#delivery services take a cut from the restaurant so the restaurant has to charge more

[mzcain27]

Food prices being jacked up because you’re ordering delivery annoys the SHIT out of me because it’s always been like yeah it’ll be more expensive because we’re getting it delivered, we are paying for convenience, no worries

Now it’s like yeah the delivery fee is $5-10 but actually your whole bill is like $20-30 more expensive MINIMUM, your burrito bowl or whatever is like $8 dearer because you’re getting delivery like everything SUCKS

[transgenieio]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your App with a Food App Builder

The demand for convenient food ordering and delivery services continues to grow in today’s era. To build a successful food delivery app, you can leverage specific food app builders to simplify the development process. Now, we’ll go over the key processes and concerns for creating a food delivery app with a specialized app builder. We’ll go over the benefits of utilizing a food app builder, the features to include, the technological stack, and the whole development process.

Introduction

The food delivery sector has grown rapidly over the last decade and shows no signs of slowing down. With their hectic schedules and growing need for convenience, more individuals are turning to food delivery apps to satiate their hunger. If you want to get into this rich sector, a food app builder might be a useful tool in your app development journey.

What is a Food App Builder?

A food app builder is a software development platform that is particularly developed for the building of food delivery apps. These systems include pre-built templates, user-friendly interfaces, and a variety of functionality geared to the requirements of food delivery companies. Using a food app builder may help you save time, cut development expenses, and produce a more feature-rich app in a more effective manner.

In this blog, we’ll go over the stages needed in creating a food delivery app with a specific food app builder, as well as the important features, technological stack, and design considerations that are critical for your app’s success.

The Benefits of Using a Food App Builder

Before we go into the step-by-step process of creating your food delivery service, let’s talk about why you should use the benefits of a food delivery app builder. Here are some benefits:

Saves Time: A food app builder simplifies the development process by providing pre-built templates and components. This means you can drastically cut the time it takes to develop your software.

Cost-Effective: Building a bespoke food delivery app from the ground up might be costly. A food app builder can help you save money by removing the need for a big development team and shortening the development time.

User-Friendly: These platforms are user-friendly, making them accessible even to individuals with less technical understanding. You may concentrate on your company objectives while the builder handles the technical issues.

Customization: While there are pre-built templates accessible, most food app builders allow for modification to meet your brand and specific needs. You may customize the look, features, and functioning of your app.

Scalability: As your food delivery business expands, so should your app. Scalability features are available from many food app providers, guaranteeing that your app can manage rising user demand.

Maintenance and Updates: Maintenance and updates are frequently provided by food app makers, ensuring that your app is always up to date and safe. This relieves you of the burden of continuing technical upkeep.

Steps to Create a Food Delivery App

1. Define Your Business Strategy

Before you begin developing your app, you must first identify your company plan. Take a look at the following:

Target Audience: Who are your ideal clients? What are their preferences and habits regarding food delivery?

Business Model: Are you going to collaborate with local eateries, open your own kitchen, or do both? Decide on your income plan (commissions, delivery fees, subscriptions, and so on).

Competitive Analysis: Research your competitors and identify what sets your app apart from the rest.

Monetization Strategy: Determine how you will monetize the app. This may include charging restaurants a fee to use your platform, collecting delivery costs, or charging consumers a membership price for premium features.

2. Choose a Food App Builder

Choosing the best food app builder is a critical decision. Some common choices are:

Code Brew Labs: Code Brew Labs is a top-notch food app builder that offers a complete stack of technology and features for creating food delivery apps. It can integrate with any food applications & businesses.

Zomato Clone: This is a script-based solution that allows you to construct a food delivery app similar to Zomato. It’s a good alternative if you wish to duplicate the success of a well-known platform.

GoodBarber: GoodBarber is well-known for its elegant and easily adaptable app themes. It may be used to build both restaurant and food delivery apps.

Builder.ai: Builder.ai provides a more complex app creation environment with a high level of customisation. It’s an excellent choice if you have a clear concept for your project.

3. Design Your App

The design of every app is crucial to its success. Create a user-friendly and visually appealing interface using the templates and customization possibilities supplied by your selected food app builder. Think about the following design elements:

User Interface (UI): Make sure the software is simple to use, with clear icons and controls. The colour palette and layout should be consistent with your company’s branding.

User Experience (UX): Pay attention to the app’s flow. Users should be able to easily explore restaurants, pick food, and place orders.

Branding: In order to develop a strong brand presence, incorporate your logo and branding aspects throughout the app’s design.

4. Features and Functionality

To suit the demands of both users and restaurant partners, your food delivery app should include a diverse set of functions. Here are some important factors to consider:

User Registration and Login: Allow people to establish accounts and log in using their email addresses, phone numbers, or social network accounts.

Restaurant Listings: Display a menu and a list of eateries. For easier navigation, include search and filter options.

Menu Customization: This allows consumers to personalize their orders, include specific instructions, and select from various payment options.

Order Tracking: Allow users to follow the progress of their orders in real-time so they may stay up to date on the status of their deliveries.

Reviews and Ratings: Allow users to rate and evaluate restaurants and delivery services.

Push Notifications: Notify customers with order changes, promotions, and discounts.

Payment Integration: Integrate secure payment channels to make transactions easier.

Delivery Management: Provide capabilities for handling orders and assigning delivery staff to restaurant partners.

Admin Dashboard: Create an admin dashboard to manage users, restaurants, and orders, as well as to collect insights and data.

5. Backend Development

All of the magic happens in the backend of your food delivery app development software. It is in charge of data storage, user authentication, order processing, and communication between the app and third-party services. While food app builders make the process easier, it’s critical to understand the backend components and technology that allow your app to run smoothly. Backend technologies that are important include:

Server: To host the backend of your app, you’ll need a dependable server. Popular cloud systems include AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure.

Database: To store user and restaurant data, as well as order information, utilize a database system such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or NoSQL databases such as MongoDB.

APIs: Integrate APIs used by your app for money processing, location services, and third-party services.

Security: Put in place strong security measures to protect user data and ensure secure transactions.

6. Launch Your App

When your app has been completely tested, it is time to make it available to the general public. This entails multiple steps:

App Store Submission: Prepare your software for distribution through app shops such as the Apple Software Store and Google Play. Follow their app submission rules, which include supplying app descriptions, images, and other essential files.

Marketing: Promote your app through numerous methods, such as social media, influencer marketing, and paid promotion.

Launch Event: To build hype and attract early consumers, consider having a launch event or promotion.

Conclusion

Building a food delivery app using a dedicated food app builder is a practical and effective approach to entering the increasing market of food delivery app development services. By following the methods mentioned in this article, you may develop a successful app that fits the demands of both customers and restaurant partners. Remember to outline your business plan, select the proper food app builder, design an appealing interface, add key features, manage backend development, perform extensive testing, efficiently launch your app, and continue to enhance and expand your app post-launch.

The food delivery sector offers several potentials for entrepreneurs, and employing a food app builder might be a quick way to enter this competitive field.

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 6

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him.

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 6: And So It Begins

“I’m back,” MK tiredly said as he dragged his form out of the blazing sun and into the cool restaurant, “orders delivered, traffic long and people angry, but food is delivered.”

“Great, but you still have another delivery,” Pigsy replied as his back was turned.

“Just one,” he grinned, “compared to the other ten this will be a piece-,”

He slammed down 30 orders down in front of him on the already bustling counter.

“Of cake,” he deflated as he saw the monumental amount of food. “What the-Are we feeding an entire town?!”

“Close. Party, though I should have charged their ungrateful asses extra for the rush order,” he growled out, “who gives an hour warning Huh?!”

“Apparently them,” he groaned as he picked up and carried the whole load into the car.

“And when you get back, there are a dozen more orders to take care of,” Pigsy called out.

“Got it bossman,” he yelled out, then he slammed the door closed and he sat up straight with a grin, “alright this won’t be so bad.”

“BEEF? BEEF?!! I WANTED MISO! GET IT RIGHT YOU STUPID DRIVER! The voice yelled out at MK as the two stood at the doorway.

“I’m sorry but-,” he winced as he was cut off by the rude woman screech.

“You better be sorry! I could have your job for this big of a screw up! You are nothing!”

“Technically I just delivered your food,” he whispered to himself.

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing!” He put on his best service smile, “I’m very sorry about this, how about I take your food back so that I can-.”

Splat

MK watched as the woman threw down her food in a fit of rage.

“There’s your damn food, now pick it up and get me a new one,” she spat out.

MK looked down at the pile of food that Pigsy put his sweat and blood into slowly dripping off the stone stairs. He took a deep breath as he put his hand in his pocket to subtly squeeze the stress ball and looked at the woman.

“I’m not cleaning that up,” he deadpans and walks back to the car.

“What?!”

“Also,” he rolled down his window when he got in the car, “if you would like to order for a party, next time call ahead of time.” He then quickly drove off until he could no longer hear the yells of the angry woman.

He rode until he reached the grocery store, parked at the edges of the lot where there were barely any cars, unbuckled his seat belt, and laid his head on top of the wheel.

“I. Hate. People. Sometimes.” He lightly banged his head with each word then he leaned back and took out the ball and squeezed it a few times. “I really do.”

He likes to think of himself as a pretty optimistic person, after having his whole life turned around and learning things can get better, he likes to think that the world can be good. But days like these, people like those, make him really put that side of him to the test and today he very much failed that. He should be glad that he didn’t go off on her, like what Pigsy did when some dude tried to scam him or Mei when she is feeling very competitive over some a-holes, but at the same time that sounds amazing.

He squeezed the ball a little tighter.

“I really want to see Dad right now,” he muttered to himself. It would be so easy, just one yell to him and he would be over in less than a second. “I really want him right now…but I made a promise to myself that I would do this without him.”

So he took a deep breath, lifted his head, put on his music, put away his rainbow stress ball, and slowly began his drive back to Pigsy restaurant.

It was during that drive back that he got a call, “Hello?”

“Hey MK, it’s me,” he stopped as he heard Pigsy's voice, he had a feeling he knows what this is about.

“Heyyy Pigsy, I’m almost at the store,” he tried and failed, to sound casual.

“I just got off a call with a very rude customer who said that you threw down her food when she was being oh so kind,” he bluntly said, “even mentioned about assaulting her.”

“That is so not how any of that went down!” He immediately said, “she yelled at me for saying that I made her food wrong and I told her that it can be redone, but she decided to instead throw down all of that food herself and told me to clean it up! Who does that?! And all of this was after she put her hand all through that food, which is so gross by the way, I mean other people are eating that, cause I know she ain’t-,” he was cut off by Pigsy chuckles.

“You don’t need to explain anything, I know you for far too long to even think that you would put too much salt in someone's food let alone throwing it down on the ground.”

“Oh,” he calmed down as he released the tension from the wheel, “that’s good.”

“Yeah, I told it to her straight just exactly how I felt about her being an utter ass to not only myself but my employees. Let’s just say that she was not happy about that and threaten to sue,” he could almost hear him shrug.

“What no!” He tried to stand up, only to realize he was still in the car and he was still buckled up. “I am so sorry!”

“Don’t be, cause jokes on her the world we live in has become pretty up to date with security and, more importantly, security cameras,” he said with a grin, “I don’t think she’s gonna get a single cent when everything that went down was all on video.”

MK let a smile spread across his face, bless technology and all its glory. “That’s good.”

“It sure is. Do you want to take a breather when you come back? I know that woman was more than a handful that what you're used to,” he asked in concern.

“Nope,” he cheerfully said, “I am A-Ok! Just get those next orders ready for me so I can deliver!”

“Well if you're certain, get your ass back here on the double,” he said, but the teenager could tell it was more playful, “we got orders waiting to be delivered.”

“On my way!” He saluted to no one and hung up. “Alright! Let’s get a move on!”

‘Make sure to add the cohesive before the mixing,’ the voice silently thought to himself.

“It would be so easy just to make that jump, hell my youngest kit sister can make that and she’s not even a month old,” a voice bragged.

‘Combine the Feins roots with the Elia petals first to dilute the solution.’

“All I’m saying is that if you try to jump off the cliff of perils then I sure as hell am not catching you,” another voice deadpanned.

“Nahhh I would be fine.”

‘…dice the Oran berries and Pecha then add when the next stage is ready.’

“If you count being splattered into tiny little pieces fine, then, by all means, go ahead,” another voice sighed.

‘Make sure that the color is a deep orange hue and not dark yellow, that can-,’

“Ye o little faith.”

“No, you are of little sanity. Even my younger gremlins know better,” she shot back.

‘That can easily violate the substance,’

“But they don’t have the certain skills like I do,” they bragged.

‘…leading to a-,’

“It still wouldn’t be a wise thing to do,” a deep voice pointed out.

‘Leads to a-,’ his vial cracked in his hands as he was once again interrupted.

“No, but it would be fun-.”

“I swear,” everyone turned to face the irritated monkey, “to all things good in this world and the next, if you dumbasses don’t shut the fuck up in the next five seconds I will make the Piñata fiasco at the Boiling Isles look like a god damn nap compared to what I’m gonna do to you.”

