#tea sommelier school

[scuolajaku]

Tasting and comparing 7 ceremonial matcha teas

A new English post on the blog about tasting and compairing 7 different ceremonial matcha teas. Don't miss it!

Last year, at our headquarters in Lucca, some students and I had atasting of 7 different qualities of ceremonial matcha teas. The teas came from some of the mostfamous Japanese brands, which also supply the three great Japanese TeaCeremony schools: Urasenke, Omotesenke, Mushanokojisenke. Marukyu Koyamaen shopin the big Takashimaya shopping mall Hekisuien This famous company from Uji was…

[promiseiwillwrite]

Ask Game/Tag Game

tagged by the @windvexer and I try to be good giving and game, so let's go.

are you named after someone? No. But I missed being named "Sarah" because of a miscarriage.

I do like my name though. I got to go first in line a lot in school.

what sports have you played? Dodgeball, Kickball, Whiffleball, Line Soccer, Box Hockey, Swimming, Track and Field, and many other overly kinetic things that don't Technically count as sports, like Kempo, Archery, Several different weapons training arts, like swords and shields, and then lots of questionable stuff like ping pong, which I kind of played once, but I am just abysmally bad at.

do you use sarcasm? Oh yes. I need to make an attempt at jokes or people get weird and act like I am very terribly serious all the time.

what is the first thing you notice about people? How they hold themselves when they speak. I always unconsciously judge a speaker based on whether they have predatory body language. And I mean Do they move like Wolf or Cow. I am always watching to try to see whether or not a person is dangerous.

what’s your eyes color? My License says Hazel. But really, I have a brown ring around the pupil, a green ring around that, and a grey ring around that one.

scary movies or happy endings ? Depends. I love scary movies, especially if I can laugh at them or myself. But I DO love when things turn out okay.

any talent? I sing, and I am pretty good at picking up some hand-crafty types of things. Not sure any of my other traits could be called talents. I think everything else has been hewn from the firmament by me clawing and chewing them into form.

what are your hobbies? I love exercise and gardening and reading and puzzles. I am kind of a story maker. I say story maker because I am not good at the commitment portion of writing.

do you have any pets? I used to have many, but my darling child Hoss died last year, and my partner and I are not over it yet. (no, the other people in my head do not count)

how tall are you? 61 inches tall.

dream job? Barkeep in a Fantasy Setting. Full time witch. Leatherworker for a BDSM Shop. Zoo Keeper. Botanical Garden Steward. Tea Sommelier.

I will tag @bughusks, @anendoandfriendo, @jasper-the-menace, @wherenightmaresroost, @aberrationinlove, @solostinmysea, @thebookishwitch, @thestorywitch

And If you want, you can pass. I just wanted entities to be included.

[theodored]

basic  statistics  :

full  name  : theodore dormer-thorne.

nicknames  or  aliases  : teddy.

age  : 32.

date  of  birth  : 1855.

occupation  : banker / financier.

parents  : jonathan dormer & genevieve thorne

siblings  : eleanor dormer-thorne & alice dormer-thorne.

marital  status  : unmarried.

sexuality  : most likely bisexual.

the  secret  :

while not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the dormer's gambling business, teddy's bank (thorne & co) serves as the financial backbone for the family's ventures, providing the necessary capital and credit to sustain the gambling dens. teddy uses his charm and charisma to poach clientele and fund the family enterprise.

thoughts  on  high  society  :

theodore was born into a family that desired social prestige at all cost. a more discreet figure than his cousins, he found his niche in the financial world, though he continued to rub elbows with the great, the good, and the scandalous. he capitalises on his familial ties and views the dormers' upper-crust peers as opportunities to fill his own pockets. he is also intrinsically drawn to the hedonism of the rich and famous, and, like any good nouveau riche, considers himself a sommelier of all things decadent. but consider teddy a man of supreme smoke and mirrors: he's most likely sneering behind the backs of those he considers his genuine friends. to his family and loved ones, however, he is loyalty, conviviality, and graciousness embodied.

headcanons  :

charismatic and sociable, theodore's magnetic personality makes him a prime candidate to share a martini or light a cigar with.

he is lauded for his wit, humour, and sardonic criticism of the vulgarities of society. is he trusted, though? probably not – men of his charm seldom are.

well-traveled, teddy completed his schooling abroad, tucked into the hills of the pastoral english elite, and has a slight british twang to his voice.

he is a great admirer of emerging technology and inventions, particularly the silent film and automobiles.

teddy lives alone and occupies a fine room in a ritzy hotel; the comings-and-goings of his paramours are well-documented and the subject of much tea-time chatter, of which teddy is a firm partaker.

he is a keen sportsman and, in particular, fond of equestrianism and horse racing.

gossip extraordinaire! tell him everything.

more tba!

connections  :

rivalries.

more dormer connections in general.

clients.

drinking buds.

shoot me your ideas!

[nixielinghui]

Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human? Pointless, really.

Is that NIXIE LINGHUI? A SOPHOMORE originally from FUNAFUTI, TUVALU, they decided to come to Ogden College to study ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING on a FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIP. They’re THE OPHELIA on campus, but even they could get blamed for Greer’s disappearance.

Do the stars gaze back? Now that's a question.

STATISTICS;

BASIC INFORMATION;

full name: nixie linghui. nickname(s): nix. age: twenty-one. date of birth: september 30th, 2001. zodiac: libra. hometown: funafuti, tuvalu. current location: ogden, new hampshire. ethnicity: caucasian & chinese. nationality: polynesian. gender: demigirl. pronouns: she/they. orientation: panromantic & pansexual. religion: wicca. occupation: student & employee at c.ling. language(s) spoken: english, chinese, hawaiian, māori, tuvaluan, semi-fluent vietnamese.

FAMILY;

father: david linghui. marine engineer. born january 18th, 1965. mother: carley linghui. marine biologist. born november 21st, 1968. sibling(s): n/a. children: n/a. pet(s): n/a.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE;

face claim: havana rose liu. hair color: honey brown.  eye color: grey to green. height: 5'2''. weight: 110 lbs. tattoos: n/a. piercings: lobes on either side (multiple).

PERSONALITY;

character trope: the ophelia. additional tropes: the aquaphile, the barefoot loon, the barefoot sage, the beach bum, the dreamer, the effervescent, the halcyon, the manic pixie dream girl, the malingerer, the mysterious waif, the paracosmist, the peach, the traveler. character inspirations: argyle (stranger things), bea (mayday), delirium of the endless (the sandman), dolores madrigal (encanto), lottie matthews (yellowjackets), luna lovegood (harry potter), molly gunn (uptown girls), mr. magorium (mr. magorium's wonder emporium), sarah sanderson (hocus pocus), thomas jerome newton (the man who fell to earth), valerie (valerie and her week of wonders). positive traits: affectionate, extroverted, understanding. negative traits: carefree, indecisive, codependent. skills: forging relationships, mediation, amateur tea sommelier. smokes: no. drinks: yes. drugs: yes, natural substances only.

SCHOOLING;

attending; ogden college. major: enviormental engineering. minor: marine biology. sports: swimming & diving. extracurriculars: renewable energy and sustainability society, rock climbing team.

BACKGROUND;

TW: n/a. ● Nixie's parents met unexpectedly on a ship that her mother was traveling on and her father was working on. It was love at first sight and within four months they were married and Nixie's birth followed an additional seven months later. ● Due to her parents work, they never truly had a set home. Instead, she spent her childhood traveling on ships or boats and visiting exotic and beautiful locations, staying in everything from hostels to hotels and rented out rooms. ● Their education came mostly in the form of homeschooling and lessons taught both by their mother and the various women who helped raise and shape them throughout their childhood, most of their knowledge (and the things that piqued their interest) not coming from the things found in a textbook or classroom. ● It was throughout their travels that they became increasingly aware of the impact of global warming, particularly on the places that they loved to much, and in hopes to make a more impactful change going forward, they enrolled in Ogden. ● They definitely do care about their education and being able to help, but being as wild as they are, Nixie struggles with actually attending classes and staying on top of their assignments, something she too often has to be reminded about.

BIOGRAPHY;

TW: n/a. It had to have been fate that allowed their paths to cross, no coincidence that the ship she wasn’t have meant to have been on broke down while in his zone, that she’d wandered out of her room and into directly into him. It was love at first sight, two people destined for each other, a romance that others might try to simplify but the Linghui’s refuse to view it so plainly. It took a mere four months before they were tying the knot, a wedding some called shotgun soon after the fact, but the child growing inside of Carley was unbeknownst to them at the time, a welcome surprise when that beautiful baby arrived seven months later. To say that Nixie's upbringing was unorthodox would still be managing to down play it. She may have been born in Funafuti but it was never home, pulled to the seas before she was even a year old. In fact, home wasn't a word that they identified in the traditional sense — home was people, it was a feeling, no set place that ever been able to hold them. Nixie spent their time drifting; beaches and islands, boats and ships, oceans and villages that so few people got to experience. There was a plethora of time spent under the watchful eye of local women, incredible elders from varying backgrounds who’d lived and seen so much more than her, who shared their wisdom and stories and helped shape her. Of course, home schooling was mandatory, even with no singular home it was important she learn — and although they passed, it was no easy task, mind drifting and focus elsewhere, always feeling they could experience and learn more from the world around them than any book. While the past two decades have allowed them to experience beautiful and exotic places, they've also forced them to be witness to the suffering of the world — particularly of small islands, populations that have lived there for centuries and are often putting the least strain on the environment, remaining most affected by it. It’s why she’s journeyed to Ogden, the stillest she’s ever been and for the longest extent of time, leaving her skin itching for change. Nixie wants to learn and help the places and people that have come to be so important to her, but don’t be surprised if you find her arriving to class late or not at all, wandering the hiking trails while the skies are dark or laying on the water for so long people begin to worry she’s merely a body.

EXPAND ON HOW THEY EMBODY THEIR SKELETON TROPE;

For perhaps anyone who's appreciated an iteration of Hamlet, the visual is clear — long, disheveled hair and bare feet, clad in a dress and often pictured amidst flowers and water. It's not just the visual of her that takes people's mind to that place, however. They display the same childlike naivety, as if entirely unaware of the harsh realities of the word, a mind that it seems has taken a step away from the real world while at the same instant, holds gently onto secrets that no one else may ever may be privy to the knowledge of. At times it's unclear if Nixie is plagued by an invisible illness or merely not of this world, questions that her unwillingness to answer acts to make her all the more bewitching.

