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asweethistory · 3 years

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Mamma Mia

Ligonberry Ouzo Triple Citrus Sunrise Ice Cream topped with White Ischoklad and Blue Sugar Sprinkles

In 1972, four performers, made up of two couples, formed the musical group, ABBA. The bands name was created by using the first letter of each members’ first names: Agnetha Fältskoa, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

Both Benny and Björn were in separate rock groups as teenagers. Called the Swedish Beetles, Benny’s band, the Hep Stars, recorded a song that was written by Benny and Björn, who had began to regularly collaborate. In 1969, Benny submitted a song to for the Swedish Eurovision entry. While he didn’t win, he met Anni, who also had participated in the festival. Anni, along with Björn’s partner, Agnetha, would join the men in the recording studio as they worked on their first album together. Anni and Agnetha had their own successful music careers when they began singing backing vocals for Benny and Björn.

In April 1970, the two couples vacationed in Cyprus and what begun as singing for fun on the beach turned into an impromptu live performance, leading to a stage act back home named Festfolket, meaning Party People. Surprisingly, the act garnered negative reviews, causing the foursome to put their ideas of working together on the back burner.

It wasn’t until 1971 after “Hej, gamle man,” a song credited to Björn & Benny but one that all four created was released and found popularity, that they began working dedicating more time to collaboration. By 1973, the group started officially going by ABBA, even negotiating with a Swedish fish-canning company for the rights to the name. In 1974, ABBA was chosen to represent Sweden at Eurovision with the song “Waterloo,” and they won the international contest, which led to a European tour. ABBA’s next single “Honey, Honey,” reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and even though in 2005, Eurovision declared “Waterloo” to be the best song in its history, overall there was worry in the 70s that ABBA would be a one-hit wonder. Slowly but surely, ABBA’s music gained popularity and “Mamma Mia” reached the number one spot in the UK. A couple years later, “Dancing Queen,” was number 1 in the US. As they became one of the most popular bands in the world, Björn and Agnetha went through a divorce. The media was convinced that the breakup would affect the band. However, their sixth studio album, topped charts in 1979.

However on December 11, 1982, ABBA performed for the last time, and while they didn’t make an official announcement, this performance was viewed as the end. Benny and Björn continued to work together, specifically writing songs for musicals. In 1983, they met producer Judy Craymer who believed their songs had theatrical potential and 14 years later, Craymer commissioned Catherine Johnson to write a book for a musical inspired by ABBA’s discography.

Mamma Mia! opened on April 6, 1999, and told the story of Sophie, who invites three men, who could all possibly be her father, to her Greek wedding behind her mother, Dona’s, back. The musical not only provided ABBA fans with nostalgia, but promoted the strength of single motherhood, female friendships, and female sexuality. Almost a decade later, the musical was adapted into a movie with a star studded cast, including Meryl Streep playing Dona, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan playing two of the fathers, Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, and Julie Walters as one of Donna’s friends. The cast filmed on the island of Skopelos while drinking large amounts of Ouzo. Despite the movie receiving mixed reviews for its campy feel and for the actor’s varying singing skills, it became a beloved classic. So much so that 10 years later, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, brought the cast, now including Cher, back together for a continuation of the story. The sequel, which also is a prequel, celebrates the reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna in honor of Donna’s recent passing, and explores Donna’s early experiences on the island including her meeting of the three fathers. The film was a box office hit, further popularizing ABBA’s music and planting the band and the film franchise in the hearts of many.

Before the release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, ABBA unexpectedly reunited and recorded two new songs. “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down” were released as singles in September 2021. Voyage, ABBA’s ninth studio album will be released in one month, on November 5th 2021 and will be followed by a concert residency complete with virtual avatars of the band.

#mamma mia #abba #here we go again #ice cream #citrus #ouzo #voyage #lingonberry #ischoklad #sprinkles #sunrise #donna

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castlevania-afterdark-imagines · 4 years

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Halloween Headcanons

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM MOD ROSE AND MOD SOVIET! Thank you guys for continuing to read the blog! We hope to be releasing some of the character matchups soon, but for today please enjoy this quick post covering the crew's holiday activities! Assuming modern for this post, kids probably aren’t trick or treating at Drac’s castle.

Trevor

Costume for this year: Zombie, easy to make and fun to overdo when you've got the time.

Favorite candy of all time: Snickers, he actively buys the fun sized ones for himself instead of full size because he knows his lack of self control.

Favorite autumn treat: Baked apples, with a pint of whatever fancy autumn ale the local brew pub is trying out this year.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: Leaves the candy in a big bowl on the front porch, which he guards by blending in with his ridiculous amount of decorations and scaring the daylights out of anybody who tries to take more than needed.

Sypha

Costume for this year: Mad Scientist, complete with fake green blood spattered robe and pipe cleaners shaped into *electricity* coming out of her floofed out hair.

