#was eating gelato out of the tub for breakfast

[darkfinch]

important disclaimer note that when i say "lethal weapon is absolutely batshit", i do not mean that it is Fun. i do not mean that it is Fun-Bad. i mean that it is a harrowing exploration of grief and depression and trauma shoved bodily into an elevator with a poorly-written sitcom-flavoured acab procedural, with all of the care and delicacy you might expect of this

like. listen to me. hi. one lead is begging for someone to kill him immediately after being tortured and the other is, over goofy music, freaking out because his wife shouldn't be allowed to interact with men at her workplace hahahhhaHHAHHHahhahahaha pop music over drone footage of LA. these issues hold equal narrative weight, and the other characters interact with & care more about the second one

it's not "haha what a weird show" it's "oh this media is fucking Terrifyingly Structurally Unsound and i am compelled and also Screaming" like WE HAVE FUN HERE but this is. not a good show not a recommendable show, often not even a Fun show, not even a KIND show by any stretch of the imagination, please know this and approach it accordingly

[mrspasser]

Warm smiles and kisses

Matchablossom fanfiction

Cover image by @mi_kadayo

Read it on Wattpad or Ao3

Kojiro smiles that warm, indulgent smile that Kaoru must have seen at least a hundred times this past week. It was there when he wheeled his carry-on suitcase out into the large arrivals hall of the airport at an ungodly early hour and was spotted immediately by his childhood friend. It was there when Kojiro navigated them through the city that had yet to wake up properly, hopping from train to bus and onto another bus easily, steering the suitcase with one hand and a sleep deprived Kaoru with the other. It was there when he made him a quick breakfast in his tiny apartment and it was there when Kaoro woke up in Kojiro's bed a few hours later, feeling less like lost luggage and more like an actual person again. It was there when Kojiro showed him the restaurant where he was working, or training, as his friend reminded him. It was there when they explored the city centre, with its seemingly ancient architecture and narrow, winding streets. It was there when Kaoru put his feet to soak in the tub, sore from walking all day over cobblestones. It was there when Kojiro made Kaoru try real Italian gelato, warning him that he would be ruined forever after eating it. It didn't matter. Kaoru was already ruined. He didn't want anything else. Or anyone else. It had hurt when Kojiro left Okinawa for Italy, to train with the masters of Italian cuisine. It hurt every time there was a new email waiting for him in his inbox, the name Nanjo Kojiro standing out between the newsletters and chain mail that Kaoru never could seem to get rid of for long. It hurt to go skating at S without Joe. It hurt even more to go skating down the pier without Kojiro. Getting off that plane and seeing that mop of green hair above an obnoxiously loud shirt that was only halfway buttoned was a sweet kind of hurt. And now he was about to leave it felt like his heart was breaking in two.

"I hope you can sleep a bit on the plane this time," Kojiro says as they slowly head towards customs, the place where they'll have to part ways. His hand is on the back of Kaoru's shoulder and it may very well be the only thing that makes Kaoru keep moving forward. "Is someone picking you up when you land? You'll be arriving close to midnight, you'll miss the last train to the city."

"Taxi," Kaoru mumbles, dazedly staring at the line of people that are getting through customs one by one. Even though it's late in the evening, there's quite a number of people filing through. He knows he'll have to join them soon, though he has a strong aversion to doing so, the feeling settling low and sour in his gut.

Kojiro makes a quiet unhappy sound, yet doesn't comment otherwise. His hand grips Kaoru's shoulder to stop their walk and stays there, a searing presence through the thin cotton of Kaoru's T-shirt. His oversized hoodie is wrapped around the handle of his suitcase. It's actually Kojiro's hoodie, or it used to be over a year ago. He wore it on his trip over here too. His friend recognised it when he got off the plane, but said nothing. The hoodie has long since stopped smelling like Kojiro, yet Kaoru continues to take comfort from it. He knows he'll wrap himself inside it when he's on the plane, hiding his face inside the hood and rubbing the slightly fraying cuffs between his fingers. He also knows the familiar comfort won't be enough this time to soothe the ache in his chest.

Kaoru has missed some of Kojiro's words as he's startled out of his mental churnings by Kojiro's arms wrapping around his shoulders for a firm hug. "... loved having you here," Kojiro says, his mouth moving against the pink strands that escaped the low ponytail. And while Kaoru's mind stumbles on the word that matches the feeling in his chest so well, his childhood friend continues to rip into the carefully concealed feelings Kauro's been harbouring for way too long. "I'll miss you, pinky."

The unexpected hug traps Kaoru's arms between them, where he now clenches Kojiro's shirt in his fist for lack of a proper verbal response. The green haired man still smells a bit like the carbonara he made Kaoru earlier that evening, claiming he wanted to make him his favourite as a proper ending of their vacation week together. To Kaoru it tasted like his last supper and he had to uncomfortably swallow the first few bites before the lump in his throat was finally gone. He's unable to put the thoughts that are swirling through his mind into words, but Kojiro has always been able to read between the lines when it comes to Kaoru. His arms tighten just a little bit, letting Kaoru know he understands what isn't said.

"Alright," Kojiro says gently, slowly letting go of Kaoru. Without raising his gaze Kaoru knows he's looking at him with a small version of that warm smile. "I know how you hate to rush, so if you leave now you won't have to run to your gate." One warm hand trails down Kaoru's arm, giving his hand a little squeeze before Kojiro steps back, taking all the warmth with him.

Kaoru nods numbly, taking one last look at the man that is so much more than his best friend. His throat is too closed up to talk and it says a lot that Kojiro doesn't make fun of the uncharacteristic, bashful wave Kaoru gives him before turning away and walking those last few steps that will separate him from Kojiro for too many months again. And that is only if the chef-to-be doesn't decide to prolong his training and therefore his stay. Kaoru met some of Kojiro's co-workers, people that are bright and friendly, just like the green haired man. Kojiro had looked so at home in that kitchen, even when he was just wearing shorts and a half way buttoned shirt instead of his chef's uniform. The head chef had berated him for coming into his kitchen on his flip flops, something that Kojiro endured with good humour and a short but sincere apology. The green haired chef came to this Italian city and made a space for himself in it. Kaoru suddenly has trouble imagining Kojiro and his warm smile in Okinawa, the Kojiro in his mind more fitting against a sunny, Italian backdrop.

Perhaps it is that image that makes Kaoru let go of the handle of his suitcase, the hard plastic case falling to the floor with a clatter. His sneakers squeak against the tile floor as he turns on his heels, his pace getting quicker with each step that he takes.

"Kaoru?" For all his surprise Kojiro still allows his pink haired friend to step into his space, his large hands coming up to lightly rest on his elbows.

Kaoru searches his friend's face but finds nothing but welcoming warmth and a little confusion. It makes it easy to close the last bit of distance and press his lips against Kojiro's, who gasps almost inaudibly but kisses back immediately, his hands coming around Kaoru's back to hold him. Kaoru almost sags in his embrace, looping his arms around his neck to keep himself standing and Kojiro close. Their kiss tastes like the coffee they had on the train on the way to the airport, but above all, it tastes like warm smiles and deep understanding, like skating on the pier while the sun sets, like helping each other up after bailing hard, like sharing meals at a tiny kitchen table and glasses of wine at a balcony, sitting with their backs against the stone wall that's still warm from the sun.

They stay in their embrace when they break the kiss, foreheads leaning together. Kojiro gently nudges his nose against Kaoru's. "You had all week to do that and you decided to do it just moments before you had to board your plane?"

"Shut up," Kaoru mumbles, his cheeks heating up with a blush. "You stupid gorilla."

He can't really see it from this close, but he knows Kojiro smiles. "Four-eyes."

"Muscle for brains."

"Nerd."

"Dumb primate."

Kojiro chuckles, tightening his hold on Kaoru's lower back. "I'll miss you too, princess." Kaoro's retort gets caught in a kiss.

In the end, Kaoru has to run to his gate to catch his plane. The knowing look the ground steward sends him is mortifying, yet for once Kaoru doesn't care. The plane has long left Italian airspace before the feeling of Kojiro's lips on his slowly fades away.

When Kojiro lands at Naha airport nearly five months later, Kaoru waits for him in the arrivals hall. He's wearing a yukata, having changed his wardrobe to more traditional garbs to match his budding career in calligraphy. Kojiro teased him about it when he told him, saying he wears old man's clothing, even though Kaoru knows he has a picture of him in a yukata set as his phone background. He would've changed to jeans and a hoodie before picking Kojiro up, but an appointment with a client ran late and he had to rush to be here in time. Kaoru feels a little exposed, standing here with the other people who are waiting for their friends and loved ones, not having a hoodie to hide in and therefore having to keep up the facade of Sakurayashiki-san the calligrapher. Luckily he has his fan to keep his hands occupied, knowing he would otherwise nervously pick at the spot where his lip piercing used to sit until it was raw.

Just like in Italy, Kojiro spots him first. All doubts Kaoru might have had about seeing Kojiro again after their kiss in Italy - despite multiple phone conversations and even more emails over the past months, disappear when the green haired man makes a beeline for him, dropping his carry-on bag as soon as he reaches him."You might want to open that fan," he says as a rushed greeting, right before diving in for a searing kiss.

Kaoru's first instinct is to whack him upon the head with the fan for improper behaviour in public. But it feels so good to have Kojiro close again, to see that warm smile directed at him, that he does as Kojiro says and places his free hand on the other's cheek to respond to his boyfriend's kiss.

[danjconn]

Decided I'm gonna watch the skyview and eat a tub of gelato for breakfast. Because I can! Gelato is a nutritious source of protein and carbs. I also am not a nutritionist so may be talking out my arse. #lifegoals #gainz #fitness https://www.instagram.com/p/CMWjBaSlj67/?igshid=10um105zr5fue

[calorieworkouts]

23 Weight-Loss Tips That Actually Worked For Women Just Like You

There's no question that employing a trusted registered dietitian is the means to go when you're attempting to make a big modification to your lifestyle.

But you understand that else has some pretty damn suitable ideas when it pertains to dropping pounds? Individuals that have really done it themselves.

Here, 23 various women share small tricks that helped them lose weight (and also keep it off).

1. Ditch your trigger foods.

Bags of chips. Tubs of crackers. Additional Halloween candy. Do away with anything that's a weak place, specifically any foods you've binged on in the past. 'If you understand you'll damage into the remaining birthday cake at twelve o'clock at night, throw it quickly,' states accountant Brandy Thele, that shed 130 extra pounds after she was detected with kind 2 diabetes mellitus.

