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dollsorwhatever · 5 years

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LOL Surprise: OMG review

Alrighty so I’m off work and I got a chance to sit down and take my time, unboxing these ladies, and thought I’d take a few photos with my thoughts. Spoiler alert: I am VERY IMPRESSED LMAO Everything is below the cut!

Ya’ll have probably seen the box a few times, so I never took any photos of it- but basically the way it works is that you pull a tab on the right side, then pull the box out from the left side to reveal the doll and all of the surprises/clothes and accessories (this will all be demonstrated on Swag, since I deboxed her first): Sidenote- the box clearly states, on the outside, which character you’re getting!

One compartment has the surprises, which consist of two garment bags with hangers attached (one has a bottom piece, the other has a jacket), a plastic shoebox (it even has a little label and barcode!) and a larger cylindrical container with the accessories (jewelry, belts, sunglasses, hats etc). The second compartment is the doll, her purse and a stand. Swag is gorgeous

Personally, I think her makeup would’ve been better if the eyeshadow was white and her eyes were brown, but she’s gorgeous. Her head is fully rooted with nylon braids, and it’s ridiculously heavy and thick. Despite that, her scalp is visible at the top of her head and the thatching is an afterthought (like it’s barely there lol). The braids are rooted with a lot of space between each plug, and imo this gives the impression of a realistic braided style and I love it tbh. Even as a hair nut, I’m fine with this rooting pattern and the braids are stunning:

I didn’t take photos of the naked body, but I think there’s one floating around somewhere. These dolls are thicccccccccc, with rubber click knees and articulated arms. Here’s a photo from my friend to show the amazing, detailed hand sculpt bc I forgot to take one! It looks so delicate, and look at the little dimples on her knuckles! So cute.

The garment bags are made of a papery fabric and open very easily (but I still ripped them oops lmao), the hangers are hard plastic. The tops and bottoms come in their own garment bags with a hanger, but here’s a picture of the top and bottom she comes with:

These pieces are VERY nice, exactly what you’d expect from a good MGA doll. realistic, stylish, well made. Pants are very well made, studs aren’t falling off (lol @ bratz 2018), and they have slits on either side. V nice! The sweatshirt is very nice too, the only issue is that the collar was flipped up in the package and it’s hard to keep down, and the fabric of the collar looks tattered- though I think this is a design choice, since they all seem to be like that! Swag comes with a necklace, earrings, a belt and sunglasses, wrapped in tissue paper in the cylindrical container (which is V useful for storage):

All unique sculpts, the earrings are electroplated and look amazing! Side note, the accessory count is not the same for each character. Some of them have extra pieces, or they’re missing a belt etc. Shoe box has a cute little pair of Stilleto Timbs (which made me chuckle, bc I have a pair of heeled Timbs and they’re my favorite shoes lol)

Here she is all dressed up! I love herrrr:

Each doll comes with a C-clasp stand, and underneath the base you’ll actually find an extra, smaller base for the stand, JIC you want to display them closer together or run out of room lol. Lemme just breeze through the other characters rather than show the same box and etc over again! Lady Diva prob has my favorite face and her hair is amazing, soft shiny nylon ponytail that goes down to her ankles (except for the puff in the front) it feels so silky and gorgeous:

She comes with an extra necklace and a headset (the little choker says ‘Slay’ lmao I love it) I aesthetically hate her skirt and purse because I do NOT like animal print, but the skirt is still well made (though it barely fits around her butt), her fur coat is shedding a little bit and the sleeves go past her hands. Her two-piece undies are stunning though! You’ll also notice her belt is falling off- this is the only design flaw, the bels don’t have clasps, you just basically drape them over and they hang on in the back. But Diva’s is warped, so it doesn’t drape correctly. Will have to fix that with boiling water. I haven’t decided if I want to keep the hair puff, or comb it into a pompadour like Dynamite Girls Electropop Jasper. Will def be washing the gel out of her ponytail though. Royal Bee is STUNNING, her hair is incredibly thick and the little curls are so well done. The nylon is incredibly smooth and shiny, the blonde highlights are SO shiny that they look like tinsel. It’s really, really amazing hair. Her thatching goes all the way to the back of her head and it’s V thick.

Her lips are glitter, but it’s such a fine glitter that she just looks like she’s wearing a metallic liquid lip. I love her lil baby hairs and the metallic eyeshadow! I honestly didn’t think I’d like her makeup, but I think she’s one of my top favorite dolls of the bunch. She’s soooooo nice. The metallic cord around her buns is a nice touch, they really went there with every detail for this line.

I love her sheer pants and the incredibly detailed jacket, with the little metallic shoulder pads! I’m gonna leave her hair as-is for now, but I may eventually take down the buns and wash her hair. My only issue with her is that her choker is really hard to put on lmao. Neonlicious is super cute (but needs the most work hair-wise)

She has the most detail in her face, with two different eye shadows, star freckles and wiggly brows. The fact that she has wiggly brows is, imo, a sign that MGA really, REALLY spent a lot of time looking at current trends while designing these dolls, like they did in 2002-08 for Bratz. Her hair is very nice, my only issue is the sheer amount of product in it. The sides and fringe are drenched in it. Her short bangs kinda terrify me because it’ll be hard to even them out without making them too short, but the quality of the hair is amazing and she has a full set of crimps. I’ll also probably cut the side pieces to match the rest, they’re annoying tbh. Her undies are very nice and will definitely be useful, versatile pieces for restyling. I hope we get fashion packs!!

Her glasses are awesome lmao, it’s such a weird design. The vinyl over-dress is very well done, with studs and stitching in place, and her jacket is very well tailored- you can even close it at the waist! She only has earrings and a bracelet jewelry-wise, likely because she comes with an (awesome) hat. She’s very like.. if Leloo from Fifth Element was a runway model, doing a show for a Moschino x Rugrats collection lmao. Very that, and I love it. Group photo (with bad lighting):

Overall thoughts...ya’ll I hardcore LOVE this line. The level of quality and attention to detail is something I haven’t seen in playline for almost a decade, the designs are current, trendy and well tailored, the dolls themselves are gorgeous and unique, the body is well made, the hair is amazing quality and thickly rooted, literally not a single problem with these dolls, even the QC is great. Worth every penny, and I’ll definitely be buying the next wave. Highly, HIGHLY recommend. And as a very picky collector, that means a lot coming from me lmao. ETA: codes and sales info DPCI and UPCs for each of the LOL OMG dolls:

Swag-

UPC-035051560548

DPCI-086-02-4903

Royal Bee-

UPC-035051560555

DPCI-086-02-8366

Lady Diva-

UPC-035051560555

DPCI-086-02-9404

Neonlicious-

UPC-03505160562

DPCI-086-02-9906 Retail price: 26.99 The dolls come one of each in a case and the street date (July 7th) was lifted yesterday, so the dolls are coming into stock and put on the floor immediately for sale! The DPCIs aren’t on Brickseek yet, but you can tall your local Target and they’ll know (however they’re not doing holds because it’s a ‘hot item’)

#LOL surprise #LOL #surprise #omg #LOL OMG #dolls #MGA #Bratz #review

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arkhamknxghts · 7 years

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Oop I got carried away anyways jaykyle headcanons

•Kyle does his best to be the Santa that Jason never had don’t @ me

•Jason: I want to cut my hair I want a change

Kyle: I support you I’m going to dye my hair

•Kyle: “which safe house are you at im omw”

Jason: #4

Kyle: where’s that one

Kyle: nvm just meet me at the bank

•late night movie theaters Jason falls asleep against his shoulder and is laying down in his lap if the seats are connected

•Kyle: wtf I only have $3.77 in my bank account

Bruce or Jason overhearing and so Kyle wakes up with $3,003.77 in his account

•Jason: Bruce did an okay job at being my father figure we can share I guess

Kyle: sure I’ll put your achievements on my mom’s fridge im sure she won’t mind

*puts jason’s drawing of a flower on it*

•Kyle picks up photography and filmmaking so he tried to film everything him and Jason do together.

