#not in the us right now and we—the americans—are making a thanksgiving meal for ourselves | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

caffeineivore · 5 years ago

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Commission #2

For @nelwynp. Based off a very very old ficverse from wayyyyyyy back in the day called “Freckles” which may or may not be found on LJ. Makoto/Nephrite.

Commissions are still open!! Check out the details here or all the other commissions currently available here!

Long distance relationships are statistically known to suck, and honestly, I wouldn’t have considered myself the rose-coloured glasses type. The real world doesn’t care that you’ve probably, maybe, already gotten your share of crap thrown at you, starting from the death of your parents, and think maybe it should cut you a break. I knew the chances of Nick and myself making it were slim. He would be busy, surrounded by strangers a whole two states away. Sure, we’d known each other since we were kids, and maybe by now, he had become the one constant in my life-- my North Star, perhaps-- that forever friend who’d seen me at my worst and didn’t care in the least. And maybe--- maybe, finally, I’d finally told him those three words that had been nagging at the back of my subconscious for the last year of our acquaintance. He’d said them back, and it was only then that I realized how much I’d needed to hear and say them.

Still, I saw him off on that cloudy morning with dry eyes and homemade eggs Benedict-- that is to say, that I fed him and double-checked to make sure that he had not misplaced anything important. The apartment that he’d been living in was stripped bare, and all of his worldly goods were in the trailer of the U-haul which would take him to his new home. I was plugging his phone into the car charger in the front console when his arms wrapped around me from behind, and turned me to face him.

Nick has always been a good-looking guy, in that sort of rugged, All-American way, with broad shoulders and a great smile, and I’d learned at some point in our long acquaintance that he gave the best hugs-- the type that lifts you slightly off your feet and makes you feel like some type of dainty damsel even when you’re six feet tall in heeled boots. It’s no different now, and maybe I hung on for a moment too long, myself. He’s not much of a cologne guy, but his sweatshirt smells like laundry soap and I’m pretty sure he’d used my shampoo that morning again, because his hair’s super soft-- and the flowery scent is not nearly as girly on him as it is on me.

“Call me when you get there.” I hope to Hell, of course, that the fact that my voice is muffled against his neck disguises the unsteadiness.

“I’ll call you every day.”

I wouldn’t hold him to it, of course, but I didn’t say anything to that effect, and I watched as he drove off, and then headed off to the gym for a punishing three-mile run on the treadmill followed by a full hour of kickboxing to a playlist of angry girl rock, and if I cried in the shower afterwards, no one needed to know that.

He did call that night, though. And the night after. And the night after that. And soon, it had become a routine, and maybe I should have given him more credit the whole time. Before I knew it, two months had passed, and he flew down for a long holiday weekend, and after we’d christened three separate rooms in my apartment, we got caught up in person. I’d heard so much about his new place and the people he’d met at his new school that I probably could’ve picked his favourite and least favourite professors out of a crowd.

This became a thing, and so for two years, we did the long distance thing. He heard about the awful day when the stand mixer went rogue and how I was still picking bits of cake batter out of my hair two hours later. I heard so much about one particularly persnickety city inspector on a project he worked on that I learned to hate the guy as much as Nick did. Our reunions were sporadic, rapturous and never long enough, though half the time we eschewed actual dates in favour of staying in and just being ourselves together-- watching movies, working out, buying groceries and cooking meals, falling asleep so close together that it was hard to tell where one of us ended and the other one began.

We spent that first Thanksgiving at my place-- Friendsgiving, really, cooking a huge meal in a too-small kitchen, inviting all of our old friends. I shooed Nick and James out of my kitchen and chatted with Raye as she snapped a bowl of green beans for me and sounds of the football game filtered in through the living room. She was a ball of nerves-- James would be meeting her very formidable, very rich, very conservative father when he went over to her home for Christmas. Said father would not be amused to find his only daughter not only dating, but actually fully living in sin with a mouthy city boy-- when Nick had moved out, James and Raye had gotten an apartment together. Amy and Zach had arrived a bit later, because he’d had to pick her up from the hospital where her shift had run over. Kevin and Mina, on the other hand, were at her parents’ house out of state. She’d texted me all types of sad face emojis about how the cranberry sauce had come out of a can and the mashed potatoes had come out of a box, but I had no sympathy. She had parents who cooked for her for Thanksgiving, didn’t she? Besides, if she really cared about food over time spent with them and Kevin, she would have told them that she had Ebola and came over to my place instead.

At any rate, against all the odds, we somehow managed to make it work, and two years, three months and six days after that first time that I told him I loved him, he was on his way down to visit again. I’d gone up to see him get his Master’s degree two months ago and he’d taken me out around the town to celebrate with his friends and classmates. Some of them had met me before, but to those who hadn’t, he introduced me as his girlfriend, and from the easy acceptance, I knew that everyone present had some idea of our history. It had been a wonderful weekend, but I was a bit nervous about seeing him again today. Something had come up, very recently, and I wasn’t sure how he would take it.

At first, I had thought nothing of the symptoms. Fatigue and a bit of nausea doesn’t tend to alarm anyone right off the get-go. Everyone knows restaurant hours are brutal, and as an apprentice chef, any task, no matter how mundane or unpleasant, might get assigned to me on any given day. Certainly, I might get to spend one day arranging delicate edible flowers and a compote of ripe berries around and on top of fancy panna cottas, but the very next, I might be doing nothing but washing dishes and running out garbage. The kitchen I work in specializes in a rotating seasonal menu, and at the time, calamari was in season. Certainly it is delicious deep-fried with casino butter and lemon wedges, sprinkled with sea salt and cracked black pepper, but it’s definitely not as appealing raw, slimy and fishy-smelling. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite doing prep early in the morning. But then I was late. And not to work, if you know what I mean. One week stretched into two, then three. The nausea didn’t go away, even when my day consisted of making large quantities of bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting for strawberry white chocolate cakes. It was a week ago that I picked up two different pregnancy tests from Walgreen’s. Both results had come back to tell me what I kind of already knew, deep down, and I was honestly terrified down to the bone.

I had always wanted to have that maybe-stereotypical home and family someday-- the cute house with gingerbread trim and the white picket fence and the garden full of old-fashioned flowers, a husband who loved me and our children and went to baseball games and dance recitals with equal enthusiasm. I wanted to be able to be the mom who baked cupcakes for the bake sale and cookies for the big jar on the kitchen counter, and volunteered to chaperone field trips to the science museum. That had been my own mother, from those distant reaches of old memories, and though I’d lost her, I knew that it was in me to keep her legacy alive.

But I had not intended to do so when I had just started my career, unmarried and still living in a tiny college-campus apartment, with a boyfriend who lives two states away, who might not even want kids. God! That was a discussion we’d never even had.

The door swings open, though, before I could think about it any more. Nick has a key to my place, of course, as I do to his. Sometimes he calls, but sometimes he just arrives, like today, a little ahead of schedule. I’m caught up in one of those long, tight hugs, a warm and familiar hand cupping the back of my neck, and maybe he feels a hint of desperation in my kiss. When he pulls back, his eyes are warm, but full of concern. “Everything okay, Freckles?”

“Ugh. Can you not call me that? We’ve talked about that.” Oh, Gods... A baby with his brown hair and my green eyes. His dimples and my freckles. I can almost picture a little girl, toddling on chubby legs, riding on his shoulders, picking dandelions in the yard and blowing the fluff away in the wind. I’d teach her to bake chocolate chip cookies and read her stories where the princess saved herself and buy her pretty dresses for picture day and sturdy jeans for playing outside in. I loved her already, but she wasn’t supposed to even exist.

“Habit. And you scrunch your nose up when you’re mad, and I shouldn’t like it, but I do.” Nick presses another, shorter kiss to my mouth, then tips up my face. “But you seem a bit out of sorts. What’s wrong?”

“How could you tell if I’m out of sorts or not when you literally just walked in two minutes ago?” It’s an evasion, and I’m sure he can and will spot the bullshit and call me out on it.

“Because I’ve known you since we were kids, and you don’t have to say or do anything for me to know when you’re out of sorts.” Nick pulls me gently over to the love seat, and sits me down, keeping one of my hands in his as though he expects me to bolt at any moment. “Everything’s okay, right? You didn’t have anything particularly horrible at work this week that I recall from our conversations.”

No, this week hadn’t been bad. Breaking down chickens is fairly mindless work once you get the hang of it. And the resulting bone broth is wonderful for someone who finds it difficult to keep food down some days. Nick deserves the truth, of course, and maybe the ripping-off-the-bandaid approach is best. I shut my eyes to his all-too-perceptive, all-too-loving gaze, and set my teeth.

“I’m pregnant.”

His hand tightens on mine and his next inhaled breath is sharp, but I plow on. “I know it’s not expected, and I know we were careful, but… it is what it is. You don’t have to worry, though. I’m not some delicate little miss who’s afraid of raising a child. The executive chef at work loves me, as he should, and I’m sure they’ll work with me when the time comes for maternity leave. And in this day and age, it’s not a big deal to be a single mom. I’m keeping this baby and she’s going to get the best life that I can give her, growing up.” I don’t know why I was so certain I was having a little girl. But she already existed, to me, and at that moment in time, she was probably only the size of my pinkie nail. “She will never doubt, for a moment, that she’s loved.”

“Of course not.” Nick finally speaks, and his voice is an awed, slightly choked-up whisper. I sense him moving, then one big, warm hand rests on my still-flat stomach, followed by the press of his lips. “We’re having a baby. Wow. Okay, so I guess I should get on with what I’d already planned to do, even though I’d planned for this to be a lot more romantic.” Belatedly, I realize that not only has he moved, but he is down on his knees in front of me, one hand on my stomach, the other one digging into a pocket, and then he pulls out a small black velvet box, flicks open the catch.

I’m not much of a jewelry type of girl-- I wear the same earrings, every single day, but working in a kitchen greatly limits the practicality of going around with bracelets and rings and do-dabs. Still, stereotypical though it might be, I’d always wanted that classic diamond solitaire engagement ring from my husband-to-be, and now, when it’s staring me in the face-- princess-cut and set in platinum, I find myself speechless.

“Lita Oakley, love of my life, will you marry me?”

Of course he doesn’t mince words. In a lot of ways, I guess we’re past that point. But I draw my hand back a moment before he can slide that ring on.

“I don’t want you to propose to me because I’m pregnant and you feel obligated. You’d end up regretting it, and that would kill me.” We didn’t live together now, but if we did someday, and then it all went south, and I had to walk into an empty house bereft of his presence and his things and even the way he’d always kick his shoes off any which way by the door rather than make sure they’re put up where no one can trip over them, I knew it would break me in a way that hadn’t been possible since my parents’ deaths.

Nick rolls his eyes, though, and huffs out a breath before digging deeper into that little velvet box, all the way underneath the white satin. He takes out a crinkled paper receipt, and unfolds it, and drops it on my lap. “You are so stubborn. Do you know that? Take a look at that receipt, will you? Just… humour me.”

I do. It’s from some jeweler in his state, and the price of the ring of course makes me wince a little. It’s definitely not cheap. But then I read it a little closer, and see the time stamp on the top. It was purchased at 4:26 PM on the sixth of December, two whole years ago. Perhaps six months after he’d moved away.

“I got it as soon as I could afford it, and I’d been saving up for a while. Probably not very well-thought-out of me, when everything was so up in the air. But I’d always known that we’d be here together, someday, and I’d be asking you to marry me. Anyway, it’s got nothing to do with the fact that you’re pregnant and everything to do with the fact that I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and there’s no one else in the world for me, and it’s too late to return this ring, anyway.” He pulls it out of the box, and I see something shining, trailing from it. “I know you can’t really wear rings, working in a kitchen. So I also got a necklace that you can wear this on, if you’ll just say yes. Please say yes.”

“How are we going to do this?” I blurt out, as that other infamous symptom of pregnancy-- emotional hormonal tears-- makes its appearance. I blink and try to sniffle them away, but Nick simply puts the ring on my finger, silvery necklace dangling from it, and gets up to his feet, pulls me gently to mine. “You live so freaking far away.”

“Not anymore I don’t.” He tugs me close, and kisses me again. “My lease is up in a month. I figure I can get another U-haul, and con the guys into helping out. I’m pretty sure that the people can put a good word in for me to get hired in somewhere local-- dumb jock notwithstanding, I worked my ass off these last few years and have the credentials and grades to prove it. Since my lease is up in a month anyway, might as well look for a new place to live. Some place that can be baby-proofed, and definitely not a top floor apartment with a janky elevator like here. Can’t have my pregnant fiancee struggling up five flights of stairs every day.”

He makes it seem so simple, really, as he pulls me in for what promised to be an extended cuddle session.

But maybe-- maybe it would be.

#nelwynp #sailor moon #senshi/shitennou #commission #M/N #fanfiction #fanfic

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chinawholesalejerseys2015-blog · 5 years ago

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djseaward · 7 years ago

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a year of life & travels: 2017

today is new year’s day and it’s time for a recap of last year! it was another great year of being based in southwestern czech republic, feeling like home both here and back in my home country (and realizing that “home” is just a construct), and going to some magical places.

let’s revisit them, shall we? i changed the title of this year’s post to “life & travel” because, as i learned last year, travel isn’t everything and it is also important to capture what else was going on in one’s life. although for this post, it still remains the focal point. (don’t worry) so without further ado....

in january, we had the coldest and snowiest month that i have ever experienced with low low temps that froze over all of the ponds in south bohemia. you know what that meant? checking off my life-long dream to ice skate on a frozen pond! i ended up getting a cold promptly after that day, but it was so worth it. now i am too much of an ice skating elitist to ever skate on anything man-made ever again! (kind of joking, but...)

i also cooked a several course vegetarian dinner for burn's night! (why? we are hopeless "scot-ophiles” who love any good excuse to drink an islay malt and celebrate the the works of burns on a cold, dark winter’s night) that veggie haggis was definitely worth coming back to this month... ooh, i hope i can remember the recipe. it was actually make-again delicious.

in early february we took the first of what would be many many days in the big city (prague). we brought ferdie for his first ever trip on a train, he stayed with a dog-sitter while we saw the vaclav havel exhibit at dox, and generally had ourselves a perfect holešovice day, trudging through slush to get to our favorite cafes and enjoying brunch near the marina. (did you know holešovice had a marina?) i feel like i know the district quite better now!

we also had a very memorable valentine's day tea at born in london and i introduced my favorite students to the british tradition of pancake day -- what better than a lesson where you're making pancakes?!

in early march, my mother-in-law came for her first ever trip to europe and we were so excited to travel with her and take her to all the best spots in prague, český krumlov, and crossing the border into germany to visit bamberg! i had been in bamberg ten years ago during my studies in germany and it just does not disappoint for a low-key trip with excellent food and beer and historical sights. we may have brought two kegs and a few bottles of rauchbier home with us....

april first is always a strange day as the weather is usually quite wacky -- sure enough this year it brought our first forays into summer temperatures, if you can believe it. we marked that day by visiting the beautiful terčino údolí right here in south bohemia - a valley full of blooms, trails, a waterfall, and loads of other cool things to explore. we ate schnitzels while sitting on the terrace of a chateau, because we are in europe. and it was grand.

in mid-april for our long easter weekend, we rode the train into the šumava mountains to the train station with the highest elevation in the country! there we spent our time in a cozy mountain-style house, hiking and relaxing. we couldn't believe our little ferdinand walked 22km in one day! i think this trip is when we realized hiking with him (off-leash) is one of our favorite things to do.

glorious may brought beautiful cherry blossoms, garden parties, and outdoor festivals. i spent my birthday in český krumlov, staying the night there for the first time in over ten years and realizing how magical the town is by night... and how we miss out when we go back home to budejovice before dusk falls! it was brilliant to do all those tourist things like take a coffee in the square, walking around with an ice cream, and doing a bit of shopping in shops i don't usually even bother to set foot in. with our sweet accommodation south of the center right on the river (above), i truly never wanted to leave.

we spent a nice day in june in prague's vinohrady and vršovice districts to celebrate our wedding anniversary with the best mexican food in the country and doing all those big city things. sometimes it's just nicer to avoid old town altogether! (although sometimes i do quite the opposite - there's a time for everything)

at the very end of the month, we shrugged off the long spring and school year with a night in mariánské lázně - a beautiful town in the hills of northwest czech republic that is well-known for its spas and hosting many a famous guest over the past hundreds of years. we danced to jazz in the colonnade and took a hike the next day in the rain... because when you only have a limited time in a new place, you're not going to let a little rain dampen your plans!

at the beginning of july, we woke up and found ourselves in karlovy vary again for our fourth film festival. this time we took it way easier than in past years by staying directly in the center of town and felt so extremely spoiled! it was a great festival, albeit a bit cooler in temperature than every other year. when we got back, we stayed for a weekend with friends at a cottage deep in the wilds of sobo (erm, south bohemia) to have a nice rest before summer camp ramped up.

at the end of the month, we bid czechland goodbye and said hello to chicago! what a city -- i planned to do so much and ended up doing none of the things i thought i would, but instead discovered a whole new side which ended up being one of our favorite parts of our united states trip.

we were in michigan at the beginning of august visiting family and attending a wedding before flying to portland and staying with my dear friend, megs. i can't tell you how good it felt to have landed in the northwest after so long! i felt so at home immediately in that airport terminal. we rented a car and took off for central oregon to be based out of bend for the wedding of another dear friend, julie. we floated the deschutes river, visited many local breweries, and just generally enjoyed that central oregon high desert vibe.

the second half of the month was spent back home in washington -- i was so pleased to make it to my brother's birthday party at his new house as well as a family camping trip near mt. baker, much-needed karaoke nights, hikes, and of course, visiting all the beaches and eating seafood whenever possible... i even learned how to shuck an oyster! we enjoyed our time so thoroughly that it was almost as though i forgot i had to leave again...