Favorite candy of all time: She loves all the tart and fruity things, but if you forced her to pick one she'd say Nerds.

Favorite autumn treat: Pumpkin bread, homemade and covered in a maple brown sugar icing. She tried incorporating the seeds into some sort of crumble on top but nearly burned the kitchen down trying to toast them.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: Answers the door, gushing over the kids who dress up and closing the door on teens who show up without costumes. She also keeps a small stash of allergy sensitive alternatives in case a parent asks for it.

Alucard

Costume for this year: Werewolf who just changed back to a human again, or at least that’s what he calls it when he realizes he forgot to get his costume together and wears a torn up shirt and pants with a little makeup to make him look haggard. (Offer to add on a dog collar and cuffs to sell the costume and watch him be really fucking prepared for next year)

Favorite candy of all time: Redhots, or any other cinnamon candy. They were always super easy to trade for, in that most kids didn’t want them so he just got to take them all home for free.

Favorite autumn treat: Hot and fresh apple cider, with a splash of brandy if he’s feeling particularly chilly that night.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: He’s not a big fan of answering the door every 5 min, but he manages a smile and a few pieces per visitor. Lights go off as soon as the sun goes down though.

Dracula

Costume for this year: He just fucking hauls some old ass armor from his closet and goes as a warlord and has won every costume contest every year. Cheater.

Favorite candy of all time: Dark Chocolate pieces, not too sweet and also no kid is going to complain if he fishes all of them from the candy bowl.

Favorite autumn treat: Homemade toasted pumpkin seeds, they’re infinitely better than the basic store bought ones you find year round, and he adds a little bit of extra spice to them in the form of ghost pepper powder. He can handle it, and it keeps people from filching them.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: His is known as the house that only the bravest kids go to, for no particular reason. The decor is pretty standard, the handfuls of candy are GIGANTIC, but Vlad is more than aware of the tall tales kids spin for each other about the giant who lives there.

Lisa

Costume for this year: She tosses a doctor’s coat over a long body hugging black dress, dawns a black big and dark makeup, and goes at “Morticia-n” Adams. It doesn’t matter if no one gets it, she knows and is smug as hell about it.

Favorite candy of all time: Caramels, just by themselves but she won’t turn down a caramel apple if one happened across her path.

Favorite autumn treat: All the fun autumn coffee drinks, she needs that caffeine hit for long hours at the doctor’s office and hey, gotta spice it up now and then.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: Loves answering the door, hypes up the kids over their costumes and kneels down to their level to hand them their candy. She doesn’t give them a ton though, doctor’s guilt and all.

Hector

Costume for this year: Elf, very much inspired by Lord of the Rings styling. It fits in well at the vet clinic with all of the animals and keeps him looking normal enough to not spook them.

Favorite candy of all time: M&M’s, they’re simply and easy to just fill a bowl with and munch on throughout the week of Halloween. Plus no extra individual wrappers that he was to worry about Cezar trying to munch on.

Favorite autumn treat: Caramel corn, again a simple and sweet finger food. But this one he much prefers to get at a festival booth when it’s still hot and you have the smell of it cooking lingering in your nostrils.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: He’s not a huge fan of answering the door, but he’ll put on a brave face since he knows for many kids this is a big deal. If he notices any kid getting bullied or jeered at he unceremoniously dumps the entire bowl in their bag and tells them to head home early to avoid any more issues.

Isaac

Costume for this year: Grim Reaper. It’s literally a robe and a scythe, super easy and minimal effort, but just enough effort to avoid being called out for not trying harder.

Favorite candy of all time: Not really a candy person, it’s all high processed garbage to him. But he does have a soft spot for butterscotch and strawberry hard candies like his grandparents used to have around all the time.

Favorite autumn treat: Pecan pie, he’s not a huuuuuuge sweets person but a slice of pie with a dark roast coffee to offset the sugar and he is instantly in a good mood.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: Always conveniently ends up away from home that night, mostly so he doesn’t have to hear the doorbell constantly. He’ll leave some candy out to avoid getting his house egged but that’s about it.

Godbrand

Costume for this year: Pirate, then he can make all the booty jokes and drink all the alcohol he wants.

Favorite candy of all time: He likes the chewy things, like taffy or Twizzlers but will honestly eat anything. More specifically, he will eat EVERYTHING if you don’t hide the candy meant for the trick-or-treaters.

Favorite autumn treat: Cinnamon rolls, cake for breakfast? Fuck yeah. (Nobody tell him you can have them year round)

Trick-or-treat etiquette: Is of the mind a kid has to go through a fuckin gauntlet of spooky yard decor to earn their sugar rush. Yes he is going to jump out and scare them in the yard, yes he is going to get nearly punched by a few spooked fathers, but he always rewards the kids with a decent candy haul.

Carmilla

Costume for this year: Banshee, it’s dramatic, dark, and scares the sweet jesus out of men.

