#that place is small town hell walkable or not

[lazyspeedy]

kinda wild to me that ppl will watch something and only like idkkkkk..they leave with only the aesthetic of the thing

[threadsun]

Ohh! But wat if! like! the cult au Y/N had the biggest 'burned out ex child actor who was dragged into this' energy?

Like they once adored the stage as a child. It greatly helped them get over the sadness of moving away from their childhood home. It was always fun to get lost in a character, in a role, with the effort you put in, the praise they recieved from their teachers and peers was it's own reward. And with small roles at their local theater, they had their fun well into adulthood before "retiring" for good in pursuit of a job that could help pay for things arounnd around them.

But then they recieved the news from their frantic mom/parent, and really only came to this town out of moral obligation, and morbid curiosity.

No use puttin mom/other parent in danger. But this place is soo behind in ...well...a bunch of things. Guess they can put this new title to good use, and see if they can suggest some changes to make a nice walkable community, in a more, modern town.

Hell maybe something even better, with solar panels on every building, and carbon neutral packaging! The God wouldnt care about the Millennials' Solarpunk Socialist reality if its in a bumfuck town in the middle of nowhere, right?? And maybe a modified iPad for the new Savior...right????

Oh but of course everything's tinted with this 'Prophet Savior' nonsense. And ofc YN rolls their eyes at first and plays along, 'oh yes my magical powers said that...God said...that installing a bike lane would be soo cool and maybe some...Non-cult edited renditions of some magazines to read while I take a shit in my new bathroom would be cool too~'

It's nice to be doted on, and a bit amusing, by handsome boys and friendly townsfolk alike, so of course you agree to attend a special church sermon as the guest of honor. Hey! You can see some of your new "friends" in the crowd, Nick, Shaun, Ian, Jean--Bo's even here up on stage with them too! but he seems to be ina mood, maybe you'll talk to him after this silly ceremonial thing.

And then someone is brought from the crowd. The person confess their sins and it's a bit personal, and uncomfortable..but they just shift in their seat and play their role well. They can't even remember the words that leave their lips, fully expecting to sprinkle water on this person's forehead and all would be forgiven.... right?

It's kind of hard to remember anything else once Bo rips their throat out.

Between the shock as several beats of silence pass, and the horrified throat wrenching scream from them, I don't think YN remembers much after that, waking up in the founder's house surrounded by their concerned new "harem" of housemates

And YN, having had years of practice, schools their expression as best they can, even as their blood runs cold beneath their skin and their knuckles bleed white as they clench the bedsheet to avoid from lurching away from the hands of those tending to them. Like being cornered by wild animals.

Bo stands off to the side, more guilty for having offended them in some way than he was for the person he murdered in cold blood. Jean tsks slightly and says they all should've better prepared them instead honestly.

I don't think YN would remember the next few days as they're coddled and tended to, their panic rising as the reality settles in that this is a Cult..a Genuine, Bonafide Cult, and like a fool, they walked right to death's door.

They should've listened to their mom/other parent and ran.But they didn't. And now they're tended to gingerly by a cluster of different strangers daily, and a loyal gaurd dog who growls a warning at the overly friendly. It once made them snicker but now makes them stumble at the sight of his sharp teeth once coated in the blood of another.

They're paraded around town, casting flickering glances to Barry every once and a while, who follows behind the group like a shadow during their .."recovery" period...who sports a knowing look, and a small smile. They know there's nothing they can do to escape this hell.The longer they stay, the worse it gets.

This sleepy little town full of flower gardens and bordered by thick Woodlands, both kept rich and vibrant by the corpses that thrive in its soil.The casual demeanors of those who remain unaffected and blissful despite knowing so.Those that chatter excitedly about what new prophecies YN had in store next sermon.

The sinking gut-wrenching feeling that these peaceful town folk wouldn't bat an eye at murdering a false prophet, and if they are to survive, they have to play their role with efficiency.

It doesn't take much really, just keep constructing new things, and living a care-free life with your new lovers, and communing with a God you once didnt believe in.

well, that is until the 10th day, when it started to whisper things into their head at the dead of night. Laughing coldly at their attempts to rake their nails through the flesh of their scalp, to prevent themself from bashing their head in. As the ones who surround them, celebrate it, when they plea for help.

Smother the fear, smother the exhaustion, smother the feeling that you may be losing your mind, and maybe it won't even feel like pretending

____________

I apologize for any mistakes Im two steps away from falling asleep, but i hope it wasnt too out of character, cult nonny! I honestly even believed it was supposed to be an open ended question to both you and threadsun but i think i got a bit carried away, sorry! I'd love to hear u guys' thoughts!

🌌🐹

Ooooooh idk about Cult Anon but I definitely think the idea of the founder's child going along with things and not taking it seriously until Something Happens is definitely interesting!

[ask-thedepressedkidatthetable]

Justin sat in the farthest corner of the library, various newspapers spread out in front of him awhile he consolidated his bags. His useful one, the backpack, was a lifesaver right now, holding money, food, water, compass, journal and technology. The other, the one his father had forced into his hand before kicking him out was less helpful. Coat, participation trophies of all things- "Why?" Justin muttered to himself, shoving them back into the bag. There were fabric scraps, a half empty bottle of water he was going to keep, but for the most part it was all just . . . useless. Justin sighed heavily, laying his forehead down on the table.

Nearly half an hour passed like that, and one of the librarians was just about to break the professional barrier to ask him if he was alright before he stood up, throwing the last useless things his family had left him with in the trash before returning the to matter at hand, what the hell was he supposed to do?

Only in the most technical of terms was the farm a walkable distance, but given his limited circumstances, he wasn't about to call a bus or cab for an ad that very well may be closed at this point. Why this was his first choice anyway, he couldn't have said. Perhaps he just felt like the city wasn't a friendly place to be right now. At the very least, he'd be closer to the neighboring town than he had been. He had all the paperwork needed to prove he existed, so what else? You tried making it work, because laying down dead only got one outcome.

He stepped carefully over a mouse nest and recited a stanza. It was late, and when he could hardly see in front of him anymore, he stopped for the night, a small fire warming the clearing. In the morning, he continued again, wearing off the stiff and cold an hour later. And sometime after that, The Farm came into view. Justin got a huge sinking feeling in his gut at its sight, but it was too late to turn back, especially when a man came to meet him at the gate. He should have called ahead- should have gone in another direction, should have done a lot of other things differently but he didn't.

"You had an ad in the paper for work?" // @thanaredreamtof

[madi2112]

Madi's Meanderings vol. 21

Glamping it up

This year when it came time to choose my vacations dates I did something different.

Instead of two longer 10 or 12 day vacations I broke my time up into smaller peices but have them more often.

Now I have five days off in a row every other month.

Hopefully this shorter, but more frequent schedule will help my fragile mental health condition.

Keeping this in mind I booked something new (to me) for this first trip.

Glamping Day 1

Mitze and I packed up and headed out early en route to the Flotida Panhandle to Milton.

Today's listening choice was Melissa Brayden's "Exclusive" audio wlw romance book.

7+ hours later we arrived at our accommodations for the next three nights.

The glamping tents here at Coldwater Gardens are wonderful. Enough amenities to be nice, but rough enough to feel more like a participant in nature. A great balance.

My second favorite travel host and TV personality Samantha Brown (behind my friend Kinga, of course) once said she loved the great outdoors. Visiting it. Hiking in it. Just not sleeping in it! I couldn't agree more.

This glamping thing is a perfect combination!

After the long drive. Unpacking and organizing my room (err, tent) the first thing I did was plug in my electric blanket. It's cold here, especially for Florida.

It was also windy and began to rain heavily for most of the night.

The tent stayed dry. But did flap about in the frequent wind. The electric blanket kept me cozy warm!

Glamping Day 2

Today is the warmest of the three I'm here so I planned a day of hiking along Coldwater Creek.

Being here mid-week and in the off season in January means I never saw another person all day.

Every other tent in the small grouping of them was empty and the hiking trails were completely barren of people.

I had the place to myself.

I decided to push a little and take the longest hiking route I could find.

Which led me to some rougher terrain, that because of last night's rain, was sloppy at best. Often times even impassable.

Following the trail was fun as the path was layed out by badges along the way.

I followed those trail markers a couple of miles until no more walkable path was exsistant.

So I turned around to find another path to the creek and was well rewarded with a very nice sandbar along an actual running river. A rare thing in Florida as the lack of elevation means most rivers are extremely slow moving.

Made a great place to have a bottle of water and trail mix for lunch.

I continued my hike along the river a couple more miles before returning to my tent.

A quick trip into town to pick up some supplies for tonight's campfire dinner were needed and I got back just before sundown to get things going.

An entire box of matches and all my saved newspapers later I still had no campfire.

So plan B it was.

I brought a single element electronic stove top burner as a back up. Thank goodness I did. My outdoor skills are sorely lacking to say the least.

So Clam Chowder, oyster crackers and Mac-n-Cheese it was.

My All Trails app put my days hike at 5.2 miles! A lot further then I thought I had gone.

Another chilly night under the electric blanket was the perfect ending of the day.

Glamping Day 3

I woke up sore as hell for some reason. Which wasn't difficult to figure out why. 5.2 miles will do that when your old and out of shape.

So today was a day to relax. To take advantage of the bath house I had to myself. It was just down the road a short walk. A chance to have a long hot shower. Wash my hair and sooth my aching legs.

Which was nice.

I really wanted an actual campfire tonight so I swallowed a little bit of pride and headed to the check in office. To admit I needed help.

I had used up all my fire making supplies (except the wood I couldn't get to burn) and the person at the front desk was gracious enough to come help me get a fire going.

Which they did very quickly! Unlike me. They knew what they were doing.

So a classic campfire dinner it was! Hot dogs chips and smores.

Naturally after dinner. By the warm of the fire, my mental health crumbled.

Feelings of overwhelming loneliness and sorrow overtook me and sent me down that spiral of depression 😔

Those empty chairs around the 🔥 pit say it all.

No one to share the moment with. No one to talk to. No one to snuggle up with.

I cleaned up and headed for bed to the electric blanket and cried myself to sleep.

I'm pathetic at times.

Glamping Day 4

Time to say goodbye to Coldwater Gardens and head home. To work. To Shiloh and to the weight of bills I can barely pay.

At least I can finish the audio book I started on the drive here. Where an H.E.A. is guaranteed.

~Madison

[welcometogrouchland]

I am gripping you by the shoulders and begging you to listen when I tell you teens want to be outside so bad. We want to be outside so fucking bad you have no idea

[waveridden]

FIC: dreams of you and mistletoe

Ephrim makes a face despite himself. Throndir catches it immediately. “You’re not a Christmas person?”

