#cloudy yearly review

[cl0udy-sk1ees]

My goals

I'm going to be listing my long term goals and revisit this post in a years time to review and see if I've managed to keep up with them

Sticking to a proper skin care routine. Being really depressed makes taking care of myself hard so I want to put more effort into it and hopefully this time next year things that feel impossible to do will be easy parts of my routine

Keeping my space clean. Another thing with being depressed is that I find it hard to keep my space clean so I want to try and keep it organised

Sticking to a workout routine. I've been on and off working out but I want to really commit to a workout routine to tone up and build muscle

Work on skills and hobbies. I don't have many hobbies or skills so I want to work on both of those things. There are a lot of things that I want to do but keep putting off so hopefully this time next year I'll have done at least some of those things

Being more social. I want to document my life on social media so I can see how far I've come. I also want to try making more friends and go out a lot more

Budgeting. My finances are a mess and I'm always broke so I really want to sort out a proper budgeting system

My dms are open if anyone wants to say hi

My discord is C0udysk1eees

[studyinspectrum]

Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders, by Larry Millett, published 1998

i decided to go back to Mr. Millett's little Minnesota Holmes universe. i'm honestly glad i did. this is the sequel to Sherlock Holmes and The Red Demon, so it'd be wise to read my review on that book if you want some context. or don't. i'm not your dad.

this book in particular focuses around the Winter Carnival, an event that has occurred yearly in St. Paul, Minnesota since 1886. the event has often featured an "Ice Palace" which was a tourist destination for the city since then. to be honest, this book has made me interested in visiting the Winter Carnival some time in the future as i've lived around the Twin Cities for the past several years. i've visited a similar event in Duluth, Minnesota that focused around Christmas lights demonstrations and that was a lot of fun despite walking around in a huge park in sub freezing temperatures.

i'll preface the content warnings for this book as thus: i know there's a lot. i got to a point where i was recording them as i was consuming the book because there are a lot. HOWEVER, i think that this book actually tends to the subject matter in a humane way, and treating them with the respect it deserves. stuff gets heavy, it gets rough, but there is genuine closure and care taken when addressing these subjects, which is something i didn't really get in the previous book. the content warnings for Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders are as follows: murder, post mortem decapitation, veiled descriptions of date rape drugs, veiled descriptions of rape, suicidal tendencies, suicide attempts, blackmail, historic use of the "N" word, crossdressing but in the way that people are weird about it but not in an overtly transphobic kind of way, police corruption, slur for Italian people, and a dog is brutalized to death

the return: the sequel 2

i finished this book in july 2022, shortly after i had finished writing my review of the Red Demon. i said that i didn't really enjoy the red demon, but writing that review spurred me on to try to start on this book. in my preface i said i did actually enjoy this book, but i might attribute it to the sequel phenomenon, in which because a sequel doesn't has to justify its premise or existence people generally receive it more favorably and the creators can jump quicker to the story without having to provide exposition on certain topics.

alike to my review of the Red Demon, i read this book over 2 years ago so the details about it are fuzzy, so i put the audiobook on 2.5x speed and let it run during my work day. this book is a niche of a niche so no one's cared to make a sparknotes version of what happened in the book and my summary isn't really sparknotes quality either, but i'm just trying to get the plot across.

2.5x speed summary

Holmes and Watson actually start their journey going to Chicago, solving a case that Watson doesn't delve into in the narrative but are called to St. Paul by James. J Hill to help solve the disappearance of Jonathan Upton, the son of one of the city's richest families, on the eve of his wedding. His wedding was to take place inside of the Ice Palace, a literal castle built out of blocks of ice for the St. Paul Winter carnival.

when they tour the carnival, they see a strikingly beautiful sculpture of a woman who appears sorrowful and find it's sculptor, an Italian man named Dante. they compliment him on his sculpture but Dante won't say what inspired it.

they encounter Millet's blorbo OC of a character, Shadwell Rafferty, an Irishman and tavern owner that also fancies himself as a criminal investigator. together the three of them look into the Ice Palace, the last place Upton was seen and they discover a cloudy block of ice where all of the other blocks that make up the Ice Palace are practically clear. upon dislodging it from its place, they discover the severed head of Jonathan Upton.

Holmes and Watson try to interview some people, and come up with a couple of suspects: Upton's father George Upton (who was ornery about his son's death and disappearance but seemed to care less after his body was found), his fiancé Laura Forbes (who sold back her wedding dress the day after he disappeared), and a previous suitor of his fiancé and chief builder of the Ice Palace Michael Riley (who worked for him and seemed to be bitter that Upton took Laura from him).

Frederick Forbes, a friend of Upton, comes to Holmes and Watson with a pasted together letter stating he's in danger and reveals that Upton received a letter several days before his own disappearance. Forbes fears for his life.

Holmes, Watson, and Rafferty break into Upton's house and find his diary where he admits to getting in with the "wrong" crowd at a club he frequented, the Muskrat Club, where he began raping virginal women that were drugged as to not remember anything, brought to him by an associate he called "Spider". Upton regretted these actions and when he tried to break away from these people and these activities, he was blackmailed ruthlessly by these people and Upton was considering suicide.

Not long later, Upton's father is discovered murdered and body stowed in a mound of snow near the Ice Palace. at the same time, Laura Forbes and Michael Riley are discovered to have married and were planning to elope to New York, but Riley was arrested for the murder of Upton. Laura reveals that she knew that Upton was raping women and didn't want to marry him and Riley wanted to reveal what he was doing but it had put him on bad terms with the Muskrat Club and whoever was organizing their assault upon women, whoever that was. what also unfolds from here is that $10,000 were embezzled from the carnival funds and the chief detective, Connor, seems to be involved in the situation, someone who has a poor rapport with Rafferty and verbally assaulted Holmes earlier.

a crossdressing racketeerer named Bouquet seems to work for the "Spider" and gets involved in the case as well, seeming to be the direct threat on Frederick Forbes' life. Rafferty's dog is killed by someone who tried to search Rafferty's home for Upton's diary and Rafferty goes berserk, it takes Holmes, the barhand, and Watson's sedatives to calm him down.

Holmes tries to lay a plan to catch Bouquet by using Forbes as live bait, but Holmes, Watson, and Rafferty get separated when Forbes gets narrowly stabbed. Holmes and Bouquet have a confrontation over the frozen river and Holmes falls through, but is saved by catching hold of a Muskrat home.

Riley breaks out of jail but it looks like an inside job, Laura is kidnapped and discovered in the Muskrat Club, but was merely drugged.

Holmes, Watson, and Rafferty go to the Ice Palace on the last night guessing that the "Spider" will try to wrap up everything here. Bouquet and the "Spider" do arrive, but the three are too late to stop the "Spider" for shooting Bouquet after pretending to give him $5000. The "Spider" taunts the detectives, stating that they could never pin him for anything that happened with the Ice Palace murders since they would only ever trust his word and the word of the head detective that's in his pocket over some foreigners and an Irishman. all the clues do not point to him and there was no proof.

the "Spider" goes to leave, his name not having been revealed during all of this but Watson says he knows who he is. a last moment to gloat, the "Spider" reveals that it was him that brutalized Rafferty's dog and in a moment of rage Rafferty shoots a shotgun shot at him, but it seems to miss and hits the ice keystone of an arch of the melting Ice Palace and it falls on the one who organized it all: Frederick Forbes.

the rest of the book is spent with Holmes unraveling why everything happened the way it did to the people involved, and Frederick Forbes seemed to have gambling debts and unsavory tastes in how to engage with women so he tried to steal money from the carnival fund since Upton had a hand in the construction, and used the blackmail he had against Upton to allow the theft, but that doesn't explain the murder.

Upton was actually murdered by Dante, the sculptor of that ice sculpture of the sorrowful woman. Dante had a daughter that after visiting St. Paul found herself pregnant, as a victim of the assault done on her at the Muskrat Club and by Upton. his daughter killed herself, unable to take the grief of discovering she had been raped and the incurring pregnancy. Dante killed Upton, used his excuse as working in the Ice Palace as his reason for being there after hours, stored his head in one of the molds for making ice bricks, then carted his body off to the city dump where the rest of the waste material from the Ice Palace construction was taken. Dante mailed his confession to Holmes and disappeared.

so two crimes intersecting at a single point, the murder and death of Upton is the cause of it all.

more about the Winter Carnival

the Winter Carnival is the oldest winter festival in the US, having been established in 1886. a notable aspect of the Winter Carnival was the construction of the Ice Palace, which by its name you can probably guess was a large building made entirely made of ice. Other ice sculptures were featured, as well as demonstrations and participation from the local Sioux people.

due to the historically low temperatures of Minnesota allowed for the creation of ice blocks that were then placed as bricks. i was actually able to find a picture of what the ice palace of 1896 looked like when Holmes and Watson visited:

the archway that is featured in the photo there i believe depicts the icebrick keystone with which Forbes met his fate. it's neat to have the actual visual that Millet probably worked off of in order to build the scene of the Winter Carnival.

there's a plethora of information about the history of the Winter Carnival on the website too if you'd like to read up on the history of the carnival or see photos of the event more recent history.

an analysis

disconnected from the actual content of the story, the narration done by Steve Hendrickson is fucking good. this guy can do a million and one accents and within the first 5 chapters he does an American accent, an English Accent, an Irish accent, a Swedish accent, and an Italian accent. what a champ.

additionally, being in downtown St. Paul quite often these days it's fun to hear the directions being given by characters and know exactly what streets they're going down and what places they're going. a lot of the buildings in St. Paul are pretty old and seem to attempt to be maintained as best as they can be, leading to a lot of old brickwork everywhere so it's very likely that the streets look very similar too.

this book deals with a lot more unsavory topics but everything is approached with a level of care that i felt was missing in the Red Demon. Holmes' characterization feels a little more consistent and the mystery itself is really well structured in my opinion. i especially love the reoccurring encounter with Dante's ice sculpture and the descriptions of the melting Ice Palace.

unlike House of Silk, where the organizer of the events walks away basically scott free, the fact that Forbes actually dies at the end of this book as a means of catharsis feels very very good. the detectives lost, to both the burden of proof and personal attachment/anger, but it was what led to the conclusion of the case in a way that was actually satisfying.

overall, i think this is a good Sherlock Holmes pastiche. i'm not even mad i had to listen to the book a second time in order to remember all the happened. i enjoyed it, even if it were on 2.5x speed (i would've done 3x just so i could get through it faster but that speed was actually unintelligible. 1.5x speed is my normal audiobook)

if i had any complaint about the book, its that Watson takes a real back seat to everything. he's more or less a camera in which he perceives Holmes and Rafferty, and has the most importance when he stabs Rafferty with a sedative and when he saves Holmes from the freezing river. beyond that, he doesn't do much, which is a crime of a lot of Holmesian media that i can't just hold Millet to.

reviews

what do other people think? i blasted myself with reviews hoping that ANYONE on goodreads had a summary i could just use to remind myself of what happened but the general feel is similar to that of the Red Demon, people appreciate this pastiche for its historical accuracy and especially that of Minnesota, but also people fucking hated it because either they find Millet's characterization bad or dropped it when the dog died.

