#ms. praline & the evening star

[friendzonefrog]

Word Find Tag

Thanks for the tags @fearofahumanplanet and @calicojackofficial! (sorry it took me a bit!) I've seen this game going around so I'm excited to finally do it :)

My words are: alone, consideration, convenience, dance, friend, glory, profession, sick, somewhere, and split.

[notes:

*Dialogue in parentheses is an indication of a voiceover or a thought bubble.

*Some of these characters haven't been officially introduced yet? jkdjkdjk I'll get around to it eventually]

--

Alone - from Shreds of Integrity

DEWEY: Don’t think they could ever put her away for anything, let alone this. Her name's probably in the dictionary under “immunity.” (“See: privilege.”)

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Consideration - from The Fall of Strömberg

(which is still in its conceptualization stage. Haven't settled on a final format yet, but here's sth from my notes.)

"Madam, such matters are above your understanding, and are to be left to the lords," continued the guard. "Serfs as you have no business in such affairs."

The woman's voice stammered, and her expression turned sour. "Perish, anyhow!" she blurted. "And if you awaken and find yourself to be more than a heap of ash come dawn, you will kindly tell His Lordship of my resignation." With that she marched off, without even the slightest consideration that she could be executed for taking such a brash tone.

--

Convenience - from Ms. Praline & the Evening Star

Oh, suppose one day every family might have their own zeppelin, just as they would a carriage? How splendid would that be? Imagine the convenience: upon receiving an urgent telephone call, a doctor could arrive briskly, albeit dramatically, to the patient’s lawn-- just in a matter of minutes!

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Dance - from ERR0R!

DMITRY: I hate it when people cheer louder for me than they normally would for anybody else. It felt nice back when I was first learning to dance again, but... it doesn’t feel triumphant anymore. It just feels like people have permanently lowered their expectations for me, and they’re astonished I can even do the bare minimum.

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Friend - from Shreds of Integrity

[tw: divorce]

STEPH: I think we were so worried about trying to save things… We didn’t even realize that the harder thing is letting go. 

DEWEY: Come on. I’ve been around you long enough to know when you're just copy-pasting the advice you give to patients who need to leave toxic friendships. 

STEPH: And it still applies to a toxic marriage.

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Glory

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Profession - from Shreds of Integrity

MADELEINE: Shh. I can’t be getting noise complaints at my own damn hotel. That’s just tacky and unprofessional.

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Sick - from Shreds of Integrity

[tw: separation / divorce is kind of implied? ]

STEPH: This is… pathetic.

DEWEY: I know, I know, I… I’m sorry.

STEPH: Why didn’t you call a Lyft, or--

DEWEY: I was going to. My phone died. I just… I don’t know, I thought I’d sneak in and give it a quick charge, that’s all.

STEPH: Right, so "quick" that you had to take a nap while you waited.

DEWEY: I didn't mean to fall asleep. I’m sorry.

STEPH: You broke in, Dewey. I could press charges.

DEWEY: I know. I guess I was banking on the hope that you… wouldn’t.

STEPH: I’m sick of this. You can’t even hold up your end of one agreement?

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Somewhere - from Shreds of Integrity

WES: You thought I was dead in a ditch somewhere, huh.

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Split

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Tagging: @antihell @luckadelic and @memento-morri-writes (no pressure, and sorry if yall don't do tag games!)

Your words are: free, kitchen, leave, sleep, and without.

WIP taglists below cut

Taglists: (ask to be added/removed!)

Shreds of Integrity- @goldenzingy46

ERR0R!- @writeouswriter

[you guys can also do the game if u want!]

[bgallen]

Enheduanna, talking to strangers, and the best blue pens

Happy first Friday of November! If you’re in the US, at least most of the US, Daylight Savings Time will be this Sunday. Hopefully though, not for too much longer.

I have a short list for today and as always, I hope that you find something enjoyable for your Friday going into the weekend!