A Hallmark movie AU. Ephrim/Throndir, some Ephrim/Maelgwyn, 2.2k.

Happy anniversary, @leonstamatis!

AUcember || read on Ao3

#

1.

The engine of Ephrim’s car is smoking. Not lightly smoking, not the kind of smoke that he can deal with or ignore for a little while longer, but smoking thick and black and heavy. It’s getting hard to breathe, actually, and he wraps his scarf over his face as he stares at his car.

He fumbles with his cell phone. It takes a lot of effort to tear his eyes away from his car, so at first he doesn’t understand why his insurance app isn’t working. But when he finally manages to look at the screen, his stomach drops.

“No service, of course,” he mutters. For a second he considers kicking the car, but it’s not the car’s fault that today is going… like this.

Really, he thinks, it’s Maelgwyn’s fault. He’d been so understanding about Ephrim having to work over the holidays; he’s always been so understanding that Ephrim doesn’t want to make a big deal out of Christmas. But as the actual holidays had gotten closer and closer, he’d started being snarkier and sharper and more rude. When Ephrim’s flight across the country had been canceled, Maelgwyn had laughed at him. Laughed.

So Ephrim did what anyone would do. He decided to drive. Without taking his car to a mechanic first. Given that his car is now smoking heavily on the side of a one-lane highway in the middle of nowhere without cell service, he’s willing to admit that this wasn’t the right choice to make.

He takes a deep breath. He thinks there’s supposed to be a town, not far ahead - a couple miles, and that’s not ideal, but still something that’s walkable. He takes a minute to breathe deep and steel himself for the longest walk he’s ever had to take. God, he hopes nobody tries to steal his car or something while he’s gone, then he’s really going to be up a creek without a paddle.

He’s so focused on trying to talk himself into the walk that he doesn’t notice the truck until it’s already pulled over on the other side of the highway. His heart leaps into his throat. Don’t bad things happen in the middle of nowhere like this? Is he about to become an episode of one of those shitty small town true crime TV shows?

“Wow, your engine’s fucked,” says the guy driving the truck. He hops out and goes over to the hood of Ephrim’s car without asking first, and normally Ephrim would be annoyed, but the guy at least seems to know a thing or two about engines. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s attractive, bright green eyes, a little chubby. “You alright?”

Ephrim blinks. “Uh, fine,” he says slowly. “It just… started doing this.”

“Yeah, I can see.” He waves a hand and dispels some of the smoke, which is dissipating anyways now that the car is turned off. “Well, I have good news and bad news.”

“Bad news first, I can take it.”

“I don’t know a thing about cars,” truck guy says cheerfully. “But the good news is I’m friends with the mechanic in town, and she has a tow truck. Need a lift?”

“Yes,” Ephrim says, before he can think about consequences at all. “Thank you, by the way.”

“Hey, it’s no problem.” He sticks a hand out - his left, because he’s apparently pretty observant. “I’m Throndir.”

“Ephrim.”

“I’ve already got someone in shotgun, but you’re welcome to hop in the backseat.”

Ephrim looks in the passenger seat. There is, at first glance, what appears to be a bear.

“What the fuck,” he says. Then the bear barks, and he blinks, and oh, it’s not a bear, it’s just a massive dog. “That’s… wow.”

Throndir laughs. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

  #

  2.

“Two days, tops,” Hella says. “Hope you don’t mind being stuck here till Christmas Eve.”

Ephrim lets out a slow, measured breath. Two days. With any luck he can get out of here early on the 24th, and if he drives like hell then he has plenty of time to get where he needs to go. He doesn’t have to miss the meeting after all.

Slowly, he nods. “Is there a hotel in town?” He pauses, considering. “Or is it, like, an inn or a bed and breakfast or something?”

Hella’s eyebrows rise. “Wow, okay, city boy. Small towns can have hotels, but you don’t need to worry about that.”

“Why’s that?”

She turns to the door just as Throndir comes back through, smiling cheerfully. “I don’t know how you take your coffee, so I just got you hot chocolate,” he says, and holds out a cup to Ephrim. He takes it, too surprised to say thank you, and Throndir hands the other cup to Hella. “What’s the verdict?”

Hella is one of the scariest people Ephrim has ever met in real life. She’s tall as fuck, and her arms are about the size of Ephrim’s torso. But when she smiles at Throndir, she looks like a completely different person, fonder and softer. She takes a sip of her coffee and says, “Two days.”

Throndir makes a face and glances at Ephrim. “Are you still going to be able to get to your work thing?”

“I’ve got it under control,” Ephrim says automatically. “I’ll make some calls, it’ll be okay.”

“Good,” Throndir says sympathetically. Ephrim likes Throndir, although it’s hard to say why. Normally people like Throndir drive him insane, people who are gracious for grace’s sake and so completely guileless. Maybe he’s just relieved that Throndir actually stopped for him when he needed help.

“Thanks again for the ride,” Ephrim says, for lack of anything else to say.”

“Of course,” Throndir says. Then he tilts his head, a strange look on his face. “But where are you going to stay?”

Ephrim opens his mouth to ask about hotels, because like hell is he committing that same gaffe in front of Throndir, but Hella cuts him off before he can. “I think that place uptown is full,” she says. It’s a careful, neutral statement, but something about it sets alarm bells off in Ephrim’s head.

Sure enough, Throndir’s brows furrow for a second, but then his face clears. “You can stay with me!”

“What,” Ephrim says.

“I have a guest room, and I’m not far from town, so you’re welcome to explore if you get bored on the farm.”

“Farm?”

“Throndir runs the local Christmas tree farm,” Hella explains. Ephrim gives Throndir a startled look, but he just shrugs. “It’s a nice place, and it’s probably cheaper than that place uptown.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t charge you,” Throndir says, surprised. “It’s just two days, right?”

“Right,” Ephrim says slowly. He genuinely can’t tell how much of a choice he has in this situation, but he can’t say that he minds the idea of spending a couple days with Throndir. Even if those few days are on a Christmas tree farm. Ugh, he hopes Throndir isn’t one of those people who’s super weird about Christmas.

“Great!” Throndir claps his hands together. “I’m going to go back home and make sure the guest room is set up. Hella, I’m assuming you need some time to go over invoices and stuff.”

Hella shrugs. “Sure, if you don’t mind coming back to pick him up.”

“Not at all. I’ll make sure Kodiak doesn’t drool on your pillows.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to pay?” Ephrim says, because it feels… polite. He certainly won’t say no to a free place to stay, especially now that he also has to consider paying for car repairs.

Throndir waves him off. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, with that same guileless sincerity. “I’ll be back in an hour or something, okay?”

“Go,” Hella says, exasperated and fond. Throndir shoots her a cheeky grin and heads out. She turns back to Ephrim, face dropping into something serious. “You’re going to pay him, right?”

“He said-”

“Ephrim,” Hella says, gratingly polite, and takes a step closer. She is much, much taller than him. “You’re going to pay Throndir for letting you stay in his house. Right?”

“Right,” Ephrim says.

Hella smiles. It doesn’t look nearly as friendly as before. “Great,” she says. “Let’s go over your bill.”

  #

  3.

“It’s just for one more day,” Ephrim snaps. He’s been trying so hard not to be annoyed about this, but he forgot how weird Maelgwyn gets about… about plans. “And then I’ll be driving to the meeting, and driving back.”

“Driving back,” Maelgwyn repeats. “Why do you have to do this? You could’ve just rescheduled your flight.”

“That costs an arm and a leg.”

“So does getting your car fixed. And thanks so much for waiting until the next morning to tell me that you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.”

“Thanks for checking in to make sure I’m alive,” Ephrim says, because he’s more than willing to admit he’s an asshole. But he thinks he’s allowed to be annoyed that his boyfriend didn’t notice him going radio silent. He’s allowed to be annoyed about pretty much this whole situation.

The only part that isn’t annoying is Throndir. He’s been so generous with his time, constantly offering to take Ephrim into town in case he needs anything and make sure he’s settling in. Ephrim had tried to take him out to dinner as a thank you, and Throndir had still insisted on splitting the check. He doesn’t know why Hella thinks that he’s going to be able to pay Throndir; he’s pretty sure he could offer a literal million dollars and still get turned down.

Maelgwyn huffs loudly, drawing Ephrim’s attention back to him. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he says. It sounds like it’s being dragged out of him through gritted teeth. “But Jesus Christ, Eph, there’s no way you’re actually stuck here. Maybe you’re just not thinking clearly.”

Something angry sparks in Ephrim’s chest, white-hot. “Excuse me?”

“You’re obviously distracted by something-”

“By my car breaking down, Maelgwyn!”

“I’m just saying, you’re being dramatic about this.”

Ephrim takes a sharp breath. They’re both dramatic, and they both know it, but for some goddamn reason it’s always a weapon that Maelgwyn uses against him.

“I’ll let you know when I leave,” he says, short and sharp, and hangs up before Maelgwyn can get a word in edgewise. This is fucking exhausting, but at least he can shut his notifications off and ignore everything until he’s ready to deal with it.

He sighs and rolls his shoulders, trying to force himself to look casual. He wanders out of his bedroom and over to the kitchen, where, as suspected, Throndir is waiting with two bowls of cereal. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Throndir says, and grimaces. “So, uh, for transparency’s sake, I feel like I should tell you that I heard that whole thing.”

“Sounds right,” Ephrim sighs. He sits down across from Throndir. He can’t remember the last time he actually sat down to eat breakfast by himself, let alone with someone else. There’s something nice about it. “Sorry you had to hear that.”

“Sorry your brother’s an asshole.”

“Boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Throndir repeats incredulously. Ephrim arches an eyebrow, and for a second he swears that Throndir blushes. “I just mean- it didn’t sound like he was being particularly understanding, that’s all.”

Ephrim shrugs. Things have been on the rocks for a while now, and he can admit that to himself, but it’s something else entirely to say it out loud. He takes a bite of cereal and decides he needs a subject change, so he says, “How did you end up owning a Christmas tree farm?”

“Technically I don’t own it.” Throndir half-smiles. “I’m just maintaining it for a friend. His kid wanted to move to the city, so they’re living there for a few years. It’ll be his as soon as he comes back.”

“But not just anyone can own a farm.”

Throndir shrugs. “I used to live in a pretty small town, even smaller than this. And I did a lot of odd jobs, including farm work. And Jack’s a pretty good teacher, so…” he shrugs again, but he’s smiling now. “Christmas central.”

Ephrim makes a face despite himself. Throndir catches it immediately. “You’re not a Christmas person?”