From Goodreads user Jennifer:

Written in the style of Conan Doyle, it is easy to slip into believing that this indeed, is another epistle from Dr. Watson, as described by Conan Doyle. This book takes place in St. Paul, Holmes being summoned to help solve the mystery of the missing bridegroom. Murder takes place, threats, and intrigue abound. Some of the subject matter is disturbing (the rape of young women) but it figures prominently into the situation and while distasteful is important. All in all, I enjoyed this book and will seek out the next in the series. I did not figure out who the murderer was, but felt it made sense in the end.

from Goodreads user Stasia Higgins:

Stopped at chapter 21. […] Holmes is reduced to a mere investigator as opposed to someone who deduces facts out of trivial details. He never knows something without someone directly telling him. Rafferty was fine. Less annoying than anticipated, but I’d still rather Sherlock Holmes be the main investigator in the Sherlock Holmes story. I found the author’s introduction of a much more serious motive (gang rape) to be poorly handled. And finally, the dog dies.

from Storygraph user truegrit:

If you like well researched historical fiction and Sherlock Holmes stories, here ya go.

i disagree with the idea that the "gang rape" was poorly handled, it's a rough subject no doubt but the characters in the situation upon learning about it deal with it maturely and treat it with the horror that it deserves. it's completely unlike House of Silk where it's not used as a shocking element of the case that the entire story hinges around, it's an aspect of the case that indicates how serious and difficult it was and why it was so covered up by those involved. believe me when i say it's not dealt with poorly, i don't know what that person is talking about.

there's also a couple of reviews that mention dropping the book after Rafferty's dog was killed. the dog dies offscreen and it's given the moment of tragedy and sadness that it disturbs, yet people called it "gratuitous". before that point in the book a man's head is found decapitated in a block of ice and a body frozen in a snowbank. and yet its the dog's death that causes you to drop the book? everyone has their own limits to the type of content that they can endure but to regard the death of the dog worse than that of humans in the book feels… bad in my opinion. i have empathy problems of my own, but it displays to me a warped sense of empathy that the death of a dog, who is just as fictional as the dead characters in the book and is as much a literary mode of delivering a story, is treated as if its a real animal death. sorry if this is a digression but it felt important to bring it up.

i realized in a couple of my other reviews as i repost them, i gave a rating out of 5 on how i felt about it, but i think i'm going to do away with that, and especially since i fell off with doing it anyway and go on a system of "do i recommend this or not" and i say, yeah! i do recommend it if you like Sherlock Holmes pastiches and historical fiction. it's a neat mystery.

play adaptation???

usually a pastiche doesn't get it's own transformative adaptation into another medium, but The Ice Palace Murders gets a unique place among pastiches that it did get one.

there was a short run of the play adaptation at Park Square Theater in St. Paul in 2015 with the man that narrates the audiobook, Steve Hendrickson, in the role of Sherlock Holmes himself. Hendrickson is also a local to Minnesota which is why Millet and him have collaborated on narrating all of the Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota books.

The one who adapted the book to play form, Jeffery Hatcher, is also from Minnesota and even had to fill in the role of Hendrickson's Holmes for a few shows when Hendrickson fell ill.

it's really interesting to read about though, how there's such a vibrant love for Sherlock Holmes in the state i live in and its fun knowing im not the only one.

but i mean, also there's the largest collection of Sherlock Holmes materials at the University of Minnesota. i want to go so badly to see it but i've not had the opportunity and the last time i checked they didn't allow visitors but i might try and see if i can get in….

[nedlittle]

i read a total of 15 books in march (49% of my yearly goal) and 5212 pages!

my favourite was devil house by john darnielle, and my least favourite was murder between the lines by radha vatsal .

full breakdown of star ratings & reviews under the cut 📚🖋🧡

her royal happiness by lola keeley

3.75 ⭐ [romance, queer] [review]

the wedding by dorothy west

3.75⭐ [classics] [review]

devil house by john darnielle

5⭐ [crime, literary] [review]

sistersong by lucy holland

2.75⭐ [fantasy, historical] [review]

tripping arcadia by kit mayquist

3.25 [thriller, horror] [review]

a front page affair (kitty weeks mystery #1) by radha vatsal

2.75⭐ [history, mystery] [review]

murder between the lines (kitty weeks mystery #2) by radha vatsal

1.25⭐ [history, mystery] [review]

the partly cloudy patriot by sarah vowell

1.75⭐ [essays] [review]

the companion by ee ottoman

2⭐ [romance, historical, queer] [review]

anna karenina by leo tolstoy (tr. rosamund bartlett)

2.75⭐ [classics] [review]

the death of jane lawrence by caitlin starling

3.25⭐ [horror, gothic] [review]

madhouse at the end of the earth: the belgica's journey into the dark antarctic night by julian sancton

5⭐ [history] [review]

the wolf and the woodsman by ava reid

4.5⭐ [fantasy] [review]

watership down by richard adams

4⭐ [classics, children's] [review]

winter in the blood by james welch

2.75⭐ [literary, classics] [review]

[taste-in-music]

taste-in-music’s Year End Wrap-Up

Hello everybody! We’ve finally reached the end of 2020. While I’m glad to leave this miserable year behind, one of things that undeniably got me through it was the vast amount of awesome music we got. In past years I’ve made favorite album and EP lists, but this time around I’m going to tackle them all in one go, giving reviews on the projects that had some significances to me over the course of the year. I’m going to make a post for my favorite songs too, so keep an eye out for that in coming days. Now, without further ado, let’s get started, shall we?

folklore by Taylor Swift: This was an incredible year of growth for Taylor Swift. As much as I’ve enjoyed her past music, the way she constantly felt the need to address what people thought of her always irked me, (though after watching her documentary, I do understand why she did it.) It wasn’t Taylor Swift the public persona that was most interesting, I thought. It was Taylor Swift the artist, the songwriter, the storyteller. What I wanted was an album focused on that. This year, I got one, (well... more on that later,) and it’s my favorite project she’s ever done. The tales Swift spins on folklore span across love triangles, heiresses, and battlefields, and she nails each and every one. While the chilly indie-folk influence from the likes of Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon is prominent, Swift’s warmth and charisma always cuts through the fog like a beam of sunlight. So yeah, this is my undeniable album of the year.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple: I only started listening to Fiona Apple last year and had thoroughly enjoyed her music, but this album cemented her as one of my favorite songwriters and performers of all time. Everything about Fetch The Bolt Cutters is so idiosyncratic yet fits together in just the right way, like watching an entire house being dropped from the sky and falling perfectly into place. It is a testament to the creative process, emotional honesty, and breaking free from all the cages you may find yourself in, whether they be societal, personal, or those of your own making. And in a year that was so isolating, it felt like Apple was whispering everything I needed to hear right into my ear, just when I needed it. In short, my boltcutters have been motherfucking fetched. 

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers: When Punisher was announced, I had no clue how Phoebe Bridgers would match the quality of Stranger In The Alps. Upon first listen, I wasn’t sure she had. By the fifteenth time I was listening to this album and every lyric was hitting like Cupid’s arrow to the jugular, I knew she’d surpassed it. Punisher presents a sonic scope that both comforts and crushes all at once, like with the upbeat yet mournful horns on “Kyoto” or the cathartic swell on standout “I Know The End.” In my opinion, Bridgers is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation in the making, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings for her. She may know the end, but she’s far from it. 

SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama: This is the album I see becoming a new shorthand for the true potential of pop excellence, a cult hit that never got its time to shine but is beloved by pop music geeks to the ends of the earth, like EMOTION by Carly Rae Jepsen. SAWAYAMA so effortlessly blends diverse genres and influences like disco, nu metal, and arena rock, and it yet it remains cohesive due to Rina Sawayama’s sheer strength as a performer. She deserves a spot on the pop girlie hierarchy, and one near the top. 

Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa: I really enjoyed Dua Lipa’s debut album, but even I didn’t expect her to come through with such a fully realized, consistent, downright fantastic follow up. Future Nostalgia is a pop album that feels studied, like Lipa did her research of pop’s past as she made it. The result is an album that synthesizes several different sounds under her vision, one that is always trained ahead, and it simply slaps. In a perfect world, nearly every song on this album got spun off into a hit single. 

evermore by Taylor Swift: 2020 was already my year of listening to Taylor Swift, (I went through her whole discography, cultivated a favorites playlist, and at the end of the year I was in the top 2% of her yearly Spotify listeners.) evermore was a lovely cherry to top it all off. While folklore enchanted me with its stories, evermore captivated me with its melodies. I haven’t been able to get snippets of this album out. of. my. head. for weeks now. It’s a bit less consistent than it’s older sister, (and likely to live in its shadow,) but there is still so much to love. 

I’m Allergic to Dogs! by Remi Wolf: This EP is so much goddamn fun. It’s a blend of many different sounds, indie pop, electronic, maybe hip hop, I think reggae at points? It’s such a colorful, textured, quirky listen bristling with energy and undeniable hooks. “Woo!” conquered my Summer, and months later the bridge of “Photo ID” conquered TikTok. Keep your eye out for Remi Wolf in the coming year, she’s going to make a big splash. 

Good At Being Young by Charli Adams: Good At Being Young was the first EP this year that I could not get enough of. It drifts through dreamy indie-pop sounds, with melancholic guitars and cloudy synths, and Adams has a deep vocal timbre that delivers tales of adolescent tribulations with just the right amount of wistfulness. Overall, it builds the perfect soundscape for a late-night drive.

Cape God by Allie X: Allie X has been keeping us FED with content. It seems like only yesterday that Super Sunset came out, and yet her output remains impressively consistent. This album has impressive highs, some lower moments, but the danceability, duets, and enticing darkness under its shiny pop veneer make it a record you won’t want to skip. 

La vita nuova by Christine and The Queens: Perhaps the biggest flex of 2020 was Christine and The Queens dropping a fantastic EP and accompanying short film right out of the gate. The grooves on this are infectious, wiry, and air-tight, (the Caroline Polachek feature was another added bonus,) but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of emotional weight too. 

Lighter by Donna Missal: This was one of my most anticipated albums of the year, and it’s hard to determine whether it disappointed or not. I think the only thing holding Lighter back is that This Time was such a formative album for me, (my favorite of 2018, to the uninitiated.) In fact, this album flows way better than This Time, more cohesive with its storytelling and more consistent in folk-rock sound. And, of course, Donna Missal’s vocals stun on both the bangers and the ballads. 

SURF by BLACKSTARKIDS: There was no record this year that was more instantly likeable than this one. The blend of low-fi indie pop and hip hop makes for a whirlwind of sunny fun and youthful malaise that would make the perfect soundtrack for a road trip to the beach. Standouts include the opening track “SOUNDS LIKE FUN,” the chill “WIGS,” and blissful title track “MUSIC TO SURF TO.”

The Baby by Samia: I’ve had my eye on Samia since “Milk” dropped years ago. Seeing her live sparked my belief that she was an indie darling in the making, and The Baby confirmed that she definitely was. The lyrics on this album mix quiet contemplation with just enough sardonic wit and raw emotion throughout a varied selection of sunny rock bops and gut wrenching ballads. If you enjoyed Punisher, then I can’t recommend this enough.

Season 2 by Nasty Cherry: Nasty Cherry is a group that I will not stop rooting for. Their EP from last year showed their potential for nailing monster hooks, but this sophomore effort shows just how versatile they can be. This EP covers everything from Dylan Brady produced hyperpop to early-2000s reminiscent pop rock to emotional balladry, and they pull it all off flawlessly. 

A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling by Magdalena Bay: This album became a fast favorite way late in the year, there is such a sweetness to Magdalena Bay’s music that makes it stick in your brain like a piece of blue raspberry bubblegum. This EP is spacey, catchy, and filled with electronic synthpop mastery, with countless catchy hooks that’ll make you feel like drifting and dancing all at once.