Instead, swap 'restricted' foods for much healthier replacements. As opposed to swearing off treat completely, for circumstances, indulge in fresh fruit after meals. As well as if your partner or youngsters balk at your chucking the gelato, hide it behind the icy edamame so you don't glance it every single time you open up the freezer.

2. Hold on your own responsible ... for every little thing.

Keep a food diary as well as consist of everything (yes, that bite of your toddler's mac and cheese matters) so you can see where the calories come from. Day-care supervisor DJ Gray listed what she consumed and tracked her calories with the SparkPeople app on her way to shedding 115 pounds.

3. Produce an assistance system online.

Social media can be a powerful incentive to stick with your plan and make progress, Christina Donatella, now an individual fitness instructor, established up a Facebook page about her diet plan and workout routines and dropped 180 pounds.

Are you captured up on Jenna Jameson's weight-loss journey?

4. Take note of section dimensions.

So lots of dieters undervalue just how much they're eating. Devices and also devices can help: Teacher Jen Punda downloaded and install the MyFitnessPal app to help her gauge serving dimensions and also dropped 91 pounds, stay-at-home mother Krystal Sanders acquired a portion-control plate, which educated her to eyeball healthy and balanced portions of healthy protein, veggies, and starches.

5. Cook your own food.

Research reveals that individuals that prepare the majority of their own meals take in fewer calories, carbs, sugar, and fat than those who prepare seldom. If you insist you're also overloaded, try this method from paralegal Jessie Foss, who shed 100 pounds: On Sunday, work up a big batch of something healthy and balanced, like soup from a slow cooker, and also eat it throughout the week.

6. Do not nix the fiber or fat.

Fiber broadens in your belly and also requires time to digest, both of which aid keep you really feeling complete for longer. Great resources include entire grains, veggies, as well as whole fruit (not juiced). Healthy fats like olive and nut oils-in moderation-improve flavor, give you energy, and also help your body use specific nutrients. Alexandra Shipper included healthy and balanced fats, such as avocado, to healthy protein sources like eggs as well as fish on her method to going down 55 pounds.

7. Do not really feel required to go to the fitness center.

When you're at your heaviest, it can be frightening to step right into a health club and start running or lifting among the spandex-clad. Exercising in your very own space is likewise merely less complicated to schedule-you can lift weights while the child naps or very first point in the morning without dragging yourself out the door. 'I bought a stationary bicycle so I can function out whenever I want,' states Sarah DeArmond, who shed 100 extra pounds.

8. Job weights into your workout routine.

To drop significant lbs, you require the one-two strike of cardio exercise plus strength training. Resistance assists construct and also protect metabolism-boosting lean muscle mass while shedding fat and is particularly crucial when you hit a plateau. Amanda Eco-friendly lost 15 pounds in 2 months doing hour-long cardio DVDs, but it wasn't till she started running outside and training weights three times a week that she was able to ditch the last 15 of her 30-pound objective.

9. Difficulty yourself by enrolling in a race.

Jessica McMullin signed up for her first race, a 5K walk-run, hoping an obstacle would certainly help motivate her to shed weight-which it did, method greater than she could have pictured. 'I absolutely fell in love with running, it changed my whole life,' she states.

Not only did it aid her shed 60 extra pounds, yet making it a day-to-day practice also helped her overcome her depression. Now she stays motivated by remaining to challenge herself with brand-new race goals. To day, she's completed over 100 different races.

10. Do not promise off your favorite deals with for excellent.

Little treats keep you from feeling robbed, so everyday, allow on your own a little bit of something you enjoy (go for 150 calories each). This kind of small amounts is the distinction between a 'diet' and also a way of life you can stick to for life. For salon proprietor Caitlin Gallagher, who shed 125 pounds, that indicated changing her every night bowl of ice cream with a square of chocolate, social worker Brittany Hicks, that lost 100 pounds, started cooking mini variations of her favorite pies.

11. Always ensure you have a plan.

When going out to supper, follow the lead of law enforcement agent Larissa Reggetto, who dropped 105, and also look up the food selection ahead of time to prevent impulse buying.

12. Stick to a routine.

Too much selection in your diet regimen can tinker your satiation cues and also make you eat way too much, so include some (tasty) monotony to your routine. One easy way: Consume the exact same healthy and balanced breakfast and/or lunch daily during the week, and appreciate new tastes on the weekend break. The most effective feature of that strategy, claims 69-pound-loser (emergency room, champion?) Melanie Kitchen area: 'I really did not need to keep developing new dishes!'

13. Have a positive weight-loss rule.

When Katrina Plyler decided to take control of her weight, she chose to try the Whole30 as a way to reset as well as commit to her objectives.

' That initial day was so tough, I nearly caved and also grabbed the vending equipment at job yet I kept in mind a quote I carried my Facebook web page that claimed 'The only thing standing between you as well as your objective is the bullshit tale you maintain informing yourself as to why you can't attain it' which was enough to make me avert from the machine,' she says.

She completed the entire month of the Whole 30 and stuck to a clean Paleo-style diet regimen afterward. Within a year she was down 46 pounds. 'I always keep that quote close-by and also reread it when I'm really feeling weak,' she adds.

14. Search for things to include to your life, not deduct.

Starting a weight-loss journey can be hard, particularly if you're quiting a great deal of points you love. Shannon Hagen's key to remaining positive while dropping weight? 'I never ever consider it as giving points up, that makes me feel deprived,' she states. 'Rather I concentrate on adding in one little healthy change at a time, until it comes to be a practice.' Instead of being bummed over not having your normal dish of ice lotion before bed, attempt a new healthy dessert recipe to include to your file.

15. Focus on what you wish to acquire, too.

Chronic migraine headaches were what first inspired Amanda Tagge to begin working out. 'I was intending to discover some remedy for my frustrations as well as working out did aid however I realized that if I truly desired to really feel much better I required to overhaul my health habits overall and slim down,' she claims. The even more she transformed, the far better her frustrations obtained and she lost 70 pounds in the procedure which aided her feel even better. Concentrating on right her wellness was enhancing kept her going even when the range wasn't moving.

16. Track your fruits as well as veggies.

Snacking is the crucial to Mary Rogerson's 60-pound fat burning but it's not just exactly how usually she eats yet what. 'I intend to eat at least 7 portions of vegetables a day, in addition to some protein, every couple of hours,' she states. 'And also The finest component is that by the time she's filled up on her rainbow of fruit and vegetables, she's usually also full to eat much else as well as her yearnings for sweets have actually gone method down.

17. Consume something rejuvenating as quickly as you wake up.

' Every morning I consume alcohol a mug of warm water with half a lemon pressed right into it, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and a dashboard of cayenne pepper,' states Michelle Keough. This assists her beginning her time off on a healthy note while obtaining her moisturized after a long night. This technique, integrated with eating meals constructed around healthy protein as well as veggies, helped her lose 20 pounds and also keep it off.

18. Try establishing an 'consuming home window.'

Connie Jory advocates recurring fasting-eating during a certain window of time, like from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. consuming at all.

' In the beginning it was difficult to adapt to but I've found that if I stick to only consuming within my collection home window, the hunger pains vanish and I don't even think of food.' This intermittent fasting method has actually assisted her shed greater than 70 pounds.

19. Make treats a real treat.

' I have one hell of a wonderful tooth, therefore I have to decline to bring sweet, cake, or sweets right into the residence, period,' claim Lin Williams, who's lost 105 extra pounds. Rather, if she desires a reward she has to want it poor enough to get up, obtain in the cars and truck, leave her house, as well as go to the store-a procedure that rarely really feels worth it. As well as on the rare occasion she does indulge? 'I get specifically what I want as well as enjoy every bite of it!' she says.

20. Use a loved one as inspiration.

Finding the inspiration to work out as well as drop weight was difficult and as a busy mama Sabrina Winder can never appear to discover the time. When her son decided to do a biking value badge for Kid Scouts, unexpectedly helping her youngster indicated helping herself also.

' My reason made use of to be that I really did not intend to leave my kids alone to work out, however this assisted me see I can still do it and simply include them,' she states. Currently she's slimming down and obtaining trimmer while setting a healthy and balanced example for her children. 'It's a win-win for our entire family,' she adds.

21. Don't really feel poor for saying 'no' often.

' My father resembles a food-pushing wizard, he's always pulling stuff out of his pockets or showing up with delicious food,' states Mary Mock. While the family members tradition of shock sugary foods was fun, when it came time to lose weight, she knew she needed to place a quit to all that lure. 'At first, he seemed hurt when I kept claiming no yet when I explained it was for my wellness, he hopped on board. Sometimes I still have to remind him though!' she says.

22. Discover ways to treat on your own without food.

Making the connection between her stress and anxiety and also her food desires was a game-changer for Kelly Pedestrian. 'I understood that by the end of the day, I simply wanted something to relax me down as well as so I 'd binge on delicious chocolate,' she states.

' Regarding a year ago, I started looking for other ways to handle my stress and anxiety besides consuming, like washing or doing acupuncture.' She's lost over 40 extra pounds but the finest component is that she feels extra unwinded than she's ever been. 'It ends up that eating all that sugar was making me much more distressed, making a ferocious cycle.'

23. Make your refrigerator a 'healthy and balanced treats just' zone.

Having a healthy option within your reaches when you're depriving can make all the distinction in between sticking to your objectives as well as providing in to temptation. 'I keep little containers of hummus and also carrots, pickles, nuts and dried out apricots, salsa and rice biscuits, and other healthy and balanced combos in the front of my fridge and also kitchen so they are literally the initial thing I see when I unlock,' claims Lita Moreno. 'I don't also offer myself a selection to rip off.' This little change has aided her decrease virtually 80 pounds.