“Sorry, were we disturbing you,” Yanyu cheekily said.

“You little-”

“Awwww I’m soo sorry,” Daiyu mocked.

“I swear-”

“We didn’t mean to interrupt your monologue,” Minsheng smirked, “you know it kinda reminds me of Flicker when you do that.”

“That’s it!” He slammed down his ingredients, opened his drawers, and took out a roll of duct tape, “come here you little bastards!” He yelled out as he began to chase down the three annoyances.

“Same as usual,” Bohai sighed as he drank his tea.

“One would think not to mess with Mac when he’s like this,” Ahmed commented.

“Especially when he’s in his mood.”

“Especially that.”

“Now shut it,” he proudly said as he sat on top of his third victim.

“Hey hey!” Daiyu struggled to break free, “we were trying to lighten your mood fuzzball.”

“By annoying the shit out of me,” he growled as he taped her beak shut. “Fat chance, anyone else,” he looks over to his other two remaking friends.

“I say nothing,” the jellyfish put his tentacles up in surrender.

“While they may have been a bit well-,”

“Fucking annoying,” the monkey bluntly said.

“Yes that, they did have a purpose to their madness,” the lion pointed out.

“What? What could they possibly want badly enough to annoy the absolute fuck out of me?!”

“You have empty bird nest syndrome.”

“…what?”

“I said-”

“I heard you the first time!” Macaque interrupted, “I do not have that! I am use to MK not being home day to day, so why the hell would you thi-,”

“For days,” Yanyu said once she ripped the tape off her mouth, “but not for longer than a week.”

“Same difference!”

“Nah pal it ain’t,” the bunny demon said as they chewed on their own tape, “I can see it as bright as day, you have been extra moody and hella sad these past couple of days. It’s just like mum, whenever one decides to leave the warren, she gets all glum and broody for days.”

“I am not broody!” His tail swished violently.

“But you do miss him,” Ahmed stated.

“I don’t-”

“And it’s okay if you do.”

“I don’t miss him, I can visit anytime,” he stated.

“You still miss him being there, being next to you,” the lone human gave his ponytail a playful tug and sat next to Mac, who was still sitting on top of the tied-up vulture. “Take it from a big sister, when Shu moved out to live in the dorms I was so happy for him, but as time went on I noticed that I didn’t hear his off pitch singing in the afternoon nor did I hear his voice amongst my gremlins over who gets the last brownie. I didn’t miss him, hell I could video chat with him anytime, but I missed his presence, you know.”

Macaque just gave her a hard look before sighing, “He used to hum to himself whenever he was bored,” he admitted as he got off his friend and slumped down next to her.

Yanyu just patted his shoulder as he continued.

“I know I can just visit him, but my kid is growing up, he’s learning to stand on his own and he should have his own life separate from me.”

“Yeah imma stop you there,” Sheng rolled his eyes, “you are being one over dramatic monkey right now if you think that just because he’s doing his own thing, doesn’t mean that he doesn't have time for you. Hell, you are the one demon he will always have time for no matter what.”

“But-”

“Ain’t no buts about it fuzzbrain,” Daiyu squawked out once she feared the tape off, “your hatching adores the shit out of you and if you don’t think he won’t spend time with you then you are dead wrong.”

“He should have that time to himself, he is just starting out all on his own…without me…,” he slumped in depression, but quickly shot up due to a shocking touch, “OW! FUCKING WHY BOHAI!”

“You're being an idiot,” he smugly said as he lowered his tendril.

“Thanks,” Yanyu nodded to him, “and he’s right. I know that this whole thing won’t end with this so here’s what we’re gonna do. The six of us are going to go to Qián city.”

“…why the fuck are we going to the underwater city of Shanghai?” He incredulously looked at her.

“Cause you seriously need to relax.”

“I don’t-”

“You spent most of your time in the garden or prepping medicine that you don’t need,” Ahmed calmly said as he cleaned up the mess that Mac made.

“…you may have a point, but I don’t really feel like I should leave, what if MK or Mei happens to call?” He said.

“Well one, I know damn well that your hearing exceeds that city's borders,” Sheng points out.

“Okay true.”

“And second, we have the beauty of phones, which allows people to fall from far away,” Yanyu slowly told him as if he was a child, “I taught you this in one of our first lessons.”

“Don’t patronize me,” he muttered, “but I don’t-”

“You either go willingly or Kit Kat over here is going to drag you,” she pointed to Ahmed.

“He wouldn’t-”

“I really would,” he had to stop a smile at the utter betrayal in the monkey's face.

“I could beat your ass again,” he grumbled.

“You very well could,” he agreed, “but then you would also have to go against everyone else and they will happily drag both you and me off.”

“Fine!” He throws his hand in the air.

“Got ‘em!” Sheng high-fived Yanyu.

“Told you he would cave in eventually,” the vulture grinned.

“But we are going there to strictly relax, that means no explosions, arsons, paralyzing, hacking, or prison riots.”

“What about stealing and graffitiing,” the bluenette raised her hand.

“If there assholes, be my fucking guest, but your ass better not get caught.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be more stealthy than sneaking into the police hub to get rid of the evidence,” she cockily stated.

“What?”

“What.”

“…you know what the less I know the better.”

“Good choice, so let’s get packing!” She excitedly said as she, Daiyu, Minsheng, and Bohai exited the infirmary.

“So are you gonna tell them that the game dealers there are more than likely to scam them before or after they get robbed?” Ahmed curiously asked.

“After, they need a lesson on not annoying the fuck out of me when I’m working,” he gave a mischievous grin.

“Quite rude of you,” he grinned.

“But you're smiling too.”

Ahmed chuckled lightly as the two left the infirmary.

It was a quiet day at the restaurant, the dinner rush had just ended and all that was really left to do was wait for the store to close and clean up what’s left. The only customers inside were Mei and Tang, both of whom have long since finished eating and are currently just chatting, or laying down, with MK over the counter.

“So how’re your online classes treating you?” Mei asked.

“Great!” He perked up as he took his eyes off the creepy butterfly in the corner of the restaurant, “I’m just about finished with my general study.”

“Ooo, does that mean you finally have a major in mind,” Mei leaned in.

“No I do not.” He cheerfully stated.

All of them, including Pigsy who was listening in, facepalmed.

“Mkkk,” the nineteen year old groaned.

“I knowww,” he slumped down, “but it’s hard deciding what to do for the rest of your life.”

“Well that is okay,” the historian softly said, “you're still young, you have your whole life ahead of you. Besides, college is not for everyone.”

“Yeahhh, so how’re your classes going Mei Mei?” MK turned to his friend, “I know you been taking some of the engineering courses.”

“Ugghhh, don’t get me started,” she slumped down in her seat, “I love it, but that is seriously kicking my ass right now. If I didn’t like to make sweet ass rides then I would have totally just dropped it.”

“Let me guess, for racing,” MK said as he sprayed down the counter.

“Duh, I’m gonna be so fast that when they're only halfway, I've already passed that finish line baby!” Mei screamed.

“Shhhhh,” Tang hushed as he held his head against the cool counter, “not so loud please.”

“You okay there Tang?” Pigsy asked as he moved closer to his friend, “you’ve been like that ever since you got in.”

“Yeah, it’s just this headache has been killing me and my usual medicine isn’t doing a thing,” sighed as he leaned into the warm hand touching his head.

“Doesn’t seem like you have a fever at least,” the pig mutters.

“Do you have any coughing, sneezing, nausea, or any other symptoms?” MK curiously asked as he sat up.

“I have been feeling a bit nauseous,” he murmured.

“Sharp ringing in your ears on and off?”

“Yesss,” he groaned out.

“Hmm hold on,” MK quickly went upstairs, everyone heard faint shuffling noises before he came back down as fast as he was carrying a small baggie, “Can I use your stove and teapot?”

“Go right ahead,” Pigsy agreed.

MK gave a quick smile and they all watched him make a pot of tea, but instead of teabags, he added some of the plants that were inside the bag.

“Here you go,” MK presented the tea to the historian once it was done.

Tang hesitated for a moment before accepting the cup, “…what is it?”

“Medicine. Drink,” he gave him a wide-eyed look.

“...alright,” he shrugged his shoulders and joked, “if this kills me, just burn my corpse.”

“Drink,” MK commanded once more.

Tang drank his tea instead of retorting back and his eyes widen at the taste of it.

“Are ya dead?” Mei asked.

“Feel the poison seeping in,” the pig demon joked.

“This is really good,” he complimented MK and he began to drink more.

“Thanks, it’s Dad’s special recipe diluted when it comes to dealing with migraines,” he happily announced.

“Diluted? I can already feel my migraine already going away, how bad is his if this is diluted?” Tang asked with much concern.

MK grimace as he shared a look with Mei. He can’t help the memories all filtering in of his father lying in bed clutching onto the headphones as it tightly covered all six of his ears. There is never a pattern to when this happens, but he knew to keep a pot of tea hot and a bowl of mango or other non-citrusy fruit available on those days.

“It’s pretty bad,” was all he said.

“Oh,” both adults shared a look before Tang put on a grin as he slurped down his tea, “well this really works, what in it?”

“It’s Feverfew Tea with some Pika berries,” said MK.

“I’ve heard of Feverfew, but I don’t think Pika rings a bell,” Pigsy hummed totally missing Mei’s shocked face.

“Why I never-,”

“No, it’s not pokemon,” MK quickly shut that down before she got to her rant.

‘’Awww,” she deflated.

“It’s from Kunlun peak.”

Tang immediately choked on his tea, “AK! Did you just say Kunlun peak!”

“Yep!”

“What’s so special about that,” she glumly asks.

“Mount Kunlun is known to be a mythical mountain that hikers and historians have been searching for centuries,” Tang began, “It’s said to hold both mythical animals and plants, each having extraordinary potential within them as even the Gods from above go down there for certain herbs and items needed for their potions. It just lays there on top of the highest peak, but no person nor demon has ever had a straight map leading there and you’re telling me your Dad, Macaque, went there?!”

“He goes there a few times a year,” the teenager proudly says.

He looks down at his tea with sparkles in his eyes, “I’m drinking magic tea made from the legendary mountain,” he gave a big slurp as he inhaled it and stood up.

Pigsy eyed the drink, neither teenager knew if it was in envy or jealousy.

“But I’m impressed MK,” Mei playfully punched his shoulder, “look at you being all smart about medicine.”

“Well I hear Dad mutter on and on about different types of herbs and their properties on a day to day basis, that it eventually gets stuck in my head you know,” he joked then he paused as an interesting thought occurred to him, “wait a moment.”

They all watch MK have a silent conversation to himself, complete with waving hands, multiple facial expressions, draw a few sketches on his notepad, and finish with a final glow of his eyes as he leaped up in the air.

“That’s it!”

“What’s it?” The owner said.

“Why didn’t I think of this before!”

“Think of what before?” The historian asked.

“It was seriously in front of me this entire time!”

“MK, I swear if you don’t tell us what’s up right now I am not liable to my next actions,” Mei threatened.

“I can be a Doctor!” He leaned forward in excitement, “or at least something along those lines!”

“You can be pop’s assistant!” Mei started to get excited alongside him, “how the hell did I not think of it either?!”

“I don’t know!”

“It does suit you,” the demon agreed. He knows the kid is smart, he has seen his grades, so it’s not far fetched to assume that he can do this rigorous task. “Hope you have good study habits, I know mines was absolute garbage back in school.”

“With notecards and all,” MK hates studying, his brain goes brrr during those times, but he can’t thank Yanyu and Bohai enough for teaching him different tricks to help keep focus. “Now I’m thinking maybe of being a pharmacist, cause I don’t think I do well with surgery.”

“There are also the ones who diagnose the disease using the X-ray thingie,” she snapped her finger as she tried to remember.

“Radiologist,” Tang called out.

“Yeah that!” She pointed to him.

“Ooo that also sounds interesting,” MK and Mei continued their animated talk as both adults watched.

“It’s nice to see them so happy,” the noodle lover let out a content smile as he drank some more of his tea.

“I hear that,” Pigsy then looked at the man cup in confusion, “by the way you’ve been drinking, I thought you would have already been finished by now.”

“With my first cup yes, I’m on my third one now.”

“How in the-I didn’t even see you leave this area!”

“Magic tea is magic,” was all Tang said.

Pigsy exploded, “That doesn’t explain shit!”

“Well too bad,” he gave a loud slurp once more.

SLURPPP

“You know what, two can play that game,” the human was confused when the pig demon got up and left the room. He was no longer confused as he came back with a cup of tea in hand.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Tang threatened the pig.

The pig looked him straight in the eye and, with a sly smirk, drank down the tea.

SLURRPP

“You heathen!” He shrieked as he banged his hands on the counter and stood up, “how dare you drink my magic tea!”

“Well next time don’t be rude as fuck!” He shot back and got in his face as well.

“That’s rich coming from you!”

“Says the freeloader!”

