#the 11 year olds at my local skate park:

[tohruhondaismydaughter]

Just had some headcanons about Machi pop into my head that I wanted to share with yall. So we know this poor girl struggles with "perfect"/neat things right? Well I was thinking about some healthy coping mechanisms she could develop to replace the whole 'breaking property/living in a dump' thing & here's what I got so far -

1. She always tries to wear odd socks (unless she's invited somewhere nice)

2. Ayame & Mine help her find cool asymmetrical stuff to wear, how to make clashing colours/patterns work for her & teach her how to sew up her old clothes in a more "punk rock" way (after Yuki & Kakeru explain some of her issues with perfection)

3. Tohru gently points out that she dosn't have to tie her laces the same way on both shoes if she dosn't want to

4. Haru & Rin (awkwardly on her part) teach her the power of acessorising (ie. wearing only one earing, putting on an uneven amount of bracelets/rings/necklaces, adding paper clips of different sizes & colours to your clothing & Machi later ends up adding stuff like buttons to her outfits/belongings as well which Haru & Rin are tottally surppotive of despite thier difference in style) & hair/makeup which (thanks to Yuki's advice) they make sure to keep slightly messy (Kimi laughed at it at first until Momiji made her feel bad after he told her that Machi had gone to the bathroon & wiped off all the make up & undid the hair style so Kimi bought her some limited edition Mogeta merch, after asking for Yuki's advice, in apolgey & started referring to Machi's new hair/makeup style as "punk chic" whenever anyone tried to mock Machi about her new look)

5. her & Momiji go on a crazy tie dying adventure (much to Hatori's grumbling & Mayu's amusement)

6. Kormaki gets her into collecting second hand fridge magnets which she then later uses in her work (my version of post-serise Machi is an artist) once the magnetism finally wears off

7. Kagura teaches her how to fix up old plushies (Machi likes creating Mogeta inspired characters) & gives Machi all her old cat ones to work on (Machi descides not to ask why Yuki's cousin was seemingly once obssesd with orange cats because she looks rather embrassed & a little sad when she hands over her collection)

8. Kyo reluctantly teaches her how to cook a few simple dishes (Tohru comes over as well & Yuki insists her food is better but Machi prefers Kyo's simple style of presentation so it's eventually descided that Kyo & her will do the cooking & Tohru & Yuki will deal with the cleaning which Yuki agrees to becuse cleaning is still difficult for Machi but Kyo says it's actually because no matter how much Tohru tried to train him rat boy knows he would never be able to do anything in the kitchen but burn water)

9. Kakeru teaches her the skills of 'excessive badge & sticker decorating' as well as giving eachother fake tattoos (Kisa congratulates Hiro on not saying anything rude to Yuki's girlfriend about her appreance after they first meet her)

10. Cuts her hair short (she delibretly makes it very choppy) once she enters university, where the rules are less strict about your apprence (at least it is if your at art college), & she also regulary wears diffrent coloured wigs (her favourites being a dark red one & a rainbow one) whenever she wants to temporarily change her appearance (beacuse she didn't want to commit to just one look, still wanted to have the ability to quickly "become invisable" again & she heard from Kimi that exsseive hair die-ing could permantly destroy her hair & scalp) it takes her until she's 30 to try out shaving all her hair off (she worried she'd look sick/crazy or not feminine enough) & everyone's really surppotive (though Kimi dose cry a bit, Rin & Haru aren't there when her hair is being shaved & Kyo is a slightly confused as he'd always thought women liked having longer hair then guys) especially Ritsu (who's growing out thier hair again) & they all throw her a big party (Haru & Rin are there for the party bit just not the hair removal bit because it brought up some bad memories) where Kakeru films it & posts it (with Machi's permission) & they give her cut off hair to a charity chosen by all thier followers (despite her disbelief Machi has manged to gain a small group of loyal fans from all her art stuff & her apprences on her loved ones social media), Kakeru also later uploads a video where they help Machi rainbow dye her buzz cut, (she later explores many diffrent types of buzz cut patterns such as flowers & geometric shapes but, at Kimi's insistence, gets them done by a professional)

11. She recycles & D.Y.I's like crazy (Momiji started singing Do Re Mi from The Sound Of Music after she told him that her new dress was actually made from curtains & Yuki cried when she gave him a little rat plushie made from felt, after he came clean to her about the curse)

12. She almost never wears an apron while working on her art because she likes getting messy

13. When her & Yuki go out to eat she loves things like fondoe (both the chocolate & cheese kind), eat N mess & is genreually just a fan of finger food & it becomes a tradition between her & Yuki (& later Mutsuki) to go on a stroll through the park after thier meal & (if it's autumn) look for piles of leaves to jump in (Machi & Yuki also like playing a game where they try to look for the weirdest looking leaf to give eachother & whoever wins gets to pick what they'll eat for dinner that evening & the looser has to cook it, Mutsuki is the "impartial" judge)

14. Machi is amazing at scrapbooking & collarge making (Tohru is more of a dream journal kind of girl)

15. When it's Summer her, Yuki & Mutsuki go down to the beach to see who can find the weirdest looking rocks (the less impressive ones often get used in Machi's art work, the coolest ones Mutsuki gets to keep & any that are too perfect get tossed back in the ocean & Mutsuki likes to score the splashes they make on how big/loud they are)

16. She loves helping Yuki out with gardening for lots of reasons (it's therapeutic & she loves seeing Yuki happy) but she can't deny it's also just fun getting muddy

17. Machi, thanks to Kakeru, devolpes a love of paint ball (but instead of using guns they just throw the paint at eachother like in 10 Things I Hate About You because apparently the gun pellets actually hurt) & will bring it up as an activity idea to her loved ones any chanse she gets

18. Decorates as much of her flat (& later her home with Yuki & Mutsuki) with Mogeta merchandise, random things she collects & her own art work as a big fuck you to her bitch "you have 0 personality/hobbies or talents" of a mother

19. Kisa (happily) & Hiro (reluctantly) introduce Machi to the magic of glitter

20. Machi & Rin eventually become proper friends due to bonding over being abounded by their asshole parents & one of the things they like to do together is work on thier seprete art peices while listening to music (Machi dosn't do any of her "aggressive" art, like plate smashing, around Rin though thanks to Yuki & Haru warnings)

21. When stuff gets to be too much & none of thier other coping strategies are working (like watching Mogeta stoned- which Kisa, Tohru & Momiji do not partake in) Machi & Haru bond by going to rage rooms together to destroy shit & scream (Haru obviously dosn't want Rin around for any of that though so Momiji, Tohru, Kagura or Hana will often take the opportunity to hang out with her, one time Yuki offered & it wasn't bad but it was definitely awkward as they had never really hung out without Haru before & Haru teases her for ages afterwards about her ending up liking Yuki once she actually spent some time with him which, like the precious tsundere she is, Rin will forever deny)

22. (I actually made a whole seprete post about this ages ago but now it seems to have vanished so in case other Machi fans are unable to find it l'll add it here) on the days that it's supposed to snow but dosn't Yuki takes her (& later Mutsuki) skating so she can enjoy scratching up the perfectly smooth ice (they would have gone on double dates with Tohru & Kyo if Tohru wasn't freaked out at the idea of having blades on her shoes & Kyo hadn't claimed to "not trust" ice, he's dislike comes from all the times Kagura had forced him to ice skate with her on the lake near Kazuma's place in the winter when they were kids, so they would instead go with Haru & Momiji - they had thought about going with Haru x Rin & Kakeru x Kormaki once but he proudly revealed that he'd been banned from thier local ice rink years ago for trying "perfectly safe" Olympic level stunts in he's attempt to recreate one of he's favriote episodes of Power Rangers, much to he's fiancee's anger, & Machi reminded Yuki that though Haru & Kakeru were fine with eachother Rin isn't reall able to stand Kakeru for longer than 5 minuites)

[tundrainafrica]

Title: Christmas Eve

Summary: Toru goes out at midnight in the dead of winter to experience her first white Christmas and Kyo gets a little worried. 

Part one of my present to @hizashi-yamadas for the Animanga Secret Santa 2020

Link to cross-postings: AO3

Other One Shots:

December 25: Christmas Day (Haru x Rin)

December 26: The Day after Christmas (Arisa x Kureno)

Note: Merry Christmas Elisha and I hope you enjoy! Keep your eyes out for the next installment :D

"You didn't have to stay in, you know."

Toru jumped, once again becoming aware of her surroundings. She had to look back at the clock by the mantle to see how long she had been staring out the window.

"No, I'm happy to stay in!" Toru hoped that saying it out loud would be enough to quell that knot of disappointment in her stomach which only tightened as she looked back at Kyo who was curled up under the kotatsu.

She looked down at Kyo right next to her who was looking more like a cat as he was curled up into a ball under two blankets of the kotatsu. Toru only had to hover her hand lightly over his forehead to feel warmth radiating from it. What alarmed Toru more though was how indifferent he was to her touch.

"Maybe we should see a doctor."

"It's just… really cold…" Kyo answered in between shivers.

Of course it's cold. They were in the northernmost region of Japan in the middle of winter.

It was Momiji who had suggested they spend Christmas in Hokkaido. He first gushed about it one lunch time in late fall and how he hadn't seen one since the last time he'd been to Germany for winter almost a decade ago. When the young blond pitched the plan when he visited their house a week after, Shigure was quick to approve.

Christmases in Tokyo are cold. The trees are bare. The sky is almost always dark, the atmosphere grim. The only things which made the scenery any better were the giant Christmas trees in malls and the Christmas lights that lined the streets.

Tokyo was too near the ocean though to get any snow so early in winter. Having spent every single Christmas in Tokyo, Toru had never experienced a white Christmas in her life. Snow usually came in January or February in Tokyo if they ever got any. They rarely piled up enough though to classify as a white landscape, similar to those she had seen in the figurines at Christmas shops.

Hokkaido was different. The snow piled up by the foot. They were like added decoration, complementing the Christmas lights which shine much brighter against the pure white landscape.

While she kept Kyo company, she entertained herself by watching the colors dance on the roofs, shining for a split second longer than what her eyes had gotten used to watching the Christmas lights on the streets of Tokyo as a child.

Yellow. Green. Red. Blue.

It alternated between the four colors. By the third time, she should have known what to expect. The contrast of the bright lights against the white landscape and the dark night, had only made the colors stand out more. The flashes were brighter and at times, Toru could pick out the small moments where the flashes of red would mix with those of green that had yet to fade.

"I'm sorry for doing something stupid like that, getting sick…" Kyo held the blanket tighter over his mouth. “And now you’re stuck here with me.

Toru noticed a slight blush and wondered if it was from embarrassment at losing to Yuki or the fever that followed being buried in the snow after their fight.

"No! I don't have to be outside every Christmas. Besides it's warm here and if we watch some Christmas specials, we could still get into the atmosphere of Christmas." Toru turned on the television.

“We are now at Odori Park for the Christmas market!”

That’s where Yuki and the others went. Toru thought to herself. She entertained herself by turning her watching TV into a game, challenging herself to maybe find Yuki, Momiji, Shigure or Hatori among the crowd. Do I get bonus points if I find them? Toru thought to herself playfully.

“Looks like a lot of people visiting are couples! Christmas is a time for couples to spread the love after all!” The host walked deeper into the crowd. “Excuse me, may I ask a few questions?”

“Sure!” A girl who looked to be college age answered. Next to her, was a slightly taller, college aged boy.

“Are you locals?”

The girl shook her head. “No, we’re from Chiba.”

“Wow that’s cool! What brings you to Hokkaido?”

The girl looked at the boy next to her and blushed. “It was a surprise actually.”

“It’s our five year anniversary.” The boy chimed in. “And Yuka has never experienced a white christmas.”

“How’s your first white Christmas then?” The reporter turned to Yuka.

“It’s a dream come true.”

The girl’s cheeks turned a little redder, maybe from the biting cold or the questions. As her eyes glimmered when she spoke, Toru guessed it was the latter.

It’s a dream come true. The wonder in her eyes and the words that followed only reminded Toru of herself and another dream she had had decades ago.   

                                   Christmas Eve                                                      

Along Hibiya park, there was an old man who sold figurine parts of a Christmas town, all displayed on a table for everyone to see. Every year since before she could even comprehend the commute to the center of Tokyo, Toru had always rushed to that small shop on the corner of the market with a frazzled Kyoko trailing behind.

At the start of the morning, it was saturated — or rather to Toru, it was complete. A complete replica of the bustling Christmas market in her daydreams and the fairy tales her mother told her about.

The frozen lake with people gliding on top, the children engaging in snowball fights with snow forts twice their size and to the right of it a miniature version of the Christmas market, a more rustic version at least and a snowier version.

It was only a few years after she started to visit the small shop did she start to go back multiple times a day. First, the shoe shop disappeared, then the bakery then the rink.  For a six year old, it was oddly depressing to see the town dwindle into just a few figurines of people walking through. Toru would find herself crying on the way home that night.

Frosty the snowman is gone!

There are no more children playing in the sleds.

How will Santa give the gifts!

It must have been just unintelligible babble to her mother then. On their way home though from the market, as they stepped out of the train and out into the dark streets of their small suburban neighborhood, her mother hugged her tight.

Frosty is fine.

Santa is fine.

Children will still be playing on the sled next year.

Somehow, the conversation had evolved into a little planning. “Let’s go see a Christmas Market like that together Toru! With the frozen like and the snow forts and the sleds.”

They would go through pictures and videos of the towns in Finland, Germany, France, and even in nearby Hokkaido.

“I’ll make sure to save some funds. Maybe we can try for Hokkaido next year?”

Next year never came. There was always something more important than a winter vacation to spend on — electricity, textbooks, hospital bills, house repairs. As Toru grew older she had to forget that dream herself as the reality dawned on her that a single mother and high school dropout was in no position to ever dream of a profound of an experience as travel.

That same dream Toru had forgotten so many years ago made itself known again, manifesting as an ache in her chest and a small tear as she looked out the window the eve of December 24th.

I’ve never had a White Christmas myself. Her mother had mentioned then, as they looked through albums of winter landscapes and Christmas Markets.

Even for just a second. I have to do it. When would she be able to do it again? Life had disappointed her multiple times already. At that moment, it was right in front of her already and Toru was determined to make it come true then.

“Kyo, I’m going to go out for a while if that’s okay?” She went for her coat. “I just need to see something for my mother.”

“Your mother?” Kyo shifted his gaze from the television to her.

“I wanna experience a White Christmas for her.”

“Hey, I’ll come with you.” Kyo offered as he pushed himself out of his comfortable position under the kotatsu.

“You don’t have a coat though,” Toru said looking pointedly at the coat that was still hanging next to the heater to dry. Kyo had soiled his only coat, having been buried in the snow after his fight with Toru.  

“Yeah...” Kyo grimaced

Toru took a peek at her phone while she readied her boots

11:00

“I’ll be back in an hour.” She assured Kyo. Just one white christmas. The next few words were for herself.

Momiji had picked a strategic place to rent a house in Sapporo. The Christmas Market was only a ten minute walk away.

Koibito Park. Lover’s Park. Toru had made sure to google the place before going there. It had a bustling market, not as busy as Odori but enough for Toru to be able to appreciate the festive mood.

As she took in the snow lined roofs, the Christmas lights and the crowds of people bundled up in their own coats, Toru was starting to feel like one of the figurines walking through the Christmas Market in that winter wonderland she’d play with as a kid. Just like what she had imagined, there was a skating rink to the side, a bakery stall,  a cart selling chestnuts and a small German stall selling sausages and spiced wine.

