#Wild Kitchen Project 2.0 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

highgaarden · 4 years

Text

The One Where Caroline Rides A Horse And The Salvatores Win Top Chef

many moons ago, i was lucky enough to be involved in a massive writing ficathon project with a handful of absolutely talented writers. i stumbled upon it by chance when i was traversing my dusty, abandoned livejournal, laughed to myself way too many times, and decided that i simply must share it here. so without further ado...

Title | A Chinese Whispers Fic; Or, The One Where Caroline Rides A Horse And The Salvatores Win Top Chef Authors | catteo, swirlsofblue, cranmers, jane_wanderlust, kwritten, bogwitch, kachera, steph2311, ovariesofsteel, nereemac, lizwontcry, jeremy_finch, elenarain and waltzmatildah Artist | pamsblau Fandom | The Vampire Diaries Characters/Pairings | Rebekah, Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Klaus, Elijah, Finn, Bonnie, Elena, Jeremy, Katherine, Alaric (Klaus/Caroline, Rebekah/Damon, Katherine/Jeremy, Bonnie/Finn) Rating | MA Word Count | 10000 Summary | This fic was written by a team of authors who were only given the several hundred most recently written words to work from each time they added a new section. It doesn’t make sense, it’s not supposed to make sense! It’s supposed to be crack, and it is! Crack, glorious crack! The title says it all, really… .

ONE: The Part Where Caroline Rides A Horse And Rebekah Rides Damon

The clock on the kitchen wall tells him it’s four twenty seven. AM or PM is anyone’s guess as the little hand fails to tick a languid journey around the circular face. Damon makes a brief mental note: must buy batteries. Amends: rechargeable batteries. From the inky black that still shrouds the windows, drapes pulled slightly askew as he wanders back into the living room, he guesses the harsh light of morning remains hours out of reach. He takes to cataloguing the damage done as a means to pass the time. A resounding crack in the plasterboard where his shoulder-blades had connected roughly with a support beam. Jagged fragments of vase and lamp and picture frame, shattered, confetti-like, along the length of one hallway. He winces as he bends to collect the larger shards. Notes he can no longer tell the Ming from the Portland and offers up a soft sigh of relief that they’d only been replicas of the real things. There’s a dent in a silver serving tray that looks suspiciously like the curve of Rebekah’s ass. Which is odd because he doesn’t remember them making it as far as the liquor cabinet. Which is empty so… Hmm. Okay. ------ “What are you doing?” He double-takes at the sight of her, naked and dishevelled at the base of the staircase. Imagines glass shards pricking at the soles of her feet and shudders at the inevitability of bloodstains on his oriental carpets. “I’m vacuuming.” His reply swallowed by the airy roar of the device’s motor. “It’s the middle of the night.” He doesn’t really see her point. Tells her. “I don’t really see your point.” “Come to bed.” Which is funnier than it should be but only because, by the smell of her, she’s been rolling around between Stefan’s sheets since they parted ways at the top of the stairs. Naked and breathless and, admittedly, kind of sore. Jesus. “We could have sex again,” she offers. As though she can read his mind. And he must admit, the thought of fucking an Original in his brother’s bed is seven levels of tempting, but… “I’m vacuuming.” Because this mess won’t clean itself up. And it’s not like he can trust anyone else to do it for him. At least, not properly… She pouts, but then… “I’ve never used one of those before…” ------ With a degree of reluctance that is only almost embarrassing, he finds himself handing over control. And when exactly was it that he became this person? This person that could enthusiastically share cleaning tips with his naked sexual conquests. He thinks there must be something about this particular one and the almost wistful way in which she’d regarded the newest member of his collection. The Dyson DC39. Purchased especially because Ric has allergies… Also, the lifetime (heh) HEPA filter warranty and the latest in Radial Cyclone technologies had also been a top selling point. But she’s not quite doing it right he notes. Her sweeping motion with the nozzle entirely too haphazard to ensure optimum debris collection. And he arcs his chest around her bare back then, slides one arm along the length of hers and grips the handle just below where her fingers are tightly entwined. Guides the head of the cleaner into a more fluid motion that is easier to maintain. “Oh,” he hears her whisper. Soft against the side of his neck. “I think I understand it now…” Which is lucky. Because that’s the moment Caroline chooses to ride in. ------ “Is that a - ”No. Ridiculous, he thinks. I’m obviously drunk. Vaguely, he feels his grip loosen on Rebekah’s hand. Notes out of the corner of his eye that she keeps up the fluid, efficient motion he’d taught her moments ago but is too busy gaping at Vampire Barbie 2.0 sitting atop her rather large black horse. Side-saddle, he notes. As if it matters. “Yes. It is a horse. No, you’re not drunk.” She rolls her eyes. “Okay, maybe you are drunk. But this is still me. On a horse.” “In my living room.” Ask him later, and he’ll tell you this is the most hilarious scenario to be part of in almost a century. Right now he’s too busy thinking about the possibility of the animal making a mess on his new Persian rug. Because there is no other logical action that he can think of, Damon rubs a hand over his face and heads for the liquor cabinet. He’s almost there when he remembers it’s disappointingly empty. Luckily, he remembers he keeps a bottle hidden in his room especially for the rare instance in which he runs out downstairs. “Excuse me.” He doesn’t wait for an answer before speeding up the stairs. “Nice ass, Damon!” “Bite me, blondie!” ------- A still naked Rebekah continues vacuuming as if nothing awkward has happened. “Well. I see Niklaus is going for big and bold. He always did seem to overcompensate.” Caroline laughs, despite herself. “What the hell am I supposed to do with a horse? And why are you naked?” “That’s rather obvious, isn’t it? You ride it. Which works as an answer for both questions, doesn’t it?” “But I have nowhere to keep a horse. Or money to pay someone else to keep it for me. Or the desire to own a horse! They’re pretty, yes, but that’s it! When your crazy sociopath hybrid brother asked me if I liked the horse I was looking at, I didn’t think it was so he could make up his mind to buy me one!” The Original gives up on the vacuum when she hears the younger blonde’s hysterics. Notes, rather proudly, that she’s managed to make the carpet look quite like new. “Caroline, this happens to be a very beautiful horse. You happen to look fabulous riding it, as much as it pains me to say, but if neither of those things matter to you, then just give it back.” A rather loud plop, followed by a rather strong odour, serves to punctuate Rebekah’s words of wisdom. ------ Rebekah rolls her eyes as she realises that it doesn’t matter how proficient she is at naked housework, the Persian rug is done for. Damon’s going to be furious. He still hasn’t gotten over Stefan’s sorority girls breaking his crystal decanter during a particularly vigorous game of ‘Twister’ last month. Apparently he was saving it for an especially significant dramatic moment. She realises she’s probably going to have to keep him occupied. Also, she really needs to find out what ‘Twister’ is. “Where are you going? You can’t leave me!” Caroline’s looking a little wild around the eyes. Rebekah wrinkles her nose in distaste as she navigates her way around the rug. “I’m going to distract Damon. You should probably get rid of this. And maybe that.” She gestures vaguely towards the horse. “No hurry. We’ll be a while. I’m sure that Nik would be only too happy to keep you…” She pauses a beat. “Busy.” She blurs upstairs to the sound of Caroline’s new horse snorting in perfect tandem to Caroline herself. Rebekah gives a passing thought to the parquet floors as she goes – manure is so tough to remove from wood. She’s spared any further rumination on the finer points of housekeeping by Damon, wrapping his arm around her waist and tackling her to the bed. “God, you’re sexy when you vacuum.” Damon lifts an eyebrow, pouts slightly, picks up a twenty-five year aged malt and slowly pours it over her body. Busies himself for the next twenty minutes licking it off. It’s the most fun Rebekah’s had since she learned that vinegar could remove lime-scale. Damon’s teaching her a lot. Her back arches as Damon buries a head between her legs, fangs bared. She forgets all about housework. ------ Meanwhile, downstairs, Caroline is finding that there are a lot of things that a horse won’t do. Make a tight turn in a crowded sitting room for example. There are all kinds of things trodden into the carpet and she decides that it’s probably best to leave whilst she still can. The last thing she needs is an irate Damon sprinting down the stairs. The back view was quite enough to be coping with for one day. Besides, she has an original hybrid to deal with. She aims the horse towards the French doors and discovers, as they crash through a window, that the steering is nowhere near as good as her Dodge. She’s not sure if the screaming coming from Damon’s room is pleasure or fury. Decides not to stick around to find out. She flicks the reigns and feels a thrill rush through her as muscles bunch and flow under her, racing towards Klaus’ tastefully renovated home. READ MORE ON LJ