“Oh here we go again! You know, if you wanted some tea you could have asked!”

“My stove, my cups, my pot, mine.”

“But it was made for me!”

“Yeah well-wait hold up, you feel better right,” Pigsy dropped his screaming as he softly asked his friend, “no drill pounding in your head?”

“Yeah I’m fine now, it really does work miracles,” Tang also lowered his voice.

“That’s good.”

“…they really do act like an old married couple,” Mei announces, MK facepalmed as both adults separated from each other and yelled.

“WE ARE NOT!”

“I’m really sorry about such short notice,” the panda bear demon on call apologized once more to Macaque as he was quickly gathering his ingredients.

“Don’t apologize, shit like this happens,” he waved him off, “I’ll take me a couple of days, a week at max, but I’ll be there before the poison reaches its peak.”

“Thank you,” the panda bowed to him.

“Make sure to store away any semblance of caffeine, alcohol, or anything high in potassium, those are the fastest ways to speed up the process,” he instructed him.

“I’ve been meaning to take away Mink coffee stash, now I have a reason,” he chuckled, “I’ll see you soon.”

“Will do bossman,” he hung up the call and called another number as he continued to pack. Once it picked up he put a smile on his face, “Hey Comet, how’s it going?”

“Good!” The twenty year old happily responded. “You wouldn’t believe it, but the classes are actually kinda easy to understand. They’re still tricky, especially the tests, but Yanyu was right about you teaching this. It made almost all my classes so much easier thanks to you.”

“Aww, that’s another one for my ego,” he joked then he put on a more serious tone, “but I didn’t just call you here for a chat kiddo.”

“Why what’s up? Is there something wrong?” MK suddenly asked as he leaned in, “Do I have to get Mei here and help kick some asses?!”

“Snrk, no nothing like that,” he let out a snort, “you know Po right?”

“Yeah, he’s the panda demon who comes in to get pain relief, muscle relaxants, and other types of medicine for his students? Does this have something to do with him?”

“Close, his disciples messed up big time and accidentally inhaled a bunch of toxic fog when they faced off against an elephant demon.”

“How can an elephant make poison?” MK questioned.

“Magic can do the weirdest of things, I mean I’m a monkey that can do shadow magic,” he pointed out.

“True, okay so he’s gonna come over to pick up the antidote? I don’t see what’s the big problem?”

“Here’s the bad part, Po can’t make a round trip, cause the time he gets back, all of his students…might not be alive,” he gently told him.

“…oh, so what’s gonna happen?”

“Well, I’m going to have to make a house call, which means I'm gonna have to go away for a bit and it’s pretty far, so I won’t be able to hear you.”

“…okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay!” MK gave a big grin to him, “Don’t you worry bout a thing! I’m an adult now Dad, I will be just fine!”

“You have grown up,” he gave a gentle smile, “I’m glad to hear that, but remember to call if there’s any trouble. I may be far, but I will come running if you need it.”

“I will! Now finish packing and save some lives!”

“I will, I’ll see you in two weeks shooting star.”

“See ya later old man!”

Macaque hung up the call with a smile as he resumed his packing. He wished he could have hugged his kid goodbye, but he was in a time crunch as he zipped everything up and quickly jumped out of the treehouse and began to move within the shadows of the trees.

He really does love his shadow powers during these times.

“Duh du Duh,” MK hummed out as he danced his way over to the food delivery destination with the headphones blaring in his ears. He then lifted it to call out the order name when he heard a silky voice interrupt.

“It feels like I waited for an eternity for this moment, is everything in order?”

“Just making the final adjustment mother,” another voice replied and this is when he opened his eyes to see that this was no ordinary food order as an ominous group stood before him.

“Nope,” he immediately whispered as he silently jetted off to hide behind a pile of rocks, but he peaked his head carefully out to see and his eyes widened.

“Finally after all this time,” the woman continued.

‘No way.’

“We have the means to lift Monkey King staff.”

‘It is!’

Standing before them all, wrapped in vibrant viridian vines and burrowed underneath a garden left untouched by the destruction laid around it, was the legendary Monkey King staff.

Things were about to get interesting.

No joke, the delivery scene with the lady is something I had to experience before. There are people who truly treat food workers lower than dirt, which is stupid to me cause why would you disrespect the people making your food? It’s like insulting the people who manage your money.

[missmentelle]

COVID-19, Inequality, and You

This pandemic has been a bad time in a lot of ways, but one of the most devastating impacts we’re going to see besides the death toll is the economic impact - the economic impact on real, working people, not on stock index numbers. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing, and people are being thrown into financial chaos as a result. 

But for all the talk we’ve heard during this pandemic of “we’re all in this together”, and “we’re all in the same boat”, it’s important to remember that, financially, we’re really, really not. Job losses, evictions and health crises are not equally distributed; if anything, this pandemic has been a stark reminder of inequality as the wealth gap grows wider and wider. 

My own life has been a weird cross-section of the ways that the pandemic has economically affected different people in very different ways - my mother has completely lost her job at a seasonal tourist restaurant that will likely go out of business, my brother’s hours at his campus security job have been cut as the school moves online, my boyfriend is seeing his savings rise as he goes out less but makes exactly the same salary at his financial tech job, and I’ve fielded multiple job offers through this pandemic as government grants for social services boom in my region in anticipation of a coming homelessness crisis.  

The news has been reporting on unemployment numbers and shuttered businesses, but there hasn’t been a lot of in-depth coverage about the ways that this is really going to affect people’s lives. There will be a lot of unexpected consequences to this pandemic if governments don’t step in to provide relief, including:

‘Eviction freezes’ are throwing tenants into debt without protecting their housing. Many places have put moratoriums on evictions during the pandemic, which is great. You don’t want a sudden surge in mass homelessness during a pandemic. But “no evictions” does not mean “no rent” - people who are currently being protected from eviction are still being charged rent, and their arrears are growing every month. As soon as eviction protections expire - which is set to happen very soon in many places - landlords can move forward with evicting tenants, going after their back rent, sending their debt to collection agencies and destroying their credit scores. 

A lot of people are about to lose most of their possessions. If you get evicted, your parents or friend might have room for you to move in with them for a while. They probably do not have room for your couch, dresser, bed, table, desk, bookshelves, TV and an entire apartment full of stuff. Putting your things in storage is an option, but you need to be able to pack and transport all of your things to the storage unit and pay for the unit every month. You could try selling the stuff you can’t take with you, but it may be difficult with so many other people also struggling financially, and you may have to leave on short notice. A lot of people who get evicted will end up abandoning a lot of their stuff, which they’ll have to re-purchase all over again to get back on their feet. 

People with low wages are disproportionately likely to lose their jobs. If you work as a software engineer, you’re probably still employed. If you work as a hotel maid, there’s a good chance you’ve lost your job or had your hours cut to nearly nothing. The jobs that are most impacted by shutdowns are jobs in the service and hospitality industry, and they tend to be low-wage, hourly jobs that cannot be done from home - bartenders, servers, hotel clerks, and dishwashers are way more likely to have lost their jobs than lawyers, accountants, engineers and college professors. In many ways, the people who are getting kicked the hardest right now are the ones who could least afford it. 

Not every university will survive this pandemic. With a lot of universities and colleges scrambling to figure out whether to have in-person fall semesters, the future of a lot of post-secondary institutions looks bleak. Many students are choosing to take a year off or defer their admission rather than deal with online courses that have been haphazardly thrown together. On top of that, it’s not clear if international students will be able to attend university abroad this year, or if they even want to take the risk. This adds up to a whole lot of lost tuition money, leaving some universities with no way to keep operating - at least one American university has already permanently closed its doors because of the pandemic. The big players - Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia - will probably pull through, but smaller colleges are at serious risk of going under, leaving their students in limbo and at risk of not finishing their disrupted degrees. 

A lot of people are about to go from “poor” to “disabled”. The people most likely to contract coronavirus are the workers who have to interact with the public every day - not only nurses and doctors, but grocery store workers, delivery people, ride-sharing and taxi drivers, transit workers and janitorial staff. Those who survive are at risk of life-long complications of coronavirus, including permanently reduced lung capacity - that’s not great when you need to work a physically demanding job. A lot of people are about to find themselves in a situation where they are no longer able to do their jobs due to a virus that they contracted because of their jobs. 

Many women’s careers may never recover from this. Daycares and schools are closed, and women are bearing the brunt of it. In a world where women still tend to earn less than male partners, it’s women’s careers that have taken a backseat when things get rough. Even when both partners are working from home, women are the ones overwhelmingly taking on most of the domestic and child-rearing chores, which hurts their work performance and leaves them more vulnerable to layoffs. And that’s a relatively privileged position to be in - without childcare services available, many working moms and single moms have had to quit their jobs, whether they could afford it or not, because they have no other options for their children. This kind of career disruption is something that these women may never totally recover from, especially as they try to re-enter an increasingly hostile job market. 

Black and brown people are the most affected by rising unemployment. People of colour - especially immigrants and women of colour - are facing higher rates of unemployment than other groups. Hispanic and Latina women are in particularly dire circumstances, which is alarming, as they are also the most likely to be dealing with an uncertain immigration status. People of colour - particularly women - are disproportionately likely to work in industries that have been impacted by the pandemic, like the hospitality, food service, retail, child care, beauty and personal care industries, and they face systemic racism that makes it difficult for them to advocate for safe working conditions or access adequate medical care. 

College and tourist towns are at risk of complete economic meltdown. A lot of towns or small cities depend on their local university or annual tourism to survive. A huge crowd of strangers flocks to their town for a few months per year and gives local businesses the money they need to pay for necessities year-round. My hometown is one of these places - most businesses are only open from May - September, and they make enough money during that time for everyone to scrape by for the rest of the year. Those tourists aren’t coming this year, which is something that locals have only learned as they begin to run out of last year’s money. You don’t need to work for a university or a hotel to be impacted by school and tourism shutdowns - the ripple effects will be felt by entire communities. 

Escaping domestic violence will be difficult even after lockdown ends. It’s not exactly a secret that domestic violence has skyrocketed since the global pandemic began, a fact that many experts attribute to the fact that everyone is trapped indoors together and under a lot of stress. But even as lockdown regulations start to lift in areas that handled the pandemic responsibly, victims of domestic violence will face higher-than-usual barriers to escape - many victims may have lost their jobs and burned through their savings, and may have difficulty finding a new job that can finance their escape. Victims with health issues may also be wary about going to shelters for fear they will be further exposed to the virus. 

Poor children will fall even further behind their upper-middle-class peers. I come from a part of rural eastern Canada where reliable internet access is simply not available. So for young children in the region, school effectively ended in March - they do not have the resources needed to connect to online learning. And children from rural areas aren’t the only ones missing out - more than half of all students in the United States aren’t accessing their online classes regularly, and marginalized kids are especially likely to be absent. Poor kids are staring down the barrel of an enormous education gap; they are less likely to have a stable internet connection and a device for their online learning, they are less likely to have books at home, and their parents are more likely to be essential workers who still have to go to work right now and don’t have time to teach them. Middle-class and wealthy families can afford laptops, educational software, tutors, books and time at home to educate their children - when schools are eventually back in session, the gaps between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds will probably be the widest they’ve ever been. 

Don’t get me wrong - I am not arguing that we should end lockdowns prematurely to ease the economic impact. Public health measures exist for good reason, and I don’t think any of us want to even imagine, much less live through, the personal, physical and economic devastation of letting a pandemic rage out of control and melt down our healthcare systems. Despite what many people seem to believe, managing a global pandemic is not about “health vs. economy” - letting the virus rage out of control and kill millions would devastate every economic and social system we have. The preservation of human life has to come first.

What we need instead is comprehensive action to recognize and address the issues that come with long-term quarantines and economic shutdown - we need rent relief, social safety nets and basic assured income programs to get our most vulnerable friends and neighbors through this pandemic. The world will probably never return to the “normal” that we knew before the pandemic struck, and it shouldn’t - it’s time for a new, better normal that doesn’t leave our most marginalized people behind. 

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Foodcrime

We are living in a golden age of predatory capitalism, in which businesses that generate real value and stable employment are being destroyed by deep-pocketed quasi-tech firms that lose money on every transaction but hope to make it back by securing monopolies.

Nowhere is this more visible than in the restaurant industry, where a bewildering array of deceptive (and even fraudulent) tactics are being deployed by Doordash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Yelp, who have nonconsensually interposed themselves between eaters and restaurateurs.

If this is ringing bells, you might be recalling the infamous May case-study in which a pizzeria owner discovered that Doordash had put up a fake delivery page for his restaurant and was selling his pizzas for less than he charged for them.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/05/18/code-is-speech/#schadenpizza

Doordash would take the orders, then pay low-waged workers to call the restaurant and pretend to be real customers ordering takeouts. Then other low-waged gig economy workers would pick them up, pretending to be diners, and deliver them.

The end-game was to become a gatekeeper to the restaurant, by offering lower-than-cost pizzas to this guy's customers and then threatening to divert them to a rival unless he paid ransom to Doordash.