(but i missed this little guy quite a lot)

the beginning of september was a bit rough going, but there are so many fun things happening right in budejovice that it is hard not to enjoy being in south bohemia. we spent some lovely, lazy afternoons in český krumlov, our first czech wedding, and then at the end of the month took a "wine vacation" to south moravia -- znojmo, to be exact! staying right on the square in a spacious apartment and hiking through podyji national park to a winery was a highlight, as well as checking off another thing on my "life to-do list": drinking wine in a vineyard.

we even moseyed on down into austria for a morning (as it was just across the border from znojmo) and hiked up to a famous windmill as well as toured a huge underground wine cellar. it was a beautiful weekend!

the weather was absolutely gorgeous here in october. we popped off to prague to spend time immersed in the beautiful old town as well as stop at some farmer's markets and get the obligatory annual pumpkin spice latte. we walked to the very end of the street we used to live in (in malá strana) which leads directly up petřín hill -- a fine time of year for a walk amongst the changing colors of the leaves, clear views, and good weather.

november was about "home" in south bohemia if i had to give it a theme -- we focused on home improvement -- we got a new couch, as well as other appreciated upgrades and went to two big dinners: our first st. martin's dinner as well as hosting thanksgiving for the second time.

on the first of december, we found ourselves in prague yet again for a farewell party of the last of our fellow TEFLers still left in the country -- i can't quite believe that we are the last ones still here of our group from five years ago! it was an emotional time but it's was so good to reconnect with our prague buds. i visited some of the christmas markets there including an attempt to visit old town square, but y'all -- the tourist situation is out of control compared to five years ago (when it was still quite heavy). although there is something special about the market there during advent time... i will probably continue to return despite the crowds!

for christmas, as you may have read, we were in southeastern bavaria (near the austrian border) in the heart of the bavarian alps -- a fantastic and memorable time.

the top five most popular posts on adventurings this year...

-- what i've learned about language learning after +4 years-- best tips & tricks!

-- slow pace or rat race? -- reconciling the relaxed south bohemian lifestyle with what i think i “should” be doing

-- back from the usa + 10 things i love about home -- i was a bit homesick, could you tell?

-- the expat's guide to christmas away from home -- so many tried & true tips and ideas here

-- musings on identity and being an american -- what i've made of my national identity after five years away

these happened to also be my favorite posts i have personally written this year. funny, that.

i also posted two delicious recipes: a deliciously autumnal pumpkin miso soup, the perfect springy weekday cake, & i shared my fool-proof meal planning strategy.

so, where will we go in 2018?

i am so excited that we are planning a real, actual vacation this year! not a trip. just a lay by the pool somewhere beautiful, visit wineries, eat bread and cheese from a local market, hike and bike ride through the beautiful countryside... this is likely going to take us to provence, france. i think a week or so of living the provençal life will be just the thing, and perfect timing after the school year finishes. (time to brush up on my non-existent french!)

i am also pleased to say we’re planning to head to berlin for a month this next summer! it will be the longest consecutive time i’ve spent there for ten years, and i’m looking forward to greatly improving my language study (actually being in the country should sure help!) and finally doing some berlin things i haven’t yet managed in the past decade. ‘tis time.

everything else is up in the air, so we’ll see where the year takes us! i feel oddly optimistic and ready for this new year. how are you feeling about it? where are you headed this year? if you have any provence tips, i am really all ears.

thanks for being around this year! i have loved & appreciated your comments, shares, connecting with you elsewhere, and the fact that you are here reading this right now. happy new year!

keep up with me in 2018 on bloglovin, twitter, instagram, or facebook.

this post is part of the january travel link-up.

ps, you might like ‘year of travels’ recaps of past years: 2016, 2015, & 2014.

#yearinreview #travel #newyear #yearoftravel #expatlife #recap #endofyear #czech republic

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cyclingpacificthoughts · 7 years ago

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Wheeling through Washington

Total Distance Cycled: 1,029km (639miles) Total Distance Climbed: 10,098m (33,130ft - 1.1 Everests)

From a cycling point of view Washington was a bit of a mixed bag. We visited a cycling Mecca but also spent a fair amount of time on highways just getting somewhere. This is no fault of Washington but rather the price paid for a detour to Seattle. Missing out the Olympic Peninsula meant missing out on the most rugged, remote and scenic section of the northern west coast and probably some of Washington’s best riding. However the draw of friends and bright lights in a new city proved to much, there’s always next time!

We did some more island hopping, saw the home of Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks while playing tourist, and visited the birthplace of grunge. We met our first guns, heard an innovative solution to Trump, and rode on one of the worst bridges imaginable.

A big thank you to our hosts along the way, Tim and Diana, Steve, Lou and Nick, and Lauri.

But before all that, picking up where I left off we still had one more day in BC and our first rest day in the provincial capital of Victoria...

Saturday October 7th 2017 (continued) Tour Day 8 Cycle Day 5: Chemainus Campsite to Victoria

Arriving in Victoria we headed to the Youth Hostel looking for a cheap bed for a couple nights and perhaps some friendly faces to explore the city with. Without a booking we weren’t worried as being “off-season” all the campsites so far had been deserted. What we hadn’t counted on was Canadian Thanksgiving and the Victoria Marathon the following day! As such the Saturday night had been booked out weeks ago and a quick scan of AirBnB and some hotel comparison sites quickly confirmed that Victoria was at capacity.

No room at the inn.

Mild panic set in at the thought of having to cycle back out of town to a campsite but thankfully the last bedroom in a nearby hotel was found. Yes it was about 6x what we had budgeted for, yes it was only one bed (thankfully king sized) but after a week on the road the luxury of it soon made us forget the price.

Having made ourselves look as respectable as possible we ventured out to see what was on offer, settling into a nice session beer chosen purely on tap handle.

Give me your tears gypsy.

Some locals quickly introduced us to this student town’s signature drink: The Crasher. Think an espresso martini with the subtlety, sophistication, and punch of a night out in Newcastle.

With a weeks worth of cycling in us and not much else things quickly escalated to the point that I lost Joe and have a vague memory of trying to square dance in a country bar... It all proved too much for these simple cyclists and we were both tucked up in bed before 10pm as the lightweights we’ve become.

9.31 - well and truly done.

Sunday October 8th 2017 Tour Day 9 Rest Day 1

“IS EVERYBODY READY!?!?!”

Hmmmm???

“LET ME SEE YOUR ARMS IN THE AIR!!!!”

“KEEP THOSE KNEES UP!!!!”

Whaaaaa???

“YOU ALL LOOK GREAT!!!!”

My head hurts... what the hell is going on?

6.30am, our first rest day but rest was far from possible as it turns out our hotel was 50m from the start/finish line for the marathon. Some overly enthusiastic American (is there any other type?) with a megaphone blaring out warm up instructions and platitudes to the gathering runners.

With sleep not on the table and the effects of the previous nights indulgences setting in, the hotel breakfast was a welcome sight, complete with waffle maker:

A post shared by Kit MacInnes-Manby (@cycling_pacific) on Oct 8, 2017 at 10:09am PDT

Not a vegetable or fruit in sight but plenty of starchy carbs and sugar to start the recovery.

A couple hours later it was also the perfect place to hang with two stars of the long distance game.

Daniel Kipoech and Kip Kangogo.

Feeling like we should be vaguely cultural we made like good tourists and checked out the Royal British Columbia Museum (The Canadian’s making like good colonials and still giving props to Liz).

Highlights included John Lennon’s Rolls Royce, complete with a dent from an old English woman who hit it with her umbrella in disgust at the defacement of the British beauty.

Ticket to ride, at one point the World’s most expensive car.

A First Nations exhibition

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‘It’s only a model”.

And a historic section taking you from ice aged British Columbia through to early European settlers.

When bears were the least of your worries cycling around here.

Culture over and being Canadian Thanksgiving, what better place to enjoy a traditional meal than an English cricket themed sports bar, while enjoying some NFL?

All in all our day in Victoria was just what we needed and as we checked into the hostel 24hrs later than planned it was time to say goodbye to Canada and hello to the “Land of the Free”.

British Columbia Parliament Building.

Monday October 9th 2017 Tour Day 10 Cycle Day 6: Victoria to San Juan Island

A shortish ride back along the Lochside trail we’d come in on took us to Sidney for the ferry crossing to San Juan Island. But before we could get going, first we had to face US border control. We were quick to notice the changes in officials, no longer the friendly Canadians, welcome to the gun toting stern and serious Americans. After a mild interrogation, the first signs of warmth did appear as he told us to be careful down in Mexico (the first of many cautions about the perils of crossing the southern border, otherwise known as “Mexiphobia”, a common condition it would seem in these parts!).

Arriving into Friday Harbour of San Juan Island we headed to Tim and Diana’s (The Tim that we’d met cycling on Salt Spring Island). Tim used to fly commercial sea planes from Seattle up here and liked it so much they built a house in retirement.

The San Juan Islands are regarded as one of the best places to cycle in the US. Thankfully for us we arrived on a Monday outside the normal season and so enjoyed them to ourselves! Panniers deposited we headed out on one of Tim’s routes to the American Camp at the bottom of the island.

This was the US army base for the “Pig War” between 1859-1871 between the Americans and the British. If you’re checking your history books and thinking it’s a little late in the day for the British and Americans to be at war you’d be right. Long after the war of independence and just as the American civil war was kicking off, the Brits and Yanks decided to have a little posturing over an ambiguously defined boarder between Canada and the US, some settlers on both sides, and a pig. Over the 12 years, only 1 shot was fired and there was only one casualty, the pig.

Tuesday October 10th 2017 Tour Day 11 Cycle Day 6: San Juan to Orcas to San Juan

Fuelled up on some of Tim’s speciality protein pancakes we set off on one of the more ambitious rides of the tour thus far. Orcas Island and the 2,500ft peak of Mount. Constitution.

Leaving in bright sunshine but also the panniers (and our waterproofs) we felt great as we sped off to the ferry. I should have remembered my GCSE geography water cycle.

With not much in the way of elevation except for Mount. Constitution, there’s a fair chance that you’ll get wet on Orcas Island. Almost as soon as we arrived it started to rain, and rain, and rain. By the time we got to the base of the mountain we were soaked. The mountain itself was completely covered in cloud and so with the prospect of no view and even more rain, an executive decision was made to make it back in time for the lunch time ferry.

A cloud covered mountain as we retreated home.

Arriving back in San Juan in glorious sunshine was mildly annoying but if you’re going to have a rain day, make sure you have a solid roof and drying room to come back to!

Dry and warmed up Tim and Diana treated us to their speciality secret burgers which is in my opinion is one of the best ways to end a day’s cycling!

Burger time.

Wednesday October 11th 2017 Tour Day 12 Cycle Day 7: San Juan Island to Marrowstone Island

It was tough to leave San Juan and the fantastic hospitality of Tim and Di but with Mainland USA calling and the bright lights of Seattle, it was time to be on the move again.

A ferry to Annacortes and the Deception Pass bridge was first up. In general bridges are the stuff of nightmares for bicyclists, usually built for cars with no consideration for other users you can often face the prospect of speeding motorists on one side and a nice barrier followed by a long drop on the other. They do however often provide beautiful vantage points too, and Deception Pass definitively fell into that category.

And thankfully on this occasion the crossing was easy enough too.

Heading south another ferry took us to Port Townsend, and having not eaten all day we broke our “no Mexican food till Mexico” rule, inhaling the offering in front of us!

Time stamps on these photos - 17:16 & 17:22.

Our evening destination: Marrowstone Island. The home of family friend George Dennison, who turned up at my parent’s home in Scotland some 15 years ago, having walked for several hours to get there, and asked to take a look around as it had been his ancient Scottish ancestor’s. Mum being mum invited him in and got chatting. Now in his 90s with his adventurous spirit still undiminished meant missing out on seeing him again as he was taking a trip to Mexico, however we had the pleasure of being hosted by his stepson Steve.

Our first “dive bar” provided the evening entertainment. Fried food, beer, and the joy of shelling peanuts, then sweeping them from the bar through a purpose built gap and onto the floor, which gave a satisfying crunch as you walked on it.

Returning to our cottage (built by Steve aged 16), the Laphroiag flowing, another quintessential American first, 2nd amendment rights!

*warning, divisive political subject below*

Just the previous night, in light of the terrible events in Las Vegas, we had debated the (in the group’s opinion) absurdity of gun ownership laws with our previous hosts. Now we found ourselves on the other side of the debate.

I should point out a few things here. 1) Steve’s collection mostly consists of hunting rifles 2) He is a well trained marksman and 3) Willing to debate the subject without just blindly shouting “2nd amendment” at you. As such it wasn’t your stereotypical endless loop of American Freedom, protection and Constitutional rights but it did serve as a stark reminder that you’re probably walking (or cycling) past someone carrying a gun all the time.

Steve loved guns, from the revolver that had been with him the whole evening, to the antique collection of beautifully crafted hunting rifles. He was clearly extremely knowledgable and was well trained in the use and care of his weapons. I have no problem with people wanting to collect and maintain guns in a sensible fashion, I know plenty of people in the UK who do the same.

However he had also just sat on the jury for a trial where a man had fired “spray and pray” with a semi-automatic at another (unarmed) man who was lost and had stoped at his property to ask for directions. Not that the assailant knew that as he took the fire first ask questions later approach. Steve’s opinion was that the guy was guilty and shouldn’t be allowed to own the guns, but surprisingly (or perhaps not) the law was actually on the side of the guy with the gun!