[stressbakeling]

Hiding from Writing and an Italian Interlude - 8/24/2019

Let’s get meta on writing. I used to write Hamilton style, cranking out poems, prose, rap song parodies and unrequested book and film reviews fueled by what I can only guess was a combination of dormitory stir-crazy and teenaged angst. As I move into my mid to late twenties (such demography), I find myself having to negotiate with myself to keep my buns on a seat long enough to put my words somewhere every thirty to ninety days. Did I stop having creative thoughts or time or... has my personality changed? I feel like I have so many conversations in my head. All day long I’m asking questions, I’m having arguments--I close my eyes and have vivid dreams night after night as the filing cabinet that is my brain dumps itself onto the floor and the tender, anxious nerves of my dying youth rush in to sweep it away and prepare for the next batch. I don’t think it’s because I have nothing to talk about. Yesterday I mused on why blueberries don’t usually end up in jams for about an hour on the train, conceding that it’s probably because their weirdly whitish flesh does not match the color of their purple/blue peel and people just don’t know how to embrace that kind of dissonance (and surely not because of their lack of naturally occurring pectins). I also regularly have time to sink into social media, reading hefty books by dead people, painting tiny figurines for games I don’t play, and of course that super laborious hobby that involves zero dead time whatsoever--bread making. I have time. The time I’ve spent on YouTube watching a Croatian man talk to his giant spiders alone is revealing to the room in my life I have available to barf my head thoughts onto a social media platform that the next generation will probably remember as readily and fondly as mine does of the teletype. “So say it, Marisa! You just don’t wanna!” Well, if that were true, why do I dust this puppy off so frequently? I do wanna. I used to think I wanted to do this for money! Adamantly! When a professor told me my future in such an industry would be compromised if I didn’t show up to three hour workshops weekly and write about ghosts haunting my childhood home, I believed! And while I do occasionally push when it says “pull,” I’d like to think I’m no dunce--certainly I managed to get this far, and ten years ago I don’t think my logic was tragically worse off. K, let’s revisit that list then: - too busy - nothing to write about - no desire - no strong opinions - no avenues or opportunities - too expensive - not as interesting as it used to be - afraid

Ah ha! It’s the dust. It’s the piles of beautiful leather bound notebooks and fountain pens I’ve been gifted over the years that look so beautiful in their clean slate state. It’s the negative feedback. It’s the positive feedback. It’s the it’s-too-late-nows and the it’s-already-been-saids. But no one is asking me to quit my day job. I’m not even asking me to do that. Yeah, but what’s the drive, why do it at all? I’m not a fiction writer, I do love a good story but there isn’t a song in my heart that’s dying to be sung. I think writing is highly therapeutic, it’s cathartic, it’s informative, it’s definitive. People have been keeping diaries and journals for centuries just to help make sense of the world--to capture something that our memory sieve of a brain will lose inevitably. It’s also entertaining and performative. I could write into little books and shove them under my bed at night, and indeed, some of the best writing was found in this state--never prepared to be shared with the world--but then I build my own bubble. And part of the fear of writing (offending, triggering, or even directly endangering people in certain situations) can and must be offset by the great things that come of it (discussion, connection, mental expansion). “Well, that’s very bold of you. Thank you for your contribution to the body of literature that is fine, poignant, and enriching Tumblr posts.” Yeah, yeah, let me do my yoga in the public park and chill in the hot tub at my apartment complex. You are welcome to join me. So, then also let me talk, and in return I will also listen.

Now, wait isn’t this a baking blog or... something?

I went to Italy for two weeks in July, so it’s worth talking about the pastry, bread, and other sweet and savory encounters I had there. It started at baggage claim at FCO where I ordered a cappuccino (like a goddamn American!) and a caprese sandwich while waiting for Eric’s plane to land. This pedestrian airport Italian coffee kicks the living cajones off of any American coffee I’ve ever had outside of artisanal roasteries, and even still--it’s close. The sandwich nearly made me cry. I was starving but was mostly expecting waterlogged tomatoes, spongy but weirdly wet mozzarella and wilted/blackened basil on soggy bread since these things were probably prepared this morning and it was officially 1:30pm Roman time. Negatory, doctor. Everything was death defyingly fresh (I didn’t yet know that I basically was kicking off the lunch hour at this counter, Italians eat pretty late) and the Italian woman behind the counter laughed unabashedly at me as I moaned into the baguette and drank my breakfast milk.

Italian pizzas from the Roman countryside. Italy knows how to make a fucking pizza. Really brilliant work combined with crazy fresh ingredients made these super memorable. This experience makes me very scared of pizza dough knowing how crispy and light and perfect it can be. These pizzas were each about $9 USD and cranked out faster than my sister and I could down a glass of wine.

Meredith and Alan had a beautiful wedding and our hosts made us an incredible dinner, but the two most memorable parts of the meal had to be the lasagna (good lord I’ll never have lasagna that good again) and the dessert--an Italian take on a croquembouche. Croquembouche (a French invention) is typically profiteroles (read: cream puffs) piled high in a tower held together by a crunchy spun caramel. The Italians basically take French pastry and proverbially deep fry its butter. Instead of a tower with lightly spun and delicate caramel strands, the Italians pile the cream puffs in a mound and cover it in rich but creamy dark chocolate ganache. Instead of the choux pastry puffs being filled with a light vanilla scented whipped cream, they go chantilly or bust--but don’t worry they save that light whipped cream that would go in the croquembouche for the outside, and ring the chocolate mountain with beautifully piped examples of the stuff, adding strawberries while they’re at it because Jesus why not. We ate it gleefully with stomachs that were bursting, and when we couldn’t eat anymore, we popped the plastic tub with the leftover contents open and ate the rest hungover at the breakfast table the next day. Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Semifreddos in a super cold fridge in Vernazza on the Cinque Terre. I think they’ve figured out sweet dairies over there. Gelato is served in tiny cups and is everywhere and the rainbows of flavors make each one novel. I had pistachio, fig, hazelnut, coconut, coffee, amaretto, peach, orange, mixed berry, cantelope, mint, tiramisu and stracciatella. I think I had at least two scoops of gelati everyday and I never regretted it, it was scorching.

I had this vanilla ricotta and mascarpone filled cannoli with pistachio crumbs down by the Arno our last night in Florence. It came out of a food truck. It was 85 degrees outside and the sun was down. I melted into a puddle and had to be scraped off of the ground to be carried back to our rooms. Cannoli are always done wrong, they have a bad rap of being too greasy, too sweet--this thing could have fallen in the dirt in front of me and I would have talked it right into my mouth without hesitation.

Amuse bouche from our final meal outside of a hotel or airport in Italy on the main piazza in Arezzo Antico. The shortbread cookies remind me of my Italian Nanni’s favorite nibble, the thing she always had in tins when we’d come to visit. They fall apart without much convincing and melt in your mouth--the butter to sugar content isn’t what I’d make for myself, but the execution was excellent. The cream puffs continued to kick choux ass and take chantilly names.

My final stop was a layover in Munich where I chased down a pretzel that came with this cold wurst salad. The German bartenders were fascinated that as an American I would 1) order this dish 2) eat all of it. Onion breath for days. No regrets.  In conclusion, I think my hesitation to post is unwarranted. I’ve also baked many things in the month of August I won’t post here because I wouldn’t want to sully the beautiful golden rays of Italia we’re basking in right now, but if you can do me a favor and ask me next time you see me why I haven’t posted lately, I’d be entirely grateful. :)

[chinupacoroman]

Ang Pagbibinata ni Joven Hernando-Bernal (alternately, The Life and Times of Jovito Hernando, Bernal Brother #3) a fic by @toniongbuwan​​ / @ipakomokoroman​​ with @sumbungero​​ / @chinupacoroman​​ images by @dettsu / @bagyong-goyong​​ 1,182 words of 17k+ | PG | Pacoven (One-sided), Paco Roman/Juliana Piqueras cw: eating disorder chapter index: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Chapter 15: “Permanently, I think.”

Most first heartbreaks happen over epic misunderstandings, tragic circumstances, and irreconcilable differences. They happen in hospital rooms, over tables in sidewalk cafes, inside cars while the rain pounds outside. Some people, more fortunate, have their hearts broken while sitting in the plush seats of a movie house, staring at a wide theatre screen, love failing in glorious 3D and full Dolby Stereo.

For Joven, his first heartbreak happened in the most mundane manner: sitting on a dining table sipping spicy sour soup, while the cause of his heartbreak laughed two places over from his seat, feeding his girlfriend shrimp from his own fork.

Now, up on his room, his breath dragged while tears spilled down his cheeks. His chest hurt. He turned to his side and buried his face on the crook of the neck of his favorite stuffed bear, which ironically, shared the same name as the person that he was crying over. 

The door creaked open slowly, Paco’s head poking in. “Jovito?” he whispered, “uuwi na kami.”

“Love, tulog na ‘ata siya,” a female voice in the hallway. Jules. “Huwag mo nang gisingin, kawawa naman, siya daw nag-prepare ng birthday dinner ni Manuel.”

Paco closed the door, but not before Joven heard him say, “Ayaw ko lang kasi na umuwi na hindi siya nakikita. Para kasing malungkot siya kanina.”

Joven shut his eyes and ignored them both.

With Jules back in Manila (“Permanently, I think.” his Kuya Manuel said over breakfast) Paco’s visits became less frequent. When once he was a semi-permanent fixture in the Bernal living room (“Iparenta na kaya natin kay Kuya Paco yung sofa? Parang sa bedspacer?” “Joselito!”), he now visited once weekly at most, and only with Jules in tow. Everyone else saw nothing untoward or strange in this. Paco and Jules had been apart for so long, it was only be natural that they spend time together. Of course, the days that he visited with Jules would be the same days that Joven’s illness would suspiciously reappear and he would have to keep to his room. 

Joven mostly slept, for the waking world brought on heartache. He’d sleep so much that the skin on his scalp and the limbs that he was resting on would grow numb. Food held no interest for him, nor anything for that matter. Every song was painful, every movie a recollection that he’d rather not have. He paid so little attention at school that one of his friends took him aside to ask him if he was on medication. The illegal kind.

He'd cry at the most random places. He didn't know what he was crying about. Was it Paco? Was it him and Jules? Was it the dull ache on his heart that never seemed to go away? Was it even anything at all? The tears sparked his self-loathing; he felt ridiculous and embarrassed at his helplessness.

José gave up on calling him down for dinner. He started putting Joven’s meals in microwaveable containers, but grew furious when they all remained untouched. “Hoy, Jovito, papatayin mo ba sarili mo! Kumain ka nga dito sa baba.” Joven threw a pillow over his head, ignored him and went back to sleep.

After more than a week of this routine, José brought out the big guns. This time, it was Manuel who came to Joven’s room, grim-faced.

“Joven, gumising ka diyan. Ang tagal mo nang puro tulog.” He snatched the blanket from Joven’s head. “Get up.”

Joven sat up on his bed, back to the wall. His eyes were bloodshot and his lip was bleeding from where it had cracked.