The wily pizza owner figured out that he could order dozens of his pizzas to a confederate's home, and simply ship out boxes of half-cooked dough, and bill Doordash a small fortune for a few pennies' worth of cardboard and flour.

It was quite a fun story!

Alas, it was not representative. In the time since, the outlandish, predatory conduct of app companies has intensified, documented in "Rescuing Restaurants: How to Protect Restaurants, Workers, and Communities from Predatory Delivery App Corporations."

https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/rescuing-restaurants-how-to-protect-restaurants-workers-and-communities-from-predatory-delivery-app-corporations/

The report comes from Moe Tkacik for the American Economic Liberties Project, and it documents the fraudulent, anticompetitive tactics used by tech companies to steal from restaurants:

Merging dozens of companies (online menus, delivery services, etc) into a single giant, then doubling its fees

Creating fake websites for restaurants, then using SEO to make them the top results on Google, and tricking customers into ordering through an app company instead of a restaurant

Imposing anticompetitive contracting terms on restaurants prohibiting them from offering discounts for in-person dining or own-driver delivery

Punishing restaurants that refuse to pay for upsell "marketing services" by banishing them from app search-results

Tricking drivers into becoming dependent on apps for income, merging with competitors so they have no alternative, slashing wages, all while maintaining the fiction that drivers are "independent contractors"

Collecting sales tax on take-out orders that are not taxable and pocketing it

Using tax-evasion techniques to avoid sales- and income-tax at the local, state and federal level

Bribing Google (paying "referral fees") to add "order now" buttons to restaurants' listings that go to apps, not the restaurants' own ordering systems

When restaurants cancel their Grubhub service and build their own ordering systems, Grubhub fraudulently lists those restaurants as "not offering delivery"

Building "ghost kitchens" in shipping containers (etc) that clone the menus and recipes of the popular restaurants they've driven to their knees (while tricking chefs into working under dangerous, low-waged conditions in them)

It's the latest wrinkle on all the predatory businesses whose principle competence is SEO and fraud - think of the fake "locksmiths" that completely dominate all Google searches.

These are bullshit referral services that dispatch an untrained guy with a drill to destroy your lock and charge you a fortune, while the actual, skilled locksmiths in your neighborhood can't be located with a search.

But this is worse, because these predators have fantastically deep pockets, with money from the likes of Softbank (the notorious front for the Saudi royals behind Uber and Wework), and can afford to lose huge sums for years.

Older tech companies, like Yelp, are getting in on the action. As Edward Ongweso Jr reports for Motherboard, Yelp now fraudulently lists Grubhub's call center as the order number for restaurants in its database.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wjwebw/yelp-is-sneakily-replacing-restaurants-phone-numbers-so-grubhub-can-take-a-cut

People who calls these numbers are deceived into thinking they are ordering from the restaurants they know and love - instead, they are being victimized by a rent-seeking man-in-the-middle attack that will destroy that restaurant over time.

Tkacik's report concludes with nine recommendations:

I. Investigate and prosecute the apps’ systematic unfair and deceptive practices

II. Prohibit delivery apps from imposing no price competition clauses

III. Ban further anti-competitive mergers in the sector

IV. Enforce and expand local laws curbing predatory commissions and other delivery app abuses

V. Prohibit delivery apps from using loss-leader pricing to harm competition and incentivize consumers to abandon on-premise dining

VI. Eliminate “independent contractor” loopholes and force the third party delivery giants to give their workers the wages, protections and benefits required of employers

VII. Require delivery apps to restrict the use of data collected from restaurants to  limited and specific purposes, and explicitly prohibit them from leveraging data

VIII. Mandate search neutrality within apps and bar payola style arrangements between apps and restaurants

IX. Separate platform and commerce in two ways: (1) Prohibit the combination of online ordering apps and delivery/logistics services (2) Online ordering apps and dark kitchens

[90simaginesandfanfics]

Cradle Broken Glass - Chapter Sixty Three

“I called on the phone earlier to make sure that the Centrepieces had been delivered and I was assured by whoever the fuck I talked to that they had been received and were being placed on the tables as we spoke. Clearly that was a fucking lie, so where the fuck are my centrepieces?” Ash bit out, her whole body tense and as she spoke to the manager. The pale faced man who looked like he was about to shit himself went to opened his mouth to respond when he was cut off again by the pissed off bride.

“Do you know who you’re dealing with here? Because as far as you’re concerned our wedding is going to bring hundreds of dollars in for your hotel. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought that Rolling Stone was going to be coming on Saturday to write an article on it. So if you don’t get me my fucking centrepieces then I’m assuming you want me to take my business elsewhere and allow them to benefit off of your mistake.” She finished. Ash was short, about 5”4, but the look on the man’s face made it seem like he was facing up to Goliath. And as much as she knew her best friend was letting her emotions get the best of her, Layla still felt afraid herself of what she would do if everything wasn’t in order for Saturday’s wedding and reception.

 “Look, let’s all just calm down and talk to the delivery service. I’m sure we can figure out what’s happened and get it sorted out.” Jeff stepped in, trying to neutralise the situation.

 “Do you have an office with a phone or something, somewhere where we can talk this out and try to fix it?” He continued and the owner nodded eagerly before directing them through a hallway on the side of the ballroom. Layla raised her hand up to her mouth, attempting to hide the laugh that was about her escape her when Ash turned back and gave her a glare, shutting her up immediately. The pair left the room but not before Jeff turned around to her and rolled his eyes as if to say ‘this is what I’m marrying into’.

 She felt bad for him. No one could have predicted that Ash would get this tightly wound up over the wedding, but all the pressure from the press and media was making her feel like she needed to have everything perfect. Layla completely understood where she was coming from, but she could not wait for everything to be over so she would go back to the Ash that she knew. And she could bet Jeff felt the same.

 But nothing could spoil the excitement that everyone was feeling for the next two days. It was all anyone had been talking about and Jeff was constantly being teased about settling down despite the fact that he had claimed he would stay a single man for the rest of his life. The two of them were perfect together and Layla smiled when she thought about how neither of them had realised the other had feelings for them at first. They were lucky that she was such a nosy best friend who played matchmaker and forced them to talk about how they felt. At least she was going to take the credit regardless of what anyone else said.

 “What are you smiling about?” Eddie’s voice pulled her from her daydream and she noticed that she’d been staring into space for a while with a dreamy look on her face. She turned and looked at him briefly before moving around the tables and making sure that everything that needed to be on them was there and in perfect order.

 “Nothing, just lost my head there for a while.” She replied with a neutral tone. She noticed that Eddie had been doing that more and more since they had seen each other again. Acting like everything was normal. He treated her like a friend, which she wasn’t complaining about, but it felt like there was a massive elephant in the room they were ignoring. And she didn’t understand how he could be so casual about it. They hadn’t had many interactions since but all of them had been polite. This was the first time they were talking after their dispute outside of the restaurant without someone else in the room, and she felt a sudden urgent awkwardness descend on them both as they made their way around the room, fixing placements and straightening the chairs.

 “Is there a Layla here?” Someone said from the entrance of the ballroom and she turned to find the receptionist.

 “Yes, that’s me, why?”

 “Someone’s on the phone for you, they asked for a Layla. Didn’t give a name. You can use the landline in the corner, I’ve put them on line four.” She said before walking out of the room.

 Layla looked around and spotted the phone. She could feel Eddie’s eyes on her as she walked over to it and picked up the receiver.

 “Hello, Layla speaking.”

 “You need to come back. These people here have no fucking clue what they’re doing. I asked one of them to get me some baby powder because I can’t get into all the latex without it, and the asshole comes back with icing sugar from the canteen like I’m not supposed to tell the difference between them. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that Layla, bake a fucking cake? Although I wouldn’t mind sticking my head in the oven if this tour doesn’t finish soon.” Trent’s voice whined through the phone and Layla had to stop herself from laughing as he went on and on about how bad things were without her there.

 One thing she knew to be true was that Trent liked things done a certain way. He wasn’t a diva by any means but he also didn’t pay people to mess things up. He took music and performing very seriously and hated the thought of charging fans loads of money only for him to not perform a show that they were never going to forget. And that meant getting his latex and leather shorts on with baby powder.

 “Look, it’s only a couple more weeks and then you can go home and sleep for the next year if you want to.” She replied, although she also wished she was on tour with him right now. She wouldn’t miss Ash’s wedding for the world, but in the short amount of time that they had known each other, her and Trent had become a sort of brother and sister pairing. They would stay up late to talk about all their problems. She would talk about her family’s death and abusive past and he would confide in her about his depression and drug taking. Neither of them were the most stable of people so to have someone to talk to that could understand the shit that you were going through helped. The one time that she had refused to talk to him about something was when he brought up Eddie. He of course knew that they had been in a relationship and wanted Layla to talk it out so that she wouldn’t bottle up all her feelings, but she quickly shut him down and they vowed that they wouldn't talk about it until she was comfortable.

 “Look, I’ve got to go for soundcheck but I just wanted to call to see how you’re doing.” He said quieter and she could hear the concern in his voice.

 “I’m fine, honestly. Just excited about the day after tomorrow.”

 “Well I am too.” He responded and Layla’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

 “Why?”

 “Cause I have a date.” He stated and she started laughing, her cheeks hurting from the smile on her face.

 “The Prince of Pain has finally taken his head out of his ass I see.” She joked and he scoffed down the phone.

 “God, I’m not asking her to move in with me yet. Just dinner.”

 “Well good luck, hope it goes well. I’ll talk to you later.”

 “Yeah, I’ll call you before we leave New York.” They said their goodbyes and hung up. She turned back around to start up her task again, but saw that Eddie hadn’t moved from where he had been standing before, and he was staring at her intently.

 “Problem?” she enquired, trying not to sound snarky.

 “No, not at all. You just sounded excited to be talking to whoever you were talking to.” He said sheepishly.

 “Yeah, well he’s a hoot.” Her sarcastic retort was meant to end the conversation but clearly he had other ideas.

 “He?” She turned around to see him looking at her with a somewhat unreadable expression on her face.

 “Yes, Trent.” She clarified, although she didn’t know why she felt the need to. It’s not like she owed him an answer.

 “Oh, of course. Sure… You seem close.” He spoke slowly, as if trying to find the right words to continue on his little questioning he had going on. Layla huffed as she moved a chair out of her way to get to the next table.

 “Well, he’s like family.”

 “Oh.” Came what sounded like a relieved reply, which confused her.

 “Oh?” She repeated, not knowing what his problem was.

 “Yeah, I just thought you were together or something.” Eddie started to go back to arranging the tables, but this time Layla was the one who continued the conversation on.

 “What does it matter if we were?” She asked accusingly but he wouldn’t look up from what he was doing now. She waited for him to reply and after he realised she wouldn’t stop looking at him until he did, he sighed exasperatedly.

 “It doesn’t. I just thought it was a high possibility. I don’t care about it so can we please just get on with it.” He near pleaded, although she could hear frustration in his voice. It didn’t matter though as she processed his words, her mind jumping to every conclusion possible.

 “What, do you think I’m not capable of holding down a job in this business without getting involved with people who could help my career out? Should have known your opinion of me hadn’t changed.” She huffed out and walked away from him, her blood now boiling. Before she could walk more than a few steps, a hand grabbed her by the arm and she spun around to face Eddie’s flustered and panicked face.

 “That is not what I meant by that at all and you know it. And I’ve never had that opinion of you. Not now or ever.” Their eye contact was so intense that she had to look away, and she pulled her arm out of his grip quickly. She hadn’t been touched by him in over two years, and the contact had made her feel warm and dizzy, something she had no business feeling. But even after all this time she couldn’t help that he was so fucking handsome and had so much of a fucking effect on her and she hated it. And what she hated more was that every time she looked at his face she saw the Eddie she met at the record store, the Eddie who had made her feel human for the first time. She could barely even recognise him as the one who had made her feel so small to the point where she left him.

 And not being able to see the Eddie who had hurt her was making her forget about the reasons they weren’t together in the first place.

 “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or suggest anything like that. It’s just… It’s just seeing you after all this time has fucked me up a bit. Not that I wasn’t fucked up before.” He continued and Layla just stared at him while he opened up. They had acted like they barely shared a history in the weeks leading up to the wedding and now she knew they were going to have to confront it.

 “When you left I was a mess. I could barely even stand to wake up in the morning. I hated the album we’d made, I hated the tour that we had to do. And I was drinking even more than I was before if you could believe it. And then I realised how fucking selfish I was. I thought that if I could do anything to make it up to you, then I owe you getting better. I stopped drinking. Stopped everything really. I know that doesn’t change anything and whatever you felt for me is long over, but I made sure that the next time I saw you, you would be proud of what I’d done for myself, for you.” His eyes were desperately flitting around the room as he tried to get through it, but she had no words to give back to him.