Miss Anthropocene by Grimes: The bubblegum bombast of Art Angels fully redefined my taste in pop years ago, so I was fascinated to see how Grimes would follow it up. On Miss Anthropocene, she leans into darker, more industrial textures, but also anchors it back to Earth with acoustic touches and some of her most introspective lyrics to date. Grimes painted a version of a world on the brink of disaster on this album, a picture that was hypnotically beautiful. And in a year where the word was a certified disaster, that was strangely comforting.

Plastic Hearts by Miley Cyrus: I’ve been wanting Miley to go rock for so goddamn long, Plastic Hearts was bound to make this list by pure validation alone. But what can I say? This breed of glossy 80s rock suits Cyrus’s rougher voice so well! I hope she stays in this lane a bit longer, but as we know, she’s one of pop’s most chameleonic figures. Only time will tell. 

Where Does The Devil Hide by Zella Day: I have been patiently awaiting new Zella Day music ever since getting hooked on Kicker back in 2017, so this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. This EP sounds nothing like Kicker, and I couldn’t be happier. It shows Day leaning even more into her influences from the past, (the 60s/70s vibes are intense with this one,) but also breathing a refreshing new life into them. 

SOUL LADY by Yukika: When I imagine the ideal of pop music, what it would sound like in a perfect world, this is what it sounds like. SOUL LADY is full of pristine, glossy production and catchy hooks that feel like they’ve come down from the clouds. I’ll admit that I can have trouble forming a connection with music when I don’t understand the lyrics, (it’s something I’m working on,) but this album cleared that hurdle with ease. If you’re curious about city pop or K-pop this is a great place to start. 

Heaven Is Without You by Love You Later: Give me lush pop production and heartbroken lyrics finished off with a heaping helping of nostalgia and I’ll eat it up with a spoon. Love You Later has been feeding my addiction to this genre for years, and this latest helping is particularly sweet. 

IN A DREAM by Troye Sivan: Troye Sivan has always supplied the bops, but it was about time that he started experimenting with his sound a little bit more. This EP offers some harder-hitting electronic textures, but also the addictive hooks that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Ungodly Hour by Chloe X Halle: These women are so TALENTED! If there is any word I’d use to describe this album it would be “effortless,” the harmonies, grooves, and chemistry between Chloe and Halle feels so natural and free-flowing. Charisma just rolls off of them in droves, I see full-blown stardom and several Grammys in their future.

Watching You by Robinson: This EP was one of the first on this list to arrive this year, and it still hits months later. Robinson’s confessional lyrics work wonders over the buoyant pop grooves, and “Don’t Say” remains one of the best pop songs of recent years. 

Manic by Halsey: I respect Halsey for dipping her toes into a myriad of different genres, (synth pop, rock, hip hop, and acoustic balladry,) but it does make for a jumbled listening experience. Still, I appreciate that this album features some of Halsey’s strongest tracks and writing to date, offering greater experimentation and emotional imtimacy than album’s past. 

We Don’t Stop by Aly & AJ: Should this count? It’s more a compilation of their past EP and singles... I don’t care, I’m counting it because there’s some new stuff too. This is an excellent display of Aly & AJ’s pop prowess in recent years, the hooks, vocal chemistry, and shimmery production are undeniable. 

Under My Influence by The Aces: The Aces returned in 2020 with a more laid-back, groovier record than their debut, exploring a wider variety of sounds. They’re as magnetic and likeable a group as ever, each member giving it their all, but I think I’ll return to the debut more often. 

Strangers/Lovers by Dagny: I’ve been anticipating a longer Dagny project, as she’s been drip-feeding us singles for a while now. This was a lot of fun, with Dagny pairing her upbeat earnestness with stories of romantic tribulation. While the hooks aren’t as memorable as her past offerings, there is still so much to enjoy. Lead single “Come Over” and “Let Me Cry” are my favorites.

DUALITY by Tatiana Hazel: I came across this via recommendation on Tik Tok and it’s a solid pop record! The music is swooning, synthy, and tinged with disco and Latin influence. The record doesn’t waste a second of its runtime, clocking in at less than half an hour and grooving the whole time.

After Hours by The Weeknd: The sonic palette of After Hours is so engaging, a neon-drenched blend of synthwave, electropop, and R&B. I’ve always felt lukewarm on The Weeknd’s musical persona of brooding, villainous party monster, so the strongest moments on this album tend to be when he subverts that in some way. Still, in full, this album is an undeniable force of smash hits, stadium-shaking ballads, and cinematic flair. I can’t wait for his Super Bowl performance. 

Petrol Bloom by LAUREL: It’s no secret that this year was chock-full of 80s revival albums (there’s what, five others on this list?) LAUREL wasn’t an artist I was expecting to go in that direction after the brooding folk pop of her debut album, but her deeper timbre works great alongside the synthy soundscapes. 

positions by Ariana Grande: I’ve just come to expect that nearly all of Ariana Grande’s albums are going to be growers to me. My first listen to positions was underwhelming, but the songs have grown on me more and more. This album feels like being let in on a giggly, fun slumber party with Grande and her friends. I wouldn’t call this her strongest album by far, and while I tend to prefer when she favors the more powerful parts of her range, (and her enunciations could still use some work,) there is a lot of good material here. 

THE ALBUM by BLACKPINK: We may just have to stan. I checked this out after watching their Netflix documentary, and while this breed of cacophonous, in-your-face electropop isn’t something I can listen to all the time, the hooks and charisma are undeniable. It certainly makes me feel like a bad bitch whenever I’m working out. 

Kid Krow by Conan Gray: Conan Gray burst onto my radar offering dreamy tracks rich with teen malaise and suburban restlessness, and a good amount of that initial appeal carries over onto this album. Kid Krow has both a larger instrumental scope and more stripped-back moments. In the end, it still feels like Gray is finding his voice as an artist, but he's giving up great bops to jam out to as he does.

Petals For Armor by Hayley Williams: Hayley Williams is one of my favorite vocalists, so seeing her venture out for a solo project was exciting. This album offers a mixed bag of danceable jams, emotive moments that showcase Williams’s powerful voice, and a few skips. But overall it showcases Williams’s strength as a performer as she tackles her past with vulnerability and versatility.

Apart by LÉON: Oh, man. This one was kind of disappointing. For context, LÉON’s self-titled debut was my favorite album of last year. This follow-up is by no means bad, but every song on her first album was instantly memorable. This one, not so much. LÉON’s vocals are beautiful, and there are some stand-out tracks, but I don’t see myself returning to this nearly as much. 

Blush by Maya Hawke: Maya Hawke’s Blush was to my 2020 what Tōth’s Practice Magic and Seek Professional Help When Necessary was to my 2019, (and that makes sense, as they’ve collaborated in the past.) This album is so blissful and nonchalant, and Maya Hawke has a gentle, soothing voice that feels wise beyond her years. While the writing isn’t as hard-hitting as, say, the Phoebe Bridgers album, sometimes I just want to listen to something that could rock me off into a dream world. If you like folksy, down-to-earth ballads, you’ve got a solid collection of them right here. 

Dedicated Side B by Carly Rae Jepsen: Of course Queen Carly would pull through with B-sides for Dedicated, did we expect anything less? Jepsen’s brand of controlled yet carefree shimmery poptimism drenched in 80s nostalgia that never fails to put me in a good mood. This album has some lusher, more tropical instrumentation than Dedicated proper, but works great alongside it.

Missing Person by Kelsy Karter: To the Plastic Hearts fans out there, your homework now is to give this record a listen. This rock album presents pop hooks, but a lot of reckless rock fun too. Kelsy Karter has so much irresistible swagger and carefree spirit as a performer, speeding through the emotional highs and lows like she’s burning rubber in a cherry red Cadillac. 

how i’m feeling now by Charli XCX: I’ll admit, this album was a bit abrasive to me on first listen. But tracks like “anthems” and “forever” made me return, and it’s a huge grower. If you listen closely, you’ll find the sugary-sweet hooks and relatable sentiments nestled deep in the crunchy hyperpop textures, begging to be discovered and eventually loved. 

Jaguar by Victoria Monét: If you enjoyed positions, then check out the debut from one of that album’s most prominent co-writers. Jaguar’s concise collection of silky R&B slow-burners show that Victoria Monet’s is a superstar in her own right. 

Some great albums I listened to that didn’t come out this year: Blue by Joni Mitchell, BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA by BLACKPINK, I Need to Start a Garden by Haley Heynderickx, Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, Out in the Storm by Waxahatchee, 7 by Beach House, Dummy by Portishead, Lovers Fevers by Babygirl, and Red by Taylor Swift. 

Whether you liked, reblogged, or commented on a post, sent me an ask, or interacted with this blog in any way, thank you so much for all the support throughout the year! I can’t express how much I appreciate it. 

What were your favorite albums from this year? Did I miss anything? Send me an ask and let me know. I’ll tell you my thoughts, or put it on my to-listen-to list if I haven’t heard it. 

Here’s to 2021! May it clear the extremely low bar set by this year. 

[coldhideoutbear]

Best Solar Panels

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m8crjuL8FFs/hqdefault_653900.jpg

For those who are interested in the thought of making use of cost-free, environmental friendly Strength to power your home, and you want to Use a solar panel array installed, Just about the most primary specifications you have to keep track of is the number of solar panels you will need.

There are various elements that may identify just the quantity of you would want to implement, and what number of you will really be capable of acquire. Some of these involve the final results of the Vitality intake focus on calculations (just how much Electricity your family appliances and equipment need to have as a way to function correctly), the spending budget you have got at your disposal and the type of solar panel that you are employing.

Also, based on regardless if you are thinking about the acquisition of the high-tech solar array or you are thinking about setting up your own personal panels you away from less expensive elements, the costs may perhaps change. Thus, the quantity of solar panels you could put collectively in an array could be unique, and their good quality may also ought to be assessed.

Calculating Electrical power Usage

If you would like identify precisely how many photo voltaic panels you require, it is crucial to evaluate the level of Power that a photo voltaic panel can supply, and Review it with the worth that you choose to call for. Given that a traditional home consumes about 8000 - 9000 kwh with a yearly basis, and The truth that a $three hundred solar panel of good quality can only offer about one hundred - 200 watts of Electricity, the quantity of panels you might want to electricity your total household might be rather significant.

Certainly, depending on your needs, you won't constantly really need to burn up so much Vitality frequently. Particularly when you happen to be an environmental fanatic, and you know the way to pick appliances that provide improved features, when consuming much less energy, you could possibly truly manage to lessen that number to 50 percent, as well as fewer.

Also, if you wish to build your individual photo voltaic panel, you may find that the manufacturing fees can efficiently be diminished to underneath $200 for an ordinary 36 mobile photo voltaic panel. With regards to the top quality within your selfmade solar array, You simply need to have about 30 or forty panels to supply sufficient electrical power on your whole residence.

This amount should be too big, but it can be decreased if you wish to implement a further variety of Strength, for example wind electrical power. This can offer you more Power on cloudy and wet times, when solar panels don't function as well, and reduce the want for panels to 50 percent or even much less.

Use warning, as differing kinds of photo voltaic cells will offer a varying amount of energy. You may calculate the Electricity output simply, even so: Once you Make your DIY photo voltaic panel, evaluate The existing and voltage it produces, and multiply them to acquire the watt worth. Consequently, a small, six ampere solar panel that provides 12 volts, For example, will give about seventy two watts.

