#ABC? so much fun. good vibes. awesome.

[husberttee]

y’all not stanning VAV are doing it wrong

[thequlturecritic]

QULTURE’S TOP 20 SERIES OF 2018

20.  BUSY TONIGHT

You guys! Good energy is, like, totally in right now. And it’s never going away. You may know her from Freaks and Geeks, but I know her from Cougar Town as CC’s fun-loving, super-supportive sidekick. When you watch Busy Phillips on her cheeky, positive-vibes only E! talk show, a sense of “we’re all in this together” and “being kind to one another” is definitely a recipe for demolishing disaster. Remember how major Chelsea’s career became because of what so many probably considered a silly little talk show… well. I’m not a fortune teller or anything, but I could totally see Ms. Phillips taking over the universe. I want to be one of her minions. Cheers to another leading lady of late night! 

19. THE VOICE

I’ve always been anti-reality competition shows when it comes to singing, only because I’m a total snob when it comes to what I subject my ears to. My musical tastes are versed and varied, but I still am pretty picky about who I let in to my drums, mostly because I need it to stimulate an eargasm and coincide with my life’s soundtrack. When American Idol launched, I definitely was enamored with Kelly Clarkson’s powerful vocals, but I still kept the close mind that an artist is discovered naturally, not “created” by producers with the backdrop and illusion that AMERICA gets to vote and pick the winner. Ah, who knows, maybe they do… I would just never take the time out to vote. HOWEVER. When I found out Kelly was going to be a judge on The Voice, which is a whole separate animal than Idol, I was shitting my pants with glee, because she really is such a goddamn force of fucking nature. Her spirit is overwhelmingly angelic and I simply love everything about watching her. Last season’s competition was magical, at least for me, perhaps because it was the first time I really got to experience the message and place the show has in the universe. It really is inspiring and lovely to see how much these artists themselves care for the teams they build and the individuals they want to see grow – regardless of whether or not it leads to fame. Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson’s dynamic was really something special that inspired me in so many ways.

18. COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE

I love nothing more than a loose format, sans makeup, realistic conversation between famous people. Talk shows rock and all, but there’s something to be said for two people we all know and (often) admire, getting together and doing something that, ya know, regular people do! Like… go out to breakfast. I was never a fan of the Seinfeld sitcom, mostly because when it was popular it was kinda over my head and nothing that interested me. I’d probably be more inclined to watch and enjoy it now because of how much Veep has made me adore Julia-Louis Dreyfus and now much Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix series about him… getting coffee… with comedians… has made me adore his admiration for vintage cars, honesty in humanity and one of the most important things we all seem to forget sometimes – which is to LAUGH! We live in such politically charged times, and while I get how important it is to talk about the very things we were always brainwashed to believe were impolite to talk about, we also need to be able to make jokes and not be so sensitive about everything. Ya heard?

17. AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL

Oh how I love me some Tyra, but it seems the future is all about Ashley Graham. Yet again – another fucking beautiful superhuman. I am really starting to hate that people even think of someone as “plus size”, but hey, it’s the world we live in. All I see when I look at her is someone with a whole lot of personality, gorgeous features and a personality that you’d be crazy to not gravitate toward. She is living proof that good vibes, energy and kindness (in the fashion industry?! How dare you!) go a long way. Tyra and Co. are doing such a bang-up job sending young women empowering messages about feeling safe in their own skin by infusing all shapes, sizes, colors and archetypes. This cycle was full of hilarious moments and was totally unpredictable. Despite her Trump-loving, Republican ways and complaining about being transformed into a “fire-crotch”, I was rooting for Liberty, Rio and Jeana to compete in the Top 3. That certainly evolved as the season went on, mainly because Jeana’s insecurities were getting the best of her (she had alopecia and they convinced her to be the alien-like, bald beauty – which she looked 10X better as vs. wearing wigs) and Rio had the most off-putting temper tantrum that had me and my bestie Carlee yelling at the the TV, “Who da fuck you think you talkin’ to?!” as if we were speaking for Tyra. Be humble, girls! Beauty ain’t just skin deep. At the end of the day, I loved seeing Kyla take the crown, because her activism, big heart and growth really was something special at the end of the day. Keep up the good work! I want 1000 more cycles.

16. SWEETBITTER

Starz’s adaptation of the best-selling novel by Stephanie Danler is short, but bittersweet. Ella Purnell is a breakout star, headlining the cast of unknowns who are all as equally as fantastic. I think that’s one of my favorite things about it (Caitlin Fitzgerald, in particular, who definitely has that thing) – how naturally gifted the entire cast is. Purnell stars as Tess, an All-American girl from bumfuck who makes her way to New York City to chase the dream, even if she has no idea what it is yet. Any of you who have worked in the service industry as a waiter or waitress will appreciate the authenticity of how intimidating, grueling and chaotic the industry can be… but how much fun it can be once your shift is over.

15. MANIAC

What is Netflix’s limited, vivid, disturbing, funny, emotional rollercoaster about? My brain is exploding from trying to analyze. Typically, in each episode, I get so lost in the perfection that is Emma Stone, I’m completely enthralled by how inspiring it is to watch one of our most exceptional young talents only seem to get better and better. It’s also always a pleasant surprise to see someone like Jonah Hill continue to prove himself as truly versatile. Remember when these two were just getting into stoner cinema and taking over the shelves at Blockbuster, during their Superbad days? Justin Theroux, plus. Sally Field, super-plus. Julia Garner (also of Ozark), a star on the rise! It might make you feel a little crazy while watching, but hey, we all go a little mad sometimes.

14. SHARP OBJECTS

Gillian Flynn’s book to big screen success with Gone Girl made a lot of us anxious to see what would be translated next. Following the trend of mini-series, binge-worthy greatness and big stars coming to the “small” screen, HBO announced Amy Adams would star in Sharp Objects, a dark, sultry murder mystery set in the swampy south that co-stars the amazing Patricia Clarkson – one of my absolute favorite actors. I’ll never forget when I “discovered” her, in Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art, one of my all-time faves. There’s a similar hypnotism with the limited series which also features a deliciously naked Chris Messina, and, of course, the direction of the man I’d say is pretty much cinematic perfection these days – Jean Marc Valee. If you have not yet seen Dallas Buyers Club, and another all-time favorite of mine, Wild, you are missing out. I’m assuming you have watched all of Big Little Lies once or twice, and can’t wait for season two next year. Neither can I. These are the people doing AWESOME awesome things in Hollywood.

13. AMERICAN HORROR STORY: APOCALYPSE

So, I’m always back and forth with AHS. I always love how visually stunning it is, but some seasons either lack substance or are literally just too fucking freaky for me to engage. I can not even set my eyes on Freak Show, thought Cults was too gory and scattered (although fresh off of the Trump presidency was a possible prediction of the future if we don’t all get our shit together) and definitely didn’t even give that Roanoke one a chance. The first two seasons rocked, and Gaga slayed in Hotel, but being that I love witches (Hocus Pocus, Witches of Eastwick) I have to say Coven is my favorite season. I love every Farmiga in life, Precious’ Gaborey Sidibe always makes me laugh and Emma Roberts is a rock star. How gorgeous?! She’s also such a little asshole in the best way. She’s someone I can picture punching me in the face, and I’d invite her to. Apocalypse is the best infusion of boy/girl magic and the ultimate comradery casting wise – as what could make for a perfect finale for the series ties all of Ryan Murphy’s brilliance together. That’s just my opinion – because I think a great series needs to know when to wrap it up, but these days everything is all about milking everything to the last drop, so… idk.

