#she's gotta have a life outside of all that so gimme your muses <3

[tvrningout-a]

OPEN STARTER | mutuals encounter a wild yuzusa!

" y'know, i don't appreciate bein' woken up before 8 am. " still donned in fluffy slippers and a robe, yuzu speaks through a yawn, hiding her mouth behind her hand. sleep hadn't come easily last night; the other is lucky she even answered the door. stepping out of the doorway, yuzu motions for them to come inside and shuffles into her kitchen. " somebody better be dying, or you better be here to cook breakfast... d'you want coffee? "

[broomballkraken]

Title: The Definition of Happiness

Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Pairing: Raphael/Dedue

Word count: 3020

Warnings: N/A

Summary: It’s their daughter’s 5th birthday, and as they celebrate, Raphael is pretty sure that he never truly knew the definition of real happiness until Dedue came into his life and decided to stay.

Written for Raphael Week 2020 Day 3, Prompt: Family

“Magnolia, please put your shoes on. Your socks will get dirty if you play outside in them.”

“Okay, Papa!”

“Have fun, dear.”

Raphael was just walking through the door to their house as Dedue finished speaking, and he had to quickly step to the side to avoid being barreled into by his daughter, who quickly slipped her shoes on (the wrong feet) and rushed out the door. Raphael laughed and stuck his head out the door behind her.

“Hey, Maggie! Don’t get too tired before your birthday dinner! Wouldn’t want you to sleep through it!” he yelled after her. The rambunctious, pig-tailed red-head turned to look at him, flashing a gap-toothed grin.

“I’ll be fine, Daddy! I can play all day long and still be wide awake!” Magnolia boasted with a vigorous nod of her head, and Raphael laughed as she turned around and headed for the large barn that sat across the backyard.

As the last few chuckles rumbled through his chest, Raphael went back inside, smiling when he saw his husband working away in the kitchen. Breathing in deeply through his nose, Raphael could smell the cake baking away in the oven, and his mouth started watering in anticipation.

Raphael crossed the room and came up behind Dedue, his arms slipping around his waist as he pressed a few kisses into his neck. Dedue hummed and turned his head, his long silver hair tickling Raphael’s nose, and Raphael found his lips captured in a tender kiss. He smiled against Dedue’s lips as his arms tightened around his husband.

Eventually Raphael pulled away, placing one more quick kiss on Dedue’s bearded cheek. “Hey hun! It smells really good in here! Maggie’s gonna love her cake!” Dedue chuckled as he picked up a wooden spoon and resumed stirring the contents of the large bowl on the counter.

“Thank you, darling. I think she will love it too,” Dedue said, “Did you get the dogs all fed?”

Raphael nodded enthusiastically before resting his chin on Dedue’s shoulder. “Yep! Watered and weeded the garden too! You’ve been working hard all day cooking and baking, so I wanted to lighten your load as much as possible.”

“I appreciate that, Raphael.”

“Anything for you, love!”

Dedue turned around in Raphael’s arms and pressed their foreheads together, his hands reaching up to gently cup Raphael’s face. His gentle fingers felt nice as they ran through his beard, and Raphael let out a content sigh as he gazed adoringly into Dedue’s seafoam eyes.

“It is hard to believe that Magnolia is turning five already,” Dedue mused, his nose brushing lightly against Raphael’s, “It feels like only yesterday that we brought her home as a newborn.”

“Yeah, time sure flies! It’s been a wild ride, this whole parenting thing.”

“Indeed, but I would not trade it for anything.” Dedue paused to press his lips against Raphael’s in a quick, tender kiss. “You and Magnolia are irreplaceable precious to me, and you both have made my life truly a blessed one filled with almost overwhelming amounts of love and happiness that I once did not think that I deserved. I love you with all of my heart, my sunshine.”

Raphael’s eyes became misty as he listened to Dedue speak. They really had been through a lot together; attending the academy, fighting in a war, and afterwards recovering from the resulting trauma as they led the rebuilding efforts in Duscur. Raphael knew all of Dedue’s heartbreaking past and his deep insecurities that he had hidden quite well from everyone else. And he would never, ever question the fact that he had fallen head-over-heels in love with Dedue, and that love would never fade as long as Raphael’s heart continued to beat inside of his chest. He could never have imagined that his first, completely innocent encounter with Dedue in the monastery greenhouse all those years ago would lead to where he was now: overwhelmingly happy, fulfilled, and unconditionally loved.