“I expect this kind of thing sa kuya mo. Pero ikaw Joven? Hinde. Hindi ka kumakain, palagi ka lang natutulog o kaya tulala.” Manuel spoke, hands on his hips, forehead furrowed. “Ano bang nangyayari sayo? Binubully ka ba sa school? May problema ka ba na hindi mo sinasabi? Nagwoworry na kami ng kuya mo. Anong gusto mong gawin namin para sa ‘yo?”

Joven stared on, silent, and chewed on the dried piece of skin of his lower lip. Finally, he said “Kuya, masama pakiramdam ko. Gusto ko lang matulog.”

Manuel shook his head and left his room. After that, he took to bringing food up to Joven on a tray and watching him gulp down a few spoonfuls of soup before Joven begged for sleep.

Once, Paco came up to his room and sat on the foot of his bed. “Magaling ka na ba? Halika, punta na tayo sa doctor.” he urged. Joven just turned on his side and resolutely stared at the wall. Paco sighed and reaching out to squeeze his ankle, left. Joven took to locking his room after that.

But Paco persisted, deaf to Manuel’s murmured instructions to give Joven some peace. He’d  invite Joven numerous times to out-of town-weekends with him and Jules: Tagaytay, Calaguas, Palawan, Bohol. Telling him that Jules had generously offered to pay for his fare and accommodation, that he need not worry. Joven declined all of them. He’d leave food, to tempt Joven's appetite into eating; platefuls of fettuccine, siomai, cheese pizza, tubs of gelato. Joven left them all inside the refrigerator to spoil before his kuyas could eat them for him.

In a fit of pique and loneliness, he texted Goyong. José’s friend was mostly politely apathetic towards anything that concerned Paco, or even Joven for that matter. Joven wanted to talk someone familiar, but without the threat of Paco’s name looming up in the conversation.

“Hey.” he typed.

After a few seconds, his phone buzzed.

“Oi.” and then “Musta di na kita nakikita?”

“Nagkasakit lang.” His stomach grumbled. His hands were on the keypad, labas tayo, nagugutom ako. He wanted to type. But going out meant rising up from bed and facing too many things that would remind him of Paco. In the end, he decided against it and locked his screen. He tucked it back under his pillow and slept, ignoring the insistent buzzing.

Weeks passed and Joven wasted away. His shirts started hanging loosely on his frame, and he couldn’t even gather the strength to walk up a flight of stairs. He felt dizzy and couldn’t keep down his food. After a particularly bad bout of crying his chest hurt so badly that he had to knock on his Kuya José’s door for help. The feigned illness that he’d insisted on was threatening to become real. With his brother’s insistence, they went to the emergency room. Tests were done and it was concluded; cardiomyopathy.

The doctor, a kind elderly man with thinning hair, tiredly sipped his cup of coffee. “It’s the weakening of the heart muscles. Baka stress, lack of proper diet, exercise or rest. Popularly, it’s called the Broken Heart Syndrome. Anatomically that’s a lie. The heart doesn’t break, of course. The muscles in our heart are the strongest in our body. But,” and here he looked at Joven lying down on the sterile hospital bed, curled pitifully, “it does get tired.”

“But he doesn’t have a history of heart illnesses.” Manuel stated, puzzled. “Nor does his family, I think.”

[wikitopx]

With 300 miles of coastline, you can watch the sunrise and sunset above the water without leaving the counties.

See thousands of gardens, explore art galleries, eat cherry pie, sip local wines and beers, splash in a lake or paddle along the sidewalk, stroll through five state parks or visit 11 historic lighthouses. Regardless of whether you are looking to escape your vacation, our 19 unique communities allow you to live a good life.

[toc]

1. Best Western Maritime Inn

Best Western Maritime Inn is the best choice for travelers to visit Sturgeon Bay, offer a family-friendly environment along with many convenient amenities designed to welcome your stay.

When your home is away from home, the hotel rooms offer flat-screen TVs, air-conditioners and refrigerators, and online access is easy, with free wifi. Guests have access to a 24-hour front desk, express check-in, and check-out, and newspaper while staying at Best Western Maritime Inn.

In addition, Best Western Maritime Inn offers a free swimming pool and breakfast, which will make your Sturgeon Bay trip more enjoyable.

2. High Point Inn

Welcome to High Point Inn, your Ephraim “home away from home.” High Point Inn aims to make your visit as relaxing and enjoyable as possible, which is why so many guests continue to come back year after year.

Rooms at the High Point Hotel provide a flat-screen TV, a kitchenette, and a refrigerator, and guests can stay connected with free wifi. Alternatively, when staying at High Point Inn, guests can use concierge services.

You can also enjoy the pool. Need a place to park? Free parking is available at the High Point Hotel. While staying in Ephraim, you can check out a popular Italian restaurant like Jo Jo's Pizza and Gelato, which is serving up some great dishes.

3. Homestead Suites

Homestead Suites is the Entrance to the Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek, WI. With New Park House, Guest House and refurbished hotel suites, Homestead offers accommodation for everyone!

Perfectly located within walking distance to hike, bicycle, ski, snowshoe, shop or dine. We are owned and operated in Fish Creek, WI and we are not affiliated with the Homestead Studio Suites national hotel chain.

4. Newport Resort

Suite 1 and 2 bedrooms with king bed, fully equipped kitchen, seating area with 37 "flat-screen TV, whirlpool, gas fireplace and private floor.

Great for families with lots of amenities Comfort: outdoor pool, indoor pool, whirlpool tub, sauna, gym and the free Internet throughout the property.indoor amusement park and outdoor playground.Free coffee. Great location walks to shops, restaurants, and attractions of Door County.

5. The Landing Resort

The resort is located on five acres of forest in the village of Egg Harbor. We are a family-friendly facility open year-round. We have 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites with kitchenettes and fully-equipped kitchens, decks, cable TV, Wi-Fi, hairdryers flatscreen TV and DVD players in the room.

It includes an indoor, whirlpool pool and an outdoor heated pool with many other amenities like fireplace lobby, BBQ/picnic area, large playground, basketball, golf, and video games. We are within walking distance to shops, restaurants, brewery & distilleries, harbor/marina, public beach, and market.

6. Country House Resort

Enjoy a quiet, relaxing getaway at this adult-only (children 13 years and older), waterfront resort. Close to everything, yet away from it all. 46 rooms and suites, most with private water view balconies overlooking bluffs, bays, fountains, and gardens.

Accommodations are available with in-room whirlpools and gas fireplaces. Complimentary bikes, kayaks, tennis and a European style continental breakfast buffet (May-Oct). Amenities include a heated outdoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, fire table, fishing dock, and shoreline nature trail.

Bookings for dog-friendly rooms must be made by calling directly to the resort.

7. Edgewater Resort

Door County, Wisconsin - Relax at one of the most historic and sought waterfront resorts. Located in the heart of Ephraim, Wisconsin overlooks the beautiful Eagle Harbor. A simple feeling.

Visitors to the Edgewater Resort often comment that it's the most relaxing place they've ever been - fully equipped today but still reminiscent of the past.

Whether guests gather on a covered porch at sunset, relax in a soothing hot tub or take a stroll along the coast, they all have the feeling of coming back ... to a time that was much simpler and much more relaxed.

8. Coachlite Inn of Sister Bay

Clean, comfortable and quiet in the pines, Coachlite Inn allows the illusion of seclusion, but only a mile from the center of Sister Bay. We are within easy walking distance of the Country Walk Shops, restaurants, golf, churches, miniature golf, go-carts, and amusement parks. Use your bike, walk and jog right in front of the inn.

Within a mile are shops, art galleries, beaches, marinas, boating, fishing, and tennis. Also nearby are the famous fish in Cua County, horse riding, professional stage production, concerts, nightclubs, Peninsula and Newport State Parks, ferries to Washington Island, orchards and many of the natural wonders of Door County.

9. Open Hearth Lodge

The lodge is in a meadow on 6+acres at the Welcome to Sister Bay sign. Clean, friendly, well-appointed, we offer fine accommodations at a reasonable cost, year-round... Located minutes from beaches, state parks, biking, hiking, golf as well as the art, music, and theater of Door County.

Visit orchards, farm markets, wineries, or hang out at the pool or near the fireplace. We have added a Fitness Center for workouts that have an infrared sauna for muscle recovery.

10. Bay Shore Inn

All of our apartment suites have their own floor to breathe to gaze at the bay. All bedrooms 1-3 rooms have a full kitchen with granite counters and a living room with HD TV and a sleeping sofa.

We have a beach with free kayaks and boats, fire pits, bicycles, tennis courts, basketball, playground, fitness center, and game room. We have an indoor and outdoor heated pool, hot tub, and onsite massage therapists.

More ideals for you: Top 10 cheap hotels in Cocoa Beach

From : https://wikitopx.com/hotels/top-10-cheap-hotels-in-door-county-703167.html

[jonasmaurer]

all those tucson things

Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope your morning is off to a wonderful start.

What a weekend. Betsy and her fam spent a few days in Tucson with us, and we spent time together at the pool, checking out some of our favorite spots, and eating all the good stuff.

Friday morning, we hit the hotel pool bright and early. The kiddos played and splashed around for 3 hours (!) while the adults chatted, drank prickly pear margaritas, and we all snacked on nachos and quesadillas. It feels like summer is officially here, and after a full day of swimming, we came back home for nap time and quiet time. 

Later that evening, we had a get-together with the neighbors from our street. I wish I would have gotten a pic of the entire spread, but it was a legit feast. Our contribution: Uncle Eric’s famous pasta salad (you need this in your life!), some brownies with peanut butter frosting, and a cooler of LaCriox. There was also an entire smoked turkey, BBQ ribs, beef with green chilies and homemade tortillas, three different types of salads, chopped fresh fruit, potato salad, handmade pork dumplings and mochi (!!!!), cucumbers in a red chili sauce that were out of this world, pies, cakes, and cookies. It was crazy!! We sat in one of the neighbor’s driveways, eating and talking, while the kiddos played tag in the cul-de-sac.

Needless to say, we’ve moved around A LOT, and we haven’t experienced anything like our neighbors in Tucson. I can’t even tell you guys how many times different people on our street saved the day while Tom was gone. One changed the lightbulbs on our porch with his enormous ladder, another put a fresh battery in my garage clicker when he saw me standing outside trying to get our garage to open, and we were constantly surprised by baked goodies and treats while he was away. It’s not unusual for me to get out of the car with the girls and a neighbor to run over with Fudgesicles for each of them. We try to share the love whenever I make fresh bread or enchiladas.  

