#i think its ok to have a pretty much .. purely taste based opinion for once?

[ganondoodle]

a sort of mini-rant .. or more a personal opinion of totk; most my issues with it are probably clear by now, given how much i have talked about it, its probably also rather clear that i dont like the sonau (engl zonai) very much the way they were done in the game and its got lots of reason that all play into each other-

tho to mention something that is much more personal taste; i dont think sonau tech is actually that much 'tech', its mostly just magic animating some green rocky looking material or creating flames and rockets kinda out of nowhere

im someone that loves mechanical stuff, like old mechanisms, the first cars and first versions of technology, steam trains and such, i think its in part bc i like knowing the context of things, how stuff WORKS, and why it is or how it makes sense, huge metal beams attached to countless cogs, hearing the steam shoot out of the kettle(?) that powers a huge maschinery ... steampunk if you will

and shiekah tech, while obviously not exactly like that, still has some mechanical parts to it, sure its also magical, powered by some unkown material, but its got bits and pieces that move, it looks like something that seems pretty believable, if you look into a guardians ... hole at the flipside of it (you know what i mean) theres stuff that moves, glowy cogwheels and more, pipes and cores, you can see it between their 'head' and body too, you find springs and screws on broken ones, even the cores have some mechanism around it, and while being automatic and doing stuff on their own .. they are not sentient, not in the way sonau constructs are at least (listen i, in realy life, think of pretty much anythign inanimate as a sentient thing in a way, but maybe you know what i mean, i also like when things cannot just talk directly to you -also a reason i like silent characters- and instead you have to work a little or just ... pay attention to understand it?) (this also kidna goes for the shrine puzzles? like you often had to work with some sort of mechanical thing to get to the end of the shrine in botw, in totk you mostly just kinda glue stuff together and it .. just works?? not a fan of that tbh tho the shrine puzzles where one of the most fun parts nonetheless)

the sonau 'tech' isnt that, really, the most mechanical thing is a wheel or fan spinning? but all other stuff either just works (like rockets and stuff) or its a bunch of floating rings vaguely held together by some magical swirly string, and the constructs literally talk to you, like characters, while still being treated as nothing but 'maschines', i got nothing against magical maschinery (heck i love the shiekah stuff) but thats like .. too far removed from actual mechanisms to hit the right spot for me, that combined with the strange super modern look of some things (like the wheels, and kinda nonsensical steering thing, the rockets that just .. look like literal rockets with a vaguely rock looking texture over it .. etc) it made it all the more bleh to me

and while its far from a deal breaker it just adds another grain of salt on my opinion of the sonau things in general and the game as a whole (especially considering that lame ass excuse to just act like shiekah tech never existed ... ill never forgive them for that)

[tangyyyy]

Triangle and bullshit

Taking part in every dramas inherent to this fandom is not in my habits, I must admit it. Generally, I don't agree with the majority view. Why? I don't really know... I already asked myself the question without really finding any answer that totally suits me. Do I have different logics because I'm older than the average age of the fandom? Perhaps my opinions, steeped in French culture, do not match the cultural majority of the fandom? I really don't know. The fact remains that I often disagree with the majority opinion and that more often than not, I force to shut myself up. Unwilling to give anything to chew to people who spend their time complaining, questioning everything, most of the time, I keep what I think for myselfn just sharing my views with fandom friends who, without necessarily sharing my opinions, can themselves be open-minded and less radical than some in the tag. Anyway, seeing the increasing criticism and, above all, the more or less hateful messages directly addressed to the Skam France team, I feel the need to explain myself. Completely selfish approach, it has no other goal than to bring out what I have in mind, nothing else. Afterwards, I will no longer take part in this sterile and somewhat childish "debate". The vox populi (aka the majority opinion of the fandom) seems to reject the idea of ​​a love triangle. Small parenthesis... This rejection is so massive, so extreme, that it's impossible for me to forget the underlying narrow-minded morality that seems to create it. I don't judge you ! Myself, at the start of the season, I was one of those who prayed not to be entitled to yet another love triangle. What I regret is the little thought shown by the fandom now that the event they feared has happened. The love triangle... Let's talk about it. Love triangle is a dramatic scheme widely used since time immemorial. The literature (western or otherwise) of the past three millennias testifies without controversy to this dimension of archetypal universality of the love triangle. I won't cite all the books, films and series that deal with love triangles, it would be endless. Why does this dramatic pattern come up all the time? But because these triangles can give rise, among the protagonists, to a palette of feelings, each more interesting than the other. Jealousy, humiliation, betrayal, guilt, feeling like a traitor, being dishonest, hurting someone... And guess what? All this... This is love too! To believe in a love without cloud, without wound, without misunderstandings, excuse me, but I find that a little... Naive. Youy think I'm cynical? No no, I sincerely believe in pure and eternal love. I don't turn a blind eye to the difficulties experienced by couples to achieve this, quite simply. In short.. As unpleasant and painful as it is, the experience of the triangle can be a powerful growth lever for the characters involved. Betrayal has enormous potential value on us. It denounces an identity flaw and at the same time authorizes a process of quest for identity, which will succeed or not, depending on what the characters decide to do with it. If a triangle comes into our life, on our own or someone else's act, it has a purpose. It becomes the revealing mirror of our unconscious. You don't like relationships based on triangles? That's too bad, The majority of interactions between humans is based on triangular issues. (One of the three people may very well be imaginary, a fantasy. The triangle may very well not be romantic but can take place into family (Freud and his Oedipus)). The problem in this fandom is the poverty of meaning that the fans seem to add to the love triangle of this season 5. Exemple: “Arthur cheats the nice Alexia with the bad Noée, it's not good, it does nothing for the story”. Or even without a personal value judgment... “Arthur hesitates between Alexia and Noée, it's silly.” WTF? But if we stick to this vision of things, necessarily that no intrigue is worth exploring. Through this intrigue, instead of grumbling and rejecting it, how about considering its potential? OKAY! Ok I know! You did't want to see a love triangle. Neither did I. But once we have said that, once we have expressed our dissatisfaction, we should perhaps think of moving on to something else, right? I only see posts that ramble, that always say the same thing, it's kinda annoying, really...

