#the only place that has xtreme fish food is also the only place that keeps their bettas in actual tanks so going there is always risky

[mod2amaryllis]

well someone made the mistake of flaring at me while i was buying fish food..... meet Kimchi

[popculturebuffet]

House of Mouse review: “The Three Caballeros” or State of Your Outfit Donald

The Ride of the Three Caballeros continues, and with reviewed paid for up until legend, we’re fueled up and ready to ride on for some time now. This admittedly has taken a bit longer than I like to get back on the ride, due to a  number of reasons, but i’m back on the ride and these next two were both a pleasure to get to and cover a show that was LONG overdue to show up here: It’s the House of Mouse! For those of you who haven’t heard of it House of Mouse was a Disney show in 2000 that ran on it’s one Saturday morning block, the follow up to the Disney afternoon. It also holds a close place in my heart as these are the versions of Mickey and Co I grew up with, as I had Disney Channel as a kid and they reaired it a LOT, so the show is sorta soaked into my DNA, and is likely the reason why I like Donald and Goofy so much, as their shorts here and their personalities outside them really drew me in. I’ll still be objective mind, but the show means a lot to me and i’m not going to hide that. 

The show has a really amazing setup: Mickey and Co run a club for Disney characters. While no tv characters showed up, anyone who had been in the movies was fair game, and everyone from Hades to both forms of Simba somehow to the horned freaking king showed up. The only exceptions were as I said Tv characters, though Pepper Ann makes a cameo in the pilot, and the Pixar characters.. which is more fair than you think. Keep in mind at the time of this series, there were only three Pixar Movies: Toy Story, a Bug’s LIfe and Toy Story 2, which came out the same year as house of mouse. Not only that Pixar wasn’t owned by Disney at the time, so there was likely a fear they could loose the rights to use the characters at some point and thus didn’t want to chance it.  But yeah this setting is used for great jokes, it’s the source of the “No one does X like gaston!” meme and it’s funny every time they do that gag. Though the main stars of the show are still mickey and co with each having a fitting position in the club’s hierachy: MIckey and Donald, being equal stars, co-own the club, though Donald sometimes feels overshadowed. Mickey, with his people skills and cheer is the MC and host. Donald, given his jack of all trades nature and butt monkey status, is guest services, in charge of taking care of the club’s featured guests and naturally having it backfire, as well as sometimes envying Mickey’s spot and trying to take it over. Minnie, being level headed, keeps things running, planning the show and managing finaces as well as calming Mickey when he gets panicky. Daisy runs guest services while trying to break out on her own and is somewhat of a ditz in this series, though not overly dumb or incompetent, just a bit of an air head is all, and her sweet bubbly nature makes her very likeable. That and outside the shorts at least, she’s very nice to Donald here and their realtionship is very sweet, hence it being one of the four versions of it I like.  Goofy is head waiter, which fits him because.. I dunno they needed one. But he does the job well even if he naturally screws up a bunch because Goofy. Pluto is also around as a personal assitant because eh why not.  But what really stood out abotu the show to me, even more so as an adult, was  the supporting cast. As a kid, I was introduced to a lot of the disney side characters i’d never heard of before, all of whom get a decent amount of screen time over the series, while as an adult, I find it heartwarming they brought these characters back and fleshed them out after not being used on screen for so long, with one big exception that was still nice of them to use and helps bridge the generation gap. 

The rest of the HOM crew consisted of Hoarce, Mickey’s friend who was used a lot early on and who works as the club’s engineer and handyman, Clarabelle, also often forgotten but thoroughly defined here as a loveable gossip and acted wonderfully by the incomparable April Winchell. I credit this show for making me love both characters especially Clarabelle and wanting to see them more. 

We also have Gus, a far more obscure on screen character. Gus is Donald’s Cousin, and as of this writing is the ONLY one of Donald’s three majorly used Cousins to have not shown up in the Ducktales reboot. Gus is also the only one whose not a comics original, to my shock, instead showing up in the short “Donald’s Cousin Gus”, communicating only through honks and eating all of Donald’s food. He was naturally adapted for the comics, where while still having a huge appetite became more bossed with being a lazy while working with Grandma Duck, his and Donald’s Grandma. He’s so different between mediums I genuinely forgot he was in this show and didn’t realize he and the chef from this show were the same person. Still it’s nice to see him and hopefully he’ll make the reboot before it ends.  Finally rounding out the supporitng cast we have Huey Dewey and Louie, who mostly show up as the quackstreet boys to dance and are kind of inbetween their classic designs and their quack pack versions: They have the hair from quack pack, but seem more like their 12-13, a bit older than standard, but sitll not as old as they are in Quack Pack. They also don’t talk which is a vast improvement over Quack Pack. And finally, and more prominently, we have Max, who as I said bridges the gap between generations and I think was an amazing inclusion. He not only gave younger viewers like me a character they knew better, but allowed the character’s story to continue a bit, clearly taking place after xtreme but having him actually go on a date with Roxanne. Thank you House of Mouse Writers. your doing Golb’s work.  Antagonist wise we have Pete, as usual trying to muck things up and presumibly flush with post divorce cash. He’s the club landlord, and wants Mickey out for reasons that are never explained, but as long as the show goes on and Mickey pays rent on time, the show goes on. Being Pete, he naturally tries to sabotage things. It’s a good device. The other is Mortimer, probably the series deepest cut alongside Gus as he only shwoed up in one short but the series easily made him one of my faviorites: A Sleazy asshole who tries to pick up on Minnie (who thankfully this go round is not at all receiptve), tries to get on the card, and constnatly says Ha-Cha-Cha. Maurice LaMarche, this show had a REALLY talented voice cast can you tell?, really owned the character and has been his voice since and really took him from a one dimensional douche to a LOVEABLE asshole. 