 “And then Jeff and Ash got engaged and I knew this was gonna be it. And I was so nervous to see you again. But I felt dead inside the minute I saw you because you looked at me like I was nothing. And that hurts more than if you’d have looked at me with anger and disgust. You looked at me like I had meant nothing to you. And it made me feel like everything I’d done was for nothing. And I know I have no right to feel this way, but the thought of you with someone else makes me feel like I’m having my heart ripped out. Because the thought of you looking at someone the way you used to look at me fucking hurts. It makes me feel like we didn’t have anything at all.”

 She had no idea what to say.

 What do you say to that?

 They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, neither knowing how to address what had just been said.

 “Thank God that’s sorted out. Do you two want to go grab some chinese with us, I’m starving?” Ash’s voice cut into the ballroom, the space so massive yet so stifling at the same time.

 “No, I’m going to go home and sort some stuff out. I’ll see you guys later.” Eddie said, his whole demeanour the perfect picture of disappointment. He walked out before Layla could even get a good look at his face.

 What was she supposed to tell him? Did he want her to say something back now? Or were they supposed to go back to pretend each other didn’t exist?

 The wedding was going to be eventful.

*****

Finally managed to get a chapter done, and it seems tension is building between Layla and Eddie. How do you think the wedding is going to go down, any predictions? Hope you all have an amazing week ahead and sending all my love to everyone who’s still reading xx

[armansk3399-blog]

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ENCHEN Boost USB Electric Hair Clipper Two Speed Ceramic Cutter Hair Fast Charging Hair Trimmer Children Hair Clipper

- One Button Locks The Length Of The Haircut

Features a slider-type positioning comb that locks haircut lengths from 0.7 to 21 mm and supports one-button adjustment for easy operation.

- Nano Ceramic Cutter Head

The hardness of nano-ceramics is 1.6 times that of ordinary stainless steel. The surface smoothness is smaller than that of stainless steel. Therefore, when the hair clipper is running at high speed, the noise generated by the ceramic cutter head will be lower and it will not be easy to generate heat. Working noise is less than 55db

Variable Frequency Power, Two Speed Control

The ENCHEN Boost hair clipper adopts frequency conversion technology, and with the powerful 280 type motor, it provides two-speed power flexible switching to meet the needs of different hair types. The normal starting speed is 4500 rpm for normal hair, long-press the switch button. Instantly activates the "Turbo" speed mode, with a powerful output of 5800 rpm, making it easy to build thick hair

- ESM Intelligence Prevent Stucking Hair

ESM (Energy Smart Manager) is the brain of ENCHEN products. It has two large modules of energy management and motor mastering, which can guarantee high speed operation and no stucking hair when the battery is low. During the charging process, the ESM will activate multiple guarantees to extend battery life and ensure safe charging. In addition, Boost's indicator system can accurately display the status of low battery, charging, and full power.

- R Type Rounded Corner Processing

The parts that contact the skin with the cutter head and the positioning comb are rounded to ensure safety and comfort during hair cutting. The hair clipper head consists of a movable cutter and a static cutter. It can safely contact the cutter head at any angle during the working process.

Best Quality LED Ring Light

Take the cool continuous power of fluorescent light, blend it with the soft, shadow-less caress of a ring light, add a 13" diameter of 5500 K at 600 w and you have the formula for great results for video and still photography when the subject demands a beauty solution. Dimmable 18" LED SMD Ring Light with a wide dimming range from 1%-100%. Widely applied to portrait, makeup, YouTube videos, Studio shoot, video blogging, portrait photography and live streaming, etc. Dimmable continuous light with hot shoe mounts for most DSLR cameras.

BOYA MM1 Microphone

If you are a You Tuber or making short films or other videos and if you are looking for a cardioid microphone that works with both Smartphone and DSLR, This BOYA MM1 is the perfect microphone for you. The BOYA BY-MM1 is a cardioid microphone, which is specially designed to improve the sound quality of videos on the basis of built-in microphones.

This microphone is compatible with Smartphone and DSLR Cameras. It Comes With both TRS cable and TRRS output cable included, it can be used on Smartphones, DSLR cameras, camcorders, audio recorders, PCs, and other audio/video recording devices.

Sonoff POW R2

Sonoff POW R2 is a 2nd generation of Sonoff POWwith more accuracy and with more analytical data. Now you can view LIVE current, voltage and power consumption for your load. Sonoff Pow R2 is a 16A WiFi smart light switch that allows you to remotely manage and control your appliances and monitor your home energy usage. The WiFi light switch works like a power monitor, which allows you to keep track of 99% accurate real-time current, voltage and power on your app.

Portable Bluetooth Mobile Printer

Thermal Printing Technology (No Ink/Cartridge Required)

Rechargeable 1400mAh Battery included

With 3 Month Replacement Warranty

If you have a shop or Showroom or Restaurant and if you wish to give your customer a sales receipt and at the same time, you want to keep your sales record online. Then we have a fantastic solution for you. With a mobile app, you will be able to connect with Bluetooth to this Mobile POS printer and print easily ever. For more convenient, you will have a full access to the web. The means you can setup your store from the web, adding products one by one or import as bulk. You can track all your sales as daily or weekly or monthly or as you wish. A mobile printer can be widely applied to supermarkets, clothing industry, postal services and so on.

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[dazombi3fari3]

Hey doll hey!!! How’s your day/night going? Great I hope. I had a pretty good day … but it’s night now here in Florida and I am starting to hurt pretty badly…. I think I over did it today.

I noticed that I haven’t done any Monthly Beauty Favorites so I thought I’d start a new series for this blog… hope you like it.

Before we start I just wanted to shade with you what I made for dinner tonight! I am so proud of myself. I’ve never made Salmon on my own… I always just order it from a restaurant… but with the national quarantine and all the sit down restaurants being closed I’ve had to step out of my  comfort zone and teach myself to cook things I normally would order out! so …. here it is …

Honey lemon Salmon and garlic butter and corn white rice. This dish was so sublime that I don’t think I’ll ever order Salmon when we go out to eat again!

Not all categories will have a high end and drugstore entry. Please Note that I am not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the products or companies that I mention in this blog post. * Warning this will be a long post … just grab a snack, something to drink and settle in … I promise you wont be sorry for reading this post….. Well … Without further ado …let’s get into my April 2020 Beauty Favorites.

Favorite Beauty Store:

Beautylish has got to be my all time favorite place to shop for all things beauty!! 

I’ve been shopping at Beautylish for well over 5 years. Their customer service is of the highest quality. Their shipping rate is a flat rate of $5 on all orders (in the US it’s $5 on all orders under $35 anything above $35 is free shipping). The only downside is that they are unable to ship to P.O. boxes. They offer flex payments on orders of $100 or more where you pay a down payment and then they spread the rest of the bill over  3 to 4 payments depending how much the bill comes to. The down payment amount also depends on the amount spent… For example: I just placed an order for $102. I paid $37 as the down payment and the rest was split into 3 equal payments to be due on the 1st of each month. The due date depends on the date of purchase. I tend to pay my flex payments off faster than the allotted time, but it’s great to know I have the 3 months just in case I need them. Beautylish also ships international the the following countries: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium,Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE, U.K., and U.S. Beautylish carries the following brands:

A

Aethera Beauty

Allies of Skin

Alphabet Bags

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Anna Sui

Ardell

Artis

ARTISAN&ARTIST

B

beautyblender

Beautylish Presents

BeautySoClean

BECCA Cosmetics

belif

Benefit Cosmetics

Benjabelle

Billy B

Bioderma

bkr

boscia

Briogeo

Brush Works

Bumble and bumble.

BY TERRY

C

Caudalie

Charlotte Tilbury

Chemist Confessions

CHIKUHODO

Clean Apothecary

COOLA

COVER | FX

D

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Dominique Cosmetics

Dr. Barbara Sturm

DUO

E

Eau Thermale Avène

Embryolisse

EVE LOM

Evian

F

Farmacy

G

Glamcor

Good Molecules

H

Hampton Sun

Herbalore

HoliFrog

Hourglass

I

ILIA

Indie Lee

Inglot Cosmetics

IT Cosmetics

J

Jeffree Star Cosmetics

JILL STUART Beauty

Jo Malone London

Jouer Cosmetics

JUNO & Co.

K

Kevyn Aucoin

Kjaer Weis

Klorane

Koh Gen Do

KOYUDO

L

La Mer

LASHES IN A BOX

Lilly Lashes

LINA CHOO

Lit Cosmetics

Lixirskin

Lord Jones

Lucas’ Papaw Remedies

M

MAHALO Skin Care

Make-Up Atelier

Max & Me

May Lindstrom

Mila Moursi

Miss Fame Beauty

Moon Juice

MYKITCO.

N

Natasha Denona

Naturally Serious

Nomad Noé

Nudestix

O

Omorovicza

Oribe

P

Pai Skincare

Parian Spirit

Paw Palette

Peter Thomas Roth

Q

Quintessence Paris

R

R+Co

Rae Morris

Raincry

RCMA Makeup

ReFa

Rene Furterer

rms beauty

S

SACHAJUAN

Saint Jane Beauty

Seche

Sisley-Paris

Skin Inc Supplement Bar

Skindinavia

Slip

Smith & Cult

Smith Cosmetics

Sol de Janeiro

Sonia G.

St. Tropez

Stila

Sugarpill Cosmetics

Sulwhasoo

Sunday Riley

Surratt Beauty

Susanne Kaufmann

Suwada

T

T3

Takahashi Hiroko

Taos AER

TEMPTU

The Beauty Chef

The Brush Guard

The Ordinary.

The Sacred Ritual

TOM FORD

Too Faced

TRIA Beauty

Tweezerman

U

U Beauty

Uma

UNITS

V

VDL

Velour Lashes

Vintner’s Daughter

Viseart

Vital Proteins

Vueset

W

Wayne Goss

Z

ZIIP

Z•Palette

I truly love to shop with them because the take time to package my purchases with care, it never takes more than a week to get my packages (except for now, it’s taking about 2-3 weeks because of the Corona Virus), and they have a great return policy: Their website states that their return policy is: If you are less than completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return your order within 60 days (from the delivery date) for a refund. We regret that we are unable to cover return shipping costs or refund the original shipping and duties charges unless the return was due to our error. Products must be returned in new or gently used condition. If your product arrived either damaged or defective, please contact us right away. Sets/bundles are sold as-is and products cannot be substituted, customized, and/or returned individually.

I’ve never had any issues with their services, in fact there was 1 time around 3 years ago that I ordered something from the brand It Cosmetics and the wrong item was delivered to me, I contact them straight away and they sent me out the product I had originally ordered that same day and as a way to apologize for the mistake they even allowed me to keep the product that I had received in error.

  Favorite Amazon Beauty Finds:

Pixnor 5″3″ Stainless Steel Makeup Palette with Spatula Tool $6.99 on Amazon: I am so happy I purchased this!!  I use to apply foundation to the back of my hand and then bonce my sponge off my hand … what I found is that this would cause waste of product because some of the foundation would sink into my skin and I would have to use more foundation… now I just apply a few pumps onto the palette and there is zero waste. I also love the spatula because I can use it to scrape moisturizers out of the jar without having to use my fingers. I also use the spatula to mix dew drops into my foundation and now I don’t have a big mess on my hands. 

Segbeauty 5.4oz/160ml Continuous Spray Plastic Squirt Bottle With A Fine Mist $14.99 on Amazon: This bottle is a curly hair girls dream!! It provides just the right amount of moisture without over-wetting your hair. It has a 360 degree sprayer and it’s perfect for re-wetting hair in the morning to restyle and freshen up curls. This bottle has changed my hair game for the better.

Every Drop Beauty Spatula $5.89 on Amazon. I’ve always hated the thought that there was still product in the bottom and sides of my products after I’ve run out. I started cutting plastic tubes open to get every last drop on product out but with bottles you just can’t do that. I came across this little baby when I was just browsing the beauty tools section of Amazon one day and thought OH! PERFECT!!! This spatula gets all the way to the bottom, the sides, and even the shoulders of bottles! I now have zero waste with my beauty products. I love this item so much that I have ordered it’s baby sister product the Every Drop Lip Spatula for $5.49 I ordered 2 one for lipsticks and lip glosses and one for concealers and other small wand items. This has truly helped me not waste my money by allowing me to get every last drop of product out of their containers.

Favorite Makeup Tool:

Face Halo Makeup Remover Pads: $17.60 for a 3 pack on Amazon. This little puppy is the perfect accompaniment to my vastly growing Eco-friendly arsenal. I find that I do not use as much of my Bioderma now because I am not using it to take off my makeup before I use it as my first cleanse…. 1 round is enough to completely remove all of my makeup from my face, neck, and ear lobes! You just soak it with warm water and remove your makeup… and it does remove 100% of my makeup, including lash glue! I just simply wash it after every use and it dries quickly too. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a way to reduce your carbon foot print on the planet!