“It’s annoying,” Ephrim says, which doesn’t even begin to encapsulate his feelings towards Christmas. “It’s just not for me.”

“You know you can celebrate a normal amount, right? You don’t have to put reindeer antlers on your car or listen to Blue Christmas on repeat or anything.” Throndir pauses. “Or just celebrate Hanukkah or something.”

Ephrim shrugs. “It’s not for me,” he says again.

Throndir just nods. “Well, the farm’s closed today, but I have some errands to run in town. You’re welcome to come with me, even if you don’t run the errands with me.”

“That’d be nice,” Ephrim says, then frowns. “Christmas is in two days. Don’t people want their Christmas trees?”

Throndir shakes his head. “Pretty much everyone who wants a tree has one at this point.”

“What about the people who want one but don’t have one?”

His eyes spark mischievously. “They come tomorrow. It’s the busiest day of the season.”

Ephrim laughs although he can’t exactly say what about that is so funny. But Throndir sits back, looking pleased with himself, and Ephrim kind of feels like he did the right thing by laughing. It’s a nice change of pace.

[daebelly]

to answer the question though it all comes down to, the usual setup of american cities is depressing as hell. sub-urban sprawl incarnate with very few jobs due to enormous megacorporations slowly starving the few small businesses that *can* get set up in the first place. nothing is walkable, everything is spread out, everything is a parking lot or a business or a suburb with HOAs out the ass. this all leads to a bunch of 'nothing' towns with their main 'thing' being retail to sustain their population and restaurants to sustain the retail workers. some places angle for factory work instead, or office work. suffice it to say, there isn't exactly a lot of room for anything even remotely interesting between this strange, misshapen mutation of a city wrought by unchecked capitalism

always blows my mind as a european when people talk about states like “yeah theres nothing in ohio/montana/wyoming/etc” because i look at a map like but. but theyre so big. every state could qualify as its own country what do you mean theres nothing there. and then i ask people from those states and theyre like “yeah theres nothing here” what do you mean theres nothing there!!!

[ghargoyle]

Demon of Hidden Things (Demon x Female Reader) - Part 2

This is late and my pacing is soooooooo rushed but just TAKE IT

Part 1

En route to his destination, Sartael felt his facade start to slip. An involuntary growl reverberated from his chest; the skin on his hands was gradually fading from a golden tan to blood red. When the conductor came by to check his ticket, the conductor’s face dropped.

“Uh. Hello...sir. Got your ticket?”

“Yeah, right here. Thank you.” He attempted to flash the conductor one of his brilliant Wall Street smiles, but it didn’t seem to help his case, and the man hurried along to the next passenger.

Turning to glimpse his dim reflection in the train window, Sartael immediately noticed that his eyes had reverted to a startling neon yellow with slitted pupils. Oh. Well that explains the look. Whatever, he probably thought they were costume contacts or something. Hesitantly, the demon opened his mouth to find a full set of pointed fangs. Well, that’s a bit harder to explain away. Thankfully this is New York, so that’s probably not even the weirdest thing he’s seen today.

Slipping his monthly train pass into his wallet, Sartael paused and smirked at his ID and business card. “Jim Alaster”, it read, in a classy black font with gold detailing. A name he had carefully crafted for himself before moving to America. “Jim” coming from “Jinn” with the n’s mashed together, “Alaster” being an anagram of his own name that also hinted at his demonic identity without being too obvious. The full name, conveniently, was similar enough to that of some Northern Irish politician that Sartael didn’t come up on the first page of Google results. Of course, he had made himself a website and a fairly realistic-looking set of social media accounts anyway. Just in case.

He wouldn’t need the name anymore, but he was still proud of it, in an odd way. He might keep the wallet and its contents as a souvenir when he returned to Hell.

Hell. Did he even want to return? He gazed out the window at the Northeastern landscapes, which seemed to alternate pristine woodlands with sparkling lakes and grey industrial wastelands, all concrete and carbon emissions. Occasionally, the train would pass a quaint town or chic city occupied by the country’s elite--Starbucks and artisan bistros, boutiques selling $200 plain dresses and decor that read “Home is where the heart is.”

He knew which stop was his when the air became thick with a pulsing energy. By that point, his chin and nose had started to protrude and veins of red stretched across the expanses of his once carefully-curated face. He could feel his feet starting to turn into hooves in his polished Italian leather shoes, his tail pressing against the inside of his pants.

Guess Uber isn’t an option.

Thankfully, his destination seemed to be a relatively small coastal town, walkable in a few hours at most. The amulet seemed to call out to him in a soft but insistent humming tone, beckoning him to close his eyes.

When he opened them, he knew. He started toward the ocean, ignoring the stares he got, knowing that humans--especially in this part of the world--were too cynical to believe even their own eyes.

Just over an hour later, Sartael came upon an apartment building on the shore. He breathed deeply for a moment, taking in the aura, reveling in the anticipation.

And he promptly ripped the building’s door off its hinges.

And took the elevator to the 8th floor.

And walked down the hall to apartment #83, where he knocked meekly on the door and waited.

You weren’t sure what you expected when you peeked through the peephole in your apartment door, but what you got was a man who looked like he was in dire straits. You couldn’t make out the details of his visage through the smudged glass, but he looked redder than any normal human should, and he seemed to be huffing and puffing quite a bit. Maybe the elevator was broken again?

You opened the door and greeted him with an expectant “Hi!”, only to have him charge and tackle you to the ground before kicking the door closed behind him.

“WHERE is my AMULET?” he roared. You screamed, and he covered your mouth with one ha--were those claws?! “Scream and I swear I’ll kill you and find it myself. It is a green gemstone with a sigil carved into it. Where is it?”

You furrowed your brow for a moment, thinking. Then you attempted to pry his hand off your mouth, leveling him with a glare.

“The only thing I can think of that matches that description is the stone on the cover of my journal. If you get the fuck off of me, I’ll gladly show it to you.”

The demon let go with a slight shove, and you hurried to your room to fish through your desk. You pulled it out less than two minutes later and nearly threw it at the demon, who glared at you and then gazed down at the cover with a wicked grin. His fingers hovered just above the gemstone, as if he was nervous to finally make contact. When he did, the carved sigil glowed emerald for a moment, and then faded back to normal.

“What….” He swallowed. “What in the name of Lucifer himself did you do to it.”

“Huh?”

“What. Did. YOU DO TO IT.”

“Nothing? I bought this at a flea market. It was already embedded in the cover of the journal.”

He tore the leather cover to shreds with one long talon and held the stone flat in the palm of his hand. After a long moment in which you could see golden flames raging in his irises, he looked up at you.

“I don’t suppose you know where the nearest portal to hell is, do you.”

You stared at him and snorted. “Behind the ramen joint across the street.”

Sartael, as he told you his name was, was a bit surprised to see that there actually was a portal to Hell behind the ramen shop across the street.

“Well yeah, I wasn’t kidding. I figured if any place around here were a portal to Hell, it’d be this one.”

“Well played.” In a split second, he grabbed you and jumped into the gaping hole in the ground. Another split second, and you found yourself at the mouth of a sweltering cave, where masses of downtrodden people groaned and screamed and marched toward their eternal damnation.

You winced. Sartael looked around for a moment before snatching your arm and walking right into the cave, ignoring the protests of the guard-demons, none of whom seemed willing to leave their post to stop him. Inside, you could see tall columns of fire, rivers of blood, and...well. All the things you might expect to find in Hell.

Not thirty seconds later, Sartael was recognized by an elderly-looking demon with glasses.

“Sartael?! By St. Michael’s bastard, that can’t be you! It’s been centuries!”

“Olgrath. Where is your brother?”

“Where do you think? As if that old fool would ever step foot outside that library.” Olgrath laughed. “Goodness, it really has been ages. I--”

“Thank you, my friend. But we really are in a hurry.”

“Leaving so soo--”

Sartael once again grabbed your hand and took off, dodging demons and condemned souls alike. You came to a pair of massive wooden doors engraved with a sigil and guarded by what looked like a hydra. It didn’t kill Sartael (nor you) immediately--did it recognize him? He acknowledged the creature with a nod and started tapping out a pattern on the sigil as though entering a code on a keypad. At last, he pressed his palm to the sigil, and a voice came booming from the other side of the doors.

“Who is it?”

“Sartael.”

The doors opened to reveal a...surprisingly small demon. Smaller even than Sartael, who was not much larger than you. He closely resembled his brother, down to the thick glasses resting on the bridge of his Roman nose. If you had previously been asked what the librarian of Hell would look like, he might have fit the bill, but his voice had thrown you through a bit of a loop.

“Sartael!” The small demon grinned. “Finally returned from your centuries-long vacation with a...living human, I see.”

“We’re here on business.”

“I should hope so.” He turned to you and his grin turned slightly menacing, a glint of something terrible in his eye. “Hello, my dear. You may call me Ilgrath. Enchanté.”

You gulped, forced a smile, and were about to tell him your name when Sartael interrupted.

“I have recovered my amulet, but it glowed green and then nothing happened.”

Ilgrath held out his hand for the stone, which Sartael reluctantly handed over. The librarian held it up to his eye, glancing between you and your demonic companion, let out a pensive hum and handed it back.

“It appears as though she has become the de facto owner of the amulet, although she doesn’t have the capacity to harness its power.”

Sartael shot you a bewildered look. “How do I get it back?”

The librarian laughed and clapped his hands. “By ritual, of course!”

“Blast it! Always with the damn rituals!” He stopped a hooved leg. “What does the ritual entail, then?”

“I don’t know anything about that. You’ll have to ask the Master Librarian of Infernal Objects.”

“The bureaucracy here really is awful. Now I remember why I hate this place.”

You trudged off down a hallway to an elevator servicing 666 floors. Great, you thought. We’re probably on 665. Thankfully Sartael pushed the button for the 17th floor and you arrived instantly. Magic, you figured. You started really wishing you had brought a water bottle, although you were pretty sure it would have boiled or melted by this point.

Sartael marched out, gearing up to shout at whoever you encountered. Instead, a stout demon with large, rough hands stood at a desk, tinkering with an object under a magnifying glass. Before Sartael could start ranting, the demon spoke.

“There are two ways in which the ritual may be completed. You may kill her, and use her body in a ritual with these objects.” He tossed a small scroll to Sartael, who struggled to catch it. “Or you may mate with her.”

Sartael unrolled the scroll and let out a string of very angry-sounding demonic words. The other demon seemed unfazed, and when he replied, it was in the same deep, monotone voice as before, although you still couldn’t understand the language. Whatever he said made Sartael whip his head toward you, looking at once shocked, anxious, and infuriated. Without another word, he dragged you to the elevator and pressed the 666th button. You shut your eyes tight, and when you opened them, you were…

Back on Earth.

