#homes for sale in St Louis Park

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Interesting colorful 1958 mid-century modern in St. Louis Park, MN. 5bds, 3ba, $925K

There's a nice entrance foyer- it's different than the typical MCM layout.

Isn't this a beautiful sunny living room? What a large fireplace wall.

Very large open dining area. This home is very spacious and well-cared for. It already has a pending sale.

Right off the living room is a colorful kitchen.

This is lovely. I wonder how they found a backsplash to match.

The primary bedroom is quite different from the usual MCM bedrooms- it's not a plain box and it's got a vaulted wood ceiling plus a glass wall and sliders to the patio.

The shower room was remodeled and seamlessly fits the MCM style.

The children's room is quite large.

The children's bath mirrors the shower room, except that it has a tub.

It's almost like the exterior has "rooms" and there's an open roof for a tree.

Downstairs is a very large basement with a family room and bar.

It also has a fireplace.

The home goes on and on, it has so many rooms.

It also has a big deck with an outdoor kitchen.

Plus, a great workshop.

The house is larger than I thought, and it's an attractive colorful home on the exterior, too.

The lot measures .51 acre.

https://www.redfin.com/MN/Saint-Louis-Park/8000-Westwood-Hills-Dr-55426/home/49940469

[beardedmrbean]

WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously sided with a 94-year-old grandmother who lost her home to foreclosure and then lost the equity she had in the property beyond the taxes she owed.

A Minnesota County sold Geraldine Tyler’s condo at an auction for $40,000. Instead of returning the $25,000 difference between the sales price and what she owed in back taxes, the county pocketed the balance and used the extra money for forest development, county parks, and recreation programs.

"The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but not more," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.

Tyler's attorneys said about a dozen states have laws similar to Minnesota's – including New York, Arizona and Illinois – and that those laws can have a big impact on seniors struggling to pay property taxes after retirement. Tyler claims the county's handling of the property represented a government "taking" that she says violates the Fifth Amendment.  

Hennepin County told the Supreme Court that Tyler had five years to pay the taxes or sell the property. And, it argued, Tyler couldn't have recuperated the surplus money – and therefore doesn't have standing to sue – because she owed a mortgage and back homeowner association fees. Tyler moved out of the condo and into an apartment building for seniors in 2010.  

A federal district court sided with the county in the dispute and the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit affirmed that decision.

But a majority of the justices – conservatives and liberals – signaled during oral argument in April that they were concerned with the state law at issue in Tyler's case. The takings clause of the Fifth Amendment bars the government from taking private property "without just compensation." 

Tyler also argued that the fines assessed by the county are excessive in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Tyler owed about $2,300 in back taxes but with penalties and interest, her obligation grew to $15,000. 

The case is Tyler v. Hennepin County.

[madsocialagency]

Boost Your Business: Digital Marketing Services in Minneapolis

The Digital Revolution in the Twin Cities

In the heart of the Twin Cities, a digital revolution is transforming the business landscape. Minneapolis, known for its innovative spirit and thriving entrepreneurial scene, is embracing digital marketing services with open arms. From the bustling streets of Downtown to the creative corridors of Northeast, businesses are discovering the power of online strategies to connect with customers and drive growth. 

Whether you're a start-up in Uptown or an established company in St. Louis Park, digital marketing services offer a world of opportunities. By leveraging tools like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and content creation, Minneapolis businesses are not just reaching local customers – they're expanding their horizons to a global audience. In this digital age, having a strong online presence isn't just an option – it's a necessity for success in the competitive Minneapolis market.

Building Your Digital Storefront: Websites and SEO

The cornerstone of any effective digital marketing strategy is a well-designed website, and Minneapolis is home to numerous talented website design and development companies. These experts craft digital storefronts that are not only visually stunning but also optimized for performance and user experience. Imagine a website that captures the essence of your brand, whether it's the urban sophistication of the North Loop or the artistic flair of Loring Park. 

But a great website is just the beginning. SEO services in Minneapolis are helping businesses climb to the top of search engine results, ensuring that when potential customers search for products or services, local businesses are front and center. From on-page optimization to building quality backlinks, SEO experts in the City of Lakes are employing cutting-edge techniques to boost visibility and drive organic traffic.

Connecting Through Social Media

In a city that thrives on connections, social media marketing services are proving invaluable. Minneapolis businesses are tapping into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to build communities around their brands. Picture a local brewery in Northeast using Instagram to showcase its latest craft beer, or a boutique in Edina using Pinterest to display its fashion collections. 

These platforms allow businesses to tell their stories, engage with customers, and create brand loyalty in ways traditional marketing never could. But it's not just about posting content – it's about strategy. Social media marketing services in Minneapolis are helping businesses create targeted campaigns, analyze engagement metrics, and continuously refine their approach to maximize impact and ROI.

Content Creation and Targeted Advertising

Content is king in the digital world, and Minneapolis is home to a thriving community of content production companies. These creative powerhouses are crafting compelling narratives that resonate with the diverse Minneapolis audience. From blog posts that capture the city's innovative spirit to videos that showcase products against the backdrop of Minnehaha Falls, content creators are helping businesses stand out in a crowded digital landscape. 

But great content needs to reach the right audience, and that's where Facebook Ads marketing comes in. With its powerful targeting capabilities, Facebook Ads allow Minneapolis businesses to reach potential customers with laser precision. Whether it's targeting millennials in Uptown or families in Edina, Facebook Ads marketing experts in Minneapolis are creating campaigns that drive engagement, leads, and sales.

The Future of Digital Marketing in Minneapolis

As we look to the future, it's clear that digital marketing services will continue to play a crucial role in the success of Minneapolis businesses. The city's unique blend of Midwestern values and cutting-edge innovation provides the perfect backdrop for digital marketing excellence. 

From the banks of the Mississippi to the shores of Lake Calhoun, businesses are embracing these services to tell their stories, reach new customers, and thrive in the digital age. Whether you're a small local shop or a large corporation, investing in digital marketing services is no longer optional – it's essential for growth and success in Minneapolis. As the city continues to evolve and grow, those businesses that harness the power of digital marketing will be well-positioned to lead the way into a bright and prosperous future.

[authorityappraisals]

Understanding the Role of Home Appraisals in St. Louis Real Estate Market

In the heartland of America, where the Gateway Arch stands tall and the Mississippi River flows gently, St. Louis boasts a diverse real estate landscape. Whether you're a buyer, seller, or homeowner, understanding the nuances of home appraisal in St. Louis is crucial. This art and science, often conducted by licensed appraisers, plays a pivotal role in determining property values and shaping real estate transactions in the city.

The St. Louis Real Estate Landscape

Before delving into the intricacies of home appraisal in St. Louis, it's essential to appreciate the unique characteristics. St. Louis is renowned for its historic neighborhoods, ranging from charming bungalows in The Hill to grand Victorian homes in Lafayette Square. Each area has its own identity, and factors like proximity to parks, schools, and amenities influence property values significantly.

What is Home Appraisal?

A home appraisal is an unbiased assessment of a property's value conducted by a licensed appraiser. This process involves a comprehensive evaluation of various factors, including the property's condition, location, comparable sales, and current market trends. In St. Louis, appraisers consider both the city's vibrant neighborhoods and the broader regional real estate market.

The Role of Neighborhoods

In St. Louis, neighborhoods are more than just geographical divisions; we are cultural hubs. When appraising a home, the appraiser takes into account the unique characteristics of the neighborhood it resides in. For example, homes in the Central West End, known for its upscale dining and cultural institutions, often command higher values than similar properties in other areas.

Market Trends Matter

St. Louis' real estate market can vary widely from year to year. To accurately appraise a property, appraisers must stay abreast of current market trends. Factors such as interest rates, demand, and supply can impact a home's value significantly. The ebb and flow of the market play a critical role in determining the final appraisal figure.

Comparable Sales are Key

One of the most critical aspects of home appraisal in St. Louis, as in any real estate market, is the use of comparable sales, commonly known as "comps." Appraisers identify recently sold properties that are similar in size, condition, and location to the subject property. Our comps provide a benchmark against which the subject property's value is assessed.

Unique St. Louis Considerations

St. Louis has its quirks when it comes to home appraisal. For instance, the city's iconic brick architecture, prevalent in many neighborhoods, often influences a home's value. Older homes may require special attention to factors like historic preservation. Additionally, St. Louis' proximity to the Mississippi River can impact flood zone considerations, which are vital for both appraisers and homebuyers to understand.

Conclusion

Whether you're buying or selling in St. Louis, or simply curious about your home's current value, understanding the world of home appraisal is crucial. At Authority Appraisals, we have a team of experienced appraisers who specialize in the St. Louis market. We are dedicated to providing accurate, impartial appraisals that reflect the unique character of this vibrant city. Contact us today to discuss your appraisal needs and gain insight into the value of your St. Louis property. Our commitment is to help you make informed real estate decisions in this dynamic and diverse urban landscape.

[richardsmithemen]

Memphis Real Estate Market: Your Guide to Homes for Sale

The pursuit of the perfect home is a journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and a vision for the future. In the vibrant city of Memphis, Tennessee, this journey takes on a unique character. Memphis, situated along the mighty Mississippi River, is known for its rich history, cultural vibrancy, and distinctive neighborhoods. As prospective homebuyers consider their options in this dynamic market, it's crucial to understand the nuances of the Memphis real estate market. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the factors that influence homes for sale in Memphis, offering insights and information to aid in your search for the ideal home.

Memphis: A Snapshot of the City

Before we delve into the specifics of the Memphis real estate market, it's essential to provide an overview of what makes Memphis a distinctive and appealing place to call home.

Memphis, often referred to as the "Home of the Blues" and the "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll," is a city that resonates with music, history, and culture. Located in southwestern Tennessee, Memphis is the largest city in the state and a regional economic and cultural hub. It's known for iconic landmarks like Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, and Beale Street, a historic district that pulses with live music, restaurants, and nightlife.

The city's history is deeply intertwined with the civil rights movement, with the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, serving as a powerful testament to that legacy.

Memphis boasts a diverse array of neighborhoods, each with its own character and charm. From the historic Victorian homes of Midtown to the suburban tranquility of Germantown and the riverfront condos in Downtown, Memphis offers a wide range of living options to suit various lifestyles and preferences.

Location and Accessibility

One of the key attractions of Memphis is its strategic location. Situated on the Mississippi River, Memphis serves as a regional transportation and logistics hub. It's home to FedEx, one of the world's largest courier delivery services companies, and the Memphis International Airport, which offers connectivity to both domestic and international destinations.

Interstate 40 and Interstate 55 intersect in Memphis, providing convenient access to major cities like Nashville, Little Rock, and St. Louis. The city's central location in the southeastern United States makes it an ideal base for exploring the region and offers opportunities for travel and business.

Community and Sense of Belonging

Memphis is renowned for its warm and welcoming community spirit. Residents often describe the city as a place where hospitality is ingrained in the culture, and neighbors become like family. This sense of belonging is especially apparent in neighborhoods like Cooper-Young, where community events and local businesses foster a strong sense of identity.

The city's commitment to community is also evident in initiatives like Memphis Neighborhood Preservation, which focuses on revitalizing and preserving the unique character of Memphis neighborhoods.

Education and Schools

For families considering Memphis as their new home, education is a top priority. The city is served by several school districts, including Shelby County Schools, the largest public school district in Tennessee. It encompasses a variety of schools, including highly-rated institutions like White Station High School and Houston High School.

In addition to public schools, Memphis offers a range of private and charter school options, allowing families to choose the educational environment that best suits their children's needs.

Parks and Recreation

Memphis takes pride in its parks and recreational amenities, providing residents with numerous opportunities for outdoor activities and leisure. Shelby Farms Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States, offers hiking and biking trails, a lake for paddle boating, and even a treetop adventure course.

The Memphis Riverfront provides a scenic backdrop for activities like jogging, picnicking, and riverboat cruises. In addition, the city's extensive park system includes local parks, sports fields, and green spaces that cater to various interests and age groups.

Real Estate Market Insights

As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, the Memphis real estate market exhibited several key trends and characteristics:

Steady Demand: Memphis experienced a steady demand for homes, driven by factors such as its affordable cost of living, employment opportunities, and a diverse range of housing options.

Affordability: Memphis was known for its affordability compared to many other metropolitan areas in the United States. Homebuyers often found that their budgets stretched further in Memphis, allowing them to purchase larger homes or invest in real estate.

Diverse Housing Options: Memphis offered a wide range of housing options, including historic homes, modern condominiums, suburban single-family homes, and loft-style apartments in Downtown. This diversity allowed buyers to choose properties that aligned with their preferences and lifestyle.

Investment Potential: Real estate investors were attracted to Memphis due to its potential for rental income and property appreciation. The city's growing population and economic stability contributed to its status as a favorable investment destination.

Local Expertise: Many homebuyers found it beneficial to work with local real estate agents who had a deep understanding of the Memphis market. These agents could provide valuable insights and guidance throughout the homebuying process.

Economic Stability: Memphis enjoyed relative economic stability, with a diverse economy that included industries such as healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. This stability contributed to the city's resilience during economic downturns.

Please note that real estate markets can change over time due to various factors, including economic conditions, interest rates, and population growth. To gain the most current insights into the Memphis real estate market, it is advisable to consult recent market reports and work closely with a local real estate professional.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Memphis, Tennessee, offers a distinctive blend of culture, history, and community that appeals to a wide range of homebuyers. Its strategic location, accessibility, strong sense of community, quality education, recreational opportunities, and diverse real estate market have made it an attractive destination for those in search of their dream homes.

As you embark on your search for the perfect home in Memphis, consider the factors that make this city so appealing. The sense of belonging, rich cultural heritage, beautiful parks, and the warmth of a close-knit community are just a few of the reasons why Memphis continues to attract individuals and families in pursuit of their dream homes. In Memphis, you'll find not just a place to live but a community that welcomes you with open arms and invites you to make it your own, allowing you to embrace the unique Memphis lifestyle.

[hakesbros]

Homelight: Purchase, Promote, Or Purchase Earlier Than You Promote Your Home

Requirements at personal property gross sales are that the purchaser should be present to bid , and property is sold to highest bidder. Purchaser should make arrangements with storage facility for decide up of the purchased property. In most circumstances the personal property could also be viewed on sale date, prior to the sale.

There was now not a store on the town after the catastrophe, only a submit office. Now, Allenton is a ghost town, in accordance with the St. Louis Paranormal Research Society, and no one lives there. It was a town home builders in el paso till 2004, when plans for a strip mall improvement started, which led to the town being taken over by the government. Ft. manufactured home with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathtub, laundry, and covered front porch.