Now, this kind of weak photo voltaic panel may not supply you with an excessive amount of Electricity, but the good news is that there are several low-cost panels on the market that will offer two or even more times just as much ability, and you don't need to pay greater than three hundred to four hundred bucks for 1. A photo voltaic array made from ten to twenty of those panels would, consequently, characterize a practical possibility In terms of powering a large number of low Vitality appliances or devices.

Diverse Solar Panel Varieties

The speed and effectiveness with which photo voltaic cells are equipped to transform solar Electricity into electric power also plays a part in pinpointing how many photo voltaic panels you will need.

In the case of panels applying monocrystalline solar cells, for example, the level of daylight essential for creating a particular number of energy is way a lot less than in the case of slender film or polycrystalline cells.

In 2010, an organization that makes superior quality monocrystalline photo voltaic panels was able to break the whole world document for photo voltaic energy efficiency, producing solar cells that could completely transform much more than 24 % in the Sunlight's rays into usable electrical electric power.

Some researchers even contemplate that, within a several years, it might be probable to create monocrystalline solar cells that will be able to transcend the thirty % and even the 40 % mark, appreciably raising the performance rating of these kinds of photo voltaic cells, Which of solar Electrical power usually.

A great illustration of the Strength effectiveness that these solar panels can offer could well be that a solar panel using a complete of 36 monocrystalline cells can normally develop around a hundred to 130 watts. This pretty much ensures that if you want to get 1 kw (a thousand watts), you will want about 10 of those panels. Depending upon the high quality and model in the panel, pricing can selection involving $3000 and $5000 for this system.

In contrast Using these outcomes, systems utilizing polycrystalline cells are scarcely ready to get near to the twenty % Restrict today, when skinny film dependent technologies barely provide about 15 to seventeen % performance.

These quantities may conclude the technological superiority of monocrystalline PV cells, but they do not show that the best decision is to acquire such panels. It truly is genuine that you'll not want as several panels to succeed in a general output of about one to 3 kw In cases like this, but the problem would be that the a lot more monocrystalline solar panels you buy, the bigger the cost change turns into.

You may also opt for less Vitality effectiveness and a far better pricing possibility to be able to save cash. In this regard, polycrystalline cells are much better, as they don't seem to be as weak as thin film-primarily based technologies, and so are fairly inexpensive than monocrystalline solar cells.

Finances Troubles

Now, everyone is typically serious about spending budget problems In regards to buying or manufacturing a photo voltaic panel. DIY photo voltaic panels are naturally much less expensive, nonetheless, the quality differences could be wonderful, as well as that you need to place loads of perform into it, If you'd like your new panels to execute properly.

If you choose to purchase a solar panel, However, you will already have each of the figures important about the amount of watts it makes, And just how secure it really is. By using some uncomplicated math, you can then determine just the number of of such products you may need so that you can satisfy your Electrical power target.

The primary issue Here's there are lots of brands specializing in providing differing kinds of solar panels based on a lot of different technologies. Therefore, you will have a tough time deciding upon concerning them, and you'll have to look around on several Web sites to learn what past potential buyers contemplate any particular product.

The majority of people would believe that about $3000 to $8000 might be sufficient for any feasible photo voltaic panel array; having said that, the quantities could double dependant upon your needs and the technology you need to use. Fortunately, most suppliers are presently beginning to create much better systems that permit folks to get extra economical solar arrays in a significantly cheaper price.

You must acquire all the options into account, however, and steer clear of clinging to some brands just because they have a "catchier" marketing agenda. Eventually, the quantities will show you every thing you need to know, and you can make up your personal head relating to which kinds of panels you should purchase, and the quantity of of these you will require.

Summary

You might often discover that the corporation you need to do enterprise with could truly give you a practical strategy In terms of addressing Electrical power usage and photo voltaic panel quantities. Based upon your spending plan and the proficiency with the solar power array you require, they are able to often offer you a specific estimate of simply how much energy you can get out of your acquire.

Use warning, even so, given that many models might sometimes think of new systems that are more affordable and more effective, and would make the designs of other providers seemingly obsolete. You may really comprehend then that new chances can surface at each individual move of the way.

So, In case you are comprehensively informed with regards to the variables that ascertain the quality of the engineering used for production panels, you'll discover you are within a far better placement to determine the amount of of them you'll need oneself, while not having to be concerned about any not known factors.

[lowdenfordays]

Banana Split

(Sorry about the dumb name, I thought it was kinda funny.)  

You were sat up in bed, cross-legged, on your laptop. The room glowed with the morning sun; the sounds of the birds singing, your furious typing and Jack’s gentle snoring swirled wholesomely around the room. He had returned home from a shoot a few days ago, so he was still catching up on sleep. You had woken early, the stress of work not letting you lie in, but Jack looked so peaceful that you couldn’t bear to wake him. After a while you were vaguely aware of the sheets shuffling behind you, when two hands slipped around your waist and connected around your tummy. Kisses freckled your shoulders and Jack nestled his head into your neck. “Goodmornin’ gorgeous” he mumbled groggily.

“’Morning,” you replied. A smile decorated your lips at his touch, but you didn’t falter in your work. You worked for an interior designs company, and had just been given your first big project. You had to organise an open house event, in which you designed the décor and got it into the press. Not only was it the most responsibility you’d ever been given, it was also a massive opportunity for you to show your worth before your yearly review in a month. Messing it up simply wasn’t an option. Given that you were liaising with people from all over the world, you were in demand at all hours of the day. You were arranging for a handmade rug to be sent from Morocco when Jack started pulling you back towards him.

“Come cuddle with me,” he all but whined.

“I can’t Jack, I’m working,” you replied without a huge amount of sympathy in your voice.

“At 9 o’clock on a Sunday mornin’? Surely it can wait,” he said, tugging on you again.

“No Jack, it can’t,” you snapped. The Moroccan woman you were working with was being so stubborn about the shipment, you weren’t sure the piece would arrive in time and the stress made you short-tempered. You felt his hands slowly retreat from your body and heard him roll over in the bed.

 Jack had got up and gone into the kitchen by the time you had sorted the shipment. You closed your laptop with a sigh and went to follow your boyfriend for some breakfast. He was sat at the table with a bowl of cereal. You stopped in your tracks at the sight – you usually made breakfast together on a Sunday and you’d make a bit on an event of it.

“Cereal?” you questioned.

Without looking up he shrugged and said, “I dinnae know how long ye were going to be.”

You made yourself some toast.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” you said as you sat down. He shrugged again and didn’t say a word. “Really? No suggestions from the king of day-trips.”

Your phone pinged with an email from a magazine editor looking to cover your event.

“Well, I had thought we could go into town, but if yer busy...” he said bitterly, nodding towards your phone.

You huffed, “Alright Mr passive-aggressive.” You opened the email and sighed, seeing it required your immediate attention. You started to reply when Jack very purposefully pushed out his chair and trudged to the bathroom.

“Thanks for putting your bowl in the dishwasher,” you called sarcastically to him.

The sound of the door shutting and locking was the response. You had considered joining him in the shower but he put an end to that idea. You sat at the table and rubbed your forehead. He was clearly mad at you, which of course made you feel completely dejected and somewhat guilty, but you couldn’t help being a little angry at him. He knew how important this project was to you – he had no right to begrudge you your hard work.

 You were at on the bed, twiddling your thumbs, when he came out of the bathroom. He only had a towel wrapped low around his hips to cover himself, his wet hair flopped over his forehead, and droplets clung to his skin which glistened when they caught the light. You bit your lip as you watched him get dressed but he kept his back to you the whole time.

“Jack,” you ventured, “What did you want to do today?”

He murmured, “Nothing. I think I’ll just watch some Netflix.”

“Okay,” you said timidly. Definitely mad at you. You decided you’d give him some space and then try and make it up to him a bit later, once he had cooled off.

You did some laundry for an hour while Jack sat in the living room watching trashy TV. When you felt you’d given him long enough you took him a cup of tea and sat beside him on the sofa. You felt his body tense when your shoulders brushed.

You sighed. “Are you mad at me Jack?”

He shrugged, again, which almost made you storm off in exasperation – he really was a terrible communicator. You took a deep breath and continued, “Because I didn’t cuddle with you this morning?”

“It’s not just cuddling,” he shot at you, sounding like a spoiled child, “Ever since I got home ye’ve been working constantly! Ye always seem to be on tha’ infernal laptop, and if it’s no’ that then ye’re on yer phone, even when we go out. Ye cannae put it down.”

When you didn’t respond he continued, “There’s always someone who wants yer attention and ye give it them, but ignore me. I’m yer bloody boyfriend but haven’t go’ any time fer me!”

You forced yourself to keep your breath steady as you searched for the least confrontational way to tell him to grow up.

“You know exactly why I’m so busy at the moment, Jack. This project is a massive deal for me, and if it goes well it might even lead to a promotion. I have to focus on work right now, I can’t just drop everything and come running to you because you’re a bit lonely.’ You only partially succeeded in keeping your anger in check.

“I’m no’ saying you should drop everything, but I’m no’ home that often these days. I want te make the most of the time I have with ye, but you don’ seem to care!”

“How dare you? Of course I care!” You stood, your temper getting the better of you. “But I care about my work too. It’s all I have when you’re away. It’s not easy for me when you’re gone. You think you have it tough – it’s ten times worse for me I guarantee. You’re off, working with amazing people, doing amazing things, having a great time. I’m stuck here, living with the hole you left, waiting for you to come back. I have to throw myself into my work so I don’t go insane! I have to have a life without you or I’d crumble every time you left.”

You hadn’t intended to confess so much, but the tension had been building for a while. You had advanced quickly in your career because you worked so hard when Jack went away, purely because it took your mind off your loneliness. You had felt, for a long time, that Jack didn’t appreciate how difficult you found the distance. With the work-induced stress on top of that, you couldn’t keep a lid on your emotions anymore. When you felt tears welling in your eyes you took long, deep breaths to steady yourself. It didn’t work.

“I’ve never asked you to put me first, or made you choose between me and your career. I haven’t, and I never will. I only ask that you offer me the same courtesy.”

Jack appeared cloudy in your tear-filled eyes, but he felt soft and warm as he got up to wrap you in his embrace. He tucked your head under his chin and held you tightly.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

 Two weeks later, when the date of your event was drawing closer, you started really getting frantic. It seemed like there was still a mountain of things to be done and simply not enough hours in the day. Jack had been better with you to start with, supporting you when he could and giving you space when he couldn’t. But as the big day drew closer he got quieter, grumpier and had started snapping at you. To be fair to him, you were difficult to live with; you were a ball of stress, constantly short-tempered and worrying about something or another. You barely slept, a combination of talking with people in different time zones in the middle of the night, and not being able to switch off. You found that you and Jack were increasingly bickering, finding fault in the tiniest things. You had had two fights, over what, you couldn’t even remember, but both left you in tears. Relationship woes were the last thing you needed, but you couldn’t find the strength to rise above it. He knew how much this meant to you, he saw how stressed you were, and he still couldn’t be a good enough boyfriend to just help you through. You were desperate for his affection, a kiss on the cheek, a rub on the back, but he was being so distant.

One Sunday afternoon, the event only two days away, you rushed inside from the rain. You’d had to visit a warehouse not too far away and had decided to walk, thinking the fresh air and exercise might do you good. It had been dry when you set out but sod’s law, it started pouring on the way back. You shook the rain from your coat and hung it up.

“Jack,” you called to a seemingly empty apartment, “I’m home.”