After our street party, we’d promised the girls we’d meet up with Betsy and the kiddos at Trail Dust Town, but by that point, they had headed back to the hotel, totally exhausted from a full day. We ended up taking the girls anyway to ride a couple of rides, and then back home for them to crash into bed!

Our Saturday adventures included an Orangetheory class,

miniature golf and bumper boats at Golf n’ Stuff,

and dinner at Commoner & Co. Of course, we got the Chef’s Tile and Goat Cheese Tart, the mussels,

and for my entree, I got the usual salmon. It has creamy mushroom risotto, crispy kale chips, and a lemon gremolata. I hope they never take it off the menu.

Even though we were pretty stuffed at this point, we headed across the street to Blue Ice for gelato. We enjoyed it outside on the patio, while the kids all danced around to the live music. It was perfect. <3

(Wy really wanted to photobomb us hahah)

The kids:

Sunday morning, Betsy and I caught an early barre3 class,

grabbed a green juice,

and then got ready to head to Ventana for their famous Blues, Brews & BBQ Sunday brunch. If you even visit Tucson over a weekend, this is a must-do. Just make sure to get reservations in advance. The spread includes the usual breakfast buffet fare (salads, omelet station, potatoes, Benedict, waffles, pastries, breakfast meats, etc), but they also have an outdoor BBQ with grilled fruits and veggies, mac n’ cheese, Sonoran hot dogs, cornbread, and mashed potatoes. Inside, there’s a full cold bars with shrimp, oysters, and sushi, and they have a giant dessert table with a chocolate fountain and any type of baked treat you could wish for.

(Living their very best lives all weekend)

My first plate usually looks something like this:

They also have endless mimosas, Bloody Marys, beer, and coffee. 

After brunch, we went to the pool the spend the rest of the day swimming. The water was too cold for me and P – we’re more hot tub kinda girls – so she napped on my lap in the shade. I could have spent the entire day out there, watching Livi swim like a mermaid, and the weather was absolutely perfect.

It was a great weekend with wonderful friends, and I’m pretty pumped that we get to see then again in a few weeks for our cruise!

For now, it’s back to work for this girl. I’m starting to get everything together for Summer Shape Up and can’t wait to share it with you in June.

Happy Monday, friends!

xo

Gina

Looking for a workout? I’ve got you, boo. 

The post all those tucson things appeared first on The Fitnessista.

all those tucson things published first on https://olimpsportnutritionde.tumblr.com/

[yewtongue8-blog]

Trip To Somewhere: Cape Panwa, Thailand

It's time for our annual migration to warmer climates and this year it's a stay in the Southern part of Phuket at Cape Panwa. It's a feast of food with a stay in a signature suite, dinner in an original Sino Portuguese mansion and a cooking class.

Cape Panwa is located on the South East side of Phuket and it takes around an hour to reach there from the airport. A 1am Sydney time arrival in Phuket is a bit discombobulating but Cape Panwa staff graciously speed us through the process and we are whisked off to our suite.

Our suite E304 is a signature corner suite and it's enormous. It starts with a lounge area and a guest bathroom. There's a welcome fruit bowl on the table and a comfortable day bed to lie back in.

The main bedroom has two beds together that makes the bed absolutely gigantic. The bed is on the firm side and there are large pillows and smaller ones and I end up ordering some smaller pillows from the pillow menu. There's a work desk as well as a dressing table and mirror.

The bathroom is an ensuite with a spa tub and a separate shower. There are two sinks, gorgeous smelling toiletries by Thai brand Erb and there is also a skylight in the bathroom.

The spacious wrap around balcony is hidden behind the curtains. Outside there is a jacuzzi tub and a lounge.

I fall asleep after a long hot shower and wake up at 7am. The sun peeks through the edges of the curtains and I pull them back. "Wow," I say out loud waking Mr NQN with my exclamations and the beam of sunlight that floodlights the suite.

Blinking several times I wonder if the colours of the Andaman sea outside are real or just a figment of my imagination. A small boat makes its way across the lightly rippling water, a solo traveller in the morning.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served from 6:30-10:30am every day. The hotel has 205 rooms and suites although the main eating areas and accommodation are within easy walking distance.

We take a seat in a basket chair and help ourselves to a selection of food. There is a fresh waffle and omelette station as well as freshly cut fruit and a range of cheese, charcuterie, hot Asian foods and Western breakfast offerings.

As we will be here for five nights, I try to limit myself but end up getting a lot. My favourite is the pork congee with plenty of ginger, spring onion and chilli fish sauce.

Mr NQN feasts on the fruit platter, yogurt and pastries while I go back for seconds of the congee. There are a few things that change every day and on other days I try some crispy coconut cakes, waffles, some fried dough sticks with pandan custard and sweetened condensed milk. There's always a hot Asian chicken dish as well as noodles and fried and steamed rice.

I also discover the soft bacon (which is still crispy) and make myself a sandwich with a brie, edam and cheddar cheeses, a fried egg, plenty of bacon and Tabasco tomato sauce-delicious!

It's time to explore the resort in the daylight so we head towards the beach. Access to the beach is via two ways: via the steps or you can take the little tram that goes up and down to the beach. Here there is the Bamboo Bar and lots of lounge chairs to relax on.

Main resort pool

Lunch

It's Mr NQN's birthday so we spend the rest of the day doing things that he wants to do. Namely lying on lounge chairs on the beach-I busy my time reading a book and researching where to eat while he reads and goes for a swim in the ocean.

Come 1:30pm it's time for lunch so we go to Bamboo Bar the hotel's main beach bar, just behind where we are sitting and take a seat. It's time for celebratory cocktails that pack a nice alcoholic punch with Thai fruit juice sweetness.

Som Tum Salad 120THB

The menu is made up of a range of Thai and Western dishes from burgers, fries, pizzas, pastas, curries and salads. We go for Thai food although a part of me would love to sink my teeth into a burger (but a Thai style one). My order is the Som Tum Salad which appealed to me in this weather but also because it comes with sticky rice which is just about my favourite rice ever. Although we were warned against ordering it spicy it isn't spicy at all so we have to get some chillies to add to it and then it's spicy and fresh.

Prawn Red Curry 240THB

We both really enjoyed the red curry with prawns with half a dozen prawns and a sweet, creamy coconut base. I eat this with the sticky rice from the som tum rather than the jasmine rice given.

Paprika Twister Fries 130THB

The twister fries are dusted with paprika salt and come with a chipotle ketchup and sour cream. I also ordered a little side of the truffle mayo which I preferred to dip these into. I think some sweet chilli sauce would have been good with the sour cream rather than two types of ketchup.

We can't go past the cake cabinet especially since I insist Mr NQN has a cake on his birthday. I choose the fruitiest number they have: a vanilla cheesecake topped with glistening sour cherries. And for good measure, a bowl of vanilla gelato.

Dinner

For dinner, Panwa House located by the beach is one of Cape Panwa's restaurants housed in a beautiful Sino Portuguese mansion. There is outdoor seating as well as indoor and we take a seat outside and order a couple of cocktails.

Service is a little inexperienced which is a surprise because this is their special occasion restaurant and there is a bit of confusion when ordering food. There is a touch of chaos as the monsoon weather drenches everyone and most of us have to be moved inside.

Top Secret Jam 280THB and Tipsy Monkey 240THB

We order a Tipsy Monkey cocktail which is supposed to come in a coconut but doesn't. Nevertheless it is a nice cocktail with pandan flavours, Cape Panwa's own green tea liqueur and Malibu rum to it. The Top Secret Jam cocktail is made with lychees, watermelon and Cointreau.

Crab meat spring rolls 190THB

We start with crab spring rolls with a very sweet, syrupy plum sauce as well as pickled vegetables. The spring rolls are crunchy and freshly fried and I ask for some chillies to counter the very sweet sauce.

We also order one tasting platter set menu for 1480THB (there is also a daily set menu which makes for a lot of choice along with a full a la carte menu). The first course is a choice of fruit salad or glass noodle salad with vegetables and we go for the latter which is good albeit a bit difficult to eat with a fork.

Rock Lobster With Sweet and Sour Chilli Sauce 450THB

For the other choice went for the lobster served as two halves with a tangy sweet and sour tamarind and onion sauce. The lobster tail meat is removed from the tail and stir fried and then put back in. The presentation is striking and I enjoy this with some sticky rice.

There are two set menus available, a Bangkok one with perhaps more familiar items like tom yum soup and fish cakes but we decided to go for the Southern platter as we like the cuisine so much as it's spicy and punchy. There are five little bowls of delicious little morsels. My favourites are the stir-fried crab with curry powder which is like a mild crab curry, a fried tiger prawn with tamarind sauce (like the lobster above) and the deep-fried fish fillet with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf.

There is also a sour soup with a salmon fillet and young coconut shoots which is comforting and a salad platter with smoked shrimps (a Phuket specialty) with spicy shrimp paste and crudites like baby corn, fried eggplant and herbs. There's a lot of food-perhaps enough for two here as it also comes with rice. There is also a choice of soft drink with this menu (although we had to ask for it, it wasn't offered to us) and we go for the longan drink which is syrupy sweet.

Mini dumplings in coconut cream

It's time for dessert and I knew exactly what I wanted as it's one of my favourite desserts. It's on the set menu and it's a simple dessert of mini mochi rice flour dumplings in sweet coconut cream. I could eat this every night and it's pure comfort food.

Ice Cream Kati Song Kreung 140THB

I've had this dessert in Koh Samui and adored it. It's a scoop of coconut ice cream served with syrupy palm seeds, sweet sticky rice, poached sweet potato and crunchy peanuts. I add the mix ins to the ice cream and it's a bit crunchy, soft, creamy and sweet at the same time.

The rain has let up so we make a quick dash up to the tram and to our suite!

Cooking Classes

Cape Panwa also offers a 2 day cooking class over Fridays and Saturdays. For the first day you get an intro to the classics of Thai cuisine like Tom Yum Goong, Green Curry and Thai beef salad as well as a sheaf of 30 recipes. And for the second day you get to choose which dishes you would like to make. Plus you get to take home your own apron and chef's hat as well as feasting on everything that you've cooked.

Chef Kan is in charge of the hands on cooking class. We make most of it ourselves but all the measuring is done for us which makes the class easy and fast. We start with the Thai beef salad and then move into the tom yum goong. He gives us tips like always crush kaffir lime leaves before you add them to a recipe if you use them whole.

