#seriously i need a fellow foodie

[olive-oil-boy]

i find the idea of mutual gaining SO damn hot, but it’s not a requirement for me. i want my partner to have the body they want and feel most comfortable in.

what is a requirement for me is that my feeder/partner has to love food as much as i do. that whole “oh it’s okay dear! you keep eating, i’m perfectly happy with my single shred of lettuce. i don’t need anything else!” genre of feedism is a no go for me.

i want someone who gets excited about the new mexican spot down the street and can’t spot talking about what they’re going to get after booking us reservations.

i want someone who’s always experimenting in the kitchen and subscribes to countless recipe newsletters and youtube channels. there’s always something bubbling on the stove top, something mouthwatering in the slow cooker, something sweet baking in the oven.

i want someone who enthusiastically plans out their meals, not for boring meal prep reasons, but because they get a craving for something yummy and have to indulge, “ugh sweetie i NEED some chicken tikka, how’s indian sound for lunch? and now i can’t stop thinking about curries, maybe thai for dinner tomorrow? not tonight though, i think you should make your penne vodka instead. i’ve been thinking about it nonstop since you made it last week!”

you don’t have to gain with me, but you do need to love food.

let’s fall in love with eating, together.

🍽️ 🥰

[jmdbjk]

No hurricanes.

We have 4 days left in August but it looks like there will be no hurricanes for us. We are typically waiting for one to arrive about this time every August. Definitely a welcome calm because there was already too much shit packed into this past month as it was so thank you to Mother Nature for not adding that extra layer of a shit show.

That being said, there is always next week for a hurricane. We wait. In the meantime, Episode 5 of Are You Sure? drops after I go to sleep tomorrow night.

Namjoon has been active on his IG account, he just tweaked his bio, changing the title "right place, wrong person" to all lowercase. We are holding the ship on a steady course, Captain. Seas are rough but we see the signals.

In case you didn't know, Miss Karma came back from her vacation. As of today, Min Hee Jin has been terminated as CEO of Ador.

She is being given the choice of remaining as director/producer for NewJeans but all of her stock options and whatever went poof. Good luck bitch, fighting your sexual harassment lawsuits without your CEO salary or perks. On your way out, please fumigate your office and leave the keys with the security team.

In other news, Billboard executives meeting this week to discuss major changes to Billboard Hot 100 and minor changes to Billboard 200. Can't wait to hear what this new round of fresh hell will be.

Also, Billboard having an event in Seoul to fiNd ThE nExT BTS!

Ya know... after all this time... how has no one ever realized its not the NEXT BTS anyone needs to be searching for? Yes, to the part about finding an authentic artist who can craft their own (really good) songs with lyrics that resonate. But the real key they need to find is...

... the next FANDOM that is like Army. Globally diverse from different walks of life including young, old and in-between. Loyal, loving, smart, organized, even if at times we seem to struggle to come together.

If an artist can cultivate a relationship with their fandom which consists of mutual respect and trust between them only THEN can the artist do anything, be anything, even untouchable. Hasn't anyone been listening at all? BTS has been saying for years they couldn't do anything... wouldn't be where they are... would have no reason to exist WITHOUT ARMY.

Seriously shaking my damn head. No one listens. No one.

Some other random things that are constantly doing a hit n'run inside my head...

I hope Jimin’s time with Dior menswear is finished because good lawd that shit is fugly. No. Just no:

It looks like an outfit they would be forced to wear as a penalty for losing a Run BTS game. Isn't that the same way Koreans tie up what they call a "lamb head" towel around their head to go in the public baths?

I haven’t talked about Jin at all this month. Shame on me.

He's been very very busy endearing himself not only to Army but to middle-aged men, women, kids, moms, future spouses, actors, idols, foodies, gamers, fishermen, grandmas, grandpas, the world.

Hobi will be coming home in 49(?) days!

Jimin and Jungkook are sending off their fellow soldiers with autographs as they are discharged. I guess it is somewhat comforting to read these simple messages they write to their departing comrades. It's all we have for now. I hope they are doing ok way out there in the boonies. 9 months and 15 days left.

[thebroccolination]

SCANDALS BY CULTURE

I was talking to a friend the other day about the different cultural perspectives on what constitutes a scandal in fandom. As a western fan, I’ve learned over the years that a lot of what rolls off my back can be taken quite seriously in fandoms based in countries like Thailand and Japan.

[above: former member of Japanese pop group KAT-TUN Taguchi Junnosuke following his arrest for cannabis]

As an example, take dating. In East Asia (and spreading elsewhere), the traditional arrangement between idols and their fans is that, in exchange for monetary support from fans, idols will create and uphold a Fantasy of availability and moral uprightness. Thus, dating breaks part of that illusion, which means an idol has reneged on their side of the bargain. An idol gets fame and money in exchange for the sacrifice of their private identity, in a sense. In practice, this means you can date, but you can’t get caught.

I spent eleven years in Japan and saw dating scandal after dating scandal with various degrees of backlash from fans. Naturally, female idols got the brunt of the hate and judgment.

[above: former AKB member Minami Minegeshi begging for forgiveness after breaking her company’s no-dating policy]

Minami Minegeshi is probably the most internationally well-known idol affected by a company’s no-dating policy. In her video posted over ten years ago, she told the public of her shaved head, “I don't believe just doing this means I can be forgiven for what I did, but the first thing I thought was that I don't want to quit AKB48.” As far as I know, the reaction to the video was mixed, with many even in Japan saying she didn’t need to feel that guilty about it.

In 2022, however, she announced her marriage and seems to have received a much warmer reception.

Most idols—even if they’re contractually free to Date—tend to keep things simple by hiding their relationships from the public unless they intended to marry, and even then, most of them seem to wait until their thirties or later to announce it.

Nagano Hiroshi of the Japanese pop group V6 announced to his fans through the group’s official newsletter that he intended to marry almost a decade ago. From what I saw and what was reported, the fan reaction was overwhelmingly positive and congratulatory.

Personally, I think it helped that Nagano is an enthusiastic foodie and designed his announcement to look like a menu.

Like, please look at this adorable bullshit we all got in the mail:

But it’s more likely that Nagano was a grown man in his forties by then, his fanbase was also on the older side, and his future wife, actress Shiraishi Miho, was also well-liked and close in age to him.

(Speaking of V6, fellow member Morita Go later married actress Miyazawa Rie and received equally positive reception from fans. This was even lovelier to see because Miyazawa was older and divorced with a child, and Morita’s statement included something incredibly sweet about wanting to be a stepfather just as much as he wanted to be Miyazawa’s husband. Like, goddamn! By all appearances, V6 are lovely dudes and I wish them all well. Miyake Ken even learned and taught sign language all because a deaf fan tried signing with him once and he felt bad that he couldn’t understand her! Okay, I’m done talking about V6. For now.)

As a western fan, I don’t feel any kind of way at all about anyone’s dating life unless there’s something unusual about the relationship or, y’know, allegations of abuse or bigotry. But even then, I don’t feel entitled to know anything about or have an opinion on a stranger’s personal life. I didn’t grow up with idol culture, and while I saw plenty of U.S.-based fans complain and spew hate whenever the Backstreet Boys had girlfriends, U.S. American society at large saw that as obsessive behavior, and I remember older fans encouraging distance if your personal attachment was getting too intense.

In the conversation of Should Idols Be Allowed to Date without Sneaking Around About It and Not Get Socially Executed if Caught, though, I’ve seen the general opinion growing more and more nuanced across all cultures. For many, it’s not that the old system is outdated, it’s just unfair. Why should fantasy take priority over someone’s personal life? Especially when upholding that fantasy effectively means someone is “on the clock” permanently? Isn’t that basically indentured servitude and, y’know, not a thing society as a whole should encourage?

Also, hey, what about drugs and alcohol?

I mentioned above that part of the pact idols make is maintaining an image of moral uprightness. This includes, y’know, not breaking the law.

When I was a fan of the Japanese pop groups NEWS and Kanjani8 in university, I learned about one member of both who got ejected for getting drunk underage and, infamously, kicking a cop car. I heard this and thought, “Awesome,” mostly because he kicked a cop car (based) but he was demoted hard. Even though it had arguably been the responsibility of the industry adults who were out with him and allowed/encouraged him to drink, he was dropped from debuted artist to trainee, even lower than Junior. No capital letter for him. Despite years of working to recover his reputation and rise back to debuted artist, he never did.

Over in Thailand, vaping is illegal and therefore understandably a Big Deal for many fans domestically and in surrounding countries. I can’t speak from a Thai perspective, but I once watched a documentary about the Thai prison system in which a monk solemnly told the filmmakers that he believes marijuana dealers deserve the death penalty. This led to me assuming that there’s probably a bit of a religious bias underscoring the issue.

Meanwhile, you couldn’t pay me to care if a Thai actor was caught vaping. I just saw someone vaping on the sidewalk ten minutes ago. Societally, I’ve been desensitized to most drug use, and I’ve done enough independent research on my own to see drugs and even addiction through a lens of compassion rather than judgment. At most, I’d feel mildly concerned about their lung health if it was an actor I like, but that’s their body and their choice, so I wouldn’t think badly of them in the sense of who they are as a person. Just, y’know. “Oh, they vape. Eh. I’d go for edibles. Do I have any couscous left for dinner?”

If you’ve been in Thai QL fandom for a while, though, odds are you’ve seen or heard of a case like this: I once saw an actor’s friends accidentally film him vaping on an Instagram live, and because the footage cut away so fast, interfans shared the clip on Twitter thinking it was silly that his friends were acting like they’d caught him cheerfully murdering a small animal. But of course in Thailand it’s illegal, and these actors’ reputations decide things like 1) sponsorships, 2) job opportunities, 3) fan support, and more. Thus, Thai fans quickly assembled and told interfans to delete the clips and stop talking about it. Vaping may be quietly common in Thailand, and I’m sure plenty of actors do it, but it’s best for them if we, y’know, pretend otherwise.

In a similar vein, years ago, Japanese idol and former KAT-TUN member Taguchi Junnosuke and his girlfriend were busted for marijuana, and I was on Twitter watching the fallout.

It was on the news.

After posting bail, Taguchi bowed with his forehead on the pavement for twenty seconds. For marijuana. Meanwhile, I just had a holiday in Denver where a friend offered me a range of colorful weed gummies to help me fall asleep. Whee!

But the reaction I remember seeing on the Japanese fan side of Twitter was pure anguish. Tweets like, “I had no idea he was like this,” or, “I feel betrayed,” and, “I��ll never look at him the same way.”

Because that false image they had of him was part of the facade he implicitly (and likely contractually) agreed to uphold when he took the job. Of course most fans knew he was just a regular dude, but that’s not who they loved. They loved the idol, the fantasy, and he’d betrayed them by burning the facade.

Is that system exploitative? Absolutely, if you believe it’s wrong to expect a performer to be permanently “on” without rest or the right to authenticity. But whenever I see western fans rolling their eyes and asking, “Why do they care?” and saying, “[Asian country]’s fans are insane,” then I always want to make wide gestures with my arms at the words: “CULTURAL DIVIDE.” They’re not insane, they’re just accustomed to a system we don’t have, and even within any given country you’ll find nuance in the conversations surrounding these systems. Never paint with too wide a brush. You know yourself how diverse the opinions are in your culture and country, after all.

These issues benefit so much from (respectful) discussion. Is it fair to expect a human being to hide their relationship in exchange for money? And if they choose to hide, is it truly a choice if it’s under duress? What if they choose to hide out of a desire to protect their partner from the public eye? If the system stops demanding the Fantasy, will fans still uphold the expectation?

And are drugs a moral failing? Or only certain drugs? Is morality tied to legality, and if so, does the decriminalization of a drug mean society should also adopt an attitude of leniency to the people using that drug? Where does the connection between drug use and morality come from, and should there be one at all?

I think one of the benefits of joining a fandom whose base is in a culture outside your own is that you have the opportunity to look at the world with different eyes. You meet fans of different ages with different life experiences. And you may not change your own beliefs as part of being a foreign fan, but it’s such a rare opportunity to learn why people believe what they do in such a casual setting. We’re a cooperative, adaptable species at heart, and I think we’re at our best when we find ways to connect and thrive despite or thanks to our differences.

What’s culturally scandalous to one person may not be to another, and sometimes having the opportunity to break down your kneejerk cultural judgments in very simple terms can actually lead you to questioning them yourself. Or maybe you’ll bring someone to a conclusion they’d never made before.

All because an idol got caught with a boyfriend while smoking a vape.

/long post dismount

[collectorsinn]

"Is this place to your liking?" Ayato smiles as you try to adjust your eyes to the dark alleyway upon you. Ayato is a foodie, a food enthusiast, a food connoisseur, all of the above really. He often brings you to enigmatic places with genuinely excellent food — ones you drool if you don't get a second bite immediately.

You settle down at your places, and a giant man trods heavily to your seats. Unwittingly, you feel intimidated by his towering presence; but as Ayato, who was once facing you, turns around — meeting his eyes — the man starts chatting away, uncharacteristically.

He's patting Ayato's back, he even goes in for a choreographed handshake, and remarking things like "You're always trying different things!" or "I see that's become a favourite!" like Ayato is a frequent costumer — which you're safe to assume he is.

As the man turns to face you, you realise he's nothing short of polite. He's asking for permission to pat your back as he does to Ayato, speaking in a softer manner and leaning in to show he's listening attentively.

You're in shock almost, though you do find yourself enjoying the twist in attitude he has when interacting with different people and the full 180s he does when he's talking to Ayato compared to when he's talking to you.

Then, as the man comes out with your food, the aroma sneaks up at you and completely, devours you alive. The food is crispy when it needs to, the beverage is utterly refreshing, and you begin to wonder why there aren't more customers yet.

When the man comes back out, you shower him with your praises, and a soft crimson dances across his cheeks. He accepts your compliments with gratitude and offers free desserts (for being 'a cool fellow with a pretty smile' he says) which you can't help but accept.

"We should really come here more often!"

"Oh? You've taken a liking to this man I see... Then we'd best avoid coming to here in the future."

"Seriously?"

[kamelopardaleis]

Outtake 1 - Yuuko & Seiichi Kobayashi

This is the longest outtake of the YOI age reversal AU Something to Give on Ice - Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) [Archive of Our Own].

In the earlier draft of Chapter 4 the plot went differently: Yuuko asked to become part of Viktor’s coaching team at GPF. Yuuko, her husband (with a name and a different characterisation), Yuuri and Viktor meet for dinner right after the short program. Viktor has been jealous and curious about Yuuko over Yuuri, and gets surprised by how the actual dynamic between the four of them turns out.

Basically a lot of jealousy bubbling underneath the nice dinner, Viktor being flirtatious, and Yuuri being a foodie.

>>here it goes<<

Interestingly, Yuuri has told Yuuko and her husband to get lost before Viktor’s short program. 

“Gosh, she needs to calm down.” Yuuri complains, “She’d be a terrible fan. I can’t let her distract you.”

This both amuses and puzzles Viktor, “What about the free skate?”

“We’ll have to see.” His coach replies exasperatedly.

This GPF is definitely off to a strong start.

Today is a day detrimental to Yuuri’s health. After getting surprised by his own skater, and then getting besieged by questions from reporters, he gets ambushed by his fellow coaching staff.

“Yuuri!” 

Viktor sees a flurry of white and blue flying past him and crashing his coach with a hug. 

“Thought I’d find you here!” The blur is a petite woman with a short ponytail; walking after her is a tall, lean man in casual but smart clothing. 

She isn’t paying him any attention though; the next second she’s turning to Viktor in a squeal, “VIKTOR! I saw your short program. IT WAS HOT AF!! I’m swooning.” She clutches her nose, but immediately babbles on, “Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Yuuko, Yuuri’s friend. We’ve met before, actually, but you might not remember me! It was so long ago. This is my husband Kobayashi Seiichi.” 

The man waves in lieu of greeting, but doesn’t say anything.

“Yuuko, Seiichi-san, long time no see.” Yuuri greets the husband with a handshake, then introduces Viktor. 

The couple booked a nice place nearby and would like to invite them to dinner.

Yuuri gives Viktor a questioning look. “Uh, I myself didn’t really go out during competition…” Viktor, however, isn’t the type to get easily disrupted and needs to hole up. He’s just the type of performer that when someone breaks his heart, he’s heartbroken and elated, because now he gets to pour his heartbreak into his performance.

(He’s quite sure he shouldn’t say that though.)

Yuuko already speaks up. “Oh, but Viktor isn’t like you! Viktor, do you want to come?”

It sounds great to him; he’s more than happy to use the time between his programs to learn more about Yuuri’s guests.

He doesn’t get much “learning about Yuuri’s friends” done on their way to dinner, or the first ten minutes before the appetiser arrives, because Yuuko has been gushing over Viktor’s performance(s) (including all the ones in his glorious history). 

She’s fangirling over him with such freedom, the only polite response Viktor can think of is to fanboy over her glorious history (Viktor is good at doing his googling homework) so it’s now mutual appreciation. Understandably, it takes longer to fangirl/boy about things you do know. By the time the main dish arrives, the husband looks a little bit green.

When Yuuko is calming down with the help of food, Viktor tries to make amends by striking up a conversation with the husband across from him. Just his luck then the husband speaks much less English than them, so Viktor needs a translator half the time, who turns out to be Yuuko more often than Yuuri because that man is too absorbed with the delicacies to notice his student’s predicament.

As the husband looks increasingly frustrated with himself, Viktor is seriously tempted to just let him know if anything, he’d be in more danger from Viktor than her, given Viktor’s preference in looks and gender. But Viktor wants to charm Yuuri’s guests, not alienate both of them, so he does the next best thing he can think of.

“Yuuuuri,” he puts on his sultriest voice, “what are you having? It looks delicious.”

Yuuri dutifully pushes his plate towards Viktor, though looking slightly disgruntled, either because he’s interrupted during a meal or he has to share. 

Ha! As if he’s the one competing. 

Viktor bypasses the plate and leans forward to steal the piece on Yuuri’s fork instead. 

“Vkusno!” It’s quite good. He sends the couple a grateful smile for treating them, and holds out his own fork, “Yuuri, do you want to try mine?”

His coach has gone beet red. The husband blinks. Yuuko looks positively gleeful.

Viktor decides the mission accomplished, and licks off his own fork instead. “No? I’ll have it all to myself then.” He smirks at his frozen coach and digs into his own delicious plate.

After tipping the whole table off balance, Viktor has a much better time with dinner. Yuuri is sufficiently distracted away from his food to take a bigger part in the conversation, and Viktor finally gets to learn a bit about Yuuko and Seiichi Kobayashi.

“Seiichi-san was a baseball star in uni!” Yuuko informs him, while the husband listens on, looking both shy and proud. “Though the star part might have more to do with his good looks.” She winks good-naturedly at them.

The husband is more comfortable with them now. Yuuri translates for him and he laughs, turning his face from easy-on-the-eyes to breath-takingly attractive. Viktor can certainly see how the man could be a popular actor.

Viktor talks a bit about his time with Yuuri in Hasetsu, bringing fond memories to Yuuko, who moved away years ago. The couple tells them stories on set and at home, which Viktor listens with interest. Yuuko is planning to start her own business, coming out of childbirth. 

“Triplets!” Viktor exclaims, and Yuuko and her husband exchange a look of such happiness that Viktor knows none of the complaints about the three little girls that follow are for real.

Dinner goes on longer than expected. Viktor thought Yuuri would want to talk more with Yuuko, since they haven’t seen each other for a long time, but Yuuri seems content to listen attentively, not eager to contribute more to the friendly chatters, and excuses Viktor and himself when he believes he needs to ensure Viktor’s rest.

"Yuuko's husband is strikingly handsome." Viktor observes off-handedly, just to break the silence on the trip back home. 

