tobieornotobie

[tobieornotobie]

the water felt like a breath of fresh air today. tobie dove underneath and took in the beauty of the sea, goggles tight on their face. the water felt cool, and was spotted with colorful coral and fish zipping between them – the clear blue of it all mesmerizing. tobie came up for air and to let the water that had somehow snuck into their googles out. their eyes were burning, so they swam back to shore in desperation of a towel.

it really wasn’t their fault that they started stumbling in the wrong direction, hair plastered to their face and adding to the impossible task. he came to an abrupt stop at the voice. “that sounds exactly like complaining to me,” he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes and peering down at the woman. they probably looked like a wet, red eyed mess, but they didn’t necessarily care. he was really focused on trying to get rid of the burning and his wet hands weren’t doing much. with a small grin, he continued, “how about you spare a towel for a sec, then i’d be a little more likely to move out of the way? or are you just so rude you can’t be neighborly?”

for:   everyone,   currently   uncapped.

where:   sunset villa beach.

(   @palmviewstarters   )

bella  was  sitting  out  on  the  sand,  working  on  an  art  piece  when  she  could  see  the  shadow  of  a  familiar  face  not  too  far  from  her.  she  stared  up  at  them  for  a  moment  and  put  her  brush  down.  "  you  know  ...  i  hate  to  complain  ...  but  you're  sort  of  blocking  the  inspiration  for  my  painting  right  now  ...  "  she  motioned  towards  the  water  and  the  view  of  the  sun  setting  in  front  of  them.  taking  out  her  airpods  from  her  ears  that  had  been  blasting  music  because  she  was  planning,  or  well,  hoping  to  be  entirely  uninterrupted.

[tobieornotobie]

tobie could try avoiding laundry day for as long as possible, but eventually they were in dire need of clean work clothes and socks – socks, especially. they had almost swung by the store and just bought them instead, but the idea seemed more ridiculous than just washing the massive load at the laundromat. so, with pure will and determination, tobie filled up two laundry baskets worth of dirty clothes and forced himself into the exhausting world of clean linen and detergent. it wasn’t too crowded, which was a good sign that they’d ( maybe ) be able to get all of this finished quickly. he drug his baskets to the nearest machine and started loading it up. 

he almost missed the question the stranger next to him was asking, glancing over with a thoughtful expression. that was an easy answer for him – “ten minutes is way too kind. i’d give about five minutes and then start moving clothes,” he answered with a shrug. why should he have to wait ten whole minutes for someone to come move their stuff ? like they say, you snooze… you end up with your shit sitting in a chair. “if you even have to ask, you’ve already waited long enough. move it.” there was a smile playing at the corner of his lips, and he started the last washer before leaning against it. he looked at over at the man and teased, “so, are you gonna move their clothes or keep waiting like a sucker ?”

who:  open  (@palmviewstarters)

where:  lochness  laundry

alfie  hated  doing  laundry.  hated  it.

not  ‘cause  he  didn’t  like  clean  clothes—obviously,  he  did—but  because  the  entire  process  was  boring  as  shit. waiting  around,  watching  a  machine  spin  his  shirts  in  circles  for  an  hour?  nah.  torture.

but  here  he  was,  sitting  on  top  of  one  of  the  industrial washers  at  lochness  laundry,  legs  swinging  lazily  as  he  scrolled  through  his  phone,  waiting  for  his  clothes  to  finish.  a  half-empty  bottle  of  coke  rested  beside  him,  condensation  pooling  against  the  metal.

it  had  only  been  a  month  since  he  landed  in  palmview, but  he  already  had  a  routine—one  that  mostly  involved  work,  a  lot  of  people-watching,  and  finding  new  ways  to  kill  time  in  a  place  that  felt  too  warm,  too  slow,  but  weirdly  hard  to  leave.

he  glanced  around,  lazily  observing  the  laundromat’s  usual  crowd.  an  older  woman  aggressively  folding  towels.  a  teenager  blasting  music  through  busted  headphones.  a  couple  arguing  quietly  near  the  dryers.  standard  shit.

his  own  clothes  were  still  tumbling  around  in  one  of  the  machines,  so  he  had  nothing  better  to  do  than  wait,  fidget,  and  find  some  poor  soul  to  chat  shit  with.

spotting  the  closest  person  near  him,  alfie  grinned,  tilting  his  head.