RELATIONSHIP TO GREER;

Their first encounter was unexpected and the ones that followed were even more so. Nixie was an almost impossible person to pin down, floating around with her parents like a piece of drift wood lost to the sea. It was thanks to the beautiful locations that their work took them that she was privy to many experiences most her age were not so lucky to enjoy. The couple may not have been able to afford the luxury of the vacation homes and resorts that the Morrison family could, but the ocean and it's mainland were things trickier to lay claim upon. The same beach at the same time, together and yet somehow worlds apart — though to an outside eye, it seemed the pair were either unaware or unaffected by that reality.

LINKS;

AESTHETIC | FASHION | INTERACTIONS | MUSINGS | PINTEREST | VISUALS

[parksaversnews]

EPCOT Food & Wine Festival 2024 Dates | Activities

Every fall, Walt Disney World transforms Epcot into a global foodie's paradise with the annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. This beloved event has become a staple for Disney fans and culinary enthusiasts alike, offering a tantalizing journey around the world through an array of delectable dishes, refreshing beverages, and immersive experiences. As you step into Epcot during the festival, the aromas of diverse cuisines waft through the air, beckoning you to embark on a gastronomic adventure. The heart of the celebration lies in the World Showcase, where over 25 global marketplaces line the promenade, each representing a different country or region. From the savory flavors of Mexico to the sweet delights of Belgium, these kiosks serve up tapas-sized portions, allowing you to sample a multitude of culinary delights without committing to a full meal. Beyond the tantalizing bites, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival offers a plethora of experiences to delight your senses. Nightly concerts at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series feature popular musical acts, providing the perfect soundtrack to your culinary escapades. Immersive seminars and demonstrations led by renowned chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists offer a chance to deepen your knowledge and appreciation for the art of food and beverage. With the recent announcement of the Epcot Food and Wine dates and details, it's time to start planning your culinary adventure at Epcot.

A Brief History of the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Before we dive into all the incredible food and activities the festival has to offer, let's go over the history of the the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot! Origins and Early Years The Epcot Food & Wine Festival traces its origins back to 1995, when it began as a small event called the Walt Disney World Village Wine Festival held at the Disney Village (now Disney Springs). In 1996, the festival was moved to Epcot and rebranded as the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The first year at Epcot featured just 25 global marketplace kiosks around the World Showcase promenade.  It ran for 30 days from September 28 to October 27, bridging the gap between the summer and holiday seasons to boost park attendance. Some popular food items that debuted in 1996 and have remained festival staples include Canada's cheddar cheese soup, Poland's pierogies, and Germany's apple strudel. Gaining Popularity (1997-2001) The festival started gaining major popularity in its early years at Epcot: - In 1997, a benefit gala was added featuring celebrity chef Julia Child to raise money for hunger relief organizations. - The Art of Winemaking seminar series debuted in 1998, hosted by master sommeliers. - Educational wine exhibits were added around World Showcase in 1999, as well as the first Disney Classic 10K race. - The Millennium Village exhibit celebrated global cultures in 2000. - The Robert Mondavi winery showcased the winemaking process in 2001. Signature Events Introduced (2002-2006) Several signature events were introduced during this period that became annual staples: - Party for the Senses and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series both debuted in 2002. - Kitchen Karnival for kids was added in 2003. - Sparkling wines in cans with straws were introduced in 2004 for sipping while strolling. - The Odyssey cooking school launched in 2005, along with the Food & Wine Race for the Taste 10K. - 2006 marked the festival's 10th anniversary with special celebrations. Continued Growth and Innovation (2007-Present) As the festival's popularity exploded, Disney continued expanding and adding new elements: - New marketplaces like Twinings Tea Bar and Celebrate Oklahoma debuted in 2007. - The festival duration was extended each year, reaching a record 129 days in 2022. - More special events, seminars, celebrity chef appearances, and musical acts were added. - In 2024, a new Festival Center area called CommuniCore Hall will open as a dedicated home base. What started as a small 30-day event has transformed into a major 129-day festival featuring over 25 global marketplaces, nightly concerts, seminars, culinary demos, and other immersive experiences celebrating food, beverage and culture from around the world. The Festival Epcot Food and Wine has become one of Disney World's most popular annual events!

Food and Wine Festival Dates and Duration

The 2024 Epcot Food and Wine Festival takes place at Walt Disney World, August 29th through November 23, 2024 spanning an impressive 3 months! This extended duration allows guests ample time to savor the diverse offerings and immerse themselves in the festival's vibrant atmosphere. The Food and Wine Festival Epcot is one of the best times to expand your culinary palette! They have so many different offerings, it makes it easy to stay longer so you can try each marketplace! Epcot Food and Wine festival dates can sneak up on you, so make sure and mark them in your calendar!

Food and Wine Global Marketplaces

The global marketplaces are a highlight of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, offering tapas-sized portions of regional specialties from around the world. Here are more details about these popular food booths: Global Marketplace Overview - Over 25 different global marketplace booths are set up around the World Showcase promenade during the festival - Each booth represents a different country, region or cuisine theme - They offer small plates, drinks, and desserts inspired by traditional dishes from that area - Portion sizes are tapas-style or appetizer-sized to allow guests to sample multiple items - Prices typically range from $4-$8 per dish/drink Returning Favorite Marketplaces Some of the marketplaces that return year after year include: - Mexico: Taco al Pastor, sweet corn cake, margaritas - Belgium: Belgian waffles, beer flights, chocolate treats - Greece: Spanakopita, Greek salads, wines - Germany: Crispy pork shanks, apple streudel, beers - Canada: Cheddar cheese soup, ice wines - France: Boeuf bourguignon, cheese plates, slushie cocktails - Hawaii: Kalua pork sliders, tuna poke New and Rotating Marketplaces Disney adds new booths or rotates different countries each year to keep things fresh: - 2023 New: Flavors of America, Char & Chop, Wine & Wedge, Bubbles & Brine, Swirled Showcase - 2022 New: Brew-Wing at the Odyssey pavilion - Past Booths: Chocolate Studio (2016), Candy Sushi (2011), Cheese Studio (2019) Sample Past Menu Items - Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with Alpine ham and baby potatoes (The Alps) - Grilled Chermoula Chicken or Moroccan lamb kebabs (Morocco) - Crispy pork belly with black bean arancini (Brazil) - Beef brisket burgerwich (Flavors from Fire) - Impossible Moussaka (Greece) - Beef brisket poutine (Brew-Wing) The global marketplaces offer an incredible diversity of flavors and cuisines to explore during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. With new booths and menu items added each year, there's always something new for returning guests to discover. One of the festival's main attractions is the array of over 25 global marketplaces scattered around the World Showcase and beyond. These kiosks offer a tantalizing selection of traditional dishes, desserts, and beverages from various countries and regions. Prepare your taste buds for a journey around the world as you sample flavors from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Be sure to pace yourself during the Food and Wine festival in Epcot so you don't over do it! 

Popular Marketplace Highlights

While the complete Epcot Food and Wine 2024 menu has yet to be revealed, some fan-favorite marketplaces are expected to return! Some highlighted food items from various marketplaces include: The Alps - Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with alpine ham, baby potatoes, cornichons, and baguette - Dark Chocolate Fondue with Berries, Pound Cake and Meringues (plant-based)

Australia - Grilled Sweet-and-Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp with pineapple, pepper, onion, and snap peas - Roasted Lamb Chop with mint pesto and potato crunchies - Lamington: Yellow cake with raspberry filling dipped in chocolate and coconut

Belgium - Beer-braised Beef served with smoked gouda mashed potatoes - Belgian Waffle with warm chocolate ganache - Belgian Waffle with berry compote and whipped cream

Brazil - Crispy Pork Belly with Black Bean Arancini and Cilantro Aioli - Mango Mousse with Condensed Milk Crunchies

Greece - Spanakopita (Greek spinach and feta pie) - Plant-Based Impossible™ Moussaka

  Hawai'i - Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour DOLE® Pineapple Rings and Spicy Mayonnaise - Tuna Poke with Avocado and Tomato - DOLE Whip

Mexico - Taco al Pastor: Marinated Pork with Pineapple, Onions, and Cilantro - Sweet Corn Cake with Maple Crema Morocco (Tangierine Café) - Grilled Chermoula Chicken or Moroccan-spiced Lamb Kebabs with carrot-chickpea salad - Fried Falafel Pita with tahini sauce (plant-based) - Pistachio Cake with cinnamon pastry cream and candied walnuts While we don't know the entire Epcot Food and Wine menu yet, we know the offerings will be incredible! We've never been let down yet!

Eat to the Beat Concert Series

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series is a popular offering during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World. Here are the key details about this amazing concert series: Concert Overview - Features popular musical acts performing nightly concerts at the America Gardens Theatre in the America pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase - Concerts are included with regular Epcot admission - Typically 3 concert showtimes per night around 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8:00pm - Runs the entire duration of the Food & Wine Festival, from late summer through late fall - Check back here for 2024 dates and showtimes

Concert Lineup - The lineup features a mix of nationally recognized bands/artists and local Orlando acts - Big name bands typically perform Friday through Monday nights - Local bands take the stage Tuesday through Thursday when crowds are lighter - Past performers have included Boyz II Men, Hanson, Billy Ocean, Sugar Ray, Starship, Smash Mouth, Air Supply, Everclear, Baha Men, Taylor Dayne, and many more - The 2023 lineup included acts like Boyz II Men, Hanson, Sheila E., Hoobastank, Sugar Ray, Tiffany, MercyMe, and more Eat to the Beat Dining Packages - Guests can purchase an Eat to the Beat Dining Package to guarantee seating for a concert - The package includes a meal at select Epcot restaurants and a concert badge for reserved seating - Pricing has varied, but typically around $35-$95 per person depending on restaurant The Eat to the Beat Concert Series has become a staple of the Epcot International Food Wine Festival, allowing guests to enjoy live music from popular bands while sampling global cuisine and beverages around World Showcase. The diverse lineups over the years have catered to a wide range of musical tastes. The Epcot Food and Wine 2024 concerts are sure to be amazing! Be sure to make room in your schedule for them! Click here for tickets!

