The bed was great. Complimentary coffee and wine in the lobby were also quite nice. Bathroom was very nice. The restaurant is outstanding, but a bit pricey. I do mean the food was outstanding.

The location is great and the staff was very friendly. Upon arrival there were 22 people ahead of me for check-in. There was a very sweet woman passing out free wine to the guests waiting to check-in. I chose to leave because I had an appointment and could not wait. I returned at midnight to check-in without difficulty.

It is in a great clean neighborhood with many restaurants and things to do in the area. Staff was super nice and friendly and made feel welcome. Valet also extremely friendly.

The calamari supreme! Also discover my new favorite white wine, Jean-Marc Brocard 2015 Sainte-Claire (chablis)

For more info click here.

Washington Marriott Wardman Park

Description:

Washington Marriott Wardman Park offers a well-equipped fitness centre in a scenic area in Washington DC. It is 2,650 feet from the National Zoological Park.Each room of Washington Marriott Wardman Park is fitted with tea and coffee making facilities, a work desk and a flat-screen TV.A car rental service is available at Marriott Wardman Park. Public parking is offered at the hotel.Marriott Wardman Park’s steakhouse, Stone’s Throw Restaurant and Bar, serves steaks, chops and seafood dishes. The hotel’s Lobby Bar provides a wide selection of refreshing drinks and snacks.Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is 8.1 miles from Washington Marriott Wardman Park. Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Station is 550 feet away.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

It was a beautiful hotel. The hotel was located near the subway and lots of restaurants.

very comfortable and pet friendly; 10 min drive to downtown and 25 min drive to Alexandria. staff were very helpful and accommodating since I brought my pet! I would deff go back

The employees were absolutely amazing! We had some issues one night but the gentleman who checked us out was more than willing to help us and make sure our experience was great!

We loved the location of this hotel property, the awesome concierge service, and staff, our room and floor, the complimentary breakfast each morning during our stay, the gymn and shops, how quick it was to get to sightseeing attractions, and the hotel restaurant. This will be where we stay whenever visiting the DC area. We just loved it!

Having stayed here 8 years ago, our expectations were pretty high. Unfortunately, the hotel got old without any refurbishment and it shows. But, the exterior still looks incredibly well, as well as most of the common spaces. The rooms are fine, but slightly worn out. National Zoo and National Cathedral are just a close drive away.

For more info click here.

The Normandy Hotel

Description:

Located in Washington, D.C.’s Embassy District, this modern hotel is 2 miles from the National Mall. It offers free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.Each bright guest room at The Normandy Hotel is equipped with a flat-screen TV. A work desk and in-room safe are also provided.The Normandy’s elegant lobby boasts a fireplace, chess set, and book library. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and laundry facilities are available.The shops and restaurants at Dupont Circle are just a 15-minute walk away from Hotel Normandy. The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is 1 miles from the property.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

We loved the area and though there were renovations being done on the hotel we had a nice stay. Very happy with the price.

It was a cute boutique hotel that had very clean rooms and in a quiet area. The staff was very courteous and professional.

Faren and Wilke were both delightful young ladies and were very helpful!

Everything about the place was enjoyable. I liked the decor and how cozy the hotel was.

Very nice hangout area with 24/7 cookies and hot beverages !

For more info click here.

Washington Hilton

Description:

Featuring free WiFi and a restaurant, Washington Hilton offers accommodations in Washington, DC. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar.A flat-screen TV with cable channels is available.There is a gift shop at the property.The hotel also provides car rental. National Harbor is 9 miles from Washington Hilton, and Chantilly is 21 miles away. The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, 4.3 miles from Washington Hilton.

Northwest is a great choice for travelers interested in city walks, culture and walking.

Reviews:

All the staff were so friendly and it was incredible. Everybody had a smile on their face everybody was willing to help when you felt lost. Places come and go but the people were amazing and make the place exceptional.

Complements to the valet parking. The attendant was super friendly and quick!

It was absolutely perfect. It is a beautiful facility. Everything was clean and the room and bed very comfortable. Staff was so courteous and friendly. Highly recommend a stay here.

The staff was nice and professional. They took there time explaining were things were.