We released a newsletter last Friday, if you would like to check it out, you can do so here.

The mysterious Viking runes found in a landlocked US state - BBC Travel, the title could be mildly misleading as the markings found haven’t been confirmed across the board as being Viking runes. Although, the more I learn of ancient history, the more I think that we vastly underestimate the millions that have come before us. So, in light of that, I would like to be able to agree with Gloria Farley and say that they are indeed Viking runes.

 The Best Blue Pens | JetPens, I am of the belief that one can never have enough writing utensils. Especially blue pens. JetPens has put together a great list of some of the best blue pens. My personal favorite is the Zebra Stainless Steel Retractable Ballpoint Pens.

 Why We Should Talk to Strangers More - The Atlantic, I have found this to be infinitely true in my own life. When I have had conversations with strangers or strangers have approached me for conversation, it more often than not affected my day in the positive. Even when the lady in Walmart wanted to have a political conversation that was not appropriate for Walmart, I still felt seen and like I was participating in my wider community. If anything, growing up in MS you expect to have at the very least one conversation a day with a stranger. “In the past decade and a half, professors have begun to wonder if interacting with strangers could be good for us too: not as a replacement for close relationships, but as a complement to them. The results of that research have been striking. Again and again, studies have shown that talking with strangers can make us happier, more connected to our communities, mentally sharper, healthier, less lonely, and more trustful and optimistic.” 

 Michael J. Fox Opens Up About Painful Injuries, Recovery and Kind Acts That Changed His Life (people.com), I find it helpful to see how different people with different experiences and troubles handle their lives. It’s sort of like gathering a toolkit for life. And I really like Michael J. Fox’s perspective.

Enheduanna: The world's first named author - BBC Culture, this is a fascinating story and it brings me immense joy, hopefully it will bring you joy as well.

 Here's What's on the Dunkin' Holiday Menu 2022 - Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays, the holiday drinks are my favorite – from any coffee place. I haven’t had Dunkin’s holiday drinks but their Fall drinks were really good and I am looking forward to trying them out!

 Starbucks holiday beverages arrive on Nov. 3, I went November 3rd to have a chestnut praline in a holiday cup. Apparently their holiday tumblers and cups also came out that day and you could accrue extra stars or something to that affect and the line was quite long. But, my two favorite Starbucks baristas were working, and a good barista is 100% where it’s at, so my drink was perfectly made and enjoyable, I had the “Ornament Wonder” cup . And, I found out a “trick” that you may already know about….one reason that drinks can vary so wildly between Starbucks stores-at least the flavored drinks, is that there are specific pumps for specific syrups and flavors and they often are placed incorrectly. Which when placed incorrectly, alters the taste of the drink noticeably.

[thehungrykat1]

Prosperity in the Year of the Fire Rooster at Crystal Dragon

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Fire Rooster. If you are looking to have a prosperous year ahead, then there is no better place to dream of good fortune and good luck than at the country’s premiere integrated resort casino, City of Dreams Manila. The five-star resort complex, which includes three different hotel brands in one location, has lined up several exciting activities this weekend to celebrate this festive season, highlighted by a special prosperity menu that will surely make you feel like you had just won the jackpot.

Crystal Dragon, the signature Cantonese restaurant of Crown Towers Manila, is offering an exclusive Chinese New Year-themed a la carte and set menu from January 16 to February 11, 2017. While there are many other hotels with similar Chinese New Year sets, those who are looking for the ultimate luxury VIP experience should know that Crystal Dragon is the place where only the truly successful and privileged dine. The Hungry Kat was invited to a media preview of their extravagant prosperity menu so I’m happy to be starting the Chinese New Year on a very positive and lucky note.

Crystal Dragon is open daily for lunch from 12 to 3pm and dinner from 6 to 11pm. The restaurant is an exclusive haven for VIPs and casino high rollers, but you don’t have to be any of the above to enjoy its award-winning Cantonese cuisine. Crystal Dragon was recently awarded as one of Philippine Tatler’s Top 20 Best Restaurants for 2017, the second year in a row it has achieved this prestigious recognition. 

