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thetravelerwrites · 4 years

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Dr. Maël Halvorg (Fae)

Rating: Teen Relationship: Male Part-Fae/Female Part Fae Additional Tags: Exophilia, Monster Boyfriend, Fae, Naga, Reader Insert, Anthropology, Genetics Content Warnings: Children, Pregnancy, Incubation, Infertility Words: 4723

A commission by @ivymemnoch! With Amai and Yenuno's children getting older, they need a teacher, and Amai calls a friend to help out. Please reblog and leave feedback!

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“Amai, it’s great to hear from you!” You said, sitting back and sipping a coffee. You were typing up reports at your desk when she called. “God, it’s been forever since we last spoke. How are Yenuno and the children?”

You were surprised to get a call from your old friend while you were working overseas. You and Amai had gone to college together, and while she was getting a law degree in civil rights, you were studying anthropology. You were both in fields specializing in non-humans, which is why you were studying together.

There was a college that offered specific studies in exology, or the study of non-human sentient life, Exanian University. It provided classes in medicine, law, sociology, politics, cultural exo-anthropology, and many other subjects that focused solely on non-humans.

It was established in the early 1890’s and originally only taught humans about the nine Established races. The Established were allowed to attend school in the 50’s, and during the Neogon rights movement in the 80’s, the campus and curriculum was expanded to included education on the newer races that had begun to emerge as well as open its doors to non-humans. In addition, they began to petition and encourage other colleges to offer exological studies. Many alumni of E.U. were now teaching exological studies at other colleges.

You were now a research professor for E.U., studying newly emerged races and reaching out to those shy about integrating. When you first started your career, Amai and the firm where she worked would often help draw up protection papers for the new races until they were formally recognized as a Neogon race and therefore protected under the Neogon act, which granted them the same rights as humans and the Established. Though, as time went on, new races were much rarer, and you hadn’t needed their services. The surprise call was the first time you’d spoken in months, and you hadn’t seen her face-to-face in eight years.

“They’re well, thank you!” She said. “Whereabouts are you these days?”

“Portugal,” You replied. “We’ve had reports that the Encante people may actually exist, and we’ve been attempting to locate and make contact with them. Unfortunately, because they’re underwater creatures, they’re ability to shapeshift, and their reputation as seducers in the mythology of the region, it hasn’t been an easy task. Although, several people in the local villages claim to have Encantado ancestry, so we’re running blood tests to determine the legitimacy of that claim. If they’re blood comes back with unidentified DNA, we can start the protected race process. I assume that’s why you’re calling? You must have heard the news from Song. I sent him an email about drawing up papers a few days ago.”

“He did tell me, yes, and that’s wonderful news,” She replied. “But that’s actually not why I’m calling.”

“Oh?” You’re head rocked back, surprised. “To what do I owe the pleasure, then?”

“Well,” She sighed heavily. “The older children are at the developmental stage enough now where they should begin school, and the younger ones could use some help with supplemental skills. But both Yenuno and Dr. Halvorg don’t think putting them in a normal school a good idea, so I’ve been outvoted. At the very least, they need a tutor. I’ve done what I can on my own, but I’m not a very good teacher. At least, not for fifteen children. Soon to be eighteen, actually.”

“You’re carrying a new clutch?” You said, excited. “That’s wonderful! Yenuno must be very happy.”

“He is, and so am I,” She said, sounding please but tired. “Although we think this might be the last one. My body isn’t recovering as quickly as it used to and Yenuno worries about my health.”

“Understandable. So why did you call me?”

“Well, Yenuno doesn’t know anything about the educational system, having grown up in the wild, and Dr. Halvorg wants to hire some stuffy colleague of his who will bore the kids into a drooling stupor. Halvorg won’t accept anything less than the best, which I mean… I guess it’s nice that he wants the kids to have nothing but the utmost quality, I just wish he wasn’t so damn rigid. He needs to get laid, honestly,” She huffed, and you stifled a laugh. “Do you have someone you could recommend?”

“To get him laid?”

She snorted. “No! You know what I mean. Do you think any of your colleagues at the university would be interested in educating the children of a rare, endangered race? That’s got to have appeal to you academic types, right?”

“Hmm,” You hummed, sitting back in your chair and contemplating. “I’m not sure. You know, it occurs to me that I’ve never even met your children. Or your husband, for that matter.” You sat up and looked at your calendar. “You know what? I’m due for a vacation. Why don’t I come back state-side and meet all of your little ones? I can get a better idea of who would be a good fit for them. I know several people in early education who could be great for tutoring a large group of children at different development levels.”

“Ah, you’re a lifesaver, thank you so much,” Amai said. “I’ll owe you one big time.”

“Just find me a man and we’ll call it even,” You said, laughing. “I’ll text you when my schedule frees up and we’ll make some plans.”

Two weeks later, you stepped off the plane of the airport in Coleville and rented a car. Willowridge was an out of the way town that had the E.U. campus where you and Amai had gone to school. It was a little bit of a drive from the city to get there, but Coleville had the closest airport.

You arrived at the research facility sometime around mid-afternoon, greeted out front by Amai and her youngest child, Yenu. Yenu was a 50/50 hybrid between naga and human, which was unheard of; all other hybrids were a 95/5 percent split since the males both created and fertilized the eggs. Females were simply incubators in the breeding process. Yenu was a curious mix between Amai and her father, from her stubby little legs to her long snake tail and the blue scales running down her neck and back. From an academic perspective, it’s no wonder this Dr. Halvorg was so keen on keeping her and her siblings in the facility for study.

On the other hand, she was adorable, and the entire world needed to know about it. You wondered how many specialists actually knew about her existence and why there wasn’t more published about her in scientific literature. You’re fairly sure there was only one article based on her, and it was authored by Dr. Halvorg. They were likely keeping her under strict protections until she was older, to spare her the media circus.

“It’s so good to see you!” You said as you scooped her into a hug. Her belly wasn’t big yet, but you could feel it’s hardness against your own belly. Yenu squealed happily in her arms as you squished the two of them.

“You, too!” She said, kissing your cheek. “How was the drive?”

“Scenic, as always,” You said, following her as she went inside. “I got the email from Dr. Halvorg last night about accommodations. You’re right: he’s a little abrupt, but in all honestly I’ve yet to meet a geneticist that isn’t.”

“Believe it or not, he’s way less uptight than he used to be. The children really help lighten him up.”

“He likes kids?” You said, your opinion of him rising slightly.

“Oh, very much,” She said, then her voice lowered to a sad whisper. “He can’t have any children, apparently. His kind are bad breeders, he says.”

“His kind?”

“He’s part fae,” She replied.

“Oh,” You said, frowning. “That’s odd.”

“What is?”

“Well, I’m part fae, too, and I have three brothers. And I know of several subraces of fae that are prolific breeders, several of which I helped integrate myself. Exogenetics is still an evolving science. Perhaps he has been so focused on his current work that he hasn’t checked recent literature in the field. He’s been working in conservation for several decades, didn’t you say? I’ll make some calls and see what I can find.”

“I forgot you were part fae,” She said thoughtfully. “What subrace are you, again?”

“Russian Bereginya,” You replied. “What is he?”

“I’ve never asked,” She said. “He very rarely talks about himself at all. Honestly, it seems like a sore subject with him, so I’ve never brought it up. Even Yenuno seems hesitant to ask, and he gets along better with Dr. Halvorg than I do. The only reason I know his first name is because I’ve seen it on official reports. Only the children are allowed to say it, even if it’s to call him ‘Uncle Maël’.”

“A hard nut to crack, huh?” You asked as she led you into the public lobby and fished out a personnel I.D. badge.

“You could say that,” She said. “He and I don’t always see eye to eye, at least.” She swiped her card in a card slot and pressed her thumb on the printpad. “I’ve got a temporary I.D. waiting for you in the back. It’ll be good for the next two weeks. Let me know if you decide to stay longer, and I’ll have the expiration extended.”

“Sure, thanks,” You said.

“You’re about to meet the man himself,” She said as she walked though an automatic sliding door. “Plus my man, and my children. You remember their names?”

You nodded. “It’ll take me a while to match names to faces, though. You always were an overachiever.”

She laughed.

The two of you walked into what looked like the receiving room of a warehouse, except it was empty. There was a large, rolling aluminum wall that was raised and led to a forested area outside. There was an enclosed greenhouse type thing that had several nests built, as well as a cottage at the far end.

Each little nest had a small body with blue scales and warm almond skin lying in it, curled up into a coil, eyes closed and breathing softly. The cottage at the far end also had a movable wall, which was up, and a large, blue naga with long, straight, black hair and pale skin was sitting there, typing on a laptop that was perched on a standing desk.

“Yenuno is a bit socially shy, so he connects with others through the internet,” Amai whispered. “It’s about as much social interaction with the outside world as he can tolerate sometimes.”

“It must be naptime,” You whispered back, nodding toward the kids.

She laughed softly. “The older ones only need to eat once a day now, depending on the size of their prey, and they get tired after hunting and feeding, so we schedule it for noon. They should be up soon, though.”

She waved her hand to get Yenuno’s attention. He looked up and smiled, closing the laptop. He slithered down the ramp, over to Amai to plant a kiss on her lips, and then took Yenu in his arms, tossing her up once to make her giggle before squishing her in a big hug and blowing a raspberry into her cheek. Amai shushed him.

“Let’s go to the lounge to talk,” Amai said quietly. “Yenuno, this is my friend I told you about, the professor from E.U.”

“It’s nice to meet you finally,” Yenuno said as the three--no, four--of you went to a sitting area nearby. Half of the room had chairs and a couch, while the other side had cushions with a table in between. “Amai has told me many stories about you.”

“Most of them are true,” You said, sitting. “But I won’t say which.”

He laughed and set Yenu on the floor in front of him, watching her carefully as she scooted her way across the carpet. “Dr. Halvorg will be around soon. He usually talks to the children after their naps about their hunting experiences.”

“Jeez, I thought I was a workaholic,” You said. “Does he ever relax?”

“Not that I’ve ever seen,” Amai said, handing you a cup of coffee from the bar behind the couch. “If he’s awake, he’s in research mode. He even works through meals.”

“Well, I’ll hope he’ll make some time so I can discuss the children’s developments with him.”

“Oh, if it’s for the kids, he’ll make time,” Yenuno replied. “He’s practically adopted them.”

“I swear, if he thought he could get away with it, he’d forge our signatures on adoption papers,” Amai said sardonically.

“Speak of the devil,” Yenuno said, jerking his head at the open loading space near the greenhouse. A man stood there, surveying the sleeping children for a moment before heading over to the lounge area. He was thin and tall with long, white-blonde hair in a sleek braid down his back. He was pale complected and had a sharp, angular face with bushy eyebrows and vivid, amber colored eyes. His ears had a definitive point to them.

Yep, definitely Celtic fae heritage; you could spot it a mile away. It’s true that the Celtic fae populace had dwindled over the years, though you hadn’t really considered why. You chalked it up to interbreeding with other races or being edged out of their territory. Historically, since fae were immortal, or at least very long lived, they often didn’t feel the biological incentive that mortal creatures felt to procreate. Could their long-held disinterest in breeding have eventually rendered them infertile? That was a startling thought.

“Is this the professor I’ve heard so much about?” Dr. Halvorg asked as he approached. Yenu toddled her way over to him on her short little legs and he picked her up, popping her onto his hip like a pro.

“Yes,” Amai said and introduced you. Dr. Halvorg used his free hand to shake yours.

“Lovely to meet you,” He said. “I look forward to working with you. You have an impressive reputation. I’ve actually been following your progress for quite a while.”

“Really?” You asked, surprised.

“Oh, yes,” He replied, shifting a squealing Yenu to the opposite hip. “You’re the foremost anthropologist in the field currently. You and your team are responsible for integrating over thirty percent of known Neogon races in the last ten years. As a geneticist, as a scientist, seeing the steady expansion and confirmation of known non-human races happen in my lifetime is pretty incredible to watch.”

“Wow,” You said, stunned. “I didn’t realize I had such a reputation.”

“Well, you’ve been in the field for a long time,” He said with a smile. “It’s not surprising that you might not be aware of the impact your work has had on the world.”

You may have blushed, but you’d never have admitted it. Thankfully you were spared from finding a way to follow up that statement by a range of sleepy groans issuing from the enclosure. One by one, the children began to stretch and yawn and make their way over to their parents, the first of which was one of the youngest.

“Mommy!” He said, his curly hair bouncing as he slithered over the lip of the carpeted lounge area. “Who’s that?” He pointed directly at me.

“Osan, it’s not polite to point!” She said sharply. “This is my friend who I told you was coming to meet all of you. Wait for your brothers and sisters to get over here before we start introductions, okay?”

Osan shot across the enclosure to rudely awaken the rest of his siblings. His excited hollering echoed throughout the empty enclosure.

“Ah, youth. I’d love to siphon some of that energy and drink it like an espresso,” Amai said.

“Girl, I hear that,” You replied, chuckling.

A small army of nearly identical naga children came following Osan, curious about you, chattering and craning their necks to get a better look at you.

“Kids, line up, line up,” Yenuno said, wading out into the sea of small clones of himself. “These are the five year olds: Keenai, Tani, Fuma, and Amaia. The four year olds: Nenish, Tahara, and Sadji. The three year olds: Jinsa, Ishni, Chidil, Itheti, and Dashu. The two year olds: Osan and Khuzho. And little Yenu is eight months old.”

“I don’t know how you tell them all apart,” You laughed.

“I have a mole!” Sadji said, pointing at it. “See!”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” You said, bending down to pat his head. He shook off your hand but laughed. You tickled his chubby cheek and he giggled, trying to fend you off.

“So what would you like to do?” Amai said. “I assume you already have a plan.”

“Yes,” You said. “I’d like to interview each child with a behavioral therapist and get a sense of their development levels myself, and then Dr. Halvorg and I will compare notes. I can make my determination then.”