Toru did not need to buy anything, completely satisfied already by the variety of scents — a mixture of cinnamon, apples and bread — wafting through the air. She had closed her eyes for a second as she focused all her senses on that small yet comforting sign that Christmas was nearing.

People were starting to talk about it too. As Toru made her way through the crowds she could hear conversations of Christmas wishes.

What’s your Christmas wish?

Kiss me under the mistletoe? A joke referencing a familiar song Kyoko had sung to her before.

I love you.

Somehow that was what made Toru freeze on the spot. Koibito Park, Lovers Park. Toru found herself looking at the crowd around her.

I’m used to this. I’ve spent new years alone already. This shouldn’t be a big thing. It could have been from instinct but Toru ended up navigating more quickly out of the crowds and into a less saturated part of the market. And to the corner was a little market with a few tiny figurines, all arranged in a little Christmas market.

The six year old in Toru was crying again.

It had been more than a decade since then but Toru found herself walking away farther and farther and into the almost empty back entrance of the market. She quickly wiped away the tears that she had formed and mustered up the biggest smile.

Why am I crying? The atmosphere around the Christmas town is not something you see everyday! You have to enjoy it! Toru scolded herself. As she peeked back around the corner and back at the park, she could not help but put a hand over her stomach, placating the knot that had built up there. Most of the couples were still walking around, some families were carrying sleeping children on their backs --- a sign that it was pretty late already.  

She had spent the past few Christmases in the Soma household over home cooked dinners she had prepared. Years before that, she had spent it with her mother over take out from the nearest fast food chain and Christmas specials.

That was the first time she was counting down alone. She had her white Christmas and she was alone.

From Toru's position behind the park, she could still see some of the Christmas decorations bright across the white landscape. The houses that lined the street had roofs decorated with actual snow.

Just like in the Christmas market figurines she and her mother would admire. Just like in the fairytales her mother would share. Just like in the pictures she and her would look through.  

"Merry Christmas mom," Toru whispered to herself. Admiring the view at least, she remembered why she had decided to make that journey in the first place. "It's a White Christmas."

Toru found herself smiling like she always did, overcompensating for that little something that was missing. Like how the Christmas market wouldn't have even the Christmas market without the people, the view in front of her was not a view without someone to share it with.

Toru looked back at her phone. Ten minutes until midnight. So it wasn't even Christmas yet. Toru made sure to circle around the outskirts of the Christmas market on the way back. She had told herself it was so she wouldn't have a bother to anyone. Deep inside her though, she knew that walking through there would probably make her feel lonelier than she would have been walking along an almost empty street.

The path less taken turned out to be the better choice.

As she made a turn towards the entrance of the park, she made eye contact with those orange eyes she had come to know so well.

"Kyo!"

Kyo was bundled up in a scarf, a beanie and a buttoned down coat that Toru was sure he did not own.

"Merry christmas."

Kyo's scarf was covering much of his lower face. Toru could see though with the way his cheeks rose, the pink in them becoming a little more distinct that he could possibly be smiling.

Either way, she was committed to return his smile with one ten times wider. "Merry Christmas.

As if by magic, the melancholic atmosphere of a while ago dissipated. Toru was finally able to realize the festive mood she had been willing herself to enjoy the past hour.

"Let's go through the market?"

"You're sick though?" Toru put her hand to his forehead.

"It's a cold. I've had worse." Kyo took her hand from its place on his forehead and pulled her into the park. "Besides, it's not everyday you get a white Christmas."

Somehow, the Christmas market started to have a little more color. The lights were a little brighter and being guided through the crowds of people was more exciting than perplexing.

"You want anything to eat?" Kyo asked as soon as they had arrived towards the end of the main path.

Toru's mind was elsewhere. The corner with the stall which sold christmas figurines was almost empty. A few stalls, a few stores and the only human figurines left were a couple on a bench.

Oddly enough, Toru was not fighting back tears. She wasn't lonely. She wasn't empathizing with figurines in an empty Christmas village.

They aren't alone.

"Last one left," The stall owner said.

It was only then did Toru realize she had brought her hand out to touch the figurine. As she looked closer she realized that the boy and the girl were one figurine, molded together and onto the bench below it. "This is so cute!" Toru chimed excitedly, as she ran her hand through the simple yet well placed patterns that made up the lovers on the bench.

"Good thing I prepared a lot of these. It's popular with couples. Christmas is your favorite time after all."

"Our favorite time?" Toru repeated.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Kyo answered the question.

The stall owner grinned. "I hope you're able to have a fun one then. Christmas is a day for lovers."

It had dawned on Toru then, the implications of his statement. She could feel the blood rush to her face, she looked away, completely torn between hiding the truth, consequently lying and correcting him, risking embarrassing him in the process.

"Hey let's go."

Toru realized then that she had spent more than a few minutes pondering that thought a few feet away from the stall.

Kyo guided her back out of the park and as she looked back, she could see the stall owner grinning and waving goodbye.

"Merry Christmas." Kyo pressed the handle of a Christmas bag on her open hand as they made their way out of the park.

Toru peeked inside to see the last remaining Christmas figurine from the stall inside. "This is for me?"

"Who else?"

“You didn’t have to… Really…” Toru tapped at her coat pockets, trying to remember where she had placed her wallet. She started to scramble after a while, her movements a little more chaotic. She dug towards one of the jacket pockets only for it to fall out as she pulled out her hand.

Kyo bent down to get it even before she could move from her spot. “You didn’t have to stay behind either but you did.” He pressed the wallet on her palm. “Besides, you had this goofy smile when you were staring at it. I’d feel bad if I didn’t.”

“I don’t even have a gift yet.” Toru looked away in embarrassment. In fact, she did have the gifts, she had just completely forgotten to take it with her when they were preparing for their trip.

“Just take care of it.” Kyo pulled the scarf further up his face and dug his hands into the coat pocket. “Let’s get back home.” Kyo started to walk a little faster.

Toru found herself trailing behind him. The coat Kyo was wearing started to become a little more recognizable as they reached a part of the streets dotted with more street lights. A blue buttoned down coat that fell too neatly towards the ground, uncharacteristic of Kyo. Toru was aware as well that only one person among them packed an extra winter coat for a two night trip.

“Are you wearing Yuki’s extra coat?”

Kyo didn't look back. “It was the only one I could find at short notice.”

[purplesurveys]

1190

survey by carolynnnnonia

1. When was the last time you went to the mall? Last Saturday. I really didn’t want to go, but I needed to fulfill a shipment that I had to do for one of our clients. I had to pass through the mall’s grocery to get to the courier branch, and it was so creepily packed :( I was visibly dodging people left and right but I couldn’t care less at the time.

2. Are you a light sleeper? Only whenever I fall asleep at places I’m not very familiar or uncomfortable with, like in a moving car or someone else’s house; the lightest noise or movement would definitely wake me up. Otherwise, I sleep like a log. I’ve missed out on so many earthquakes that apparently took place while I was asleep.

3. Do you have shoes on right now? No, I’m always barefoot whenever I’m home.

4. What's the weather like? It’s a liiiiiiittle bit decent for now, but it’s only 9:30. It will start to get warmer from here on out so I’m expecting to start feeling sweaty and sticky again in a couple of hours.

5. Would you rather wear sweats or jeans? I don’t really collect sweatpants, so I’d go with jeans even though I don’t find them the most comfortable either.

6. When did you last go ice skating? Around 13 years ago. If I’m correct, my last time on an ice skating rink had been in 4th grade, when I was 10.

7. Do you ever shop at Hot Topic? We don’t even have that here, so no.

8. What car do you own/hope to own? A Mini Countryman.

9. Have you ever spent more than 5 hours on the phone? Many times with my ex, especially at the start of our relationship.  

10. Where is your cell phone? I literally just put it down haha after picking some music to play. It’s now on my lap.

11. How loud do you play your music? Like I said on a previous survey, it depends on what I’m doing. Right now it’s on pretty loud since I’m just taking a survey, but if I’m working I just have it on as background noise.

12. Do you like playing in the snow? I’ve never done it before, but I imagine I would love snow.

13. What beach does your family typically visit? We make it different every time, and I don’t think we’ve ever visited the same beach more than once. The best ones I’ve been to are the ones in Palawan and Boracay.

14. Do you like your name or one of your siblings' names better? They did a great job with all our names actually, and I’m a fan of all of them. I like that I’m named Isabelle since I’ve always loved that name; Nina has Beatrice which is a bit old-fashioned but in a nice and endearing way; and my brother is a Joaquin which has always been one of my favorite masculine names. I can’t say I’ve ever compared our names.

15. How did you discover your Myspace song?

16. What was the last restaurant you visited? La Creperie. But the last restaurant I ordered from in general was McDonald’s, last Friday.

17. Have you ever played Rock Band? Yes, I always preferred it over Guitar Hero too.

18. Do you ever make Youtube videos? I’ve never tried doing it.

19. What brand purse do you carry? I don’t use purses. My main handbag is a Nine West one I just borrowed from my mom.

20. How many times a day do you brush your teeth? Once or twice.

21. Have you ever had braces? Yup, but I’ll be needing to have them on again.

22. Do you own an iPod? I guess it’s fairer to say I don’t anymore, but mine is definitely still lying around at home.

23. Who do you like? I have the stupidest crush on BTS’ V, if that counts. 

24. Where do you like to get coffee from? Just my everyday 3-in-1 coffee mix sachets would do, since I don’t know how to make coffee from scratch and figure out the ratios that would work for me. If I feel like buying coffee I’d go to Starbucks.

25. What level do you play on Guitar Hero? My finger coordination is terrible so when I play with the guitar prop I usually fail the songs even if I play at the easiest possible level haha. I’m much better with a controller.

26. Are there any words you always spell wrong? I used to struggle with ‘rhythm,’ but I’ve misspelled it too many times in the past I ended up learning it, if that makes sense lol. I don’t usually struggle with spelling anymore these days.

27. Do you ever mow your lawn? There’s a staff member in our village who’s tasked to mow everyone’s lawns. We just tip him when he does so.

28. When was the last time you were at a hotel? Around...last Christmas season, I think? We were visiting family that day and we briefly stopped by Marco Polo to pick up a cake so that we wouldn’t arrive empty-handed.

29. Who did you kiss last time you played spin the bottle? I don’t think I’ve ever played spin the bottle.

30. Is there a TV in your room? No. There used to be a TV along with the PS3, but after my brother started forming a habit coming into my room to play video games, we just ended up handing over both devices to him.

31. What is the most money you've spent in a day? I don’t know exactly, but my best bet would be anywhere between ₱3000 to ₱4000 and it most likely happened while I was drunk.

32. Anything interesting happen on your last birthday? My BTS bias released a snippet of his new solo song :( :( :( He’s been a lot quieter on social media lately so the fact that he posted something huge, and on my birthday no less, made my day all the more meaningful. 

33. What winter holidays do you celebrate? None.

34. Have you ever been to NYC? No. I have several relatives who live there, both in the city and state, though.

35. Do you get carsick? Only when I read or watch a show/movie.

36. When was the last time you went swimming? July 2019.

37. Has anyone of the oppisite sex seen you in your underwear? I don’t think so.

38. Who did you last talk to on the phone? The delivery man who brought my order to the house today.

39. Are your parents still together? Yups.

40. Do you like scary movies? They’re okay, but I tend to avoid the ones that go for cheap scares and go for something with more lowkey or psychological elements instead.

41. Do any of your friends have a last name that's a color? No.

42. What's your favorite ride at amusement parks? Not a big fan of rides. I would usually head to the food stalls and see what kind of crazy food is being served that I can try out haha.

43. Who do you want to win the presidential election? Someone who has the interests of the Filipino people at heart. Of course, knowing how poor voter’s literacy is here, I’m not feeling too optimistic for next year’s election.

44. How often do you watch TV? Around 45 minutes to an hour every evening since we have the TV on during dinner.

45. Do you use proper capitalization? For the most part, yeah. The only time I let the rules go is when I’m on chat.

46. Have you ever been to a fortune teller? Ew, no.

47. Are you a health nut? No.

48. Do you tan or burn? Tan.

49. What type of deoderant do you use? Some local brand.

50. Do you dress up for Halloween? Some years I would, especially if there’s a Halloween party happening.

51. Have you ever kissed in the rain? I might have, but I don’t really remember for sure.

52. If you had the chance to be famous, would you take it? If it was for a reason I could get behind, then sure.

[messystudywonderland]

Day 11/100 days of productivity

Today I:

Did my first 2 quasars and cosmology lectures

Read some more of my quasars and cosmology book

Did some roller skating in my local park and managed to shatter my phone screen!

So today was a little weird. I liked my cosmology lectures, and I enjoyed writing the notes for them. I also had a lot of fun trying to street skate for the first time, and I fell over a lot. It's intimidating being obviously a beginner at something in public. I just can't wait to find my feet and have it become natural...

🎧: Anthems for a 17 Year Old Girl by Broken Social Scene

[123abcdrawwithme]