“oi,  quick  question,”  he  started,  his  accent  unmistakable.  “is  there  a  rule  ‘bout  how  long  you  gotta  wait  before  stealin’  someone’s  dryer  if  they  ain’t come  back  for  their  clothes?  ‘cause  i  ain’t  tryin’  to  start  a  laundromat  war,  but  i’m  this  close—”  he  held  up  two  fingers,  barely  apart—  “to  chuckin’  some  geezer’s  socks  on  the  floor  so  i  don’t  have  to  be  ‘ere  all  night.”

his  grin  widened,  half-shit-eating,  half-serious.  “what  d’you  reckon?  ten  minutes?  fifteen?  or  straight  to  lawless  savagery?”

[tobieornotobie]

tobie hoped they weren’t late for the double feature. it felt like it had taken a year and some change to get finished up at work, then showered and dressed at home before hurrying to coral cove park. it was a clear and warm night, perfect for a double feature and much better than being indoors snacking and napping on the couch. they would have brought a friend, but had decided it’d be better to just enjoy it in solace. while shrek was a masterpiece, shrek 2 was truly cinema – at least on tobie’s letterboxd. there was plenty of people already settled in, or up and about finding spots, conversations mixing with the sound of laughter, and the air filled with the smell of popcorn and soda. they had a blanket, snacks, and a nice comfy neck pillow on their folding chair, which was settled in a decent spot with a great view of the projector. he preferred to be smack dab in the middle of the screen, hating to sit off to the side or too close to the projector.

just as the chattering had started to subside and the projector grabbed ( almost ) everyone’s attention, the person next to him seemed to be oddly determined on missing the opening scene. he shot a glance and gave a confused chuckle, wondering why in the world was the mayor striking up a conversation right as the movie starts? tobie was chewing on M&M’s and had to take a beat and swallow, before answering. “i’d have to be pretty boring to not enjoy the silly adventures of a green guy and his donkey boyfriend,” tobie said, forcing a smile. he wasn’t a particular fan of talking during movies. “i didn’t take you for a shrek fan. you look like you’d be into fast and furious more.” 

LOCATION : coral cove park for movie night. STATUS : open. ( @palmviewstarters )

the  night  air  was  crisp  with  a  gentle  breeze,     the  kind  that  carried  the  scent  of  the  ocean  just  a  few  miles  away.     coral  cove  park  was  alive  with  the  low  hum  of  laughter  and  chatter  as  families,     friends,  and  neighbors  settled  in  for  the  community  movie  night.     the  grassy  area  was  dotted  with  blankets,     pillows,  and  comfy  chairs,     all  arranged  in  the  perfect  spots  for  a  cozy  evening  under  the  stars.     a  projector  screen  loomed  at  the  front,     ready  to  show  shrek  followed  by  shrek  2  —  a  double  feature  that  was  sure  to  bring  out  everyone's  inner  child.     the mayor,     who  had  never  missed  a  movie  night  in  the  park,     strolled  into  the  scene  with  a  large  bag  of  snacks  in  hand  —  popcorn,     candy,     and  a  bottle  of  soda.     he’d  brought  his  folding  chair,     which  he  set  up  near  the  front.

as  the  sun  dipped  lower,     casting  the  sky  in  soft  hues  of  orange  and  pink,     he  noticed  a  familiar  face  settling  in  beside  him.     someone  he  hadn't  expected  to  see  here  tonight.     the  screen  flickered  to  life,     but  his  attention  shifted  to  the  person  next  to  him.      "  well,    fancy  seeing  you  here.  "    he  said  with  a  grin,     leaning  back  in  his  chair  as  he  opened  his  soda.    "  didn't  know  you  were  into  animated  ogres.  "