#tvd fanfiction #tvd crack fic #klaroline #debekah #keremy #hannah writes things #WITH THE HELP OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE!!!!#oh livejournal days

5 notes · View notes

pantryplanet65-blog · 5 years

Text

Presenting the Eater Awards Winners Across 24 Cities

Sure, there are certain restaurants and chefs that gain nationwide renown — places recognized among America’s 38 Essential Restaurants, for example. But the beauty of dining out is that, even in this day and age, it’s a local game: The best restaurants, bars, bakeries, and even food trucks are born of their communities, reflect local flavors, and are indispensable parts of their neighborhoods.

Which is why we’re pleased to announce the ninth annual Eater Awards across 24 Eater cities, recognizing the establishments that have taken their cities by storm. These are the restaurants that emerged as community hubs, the bars that became destinations, the pop-ups that made waves, and the chefs who made an impact on the local dining scene and perhaps beyond.

Below, take a peek at the establishments and individuals in 24 cities that emerged as truly award-worthy in 2018 — and head here for this year’s national Eater Awards winners.

Atlanta

Eater Atlanta’s Restaurant of the Year is Tiny Lou’s: “Hotel restaurants never caught on as a dining option for local Atlantans. That is, until Tiny Lou’s opened on the ground floor of the newly-renovated hipster paradise, Hotel Clermont on Ponce De Leon Avenue, above the infamous strip club, the Clermont Lounge. The French-American restaurant’s eponym danced at the hotel’s Gypsy Room in the 1950s. The timeless design of Tiny Lou’s includes elegant touches — white marble floors, brass accents, and bold wallpaper — harkening back to the golden age of fine dining at luxury hotels. With a dream team of culinary talent, including executive chef Jeb Aldrich, who worked alongside his father, Jay Swift, at 4th and Swift, veteran manager and director of restaurants Nick Hassiotis, and young pastry chef dynamo, Claudia Martinez, the restaurant is a breathtaking example of a nouveau French brasserie.”