Sartael turned to you. “You have as long to live as it takes me to gather the items for the ritual. Some of them are found only in the most remote areas of the human world, so we will need to travel. I will cover the costs with Jim Alaster’s savings…”

“Jim Alaster? The Wall Street guy?”

“Yes, and my supposed identity. We will need to be careful, however, because at the moment he is supposed to be missing.”

You laughed and shook your head. “Whatever. I guess traveling the world is how I would want to spend my final days anyway.”

“If it’s any consolation, it will probably be more like final months than final days.”

“Sweet. Where to first?”

[sequence2022]

Devony - Hometown Landmarks

The Baylands:

A nature preserve with marshland and a small, a dock, and small, 5 foot wide, boardwalk that leads to a look-out over the bay. It is east of the town, the same direction my bedroom window faces. While my dad and I usually drove there, it is an easily walkable distance from my house. As a kid, my dad and I would get an order of french fries from the local golf course and perch next to mud and brittle weeds, trying to keep seagulls from stealing our food. The Baylands has a distinctly different aura from the Foothills, which borders Palo Alto to the west, as it used to be a landfill and always carries a scent of muddy decomposition. Visitors occasionally toss coins over boardwalk railing, and my dad used to find a long stick for me to poke about the mud and take the coins back, stealing people’s wishes.

Community Garden:

Even close to our house is the Community Garden and library, where my dad has a small plot. Visiting the garden during fall and spring is particularly nice, because of the abundance of vegetables, flowers and fruit spilling over the plots’ borders. Of course, there are minor disputes that occur every now and then that balloon into unnecessarily vehement conflicts, which seems representative of the Palo Alto community as a whole. Also, nearby, there’s a lawn that hosts a glass pumpkin festival every year.

Stanford (specifically the Stanford Museum):

Palo Alto is a college town, so Stanford has always had some influence on my life, from working concessions at football games to raise money for high school theatre productions, to driving with my mom to the space she rented out to teach music classes. My favorite memories are of the museum, which I went to on a class field trip every year from kindergarten to eighth grade. There is a statue garden with replicas of Rodin sculptures, including the Gates of Hell, where we used to sit and eat lunch on those field trips. On the other side of the wall supporting the Gates is a small door, presumably for maintenance, but I like to think it’s a backdoor to hell.

Foothills Park:

If you drive past Stanford, you can reach the Foothills, which are connected to the Santa Cruz Mountains (the Hills might technically be mountains as well but with the Sierras to compare, they’re puny). Foothills Nature Preserve used to be specifically open to Palo Alto residents only, after the other cities refused to donate any money to open the preserve, but has recently opened to everyone (that process has been kind of a mess, but that’s a different story). There’s an area of picnic benches, surrounded by redwoods, and hiking trails that lead up to manzanitas, oaks, and down to a lake populated by frogs and occasional turtles. When I think of an idyllic place, I think of Foothills.

[duamuteffe]

@duamuteffe ABSOLUTELY???

Okay, so- during my second semester of college I got married (terrible idea, but that’s another story) and we moved into an apartment that was the second floor of a 100+ year old house, a walkable distance from campus.  The front of the house faced the main road - such as it is - through the very small town, and the back of the house, where the bedroom was, faced the little lake and also the parking lot for a tiny mall.  The parking lot also included a few stores on a strip, an honest to goodness mom and pop video rental owned by a guy who started a rather well-regarded horror convention nearby (but that’s another story) a big bowling alley, and a closed movie theater, the latter of which was the closest to us.

Fast forward a few years to the early spring of 2008 and I’m still in the apartment, though my ex-husband is long gone (he’s a good dude, but he was not a good husband for me, but that is yet another story) and the Doc and I have been together for quite a while and we’re waiting on the paperwork to be approved so he can come over and we can get married, but until it’s approved he is legally unable to visit (all movies that have green cards handed out upon marriage are lying through their teeth, lemme tell you.) I am alone a lot, and very sad a lot, and not sleeping much (hello undiagnosed depression!) so my adopted kid brother (I adopted him when he was sixteen and taking the same college programming course that I was, but that is again yet another story) would come over after his shift at the bakery he was working at at the time and we’d eat leftover bakery goodness and watch movies or go for walks at night or play video games or whatever. Anyway on this particular night it was roughly one in the morning and we’d just finished a movie and were discussing what to watch next, when he glanced out the window and said, “What the hell’s going on out there?”

So I should explain that even though this was a college town by one AM it was usually extremely quiet, little to no traffic, no people wandering around, bars closing, all the store in the little mall long shut for the night, etc. But as I looked out the back window, I saw a brown cargo van pulling to a stop in the middle of the lot for the closed-down movie theater. Two people hopped out and opened a sliding door on each side of the van and started busily moving something around in the open doors as a large station wagon pulled up alongside it. Four or so people exited the station wagon and pulled out a cooler and started passing out beers to each other and the people adjusting things in the cargo van, then leaned on the car or sat on the hood or sat on the hood of the van. The people with the cargo van finished their adjustments and I grabbed an unmounted scope I have in place of binoculars and it turned out they were setting up an incredibly large and nice looking set of speakers to point out both open doors. They sat and leaned on/against the hood of their van, and one of them took what we assumed to be a remote out of his pocket and suddenly the opening notes of “I Would Do Anything For Love” are broadcast so loudly and so clearly through the speakers it sounded like Meatloaf was in the room with us. And for twelve minutes, the full version of the song plays at a volume I’m sure the next town over could hear (although it’s not distorted or crackly or anything, those speakers were top notch) while the people sit and lean quietly and drink their beers and my kid brother and I stare out the window in mingled confusion and awe. And then, when the song ended, they unhooked the speaker and stowed them back in the van and closed the doors and everyone got into their respective van or car and drove away.

Ok this is the second day in a row that at about this time someone has been BLASTING power ballads outside my apartment. Are you ok mystery person what’s goin on bud do u wanna talk abt it

[easyfoodnetwork]

It’s Maybe Time to Make To-Go Cocktails Legal

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

To help struggling restaurants, states across the country have loosened up laws around to-go and delivery drinks — and it’s hard to imagine going back

By 3 p.m. on Saturday, when Dutch Kills’s cocktail window opened for business, there were already a half-dozen people lined up outside. The famous Queens “speakeasy” has given up the last pretense of being secret, with a bartender in a mask taking orders — martinis, Manhattans, mai tais — next to a sandwich board that asks patrons to “keep it safe and keep it moving!” There were snacks for sale, too. And for an extra $2, I could get a float of 12-year rum on my pina colada. I spent the $2, and set off on the half-hour walk home, my only concern being how to thread the straw underneath my face mask.

Two months ago, openly walking down the street with a cocktail would have been impossible, and drinking outside would have required the minor conspiracy of pouring wine into an opaque water bottle before going to the park, or brown-bagging it on the subway.

Across the country, it is largely illegal to consume alcohol in public spaces, to take a drink to-go from a restaurant or bar, or to purchase a bottle of liquor from anywhere but a liquor or grocery store. It’s a confusing system — as long as the drinking age is 21, most liquor laws are left to states and local municipalities — and mostly it boils down to having to consume alcohol in your home or on the premises of a restaurant, bar, or arena, and that walking around on the street with a beer is a big taboo.

But in order to provide restaurants and bars with a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have loosened liquor laws, allowing patrons to get cocktails or wine to-go from delivery windows, or have them delivered with their food. It seems to be working quite well, both for businesses and customers; businesses get to offload more product at a time when every penny counts, and customers get to enjoy mixologist-quality cocktails at home. And it raises the question of why the hell it hasn’t been like this the whole time.

The new, temporary liquor regulations have their own quirks and inconsistencies, but most states have made it easier to obtain alcohol: In New York and California, alcohol can be delivered or taken to-go, as long as it’s accompanied by food, and restaurants can sell whole bottles of wine and spirits. In Chicago, restaurants and bars can sell “sealed packaged goods in their original container,” like bottles of wine or cans of beer, but not pre-mixed cocktails. The same goes for Washington and Texas, though restaurants are selling “cocktail kits” so you can make your own at home. Public intoxication and public drinking laws remain, but anecdotally, there seems to be mixed enforcement. Fewer people are in public. And everyone has bigger fish to fry.

Richard Boccato, founder of Dutch Kills, was initially skeptical of booze delivery. “The takeout window came first, because the window was there, and we didn’t know what else to do,” he says. “But I wasn’t initially excited about [delivery] because of health concerns, not wanting to put myself and my staff at risk.” He also knew Dutch Kills mostly attracted locals — ”people don’t usually make the trip from fancier zip codes out to Long Island City.” However, with a bar full of cases of spirits, and the infrastructure to deliver through their ice company, he was willing to try.

Restaurants typically make about 30 percent of revenue from alcohol sales, and for bars, it’s obviously much higher. So being able to move alcohol means an extra shot (sorry) at survival. Boccato says that their cocktail packages, which include the bar’s signature ice blocks and a QR code for a Spotify playlist of their jukebox’s most popular selections, have been a hit. And on top of their take-out window and their cocktail delivery service, they also have whole bottles of specialty spirits for sale. “As far as what percentage of our regular business that has earned us, it’s an infinitesimal fraction, but considering what’s happening we can’t complain too much,” he says.

Other restaurants consider the loosened laws an incredible lifeline. “I personally love this license. I wish we could keep this license forever,” says Gina Chersevani, owner of Buffalo & Bergen in Washington, D.C., which is providing bagels and sandwiches as well as cocktails to-go. “The coolest thing in the world is to be able to pick up breakfast and bring home a Bloody Mary.” Chersevani says that alcohol sales currently account for about 20 percent of business on a busy day like Saturday, far lower than the 50/50 food to alcohol sales they were doing before the pandemic. But it helps to both keep money coming in, and to remind customers of everything they have to offer, even if they don’t feel immediately safe going out once things reopen. “Drinking in a bar is great but it’s a different option... we can provide for both of those worlds.”

Chersevani said it took a few days to figure out how to prepare cocktails both safely and in accordance with the new laws, which require alcohol orders to be sealed, and that they include at least one food item: “It’s extra steps.” She says it’s led some bars to break the rules, which she worries could ruin the opportunity to extend this license for everyone else. But she looks to life in New Orleans as a model, where open container laws allow for people to walk around with to-go cocktails, and says there’s no reason that shouldn’t work in a small, walkable city like D.C. “I don’t know if everyone is going to want to keep [these laws], but for my fast-casual business this could work really well for me in the future.”