He came out of the bedroom dressed in a shirt and jeans, with his shoes and coat on. You frowned in confusion. It occurred to you that he might be planning on taking you on date, which seemed like a very lovely gesture which would go some way to making it up to you for his behaviour. The only thing was, you were wet and tired and didn’t really fancy going out. You needn’t have worried, because he walked right past you and grabbed his keys, saying, “I’m off to the pub with some mates. I’ll be a few hours.” And he left, no goodbye, no asking if you were okay or if you minded, he just left.

Miserable, you went to run a bath. A few days and this will all be done, things will go back to normal and the hard work will be worth it. Just a few more days.

You had just lit the candles when your phone rang.

In the next few hours it seemed like everything that could have gone wrong, did. The company that you booked to move everything in to the house had to suddenly cancel and nowhere else was available at such short notice. A chair that you had ordered from Italy, a beautiful, mustard velvet armchair which just so happened to be your favourite piece, had been delayed so looked like it wasn’t going to arrive in time. The biggest magazine you had, that had agreed to do a double page spread on the event, pulled out, which was a massive blow. You had been so excited when you secured them because it meant a load of publicity for your company. You were desperately making calls and sending emails, trying to sort out the mess and all you met was resistance. It being a weekend too, hardly anyone replied and if they did it took an age. You had called Jack too, wanting him to come home and help you, or at least comfort you, but all you got was his voicemail. You wound up sat on the floor surrounded by a pile of papers, sobbing. You had finally snapped. It was that ugly crying, when your lip quivers and your chest heaves and you just can’t get a hold of yourself no matter how hard you try.

When Jack came home you completely flipped. He had barely stepped through the door before you were on your feet and heading towards him.

“Where have you been?” you choked out, “I’ve been calling you!”

He looked at you, startled and a little afraid.

“I told ye, I went to the pub,” he said meekly.

“I needed you Jack. Everything’s gone wrong, I needed you and you weren’t there!”

Tears raced down your face, you were mascara stained and frenzied. He had never seen you so distraught, but you instantly saw guilt cloud his features. He tried to draw you into a hug but you pulled away, feeling sick. “No, don’t you dare! Don’t you try that with me. You can’t just hug me and tell me you’re sorry. I asked you weeks ago to support me-”

“Ye asked for space,” he said firmly, cutting you off.

“I didn’t want you to disappear! I hardly see you and when I do you’re arguing with me. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and you made it so much worse. I needed you to support me, Jack. Couldn’t you see how important this is to me? How could you just abandon me like that?” You were yelling by then, furious and desperate.

“Ye’ve been impossible, Y/N!” The venom with which he said your name hit you like a bullet. “Ye’re always stressed, ye nit-pick, I cannae do anythin’ right. Yer a mess. Ever since I got home ye’ve been obsessing over this bloody open house thing, ye’ve barely given me a second look. Why should I support ye when ye cannae even spare me the time o’ day?”

“WHY? Maybe because you love me? That’s how relationships work. Or maybe you don’t anymore.”

You hadn’t thought about the possibility before, but once the words left your lips you couldn’t shake it off. When he didn’t say anything a fresh wave of tears spilled onto your cheeks. “God,” you sighed, turning away from him. You couldn’t bear to look at him. “I can’t live like this. I can’t spend my life waiting for you to come home, imagining what it will be like when you get back, pretending you’re everything I want you to be…”

“What, I’m no’ good enough? Is that it?” he thundered.

“Frankly, no. Not recently anyway.”

There was a long pause, before you muttered, “It would have been better if you were still away.”

The silence lingered heavy in the air, and when Jack’s voice broke it, it was small but barbed.

“I’ll go then, shall I?”

It wasn’t really a question. You folded your arms and went to the window. It was dusky, the world looked grey and the sky was crying. Jack went into the bedroom and a few minutes later he came out again. You heard his footsteps tread heavily towards the front door. They hesitated for a moment, but he said nothing. The sound of the door slamming made your whole world shatter.

(So if you guys like this I might write a part 2? Lemme know if you’d want to read it.)

Update: here’s part 2

[newfieldsnhxjiu339-blog]

The Ultimate Guide To Newfields Nh Country Store

Gourmet restaurants are a terrific spot for a memorable supper which has a loved-just one. Well-liked menu merchandise contain filet mignon and rack of lamb.

The ratio of registered intercourse offenders to all citizens During this city is reduce compared to the state common.

On a yearly basis, twenty% of the whole taxable residence inside the Town is going to be reviewed and current if vital.

Full Time Sunbelt Rentals strives to get the customer's to start with alternative while in the products rental marketplace. From pumps to scaffolding to basic design equipment, we intention being the sole simply call required to outfit a jo...

Be sure to note that by filtering favorites, all your filters which include drawn searches and my Prepare Commute queries are going to be cleared.

My Dwelling Get speedy and quick access to your house value, community activity and financial possibilites.

Zillow Team is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities. We're repeatedly Operating to Increase the accessibility of our web practical experience for everyone, and we welcome feedback and accommodation requests. If you want to report a concern or look for an accommodation, please Call us.

Together with the Postal Office Examine Status The most economical alter of address services online. Notify the postal office and many other adjust of address form (mail forwarding) corporations.

Oops! It seems like our utilization Assessment algorithms believe you could be a robotic. Accessing the redfin.com in an automatic manner is a violation on the Redfin's terms of use.

Choose Relatives if everyone inside your residence has a similar very last identify and everybody is moving to a similar new address.

A potential for rain Showers within the night. Cloudy using a chance of snow Showers. Lows during the mid 20s. Probability of precipitation fifty per cent.

The time frame in the event the Sunshine is not more than 6 levels underneath the horizon at either dawn or sunset. The horizon needs to be Obviously defined and also the brightest stars really should be seen less than superior atmospheric conditions (i.e. no moonlight, or other lights). A person nevertheless should really manage to carry on everyday outdoor actions.

A couple of kiosks are in huge shopping malls. Most are in Post Office lobbies and are available in the event the Post Office counter is shut.

We're increasing. Start off your personal real estate internet marketing organization currently! New and present marketplaces accessible now.

[july2020calendarpdf-blog]

April 2020 Calendar Monthly Printable

April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian timetable. This is the first of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the second of five months to have a length of under 31 days. April is normally associated with the time of spring in parts of the Northern Hemisphere and collect time in parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Download a free printable calendar for 2020 or 2021, in a wide scope of associations and tones. These free printable calendars are available as PDF reports that you can print on your home, school, or office PC. In the occasion that you'd like a timetable that you can adjust and change, scrutinize Vertex42 to find a 2020 or 2021 calendar design for Excel! Endeavor the primary month to month plan design, one of the printable yearly timetable configurations, or the new endless calendar format. The Romans named it Aprilis from Latin, yet the beginning stage of this name is cloudy. Standard authentic foundation is to draw out the inclination that this word is gotten from the activity word "to open up", when the trees begin to create and the blooms begin to "open". All the while, it is recommended that this name is gotten from the Greek goddess Aphrilis. The significant lot of April was the second month of the essential Roman calendar, before the Ianuarius and Februarius months were added to the timetable by King Numa Pompilius in 700 BC. After that date, April was the fourth month of the timetable. In all years, April and July start on that days of the week.

 This joins January when the time of February is 29 days. Regardless, April and December end each year around a similar time. For certain people, April is one of the most astounding a long time of the year. The air temperature doesn't cool or sweat. The radiators become less hot, the windows start to open. Especially for the people who live close to nature, there is an engaging atmosphere outside in April. Every breath of our nose fragrances of the smell of sprouts. The swallows come, the swans come, the bugs wake up, the bumble bees wake up, the warblers are blooming and blooms grow. Winter cold is done, nature has begun to reestablish. In nature scene, green trees and splendid sprouts are seen instead of snow white. The seas are in like manner more sweltering and bluer. Since good assortment begins in the sea, life begins again. It is an unprecedented month to start doing sports in order to be progressively fit, since it is close to the start of summer and sea season. In winter we generally stay in our homes, anyway in April festivities and street practices start. We are getting busier. All you need to make a perfect foreseeing yourself in this adaptability to have a reasonable calendar.

 If you get an April 2020 calendar design, you can manage the whole of your activities in a solitary page. You can fill the days with works out, with events and with remarkable days to review with a reasonable April 2020 timetable. It is moreover so normal to plan your parts of the bargains and April get-aways with an April 2020 calendar with events. In case you commonly lost yourself while organizing your week and month, you may use a Word, Excel, PDF, JPEG printable calendar to see everything all the more clear. If you download an April 2020 calendar printable, there will be no convincing motivation to worry over the missing anything noteworthy! Dear customer you are in a perfect spot to download the calendars that are printable. We are giving the free printable April 2020 timetables in various associations and styles. We have perfectly set out the timetables that empower you to see the date obviously; in like manner we have given enough space to note down the game plans or assignments or some other noteworthy stuff around the particular April 2020 date. Our timetables are extensively used by understudies and fragile women around the world. Along these lines, pick April 2020 timetable from the underneath printable calendar positions.

 These April 2020 timetables are editable, movable and printable and permitted to download and use. Furthermore the timetables are in doc, pdf and picture configuration given for your convenience.The custom of using printable calendars has been going on since the long time. Printable timetables help each and every one of us be in close contact with the dates and days. This is the underlying move towards driving a made and sorted out life. Here are printable April 2020 Calendar in the course of action and various favorable circumstances of using them. View the underneath referenced pointers showing their preferences for any person who uses them: Organizing of schedule: We individuals are regularly running starting with one spot then onto the next or starting with one undertaking then onto the next. This is because there is an outrageous nonappearance of booking and orchestrating.

[kansascityhappenings]

Joe’s Weather Blog: Looking back at snow through the decades (TUE-12/31)

First of all Happy New Year…and thanks so much for reading my weather blogs over the past few decades. I forget when I started this blog…late 90s I think…and my goodness all the words…so anyway I hope 2020 is a good one for you and your loved ones.

The weather locally has been fascinating this past year for all the good and bad reasons. We usually get it all here in the Plains and this past year was no exception to that. I recorded a podcast with meteorologist Michelle Bogowith about the year in review. That should be posted today or tomorrow and will be the core of the next blog coming…either today or tomorrow.

I’m still watching for the snow potential on Friday…it would be a rain>mix>snow scenario if it pans out…one of those sloppy type snows…so we’ll see where we are with the temperatures on Friday as the system evolves.

Forecast: 

Today: Fair to partly cloudy skies…should be overall OK with highs in the 40° range

Tonight: Mostly clear and chilly with lows in the 20s

Tomorrow: Sunny, windy and warm with highs 55-60°

Thursday: Increasing clouds with some mist/drizzle developing later in the day/evening…highs in the 45-50° range.

Discussion:

I thought I’d start this blog looking at what I talked about last night on the weathercasts…a look back on the snow by decade here in KC.

Since we’re starting a new decade tomorrow…

This decade we’ve had 164″ of snow…or close to about 13 feet worth!

Sometimes snow lovers get frustrated with our “lack” of snow in KC…and I’m one of them…actually I’m starting to feel that frustration building back up again because aside from maybe something on Friday…there isn’t a lot to get too excited about.

Anyway…for the last 3 decades we’ve actually been trending up somewhat when it comes to snow totals. Very variable obviously.

It should be noted that this is a total of JAN>DEC yearly totals and not OCT>APR totals which is typically a snow “season” if you will. This just looks at it per year.

My goodness look back to the 1960s.

That could be why many have these strong memories of the way it “used” to snow around here. IF you’re in your 50s or 60s you remember your childhood and perhaps the snow memories. Well back in the 60s we had quite a bit of snow while you were growing up.