Great view, easy parking, phenomenal customer service

For more info click here.

Top Hotels In Petworth District Of Columbia Conclusion:

The above is a top selection of the best hotels to stay in Petworth District of Columbia to help you with your search. We know it’s not that easy to find the best hotel because there are just so many places to stay in Petworth District of Columbia but we hope that the above-mentioned tips have helped you make a good decision.

We also hope that you enjoyed our top ten list of the best hotels in Petworth District of Columbia. And we wish you all the best with your future stay!

Related links:

https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-baby-proofing-drawers-top-reviews/ https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-baby-proofing-door-knobs-top-reviews/

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[cleannation2018-blog]

Pizza Hut Wendys Suit

Cleannation

Vs.

Pizza Hut/ Wendys

T. Andrews has brought  a person pan pizza on friday. Today I order the same thing I order all the time when I am ordering pizza. not at that location but any time i am ordering pizza. Light sauce extra cheese sausage and pineapple.  I wait probably 20 minutes for my personal pan pizza to be made. Just as he comes out with my pizza I smell HIV.  I know what HIV smells like due to past experiences at other stores.  Actually I am in the middle of other suits with other stores due to HIV being wiped on numerous of stores food products and products in general.  Walmart in particular.  I am not a prissy kind of chick that screams at the sight of Mud or dirt or “germs” buts AIDS Is scream kick and yell at obviously and its EVERYWHERE. I Have noticed the aids smell on a lot of products across stores like CVS  7 Eleven WALAMRT SAFEWAY AND GIANTS –THOSE are the stores I frequent on a regular basis.    Reading it may sound hard to believe but I’ve gone to atleast two walmrt stores and been THROUGH a store---nearly every product I picked up has been tainted with the smell. Its gross negligence or PURPOSEFULLY done either way PEOPLE shouldn’t have jobs including the president.  There’s no way a consumer is coming into ANY STORE over the course of two weeks and finding all the products contaminated---- Yet it’s true. How I will never know. I feel like they trying to make it normal. HELL NO. I brought a new product I expect a new product---a risk to every consumer and the CEO of these stores are unconcerned and the president of the United States  is unconcerned.  From here it would appear illegal and negligent like these people are putting consumers in harm’s way especially children who are not paying attention. Adults who are not paying attention. I actually am not eating properly. I’ve been eating sealed products like chips and even that is compromised some days to the point I eat nothing  and soda  I’m starving so I ventured into ordering. At  this point im hoping a camera and needing a job and wanting to stay out of jail will keep people in line but it Is not. I have been advocating that HIV  positive workers be banned from working at stores and due to the contaminated mess Wal-Mart’s store is that they be banned from entering stores all together.  But back to the purpose of the suit against Pizza Hut and Wendy’s they will be included in the same suit as it happened on the same day and in retrospect are connected due to the timeline. Back to what happened on the second of March 2018. Written 3/2/2018. He comes out with the pizza and I smell Hiv. I Ponder for a second.  Then I ask for a refund.  I am angry leaving the store because one Pizza Hut disrespected humanity and myself by hiring HIV positive workers and entrusting them with LOADED guns and NOT telling CUSTOMERS they are hiring HIV positive workers. What you choose to do with your BUSINESS is YOUR business BUT YOU took my right to decide if I want to EAT HERE. You place doubt on EVERYONE walking in the door. AND I HAD NO FUCKING IDEA. I showed you what would happen if I know someone with HIV is working there. The fact that your flagrantly took my rights and choice is spit in your face and take your JOB and your company. And the whole it’s your choice to run your business how you please—is following law. But the law needs to be UNDONE clean people with sense are not eating with PEOPLE or from PEOPLE who have AIDS. You cannot put DIRTY and clean in the same sentence. They need to be removed from working especially around food and clothes and the like. Imagine buying a brand new car or a brand new sofa and someone wiped hiv fluids on the surface. DISGUSTED. And Whats even worse I have to worry if when I say LIGHT  sauce because I HATE tomato sauce or pizza with too much tomato sauce has pissed someone off or scratched someone’s funny bone and someone thought it was funny to put HIV in my food.  