"He is." Yuuri smiles slightly, still staring out the car window. "Seiichi-san started off as this guy of every girl's dream in TV dramas, you know." 

"And I didn't know Yuuko was such a fan of mine."

Yuuri turns, the smile growing wider, "She is. I did warn you, didn't I?" Then his tone takes a teasing lilt, "You don't look much worse off next to her actor husband, you know."

"So you did notice."

"Noticed what?"

"The husband is a jealous sort.” He elaborates. “I wouldn't have thought given how the man looks, plus I'm not the ex on the table."

Yuuri laughs. "Nah, I wouldn't say that of Seiichi-san; it's all you, Viktor. I know where I stand, but you're a terrible flirt. And you're in quite the mood today."

Viktor feels both agitation and annoyance rising in him at the accusation, “I don’t just flirt with anyone.” He says defensively, then remembers who he did flirt with, which makes his conflicted feelings an even bigger mess.

“Oh?” Yuuri says lightly; if he’s thinking the same thing, he doesn’t show it. “I think you flirted with the whole stadium today. ‘A blend of your style and mine’, eh?”

He points out he was trying to rescue Yuuri from his interrogation (by reporters).

“Thanks,” comes the casual reply. “Any more surprises I should be aware of?”

“Not that I know of.”

[simssimi]

Cottage living Legacy challenge

I have been playing #thesims4 for years and I really like the community that the game has created. However, when I searched for a legacy challenge for the new pack, I couldn't find any. So I tried my own hand at creating one. Here are the rules:

The main goal for the legacy challenge is that you start a farm, make it successful and keep it successful throughout 10 generations.

Main rules: 1. Each generation must be raised on the farm. 2. Every generation will have a specific goal, however the first five generations must quite their job and move back to the farm when their first child is born or when the previous generation dies, which ever comes first.

Lot challenges: Wild foxes, Simple living

With that let's get into the challenge:

Generation 1: The Founder

You are tired of city life and want to start fresh, so when you heard that your aunt left you her land in Henford-on-Bagley, you packed your bags and moved straight away. However, when you got there, you see that it is really just a piece of land. Now you have to start from scratch to make it a nice looking farm.

Packs needed: Cottage living

Aspiration: Country caretaker

Traits: Animal enthusiast, loner, vegetarian

Rules:

Move into the empty lot in Old New Henford.

Marry a sim with the outgoing trait.

Have four children (two sets of twins).

Complete the aspiration.

Have a good relationship with a cow, a llama and three chickens.

No jobs allowed! Live on the money the farm makes, or what you can make from your farm (Knitted things, soda, candles etc.).

Generation 2: The Artist

This generation must be a female heir.

You grew up on a farm, struggling to get by on the funds the farm makes, but during all the chaos, you found a love for painting. Your parents and siblings were very encouraging of you pursuing your dream, and with their blessing, you moved to the city to become a successful artist. However, one drunken night, you had a one night stand and got pregnant. You decided that you want to move back to the farm, so that your child can have the same loving childhood that you had.

Packs needed: City living

Aspiration: Painter extraordinaire

Traits: Creative, art lover, outgoing

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the painting skill.

Move to the city when you reach young adulthood.

Join the painter career when you move out.

Have a one night stand with a friend and get pregnant.

Move back to the farm when child is born.

Quite job.

Never get married.

Generation 3: The Jokester

You grew up without a father. To hide the hole in your heart you make jokes. People find you hilarious and you start to feel that this is what you were meant to do. Your mom, however, doesn't think that you should follow this path, because other comedians struggle to get by. You move to Willow Creek anyway. However, soon you realize that your mom was right and you move back with your new spouse.

Aspiration: Joke star, Successful lineage

Traits: Hot-headed, goofball, clumsy

Rules:

Move to Willow Creek when you are a young adult.

Master the comedy skill.

Meet and marry a sim with the gloomy trait.

Fail as a comedian.

Change the aspiration when you move back to the farm. (DO NOT COMPLETE THE JOKE STAR ASPIRATION.)

Quite job.

Have two children (have second child when the first child is a teen)

The next heir must be your first born.

Generation 4: The Academic

Your parent is a failed comedian and because of that you decided that you want to be prepared for what life gives you. So you decide to work hard and go to university. However, your roommate doesn't take university seriously and throws a party every single night. After a while your anger turns into love and you end up marrying the sim.

Packs needed: University

Aspiration: Academic

Traits: Bookworm, genius, perfectionist

Rules:

Sign up for university.

Master the research and debate skill.

Attend the University of Britechester.

Have a roommate with the bro trait.

Argue with roommate at least once a night.

Fall in love with roommate and marry him.

Complete half of the aspiration.

Move back to farm when you have your degree.

From here on, some generations would have outside businesses. These generations stay on the farm.

Generation 5: The Chef

You loved to cook together with your family and would love to become a world renown chef. With that, you practice your cooking skill everyday, in the hopes that one day you will have your own restaurant. You succeed, and your restaurant is the best in the world. Things could not be more perfect, but you feel very lonely. You worked so hard that you never stopped to look for a soul mate.

Packs needed: Dine out

Aspiration: Master Chef

Traits: Foodie, glutton, proper

Rules:

Cook together with your family every night from childhood.

Master the cooking and baking skill.

Meet a sim at the restaurant.

Have one child.

Have a successful restaurant.

Generation 6: The Serial Romantic

You know your parents met only after the family restaurant reached the top. You don't want that, however you also don't want to be tied to a sim for the rest of your life. You set out to be unmarried for the rest of your life. You start on your heartbreak journey when you are a teen and when you become a young adult it intensifies.

Aspiration: Serial romantic

Traits: Noncommittal, romantic, self assured

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the charisma skill.

Have three children with three different sims.

Let the children live with you.

Neglect your children.

Never get married.

Generation 7: The Animal lover

Your parents were never around while you were growing up. The only family that you had was your half siblings and your family pets. This is what makes you decide to become a veterinarian. You are thrilled when your grand parents restaurant is left to you and your siblings when they die and you decide to turn the rundown, once loved restaurant into an animal hospital.

Packs needed: Cats and Dogs

Aspiration: Friend of the animals

Traits: Gloomy, good, family orientated

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the vet skill.

Turn your grandparents' restaurant into a vet clinic when they die.

Marry a childhood friend.

Have twins.

Generation 8: The Photographer

You have always loved photography. When their was a photo opportunity, you were always there to snap the camera. So it would make sense that you become a photographer.

Packs needed: Moschino stuff pack

Aspiration: Friend of the world

Traits: Outgoing, active, cheerful

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the photography skill.

Join the freelance career as a photographer.

Fall in love and marry a model from one of your photoshoots.

Have two children.

Capture important moments in your family's lives and put it on the photo wall.

Generation 9: The Simstube Sensation

You grew up with a photographer as a parent and you love the way you can edit a photo to make it look perfect. Then you are introduced to the world of vlogging and you know that is what you want to do.

Packs needed: Get famous

Aspiration: World-famous celebrate

Traits: Jealous, self-absorbed, ambitious

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the media-production skill.

Start vlogging when you are a teenager.

Marry a sim that you met while out vlogging.

Post a video everyday.

Have one child.

Retire from vlogging when you become an elder.

Write an autobiography when you are an elder.

Generation 10: The Actor/Actress

You grew up with a famous parent and from really early on you knew you want that too, but you don't want to be a vlogger. You are going in with a bang. You decide to become an actor/actress. You also want to leave this farm life behind. It has been in your family for generations and it is time for a new start. You want to own the biggest house, best clothes, newest electronics etc. Materialistic much?

Packs needed: Get famous

Aspiration: Master actor/actress

Traits: Materialistic, snob, neat

Rules:

Complete the aspiration.

Master the acting, singing, guitar, piano, violin and charisma skill.

Start drama classes when you become a child.

Enter the acting career when you become a young adult.

Marry a fellow actor that is materialistic.

Move to Del Sol Valley with no looking back.

Own the biggest mansion.

I really hope that you enjoy this challenge. Share your families with me if you decide to do this challenge. ❤

[attic-club-sandwich]

5 and 6 for om ask

Thank you Ettie!!

5. If you met the characters in real life, which character would you get along with the most?

I would have to say probably Levi or Beel. I could see myself enthusing about anime and playing games with Levi. He'd be my fellow otaku friend who i really need and long for 😭. As for Beel, i'm a huge foodie so we'd definitely get along. I'd want him to cook for me because I feel like he's a great cook!

6. If you met the characters in real life, which character would you not get along with the most?

Ahhh I hate to say this one but probably Lucifer. I think I'd be super intimidated by him. His sin also causes him to be very strict and i'm an absolute goofball who can't take anything seriously lol I think our personalities would clash for sure but i really do adore him in the game/anime 😂

Send me Obey Me Asks!

[ladykf-writes]

now that ive heard about benji, tell us more about Drew too? 👀

Mah man DREW! Alright, since you left it open Imma do it the same way I did Benji.

A quick rundown of his history:

Andrew Morrison was born in Marek (a small town I made up at the end of the Nibel mountain range, south of Crystal Cave, bc there is no way there's only a handful of towns/villages in the world) as the oldest of two and moved to Midgar as a teenager to join the army pre-SOLDIER, much like Benji. Also like Benji, he was offered a position in SOLDIER as soon as it opened to the public and immediately took them up on it.

In SOLDIER, Drew was no magical powerhouse - indeed, didn't even really start regularly using it until he became friends with Benji - but had not only a good mind for strategy but a great ability to handle people. Notably, he quickly became one of the few SOLDIERs that Sephiroth considered trustworthy and, due to his experience with the army, was trusted to be a liason between the young general-to-be and the army back when he was working with them. While army veterans still had trouble taking a 16 year old seriously, he still had an advantage over the 13 year old Sephiroth, and his aforementioned strategic skill quickly got him promoted to leadership positions. Even when he wasn't deployed in Wutai and was back in Midgar, he did time as an assistant instructor for the cadets and green Thirds.

In fact, during the second half of the Wutai War once ShinRa was gaining momentum - during the same time that the big three were in the spotlight as leading First Class Officers - Drew was permanently withdrawn from the warfront to take a position as a teacher, primarily for SOLDIER hopefuls and green Thirds.

He stayed in Midgar through the end of the Wutai War, and was only sent back after the mass desertion to help clean up the mess of having so many SOLDIERs defect from their posts all at once. Regarding Compilation canon: He was also called on to assist the Turks investigating AVALANCHE's Wutai cell.

(more under the cut)

what are things he values, what are things he likes or does that people never expected of him?

Loyalty was always sort of in the back of his mind, yes it was important, but it shot up to the forefront during the defections and continued to climb in importance from there. He also strongly values honesty - not brutal "I'm just being honest" honesty, but honest sincerity - especially in relationships. He really likes strategy games (chess, and probably Gaia's version of Age of Empires and Civilization) and gaming in general is a great way to blow off steam.

I'm not sure if you expect it or not, but he's a really good cook, and specializes in 'mission cooking' which means he packs a ton of dried herbs to make the ration packs taste better and also knows what creatures / monsters in any given area can be used for food and how. He also has a great interest in learning "local" cooking methods and ingredients, which means polling fellow SOLDIERs and taking advantage of Midgar's melting pot. (Benji shows him all the best foodie spots in the slums because of course he does.)

what are some parts that shaped him into the man he is today?

This is a really good question. I think what shaped Drew more than anything, was he was a country boy from a small village who got one hell of a wakeup call to a whole different world when he made it to Midgar and joined the army. And while he would never complain or mention this, there was a solid year or two - and many times after - where he desperately wished his dad was there. That he had a guide to make all this make sense.

But he didn't. No one did, especially not in those early days. So, I suppose, part of how Drew shaped himself was that cliche "be the person you needed when you were growing up" though it wasn't that deliberate.

[riot-rxines]

{Alastor FAN Headcannons}

(Note:These headcannons are based off souly on my interpretation of the character and past roleplays DO NOT TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY AS CANNON AND DON'T GIVE ME HATE FOR MY HEAD CANNON CHOICES and keep in mind some are inspired by other people's lists as well these aren't all my headcannons I still have more if people wish to know)

Full Name:Alastor Rudolph Belvedeere

Sexuality:Greyromantic, greysexual

•Plus sized Alastor- I like the idea of a plus sized Alastor since it'd be very diverse with body positivity and make sense since he loves cooking and is canonically said to be a huge food snob/foodie

•Better Cook than Baker- for this one I'd Alastor would be a very experienced cook but a noob baker dud to his lack of tasting sweets as he prefers spicy and bitter over them but still would be open to trying new things

•VERY strong with his Alcohol but pretends to be drunk around Rozelle(my hazbin oc) to make her laugh and snort- I feel this mad lad would be able to stand 40 shots of tequilas and still be sober and for my fan oc ship (Rozelle x Alastor) he'd use his acting skills to act drunkenly silly when around alcohol to make her laugh

•Alastor having impaired Emotions-This one just makes sense to me as a fellow autistic person myself the idea of Alastor having some form of autism or really a condition that gives him stunted emotional growth due to trauma most likely which makes sense due to his lack of other emotions and large use of masking his true feelings behind a smiling mask to not reveal his weak insecurities. He may not have experienced certain emotions due to being forced to suppress them all his life such as depression, grief, romantic love, and intense fear to name a few while he's felt happiness and rage before. Perhaps maybe a people pleasing perfectionist performance anxiety too due to his large exposure to making everyone as entertained and happy as possible with perfection.

•Empathy-There has been a couple. Times canonically helped demons in need or demons weaker than him like Charlie who has trouble convincing the masses of hell to believe in redemption due to her little power over the influence of the audiences unlike Al who has plenty experience and influence to be a great asset for Charlie's campaign for redemption while in the prequel comic Alastor helps an unnamed sheep demon who was being physically harassed by the butcher so Alastor saves her. This leads me to believe that most likely Al was raised by his mother to look out for those weaker than him as its the gentleman thing to do or at least to women in general which may be why he has so many female friends in particular since he has to have helped each of them in some way for such close bonds.

[jasonpng]

[ jeon jungkook. / male. / he/his. ] i heard han jaesung is going into business with their friends, but the twenty-five year old can’t go wrong with nine other people helping, right? they’re a former sous chef, but will be a chef at joliet bed & breakfast! their insensitive yet dependable personality is pretty fitting for that, i guess. the sight of them gives me the vibe of midnight drive-ins, humming to yourself as you work, a breeze ruffling through a clothesline and that one clip of a deflated dancing pikachu getting hauled off stage, and seeing that running across the sand is pretty sweet.

fabric softener, that one clip of a deflating dancing pikachu getting hauled off-stage, curling up in freshly warmed sheets, sizzling plates, the slow drag of a bow over a violin, bus rides with your head leaned against the window, earphones at full blast, midnight drive-ins, humming to yourself as you work, singing when you think you're alone, the beach at sunrise, a breeze ruffling through a clothesline

hi i’m miki and i’m excited 2 b here!!! this is m’boy jason (or jae, or jaesung) and he’s fairly new SO!!!! smash that like and i’ll come to u for plotting!

the stats

full name: jaesung “jason” han nicknames: jae, jayjay, jason, son, han solo age: 25 birthday: december 12 languages: english, korean, minimal japanese education: institute of culinary education graduate occupation: chef at joliet bed and breakfast, part-time food blogger hobbies: violin, eating, sleeping, collecting rock records, sketching mbti: entp blood type: b+ zodiac: sagittarius hogwarts house: gryffindor alignment: chaotic ANNOYING! sexuality: bisexual drinking, smoking, drugs: yes, yes, only marijuana faceclaim: jeon jungkook likes: rock music, classical music, herbal tea, garlic bread, any food in general, freshly washed sheets, dogs, astronomy, raccoons, coin laundries, anything vintage, horror films and documentaries, fiction books, wildlife, his motorcycle anubis (a super sexy harley davidson…he’s got that bad boy aesthetic going on but he is FAR from being one), his lil hamster bonnie dislikes: birds, horror films, anything scary, bitchy customers, stale coffee, fizzy drinks, people who are rude to service staff, cats (the film), spiders, korea’s educational system, the loch ness monster, soy milk

the biography

—o1. jason grew up in a modern korean household in maryland; his parents are more open-minded than the traditional korean family, so there’s really no dramatic backstory to write. he’s the eldest of three siblings, and they’re pretty much a tight-knit family. while he was encompassed by a totally western environment, his family never failed to remind them of their roots; they would travel to korea every summer to visit his grandparents in seoul.

—o2.  as a child, jason’s favourite past-time was watching his parents cook. his father is a renowned celebrity chef of a five-star restaurant in la, and his mother was the owner of a quaint bakery in ocean city. soon enough, his father was teaching him the basics of cooking. he was a natural, and by high school, he was on his way into becoming a chef like his father. the path to his dream career had been an easy one; his parents were well-known, and through family connections, jason earned himself a spot in one of the best culinary schools in the world: the institute of culinary education.  

—o3. wherever jason went, he was overshadowed by the family name. he loved his parents, he really did, but being the son of joowon han came with a privilege, of sorts. a privilege that he hated. people were convinced that jason only managed to get in ICE was because of his family background. he’d often hear whispers from peers; he was often criticised for depending on his parents—which was true, in a sense. jason didn’t have to worry about anything. while his fellow classmates were worrying over their career paths, he had a sous chef position waiting for him at his father’s restaurant right after graduation.

—o4. being the youngest sous chef in a five-star restaurant was difficult. twenty-one year olds weren’t taken seriously in the kitchen. especially not the head chef’s son, who was fresh out of culinary school and looked so out of place, with his dark leather jacket and ripped jeans. jason struggled the first few months; while  the people were cordial around his father, he had to endure passive-aggressive comments about his privilege behind the scenes. jason wanted to make a name for himself; he didn’t want to be reduced to a celebrity chef’s son who just got lucky. so he worked—he worked and worked and worked until the jealous muttering stopped and he gained the respect of his subordinates.

—o5. after three years into working with his father, the enthusiasm ebbed and jason felt nothing but dissatisfaction. he didn’t want this—he didn’t want to be clinging on to his father for support his entire life. fearing that his passion for cooking will wither if he kept on working at the restaurant, he quit and moved back to maryland, getting a place for himself and eager to learn to stand on his own two feet.

in-depth

—a natural-born leader: working as a sous chef enabled jason to have a great command of handling a team. at first, he had been meek, but through determination and his sheer drive to prove the negative people in his life wrong, he was able to cultivate himself into a good leader. in the kitchen, jason is totally in his element, oozing with confidence and assertiveness.

—the dependable one: jason is organised and he’s the type of person who you can rely on for help. he prioritises his friends and family over anything else. need someone to drive you home? jason’s the guy for you. suffering from a bad hangover? he’s got the perfect hangover shake. you lost your house keys and need a place to stay? jason’s got an extra room in his apartment ready. jason is always making sure his friends are well cared for. and probably also giving them lectures whenever they make questionable choices.

—this bitch is impulsive: as much as jason has his shit together, jason can be impulsive—you might catch him splurging on the new yeezy shoes, or planning a spontaneous, overpriced trip to the bahamas. he likes having fun, and sometimes, that energy gets him into tricky situations. he really likes spending money, and unfortunately, his parents never taught him the important value of thriftiness.

—sometimes he can be harsh: jason had been pampered all throughout his life, and sometimes he disregards other people’s feelings because he is simply oblivious—brutal honesty is a double-edged sword. it takes a lot to piss him off, because he’s rather good at handling his emotions, but when you successfully do, it’s not a pretty sight. he tends to say things he doesn’t mean in the heat of the moment. in addition, jason tends to hold grudges; if someone has done him wrong, you bet your ass he’ll never look at you the same way ever again.