“Sounds good,” Amai replied. “But it doesn’t have to be today, does it? You just got into town. I’d love to take you out for an early dinner, if you haven’t eaten. Yenuno hunted with the kids, so he likely won’t eat again until morning.”

“Sure, I’d love to,” You said. “Dr. Halvorg, do you have dinner plans?”

“Oh, no, I have a lot of work to do,” He said. “Besides, I’m sure the two of you will want to catch up. Please, enjoy yourselves. If you all would excuse me, I have a report to write.” He kissed Yenu on the cheek before handing her back to Amai and tousled a few of the kids’ hair as he passed. “Come along, children. Let’s do our interviews and I’ll take you all out to the playground.”

The kids cheered and followed him down the hall to the offices.

“You weren’t lying, Amai, he is really good with kids,” You said.

“Between him and the volunteers, we never have to hire a babysitter, which is nice,” Yenuno replied.

“Some days, it’s his only redeeming feature,” Amai said with a sour smile. “I still haven’t quite forgiven him for what happened when I was pregnant with Yenu. If I sit too long, thinking about it, I get mad all over again.”

“Think of the eggs, my love,” Yenuno said patiently, patting her belly. “He’s apologized many times since then. You can’t hold a grudge forever.”

“I absolutely can,” She said churlishly. “I understand his job is conserving and repopulating your species, but our marriage is an entirely separate thing and he can keep his nose out of it.”

“Well, let’s get a cheesecake and forget all about it,” You suggested.

“Sound good to me,” She said. She kissed Yenuno on the lips and waved goodbye to him. “There’s a new Italian place that’s got really good reviews.”

“No seafood! Or wine!” Yenuno called after her.

“This ain’t my first rodeo!” She called back.

The Italian place was as good as Amai said it was, and the two of you went to Tumble’s Cafe for dessert and coffee. Tumble had actually been a client of Amai’s when a hate crime had been committed against him. Now his wife and kids had two shops open in town and were doing very well for themselves.

Lucy, Tumble’s wife, was a few years your junior and a mother of three. Amai and Lucy had become close friends over the years and they were both in an interspecies mommy group. You knew of her, since you’d both grown up in the same small town, but you hadn’t actually met her before. Amai told you that the triplets often played with her children at the park, and you had to stop for a moment and contemplate the strange image of bunnies and snakes playing together.

“Is this the professor?” Lucy asked as you came in with Amai.

“Did you tell the whole town I was coming?” You asked Amai.

“I didn’t need to,” Amai replied with a laugh. “Word gets around.”

“What can I get you guys?” Lucy asked, a big smile on her freckled face.

“Coffee and cheesecake to go, please,” You said.

“Oh, no coffee for me,” Amai interjected. “Can I have a decaf iced cinnamon chai instead?”

“You got it. Whipped cream on top?”

“Yes, please. Where’s Tumble?”

“Putting the kids to bed upstairs,” Lucy said. “Such a good daddy. We’re talking about having more.”

“More than three?” You asked as she handed you a steaming cup of coffee. “I can’t imagine having more than two, at the most.”

“I guess it comes with having a non-human partner who’s used to the idea of having many children,” Lucy said, nodding at Amai, who tilted her head in agreement. “Not all non-humans have litters or clutches, but the ones who do always want more kids. At least the girls are in school now andTumble gave me a good five years before asking for another litter, unlike supermom over here. How’s that going on your end, by the way?”

“That’s why the professor is here,” Amai said, bumping you slightly with her shoulder. “She just got in today. The evaluations start tomorrow.”

“Well, good luck.” She handed you a box that contained two generous slices of cheesecake.

“Thanks, Lucy,” Amai said as the two of you left. “I’m sure I’ll be back in here soon. Tumble’s pastries are the best in town.”

“I’ll tell him you said that!” Lucy said with a laugh, waving.

The next morning, you began setting up for the individual assessments when Dr. Halvorg entered the room.

“Good morning,” You said. “Are you observing with the behavioral specialist?”

“I am the behavioral specialist,” He said. “I have a PhDs in child psychology and clinical psychology.”

“How many degrees do you have?” You asked, impressed.

“A few,” He admitted. “I’ve been alive for quite a long time, so I go back every once in a while to get another, or for a refresher. The education for each degree is much different now than it was fifty years ago.”

“How old are you?” You asked. “I know you’re part fae.”

“Amai told you that, eh?”

“Maybe,” You replied. “I mean, I’m part fae, too, so it’s not like I’m bothered by it.”

“You are?” He asked, looking at you keenly. “That wasn’t in your dossier. European?”

“Russian, and it’s not really a secret. I’m surprised you didn’t already know; I figured Amai would have said something. I was actually thinking you and I should have a conversation about that.”

He looked at you with an indecipherable expression and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, one of the eldest children came in the door.

“Later,” He said. You nodded.

The evaluations were interesting. The children were advanced for their ages, though Dr. Halvorg told you that was normal among nagas, who had to mature quickly in the wild. Watching them problem solve during the assessment was actually fascinating. They grasped new concepts relatively quickly and were wildly curious. They actually seemed happy to learn new and unusual things and kept asking you about your work with new races. You imagined they got a lot of that exuberance from Amai. Yenuno seemed a great deal more anxious and withdrawn.

The assessments took the entire day, and Dr. Halvorg asked you back to his office to compare notes when they were done.

“I think Ishni is slightly behind the others in his age group, or rather his brothers are more advanced. Honestly, it’s hard to tell with nagas. Their development is so unusual.”

“I would agree,” Dr. Halvorg said. “With Ishni being behind, that is. But it’s nothing some focused work won’t fix. The rest of them are advancing well, based on the available statistics for their age groups.”

“Yes, it’s shocking how quickly they pick up new things. I wouldn’t be surprised if they completed a full curriculum in just a few years.”

“Based on today’s evaluations, do you have a candidate in mind who would work for them?” He asked.

You sighed heavily. “I do,” You said. “I actually know of several that would be good fits. Unfortunately, all of those people are currently under contract.”

“Oh,” Dr. Halvorg said. “I thought you said you knew someone who would be perfect for this job.”

“I said early development!” You replied. “But these children don’t need early development. That’s shapes and colors and numbers and things like that. All of these kids can already read. Even the two year olds! They need more advanced tutelage, and I didn’t realize that when Amai first asked.”

“So what would you recommend?”

You sat back in your chair. “Give me a few days to think it over and make some calls and I’ll get back to you. In the meantime, just go about things as normal. I’d like to observe how things run here naturally.”

“Is that in reference to the search for an educator?”

“No, it’s for my own personal observations,” You said, smiling. “I am still an exo-anthropologist, after all, and quite honestly, the last couple of days have been riveting.”

He grinned. “A woman after my own heart.”

Two nights later, you walked into the enclosure after dinner to a strange sight: Dr. Halvorg reading the kids a bedtime story. He was sitting on the ground in the circle of nests and reading from a big book of non-human fairy tales. Race appropriate ones, of course. It was so unusual that all you could do was lean against the doorframe and listen.

When he finished, he helped settle all of the children and wished them a good night, and set the lights to starlight, with little pinpricks of light shining through the ceiling. When he saw you, he walked over.

“So, no good,” You said. “There aren’t any teachers who can come in on short notice.”

He sighed unhappily. “Well, what now?”

“I’ve decided that until they make contact with the Encante people, I’m not needed, so I might as well make the most of my time here and be the kids’ tutor until I need to go back or a teacher is made available.”

“Really?” Dr. Halvorg said, surprised. “Well, the kids like you, and you’re certainly well-educated. Have you ever taught before?”

“Briefly at E.U.,” You replied. “I taught one year of anthropology. It was nice staying in one place for a while, and the students seemed receptive to me. I only left because I was needed for a first contact situation.” You looked around. “Where’s Yenuno and Amai?”

“Date night,” He said. “They’re off… doing whatever people do on dates these days. I haven’t dated in decades, so I’m not certain what that entails anymore.”

“I could fix that, if you like,” You offered.

He smiled, but tilted his head. “How do you mean?”

“You could go on a date with me,” You said. “Since I’m going to be staying a while and working with you, it’ll be nice to get to know you better. And… maybe more than that.”

He looked like you’d hit him with a brick. He was still smiling confusedly, but his mouth was open and he couldn’t seem to speak.

“You okay there?” You asked.

“Ye--yes,” He stammered. “Forgive me. I… I appreciate the offer, but… I... I, uh…”

“It’s okay to say no, Maël,” You replied, laughing a little. “You don’t have to find an excuse. ‘No’ is a valid answer.”

He laughed a little self-consciously. “I’m sorry. I’ve been married to my work for so long that I just haven’t considered the possibility of dating. It’s… not something I’m interested in. I hope you understand.”

“Of course,” You replied. “That’s completely fine. And if you change your mind, that’s fine too. You know how to get in touch with me. No pressure. We’re both adults, after all.”

“Yes,” He said, adjusting his glasses. “I appreciate that. Thank you for the offer.”

“Think nothing of it,” You said. “I should get back to work. See you tomorrow.”

“Yes,” He repeated. You waved and walked away, unaware of his curious, piercing gaze on your retreating back.

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider buying me a Kofi, becoming a Patron, or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

#Exophilia #Fae #Naga #Reader Insert

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adrienaline-rushed-art · 5 years

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Banyanoir is here!

well, almost. His progress shots have been sent to me, but I don’t have the sample with me to get a full photoshoot and... brush his poor hair

But he and his banana peel sleeping bag are ready and excited to be in someone’s arms ^-^

The next step is to raise money to order the whole bulk. I’ll be opening my Commissions, Society6, Kofi, and CashApp for the sake of raising these funds. ALL profits/donations from these sites will go to the fundraiser until the goal is met.

The goal seems pretty high, especially for me doing it alone, but you miss all of the shots you don’t make, right? The bulk is $3500 and really if all of my followers donated $3.50 the goal would be met. And with luck and your help, this amount will grow to $11,000+ if all of the plushies are sold afterward. For those of you who don’t know, all of the money raised will go to MariaFund for Puerto Rico Disaster Relief. As the intention is to continue raising money by creating more plushies for the rest of the Miraculous Squad, one round of all of the plushies could raise $88,000+! Hopefully, these plushies will make a big difference.

Donations do NOT count as pre-orders, I didn’t start a Kickstarter because I feel that’s pushing my fundraising rights as a fan artist. As of right now, Zag is pretty lenient, but I won’t take my chances. This is simply for the bulk to actually be made and available for purchase. All of the plushies are handmade in the US!

Now, if and when the plushies are available, they will have periods of different pricing:

The first 10 plushies to be sold will cost $65

Next 10 $75

Next 20 $100

Next 40 $150

Next 20 $200

If you want to preorder you can, your money will be returned if the funds raised don’t allow for the plushies to be made. If worst comes to worst, I’ll make a campaign with Budsies so that they are made to order. It is the last resort as Budsies takes 90% of the profit, which wouldn’t be ideal for a fundraiser. I would rather do a campaign if I’m casually selling plushies. If you intend to preorder, then on whichever payment site you decide to use, simply specify that you are purchasing and not donating in the comments or notes. I will make a post showing which slots are taken as time goes on as well as update on how much has been raised.

I’m also thinking of creating a package option. I’ll take feedback on that. I really want to make charms, but I want to find the 3D rubber ones... if anyone has recommendations of trustworthy companies for that please let me know! It can maybe be a charm and a small bag or a poster... what do you all think?

I’ll list the websites you can use to donate or preorder, but I won’t write them as links as Tumblr would make this post unsearchable.

So, the old fashioned way it is:

Society6: https://society6.com/eloctromagnetic/s?q=popular

All purchases go to the fundraiser, profit is 10% so a product that is $30 is a $3 donation. But you get something in return! As of right now, there are no Banyanoir products, only Ladyberry, but I’ll work on getting things posted for him over the weekend. Some of the products were automatically activated by Society6 or were posted as a test without being removed, if you see something you want that you think needs something fixed such as orientation or an art mistake, please let me know! It’s no trouble at all :D

Commissions: There is no current post for commission examples, but you can visit my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrienaline_rushed_art/ as it has all of my art in one easy place, I haven’t been very consistent on Tumblr, sorry.

Full-body sketch: $10 (+$1/additional person)

Lined Bust: $10 (+$3/additional person)

Lined Full-body: $20 (+$5/additional person)

Flat color or lineless Bust: $15 (+$5/additinal person)

Flat color or lineless Full-body: $25 (+$7/additional person)

Cell Shaded Bust: $20 (+$7/additional person)

Cell Shaded Full-body: $25 (+$10/additional person)

Fully Shaded/detailed Bust: $30 (+$15/additional person)

Fully Shaded/detailed Bust: $35 (+$20/additional person)

Full Background: $50 (+10 for people in the backgrounded)

I will work on a commissions page over the weekend for more details as I have a few different styles. For now, if you spot a particular style you want (ie clean lines, sketchy lines, lineless, chibi, brush-stroke) you can DM with questions.

Ko-fi: Ko-fi.com/pawprince

Cashapp: AdrienalineRushedArt (bonus about donating through Cashapp is that if you don’t have one, you’ll be donating $5 to the fundraiser for free if you ask me to invite you, plus you get $5 for yourself)

According to Budsies, I need to order the bulk within two weeks for the sample to remain a free sample. It isn’t essential, but if it’s free then the money that went toward the sample can actually go toward the fundraiser instead, so it would be cool! I wonder if we can do it?

If you have any other questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to send an ask or DM me!