See the rest of Atlanta’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Austin

Eater Austin’s Restaurant of the Year is Better Half: “In a year where many Austin restaurants and chefs turned to the oh-so-casual, all-day dining craze, it is West 5th Street cafe and bar Better Half that best exemplifies how the trend is done well. It makes sense, since co-owners Matt Wright, Matthew Bolick, and Grady Wright already run the very good East Austin cafe and beer bar Wright Bros Brew & Brew — they know what they’re doing when it comes to creating a warm, inviting, and, most importantly, accessible restaurant.

The result is a space that is, well, just perfectly Austin. There’s the easygoing yet still refined menufrom chef Rich Reimbolt (of course there are tater tots made out of cauliflowers and a solid cheeseburger), a killer coffee program, effortless cocktails, a perfectly curated wine and beer list, a very dog-friendly back patio, and — as a sigh of relief to Austinites — plentiful parking. Better Half is a place that fulfills every potential need.”

See the rest of Austin’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Boston

Eater Boston’s Restaurant of the Year is Celeste: “Created by a passionate team with roots in the arts — a filmmaker, an architect, a writer, an artist — Union Square’s new Peruvian spot Celeste is more of an experience than a restaurant. Sure, you’ll eat and drink, and it’s all wonderful, from the gorgeous ceviches to the fragrant lomo saltado, not to mention the pisco- and mezcal-based cocktails or the carefully chosen beer and wine selections. (Try Oyster River’s pét-nat, Morphos, a bubbly mainstay on the wine list that complements everything, including Celeste’s celebratory vibe.) But it’s not just about the food...”

See the rest of Boston’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Charleston

Eater Charleston’s Chef of the Year is Evan Gaudreau of Renzo: “Chef Evan Gaudreau helms the kitchen at modern, buzzing pizzeria Renzo. his Neo-Neapolitan pie is a riff on the classic — it’s similar in style but not quite traditional. The main difference is his addition of a savory natural levain, which leads to a fermentation of the dough — the entire process takes about 60 hours. He’s also the mind behind the wild toppings, savory starters, and Fernet ice cream. Gaudreau keeps it weird, yet approachable.”

See the rest of Charleston’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Chicago

Eater Chicago’s Restaurant of the Year is Pacific Standard Time: “Chicago’s food scene has been trending away from meaty gut bombs and towards lighter fare in recent years, and arguably no restaurant in recent memory has done it better than Pacific Standard Time. The California-inspired spot, helmed by former Nico Osteria and Avec chef de cuisine Erling Wu-Bower, in partnership with mentors and Chicago hospitality icons Paul Kahan and Donnie Madia, overcame obstacles to help Chicago diners fall in love with an outside-the-box menu that draws from an array of different cultures inside a breezy space in River North.”

See the rest of Chicago’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Dallas

Eater Dallas’ Restaurant of the Year is Macellaio: “After opening Lucia in 2010 and earning a reputation as one of Dallas’s most talented chefs, David Uygur returned in 2018 with Macellaio, a modern Italian restaurant with a major focus on salumi. ... Macellaio is also responsible for one of the year’s most-discussed dishes: tender confit duck tongues served with an addictive onion dip. Unlike Lucia, where a reservation is still pretty difficult to score, Macellaio makes for a more accessible entry point into Uygur’s cuisine that’s a little more affordable.”

See the rest of Dallas’ 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Denver

Eater Denver’s Bar of the Year is The Family Jones: “The Family Jones Spirit House is hard to pin down, and that’s precisely why we love it — a distillery, a bar, and a restaurant combined, each with talent at the top of their respective games steering the larger ship. Distiller Rob Masters sets the tone here with his imposing copper still, perched in plain sight above the half-moon bar downstairs. Barman Nick Touch is behind the drinks, made with all-house spirits and crèmes and shrubs. And chef Tim Dotson creates a food menu that pairs well but also stands up just fine on its own. Meet the Denver bar scene 2.0. In a city that has produced enough over-the-top cocktails and vodka sodas alike, this new combination at the Family Jones is a refreshing twist.”

See the rest of Denver’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Detroit

Eater Detroit’s Restaurant of the Year is Marrow: “Good things come to those who wait. That’s the case with many of Detroit’s restaurants but even more so with Marrow, whose West Village space was originally designated for a restaurant in 2015. By 2017, the Royce Detroit wine bar’s Ping Ho had stepped in to help usher in a new concept that combined a neighborhood butcher shop with a restaurant. Marrow, which arrived earlier this fall, manages to seamless blend the two halves and doesn’t take itself too seriously in the process. Customers enter through the bar and butcher shop passed a sign that unabashedly declares “We Got Hot Birds” in its advertisement for rotisserie chicken.”

See the rest of Detroit’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Houston

Eater Houston’s Chef of the Year is Jonny Rhodes of Indigo: “ Chef Jonny Rhodes, an alum of Oxheart and chef-owner at Indigo in Lindale Park, is at the forefront of the city’s most innovative, socially aware cuisine. At his 13-seat restaurant tucked into the neighborhood where he grew up, Rhodes experiments endlessly with preserved ingredients of all kinds, whether fermented, smoked, pickled, dried or cured. He also offers diners a lesson in the history of the cuisines of the African diaspora, and the influence they’ve had on dining in America and beyond. It’s a lesson worth hearing, and it’s paired with some of the most captivating dishes in town.”