Favorite candy of all time: Godiva chocolates, she buys a whole fancy box for herself at the beginning of each month. And then pretends she doesn’t eat them all in the first two days.

Favorite autumn treat: Cranberry things, like bars or jams. People have tried to argue with her that it's more of a winter thing but fighting with her over other things has never worked either so...her opinion stands unchallenged now.

Trick-or-treat etiquette: She’s hosting a very lavish party at her house, to be honest she probably rarely hears the doorbell. When she does answer it she lets the kids grab a handful from the ONE bowl she keeps by the door and when that’s gone she just turns off the outside light and stops answering.

-Mod Soviet

#trevor belmont #adrian tepes #Sypha Belnades #Vlad Dracula Tepes #Hector #isaac #Lisa Tepes #Godbrand #carmilla #holiday imagines #Halloween #gen #mod soviet #imagines #Castlevania

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the-depressed-shiny-buneary · 5 years

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Oceanus Aogiri and Coral Aogiri

Oceanus and Coral are Archie and Shelly’s twin kids. Both kids often babysat Grey and Ashley when the Ketchum cousins were younger, as such the four of them get along great.

Oceanus is excitable, headstrong and ready to do something. He likes to battle and he challenges gyms to battle the gym leaders. But he has yet to compete in a Pokemon League, when asked why he said he just likes battling and he likes looking at his badges, he doesn’t want to compete in a Pokemon League for glory, he simply likes to battle and battle he will do. Despite this, he’s still a caring and nice guy that has a soft spot for kids.

Coral is kind, gentle and caring towards everyone around her. She always smiles at others and has an appreciation for things such as contests, she has joined in the contest group and has won two grand festivals. She’s a freelance coordinator and will perform for exhibition contests. Despite always smiling, she can be serious when the situation calls for it, that’s the only time she’ll open her eyes and stop smiling.

The twins will often be seen wearing Team Aqua Grunt uniforms and they will occasionally talk like pirates for the fun of it. Both of them don’t like Fire type Pokemon and will refuse to use them on their teams.

Oceanus’ Pokemon:

Dewott- Oceanus received his Dewott as an Oshawott once he had hatched from an egg that was bred for him. He evolved during a battle to catch Buizel. As an Oshawott, he was playful and silly, often wanting to play more than battle due to how young he was. When it was time to battle, he would often dance around and when he won he would do a victory dance. After he evolved he gained a serious side and stopped dancing all together, he battled more often and uses his Scalchops to block attacks or to attack. He’s still a loyal Pokemon to Oceanus and stays out of his Pokeball. He has a sweet tooth and will often forget what he was saying or thinking if he is given something sweet.

Caught in a Pokeball.

Ability is Torrent.

Moves are Razor Shell, Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Ice Beam, Aqua Jet, Swagger, Water Pledge, Hidden Power (Ground), Rain Dance and Hydro Pump.

Buizel- Buizel was caught by Oceanus near where he lived. Buizel is a Pokemon that likes to battle, he always likes to train himself and train the others for any and all kinds of battles. He likes to swim around in his free time and gets along with Dewott, making them both training partners. He’s just as loyal to Oceanus as Dewott is and will willingly come out of his Pokemon to protect his trainer.

Caught in a Dive Ball.

Ability is Swift Swim.

Moves are Water Pulse, Sonic Boom, Razor Wind, Whirlpool, Ice Punch, Brick Break, Rain Dance, Aqua Tail, Fury Cutter and Brine.

Beedrill- Oceanus was exploring a forest one day and tripped over a sleeping Weedle. Slightly annoyed, he threw a Nest ball and caught Weedle. As a Weedle, Beedrill was lazy, slow, and always hungry. He paid little to no attention to battling and never seemed to like anything aside from eating and sleeping. After he evolved into Kakuna and later Beedrill, he became angry and lashed out at everyone. It took some time, but he calmed down from being fully angry all the time. He became a serious battling Pokemon and later got a hold of a Beedrillite, allowing him to mega evolve.

Caught in a Nest Ball.

Ability is Swarm. When Mega Evolved his ability changes to Adaptability.

Moves are Twineedle, Giga Drain, Poison Jab, Focus Energy, Agility, Double Team, Fell Stinger, Rage, Pin Missile and Brutal Swing.

Girafarig- Oceanus found Girafarig while him and the family were on a trip to Johto. Girafarig is blind in his left eye due to an attack by a Dark type Pokemon, so he relies on his tail to tell him where he is and if a Pokemon is attacking him from his blind spot. For that reason, Oceanus has to give Girafarig a heads up and he has to try and make sure no one knows about Girafarig’s blind spot. Despite the fact he’s blind in one of his eyes, he’s an optimistic Pokemon and is happy he found a trainer otherwise he might have been lost for good. He has a scar on his left eye, said left eye is a milky color.

Caught in a Luxury Ball.