Family-Friendly Activities

Festival Food and Wine Epcot offers several kid-friendly activities and experiences to keep children entertained while parents explore the global marketplaces. Here are some of the popular kids' activities during the festival: Remy's Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt One of the most popular activities is the Remy's Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt. Children can purchase a map and stickers from select merchandise locations to help Remy find ingredients for ratatouille hidden around the World Showcase. - Kids get a map highlighting the locations to search for Remy statuettes. - When they find a statuette, they can add the corresponding sticker to their map. - After finding all the locations, they return the map for a prize (past prizes included a Remy shoulder plush). - The cost is typically $6.99-$9.99 plus tax. Kidcot Fun Stops The Kidcot Fun Stops allow children to collect free souvenirs at stations located in each World Showcase pavilion. - Kids receive a cardstock character or Duffy the Bear to decorate and color. - Cast members will stamp or sign the souvenirs at each pavilion. - After collecting stamps from every country, kids can return for a bonus lithograph.

Candy Sushi Roll In past years, the Candy Sushi Roll experience allowed kids to create their own candy sushi roll at the Sunshine Seasons restaurant. - Cost was around $4.25 per person. - Kids learned how to roll candy like a sushi chef using fruit by the foot, airheads, and rice crispy treats. Junior Chef Kitchen The Junior Chef Kitchen offered free 30-minute cooking demonstrations on Sundays during the festival. Kids could learn to prepare kid-friendly dishes. 1 Disney Du Jour Dance Party While not specifically for kids, the Disney Du Jour Dance Party featured Radio Disney performers and offered an opportunity for kids to dance along. It was held on weekend nights. Other potential activities have included Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunt, Chip & Dale's Harvest Campfire with s'mores, and the Disney Pixar Pals Scavenger Hunt. Disney often rotates the kid activities each year, so new ones may be introduced. The Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2024 provides fun, educational activities to engage kids while allowing parents to enjoy the global food and beverage offerings around World Showcase.

Emile's Fromage Montage at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Returning this year to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is Emile's Fromage Montage, a cheese-themed experience that promises to delight cheese lovers! Details on this exciting offering are yet to be revealed, but it's certain to be a highlight for those with a penchant for artisanal cheeses. To take part in the cheese crawl called Emile's Fromage Montage, follow these steps: - Pick up a free Festival Passport at the Epcot entrances. This will have the official list of qualifying global marketplace dishes. - Purchase any 5 of the featured cheese dishes from the different global marketplaces around World Showcase. - For each cheese dish purchased, ask the cast member to stamp your Festival Passport. - Once you have collected 5 stamps in your passport by purchasing 5 different cheese dishes, proceed to the Shimmering Sips Marketplace hosted by Corkcicle. - Redeem your stamped passport at Shimmering Sips to receive an exclusive, specialty prize item!

The Chocolate Experience

The Chocolate Experience is a popular offering at the Food and Wine Festival that celebrates all things chocolate. It features intricate chocolate sculptures, decadent desserts, and opportunities to learn about the art of chocolate-making from expert chocolatiers. Chocolate Sculptures and Desserts One of the main highlights is the display of elaborate chocolate sculptures created by Disney's talented pastry chefs and chocolatiers. In past years, these have included life-sized figures, Disney character sculptures, and intricate designs made entirely out of chocolate. Guests can also indulge in a variety of chocolate-based desserts and treats available for purchase. Some past offerings have included: - Chocolate Cake Sundaes - Chocolate Mousse - Chocolate-dipped fruits - Chocolate Crunch Bars - Chocolate Wines and Beers Chocolate Seminars and Demonstrations The Chocolate Experience often includes seminars and demonstrations led by renowned chocolatiers and pastry chefs. These provide insights into the chocolate-making process, tasting notes, wine/beer pairings, and hands-on experiences. In 2018, for example, there was a "Chocolate Dessert Party" that included a chocolate sculpture display, dessert samples, and a chocolate beverage seminar. Location and Pricing The Chocolate Experience is typically located in one of the Festival Marketplaces or pavilions around World Showcase. Read the full article

[artofthepair]

It’s been a while since posting but trust me, my tea consumption has not waived.  Thanks for everyone who reached out checking on me and following the blog.  It makes me feel fantastic hearing from you. 

For work, its High School Culinary Competition time so I’m travelling.  Early mornings means that I need something stout to wake me up and get me going.  Teasource’s Iron River Assam 2nd Flush is perfect for this.

It was a cold day when I pulled this tea out to brew and it was an incredible deep, rich cup.  From the first sip, you knew it had depth and structure and instantly reminded me of a Barolo with similar notes.  This full-bodied blend has a beautiful contrast before brewing and after on the aroma profile.  Once it’s brewed, you are in for a ride.  It’s heavy toasted oak notes in the aroma and flavor are incredible.  It’s dry but has plenty of acidity making you return for multiple sips.

Frankly, I just fell in love with it.  The chef side instantly starting to think of lettuce wraps, game meats and bittersweet chocolate.  As the weather warms up, I know that I will make some of this in an iced tea to go with my smoked meats and sausages. 

Head over to the ArtofthePair.com to check out this review and others.  Leave me notes of new teas and tea shops to try on my travels and I will keep sending reviews.  The next few week’s reviews I’m super pumped about.

www.ArtofthePair.com

#tea #blacktea #barolo #assam #tealover #tealovers #beverage #beverages #somm #sommlife #sommelier #chef #chefs #foodies #foodiesofinstagram #foodie #teasource #smokedmeats #smoker #BBQ #culinary

[succubusonthedoorstep]

Please call me Mystic. (For now!)

My big three are Aries Sun, Scorpio Moon, Sag Rising.

I love wine and plan to go to school to be a sommelier. (Ideally, I'd retire at a vineyard...)

Some of my favorite drinks are: Milk Teas with Boba, Strawberry Daquiris, Fruit Juices. (Mango is my favorite, but mixed berry is good too.)

Games I Play: SMITE, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, The Sims! (I play on PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch!)

[writer-by-my-trade]

all of the likes

with lowercase els

aren’t justified

just sit on the most middle shelf

never thought to look for the forest

when sitting under the tree

never even thought to ask it’s name

or age or origin

just brought a book and blanket

took some small support

and passing shade

not sure if, on return

could even remember which tree it was

exactly

don’t think it really matters

people decided it should be a job

long time ago

taught it in schools

sold certifications

call them sommelier

the translator between

what sits on the tongue

and a lecture in history, weather, and

earth sciences

I was never good at science

but I made a damn good cup of tea

[dracereads]

The Easy Life in Kamusari

Drace's Star Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Like I had originally mentioned in the blurb, I actively could not shut up about this book. There was so much I wanted to touch on and use my words to explore with this book because it was actually super touching and gave me a great sense of relief to read it!

Getting Some Sense of it: If you've ever seen my first ACNH Island, the occult, it's not a big secret that I have a huge crush on rural aesthetics*, especially that of rural Japan. While doing research for the Occult, I spent a good amount of time gobbling up documentaries, travel blogs & vlogs, books, and about anything that I could to just be inspired. It's been a longstanding goal of mine to do an apprenticeship in the Japan at some point in my life to one day fulfill my dream of being a Tea Master / Tea Sommelier. COVID and my personal health has put a huge damper on this dream of mine, but ya'know. It doesn't mean I still can't dream about it while reading. Anyway, I was flipping through the Amazon Prime Reads while I was at work, and I happened upon this lovely little gem. I 100% started to read it between waiting tables**, and I just could NOT put it down or stop. I was super into it. I definitely got two hours of sleep because I tried to finish this book in between a closing shift and a turnaround. The context I provided above is probably ultimately why, but at the same time, it has an atmospheric vibe and cadence that lends itself to being extremely interesting. Synopsis: The premise du jour of the book is the main character, Yuki Hirano, is pushed into joining the Green Initiative in Japan by his parents who are kicking him out of their house immediately after high-school. The Green Initiative is a way to re-introduce people to dying rural industries. Yuki so happens to get stuck into the Forestry sector, and without a choice he is whisked away by a family member to the train station and sent to a remote location known as Kamusari Village.

The book is all about his struggle to find his place in the world, and decide if this life he was practically foisted into is really something he can be proud of. Along the way you meet an absolutely HILARIOUS cast of (somewhat feral) characters, and get drawn into the local culture just as he is. What I really love about this book is that it is extremely well-paced. As you're learning information and themes, you're met with lovely imagery and absolute shenanigans. The book knows how to tell you a good story, and knows when to let your mind have a breath of air and a break with a slow but AMAZING mental imagery of a backdrop of remote wilderness. The characters: So the narrator of this tale is Yuki Hirano. He's a freshly graduated young adult at the age of 18. He's a bit on the cowardly side, and just seems to be all around awkward and shy. His spinelessness is something he rags on about himself, but he's very good-nature and ruefully goofy, which gives him an endearing and down to earth vibe. He has a lot of growing and coming to terms with certain things in this book to do, but he takes to the task quite well.

The Nakamura Lumber Boys: Yoki will get his own mention in a second, so set aside our lovable wild-man for a second. The entire team of Nakamura lumber from the wild boar man, to the elders who spend time with Yuki teaching and boosting his confidence are such a good band of characters. They all have their drawbacks and faults, but they do their best to show their good nature to the very strange boy who most of them have determined won't actually be staying in Kamusari very long. That doesn't deter them from trying to persuade him to stay though. Yoki: Yoki is the character that Yuki seems to be in the most conflict of at the beginning, but by the end the two of them are extremely close. Yoki may be an expert at all things forestry related, but he is absolutely shit at keeping himself in check as a human being. This brings a very humorous balance to the very one-sided relationship at the very beginning. It helps Yuki to humanize Yoki a lot. (Even though Yoki's problems are to his own admission-- his fault.) Yuki gets along well with Yoki's wife (to the point where they would be on best-level in the best book) and his grandmother, Shige, has adopted Yuki as her second grandchild. The Plot: The plot is basically snippets of Yuki's first year in Kamusari, told as a reflective journal. He calls himself out for his own cowardice and lines of thinking, reflecting on the growth he's done as a person while recalling the most vivid and life-changing experiences he lived through during his year in Kamusari. The whole point of him working on this journal was for him to ultimately decide whether or not he wanted to continue on as a forester in the new life provided for him.