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanart #adrien agreste #chat noir #ml fandom sugar #ml fundraiser #ml merch #fundraiser #puerto rico disaster relief #cass arts

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buttsonthebeach · 5 years

Text

The Turning of the Year

@scharoux did me the honor once again of asking me to write about Rhaella, and this time I got to write about my favorite seasons EVER at the same time! Hurray for fall and fluff! Thank you as always dear friend <3

My Ko-Fi || My Commissions (Slots currently open as of 10/16/19)

Other pieces about Rhaella I have written include:

1. All Things Green and Growing

2. The Long Road Back (**this new piece takes place the closest in time to this one)

3. The Same Kind of Scar

4. World Without End

5. The Last Game Pt. 1, the Last Game Pt. 2, and the Last Game Pt. 3 (contains explicit content)

Pairing: Solas x Rhaella Lavellan

Rating: Teen for some smooches and vague sexual references

**********************

Fall had come to Skyhold. Rhaella could see it from her balcony. They'd struggled to the castle through the last, vicious winter snows, and then they had melted away into a delicate spring, and at some point it had become summer, hotter than she had expected, muggier. It seemed like every time she left for a mission she returned to a different season, like Skyhold was a person who wore many faces, like she would never really know it. Then she managed to stay long enough - bogged down in preparations for their march to the Arbor Wilds - that she saw fall creep over the peaks and valleys surrounding it, one pinprick of color against grey slate at a time. First a flash of orange, and then red, and then the whole mountain was that riot of color she associated with her favorite season. The heat of summer was melting away and while some members of the Inquisition grumbled about it, Rhaella sought out the chill, relishing the gooseflesh it raised all over her skin.

That was how she found herself standing on the balcony, with a blanket wrapped tight around her shoulders, admiring the waves of color proceeding down the mountain into Ferelden like the folds of a woman's gown, realizing that this would be the first fall that she did not celebrate Soulsday.

It was her favorite holiday - the one she had the most cherished girlhood memories of, the time many of her best memories of her parents hailed from. There'd be the same chill in the air, the same dazzling colors, the smell of woodsmoke and the snap of dried twigs underfoot. Her mother always made the best dolls out of those dried twigs, and the clan elders would do the same, except they would use them to tell stories of the Creators by firelight, and all of them knew they would culminate in the ultimate story on Soulsday itself: the tale of Fen'Harel. The hunters would go out for long hunts on those chilly days, catching enough food for the feast to come. It was around Soulsday that Rhaella's father first let her try her own small bow, began teaching her how to anchor the arrow to the corner of her lip and to keep her elbow down.

The rest of the clan would busy themselves with gathering the gourds and squash growing in patches - skin thick and colored bright orange, pale yellow, and green, covered in strange knobs that all the children would touch and squeal over, that teenagers teased each other about because they so resembled the blemishes covering their faces, or the faces of the old. They hollowed them out, roasted and ate the meat and seeds alike, and then the most skilled among them began to carve them into scenes from their history, or the faces of gods and demons. Maybe that was the thing that had recalled those nights to her most clearly - the taste of the squash, sweet and smoky and soft. They’d had it in a soup in the great hall the night before. Maybe that was why she stood on the balcony reimagining all of these scenes, replaying them.

They would never play again in real life. Rhaella’s clan was dead now. The words still hurt to think, but that was a good thing. It was a pain she deserved. It was hero own fault, after all. She only hoped she would do better by the Inquisition.

Rhaella watched two birds wheeling in the sky - hawks perhaps - and thought of her flight from Skyhold. How she’d sought to protect the Inquisition from her failures, how she’d been so certain it was the right thing to do. How Solas had gone and brought her back. They’d shared a night alone in the Emerald Graves then, bodies pressed close, breaths coming harsh, but no barriers has been crossed. Whatever his reservations were about crossing it, she respected them. But standing there, alone on the balcony, she wished suddenly that he was there. Sidling up behind her, perhaps, having just woken up from the bed they both shared. Sliding underneath the blanket she had around her shoulders, his chest still bare, the two of them sharing each other’s warmth while they looked out over the gold-lined mountains and the brilliant trees.

Rhaella shook herself from her reverie. It wasn’t an impossible dream. They were both here in Skyhold, both in the same holding pattern of waiting for troops and trebuchets and letters from the Orlesians pledging aid. She was Inquisitor. If she declared she was taking a day to train outside the fortress with her most experienced mage, no one would question it. Or, if they did question it, they would not do so to her face. She went back into her room, the matter decided. It was her favorite time of year. She would spend it with the person she loved the most, away from all of this. She deserved that much. He would tell her so himself, silencing the little voice that tried to say otherwise, snaking like a thin trail of smoke through her mind.

“Soulsday?” Solas asked, an eyebrow quirked, when she came and found him.

“Surely you’ve heard of it.”

“Only a little. It shall be an opportunity for you to educate me further.”

“Well, I suppose the first thing I should mention is that it’s actually later in fall. After the equinox and the harvest, just as the days start to grow short. But we will likely be on the road to the Arbor Wilds by then, and all that really matters to me is that it feels like fall now. Well, and I’ve seen patches of squash and gourds further down the mountain, and they look ripe enough for our purposes. That’s important, too.”

Solas raised his eyebrows further.

“Has Dorian had it wrong all this time? Will we be dancing naked in a patch of gourds rather than surrounded by flowers?”

Rhaella laughed. “Only if you want to. I have to say that isn’t part of the Soulsday tradition.”

Solas smiled. He shifted so their bodies were closer as they both leaned against his desk. Not quite touching, but close enough to thrill.

“I look forward to learning the rest, vhenan. May I have an hour or so to wrap up what I am doing here?”

“Of course. I need to gather a few things anyway.”

Her gathering consisted of going to the kitchen and requesting two canteens filled with apple cider they’d just imported from Ferelden, plus a few actual apples besides; a bundle of cinnamon sticks; two small, sharp paring knives as well as two sturdy metal spoons; four small beeswax candles; and some of their usual trail mix to tide them over, along with cheese and peppered salami. Her last addition was two hand pies that the cook insisted she take, which she said were filled with spiced apples and currants and dried cranberries. They were an Orlesian delicacy, not something that would remind her of home at all, but they smelled divine, and Rhaella could not say no.

That done, she went to the great hall to wait for Solas. He emerged from the rotunda dressed warmly, wrapped in dark green and brown woolen clothes that she was sure would give Vivienne, Dorian, and Leliana a fright if they saw them. True, they were simple, and ragged at the edges, but there was something about those very qualities that soothed and endeared Rhaella to him. He was formidable in his armor, especially the newest set Harritt and Dagna had made for the journey to the Temple of Mythal, but this made him look more at ease. She wanted to hug him at once, breathe in the smell of wool and him.

“Inquisitor,” he said, smooth and professional, when he reached her. They were in public, after all.

“Let’s go,” she said, and they set off together down the great staircase and across the courtyard, to where their harts were saddled and ready for them.

They rode down the gray stone path that led away from Skyhold and Rhaella breathed in deep, drawing as much of the crisp air into her lungs as she could. This high up in the mountains, you could already taste the frost on your tongue. Fall would be shorter here than it was back in the Free Marches. She would need to enjoy it while she could.

There was always the chance that this would be her last fall, after all. Who knew what Corypheus had in store. There was no guarantee that she would succeed. She had already failed Clan Lavellan after all.

Rhaella clenched her left hand, though the Anchor was quiet in her palm, though Solas had told her over and over again that she should not give in to the snarling voice in her head that wanted to lay those deaths at her feet. Today would not be about those thoughts. Today would only be about the season that she had always loved, and the man she had grown to love.

“Where are we headed?” Solas asked. The difference in his voice when they were alone was subtle but it was there - the softening of it, the warmth. They weren’t Inquisitor and Fade expert here. They just were, the same way the mushrooms crowding in the underbrush on either side of the road were.

“There’s a grove I noticed on our last trip back from the Storm Coast,” Rhaella said. “There was a patch of vines that I think might have grown some fall squash now. Pumpkins, maybe.”

“Ah. I think I know the one, and I agree. It did look like that sort of vine.”

A smile tugged on the edges of Rhaella’s lips. It was one of the first things they’d bonded over, after all - their shared love of the natural world. Of course he’d noticed the same thing she had.

The grove was not far - only an ambling twenty minute ride away - but it was around a bend in the road, nestled in-between two high cliffs, so that you could not see Skyhold at all, and that made it feel a world away. It was as grand as the castle Rhaella’s forces called home, for all that it was only a grove; tall pines marked the entrance to it, defiantly green in the face of the mountain chill and the change of seasons. Interspersed between them were scarlet maple trees. She dismounted, and, not even bothering to tether Thistle breathed in the smell of damp, loamy earth, the sharp herby notes of the elfroot that had sprung up between all of it. Solas dismounted near her, and came to stand close, not quite touching.

“It is lovely here,” she said. “I was just thinking how this is as grand as Skyhold, in its own way.”

Solas smiled, though it did not quite reach his eyes.

“Our people would have agreed, in ancient times. They lived intertwined with nature in a way that I think even the Dalish do not understand. If they had built a house here, it would have been part of these very trees, this very earth, instead of simply resting within it.”

“I see,” Rhaella said, arching an eyebrow. “Shall I show you how we Dalish live within nature, then?”

Solas’s cheeks were already pinked by the cold, but she suspected some of it was shame, as he turned from her and began to tether his own mount.

“Yes, you shall.”

Their harts tethered, they went further into the grove. Solas took her hand as they walked. It was almost cold enough that she regretted not wearing gloves, but the feeling of his palm against hers, warm and calloused, was well worth it. Soon the trees parted and the patch of vines was visible, and Rhaella’s hopes were rewarded: it had yielded three perfect pumpkins, untouched by any frost, still vibrantly orange and plump.

“Oh, these are perfect,” she said as they drew close to them, running their hands over the leathery skin.

“Should I start building a cooking fire?” Solas asked.

“No. We won’t be cooking them. I brought other food for us. But a small fire for warmth would be perfect.”

Solas looked curious, but he did as he was told. Rhaella harvested the three pumpkins while he worked, cutting them free of their thick, prickly vines and setting them up neatly in a row. One was taller than the rest - exactly the sort the hahrens would choose to carve a more dramatic scene. Perhaps Mythal rising up into the form of a dragon, or Elgar’nan raining his wrath down from the skies, or Fen’Harel howling with glee, the Creators trapped in a prison above him. The other two were fatter and wider, the sort they would give to the younger craftsmen of the clan to do a simpler image - perhaps a halla with its curving horns, or the pattern of vallaslin, or the leering face of a demon.

Behind Rhaella, the fire crackled to life, filling the grove with the scent of woodsmoke. It already clung to Solas’s clothes and she breathed deep when he sat beside her, drinking it in.

“What are we to do with these, then?” Solas asked.

“We’re going to carve them and put a candle inside when we are finished. My clan used to have dozens of these carved and ready by Soulsday. They’d light up the whole camp with images from myth and legend and history, and demons and spirits besides. The idea is that Soulsday is when the Veil grows thinnest, when our ancestors can peer through and see us, and these lanterns guide them here. Even the Creators are able to look down from their prison on that day, and we want them to know that we have not forgotten their names or their stories.”

Rhaella found herself leaning in to Solas as she talked, looking up at the pale blue sky above them. His arm was around her waist, his thumb tracing idle circles there. The rest of his body was oddly tense, as though he had not fully relaxed into the embrace.

“Of course, if they can see us, and so can our ancestors, Fen’Harel can as well. So we also carve the faces of terrifying demons and put them around the perimeter of the camp, trying to ward him off. I was thinking this shorter pumpkins on the left and right would be good for one of those faces. The taller one is good for a more intricate scene, although I don’t know if I have the skill to do one justice. What do you think?”

Solas was quiet a moment, his body remaining still and tense. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, the kind that made her whole body shiver.

“Whatever you would like to do, my heart.”

“Let’s do one of each,” Rhaella said after a moment’s thought. “Something to scare away the bad things, something to attract an ancestor, and something to honor the past.”

“Very well.”

They had to break apart to have enough room to work. Rhaella spread out a blanket and they sat on opposite ends of it, their feet brushing one another’s, the pumpkins they’d selected in the space between them.

“I will work on one to frighten away your Fen’Harel,” Solas had said, taking one of the smaller pumpkins and one of the exquisitely sharp knives Rhaella had borrowed from the kitchen.

“I’ll do one to guide my parents,” Rhaella said.

It was what she did every year - what she and her father had done together in the years after her mother died. She felt bad sometimes that she usually only had the time to do one. Other families within the clan - larger ones, with siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles - could do whole groups of pumpkins so that the area surrounding their aravels blazed with light. If there was an afterlife, their ancestors would surely have no trouble finding their way home. She hoped the one small candle she lit every year was enough to guide her parents back.

She and Solas worked quietly together for a while. Rhaella got up at one point and went to her pack to retrieve their trail mix, cheese, and salami, and lay it out for both of them to enjoy. She watched Solas work out of the corner of her eye as she did so. She always loved to observe him when he was at his least guarded. She knew those moments were precious, meant only for her, that the way he dropped his guard when they were alone was one of the deepest signs of his love for her. She did not need to know why he carried his guard so high in the first place to know that.

He looked very serious as he carved, the way he did when he was painting. His eyebrows were knit close together and he chewed on his bottom lip from time to time as he regarded his canvas, treating it with no less care than he treated the walls of his rotunda, where he painted the story of her time as Inquisitor. There was a similar heaviness in his shoulders, the set of his jaw. As if he considered this as important and as permanent.

“What are you thinking?” She asked at last, passing him a canteen of cider.

He took a drink before answering.

“That the Dalish belief of what would frighten Fen’Harel is an odd one. He is the Bringer of Nightmares, and yet the face of a demon is meant to ward him off?”

“Not just one demon. The whole clan helps carve all of these. There would a ring surrounding the entire camp on Soulsday. If a clan can command the loyalty of that many demons, Fen’Harel probably should be afraid. But it’s all superstition anyway.”

Solas nodded, his lips still pursed. Rhaella tried to lean over and see what he was carving, but he pulled the pumpkin protectively closer.

“Ah - not yet. Wait until I am finished.”