Ability is Early Bird.

Moves are Rest, Sleep Talk, Psychic, Signal Beam, Calm Mind, Baton Pass, Shadow Ball, Return, Mirror Coat and Hyper Voice.

Primeape- Primeape was a big troublemaker when he was in the wild, often stealing food or items from trainers, or just punching them for the heck of it. Oceanus used his Girafarig to battle and catch Primeape as an attempt to get him to behave. After a while, Primeape did calm down from his tantrum and he became a great part of Oceanus’ team. He still has his angry moments and will fly into a rage or a fit, but that’s mostly during a battle since his blood pumps and he gets excited, Oceanus has to calm him down by throwing a sweet treat out on the field or to return him.

Caught in a Greatball.

Ability is Anger Point.

Moves are Rage, Karate Chop, Focus Energy, Stomping Tantrum, Outrage, Close Combat, Ice Punch, Punishment, Dynamic Punch and Gunk Shot.

Mamoswine- Oceanus caught Mamoswine as a Swinub who had later evolved into a Piloswine and later evolved into Mamoswine. As a Swinub, he was a glutton that loved to battle so long as he would get food afterwards. He was also silly and tried to do things such as balance fruits or other things on his nose. As a Piloswine, he became more laid back and easy going instead of silly all the time, he still was a glutton and enjoyed eating after a battle. Now as a Mamoswine, he no longer battles with the promise of food like what he wanted when he was a Swinub and no longer laid back and easy going like when he was a Piloswine, he’s a serious battler that takes pride in his strength now more than ever. He still likes to eat but he toned it down a bit, so he isn’t always wanting to eat like he used to.

Caught in a Greatball.

Ability is Snow Cloak.

Moves are Hail, Ancient Power, Ice Fang, Take Down, Earthquake, Trash, Freeze-Dry, Ice Shard, Bulldoze and Headbutt.

Coral’s Pokemon:

Politoed- Coral was fishing for fun during a family camping trip with the Ketchum family and she got a bite. She reeled in a Poliwag, she was going to let the little one back to the sea, except Poliwag didn’t seem to want to leave. She happily bounced and jumped around and Coral kept her. Once she evolved into Poliwhirl, she begged Coral to let her evolve into a Politoed. She complied and managed to find a King’s Rock for Poliwhirl, which lead her to becoming a Politoed. Politoed was always a jolly Pokemon that likes to hop around and have fun, she also likes to sing and create beautiful water displays. She didn’t want to evolve into Poliwrath because she felt she wouldn’t be as good at contests with all of those muscles, but at the same time she didn’t want to stay as a Poliwhirl, so she evolved into Politoed.

Caught in a Lure Ball.

Ability is Water Absorb.

Moves are Perish Song, Bubble Beam, Ice Beam, Mud Shot, Round, Echoed Voice, Hyper Voice, Water Pulse, Whirlpool and Psychic.

Milotic- Milotic was abandoned by her former trainer as a Feebas and Coral took her into her care. She always loved her Milotic as a Feebas and did her best to make her feel better about herself. Feebas said she wanted to evolve into Milotic, so Coral asked Daichi to make high quality Beauty Pokeblock and for Sirius to make high quality Beauty Poffins. Once they did, they gave Feebas the Pokeblock and Poffins and had her eat a Rare candy so she could level up and evolve, and she did. Milotic is a kind and gentle Pokemon with a lot of confidence in herself now that she evolved. She calms down anyone who’s angry or comforts them when they’re upset, she has a habit of wrapping her tail around her trainer and nuzzle her cheek as a form of affection.

Caught in a Love Ball.

Ability is Cute Charm.

Moves are Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Mirror Coat, Dragon Pulse, Attract, Disarming Voice, Whirlpool, Refresh, Safeguard and Aqua Ring.

Oricorio (Pom-Pom Style)- While visiting Alola, Coral found Oricorio in her Pom-Pom style and happily dancing and cheering. Coral found her cute and caught her. Oricorio is a gleeful Pokemon that likes to dance and cheer for her friends, she’s often seen giving them support by cheering for them. She incorporates her dancing with her battles with her dancing which leads her to be unpredictable in battle and because she’s mostly found in contests, it’s easier for her to take away points from the opponent trainer as she dances around.

Caught in a Pokeball.

Ability is Dancer.

Moves are Revelation Dance, Teeter Dance, Air Cutter, Helping Hand, Roost, Air Slash, Steel Wing, Sky Attack, Hidden Power (Psychic) and Acrobatics.

