#ask maple leaf - extra art

[ask-maple-leaf]

(OOC)

Happy Pride month gays!!

Don't think I forgot it's that time of year for the fruit loops. (Including me)

- Creator

[lonita]

Face off

When I think of hockey, I am reminded of two things: a cartoon called The Sweater (a National Film Board of Canada standard favourite, in which a young boy - a Habs fan - is given a Maple Leafs jersey by his mother), and grade eight English classes.

I don't recall being much of a student in grade school, but ultimately I won the English award when I graduated from grade eight. It was a mystery to me why I received the award, and if I'd been more on the ball at the time I might have asked about it. As it was, I later came to think it was because of something I'd done totally by accident - sort of.

Our text for language arts - for it wasn't called English class anymore - was just that, a book entitled something like Spelling and Language Arts. Each section of the book had a word or phrase list at the end of it, from which we were to choose one, and write a short paragraph using that word or phrase.

The end of the week came, and I looked over the word list for the chapter, and immediately lit upon the expression "face-off". I went home, dutifully wrote up my clever little piece, and brought it back to class Monday morning as we were all supposed to.

Part of the classroom ritual was for the teacher to pick volunteers to read what they'd written aloud. Now, this was something I'd never volunteered for previously, because I was a very shy little being back then. This time, I bravely raised my hand, was chosen, and as I began to read I found myself facing a classroom full of giggling 12 and 13-year-olds.

Was I embarrassed? You bet. I turned a shade of red only slightly less bright than oxygenated blood. I had no idea why they were laughing, or even at what. I knew my writing hadn't been that bad. I wasn't a very confident person, but I still knew.

After I'd squeakily finished reading aloud, for all the clever cheer I'd earlier felt had oozed out the bottom of my feet by this time, the teacher explained to me what I'd done . . . wrong. Wrong, though, is a matter of interpretation, as you'll soon see. In fact, interpretation was precisely what had set the classroom into a fit of giggles.

When I saw the expression "face-off" in my text, I didn't think of hockey. In fact, hockey never entered my mind until I'd finished reading my piece aloud. I'd taken the phrase literally; so my piece was a very detailed account of how a person could remove their face. I do believe it included something about unscrewing the ears, as well.

I think they must have given me extra points for my unintentional ingenuity, and maybe a bit more credit than I deserved. However, I wish I still had that piece. I'd love to see, now, what I'd written then. I do still have the award, and every once in a while I take it out and actually hang it up, right next to a placemat depicting the schooner Bluenose II.

[primusdemoniccreatrix]

International Joys (Optimus Prime X Reader)

Hey y’all, a Canadian girl here with Canada Day oneshot for Optimus! Enjoy!

_____________________________________________________________

Optimus entered the lit base, the lights shining off his cherry paint and glinting off the blue on his pedes. The others had woken up earlier to pursue their charges, and now he entered to a base nearly quiet with early morning serenity (save for Miko’s loud voice, though he was she meant to be  little...outspoken). 

Miko and Jack sat with one another on the couch in front of the television, as he learned it was called, as it played an advertisement for fireworks on low volume, providing background white noise for the group. Miko enthusiastically began to point to the television before arching her hands and fluttering her fingers, no doubt imitating the fireworks. 

Smiling at the duo, he knew that of the three bots assigned humans, there would be one out on patrol, one within the base, and one still picking up their charge. Ratchet was at the console, probably up earlier than any of them to do extra work. His stubborn friend and medic, doing anything he could to help even when he was recharge-deprived. Thank goodness that Ratchet recharged this week a few times unlike running himself to near forced recharge like last week. 

“Good morning, old friend” Optimus’ voice interrupted Ratchet apparently, as the CMO jumped and turned to face him in amiable surprise before scolding him. 

“I am working with delicate instruments and algorithms, Optimus. You know better than to startle me” Ratchet said, masking his playful meaning with a grouchy attitude. 

“Is there any Decepticon activity to report?” 

“None, thankfully. I will keep you updated in case anything happens” Ratchet promised, delivering some good news this morning. 

Ratchet’s statement was followed by a chorus of laughter from the human children, and Optimus could see the corner of Ratchet’s mouth twitch slightly in a smile. Optimus basked in the tranquility of the morning. 

The distant rumble of a familiar engine signalled the arrival of the last bot, who was assigned a human. 

Bumblebee turned the corner, the asphalt under his tires quickly transitioning to the cool concrete of the base’s floor, the Autobot symbol pressed into the floor signalling that he was safe to transform and stop, as he was home. 

Bumblebee stopped quickly and spun on his tires, skidding to a stop as his trunk whirled to face the stairwell leading to the mezzanine for the humans. Both backseat doors opened up as two humans stepped out. 

Bumblebee’s partner Raf came outside first, opening his door and unlatching his seatbelt, gently pushing the latch out of the way as the belt retracted on its own, and he rushed up to the mezzanine, smiling up at Miko and Jack. 

The second human was a recent addition. She had become their new charge as a result of an accidental clash with Decepticons. Surprisingly enough, the Autobots were the ones who the ‘Cons met first, and upon seeing the bots getting hurt, particularly Optimus as he fought the Vehicons, the human surprised him by actually attacking the Decepticon, giving him enough of a window to destroy both of the Vehicons attacking him. Since that day about 2 months ago, the human had joined them. 

Their name was (Y/N). They were a University student in Canada, but came to the base often with an Autobot because of how their encounter with the bots, which was from Optimus’ mission in Canada to investigate a small energon signal that day. Bumblebee collected them today, and though they were partnered with Optimus, it was obvious to them that Optimus didn’t have time for them always, and often paired with whatever Autobot was available (and for their understanding, Optimus was eternally grateful). It took a small while for them all to adjust to a new human in their fold, but the human had become a necessity in the base. 

Optimus became curious as he observed Raf helping (Y/N) with a package, full of many little trinkets, in dichrome red and white. Raf helped (Y/N) take the package up the stairs, both of them whispering in hushed excitement. Miko and Jack were visibly confused, wondering what was going on. Only Miko voiced it out loud. 

“Whatch’ya got there?” asked Miko, leaning over the railing (in a way that the Autobots slightly feared she’d fall) to investigate the box. Raf chuckled as he cryptically spoke between giggles: “You’ll see, Miko”. It did nothing to sate her curiosity, and thus Miko turned and huffed, pouting as she dramatically dropped back to seat herself on the couch, arms crossed, wondering what was going to happen. 

Raf and (Y/N) stepped onto the platform and placed the box onto the table, before Raf whispered something to Miko and Jack that made their eyes light up. The kids then began to dig through the box, and pulled out little things and set them up on the table. (Y/N) grabbed a bunch of flimsy paper strings in red and white, and began to lock them together. Jack and Raf began to cut coloured paper while Miko began to draw. Together, the humans began to create multiple pieces of art. Bumblebee and Bulkhead asked their charges what was going on, but they were silenced with a cryptic statement of finding out later.

Miko and (Y/N) whispered to one another and Miko soon began to repeat what (YN) had taught her, which was to weave the paper strings to and fro until they were flattened into little folded squares. The boys soon came to (Y/N) and announced they finished their paper crafts, and together they set aside their crafts before placing a candle beside the box, and taking out a small plastic bag filled with wires and laid it on the table. The boys and Miko then helped (Y/N) get their crafts together to one corner of the railing. 

Optimus and Ratchet were the closest to them, and both Prime and medic watched in curiosity as Miko and (Y/N) pulled on opposite ends of the square, unravelling it into a woven interlocking pattern of red and white in a decorative weave. Miko and (Y/N) secured the string before giving the thumbs up to the boys, with Miko yelling: “You can start!” 

Her yell attracted the attention of passing Autobots, specifically their guardians. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bee watched as the boys began to tape little pointy leaf shapes below the streamer. Bulkhead recognized some of Miko’s drawings as Jack and Raf taped a few red and white little squares to the railing. 

The children were decorating. For what, they didn’t know. 

Optimus too grew curious, and having decided he needed answers, quietly walked up to (Y/N). 

(Y/N) stood on the left railing, on their right on the mezzanine, a ways from the lounge and on the adjacent wall from Fowler’s on-site office. Miko stood closest to the stairs as she held onto the end of another set of woven paper, while (Y/N) had gone to the railing’s end at a wall, pulling the length to the end and preparing to secure it. Miko, having received the cue, also began to pin down the woven end with tape. 

Optimus approached (Y/N) while they concentrated on taping the end, either not noticing he was approaching or simply not really moving because they didn’t feel like they needed to. Optimus stepped close to the riling before leaning down slightly, closer to eye level with the human as they fiddled with the tape, scraping at it with their fingernails. 

“If I may ask, what are you holding?” Optimus’ voice rang through the base, the question on every bot’s mind lingering in the air. (Y/N) turned from the tape to face him, giving them a warm smile that totally didn’t make him melt on the inside. 

“They’re streamers, Optimus; decorative papercraft. We’re decorating the base” (Y/N) explained, their voice warm with tranquility with the prospect of a celebration. 

“May I ask what the occasion is?” the Prime asked.

(Y/N) turned to answer him once more, with a smile even brighter, explaining: 

“Today is July 1st, also known as Canada Day. I’m from Canada, so I thought that I might celebrate it, along with July 4th for the States later. I wanted to celebrate it at the base, and well”, (Y/N), averting their gaze back to the tape before turning to him once more, “I wanted to bring a piece of home with me for one day, something Canadian” they explained, and a hush fell over the whole base as the children continued decorating. 

Optimus relayed the information, thinking it over in his head. While (Y/N) may be in the States, they celebrated the day of independence for their country in a different sovereign land. Though the Autobots knew about the Fourth of July (in huge part to Fowler’s love of the day and his country), they never truly grasped til now that there were people in the base who came from a different background, and while the children already had enough differences but a shared American holiday, the forgot that there were more unique differences they had yet to learn. Humanity was so connected yet so different in many unique nuances, it never failed to inspire a small amount of wonder in them. 

The last statement (Y/N) gave made Optimus wonder if they were missing home. 

This is likely a day they would spend with friends and family, and not being there but instead here, with them, he wondered if the newest charge was feeling lonely. 

(Y/N) whispered a tiny ‘aha’ as they finally got the tape to unravel, and with a quick pull to the cutting edge they secured the end of their streamer to the railing, before helping Miko in putting little leaves up again. 

Looking closer at the decorations, Optimus recognized the leaves. Red Maple. 

A symbol of Canada. 

The little drawings Miko made were of red and white Canadian flags. A miniature one sat upon the table, held up by a weighted stand, the flag waving under the air vent. 

Optimus thought back to a few weeks after (Y/N) had joined them, and was sitting under the vent while the children shied away, Jack questioning how (Y/N) could stand the cool air which to him felt frigid. Optimus chuckled inwardly before, but looking at it now, they must have missed the north. 

Maybe this day was what they needed to reconnect with home. 

(Y/N), Jack, Miko and Raf finished their decorations, before sitting down together and opening a small container from (Y/N)’s box. Inside were confectioneries called ‘cookies’, little baked sweets. Optimus couldn’t help but smile inwardly as the humans all noted the small circular disk of white with two sides of red and one adorably drawn red maple leaf in icing. The children ate the cookies, enjoying the flavour. Miko had the bright idea to grab her water bottle and raise it up in toast of Canada Day, before the others followed suit, exclaiming ‘to Canada Day’ as they tapped their water bottles in celebration, giggling together on the sofa, enjoying the minor festivities and company. 

Optimus worked at the terminal with Ratchet before (Y/N)’s voice called out to him. 

“Optimus, can we go to the roof? Me and the others want to show you guys something up top”. 

“I doubt it’s anything important” Ratchet grumbled under his breath, though the underlying curiosity in his voice was not lost on Optimus. The elevator’s doors closed, going up, and Optimus could see it carrying the other children up. 

“I will go, Ratchet. You may remain, though I urge you to come too” Optimus stated, nodding to the other bots in the base to go up to the roof with him, stopping only to collect (Y/N) in his palm, seeing as the human elevator had yet to return. Optimus, Bee, Bulkhead and Arcee squeezed into the Cybertronian-sized elevator, watching the floors pass as the elevator lifted them. The Autobots stepped out onto the roof one by one, watching the children mill about as they placed tiny little contraptions around the roof’s perimeter in a large (comparative to humans) circle. They were a bit wiry, and each of the children held a small candle. Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead stepped out of the elevator to greet their charges, to see what they were doing. Optimus stepped out last, placing (Y/N) on the ground before joining the other bots outside the circle to watch their charges. 

The Autobots watched as (Y/N) ran to them, holding a candle. They looked on in shock as (Y//N) pulled a small box out of their pocket and rubbed a small stick along the side of the box, lighting it on fire. They watched uneasily, slightly holding one another back from stepping in as (Y/N) lit their candle on fire, blowing away the flame on the small stick and smothering it under their footwear. They held their candle towards the group, who ignited their candle wicks, before each of them took off in different directions. Jack, Miko, Raf and (Y/N) paired up a few feet away from the centre and one another, each one lighting one of the little contraptions, before moving on to light more. Each one lit 4, making 16 in total. 

The Autobots watched in humble awe as the children stood in the centre of the circle, their tiny flaming decorations letting out little sparks, but none of them were in close enough range to get lit. The bots watched in the dying rays of the summer sun as the eyes of their humans lit up with the sparks, throwing flecks of gold in their honey coloured, sky coloured, cinnamon coloured, (descriptive eye colour) coloured eyes, wonder and joy alight upon their youthful, innocent features. The bots looked into their charges’ eyes, noting the incredible colours of the light in the humans’ eyes, shadows playing upon the roof, and in the light of the sparkling little flares surrounding the humans and the evening sky above sprinkled with spare stars in setting sunlight the bots swore they could see the beauty of humanity, the same they saw in one another and themselves. For a single moment, everything looked and felt perfect, and the children were ethereal in their own otherworldly beauty. 

The little flames died down and the ‘sparklers’, as they heard Miko call them, were extinguished on their own. The bots watched as the humans gathered smaller sparklers in their hands and lit them with their candles, before running around and drawing shapes and playing games with their flaming little wands (which, loathe as they were to admit it, scared the Autobots half to death for a moment or two). (Y/N) gestured the other three to their side, and each human offered their guardian one. Bulkhead immediately held onto it carefully when Miko offered it to him; Arcee gingerly accepted and held one after Jack implored her twice to grab one, promising her it was fun; Bumblebee beeped worriedly as Raf encouraged him before promising all would be well, and with their candles, the children lit each of their guardians’ sparklers, watching the light play on their divine, metallic features much like the Autobots did earlier to them. Bumblebee and Raf pretended to be wizards from ‘Harry Potter’, a favourite of Raf’s books, while Bulkhead and Miko waved them around telling stories and making plans for ‘dune bashing’ tomorrow. Jack chuckled at Arcee’s attempts to spell human words in the air with her sparkler, and they took turns comparing and complaining lightheartedly about the light in one another’s eyes. 

Optimus turned to the feeling of a human tapping his pede, and looking down he could see the face of (Y/N) lit by their own sparkler in the dull light of the set sun. 

“Optimus? Would you like one?” asked his charge, holding in their hand a sparkler. 

“No, thank you. You may enjoy it instead” Optimus declined. 

Optimus watched as (Y/N)’s shoulders drooped a little and their smile dropped slightly at his rejection, and he felt bad knowing that this day meant something to them; he was about to offer to take it until he was surprised by (Y/N) handing the sparkler over to Jack who handed it to Miko whose sparkler was extinguished. 

(Y/N) turned back to Optimus, and asked: “Can I stick with you?” 

Having felt badly about rejecting the sparkler, Optimus nodded, lowering his pedes until they were safely both low on the floor. (Y/N) stepped around the edges of his pedes before sitting, leaning against his knee, watching the children and their guardians play together in quiet appreciation. 

Optimus snuck glances towards his charge, looking at (Y/N), who no doubt watched the goings-on with a fond smile like his own. It made him smile too, to see his soldiers connecting with their charges, learning more about humanity and just...enjoying life, even for just a day in their hard lives. The times had been harsh, the war leaving none of them unscathed, but to see them carefree as if there was no war was quite a treat they deserved. With this, they could enjoy a moment of peace and remember what they fought to protect for future generations of both Cybertron and now, Earth. 

Watching (Y/N) and the others, he couldn’t help but think about how they probably would be celebrating at home happily with their own friends and family. He could only imagine how much they missed their loved ones who were a whole country away from them. Probably almost as much as he missed his own planet. 

Maybe he could bring them back there for a moment? 

“(Y/N)” Optimus murmured lowly, which to his human sounded like a hushed but still loud baritone, the voice of an angel drifting into their ears, demanding their respect and obedience. 

(Y/N) turned and looked to their guardian, slight confusion but a sweet expression of merriment still present upon their face. “Yes?” came their reply, as gentle as a songbird during an earlier drive he took a few weeks back. 

Optimus looked into his charge’s eyes, wondering if what he suggested would be sufficient. 

“If you desire to see your family and friends back in Canada on this day, then we can arrange for Ratchet to bridge you home to spend time with them” Optimus suggested. His charge was still, their brows furrowed in question, prompting Optimus to add: “You should not have to miss out on celebrations with your family due to your involvement with us”. 

Optimus shifted his gaze from the eyes of his charge to a spot on their face, not willing to truly look into his charge’s eyes out of guilt of his own conscience. As he said, they didn’t deserve to miss out on celebrating their national identity with family abroad simply because of a war they did not belong in. 

Optimus was only brought out of his musings when (Y/N) had placed a warm human hand on his knee, bringing him to look into their eyes once more. 

He was surprised to find them staring up at him with eyes no longer in question, but with joy and, even more puzzling, resolve. Their eyes sparkled even in the dim light cast only by the ring of lights upon the base’s roof which lit up the floor in the evening. Glowing blue optics met shining (eye colour) eyes as (Y/N) shook their head. 

Optimus’ face minutely twitched into a concerned face as he wondered why (Y/N) would decline. (Y/N) answered:

“Optimus, Canada Day is a celebration no matter where I am, it’s a day for a country, and I’ve already recognized it. I don’t particularly need to be there. And, as for celebrating with my friends and family, I already am. Regardless of our differences, you are a friend and Team Prime is my family. I don’t have to celebrate it with relatives; I’d rather, in fact, celebrate with you”

 Optimus felt warmth as they laid their head upon his knee, looking up at him once more. It was incomparable to the warmth in his spark as he basked in the moonlit smile of his charge who had compared him to family, and wanted to celebrate with him. Even when given the option, they still chose him. 

“Besides, I doubt I’d be able to explain how I got up north so quickly from Nevada without revealing you guys. I don’t think that’d be good for secrecy” his human added with a chuckle. 