12. THE CONNERS

Roseanne returning was definitely the best of the best in reboot land, until her big mouth got her fired from ABC and launched The Conners, which features the entire cast minus a dead mother. I still respect her as an artist and will always love when TV wasn’t so linked to the Twitterverse, but these days I guess everyone really does have to be super careful about the shit they say – especially when we should know better that racism isn’t cool. It’s such an odd thing, because Roseanne was always so controversial, brave with their material, and was one of the first shows to have an out lesbian comedian/actress and character (the great Sandra Bernhard)… so… idk. That Sarah Gilbert though… she’s somethin’ special.

11. THE GOOD PLACE

Kristen Bell!!!!!!! That’s all. Ok, well, that’s not all… because Ted Danson is equally as amazing. Who wouldn’t love someone married to a dame like Mary Steenburgen?! I’ve been a fan of his since Three Men (and a Little Lady!). The diversity, quick wit, modern spin on the classic sitcom and concept behind this hit NBC series reminds us of why the network is always killing it when it comes to delivering quality, quantity and maintaining its colorful edge. I’m surprised I didn’t get into this show when it premiered, as season 4 approaches and the Globes, and surely the Emmy’s now are getting into recognizing genius when they see it. This show is filled with all the good feels! Maybe Heaven really is a place on Earth.

10. WILL & GRACE

When the reboot of W&G first returned to NBC, I was a bit underwhelmed by some of the writing. It seemed forced and a bit insecure – but it just took a few episodes for them to really get back in the swing of things and season 2 of the return is really on point. Debra Messing is better than ever (congrats on a Globe nomination!), as are Eric, Megan and Sean Hayes – who I’ve always greatly admired because of, what I like to consider his “big break” – the film, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. Growing up gay, Will and Grace was a trailblazing, extremely important and relevant show to so many of us because there wasn’t much of that on TV. But I’ll always remember that adorable indie of Sean’s. He should make more movies! I love him in Pieces of April too!

9. I LOVE YOU AMERICA: with SARAH SILVERMAN

Sarah has always been my absolute favorite comedian. Jesus is Magic is probably one of the most brilliant stand-up comedy feature films I’ve ever seen (are there many of those) combining music, comedy, political satire, sexually inappropriate and explicit linguistics… nothing is off limits. From jokes about AIDS, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Holocaust, to her dead grandmother’s rape to pussy jokes about child lesbians she’s related to. On her new Hulu series, Silverman takes a tour of the great country we live in, United States of A, talking to Trump supporters, men and women of all colors, shapes and sizes and makes an honest, unbiased, non-judgmental effort to deliver an intellectual perspective on all things current and heated in the minds of many. I love her condescending approach, ability to keep her cool, remain true to herself and do something important with her career. It’s a humbled and divine dose of reality that I think we all need, as at the end of the day she’s basically trying to unite us and get people to understand that despite our differences, respect and kindness can truly inspire change.

8. POSE

First of all – watch Paris is Burning, if you’ve never seen it.

I remember when I worked for the super cool East-coast indie video chain, TLA Video, it was one of the most popular rentals in our Gay and Lesbian section, as it should be. It’s a classic documentary that captures the heart, sole and strut of African American LGBTQ culture during the AIDS epidemic, when being a queen and going to the balls would begin to define what FIERCE meant for a generation. (Play: Azealia Banks, Fierce). It’s one of RuPaul’s favorite movies and certainly inspiration for Ryan Murphy’s vivid and heartfelt FX series starring Evan Peters, James Van Der Beek, Kate Mara and a wonderful assortment of newcomers including the fetch, fierce, versatile and gorgeous MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson and (MY FAVE) Indya Moore.

7. CAMPING

Ever since 13 Going on 30, I’ve known Jennifer Garner was a unicorn. She has that innate ability to charm, impress and entertain us with charisma and natural comedic talent. When it comes to the American adaptation of the Brit series Camping, developed for HBO (in part with Girls’ master Lena Dunham), the team surely arranged the most perfect blend of talent for both behind and in front of the camera. Garner brings the most complicated and hilarious nuances to her character and proves she is more than capable of leading a most diverse and perfectly perfect blend of talent.

6. OZARK

Janet McTeer!! OMG! This woman is amazing and really the force that makes the sophomore season of the hit Netflix drug smuggling/money laundering/gangsta livin’ series all the more bombastic. Sure, Jason Bateman continues to be awesome in every way, but the women on the latest season (even the creepy old meth lady who wants a baby at 99) really slay and own the show, keeping us on the edges of our seats and beyond impressed with how hard anyone with a vagina is proving that they are taking over the world these days. As if we needed more reasons to be obsessed with Laura Linney – she takes her character to new heights, getting more screen time and really being thrust into a more evolved dynamic – sort of how Robin Wright does on House of Cards. As though the audience was more drawn to the female than the male lead the series was built around. But Janet McTeer?! Holy fuck, Janet McTeer. She’ll make your skin crawl and keep you up at night… binge-watching.

5. THE AFFAIR

Showtime’s scandalous, suspenseful and intricate portrait of love, marriage and infidelity has been one of my must-see series since its debut. The entire cast is pure magic, especially the four leads – Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson. I’m constantly lobbying for Tierney, who continues to blow my mind with everything from those perfect, pouty lips to the way she can make my heart melt with a single tear. Last season, the twists and turns were so unexpected – something so refreshing these days when it comes to storytelling – that none of us could’ve ever seen coming what we now have to go into season five knowing (and grieving with, in my case). This is one of of those shows that stands tall from start to finish, and continues to inspire the way character and perspective is conveyed, as well as how we process it ourselves as an audience. I’ve always been fascinated by the same story being told through different goggles – kind of like in The Rules of Attraction, or Go. I can’t wait to see how this show wraps up, as I am pretty certain we move into the final act, which in itself is always a great quality for a series to know when to wrap it up.

4. HERE & NOW

Alan Ball, oh how I love thee. In the evidence of his brilliance, my affection toward Ball’s beautiful writing and ability to conduct such a beautiful cinematic symphony began with Six Feet Under, as it did most. If ever there were a perfect start to finish series… Rare is the artistic bird who can take such a celebrated drama and weave the social and political issues into a horror series – which is what he did with the addictive True Blood, a show that I would find myself equally hypnotized and aroused by. Ball’s latest gem is yet again a celebration of why we love HBO, his observant mind and heart, and ability to recognize genius when he sees it, in regard to casting. The always wonderful Holly Hunter and Tim Robbins headline a cast of brave, beautiful talents – including the tiny miracle that is the birth-child of Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Sosie, who is one of my favorite actors/characters in this captivating new drama that celebrates all the feels of our current reality. It’s a mixed blend of understanding the human condition and how people of all walks relate to one another while truggling with matters of the heart and psychological warfare.

3. RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE

For ten seasons now, Queen of Drag, RuPaul Charles has been taking her dynasty and giving it a royal upgrade every season with eye-popping elements that consistently allow this groundbreaking competition series to be one of queer and pop culture’s most celebrated. From the guest judges (Season X premiered with a Farrah Moan-esque Christina Aguilera dolled up for all the queens to gag over, which they did – myself included) to Michelle Visage’s dazzling eyewear collection to the costumes to the casting and the challenges – which get more and more innovative – Rupaul’s Drag Race has become a small empire that has the promise to spinning into so many different types of series and assure celebrity drag careers are a thing of the future, now more than ever. I loved the queens this season, especially my future husband Kameron Michaels (beautiful inside and out, boy or girl) and the well-deserved winner Aquaria. This was the second season in a row for me (I haven’t seen a lot of the previous seasons) where Ru got it absolutely perfect. I’m also a huge fan of Vice’s The Trixie and Katya Show which you should get into as well!

2. THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

All of the hype surrounding the Golden Globe & Emmy winning Amazon Prime series starring the incomparable Rachel Brosnahan as Mrs. Maisel, is the type of perfection that isn’t all-talk. Everything you’ve heard about this hilarious gem of a binge-worthy comedy is true: the costumes, the production design, the brilliant performances, directing and top-notch writing is on trend with celebrating everything we love about women in the world right now, and the time capsule reminds us of how far everyone has come marching to the beat of optimism and fighting for equality. I’m so happy the great Alex Borstein has been honored and been receiving praise for her work, and rightfully so, as she steals scenes from the great Maisel herself in the latest season. It’s truly one of the best watches out there, so get into it!

1. SCHITT’S CREEK

What started out as a little Canadian sitcom from a then unknown Pop TV, has since become a pop culture phenomenon and one of the small screen’s most celebrated, quoted and adored comedies out there. In Season four, we continue to follow the Rose’s on their journey of personal growth, going from riches to rags in a small bumfuck town where they clearly stick out like a redneck tooth fairy for plenty of good reasons. We already knew Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy were totes brilliant, but every season I grow more and more enamored with how crazy talented Dan Levy & Annie Murphy are. Their nuances, the way the arcs of their characters have evolved… it’s like their learning from two comic legends and its working for them every step of the way. This is truly already an iconic, feel good show that is spreading such messages of love and beauty throughout society. Loves it!

[hudders-and-hiddles]

recipe for a great autumn sunday:

a jar of some sort. i think this one i’m using’s like an 8 oz one maybe? yes, you can technically substitute a regular cup or some shit, but like, is that really the handcrafted autumnal vibe you want to be putting out into the universe?

2 shots of caramel vodka. i went with salted caramel because i’m a gourmet b*nch like that, or maybe because the abc store was out of regular caramel, i don’t really remember which

1 to 2 shots of butterscotch schnapps, depending on how much you spill on the counter while tryin to pour it into the jar

hold on i gotta make some chili cheese fries, brb

1 shot of red apple liqueur. you can use green if you can’t find red or if you want your shit to taste like a damn jolly rancher instead of pure autumn awesomeness

cinnamon. just shake some straight into the jar. no, more than that. more. ok stop, that’s good.

vanilla extract. just a little bit. this isn’t a fucking cake.

apple cider. for authenticity you could go down to your local farmer’s market and get some locally sourced, hand pressed, fancy ass cider, or you can just buy that cheap shit from the grocery store because you’re adding a bunch of alcohol to it so who really gives af. pour all the booze in the jar and then fill it the rest of the way with the cider.

shake that shit. actually, make sure you put the lid on first. and then shake that shit. not a mistake you want to make twice

martha stewart would prob have you like, core out a big fucking apple and serve your drink in that, but if you’ve already been drinking at this point like i have, you prob shouldn’t be fucking around with knives, so just like, a regular glass is fine. i’m using a pint glass because i like a lot of room for ice.

pour half of the cider mix in your jar over the ice. 

top it off with your preferred brand of hard cider. OR if you’re trying to impress your crush or just treat yourself real nice like you deserve, you could top it with some champagne or sparkling wine. i got a bottle of moscato chilling in the fridge rn to use for this later tonight

guess what? you only used half the jar so you got enough left to share with a friend. find a buddy and make them a drink too. autumn fun bringing everybody together

[givencontext]

Second Quarter Review 2019

It’s the first of July, so we are officially at the halfway mark of 2019. This means it’s time to check in with our goals and themes for the year. My theme for the year is Adventure, and I tried to couch my goals in that theme.  Let’s see how much progress I made in the second quarter. It feels like just the other day that I just wrote this post reviewing the first quarter…. Was it really three months ago? It was. So here’s my Q2 progress report.

Mood

I explained that the first three months were rough, so naturally, the next three had to kick it up a notch. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I am one of the rare cases that suffers most in the summer. There are a few weeks leading up to the first day of summer that tend to be the most challenging time of year for me. Much of the 2nd quarter did see me in a better mood, but the recency effect means that the last month clouds the whole thing. I really felt like I was on the verge of making a breakthrough in exploring some childhood trauma that comes up at this time every year… and then the other shoe dropped. Actually, several shoes dropped at the same time. It was literally raining shoes, but, like, shoes that are uncomfortable, the wrong size, and not even cute! WTHeck!? It was a perfect storm of Trina’s Triggers. There were a few points where I felt like 20 years of “growth” was ripped out from under me like a rug, but a very kind soul reminded me that it would not take another 20 years to get my peace back. She was right. I am immensely grateful for kind souls like her, because there are about 20 of her for every lying, conniving, backstabbing… let’s just say “bless their heart” and move on. And I mean it. Would you mind sending some love, good vibes, etc. to a terrible person? I want this person to be so “blessed” that the next time they feel the need to drag someone to their level it will mean doing someone a favor instead of harm. I don’t personally want to kill ’em with kindness; that line is drawn; but wouldn’t it be fun to just “bless the heck out of ’em?” I know this can work, because I’ve done something similar in the past. Thanks for helping!

Achievement Unlocked!

Did I ever tell you about the time I did a tap dance on stage? It was so much fun. I am not the best tapper, but I nailed it that day. And what an honor to tap with my oldest kid! She’s an absolute wizard of tap. She might get tired of me telling people that, but she seriously has talent and skill, and I am one proud mama. I am also proud to say that I had so many wonderful friends who took time out of their Saturday to come and watch us dance. I am endlessly amazed at the kindness of my friends and how lucky I am to have connected with each of them. If I can issue one bit of advice, it is to surround yourself with awesome people. I also suggest being an awesome person, but that’s easier when you have lots of good examples.

One of the most epic achievements of recent months isn’t actually something I did, but I get to take credit anyway. Not only can my #1 kid kill it on the tap stage, but she graduated from college! She could have tapped across the stage to accept her diploma, but she didn’t want to show up the other recipients. If you want to feel accomplished as a parent, watch your first born finish college. My work here is done, right? We had two nephews and a great-nephew graduate from high school too. It was like a parade of first borns! That was a good week with a lot of celebration.

More Fun

What else happened in Q2? I attended the 5th annual Bentonville Film Festival. I watched a LOT of movies. I made a quick work trip where I presented in front of about a million people who have the same job I do, which means they are the top people in this field. Okay, it wasn’t a million, maybe a hundred. Anyway, it was sort of a big deal. They changed my time limit and I went over… Music started playing… It was like getting the hook at the Oscars! It made me feel very important. I was also talked into trying to read a book per week for a summer reading challenge. Just over four weeks in and I have finished six of my twelve books.