Shiny Glaceon- Coral found Glaceon as an Eevee who was in the middle of getting caught by another trainer because she was shiny. Thinking fast, Coral threw a empty Heal Ball at the shiny Eevee and caught her before the other trainer could. The shiny Eevee smiled at Coral for helping her from the trainer and stayed with her. She expressed a great enjoyment for being in contests more than battles, but she wanted to evolve first. Looking at all the Eeveelutions she deduced that Jolteon, Flareon and Umbreon are more for battling than contests, Coral already had two Water types so she didn’t want to be Vaporeon, Espeon looked good but she didn’t think it was right for her, Sylveon was cute but she was afraid of tripping over her ribbons. So it came down to Leafeon and Glaceon, she was considering Leafeon but when with Glaceon because she could cover her weaknesses better. So they traveled to the icy rock and she evolved into a Glaceon. Glaceon takes pride in herself for who she is and what she can do as a Glaceon, she’s sweet and careful, but she also gets angry if her coat gets dirty and will fly into rage when she does get dirty. She’s also very smart as she learned how to make her moves more appealing for contests. Glaceon also only lets Coral or Ashley pet her, anyone else will get a Blizzard or a Shadow Ball to their head.

Caught in a Heal Ball.

Ability is Snow Cloak.

Moves are Hail, Blizzard, Aqua Tail, Ice Shard, Swift, Hidden Power (Ground), Frost Breath, Attract, Refresh and Mirror Coat.

Cherrim- Coral caught Cherrim as a Cherubi before she had evolved during a contest battle alongside Glaceon. As a Cherubi, she was happy and always ready to dance around while laughing, she would eagerly await for the day she would evolve into a Cherrim. Now as a Cherrim, she has two different personalities. In her Overcast form she doesn’t have any energy, she’s asleep more often and she’s very very calm. In her Sunshine form she’s energetic, excited and cheerful, ready to perform for anyone. She has this habit of dancing whenever it’s sunny outside. She’s best friends with Glaceon and Glaceon allows Cherrim to ride on her back.

Caught in a Love Ball.

Ability is Flower Gift.

Moves are Petal Dance, Sunny Day, Magical Leaf, Solar Beam, Aromatherapy, Round, Nature Power, Dazzling Gleam, Grass Whistle and Safeguard.

Glameow- Coral saw Glameow by herself in a box and she took care of her until she recovered. It was because Coral was the only one to stop and help her that Glameow stayed with Coral. While most Glameow are known to be fickle, Coral’s Glameow is nothing like that. She’s very affectionate to the point she’ll pop out of her Pokeball just to nuzzle against Coral. When she gets called to do a contest she always does her best just so she can be praised by Coral, she gets very upset if she fails Coral and wants to always be there to help Coral win a contest. She refuses to evolve as she can no longer be held by Coral.

Caught in a Luxury Ball.

Ability is Limber.

Moves are Play Rough, Fake Out, Assist, Hypnosis, Attract, Dream Eater, Payback, Fake Tears, Swift and Shadow Claw.

#Pokemon #Pokemon Fankids #ShiverMeTimbersShipping #Oceanus #Coral

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sandjsbeachbumbonanza · 3 years

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Day 28 – Christmas in the Caribbean

We woke up to the sounds of a Christmas service being held near our room. Apparently it started at 7:15am. For those of you familiar with S’ love of sleeping in, that was not a welcome event. Once we came to terms with the early wake-up, we headed down to enjoy the festivities. Santa’s helpers rode in on motorcycles to the pool area, followed by Santa in a golf cart. A steel drum band was set up and playing Christmas tunes. Everyone took turns getting their picture taken with Santa and we even got a small present. There were cake and Christmas branch decorating contests and another dancing and fire breathing spectacle. Sandals did go all out for Christmas. So did the cowboy and cowgirl, who had added Santa Claus hats to their cowboy hats. It was an interesting look. The cowgirl was also wearing a Ms Claus dress and thigh-high black lace-up high-heel boots. We thought they had good outfits...

Lunch was at the Barefoot restaurant. Ironically, this time we were told we needed to cover up. We trudged off to grab our clothing and returned to the restaurant, only to be told that we now needed shoes as well. We were a bit perplexed by this as the name of the restaurant is “Barefoot” and the floor is sand, but the hostess was quite adamant, so off S and JT went to get shoes. Cleary she was not displaying much Christmas spirit. This would not be the only grumpy Sandals employee working on Christmas day.

Most of the day was spent at the pool and beach. We ran into our friends Bernie and Tamara who told us to keep an eye out for them tonight as they would be dressed as candy canes. J was happy as Friday is Coconut Day where fresh coconuts are handed out. You can take them to the bar and have a shot of coconut rum added for a fun cocktail. Tonight’s dinner was at Kimono, the Japanese hibachi grill. It is so booked up, that this was the first reservation we could make there. It was at 6pm, when we were probably still digesting lunch. Although you are able to choose your appetisers and desserts, everyone is offered a fixed main course consisting of vegetables, chicken, steak, fish and shrimp. This time we were able to drink actual sake that wasn’t watered down. The food was good and the chef put on a good show, but it seemed a bit abbreviated. As it turned out, our dinner slot was only 1 hour, so they needed to move us along. We did meet a nice couple as a result who were sitting at our table and they joined us for drinks afterward (JD and Simone). This was also their first Sandals adventure and they seemed a bit bewildered by it all. Simone said, “it’s just a bit loud” and JD said he isn’t a big fan of “shows”. Once again, a small world. Simone previously worked in the Maldives as a dive instructor and was able to give J some suggestions about where to stay when we get to the Maldives. JD, not to be confused with JT, is a PE guy and knew one of S’ friends from law school.