“Aw, sweetheart! You’re gonna make me cry if you keep saying that kind of stuff!” Raphael gushed, as he removed his arms from Dedue’s waist to instead snake them around his neck. “I love you too, Dedue, forever and always.” Raphael’s voice dropped to a whisper, and he kissed Dedue again, smiling against his lips when Dedue wrapped his arms around him in a tender embrace.

“Beefsteak! Gimme back my shoe!”

Raphael pulled away from Dedue and turned around just in time to see Beefsteak burst into the house through the large dog door. The Saint Bernard rushed into the living room and hopped onto the couch, looking absolutely pleased with himself as his tail wagged vigorously behind him. Raphael took note of the little shoe that was sticking out of Beefsteak’s mouth, and he chuckled and shook his head.

Magnolia suddenly threw open the door that Beefsteak came through only moments before, panting heavily as her face scrunched up with annoyance. She spotted Beefsteak on the couch and let out a shout as she sprinted across the kitchen, but she stumbled and started to fall.

“Watch it!” Raphael quickly scooped Magnolia into his arms before she could hit the floor. She blinked in surprise as Raphael cradled her, before she burst into a fit of giggles.

“Yay! You saved me, Daddy!” she said, and Raphael raised an eyebrow at her.

“I sure did! You gotta be more careful. You could’ve hurt yourself, you know.” Magnolia averted her gaze for a moment, and she fiddled with the hem of her dress.

“I’m sorry...I’ll be more careful next time,” she mumbled, and Raphael smiled, kissing her forehead.

“It’s all good, as long as you mean it.” Raphael peppered a few more kisses over Magnolia’s face, and she fell into a fit of giggles.

“That tickles!” she said, another delighted squeal escaping her when Raphael rubbed his bearded cheek over hers.

“Oh does it now?” Raphael teased and he continued his relentless assault by rubbing his beard over her neck. Magnolia giggled and wriggled in his arms, trying in vain to escape her dad’s clutches.

Raphael heard Dedue laugh behind him, and his husband was suddenly hovering over Raphael’s shoulder. Raphael glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and saw a rare, mischievous glint in those beautiful eyes of his.

“Magnolia, you might be pleased to find out that you are not the only ticklish one here.” Raphael’s eyes widened in realization, but it was too late, and he yelped when Dedue’s fingers jabbed into his sides.

“H-Hey! That’s cheating!” Raphael protested, his booming laughter filling the room as Dedue continued to tickle him. Magnolia let out a surprised gasp.

“Daddy, you’re ticklish too?!?” she said, her blue eyes wide as saucers at this incredible revelation. A devilish grin spread across her face, and she pressed her small fingers against Raphael’s neck. Raphael laughed as she relentlessly tickled him, and when tears started to leak out of the corners of his eyes, Dedue took pity on him and pulled Magnolia into his arms.

“I think that is enough, dear. Give your poor dad a break.” Dedue said. Magnolia pouted, but a smile crossed her face again when Dedue set her down, and she placed a hand on one hip and pointed at Raphael.

“Okay, but you better be ready, Daddy, ‘cause I’m gonna tickle you good next time!” she said, giggling when Raphael growled playfully and lifted his arms in front of him as if he was going to try and catch her. He laughed when she ran off into the living room, and she suddenly gasped.

“Oh no! Beefsteak! Dahlia! My shoe is not a treat!”

Raphael shared a look with Dedue, who chuckled and shook his head. Leaving Dedue to continue making Magnolia’s cake, Raphael went into the living room, where Magnolia was trying to tug her shoe from Beefsteak and Dahlia, who both had a tight hold on opposite ends.

“Okay you two, you know better than to chew on shoes!” Raphael scolded, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down the two large dogs. They both let out a couple of guilty whines, and they’re jaws slowly opened, letting the shoe fall to the floor with a wet ‘plop!’

“Eww, that’s gross!” Magnolia’s face scrunched up with disgust as she pinched a still dry spot of the shoe between her fingers and held it up. Raphael opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off by a loud knock on the front door. As Magnolia continued to stare dubiously at the soggy shoe handing in front of her, Raphael crossed the room to answer the door.