all spg albums poorly described by me bc i can

album one: steam man band: michael reed voice: GUYS HOLY HECK LOOKIT MY ROBOT FRIEMDS THEIR SO COOL OHMA G AD clockwork vaudeville: now when you say you bought yourself a pickle- sound of tomorrow: the jons audible lenny face as he says “in the nude” on top of the universe 2009 ver.: RABBIT FUCKED A TOASTER AND UPGRADE KILLED THE SPINE THE GIRLS ARE OFF THE SHITS on top of the universe 2011 ver.: alternate timeline where the jon and rabbit kill the spine and deny him ice cream i am not alone: poor one out for upgrades 1 (one) song, shes trying her best ice cream parade: i don’t even know where to begin with this one brass goggles: LOCAL ROBOS ARE FEELING EMO SO THEY HAVE A SING ALONG out in the rain: splish splash they was havin’ a bash electricity is in my soul: okay but whomst the hell is that electronic voice who sings the “la la’s”? serious question who tf is it???? steam man band reprise: michael reed voice: GUYS MY COOL ROBO FRIENDS ARE GETTING AN ENCORE HOLY HECKIE blind minstrel’s ballad: ominous captain albert alexander: listen,,,, he beat spider hulk in an arm wrestling match,,,, hes really cool,,,,,, the 2¢ show: steamboat shenanigans: some say they sang so hard they really did make it to the moon and across the stars ;) one-way ticket: CHU CHU I LOVE U ju ju magic: jonathan giraffe what tHE FUCK ARE YOU SINGING ABOUT HONEY? ARE YOU OKAY? me and my baby (saturday night): the spines a hopeless romantic and he loves to treat his girl and his siblings support him little birdie: jon makes friends with a bird or some shit idfk rex marksley: the spines a hopeless romantic and sings about his cowboy crush and his siblings support him automatonic electronic harmonics: they want to feel cool,, let them feel cool,, prelude to a dream: hey michael i thought you were supposed to be the human friend whats all this about not being a human being?? mike? m-mike?? make believe: FUCK SOCIETY, TRANS RIGHTS BITCHES *EPIC KAZOO SOLO* honeybee: ah yes that one song we won’t ever let them forget bc were all emo scary world: the morse code says spoopy the suspender man: rabbit voice: yeah theres this guys who sold his soul or whatever how fucked up was that, anyway i want to wear a dress :3c that’ll be the way home: THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL the ballad of lily: oh boi we about to have another character song on this album airheart: character song 2 electric boogaloo circuitry: y’all good? mk iii: curtain raiser: beebop voice: STEVETHY SOMEONES TRYING TO PLAY THE ALBUM   steve voice: oh fuck steam powered giraffe: HEHE NAME DROP mecto amore: this is some rabbits in love again shit but with WHAMST hatch fever: hatchy is here and the album version does not capture how feral hatchworth performed this on stage a way into your heart: spg as a whole @ their fans: we love you all so much thank you for the support over the years :) <3 me through tears: bitch,,,,, <3 ghost grinder: rabbit and the boys on their way to the graveyard at 3 am to party with rabbits dead gf please explain: i stg everytime i hear hatchy sing “gum in my gears” i think he’s saying something else and i’m sure you can fill in the blank, but the thing that gets me is thats so on brand for him to say dsfdfg she said maybe: rabbit is just young old dumb and full of love these days isn’t she? go spine go: almost 6 minutes of hatchworth and rabbit being two year olds and poking fun at spine roller skate king: everyone sleeps on how good this song is wtf i’ll rust with you: me knowing full well this song is about rabbit outliving her gfs throughout the decades bc shes a robot: oh,, so thats why theres so many love songs by rabbit on this album,,, rabbit you good?? wired wrong: the spine you good?? fancy shoes: hATCHWORTH YOU GOOD??? steam powered giraffe reprise: we interrupt your regularly scheduled robot angst hours with that good weeb shit™ turn back the clock: okay back the robot angst bleak horizon: our lovelys saying goodbye saying they’ll be back to bring smiles on our faces soon as we close out to some ominous as fuck shit teasing vice quadrant the vice quadrant: the vice does tight: okay so the vice quadrants fucked up and the robots are very concerned by this on a crescendo: ominous foreshadowing thats so ominous i had to look up what this song meant lore wise bc i just thought it was the robots just dancing and having fun steamjunk: my dear sweet honey darling is traveling through space and I’M WORRIED ABOUT HIM starburner: low-key robo angst bc their worried about their souls being damned or some shit but its cute  progress and technology: david YOUR RANGE wink the satellite: wink voice: YOU WAS MY BABY MY FUCKIN CINNAMON APPLE burning in the stratosphere: oh fire fire: this is the most haunting shit i have no joke for this sky sharks: hoo boi the sky sharks certainly won’t be killing us all today, but climate change sure will daughter of space: PREBBY SPACE GODDESS HNNNGNNGNG star valley night: honeys you know you can just wait for it to be night time right? then you can go play in the star valley at night- commander cosmo: BITCH YOU GOOD? where is everyone?: THERE SHE IS MY BABY gg the giraffe: MY DARLIIIIINNGGG SING IT HONEY  the pulls: wink my darling y’all ok? soliton: corpse man and space goddess sing a really nerdy analogy about love and its gorgeous where i left you: wink seriously are you okay? over the moon: rabbits just done but shes gotta sing it and go all out with how done she is bc shes extra it’s cosmic: is the “alright!” rav?? also is this love song supposed to represent them causing more fuckshit and destroying the universe and just not realizing it bc their in love?? idfk man it bops hold me: whether from the perspective of holly or rabbit i weep openly at this song the speed of light: david: this is where the astronaut turns evil won’t tell you why tho ;) literally every lore buff: *listens to this song and tries to theorize wtf happened* rav to the rescue: local green space twink rescues his space bf more at 11 starlight starshine: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the space giant: three steampunk robots fight a giant starbaby in guitar hero to save a satellites crush; a planet thats a huge apple i have zero jokes for this is already too absurd  oh no: oh OH OH? O H. OOOH OH??????????? o  h... oh no.... necrostar: evil pissrock possessed evil dead guy and is ready to cause fuckshit while the robots sing about how scared they are at the end super space blaster centi-asteroid invaderpedes 2: cute interactions with the robots! i hate this title tho whale song: wholesome shit to distract you from all the lore and foreshadowing at the end Music from steamworld heist:  automatonic electronic harmonics, on top of the universe, electricity is is my soul, honeybee, and brass goggles: me minding my own business playing steamworld heist: *walks into a bar where spine rabbit and hatchworth are performing one of these songs* me: HOOOOOGH heist ho!: yeah thats piper for ya starscrap: hi i’m in love for rabbit? prepare for boarding: GET IN BITCHES WE’RE GONNA OVER THROW THE PATRIARCHY  the red queen: capitalism? demolished. what we need are some heros: the spine projecting his love for cowboys onto the player characters the vast frontier: hatchworth: I’M A BAD BITCH YOU CAN’T KILL ME the stars: they made it lads they made it over the moon and across the stars.... also how’d they keep singing for that long aren’t they tired? quintessential: malfunction: wow i can’t believe spg ended transphobia i don’t have a name for it: love? i guess??gd fgdsghfdg blue portals: the idea of hatchworth going through the blue portals when i know they’re made out of blue matter is terrifying  overdrive: they want to seem cool please play along and pretend their green screen work is cool the ballad of delilah morreo: this came right the fuck out of nowhere but fuck its here now and its fantastic love world of love: wonder what other balboa park songs they’ll bring back, like never gonna give you up :) only human: i’d die for you hatchy salgexicon: they deadass wrote a song about their dnd campaign  sleep evil sleep: i guess we’re all evil BC WE KEEPING SLEEPING ON HOW GOOD THIS SONG IS TOO photographic memories: walter worker chelsea? come get ur mans- leopold expeditus: hatchworth: hey guys checkout my fursona dream machine: this song keeps me up at night with the endING I JUST WANT RABBIT TO BE HAPPY AND ARTSY BUT THE WAY IT ENDED WITH THE VICE QUADRANT RELATED TEASER MAKES ME THINK RABBIT PICKED UP A SATELLITE FREQUENCY FROM WINK ABOUT HOW NECROSTAR WILL KILL RAV IN THE FUTURE DEADASS I’M NERVOUS WHAT HAPPENED

[trippingtrixharper]

◊ ♫ ◊— look what the cat dragged in! that’s [BEATRICE HARPER] and [SHE/HER] are/is an around [25]-year-old [CASUAL VISITOR] to the store, but they’ve been in the neighborhood for [5 YEARS]. I think they are a(n) [EMPLOYEE AT ROSE DINER] and I overheard them listening to [ROLLER DERBY SAVED MY SOUL] by [UNCLE LEON & THE ALIBIS], and, I dunno man, it seemed pretty fitting. Like, call me shallow but I look at them and think of [MILENA TSCHARNTKE] and [FRESHLY SCRAPED KNEES, BURPING CONTESTS WHILE TRYING TO CATCH POPCORN IN YOUR MOUTH, WORN OUT ROLLER BLADES]. (ooc info: chels/toon, she/her, est, 23)

hi it’s your girl toon, ready to give you love!!!

SOME BASICS ABOUT TRIX

Birthplace: Ridgewood, Queens

Sexuality: Bisexual

Birthday: May 27th, 1995 (Gemini) 

Personality: Trix is full of fire and energy. She craves fun and colorful personalities, she loves to say long live rock & roll like a super fan while barely knowing all the classics. Her favorite day of the week is Lazy Sundays which is just an excuse to stay in her three day old pajamas all day while eating popcorn and binge watching television, she absolutely hates being 25 (one day she’ll blink and be 30, and then she’ll have to kill herself), shitty action films make up her entire DVD collection (yes, she still has DVDs), and due to being heavily invested in the NYC Roller Derby community (and just downright careless) she is queen of the mystery bruises. She doesn’t have the best sense of personal space and social cues, often saying the first thing that comes to mind, but she’s really just out here trying to be herself.

Music: Trix is not musically inclined. She loves music but she’s never played an instrument in her life and is more of an audience/the type of person to sit at a drum set and go berserk, raising her arms at the end and screaming I LOVE YOU NEW YORK! 

A BRIEF HISTORY (ALWAYS....POTENTIAL TO BE EDITED)

Trix was born Beatrice Harper, but Trix was something her father used to call her as a kid. She has since reclaimed it, integrating it into her roller derby life. She was born and raised in Queens, only recently moving to Crown Heights five years ago with her entire family (her biological grandmother, her two biological younger half-siblings, her step mother, and her older non biological brother.)

Her father, Jonas Harper, married fellow New York native Sandra Rubio, when Trix was seven and Sandra’s son was 11. Her father was the primary breadwinner of the family, moving in his mother, and having a full house as Sandra had two more kids. Trix always had a super close bond with her siblings. 

When her father died her junior year of high school, she felt her family cripple under the financial burden, and instead of pursuing her own dreams she opted for working when she could to help contribute. (It’s not like she had an inch of an idea what she wanted to do with her life anyway.) 

She’s been working at on-and-off at Rose Dinner ever since, and they let her wear her skates at work because the guests tip her better when she does. She’s left a few times to pursue other jobs but her restlessness and inability to commit keeps her coming back. She still lives at home because it makes the bills easier if they all contribute, but also because moving out means like...being an adult? They moved to Crown Heights a few years ago. 

Half of the time her grandmother is telling her she’s lazy and not working enough, and the other half of the time her older brother is telling her she’s selling herself short. Truth is, she’s been holding onto the guise of responsibility and family as an excuse not to change what she’s used to.

What brings her the most joy is Roller Derby. Her father was the first person to put her on roller blades as a kid, and she grew up skating, but only got into roller derby after graduating high school. She plays for Honey Punch, and her best friends on her team who she’ll often refer to as their skate names are Dollface, Lady MacDeath, Jenny Jawbreaker, and Banshee. She started going by Trix again when she started roller derby, which made her feel like she had a connection to her dad, and her skate name is The Terminatrix (yes, she did that). 

Her goal is to eventually try out for the Gotham Girls Roller Derby in October, but it’s complicated.

Overall she’s a little kid in a big kid’s body, and she uses humor to cover up the fact that she’s actually pretty lost. 

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Skate Friends: People/skateboarders/etc who go to the skate park or skate meet ups, where they can hang out or take videos of each other.

Best Friends: Trix is from New York, so others who have also been here since their childhood/teenage years that could be long term good friends with her would be awesome! Any other friends too! She’s pretty clingy and while she tries her best to be loyal, she is the type to switch up plans with minimal warning. I see her friends often thinking “Typical Trix” and may even get frustrated with her sometimes. She thinks the people in her life will always be there, and honey that just ain’t true. 

Coworkers: Trix has been working at Rose Diner for years now and the staff there feels like a little community. Growing up in Queens she’s also big on doing stuff for the community/locals, like delivering groceries to her elderly neighbor when she can. If your character has a family that might know her, or they’re someone to post flyers around the neighborhood about community based events or meet ups, let’s collab! 

Exes/Flings: I normally don’t pre-plot romances and I’m not attached to this because I love the organic route but Trix has just lived here her whole life and she is very forward but kind of a spaz so I imagine they have to exist LOL.

If you have any ideas feel free to hit me up c:

[uncivilengineering]

What Kind of Two Years Has it Been

At the end of an experience, and therefore a blog, I usually write a reflection on the experience. The Master's programme ended six years ago and due to life and procrastination and other excuses, I'm finishing this blog only now. But this delay has its advantages, because I know how the story ends and I can tell you what happened to the characters. So maybe, for the first time, this is truly an epilogue.

The journey to this program started in 2012. I was living in Germany and working as a consultant. I always knew I wanted to work first before continuing with any kind of education, because toward the end of undergrad, I had classes with grad students and the ones who had work experience before going back to school seemed to bring more to the experience from applying what they learned from the real world. As I researched Master's programmes, I focused my search in Europe because I was still paying off the loans for my Bachelor's degree. I Googled another program when the MIND programme turned up in the results. After a process of applying, obtaining references, phone interviews and traveling to Munich from Stuttgart to take the GRE in Germany (really), even though this is Europe, the choice came down to Humboldt University in Berlin, with a scholarship from the DAAD, and the MIND programme, with a scholarship from the European Commission. (Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland takes a close third because I had a really, really pleasant scholarship interview with a very pleasant young man and sometimes I think about how my life might be different if I went there and studied Innovation Management instead.)

I'm sure there was a long decision process and I'm sure I spent a lot of time thinking about it, like most decisions. This all took place eight years ago and I cannot remember the salient details. But I can imagine that I felt like it was time to leave Germany, even though I love (LOVE) Berlin, and the appeal of having an adventure in two countries (I didn't yet know that Asia was on the table) was great. So I gave notice at the consulting firm, said goodbye to my friends in Stuttgart, (wrapped up my last performances as a roller skating Greek muse in the local military base's production of Xanadu - that's real) and moved to Sweden.

In the two years that ensued, I met the best people, took wild risks, had the best time, made my dreams come true and had the adventure I sought. I lived.

I lived in Sweden for a year and was inspired by their example of how to treat guests in your country. I had a job interview in a sauna in the winter and learned what gender equality in society might actually look like. After an application process, I had the opportunity to spend a semester in Thailand. In Thailand I learned how to get from the university to town (Bangkok) and back again. I hosted a cultural show that lasted for eight (or more?) hours. I felt closer to my mom than I had ever understood before. C pointed out that after the midterm exams, I have sat for exams on three continents. I celebrated my birthday at a German brewery in Bangkok. I saw Angkor Wat after the semester ended. I went to all the Disneylands in the world (at the time...back then, there were only 11 parks). I didn't stay long in Austria, but I was there long enough to experience a Buschenschank and run into visa problems. I also saw Carousel and Cabaret in German, and puzzled as to why it was an hour longer than Cabaret in English, which I saw soon after on Broadway. In Glendale I lived in a conference room turned into an ad hoc intern bullpen for four and a half months writing my thesis. I saw things I had been nearby my entire life but never dreamed of seeing in reality.

Blogs are cheesy and navel-gazey but I am glad I did it. I am glad that this and the Germany Part I blogs exist. Sometimes I will look at an old post because someone asked for a travel recommendation (for example), and I will discover something that I forgot. I didn't remember that I was contacted by Swedish public radio to talk about the 2012 United States election. I forgot I had this conversation at NASA JPL about living in Germany. So what's the moral of this paragraph? If you can't blog, at least journal. You think you will remember the exciting things that happen in your day to day life but the truth is, you won't. I am proof!

What happened to everyone? Some stayed in Europe. Some went home. Some went home in Europe. Some got married. Some had babies. Some moved to Amsterdam. Many stayed in Sweden. When I left C, she wanted to stay in Italy. She has since worked her way up to an awesome job at a major company and had a baby! A has moved and is engaged to be married! I was happy to attend C's wedding in Ankara in 2015. I was happy to attend Z's wedding in Czechia last year, and to see my friends again at both.

What happened to me? I accepted an internship in Florida where I spent about five years (and made a bunch of new friends and had a bunch of good times) before moving back to the country where I left when this all started. To be honest, I never expected to be back. Not in this country. In 2017, I was fortunate to attend my class reunion in Leiden; it was also the celebration of the closing of the program. They invited all alumni back to watch the last class graudate. I met the newest generations of the program and saw a lot of old friends. It was just like old times. I came to the first afternoon of the organized program. I thought we would observe the new kids doing their work. No. We kicked off with a case exercise and divided into groups to discuss and then present our results. Our groups consisted of current students, alumni, professors and mentors. In Europe, we are all equal. It was just like old times.