He also explains that there are two types of tom yum goong: a clear and a creamy. The creamy one has two additional ingredients added to it-a smoked chilli paste and some evaporated milk. He asks us to try the clear first and then he mixes up a creamy version which he then asks us to try. The spicier, creamy version is both of our favourites so we go for that one.

The last item we are making is a sweet green chicken curry. They use chicken breast in the cooking class although Chef Kan tells us that they usually make it with chicken thigh or chicken wings on the bone. There are two types of eggplant in it-the white or crispy eggplant as well as tiny pea eggplants.

White or crispy eggplant

He explains that the white eggplant can be eaten fresh, like an apple or used in crudites or dipped in a spiced salt mixture. The green curry is delicious (and there's also a recipe for the green curry paste). We sit down and feast everything that we've made.

Phuket Old Town

One night we also head out to the Sunday Walking Markets which is a busy attraction in Phuket's Old Town. It's crowded, hectic but replete with eating opportunities.

Getting to Phuket's Old Town isn't cheap for Thai standards, it's around $20AUD/500THB each way. It isn't easy to hail taxis (there's a real shortage of metered taxis) so do take up the offer for a return ride.

Around Cape Panwa Resort

One of the main things about resorts in Phuket is that you tend to stay at your resort. Transport around Phuket is expensive, said to be the most expensive in Thailand and controlled by various interests to ensure that to travel anywhere at a distance, will cost you around $50AUD return.

Because of this, resorts outside of Old Town and Patong tend to have shopping and dining areas within easy walking distance that offer hotel guests an alternative to hotel dining and entertainment. Cape Panwa has one at the bottom of the steep hill and a shuttle bus operates up and down every 15-20 minutes.

There's a small supermarket as well as a Cafe Kantary that sells coffee and tea as well as bakery items, sandwiches, pizza and cakes. There are also massage places dotted along the hill and we sit back and unkink from the flight, muscles happily relaxing as we submit to the pressure from the therapists while we wonder what they talk about with each other as they massage us.

Afterwards we buy some snacks and fruit from the street vendors including 10 sweet tiny pineapples and a kilo of longans for 100THB or $4AUD each. Mangosteens are pricier at around $12AUD a kilo but it's so inexpensive compared to what they cost in Australia.

Come later that night, the street vendors will come out around 5pm and set up and sell hot, smoking food. We buy som tum from a vendor who is the most popular stall on the pier. Even with 10 orders she makes each serve of som tum individually adding each ingredient painstakingly.

Many of the vendors are lovely Muslim women who are friendly and welcoming. We try some wonderful congee with fish and chicken added to it along with a range of spices and peppers. We are invited to take a seat along the boardwalk and tuck our feet under a small table and eat. The food is delicious and the warm humidity tempered by the seabreeze.

So tell me Dear Reader, do you tend to eat at the hotel or go out to eat? Have you ever visited Phuket? And do you do cooking classes while on holidays?

NQN and Mr NQN stayed as guests of Cape Panwa but all opinions remain her own and meals outside the hotel were independently paid for.

Cape Panwa

27, 27/2, Mu 8, Sakdidej Road, Wichit, Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000, Thailand s capepanwa.com/

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/09/21/cape-panwa-phuket-review/

[easytravelpw-blog]

Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/about-the-ship-the-silversea-silver-muse/trip-planning/

About the Ship: the Silversea Silver Muse

01 of 07

Overview

Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises launched the 596-guest Silver Muse in April 2017, and the luxury ship has eight passenger decks and many features that past Silversea guests and new cruise travelers will love. First, the almost-all inclusive ship has 411 crew members, so the service is outstanding. Every spacious stateroom is a suite and has a designated butler and all the amenities expected from this luxury line. The ship's eight dining venues include 28 varieties of culinary delights, so multiple selections are available at every meal. In addition, the indoor and outdoor common areas are fashionable and relaxing, with interesting decor and artwork. Finally, the Silver Muse sails worldwide itineraries to fascinating destinations where its guests can interact and hear about different cultures, make life-long memories, and learn more about the world around them ​while staying in the ship's luxury environment.

Continue to 2 of 7 below.

02 of 07

Standard Suites on the Silver Muse

Silversea Cruises

All 286 suites on the Silver Muse have butler service; twin or queen-sized bed configuration; bed-side USB ports for charging electronic devices; a refrigerator and bar setup stocked with guest preferences; premium bath amenities; fine bed linens and down duvet covers; a choice of pillow types; bathrobes and slippers; personalized stationery; binoculars; umbrella; daily newspaper; large flat screen television with interactive media library; twice daily suite service; and at least one hour complimentary WiFi internet access each day per guest. 

Veranda Suites

Of the 286 suites onboard, the Silver Muse has 230 suites classified as Classic Veranda, Superior Veranda, or Deluxe Veranda.  The three types of veranda suites are identical in size, configuration, and amenities, but the price differs based on location. Each veranda suite has 387 square feet, including a 64 square foot veranda. Veranda Suites are located on decks 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Travelers will appreciate the spacious walk-in closet, marble bath with separate tub and shower, sitting area, two television systems, and the butler and room service. Each Veranda Suite guest receives one-hour of free Wi-Fi service each day. 

Six Veranda Suites connect to the Royal or Grand Suites, making them two-bedroom accommodations for families.

Vista Suites

The Silver Muse has six Vista Suites on deck 4. Three of the suites are wheelchair accessible. These 240-square foot suites have a large window and sitting area but do not have a veranda. They have a shower with a seat, but no bathtub. The rest of the amenities are the same as seen in other suite categories.

Panorama Suites

The Silver Muse has six Panorama Suites on deck 9. These suites measure 334 square feet but have a large picture window instead of a veranda. Since two of the Panorama Suites connect to a Silver Suite and the other four of the Panorama Suites connect to an Owner's Suite, families can book both suites for a two-bedroom accommodation. 

Continue to 3 of 7 below.

03 of 07

Large Suites on the Silver Muse

Silversea Cruises

In addition to the standard suites, the Silver Muse has four different categories of larger suites. Each provides all the amenities found in the standard suites, but also include large sitting area with a dining table and chairs, separate bedroom with dressing table, large walk-in closet, bathroom with double sinks, separate tub and shower, powder room, espresso machine, two 55-inch television systems (smaller suites have 42-inch), and Bose Sound Touch 30 with Bluetooth connectivity. All of these larger suites also include unlimited WiFi. 

Silver Suites

The 34 Silver Suites on decks 9, 10, and 11 are a favorite of many Silversea guests since they provide a luxurious apartment-like space, but are not as costly as the other three large suite categories. A one-bedroom Silver Suite measures a spacious 786-square-feet and expands to 1119-square-feet when families combine it with an adjoining Panorama Suite. 

The layout of the Silver Suites is similar to that found on the Silver Spirit.

Royal Suites

The two Royal Suites on the Silver Muse are found forward on deck 7. These suites measure 1130-square-feet but expand to 1528-square-feet when combined with an adjoining Veranda Suite. The forward views from these suites are spectacular, and the large living room/dining room and private veranda provide exceptional space for entertaining new or old friends and family.  The authentic Italian furnishings reflect the Silversea heritage.

Grand Suites

The four Grand Suites on the Silver Muse are found forward on deck 8 and 9. Like the Royal Suites, this category has the same amazing forward sea views as those seen from the navigation bridge. The Grand Suites are similar in configuration to the Royal Suites, but are larger, measuring 1475-1572 square feet or 1873-1970 square feet when combined with an adjoining Veranda Suite. The two verandas that wrap around the outside of these suites are about 500 square feet and huge.

The Grand Suites have all the amenities of the Royal Suites but feature a king-sized bed that can be made up as two twin beds rather than a queen-sized.  In addition, guests staying in the Grand Suites can enjoy a complimentary dinner at La Dame.

Owner's Suites

The four Owner's Suites on the Silver Muse are located in a prime location—mid-ship on deck 9 near the Panorama Lounge, spiral staircase, and aft elevators. The one-bedroom Owner's Suites range in size from 1281-1389 square feet with a 129-square-foot balcony or can be combined with an adjoining Panorama Suite, which adds an additional 334 square feet.

Like the Grand Suites, these feature a king-sized bed and the finest in Italian ambiance and furnishings. 

Continue to 4 of 7 below.

04 of 07

Traditional Dining on the Silver Muse

Silversea Cruises

The Silver Muse has eight different dining venues. Three of these—Atlantide, Indochine, and Spaccanapoli—are complimentary and have open seating for dinner. Three others—La Terrazza, Silver Note, and Hot Rocks Grill—are complimentary, with reservations necessary. The other two restaurants—La Dame and Kaiseki—require reservations and carry an extra surcharge. 

Silversea ships have complimentary drinks all day and night, with about 60 different complimentary wines available on each cruise. About 500 bottles of wine, 500 bottles of beer, and 80 bottles of champagne are consumed each day on the Silver Muse. In addition, 800 cans of soda, 100 Spirits, and 1100 cups of coffee are served. The bartenders quickly learn each guest's preferences, and they offer interesting cocktails and martinis in addition to the standard beer, wine, and mixed drinks. 

In addition to the eight restaurants onboard, the Art Cafe on deck 8 aft serves complimentary light snacks and specialty coffees/teas from 6:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. each day. People gather to eat a late (or early) breakfast and work the daily Sudoku, crossword puzzle, or trivia questions. They also gather for afternoon tea, sandwiches, scones, and snacks. The seating is very comfortable, with space indoors and out.

Guests can also order complimentary 24-hour room service from the menu in their suites. 

Let's take a look at the complimentary restaurants in more detail.

Atlantide

Atlantide is the largest dining venue on the Silver Muse. Located aft on deck 4, its cuisine and variety of tastes is similar to The Restaurant on other Silversea ships. Seafood and steaks are the most popular items, but Atlantide has a huge menu, so it's fun to sample the variety of appetizers, main courses, and desserts by dining at Atlantide on different nights. 

Atlantide also features complimentary breakfast and lunch ordered from a menu. 

Indochine

Indochine is the Silver Muse's Asian restaurant, with dishes from India, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and China on the dinner menu. It is located next to Atlantide on deck 4 aft. Appetizers like beef tataki, Saku tuna, and foie gras with Asian spices will make your mouth water. The soups and noodle bowls (pho and tom yum goong) are delightful; the lobster, crab legs, and red snapper feature tasty flavors; and the short ribs, Osso Bucco, beef, and chicken complete the main menu. Dessert lovers will enjoy the rice pudding and other delicacies.