Optimus vented carefully as his spark swelled at the prospect of being, apparently forgiven, though he knew that (Y/N) would probably say there was nothing to forgive if he spoke on it. Regardless, he reveled in the facts revealed, and felt a small smile reach his faceplates after their revelation. (Y/N) smiled at them too, that brilliant smile that made sparks melt, before leaning against him once more, watching the children take out glowsticks and play around with them from the bag of accessories they brought. 

A tranquil silence befell Optimus and (Y/N) as they relaxed in one another’s presence and enjoyed the sight of their team and family joined in celebration. Their words circulated around one another's minds, but both were simply glad to be in one another's regard, and this knowledge had them wrapped in the cool evening wind with their hearts and sparks the only thing they needed to keep warm in the cool dusk. 

It never ceases to surprise how much joy one can give by sharing their souls, and it never failed to bring others closer regardless of location, nationality, even species. 

Optimus and (Y/N) sat under the stars, watching their family enjoy a reason to celebrate together. 

[highgaarden]

KC + THIS EXCESS COMPANY + alexithymia

alexithymia (n) the inability to express your feelings // just an extra scene for ‘This Excess Company’! 

.

.

 The question is brought up at Sunday brunch. 

Caroline isn’t as appalled about the Question as much as she is the fact that she has turned into the sort of person who looks forward to Sunday brunch.

Damon sort of snorts, “Blondie, you have always been—“

The table shudders, and suddenly Damon’s wincing, face purple, as Klaus smiles placidly beside him. “Imagine that, sweetheart.”

“Cream puffs! And the Belgian waffles, have you tried the Belgian waffles?” Caroline asks, manically replenishing everyone’s faces.

“I would love some more,” Stefan says after a beat. His plate already has four on them. Klaus finishes off his own plate and only smiles when Caroline flicks another one into it.

Enzo clears his throat. He doesn’t know why he’s been invited, and shifts in his seat. He doesn’t even know why he’d come, but Caroline hadn’t responded to any of his emails, angry knocks, or even letters he’d had to disguise as fanmail to get her to read. All he knows is that he’d finally ran into her in the hall, and she’d all but shoved him inside.

“Right,” Enzo says, eyeing everyone at the table. “So my question remains: will the lease for your apartment be kept under your name, or will it be transferred to— ”

“Has anyone tried the Orange Blossom honey?” Caroline upends half the jar onto Kol’s stack.

 “—Will it be transferred to—,” Enzo tries again—

 There’s a ding of the oven.

 “The pie’s ready!”

 “There’s pie?” Kol enthuses, his mouth full. “What filling?”

 “Of course, Caroline is ever the hostess,” Klaus says adoringly.

 “Apple and raspberry—”

 “—please, Gorgeous, the paperwork on this took me half the night—” Enzo pleads.

 “—I’ve tasted the custard cream that goes with the pie this morning, and it was absolutely divine—”

 “Gag!” Rebekah yells from across the balcony, because of course Klaus would make his adoration of Caroline vocal, and loud at that.

 “Don’t be rude!” Klaus volleys back.

 This is Damon’s time—he’s heard the not-so-rumours that Klaus can get Camille to put anything he wants in the script, and he so desperately wants to die this season, but maybe in a car crash, or something. Off screen, so he doesn’t have to show up to work, thanks. His only in is probably with Klaus, and he’d shared this secret with Stefan, who got so offended that Damon had managed to scheme over his head that he’d taken Stefan and stayed away the entire weekend.

 And so Damon yells, vehemently: “Shut your mouth, rude-ass bitch!”

 Everyone stops their attempt at overlapping conversations and stares.

 Damon sighs and backtracks. “All right, I may have gotten too method.”

 Klaus narrows his eyes, all sweet pretence gone, ready to go to war for his sister. “Method for what?”

 “I want to die,” Damon points out.

 “That can be arranged,” Klaus says, whipping out his phone.

 “On our show!” Damon cries exasperatedly. “I don’t think I have to point this out every time, Klaus. We know what your tattoo means.”

 “Oh,” Klaus says, a bit put out. “Then that’s a bit more complicated, mate.”

 “What does Klaus’ tattoo mean?” Enzo asks, finally distracted from technical lease talk, and Caroline takes her cue to scurry out of the room and into the kitchen.

 She barely hears Kol snickering about how, before Klaus decided to become an actor, he’d made his living as the king of the underbelly of the neighbouring city.

 “Right,” Enzo nods. “So I’ll put the lease down in your name, then?”

 “Let me check with Caroline,” Klaus replies, the peaceful smile sliding back onto his face, and turns in his chair. “Sweetheart?”

 There’s no answer, because Caroline’s not in the kitchen anymore.

 .

 .

 Bonnie is a surprise fan favourite, and she gets promoted to series regular.

 Maybe it’s because she’d hired someone to ghost-tweet her fans, and they like the look of her in her usual thigh high boots, voluminous skirts, and riding crop ensemble on the show. Season five had gotten weirdly anachronistic.

 She goes into trailer in her full Regency-era gown and pink Chuck Norris sneakers to find that Caroline has already started on the wine.

 “Well?” she prompts, taking the glass Caroline passes her.

 “I guess we’re moving in together,” Caroline says.

 They clink glasses.

 .

 .

 The first night isn’t… weird. Everyone had helped Klaus move into Caroline’s space (which just meant an armful of Henleys and a stack of books, since he’d left everything else next door. Whilst he was balancing all of that, everyone helps themselves to the cheese platter).

 A round of drinks leads to a round of drunk Monopoly, and unsurprisingly Caroline sweeps the board after she manages to land an unsuspecting strip while everyone else guns for the most expensive squares. That leads to charades, which leads to an argument, which leads to more drinks to placate the tension.

��“I’m drunk,” Elena gasps, because she never is. Everyone else agrees that they, too, are inebriated.

 Caroline brews some of the fancy loose-leaf tea she’d stolen from Klaus’ kitchen cabinets as the night dwindles down.

 When the last guest (Damon, still drunk) leaves with his date (Bonnie, winking), Klaus helps her with the washing up. He presses a kiss to her forehead as he dries the plates and she ducks under his arm to put away the cutlery when he arranges the glasses back onto the rack above the sink.

 “Bed?” he suggests when they finish an episode of Bojack Horseman, finishing the last of the crackers between them.

 “Sure,” she says lightly. It’s just like every other night, then, except there’s something unspoken in the air about the new arrangement.

 Unspoken because Caroline, queen of not talking about things, had all but managed to dodge all of Klaus’ attempts to talk about things.

 He’d resorted to just move himself in until Caroline suddenly feels like he doesn’t want him there – he might’ve left some shoes and his favourite Henley behind. Caroline notices.

 They brush their teeth silently, Caroline bumping his hip when she wants to gargle.

 They practice some lines back and forth, the script illuminated by the twin lamps on her twin bedside tables. Everything in her room came in a set of twins; Caroline likes the symmetry of the notion. Klaus likes to joke that it’s a sign that some day, she’ll probably have twins too. He doesn’t add that he hopes they’ll be his to father.

  .

.

 Klaus has been living with her, truly living with her, for approximately three weeks now. It’s nice to say “See you at home” instead of “See you later”, even though for a while, later had come to mean home anyway.

 They fall into a habit that doesn’t take time to even form: to-do lists that he helps stick onto her board, packed cheesy lunches from her favourite food truck, and nights of chess on the cramped little balcony.

 Sure, Kol still traipses in through the window whenever he feels like it, and they still gather at Elena’s for dinner, and Stefan still meets them at the balcony for a quick post-dinner smoke, but at night it’s just her and Klaus and their new Queen-sized mattress that Klaus had convinced her to buy, trading in from her old but dutiful King-sized one.

 “I like to be closer to you when we sleep,” he whispers into her hair.

 “We might as well have bought a super-single then,” she laughs.

 “Or a single.”

 “You’d have to sleep practically on top of me.”

 “Nowhere else I’d rather be,” he promises her, and goads her into a kiss.

 It’s a light one, feather soft, because whilst the days of heat and yearning had passed, he’d found that he enjoyed the more intimate moments with her. When she’s in her used kaftan and he’s just in sweats, and he can feel every curve of her against his side.

 Caroline falls asleep with her forehead pressed against his shoulder, and he doesn’t move all night for fear of waking her up.

  .

 .

  And still they don’t talk about it.

 Caroline’s not bothered, per se, but she’d bothered by the fact that Klaus isn’t talking about it. If anything he’s mastered the art of talking himself out of any situation, and talking her into a frenzy.

 He’s all but shut up, like Stefan the Cat’s got his tongue.

 Like he’s happy at playing houses with her.

 Like he’s happy.

 Well – she’s happy too.

 Klaus passes her the maple syrup when she asks, and he smiles to her so sweetly it makes everything at the table taste quite bland.

[ewokthrowdown]

🎃YOI Spooky Week 2019 🎃Saturday, 26th of October 🎃

Day 2, Theme B: Autumn 🍁coffee shop AU, baking

The scent of baking filled The Hazelnut Cafe on a rainy afternoon in October. The owner of the cafe, one Yuuri Katsuki, could be found in the kitchen. He’d donned a pair of mits and was opening the door to the oven. His glasses fogged as he reached for the pumpkin pie on the centre shelf. He pulled it out and placed it on the cooling tray before slipping off the oven mits. The pie had come out perfect. Yuuri had decorated it with leaf cut outs around the edge, leaving a circle of pumpkin exposed in the middle. He was personally very proud of how the maple leaves looked in particular.

Yuuri heard the bell tinkle out in the cafe as the door opened, and he hurried to go serve the new customer. It’d been a slow day. Sometimes the rain drove people into the cafe, but on a Tuesday afternoon people were more likely to stay in their offices rather than venture out into the downpour for coffee. As such Yuuri had sent his only barista working that day, Guang Hong, home with pay.

When Yuuri reached the counter he saw his favourite customer closing his umbrella as he came towards him.

“Victor,” Yuuri greeted the silver haired man who he’d long harboured a crush on. “What are you doing out in this weather?”

“I can’t go without my coffee while I’m working on a project, Yuuri,” Victor said with a smile as he reached the counter, the rumble of his accent as enticing as ever. “And you make the best coffee.”

Yuuri blushed and ducked his head, always delighted and flustered by Victor’s compliments, of which there were many.

“Would you like the usual?” he asked.

“Yes please.”

Yuuri turned and started making Victor’s usual latte while Victor settled himself on one of the stools at the counter.

“So how’s business been?” Victor asked.

“Slow today,” Yuuri replied, raising his voice to be heard over the milk steamer. “But otherwise very good. It’s actually been nice, it’s given me some time to do baking without having to stay late to finish it all.”

“That’s good. You’ll have to let me try whatever you’ve been making.”

“Of course. It wouldn’t be Autumn without a slice of pumpkin pie.”

Yuuri finished off Victor’s coffee and placed it on the counter in front of him.

“I’ll get you a slice when it’s cooled,” Yuuri explained.

“You’ll just have to entertain me while I wait then. How torturous for me.”

Victor’s sly smile said he was teasing, and Yuuri couldn’t help but grin back, leaning over to smack him lightly on the arm.

“So when are you going to let me paint you?” Victor asked for the hundredth time.

Yuuri rolled his eyes.

“I told you,” he huffed. “I’m not pretty enough to be painted.”

“Yuuri, that is patently untrue. You’re gorgeous.”

Yuuri’s cheeks heated, but he couldn’t help frowning. No matter how many times Victor said so Yuuri just couldn’t believe it. He knew he wasn’t terrible looking, but he was plain and a little chubby from sampling his own baking.

“Don’t look like that,” Victor said, and Yuuri looked up to see him giving Yuuri his best puppy eyes. They were very hard to resist.

“Listen,” Victor continued when Yuuri didn’t say anything. “How about I paint you and if you still don’t believe you’re gorgeous by the end of it I’ll do a free painting class in your cafe.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened.

“But you haven’t done classes in years. You said you didn’t do them anymore.”

Though Yuuri had only met Victor in person about eight months before, he’d known and admired his artwork for much longer. And he knew that Victor’s classes were always sold out. Yuuri himself had been to many of Victor’s art shows, always captivated by the expressive use of colours and how he always seemed to catch the emotion of his subjects so well.

“Which is why it’ll be such a hit,” Victor said, beaming at him. “It’ll be thirty dollars entry, which will include one free drink. Cakes have to be paid for on top of that though. All of the proceeds will go to you.”

“But you’d be the one teaching the class,” Yuuri pointed out.

“But I’d be able to paint you, which is payment enough.”

Victor looked delighted with himself. Yuuri was less pleased. The offer was very tempting. While his cafe did very well, thanks to the combined effects of his great baking and Phichit’s amazing social media skills, it was always nice to have extra cash. He could send it back home to the onsen. Yuuri had been wanting to give back to his parents after they supported his move to America to study, but he hadn’t yet been able to. Plus he knew the onsen was struggling.

“I don’t know…” he said slowly, fiddling with the napkin stack.

“Oh come on, pleeeeeease?” Victor whined, and Yuuri looked up to see him pouting, again giving him the full puppy dog treatment.

Yuuri folded like wet paper.

“Fine,” he said, making Victor let out a whoop before Yuuri held up a finger. “But! I am going to get those classes.”

“We’ll see,” Victor said with a self satisfied smirk.

~~~~~~~

“Okay so if you just move your arm there.”

Yuuri was sat in Victor’s studio, which happened to be in Victor’s flat. And Victor was touching him to get him into position. It was all very overwhelming.

Yuuri had spent a good five minutes greeting Makkachin, Victor’s adorable poodle, who he’d met before when Victor bought her into the cafe. Then they’d come through to the studio, Yuuri getting a good look at Victor’s modern and very chic flat on the way. The studio was light and airy; large, industrial style windows giving the room a lot of natural light, which Yuuri supposed was necessary for painting.

Yuuri was sat on a stool in front of a screen that Victor had tossed a deep emerald green sheet over. He was sitting ramrod straight and having a hard time relaxing.

“Now relax your shoulders a bit,” Victor continued. Yuuri did so. “There we go, much better. Are you comfortable?”

The answer to that in general was no, but in terms of his position Yuuri supposed it was a yes so he nodded.

“Great,” Victor said, beaming at him before he turned to go over to where an easel was set up. “Let me know when you need a break, we can take as many as you need.”

Victor picked up a pencil from the little desk next to the easel then turned to look at Yuuri. He stared at him for a long moment, making Yuuri have to fight the urge to squirm, then he lifted the pencil and started drawing.

They chatted as Victor worked, which helped Yuuri relax. It felt a bit like being at the cafe, which was more familiar territory. Victor didn’t do much with the pencil, moving onto paint very quickly. His strokes were broad, clearly marking out the general shape to get proportions before he went into detail.

After about an hour they took a break so Yuuri could get a glass of water and go to the bathroom. He tried to get a look at the canvas on his return but Victor chivied him on, blocking it from view.

“No looking until it’s finished,” he said. “It’ll ruin the surprise.”

Yuuri just rolled his eyes, but went and sat back down.

After another hour Victor seemed pleased with his progress, and snapped a photo of Yuuri before he was allowed to relax.

“I think I can work from the photograph now that I’ve got the basic idea of it,” Victor said, considering his canvas with a critical eye, one finger on his lips.

“Okay, great,” Yuuri agreed, shrugging his jacket on. “I’ll see you in the cafe?”

“Sure,” Victor agreed, turning to him and smiling.

“Cool,” Yuuri said as they walked to the door together.

“Well,” he said when they reached it, eyes flicking up to Victor then away again. “Bye then.”

He felt a little awkward. It was as though they’d crossed some sort of line and he wasn’t sure if he should hug Victor goodbye or not. Victor made up his mind for him.

“Bye, Yuuri,” he said, swooping in to plant a kiss on Yuuri’s cheek.

Yuuri squeaked. Then turned bright red.

“Bye!” Yuuri said, and fled.

He thought he heard Victor chuckling as he went.

~~~~~~~

Two weeks later and Victor was bursting through the door of the cafe looking delighted.

“Yuuri!” he called, rushing over to the counter and bending over it eagerly. He had a smudge of white paint on his left cheekbone which Yuuri found frankly adorable.

“Victor,” Yuuri laughed, hopelessly charmed by this ridiculous man.

“It’s finished, Yuuri!” Victor said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Can you come see?”

“I dunno…” Yuuri said, eyeing Guang Hong where he was preparing a coffee.

Guang Hong was a sweet and cheerful boy. He was still studying, but worked when he didn’t have classes for the extra money.

“Go, I can manage on my own for a little bit,” Guang Hong assured him.

“Thanks, Gi,” Yuuri said, hurrying to grab his jacket and follow Victor from the cafe.

Victor bounced along beside him like an excitable puppy, chatting animatedly the whole way. He ushered Yuuri inside his flat once they’d reached it. Then Victor was leading him to the studio.

Yuuri was undeniably nervous. He had no reason to be. He knew how he looked and it wasn’t as though it was his work that Victor would be seeing. But even so.

The easel was facing away from them in the studio.

“Are you ready?” Victor asked, leading him around to the other side of it.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Then Yuuri was looking at the painting. Tears rose in his eyes.

“Yuuri?” Victor asked, looking panicked.

Yuuri shook his head, raising a hand to press his fingers to his lips as he drank in the sight of the portrait.

“You’ve made me pretty,” he said, a little choked up.

The portrait was indeed gorgeous. There was a likeness to Yuuri, but his eyes weren’t that nice, and his jawline wasn’t that good, his neck wasn’t that graceful.

“Yuuri, are you calling me a bad artist?”

“What?!” Yuuri gasped, turning to look at Victor, who was frowning at him. “No of course not!”

“But you just implied that what I painted wasn’t an accurate copy of what I saw. That’s what you look like, Yuuri. You just can’t see it. You’re the most gorgeous person I’ve ever met.”

Yuuri felt like the breath had been punched out of him.

“I… I’m not…”

“Yuuri.”

Yuuri looked up to see Victor had stepped closer, his eyes sad.

“I have been crushing on you from the moment I met you.”

Yuuri gasped, so shocked that he swayed a little.

“You’re wonderful,” Victor went on, looking so sincere that Yuuri felt like he’d been punched. “You’re funny and intelligent and most definitely gorgeous. So if you don’t believe that, you’re not only calling me a bad artist but a liar.”

Yuuri could only gape at him. And then he realised the slight tremor in Victor’s hands, how his brow was slightly creased, how his eyes were searching Yuuri’s face for any sign of how he felt. Yuuri didn’t want there to be any doubt whatsoever.