Some of My Drawbacks: My only issue with it is that this is definitely a Y.A. book. The author, Shion Miura, has a collection of different works in relations to jobs and professions of Japan. She is an absolute wizard at being able to craft lovely tales of people living their everyday lives and is amazingly good at imparting the Japanese Pride in Traditionalism. Because of this, Kamusari is 100% geared at younger readers, and has a goal of inspiring and gently nudging the reluctant to look into doing something that inspires them. It's pro-capitalistic propaganda for sure. [Future Drace, if you can find that Let's Ask Shogo about Japan's work culture again, please link it here. If not Drace, I'll update it if the link is provided. I would rather it be Shogo or a reputable source please. ] Overall Impression & Score: Nuances of social issues aside, Good book is good people. Anything that inspires me to read well into the night and to the detriment of my own health will usually get glowing praise. Whether or not other people will get the same sort of elated buzz I did out of it is another story, but. for me solid 5/5***. Honestly, writing this review felt like a nice good leg stretch. I edited together a lot of broken tangents from the original blurb, and I think I have this settled. I am not sure if I will be doing a full length or blurb for the second book in the Kamusari series, Tales Told at Night... However, I will probably do a series wrap because I think Kamusari is the first series that I have finished blogging through. As always, if you stuck around to the end of my blathering, I really appreciate it!

Footnotes section: *I think my particular aesthetic niche is called "Mori", based off of MoriGIRL. Do not Quote Me as being anywhere near correct or an authority (**Aside: For those of you that are aware, yes, I am a Kitchen Manager. However, that does not mean that I do not possess the ability to wait on tables and occasionally get dragged out of the devil's den to go make nice with the guests. It's extremely rare, but it does happen! ) ***Go Read some of the reviews on Amazon. My favorite is the person who asked "didthe authordo any research on living in Japan before writing this because it seems so unrealistic and under-researched" I like. laughed for twenty minutes.

[opalescient]

haikyuu fic recs — the most beautiful, lovely, breathtaking masterlist (vol. I)

so i’ve been binging fics to cure my sadness, and i thought that these select masterpieces were too magnificent to not be plastered on every billboard ever. some tore my soul into shreds, while others melted said shreds back whole, but all of them made me feel some form of sheer, unadulterated love, so. please enjoy! 🥰⛅️✨

note: all of these fics are exquisite and you should read all of them, but if you’re short of time, those with ☆ are my all-time favourites!

daisuga

butterfly in the subway by bigspoonnoya ☆ | T

Sugawara Koushi has no idea he's already in love with the man he's supposed to hate.

i lovelovelove how all the concepts tied in together like a perfectly wrapped gift

also very wholesome, made me feel so inexplicably warm. like, love can exist everywhere!!! despite everything!!! that’s just so inspiring

i revisited this many times, i think it was (one of) my first haikyuu fics and honestly. it set the bar so high and i have no regrets

you’d fit my lonely arms so perfectly by boxofwonder ☆ | G

“Oh. You're. Not Asahi.”

Calmed down enough that he can speak again, Daichi takes a deep breath, his smile settling on his face easily and wide.

“Not as far as I know, no.”

-

Suga accidentally calls a stranger instead of his best friend, tells him all about his burned batch of cookies before realising, and that particular mistake might turn out the best one he ever made.

major, major fluff

the buildup!!!

god this made my yearning for love so much worse

the perfect stranger by downmoon | T

There’s a man standing outside Suga's door.

Scratch that. Start over.

There’s a man he doesn’t know standing outside his door, holding his sleeping nephew in one arm, with another kid clinging tightly to his free hand.

so domestic please read the entire series from start to finish it has my whole heart

shoyou and tobio as their actual kids 🥺

these two parents are so in love it makes me wanna cry

asanoya

silica sand by lilien passe ☆ | G

Overworked, over-stressed programmer Azumane Asahi works on the top floor of a Shinjuku skyscraper. Nervous around his coworkers and terrified of the long drop on the other side of the window, Asahi falls into a miserable routine, only to have it broken one day by a simple message on the outside of the glass.

PLEASE. so well-written it makes my heart glow and ache simultaneously

made me ascend into asanoya heaven

such a brilliantly unique concept i love it A+

qué syrah syrah by loudlucy | M

Asahi wants to be a Master Sommelier. It's the highest honor in wine service, and the certification would allow him to live the life he's always envisioned for himself. Too bad the certification test is notorious for being the world's most difficult.

Most people fail their first time taking the exam, and Asahi is no exception, but he has more difficulty than most dusting himself off and getting back on his feet. Enter Nishinoya, a young man who shares his same dream, and who believes in their goals so fiercely it forces Asahi to embark on a delicious and sensuous journey of viticulture and validation.

AKA The Wine Tasting AU that literally no one even knew to ask for.

NOTE: You Do Not Need to Know About Wine to Understand This Fic!

another super unique concept!!! (´∀｀=)

my god their chemistry is amazing

the writing made me feel things ngl

stop my bones from wondering by cerasi ☆ | T

After graduation, Asahi hides from the world and needs help from a few sources to find his way back.

i want to write sonnets and sing ballads for this fic, it’s that beautiful

as always, Top Notch Writing *chef’s kiss*

no but i seriously... can i kiss the author? asking for a friend 😳👉🏼👈��

iwaoi

star-crossed by starlitcities | T

“I never thought I’d see the day that I’d envy a human,” Oikawa admits, showering himself in tiny suns, because he can actually feels those, like a fusillade of warm kisses on luminous skin that leave marks. To humans, they’d be freckles. Skin stars, Oikawa calls them. He didn’t make that up, a human did.

“Who created the rule that we can’t touch, I wonder,” Iwaizumi ponders, floating heedlessly through space.

“Maybe it’s because we can fly. Humans dream of flying, right?”

“I don’t think so.”

gsjsgsjshsjshsjsj star!iwaoi

they’re LITERALLY STARS

beautifulbeautifulbeautiful i love how the author conveyed the beauty of touch and humanity 🥺🥺

please bless yourself further with the sequel sun-kissed

conquering the great king by suggestivescribe ☆| E

Iwaizumi blinked his gaze over to Oikawa, "Last time was supposed to be a one time thing," he said, voice low, lacking some conviction.

Oikawa's lips twitched into a smirk and he brought them hovering just over Iwaizumi's, "One time thing, Two time thing, what's it matter as long as it's not a Relationship thing?"

yes.

in fact, this entire series (breaking the rules) features daisuga, kuroken, asanoya and it’s SO GOOD. every single one.

but anyway, character development!!!!! plot!!!!!!!!! writing!!!!!!!! i’m here for it all

tsukkiyama

campfire in your chest by deanpendragon ☆ | M

Kei realizes in their second year of high school that he’s probably been in love with Yamaguchi since they were ten. However hopeless he might be in handling that situation, Kei prays he’s at least not as hopeless as Hinata and Kageyama. But he just might be.

SO BEAUTIFUL

i am also a sucker for anything with stars, moons and all the love in between

no words to describe this work of art please just go read it and be blessed

under the lilac tree by raewrites | G

there’s a lilac tree in Kei’s backyard.

gorgeous in its simplicity

softtsukkisofttsukkisofttsukki

not as grandiose as the rest but the love written into every word, action and character is absolutely show-stopping

kagehina

saffron and cayenne pepper by dontsaycrazy ☆ | T

Cooking is hard. Even if you have your very attractive, very grumpy neighbor there to help you.

-

In which Hinata's lack of cooking skills are a danger to him and others. Luckily (or not), Kageyama is willing to teach him, if only for the sake of avoiding any burned down apartments.

the essence of their characters were captured so well and yet it’s like they’re completely new characters too? author, whoever you are, you totally owned this

this made me ship kagehina so hard

fluff! cuteness! lots and lots of cooing!

kuroken

the galaxy is endless (i thought we were, too) by cosmogony ☆ | T

soulmate

/ˈsəʊlmeɪt/ • noun

A person who was made from the same star as you.

-

// Kuroken AU where the last words your soulmate will say to you appear on your skin when you turn 16, and how Kenma and Kuroo learn what this means over the course of their lives.

ahhh here it is. beautiful, heartbreaking, soul-emptying agony. you want angst? choke on this, and your tears later on.

no but seriously please read this if you haven’t you won’t regret it at all i promise

written from kenma’s perspective so you experience every depth and multitude of emotion he does and it’s so raw and- brb imma go cry for a sec

knot in my heart by hearthope | T

There’s a picture. Kenma blinks, looking at the little calico cat, being held up next to the face of a guy with stupidly messy hair and a crooked grin.

Cute.

The— the cat. The cat is cute.

Just the cat.

-

Kuroo starts spending a lot of time at the flower shop Kenma works at. Kenma definitely isn't into him.

okay so i like it when authors unravel a normally stoic character’s full scope of emotion and give them depth, sue me.

anyway, back on the fluff train!

i absolutely f*ck with flower symbolisms, cats and bitchy best friends who have dirt on each other. the layers of romance, friendship and everything in between is so prettily developed 10/10

bokuaka

the jacket you never returned by daisuga ☆☆ | G

He leaned over, kissed Bokuto on the cheek, and smiled bitterly, eyes watery.

He will never remember. Not now, not ever.

What they were will now forever be forgotten.

-

"You used to call me Keiji, Koutarou."

YOU USED TO CALL ME KEIJI, KOUTAROU!!!!!!!!!!

i beg you to listen to Spiegel im Spiegel when it’s first mentioned in the story please

i read this and screamed through my tears for a solid 1.5 hours. i rarely cry.

no f*ckin regrets though i read this thrice already and it hurts so good every time

rules by conesofdunshire ☆☆ | E

In which Akaashi Keiji is an overworked accountant who stumbles upon Bokuto one night playing the piano in the lobby of his work. Bokuto is different, that much is obvious. But with such supreme musical talent and a smile so dazzling it rivals the sun, there's just something about him that brings Akaashi back every night.

this fic. this fic has my whole, broken, sobbing heart and laughing soul

gorgeous. breathtaking. magnificent.

bokuto is so WARM and akaashi is so STRONG and they both find the solace they need in each other and it’s all i want for me 😭😭😭

in another life by littleluxray | T

Sleeping didn't come as easy as it used to. Bokuto knew this, and now Akaashi did, too.