We have no choice, we aren't decision makers. The writers decided to write the story this way. Well. We can have reservations, but that won't change anything, so go ahead, right? Or else, you know what? You can also make the choice to stop watching Skam France or even to shut up... Yes, yes, I assure you, it's possible! I say all this while finally, for me, in this season 5, there is no love triangle. Let me explain... For me, there is a love triangle only if there is real hesitation, if one of the three protagonists is really attracted to the other two, may not be in the same way but in any case with the same power. Is this the case here? No! Arthur is not in love with Noée! Arthur is clearly in love with Alexia, it shows, it feels. Maybe I'm wrong but for me, there is no doubt. For a love triangle to work, the outcome must be uncertain. There, we know very well that Arthur never thought of becoming a couple with Noée. So no, for me, there is NO love triangle, Arthur is not attracted (lovingly speaking) by Noée. Okay... Okay, but he kissed her, right?! Yeah right... But there is kiss and kiss, right? I know many will disagree with me. I know it and I expose myself, by giving my opinion, to many outraged reactions but I want to say it anyway ... (My blog is not important enough to receive haters anyway :P) I don't think Arthur really cheated on Alexia. Is kissing cheating? Everyone discuss about it, often sticking firmly to their positions. The debate rages between those for whom the kiss wreaks havoc in the couple with a strong taste of cheating, and those for whom kissing remains harmless and is not adulterous. the notion of cheating remains at the discretion of each. In my opinion, a kiss can be considered as cheating if it's leaded by attraction, by desire. In the case of Arthur and Noée, it wasn't really the case I think. Maybe yes on Noée's side but certainly not on Arthur's side! And it's Arthur who "cheats", not Noée. This kiss came to fill a moment of interstellar emptiness. We all know these voids. These moments, often silent, which follow great confidences, when people find themselves in a state of great vulnerability, an intense fragility, where we could die of embarassment or fear. So yes, at that time, Arthur and Noée kissed. It wasn't desire but simple reassurance. Let's face it, kissing someone, touching one another lips, it's a feeling that can make you forget everything. An intimate gesture that comforts, that warms. Did you know? In some cultures, friends may very well kiss on the mouth without this being considered a loving gesture. So ok, that was bullshit. Instead of kissing Noée, Arthur would have done better to burst into tears, to give her a hug or even to make a mental breakdown, that would have meant the same thing (at least for me) but would have been much more politically correct.It would have less shocked  very young fans who still believe in the love of fairy tales...

But... Ok, I take a step aside, I take a step back (come, try, do like me, you'll see, it's pretty easy actually!). For this paragraph, I will consider this kiss as cheating... An infidelity can speak of many other things than disaffection. It can be linked to a problem in the couple: loss of communication, concern for the other, desire, estrangement from the two partners, conflicts ... It can also respond to a very personal problem. Kissing Noée, Arthur didn't mean to say: "Noée je t'aime", or "I don't love Alexia anymore." or even "That's it, I hesitate between two girls now!". No! Perhaps this "cheating" simply meant "I'm lost", "There is a problem between Alexia and me, we no longer understand each other. ", " I'm scared.". By kissing Noée, Arthur expresses his doubts to the spectator, he lets go under the pressure of being perfect on both sides. He shows himself to be human. And yes! Before being the perfect boyfriend, Arthur is a human. Anyway! Love is worth living, it is a feeling of intense lightness, of absolute happiness. But one cannot ignore all the pains which can gravitate around this love. It's not magic. All that to say that I will continue to follow Skam France season 5 with great happiness. Ok, they did not go in the direction I wanted but... This is also why I watch series, films, that I read books. To be surprised. If I want to control all the stories, I write them, it's that simple. I do not agree with everything that the writers put in place (the treatment of Alexia's caracter disappoints me a lot so far for example) but I won't flood the social networks with my own disappointment and my hateful comments. Trust me, I have a lot better to do with my free time. So, in short: Take a deep breath, try to step aside, get out of your own representations and you'll see, the Skam France experience is worth living.

[thattimdrakeguy]

I dont like 2 batfam members and I cant even say it when someone asks me if I dont like them or not, because their fans are so weird that they wont leave you alone, even sending some messages and harassing you... but when Its about Tim people always saying their own opinions and people are ok with this. Batfam fandom is full of hypocrisy and it's annoying

I’ve seen people called racist just because they didn’t like Damian, and I’m still baffled about it since I seen that happen to someone, because just because they don’t like their favorite, doesn’t make them a racist. Unless, you know, they’re actually a big racist, in which case go ahead.

I’ve seen people get huffy when someone doesn’t like Dick because “I THINK WE SHOULD JUST ENJOY ALL THAT BAT-FAMILY MEMBERS” to try to make the other person look cynical for just not happening to enjoy all of them.

and even full rants when someone doesn’t enjoy Jason. Like it’s so unbelievable that maybe some people don’t enjoy reading edgy anti-heroes, or don’t find him likable.

It’s all very obnoxious because it’s overly defensive over something as small as a guy in a post saying off to the side “I also just personally don’t like blank that much”. You can’t often get away with saying how you feel about a character in fandoms, because if someone sees it it’s very much possible you’ll get crap for it.

A guy once yelled at me for an hour because I thought Jon Kent was an archetype that never moved beyond and that he was bland because of it. Just my opinion and reaction to people sending Bendis’s death-threats over aging him up. I thought it was outrageous that Jon was a character people were sending death-threats over, and they tried to gaslight me over it. Trying to act like I was trying to say some characters were worth sending death-threats over over, instead of accepting the fact I was trying to show perspective to the few that might’ve read the post I’m talking about.

and I’ve seen Tim fans be called out as the toxic ones many-a-time, but personally, in the bad things that they do do? They’re no worse in any way compared to the other fan bases to be called out specifically, they’re relatively tame in comparison aggression-wise, even if that’s possibly because it’s been growing smaller since the New 52. The bat-family fandom tries it’s best to be positive, but they also dive into bizarre behaviors when someone doesn’t like even one of the characters.

Just in general I find the Bat-Family fandom to be full of hypocrisy as you’ve said, or at least in general, and they seem to try and make it seem ultra positive and inviting by saying WE SHOULD ALL JUST ENJOY ALL OF THEM, but that’s not how people work, and feels like a backhanded way of trying to make the other person seem cynical and bitter, purely for not agreeing.

Sometimes tastes don’t collide with all of them, you find major writing flaws with them, you could never find yourself enjoying any comic they’ve ever been in, maybe the people that always write them you have genuine problems with how they write, and because they write that character so much, you don’t like them.

It’s okay to not like a character.