“Hey Raph! Long time no see!”

“Maya! You’re here early!”

Raphael let out a jovial laugh as he lifted his sister into the air and gave her a tight hug. She hugged him back, and when she was set back onto her feet, she was set upon by Beefsteak and Dahlia, who gave her many sloppy dog kisses. A moment later, Magnolia nudged Raphael and the dogs out of the way and squealed happily.

“Auntie Maya! You made it!”

Maya grinned at Magnolia and placed a hand on her head to ruffle her hair. “Of course, squirt! I wouldn’t miss my favorite niece’s birthday for anything.”

“But I’m your only niece!”

“Haha, you’ve got that right!”

Magnolia giggled as she hugged Maya’s legs, and she gazed up with wide, hopeful eyes. “Did you get me a present?”

“Well yeah. It’d be silly not to get a present for such a cute and well-behaved little lady like yourself.”

A rumbling chuckle came from the direction of the kitchen, and Raphael looked up to see Dedue lift a hand to his face, looking to be trying to stifle any more laughter. Their eyes met across the room, and Raphael a soft smile spread over his face. Dedue mirrored his smile, and even though they had been married for quite sometime now, the sight still left Raphael speechless and made his heart race.

“Oh wow! What a cool painting!”

“You like it? I managed to be in the right place to see the wyvern migration last year, so I painted it for you.”

“I love it! Thanks Auntie Maya!”

Maya knelt down so that Magnolia could easily jump into her arms and give her a tight hug. When they parted and Maya stood back up, Dedue walked into the room and took a turn hugging his sister-in-law.

“It is good to see you, Maya.” Dedue said when he pulled away, “Will you be staying long?”

“Well, I’ve really got nowhere else to be,” she mused, shrugging nonchalantly, “I don’t really want to impose too much on you guys, though.”

“It is no trouble at all. Please stay as long as you would like.”

“Yeah!” Maya interjected, wrapping her arms around Maya’s legs, “Stay Auntie! We got some new doggies that you haven't met yet!”

“Oh do you now? Well, you’ll definitely have to show me!”

“Yay!”

“That will have to wait,” Dedue interrupted, gesturing towards the kitchen, “Dinner is ready, and after we can have your birthday cake, Magnolia.”

“Yay! Papa’s cakes are the best!” Magnolia said, grabbing Maya’s hand as she tugged her eagerly into the kitchen. Raphael watched with an amused grin on his face; his family brought such joy to his life, and it was a wonder that he ever knew the definition of happiness before Magnolia came into the picture.

“Darling.” Raphael was snapped from his thoughts and found that Dedue was standing before him. Ah, that’s right. He knew the definition of happiness, because ever since Raphael had confessed his feelings for Dedue, long ago in the greenhouse at Garrag Mach, Raphael had a well of infinite happiness as long as his loving husband was by his side.

“Will you go and get our presents for Magnolia?” Dedue continued, and Raphael nodded, but paused for a moment to wrap his arms around Dedue and kiss him tenderly.

When Raphael pulled away, Dedue was staring at him with a raised eyebrow, his cheeks flushed a slight pink in color, leaving Raphael a bit entranced by the beautiful sight. “Raphael?”

“Ah, right, I’ll go get them now!” Raphael said quickly, and he hurried off to their bedroom, before the urge to kiss his husband breathless prevented him from doing so.

After an evening of great food and family bonding, Maya retired for the night, as she was a bit worn out after her long journey. Raphael eventually found himself sitting in bed alongside Dedue, with Magnolia nestled in between them as they read some of her brand new books together.

“...and they lived...happily ever after!” Magnolia read, a beaming smile crossing her face as she closed the book. “That one was amazing! I wanna be a brave hero, just like the wyvern knights in the story!”

“You can do anything you want, Maggie!” Raphael said as he ruffled her hair, “You just gotta work hard for it and never give up.”

“Really?” Magnolia’s eyes went wide for a moment, before her eyebrows scrunched up thoughtfully. She went quiet and crossed her arms over her chest, and Raphael shared a glance with Dedue, who only shook his head and shrugged.

“Daddy! Papa!” Magnolia suddenly shouted, springing up onto her feet and turning around. She placed one hand firmly on her hip, and pointed her finger at her parents. “I know what I want for my birthday next year!”