Take the scenic drive via some lovely neighborhoods and stop at the Overlook of El Paso and Juarez. This is a particularly interesting place to go to at night as you possibly can see the place the United States ends and Mexico begins just new homes el paso tx by the colour of the lights. The U.S. lights are white, and Mexico’s are an amber hue. Send Message Email me listings and house associated information. Select your college and discover the perfect place close by or on-campus.

As part of the Socorro ISD, this new home neighborhood is very in style among households with school-age youngsters. Residents enjoy quick entry to I-10, neighborhood parks, strolling trails, buying centers, and eating options. I-10 is a significant thoroughfare in El Paso, wrapping all through houses for sale in el paso tx the expansive city. The city bus system, SunMetro, offers several routes operating all through the town in addition to month-to-month bus passes. El Paso is home to El Paso International Airport, the largest industrial airport in west Texas, making air travel plans easy.

A rental house is the proper place to make your individual, with loads of house for your loved ones to develop. With more than 1 million energetic listings from the best property managers and private house owners all throughout the country, Apartments.com may help you find the perfect TX house for hire near you. Click on any rental house listing to search out out more in regards to the neighborhood, house options, close by transit, parking, and extra. View private proprietor leases and for rent by proprietor by including these in our keyword search. Take a take a look at pictures, too, and start envisioning how you’ll make your new El Paso rental house into a house.

Cattleman’s Steakhouse serves decadent steak and lobster on a distant ranch equipped with animals and scenic views. As of January 2023, the typical condo hire in El Paso, TX is $607 for a studio, $1,051 for one bedroom, $1,246 for 2 bedrooms, and $1,081 for 3 bedrooms. Apartment hire in El Paso has increased homes for sale el paso tx by 35.2% prior to now yr. Beautiful 1-story home features three bedrooms and a pair of bogs. Tile throughout the complete house and refrigerated air. Peaceful neighborhood with tons of potential rental earnings.

These land listings account for about four,400 acres of rural land and property for sale. The average value of land listings for sale here is $367,743. Browse LandWatch's Texas land for sale page to find more farms, ranches and different land for sale all through the Lone Star State. Usually big nationwide real property websites generalize the market by utilizing and analyzing info throughout the United States, and in many instances the information they present is inaccurate.

By maintaining the buyer’s agent contact information with each offer, we make it easy for listing agents to call, text or email buyer’s agents, both immediately or all at once. Meter (2,798 ± sq. ft.) vacant car parking zone situated near the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez. Ft. lot located in a mixed-use area of Douglas County in Sutherlin. The home on the property is in "teardown" situation. Ft. manufactured home with three bedrooms, 2 baths, laundry, and coated porch.Toledo is positioned alongside the Yaquina River and approx eight miles from the coast. Ft. vacant residential lot located in Edge Water on the Pointe deliberate neighborhood.

See three,206 homes for sale in El Paso together with houses for rent in El Paso instantly from the Official MLS Site. Search El Paso Real Estate and discover actual property listings for sale and real estate for hire on HAR.com. View lately listed homes for sale and El Paso homes for lease, trending real property in El Paso, recently offered homes in El Paso, home values in El Paso, schools in El Paso and neighborhoods. You can even slim your search to seek out El Paso single family el paso homes for sale homes, townhouses / condos in El Paso, residences in El Paso and more. ERA has the newest MLS listingsin El Paso, TX - together with new homes for sale, condos for sale, townhomes for sale, foreclosed homes for sale, and land for sale. Whether you are right here on ERA's web site or browsing on our cell app, you'll be able to tailor your search criteria to suit your distinctive tastes - tell us your ideal home's location, the right size, and more.

El Paso is where culture and historical past meet city sophistication. Located within the Chihuahuan Desert, El Paso is home to over seven-hundred,000 residents. This high desert metropolis has ranked as one of the safest cities within the country for four years in a row.

[kickmag]

Janet Jackson Going On Together Again Tour

Janet Jackson has announced her Together Again Tour with special guest Ludacris. Jackson's 9th tour will start in the Spring of 2023. The outing celebrates a few milestones for Jackson including her 50th year in the entertainment business, the 30th anniversary of janet and the 25th for Velvet Rope. The music legend's last tour was State Of The World which ran from 2017-2019. She wowed audiences this year with her magnetic performance at the Kentucky Derby and her sold-out show at the Essence Festival Of Culture. Jackson announced the tour live on Instagram. The first tour stop is April 14th in Hollywood, Florida and the last show is in June at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 16th at 11 AM ET. 

Together Again Tour Dates 

4/14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live Arena * 4/19 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center * 4/21 – Savannah, GA @ Enmarket Arena * 4/22 – Birmingham, AL @ Legacy Arena * 4/25 – Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena * 4/27 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena * 4/29 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum * 4/30 – St Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center * 5/02 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center * 5/04 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena * 5/06 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live * 5/09 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *5/12 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion * 5/13 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena * 5/14 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater * 5/19 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center * 5/20 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena * 5/23 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage * 5/24 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena * 5/26 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center * 5/27 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Chicago * 5/28 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater * 5/30 – St Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center * 6/02 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion * 6/03 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion * 6/04 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center * 6/07 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion * 6/09 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre * 6/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl * 6/11 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre * 6/16 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre * 6/20 – Portland, OR – Moda Center *                                                         6/21 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena *

 *With Ludacris

[daisiesonafield-blog]

ATTENTION everyone attending ‘Louis Tomlinson World Tour’ ST LOUIS on Feb 5 2022

COVID-19 protocol:

Masks are required inside the venue at all times for attendees, regardless of vaccination status except while eating and drinking

You must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination OR

Provide proof of a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test within 72-hours from the event.

At-home COVID tests and antibody tests are NOT accepted.

Proof of negative test result or full covid-19 vaccination must be physical paper copy or digital copy on your mobile device, along with a matching photo ID

Also, bring appropriate ID matching the name on your COVID-19 documentation.

You will NOT be allowed into Louis’ show (regardless of age) without proof of vaccination OR proof of negative COVID-19 test. Yes, even if you have a ticket.

For more details click here

General admission (GA pit tickets):

Fans can line up whenever they like. But please be advised: the venue has a show the night before, so be mindful as to not impede that show, venue operations and those fans. Also keep in mind temperatures will be close to/below freezing.

No numbered wristbands/line tickets will be provided.

**UPDATE**: All Early Entry Programs for Louis Tomlinson on Saturday February 5th, 2022 are canceled.

Suite 100 opens at 4pm for artist merchandise and beverage sales only.

Policy subject to change. Contact the venue for updated info.

No additional info link, details received via email.

Door opening times:

Doors: 7PM

Sun Room: 8PM

Louis: 9PM

Times are subject to change.

More here.

Here are important policies:

Professional cameras and recording devices for photograph, video, audio including non-professional devices with a detachable or telescoping lens longer than 3” are NOT allowed. Go Pros, selfie sticks and tablets (iPad, Kindles, etc.) are not permitted.

Outside food and beverage are not allowed.

Coolers, beverages (in any type of container) are not allowed.

Weapons/chains, Mace or pepper spray are not allowed.

Studded belts, bracelets, etc. are not allowed.

Blankets are not allowed.

Sharpies, markers, pens, paints, silly string, etc., Stickers, flyers are NOT allowed

Balloons, totems, signs/flags are NOT allowed

Toys, stuffed animals are NOT allowed

Drugs or drug paraphernalia, including marijuana are not allowed.

Re-entry is allowed for those over 21 years old with a valid hand stamp and/or wristband.  Those under 21 years old are not allowed re-entry.

For ADA accommodations click here and contact the venue well in advance.

Parking is FREE. For details and map click here.

Prohibited items are subject to change at the sole discretion of management or per artist request.

For a complete list of policies and more details, as well as prohibited items click here

Bag Policy

Wallets/clutches no larger than 4.5” x 1” x 6.5” are allowed

Clear bags no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” are allowed

Bags, purses, backpacks, boxes, containers, etc. of any kind are not allowed

Details here and here

Banners, signs and flag policy:

Signs and flags ARE NOT ALLOWED.

For more details about signs click here

For additional questions please call the venue at 314.726.6161. Contact them here. Email. Check their twitter here. You can also access their website.

Address:

The Pageant

6161 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This crazy condo belongs to the City Museum curator in St. Louis, Missouri and he had it redone for his family, but now it’s for sale for $450K w/a $167 mo. HOA fee. It has 2 bds. & 3 ba. You have to see this place.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

This lobby is surreal.

So, here we are in the actual apt.

I have no idea what room this is. Living room? There’s a lot of shelving and a balcony above. 

Here’s the kitchen. It’s a little industrial with a twist.

This appears to be a pantry.

The dining area?

Could this be a dining room?

Definitely a home office,

This could be the living room.

Here’s one of the baths.

Maybe the main bd.

Walk-in closet.

And, one of the smaller bds.

And, here’s the 2nd bath.

Take the elevator down to the parking garage. 

And, there’s also an outdoor lot.

https://www.redfin.com/MO/St-Louis/701-N-15th-St-63103/unit-502-w/home/100777563

[tippedbykreider]

something just like this | c. parayko

Word count: 14.6k Warnings: Mention of infertility Author’s Note: Colt and Cass are back! There’s been about 1.3k of stuff added to this but everything has remained pretty much the same :) Song title is from ‘Something Just Like This’ by The Chainsmokers Summary: Colton Parayko is no stranger to living life on the road and being away from home, but when a new neighbour moves in to the property next door, Colton comes to learn that perhaps home isn’t a place after all.

Colton Parayko would consider himself to be a lucky man. He had a dream job, he was living in a city that felt like home despite being thousands of miles away from his actual home. He drove a nice car, had a nice house in a good area and his neighbours were some of the kindest people he’d ever had the pleasure of encountering. Sure, there were days where he could kill a man for a Tim Horton’s but had to settle for a Starbucks instead, and those days made a pang of homesickness rear its head in his chest, but they were few and far between and if his biggest gripe was a lack of Tim Horton’s coffee in St Louis, then Colton thought he was doing pretty damn well if he was to say so himself.

He’d been in the city for the better part of five years now and had really found a place where he felt like he could put down roots, or at least for as long as his career would allow. When he’d first moved to the city he’d found himself an apartment right in the heart of Downtown, and while it was exciting and there was never a dull moment, it never really felt like somewhere Colton could see himself long term. He liked to party just like anyone else, but he was happiest when relaxing in his own space with a puzzle or a good book. To some this might seem boring or like he was old before his time but with a life as full on as Colton’s could be, it was a nice change of pace to kick back, relax and unwind. That’s what led him to the house he’d called home for the last couple of years. It was modestly sized but bright and airy and a perfect base for him during the season. The neighbourhood was quiet and filled with a lot of young families and it had that real sense of community that reminded Colton of his hometown back in Canada. He didn’t have to think twice about leaving his number with Laura and Joe or Tom and Martina on either side of him in case of an emergency and he knew that his bins would be taken care of if garbage day fell during one of his stretches on the road.

Things had been the same since he’d moved in and in some ways it seemed like time had stood still in that little corner of St Louis but rather than feeling humdrum and dull, Colton felt like it gave him a safe harbour to come back to during the crazy storm of the hockey season. No matter whatever else was happening in his life, Colton could always rely on the community spirit of his neighbourhood to make him feel like he was at home. But sooner or later, the tides of change sweep in and life as we know it is rearranged, sometimes in small ways, other times beyond all recognition. It started on a Tuesday morning in late-February; it was a rare day off and Colton was locking the front door to his house before heading out on his morning run when he noticed the for-sale sign in the front yard of the house to the right of his. He had no reason for the odd feeling that had sprouted in his stomach and had begun to settle heavily there, but there it was all the same.

He set off down the street at a leisurely jog, casting his mind back to the last conversation he’d had with Tom or Martina to try and remember if they’d mentioned anything to him about them potentially moving elsewhere but he was certain that they hadn’t. He would have remembered something like that, he would. He wasn’t exactly sure why seeing the sign had jarred him so much in the first place because while he was friendly with Tom and Martina and while he had always made sure to buy their son a small gift every Christmas and birthday since moving there, it wasn’t like he would consider himself to be their best friend or anything like that. But even so, Colton always enjoyed hearing Sam play outside on warmer days and he knew that he would miss his raucous laughter, it had reminded him so often of his own niece’s back in St Albert. Perhaps that’s what all this was about, Colton thought, the nostalgia and the sense of normalcy and that feeling of home, but even he understood that all things succumb to the rolling tides of change and that people move on to pastures new. All he could hope was that the new owners were just as nice and friendly as the soon-to-be old ones were.

 It was early April when Colton spotted the removals van parked out on the street and within 48 hours he found himself waving off the Parkers along with the rest of the cul-de-sac. He wondered then who the new owners were, what they were like, whether they had children and hoped beyond hope that they would be willing to help keep an eye on his place while he was either away on the road or back in Alberta. He didn’t give it much more thought after that; the Blues were about to start their playoff campaign and Colton’s mind was firmly fixed on hockey. It was only when he returned home from a two day trip to Minnesota that he noticed a silver Mercedes coupe on the driveway next-door. The neighbourly instinct in him told him to go and introduce himself, but it was getting late and all Colton could think about was getting inside, taking a hot shower and dragging his tired body into bed.

An early practice meant that any semblance of a lie-in was out of the question. He’d decided to forgo breakfast at home in favour of an extra fifteen minutes wrapped up in the warmth of his duvet, figuring that he’d find some time to eat at the rink instead. By 8am he was slipping on his sneakers and heading out the door, a small duffel slung over one shoulder with a travel mug of coffee in his hand and his keys in the other. He was so focused on getting the front door closed and locked without having his bag slip from its precarious perch and spilling his coffee that he didn’t notice his new neighbour going through a similar routine of their own. She had a tan leather satchel balanced on her shoulder and her tote handbag was hooked over the same arm and dangling obnoxiously enough that it was severely impeding her ability to get the front door closed. Colton had just turned to get into his car when he saw her and his eyes immediately went to the comically large travel mug that was being held at an almost dangerous angle while she tried to move the bags out of the path between the door and the frame.

It was a no-brainer for Colton to set his own travel mug down on the roof of his car and cross the distance between the two houses, pocketing his car keys as he went. He couldn’t help the small smile that sparked across his face as her voice came into focus with every step he took.

“Με δ��υλεύεις? Δεν έχω χρόνο για αυτό! Σκατά στον τάφο σου…”

His brows knitted together in confusion despite the gentle smirk on his lips, stifling a laugh as he approached the porch steps while his new neighbour sighed in pure exasperation, completely unaware of his presence behind her.

“Σάλτα και γαμήσου.”

Colton leaned forward and took the mug, which was now tilted almost horizontally from her efforts, from her hand. She turned her head quickly, a look of surprise on her features that Colton returned with a friendly grin.