We were hosted by the always classy Ms. Charisse Chuidian, Vice President for Public Relations at City of Dreams Manila, as well as her tireless marketing staff who made sure we experienced Crystal Dragon’s luxurious and impeccable service.

My previous dining experiences at Crystal Dragon have always been amazing (read about it here), so I was really looking forward to what Chef Bong will be preparing for us this time.

Chef Bong Jun Choi is the Executive Chinese Chef at City of Dreams Manila. He began his profession at the tender age of 15 in a restaurant in Singapore and boasts of a wealth of experience from a career spanning 36 years. Chef Bong oversees the operation of the Chinese kitchen and his team of chefs, making sure everything is to his diners' expectations at the hotel’s signature restaurants.

For the Chinese New Year, Crystal Dragon is offering two Prosperity Set Menus. The Chinese New Year Happiness Menu is priced at P3,680++ per person, while the Chinese New Year Treasures Menu is at P6,680++, both for a minimum of four to six persons. Guests can also choose to have them as a la carte orders, where medium portions are ideal for four to six guests while large servings are best for six to ten. We had a mixed sample from the a la carte menu and these are what you can expect to find until February 11.

Instead of the usual raw salmon, our Yu Sheng or Prosperity Toss was led by the Shredded Roasted Duck with Fresh Fruit Salad in Dressing. The roasted duck is regarded as a symbol of fertility and it goes together with the other ingredients that include jellyfish, melon, strawberry, honeydew, onion oil, peanuts, peanut sauce and wonton crisps. This colorful salad symbolizes wellness and celebration. 

Traditionally, all the ingredients for the Prosperity Toss are tossed by the guests as high as possible, which is believed to bless all who partake of them. But since we are all, ehem, VIPs here at Crystal Dragon, we just let the server do the tossing for us. I hope that doesn’t mean she gets all the luck.

The roasted duck salad is even better than the salmon version. The savory pieces of shredded duck are complemented by the sweet crushed peanuts and the crispy wonton strips. I like the overall balance of flavors resulting from the fruits, especially the melon.

Next was the Double-boiled Sea Treasure in Cordycep Flower Soup. The Chicken symbolizes prosperity and togetherness of the family. It also comes with crab meat, fish maw, dried scallops, sea cucumber and ginseng. The soup has that distinct herbal taste but I particularly liked the huge scallop swimming inside the broth.

The Slow-cooked Supreme Sea Cucumber with Abalone and Pork Knuckle in Clay Pot is a majestic course especially with its big pieces of succulent abalone. Because of its expensive price and gold color, abalone symbolizes money and wealth, so no Chinese New Year celebration is complete without it. 

On the other hand, the pork knuckle symbolizes income and fulfilment of wishes. Regardless of their meanings, the pork knuckle was extremely tender. I wish I had some rice to go with this course because it is really good.

One of my favorites from the Prosperity Menu is the Oven-baked Marinated Cod Fish Fillet with Fragrant Golden Garlic. The cod fish symbolizes abundance while the golden garlic means everlasting and long life. The codfish was unbelievably soft and tender. This might be the best fish fillet I have ever tasted. I highly recommend you order this dish.

I love prawns so obviously the Wok-fried King Prawns with Supreme Soy Sauce Reduction was another of my favorites. Prawns denote liveliness because of the way they swim so eating these should mean that I will become more lively and energetic this year. The sweet and salty soy sauce gives the prawns a very pronounced flavor that I really enjoyed.

Chef Bong continues to surprise me with his creativity and excellence. The Roasted Chicken Roll filled with Foie Gras and Wild Mushrooms is a unique dish that I have only encountered here at Crystal Dragon.  The skin is cooked perfectly crispy, in a way that resembles that of roast pork. If I did not read the menu, I would have thought that this was a roast pork roll instead of chicken.