The hospital AU that no body asked for, but that I took upon myself to write.

this is a famous fic that i doubt any seasoned haikyuu reader wouldn’t know, and RIGHTLY SO BECAUSE, the PAIN. the pain. the pain.

i could feel my lungs shrivel up and my chest cave in on itself. fatigue and rest are things i struggle with too so this whole story resonated with me from start to finish, and it broke me. in like, the best, most revitalising way

i would read this again but it still haunts me at night. i need to heal from the first time before i have the guts to try one more time HAHAHA 😆💔😭

tea-stained polaroids by dalyeau | G

“I'm gonna date that,” Bokuto declares solemnly, and Kuroo throws a plastic spoon at his head.

mmmmmmm pretty photographer + personalised coffee cups + cute baristas = diabetic fluff fic

i smiled so much throughout this you have no idea. cheeks achey but so good

i may have squealed a little at the ending

kurotsukki

moonfall by batman | T

There is no unlearning Tetsurou, after all. There is only leaving him.

-

(Five things of Tetsurou's that ended up in Kei's home, and one that never left.)

the writing!!!!!! is pure beauty!!!! sheer grace!!!!!!! the construction of the AU and the romanticism and hsjsgsjshsj

didn’t cry but. heart ache and bittersweet smiles are another level of misery that is just as fulfilling

yea just pleasepleasepleaseplease go read it thank you and have a good day

hidden gem by realmSpinner | E

Things get complicated when everything you thought you knew about a guy changes, and they get even more complicated when you actually start liking those changes.

That guy working with you AND becoming your neighbor? That's just a cherry on top of the cake of confusion.

this AU was refreshingly different, and amazingly so

top!tsukki??? sign me the f*ck up

the whole plot, man. perfection.

pings by barfs ☆☆ | T

[5/02/16, 3:50:17 AM] Tsukishima Kei: Please wake up.

[5/02/16, 3:50:23 AM] Tsukishima Kei: I hate begging. You know I hate it.

[5/02/16, 3:50:34 AM] Tsukishima Kei: I bet you’re snickering at that, wherever you are.

[5/02/16, 3:50:53 AM] Tsukishima Kei: But, it keeps hurting and I don’t know why and it feels like shit and I know you could tell me why, but you’re not here and I would really appreciate it if you’d just wake up.

[5/02/16, 3:51:02 AM] Tsukishima Kei: You’re laughing at that too, aren’t you.

[5/02/16, 3:51:10 AM] Tsukishima Kei: Dying is probably up there in the list of top ten shitty things you’ve ever done, and you’ve done a lot of shitty things.

god.

you already know what’s coming, and yet. when it comes.

how the f*ck did the author make grief beautiful????????? (at the expense of me dying along with kei and everyone else i guess)

this fic will ruin you and bury you under all your pain (i hope you’re ready)

but also put you back together with the “sequel”

kyouhaba

close to the chest by darkmagicalgirl | T

It takes Yahaba thirteen years to realize he's different from the other kids, one to figure out how to hide it, and two more to learn to be happy just the way he is. Yahaba's journey ft. an extremely annoyed Kyoutani, best friend in the world Watari, and loads and loads of good senpai Oikawa.

cause i’m (not) alright with the slow, burn~

no fr, take slow and burn very seriously

overthinking yahaba? i understand. i do.

again, such an amazing fic; 10/10 recommend

safe here by crossbelladonna ☆ | M

“Raids are routine work,” Kyoutani tells to Yahaba before he can air the question. “Sometimes there is no sleep done until we accomplish something, say kill a certain ghoul. I guess they’re still going through the possibility that people in the accident are still alive huh?”

Yahaba quirks a smile, pushing his mask up his head.

“You’re alive.”

Kyoutani looks at him intently and all of the things that they’ve gone through for the past month seems to flash in his mind.

“Yes I am.”

i haven’t watched tokyo ghoul but i understood everything perfectly. such is the power of f*cking kickass writing

*cue ugly crying and a lot of unresolved angst*

like the grief??????? ruin me please thank you 🙏 (i think i’m a little masochistic)

rare pairs

mannequin men by surveycorpsjean ☆ | M

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/tuskishima]

The modelling world is full of hungry wolves, constantly clambering over the other, snarling and desperate. They fight, and they kill, trampling over anything in their path.

In this case, Akaashi fell in love with the wolves.

i did not expect this to be good, and it wasn’t. it was SPLENDID.

akaashi is so enamoured with them from the get go i love it

a tiny bit of angst that stabbed me in the heart, but the happy ending soothed it (thankfully, because if there wasn’t one i will sue)

characterisation, writing, plot development; everything is great. can you tell i’m running out of synonyms for ‘beautiful’

feel like gold by heronfem ☆☆ | T

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/kenma]

In which Kenma is unapologetic and comfortable with who he is, Akaashi learns a lot about himself in a short period of time, Kuroo is wildly in love and an eternal survivor, and Bokuto remembers that love doesn't cure mental illness, but having a support system sure helps a lot.

Or, the one where 4 young men get together, and are helplessly, hopelessly, utterly in love despite everything.

e.e. cummings?? poetry??? f*ck yes

so beautiful. i’m so star-struck by this fic it’s simply stunning

there are no words to fully capture how worth your time and heart and mind reading this fic is so please. do yourself a favour, and fall in love with this fic with me

the sky and guilt are the only feelings i have left by oopsthisisqueertoo ☆☆ | not rated

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo]

Akaashi is at his wits end. He feels nothing. He's quickly crumbling as a human being. He wants nothing but sweet release of death. In his fourth year of college he drafts a plan for his suicide. He is to graduate, publish writing for others to be inspired by, and slip quietly away. Shortly after, he meets a dog walker named Bokuto who asks him out and Akaashi reluctantly agrees. Nothing matters anymore and he treats Bokuto like an obligation. Until he's not anymore.

TW: SUICIDE ATTEMPTS & DEPRESSION

this was... this gutted me entirely and filled my body with too many shades of agony

arguably one of the best haikyuu fics i’ve ever read

so beautiful in the most painful way fathomable; strongly recommend

april to may by surveycorpsjean | T

[bokuto/akaashi/kuroo/tsukishima]

They're an odd family.

The four of them? Parents?

But still, they're a family.

So they'll support each other until the end.

aaahhhhh third gym as parents 🥺

so much fluff. i also love april and may

they’re still so in love there’s love in every millimetre of this fic :”)

that’s it for now! i’ll add more if i come across anymore good fics. i hope you enjoyed this list! if you have any requests/fic recs, or if u just wanna chat, feel free to just ask! hehe 🥰 k aight bye~

[moblitberner-bunch]

Modern AU: proffessions

These have been sitting in my drafts for 1,5 year now so I decided to finish them and dedicate these to @quietcelt because she's gonna leave Tumblr soon... Me be sad...

Erwin: Teacher and student mentor

Mike: Dog trainer you can’t change my mind

Levi: TEA SHOP OWNER!!!

Hanji : Forensic scientist

Moblit : Pediatrician. He makes little drawings for children to make them a little happier too.

Nanaba : Emergency service line. Volunteers as telephone operater for abuse hot line

Nifa: Fashion store manager, designs clothes, once she released her own clothing line. She is now working on a skin care products line.

Pixis: professional alcoholic (sommelier)

Anka: Pharmacist

Rico : Lawyer (and a ridiculously good one too)

Ian: Journalist

Mitabi: Coach; Talent developer; Jury

Gustav: I-O psychologist

Studies:

Eren: No studies, works at MMA gym.

Mikasa: Language and Culture studies, works at a cinema.

Armin: Studies Biology and Geography, also in the honors program, is student tutor in biology as job.

Jean: Studies Political History, considers studying Law as well. Doesn’t need a job, he lives with his mom rent free.

Connie: Studies Programming and Computer Science, works in an electronics shop: he is a real gamer and sometimes earns money with the gameplay videos and streams he uploads.

Sasha: Works in bakery/patisserie/coffeehouse, no studies yet. She is kinda scared of studying.

Historia: Studies History, volunteers at the local animal shelter, human rights activist.

Petra: Social Worker, very active at schools and universities.

Eld: Security manager, could as well stand in as a body guard

Gunther: Studies Medicine. He has Omega Big Brains and he is devoted to using them.

Auruo: No studies, he is the stay-at-home family man.

[chrysalispen]

Prompt #10 - Avail

AO3 Link HERE

===

"Why is it," he murmured, "that we invariably end up on our backs over a bottle of wine?"

Tucked securely against his side, the Warrior of Light's laugh was a sweet and half-inebriated warble.

"Because you're using me for my worldly and well-traveled wine cellar. Remember?"

The Azim Steppe was so remote that there existed almost no light from any neighboring settlements, and the only sound for miles was the occasional faint whuffling noise of a nearby dzo herd left out to free graze. Nero preferred, largely, to surround himself with tools and steel and the other assorted trappings of industry - or, at least, some reasonable facsimile thereof. For example, the small room with his piles of books and drafting desk that he'd moved into her house long months past.

He'd spent his formative years in the middle of nowhere, had less than fond associations with his boyhood as a result (with one or two notable exceptions), and had estranged himself sufficiently from his former life that he thought he had little care to repeat the experience. That said: there was something to be said for the simplicity of a full stomach and a warm fire.

Perhaps the steppe folk had the right of it.

His hand wrapped about the glass neck and he squinted at the label, just barely legible. Lea Monde Valens, it read, 1532. "Still working your way through these, I see."

"Well, yes. I suppose I could sell them to Geguruju for a tidy profit, but I'd feel terribly dishonest."

Nero upended the bottle and savored the sourness and bracing tang upon his tongue before passing it to her. "You would also be terribly rich."

"No doubt I would, but-"

"But you're too bloody honest to swindle a man with more money than sense. That's all right, sweetling, it's what I love about you."

She tweaked his nose.

"It's not just that. I'll have you know that I have always dearly loved a good vintage."

"All this time I had assumed your one true love was tea."

"You're quite mistaken." She already had the bottle raised to her lips by the time he thought to reach for it again. A long and contented sigh followed the light popping sound of its mouth as the suction was lifted. "...Quite honestly, I would punch Ifrit ten times over for a barrel of Shamani Lohmani's finest La Noscean red."