Favorite Makeover Product: 

Schwarzkopf Keratin Permanent Hair Color Cream in the shade 4.6 Intense Cocoa $9.97 on Amazon (but Amazon only allows you to purchase 1 so I ordered 3 more from Walgreens.com buy 2 get 1 free for the same price). This was the first time I used this product and I’ve gotta tell ya … This has got to be the BEST boxed hair color on the market. It has Anti-Breakage Technology called K·BOND-PLEX technology (that repairs inner hair structure) and a Pre-Color Serum (that leaves your hair looking healthy and strong, with less hair breakage). It also doesn’t have that harsh hair dye smell to it. In fact my hair smelled so good that it was like I had just simply washed my hair. The conditioner it comes with left my hair so smooth and soft and fluffy. I believe they use the same technology as Olaplex does because my hair felt as if I had just done an Olaplex treatment to it. This will definitely be a product I repurchase again and again. 

Favorite Candle:

Bath and Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel 3 Wick Candle: This sadly is my last Vanilla Bean Noel candle… I purchase this scent every year at Christmas time … I stock up when they have their holiday sale and typically purchase 20 of them… it’s just the best scent ever

Favorite Body Care Item:

Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion with Almond Oil $5 at Walmart for 16.9 Fluid Ounces: I use to use Bath and Body Works body creams but with my Fibromyalgia I tend to get very sensitive itchy skin and have noticed that the Bath and Body Works creams would aggravate my already sensitive skin … So on a whim I picked this up a few months ago. Firstly a little of this goes a long way. It’s very creamy and very hydrating and has a soft Almond scent to it. It sinks in quickly and doesn’t leave me body feeling greasy. I’m pleasantly surprised at how wonderful this product is.

Favorite Hair Care Item:

Olaplex No 6 Bond Smoother $28 for 3.3 fluid ounces at Sephora and No 7 Bonding Oil $28 for 1 fluid ounces at Sephora: These two products work together you add a few drops of the oil into the smoother and mix it together. I use this once about ever few days to revive my curls… since I don’t wash my hair everyday I need something to help my curls revive. I typically only wash my hair 1 time a week since I don’t put any hair products into my hair. This not only smells amazing, it leaves my hair soft and replenished and defines my curls when they start to go a bit frizzy. A little bit goes along way I only use a quarter sized amount of the smoother and about 5 drops of the oil. This is another item that has seriously upped my curly girl hair game.

Favorite Movie : (I know this isn’t beauty related, but I take my movie time to do my spa treatments … so I included it as a favorite.)

Synopsis: When Cecilia’s abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see. This was a very well thought out movie with lots of twists and turns. Highly Recomend.

Favorite Spa Day Item:

Revolution Skincare x Jake-Jamie Avocado Face Mask $11 for 1.6 ounces at Ulta: This mask is amazingly moisturizing. I use it once a week and my skin feels heavenly afterwards.

Favorite Skincare Item: 

I tried a ton of skincare in the month of April and there were several things that I loved but I would have to say that my all time favorite item(s) are as follows:

My 2 whole face (including eyes) serum routine: #1. Good Molecules Super Peptide Serum $12 for 1 fluid ounce through Beautylish (it’s also sold on the Good Molecules website) and it’s function is to target fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness. #2. Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Serum $6 for 1 fluid ounce through Beautylish (it’s also sold on the Good Molecules website) and it’s function is to replenish your skin’s moisture by drawing moisture into the skin for deep hydration.  My skin has never looks this good since I was in my teens. Both these serums are light weight and sink into the skin quickly and you only need 1/2 a dropper for your full face and neck … I also use whatever is left on my hands to rub into my hands as sort of a treat for my hands.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Face Sunscreen Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 60: $29.99 for 1.7 fluid ounces and I purchase mine through Amazon. Ever since I starting using this sunscreen I have decluttered all other facial sunscreens. This is the perfect consistency for me. It’s light weight and hydrating. It sinks into the skin amazingly fast. It doesn’t interfere with my makeup application and it doesn’t have that sunscreen scent. BONUS: It’s a 60+ sunscreen which is the ideal level of protection for the face. 

  Favorite Face Primer: 

Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer $39 for .5 ounces at Ulta and Sephora: I typically switch up my face primers every day or two but the one that I use everyday is this one. It just fills in my pores so well that I reach for it time and time again over all of my pore primers.

Favorite High End Foundation:

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation $44 for 1 fluid ounce through Beautylish (but can also be purchased through Sephora and the Charlotte Tilbury website). As I said in my haul of this item this is such a beautiful foundation. I just can’t stop looking at my face anytime I’m wearing it. This full coverage foundation leaves my skin looking youthful and flawless. It plays well with dew drops mixed in and plays well with any primer. I will always have this foundation in my collections.

Favorite Drug Store Foundation: 

Believe Beauty Skin Finish Foundation: $5 for .85 fluid ounces only at Dollar General Stores. This foundation surprised me I truly didn’t believe that this was going to be a good foundation, however it is a FANTASTIC foundation and is  is a medium to full coverage. This is a semi-dewy foundation. What I mean is it’s just dewy enough to give you that youthful look without being to extreme. It lasts all day and doesn’t break down. I hope they never stop making this foundation!

Favorite High End BB/CC/Tinted Moisturizer: 

Tarte Maracuja Tinted Moisturizer $29 for 1 fluid ounce of product at Ulta. This is a super dewy product but not in a greasy sort of way. It’s light coverage and sets with powder nicely. This is such a beautiful product.. so much so that I purchased a back up just in case they pull it off the shelves. I find that it’s best to apply this one with your fingers since it’s such light coverage that using a sponge with soak it all up and using a brush will leave it looking streaky.

Favorite Concealer:

NYX Born to Glow Radiant Concealer $9 for .14 fluid ounces at Ulta. This is such a beautiful concealer! It doesn’t settle into my fine lines as long as I set it straight away upon application. It doesn’t crack throughout the day. A little tiny bit is all you need. It’s full coverage without being super thick. It gives an amazing glow to the under eye that can still be seen even after you set it with powder. I’d probably go out on a limb and say this may be my favorite concealer all year.

Favorite Cream Bronzer/Contour: I wont be having 2 categories for this one… mainly because I don’t have a drug store option for this category as of yet, I have since purchased a drug store option today.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand in the shade 2 Medium/Dark $38 for .41 fluid ounces purchased through Beautylish (but can be purchased at Sephora and the Charlotte Tilbury website). I can’t believe I am saying that this is my favorite!! I have loved the Chanel Soleil De Chanel cream bronzer for so long that I didn’t think anything would ever replace it! Sad to say the Chanel bronzer was discontinued and a new cream bronzer replaced it … it looks more hydrating than the one I have so I’m keen to try it however … let’s talk Hollywood Contour Wand shall we!? This is the first cream contour product I’ve ever tried (bronze to me didn’t seem as scary as cream contour did). It is easy to use, easy to blend in, and gives the skin a natural looking contour. This is a light weight very pigmented product. You don’t get much product for the price tag, however a very little goes a very long way. I use 1 squeeze ever 2 days (it’s a sponge tipped applicator so the product stays in the sponge… I just squeeze 1 time and have enough product left over on the sponge that the next day I just have to dot what remains over the perimeter of my face. Unlike the Chanel bronzer this product doesn’t disrupt my foundation underneath. I love this product so much that I place an order today for a back up. 

Favorite Matte Bronzer/Contour:

Mac Bronzing Powder in the shade matte bronze: $30 for .35 ounces of product. I’ve had this compact for probably way too long because it’s starting to get hard pan, so I scraped the hard pan off … the powder works fine. The picture of the hand on the left is without flash and the one on the right is with flash. It’s just the perfect everyday natural looking bronzer. You can’t over do it with this bronzer since it’s so light of coverage. I always love my look when I’m wearing this one.

Favorite Glowy Bronzer :

Tarte Limited Edition Park Ave Princess Waterproof Face & Body Bronzer $34 for .55 ounces of product at Ulta. I do love a good glowy bronzer and this one does not disappoint! It’s the perfect shade, has just the right amount of glow without having shimmer to it … it’s just this glow from within! I just love how my skin looks with this bronzer on.

Favorite Dewy Primer: 

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter in the shade #3 Light/Medium $44 for 1.01 fluid ounces on the Beautylish website (can also be purchased from Sephora or the Charlotte Tilbury website). Ever since getting this product in I have not been able to put it down! It’s freaking amazing!!! AMAZING! It has just enough of a tint that this could be worn alone for “No Makeup” makeup days and has the perfect amount of glow without having any shimmer to it. 1 swipe per zone is all you need of this primer. It’s not sticky or greasy and it does hold foundation nicely.

Favorite Cream Highlighter: 

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Light Wand $39 for .41 fluid ounces on the Beautylish website (can also be purchased from Sephora or the Charlotte Tilbury website). I have tried many cream highlighters and hate every single one, until this one came into my life! This highlighter is just magical! It doesn’t disrupt the foundation under neither, it melts into the skin seamlessly, and it has no glitter to it… just a natrual looking glow. The glow can still be seen even after setting it with powder! I haven’t been able to stop using it because I’m so in love with it.

Favorite High End Face Powder:

Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder in the shade Translucent $33 for .53 ounces of product at Ulta and Sephora. This powder has the most beautiful finish ever! It give a slight glow to the skin without looking like glitter or shimmer. This one has taken the place of my beloved Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder in my heart. I just never want to be without it!!! It doesn’t take much of this powder to set the full face either. I tap 3 shakes into the cap and that sets my full face! It even looks amazing under the eyes.

Favorite Drug Store Face Powder:

Believe Beauty Matte Blur Loose Powder in the shade Translucent $5 for .14 ounces of product sold only at Dollar General. This is such a light weight powder that sets the face flawlessly. It is matte but doesn’t leave the face looking cakey or dry. It even looks good under the eyes. I have repurchased this 2 time since discovering it and I have 2 back ups.

Favorite High End Finishing and Touch Up Setting Powder:

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder $45 for .28 ounces of product on the Beautylish website (can also be purchased at Sephora and on the Charlotte Tilbury website). This gives the prettiest soft focus to the face and doesn’t change the look of your makeup when you touch up with it. I find on days that I wear this one as a finishing powder I don’t have to touch up at all. I don’t quiet like this one as a setting powder, just as a finishing powder and touch up powder and sad to say I have hit pan … this is the most expensive pressed powder I own but it’s so worth it and I will definitely be repurchasing it when I’ve finished it.

Favorite Drug Store Finishing and Touch Up Setting Powder:

JCat Beauty AquaSurance Compact Foundation $13.99 for .31 ounces of product at Ulta. This is a spot on dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder. It’s basically a fuller coverage version and I can use it to set my set as well and I never have to touch up at all when I use this powder.

Favorite Powder Highlighter: 

Benefit Boxed Highlighter in the shade Cookie $30 for .28 ounces of product at Ulta and Sephora. OH BABY! This highlighter is so pretty and little is all you need. This is a beaming highlighter so definitely not for low maintenance makeup day but add this to your full glam look and watch out…. it’s the perfect highlighter to be noticed in.

Favorite Blush:

Tarte 12-HR Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade Captivating $29 for .2 ounce of product at Ulta and Sephora. This is the best just pinched shade I’ve ever owned. I wore it a ton in April and for good reason. It goes with everything from “No Makeup” makeup looks to full on glam looks. It lasts all day and is probably my all time favorite blush shade.

Favorite Lip Combo:

L’Oreal Rouge Signature Lightweight Matte Lip Stain ($5.99 at Ulta) in the shade 448 I-Tease (a soft taupey pink matte) a few dots of Makeup Geek Creme Stain ($11.99 on their website) in the shade Jitterbug (an intense coral matte) a touch of NARS Lip Gloss ($24 on the NARS website) in the shade Stripe Tease  (Sheer champagne nude). This makes the perfect shade for every look. I’ve worn this only for the past few days of April but I can already tell it will be worn a ton in the month of May.

Favorite Powder to Set My Under Eyes:

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder $28 for .14 ounces of product at Ulta and Sephora. This just leaves the under eyes looking flawless and it sets every concealer I own except the Dermablend concealer (that concealer is just too heavy and took emollient that nothing really sets it and I would return it but I lost the uni-carton it came in so Ulta wont take it back). I wish this came in a larger jar because I just know I will be repurchasing this over and over. It gives this soft focus glow to the under eye area that isn’t shimmery or glittery … just a sort of glow from within look.

Favorite Brow Pencil:

Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil $24 at Ulta and Sephora for .27 ounces of product. I have purchased this pencil 2 time since discovering it and I have 1 back up. This is just the most effortless brow product ever. I almost never have a bad brow day when I use this pencil. It’s a definite recommend in my book.

Favorite Brow Gel: 

Believe Beauty Eyebrow Styling Gel $4 for .2 ounces of product sold only at Dollar General. Even though it’s only got .2 ounces of product this brow gel lasts a long time. You only need 1 pass of the wand to fully set your brow. It is never crunchy and never goes flaky. The picture is of my back ups … this sucker goes fast at the store so I pick up 2 or 3 every time I go to Dollar General so I never run out. I adore this one so much that I never reach for my other brow gels.