+: energetic, headstrong, intuitive, protective

-: argumentative, insensitive, over-analytical, rash

miscellaneous

— drives around town with his bike! he has a car but it’s parked in his childhood home… he doesn’t really use it that much unless he needs to go out of the state or something

— has a white lil pet hamster named bonnie...she is his CHILD!!!!!! — he has a food blog that he constantly updates for fun; his following is steadily going up... amazin....

— has always been an artsy kid... if he didn’t like cooking so much he would’ve pursued a career in art — always seems to be snacking on something? raw carrots in particular...... — he is also a gym rat! he eats a damn lot, so he’s gotta burn those calories, right? he usually jogs early in the morning and goes to the gym after work — he’s played the violin ever since he was a child! he wants to learn how to play the guitar but he keeps on procrastinating

the wanted connections (if any of these interest you, hit me up! some are more detailed than others but all of them are open to modifications tbh, we can develop them however we want :) feel free to  choose multiple plots..,.,. go crazy)

— vibe check. - sometimes, he forgets to take care of himself and this person!!!! is his mom friend, the terry to his jake peralta, the person he can count on when he’s crossfaded in the middle of nowhere at 3 in the morning. (ivy)

— bff. - the ride or die. the one person jason would literally murder for. he loves them and  considers them as his family. they are 100% with each other and? both are probably equally chaotic sfjldsdjfhsdlk (minnie)

— the squad. - i really love the idea of jason having three close friends! i can see them going on spontaneous trips and doing really, really dumb shit in general dsjfls (1/3) — the roommate. - PLS! he needs a roommate...imagine the domesticity i’m WEAK (minki)

— buzzfeed unsolved. - jason believes in the supernatural. this person doesn’t. jason spends a lot  of his free time trying to convince this person that ghosts are, in fact, real, often taking them to ‘haunted’ places and attempting to summon spirits through his ouija board. (minnie)

— i’m baby. - basically, jason dotes on this person like a mama bird. he cooks them meals, drives them to places and always keeps an eye out for them. — the confidant. - the person he could say he truly trusts the most; while jason is generally sociable, he finds it hard to open up to people, preferring to be the confidant than to confide in his friends. they’re the first person he runs to when he’s upset or stressed. (sienna)

— friends. - open to multiple of all types (fellow foodie, gym buddies, unlikely, one-sided, frenemies, neighbors, etc.)

— flings, hookups, fwbs. - open to multiple. (can be messy, can be casual)

— exes. - jason has lived in ocean city all his life, so anything is possible! they could’ve been at the same high school, maybe they broke up because jason moved to new york and the relationship fizzled out, they could be on good terms or bad terms………GIVE ‘EM TO ME (sienna; exes on good terms with a tiny bit of unresolved feelings)

— the pianist. - this is a lil specific, but basically i imagine jason having participated in music competitions and performed in galas, and this person is their partner!! their other half!!! the nodame to his chiaki!!!! if ur muse can play the piano pls hmu this is just a really cute relationship that i cant stop thinkin about bc jason is a violin nerd (ivy)

— romance. - i’m a hoe for spicy plots! i don’t really want to give out anything specific, but some suggestions aaaare: opposites, exes w/ feelings, one-sided love, skinny love, a love-hate relationship….. 

feel free to go through my wanted connections tag for inspiration!

[moonprincess92]

Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are

the food travel au 

3 ½ month film schedule. 31 countries. 24 episodes.

2 people who might just fall in love along the way. 

(read on AO3) 

Chapter 1: London  Author: @moonprincess92nz 

It’s her first fucking day and she’s late.

“SHIT, SHIT, SHIT–” Jyn dodges through suitcases, around security guards and even leaps right over an empty bench at one point as she races throughout Heathrow Airport. She practically slams right through a holidaying family and nearly bowls into a couple of kids with giant backpacks on their backs, but nothing slows her down because if there is anything worse she can do than being goddamn late on her first day, she can’t think of it. Her rep is bad enough, she needs this job –

ARRIVALS, the sign blares. 

Her poor battered suitcase screeching to a halt next to her, Jyn stops to stare around at the hordes of people pouring out of the arrivals gate. The production crew is flying in mostly from USA, she thinks she is one of maybe three people who are from the UK. They told her to meet at the airport, and she checks the email on her phone for the billionth time before scanning the crowd once more.

Finally, she catches a familiar face.

He isn’t so much familiar because she knows him, but rather because she may or may not have binge-watched Cassian Andor videos on YouTube for about eight hours the previous night. Thing is, Jyn honestly wouldn’t call herself a foodie. She knows how to scramble eggs and burn chicken nuggets, but that is about the extent of her cooking skills. Half the time she doesn’t know how she even ended up getting this job, but there she was balls deep in some popular Mexican cooking show because apparently, his face wasn’t so bad to look at. It was only when her roommate barged unceremoniously into her room at four in the morning to ask, “Don’t you have to be at the airport by like, 7am?” when she figured that she might have a bit of a problem.

(“Shut up, Bodhi,” she threw back at him).

Operating on as little sleep as she is, seeing Cassian Andor in person kind of makes her ovaries feel like exploding.

SHIT.

Luckily, before she says something and makes herself look ridiculous, it appears that someone notices her. She hastily says her name, and she’s pulled into the sea of formal introductions by who is apparently their production manager, Mon Mothma. Jyn has never been good at this part. Sometimes, she thinks that she chose the wrong profession entirely – she should be working in a lab or office, somewhere with as little human interaction as possible – but rather unfortunately, she’s chosen a profession where it’s impossible to get by without kissing arse and playing nice with others.

She’s learned over the years how to put on a polite mingling face, but Jesus, it takes it out of her.

“Hi! I’m Luke, the social media manager!” a bright-eyed blonde says.

“Wedge Antilles,” their sound engineer introduces. “Looking forward to working with you!”

“… Kes Dameron. Sorry, I haven’t had coffee yet,” It turns out their head of security is about as sociable as she is this early in the morning.

Honestly, she’s doing fine until suddenly she’s face to face with Cassian Andor and that’s about when it strikes her what she’s really gone and gotten herself into. She’s standing in front of an honest-to-god celebrity, here. She’s never worked on something on this large a scale in her life! It doesn’t help that there’s really something about his jawline as well, but either way she is a professional, goddamn it. She holds out her hand and says,

“Jyn.”

Cassian quirks an eyebrow.

“Is that… your favourite drink, or…?” he asks in confusion.

“What? Oh, bugger,” Jyn curses as he tentatively shakes her hand. “I don’t mean gin, I mean – it’s my name, Jyn with a J – and a y – apparently my parents hated me as a child,” She tops it off with a slightly awkward laugh.

God, she is bad at this.  

“Oh. If it helps, I often get called Caspian whenever I go to Starbucks?” Cassian offers.

“Well, that was your first mistake going to Starbucks.”

“What’s wrong with Starbucks?”

“Talk about commercialisation!” Jyn points out. “Whatever happened to supporting your local businesses?”

Incredibly, he laughs. “I’m sorry, you’re the new camera operator, right?”

“Right, right – I was offered the job a little last minute.”

“Of course – Kay unfortunately got sick – that was the guy who was originally hired.”

“Ah, I see,” Jyn tries to lean casually on her suitcase. “I wasn’t given any details, just a contract and a place to meet – sucks to be him, amiright?”

Cassian frowns. “He’s my best friend.”

Jyn blinks. Of fucking course he was his best friend.

She just gestures vaguely behind her somewhere. “I’m gonna…” she says, weakly. He smiles politely back.

If it was at all appropriate for the setting she would be SCREAMING.

“… so all in all,” Jyn eventually says through Skype later that night. “within the first minute of us meeting, I convince him I’m an alcoholic, criticise him for going to bollocking Starbucks and also somehow manage to insult his best friend!”

Little Bodhi through the screen shakes his head. “Oh my god, Jyn…”

Oh my god, Jyn sounds about right. She snuggles down into the hotel bedsheets and is at least thankful that she’s on a production that can afford actual stars underneath their accommodation. The last time she had a job, she was put up in a student hostel, and she’s pretty sure she’s still washing fleas out of her hair to this day. Most of day one was dedicated to production meetings with only a few establishing shots being filmed that evening. After hours of listening to Mon Mothma drone on and on (3 ½ month film schedule, tight deadline, 31 countries, 24 episodes, etc., etc.) Jyn was thankfully able to clear her head down by the Thames. With only her and the essential crew, she was finally able to breathe as she captured her city by sunset.

She honestly doesn’t know what this job is really going to entail. The travelling she is relatively familiar with thanks to her job, but even then she technically hasn’t been out of the country since she was 16, and she mostly tries to forget her time with Saw anyway. She might not have had a family for a long time, but she’s at home here in London as much as she’s ever been. It’s the only place she’s ever felt truly safe, felt like she has ground beneath her feet and she’s a little (a lot) terrified to actually leave it.

But hell, bills need to be paid and a T.V. show needs to be filmed.

“What am I doing, Bodhi?” Jyn mutters underneath the blankets.

“I believe it’s called ‘flirting’,” Bodhi smirks back in their flat on the other side of the city. “and, if I might add, you’re not doing it very well.”

“Fuck you, mate.”

“Just calling it like it is.”

“Seriously,” Jyn stresses, then. “what am I doing here? I’m working on a travelling food show and I barely know how to cook!”

“You’re the camera operator, not the bloody caterer,” Bodhi says, exasperatedly. “I’m fairly certain you don’t need to know.”

“But–”

“Jyn, listen,” Bodhi cuts her off. “Lord knows I’d prefer to just wrap you up and bring you back home, but honey, you gotta stick with this, ok? No more flaking! You think you don’t fit in, fine – fake it until you do. Go get bloody lost in Germany or finally learn how to make pasta or something, I don’t care, just get out and do it, because we both know you’re not really living here.”

“I’m living!”

“You’re existing,” Bodhi sighed. “and I know your life has had its fucked up moments. I know. It sucks. But it’s time, Jyn.”

She snorts. “You know, when I called you it wasn’t for another therapy session. How much do I owe you this time?”

Her best friend rolls his eyes. “A lifetime of free pancakes.”

“You know I can’t make pancakes.”

“Lifetime supply of Jammy Dodgers, then.”

“That, I can do,” Jyn points at the screen.

Bodhi laughs, only it quickly turns into a violent yawn. “BLIMEY, I’m tired.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll take the hint,” Jyn smirks. “but, um, before you actually do go – on a scale of 1 to 10, exactly HOW bad was the flirting?”

“Minus 5,” Bodhi deadpans. “Don’t insult his friends next time.”

“Yeah,” Jyn grimaces. “I’ll do that.”

He grins. “Love you, Jyn.”

“Yeah. Love you, too.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial check out that view! #tellmewhatyoueat #london #tower bridge #filming #cinematogropher #travel #sunsetwiththecrew #bts @jynserso

bodhitherook JYN BABE U MANAGED TO MAKE IT ONTO THE OFFICIAL INSTA ACCT  

bodhitherook also how the fuck are u not wearing a jacket

tellmewhatyoueatofficial @bodhitherook i confess we might have asked her to take her jacket off for the #aesthetic

bodhitherook WHO RUNS THIS ACCOUNT JYN BC CLEARLY THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYIN TO KILL U IT’S OCTOBER

jynserso pfffft sun was out, was a solid 15 degrees that’s basically sunbathing weather

jynserso but still calling you out @walkstheskies his name is Luke Skywalker go stalk him 

Jyn manages to corner Luke Skywalker in the hotel hallway.

“WHY ME,” she despairs. Her phone is open on the show’s official Instagram page, and it’s pretty clear what she’s talking about, although she quickly adds, “and before you say anything, I KNOW signing the contract means technically I consented to my image being used on multiple forms of social media, but still–”

Luke just shrugs happily.  

“I belong behind a camera, not in front of it,” she protests.

“Hey,” Luke counters. “you look beautiful in that shot! Also, I should be the one complaining, after you sicced your best friend on me.”

“Oh good, Bodhi did his job then,” Jyn says. She steps out of the way hastily as several of their fellow crew members run down the hall between rooms, someone cheering something about shots in the background.

“He’s sent me about a dozen messages insisting that I look after you and treat you right,” he laughs. “Nice guy!”

Jyn just smirks slightly before eyeing down the hallway once more. It’s been two days, and their insane shooting schedule is already starting to hit them all. Quite frankly, none of them have any business still being awake at this time, but it was a long day and apparently they are all still so hyped that trying to sleep with the racket they’re making would be fruitless anyway.

“We should get out!” someone calls enthusiastically from one of the open rooms, and Jyn turns to see their lighting director’s face beaming when she notices her. Shara Bey dashes over and clings hold of her shoulder. “Hey! Where should we go?”

“What’re you looking at me for?” Jyn asks in bewilderment.

“Well, you’re the local girl,” Shara points out.

Jyn stares at the over-tired, wired and enthusiastic faces all staring back at her. They’ve all spilled out of their rooms, nodding and asking and between this and the Instagram post, Jyn isn’t sure she’s been on the receiving end of this much attention in her life. There’s a reason she stays behind the camera! She glances at Luke, although the man just shrugs at her in response.

“I’ve never been to London! Where do we get good food around here?” he asks.

Shit.

“Uhhhh... I know a place that sells killer fish and chips?”

“It’s an adventure and it’s happening - c’mon, guys!” Shara leads the way. 

She ends up bringing them to The Cantina, of all places.

A fun fact to rattle off is that there are literally thousands of pubs throughout London, and somehow she always ends up here. Her and Bodhi almost haunt the place at this point. It’s objectively not the most popular in London nor even relatively famous, but in Jyn’s opinion it captures the very heart of British pub culture (you know, getting shit-faced and yelling about football). It’s kind of what the entire show they’re filming is supposed to be about, so… yeah, here they are. The place is always dark and a little shady, the music always slightly too loud and the lights slightly too piercing, but Jyn feels almost relaxed here.

“I moved back to London when I was 16,” she explains as they approach. Shara Bey has already filmed several snapchat videos of herself by this point and now seems to be flirting with the security guy. Most of their group is hanging onto her every word and she adds, “We’d come here on the weekends with our fake I.D.s and get hammered.”

“My kinda party,” Luke grins.

They all pile inside The Cantina, Jyn dutifully avoiding Cassian’s eyes. Honestly, she had no idea that he was even coming - did famous T.V. presenters even do that? - but someone called out to him just as they were walking out of the hotel doors to go catch a train and he dashed out to join them. After embarrassing herself so spectacularly, she figures the only way to handle tonight is the true British way: ignore all emotions and pretend everything is fine.

She notices a gap at the bar and she manages to quickly order two shots as everyone piles into the pub. She thought she had avoided all scrutiny as her colleagues get caught up in which drinks to order, but apparently nothing gets past the social media manager. Luke gives her a look of bemusement from over his shoulder and Jyn bites at him,

“What?”

“Steady on,” he says.

“Shut up,” Jyn accuses.

“You know, if you want to talk to him all you have to do is open your mouth and start saying words,” Luke says, slyly.

Jyn glares. “What d’you know? You know nothing.”

“I know that look! Trust me, I get it. I’m a huge fan too.”

Jyn finally meets his knowing gaze.

“You also watch three seasons in eight hours?”

“Without subtitles!” Luke nods. “My Spanish got a LOT better.”

“Stalk on Instagram?”

“I’m a social media manager,” Luke scoffs. “Raise me something actually valuable.”

“Imagine marrying someday?”

Luke laughs. “Jyn, we all know that he’s out of both our leagues, but with you… ehhhhh, there’s potential.”

“I’m sorry, EHHHHH?”

“I also said potential!”

Jyn was going to offer one of the shots to Luke, but with that statement, she keeps them both for herself. It’s true, she’s been filming this man for the last two days and she still technically hasn’t had any kind of one-on-one conversation with him that isn’t to do with camera angles. Besides the disastrous first attempt, that is. She isn’t even sure what’s stopping her at this point. It’s not like she’s kidding herself that something is going to happen – they’re on a schedule, they’re going to be travelling in a tight knit group for months without space to get away, and who even looks at her like that anymore? – so it’s not even the fact that he’s hot that makes her like this.

She’s just never done anything on this kind of scale before. These people all have established careers, been featured on Ellen, have followers on Twitter… this is the first time Jyn’s worked on a project where the director isn’t some uni student filming a sex scene in their parent’s garage. Bloody hell, what could she even say to him?

“Ok, look,” Luke sighs next to her. “exactly how many shots is this going to take? Because I will literally buy them all if it will get your ass over there.”

“I don’t know,” she says honestly. “but at least one more.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial rumour has it that somewhere round here you can get some killer #fishnchips! @theofficialcantina #tellmewhatyoueat #bts #london #camden town #camden market #london pub #the cantina #filming #cinematogropher #travel  

Her ass inevitably did not end up over there.

“Ok, we’re going for the casual ‘we’ve just stumbled upon this place’ feel,” Their director, Draven, is running backwards somewhere behind her, trying to keep up with the action as Cassian walks down the street. She’s aiming for the vision of him being in amongst the crowd, just one with London, which is kinda contradicted by the fact that they have blocked off one side of the entire stretch of street outside the restaurant they’re currently featuring and their security guy is letting through a controlled amount of people to walk through their shot. Still, she gets to watch Cassian stroll down the footpath with his hands in his pockets, contently gazing around the streets, so she’s probably got the good end of the deal, here. Voiceovers will be added in later, so literally all he has to do is walk and smile as Draven yells out direction.

“Ok! You reach Rebel Rebel,” he calls out. Cassian pretends that his eye is caught by the actually previously chosen restaurant, glancing up at it. She zooms in on his face.

Yes. Definitely has the best deal, here.

“CUT,” Draven yells. “Perfect, we’ll shoot it once more, then head on in.”

They take a break before moving into the restaurant to do more filming and she listens to Draven rave to their producer about how big they’re expecting their audience to be for this particular episode. She probably doesn’t try hard enough to hide her scoff, but she’s exhausted from being up until 2am that morning and still too pissed off at herself to care. Despite all of Luke’s encouragement, she still hadn’t managed to get herself over to the table where Cassian had been sitting. She had an opening and alcohol, and yet…

“Look, I’ve worked on this show before and I’m yelling you,” Luke nodded at Cassian last night. “He’s a good guy! He’s worth getting to know.”

She was sure he was. It was just getting to the point of knowing him that worried her. She glances bitterly up at Rebel Rebel. Honestly, of all fucking places in London, they just had to choose the most cliché.

“Why do you not like this place?”

She whirls around in a slight panic, heart practically leaping into her throat. Cassian’s watching her curiously, water bottle in hand and please Jyn, please remember what proper words are.

“Who – who says I don’t like it?”

“That expression on your face,” Cassian points out.

She’s almost impressed that he noticed. “Is filming going to be this forced the entire time?”

For a moment she isn’t sure if he’s going to give her a real or diplomatic answer. She supposes his job’s on the line, but just as that thought occurs he admits, “A lot of things are pre-shot filming this kind of show. It’s like reality T.V., we pretend it was all filmed on the spot when actually we planned the entire thing. But the food and the reactions, that’s going to be real. You can’t fake taste.”

“What if you don’t like something? Are we allowed to include that?”

“Usually depends on who I’m allowed to piss off,” he mentions.

“Well, I dunno who chose Rebel, Rebel, but this place sucks,” If he can figure it out from the look on her face, then there’s no point denying it. Jyn points out the restaurant that is technically one of London’s top places to eat. Recommended on Trip Advisor, stars and celebrities were known to dine there and even Jamie Oliver did a special there once, but as far as Jyn is concerned the entire place was overrated.

“How do you know that?”

“Like I couldn’t possibly know great food,” She winces a little at the tone. Blimey, she needs to work on not sounding so defensive.

“Show me,” Cassian suddenly challenges. “After filming today, take me to the good food.”