“You looked like you were having a bit of trouble there.”

She closed her eyes and offered a small laugh on the exhale of a single breath, the corners of her lips quirking ever so slightly into a hint of a smile.

“Sorry about that,” she said apologetically. “The plan wasn’t to cause a ruckus in the street this morning.”

Colton laughed and offered his hand to take the bags from her which she accepted gratefully, turning and shutting the front door before turning the key in the lock with a sense of finality.

“Sounded like you were really sticking it to that door.” He handed back her bags and waited until she’d pressed the button on her car keys to unlock it before giving her back the mug of coffee, taking in the navy blue pencil skirt suit and the powder blue silk blouse she wore. “You gonna be okay from here?”

“Yeah,” she nodded as she tossed her bags onto the passenger seat and surveyed him with a thankful expression. “Sorry for the theatrics, I just get a little flustered when I think I’m running late, especially on my first day at a new job.”

“Completely understandable,” Colton agreed while nodding sagely. “I’m Colton, by the way.”

“Cassandra,” she replied, offering her hand which he shook. “I’m guessing you live around here?”

“Yep,” Colton pointed to his house, not a stone’s throw away from hers. “Literally just there.”

Cassandra smiled at him, bright and dazzling and a million miles away from the frustrated little grimace she’d had on her face only a few minutes before, as if the incident with the door was already a distant memory.

“Well, it was lucky you came along when you did. Two bags, one of them heavy and a mug full of coffee? Could’ve been messy,” she smirked behind her travel mug as she took a sip, surveying him with chocolate eyes that were keen and warm all at once. “That’ll teach me, huh?”

“Glad to help. Although maybe leave the octopus impression to actual octopuses. Or is octopi? I never know which,” Colton mused, adjusting the strap of his duffel on his shoulder.

“I believe octopuses is the correct plural, grammatically speaking, although I’m not sure they mind either way,” Cassandra contemplated with a bemused smile on her lips before a brief silence fell between them as they surveyed each other with easiness and a gentle intrigue.

She was beautiful, Colton thought, and nothing like any woman he’d ever seen before with her olive skin and hair as dark as her eyes and there was a kind of fire in her belly, of that Colton was sure because in his twenty seven years of life he’d never seen anybody berate an inanimate object with the kind of gusto that she just had, even if he didn’t understand a word of it. He thought it was an odd contrast to the perfect, pristine suit that she was wearing and he found himself wondering just what it was that she did for a living. That thought quickly brought his mind back to the present, remembering that the real world was calling and that they both indeed had to get to their respective jobs, and he made a mental note to ask her about it when they both had a little more time on their hands.

“Well, I uh, I actually gotta shoot for work too but it was really nice meeting you,” Colton announced with what Cassandra interpreted as slight reluctance which she found both intriguing and endearing in equal measure. “And good luck for your first day at work, I hope it goes well for ya.”

“Yeah, you too and uh, thanks again.”

Colton flashed her a toothy grin, one that gave him a boyish kind of charm despite his imposing size, as he replied, warm and genuine, “Anytime.”

Cassandra watched with intrigue as Colton retreated back to his driveway and got into his SUV, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She wasn’t sure what exactly the rest of her day would have in store for her, but as she saw the little wave Colton gave her through the window as he pulled away, she could feel a lightness start to spread in her chest and knew without a shadow of a doubt that the small act of kindness from her new neighbour had salvaged her morning.

 It was four days later when Cassandra saw her neighbour again, an unusually warm Friday afternoon to be exact. It was his car in the driveway that she noticed first on account that it had been missing for the last two days and while she knew nothing of the man that had rescued her Monday other than the fact that his name was Colton, she couldn’t help the involuntary smile that had settled on her lips as she turned into the quiet cul-de-sac and saw the dark grey SUV she’d recognised from the other morning. She wondered just exactly when he’d come home, remembering her earlier observation that it was still missing as she reversed off her own driveway a shade past 8am that morning. It was 2:30pm now and all Cassandra could think about was getting out of her tailored dress and court shoes and into something much more comfortable.

She shut the engine off and climbed out of her car, grabbing her purse as she went; she’d come back for her satchel later. She immediately slipped off her shoes, not caring that she hadn’t even made the short distance up the driveway to the house, and tucked them carefully under her arm while she fished in her purse for her keys. She didn’t notice the tall blonde from next door emerge from his house, nor did she notice the bemused smile he wore while he watched her root around her too-large purse for her house keys and she definitely didn’t notice him set down the bucket of water and sponge he had in his hands before starting to cross the short distance between their houses.

“You need some help there?” he called out with a grin, causing her to jump and drop the shoes under her arm and the purse in her hand with a clatter.

“Ιησούς Χριστός!” She turned then, the slightly startled expression on her face melting into a warm smile and a soft laugh as she took in the large man in front of her, playfully prodding his solid chest as payback for the little fright he’d given her before moving to bend down and pick her belongings up off the floor. Colton was quicker though and before she had a chance to really register what was going on, Colton was handing her back the oversized purse, the black court shoes still in his other hand.

“Now, I’m gonna hazard a guess here and say that those aren’t your size,” she added with a devious little smirk, nodding towards his hand and laughing. Colton took a couple of beats to catch up to what she was saying as his eyes drifted from the easy grin she had on her face to the shoes before his face turned an interesting shade of pink and his free hand moved to rub the back of his neck.

“I just, um, I figured I’d keep a hold of them while you looked for your keys,” he offered.

“Very thoughtful of you. I swear I’m not usually this disorganised,” she said while she resumed her search inside of her purse. “It’s the Friday brain.”

“Rough week?”

“I’ve questioned my life choices exactly seven times this week and considered becoming a stripper but then I remembered that I couldn’t dance and my parents would be extremely disappoin- Aha!” She pulled the keys from out of her purse and put them into the lock. Colton was instantly hit with the sweet smell of summer flowers mixed with a scent that he couldn’t quite place the second her front door swung open but it somehow seemed to fit her, despite him still not really knowing her all that well. He wanted to though, because while she was intriguing and piqued Colton’s interest in all manner of ways, she was also incredibly warm, the kind of warmth that would draw even the most adventurous wayfarer to hearth and home. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was about her that gave her this gentle presence, maybe it was her eyes and how they seemed to hold a kind of sincerity that he couldn’t help but be enchanted by. Perhaps that was the reason why he was still standing holding her shoes in his hand even after she’d crossed the threshold into her home, despite him every intention of using the rare sliver of free time he had to do something productive like wash his car.

She’d finished hanging up her purse and was now back in front of him, surveying him with an easy smile while her hands reached out to gently take the shoes from his hand.

“Do you wanna come in for a drink or something? I bought a new espresso machine the other day and it’s the perfect weather to make iced coffee, although other beverages are also available if you’d prefer something else.”

“Oh I don’t wanna interrupt-“

“You’re not,” Cassandra assured. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to, believe me.”

There was a lightness in her tone that matched her smile and Colton found himself nodding in agreement, the bucket and sponge sat on his porch steps forgotten as he followed her inside and closed the door behind him. Her home had a warmness to it, much like the one Cassandra radiated herself, and Colton couldn’t help but be impressed at just how put together and lived in the space looked, despite it not even being two weeks since he was sure she’d moved in.

“Wow,” he said as he followed her deeper into the house. “You wouldn’t think you’d just moved in here, it took me weeks to unpack.”

Cassandra smiled as she grabbed two glasses from the cupboard while Colton settled himself against the kitchen island.

“I don’t have a lot of stuff really. This place is easily two or three times the size of my old apartment back in New York so once the furniture was in there wasn’t really an awful lot left to unpack. I did go to Pottery Barn on like, my second day here, which I’m not sure I’ll ever financially recover from but those chunky merino wool blankets are like crack to me.”

Colton laughed as he allowed his eyes to go to the blankets in question that were arranged over the back of a cosy looking cream fabric corner sofa. There were scatter cushions that somehow managed to look both homey and perfectly placed and while the whole room screamed French farmhouse vibes that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Pinterest, it never lost the inviting and hospitable charm that hit him as soon as he stepped foot inside. He took in the rest of the décor while Cassandra busied herself with their iced coffee, pushing away from the island to get a closer look at the many photographs arranged on the side tables and walls.

His attention was caught by a particularly large framed picture on the wall above a console table, eyes immediately drawn to the large group of smiling faces staring back at him. There must have been at least forty people in this photograph, he noted, all standing in front of a white villa with shutters that were the colour of the bright sky above them. He found Cassandra easily, her smile even more dazzling than the sun was that day. She was stood between a man and a woman whom Colton could only assume to be her parents. She had the same golden olive skin as her father, he thought, and her eyes bore a remarkable similarity to his in the way they crinkled slightly at the corners when she smiled but her smile itself and the rest of her features? They were all her mother’s and Colton caught himself smiling softly as he traced his gaze over each happy face in the photograph.

“Is this your family?”

Cassandra poked her head around the wall to see what Colton was referring to, laughing softly at the sight of him looking at the picture with a mild sense of wonder resting on his face before going back to finish making their drinks.

“Yeah,” she called from the kitchen.

“That’s a, that’s a real big family you got there.”

“Well,” she started, the amusement and teasing clear in her voice. “I am Greek and if you’ve ever seen that movie with John Corbett and Nia Vardalos you’ll understand exactly what it’s like.”

Colton fired a grin at her as he shook his head gently, “can’t say that I have.”

“I wish I could say that they exaggerated what it’s really like for the purposes of the movie but they really, really didn’t,” she laughed over the sound of the espresso machine. “Although I am glad that the swearing the other morning didn’t tip you off, I was trying to stay incognito so I didn’t have to spend my life listening to people talk to me about how good the gyros are here. The ones you guys sell here? Not traditional Greek gyros and frankly I’m insulted.”

She reappeared with two glasses in her hand, sidling up next to Colton with a brush of her shoulder against his bicep as she nudged into him with a playfulness that he couldn’t help but chuckle at, thanking her as he took one of the glasses from her hands.

“I mean, I thought you looked Mediterranean but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure on what language you were yelling at your door in.”

“Sometimes when I’m frustrated I open my mouth and my baba comes out,” Cassandra shrugged casually from behind her glass as she took a sip. “Those genes run pretty strong. They’re a passionate people, the Greeks.”

“So were you born in Greece and then moved here when you were young, or?” Colton asked, following Cassandra as she moved to the patio door and out onto the deck before settling down in the chair next to her.

“Oh no, I’m a born and raised New Yorker,” Cassandra clarified as she set her glass down on the side table between them.

“Really? I’ve been to New York a few times with work and you don’t have much of an accent, if you don’t mind me saying. I uh I don’t mean it rudely it’s just, there’s usually a distinctive accent there.”

“Ah, they beat accents out of you in Law school,” she grinned as she surveyed him. “It’s not professional sounding apparently. Although it’s probably for the best, if I sounded anything like my mother I’d never be taken seriously in my field.”

Colton nodded, becoming more intrigued by the woman sitting beside him by the second. “So your parents came here from Greece,” he hadn’t meant for it to sound so much like a question but he was eager to hear more.

“My dad did, my mom was actually born in New York but my grandparents emigrated here from Italy so you can just imagine my mom’s accent,” she punctuated her answer with a laugh before continuing. “My Nonna is from Naples and my Nonno was born in Bologna. They met and got married in Italy and then emigrated here when they were in their early twenties, it was all very romantic. Nonno passed away a couple of years ago and Nonna took it pretty hard but she has my mom and aunts and uncles around to take care of her.”

“So your mom’s family-“

“Also massive,” Cassandra laughed. “I say that I came to St Louis for work but really it was for the peace and quiet.”

Colton chuckled with her at that, unable to even imagine the size of her combined family. He wondered if they’d ever all been together in the same room during Cassandra’s lifetime and whether it was as chaotic as he thought it might have been based on Cassandra’s words.

“So family gatherings must be pretty wild, huh?”

“Thankfully most of my dad’s family are all in Greece. My paternal grandparents are really old now so they don’t venture very far, let alone this far but my dad’s siblings have been to visit a couple of times and it’s always, um, interesting when mom’s family visit my parents while dad’s relatives are staying there and when I say ‘interesting’ I mean ‘loud’,” she grinned. “Everyone forgets regular social conventions like waiting for the other person to finish speaking before starting to speak themselves and the concept of an indoor voice.”

Colton let out a noise that was halfway between a laugh and a cough as he stopped the mouthful of coffee he’d just taken from reappearing out of his nose, Cassandra laughing along with him before she offered him an apology and a smile.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you inhale your drink there.”

“No,no, it’s okay,” he assured. “It was a good mental image, almost curious to see what that’s like.”

“Well, if you ever feel like subjecting yourself to a headache and my family is in town I’ll let you know,” Cassandra winked as a gentle laugh floated past her lips.

“I appreciate it,” Colton grinned in reply, although he couldn’t help the heat rising in his cheeks at the thought, which was an unusual response in itself, he thought, given that the woman sitting beside him was still really an acquaintance. He paused briefly as the light moment they’d shared settled between them, filling the space with a quietness that was by no means uncomfortable despite it being light-years away from their laughter not moments prior. There was a distinct curiosity there, a desire to know her in the way that friends know each other and it was a curiosity that Colton couldn’t trace the source of. She was his neighbour, yes and neighbours often knew a surface level of information about each other and their lives in a kind of shallow and superficial kind of way, and she’d been kind enough to invite him in for coffee, which was probably about as neighbourly as you could get but there was something else about their interactions that felt like more than being just neighbourly. There was a lightness to them, a playfulness that he couldn’t recall experiencing with any of his other neighbours and that curiosity, that need to keep talking to her and listen to her life story, her likes, her dislikes and everything in between, but he also didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, and so he opted to ask her about something safe, something she’d already offered to him in passing.

“You said you went to Law school? I know you probably get this all the time but you must be pretty smart.”

“Yeah, uh, NYU. Graduated a few years back, took the bar examination and then got a job at a decent firm in Manhattan. It’s just so competitive there, y’know? It felt like I couldn’t ever really get ahead no matter how hard I busted my ass because of just how cutthroat that whole scene is and I was sick to death of feeling like I had to prove myself in an old boy’s club just because I was a female in my mid-twenties with a foreign sounding surname so I thought I’d broaden my horizons a little bit. I looked up some reputable firms across the country, sent a few speculative letters and here I am.”

“I can’t even imagine what that’s like, having to jump over hurdles like that just because you’re a woman with a mixed heritage, like I guess I’ve always been aware of how my privilege has meant I’ve never really had to deal with stuff like that but I just can’t even… You’re one tough cookie, you know that?” Colton turned in his seat so that he was facing her better, his glass cradled within his hands.