Favorite High End Eye Shadow Palette: 

Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette $45. It has 8 matte shades and 8 shimmer shades and you get .48 total ounces of product and is sold at Ulta and Sephora. Some of my all time favorite looks this past month have come from this palette! I just adore it so much. Too Faced really hit it out of the park with this one.

Favorite Drug Store Eye Shadow Palette: (I have 3, 1 is a bit more pricier, 1 is mid-ranged and the other is super inexpensive)

ColourPop Bare Necessities 30 Pan Eyeshadow Palette $34 on the ColourPop website. I have created so many beautiful neutral eye looks with this palette! With 30 shades I never get bored of this one.

  Believe Beauty Eyeshadow Palette  in the color story: Nearly Nude $5 only sold at Dollar General. It’s just simple an amazing palette. I was highly impressed with this one. I got a few looks out of it and it’s the perfect size for travel.

  Catrice Basic Bae Eyeshadow Palette $14.99 at Ulta. This was the first thing I ever tried from Catrice and I was super impressed! The shadows are super pigmented and blend like a dream.

Favorite Eye Liner:

Charlotte Tilbury The Classic Powder Eye Pencil in the shade Audrey $22 on the Beautylish website (but can also be purchased at Sephora and on the Charlotte Tilbury website). Now this one was a surprise to me. I hated this pencil when I first tried it…. I could never get it to work… Well I finally figured it out and I am in love. It gives such a effortless look to the eyes when I use it. This will be a repurchase when I run out.

Favorite Mascara: 

Milani Dangerous Lengths 3D Mascara regularly $9.99 nut currently on sale for $7.49 at Ulta. This is another item that surprised me but ever since I’ve been conditioning my lashes with the Jamaican Black Castor Oil my lashes have been looking so nice and combined with the mascara I just fell in love…. I can’t believe I have a favorite mascara and it’s, for the first time in years, not the L’Oreal voluminous Carbon Black!!! This just gives a nice fluffy airy look to the lashes.

Favorite Inner Corner Highlight:

Hikari Creme Pigment in the shade Honey Dew $15 on their website. I have been using this for a few years now but I just can’t seem to stay away. It just give the prettiest lilt to the inner corners.

Favorite Setting Spray: (I have 2 this month)

ColourPop Hyaluronic Acid Setting Mist $12 for 3.72 fluid ounces of product at Ulta and on the ColourPop website. This setting spray smells like the beach and leaves the skin looking dewy and healthy. It holds your makeup fairly well … I don’t really need a setting spray that will hold my makeup on until the wee hours of the morning, I just need a spray that will take down the powderiness of freshly applied makeup.  I’ve been using this bottle for 2 months and I’m almost out of it. This makes me sad because it’s sold out everywhere. I think this may just be my favorite setting spray of the year.

Belif Aqua Bomb Mist $34 for 2 2.02 fluid ounces of product on the Beautylish website (but can also be purchased at Ulta and Sephora). This one adds tons of hydration to the skin and I love it as a touch up spray too. Lately I have been using it in combination with the other setting spray just to add a bit more hydration to my under eye area. 

Favorite Find of the Year So Far: 

HonHey Portable Hand Held Rechargeable Fan. $13 on Amazon. I purchased this back in the beginning of March but it has quickly become my favorite beauty extra! It helps me dry my setting spray and lash glue. It also helps keep me cooler when the hot lights of my makeup table start to make me over heat. It has a great charge life as well. 

Well … We have reached the end dolls. Thank you ever so much for hanging in there with this post …. I know it was a long one … but this is the flagship post of this series and I thought I should be as thorough as possible with at least the first in the series… Now that’s not to say I wont have heaps of favorites in any given month, but I may just have a few favorites in other months too.

Well that’s all for now dolls. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day/night and that your spirits are high and your health is good! Remember dolls, Save a spoon for a bit of lipstick.

XOXO

April 2020 Beauty Favorites Hey doll hey!!! How's your day/night going? Great I hope. I had a pretty good day ...

[windandwater]

back from Finland and my nightmare flight situation got really fucking funny (and awful) at the end so I’m gonna tell you the whole goddamn thing. cut to save you from Airline Stories.

I mentioned in a previous post that I had to sprint through Heathrow to get to a flight, and it wasn’t my fault. that turned out to be just the beginning but here’s what happened.

airline randomly decided to change my flight to an earlier time

I found out about this from a 3 am text that I read at 8 am on my way to work

cool I have to leave work much earlier

I do that. it was about to rain in New York so it was a good goddamn thing. no subway delays at all.

I sit at the gate for a bit. an hour before boarding, there are still zero airline employees to be found

what the fuck.

I google my flight number. it is not at the gate I’m sitting at.

great.

I walk over to the new gate, the lady there explains “it got changed.”

fine. I’m still on time.

….

the flight is not.

the rain started while I was in the airport and New York is gridlocked, and they barely had enough flight attendants to take off

I check my flight information. I have a connection in Heathrow that’s an hour after my flight and my flight is delayed…you guessed it. an hour.

I’m definitely gonna miss my connecting flight

I accept this (I am on a lot of anxiety medication) to deal with when I get there (thank you, medication!) and go to sleep (so. much. medication.)

arrive in Heathrow

announcement on the plane says that the connecting flight to Helsinki is also delayed, and to see them up front if you are getting on that flight

so I talk to them

“they’re leaving at 8:20 (it is now 7:50), so you can make it but you have to BOOK”

me: “GOT IT.” *takes off*

*accidentally knocks off a baby’s blanket. does not stop, like an asshole. yells EXCUSE ME to every British person in the way, while elbowing them, I’m from fucking New York, MOVE*

“few people runnin' about” happens

gotta go through security first

lady at the desk spins her computer monitor to show me what it says when she scans my boarding pass: “please proceed directly to gate 9”

me: “TRUST ME I FUCKING KNOW”

someone in front of me for some reason has every glass bottle in the world, doesn’t speak enough English for the security people to explain that it’s fine so long as there’s  no food or liquid in them

somehow I get through and make it to the gate

“if you had been 10 minutes later you would’ve caught us, but you’re good!”

phew.

find out later that my family had a similar yet worse experience in Frankfurt. ha.

turns out that was only the fucking beginning. because I still had to come back. here’s how that went.

day 1:

I’m supposed to fly out Saturday at 3 pm. my brother is flying out Saturday at 7 am. Friday night, we are on our way to the BnB and I double check my email.

surprise! my flight has changed. now at 7 am.

ughhhhhhhhhh

fine. I’ll just go to the airport with my brother.

we do that. Air BnB host nice enough to wake up and drive us—for a price, but a pretty good one.

they had a sauna and I had to skip out on using it (I only got to do it once) and I was pretty upset. fuck you, airline.

get to the airport at the asscrack of dawn

I check my email in the car one more time

….

wait a second

the date on this is for Sunday

fuuuuuuuuuuck

screw it, I’ll wait around until their service desk opens and have them put me on a flight

1 hour: nothing

I try and call them. on a janky phone that has issues with phone calls

customer service is closed, because Europe

call the US number

customer service is open and in English but it rings a few times and then I get a message in Icelandic and it hangs up.

….I’m never flying a Scandinavian-based airline ever a-fucking-gain.

2 hours: nothing

fuck. this.

I start googling hotels by the airport instead. check into one. get a shuttle there. room itself isn’t too expensive, but not money I really have.

oh fucking well

I pass out.

wake up, have to leave the hotel to get lunch, come back and read Yuri on Ice fanfic

oh daaamn this hotel has a sauna

tight

get smoked reindeer pasta at the hotel restaurant

go to sauna again

go back the fuck to sleep

day 2:

airport shuttle at the asscrack of dawn but this time I’ve slept all day

feeling annoyed but optimistic. this will suck but at least I’m rested.

get to the airport

once again they have changed the airline on me. this was not self-evident in the email

haul my ass to the right terminal. thank fuck there are only 2.

that last sentence is foreshadowing

in line for getting my ticket (b/c of course I can’t check in at a kiosk) and two people in front of me are going through the same shit. airline answered their phone calls tho and promised them money back

feeling more hopeful

am now flying through Amsterdam. they can’t print my connecting flight boarding pass. I will have to get it printed at the airport when I get there.

there is only an hour between the flights

I am hit with a sudden premonition of doom

but am still hopped up on anxiety medication

here we go again!

make it to Amsterdam with no drama

phone battery is dying. my external battery stopped working abruptly and there’s no charger on the smaller planes. it wouldn’t charge at the gate; was plugged in but draining. I turn it off. charges 2%.

more foreshadowing

I get off the plane and have to ask where to go to get to the correct airline. someone directs me. it’s a different terminal. I run-walk over there, knowing what’s about to happen.

passport control. spend 5 minutes panicking that I don’t have an e-passport b/c I don’t know where to look for the logo. turns out it’s on the front cover! I’m a dumbass.

get there. can’t check in/print off boarding pass

oh boy

have to wait in line for a service rep

this wait takes 35 minutes

I get to the front. my seat reservation somehow does not exist

she manages to print off my ticket. and call them to tell them I’m coming.

looks me in the eye: “you run.”

me: “I run.”

I do that.

new gate is 2 more terminals away

Amsterdam is fucking big and I have now run across 3 terminals of it.

the Dutch are better at moving out of the way than the English

I make it to the gate and people are there yelling “New York? New York!!” make it on the plane. phone won’t charge. ...... great.

no podcasts for me! I watch a Stonewall documentary, a gay rom com, and a slew of nature documentaries.

at least I’m on brand.

make it to New York in one piece. meet a nice German lady and everything.

it was hell coming back here from Greece but from Scandinavia it’s fucking amazing.

anyway

slight panic after going through passport control. I handed them my receipt, promptly forgot I did that, then got my baggage and began looking for my receipt to show to the next set of cops.

receipt was gone

ummmmmm

I empty out my entire bag

nothing

I ask the lady next to me if they kept the receipt

she says yes they did and I nearly collapse. guess there’s no next set of cops this time around. it’s different every fucking time.

she sympathizes. we have a nice chat. she has family in Helsinki and just got back from Greece and Italy.

Scandinavians are not friendly. FUCK I missed New York.

because some people will assume otherwise if i don’t say so: it was not a white lady. I really really missed New York.

I manage to make it to my subway stop with no more drama than wondering why I’m the only person on the train

I realized literally this morning that it’s almost a holiday weekend. oops.

make it to my apartment door

they installed a new front door while I was in another fucking country

(there were issues with the old one)

sign on the door says go see the super. who never answers his door, only the phone.

my phone battery is now at 10%

….

super’s not answering his phone. or the door.

7%

text and call neighbors who live near me. leave messages. try not to panic.

feel raindrops

look up

there’s a storm cloud coming in

I hear thunder

this is the point where I started laughing

I try the super’s other number

“uhhh you changed the door”
 “you were sleeping!”
 “I was in FINLAND!” 
“okay, give me a minute, I’m on my way”

5%

turn phone off

super appears. I am not soaking wet and laughing hysterically. yet. if he’d been any later it would’ve been another story

make it inside. plug in phone. it’s at 3%

answer all my family’s frantic texts, order food delivery, take a shower, go the fuck to sleep, and sleep 14 hours. felt fucking great.

go to work today because it’s 4th of July and if I don’t I’ll only be in for two days. oh well!

[onlinefoodorderingapp]

What TechRyde is Doing to Transform Online Food Ordering?

Having a busy restaurant or catering business, you may be employing an online ordering service for your delivery and takeout. There's a good chance that you're paying a fee to the service provider of the ordering system you're using. This may really build up over time. TechRyde (Food Online Ordering Systems) is the appropriate answer for your business.

As a result, how much money do you make from to-go orders after accounting for all of your expenditures (including food)? Not much, most likely. However, many restaurant operators face this reality. Because they think they have to give up a portion of their total earnings to compete with other restaurants, they are wasting their money. However, after going through their records, they'll be able to see exactly where the money is going. Depending on the kind of restaurant, these figures might range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars a month.

Today, any business that doesn't have a strong web presence, let alone an online meal ordering system, is losing money. In other words, the bottom line is being affected. When it comes to ordering meals, today's hungry clients don't have the time or inclination to maintain a paper menu on hand. Using a smartphone or other electronic device to contact a shop is the quickest and most convenient option for every client.

The Future of Online Food Delivery

Previously known as TechRyde, Food Online Ordering Systems has been renamed. What is TechRyde, and why should I care? A better method to purchase meals online is TechRyde. A restaurant's existing point of sale system may be integrated with the system or utilised as a stand-alone service on TechRyde's website. Your customers may also use it on their Windows, iOS, Android, or Facebook mobile devices as a mobile app.

Restaurants and catering services may benefit greatly from using TechRyde. Orders may be added to an existing system on-site, for example. Neither consumers nor restaurant owners have to move a finger since TechRyde does it all. Using your restaurant's colours, menu photographs, and logo, TechRyde can create a custom-designed website for your catering or restaurant company. A secure payment gateway, for example, may be set up with their assistance.