He can’t be serious. Surely he isn’t? They have a schedule, they have deadlines, they can’t just go bloody rogue! Yes, fine, she does have somewhere in mind. She might consider wine and a can of tinned soup a decent meal, but that doesn’t mean she can’t recognise great food when she sees it. The memories suddenly hit her, of meat sizzling, of swinging on vinyl chairs and knives clinking against plates. She remembers being allowed to stand on a stool behind the counter to take customer’s money and running through the kitchens trying not to get caught by the chefs. Whenever she hears classical music she’s taken back and they’re literally only around the corner, but…

It’s a stupid idea.

She shrugs. “I think Draven’s gonna burst a blood vessel if we don’t get back to it.” 

JUST TAKE HIM TO THE FUCKING RESTAURANT JYN DO IT DOOOOOO IIIIITTTTTTT

FKJDJFKJDFJKFJKDF KILL ME Also are u still harassing luke to be nice to me bc honestly bodhi

Im just lookin out for mah gurl Also turns out he’s kinda funny so But not the point, just take him Jyn seriously

But it’s such a personal place and we barely know each other

Don’t make it about you then. Just say u know a place that’s better, bring ur camera and film the magic. Oooooh, get baze to make his special, that shit is GOOD Plus this way you’ll get to know each other eeeyyyyy

I’m going to regret this

No u wont 

It eats at her, until eventually Bodhi manages to make her snap. Damn it, it will not leave her alone and apparently, her way of asking people out these days is just turning up at their hotel room door and demanding them to come with her, since the moment Cassian answers her slightly too hard knock on his door she blurts out,

“Get your coat on, we’re going somewhere.”

Cassian blinks slightly, but seems entirely non-phased as he ducks to the side to grab a jacket and follows her out the door. “Where are we going?”

“To the good food.”

It’s a bit far to walk and she’s still not used to the T.V. glamour of being able to take taxis everywhere, so she drags him out into the cool, drizzly evening and onto the tube. Taking the Piccadilly Line into Covent Garden, the night is fresh and just starting to buzz when they climb up into the street. She wasn’t going to get her camera out until they reached Lahmu, but the side street they cut down is strung up with multi-coloured lanterns and his face is honestly too good to not try and capture.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure if we’re even allowed to do this,” Jyn admits, as she points out the way. “Like, filming outside of scheduled shooting. Have I just violated my contract or something?”

“Depends if Draven likes what he sees,” Cassian answers her.

“I’ll delete it later, then,” Jyn says, walking sideways as she filmed and hoping that nothing got in her way lest she accidentally go flying. “No one has to know a thing. And if you talk, I’ll kill you.”

He laughs a little into the camera. “I’m starting to think I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“But anyway, welcome to Covent Garden again,” she makes a deal out of saying, ensuring that she can still see his face through her lens. He pauses under a lamp post and thankfully, no one seems to recognise them in the dark and without the addition of an entire film crew. To someone else, they could literally be any random YouTube vloggers or something. “Naturally, this damn show only brings you to the touristy side of London, but there are some admittedly great places to eat in this area. Not fucking Rebel, Rebel though, I mean shit that’s actually edible.”

“We might want to edit that last part out.”

“Yeah, post can handle that,” She would wave a hand if she had one to spare. “Tell me, superstar Cassian Andor, how are you enjoying London so far?”

He smiles a little against the backdrop of lit restaurants. “It’s cold.”

“Of course it’s cold, it’s fucking England.”

“But it’s exciting,” he adds. “There’s so much history here, buildings that have been around for hundreds of years… it’s great to see.”

“You’re supposed to say you love the food, stop going off script.”

“Sorry – I love the food.”

“Good,” she says. “because if you don’t love where we’re going, then I’ll buy the next round of drinks.”

“Where exactly ARE we going?”

She points across the street and she films him turning and seeing the lit up sign of Lahmu. Owned for the last fifteen years by Baze and Chirrut Malbus-Îmwe, it’s known for its wildly eccentric yet still somehow delicious menu. Jyn leads Cassian there, waving to the matire’d on their way in and asking if Baze is around.

“You’re a regular?” Cassian asks.

“Kind of,” Jyn hedges. “it’s weird to explain.”

She doesn’t rest until they find Baze in the kitchen, the co-owner and chef shaking Cassian’s hand vigorously like any person who was vaguely familiar with food would. Jyn keeps the camera rolling the entire time until finally, he tries Baze’s famous Secret Special and the unearthly sounds that come out of his mouth Jyn deems a little too inappropriate for their G-rated show.

“This is fucking amazing,” he practically moans.

“I’m glad,” Baze says warmly as Jyn hastily cuts the recording.

“And you seriously won’t tell me what kind of meat this is?”

“Of course not, that’s the secret part.”

“It’s not going to have me arrested, right?”

“No. Well… I don’t think so, at least.”

Cassian just shrugs. “Good enough for me.”

Carefully working on packing the camera away in the bag she has strung around her neck, Cassian continues to enthusiastically shovel whatever mystery meat it is into his mouth. Over by the kitchen bench, Baze leans in and squeezes her shoulder.

“So can I expect to actually get on T.V. here, or not?” he asks in undertone.

“Probably not,” she admits.

“Ah, well. It was a nice idea while it lasted,” Baze sighs, gruffly.

“You guys are still doing well, right?” Jyn asks, casually.

“Stop worrying. We’re fine,” Baze shoots her a look. “Exposure never hurts, however.”

“Just let Cassian tweet about this place,” Jyn points out. “You’ll have people coming in hordes.”

Cassian cuts in to scoff, “I’m not THAT popular.”

“When you have a follower count with 5 digits or more, you’re considered popular, mate.”

Cassian protests, but honestly they’re mostly silent after that as he apparently just savours the flavours Jyn knows have to be hitting his tongue. She realises at one point that she’s closed her eyes and she hastily snaps them open because Jesus, Jyn, get a grip, she can listen to the boiling soup and scraping of pots without looking weird about it. It’s only when Baze moves away to carry on directing his kitchen, however, when she finally says,

“Look. I think we got off on the wrong foot when we first met,” she says. “I swear I usually know how to talk to people normally. I’m a big fan?”

Thankfully, he laughs and she lets out a slow breath of relief. “I’m honoured.”

“No really,” Jyn points out. “I don’t even speak Spanish, and I watched all three seasons of your last show.”

“That’s dedication.”

“Sorry again.”

“Hey,” he shakes his head. “It’s fine – I’m a big fan of yours too.”

“Piss off,” Jyn says before she even stops to think whether that might offend him or not. “I film obscure niche documentaries and indie films that lose money rather than make money, there’s no way you like any of that shit.”

“No really, I looked you up when we knew you were coming,” Cassian points out. “Or, ok, Kay sort of insisted that we look you up, he was feeling a bit territorial. But we watched a little of that one documentary you did on the abandoned insane asylum?”

“Oh god,” Jyn shivers. “that place was creepy as all fuckin’ hell. I had nightmares for weeks.”

“But the camera work was beautiful! Wait, exactly how creepy?”

“I’m pretty sure that one of the film crew got possessed.”

“You’re not serious?”

And it’s weird, but he finishes his Secret Special and she tells the quite frankly terrifying story of when one of her crew members had gone a little nutty and claimed that they were having visions of dead people and it kind of… goes well. Her heart is still pounding, but they’re finally talking. It at least makes her feel a little more grounded, a little more like she actually fits into this project that until this point made her feel like she was just floundering under water. This isn’t another weird documentary about haunted buildings, this is something that will eventually air on prime time British television…  

“So how did you end up as a T.V. presenter, of all things?” Jyn asks once his plate is scraped clean.

“I started in regular journalism. Believe it or not, but I’m not the best cook.”

“Shut the hell up,” Jyn insists.

“No really,” Cassian says, earnestly. “I can appreciate good food, but I still cannot make anything like my mother can.”

“Well, I burn toast so together, we’ve got this show covered.”

“Thank God, I was starting to worry.”

She laughs. Fucking laughs. But he’s laughing too, so she hopes it’s ok and he asks her then, “How did you get into camera work?”

“The professional answer is that I have always appreciated the entire filmography of whoever happens to be employing me at the time,” Jyn says. “The real answer is that I was running out of time to pick an elective at uni and I chose this random media studies paper on a whim.”

“So we pretty much started in the same place.”

“I guess, yeah,” It’s hard to imagine herself having literally anything in common with the celebrity, but what the hell does she know in the end? They’re quiet for a moment, Cassian moving to wash his own plate and Jyn pretending that she isn’t watching. It’s only when he’s finished and everything is put away when he turns back to her and says, 

“So what’s the story?”

“Sorry?”

“The story,” he reiterates and Jyn’s chest thuds painfully. “about why this place. Don’t try and tell me there isn’t a story.”

It’s true, there is one. And she honestly wasn’t sure whether she was going to say it when she first brought him in here, but there’s something that makes her want to say it now. She takes a deep breath and answers,

“My father used to own it.” 

He nods, but doesn’t say anything else. He waits, clearly willing to let her talk when she’s ready, and she eventually sighs in exasperation. “Fine, my father owned it and it’s how he met my mother,” she adds on. “I practically grew up here, but they died and it got sold when I was eight and it’s never felt exactly the same since. I guess I still try sometimes, though.”

It’s a very glossed over version of the story, but it will do for now. He nods in understanding before gesturing to her camera once more. “Do you mind?”

She frowns. “What do you want to film?”

“I have an idea – just roll with it?”

She humours him, once again pulling out the camera. She’s at least thankful that the kitchen lights are kind of perfect for filming as she sets it on top of an upturned saucepot in lieu of a tripod. She prompts, “What are you thinking?” and Cassian looks up right at her through the lens.

Blimey.

“We’re going to be taking Europe by storm, right?” he says, and she almost thinks his words aren’t even intended for the camera. “The idea is that we experience multiple cultures and different kinds of foods, but I love that there’s one thing that seems to be universal. No matter where you are in the world, food has this ability to connect things. We associate food with the places we come from, certain celebrations, smell with memories, a restaurant with home…” Her heart is definitely somewhere up around her throat and he smiles at her. “and that’s pretty awesome.”

tellmewhatyoueatofficial rumour has it if you order the #SecretSpecial you’ll become a changed person! #tellmewhatyoueat #restaurant #food #filming #locations #london #covent garden #bts @lahmurestaurant

k-lara7 omg I love this place!!!!

yavemiel @ pingou7 we are so going here next time you come visit me

bodhitherook I had no idea they were filming here @jynserso??????

doptimous Definitely would recommend @lahmurestaurant. The owners are so nice, you’re never waiting long and it’s honestly a great experience every time we go. 

In the end, Draven loves their side project so much that it turns into his idea.

They were all supposed to be on a flight to Cardiff at this point, but the network has apparently let them delay by twelve hours to allow them to shoot additional footage and anything that gets her favourite restaurant exposure is fine with Jyn. But despite their filming obviously fake candid shots outside the restaurant, Draven’s admitted that there’s a lot of charm in the real candid-ness of what they filmed the previous night and hopefully, a lot of their original footage will end up being used in the final cuts.

“I’m going to miss London!” Luke says cheerfully as they wait at the airport. Definitely not a big enough production for a private jet, they get a few looks waiting amongst everyone else but luckily at 4am not many people care all that much about the moderately famous food show host and crew. Jyn is attempting to sleep in her cold, plastic chair but it’s kind of hard when Luke won’t stop chatting.

“Do you ever stop?” she asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind,” she mutters. She gets up and leaves Luke to his cheerful trawling through Twitter and notices Cassian slumped down near the phone charging station. With his hoodie pulled over his eyes it’s difficult to tell if he’s awake or not, but he stirs when she sits down next to him.

“Naturally the network couldn’t wait for tomorrow and literally had to book us on the next flight to Cardiff,” she says. “Who the hell even flies to Cardiff at this time in the morning?”

“Right?” he smiles a little. Then, after pausing he adds, “Hey, um… I’m sorry if I stepped over a line or something before. When we were filming at Lahmu. I know you didn’t really intend on it being a part of the show and it got kinda personal so I just wanted to make sure you’re…”

“It’s ok,” Jyn says softly.

She isn’t sure what it is. It’s 4am in an airport, it’s one of those liminal spaces where time stops existing and only vacant expressions and stress endures. But she turns to glance over at him and he’s looking at her and shitballs, her stomach twists itself inside out.  She still doesn’t know what to expect from this entire project and she certainly doesn’t expect anything ever from him, but a part of her is really, really pissed off to know that they have to part ways at the end of all this.

But then again also, they have 30 more countries to go.

Finally, the announcer is declaring that their flight is beginning boarding. All around, tired people stand and yawn, stretching and picking up suitcases and rousing sleeping children. Cassian sighs before pushing back his hood and giving her a determined look.

“Let’s go to Wales,” he says.

“Let’s go to Wales,” Jyn agrees. 

---

[zombiiesque]

Seasonal Series: FALL For Nocturne Alchemy

Originally published 10/3/2019

So I've been meaning to work on this series for a while, but I keep getting distracted! I'm terrible, I know. I've had the idea to write up a series of four posts, one for each season, of scent suggestions from Nocturne Alchemy - both LC (Limited Collection) and PC (Permanent Collection). I've asked my fellow House of Nocturne Alchemy Tent members for their suggestions, too. If you are not already in the Tent on Facebook, please join us - we'd love to have you! It's a wonderful group. So, fall. It's October, and here in Florida the temperature hasn't really given us any relief, and I'm dying to wear my heavier fall scents. I am really glad not to have snow here yet, but I really would like to have some cooler days! Bring on that crisp fall air, I am ready.

Let's start with LC scents, shall we? Some of my favorites: Phantasm Kiss. Can't talk about fall without talking about this, the biggest gun of all, for me. The vanilla/smoke/wood balance is absolute perfection, and it's cozy and dark and right in my wheelhouse. To boot, it literally makes everything I have ever layered it with smell just so much more amazing. I don't think I've ever tried it with something I didn't love 1000%. This is VHTF, (very hard to find) though - if you come across one in the secondary market, you'd better act fast. Jack's Halloween Oudh is another iconic fall scent - everyone seems to love this, and it truly is fall in a bottle. It took a long time for me to be able to wear it, because for some reason I amped the dickens out of the spices, but they finally mellowed with age enough for this to truly be an experience, not just a perfume. It's a FALL fall scent, in capital letters. Just a tad on the foodie side, but balanced enough with the other notes that I wouldn't call it a gourmand. I'm not going to pick a particular pumpkin from the 31 Pumpkin Library, but I will say this: If you haven't been following along with this series, you are missing out. This is the last year for these. I was not sold on the idea of pumpkin as perfume, because I was never much of a foodie gal - I liked it well enough for room scents, and will eat the heck outta some pie, or muffins - but I just didn't really ever try any that appealed to me. Now I've accumulated a good 10 of them, and love them all. There's something for every taste, even the folks who don't like pumpkin or foodie scents. Can't wear spices? There's even several without spice in the series, too. Feeling Witchy, with a capital W? Sisters of the Moon was created by Bastet in honor of Stevie Nicks, and it's perfection. Herbal, dark, haunting, mysterious - it's everything you want in a witchy perfume. Always a favorite of mine this time of year. My absolute favorite Halloween subcollection though, is the Mummy series. So many favorites in this - Mummy Crypt, Mummy Tomb Incense, Embalmed Mummy, Mummy Amber, and currently available in the Resurgence, The Mummy Returns. Even better, these all do well layered with each other - I highly recommend experimenting with this! My absolute favorite is Mummy Crypt, but truly, I love them all. I would be remiss if I didn't mention V, also available in the Resurgence. I have to say that one really crept up on me - I really liked it, but I do have a lot of incense, and I wasn't sure it was totally unique to my collection. I wore this recently and it was like I was hit by a lightning bolt - I GOT THE FANFARE. Holy. Freaking. Bats! Don't skip out on this if incense is your jam, because this is a beauty. I am not sure whether it was hormones - mine have been in flux for quite a while - or the aforementioned warmer weather, but although I did like it, I wasn't obsessed with it. I surely am now, and it's going to get a lot of wear over the next few months. Thoth did a spectacular job with it, he truly did. Oh, I don't want to forget to mention the Patchouli Bats. If you love patch the way I do, there are some beauties here, and my two favorites right now are Scarlet Bat - available in the Resurgence section of the Limiteds, and the new Vampire Bourbon Patchouli Bat. I'm not going to say a lot on that, as I've got a review coming up at the end of the week with a more in depth look at Bourbon Bat, but it is divine, and already a fan favorite. Another Patchouli Bat I love that came out with the last Holiday LC is Vampire Cardamom Bat - I added this on as a last minute choice, and wasn't really sure about it, but it's become a quick favorite, and I wore it year round this year, but I think it's definitely more appropriate in the cooler months. Scarlet Bat is sugared patchouli red musk, and it. Is. Sexy. Seriously stunning. Okay, lest I go on too long here, I'm going to wrap this up by mentioning some of the LC favorites in the Tent. Vampire Bourbon Patchouli Bat is a fast fan favorite, and everyone is raving about it. Also

mentioned were Halloween Evening, Skeletonic, Blood Queen, Sandman, and Eternal Ankh Spice. Based on the review thread in the Tent, if you like lavender and sleep scents, Halloween Dreams is very popular. Okay, there are a ton of other really wonderful LC choices for fall, but I obviously could go on and on - let's head to the Permanent Collection!

Nocturne Alchemy has a large and wonderful PC, so if you have not explored this yet, you are truly missing out. Treasures untold, as Ariel says in The Little Mermaid. Right off the bat, I'm going to mention the brand new Halloween 2020. It was available in a special black frosted bottle in the LC section, but it's also part of the All Hallows' Eve subcollection, along with previous Halloweens, including my beloved Bastet Halloween 2016. This is a sandalwood lover's dream. I received a sample with my order, so I'll be talking about it when I post my reviews, but I LOVE it already. This is a great fall section, chock full of perfect cooler weather scents. BOO! is a fan favorite - I keep meaning to get a sample of it, because I want to give it a try and see if I can wear the spices. I do, however, have a sample of Day of the Dead, and it is the perfect Horchata. Sugary rice milk, creamy vanilla, and a touch of musk - it's so wearable, even if you're not into foodie scents. It's a snuggly white scent. I used to have a sample of Black Crow, but I gave it away many moons ago - but it's something I need to upgrade to a full bottle of, I loved it. I do however have a big bottle of Black Raven and I adore that one! The patchouli is prominent, but it's blended well with the other resins, and it's a rich and dark scent. If you love those kinds of scents, don't skip out on this one. I could really go on and on in this section, but I'll stop, and just encourage you to explore this one for yourself, especially for fall. Another section you won't want to miss is the Goblins. This one contains another big fan favorite, Spooktacular. I have the original version, without the addition of Bastet's Ice Cream Accord, but I need to pick up the new one, as well. This is simple - gooey, creamy, marshmallow goodness. If you are looking for a marshmallow scent, Spooktacular is the one you want. And it layers with absolutely everything! Demonseed Cake and Pina Ghoulata are also popular. The Immortals has another favorite - Emerson. This is a beauty for fall, a bright, rich golden resin scent. Mina is another popular one, jasmine with vanilla, musk, and pepper. I'm going to mention Ozymandias here, although I wear this year round, if I had to put it firmly into a season, I would call it a fall scent. I highly encourage you to age this one if you find it faint at first, that is common with this scent. It's a cozy, sweet resinous scent with just a light kick of pepper, and just perfect for snuggling into a jean jacket and thick sweater. It's in the Pharaohs & Queens section. There are a literal ton in the Studio Limited sections that would suit, so I'm going to briefly mention a few favorites: Ember Vanilla. Smoked out, slightly chewy vanilla, and layers well with many other perfumes. I haven't tried Bourbon Vanille solo yet, but having had it in blends, I am yearning for a bottle, and I think it, too, would be a great fall scent. There are many of the Ombres that are heavier and absolutely perfect for the fall, not the least of which are Oud Ombre and Fig Noir Ombre, a darkly sexy, date night fig and resins perfume. The newly released Musk Haven musks are great as well - I'm thinking particularly Vanilla Musk and Amber Musk, with the golden, stunning amber musk of Saphir. Ember is a rich, woody combination of frankincense and myrrh that I crave all year, but in particular during the cooler months. Kashmir - a dark, sexy red musk, and Bloodstone - a deep, spicy dragon's blood - are heavier and well suited for fall. Really, there are a plethora of choices in the Studio Limited, so I'll leave you to browse at your leisure, and just mention a few more that come to mind. Etherias is another section worth exploring, and I have several of these on my wishlist, including Etherian Ambre, which I think sounds perfect right about now. But one I really crave once the temperatures drop is Polichenelle - a gooey marshmallow with a puff of smoke and spicy clove. This to me is the perfect scent if you like clove, but it can amp up on your skin. I have that problem

myself, but not here - the marshmallow really reigns it in and it is beautifully balanced. It dries down to a lightly spiced marshmallow musk on me. The Royal Ambers have so many favorites, but I really want to mention Sky Amber, Thoth Amber, Sekhmet Amber, and especially Horus Amber. The cardamom in this is so smooth and rich, this is a gorgeous golden scent that is just wonderfully warm. Let me put the brakes on, y'all. There are a lot of great choices for fall in the PC, and some recommendations from my friends in the Tent include Burning Jack, Vanilla Pumpkin Pie, Halloween 2019, and Halloween 2017 (I too have this one and love it).