“Fine,” Rhaella sighed, adding a dramatic weariness to the word. It made Solas smile, and that warmed her from head to toe.

For her part, she worked on a variation of a design she had done many times since her parents died. A wreath of prophet’s laurel, and a bow and arrow in the middle. The natural world, the plants and medicine she’d learned from her mother, and the hunting she’d learned from her father. They were gifts she still used to that day. If they could see this offering - and she hoped they did - she hoped that they knew that.

Our time together was short, she thought as she worked. But you taught me well. Maybe it’s better that you didn’t live to see these times. If you had been among the dead of Clan Lavellan -

She would not have been able to stand that. Nothing Solas could have said when he pursued her would have worked.

The day wore on as they carved, each enjoying the silence, each stealing glances at one another. They paused now and again to enjoy the food Rhaella had brought, though she saved the hand pies as a secret treat. It turned out that Solas had brought the small cooking pot he took with him on the road, so they were able to heat up the cider she’d gotten from the kitchen and enjoy it warm from the small tin cups he always carried. Rhaella put a cinnamon stick in each one, and the air was rich with the scent of that warm spice, along with the anise and clove that the chefs had used to prepare it. Solas let out a quiet exhale of enjoyment after his first sip that made Rhaella curl her toes. They so rarely got these moments. She wanted to commit every bit of it to memory.

Rhaella finished her carving first. Solas, ever the artist, insisted on going over every detail a second time before he allowed her to see his work. When at last he turned his pumpkin around so she could see, her breath caught in her throat. He’d carved the face of a Pride demon, so real, so covered in crags, that a chill passed through her. Its six eyes seemed to stare directly into her, and the sneer of its lip captured the essence that it embodied.

“Well done, vhenan,” she said finally.

Solas shrugged. “Of all the demons, it seemed the most likely to frighten Fen’Harel.”

Something was bothering him. Rhaella could sense it, even if she could not put her finger directly on it, could not identify the exact source. She walked over to him, sat behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist. It was the reverse of what she had imagined that morning on the balcony - her comforting him with the weight of her body, rather than him slipping in behind her.

“Then I am confident he will not bother us tonight,” she said. A little chill ran down her spine at her own words. The implication there, the idea that they could spend the night here in this grove, undisturbed, just the two of them and the autumn stars above, the whistle of the wind in the pine trees.

Solas said nothing in reply. He only leaned his head against hers. She turned and kissed his jaw, and then the pulsepoint just behind it, felt his sharp intake of breath, the way he always melted into her when she showed him tenderness. She kissed him on his neck, felt the gooseflesh rise on his skin. She tightened the hold of her arms around his waist and just held him, and he let her.

“You’re a much better carver than I am,” she murmured finally. “You should do the big pumpkin.”

“We shall do it together. You must instruct me in what I shall carve.”

“Well, we’ve done one for my ancestors, and one to keep the Dread Wolf at bay. We should do one to honor the Creators, for the sake of tradition.”

Solas played with his carving knife, idly twisting it this way and that. “Mythal, then?”

“That’s what I was thinking. Sometimes we’d just do their vallaslin or some other object related to them, and sometimes it would be a scene from one of their stories.”

Solas nodded, drawing the last uncarved pumpkin closer to them and studying it, turning it this way and that, probably looking for the flattest, smoothest side of that.

“I have an idea,” he said. “But you have a very important job while I work. You must tell me stories of the Soulsdays of your youth. And you must not move from where you are right now.”

Rhaella felt warm from the tips of her toes to the crown of her feet at his words. She buried her face against the back of his neck, and he chuckled, and she felt the sound vibrate through her whole body.

She did exactly as he asked, talking while he worked. Her memories were not always happy ones - certainly not after her parents died, after the isolation set in - but she found the light where she could. She left her place behind him only once, to his joking admonishment, to retrieve the apples she’d brought and cut them up so they could eat while he carved. Sometimes she went quiet and watched him. His movements were deft and sure, and though it was chilly in the grove, he paused to roll up the sleeves of his sweater, baring his forearms. She could see the muscles working there as he expertly carved away pieces of the orange skin, sometimes just exposing the membranes beneath, other times carving all the way through. He’d already cut off the top and hollowed it out, of course. They’d tossed all their seeds near the patch, and Rhaella imagined that if they came back a year from now, there’d be another patch of pumpkins, and they could carve even more. It would be their secret, their tradition.

I’d have to survive another year for that to happen.

“Are you well?” Solas asked, pausing and turning just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye. She must have stiffened, or gone quiet for too long.

“Yes. I was just thinking about the seeds we threw over there. About whether or not they’d take root by this time next year. About whether or not we’d be here together ever again.”

She regretted the words as they were leaving her mouth. They rarely, if ever, spoke of the future. Too many things were uncertain, unknown. But Solas simply set down his carving knife, put the pumpkin gently aside, and turned to her, cupping her face with his hands. He smelled sweet, like the pumpkin itself, and his hands were sticky, but Rhaella loved both of those things. They grounded her in the here, in the now, in the present moment.

“It does not matter where we are a year from now or a hundred years from now,” he said. “The spirits will remember the memories we have made here today. I swear it.”

And then he kissed her, full on the mouth, deeply, his breath shuddering out of him as he parted her lips with his own. Rhaella made a helpless, pleased little sound against his mouth, and he returned it. They were both off balance, fell quickly backwards, with little grace, but that did not matter because Solas was warm and heavy on top of her, and Rhaella never wanted to let him go.

They did pull apart eventually, both sensing that precipice that they had not crossed yet. Solas’s pupils were blown wide, his eyes dark as a winter sky, his lips pink and swollen from the intensity of their kiss.

“Another memory for the spirits?” Rhaella asked, surprised how breathy she sounded.

Solas smiled. “I think I shall ask if we can keep that one for ourselves.”

They rearranged themselves, finished the carving of the pumpkin. It was a marvelous thing - the top part covered in the intertwining branches of Mythal’s most elaborate vallaslin, with a pair of eyes beneath it - her own, Rhaella realized with a shock that curled and uncurled in the pit of her belly, a racing, excited feeling. No one had ever memorialized her like this before. Beneath that was a statue like they’d seen in their travels - a woman with wings instead of arms, and at her feet, a wolf standing guard.

“This is the most marvelous thing I have ever seen,” Rhaella murmured. She looked around, took in the waning daylight. They’d been here longer than she intended, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel guilty. She needed this. “Shall we light them?”

They arranged all three in a row, put in the beeswax candles she had brought, and lit them. They glowed at once with life, that same magic she remembered from childhood, all the more mysterious because she could not explain it with theories of the Veil or the Fade. How was it that flickering orange light took this hollowed out pumpkin and made it seem to breathe, to live again? How was it that after all of these years she could still almost believe that the glow would draw the good things home again, and keep the bad things at bay?

It was just dark enough now that fireflies had emerged in-between the trees, winking at one another like stars that had come to earth. Solas put his arm around her waist and kissed the crown of her head.

“This is a lovely tradition,” he said. “I hope -”

He did not speak his hope aloud, but Rhaella felt it there between them like a third person. Like a ghost, or a spirit. He did not have to speak it aloud. That was the magic of this night. Not the supposed thinness of the Veil, but the lights amidst the coming darkness. The way they faithfully sent each hope and memory into the cold night air in trails of smoke - the way they winked and fluttered but did not go out.

Rhaella and Solas stood there until night had truly fallen, sipping cider, enjoying the Orlesian pies, watching the fireflies and the shifting red leaves on the maple trees, surrounded by hope and light. Then they put out the candles and packed up their things and rode home under the stars, feeling lighter themselves than they had when they left that morning - feeling ready for whatever was to come.

#beach does commissions #beach writes #rhaella lavellan #scharoux #rhaella x solas #solavellan #solavellan fanfic #dragon age fanfic

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polizwrites · 3 years

Text

WIP Update - 2 Mar 2022

Pushed hard to wrap up the Tony Stark Bingo and Buckuary Intersectional Bingo - posted at least one fanwork every day last week (and doubled up a few days) with a word count coming in at 1686 words - yay me! The TSB and BIB masterposts will be coming out shortly.

I’m up to 10 active WIPs (with a couple of maybe TBCs) with my current deadline being the WinterHawk Bingo which wraps up the end of April. I may try to get some pieces written for the WinterIron Month event, but honestly haven’t even looked at the prompt list yet. I’m also resurrecting the languishing WIP My Love is Vengeance and hope to get some traction on this.

On the crafting side, I have two Stuffed With Character commissions slots open for March at the moment.

See below cut for the specific bingos/challenges/etc I am working on - feel free to send me prompts or plot bunnies as well as asks regarding any of these projects (or any other WIPs I’ve got out there) – they really help feed the Muse and keep me motivated!

Tony Stark Mark V Bingo [TSB_MkV] (Runs thru 28 Feb 2022)

Twenty three fills from my original card plus two adopted fills = blackout!!! Watch for my masterpost coming soon.

* S4 - May Parker - Tony Stark Bingo Mark V - January Round Robin posted last Thursday - I wrote the wrap up as well - so ended up with 520 words counting towards the total.

* T1 - KINK: A/B/O Society - posted Chapter 2 of Flawed Hypothesis on Thursday - it came in at 1001 words. Chapter 3 is just barely started at 69. Am struggling with this - looking for cheer readers/betas! Current Last Line: “Gonna give my gorgeous omega everything he needs.”

* R1 - AU: Alice in Wonderland - The podfic version of Go Ask Friday – (which is around a half-hour long) posted on Saturday.

Buckuary Intersectional Bingo [BIB] (Runs thru 28 Feb 2022)

Pushed hard to get eighteen fills posted, giving me a Row 1 and Row 5 bingo, along with Steve and Tony column bingos - am pretty pleased with how many fills I got done in two months! The masterpost will come out later this week.

* B3 - Steve + FREE - PoliZ's Stuffed Marvels - WWII Cap & Howlie Bucky posted yesterday here on Tumble - crossing over with my Stucky Power Couple square.

* U4 - Tony + Canon Compliant - Posted The End of a Long Day on Saturday - Bucky POV of the initial encounter with Iron Man in the Siberian base; it came in at 440 words.

* C1 - FREE + Supernatural Elements - Posted In Exchange on Friday - it crosses over with my WinterHawk Body Swap square. Clint POV of being body swapped with his teammate (and crush) - it came in at 1743 words.

* K5 - Sam + Canon Divergent - Posted After One Or Two False Starts on Saturday as well; Sam’s POV of the party at the end of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with a hint of pining!Sam/SamBucky if you squint. It came in at 360 words.

* Y5 - Natasha + Canon Divergent- wrote a last minute drabble: Romanova Still Roams that has a premise I might play with more in the future if there’s interest.

WinterHawk Bingo - Round 3 [WHB_R3] (Runs thru 30 Apr 2022)

Three fills posted - one WIPs at the moment - shooting for a Row 1 bingo at minimum.

* B1 - Red Room!Clint - Winter Soldier training Red Room recruits with prospective title Love in a Dangerous Time?

* B2 - Stuck in Elevator - probably will podfic Livin’ It Up (While We’re Goin’ Down) – if I can manage to read steamy stuff aloud!

*I1 - Harry Potter AU - looking for ideas/collaborator for this, since am not a huge HP fan.

* I5 - Body Swap - see FREE + Supernatural Elements from BIB above.

Stucky Bingo - Round 3 [SB R3] (Runs thru 31 May 2022)

Sixteen fills with 4 WIPs and a couple of Vague Ideas. Shooting for a Column O bingo to start.

* I3 - Power Couple - see BIB Steve + FREE above.

* N5 - KINK: Sugar Daddy - possible addition to Takin’ What They’re Givin’ (‘Cause I’m Workin’ for a Livin’)? May throw my STBB ID Porn square in on this as well.

* G3 - “I thought you were smaller” The second chapter of Never More to Go Astray will fill this prompt. I was shooting for 3 short chapters with one from each character POV, although the Muse is poking me to make this a longer fic… Chapter 2 is sitting at 961 words and should post Friday; chapter 3 is currently at 750 words. Current last line: He would surely be the subject of experimentation by the syndicate’s scientists, who were rumored to be ruthless in their search for knowledge.

* O2 - AU: A/B/O - see TSB KINK: A/B/O Society square above

* ADOPTED2 : Incubi/succubi AU - last Friday’s @flashfictionfridayofficial‘s prompt of Setting Heaven On Fire, combined with a poem I wrote years & years ago gave me a great lead-in for a Stucky-by-proxy fic - currently sitting at 224 words. Current Last Line: It’s not my fault if they consider it a sin.

Steve | Tony | Bucky Bingo Round 2 [STBB R2] (Runs thru 30 Jun 2022)

Seven fills, and two WIPs. Taking advantage of the One Fill, One Bingo opportunity

* N2 - AU: Western - possible crossover with MWAPB Next Door Neighbors – I have a decent idea for this one (semi-inspired by a recent re-read of Laura Ingalls Wilder A Long Winter) and jotted down about 225 words’ worth of notes/VERY rough draft. May hold on to this to see if I can crossflll with an upcoming TSB square.

* G1 - Thunderstorm - The upcoming Chapter 5 of To Tame a Werewolf will fill this square and is currently sitting at 292 words. Current Last Line: James pushed his head between Anthony’s arm and body, making a shrugging motion.

* O4 - Lazy Sunday Morning - have a smutty WinterIron idea for this one; need to get it jotted down and then hold on to see if I can combine with an upcoming TSB or BBB square.

Started something to combining the following squares for the One Fill, One Bingo badge: B5 - “Aliens, again?”, I5 - Lifeguard, N5 - Barbeque, G5 - River Rafting, O5 - Wakanda. Avengers + Guardians in a partying mood = a huge headache for T’Challa. It’s currently sitting at 339 words. Current Last Line: I’m Sam, Sam Wilson – another friend of Steve’s.