“Uh, already?” Raphael blinked and cocked his head to one side, “But your birthday this year isn’t even over yet!”

“But this is important,” Magnolia said. Her gaze moved down to her feet, before her head jerked back up, an odd look of determination in her bright blue eyes.

“I want a baby wyvern!”

Raphael just stared at his daughter for a moment, completely dumbstruck. She wanted a what?

“M-Magnolia, sweetheart,” Dedue said, and Raphael turned to see that his husband’s face had paled slightly, and his jaw was set in a rare grimace. “That might not be possible…”

“Aww, why not?” Magnolia said, pouting as she crossed her arms over her chest, “I’ll be really good! I’ll make sure to never, ever do anything bad again!” Raphael turned his head to hide a goofy grin, and Dedue just sighed and shook his head.

“We will...talk about it.”

“Yay!”

“That is not a yes.”

Magnolia didn’t seem to mind, as she giggled and flopped back onto the bed, snuggling up against Raphael. She yawned sleepily and looked between her parents with a pleading expression.

“Papa, Daddy, can I sleep with you tonight? Pretty please?” Raphael chuckled and glanced at Dedue, who smiled softly and nodded.

“Of course. Just because it is still your special day.” Dedue said, and Magnolia let out a triumphant ‘hah’ as she wiggled under the covers and let Dedue tuck her in.

“Hehe, thanks,” she mumbled, yawning again as she curled up, her eyes slowly slipping shut, “I love you Daddy. I love you Papa. Today was the best...birthday...ever…” Her voice trailed off to some incoherent mumbling, and soon the birthday girl was sound asleep.

“Whew! She’s quite a handful sometimes!” Raphael said, his voice dropping to a whisper so as not to disturb Magnolia.

A low chuckle rumbled through Dedue’s chest, and he leaned over to press his forehead against Raphael’s. “I agree. She seemed to enjoy her birthday.”

“Oh yeah, I’m really glad she liked the books that I picked out for her. Er, but I didn’t think she’d get so attached to the wyvern riders like that…” Raphael scratched at his beard as a sheepish grin crossed his face, and Dedue shook his head.

“Maybe she will forget about wanting a wyvern by next year. She is far too young for that.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe if she still wants to be a wyvern rider when she’s a lot older, we can look into it for her.”

“We will see.”

Raphael could sense the apprehension in Dedue’s tone, so he leaned over to place a chaste kiss on his lips. Dedue hummed contently as he returned the kiss, and when Raphael broke the kiss, his golden eyes gazed deep into Dedue’s beautiful seafoam green, and a swell of warmth flooded through his chest.

“Thank you, Dedue,” Raphael said, a tender smile crossing his face as he caressed Dedue’s cheek with the back of his hand, “for loving me, and Magnolia. For making me the happiest man in the world for all these years that we’ve been together. I didn’t really think that I could be this happy. Sometimes I think I might explode or something!”

Dedue’s eyes widened slightly, before he chuckled and placed his hand over Raphael’s. Dedue’s gaze never left Raphael’s as he lifted his hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on his knuckles, before entwining their fingers together.

“My darling sunshine, I should be the one thanking you.” Dedue’s fingers brushed over Raphael’s wedding ring, and Raphael noticed that his husband’s eyes had become quite misty. “I once did not care for my own life, but you were the one to show me how precious my life truly was, and is, and will always be. I do not think I would be as happy as I am now without you by my side, helping me raise our beautiful daughter.”

“Aw, hon, you’re making me blush,” Raphael teased, and Dedue laughed as they kissed once more, and they settled down on the bed, making sure that Magnolia had enough room between them.

“I love you, Dedue.” Raphael whispered.

“And I love you, Raphael. Always.”

They shared one final kiss goodnight, and Raphael gave little Magnolia a peck on her forehead, before he extinguished the candle on the nightstand and closed his eyes. He had no trouble slipping into a pleasant slumber, and that might have had something to do with the fact that he was snuggled up closely with the two people who would always make him the happiest man in the world.