OH, another one - I would really feel bad if I didn't mention this. The Desecrated Tomb is a great little section, and the three I have all layer well with each other - Black Frankincense, Black Myrrh, and Black Vanilla Embalming Spice. But that last one is a perfect fall vanilla, it's dark and smoothly warm with the spices, and totally unique. And it's another fan favorite!

And that's it! Fall is my absolute favorite season, so I get a little verbose with the recommendations. There are so many wonderful possibilities, and not just in the Limited Collection. What are your favorite fall scents? Do you have and love any of these? Happy October, y'all.

[the-coconut-asado]

Nazareth: The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

Last month I went to Israel. So did the Duke of Cambridge. I wonder if it was as much of a food revelation to him as it was to me?

I had lazily assumed a diet of falafel and hummus. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of both, but so moist and unctuous that I have no desire to buy either from Sainsbury’s ever again. But for somewhere that, by its own admission (or at least according to my foodie tour guide in Tel Aviv) doesn’t have a home-grown cuisine, I ate my way through at least three blogs-worth of inspiration.

So, here’s the first chapter. It’s not where I started my journey, but it’s as good a place as any to start the story.

You come across Nazareth suddenly after driving roughly two and a half hours north-east of Jerusalem. Worried that our bus would abandon us at the edge of the Old Town and we would have to find our guest house in a maze of unnamed streets, we realised on alighting that the Old Town was walkable in 5 minutes and our guesthouse was, er, 100 metres from our drop off point. Doubly happy with our charming new abode and our host’s insistence that we were home now (he said that a lot), we set off to discover one of the Country’s lesser-known foodie destinations.

We spent our whole Israel trip running ahead the Sabbath, because whether you are Jewish or Christian, there ain’t nothing open on the Sabbath. Thus, we left Jerusalem the day before Shabbat and stayed in Nazareth (predominantly Muslim and Christian) until the Sunday, when we drove away from streets devoid of people, to the twin sounds of the Muezzin and Church bells.

But wherever we went, it was Ramadan.  Which meant you had to get your meal timings right.  Half an hour before sundown after a day’s fasting, families sat expectantly at restaurant tables, knives and forks poised and inner engines revving for the signal to eat. Then suddenly, all the restaurants were jammed and buzzing – and no corner for a couple of ravenous tourists to squeeze into.

After the noise and bustle of Jerusalem, Nazareth was like a secret garden of delightful courtyards, cool fountains and monastic whispering alleys.  You soon realise that for Christians, Nazareth is all about Mary. And as Mary wrote the rulebook on serenity, that’s what Nazareth is: a lot like Mary.

But in a week of 35C heat, covering up gnawed at my serenity and curdled it. Self-elected stewards waved their arms to shoo me away from churches if I was wearing anything less than full length jeans, even while I was across the road with no intention of visiting.  Seriously, dude, where are your aggressive arms when a man goes in wearing a pair of dodgy shorts?.   Anyway, I travelled around clutching a pair of floaty trousers that I had haggled for in Old Jerusalem, just like 99% of my fellow female tourists.  We, the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, glanced long-sufferingly at each other as we darted into coffee shop bathrooms to pull them on and whip a shawl around our shoulders before sightseeing.  Bright side, coffee shops were great places to make the switch as they served some truly amazing sweetmeats.

If you are fasting all day then you need a sugar buzz in the evening to sustain you for the next day. And the variety and lip-sticky sweetness of the local desserts and sweetmeats kept both of us licking our fingers and catching the syrupy dribbles on our chins. On which subject guys and girls, let me introduce you to Qataifi.  These are little dollar pancakes, filled with either cream cheese or chopped nuts, sealed into half-moon parcels, deep fried and then drenched in a rosewater -flavoured syrup. Call the ambulance Alice. We convinced ourselves that a plate of six Qataifi would be our lunch. A plate of freshly cooked falafel an hour later and we realised the only people we were fooling were ourselves.  

Breakfasts were a simpler, but no less delicious, affair. Our host looked at me with the hurt eyes of a child when I asked for fried eggs instead of his ‘signature’ omelette one morning, but his Za’atar bread and labneh was usually all I needed, with a side of cucumber and tomato salad which in Israel are the baby sisters salt and pepper never knew they had.

But, for me, the stand-out dish in this corner of the world was something I had at dinner at Kitabon, an Arab restaurant on the approach to Mary’s Well:  the romantic-sounding Muhammar. Chicken marinated in Sumac and cumin, poached in just a little stock, then finished off in the oven on a bed of lavash bread soaked in an onion and sumac oil slick. Divine.

Muhammar is a process to make, but not difficult. Za’atar bread just as easy. . And while Qataifi is fiddly, the end result is worth the effort on a special occasion. So you can start discovering Nazareth with these three recipes.

It’ll whet your appetite for Tel Aviv. But that’s another story.

Muhammar

This gives you a spectacular dinner party centrepiece and delicious flavours in one. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 chicken, jointed

1 tbsp. cumin

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. sumac

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp cinnamon

4 x lavash flatbreads

3 onions, sliced

50g pine nuts or chopped almonds, toasted

How to Make

Pat the chicken dry, mix the cumin, sumac, garlic and ¼ cup of the olive oil, season and rub into the chicken pieces. Cover with clingfilm and pop in the fridge to marinade for an hour or so.

Sauté the onions in the remaining olive oil, adding seasoning, 1 tsp each cumin and sumac for about 10-15 minutes. You want them caramelised and jammy. Set aside.

Add 2 tbsps. olive oil to a deep saucepan, add the chicken pieces and 1 cup of fresh chicken stock, mixing together, then cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and leave to cook for about 45 mins – an hour, until cooked through and moist. Transfer the chicken pieces to dish pop in a hot oven for 5 minutes to brown for 5 – 10 minutes.

Get your lavash bread and dip each flatbread into the stock mix, lay on a baking sheet and pop into the oven for the last 5 minutes of the chicken cooking so that the edges crisp up slightly.

Now to assemble: Start by laying a layer of lavash bread onto a shallow round dish. Cover with the onions, another tsp sumac and seasoning and drizzle some of the leftover stock mix. Then add the chicken pieces on top, drizzle any leftover stock, sprinkle with a little sumac, seasoning and a spritz of lemon juice.  Sprinkle over the toasted almonds and Serve straight away with slices of lemon and some coriander sprigs.

Super Simple Za’atar bread

We know Za’atar as a mix of thyme, oregano, marjoram and sesame seeds. Mixed with oil and sumac, it gives flatbread a distinctly middle-eastern twist, and is lovely for breakfast with a dollop of labneh cheese. Makes 6-8 flatbreads.

  Ingredients:

For the bread:

1 cup tepid water

½ tsp caster sugar

2 tsp dry active yeast

3 cups plain flour

Generous inch salt

2-3 tbsps. olive oil

For the topping:

3 tbsps. each dried thyme, sumac, oregano and marjoram

2 tblspns sesame seeds

1 tsp sea salt

½ cup olive oil.

How to Make

Sprinkle the yeast onto the water and mix in with the sugar. Leave to stand for about 15 minutes until the surface of the water is foamy. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, add the olive oil and rub in. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes (10 if you are feeling strong enough). When it feels elastic, place in an oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a damp cloth and leave to rise for at least an hour. You want it to double in size. While the dough is rising, mix all the topping ingredients in a bowl and cover.

Heat the oven to 200C. Divide the dough into 8 balls, place on a baking sheet, cover and leave for about 20-30 mins to rise slightly again.

Lightly flour your work surface then take each ball of dough, flatten it slightly in your hands, then roll out to a medium sized disc. Make little dimples in each disc with your fingertips, and divide the topping among each one. Slide the discs onto a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Cool on racks and wither eat straight away, or warm up to serve later, either with labneh for breakfast, or a dinner like the Keralan Roadside Chicken in the picture below.

Qataifi

This is serious sugar rush territory. Less is deliciously more. You can make all the components in advance, then assemble and cook before serving. There are many ways to make these, but I have adapted Little Sunny Kitchen’s version here. Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the pancakes:

1 cup plain flour

1 cup lukewarm water

½ cup milk

½ cup semolina

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp dry active yeast

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp, vanilla

Pinch salt

For the syrup

1 cup water

2.5 cups caster sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp orange flower water

For the fillings

250g ricotta

4 tsp icing sugar

50g chopped toasted pistachios and pecan nuts

1 500ml bottle sunflower oil, for frying

How to Make

First, make the pancakes. Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl, except the yeast. Add the yeast to the water with the sugar and leave for 10-15 minutes, until the surface of the water is foamy. Mix the yeast water and the vanilla in with the dry ingredients until it is smooth and properly mixed. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes – an hour. The mixture should have expanded, and bubbly on the surface.

Heat a non-stick crepe pan and drop spoonfuls of the mix onto the pan so that they form medium sized discs. 

Cook for about 1-2 minutes each until lots of bubbles form on the surface and the pancake is dry. 

Do not flip it over, just pop onto a clean dishcloth and wrap immediately to prevent the pancakes drying out. Repeat with the rest of the mix. You should end up with about 20 pancakes. Let cool (they will soften as they cool) and then put into a sealed plastic container until you are ready to assemble.

Next, make your syrup: Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the lemon juice, mix and then simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the orange flower water (you could add rosewater instead, but not everyone likes the perfumey taste). Cool completely – it will thicken slightly as it cools.

You are making two fillings for the pancakes: In one bowl mix the ricotta and icing sugar, in the other, mix the remaining icing sugar with the chopped, toasted nuts.

To assemble: take each pancake in one hand, add a tsp of either filling and seal then edges firmly into a half moon.

 Repeat with the remaining pancakes – you should have 10 ricotta and 10 nut, with some nuts in reserve.

Heat the oil until a cube of bread browns, then fry each sealed pancake for 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

When all the Qataifi are cooked, transfer to a dish, pour over the syrup, 

sprinkle with the remaining nuts and serve immediately.

[lawrencedienerthings]

Nicolais: Racine’s may be gone, but plenty excellent eateries remain open for business

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get headlines https://thecherrycreeknews.com

Politicos and newsies alike let out a collective moan of despair when Racine’s announced it would close several months earlier than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Or maybe it was just the sound of their stomachs grumbling.

Regardless, the toll taken on Colorado eateries threatens to squelch the burgeoning foodie scene that saw Denver’s recent ascent among America’s best restaurant cities. It is a travesty for our communal taste buds and a tragedy for the workers who relied on our restaurant trips to pay their bills.

For me personally, that reality hit home in early March. Even before Gov. Jared Polis closed restaurants and bars on March 17, I had already stopped attending soccer matches at my beloved British Bulldog restaurant and pub.

Mario Nicolais

While I am not a regular in the same manner as Norm Peterson in “Cheers,” I am typically greeted by several chants and jeers whenever I walk into the Bulldog. And for early morning kickoffs – 5:30 a.m. MT – I typically get a caustic but loving reply from the bar’s aptly named general manager, Sam, when I burst through the doors singing. Given that she’s a Liverpool supporter, her comments aren’t usually fit for print.

So when bars and restaurants were shuttered in March, I knew the names and stories of the British Bulldog’s bartenders and servers. I gratefully chipped in when the Rocky Mountain Blues, my local Chelsea supporters club that has made the far end of the Bulldog its home for more than a decade, began a collection to help the suddenly unemployed staff. 

The money the RMBs raised and gifted seemed like a lot but at the same time, in the face of uncertainty and unparalleled economic hardship, too little.

Not long after Gov. Polis lifted restrictions, soccer returned to Europe and the television screens at the British Bulldog. They reopened with limited seating and, unlike some other dining establishments, in strict accord with COVID-19 regulations. I have yet to make it back because I have vulnerable family members, but several friends reserved seats in advance. 

READ: Colorado Sun opinion columnists.

Nearly two months later the British Bulldog is still serving up Denver’s best chicken masala alongside hours of soccer. 

Sadly, that is not the case for all my favorite restaurants. I learned from a fellow Chelsea fan that Frijoles Colorado, an exceptional Cuban joint, permanently closed in May. I will miss its gregarious owner almost as much as his “pan con bistec” sandwich on fresh-baked Cuban bread.

To help other local gems avoid a similar fate, my family continues to order carryout on a regular rotating basis from restaurants that take their customers’ safety as seriously as their menus. That means wings and cauliflower baskets drenched in sauce from Fire on the Mountain.

It means finishing a hike along the Colorado Trail with a smothered carne asada burrito and two rellenos from one of the four El Tapatio Mexican Restaurants dotting Wadsworth Boulevard.

It means driving for an hour into the mountains to reach Zoka’s Restaurant and Bar in Pine. Not only do they serve one of the best burgers in the state alongside perfectly golden onion rings, but they’ve converted the restaurant’s windows into individual service stations to keep customers on their deck as safe as possible.

And when I need my Neapolitan fix, it means anything from Café Jordano where on occasion I washed dishes in exchange for a meal during my middle school days.

Racine’s, Frijoles Colorado and many other Colorado favorites have closed shop and left us with a pit in our stomach worse than hunger. Yet the list of establishments continuing to fight through these extraordinary times and provide mouth-watering menus remains long and distinguished. 

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As infections continue to ebb and flow, it will be up to us to continue supporting restaurants. 

And with a little luck and lots of caution, I will soon find myself doing just that and watching a new season of soccer from my favorite corner booth at the British Bulldog.

Mario Nicolais is an attorney and columnist who writes on law enforcement, the legal system, health care and public policy. Follow him on Twitter: @MarioNicolaiEsq

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggested writers and more to opinion@coloradosun.com.

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Arplis - News: 38 Fun Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona

With incredible outdoor adventures, some of the best Mexican food in the U.S. (yes, seriously!), and a vibrant nightlife, Tucson may just be the perfect weekend getaway. Oh, and did we mention Tucson has wonderfully warm temperatures in the wintertime?! (Fellow Midwesterners, take note!)

The population of Tucson is just over half a million people, making it feel like a relatively small city. But dont be fooled there are an incredible amount of things to do in Tucson!

While there are many things to do in the city itself, the real draw of Tucson is what lies beyond. The Sonoran Desert which surrounds Tucson, is one of the only places in the world to see the iconic saguaro cactus, after all.

Were walking you through the very best things to do in Tucson, Arizona from epic outdoor adventures to foodie experiences to nightlife for all ages.

Our Experience in Tucson

Im going to be honest: Until recently, Tucson wasnt on my radar at all. Instead, I pictured the Grand Canyon and cities like Phoenix, Sedona and Scottsdale when I thought of Arizona.

So when my parents booked a 2-week Airbnb rental in Tucson to escape Minnesotas frigid winter clutches, I asked them, What is there to do in Tucson?

The timing was uncanny, because a week after my parents booked their trip, we were contacted by Visit Tucson (the tourism board) to work on a campaign with them. And all of a sudden, a city I hadnt ever thought much about took center stage in my mind.

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, I truly started to realize why my parents had booked 2 weeks there. As it turns out, theres a lot to do in this southwestern city!

This info-packed guide is full of top tips, where to stay, what foods to try , and everything else you need to know about planning an incredible trip to Tucson.

Contents:

Things to do in Tucson:

Outdoor Activities in Tucson

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

Planning your trip to Tucson:

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Best time to visit Tucson

Where to stay in Tucson

How to Get Around Tucson

What to pack for Tucson

Tucson Map

Disclosure: This trip and article was sponsored by Visit Tucson. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and completely our own. Additionally, this article contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

Outdoor Adventures in Tucson

If you like getting outside, youll find your bliss in Tucson because there are so many outdoor adventures to be had in the area surrounding this city.

1. Go horseback riding in the desert

I am going to embarrass Ben for a minute while I tell you something about him few people know: Hes afraid of horses.

Hes looking over my shoulder as I type this and saying, Im not afraid, I just think theyre smart and strong, and we should respect them.

Yeah, okay whatever, Ben.

But to his credit, he agreed to go horseback riding on our trip to Tucson. (Ive been asking him for the last couple of years, and he finally gave in.)

And you know what? When I asked Ben what his highlight was from our trip to Tucson, the first thing out of his mouth was, horseback riding!. So even if youre not an experienced rider, Bens reaction should give you some encouragement.

It was hands down one of my favorite experiences in Tucson too! We were able to see places we never would have without being saddled up on John Wayne and Mac (names of our horses).

Bobbi, the owner of Houstons Horseback Riding, led our group along the trail. We crossed rivers, ducked beneath low-hanging trees, and trotted past giant saguaro cacti with mountains looming in the distance. The landscape changed throughout the 2-hour journey, and the pace was slow and steady (great for those of us who arent experienced riders).

The views we got right up next to the saguaros on top of the horses was completely different than the perspective wed get walking on the trail with our own two feet. It was surreal.

And after chatting with Bobbi, its clear how much passion she has for this work. She has been working with horses for nearly her entire life and has passed on her admiration for these beautiful creatures to her children who help run the show as well. I mean, with about 30 horses to care for, the more hands the better.

So not only will you have an amazing experience with the horses, but youre supporting a family run business. Win-win!

Hours: Trail rides start at 9 a.m and 2:30 p.m.

Cost: $85 for a 2 hour walking ride

Book Your Horseback Ride Here!

Are you an experienced rider? If youre no stranger to horseback riding, you can book a private ride where your guide will adjust the speed to suit your experience level.

2. Visit Saguaro National Park

Saguaro are the huge cacti that adorn the Arizona license plate and serve as an icon of Southwest USA. And there is a National Park just 30 minutes from downtown Tucson that is dedicated to their existence.

Before we delve into the best things to do in Saguaro National Park, lets start with the basics pronunciation.

Say it with me: suh-waa-row

Now you wont embarrass yourselves like we did. (Youre welcome!)

And because I am fascinated by these cacti, Im gonna entertain you with some fun facts about the saguaro:

They can live to be 150 years old (some even are said to be 200 years old!).

They can grow up to 40-60 feet tall (12-18 meters).

They dont start growing arms until theyre around 70 years old.

They only grow in parts of the Sonoran Desert (a small area in Mexico, southern Arizona, and occasionally southeastern California.