I also walked in our local Pride parade with other mama bears giving out Free Mom Hugs. This was fun, but it was also heartbreaking. I wish none of those hugs were necessary, but I could tell that some of them really, really were. If you’re a parent, please hug your kid and never stop hugging your kid. Being a parent can be hard, but if you think back you will remember that being a kid is harder. Hugs help!

I also saw L.A. Guns for the second time thirty years after they were my first rock concert. That was so much fun! I almost felt 13 again. Except my knee was hurting.

How’d I do?

In my Q1 Review, I mentioned plans for each of the following areas. Did I make any progress?

Home – This is going to be a work in progress for some time. Most tasks that were checked off this list were thanks to my wonderful husband. I did do some clothing Kon-Mari. And I *mostly* bought e-books, so that’s a win.

Books and Blogging – Speaking of books… I read a lot! Speaking of blogs… posts were woefully sparse. My summer reading challenge is going to see me through a strong third quarter.

BLE/Health/Activity – I still have not completed the BLE course that I started in January. I made progress though! I have also had a rash of “not bright” days. Willpower has been depleted. I also had a good stretch of really good days, so let’s focus on that. I will be attending the BLE Family Reunion (conference) and spending time with some women I have gotten to know “virtually.” I know recent stuff is just a blip, and July is off to a fresh start. Also, my back has been feeling better! I think it was the hugs. I also had some regular yoga happening until I sprained my knee. That hurt REALLY bad for a bit but already feels a lot better. All of this boils down to self care and it must be a priority.

Financial – We are blessed. This is also one of those areas where we can’t seem to catch a break. As soon as we “get ahead” something sweeps in like the Red Queen and lops that lovely head off. But we were ahead for a minute, and that counts!

ADVENTURE

My biggest adventure of Q2 was the tap dancing. July is going to be one long adventure, so stay tuned for that. I am very excited. We all deserve a break.

My ABC’s

I would be remiss to talk about my themes and goals without checking in with my core values. How close was I to the bullseye when trying to maintain authenticity, balance, and connection?

Authenticity– I’m feeling good about this one. I referenced some setbacks above, but I think recognizing that I felt disconnected was a huge win in the authenticity bucket. I identified what I needed and I asked for it. Yay me.

Balance– I took time for myself. I went to yoga, ramped up my meditation, and went back to using a daily checklist. I also had days when it was all I could do to get out of bed. I got out bed every day though. I slept late and went to bed early. I did my best, because that’s the best I could do.

Connection– This one ties into the other two. I had to be authentic and balanced, which meant accepting that I didn’t always want to be connected. I still had connections. Three months of isolation would be a red flag, but April-June were good enough. April is when so many friends supported me at tap recital, so that was a connection high point.

Look ahead at Q3

As I write this, we are several hours into our epic road trip. The month of July is going to be so cool; I don’t know how the next few months will measure up. That’s okay, they don’t have to compete. With a full agenda for the next several days, it’s hard to remember my plans beyond that. I’ll let you know at the end of September.

Leave a comment to let me know how your year has gone so far!

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[njawaidofficial]

21 Fictional Restaurants, Bars, And Clubs That Need To Be Turned Into Pop-Ups ASAP

https://styleveryday.com/2018/03/31/21-fictional-restaurants-bars-and-clubs-that-need-to-be-turned-into-pop-ups-asap/

21 Fictional Restaurants, Bars, And Clubs That Need To Be Turned Into Pop-Ups ASAP

Just because Gilmore Girls, Friends, Saved by the Bell, Twin Peaks, and countless others have been done, doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of options left.

Jack Rabbit Slims (Pulp Fiction)

It’s honestly crazy that this hasn’t been done already. Requirements: car booths, $5 shakes, and real dance contests. Anyone who confuses Mamie Van Doren with Marilyn Monroe WILL be shamed.

Miramax / Via youtube.com

The Smash Club (Full House)

As a child, I truly believed The Smash Club had the coolest decor of any place on this planet. Performances by Jesse and The Rippers and/or Hot Daddy and the Monkey Puppets will need to happen on the reg. Also, the napkins will need to read “The Smush Club” for an added flair.

ABC / Via twitter.com

Café Nervosa (Frasier)

If someone as snooty as Frasier goes to the same coffee shop in Seattle, the coffee mecca, every single day… well, then it must have some amazing coffee. The world NEEDS this.

NBC / Via netflix.com

The Bronze (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Requirements: live shows by obscure ’90s bands, the ability to trade roaches for drinks, and the balance between selling alcohol while still allowing in minors. Oh, and it will obviously need to include people lurking in the corners, dressed as vampires.

WB / Via playbuzz.com

Mooby’s (Clerks II)

The fictional fast food chain is referenced in multiple Kevin Smith movies, but we really get a good look in Clerks II. If you’re like me, you spent a good chunk of your high school years wishing you could try one of these burgers.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / Via filmcomment.com

The Hub (That ’70s Show)

This is mainly an excuse to go somewhere dressed in sweeeeet ’70s garb. Also, pinball is a must. Fez hiding in the women’s room will NOT be part of this, for the record.

FOX / Via flavorwire.com

The Peach Pit (Beverly Hills 90210)

I’m not completely sure why ’90s teens would want to hang out in a ’50s style diner, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be recreated to perfection. It will obviously include the Peach Pit After Dark expansion, hopefully with some rad performances.

FOX / Via flavorwire.com

The Ink And Paint Club (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

Okay, I’ll be honest, I have absolutely NO IDEA how this can be pulled off. However, I have faith that someone will figure out how to let us eager patrons mingle with cartoon characters. Worse case scenario, a human will sing “Why Don’t You Do Right?”

Buena Vista Pictures / Via imnotbad.com

Krusty Krab (SpongeBob SquarePants)

This SORT OF existed already, but it wasn’t exactly on the level. I’d like to see a Nickelodeon-approved version, preferably with a rival Chum Bucket across the street. That shouldn’t be too hard to add to the budget, right?

Nickeldeon / Via complex.com

Ten Forward (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Who wouldn’t want to visit this super sleek space bar? If we’re lucky, maybe Whoopi Goldberg will make a special appearance.

CBS / Via stexpanded.wikia.com

Canto Bight Casino (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

Since the Mos Eisley Cantina has already been done, I think the fancy casino from the new film would be a fun place to see IRL. I don’t know the logistics of running a temporary casino, but that’s not for me to worry about. Alternatively, we could open a Jabba’s Palace, but that sounds kind of bleak.

Lucasfilm

JJ’s Diner (Parks and Rec)

Television shows sure like their diners, don’t they? However, it would be a disservice to Leslie Knope to not wish for an IRL JJ’s. The only requirement is delicious waffles.

NBC / Via screenbid.com

Honker Burger (Doug)

This place had a real sweet vibe and awesome aesthetic. In the show, it eventually changed to Chez Honque, and honestly, French food is a welcome change from all these burger joints.

Nickelodeon / Via dabpinshop.com

The Frosty Palace (Grease)

It was my dream as a kid to walk inside The Frosty Palace, and now that pop-ups exist, I think it’s safe to say the dream isn’t officially dead. I tried to replicate it in my bedroom for my Grease themed 9th birthday party, but it just didn’t match up.

Paramount Pictures / Via flickr.com

Omeletteville (Saturday Night Live)

Alright, so we don’t have much to go off of in terms of interior design, but breakfast food + Justin Timberlake in an omelette costume = more than enough to get started.