The rest of the program consisted of lectures, discussions and watching the final presentations of the graduating class. Before I left for this trip, I joked that my master programme was ending because it lost funding (truth) from the European Commission because of Brexit (also true but I didn't realize it until I got there and they confirmed that Brexit was one of the factors that cut funding to the programme). There was a party the final evening. In the way that we do. I remember telling all my friends that it would be a very long time before I will see them again. I couldn't foresee an immediate excuse to get to Europe and hang out with them. The day I returned to work in Florida from the trip, I received an email about joining a project that is based in Germany. If I chose to accept this mission, I would have to move to Germany for a period of time. What.

I learned later that, basically, someone found out that I know German. (I promise that I have other skills.) When I was in high school, if you told me I was going to move to Germany, I would have said that you're crazy. I was just this nerd who went to Space Camp and really liked The West Wing and Saturday Night Live. If you told me I was going to move to Germany twice, I would have said, "Then why did I spend all this time learning Spanish?" (among other questions) I know that's true, because I did ask myself that in the first two months of intensive language school in 2010. But the truth is, Germany made things happen for me. When I talk to young people who (for some reason) ask for my advice, in addition to telling them to "follow your dreams," I also tell them the story of how moving to Germany (the first time) changed my life. (And then I tell them why so they know I'm not exaggerating.)

I couldn't refuse. I'm back in Germany. I'm working on getting better at German.

I should have seen this coming. The fall I moved to Sweden in 2012, I came back to Germany to celebrate Thanksgiving. During my Swedish spring, the squad from Germany came to visit Sweden and I put in my tea and hairspray requests (from dm, of course). After my thesis defense in 2014, my first destination was Nuremberg to see E, then on to Quakenbrück to wait with C who was finishing her defense. I attended S's wedding in Leipzig in 2015. I went to Oktoberfest in Munich in 2016. The point is, I cannot stay away from Germany. This is evident and not a surprise.

So far, I have been fortunate that this opportunity has allowed me to meet up with so many friends. A and M are in Amsterdam and have introduced me to Y and T, who are also in the MIND network. S is back in Oslo from Thailand. A is in London. S has moved from Stuttgart to Berlin. A and P and B and K and E are in New York. I still cite the meal in Haarlem (note that's Haarlem in the Netherlands, not Harlem, but I can see why you might be confused because I just mentioned New York) as the best I've ever had and J told me that the restaurant has received a Michelin star since 2014 when we were there so now it's overpriced and overrated. So funny! At Z's wedding in Czechia last year I was happy to reconnect with A, B and M. Everyone else, I'm coming for you! (And I mean that in the creepy way!)

What's going to happen next? Let's find out! Thank you for reading and joining the adventure.

Good night, have a pleasant tomorrow and see you in the future!

Lauren

[kvndeathmusic]

my favorite records of the 2010s pt 1 (the less great stuff/honorable mentions)

Neither this post or its followup are going to be in any particular order, however all the records I talk about here are, in my opinion, not as good as the records i will talk about in my part 2. they’re all fantastic but these ones slightly a little less fantastic than the ones in my “top 10″. none of this is based on stuff like 'influence' or whatever other critics base their lists on, this is solely how much I enjoyed these records. And keep in mind, I'm only human, I havent listened to a good lot of records I've heard others describe as top 10 worthy, these are just records I found and that I resonate with. long post ahead. 

Vacation - Bomb the Music Industry (2011)

If you asked me what my favorite band is i will either say bomb the music industry or jeff rosenstock, but considering those are pretty much the same things it doesnt matter lol. While Vacation isnt a perfect record, it is one I love. It lacks some of the ska elements that I love about earlier BTMI records, but at the same time, it is the first record where Jeff’s “””solo””” career sound starts to form in tracks like Sick, Later, Hurricane Waves, Everybody That You Love, Everybody That Loves You, and Vocal Coach. And these tracks are all fantastic, especially the absolutely explosive opener Campaign For a Better Weekend. Where this album suffers in my mind is the fact that it exists as a weird hybrid middle ground between BTMI and modern Jeff Rosenstock, it isn’t really ska like old BTMI and it’s not quite to the same standard as the tracks on We Cool?. And some of the songs are just, not as good as the others, like Why, Oh Why, Oh Why (Oh Oh Oh Oh), which is washed out almost entirely in reverb, and tracks like Savers feeling barren and missing additional instrumentation. But fuck man I can not dislike this record or just call it “ok” because despite this I still listen to this record a lot, it’s so catchy and fun and Im a bit too chronically addicted to btmi. 

Reflektor - Arcade Fire (2013)

i dont really get the hate/mixed feelings others have with this record. there’s so many good tracks dude!!!! sure theres a bit of a slump in the middle and it doesnt reach the same emotional heights as their previous records you gotta be ignorant to overlook this records strengths. while i do like The Suburbs more than Reflektor, man i just vibe HARD with some of these tracks; the title track, We Exist, Here Comes The Night Time, Normal Person, Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice), Porno, and ESPECIALLY Afterlife. Plus the cover art is cool and I like it. However Flashbulb Eyes is one of the worst tracks Arcade Fire has ever put out and I hate it immensely. And while far less offensive, tracks like You Already Know, It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus), and Joan of Arc are just kinda boring and/or uninteresting. Now granted, I'm extremely biased when it comes to Arcade fire in general unless were talking about the trainwreck that is Everything Now. I started listening to Arcade Fire just before Reflektor came out, and I have a kinda sentimental attachment to the record. ill explain the feeling more when i talk about The Suburbs. anticipation oooooo.

good kid m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar (2012)

i might get crucified by some for not putting this in my top 10, but whatever come at me i guess. gkmc is a fantastic record, but i do think the ending is weak, which is why it’s here instead of in the top 10. i mean, let’s be real, Real is a mediocre track, and while Dying of Thirst is an important track to the whole narrative of the record, it feels way too long. almost everything else about this record is fantastic, from the beats, to kendrick’s nasally flows, to the overall structure of the record spinning a tale of a young man battling demons both inside and out, and his eventual redemption. even if i find this record at times to drop pace, it really is flawless otherwise. it felt like a disservice to put this in the 20-10s, bc it’s a good record, but i had to make some compromises and this was one of them. 

RTJ2 - Run The Jewels (2014)

el-p and killer mike are a perfect duo, and the tracks they make together are always total bangers. and for me, RTJ2 is the best overall, with RTJ3 in a close second. it’s hard to put this on the lower half of the list, some of the tracks just don’t work as well as the others, but despite that there’s not really any tracks i hate or dislike on this record, minus maybe crown. the pure aggression in the opening track Jeopardy sets the tone for an aggressive yet highly focused record. This is some of the best rap out there right now if you want some music to fuck shit up to. 

Pure Comedy - Father John Misty (2017)

This record is both hilarious and extremely bleak. Josh Tillman is a master of satire and sarcasm, and Pure Comedy is the peak of his songwriting skills. The title track is one of the best tracks of the decade, period. And he keeps up the momentum on the following few tracks. The main problem with this record is its weaker second half, but even then it’s criminal to suggest that those songs aren’t good regardless. And despite the bleakness, the one line that sticks in my head after all this time is the line this album fades out to: There’s nothing to fear.

Knife Man - AJJ (2011)

Continuing on the trend of folky, satirical, and bleak records, Knife Man is AJJ’s defining record (next to their debut LP). AJJ blends loud, punky anthems with quieter, folk tracks that touch on sensitive issues in a way only AJJ manages to get away with. And there’s some genuine heart mixed in as well, with the final track Big Bird always striking a chord with me. However, I do feel the record is, let’s just say, padded at times in my opinion. Still, I can’t deny how much i enjoy tracks like Gift of the Magi 2, Hate Rain on Me, The Distance, and Skate Park. Speaking of which when I saw AJJ live recently they played none of those songs and that kinda sucked but hey it was like $20 I can’t complain. And speaking of not getting what I wanted...

You Won’t Get What You Want - Daughters (2018)

It was hard choosing between this record and their 2010 self titled record, but in terms of the overall narrative and variety this record shines through. If there was a number 11 spot in this unorganized list this would probably take that spot. It’s noisey, it’s abrasive, and it’s like nothing you’ve heard before unless you’ve listened to Daughter’s previous records. Tracks like The Reason They Hate Me are catchy in the weirdest and most unwelcoming of ways, Less Sex sounds like a long lost Trent Reznor NIN track, and Guest House is a masochistic and gut wrenching finisher. Fantastic record aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

We Cool? - Jeff Rosenstock (2015)

It’s obvious that I had to include this record somewhere on these list. It’s like a more refined version of the sounds that Jeff experimented with on Vacation. Definitely more punk than ska, but still some of those roots still shine through, especially in the track Nausea. Some of Jeff’s best songs are on this record, from the loud opening tracks Get Old Forever and You, In Weird Cities, to tracks dripping with bittersweet and moody lyrics like I’m Serious, I’m Sorry and Polar Bear or Africa. The main reason this record is on the back end of the top 20 is because the deeper cuts on the record do not match the energy and heights of the best tracks. Tracks like All Blissed Out, The Lows, Darkness Records and Beers Again Alone don’t feel like they belong and stick out a bit. They remind me more of the material Jeff put out on his 2012 EP I Look Like Shit. Mind you they aren’t bad tracks, but I’ll be honest I skip them often when listening to the record because i just wanna get back to the good good stuff. 

Sports - Modern Baseball (2012)

Sports is one of the best pop punk records ever, if you can even consider it as such. It’s like a blend of emo and folk punk, and it works so well. A good majority of this record is on my main shuffle playlist. Is it pushing boundaries? Not really, but tracks like Re-Do, Tears Over Beers, and See Ya, Sucker are undeniably catchy and memorable. I NEED MODERN BASEBALL BACK TOGETHER RN. There’s not really anything that wrong with the record, besides maybe lacking in variety, but at 30 minutes, it’s a record that feels nostalgic even on a first listen, and continues to feel that way even after numerous re-listens. Speaking of nostalgia...

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (2010)

Some background, when I was 13 (circa 2013), I only really listened to whatever my parents put on for me. From my mom, I “inherited” a taste for classic pop and 80s new wave. From my dad, I got metal and hard rock. The first time I made the conscious decision to listen to a record fully, based on my own curiousity, was when I sat and listened to Sgt. Pepper in the summer of 2013, which broadened the scope of what I thought music could even be. And later that year, the first band I got into after The Beatles? Arcade Fire. When I think of my early teens, the memories are set to this record. I remember listening to Ready to Start in my brother’s old hot ass car while driving to the local fair with some friends on a chill fall night, eating tons of junk and staying up past midnight back when doing that was edgy and cool and not a symptom of my depression. 

If I was judging this record solely by its best tracks, it would easily be in the top 3. But I couldn’t place it in my top 10 because, frankly, some of the deeper cuts are lacking. I can’t say I like Deep Blue. I really don’t like Rococo. And Half Light I kills the pace of the record. But man, that title track, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Empty Room, Half Light II, Sprawl II... these songs defined my early teen years. I still tear up listening to the title track. Sure I have to skip a few songs when I re-listen, but I can’t place it any lower or my heart will break. It existing outside of the top 10 already hurts. And that’s all that’s left now. The top 10. 

But first, some random honorable mentions that didn’t make this list:

Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes

Black Star - David Bowie

Saturation II - BROCKHAMPTON

Melophobia - Cage the Elephant

Teens of Style - Car Seat Headrest

How to Leave Town - Car Seat Headrest

Daughters - Daughters

Sunbather - Deafheaven

Bottomless Pit - Death Grips

Year of the Snitch - Death Grips (should be on this list tbh)

Doris - Earl Sweatshirt

I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty

Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes

Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

Boarding House Reach - Jack White

POST- - Jeff Rosenstock

S/T - Joyce Manor

Firepower - Judas Priest

ye - Kanye West

KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KSG

You Were There - Kill Lincoln

Flying Microtonal Banana - King Gizzard

Infest The Rats’ Nest - King Gizzard

No New World - Mass of the Fermenting Dregs

Bury Me At Makeout Creek - Mitski

Puberty 2 - Mitski

Unsilent Death - Nails

Itekoma Hits - Otoboke Beaver

Morbid Stuff - PUP

A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead

RTJ3 - Run the Jewels

Angles - The Strokes

To Be Kind - Swans

Undertale OST - Toby Fox

Scum Fuck Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator 

Igor - Tyler, The Creator

Weezer (White Album) - Weezer

nightlife - yuragi

[phroyd]

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Her hair pokes out of the back of her sky blue helmet and flaps like a cape as she flies around in circles. Poised confidently on her skateboard — knees slightly bent, infectious smile engaged — she gains speed and fearlessly attacks the bowl. Sky Brown is not here to take it easy, and she doesn’t have time to wait behind the older, bigger skateboarders.

She’s 10 years old, about the size of two skateboards stacked end to end and has a big mission on tap.

“I want to go to the Olympics,” she says. “I want to be the youngest one out there and show the girls it doesn’t matter how big you are or how small you are. You can do anything.”

Sky is a member of Great Britain’s national team, hoping to be among the world’s best athletes who gather in Tokyo next summer when skateboarding makes its Olympic debut at the 2020 Games. No one who has seen her on a skateboard would dare rule her out. Her outsize talent and charisma have made her one of the most popular and intriguing skateboarders — even if she’s just now wrapping up fifth grade.

She has several sponsors, a giant social media following and several viral videos to her credit. She’s a prodigy of sorts on a skateboard but also has made waves in surfing. Last year she even won “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors,” and she says there’s a purpose behind everything she does.

“If they watch me skate or do this trick, they’ll think maybe they can do it, too,” she says. “That’s why I want to do the Olympics — to inspire those kids who think they can’t do it."

Sky caused a stir when Great Britain put her on its national skateboarding team this spring, but she has since shown that she’s no novelty act. She took first in the U.K. national skateboarding championships in April. At last week’s Dew Tour stop in Long Beach, the first Olympic qualifier in the United States, Sky was the youngest skater in the field. She posted the highest score in the qualifying round of the park event and was third after the quarterfinals, though she failed to advance to the finals.

Sky commands attention whenever she’s on her board. She doesn’t generate the power of her competitors, who are often more than twice her age, but she can be every bit as aggressive, smiling almost the entire time.

“To be able to create the speed and get the height she’s getting with the weight she’s got — she’s like a feather — you almost think it’s impossible,” says Lucy Adams, the chair of Skateboard England and Skateboard GB.

From the beginning

Sky and her tight knit family — parents Stu and Mieko Brown and brother Ocean — split their time between Southern California and Japan, where Sky was born and first learned to skate.

“I started skateboarding when I was 3 or 4,” she explains, “but I’ve been playing with it since I was zero, kind of.

“It was always my favorite toy,” she continues. “I’d just always want to play with it.”

She would watch her dad and friends skate and then study YouTube videos. She wasn’t content to be simply balancing or slowly rolling. She hit the backyard ramp with her dad and was a natural, performing kick turns on the ramp and kick flips with her board.

Stu Brown uploaded some footage of 5-year-old Sky onto Facebook. The clip bounced around and soon amassed a few million views. Sponsors and event organizers started noticing. Invitations and opportunities started piling up.

She did her first local contest at 7 and the next year became the youngest girl to compete in the Vans U.S. Open Pro Series. The family is selective about what to take on and says it has had to turn down many opportunities.

The Browns spend at least half the year living in Miyazaki, a city in the southern part of Japan known for its surfing conditions but lacking in skate culture.