See the rest of Houston’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Las Vegas

Eater Las Vegas’ Restaurant of the Year is the NoMad Bar: “The name NoMad Bar is a misnomer, since the restaurant from chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara is really an all-day restaurant with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dishes along with that award-winning bar program from bar director Leo Robitschek. The bar and restaurant sits off the lobby of NoMad and the new NoMad casino, a perfect spot for a cocktail before a show or a bite to eat late at night. The bar comes draped in oxblood red velvet chairs and sofas, some elevated as they approach the commanding bar, while an Austrian velvet and sheer curtain, custom made by Rosebrand, cloaks the bar. In the corner, a Steinway piano sits ready for live performances, often jazz in the evening. The restaurant’s menu offers a lesson in perfection. From the carrot tartare and black truffle tart to the hot and cold oysters and mixed fry, diners here will find a playful yet carefully executed menu that only exhibits why the sister bar in New York earned a Michelin star.”

See the rest of Vegas’ 2018 Eater Award winners >>

London

Eater London’s Chef of the Year is Clare Smyth: “For a chef to open their first restaurant in London is never easy. To do so having been in charge of one of the country’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurants — while working for Britain’s most famous chef — for eight years, means that expectations might hinder rather than help the effort. For Clare Smyth to open Core and earn two Michelin stars at the first available opportunity, with a fine dining restaurant in Notting Hill that is table-clothed without being claustrophobic, and to earn a controversial title by the World’s 50 Best awards body that overlooked Core itself, indicates that she remains firmly among this country’s and the world’s greatest chefs.”

See the rest of London’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Los Angeles

Eater LA’s Design of the Year is The Wolves: “One of the city’s most unexpected cocktail and restaurant projects, The Wolves comes from Al Almeida and Daniel Salin, with partner Isaac Mejia as a managing partner and bartender Kevin Lee helming the drink menu. And what a drink menu it is. ... But the ultimate star of The Wolves is the space, an homage to Parisian salons that uses actual European antiques and period-authentic pieces, creating something that’s unlike anything LA has ever seen. Tucked into the Alexandria Hotel, a century-old building in Downtown’s Historic Core, The Wolves is an antique designer’s delight from the entrance up to the stunning illuminated ceiling.”

See the rest of Los Angeles’ 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Miami

Eater Miami’s Restaurant of the Year is Amara at Paraiso: “After years of anticipation, Michael Schwartz’s Edgewater stunner Amara at Paraiso finally debuted in the beginning of 2018. And more importantly — it lived up to its hype. The two-story, waterfront eatery, which Schwartz called his “love letter to Miami,” was one of the most exciting new spots of the year, seemingly knocking every detail out of the ballpark. From its enviable waterfront location, to its flavorful Latin American inspired fare, to its well-executed wine list, every part of the dining experience was thought out in meticulous detail. Proving once again, good things come to those who wait.”

See the rest of Miami’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Montreal

Eater Montreal’s Restaurant of the Year is Pastel: “Kabir Kapoor and Jason Morris were already accomplished Montreal restaurateurs — they made that clear with their Griffintown restaurant Le Fantôme. Now, three years later, their talents have become even stronger as they brought Pastel to Old Montreal. With Kapoor dubbing Pastel as “the complete yin to the yang of Fantôme”, the new restaurant marked progression from the pair’s first opening. Where Fantôme was playful, Pastel skewed intellectual in its approach, boosted by a much larger space and kitchen that allowed for greater experimentation.”

See the rest of Montreal’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Nashville

Eater Nashville’s Restaurant Import of the Year is Emmy Squared: “Opening in March of this year, Hyland’s Nashville outpost of the Detroit-style pizza joint has already found its way onto most every best pizza and burger list in the city. While there have been a flurry of restaurateurs nationwide focusing on importing restaurants to Nashville, many of them relocating here to do so, the Gulch’s Emmy Squared shows that yes, the city did really need another place for pizza and burgers.”

See the rest of Nashville’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

New Orleans

Eater New Orleans’ Restaurant of the Year is Bywater American Bistro: “Bywater American Bistro, the feverishly anticipated restaurant from James Beard Award-winningchef Nina Compton, followed a tough act considering the meteoric success of Compton’s first restaurant, Compére Lapin. Opened by Compton, Larry Miller, and former Compére sous chef Levi Raines, Bywater delivered big-time.

Already named one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America, the precisely executed menufrom Compton and Raines acknowledges the various groups that make up New Orleans’ cuisine as it also reflects America’s current culinary landscape with tuna-brasaola-topped toast, rabbit curry, crab fat rice, and a spaghetti pomodoro that has critic Bill Addison ‘wondering if Compton has the lock on the next pasta trend.’”

See the rest of NOLA’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

New York City

Eater NY’s Chef of the Year is Kyo Pang: “For a couple years, plenty of people knew that Kyo Pang was a talent. Her tiny version of Malaysian cafe Kopitiam had a cult following for her deft take on sweets and classics from her native country. But it closed due to a rent hike — and as far as shutters go, turns out this one might have been a blessing. Her bigger and more ambitious version of Kopitiam, opened along with restaurateur Moonlynn Tsai, has been one of the most satisfying new restaurants of the year, and with it, Pang’s following has reached an expanded audience.”