Nero raised his brows.

"Truly, I stand in the presence of the very definition of a well-heeled dilettante. Puncher of eikons. Hobbyist engineer. Healer-"

"Chirurgeon," she reminded him, a trifle wryly. "Everyone forgets I went to school for that bit, as you'll recall."

"Mm. Chirurgeon, then." He kissed her temple. The scent of fermented grapes tickled his nostrils. "Last but by all means never least, amateur sommelier."

She allowed herself a chortle and set the bottle aside, then tilted her chin upwards just enough to return his kiss: a light and careful sensation of pressure against his jawline, rough with fresh stubble. Her lips were warm and slightly damp.

"Are the others going to miss you at the Wall?" she asked, nuzzling his neck, and Nero felt his heart skip- along with a warmth stealing through his limbs to pool in the base of his stomach, one very distinctly not caused by the wine.

In truth, he'd promised the deputy president of the Ironworks that he would fly out with a team to troubleshoot one of the malfunctioning perimeter pylons, had already pocketed the fee to do so, and he was in no wise fool enough to attempt to pull the wool over Jessie Jaye's eyes.

On the other hand, he knew a proposition when he heard one. "I think they can manage without me for the evening."

"Oh? Excellent." Aurelia drew herself upright and in a single fluid motion she had straddled his waist - settling her weight against him, softness angled in a way that he knew full well she could not fail to notice his interest - and braced her hands along his shoulders. "Because as it happens, I currently find myself in need of a skilled consultant."

"Do you?"

"I do," she smiled, all wide-eyed (devious) innocence. She ground firmly against the cradle of his hips in a slow sinuous roll that left him breathless. "Perhaps you might be so kind as to point me in the right direction."

His hands caught her thighs and stilled them with more exertion than he would have cared to admit.

"It seems to me you might already have a candidate in mind," he replied with studied nonchalance. "But I am nothing if not the very picture of grace and resourcefulness."

"And humility," she drawled.

"Quite. Should I come across this skilled consultant who so perfectly fits your bill, eikon-slayer, I suppose I could let him know you are in need of his services."

Beneath his grip, muscles flexed and shifted, and the curtain of her hair tumbled over one shoulder as she leaned into his touch. He was rewarded with a strangled little gasp when he repaid her teasing in kind: slim but powerful hips canting forward and up to thrust, and for a moment he found his train of thought utterly derailed by his own friction.

"Well, if you do find him, pray let him know that I am willing to pay in extraordinarily niche Ilsabardian wines," she whispered against his mouth, and Nero's answering laugh was consumed in a heated kiss.

[romyxzhao]

[ ROMILDA “ROMY” ZHAO. 23. CISFEMALE. SHE/HER ] is here! They’ve lived in Silver Lake for [ 20 YEARS ] and are originally from [ LONDON, ENGLAND ]. They are a [ TEA SOMMELIER / BUSINESS OWNER ] and in their downtime love [ GARDENING ] and [ COOKING ]. They look a lot like [ JESSIE MEI LI ] and live [ IN OASIS APTS ].

- B A S I C S -

FULL NAME: Romilda Ashana Zhao NICKNAME(S): Romy, Ro AGE: 23 OCCUPATION: Tea Sommelier at The Teahouse - a tea shop that she co-owns with one of her cousins. BIRTHDAY: February 28th ZODIAC: Pisces BIRTH PLACE: London, England CURRENT RESIDENCE: Silver Lake, CA (Oasis Apts) HOGWARTS HOUSE: Ravenclaw

- F A M I L Y -

FATHER: Fai Zhao - Financial Advisor MOTHER: Eileen Fitzgerald-Zhao - Runs the local daycare, ABC Kids COUSINS (Father’s Side of the family): 2

PET: Guinea pig, named Chújú (Daisy)

- P E R S O N A L I T Y -

(+) Friendly, Hardworking, Studious, Creative, Nurturing (-) Withdrawn, Evasive, Bossy, Stubborn, Overprotective

Romy has the potential to get along with just about everyone, so long as they don’t piss her off or come after one of her loved ones. She’s very protective of her family and friends and would not think twice about seriously hurting others if it meant to protect them. 

She’s an introvert by nature, and can sometimes seem a little withdrawn from the crowd, but she doesn’t typically hesitate to engage in conversation if the situation calls for it.

- L I K E S -

Cooking

Baking

Gardening

Embroidery

Sketching and Painting

Arts & Craft

Swimming

Playing with her guinea pig, Chújú

- B I O G R A P H Y -

Born in London, England to a Chinese father and English mother. When she was a baby, she and her parents moved from London to Fujian, China for three years, in order for her father to take care of his ailing brother. 

They stayed there for nearly three years, up until her uncle sadly passed away.

When Romy was three, the small family, along with her two cousins (the children of her now deceased uncle), left China and took up a more permanent residence in Silver Lake, California. This is where Romy and her two cousins grew up together, raised as siblings. 

All three of them were around the same age, give or take a few years, so it was easy for them all to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings.

After high school, Romy decided to forgo college and instead began proper training to be a tea sommelier, with the end goal of becoming an expert on all things tea-related. It took five years and a lot of studying and dedication, but she finally earned her certification. 

While she was studying, she also took up two part-time jobs: a waitress position at Lotus, and as an assistance at her mother’s daycare, ABC Kids. This was so that she could pay rent for her apartment and so she could save the money she and her cousin would need in order to open up the tearoom that they had dreamed about running together for years.

As of February 2021, they managed to do just that, with a little financial help from Romy’s parents. Their shop, The Teahouse was their baby, their pride and joy - something the two girls had worked extremely hard for.

- W A N T E D   C O N N E C T I O N S -

Cousin #1 - The oldest of the two cousin. (age between 25-28)

Cousin #2 - The youngest cousin, and the one who is closest to Romy in age, preferably even the same age as her (age between 23-24) and the one that she is generally the closest to, period. They graduated around the same time, and now are co-owners of The Teahouse (an Asian-themed tea shop).

Childhood Besties - She grew up in Silver Lake, so she has to have made at least a few friends along the way.

Inner circle of friends - friends she knows that are just a phone call away if she ever needs something (or vice verse); her party squad

Bad Influences

Crushes / Love Interests

Flings / One-nighters

Neighbors (Oasis Apts.)

Roommate(s)

Literally whatever! I’m down for pretty much anything.

[makemadej]

So today two of my worlds collided in the best way: Ryan and Shane were guests on one of my favorite podcasts. I was totally blindsided by this since there was no promo for it whatsoever (who knows why, maybe they forgot when the release date was, maybe they’ve been taken captive by skeletons, maybe they’re just terrible at promoting themselves), and it killed me that I couldn't listen to the whole thing until after work. It's over two hours long and podcasts aren't everyone's cup of tea, so I'm capturing the ghoul boy highlights here for anyone who wants them.

Wine and Crime is a weekly podcast hosted by three ladies who are feminist as fuck and pair a different crime with a different wine each episode. This time, the theme was Pandora's Box crimes, aka "crimes that were only supposed to be minimal but ended up being a shitshow." Inevitably, they paired it with boxed wine.

Enter the ghoul boys.

Ryan, on Franzia: I do enjoy slappin' a bag Shane: I've seen Ryan slap some bags in my day. [...] Ryan: Shane has to tell me to stop slapping the bag sometimes Ryan: I used to do this thing in college called Tour de Franzia. It was like a drinking game, but it was an obstacle course, and at every checkpoint you had to slap the bag. [beat] I made great decisions in college.

Ryan: You say "nice stream" to the sound of liquid being poured into something, it maybe is not the best...it may not communicate well over audio. Shane: Hey, nice stream Ryan: Nice stream. That's what I say every time I go up to a urinal. To any guy. Tap him on the shoulder. Shane: Men in public bathrooms, we all compliment each other's streams. Ryan: Yeah. It's best if you whisper it. At close proximity. I get really close so he can smell the Popeye's on my breath that I just got at the terminal and I whisper "nice stream."

Ryan: We're drinking the 14% Four Lokos seltzer over here [borderline unintelligible banter about playing Edward Four Lokos hands]

Ryan, on the description of himself on a "which BFU guy are you" quiz: That sounds like the description of a golden retriever.

Shane: I know there's one quiz that was popular where the description [of me] was entirely wrong.

Ryan, increasingly high pitched: A fan sent you all these goat parts?

[What is your favorite wine varietal?] Ryan: Hmmmmmm... [Do you know what a varietal is?] Shane, with gusto: No!

Ryan: Wine to me is just wine at this point. I'm not that far on my wine journey. I was a beer guy that's transitioning over into wine. Shane: Well, it sounds like you're not doing a very good job. Ryan: You know what, I said I am LEARNING, Shane. So why don't you get off your high horse and tell them what kind of wine you like? Shane: I don't even know! Ryan: Mr. "I don't know what a wine varietal is" Shane: Yeah. But I don't call myself a wine guy Ryan: I never said I was a wine guy! I said I was-- Shane: You were like, "Oh, have you see that Netflix documentary, Sommelier?" Ryan: First off, I didn't say it like Elmo from Sesame Street, but I also said I was transitioning!

Shane: I like some red wines and some white wines Ryan, imitating him: I like the stuff with the alcohol in it...and sometimes it has bubbles and makes my tummy feel good and uhhhh, yeah Shane: Yeah, I don't really know... Ryan: Sick answer Shane: There's a kind my girlfriend always gets that's really good but I don't...I can't remember the name of it Ryan: That's a long name. That's actually a good name for a wine! The Kind My Girlfriend Gets, ever had it? They sell it at Trader Joe's. Shane: I'm not even trying to do like a...*weird cowboy voice* "I'm a man, so I don't drink wine. Only my girlfriend does." I like wine, I've just...I've never been good at wine. And wine makes me real sleepy, so I almost never have it. Ryan: That's why I don't drink red wine...and it also makes me look like I've been chewing on mud clots or something.