Anyone who has ever visited the handful of towns and entertainment districts in the U.S. that allow for public consumption of alcohol (or like, Europe) has probably come back with a story of a good time. For those who consume alcohol, the freedom of being able to walk up to a kitchen window, get a sandwich and an alcoholic slushie to go, either taking it home or having a picnic with no one being the wiser is just fun. It almost seems redundant to explain — if you could walk along the river front and watch the sunset while sipping on a frosé, wouldn’t you? And if you can now, how on earth is the government going to take that back?

Chersevani’s point about small, walkable cities highlights one of the big problems: America doesn’t have many of those. What we have instead is large, drivable cities, suburban sprawl, and rural expanses over which public transportation is inaccessible, which means most people face the question of drinking or driving. Allowing cocktails and wine to-go likely ups the chances someone will enjoy their martini from their car’s cupholder, and any laws enacted would have to include provisions about curbing drunk driving.

Even New York’s Boccato does have some trepidation about a permanent switch to cocktails to-go, though. Current laws already make bartenders liable for over-serving, and it would make it harder for a bartender to track intoxication if you can get a bottle of Negronis to-go. However, he notes that the paradise described above already existed. “I grew up in New York City, drinking 40s on the subway and on the stoops and in the parks,” he says. Open container laws have never stopped people from drinking in public.

Instead, it’s always been an issue of who gets away with it. Racism and classism heavily influence who police target for public consumption — someone drinking a glass of wine on the stoop of their million-dollar Brooklyn brownstone is less likely to be called out than the people with the cooler of beers on the public beach. “It’s another racist law used almost universally against the poor, it’s usually an excuse for police to stop and investigate,” says Niki Ganong, author of The Field Guide To Drinking In America, pointing to statistics showing that, in one month in Brooklyn, 85 percent of those issued summonses for drinking in public were Latino, while just 4 percent were white. Permanently loosening open container and alcohol to-go regulations could mean equal enjoyment, and no more excuse for police harassment.

But even if open container laws remain enforced, it’s easy to see how alcohol and cocktail delivery and takeout could become a part of a new dining reality. “The cat’s out of the bag, especially in regards to delivery,” says Ganong. “The whole reason laws were loosened in the first place was to allow struggling businesses to earn some money any way they could. That’s not going to change for a long time, even after things reopen.” Restaurants are going to need all the revenue they can get, and being able to offer a cocktail in the dining room or with a take-out meal just means more options to make money. Plus, customers are used to it now. “They say that habits are formed after a month!” says Ganong.

As more states contemplate the reopening of business, expanded liquor laws would continue to provide an extra revenue option for restaurants — in Texas, where restaurants are reopening, the TABC has also ruled they can still offer booze to-go — and allow customers to continue enjoying drinks at home if they don’t feel comfortable being in crowds.

Walking home with my pina colada, getting slowly tipsy in the sun, hurt no one. I was excited that I could enjoy a drink crafted with far more care than I was capable of, especially considering I don’t own a blender. I was happy to be enjoying a sunny day outside, and to maybe pretend I was in New Orleans. But I was in Queens, and maybe soon enough it’ll stop feeling like I’m getting away with something. Maybe it’ll just feel like normal.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2ylCpFp https://ift.tt/3fwYS30

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

To help struggling restaurants, states across the country have loosened up laws around to-go and delivery drinks — and it’s hard to imagine going back

By 3 p.m. on Saturday, when Dutch Kills’s cocktail window opened for business, there were already a half-dozen people lined up outside. The famous Queens “speakeasy” has given up the last pretense of being secret, with a bartender in a mask taking orders — martinis, Manhattans, mai tais — next to a sandwich board that asks patrons to “keep it safe and keep it moving!” There were snacks for sale, too. And for an extra $2, I could get a float of 12-year rum on my pina colada. I spent the $2, and set off on the half-hour walk home, my only concern being how to thread the straw underneath my face mask.

Two months ago, openly walking down the street with a cocktail would have been impossible, and drinking outside would have required the minor conspiracy of pouring wine into an opaque water bottle before going to the park, or brown-bagging it on the subway.

Across the country, it is largely illegal to consume alcohol in public spaces, to take a drink to-go from a restaurant or bar, or to purchase a bottle of liquor from anywhere but a liquor or grocery store. It’s a confusing system — as long as the drinking age is 21, most liquor laws are left to states and local municipalities — and mostly it boils down to having to consume alcohol in your home or on the premises of a restaurant, bar, or arena, and that walking around on the street with a beer is a big taboo.

But in order to provide restaurants and bars with a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have loosened liquor laws, allowing patrons to get cocktails or wine to-go from delivery windows, or have them delivered with their food. It seems to be working quite well, both for businesses and customers; businesses get to offload more product at a time when every penny counts, and customers get to enjoy mixologist-quality cocktails at home. And it raises the question of why the hell it hasn’t been like this the whole time.

The new, temporary liquor regulations have their own quirks and inconsistencies, but most states have made it easier to obtain alcohol: In New York and California, alcohol can be delivered or taken to-go, as long as it’s accompanied by food, and restaurants can sell whole bottles of wine and spirits. In Chicago, restaurants and bars can sell “sealed packaged goods in their original container,” like bottles of wine or cans of beer, but not pre-mixed cocktails. The same goes for Washington and Texas, though restaurants are selling “cocktail kits” so you can make your own at home. Public intoxication and public drinking laws remain, but anecdotally, there seems to be mixed enforcement. Fewer people are in public. And everyone has bigger fish to fry.

Richard Boccato, founder of Dutch Kills, was initially skeptical of booze delivery. “The takeout window came first, because the window was there, and we didn’t know what else to do,” he says. “But I wasn’t initially excited about [delivery] because of health concerns, not wanting to put myself and my staff at risk.” He also knew Dutch Kills mostly attracted locals — ”people don’t usually make the trip from fancier zip codes out to Long Island City.” However, with a bar full of cases of spirits, and the infrastructure to deliver through their ice company, he was willing to try.

Restaurants typically make about 30 percent of revenue from alcohol sales, and for bars, it’s obviously much higher. So being able to move alcohol means an extra shot (sorry) at survival. Boccato says that their cocktail packages, which include the bar’s signature ice blocks and a QR code for a Spotify playlist of their jukebox’s most popular selections, have been a hit. And on top of their take-out window and their cocktail delivery service, they also have whole bottles of specialty spirits for sale. “As far as what percentage of our regular business that has earned us, it’s an infinitesimal fraction, but considering what’s happening we can’t complain too much,” he says.

Other restaurants consider the loosened laws an incredible lifeline. “I personally love this license. I wish we could keep this license forever,” says Gina Chersevani, owner of Buffalo & Bergen in Washington, D.C., which is providing bagels and sandwiches as well as cocktails to-go. “The coolest thing in the world is to be able to pick up breakfast and bring home a Bloody Mary.” Chersevani says that alcohol sales currently account for about 20 percent of business on a busy day like Saturday, far lower than the 50/50 food to alcohol sales they were doing before the pandemic. But it helps to both keep money coming in, and to remind customers of everything they have to offer, even if they don’t feel immediately safe going out once things reopen. “Drinking in a bar is great but it’s a different option... we can provide for both of those worlds.”

Chersevani said it took a few days to figure out how to prepare cocktails both safely and in accordance with the new laws, which require alcohol orders to be sealed, and that they include at least one food item: “It’s extra steps.” She says it’s led some bars to break the rules, which she worries could ruin the opportunity to extend this license for everyone else. But she looks to life in New Orleans as a model, where open container laws allow for people to walk around with to-go cocktails, and says there’s no reason that shouldn’t work in a small, walkable city like D.C. “I don’t know if everyone is going to want to keep [these laws], but for my fast-casual business this could work really well for me in the future.”

Anyone who has ever visited the handful of towns and entertainment districts in the U.S. that allow for public consumption of alcohol (or like, Europe) has probably come back with a story of a good time. For those who consume alcohol, the freedom of being able to walk up to a kitchen window, get a sandwich and an alcoholic slushie to go, either taking it home or having a picnic with no one being the wiser is just fun. It almost seems redundant to explain — if you could walk along the river front and watch the sunset while sipping on a frosé, wouldn’t you? And if you can now, how on earth is the government going to take that back?

Chersevani’s point about small, walkable cities highlights one of the big problems: America doesn’t have many of those. What we have instead is large, drivable cities, suburban sprawl, and rural expanses over which public transportation is inaccessible, which means most people face the question of drinking or driving. Allowing cocktails and wine to-go likely ups the chances someone will enjoy their martini from their car’s cupholder, and any laws enacted would have to include provisions about curbing drunk driving.

Even New York’s Boccato does have some trepidation about a permanent switch to cocktails to-go, though. Current laws already make bartenders liable for over-serving, and it would make it harder for a bartender to track intoxication if you can get a bottle of Negronis to-go. However, he notes that the paradise described above already existed. “I grew up in New York City, drinking 40s on the subway and on the stoops and in the parks,” he says. Open container laws have never stopped people from drinking in public.

Instead, it’s always been an issue of who gets away with it. Racism and classism heavily influence who police target for public consumption — someone drinking a glass of wine on the stoop of their million-dollar Brooklyn brownstone is less likely to be called out than the people with the cooler of beers on the public beach. “It’s another racist law used almost universally against the poor, it’s usually an excuse for police to stop and investigate,” says Niki Ganong, author of The Field Guide To Drinking In America, pointing to statistics showing that, in one month in Brooklyn, 85 percent of those issued summonses for drinking in public were Latino, while just 4 percent were white. Permanently loosening open container and alcohol to-go regulations could mean equal enjoyment, and no more excuse for police harassment.

But even if open container laws remain enforced, it’s easy to see how alcohol and cocktail delivery and takeout could become a part of a new dining reality. “The cat’s out of the bag, especially in regards to delivery,” says Ganong. “The whole reason laws were loosened in the first place was to allow struggling businesses to earn some money any way they could. That’s not going to change for a long time, even after things reopen.” Restaurants are going to need all the revenue they can get, and being able to offer a cocktail in the dining room or with a take-out meal just means more options to make money. Plus, customers are used to it now. “They say that habits are formed after a month!” says Ganong.

As more states contemplate the reopening of business, expanded liquor laws would continue to provide an extra revenue option for restaurants — in Texas, where restaurants are reopening, the TABC has also ruled they can still offer booze to-go — and allow customers to continue enjoying drinks at home if they don’t feel comfortable being in crowds.