*first kiss, first sober kiss, first night he spent over, first roadtrip, first date*

•Jason drives during the road trips because he’s calm and collected while driving and he reactions to bad drivers near him quickly

•Kyle to Jason at 1am at a gas station: I love your bags

Jason: I appreciate it

*kyle kissss him under each eye and Jason flinches*

•Kyle snorts and Jason cries when they find something hilarious

•Jason: so Alfred taught me how to make bacon and eggs without setting something on fire in kitchen here’s some breakfast in bed

•Bruce always reminding Kyle that a part of him is still going to be protective over Jason despite Jason’s history “so don’t think that just because he… doesn’t mean I will…”

•Hal was trying to find a reason to dislike Jason but he sees that Jason and Kyle get along so oddly that there’s nothing plus him and Jason bond over their love to annoy Bruce

•he still annoys them both about protection tho

•Hal: is Jason that good of a fuck that I have to deal with bats even more now

Kyle not understanding what “of a fuck” means: yes

•Kyle coming home to a load of take out food that Jason ordered

•Forehead kisses for you

•Kyle’s phone storage running out because most videos on his phone are of Jason doing some silly thing like dancing towards the camera at a party or other video shots he wasn’t done editing (his favorite is that one time Jason was getting frustrated at putting up furniture but Jason looked so good in Kyle’s shirt and messy hair it makes Kyle homesick when he watches it), up close to Jason covering his eyes, (this one was early in their relationship) Jason smoking and looking sideways at him with glassy eyes, Jason looking at Kyle with these sleepy googly eyes and Kyle will look at the photo with so much pride and another is Jason with a butterfly on his face which took 5 years off of Kyle’s lifespan

•Jason: can I

Kyle: YOU MADE IT FLY AWAY AGAIN DAMNIT

•Jason is comfortable crying in front of Kyle, Kyle reminds him that he loves him with snot and big tears and all

•Jason brings Kyle back a picture and a souviner from every country’s iconic structure

Kyle starts to tear up

•Kyle “I brought you a rock” Rayner

Jason “this is the best thing anyone has ever gotten me I’m going to sleep with it for the next month” Todd

•Kyle brings back books and other materials that aren’t on Earth back to Jason because he know Jason loves learning more about anything there is to learn everyday

•Kyle knows that Jason has the curiosity of a child, that’s what makes Jason so fun to be around with

•Kyle doing the upside down Spider-Man kiss with Jason when he comes back if he’s still wearing his green lantern unfirom

•on Jason’s bad days, Kyle will cook or turn the radio on at a soothing volume for Jason to feel a little better

• when Jason still doesn’t get out of bed Kyle will just spend the day with Jason’s silent form by watching tv and covering them both up with a blanket

•Kyle: do you want to get up? We can try to look up ways to make your explosions even bigger

“No thanks” in a soft voice

“Okay just get your rest tomorrow can be a brand new day”

“Thanks”

•he reminds Jason that he doesn’t need to go anywhere when it’s his death anniversary and of course its understandable to still be upset about

•Jason will force Kyle to take a break at times or just to let himself go

•convo on the couch with the rain pattering outside the window ”I miss Alex, her birthday is coming up” “I’m sorry” *7 seconds of silence* “do you want to talk about it?”

•Kyle: this piece is trash

Jason: our definitions of trash are very different

•Jason: so I found this frame for you

Kyle: you mean stole it?

Jason: no one else grabbed it

•Kyle: wtf he teaches me something new everyday

•Kyle wanted to do a cheesy ice skating date and it was fun and games until he found out that Jason is practically an ice skater mid way, leaving Kyle to throw snowballs at Jason from the sidelines because he sprained his ankle when he fell

•Jason carrying him to the apartment because “it’s only 6 blocks away I’ll be fine”

•Kyle: can you teach me how to shoot a gun

Jason: cAn yOu TEacH mE hOw tO sHoOt a gUN? What the fuck no

•Jason: can you take me to Oa? Dick wants to visit

•Kyle: cAn YoU tAkE mE tO oA? Hell no

•early in their relationship they exchanged nothing but drunk kisses at all the celebrations or parties like they were that annoying couple that took almost every fucking place to sit because they were just making out so no one really knew if they were together because they seemed like they already were ???

•Kyle makes fun of Jason when he’s driving because he’s overly cautious unlike Kyle who drives with one hand on the wheel at all times

•their first date or kiss or the fuck they refer it to was the first time they got together was some kind of mess. It wasn’t planned at all. It started from going to the cave for a meeting, Kyle asking Jason what’s to eat around Gotham, Jason taking Kyle to his favorite place and next thing you know they’re having a deep meaningful conversation in the back of one of the cars they borrowed from Bruce’s and they started to make out, Jason and Kyle had an argument of whose place is closer and they ended up going to Kyle’s hotel. Jason told himself he was going to leave early in the morning but that bitch was so tired from last night he stayed in until 12 and then they were like oh btw I always had a crush on you

(Thus is where Kyle’s first photo of Jason happened, when he was laying in bed still asleep, messy hair and all)

•weird conversations with no context like:

•”I’ll bet you that I can play the violin for $15”

“It wouldn’t even surprise me that this point”

•Jason while giving a foot massage to Kyle: your feet are the only feet I’m willing to touch

Kyle: good don’t foot massage cheat on me

•kyle: yeah he almost looked like he was never mind I’ll just sketch it out hold on

•Jason: does your facial hair grow out faster in space?

Kyle: I don’t know like *deep sigh* like it can

•*off key singing when making dinner “will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful I know you will I know you will I know that you wil-“ “you don’t know me” from across the room

•Kyle has an hour long video of Jason lip syncing Moana word to word

•everytime bruce and Jason have a small argument Hal would act like he’s Jason’s dad. “Hey lad do you want to bat with me?” “Do you want to catch a burger with me?”

Kyle: that was supposed to be me what the hell

Kyle: I JUST THINK ITS FUNNY THAT

•Bruce: this is what we’re not going to do

•Kyle: Jason get your father figure or whatever you try refer to him as he keeps talking to my mom about a Wayne industries job

•Kyle out of no where: we should go skinny dipping

Jason: WE SHOULD

Kyle: babe stop yelling I’m right here

•Kyle washing the blood out of Jason’s hair when patrol or a mission goes wrong while Jason tries not to fall asleep

•Kyle hyping up Jason whenever Jason changes anything ranges to “why are your fingers fat they look like hotdogs sometimes” “you don’t see me asking why are you the way you are though”

•”add that to our sex playlist” “ok”

“please drop me off here I’ll just call Bruce or Alfred to pick me up”

•Jason sleeps better with Kyle, like Kyle is willing to wake him up at a reasonable time depending when he comes back and will try his best to stay up until he comes back from patrol

•All I’m saying is that Kyle helps Jason and Jason helps Kyle

•Bruce once walked in on Kyle decorating Jason’s hair with shampoo, he just silently closed the door

•Jason is very proud of Kyle like he tries to find time to talk someone’s ear off about his boyfriend. He treats the stories of Kyle without the ring with just as much pride as the stories of Kyle with the ring

•every birthday they try to make their gift/surprise bigger than the last one for an example Jason thought that putting fireworks outside the window and he somehow manipulated it to catch on fire when the window is open so he thought this was a good idea

•Kyle somehow managed to get his hands on C4, gunpowder, and tickets to the aquarium

•I’m not saying Jason appreciates s the color green because of Kyle after hating it since his robin days but that’s exactly what I’m saying

•told Kyle that he green reminds him of Kyle not just being of the lantern gig but because it reminds him of how warm and hopeful it is like him

•their dynamic and timing of the relationship is perfect with each other because they’re not around each other so much where they get annoyed of each other quickly

#jaykyle #im on break ladies i can finally do this #headcanons #i need to tag my hcs better so i can write something w them when i have time #jason todd and kyle rayner #jason todd #kyle rayner

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acnl1am · 7 years

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Hello! Mayor Emma here!