A particularly disturbing story given Joe and I had very nearly knocked on a strangers door earlier that day when looking for Steve’s property. Needless to say we haven’t thought about doing that again!

One of the more surreal evenings drew to a close as I slowly fell asleep, whisky in one hand, Steve opposite with hunting rifle across his lap.

The best thing about a musket; it gives you a lot of time to calm down - Jim Jeffries

To close out this topic, my thoughts are best summed up by Jim Jeffries

In summary, if you like guns, and are actually trained to use them, then fair enough. But, and it’s a big but, there are way to many BS arguments, not enough checks to make sure you know what you’re doing / aren’t crazy, people who are unwilling to even have a debate, and finally, surely there is absolutely no need to own an fully automatic?

The Cabin that Steve built. I was still struggling to make my bed at 16 (still learning!) let alone build a cabin to put one in.

Thursday October 12th 2017 Tour Day 13 Cycle Day 8: Marrowstone Island to Seattle

Looking forward to our next rest day, we set off early for Seattle. More busy roads and the first of “Manby’s Mechanicals” when a rather large nail decided to get in the way of my back tyre.

I wonder what did it?

Puncture repaired and another ferry caught, a long ride from Edmonds through the vast northern Seattle Suburbs meant we were more than happy to arrive at our destination after a necessary pit stop for 20 McNuggets to get us there! Our awesome hosts for the next two nights; new Seattle residents Lou, a long time family friend and her husband Nick. Showered up the first stop was our second dive bar of the trip followed by a great Thai. A quick night cap back at the Eastlake Zoo resulted in one of the more interesting purchases of the tour. Joe, determined to find himself some speedos for Mexico, thought he’d found a bargain. $10, a pickled sausage and some budgie smugglers.

It wasn’t till the next morning he realised he’d in fact purchased himself some lovely hot-pants!

Hoping these don’t make an appearance on the beach.

Well fed and well tired we stumbled to bed looking forward to playing tourist the next day.

Friday October 13th 2017 Tour Day 14 Rest Day 2

The first stop for any tourist in Seattle? Where else but one of the most iconic and distinctive elements of any cityscape; the Space Needle. Supposedly there are better views to be had from the taller skyscrapers it faces but lets be honest, if you’re in Seattle for 1 day only, you’re going to ascend the 160 metres to the observation deck and take it in.

Tourist checkpoint complete, Joe was particularly keen to check out the library(!?!) and to be fair it is actually a very interesting architectural structure, both inside out with one entirely red (and disorientating) floor.

Feeling peckish it was over to Pike’s Place Market, home of the original Starbucks (which was avoided due to it a) being a Starbucks and b) queues round the corner with a deserted new Starbucks within sight of it). There was plenty on offer in the hustle and bustle, including a piano playing fisherman:

Playing with Fish(y) Fingers?

We settled on the “World Famous” (almost every establishment in America seems to be such) Beecher’s Homemade Cheese, where they did indeed make cheese, but given that no one lives there and the vast machines producing it I’m not sure how it is homemade. Anyway the guidebooks will recommend the Mac & Cheese, and the Mac & Cheese was duly ordered. It was OK. I like to think of myself as a bit of a Mac&C aficionado, and while it was certainly good it wasn’t mind blowing which for something that was “world famous” peeved us. Then again what can you expect from a country where the majority of the time only two types of cheese exist: American and Swiss!

CHEEEEEEEEEESE!

Ground Zero for the bad coffee everywhere epidemic.

Fed and watered it was time for some more culture, and ever since I had seen this in my Lonely Planet there was only one place I wanted to go.

The Experience Music Project (now the Museum of Pop Culture), with exhibitions on SciFi, Star Trek, Jim Henson, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and more it was epic. Or it would have been had we not completely lost track of time. Arriving around 3pm and starting in the first section we got to, SciFi I was just battling my way out of Star Trek and making a beeline for Jimi when... “Sir, please can you make your way to the exit”... 5pm had sneaked up on us. A little annoyed at paying $50 for only 2hrs, what we considered a very early closing time, and our own stupidity at not checking said closing time, the cherry on the cake was the “late night at the museum” complete with bar was back in the SciFi section!! We got our own back though as Joe stole a handful of marshmallows from the bar on the way out.

Who you going to call?

Extreme danger of being exterminated, until you find a staircase.

“I’ll be back” so I can check out Jimi!

Wandering up Capitol Hill with the sun setting we took in the Space Needle from the top over beers before meandering our way back for dinner and the promise of ginormous pizzas and one of the best views of Seattle at night.

With 8000 calories a day being burnt, it’s fair to say our appetites have skyrocketed. The promise of the largest pizzas we had ever seen was delivered and then some at Frēlard Pizza. Feeling ambitious and going against the advice of our hosts and waitress we both ordered a 24” each, Joe going for a 1/2 carbonara, 1/2 Full Hog and myself taking on a 1/2 Full Hog, 1/2 Staple and Fancy.

I raced into an early lead, and with only 1 slice to go, Joe still had 1/2 his to go. But it was the case of slow and steady wins the race, and while I decided on “saving” the final slice for the morning, Joe finished it all much to the amazement of our waitress and discomfort of his stomach. There’s always room for ice cream right? We decided to find out and in total gluttony ordered American sized tubs. Back at the Brooks, no longer able to move I slipped into a satisfied food coma.

Saturday October 14th 2017 Tour Day 15 Cycle Day 10: Seattle to Riverbend

Up early, our hosts setting off for an anniversary hike (happy anniversary guys!), we made our way south, past Pike’s Place and out of town on quiet and easy cycle paths.

Lou and Nick.

Taking the ferry from Fauntleroy to Vashon Island it was time for our final island and penultimate ferry. Vashon is another popular cycle spot, with quiet roads, pretty towns, and one of the toughest starts to a ride at the exit of the north ferry terminal - a nice 10% that levels off halfway, tricking you into thinking that it’s done with you, only to carry on round the corner at the same lovely gradient!

The other side of Vashon and back on the mainland having said goodbye to our 13th and final ferry we made our way through Tacoma and ended the day at Riverbend RV campsite just east of state capital Olympia. Checking in we met Chad, inviting us to join him and his partner Anastasia for a few drinks later...

Both wine merchants, a few turned into many and before we knew it the topic of Trump was again circling the campfire. This is where possibly one of my favourite ideas ever was brought up. “C*cksucker Camp” Chad suddenly and enthusiastically exclaimed. Intrigued, as (most likely due to the wine) the name came before the explanation at the mention of Trump, I enquired further.

In a nutshell, Trump and other such men would be sent to a camp, surrounded by sycophants and other “amenities” to be kept in a stupor of satisfaction that they are the greatest, leaving the rest of the world to get on with life absent of such egotistical numpties. Either intentionally or by accident the name also works on multiple levels as not only an insulting description for the men sent there, but also the main amenity on offer to keep them happy. In any case an RV park in the middle of Washington was the last place I expected to hear such an inspired idea.

Not long after this, Joe and I decided that the best idea was bed and slid off into the darkness to find our tent.

Camping RV style.

Sunday October 15th 2017 Tour Day 16 Cycle Day 11: Riverbend to Aberdeen

A brief morning ride found us in Olympia Coffee, in the pleasant looking town that was our 2nd surprise state capital following Victoria.

Caffeined up, the unremarkable ride along another highway (further punishment for our detour to Seattle) was only broken by a serendipitous whim to take a looping road I spotted on my Garmin called Summit Lake. Place/road names on the trip so far seem to fall into the category of either a description or somewhere in Scotland and this happily fell very much into the former, taking us from the monotony of highway shoulder to a beautiful town surrounding a lake. Some more luck followed when looking for public access we met Sharron tending her garden who offered us her pontoon as a fine spot to enjoy our lunchtime sandwiches. It certainly beat the inside of a Subway.

Refuelled, we set sights on the latter naming convention. Aberdeen had been on my list of places to go from near the beginning of planning this trip. Not just due to going to school near the original but also being the birthplace of Kurt Cobain. I can’t claim to have been an original Nirvana fan, but ever since I was given an album as an early teenager (is there a more appropriate age to start listening to Nirvana?) I’ve always had a soft spot for them.

“Come as you are”.

Aberdeen also meant our first Warm Showers. Yes we had had a shower in all this time, this warm showers is an online cycling community / app, similar to Couchsurfing, that is something like a free AirBnB for cyclists provided by other cyclists. Having only just heard about it before the trip, it is genius! Hosts basically offer anything from a spot on their lawn for a tent to a spare bed or something in between in addition to a warm shower as the name suggests.

Lauri was our first host, and an excellent introduction to this wonderful sub-community. Moving to Aberdeen for work, she enjoyed the great cycling on her doorstep, the Olympic Peninsula to the north and down the coast to Oregon. Bringing along a bottle of wine, we shared a takeaway Pizza and enjoyed discussing cycle touring. We also got to stick pins in the world map, and with Joe going for Lewes, I decided to be the first “Scot” and stick mine just north of Glasgow.

Monday October 16th 2017 Tour Day 17 Cycle Day 12: Aberdeen to Astoria

We woke to a heavy fog and the forecast looked like this might be our last day of sunshine for a while, which given the time of year wasn’t surprising. In fact we’d been extremely lucky not to have had any bad weather, save for the local geography induced soak on Orcas, so far.

Our first Warm Showers Host Lauri.

After an excellent breakfast at one of Lauri’s local spots, a quick tour of Aberdeen ensued to find Kurt’s monument, situated by the bridge Kurt used to sit under and write songs which traversed the kindly named Wishkah River, an adaption of the Chehalis Indian word hwish-kahl, meaning stinking water. You can get a sense why there was so much angst in his songs!

Rebelling like Kurt would.

Aberdeen itself, a former logging town, suffering depression as the industry has declined was greeted universally with surprise and derision when brought up as a stop on my trip by those who knew of it along the way.

You can get a sense of how these forgotten towns across America were desperate for something new in Washington DC, the promise of industry returning and a break from the establishment. Sadly I don’t see Trump delivering for these people.

Despite all this I actually quiet liked what I saw of Aberdeen and can see it becoming a tourist hub for the outdoors with great access to the Olympic Peninsula or with cheap property, potentially even a new startup hub between Seattle, Portland and Silicon Valley if the local officials get their act together.

A post shared by Kit MacInnes-Manby (@cycling_pacific) on Oct 16, 2017 at 8:26am PDT

Foggy start.

Initially we had a shortish ride in mind to the KOA campsite in Bay Centre. However arriving in South Bend just before 1pm a quick decision was made to get as far south as possible to make the most of the good weather as it was turning into a beautiful day. Astoria was the next logical place and with another warm showers host arranged we took a look at the route.

Lauri had given us one big piece of advice, do not cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge which takes you over the Columbia river out of Washington and into Oregon. It’s long at over 4 miles / 6.5km, looks fearsome with a flat first half followed by a nice mile long 5% clime, has almost no shoulder, and the cars speed along at 70mph. The advice was to head to Ilwaco where for 50c a bus could be caught over the bridge. The issue was, we were still 45miles away and the last bus was at 4.10pm. This gave us just over three hours, which for those of you good at math(s) meant averaging 15mph for 3 hours straight. On an unloaded road bike, no problem. On a fully loaded tourer, this meant hitting near enough our max flat road speed and maintaining it. Throw in a headwind for the first hour and it was huge challenge. Somehow, after sitting in the red for longer than one should when supposedly touring we rolled into town at 4pm. A bus went past us as we entered, but unconcerned we headed to the stop expecting to have more than enough time in hand.

Waiting around the bus stop, 4.10 then 4.20 came and went. A local informed us that the buses are not that reliable and the one we saw was probably it. Brilliant. Thanks bus driver who clearly had Friday beers on his mind rather than sticking to schedule. I still have a mind to write a strongly worded email to the Washington department of transport! To add insult to injury, we were looking out over Cape Disappointment.

It’s amazing how much a beer in the sun with a view can lift the spirits. We’d also picked up Alejandro as we’d ridden into Ilwaco, our second cycle tourist we’d met heading down the coast (we’d bumped into a couple of Italians in South Bend). Alejandro was from Chile, this was his first trip outside of his home country and he’d saved up for 4 years to do it! He was on a big loop from Denver up to Seattle and then down the coast to Newport. He’d also had his bike stolen from him after being forced to lock it up outside overnight which served as a warning to us to add to all the others of touring bike theft woe. Luckily for him he’d managed to pick up another bike cheaply on Craig’s list and carried on undeterred.

Rehydration and sun can make you feel a lot better.

Pit stop over the three of us set off on what turned out to be a very scenic ride to Astoria, save for a horrible tunnel, and of course that bridge. Tunnels, our first, are tricky to navigate as cars can’t see you and the back draft from passing vehicles are extremely unpleasant. Joe found this out as a truck went past causing him to swerve into the wall and pick up a nasty graze.

With just the bridge between us and our destination the convoy nervously met at the start to assess. With no other option, it was ride across or go on a 60mile diversion to find another crossing. The first flat two miles with a shoulder less than 0.5m wide, cars screaming and beeping past. The last two miles, a 5% gradient up to the apex and then a helter skelter decent into Astoria. Unpleasant is an understatement but with the sun setting the views were also incredible.

Safely on the other side - Alejandro and “that” bridge.

Adrenaline still pumping we arrived, a new appreciation for life, a stiff drink and food required. Enjoying the largest Nachos I’ve ever seen, we chatted and found out that Alejandro had learnt all of his English through video games and American TV! According to my dad, all I ever got out of those was brain rot. Our host home earlier than expected and only 2 blocks away we set off for our second warm showers, but that, and our adventures in Oregon, are stories for another time...

It’s Nacho food, it’s mine!

#pacificcoastcycle #adventure #adventurecycling #cycletouring #washington #seattle #san juan island #aberdeen #astoria #olympia #cycling

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ruminativerabbi · 5 years ago

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Thanksgiving 2019

Despite the fact that it was only in 1863 that President Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation making Thanksgiving into an annual national holiday to be celebrated on the third Thursday of November, the holiday itself is much older and many presidents, starting with President Washington in 1789, had earlier on proclaimed national festivals of thanksgiving on a year-to-year basis. Nor was this a new idea even in George Washington’s day: as everyone who ever attended an American elementary school knows, the first Thanksgiving was observed in 1621 by the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. But the story as taught to children in our country masks the two crucial details which, more than paradoxically, are precisely the ones that we should be brining to the fore today and which have the ability, I think, to grant the festival ultimate meaning for Americans today.

In 1621, the Pilgrims were not having an easy time of it. The Plymouth Colony had only been established one single year earlier. But life here in these future United States was wholly unlike what the Pilgrims knew from England and by 1621 it was apparently clear to almost all that the newcomers were unlikely to survive at all, let alone to thrive, in the New World unless they found a way successfully to adapt to their new environment. For a while they looked only within their only ranks for the help they so desperately needed. And then a native man named Squanto, a member of the Patuxet tribe native to what is now eastern Massachusetts, stepped onto the stage to teach the newcomers what they needed to know. He taught them how to catch eel, for one thing. He taught them how to deal with winter weather conditions that was far more harsh than what they knew from back home. And, most crucially of all, he taught them how to grow corn.