[beauty-prescribed]

★ fill in the questions as if you are being interviewed for an article & you are your muse tagged by ; @aestarc tagging ; @astatheloner ; @warkept ; @vitrexanima ; @behindicyblueeyes ; @sensesdialed

1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?   “Autumn Stone.” 2. WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME?   “Are you hard of hearin’?” 3. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE CALLED THAT?   “Because that’s my name? I don’t know... I think my father chose it because he loved the season when he met my mother.” 4. ARE YOU SINGLE OR TAKEN?   “Single, but I don’t see how any of that is your business.” 5. WHAT ARE YOUR POWERS AND ABILITIES?   “I don’t... have any? Unless you count me being a black belt.” // [ AU IM^2 ] “I’m the second half of Iron Man, in case you didn’t get the memo. Got myself a suit of armor, awesome gadgets, and some skills within S.H.I.E.L.D. Though all the tech genius goes to Tony.”  6. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?   “Dark brown.” 7. HAVE YOU EVER DYED YOUR HAIR?   “No, I haven’t. Don’t know if I want to either.” 8. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS?   “I do, yes. But I ain’t gonna tell em all to you. Those that matter are my mother, father, and Mam.” 9. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?   “I’ve two horses back home on my mother’s farm. BlackJack and Honey.” 10. TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE.   “I don’t like it when people are too caught up in other people’s business. Unless you have reason to be in my business, you ain’t got the right to be in my business.” 11. DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OR ACTIVITIES YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?   “I do martial arts in my spare time. It gets me into shape and work on the balance between my spiritual self and mental health. And cooking. I love cooking.” 12. HAVE YOU EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE?   “Yes. Both intentionally and unintentionally I’m sure.” 13. HAVE YOU EVER… KILLED ANYONE?   “Even if I did, why would I tell you?” 14. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?   “Hm. If I had to choose, maybe a grizzly bear or a wolf.” 15. NAME YOUR WORST HABITS.   “I still bite my nails on occasion, though not as much as I used to as a kid. I do tend to drink heavily sometimes but I make sure to limit myself on it. I’m not irresponsible.“ 16. DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANYONE?   “My mother, mostly. She was the one who raised me to be who I am now.” 17. GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BISEXUAL?   “Now you’re starting to get into my business.” 18. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?    “Does the pharmacy degree up on the wall answer yer question?” 19. DO YOU EVER WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE KIDS SOMEDAY?   “I do, yes. Though trying to get all that sorted out first is kinda difficult. I’m not too worried about it right now but I do want to have a family.” 20. DO YOU HAVE ANY FANS?   “Do the nicer patients in the pharmacy count?” // [ AU IM^2 ] “Oh definitely! I love ‘em all so dearly. It wasn’t part of the plan really but now I get to see all the little kids light up when I walk by them. They’re so cute, really. Some of the adult fans are quite weird but they’re all pretty awesome.” 21. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?   “Rejection. I’ve been rejected hard many times before and it really sticks to you. Also, there is still some flack about sexuality going around in the world so tryin’ to find someone who won’t use you or not take you seriously is difficult. Also, I’m afraid of being abandoned. By anyone.” 22. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY WEAR?   “Depends on my mood. But I’m mostly presentable.” 23. DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE?   “If you’re asking about romantics, stop being in my business.” 24. WHAT CLASS ARE YOU?   “I’m sorry? Is this a D&D question?” 25. HOW MANY FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?   “Quite a few.” 26. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON PIE?   “I love pie! Especially any fruit-based pies. But I haven’t found a pie I haven’t liked yet. They’re also one of my favorites to bake.” 27. FAVORITE DRINK?   “A Manhattan, Jack and Coke, or just a simple glass of iced sweet peach tea.”  28. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE?   “My mother’s farm. I love how in the mornin’ the fog rolls in just b’fore the sun comes up from the horizon and you can smell the dew on the grass.” 29. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SOMEONE?   “None of your business.” 30. WHAT’S YOUR DICK SIZE?   “You better stop with the personal questions. Also, I’m a woman in case you hadn’t noticed by now.” 31. WOULD YOU RATHER SWIM IN THE LAKE OR THE OCEAN?   “Gimme the lake any day.” 32. WHAT’S YOUR ‘TYPE’?   “You’re gettin’ personal again. Though I can at least say I like someone who is adventurous, kind, and romantic.” 33. ANY FETISHES?   “Ask me one more personal question and I swear I’m gonna kick you through the wall ” 34. TOP OR BOTTOM? DOMINANT OR SUBMISSIVE?   “That’s it. I’m kicking you through the wall.” 35. CAMPING OR INDOORS?   “Camping. Always loved being outside with nature and appreciatin’ our God given Earth. I make it a point to try and go out in the woods once or twice a month.” 36. ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS INTERVIEW TO BE OVER?   “Yes. I don’t understand the point of this interview if all you’re wantin’ to know is my personal life. You ain’t gotta know about any of that. I’m gonna ask you to leave now before I really start to kick you.”