Fuck no This is a food place meaning I can customize my food anyway I LIKE. I paid money.  It should be encouraged to show you’re a worthy food place. I’m not worrying about shit beyond did you do it RIGHT you owe me money for you not having common sense. I went to Wendy’s next and the whole way there Im thinking do these people KNOW each other. Call themselves being upset because I don’t want to catch AIDS. And I turned out to be right.  People shoot humanity and human decncy down every day.  I am now an over developed cynist. Turned out to be right. I ordered two double stacks for 1 each and a small fry.  The first burger I opened smelled like Vagina. Think God I thought to smell it.  It was refunded. None of these meals were eaten thank God  but IT DISHEARTENS ME THAT THE world I use to know where WHAT I was going to order is no longer the concern WHERE can I eat safely. Do They LOOK trustworthy. YOU TURN customers into FBI agents.  You take the free civilized  world we live in when you hand it to inferior diseased criminal minds like hiv positive people. It is a HUMAN thought to want to NORMALIZE a disease especially a disease like HIV but it is a crime. The only way to normalize it is to give it to people INFECT people. It is a crime. and I find it amazing you have that much trust in criminal humanity that you are giving people with loaded guns free blank checks and the only security you are offering is a cameras that will be reviewed after someone has eaten a meal. No sir. No MAM It  is the most infuriating THING I one cant enjoy my food but that Two YOU HAVE GIVEN INFERIOR INFECTED PEOPLE POWER. i say the wrong thing on twitter and WALAH my food is being posioned. Thats not a  civilized soceity specifically when   THE WAR HAS BEEN started by criminals and it is A WAR.  When I spend money on food. I expect  to enjoy it not worry I will be picked out because I am black or fat or because I said something on TWITTER about my food being contaminated by AIDS. It is the most infuriating thing that the GOVT is insinuating hiv PSOITIVE people are GOING TO play god and SHRUG if a clean person gets via food or some other criminal activity it. No sir noone will be playing GOD In my life. I live my life the way I do purposefully. I will be getting what i SO. The law and govt are meant to be the consumers eyes and ears. Protectors considering nooone knows everything and most people know some but noone knows everything. The govt has quite frankly startled and disspointed me. My diet is 80 percent dairy. Im a likely candidate to be picked out either from milk  ice cream salad or mayonnaise. Its scary. And those are OBVIOUS food that conceal HIV an food can be wiped with it. Its a scary thought. Are you really saying THE GOVT PASSED A law putting the general public in harms way? I am going to have to stop this, Little ol me a nobody with no secret service.  I'm usually not a politician or someone who goes to bat for things on this level but FOOD is half of my life. I have no choice. ONE of the amazing things about being alive is that we get to make our decidions there are probbaly a billion food items in earth,. In the past two weeks ive been drinking soda and chips. Its a disgusting sad story. I dont have AIDS and Im living like I do. Its the most dehumaning thing I have eevr experienced AND pizza Hut adn Wendys JUST EMPHASIZED MY POINT. tHE aids THING was brought to my atention before Wendys ND PIZZA HUT----brought my spirits down. These people dont have much to live for., Taking someone elses life will not be a hard task. Ist unsettling The GOVT WAS allowing them to work and free access to stores. Its coming to an end. There is no other way.