The children of the 1990s don’t have those same memories as often because  that decade we had “only” 136″ of snow…still over 10 feet but not as much as before or after.

As far as the weather goes for the next few days…tomorrow should be fantastic…windy but great and a good day to take down the lights while you can still sort of feel your fingers.

Mid 50s for highs with some upside is a good thing to start the year.

Thursday we should see a rapid increase in low level moisture and that will slow the temperatures from reaching their full potential…some mist or drizzle is possible as well.

As far as Friday goes…

It’s actually a pretty good little wave coming out…the issue is that we’ll be above freezing at the surface and aloft for awhile as it’s moving through the region…then by Friday morning we’ll see how much lift we have left as the storm is starting to zip past the region…things may not sync up correctly for us to get much of an accumulation…but it’s worth watching because like I said it’s a pretty good wave coming through.

Our feature photo today comes from Carla Maley Skiles out in Greeley, KS…a stunner from last night!

Joe

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/12/31/joes-weather-blog-looking-back-at-snow-through-the-decades-tue-12-31/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/joes-weather-blog-looking-back-at-snow-through-the-decades-tue-12-31/

[carleencl]

Exploring Vietnam: Day 6 & 7 in Hanoi (Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Complex, Train Street + Food Tripping)

Finally exploring Hanoi! Here’s the last leg of our Vietnam travel last July 2019.  Day 6 and 7 was dedicated in visiting historical and tourist spots in Hanoi, trying their local dishes, and more coffee/cafe hopping!

Two days worth of knowing Vietnam and the history that lies in this beautiful country. It was actually a little humid during those days opposite of what we expected the weather to be: cloudy and rainy. Nonetheless, we were still thankful for the weather as we were able to go around in Hanoi by foot rather than going from one place to another by Grab/Taxi only.

JULY 27, 2019 DAY 6

TEMPLE OF LITERATURE

Sixth day in Vietnam started with visiting the Temple of Literature. There was an entrance fee in entering the venue which costs VND 30,000 (PHP 66) each.

Temple of Literature was a former university for scholars and the royals. However, they also opened it to the “higher commoners.” 

The architecture and buildings were well preserved. It says it was exactly or similar as it was years ago and this would let tourists see the Vietnamese style architecture. 

There were memorials of education and literature where names of the doctors’ who graduate were engraved in the stones on top of the stone turtles.

The Lake of Literature

There are religious parts inside the Temple of Literature and certain dress code should be observed. Upon visiting Temple of Literature one must observe to have the proper dress code:

Top/Shirts with sleeves

Pants

No wearing of shirts or sleeveless tops

No caps nor sunglasses

No revealing clothes

If upon visiting this place, and you forgot to pack the proper clothes for this temple, there’s an overcoat for everyone to use to cover the body parts that are “expose.” The overcoats must be returned after use. 

It was brief walk through the Temple of Literature. We weren’t able to stay that longer since it was humid and the sun was up. There were no place that you could stay to freshen up so better bring a bottle of water and a fan when visiting.

HO CHI MINH COMPLEX

Entering the HCM Complex has no entrance fee. 

Upon entering the vicinity, there will be strict inspection of your belongings as it will pass thru an x-ray machine (just like in the airports).

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Unfortunately, even before arriving in Vietnam, we found out that the HCM Mausaolem was closed. They say that the body of HCM was scheduled for preventive maintenance and some touch-up. However, we searched about and it was supposed around September or October for yearly maintenance. 

Even though Ho Chi Minh was not in the Mausoleum the vicinity was still highly guarded.

Presidential Palace

We were able to visit the Presidential Palace and the Stilts House. Entrance fee to be able to enter costs VND 40,000 (PHP 88) each.

The former Indochina’s General Governor Palace

Stilts House

The Bedroom in the Stilts House

BUN CHA

It was an early lunch for us for day 6.

Before heading back to out hotel to rest, we decided to eat lunch first. This is because the place we are going to eat at, Bun Cha only opens from 10 am until 2 pm only. It is also because they only make a certain number of Bun Cha per day and once all are sold for that day, they won’t cook additional orders. We have heard that the Bun Cha here sells out fast, thus another reason to have an early lunch.

Bun Cha is local Vietnamese dish that originated in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is a dish that includes a grilled pork and a plate of white rice noodles. It also came with some vegetables and herbs. As we recall reviews, it says it is best to eat with spring rolls, thus we ordered one.

If I remember it correctly, it was total of VND 250,000 (PHP 550) for the five of us. The Bun Cha and spring rolls were all delicious! The grilled pork was perfectly cooked and tender. It really goes well with the white rice noodles. I was actually surprised that the serving was so huge! One serving was I think good for 2 persons. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish my bowl as I was already full.

The spring roll was also delicious - the perfect pair for Bun Cha! It was cripsy, and would really taste the flavors especially if dipped with their special sauce.

Bun Cha was a good food to try in Vietnam. It really think that it is really good since we saw some Grab Food drivers ordering.

After having our lunch, we had a short stop at Circle K to grab our daily dose of coffee!!

There were two choices for Circle K’s iced coffee: Black or Milk. I bought the Milk Iced Coffee since I know how strong Vietnamese coffee is. The Milk Ice Coffee was a little bit strong but still have the sweet side. A cup of ice coffee costs VND 15,000 (PHP 33).

Afterwards, we went to our hotel to rest and once energized, we visited the Hoan Kiem Lake.

HOAN KIEM LAKE

We went around Hoan Kiem Lake and visited more of the tourists’ spots in Hanoi.

ST. JOSEPH’S CATHEDRAL

We were able to passed by the St. Joseph Cathedral. It was closed during that time but luckily we were able to see it in the morning and the late afternoon. The cathedral was small from where we were standing outside but very beautiful especially when the lights were on.

TRAIN STREET

The Train Street - as it is called, this is where the train passes by. I think this was famous with the tourists since there are a lot of cafe in the sides of the railway. However, I’m not sure if it is true but they say they will close the Train Street to the public to avoid accidents since trains still passes by.

Being in the Train Street felt like I was in Manila since ambience and house structures were a like.

JUICE BAZAR

We had a stopped/break after walking from one place to another. Our feet brought us to Juice Bazar. This was not our first choice but the one we were planning to dine was full and no seats were available, thus ended up in Juice Bazar.

I ordered their Watermelon & Lychee Iced Tea that costs VND 40,000 (PHP88). It was definitely a refreshing drink for a humid day in Vietnam. The place was also cold enough and ambience was good.

RUNAM BISTRO

We had dinner at RuNam Bistro. We were picking a place that has an air conditioned since the restaurants mostly in Hanoi were open and that day was just very hot and humid.

My order at Runam Bistro was Grilled Pork that includes crispy rice and eggs. It was delicious ad very fulfilling. A serving if I remember it right costs VND 155,000 (PHP 341)

JULY 28, 2019 DAY 7

Day 7 was a free day for us. We just went around Hanoi, and had some food tripping along the way.

PHO 10

A famous restaurant that serves noodle soup with beef.  I ordered the Chin (Welldone beef) Noodle soup. One serving costs VND 60,000 (PHP 132).

Line was long even though the sun was up, and it was lunch time. So imagine how hot it is and people are still lining up to have a bite for Pho 10′s noodle soup! The beef was soft and noodle soup was very tasty. A serving for me was so big that I wasn’t able to finish it all up. They only serve one size but you have an option if you would want your beef to be half done, well done, or mix of the two.

GIANG CAFE

When in Vietnam, Egg Coffee is a must!

We almost didn’t see Cafe Giang because the entrance is just a narrow hallway going to their main cafe.

Ordered cold egg coffee and it was delicious except for the smell. The egg and coffee must be stirred together because drinking it. A glass costs VND 25,000 (PHP 55).

HIGHWAY 4

We had our last dinner in Vietnam at Highway4. 

The restaurant has good ambiance and you would be sitting on the floor while enjoying your meal.  we ordered the following dished not knowing that they have a huge serving for the hotpot (which we weren’t able to finish cause we were so full already).

Spicy Satay-grilled Phan Thiet Baby Squid (VND 165, 000 / PHP 363)

Free-range Chicken grilled with Sichuan Pepper (VND 315, 000 / PHP 693)

Minced Crab Hotpot with Pork Ribs or Beef Muscle (VND 425, 000 / PHP 935)

With all the said dishes, we also ordered 5 steamed rice at VND 20,000 or PHP 44 each. All the dishes were actually very tasty and appetizing. The hotpot was I think good for more than 5 people since it was literally a huge pot! The hotpot was served with variety of vegetables to be mixed with the soup.

The total of our meal for 5 was VND 1, 005, 000 or PHP 2, 211 (PHP 442.2 each)

ALWAYS CAFE

After dining at Highway4 we saw a Harry Potter inspired cafe, namely: Always Cafe.

Menu of Always Cafe

Tried their non-alcoholic Butter Beer that costs VND 45, 000 or PHP 99 each. Chose the non-alcoholic since we have our flight back to Manila that same evening. 

The Butter Beer tastes like Root Beer with ice cream (just like a root beer float).

The ambiance and aesthetic of the cafe was very Harry Potter inspired. Walls have the “old like” facade in the movies and they also have costumes to buy and try inside the cafe.

As for our transfer from our hotel to Hanoi International airport, we booked via Klook for it. We booked a car good for 12 persons since we have 5 medium luggage plus additional bags with us,

Below was our itinerary and expenses for day 6 & 7 in Vietnam. Hope this will help you to be able to plan your travels to this country. The transfer we booked via Klook costs PHP 717.

With this blog, here’s a vlog for our days 6 and 7 in Vietnam. Hoping this will help you in your travel when going to Vietnam. Enjoy!

ITINERARY

DAY 6: July 27, 2019 (Saturday) 06:30 AM - Wake Up 07:30 AM - Breakfast 09:00 AM - Leave for Temple of Literature 09:30 AM - Arrival at Temple of Literature 11:00 AM - Go to Bun Cha for lunch 11:30 PM - Lunch 01:00 PM - Back to hotel 03:30 PM - HCM Complex 04:00 PM - Hoan Kiem Lake 04:30 PM - St. Joseph’s Cathedral 05:00 PM - Train Street 05:30 PM - Cafe 07:00 PM - Dinner 09:00 PM -  Night Market/Back to hotel

DAY 7: July 28, 2019 (Sunday) 07:00 AM - Wake Up 08:00 AM - Breakfast 12:00 NN - Check-out/Leave luggage in hotel 01:00 PM - Lunch at Pho 10 02:30 PM - Cafe Giang 03:30 PM - Free Time 06:30 PM - Dinner 08:00 PM - Back to hotel 09:30 PM - Leave for Airport 10:30 PM - Arrival at Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 01:45 AM - ETD from Hanoi to Manila 05:30 AM - ETA to Manila Terminal 1

EXPENSES

DAY 6: July 27, 2019 (Saturday)

Breakfast: included in Hotel

Grab (Hanoi L’ Heritage Cetre Hotel to Temple of Literature) - VND 68,000 / PHP 149.60 ; PHP 30/ea

Temple of Literature tickets - VND 30,000 / PHP 66 each

Ho Chi Minh Complex - free

Presidential Palace - VND 40,000 / PHP 88

Grab (HCM Compex to Bun Cha) - VND 84,000 / PHP 184.80 ; PHP36.96/ea

Lunch: Bun Cha - VND 250,000 / PHP 550; PHP110/ea

Circle K: Milk  Iced Coffee - VND 15,000 / PHP 33

St. Joseph’s Cathedral - Free

Train Street - Free

Juice Bazar: Watermelon & Lychee Iced Tea - VND 40,000 / PHP88

Dinner: Runam Bistro

Grilled Pork w/ Fried Rice & Egg - VND 155,000 / PHP 341

Day 6 Total: PHP 792.96

—–

DAY 7: July 28, 2019 (Sunday)