They are expensive! Thats right, some people like to incorporate them into their landscaping, and the large ones can cost upwards of $10,000. The more arms it has, the more money it costs.

One foot of a saguaro weighs around 100 pounds!

We have a love affair with National Parks. Anyone else?! So it should come as no surprise that the first thing we plotted on our Tucson itinerary was a visit to Saguaro National Park.

And guess what?! It was our 20th US National Park! *cue champagne toast*

Saguaro is divided into two sections: one to the east and one to the west. In the middle lies the city of Tucson. Each side is a bit different. The west side of the park is more densely covered with saguaro, while the east side has more hiking trails and is more mountainous.

Try to see both sides if possible, but if youre short on time, visiting the west side of the park will be the best way to maximize your visit.

Best things to do in Saguaro National Park (with limited time):

West Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive around the 6-mile scenic Bajada Loop, and stop along the way at the spots listed below (plus any others that pique your interest):

Hugh Norris Trailhead: Hike up the trail for about 5-7 minutes and look west. Youll see tons of saguaro cacti and this spot would be wonderful for sunset.

Valley View Overlook Trail: 0.8-mile one-way (out and back) easy trail that is relatively flat. There are signs along the way pointing out the different types of plants and the final destination is a viewpoint over the vast valley below that is full of cacti.

Signal Hill Picnic Area: This short 0.3-mile hike up signal hill leads you to dozens of 800-year old petroglyphs that were created by the ancient Hohokam people.

East Side Saguaro National Park:

Drive along the Cactus Forest Drive Loop. It is an 8-mile self-drive loop that takes you to some of the major attractions in the east side of Saguaro National Park:

Mica View Trail: This relatively flat 2-mile return hike starts at a nice picnic area, goes through the cactus forest to East Broadway Blvd and back. You can also start the hike from E Broadway Blvd too.

Desert Ecology Trail: Paved 0.3-mile loop with signs to tell you more about desert plants. Great walk for kids.

Cactus Forest Trail: Splits the East Saguaro National Park from North to South. 5-mile return, mostly flat, but youll be surrounded with saguaro cacti the entire time.

Freeman Homestead Trail: Short 1-mile loop trail easy to do with kids. Youll walk by some of the biggest and oldest saguaros in the park.

Have more time in Saguaro National Park?

Douglas Spring Trailhead (East Side): This is a 16-mile out and back trail that is pretty flat for the first half and then switchbacks up the mountain until the top. About a quarter of the way on the trail, head to the left for 0.4 miles to see the Bridal Wreath Falls (dont expect a massive falls, but refreshing to see in the desert).

King Canyon Trail (West Side): The trailhead starts opposite of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, this 7.1-mile moderate trail winds its way up to Wasson Peak. Many reports say its tough on the way up and you should start early, but youll be rewarded with an amazing view of the saguaro cacti filled desert.

Hours: Visitor Centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but the park is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset.

Cost: weekly pass to Saguaro National Park is $25 per vehicle.

Insider tip: If you dont already have an America the Beautiful Pass, you might want to consider getting one before your trip to Tucson. It will not only cover your entrance to the National Park, but also to Sabino Canyon. Weve put together a guide thatll help you decide if the US National Park Pass is worth it for you.

3. Mountain Biking around Tucson

There are few things better than being outside, getting your heart pumping, and trying something totally new. And thats exactly what we did on our last morning in Tucson. We woke up before the sun, grabbed a breakfast burrito for fuel, and headed to a trailhead.

Tucson has some of the best places in Arizona if not the best for mountain biking. And whether youre a newbie to the sport (like us!) or a seasoned mountain biker, there are trails suited to all levels.

Important info about biking in Tucson:Here's the thing we wish we would have known before going mountain biking in Tucson... Some of the trails around the city are unsanctioned, meaningyou cannot legally ride on them without getting a permit. And the even sketchier thing is some mountain bike rental companies encourage riders to use these trails without first obtaining anArizonaState Trust Landpermit.

Even after quite a bit of sleuthing, we still can't figure out how a visitor to Tucson could actually purchase one of these permits (as the site to purchase them is broken). Moral of the story: When picking the trails you'll ride, be extra careful to choose only those that are sanctioned. Otherwise, you can be fined (and you're breaking the law).

Luckily, there are some reputable biking companies that follow the rules and encourage safe riding on trails that are open for the public to enjoy.

Our recommendation:Home Grown Mountain Bikingis a trusted company that offers rentals, shuttle services, and guided rides so you have an expert with you on the trails.Cost: Mountain bike rentals start at $120 per day. You'll find other package options as well as multi-day discounts.

Some popular mountain bike trails in Tucson (that don't require a permit):

Mount Lemmon:Lots of rugged terrain and temperatures that are significantly cooler than you'll find closer to the city, which makes for comfortable biking even in hotter months.

Catalina State Park, Oro Valley:Lots of beautiful trails, like the intermediate track "50 Year". Note: to enter Catalina State Park, you will need to pay $7 per vehicle.

Tucson Mountain Park:Here you'll find 50 miles of trails that are primarily beginner and intermediate levels.

Insider Tip:Download theTrailForks app to get a detailed look at the trail you plan to ride.

4. Explore Colossal Cave

Stalactites, stalagmites, and bat poo, oh my!

Ive had a fascination with caves since I was a child, so weve visited all different types of caves on our travels around the world. When we heard there was a cave in Tucson, we didnt need much convincing to squeeze a visit into our itinerary.

Located a short 15-minute drive southeast of Tucson, the Colossal Cave has a pretty interesting history. It was once used as a temporary shelter for the Hohokam people (the regions first inhabitants) as early as 900 AD. And later, this cave served as a hiding place for 19th-century outlaws who didnt want to be found.

To enter the Colossal Cave, you must book a guided tour. There are a handful of options to choose from:

Classic Cave Tour: Good introduction to the cave and suitable for all ages.

Length: 50-minute tour

Cost: Adults: $18, Children (5-12 yrs): $9, 4 and under: free

When: 8 tours a day, depart hourly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tip: Reservations are encouraged

Ladder Tour: Navigate narrow passageways, climb ladders, and cross rickety bridges in seldom-seen parts of the cave system.

Length: 1.5-hour tour

Cost: $35 per person

When: 2 tours a day 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Tip: Reservations required

Wild Cave Tour: The most adventurous of tours offered, guides will take you to the most remote parts of the cave system. Participants must be fit and ready for a rugged good time! Described as absolutely down-and-dirty caving!

Length: 3.5-hour tour

Cost: $85 (reservations required)

Restrictions: 16 years old and older

When: 1 tour a day at 1 p.m.

Tip: There is an Intermediate option as well as Advanced ($125).

Our Opinion: Due to our limited time, the Classic Cave Tour was the one that best fit into our schedule. While it was a good introduction, it wasnt anything too different from what weve seen in other cave systems. We wished we had booked the Ladder or Wild Tour, as it would have been a bit more up our alley in terms of adventure!

Learn more about each tour and make your bookings here.

5. Sunset in the desert

Look up to the skies at dusk and youre in for an incredible show put on by Mother Nature. Seriously though, Tucson is known for having some epic sunsets, so plan to be somewhere special for at least one of the evenings during your trip.

Theres nothing like seeing the cacti start to glow as the sky takes on a pinkish hue.

Some top spots around Tucson for sunset:

Gates Pass

Saguaro National Park

A Mountain

JW Marriot

Tucson Mountain Park

Mount Lemmon scenic drive

6. Get a view over Tucson from A Hill (aka Sentinel Peak Park)

Look to the horizon and you shouldnt have a problem spotting A Hill, which, as the name implies, is adorned with a giant letter A made of rocks. This tribute to the University of Arizona is not only a town icon, but it marks one of the best spots to get a view over the city.

As long as the sky is clear, any time of day will grant you a sweeping view. Get an early morning start here and view the city beneath blue skies.

Or come for that golden hour glow and stay after the sun goes down to see the city lights begin to sparkle. Just know that after the sun sets, this is clearly a makeout spot, which is slightly awkward...

Alternative: Are you looking to get a workout in instead of taking the easy way and driving to the top? Pat yourself on the back, and then head to Tumamoc Hill. The trailhead is just a few minutes drive past the starting point of Sentinel Peak. This short but steep climb is a 3-mile round trip with a 700-foot elevation gain.

7. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

I hate to admit it, but unless it is truly something special like the Met in NYC or the Uffizi in Florence I dont always prioritize fitting museums into our travel plans. Honestly, Id rather be outside or eating which I suppose could be my life motto.

However, once we saw reviews for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, we decided to squeeze it into our itinerary. I mean, its the top-rated Tucson attraction on TripAdvisor (earning 5 stars with more than 8,000 reviews!), so surely it has to be worthwhile, right?

Honestly, after checking it out, I would say it depends. I know thats annoying to hear when trying to plan your itinerary, but keep reading to see if it is an experience thatll float your boat.

First things first, dont think of this as a typical museum... It's more of a zoo blended with a botanical garden and a dash of museum thrown in there for fun.

Youll find a huge variety of exhibits and lots of information around the park. To really explore everything thoroughly, youll need at least 2 hours.

Here are some of the main exhibits:

Aquarium

Raptor Flights

Hummingbird Aviary

Cave & Earth Sciences Center (the cave is artificial but pretty convincing)

Botanical Garden

Indoor Play Area for kids

One major perk to visiting the museum is your entrance fee will help contribute to their ongoing conservation and research efforts. One of their primary missions is to understand, connect people to and protect the natural systems of the Sonoran Desert Region.

Considering that the Sonoran Desert region is home to one of the greatest varieties of plants and animals out of any desert in the world, you can see it is pretty important work.

Interested in hearing more? Check out their website to see their current conservation and research projects.

Our thoughts on the Desert Museum:

Our favorite parts were the cave and gemstone exhibits. We are big rock nerds, so this part was especially cool. Theres even a little piece of rock from the moon on display which Ben geeked out about!

We think this would be a fun activity with kids (though we arent experts on the whole subject of children just yet!).

Honestly, zoos usually arent our thing (but thats a topic for another time). So we werent all that fond of the animal exhibits at this museum.

There is a small pool with stingrays where people can pay a small fee to touch them. We personally try to avoid any animal attraction that encourages touching.

Summary: Overall, this attraction is very well put together with accessible paths, frequent water fountains and toilets, lots of informational signs, and activities for children. You can learn a lot here and spend quite a bit of time exploring it all. However, if youre short on time, going into Saguaro National Park and Sabino Canyon are going to be even more worth your while.

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Adults - $21.95, Seniors (65+) - $19.95, Children (3-12) - $9.95, Children (under 3) - Free

8. Go hiking in Sabino Canyon

Sitting in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Sabino Canyon Recreation Center draws more than a million visitors annually. And for good reason: This place is absolutely stunning and packed with adventures for all types of travelers.

Encompassing two gorges: Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon, you can choose to hike along paved or gravel paths, or you can save your legs some work and hop on a shuttle (for a fee).

Bear Canyon Shuttle: $6 adults, $4 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Sabino Canyon Shuttle: $10 adults, $5 ages 3-12; leaves every 30 minutes

Seven Falls Hike

5 miles round trip

917 feet in elevation gain

If youre up for a challenging hike (thats well worth the effort), look no further than the Seven Falls Trail. You can hop on the Bear Canyon shuttle and get off at the last stop, which is at the trailhead. (Alternatively, you can skip the shuttle and hike the 2 miles to get to the trailhead.)

From here, its a 2.5-mile hike to the waterfalls that cascade over granite rocks to form pools that are perfect for taking a refreshing dip!

Important note: This trail requires some creek crossings, so be sure to check the conditions at the visitors center before attempting the hike. And be sure to carry plenty of water, as youll be hiking in some exposed areas and it can get very hot.

Cost: $8 per vehicle to enter Sabino Canyon

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Good to know: If you have a National Park Pass, youll get into Sabino Canyon for free!

Planning your itinerary: Wed recommend combining a visit to Sabino Canyon and a drive up to Mount Lemmon (described below) on the same day since they are in the same relative area. If you plan to visit the DeGrazia Gallery as well (#19), you can tack it on the same day since its not far from Sabino Canyon.

9. Scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

When we started planning our trip to Tucson, at least three different people told us, You absolutely have to make the drive up to Mount Lemmon.

And were so happy we listened because it was one of the highlights of our trip. We only wish we had allotted more time to it.

This 40-mile drive snakes back and forth as it winds up through the mountains. There are viewpoints, pullouts, trailheads and campgrounds very frequently along the drive, so there are plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and scope out the views.

Youll notice a drastic drop in temperature as you make your way up the mountain, and depending on the time of year, you may even start to see snow (a crazy sight when youre coming from the desert!).

At the very top of Mount Lemmon, sits the tiny town of Summerhaven, which is basically a handful of vacation homes and a few small stores. Satisfy your sweet tooth by sampling fudge at the General Store and ordering a cookie at the Mount Lemmon Cookie Cabin, and continue to drive to the Marshall Gulch Picnic Area where you can enjoy your sweet treats with some real food you packed!

Insider Tip: One of our friends messaged us and told us to go to the Cookie Cabin, for huge and delicious cookies. Sadly, we got the text too late. So if you have the chance, go to this mountaintop log cabin and order a giant cookie for us, please!

Another fun thing to see is the (tiny) Mount Lemmon Ski Valley before you begin your drive down the mountain.

How long does it take? The drive is roughly 42 miles from downtown Tucson and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from bottom to top without stopping. Wed allot at least 3.5 - 4 hours for the drive up and down the mountain with a few stops along the way.

10. Explore Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Sitting at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this state park is a haven for desert wildlife and is home to more than 5,000 saguaros.

Come to Catalina State Park put a few more miles on your hiking boots or to have a relaxing picnic surrounded by nature.

Hikes in Catalina State Park:

Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail: This short and easy loop is 0.6 miles and has just 68 feet in elevation gain, making it a good hike for most people. The trail brings you past some historic dwellings and archaeological sites that are marked with signs.

Romero Pools: This 4.9-mile out and back trail is rated as intermediate, and has a 1,047-foot elevation gain. Your efforts will be rewarded as the trail culminates at some beautiful pools.

Cost: $7 per vehicle

11. Drive through Tucson Mountain Park

Another park in Tucson? Yep, thats right!

You will pass through the Tucson Mountain Park on your drive to the west portion of Saguaro National Park. And actually the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson are both located within the parks boundaries.

There are no entry fees, and unless youre looking at your map, you might not even realize youre inside the park at all.

Insider Tip: Be sure to stop at the Gates Pass viewpoint for an epic look over the valley. It is especially beautiful during golden hour. There are a few nearby trailheads too, so youll have the chance to stretch your legs if needed.

12. Visit Kitts Observatory

Kitt's Observatory | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Are you as big of a space geek as Ben?! If so, a trip to Kitts Observatory might be right up your alley. You can visit during the day to learn about telescopes and all the work that goes on behind the scenes, or you can take a night time tour and see the stars. But be sure to check the weather before you book.

Also, if the weather is cold, be prepared with warmer clothes because it can get even colder up on the mountain. Bring a good pair of shoes too because there is quite a bit of walking in the tour.

13. Tour Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Could you live in a bubble for 2 years?! Thats what 8 scientists did back in 1991 when the Biosphere 2 was first introduced to the world. Their goal was to study how a mini-biosphere would work with as few outside variables as possible.

Today, you can visit Biosphere 2 and tour the different ecosystems which range from rainforest to the ocean to a model city. The guided tours take you through various stations and highlight the ongoing experiments happening in the Biosphere.

Inside Biosphere 2 | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Some tours are included with the General Admission fee, while other tours have an additional cost. Tours can take around 2 to 3 hours. Plus, getting to Biosphere 2 from the center of Tucson is roughly a 50-minute drive, so youll need to dedicate a good portion of a day to this excursion if you add it to your itinerary.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Cost: Adults: $21, Kids $14

Check the Biosphere 2 website for more details on times and prices.

Fun Fact: If this is Biosphere 2, where is Biosphere 1? Well, youre living on it right now (aka Earth!). Mind blown!

Food & Nightlife in Tucson

Foodies are in for a treat because Tucson is packed with incredible dining options, especially when it comes to Mexican cuisine. And night owls will have a long list of things to do at night, from sampling the best local craft beer to enjoying live music on the town.

14. Eat ALL the Mexican Food

One of the things we were most excited for on this trip was the food. Mexican food, to be precise. #allthetacos

Being that this city is just over 60 miles from the border of Mexico, it should come as no surprise that Tucson is known for having a killer Mexican food scene. In fact, Tucson is the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States!

Psst! If youre a foodie, youll love this intro to the Tucson culinary scene!

The worst part of the food in Tucson was that we couldnt eat it all. Well, that and the fact that our weekend in Tucson obliterated our meager attempt at doing the Whole30 in January. I mean, Im not going to go to a Mexican food Mecca and not eat as many tacos, tamales and guacamole as possible. Its against the laws of nature.

If youre still reading my food-crazed ramblings, youre probably wondering where you can find the best Mexican food in Tucson, and youre about to be rewarded, friend.

While you dont have to look far to find good Mexican food in Tucson, were sharing some top recommendations, from super authentic hole-in-the-wall spots to refined Mexican restaurants with an exceptional dining experience:

Los Tacos Apson: Tiny, unassuming shop with authentic fare and a generous salsa/topping bar. We ordered a handful of items but our favorites were the taco al pastor and taco hass (carne asada, queso, chili verde); and as we were leaving, a local recommended we try the taco rasuada (grilled ribs) next time! This is also a great spot to try a caramelo, Tucsons take on a quesadilla (cheese and lots of meat grilled between tortillas).

Bocas y Tequila: Popular spot, especially with the university crowd, it seems. The tacos were super tasty (albeit not very hot, but we were there at a super busy hour!). The elote (Mexican street corn) was also very good.

Cafe Poca Cosa: An upscale Mexican restaurant with a menu that changes daily.

Taco Fish: Come here for fresh ceviche and tacos de pescado (fish) or camarones (shrimp).

Penca: Contemporary Mexican fusion with a chic atmosphere.

Mi Nidito: Serving Tucson since 1952, this place is a local legend known for large portions, delicious food, and as a place Bill Clinton once ate.

Taqueria Pico De Gallo: Best known for its award-winning fish tacos, this is another local favorite for authentic (and cheap!) tacos.

Taqueria Porfis: While the menu is small, thats okay because what they do, they do well. And the item theyre most famous for is their potato taco, which is stuffed with carne seca, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and you guessed it potatoes!

Rollies Mexican Patio: Known for their rolled tacos, this cute and colorful cafe makes a great lunch stop.

El Charro Cafe: Set inside a century-old home, this restaurant serves up large home-cooked meals in a charming, yet casual atmosphere.

Fun Fact: This is the nations oldest Mexican restaurant run continuously by the same family.

Street Taco and Beer Co.: Good for late night bites, street tacos, and tequila cocktails.

Insider Tip: We read that if you want to find really authentic, no-frills Mexican food, head to the neighborhoods south of 22nd Street. And 12th Ave, which runs north to south, has a dense concentration of amazing Mexican restaurants.

These streets are part of whats known as the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food (aka a 23-square-mile area in the city thats known as the best Mexican food north of the border).

15. Try a Sonoran Dog

Im not usually one to order hot dogs, but when we learned that Sonoran Dogs are a must try specialty from this region, we had to give it a go. For research purposes.

And lets just say Im pretty happy I made the sacrifice in the name of work. And while Sonoran Dogs arent something I would eat on a regular basis, they are pretty damn good.

So what exactly is a Sonoran Dog, you ask? This tasty blend of American and Mexican cuisine is comprised of bacon-wrapped hot dog, topped with pinto beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeo salsa, all stuffed into a soft, sweet Mexican bun called a bolillo.