Granted most of this.. really isn’t relevant as only the main cast show up, but it’s an aspect of the show I like so I went into it anyway. Plus i’ll defintely be coverng the show again so this saves me time for later.  Back on point though, the show’s format was a problem of the week, ranging from guest troubles to pete shenigans to internal strife in the club to just general sitcom shenanigans, going on at the club, with shorts inserted in from a previous Mickey Show, Mickey MouseWorks. MouseWorks was a short lived, pun intended, show that didn’t do so good, so they had a bunch of these shorts sitting around including some that never aired on the show, and thus inserted them as cartoons being played for the club patrons. It was a great device and the shorts, while varying in quality , are mostly pretty good and were the first Disney Shorts I saw. It was a good format, allowing the main stories to have plenty of time, but not have to overpad them or anything and with so many shorts on hand they could simply write the story to be as long as they needed and then insert however many shorts were needed. It worked well. 

So yeah as you can tell I truly love this show and it introduced a lot of stuff to me. And naturally.. that includes the Three Caballeros here, with their song here being stuck in my head for years and this being the first time they’d shown up in decades... which is ironically how long it took for me to see their movie but regardless. The boys were back, and you can see how the show did with them, under the cut. 

Something to note, No Disney Plus this time.. because BAFFLINGNLY the show is not on there, despite no rights issues holding it up I’m aware of, and the show having every other mouse and duck related animated series on there. I know, I’ve talked about this before, even in this very retrospective.. but I keep bringing it up because it’s something you easily forget about. Something that may slip away. But don’t let it. Let them know, and get our shows on there already. Christ.  Anyways, due to the show’s format of sliding the shorts in, and to make thing easier on me for house of mouse reviews i’m simply going to do the shorts first, then the main plot. Good? Good. 

This one only had two, though it varied on how many they used, and some were just super short shorts anyway, so it all balances out and as I said, i’ts better they just told as much story as was there than tried to rush it. So without further adue...

Donald’s Fish Fry: Poor Poor Humphrey  Yeah I didn’t like this one. The premise is using the old character Humphrey the Bear.. only here instead of being the antagonist the ranger present basically bullies the poor bear, while the other bears constnatly get more fish than him when it’s their registered time to fish. It’s just agrvating.. and when the poor boy finally GETS a fish, Donald snatches it.  Donald isn’t unsympathetic here, he found the fish fairly.. but it’s hard to tell who we’re supposed to root for here. Humphrey, who just wants what’s his, or Donald whose oblivious but technically in the wrong. This kind of slapstick just.. dosen’t work as well with both sides being sympathetic. It can work with say bugs and daffy, because both are equal, but there’s clearly an antagonistc force in elmer fudd. But this type of shenanigan just dosen’t work when neither side deserves the punishment, and Humphrey did nothing wrong. I felt like this for supporting him the whole time. 

And it ends with the ranger getting the fish. Because he wasn’t unlikeable enough clearly. Though Humphrey does get some beans so yay? Also the house segment after has Ranger Dickhead stealing Humphrey’s dinner, which given he’s at the club he CLEARLY paid for because it’s too fatty. Fuck you dude. I hope Goofy threw you out for that one. Just not a fun sit. I’ve seen this kind of shenanigan done better, in disney classic shorts even. I’ve seen Don as the villian better, See Trick or Treat for a good example> There’s just.. nothing here and it goes on forever. This is a good chunk of the episode! Lordy! Just a genuinely bad short. Thankfully the next one while not as word inducing is also not as headache inducing How to Be Smart: Now THESE were my faviorites as a kid. I loved goofy, so shorts about him were no brainer but even now.. these are still funny. Basically a narrator would follow Goofy around while he tries to learn how to do something, in this case how to get smarter after loosing on a gameshow .. and owing the show three milion dollars. There’s not much ot go into, it’s basically a series of jokes about Goofy going to school from elementary to college and learning his way up while Dealing with Ludvig’s bratty nephew and his own stupidity. It’s a funny short and really well done and these are easily some of the show’s best shorts and this is no exception. Unlike  the Humphrey short, where this essentially happened. 

My soul and I gladly enjoyed How to Be Smart. Dare to NOT be stupid and check this short out. 

The Wraparound: And I”m Donald Duck! As for the main segment it’s pretty good. We open with Mickey hyping up tonight’s act, which is naturally the Three Caballeros! But trouble sets in as Donald, while proud at first, is rightfully annoyed that a man on the street segment shows NO ONE remembers he was in the group. Including his best friend goofy. Only Pumba does, somehow. I dunno maybe he dated Panchito once before meating timon. Point is Donald dosen’t take this well, even if we get a nice moment of Daisy swooning over the fact.. even if being  HOM Daisy, she can’t get the name right. But given i’ve had trouble spelling it right, I’m one to talk. 

So being Donald he overreacts, which I like as.. well it’s Donald. Of course when given a very resonable reason to get upset he takes it a step too far. In this case he’s gotten an army of lawers, refuses to speak to mickey and has put ... THIS on. I showed it at the top of the page but.. well it bears repeating. 

It’s like every bad thing about the early 2000′s, from the douchey shades, to the rings, to the golden knuckles, to the hat that looks like a penis, to the no donald logo. There should be all the donalds, ALL OF THEM. He also has an army of lawyers, and naturally resorts to hot doggin and grandstanding: Signing autographs during the show, putting a giant poster of himself up. It works okay, as it makes him unsympathetic for the next part to work and is really funny which is the point. Even if again he looks like the feces that’s produced when shame eats too much stupidity. 