“I like you too,” Yuuri said, a little choked. “So much.”

Victor’s smile was like the sun. And when they kissed it was better than eating the best pumpkin pie in the world.

~~~~~~~

Victor still did the classes in Yuuri’s cafe, but they split the profits between them. It was a good compromise, made better by the coffee flavoured kisses.

Ao3.

[daydreambts]

Seokjin had it drilled in him, that when in doubt always dress to impress, and right now he wanted to make sure he would look absolutely perfect. It was his wife’s big day, he wasn’t going to make it go south with a badly pressed shirt. Maybe he was exaggerating but still he really wanted to be perfect, perfect for you. Putting on an off white collared shirt and a pair of black slacks, he pushed his hair out of his face the way you liked. “Oh Princess if I’m waiting for this, I’d wait forever. You look beautiful baby, gorgeous and I know your paintings are gonna be gorgeous as well, I can’t wait for seeing which ones you included” he said kissing you on your forehead before giving you a soft hug, and patting your back encouragingly. As you led him to the kitchen his heart warmed, seeing the familiar take out bag of Jeonbokjuk. “It is delicious, Mother orders this before every big day for all of us, from this specific place. I had this on my graduation, my first day of college, our engagement. She says it’s the perfect amount of deliciousness with nourishment.” He said looking up to Ms. Lee knowingly, he knew how much family mattered you and he also now knew his mother absolutely adored you. 

Throughout breakfast he smiled each time he asked you to open his mouth, so he could feed you a bite. Something about him making sure you were well prepared, for your big day. “You know today I’m going to find out, what painting were included, you have no secrets now Baby” he teased as he guided you the garage, having a little surprise of his own. Well it was less of a surprise and more of just extra but absolutely necessary theatrics. “I borrowed Namjoons very specifically cream coloured convertible, figured my sports car isn’t the brand for a dignified exhibition” he added before opening the door for your seat.

•━»•»🌸«•«━━━━━━━━•••

"It's delicious! Mother's so sweet," I gushed, happily eating a spoonful that Seokjin offered. "And these are wild abalones... no wonder they're so flavorful." I picked up a piece with my chopsticks, admiring the vivid color, before popping it in my mouth. After breakfast, we bid goodbye to Ms. Lee before heading out. I giggled at Seokjin's teasing, although I couldn't help a small quiver of nervousness--he would see himself among my paintings after all. "Hmm, you're very good as the proper husband and date. I guess the sports car is better for when you're all wolfish," I quipped, my mind straying to how wild he was just earlier this morning. I winced a little as I took my seat, still feeling rather tender. Turning to Seokjin, I caressed his face. "You look even more like a work of art, in that outfit and with your hair pushed back..." I gave him a peck, then retrieved something from my purse--a finely-wrought men's brooch, a cherry blossom branch in rose gold. I put it on his shirt, pointing at the delicate cherry blossom necklace I had on. "We match." I felt a blush bloom on my cheeks; I had the jewelries for a while, but never got the courage to give his to him. "I got them as a pair when I visited my parents shortly before we got married. I guess I never really got the chance to give them to you... but now seemed like the right time."

Our enjoyable ride to school felt shorter than usual; and soon the two of us were stepping inside the alumni hall hand-in-hand. My classmates greeted me, with them elbowing each other before greeting Seokjin; the girls giggling and the boys looking a bit wary. Taehyung waved from where the other freshmen stood, looking nearly unable to stay still for the short ribbon-cutting ceremony. I clapped politely and greeted the professors, but made a beeline for the section where my paintings hung, my long skirt fluttering behind me as I hurried as much as I could while maintaining my poise. "It's over here," I told Seokjin, tugging at his hand. My paintings were on one panel: a rose bush blooming in the summer, a maple leaf and chrysanthemum flower arrangement, a snow flower blooming amidst frost, and at the end, the painting of Seokjin, surrounded by cherry blossom trees. I waited for his reaction, suddenly feeling rather shy.

[usuknetwork]

USUK Christmas Countdown 2017: December 20

Title: Of Ugly Sweaters and New Friends Day 8: Baking/Cooking Summary: Arthur has a crush on school poster boy Alfred, and in order to get closer to him, he decides to join the Baking Club, because they share a similar passion for the kitchen. Rating: PG Warning: None

(Written by: @apanphanfanwithaplan and Art by: @kurisutythehero)

High school consisted of three main things is what Arthur always thought. People, parties, and clubs.

He himself was a part of several clubs, such as the Magic Club, Model UN, and Gardening Club. Not very interesting hobbies, people always thought, but they were his.

He had friends, like Lukas Bondevik and Francis Bonnefoy. No matter how annoying the latter was, they were friends, and friends introduced friends to cute new boys in Model UN.

Alfred F. Jones was five feet, six inches tall, had a nest of messy blond hair, and god, was he loud. He carried a somewhat authoritative aura that clashed with his impulsive personality and made Arthur Kirkland fall head over heels. He was the new captain of the football team, America in Model UN, student council President, and part of the Baking Club.

The Baking Club was not for kids like Alfred. Kids like Alfred joined sports teams and played the trumpet. Kids in the Baking Club were like Feliciano Vargas and Feliks Lukasiewicz and Emma Maes, who were sweet and kind and as soft as their desserts. But all desserts had their secret ingredients, and Alfred's was his real personality.

Alfred thought only the Baking Club understood who he really was and how different he was, because he definitely was not like the other ‘jocks'. He helped at his grandmother’s animal shelter on weekends, cheered for his brother at chess matches on Wednesday, went to baking Tuesdays and Thursdays, and did football on Mondays and Fridays. He played flute in band, was in HRC in Model UN, and picked up trash around school as president of his peers during school hours. All in all, he was absolutely perfect, and it gained him a one way ticket to Arthur’s heart.

And now, Francis was teasing Arthur endlessly at lunchtime.

“Get your eyes off Captain America over there and onto your pizza. You haven’t even touched your grapes yet! I swear, Artie, if I wasn’t your bestest friend, I would seriously be supes worried,” the Frenchman complained.

“Okay, one, shut up, and two, who said you’re my bestest friend?”

“Who bailed you out of jail when you had some fun at that amusement park?”

“Okay, yeah, but that was holding. There’s a difference. So shut up.”

“Besides, who else would be your best friend? Lukas? He spends more time with that weird Lego Robotics kid. What about that vampire? You still friends with him?”

“Vladimir isn’t a vampire, he’s just Romanian.”

“Yeah, right. And there’s something in the Kool-Aid making us gay.”

“That’s it, for once, you’re right. I need new friends. I’m joining the Baking Club!”

“Not to interrupt your ‘starting today I’m going to be a host' moment, but last time you ‘baked', you set the kitchen on fire. You were literally heating ramen in the microwave, and you burnt my house down!”

“Is that why you stopped inviting me over for sleepovers? Just because I burnt your house down? I said sorry!”

“We’re getting off topic. So, how are you going to get loverboy to love you back?”

Arthur blushed a deep shade of crimson at that.

“Hopefully my charm will take over if not my obviously amazing cooking skills.”

“Arthur, you’re my best friend, so I’ll say it one more time, just to get it through your thick skull. YOU BURNT MY KITCHEN DOWN MAKING RAMEN, YOU PRICK!”

“Details, details.”

And with that he walked off to sign up for the Baking Club.

Soon enough, Arthur had signed up, the rest of the school day had passed, and he was standing at the door for Baking Club, which was covered in mistletoe and holly in celebration of the Christmas season, it being mid-December.

Definitely not the kind of club he thought he’d ever join, but here he was.

He gently rapped on the door and pondered if it was too late to run away when none other than his reason for joining this stupid club answered the door in a super cheesy Minnie and Mickey ugly sweater.

“Hey! Arthur, man, I didn’t think you were into clubs like this! Come on in, I’ll introduce you to everyone!”

He grabbed Arthur’s ugly-sweatered wrist and dragged him in, and he saw the kindest club in school in all of their ugly-sweatered glory.

“This is Feliciano Vargas, whose specialty is cannoli!”

A young man with dark brown hair and an obnoxious curl in a two person sweater with a blond male waved energetically.

“And this is Emma Maes, and her main dish is waffles with boysenberry syrup and strawberries inside, and she’ll be adding some extra stuff to her usual waffles today for holiday stuffsies!”

A girl with mid-length blonde hair and a kind smile wearing a punk sweater the same colour as the patterned blue and black bow in her hair waved nicely, and then turned back to her measuring cups and holly.

“Here’s Ludwig Beilschmidt, who’s a little grumpy, but really nice when you get to know him, and he loves to make bread pudding, and he’s making a plum one today for the Christmas celebration, which isn’t as terrible as it sounds!”

The tall stoic guy next to Feliciano and in the couple’s sweater with him calmly waved and smiled ever so slightly.

“Feliks Lukasiewicz, my man! He specializes in making this thing, it’s like funnel cake! You know what funnel cake is, right Artie?”

Arthur nodded.

“What’s it called again, bro?”

Feliks, who was wearing a slightly less dramatic sweater than the others, rolled his eyes and sighed, flipping his blond hair from his eyes. “I’ve told you like, at least five times, Al! It’s called skruzdelynas! It’s a Lithuanian dessert, and yes, it is like funnel cake, I suppose.”

“I don’t know how to pronounce that, so Feliks specializes in funnel cake, and he’s making a cherry one with powdered sugar today for Christmas!”

“Ugh, you could, y’know, at least try!” called the Pole to Alfred as he went on to introduce the other members.

“Love you too, bro!”

“Ugh, whatever.”

“Is he actually your brother?” Arthur asked Alfred.

“Who? Feliks? Nah. My brother is Matthew, and he’s at a chess meeting today. He’s got a tournament tomorrow! So proud of him. But his twin is in this club, and my twin is in Swim Team. Which brings me to our next member… Madeline!”

A shy girl with pigtails and a red beret with maple leaf hair clips who greatly resembled her brother Matthew waved a little before looking back down at what she was doing.

“Maddie is the beeessstttt at maple pops!”

“Maple pops?”

“Yeah! And maple donuts! And maple bacon biscuits! Just a lot of maple, I guess. I don’t know where she gets it.”

He lowered his voice.

“But between you and me, I think she has a dealer.”

Arthur had to stifle a laugh.

Only Alfred would think his own sister had a maple drug dealer.

To his surprise, Madeline, in her The Nightmare Before Christmas sweater, laughed at that. “Alfred, mom and dad and Matthew have all told you, there is no dealer! We can talk about this later, I’m making muffins.”

“Fine. Bye sis!”

“She seems nice and calm, at least for being related to you,” Arthur laughed out.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Eyebrows? What if I said your brothers were pretty sober, at least compared to you?”

“Then I'd call you a liar.”

Alfred laughed, and it made Arthur think of home.

“Annnndddd last but not least, in our fabulous baking club, we have our longest here members, Antonio and Matthias! Toni is best at chocolate flan, and Matthias here rocks at making rice pudding with cherry sauce, and he’s even adding sugar plants to it!”

Matthias waved politely in his stoner themed sweater, but then looked back determinedly to his pudding, which he was decorating with edible sugar holly.

“Hey, Arthur! I haven’t seen you since forever man!” Antonio, himself, in an incredibly tacky sweater, waved and spoke cheerfully to him.

“Oh, hello, Antonio. Fancy seeing you here,” Arthur spoke quietly.

“What’s wrong Artie? Did you two have an argument or something?” Alfred asked, puzzled.

“Hmm? Oh no. We’re just old friends. We used to play pirates on playgrounds, but we kinda grew apart, I guess,” Arthur said to him sadly.

“Well now, since you’re in the same club, you can grow back together as friends! Wouldn’t that be awesome?” Alfred asked excitedly.

Arthur smiled at his enthusiasm.

“Totally.”

The tour of everyone in Baking Club was now over and Arthur finally got to sit down and start baking his own something. Scones were always his favourite. And Alfred mentioned something about liking boysenberries, so boysenberry scones it was.

For an hour or two, he sat there in his area making and cooking scones, just for Alfred. These had to be perfect, because he probably wouldn’t get another shot to impress him.

Francis was right, he thought. I can’t cook, and I certainly am not handsome enough for the likes of Alfred, he sighed sadly.

Soon enough, the scones were done, and with only minimal burning!

“Al, Alfred?” he called out.

Alfred was over there in a heartbeat.

“Something wrong, Arthur?” He sounded worried.

“No, no, I just, uh, I made you some scones?” he stuttered out.

“For me? Really?”

“Yeah. I heard you say something about boysenberries, and I kinda suck at anything but scones, so here’s some boysenberry scones, I guess.” He sheepishly handed him the plate of scones.

Alfred cautiously picked one up and took a bite. He first made a slight face of disgust, then corrected himself. “Wow, these are pretty good!”

Arthur frowned. “You hate them. I suck at baking. Sorry.”

Alfred looked upset at Arthur being sad. “No, no! These can get better with just a little bit of improvement! Here, I can help you!”

Alfred went over to Arthur’s cooking area, which was covered in flour and hearts drawn in it.

Alfred laughed. “You like hearts, huh?”

Arthur blushed like mad. “I, uh, I, like the design?”

“It’s fine, I like hearts too!” Alfred replied cheerfully and flashed him a wink.

That did not help Arthur's blushed state in the least bit.

For two hours the duo worked together on new boysenberry scones, and some Christmas cookies as well, and both drew more little hearts on the flour around the area, laughing at shared jokes and throwing berries and sprinkles at each other joyfully.

Soon, they were done.

“Wooo! These look great Artie! Try one!” Alfred exclaimed.

Arthur took one and started nibbling, and was surprised at how good they tasted. “Wow! Al, you’re, well, amazing!” He finished it up.

Now Alfred blushed. “Oh, it’s nothing. You did most of it anyway.”

Arthur grabbed another from the tin.

“Hey Artie, close your eyes, I made you a surprise!”

“Alright…” he agreed suspiciously, closing his eyes.

Within two seconds, he felt a pair of warm lips against his own. They tasted like berries and soft vanilla crumbs.

He opened his eyes and almost gasped. It was Alfred.

Alfred pulled away slowly but kept his hand on Arthur’s back.

“Heh, sorry Arthur. I have been wanting to do that for forever. Plus, mistletoe, y’know?”

Arthur looked up and laughed at the plant hanging above the two and then, without thinking, immediately pulled him back in, and there they stood for a few more seconds before breaking apart again.

“I guess we match my sweater, huh?” Arthur said sheepishly, and Alfred looked down at his KISS sweater and chuckled.

“We should probably go share these scones and cookies anyway. Come on, and today is actually club picture day, in case you forgot. We haven’t taken a Baking Club picture for the year book yet, so it’s good you came here today,” Alfred spoke first.

“Good idea.”

The two shared their scones and when everyone was done, Alfred ran to get Francis, in his own ugly wine themed sweater, from Photography Club to take their group picture.

The group of only but nine huddled together for their picture, Alfred and Arthur side by side, holding hands.

“Everyone say ‘merde'!” exclaimed Francis from behind his camera.

Everyone took French, so they all laughed cheerfully, and said “Merde!” into the camera, the group of mismatched friends smiling ever so brightly, because they had found their home, right here, in this silly high school baking club, with more friendship and adventures to hold.

He originally joined it for the boy toy, but stayed for the friends and fun.

Arthur had changed his mind.

There were actually five things that high school was made of.

Sweets, friendship, clubs, ugly sweaters, and love.

And he couldn’t be happier that he had found all of them here.

[darveyfics]

The Art of Trick-or-Treating

Prompt:

Anon: Darvey take their son/daughter trick or treating for the first time

mrgaretcarter: TRICK OR TREATING WITH THEIR OWN KID(S) ps: one of them has to be a girl

--

He had come home on Wednesday evening later than usual in an attempt to finish up work so they could spend the Halloween weekend at his father's place in Boston and not be interrupted by clients with questions. It was approaching midnight when he walked in and noticed the overhead lights at the kitchen island were still on, and he turned the corner to find his wife, sitting on a barstool, with what he assumed to be dinner she had shared with their daughter at a normal hour earlier this evening.

He sets his briefcase on the floor near the island and lets out a long sigh and moves to Donna's side, pressing his lips to her temple and whispering his hey.

"Hey," Donna greets through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese. "There’s more in the oven if you’re hungry.”

"Oven?" He asks but moves away to the other side of the island to take it out anyway. 

"Your daughter wakes at the sound of your alarm going off for your 5:00 am runs. Do you think I was going to test that on the microwave at midnight when I'm starving?" Donna says with a slight laugh. "I wanted to eat my food while it was still hot."

He chuckles and uses the hot pads, and notices there’s an extra plate still on the counter, so he sets the hot dish on the top of the stove as he closes the oven door and turns the stove off. 

He piles the macaroni and cheese onto his plate and sits on the barstool next to her. 

"How's the world of corporate law this evening?" Donna jokes as she runs her fork of cheesy noodles through her puddle of ranch dressing on her plate.

"Pretty quiet for the start of the fourth quarter of the year," Harvey says with a shrug.

They eat in silence as Donna scrolls through the various apps on her phone and looks at all the tagged pictures she's in on Instagram with interest.

"You finish her costume?" Harvey asks between bites of his dinner. 

"Yep," she nods as she likes a comment that made her chuckle a little inside. "And, of course, she wanted to watch The Little Mermaid as I finished it. So we viewed it three times today."

Harvey shook his head. 

"It’s your fault you know," Harvey pointed out. "You’re the one who showed her all the princesses with the same hair colour as the two of you."

She sets her phone down and stabs noodles on his plate and eats them and gives him a look. 

"You can do my dishes," Donna says as she stands and sets her fork across her empty plate. "I have to pee."

Harvey shakes his head and watches as she leaves the room and goes back to their bedroom. He finishes dinner and their dishes, and he's yawning as peeks in the room across from theirs to find his little princess has decided to sleep at the foot of her bed. 

When he steps into his own room, Donna is laying on her side of the bed and has stolen one of his pillows. She’s far from sleep and watches as he moves through his nightly routine. After stripping down to his boxer briefs, he climbs into bed, and she shifts to find a comfortable position as she moves closer to him.

"How long did you nap today?" He asks quietly as his fingers weave through her locks. 

"Umm, five-ish hours between the two naps?" She sighs. "I’m exhausted but can’t sleep. Big surprise."

His fingers move from her hair to steal under the sheets and run down her side to her waist, drawing a pattern on the side of her growing belly.

"I can tell you a riveting tale about the meeting Jessica and I just had with Paul Porter and his bowtie trying to convince us we should switch the firm's compensation structure," he tells her while still tracing patterns on her belly.

"You paid attention?" She asks with more than a hint of scepticism in her tone.

"Well, Jessica told me the highlights. His bow tie was a bunch of little pumpkins and aliens. I was fascinated and worried at the same time," Harvey recalled.

"Elizabeth definitely gets her attention span from you," Donna quietly laughs. "But, sure, bore me to sleep."

Harvey pouts a little, but soon enough he launches into his day that had been jam-packed with meetings. -- Thursday, the day before Halloween, is a slow start to their long weekend. Harvey decided to let Donna sleep in a little and gets their three-year-old daughter ready for a half a day of driving, but she's a little hostile in the way only three-year-olds can get away with, and she wakes Donna with her jagged crying. 

He's looking apologetic as Elizabeth runs and hugs her mother's legs and Donna decides today a bribe will get them closer to a successful morning and future nap, so she suggests going out to get hot chocolate and pancakes and Elizabeth stops crying and looks up at her mother with wide brown eyes. She has to let her father put her in warm clothes since its autumn, and they compromise with one of her rejected costumes. And as Harvey helps her dress as Donna gets dressed from her pajamas into something loose and comfortable for a walk down a few blocks, he thinks about the past Halloweens they've had as a family.