Rumor has it that there are two rival Sonora dog establishments in Tucson that both claim to serve the best:

BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs: Winner of a Sonoran Dog locally-judged blind taste test against El Guero Canelo, it is definitely worth a try. They also have a large menu of fantastic Mexican fare, some may say the best in Tucson.

El Gero Canelo: With 3 locations in Tucson, this is a Tucson must! We sampled the one on Oracle road, and it did not disappoint. The combo of sweet, spicy and savory is an explosion in your mouth. Youre gonna want more than one.

After a little research, we chose to try our first Sonoran Dog at El Gero Canelo. While we dont have anything to compare it to, it was pretty darn tasty! If you have the time (and room in your tummy!), try them both on your trip to Tucson to determine the winner!

16. Sample Vegan Mexican Fare

Most restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives are laden with grease, layers of cheese, deep-fried everything, and meat. Lots of meat.

But an exception to this is Tucsons beloved Tumerico, which was featured on this hit series in 2018. This local favorite serves up scratch-made Mexican dishes with a menu that changes daily.

While clearly very popular, the service was fast, the prices reasonable, and the food delicious.

Our recommendations: The menu is constantly changing so we cant give specific recommendations, but if there is a taco made with jackfruit, TRY IT. You will thank us! Also, the turmeric lemonade was seriously yummy.

Moral of the story: Even if you do eat meat, Tumerico is well worth a visit.

Good to know: Tumerico is closed on Mondays.

More vegetarian options in Tucson

While these are not Mexican restaurants, here are a few other good options for vegetarians/vegans visiting Tucson.

Charro Vida: While not fully veggie, this Mexican-Mediterranean fusion restaurant (located close to Tohono Chul #35) donates proceeds to local school gardens throughout the region in partnership with the University of Arizona. Just looking at their menu makes my mouth water...

The Tasteful Kitchen: A somewhat upscale restaurant that specializes in vegan, gluten-free and raw cuisine. And while youre there, be sure to check out the mural depicting Mother Earth on the side of their building.

Urban Fresh: Casual cafe with plant-based wraps, salads and soups.

Zinmans Food Shop: carry-out spot with a patio, serving an eclectic assortment of dishes with influences from around the world.

17. Grab a cup of Tucsons best coffee

My name is Katie, and Im a coffee addict. If you are too, youll definitely want to start your day at Exo. Praised as the best coffee in Tucson, Exo does it all, and they do it well.

If you want to switch up your order and get something a little more unique than your everyday latte, order a chiltepin cold brew, which is made with spicy peppers!

And if your tummys a grumblin pick up one of their super tasty breakfast sandwiches, breakky bowls, or to keep the Mexican food theme going, try their breakfast tacos!

18. Visit a Farmers Market

When you combine locally grown produce, artisans selling their creations, and food vendors all in one place, youve got yourself some farmers market bliss.

With a handful of farmers markets around the Tucson area, youll likely be able to squeeze one during your trip.

Here are 3 farmers markets that are closest to town, and are easy to work into your sightseeing schedule:

Rillito Park: Makes a good stop if youre headed up to Catalina State Park, Tohono Chul, or over to Sabino Canyon.

Oro Valley: Stop here on your way to Catalina State Park.

Rincon Valley: Make a stop here on your drive down to Colossal Cave.

We visited the market in Rincon Valley on our way to the Colossal Cave, and while not huge, it was a nice stop to browse some local artists work and nibble on kettle corn!

Hours: All the markets listed above have the same hours.

Winter Hours (Oct. - Mar.): Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Summer Hours (Apr. - Sept.): Saturdays, 8 a.m -12 p.m.

These farmers markets are all put together by an organization called Heirloom Farmers Markets, and you can find more info here.

19. Go on a Food Tour

Im someone who gets serious FOMO when it comes to food.

When visiting a city thats known for its food scene, I feel like I should try everything, which is not exactly an ideal habit for my waistline or my wallet.

If you can relate (yay, Im not alone!), youll want to keep reading because I recently found the cure: Food Tours!

Food tours are a way for you to try a little of each (my favorite!). Plus, your guide usually brings you to local spots you wouldn't find on your own, and gives you insight to the citys history, culture and culinary scene.

So if youre interested in food especially Mexican food (Tucsons pride and joy!), you might want to consider adding a food tour into your itinerary.

There are two companies that run highly-rated food tours in Tucson:

Tucson Food Tours

Taste of Tucson

Weve taken food tours all around the world, and wish we had time to take one on our trip to Tucson. Guess weve gotta save something for our next trip, right?!

20. Hang out in Mercado San Agustin

This square just west of downtown has a collection of high-end boutiques, produce vendors, artisans and eateries surrounding a pretty courtyard. We were there on a rainy day (a rare occurrence in Tucson!), but with nice weather, this would be a prime spot to wander and grab a bite.

Insider Tip: We were told that Seis Kitchen is amazing, and La Estrella Bakery also looks really good. Try them out and let us know what you think!

21. Eat a flight of Ice Cream

Can I confess something? I have an ice cream problem.

Someone once told me, No matter how full you are, theres always room for ice cream because it can fit in all the cracks! And I think Ive taken those words a little too seriously over the years.

This is coming from someone who almost missed the last train of the day in a tiny Italian village because I *needed* to get gelato. And someone who has (successfully) completed more than one ice cream eating challenge.

So lets just say you should consider me something of an expert on the topic of ice cream.

When I heard about the ice cream flights (yes flights!) at The Screamery, I told Ben we had to make it part of our itinerary.

And when I found out it was right across the street from our hotel as well as another highly rated ice cream shop (Hub), I told him we better go to both. Ya know, in order to research as many flavors as possible.

The Screamery: Tons of unique flavors to choose from, reasonable prices, and the option to have a flight!

Flavors we loved: Sweet Cream Honeycomb and Rough at Sea

Hub: A little more expensive, less choices, and no ice cream flight option (dang it!). But still seriously good ice cream.

Flavors we loved: Queen Bee and Mexican Hot Chocolate

Overall, theyre both really good choices. I think the ice cream was pretty similar in quality, so choose the one that has flavors youre more excited about.

22. Sample the best Craft Beer in Tucson

While not exactly the level of craft beer scene youll find in Portland, Tucson has a decent amount of breweries in town.

If youre a purveyor of craft brews (were right there with ya!), here are a few breweries youll want to check out:

Dragoon Brewing Company: Open warehouse-style brewery with a great selection of all kinds of brews. We sampled a flight here, and it was our favorite beer of the breweries we visited in Tucson, but a bit outside the center of town.

Barrio Brewing Co.: Rustic-chic brewery close to downtown with happy hour specials.

Public Brewhouse: Tucked in a dark alleyway, they brew a mean Belgian Dubbel. Worth a stop if youre exploring 4th Ave. Seems to be a pretty new spot, and popular with locals.

Pueblo Vida: Small, hip spot downtown with lots of unique fruit-forward IPAs and complex malty dark pours.

Gentle Bens Brewing: We wanted to visit this brewery just because of the name! Well, that, and it looks like they have some good brews!

Crooked Tooth Brewing Co.: Highly rated brews with a typical brick wall interior. Flights come on a skateboard!

Borderlands Brewing Company: German Chocolate Cake Porter, need I say more Okay I will: female head brewmaster, daily food trucks, & massive murals on the wall.

Iron Johns Brewing Company: Fantastic micro-brewery with crazy concoctions in the heart of downtown.

23. Soak up some speakeasy vibes

Weve been on a speakeasy kick lately. And Ive gotta say, Tucson has a few great options if youre looking for handcrafted cocktails, and a mysterious, 1920s-esque atmosphere.

The Independent Distillery: Pre-prohibition style bar serving their own spirits and enticing cocktails.

Surly Wench Pub: Good for a couple of drinks in what they call an industrial goth bar. The vibe we got was new-age biker bar but apparently the burgers are good.

Club Congress: Throw on your shiniest flapper dress and striped suit and step back in time to this historic bar. Not only do they host the best 1920s themed parties, they have a jammed-pack event calendar including rock bands, cabarets, free yoga and stand-up comics.

Tough Luck Club: In the basement of Reilly Craft Pizza (an old funeral home!), youll find this cozy cocktail bar. Oh, and outside is a beer garden if you prefer a more casual vibe.

24. Tequila toast at JW Marriott

When in the Arizona desert it only seems right to have some tequila! And do you know what the best kind of tequila is?

FREE tequila!

Now that Ive got your attention, lets talk about how to get that free tequila, shall we?

The JW Marriott is in a stunning location that gives new meaning to the term desert oasis. But even if you dont have the budget to splurge on a $250-per-night room, you can enjoy unrivaled views and a free tequila toast at sundown.

Simply show up to Salud, the Marriotts on-site bar and restaurant, to take part in their nightly tradition of raising a (complementary) shot of tequila and share the legend behind the classic Mexican cheers, arriba, abajo, al central, en dentro.

And of course as soon as the story is over, everyone gathered there is invited to raise their glasses and make a toast as the sun sets. Tequila is passed around at 5:30 p.m., so be sure to arrive a bit earlier to get a seat by a firepit and enjoy the view.

And if you feel so inclined, try one of their specialty handcrafted cocktails or order your liquor straight up from their selection of more than 150 tequilas. Who knew there were so many tequilas?!

25. Mezcal Tasting

Tequila gets a lot of hype in the US; but in Mexico, people are all about the mezcal!

We learned a lot about mezcal during our travels in Oaxaca, and have been really interested in tequilas smokier cousin ever since.

Whether youre a mezcal connoisseur or youve never heard of the stuff until now, doing a mezcal tasting is a great way to learn more about Mexicos favorite spirit.

While theyre best known for coffee, each Thursday starting at 7 p.m., Exo Coffee hosts an hour-long mezcal tasting at their onsite bar.

While sipping on samples of several high quality mezcal (they have a collection of more than 150 mezcals!), proprietor Doug Smith walks guests through everything youve ever wanted to know about this liquor. This informational tasting costs $20 and reservations are not necessary.

And if Thursday doesnt work for you, tastings are also offered Wednesdays and Sundays between 6 - 9 p.m. for $25. For these tastings, you must make a reservation in advance.

If youre not interested in a full tasting, you can always come during their bar hours to enjoy beer, wine, or mezcal cocktails. They have a great happy hour from 6 - 8 p.m., where cocktails are just $5, and beer and wine are $1 off.

26. Get your giggle on at a comedy show

Weve realized that comedy clubs almost always guarantee a night of fun! Plus, its a great way to spend an evening in a new city, and most big(ish) towns around the world have at least one comedy club.

Tucson is no exception. There are a handful of comedy clubs, but it seems that Laffs gets the biggest national names in stand-up, so we decided it would be a good way to spend our Friday night.

We gave the address of Laffs to our Uber drive and had no idea what to expect, but when we pulled up to a strip mall on the outskirts of suburbia, we were a little surprised.

And when we walked inside, we soon realized this no-frills club was not going to win us over on atmosphere. So we crossed our fingers that at least the show would be good

Lets just say that we were clutching our stomachs from laughing so hard for the next 90 minutes!

Weve been to enough comedy shows to know its not as much about the atmosphere as it is about the people on stage. The comics themselves are what are going to make the experience belly-hurts-from-laughing-so-hard good or just alright.

Theres always the off-chance that youll hate the comedians style of humor (which has happened to us in a comedy club with a top-notch atmosphere!).

We were at Laffs on a night with great talent, and hopefully youll catch a great line-up as well! Our advice is to read up on the comedian who is performing to see if youll like their style, or just show up with an open mind and ready for a laugh!

And dont worry, you wont go hungry or thirsty. There is a long list of cocktails with quirky names, a small selection of beer, and a menu of pub food and snacks.

Laffs has a handful of shows each week:

Thursdays: 8 p.m. Open Mic, free show!

Friday: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.

Saturday: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.

Cost:

General Seating: $12.50

Preferred Seating: $17.50

You can pay in advance, or you can make a reservation but pay at the door.

Check out their schedule to see upcoming shows.

Psst! If youre into improv or are looking for a family-friendly comedy show, Unscrewed Theater might be more your scene.

27. Spend the evening at a Film Bar

Check Casa Film Bar's Facebook Page for New Showings

Looking for something fun and lowkey to do at night in Tucson? Oh, we have got just the idea for you!

Combine craft beer, food trucks and movies (three of our favorite things!), and youre in for a great time. Youll find this magical combo at Casa Film Bar, which is something of a local secret.

Essentially a bar inside a video rental store, come on a weekend night and youll be able to enjoy a movie showing with a craft brew (or wine or coffee).

They play films ranging from 90s classics, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to little-known indie films, to brand new Oscar nominees (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was playing while we were there, just 6 months after being released in theaters).

Casa Film Bar Schedule:

Films & rotating food trucks: Thursday, Fridays & Saturdays (check their Facebook page for showtimes and to see which food truck will be there).

Smartphone Trivia: Tuesdays from 7 - 9 p.m. (free to play & winners get prizes)

Food Truck only: Sundays 6 - 8 p.m., Pop's Hot Chicken is the Sunday evening staple

Not only will you be supporting one of the few standing video rental stores left, but youll be able to check out a local hot spot and have an all around good evening!

28. Live Music in Tucson

While Tucson certainly wont make the cut for top live music cities in the US, that doesnt mean you should give up hope on catching a performance. In fact, as we wandered around downtown and along 4th Ave, we heard more bands performing than we could count!

From hipster bars to honky tonks, and century-old theaters to swanky resort patios, youll have plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a spot to catch some tunes.

Here are some of the venues in Tucson that regularly host live music:

Thunder Canyon Brewery: Large brewery downtown that hosts live music.

La Cocina: This restaurant has a large menu and an even bigger patio, complete with cafe lights and live music on the weekends.

Club Congress: Its hard to beat the atmosphere youll find in Club Congress, though most acts that come through here require you buy a ticket in advance.

Ches Lounge: Yummy cocktails and beer with an outdoor patio and stage for music.

Exo Coffee: Not just a coffee shop, Exo also has a mezcal bar and hosts live music most weekend nights!

Hacienda Del Sols Terraza: If you prefer your live music with a side of class and a bottle of fine wine, the patio at Hacienda del Sol is a good place to catch some jazz or classical tunes as the sun sets.

29. Nightlife on 4th Ave

Being that this street sits directly between the university campus and downtown, it draws a young student crowd as well as a mix of young professionals and tourists. And lemme tell ya: It comes alive at night!

You can find all sorts of quirky bars, restaurants of all kinds, cafes with poetry readings, and shops selling everything from cowboy boots to hippy garb.

Walk down 4th Ave and pop into any establishment that strikes your fancy.

30. Brunch in Tucson

Need a pick-me-up after a big night out on 4th Ave? Lucky for you, Tucson has some amazing brunch options thatll get you feeling like yourself in no time!

Insider Tip: If youre looking for a kickass Bloody Mary to start your day, Elliotts on Congress is where youll want to go. Their infused vodkas make a great base for the drink, and if you like spicy, order the Habanero Bloody for a real wake up call!

And even if youre not hungover, who doesnt love a good brunch?

Seasonal fruit, eggs, flaky pastries fresh outta the oven, housemade jam youre speaking my language! Oh, and we cant forget about the mimosas and bloody Marys.

Tucson has a healthy variety of brunch spots that are sure to strike your fancy:

Prep and Pastry

Cup Cafe

Baja Cafe

Five Points Market

Cafe a La CArt

Art, Culture & History in Tucson

For lovers of all things art, history and culture, theres no shortage of ways to fill up your time in Tucson. Were sharing some of the top things to do if you want to delve into this citys history and art scene.

31. Hunt for Street Art!

Tucsons street art scene is off the hook!

Ermmm do people even say off the hook anymore? Im going to assume no, but still, you know what I mean.

Youll notice colorful murals covering the sides of buildings all over town. Depictions range from desert scenes, to whales and fish, to cultural references, to random but pretty paintings of birds

You really wont have to make much of an effort to spot murals around town, but if you want some direction, here are some of our personal favorite murals in Tucson (and their location pins):

Whale mural by Joe Pagac

Goddess of Agave

Greetings from Tucson Postcard

Girl in Barrio Viejo (Across the street from El Tiradito)

Girl by Charro del Rey

32. Visit Mission San Xavier del Bac

One of Tucsons most iconic buildings, the Mission San Xavier del Bac is a not only a historic landmark, but it also still operates as a church to this day. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, you might just see a church service taking place.

This building is a beautiful example of 18th-century architecture, and has been nicknamed the White Dove of the Desert. As you wander around the mission and church property, youll notice influences of Renaissance, Byzantine and Mexican architecture styles.

If youre interested in hearing about the churchs history, consider taking a guided tour. They are free to join and dont require making a reservation. Simply show up at the museum entrance to join in this 45-minute tour. Tours run quite frequently, but timing depends on the season. Check here for tour hours.

Feeling hungry? If you happen to be visiting Mission San Xavier del Bac on a weekend, keep your eyes peeled for food vendors from the Tohono Oodham Nation who often sell frybread tacos in the open-air market space just across from the mission.

Frybread is pretty much just what it sounds like, a dough (sort of similar in appearance to naan) that has been deep fried to golden deliciousness. This traditional Native American staple is then topped with different ingredients, either sweet or savory.

Weve tried frybread tacos once before, and theyre really tasty. Theyre not all that easy to find in most places, so do yourself a favor and try one while youre at the mission!

Mission San Xavier del Bac Hours:

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: Free, donations welcome

Insider Tip: If you arrive in Tucson at a reasonable hour and arent too tired, wed recommend heading straight to Mission San Xavier from the airport, as its quite close (and a bit out of the way to come from downtown Tucson). Alternatively, you could stop for a quick visit before heading to the airport on your way out of Tucson.

33. Visit the historic Hotel Congress

It might seem strange that we have a hotel on our list of things to do, but hear us out...

Nestled right in the center of downtown, Hotel Congress is the stuff of local legends. Built just after the turn of the 20th century, it was here that John Dillinger, an infamous American gangster during the Great Depression era, was arrested and brought to jail.

Although he later escaped, Tucsonians take great pride in the fact that Dillinger, a prolific bank robber, was caught in their city. They are so proud, in fact, that there is an annual celebration and recreation of these events which takes place each year in mid-January (we were actually there for it!).

Hotel Congress still retains its quirky, colorful, historic charm. And walking into the lobby feels as if youve stepped back in time. Grab a drink at one of the many onsite bars, or catch a concert at Club Congress. And if you want to spend the night, the historic rooms are cozy, however, there is a caveat...

Our honest opinion: We stayed at Hotel Congress during our trip to Tucson, and while we would definitely recommend stopping in for a drink and checking it out, we would not advise staying here unless youre in Tucson to party.

They dont try to hide the fact that this hotel gets loud like really loud at night. There are even ear plugs in each room. Lets just say we did not sleep very well during our entire 3 nights in Tucson.

Interesting Fact: It is said that Hotel Congress is haunted! While were not ones to really believe these things, we did have a very weird experience where our closet door swung open suddenly. And at night, the 2nd floor where we were staying smelled like smoke from a fire. Spooky...

34.DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun

If youre an art buff, the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun makes an interesting stop. This is a gallery dedicated to the works of one man: Ettore Ted DeGrazia.

Dont worry, I hadnt heard of him either; but DeGrazia is pretty well-known in Arizona.

So who is Ettore DeGrazia? Well, heres the short version:

DeGrazia was born into a family of Italian immigrants who lived in a mining camp in rural Arizona. Ettore later enrolled at the University of Arizona, and created a life around his passion: art.

In adulthood, he married (twice) and bought a 10-acre plot of land in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains which would become both his home and gallery.

His works were underappreciated for many years until his oil painting Los Nios was selected by UNICEF to be printed on a 1960 holiday card, which sold millions worldwide. DeGrazias fame spread during the next decade, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to his gallery each year.