“I feel like I’m the only girl skating sometimes,” she says.

They often travel around to skateboard, and the family has been spending more and more time in Southern California. Stu says he and his wife are careful about putting too much on their children’s plates — 7-year-old Ocean also skates and surfs — and they want to make sure Sky remains a kid first, a skater second.

“She’s so self-motivated. We would never want to push her, but she’s the one pulling us in all these directions,” he says. “She just loves skating. How do you stop her from doing something she loves?”

A young Olympic dream

Sky met Adams, a British pro, in 2016 at a competition in the United Kingdom. The two struck up a friendship and stayed in touch. A few months later, skateboarding was formally added to the program for the 2020 Tokyo Games, and Adams later would take a position with the Great Britain national skateboarding team.

“I was like, ‘Skateboarding’s in the Olympics?’ ” Sky recalls. “Everyone was like, ‘You don’t know what the Olympics are?’ ”

As Sky learned more, she became increasingly excited. The Olympics offer a big platform, and she thought girls all around the globe might see her and want to pick up a skateboard. But she will be just 12 years old during the Tokyo Games, which her parents felt was too young. Maybe in 2024, they told her, when she will be 16.

“But I was like, ‘Please, please, please!’ ” she recalls.

Adams and Sky swapped social media messages and chatted on WhatsApp. Sky couldn’t shake the Olympic dream, and Adams started entertaining the possibility, too, excited by the impact Sky could have. Because Sky’s father was born in England, the young skater could compete for Japan or Great Britain in international competition.

“I knew that Sky would be inspirational, and she’d help us raise the participation of skateboarding in this country, especially among females,” Adams says.

The governing body for most every other Olympic sport has age restrictions that prevent athletes as young as Sky from taking part in Olympic competition. Skateboarding does not.

"The idea is if a skater can earn enough points and do well enough in competition to qualify to participate in the Olympic Games, you shouldn’t eliminate their chance to participate based on how old they are,” said Josh Friedberg, the chief executive of USA Skateboarding.

Even though Sky was named to Great Britain’s national team, she’s not guaranteed a spot in the Olympics. She has to accumulate points at competitions over the next year and show that she’s among the most competitive park skaters, regardless of age.

Even if she makes it to Tokyo, winning a medal would be a stretch, but the history books would take notice. It’s not often someone as young as Sky reaches the Olympics. Inge Sorensen won a bronze medal in swimming for Denmark as a 12-year-old at the 1936 Olympics. Italy’s gymnastics team in 1928 had competitors who were 11 and 12. The youngest Olympian ever was Greek gymnast Dimitrios Loundras, who was all of 10 years old for the 1896 Games.

Over the years, teens have left their marks on the Games, particularly in sports such as gymnastics and snowboarding. More recently, snowboarder Chloe Kim won two gold medals as a 17-year-old at the PyeongChang Games, and swimmer Katie Ledecky was 15 when she won her first gold medal at 2012 London Games.

‘Like a playground for me’

With the help of her mom, Sky is active on a social media, an important link to skateboarding fans but also a vital vehicle for her sponsors. Sky now has more than 375,000 Instagram followers. Her videos on the platform can top 100,000 likes. She shares her travels, training and exploits. After a skating mishap this month, she captioned one midair photo: “a Broken wing, will NOT stop me Flying!!”

Sky had been skating at a school in Oceanside, Calif., where she was trying a kick flip off some stairs. A bad landing sent her tumbling on her arm.

“It hurt really bad,” she says, “but I kept skating after.”

The pain didn’t subside, and doctors explained that she had fractured a bone, and Sky was outfitted for a pink cast that goes the length of her right arm. The injury has kept her from surfing, which meant more time to spend on her skateboard. Another tumble resulted in her cracking the cast, which is now reinforced with some tape.

Despite the injury, she insisted on competing in this month’s Dew Tour event. “It would’ve hurt her so much more to miss out,” her father says.

Sky skates well beyond her age, but there are competitors who are able to go higher and faster and execute tricks that Sky’s not ready for. It doesn’t stop her from trying, and in the coming years, she will be able to create more speed, more power and more air when she launches skyward.

During last week’s competition, Sky was limited by the broken arm but still skated with a smile.

“Skateboarding is like my happy place,” she says. “It’s like a playground for me.”

She found her parents immediately after popping out of the bowl. During practice sessions, Stu Brown would chat with her between runs, sometimes lovingly poking her nose or wrapping Sky in his arms.

“We always come back to: If this isn’t fun, we shouldn’t be doing it,” her father says. “If she’s not happy, we’ll stop it. But as long as she enjoys the journey, we’re going to support her. We love what we have as a family. Everything works right now. I know the Olympics are huge, but if there’s a time where it’s not working, we can just walk away.”

Phroyd

[televisedbirdwatching]

Getting a Handle on Portland Skateparks with GIS

BACKGROUND:

For the past few months, I’ve been taking courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Portland Community College. GIS work involves a lot of computer screen time, so I was thankful to have easy access to the Holly Farm skatepark on my way home. Class ended at 9pm, so if I hurried to the park I would have a half hour to skate before the sun fully set behind the hills. These short skate sessions were an important part of my day: after work and class I was thankful for some physical activity and unstructured time.

Holly Farm Skatepark in SW Portland. Photo Skaters for Portland Skateparks. 

I believe skateparks are a crucial recreational resource. Of course, I’m not an impartial judge. For me, close access to the Holly Farm park was something to look forward to after class. But for many others, it’s worth considering that skateparks represent something far more important.

In urban planning language, the term “third places” is used to describe the places in our lives that are not work nor home. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term in a 1989 book called “The Great Good Place.” He wrote that the neighborhood grocery store, the corner bar, and the coffee shop are the places where ‘weak’ social connections are made, introducing people to community members who would otherwise be strangers (A brief note that ‘weak’ refers to ‘casual’ more than ‘insignificant’). He called third places the “heart of a community’s social vitality,” and foundational to grassroots democracy. Without them, people live isolated lives and take on narrow perspectives.

Much of the dialog on third places focuses on places that are appropriate to the lives of adults. There’s no reason to suspect third places might be any less important to youth. In fact, youth are traditionally excluded from the most common third places (too young to enjoy caffeine, not old enough for bars) leaving them fewer total available third places. In addition, youth contending with urban sprawl may have difficulty accessing third places, even if they exist. Even in 1989, Oldenburg saw that third places were on the decline; in recent years, virtual spaces have filled these voids. This puts youth in a particularly vulnerable position: there were less third places to begin with, there are less now than before, and accessing the few that are left can be challenging.

I’m concerned about youth-appropriate third places in general, and I admit skateparks are only one such place. However, I believe that skateparks offer particular and unique benefits for youth. Skateboarding offers an experience in unstructured play, different from organized sports. Skaters are free to find their own lines in a skatepark, linking features and tricks in a way not enforced (but informed) by the design of the park itself. Skateboarding also teaches youth how to fall and get back up, and fosters obsessive persistence in the pursuit of self-structured goals: many tricks require hundreds of tries for one “make.” Skateboarding is an individual sport at its core, but skateparks are environments where supportive communities can be actualized. Friends give advice and assistance, and skaters learn how to learn from their peers. Not only is there personal satisfaction to be gained from landing a trick, there is also the enthusiasm and encouragement coming from your peers at the park.

A photo from Skate Like A Girl’s yearly competition, Wheels of Fortune. Photo Thrasher Magazine.

Skateboarding can also create support in communities that might face steeper slopes. Skate Like a Girl is a national nonprofit that pushes for a more inclusive skate community and shares the joy of skating with (primarily) womxn-identifying youth. From their website:  "Women and girls who learn how to skateboard learn more than just how to balance; girls who skateboard learn to push their own personal boundaries, test their capabilities and in the process, teach and encourage others. It is our firm belief that these attributes reap rewards outside of the skatepark and our immediate community. Girls and women who believe in themselves are more likely to raise their hand in the classroom, advocate for themselves in the workplace and attract the company of those who respect them.”

Skateparks are a particular type of third place for youth where they can make ‘weak ties’ that become friendships, participate in free, unstructured play, and develop skills and personal attributes that will serve them throughout the course of their lives. In addition, skateboarding has a comparatively low financial barrier to entry than other sports and activities.

Since skateparks are so important, it might be surprising to know that Portland has only eight officially-recognized, public skateparks: one for every 81,000 Portlanders. What might be more surprising is that the city of Portland was (most likely) the first in the world to have a comprehensive Skatepark System Plan. Local nonprofit Skaters for Portland Skateparks began the process in 2001, and legislation was passed in 2005. The plan called for 19 total skateparks of varying size from “neighborhood spots” to a central “destination” skatepark. In the 14 years since, only eight of the 19 have been built.

Skaters for Portland Skateparks’ System Map. Built skateparks in green, planned skateparks in red.

In my GIS class, we were asked to pose a research question, and answer that question with spatial analyses. I wanted to look at the current distribution of skateparks in Portland, and develop a characterization of who does and does not have access to this critical recreational resource. Here are a set of maps that help tell that story.

MAPS:

Borrowing a term from the food justice world, I wanted to create a map of “Skatepark Deserts” in Portland. The first step was creating the dataset- I mapped point features for each skatepark, and included some additional information (if built or planned, if built, what year). Next, I added information from the census bureau showing census tracts in the Portland area. This map was created to show each tract’s distance from a public skatepark. Dark shades of blue are tracts that contain or are within 1 mile of skateparks. Green scrubland represents a 2-mile, semi-accessible radius. Orange areas are “Skatepark Deserts,” more than 2 miles from a recognized skatepark.

Skatepark Deserts in Portland, OR. Map created by me.

If you’re interested in the GIS methodology, here you go. If not, you can skip to the next section. The first category, the darkest blue areas, were created by selecting all tracts that contained one of the skatepark points. The other analyses were performed using the centroids of each tract. For example, the light blue areas are census tracts whose centroid is within a 1 mile buffer of the skatepark point. The green areas, a 2 mile buffer. The desert scrublands are polygons that have at least some area within the 2 mile buffer. The desert sands are polygons that are completely outside the 2 mile buffer.

The first map showed the geographic distribution of skateparks in Portland, but it doesn’t tell a very complete story. I wanted to look at some of the demographic data and develop a fuller picture of who has access to skateparks. I created two maps using the same census tract blocks, but this time displayed them on the basis of poverty rate and median family income. The first map shows the percentage of families living at or below the poverty line: darker colors represent more families experiencing poverty. Census tracts containing skateparks are highlighted. For the most part, skateparks are sited in locations where they serve areas with high poverty rates. The smallest tract poverty rate is Glenhaven park at 11%, but neighbors two tracts with higher poverty rates. Ed Benedict, Luuwit, and Gateway are sited in areas with high poverty rates, between 28 and 30%.

Poverty Rate of skatepark-containing census tracts in Portland. Map created by me.

I also created a map showing median family income in each of these tracts. Darker colors represent greater amounts of income. The average of the median family income of all tracts containing skateparks is roughly $62,000. Southwest Portland is an interesting anomaly: the Holly Farm and Gabriel parks are in areas with close to six-figure median incomes, yet also have 14 and 19% poverty rates.

Median family income of skatepark-containing census tracts in Portland. Map created by me.

More GIS methodology: if you’re interested in the categories I used to classify this data, let me know and I can go into more depth!

So far, Portland has done a good job of siting skateparks in locations where they serve low and middle income communities. However, the Skatepark Desert effect is unresolved. Many areas in far-east Portland and in the downtown area have high poverty rates yet don’t have easy access to a skatepark.

Transit connectivity is an important consideration given the plain fact that school-aged youth are not able to drive. Some families experiencing poverty may be entirely transit dependent. Others may have personal vehicles but not the time to drive children across town. Transit connectivity gives youth the freedom to travel on their own and access third spaces like skateparks freely. I created a transit connectivity score by counting the number of bus lines that intersect a 1-mile radius circle around each skatepark. Assuming one mile is a reasonable distance to travel on a skateboard, the score represents how many buses someone could possibly board. This is another area where Portland does well- there are no values less than 10, and Gateway Park boasts access to 26 bus lines, not including the MAX Light Rail system.

Transit Connectivity of skateparks in Portland. Map created by me.

Finally, although transit connectivity is important, walkability offers an even higher level of access for youth. For this map, I used the same 1-mile buffers but counted the number of schools that lie within each circle. I’ll give Portland a passing score on this metric. Although some skateparks have low scores (Pier Park: 2), there are often other schools just outside the 1-mile radius.

Skateparks and Schools in Portland. Map created by me.

Here again, the skateparks that exist in Portland score well in terms of transit connectivity and proximity to schools, ensuring that youth have easy access to these resources. However, consider the number of schools that are not within the 1-mile circles: the majority of school aged youth are still in a skatepark desert.

Considering these maps together, it’s fair to say that Portland has done a good job, when constructing skateparks, to ensure that they serve low and middle income youth, are transit connected, and close to schools. However, there’s more work to be done. As I mentioned earlier, the city’s 2005 plan called for the construction of 19 skateparks. Skatepark construction hit the ground rolling with five parks in three years: Pier Park (2005), Glenhaven and Holly Farm (2007), Gabriel and Ed Benedict Parks (2008). Skaters for Portland Skateparks write “With the economic downturn in full swing, Portland Parks & Recreation offers that funding is no longer available for additional public skatepark projects within the Skatepark System Plan. Investment and momentum slows for the build up of the remaining 14 prospective skateparks.” The next skatepark wouldn’t be built until 2015 (Alberta), followed closely by Luuwit (2017) and Gateway (2018).

Gateway is Portland’s newest skatepark. Photo Skaters for Portland Skateparks.

Hopefully, we can capitalize on this second swing of skatepark momentum to fill in some of the gaps in the Skatepark Deserts map. One of the most promising proposals for an additional Skatepark is the Steel Bridge skatepark. This skatepark would serve a critical population in the downtown area, developing an urban brownfield currently created by the traffic ramp exit for the west side of the Steel Bridge. Here are some artistic renderings of what the skatepark might look like.

Photos Skaters for Portland Skateparks/Bryce Kanights, Renderings via DAO architecture.

I’m also inspired by the skate community in Boulder, Colorado, where their “Green Block Project” is proving that not every skate spot has to be a large-scale, “destination” park. At Valmont Park in Boulder, there was a large, unused pavilion. Skaters built a partnership with the city and with the University of Colorado Environmental Design program to design a DIY-style skatepark in this space. To quote from this article: "The initial idea of the green block project was to use 'dross-scapes' and otherwise unused land to develop pocket parks and allow the community to be involved in the process," said Raul Pinto with Satellite Boardshop in Boulder. "From students at CU environmental design program to young kids taking part in the construction being supervised by older skate community members, it really was a community effort."

Photos Boulder Daily Camera.

The skatepark features parking blocks, picnic tables, ledges, and other street-style features that allow skaters to practice street-style skills without criminal trespass. All of the features were donated by community members and the park was built and maintained by volunteers, meaning the effective cost to the city was only the cost of granting permission. The Parks Planning manager for the city of Boulder was quoted as saying “This is a perfect example of listening and supporting the community to build a great space for all ages and abilities to participate in a sport that is very popular in our community and especially with teens.”