The chicken roll is filled with sumptuous foie gras and then topped with wild truffles, symbolizing longevity. If life were always as indulgent as this luxurious dish, then I wouldn’t mind having a long and fruitful life.

Chinese lauriats usually have their fried rice course towards the end, but the Prosperity Menu gives this a big upgrade with the Wok-fried Shanghai Rice Cake Sliced with Selected Sea Food. The rice cakes symbolize safety and good fortune to sweeten the new year. But more importantly, they come topped with prawns, fish fillet and crab claws which are already peeled. That’s the ultimate sign of luxury, when they remove the shells from your crabs for you. The rice cakes are sweet and tasty, perfect to satisfy and fill our tummies.

We also got to try not just one but two amazing desserts. The Chilled Mango Puree with Vanilla Ice Cream was such a treat. I have eaten a lot of versions of mango sago, but this is the only one with Vanilla ice cream on top. The ice cream makes the mango sago so much more interesting and delightful. I will definitely have this one again.

This dessert looks as good as it tastes. The Three Flavor Chinese New Year Nian Gao Platter comes with Steamed Dried Shredded Coconut Nian Gao on the left, Deep Fried Rice Net Water Chestnut Cake in the middle, and Cashew Nuts Broken Red Bean Paste Pandan Roll on the right. 

This is a great way of highlighting the different ways of preparing tikoy. The steamed version gives the tikoy a soft fluffy texture, while the fried tikoy gives it a crunchy outer shell. I like the pandan tikoy with its various flavor combinations.

Aside from dining at Crystal Dragon, there are many other activities that guests can join during the Chinese New Year weekend from January 27-29 at City of Dreams Manila. At The Shops at the Boulevard, a variety of fun-filled Chinese activities await like Fortune Tellers, Chinese Opera, Wushu martial artists, and many more. You can also catch the God of Fortune spreading angpaos, gifts and good cheer to guests while roaming around the integrated resort. The 24-hour casual Chinese dining restaurant Noodl8 offers special Chinese and Korean dishes for all of January and February. Café Society is also offering themed gift items like Tikoy, Mandarin Cake with Rooster Chocolate, macarons and pralines. For evening entertainment, guests can head to City of Dreams KTV’s elegant themed-rooms and sing to their heart’s content with special Chinese New Year ala carte dishes and unlimited Tsing Tao beer included in the package. So come over to City of Dreams Manila this weekend and let the Year of the Fire Rooster turn your fortunes into gold!

Crystal Dragon

Upper Ground Floor, Crown Towers Manila Tower 1, Aseana Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard, Paranaque City

691-7782 / 800-8080 www.facebook.com/CrystalDragonManila www.cityofdreams.com.ph

[friendzonefrog]

WIP Intro: Ms. Praline & the Evening Star

I hope one day soon every-one will get the chance to soar, for it is a feeling unlike any other. It is gleeful and freeing, and yet brings me to a strange melancholy. Why, how fortunate am I, to set foot in a vessel that even the great kings and emperors before me could not? How majestic that makes me feel, and humbled all at once!

Genre: Juvenile fiction / adventure / fantasy Themes: Feminism, mythology, and maybe astronomy? Chasing dreams and loving life. Friendship, kindness, self-love, and wonder. Setting: Early 1900s North America. Inspiration: The Magic Treehouse books, the myth of Hesperus and Phosphorus, and the steampunk genre, to name a few.

Premise: As a child, Mae Praline wished upon a star that she could fly. As she grew older and developed an understanding of the world, she never expected that her wish would come true. But twenty-two years later, she awakens to find a strange airship on her front lawn, and a mysterious letter addressed to her.