Instead of just getting Dale Gribble in there, Mickey is at a loss for a solution till the boys show up and.. it’s a mixed bag. Carlos  Alazraqui is excellent as Panchito, slipping into the roll well. Unlike last time the character showed up, they did NOT get a mexican actor, but Carols is still Latino, so it’s still better than what they did for Jose, and still big of them to actually bother to get a Latino actor to play a latino role.  Jose on the other hand.. is played, and not very good, by Rob Paulson. And before anyone throws stuff at me, I love Rob. I will  be gushing about him when I get around to reviewing the animaniacs reboot. He’s a god among voice actors and I love him. But his voice, at least in this ep dosen’t really .. FIT Jose, and he dosen’t really match the characters energy which is VERY weird given Animaniacs was right before this. The guy can DO energy and it’s one of his best talents. He STILL can as evidenced by both TMNT 2012 and the Animaniacs revival. It’s just not one of his better performances. I love the guy but even gods have off days.  And of course there’s the bigger issue of the very white Rob shouldn’t be playing the very Brazilian Jose. Not matching nationatlies is one thing, it sucks, but The Three Cablleros had a much bigger budget than HOM likely did. HOWEVER, it couldn’t of been that hard to find two latino voice actors in 2000, especially when you found at least one. I get this wasn’t as big a thing but when the 1940′s did better than you, you know you screwed up. 

But it probably dosen’t help the two.. barely do anything. Despite the episode being named after them, they only show up towards the end and just sorta say hi to mickey, get cool entrances, and then seeing Donald being a dick and Mickeya sking for their help, humble him with their musical number.  And the Musical Number IS really good, it’s been in my head for years and is just as catchy as the classic “Three Cabllero’s Song”.. why they didn’t sing that I don’t know, but this original one, a light knockoff of la bamba is still really fun and bouncy and the gags are good. It’s a really good climax and Donald deserves his punishment.  The only really issue is the ending, as.. no one leaned anything. No one acknowledges how forgotten Donald felt, Mickey dosen’t seem to get the issue as his “promoting Donald” at the end to make sure he’s not forgotten.. just has a bunch of jabs at his expense, and Donald dosen’t apologize..t hougH daisy is really sweet to him so we got some Donsy at least. It’s just a weak ending to an otherwise excellent wraparound.  Final Thoughts: This one was.. okay. Shorts aside, i’ve said my peace about them, the wraparound is a lot of fun, as is the musical number, even if the “artist formerly known as” joke was played out even in 2000. I mean yeas Prince changing his name to a symbol was insane, I get that.. but by then everyone had clowned on that decision and given he did so in a bizarre act of defiance towards his label, at a time where we now know how scummy record labels can be, it hasn’t aged well. It’s just the weak climax, song not included, really drags things down. The Cabs are just.. a cameo in their own damn episode, even with the full musical number and could’ve been around more. They don’t get to show off personalities or really do anything but teach Donald a lesson and are basically one indivdiual here. It sticks out even more because Rosa had both be utterly distinct and showed the utmost care while here.. their just sorta tossed in so they could have Donald be a primadona.. which itself is funny but on the whole this episode was just.. disappointing to revisit. It was disheartening to learn one of my favorite episodes as a kid wasn’t that good. It is worth checking out if you like Donald or the cabs, provided you skip the first short. Trust me, trust me, but is far from the best the house of mouse has to offer and hopefully the next one will show that.  Next time when the Ride continues, my gig at the house of mouse gets held over another night as Jose teaches Goofy manners and Panchito helps deprogram him from that. Before that I hope to get to the next chapter of life and times and some other stuff i’ve had hanging, including the next loud house and the next part of the tomtropsective, as well as some new things that have come up like said review of the animaniacs reboot and a review of Adventure Time: Distant Lands, Obsidan. Until then if you liked this review, please check out my other pages for more, follow me to see them, and if you’d like to comission your own, just hit me up in my ask box for my discord or personal message me here on tumblr. Until then, ther’es always another rainbow. I’m out. 

[overdramatic-queer-antagonist]

Echos of Something Long Forgotten

AO3

Yeah, I can write canon compliant things. Wild, I know.

Magnus should be in bed. It's three am, and he's got a long day of training tomorrow, but- He has nightmares a lot. Always about Julia. Most of the time, they're about what happened, Kalen, and such, but sometimes they're... something else. It's not that he can't remember the dream so much as parts. Scenery, people, and words, usually. 

He's had The dream since before Governer Kalen. Hell, Steven (his father in law, not the fish) took him to a dream specialist for it. Ze had said it was a sign of PTSD, but Magnus had never experienced anything like it in his waking life. 

In the dream, something descends from the sky. When Magnus tries to remember what, all he can think of is static. Dream Magnus knows what it is, though. His friend grabs his hand (Another piece of static. He can't think of his name or face. Magnus is pretty sure it starts with a B,) and they run towards some more static people. The captain tells them the game plan. Which is also mostly incomprehensible, but Dream Magnus gets it. And then they break off.

Magnus runs into the Hammer and Tongs. He's yelling for Steven and Julia, and he hears Steven scream. There are more people- no. not people. They're a part of the thing in the sky. He gets into the room just soon enough to watch the static monsters kill Julia. Even as she dies, she keeps hacking her ax at it. Sometimes Magnus wonders if she died fighting in real life, too.

The dream was marginally easier when he still had Julia. He'd wake up screaming for her every time. She never got frustrated, though, even when they were fighting. She'd kiss the scar above his eye, and they'd go downstairs and heat up some lavender tea. That's what he was doing now. He never did lose the habit of stocking up on lavender tea. It wouldn't be as good as Julia made it, but it would do.

Magnus was sure he'd be alone. Yet, here Taako was kneading dough way too hard.

"Taako? Is everything okay?" Magnus asks blearily.

Taako jumps and aims the Umbrastaff at Magnus, relaxing when he sees who it is. "Shit, Maggy! Thought you were one of those crystal monsters!" When Taako doesn't answer the question, Magnus raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep."

"Yeah, same. Had a nightmare." Magnus says. He's trying to imply that Taako can tell him what's wrong.

"What about? Dogs falling off the moon?" Taako asks, making clear that he doesn't want to say why he's up.

"No, actually. About my wife. And what happened," Magnus is kinda lying, but he doesn't really want to get into it, and he doubts Taako would either.