Walking home with my pina colada, getting slowly tipsy in the sun, hurt no one. I was excited that I could enjoy a drink crafted with far more care than I was capable of, especially considering I don’t own a blender. I was happy to be enjoying a sunny day outside, and to maybe pretend I was in New Orleans. But I was in Queens, and maybe soon enough it’ll stop feeling like I’m getting away with something. Maybe it’ll just feel like normal.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2ylCpFp via Blogger https://ift.tt/2zgLxLe

[miaglotravel-blog]

Top 10 Places in Turkey to Visit

Turkey is one of the greatest under-rated travel destinations of our time, especially for backpackers. It is located in western Asia and south-eastern Europe and has been receiving the cultures from both continents. That’s why it is so attractive for many travelers around the world. It is rich for beautiful natures, ancient ruins, beaches, mountains, and architectural heritage. We have been traveling around Turkey last summer for 5 weeks and we tried to avoid the touristy places. If you are planning to visit Turkey in a more adventurous way, we would recommend you visit these top 10 places as below. (Prices may differ since we explored Turkey in high-season, the prices might be up.

Here are the top 10 places in Turkey:

10 Kas on Top 10 Places in Turkey

Kas, once an unspoiled fishing village, is now a relatively unspoiled tourist town on the southern bulge of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast southeast of Fethiye and southwest of Antalya. The beaches are small, pebbly and apt to be crowded, so visitors in search of a broad, long sand beach drive west to Patara. Kas is also a good place for exploring the plentiful ancient Lycian cities and archeological sites. When we were there, it was so hot that we couldn’t sleep in our tent at night. We crashed at the beach and fell asleep there. The view was wonderful and the water bright blue, unfortunately, the hot weather makes us leave the place.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Kas from Antalya of Fethiye around 3 hours driving. We recommend you stay in Kas camping 45TL for 2 persons including the tent. The camping doesn’t have a swimming pool but it has its own private beach.

9 Safranbolu on Top 10 Places in Turkey

Safranbolu is a historical place located near the northwestern black sea coast of Anatolia in Karabuk Zonguldak, dates back as far as 3000BC. It was placed in the world cultural heritage list by UNESCO in appreciation of the successful efforts in the preservation of its real name for its houses. While walking around, you might feel like you are in a cute little French or Austrian city or village.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Safranbolu from Samsum for 35TL per person. We recommend you stay in Safa Pension for 60TL for 2 persons.

8 Istanbul

Istanbul once known as Constantinople and Byzantium before that, it is the biggest city in Turkey and the second biggest city in the world. It is a magical meeting place of East and west. It has more top-drawer attractions than it has minarets. The mosques, bazaars, and Turkish baths of Istanbul could keep you happily occupied for your entire trip, an eyeful of breathtaking architecture (which is interesting for people who love buildings, we are more of the nature-loving kinds). Kick your trip off at the Sultan Ahmet Camii “Blue Mosque”, which is visible from many points of the city. Stroll the Galata Bridge and stop by the Miniaturk Park to see its tiny artifacts. The Grand Bazaar has thousands of shops to browse. We especially loved our day relaxing at the river-side with some soda away from the big-city life.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Istanbul from everyplace in Turkey. We recommend you stay in Chill Outliya Hostel 64TL for 2 persons, the atmosphere is good there and the rooms are decent.

7 Kusadasi

Kusadasi used to be a fishing village but now Kusadasi, on Turkey’s west coast, has transformed into a bustling holiday place. The beaches are the main pull during the day, and after dark, the town comes to life, with vibrant bars and clubs. It gives you8 beaches to choose from. There is Ladies Beach, Guzelcamli and many more. The ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus are just half an hour away. You can see the remains of the Temple of Artemis, the Roman library. This was our first stop after Istanbul and we didn’t really like the city itself, it was very touristy and the beach was dirty.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Kusadasi from Istanbul by taking a night bus around 11 hours driving. We recommend you stay at Yat Camping for 30TL 2 persons including the tent.

6 Amasya

Amasyastands in the mountains above the Black Sea coast, set apart from the rest of Anatolia in a narrow valley along the banks of the Yeşilırmak River. Strolling around the city gives you a feeling of being in a French town. The city is surrounded by mountains which include ancient kings’ tombs. At night the city starts living and the atmosphere is enjoyable.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Amasya from Sivas I think it is 30TL per person. You can find accommodation there around 80TL for 2 persons.

5 Amasra on Top 10 Plcaes in Turkey

Amasra is 6hours driving, 450km-long journey from Istanbul to Amasra, but your first glimpse of the city from the hills above will tell you that the trip was worthwhile. Behind the mountains is located a  peninsula with two bays and a rocky island reached by a Roman bridge, the town is the Black Sea’s prettiest port. It’s a popular tourist center, but low-key in comparison with many Aegean and Mediterranean resorts.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Amasra from Bartin I think around 10TL per person. We recommend you stay in Balkaya Pensiyon Amasra for 100TL for 2 persons. The day after we hitchhiked from Bartin to Amasra, which is a cheaper and more adventurous option. We caught a ride within a few minutes.

4 Iztuzu beach / Dalyan on Top 10 Places in Turkey

Iztuzu beach is a 4,5KM long beach near Dalyan in the Mediterranean. During the day people swim, walk, lay in the sun to the sound of the cramping waves, but at night a barrier comes down and the beach is claimed back by nature, in particular by hundreds of loggerhead turtles, one of the oldest surviving animals in the world.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Iztuzu beach from Dalyan for 5TL per person by minibus. You can also rent bikes (like we did) and bike some 12 kilometers from Dalyan to Istuzu Beach, a mountainous area with beautiful surroundings (Just rent appropriate mountain bikes to make it easier for yourself, we did it with normal bikes, and it was a hell of a way haha). We recommend you stay in Dalyan Camping in Dalyan 40TL for 2 persons including the tent

3 Olympos

Olympos is believed to be a pre-Greek word for the mountain over 20 peaks. It is under conservation laws protecting the area from the development of mass tourism, making it unique as a natural paradise for everyone to enjoy. From the main street, you can enter the beach by paying 6TL per person. You can take a walk around the old, Greek ruins and ancient rocks. Follow the broken river to the beach and you will find the hidden pearl. Take some time to discover and hike around. Olympos forms part of the Olympos Bey Daglari National park situated on Turkey’s southern coastline in the province of Antalya. It is famous for three houses as well. While staying in Olympos you could also take some time to visit the natural fires of Chimaera in Cirali, just a few minutes away from Olympos.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Olympos from Antalya but also from Kas and other places. We recommend you stay in treehouses around 50TL/70TL per person Including breakfast and dinner. There are plenty of campsites as well.

2 Saklikent on Top 10 Places in Turkey

Saklikent gorge is one of the top 10 places in Turkey. It is the second-largest gorge in Europe, the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey, about 40 minutes driving from Fethiye. It is a spectacular place with sculpted walls soaring high above. The gorge is walkable after April when most of the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted and passed through the gorge on its way to the Xanthos River. If you want, you can rent rafts and raft from through the river.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can get to Saklikent from Fethiye for 10TL per person by a small dolmus bus. We recommend you stay in Saklikent camping 30TL for 2 persons including the tent, sanitary and a small swimming pool. Be aware of taking food and beverages since the small restaurants there are expensive and there isn’t a decent shop to do your groceries.

1 Goreme / Cappadocia on Top 10 Places in Turkey

Cappadocia is on the top 10 places in Turkey. It is the historic area of central Anatolia bounded by the towns of Hacibektas, Aksaray, Nigde, and Kayseri. known as Cappadocia ancient times and It is still Kapadokya informally today. It is famous for its valley, canyon, hills and unusual rock formation created as a result of the eroding rains and winds of thousands of years ago. Cappadocia was a famous spot for early hippies on the hippie trail in the 1960s. Some came just for 2/3 nights but stayed there for a lifetime. Enjoy the silence and the amazing surroundings, Cappadocia is definitely a visit worth it while escaping from the busy city life.

How to get there and where to stay?

You can find the bus from any decent city to Göreme and then possibly you will have to change the bus. (Free service) The price is around 50TL per person from Antalya.  We recommend you stay in camping called Göreme camping 30TL for 2 persons including the tent.

These are the top 10 places in Turkey, but I am sure there are more beautiful places to discover in Turkey. Please, let us know what you think in the comment section and don’t forget to read How to go from Antalya to Cappadocia.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Go to Provincetown This Summer and Drink at These Bars

A little bit of the East End, a little bit of the West End, and, sure, the Old Colony, too

Welcome back to Food Crawls (or in this case, Booze Crawls), a series in which Eater Boston staffers guide you (virtually) on various food and booze crawls in the Boston area.

When we go out, we often find ourselves wanting to try more than one restaurant (or bar) at a time — a drink and a snack here, another drink and perhaps a dessert there — and want to share our favorite multi-stop combinations with you. These crawls are meant to be relatively walkable, and the amount of food and drink is meant to correspond roughly to a couple of average appetites (so bring a friend), although your mileage may vary. Email us if there’s a particular theme, specific dish or drink, or neighborhood you’d like to see covered in a future installment.

Cape Cod looms large in the American psyche. Fever dreams of leathery Kennedys dressed in all white, breezily enjoying in the nonchalant manner only the well-heeled seem to be able to, occupy an outsized portion of that psyche. Fortunately, Provincetown never wanted to invite the Kennedys or their ilk to the party.

In the first half of the twentieth century, while the Kennedys were doing whatever the hell it was they did at the foot of the Cape (it wasn’t all sailboats and windswept hair, folks), playwrights like Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams, artists like Martha Dewing Woodward and Charles Hawthorne, and writers like Norman Mailer were asking big questions about what it meant to exist in America. Later it was poet Mary Oliver; now it’s novelists like Michael Cunningham, filmmakers like John Waters, and, unappreciated in his time (but damn should this guy be appreciated in his time), musicians like Billy Hough.

Provincetown has long been a haven for the LGTBQ community — and for anyone existing on the margins of society. It’s a place for people often deemed “weird” or “other” by the rest of the country. And it’s also a place defined by its fishing industry — much of it decimated in recent years. This cultural stew of writer/artist/LGBTQ person/hard-scrabbled New Englander has resulted in a magical swath defined by tolerance and support. No one cares what you are in Provincetown, so long as you’re decent.

And if there’s one common thread between people who live in or frequent Provincetown (to be sure there’s more than one common thread), it’s that they’re all up for a good party. The small hamlet at the tip of the Cape has plenty of great bars to accommodate them.

Go to Provincetown this summer (by sea, by land, by air, by foot, whatever), and patronize these bars. Get a little buzzed, but just a little: You’ll want to be feeling well enough in the morning for a dip at the breakwater. (Watch out for the sharks, though. Sharks have been loving hard on the outer Cape in recent years.)