Breakfast: included in Hotel

Lunch: Pho 10

Chin (Welldone beef) Noodle soup - VND 60,000 / PHP 132

Cafe Giang: Cold Egg Coffee  - VND 25,000 / PHP 55

Dinner: Highway 4 - VND 1, 005, 000 / PHP 2, 211 (PHP 442.2 each)

Spicy Satay-grilled Phan Thiet Baby Squid  - VND 165,000 / PHP 363

Free-range Chicken grilled with Sichuan Pepper -  VND 315,000 / PHP 693

Minced Crab Hotpot with Pork Ribs or Beef Muscle - VND 425,000 / PHP 935

5 steamed rice - VND 20,000 each / PHP 44 each

Always Cafe: Butterbeer - VND 45, 000 / PHP 99

Transfer from hotel to Hanoi Airport via Klook - PHP 717 / PHP 143.40

Day 4 Total: PHP 871.60

*Conversion of VND to PHP are rounded and used VND 1 = PHP 0.0022

[wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog]

This 'miracle polish' is the wildly popular beauty product you need for stronger, healthier nails

Damaged nails can ruin a manicure — but this wildly popular OPI product can change that. (Photo: Getty Images)

Whether you love gel manicures a little too much or have a not-so-great habit of biting your nails, damaged nails can ruin a manicure. No matter how you got there, dry, peeling nails don’t just look unhealthy, it can cause pain.

Enter OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener, a wildly popular nail strengthener that happens to be among Amazon’s top-rated beauty products. Designed for weak or damaged nails, the main ingredients — hydrolyzed wheat protein and calcium — deliver stronger, longer, healthy nails.

It doubles as a base coat for the nail polish enthusiast, but Amazon reviewers rave about the “miracle polish,” as one fan pointed out. “I'm 60 years old and my nails were becoming very brittle,” wrote the customer. “I fish, kayak, garden, do woodworking and home repairs and it was really taking a toll on my nails. Got some of this and I use it exactly as directed. After 2 months, the difference is amazing ... I like to keep my nails short but at least they look healthy and no more splits! It worked for me. Hope it works for you, too. Well worth the price.”

OPI Nail Envy Nail Original Strengthener. (Photo: Amazon)

And speaking of use, one reviewer pointed out to “follow the directions for terrific results,” adding “I am in my late 40s and started having issues with brittle and easily-chipped and broken nails. I already take Calcium and Vitamin D. I went to a spa for a manicure and advice. The technician used OPI nail envy but said that I needed to apply it more than every 4 weeks during my mani. I bought it and followed the instructions — wow! What a difference! I highly recommend this.”

Another raved about how the product helped strengthen and grow nails: “Nail Envy by OPI is literally the best nail strengthening polish out there. I could never, ever, in my life grow my nails past the edge of the nail bed. My nails became so strong and are actually growing. I recommend this product to everyone who has trouble growing your nails.”

One gel manicure enthusiast noted its effectiveness and wrote, “My nails are even stronger than before, and I have not suffered another setback of chipped, cracked, broken nails. I'm pretty astonished. I will probably do gels again, but not to the level of frequency as I did before. In between I plan on using this religiously.”

At $17, this nail treatment is a splurge, but one well that is well-worth it — as one happy customer explained. “My nails are no longer splitting, peeling, cracking, or bending,” said the reviewer who also uses it as a base coat. “This product dries super fast and holds on great to any polish you put on top of it. My color nail polish no longer lifts/separates from the nail, peels, or chips. It stays right in place and just wears evenly a long the exposed edges of my nails.”

“I almost didn't purchase this because it seemed really pricey,” admitted another. “I had tried a similar product by another brand and it didn't do much for me but I love OPI polishes so I decided to take a chance on this stuff and I'm glad I did. It goes on clear, it's not milky or cloudy at all. It leaves a great shine on my nails and doesn't chip off. I work with my hands a lot, gardening and packing and shipping so my nails start looking bad pretty quick, the tips get jagged and brittle...this stuff definitely helped with that. My nails were actually growing. I still keep them trimmed short but they are definitely growing faster, plus they look and feel much healthier.

A beauty product that actually works just like it says ... it does exist!”

Shop it: OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener, $17, amazon.com

The editors at Yahoo Lifestyle are committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. At times, we may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

Read More from Yahoo Lifestyle:

The nail polish shade that looks good on everyone, according to an expert

Is this the best mascara ever? Why Amazon shoppers swear by this $5 find

Nordstrom's Half-Yearly sale is still happening: Score up to 50 percent off Kate Spade, Nike and more

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo’s newsletter.

[bestportablewm]

Best Portable Ice Maker For Home

There are many reasons to own a portable ice maker. Maybe your refrigerator did not come with an ice dispenser? Maybe you have a home bar and want the convenience of having fresh crushed or cubed ice for your cocktails? For commercial use, you can serve cold soda, waters, and juices out your food truck or cart. Having a pool party and want to have cold drinks readily available? The possibilities are endless.

There are several great options when finding the top moveable ice maker and you can’t go wrong with any of the choices below.

Best Portable Ice Makers For 2019

Name: Rating:Price on Amazon: NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker4.9 NutriChef Premium Digital Portable Ice Maker Machine, Countertop Ice Dispenser4.8 Luma Comfort IM200SS Portable Clear Ice Maker, 28-Pound4.9

NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker

As portability is one of the most important aspects people look for in devices, this NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker In Red With 28 Pound Ice Cube Capacity Review would like to let you know more about why this ice maker should be on your next shopping list. First of all, this ice maker has an elegant and compact design. What this means is that you can place wherever you choose and have the certainty that it will not be in your way to bother you. Secondly, it can produce ice faster than most of the devices you will find on the market. While you can expect other ice makers to produce ice in about ten minutes, this device will have it ready in approximately six minutes.

NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker In Red Features

Its red and white colors are complimentary to any modern home décor

By purchasing it, you will not have to pay any shipping fees

It includes a side mounted drain that allows you to get rid of the extra water easily and effortless

It can produce up to 28 pounds of ice daily, which is more than enough for any party or barbecue

NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker In Red With 28 Pound Ice Cube Capacity Pros

The biggest plus of the NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker In Red With 28 Pound Ice Cube Capacity is the fact that it produces ice cubes with an open end. In case you did not know, the open ice cubes have the advantage of cooling your beverage faster than full cubes.

NewAir AI-100R Portable Icemaker In Red With 28 Pound Ice Cube Capacity Cons

Even though some buyers said that it is a bit larger than expected, it is easily maneuverable by anyone.

Current Price – $123.99 – Click Here For Reviews on Amazon

NutriChef Premium Digital Portable Ice Maker Machine, Countertop Ice Dispenser

If you are looking for the Cadillac of ice dispensers, you have it in the NutriChef Premium Digital Portable Ice Maker Machine.  You have options of making different ice types; such as small ice cubes or large ice cubes. The LED display screen is a great touch, allowing for information settings to easily be seen. One of the best selling factors of this unit is it’s ease of use. If you want something that looks slick with its metallic design, but is simple in design this is a great product. Another great selling point about this unit is it is extremely energy efficient. While other portable ice units use up roughly $16 a year in energy costs, this unit comes it at only $9 which comes out to a $7 yearly savings. For a stylish counter top unit – this is the obvious choice.

Current Price $219.99 – Click Here For Reviews on Amazon

Luma Comfort IM200SS Portable Clear Ice Maker, 28-Pound

If you are looking for a commercial use portable ice maker, the Luma Comfort IM200SS is the way to go. While the Luma Comfort model is more expensive than the other two, with a 28 pound tray you can store much ice which is great if you are in need of a large amount of ice in a hurry. Also – for RV or boat use this is a great option. Like the other two options, if the ice melts in the bay it is re-absorbed into the water reservoir for future ice use. The ice made from the Luma Comfort maker is clean and not cloudy, and tastes absolutely divine.

Current Price – $199.99 – Click Here For Reviews on Amazon

How does a portable ice maker work?

A portable ice maker freezer works like a conventional or a regular-sized ice maker. It is connected to a water supply in a standard kitchen or supply room and water freezes over ice cube molds through the cooling unit. There is a machine that turns the molds upside down pressing out the ice cubes onto a receiving or storage area. In this type of ice maker, the concept is basically the same but with a smaller storage unit for the prepared ice cubes. A standard portable ice maker can make up to 35 pounds of ice cubes per day with approximately 12 ice cubes in less than 10 minutes.

What are the other features of a portable ice maker?

Some portable ice makers may give you the advantage of selecting the ice cube sizes. They are mostly high-efficiency appliances and have a CFC-free compressor that is definitely environment-friendly as well. A portable ice maker is generally preferred by people who travel a lot; you can use this in campers, RVs, mobile homes, small apartment units, in office break rooms and also in school cafeterias. Large scale ice makers, however, are used in larger businesses like convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants, fast food centers and so much more.

How do you care for a portable ice maker?

Newer versions or brands of portable ice maker like Emerson, Igloo and Greenway ice makers have a self-cleaning feature that is done automatically by the machine itself. If your ice maker is not equipped with this great feature, you can clean it on a regular basis with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar to remove smell and dirt; rinse it completely with warm water. Always clean a portable ice maker thoroughly before use.

If you plan to purchase a new ice maker, opt for a longer manufacturer’s and service warranty or purchase an extended warranty for your appliance. If you are planning to get a second hand one, be sure that it is working great and ask for any warranty left before purchasing.

These type of ice maker’s prices may vary on the brand. The least expensive one but certainly efficient and has great functions to offer can cost from $180.00 to $200.00 while the high-end ones can cost from $250.00 to $300.00. Shop for the best value portable ice maker online as you read product comparisons and review on different brands.

We hope that you find the perfect Portable ice maker that is just right for you, and don’t forget to check out the quality Portable ice maker selection!

The post Best Portable Ice Maker For Home appeared first on Best Portable Reviews.

from Best Portable Reviews https://bestportablereview.com/best-portable-ice-makers-for-home

[tinymixtapes]

Music Review: OBNIVM - Robot!