Squanto, having learned English the hard way (he had earlier been enslaved in England and had managed to escape and travel back home), then went on to become the Pilgrims’ interpreter and, more crucially, to serve as a liaison between them and King Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag tribe that had displaced the Patuxets as the leaders of the local indigenes. (The Patuxet tribe is believed to have died out from some sort of epidemic while Squanto was in England, thus making Squanto himself the last of the Patuxets.) And it was this fledgling relationship that led to the king donating large gifts of food to the fledgling colony of Europeans, which act of generosity and largesse led in turn to the 1621 feast of thanksgiving that became enshrined in American lore as the first Thanksgiving of all.

It wasn’t exactly like our holiday. For one thing, it lasted for three days. For another, turkey was only one small item on the menu, which (as preserved by Governor Bradford himself in his book On Plymouth Plantation, which I read years ago and can

recommend as fascinating and engaging even today) consisted of cod, eels, bass, clams, lobster, mussels, duck, geese, swans, turkey, venison, berries, squash, pumpkin, peas, beans, and corn.

Eventually the custom of recreating that feast caught on even among non-English communities in the New World. The Dutch of New Netherlands, for example, proclaimed a first Thanksgiving feast just a few decades later in 1644, then intermittently until 1674 when New Netherlands stopped existing after the entire colony was ceded to the British in the Treaty of Westminster.

But somehow a key element in the story managed to be forgotten: that this was not a meal prepared by the Pilgrims to give thanks for the bounty of the land on which they had settled, but a meal intended to express their thanks both to Squanto, their volunteer ambassador to King Massasoit, and to Massasoit himself, the native monarch who saved them from almost certain extinction.

We tend to think of Thanksgiving as a time to be grateful for all the good in our lives. That is surely a noble sentiment, but how much more meaningful would the holiday be if we were also to allow our celebratory mood to bring to the fore a sense of deep beholdenness to the native people who created the context for one of the first European settlements to survive more than a single year in their newly chosen homeland. Would King Massasoit have behaved differently had he somehow been granted some sort of prescient understanding of the degree to which European settlement in North America was going to bring about the near annihilation of native life in his place and if he could have been allowed somehow to see—even if just in his mind’s eye—the instances of wholesale slaughter and deportation that were going to characterize relations between the descendants of the newly arrived settlers and the native people already on the ground here in North America? I’ll leave that question unanswered, but will suggest that Thanksgiving should be a time for all of us to ponder the detail that the most famous of all settler encampments, the Plymouth Plantation itself, only survived because the native people they found in place when they arrived reached out to them kindly, magnanimously, and generously. For most of us, Thanksgiving is mostly about gratitude; my suggestion is that it also be about hospitality, charity, and kindness to strangers.

But what of the Pilgrims themselves? Their story too is almost always mistold, its “real” lesson thus either obfuscated slightly or totally.

Plymouth Plantation was founded in 1620—only Jamestown was older—and its independent existence ended in 1691 when it was included in the newly formed Massachusetts Bay Colony. But the Pilgrims themselves have somehow managed to live on in our national imagination as icons of religious freedom. Indeed, most Americans connect the Pilgrims’ journey to the New World with their quest for religious freedom and imagine that that specific virtue—the natural right of all to worship in accordance with the dictates of their own consciences—was what the Pilgrims must surely have been the most thankful for as they sat down to their eels and berries.

Here too, however, the story line matches reality only vaguely. The Pilgrims belonged to a very strict Protestant sect that followed John Calvin’s teaching that God offers redemption solely to those ready to embrace the specific version of Christianity preached by Calvin himself, whereas the rest of the human race was imagined to exist merely to experience God’s wrath for their sins. Calvin’s theology was less simple than I’ve just made it sound, but the bottom line is that the Pilgrims, driven from their homeland by relentless persecution, responded to their own past by embracing a set of beliefs that denied religious freedom to anyone not precisely like them. So as we gather at our groaning boards on Thanksgiving, it should be to reject, not celebrate, the Pilgrims’ own understanding of religious freedom as something deserved solely by them themselves and substitute for it a sense of religious freedom far more akin to the kind enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Freedom of religion is not an ancient value. Indeed, the notion that there is virtue in permitting even the smallest and least popular spiritual disciplines to flourish would have struck most in older times as somewhere between peculiar and wholly unacceptable. Although there were some precedents to the kind of spiritual freedom enshrined in the Bill of Rights—and in unexpected places and times like, for example, India in the third century BCE—our Founding Fathers were basically staking out new territory when they forbade the government from establishing a state religion or from erecting any untoward barrier to religious worship in any legitimate mode at all. For that, we should be eternally grateful. And we should enjoy Thanksgiving, therefore, by emphasizing the fine and noble idea of religious freedom not as the Pilgrims understood it but as we ourselves do.

And those are my twin suggestions for Thanksgiving this year: that we think back to old King Massasoit and ponder how the future of the American nation once depended on the unearned hospitality showed by a native leader to newcomers in search of refuge from persecution and that we think back to the harsh legacy of the original beneficiaries of the benevolence shown them by the king of the Wampanoags and ponder how challenging it truly is to be in favor of religious freedom not only for oneself and one’s own faith group but for all citizens…including those whose spiritual beliefs are unfamiliar or even totally unrelated to our own.

#Thanksgiving #King Massasoit #Plymouth Plantation #William Bradford #First Amendment

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mcflygoes88mph · 6 years ago

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the weed dinner

LOS ANGELES, APRIL 2012: A companion and I were lucky enough to win a lottery for a space at a super-secret private dinner hosted and conceived by a local chef/owner, Nguyen Tran of Starry Kitchen in downtown Los Angeles. This dinner was to be a joint (no pun intended) collaboration between his wife Chef Thi Tran and Chef Laurent Quenioux, and was centered on one very special ingredient: cannabis. It was also about Chinese medicinal herbs, but all anyone was truly focused on was the weed.

After much anticipation and last-minute emails filled with bright, colorful pictures of bubbling pots and tantalizing menus-in-process, the day had finally arrived to catch our shuttle to the secret location where this slightly-taboo event was to be held. At the rendezvous location, we found several others who looked as if they were on their way to a secret illicit gourmet dinner as well…must be in the right place. The vans arrived, labeled correctly but several minutes late—foreshadowing for the evening ahead. After a bit of a scramble for a seat to get out of the uncomfortably cold wind, we were winding our way up into the hills.

We arrived at a fashionable, yet simple 1-story house tucked up in the hills of Los Angeles with a beautiful view of the slowly darkening early April sky. Along with the other 10 or so first arrivers, we were treated to a cocktail that included rum and cannabis-infused sesame oil –painted mint leaves. As this dinner was trendy beyond trendy, young gentlemen “mixologists” who had volunteered their services for the evening’s events were concocting our drinks.

We mingled, slowly at first, as our cocktails iced our hands and the biting wind chilled the rest of our bodies, waiting for the rest of the attendees while we wandered the beautifully landscaped backyard of an unknown benefactor. Slowly (as would be the theme for the rest of the evening), the remaining guests arrived, and we were eventually escorted inside out of the cold, unseasonable wind. No one remained in corners, partaking of the night’s special ingredient in any other fashion—we were forbidden.

A less-informed guest would have assumed they had arrived for Thanksgiving dinner at a family member’s house—we walked through the kitchen to a beautiful living room set up with rented tables, mismatched chairs sourced from various locations throughout the house, and a picture window with an incredible view near the farthest table. I knew that was the table I wanted, and made a beeline for it.

Other guests whom we had been casually mingling with outside, and a writer for the New Yorker joined us. We soon realized this dinner was less intimate then we had thought—for a “secret, illicit” event, there were photographers, reporters, and writers for almost every guest at the dinner. We would be interviewed several times for several publications and outlets, especially after each dish. We were also photographed, although we were promised that no identifying features would be published.

As we sat down at the simply decorated tables, we were presented with two documents—one was the final menu, as to be expected at a dinner such as this. The other, which is what is in the accompanying photograph, was a legal waiver for our participation in this event. It was full of cheeky, not-so-serious language, but nevertheless—we signed as we were asked to do.

We were presented with bread and oil while we waited for the first course, but who wants to eat bread when you have 9 courses ahead of you?

Our host, while charming and amicable, was not the most punctual. Our dinner was slated to start at 7:00 in the evening, but as the sun sank lower in the darkening sky, our tummies rumbled for the feast that we could smell, but not yet taste. My choice to sit near the window was not the best, as it was also farthest from the kitchen, and the last to be served— for every course. It was unfortunate that we did not get to experience the food at its very best, but it was still a unique and memorable meal. On to the food!

Amuse Bouche: Longan, Winter Melon, Hamachi, Duck Breast

Difficult to eat in its original presentation format, it required more than the simple cocktail fork that had been provided. The inclusion of a utensil that is not functional for its accompanying dish seems even more out of place than the common trope of garnish that is only for “color”.

Nevertheless, the dish was interesting (if not a bit cold), though I would have liked a more tender duck breast (mine was dried out and lukewarm) given the delicateness of everything else on the plate. Varying textures is important, but not when it requires deconstruction of the dish and various utensils simply to be able to break it down into bite-size portions. This fact goes doubly when you consider that this was intended to be an amuse bouche.

These large portions were another trend that continued through the evening. Mr. Tran is consistent, but perhaps not in the right areas. And before you ask, no, there was no cannabis in this dish. Only about half the dishes presented to us over the span of the evening actually contained cannabis. Again, quantity over quality.

First Course: Papaya Soup with American Ginseng, Wild Boar, Partridge, Salsify

“Soup you say? Doesn’t look like soup to me.”

Me either. This was how the dish was originally presented, and we were forced to wait for the rounds to be made AGAIN to include the broth. I understand the intent of the chef to keep the ingredients as intact as possible until right when the diner is about to eat, but given the layout and mechanics of running this event, our table ended up having to stare at what you see for a long time until the broth could be distributed AND the chef could explain the dish to us.

Mr. Tran is lucky that this was one of his best dishes of the night, as I was not happy to watch others finish their dishes before we even began ours. Flavors and textures balanced well, and the papaya was a surprise success for me (I am usually not akin to whole pieces of fruit in soup with meat). The chef made it a point to emphasize the rarity and specialness of the American Ginseng, but the broth as well as the bold ingredients made the ginseng hard to even detect.

I did finish this whole bowl, but it would be one of the last courses I would (and could) finish completely. This was the second dish not to include cannabis. Wasn’t that the reason we were here?

Second Course: Silky Bantam Chicken, Pigeon Skin, Avocado, Pink Grapefruit, Cannabis Leaves, Citrus Oil, Pickled Beets, Solomon’s Seal

Not one of my favorites. I ended up leaving most of this one on the plate, only sampling tastes to get the experience. The chicken and most of the ingredients were put into a roulade/sushi type of roll, which seemed dry. The highlight was the fried pigeon skin (seen on top), but fried anything is good.

There were cannabis leaves in the “salad” looking portion, and I did consume some (as did my companion), but as growers as well as partakers, we were not impressed. Cannabis leaves taste much like regular leaves off of any plant, and most of the “good stuff” isn’t even in the leaves.

It was after this course that my companion and I realized we needed to start pacing ourselves and “triage” the best parts of each dish, because we were already very full, and we had many more courses to go. Alright Mr. Tran, let’s see if you can redeem yourself with the next one.

Third Course: Spare Ribs, Angelica Root, Wolfberries, Bergamot Glazed Pork Belly, Green Apple, Green Garlic, Cauliflower Gremolata

Pork. Belly.

Those two words often conjure images of glistening, golden brown meat that when eaten, melts in your mouth like chocolate that’s been sitting in the car on a warm day.

Instead, we were treated to a mouthful of lukewarm, dry pork belly that had been so over seasoned that it was impossible to even discern any other flavor besides bergamot. My taste buds were so blown out that I had to drink both my water as well as my companion’s in an attempt to cleanse my palate to taste the other components of the dish. I was disappointed, to say the least.

The spare rib, however, was good—but not great. This dish seemed to have a lot of potential, but fell flat when it came to execution. Perhaps the dish sat too long on the line, as was the downfall of many of our other culinary experiences that night. I did finish my spare rib, but resignedly left much of the pork belly. Even the server who cleared my plate seemed perplexed at the amount left behind.

It was at this point that I started to feel a bit…sad. I had so looked forward to this experience, and now, hopelessly behind schedule and with very few of the dishes being exemplary or even containing the ingredient that this whole event was designed around, it was not shaping up to be the evening I had envisioned. I leaned over and whispered as much to my companion, and while shocked at first, we later realized we were in agreement the whole time.

Fourth Course: Spot Prawns, Herbal Lobster “jus”, Head Tempura, Favas, Peas

I love food. I love the colors, the smells, and the tastes. I love that it is art for all 5 senses to appreciate—not many other types of art can say the same.

However, I do have one exception: I do not like food that looks back at me. I have struggled with the ethics of eating what was once living, as many of us do. When I saw “Head Tempura” on the menu before attending the event, I knew that would be one thing I would not sample. I try to approach these types of culinary experiences as an exception--I must try a bit of everything, just as the chef conceived it, in order to truly experience the vision of the dish—even if it is something I do not normally like to eat.

Head tempura didn’t make the cut. Well, not completely.

The spot prawns themselves were a bit underdone for my tastes—surprising, considering the over doneness of the preceding dishes. The peas were okay, but I have never been a pea fan—my companion appreciated them. Favas were excellent—a great illustration of my rule, as I do not eat them normally.

Now for the head—I resigned myself to eating a bit of the inside parts, but could not commit as fully as some of my fellow diners who were able to consume the entire thing without so much as a hesitation. My companion enjoyed the “wiggly bits” off of both of our dishes, but neither one of us finished the dish completely, which disappointed my companion, as that was their most-anticipated course.

We were halfway through this monstrosity, and my “pre-gaming” as we were advised to do before arriving on premises, had worn off. Almost none of the preceding dishes had ANY cannabis in them, and the one that did provided nothing to me in terms of effects. I was full and I was sober. If Mr. Tran wanted us to be able to eat all of the rest of this, he needed to step up his game in terms of “motivation”.

Enter courses 5 & 6.

Fifth Course: Monkfish, Congee, Cannabis Epazote Pesto, Nettles, Shiso, Young Carrots.

Now this was a dish my companion and I wholeheartedly enjoyed. Judging from our fellow diners’ reactions, they enjoyed it immensely as well. The monkfish was delicate and simple, a perfect compliment to that gorgeous green cannabis leaf pesto-infused congee resting underneath the rest of the components. I may not have finished the rest of the dish, but I did finish every drop of that congee.

Earlier in this saga, I had complained that the chef’s first cannabis-containing dish was weak and ineffective in terms of what we expect out of an “edible”, as we call them. I cannot say the same for this one. The high came about 10 minutes after my first bite of congee—a warm, fuzzy feeling washed over my body and I became less concerned about the speed at which the very-behind-schedule dinner was progressing. I also felt better that this dinner was not going to be a total wash, as did my companion.

We were however, very full at this point. Triaging components became not just a suggestion, but also a method for survival. Our fellow diners began to start to have problems finishing their dishes as well. I felt a twinge of guilt every time a plate containing plenty of good food was cleared. Unfortunately, they don’t provide doggie bags at these types of events, and I’m not that much of a trendsetter to ask for one anyway.

Course Six: Beef Culotte, Onion Bacon Cannabis Tart, Sunchoke, Morels

My favorite picture of the bunch, which works out nicely, as this was my favorite meal. I mourn the fact that it came so late in the meal, as I would have eaten every bit had it come earlier (or had I not eaten so much of everything else).

The beef was medium-rare, with a gorgeously rich red wine-based reduction with which to eat it. I left far too much of it on my plate than I would have, but that is because I needed to eat every last bit of that tart. And the reason for that is—that tart was CHOCK FULL of cannabis. I need to learn how to make my own cannabis tarts, although I fear if I did I would grow to 300 pounds and be unable to form sentences coherently on a constant basis.