“I guess you kind of have to be when you work in law, especially as a woman. I spend most of my days around guys who look for opportunities to turn any situation into a dick measuring competition and who look at you like you’re some incompetent newbie who’s only in that position to fulfil some sort of equality and diversity quota bullshit,” Cassandra sighed heavily, meeting Colton’s eyes as she continued. “Real talk? It feels like I lead a double life every single day. I go to work and it feels like I have to put on a persona just to prove that I belong at the table and that shit is fucking exhausting. That person I am when I’m at work? That’s not the real me but people will see that person and make judgments about her, y’know? They’ll say that I’m ‘difficult’ or that I’m ‘cold’ or ‘standoffish’ when in reality they create an environment that is so toxic for women that they force them to be someone they’re not just to get by.”

Cassandra inhaled deeply, filling her lungs back up with air after her mini-tirade had come out on a whoosh of a breath. She was wearing an almost sheepish look as she surveyed Colton, an apologetic smile gracing her lips before she spoke again.

“Sorry for the rant that you literally didn’t ask for or need.”

“Hey,” Colton replied sincerely. “You don’t need to apologise. Honestly? I’m just in awe that you’ve not let the bullshit stop you, most people would have thrown in the towel and peaced out.”

“It’s definitely better now that I’m not working in New York, like, I know it’s still very early days but all my colleagues are really nice and the few attorneys from other firms I’ve dealt with have all been really respectful. I don’t know, it just feels different here. Don’t get me wrong, I love my city, I love New York but I don’t miss the toxicity of working in practice there.”

“Was it hard? Leaving your family and stuff? I mean, it sounds like you’re all pretty close,” Colton asked.

“So hard,” Cassandra nodded solemnly. “Mom and dad were devastated. Their only daughter moving nearly a thousand miles away? God, I remember their faces when I told them. Mom cried, fuck, I didn’t think she was ever gonna stop.” She paused briefly and Colton felt her sigh settle all through his body as her dark eyes found his. “I don’t know how much you know about Greek and Italian culture but family is everything.”

“I don’t but I kind of know what it’s like,” he spoke softly, hoping that she would pick up on the reassurance he was trying to offer her. “Picking up and starting all over again? Leaving your family behind? I know what that’s like and sometimes, when the summer rolls around and my work is done for the year, I almost don’t wanna go back home because it’s hard. It’s hard to see all the things you’ve missed and it’s hard to leave it all behind again but I wouldn’t ever change that feeling because it’s good to know that you have something you miss that much.”

Cassandra took a few moments to let Colton’s words settle in her chest before asking quietly, “where is home?”

“Canada.”

“Wow, so you’re even further away from home than I am. God, I’m sorry. I invite you in for coffee and pleasant conversation and I turn this into a ‘woe is me’ pity party for myself.”

Cassandra looked down into her glass and Colton felt an unfamiliar pull in his chest. It was as if a cloud had passed in front of the sun and the light had dimmed and everything suddenly felt that little bit colder. He wasn’t sure why he all at once felt compelled to open himself up to her, usually being one for his own company and never extending the hand of close friendship to any of his neighbours before, but there was something about Cassandra and the way that she already felt like a ray of sunshine in his life. If there was a way for him to chase the clouds away, even for just a little while, Colton was going to make sure of it.

“Hey, Cassie?” he started, quickly correcting himself. “Um, can I call you Cassie?”

Cassie looked up from her glass to find him looking at her with a newfound softness and she was struck by how much he reminded her of her ancestral home with the rich, warm sand of his hair and the ocean harboured within his eyes. She smiled then and much like a passing cloud, the sun seemed to come back out with that small quirk of her lips.

“You can.”

Colton set his glass down on the table then and folded his hands together, looking at her with a gentleness that was reflected in his voice as he spoke. “I know I’m not always around. My job it- it takes me away quite a bit but I want you to know that you don’t have to feel like you’re alone here. I know how rough it can be starting over in a new city and if I can help or if you ever wanna just talk or hang out, I’m here for you. You can even have my number, if you want, y’know in case you wanna talk or anything while I’m out of town and I just, I want you to remember that it’s okay to feel homesick sometimes.”

Cassie nodded at that because more than his words and the candour with which he spoke, it was the sincerity in his eyes as he looked at her that made her believe him wholeheartedly.

 Colton’s offer of friendship was one that Cassie had taken him up on and it was a state of being that came naturally to the pair. Cassie had learned about Colton’s job as the number one defenceman for the St Louis Blues during their conversation on her patio and while hockey wasn’t a sport that she professed to be well versed in, she still enjoyed hearing about his training, the games and everything that came with it, and she’d been around the Rangers fans in her family long enough to know that he was pretty big deal given that he was a Stanley Cup Champion. Colton, on the other hand, found himself completely in awe of Cassie’s role as a complex litigation lawyer for one of St Louis’ most prestigious firms, especially knowing a little bit more about her struggles to be seen and work her way up the ladder and while he couldn’t profess to be au fait with how it all worked and what was involved in her line of work and the litigation process, he loved to hear about the cases she was working on and how her work helped others. But above those things, their jobs were ones that kept them both busy and it was during the quieter times, the times that would have had them both seeking the solace of their own company once upon a time, that they would seek out each other.

It had started as cups of coffee and quick catch-ups in the brief respites of their hectic schedules, but had soon evolved into making time for lunches and even dinners shared over bottles of wine, continuing long after Colton’s season had ended before finally pausing around mid-July when he would be heading back North to spend the rest of the summer with his family. It had worked out fortuitously though as Cassie’s caseload had multiplied seemingly overnight and she would find herself working longer days and spending more time at the office than her own home. Colton was concerned of course, as any friend would be, and he would check in often when he knew she was working late. It’s not that Colton thought that she shouldn’t be working more hours, understanding enough about her job and role to know that the final push before a big court date often meant extended working hours to get everything ready, but he wanted to make sure that she was taking care of herself and wasn’t putting herself at risk of burnout.

It was a late-August evening when Colton called at around 7:30, just as he had been doing for the last couple of weeks, knowing that Cass would usually be home from the office by that point with her being an hour ahead in Missouri, even with her later working hours recently. The line rang for a few seconds, longer than it usually took for Cassie to answer him and Colt wondered if he’d maybe caught her taking a shower or making dinner. She answered eventually though, a little breathless sounding and an almost forced calmness in her voice.

“Cassandra Constantinou.”

“Cassie? Hey, it’s Colton. Is uh- is everything okay? Is this a bad time?”

“Colt,” she breathed, voice softening immediately. “Hey. God is that the time already?”

She ran a hand through her dark hair as a tired exhale passed her lips which had Colton furrowing his brow at the other end of the line and while Cass couldn’t see the slight worry that rested on his features, she could hear it in his voice as he spoke.

“Are you alright? You never answer your phone with your full name.”

“Sorry,” she murmured, slumping back into her desk chair. “Still in work mode.”

“Wait, are you still at the office?”

“Yeah,” she grimaced as she took a sip of her long-cold cup of coffee. “The court date for that big case I’ve been working on is in two days and I just need to make sure I’ve got all my ducks in a row. Time got away from me a little bit tonight and I was already behind from putting metaphorical fires out earlier in the day.”

Colton sat up from where he had been laid on his bed, unable to keep the concern out of his voice despite the fact that he didn’t want to come across like he was being overbearing.

“Have you eaten?”

“Lately?” Cassandra replied.

“Cassie-“

“I had lunch around 12:15.”

“Cass, that was 8 hours ago,” Colton chided gently. “You gotta eat, πουλάκι μου.”

Cassandra paused her action of moving papers aimlessly around her desk, a grin sparking at her lips for the first time that day and catching like kindling until it had spread the full width of her face and all the way up to her eyes.

“Did you just- have you been googling Greek pet names, Colton Parayko?”

Her tone was light and bright and Colton could feel her smile through the phone, feel the way it crawled through his skin and settled in his bones like a welcome ray of sunshine on a cold day.

“I-I,” Colton was flushing beet red and he was thankful that Cassie couldn’t see him in this moment because the redness in his face was quickly spreading to the tops of his ears. “I’ve been trying to learn Greek.”

“Oh yeah?” Cassie grinned with equal parts mischief and glee, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her desk. “Look, if you wanna learn how to swear at guys on the other team, you might not wanna call them ‘my little bird’, you totally could’ve just asked me if you were wanting to learn some Greek phrases. I can teach you all the good insults.”

“That’s not,” Colton sighed in mild exasperation, although inwardly pleased that this had provided Cassie with a much needed distraction from the stress of her work. “I just wanted to surprise you.”

Cassie’s grin softened immediately and she didn’t miss the way her heart constricted ever so slightly either. Her tone shifted to something much gentler and a world away from her playful teasing not a moment ago.

“Well, consider me surprised.”

“You don’t mind, do you?” Colton asked after a pregnant pause.

“Not at all. I think it’s actually really sweet and thoughtful.”

A silence descended between the pair but it wasn’t one that was uncomfortable, instead it allowed the seed that had been buried deep in Cassie’s chest since the day Colton had gone back to Canada to sprout and it was in that moment that she found herself really missing him. She missed him for a lot of reasons, some she could rattle off like how he looked out for her and made sure that she was taking care of herself, and others she wouldn’t understand fully until later. It was as if Colton could hear that quiet call of her heart in that moment where she found herself wishing that he was back in St Louis because he broke the silence with the words Cass had been longing to hear for weeks.

“So I’m coming back at the end of next week and I was hoping you would be free to hang out.”

“That would be amazing,” Cassie’s voice was rich through the phone with her smile and Colton couldn’t help the slight flutter in his chest when he thought about how pretty she looked when she smiled in the way he was imagining her to be.

“Yeah? I figured I’d come back a couple of weeks early before training camp because… well because I’ve really missed hanging out with you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Colt.”

Colton didn’t miss Cassie’s choice of words and had to fight to resist the urge to analyse them for anything other than what they were. She said it though, not just that she missed hanging out with him, but that she missed him and she had meant it too. She had missed him, more than she thought she ever would and maybe more than friends should miss friends, and despite it being the height of summer, Cass felt like she’d been living under a grey cloud since Colton had left for Canada. It should have rattled her with how easy it had been for Colton to become a part of her life, especially when she had been so used to her own company. It had been the same since she graduated law school – she would work, often long hours as was expected of new associates trying to find their footing in a firm, she would come home tired, she would eat, shower and sleep before getting up and doing it all over again. Any free time was spent either catching up on all the things she didn’t have time to do during her working week or with her family, knowing her parents and grandmother well enough to know that if she didn’t surface frequently there would be a freak-out of epic proportions. Since moving to St Louis though? Cass’s life had changed completely and in ways she never thought possible.

Work was still stressful, yes, but for the first time in a long time she felt valued and appreciated and she was on course for partnership if things kept going the way they were; but more than that, she felt a sense of fulfilment that extended beyond her career. Being friends with Colt was easy and it was as if the two of them had an unspoken mutual understanding of what they needed from each other and their friendship. Cassie understood the pressures of Colton’s job, just as he understood the stresses of hers and it was that awareness of each other and their lives that had allowed their friendship to blossom so easily. That time spent with each other, whether on Cassie’s back patio or curled up on Colton’s couch, was what they both needed to re-center and reset. Sure, they would talk about work but it was always kept brief because neither felt the need to discuss it in great detail, they both knew what it was like for them and they both knew that their time together was an escape from all of that. Some nights they’d sit in companionable silence with nothing more than soft music in the background, others they would talk and talk about everything and anything. But as the weeks had progressed, they found themselves saying goodnight to each other later and later and that hint of reluctance would creep in in the form of a too-long hug or a lingering look. It felt natural though, and good and right, and so it was incredibly easy to make firm plans for when Colton came back to the city.

The end of the work week brought about a successful conclusion to the case that had consumed so much of Cassie’s time and with the resolution that she’d worked so hard for came vast amounts of praise from her bosses and a lighter work load the following week. They’d even gone so far as giving Cassie the Friday off for her efforts but there were a couple of loose ends that needed tying up and so, despite their gentle protests and their best efforts to get her to stay home, Cassie found herself at her desk that Friday morning. As lunchtime approached and all loose ends were sufficiently tied, Cass turned her computer off for the final time that week and said her goodbyes as she headed out of the office. She’d use the afternoon to spruce her house ready for Colton coming over once he was back from the airport and she’d resolved to give her parents a quick Skype after receiving a string of text messages from her mother, with the last one being a threat to fly down to St Louis if she didn’t hear from her soon.

The baking late-August heat had Cass tearing off her pencil skirt and blouse no sooner had she stepped into her house. She cursed as she hopped down the hallway in her heeled pumps, the grey fabric of her skirt bunched around her knees while her clammy hands fumbled with the tiny buttons on the crepe silk blouse.

“Γαμώτο!” she exclaimed as she came dangerously close to slipping on the rug in her hallway and face-planting the floor. “ηλίθιο χαλί.”

She kicked off the shoes that had almost been successful in making her the proud owner of a broken neck and pulled her skirt down her calves, stepping out of it before pulling her half unbuttoned blouse over her head and tossing the discarded clothing into the hamper in the laundry room. She rooted through the shamefully full basket of clean clothing that sat upon the counter top until she found the loose cotton maxi-dress she was looking for.

After indulging in a cool glass of ice-tea, Cass set about tidying the house - not that there was much to do, but growing up in a family full of house-proud women meant that not a single cushion could be out of place if company was coming over, especially if that company was of the male variety (not that she’d ever share that bit of information with her mother). After all, as her Nonna Gioia would say: “a ogni uccello il suo nido è bello,” and even Cassie could appreciate that a beautiful nest was indeed a tidy nest.

It was close to 3pm by the time Cassie settled down on her couch with her laptop, the temperature inside the house much more comfortable with the whisper of a breeze coming through the wide-open patio door. She balanced her computer on the arm of the sofa as she started the Skype call to her parents, her mother’s voice the first thing she heard, even before the video had loaded and before Cass had the chance to say ‘hello’.

“Mamma mia, Cassandra! We thought you’d dropped off the face of the earth!”

“Hi, mom,” Cass smirked. “How’re you?”

“Not funny, il mio passerotta.”

Cassie watched as her mother inched closer to the screen with narrowed eyes, already expecting the next words that came out of her mouth.

“You’re looking thin in the face. Are you eating? Are you sick?”

“No, mama, I’m not sick and yes, I’m eating,” Cassandra replied with as much conviction as she could muster in order to appease her mother, her effort falling short with her mother’s next line of questioning.

“What are you eating?”

“Giovanna,“ Cassie’s father interrupted.

“Look at her, Hector! She’s all skin and bone! Don’t you want to know what she’s been eating? She could be living off celery for all we know! When was the last time you had a proper meal? You’re not doing one of those ridiculous diets are you? They’re no good for you, Cassandra, there’s nothing wrong with a woman having a bit of meat on her bones.”