"Fuck, sorry, dude." From anyone else, that would seem apathetic. But Magnus likes to think he knows Taako well enough to know that's not true.

"Yeah, just making some tea. Speaking of what are you making?"

"Oh, just basic sourdough. Don't have 'nuff energy for anything too fancy."

Magnus would love to tell Taako he's sure it will be delicious. He is. Those macaroons Taako made last month for Candlenights? Amazing. But Magnus knows that any mention of actually eating anything he makes will make whatever wrong worse. 

Those macaroons were the only thing of Taako's Magnus has ever seen anyone eat in the half-year he's known him. It's not like Taako doesn't cook. He does, all the time. But when he's done, he always just throws it away.

Instead, Magnus stays quiet. The two putter around the kitchen, making their respective coping foods, in silence until they hear a loud banging coming from Merle's room.

Magnus, you guessed it, rushes in. Well, actually. He knocks politely on the door and asks, "Everything okay?" He doesn't get a response, so he says, "Okay. I'm gonna come in now." and opens the door.

Magnus doesn't think he's ever seen Merle cry. Well, there was that time last month when Magnus cut his arm off, but even then, he barely shed a tear. Now, Merle was sitting at his desk, sobbing so hard that it shook. It looks like that banging Magnus heard was Merle's Xtreme Teen Bible! falling off of the desk.

Merle looked up at Magnus sadly and sighed, "Oh no, Mags. You don't need to see me like-" His thought was interrupted by another loud sob, and he gave up on trying to speak.

"Okay," Magnus starts carefully. "I'm gonna carry you over to the couch. Nod if that's okay." Merle nods, so Magnus gently lifts and walks slowly over to the couch. 

By the time he has Merle comfortably seated, Taako comes over with a rag that smells like lavender. (Magnus privately wonders if Taako just dumped his tea on a rag.) He puts the rag around Merle's neck and holds his hands.

"Okay, now tell me what happened," Taako says.

"I had a nightmare. I w- I'm sorry, I can't," Merle whispers the last part as if he thinks if he's quiet enough, the tears won't try to interrupt him.

"That's okay. You're gonna have trouble. Just keep trying." Taako says as he rubs circles into Merle's palm.

Merle takes a deep breath and continues, "I was playing chess with a man. I can't think of his face, but I'm pretty sure I knew him. J-J." He slumps over as he tries to think of the name.

"Don't worry, Merle. Just keep going." Magnus says.

"Okay... He kept- he kept asking me about my kids. And I kept trying to change the subject, but he just kept asking and- I can't explain it, but I just knew he was going to hurt them."

"Is there more?" Taako asks. Merle shakes his head. "Okay, now take slow, deep breaths. In for 7, hold for 4, out for 8."

After a few cycles, Merle looks like he feels a lot better, and he asks, "Now, where the hell did you learn that, Taako?"

Taako closes his eyes tight like he has a headache, and Magnus puts a hand on his shoulder. "It's not worth it. Just let the question slide past."

The trio sit in quiet for a moment before Taako finally asks, "Magnus, did your nightmare have static in it?" Magnus nods. "Mine too..." Taako says thoughtfully. After a moment, he lets out a loud groan and gets up. "There's something there! It's right there, but I. Can't. See. It. And it's driving me crazy!"

"Just let it pass. Do you wanna talk about what it's about?" Taako opens his mouth to speak and instead starts gagging. "Okay, me first. A big cloud of static comes down from the sky. There are seven of us. We all seem to know what's going on. We're trying to stop it. I go to the shop- Oh boy. One second," Fantasy Jesus, why is Magnus's mouth so dry. His heart was pounding, but he could work through that. "I go to the shop my father in law and I owned, and I can hear him screaming from the backroom. The last thing I see before I wake up is Julia hacking at a static monster, refusing to die. The worst part is these dreams started before they even died."

It takes a moment to realize why nobody's speaking. Merle's drinking a glass of water- good he was crying. He's probably dehydrated.- But Taako's writing furiously into a notebook. Magnus laughs. He looks just like- Taako gives him a weird look, and Magnus shrugs in return.

"Can you speak, bud?" Merle asks.

Taako sighs, "Yeah, I think it'll be okay. Wasn't sure, though, hence the notebook. Okay... Fantasy Mary Berry, this is like group therapy or something! So. I poisoned a whole town."

"Gosh, Taako, that sounds terrible. I'm so sor-" Taako interrupts Magnus with a sharp, bitter laugh.

"That wasn't the nightmare. It actually happened. An accident, obvi, but I'm still wanted. Glamour Springs, forty people died."

"Shit."

"Yeah. 'Shit' indeed. The point is that's why I don't really cook for anyone anymore. In my dream, I'm making something for someone... It's so weird. I want to say she's my sister, but I'm an only child. But, yeah. My 'sister' eats it. Thirty garlic clove chicken, because my brain hates me. It poisons her, and I sit there watching her die in front of me, unable to do anything but pray it doesn't hurt too much. I can't even figure out what I did to mess up the recipe so bad."

There's silence for a moment. Magnus doesn't really know how to proceed, and he's willing to bet the others feel the same. After a second, Merle speaks. "Wow. What a fucked up group we are, huh?"

Magnus laughs, "Yeah, that's one way of putting it, old man!"

Eventually, the conversation becomes less weighted and the silence more comfortable. It's nice. Knowing that there were other anomalies like Magnus. People who cried for people and places they didn't know that didn't exist, probably. Even so, Magnus can't shake how familiar all of this feels. Talking with Taako and Merle like this. It feels like he's done it a thousand times. But he guesses that's just another thought he has to let slip through the cracks. For now, he'll just goof off with the first friends he's made since the fall of Raven's Roost. Yeah. That sounds nice.