We headed down to the lobby lounge to check out tonight’s entertainment. There was a singer accompanied by a guy on a keyboard, but the real entertainment was our new friends Bernie and Tamara. True to their word, he was wearing a turquoise suit and tie with a candy cane pattern and she wore a wrap dress in the same fabric. They were adorned with flashing Christmas lights. Bernie had a ‘Naughty’ Santa hat and Tamara wore a Christmas lights crown. They clearly had the best costumes of anyone at Sandals, which is saying a lot. On our way to the English pub, we passed through a hallway with pool tables, the ‘Pool Hall’. We played a quick game of pool. J won, under protest by S, for an alleged scratch on the 8 ball. J disagreed and therefore won.

Sure enough, when we got to the pub, Bernie and Tamara were there. They ordered everyone a ‘frozen Brandy Alexander’ made with ice and vanilla ice cream. Apparently, they were able to request ice cream as they are 70-night Sandals VIPs. Orion, the bartender, was a bit perplexed as he’d apparently never heard of this drink before. After spending 30 minutes tracking down the ingredients, according to Bernie, Orion’s drink exceeded expectations… after Orion added a further brandy float to each glass. We met a new couple, Troy and Heather. They were drawn to our group as they were also adorned in flashing lights. However, they neglected to wear His and Hers Christmas costumes and were therefore put to shame by Bernie and Tamara.

#stlucia #christmas #santa #candycanes #coconuts #beachlife #beachbums

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degreeprojectjg · 4 years

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Luke Stephenson (Art Talk)

Luke Stephenson (b. 1983, UK) is now a London based photographer with Britain and the British psyche are at the core of his work. He photographs what to many epitomises the eccentricity of Britain.

An Incomplete Dictionary of Show Birds- ‘Pigeon photography’- Catalogue photography, documentation of various types of show birds- Show birds in bright colour that compliments them. With a simple, soft lighting and colourful backdrops, simple and classic with a modern twist. It’s like an update on the boring catalogue photographs that you often see in commercials.

His work is often humorous in their outlook, his series range from prize budgerigars to puppets, to the World Beard and Moustache Championships. Whether animate or inanimate objects, Stephenson creates affectionate portraits of his subjects and documents worlds often hidden from the mainstream.

Sophie Hulme- Luke Stephenson

Aside his from strange fascination of ‘weirdness’ of the world, he dabbles on fashion with a similar fascination which as a result, the work exudes similar quality even with a commercial outlook. In the photograph above, Stephenson teams up with Sophie Hulmer, a British accessories designer to create an euphoric 10th anniversary campaign designed to do nothing if not make you smile. Shot on a group of charismatic 10-year-olds on top of each other, the campaign is fun for fun’s sake. It embodies Stephenson’s unique trait.

Dogs- Luke Stephenson

This time, the subject matter being a dog with a twist, a human element to it. Showcasing a numerous and fun approach to ‘dog photography’

99x99s- The project documents the story of the 99 ice cream through a photographic road trip around the UK. In the summer of 2013, over 25 days and 3,500 miles, Stephenson travelled around the coastline of Great Britain. As he travelled from place to place, he became fascinated by the human touches that make each cone unique and the stories which shroud the 99 in mystery.

His work plays around with the stereotypes of Britain and it’s idiosyncrasies, and often poking fun at it.

Agi & Sam

Pola-Roid- Since 2006, Stephenson have been using a Polaroid Big Shot camera to photograph his friends and things that interest him. The camera uses Magicubes which aren't made anymore, he managed to collect a large number of them. He has taken around 2000 polaroids so far and has enough Magicubes for around 1500 more, so this series will continue to grow.

Art Talk Notes

-Studied BA Photography= Now has 12-13 years of Photography experience

-Entered competitions - Photography festivals, awards (France- Pierre- Entrance open on April)

-Through a simple photographs of his friends with very cheap lighting and gear. He was able to land a editorial with Dazed & Confused who liked Stephenson’s low budget but filled with life photographs

-Throughout University and after Uni, he still had lots of interest in photography. He went to the ‘World Beard Championship’ where he simply took portraits of the contestants with a similar set up as his photographs of his friends using low budget lighting and gear. He always had mini projects which he undertook as his interest. He also created, ‘The Clown Work Register’ which is a collection owned by Clowns International, the oldest clown society in the world. Afterwards, he showed these work to various photo editors and entered various competitions, in which he got lots of exposure in.