See the rest of NYC’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Philadelphia

Eater Philly’s Restaurant of the Year is Suraya: “The one restaurant everyone was talking about in 2018 was Suraya, an all-day destination spot in Fishtown (1528 Frankford Avenue). The Lebanese menu of flatbreads and sandwiches during the day and kebabs and whole grilled fish in the evenings is inspired by dishes siblings Nathalie Richan and Roland Kassis grew up with in Beirut — the restaurant is named after their grandmother. They own Suraya with Greg Root and chef Nick Kennedy of cocktail bar R&D (formerly Root). With attractive design both indoors and in the courtyard garden, shelves stocked with olive oils and spices for sale, creative cocktails, and an expertly executed Middle Eastern menu, it’s no wonder Suraya was an immediate hit.”

See the rest of Philly’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Portland

Eater Portland’s Restaurant of the Year is Canard: “This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone: Gabriel Rucker’s exceptional restaurant, which was originally branded a wine bar, extends far beyond that classification. Think of it, instead, as a modern diner, a restaurant defined by its accessibility, playfulness, and eclectic style. Beyond its eye-catching dishes and drinks, like its foie-gras-washed bourbon cocktail and its borderline excessive stack of smothered duck fat pancakes, Canard’s beauty comes in its simple touches — a piece of cinnamon toast in the morning, a cabbage salad tossed in a house-made creamy dressing, a slider with American cheese. Rucker understands that a restaurant should be both understated and creative, but most of all, it should be fun.”

See the rest of Portland’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

San Diego

Eater San Diego’s Casual Restaurant of the Year is Lola 55: “In a town inundated by tacos, Lola 55 has dominated the conversation since its summer opening in the East Village. With a structure set up for success and the intention to become a serious contender in the fast-casual market, the eatery is banking on a crave-worthy menu from executive chef Drew Bent, made using admirable ingredients, to put them above the pack.”

See the rest of San Diego’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

San Francisco

Eater SF’s Bar of the Year is True Laurel: “From its inception as a spinoff to showcase Lazy Bear bar director Nicolas Torres’s cocktails, True Laurel was destined for greatness. The bar’s design — a quirky mid-century-inspired room filled with primary colors and an homage to the work of Isamu Noguchi — invites creativity, which extends from cocktails to the menu of bar bites like crispy hen of the woods mushrooms with a gourmet approximation of sour cream and onion dip. The “Pea-casso” cocktail combines aquavit, snap peas, Espodol, clarified lime, flat tonic, and Arak Sannine to create one of the city’s best cocktails of the year, complete with a Picasso-esque garnish of snap peas. Above all, it’s a fun, bustling addition to SF’s craft cocktail scene.”

See the rest of SF’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Seattle

Eater Seattle’s Restaurant of the Year is Little Neon Taco: “With popular eateries Neon Taco, Tortas Condesa, and Westman’s Bagel and Coffee, chef Monica Dimas has been showing off her range of cooking skills, leadership, and adaptability for years. But until 2018, Dimas’s projects have all been walk-up windows, rather than full-fledged restaurants. With Little Neon Taco on First Hill, Dimas finally spreads her wings in a charming space bedecked with Mexican ephemera. Here, she slings her tacos — some of the best in the city even when they were only available inside the Capitol Hill bar Nacho Borracho — alongside additional winning dishes like mole ribs, elote, tortas, posole menudo, and horchata. She’s truly realizing her immense potential with this opening, taking her rightful place among Seattle’s top chefs.”

See the rest of Seattle’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Twin Cities

Eater Twin Cities’ Chef of the Year is Jose Alarcon: “Alarcon went from working the line with the chef collective at Lyn65 and helming a few pop-ups to opening not one, but two Mexican restaurants that beguiled Twin Cities dinners. ... [At Popol Vuh and Centro] Alarcon and his team single-handedly elevated exceptions for what Mexican cuisine can be - moving far away from fried tortillas and cheese into a world of subtlety that celebrates the regions into the rightful world arena where people everywhere are realizing the astounding breadth and depth of the country’s food.

That this chef opened not one, but two restaurants to such success and still managed the tightrope walk of Minnesota’s expectations and busting through boundaries of fine dining is nothing short of extraordinary.”

See the rest of the Twin Cities’ 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Washington DC

Eater DC’s Chef of the Year is Marjorie Meek-Bradley: “Tasked with lending a local perspective to an established Brooklyn brand, Marjorie Meek-Bradley pulled off a major feat. At the St. Anselm tavern that opened in Northeast D.C. in September, Meek-Bradley has flipped the stuffy D.C. steakhouse stereotype on its head, deploying a fun, fresh menu full of salads and sides that draw attention away from a full complement of animal proteins. Her grilled winter squash salad with hazelnuts and beets sounds simple enough, but a precise injection of grapefruit purée whisks its to a higher place.”

See the rest of DC’s 2018 Eater Award winners >>

Head here to read about the national 2018 Eater Awards winners >>

Eater.com

The freshest news from the food world every day

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and European users agree to the data transfer policy.

Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/12/5/18114597/eater-awards-winners-2018-cities-best-restaurants-chefs

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

0 notes

tech-battery · 5 years

Text

Ode to my DSLR: Why I Love the Nikon D610

I used my Nikon D610 to take the last photograph of my mom before she died. I’ve documented my children’s lives nearly everyday. The rubber grip is wearing thin in spots. A rubber tab on the bottom is chronically flapping loose; my fingers push it back into place out of habit. This camera has become an extension of me, and I have grown to love it. But it has not always been that way.