Visiting the Gallery in the Sun

A visit to the Gallery in the Sun will leave you in awe at the sheer amount of artwork DeGrazia created in his lifetime. The museum has a rotating collection of more than 15,000 DeGrazia originals! Anyone else wondering how he had enough hours in the day to make all of this?!

DeGrazia liked using all different mediums. Youll see oils, watercolors, sketches and even pottery on display. And another impressive fact is that the gallery was designed by DeGrazia himself.

When you visit the Gallery in the Sun, not only will you see DeGrazias artwork, but youll also be able to walk through his home and his private chapel, both of which are on the property.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily

Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for ages 12-18, children under 12 are free

35. Wander the gardens at Tohono Chul

Hailed as one of the countrys best botanical gardens by Travel + Leisure, Tohono Chul is popular with locals and visitors alike. Covering nearly 50 acres, this is said to be a place where nature, art, and culture connect.

But were not gonna gloss over the fact that when we visited in mid-January, there wasnt all that much to see due to the transition of seasons.

Wed imagine during other times of the year, there are more things to see. Weve heard March is particularly beautiful with the desert flowers starting to bloom. They also host occasional live music and other events throughout the year.

Our Opinion: Before planning your visit, wed do some research to see if it will be worthwhile during the season in which youre visiting. Perhaps between the months of March and May there would be more to see, as the desert flowers are in bloom during this time.

Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 .p.m.

Cost: Adults - $15, Children (5-12) - $6, Children under 5 - Free, Seniors (62+) - $13

36. Explore Barrio Viejo

Translating to old neighborhood, Barrio Viejo is just that: a section of Tucson that still has old charm. Sometimes called the real "soul" of Tucson, you can drive around and see colorful Spanish Colonial architecture and find authentic Mexican restaurants.

While some parts of the neighborhood are lively, there are other sections that have a run-down feeling.

We drove around Barrio Viejo for a while trying to find some of the beautiful, colorful adobe houses we had seen pictures of.

So to point you in the right direction (and minimize your time spent driving around in circles like we did!), here are some points of interest in Barrio Viejo (Note: please be respectful in this neighborhood because people do live here):

Colorful houses on S Meyer Ave and W Kennedy St (and further south on Meyer Ave until 22nd St)

El Tiradito Shrine (described below)

El Minuto Cafe: Mexican restaurant next to El Tiradito

The Coronet: brunch and late night food

Five Points Market & Restaurant: cute and lively brunch spot

Cafe Desta: popular Ethiopian restaurant

37. Visit El Tiradito Shrine

If youre exploring the Barrio Viejo neighborhood, make a quick visit to the El Tiradito Shrine. Stopping here only requires a few minutes and to the naked eye its nothing too special.

It is scattered with candles, flowers, and images of saints. But this is no ordinary shrine, folks. And once you know the legend behind this shrine, its kind of an interesting place to see.

Nicknamed the wishing shrine, El Tiradito is the USs only Catholic shrine dedicated to a.... wait for it SINNER! Scandalous, I know. But thats not even the crazy part.

Heres the short version of the legend of Juan Oliveras, the man who is buried beneath El Tiradito Shrine: Juan, a young ranch-hand, is married to his bosss daughter, but soon becomes infatuated with his mother-in-law (yep, you read that right), and makes a move. The two carry on an affair, which is eventually busted by the husband/father-in-law/boss. Ouch!

He gets so angry that he kills Juan right there before escaping to Mexico, where he is later murdered. The wife allegedly kills herself, and after all this horrifying drama and death, the daughter (who, by the way, we should mention is pregnant with Juans child) hangs herself as well.

It is said that Juan is buried beneath El Tiradito, a shrine that people visit for all different reasons. Some come out of sheer curiosity about the legend and others see it on a things to do in Tucson list, like this one!

But there is another group of people who come to this spot: Those who empathize with Juan and have similar love triangles in their own lives. It is said that if you write your wish on a piece of paper and have good intentions, it will come true.

Just behind the shrine is a crumbling brick wall, and if you look closely, youll see scraps of paper stuffed in the holes between bricks, many of which are wishes from past visitors.

This shrine was almost demolished when the city was building a new highway, but people in the community fought to preserve it. Perhaps they want to protect history, or maybe some people are protecting their wishes!

38. Step back in time at Old Tucson

Old Tucson | Photo Credit: My Mom ;)

Walk through what looks like a scene straight out of a John Wayne film, and watch as actors from the Wild West perform demonstrations and stunts.

Old Tucson is an amusement park of sorts, complete with a town hall, a saloon and a haunted mine, like all good Western desert towns have.

We didnt have enough time to visit Old Tucson during our weekend trip, and to be honest, it didnt really seem like our type of place. However, if youre looking for things to do in Tucson with kids, this could be a fun activity for a family.

Be sure to look up the schedule of events to time your visit right.

Cost: Adults: $21.95, Children (4-11): $10.95, Children under 4: Free

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (times may change seasonally)

Best Tucson Weekend Itinerary

Are you overwhelmed with the massive list we just gave you?

Dont worry, were going to help you pare it down a bit. Below, weve listed some highlights you can choose from based on your travel style:

If you love the outdoors:

Visit Saguaro National Park

Hike to Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon

Drive up to Mount Lemmon and stop on the way for hikes and lookout points

Explore Romero Ruins in Catalina

If youre traveling with kids in Tucson:

Do the Classic Tour at Colossal Cave

Sonoran Desert Museum

Go horseback riding

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Visit Old Tucson

If youre into food:

Eat a Sonoran Dog

Check out our list of top Mexican food and try as many as you can!

Have a leisurely brunch

Order an ice cream flight at The Screamery

Go on a Tucson food tour

Try a vegan Mexican meal at Tumerico

If youre an art & culture lover:

Check out the Degrazia Gallery in the Sun

Explore Barrio Viejo and visit El Tiradito Shrine

Visit Tohono Chul botanical gardens (if the time of year is right)

Spend an evening at Casa Film Bar

Visit the Tucson Museum of Art

If youre into nightlife:

Tequila toast at the JW Marriot at sunset

Go brewery hopping

Scope out some live music

Grab a drink at Hotel Congress

Head to 4th Ave after dark for a night on the town

Do a mezcal tasting

If youre on a budget:

Do the scenic drive to Mount Lemmon

Go on a scavenger hunt to find as much street art as you can!

Watch sunset at A Hill with a view over Tucson

Have a picnic lunch

If youre craving adventure:

Go mountain biking

Go horseback riding

Book the Ladder or Wild Cave Tour at Colossal Cave

Hike to Seven Falls in the Sabino Canyon

Best time to visit Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is a great destination year round, however it can get quite hot in the summertime (albeit a dry heat). June is the hottest month in Tucson, with average highs soaring to 103F (40C). Yikes!

For the most comfortable temperatures, plan your trip to Tucson between mid-September and mid-May.

Even during December (Tucsons coldest month), the average temperature hovers just above 50F (10C) and it rarely dips below freezing. This weather will feel downright balmy to anyone from the Midwest (peace out Polar Vortex!).

Being that Tucson is smack dab in the middle of the desert, there is little chance that rain will ruin your vacation (unless youre traveling during the monsoon season of July and August). We arrived in Tucson on a rare rainy day, but by the next morning, most of the puddles had evaporated and there wasnt a cloud to be seen!

Another thing to keep in mind about this desert city is that temperatures can drop drastically from midday to evening. Be sure to pack layers to keep warm during the nights.

When Do the Desert Flowers Bloom?

It depends on the plant, but the flowering season is from mid-February to mid-June, with the biggest blooms peaking from mid-March to late April. Each year is different depending on rainfall, freezing temperatures during the winter, and springtime weather during the growing season.

Where to Stay in Tucson

Most of the time when were visiting a city, we like staying downtown so we can walk places and be near all the major sights. But depending on your interests, Tucson is a place where wed actually say you dont need to stay in the city center. As you can see from reading our massive list of things to do, many of Tucson's major attractions are on the outskirts of the city.

Weve rounded up some recommended Tucson hotels and Airbnbs below, with a mix of locations in the city as well as some that are a literal desert oasis.

Hotels in Tucson, Arizona

JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort

In the foothills of Tucsons Mountain Park, sits the massive JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort. With easy access to Gates Pass and the Western Side of Saguaro National Park, this resort has a great location. It also has 3 golf courses, 4 restaurants (with a daily tequila toast!), and 3 outdoor pools, you can really enjoy your stay in Tucson.

Azure Gate B&B

Located in NE Tucson, this charming B&B is a quick drive to the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area or the East Side of Saguaro National Park. Included in each stay is daily ( breakfast, an onsite pool, and free parking.

Hotel McCoy - Art, Coffee, Beer, Wine

This modern hotel is perfect for a couple or a family who wants to stay a little bit outside of downtown. There are murals everywhere (check out the pictures!), an excellent staff, and a daily continental breakfast.

Hotel Congress

If youre looking to stay downtown, Hotel Congress has an unrivaled location. Add to that its historic charm, and you might be ready to book. However, we would be remiss if we didnt mention that this hotel is directly above a club, and it can get incredibly loud on weekend nights.

So loud, in fact, that the hotel provides guests with ear plugs. If that doesnt scare you away, then you might love staying at this historic property.

Airbnbs in Tucson

There are tons of amazing Airbnb options in Tucson. Overall, they are very reasonably priced, and some even have pools. Just take a look at some of the Airbnbs we hand-selected for you!

Insider Tip: Find out how we set our Airbnb filters to find the best properties anywhere in the world!

'Case Study' Guest House: Charming guest house and hosts. Youll have the entire place yourself with a full kitchen and a rain shower in the bathroom. Southeast of Downtown. Check Availability here.

Historic 4th Ave Herbie House: Beautiful studio apartment in the 4th Avenue Neighborhood. Close to bars, restaurants and the metro stops. Check Availability here.

Sonoran Desert Retreat: This inexpensive but lovely place is located in the Catalina Foothills close to shops and restaurants. This would be perfect for a couple looking to get away from the busyness of town. Check Availability here.

Self Check in Airbnb - Near I-10: This cheap Airbnb is located in the northern suburbs of Tucson and is great for a solo travel or a couple wanting to mountain bike the local tracks. Its a small, clean studio, but it has everything you need for a basic stay. Check Availability here.

Tucson Poet's Studio: This Santa Fe Style studio comes with a beehive corner fireplace and a small lounging outdoor pool. Its pretty close to central Tucson just a few blocks east of the university, so its a great location for exploring. Check Availability here.

Psst! Is it your first time using Airbnb? Follow this link and well give you $55 off Airbnb!

Getting Around Tucson

While Tucson itself is a relatively small city, youve probably noticed that most of the major attractions are outside the center. In order to be able to see the best things to do in Tucson, you really do need a car to get around.

Rental Car

If youre flying into Tucson, you can pick up your rental car at the airport. We usually reserve cars through RentalCars.com because we have used them before and they have the best deals for rental cars. When searching I found deals around $36 per day for a standard sedan, which is all you would need in Tucson.

However, this time, we tried reserving our rental car through our American Express Platinum card and we found the same cars for about $23 per day! This saved us about $40 over the 3 days we were visiting Tucson. Head to this article if you want to learn more about the travel credit cards we use to get free or discounted travel.

When driving in Tucson: Be aware that some areas have speed traps enforced by cameras, so keep an eye on your odometer.

Uber or Lyft

If you plan to have a few beverages out on the town, dont risk driving. Instead, order an Uber to get you where you need to go. Downtown Tucson is not that big so rides are pretty cheap.

Metro

In Tucson there is a Light Rail metro line called the SunLink that connects University of Arizona to the 4th Ave District to Downtown (Centro) and finally to the Mercado District including Mercado San Agustin.

For a single one-way fare it costs $1.75, but you can purchase a 1-Day SunGO ticket for $4.50 which is good for 24 hours.

What to pack for a trip to Tucson

Camelback (if you think youll be hiking a lot)

Daypack for hikes

Chacos or other hiking shoes that wont get too hot

Closed toe shoes (for horseback riding or mountain biking)

Layers (it gets cold at night and hot during the day)

Swim suit (if your hotel has a pool)

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Reusables: Weve been kind of living in a bubble in Oregon where plastic bags are banned and many establishments encourage you to bring your own reusables, or provide a somewhat eco-friendly option (like wooden utensils and paper straws).

While many Tucson restaurants and accommodations, like Charro Vida, Boca Tacos y Tequila and Hotel Congress, offer eco-friendly options, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to reducing unnecessary waste (just like many other cities around the U.S.).

We had our reusables packed (as we always do!) which helped a bit, but it was still a challenge.

Responsible Travel Tip: Pack your reusables (listed below), and eat inside restaurants as much as possible to avoid waste like styrofoam and plastic utensils.

Its difficult to avoid it altogether, but wed recommend bringing the following to help you reduce the waste you create:

Coffee tumbler

Utensil set (great for picnics!)

Reusable straws

Reusable bag (one that stuffs up like this is great!)

Water bottle

For more tips on how to reduce your waste while traveling, check out our article on 18 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Use Everyday.

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Going to Tucson soon? Share this Article on Pinterest!

We want to hear from you!

Are you planning a trip to Tucson? What things are on the top of your list? Do you have any additional questions for us? Write to us in the comments below and well do our best to get back to you!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/38-fun-things-to-do-in-tucson-arizona

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Gluten Free Monthly Favorites: Vegan Pie, Surviving the Manitou Incline and More

New blog post!

This post is generously sponsored by Ella's Gluten Free. 

Even though June went by quickly (no surprise there), I actually managed to pack a good mix of adventures into this last month! 

I enjoyed more vegan and gluten free desserts than I've had in ages (ranging from pies to cinnamon rolls). I challenged myself with rock climbing and an EPIC eight mile hike. And, of course, I have some big life changes hitting me in July.

Want to hear more about what I did and where you can get the best gluten free and vegan desserts? Curious about what this college celiac will be up to in July? Keep reading this monthly recap - or Friday Favorites, if you prefer alliteration - to find out! 

GF Friday Favorites: What I'm Eating

All the Japanese sweet potatoes I can get my hands on. If you've never tried a Japanese sweet tater, you need to correct that life mistake ASAP. They're denser and drier than traditional sweet potatoes, and don't taste as overwhelmingly sweet. Pair with some roasted veggies, avocado, beans and other leftovers, and devour! 

My first ever gluten free and vegan pies! When Ella's Gluten Free reached out to me about sampling their allergy friendly mini pies, I couldn't say no. They have three flavors: Chocolate Silk Pie, Peach Berry Pie and Dutch Apple Pie. The chocolate flavor turned out to be a surprise favorite; it's rich and insanely creamy without tasting too sugary. I also loved the berry and peach combo, which is super moist and tart. The apple was a bit too sour for my taste, but my dad had no problem enjoying that pie on my behalf.

Besides being gluten free and vegan, Ella's Gluten Free pies are peanut free and non-GMO. My only complaint is that the fruit pies tasted a little too oily and sugary. However, I enjoyed eating a few bites at a time when I wanted something sweet. If you're looking for an allergy-friendly dessert that is ready to eat as soon as you buy it, Ella's Gluten Free pies are a delicious option! And if you're a chocoholic...get the Chocolate Silk Pie. Trust me! 

All of the cheap summer produce! I'm loving the low prices on berries, summer squash and avocados...so those have been making up my diet even more than usual. I have no complaints! 

My first vegan and gluten free cinnamon roll! I promise, I ate more than just gluten free desserts in June. However, we also did happen to travel to Denver, where Gluten Escape is located. The bakery is 100% gluten free and offers paleo, grain free and vegan options of sweet and savory goodies. I tried the blueberry muffin (a little dry), their dark chocolate brownie (chocolate heaven on a plate and seriously the best brownie I've ever had in my life - pre and post celiac), and a cinnamon roll. Although the cinnamon roll was a little dry, the fluffy texture and gooey streusel center made it my favorite out of the bunch. This wasn't a sponsored visit; I just seriously love Gluten Escape's goodies!

GF Friday Favorites: What I'm Doing

Feeling very thankful for the new blogging connections I've made in the last month! In particular, I'm super flattered and grateful for the several other blogging awards I've been nominated for recently. Much thanks and blogging love to Alicia and Rose from Stay at Home Cat Mom (besties turned bloggers), Dr. Elise Cohen Ho (an expert on everything wellness), Terri from Reclaiming Hope (a fellow fibro warrior), A Chronic Voice (an epic chronic illness blogger) and Helene Choo (a fellow foodie and fitness blogger). With my upcoming move, I don't have time to participate in any more blogging award posts, but I wanted to share some love!

Climbing .8 miles (and 2,300 steps) straight up The Incline at Manitou, Colorado. My dad and I tackled The Incline in 53 minutes and were pretty dang proud of ourselves! Of course, it then took us over an hour to get back down (on another winding path)...and I slid in the gravel halfway through. (It wouldn't be a battle without a battle wound, right?) Overall, though, it was an epic and booty-kickin' 8-mile hike!

Reading too many books to count. I've basically been starting and finishing a 400-page-ish book every other day this month. In particular, I've been devouring psychological thrillers that are highly rated on Goodreads and can be requested by my local library. Some of my favorites have been Girl On The Train, The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Gates of Evangeline. Would you be interested in a post all about my favorite books this summer? Tell me in the comments! 

Trying out rock climbing for the first time! My dad has been taking outdoor rock climbing lessons for the last month and wanted a partner in crime to explore the huge indoor climbing gym near our house. Of course, I was game! Even though I'm not a fan of heights, I LOVED climbing. I like that rock-climbing requires 100% concentration since it's hard to keep my brain from multitasking. It was also a major workout, even though I didn't feel it until a few days later. My grad school has an indoor and outdoor climbing area, so I'm excited to keep climbing in Minnesota!

GF Friday Favorites: What I'm Planning

Going camping for the first time with my family. To be honest, camping isn't my idea of fun. I like showers - and I love comfy beds. However, I'm sure that spending two days unplugged with my family will be an adventure. Wish me luck! 

Crossing some last-minute Colorado Springs bucket list items off the list. This includes rock climbing again with dad, checking out some of the local farmer's markets and anything else I can think of! If you have any suggestions for must-do activities in Colorado Springs, tell me in the comments. 

Um, I don't know...moving to Minnesota!?! My parents and I will be rolling out of Colorado Springs in late July to cart my stuff to my new apartment. Thankfully, they're staying a few extra days to help me get settled and so we can explore my college and new hometown together. Then, on July 31, I start my two weeks of teaching training. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read about my grad school announcement and teaching assistantship here). And, before I know it, classes will start!

I'd be lying to say that I'm not totally terrified. However, I also believe that everything happens for a reason and that starting fresh at Mankato will help me grow in ways I never imagined. I'm not sure how my blog schedule will be during training or the initial start of classes, but I will keep you guys in the loop! If you want to stay up-to-date, be sure to follow me on Instagram, where I often post Insta stories about my daily hijinks! 

And that sums up one very long monthly review! I'm honestly so grateful for this last month. It was my first time not working or having any other obligations in almost two years, and I definitely tried to enjoy it to the fullest. And thank YOU for all the kind words, encouragement and Minnesota tips you've offered in the last month. I'd love for a regular reader to win my Gluten Free Goodie Box Giveaway, so be sure to enter if you haven't already! 

I suppose the only thing left to do is welcome July. The next time you read a Gluten Free Monthly Favorites, I'll be writing from Mankato, Minnesota! 

*I received products from Ella's Gluten Free in exchange for an honest review. However, all opinions and photographs are my own. Thank you for supporting what supports Casey the College Celiac.*  

What's your favorite (gluten free or not) dessert? Do you have any highlights from June that you want to share? Any big July plans? Tell me in the comments! 

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