“I’m fine, mama,” Cassie sighed, keen to steer the conversation away from herself. “How is everyone? Nonna okay?”

“Yes, yes, we’re all fine here. You should call your Nonna though, she misses that pretty face of yours.”

“I’ll call her tomorrow and arrange to Skype next weekend, give her chance to get someone to set things up for her.”

Conversation quickly turned to the family happenings back in New York, much to Cass’s relief. Her father had been incredibly busy with work, she’d learned and he’d finally got around to buying himself a new record player after Cass had spent the better part of four months trying to convince him that there was no salvaging the old one. After half an hour or so of catching up, Cass felt a mild sense of relief wash over her at the sudden realisation that she’d managed to get through any amount of time talking to her parents without the subject of her love-life being brought up.

“Oh, your cousin Antonio had a date with a very lovely girl last week. She’s a hairdresser, such a good girl.”

Ah, fuck.

“Really, mama?” Cass said indifferently, praying to whoever was listening that she wouldn’t follow that up with anything. “Good for him.”

“You know,” her father began, looking over his glasses at her. “If you didn’t work so much then maybe you’d have time to find yourself a man.”

“Baba,” Cass warned gently.

“Your father’s right, Cassandra,” Giovanna gently scolded. “You’re a beautiful girl, why haven’t you found a nice boy yet? You’re too young to be a spinster.”

“Exactly, mama,” Cassandra replied calmly. “I’m too young to be a spinster. I’m working hard to get where I want to be in my career. There’s plenty of time for all the other stuff. Didn’t you tell me to work hard at my job and do well for myself?”

“Well, yes, but I don’t want to be an old Nonna. I want to be able to run after my grandbabies and I’m not getting any younger.”

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of her front door opening and then closing with a soft click.

“Cass?”

Cassandra’s face flashed with a gentle confusion as she checked the watch on her wrist before contorting into mild horror at the sound of Colton calling her name again, louder this time – loud enough that it carried through the microphone and out through the speakers of her parents’ computer judging by the gleeful expression on their faces.

“Is that a man?” her mother said excitedly. “I heard a man’s voice. Who is he? Why is he letting himself into your house? Is he your boyfriend?! Why didn’t you tell us you had a boyfriend?!”

Colton appeared in the living room, a sheepish look on his face as he spoke.

“Sorry, is this a bad time? I caught an earlier flight and wanted to surprise you.”

“Cassandra Giulia Constantinou, you’d better answer me this second!”

Cass winced at her mother’s voice and threw Colton a glance that she hoped would tell him to run far, far away before her parents started making demands that would make Colton want the ground to swallow him up, demands that she was sure would make their friendship incredibly awkward.

“Bring him in,” her father asserted. “Let me get a good look at him, make sure he’s good enough for you.”

“Baba,” that warning tone was back in Cassandra’s tone and there was a look in her eyes that Colton found adorable but knew better than to make a comment describing it as such.

Whether or not his next move was against his better judgment would remain to be seen but Colton found himself coming deeper into the living room and sitting down on the couch next to Cass, Giovanna audibly gasping as he did so while Hector removed his glasses and surveyed the large man sitting next to his daughter.

“He’s very pale, does he not go outside? Is he sick?” Hector remarked. “It doesn’t snow in St Louis, does it? You’d lose him in a blizzard.”

“Ooooh, Cassandra. Isn’t he tall? And so broad!”

Cassie gave Colton, who had turned an interesting shade of crimson she’d never before seen, an apologetic smile before turning her attention back to her parents.

“Okay, could we try maybe not weirding my friend out? ‘kay, thanks and Jesus Christ, dad, you can’t just say stuff like that to people, I don’t even know where to start with how inappropriate that is.”

“I thought my tan was pretty good this year,” Colton muttered loudly enough that only Cassandra heard him and she had to fight with every bit of self-restraint she had to keep a straight face.

“So, young man,” Hector was speaking again; those eyes that were so remarkably like Cassandra’s were keen on Colton and Cass knew that she wasn’t going to like what was about to come out of her father’s mouth. “What is it that you do? Cassandra is a very bright girl and she shouldn’t be settling for just anybody. She deserves only the very best. Tell me why you think you’re good enough to date my daughter-“

“Okay, that’s it,” Cassandra interrupted, her tone sharper than Colton had ever heard it before. “αυτό είναι απαράδεκτο. δεν τον ανακρίνεις έτσι! είναι φίλος μου και είσαι πολύ αγενής!”

“Cassandra,” her father tried but he was immediately cut off by her once more.

“είμαστε φίλοι και τίποτα άλλο. σταμάτα να με πιέζεις να παντρευτώ” Cassandra paused for a second, as if to catch her breath from whatever tirade she’d given her parents that Colton could only begin to imagine before she spoke again, in English this time. “Now, if you don’t mind, Colton here has just got home from travelling and we have plans. I’ll call you again on Sunday.”

Whatever Cass had said to them must have worked, Colton thought, because their responses were much more subdued and they said their goodbyes rather quickly, Cassie closing her laptop with more force than was necessary and with a long exhale of breath that flared her nostrils.

“I am so sorry,” she started, her eyes apologetic as she surveyed him with a slight crease in her brow that made Colton’s heart tug in his chest.

“Hey, it’s okay. I shoulda-“ he rubbed his large hand over the back of his neck as he spoke softly. “I shoulda called ahead or something. Or knocked. Literally could’ve done a thousand things differently. Sorry for putting you in a spot there.”

“No, no, you’re fine. It’s just them. They mean well but fuck.”

Colton reached across and squeezed her hand gently, the touch managing to warm Cassie’s skin even on a day as hot as that one.

“Y’know,” he began, his tone light with a hint of teasing. “You’re terrifying when you’re pissed and start talking in Greek.”

He grinned as Cassie barked out a laugh, her head thrown back in that carefree way that made his stomach do backflips and her dark eyes sparkled behind her long lashes as she looked at him with a beaming smile, the annoyance that had rested on her features melting away into nothingness.

“Yeah? You’d do well to remember that, Parayko.”

“I wouldn’t dream of fighting you,” he quipped. “You’d kick my ass.”

There was a pregnant pause before Colton spoke again, unsure whether or not to say the words that sat heavily on the tip of his tongue. It was the gentle look in Cassie’s eyes, the smile that still graced her lips as she surveyed him easily and the way her thumb had taken to absentmindedly stroking the back of his hand that spurred him on, sure as he was that he could always be candid with her.

“What um, what did you say to them? I’ve never seen two grown adults look so timid after a telling off.”

Cassie chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, chewing over the words in her mind before she spoke them quietly, her eyes resting on Colton’s hand in hers.

“They just have this thing about me settling down and I get it, I’m their only child, I’m approaching thirty and they want grandkids. Remember how I said that family was really important to Greeks and Italians?”

Colton nodded, his eyes soft on her while he waited for her to continue.

“And every time we talk it’s ‘your cousin is seeing this girl’ or ‘the oldest Maloney girl is pregnant, isn’t that nice?’ and it is nice, it is, like, good for them, y’know? And I know my parents wanted a big family and I can’t even imagine how that must have felt, being told after the birth of your first child that she’d be your only child when they had all these plans to have lots of babies and have a big family. I want to make them happy and give them the grandkids they’d always dreamed they’d have, I do, but I’m not there yet, maybe sometime in the future but it has to be right. It has to be.”

She paused then, the rich earth of her eyes finding the summer skies of his and felt a flicker of a flame stir within her chest at how easy it was to just be like this with him, to be open and honest without fear of him somehow using that vulnerability against her. It was liberating and terrifying and everything Cassandra ever dreamed it would be when she eventually found someone she was comfortable sharing this part of her life with, that vulnerability and intimacy that was often so hard to show because of her line of work. But Colton was good and sweet with a pure heart and purer intentions and so she didn’t need to think twice about sharing this part of herself and what she’d said to her parents with him.

“I told them that they were out of line, that they can’t interrogate you like that and that their behaviour was incredibly rude. I told them that we were just friends and that they needed to stop pushing me to get married.”

Cassandra could’ve sworn that Colton’s expression had deflated slightly at the mention of their relationship status but before she’d even had the chance to process it, Colton had fixed his features back to the easy and gentle expression he usually wore around her.

“They just really care about you, y’know?” Colton said quietly after a brief moment of silence. “They want you to be happy.”

“I am happy,” Cassandra assured and Colton couldn’t help but wonder if the conviction in her voice was for his or her own benefit. “I am. Moving here has been the best thing. Work is awesome, I have a house that I could only have ever dreamed of being able to afford in New York.” She paused again, making sure that she had Colton’s eyes on her before she dropped the volume of her voice to just above a whisper, “and I met you. How could I not be happy?”

Colton smiled, not big and bright, but soft and warm and filled with a tenderness that teetered on the edge of crossing the line of friendship. Here in front of him was someone he would have never imagined would become a good friend in the relatively short time they’d known each other, his best friend in fact and now that she was here, in his life and in his heart, he wondered how he’d ever lived a life without her because with Cassandra, nothing was ever forced and she gave him a strange feeling of freedom that he’d never had before. It was that kind of ease that makes the stresses of life fall away and whenever he was with her it felt like they could be the only two people on earth. She knew when he was struggling with the stresses of his job without him ever needing to say it out loud, just like he would know when she was under pressure with her own work but more than any words of encouragement they could give to each other to alleviate the stresses and burdens of life, it was that peaceful, secure feeling between them, that came so effortlessly, that pulled them towards each other like planets to a sun. It was then, in that moment, that Colton began to understand that maybe home wasn’t a place at all, it was a feeling. It was something that you miss when you’re without it and Colton could say with completely certainty that he’d missed Cassie.

Cassie and Colton would see each other almost every day over the course of weeks that followed. Even with the start of training camp, Colton found himself home every evening and Cassie’s work schedule had eased somewhat, meaning that she was often escaping the office at 5:30 on the dot. They would spend those precious few hours before sleep called them to their respective beds together, talking over dinner with a bottle of wine open between them before eventually retiring to the couch. Sometimes they’d find themselves talking all night, with the TV in the background forgotten about, others they’d watch something easy together (which led to Colton discovering that he really enjoyed Bake Off, much to Cassie’s delight) but their favourite nights together, or at least for Colton anyway, were the nights where they would share their favourite music with each other. Colton had admittedly not been much of a music enthusiast. Sure, he enjoyed listening to it just as much as the next person, but he would be the first person to confess that his listening never really extended beyond the radio. The same couldn’t be said for Cassie.

Much like her father, Cassie was the proud owner of an old record player that had been lovingly refurbished. If asked about it, she’d preface her love of the item by saying that it was probably the most extravagant purchase she’d ever made, but she would also make no hesitation in saying that there was just something about listening to Etta James or Billie Holliday on vinyl that digital versions just couldn’t hold a candle to. Colton loved that Cassie’s music preferences had been influenced by her family, he loved hearing about how her father had fallen in love with Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin when he first came to America at the tender age of 21, he loved hearing about how Cass’s father would purchase a new vinyl with every pay-check, something that had started when he first started earning money as a carpenter and handyman and still continued to this day. He loved how Cass could recall, with complete clarity, the way she would sit on the rug in front of the record player as a child while she watched her father unwrap the vinyl, filled with both excitement and anticipation at what wonderful music was held on the black disc in his hands. Colton learned that music had been such a prominent and important part of her childhood, whether it was listening to her father’s music collection with him and telling him about new artists to try or weekends spent at her Nonna and Nonno’s house filled with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. All of those songs had touched her life in some way and with each story Colton couldn’t help but feel thankful and grateful to see inside the heart that brought him such peace and happiness without even realising.

All too soon though, the season had started once more and once again Colton found himself on the road. This time it felt different though. Instead of the usual indifference he would feel about being away from the comforts of home, he felt an ache that had started in his chest and settled all through his bones. It wasn’t homesickness, at least not in the traditional sense of the word, because it wasn’t his house that Colton missed, it was the person that made him feel like he was home. It was the person who had taken the time to make him a Spotify playlist to listen to while he was travelling, that playlist that he couldn’t help but have on repeat because during those moments that the music filled his ears and filled his soul like sand in an hourglass, he was back in St Louis on her patio with her, drinking wine and laughing together with that same music filtering through the sliding doors. It was easy, in those moments where he would be on the plane with his headphones and that playlist on, to close his eyes and imagine the way her rich laughter crawls all the way through his skin and warms his heart like a shot of whisky on a winter’s day.

Cassie hadn’t really noticed just how much a part of her life Colton was until his schedule was pulling him out of the city and she found herself alone again during the evenings. She also found herself, in those moments, picking up the television remote and tuning in to Blues games, even going so far as reaching out to her cousins back in New York to pick their brains about the finer details of hockey, citing her sudden interest in the sport as a new hobby on account of her not wanting to throw Colton into the lion’s den. She’d made sure to test her newfound knowledge on Colton during their phone calls while he was away (which impressed him to no end) and had made a promise to come and watch him play his next game at Enterprise Center. It was that promise that had Colton wrapping up a blue jersey, with his name and number on, in pretty floral paper, going so far as adding a length of ribbon tied in a little bow on top, even if it did look a little droopy by virtue of his large hands and less than nimble fingers.

Colton was tired. A tough stretch of road-games had his body aching in ways that would ordinarily have him crawling into bed and not resurfacing until practice obligations demanded it, but it’d been almost a week since he’d seen Cassie and the promise of her company, a home-cooked meal and all the wine he could manage was something he wouldn’t dream of resisting. He had taken a quick shower once getting home before changing into a pair of jeans and a soft-knit sweater, making sure to grab the wrapped jersey and the small bouquet of flowers he’d picked up on his way back from the airport. He was a little early but he’d learned from experience that Cassie wouldn’t mind. He would simply make sure that she had a full wine glass and offer to help in the kitchen.

He let himself in as normal, the beautiful smell of rich tomatoes and herbs hitting him immediately and sparking a wide smile on his face. He didn’t speak immediately, the volume of the music she had on loud enough for him to know she wouldn’t hear him, but instead slipped off his sneakers and moved further into the house.

“Hai usato capperi?”

The voice that came from the kitchen belonged to an older woman and Colton found himself wondering if he’d missed something during his earlier conversation with Cass. He was sure she hadn’t mentioned having extra company but he had been picking up flowers for her at the time and it was entirely possible that he could have missed that small detail in the process.

“Non è una vera puttanesca se non usi i capperi. Me lo hai insegnato tu.”