NBC / Via pintrest.com

Good Burger (Good Burger)

If we can’t get Kel, we’re going to need a convincing look-a-like, because he is the heart and soul of this (dare I say, excellent?) idea.

Nickeldoen / Via youtube.com

Lulu’s Pies (Waitress)

The pies look so delectable, the world DESERVES to try them all. Obviously, there will be the occasional surprise performance from the Broadway cast.

Fox Searchlight Pictures / Via variety.com

Arnold’s (Happy Days)

This list might be a little oversaturated with ’50s diners, but Arnold’s is a classic and it would be just plain rude to leave it out. Requirements: someone dressed as The Fonz hitting the jukebox for some cool, free tunes.

ABC / Via happydays.wikia.com

The Snakehole Lounge (Parks and Rec)

JJ’s isn’t the only Pawnee staple we want to see come to life. This place is going to be slick and hoppin’. And there’s only one requirement: Snake Juice.

NBC / Via coub.com

Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop (Harry Potter)

Most of the Harry Potter locations have been done, but aside from a storefront at Universal Studios, Madam Puddifoot’s is still up for grabs. We’ve had coffee shops and bars and restaurant pop-ups… It’s tea’s time!

Bloomsbury / Via hp-lexicon.org

Tiana’s Palace (The Princess and the Frog)

This would definitely be the fanciest pop-up of them all. Delicious cajun cuisine PLUS a gator-led band?? Shut it down, this is the best idea of them all.

Disney / Via disney.com

What are some pop-ups you’d like to see? Tell us in the comments!

Also, if any of these already exist, please let us know so I can visit them ASAP.

WB / Via ctboom.com

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

'Scandal' Star Katie Lowes on the Shocking Quinn Twist and What It Means (Exclusive)

Warning: Spoiler alert! Do not proceed if you haven't watched Thursday's episode of Scandal. If you have, you may proceed...

What really happened to Quinn?

On Thursday's episode of Scandal, titled "Good People," viewers finally got to see what actually went down in Rowan's basement the day Quinn was kidnapped. Did Rowan kill Quinn with a gunshot to the head and another one to the stomach? While it appeared to be the case, leaving Olivia and co. to say farewell to Quinn with a "warrior" send-off, it was revealed in this episode that there's far more to the story than meets the eye.

Turns out, Quinn and her baby are very much alive and well.  

Here's how it all went down: After Papa Pope presented Olivia the ultimatum of Quinn's life or his dinosaur bones, Olivia called his bluff, choosing the latter. That's when Rowan went down the basement steps and fired off two shots, which, in Olivia's mind, confirmed that Quinn was dead. Not so fast, though. Rowan didn't fire those shots at Quinn, choosing at the last moment to spare her and her child's life. That crying baby girl Charlie came across? That's Quinn's baby.

Following the episode, Scandal star Katie Lowes spoke with ET to break down the big Quinn twist, filming the intense birthing scene weeks away from giving birth herself, and what this means moving forward.

ET: Set the record straight once and for all. Quinn is alive, correct?

Katie Lowes: She is alive. 

Were you aware beforehand that Quinn wasn't going to end up six feet under?

Yeah. I knew I was alive because we shot the episodes out of order. I actually shot tonight's episode before they shot last week's episode, so I knew she was alive. The whole funeral episode that happened last week was such a gift. I was like, "Oh my gosh, this is like an homage to Quinn!" -- this character I've been so lucky to play the last seven seasons. I was very overwhelmed and appreciative. I emailed [creator] Shonda [Rhimes] after last week's episode and I was like, "That was such a gift to be able to go through her funeral knowing she wasn't actually dead." I could appreciate how special Quinn is to me and how special she was to her fellow Gladiators and how special she was and is to the fans. It was awesome.

This episode packed quite an emotional punch, and I can only imagine how tough some of the scenes were to film for you.

It was so intense. I was nine-and-a-half months pregnant, and I could have gone into labor at any time. (Laughs.) I was shooting intense things with Joe Morton, who was such a love and a gift and a friend to me during this whole episode and kept looking down at my stomach being like, "It's pretend! You're OK. We're safe." And we were. There's no better place to be pregnant and working than Shondaland. Yes, those scenes were super emotional and very intense, but I was so taken care of as soon as they called "cut." I was in a comfy chair and there were awesome PAs bringing me water and changing my shoes and making me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It was very comforting. There was a medic on set at all times whenever there were difficult physical scenes. There was a stunt coordinator. There was an OB there making sure I was doing everything safe for the baby. It was incredible.

You kind of got to have a trial run with Quinn's birthing scene.

Oh, yeah! The scene where I was pushing and giving birth with all my friends and I was like, "Oh my god, you guys, I'm going to be doing this in a couple of weeks but, like, for real!" I had a blanket over my knees and they either pulled out a real baby, who was an actor, or they would pull out a fake baby that was a doll covered in cottage cheese and grape jelly, which was real gross. What a surreal mind-bending experience! I really got the most emotional when they pulled out the real baby because the real baby was hysterically crying, and so it was kind of like, Oh my god, this is what's really going to be happening to me. I just gave birth to my first child [in October 2017]. It was really [an] out of body [experience]. The scene where I put the baby in Olivia's old bedroom and I'm holding a real baby? That baby was on top of my big stomach with my real baby inside of it. (Laughs.) I was like, this is just unbelievable.

You went through a lot of emotions during the filming of this episode, it seems.

A hormonal roller coaster.

At this point in time, everyone believes that Quinn is dead. What can you tease in terms of Olivia and the others possibly discovering that Quinn is alive?

At the end of tonight's episode, the only person that knows is Rowan, and they're both in agreement and have sort of formed this alliance that here is where we're safe and they have to sort of figure out -- you'll see how it plays out very soon -- how well they're able to keep this way of life up.

Who will have the most surprising reaction if and when they do learn the truth about Quinn?

If Charlie ever finds out that his fiancee and his baby are alive and well, that would be the one I would be most interested to see.

And just to confirm: The baby Charlie saw in last week's episode is Quinn's?

Yes, that is Quinn's baby.

There was one line Quinn says that really struck a chord, when she calls Rowan a "good person." Does she truly believe that?

I think they had some sort of weird connection in this episode. As far as it being super intense that he wanted to kill her, he also made a choice not to kill her. In some other alternate reality, Rowan would be a great dad and a great grandpa -- if he wasn't also a killer. She gets confused about trusting him, and I think there are parts of him that are a good person, and Joe did an amazing job of making Rowan complicated enough that he is good and evil. He's many things. He's complicated. But then again, it's Papa Pope and you can trust him as far as you can throw him. When Quinn goes downstairs [at the end of the episode], of course he's killed somebody -- but he's killed somebody for the good of her life and her baby's life. That's kind of how it works, I guess.

Olivia seems so far gone this season. In your heart of hearts, what will it take for Olivia to regain a sense of morality?

I don't know if she ever can. I think Quinn thinks she's so far gone. I'm not that far ahead of you and I haven't seen the end of what this series looks like. At the moment, I'm not sure if Quinn and Olivia as friends [is possible]. I don't know if they can ever come back from this.

The Scandal-How to Get Away With Murder crossover is coming up in March. What are you comfortable saying in regards to your involvement in those episodes?

All I can say is that Annalise crosses over to us and Olivia Pope crosses over to them, and that's all I can say about that. It is a mystery.