Agent Carter Bingo [ACB] - (Runs through 1 Sep)

Picked up this 4x4 card last month - no fills planned yet, but I’ve got a long-languishing unpublished WIP that will slot nicely into at least one, possibly two of these squares. Holding off on actively working on anything til I can clear my plate a bit.

Avengers Bingo [AvB] (Runs thru 24 Dec)

Two fills posted and 0 WIPs - I decided to further challenge myself by pairing up each square with a unique combo of 2 original MCU Avengers! With the help of the STB Enthusiasts Discord folks - I’ve got all 16 squares planned out, at least in terms of who to write about, and half of them have some sort of idea or crossover square to go along with them. Feel free to toss other plot bunnies my way…

* A2 - On the Run - Natasha & Steve - crossover with MWAPB - Farmer’s Market? post CA:CW Wakanda ?

* A4 - Mutual Pining - Steve/Thor - crossover with MWAPB - Thor.

* A3 - Reunited - Clint & Natasha - Endgame Ronin scene?

* B3 - Road Trip - Bruce & Thor - Post Grandmaster, pre-Thanos space shenanigans

* C1 - Opposites Attract - Clint/Thor - there was a fun Tumblr headcanon going around about a Bumbling Foreigner whose ignorance of local customs results in him flirting with/proposing to the prince - this seems like a perfect matchup!

* C3 - Reincarnation AU - Natasha & Tony - post-Endgame

* C4 - Bodyguard AU - Thor/Tony - young!Tony - crush on Cap plays into attraction (obvious title - Thunderstruck) - holding on this til next round of TSB.

* D1 - Friends w/ Benefits - Clint/Steve - crossover with MWAPB Hawkeye/Clint Barton.

D2 - Romeo & Juliet AU - basic idea: Steve (jock) & Tony (geek) trying out for title roles in R&J - despite their respective friend groups thinking it’s a terrible idea. Both cliques end up becoming friends.

* D3 - Bed Sharing - Bruce/Natasha - AoU compliant.

Man With a Plan (Steve Rogers) Bingo [MWAPB] (Runs thru 31 Dec)

Three fills, 0 WIPs and several Vague Ideas.

* B2 - Next Door Neighbors - see STBB AU: Western above

* B3 - Farmer’s Market - see AvB On the Run above

* I3 - Thor - see AvB Mutual Pining above

* I4 - Pre-Serum Steve - see BIB Steve+ Canon Compliant above.

* O2 - Sex Pollen - Teenage Groot pollen = aphrodesia hijinks. Quill & Gamora warn the couple (stucky)/throuple (Stuckony) ahead of time, so no dub-con

* O3 - Hawkeye/Clint Barton - see AvB - Friends w/ Benefits above.

* O4 - Stucky - see BIB Natasha + Supernatural Elements above.

————–

On other creative fronts: I finished WWII Peggy and have a Sonic the Hedgehog cut out and ready to start.

if you’re looking for one of a kind gifts (for a friend or something for yourself!) you can plan ahead for the next holiday season and check out Stuffed With Character over on Facebook for a full list of my designs (now over 80!). They’re mostly Marvel and monsters, but I have some Star Wars, Star Trek, DC and Disney figures as well. Plus I love to take custom design requests for any fandom!

#writing stuff #wip update #wip wednesday #bingos galore #shameless self promo

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placetobenation · 4 years

Link

Bobby Lashley is the WWE Champion.

16 years after his starting with the WWE, Lashley is finally king of the mountain, taking out The Miz in the main event of Monday Night RAW. It’s definitely good for business as now The Hurt Business has two titles in their stable, joining Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander. It also gives Lashley a chance to grab a main event slot in WrestleMania, something he surely is deserving of as they move out of The Miz’s transitional and very short reign as WWE Champion.

Now, will we get Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre on the biggest spotlight in the industry or will it be another road? Could it be a Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar match in the offing? That surely would add some spice to the two-night event in April for sure.

He was our star of the week last week and no reason to look anywhere else for another one for this current seven days. Lashley endured the mess that was The Miz and his constant evading of going one-on-one with him until he was forced into the lumberjack match that saw his demise.

RAW

RESULTS

Drew McIntyre defeated Sheamus

Nia Jax defeated Naomi

RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin defeated Braun Strowman & Adam Pearce to retain titles

Damian Priest defeated Elias

WWE Championship Match: Bobby Lashley defeated The Miz by count out – The Miz retains title

Charlotte Flair defeated Shayna Baszler

Riddle & Lucha House Party defeated RETRIBUTION

Non-title United States Championship Match: Mustafa Ali defeated Riddle

WWE Championship Lumberjack Match: Bobby Lashley defeated The Miz to win title

Very good:

What a match! These two absolutely delivered tonight.

#WWERaw @DMcIntyreWWE @WWESheamus pic.twitter.com/YtIkn5leBb

— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2021

Drew vs. Sheamus – Kudos for those guys for going toe-to-toe and leaving it all out there in a match that’s worthy of any PPV. They said they would put on a war and they did. Good way for the former WWE Champion to get back going after a tough loss at Elimination Chamber.

WHAT. IN. THE.#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/FWquLJQLs3

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) March 2, 2021

Randy. Randy. Twice as Dandy – The trilogy of Alexa Bliss, Randy Orton and The Fiend is easily the best thing going on Monday nights. Each week, we seem to get a new WTF moment and this week did not disappoint. Is The Fiend coming back as Randy Orton’s alter ego? My curiosity is peaked to the max!

.@mikethemiz just ran out on this #WWETitle Match! #WWERaw @fightbobby pic.twitter.com/5EsaiJMgkX

— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2021

An ALMIGHTY prophecy fulfilled.@fightbobby is your NEW WWE Champion! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/wooQs61mbq

— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2021

Bobby Lashley vs. The Miz – I thought it was well done the way they portrayed the WWE Championship Match throughout every hour of RAW. Sure, The Miz running out to keep his title at 9pm seemed like a WTF moment. But it’s what a true heel would do to keep his belt. Total desperation. Plus, it led to Shane McMahon putting together the lumberjack match in which Lashley sealed the deal to become WWE champion. The Hurt Business is truly a stable of gold my friends!

The good:

Elias vs. Damian Priest – Priest continues to shine and Elias provides the foil for Bad Bunny.

Ali vs. Riddle – An impromptu one-on-one match between these two after RETRIBUTION lost to the team of Riddle & Lucha House Party was a nice surprise. Mustafa Ali getting the win in their first meeting also sets up a possible title match down the road too. Give these two 20 minutes and we’ll all be winners.

The meh:

Nia Jax vs. Naomi – Just keeping it short doesn’t do it justice. It’s just a waste of time. I’d rather see a pre-produced piece with Naomi or have her wrestle someone else. Jax gives me nothing in the ring. She could take a few pointers from Tamina on SmackDown, who’s putting things back together for some interest.

Charlotte Flair wants a title match – Yawn if we’ve seen this before. Flair wants Asuka at WrestleMania. OK. Nice win over Shayna Baszler though after dismissing the double team from the tag team champs.

The very bad:

.@CedricAlexander & @Sheltyb803 grab the victory, and @BraunStrowman is NOT pleased.

#WWERaw @ScrapDaddyAP pic.twitter.com/dJZwOJR6PI

— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2021

Braun Strowman, Adam Pearce and Shane O’Mac – I will never understand why WWE doesn’t want anyone in the WWE Universe to know that Adam Pearce was a 5-time NWA Champion. Instead, they’d rather him be portrayed as a bumbling buffoon in the wrestling ring. It’s a missed opportunity in this day and age where histories and backstories can be brought up in a click or a tap on social media. As for Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman fighting each other, which is where all this is going, I couldn’t care less. Plus, does it make any sense to put the tag team championship in the middle of it after Shane said last week that you don’t just come to the ring and get a title shot? Short memory folks.

NXT

RESULTS

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defeated Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher to retain titles

Ember Moon defeated Aliyah

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defeated Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

Cameron Grimes defeated Bronson Reed

Non-title NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor defeated Roderick Strong

EXCLUSIVE: Witness what took place between @FinnBalor & @AdamColePro after #WWENXT went off the air as things quickly got heated! pic.twitter.com/VUUMEPW10z

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) March 4, 2021

A champ. A controversy. A Cameron throwing cash. That’s NXT wrapped up in a nutshell Wednesday.

A remarkable win for the #WWENXT Champion in an amazing match against @roderickstrong! pic.twitter.com/aj0VdOB8LA

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 4, 2021

First up, Finn Balor. He dominated the show from start to finish. Not only did the NXT Champion start the night with a tongue lashing for Roderick Strong, who began the night begging for an explanation from Adam Cole on his betrayal actions of the last two weeks, he also took care of Strong in a very good main event. In between, Balor got Cole’s attention by offering him a title shot coming up this week, an offer that Cole gladly accepted and went face-to-face as the show ended and after the cameras went dark. Balor has definitely upped his game the past month as we hit the road to WrestleMania.

The encounter for the #WomensTagTitles ended in a bit of controversy… HOWEVER… STILL your @WWE Women's Tag Team Champions are @QoSBaszler & @NiaJaxWWE! pic.twitter.com/6B9iYkzD1b

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 4, 2021

The controversy comes in the form of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Dusty Rhodes Women’s Tag Team Classic winners Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez got their promised title match, but it didn’t quite end the way they wanted. After a decent back-and-forth, Jax and Gonzalez not only took out themselves over the announce table, but also left the NXT referee out of commission. So, when Baszler put Kai in the Kirifuda Clutch, WWE official Adam Pearce brought in his own RAW referee to call for the end of the match and the win for the champs. Of course, Kai wasn’t the legal woman in the ring, that was Gonzalez, who was left outside the ring. So, while William Regal and Pearce argued in closed quarters after the match, the NXT general manager has vowed an announcement that will change NXT forever this Wednesday. Could it be NXT’s own Women’s Tag Team Championship or could it be something for WrestleMania? All eyes are on your Mr. Regal.

Thanks to an unexpected distraction by #LAKnight, @CGrimesWWE gets the win against @bronsonreedwwe!#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/sejXfOm42w

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 4, 2021

Cameron Grimes was back in the ring, full of cash to take on Bronson Reed. But instead of what looked like it was going to be a sure loss, LA Knight, who had some timely glances with Reed before the match, got involved to cost Reed the win and give Grimes an unexpected victory. Could it be an alliance moving forward or just a one-time coincidence? Either way, both Knight and Grimes walkaway winners for the night.

Elsewhere, Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher stepped up to take the tag team title match that MSK was supposed to have before Wes Lee’s broken hand took that off the table. In the end, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch retain the titles as Imperium with Alexander Wolfe watch on. Something tells me, Mr. Wolfe has something in mind for the champions.

Kayden Carter is looking for revenge and will try to get it coming up this week against Xia Li. Also, looking for revenge is NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai, who accepted Toni Storm’s request for a one-on-one title match. I’d expect that one to open the show this upcoming week.

Don’t mess with Legado del Fantasma! Santos Escobar and crew made that well known, returning from last week’s No DQ loss to Karrion Kross to take out Breezango and Ever-Rise in short order, blowing up their expected match. Who’s next on their radar?

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!?!?!?!" – @JohnnyGargano#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/M90aO2mcif

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 4, 2021

Finally, what do we make of The Way. Johnny Gargano brought the “family” to therapy in hopes of getting them all back on the same page after last week’s fiasco with Dexter Lumis. In the end, Gargano gets his way, paying off the therapist to have Austin Theory believe that Lumis didn’t like him at all. It served its purpose to give the show some levity for sure.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

King Corbin defeated Montez Ford

Angelo Dawkins defeated Sami Zayn

Dominik Mysterio defeated Chad Gable

Bianca Belair defeated Shayna Baszler

Steel Cage Match: Daniel Bryan defeated Jey Uso to win Universal Championship Match at Fastlane

Whenever I start to watch SmackDown on Friday nights, there’s always a good and bad part to their opening segment for the past few months. The good – Roman Reigns is a part of it almost every week. The bad – it’s a talking segment almost every week. This week, we get Daniel Bryan and Reigns facing off with Michael Cole in a promo segment that was very truthful, very real and very believable. Unfortunately, it took until 26 minutes into the show to get any in-ring action. Just saying folks. Switch it up from time-to-time.

King Corbin really doesn’t like Sami Zayn. That works and it builds perfectly into Zayn’s conspiracy theory. So, when Corbin refuses to be Zayn’s partner, we get a pair of singles matches with Angelo Dawkins taking on Zayn and Corbin fighting Montez Ford. Ironically, Zayn’s distraction helps out Corbin to get a victory but the favor isn’t reciprocated in Zayn’s loss to Dawkins. Friends. No. Enemies. Maybe.

Payback is a Mysterio I guess. Last week, Otis had the upper hand but this week, it’s Dominik Mysterio with the upset victory over Chad Gable. Plus, Rey gets a little physical with Otis over the announce table to boot. Looks like this feud is just getting going.

Shayna Baszler being anything less than a badass and brutalizing everyone in the WWE is no longer acceptable. To me, her pairing with Nia Jax needs to end and let Baszler go on her reign of terror. But of course, that’s not going to happen anytime soon as she loses to Bianca Belair in a singles match Friday night. The match was nothing amazing and got the predictable chaos outside the ring with Jax and Reggie getting involved. Talk about your rough night for Reginald. First, he gets fired by Carmella. Then, he gets decked by Belair outside the ring before being slapped by his favorite Banks. Then, Jax says he’s cute Poor Reggie! I feel for the guy.

UH OH!@CarmellaWWE just fired @ReginaldWWE on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/Cbj7errXA9

— WWE (@WWE) March 6, 2021

That's about as clear as it gets, @ReginaldWWE…

#SmackDown @SashaBanksWWE pic.twitter.com/sFlGD1FOQS

— WWE (@WWE) March 6, 2021

BTW: Why exactly are Banks and Belair getting another title shot at Fastlane? Lack of creative maybe?