It's also simple for consumers to choose and buy the food they wish to eat, and TechRyde provides useful maps so that customers can easily find a location. Hungry consumers may always monitor the delivery progress of their meal orders through SMS or app alerts or email.

Considering that other online ordering sites charge an average of 15% of every transaction, it's surprising that most restaurants only make approximately 25 cents on the dollar in most circumstances. If you do the arithmetic, you'll discover that's more than half of your revenue. TechRyde's set pricing is less than a third of what your competitors charge. Additionally, there is no service fee for a sale, unlike many other online buying systems that charge nowadays. TechRyde, on the other hand, charges a flat fee and offers excellent customer service for free, whereas others charge about 15% of the overall transaction price.

TechRyde's other advantages include:

 If you like, you may use it as a stand-alone system.

It is possible to integrate your online ordering system with your present point-of-sale (POS). Your online ordering system will be able to take use of any loyalty programmes you have in place.

Service that is entirely automated

Because you don't have to deal with phone calls, faxes, or emails, you'll be able to devote more time and resources to making your customers happy. By batching and delivering daily reports, the service was designed to be completely hands-off. You don't have to worry about a thing since TechRyde takes care of everything and even lets you know if there's an issue.

Ingenious Ideas

TechRyde develops your website and online ordering service by combining cutting-edge technology with industry standards. In order to provide users with the best possible experience, they put security, aesthetics, and speed at the top of their priority list.

As soon as they happen

Your clients will always know where their food is at all times thanks to real-time alerts through SMS, apps, or email. Customers may track the location of their meal at any given time with the use of real-time information.

Permeable, secure, and safe from tampering

Your clients' personal and sensitive information is totally protected by TechRyde's use of the most advanced technologies. Using their services, you may create an online payment platform that allows your customers to buy food safely and securely.

Assortment of Delectables on Hand

You may customize your online ordering system to suit your needs. Reduce your expenses by simply maintaining the functions you really need. You may enlist the expertise of TechRyde to design a package that best serves your company's long-term objectives.

Customers may purchase online from your restaurant or catering business regardless of whether they have a Windows, Android, or iOS smartphone. Online ordering applications may be used on tablets and smartphones in addition to the website of your business.

Boost Your Branding

TechRyde's platforms for purchasing online and websites that are practical and visually appealing make it simple for your consumers to check out on your site.

Numerous Options for Making a Payment

What if you need to accept many forms of payment from your customers? You're right. There are a variety of payment methods supported by TechRyde, including bank transfers, credit card payments, UPI transfers and many more.

.

Regardless of the product they're purchasing, customers want fast, simple, and convenient service. Any food company may profit from having a working website and easy-to-use applications that allow their consumers to choose what they want from a menu and have it immediately delivered with the simple push of a button.

[authorjanellesamara-blog]

Freshly: a meal delivery service

I'm back, bitches! I've had to involuntarily take some time off due to moving and getting settled, but I should be back on track now and have a new blog each week.

Do you want to know the shittiest part about moving? My new kitchen is tiny. I have half as many cabinets and nowhere to put all of my stuff. My counters, stove, and floor were piled with boxes for a couple of weeks while I kept bringing in more boxes and unpacking what I could. But there is no space! I had no room for my various baking dishes, all of my food, or my small appliances. I also only have ONE cabinet under the counter in which I can put pots and pans. One? Seriously? My canning pot lives outside in the storage closet now. I can't see any way that I'll have room to home-can apple butter this year. 

I haven't had room or time to cook anything. And you guys, I fucking hate spending money on fast food. Also, the food is gross. It makes me feel disgusting, groggy, and fat. I also don't want to eat out at a real restaurant every day. So what the fuck is a girl to do? 

Freshly. They send fully cooked, freshly prepared meals in individual servings right to your door. No pots and pans or even plates needed! All you need is a microwave, a knife, and a fork. I know what you're wondering, though... Is it worth it? Maybe...

The Good

Packaging

When I opened my first Freshly shipment, I was both stunned and thrilled to see THREE LARGE ICE PACKS! As a comparison, Hello Fresh only had one large ice pack with their deliveries. Home Chef merely contained one small ice pack. Blue Apron uses two large ice packs. The insulation in the box was good and it's biodegradable. I opened the top of the insulation and saw the first ice pack. Underneath, I found the first two packages of food. Then another ice pack, four more trays of food, and the final ice pack. It was packed very well and all of the ice packs still had some solidness to them.

The Variety

You can choose four, six, nine, or twelve meals a week. Each meal is one serving. I chose six different meals. The choices are immense. They had TWENTY-SIX different lunch/dinner choices and seven choices for breakfast. They always have a minimum of thirty choices every week. They blow everyone else I've seen out of the water. You just can't beat the variety offered by Freshly.

The Price

I chose six meals for the introductory price of $40. After my first two weeks, it would have gone back up to the regular price of $10 per meal, but I canceled it. After two weeks, I was ready to start cooking again and I didn't need these convenience meals. I also didn't need the expense of $240 a month when I'm trying to pay all of my bills by myself on a limited budget. (All of my husband's money is going toward his hair transplants. I don't care that he's bald, so I won't have my money going toward his vanity. He can pay for that dumb shit himself.) For people who are slightly better off than me, I think this is a really great deal. A cost of ten bucks is way cheaper than a restaurant, and the food is just as good. Reheating a freshly cooked meal in the microwave is so much easier than cooking from scratch. It also tastes far better than cheaper frozen dinners.

The Portions

Everything was perfect portions. I didn't have too much, and I was not left hungry. The size of the chicken breasts and steak were just right. The potatoes, green beans, rice, etc. were all good amounts. I liked that I wasn't still hungry like after a frozen dinner, or stuffed to the brim from the huge portions in restaurants. 

The Taste

I enjoyed most of the meals I was sent. The chicken with risotto and spring peas was fantastic. And I am such a picky eater. Picky enough that I was hesitant to order the peppercorn steak. I'm not a big pepper person, but I'm really glad I got this one. I didn't have high expectations for a microwaved steak, but it was fucking amazing! The meat was tender and juicy. I did not encounter large chunks of pepper, which was also great. The gravy was quite peppery, but I didn't have the shock of crunching down on a hunk of pepper, and that is something I always hate. 

The Bad and the Ugly

If you've read my blog before, you might have figured out that I don't see the world through rose-colored glasses. But, I'm not a pessimist, so I don't see the world through shit-colored glasses, either. I'm a realist; I don't wear any glasses. I am also a perfectionist. I strive for perfection in all that I do and I frequently fall short. I'm hardest on myself, but I know I'm hard on others, too. I try to be fair, though. I try to present both sides. I make a real effort to not just bitch-bitch-bitch about things. Hence, the good news first. Next, I'm going to tell you what I didn't like about Freshly.

Nutritional Content

Freshly touts itself "Deliciously Healthy" on the sides of the large box it's delivered in. On the small sleeves each meal has around it, it says things like "Incredibly fresh, gluten free, nutrient dense, 100% all natural, no refined sugar, no artificial ingredients." This sounds awesome, right? It is. Really. It is great. They even use cage-free eggs! So why do I have this under bad and ugly? It's not low-fat, low-cholesterol, or low-sodium. 

I have picked at random three meals from the six I got and added together the nutrition labels. This is one full day of meals provided by Freshly--a breakfast and two entrees.

Calories: 1540 (cool)

Total Fat: 74g / 129% (not cool)

Sat. Fat: 31g / 155% (not cool)

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 675mg / 259% (sooo not cool)

Sodium: 1270mg / 75% (not cool)

Carbs: 105g / 36% (umm...wha?)

Fiber: 13g / 52% (not cool)

Sugars: 21g (not bad)

Protein: 98g (cool)

Vitamin A: 225% (cool)

Vitamin C: 105% (cool)

Calcium: 55% (meh)

Iron: 60% (meh)

That's it. Those are all of the things on their nutrition label. So, yeah. Nutrient dense, if you count bad things as nutrients, too. I just... I can't. I can't eat like that every day, even if I could afford it. Six out of seven breakfasts were omelets with super high cholesterol. What? No egg white omelets offered? Sorry. I'm out. And 75% sodium? No. I shouldn't have more than 800mg of sodium a day, so that's closer to 150% of my daily allowance.

Now, as I look through the three I didn't choose to add together, I do see some lower bad numbers. Here, I'll just show you. 

The chewed-up cardboard is not from me. My cat likes to gnaw on paper and cardboard because she's a freak. I also couldn't read most of the chewed-up label for the turkey with quinoa stuffing that I got. It was really good, though. 

Another thing I didn't care for was the fact that I had only 24-hours between receiving my first delivery and the cut-off for choosing the meals for my second delivery. As a result, I wound up deleting a meal I enjoyed and repeating a meal I did not. Yeah...

Finding Balance

Freshly isn't right for me to eat every day or every week, but it might be perfect for you. It is fantastically convenient for people with busy lives who need to eat healthier than they do. These meals are great for people who want homecooked-style meals that don't take a long time to prepare. I feel like this food is oh, so much healthier than eating fast food for every meal. It is easier than cooking every meal you eat from scratch.

It takes less time than going out to eat at or pick food up from a restaurant. They are great for taking to work and tossing into the microwave. In fact, Freshly is even better than leftovers! These meals seem to be cooked to just the right point where they finish cooking as they reheat. You know how when you reheat your leftovers, they're overcooked and not as good? These aren't overcooked. They're cooked just right, as long as you follow the directions. Letting it rest after cooking is important to let it finish cooking. 

And the cost? Heeeeyyyy! It costs the same as many ingredient delivery services! Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef, Sun Basket, etc. etc. all have options that cost $10 per serving. Those are things you have to cook yourself, and these are already cooked! So, yeah... I think it is worth the price they charge. 

Check it out here and get $20 off each of your first two deliveries. That's only $40 a week for six yummy, super simple meal. 

 I'd also like to note that none of the companies I review on my blog have ever compensated me in any way for writing about them. I don't do this for free shit. I do it to share my observations and experiences with others. I pay for these services just like everyone else. If you ever want to try one of them, why not use my links so I get a little bit off my next order for referring you?

[royalplumbers44]

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Royal Electricians, Consider what your home or business will be like in the evening if your water heater is not working correctly.It will be uncomfortable for your family, and/or your customers.However, with Royal Electricians on your side, you can rest assured that we will promptly repair or replace your water heater so that you can enjoy hot water and warmth in your home or business once again.The Company do all electrical services: Maintenance & Construction:Royal Electricians has licensed, qualified electricians, drain cleaners  and electricians.Customer service is Royal Electrician’ main priority and our customers deserve nothing less than the best.We are definitely the best value for money and service in the industry.

Our 24/7 emergency services are available right when you need them most.

Royal Electricians: We also offer regular service appointments at a time most convenient for you so that your plumbing and drains will be back in good working order in no time.Royal Electricians, Our commitment to offering prompt services does not stand in the way of our commitment to providing quality workmanship to every project.In fact, we offer a no-hassle guarantee on all products and services.Royal Electricians: The experiences of our clients speak well about our professionalism and our commitment towards the ideals that we have set for ourselves.We are privileged to have worked with major property development groups, real estate agents, holiday complexes, and convention centers.The satisfaction of our clients with the our services make all the efforts worthwhile.Compare the Royal Electricians’ Electrical difference when you need a electrician:Royal Electricians, are sought after for their knowledge and effective service delivery status, known by many customers for years.Electricians in Gauteng delivers service to the whole of Gauteng community.All our electricians are qualified to deliver the best workmanship in your local area, from domestic to industrial, including commercial.Electricians in Gauteng provide a 24/7 emergency service and does all electrical jobs, big or small.Electricians in Gauteng focuses on delivering fast, effective and efficient services from general electrical jobs, to big industrial installations.Electricians in Gauteng also offers highly competitive prices.For best quality electrical service in your Gauteng area, be sure to call us today for an experience of work Electricians in Gauteng done!Electricians in Gauteng know how dangerous electricity can be, and would therefore offer you the service of our best, qualified technicians in the Gauteng area.Royal Electricians: At Electricians in Gauteng we offer free quotations and do not charge call out fee when you accept our quotation.Our comprehensive service approach takes care of your electrical problems now, while helping to prevent them from happening in the near future.

Promptly Responding to Your Needs:

Consider what your home or business will be like in the evening if your water heater is not working correctly.It will be uncomfortable for your family, and/or your customers.However, with Royal Electricians on your side, you can rest assured that we will promptly repair or replace your water heater so that you can enjoy hot water and warmth in your home or business once again.We have a large team of electricians available for domestic and commercial work anywhere in Gauteng, and its surrounding areas.Our emergency electricians are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can rest assured that we’re never too far away.Royal Electricians: From emergency problems needing an immediate fix to scheduling electrical testing and providing landlords with electrical safety certificates, we’re here to help.We can also put you in touch with an estimator to provide quotes for larger scale installation work and certified electricians to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).

Royal Electricians: Whether it’s fixing electrical faults and nuisance tripping, new socket or circuit installations, portable appliance testing (PAT), or rewiring a property, our electricians are here to help.