In terms of the upcoming episodes you've already shot, what kind of vibe should fans expect?

In the next episode, I got to do the most fun and favorite thing I ever got to do on Scandal. It's really, really, really fun and it's not intense.

Scandal airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

RELATED CONTENT:

'Scandal' Sneak Peek: Is This How Quinn Spent Her Final Days Alive? (Exclusive)

‘Scandal' Sends Quinn Off With a Bang -- But Whose Baby Is That?

'Scandal' Star Joe Morton Says Olivia ‘Has to Deal With the Consequences’ -- Is Quinn Really Dead? (Exclusive)

[shesinspain-blog]

I moved to Paris!

Happy October!

Not really sure what fall is like here since it’s still 70 degrees. I think it’s just not gonna be a thing. I’m looking forward to temperatures dropping in November and December and having a bit of a chill in the air!

So I’m actually a human being over here you guys. Life is good. I just passed my one-month point litrally yesterday. I can’t believe how much has changed already!

I got hired with VIP KID! YAAAAY. It’s an online organization that connects Americans to kids in China for 30 minute classes. It is awesome. I have taught at least 50 classes already and work from home. My “classroom” is full of props and has a backdrop of ABCs and numbers. It takes a lot of energy to teach these kids, but I’m having a lot of fun with it, and some of them have done multiple classes with me. Today, I taught a girl named Angela about colors and bigger/smaller. We had extra time after class and she was showing me all the things she has that are blue (her favorite color). Then she goes, “Teacher, what is your favorite color?” it was so adorable, I couldn’t stop giggling.

This week I start tutoring privately! I’m excited for that too. The family is about 20 minutes from my house. So yes. I got the job thing kind of figured out. And I also have….

AN APARTMENT!!!!!!

*deafening cheers from the audience*

Yeah the apartment search was awful. Sarah (my BFF) always found our apartments in Columbus so I had no idea how much work it would take. I texted one hundred people for places. I looked at 2 major websites almost every hour for two weeks. I visited sixteen places and spent so much time and energy trying to figure it out. Oh and since the demand is so high right now I was just trying to fit in with *any* kind of roommates. I went to one house where the girl had a dog and was smoking weed during the whole interview. Another house the guy told me they don’t make friends with each other and they don’t like any noise. At both of these (and everywhere else) i was like 

LOL YEAH PERFECT LOVE IT LOVE YOU GUYS HI I’M ARTSY AND ONLY SPEAK ENGLISH PLS LOVE ME

But my home now is perfect. Perfect. It’s on Carrer de Paris (hence this post title lol). I’m including the link to the “AirBnB” guide of my neighborhood bc it will give you a good sense of the vibe! It’s in a really *authentic* part of the city. It’s close to my friends here and it’s in a safe area. I spent 2 hours yesterday walking my suitcases back and forth from my airbnb to my new apartment and I passed so many cafes, gelato shops, and wow there are like lots of plant shops?? Like it almost seems like they can’t all be in business???? Haha I love it. I’m excited to have the day off tomorrow and explore way more.

Businesses here seeeeriously shut down on Sundays. On a scale of 1 to Chik-Fil-A it’s a 10. I kind of like it because it forces me to be lazy or do something low-key. I just bought Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie and I’m planning on reading for most of the evening.

So things are going well here. I almost titled this “Darkest before the dawn” because I had a brutal couple weeks. The house hunt made me feel so defeated and confused about ~my purpose~ and I had a hard time staying hopeful. And before I had a job I was pretty sure I would run out of money (I still might LOL). OH AND ThEN IN THE THICK OF IT ALL MY PHONE BROKE. My mom got a craaazy call from me that day. Having a return plane ticket made me feel like I at least had a way out if things didn’t turn around. And Starbucks is still my go-to in crises (hey, everyone has their vice). But I survived, and all those low points have made me reallly appreciate the successes!

Tomorrow, I’m going to IKEA to get sheets and stuff. This month I’m gonna try to actually go to some museums around here. There are 2 visiting exhibits (Andy Warhol & David Bowie) that I’m really excited to see. And I’m gonna try to find more info about the city’s history and sketch the architecture here… I have a lot to look forward to. It’s easier to make these kind of plans now that I’m not putting the puzzle pieces of life together.

I’m just really happy to be here and I’m enjoying myself! More updates soon :)

And no quotes today, just go watch the Lady Gaga documentary lol

AirBnB guide to L'Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample

[daleisgreat]

Roseanne - Season 5

Time does not stop for the Roseanne marathon. Welcome to my blog covering season five of my all-time favorite sitcom (s5 excerpt). If you missed my past season write-ups, click here to consume the previous installments. As with my past editions, I will continue my format of bullet point highs and lows of the season: -Like last season’s blog, I will kickstart this season’s list with a job status roll call. If you recall, the café in the mall Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) worked at last season closed down in the season four finale, so Roseanne starts off the season jobless. Also as I alluded to season four ended with Dan (John Goodman) not being optimistic about the future for the bike shop, and his worries prove true as the bike shop closes the in the first episode of season five. I loved the bike shop! I was sad to see it go, and the show goes to great lengths to make it feel rotten for a family investing it all and striking out. The first few episodes of the season are pretty depressing for the Connor family as the episodes have a despondent undertone for them as the Connors try to find work and make the most of what they have.

Things take an upswing a few episodes later as Roseanne, Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), their mom Beverly (Estelle Parsons) and friend Nancy (Sandra Bernhard) open up their own diner, The Lunchbox. Now this is the restaurant I primarily associated the Conner family working at from what I recalled watching growing up. Things end up going well for the Conner ladies, while Dan struggles finding multiple new jobs throughout the season. I love homey atmosphere of The Lunch Box. Leon (Martin Mull) is not their manager as I recalled, but he does make a cameo as a health inspector in one episode in a scene that he and Roseanne instantly pick up their love/hate relationship where they left off. -The first few episodes of the season have a lot of heavy material. Aside from what I mentioned above of the bike shop closing down and the Conners falling on hard times, Becky (Lecy Goranson) and Mark (Glenn Quinn) elope and move to Minneapolis. There are a lot of intense verbal spats between Becky and her parents where the three really bring it in an explosive first two episodes that saw some of the best acting in the entire series by this point. Becky and Mark are only in the first three episodes this season. This is because Lecy took a break from the show to pursue college, and would explain Sarah Chalke filling in for Becky for the remainder of the series.

-The relationship between Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and David (Johnny Galecki) also escalates. I enjoyed the running gag this season that the two would never have sex. In the latter half of the season, a family blow-up causes David to be taken in and made an official part of the Conner family. This gets thumbs up for me as David seemed like an unofficial member of the family by this point anyways as he was always making himself at home. Darlene and David spend a good chunk of the season debating on leaving town for a writing school, and their relationship is put to the test in the final episodes of the season when only one of them gets accepted to the school. -I was a fan of Roseanne’s new neighbors this season, The Tildens. The daughter Molly (Danielle Harris) is an awesome foil for Darlene this season. Charlotte (Mara Hobel) is the motherly older daughter filling in the mom role for the family since they are only raised by their father Ty (Wings Hauser). There is a fun episode where the Conners and Tildens all squeeze into Ty’s Winnebago for a cross-country road trip filled with nonstop family feuding that brought back countless memories of my family road trips. I was dismayed to find out when researching this blog that the Tildens were only featured in season five of Roseanne as I was a fan of all three by the end of the season.