The Steel Bridge skatepark would serve a critical area of Portland, improving the geographic distribution of skateparks in Portland as well as serving low-income populations. In addition to Steel Bridge, we should also push for the construction of smaller, neighborhood-scale skate spots. For example, even if the Steel Bridge park is completed, there would still remain a sizable skatepark desert for communities living along the I-5 Corridor in North Portland. Perhaps two smaller, Green-Block style spots could be constructed in this area to improve access.

Lately I’ve been spending more time at Ed Benedict park, closer to the Southeast PCC campus. I’ve never seen the park not busy, and I know that for myself and the others who are there, it’s helping meet a need in our lives. Portland Parks and Rec’s 2020 vision goals state: “Portland’s parks, public places, natural areas and recreational opportunities give life and beauty to our city. These essential assets connect people to place, self and others. Portland’s residents will treasure and care for this legacy, building on the past to provide for future generations.” Skateparks are mentioned only once in the 2020 goals: “Develop plans that are flexible and responsive to changing demographics and emerging trends (e. g., skateboards, BMX bikes and dogs).”

Creating these maps was critical to getting a handle on the state of skateparks in Portland. It’s clear we’ve done some things well in the past, and should continue to insist on access for low-income communities, transit connectivity, and school proximity. However, it’s time to take skateparks seriously as the critical recreational resource they are, and resolve some of our skatepark deserts.

[maksylmyheart]

20 Questions with Olympic Ice Dancer Charlie White

Published September 27, 2018 by Stephanie Steinberg

Bloomfield native Charlie White tells SEEN about winning gold at the 2014 Olympics, his political science interests and his favorite Ann Arbor spots. (You may catch him at Zingerman’s!)

By Stephanie Steinberg

Featured photo by Allison Farrand

1. What do you consider your biggest accomplishments in your ice dancing career?

I never want to skip over winning the Olympics in Russia. To become the first American Olympic ice dance champions, we didn’t really think about it much while we were preparing for it. It was just something we put in the back of our heads because considering the accomplishment before you can accomplish it is really just a distraction. But being able to stand on the podium and recognize what that means for ice dance moving forward, and how much it meant for us to be able to see U.S. ice dancers have success, and build and build, and now to be the ones to break through that very, very top rung, it was awesome.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Feb. 18, 2014 in Russia.

It’s hard to put into words, but it’s really cool, and watching even the growth of ice dancing as a sport in the country, it’s just exploded. And again, to have played a part in that from the Olympics — and because of everything that we’ve put in and all the sacrifices that we made and our families made and our coaches made — that was really cool. But there are other great memories too.

2. Having skated with each other since you were 8 and 9 years old, how would you describe your partner Meryl Davis?

I would say Meryl is a very focused and self-motivated person. She’s always been a great friend and will continue to do amazing things in her life and for her community because of her caring nature and determination.

3. How did you celebrate being the first American ice dancer to win gold at the Olympics?

I celebrated with my family! I’ve always felt fortunate to have a great family supporting me for my entire career, not just in skating but in everything. And because so much of the success that I’ve had is due to my family, it only felt right to celebrate such a historic moment by spending time with them.

4. What do you listen to before going out on the ice? Do you have a pre-skate ritual?

I never really used music to get motivated, and I always made a point to not fall into any particular ritual at competition. A lot of times people rely on their rituals to help calm their nerves, but if they forget and something goes wrong, then it can rattle their confidence even more. So I always thought, if the hard work I’ve put in in practice wasn’t enough for a successful competition, then it isn’t worth relying on something as fickle as a pre-game ritual.

5. What do you typically eat before a big competition or ice dancing show?

Before any competition I made sure to eat simple good foods. You want energy for your body without any other side effects, and as you get older that becomes more and more important for how you feel when you’re competing. So I made it a real priority to not get carried away with anything too heavy or fancy.

6. Who’s been a role model in your career or life in general?

As I said before, I’m incredibly lucky to have the family that I do. In that vein, I would say my greatest role models are my parents. From their life philosophies, to their work ethics and senses of humor, they’re everything you could want in a role model.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White will be co-chairing the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena this January.

7. You and Meryl are co-chairing the U.S. Figure Skating Championships coming to Detroit this January. What should we know about it?

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are the greatest skating competition that will be held in the U.S. all year. Many of the Olympians from last year, and many of the Olympians that will be representing the U.S. at the 2022 Olympics, will be there skating their hearts out. Metro Detroit has always been a huge skating hub in the U.S., and I expect it will be an exciting and well attended event!

8. You were a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” right after winning the Olympics in 2014. How does ballroom dancing compare to ice dancing? What was your favorite ballroom dance?

With skating, so much of what you can do stems from the momentum you generate as you move across the ice. In ballroom, I was always confused what step was up next, because after any step you can then step in any direction with either foot! But I absolutely loved learning it! My favorite dance was probably the quickstep because it felt the most athletic.

9. If you could ice dance with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I think it would have been cool if Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had been able to ice dance. They had so much personality in their dancing — something we were always inspired by.

10. You’re about to obtain a degree in political science from the University of Michigan. How do you plan to use your degree in the future?

That’s a great question. I’m not sure the best way to put my future degree to use. But I do think it’s important that people from all backgrounds use their lives to help enrich our somewhat lacking political culture. If I could at all help in that, it would be a real honor.

11. Favorite quote or words to live by?

Perfection isn’t about winning, it’s about your integrity, and relationship with yourself, your friends, and your family.

On to your style…

12. Your favorite ice dancing outfit of all time — what did it look like?

I think my favorite outfit was the outfit I wore for “Scheherazade” free dance when we won the Olympics. It was just the right color and design to help bring the character to life without being too much, which is often a problem we run into in the world of ice dancing.

13. Three words to describe your style off the ice?

Simple, comfortable and preppy.

14. Favorite local clothing shop?

The M Den! Go Blue.

15. One item you can’t leave home without?

Chapstick!

Your Local Love List…

16. Your favorite spot on University of Michigan’s campus?

The Diag or the Big House.

17. Your go-tos for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Breakfast: Afternoon Delight Lunch: Zingerman’s Deli Dinner: Slurping Turtle All in Ann Arbor.

18. Favorite local coffee shop? And what do you order?

Songbird Cafe. And always a vanilla latte!

19. Favorite local spot to walk or take your dogs?

The Arb can’t be beat. (Gallup Park is a close second though.)

20. Favorite place to ice skate in Michigan?

I was lucky enough to be able to compete and skate at Joe Louis Arena. But Little Caesars Arena is just amazing.

Bonus: When you’re not ice skating, where can we find you?

At home spending as much time with my wife and son as possible!

[juliivn-blog]

*  bill skarsgård, age 27, he/him  | oh, them? that’s julian nilsson. they’ve lived in carina bay for, like, one week. last time i spoke to them they were a drug dealer, and if i remember correctly, they’re an aries. seeing them around always makes me think of track marks hidden beneath a long-sleeved shirt, the watery reflection of a neon sign in a motel parking lot, the eerie quiet of 5am after a sleepless night. ( lainie, 24, cst, she/her ) 

hello bitches it me ur local bag of literal garbage ( lainie ) back at it again !! this time bringing u the anti adrian and pls be wary bc there are a lot of sensitive topics down below ( tws for major drug use, drug addiction, death, grief, shitty parenting, neglect, abandonment?? kind of idk better safe than sorry )

so bear with me bc his background info is kind of Long!! his mom and dad are from just outside of st louis, missouri. his mom came from a pretty wealthy family and she was just like tryna be ~rebellious in her young adult years by dating julian’s dad (who came from a super trashy family and had a Bad Boy Rep). when she was 19 and he was 22 she got pregnant ( with julian ) and her fam was like lol get rid of that baby or ur gone !! but they were “““madly in love””” and she was on her rebellious shit so they literally eloped to the city ( st louis ) and got an apartment together and had julian but never actually got married bc they were too cool ( read: irresponsible ) for that. ofc this ended up being rly miserable bc she was used to living the rich life and now her family had disowned her, and suddenly she was starting to realize this dude she had a kid with was kind of a deadbeat party boy with no interest in having a family, not to mention she started realizing like?? i don’t actually want a kid this is a lot of work?? so like julian’s childhood years were a lot of him having to learn to take care of himself and not having anyone to depend on most of the time. and that’s not to say they didn’t both care abt him on some level bc there were definitely times they paid attention to him and gave him a birthday party or two but for the most part he was on his own

fast forward 5 years and finally julian’s dad, now in his late 20s and getting antsy, peaces the fuck out to los angeles to live his best party boy life. baby julian is very upset bc even tho his dad doesnt pay a lot of attention to him he like idolizes him. julian’s mom is saltier than EVER about having to take care of a kid but she doesn’t wanna go to LA ( especially for this asshole she doesn’t even like anymore ) and her parents won’t have anything to do with her or her illegitimate child so the NEXT 5 years are a lot of moving around from shitty apartment to shitty apartment and job to job by themselves. his dad would now and then send weird postcards and stuff from cali so he had like a vague idea of the fact that his dad was living his own life somewhere that looked super wild, and when he was 11 years old he managed to send a letter back asking if he could come live with him. his dad contacts his mom, there’s a bunch of fighting, but in the end julian did indeed get to go live with his dad in los angeles, mostly bc his mom just didn’t give a fuck anymore and was lowkey like…u know what fine take him i can have my life back

obviously his dad does not know how to be a dad !!! he kind of thought of julian as his little like…..sidekick like he just thought having this 11 year old kid around was hilarious. so julian went to LA and was living with his dad and his dad’s friends in a relatively nice apartment but like it’s always filled with people doing drugs and having sex and it’s just. not child friendly at all. so that’s how julian was introduced to weed at the ripe young age of 11!!! from there on out he was like a big time weed and cigarette smoker, was very early having sex and trying other drugs, and by the time he graduated high school he was already hardcore doing coke

so julian like kind of wanted to go to college bc some part of him did crave normalcy, but he was way too far up his own ass to get his shit together for that !! plus like....he didn’t rly have good role models. so his first year after high school instead of getting on a good path for his future he decided living his best life would include moving into an apartment with his cokehead best friend. it was around that time that julian met his first boyfriend. he was already totally aware he was bi, had slept with boys in high school, but this was the first time he rly fell in love with a guy. he was like……….head! over! heels! for this boy. julian met him at a club and he was like sort of soft and relatively innocent until they started dating and julian got him smoking weed and then snorting coke

this next part is very triggering so please read with caution !! when he was 21, julian tried heroin for the first time. for about 6 months it gradually got really bad, his life started spiraling, and his bf was like….becoming unable to deal with it, especially bc while julian was getting worse his bf was kind of trying to move in the opposite direction and get off the coke and get his life back together. there was a lot of fighting, but his bf kept not actually making the move to end things bc he loved julian and was just like hoping something would turn around. one night, however, in a moment of weakness, he let julian talk him into trying heroin with him. it was kind of a “i promise i’ll get clean if u try it with me this one time” thing. being in and out of consciousness and not really aware of what was going on, he didn’t notice that his bf was overdosing and he ended up dying simply bc the heroin was too much for his body and he stopped breathing. julian didn’t notice until the morning when he woke up, and obviously that was by far the most traumatic thing that’s ever happened to him and left some deep ass emotional scars

so following this, he actually did check himself into rehab. he was there for 3 months, got completely clean, but he only managed to stay that way for two weeks before he was first snorting heroin again and then back to shooting up and selling drugs

it was about a year later when he was 23 that he met kit while he was doing a deal at some seedy bar outside of town. they quickly fell into a completely unanticipated relationship--notably, julian’s first since his boyfriend’s death. in spite of that trauma and feeling guilty even as he did it, he started introducing kit to drugs. in his mind, it was kind of a thing where he fell in love really fast and really hard out of nowhere and he saw this sad little thing with no place to go and drugs are the only thing he’s ever known himself, so it was very natural to be like “here try this it helps” and also naively convincing himself he’d never let what happened before happen again

so four years later they’re living together and completely broke, living mostly off the money julian makes selling drugs and whatever else they can scrape up, when kit decides he wants to do a road trip across the country. julian’s very impulsive, doesn’t really give a shit about anything in LA anyway, and to top it off has a hard time saying no to kit. SO a road trip it is !! they make it all the way across the country before finally using up the last of their money and realizing they don’t have enough to get back

which is how he wound up in carina bay! they’re currently living out of julian’s car with a little makeshift bed in the back and he’s selling drugs again to try and save up enough so they can get home, but they use most of what he’s supposed to sell so it’s.......not going very well euyagafdhs

so now that his lengthy as fuck background is over with………julian is an extremely EXTREMELY dry sarcastic person. the guilt over his bf has made him wayyyyyyyy worse, like his sense of humor is so so much darker than it was before that happened, but he’s honestly just a rly sarcastic person to begin with. he has some softness inside especially for people he rly cares abt, but you will not catch julian being sentimental or taking literally anything seriously unless you’ve managed to seriously worm your way into his heart

he’s not like a GRUMP tho at all he just....doesn’t take things seriously. he’s literally the embodiment of every bart simpson meme

"whatever my dude” is his aesthetic

he’s very careful about his drug dealing, he won’t go around talking about it or anything, he does it all under the radar as much as he can and especially having done it for so long now and having experienced a lot of traumatic crap, he’s pretty good at what he does and he won’t fuck with people he doesn’t trust

even when it’s warm it’s not totally unlikely to see him in long sleeves bc he has really bad track marks all over his arms from shooting up so much, especially in the early days when he was really bad at it

he absolutely will not talk about his past and if anything even close to it comes up in conversation he will skate right over that so qUICK ur head will spin

i think that’s IT FOR NOW if u made it this far i commend ur effort and attention span. im gna list some plots n stuff below and hit me uP for some angst bc ya girl is here for the drama as usual

CONNECTION IDEAS

any and all drug related things !! people who buy from him (especially weed, he’s a lot more lenient about to whom he sells weed as opposed to other stuff), people he introduces to drugs, friends he actually does drugs with

he’s very dry and enigmatic but he’s also quite social so seriously give me friends for him. he’s high a LOT but not always and he likes being out doing stuff

definitely somebody or somebodies who don’t trust him and his drug addict bart simpson vibe please please give me people who don’t like him

along that same vein it takes a lot to get julian worked up and in fight mode bc he prefers to just let things roll off his shoulders but it would def be fun to have someone who gets him to that point

also somebody who?? maybe thinks they can “fix” him and genuinely does their best to try and persuade him to change his life and that it’s not too late to turn everything around

if ur muse is randomly from st louis missouri????? hit me up with a past connection from way back in julian’s childhood 

also someone he went to high school with in LA if they’re from LA. this person would probably not be surprised at the way julian turned out ystefygdjhs

[beneathshadowsrp]

The Crown of Shadows Results are in!

“And as the evening comes to a close, it’s time to announce the auction results. Once again, I am Carlton Cartwright and, judging from your bids, I think you all were just as impressed as I was with these impressive contestants and their wonderful dates. But, before we announce the winners and who will be taking home the Crown of Shadows, I want to remind ya’ll of where all of these proceeds are going to. The proceeds of this event are to help the Muttropawlitan keep strays off the streets and to instating a go green initiative around town. From cleaning up Wonderland Park to helping buildings such as All Saint’s Hospital be powered solely by Solar Energy panels, your donations will be a crucial to fixing up the town and, coming in at a whopping $17,205, will be able to not only clean up Wonderland Park and help out the Muttropawlitan, but build a dog park in town, install solar energy panels throughout All Saint’s Hospital, and go towards the funds to build a public pool. Thank you so much for your wonderful contributions and you’ll be sure to see your marvelous contributions come into effect soon. But, now for what you’re all been waiting for-”

Now that you’ve won your charity dates, feel free to play them out on the dash! Please feel free to reach out to your character’s date, plot OOC, and create threads surrounding it. You don’t have to create the date thread right away. So, feel free to take your time with and work together. If you want to wait to have your date thread after the full moon, by all means do that. And last but not least, have fun!! We’re so excited to announce the winners and we hope you are too!