I bought the Nikon D610 back in April 2015. I had been using a Nikon D5200 since 2013. I quickly learned that I loved taking photos. I was using the camera for a 365 project. It turned into two 365 projects. I was on camera sites everyday learning about camera settings and techniques. DigitalRev on YouTube in its heyday! I look back on those moments with great happiness, thinking about the joy of photography added to my life.

I had collected a few lenses with the D5200, and when I wanted to upgrade to a camera body that had more accessible external controls, the D610 was the logical choice for me. The Nikon D750 had recently come out – but it was over $1,000 more than the D610. So I purchased the D610. That was 5 years ago. But in those five years I’ve often thought of switching camera systems.

I watch a lot of photography channels on YouTube. I’m always seeing the new cameras, new lenses, and new firmware upgrades. Each video makes me rethink my camera choices. At times I feel intense gear acquisition syndrome – GAS. On two occasions I even posted my D610 on Kijiji. With all my lenses. But I could never bring myself to sell it. I’ve been tempted by the Fuji X-Series cameras, but more on that later.

I want to write this review to share with others what I love about this camera – or, more universally, any older DSLR – and show it’s possible to learn and grow with “older” cameras. As well, I want to solidify in my own mind the things I love about the camera.

I have come, through this experience with the D610, to appreciate having and growing with a single, durable, and capable camera body through years of daily use. I’ve learned to see cameras, rightly or wrongly, as medium-to-long term tools: a creative partner with whom you grow. Where the more you get to know your camera and it’s limitations, the more you get out of it, accomplishing your creative vision with as little resistance as possible. And whatever resistance is there, it becomes a means to push your own creative capabilities to flow like water around a rock in a stream.

Why Do I Still Use the D610?

It may sound obvious – but because it’s the camera I own. There’s something to be said about being grateful for the things you have, rather than lust after the ones you want. It’s not easy, though.

I have three young kids in daycare and before-and-after school care. As a result, I don’t have a lot of disposable income to spend on camera gear. So once I became invested in the Nikon system, I’ve been wedded to it. As well, some of my favorite lenses have been gifted to me. My wife bought me the 50mm 1.4 G for Father’s Day in 2014. She also bought me the 35mm 1.8 ED as an early Christmas gift in 2015. A few years later, we took a family day trip to Toronto so I could buy a used 85mm 1.8 G lens. Most recently, I picked up a 24mm 2.8 D for an absolute steal before heading out to the Canadian east coast for a summer camping trip. I have all the focal lengths I could want.

Once I started looking at my camera for what it is, and to actively be grateful to have it with me to document my life, it has helped me look at it with a new perspective. I appreciate the D610. I’m grateful for it. There are many who don’t have access to this kind of technology and equipment to further their creative photography efforts. I do, and I’m committed to using it to the fullest.

I have been working hard to experience a freedom from desire and want – freedom from desiring the new camera. Only then can I truly feel free and fulfilled. Shedding the mindset of “not enough” or wishing I had “more”. For me, this starts with loving the camera I have, being grateful for it, and not wanting another camera. of course it helps that it takes great quality photographs.

Image Quality

The second reason I love the Nikon D610 is the image quality. The D610 generates what are, to my eye, very pleasing and highly usable RAW files, with lots of detail, dynamic range and lovely colours. To this day, I encounter moments of surprise when reviewing my photos in Lightroom – surprise that the D610 is capable of such great image rendering, low light performance, and magic when hitting 3200 and 6400 ISO.

Since I’m often shooting in my living room, kitchen and kids’ bedrooms in the early hours and late evenings, the ambient light is often provided by artificial sources. I love the high ISO performance of the camera – there is some real magic when this 24 megapixel sensor reaches 6400 ISO.

FujiFilm X-T2, X100F and X70

I have owned a Fuji X70 for the past 3 years. I needed a smaller camera to compliment my larger DSLR system for a vacation I was planning. The X70 was perfect, and I fell in love with the camera, and it became my daily carry.

A couple of years later FujiFilm Canada had a promotion to raise awareness of their cameras and I got the opportunity to rent a body and two lenses over a weekend for free. Because I loved the X70 so much, and considered jumping into the Fujifilm system entirely, I jumped at the chance and rented the X-T2 and X100F separately over the course of a couple months. I paired the X-T2 with the 16mm 1.4 and 23mm 2.0 and loved the results.

There’s a reason the 16mm 1.4 is a highly touted lens of choice for many well known Fuji shooters. It’s a beautiful performer, invites you to engage in some really creative shooting, and I loved the all metal feel and ergonomics of both lenses.

X100F

I loved the handling of the cameras, particularly the X-T2. The weight of the X100F actually surprised me, and made me think twice about using this camera as a daily carry, to replace my FujiFilm X70. But one thing was sure, the photos were excellent. I was able to get the results I wanted from these cameras, and they freed me up to work for tougher and more creative shots.

The files were great, but in my eyes, they didn’t provide the high ISO performance and the subjective magic feel of the D610 sensor.

X-T2

My heart loved the Fujis, but my mind couldn’t give up the idea of losing the D610 images. I really do wonder at times if I’m being too nitpicky about the image quality “compromise” of the Fujifilm system.

Having a smaller camera and lenses is really appealing; being able to have a portable interchangeable lens camera system to bring with me more places where I want more focal range versatility than what my Fuji X70 can provide is appealing. The concept of “good enough” is not lost on me, and when I really stop, pause, and review the Fujifilm X-T2 and X100F files, they certainly do seem “good enough”.