[thisislizheather]

Navigating November

Yes, it’s insane that November is already over, but we’re all aware of that and it’s so boring to talk about time moving quickly so let’s not be boring, let’s be wicked. So much has happened this month, here’s a breakdown of what went on in my world this month:

The West Village restaurant Dante has forever been on my list of places to eat at, so I finally went and it was great. The pasta wasn’t as good as it is at L’Artusi, but that’s sort of an impossible demand. In any case, the food was good, the place is small & lovely, and the waiters are dreamboats.

I went to the movie theatre/bar/restaurant Syndicated in Brooklyn for the first time to see Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9 and both the place and the movie were great. I mean the movie’s pretty depressing, but obviously good. And the ticket was $8, which is amazing in 2018.

I ate at this great Mexican place Ofrenda twice so far, the quesadillas are so fucking light and good. Only con about the place is that it can get wildly loud inside.

I finished watching The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and it was great and dark but I wish there were more scenes with Prudence & Nick since they’re such good characters. The mortals are so boring I could scream. Looking forward to the holiday special they’re airing in a few weeks.

Gary came to town! So we did a lot of new things while he was visiting. The best thing? The restaurant Le Relais De Venise L’Entrecôte. They only serve steak frites. With this incredible sauce. You sit down, order drinks, then they ask how you like your meat cooked and that’s it. They also come around halfway through the meal to offer you seconds… of both the meat AND the fries. It’s insanity. Honestly, I heard the premise of this place and thought that there’s no way the quality would be great, but I was dead wrong. Every bite was incredible. The place doesn’t look like much from the outside (it’s way too bright) and the service is a little… weird? But the food was amazing. And so reasonably priced. Definitely keeping this one in the rotation.

Finally ate at Parm in Soho for the first time - I had the eggplant (which was okay) and Gary had the chicken which was eons better. Get the chicken. The service was notably great too.

Tried the ice cream at Morgenstern’s and whooooa, it’s good. They’re not fucking around here. Love their weird flavours. French fry ice cream legit tastes like French fries. Eager to try the “bread” and “popcorn” flavours. And if you’re sitting there going, “How could any ice cream be bad, Liz? C’mon!” you’ve obviously never tried the terrible Van Leeuwan.

Went to the Nintendo store in Times Square, discovered that it’s one cute-ass store.

Went to the Top of the Rock for the first time, waaaaay better view up there than from the Empire State Building. Hands down. Plus you get a Central Park view that’s gorgeous as well as a city view.

Ate at Pil Pil on the Upper East Side: crazy good tapas. I always forget about tapas.

You already know how much I love Lady M cakes, so I tried their seasonal pumpkin nuage one and… meh! It’s nowhere as tasty as their banana chocolate slice.

Ate at Jacob’s Pickles on the Upper West Side finally and Jesus Christ the portion sizes here are laughably large. My brother got a poutine and maaaaaaan you gotta see this thing. And while everything tasted good, it’s just so wildly indulgent. And coming from a person who lives their life on the motto of “INDULGE, BITCH!” - this really means something. Probably not gonna make it back here a second time. It’s mayhem.

Finally watched Big Mouth after everyone on the planet told me to watch it and of course it’s good, you know this already, you don’t need me to tell you this. Jon Hamm as the voice of a scallop? Hilarious. Kristen Wiig as a vagina? Gimme more, I say! That goddam little ladybug? Best character. Flawless show. Maya Rudolph is my true queen and I hate anyone calling anyone their queen. (THERE’S ONE QUEEN GUYS AND SHE’S ENGLISH. SHOW SOME RESPECT.)

Visited the annual holiday miniature train show inside Grand Central station and it’s as beautiful as always. But really I dare you to show me a miniature train show I don’t like. It’s kind of a joke that they call this a “train show” when it’s, like, shoved in the back corner of a gift shop. Still lovely, but just funny.