Spectacle Wearing Folks

-Won the Jerwood prize straight out of university for his series 'Spectacle Wearing Folk'. Winning the award gave him lots of exposure and attention, to a lot of art buyers and picture editors, to which he started to get commissions, mostly for magazines, straight out of Uni.

-He is very proactive in photographing, having an interest and pursuing it with photography despite minimal equipment, having an interesting subject matter is what interests him the most.

-His work is quite humorous, often embarks projects with a catalogue style. His work is what is known as ‘vencular’ photography where the mundane, the everyday is his main subject which he highlights effectively with humour and appreciation in a catalogue style, quite humorous in a way- Documentary photography as proclaimed. The work is culturally sound. He also experiments with video where he crates short gifs or stock motion videos where the catalogue is every so prominent, in which only the subject changes, the setting remains the same.

-Fashion/Portrait work- Known for his still life/ animal work, he photographed cats and fashion- His photographs / "weird" influences- Spiralled into commissions work- His fun, humorous and colour backdrops was a huge influence in the work. Bags in fish tanks. Fishes that matched the bags.

-Quite conceptual, but ideas are what drives him- His ability to develop ideas is instrumental in this practice. His ideas are what pushes him. He's quite active in his work where he purses his field quite intriguingly. He pursues his ideas quite obsessively

-His work is often tied with the British culture. For example, his 99x99s series, where he travelled around the coast of Britain to shoot the iconic British staple, ice cream. He’s interested in the diversity of Britain, how a small island holds so many cultures and lifestyles. As a photographer, he just tries and show the little things which are not really that important but make up this wonderful island.

-Fashion work= Like his personal projects, he tries to have a cohesiveness in his portfolio where he purses his personal interests instead of creating work that is so directed towards the commercial world. In every collaborations / commissions, he tries to create his own concepts or at least tries to bend the brief so that it interests him but still incorporate products. “I enjoy coming up with the ideas and figuring out how to make them work. I think fashion photography is free from a lot of the constraints that other commercial photography has and they are more willing to take risks so I suppose this is why I’ve been quite busy with fashion lately.”

-From the beginning, his style as a photographer was very honed, his subjects shot in an ‘instructional manual’ style with a strong sense of comedy and the absurd. “At uni I was a big fan of Kessels Kramer’s Useful Photography books and thought that the mundane practical photos were beautiful in their own way. I think early on and to this day I don’t like a lot of clutter in my photographs. I like to see the thing I’m photographing as it is, without to much fuss, so I try and strip the images back to what is essential.” Minimal and straight to the point.

- The collecting of images and an enthusiastic, almost obsessive documentation of a subject over and over again is one of the things that defines his work as a photographer now, starting with An Incomplete Dictionary of Showbirds.

The World Beard and Moustache Championships

-Personal Interests / Motivation= “I have always collected things since he was a child and I think all photographers are collectors in some way as you amass this massive collection of photographs as you work and they all have to be catalogued and filed away. So I think its important to have this slightly obsessive trait as a photographer. Now I use photography to collect things. When I did the bird project it started quite simply, all I wanted to do was photograph a few budgies, then I wanted to capture some canaries and then I started to see lots of different birds and began to want them in my collection. So it became a strange quest to photograph as many different birds as I could. I had a list of birds I’d like to photograph and had to search hard to get them, but this is part of the satisfaction, the hunt and figuring out a way to get what you want.”

The English Rose

-Collaborations with designers, with production of books- Book referenced old catalogue photographs. In most of his personal projects, the end goal are photo books. His books compliments his style and his approach to his photography.

Dries Van Noten x Luke Stephenson SS19

-Dries Van Noten (Fashion Designer) x Luke Stephenson SS19- Through his photographs of show birds, which caught the eye of a famous fashion designer who then reached out to Stephenson for a collaboration which he then had Stephenson’s photographs on his shirts. By creating a personal project, in which he simply pursued his personal interest, he was able to collaborate with a fashion designer. Through this, he was able to network and gets lots of exposure in the fashion industry through this.

7122 Cornflakes

-7122 Cornflakes in a box- "Individual and unique"- Photographs of each cornflakes to show off their individuality. Pursuit of personal interests

99x99s

-99x99s= Photographs of ice cream- British humour, "beach is melting pot of class and culture" – 99 Box similar to that of birds- Purchased caravan and drove all around UK- Date really well- Timeless, sort of nostalgic in a way- Way of documenting the origin and the place of the product- Homage to British Photography (Simple of showcasing an important object in British culture)

-Big Shots (Polaroid camera)- Personal project about portraits- Polaroids have similar approach to previous projects with a catalogue style. Personal project that focused on portraits rather than still life which he's been working on vigorously. Simple project which showcases photographs of his friends.