The total amount of money raised from the charity event: $17,205

In Crown of Shadows Tradition, we will be awarding crowns to the top two highest bidders as a thank you for their generous donations. The crowns will bestowed upon them from the past years’ highest bidders and, come the next year, they will have the honor of passing the crowns down to the next winners:

The highest bidder who will win the Crown of Shadows (see image here): Mackenzie Foster

The runner up in highest bidder who will win the Princess tiara (see image here): Olivia Pierce

The Dates/Winners:

1: Amanda & Abby

2: Eliza & Sophie

3: Tae Cho & Juliet

4: James & Evie

5: Noah & Kenzie

6: Caitlin & Julian

7:  Natalia & Liv

8: Kelsie & Kai

9: Damien & Astrid

10: Jacen & Carter

11: Rowan & Ella

12: Griffin & Nina

13: Serena & Silas

14: Lia & Jasmine

And in case you forgot what the dates were...

The Date Breakdown/Recap once more:

Contestant #1 is... Amanda Weaver. She is:

Goofy, Energetic, and Adventurous.

She hates asparagus. Vehemently.

She doesn’t want to entirely spoil the surprise, but it will involve shopping and it will involve dinner. In that order.

The winner of this date is... Abby Barnes.

Contestant #2 is... Eliza Holmes. She is:

Kind, Protective, Creative.

She can dance really well, but she only does so in the safety and privacy of their home.

The date would consist of a picnic packed and made by the contestant, near the water, under that old willow tree everyone loves. Then she would enjoy taking you up to the lookout pointe, overlooking the town and the water close by, to enjoy some wine. And perhaps some good conversation under the stars.

The winner of this date is... Sophie Vidales.

Contestant #3 is... Tae Cho. He is:

Outgoing. Lovable. Spicy.

Madame Zeroni once predicted he wouldn’t finish college. ‘She’ was right.

Free dance lessons at Tiptoes, with your choice of salsa dancing or hip-hop. Followed by a picnic dinner under the stars where you can also watch Netflix on his iPad.

The winner of this date is... Juliet Reynolds.

Contestant #4 is... James Armstrong. He is:

Dutiful, Chivalrous, and Trustworthy.

“My dad’s dead, does that count?”

They will take you on a boat ride on the water, departing from the Harbor and making their way to the Falls. There, they will drop anchor and enjoy a pre-packaged meal next to the Falls. Pack a swimsuit if you want to take a dive.

The winner of this date is... Eve Martin.

Contestant #5 is... Noah Armstrong. He is:

Down to Earth, Fun-Loving, Goofy.

‘I can fit my whole fist in my mouth, wanna see?’

This date is a scavenger hunt comprised of recreating popular romcom moments together on a budget. The clues, such as an ode to “She’s the Man” where a present shows up on your doorstep with a wheel of gouda cheese in it, will lead you to your date whom will be hanging off the side of their roof from a bungee cord, wearing a Spiderman costume like in the OC and holding cue cards from the movie “Love Actually”, while a boombox sits below playing “Kiss Me” from Six Pence None the Richer. After finally cutting themselves down, your date will take you into the backyard where a projector will be playing “10 Things I Hate About You” onto a sheet that has been tapped to the side of the building to look like a screen. This contestant, also, would like you to know, that during the movie, popcorn, ring pops, and chocolate covered strawberries will be provided.

The winner of this date is... Mackenzie Foster.

Contestant #6 is... Caitlin Dunmore . She is:

Caring, Dedicated, Passionate.

They can randomly produce facts about certain things. Makes them really good for trivia games.

On this date, you will meet up to have either coffee or dinner than off to a painting class and end the day with ice cream and strolling through the town at dusk.

The winner of this date is... Julian St. Clair.

Contestant #7 is... Natalia Hamilton. She is:

Charismatic, Adventurous, & Dominate.

Can sing rather well & can make up little cheers due to their time as a cheerleader!

On their date, they would love to explore the town & woods while under the moon. After a walk around town, you will then be invited out to one of the many bars and spend the night dancing, eating, and drinking in a private section while enjoying each other’s company.

The winner of this date is... Olivia Pierce.

Contestant #8 is... Kelsie Woods. She is:

Cute, Quiet, & Loving.

They once won a radio call in contest by being the first person who could sing the alphabet backwards.

If you win you can look forward to a picnic at the Falls with all the traditional picnic fixings.  You two can eat, swim, and just enjoy a nice summer day.

The winner of this date is... Kai Papoa.

Contestant #9 is... Damien Pierce. He is:

Funny, Charismatic, Charming.

In our high schools production of Grease, I played Danny Zuko.

On our date, they will take you to a water/amusement park in Charlotte with an all access pass to all the rides and a VIP treatment with fast lane upgrades, free meals and a rental of our own cabana to sit and rest until you’re ready to hit the rides again.

The winner of this date is... Astrid Reyes.

Contestant #10 is... Jacen Todd. He is:

Sarcastic, Charming, Witty.

I’m a fan of Karaoke bars and frequent them every week.

On our date, they will take you to the local gun range and if you’re a first timer, teach you how to shoot, if not start up a friendly competition of who can best who on targets. After you’re done, dinner at the restaurant of your choice.

The winner of this date is... Carter Pierce.

Contestant #11 is... Rowan Hartman.  She is:

Serious, sweet, loyal.

I’m an expert knife thrower and kick ass at darts.

On our date, they will take you on a sunset cruise on Lake Norman on a private yacht. This date is complete with dinner, a Netflix movie of the bidder’s choice.

The winner of this date is... Ella Bahar.

Contestant #12 is... Griffin West. He is:

Adorable, Funny, and Resourceful.

Scared to death of porcelain dolls.

The date will involve a trip to the arcade, where you can play games, battle it out in laser tag, take a spin around the roller skating rink, or get behind the wheel to race in go-karts. There, you will also enjoy a private, candle lit dinner for two over pizza, nachos, and your choice of soda. Unlimited tokens will be provided, along with a guaranteed prize of your choosing.

The winner of this date is... Nina Skala.

Contestant #13 is... Serena North. She is:

Fun-loving, Adventurous, Independent

They’ve lived in more than 4 different countries.

While most of us have lived in this town forever most of us have taken for granted some of the the treasures that are hidden in this town. The day would be full of exploring them. Starting off with breakfast at The Pie Hole, then move on to the Boathouse where most of the day would be spent out on the water. When the fun in the sun was done the party could move to Level Up! for a quick round of air hockey and dinner. After the sun goes down the excitement begins with Moonlight Zip lining that ends at the Observatory where desert will be waiting.

The winner of this date is... Silas Bahar.

Contestant #14 is... Lia Diaz. She is:

Sweet, Ambitious & Cheerful.

They are ambidextrous.

This date will be a carefree night in. Start out by having fun splatter painting your date’s living room and each other with paint filled balloons. Then, just as the sun is about to set, watch the light stream in through the windows and illuminate your splatter painted work as you enjoy a home cooked meal and a bottle of wine of your choice on a picnic blanket spread out across the floor. Then your date will lead you into the backyard where twinkly lights are set up for a free salsa lesson and a chance to watch the stars.

The winner of this date is... Jasmine Morris.

[marcellusbitsandpieces]

Bits and Pieces   Luxury Airports  9/26/21

Bits and Pieces

Many of us are yearning to travel again. Whether it is the all-American road trip; checking off another special spot on our bucket list; revisiting a favorite locale; seeing family or just enjoying getting out.

I used to do so much air travel to see family and friends, but I must admit that it has lost its glamor – especially since 9/11. That’s when airlines started shrinking seats, narrowing rows, shortening the back rest and creating other inconveniences for the sake of profit.

Consequently, I never thought of airport terminals as a destination of their own. In fact, I have airports that I try to avoid – Atlanta, Saint Louis, Denver, and unfortunately, even O’Hare. After our last trip to Alaska, I have added Vancouver as another airport to never see again.

So, I was intrigued by “The Most Luxurious Airports in the World.” Can you imagine that there are airports that cater to passengers? Airports that offer entertainment or pampering areas? Maybe it would be worth rerouting a trip just for a nice layover.

Sure, why not a trip to a luxurious airport with a week’s layover? A bit much? Probably.

The world’s 4th best and one of the world’s cleanest is Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. It offers a golf course, a spa, a casino, an ice-skating rink, and even cultural performances by the Korean Culture Museum.

The Munich Airport isn’t really in Munich. It is in Freising about 17 miles outside of Munich. I wonder if John made this airport a stop on one of his “beer and brat” tours of Germany? It has a beer garden for its on-site brewery. There are over 50 other restaurants and bars. A traveler can also enjoy Oktoberfest throughout the airport.

Munich Airport barely cleans up from Oktoberfest when they start setting up a Christmas Market (Christkindlmarket) from November 17 to December 26 with food delicacies, live music, an ice-skating rink and up to 5 hours of free parking in a special section.

The newest airport in the world is in Qatar. It is only 7 years old, and just beat out Singapore as the World’s Best Airport by Skytrax this year. The Hamad International Airport is considered the most hospitable in the world. Hostesses are strategically placed throughout the airport to help travelers navigate their way or find a place to relax.

Hamad is known for its excellent food (sorry if I am just a bit skeptical about airport food), many lounges, abundant shopping, a swimming pool, a gym and even a hydro-bath tub (heated with massage systems).

All this aside, I will say that I experienced a pleasant unexpected layover a few years ago when I was returning from Albuquerque New Mexico after a week with my sister, Chris. A northern storm blew up and many hundreds of travelers were stranded at the Minneapolis Airport.

You have already seen the list of places I wouldn’t want to be stranded, but must say that the personnel in Minneapolis were as courteous and helpful as any I have encountered.

Luxury was not available. However, I was able to find the area specified to secure a mat and a blanket – pillows were all gone.

Because I was alone, I didn’t want to leave my things to go to the bathroom. So, I lugged everything with me into the stall (not an easy fit), and also prepared for overnight. Yes, Dr. Druskovich, I never miss my daily dental hygiene, even on a layover.

Once, I had finished my evening ritual, I went in search of a safe spot to spend the night. Luck was on my side. I found an empty nook across the terminal walkway from the women’s restroom between an ATM machine and a small desk with chair. I made a bee-line and got it! It even had outlets for charging!!

The entire place was under security patrol and all lights were a blaze. I actually fell asleep.

In the morning, I found the departures and coffee. Again, I had fortune on my side. When I got into the elevator for the second floor, an agent got on with me. We chatted congenially and went our separate ways when the doors opened.

When I arrived at the gate to try to set up getting a ticket home, who should be at the desk but my elevator companion. Two men rudely cut in front of me and took the two seats available on the flight. My friendly agent asked me to please wait a minute.

He returned and told me that his supervisor got me a seat on the flight. I couldn’t believe it. I thanked him profusely, but I could tell that he was most glad to be able to do it.

Minneapolis may not have had a swimming pool or a cultural performance, but my friendly agent couldn’t have been better than one of Qatar’s hospitable hostesses.

[architectnews]

Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood

Young V&A London Museum of Childhood Renewal, Bethnal Green Architecture Design by AOC

Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood Building

29 September 2021

Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood Update

Building Design: De Matos Ryan ; Redevelopment lead designers: AOC

V&A Museum of Childhood renamed Young V&A as construction begins on £13m transformation

• New acquisitions for display include Olympian Sky Brown’s skateboard, garments from Bethany Williams’ Spring / Summer 2021 ‘All Our Children’ collection in collaboration with The Magpie Project and a 3D printed prosthetic Hero Arm by Open Bionics

• New renders unveiled today reveal progress on the design scheme

• Programme of activity kicks off ahead of 150th celebrations in 2022 and reopening in 2023

Images by Picture Plane © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood Building News

Wednesday 29 September 2021 – Construction has begun on the £13m redevelopment of the V&A Museum of Childhood, the iconic Grade II* listed site in Bethnal Green, marking a critical milestone in the most ambitious transformation of the museum in its history. A place to play, create, debate and design for tomorrow, this beloved institution is being reimagined into the UK’s premier national museum entirely dedicated to children. Designed with and for 0–14-year-olds, a new name for the museum – Young V&A – is unveiled today, reflecting its new mission to inspire young people with the creative ingenuity of design, to empower educators and to act as a leader in child-centred museum practice.

Director of the V&A, Tristram Hunt, said: “Young people’s lives have been dramatically altered by the pandemic, yet they have adapted and enriched the soul of the nation in extraordinary ways – from a rainbow campaign honouring the NHS to Sky Brown’s skateboarding achievements for Team GB. A world-class museum that nurtures curiosity, experimentation and celebrates play, Young V&A will be a global champion for children’s creativity in all its forms. This vital investment – working to counter the ongoing effects of Covid-19 on young people’s access to creative education, collaborative play, and artistic inspiration – is more urgent than ever. I am delighted we are one step closer to reopening the museum’s doors in 2023.”

New renders revealed today illustrate the latest designs by AOC Architecture for an entirely new visitor experience. The plans include three new galleries Play, Imagine and Design, interactive collection displays drawing on the full scope of the V&A collections, a suite of dedicated workshops for learning, an in-gallery design studio for visitors, and a redesigned visitor experience including a new café and shop.

A host of new acquisitions announced today demonstrate the power of creativity to shape and improve lives, foregrounding Young V&A’s engagement with the social and environmental issues facing young generations, and its inclusive and child-centred approach to programming. Highlights include:

• A skateboard owned by Tokyo 2020 medallist Sky Brown. At 13 years old, Sky is the youngest professional skateboarder in the world and Britain’s youngest-ever Olympics athlete.

• A selection of garments by sustainable fashion designer, humanitarian and artist, Bethany Williams from her Spring / Summer 2021 ‘All Our Children’ collection (2020), featuring illustrations that shine a light on families from the Magpie Project – an east London-based grassroots organisation that supports women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness – and silhouettes inspired by the V&A’s National Childhood Collection.

• The world’s most affordable multi-grip prosthetic arm – The Hero Arm. Designed for children and adults, The Hero Arm challenges traditional notions of prosthetics, presenting disabilities as superpowers with an empowering, multi-functional and affordable design.

• A selection of linocut ‘Woodism’ prints, a moving project between father and son –Sonny and eight-year-old Woody who is autistic. Sonny turns Woody’s unique phrases and way of viewing the world into linocut prints. The creative process gives both a chance to connect as they work together on designs and has given Woody a newfound confidence.

Sky Brown said: “When kids skate, they forget about what they might be struggling through, and just think about happiness. I hope that when people see me, the smallest girl, doing the highest trick, that they think they can do anything, too. I’m so excited that my skateboard will go on show at Young V&A and love the idea of a museum that only exists to inspire young people and help them discover their superpowers. The sky is the limit!”