There’s always going to be a reason to not like a character, even if it’s reasonably small, it’s okay, it’s valid to just not like a character because of tastes or that click never happened. It’s something that’s always gonna happen to someone, I doubt there’s a single character that clicked with everyone all the time.

But with Tim, the stuff that gets praised for being said always seems to be for petty, vile reasons that’s practically slandering a fictional character, like calling him an incel, racist, or sexist, while trying to show panels with the wrong context to make it seem true, like they’ll show Tim talking negatively about Damian because of his genetics, and they like to say it’s because he’s Arabian to make Tim seem racist, and ignore that it’s obviously because of the Al Ghul connection, or they’ll show Tim be negative to someone that happens to be a girl like Steph, even though he wasn’t negative to them because they were a girl, but because of their actions or what Batman told him.

People occasionally get praised for saying stuff like that, as if to say “thanks for saying the truth!” even though it’s not even slightly close to the truth. It’s literally lies to make a character they happen to not like less likable, to make people that like the character feel crappy because so many people will say such lies against the character they enjoy. 

The people that say that stuff just agreed with hating the character together, and they wanted to do their best to make the lies seem true. Even over something so small. Just so there’s a smidgen of a chance some person that doesn’t know better will just assume they’re right.

A very petty action.

That’s the stuff that is toxic and I cannot stand, it’s not okay to do that, to any character, person, or anything. It’s purely mean spirited.

and for the other people who won’t allow reasonable people to dislike their favorite character?

Toxic in their own way. 

People should be permitted to not like your fav when they have their own reasons that aren’t even close to slander, I understand it may be annoying because you like them so much, but it’s something that happens, and you’ll have to deal with it, because it’s not fair to yell at someone because of a disagreement, especially when it’s rational thought behind their decision.

The behavior I’ve seen for or against a character in fandoms (mainly this one since this has been pretty much the only fandom I’m involved in), has been too much, and I think a lot of it needs to stop.

[happywitch416]

Ok, now do Leliana, Merrill, Iron Bull, and Blackwall. I love your opinions.

I have lots of opinions and some of them are even good ones so I appreciate the love for them lol

I already did Blackwall here.

The Iron Bull

How I feel about this character

Look, when I discovered I could romance The Iron Bull, 6-year-old me found her prince charming dreams come true. Why? Tim Curry as Darkness in Legend. My tastes have been odd forever. Pretty boys are exactly that and usually boring. And he's disabled, yet tall and strong. He finds himself a family? Also BDSM but that is probably more info than anyone has ever wanted from me. There is just so much? He is a big character, not even because of his size but because he takes up metaphysical space and does not apologize for it. And he's a spy! You would expect all spies in the Qun to be like Tallis and instead you have this motherfucker that could bench press a wagon and the horses. Also, his love of dragons mirrors my own. Spiritual bonding.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Dorian and tiny Cadash inquisitors because I am easily made happy. So much tall and small.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Sera. Mayhem.lace Harding. Viv, I love their dynamic. She mother hens this giant and he's just? So down for it? He's cool with being adopted.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I love him as is. Folks who say he's abusive I will meet in the pit. And I will win. Dealt with that in real life, get your purity brownie points elsewhere. Far the fuck away from me. Triggering? Sure. But that's a personal issue you need to work through, not take it on people who are fine with it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

More of life after the qun. I want him to grow past that. There is just so much shit packed into that way of life and I want him to unpack it. Show your emotions! Feel them! With less sticks! Or more sticks bc honestly that makes sense.

And maybe make his relationship with Dorian without those sketchy bits. Like why the fuck were those even there. why.

Leliana

How I feel about this character

It took a long time for Leliana to grow on me. That whole chosen by god thing just grates. But it makes sense storywise! So I'm okay with it really. Hardened Leliana in DAI? Where is the sweet girl who sang around a campfire? Like I get it, she was in the game and the left hand but they idk. It really bothered me to see her so cynical and harsh. People change sure. But I don't like how it worked with her. Now her feelings of failure in regards to divine justinia? Yes, good. Also her becoming divine and basically razing it to the ground? She is probably the truest follower of the chant since andraste. Her reaction to morrigan being in orlais was...fucky. why make them enemies. Where is the setup for this. Wtf. I also dig that she's a redhead and an archer. I am shallow okay. But we do not see a lot of the fun Leliana in dai and I think thats a disservice. 

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Female wardens, any race are brilliant. I just can't picture her with a dude beyond using him to get something done. I like her with Josie and Morrigan as well.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Iron Bull and Sera, hold with me here, because she needs fun and to remember she can have it. Same for Lace. But I also see her being friends with Viv. And of course Josie and I kinda dig her friendship with Cassandra. She could be friends with anyone, until she stabs them I guess.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I think they wanted a hardass spymistress and almost neglected everything else. We get bare hints of the Leliana we met in dao in dai. Once again people change, but i think its fucky.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

No to the lyrium ghost? What the fuck? She fakes her death if the warden kills her. Boom done, and keeping in line with her Bard status. You can't tell me the chantry allowed a god damn ghost. Although, a lyrium based ghost could be corrupted by blight and thats scary. An evil Leliana, scary but hot. 

Merrill

How I feel about this character

She is adorable and performs blood magic. She's my one of my top 5 characters in this realm. She goes around picking flowers out of random gardens? Her pure excitement at seeing a mugging. I however despise her clan. The people who should have cared for her the most, betrayed her the most. And she restores an Eluvian, just how powerful of mage is she? Like yes i know she has a demon or whatever but she has far more control of that deal then Anders does with justice. It seems to be a healthy deal.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Isabela! You know she brings home all the exotic flowers she can find while shes on the sea for Merrill. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Also Isabela. They have such a good friendship in game? Puts marbles in her boots. 

My unpopular opinion about this character

Every time someone writes her as a sweet little pushover i want to sacrifice them to the seven circles of hell. She's arguably one of the strongest mages we meet, and not necessarily spell wise. The will power she must have, she has a successful partnership with a spirit. She laughs at near muggings? You think balls that big would be a doormat? Gtfo.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

She should have been brought in as an advisor, arcane, elven whatever, in dai. Morrigan? The elven expert? Eluvian expert? A lot of that was based off well flemeth is her mom and she just felt a connection with research into elven magic. Sure jan. As a Daughter literally never do you listen that well to your mom. She could have been a knowledge buddy with Merrill. Even with Solas, they literally trust some rando that wanders in. A total unknown that spouts off about the fade that is suspicious use of elfroot sounding. There was an opportunity and they missed it.