Her first Halloween, Elizabeth was two months old, and Donna was in Los Angeles doing talk show rounds with the various networks promoting her film that was coming out and a new television show she was taking part in. Naturally, where mom went, the new baby went. She had taken pictures of their baby dressed in a little monkey onesie costume they had picked out when they had gone outfit shopping and sent them to him via text. It was a welcome respite from the frustrating day of court he had when he got back to his office to find pictures and a video waiting. When they had FaceTimed later that night, he watched as his little monkey fell asleep as Donna unwrapped candy she had received in the guest dressing rooms as they talked about their respective long days. 

Her second Halloween, they had moved into a new building and didn’t know any of the neighbours. So, Donna had the day off from the set, and she took the little Nemo in with her to Pearson Specter and the partners and associates were kind enough to take a minute out of their day to let the two-year-old get candy. Harvey had been meeting with a client so they were a surprise in the office when he came back. Elizabeth had wiggled out of Jessica’s arms and ran to the elevators to reach for her father. It had been an Instagram-worthy photo with little hands squishing Harvey’s cheeks in an attempt to make fish lips as he grinned. That picture was a top ten of the year as it passed over 100,000 likes. A new record for her that year.

Now, her third Halloween would be the first time she'd experience trick or treating for real as Donna was wrapping her series and had gotten Thursday and Friday off and Harvey was the one with the idea to give her a real trick or treating experience like they had when they were kids. Donna reminded him that she had spent most of her younger trick-or-treating years in Cortland where the houses tend to be half a mile away or longer. He gave her a look because he was just trying to make a gesture and she laughed and told him it was sweet. 

As bribed, they eat breakfast at the café down the street. As they walk, Elizabeth is between them, dressed as a little zookeeper with a little giraffe wrapped around her neck. Elizabeth's hands are in either one of Donna's and Harvey's and every few minutes Elizabeth counts one, two, 'free, and she's lifted between them, and a giggle makes its way past her lips. 

Their daughter can’t contain her excitement at the little foam pumpkin the barista draws in the milky froth of her hot chocolate. While waiting for their food, Donna sets all their drinks together to show off the art of a maple leaf, a pumpkin, and a cat face in their respective beverages. Of course, little fingers that are more interested in continuing to sneak the extra chocolate powder feature in the picture she edits for her Instagram.

"You know your most loyal fans will be here within ten minutes," Harvey points out as he sees she tags the location.

"Why do you think I always post it as we're finishing?" Donna says as she shows him it's all set to be posted, but she hasn't pressed the done button. "I'd like to eat these pancakes in peace."

Harvey looks at her with slight concern as she wraps her scrambled eggs in a pancake with a bit of syrup. But he learned to stop asking, and it's not like anyone in the café is paying attention to them.

Elizabeth eats her one along with her eggs, separately, and since they're sitting on the same side, she leans into his side, and her fork touches his french toast in an effort to steal it. He takes the hint and cuts it up, and Donna laughs and shares a conspiratory grin with their daughter as father and daughter share the remainder of Harvey’s breakfast.

When they get back to the condo, it's much easier to finish packing the last minute items and loading the SUV for the nearly five-hour drive--in good traffic--to Boston when mother and daughter are sated with food.

And, it's a more leisurely drive when, a few hours in, both of his passengers are asleep, and he can listen to his music in peace. -- When they get to Gordon Specter’s hour in the late afternoon, Marcus and his family were already there. It looked like they had come straight from school as two bright pink backpacks sit near the coat rack in the entryway. His father was watching a rerun of some show, his brother and his wife were on the couch, and it looked like the five and seven-year-olds were outside burning off energy. 

He opens the door with Elizabeth still half asleep in his arms and an overnight bag hanging on his shoulder while Donna held the garment bag all their costumes were in for tomorrow night. 

They say passing hellos as they head upstairs for his old bedroom to set their stuff down before heading back downstairs.

When he finally sat down on the loveseat with Donna, Katie made an effort to clear her throat loudly and dramatically. 

He heard Donna sigh, and he hid his grin by pretending to check to see if Elizabeth had fallen back asleep or if she was just quietly observing the scene around her. It was the latter.

In Katie Specter's hands was the most recent issue of Vanity Fair with Donna’s face on the cover. It was fitting that she be on the October issue and get to dress up in Halloween costumes considering this is her favourite holiday. 

"I see you’ve found a fascinating read," Donna says as she leans forward on the cushion she sits on. She turns to Gordon. "How many did you buy?"

"I’m kinda digging that you’re Ariel, Merida, Elastigirl, and Elsa, all in one article. But the best part is probably your little Anna," Katie laughs as Gordon pretends like he doesn’t hear Donna. 

"They were going to have me be Anna, but when they saw her, well, they decided she'd make her modelling debut," Donna says with a laugh. 

She gets up from the couch and moves to the kitchen to get herself water and thinks if she's hungry, Elizabeth is bound to be as well and sneaks some Chex Mix from Gordon's pantry.

"I'm wondering about the new feature coming in April 2015," Gordon says with his brows raised as he ignores the television for a moment. "Your IMDB doesn't list any projects with that release date."

It had been one of the last questions they asked what she had been looking forward to in 2015 and she had laughed before answering 'Probably my feature in April 2015' and not giving any more details.

Before she sits on the loveseat again, she turns to her audience and her hand that holds the bag of Chex Mix moves to her tunic, and smooths the material over her growing but still a moderately small bump for 18 weeks.

"Our new feature," Donna laughs. "Due like nineteen days before I have to go back to work on the new season in April."

"Shit," Marcus finally pipes up and hands over a fifty dollar bill to his father.

Gordon winks at Harvey as Donna sits on the loveseat again and she and Elizabeth dig into his Chex Mix. -- In an effort to have Elizabeth's first real Halloween be memorable, they all decided it would be a family-themed event. 

"I'm starting to regret this costume," Donna says as she catches Harvey's eyes in the mirror as she teases her hair a little more with her pick comb.

Harvey gives her an appreciative once over as she stands up straight.

She was wearing a black bateau neckline, high waisted dress that had violet, lavender, purple, white, and black tulle draping down the waist to make her look like an octopus without the gaudy appendages. 

She had teased her hair with enough product to wonder if it would set itself on fire near an open flame. Her off-white hair sits in a messy beehive. She has shockingly bright red lipstick on and the most vivid blue eyeshadow colour he'd ever seen.

"Because it's supposed to rain later?" He asks.

"More like my boobs hurt, my back hurts, and I swear my feet are also starting to swell the longer I stand here," she sighs and tosses the comb in her hands onto the counter.

Harvey steps into her personal space and his hands move over her hips through the tulle. He spaces out his thumbs on either side of her lower back to find the familiar knot on either side. His thumbs work in a tiny, circular motion with ease as he presses close.

She leans her hands against the counter as she breathes in and out slowly.

"Better?" He asks after a few minutes of kneading and watching her mirrored reflection.

"It's a start," she concedes. 

"Mmh," he says with a laugh as he backs away and lets her turn to face him. "You smell like baby powder."

"Can't exactly use the temporary hair dye," she says with a sigh as she presses a hand to her growing belly that's somewhat hidden in the folds of tulle.

"You could have worn a wig," he points out and regrets it as soon as she narrows her eyes.

"I just wore a wig on and off for the last month. These locks need to breathe," Donna reminds him. "And all this new hair growth is making my scalp itchy, so it's a good thing we're wrapping soon."

"Let's go get our little Ariel so we can trick-or-treat and then I can feed you. And I even went to get that god awful spumoni ice cream and some potato chips for you from the store."

Donna frowns because that's exactly what she wants. She hates that her cravings are predictably the same.

"The tabloids think my cravings are ice cream and pickles," she notes as she follows him out of the washroom.

"I bought pickles once for sandwiches," Harvey says as he shakes his head.

"Apparently if you buy ice cream and pickles at the same time, they report I am pregnant, and they assume it's for me," Donna shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, I mean, they're not wrong with one report. We just haven't officially confirmed it? Nevermind we also bought like thirty other items at the grocery store that day," Harvey sighs but drops the subject as they find themselves now on the outskirts of his father's living room with a grumpy little Sebastian, a crying Flounder, and a mischevious looking Ariel in the arms of King Triton.

"That's all you," Donna pats Harvey's arm before moving to the coat rack to get her black hoodie--just in case it does start to rain.

Harvey moves and takes Elizabeth from his father's arms.

"She hasn't done anything," Gordon says. "But I know that look, so I kept her out of the fray."

Her little brown eyes are twinkling with mischief, and her little dimples are showing as she laughs as her two cousins get reprimanded by Marcus who’s the crazy Chef Louis and Katie, dressed as Carlotta, the palace maid. Harvey tampers his own smile and figures the best course of action is just to leave the situation before he starts to laugh and set a bad example.

"Let's have you go potty before we head out," Harvey says as he walks back to the washroom on this floor to let his brother and sister-in-law handle their fighting children.

Donna had gone with a long sleeve peach-coloured leotard for Elizabeth's costume to keep her warm. Ariel's familiar purple seashell top was carefully stuck on the leotard thanks to neat strips of iron-on adhesive that's usually used to hem pants magically. She was determined to keep their three-year-old warm while trick or treating without compromising the costume, and since she couldn't sew worth a damn, improvisation is essential.

She had the foresight to get one that had buttons, so there was no catastrophes or wardrobe malfunctions as Harvey helped Elizabeth out of her green sequence skirt and lime green leggings to keep her warm. He thinks Donna will teach her to hold skirts and dresses up after she masters the main point--to go when she needs to and without prompting or them noticing the familiar "potty dance."

For his own Prince Eric costume, he'd stuck with his own clothes--a bright white button down and dark blue jeans. He had to find a pair of black snow boots, and he had folded his jeans up to where the boots and pants meet. Donna had snuck a red sash from the costume department to tie around his waist, and he sported a combover and had enough pomade to make it darker than his sandy-brown natural hair colour.

All in all, it was quite the family affair, and Donna made sure to capture the whole thing with video and pictures. -- Gordon Specter lived on a cul de sac in one of Boston's suburban, middle-class neighbourhoods where everyone knew everybody, and there were monthly neighbourhood cookouts.

To begin, they practice at Gordon's door, and Marcus's kids participate thanks to a bribe of ten dollars from Harvey for their time.

The seven-year-old rings the bell and Gordon answers the door with such enthusiasm Elizabeth wiggles excitedly and giggles out a version of trick-or-treat and attempts to go back inside.

"Hey, wait, you don't go into the houses," Harvey says as he scoops her up. "You say trick-or-treat and then wait for candy."

Harvey nods, and they try it again. That time she doesn't go in, but as they call it a success and Gordon deposits a box of Milk Duds in her bag, she digs through her bag and hands said tote to Harvey and runs to Donna whose conversing with Katie at the end of the driveway.

There's a brief meltdown as Donna explains treats are for after its all done but her tears vanish when Donna says they can share this one box until tonight after dinner. Elizabeth doesn't know the box only holds four and Donna takes two for herself as she hands the open box back to Elizabeth as they begin at the neighbour's house for the official start.

With Gordon living on the block for the past 15 years, it’s not surprising when neighbours see Donna, Harvey, and Elizabeth with Gordon, Marcus, and Marcus' family as they trick-or-treat, they want to chat with the New Yorkers who only make the occasional holiday visit. Thankfully, they refrain and just mention they need to catch up one night when they’re still here or plan something at a later date.

Harvey's tenth grade English teacher lives a block down from his dad, so it's no surprise he spends a little more time here and makes Donna come up the driveway with him and Elizabeth. The woman reminds him that he almost failed her class by failing to participate in the theatre portion of class and wonders how he appreciates the stage and acting because he's been married to a famous actress for the past eight years.

"I'm a Donna fan, Mrs Burkowicz," Harvey shrugs. "Maybe if I had gone to tenth grade in Hartford, I would have passed English with more than a B-."

Donna bites the inside of her cheek and Harvey tilts his head and grins. Elizabeth’s trick-or-treat sounds more like 'tick-er-teat' and Harvey stifles a laugh each time she mutters it.

Elizabeth gets an extra handful of candy despite her father's sass.

"For you and your mom," Mrs Burkowicz says as she looks to the little Ariel whose eyes are huge as she looks between her canvas tote and the lady who just gave her treats.

"No, dad," Elizabeth conspires.

Donna decides now is the perfect time to laugh aloud, and she takes Elizabeth's hand and starts to walk away.

Harvey looks back at his old English teacher, and the woman winks before shutting the door.

Donna and Harvey take turns walking up the driveways with the rest of his family as they continue moving throughout the neighbourhood.

They make it almost four more blocks before Elizabeth gets tired of walking and asks to be held by Harvey. It’s another seven blocks before she falls asleep and they go another ten before the sky begins to darken and Donna’s steps slow because her back aches, her feet are sore, and she’s hungry for something that isn't candy that she's been sneaking every few blocks from Elizabeth's bag she carries.

Donna thinks she's going to really enjoy this weekend eating through their kid's candy and wondering how many slices of Pinocchio's she can eat without getting tired of the cheesy goodness. -- Elizabeth was still passed out, leaning against her mother as Donna lounged against the arm of the couch with her feet in Harvey’s lap as he sat on the far cushion and absentmindedly worked his fingers against the muscles and tendons in Donna's feet and calves. They were waiting for Katie and Marcus to get back with the pizza, pasta, and salad before waking Elizabeth. With Elizabeth draped alongside her and stuck between her mother and the couch, Donna's skirt and dress material were pulled enough that everyone in the room could really see the swell of her belly. 

"You know what it is yet?" Gordon asks as he watched his daughter-in-law run her fingers through her daughter's hair as the less boisterous Specter family shared the room. The other little kids are in the kitchen trading candy and drinking a can of soda they're not really supposed to have in an effort to get a sugar rush while mom and dad are away and grandpa's in charge.

"Uh, a few days ago, the ultrasound tech accidentally said it’s a girl," Donna says as she looks over at her father-in-law with a small smile. "95% certain."

"Both my sons, surrounded by females," Gordon chuckles. "Did Marcus let you know they’re trying for a boy?"

Harvey shook his head, but Donna nodded.

"Katie was wondering if we’re going to have another. I told her we needed to get through birthing this one before thinking about a number three," Donna says honestly.

Gordon chuckles, and Harvey already feels slightly overwhelmed by the thought.

As Harvey and his father play catch up, Donna finds a fantastic photo of the three of them where her bump is visible and decides to let her fans in on their secret. After all, its been almost a month of speculation since Vanity Fair was published with her cryptic interview answer and thankfully her coworkers and the set crew kept mum even as fans began to stalk the set more and tweet at her fellow cast members.

In the photo outside on the lawn of Gordon's house, Elizabeth is having a little meltdown, pulling on the tulle skirt of her mother's and therefore showing off her baby bump as Donna, as Ursula, kisses Harvey, as Prince Eric. When Katie sees it on her own feed the next day, she jokingly demands a photo cred, and when Donna does indeed photo cred her username, Katie ends up with hundreds of new follower requests.

She posts another two during the weekend in Boston. One of the backs of the entire crew walking down the sidewalk--she doesn't like to feature the faces of little ones, including her own, just to keep something private. The last is a shot of Harvey and Elizabeth as they sit on the rug and sort out the Halloween candy. In the photo, Elizabeth is sharing an M&M with her father.

That weekend, Donna tells Harvey they should really do the whole neighbourhood-type trick-or-treating every year, and she hopes the family-themed trick-or-treats last at least until Elizabeth is a teenager and therefore becomes too cool to dress the same as her soon-to-be sister.

Harvey wonders if it’d be appropriate to also buy a house in New York to escape to for the weekends. And, for future trick-or-treating adventures. And, maybe to even start hosting holidays and inviting people and having enough room to spare.

[ask-maple-leaf]

silly little post

- Creator

[tsgdenvercolorado]

OUT & ABOUT WITH SCOUT | MARCH 2020

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Anyone else having Spring Fever?  I'm ready for longer days and all the exciting events going on in our TSG Community.

ALL MONTH LONG

REBEL: Scratch off and Save

Stop into Rebel and pick up your scratch-off card to be used for the month of March and save 15-25% off one item.

Rebel

5910 S University Blvd

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VISIONS WEST CONTEMPORARY: Current Exhibit: Beau Carey’s recent work Basin and Range

Beau Carey is a landscape and en plein air painter based in New Mexico. The work in Basin and Range look at landscapes as a series of repeated journeys. Each is made of the same mountain ranges repeated and flipped. Carey’s work becomes defined by time; painted with different light, from different angles, some with suns and moons shown in varying states of rising and setting. His work explores and subverts the typical traditions of Western landscape art. Finding new ways to paint landscapes of the West, while recognizing the history of globalism and the new environmental dangers these landscapes face today. Inspired by John McPhee’s geological travel novel by the same name, Carey’s Basin and Range becomes a beautiful journey through time depicting a new perspective on the landscapes of the West.

Visions West Contemporary

2605 Walnut St

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THRIVE Lifestyle Solutions: Date Planning Services

THRIVE Lifestyle Solutions is a full-service individual and personal concierge company and is offering a 2 for 1 special if you book a date planning session between now and April 30th. THRIVE offers complimentary phone consultations to brainstorm your date needs.

Call or Email to schedule today - info@thrivelifestylesolutions.com or 720-487-1965

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THE VINTAGE LABEL: Pop-Up at Free Market in the Dairy Block

A thoughtfully curated collection of luxury designer vintage clothing & accessories.

Open Daily 11-7

Free Market

1801 Blake St

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HOWARD LORTON: Pre-Season Patio Sale now through May 10th

Because your style doesn't stop at the back door....Now is the time to find patio furniture at great prices so you can enjoy it all season long. Discover Howard Lorton's newly renovated patio shop, and experience our new arrivals. Find quality, comfortable patio furniture that is designed to last. Take an EXTRA 10% off our already low prices, including clearance items and special orders.

Howard Lorton

12 E 12th Ave

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PLUM SAGE FLOWERS: Treat yourself or give the gift of fresh flowers with a Plum Sage Flowers floral subscription. Their arrangements feature seasonal blooms designed in a stylish vessel that we can select to complement your space. The arrangements are available for pickup or delivery - once every week or once a month. Colors can be specified but all flower varieties are chosen based on health and seasonality. Pricing is custom but the average is $65 for a small arrangement, $85 for a medium and $100+ for a large arrangement.