Colton paused in the archway, his eyes falling to Cassie in the kitchen while his heart swelled to ten times its normal size at the sight in front of him. There was no one else there with her, only her iPad on a stand resting on top of the counter. It took a moment for Colton to realise that the voice was in fact coming from the device when he heard the older woman begin to speak again.

“Dimmi di più su questo ragazzo che ti piace”

Cassie laughed at whatever the older woman had said before replying, “Ti ho già parlato di lui, nonna.”

‘Ah,’ Colton thought. ‘This is the word famous Nonna.”

“Bene, dimmelo di nuovo!’ her grandmother chuckled. ‘Sono una vecchia signora e la mia memoria è terribile”.

If you asked him about this particular night at a later date, Colton wasn’t entirely sure how long he had stood there listening to Cassandra talk with her grandmother while her hands worked the pasta dough she had been making, but he would tell you that it was long enough for him realise what had been in his heart for a while. Because somewhere in between Cassie talking and laughing with her grandmother and their spirited rendition of the number he recognised as being Dean Martin that was playing loud enough through Cassie’s record player for her Nonna to hear, Colton understood what that recent feeling of homesickness had been. It wasn’t homesickness at all, it was love.

He wasn’t sure why the sight of Cass kneading pasta dough while Facetiming her grandma had made the penny suddenly drop for him. Perhaps it was the fact he could feel every bit of the love that this girl had for her Nonna, much like the love she had for every member of her family. Perhaps it was the fact that she had taken time out of her day to spend time listening to old jazz records with her grandmother just like she had when she was a child. Perhaps it was the fact that the woman in front of him was beautiful and intelligent and so unbelievably kind. But the truth and reality of it was that it was all of those things and above everything else, it was the peace and sense of belonging he felt whenever he was with her. It was having someone to be proud of and be proud of him in return and it was having someone to miss, having someone in his life who makes saying goodbye so hard. Cassie was all of those things and deep down Colton knew that he was those things for her too.

His feet must have heard the call from his heart that his head had not because before he could catch himself he was right behind her with his hand on her lower back, gentle and soft. She jumped slightly at the contact, not expecting him to be in her house for another twenty minutes.

“Sorry,” he laughed quietly before pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. “I figured I’d come over early and help but this all looks a little out of my ability range.”

“Guests don’t help the cook. Guests sit at the island, drink alcohol and mock those who are doing the cooking. Those are the rules” she grinned in reply.

“Mamma mia, Cassandra, cioè un bel giovanotto!”

Colton wasn’t entirely sure what Cassandra’s grandmother had said but whatever it was had Cassie groaning slightly and, unbeknownst to him, her face burning white hot.

“OK, ora riattacco il telefono,” Cassie groaned causing her Nonna to cackle wildly.

“Dagli un bacio per me!”

“Sei una cattiva signora,” Cassandra grinned before the pair said their goodbyes and she was closing the case on her iPad.

Cassie’s attention then turned to Colton who was leaning casually against the counter with an easy grin playing on his lips.

“So that was Nonna?” he asked.

“Yeah, that was Nonna,” Cassied laughed softly. “She was just checking in to make sure I wasn’t desecrating her spaghetti alla puttanesca recipe.”

“And were you?”

“Are you nuts? Do you know how angry Italians get when you don’t make their recipes properly? You might as well set fire to the flag.”

Colton barked a laugh at that, an impish little smirk on his face as he asked, “So cream in a carbonara would be a ‘no’?”

Cassie’s hands, which were rolling the dough ready for the pasta machine, stopped dead in their tracks, a look of abject horror on her face as she looked at Colton.

“Don’t even joke.”

“That’s one for the book then,” Colton grinned, referring to the little notebook sitting on his kitchen countertop that held all of his little tips and reminders he’d learned when it came to cooking, which Cassie found to be both hilarious and endearing in equal measure. “So your Nonna is okay?”

“Yeah,” Cass replied as she fed the pasta dough through the machine. “She said you were very handsome which is high praise indeed because unless it’s Dean Martin, Nonna doesn’t wanna know.”

Colton chuckled as he pushed away from the counter to fix them both a glass of wine.

“Your Nonna has good taste,” he smirked as he set Cassie’s full glass down beside her. “And what about you? Do you think I’m handsome?”

Cassie’s only reply was to suck air in through her teeth before giggling mischievously at the mock hurt on Colton’s face while his hand clutched at his chest.

“You’re wicked, you know that?”

“I get that from my Nonna too,” she laughed.

With Colton’s help, dinner was promptly served and Cassie asked Colton all about his recent trip while they ate. The first bottle of Barbera was soon empty and the pair were well on their way with the second one by the time their plates were clean of their food. Colton insisted on clearing the dishes away and loading them into the dishwasher, despite Cassie’s protests and soon enough they were both curled up on her couch with the glass pyrex dish Cass had used to make her tiramisu in and two spoons. The rest of the evening was spent in easy conversation, Cassie pressed into Colton’s side while his arm wrapped around her shoulders and held her against him. He couldn’t help the way his nose found the soft chocolate strands of her hair where her head rested heavily on his shoulder. They had been sitting in companionable silence for a while, with nothing but the smooth voice of Norah Jones filling the space between them but neither felt the need to speak, not because they didn’t have anything to say, but because there were no words that needed to be spoken, both content to just be there in that moment together.

That’s how it had been all along though, Cassandra thought as she listened to the steady beat of Colton’s heart beneath his strong chest. They had always been comfortable with just basking in the presence of each other, where nothing was forced or artificial. Every part of their relationship, from the moment Colton came to her rescue on the morning of her first day at work, to being in this moment with him now, felt natural and organic. It was easy to let him in and easier to open her heart and her life up to him and it was a trust that Colton gave back to her in spades. Cassie wasn’t sure if she really knew what love was, not having much of a positive experience of it herself and only having her parents’ and grandparents’ relationships to go off, but she believed that it had to be something just like this.

She wasn’t sure at what point she’d fallen asleep and she certainly wasn’t sure at what point she’d laid down with her head in his lap, but it was Colton’s gentle voice and the feeling of his fingers lightly carding through her hair that pulled her from the dream she was having, the memory of it slipping quickly away from her as she passed into the waking world.

“Cass? It’s almost midnight, πουλάκι μου… I gotta head home.”

He smiled softly as Cassie groaned while her eyes fluttered open slowly.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” she mumbled, the last little remnants of sleep still clinging to her voice.

“It’s okay, babe. I wish I didn’t have to go but I have some stuff that I need to do in the morning before practice.”

“Yeah,” Cass croaked as she sat up and moved so that Colton could stand. “Yeah, of course.”

She followed him out of the living area and down the hall to the front door, her eyes drifting immediately to the small bouquet of flowers and gift-wrapped package that sat on her console table.

“Colt?”

Colton followed her gaze to the gifts he’d brought with him.

“Ah shit, I completely forgot I’d even brought these. I heard voices when I let myself in and I guess I just got distracted.”

“You bought me flowers?” she asked as she picked the blooms up, smiling softly at the spray of freesias, peonies and baby’s breath before picking up the wrapped gift. “And what’s this?”

“Just a little something for when you come to the game,” Colton grinned as he slipped on his shoes before turning to face Cassie.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” Colton said softly, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “But I wanted to.”

There was a brief pause before Colton leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to Cassie’s cheek, his smile warm and gentle as he pulled back and with a tone to match while he spoke.

“If you’re home tomorrow afternoon I’ll come over with coffee and pastries after practice.”

With Cassie’s agreement plans were made for the following day and Colton said his goodnight before heading back home, already missing her despite only being next door. As Colton got himself ready for bed he let himself think about Cass and the way he felt whenever he was with her. She gave him the safe space to just be and that was something Colton wasn’t sure he would ever have the words to thank her for. He’d dated enough since going professional to know that not all women were genuine and that in itself made it hard for him to find a meaningful connection, but things were different with Cassie. She had her own life, was successful in her own right and didn’t care about who he was or what he did for a living. Instead, she was supportive and listened to what he was telling her, really telling her, and she always seemed to know what to say and, most importantly, when to say it because for all Colton was always open to hear someone else’s perspective, there were times where he just needed to he heard.

Cassie not only gave him that but so many other things too. She was bright and witty, thoughtful and patient, kind and generous but above all of her wonderful qualities, she’d been an incredible friend to Colton. That friendship was one that he cherished and he knew it was something she cherished too, but rather than be rattled by the idea of that friendship potentially becoming something else, Colton embraced it because it was only what he knew to already be true between them. Their friendship had laid the foundations for them to build something truly wonderful and Colton knew that he was ready to take that leap, but more importantly, he knew that he’d be taking that leap with an amazing woman by his side, and so, as he climbed into bed and settled his head against the pillow, he resolved to tell her his truth when he saw her the following afternoon.

It was a little after 2pm when Cassie opened the door to Colton, the promised coffee and pastries clutched in his hands which she gratefully took from him as she invited him inside. She arranged the baked goods on a plate while Colton poured their coffees into mugs and shortly after they were settled on Cassie’s couch with her sat cross legged facing him and her back against the arm.

“How was practice this morning?” she asked after swallowing her first sip of coffee, a gentle look on her face as she surveyed Colton.

“Yeah, it was good. Coach worked us hard but it wasn’t too bad.”

“Good,” Cassie hummed from behind her mug, eyes narrowing slightly at the way Colton was cradling his mug with his brow slightly furrowed. “Is everything okay with you? You seem a little distracted.”

“I um, I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Colton replied as he set his mug down on the coffee table and turned his body to face her better. “About last night.”

Cassie set her own mug down, giving Colton her complete and undivided attention. She didn’t say anything else, instead giving him the time and space to get his thoughts in order and say what he needed to say.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever really told you just how thankful I am to have you in my life.”

“You might have mentioned it once or twice, yeah,” Cassie grinned, causing Colton to laugh softly and some of that tension he was carrying in his shoulders to melt away.

“Well I am,” he replied, tone filled with sincerity. “But I’ve been feeling like something has changed between us and I think it started not long after I’d gone home to Canada.”

Cassie exhaled and chewed on her lower lip slowly, not entirely sure where he was going with this but unable to stop the little pit of dread from opening up in her stomach. She didn’t speak though and so Colton continued.

“I missed you, more than words can say really and while I loved going home and seeing my family, there was a big part of me that couldn’t wait to get back to St Louis and for no other reason than because you were in St Louis and I realised then, that home is wherever it is that you are. Then last night, coming in here and seeing you talking and laughing with your Nonna, God, you’ve never been more perfect to me because all I could see was that love and passion that you have for your family and fuck, Cass, I wanna be a part of that. I want to be a part of your world. We’ve not been just friends for a while and I know that it’s because I’ve loved you for a while, last night just kind of confirmed to me what I already knew deep down.”

“Are you done?” Cassie asked with a straight face and Colton looked at her a little stunned before nodding apprehensively.

It took precisely 1.7 seconds for Cassie to close the distance between her and Colton and crash her lips against his, and another .5 of a second for Colton to catch up and move his hand to cup the back of her head while he kissed her back. They stayed that way for a few moments, their lips moving slowly together in perfect harmony as Cassie manoeuvred herself into Colton’s lap while her fingers busied themselves in his hair, long-overdue for a haircut but Cass found to be a look that suited him along with the short beard he’d grown.

She pulled away only once her lungs had begun their gentle protest for breath before pressing another, quicker kiss to his lips, Colton’s brow quirking as she devolved into giggles.

“What’s tickled you?”

“Nothing,” she grinned. “Just that second one was from Nonna. She told me to give you one from her.”

Colton couldn’t help but laugh at that and found himself wearing a grin to match Cassie’s, still smiling even as their lips met once more.

“God, I can’t wait to meet her, all of your family, actually.”

“You, Colton Parayko, are either incredibly brave or certifiably insane,” Cassie teased as she carded her fingers through his hair, the smile still bright on her face. “It’s a lot, you think you can handle it?”

“I know I can,” he replied, all cocky and confident with a sparkle in his eyes that reminded Cassie of the way the sun kisses the Mediterranean on a summer’s day.

“Good,” she grinned with that bright and beautiful smile that Colton loved so much. “Because one of the perks of loving me is that you inherit a weird, obnoxious family who will drive you completely crazy but who are the most generous and wonderful people you will ever meet.”

“I do love you,” Colton said, his tone soft and a million miles away from what it was not a moment ago. “And I want this, I want you and everything that comes with that because this? Us? It’s perfect and it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Cassie kissed him, slow and sure and soft while her hands moved from their home in his hair to cup his face while her thumbs swept along the scruff at his jaw. It was a featherlight, her touch, but Colton felt it spread all through his skin until it had filled every single corner of his body and had him feeling both grounded and weightless all at once. He pulled back a shade to look into her eyes, those brown eyes of hers that held all the warmth of an everlasting hearth, as if they were the wood that could burn with golden flames and yet be forever perfectly entire. In those earthly hues was his soul, those eyes that were filled to the brim with the kind of beauty that expands a moment into a personal eternity, a heaven he wished to always be a part of. So lost in that astral plain as he was, he almost missed her words, but they were the kind of words that go beyond hearing. They were words that he felt, in the way that she looked at him, in the way that she touched him and in the way that she spoke his name and hearing them said out loud only confirmed what they both felt in their hearts and in their souls.

“I love you too, Colt.”

Colton couldn’t help the smile on his face as he connected his lips with hers once more, sighing into their kiss. That feeling was there again, that feeling that had been there all along, that peaceful, easy feeling of being at home and while neither of them knew for certain what the future would bring, they knew that they would be okay while they always had each other. Neither Cassie nor Colton had ever really experienced what it was like to be in complete and irrevocable love, but somewhere deep inside of them, despite not really knowing what it was that they should have been looking for, they knew that it was something just like this.

[madsocialagency]

Boost Your Business: Digital Marketing Services in Minneapolis

The Digital Revolution in the Twin Cities

In the heart of the Twin Cities, a digital revolution is transforming the business landscape. Minneapolis, known for its innovative spirit and thriving entrepreneurial scene, is embracing digital marketing services with open arms. From the bustling streets of Downtown to the creative corridors of Northeast, businesses are discovering the power of online strategies to connect with customers and drive growth. 

Whether you're a start-up in Uptown or an established company in St. Louis Park, digital marketing services offer a world of opportunities. By leveraging tools like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and content creation, Minneapolis businesses are not just reaching local customers – they're expanding their horizons to a global audience. In this digital age, having a strong online presence isn't just an option – it's a necessity for success in the competitive Minneapolis market.

Building Your Digital Storefront: Websites and SEO

The cornerstone of any effective digital marketing strategy is a well-designed website, and Minneapolis is home to numerous talented website design and development companies. These experts craft digital storefronts that are not only visually stunning but also optimized for performance and user experience. Imagine a website that captures the essence of your brand, whether it's the urban sophistication of the North Loop or the artistic flair of Loring Park. 