Welcome back Buddy Murphy. I guess we’ll just forget about the whole betrayal of Seth Rollins a few months ago, right? Murphy told Rollins he could help him out with the Cesaro situation. But all Murphy got for his trouble was a swing and a miss.

"This is not the new Apollo. This is the REAL Apollo." – @WWEApollo #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/n2uaVkJkVv

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) March 6, 2021

You can tell that things are looking up for Apollo Crews. Now, he has bodyguards, a spear and a new accent. Apparently, it’s the “real” Apollo Crews from Nigeria. Maybe Vince has been watching Coming To America 2 lately.

Ding Dong. Hello. Well, it seemed more like we needed to fill two minutes of time. Sorry Bayley, that was a stinker with your sweet tweets.

.@WWEDanielBryan has done it! He's headed to #WWEFastlane to battle @WWERomanReigns for the #UniversalTitle!#SmackDown #SteelCage @WWEUsos pic.twitter.com/bwyRRKhZvU

— WWE (@WWE) March 6, 2021

It was fitting that Bryan caps off the night by making Jey Uso tap out in the Steel Cage main event match. Bryan’s climb back into the title picture saw another level of Bryan’s determination to get another chance, a fair chance this time at Reigns championship after a loss at Elimination Chamber. Watching Bryan celebrate on top of the steel cage reminded me of a similar celebration I watched here in Providence, Rhode Island when Bryan came back from the dark side and the Wyatt family. Given the even championship match this time, Bryan vs. Reigns could be a classic at Fastlane.

Parting Shots:

Last week, it was Paul Wight defecting from the WWE to show up in AEW. This week, Wight says there’s another “Hall of Fame worthy” star that he knows is coming to AEW at this Sunday’s Revolution PPV. All the expected suspects have been rumored. CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Mark Henry, Christian and others are on that list. I’ll add in Tessa Blanchard and Gail Kim as a pair who should be thought about as well although Tony Khan, the President and owner of AEW said in an interview on Busted Open on Sirius XM that “he” would help us in referring to the superstar coming in to All Elite Wrestling. Either way, AEW has done a better job in building this “surprise” up than they did by just dropping Wight’s signing over a social media post. Make no bones about it, AEW is stepping up their game against the WWE and this Sunday’s Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley exploding barbed wire death match for the AEW Championship should be worth the hype.

Coming up this week:

RAW: All Mighty Championship Celebration of Bobby Lashley

NXT: NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor vs. Michael ColeNXT Women’s Championship Match: Io Shirai vs. Toni StormXia Li vs. Kayden Carter

SMACKDOWN: Big E returns – Apollo Crews demands match

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

Text

Your Reservation Has Been Cancelled

How apps like OpenTable, Tock, and Resy are pivoting to keep themselves — and restaurants — afloat in a world without bookings

Gregory and Daisy Ryan opened Bell’s, a 35-seat French bistro in Los Alamos, California, in 2018. The pair had worked in restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin before returning to Daisy’s hometown. The couple had several choices when it came to online reservation booking platforms and ultimately went with Tock, a system that they say worked so well, the restaurant didn’t even need a phone. “I didn’t want to have people sitting at the bar and listen to me explain something that someone can find on the internet,” says Gregory Ryan. “I didn’t want that to ruin someone’s experience.” During a typical dinner service pre-COVID-19, about 80 percent of guests had reservations.

Because of its location, in a small town near California’s central coast wine country, Bell’s wasn’t beholden to the early occupancy reduction mandates, and later closures, that happened so quickly in major cities like New York and San Francisco in response to the spread of COVID-19. “It wasn’t until the second week of March that we knew something was on its way — but we didn’t know what it looked like yet,” Gregory Ryan says. He tried to figure out a way to use Tock to accommodate takeout instead of reservations and events in an effort to stay open. Plus, the restaurant didn’t ever offer takeout before. “Not because we think we’re too good for it, or anything,” he says. “Because we only have two [chefs] on the line.”

But before he could figure out a technical solution on his own, he says, Tock contacted him offering a new online ordering system he could implement quickly. When he first considered takeout, Gregory Ryan says, “I was like, ‘Oh, shit, am I going to have to get a phone?’ My staff was like, ‘No, absolutely not.’” Today, Bell’s remains phone-free.

“We opened a restaurant for certain reasons,” he says. He didn’t ever expect takeout to be his business’s lifeline.

Since the spread of COVID-19 began forcing restaurants across the country to cease dining room operations, there’s been much talk about its effect on both individual restaurants and the industry as a whole. But what about the industries that support it? Reservation services like Tock, OpenTable, Yelp, and Resy are big business, and make their money by charging restaurants to use the software. Diners use them to book available tables, and restaurants also use them to manage their dining rooms’ floor plan and record notes about customers. It’s how the host knows where to seat you when you show up for your 8 p.m. booking.

Plans vary, but a restaurant can expect to pay at least several hundred dollars per month for a basic plan that includes both reservations and table management. Prices go up from there depending on additional features like custom messaging, ticketed events, or, in OpenTable’s case, the number of people it brings in the door. OpenTable collects a per-diner commission fee on each reservation it facilitates, and busy restaurants can expect a monthly bill that easily stretches into thousands of dollars.

Of all the brands, OpenTable is the largest reservations service in the U.S. In mid-March, as the national rollout of dining restrictions was just beginning, the company released year-over-year data that showed a 45 percent diner reduction in Seattle, 40 percent in San Francisco, 30 percent in New York, and 25 percent in London, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Ten days later, on March 23, every market listed on OpenTable’s COVID-19-inspired state of the industry dashboard showed a 95 to 100 percent reduction in bookings. That is: There were essentially zero reservations booked at the nearly 60,000 restaurants the company supports worldwide.

In response to the slowdown, OpenTable and its competitors have been forced to pivot as quickly as the restaurants they serve. All fairly quickly suspended most fees they charge restaurants to use their software. They’ve also proactively begun making changes to their apps and website to reflect the realities of the restaurant business today, offering both temporary and permanent solutions for restaurants that saw their operations upended overnight.

OpenTable added a grocery feature, allowing shoppers to reserve a shopping time slot at a store the same way they’d book a seating time at a restaurant. According to Andrea Johnston, OpenTable’s chief operating officer, the idea came from an OpenTable advisory board member — a restaurateur himself — who noticed that many restaurants were operating as small grocers to stay open. So far, in OpenTable’s hometown of San Francisco, just a handful of businesses offer the service, but Johnston says the company is actively onboarding several large regional grocery chains, with more to come. She confirmed that the service is free for all grocery stores and restaurants-turned-grocers, whether or not they’ve worked with OpenTable in the past.

“I hope that the world won’t continue to need a product that supports grocery store reservations.”

Johnston says she’s also encouraging partner restaurants to update their profiles to reflect current operations, including delivery, takeout, gift cards, and fundraisers, which are then displayed in the OpenTable app. The company is waiving gift card fees through June; previously, restaurants paid $25 per month to sell gift cards through the OpenTable system. And at this point more than 1,500 restaurants have added their fundraising efforts to their listings, Johnston says.

OpenTable had already added a delivery category to its app in 2019. Listings are in partnership with companies like Uber Eats and Caviar, which each charge their own fees on top of the booking service. In the last month or so, clicks on delivery options within the app have grown 172 percent.

A reservations app probably isn’t the first stop for a diner looking to support local restaurants right now, and in response, these companies have had to modify their marketing strategies. To diners, OpenTable, Tock, and Resy have all begun sending emails with lists of partner restaurants open for delivery or takeout. To restaurants, they’re sending a steady stream of news, ideas, and tactical information to survive. OpenTable has launched a dedicated restaurant resource center to share news and product information related to the coronavirus pandemic, and hosts a weekly webinar series for restaurants. Resy, too, just announced a new industry-focused podcast in partnership with the Welcome Conference.

“It has been nice to see that for the most part they’ve been doing what they can to support us — obviously knowing that supporting us supports them in the long run,” says Gina Buck, general manager of Concord Hill, a small Brooklyn restaurant that uses OpenTable. The restaurant remains open for takeout, serving food and cocktails seven days per week from noon until 10 p.m.

Speaking from the middle of her new busy workday fielding, packaging, and distributing to-go orders, Buck says she isn’t sure what more reservations services could offer to help. “I think the normal before this has completely died and will never exist again,” she says. “We’re able to stay open. We’re doing okay. It’s just two of us — we can’t afford to bring anyone else in at the moment, but we are getting through this.”

OpenTable competitor Resy has also shifted its strategy to support eating at home. Instead of reservations, diners can order takeout food directly through its app and website. They select a meal option, choose a pickup time, and pay, all through the Resy platform.

Greg Lutes is chef-owner of 3rd Cousin, one of the handful of restaurants in San Francisco that’s currently offering takeout via Resy. “It’s useful, but there’s not much volume in it,” he says, noting that they’ve sold “a few meals” through the platform. He also signed up with Uber Eats and DoorDash for the first time, but says most customers just call orders in to the restaurant directly.

When a customer books a pickup on Resy, it’s communicated to the restaurant the same way a reservation would be: in an app that’s meant for a front-of-house staffer to manage. Lutes was recently surprised by a customer who showed up at the restaurant to pick up a family meal he had only just ordered. Even so, he plans to continue offering takeout through Resy, and isn’t worried about accepting orders from multiple sources. “We need all the revenue we can get,” he says. Resy has also modified the format of the restaurant pages on its website to allow operators to link to outside initiatives, like fundraisers. “It’s so that customers can see all of the preferred ways that their favorite restaurants are asking for support,” says Resy co-founder and CEO Ben Leventhal.

Tock went a step further, building out an entirely new product — in a week.

While all the big booking services have adjusted their functionality to meet the moment, reservations and event ticketing service Tock, used by more than 3,000 restaurants worldwide, went a step further, building out an entirely new product — in a week. Tock To Go launched March 16 for existing and new Tock customers. It allows customers to reserve and purchase restaurant meals for pickup or delivery and charges the restaurant a fee of 3 percent per order. (Tock has waived its regular monthly fees.) “We cannot operate without doing that,” says Nick Kokonas, Tock’s co-founder and CEO, who’s also the co-owner of Chicago’s Alinea Group restaurants.

Tock’s To Go system has allowed restaurants to sell completely new, exclusive-to-takeout offerings, something that’s proven useful for the kind of fine dining and higher-end establishments that Tock has become known for. In New York, Dan Barber’s Blue Hill restaurants are offering takeaway boxes of various goods at both the Manhattan and Tarrytown locations. Customers can select from a variety of options, including stews and purees, garden vegetables, grass-fed beef, dry-aged pheasant, bread, and even a sommelier-selected bottle of wine to accompany a diner’s selections.

In San Francisco, Tosca Cafe recently reopened under new ownership in the midst of the pandemic by selling family-style dinners — shrimp alfredo, spaghetti alla Norma — to go on Tock, and in LA, sister restaurants Bestia and Bavel are both offering weekly changing menus that have sold out within days of being listed on Tock. Proceeds go to maintain employee health care, and chef-owner Ori Menashe says if demand remains high, he may even be able to re-hire some staff to keep up.

Kokonas says that Tock currently supports close to 400 restaurants offering takeout across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, with another 650 in some stage of onboarding. One month in, the company already processes nearly $1 million in to-go sales per day. On one weekday earlier this month, restaurants on the platform sold 11,700 orders for nearly 40,000 meals.

“Tock is not just a booking system,” says Kokonas, “it’s a sales engine ... and it links and leverages, meaningfully and transparently, to the largest networks — search and social media.”

At Bell’s, Gregory Ryan uses social channels to promote the restaurant’s current offerings on Tock To Go, including kits for making the restaurant’s popular egg salad sandwich at home, and other a la carte offerings, like CSA-style produce boxes. Ryan likes that Tock’s system of pre-ordering gives restaurant staff some idea of what to expect each day. It also helps him know how much of which ingredients and supplies to purchase.

“That’s why takeout is always tough, because you’re never really sure when something’s going to come,” he says. “But if you’re able to wake up in the morning and know, ‘We have seven takeout orders, six chicken dinners tonight, and an egg salad,’ you’re at least working toward something. As those continue to populate [throughout the day] you’re a little bit better able to handle the information.”

He’s also happy that it’s allowed him to continue to keep 11 of his employees on payroll, though he says everyone has taken “a little bit of a haircut” on their paychecks. (Ryan and his wife stopped paying themselves completely.)

Still, even with new measures in place, not all booking platforms are pivoting as gracefully. So far, Yelp is the only major reservations provider to announce a reduction in staff, laying off or furloughing 2,100 of its approximately 6,000 employees. OpenTable’s Johnston says for them, anything related to a layoff would be “an absolute last resort.” At Tock, Kokonas says he will be hiring soon. “We never really stopped,” he says. “The only tricky part to bringing on new employees is training... We will figure that out.”

As they work to support restaurants, executives at reservations companies are asking the same questions as chefs and restaurateurs: How long will this last? Will anyone even want to come and sit down for a meal in a few weeks? “Restaurants are going to reopen at some point with occupancy restrictions, extra and important safety measures, and lower demand,” says Kokonas. “Yet — and this is very important — the fixed costs of rent and utilities remain the same, and the business model was built with high demand in mind.”

Leventhal indicates that Resy would likely continue to support its expanded initiatives in the future, but stops short of confirming any product changes. “This is without a doubt a reset moment for the industry,” he says. “Evolution, innovation, and creativity are going to be crucial for restaurants, and the tech platforms that support them, to survive in a post-COVID world.”

Tock To Go is now a permanent part of Tock’s functionality moving forward, built directly into the product’s dashboard. It’s an acknowledgement that the industry isn’t going to go back to “normal” anytime soon, and much about the future of the industry is unknown. “Will there be a market for $35 takeout meals in 2022? Who knows?” says Kokonas.