[strechanadi]

POB Swan Lake overthinking no. 783

I don’t have time for this, she said. I have to work on actual papers, she said. And here she is, writing shitload of words about another POB Swan Lake, since she’s a respectable, responsible adult human being.

(Dear @spinmelikeyoumeanit, this is purely your fault, please do know I hate you right now. Enjoy the madness and all the mistakes I am far too lazy to correct. If I’d be able to find them in the first place, that is.)

Shockingly enough, I was yet again asked to share my opinions on POB Swan Lake. And we all know the real meaning behind question „what did you think about SL?“ is in POB case „What did you think about Wolfgang/Siegfried relationship?“ Can’t quite believe that after the madness that was 2016 recording, someone think it healthy to let me dive into this once again. But you wanted it, so here we go!

  You know, despite my academic title, that was supposed to made me educated in matters of history, theory, aesthetics, and who the hell knows what else of dance, I’m still just 5yo child in a overgrown body deep down. So watching anything on stage I am still very much driven by my feelings, my opinions formed by and based on my liking certain things and disliking others (and by disliking I mean hating – 5yo child, don’t forget that). I am all too well aware of my reviews, critics, even the supposedly professional ones, being strongly personal and not at all objective. (As I think is pretty clear even from bad English translations…) (And let’s not begin with the „is it even possible to write an objective, i.e. unbiased, review at all?“ let’s just… not.) (Because it surely is and it‘s just me, painfully incapable of doing so, and desperately trying to hide my own lameness by saying such things as „it can’t be done, so why wasting time trying?“) (However an essay on me and my way of writing things is absolutely different matter, that no one was asking for, and reasonably so. I’m going to shut up now and maybe even get myself to the point…)

  Thinking about yesterday’s performance, there’s one feeling coming back constantly, no matter how valiantly I’m trying to fight it. It’s disappointment. And I HATE it! Partly because – come on, disappointment is not at all something one should feel after watching Nureyev’s POB SL, partly because it’s utterly absurd – the company was in top shape, 2nd and 4th act corps de ballet flawless, Nureyev’s choreography still one of the best I know. And yet…

It’s like I cannot be given POB SL I would like 150%, without questions, without reservations.

Don‘t get me wrong, I love the 2005 recording. It opened my eyes, it made me realize French technique is IT for me, it showed me Karl for the first time and made me fell in love with him (and with Wolfgang) the second he stepped on stage in prologue (if anybody ever tells you love at first sight doesn’t exist, well…). I utterly loved Agnes as Odette/Odile and after few years I realized I actually adore the costumes, the faded colours, the weirdly dreamy atmosphere. But even though I got to understand José Martinez and his interpretation of Siegfried at the end (like after 3 years, never said I was the brightest one), I still felt there’s something missing for me to be completely happy. (But then again, there was Karl the-best-Wolfgang-one-could-ever-hope-for Paquette, and that alone could make me happy for days!)

Knowing me you are probably a bit confused right now, because hello, you were obsessing over 2016 recording for literal weeks, you wrote utterly mad review on it AND another positively deranged essay on main characters, you were clearly unable to shut up about it for even 5 seconds, so what the hell are talking about now, not being 150% happy with any SL recording so far. Well yes, I got to see Siegfried I loved embarrassingly much, and Wolfgang/Rothbart that worked so well with him, that I was almost able to forget Karl (for exactly 27 seconds or so), but then there was Amandine, whose Odette was just… well… eh, nothing special, and as minor issue as it may seems, it still left the faintest bitter taste somewhere deep, deep down, thanks to which I simply couldn’t make myself to say – yes, this is the best Swan Lake of all Swan Lakes I’ve ever seen and you all should just stop with whatever you are doing right now and go watch it (even thought it was one of the best Swan Lakes I’ve ever seen and you all should stop with whatever you are doing right now and go watch it).

And now, now I got Odette/Odile with personality and strong charisma again, Wolfgang that is still more Rothbart that anything else, but that I got used to. And Siegfried, who I fucking hate. There. My inner child strikes again. In full force.

 Honestly, Germain was my biggest disappointment. And kind of the only one, thinking about it now. It’s rather ridiculous, dismiss the whole performance because of one character, isn’t it? And that character being Siegfried. It’s not like there are not quite few SL with a bit boring princes, right? It’s kind of expected, not that shocking, is it? But hell – if I love Nureyev’s ballets it’s because he’s given his male heroes more time, more space, more dance, more personality. If I love Nureyev’s SL it’s because of Siegfried being the main character (and because of Wolfgang/Rothbart, because of corps de ballet, because of many other things, but you get my point, surely). This SL demands much from its main hero, and is not forgiving. Or maybe in reality it is and the unforgiving bitch is me. And rest assured I am. I love Siegfried. I love his character, the possibilities the dancer’s given in interpretation and I fucking love his variations. And Germain kind of killed everything, or almost everything for me. It is personal, of course it is, how it cannot be? But one just couldn’t mess one of the most beautiful variations ever made and expect I’d be just, you know what, whatever, your feet were pointed, your 5th position perfect, your technique overall crystal clear, and you are pretty, so who cares? Who cares about interpretation? Who cares about how it seems you have no idea, what you were doing 5minutes ago, what you are doing now and where your character is heading? God, Germain, please, this Siegfried is not just some other prince. He’s so much more than that. You could do practically anything with his character, built it the way you want, the way you are, the way you believe. Just use that pretty head of yours and what’s inside!

There were moments in act 1 (that, let’s be clear, sets the mood for the whole thing), that were promising. I loved what a child Siegfried was, how eager he was to pleased Wolfgang, what an adorable little puppy he could be. (And what is it with me and puppies lately?! First Armand, then one of Bourne’s princes, now Germain, when does this stop? I should choose different animal, seriously. Or different comparison altogether…), but the more promising these moments were – like the one, where Siegfried was looking at Wolfgang as (and I cannot describe it in any other way) a blushing virgin, which, and I swear, made me screamed so loud it could be heard across the ocean! - the more frustrating the outcome.

As I said yesterday, Germain’s Siegfried was like 5yo. You can tell just by looking at him the moment Wolfgang stopped him from following the other boys. I kind of expected Siegfried’s going to stamp his feet or something equally mature :D (but he just went and killed off my favourite variation) (I cannot watch it without screaming, so don’t make me just so you would know what exactly I found problematic).