[What is one "unsolved" case that you're pretty sure you've solved?] Ryan: What was that one where I was like, I think I've pretty much solved this one? The Black Dahlia I'm pretty sure was George Hodel. I'm almost positive of it. Shane: Wasn't there like a missing child one that we thought we had sorta gotten? Bobby Dunbar Ryan: Bobby Dunbar. I think we had solved that one. Uh... Shane: We can never concretely say that we've solved it. Ryan: No, we can't legally, but I'm pretty sure D.B. Cooper's bones are an ornament in some pine tree out there in the Pacific Northwest [...] Shane: The case is pretty closed on Amelia Earhart, too. Ryan: I don't think so. Shane: Yeah, she got eaten by crabs. Ryan: I think it's closed in your mind. That's what you'd like to have happened. Shane: That's what happened. Ryan: Giant, man-eating crabs. It's amazing that those exist. I saw one dragging a coconut. Not hard to imagine that coconut being a head. Shane: Yeah. Of an aviatrix. Ryan: Of an aviatrix, yeah. The most famous aviatrix of all time!

Ryan: Fun fact, shaking my bones is what I call dancing.

Shane: I'll say that Ryan is 100% that bitch. Ryan: I'd say 0% actually. Shane: See, that's what makes you that bitch. Ryan, cracking up: What about you, Shane? Shane: Mm. 45.

Ryan: I don't know if people would like me walking into a room trumpeting "I'm 100% that bitch!" every time I walk in a room. I think there's nuance to it. You can't always be 100% that bitch. [...] Or if I'm trying to make an omelet and I can't make the flip...not 100% that bitch in that moment. I'll tell you, it's the bane of my existence Shane: You can't make an omelet? Ryan: It's impossible! Shane: It's not. Ryan: It's really hard! I don't think I have the proper pan. Shane: It sounds like you don't. Do you have a good spatula? Ryan: Maybe, I dunno... Shane: WHAT DO YOU MEAN MAYBE? DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SPATULA OR NOT? It’s a yes or no question! Ryan: I think it might be, I don't know! I have no idea where it came from, I got it from my mom. Maybe she bought it from Sur la Table? Shane: I was gonna say, go to *French accent* Sur la Table, get a little free espresso... [degenerates into arguing about French pronunciation]

Shane on working at Abercrombie: I was in the stock room, they didn't let me up front. Not my beat. [...] Me and my friends...would just hang out in the back and listen to music and eat cookie dough. And they'd be like "we need you to fold this box of girly shirts" and we'd be like "ah, okay!" and then we'd just take the box and be like "this is too many shirts." And we'd just throw it...this was the area like a loft area where you couldn't see anything. We'd just throw the boxes so we wouldn't have to fold the shirts. They're probably still there. Ryan: Sounds like you were a great employee.

Shane: I started as Buzzfeed as an intern. Ryan had started a month or two before me. So we came up in the same intern class together.

Ryan: I did grip and electric work for two years, which is basically like lifting heavy gear essentially on set and I realized I didn't want to do that for ten years before I even had the chance to sniff a camera.

Ryan: I filmed powerpoints for doctors...I did feel like a prisoner at times when I was there, listening to a doctor from USC's Keck medical school talk about irritable bowel syndrome for two straight hours...I was a couple days away from joining the union...That was concurrent with the irritable bowel syndrome filmings.

Ryan: I chose the internship at Buzzfeed not knowing what it was, met the Shaniac over here, and then, um...we went through that program, which was kind of like the Hunger Games. We saw all of our fellow interns die. [...] We worked our way up, I eventually made Unsolved.I made unsolved actually with a different host, Brent Bennett. He left the show because he didn't like...I believe the quote was "I don't like these stories anymore." Shane: *dies laughing* Ryan: And I turned to my right and was like, "hey Shane, wanna do this instead?" and he was like "sure" and that's that. And from then on I guess we never looked back.

[Shane, how do you feel about being the second choice?] Shane: I'm fine with it. Really, there was so little fanfare to him asking me. Ryan: No ceremony at all. Shane: 'Cause we were just making stuff left and right at that point and series were not really an established thing at Buzzfeed [...] Even when Ryan had asked me "hey, would you like to be in this?" uh...I was like "yeah, lemme..." Ryan says I checked my calendar. Ryan: Yeah, Shane looked over at his google calendar, saw that next week was open, and was like "yeah, looks like I've got some time" and I was like "sweet, lock it in" and he was like "cool." And then we both put our headphones back on 'cause we sat next to each other at a desk and worked on other things and that was that.

[What is some of the silliest feedback you've gotten about your show?] Ryan: Luckily the fan base is pretty nice. There's plenty of fun, positive comments out there, however, this is one that tickled me the most. A guy somehow found my personal email address and emailed me to let me know. He's like "hey man, love the videos, excellent content to get stoned to. Keep it up, cheers!" I don't know who this man was.

Shane: I do have some hope that Bigfoot is real. A little unlikely. The other one I always root for is Champ in Lake Champlain. Ryan: I don't know why you have such an obsession with Champ. [...] Shane: Champ...there seems to be something fishy going on there. There's something going on in that lake. Ryan: Good pun Shane: Not even. There's something going on there and I've seen that lake and I've looked out at that lake and I've felt something inside me just looking out at it. Ryan: You sure it wasn't just IBS? Shane: We've established that you're the one with IBS Ryan: I'm not the one with IBS! Shane: You joined the union! Ryan: You were the one who almost pooed your pants on an investigation Shane: That's a different story! Ryan: You ate two hot dogs that were served at the baggage claim in Philadelphia Shane: We. Were. Hungry.

Ryan on Dyatlov Pass: I'm gonna double down here. I think it was a yeti. Or, not a yeti. I think it was an abdominal snowman. Shane: Abominable. 

[borderline unintelligible banter about an incredibly ripped yeti doing crunches]

Shane: I'm very content with the mysteries of the universe never being uncovered. It's fine. Ryan: It's frustrating. Shane: You're gonna go to the grave not knowing so many things, so you might as well just give up on them. Ryan: Such a nihilistic way to look at everything.

Shane: If you know anyone who's traveling and they're your enemy, you just call the FBI and say "oh, they're up to no good up there." Ryan: If Shane was flying somewhere I could just say "yeah, I think he's dangerous. I know him. He's the guy who couldn't fit a hat on his big head."

[interlude where they decide to name an anonymous suspect Shane Ryanson]

Shane: It would be funny if this was like the highest escalation of a prank war between two friends Ryan: That'd be a hilarious prank, getting someone thrown into federal prison. Super funny. Gotcha!

Shane: If you're the kind of person who is likely to call in a threat to the FBI solely as a way to get a dig in at your friend, that probably stays with you for life. That's pretty hard-coded into who you are. Ryan: That's true. Especially when you look like an out of work Batman villain [...] If this dude walked into a 7-11, I would drop my Slurpee immediately and run to my car. He's a scary man. I'm out. Slurpee's on the floor.

Shane: I'll tell you this in defense of dolphins, they do have funny little smiles.

Shane, on breaking into Sea World: That seems like an extremely Australian thing to do.

Shane, googling fairy penguins: Yes, it's a wonderful little penguin! He's so small! Ryan: This is great, this is like a dark gritty reboot of Mr. Popper's Penguins.

Shane: Just...to meet someone, get along so well that you each drink a half a liter of vodka together and then go swimming with dolphins and blast some sharks with a fire extinguisher Ryan: ...and then decide, let's top off the night by bringing home a fuzzy little friend Shane: I mean, by that point you've got a winning streak going. You're like, "yeah, we didn't get eaten by sharks! we did swim with the dolphins! Of course we'll steal a penguin!”

Ryan: I bet the penguin actually helped the hangover, to be fair. If I was hungover, I normally just see my blinds shuttered in my room, my shoes are somewhere in the house, but if I found a penguin I'd be like "okay, maybe this isn't so bad." Shane: A rehabilitation penguin. He just hopes on your bed in the morning. Ryan: Just starts smacking me in the face with his little fins. It's great, I love it.

Shane: I think she shouldn't have killed her husband. Have a little faith in his worm farm.

[dragonlearnstowrite]

Caught in Her Eyes (Part 3)

Thank you for continuing to follow Anna Marie Lee’s story. This part was originally intended as a short story for the 1000 word plot exercise of Week 6. I ended up going way over the word limit, but who cares? I’m with the result either way. Besides, I already have another story in mind that hopefully can fit that 1000 word limit. 

I really had fun writing this part, it was a bit difficult at the end as I had written 2 versions of how this part would end. I really liked how both versions sounded, and was hard pressed to choose just one. In the end, I went with the one I felt was more natural. I hope you have fun reading this 3rd part as much as I had writing it.

*Photo by Alexis Go

The summer sun rose high in the sky as Anna Marie stepped into the empty commercial space situated along Portobello Road. She slid her sunglasses towards the top of her head as her eyes took in the empty space before her. She walked towards the center, and slowly turned, envisioning all the possibilities.

With wide eyes and a smile on her face, she gazed at her partner and said, “This place is perfect!”...

... She explained how she imagines the bar to be situated at the center of the wall adjacent to the door. Instead of menus plastered on the wall behind the bar, she sees a painting made by local artists sandwiched between rows of shelves filled with a variety of coffee mugs, coffee blends, tea leaves, perhaps even some spices, cookies and coffee related books! The painting could then be sold to any customer who takes an interest. Across the bar, she would be a fake fireplace surrounded by loves eats and barrel chairs where customers could lounge around with books or simply chat with one another. On either side of the painted fireplace would be shelves filled with sculptures, pictures and books of all kinds. She might even add a few boards of chess and other quiet games as well.

It was perfect! She looked at the man standing right next to her and smiled. Three years ago, she never would’ve imagined she’d be here envisioning her future bookstore cafe. It was after all just three years ago that she’d met him, the man who’d pushed her towards turning her dreams into reality. She sipped her Starbucks coffee and closed her eyes as the memory of three months ago flowed into her mind.

                                                         -------

Anna Marie walked through the doors of Angels and Devils and was greeted by a handsome blonde devil. “Hey Anna Marie! haven’t seen you in a while! How have you been?”

“Hey Stephan! Never thought I’d ever see the day where our little angel would one day dress as the devil!” she teased.

“What choice do I have? It’s the women’s turn to be angels tonight.” Stephan complained with a wink. “ I see you’ve brought company tonight.”

“This is Terrence, he was part of the tour I had just finished. Terrence, meet Stephan, a childhood friend.”