La Terrazza

Cruise travelers expect an Italian-owned luxury cruise line to have a memorable Italian restaurant, and La Terrazza on the Silver Muse continues as the cruise line's hallmark Italian dining experience. Like the other venues, La Terrazza has a large menu, and the appetizers, plates of pasta, main courses and desserts are all delicious. Many guests start with antipasti like a salad or carpaccio, followed by one of the homemade pasta or soups, and then finish with a beef, veal, or fish dish. Of course, one has to save room for tiramisu or gelato!

La Terrazza has indoor and outdoor dining and is open as a buffet for breakfast and lunch.

The Grill (Hot Rocks)

The Grill is located outdoors by the swimming pool on deck 10 and is open for casual lunch and dinner. Lunch includes hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, and a daily special. Since The Grill stays open longer for lunch, it's a perfect choice for those looking for a late bite after a shore excursion or free time ashore. 

Dinner at The Grill is a favorite of many who love their steak cooked “just right”. Since the steaks, seafood, and vegetables are served on a hot rock, guests cook their own, so it should come out perfectly. A selection of side dishes and sauces accompany the grilled food. The steaks are yummy, but the salmon and prawns are also fun to cook. Veggie lovers have a selection of vegetables to choose from, and many foodies agree they taste so much better grilled than steamed.

Spaccanapoli

In addition to a fine Italian restaurant like La Terrazza, it's appropriate for an Italian cruise ship to have an excellent pizzeria, and the Silver Muse has Spaccanapoli, a casual eatery outdoors on deck 11 overlooking the pool. The large selection of pizza toppings will make it difficult to decide, but guests can always go back for a snack, lunch, or dinner since the restaurant is open from 11 am to 11 pm each day.  The thin crust, crispy pizza tastes just like those you find in Naples. In addition, Spaccanapoli serves a selection of about a dozen gelati, frozen yogurts, and sorbets. These treats can be ordered at the table or take-away.

Silver Note

Located next to La Terraza on deck 7, Silver Note is the cruise ship's supper club, with small plates and tapas on the menu. The dinner experience includes a jazz and blues singer and the sometimes even a little dancing. 

Continue to 5 of 7 below.

05 of 07

Alternative Dining on the Silver Muse

Silversea Cruises

Two specialty restaurants on the Silver Muse have an extra surcharge and require a reservation. These intimate venues offer a memorable meal and exquisite presentation. They are perfect for celebrating a special event like a birthday or anniversary. Both of these venues are tiny, so reservations should be booked before boarding if you want to dine on a select date.

La Dame by Relais & Châteaux

La Dame is the specialty French restaurant on the Silver Muse and has a bespoke dinner menu developed by top chefs from the Relais & Châteaux team. As expected, the menu is filled with rich French food featuring interesting sauces and combinations. 

Kaiseki

Kaiseki is the Japanese restaurant on the Silver Muse. Guests can enjoy complimentary sushi at the sushi bar for lunch, and dinner features a teppanyaki grill and sushi. The dinner menu is expansive and memorable.

Continue to 6 of 7 below.

06 of 07

Silver Muse Interior Common Areas

Silversea Cruises

The interior common areas of the Silver Muse are elegant and subdued, with splashes of bright color in the artwork and accessories. The soft grays and beiges give the cruise ship a quiet, restful ambiance, perfect for a luxury cruise ship. 

Lounges and Bars

The Silver Muse has ten lounges spread around the ship. The Panorama Lounge and Arts Cafe deliver great indoor and outdoor seating and aft sea views. Dolce Vita is the main lounge and occupies a large space on deck 5. It has a bar, comfortable seating, and is the home of the Shore Excursion, Future Cruise Planning, and Reception Desks. Panorama and Dolce Vita usually feature live music before and after dinner.

Tor's Observation Library and Lounge is forward on deck 11 and provides the same great views as the navigation bridge directly below it. This lounge is usually quiet and is a good place to read and watch the scenery. Tor's is named for Torstein Hagen, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Viking Cruises. Mr. Hagen is a good friend of Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, the Executive Chairman of Silversea Cruises. Mr. Hagen named the Italian steakhouse restaurant on the Viking Cruises' ocean ships Manfredi's because of the counsel Mr. Lefebvre had provided during the construction and launch of Viking's ocean ships. To reciprocate and celebrate their friendship, Mr. Lefebvre named the observation library “Tor's”. 

The Venetian Lounge is the main show lounge on the Silver Muse. It has a cabaret feel and features nightly performances by the Silversea singers and dancers or guest performers who come onto the ship for a few days. The Venetian Lounge is also used for lectures on a variety of topics including destinations, history, or the arts, and the lounge has a wide screen for showing movies.

Connoisseur's Corner is the ship's smoking lounge, with fine cigars, cognac, and rich leather sofas and furnishings. It is located next to the Arts Cafe, aft on deck 8.

The Zagara Spa, Beauty Salon, Barber Shop, and Fitness Center

The spa, beauty, and fitness facilities on the Silver Muse are located on deck 6 aft. Like many cruise ship spas, the Zagara Spa is operated by Steiner Leisure and offers many different types of facials, massages, and other wellness activities. The spa has nine treatment rooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, an acupuncture suite, relaxation area, and a dedicated outdoor whirlpool. 

The beauty salon and barber shop offer a full range of haircuts, styles, and colors. In addition, men can get a shave and a haircut, and the nail technician offers several different types of manicures and pedicures.

The fitness center has many different types of exercise equipment. It almost makes exercise fun when you have nice sea views! Personal trainers are available for one-on-one training sessions in the gym, and exercise classes are held each day in the fitness center. 

The Boutique Shops

The boutique shops sell a variety of clothing, jewelry, watches, and essential toiletries in the onboard shops. The ship also has an Italian cobbler from Preludio of Capri who will make custom sandals for the guests. Many guests often ask what was the most expensive item ever sold in the onboard boutiques. According to Silversea, it was a $190,000 Hubert diamond bracelet. Swiss watches are also a popular purchase on the Silver Muse.

The Casino

The Casino on deck 7 of the Silver Muse is small but has slot machines, poker, roulette, and blackjack games.  Silversea reports that the “average” gambler on their ships spends about $50-$100 per day. 

Continue to 7 of 7 below.

07 of 07

Silver Muse Outdoor Decks

Silversea Cruises

This small ship also has spacious outdoor deck areas. Even travelers on luxury cruises expect plenty of lounges, chairs, and outdoor deck space for sunning or relaxing. You won't find an aqua park or water slides since this ship is quieter and more adult-oriented (although it does have a children's room and outdoor play area on deck 9). 

The swimming pool and two whirlpools are located mid-ship on deck 10.  A third, out-of-the-way whirlpool is found aft on deck 10. Very comfortable lounge chairs are found outdoors throughout the ship, especially on decks 8-11 aft, as are padded chairs perfect for reading or socializing. The pool and bar staff circulate the outdoor area, offering cold towels or icy drinks. The ship has a dedicated walking/jogging track on deck 11 aft, and a partial promenade encircles part of deck 5. 

Overall, this new cruise ship is a great addition to the Silversea fleet and the luxury cruise market. The ship sails to all seven continents and many guests combine multiple segments for an extended superb cruise experience since each segment is different. The Silver Muse is beautiful inside and out and ready to carry Silversea guests to destinations all over the world in the years to come. Just as importantly, the staff is exceptional and ready to provide the high level of service that guests expect from Silversea Cruises.

#travel #airlinetickets #airtickets #cheapairfare #planetickets #travelinsurance #travelquotes #travelblogger #traveller #travelling #travelocity #travelodge #vacation

[iwastoldthisisgoodforme]

16.11.18

Chihiro had to check out this morning but she was a little late getting out of bed. We were supposed to meet at the Melbourne goal at 9 but she woke up pretty late and we decided to change it to 930. She checked out and was going to head to the Victoria market and later try to check in to her new hostel, Discovery Melbourne. Today she was supposedly hanging out with her friend she made in the kitchen Yvonne but I wasn’t sure if I would be invited to tag along. I told her it was okay to move things to later and she left on her way. A lot of people checked out of the room today including the Indian guy and the French girl and I think it was only me and one other person who were still in the room. I noticed that the Indian guy had five key cards so I deduced that he had forgotten his key card many times.

In the breakfast room, I noticed this tall, cute Taiwanese girl (at least I think she was Taiwanese since I stalked her food box and found out her last name was Huang) that I saw every morning was cutting some mangoes into her oatmeal. I plucked up the courage to ask her where she got them from and she said Woolies. She had an accent reminiscent of Yingying but spoke very softly so I took it she was not very comfortable speaking English. 

After I ate breakfast, I walked across the street to meet Chihiro at the jail. She was running a little late and messaged me on LINE to tell me she was still checking in. Her new hostel was apparently really dirty and the people at the hostel seemed like total hippies. She must have taken some roundabout route to get to me because she couldn’t find me at first and messaged me on LINE but she eventually saw me. She apologized and talked about her new hostel had a really dirty lobby and she really wanted to go back to Space. She joked that next time I see her, she would probably have lice. We set off for the tram to St. Patrick’s. I told Chihiro about the Indian guy and his key cards and we laughed about how he was a strange man although very nice and how he had forgotten his card five times. We had to get off a little early since the tram would take us outside the free tram zone. Before we set off though, she called Discovery to see if she could cancel and how much it would cost to do so. It was about $50 for her to cancel (the cost of two nights) so she decided to keep it. Then we took off to St. Patrick’s and took many pictures in front of the church. The architecture inside the cathedral was very impressive, even more so than St. Paul’s. Chihiro said the most beautiful church she saw was in Montreal and I told her the most beautiful one I saw was in the Vatican. She thought there was some filming going on but it was really just some cleaner dusting the church which we laughed about. I joked that she should hire him to clean her new hostel. Chihiro tried taking a picture of a certain spot in the church but the cleaner guy kept showing up in the picture even thoug she was trying to take a picture of the building only. When we were trying to take a picture of the stained glass, some old lady came up behind us and said, “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” We then set off to go to the NGV but Chihiro first had to use the restrooms. Some guy told us they were closed and didn’t open til 12 and were only open for about an hour. Apparently the church had problems with the homeless always trying to use the bathrooms otherwise so they were only open full hours during the weekends. Chihiro said she could wait.