[tobieornotobie]

“this is literal brilliance happening right before your eyes,” tobie said, stepping to the side so their potential customer could get a better look. they were appreciative of the fact that hanging these posters up had already started to draw attention. was that a little hint of amusement there on her face or had his eyes deceived him? they had anticipated this kind of question, but still couldn’t help letting out a bit of a chuckle and soft sigh. “they could do that, but i think you’re seriously underestimating the kind of skill i bring to the kitchen,” he answered with a grin. sure, he hadn’t lived here long but he was plenty positive sunset tacos tasted better since he’d bought it. he held up his hands in a sort of ‘what can i say’ way and grinned a bit. they thought of themselves as the kind of person that could make even the nastiest thing taste delicious, and besides, he loved a challenge. 

“don’t tell me, you like some pretty unique tastes ? what’re we thinking…a shrimp, grits, and anchovy taco ?” they teased back, even though that combo sounded like a C R I M E.  “i think palmview better get ready for some very interesting flavors to hit the scene.” as he spoke, he leaned over and pulled open the door, motioning for her to lead the way. “you could win and be the first to introduce us all to some real flavors.”

dalia hadn’t exactly been planning on stopping, but the sight of tobie standing outside sunset tacos, proudly admiring what looked like a brand-new flyer, caught her attention. she had only meant to pass by on her way home, maybe grab something quick to eat if the mood struck her. Instead, she found herself pausing, eyes skimming over the words on the poster before flicking to the enthusiastic chef beside it. “a taco raffle?” her voice carried a mix of curiosity and skepticism as she crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. “i’ve heard worse ideas.” stepping closer, she scanned the flyer again, her gaze catching on the little smiling taco in the corner. that got the faintest twitch of amusement from her, but she kept her expression mostly neutral. “so let me get this straight — people write down their best taco recipe, you pick one, and then it gets featured for a week?” she shifted her weight onto one foot, eyes narrowing slightly, like she was trying to poke holes in the idea. “and what’s stopping someone from throwing in something completely ridiculous just to mess with you? like, i don’t know… a peanut butter and sardine taco?” the corner of her mouth quirked up as she glanced at him, half teasing, half genuinely curious. “because i don’t know if palmview is ready for that kind of culinary innovation.”

[tobieornotobie]

quintessa swindell in voyagers (2021)

[tobieornotobie]

tobie wiped the counters down, cleaning up the spilled salsa from the previous order. they were ready to head home soon, daydreaming about the nap they’d take before catching up on their shows. he was pulled from his thoughts by the customer across the counter. “do you like shrimp? the shrimp coconut taco is one of my personal faves,” he answered, giving her a smile. “or, we’ve got a beef and queso taco that is damn near to die for !” was he overselling? definitely not, he’d spent weeks perfecting these recipes.

@tobieornotobie // sunset tacos

❝   they  all  look  sooo  good  !   ❞ she  practically  drools  over  the  menu,  looking  up  at  tobie  with  indecision.   ❝   which  one  is  your  favorite  ?  or  which  two,  maybe  i'm  feeling  a  little  adventurous  today.  ❞

[tobieornotobie]

tobie was used to hearing this and gave a light hearted laugh. there was always going to be the occasional bad cook, so you just had to figure out a way to reel them in. “i guess that’s kinda fair, you can’t be hot and a good cook,” he answered with a grin and shake of his head. “you gotta leave something for us to talk about.” they extended a hand in greeting, soaking up the attention that had been pulled to his little drawing. the taco was the star of the poster, in all fairness. “thanks. i’m tobie, the owner. you know,” he started off, trying to find the right words that would entice the stranger to participate, “you don't have to worry about being an excellent cook. if you feel like you have a creative recipe i’m down to hear it, and if it wins the raffle, people would appreciate a chance to see what you have to offer.”