Total stops: 6

Art galleries patronized: All of them?

Streets traveled: Probably just Commercial Street, though feel free to venture off the beaten path. To be sure, these aren’t the only great bars in Provincetown — they’re merely a representative collection of some of the best the town has to offer.

Dips taken at Provincetown’s many perfect beaches: Depends on the length of your journey. Stay for a few days, and visit all of those perfect beaches.

Blood Alcohol Content: Not crazy, but be a damn adult and call a cab.

A Classic Cocktail at the Mews

429 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

The Mews/Facebook

The Mews has been at 429 Commercial St. since it relocated in 1993

The Mews has been feeding Provincetown residents (and a lot of famous people, apparently) since 1964. The current location, which it moved into in 1993, is more cozy and welcoming than is typical of fine dining. The bartenders at the Mews make great cocktails, so get something classic like a Sazerac or an Old Fashioned. Pad the stomach with some crab cakes or duck merguez.

Beers at the Squealing Pig

2202, 335 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

The Squealing Pig/Facebook

The Provincetown version is the best version

The Squealing Pig’s beer list is varied and vast. Order a few local IPAs. If you’re still hungry, get the hog burger, which is topped with bacon, gorgonzola, and a spicy chipotle onion spread. Head there between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. for $1 Wellfleet oysters.

Cheap Domestic Beers at the Old Colony Tap

2202, 323 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

M M./Yelp

A true dive bar

Hang a left out of the Squealing Pig and head to the Old Colony Tap. It’s the perfect dive bar — it looks like the bowels of an old ship (and smells like the bowels of an old ship probably smelled like), and being there always feels a little dicey. Order a cheap domestic beer, and play something classic on the jukebox.

Drinks and Dancing at the Underground

Downstairs, 293 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

The Underground/Facebook

Outside at the Underground

The Underground is many things at once: It’s a club, it’s a dive bar, and it’s a place to play ping-pong and air hockey. Depending on the night, the DJs may be spinning old school hip hop or dancehall. Grab another cheap domestic beer before strolling down Commercial Street to the next bar. (Still hungry? Swing by the brand new Tanuki on the way for onigiri and mochi ice cream.)

A Cocktail and Some Live Music at Grotta Bar

186 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

Grotta Bar/Facebook

The Grotta Bar at Local 186

If you’re in Provincetown on a Tuesday or Friday night in the summer and you don’t go see Scream Along With Billy at the Grotta Bar, you will have messed up royally. Billy Hough sits at his piano while his longtime friend and co-conspirator Sue Goldberg stands at his side playing bass, and the two work their way through classic album after classic album. Sometimes they’re playing Eno. Sometimes it’s the Velvet Underground. Sometimes it’s Eminem, while other times it’s Nirvana. No matter what it is, Hough’s raspy howl and virtuosic playing offer fresh looks at beloved albums. Guest players have included Gordon Gano of Violent Femmes fame. It’s a live music experience unlike any you’ve ever experienced. And even if you have experienced it, literally every performance is different from the last. If there’s one must on this list, it’s this.

A Night Cap at the Red Inn

15 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657

The Red Inn/Facebook

A most exquisite inn

Quintessentially seaside New England, this place. It’s breathtaking in every way imaginable: Sorry, but there isn’t any other word for it. Rooms and the dining are oppressively expensive here, so just grab a cocktail and enjoy the terrific ocean views and the teeming garden.

[bpellerin]

The real cost of free parking

A fantastic piece from CityLab on what free parking really costs.

Parking requirements enable everyone to park free at everyone else’s expense and no one knows that anyone is paying anything. Parking is free, however, only because everything else is more expensive.

A recent study found that the parking spaces required for shopping centers in Los Angeles increase the cost of building a shopping center by 67 percent if the parking is in an aboveground structure and by 93 percent if the parking is underground. Retailers pass this high cost on to all shoppers, regardless of how they travel. People who cannot afford a car pay more for their groceries so richer people can park free when they drive to the store.

That’s true for housing, too. Small, spartan apartments cost less to build than large, luxury apartments, but their parking spaces cost the same. Because many cities require the same number of spaces for every apartment regardless of its size or quality, the required parking disproportionately increases the cost of low-income housing. One study found that minimum parking requirements raise housing costs by 13 percent for families without cars.

And that’s not saying anything about environmental costs, time wasted in moronic traffic jams, stress related to same, accidents causing serious injuries or death, smaller accidents costing repairs and lost earnings,

Off-street parking requirements are what engineers call a “kludge”—an awkward but temporarily effective solution to a problem. In this case, the problem they address is a shortage of free on-street parking. But severing the link between the cost of providing parking and the price that drivers pay for it increases the demand for cars, and when citizens object to the resulting traffic congestion, cities respond by restricting development to reduce traffic. In other words: Cities are limiting the density of people to limit the density of cars. Free parking has become the arbiter of urban form, and cars have replaced humans as zoning’s real density concern.

Ending minimum parking requirements should be a no-brainer. Let builders decide how much space around their condo/apartment building or shopping plaza they want to devote to cars. If someone wants to make a name for themselves as a pedestrian/cyclist/transit-friendly kind of business, why not?

In car-dependent suburbs, and even more so in rural areas, people move around by car for just about everything, from work to grocery shopping and entertainment. Suburbanites own a lot of cars. It’s not uncommon to see two vehicles parked in each driveway, with a third on the street. That’s a lot of space devoted to temporary storage of private metal boxes. But people who live there say those cars are needed and I take them at their word. Designing walkable suburban neighbourhoods should be a priority and maybe one day it will be.

But in the meantime, if you take your car somewhere, you need a place to park it. Makes sense. If you’re in an area without much population density, the cost of adding parking spaces around the local grocer is a lot less than it would be to force Bridgehead on Bank St to add six spots. And frankly, if you’re going to go buy your weekly load of food at Loblaw’s/Indepenednt Grocer in Riverside South for your family of five which now includes two ravenous teenage boys, you’re going to need to take the car because the Loblaws in Riverside South is at least four km from your house making it awkward to walk and besides you’re planning to bring back at least six heavy cloth bags full of goodies and nobody wants to walk or bike with that.

Been there (minus the teenage boys), done that, had the SUV. You’ve made certain life choices, you have growing people with bottomless pits in their tummies living in your house, you only have so much time to devote to grocery shopping, you hate going on Saturdays with the crowds and the infuriatingly full parking lot, but c’est la vie, that’s where you live, and you need food. You are not in the mood to think about the added costs of your car dependency, because that would require a side trip to LCBO and parking there is hell on weekends, too.

I understand. But it doesn’t make those undue extra parking costs disappear. It’s just not clear to see a way from where we are to where we’d rather be.

What makes sense is to start small, and to start with areas with enough population density that things you need to get to on a daily basis are a short walk away.

Slowly increase the cost of on-street parking, as the City just did. Don’t force businesses to have minimum parking spaces. Slowly reduce the number of parking spaces available. For instance, take one spot on each block and turn it into a micro-park. Google “parking parklet” and look at images. Me, I like this. Make it harder and less convenient for people to take their cars in areas of high population density, like downtown, including on weekends. For those who come from afar, make spots available near transit and make transit cheap or, better yet, free on weekends so families in town for a visit find it cheaper and more convenient to drive from Rockland to a park and ride in Orléans and finish the trip on transit.

Yes, it requires changing our current habits, and no, it’s not a perfect solution. A perfect solution is a lot more transit covering a lot more ground. But this can’t happen overnight. What can happen overnight is making parking gradually more expensive, rarer and less convenient in those areas where cars have no business being. Because the cost of free or cheap parking is real, and we’re all paying for it. Not in theory, but in real life, every day.

[makeuptips10-blog]

16 Instagram-Worthy Destinations to Visit While They’re Still Underrated

New Post has been published on https://www.claritymakeupartistry.com/16-instagram-worthy-destinations-to-visit-while-theyre-still-underrated/

16 Instagram-Worthy Destinations to Visit While They’re Still Underrated

When you love to travel, you quickly learn that a ton of other people do, too. And while bumping into other tourists can be part of the fun (so many countries, cultures and coincidences happen when talking to fellow travelers!), many jet-setters end up wishing they could find a spot or two with a few more locals and fewer out-of-towners. (Nothing cramps an idyllic Instagram like a selfie stick wandering into the shot.)

Thankfully, there are tons of underrated destinations that haven’t yet made it onto the hotspot radar—meaning you can actually escape to them, enjoy not-so-crowded spaces and snap tons of tourist-free photos.

Whether you’re into traversing mountains, hot springs and mud volcanoes, or whether you prefer visiting monasteries, sitting by the ocean and doing a little whale-watching, we can just about guarantee there’s an understated travel destination (or two!) waiting to be discovered.

Ahead, you’ll find 16 underrated travel destinations practically begging to be added to your to-visit list. It doesn’t matter if you prefer domestic or international travel, either, because all kind of travel destinations are on offer in the following slideshow.

Originally posted on SheKnows.

Domestic Destination: Theodore Roosevelt National

National parks are hugely popular in the U.S., and it can sometimes be difficult to get the peace, quiet and wildlife-viewing we crave.

North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park is still relatively unknown enough—and far enough away from other huge tourist destinations—that your chances increase for seeing bison, prairie dogs, wild horses and other animals.

But it’s bound to get popular, so see it while it still feels like the wide-open West.

Photo: Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: Lassen Volcanic National Park

Tucked away in upstate California, Lassen Volcanic National Park is like a miniature Yellowstone that receives only a fraction of the visitors.

Climb Lassen Peak, which erupted as recently as 1915, or visit Bumpass Hell (pictured), which is currently under restoration but can be reached via the trail past Cold Boiling Lake.

Photo: Feargus Cooney/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: San Luis Obispo, California

If you dream of near-perfect weather without the business of Southern California, San Luis Obispo is the place to be.

Established between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the area has 80 miles of coastline, its own enviable wine country and about 315 days of sunshine a year.

Photo: Stuart Black/robertharding/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: Taos, New Mexico

Admittedly, Taos is a popular destination in the summertime. But fewer people think of it as a must-see place during the shoulder seasons or even the winter.

Taos Ski Valley is a fun destination for winter sports lovers, while fall and spring offer much cooler temperatures for those wanting to enjoy wine tours, peruse art galleries or lounge in the area’s hot springs.