I’ve decided to make a guide for anyone who could use a couple tips for the game. I’ve been playing Animal Crossing New Leaf for a couple of years now and when I first started I really didn’t know what I was doing. The first day I got the game I went so far as googling how to walk around (it took me 10 minutes to figure out it was the circle pad... oops!). Over the years I’ve learned so much about the game. I have learned how to build up my town, landscape, make bells, and truly get the most out of my experience.

So, without further ado, here is my acnl guide!

(feel free to reblog so any of your followers who are just starting out can see!)

Starting out the game

First of all, welcome to your town! It is so exciting beginning a fresh new town to work with! Having two copies of the game has allowed me to start three towns from scratch and each new beginning was so fun!

The first thing you need to do is get tools. This is vital because to earn money you must use the tools. Sell fruit, shells, and items fallen from trees to save up for the tools you need. Purchase them at Nook’s store or get them during Isabelle’s tutorial. Use the tools to fish, catch bugs, dig up gyroids and fossils, and pop balloons (can be popped with slingshot or shovel at edge of cliff) and sell those to make money.

Pro tip! -Want to shake trees to find bells and items but don’t want to get stung by bees? Open your town’s gates to prevent the beehives from falling. (to open the gates you must first get your photo id taken)-

Now if you want to start your game with the intention of landscaping, your second task is clearing your entire town. If you have a second town or a friend that has the gardening store, purchase axes. You will probably need more than four. Don’t have either of those connections? Don’t worry! One of the greatest assets to any new leaf player is the trade network. @acnltrades is the place to go to trade to obtain items you don’t have yet!

Clear out all the trees but save at least one basket of fruit. Sell the rest. By clearing all the trees you now have room for paths! Paths are very important to the organization of your town. They will keep you from running around and killing flowers and wearing down grass and make it easier to navigate your town. Using one of the designs the game comes with, start laying paths throughout your town, connecting houses and buildings. 2x2 tiled paths are easiest and wide enough to run on, but some people prefer 1x1 or 3x3. You can also mix up the width of the paths throughout your town. Feeling bold? Try diagonal paths! They’re a great way to make your town unique.

Pro tip! -Unlock the sewing machine by talking to Sable for multiple days in a row. The sewing machine allows you to scan in QR codes with custom designs, perfect for paths and clothes.-

Now that you’ve cleared your town of all trees and laid your paths, time to organize flowers. This step can be done any time during your animal crossing career. I’ve had my towns with messy flowers for years and only recently I’ve cleaned up all the flowers. I’m so glad I did.

Pro tip! -If you want to landscape right away but don’t feel like watering your flowers all the time, enact the beautiful town ordinance! Not only does it prevent flowers from dying, it keeps trash out of the rivers and makes your villagers happy. You will also earn perfect town status easier.-

Most towns have two beaches, a bottom beach and a side beach. These beaches will be devoted to your flowers. Start with one type of flower, say red roses. Collect all the red roses in your town and put them all on your side beach, closest to the top of the beach. Move onto the next color (white roses, yellow roses, etc.). As you go along, leave a 1x1 path where you don’t put flowers so you have a place to walk/run.

Your bottom beach will be for breeding flowers, if you choose to do so. This leaves wide open space to lay out and water your flowers. By putting flowers on the beach, they are safe from villagers planting flowers and people running on them.

The best way to arrange flowers for breeding is in a diagonal checkerboard pattern. This allows flowers to grow in the middle of the other flowers

Water your flowers and come back the next day. You may find a hybrid!

Here is a good guide for hybrids.

Landscaping

So you’ve got a completely empty, pathed town? Start planting the fruit you’ve saved. Planting fruit trees is the easiest way to landscape with trees since fruit is so easily obtainable. Plant trees one tile apart each along your paths, or make a grove in some empty space.

Pro tip! -Take fruit from island tours. These fruits are non-native fruits and they are the easiest to obtain to add variety to your town.-

Another way to jazz up your town is bushes and bamboo. Bushes can be planted in rows up to 12 and directly next to trees and bamboo. They MUST be planted one tile away from buildings, cliffs, rocks, and pwps (public work projects). They CANNOT be planted on the beach (sadly). When in doubt, refer to this guide. Bamboo is super messy to deal with (since it grows like weeds) but can make your town look cool if you know how to control it. It works best in closed off areas (such as surrounded by a path like a planter, or next to trees/bushes). Chop the bamboo for different looks. While the growing bamboo is still brown (2nd day of growth), chop it for brown stubs. On the third day of growth, the bamboo is partially green, so chop it for a half green half brown stub. The fourth day is when the bamboo is fully grown. You can leave it be or chop it down for green stubs.

Mix and match flowers, trees, bushes, and bamboo for your desired look.

Remember all the flowers you’ve been storing on the beach? Now’s the time to pepper your landscape with them! You can group them by color or type, add them around houses and trees, and put them in rows or patterns.

The best part is since you store the flowers on the beach, they’re super easy to go get and put around your town, rather than having to search all over town for another white lily.

Making Bells

Making money in this game is pretty important. You need bells to buy and upgrade your house, buy clothes, furniture, trips to the island, improve your town, and even to unlock things. Here are some tips (pun intended) for earning those sweet bell bags.

When your first start out, selling things around your town is going to be your #1 income. However, as you progress through the game you can get money other ways. The best way to earn bells without hacking or trading is through the island. After 7pm, beetles show up at the island. By taking one trip to the island and catching enough beetles to fill up your entire basket, you can easily make 100,000 bells.

Pro tip! -Go ahead and scare off low priced beetles by running at them. It’ll leave more opportunities for other beetles to spawn.-

With the bell boom ordinance you can make even more money. Here is a handy beetle price guide (the guide is for prices without bell boom).

Pro tip! -Retail closes at 11pm so be sure to finish catching beetles before then!-

Another way to make money is selling items. Often times event items (bunny day set, snowman set, etc.) will sell for more than regular items. Every once in a while, go through your drawers and sell items you don’t need such as out of season clothes and reorderable items.

The way I made the most money is through acnltrades. Seriously, check it out. There were many opportunities to get free bells and items as well as being able to sell items and put out ads for things I needed. I’ve also made many friends and fulfilled badge and traveling requirements. However, trade at your own risk. I haven’t run into any problems but it’s always a possibility.

Pro tip! -When selling things at the retail auction, always put the price for items up for 4x the suggested price minus 1 bell. This will guarantee that you will get the highest price possible for the item. The -1 bell is to prevent the villagers from complaining how expensive it is and refusing to buy it. I’ve made a lot of money from The Roost coffee beans this way.-

House Decorating

Now that you’ve made some bells, it’s time to make your house more you! If you have a theme picked out, start searching for items! What I usually do is I go look through my item catalogue at Timmy and Tommy’s to see what I already have, then make a list of things I want for the room.