But a great website is just the beginning. SEO services in Minneapolis are helping businesses climb to the top of search engine results, ensuring that when potential customers search for products or services, local businesses are front and center. From on-page optimization to building quality backlinks, SEO experts in the City of Lakes are employing cutting-edge techniques to boost visibility and drive organic traffic.

Connecting Through Social Media

In a city that thrives on connections, social media marketing services are proving invaluable. Minneapolis businesses are tapping into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to build communities around their brands. Picture a local brewery in Northeast using Instagram to showcase its latest craft beer, or a boutique in Edina using Pinterest to display its fashion collections. 

These platforms allow businesses to tell their stories, engage with customers, and create brand loyalty in ways traditional marketing never could. But it's not just about posting content – it's about strategy. Social media marketing services in Minneapolis are helping businesses create targeted campaigns, analyze engagement metrics, and continuously refine their approach to maximize impact and ROI.

Content Creation and Targeted Advertising

Content is king in the digital world, and Minneapolis is home to a thriving community of content production companies. These creative powerhouses are crafting compelling narratives that resonate with the diverse Minneapolis audience. From blog posts that capture the city's innovative spirit to videos that showcase products against the backdrop of Minnehaha Falls, content creators are helping businesses stand out in a crowded digital landscape. 

But great content needs to reach the right audience, and that's where Facebook Ads marketing comes in. With its powerful targeting capabilities, Facebook Ads allow Minneapolis businesses to reach potential customers with laser precision. Whether it's targeting millennials in Uptown or families in Edina, Facebook Ads marketing experts in Minneapolis are creating campaigns that drive engagement, leads, and sales.

The Future of Digital Marketing in Minneapolis

As we look to the future, it's clear that digital marketing services will continue to play a crucial role in the success of Minneapolis businesses. The city's unique blend of Midwestern values and cutting-edge innovation provides the perfect backdrop for digital marketing excellence. 

From the banks of the Mississippi to the shores of Lake Calhoun, businesses are embracing these services to tell their stories, reach new customers, and thrive in the digital age. Whether you're a small local shop or a large corporation, investing in digital marketing services is no longer optional – it's essential for growth and success in Minneapolis. As the city continues to evolve and grow, those businesses that harness the power of digital marketing will be well-positioned to lead the way into a bright and prosperous future.

[free--therapy]

12 Ways to Make Hard Decisions Easier

Smart strategies for when you’re struggling to make a choice.

By Marina Khidekel, Chief Content Officer at Thrive Global

Our entire lives are structured around making decisions. Every day we make simple choices, like what to wear to work or what time to wake up, that don’t cause us too much stress. Yet bigger decisions — ones that could change our lives or impact the ones we love — can be a source of significant anxiety.

We asked members of the Thrive community to share their best tips for making life decisions when they feel stumped. Here are some strategies to use the next time you feel overwhelmed or unsure about.

Follow your intuition

“When we feel stuck, or indecisive, it’s typically because we are disconnected from ourselves. When faced with ‘I don’t know’ we need to take a time out and listen to the silent whispers of our soul. Take a few deep breaths. Close your eyes and tap into your intuition. Run each choice through your mind and notice how your body responds. If you feel contracted, or feel a pit in your stomach, that is a clear ‘NO.’ If you feel fluttery, but expansive and excited, well, that’s a yes, but you’re just being stretched out of your comfort zone — go for it!”

—Kimberly Napier, life coach and speaker, Concord, MA

Meditate and listen to your inner wisdom

“Whenever I have a tough decision to make, I meditate on it first. I sit for 10-15 minutes uninterrupted in my meditation space at home and just breathe deeply, using my breath as an anchor to remain in the present moment. I ask for guidance from my inner guide. When I’m done meditating, I journal any wisdom that I’ve received during that time. After I’ve decided on the decision, I ask myself if this is the answer that I would be proud to tell my family and friends. Then I know I’ve made the right decision!”

—Camille Sacco, certified meditation instructor and bank manager, Winter Park, FL

Think about how your decision will make you feel — after the fact

“In my younger years decisions were much more spontaneous than they became after 50. Now, I decide if the decisions fall in line with my values. How will this make me feel later or tomorrow? If I don’t work out, or if I eat this, how will I feel later? Now, decisions are not just about being in the present — they are about how I want to feel after I make them.”

—Andrea Lambert, hotel sales, San Diego, CA

Ask yourself two important questions

“When making difficult decisions, pro vs. con lists are useful, except when they’re not. Asking advice from a wise and objective friend, colleague, or mentor is critical, but doesn’t always help. When I’m really stuck, with no clear means of resolution, I ask myself two questions: Which choice do I want to make and which choice am I trying to avoid making? The first exposes self-interest, which cannot be trusted. The second reveals the voice of conscience, which is the most likely guide to a well-calibrated moral compass.”

—Yonason Goldson, ethics speaker, St. Louis, MO

Avoid analysis paralysis

“With experience, making hard decisions gets a lot easier. Draw on your experiences and those from others, but ultimately, the decision rests on your shoulders. There is an Army adage: ‘Lead, follow, or get out of the way.’ Trusting my gut feelings led to a lot of great (fast) decisions in life. ‘Analysis paralysis’ will limit your opportunities because you fear making the wrong choice. Weigh your options, pray, follow your heart, seek advice, but decide to act. No one gets anywhere meaningful just watching the river rush by from the banks. Jump in! Hard decisions require guts and faith in yourself. Avoid ‘what ifs’ by pushing yourself. No one advances without making mistakes, so let go of fear and lead.”

—Scott Miller, marketing director, Wilmington, DE

Recognize your body’s reactions

“When making tough decisions, the first step I take is to empty out my mind and relax so that I can start with a clean and clear slate. I allow this process to last for a few minutes. Next, I bring up the situation I need to resolve or make a decision about. I start to think of the scenario and the pros and cons. I believe in tuning into my body and how I react physically to the information that I am thinking about. I try to base my decisions on what feels good and right by the way my body reacts. Your body has a way of knowing what your mind may not be able to, sometimes.”

—Nicole Michalski, life strategist, author, and speaker, Alberta, Canada

Consider the implications a year down the road

“When I struggle to make decisions and spend too much time worrying about whether I am making the ‘right’ choice, I like to remember a question that my dad taught me when I was an angsty teenager: ‘Will it matter in a year’s time?’ Sometimes, it’s so easy to get caught up and make decisions far scarier than they really need to be. Asking myself this question reminds me that smaller decisions don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Make them and move on!”

—Vicky Shilling, wellness industry business coach, Dublin, Ireland

Visualize the outcome

“When choosing between two potential paths, look at both and consider, am I ready for the possible outcome of this path? If the answer is yes, you are prepared to make the decision. If the answer is no, you need more research and contemplation. One of my students was considering quitting her job. She felt confident that when she gave notice, they would beg her to stay and give her a raise. I asked her, ‘but what if they accept your resignation and send you packing? Are you ready for a job search and to be unemployed for an unspecified amount of time?’ She realized that she was not ready for each potential outcome, and therefore not prepared to quit her job.”

—Margaret Meloni, Ph.D, author, Long Beach, CA

Use the 24-hour rule

“I’m a talker so I talk things out, but only six times. Hopefully, it’s six different trusted advisers who get to hear the problem and offer input, and not my poor husband six times. If I’m truly stumped, I invoke the 24-hour rule and give myself permission not to mull on the issue and not to make any decision for 24 hours. It’s amazing how many problems resolve on their own in 24 hours.”

—Kathy King Johnson, executive director, Cheboygan, MI

Get some fresh air

“Take a walk outside. If you can get out into the woods, even better. Fresh air and interaction with nature will calm you down, bring your breathing back to normal, and help you to think clearly. When we have big decisions to make at work, we participate in Pedi Meetings: 15-minute walking meetings outside. The combination of light exercise and fresh air aids in restoring cognitive function and boosts creativity.”

—Abby Oxborough, leadership development facilitator, MN

Make a list

“I’m a huge list maker. There are so many benefits to knocking to-dos off your list or using a pros and cons list to evaluate something. You can experience a boost of self-esteem, productivity, and accountability. When I’m stumped making a potentially life-altering decision, I craft a pros and cons list. There is a second step to my madness — I also consult my support system to walk through my points on the list. I take everyone’s perspectives, including my own, to make my decision.”

—Melissa Muncy, content marketing, San Francisco, CA

Give yourself the time you need

“When it comes to important decisions, I make sure to give myself plenty of time and space to think through my options. It may be helpful to talk about them with trusted friends, colleagues, or family members. I look at the pros and cons of different options and come to terms with what would be the best option. I also need to be comfortable with the consequences of the selected choice — both good and bad. We can make decisions logically, but we can also make decisions based on what we feel is right. When in doubt, I follow what my heart tells me is the right thing to do.”

—Cynthia Leung, pharmacist, Kingston, ON, Canada

[starlightinkwell]

From website: Pittsburgh Music History.

Pittsburgh Dance Instructor becomes Oscar wining star of  

"An American in Paris"

and "Singin' In the Rain"

Gene Kelly was the leading star in the classic Hollywood movie musicals from the mid 1940s through the late 1950s.  Multi-talented he was a singer, dancer, choreographer actor, film director and producer.  Audiences love his delightful singing, his athletic dancing, his charming good looks, and his likeable characters.  He is credited for reviving movie musicals and redefining dance in films.  Kelly was honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Academy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Screen Actions Guild, and the American Film Institute. The American Film institute ranks him 15th on their list of “Greatest Male Stars of All Time”.  His most memorable performances include starring roles in Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, On the Town, and Anchors Aweigh.  Gene was the star and choreographer of the film ‘An American in Paris” which won 8 Oscar awards including best picture and a special Oscar for Gene recognizing his contributions to screen choreography.  Singin’ in the Rain, called "a movie masterpiece" by Vincent Canby of the New York Times, has been voted the most popular movie musical of all time.  

Growing Up in Highland Park

Born Eugene Curran Kelly in Pittsburgh on August 23,  1912, Gene Kelly grew up in on Mellon Street in Highland Park. He attended St. Raphael’s elementary school and was an altar boy at the church.  His Canadian born father James Patrick Joseph Kelly was as sports lover and a sales executive for the Thomas Edison's Columbia Phonograph Company.  Every winter James, who loved hockey, flooded the backyard to make an ice hockey rink for the family. Gene learned to skate at age 5.

Gene's mother Harriet, who as a hobby performed in local stock productions, made all five of her children take music and dance lessons.  She enrolled the eight year old Gene in dance classes at Blinsky’s School of the Dance on 6th and Penn in downtown Pittsburgh. The Kelly kids Jay, Jim, Gene, Louise, and Fred began performing dance routines around 1921 as "The Five Kellys" at amateur vaudeville nights and charity events.

After getting in fist fights with neighborhood kids who called him a sissy, Gene quit dancing.  He preferred sports. He played on a men's amateur hockey team age at 14 and dreamed of playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Kelly's moved from Highland Park to 7514 Kensington Street in the Point Breeze neighborhood near Frick Park in 1924. Gene attended his first year of high school at the Sacred Heart School.

At age 15 Gene thought dancing would be a good way to meet girls, so he began dancing again. He took dance lessons while also playing on his high school football, baseball and hockey teams.  He also participated in gymnastics.  

Graduating from Peabody High School in 1929 he enrolled at Penn State to study journalism.  With the 1930 stock market crash hurting the Kelly family’s finances, Gene left Penn State planning to cut costs by living at home while studying at the University of Pittsburgh.  He dug ditches, pumped gas, worked as a soda fountain jerk and carpenter's helper, and danced to earn tuition money. Gene and his younger brother Fred devised dance routines and found work dancing in local nightclubs as the “Kelly Brothers”.

Gene Kelly Studio of Dance

Gene’s mother took a job as a receptionist at Boulton's dance school in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. When the owner Lou Boulton skipped town leaving behind a pile of unpaid bills, Harriet took over the dance school.  She paid the bills and renamed it the "Kelly School of Dance".  Gene at age 19 and his brother Fred became dance instructors.  Gene worked as a dance instructor while he attended studies at Pitt.  He taught tap, toe and ballet.  To learn routines Gene went to night clubs, movie musicals and vaudeville shows. He'd teach them the next day in his classes. With Gene’s growing reputation as a teacher the studio was renamed The "Gene Kelly Studio" of the Dance in 1932.  The Kelly’s opened a second dance school on the main street of Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1933.  Gene taught at the Johnstown school on weekends.  He continued to teach dance for six years.

The dance school was a great success, but Gene was not content being a teacher.  He want to be a choreography and director.  Gene wanted to combine the styles of ballet and tap-dance into a new American dance for.  To learn ballet he took classes from ballet masters in Chicago and New York during the summers.  Gene attened classes at Chicago Association of Dancing Masters.  Seeing his talent the school asked him to a few classes.  Gene also read every book that he could find on ballet in English and French.  He practiced constantly.  Putting his skills into practice Gene danced in an choreographed musicals while attending at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pitt's Cap and Gown Musical Reviews

Gene enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh in 1931 studying economics.  At Pitt he joined the Cap and Gown Club, which staged four times a year at the Stephen Foster Memorial Theater along with an an annual event at the Nixon Theater.  Gene performed in the original musical comedy productions written by members of the Cap and Gown Club.  Completing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1933, Gene then enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh’s Law School.   After two months of study groups and torts Gene decided that he wanted to be an entertainer and dance teacher.  He dropped out of school to pursue his entertainment career full-time teaching at the dance studio and doing performances.  Gene remained a member of Pitt’s Cap and Gown Club serving as its serving as its dance director from 1934 to 1938.  He was the assistant director of their 1936 Nixon Theater show "Out for the Count".  Gene first created his rolling skating dance routine in the Cap and Gown's production of "Tt's Always Fair Weather".  Gene directed the club's 1937 production of "Trailer Ho" at the Nixon and then took the show on the road for performances in Johnstown, Bradford and Erie. In 1938 Gene Kelly choreographed and directed the Cap and Gown show "Pickets Please" at the Nixon.  

In addition to his work with the Cap and Gown Club did choreography for vaudeville and other organizations. Vaudeville acts that passed through Pittsburgh during the 1930’s hired Gene to create dance routines. In 1931 the Rodef Shalom Synagogue hired Kelly to teach dance and stage the annual Kermess show. He kept that position for seven years. Gene continued to perform with his brother. The Kelly Brothers performed in a theater for children at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934.

Broadway Stardom

In 1937 at the age of 27 Gene moved to New York City to become a choreographer. Unable to find work on Broadway, he returned to Pittsburgh to be the choreographer of the musical revue “Hold Your Hats” at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in the spring 1938. He also danced in the production.  At the Playhouse, Gene was seen by Broadway choreographed Robert Alton.  Alton brought Gene to Broadway making him a star.