_____

Lucretia hoped that they would be asleep. She'd woken up with nightmares again, just like she had for the past 112 years, just like they all had. This was the day the Hunger took their home from them, after all.

She just wants to check on them, make sure they were still there. Not dead like her nightmares. They aren't. She hears Taako laughing from behind the door, and for a moment, all she wants to do is barge into that room and tell them about the latest book she read.

That's what they used to do on this day. When everything was too much like what they'd lost. Magnus would always try to get through it alone, but the Captian made sure nobody went through it alone. 

The twins would bake cookies, elderflower macaroons, Lucretia's favorite, and try to teach Barry how to make hot cocoa. They never could figure out if him drinking the one with milk in it was better or worse. Taako swore it was a sin to drink hot cocoa made with water, but Lup didn't want him to hurt his stomach.

Merle would listen to Lucretia rambling on about whatever book she'd just read. They had to stock up on them because she went through them so quickly. Taako would interject her retelling with comments and jokes. Whenever she read a particularly heteronormative one, he'd start interjecting ways the scene could've gone but didn't. It was like a party. It was a little too somber, but that just made it a shitty party.

It had been twelve years since their last shitty party. Lucretia wanted so bad to just walk in there and be like they used to. Taako, making fun of Barry and Lup. Merle, trying to get Davenport to dance with him. Much to the dismay of everyone else in the room.  Magnus, parading Lucretia around on his shoulders as she ranted about how overrated Fantasy Shakespeare was. 

But Lup and Barry are gone. Davenport's a husk. Magnus, Merle, and Taako, while they may not seem too different to the outside eye, are broken. And it's all Lucretia's fault. She tries to tell herself that she had no choice. Once the Hunger was stopped, they could go back to that. She really should be going, actually. But she's been all alone for twelve years. So she leans against the door of her brothers who don't remember her. She'll just listen for a little bit longer.

[mschirpysession]

Best Out of the box lounges to hang out in Chandigarh.

Qizo

A paradise for all the people who love beer. The scrumptious dishes that are a part of the menu are brilliant. Starting from kebabs to pizza, Paneer Tikka Pizza, Fish, Veggie Pizza, Exotic Veg Pizza everything is available here. The beverage menu is also different. One should not miss out on having a great time only at Qizo.

Snobb Cafe

This niche outlet is rolling out delectable food items and drinks to binge. Their menu is very pleasant and the interiors are chic, great for an evening to relax with friends and family. Every food item is filled with interesting flavors, so you are sure to find something to please your heart.

Asod - A State Of Dance

Groove to the beats of your favorite music while reveling in unlimited joy, food, your favorite drinks, and a vibrant aura at ASOD. This revolution of dancing will bring joy to your life and redefine your state of living with a great dose of happiness.

Boombox Cafe

BoomBox Cafe is one of the most lit cafes which has a classic seating area and bubbly ambiance best suited for merrymakers. You can find various kinds of cuisines like Italian, North Indian, and Continental. Chill out at Boombox Cafe to relax with your squad.

Beer Castle

Beer Castle is a captivating spot in the city with a sophisticated urban vibe. A micro-brewery, restaurant, and terrace lounge.

Scrapland

Soothing by day,  party by night in this magical nightlife club. Scrapland Lounge is a something-for-everyone roster of special events. Don't forget to try out their juicy entrees and appetizers as well their selection of handpicked domestic and international beverages.

Xtreme Sports Bar And Grill

Providing excellent all-around entertainment, this is a place where one could play games after boozing and having hearty food. They have a well-stocked bar and also an extensive menu that has all kinds of dishes to go along with your beverages. Xtreme Sports Bar & Grill is popular, not just for bringing the awesomeness of so many amazing games under one roof, but also for all the gigs it keeps hosting. Comedy nights and karaokes; all the happening stuff happens at Xtreme Sports & Bar.

The Brewmaster

The Brewmaster is housed in Mohali's clamoring Phase 5 market that is spotted with diners. In any case, what goes in this current microbrewery's courtesy is its space that is styled like a parlor meets party place. In any event, during the day, you will think that it's clamoring with individuals. The primary thing you notice when you venture inside The Brewmaster is the music-themed insides and a different gathering zone that is generally reserved for private dos. The focal territory of the bottling works has great seating and is a superior spot in the event that you are not in the state of mind for uproarious music. There is a patio region also that offers great perspectives on the city. The staff rushes to control you with the menu (loaded with spelling blunders) that jumps across cooking styles getting well-known top choices. There is everything from Indian and Continental to Pan Asian passage. The 'Brewmaster Wonder Chicken' we attempted was very hot because of the liberal utilization of dark.

For more information visit: https://mschirpy.com/

[carlsonknives]

CAMPING | The Ultimate List Of Camping Tips – 60 Camping Hacks & Tips

When it comes to camping there are countless camping hacks and tips to help you make the most of your time under canvas. Here at Camping with Style we’ve decided to put together the ultimate list of camping trips covering absolutely everything we could think of to help ensure you have a hassle-free and enjoyable camping trip!

The Ultimate List Of Camping Tips & Hacks

Cooking & Food Tips

1. Take extra fuel for cooking

Whether you plan to cook on an open campfire or on a gas camp stove, make sure you take extra fuel. The most common type of camp stove for family campers uses butane gas canisters, so make sure you have ample – you might get through more than you think and not every campsite has a camp shop.

2. Don’t forget cooking utensils

It’s easy to forget things like wooden spoons, spatulas, scissors, bottle/can opener, serving spoon and tongs, so pack a kitchen utensils box to take with you.

3. Take food bags, foil & plastic storage containers

If you are planning on cooking proper food from scratch, you’ll be taking fresh ingredients with you and you might not use all of them in one go. Make sure you have things like food bags and plastic storage containers so you can store open packets and half-used ingredients.