If anything, his interpretation was simply incoherent. All right, you decided to portray your prince as a child, so pure, so clueless, fine. But if the only thing you can do is one smile, it’s too little, and it is really hard to make your character convincing and not simply annoying after 5 minutes. (Yeah, we got it, you are dreamy, starry eyed kid, cool, could you maybe do something different now? ANYTHING?) But OK. Still could work. But then there’s Siegfried’s variation at the end of act 1. And suddenly you are acting like the teenage prince who is about to marry, who is forced to become and adult and who is scared and has his doubts and all that, but – there was exactly NOTHING before in your way of building your character, that would justify such change. No self-doubt during whole act. None. Zero. Who are you trying to convince now? It’s not going to work all of sudden! And then, another ultimate favourite part of mine – Siegfried/Wolfgang duet. And Siegfried is yet again his unsuspecting, depending, pure baby self. And reading this, you may think, OK, well it could make sense, don’t be such a bitch about it. But it didn’t make sense. The whole interaction had so much potential from Francois‘ part and almost nothing from Germain in return (apart from his perfectly perfect legs – I swear, should he spent as much time thinking about his character as much as he seemed to be thinking about his technique, what an interpretation we could‘ve seen)!

Someone on twitter or somewhere said Germain did his variations beautifully, but they looked more like from concours, than from an actual performance. And that’s exactly it. Not just he became all melancholic out of blue, but the second he was about to do a sissone or a pirouette or a developpé or anything, he was all about technique, about pointed feet, about jump higher and I wanted to scream (so I did).

What hurts me the most is knowing it really, truly could have made sense. Were Germain’s presence more genuine, more real… (or at least consistent!)

  Francois was his usual self as Wolfgang. Still more Rothbart in disguise (*sigh* I want Karl *more pathetic sigh*), smug smile on his face the entire time (I caught myself smirking with him, so he did something right, I’d say) (or maybe I’m just a bad person who would love too much to play with this Siegfried and make him suffer without him even knowing what’s going on) (I told you he was annoying, didn’t I?), he was aware of his power, he was using it freely, enjoying himself (maybe in a bit more reserved manner than in 2016, more for his sake, than for show, even though he could probably laugh at Siegfried’s face and the prince would still run to him happily). And there was Siegfried, all wide eyes, unguarded smiles, so out of touch with anything he physically needed Wolfgang to hold his hand to take him here and there (at one moment pretty disturbing idea crossed my mind – how it would be easier for Wolfgang to just have a leash… I sincerely apologize for my brain, I’d like to say it’s not my fault, truly, but it most probably is.)

Honestly – it was far too easy for Wolfgang this time. This Siegfried believed him implicitly, without question, without doubt, completely, unreservedly, with everything he has, while having no idea, while being completely unaware of a single thing going on around him, not to mention with him. Their relationship was (or could have been) (sorry, inner child, remember) even more uncomfortable, with all those touches literally all over prince’s body – his bare neck, his chest, his arms, his hands, and yet there was anything remotely sexual (not even intimately intimate – if it makes sense) between them. Which was a good thing, because that would be pure child’s pornography…

In act 4, Francois‘ Rothbart was positively mad. Like cartoon villain mad. And it is so not for me… (give me Karl, please, give me all his performances, and if it’s too much, give me just his 4 acts, that’s all I would ever ask for, pretty, pretty, pretty please with the whole cherry tree on top)

 You know me (well you don’t, but you do in a way, which is terrifying and I hope you all have already come to terms with me have to kill you some day), I love looking for things, for meaning of this and that, analysing every tiny bit of one interaction between characters (i.e. overthinking everything and making up more and more insane theories) (this applies on ballet only, I’m literally unable to see anything that is not canon in literature/tv shows/films/whatever, so if I had the misfortune of stumble over fandom of one thing or another, I’m more often than not at loss for what the people are talking about, but that is probably just my own autism showing…) – but with this SL, this Siegfried, I had to try unreasonably hard to see something. And that’s simply wrong. The (over)analysing should be an outcome of pure need, that was brought into life by strong emotions you felt while watching something, it should come naturally. There should be no effort, no trying… It’s quite easy – heart, then mind. If there’s nothing in your heart in the first place, why bother your poor, overworked brain with it? While it probably doesn’t even exist. It doesn’t make sense.

  So to sum this whole SL up, here you have my ultimate conclusion:

Siegfried wasn’t just autistic, he had serious mental affliction. I mean, weren’t Wolfgang right sadistic bastard, he could tell Siegfried to jump out of window, be done with it and spare himself all the effort.

  And since it’s 3.30 AM again, I’m going to bed. To sleep. Not watching Siegfried variations when they were perfect and therefore the world still made sense… (God, it is I who have mental affliction!)

[northcountryprimitive]

It’s About Being The Change:  The Kyle Fosburgh Interview

Originally published at North Country Primitive in March 2015

Minneapolis-based guitarist Kyle Fosburgh is a man with many fingers in many different pies – solo performer, record label owner, reviver of great lost guitar albums and tireless promoter of alternatives to music industry norms and conventions. Given the scope of his activities, we decided to step outside the North Country Primer format for our interview with him, in an attempt to do justice to all of this: we weren’t going to pass up the opportunity to find out more about the motivations behind his label, Grass-Top Recording, his Robbie Basho and Dennis Taylor reissues – as well as his own music and influences. Our thanks go out to Kyle for giving up his time to talk to us. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and the musical journey that took you to a place where you concluded that playing an acoustic guitar on your own was a good idea...