For OpenTable, Johnston says the company will continue to offer new options as long as restaurants need them. “I hope that the world won’t continue to need a product that supports grocery store reservations,” she says, “but we will keep it free and available as long as necessary.”

Disclosure: Resy’s Ben Leventhal was one of the co-founders of Eater, but is no longer involved in its operations.

Kristen Hawley writes about restaurant operations, technology, and the future of the business from San Francisco. She’s the founder of Expedite, a restaurant technology newsletter that’s existed, in some form, for the last seven years.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2VrjjGv https://ift.tt/34TS7Dq

How apps like OpenTable, Tock, and Resy are pivoting to keep themselves — and restaurants — afloat in a world without bookings

“We opened a restaurant for certain reasons,” he says. He didn’t ever expect takeout to be his business’s lifeline.

“I hope that the world won’t continue to need a product that supports grocery store reservations.”

Tock went a step further, building out an entirely new product — in a week.

“Tock is not just a booking system,” says Kokonas, “it’s a sales engine ... and it links and leverages, meaningfully and transparently, to the largest networks — search and social media.”

At Bell’s, Gregory Ryan uses social channels to promote the restaurant’s current offerings on Tock To Go, including kits for making the restaurant’s popular egg salad sandwich at home, and other a la carte offerings, like CSA-style produce boxes. Ryan likes that Tock��s system of pre-ordering gives restaurant staff some idea of what to expect each day. It also helps him know how much of which ingredients and supplies to purchase.

Disclosure: Resy’s Ben Leventhal was one of the co-founders of Eater, but is no longer involved in its operations.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2VrjjGv via Blogger https://ift.tt/34VEbc1

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

0 notes

hmel78 · 5 years

Text

In conversation with John Hackett ...

Whilst John Hackett is probably best known for his work with his brother Steve Hackett (former Genesis guitarist), there is no shortage of other high profile artists with whom John has worked, and in addition he has also enjoyed a relatively successful solo career as a Flautist, guitarist, singer and composer.

John collaborated with Steve on his early albums, “Voyage of the Acolyte” and “Please Don’t Touch” , which led to further recordings and tours of the UK, USA and Europe playing flute, guitar and bass pedals in Steve’s live band ; also extensive tours of Japan and the USA as part of the Steve Hackett Acoustic Trio. Inbetween touring, back home in the UK, you will find a variety of incredible projects which John has been involved in ; as a composer of flute music for relaxation, he has recorded a number of solo and duo albums, plus several albums with Clive Williamson and the ambient group “Symbiosis” which has led to commissions for the BBC. John has performed concerts with international organist Marco Lo Muscio and performs regularly in a duo with classical guitar virtuoso Nick Fletcher with whom he has recorded two albums: “Overnight Snow” and “Hills of Andalucia”. 2005 saw a change of direction with John releasing, to critical acclaim, a rock album of his own songs called “Checking Out of London”, the lyrics for which were written by Nick Clabburn ; An experimental flute/dance album - “Red Planet Rhythm”- with Moodi Drury followed, and then another album of John’s compositions for flute and guitar - “Prelude to Summer”- which featured brother Steve, and Chris Glassfield. It was 10 years before John released his next solo album “Another Life”, in 2015 - which was essentially the rock follow up to “Checking Out ...” with Nick Clabburn once again providing the lyrics. Thankfully we haven’t had to wait just as long for something else new! It’s September 2017 as I write, and I have just been handed the very first John Hackett Band album in which we see another avenue open up, on the musical map of John Hackett! For this album, John has gone beyond his usual boundary and written the lyrics, as well as the music - and it’s really very good! John is joined by Nick Fletcher on guitar, drummer Duncan Parsons, and bass player Jeremy Richardson - who contribute their own compositions to the album, which presents us with a deluxe 2 CD album containing the new collaborative studio recording - “We Are Not Alone” - and a live recording - “Another Live” - of their 2016 Classic Rock Society gig. We were incredibly lucky to grab a rare chance to catch up with John about the latest release, and find out a little bit about how he arrived at this current stop on his musical journey ...

HR : I read an interview that you did some time ago, in which you describe your creative self as a bit like “Jekyll and Hyde” - in the sense that despite your focus on the classical side of music, you’ve always hung on to your inner rocker - is that still the case? “We Are Not Alone” sounds to me like you’ve found the balance...

Johh Hackett : I think you have gone straight to the heart of what I used to consider a problem … I started out from the age of 12 playing blues guitar, listening to all those amazing guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimi Hendrix. Then after hearing Ian McDonald play flute with King Crimson I started flute lessons and learned the classical repertoire. I used to think that one day I would have to choose between the two worlds but actually I now see that they can feed off each other. It is like light and shade. If you have played electric guitar you know how powerful a sound it can be. So that influences my flute playing - I don’t like it to sound weak.

On the new album there is a track called “Blue skies of Marazion” which features guitar and alto flute. It has quite an impressionistic vibe. It is then followed by “Summer Lightning” which starts as a ballad but then Nick’s electric guitar takes it to a much heavier place. It is quite a contrast, and good of you to say that I have found a balance. I have Nick to thank for pushing me to include more flute on this rock album than my previous two.

HR : I’m glad he pushed you to, because it does work! Do you have a preference when writing and performing? Are you more comfortable with classical or rock ; with vocal tracks or instrumentals?

JH : There is no question that having spent most of my life whizzing up and down scales and doing all the daily technical exercises you have to do if you want to play the difficult classical repertoire, I have in the past been more comfortable with the flute. But there is nothing as exciting as being on stage with a rock band. I have never forgotten the buzz I got from my first ever rock gig with my brother’s band in Oslo in 1978. I took a conscious decision some years back to devote much more time to rock, improving my keyboard playing and learning to sing - I say learning to sing as it has been a painful process (both for me and my poor family who have had to put up with all the shrieking and wailing, not just when I am looking at my bank statements …). In all honesty I enjoy all of it, though at 62 it seems ridiculously late in life to be finding your feet. But having spent a good 90 per cent of my working life playing flute, it is frankly liberating and great fun to be starting a second career as a singer/songwriter with my own band.

HR : Well age is just a number, and I think if you’re creative you strive eternally to cover new ground ... which of course for you just now, is The John Hackett band. You’re essentially a quartet and all 4 of you write your own material; correct me if I’m wrong but none of the songs appear to have been written together for the recording - so who decided what was going to be included? Were any of the pieces written specifically for the album?

JH : The strength of the album is that, with only a couple of exceptions, we had performed all the pieces live before recording them. The way it worked is that we would bring suggestions to the rehearsal room and the band would try them out. As everyone in the band has considerable experience writing and recording this inevitably meant bringing fairly complete compositions. It was soon obvious if a new piece could slot into our current live set or if best kept for a solo project. With “Never Gonna Make A Dime” for example I had written this as a fairly slow song. I didn’t think it was particularly good. I played it to the guys in a simple piano and vocal arrangement and within a few minutes, like in some cheesy movie, they were rocking it up. It soon became a no-brainer for inclusion in our shows and the album.

“Castles” was a song I had written some time ago and similarly didn’t think it was anything special. I imagined it as a blues number with the kind of energy of that John Mayall’s “Bluesbreakers” album with the young fiery Eric Clapton reading the Beano on the front cover. I had recorded a demo with me playing the guitar solo on a Les Paul I had borrowed from my brother Steve. But when we tried it as a band with Nick playing a blistering guitar solo it was exactly as I had wanted it to sound. So unfortunately there is a sad end to the story –I didn’t get to play the solo, and Steve asked for his Les Paul back!

Similarly Duncan’s piece “Queenie and Elmo’s Perfect Day” was a flute melody I had always liked and wanted to record. So when we got the band together it fitted in perfectly, especially as it gave the band free reign for improvisation.

“Take Control”, the opening track, I wrote specifically for the band and the album. I wanted something that would go through a number of changes . It is really in two parts the lyric being the link so there is plenty of scope for time signature changes, guitar solos and changes of texture ...

HR : It does have that, in fact the whole album is quite eclectic, which is what I love about it. It crosses genres and has a good balance of vocal and instrumental tracks. 2 out of 3 of the instrumental numbers were written by guitarist Nick Fletcher ; the 3rd in collaboration with yourself - how did you two meet and subsequently begin performing and writing together? He’s quite phenomenal ...

JH : I first heard Nick playing solo classical guitar without the aid of a microphone or Marshall stack in the fantastic acoustics of Sheffield Cathedral . I thought his playing was absolutely wonderful and wondered that day, as you do, if we might ever work together. Like myself, Nick started out in rock, then studied classical guitar so maybe I heard a kindred spirit. We did some concerts together as a guitar and flute duo, but it wasn’t until the release of my previous album “Another Life” that I found out what a fabulous electric player he is. I had decided to play some of the songs solo at the album launch with just me singing and playing piano but as it got closer to the time I wasn’t so sure if I could make it work. Anthony Phillips had played on one track of the album called “Satellite”. I knew he was going to be there that night so I felt a little nervous ... Nick was round at my house, I played him a few songs, he picked up a Stratocaster and suddenly it was so much easier. Duncan joined us on percussion, so we performed as a trio for the launch. And then it was simply, “Well, where’s the bass player? We could form a band!” Duncan immediately suggested his old school friend Jeremy. So that’s how we all got together - quite by accident really.

HR : The song “Jericho”, which was written by Jeremy Richardson, changes the vibe of the album a little - given that you sing lead vocal on the other 4 tracks, why didn’t you sing this one too?

JH : Yes “Jericho” was written by Jeremy and sung by him, with Duncan, as part of our live set. It really suits his voice so there was never any question who would sing the lead vocal on the album. On stage Jeremy and I take a fairly equal share of the vocals which comes over particularly on the second CD (it is a double album package) “Another Live” recorded live at the Classic Rock Society in Maltby in 2016. He is a terrific singer with a harder edge to his voice when he needs it, which contrasts well with my sound.

HR : The second track on the album interested me too ; “Never Gonna Make A Dime” tells of your family’s move to Canada - you must only have been a baby at the time, but do you remember it at all? What prompted you to pen the song?

JH : The song is based on our short stay in Canada in 1957. I was only 2 years old so unfortunately I cannot remember it but Steve was 7 and has good memories of our time there. Our dad had gone on ahead to Vancouver to find work while mum, her sister Betty, Steve and I followed by ship. Our mother missed London so much that after just 4 months we came back to London. I have always admired them for taking the risk of going in the first place and then having the courage to return.

HR : Sure, it’s big life stuff! The track features Steve on Harmonica - which isn’t the first instrument that most people would associate with him ... JH : Ah well , Steve used to disappear for long periods on board ship only to return with loads of cash. My mother asked him what on earth was going on - apparently he had been playing his harmonica to the crew and they had dug into their pockets for him. This must have given him an early taste for the music business. HR : Clearly! Haha. You’re both multi-instrumentalists - were your parents musical at all? Who / what inspired you become musicians?

JH : It was our dad Peter Hackett who sparked our interest in music. We came back from Canada while dad stayed on for a while to work. He arrived back with an enormous black box which looked more like a coffin but actually contained a guitar. He had played bugle as a boy, then clarinet, and harmonica - though his main interest was painting. Mum didn’t play anything but always showed a great love of music. She is 87 now and still comes to our rock concerts. Steve and I have been blessed to have parents who have always supported us in our music careers.

HR : And your careers have seen you spend quite a great deal of time together over the years. It seems to be the way with brothers in bands together, that it inevitably results in some sort of falling out, and attracts an ensuing media circus! I thankfully don’t see much evidence of that with yourself and Steve - onstage, or offstage - is there a secret to getting on?

JH : Steve in his role as the older brother has always been kind enough to include me. I used to sit in on rehearsals with his first recording band ‘Quiet World’ ; I was there when he did his audition for Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks at our little flat in London - I even got to play a bit of flute for them that day. I don’t think there has ever been any rivalry between us. I took the decision in my teens to concentrate on the flute, which has taken me in a different direction from him. So although we do work together from time to time, we are mostly involved in our own projects - But when we do get together inevitably we talk music, with all the enthusiasm as when we shared a bedroom as teenagers!

HR : You’re taking the JHB on the road with a handful of shows coming up - do you enjoy playing the more intimate venues?

JH : We currently have dates every few weeks for up until this time next year. Certainly regarding venues it is always much nicer to play places where you can talk to the audience after. Their enthusiasm is what it is all about.

HR : What’s your most memorable show to date?

The most memorable gig is perhaps the one for the Classic Rock Society captured on our live CD. It was only about the fourth gig we had done as a band and it felt great that we were being taken seriously by the Society who have always championed new progressive music. More importantly it was the last John Hackett Band gig our friend Steph Kennedy was able to come to - she travelled all over the country with the help of husband Dave and brother-in-law Glen in her final year. A humble reminder in this sometimes brutal world of how music can bring us together.

HR : Absolutely ... And if you could bring together anyone, living or deceased, to perform with you on stage - a dream line-up - who would it be?

JH : If we were talking football I would probably start with Pavarotti in goal.

Of course, I would have to say my current band - But I wouldn’t mind having J.S. Bach on keyboards as long as he didn’t get any powder from his wig on my synths!

#steve hackett #flute #john hackett #genesis

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svetlanawagner-blog · 5 years

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New York City is a city of pop ups. We’ve been to a few here and there while living in other cities, but it seems like in NYC you can visit a new pop up weekly. We love that they create a sense of urgency to check them out and almost parallels the fact that we set up shop in a city for a year. It’s like our home office is a pop up too!