Ms. Mabel "Mae" Praline

My given name is Mabel Praline, but upon introducing myself in this way, I am often reminded of a European delicacy, or a fancy syrup for hotcakes. Now, these certainly aren't vile things to think about, but I'm always left with a tenacious craving for sweets. In order to avoid plaguing others with such temptation, I merely go by Mae. Isn't the simplicity of it just lovely?

Narrator and protagonist. A seamstress and budding inventor, she loves to discover and create new things. She is a bit eccentric, but still graceful and exuberant; fascinated with the world, especially nature, with a deep compassion for all living things.

---

Mr. Edwin Waterloo

 I asked the pilot what his name was, but he mumbled so lowly I couldn't pick it up. I suppose the constant hum of the machinery didn't help the matter, either. After asking "WHAT?" much too loudly and still not hearing his answer, I politely nodded and shook his hand, pretending I had understood. I didn't want to come off as rude. He is simply the quiet type, and I do so respect such gentle chivalry. Perhaps to-morrow I can coyly ask: "Sir, how is it you spell your name?" so that I might get a clearer answer.

Mr. Waterloo is the pilot of Ms. Praline's zeppelin, The Hesperus. Courteous and thoughtful, he has been on many adventures, and absorbed more knowledge than he lets on. He has a lot of stories to tell, even if only in a few words.

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Vesper

There is something so celestial and serene about a moment spent gazing upward in the night, locking eyes with the stars and the moon. It is an intimacy I have always felt drawn to. And lately, up in the west, there is one star that never seems to go away. I'll glance up several times throughout the day, and find it still waiting there. Waiting, so that it may glow bright against the night sky. Has this star always been there? Why haven't I noticed it before?

Vesper is the goddess of the Evening Star (the planet Venus as it appears in the western sky, around sunset.) This is the very same 'star' Mae wished on when she was young. Vesper has passed on from the mortal plane, and now dwells in the sky forever, as a celestial guardian and companion to the dreamers who've looked upon her when uttering a wish.

---

Luci

She was surrounded by a golden glow that was brilliant, yet somehow rather cold. The twinkle of her eyes held a strange mischief, and something in her honey-sweet voice was biting and saccharine. A dismal instinct reminded me that not every-one can be trusted. Perhaps she was not the same soul who granted me this wish. Oh, it’s such a pity that there are those who would lead others astray!

Luci, our antagonist, is the half sister of Vesper, and goddess of the Morning Star. She is conniving and deceptive, unafraid to steal away the dreams of those under Vesper's watch.

✨My plan: this will be a children's book/short series!

I want to use vibrant vocabulary (with a glossary!) so kids will be encouraged to colorfully describe the world the way they see it. I want to show them that being gentle and compassionate is not the same as being weak, and that kindness is both powerful and COOL.

This is my attempt at putting aside my own pessimism, embracing wonderment, and honing in on things I love. I'm very excited :D

I encourage people of all ages to follow along on my journey of writing this story :) If anyone wants to be put on a taglist, lmk! <3

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

[friendzonefrog]

FriendzoneFrog's 'Formal' Writeblr Intro

Hi!

You can call me Friend or Frog (she/her). I'm a young adult from the US. When I say 'friendzone,' I don't mean it in an incel way, but rather in an "I'm the comedic relief friend character irl and I own it" way <3

What I write:

I don’t ever stick to one thing, but my main niche is dialogue. I have sooo many hypothetical scripts for graphic novels, video games, animation, webseries, stage shows, etc. Basically I’m really into the idea of putting words on paper and then bringing them to life in another way :)

Favorite genres:

Crime and suspense thrillers

Horror

Mystery and whodunnits

Superhero (especially ragtag groups with wacky powers)

Spy/espionage

Dark comedy and satire

I play around with other genres, too!

My projects:

📁Shreds of Integrity

M (17+) Crime/Drama. A story focusing on agents and former agents of an FBI crime analysis unit, as they grapple with the weight of the job, its aftershocks, and its imbalance with personal life. Tags: #shreds of integrity Intro post Playlist Moodboard Character meme (Tens But tag game) STS character asks (sleeping habits) Picrew challenge - Madeleine

🖥️ ERR0R!