It was amazingly light and yet rich, and of course—got us all rather “buzzed”. My mouth waters looking at the picture and remembering its deliciousness. I would eat ALL the tarts ever, given the chance. I ignored the sunchokes and most of the morels at this point, simply so that I could eat tart.

My only criticism of the tart would be that it was somewhat cold due to the problems I’ve mentioned several times with service, but even poor temperature control couldn’t ruin the tart for me.

Course Seven: Osmanthus Panna Cotta, Rhubarb, Frozen Cream, Blood Orange Sorbet, Cannabis Soil

Our host informed us when we were presented with the dish that the rhubarb was supposed to be at the bottom of the glass with the panna cotta, as the strong rhubarb would overpower the delicate osmanthus if that were on top. I agree with him for the most part, the dish would have been better the other way around, but it was still very good panna cotta.

The sorbet was as good as sorbet usually is, but it wasn’t anything extraordinary. I must have missed the part where they included random asparagus, which perplexed not only me, but also my companion (but not enough to deter its consumption for my companion). I skipped the asparagus because I was too busy mixing the cannabis “soil” (the lighter granular-looking substance next to the glass) into the panna cotta.

You may be asking yourself, “What the heck does cannabis soil taste like?” Like eating cannabis in granular form. Seriously.

I skipped most of the little drips and drops on the plate, as I was uncomfortably full at this point. We were presented with one more gift, however we would have to wait until the next day to consume these, as our stomachs were much too full to even contemplate eating one more bite.

Course Eight: Chocolate Truffle Box, Steam

First reaction? Not a box. Second reaction? Not steam. We popped one of the jars open to see what the “steam” inside was—it smelled like someone had taken one big drag off of a joint or pipe and blown it into each jar.

We were told that it was “stevia” smoke, but I remain doubtful. We didn’t eat our truffles until the next day, as at that point anything we were being handed (which included a mini Bundt cake as well out the door) was going straight into my bag instead of my mouth.

Overall, it was an extraordinary event that I doubt I or my companion will ever have the opportunity to attend the likes of again. We were so tired and full by the end that our spirits were a bit dampened, but it was truly not something to regret.

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andrewdburton · 5 years ago

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My spending goal for 2020: Spend less on food

I'm pleased to report that 2020 is off to a fine start. As I mentioned in my year-end review, 2019 sucked for me. I have high hopes that this year will be a vast improvement. So far, it has been.

The biggest change is that I'm not drinking alcohol. While this is meant as a January-only test, it's possible that I'll extend the experiment. It's saving me money and making me more productive. Plus, it may be helping with my anxiety and depression. I like that. (Thanks to the GRS readers who sent me private notes about their own struggles with alcohol. I appreciate it.)

I've made other small changes this year too. While I didn't make any resolutions — I rarely do — I'm using the new year as a prompt to alter some of my habits, to do things differently.

One area that both Kim and I want to focus on in 2020 is our food spending. In 2018, I spent an average of $1038.03 per month on food. While I don't have complete numbers for 2019 (my expense tracking was messy in the latter half of the year), I know that while my food spending declined, it didn't decline by much. I want to change that.

To that end, Kim and I are making a couple of changes. For one, I'm canceling HelloFresh…at least for now. Plus, there's the whole “cut out alcohol” thing. While alcohol isn't included in my food spending, it contributes to my food spending. It leads us to eat out more. We want to reduce our restaurant spending in 2020.

Let's take a closer look at how I hope to spend less on food this year.

Good-bye, HelloFresh

Last year was the year I experimented with HelloFresh, the meal delivery service. Mostly, I like it. Mostly. I like the HelloFresh recipes. I like the convenience. I like the company itself.

That said, there are enough downsides to HelloFresh that starting next week, I'm dropping the service. Part of this is because of me. Part of this is because of HelloFresh itself.

On the me side, I need to walk more. I need to get more exercise, and I need to experience my neighborhood. As part of that, I want to make regular trips to the grocery store — by foot.

Also on the me side, I like greater variety than HelloFresh offers. It's not that HelloFresh doesn't offer different meals and cuisines — because it does. But the recipes themselves have a relentless sameness about them. Yes, you can choose Italian or Korean or American dishes, but the preparation is always always always the same. It's boring.

Those are the problems with me. There are also problems with HelloFresh itself.

For instance, I'm sick of the never-ending push to get me to promote the service to my friends. Get lost. Every week, the HelloFresh package contains a plea to share sign-up codes with friends. Every week when I choose my meals online, there's an additional plea to share sign-up codes with friends. Every week in the follow up e-mails, there's a plea to share sign-up codes with friends. I'm over it.

But the biggest strike against the service is its inability to get produce right.

Most weeks, there's at least one meal with a shitty piece of produce. It's usually (but not always) a tomato. One meal I prepped last week had a rotten lemon. (I've never even seen a rotten lemon before!) It's as if there's no quality control.

And at least once per month, a vegetable is simply missing. Absent. Not in the bag. During Thanksgiving week, for instance, I was prepping a meal with asparagus almandine, which sounded awesome. But the package I received contained no asparagus. I scrambled to find a substitute — Brussels sprouts — but it was a poor replacement.

The Cost of Convenience

Plus, there's the cost. When we first tried HelloFresh in June 2018, I crunched the numbers. Meals from HelloFresh cost about $10 per person. If I were to purchase the ingredients myself, the cost was just over $3 per person. At three meals per person per week, I've been paying an extra $175 per month for groceries that I don't need to pay.

When I signed up for HelloFresh, I did so because I hoped it would save me money. I hoped that it would keep me out of the grocery store (which it does, actually) and that in turn would reduce my grocery spending. I tend to make a lot of impulse purchases at the supermarket, so this seemed like sound reasoning.

The results of this experiment were inconclusive. For the first half of 2019, my home food spending (HelloFresh and groceries combined) dropped from $620.92 per month to $553.45 per month. But during the last two months of the year, I spent $729.38 per month. Was that year-end spike because of the holidays? The huge Costco trip I made in early November? I don't know. Maybe I should dive deeper.

In any event, if I did save money, it isn't nearly as much as I'd hoped I would save.

That said, Kim and I have really enjoyed many of the meals we've ordered from HelloFresh. And we're especially keen on the recipe cards. They're a lot of fun. They make cooking simple — even if they are relentlessly the same.

Because I'm a nerd, I've saved every recipe card from every HelloFresh meal we've ordered. And to get nerdier yet, I've both graded each recipe and taken notes on it. In other words, we have a customized illustrated “cookbook” containing over 100 different recipes. (Plus, all 2500+ of the HelloFresh recipes are available for free from their website.)

Going forward, I intend to use these recipe cards to plan and prep our meals. Instead of ordering from HelloFresh itself, though, I'm going to walk to the grocery store (carrying my backpack) to buy the ingredients. This should prevent me from buying crap we don't need while allowing me to obtain better produce than HelloFresh tends to send.

We'll see how it works.

Here's another way Kim and I have come up with to cut costs on food: batch cooking. It's nothing new, I know, but it's new to us. We won't do once-a-month cooking, but we'll each pick one recipe per week and make a larger version of it.

I'll pick one HelloFresh cards and make three nights of the meal, for example. Last Sunday, Kim prepped a big batch of pork tacos that we've eaten for dinner the past three nights. And so on. We think this'll keep life simple and keep me out of the grocery store.

Rascally Restaurants

Kim and I will also try to cut back on food spending this year by reducing how much we dine out. Left to our own devices, we choose restaurants much of the time. That gets expensive.

In 2017, I spent an average of $567.97 per month on restaurants. Kim spent some unknown amount too (but much less).

In 2018, I spent an average of $389.63 per month on restaurants. Plus, Kim spent some. So, we made big gains in 2018, but our spending was still high.

As I mentioned, my records are incomplete for last year, but I know I spent $288.04 for restaurants during the last two months of 2019.

From 2017 to 2019, we cut our restaurant spending in half. That's great progress! Still, there's room for improvement.

I spent an average of $66.47 per week on restaurants last year. My gut feeling is that this is basically dining out once per week. I know from experience that our typical check is about $55, which includes our two meals plus two beers each. After tip, that's $66. That's our standard meal. (And it's usually on a Thursday night.)

So far in 2020, we've had one restaurant meal and it cost us exactly $34 (including tip). If we'd both had our typical two beers, that check would have been about $58. By not drinking, we saved ourselves more than twenty bucks!

Kim and I do enjoy eating out together, so it's not something we want to eliminate. Instead, we want to be more mindful about how and where we dine out when we do dine out.

We've already shifted our focus from fancier places (which is where we were eating in 2017) to cheap and tasty spots. But now we're interested in finding places that are even less expensive. And, at least for now, we want to be careful to avoid spots that might tempt us to drink. (Our favorite pub has great food and a cozy environment, but we both know it's madness for us to eat there. It'll make us want to drink beer.)

It's far to early to predict how this whole restaurant thing is going to go in 2020. But we've thought of a couple of ways to cut costs (in addition to the “not drinking” thing.) As I said, we can turn our attention to less expensive eateries. Why go to the fancy Mexican place with “gourmet” tacos that cost $8 or $9 when we can go to the cheap place down the hill with $4 tacos? Let's try that new ramen spot.

Plus, we might try take-out this year. Neither one of us has ever been a big proponent of ordering food to go, but I think it makes some sense right now. On my way home from the new office, I can pick up something tasty for dinner from the Thai place or the Italian place, maybe. We can have the restaurant food without restaurant temptation.

The Last Big Win

Food seems to be the last major place that I can trim my budget. My austerity measures in 2019 yielded excellent results, and I'll continue to pursue those in the future. But I've cut most of my discretionary spending as far as I want to cut it at present. Food is the exception.

I averaged spending $1176.06 per month on food in 2017.

That dropped to $1038.03 in 2018.

During the last two months of 2019, I spent an average of $1053.28 per month on food.

As I say, we're making progress, but I feel there's more to be had here. This is the last big win left in my budget. It'd be great if I could trim my food spending to, say, $800 per month (or lower!) in 2020. That'd be a fantastic drop from $1200 each month in 2017, right? I'd call that a victory.

On a food-related note, I should point out that eliminating (or reducing) alcohol could also save me plenty of money. During the past three years, I've reliably spent about $250 per month on alcohol — and that doesn't include alcohol in restaurants. Going dry could help my health and wealth.

The post My spending goal for 2020: Spend less on food appeared first on Get Rich Slowly.

from Finance https://www.getrichslowly.org/spend-less-on-food/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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localfoodandwine · 6 years ago

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by Paige Donner

The feast is in the first bite. I came across this phrase recently listening to a science program on the radio about how human taste buds function.

Click on the Above Picture or HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

It was scientifically explained that in fact with each subsequent bite of food, there is a diminishing sensory enjoyment insofar as the taste explosion in your mouth. So in this season of joyful excess, we can reassure ourselves that the feast is indeed in the first bite.

INTERVIEWS:

Nina Métayer, Executive Pastry Chef, Café Pouchkine: Start Time – 7′ 30 seconds

Chef Ludo Lefebvre of Trois Mec, Los Angeles: Start Time – 25′ 49 seconds

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

As I sit here at my desk in my office in the Marais recording this, I realize that this 2018 holiday season here in Paris will go down in history as the Yellow Christmas.

This month of Saturday protests of the GiletsJaunes, the Yellow Vests, here in Paris have marked the season with closed shops and whole shopping districts such as the Champs Elysées, Saint Germain des Prés, and even here, in the normally bustling Marais, shuttering their doors and boarding their windows.

Even as I write this, a parade of protesters are marching in the street just below my window.

But perhaps the timing is truly right on message, because when many of us can celebrate a time of plenty and abundance, with joyful family members, lots of good things to eat and drink, and happy times all around, it’s important to remember that for an ever-growing segment of the French population, indeed the world’s population, this is not necessarily the case. Not during the holidays, and not during the rest of the year.

This is what we have come to call the Working Poor. People who don’t sit idly by or accept handouts but in fact put in full work weeks and still cannot make ends meet for themselves or their children or their elderly dependents.

This holiday show, then, is dedicated to all those mothers and fathers and adult children of elderly parents whose desperation has brought them to the streets of Paris these past weekends to demonstrate and protest in what can only be called a desperate cry for help.

As we raise our glasses and forks in good cheer this year, let’s generously remember all those who may be less fortunate than ourselves.

***

Joyeux Noel

Another theme of this show is traditions.

As an avid listener of US Public Radio, I heard interview excerpts and snippets following the Thanksgiving holiday of people in the US who eschew the traditional holiday meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and what we call “the works.”

And while there is no obligation to respect the traditions of your own country or your adoptive country, I do feel that there is great value in upholding traditions and that this can offer a kind of anchor to our ever-increasingly fragmented society.

Culinary traditions are a big part of culture. They play an important role in cultural identity. That’s something I’ve learned quite well here in France.

To this effect, I interviewed one of France’s top young pastry chefs for this show. Here in France, the Christmas Cake, le bûche de Nöel, plays a central role in the traditional holiday Christmas meal.

One of the themes for Chef Nina’s 2018 bûche de Nöel:

* MORE PHOTOS OF Nina Métayer’s Christmas Cakes on Instagram @PaigeFoodWine *

As such, the country’s talented pastry chefs put great thought, creativity and love into their cake designs, often planning them a year in advance, as we hear Nina Métayer, of Café Pouchkine, explain to us. She’s been singled out as one of the Top Under 30 culinary stars to watch by the French media. She is the Executive Pastry Chef of Café Pouchkine, which is owned by a Franco-Russian family.

The next talent we hear from for this Christmas and holidays 2018 show, is a Los Angeles based French chef; Ludo Lefebvre. He tells us how his childhood memories of the Family Christmas meal here in France are even more vivid than his memories of what toys Santa brought him. His main talking point is that very French sense of the Art de Vivre.

He emphasizes that enjoying a holiday meal is mostly about spending time with friends and family, where any sense of hurry or watching the clock is thrown out the window in favor of spending quality time with one another.

He has shot to fame with his fabulously successful Trois Mec restaurant and also his cooking shows Ludo Bites America and now Ludo à la Maison. As you’ll hear in this telephone interview, Chef Ludo hails from Burgundy and has strong and fond memories of the traditional family Christmas meals he enjoyed as a child.

*****

One more interesting tidbit to pass on for this holiday season, is that for the first time ever, Americans are spending more on eating out than on their groceries. So, to this effect, in the show notes, you’ll find links to Holiday Meal Kits that can be delivered both here in Paris and also in the US. Note that in keeping with American traditions, the link for that meal kit includes a honeybaked ham, and the link to the Paris meal kits includes delivery of fresh oysters by Maison Rostang.

Wishing all of you, listeners and friends and family, a peaceful, joyous holiday season, full of love and good cheer. May food be the fabric of our harmonious coming together and the commonality that binds us as human beings, each one of us a child of God.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Joyous Blessings this Holiday Season

LINKS

Café Pouchkine Paris & Pastry Chef Nina Métayer, Executive Pastry Chef

https://ninametayer.com/

https://cafe-pouchkine.fr/

Chef Ludo Lefebvre

https://www.ludolefebvre.com/

Holiday Meal Kits Delivered

USA – Cracker Barrel https://crackerbarrel.com/order-online/holiday-meal

Paris – Maison Rostang Oyster Kit recommended by Marie Claire https://www.marieclaire.fr/reveillon-services-livraison-domicile,1246215.asp

Americans Spending More On Eating Out Than Groceries

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-07-26/first-time-americans-spend-more-eating-out-food-home

AND truth be told French chansons (#music) are some of my favorites. Here is some French holiday listening pleasure: https://www.talkinfrench.com/christmas-songs-free/

And Garou: Joyeux Noel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVe-znmgL7Q

Music by Jingle Punks thanks to Youtube Audio Library, Free of Rights.