Another way to do it is make an account on moridb, a great website for searching all the items in the game. This website is free, and it is really helpful if you plan to do trades on acnltrades.

Pro tip! -If you own the game Happy Home Designer, you can get ideas for your house from there!-

When designing your house, it is best to first buy the secret storeroom. You will need to at least have your main room at full size and paid off your upstairs room. When you have the storeroom unlocked, you can use the lower screen to pick up furniture and move it around with ease like in Happy Home Designer! It will literally save you hours of work, trust me.

On a last note, it really helps talking to Lyle in Nook’s store for tips on designing your house the right way. He will help you earn the most possible points for your rooms.

Storage

Ah, storage. Something I struggled with the most. As a frequent trader and avid user of @acnldelivery (check that out too, totally worth your time), I constantly had items sitting around my town due to full drawers. Through the years I’ve gotten pretty good at learning how to store items. Here are a few of my tricks.

Your drawers are best for storing things you’ll use frequently. Items like clothes, extra tools, your wetsuit, and wrapping paper/letter paper should go here since it is easy to access (find your drawers in the train station locker wherever you go).

Pro tip! -It is super important to keep your drawers organized! It will save so much time searching for things if you organize them!-

The next step up from the drawers is the secret storeroom. This is a good place for your furniture since it can only be accessed through your house.

The last place is the museum exhibits upstairs. Put all your odds and ends there. Things that you just HAVE to keep but don’t need to access quickly (such as unorderables you’re not using). This is another good place for seasonal outfits like the santa suit and festival outfit. You can also store extra wrapping paper there just in case the store isn’t open and you’ve gotta wrap a present for a birthday. It’s a pretty good place to store things since it’s open 24/7 (thanks, Blathers!).

Pro tip! -Want more pocket space? Store your extra items in your letters! I use this trick on a daily basis because it’s so easy and convenient.-

Time Traveling

Oooooo the forbidden cheat.

It’s really not that bad. In fact it can often be helpful! Its practical use is to change the time (I traveled over the summer and entered a different time zone so had to change my town’s time) but can also be used for things such as going back to a missed event, getting the mail delivered sooner, or skipping through time to visit a different season.

To time travel as safe as possible, try not to travel more than 2-3 times in once go. The rule of thumb I’ve heard is for every 3 days you travel, it counts for a day you’ve missed not playing. This means that there is the possibility that someone can move out! So basically, it’s not too bad if you jump a month ahead, but if you travel one day at a time a month ahead all in one sitting, you’re asking for trouble.

Something I always worry about is villagers moving in on top of my landscapes. Boy, is that frustrating! Thank you Nintendo for the update where they can’t move on your paths anymore because this helped me develop a helpful trick.

When you know you’ll be time traveling a lot or won’t play in a while, cover your town in QR tiles. As long as you make sure there is no 3x3 open plot of land, you won’t have to worry. Don’t forget to put them next to trees and in flower patches too because I’ve made that mistake many times and have some houses in my gardens (I’m looking at you, Biskit).

Pro tip! -Time traveling for a long period of time will also cause clover growth, which can look pretty cool! Be careful, it will also cause weeds!-

Taking Photos

Taking photos of your animal crossing experience and posting them on Tumblr can be fun! Here are some tips on how to do it!

Before you take a photo, click the up button on the control pad to clear the date and time bubble. If you’re gonna take a photo using one of Shrunk’s expressions, you cannot take a photo looking up. Your photos should be saved to your memory card so while your 3ds is off, take out the memory card and insert it into your computer. The file should be a DCIM file (the photo example is on a Mac).

If you’re a Mac user (sorry, I can’t speak for Windows users), double click the photo you want. This will lead you to the preview of the photo. Click “file” then “duplicate”. Save the duplicate photo. Now you will have a version on your computer.

Looks kinda grainy, right? Not to worry! Use waifu2x to make your photos smoother! Here’s a comparison with the original on the left and the edited on the right.

See? Even the colors are more vibrant! This website is so helpful and easy to use.

Another way to take photos is with the animal crossing amiibo camera.

This was from a hiking trip I took.

You can also take an amiibo pic with a black background (cover the camera with your hand) then using photoshop or an editing program to remove the background and insert your own (that’s how I did the header on this post).

References

Here are some websites I use frequently:

Thonky for info

Animal Crossing Wiki for info

acntrades for trades

acnldelivery for item sets

moridb for the item list

QR codes on Tumblr

thulinma for making QR codes (this one is super cool)

waifu2x for photo editing

The animal crossing app (on the app store for iOS) for coffee orders

I hope this helps! Feel free to message me with any additional questions!

Good luck!

-Mayor Emma

#acnl #animal crossing #animal crosing new leaf #achhd #acnlwa #acnl 1am #Mayor Emma of Ivywood

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tauers-go-dutch · 7 years

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Naples, Capri and Pompei(i)

Naples was somewhat of a whim. AKA it was the cheapest destination on Skyscanner and we both like pizza. Also, Ryan is a Roman history nerd and loves some ancient ruins. After booking, we were warned by a few people, native Italians included, that Naples is... not ideal. What? What do you mean, Naples is not ideal? Well, turns out it is incredibly run down, dirty and full of petty crime. Oops!

We decided to make the most of it anyways—we booked a ferry to the Isle of Capri for Saturday and knew we’d spend all day Sunday at Pompeii, so minimal time was actually spent in Naples. As soon as we arrived, we could see what people were talking about. It is very sad that such an old city with as rich a history as Naples has become so run down. That’s ok—we got in Friday night around dinner time, and we were hungry. Unfortunately, we chose the most popular place in town, and waited in the street for two+ hours for a pizza. At least there was a street bar selling sangria next door.

Sadly, much of Naples looks like this.

The best pizza in town.

Worth the wait. Legend has it that margherita pizzas were invented in Naples.

Isle of Capri from our ferry boat.

Some of Naples’ issues have spilled over onto the Isle of Capri. That includes a serious lack of adequate public transportation. Instead of waiting in a mile-long line for a 10-minute bus ride to the top of Capri, (actually Anacapri), we decided to walk climb. Hike? Maybe ‘hike’ is the most appropriate term. So much for my cute sundress!

A cute little church near the top of Anacapri. Anacapri is Capri’s calmer counterpart.

Chairlift selfies!

So, we got to the top, and... fog. Everywhere. Booooooooooooo.

We grabbed some drinks and waited for the clouds to clear.

The clouds cleared up a bit eventually, so we finally got a decent view of the Faraglioni rocks.

We had lunch, including Caprese salad on the Isle of Capri, then headed over to the Capri side of the island.

Capri!

Anacapri from Capri. We hiked that. Ugh.

A closer view of Faraglioni

The Gardens of Augustus

Yeah dude. I know.

Via Krupp. Unfortunately the path was closed. That’s ok-- we’d already managed our workout for the day.

Can’t go to Capri without having a frozen lemonade!

Sunday morning we got up and headed to Pompeii. Fun fact: while the city of ancient ruins is spelled Pompeii, the city or ‘commune’ nearby is now spelled Pompei. Silly.

We had heard/read about so many horror stories re the public transit in Naples that we decided to take a private coach to Pompeii, to ensure we arrived safely and would actually have a return ride, on time, and catch our flight home Sunday afternoon. One really cool thing that I’ve noticed all over Europe is the FREE storage space at pretty much all tourist spots. America. Take note. This is so, so nice. We wanted to see as much of Pompeii as possible before heading to the airport, so we brought our luggage (backpacks--we thought ahead) and stored it there. Anyways, if you remember anything from school you probably remember learning about Pompeii. There was a volcano. It was a bad day for a lot of people.

Bath house ruins...