On August 5, 1938 just before his 26th birthday, Gene packed one small suitcase and returned to New York for his first role.  Alton hired Gene for a Cole Porter musical giving him his first dancing role on Broadway in November of 1938 as a chorus boy in "Leave It to Me".  Alton gave Gene a feature singing and dancing role in his next production “One for the Money”.  In 1939 Gene choreographed and danced in in the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Time of Your Life".  Also in 1939 he choreographed Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe. He danced his way into the heart of cast member Betsy Blair, whom he married in 1941.  Gene became a major star in 1940 with his leading role in Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey choreographed by Robert Alton.

Movie Musical Superstar

With his rise to stardom, Hollywood called.  His role in Pal Joey captured the interest of Louis B. Mayer and Judy Garland. Gene signed with MGM's David O’Selznick in 1941.  He was cast as Garland's romantic lead in his first movie For Me and My Gal (1942),  His breakout move role was in Anchors Aweigh in 1945.

After a long career as one of the world’s most beloved musical performers Gene Kelly died in 1996.

Singin' In The Rain

The Five Kelly's

The Kelly Brothers

Cap and Gown Club Production 1938

Pal Joey

All Music Guide

Gene Kelly Internet Movie Database

References

Pitt Cap and Gown Club In Annual Show at Nixon by Harold W. Cohen Pittsburgh Post Gazette April 23, 1936

Pitt Club Plans Show -The Pittsburgh Press April 7, 1936

Annual Pitt Show Satire on Dictators Pittsburgh Post Gazette April 2, 1938

The Kelly Kids -Harold W. Cohen Pittsburgh Post Gazette September 4, 1940

MR. KELLY, OR PAL JOEY; Portrait of a Dancer, From Pennsylvania To the Barrymore Theatre - Robert Van Gelder New York Times March 02, 1940

Gene Kelly Got to the Top Via a "Different" Route -Pittsburgh Post Gazette Dec 3, 1942

Gene Kelly Said He Never Wanted to be a Movie Star -Tom Shales Pitsburgh Press June 29. 1974

How Did Gene Start Dancing -Debra Gene GeneKellyFans.com Jul 20, 2011

[montrealowners]

WHY LIVING IN WEST ISLAND, MONTREAL, IS GREAT?

The West Island, which stretches along Louis Lake and into the center of Montreal Island, is home to some of the city's most scenic communities. The West Island homes are some of the finest luxury real estates in Montreal, whether they are lovely seaside communities with ancient homes on tree-lined streets or imposing mansions on enormous swathes of land. Let's face it: it's a wonderful world out there. They could even be said to have it better than the rest of the city.

Here are a few reasons why living in West Island, Montreal can be a great decision for you:

●     Because the population density is lower and fewer people are working in the West Island than in downtown Montreal, it tends to be cleaner. There is still trash and unsightly buildings, although they are fewer as a result of gentrification.

●     The West Island, perhaps more than any other part of Montreal, boasts the greenest space. There is so much nature to admire in the Morgan Arboretum, Cap-Saint-Jacques, and Terra Cotta Park. They not only contain parks and large areas for visitors to enjoy, but they are also conveniently located for most locals.

●     As in the West Island, there is a strong emphasis on community. Boroughs hold large events to commemorate their inaugurations, such as Kirkland Day, and entire communities gather around local sports teams during games. It's an ideal location for those wishing to establish a family or for those who are new to the city and want to socialize.

●     Some of Montreal's greatest high schools are located on the West Island. The West Island boasts an exceptional academic reputation, from St. Thomas High School's International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program to John Rennie's Sport-Études Program to Beaconsfield High School's Embarkation Program for students who adopt an unconventional learning approach.

So, if you're seeking the ideal west island homes for sale, the Steven Weinman Real Estate Team can assist you in realizing your dream. With over 12 years of experience backed by 5-star ratings and countless testimonials, Steven Weinman and his team will help you make the right choices in this market. To know further details about luxurious West Island properties, kindly visit https://montrealowners.com/.

[blackkudos]

Allen Allensworth

Allen Allensworth (7 April 1842 – 14 September 1914), born into slavery in Kentucky, escaped during the American Civil War and became a Union soldier; later he became a Baptist minister and educator, and was appointed as a chaplain in the United States Army. He was the first African American to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel. He planted numerous churches, and in 1908 founded Allensworth, California, the only town in the state to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans.

During the American Civil War, he escaped by joining the 44th Illinois Volunteers and later served two years in the navy. After being ordained as a minister, he worked as a teacher, studied theology and led several churches. In 1880 and 1884, he served as the only black delegate from Kentucky in the Republican National Conventions. In 1886, he gained an appointment as a military chaplain to a unit of Buffalo Soldiers in the West and served in the US Army for 20 years, retiring in 1906.

In addition to his work in developing churches, he was notable for founding the township of Allensworth, California in 1908; it was intended as an all-black community. Although environmental conditions inhibited its success as a farming community and the residents abandoned it after a few generations, much of the former town has been preserved as the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. It marks the founders' dream and the thriving community that developed for some time.

Biography

Early life and education

Born into slavery in Louisville, Kentucky in 1842, Allensworth was the youngest of thirteen children of Phyllis (c. 1782 - 1878) and Levi Allensworth. Over the years, their family was scattered: his sister Lila escaped with her intended husband to Canada by the Underground Railroad; and the older boys William, George, Frank, Levi and Major were sold downriver to plantations in the Deep South, which continued to buy enslaved workers from the Upper South to develop the cotton industry. Mary Jane was his only sibling who grew up in Kentucky and married there; she purchased her freedom in 1849, gaining stability.

His mother was held by A.P. and Bett Starbird. The mistress assigned Allen as a young slave to her son Thomas. When the Starbird boy started school, Allen began to learn from him, although it was illegal. After his father died when Allen was young, his mother chose to be sold as a cook to a neighbor, the attorney Nat Wolfe. When the Starbirds found Allen was learning to read, they separated him from their son and placed him with another family, the Talbots. Mrs. Talbot, a Quaker, was kind to Allen and continued to teach him to read and write; she also took him to a Sunday school for slave children. When Bett Starbird discovered this, she took Allen back. In 1854 she made arrangements with her husband's partner John Smith to send the boy to his brother Pat's plantation down the Mississippi River in Henderson, Kentucky, to put an end to his learning. On the steamboat, the boy was placed in the care of a slave steward rather than being chained with other slaves below deck. They were being transported for sale to downriver markets.

Hebe Smith, Allen's new mistress, assigned him to be a houseboy; she prohibited him from continuing his studies, and whipped him for trying to do so. Also working in the household was a white orphan boy Eddie; the two boys became friends and helped each other. Suffering on the farm from a cruel overseer, in 1855 at age 13, Allen planned to escape to Canada. He spent two weeks hiding at a neighboring farm before returning to the Smiths for punishment. Later he ran away again. The Smiths and Starbirds agreed to sell him on the auction block in Henderson.

Allensworth was sold again in Memphis, Tennessee and shipped to New Orleans. There he was bought by Fred Scruggs, who taught him to work as an exercise boy and jockey in Jefferson, Louisiana. Unlike others, his new master was pleased to learn that the boy could read; he assigned him to race his best horse.

Civil War and freedom

In early 1861 the Civil War loomed, but horse racing continued. Scruggs took Allen and his horses upriver for the fall meet in Louisville. Allensworth hoped to see his mother Phyllis again, as he had learned that her last master, a Rev. Bayliss, had freed her after she cared for his dying wife. He found that she had recently gone to New Orleans with a Union man to look for her sons. (She found Major in prison.) Waiting for her return, Allensworth was reunited with his sister Mary Jane, who had married and had a son. She had purchased her freedom in 1849. When Phyllis Starbird returned to Louisville, she and Allen were reunited.

While working nearby on a farm where Scruggs' deputy had placed him, Allensworth met soldiers from the 44th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, a Union unit encamped near Louisville. When he told them of wanting freedom, they invited him to join the Hospital Corps. In disguise, he marched with the unit past his old master through Louisville and off to war. After serving as a civilian nursing aide for some time, he was invited to accompany Dr. A. J. Gordon, one of the surgeons, to his home in Georgetown, Ohio. There Allensworth dined with Gordon's family, was given a room of his own, and felt he first walked as a free man. With the war continuing, in 1863 Allensworth enlisted in the US Navy, where he earned his first pay as a free man. He was soon promoted to Captain's steward and clerk, and served on the gunboats Queen City and Tawah for two years.

Postwar years

Allensworth first returned to Kentucky to work and study. In 1868 he joined his brother William in St. Louis, where they operated two restaurants. Within a short time, they received a favorable offer and sold them out; Allensworth returned to Louisville. He worked while putting himself through the Ely Normal School, one of several new schools in the South established by the American Missionary Association. During Reconstruction, Allensworth taught at schools for freedmen and their children operated by the Freedmen's Bureau. Inspired by his own teaching, he began attending courses at the Nashville Institute, later known as the Roger Williams University, but did not graduate. The school later gave him an honorary Master of Arts.

Allensworth became involved with the Baptist Church in Louisville and attended the Fifth Street Baptist Church led by Henry Adams. He was ordained in 1871 by the Baptists as a preacher. In the 1870s, Allensworth went to Tennessee to study theology. During this time he also served as a preacher in Franklin, Tennessee, south of Nashville.

In 1875, Allensworth started working as a teacher in Georgetown, Kentucky. He also served as the financial agent of the General Association of the Colored Baptists in Kentucky. They had joined together to support the founding of a religious school for black teachers and preachers. Allensworth was among the founders of The State University, helped guarantee the salary of the president in the early years, and served on the Board of Trustees.

He returned to Louisville when called to be pastor of the Harney Street Baptist Church, which he reorganized, attracting many new members. They renamed it Centennial Baptist Church; it was selected as a model by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of America. Within a few years, Allensworth had increased the congregation nearly fivefold, and it built a new church.

Marriage and family

In 1877 he married Josephine Leavell (1855–1938), also born in Kentucky; they had met while studying at Roger Williams University in Nashville, Tennessee. She was an accomplished pianist, organist and music teacher. They had two daughters together, Eva and Nella.

The year of his marriage, Allensworth invited his mother to live with him and Josephine. They had several months together before she died in 1878 at the age of 96.

Post-Reconstruction era

Allensworth was called to the State Street Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He also gave public lectures. That fall, he went to Boston to give a series of lectures, after studying public speaking in Philadelphia.

On his return, he met people from the American Baptist Publication Society in Philadelphia, who appointed him as Sunday School Missionary for the state of Kentucky. He had always worked to build up the Sunday Schools at his churches, and this gave him the chance to continue to work on education around the state. The Colored Baptist State Sunday School Convention of Kentucky appointed him to the position of State Sunday School Superintendent.

With his leadership positions and public speaking, Allensworth became increasingly interested in politics. In 1880 and 1884, he was selected as Kentucky's only black delegate to the Republican National Conventions.

Military career as chaplain

In 1886, when he was 44, Allensworth gained support by both southern and northern politicians for appointment as a chaplain in the US Army; his appointment was confirmed by the Senate, as necessary at the time, and approved by the president. He was one of the few black chaplains in the US Army and was assigned to the 24th Infantry Regiment, known as the Buffalo Soldiers. His family accompanied him on assignments in the West, ranging from Fort Bayard, New Mexico Territory to Fort Supply, Indian Territory, and Fort Harrison, near Helena, Montana. His wife played organ in the fort chapels.

At Fort Bayard, Allensworth wrote Outline of Course of Study, and the Rules Governing Post Schools of Ft. Bayard, N.M.. The Army adapted these for use as the standard manual on the education of enlisted personnel.

By the time of his retirement in 1906, Allensworth had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, the first African American to gain that rank.

Allensworth, California

After the army, Allensworth and his family settled in Los Angeles. He was inspired by the idea of establishing a self-sufficient, all-black California community where African Americans could live free of the racial discrimination that pervaded post-Reconstruction America. His dream was to build a community where black people might live and create "sentiment favorable to intellectual and industrial liberty."

In 1908, he founded Allensworth in Tulare county, about thirty miles north of Bakersfield, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. The black settlers of Allensworth built homes, laid out streets, and put up public buildings. They established a church, and organized an orchestra, a glee club, and a brass band.

The Allensworth colony became a member of the county school district and the regional library system and a voting precinct. Residents elected the first African-American Justice of the Peace in post-Mexican California. In 1914, the California Eagle reported that the Allensworth community consisted of 900 acres (360 ha) of deeded land worth more than US$112,500.

Allensworth soon developed as a town, not just a colony. Among the social and educational organizations that flourished during its golden age were the Campfire Girls, the Owl Club, the Girls' Glee Club, and the Children's Savings Association, for the town's younger residents, while adults participated in the Sewing Circle, the Whist Club, the Debating Society, and the Theater Club. Col. Allensworth was an admirer of the African-American educator Booker T. Washington, who was the founding president and longtime leader of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Allensworth dreamed that his new community could be self-sufficient and become known as the "Tuskegee of the West".

The Girls' Glee Club was modeled after the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University, who had toured internationally. They were the community's pride and joy. All the streets in the town were named after notable African Americans and/or white abolitionists, such as Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionist and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

The dry and dusty soil made farming difficult. The drinking water became contaminated by arsenic as the water level fell.

The year 1914 also brought a number of setbacks to the town. First, much of the town's economic base was lost when the Santa Fe Railroad moved its rail stop from Allensworth to Alpaugh. In September, during a trip to Monrovia, California, Colonel Allensworth was crossing the street when he was struck and killed by a motorcycle. The town refuses to die. The downtown area is now preserved as Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park where thousands of visitors come from all over California to take part in the special events held at the park during the year. The area outside the state park is also still inhabited.

Allensworth is the only California community to be founded, financed and governed by African Americans. The founders were dedicated to improving the economic and social status of African Americans. Uncontrollable circumstances, including a drop in the area's water table, resulted in the town's decline.

Legacy and honors

The state has preserved the site and is gradually restoring its buildings. The most important building is the school house, which the community prized as representing the future of its children. In use until 1972, it is furnished as it would have been on a school day in 1915. The park arranges special events to celebrate the former community's history, and the park's visitor center features a film about the site. An annual re-dedication ceremony reaffirms the vision of the original pioneers.

Col. Allensworth's residence is preserved and furnished in the 1912-period style. It contains items from his life in the military service and the ministry. A small display of farm equipment is a reminder of the Allensworth economic base.

A public monument, designed by Ron Husband, has been funded by the City of Monrovia, California.

Death

Allen Allensworth died at the age of 72, on September 14, 1914. He was killed by a motorcyclist in Monrovia, California.