Deck The Halls

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Paris GOODfood+wine intro and outro music by BenSound, Groovy Jazz.

Production and Sound Editing by Paige Donner

Merci Beaucoup to all who helped make this show possible!

Wishing you and all of Earth’s Children Peace, Love & Joy this season and for 2019

***

BOOK your wine tasting with Paris Food And Wine ! In Paris, we take you on a 2+ hour wine and food pairing tasting romp through the heart of the city, visiting wine bars, cheese and wine shops, with generous gulps and nibbles all the way! GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT! Contact Paige directly for bookings PaigeDonner.info Or on the website:

*****

TO CONTACT PAIGE DONNER FOR SPEAKING/HOSTING/PRODUCING PAIGEDONNER.INFO FOR MORE INFO ABOUT PARIS GOODFOOD+WINE AND A COMPLETE SHOW LINEUP GO TO LOCALFOODANDWINE.WORDPRESS.COM AND OUR WEBSITE PARISFOODANDWINE.NET INSTAGRAM @PAIGEFOODWINE TWITTER @PARISFOODWINE

Listen to Paris GOOD food + wine on :

iTunes – Paris GOODfood+wine /

Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact PaigeDonner.info

Episode 42: The Feast Is In The First Bite – Chefs Ludo Lefebvre & Nina Métayer

by Paige Donner The feast is in the first bite. I came across this phrase recently listening to a science program on the radio about how human taste buds function.

Episode 42: The Feast Is In The First Bite – Chefs Ludo Lefebvre & Nina Métayer by Paige Donner The feast is in the first bite. I came across this phrase recently listening to a science program on the radio about how human taste buds function.

#buche de noel #cafe pouchkine #chestnuts #christmas cakes #culinary traditions #french christmas traditions #French Food #iTunes #ludo lefebvre #nina metayer #Paige Donner #paige donner photography #PaigeDonner.info #paris GOODfood+wine #podcast #Soundcloud #travel show #trois mec

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cherieduvin · 6 years ago

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by Paige Donner

The feast is in the first bite. I came across this phrase recently listening to a science program on the radio about how human taste buds function.

Click on the Above Picture or HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

INTERVIEWS:

Nina Métayer, Executive Pastry Chef, Café Pouchkine: Start Time – 7′ 30 seconds

Chef Ludo Lefebvre of Trois Mec, Los Angeles: Start Time – 25′ 49 seconds

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

As I sit here at my desk in my office in the Marais recording this, I realize that this 2018 holiday season here in Paris will go down in history as the Yellow Christmas.

Even as I write this, a parade of protesters are marching in the street just below my window.

As we raise our glasses and forks in good cheer this year, let’s generously remember all those who may be less fortunate than ourselves.

***

Joyeux Noel

Another theme of this show is traditions.

Culinary traditions are a big part of culture. They play an important role in cultural identity. That’s something I’ve learned quite well here in France.

One of the themes for Chef Nina’s 2018 bûche de Nöel:

* MORE PHOTOS OF Nina Métayer’s Christmas Cakes on Instagram @PaigeFoodWine *

*****

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Joyous Blessings this Holiday Season

LINKS

Café Pouchkine Paris & Pastry Chef Nina Métayer, Executive Pastry Chef

https://ninametayer.com/

https://cafe-pouchkine.fr/

Chef Ludo Lefebvre

https://www.ludolefebvre.com/

Holiday Meal Kits Delivered

USA – Cracker Barrel https://crackerbarrel.com/order-online/holiday-meal

Paris – Maison Rostang Oyster Kit recommended by Marie Claire https://www.marieclaire.fr/reveillon-services-livraison-domicile,1246215.asp

Americans Spending More On Eating Out Than Groceries

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-07-26/first-time-americans-spend-more-eating-out-food-home

AND truth be told French chansons (#music) are some of my favorites. Here is some French holiday listening pleasure: https://www.talkinfrench.com/christmas-songs-free/

And Garou: Joyeux Noel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVe-znmgL7Q

Music by Jingle Punks thanks to Youtube Audio Library, Free of Rights.

Deck The Halls

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Paris GOODfood+wine intro and outro music by BenSound, Groovy Jazz.

Production and Sound Editing by Paige Donner

Merci Beaucoup to all who helped make this show possible!

Wishing you and all of Earth’s Children Peace, Love & Joy this season and for 2019

***

*****

Listen to Paris GOOD food + wine on :

iTunes – Paris GOODfood+wine /

Media Engagements, speaking and collaborations: contact PaigeDonner.info

0 notes

recentnews18-blog · 6 years ago

Photo

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/things-have-gotten-so-stupid-were-now-politicizing-food/

Things Have Gotten So Stupid, We're Now Politicizing Food

With the midterms now in the rearview mirror, it’s time for America to come together, quit acting like we’re on the brink of civil war, and get back to some semblance of normality—namely by putting every family’s onesie-wearing, cocoa-drinking, Democratic Socialist-voting millennial at the same table as grumpy, #MAGA-hat wearing old Uncle Wilbur, to nominally bond over roast meat replete with heavy doses of tryptophan.

But there’s a problem.

In 2018, when politics seems to have come to dominate so many aspects of our lives, even food has become “ideological.” And that’s not merely at the Thanksgiving table when family members are discussing politics and who likes which liberal or conservative celebrity of the moment. Simple meal-planning itself, it seems, is now a political battle. Happy freaking Thanksgiving everyone.

Last week, Politico reporter Rachael Bade reported that House Democrats had rejected “ideological food” for their first caucus meeting. What constitutes “ideological food” you ask? Apparently, Chick-fil-A, those infamous fried chicken sandwiches whose purveyors keep restaurants shut on Sundays and provide financial and rhetorical succor to opponents of gay marriage.

The fast-food chain has become the meal of choice for some conservatives, including the Heritage Foundation whose blogger briefings used to be exclusively Chick-fil-A zones. And now Pelosi and co. are apparently countering making their own stand by taking a hard pass on tasty chicken, buttered buns and (if you’re a proper Chick-fil-A connoisseur) pickles with a good dose of mayo.

#Resist… yummy chicken sandwiches.

But it’s not just the left that is fighting political wars by altering food consumption patterns. Remember in 2016 when that Donald Trump surrogate took to cable news to announce that if Americans voted for Hillary Clinton, there would be a taco truck on every corner? Set aside that that dude presented probably the best-ever argument for electing Hillary president. Clearly, hardcore Trumpers had already decided that more tasty corn tortillas filled with delicious meat, cilantro and onions coming onto the food market would be the end of America as we know it.

That was a rise in hostilities from the days when then-candidate Obama was pilloried for his lack of awareness that there were no Whole Foods stores in Iowa at which one could buy arugula. Or when Sarah Palin flaunted her Big Gulp during a speech at CPAC to ridicule Michael Bloomberg for his patronizing anti-sugary drinks initiatives in New York City.

Indeed, the food wars are getting worse. Over the weekend, a new front opened on Twitter. Nate Silver’s @FiveThirtyEight Twitter account announced a new analysis of “what side dishes” “America’s regions” eat with their Thanksgiving turkey. Apparently, if you live anywhere in the Rocky Mountain West, in the Pacific Coast states, Alaska or Hawaii (and everywhere in between), the most “disproportionately common” side dish you eat as part of Thanksgiving dinner is… salad.

Set aside that this single piece of data analysis might call into question Silver’s number-crunching abilities more than anything else he’s ever put out there, the tweet elicited plenty of tongue-in-cheek—but also revealing—attacks by conservatives on their coastal elite, salad-munching brethren.

Chris Barron, a vigorously pro-Trump conservative strategist greeted @FiveThirtyEight’s survey data by declaring that, “Everyone who thinks salad is a thanksgiving side dish should be deported.” Right-of-center Hot Air blogger Jazz Shaw countered that deportation would be “unfair and unconstitutional if they are citizens. They should simply be imprisoned.” In turn, one of his followers offered that deportation was the appropriate remedy; another demanded the imprisonment come “without parole.” But one of Chris’ followers, a self-described Trump girl, offered that salad was okay “only if it’s Waldorf salad.” Clearly, she’s intent on letting the terrorists win.

Knowing and liking Chris and Jazz personally as I do, this is obviously jokey, humorous stuff. And yet, the responses to Silver’s data do serve to underline the basic point: Even food has now become a line of demarcation with regard to politics—or perhaps more accurately, politics as an extension of culture. You can see this also with the bevy of responses from apparently liberal Californians defending their salads in reply to the original tweet, or the disagreement among what appear to be mainly African-American Southerners and white Southerners about the acceptability of macaroni and cheese as a Thanksgiving side.

Check your privilege, macaroni skeptics.

The upshot here is that America is truly divided and, apparently, the battle lines aren’t just over “Medicare for All” or trade policy, but rather totally non-policy-related cultural allegiances. Do you feel more “sympatico” with the Duck Dynasty guy or Lena Dunham? But more importantly, for this week anyway, do you like Christian-ish fried chicken sandwiches and mashed potatoes or tacos and salad and cheesy pasta?

Here’s a suggestion, at least with regard to the great food debate: How about accepting that “all of the above” are great American food items and we should be grateful to live in a country where our cuisine is so varied, awesome, and, frankly, plentiful?

Politicians and pundits: Stop ruining our love affair with our delicious food by politicizing our meal choices. Just let us eat ourselves into a coma in peace, thank you very much.

Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/things-have-gotten-so-stupid-were-now-politicizing-food

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capstagethanksgiving · 6 years ago

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More on the National Day of Mourning

This is an interview from 2013, published by Between the Lines, that gives some context to the National Day of Mourning and talks about the 1997 incident in Plymouth that’s referenced in the show. You can read more about the outcome of the events in 1997 on the UAINE website.

Thanksgiving Day marks the 44th annual Day of Mourning at Plymouth Rock, Mass., organized by the United American Indians of New England. The event was initiated in 1970 when Wampanoag leader Frank James was asked to give a speech at a Boston celebration of the friendship between the Pilgrims and the native people they met, who helped them survive.

James submitted his proposed speech, based on the writings of a Pilgrim settler, which described the mistreatment of the natives by the English, but was told the speech could not be delivered. In response, he put the call out for native people to gather in Plymouth, to mourn instead of celebrate, and to voice their demands for self-determination, an end to racism – and since 1977 – freedom for imprisoned Native American activist Leonard Peltier.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Moonanum James, the son of event founder Frank James, who now serves as coleader of the United American Indians of New England. Here, James describes the Thanksgiving day Mourning event, some of their current demands, and explains why his group embraces the participation of non-natives in their Thanksgiving Day protest.

MOONANUM JAMES: Well, at noon we gather on Cole's Hill, and we have a speakout where only native people are allowed to speak, and the reason we go to Cole's Hill is there's a statue of Massasoit on it, and Massasoit was the supreme sachem of the Wampanoag when the Pilgrims arrived, and I'm a Wampanoag myself. And the speak-out might take an hour, hour and a half just depending on the number of people who want to speak. And then we have a march; we go down by Plymouth Rock, and I say a few words about how ridiculous the mythology behind Plymouth Rock. And then we go down to Post Office Square, which is where King Philip, or Metacom's head – and Metacom was the youngest son of Massasoit – who would become chief. And when he was killed, the English cut off his head and both his hands, and sent one to Boston and one to England, but they displayed his head on a pike for over 20 years in Post Office Square. And after we have a little gathering there, a little bit of a rally, we go in and we have a social and over the last few years we've been feeding 3, 4, 500 people. We don't keep a count – just anyone who needs a meal, they come and we'll feed 'em.

BETWEEN THE LINES: I understand the violence isn't all in the distant past, right?

MOONANUM JAMES: In 1997, 25 of us were arrested basically for marching on our own land. Twenty-five people were pepper-sprayed, thrown to the ground, handcuffed and taken to jail. And after a long negotiation process – the ACLU got involved, it's quite complicated – we were able to reach an agreement with Plymouth. They dropped all the charges; we have two beautiful historical markers in town; one in Cole's Hill tells people why we're there, why we've been there since 1970, and we also have one in Post Office Square that addresses King Philip's head being displayed on a pike. So some of the goals we've been able to get; getting all those charges dropped; we got some funds to start an education project; no individual got any money. And every year (Leonard Peltier) sends a statement to us, and we do demand freedom for him. Another one of our demands is that the Bureau of Indian Affairs pay up. They owe billions of dollars in royalties for oil drilling leases, land use leases, all over the country. We also demand that the sports teams stop using racist logos.

BETWEEN THE LINES: I know the day also includes solidarity with native activist Leonard Pelter, who was convicted in 1977 of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota in a trial that's considered by many to be completely corrupt.

MOONANUM JAMES: Well, it's been a number of years. Every year we call for clemency, for him getting out of jail, because even the government in open court has said they don't know who's responsible for shooting those FBI officers, and yet he's still sitting in prison. It's just a sad thing. And every year he sends a statement to us, and we do demand freedom for him. Another one of our demands is that the Bureau of Indian Affairs pay up. They owe billions of dollars in royalties for oil drilling leases, land use leases, all over the country, and this money seems to be nowhere; they can't find it. We also demand that the sports teams stop using racist logos and things of that nature. I don't like the term Washington Redskins. I don't think anyone would like the term Jersey Jews, if you know what I'm getting at.

BETWEEN THE LINES: So you all are involved in a lot of native American struggles...

MOONANUM JAMES: Oh, yeah, we're involved in such things as getting food for the reservations, heat for the reservations, good medical care. I mean, after all, we have the highest suicide rate, the highest alcoholism rate of just about any group in this country. You know, some people have to make the choice between heating or eating. So we demand things along those lines, because we have people who come from a lot of these reservations and speak, talking about the conditions they face every day, and believe me, it's not going to a casino and getting a nice warm meal. Sometimes it's just trying to get a meal.

BETWEEN THE LINES: So what do you serve at the dinner? Is it what most Americans consider traditional Thanksgiving fare, or native foods, or what?

MOONANUM JAMES: We serve a variety of things, because we have vegans that come, we have vegetarians that come. We have, of course, turkey and ham and chowders and soups and breads and pies and pastries, coffee, tea – you name it. The only thing we don't serve is alcohol.

BETWEEN THE LINES: I've heard the criticism that United American Indians of New England is actually mostly non-native.

MOONANUM JAMES: I wouldn't want to hazard a guess as to who's native, who's not native, because the people that come support us, whether they're green, white, pink. The issue is to stand in solidarity. It's really difficult and that criticism has been raised many, many times, but I don't want to turn it into a native people-only kind of thing; I prefer to look out and see people from the four directions, which means more to me than whether it's a native day, or whatever, because years and years ago, we did have mostly native people show up up there, and we decided that it should be expanded, that we should look out beyond just native people and invite everybody who'd like to participate and march with us. The only stipulation we still hold – and this is the way the elders set it up in 1970 – is, we don't need the so-called experts telling us anything. We're more than capable of speaking for ourselves.

#indigenous america

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marieferrara-blog · 7 years ago

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Solid Wooden Tables and Table Lamps

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In Her Footsteps

Fingers bloodless and numb. They are my vibrant stars of all time. I failed to simply see them as singers, superstars, but youngsters blanketed through their loving, and financially at ease, and sane parents. The brother and sister that tinkered with melody, Karen's cry for Personal Training Wynwood assist who sang love songs to loss of life and made a stimulating and quite noise inside of my head. I cannot smile just take a look at myself underneath pressure. Even Cinderella contemplated suicide once upon a time.