OBNIVM Robot! [Never Anything; 2019] Rating: 3.5/5 Despite popular perception, Seattle sees less yearly rainfall than other US metros like Chicago or New York. During the fall and winter months, though, the Olympic rain shadow does experience a higher percentage of “rain days.” In this time, a constant cloudiness and light shower is like a faucet drip or encyclopedia of breezes. It is a perennial hail-haze, one that seems to blotch out time, space, and all matter. Like something out of J. G. Ballard, the perception of consistent foul weather and the performance of its avoidance engenders a sometimes surreal sort of micro-social recess in the Emerald City. This is a time when coprophagic grins dance like trash-happy gulls, a time when you see some truly upsetting and/or wacked-out shyt on Third. Naturally, though, Seattle’s seasonal siesta also provides fertile ground for indoor re-creation, of which there are, of course, numerous thankless vectors. At the top of the break appears Robot!, the latest from Seattle’s very own Never Anything, c/o OBNIVM. Possessing precise magnitude and direction, Robot! also retains a certain whimsy and playfulness. This endows it with a necessary human signature that thankfully clouds any overweight themes. Robot! by OMNIVM So, is that a question or a comment? Regardless, it all begins now, before the drama happens, with rhetorical exercise “Who Are The Parents, Here?,” introducing the record’s rich palette of glacial synths and blippy-rhythmic start-stutters. Timbre and time signature so obfuscated it could be anything, an aura, or homework, or it could be your next screen-induced memory lapse. Robot! organically liquidates itself with novelty to remain fresh at each movement. This is the part where you probably expect me to talk about A.I. And so consider “Human or Mechanical Hands?” Starting with a multilayered synth plucked straight from Rosecrans, the sketch achieves ascent with a moderate vibrato, coupled with a slow-bumping grind. As far as sequencing goes, it’s like nothing before or after it, staking an individually-earned place in Robot!’s sonic toolkit. Regurgitated radio chatter babbles to a froth on the next track, “They Don’t Like Psychojazz,” recapitulating some whispered digital-oral phylogeny as it signs on and off. It’s the only unambiguously human voice on the whole record. Each track provides something slightly different while making a logical next step from the last. In this way, Robot! benefits from cohesion, indicating a considered and apropos artificial nature. Likewise defined by an un-lyrical sense of humor (e.g., “All Robots Watch Clockwork Orange”), the following tracks, too, remain slippery while wet. And yet the record lacks defined hooks; it’s more of a freewheeling exercise in rhythmic improvisation and general instrumental provocation. Technological portraits emerge like pale ghosts, but stubbornly refuse to reveal meaning in any self-reflexive way. Unpredictable variations on the face and form give light to the compositions, but the ciphers themselves do not stand on their own; each one only makes sense in the context of its genus. And so Robot! aspires to singularity, but really comes off more like grey goo; there is no tragic climax. Like a libretto, this product of Seattle’s regular rain-check follows Asimov’s laws along the barest geometries of time and space, making for an adequate expression of life before the future. http://j.mp/2n4opK4

[vks905a4b-blog]

Some Leading Tips On Improving Your Phone Skills

Getting the best finish on your windows can be quite basic if you do it properly. However make any errors and you'll wind up with spotting or cloudy windows.

Now that we've handled that, it's time for my suggestions. They aren't in any specific order, so read them and follow the ones that sounds best for you. I need to preface it also by stating that everyone is various at the table and this was how I got started. I remain in no chance an expert, or even a part-time pro, I am just an amateur who enjoys a great deal of poker, studies the game, and play as much as possible. However, I have actually never had a losing session playing my video game, having constantly come out ahead with some easy techniques. So without any more talk, here are http://szjyhy.com/v0bzgrw900/post-top-pointers-to-410.html some of my amazon uk contact number free for you Find more information 'real game' novices.

The very first is one that all of us understand about, but have the tendency to dismiss, great old water. Yes, I understand you've heard it all in the past, however there's a reason it keeps getting mentioned, it's so damned great for you! It flushes toxins from your system and does something that no pricey cream can do; hydrate you from the within out. You can invest numerous dollars on a moisturizing cream, however it will just do the leading layer or two of skin, whereas the water will hydrate the lower layers, providing a softer and healthier radiance to your skin.

Set up a feedback conversation with your manager or supervisor quarterly. Do not await your yearly review. This is a crucial discussion both managers and employees rarely approach with positive anticipation yet it is the perfect chance to increase your worth. Request suggestions and put it to work.

When it's overcast, clean your windows. , if you live in England that should not be too hard for you.. But if you're fortunate sufficient to live elsewhere like Florida and you cannot avoid the sunshine then do it early in the early morning. You have amazon shopping tips to prevent direct sunshine and heat, since that triggers problems.

Table and won about $250 dollars. Then I tanked and gave all of it back in less than an hour. Play limit games when you're new. It'll offer you an idea of how typically to go after hands, what hands individuals will play for the expense, as well as let you feel out your own game without the prospect of losing all your money in one hand. If you genuinely wish to play no limitation, that's fine. it's the glamour video game right now and I don't blame you. However if you wish to see considerable gains or get good info to begin off versus genuine players, then limit games could prove more beneficial to you in the long run.

Invest an expert squeegee. When it comes to squeegees is false economy, conserving and scrimping. The more affordable versions will have flaws which result in an imperfect job. Due to the fact that they'll be the most expensive, you'll know which ones are the best. Ideally get one with a white sponge side since then you understand when it's tidy.

Pieces of jewelery: A sweet gold, silver or diamond pendant or earrings will form eternal gift for the bride-to-be. Purchase a design and style that AwardforBest will fit the bride-to-be's character and dressing style. Usage organza favor bags to hold the piece. Organza bags are gorgeous in themselves. You can include decorative pieces in addition to make it more attractive. You will get organza bags in numerous shops.

[antonintalkswine]

Etna Bianco 2016 Ayunta

For those of you kindly keeping up with my weekly postings, I was recently ranting about the beauty of Etna and its ability to withstand against any classically-defined wine regions.

Although, Mount Etna had long been shaped by viticulture for centuries, it was not until the late 1990′s that investments or simply the Wine World figured out just how much potential Etna had.

Running Northeast to Southeast around the volcano, most of the area under vines are planted to Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio, creating the Etna Rosso blend, while Carricante and Catarratto makes for the blend created under the Etna Bianco DOC (although a small tiny amount of other indigenous grape varieties can also be found).

While most of the volcanic soils are phylloxera-free with vines approaching +200 years old, substantial differences were also found based on the site vines were grown in as microclimate drastically changes from one side to the other.

Indeed, the term ‘contrada’ was first struck in 2005 based on that belief, as producers felt the need to show and highlight how key sites were, as it is the case in Burgundy, France (Premier cru, Grand cru system).

In other words, not only is Nerello Mascalese (as is Pinot Noir) extremely sensitive to site exposure but ripening conditions can prove difficult when the right conditions are overlooked (elevation, sun exposure, slope incline).

Back to this review, earlier this week, I happened to be lucky enough to experience what the region really has to offer in a liquid form.

Filippo Mangione, Ayunta’s founder, has had wine part of his life and his family’s for a little while. 

Growing up in Southern Sicily, Filippo watched his father tend vines since a very early age until witnessing his passing, which led to all of his family’s holdings being sold off eventually.

Following up was Filippo finding his way into the wine industry all the way to a sommelier position inspiring him to make a trip back to his roots down in Etna and take over what were, soon-to-be, abandoned parcels.

Fast forward to 2011, Filippo kickstarted AYUNTA with holdings from very old vines, primarily located on the Northern side of the volcano and today averaging 3 hectares.

Another noteworthy fact is, as these are also sitting on fairly high altitude in a cooler area, around 600-700m, harvest can be overdue and take place until the end of October for red varieties.

Filippo made it also very clear from the very beginning that very few interventions would be made in or outdoors and no chemicals would be in use in the vineyards over a yearly, very close watch on the vines instead.

ETNA BIANCO ‘Piante/Sparse’, proudly displayed on the bottle here stands for ‘stray vines’ in Italian, as white varieties are blended in and scattered among red varieties. As a result, maturity can be tricky to keep in check and Filippo, in some years, prefer to not even release any whites on the market.

The wine, when poured, comes off a touch cloudy (not surprising as no filtration or fining is done) and extremely vibrant taking on bright gold hues and, if this can be a wine descriptor, glitters.

I found the nose to be living up to its color, again starting off extremely bold. 

Most interesting of nose here. Changing as the glass was swirled around some more, making me feel like I was opening a spice cabinet… vanilla beans, cardamom and pistacchio, taking me to a seafood platter with some briny notes and wet rocks finishing off on some yellow apple flesh undertones.            Never-ending.

Overall, I felt the wine dancing, tickling and evolving just under an hour (or enough time for three individuals to get to the end of the bottle).                   Great acidity throughout providing backbone and added roundness to the wine. 

In all honesty, Craftsmanship can truly be tasted in here.

Whether this is in any ways related to the non-interventionist practises, I cannot confirm but this is nonetheless, in every way, very well-handled and again, is a reminder that Mount Etna has a bright future ahead.

Thanks for reading!

AA

[personalcoachingcenter]

While solar energy has been around for some time now, people still want to know more about it. In order to educate yourself on solar energy, you have to take the time to learn about he subject and the benefits it provides. The following paragraphs can be a good staring point for your solar energy education. The density of the solar panels you purchase will determine how efficient they are. Panels with a higher density are usually more expensive but their cost is justified since you will be able to produce a lot more power with these more performing products. If you are hesitating between different panels, compare their density to get an idea of how efficient they will be. If you're thinking about investing in a solar power system, stay away from high pressure salesmen. Use as much time as possible to gain information about solar energy vendors. Buying immediately from any high pressure salesperson may result in making the wrong decision and wasting your money. Solar energy reduces the amount of pollution produced annually. There are already a number of standalone machines and systems that make excellent use of the power of the sun. There are solar powered generators, a great thing to have should power go out for extended period of times.

Solar Energy

If you are concerned about the environment, solar energy is the smart choice for you. Solar energy harnesses the power of the sun, a free and entirely renewable source of power. Therefore, reduce your carbon footprint by making use of solar energy. If you are having a new home built for you it is a great time to look into using solar energy to power your home. Solar energy is the next step in energy production, as the effects on the environment are almost non-existant. It is now time to check out solar energy if you have failed to do so in the past. Most people do not know that having a solar energy system does not require a power grid. You'll be able to operate everything by yourself so that your family can have piece of mind by being more independent from energy companies. This means there are zero power bills that you need to deal with! It is best to invest in a full-scale solar energy system once you are a homeowner. If you're paying for the home, the panels can mean more financial obligations that may make you lose both if you can't pay for your home.

Solar Panels

When making the decision to use solar panels, you are going to need to be aware of the weather at all times. Solar panels are a good option if there are five hours of sunlight a day in your area. For example, solar energy may not be your best bet if you live an area where most days are snowy, mostly cloudy or foggy. Panels have to face the sun to draw power. Your solar energy system will be more efficient if your panels are always facing the sun, even if it means adjusting them throughout the seasons. Get the solar energy system inspected twice yearly to make sure it's working right. Your solar technician will examine connections and readjust the angle of your panels for the best performance of your system. Installing a solar energy system in your home is a major project. Conduct a bit of research on vendors and seek references and do some comparison shopping. Review all contracts and consider having a lawyer look things over, as well. Think about converting your water heater to solar energy. 35% of your energy usage may be just for hot water. This solar heater will save you money the second that you install it in your home. Avoid stepping on solar panels, unless you really need to. These are very expensive and you want them to work as they should. If stepping around them is a must, keep clear of the panel ends. They tend to break most often. Solar energy is still a viable option for the future, even though there have been a few solar companies that have folded recently. In fact, you can still reduce the amount of your energy bill. Look for a local energy provider that provides solar power options. This allows you to reap the benefits and access assistance if needed. Determine how much energy you use and whether a quality panel is right for you. Often, a few small panels work better than a big installation. When determining the actual output of your system, always remember to consider additional factors. As with most products, the output the solar panels claim to provide is when it is working at optimal performance. Shade from overcast, environmental distractions, and trees that are close by can decrease your numbers somewhat. The southernmost side of your new home should feature as many large windows as possible. This allows you to get the most from the winter sun. Also consider the full heat of the summer sun and how it can increase your cooling bills in the summer. Consult a design professional to create the most energy efficient home possible. Solar energy has been the source of interest for many people for years. However, most people aren't properly educated about the subject. The article above should have given you an excellent foundation that will help you get on the right path.