-Roseanne’s and Dan’s friends are dialed back a lot this season. I was a little bummed by this as I was a big Crystal (Natalie West) and she only appears briefly in two or three episodes. DJ (Michael Fishman) is primarily in the background again this season and completely absent in a couple episodes. DJ primarily is only around to be the weird kid who chimes in with an awkward zinger or two an episode. He does have a couple fun scenes with a really young Joseph-Gordon Levitt in the season finale though. -Other than a couple exception episodes, most of the middle third of this season is kind of a lull. To be honest, the crowd took it away from me with them suffering from cracking up way too much at every joke and one-liner regardless of how funny it actually was. This part of the season had a big reliance on one-liners and cheap jokes, and a good chunk of the middle episodes this season suffered because of it. I got the vibe from the crowd that Darlene’s new emo-character was the ‘hip/edgy’ character of the year as the audience triply reacted to all of her lines. This lead to what felt like all of Darlene’s lines becoming forgettable cheap laughs to give the audience their edgy-Darlene fix. It got to be insufferable halfway through the season, but thankfully Roseanne dialed it back a couple notches in the season’s final episodes.

-Other real quick tidbits to touch on are that I was surprised by the dark twist that transpires with Jackie her latest boyfriend, Fisher (Matt Roth) this season. Props to the show for touching on controversial issues in the early 90s. They also regularly feature a couple gay characters this season which was uncommon among most network sitcoms at the time. I like the 4th-wall breaking scenes where the actors portray themselves in quick little sketches during the end-credits, but I could not help but get the feeling season five jumped the shark on them with a few too many of them this season. I will give DJ props for keeping the Super Nintendo and Game Boy spirit alive in a couple moments again this season. Other notable celebrity cameos in season five include Tim Curry, Chris Farley, Bill Maher and Joan Collins to look forward to. There is only one extra feature on the DVD, but it is a goodie which is a five minute Q&A session with Roseanne Barr where she answers some of her most FAQs concerning the show lore and certain recurring gimmicks that made for a fun little bonus. -That wraps it up for season five! It has a strong first few and final few episodes, but only a few worthwhile episodes in the middle which makes it a bit of a challenge to get through. Only five more months until the new season of Roseanne premieres on ABC this January! Get stoked! Past TV/Web Series Blogs 2013-14 TV Season Recap 2014-15 TV Season Recap 2015-16 TV Season Recap 2016-17 TV Season Recap Adventures of Briscoe County Jr: The Complete Series Angry Videogame Nerd Volumes 7-9 Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Season 1 OJ: Made in America: 30 for 30 RedvsBlue - Seasons 1-13 Roseanne – Seasons 1-9 Seinfeld Final Season Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle Superheroes: Pioneers of Television

[crashpaddiaries]

Dear Crashpad Diary #23

Talking about: On drugs the way down / Helicopter at the avalanche risk area / The odds of getting a tour / Having a restaurant not knowing how to cook / Where is the last day?? / back to the madness / Sleeping tractor

Hi beast!!! what´s up?? All sweet and great yeah!! =)

Meantime our fantastic adventure through the Himalayan range kept going and as all the mountaineering acts, after suffering, huge efforts, troubles and tough decisions, you reach your summit and…. time to go down!! hahah

Something like: “Oh… we made it!! Cool!! Well… lets start going down cuz you know… the weather… the descent is the most dangerous part of the climb/hike…. bla bla bla” hahahahahh

To us it worked a bit better… we go there… I took few pics while the guys were inside the tea house warming up… after that we grabbed some food… went to the proper base of the Annapurna…

What a massive and beautiful piece of art…. the mother nature worked incredibly well on that one… sitting there for between many peaks, you perfectly understand why that mountain, among all of those, has something special….

We took as many pics as our frozen-to-be hands could and started our descent alongside with the huge mountain and through the valley… Dunno if you remember but Lara and Fabio had given up cuz she was feeling pain in her knee. By that time I lent her my knee brace and ibuprofen cream, the one I was carrying for the way down… as I have a known problem in mine… well… she gave up and forgot to give me back… As a result, I had to walk down on drugs and dealing with the pain… and the worse is that all the stairs we got going up we were getting now going back… I´d like to thank the one that created the painkillers… love you guys!! hahahahah

Passing by Deurali, Luh got a new adventure with toilets… we stopped to catch a breath and he got inside the toilet… suddenly we started hearing a weird and loud noise… sth that none of us understood well… and… as we were around the avalanche risk area I yelled at him to tell him to get out of there quick! So he did get out not  understanding much hehe

After few secs we got it… it was the helicopter that we saw flying earlier that day… it seems someone needed to be rescued… fair enough… the trek and the environment are indeed pretty aggressive to those that are not prepared both… mentally and physically!

Going down that day we reached to one of the last guest houses… the places in the ABC are quite similar but that one was under the average… weird!! Just for you to have an idea… we got there starve (once again) and the guys ordered an fried noodle… the chowmein that we have been eating pretty much everyday and I have to agree that it was a good call cuz all of them were scrumptious… I didn’t want another one though… so I ordered a simple omelet with chapatti… or as it was written on the menu…. Omlet… haha we have so much fun with the mispellings… not in a bad way tho… they are fun… like Watermillion!! hahahah

Well… getting back to the lunch…. my omelet came fast and right… ok… it´d be harder mess up with a simple food like that!! But when the chowmein came we couldn’t believe… actually that´s what happen when you order noodles with vegetables and eggs and they deliver old-taste spaghetti with tomato sauce…. what?????¿¿?¿? hahahaha

And the best part is that when we complained the guide thought we were wrong… seriously??? hahaha

We asked to change the restaurant for all the other meals and the guide told us how the things work up there… you get the rooms for free if you have all the meals in their restaurant… Ohhhh…. now I got why we have been eating at the same place we were sleeping for the entire trip!! haha in fact the food in all of them was awesome… that was our first “not pleasant” experience! Odds of getting a tour right!!?¿?¿? but considering the trek I still think it´s way better hiring a guide rather than going on your own to somewhere that requires knowledge and maybe becoming stats like many of the trekkers that got lost in the Himalayas…. sad but happens fairly often… =(

Cool… the second most wanted part of the trekking was around the corner… last day of trek… we got finally to the hot springs… hoooooray… resting… chilling and getting warm… what an adventure!! I can´t be grateful enough to the universe!!!

The day after we walked a lil bit and then went back to Pokhara… funny enough… we realised that we were arriving there earlier than the expected… our pace must´ve been good I thought!!

We met Lara and Fabio down there… got some food and discussed few things…. when we were up there, Tulu, the guide, had told us about a tour that he could organise after getting back to Kathmandu… going for one night to a place that we could see the Everest. We got excited… actually we would have gotten excited with anything up there though haha

So.. when we got to pokhara he said that we had a spare day, we could go around the next day and then he would organise the other tour for the upcoming days… as we would be going soon to Thailand we decided for not going then… What made the guy change suddenly his behaviour… he told us then that he could leave us the day after and would go back to KTM… we could do it whenever we wanted…. the way back was already paid…

When we enquired about the day after… that was supposed to be a tour day… with all inclusive and seeing sth else… he told us that when the group is too fast normally the last day is forgotten and in his words “rich people doesn’t´t care about the money they paid for that day”… What??? haha

It´s funny how people assume that just because you are backpacking in their country you have money to burn!! It gets me pissed of… you work as hell to travel and some people´s job is getting your money as easy as possible… fuckers!! haha

I don´t actually know whats worse… trying to get our money whiteout not even provide the service, assume that our parents are paying for our trip or changing the behaviour just because we didn’t do what he wanted…. Shame on you man!!