it  wasn't  unlike  major  to  run  through  the  different  neighborhoods  to  get  his  daily  workouts  in.  the  weather  was  warming,  and  it  seemed  much  easier  to  just  go  outside  and  run  instead  of  planning  any  other  workout.  he  always  runs  with  both  airpods  in,  because  he  wants  to  stay  IN  THE  ZONE.  unfortunately,  at  the  end  of  the  day,  he  is  still  major  powell,  and  major  powell  finds  himself  distracted  easily.  the  smell  of  tacos  is  enough  to  make  him  stop,  but  accompanied  with  a  sign  of  a  taco  smiling  ?  it  seemed  like  he  was  meant  to  take  a  break  here.  he  takes  out  an  airpod  just  in  time  to  hear  the  other  speak  before  shaking  his  head.  “i'm  a  horrible  cook,”  he  admits  with  a  sigh.  “i  get  told  ‘  IT'S  A  GOOD  THING  YOU'RE  HANDSOME  '  a  lot.  i  do  think  that  guy  looks  cool  as  hell,  though,”  he  tells  the  other,  pointing  to  the  drawing.

[tobieornotobie]

tobie could see the excitement radiating off of ronnie for the night ahead. they never disclosed why the two of them needed to blow off steam, they both just appreciated each other’s presence. they couldn’t help but chuckle at ronnie’s comment, shooting her a look. “like we’ve never went harder !” he said, bumping his shoulder against hers. and it was true, they’d pregamed wilder, so many shots taken they’d been unable to even leave and ended up dancing around the living room, making tobie’s space their own club. “are we really about to pretend like i don’t have better taste ?” he shot back, with a quizzical look. he was pretending to be offended as he poured another shot. “wasn’t nickleback on your spotify wrapped ?” 

being  only  a  floor  away  from  her  favorite  party  -  goer  meant  that  ronnie  was  sucked  back  into  her  college  party  days,  music  blaring  in  the  apartment  around  them  as  they  pre  -  gamed  for  the  night  ahead.  she  needs  this  night,  the  time  to  unwind  and  focus  on  nothing  but  the  rhythm  and  drinks  flowing  through  her.  grin  spreads  across  her  lips,  face  fuzzy  from  the  two  shots  they've  already  had.  “  jjan  !  to  a  night  we'll  never  remember  !”  especially  not  at  the  rate  the  two  were  going.  truthfully,  ronnie  would  be  surprised  if  they  made  it  out  of  the  apartment  and  into  the  uber.  the  shot  is  downed,  a  soured  expression  taking  over  her  features  before  slamming  the  glass  down  on  the  counter.  there's  a  nod,  followed  by  a  laugh  full  of  disbelief.  “two  more  ?  you're  going  extra  hard  tonight,  but  who  am  i  to  make  you  drink  alone  ?”  it  was  all  the  convincing  she  needed,  already  pouring  their  next  round.  “okay,  but  we  need  to  talk  song  suggestions  first.  i  won't  have  you  requesting  shit  we  can't  dance  to,  tobie  !”

[tobieornotobie]

LAID | 1.04 "Flagstaff"

[tobieornotobie]

tobie bit into his waffle, all the flavors of the syrup,  strawberries and whipped cream making their eyes roll into the back of their head. he had a soft spot for breakfast themed restaurants, the sort of place he could just sit, eat and be. he sipped his coffee, which had enough espresso to power an energizer bunny. he was so caught up in his thoughts and meal, he almost missed the stranger next to him striking up a conversation. “do you usually sit and judge everybody’s coffee order ?” tobie quipped, smiling jokingly as they turned to face him a bit more. “decaf is for the same people who tell you they only drink diet soda.” he wanted to get back to his meal, unbothered, but also wanted to see where this was going. 