Relief

 Close Pizza Hut and Wendys adn the sum of its assetts

REMOVE ALL HIV positive workers from employment and remove access to stores

[awesomedeepvoidstudent-blog]

Applebee's Dessert Recipes Clones

Applebee's Dessert Recipes Clones

He was supposed to report for obligation at this time however he needed to type out some things together with his club. A typical bread we use at the moment like this is focaccia bread. Just like the Longhorn Steakhouse coupons which you would typically use for groceries, these Longhorn Steakhouse coupons provide you with giant reductions in your Longhorn Steakhouse restaurant meals. I might already had a piece of the crusty warm sourdough bread and I was planning on ordering a pasta dish so that appeared like enough carbs for one meal. Making ready a Lobster meal really is not so unhealthy if you bought the time to cook. more locations I feel now we have zero expense in 2016 for inventory comp, close to zero expense, so got to refill that bucket in the G&A. Bought one thing to add? It might probably take some time to construct up your reputation but some users of the location have stated that they have earned £40 a month. Relating to bouquet flowers, a bride can go together with traditional roses, or they can step outdoors convention and select a wildflowers or Zinnias or Amaryllis. Menu magic comes from positioning product in the minds eye of the consumer. Bake at 350 for about half-hour or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

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It additionally has 15 milligrams of cholesterol, seventy five milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of total carbohydrates of which 31 grams are sugar, in addition to 6 grams of protein. The three scrambled eggs, grits and toast contains a stability of fat, carbohydrates and protein with 16g of complete fats, 53g of complete carbohydrates and 34g of protein. Children that are older must be high-quality. The other Chick-fil-A eating places are at Midland Park Mall and the intersection of Andrews Highway and Wall Road. There are manner too many great squash recipes! Nevertheless, Chipotle's "basic mistake" was the best way that it launched its queso, Gene Grabowski, a associate at Ok Global, a crisis communications group, informed CNBC. One of the best option to sustain with the subsequent Youngsters Eat Free event is to observe them on social media or subscribe to their electronic mail record. This compares to restaurant degree profit of 17.6% in the third quarter of final yr. The restaurant is heavily marketing this new menu addition. Just lately Burger King decided to take the Whopper off the menu.

Here is the Norway Lobster Bites blueprint: One hundred p.c Norway lobster tail meat, evenly breaded and deep-fried, served in creative new packaging. Biodegradable packaging is sustainable. What a grave disappointment when CiCi's, for the second time since we've been consuming there, again discontinued their chocolate Bonefish Grill pizza. If you are going to go there, be warned: the huge behind-the-scenes library of footage and supplies will easily suck away time. I normally attempt to keep away from going to baskin Robbins with a Togos because the other instances I've gone, the place was warm from the Togos ovens and the ice cream was just a little melted. Well she finally informed me she knew about the key assembly that was going on about her. Dave Jenkins, a managing director on the meals trade analysis firm Datassential, instructed HuffPost on Monday. Me and my family have been traveling from Flordia to Canada, we stopped by the Olive Garden in Macon Georgia had a wonderful time. So give her what she expects out of you. As a substitute, you need to work out Xbox 360 restore on your own.

how the hell do you get blocked by little caesars?

— Eric Crain (@EricCrain) October 29, 2017

With so much invested in ‘health food’ today’ how come the obesity epidemic keeps rolling on? Questions regarding cleanliness and sanitation also come up during job interviews. A thicker slice which had a lot for taste and density to it. She waited till the political stakes were much lower. That is the sport that established a lot of what would become Sonic’s core gameplay fundamentals, with the Spin Sprint being probably the most distinguished and important. How she felt about my being a psychic medium, I didn’t know. Mainly being how do you obtain the next price of success. Segregated into distinct districts but systematically related by means of an internal avenue system, complete with access to multi-modal transportation, the highly walkable and architecturally pleasing setting is centered around its signature characteristic, The Promenade at Celebration Pointe. Lady who took our order was very useful & courteous.

[365-money-diary]

DAYS 56 - 62

DAY FIFTY-SIX

9:30 AM - I get a text from boyfriend’s mom saying her sister and her sister’s husband will be at the house at 10:15. I wake my boyfriend up and get ready for the day.

10:00 AM - We try the iced coffee boyfriend got at Central Market. It’s terrible.

10:45 AM - We arrive at the restaurant, but it’s packed so we head to a different one which happens to be Mexican. It seems like the easiest thing for me to veganize are the fajitas so it’s basically tacos again.

12:00 PM - We arrive back at the house and I’m still pretty carsick so I lay down for a while and let my boyfriend catch up with his parents one-on-one.

12:45 PM - We have our bags packed and we’re ready to head home. I’m so so excited to get back! This trip was great, but through all of it, we decided that we need to stop taking our precious time off for family and need to start traveling for “us.” Boyfriend pays for both of us to check our bags which will chop $25 off of his IOU for his brother watching the dog.

3:45 PM - Time warp! We’ve already landed. I feel even worse from the turbulence, so I opt to sit while boyfriend grabs the bags.

4:00 PM - We grab a Lyft home instead of hopping in a cab so I can sit in the front seat without it being weird.