In case you’re wondering, yes, I did hum “How am I gonna be an optimist about this?” All. Day. Long. “And if you close your eyes...” Too soon?

The Roman Basilica

Temple of Isis

Outside of the amphitheatre

Mt. Vesuvius herself

And I will just leave you with this. No, I didn’t bother getting a photo of the actual stone on which it was inscribed...

Tot ziens!

#tauersgodutch #tauers go dutch #pompeii #naples #isle of capri

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greenmaskedmarauder · 8 years

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All questions

Dave you’re so mean to me

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? I think it’s pretty even

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? I tolerate it, being from a really cold area. I don’t think anyone particularly likes it.

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? anything I can grab. receipts, foreign money, a random photo

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? strong coffee with a hint of creamer

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? nah

6: do you keep plants? no but I could if I had cute planters

7: do you name your plants? I totally would

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? writing

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? yeah

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? side, though I guess I roll around too. stealing covers, pushing Dave off the bed

11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? uhhh we had one a while back but I can’t remember. a recurring one is using the insult of “douchey buttmuncher”

12: what's your favorite planet? the one on which my fictional stories all take place

13: what's something that made you smile today? a message I got from my mom

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? probably pretty messy, with an eclectic mix of furniture from the second hand shop and various wall arts, and books

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! The Apollo space mission’s footprints will most likely stay on the moon for the next 100 million years

16: what's your favorite pasta dish? alfredo, or lasagna

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? all the colors of the rainbow

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. Not between me and my friends, but when I was 15 and learning to drive, my mom ordered chicken from a truck stop 15 miles from our hometown (it’s very small) and then had me drive so I could get some practice in. I got a thing of minute maid apple juice so we could eat there, and then go back. I was studying the bottle of the apple juice, and read the part where it says which states you can recycle the bottle in and get money. So I said with a completely straight face “Mother, why does my apple juice say HI ME 5c?”

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I do not

20: what's your favorite eye color? I like green eyes because I like my eyes, but brown eyes are also amazing, and don’t get nearly enough love.

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. uhhhh

22: are you a morning person? haha nope

23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? absolutely nothing

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? my best friend. even when we recently got into a huge fight, I know I can trust her

25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? when I was seven I went to a friend’s house and just hung out there even though no one was home. Don’t ask me why, I just did. tbh it was pretty easy since no one locks their doors in a small town.

26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit? I haven’t had any pair of shoes forever and ever

27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? classic bubblegum

28: sunrise or sunset? sunrise, though I rarely get to see them

29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? Sadie gets super duper giggly when she’s drinking, and almost anything can make her laugh.

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? for my life? only once

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. socks must be short, but they can definitely (and should be) be colorful

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. I took Sadie to get food after she’d been drinking bicardi 151 and after we got back she threw up on the floor. oops

33: what's your fave pastry? I like kolaches best

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? my favorite buddy as a kid was the pug beanie baby named Pugsly. he went everywhere with me, and I even made people give him bandaids if I was hurt. He’s in storage at my parents’ house somewhere...

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? yeah but no

36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now? I have no idea

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? I would like it to be clean, but I am very messy

38: tell us about your pet peeves! people who never discipline their kids. and people who think other people are less of people

39: what color do you wear the most? most of my shirts are green

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you? this blue flower necklace that used to be my grandma’s. she died of cancer when I was little. whenever I wear it, I feel closer to her.

41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? see I love most books, so I have to split this one. But Harry Potter, the Inheritance Cycle, Lockwood and Co.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! The Einstein’s on campus at my school

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? Sadie

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? The last time I was in the Black Hills, just staring out on the ravine. I felt at peace being with the trees and nature.

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? yeah

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. *holds rock* hey I can rock your world tonight

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? I’m a foodie

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? my biggest fear as a kid was losing my parents. I think it is

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? I haven’t bought a CD in 8 years

50: what's an odd thing you collect? foreign currency

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? Dave, Collide by Howie Day

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? anything that mocks Donald Trump

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? never seen it

54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? a customer who came through my line the other day

55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? kissed my best friend while drunk. all because some guy in our friend group said “I bet Lyndsey won’t do it” so yeah

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? Dave and the face he makes whenever I tell him he’s cute

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? I feel silly

58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? My friend Erin is the wine mom. I don’t know who’d be the vodka aunt. Because Erin has a wine rack in her apartment. Like a big fancy one that’s also old.

59: what's your favorite myth? I like the Greek myths

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? where the sidewalk ends

61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? a box of kleenexes, a flashlight

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? nah

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? meticulously organize books

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? right now it’s black because it’s night time

65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? Dave

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? have some peonies that are vibrant pink and some blue bachelor’s buttons for contrast

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? whimsical

68: what's winter like where you live? right now it’s weird

69: what are your favorite board games? battleship, Scrabble, Sequence

70: have you ever used a ouija board? nope and I don’t plan to either

71: what's your favorite kind of tea? uhhh

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? I probably should write things down more

73: what are some of your worst habits? sleeping too much

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. red hair, spunky personality, quick to come to a friend’s aid if they’re able, but also not afraid to say what they think about situations

75: tell us about your pets! right now just my fish Salazar. He’s a betta, and he likes to flare up at his filter because he’s silly. He also hides in his ship, behind the elephant, and confronts his Buddha statue

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't? maybe sleeping

77: pink or yellow lemonade? pink

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? I’m meh about minions

79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? sent me flowers from a long distance

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? they are beige and no I did not choose the color

81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. pieces of broken stained glass from a peacock image

82: are/were you good in school? nope

83: what's some of your favorite album art? I don’t really have any

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? One on my foot that says “Be strong. Be courageous. I am with you. -Joshua 1:9″

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? I like the avatar comics

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? not really an album person. I find individual songs I like and go from there

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Balto

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? what?

89: are you close to your parents? yes. I tell them everything

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. It is a city but it doesn’t feel like a city, and that’s just fine with me, since I hate cities.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? St Paul next week, California this summer.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? give me the cheese

93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? ponytail/braid/down

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? Sadie/my Dad

95: what are your plans for this weekend? haha

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? the absolute last second

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? INFP-T mediator, Capricorn, Hufflepuff

98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? last summer at a retreat. yeah, I love hikes

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. Priceless by For King and Country, Thrive by Casting Crowns

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? Future. The past has already happened, and though something happened to me 5 years ago, I wouldn’t change it, because then I might not be the same person I am now. I want to see what I accomplish in the next 5 years.

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christophervanhorn · 6 years

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What to pack in a carry-on

Some would consider me a minimalist.

Back when I lived in the United States, I was quite the opposite. I was doing well with a career in real estate in the mid-2000s (that makes me, everyone else, and their mothers), and channeled my bloated income into being a ravenous and unconscious consumer.

I’d buy what can only be described as “stuff,” and so much of it that I rarely had time to actually use most of it.

I bought a house and then filled it with this stuff; then filled the garage, then a bigger house, another garage, and then a storage shed…or two…in the yard.

So, when I made the bold decision to get rid of all my possessions and move abroad, chasing my dream of traveling through the tropics and making a living as a writer, the best part for me was to eliminate all of that stuff. I sold it, donated it, threw it out, and gave it away.

Now, I live in a very humble studio apartment in the Philippines, and guess what? I STILL think I have too much stuff! Of course, I don’t, but it just seems like it.

However, that all gets funneled into a single backpack when I take little overnight and weekend trips, exploring the islands, beaches, cities, and more here in Asia.

Therefore, what I can pack into one single backpack is crucial, and a ton of thought (and packing and repacking) goes into it. That’s also super convenient because you can just throw on a backpack and head to the airport, bus station, ferry terminal, etc., and don’t have to check bags or worry about lugging stuff around.