Plum Sage Flowers

(720) 328-2190

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CCRM: Struggling To Get Pregnant? Don’t know what to do next? The first steps in your fertility journey can be overwhelming—Fertility House Calls is here to help. Fertility House Calls is a program that connects you to an experienced CCRM fertility nurse so that you can ask questions and explore care options, all from the comfort of your home or wherever is most convenient for you. Fertility House Calls is currently a free service to Denver area residents. Schedule today at www.fertilityhousecalls.com.

RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Eat, Learn, Grow

“Winning the Inner Game” led by Trisha Lee. A study by Cornell University found that men overestimate their abilities and their performance, while women underestimate both. Of course, not all men ooze self-confidence, and not all women lack it. However, the 'gender confidence gap' is real and closing it is imperative to women’s business and career success. Come participate in a discussion with Trisha Lee – Senior VP, Lockton Companies, mother of two young adults, widow, and the 7th of 9 children – to hear her top insights and tactics to overcome confidence challenges so that you can catapult your happiness and success.

Thursday, March 5th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Thursday, March 5th 4:45-6pm

Natural Grocers

3757 Brighton Blvd

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FUSION ACADEMY & EQUINOX COUNSELING & WELLNESS CENTER: Academic Anxiety: Understanding & Intervening with School Refusal

Equinox parenting and mental health experts will help parents and teachers identify and understand the complexities of mental, emotional, and behavior health issues.  In addition, they will explore how issues related to neuro-developmental disorders, neurodiversity, executive functioning disorder, anxiety, and depression influence school refusal

Understanding & Intervening with School Refusal

Thursday, March 5th 6-8pm

Fusion Academy

5340 S. Quebec St. Ste 100N

Click Here to Register

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HOMEFEST: Spring Decor Event

It’s Spring preview time! New arrivals are pouring in and it’s the perfect time to refresh your home for Spring. Shop our latest arrivals and save 15% on furniture, rugs, lighting, art & mirrors, pillows, throws, and florals.

Thursday, March 5th meet Pam Vincent of Maple Leaf at Home. Inspired by a love of entertaining and spending time with family and friends, Maple Leaf serving boards make a cherished personalized gift for all of life’s celebrations.

Friday, March 6th Emme Siegall of Michael Aram will showcase Aram’s beautiful collection of handcrafted designs. A celebration of nature and ancient craftsmanship, these pieces are as much fine art as functional serving pieces.

Saturday, March 7th Beatriz Ball will share her collection of lustrous metal-ware. Made entirely by hand, using the ancient art of sand casting, these pieces have a depth of character and personality that only a handcrafted product can.

Thursday, March 5th - Monday, March 9th

Homefest

5912 S. Holly Street

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Rise Fitness

Open to all RISE membership levels and fitness levels, this class will be a core blast class. Bring a yoga mat and we'll see you there!

Friday, March 6th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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ANDRISEN MORTON: Weekend Trunk Show featuring Samuelsohn

Preview Samuelsohn’s new Spring/Summer 2020 collection of superior made-to-measure clothing. Choose from exclusive fabrics and details to create a unique garment catered to your individual style.  Save $150 on every made-to-measure suit or sport coat.  Refreshments will be served.

`Friday and Saturday, March 6th & 7th

Andrisen Morton

3rd & St. Paul

303-377-8488

Appointments are appreciated

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Saturday, March 7th 2-5pm

Total Wine & More

9505 E. County Line Rd

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DAYLIGHT SAVINGS - SUNDAY, MARCH 8th

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Power Up Coffee

"Confidence in the Boardroom" led by Michele Ashby. Research shows that companies with a higher participation of women in decision-making roles generate higher returns on equity. Yet in the US, only 16.6% of corporate board seats are held by women. Come hear from Michele Ashby (Founder of Ace Board Training for Women) about executive presence, what it takes to get on a board, and what it's like once you're there!

Wednesday, March 11th 8:30am

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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STYLE TM & REBEL: Spring Styling Event

Rebel is teaming up with Tina Friedman of Style TM to shop and style for Spring.

Thursday, March 12th

Rebel

5910 S University Blvd

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KITTO KATTO SKINCARE: Moisture Silk Product Launch

Kitto Katto Skincare is exciting to announce a new product in their line called Moisture Silk and are hosting a Happy Hour to celebrate.

Enjoy 25% off Moisture Silk at the celebration.

Friday, March 13th 4-7pm

Kitto Katto Skincare

601 N Corona

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Friday, March 13th 4-7pm

Mayfair Liquors

1385 Krameria St

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CLP JEWELRY: ADORNED Permanet Welded Bracelets

Our Adorned bracelets and rings are the perfect complement to your jewelry collection.  These delicate threads are cut and welded directly onto your wrist.  They are a perfect daily reminder of the intentions that you set while having them added to your wrist.

We offer 18 karat yellow gold, 18 karat rose gold and sterling silver.

Saturday, March 14th

CLP Jewelry

1464 S Broadway

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HALCYON, A HOTEL IN CHERRY CREEK: Wellness Series - Turn Up The Heat

Turn up the heat, get your burn on, and transform your week when you attend TruFusion Fitness Series at Halcyon. Discover your mental and physical edge with dynamic exercises led by your favorite fitness experts, all in a supportive wellness community. We’ve got everything you need to crank up your personal and fitness goals! Bring your friends and après with us for an hour class, followed by complimentary wine and beer.

This is a barefoot class, be sure to bring your yoga mat!

Power Vinyasa with TruFusion

Monday, March 16th 5:30-7pm

Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek

245 Columbine St

Click Here to Register

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VERT BEAUTY: Intuitive Eating and Ritual Readings

Spring Equinox is all about new growth! It is the perfect opportunity to manifest renewal and new beginnings. We will be discussing health, beauty and connectivity to spirit during this wellness event. Learn how to eat in a more embodied way through the practice of Intuitive Eating with Soshy from Embody Nutrition. Intuitive Eating simply means, eat when you’re hungry, stop when your full, eat food that you love and food that feels good in your body. Imagine if you could feel at peace with all foods and be able to listen to your body on a deep intrinsic level when you’re eating! Rory, our favorite tarot-card reader, priestess, witch and spiritual guidance counselor will quickly tune in to your energy with an individualized one-on-one reading.

Monday, March 16th 6-7:30pm

Vert Beauty

3442 W 32nd Ave

Space is limited, call 303-623-8378 to RSVP

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Wednesday, March 19th 2:30-5pm

Total Wine & More

3905 E Evans Ave

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Rise On The Town

The 9&CO development a block away from RISE is close to completion! One of the establishments, TruFusion, is offering RISE Collaborative an exclusive sneak peek into one of their classes! Join us for a yoga class at 4 PM in the RISE classroom. This event is open to the public.

Wednesday, March 19th 4pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click to RSVP

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Thursday, March 20th 4-7pm

Warehouse Liquor Mart

3371 W Hampden Ave

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Food for Thought

“The Art and Science of Getting What you Deserve” led by Amy Reczek. Negotiation and self-advocacy can make many of us cringe. From pricing your services to asking for a raise or a promotion, it takes planning, research, and strategy to feel confident to go after - and GET - what you truly deserve. Amy Reczek, Owner of Sales and Presence, is a sales executive with a distinguished 15-year career occupying high-level positions, and it took training and empowered self-advocacy to get where she is today. She will share with us why everyone needs a negotiation strategy in place, what negotiation strategies are most impactful, and how to create a code of conduct to help you execute that strategy. Lunch will be sponsored by Chook Charcoal Chicken.

Wednesday, March 24th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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HALCYON, A HOTEL IN CHERRY CREEK: Apres Hour: Whole Leaf, Whole Life

Reinvigorating the ritual and art of tea drinking, Ku Cha House of Tea is making a celebratory experience out of every cup. The owners are unabashedly obsessed with all varieties and types—in fact, they offer more than 170 whole-leaf teas! Join us and tea master, Rong Pan, for an authentic Chinese tea ceremony and become familiar with every type of tea from green, white, rooibos to oolong.

Thursday, March 26th 5-6pm

Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek

245 Columbine St

Click Here to Register

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BLANCHARD FAMILY WINES: Mermaids Under the Mirror - A Charity Dinner for Fins Attached.

You are invited to enjoy our Sonoma County wines, unique as a mermaids’ tail. We value sustainable wine-making processes and are proud to partner with like-minded organizations such as Fins Attached. This non-profit is dedicated to conducting research, promoting conservation, and providing education for the protection of the marine ecosystem.

Join us for an exclusive dinner in the (heated) Dairy Block Alleyway, benefiting one of our favorite aquatic organizations!

Your $125 Ticket Includes:

• A Wine Paired 5 Course Dinner by Foraged

• Silent Auction Benefitting Fins Attached

• Guest Speakers and Mermaid Appearances

• Hand-painted Wine Labels Available for Purchase to Benefit Fins Attached

Thursday, March 26th 6-9pm

Blanchard Family Wines

Dairy Block

1855 Blake St #120

Click Here to Purchase Your Ticket

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CLP JEWELRY: ADORNED Permanent Welded Bracelets

Our Adorned bracelets and rings are the perfect complement to your jewelry collection.  These delicate threads are cut and welded directly onto your wrist.  They are a perfect daily reminder of the intentions that you set while having them added to your wrist.

We offer 18 karat yellow gold, 18 karat rose gold and sterling silver.

Friday, March 27th

CLP Jewelry

1464 S Broadway

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[pkmnnovareset]

multiples of 2 for ali declan and noll please (▰˘◡˘▰)

get to know my character!

This is great because I haven’t thought too much on the three of them yet. This ask also ended up being long so I’m putting everything after q10 under the cut! 

Also I’m sorry this took forever to answer, there were a LOT of questions lol, but here it is~!

02. What is one of your character’s biggest insecurities? Are they able to hide it easily or can others easily exploit this weakness?

Ali’s insecurity is how he always ends up depending on his twin on basically everything. Don’t get him wrong, he loves Declan a lot, but sometimes he wants to be brave and courageous enough to handle situations on his own without having to fall back on Declan. He’s good at keeping this secret from others, even Declan (who isn’t great and pin pointing on other people’s emotions, not like him).

Declan often feels like he’s too much of a bother to people, like people don’t actually really want to hang around him or be his friend. That they’re only doing it to pity him or out of necessity. When he starts feeling those doubts, he pulls away from social gatherings, from other people and leave a distance between each other. He doesn’t want to end up being right about his paranoia that the friends he has made truly do hate him. Ali picks up on Declan’s insecurity right off the bat, being that Ali is extremely empathetic, and the whole twin-telepathy thing.

This took me a while to think because Noll is a character I haven’t explored deeply yet (granted the other two I haven’t either, but I planned them out before so *shrugs*). But I feel like it’s his image of being seen as weak? He doesn’t want to be pushed around by people who thinks they’re better than him, so that’s why he ends up donning a personality that rubs people the wrong way.

04. What are their favorite traits about their lover? (one psychological and one physical)

Well, considering all 3 of them are like, 11, they don’t really have a lover - not yet anyways. Maybe when they’re older. But I can tell you what they think about their crush.

Ali loves how affectionate, kind, and sweet Miranda is. He loves how she’s always so true to herself and doesn’t falter with who she is to the entire world. He loves how brave she is for being who she is. A physical aspect is how soft Miranda’s hair is. Ali just loves running his fingers through her hair, it’s really soothing and honestly, it’s incredibly soft like holy heck.

Declan loves how Adrien is so reliable all the time and how he’s such an amazing big brother to Miranda. He also loves how the two of them share so many things in common: their loves for outdoor activities, their love and care for their siblings, etc. Declan really loves Adrien’s eyes, like they’re just such a pretty colour that Declan wouldn’t mind staring into Adrien’s eyes for hours.

Noll is tricky, because he really cannot stand what Adrien is all about. He’s too similar to his cousin, Declan. But he also finds it admirable that Adrien does things because he wants to, or things that betters others. Noll really loves Adrien’s fingers, they’re just long and slender (despite the fact that Adrien ends up shorter than Noll when they all grow up).

06. Do they have any hobbies that their lover finds unusual, odd, or otherwise annoying?

Hmm… Not particularly?

Miranda thinks Ali’s hobbies are his hobbies and doesn’t judge him for it.

Adrien, although not knowing that the two people have crushes on him, don’t really judge Declan or Noll for whatever they do. I mean, many people tend to get annoyed that Noll ends up ignoring everyone when he goes off to read a book, but other then that, nothin’ really comes to mind.

08. What is, perhaps, their biggest flaw? Are they aware of this or oblivious to it?

Ali is a people-pleaser. He’s very well aware of this and has tried to stand up for himself to stop, but it never worked. Declan has helped him many times, but Ali could never get a hang of it. Sometimes Declan ends up shoo-ing the people away and protects him from them.

Declan ends up disregarding the people around him when he’s focused in on something, or when a situation is at hand. He forgets that whatever action he does can potentially affect people around him until it’s too late. He’s not exactly someone who thinks ahead, only realizing the consequences after he’s done something.

Noll is self-centred and extremely arrogant. He isn’t very aware that he does this, but he does. He generally ends up looking down on people if they aren’t up to his standards intellectually. He can also be selfish too depending on the situation before him.

10. Is your character more feminine or masculine?

All three are on the masculine side

12. Is there some particular talent, skill, or attribute that they simply could not give up?

Ali is very great at breeding Pokemon and would never give that up.

Declan is an amazing Pokathlete and has worked so hard to get to where he is now.

Noll has spent time perfecting his directing and videography that it’s pretty much become his everything.

14. Do they live alone or with family? How do they feel about their family/roommates?

They all live with their families!

Ali and Declan LOVES their moms, Leaf and Serena!

Noll took a while to get used to his new family, but he’s definitely come to care for them very much, even Kylie, ha ha!

16. Is your character the athletic type or more of a couch potato? What are some sports/games that they like?

Ali is not the athletic type at all, ha ha! He doesn’t quite have the stamina for any sports. He’d much rather watch. But he isn’t a couch potato since he does move his body a lot. Becoming a Pokemon Breeder helps keeps him on his toes!

Declan is obviously the athletic type being that he’s a Pokeathlete. His favourite events are: Hurdle Dash, Relay Run, and Disc Catch!

Noll is definitely a couch potato. He doesn’t do sports. At all. He’d much rather read his books in the comforts of his home.

18. What kind of home would they want to live in? Where would they place this abode?

Ali would want to live in a home where there’s a large open field for him to continue his Pokemon Breeding! He’d also want to live with Miranda but SSHHHHH, don’t tell her that ;) (plus they’re like 11 so let’s hold off of that for now, just until they’re older). He’d want a house with two floors, a moderate sized bedroom and two extra rooms for whatever he (or Miranda) wants to put for their own personal space.

Declan wants to live in a penthouse. He just loves how big and spacious they are, it’d also be a great place to train and stuff. Maybe not the more intense trainings, but like the more smaller ones. Like lifting weights, doing sit ups, etc. Things you find at a gym.

Noll wants to live in an apartment where he could put all his books and video cameras. He’d want a room where he can use as his office to edit videos and what not. His books would be in the living room placed in bookshelves. He’ll also have a nice comfy reading chair next to all of those bookshelves!

20. Does your character like animals? What are some of their favorite animals? Would they want pets? What about mythological creatures?

Ali and Declan grew up with lots of Pokemon as their stay-at-home Pokemon: Poocheyana, Skitty, and Pidgey. The two of them loved those three. Ali loved Poocheyana and Pidgey more, while Declan loved Skitty! Because they both grew up with stay-at-home Pokemon, they’d for sure want one of their own when they move out. Ali’s always been fascinated by werewolves, and Declan’s been interested in Banshee’s.

Noll isn’t a big fan of any troubling Pokemon that could distract him from his work. He really likes the Wendigo myth though.

22. What kind of tattoos, piercings, birthmarks, freckles, and other such unique physical features do they have?

Ali has freckles all over his arms and legs.

Declan has two little moles on his right butt cheek in a diagonal line kinda.

Noll doesn’t really have any unique physical features.

24. In their own words, how would your character describe what their lover is like?

Ali: Brave

Declan: Considerate

Noll: Admirable

26. What is their lover like sexually? How do they feel about their lover’s quirks, needs, etc?

I mean, I know I’m going to write about their adventures sometime in the future, and they’re all going to be aged up, but let’s not go there. At least not right now. They’re 11 years old. That’s just awks.

28. If your character became a celebrity, what would they be famous for?

Ali’d be famous for his Breeding research, probably

Declan would be famous for being a Pokeathlete and wining lots of medals at every Pokathlon

Noll would be famous for his movies/films and his directing skills

30. When it comes to the arts (music, film, theater, etc), what does your character like?

Ali loves watching romance movies

Declan prefers watching action-packed movies

Noll appreciates theatre as well as symphonies/orchestras!

32. If your character’s lover offered to take them out on a dream date, what would they want to do?

Ali wouldn’t care what he and Miranda do. He just wants to spend time with her, and make sure that she’s happy~!

Declan would want to see the big named Pokathletes in Pokathlons and cheer for them, he’d also want to go to gardens just to watch Adrien’s face light up.

Noll wouldn’t mind going to a cafe, or one of those Film Festivals!

34. Does your character have favorite foods? (breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, etc)

Ali enjoys having breakfast a lot, it’s the first meal of the day and the meal to wake you up in the morning. He really loves pancakes and would drizzle a shit ton of maple syrup all over em’.

Declan would eat pretty healthy considering he’s a Pokathlete and all. But there are times where he’d sneak in a couple of junk foods here and there! His favourite junk foods are Ruffled All Dressed.

Noll loves drinking tea and cinnamon rolls - or anything with cinnamon in them. He just likes the flavour of cinnamon.

38. What kind of weather does your character like? Cloudy skies, rainy days, sunshine, etc?

Ali and Declan both love sunny days the best! It’s when they could do the most without having to worry about the weather and such!

Noll on the other hand, prefers rainy days. He loves listening to the sound of the rain against the window panes, or the bushes, and etc. It gives him a good excuse to read his book inside! He also loves the smell of the rain.

40. Does your OC have any guilty pleasures they enjoy? Hobbies, past times, music, etc that they wouldn’t want known by others?

Ali’s love for watching romance movie is usually kept hidden from his brother. Miranda knows of Ali’s interest for it and doesn’t really judge him for that. She thinks it’s cute and romantic. But Ali definitely keeps this away from Declan.