4:15 PM - Home! We are greeted by a wiggle butt Katy Perry. I am feeling terrible, so I take Advil and lay down for a bit.

5:00 PM - I emerge from the shadows and tell my boyfriend that Jimmy John's sounds amazing. He agrees and I place an order for us on my phone. $20.70

6:00 PM - I opt to lay down after we eat and boyfriend follows suit. He falls asleep watching Talladega Nights and I chill on my computer.

8:30 PM - I forgot to pay the invoice for that Mo-Dettes 7” I ordered last week. $17

8:45 PM - I pay the water bill and email BF about his rent portion. He owes $135.26 for utilities on top of his normal $400 for rent.

9:00 PM - Boyfriend cuts me a check and asks me to deposit it ASAP, so I snap a photo of it with my phone and off it goes. I watch the season finale of Master Chef Junior and eat a blueberry fig bar. My girl Jasmine takes the cake.

10:30 PM - We are so tired and end up falling asleep in the bedroom watching Seinfeld.

DAY FIFTY-SIX TOTAL: $37.70

DAY FIFTY-SEVEN 

8:45 AM - Boyfriend treats me to coffee at Cartel. Neither one of us want to head back to work.

9:15 AM - I arrive and make myself toast. Our paychecks are here, so I deposit mine and then order for $500 to be transferred to PayPal so I can then transfer it to #NOTSIMPLE to set aside for my future C-RV. 

11:05 AM - We head to Zoe’s Kitchen as an office. I’m out of salad supplies and none of us really want to work today anyways. I get a side of grilled potato salad and a bowl of lentil soup. $8.07

 3:45 PM - I have been putting off buying a plane ticket for my cousin’s wedding in Omaha. Boyfriend’s not coming, so I scroll through prices online and try to place together the cheapest non-stop situation at times that don’t completely suck or take up any of my allotted days off. $320.18

4:45 PM - I message boyfriend about dinner plans. We don’t have any, so I stop by Sprouts on my way out of work to grab a couple rolls, a bag of pre-chopped cabbage and carrots, and a bag of red potatoes to make BBQ jackfruit sammies. While browsing, I see a bag of shishito peppers and buy them on impulse. I also grab a ton of stuff for broth which I’ll also be making tonight. Colleague will reimburse me for half the broth costs. $10.14 + $30.83

6:30 PM - Dinner is served! It’s really good but I can’t finish it.

7:30 PM - We head to the mall and Zia. I don’t see anything at the mall, but at Zia, I see a Kraftwerk 3-D Blu-Ray box set from their tour last fall. It’s $180, but I can’t swing it.

 8:30 PM - I make broth and it takes forever. At some point I get a little hungry and nosh on coleslaw and a fig bar. 

10:45 PM - We’re in bed and I’m still checking intermittently on the broth, but I eventually turn off the stove and head to bed for the night.

DAY FIFTY-SEVEN TOTAL: $369.22

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT 

8:30 AM - I weigh myself which is something I periodically do, especially after weeks of eating cake, cookies, and traveling. I’m surprised to find I’m still 142, so that rules.

8:45 AM - I fight the urge to stop at Cartel and head straight to work. I call my mom on the way to chat about my trip until I get to the office.

9:15 AM - Toddy and toast.

10:15 AM - Since it’s the end of the month, I total my expenses and compare them to previous years. So far year to date comparing year over year, I’ve saved over $100 on coffee (this margin will get much bigger toward the end of the year, but because my MistoBox subscription hit, everything is skewed), and approximately $1,030 on food. That rules!

11:00 AM - I total all of my expenses and it appears that I’ve saved an additional $680 though it’s technically $1400ish since I deposited money into my savings account and #NOTSIMPLE. Next month I might not be so lucky because my freelance work has stopped.

 11:30 AM - We grab Even Stevens as an office. Since I won’t have broth until tomorrow, it seems silly to get all my stuff for lunches here. I get the vegan breakfast burrito and it’s so good! $8.29

6:00 PM - I finally arrive home. Boyfriend and I almost cross paths, but he’s already heading back downtown to work Modest Mouse. I spend my first hours home separating and reboiling the broth to make sure I kill any bacteria that may have grown while I was at work and salting the shit out of it. I also eat leftovers - BBQ jackfruit, coleslaw, potatoes, and shishito peppers. This is the first time I’ve been alone since Thursday afternoon. It feels amazing.