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What to pack in the perfect carry-on bag? All World has you covered!

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I’ve found that if you purchase the right bag (I’ll review what to look for and my favorites in another post), you can fit a shocking amount of stuff in there, and have more than enough gear for your adventures.

I‘ve done this so many times that I take packing my backpack for granted (I flew 67 times last year, and only 2 of them were for business!). So, I wanted to unzip it and start pulling stuff out and tell you what I pack – which may serve as a useful guide when you’re packing!

Hand sanitizer – a MUST while traveling. A small pack of wet wipes –these are pure gold as you run into bathrooms without toilet paper (it happens a lot! Gross!) or just to wipe down after a long, hot bus ride Electric adapter – I always get one that offers surge protection, too. My computer and charging cord – I’m always working. I also put my computer in a protective case. Bubblegum – my ears get all jacked up when flying, so I carry gum. Earplugs – I use these in case of super loud neighbors, blasting music, or sometimes blaring boat engines. iPhone – I end up taking most of my photos with a simple iPhone. Bug repellent – mosquitos and bug bites are no joke out here, as they can cause Dengue, Malaria, etc. Instead of an aerosol spray that you can’t bring on a flight, I just bring a crème. Sunscreen – the sun is also no joke! Hat – Ball cap or big floppy fishing hat to protect my dome from the sun, the rain, or just for bad hair decades (that’s not a misspelling). T-shirt Basketball jerseys (keep you cool, dry quickly, don’t get moldy like cotton) One normal shorts (I usually wear these) Two Swim shorts that also double as workout shorts One pair sneakers (I usually wear these while traveling to save space) Flip flops (my every day and beachwear!) Wallet with one bank card. Handtowel or handkerchief. I always carry one of these around to dry off as I sweat, a towel for the gym, etc. Small toilet bag – just enough for deo, fold-up toothbrush and toothpaste, etc. Luggage lock – I throw on a little travel combination padlock on my bag for security.

Believe it or not, that all fits easily into a good normal-sized backpack.

Oops , I forgot my passport!

The post What to pack in a carry-on appeared first on AllWorld.com.

source https://www.allworld.com/what-to-pack-in-a-carry-on/ source https://allworldus.tumblr.com/post/180031457667

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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years

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Rolling Across Death Valley in Our Four Seasons Land Rover Discovery

Instructions for my first assignment as an Automobile staffer were pretty basic. “Take the Disco,” said editor-in-chief Mike Floyd. “Hook up an Airstream to it, grab a photographer, and go do something Land Rover-y.” And that was it.

Twenty hours later I was behind the wheel of our Four Seasons 2017 Land Rover Discovery, running from a rainstorm I desperately hoped would end in Death Valley, as that was pretty much what I promised our photo editor would happen. My wife, Robin, was at my side, my dog, Lexi, was sleeping fitfully in the back seat, and an Airstream Basecamp trailer—which looked pretty small in the pictures but freakin’ huge once hooked up to the Land Rover—was trailing behind.

The diesel Discovery is rated to tow 7,716 pounds, and I have no doubt it can haul that kind of weight up the hills. Our average fuel consumption was 21 mpg. Perfect for Death Valley, where those “Last Chance Fuel” signs really mean something

The diesel-powered HSE Luxury Discovery and I were strangers, but it made a good first impression. I liked the clean and contemporary cabin, high-quality materials, and feel of the switchgear. The view out is superb (aside from the wall of aluminum and glass filling my rearview mirror), and I was impressed that after nearly 19,000 miles there were none of the squeaks and rattles I expected from a well-used British car. And nothing beats the smooth ride of an air suspension.

Not all was perfect. I never thought it was possible for a seat to have too much thigh support, but I had to tilt the cushion forward to avoid restricting circulation to my thighs. Another strange quirk: The Land Rover has two welcoming places for my right elbow (center console lid, fold-down armrest) but none for my left; the armrest is too low, the window ledge too high, and both meanly padded. Still, it proved a comfy chariot.

It was also proving to be a competent tow vehicle, though to be fair, the Airstream Basecamp, $35,900 to start and $38,550 as tested, wasn’t much of a challenge for the Disco and its 3.0-liter turbodiesel with 254 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic. Designed specifically to be towed by smaller SUVs, the Basecamp weighs around 2,600 pounds empty with a max gross weight of 3,500 pounds. Its 7-foot width meant it was only a few inches wider than the Land Rover, and although it was a bit tricky to back up—the shorter the trailer, the twitchier it is—its size meant we could pull full-lock U-turns almost anywhere we pleased.

The Basecamp represents a middle ground between tent trailers and full-on travel trailers. Inside there’s a small galley with a half-height fridge, sink, and two-burner stove. The tiny shower stall is also home to the toilet. The bulk of the living space is taken up by two facing couches, which convert to a double bed, with small tables between them. There’s an air conditioner and a microwave, but the trailer must be plugged in to power to use them. Everything else runs on liquid propane or batteries, the latter charged by optional solar panels on the roof. The Basecamp sits high on its single axle, making it a perfect trailer to do the Land Rover-y things my boss requested.

Happily, the rain tapered off as we headed up Route 395 toward the Searles Valley. Somewhere between Boron and Trona, towns named for the materials they mine, our photographer—also named Robin—called to say he found a place to shoot photos.

“It’s a dirt road off the main highway,” he said. It turned out to be both way off and way dirt. I wasn’t terribly worried about the Discovery, but it was clear we were dragging the Airstream through places most people would not take a trailer; the bemused expressions on the faces of Jeep drivers heading the other way confirmed this. The Basecamp brochure boldly says “built for adventure.” I hoped Airstream’s copy writers meant it.

Our photo session went well, including some rather ace trailer maneuvering. (Both Robins might disagree, but I’m sure I never actually hit the rock, and their frantic yelling and arm waving were more of a distraction than anything else.) After chasing the dog around a bit—she and photographer Robin got on famously, though she seemed to think his camera was an object of evil that needed to be barked at and possibly eaten—we tip-toed through the dirt back to the main highway.

A room with a view: The Airstream Basecamp’s big front windows provide a panoramic view, perfect for seeing the scenery … or your tow vehicle.

As we started to climb the Panamint Range, the Discovery finally began to show vague signs of realization that it was dragging a ton and a half of Airstream in its wake. Gasoline engines never let you forget you’re towing a trailer, but diesels make it hard to remember. The diesel Discovery is rated to tow 7,716 pounds, and although I’d be hesitant to tow a much longer trailer (the Discovery’s short wheelbase would be a stability concern), I have no doubt it can haul that kind of weight up the hills. Our average fuel consumption was 21 mpg, pretty friggin’ incredible considering we had a trailer in tow. That gave us a cruising range of roughly 450 miles, perfect for Death Valley, where those “Last Chance Fuel” signs really mean something.

A smorgasbord of bad surfaces started with washboards that I feared would vibrate the Discovery to pieces. I crept along, hoping that the cacophony of rattles were from our luggage and not bits that were bolted to the chassis.

The sun was low in the sky by the time we entered Death Valley proper. Our original plan had been to camp in the middle of nowhere, but finding the perfect bit of nowhere in the dark struck me as a phenomenally bad idea, so we stopped at the first campground we saw. This turned out to be a good idea, as converting the Basecamp for night use was a lot more work than expected.

First, everything on the seats—and in our case, that meant everything we brought—needed to be chucked outside, followed by the couch cushions. The table legs must be changed out for shorter ones (the shortened tables support the bed), the benches opened and folded out, and the cushions rearranged to form a bed. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to do this in the rain,” my wife said. We decided the optional patio tent ($1,500), which attaches to the side of the trailer, is a must-have.