Chill everything before it goes in your cool box

4. Invest in a decent cool box

The average cool box will keep food cool for just a few hours (8 to 12 hours if you’re lucky) so if you’re going camping for more than a day or two, you’ll want to invest in a decent passive cooler, some of which will keep ice for 5 days without the need for any power. If you are camping with an electric hookup, then an electric cool box makes a good investment for longer family camping trips. For those camping without an EHU we recommend Coleman Xtreme Coolers.

5. Freeze food and drink before putting it in the cool box

To extend the life of your cool box, freeze as much as you can before you pack it into the cool box, and if you can’t freeze an item, at least make sure it is chilled, rather than at room temperature before you pack it. Remember too that the fuller your cool box is, the more effectively it will keep the contents cool.

6. Take something to light fires with

If you are staying at a campsite that allows barbecues or campfires, make sure you take something to light the fire with, matches and a lighter are always handy to pack inside a camping essentials box.

7. Plan meals in advance

Don’t leave your meals to chance, especially if you are on a family camping trip. Planning meals each day means you’ll know exactly what groceries you need to take with you but having meals planned makes life much easier too. Planning your meals in advance will also dictate what cooking equipment you’ll need to take with you, for example a drainer, fish slice etc.

Prepare food in advance

8. Prep food at home before you get to the campsite

Prepping food at home makes cooking at the campsite much easier, doing things like chopping onions and preparing vegetables is much easier at home in the comfort of your kitchen. You can store your prepped ingredients in food bags or storage boxes to make cooking at the campsite a doddle.

9. Take plenty of snacks

As well as planning your meals in advance, also make sure you take plenty of snacks, crisps, nuts, and fruit are ideal if you or the kids get an attack of the munchies and you’re camped far away from the nearest shop.

10. Use spray oil for cooking

When it comes to campsite cooking, a small bottle of spray oil is much more convenient for cooking than taking a huge bottle from home or decanting it into something smaller.

11. Take a water carrier

A collapsible water carrier that also easily dispenses water is a camping must-have. There are loads of different designs available, some that are easier to use than others! Go for a water carrier that folds flat to save on space, but remains relatively rigid in use (even when it’s not full) as this makes actually dispensing water much easier. We recommend the Outwell Collaps Water Carrier.

Taking kitchen essentials makes campsite cooking much easier

12. Pack a kitchen essentials box

If you’re planning on cooking whilst you are way, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got the equipment and tools to allow you to do it. A stove, kettle, pans, cutlery, plates, bowls and mugs are essential, but also think about where you’re going to cook. Do you really want to be knelt on the floor outside the tent cooking a meal for 4 on one gas ring?

13. Don’t rely on just a barbecue or open fire for cooking

It’s all well and good planning to cook and dine Al fresco on a camping trip, but the reality is that weather conditions won’t always be on your side. If you’ve only got a barbecue or are relying on a campfire, if it rains your plans will be scuppered. Make sure you have an alternative method of cooking food, a simple camp stove is a great investment.

14. If you are cooking on an open fire, rig up a tarp

Cooking on an open campfire is a simple joy, but if the weather is bad you’ll need to ensure the fire is protected. Rigging a tarp a safe distance above your campfire is a great way of protecting it from inclement weather, ensuring you’ll still be able to cook even if it’s pouring with rain.

15. Collect miniature condiment sachets

I’m not suggesting you walk into your nearest fast food joint and take up a vast armful of them before striding out, but the odd salt sachet here and there won’t go amiss and they are ideal for camping if you don’t want to take actual bottles of tomato ketchup and so on. Bear in mind though that things like ketchup, olive oil and all sorts of things do come in handy miniature sizes, making them ideal for taking camping.

A decent water carrier is a camping essential

Sleeping Tips

16. Invest in a decent sleeping bag

Camping at night is often much colder than you think it’s going to be, so make sure you invest in a decent sleeping bag that’s up to the job. If you’re camping in summer, nights can still be chilly, so we recommend a decent 3 season sleeping bag.

Invest in decent sleeping bags and bedding for camping comfort

17. Take extra blankets

Being cold when camping is no fun, especially at night in bed, so make sure you take some extra blankets along to keep you warm at night. See our cold weather camping tips.

18. Take a hot water bottle

If you are camping in early spring, late autumn or winter, a hot water bottle bottle is a great way to keep warm in bed. Even the best quality sleeping bag will benefit from the extra heat generated by a hot water bottle, making you sleep like a baby instead of shivering all night.

Pack extra blankets and a hot water bottle to stay warm at night

19. Don’t sleep directly on the floor

A lot of cold comes through from the ground, so if you sleep directly on the ground, you’ll be much colder than if you sleep on an insulating surface. A nice thick SIM (5cm or more) which includes foam padding will provide great insulation, as will a camp bed that keeps you off the cold floor.

20. Take a lantern rather than relying on a hand held torch

Whilst torches have their place, if you want to read in bed for example, a lantern will provide a more practical light source that you won’t have to hold to direct light where you want it. Alternatively a head torch allows for night time reading and is a great all-round solution.

Using a windbreak is a great way to create extra privacy at the campsite

21. Pack a torch for night time loo visits

A hand held or head torch is a must for middle-of-the-night visits to the toilet.

22. Consider investing in a camp loo

If you visit the loo several times during the night or have small kids that do, investing in a camp loo can help ensure you don’t spend your nights bleary eyed, trudging back and forth from the toilet block. If you’ve got a large multi-room family tent, then popping a camp loo discretely in it’s own compartment is a great move, alternatively invest in a simple popup toilet tent to place beside your tent to save to having to traipse too far at night. Always make sure you dispose of waste at the campsites designated chemical disposal site.

23. Put an extra blanket under your air bed

Air beds, especially the fancy looking double height ones can be cold to sleep on as essentially you’re sleeping  on a pillow of cold air. Pop a blanket or even a picnic rug under your airbed to give you some much needed insulation.