I believe that God intended for us to play acoustic music. Rock and roll is fine, but there is no substitute for real unamplified acoustic music, if you want to go really deep. Having said that, it’s important to understand that electrified music and acoustic music both have their respective place and purpose in the world. I need both in my life to balance my emotions… so perhaps the most important point in all of this is to play what you feel, and listen to the music that speaks to you personally – to be honest. The real reason why commercial music has gotten so absurdly bad these days is not because people don’t have good taste anymore or are less talented than previous generations, but because few people even get to a place of realising the full potential of music and its original purpose in our lives. It’s just not a concern in anyone’s mind. There’s so much coming at us these days that the only way for young people to discern anything is to sit back, take a breather and begin to think about what it is we’re being sold. And most people don’t have time for that, nor do they see reason enough to question these things. It’s a fast paced world and nobody’s eager to slow it down. Musical composition and performance is a sacred thing to me, not a career. This is why it’s hard to push and promote myself. And this is why I’ve had a bit of a hard time getting press. But it’s not a curse. I am thankful for the fans and support I do have, and will never take that for granted. And while acoustic music will always be front and centre in my life, I need to have fun and play electric music too. It’s important to lighten up now and then and not take yourself too seriously. It keeps you grounded. Will my electrified music end up being more popular than my acoustic music? Who knows! That's not why I do it. But my hope is that there's something in my music for everyone. I enjoy doing all of it. What has influenced your music and why? Robbie Basho has influenced my music. Here’s why. Aside from his own music being the highest form of musical expression - and quality - I’ve ever known, his fundamental approach to composition and his overall musical philosophy aligns with my own. I didn’t even realise what my own musical philosophy was until I heard his music. It was a wake up call from every angle - a complete transformation. When I heard Green River Suite for the first time, I thought “somebody did it… somebody really did it”. But I didn’t know what it was until that moment when I was actually hearing him play! It was an epiphany. I didn’t know the truth until I heard its power. Basho’s music represented, in the most honest and pure way, the possibilities of one person with one guitar and one voice. Music is limitless. You can re-work, blend or extend anything you want. Robbie played exactly what he felt: he extracted influence from music and cultures around the globe and throughout history. That’s what’s so important to take away. I also love the music of Hank Williams, The Blue Sky Boys, Blind Willie McTell and a lot of the old time country, bluegrass, and rural blues musicians. I love Americana. It’s personal and home grown. It’s completely different to Basho, but both can exist in the same world without conflict. To this day, I still play Hank Williams songs at my shows, along with my extended 6 and 12-string guitar ragas and explorations. It works, because both forms of expression are true to me. It just took some strategic set list placements to make the song-to-song transitions work!

How did Grass-Tops Recording come about? Can you tell us something about the label ethos? Grass-Tops was founded a few years ago when I needed a place to put out my music and the Robbie Basho reissues. My first couple of albums came out before the label structure was really solidified. Visions of the Country was the first official physical release on the label. Grass-Tops became a way for me to not only issue my own work, but share the music I was discovering in my own journeys and highlight the artists who’ve inspired me the most. It’s a natural thing in that way… I would say that Grass-Tops represents everything that is pure and great about music, with absolutely zero of the set-backs and BS of the music industry. See, the independent music industry wants to discreetly keep everything to a certain standard in order to keep peoples’ attention and wants to keep things easy to produce and consistently and predictably sell. But they don’t want to set the bar too high or wake people up to something they might be missing. The label guys want to keep things palatable. That’s the main point. They want to keep the culture in place. Nobody wants to shake things up and create a demand for quality. Nobody wants to tell the truth. The incentive is not there for them. Yet these same people want to shoot down the mainstream music industry. In a way, the mainstream music industry is actually better than the independent industry, because at least the material they’re pumping out is not usually trying to disguise itself as ‘art’. In my view, the independent scene is just a better version of a fundamentally corrupt system. And they’re trying to act as though they are the answer to the corruption. Grass-Tops is my small and personal answer to this problem. Instead of putting things down, it’s infinitely more gratifying to build something that’s better, thus creating an alternative for artists. For me it’s about being the change. There are a lot of talented performers and composers out there who never see the light of day. And there are a lot of artists who show strong potential, but get hung up by the industry and don’t evolve. You’ve got to play what you want and be true to yourself, always. Have you ever seen an artist on stage who absolutely dreads what they’re doing? Those who do are not artists - they’re just putting in the time and doing a job. Like I said before, music will never be my career. Running a label and doing all the little busy work is already enough to drive me mad. But that’s ok. Life is work. And playing music will remain my therapy... You have a fine roster of guitarists named on the website who are involved with the label – do they play an active role? How did they become involved? I founded Grass-Tops several years ago, but really didn't make it a full time thing until last year. My friend Hayden Pedigo is involved in the label on the periphery. He's not directly involved in anything, but he and I are really good friends and work together often. We bounce ideas off each other and give each other advice. His spirit is in this thing and that's what really counts to me. He's his own man, and has his own musical thing going on too. He pushes the label when he can. I'm grateful to have his belief in this pursuit of mine - he's been of great support to me. Christoph Bruhn lives in town here. We first me through Facebook before he'd moved to Minneapolis - he was originally from the Duluth area. He's one of the best young guitarists today, in my opinion, along with Hayden. These guys really get it - and they can compose. Being able to compose is a real rarity these days, as is being able to play with feeling and make things your own. Christoph handles artist relations for the label. He plans the tours and books local shows to help us push our music and showcase what we're doing. I think he feels the same way I do about Grass-Tops, that it's a natural thing for guys like us. We like to dive into all things musical and extract what we find to share with those around us. The label is a way for us to publish and market our own music, reissue music that has influenced us as artists, as well as try to build a local community around honest artist-listener relationships. Mariano Rodriguez is another guitarist I met through Facebook - like all of these guys! Aside from being a fantastic and original musician, he also came to me and asked to be our long term graphic designer. Of course, I said yes! The guy is an all around talent and an inspiration to me. Matt Sowell is another guy on the Grass-Tops crew. He's a guitarist originally from Philadelphia and moved to Minneapolis just last year. His wife is from this area and he's travelled here many times. One of his big reasons for re-locating was because the Philadelphia school system was failing his children and he wanted to start a better life for his family. Once again, I knew him through Facebook long before his move here, but we became really good friends once we were able to sit down and have real face-to-face conversations. I'm grateful to have a local friend like him. He's an honest and humble person, and his music reflects that - it comes from an honest place within him. It's actually pretty rare to find guys who play like him these days, who come up out of the 'American Primitive' pool and have a style that's completely their own. This kind of music can be totally freeing, or it can be a trap. With Matt, it's the former. He found a sound that's true to him. At some point, when I get my act together and finish up with my prior commitments for the label, we'll be putting out one of his records. As for right now, he's been booking local shows and just spreading the word about Grass-Tops. Most of the artists on our roster have outwardly expressed a belief in Grass-Tops' mission. To have a roster of players who not only contribute their musical offerings, but also believe in the greater purpose... well, that's what it's about. We're a team. Everything that is released on the label is a team effort. 

Can you tell us about the Robbie Basho reissues and how you came to release them?