There’s a new flavour (pumpkin gingersnap) of banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery and it AIN’T GOOD. Stick to the hits, guys. Gotta stick to the hits.

Went to the MoMA and it was great, haven’t been in so long, love the fact that they incorporated some performance art!

Had lunch at Del Frisco’s since Gary was in a wagyu mood & oh yes it was good.

Went for happy hour at Clinton Hall, where the prices are amazing for what you’re getting (I mean, Pat LaFrieda sliders for $3 is fucking nuts).

My dear friend Sarah moved back to France and I shouldn’t be shocked when anyone leaves New York, but it always stings when it’s one of the good ones.

Finally got my hands on the Cauliflower Gnocchi from Trader Joe’s and holy fuck I now understand why it’s ALWAYS SOLD OUT. Tastes exactly like regular gnocchi. No idea how Trader Joe’s can make these remarkable tasting products, so I’ll just assume that some sort of deal with the devil has been made.

If you are ever on the Upper East Side around dinnertime craving ravioli, I promise you that the Mezzelune Alla Boscaiola at Uva will eternally please you in a way that no human can. It’s a half moon shaped ravioli filled with prosciutto and mozzarella served in a creamy wild mushroom sauce. And it will forever be my favourite thing to eat in that area.

Don’t ask me why but I watched both Princess Diaries movies and OF COURSE THEY’RE TERRIBLE I KNEW THAT BEFORE PRESSING PLAY WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME.

I also watched Four Christmases and initially it seemed like it could’ve been an actually okay movie but NOPE. I mean, there are worse movies, don’t get me wrong. At the beginning, I really liked the fact that the couple in it had super strong opinions about marriage and kids and oh man, it would’ve been great if the ending was just “and we were right all along!” instead of them having a kid at the end. Am I projecting my own shit on this movie? Yes! Sue me!

Watched Rumor Has It and I don’t know if I was either feeling tired or defeated or what, but I think I liked it at the moment. I mean, Kevin Costner has a nice smile. All that needs to be said.

Tried the eyeliner from Elf Cosmetics and BOOOOOOOOOOOO, never again! What a piece of garbage!

Once in awhile, the Rainbow Room hosts a seasonal pop up bar on the 65th floor of 30 Rock in Rockefeller Center sooooo Nathan and I went this week and it was so, so great. The menu always changes and the dishes are wildly inventive and from what we tried - crazy delicious. We only got a charcuterie plate but there was this pâté that was almost… unholy? It was incredible. It was an insanely rainy night, so the view wasn’t much because of the clouds but that’s really only one more reason for us to return. The service was perfect and it wasn’t even that expensive.

For the past year or so, whenever I’m having a day where my face feels rougher than normal, I’ve been using this Vitamin E cream from The Body Shop at night that’s been working like a dream. I mostly just use it on my cheeks (moreso in the wintertime) and I wake up and have perfect skin again. It says that it’s used as a face sleep mask, but I don’t think you need to use that much, this one jar has lasted me forever since I use so little of it at a time.

So there’s this pesto that I’m in love with that they serve on a panini I love at Bite in the city and the owner told me why this pesto is so great: they use walnuts instead of pine nuts to make it. So obviously this is the only way that I’ll make pesto from now on. It’s so crazy good, you could eat it with a spoon if you have lunatic tendencies like I do apparently? IT’S SO GOOD.

Are you aware that you can recycle your used/empty makeup containers at Origins? I’m sure you’re already aware of the program that MAC does, but for every other brand? I feel like this is probably the best option. They have a little box in each store, and it’s not exactly policy but if you go in to recycle something, you can show them that you’re recycling something and then ask for a sample of something and they’ll definitely give you a crazy-generously sized portion of a product that you want to try as a sample. I just did this and got a huuuuuuge sample of this eye brightener I’ve been wanting to use. Also! They’ll give you a code after you recycle that you can use online to earn Origins points on your account.

Nathan was on the Guys We Fucked podcast this week which I think is pretty huge and great, so you can listen to that if you like.

And that was November! If you’ve missed any of the other months I’ve done (and actually care to hear the intricate details of a stranger’s life), here’s a list of what’s been discovered over the past few months! Hellooooooo December!

October Occurrences

September Shenanigans

August Actions

July Jiffs

June Jaunts

May Musings