A big thank you to CORT for sponsoring this post. All opinions are always our own. This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last updated: April 23, 2019 // First Published: April 30, 2018

Your Essential Guide to NYC Pop Up Events

Content Menu - CURRENT POP UPS IN NEW YORK

In the Order of When They Leave NYC

The Texture of Life || 04/20 -04/24/2019

Songs of Nothing Exhibit by Johannes Albers || 04/09 – 04/27/2019

NYC Vegan Pop Up || 04/28/2019

Vegan “Matchmaking” Pop Up || 04/28/2019

China Chic Pop Up || Through 04/30/2019

Pop Up Cat Cafe || 05/04/2019

NY Handmade Collective’s Spring Pop Up || 05/12/2019

Trolls the Experience || Through 05/12/2019, $24+

Flow Separation || 07/01/2018 – 05/12/2019

Pew Pew Candy Carnival || 05/18 – 05/19/2019

Escher: The Exhibition & Experience || 06/08/2018 – 05/26/2019

The Game: All Things Trump || Through 06/09/2019

Arlo Blooms || Through 06/15/2019

Pizza Pop Up Py || 07/23/2019

The Forgotten East || 05/04 – 07/28/2019

Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die || 04/09 – 08/18/2019

Story at Macys || Ongoing

National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey || Ongoing

Museum of Illusions || Ongoing

What is a Pop Up?

So before we get into the pop up shops we’ve been to, let’s talk about what a pop up is in the first place. Essentially, it is a business that opens for a limited time with a clear st and end date. They come in many different forms but most of them are exclusive or special in some way. The goal is never to be permanent. Sometimes they are only around for a month or they’ll stick around for a year before moving to another city (sounds like us right?).

Technically homegrown pop ups are everywhere. They are as simple as someone putting up an umbrella and selling products in a busy area. They are also your Halloween stores, Christmas shops, and firework stands. But as their popularity has increased, much more extravagant pop ups are being used by companies for marketing purposes. Most of the time, they are aimed to be very Instagram friendly.

Because we’re always popping up in a new city, we’ve pnered with CORT during our time in NYC. It helps us worry less about our space so that we can focus on exploring the city! Plus, we think our place looks pretty good

More: 101 Things to Do in NYC

Types of Pop Ups

Pop Up Shops – Temporary stores. We see a lot of these, especially during the holidays.

Pop Up Restaurants – Some are run by chefs who are trying something experimental while others are more traditional restaurants with plans only to stay open for a few months. Also you can check out this blog post CORT did about the Popularity of Pop-Up Restaurants.

Pop Up Art Installations – They can be more traditional installations, but often times now, they are also meant to create photo opportunities for Instagram. We also included some exhibitions in this category.

Pop Up Events – These cover the rest. They can come in the form of an impromptu listening py to release a new album, to a temporary themed bar. These are typically meant to create hype around an upcoming event, release, or product.

More: Top Free Things to Do in NYC

Current Pop Ups in New York

Color Factory in Soho

251 Spring Street, 10013, map

When: August 20, 2018 – February 28, 2019. Thurs to Tues 10AM – 11PM Admission: $38

Unlike most pop ups, Color Factory spent more time on the experience rather than setting up little studio spaces to take photos. Several rooms had a snack or dessert that complemented the room. You don’t even need to ask people to take your photo. They have cameras set up in some of the more popular photos spots, and you get photos emailed to you immediately.

Rosé Mansion in Midtown

445 5th Ave, 10016, map

When: Opening June 1, 2019 Admission: $45 (Happy Hour $35 2-4:30PM Mon-Fri) Recommended Time: Weekdays

This pop up is all about Rosé. Walk through themed rooms, great photo ops, while sampling 8 or more wines. Afterward, head to the Grand Tasting Lounge where you can buy an additional glass or bottle of wine as well as snacks. Everyone must be 21 years old to enter. The popular area is the bathtub and if you go during daylight, it has decent natural lighting.

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Escher: The Exhibition & Experience

34 – 34th Street, Building 6, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn NY 11232, map

When: June 8, 2018 to May 26, 2019 Admission: $13-35

“The exhibition highlights Escher’s journey as an ist – from his earlier works of nature and landscape in the 1920s and 1930s, to the figurative and abstract developed in the late 1930s, through the 1960s when he sought to explore infinity.”

The Butterfly Conservatory

Central Park West & 79th St, 10024, map

When: Through May 27, 2019 Admission: $28 includes general admission and exhibit access

Walk among hundred of butterflies from all over the world.

Jump for Joy: Bouncy Castle of Breasts

233 5th Ave, 10016, map

When: Ongoing Admission: $3.50 in addition to museum admission

A bouncy castle made up of giant inflatable breasts makes for fun photos and video (adults only). We weren’t that impressed with the museum itself and opted not to pay the additional $3.50 for the photo but plenty of people were taking advantage of it.

Past Pop Ups in NYC

|| 12/2018 – 1/31/2019

|| 1/5 – 2/2/2019

|| 11/2018 – 2/10/2019

NYC Vintage Pop-Up || 3/10/2019, Free

Dolby Soho Experience || 12/2018 – 3/31/2019, Free

Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again || 11/12/2018 – 3/31/2019, $25

29 Rooms || 09/06 – 09/09/18 and 09/13 – 09/16/18

A. Human || 09/05 – 09/30/18

Candle Power by Yankee Candle – 12/2017, Free

Deadpool 2: Believe In Your Selfie Museum || 08/08 – 08/11/18

Dreamland Roller Rink || 12/07/2018 – 04/21/2019, $12+

Future of Sports || 11/03/18 – 01/06/19, $35

Google Hardware Store || 10/2018

Human’s Best Friend || 09 – 11/2018

Kaws: GONE || 11/08 – 12/19/18

Mad Hatter’s G&T Py || 5.25.18 – 12.31.18, $45

Magnum Ice Cream Bar || 6/1 – 9/3/2018

New York Magic Lab || 9/28 – 10/28/2018

|| 6 – 8/2018, Free

|| 12/19 – 12/20/18, Free

|| 8/24 – 11/04/18, $26

The Winky Lux Experience || 08/2018 – 02/28/2019, $10

Mickey the True Original Exhibition

60 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10014, map

When: Nov 8, 2018 – Feb 10, 2019 Admission: $38, buy tickets here

Celebrate 90 years of Micky Mouse through multiple themed rooms in the 16,000 square-foot space. There is both, historic and contemporary work from well-known ists.

photos: harlene

Power to the God Within

318 Canal Street, New York, NY 10013, map

When: January 5 – February 2, 2019. Tues – Sat: 12PM – 7PM Admission: Free

“This immersive experience and installation exists as a call to ReMembrance, Meditation and Rebirth. A sacred space and time designed with elements to provoke ancestral memory, awaken spirit and lock arms with community towards greater SELF discovery, reflection and evolution.”

photo: fomofeed of comwu

Sculpture by Other Means at the Noguchi Museum

9-01 33rd Rd, Queens, NY 11106, map

When: February 28, 2018 – January 27, 2019. Wed – Fri: 10AM – 5PM, Sat – Sun: 11AM – 6PM Tickets: $10

Experience ways that lightweight, collapsible paper lanterns can create and transform space.

Customizable Realities

312 Bowery New York, NY 10012, map

When: January 3 – February 3, 2019. Wed – Sun: 12PM – 7PM Admission: Free

“Creates a walk-in immersive painting installation in oil on panel. With over 2104 square feet of painting, he allows viewers to walk into a scene from the video game Grand Theft Auto.”

photo: fomofeed of comwu

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Experience

25 Madison Ave, 10010, map

When: December 11, 2018 to January 31, 2019. 11AM – 7PM Admission: Free

“Be the hero and enter a world of limitless possibilities. Experience haptic technology, 3D creation, photo ops and more!”

photo: fomofeed

Dream Machine in Williamsburg Brooklyn

93 N. 9TH ST, 11249, map

When: April 5 – Sept 9, 2018. Admission: $38 There are ten themed rooms that take you to a different dreamscape.

Candytopia in Midtown

145 W 32nd Street, map

When: August 15 – January 6, 2019 Admission: $34, get tickets here

Candytopia celebrates all things ! Maybe we should let the families have this one. There were tons of kids (at least the time slot we went to – the first one in the morning). They all ran straight for the confetti and marshmallow pit, and at one point there was a kid crawling over me with no parents in sight.

Needless to say, it was extremely difficult to get any photos. Luckily, when it was time for everyone to get out of the pit, we asked if we could have an extra minute for a photo, which the lackluster employees did not seem happy about. Gotta do what you gotta do for the gram (or in my case, the blog).

Museum of Pizza

55 Wythe Avenue, map

When: October 13 – November 18, 2018 Admission: $35

Celebrate pizza through immersive installations and get a slice at the end!

Lume Cube with us to help us light us in areas that would have otherwise been impossible to photograph.

Nightmare Machine

145 W 32nd Street, map

When: October 3 – October 31, 2018 Admission: $38, get tickets here

The people who brought you Dream Machine have transformed their space into the spooky funhouse. It’s the perfect time to snap photos perfect for the Halloween season.

Wonder World in Soho

76 Wooster Street, 10012, map

When: August 24 – November 4, 2018. Mon to Sun 12pm-10pm Admission: $26

There are 6 spaces to explore inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and it’s set in the historic studio of Andy Warhol. See more photos from Wonder World on our stories.

Sugar & Spice

58 South 6th Street, Brooklyn NY, map

When: December 1 – 31, 2018. Mon to Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri to Sun 11am-9pm Admission: $25

Get ready to transform into a child and celebrate one of the most magical times of the year at Sugar & Spice. Enter a world of winter wonderland delights. Explore a giant world of toys, cookies, and presents. Walk through our magical world and become a p of the !

Pop Bag NYC

1221 6th Ave, 10020 map

When: December 19-20, 2018. 11am – 2pm Admission: FREE

Two beautiful Italian brands come together to bring you last minute gifts for the holidays. Pop Bag, founded in Florence, Italy, has opened its first U.S. location in The Time Warner Center’s Shops at Columbus Circle and is throwing a last minute pop up at one of New York’s favorite espresso spots, Zibetto Espresso Bar; an Italian Espresso Bar on 48th and 6th, steps away from Rockefeller Plaza and Times Square. Design your own bag with luxury Italian leather, perfect for the season and your mood.

Room for Tea in TriBeCa

371 Broadway, map

Five different scenes celebrating its diversity. You also get a free Boba at the end. Admission is $23 or $33 including a ceremony.

Pint Shop by Museum of Ice Cream, Chelsea

459 W 14th St, 10014, map

When: June 6 – August, 2018. Wednesday to Monday 12pm-9pm Admission: Free to Enter. Tasting Room $28.

Interactive grocery experience featuring immersive installations. There will also be a Tasting Room that costs $28 and weekly Pint Sessions from June 14th to July 12th.

When we visited during the week, there was still a line waiting to enter, but since we had Tasting Room tickets, they let us in right away. Once inside, we waited to take photos in each of the giant pints and walked around the grocery aisles. Five minutes before our tasting, we headed to the back.

The tasting was a lot of fun! It’s less of a tasting and more of a science experiment. You get to throw on lab coats, learn about flavoring ice cream, and even taste different types of vanilla. Afterwards, you get a sampling of each of their flavors. The best p is that everyone who does the a tasting gets to take a pint home!

Grown Up Flowers by Playlab: 5/2018

These are 6 inflatable flower installations scattered throughout Midtown (4 are in or near the Rockefeller Center). 5 of them are outside and the purple one is inside the Hippodrome NYC.

Bob's Burgers Pop Up - Dec 2017

We’re both obsessed with Bob’s Burgers, so when we heard about a Bob’s Burger Pop Up, we were willing to wait hours in line to try the burger of the day. They served a different burger from the show every day for a week. It also included some goodies, which was a nice surprise.

Raquel's Dream House - MAY 2018

Multiple floors presenting pieces and furniture that you can purchase. A few fun photo spots too!

Google Pop Up - December 2017

This is probably still our favorite pop up. Google had photo opportunities set up and a truck outside where you could print your face on a marshmallow and then drink it. They had stations to learn more about products and a shoppable section for Google Home products.

Festival of Life by Yayoi Kma - December 2017

The Egg House - May 2018

It’s all about eggs! With 5 different areas to explore (and photograph), enjoy egg themed decor and follow the story of Ellis the Egg. We loved the amount of light in this space and took advantage of all the photos ops. Egg treats from Eggloo and other egg merch is available for sale.

General Tips for Visiting Pop Ups

Best time to visit is weekdays during the day and right before it opens. Some of the more popular pop ups have a long wait.

If shooting with a DSLR, don’t use auto white balance for many of these places especially if you’re in a room with a lot of unnatural colors (ie yellows at Egg House and blues at Dream Machine). We recommend using Kelvin and finding the right setting for your camera.

Bring a versatile lens and a wide angle if you want to include more of the environment in the shot. A lot of these rooms are small, so the wide angle helps a lot. We couldn’t take certain shots with our DSLR (Canon 5D Mark III + 35mm Lens) because it wasn’t wide enough so we just used our phones.

Pop Up Video

How To Find the Latest NYC Pop Up Events?

This one is tough! Most of them make announcements relatively last minute, so these are some ways to stay up-to-date.

Bookmark this page since we’ll be updating this post as often as possible with new events.

Set up Google Alerts to see what’s popping up in the news. If you’re not familiar with this, go to the Google Alerts page and enter “pop up new york, pop up” into the Create an Alert section. You can then select how often you want to receive emails (as it happens, daily, or weekly). I do daily.

Follow Instagram accounts that are constantly featuring pop ups and events. You can follow our accounts (EstherJulee & JacobTheFu). We post stories from pop ups immediately. Also, you absolutely need to follow our friend at FOMOFEED who does a ton of research to hunt down all the best spots in NYC.

With so many pop ups in the city, we’re going to do our best to feature all our favorites on this blog post, but if you know of any pop ups you think we should check out, send us a message at [email protected].

Best Places to Stay

The Greenwich Hotel

Hotel Arlo NoMad

Ace Hotel, NoMad

Archer Hotel

The Standard High Line

See all the best hotel deals and reviews here.

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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust

ESTHER + JACOB

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city every year and currently base themselves in NYC.

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