Stephan guided them to a corner booth, then left them with two copies of the menu. A couple minutes later, he came back with a tall glass of Kahlua, on the house, and asked if they were ready to order.

Surprised by the unusual gesture, Anna Marie asked Stephan for the reason behind it. “James says it's your birthday, so your favorite drink is on him tonight.” he explained.

“Jamie’s here tonight?! Tell him I said hi and thank you.”

“No need. I think he’ll be coming over here sometime later. You can give him your thanks then. So are you ready to order yet?”

“Yes! I think I’ll get the grilled salmon belly with chips on the side. Terrence? How about you?”

Terrence glanced at the menu, nodded and said, “I’ll have one Fuller’s London Pride with and a basket buffalo wings please.”

“Fish for the lady and wings for the guy. Got it! I’ll be back with your orders in 10 to 15 minutes.”

“If I may ask, who is James? Or Jamie?” Terrence asked with curious eyes.

“Jamie’s my little brother. He’s actually a wine sommelier teaching WSET lectures at Leiths School of Food and Wine. He often comes here to help at the bar whenever the pub’s short staffed.”

“I see.”

The following minutes were then filled with talks about Anna Marie’s family, friends, and childhood memories. Naturally, Terrence also shared a multitude of stories from his time in Hong Kong. Anna Marie laughed her head off when he shared the story about the time he was taunting a female classmate, it ended with him getting kicked in the crotch! By the time their dinner had arrived some 10 minutes later, she’d already seen him laugh, frown, scowl and sneeze! It was so fun watching the different emotions cross his face.

Halfway through their delicious meal, Anna Marie had been surprised yet again. Terrence wasn’t just a foreign tourist as she had initially thought, but rather a naturalized British Citizen! He had been living in London for the past 8 years as a financial consultant to one of the biggest insurance firms in England. No wonder he suggested the cab ride, he already knew how far Portebello road was from Westfield Shopping Centre! The sly fox!

Minutes after swallowing her last bite of the salmon, Anna Marie was showered with yet another pleasant surprise. Jamie came over, bringing with him a candle topped Tiramisu cup, and several angels and devils singing Happy Birthday behind him. Tears welled up in her eyes as the crowd came forward to hug her one by one, wishing her a happy birthday and to visit more often. Moments later the crowd dispersed with a few throwing flirtatious glances Terrence’s way. Jamie stayed for a few more minutes reminding her of mom’s upcoming birthday as well as next week’s get together before going back to work at the bar.

“Your brother seemed reluctant to leave your side Anna Marie.” Terrence said as he took a sip of his ale while looking at Jamie’s retreating back.

Anna Marie waved her hand as she said, “Pshaw! Don’t worry about him. He’s just a tad bit overprotective of me. He’s always like that towards men he doesn’t know.”

“In that case, I’d best invite him to a drink sometime, get acquainted.”

“Whatever for?”

Terrence leaned forward, touched Anna Marie’s right hand with his left, and gazed straight into her two toned eyes as he said, “Spending tonight with you has been the most fun I’ve had in weeks Anna Marie. Your colorful and fun-loving attitude makes me want to take you out again, get to know you some more.” He looked down at their hands, slid his under hers and gently held her hand in place. He looked into her eyes and, “Won’t you Anna Marie? Won’t you have dinner with me again sometime this week?”

Anna Marie was shocked speechless. She sat there, silently gazing into his bright, hazel brown eyes as she tried to absorb, to decipher the meaning behind his words. He wanted to take her out to dinner? Whatever for? For business? For work? No, she doesn’t think it's for work. He said he wanted to get to know her better. Why? Was he attracted to her? Did he intend to court her? Pursue her? Or did he just want to get inside her pants? Her mind was flooded with such thoughts that she forgot to breathe for a second or two. It wasn’t until Terrence had called her name that her mind magically calmed down, and she remembered to breathe again.

She closed her eyes and breathed five calming breaths, opened her eyes and faced Terrence’s gaze head on. Anna Marie didn’t want to misunderstand his intentions by assuming things, so she asked, “Why would you want to take me out?”

“I find you very attractive Anna Marie. I’d like to take you out on romantic dates, if you’ll let me.”

Anna Marie blushed. Terrence’s sudden confession of attraction was heady. She’d never been approached so strongly before so she didn’t know how to respond. How she wished her brother could help her right now. She studied his face as she looked for an answer. She is currently single, and without a lover. He is fairly handsome, and as a financial consultant, might be fairly rich too. But he could also be mean, and dictative, or perhaps even dangerous… no she doesn’t really think he’s dangerous. She wouldn’t have hopped into that cab had she truly thought he was. So should she say yes?

With her mind made up, Anna Marie held the hand holding hers and said, “One dinner date. Friday night. And then we’ll see what happens next.”

Terrence lifted her hand, brought her fingers to his lips and smiled. “Deal!”

                                                        -------

The sound of her name being called brought Anna Marie back to the present. Slowly she opened her eyes and smiled at Terrence, “You seemed lost in thought. What were you thinking about?”

“Hmm… nothing much. I was just remembering that first night at Angels and Devils.”

“Oh… I remember that night. I approached you after the tour wanting to thank you, and then somehow ended up joining you at the pub.”

“And then, rather than persuade me to take the translating job, like I thought you would, you ended up asking me out instead!”

They both laughed at the memory, Anna Marie looked up at the man who changed her life, “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened had I not agreed to that dinner invitation?”

Terrence stared at the ceiling with a pensive look, “Hmmm… not really.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled, “But I know what I would’ve done had you not said yes that night.”

“What’s that?”

Terrence gave her one of his most devilishly charming smiles and said, “I would’ve pestered you endlessly until you said yes!”

Anna Marie laughed at his answer, how very Terrence! His persistence was one of the things that she liked about him. “It’s a good thing I said yes then. Otherwise I probably wouldn’t be standing here right now, beginning my journey to fulfilling my dream of finally opening a coffee shop where people don’t just come to drink, instead they come to relax, read books, and bond with people over cups of coffee and tea.”

“And it's a good thing you did! Otherwise I wouldn’t be standing here hugging my very pregnant wife!”

She smiled at the quiet reminder. Having to start both her dream family and cafe at the same time, Anna Marie felt blissfully content. She couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to a new chapter in her life. “Thank you for joining that tour and lingering after everyone else had left.”

Terrence lifted her chin and gazed lovingly into her blue and brown eyes, “Thank you for being born with those wonderfully rare eyes of yours. They’re what captured me in the first place.”

“Thank you for being caught by my eyes.”

He leaned forward, further closing the space between them whispering, “I’m happy to be … caught in your eyes...” and then his lips closed over Anna Marie’s silencing any further talks.

                                                        -------

Author’s note: Thank you for reading Anna Marie’s story all the way till the end! 

“Caught in Her Eyes” is the first story I’ve ever written that feels complete and not end at a cliffhanger. I had enjoyed writing Anna Marie Lee’s story and see it unfold. And I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please comment your thoughts on the story below, and I’ll be sure to read them.

[monarchwine]

The Journey of ASI’s 5 Best Sommeliers of the World 2020

Considering the level of expertise required in the industry, becoming a sommelier isn’t an easy task. Sommeliers across the world are required to take four tests that conclude with the highly coveted Master Sommelier Test.

What’s more, winners and certified sommeliers from around the world participate in an international battle of wine experts to win the title of ASI Best Sommelier in the World. Over the past 40 years, a small number of 230 individuals have managed to pass the fourth test.

From blind tests to questions regarding food pairing, there is no scope for error if one wishes to become the best sommelier in the world. However, certain men and women have accomplished this task and have gone on to become the best in the field.

Here’s the journey of the 5 best sommeliers in the world who jumped every hurdle, worked hard and made countless sacrifices to be where they are- at the top!

1. Marc Almert, Germany

Marc Almert, the 27-year old sommelier from Cologne, Germany, went on to become the ASI Best Sommelier of the World. This young man started with dreams of becoming a physicist but swayed towards the hotel industry shortly after passing his university examinations. 

He began his sommelier journey from the Excelsior Hotel Ernst and then at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, which was his first sommelier job. In 2017, he became a sommelier at Pavillion, the restaurant at the world-famous Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich.

His passion for his line of work, humility, desire to constantly learn and grow have been the key factors in his professional success. Marc also bears detailed knowledge of other beverages like coffee, sake, tea, beer, as well as cigars to add to his profound knowledge of wine. 

2. Nina Højgaard Jensen, Denmark

Nina Højgaard Jensen, the female head sommelier at the famous Kong Kans Kælder, is the runner-up for the ASI Best Sommelier in the World award. However, getting to second place in this prestigious event wasn’t easy.

With years of experience and training under her belt, Nina brought her dogma-free, fresh, and unique approach to the table as she excelled in the championship. Her knowledge comprises an array of subjects including classic wines and new products.

Her recommendations are always top-tier since they come from a place of passion and hard work.

3. Raimonds Tomsons, Latvia

The Latvian sommelier, Raimonds Tomsons, who grabbed the third position in the ASI Best Sommelier in the World Championships, is the ideal image of grit and passion in a fierce blend. Initially, he had plans of being a translator but went on to discover his other talents.

Without a plan in mind, he trained in a professional school to learn more about being a bartender. Then, he grabbed a role at Vincent, Riga, where he’s been for the past 17 years. Continuing his training with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, he still wants to learn more.

4. Martynas Pravilonis, Lithuania

Martynas Pravilonis stood at fourth place in the ASI Best Sommelier in the World Championships. A sommelier at the Atelier Wine Boutique & Tasting Bar, he came to be one of the leading wine experts in Lithuania. 

Pravilonis strives to learn more each day owing to his ongoing training at the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust School. His dedication and unique takes on the industry have taken him this far, and well, he wishes to excel further. 

5. Fredrik Lindfors, Sweden

Fredrik Lindfors from Sweden is the fifth leading wine expert in the world. He works at the Grand Hotel, Stockholm in the role of head sommelier. He made it to the semi-finale of the ASI Best Sommelier in the World Championships but missed out on the final round. However, his determined attitude and continued professional training are expected to take him places!

Summing Up

The best sommeliers of the world 2020 have reached where they are only through constant hard work, continued learning, practice, and gaining experience. Their journeys are undoubtedly inspirations to people aspiring to win big in the hospitality industry.