The cushions are about as thick as prison mattresses and slightly less forgiving, a problem we solved with a $20 air mattress. This left gaps between the rectangular mattress and the rounded walls, but that was OK. They proved useful for glasses, e-readers, and the like—the Basecamp doesn’t have any bedside storage.

The next morning brought a fantastic view of the mountains through the Basecamp’s panoramic front windows and a knock on the door from photog Robin, who spent the night at a nearby hotel. (Two people and a dog is the Basecamp’s limit, unless you’re very, very friendly.) We unhooked the trailer, left wife Robin and Lexi behind to sleep in, and headed down Cottonwood Canyon Road, a smorgasbord of bad surfaces starting with washboards that I feared would vibrate the Discovery to pieces. I crept along, hoping that the cacophony of rattles were from our luggage and not bits that were supposed to be bolted to the chassis.

“The ride might smooth out if you go faster,” Robin suggested.

“How much faster?” I asked.

“I dunno,” he said. “Try 60.”

Washboard soon gave way to sand, and I eagerly spun the Land Rover’s Terrain Response dial to the sand setting. Did it work? I have no idea. The scientific approach would have been to stop and see how much traction we had, but if the Discovery did get stuck, I’d get the triple play of a long walk, an embarrassing phone call, and an irate photographer. Instead, I kept up my speed, and the Rover easily floated over the sand.

Amming speed! Lexi launches a salvo against photographer Robin’s camera. Rugged interiors of both the Discovery and the Airstream proved sufficiently dogproof.

Cottonwood Canyon turned out to be a phenomenal photo spot, but as we headed back to camp along the boulder-strewn trails, I was starting to think we weren’t really making much use of the Discovery’s off-road abilities. Just then I heard the first rock scrape the underside. Turns out I had somehow dropped the Discovery’s air suspension from off-road to normal height. Oops. I guess we were making use of the Disco’s significant off-road abilities after all, but the Land Rover makes it all feel so effortless.

Back at camp it was time for lunch. Wife Robin had stuffed the fridge, and I figured she was primed to put the galley to the test.

“What’s for lunch?” I asked.

“Sandwiches,” she replied.

“You’re not going to cook?”

“Sandwiches,” she repeated. “And if you don’t want a sandwich, there’s dog food in the cabinet.”

“I thought we’d try the cooktop,” I said.

“I used it to boil water for coffee,” she said. “It worked, which you should be able to tell by the fact that the kettle is not wrapped around your head.” She is not, as you might have guessed, a morning person.

Photos made and sandwiches eaten, photographer Robin headed home while Robin and I hooked up the Basecamp. Our destination: the Alabama Hills, filming site for numerous Westerns and a place we’d always wanted to visit. It’s also BLM land, so you can camp anywhere. We expected total isolation, so you can imagine our surprise when we found ourselves smack in the middle of a Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club rally, sharing our seclusion with 20 other Airstream trailers. Seriously—we had no idea this would happen.

They welcomed us with open arms, and we joined them for a potluck dinner, where they explained the Apple-like appeal of their aluminum Twinkies. (Short version: Nostalgia, quality, and camaraderie wherever you go.)

We parked in an isolated spot some ways away and settled in for the night. The Airstreamers had warned us that the heater blower motor really sucks down battery power. Thankfully, Robin had brought enough blankets to cover an entire Alabama hill, so we were toasty warm without mechanical assistance.

The next morning, I realized we’d barely made a dent in our water tank (not for lack of trying on that dirt road), so I decided at long last to try out the Basecamp’s shower. Trying to soap up with a toilet in the way is tricky enough, but with the water rapidly alternating between hot and cold, I gave up. After my aborted attempt at getting clean, it was time to pack up the Basecamp and head home.

On the way back to Los Angeles, it occurred to us that the Discovery and the Basecamp combined to make the perfect go-anywhere vacation machine. We had taken a reasonably comfortable motel room on wheels just about anywhere we pleased. If that isn’t a Land Rover-y thing to do, I don’t know what is.

OUR 2017 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY HSE Td6 LUXURY

MILES TO DATE 21,511 GALLONS OF FUEL 968.2 OBSERVED MPG 22.2 FUEL COST TO DATE $2,918.11 AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.01

MAINTENANCE

DEF refill $269.65 Oil change $173.16 DEF refill $165.15

RECALLS and TSBs

Exterior A-pillar molding N042 Deployable luggage compartment floor operating arm N060 Air suspension and adaptive dynamics warning N135

OUT OF POCKET

Winter tires $918.92 Tire patch $39.99 Mount and balance tires $110.00 Replace fuel filter $189.99

SPECIFICATIONS

AS-TESTED PRICE $79,950 ENGINE 3.0L DOHC 24-valve turbodiesel V-6, from Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4 https://ift.tt/2Ji7YmP via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger Feed 4

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jesusvasser · 6 years

Text

Rolling across Death Valley in Our Four Seasons Land Rover Discovery

A room with a view: The Airstream Basecamp’s big front windows provide a panoramic view, perfect for seeing the scenery … or your tow vehicle.

“The ride might smooth out if you go faster,” Robin suggested.

“How much faster?” I asked.

“I dunno,” he said. “Try 60.”

Amming speed! Lexi launches a salvo against photographer Robin’s camera. Rugged interiors of both the Discovery and the Airstream proved sufficiently dogproof.

Back at camp it was time for lunch. Wife Robin had stuffed the fridge, and I figured she was primed to put the galley to the test.

“What’s for lunch?” I asked.

“Sandwiches,” she replied.

“You’re not going to cook?”

“Sandwiches,” she repeated. “And if you don’t want a sandwich, there’s dog food in the cabinet.”

“I thought we’d try the cooktop,” I said.

OUR 2017 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY HSE Td6 LUXURY

MILES TO DATE 21,511 GALLONS OF FUEL 968.2 OBSERVED MPG 22.2 FUEL COST TO DATE $2,918.11 AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.01

MAINTENANCE

DEF refill $269.65 Oil change $173.16 DEF refill $165.15

RECALLS and TSBs

Exterior A-pillar molding N042 Deployable luggage compartment floor operating arm N060 Air suspension and adaptive dynamics warning N135

OUT OF POCKET

Winter tires $918.92 Tire patch $39.99 Mount and balance tires $110.00 Replace fuel filter $189.99

SPECIFICATIONS

AS-TESTED PRICE $79,950 ENGINE 3.0L DOHC 24-valve turbodiesel V-6, from Performance Junk WP Feed 4 https://ift.tt/2Ji7YmP via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk WP Feed 4

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eddiejpoplar · 6 years

Text

Rolling across Death Valley in Our Four Seasons Land Rover Discovery

A room with a view: The Airstream Basecamp’s big front windows provide a panoramic view, perfect for seeing the scenery … or your tow vehicle.

“The ride might smooth out if you go faster,” Robin suggested.

“How much faster?” I asked.

“I dunno,” he said. “Try 60.”

Amming speed! Lexi launches a salvo against photographer Robin’s camera. Rugged interiors of both the Discovery and the Airstream proved sufficiently dogproof.

Back at camp it was time for lunch. Wife Robin had stuffed the fridge, and I figured she was primed to put the galley to the test.

“What’s for lunch?” I asked.

“Sandwiches,” she replied.

“You’re not going to cook?”

“Sandwiches,” she repeated. “And if you don’t want a sandwich, there’s dog food in the cabinet.”

“I thought we’d try the cooktop,” I said.