But I have a subjective preference for the slight, but noticeable to my eye, benefits of the D610.

Autofocus

Even the shortcomings of the camera, including the low light autofocus and small number of autofocus points being clustered in the middle of the viewfinder, can be overcome with creative workarounds. Finding some high contrast focus point close to where you want in focus, or grabbing the focus ring to get the shot work, and I’ve gotten better at manual focussing, which has been a lot of fun to learn.

I’m often trying to capture fast-moving kids, so I need to use a fast shutter speed of at least 125, and naturally need focus to nail quickly – so manual focus is a great way to try and get my shots, and autofocus of course when possible.

This is where I get tempted to pick up a mirrorless full-frame autofocusing monster like a Sony a7 III. I’ve even been tempted by the Nikon Z6 since its autofocus and low light performance seem quite good, and an improvement over the D610. But I’m not wild about the idea of shooting the Z6 with the FTZ adapter. Ergonomics mean a lot to me, and for some reason, shooting adapted lenses seems like a less than ideal solution, although I’m sure the end product would be quite good. I’m not sold on the long term viability of the Z Series, and I think that is what’s holding me back from jumping in (that, and my limited budget of course!).

What Does the Future Hold?

What I like about having shot the past 5 years with the Nikon D610 is that the camera has held up decently under some tough wear and nearly daily use. Sure, the rubber is thinning and looks used, but it has a certain fit with my hand and grip, and feels like an extension of me now. I’m going to need to replace it sometime in the next year I’m guessing, and I’m doing some thinking about what I’m going to replace it with.

Nikon Options

Do I stay with Nikon and continue using my excellent collection of fast primes? Sounds like a great option that would save me from having to buy all new lenses. I love the idea of picking up a used Nikon Df. I love the D4 sensor in the camera, and the physical control knobs really give me the idea that I would be finding a permanent partner for my F-mount Nikon glass. If I were to pick up the Df, it would be with me for life – I couldn’t imagine ever selling that camera. This approach would also ensure that I’m able to keep the lenses that have been gifted to me.

While there are times I think about selling the whole kit, the nostalgia and sentimental element of keeping these lenses is satisfied by keeping them. I can live with the autofocus of the Df, and the low light performance that I would take advantage of shooting indoors as I do would be magic. So tempting!

I also consider picking up a used or new Nikon D750. I love the ergonomics and deep grip, and the body of the D750 has a more premium and tighter feel than the D610 and I would be happy to use this camera. I like the idea of the flippy screen, but without quick and reliable autofocus in live view I don’t see the utility of it as I would with a flip screen on a mirrorless camera. The improved autofocus, particularly in low light, is a big selling feature for me, but the autofocus points remain clustered around the centre of the viewfinder, which will require me to focus and recompose which I want to avoid having to do, to capture the fast-moving kids I have!

That leaves the Nikon Z6. I could adapt all my lenses except the 24mm 2.8 D, which wasn’t too expensive, so not too much of a loss, but the need to adapt my lenses for the foreseeable future isn’t an idea I’m wild about, despite the autofocus gains I would get, along with the ability to autofocus using the flip screen while looking down at the waist, which I’ve really loved doing since getting used to this on the Fuji X70.

Fujifilm Options

I would turn to Fujifilm as the next preferred photography option. I love my X70 and the rangefinder style. I’ve had eyes for some time on the Fuji X-E3 – small, light and same sensor and processor as the previous generation flagships of the X-T2 and X-Pro2. The X-E3 doesn’t have the flip screen, which is unfortunate, since I’ve long loved using one, but the other compromises for size make up for it.

I would want a Fujifilm camera that would provide the same ruggedness as my D610 and can stand the test of time. I don’t want a camera body that will give me troubles – I’ve heard some build quality concerns of the X-T2 over time, and while that would be a great lower cost option, that makes me think twice. It had the flip screen so that’s a nice feature, and something the X-Pro2 doesn’t have. Otherwise, this leaves me thinking the X-Pro3 might be a great option – I see the dura-finish options providing some additional durability over time, which is exactly what I want, and with the flip screen hidden, my roughness with my cameras and back-LCD screen bashing would be mitigated somewhat by this feature.

Writing my thoughts for my D610 review, and thinking about what might be next for me, left me thinking about cameras more than I prefer to do – it triggers within me a feeling that I “need” to buy another camera. I don’t like this feeling! Keeping focused on the D610 and the art of photography is what brings me joy, not chasing the newer and faster and prettier.

0 notes

click2watch · 6 years

Text

Bitcoin ‘Breakthrough’ Claims Block Size Increase Possible Without Hard Fork

Some dub it a “breakthrough,” others call it a “network attack.”

Those were the prevailing opinions leading up to Mark Friedenbach’s much-anticipated talk at Scaling Bitcoin Friday, where the Blockstream co-founder presented for the first time “Forward Blocks,” a proposal that claims to make future, contentious changes to bitcoin – such as block size increase or proof-of-work change – easier to do.

It’s a big announcement, one that was shrouded in secrecy in the weeks leading up to the event as it challenges core perceptions that are widely held within bitcoin��s community. Chief among them is the assertion that massive changes can be made to bitcoin in a backwards-compatible way, without asking every user to upgrade their software.