I thought that what they did become artwork. Genius. I simply desired Karen to devour. Now that everyone knows what anorexia nervosa is and the way this ingesting disorder is tragic, self-loathing is tragic, self-pity is tragic and how it wastes away the frame, the reproductive gadget specifically. And inside the ultimate days of her life I marvel if she may want to even convey herself to make herself breakfast and consume it or became it simply swallowing a handful of laxatives and diuretics that were given her via the day, a coriander leaf. Where the hell become her four leaf clover? Anorexics, I do not worship them as I do writers now anymore. I worship poets extra. I pass over her. I pass over Karen Carpenter and the dresses she used to put on whilst she used to perform. I marvel what her voice would sound like Best Personal Training Wynwood now, her albums, what she might look like if she achieved or toured in Japan. If she would have had that station wagon and those children. Why on the earth would not each person need to wear a kimono around the residence? Anorexia circulate over. Something else has taken your location, triumphed.

It's called suicidal contamination. So if you're unique, talented in some manner, exceedingly clever, awesome at falling, not falling in love, not being the marrying kind, being the divorced or flying solo or having flings or being promiscuous kind then perhaps this recommendation is for you. You can both take it or leave it. Behave yourself and eat all of your greens on the plate due to the fact in the end girls are designed for revolution more than men. You'll be rewarded with a fab glass of pineapple juice or orange squash. Gulp it down. Soon it's going to taste like you're getting lasagne meat to your bones that for the longest time have felt like you're having an infidelity, like nutrients, the aftertaste for your mouth of the clinic and nevertheless you won't placed weight on. You will ask for yoghurt and ice cream. You will tell the nurse oh nowadays you experience like a salad, a tomato sandwich, wilted lettuce and nothing else and he or she will just have a look at you together with her loss of life-vray stare till you want to punch her in the face. You will pinch your skin despite the fact that you're skinny-skinny, on 'death-row' however what they don't recognize or do apprehend is that mummy by no means stated she cherished you.

You truly weren't loved sufficient, precise enough and your dad and mom will inform this handsome psychiatrist who's married and has a daughter and a son that you are a movie star why do they want to inform you of anyone inside the world that they love you and in preference to your mother taking your hand or stroking your face as in case you had been a child once more you are thinking I need a Band-Aid and your mom will inform you to forestall sulking. 'Karen you will appearance so quite if you would simply consume. I even have a few recipes. I made a list. I delivered a Wynwood Personal Training tapestry along side me.' And I will assume to myself to do you like me, do you spot me? I want to get again into the studio. I want to make another hit record. Maybe you were disobedient and needed to be punished for some thing you probably did as a baby which you cannot even don't forget. You did no longer obey someone or comply with the guidelines. You cannot even consider the closing time you ate a pizza crust. And the lovely psychiatrist will ask you why are you doing this to your self? Are you ill (is this lingo for crazy)? He assures you that he is here that will help you however you can not assist but look into his dreamy-eyes and accept as true with him. Perhaps therapy. But you mother coolly interjects and says this circle of relatives does now not talk approximately their feelings.

The complete global loves you. You have lovers in Japan and perhaps even in Jericho. Maybe they groove to your hip beat in Tel Aviv. You want to inform him this stuff but alternatively you think perhaps he will prescribe you some thing. Sleeping tablets. No, not any such right concept. She feels fatigue. Do you consider dying, approximately death? The cutie (the psychiatrist) requested. Is chocolate a meals organization, a protein, wherein does it suit at the hierarchy of the meals chain is what Karen wanted to ask. Why do human beings cross round saying all the time, 'Death by chocolate?' or such things as, 'Can we be buddies?' 'Why do I feel so deprived if I'm purported to be the denim-carrying all-American-woman? The brunette with barrettes in her hair. Am I too wealthy, too out of touch with reality like all the splendid ones, the outstanding artists? What I truely experience is that I'm a failure, that I'm doomed. I seem to have this complicated. Life is complex sufficient as it's far I recognize so why am I no longer fascinated and fascinated all at the identical time with sadness and other human beings's lives, their cruelty, their survival, my guilt experience, my survival-package. I do not understand that medical doctor, and the health practitioner that she wanted to affect could tell her that each one anorexics be afflicted by a sort of perfectionistic streak and that every one she needed to do was love the folks who cherished her and they would love her again.'

You see physician I want my mother to well known me for who I am and now not the character, the pose, the pout, the singer who sings love songs however I do not assume that she does. In truth I realize that she doesn't. Anorexia taught me a lot approximately death. You will now not survive in case you do no longer devour. Doesn't a boiled potato with its brains mashed out like confetti flavor like an unique fruit after you have not eaten it in months? And turkey tastes like hen anyway at thanksgiving. 'You're special Karen. We've constantly regarded that. I mean she's always had this superb voice and he or she and her brother have constantly been so near.' This is her father. He is smiling warmly at her however it's miles merely an image, a figment of her imagination and instead of her feeling toward him it feels as though he is killing her. She can sense that spark, however her claws are out, she feels as if she can not feature anymore or be effective. She is ill, ill. She has an ache of a few type that we are capable of handling ourselves and no longer related to outsiders. We love each other. We don't put every different down, chortle at our flaws, at our personal expense. We are who we're.

And right here I will say like Hemingway, Salinger, David Foster Wallace, Rilke, Jeanette Winterson and Shakespeare. It's not possible to be best all of the time is something that mother Carpenter could be likely to say. We are not like other households. We are not dysfunctional. What does that word even imply? I do not forget her as being livelier. Was greater or much less what her mom seemed to be saying or what do you want me to carry me the subsequent time we come into city? I assume her mom wanted her to mention convey me a deep crust pizza, hotdogs, Chinese noodles, cheese, some thing to embroider while looking reruns within the tiny television room but all Karen desired her mother to say was, 'I love you.' As if they had been taking vows to spend the rest of their lives together with only eyes for each different. For Karen eating have become something close to earth-shattering. She wrestled with the meals at the plate with her fork until she thought possibly she did need medicine rather than the gentle loving care of a smother who folded the kimono away that become bought for her in Tokyo through basically Karen, who notion it might be a loving gesture toward a loving mother who placed it in a cupboard in the field that it had come in and forget approximately it.

Eating have become more difficult and harder for Karen and he or she never became as passionate about it as she were as a 'overweight teen' as one tune mag had placed it years and years ago.

'I'm first-class Richard. I am geared up to paintings. I want some other primary report so badly like you would not believe it. The song scene adjustments all of the time. We need to maintain up with the traits, with what's current. We're still the champions of the world. Let's open up a bottle of champagne and celebrate my homecoming. ' She told her brother. They all pretended she become all right. Karen Carpenter, candy lady, celeb that she was pretending the whole lot changed into o.K.. Everybody put on a brave front. 'Yes, yes, the entirety goes to be okay.' Their father stated as they sat down to consume like pilgrims across the thanksgiving table. 'The Carpenters all together again. One huge happy family.'

Well Karen I'm going to be a beast now. I'm going to be sincere with you because I sense someone who loves you and is near you wishes to be. You appear like a ruin. Why do not you cope with your self, appearance after your self first? This isn't always an excellent search for the Carpenters, for the group. How are you able to feel so indifferent? I need you lower back.

The actual you. The way you dress now would not provoke me. SALAD IS NOT FOOD A FOOD GROUP NEITHER IS EATING PLAIN YOGHURT. You are going to die if you do not eat this turkey breast. Have a few sauce too. You assume being skinny and becoming skinny-thin is the identical component but it is now not. You had been stunning then however now you have turned into a monster however her brother knew if he had stated this to her he could have made his mother crazy-mad and his sister would have cried, wept for a person who might have held the door open for her after bringing her home after a night time of bowling. But he never did. When you waste away it's intimidating before everything to the atoms and the debris which you are made from. You suppose you may cross returned to the way you were. And you frequently suppose to your self how am I going to fix this now? Skinny is the brand new extraordinary-looking. I felt as if for the primary time in my life I became being fiercely well known, intensely adored, if I staggered or stammered I staggered and stammered grandly. I did not need prayer. I had to be worshiped. There become the old Karen, the singer with the lovely voice, the drummer, part of an award-wining trio, the primary Carpenter who were given signed to a document label, the Romantic-singing-poet and the brand new Karen who turned into a thin-thin model of herself.

So the greats. First up. A tapestry of Hemingway. Where-every-thread-appears-harmonic. I need to put my palms in his pockets and wonder what I will find there. In the inner lining of the fabric of his clothes. Will I discover the disease of alcoholism there or scribbled-notes (bits-and-pieces) of his extra special writing? Then there's Salinger. What rapture? Wretched rapture that rips me apart on the seams. The guy, his mind, his creativeness, his characters talk (I wanted extra of his genius, of Holden). I need to frame-surf in it, swim-with-the-fishes, and display them my shark tooth and how I can placed it to exact use. He had a ways an excessive amount of creativeness personal trainer wynwood miami in him. I assume he stalked love or he changed into a good deal extra in love than with being in love. David Foster Wallace forever masked in a hellish material test. I will leave out him. Karen Green will leave out him infinitely more. His-life-became-quick-but-stunning and he turned into good-at-sketching-the-oblivious-of-the-oblivion. Rilke hated the feast of Hemingway's-Paris in each manner.

But out of all them William Shakespeare beats them down. He's my cocaine, my marmalade, my cheese on toast, French toast, tuna fish sandwich, and poppadum. I think he become the maximum vigilant while it got here to death young for love, for human violence. On-the-surface he changed into conservative (while it got here to pornography, adultery, family, youngsters). He did no longer watch his children grow up and play with kittens, stroke the ears of dogs. I suppose he lived alone while he wrote. He turned into a top notch-the whole lot and a real no one all at the same time. Cranking out all the ones sonnets, play after play, poetry. He never ceased to amaze. But I wonder about his scar tissue. His wounds enthral me. I locate them sexy like phrases like mitochondria. Hemlock. Poison. Gourmet chef. Lobster. Gift. Christmas offers beneath the tree. Scout. Talented-with-equipment. Brilliant-with-instruments. The-mark-of-a-guy. An overwhelming nurturing lady. Opinion. Probability. Rope. Catholic. Winterson turned into a chippie too making drawers (with-secret-cubicles) out of phrases. They've all made cute carpenters. Children too have capabilities, tiers and spotlights.

Is "Spaced" Education an Effective Training Approach?

Harvard Medical School has created a web platform, QStream.Com, to supply net-based fitness education courses in growing nations Online Tesol Certification . The content is available via pc, laptop and cell phone. The intention is a good one- to discover a faster, more green, and much less aid-structured manner to teach medical examiners in faraway places.

The approach is referred to as "spaced" education and is absolutely made from multiple-desire questions. Once a player solutions a question, the website affords a brief rationalization of the precise and wrong solutions. It claims to deliver the questions to individuals in an adaptive format and to enhance the ones subjects wherein the player needs extra help.

"Spaced" training is said to mix two middle psychology research findings: the "spacing" impact (statistics that is supplied and repeated over spaced durations is found out and retained greater correctly) and the "checking out" effect (checking out reasons understanding to be saved extra effectively in lengthy-time period memory).

I first have become aware about this academic methodology when I changed into requested to review two "spaced" schooling publications, titled Innovative Financing of Health Professional Schools and Private Sector Participation in Pre-Service Health Education. Developed by means of CapacityPlus in collaboration with QStream, US AID turned into thinking about the use of the publications for private scientific schooling establishments in Zambia.

There are a number of motives why I recommended US AID and its contracting company, Banyan Global, towards the use of these publications and this approach.

1. It takes the studies on spacing and testing completely out of context. New getting to know has to be strengthened via revisiting it (we have recognized that for many years). However, every iteration ought to take the studying deeper- by having the newbies do increasingly complex things with what they have learned. Long term retention of information is extensively advanced via testing learners... However best AFTER they have discovered it!!!!

2. This continues to be providing standardized content- because absolutely everyone who solutions incorrectly gets the very equal reaction. [If this were truly adaptive, there would be an explanation as to why a specific answer is incorrect, sending the learners back to try again- not simply telling them the correct answer!]

three. Q &A isn't adaptive to the needs of different studying patterns. People who need to listen, or see an indication, or speak, or take a look at out new understanding or abilties could discover this very ineffective and frustrating for them. This Q & A technique is virtually a lecture in disguise.

Four. This may be a completely irritating method if the learner keeps getting the solutions incorrect. It should effortlessly close down Tesol Certification the person's hobby in getting to know and do damage to the man or woman's self assurance in his or her personal competence.

Five. Q & A is generally used to check comprehension- AFTER the beginners have in reality found out some thing.

6. This method is explicitly targeted on comprehension as the best level of its studying: the final three strains of the paragraph under Who Are the Target Learners says that the route "attracts on practices and analyses to offer individuals with an expertise of things bearing on the success of personal region health education and schooling... "

7. A schooling application where real gaining knowledge of takes place could start by means of ensuring learner comprehension after which provide them actual scenarios to paintings via (at the least) so that they could get to evaluation and evaluation tiers of gaining knowledge of.

8.The solutions to a number of the questions are very obvious.

9. The answers to many questions are d, all the above.

10. There is no getting to know taking place, because for getting to know to occur, the participants need to be absolutely engaged and the usage of their new understanding or skills.

11. Learning additionally calls for targeted attention, that's without a doubt now not in all likelihood using a cell telephone.

12. Learning is also interactive, human beings analyze from each different. Even right on-line courses have chat rooms and webinar interactions. This is a very solitary method.

13. Why should busy specialists waste their time with this Q & A when they may just examine the content and be performed with it?

14. The reminiscence is emotional, that is why newbies want to be emotionally engaged. Interactive participatory learning activities create full frame reminiscence, ensuring retention.

The most effective properly element I can say about that is that it presents a child step far from lecture because the training technique.

How To Build Volume And Body In Your Hair

You've most likely passed the beauty counters many times in department stores. What you may not know is what that beauty counter can do for you. The following paragraphs are full of ideas you can use the next time you are at this counter and even when you are at home.

Symmetry is scientifically shown to be attractive to people. Using this symmetry to your advantage can help you appear more cute girls hairstyles beautiful. Regardless of whether you are trimming your beard or applying make-up, you should make sure that the right and left sides are symmetrical (mirror images).

Wash all makeup off before you retire for the evening. A bit of warm water and a soft cloth work very well. Then, you can begin your cleansing routine. Leaving on make-up can clog your pores and cause acne.

Be sure to exercise moderately every day. Daily activity is important to staying healthy and will help keep you looking youthful. It is an important part of your beauty regimen. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes per day for physical activity. The type of exercise doesn't matter so much. It could be cleaning your house or taking a run.

Want to hide your imperfections? Pink lipstick will do the trick. A warm pink shade compliments every skin tone so the attention will be on your lips rather than the flaw. A pair of distracting lips and some well-placed concealer will prevent that blemish from ever being noticed.

Honey needs to be on your beauty shopping list. Honey has various skin benefits, and only some of those are from eating it. Honey mixed with sugar is a good exfoliation technique for your skin. You will retain more moisture in your skin if you add a bit of honey to your regular moisturizer. Honey can be added to shampoo or used afterwards as an effective hair conditioner that also adds shine to the hair.

Keep makeup removal wipes handy. Beauty experts use these wipes to remove small mistakes when applying makeup. You can learn to fix things like a pro while applying little effort and making a large investment. Keep these in your arsenal at all times.