open    \   @palmviewstarters ( capping 0 / 3 ) location   \   sunrise cafe.

he's  sat  at  the  back  table,  laptop  open  and  work  barley  done,  too  focused  on  the  cup  the  barista  is  currently  handing  to  someone  two  tables  down.  he  briefly  turns  to  the  person  closest  to  him,  shaking  his  head  is  if  he's  trying  to  wrap  his  mind  around  what  he's  just  seen — which  is  nothing,  essentially.  “ you  know, ”  he  begins,  disbelief  lacing  his  tone,  “ i  don't  trust  people  who  order  decaf.  it's  a  lie.  you're  lying  to  yourself. ”  arms  cross  over  his  chest,  playful  smirk  tugging  on  the  corners  of  his  mouth  as  he  laughs  to  himself.  “ i  mean,  what's  the  point  ?  it's  like  ordering  a  burger  with  no  patty.  just  .  .  .  don't  do  it.  you  can  eat  literally  anything  else. no patty, no burger. no caffeine ? no coffee. ”

[tobieornotobie]

status: open ᝰ.ᐟ@palmviewstarters location: outside of sunset tacos

tobie was excited to get the ball rolling on this new idea for sunset tacos. it had been quite some time since they had moved here, and he was needing something more to the menu. while it had been a couple of months of trying new recipes, and discovering the best and worst ways to make a taco, he finally settled on a better approach – what if people joined a raffle, and he picked the best taco to be featured for a week on the menu ? they would write down their taco recipe, name, and number, then drop it in a jar that he would pull from by the end of the week. perhaps he could make it a new thing for sunset tacos, a way to pull in more customers, bring in more money, more creative ideas, more, more. if it didn’t work out ... well, whatever, he’d come up with something else.

so, he quickly put together a bunch of posters overnight, and now, was sticking the last of them outside of sunset tacos. tobie stepped back, grinning as he read one over, “ do you got what it takes to make the best taco ? or do you think you just have exquisite taste and need others to experience the same ? then join our raffle with your taco and see yourself featured for a week !” there was a smiling taco drawn at the bottom right, with a sun setting in the bottom left. a bit corny and on the nose, but he liked it that way. he was still staring at it, deep in thought and hoping this would all pan out, when he heard someone coming up behind him and looked over his shoulder. “ hey, what do you think of this ? something you’d be interested in ?”

[tobieornotobie]

La Collectionneuse (1967), dir. Eric Rohmer

[tobieornotobie]

[tobieornotobie]

[tobieornotobie]

quintessa swindell on tasha reiko brown’s instagram (x).

[tobieornotobie]

tobie: do u realize how many limes die in the making of ur tacos? tobie: ur giving me time to finish up with my hair, dont worry

ronnie: i need two limes per taco MINIMUM ronnie: i have to get ready first so don't hold your breath

[tobieornotobie]

ronnie lee 🍸🎶༘⋆ link in bio

location: tobie’s apt. ᯓ ✈︎ link in bio starter: @astralfms

after a long day of sweating away in the kitchen, it was only natural tobie went out and had some fun. he shot ronnie a text, and after plans were set, started to get an outfit ready for the night. there was still a bottle left from the last time ronnie had come over and partied, which was perfect for their pregame. as soon as ronnie showed up, tobie was ready to get started, music blasting throughout the apartment and drinks set up in his living room. he really wasn’t too worried about how loud his music was for the neighbors, and was sure ronnie would appreciate the song choice. tobie wandered over to the couch, where shot glasses and a bottle were calling their names. he poured them both a shot, handed ronnie hers, and held his up as he said, “cheers to getting fucked up tonight !” and tossed his head back, downing it.  they were already pouring another glass for him and ronnie, anticipating she’d want another one.

“i’m gonna schedule an uber to get us, but two more shots, yeah ?” they suggested with a grin. “link in bio is supposed to have this new beer tonight and i wanna try that out, along with trying to get all my requests to play tonight.”