8:00 PM - I make plans to meet at Cornish Pasty with my DJ friend in an hour. I am already antsy so I decide to walk over early.

8:15 PM - I stop at Taste of Tops and buy a cider and catch up with various patrons there. It’s been a long while since I’ve been able to drink here and it feels so so nice. My DJ friend meets me and we walk over to Pasty and I get my favorite: Jameson Lemonade. We catch up for an hour or so with some other friends and then he walks me home. $12

10:30 PM - Home again. Boyfriend just got home from the show too. I am really hungry again, so I eat the rest of the cashew mac & cheese I bought from the Tempe Farmer’s Market before we skipped town. 

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT TOTAL: $20.29 

DAY FIFTY-NINE

8:45 AM - I’m up a little late today. I shower, throw on clothes and head to the office with my stock of broth in hand.

9:20 AM - I arrive at work, pour myself a toddy and make some toast. I also run out of toddy, so I make more for tomorrow.

12:30 PM - Colleagues fight about where to eat again. I am so hungry that I don’t have the can-do to grab stuff at Sprouts. We end up going to Scottsdale Fashion Square and eat at the food court. I get a falafel pita from Pita Jungle. $9.16 

4:00 PM - I am already done with my work for the day, and since we might be having company tonight, I message boyfriend about dinner. I know we won’t be leaving the house because of the NBA Finals, so I want to cook something quick. I don’t really hear from him and end up picking up veggie dogs, buns, and some sweet peppers from Sprouts… that way if our guests come over, we’ll have something for them to eat, and if we don’t, then that’s two meals for us! $9.95 

5:45 PM - Our friends bail and I make us veggie dogs with grilled peppers and onion (Leftover from the broth supplies I bought earlier this week) plus red potatoes on the side. We watch the NBA finals and are bummed the Cavs are playing so terribly.

7:15 PM - At halftime, I run to Safeway and get dairy free Ben & Jerry’s PB & Cookies ice-cream. $4.06

 8:30 PM - Cavs lose. We spend the rest of the night playing dumb games on our phones. I decide I want to try and become instagram famous, so I post a photo of my veggie dog with a billion hashtags at the end of it in attempt to get recognition. I gain 3 followers, so I guess that’s a success.

DAY FIFTY-NINE TOTAL: $23.17

DAY SIXTY

9:00 AM - I catch almost every red light on the way to work and realize I’m out of ice for my toddy once I arrive to work. I walk over to Sprouts super quick to buy a bag. $2.33

9:25 AM - Toddy and toast ritual. I check PayPal and see that the $500 I transferred finally hit, so I transfer it again to #NOTSIMPLE. Only $6,000 left to save until I get dat new (used) CR-V.

11:30 PM - We grab lunch as an office at Two Brothers. I get the falafel and a coffee kolsch. The food is really good, but it’s kind of pricey. I snap a photo to insta and gain a few more followers. $22.35 

12:45 PM - We have half day Fridays, so I run home and work on some finance stuff. I decide to try a new experiment this month by allocating $1500 for my monthly spending. To make sure I don’t go over. I’m going to use #NOTSIMPLE, so I transfer my remaining $1500 ($1452.15) into the PayPal so I can toss it over on Monday. I’ll use the $500 (Soon to be $1,000) I already have in #NOTSIMPLE to hold over until it transfers. Let the great experiment begin! 

3:00 PM - I realize I’ve been sitting on the couch for a long time (watching Real Housewives of NY). Not really the way I wanted to spend my half day off, so I grab my bag and head to Tops. 

3:30 PM - Holy shit it’s hot (102 degrees). I grab a cider from the fridge and chat with the bartender. Another friend drops in and we chat for a while. Around 4:00 something my boyfriend calls and is on his way home from work. I ask him to pick me up since it’s on the way and it’s too hot to walk home. $6

5:30 PM - We talk about dinner but end up fending for ourselves. I toss some frozen spring rolls from Costco in the oven.