Look downward in the mirror when you apply shadow to your eyes. Do your best to keep from putting pressure or pulling on your eyelids. If you keep your gaze at a downward angle, you will get your makeup right on your first try. This will make it easier for you to be able to see the lid clearly.

Put petroleum jelly onto your fingernails on a regular basis. This encourages nail growth because your new nail is being fed. Be certain to use top coats which will prevent nails from chipping, when you paint your nails.

Using lotion every day helps prevent ingrown hairs. Always moisturize after you shave. If your skin is dry, you are more susceptible to ingrown hairs. Doing this will cause your ingrown hairs to fall out, and new ones won't be formed.

Eyebrows are one thing on your face that affect your looks greatly. Your eyebrows should always be well defined (not a mono-brow), and neatly combed. Trimming bushy eyebrows will make a radical change to your face.

Your beauty regimen should be a daily affair. If you break apart those days you need to care for yourself, you really only need little 10 minute breaks. Trying to do it all at once can quickly overwhelm you.

Beauty is something that is different across the board for most people. If you take good care of yourself and you're confident and healthy, then you are beautiful. You shouldn't let others affect how you feel about yourself.

It's important to take care of skin and to be healthy so you can be more beautiful. The basics that you will need are a defoliation to scuff off dead skin, and a moisturizer to help with skin elasticity mens long hairstyles . Apply a moisturizer at least twice a day to help your skin look radiant.

As mentioned, you know what the beauty counter looks like. Looking good is important. Using these suggestions, you will get more from your visits to the beauty section of your favorite store. You will be armed with new techniques for looking your best.

Solid Advice About Fitness That Can Help Anyone

It's not always easy to find helpful, relevant or accurate fitness information online. You may find yourself overwhelmed with information, and wonder if you'll ever actually begin miami personal training working on your fitness goals. If you are looking for solid advice, look no further and examine the tips below.

Try out many exercises, and choose your favorites to build a routine that you can stick to. Make sure your fitness is something that you find fun, this way time will go by faster.

Grow your own garden. Many are surprised that creating a gardening is hard. For example, a garden requires weeding, digging and a lot of squatting. Gardening is just one of the many things you can do at home to keep in shape.

Vary your exercise activities so you can get the best results. If someone's favorite way to exercise is on their elliptical, they can take a jog around their block instead. The differences the body experiences from running up a hill on the sidewalk will translate into different results. By varying exercises, the body is not permitted to get used to a certain exercise, and this encourages weight loss to continue.

When you exercise, remember to exhale after each repetition. This permits more efficient use of the body's energy as well as a greater air intake after the exhalation. This provides you with additional energy.

Looking for a way to get washboard abs? You won't get them by doing only crunches. Abdominal exercises will strengthen your muscles, but they won't burn off your belly fat. If you desire to have six-pack abs, it's necessary to reduce your overall body fat by following an excellent diet and workout routine.

Some people do not like how fast they personal trainer brickell are losing weight, so they choose to exercise far too intensely in hopes of speeding up the process. This risks muscle and joint damage, heart issues, dehydration. If you push too hard, your body may reach that anaerobic state and stop metabolizing fat.

One great workout people don't consider often is kickboxing. Kickboxing is an amazing workout that will have you sweating immediately but feeling great afterwards. A kickboxing routine will not only help you burn off a ton of calories, it will also be very effective at increasing your strength.

Are you having problems with chin-ups? If you will change your thinking about them it will help. Try to think that your elbows are pulling down when you are doing a chin-up. Altering the way you think about an exercise can actually make them seem easier.

Be sure to wipe down equipment before and after using it. Just imagine all of the microscopic organisms that previous users could have left there. You go to the gym in order to get healthier, not sick!

If you are going to be running a sprint, make an effort to increase the speed of your stride. Try to land your foot under your body, and not in front of your body. Use your back leg and toes to push forward and increase your speed. Practice this and you should see your speed steadily increase.

Count down instead of up. If you know the number of repetitions that you want to complete, count down. This will help make your exercise routines feel easier and quicker, because you are counting them down. You can really motivate yourself when you know exactly how many reps you have left.

Divide your running course into three phases. Start out slowly, and gradually increase your running pace. Run the last third as fast as you are able to. This interval running style increases endurance levels, quickly allowing for longer runs each time you exercise.

Work out the muscles in the front and back of your body equally. If you are experiencing back pain when doing abdominal exercises, work to strengthen your back muscles. Additionally, exercising your back can do a lot to stop back pain before it starts from any reason, so be sure to focus on both sides.

Lat pulldowns and pullups should not be done with your thumb wrapped around the bar. Hold the thumb next to your index finger to prevent your arm muscles from doing the work so that your back muscles get what they need. The grip may feel strange at first, but it is more effective.

Before the beginning of your actual routine, find some good goals for yourself and define them thoroughly. If you are trying to build up bulky muscles, go for the heavier weights with fewer repetitions. If you're interested in toning your muscle, do even more repetitions of lower weights instead of increasing the weight.

While weight belts were once considered essential for each weight-lifting session, nowadays, the consensus is that belts are only necessary for challenging lifts. Using a weight belt too often can cause long-term damage. Muscle groups like the abdominals and lower back may actually be weakened by a belt, making them far more susceptible to injury.

Increase the effectiveness of your biceps workout by bending your wrists to require greater exertion. personal trainer wynwood Extend your wrists backwards, then do your bicep reps. It may be a bit uncomfortable the first few times you do it, but you'll adapt quickly.

As discussed at the beginning of this article, getting the best information, and applying it to your own fitness goals, is not the most simple task. Keeping yourself educated, however, is one of the key parts of reaching your goals. Use the tips you learned here, and success will come easy.

Fashion: Learn It All In A Single Article

Have you ever seen a celebrity on television and thought, "I would love to have what he or she is wearing"? Short hairstyles If so, then you are in luck. It's pretty easy to have fashion that matches the fashion of your favorite celebrities. Here are some fashion tips that can help you achieve a Hollywood look.

If you are going directly from work to an evening out on the town, take a few makeup basics with you to change your look. Consider darker lipstick and some smoky eye shadow to transform your look. You may also darken your blush a bit, providing some contour for darker time. These three products will ease the transition.

Accessories are your best friend. You can take any old outfit that would be quite boring or plain on its own and dress it up with amazing accessories. Add the perfect necklace or brooch to a little black dress, and you've taken that LBD from average to awesome in two seconds flat.

If you have very dry skin, you may want to apply moisturizer before using your favorite scented products. Doing this will help the cologne or perfume stay longer on your body. It will work best if you use an unscented moisturizer, so the smells don't compete or create a new, unexpected scent.

Read fashion magazines at least once a month. If you want to stay up to date on what is hot and what is not you need to do your research. Fashion magazines will keep you informed through each season and as trends develop. If you feel that you ate still missing out there are television shows dedicated to fashion as well.

How to apply your makeup depends on where you are going. For example, if you are going for an interview, keep your makeup looking natural and highlight your best feature. For instance, if you have beautiful eyes, wear a soft color that enhances the color of your eyes. If your best feature is your cheekbones, add a little color to the apple of your cheeks.

Build your wardrobe around basic staples that you can mix and match easily. Some key pieces include a little black dress, a fitted jacket and matching skirt, a tailored pair of slacks in a neutral color and a pair of dark, fitted trouser jeans. These items can take your almost anywhere paired with the right top and/or accessories.

If you're heavy and wish to look slimmer, try wearing a dark or black colored blouse over a dark skirt. The slimming effects of the dark colors will avoid accenting any major body problems. Consider skirts featuring elastic waistbands for the ultimate in comfort.

A very important fashion tip is to make sure that your pants are the correct length. This is important because having pants that are too long or short can be a critical mistake in looking good. Be sure to plan for the type of shoes that you will be wearing because it will make a huge difference.

When considering fashion for yourself, be sure to take into consideration what type of cuts look best on your body type. This is important because there are vastly different body types, and certain cuts look better on some than others. Find something that accentuates your best features and makes you feel comfortable.

Wear age appropriate clothing. It's something some women don't want to let go of, but there comes a time when a super-short skirt is no longer flattering. Pay attention to how your clothes set you off through all stages of your life, and it will serve you well. The good news is that there are some clothes that look great on older women that younger women can't pull off, so there is always something fashionable to look forward to.

Add a little quirkiness to your fashion sense. Let your hair be a bit messy, unbutton your shirt or wear shoes that are not matched. Nobody looks perfect, so if your style includes a little chaos, your unique fashion sense can make you stand out.

Hairstyles

Keep your haircut low maintenance. Everyone runs into time crunches when preparing for meetings, outings or other events, and having an easy to fix hairstyle cuts the time needed to get ready. Many fashionable hairstyles are available that will allow you to bounce quick and still maintain a great look.

Hairstyle

Now that you have these fashion tips, you don't have to admire your favorite celebrities looks from the television screen. You can actually look like your favorite celebrities. There are so many pieces of clothing that you can use to achieve this look, so go out there and find them.

Fashion: Our Tips And Tricks Are The Best

While you don't want to just follow what everyone else is doing, you might feel lost when it comes to fashion. That's okay because there are plenty of resources available not only to teach you about fashion in general, but to help you find your own unique style of fashion. Keep reading!

Buy a variety of jewelry pieces. If you have a good number of colors and styles, you will always have something that matches your outfit. You then will not have to worry about purchasing jewelry to match every outfit that you buy. Think variety and you will have more than one option for an outfit.

When you wear two items of the same color, make sure that the shades are a perfect or near-perfect match. For example, do not wear a navy blue shirt with a midnight blue pair of pants. Even though they are both blue, it does not look as well put together as it would have if both pieces were the same color.

Tight levis can look attractive on someone who is fit with a slender figure, but if you are a bit on the heavy side, look for jeans that fit well without being tight. Your extra pounds will be even more noticeable if you look as if your pants are painted on you.

Choose items to add to your wardrobe that make sense for your lifestyle. If you spend most of your time in jeans, then buy the best looking and best-fitting jeans that you can afford. The money you spend on an item for your wardrobe that you wear regularly is always a good investment.

If you are going to a formal event and aren't quite sure what to wear, you can't fail with a simple black dress. No matter what the decade, a simple, little black dress has always been in style and will never go out. Consider this next time you aren't sure what to wear.

If you have a lighter skin tone and you are looking to dye your hair a darker shade, consider dying it a dark shade of brown instead of opting for jet black. Choosing a brown tone is much more flattering since it will not make you look too washed out.

Don't make fashion impulse buys. When you buy on impulse, you often make bad choices. The clothing may not fit as well as you hoped, or it doesn't truly work with anything in your closet. Before making the buy ask yourself if you really need it, and if you have items that can compliment it.

Dipped hem dresses are in the style right now. These dresses dip down in both the front of the dress and back, though they do not dip too dramatically. Dipped hem dresses are a great way to show off your shoulders and when worn with a pair of heels, is the perfect look!

To push your style, try layering a fun skirt over a dress. There are many dresses out there that would make excellent tops. Just throw a skirt over the dress itself. The skirt should be made of thicker fabric, so you don't have unseemly bunching. You could even have the dress peek out a bit below the skirt for a fun, unorthodox look.

A great fashion tip is to start buying clothes that are slim fitting but not too tight. Wearing baggy and over-sized clothing might make you feel comfortable, but you'll look quite silly. Slimmer fitting clothes are much more appealing. They look good even on people that are a bit heavy.

When purchasing sneakers, shop for ones that are comfortable and fit like a glove. You should also ensure that the arch in the shoe fully supports the arch in your foot. Another consideration to take into account when purchasing sneakers is to know the pronation of your foot; most salespeople can assess your foot and guide you to the proper shoe for your pronation.

When you get a haircut, keep your face shape in mind. Certain face shapes look better with certain hairstyles. Oval faces look great with nearly any hairstyle, while round faces do better with hairstyles that have height. Pear faces look better with round cuts and triangular faces look better with short cuts. Square faces look great with all kinds of cuts, except those that are flat on top.

Fashion is a unique concept when it comes to the individual, and you must work to develop your own style. Hopefully this article has helped you with exploring your options regarding fashion and your own unique personal taste. Remember the advice you've read here as you continue learning more pertaining to fashion.

Easy Fashion Tips To Help You Look Great

Fashion seems to be different for everyone, Mehndi Design yet some people still seem to set the pace. Have you ever wondered how you could approach fashion in a whole new light. The internet is a great resource for you in this time of need. Consider the following helpful tips regarding fashion.

Add some fun to your wardrobe by wearing pieces with some interesting prints and patterns. You could wear geometric patterned shirts or striped patterned skirts. You could even wear animal print heels or polka-dotted dresses. Whether you desire a classy or an edgy look, you can find a print or pattern to fit your style.

If you put on mascara, do not continually put the brush inside and outside of the container. This could trap air inside, and does not get more mascara on the brush. This practice promotes the growth of bacteria. You can coat the brush by moving the container slightly.

One easy fashion tip is to just be more confident. No matter how good your clothes look, you will not truly look fashionable unless you wear your clothes with confidence. You need to carry yourself with the utmost confidence. This is one simple way that you can take your fashion to the next level.

You can't go wrong with a pair of shades. If you have had a rough, sleepless night, or you just don't feel like putting on makeup, shades can be your best friend. By wearing them, you can hide your puffy eyes, and they always add some style for any event.

Invest in the basics. Every wardrobe should have a few key pieces. The little black dress is a classic for good reason. A well-fitted white blouse is versatile and flattering. A tailored suit is perfect for serious business. These items are ones you shouldn't be afraid to spend a little extra on, as they are timeless classics that last beyond the changing fashion trends.

If you have "problem" hair, you may be washing it too much. It's not always a good idea to wash your hair daily. When you do this, you strip natural oils and end up with a chemical buildup on your hair. If you must wash your hair daily, use gentle, natural shampoo and conditioner and don't scrub your hair. Just stroke the product through it and let it rinse out gently under warm, running water. Allow your hair to air dry rather than blow-drying.

You should have a minimum of three handbags in your wardrobe. The first handbag should be a standard, a leather handbag with classic lines for everyday wear. The next handbag should be a large tote-style handbag to use on those casual days when you need to grab and go. You should also have a small clutch for those special occasions.

When you buy something new, give something away. This is a great way to help someone else, in addition to keeping yourself from having an overflowing closet. It can save you money, too. If you think that you are going to have to give something away every time you buy, you might think more about what you're buying!

Give your friends-free reign to tell you what they think of what you're wearing. Let's be honest. Women are often not truthful with each other when it comes to fashion. However, if you want the cold, hard, truth about how you look, you are going to have to develop a thick skin. Just make sure that the friends you are getting opinions from are people you can trust.

Make sure that you do not wear a jean top with jean bottoms. This is a trashy look that will get you noticed in the worst ways. If you are looking to be the king or queen of fashion, it is important that you never coordinate jeans with a jean top.

If you are carrying some extra weight in the middle, don't wear fitted clothes. Try and hide that little belly with regular clothes. Wear clothing that is loose fitting instead because this will hide those bulges and give your body a better shape.

One great fashion tip to consider is the fact that just something as small as a button can make a huge impact on your overall look. This is important because this approach can be used to spice up an old outfit and give you a whole new look for not much money.

When you are deciding between two sizes of jeans that both fit reasonably well, go with the smaller size. Jeans will lose their shape and stretch out over time. The longer you own a pair of jeans, the looser they will get. By buying a size larger, you are ensuring that they will become baggier faster.

You may not think so, but fashion is about keeping an open mind and allowing yourself to figure out more of who you are. There are many helpful resources to help you find out more about fashion. Remember the tips and advice you've read here as you work your way towards better fashion.

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