Declan actually enjoys tap dancing! He just loves being able to move his feet around and the sound of the tap shoes against hard surfaces! Ali and his mothers are the only ones who knows about this - being that Ali too, has taken tap dancing lessons with him.

Noll reads like, a shit ton of yaoi/shounen-ai manga okay like. That is the one thing he keeps hidden from everyone else lol. He has a stash of yaoi/shounen-ai stuff hidden away behind one of his many stacked books on his bookshelf. And some tucked away in the corner of his closet.

42. Is there anything in your character’s past that they regret, haunts them, or they wish they could change?

For all three of them? Nope!

44. Is there a particular event that would emotionally devastate your character?

Oh my god, oh my GOD.

For the twins, it’s DEFINITELY losing each other okay like. Y’ALL PUNKS REMEMBER IN HP DEATHLY HOLLOWS WHERE FRED FUCKIN’ DIED AND SHIT? AND IT WAS SAID THAT GEORGE COULD NO LONGER CONJURE UP A PATRONUS B/C HIS TWIN BRO IS DEAD AND SHIT? THAT’S HOW ALI AND DECLAN WOULD FEEL IF THE OTHER DIED. LIKE THOSE TWINS HATES BEING SEPARATED, EVEN FOR A FEW MINUTES. THEY KICK UP A RUCKUS IF THEY GET SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. SO IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY NO LONGER HAVE EACH OTHER - IF ONE OF THEM DIED.

IF AL DIED, DECLAN WOULD JUST LOSE HIS SUNSHINE CHARM. HE’D BE SO DEVASTATED AND SOLEM THAT HE WOUDLN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. IT’S LIKE LOSING HALF OF YOURSELF. HE’D NO LONGER WANT TO CONTINUE HIS POKATHLON STUFF AND ANY MENTION OF BREEDING JUST REMINDS HIM OF HIS BRO AND HE’D JUST, GET SEVERELY DEPRESSED.

IF DECLAN DIED, ALI WOULD CRY FOR HOURS ON END. NON-STOP. LIKE HE’LL STILL WORK HARD AT BEING A POKEMON BREEDER, BUT WITHOUT HIS BROTHER THERE TO SEE HIM ACHIEVE HIS DREAMS, IT’S MEANINGLESS. LIKE HE’LL JUST LOSE MOTIVATION. HE JUST WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE FUCK HIS BEST FRIEND, HIS PARTNER IN CRIME, HIS TWIN BROTHER IS DEAD. DEAD AND GONE. LIKE HE HIMSELF WOULD JUST FEEL DEAD INSIDE OK LIKE BRUH.

I think Noll would be severely devastated by his fears and paranoia that his current family would abandon him, or lock him away somewhere. He’s extremely claustrophobic and his birth parents were pretty abusive towards him. So it would just trigger an onslaught of horrible memories for him if Brendan and Calem ended up being the same. But thank god that’s not the case.

46. What is some random affectionate thing that your character always does to their lover?

Ali loves spoiling Miranda with sweet, innocent kisses. He’ll also compliment her every single day and doing tons of romantic gestures. He’ll even reply to Miranda’s cute sticky notes with his own cute sticky notes!

Declan would always hug his s/o whenever he gets the chance! Loving hugs, surprise hugs, cuddle hugs, all the hugs imaginable!

It’s quite hard for Noll to randomly show affection to his s/o, but if he loves them a lot, he’d definitely start laying out kisses all over them with a straight face, but still blushing!

48. Is there anything in particular that would ignite your character’s jealousy? Or does your character not get envious?

Ali would totally get uncomfortable and jealous when other guys show interest in Miranda. He’d be pretty silent about his jealousy, but his actions definitely speaks louder than his words. He’d go up to Miranda and just wrap his arms around her protectively (even though when they get older, Miranda ends up being much taller than Ali, so it’s an interesting sigh to see from an outsider’s pov). His eyes would also just glare at the guys flirting with Miranda; like his glares could literally slice things up.

Declan gets pretty pouty when he’s jealous! He grumbles a lot and sometimes acts a little selfish! He wants the person he likes to give him attention and spend time with him! And, unlike his twin, he can be vocal about his jealousy - which is where his selfishness comes in.

Noll gets pretty protective and mildly possessive over his s/o/crush when he’s jealous. He’d go straight up to whoever was bothering his s/o/crush and tell them, bluntly and rudely, to fuck off. His glare is a bit more intimidating than Ali’s, being that he already looks like he’s glaring at people with his resting-bitch-face, but when adding jealousy into the mix, his glares are... Pretty scary.

50. If your character confessed love to their crush, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, what would they say?

Ali would be the most romantic person ever when confessing to Miranda. He’d go full out with the romantic stuff and it’d be so cheesy but so cute at the same time.

Declan would probably be blunt about it? But in an embarrassed way? Like he’ll definitely blurt out “I like/love you!” first before stammering into a list as to why and how.

Noll is a bit trickier considering he’s kind of stoic when it comes to showing emotions other than his default.

[burning-up-ao3]

20 Penguins Thoughts: The timeless art of hating your friends

JASON MACKEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette jmackey@post-gazette.com

 NOV 12, 2019

As if playing against his former team wasn’t enough, Dominik Kahun wrestled with another reality last week as the Penguins prepared to host the Chicago Blackhawks.

On the other bench would be Dominik Kubalik, Kahun’s good friend and former linemate. Born in Czech Republic towns located less than an hour from one another, Kahun and Kubalik grew close during their time with Chicago.

Now, Kahun knew it was time to flip that proverbial switch, turning Kubalik from friend to foe.

“It’s fun,” Kahun said of the inevitable reality of sharing the same slab of ice with a good friend. “You usually don’t see them often. You always talk to them a little bit during warmup. I’m excited.”

 Matt Vensel

Injured Sidney Crosby won't travel with Penguins on upcoming road trip

 What transpired Saturday was exactly what one might expect: There was some talk during a close game, a 3-2 Penguins shootout win, and Kahun and Kubalik, without anything overly noticeable, went their separate ways, their second and final meetup this season not until March.

While playing against a good friend never lacks for fun — ask Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury how those meetings have gone — they usually aren’t overly physical, the opposite of former football teammates occasionally trying to exact revenge.

Well, except for that one time …

2. It was Nick Bjugstad’s first full NHL season, in 2013-14. Early November game, in Washington, and the Florida Panthers would lose in a shootout.

But it wasn’t the result that Bjugstad remembers. During one particular post-whistle scrum, Bjugstad reached for the closest Capitals player he could find and put one of the league’s more talkative defensemen into a headlock.

Turns it out it was fellow Minnesota native Nate Schmidt.

“We didn’t know it was ... each other,” Bjugstad said. “So we both kind of got each other in a headlock. Then I realized it was Nate. He realized it was me. We just kind of laughed.”

 Matt Vensel

Penguins' power play looking for someone to create chaos

 Playing against good friends — Bjugstad has another in Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl, a fellow former Minnesota Gopher — might produce some funny moments, and these guys aren’t out to maim one another.

But Bjugstad said playing one of your buddies is hardly approached with a laissez-faire attitude.

“You want to have the bragging rights, so you don’t want to get beat in any way,” Bjugstad said. “It’s fun to get competitive.”

3. For Jake Guentzel, yet another Minnesota guy, his awkward, on-ice confrontation revolves around Brock Nelson, who’s from ... you guessed it.

Whenever the Penguins play the Islanders, things are bound to be a little more intense, with the on-ice chatter always a little more than usual.

“It was a weird time last year in the playoffs when we were going at it,” Guentzel said.

But back home in Da Beauty League, Minnesota’s terrific summer hockey outfit, any bad blood was quickly shoved aside, even if they had wanted to rip one another’s head off just a few months prior.

“It’s just a battle,” Guentzel said. “I think guys know it. It gets intense. After the game, it’s like nothing happened.”

4. There was a fun sidebar to this story that really didn’t fit anywhere else.

In the Penguins dressing room, Bjugstad and Jared McCann are almost always seated next to one another. They’re also good-natured, almost always available and great with offbeat topics such at this one.

After chatting with Bjugstad, I went next door and posed the same question to McCann, who surprisingly wasn’t much help at all.

“I don’t really have one specific story, no,” McCann said. “A lot of my buddies I grew up with don’t play hockey anymore. I’m not from Minnesota, where everybody plays hockey.”

McCann, who does a pretty good Minnesota accent, is from Stratford, Ontario, which is about two hours west of Toronto. McCann’s dad owned his own construction company and literally created a hockey rink in his backyard.

Also, it’s Canada. Can-a-da. Where hockey trails only eating, drinking and sleeping.

5. Anyway, McCann said his best friend on another team was probably James Reimer, formerly of the Florida Panthers and currently the backup in Carolina.

One small problem here, though: There’s very little trash talk that goes on between the two good friends — McCann actually stayed at Reimer’s house to watch his dog when the latter’s wife gave birth to their first child — because they like each other so much.

“Would I chirp him? No, he’s too nice,” McCann said with a laugh. “I would feel so bad if I did. He’s just such a genuinely good person. He’s never chirping or anything. He’s just an honest hockey player.”

6. Speaking of chirping, a few of the Penguins I talked to for this story flat-out stink at talking trash.

“I’m no good,” Marcus Pettersson said. “I just try to stay out of it.”

Added Bjugstad, “Usually when I start chirping, it backfires on me.”

Jack Johnson said playing a good buddy isn’t necessarily about talking trash for him. In fact, Johnson said he’s actually liable to take it a little easy on a good friend.

“You hit each other hard, but he doesn’t get the extra slash or cross-check,” Johnson said.

He also doesn’t get any phone calls or text messages, Johnson said. Both times they’ve met in the playoffs, Johnson and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby refused to talk to one another during the series.

“First time we talked was in the handshake line,” Johnson said.

7. My favorite anecdote from this story wasn’t directly related, unfortunately.

Bryan Rust was the first player I approached, knowing he and Islanders captain Anders Lee — a pair of Notre Dame products — are close.

That playoff series was especially awkward for them, although neither one runs around like an idiot. Just good, hard fun.

“In warmups you try and make eye contact,” Rust said. “You pass each other a puck and have a little bit of fun. On the ice you might say a few things to each other from bench-to-bench.

“I think everyone is pretty good at kind of drawing that fine line between having fun but still going out there and trying to win a game.”

The funny anecdote was this: Rust actually learns other languages to try and annoy players of different nationalities on the ice. Some serious respect there.

“I try and learn a few different languages to maybe say some inappropriate things to guys and catch them off-guard,” Rust said.

Caught me off-guard, too. Definitely didn’t see that one coming from Rust.

8. Moving on.

I’ve beaten this drum plenty before, and I also know it’s early. But at this rate, assuming this sort of stuff continues, I really hope Mike Sullivan gets some love for the Jack Adams Award.

This can be kind of a funky thing. Mike Babcock has never won it, and that, by itself, is absurd. But it tends to go to the guy who has helped his team author the best story or overcome the most odds. Barry Trotz with the Islanders last year was a perfect example.

Sullivan has done that this season. Almost every forward on their roster has been injured at one point or another, including Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. They traded Phil Kessel. Oh, and Kris Letang is hurt, too.

Coming off that playoff loss to the Islanders, Sullivan has adjusted his system to apply more puck-pressure and change how the Penguins play.

If there’s been a better coaching performance around the NHL thus far, I haven’t seen it.

9. The power play should also be factored into Sullivan’s performance this season, but I’m not sure which way to take that.

Obviously it has been terrible, but I’m also fairly confident Sullivan isn’t coaching them to over-pass, over-think or flat-out botch their breakouts. If he is, they should definitely adjust that strategy.

As Sullivan said after Saturday’s game, it’s hardly been one thing. He also admitted his guys are pressing.

Here’s a borderline insane suggestion: While Crosby is out, how about taking Alex Galchenyuk and putting him in the right circle, where he often thrived with the Coyotes?

What’s the worst that could happen, they don’t score?

10. Rust had one of the more confounding starts to a season I had ever seen in 2018-19, when he scored just one goal in his first 29 games, then exploded for a hat trick when the puck followed him all night during a 6-3 loss at Chicago on Dec. 12, 2018.

What a difference a year makes.

In an interview before the season, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford had some interesting things to say about Rust and others who were a little too content with their success.

“Not that he played poorly, but he’s an example of a guy who I don’t think played at the level he was capable of a year ago,” Rutherford said. “That just gets to contentment. But he’s not the only guy. I’m not trying to single him out or pick on him.”

Rutherford went on to say that, “Bryan Rust was our best player at camp this year.”

After Rust was forced to hit the pause button on that when he was injured blocking a shot in the final preseason game, we’re seeing what Rutherford — and others — saw all through training camp.

11. With his third-period goal on Saturday, Rust extended his point streak to a career-high six games, where he’s scored a total of five goals. All of those since he returned from injury on Oct. 26.

“I guess things feel good,” Rust said with a smile. “I might know better than anyone else that things can turn just as quickly for the bad. I just have to keep plugging away here.”

I asked Rust to describe his approach coming into training camp and what has helped him rediscover his scoring touch.

“Just a fresh start,” Rust said. “Try to put everything in the past behind me. Obviously I felt really good through training camp. Felt great to start the year. Obviously an unfortunate injury with five minutes left in the last preseason game. Kept me out of some games there. I just kept working hard off the ice and kept wanting to play well.”

12. It’s no secret that the Penguins love Rust. Sure, he’s been big in playoffs games. Has scored a bunch of huge goals for the Penguins over the years. He has also played both wings well and has moved up and down the lineup with ease. Recently he’s been very good on Malkin’s wing.

Rust’s game — being hard on pucks and an all-around pain in the butt — has also meshed extremely well with the Penguins’ new identity.

“The biggest thing for me that Rusty has shown since Day 1 of training camp is just a sense of urgency and a certain hunger to his game,” Sullivan said. “When he plays his way, that’s when he’s at his best. I think he’s done that consistently game in and game out, day in and day out, even in practice.”

13. In that preseason interview, Rutherford also said he thought the addition of Brandon Tanev — another versatile and tenacious wing — would be good for Rust. Turns out that was probably right, too.

“We always talk with our players about being a next-effort team,” Sullivan said. “I think Rusty right now probably personifies next-effort play. He’s like a dog on a bone on the puck. He’s relentless.”

With some pretty solid scoring touch to boot.

14. Funny quote from Rust after Saturday’s win: “[Coming back from another deficit] shows a lot of character in this room, but we’re really not making it very easy on ourselves.”

The Penguins spotted their opponent three-goal leads on Monday and Thursday of last week. On Saturday, it was a 2-0 hole they had to erase.

Not exactly a recipe for success, but give the Penguins credit: They’ve found ways to win.

“We have a great group,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got good people. They’re buying in right now, and they’re playing hard for one another.

“I give our leadership a lot of credit. The guys in the room, our veteran guys, they’re leading the way there. And then some of our younger [guys] are bringing a certain level of enthusiasm.

“When you get that combination, for me, that’s a fun combination to be around. And we’ve had that a lot of this year.”

15. The impact of Malkin is absolutely noticeable.

I know it’s hardly a surprise, but similar to Rust, what happened to Malkin last season was hard to describe; at times it was like he suddenly forgot how to play hockey.

That’s in the past now.

I thought Sullivan captured this perfectly after Saturday’s game in talking about Malkin’s game, saying that they don’t want to stifle the star center’s playmaking ability, but they do need to compromise on some things.

“He’s buying in to how we’re trying to play,” Sullivan said. “He’s trying to play a more north-south game even though his instinct sometimes is to play east-west.

“We’re not trying to change Geno. That’s what makes him what he is. That’s what makes him unique. All we’re trying to do is we’re asking him to meet us halfway a little bit, and he’s done that. He’s done a great job since he’s been back.”

16. I thought Justin Schultz quietly bounced back very nicely during an eventful game Saturday night.

His ill-timed pinch, with zero support, led to the Blackhawks’ first goal. A Schultz shot attempt that never found the net inadvertently led to Chicago’s second goal.

But in overtime, Schultz made a terrific play to knock the puck away from Alex DeBrincat on a two-on-one.

It doesn’t show up on the scoresheet, but it was a huge play at the time.

17. Loved the pass by John Marino on Rust’s goal. Such poise for a young kid. Most players Marino’s age would’ve taken that shot, but he wisely took an extra second and found Rust all alone at the bottom of the left circle for a beautiful back-door goal.

“He’s just getting better with every game that he plays,” Sullivan said of Marino. “I think he’s getting more confident every game that he plays. That was a real nice play he made. Just the puck poise, the patience, the vision to see Rusty on the back side. It was just a terrific play.”

It’s pretty much impossible to think of the Penguins’ top-six on defense at this point without Marino. He has absolutely earned a regular spot in the lineup.

18. It’s noticeable that Galchenyuk is lacking confidence.

Three times in the first period Saturday, Galchenyuk had chances to put the Penguins ahead early. Three times, Galchenyuk could not beat Corey Crawford, including one nifty attempt between his legs.

Wrote about this some last week, but the Penguins need Galchenyuk to find it. It’s there, but he’s thinking entirely too much when the puck is on his stick.

19. Number of the week: Plus-12.

That’s McCann’s rating over the past five games, the best on the team. He also has two goals and six points during that stretch.

I’ll admit that I was a little surprised that Sullivan sent McCann out as his third shooter in the shootout, but McCann made his coach look smart by firing high over Crawford’s right shoulder for the shootout-deciding goal.

I’m not backing off my prediction that I think McCann will get 20 goals this season.

20. Non-hockey thought of the week:

I was saddened to learn last week the Wilson’s BBQ on the North Side burned down. Incredible place. My favorite to get BBQ in Pittsburgh. Their spicy sauce was nothing short of incredible.

I’m glad everyone is OK, but I’m also rooting for owner George Wilson Jr., hoping he’s able to build his business back up.

Pittsburgh is what it is because of awesome local businesses like Wilson’s and also Nancy B’s, where I went last week for my birthday. Another have-to-go recommendation.

Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.

[samanthasmeyers]

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference

Conferences, conferences everywhere. SearchLove here, INBOUND there. There’s no shortage of great marketing conferences to choose from, but you’ve likely got a finite budget your marketing department can put toward them. How are you supposed to know which Martech events are the best bang for your buck?

We’ll make it easy for you. I mean, sure, we’re biased, but hear us out. This August’s fifth annual Call to Action Conference is not only:

Less expensive than most conferences of its caliber (tickets range from $749—$999 CAD), it’s also

designed for high-impact learning: you walk away with leading-edge tactics you can actually use when you get back to the office.

But the cherry atop the already awesome two days? The conference is held in one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Vancouver, BC.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Barbershop Films

And not in an “it’s our hometown so we have to say it’s beautiful (lest we be Game of Thrones-style shamed in the streets)” way, either. It really is amazing: the ocean, the mountains, the diverse food scene, the beer-snob-approved breweries, and awe-inspiring wilderness that makes you forget about your inbox. There’s a reason tourists flock here in droves and I willingly pay a crazy amount in rent.

CTAConf 2018 also takes place in peak sunshine season, August 27-29th. So why not mix business with pleasure?