Photo: Marc Shandro/Moment/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: Estes Park, Colorado

When people think of winter sports in Colorado, towns like Aspen, Vail, Telluride and Breckenridge come to mind. But Estes Park—which is the gateway to the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park—has its own winter adventures, like backcountry skiing and ice climbing, not to mention a cute walkable downtown area with plenty of nearby lodging options.

But shh, most people haven’t figured that out… yet.

Photo: Dimitrios Siafarikas/EyeEm/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: Tulsa, Oklahoma

If you want a family-friendly city to explore, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has plenty to do without being overcrowded.

They recently opened a 100-acre park called the Gathering Place, which includes a playground, boating pond and skate park. The Tulsa Zoo, located in the 2,800-acre Mohawk Park, will be a hit with any animal-loving children.

Photo: Walter Bibikow/The Image Bank/Getty Images.

Domestic Destination: Depoe Bay, Oregon

As the whale-watching capital of the Oregon Coast, there is one exceptional and obvious reason to hit up Depoe Bay: the whales. A resident pod of gray whales hangs out in the coves in the area, and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from.

Summer is the busy season, but it’s just as gorgeous in the fall and spring.

Photo: Michaelschober/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images.

International Destination: Iceland

Tourism in Iceland is booming, with about 2 million visitors in 2017, though it’s still relatively quiet compared to neighboring countries like Norway, which had nearly 15 million visitors.

So now’s the time to get to the country and see aurora borealis, geothermal spas and misty waterfalls before you have to elbow crowds out of the way.

Photo: Arctic-Images/Stone/Getty Images.

International Destination: Wales

If you’ve always wanted to explore the United Kingdom but want less of a tourist trap, get out of London and head to Wales instead.

You’ll get everything from rolling green hills to rugged coastlines, Roman ruins, castles and—if you head far enough to the northwest—a real culture shock since many people speak Welsh fluently.

Photo: Alexander Spatari/Moment/Getty Images.

International Destination: Azerbaijan

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism grew by 20 percent between 2016 and 2017 in Azerbaijan, and it’s no wonder why. Visas are inexpensive and easy to obtain, and the country boasts busy cities with 19th-century buildings (city of Baku), temples, 40,000-year-old rock paintings and bubbling mud volcanoes.

The U.S. does advise increased caution due to terrorist activities in some areas, so be sure to read about the areas that are safe for tourists ahead of time.

International Destination: Republic of Macedonia

Photo: Time E White/The Image Bank/Getty Images.

International Destination: Georgia

Speaking of beautiful religious buildings, Georgia has truly beautiful monasteries and churches, including Katskhi Pillar, a small church sitting on top of a more-than-100-foot-tall limestone rock column.

The capital, Tbilisi, is incredibly diverse, as the country borders Russia, Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Photo: Dmytro Kosmenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images.

International Destination: Bhutan

Just east of Nepal, Bhutan is a predominantly Buddhist country with stunning temples, rice farms and dotsho (“hot baths, often prepared using heated river stones”). Bhutan has also imposed a pretty hefty daily fee for your visa (around $250), which includes a required tour guide in order to move between cities.

The good news is that the price tag is helping the country focus on monitoring the influx of tourism so it won’t become crowded like other popular destinations.

Photo: Lightphoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images.

International Destination: Belize

Certainly, Belize already has its fair share of tourism but has been plagued with perceptions that it’s dangerous to visit.

That’s starting to change, according to statistics from the Ministry of National Security (though the U.S. still advises increased caution). And the area’s most attractive features, like Mayan ruins, the Great Barrier Reef that runs the length of the coast, delicious food and low population density is bound to attract more visitors.

Photo: Rebecca E Marvil/Getty Images.

International Destination: Tunisia

Tunisia once had rather impressive tourism numbers, but the country’s revolution—and in more recent years, terrorist attacks—limited the flow of tourists.

That’s starting to change. The U.S. government still advises increased caution, so do your homework, but it’s a beautiful place to visit.

Try exploring the cave homes of Matâma (a genius way to withstand the heat), exploring the Holy City of Kairouan (considered the fourth-holiest city of Islam) or even lounging at one of the many beachfront resorts.

Photo: Max Shen/Moment/Getty Images.

International Destination: Romania

Romania has a little bit of everything for everyone. Love history and castles? Romania’s got ’em. Nature and hiking more your thing? Plenty of that too. Into the spooky stuff like vampires and ghosts?

Romania is the place to visit for fans of the supernatural. Make sure to check out Bran Castle (aka Dracula’s house), Ochiul Beiului Lake in Cheile Nerei-Beusnita National Park and the ultra-creepy Hoia Baciu forest.

Photo: Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Images.

Next slideshow starts in 10s

20 Iconic Movie Hair Moments—From ‘Clueless’ to ‘Star’Wars’

Source: https://stylecaster.com/up-and-coming-travel-destinations/

[roamingmom]

I’m a self-professed weather snob. This means I like being warm and dry while I look at the sun. We all know the UK does not score top marks for warmth, dryness or sunshine,  so it was a bit of an odd choice for our midterm break. However, what Ole Blighty lacks in weather, she makes up for in rich history, dramatic landscapes, and elegant charm.

Warwick Castle

Our week began with a quick stop in London before heading to Warwick Castle. Warwick is an easy 1.5 hour train ride from Marylebone Station (central London), or a couple hour drive north of London.

Aside from being a top U.K. tourist attraction, we were lured to the castle for a little Halloween fun. No better place to spend Halloween then in a medieval castle which dates back nearly 11 centuries…and is rumored to be…. haunted.

Built in 1068 by William the Conqueror, the castle has survived attacks, besieges, and fire. It was rebuilt into stone in the Middle Ages and today stands as a regal testament of centuries past.

Highly recommend for families. We stayed in the Knights Village on the castle property in a cute cottage overlooking the River Avon. The boys loved it! Especially my 9-year-old. He couldn’t get enough of the spooky Halloween inspired attractions and the “plague infested” dungeons.

Things to Do

The castle takes a day to see so give yourself time. It is also a massive tourist attraction that is set up to keep you there and spending money. However, it’s well-organized and quite cool. The actors are fabulous and really true to character.

Birds of Prey Show

Horrible History Maze

Trebuchet – the most powerful working catapult shoots off twice a day

The Dungeon Tour – the castle’s bloody horrific past is recreated in a theatrical tour

Additional Halloween Activities

Thriller Dance Party

Doll House – super creepy

Outbreak – Plaque inspired…creepy.

Witches Tower.

Haunted Hollow.

Séance – too creepy for me.

Stratford-Upon-Avon

After our spooky night at Warwick, we took to the road and headed for Bath. En route we stopped at Stratford-upon-Avon for lunch.

Stratford-upon-Avon is a historic Elizabethan market town and the birthplace of William Shakespeare. I was there almost 20 years ago, and remembered it to be quainter than it is now. Aside from the well-preserved two-story, half-timbered home of Shakespeare, there is not much else to see. As a literary buff, I wanted to show the kids the house. Of course, they were less than impressed and we carried on.

Shakespeare’s Birth place….Stratford-upon-avon

Bath

Now Bath on the other hand was totally what I was expecting. This beautiful town famous for its 18th Century Georgian Architecture is the embodiment of lovely. Named a UNESCO Heritage Site, it is home to 2000 year old Roman Baths which are remarkably well-preserved and still flowing.

We stayed at the Windsor Town House – a perfect B & B centrally located to all the highlights.

Pulteney Bridge – romantic shop lined bridge in the middle of the city.

Bath Abbey – gothic cathedral, steps from the bridge.

Roman baths– a museum that steps you back to the time of the Romans.

Jane Austen Centre – a taste of the Bath through the eyes of Jane.

Thermae Bath Spa – meant to be lovely but you have to be 16….so not this trip.

Sally Lunn’s House – oldest home in Bath, known for Sally’s Buns….really good! It is also a museum.

Bath is a small walkable city with boutique shops and fun foodie places to eat. Bustling with University students, it is now a modern city with a charismatic vibe.  Surrounded by rolling countryside, Bath is a quintessential English town.

Roman baths

Jane Austen Center

Tea at Sally Lunn’s

Pulteney Bridge

Bath Abbey

Roman Baths

  Cornwall

Just a few hours south of Bath found us in Cornwall. The former Celtic Kingdom in the south-west of England, has a rugged wild coastline and nice beaches.

We stayed at the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa and it was perfect. The staff and the facilities were great and the views were exceptional.

We mostly loitered around the hotel while enjoying the many amenities. The boys even braved the frigid Atlantic for a little surf in Mawgan Porth. Ran by a guy named Nick, The Surf Club Cornwall,  is a guaranteed way to enhance your time on the water regardless of your level.

Each day we took a side trip to explore one of the many scenic spots near us. Each Cornish town holds a distinct bit of charm. Be sure to try one of the local Cornish delights e.g. meat stuffed pasties, clotted cream, or one of the local micro brews.

Sunset over Mawgan North

Surfs Up

Sunset over Mawgan Porth

Tintagel Castle

The remains of Tintagel Castle are atop a steep cliff about 45 minutes north of the Bedruthan Steps. The castle is linked to the Legend of King Arthur. Once there, scrounge your way down the cliff to the waterfall (there is a path). From there, you’re just a short jump to Merlin’s Cave.

* Be mindful of the tides.  

Padstow

What was once likely a sleepy fishing village is now a thriving tourist attraction Probably mostly in part to Rick Stein’s many restaurants. Locals refer to it as “Padstein”. Padstow is still a working fishing village and has a picturesque little harbour. We went in search of Rick’s Fish and Chips, and found it closed for renovations. There were of course loads of alternatives.

It’s a quaint little place where you can catch a boat or ferry to other seaside attractions. Kids can even crab in the Padstow Harbour. If you’re looking for a little exercise, you can hire a bike and ride the Camel Trail.

Padstow Harbour

Padstow Harbour

Stonehenge

It only seemed fitting to visit Stonehenge before completing our southern England tour. I am conflicted on this one. One must see Stonehenge but one should not pay the exuberant amount of money charged to see Stonehenge. What a rip off and what the hell is it anyway?

What the hell is it? Clock? Grave? Calendar?

All in all, it was a good road trip and memorable midterm. We were off-season as the UK Schools have an earlier half term break. This meant crowds were minimal and rates were low season. The weather mostly cooperated and held around 15 C. When we left Heathrow it was 2 C and cloudy. Definitely time to head back to some southern Spain.

Hasta luego Inglaterra!

Did you enjoy this article? Something to add? What the f@ck is Stonehenge? Tell me more………….x

[contact-form]

                  U.K. Road Trip – Medieval Castles, Roman Baths, and a Little Surf. I'm a self-professed weather snob. This means I like being warm and dry while I look at the sun.