24. Use battery or solar powered fairy lights for gentle diffused light inside the tent

Fairy lights used inside the tent produce a lovely gentle glow and not only do they look pretty, but they are lovely to read by and are much more soothing than camping lanterns that tend to provide quite harsh directional light that isn’t conducive to catching those all important Z’s.

Pitching & Packing Down Your Tent

Don’t leave your tent pegs sticking out like this!

25. Check for your mallet, pegs & poles before you leave

Before you set off for your camping trip make sure that you’ve checked that the poles and tent pegs are inside your tent bag rather than just assuming they are! Also make sure you’ve got at least 1 mallet and a tent peg puller packed too.

26. Make sure you know how to pitch your tent before you get to the campsite

On a relaxed sunning afternoon pitching a new tent isn’t such a headache, but imagine getting stuck in traffic, arriving late and then the heavens opening…. frantically pitching your tent in bad weather with diminishing daylight is a drag, but even more so if you’re attempting to pitch a brand new tent for the first time. Have a test run in the back garden, watch a YouTube video or at least read the instructions on how to put up your new tent before you arrive on site.

27. Think about where you pitch your tent

Some campsites have set pitches so you won’t get much choice in the matter, but the best kind of campsites allow you to choose where you want to camp. It goes without saying that a flat pitch is best, but also be mindful of your proximity to things like the toilets, roads and play areas (you’ll find these areas are busier and less private) and note the position of trees, walls and fences.

Think about where you pitch your tent

28. Consider comfort inside your tent

Extras like folding camp chairs, tent carps or even just a picnic rug on the floor will all add up to make the camping experience more comfortable so consider adding comfy extras to your packing list.

29. Give the kids jobs to do

Whilst you are busy pitching and setting, children can sometimes prove to be a bit of a distraction. If they are incapable of entertaining themselves for half an hour whilst you get the tent set up, give them jobs to do so they aren’t under your feet and they’ll feel like they are helping. Delegate simple jobs like blowing up air beds and setting up simple camp furniture to the kids so they feel involved and are kept busy.

30. Clear the ground before you start to pitch

Before you start to lay out your tent on your chosen pitch check it for things like pebbles and large twigs. Things like this can damage your groundsheet and will feel uncomfortable underfoot once the tent is up and in use.

Make sure you know how to pitch your tent before you arrive on site

31. Create some privacy using windbreaks

Creating shade is big and clever so If your tent doesn’t have a built-in awning, you could pitch a separate awning or tent extension, but for more privacy consider using windbreaks, just make sure they don’t encroach onto adjoining pitches and are allowed in the campsite rules.

32. Ditch your standard tent pegs

Most tents come with pathetically woeful tent pegs that bend easily. Invest in a set of heavy-duty tent pegs and not only will you have a backup set of pegs, but you’ll also have strong pegs that will keep your tent securely pitched and will be easy to hammer into hard or rocky ground.

33. Don’t leave your tent pegs sticking out too high from the ground

If you leave your tent pegs sticking up, people are bound to trip over them. Probably you, several times, so hammer them down into the ground, but not so far down that you’ll struggle to get the out again!

34. Zip closed doors before you put your tent up

If you leave the doors of your tent unzipped, chances are when you pitch it will be pulled so taut that zipping the doors up will be difficult, causing straight that could damage the zips. Always zip up your doors before you put the tent up to get the perfect pitch.

35. Unzip windows and doors to put your tent away

Zipping up windows and doors before you take your tent down makes it much more likely you’ll get air trapped inside the tent. With nowhere for the air to go when you roll the tent up, at worst you risk damaging your tent, at best, you’ll struggle to pack the tent away again as it will be puffed up with air.

36. Don’t push in tent pegs using your feet

The easiest way to bend tent pegs is by attempting to push them in with your foot. If the ground is super soft, you might get away with it, but in normal conditions you’re more likely to bend the pegs, rendering them unusable.

37. Take a pair of in-tent shoes with you

In case of wet weather, make sure you take either a second pair of soft shoes or even slippers to keep your feet warm inside your tent. UGG boots are horribly unfashionable, but are ideal for inside the tent!

General Camping Tips & Hacks

38. Choose your campsite wisely

Campsites all have their own distinct personalities – some are vast and sprawling with things like discos, children’s play areas, cafes, shops and even swimming pools. Others have a much wilder and a more back-to-basics vibe, so be mindful of the kind of camping experience you want and make sure you choose your campsite accordingly. See our tips on choosing a campsite.

39. Keep a camping essentials box always packed

Put together your own camping essentials box and include things like duck tape, multi-tool, first aid kit, torch, matches and so on. That way, you’ll know you’ve always got those random things that you always seem to need at some point on a camping trip.

Use solar stake lights to prevent guy ropes becoming trip hazards at night

40. Create a camping boredom buster box for kids

If you’re kids are challenged in the imagination department and your cries of “just go and PLAY!” are met with blank faces, then putting together a boredom buster / bad weather box is a good idea. Pack it full of books, games, exploring and craft items that they can get stuck into. A box like this is also perfect for bad weather to stop the kids moping around inside the tent.

41. Use plant clips to secure bunting and fairy lights to your tent

Whilst cable ties will do the job of securing bunting and fairy lights around your tent, they are single use plastic and you risk nicking your tent when you snip them off. Round garden plant clips however can be used time and time again and are ideal for securing things like fairy lights to your tent or awning.

Garden plant clips are great for securing fairy lights and bunting to the outside of a tent

42. Use Jumbo recycled storage bags for packing

To make packing a doddle, use jumbo recycled storage bags. The bags are large enough to fit several sleeping bags and pillows inside, and transporting in bags like this means if you are setting up or taking down in the rain, your camping gear won’t get wet.

These jumbo recycled storage bags are perfect for camping!

43. Leave no trace

Once you’ve packed up the tent and the car is full to bursting ready for your return journey home, do a walk around of your pitch. Look for rubbish you might have missed and things like random tent pegs and make sure you leave nothing behind.