Many past attendees and speakers have added a few extra days on to their CTAConf excursion to enjoy this city. And if you’d like to do the same, we’ve created a visitor’s guide to CTAConf 2018 sourced from local influencers, this year’s speakers, past attendees, and our own favourite to-dos. See the pro’s suggestions below for turning this August’s work trip into a well-deserved getaway.

Wanna attend CTAConf for free? Scroll down to tweet this post for a chance to win a complementary ticket to CTAConf 2018, $500 toward your travel, and a “Destination Experience Pass” for free access to all local and many out-of-town attractions valued at $2000, courtesy of Tourism Vancouver.* 

If you’ll be around a couple extra days…

The Call to Action Conference, insofar as the speaker’s talks, takes place August 28—29th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. There’s also an optional day of hands-on marketing workshops on August 27th at Unbounce HQ. If you tack on the weekend days before to your trip, or an extra few days at the end of the conference, here are some itinerary options to fill up your stay:

See the sea, walk the wall

Hands down, a walk, bike or run along the seawall is a must-do for every Vancouver visitor. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Stanley Park, it’s easily accessible from anywhere downtown and the simplest route to absorbing Vancouver’s natural beauty.

No need to bring the gear—rent a bike at Yes Cycle or Cycle City Tours, two of many rental shops.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Cycle City Tours.

Tour Granville Island: the island that’s not an island

Granville Island is like a tiny world unto itself, small in square footage but big on things to see and do. Peruse an art gallery, watch a play, go on a whimsical shopping spree at the many artisanal shops, and—most importantly—eat your heart out. There are tons of restaurants to hit, and be sure to poke around the Granville Island Public Market, an overwhelming smorgasbord of local fare.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Clayton Perry

Have a BBQ…on a boat!

While you’re at the Granville Island Public Market, load up a picnic basket and hop on Joe’s BBQ Boat—no explanation needed. Because what’s better than floating around on the open water and soaking up the sunshine? Doing so while working up a good meat sweat. Find fellow BBQ buffs to join you in the CTAConf Facebook group and fill that boat up! Conference networking at its finest.

Me, in the BBQ boat, living my best life.

Visit an East Van brewery (or two)

With fantastic breweries boasting some of the finest craft beers in the world, a good old fashioned crawl beckons any beer lover who visits. East Vancouver is your best bet for variety and walkability. You can check out: Strange Fellows Brewing, Andina Brewing Company, Parallel 49 Brewing, Postmark Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Callister Brewing Company, and Strathcona Beer Company.

Have your best brunch

It’s no accident that I’ve placed the brunch options after the brewery crawl. Whether you’re in dire need of a greasy spoon or looking to brunch in style, we’ve got you covered. Yolks showed up on everyone’s list when we asked around for favourite brunch spots, as did Chambar, Medina Cafe, and Fable Restaurant. Jam Cafe, Wildebeest, Catch 122, and The Distillery are guaranteed to please as well. As is Canadian brunch custom, you’re required to order a Caesar. Don’t ask what’s in it.

Image via yolks.ca.

Hit the Aquarium

If it does rain, your indoor options are covered. Conveniently tucked away in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a must-do. See giant sea lions and playful seals, watch penguins toddle and slide around (aw!), touch a starfish or manta ray (weird!) and try to find the octopus (you can’t, he’s too sneaky) as you journey through B.C. and beyond’s underwater world.

Oh canyon, my canyon

As past speaker Wil Reynold’s knows, the Capilano Canyon suspension bridge and cliff walk is worth a few anxious moments. Just a quick jaunt across the Lions Gate Bridge (an attraction on its own!), this otherworldly spot makes it hard to believe you’re so close to the city. Not too far away is another canyon and yes, another suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon Park—a little less crowded, 100% free, and as beautiful as ever.

Image via Tourism Vancouver

Lightning round recos for day trips and more:

Go to Queen Elizabeth Park at sunset. It has a beautiful view of the North Shore mountains and the city from west to east. The gardens are so beautiful in full bloom in August.  – Jaclyn Cummings

Head up to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola! You won’t regret it. It’s very accessible for most people and the views are incredible. – Rob Bucci

Stay in Kitsilano. It was a beautiful area! I would probably stay there every time I visit. I’d recommend bringing the fam—it was a great city to have the kid and felt really walkable, so take advantage of that. – Wil Reynolds

Go to Bowen Island and spend the day exploring. It has something for everyone from hiking and biking to eating and drinking. Check out my favourite store, Branch and People. Then go eat seafood and drink a good old Canadian Caesar. – Kathleen Reid

Drive up to Squamish via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, stop for a burger lunch at the Watershed Grill, then head up to Whistler for dinner and drinks. The drive itself is breathtaking. It’s the journey, not the destination.-  Sandy Pell

I feel like the Grouse Grind is a rite of passage. But for something more mellow, I think Prospect Point at sunset is a must see! – Sunny Lenarduzzi

Check out Stanley Park. It is truly a unique aspect of Vancouver – the park is huge (840 acres) and wilder than one would expect. Among other things, it has a record-breaking Big Leaf Maple tree that is over 800 years old. – Michael Aagaard

If you’re here for workshop and conference days only…

Depending on whether you’ve signed up for the August 27th workshops, Monday through Wednesday will be jam-packed with marketing learning. Monday’s workshops are optional and on a first-come, first-served basis after registration is sent out to ticket holders.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday are busy with talks starting at 9am sharp. These days you likely won’t want to miss anything in the theatre (save for trips to the food trucks outside). There’s a stellar lineup gracing our stage, after all.

But, if you fancy grabbing your own breakfast or want to meet up with fellow conference-goers for dinner or drinks, there are plenty of local places to do so. Even if you aren’t tacking extra days onto your trip beyond the actual conference, you can hit up some local spots before and after Tuesday (remembering that both Monday and Wednesday evenings are the reception and after party nights respectively).

Here are some suggestions for excellent pre-and-post conference free time:

I loved the food at Maenam, it was so good I went twice! I also liked all the breweries in the Mount Pleasant area. – Wil Reynolds

Elysian Coffee bakes their own chocolate chip cookies in-house and they are incredible. They also have great coffee. – Rob Bucci

One of my favorite places is Forage. They have an incredible brunch menu and their dinner as absolutely amazing too. Another spot that is worth checking out for dinner/drinks is Vancouver Urban Winery – yum! – Michael Aagaard

A chance to enjoy it all for free

In partnership with the fine folks at Tourism Vancouver, we’re excited to offer the chance at a Call to Action Conference Vancouver getaway worth $3,500 CAD! This includes one ticket to CTAConf, $500 toward your travel expenses, and a “Destination Experience Pass” that gives you free access to the attractions listed here—plus many, many, many more. All you have to do is click below and tweet.

Share this post via the button provided to enter for your chance at the ultimate work trip. The contest period runs until June 28th at 11:59pm PT and one entry per person is counted.

Or—if you’re not feelin’ lucky and simply can’t miss out—grab your tickets now with an additional 15% off using the code “CTAConfVancouver” at checkout. Good luck and we hope to see you in August!

The “CTAConf Vancouver Getaway!” Sweepstakes begins on June 15, 2018 at 12:00 am PST and ends on June 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of the US & Canada, excluding Quebec and British Columbia. Entrants must be of 19 years of age or older.

One winner will receive a $500 CAD flight voucher, a ticket to Call to Action Conference, and a Tourism Vancouver Destination Experience Pass (approximate total retail value $3500 CAD).

Enter the sweepstakes during the promotion period online by sharing the prefabricated Click-to-Tweet on Twitter. Only one entry per individual or organization. Automated or robotic entries submitted by individuals or organizations will be disqualified. Any attempt by entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries will void entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified.

The winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received throughout the promotion period. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. The random drawing will be conducted within 24 hours after the promotion period. Winner will be notified by direct message on Twitter approximately within 24 hours after the random drawing. Potential winner must reply within four business days of being notified. Any winner notification not responded to may result in prize forfeiture.

Any personal information supplied by you will be subject to the privacy policy posted at unbounce.com/privacy. By entering the sweepstakes, entrants release Twitter of responsibility and agree to Twitter’s terms of use.

*Terms and conditions apply.

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/call-to-action/ctaconf-vancouver-getaway/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[josephkchoi]

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference

Conferences, conferences everywhere. SearchLove here, INBOUND there. There’s no shortage of great marketing conferences to choose from, but you’ve likely got a finite budget your marketing department can put toward them. How are you supposed to know which Martech events are the best bang for your buck?

We’ll make it easy for you. I mean, sure, we’re biased, but hear us out. This August’s fifth annual Call to Action Conference is not only:

Less expensive than most conferences of its caliber (tickets range from $749—$999 CAD), it’s also

designed for high-impact learning: you walk away with leading-edge tactics you can actually use when you get back to the office.

But the cherry atop the already awesome two days? The conference is held in one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Vancouver, BC.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Barbershop Films

And not in an “it’s our hometown so we have to say it’s beautiful (lest we be Game of Thrones-style shamed in the streets)” way, either. It really is amazing: the ocean, the mountains, the diverse food scene, the beer-snob-approved breweries, and awe-inspiring wilderness that makes you forget about your inbox. There’s a reason tourists flock here in droves and I willingly pay a crazy amount in rent.

CTAConf 2018 also takes place in peak sunshine season, August 27-29th. So why not mix business with pleasure?

Many past attendees and speakers have added a few extra days on to their CTAConf excursion to enjoy this city. And if you’d like to do the same, we’ve created a visitor’s guide to CTAConf 2018 sourced from local influencers, this year’s speakers, past attendees, and our own favourite to-dos. See the pro’s suggestions below for turning this August’s work trip into a well-deserved getaway.

Wanna attend CTAConf for free? Scroll down to tweet this post for a chance to win a complementary ticket to CTAConf 2018, $500 toward your travel, and a “Destination Experience Pass” for free access to all local and many out-of-town attractions valued at $2000, courtesy of Tourism Vancouver.* 

If you’ll be around a couple extra days…

The Call to Action Conference, insofar as the speaker’s talks, takes place August 28—29th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. There’s also an optional day of hands-on marketing workshops on August 27th at Unbounce HQ. If you tack on the weekend days before to your trip, or an extra few days at the end of the conference, here are some itinerary options to fill up your stay:

See the sea, walk the wall

Hands down, a walk, bike or run along the seawall is a must-do for every Vancouver visitor. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Stanley Park, it’s easily accessible from anywhere downtown and the simplest route to absorbing Vancouver’s natural beauty.

No need to bring the gear—rent a bike at Yes Cycle or Cycle City Tours, two of many rental shops.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Cycle City Tours.

Tour Granville Island: the island that’s not an island

Granville Island is like a tiny world unto itself, small in square footage but big on things to see and do. Peruse an art gallery, watch a play, go on a whimsical shopping spree at the many artisanal shops, and—most importantly—eat your heart out. There are tons of restaurants to hit, and be sure to poke around the Granville Island Public Market, an overwhelming smorgasbord of local fare.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Clayton Perry

Have a BBQ…on a boat!

While you’re at the Granville Island Public Market, load up a picnic basket and hop on Joe’s BBQ Boat—no explanation needed. Because what’s better than floating around on the open water and soaking up the sunshine? Doing so while working up a good meat sweat. Find fellow BBQ buffs to join you in the CTAConf Facebook group and fill that boat up! Conference networking at its finest.

Me, in the BBQ boat, living my best life.

Visit an East Van brewery (or two)

With fantastic breweries boasting some of the finest craft beers in the world, a good old fashioned crawl beckons any beer lover who visits. East Vancouver is your best bet for variety and walkability. You can check out: Strange Fellows Brewing, Andina Brewing Company, Parallel 49 Brewing, Postmark Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Callister Brewing Company, and Strathcona Beer Company.

Have your best brunch

It’s no accident that I’ve placed the brunch options after the brewery crawl. Whether you’re in dire need of a greasy spoon or looking to brunch in style, we’ve got you covered. Yolks showed up on everyone’s list when we asked around for favourite brunch spots, as did Chambar, Medina Cafe, and Fable Restaurant. Jam Cafe, Wildebeest, Catch 122, and The Distillery are guaranteed to please as well. As is Canadian brunch custom, you’re required to order a Caesar. Don’t ask what’s in it.

Image via yolks.ca.

Hit the Aquarium

If it does rain, your indoor options are covered. Conveniently tucked away in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a must-do. See giant sea lions and playful seals, watch penguins toddle and slide around (aw!), touch a starfish or manta ray (weird!) and try to find the octopus (you can’t, he’s too sneaky) as you journey through B.C. and beyond’s underwater world.

Oh canyon, my canyon

As past speaker Wil Reynold’s knows, the Capilano Canyon suspension bridge and cliff walk is worth a few anxious moments. Just a quick jaunt across the Lions Gate Bridge (an attraction on its own!), this otherworldly spot makes it hard to believe you’re so close to the city. Not too far away is another canyon and yes, another suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon Park—a little less crowded, 100% free, and as beautiful as ever.

Image via Tourism Vancouver

Lightning round recos for day trips and more:

Go to Queen Elizabeth Park at sunset. It has a beautiful view of the North Shore mountains and the city from west to east. The gardens are so beautiful in full bloom in August.  – Jaclyn Cummings

Head up to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola! You won’t regret it. It’s very accessible for most people and the views are incredible. – Rob Bucci

Stay in Kitsilano. It was a beautiful area! I would probably stay there every time I visit. I’d recommend bringing the fam—it was a great city to have the kid and felt really walkable, so take advantage of that. – Wil Reynolds

Go to Bowen Island and spend the day exploring. It has something for everyone from hiking and biking to eating and drinking. Check out my favourite store, Branch and People. Then go eat seafood and drink a good old Canadian Caesar. – Kathleen Reid

Drive up to Squamish via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, stop for a burger lunch at the Watershed Grill, then head up to Whistler for dinner and drinks. The drive itself is breathtaking. It’s the journey, not the destination.-  Sandy Pell

I feel like the Grouse Grind is a rite of passage. But for something more mellow, I think Prospect Point at sunset is a must see! – Sunny Lenarduzzi

Check out Stanley Park. It is truly a unique aspect of Vancouver – the park is huge (840 acres) and wilder than one would expect. Among other things, it has a record-breaking Big Leaf Maple tree that is over 800 years old. – Michael Aagaard

If you’re here for workshop and conference days only…

Depending on whether you’ve signed up for the August 27th workshops, Monday through Wednesday will be jam-packed with marketing learning. Monday’s workshops are optional and on a first-come, first-served basis after registration is sent out to ticket holders.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday are busy with talks starting at 9am sharp. These days you likely won’t want to miss anything in the theatre (save for trips to the food trucks outside). There’s a stellar lineup gracing our stage, after all.

But, if you fancy grabbing your own breakfast or want to meet up with fellow conference-goers for dinner or drinks, there are plenty of local places to do so. Even if you aren’t tacking extra days onto your trip beyond the actual conference, you can hit up some local spots before and after Tuesday (remembering that both Monday and Wednesday evenings are the reception and after party nights respectively).

Here are some suggestions for excellent pre-and-post conference free time:

I loved the food at Maenam, it was so good I went twice! I also liked all the breweries in the Mount Pleasant area. – Wil Reynolds

Elysian Coffee bakes their own chocolate chip cookies in-house and they are incredible. They also have great coffee. – Rob Bucci

One of my favorite places is Forage. They have an incredible brunch menu and their dinner as absolutely amazing too. Another spot that is worth checking out for dinner/drinks is Vancouver Urban Winery – yum! – Michael Aagaard

A chance to enjoy it all for free

In partnership with the fine folks at Tourism Vancouver, we’re excited to offer the chance at a Call to Action Conference Vancouver getaway worth $3,500 CAD! This includes one ticket to CTAConf, $500 toward your travel expenses, and a “Destination Experience Pass” that gives you free access to the attractions listed here—plus many, many, many more. All you have to do is click below and tweet.

Share this post via the button provided to enter for your chance at the ultimate work trip. The contest period runs until June 28th at 11:59pm PT and one entry per person is counted.

Or—if you’re not feelin’ lucky and simply can’t miss out—grab your tickets now with an additional 15% off using the code “CTAConfVancouver” at checkout. Good luck and we hope to see you in August!

The “CTAConf Vancouver Getaway!” Sweepstakes begins on June 15, 2018 at 12:00 am PST and ends on June 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of the US & Canada, excluding Quebec and British Columbia. Entrants must be of 19 years of age or older.

One winner will receive a $500 CAD flight voucher, a ticket to Call to Action Conference, and a Tourism Vancouver Destination Experience Pass (approximate total retail value $3500 CAD).

Enter the sweepstakes during the promotion period online by sharing the prefabricated Click-to-Tweet on Twitter. Only one entry per individual or organization. Automated or robotic entries submitted by individuals or organizations will be disqualified. Any attempt by entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries will void entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified.

The winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received throughout the promotion period. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. The random drawing will be conducted within 24 hours after the promotion period. Winner will be notified by direct message on Twitter approximately within 24 hours after the random drawing. Potential winner must reply within four business days of being notified. Any winner notification not responded to may result in prize forfeiture.

Any personal information supplied by you will be subject to the privacy policy posted at unbounce.com/privacy. By entering the sweepstakes, entrants release Twitter of responsibility and agree to Twitter’s terms of use.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference published first on https://nickpontemrktg.wordpress.com/

[kennethmontiveros]

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference

Conferences, conferences everywhere. SearchLove here, INBOUND there. There’s no shortage of great marketing conferences to choose from, but you’ve likely got a finite budget your marketing department can put toward them. How are you supposed to know which Martech events are the best bang for your buck?

We’ll make it easy for you. I mean, sure, we’re biased, but hear us out. This August’s fifth annual Call to Action Conference is not only:

Less expensive than most conferences of its caliber (tickets range from $749—$999 CAD), it’s also

designed for high-impact learning: you walk away with leading-edge tactics you can actually use when you get back to the office.