Simply put - to this day it’s the greatest music I’ve ever heard. Reissuing Visions of the Country was a dream of mine ever since I first heard it … and lo and behold, a couple years after first hearing it, I reissued it! So from there it was just a matter of finding all of the other albums and tapes. I’m still working on it! There are probably tapes scattered all over the country. I love finding little treasures here and there, little stones unturned. It’s really fun! Each door opens another door and I’ve discovered other artists with whom Robbie’s played, other East Indian recordings and so on… it just keeps going and going. I feel like the Energizer Bunny. It’s like a never-ending treasure hunt.

And can you tell us about Dennis Taylor and the Dayspring album? Dennis Taylor is awesome. He’s an extremely nice guy. He’s one of these guys that just played what he wanted to play. The dream is for every guitarist to be a rock star, right? Well Dennis felt more drawn to the honesty of acoustic music. And for a period of several years up to 1983, he worked up what eventually became his debut solo record. He released it in a limited edition of 300 LPs and they sold out quickly. Now we’re reissuing it over 30 years later. It just goes to show that sometimes when you think something is just going to fade into the black hole of history, it can be revived just like that. Patience is a virtue. And now, people around the country and around the world are beginning to recognise his music.A lot of your own music seems to be available as download only. 

Are there any Kyle Fosburgh physical releases in the pipeline?

Yes. I plan on issuing a CD edition of my recent release entitled Collection. It’s available now as a download through iTunes. My next album is already finished and will be released on CD, vinyl, download and reel-to-reel. It’s a live recording I made in the spring of last year near Chicago. We recorded it in this ballroom at the top of an old building. It’s honestly my proudest achievement yet. It’s going to be titled One Night, as we recorded the entire thing in one night, within the span of less than three hours.

Anything else of note you’ve been busy with?

I’m trying to get a friend of mine to start work on his idea to do a Robbie Basho musical, but he’s been busy saving for college. Saving for school can be an uninspiring process, so I wouldn’t blame him if it took many years before he finally could summon the energy and enthusiasm to put the whole film together. But we’re going to be doing it together when the time comes. It’s going to be the story of Robbie’s life, from his orphan childhood until death, seen through his eyes. So you will never actually see Robbie in the film, you will only see what he sees.

What are you listening to right now, old or new? Any recommendations you’d like to share with us?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac. My favourite era of the band was between Peter Green’s departure and before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham showed up - otherwise known as the Kirwan era. I’ve also been listening to some old country like Hank Williams Senior and Marty Robbins. Marty had a voice of silk. It’s so classic. As for other solo guitar music, George Cromarty has been on my turntable a lot lately. My favourite album of his is called Wind in the Heather. As far as beauty, it’s on par with Visions of the Country in my book. It’s all original classical guitar compositions and is hands down the most beautiful solo guitar record I’ve ever heard.

The guitar nerd bit: what guitars do you play and what do you like about them? Is there anything out there you’re coveting?

I play a Martin M-36. This is my main 6-string guitar. It’s my favourite guitar of all time. It’s a rare Martin model. The way it’s built is interesting and contributes to its unique tone. The top is Sitka spruce, with a beautiful dark finish, and the sides are rosewood. The body is really wide but relatively shallow for its width, so you can get deeper tones and really bright tones depending on where and how you strum or pick. It’s built to offer that wide range of tones. The back is also arched and gets shallower the closer it gets to the neck. I can do anything and everything on this guitar. It’s perfect for country and western stuff, flat picking, fingerstyle, you name it. And because the body is shallow, it rests close to your chest. The necks are also thin and easy to navigate. It’s just a great, great guitar. And here’s the little secret about Martins - they age like fine wine. The more they’re played and the older they are, the more the wood fibres begin to open up and the glue that holds the wood together begins to naturally loosen. When I tune it down a full step and play Hank Williams, it just kills. The tone of the guitar matches right up with my voice.

The way the guitars came about was, I believe, when Steve Earle or someone broke the top on an archtop guitar and brought it in to get fixed. They - I assume Martin - replaced it with a flat top. So, if you look at the M-36, the body is structured like an archtop, but the top itself is flat.

For a 12-string I use some cheaper Martin. I honestly can’t even remember the name of the model. All I know is it sounds good and it’s a work horse. It’s nice to find guitars that are inexpensive and sound good, because you don’t need to worry as much about taking them on the road. The thing about the 12-string I use is that it’s huge! It really projects.

I use K&K mini pickups in both acoustics. I’m very happy with the way they sound plugged directly into the PA, if it’s a good sound system. This is especially the case with the 12-string. Man, it sounds utterly glorious plugged in! The thing with the K&K pickups is that they pick up the sound off the top of the guitar, and with the 12-string, the sound really drives the top of the guitar.

Banjos: yes or no?

To listen to, yes; to play, no.

What are you planning to do next – both in terms of your own music and the label?

We’ve got a lot of Basho reissues in the pipeline. Next up is a reissue of his last actual LP, Rainbow Thunder from 1981. It’s one of my favourites of his, as I’ve always loved, loved, loved his singing. The songs are beautiful!

As for my own music, besides my upcoming album, I’d like to get a DVD concert filmed. I’m talking with my producer about going to Chicago in the spring to shoot it. We’re still looking for a location. An acquaintance of his owns an incredible camera and we may be able to hire his services to film the concert. There’s not a lot of footage of me out there right now, so this would be nice to have.

What should we have asked you and didn’t?

The only thing I would add to all this is the following quote: “It’s a mean old world. You got to fight to stay in it though. You got to scuffle. You gotta be strong. You gotta do your thing.” - John Lee Hooker

[theforkedspoon]

Beautiful Autumn Cheese Board (Vegetarian)

This post is sponsored by The French Ministry of Agriculture but all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. Thanks for reading!

Keep entertaining easy with a beautiful autumn fruit and cheese board. Ready in just minutes, pair a selection of cheeses with few of your favorite wines and get the party started! Please drink responsibly.

You guys! I have been (impatiently) waiting to put together an autumn cheese board for the past 3 months. Maybe even more, I can't remember. What I do remember, however, are the countless trips to the market and the neverending temptation to just buy all the cheese. Cheese and I got way back. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if cheese was my first real solid food, so cheese and me? We're pretty tight.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty close with chocolate, too. and butter. and definitely wine. But I know that wine wasn't my first food, so...well, whatever the case, it makes sense that I would love cheese boards so much.

Some of you may be wondering, "Um, where's the meat?"