After long argument he agreed that he would comply with the things that we paid for… but we headed back to KTM anyways the day after… a small con among the ocean of pros and incredible experiences we got in Nepal…

Happily and surely, these people will never affect our fantastic trips!! I just wrote it as a side note, maybe an alert to all the travellers…

In its essence, going up to the Annapurna Base Camp has been and overwhelming trip even more with great friends and my best one… my beloved brother!! What a way to start our trip together!!

That was it… we took the bus the day after… as usual… to get 130 km done we took 10 hours and finally got back to the dusty Kathmandu… time to pack and go to Thailand!!

We all were looking forward to a good night of sleep at the hostel… got the same room… well… the entire time we were there before, it was a quiet stay… we thought it’d be the same… but NO… haha we arrived and there was a thai couple… really cool guy… talkative and all… super kind!! what we did not know is that during the night he plays a tractor!! hahahah I´ve never seen… I mean… heard someone snoring so loud in my life… Even though I had the beats on… I could not sleep… he was sounding like an earthquake inside our room!! hahaha We were so happy when he left the day after… poor guy… its not his choice but we would go mad with that tractor sleeping at the same room one more night hahaha

Sweeeeeeet!! Our last night in KTM was good… no surprises… no one snoring or trying to piss on us… we had all packed and the only worry was how much fun and which adventures Thailand was reserving to us!!

Venga pad thais and climbing… beaches and shakes… so long Nepal… next time I´ll come for the Everest!! Cheers!!

Haha… another long post… sorry…. loads of stories and great memories…. can’t help!! =)

Hope you all are awesome and having a great life!!

All the best vibes and talk to yous soon!!

Namaste!!

Evan

[crashpaddiaries]

Dear Crashpad Diary #22

Today I´ll tell you about: Internet everywhere / Longest walking day ever / Pooing at 4130 masl / Snow storms / Pizza and good chat

Ahooooooooy beasts! =)

How are you?? I hope youre as awesome as we are over here!! =)

The story today is about an expedition… an epic trip… an “epopeia” through the valleys and high peaks of the Himalayan range! and a little bit of suffering! haha =) hehe

I haven´t written much while we were at the trekking because I did not want to bring the pc… however… I was amazed and surprised by the availability internet and phone network up there… pretty much everywhere hehe and whenever, back home, we leave Dublin and go to the Wicklow Mountains (that should be called Wicklow Hills if compared with the Himalayas)… no service and isolation!! hahahahah what a funny world isn’t it?? hehe

So… my bag had already 16 kg without the pc… and I took out the second cam lens for example…. no way to bring a laptop up there hehehehe

The first days… from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then, from there to Gandruk… well… it was fine… and not tiring at all… hahaha maybe trying to hold ourselves at the buses hahahah

The trekking started on our 2nd day… we walked in average around 8 hours or so a day… what a fantastic scenery… the “sendero” goes up and down in a infinite number of steps, passing through valleys… small villages… jungles… feels sometimes that youre in the middle of the Amazon or some remote place in Peru!

The days were supposed to be ok-ish… around 6 hours of trek a day.. fine!! but… nope!! haha We got 8 hours the first day… and the biggest stair I’ve ever seen hehehe but we made it!! Kinda… cuz Lara started feeling the knee.. along side to all the tiredness.. which is normal… feel hours of sleep and we would be new!! =)

The day after we started early… aiming for the base camp before the Annapurna one… generally, people make it “only” to 2 villages before because of the length of the day walking and they get wrecked hehe

Well…. Challenge accepted!! and off we went! =)

On the way we split cuz Lara and Fabio were slower and she was feeling the knee too bad…. since the beginning we were walking and stopping to regroup and then keep going… but this time was different… they weren’t catching up… so at certain point we stopped for a long time and the guide came to us and let us know that they had given up and would go for another trekking… shorter… (dunno where… cuz she told me they walked around 8 hours the next few days too!! haha)

So… there we were… Luh, Stephen, the guide and myself… some hours late… with few kms done… and wanting to go further than the normal day trek…. we speeded up to the lunch place… we would have to go faster but “itll be fine!!”. But you know that the universe always provides us with the best adventure possible haha As soon as we got there an huge snow storm came towards us… to give ya an idea… we were at 2700 masl and I was wearing shorts and t-shirt… as soon as we stopped… it got so cold that we put all our clothes hahaha

We breath an chowmein as fast as we could… put up all the gear for snow and there we went again.. agains the wind, snow, tiredness, but enjoying the expedition and the experience… passing through the avalanche risk area, the valleys with stunning view, going up and up… and few mins before got dark we reached almost 4000 fucking metres above sea level hahahah In your face altitude!! hahahah What a long day!!

But not before getting to a place and learning that they didn’t have availability…. so we had to walk a bit more to another one 10 mins away… but closer to the summit hahahahaha

You could ask me… why not stay where everyone stays?? Cuz we wanted to suffer a bit more, cuz we wanted to see the sunrise at the basecamp, cuz we are not normal, cuz we like challenges!! haha …. you can pick one reason!! =)

That night we got the best pizza ever… chatted a bit and went to bed… was freezing… but before I had to take some pics and took my bro out of bed to be in one of them haha he could not believe I was asking him to go out after getting inside the “cozy” sleeping bag…. as I said… the pain is momentary but the experience is forever!! We got maybe 3 hours of sleep only because sleeping at that  high is freaking hard…. no way counting sheep… they would die of cold! hahaha

Aaaaaaaaaaand the day arrived… we woke up at 4am to start walking towards the last stop…. the ABC…. we felt at that time what feels like to be in an proper expedition… freezing cold… night time… the moon shining… the snow reflecting it…. silence… our chains and sticks breaking the silence and peace…. up there feel lights from the head torchs of people that started a bit earlier showed us the way to our target and the night still going on….

After few hours we made it to the basecamp… I stopped to take pics before it got too bright and the guys kept going cuz twas seriously cold!! so cold that when we got to the top Stephen had to wait maybe 30 mins to stop feeling pain in his toes… or start having sensibility on´em hahahaha

Remember… Pain is momentary… hahaha

Luh was desperate to go to the toilet when got there… the problem is that I was the one carrying the bag (we decided go light and I carried the water, snacks and…. toilet paper hahaha)… and I was having fun freezing my hands off taking long exposure pics down there hahaha

As soon as I got there Luh went running … well… he could not run by that time…. lets say he went as fast as he could… and performed the highest poo he´s ever done… 4130 masl…. long way until his poo gets to the sea!! hahahahaha

It wouldn’t be fair trying to describe the views and experiences up there so… I just wanna say that there is no words to express the trekking and it is more worthy!! So… if you have the chance.. grab it without second thought!! =)

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet beasts… this post is kinda broken cuz I’ve been trying to write for the las 2 weeks but we got busy and we all are doing loads of things at the same time… haha Sorry about that tho!!

Luv yas!! =) All the best vibes and have fun in your day… smile and be happy!!

Cheers,

Evan

ps… the pics of the trekking is available on flickr!! =)