OUR 2017 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY HSE Td6 LUXURY

MILES TO DATE 21,511 GALLONS OF FUEL 968.2 OBSERVED MPG 22.2 FUEL COST TO DATE $2,918.11 AVERAGE COST/GALLON $3.01

MAINTENANCE

DEF refill $269.65 Oil change $173.16 DEF refill $165.15

RECALLS and TSBs

Exterior A-pillar molding N042 Deployable luggage compartment floor operating arm N060 Air suspension and adaptive dynamics warning N135

OUT OF POCKET

Winter tires $918.92 Tire patch $39.99 Mount and balance tires $110.00 Replace fuel filter $189.99

SPECIFICATIONS

AS-TESTED PRICE $79,950 ENGINE 3.0L DOHC 24-valve turbodiesel V-6, from Performance Junk Blogger 6 https://ift.tt/2Ji7YmP via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger 6

0 notes

statusreview · 7 years

Text

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy

We’ve probably all got dual purpose rooms like a mudroom-slash-laundry room, a breakfast-nook-slash-homework-spot, or the ol’ guest-room-slash-office. So today we’re sharing the key to making one space actually work in multiple ways – instead of feeling like it does one thing waaay better than the other. We also chat about a recent attic clutter revelation, and John shares a negotiation technique so covert you might not even know you’re doing it. He also gets a tool he has daydreamed about for years and Sherry’s love of all things woo-woo leads her to try some unusual accessories that claim to help with sleep, allergies, and even happiness.

You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player.

What’s New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.

You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.

We haven’t installed our new Nest thermostats in the beach house yet (maybe tomorrow!) but we got the Nest Thermostat E. We love the new look (white will blend in so much more covertly), and I think the only major lost functionality is the “learning” aspect of the regular Nest Thermostat (we plan to program ours and just change it on the fly via our phones if we need to).

You can also read more about why we love our Nest and how easy they are to install. We’ve had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us lots of money.

What’s Not

Here’s a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.

And here’s how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):

Sabrina Soto: Episode #2

Vern Yip: Episode #15

Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9

Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26

Jenni Pulos: Episode #12

And it turns out Joanie Sprague, the former America’s Next Top Model runner-up, has been the host of Run My Renovation on the DIY Network. Guess we need to keep up better with the models-turned-carpenters of the world!

Listener Question

Above is a photo of the craft table we created along one wall of our guest room to add a second function to the room (so it doesn’t sit empty and unused for all those days when nobody is staying in there). The drawers are two Ikea bases (one from the as-is section – with a matching one that we later found on craigslist) and a tiered plywood top that we added ourselves.

Below is the guest “side” of the room. These photos are a little old (they’re from our second book) because when I went to take a current picture I realized it’s full of stuff for the beach house. Oops! But the desk usually only has the sewing machine on it (the other stuff was added to cute it up for the book shot).

Here’s where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…

…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here’s the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)

And as promised, here’s a link to the plastic back-of-door shoe storage thing that Sherry suggested for craft supplies (they also make this mesh one which looks good too). Just picture it packed with craft supplies like washi tape and tubes of acrylic paint and glue sticks – kind of like this.

We’re Digging

That’s me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It’s a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).

My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it’s still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here’s their most similar current model.

And if you’re looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here’s the set of 2 large lamps Sherry bought (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).

But if you’d rather go the smaller route we bought these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

If you’re looking for something we’ve dug in a past episode, but don’t remember which show notes to click into, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from all of our past episodes.

Lastly, a big thank you to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. You can head over to grove.co/YHL to automatically get $20 off your first order of $40 or more AND to get our favorite natural cleaner, Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Spray, thrown in for free!

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy appeared first on Young House Love.

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy published first on http://ift.tt/2r6hzQy

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endlessarchite · 7 years

Text

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy

What’s New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.

You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.

You can also read more about why we love our Nest and how easy they are to install. We’ve had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us lots of money.

What’s Not

Here’s a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.

And here’s how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):

Sabrina Soto: Episode #2

Vern Yip: Episode #15

Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9

Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26

Jenni Pulos: Episode #12

Listener Question

Here’s where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…

…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here’s the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)

We’re Digging

That’s me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It’s a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).

My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it’s still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here’s their most similar current model.

And if you’re looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here’s the set of 2 large lamps Sherry bought (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).

But if you’d rather go the smaller route we bought these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy appeared first on Young House Love.

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

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truereviewpage · 7 years

Text

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy

What’s New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.

You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.

You can also read more about why we love our Nest and how easy they are to install. We’ve had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us lots of money.

What’s Not

Here’s a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.

And here’s how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):

Sabrina Soto: Episode #2

Vern Yip: Episode #15

Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9

Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26

Jenni Pulos: Episode #12

Listener Question

Here’s where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…

…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here’s the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)

We’re Digging

That’s me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It’s a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).

My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it’s still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here’s their most similar current model.

And if you’re looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here’s the set of 2 large lamps Sherry bought (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).

But if you’d rather go the smaller route we bought these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy appeared first on Young House Love.

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy published first on http://ift.tt/2qCHnUt

0 notes

interiorstarweb · 7 years

Text

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy

What’s New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.

You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.

You can also read more about why we love our Nest and how easy they are to install. We’ve had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us lots of money.

What’s Not

Here’s a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.

And here’s how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):

Sabrina Soto: Episode #2

Vern Yip: Episode #15

Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9

Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26

Jenni Pulos: Episode #12

Listener Question

Here’s where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…

…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here’s the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)

We’re Digging

That’s me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It’s a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).

My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it’s still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here’s their most similar current model.

And if you’re looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here’s the set of 2 large lamps Sherry bought (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).

But if you’d rather go the smaller route we bought these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy appeared first on Young House Love.

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy published first on http://ift.tt/2uiWrIt

0 notes

lukerhill · 7 years

Text

#65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy

What’s New

If you missed our big news last week, you can catch up on last week’s episode (#64) here and check out this “before tour” of our new duplex.

You can also hear about our failed yard sale from a couple of years ago on Episode #56 and see this year’s “yard sale promo photo” that we took the day before the sale above.

You can also read more about why we love our Nest and how easy they are to install. We’ve had the 1st generation one for the last four years and have zero complaints. It saves us lots of money.

What’s Not

Here’s a good rundown of the cast of the Trading Spaces reboot, including a brief bio on the new-to-the-show designers and carpenters.

And here’s how to catch some of our old podcast episodes that feature some of the folks we mentioned (and so shamelessly plugged, ha!):

Sabrina Soto: Episode #2

Vern Yip: Episode #15

Genevieve Gorder: Episode #9

Brian Patrick Flynn: Episode #26

Jenni Pulos: Episode #12

Listener Question

Here’s where you can read about the multi-functional guest room / office / playroom in our first house…

…including the hardworking closet that Sherry described with the bonus shelf for all the bedding (awww, young Burger!)

Also from the first house, here’s the craft storage we put on the back of our hall closet (warning: crappy 2010-era photos ahead!)

We’re Digging

That’s me and my dreamboat cordless leaf blower above. It’s a Kobalt 40-Volt Medium-Duty Blower (I purchased one without the battery though, since I already owned a couple).

My corded blower, if anyone’s wondering, is made by TORO and it’s still going strong – no repairs needed 11 years later! Here’s their most similar current model.

And if you’re looking to jump on the salt lamp train, here’s the set of 2 large lamps Sherry bought (one for our living room and one for the office – seen below).

But if you’d rather go the smaller route we bought these salt lamp nightlights for each of the bedrooms and our kitchen.

Thanks for listening, guys!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post #65: When Multi-Purpose Rooms Drive You Multi-Shades Of Crazy appeared first on Young House Love.

0 notes