7:00 PM - We head to Stinkweeds. Our friend sold her entire collection there and we both like her taste in music, but end up not finding anything we don’t already have.

8:00 PM - We drive downtown to hit up a comedy show our mutual friend organizes downtown. It’s really fun! I almost buy a drink, but I have really bad gas (lol) and I’m positive that will just make things worse.

10:30 PM - We’re home! We end up cuddling with the dog, watching some Simpsons and eventually pass out.

DAY SIXTY TOTAL: $28.35

DAY SIXTY-ONE 

9:30 AM - I must be super dehydrated because I keep feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus every time I wake up. Boyfriend peels me out of bed and we head to Cartel. My ASU Graduate Friend is working and hooks it up. I throw a couple bucks in the tip jar. $2

10:30 AM - We head to Einsteins. I get an everything bagel and spread some Smart Balance I brought from home. Boyfriend pays.

11:15 PM - We head to Tempe Marketplace and stop in a couple stores without buying anything before arriving at PetSmart. Katy is 100% out of food. Her food is on sale plus 3 cans of wet food come with the purchase of her brand. I buy the food and boyfriend buys treats and a new toy. $39.99

12:00 PM - We stop at Target as well and I buy seasoning salt, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, sandwich baggies. I am frustrated to find that a greedy vegan has bought all the Just Mayo and Just Ranch. My boyfriend offers to drive to a different location and I offer that we can stop in Chandler so he can go to House of Hoops and then we can stop at the Target across the street. $11.10

1:00 PM - The mall is kind of lame. Boyfriend tries on a pair of Lebron shoes but decides to think about it a little. I don’t buy anything.

1:30 PM - We run into Chandler Target and I buy two bottles of Just Ranch, a big jar of Just Mayo, and an impulse purchase of Dr. Pepper mini cans. $15.78

1:45 PM - We head home and neither of us are hungry yet. It’s so hot (106 degrees) that we’re both wiped, so we head home to relax.

3:00 PM - I’m starving. Boyfriend’s working a show tonight, so I bid him farewell and heat up the two remaining veggie dogs while watching RHONY.

7:00 PM - After talking with my mom, I decide today should be “me” day. I may or may not still be binging on RHONY. I think about walking to Tops, but it’s 104 degrees.

9:00 PM - I make plans with my ASU Graduate friend so she can watch me eat a salad at Cornish Pasty (she’s already eaten). I also decide to start some fitness challenge that was posted a while back to a FitBit blog to get me back into sort of getting into “shape.” I’ve never been a consistent exerciser, but now that my urinary tract issues are cured, I can at least try to get “sweaty” again.

9:15 PM - Salad and soda water (and good company). $9.03

10:45 PM - I’m home around the same time my boyfriend gets home from the show. We hang out but fall asleep pretty quick.

DAY SIXTY-ONE TOTAL: $77.90

DAY SIXTY-TWO

9:30 AM - I wake up a little before my boyfriend and make a grocery list for the week and do 5 burpees as a part of the 30 day FitBit challenge.

11:00 AM - We grab coffee at Cartel. I pay. $8

11:30 AM - We run to grab breakfast at La Santisima, but their credit card machine is down. After running to the ATM and waiting 10 minutes for our table, we miss the noon cutoff. We still grab lunch. I pitch in some money for our tab. $13

1:00 PM - We head home to relax. We’re both super anxious -- usually a thing that happens to my boyfriend on Sundays in anticipation for the week ahead. For me, it had to do with the atmosphere of the restaurant and us waiting forever for our food. A lot of times when I eat, I have to do it quickly and not drag it out for 45 minutes in between slowly munching on chips and salsa. Sounds insane, but whatever, go with it.

 3:00 PM - Boyfriend falls asleep. I watch RHONY in the living room with a pamp La Croix.

 4:30 PM - I head to the grocery store solo and buy salsa, hummus, bread, chickpeas, celery, almond milk, and dark chocolate. $22.41

8:30 PM - Boyfriend and I don’t have a very good night and it’s even lamer now that the Cavs lost.

11:00 PM - Bed.

DAY SIXTY-TWO: $43.41