One issue – that many bitcoin users use the protocol to achieve a kind of sovereignty over their money, and that mandatory software changes essentially undermine that control – has long loomed over protocol changes, surfacing as a major point of contention that ultimately led to the network’s infamous bitcoin cash fork.

In this way, Friedenbach’s research addresses an issue cryptocurrency developers have been grappling with for ages: how, exactly, should bigger changes be made to a massive distributed system? Many would argue that more drastic bitcoin changes are, and should be, difficult, contending that as bitcoin is decentralized, and has no “king,” users should be able to choose to adopt or reject changes.

Further, it was thought that some of the biggest changes to bitcoin could only be made with a “hard fork,” a change that isn’t backwards-compatible, requiring all the cryptocurrency’s users to upgrade to keep up with the change. Or, as Friedenbach argues, such was the case before “forward blocks.”

“Most of the scaling debate is wrapped up in the issue of how to do a hard fork safely, and when, if ever, we should do a hard fork for scaling purposes,” Friedenbach told CoinDesk. However, with his new work, he’s arguing this isn’t a problem anymore.

He said:

“‘Forward blocks makes that whole argument pointless. We don’t need a hard-fork to scale bitcoin, if and when we decide to do so. It can be accomplished as a soft fork, like SegWit was.”

Here, Friedenbach is arguing that opt-in changes to the bitcoin network, such as the one used in bitcoin’s upgrade last year, could be used even for larger changes.

Fork mashup

A developer working in the background, Friedenbach’s not particularly well-known in cryptocurrency circles.

He left a job developing space research apps at NASA to work on bitcoin full-time, going on to work on the theory behind some possibly huge future changes to bitcoin, like boosting its smart contracts functionality so that users can make more complex types of transactions and co-authoring the original Blockstream paper on sidechains.

With all this under his belt, perhaps it’s not surprising he took an interest in how to make changes to the cryptocurrency.

Actually, it wasn’t bitcoin’s block size, but a different code change entirely that prompted Friedenbach to look into the idea: Changing bitcoin’s proof-of-work algorithm, commonly seen as a check against those securing the network with powerful computing hardware (miners) from racking up too much power.

As ASICs have creeped onto a number of blockchains that have sought to resist them over the past year, many have been advocating for a formal change to be made to bitcoin. For example, in the Sia community, users recently decided after months of debate that they will enact the “kill switch” hard fork to kick out the current ASICs in power.

Developers have generally thought a hard fork was the only way to make this change, making it a particularly contentious proposition. But as it turns out, Forward Blocks are helpful here as well, making it possible to execute a consensus change with a soft fork rather than a hard fork.

So, how do forward blocks work? In his new paper, Friedenbach describes the change as a sort of mash-up of a variety of types of forks.

“While each of these approaches individually have unacceptable trade-offs, it turns out, remarkably, that combining them all together ‘cancels out’ most of the bad tradeoffs while retaining the combined benefits,” the paper explains.

“The resulting scheme, held together by a novel new mechanism we call forward blocks, is actually less complicated than one might think of a ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ proposal,” the paper goes on.

Since it’s such a general upgrade – a way to make changes, it’s worth noting the two upgrades Friedenbach emphasizes – block sizes and proof-of-work – aren’t the only possible applications. Friedenbach even argues the method of change could be used for “sharding” bitcoin to scale the protocol further, a term that evokes a technique being pursued on ethereum.

(The paper describes all these ideas as well as how forward blocks are accomplished in greater detail).

‘Just another tool’?

Still, while the paper wasn’t presented in full until today, there’s been some chatter on social media ahead of the talk. Some bitcoin developers are much less excited by the idea.

“It’s a network attack being called an upgrade,” long-time pseudonymous bitcoin developer “Shinobimonkey” told CoinDesk. (In fact, he has harsh words for the Scaling Bitcoin conference where the paper was proposed in general. “This event needs to be eviscerated, ridiculed and drown in the bathtub,” he tweeted.)

Blockstream CEO Adam Back similarly painted it as interesting upgrade, but maybe not such a big deal.

“I think it’s OK. Discovering mechanisms can be useful and separate from whether it would be practical technically and in terms of user consensus. It’s just another tool to know about,” he told CoinDesk.

But the proposal has also attracted eager supporters. Bitcoin Core contributor Karl-Johan Alm went as far as to call it a “breakthrough,” while still arguing it’s unclear whether it will be used in practice just yet.

“Regardless of what the outcome is, options are opening up to do things we didn’t think could be done previously. Whether we do them is a completely separate story,” Alm continued.

Friedenbach isn’t necessarily advocating for it to be used on bitcoin either. Rather, he’s just trying to point out that the option exists, opening a wider discussion.

“Tools aren’t moral objects, they don’t have ‘good’ or ‘bad’ moral weight. They just are. How you use a tool is the question, and with respect to bitcoin this is not something that I have an opinion on,” Friedenbach told CoinDesk.

Time will tell if the bitcoin community finds it’s worth a try.

In the meantime, Friedenbach is planning to test the change on “Freicoin,” a cryptocurrency project he co-launched years ago with a slightly different economic model than bitcoin. And, if the small community Freicoin decides to adopt it, the method of upgrading will be tested in the wild for the first time there.

Mark Friedenbach presentation at Scaling Bitcoin image via CoinDesk

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script','//connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');

fbq('init', '472218139648482'); fbq('init', '239547076708948'); fbq('track', "PageView"); This news post is collected from CoinDesk