44. Mark your guy ropes with solar powered stake lights

Take a few solar powered stake lights with you (readily available in summer for about £1 each) and use them to mark out prominent guy ropes to avoid them becoming a trip hazard, specially on a busy campsite.

45. Take floor cushions

Floor cushions or even just a selection of regular cushions are ideal for creating a comy chill out next inside your tent.

Rugs and floor cushions make camping a more comfortable experience

46. Don’t choose a small tent

That tiny popup tent for twenty quid at the supermarket might seem like a great idea at the time, but on a camping trip of anything more than a night or two, or for family campers in particular, you’ll find a tent that provides you with space is much more practical and enjoyable to camp in, so don’t fall into the trap of choosing a tiny tent. If it says its a 5 person tent, remember that generally means 5 people on narrow SIMs (Self inflating mats) and doesn’t allow for luggage or camp furniture, so choose a tent that’s bigger rather than smaller.

47. Plan for bad weather

Even if you are camping in the summer in the UK it can still mean chilly nights and sadly, lots of rain. Being stuck inside a tiny tent on a wet day can be soul-destroying, so make sure you tent is large enough to include a living area that you can hang out in if the weather is wet, and also make sure you have wet weather clothing and plenty of things to keep you occupied if you’re stuck inside the tent.

it’s not hard to create a DIY glamping set up

48. Glamp up your tent

Some people like a back to basics camping experience, others like to camp in comfort and in style. If that sounds like you, there are some simple steps you can take to make your camping trip feel more like glamping (glam camping). Investing in extras like fairy lights, throws, bunting and cushions can transform the camping experience.

49. Take something to charge your essential devices

Sure most people camp to get away from it all, but having a charged mobile phone is actually pretty useful. From navigation to an emergency method of contact, if you are camping it makes sense to make sure you’re phone is charged and operational. If you use your phone as a music player and camera, then you’ll eat through battery life so make sure you have a power bank or solar charging device with you to keep your essentials topped up. We recommend the HUBi 10k.

A source of power when camping makes life easier

50. Read up on the campsite rules

We’ve previously mentioned that choosing the right kind of campsite is curcial, but once you’ve chosen a campsite and before you arrive, make sure you are aware of the campsite’s individual rules. These can range from absolutely no noise after 9pm(!) to no music or campfires, so make sure you are aware of the rules and that you stick to them.

51. Be mindful and respectful of other campers

Listening to the football game on the radio or playing music might be your idea of relaxation, but if you are at a campsite rather than wild camping, you’ll need to be mindful and respectful of other campers. Don’t ruin their experience through selfishness!

52. Take bin bags

No matter where you are camped, it goes without saying that you should leave your pitch free of rubbish. Make sure you pack bin bags for rubbish and make an effort to separate your rubbish to allow for recycling.

53. Save space by using collapsible camping gear

If you’re short on space using collapsible camping gear can be a real help. You can get everything from kettles and washing up bowls to storage baskets and cups that fold flat, helping you to save space during transit. Check out the brilliant Outwell Collaps range.

54. Take cleaning wipes for spills and grubby surfaces

From anti-bacterial wipes to washing up liquid, don’t forget that you’ll need to wipe and clean things whilst you are camping! Spills will happen and table surfaces and such like will get grubby, so make sure you have some anti-bacterial or cleaning wipes and kitchen roll with you.

55. Take a popup laundry bin

A popup laundry basket is ideal on family camping trips, pop a bin bag inside and hey presto, you’ve got a handy bin.

Wellies and rain ponchos are perfect for bad weather camping

56. Pack extra layers

Regardless of the time of year, dressing in layers is a good idea when it comes to spending time outdoors. Make sure you’ve got plenty of warm layers, waterproofs and so on. For kids, pack a few more extra changes of clothes than you think they’ll need as they will invariably get wet/dirty/fall out of a tree and rip everything they’re wearing. Both The People’s Poncho and November Rain do great waterproof ponchos.

57. Take an old rug or front door mat for your tent

Pop a front door mat or an old run inside the door of your tent. In wet weather the ground sheet can very quickly get wet and muddy and having a door mat acts like a bit of a barrier helping to keep the inside of your tent dry and clean.

58. Pack walking books, wildlife books and a paper map of the area

We’ve become so used to WiFi and 4g that it can come as a shock when you arrive at a campsite that is remote enough to have no phone signal or internet connection. Before you leave make sure you have at the very least printed off the names addresses of local places to visit or explore, even better don’t forget to take your walking books, nature and wildlife guides and an OS map of the region – that way even if there is no connection, you’ll still have plenty of things to do including ready made walking routes to follow.

Safety first when it comes to campsite cooking

59. Take fire safety seriously

Let’s face it, when camping in the UK most people end up cooking under an awning, and wilst awnings provide much higher levels of ventilation than inside a tent (NEVER cook inside your tent!) it’s still worth ensuring you take some precautions. A carbon monoxide alarm, fire blanket and and extinguisher don’t take up much space, but will help make campsite cooking that bit safer.

60. Pay attention to how you pack your car

When you pack the car, make sure the things you will need first when you arrive on site are easily accessible. So things like your tent, pegs mallets etc. should either be packed last so they are easier to get to, or packed in a way that means you won’t have to unpack the entire car before you can get to them – especially handy if you end up having to set up campin in the rain.

Make sure the things you’ll need when you arrive on site are close at hand when you pack

Got your own tips to share? We’d love to hear your camping tips in the comments section below.

The post CAMPING | The Ultimate List Of Camping Tips – 60 Camping Hacks & Tips appeared first on Camping with Style Camping Blog | Activities • Glamping • Travel • Adventure.

Original Source http://www.campingwithstyle.co.uk/camping-the-ultimate-list-of-camping-tips-camping-hacks-tips/ For the best knives to use whilst camping check out Carlson Knives http://www.carlsonknives.com/