T (14+) Sci-Fi/Superhero. Seven strangers evade a tech lab's evil plot involving shady clinical trials, experiments gone wrong, and a supercomputer with the power to take control of the universe. No pressure! Tags: #wip: ERR0R! Intro post Character intros Plalylist Moodboard (under construction) Character meme (Tens But tag game)

😱Morbid Curiosity

M (17+) Horror/Thriller. Anthology series spanning several subgenres of horror, highlighting the weird, the paranormal, the terror in the mundane, and those who can't help but go looking for answers. 🎪 #1 Funfair Paranormal ▸ A college photojournalist visits the site of an abandoned amusement park harboring dark secrets and horrors unknown. 🌾 #2 Backroad Blues Southern Gothic ▸ A big storm's brewing in Uncertain, Texas, home to a population of 80 citizens devoted to preserving the town's rich history... however gruesome it may be. 🏰 #3 The Fall of Strömberg Gothic/Macabre ▸ In 1520, a banquet was set ablaze, killing a family of Swedish nobles, along with their guests. Since that night, nobody has entered the castle ruins and lived to tell the tale. [Might become a standalone outside the anthology tbh!] 🛒 #4 Night Shift Slasher ▸ Retail employees on the night shift usually have to fight to stay awake... but tonight they must fight to stay alive, as an unseen killer attempts to pick them off one by one.

Tags: #wip: Morbid Curiosity #wip: Funfair #backroad blues #the fall of strömberg #wip: Night Shift Intro and masterpost

✨Ms. Praline & the Evening Star

G (all ages) Adventure / Fantasy. As a child, Mae Praline wished upon a star that she could fly. Twenty-two years later, she awakens to find a strange airship on her front lawn, and a mysterious letter addressed to her.

Tags: #ms. praline & the evening star Intro postMoodboard (under construction)

I'm excited to share more about these stories, as well as others I'm dreaming up. I’m always happy to chat about my projects, chat about YOUR projects, answer asks, participate in tag games, etc.! I’ll also share writing tips and prompts when I can.

I have the type of social anxiety where I'm not too good at initiating conversation, but I do try my best, because I enjoy chatting! Feel free to hit me up at any time! (But please keep in mind that, as a personal policy, I am not comfortable privately messaging anyone under the age of 18.)

What I'm into besides writing (and other content you might see) :

Nothing

Messing around on Canva (GRAPHIC DESIGN SIDEBLOG)

Musical theatre and singing

Photography

Commentating/critiquing movies (follow me on letterboxd!)

Video games (follow me on backloggd!)

Board games

Comics (anything Hawkeye, I’m there.)

Attempting to teach myself ukulele and banjo

Making earrings :3

Hatewatching CW shows then accidentally becoming hooked

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CREDITS:

Computer, frog dividers- @ animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Ghost divider- @ racingairplanes

FBI divider- @ firefly-graphics

[friendzonefrog]

It's Storyteller Saturday!!

Feel free to send an ask about my writing process OR any of my current projects, and in return I'll send some questions your way!

-🐸

My WIPs:

Shreds of Integrity - crime thriller / drama following agents and former agents of the FBI Chicago field office. Workaholism, depression, burnout, corruption, and the dangers of allegiance. ERR0R! - sci-fi / superhero story about seven strangers who must work together to stop a tech lab's evil plot. Supercomputers, experiments gone wrong, and weirdly specific superpowers. Morbid Curiosity - horror anthology series spanning several different genres of horror. (So far I've only formally introduced #1 - Funfair but I'd love to talk about any of them!) Ms. Praline & the Evening Star - early 1900s adventure / fantasy following a woman whose childhood wish to fly comes true... when she is gifted a zeppelin, and sent on a quest by a mysterious entity.