You are correct. There is no meat here. That would actually make this a Charcuterie Board. I debated about adding some flavorful cured or smoked meats, but in the end, I decided to stick with the cheese, carbs, wine and fruit. Oh, and chocolate. Let's not (ever) forget that. But stay tuned, I may have a Charcuterie Board in the works for all you meat lovers out there.

So, let's get started...

THE WINE:

MAS DE DAUMAS GASSAC - only given to a limited number of exceptional estates in the world, it has gained status as a "cult wine". Mas de Daumas Gassac wine is cultivated without any chemicals or pesticides, a vineyard farmed with total respect for mother Nature to preserve its balance.

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MAS DE DAUMAS GASSAC White (retail $39-45) - Four noble grape varieties dominate: Viognier (originated from the Rhone valley), Petit Manseng (originated from the Pyrenees), Chenin Blanc (originated from the Loire valley) and Chardonnay (Burgundy).

MOULIN de GASSAC GUILHEM rosé (retail $10-12) - made from Syrah & Carignan grapes with no added sugar. Red fruit and berry aroma and flavors.

 LES VIGNOBLES ANDRÉ LURTON - currently one of the largest wineries in the Bordeaux region, it is a family-run company of passionate wine-growers and wine-makers who are dedicated to producing exceptional wines from prestigious Bordeaux appellations.

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Château Bonnet Blanc 2015 (retail $12.99) - Available throughout the US, this white wine is a blend of Sauvignon blanc 55% / Sémillon 45%. This wine is fresh and fruity while also quite rich and full-bodied. It is very balanced and charming as an aperitif, or with salads and seafood dishes.

Château Bonnet Rouge 2012 (retail $15.99) - Available throughout the US, this red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 50%  / Merlot 50 %. Subtle and aromatic with attractive hints of blackcurrant, as well as other fruits such as black cherry and blueberry.

 THE CHEESE

ISTARA P’TIT BASQUE (Retail price $20-$25/lb.) - available at Zabar’s, Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, Costco, etc. P'tit Basque is a 100% pure sheep's milk cheese produced in France's Basque region in the Pyrenees Mountains. P’tit Basque has a distinctive aroma of sheep’s milk, with a smooth, sweet flavor and a nutty finish. People enjoy it with black cherry jam, but it may also be enjoyed as an appetizer, a snack with fruit, with grilled vegetables and cured meats, or even in salads. This cheese can be perfectly paired with a classic red or white wine.

OTHER CHEESES-

For the remaining cheese I went to my local market with a goal to pick up an additional 3-4 cheeses. The goal with a cheese board is to have something to suit everyone's taste preference (especially if you don't know what people prefer!)

I am not a cheese expert, however I do know that cheese may be classified based on texture, covering, ripening and cooking type. Of course, within each of those classifications, are further classifications like, hard, soft, semi-soft and fresh.

I'm not here to talk about all these different types today (although that would be a FUN post); instead i'll tell you what I do when I shop for cheese.

I buy what looks good or sounds interesting. I will usually always buy one that I know I love and one that I have never tried before. I make sure to include a soft cheese and a hard cheese and anything else that tickles my fancy.

THE CHOCOLATE:

VALRHONA - The brand of choice for the world's most demanding pastry professionals and chocolatiers, Valrhona is committed to the creation of unique quality chocolates with complex, balanced, unique and consistent tastes. Valrhona’s tradition of creativity, expertise in taste, and a strict adherence to traditional chocolate-making methods make it the standard bearer in the industry.

Dulcey 32%, baking bar (retail $12.99) - During a pastry demonstration, Valrhona Corporate Pastry Chef Frédéric Bau accidentally left white chocolate in a bain-marie for too long. After realizing what happened, he noticed that the color had turned blond and the chocolate was emitting a delicate scent of freshly baked shortbread and caramelized milk. It took another 8 years of research and development to arrive at the DULCEY 32% we know today, and to perfect a unique recipe for a new world of creativity and flavors. While this is a baking bar, it is also delicious by itself. Dulcey is a 4th color of chocolate (after the White, Milk and Dark) with a smooth taste and creamy texture the is not too sweet.

Orelys 35% 500g baking bag (retail $22.99) - New to the US! Five years after creating DULCEY 32%, Valrhona once again distinguishes itself in the Blond category by using its chocolate expertise with a new star ingredient: dark muscovado sugar. Because of its natural molasses content, muscovado sugar has a rich brown color and delicate licorice aromas. By adding muscovado sugar when we’re making ORELYS 35%, we give it a naturally bronze blond hue and earthy licorice notes.

THE BUTTER- 

ok, so you don't need butter on your cheese board, but...

jk! You DEFINITELY need some butter on that cheese board. Just sayin'.

Président® Unsalted Butter Quarters (retail $5.50)- The #1 brand cheese and butter in France. It really is easy to see why as it is probably the smoothest butter I have ever tasted.

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Other must-have fun additions to any cheese board are, of course, fruit and a cheese/butter vessel.

aka, CARBS.

Ok guys, seriously, have fun with this. There are about a million different crackers out there, just pick a few different shapes, sizes and textures. I also like to get at least one or two that aren't simply "plain". For example garlic and herb or fig and rosemary. You can't go wrong. For this cheese board I also added a big, seeded, crusty French baguette because I knew I would be serving up some Pumpkin Hummus.

Oh yeah, that's pumpkin hummus. Very very autumnish, don't you think? Don't worry, the recipe is coming soon.

Picking fruit is always the easiest part.

Figs Grapes Pears Apples Pomegranates Sadly, there were no persimmons in the market yet, otherwise those would have been there too. Orange slices are another great fruit.

  Beautiful Autumn Cheese Board (Vegetarian)

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Yield: enough for 6-8 people Category: 30 Minutes Meals, Appetizers, Entertaining, DIY, Fall + Winter, How to, Snacks, Vegetarian

Ingredients

Cheese- 3-4 favorites such as Istara P'Tit Basque, parmesan, gouda, blue cheese, asiago, cheddar, brie Crackers and fresh bread Fruit- grapes, pears, apples, figs, pomegranates, oranges, etc. Chocolate - whatever tickles your fancy, but Dulcey 32%, baking bar and Orelys 35% 500g baking bag come highly recommended Butter- Président® Unsalted Butter Quarters << you want this one, seriously. Berry or fig jam Pumpkin hummus

Instructions

Gather all your ingredients and assemble on a large serving platter, cheese board or breadboard. Serve paired with your favorite wines.

Enjoy and have fun!