But the cherry atop the already awesome two days? The conference is held in one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Vancouver, BC.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Barbershop Films

And not in an “it’s our hometown so we have to say it’s beautiful (lest we be Game of Thrones-style shamed in the streets)” way, either. It really is amazing: the ocean, the mountains, the diverse food scene, the beer-snob-approved breweries, and awe-inspiring wilderness that makes you forget about your inbox. There’s a reason tourists flock here in droves and I willingly pay a crazy amount in rent.

CTAConf 2018 also takes place in peak sunshine season, August 27-29th. So why not mix business with pleasure?

Many past attendees and speakers have added a few extra days on to their CTAConf excursion to enjoy this city. And if you’d like to do the same, we’ve created a visitor’s guide to CTAConf 2018 sourced from local influencers, this year’s speakers, past attendees, and our own favourite to-dos. See the pro’s suggestions below for turning this August’s work trip into a well-deserved getaway.

Wanna attend CTAConf for free? Scroll down to tweet this post for a chance to win a complementary ticket to CTAConf 2018, $500 toward your travel, and a “Destination Experience Pass” for free access to all local and many out-of-town attractions valued at $2000, courtesy of Tourism Vancouver.* 

If you’ll be around a couple extra days…

The Call to Action Conference, insofar as the speaker’s talks, takes place August 28—29th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. There’s also an optional day of hands-on marketing workshops on August 27th at Unbounce HQ. If you tack on the weekend days before to your trip, or an extra few days at the end of the conference, here are some itinerary options to fill up your stay:

See the sea, walk the wall

Hands down, a walk, bike or run along the seawall is a must-do for every Vancouver visitor. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Stanley Park, it’s easily accessible from anywhere downtown and the simplest route to absorbing Vancouver’s natural beauty.

No need to bring the gear—rent a bike at Yes Cycle or Cycle City Tours, two of many rental shops.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Cycle City Tours.

Tour Granville Island: the island that’s not an island

Granville Island is like a tiny world unto itself, small in square footage but big on things to see and do. Peruse an art gallery, watch a play, go on a whimsical shopping spree at the many artisanal shops, and—most importantly—eat your heart out. There are tons of restaurants to hit, and be sure to poke around the Granville Island Public Market, an overwhelming smorgasbord of local fare.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Clayton Perry

Have a BBQ…on a boat!

While you’re at the Granville Island Public Market, load up a picnic basket and hop on Joe’s BBQ Boat—no explanation needed. Because what’s better than floating around on the open water and soaking up the sunshine? Doing so while working up a good meat sweat. Find fellow BBQ buffs to join you in the CTAConf Facebook group and fill that boat up! Conference networking at its finest.

Me, in the BBQ boat, living my best life.

Visit an East Van brewery (or two)

With fantastic breweries boasting some of the finest craft beers in the world, a good old fashioned crawl beckons any beer lover who visits. East Vancouver is your best bet for variety and walkability. You can check out: Strange Fellows Brewing, Andina Brewing Company, Parallel 49 Brewing, Postmark Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Callister Brewing Company, and Strathcona Beer Company.

Have your best brunch

It’s no accident that I’ve placed the brunch options after the brewery crawl. Whether you’re in dire need of a greasy spoon or looking to brunch in style, we’ve got you covered. Yolks showed up on everyone’s list when we asked around for favourite brunch spots, as did Chambar, Medina Cafe, and Fable Restaurant. Jam Cafe, Wildebeest, Catch 122, and The Distillery are guaranteed to please as well. As is Canadian brunch custom, you’re required to order a Caesar. Don’t ask what’s in it.

Image via yolks.ca.

Hit the Aquarium

If it does rain, your indoor options are covered. Conveniently tucked away in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a must-do. See giant sea lions and playful seals, watch penguins toddle and slide around (aw!), touch a starfish or manta ray (weird!) and try to find the octopus (you can’t, he’s too sneaky) as you journey through B.C. and beyond’s underwater world.

Oh canyon, my canyon

As past speaker Wil Reynold’s knows, the Capilano Canyon suspension bridge and cliff walk is worth a few anxious moments. Just a quick jaunt across the Lions Gate Bridge (an attraction on its own!), this otherworldly spot makes it hard to believe you’re so close to the city. Not too far away is another canyon and yes, another suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon Park—a little less crowded, 100% free, and as beautiful as ever.

Image via Tourism Vancouver

Lightning round recos for day trips and more:

Go to Queen Elizabeth Park at sunset. It has a beautiful view of the North Shore mountains and the city from west to east. The gardens are so beautiful in full bloom in August.  – Jaclyn Cummings

Head up to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola! You won’t regret it. It’s very accessible for most people and the views are incredible. – Rob Bucci

Stay in Kitsilano. It was a beautiful area! I would probably stay there every time I visit. I’d recommend bringing the fam—it was a great city to have the kid and felt really walkable, so take advantage of that. – Wil Reynolds

Go to Bowen Island and spend the day exploring. It has something for everyone from hiking and biking to eating and drinking. Check out my favourite store, Branch and People. Then go eat seafood and drink a good old Canadian Caesar. – Kathleen Reid

Drive up to Squamish via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, stop for a burger lunch at the Watershed Grill, then head up to Whistler for dinner and drinks. The drive itself is breathtaking. It’s the journey, not the destination.-  Sandy Pell

I feel like the Grouse Grind is a rite of passage. But for something more mellow, I think Prospect Point at sunset is a must see! – Sunny Lenarduzzi

Check out Stanley Park. It is truly a unique aspect of Vancouver – the park is huge (840 acres) and wilder than one would expect. Among other things, it has a record-breaking Big Leaf Maple tree that is over 800 years old. – Michael Aagaard

If you’re here for workshop and conference days only…

Depending on whether you’ve signed up for the August 27th workshops, Monday through Wednesday will be jam-packed with marketing learning. Monday’s workshops are optional and on a first-come, first-served basis after registration is sent out to ticket holders.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday are busy with talks starting at 9am sharp. These days you likely won’t want to miss anything in the theatre (save for trips to the food trucks outside). There’s a stellar lineup gracing our stage, after all.

But, if you fancy grabbing your own breakfast or want to meet up with fellow conference-goers for dinner or drinks, there are plenty of local places to do so. Even if you aren’t tacking extra days onto your trip beyond the actual conference, you can hit up some local spots before and after Tuesday (remembering that both Monday and Wednesday evenings are the reception and after party nights respectively).

Here are some suggestions for excellent pre-and-post conference free time:

I loved the food at Maenam, it was so good I went twice! I also liked all the breweries in the Mount Pleasant area. – Wil Reynolds

Elysian Coffee bakes their own chocolate chip cookies in-house and they are incredible. They also have great coffee. – Rob Bucci

One of my favorite places is Forage. They have an incredible brunch menu and their dinner as absolutely amazing too. Another spot that is worth checking out for dinner/drinks is Vancouver Urban Winery – yum! – Michael Aagaard

A chance to enjoy it all for free

In partnership with the fine folks at Tourism Vancouver, we’re excited to offer the chance at a Call to Action Conference Vancouver getaway worth $3,500 CAD! This includes one ticket to CTAConf, $500 toward your travel expenses, and a “Destination Experience Pass” that gives you free access to the attractions listed here—plus many, many, many more. All you have to do is click below and tweet.

Share this post via the button provided to enter for your chance at the ultimate work trip. The contest period runs until June 28th at 11:59pm PT and one entry per person is counted.

Or—if you’re not feelin’ lucky and simply can’t miss out—grab your tickets now with an additional 15% off using the code “CTAConfVancouver” at checkout. Good luck and we hope to see you in August!

The “CTAConf Vancouver Getaway!” Sweepstakes begins on June 15, 2018 at 12:00 am PST and ends on June 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of the US & Canada, excluding Quebec and British Columbia. Entrants must be of 19 years of age or older.

One winner will receive a $500 CAD flight voucher, a ticket to Call to Action Conference, and a Tourism Vancouver Destination Experience Pass (approximate total retail value $3500 CAD).

Enter the sweepstakes during the promotion period online by sharing the prefabricated Click-to-Tweet on Twitter. Only one entry per individual or organization. Automated or robotic entries submitted by individuals or organizations will be disqualified. Any attempt by entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries will void entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified.

The winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received throughout the promotion period. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. The random drawing will be conducted within 24 hours after the promotion period. Winner will be notified by direct message on Twitter approximately within 24 hours after the random drawing. Potential winner must reply within four business days of being notified. Any winner notification not responded to may result in prize forfeiture.

Any personal information supplied by you will be subject to the privacy policy posted at unbounce.com/privacy. By entering the sweepstakes, entrants release Twitter of responsibility and agree to Twitter’s terms of use.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference published first on http://nickpontemktg.blogspot.com/

[archiebwoollard]

Work Trip Meets Mini Getaway: A Marketer’s Guide to Vancouver for Call to Action Conference

Conferences, conferences everywhere. SearchLove here, INBOUND there. There’s no shortage of great marketing conferences to choose from, but you’ve likely got a finite budget your marketing department can put toward them. How are you supposed to know which Martech events are the best bang for your buck?

We’ll make it easy for you. I mean, sure, we’re biased, but hear us out. This August’s fifth annual Call to Action Conference is not only:

Less expensive than most conferences of its caliber (tickets range from $749—$999 CAD), it’s also

designed for high-impact learning: you walk away with leading-edge tactics you can actually use when you get back to the office.

But the cherry atop the already awesome two days? The conference is held in one of the most beautiful cities on earth, Vancouver, BC.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Barbershop Films

And not in an “it’s our hometown so we have to say it’s beautiful (lest we be Game of Thrones-style shamed in the streets)” way, either. It really is amazing: the ocean, the mountains, the diverse food scene, the beer-snob-approved breweries, and awe-inspiring wilderness that makes you forget about your inbox. There’s a reason tourists flock here in droves and I willingly pay a crazy amount in rent.

CTAConf 2018 also takes place in peak sunshine season, August 27-29th. So why not mix business with pleasure?

Many past attendees and speakers have added a few extra days on to their CTAConf excursion to enjoy this city. And if you’d like to do the same, we’ve created a visitor’s guide to CTAConf 2018 sourced from local influencers, this year’s speakers, past attendees, and our own favourite to-dos. See the pro’s suggestions below for turning this August’s work trip into a well-deserved getaway.

Wanna attend CTAConf for free? Scroll down to tweet this post for a chance to win a complementary ticket to CTAConf 2018, $500 toward your travel, and a “Destination Experience Pass” for free access to all local and many out-of-town attractions valued at $2000, courtesy of Tourism Vancouver.* 

If you’ll be around a couple extra days…

The Call to Action Conference, insofar as the speaker’s talks, takes place August 28—29th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. There’s also an optional day of hands-on marketing workshops on August 27th at Unbounce HQ. If you tack on the weekend days before to your trip, or an extra few days at the end of the conference, here are some itinerary options to fill up your stay:

See the sea, walk the wall

Hands down, a walk, bike or run along the seawall is a must-do for every Vancouver visitor. Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Stanley Park, it’s easily accessible from anywhere downtown and the simplest route to absorbing Vancouver’s natural beauty.

No need to bring the gear—rent a bike at Yes Cycle or Cycle City Tours, two of many rental shops.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Cycle City Tours.

Tour Granville Island: the island that’s not an island

Granville Island is like a tiny world unto itself, small in square footage but big on things to see and do. Peruse an art gallery, watch a play, go on a whimsical shopping spree at the many artisanal shops, and—most importantly—eat your heart out. There are tons of restaurants to hit, and be sure to poke around the Granville Island Public Market, an overwhelming smorgasbord of local fare.

Image: Tourism Vancouver/ Clayton Perry

Have a BBQ…on a boat!

While you’re at the Granville Island Public Market, load up a picnic basket and hop on Joe’s BBQ Boat—no explanation needed. Because what’s better than floating around on the open water and soaking up the sunshine? Doing so while working up a good meat sweat. Find fellow BBQ buffs to join you in the CTAConf Facebook group and fill that boat up! Conference networking at its finest.

Me, in the BBQ boat, living my best life.

Visit an East Van brewery (or two)

With fantastic breweries boasting some of the finest craft beers in the world, a good old fashioned crawl beckons any beer lover who visits. East Vancouver is your best bet for variety and walkability. You can check out: Strange Fellows Brewing, Andina Brewing Company, Parallel 49 Brewing, Postmark Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Callister Brewing Company, and Strathcona Beer Company.

Have your best brunch

It’s no accident that I’ve placed the brunch options after the brewery crawl. Whether you’re in dire need of a greasy spoon or looking to brunch in style, we’ve got you covered. Yolks showed up on everyone’s list when we asked around for favourite brunch spots, as did Chambar, Medina Cafe, and Fable Restaurant. Jam Cafe, Wildebeest, Catch 122, and The Distillery are guaranteed to please as well. As is Canadian brunch custom, you’re required to order a Caesar. Don’t ask what’s in it.

Image via yolks.ca.

Hit the Aquarium

If it does rain, your indoor options are covered. Conveniently tucked away in Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium is a must-do. See giant sea lions and playful seals, watch penguins toddle and slide around (aw!), touch a starfish or manta ray (weird!) and try to find the octopus (you can’t, he’s too sneaky) as you journey through B.C. and beyond’s underwater world.

Oh canyon, my canyon

As past speaker Wil Reynold’s knows, the Capilano Canyon suspension bridge and cliff walk is worth a few anxious moments. Just a quick jaunt across the Lions Gate Bridge (an attraction on its own!), this otherworldly spot makes it hard to believe you’re so close to the city. Not too far away is another canyon and yes, another suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon Park—a little less crowded, 100% free, and as beautiful as ever.

Image via Tourism Vancouver

Lightning round recos for day trips and more:

Go to Queen Elizabeth Park at sunset. It has a beautiful view of the North Shore mountains and the city from west to east. The gardens are so beautiful in full bloom in August.  – Jaclyn Cummings

Head up to the Sea-to-Sky Gondola! You won’t regret it. It’s very accessible for most people and the views are incredible. – Rob Bucci

Stay in Kitsilano. It was a beautiful area! I would probably stay there every time I visit. I’d recommend bringing the fam—it was a great city to have the kid and felt really walkable, so take advantage of that. – Wil Reynolds

Go to Bowen Island and spend the day exploring. It has something for everyone from hiking and biking to eating and drinking. Check out my favourite store, Branch and People. Then go eat seafood and drink a good old Canadian Caesar. – Kathleen Reid

Drive up to Squamish via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, stop for a burger lunch at the Watershed Grill, then head up to Whistler for dinner and drinks. The drive itself is breathtaking. It’s the journey, not the destination.-  Sandy Pell

I feel like the Grouse Grind is a rite of passage. But for something more mellow, I think Prospect Point at sunset is a must see! – Sunny Lenarduzzi

Check out Stanley Park. It is truly a unique aspect of Vancouver – the park is huge (840 acres) and wilder than one would expect. Among other things, it has a record-breaking Big Leaf Maple tree that is over 800 years old. – Michael Aagaard

If you’re here for workshop and conference days only…

Depending on whether you’ve signed up for the August 27th workshops, Monday through Wednesday will be jam-packed with marketing learning. Monday’s workshops are optional and on a first-come, first-served basis after registration is sent out to ticket holders.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday are busy with talks starting at 9am sharp. These days you likely won’t want to miss anything in the theatre (save for trips to the food trucks outside). There’s a stellar lineup gracing our stage, after all.

But, if you fancy grabbing your own breakfast or want to meet up with fellow conference-goers for dinner or drinks, there are plenty of local places to do so. Even if you aren’t tacking extra days onto your trip beyond the actual conference, you can hit up some local spots before and after Tuesday (remembering that both Monday and Wednesday evenings are the reception and after party nights respectively).

Here are some suggestions for excellent pre-and-post conference free time:

I loved the food at Maenam, it was so good I went twice! I also liked all the breweries in the Mount Pleasant area. – Wil Reynolds

Elysian Coffee bakes their own chocolate chip cookies in-house and they are incredible. They also have great coffee. – Rob Bucci

One of my favorite places is Forage. They have an incredible brunch menu and their dinner as absolutely amazing too. Another spot that is worth checking out for dinner/drinks is Vancouver Urban Winery – yum! – Michael Aagaard

A chance to enjoy it all for free

In partnership with the fine folks at Tourism Vancouver, we’re excited to offer the chance at a Call to Action Conference Vancouver getaway worth $3,500 CAD! This includes one ticket to CTAConf, $500 toward your travel expenses, and a “Destination Experience Pass” that gives you free access to the attractions listed here—plus many, many, many more. All you have to do is click below and tweet.

Share this post via the button provided to enter for your chance at the ultimate work trip. The contest period runs until June 28th at 11:59pm PT and one entry per person is counted.

Or—if you’re not feelin’ lucky and simply can’t miss out—grab your tickets now with an additional 15% off using the code “CTAConfVancouver” at checkout. Good luck and we hope to see you in August!

The “CTAConf Vancouver Getaway!” Sweepstakes begins on June 15, 2018 at 12:00 am PST and ends on June 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open to legal residents of the US & Canada, excluding Quebec and British Columbia. Entrants must be of 19 years of age or older.

One winner will receive a $500 CAD flight voucher, a ticket to Call to Action Conference, and a Tourism Vancouver Destination Experience Pass (approximate total retail value $3500 CAD).

Enter the sweepstakes during the promotion period online by sharing the prefabricated Click-to-Tweet on Twitter. Only one entry per individual or organization. Automated or robotic entries submitted by individuals or organizations will be disqualified. Any attempt by entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries will void entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified.

The winner will be selected in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received throughout the promotion period. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. The random drawing will be conducted within 24 hours after the promotion period. Winner will be notified by direct message on Twitter approximately within 24 hours after the random drawing. Potential winner must reply within four business days of being notified. Any winner notification not responded to may result in prize forfeiture.

Any personal information supplied by you will be subject to the privacy policy posted at unbounce.com/privacy. By entering the sweepstakes, entrants release Twitter of responsibility and agree to Twitter’s terms of use.

*Terms and conditions apply.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 https://unbounce.com/call-to-action/ctaconf-vancouver-getaway/