When we got to the NGV, Chihiro first went to use the restroom. We didn’t enter through the main entrance so we went through some weird gallery where all the pieces were digital animations but it was pretty interesting. This one was much bigger than the international gallery I had seen near the ACMI with three or four floors. The next gallery we saw was all Asian, mostly East Asian, art pieces. There were many plates in this museum and we would later find out there was even more in the other galleries that we joked that we were in a kitchen or IKEA. The European galleries had many art pieces about Christianity and I explained a few things about Christianity to Chihiro. There were some later pieces, maybe post-Renaissance era, that were really beautiful that Chihiro and I liked. We even liked the room decor in those areas. There were also some balconies that you could look down into the lobby area where we saw some mothers talking while their babies played. Chihiro really liked babies and how cute they were. We got to some post modern galleries and there was some video game/movie exhibit which Chihiro didn’t really understand but I told her even as an English speaker, it made no sense. There was one point going through the galleries where we laid down on some sofas and just chatted there for a while and Chihiro said she was hungry and tired I told her I would give her a piggyback ride and we could sleep in the park. We hurried through the rest of the galleries but when we tried exiting, we went out the back into some park area that was closed off. Chihiro really liked some little toddler that kept smiling at us. After looping back out of the museum, I asked if she wanted to eat or sleep first and we decided to find something to eat. First, we stopped by some snack stands at Flinders St but as we were checking the food out a pigeon pooped on Chihiro so I helped clean up her hair band and hair. We tried to avoid the pigeons and went to look for food elsewhere. We ended up going to a sushi restaurant near the cafe we drank coffee at yesterday. Sushi in Australia doesn’t seem to be like sushi in America. Seems like people more often eat the sushi to go like a hot dog stand in NY rather than sit down and eat like in the states. Chihiro got some teriyaki don while I had some curry and sushi. Chihiro really didn’t like her food since she said it was too sweet and the rice had too much sauce. They took a long time to make my curry and it wasn’t even until one of the employees asked if I was still waiting for food that they started making it. Most of the employees didn’t even seem to speak good English so everything about this restaurant was getting bad marks in our books. The curry I had was mediocre at best. Chihiro went off to get gelato while I ate and as we were leaving, the employee asked if everything was ok but I lied and said yes. I got some gelato also and there was a man ordering three tubs of it. We then decided to go check Chihiro in which I said I would help her bring the luggage over earlier. First we headed to Space to pick up her luggage. I’m surprised she was able to carry over so much with her small frame. I took her other backpack and heavier luggage but she seemed to have a good suitcase because it felt much lighter than the luggage I brought which weighed less. It was a little bit of a walk from Space especially carrying those suitcases and there was a construction guy who dropped his box of screws that I wasn’t sure I should help with. He told us it was okay and we set off to Discovery. When we got there, it was in some alley and there were a few hippy looking folks smoking outside. The lobby was very dirty and everything looked like it was under construction. A lot of the guests looked a bit rougher like they were beach thugs. When we took the elevator up, there were a lot of other guests inside and Chihiro was on the first floor. The hallway and room itself were much cleaner but they were pretty bare as there were many tables and chairs laid out but they all looked like the tables and chairs they have in convention centers. The room was also pretty bare: no lockers, no shelves by the outlets, the bunk beds didn’t even have ladders, and Chihiro’s bathroom didn’t even have a lock on it. There were two people in the room already: a Belgian named Fabian (like the German guy I met in Airlie) and Louis from Taiwan. They seemed pretty young and interested a little in Chihiro. We all had commented on how shitty this hostel was and I said how they were getting scammed. Fabian said he had just gotten back from Japan and that he was studying in New Zealand for a while and that some friends from his program would be joining him in a few days. Overall he was in Australia for about a week. I told him he should go do the Great Ocean Road if his friends were coming since they could rent a car and go that way. Louis was doing a working holiday and had been in the country for about 2 weeks although it was all in Melbourne so he was pretty much the local expert. Chihiro was finished getting settled in a little bit so Louis showed us a little bit before her and I took off. 

We then walked to Carlton Gardens to take a nap somewhere. We found a park bench and she took a small nap while I went off to find a restroom. I asked these two locals (probably students) if they knew where the restrooms are and they didn’t but some adults near them told me to go behind the tree. I looked behind the tree and said “the lake?” which made the people around me laugh. After I used the toilet, I went over to Chihiro and she woke up. We noticed some dude taking pictures of his fat cat which I found funny but Chihiro was more of a dog person. She showed me pictures of a little Maltese she wanted to buy back in Japan which was really cute. Afterwards, she started setting up her Hellotalk profile which I had mentioned to her at breakfast the other day. She set up her account while I took a very short doze. We then went to the State Library which was close to Space Hotel but it was closed. Chihiro was feeling pretty tired so suggested we just go back to our hostels for the day and regroup tomorrow for the Brighton bathing boxes. At the time I thought she was tired of hanging out with me and later thought maybe she had to go meet with her friend Yvonne.

I was planning to just chill at the hostel but I started talking with a British girl who took over Chihiro’s bed. Her name was Louise and she was also on a working holiday visa. She had mainly been in Sydney but was here in Melbourne for a job offer. She asked if I knew any bars and that she was meeting a friend from the hostel she stayed at in Sydney later that night. We went to a pub and met her friend Stephanie who was from Vancouver, CA. I was so happy to meet someone with the same accent and from the West Coast. We were upstairs but it was too loud so once we finished our drinks, we went downstairs and waited for their other friend Sam who was also from England. We were talking about the roller coaster of emotions you feel as a backpacker, the mix between feeling like you have so much power and opportunity and the feeling of questioning what you’re really doing in life. Apparently everyone goes through it. The downstairs bar was closing up so we went upstairs and redeemed some vouchers for beer and pizza that another person gave to us since they weren’t using it. I talked with Sam a bit about phones and we all talked about differences in our countries, Australia, and backpacker life. We ended up getting Domino’s later on for their $5 pizzas and went our separate ways afterwards. Louise was gambling on trying to stay another night at Space otherwise she would have to check out and go to another hostel the next day.

Chihiro texted me while we were eating Domino’s saying she really wanted to go back to Space. The people in her hostel were being really loud and one girl was being a bitch and wouldn’t move after Chihiro asked her to. The Taiwanese guy even asked them to be quiet but they wouldn’t stop. She even went to the front two times and they asked the people to stop too. I would find out the next day she asked the front again but they said to be patient, that they would sleep soon. She was really distressed about staying at Discovery.

[sfdiaries-blog1]

Intro...

So I decided to start some sugar free diet.. well a ‘no-added sugar diet’. Why? Well a bunch of reasons. The first one being that I’ve found I can’t intake too much sugar without feeling incredibly bloated and uncomfortable. Everytime I eat something like cake or a chocolate bar I pay the price. The moment I sink my teeth into a doughnut or even a yoghurt, I know that the added sugar will take its toll on me within an hour. It took me a while to figure out that sugar was the cause of feeling bloated. While I was too embarrassed to go to the doctor about it, I did enough research to know that before I went to the doctor, I would be better off spending my time eliminating certain things from my diet and having more to say about what has and has not worked..

My initial thoughts were that the culprits would be caffeine or coffee to be precise, or milk… but it’s when I started playing around with the idea of sugar that I knew I was onto something. I tried two days of no desserts, croissants for breakfast etc and lo behold, I felt less bloated, less gassy, and therefore less uncomfortable. Afterall, being in a permanent state of bloatedness is not normal for a human being.

Then there was the other reason…. I’ve always judged smokers. I’ve never understood why they smoke in the first place and moreso why they find it so hard to give up smoking. I recently met a very special person. When we first met, I told him my pet hate was smoking. It so turned out that he had been pretty much a chain smoker for 10 years, but hadn’t touched a cigarette in 1 year and had been using patches ever since. Now, had he told me this earlier into our relationship, I’m not sure how I would have felt. But I guess, it’s something that one just accepts about the other – in the same way I’m not perfect. So my goal – to understand what his struggle is on the daily. I figured, how would I ever understand what it’s like to be in his shoes? To have to give up something I’m addicted to and sometimes rely on to get through a tough day? The closest thing I could find to it was sugar. I’ve been eating it for 28 years. Not a day goes by that I can go without it. Pretty much every meal has some form of added sugar. Breakfast: a croissant or cereal, lunch: a slither of cake or chocolate bar or sugary nibbles that are offered by friends, dinner: always followed by dessert. And my biggest weakness of all? Gelato. I’ve made friends through our love for gelato. And London now has some fab spots for the deliciousness. Our family dinner on Sundays almost always has gelato as the dessert on the menu. And when I’m stressed… I find myself looking at the bottom of an ice cream tub or having biscuits with a cup of tea on the side.

 But I’m giving all that up. Now I know the human body needs some form of glucose to survive. Besides – my mood swings are bad enough. Depriving myself of sugar would only make me more irritable than usual. So my challenge: No added sugar. Now let’s be real – no knowingly added sugar. One problem I foresee is not knowing if bread has sugar added to it so I’m forgiving myself in such instances. I’m not going to sit there checking labels every time I buy something but common sense will tell me whether something has added sugar The only other exception is celebration cakes. I can’t not have my own birthday cake… that would be living a life of miserable existence. So fruit (natural sugar) and honey if need be are allowed. Birthday cake for myself or on the birthdays of significant people in my life (family in this case). But no yummy coffees from Starbucks. No gelato. No croissants, no sugary cereals, no chocolate bars, no energy bars, no yoghurts, no cream, no custard, no desserts. Okay I’ll stop as it’s getting depressing just listing this out.

 I spoke to a few friends and found two who had also given up sugar. One had done it as a challenge with his girlfriend for lent. His story? He found it really hard but said after one painful week and having a buddy to do it with, they managed to get by and surprisingly he has not had cravings for the stuff since. He eats added sugar now but nowhere near the amount he did and it’s about twice a week on average. He did find he became accustomed to butter and honey on toast… one risk I’m worried about is overdosing on alternatives.

 Then there’s the other friend… he said he quit sugar because diabetes runs in his family so he figured he wanted to at least prolong his current lifestyle for as long as possible before the inevitable catches up with him. He too said it was incredibly hard but in the same way he managed to give up smoking, he gave up added sugar. In his words ‘if someone really wants to do it, they’ll just do it.’

 So armed with two cases of show and tell, I’m determined to make this new lifestyle choice and see what it brings me. My expectations? Firstly, less bloated feeling, secondly, understanding what my partner is going through so hopefully I’ll be able to judge less and understand more and thirdly… a little weight loss wouldn’t hurt!

 So week by week I’ll be doing a diary to see if indeed it’s worth making such a drastic (for me anyway) lifestyle change.