A new home for the National Childhood Collection

Work completed earlier this year on cataloguing, conserving and packing objects from the National Childhood Collection, previously stored below ground at the museum, and will now move to V&A East Storehouse, which opens in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2024. The collection comprises over 33,000 objects from miniature dolls house furniture to a four-metre-high sixteenth century Italian Marionette theatre. Its relocation enables almost half of Young V&A’s back-of-house space to be repurposed into the new learning workshops and new spaces for conservation and exhibition preparation.

Architectural Update

De Matos Ryan architects were appointed in early 2018 to develop full base build design, including structural changes, heritage restoration, lighting and acoustic upgrades and delivery of a new suite of new workshop spaces. Construction is now underway with handover of the site to Quinn London contractors in August 2021. In parallel, AOC Architecture – the design team responsible for the fit-out – are completing final detailed drawings for construction tender in early autumn.

Creative education spaces for hands-on making and performance will play a key role in Young V&A’s new galleries, from an amphitheatre-style stage in Imagine, to a free-play construction area within Play, and a working Open Studio in Design, inviting young visitors to develop their creative skills through performance, play and design. Alongside this, three workshop spaces dedicated to learning, and a reading room in the lower ground floor, will support a year-round programme from parenting courses and sessions for early years, curriculum-based provision for school learners in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 and after school and holiday activity for families and young people.

Sustainability and environmental responsibility have been fundamental to the development including reuse of materials across the project from demolition rubble to repurposed elements of past V&A exhibitions. Free-standing display cases that could not be reused have been donated to museums and galleries across the country including the National Motor Museum and Poldark Tin Mine Heritage site, with the remainder to be reused within the new scheme, with all other display cases fully recycled.

Working in partnership with young people

Local schools and organisations in Tower Hamlets have worked closely with the Young V&A team since the project’s inception, with over 40 co-design workshops and two Kids Takeover Days organised to-date. Continuing this work, each gallery will house one co-creation project, bringing the voices of children and young people into the exhibits to explore ideas around community, sustainable fashion and family play.

A newly launched Young V&A Collective brings together groups of 11-14 year olds to build skills as they develop creative responses to the themes and collections of the new museum, supported by artist-mentors who will co-create new artworks with them. This autumn, artist Dan Mayfield of School of Noise is working with the Collective to make audio tracks and interpret the new exhibits.

During construction, the Young Collective is taking place in partnership with Poplar’s youth space, Spotlight, with termly opportunities for new groups of 11-14s to join. In-person activity resumed this summer as part of the museum’s ‘Summer of Play’ – taking Young V&A’s learning practitioners out across East London from Tower Hamlets to Walthamstow to reconnect with audiences and create shared spaces for play.

In the lead-up to reopening, and to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the V&A in Bethnal Green in 2022, the Young V&A team will be engaging every school in Tower Hamlets – offering creative assemblies, running workshops with students, teacher forums, and developing new activities for families with grassroots local organisations. These sessions will be designed to give young people the opportunity to generate hundreds of ideas inspired by the themes within the new galleries, particularly addressing challenges and opportunities for their generation, demonstrating the creative prowess of ‘Gen Alpha’ to harness their imaginations to make their world a better place for all.

The museum is also building its offer for creative professionals and will establish a Young V&A Designer in Residence in 2022. The resident designer will use the Young V&A collections and gallery themes to inspire their practice and to undertake research into child-centred, inclusive design processes, informing the museum’s thinking and future programmes. The call out for the Residency will go live on 6 October 2021.

Dr Helen Charman, V&A Director of Learning, National Programmes and Young V&A, said: “Reinvention is woven into the fabric of this incredible building, from the iconic ironwork structure, part of the original Great Exhibition in 1851 to its rebranding in 1974, in recognition of the museum’s popularity with local schools and families – and it has rightly won over a special place in the hearts of many east Londoners, many of whom have visited as children, then as parents and grandchildren. Today, we mark a momentous milestone in the evolution of its identity and underscore its core purpose – to champion, nurture, and inspire the innovators of tomorrow and build creative confidence in the young. We can’t wait to reopen the doors.”

V&A Museum of Childhood London Redevelopment information / images from V&A 290921

Previously on e-architect:

18 Feb 2020

V&A Museum of Childhood Building Redevelopment

V&A Museum of Childhood Redevelopment Update

Building Design: De Matos Ryan ; Redevelopment lead designers: AOC

V&A Museum of Childhood Redevelopment

19 Oct 2019

V&A Museum of Childhood Planning Approval

V&A Museum of Childhood Redevelopment Approval News

Building Design: De Matos Ryan ; Redevelopment lead designers: AOC

V&A Museum of Childhood Redevelopment Approval

Building Design: De Matos Ryan

Redevelopment lead designers: AOC

Museum of Childhood London

Geoff Shearcroft, Gill Lambert and Tom Coward, AOC, at the V&A Museum of Childhood in London, UK: photo © Phil Sharp

AOC

de Matos Storey Ryan

Caruso St John

Location: Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, London, UK

Architecture in London

Contemporary Architecture in London

London Architecture Links – chronological list

London Architecture Walking Tours

London Architect

V&A Collection and Research Centre in London Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Austin-Smith:Lord V&A Collection and Research Centre London

Victoria & Albert Museum Boilerhouse Yard image © AL_A

V&A Members’ Room Architects: Carmody Groarke photograph : Rory Gardiner V&A Members’ Room

Elytra Filament Pavilion by Achim Menges at the V&A Design: Achim Menges with Moritz Dörstelmann, Jan Knippers and Thomas Auer photo courtesy of V&A V&A Installation by Achim Menges with Jan Knippers

V&A Photography Centre

Crest Design: Zaha Hadid Architects photo © Crest Installation, V&A in London

Victoria & Albert Museum Boilerhouse Yard Project : Exhibition Road Design Studies

Victoria & Albert Museum London, South Kensington, west London

V&A Medieval and Renaissance galleries Design: McInnes Usher McKnight Architects

V&A European Galleries – Europe 1600-1800 galleries Design: ZMMA

V&A Booktower Design: Rintala, Eggertsson, Jenssen

Victoria & Albert Museum Jewellery Gallery Eva Jiricna Architects

Victoria & Albert Museum Architecture Gallery Gareth Hoskins Architects

V&A Museum Women’s Amenities Glowacka Rennie Architects

V&A at Dundee

V&A at Dundee Building

Museum Designs

London Architecture

Triumph Pavilion Bethnal Green – Architecture Competition : Summer Showcase Pavilion

Buildings close by to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green include:

Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, Shoreditch photo © Adrian Welch

Town Hall Hotel & Apartments, Tower Hamlets photo © Adrian Welch

Keeling House, Bethnal Green

The Blue house, Garner Street, off Hackney Road

Museum of Childhood in London

Tate Britain photo © Nick Weall Tate Britain Renewal

Website: V&A

London Buildings

Comments / photos for the Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood – Cambridge Heath Road Building page welcome

Website: Visit London, UK

The post Young V&A London: Museum of Childhood appeared first on e-architect.

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What are the best things to do for free in New York?

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What are the best things to do for free in New York?

Sure, you could–drop a bunch of coin to go to the top of the Empire State Building, eat at the fanciest restaurants or walk around on the grounds of the Statue of Liberty. But what if we told you that you could take a boat ride right past Lady Liberty without spending a dime? It’s a possibility and thousands of New Yorkers who ride the Staten Island Ferry do it every day.

New York is chock full of free gems like these ones, but to find them, the secret is connecting with a local who knows all the tricks. Luckily for you, we’re spilling our beans and dishing up the best free spots to enjoy in New York City.

From long, luxurious walks through the city’s parks, including the elevated High Line, to the weird, wacky and wonderful sights at Coney Island, this list curates the best of New York’s offerings into a tidy little package.–

So, no matter how small – or non-existent- your budget is, you’re still capable of having a great time in the Big Apple. Now, without further ado, allow us to present to you the 10Best list of New York City’s free things to do.–

Photo courtesy of Luna Park

Coney Island is home to New York’s alternative side. From the yearly mermaid parade to the nationally televised hot dog eating contest, this beachy outreach of the city feels a million miles away. If you can’t make it for an event (though you really should try!), you’ll still find plenty to do once you arrive. Take your chances on a ride at the amusement park, Luna Park, or if you’re able to drop a few bucks, gain admittance into the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. We won’t ruin the surprises but this freak show will have you scratching your head – or in some cases, hiding your eyes.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: Coney Island is grimy, weird and unforgettable experience. For free.

Andrea’s expert tip: Check the schedule and try to go when an annual event, such as the summertime Mermaid Parade, is in full swing.

Read more about Coney Island →

Serving as New York’s seat of the archbishop, this gothic-style building has distinct American features while maintaining a European feel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. New York architect James Renwick, also known for designing “The Castle” (the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC), completed work on the church in 1879. Renwick also designed the New York Public Library and the former facade of the New York Stock Exchange. The largest church in New York, St. Patrick’s seats over 2,000. New Yorkers consider the cathedral’s steps a good, scenic meeting spot. Download the Cathedral Tour App in advance for a self-guided audio tour narrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and rector Msgr. Robert Ritchie.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: Arguably one of the most stunning cathedrals in the country, the free daily tours put this at the top of the list.

Courtney’s expert tip: Get there early to snag a spot in the free 10 AM tour group.

Read more about St. Patrick’s Cathedral →

Even if going to a library isn’t on your list of “must see” attractions back home, be sure to make an exception for the New York Public Library. This system holds one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections. Books, periodicals, maps, videos, musical scores and other electronically formatted items make up the more than 52 million items currently being held here. Special collections include art and architecture, print, photography, rare books, manuscripts and archives. The library also hosts special events, exhibits, instruction and classes (adult literacy, Internet workshops, etc.). In addition, free tours are offered Monday – Saturday at 11 AM and 2 PM, and at 2 PM Sundays.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: The New York Public Library is a stunning example of architecture and free for all to wander.

Courtney’s expert tip: The lions out front are named Patience and Fortitude.

Read more about New York Public Library →

Socrates Sculpture Park was founded in 1986 to provide artists with the opportunities and the space to exhibit large-scale sculptures and multi-media presentations. In this unique outdoor environment, trees are dwarfed by the results of creative expression. Prior to 1986, the location was an illegal dumpsite until artist Mark di Suvero transformed it into an open studio, allowing the space to be expanded from there. During the summer, crowds gather for everything from kite flying events to circus performances. Free yoga classes are designed for every level and there’s even an eight-week outdoor cinema program that celebrates the cultural diversity of Queens.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: Free yoga classes, outdoor cinema and art exhibitions make Socrates Sculpture Park the place to go for summer entertainment.

Courtney’s expert tip: Sunswick Creek is next door and offers free science classes for kids and kayaking for all.

Read more about Socrates Sculpture Park →

Spanning from the South Street Seaport to Brooklyn Heights, the famous Brooklyn Bridge has ushered New Yorkers across the East River since 1883. A must-see for any visitor to the Big Apple, the best way to experience the bridge is to take the 30-plus minute, 3,455-foot expedition and walk it. The view of Manhattan is incredible, suddenly making it easy to understand why decades of poets and painters have been fascinated by it. The great Walt Whitman even described the view from the bridge as the “most effective medicine my soul has yet partaken.” For best results, we’d recommend going in the early morning during the summer months to miss the crowds.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: The Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic landmark seen in countless movies and shows.

Maria’s expert tip: It’s a must, but think twice before going on a cold and rainy day. The whipping winds can ruin a good time.

Read more about Brooklyn Bridge →

Said to be “Manhattan’s only remaining great gateway,” Grand Central Terminal (not “station” as it is often mistakenly called) is a magnificent example of art meeting functionality. The Beaux Arts facade that stretches along 42nd Street features a beautiful clock and crowning statues of Minerva, Mercury and Hercules. Inside the terminal, a vast blue ceiling twinkles with fiber optic lighting depicting the zodiac constellations, while one level below, sixty railroad tracks transport over 500,000 commuters a day. Since the building’s revitalization, Grand Central has enticed visitors and locals alike, with quick bites and delicacies located in the Grand Central Market, fine cuisine in the Dining Concourse and free arts events in Vanderbilt Hall.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: It’s grandiose, but Grand Central Terminal is also filled with small wonders if you know where to look.

Courtney’s expert tip: Fun fact: check out the NW corner of the ceiling. See that patch of black? That’s the color the entire ceiling (due to smoking) before they cleaned it.

Read more about Grand Central Terminal →

For nearly a century, the brightest lights, the biggest music, the longest parties and all the star power you could ask for have stemmed off a street called Broadway. At one time not so long ago, this area was a haven for decadence. Seedy sex shops and peep shows infested the area until a successful revitalization effort and the arrival of tenants like David Letterman paved the way for a new Times Square. Now, it’s one of the most influential theater districts in the world. Times Square also hosts the largest New Year’s Eve celebration in the country. Half a million people flock to the square every year to bid the old year goodbye and to welcome in the New Year, New York party style.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: It’s a must when you’re visiting New York. And unlike the person who pays the electric bill, it’s free for you.

Andrea’s expert tip: Go at night. There’s something much more magical about seeing it all lit up.

Read more about Times Square →

Leaving Manhattan, you gaze at the most enduring symbol of the city, the Statue of Liberty, ahead on the right and the sleek Verrazano-Narrows Bridge dominating the left. Then you realize that skyscrapers are assuming postcard dimensions of grandeur behind you. It is New York, even America, at its best, a truly thrilling experience. The magnificence of the Brooklyn Bridge soon completes the view behind you on the right. And best of all, it’s free! Once at the terminal on the Staten Island side, grab a departing boat (or stay for dinner), then enjoy the dramatic view in reverse. Hint: avoid the newer, faster craft with no outside deck.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: It’s the best way to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for free.

Andrea’s expert tip: On the other side, check out Enoteca Maria, a casual joint that features different nonnas from around the world cooking in the kitchen.

Read more about Staten Island Ferry →

Eight hundred acres of green space in the middle of Manhattan sounds like a fable. And yet, that’s exactly what Central Park is, which is why you’ll find joggers, nature lovers and bikers getting their fix of greenery every day. In the winter, visitors can lace up their skates for a twirl at Wollman Rink, while summer favorites include the Central Park Zoo and the Friedsam Memorial Carousel. For lazier days, catch some rays with the sunbathers in Sheep Meadow or on the Great Lawn and if you stay after the sun goes down, you may be serenaded by one of the many live performances that occur here, including some by The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic. There’s no better place in the city to escape the city, making Central Park an oasis amongst the chaos right outside.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: Central Park is as iconic as it gets. There’s perhaps no better way to spend a free afternoon.

Andrea’s expert tip: Don’t try to make your plans here hard and fast. You’ll likely get lost in the park – instead of stressing out, embrace it.

Read more about Central Park →

A true lesson in urban renewal, the High Line is built on an abandoned railroad line elevated above Manhattan’s west side. Running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to Midtown’s W. 34th Street, the High Line has quickly claimed its place in the hearts of New Yorkers and visitors. Dotted along the grated overpass are food stalls, restaurant pop-ups and magnificent overlooks. To do it best, go on a Tuesday and amble along until you find Terroir, a wine bar near 15th Street. Grab a glass of vino at dusk, and then make your way a couple blocks south to hook up with the Amateur Astronomers Association stargazers who’ve set up telescopes and offer explanations of what’s going on in the sky.

Recommended for Free Things to Do because: It’s the perfect place to feel like you’re still in the action but away from the madness below.

Andrea’s expert tip: If you’re able to swing it, go during the week and avoid the weekend crowds.

Read more about The High Line →

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