-The Ecstasy of Everything (Compilation of outtakes from work up until now)

Through his simple pursuit of personal interests and obsession with various subcultures and British lifestyles, he has managed to accrue an impressive portfolio that is cohesive and defined as part of his character and his photographic interests. Even after leaving University, he was and still is quite vigorous in his approach to this photography despite having a broad range of weird, wonderful but mundane subjects, he manages to create a collection of photographs that is minimal yet striking. With his experiments and projects, he is also very proactive in getting his work out there, therefore has manged to win some competitions, which has then snowballed into various collaborations and commissions, which has clearly boosted his career. Not only he creates intriguing personal projects, he also excels in getting his work out there.

Things to Take Away

-Pro activeness= Even after leaving University, he was still fascinated and pursued his personal interests vigorously.

-Competitions= Enter competitions, open calls, getting your work out there. Through this, Stephenson was able to lots of exposure, which then snowballed into paid jobs.

- Show work and remind photo editors of your work= Constant critique from your peers and networking is key to growth. Not just photographers, but also photo editors who gets you paid jobs.

-Ideas drive / Personal fascination= It’s important to have your personal interests that motivate you to keep on going. It’s the ideas or concept that will push you forward in long term.

-Twisting briefs to fit your personal interests, having fun= Stephenson often gets brief which he then amends to suit his photographic style, in which the commercial work feels like his own personal projects rather than just simply promoting products. This way he’s able to add to his cohesive portfolio.

-Keep experimenting despite low gears= Early on, he didn’t have ‘proper’ gear, he just had a camera and inexpensive lights which he experimented a lot with. With this, he was able to produce a body of work, ‘Spectacle Wearing Folks’ which then attracted editors. Through his use of minimal gear and equipment, he was able to amass an impressive portfolio early on.

-Cohesive work= Even his commercial work seems to be very much influenced by his personal projects. You can still feel the humour and eccentric subject matter in his commercial work which works cohesively with his personal projects. He makes commercial work fun and relevant which becomes part of his photographic style.

-Planning for the future / accumulating a big body of work= Even early on his career, it seems he has somehow accumulated a cohesive body of work, despite his commercial work, this still relates back to his personal projects. From early on, you can clearly sense a clear journey towards where he is now, which he has honed and refined through his career. He is now very known for his approach to photography.

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chriscoleman · 5 years

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Summer Meltdown - Trip Report

August 1-4, 2019

Darrington, WA

I won a VIP experience to Summer Meltdown music festival, courtesy of Propeller / Head Count / Umphrey’s McGee.

Summer Meltdown is a music festival in the mountains of North West Washington. A combination of Jam Bands and Electronic music. The perfect weekend of camping, swimming, friends, art, and live music.

Propeller is a website that rewards users for contributing to good causes. ttps://www.propeller.la/

I donated to Head Count, an organization that works with musicians to promote participation in democracy (register to vote). My donations earned ‘points’ on Propeller - which I spent on entries into their Summer Meltdown contest. https://www.propeller.la/summermeltdown2019

Then I won. Which was quite convenient because life has been busy and I had not bought tickets to the festival yet (and car camping was sold out). Brandon Deroche and Jezmae Klein at Propeller worked with me to make claiming my prize easy!

On Wednesday, July 31st I began to pack. Just home from a North Carolina trip to see Julia’s new baby cousin - Jack Donald. Luckily I’m well organized, making prep easy.

Thursday the 1st I drove from our house in Seattle to the festival. Less than a 2 hour drive north, near the Canadian border. Check-in was a bit different than the last 5 years we’ve been to this event. I started at the will-call booth to get my wristband from the guest list. Just being on the Umphrey’s guest list was jaw dropping. Then I got my VIP credentials from the artist booth, so I could get access to the Mesa camping area.

Finding the perfect campsite at Meltdown is always a challenge. It’s a big rush to claim your spot. Luckily in Mesa it’s easier. There are 20’ x 20’ marked off plots of land. The best ones were taken when I arrived at 1pm - but the one I claimed was still super nice with trees all around.

I set up camp alone, since Julia had to work until Friday afternoon. I made friends with our new neighbors quickly. Bryce and Lindsey, a gay couple, on one side. Nicole and Eric from Portland/Colorado/NY on the other. Moan moved in later - but we didn’t get to chill much. Plus a ton of other people close by that I failed to remember their names.

About 2pm I set out to find Patrick. We instantly connected in the vendor area of the venue. Then set out to scope the river. I limped along with a hurt achilles on my right leg.

Steak dinner back at camp before show time. Jammed out to a Grateful Dead cover band while I cooked.

The opening ceremony was the perfect kickoff. A native american dude reminded us that we are all 1 human family. We are all in the same canoe, we must work together!

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong was my favorite act on Thursday. A rockin jam band with high energy. They followed on the opening ceremony discussion with a song about water to start their set.

Flowmotion is the true kickoff for Summer Meltdown. They started this event on San Juan Island in 2000. Great vibes from the Cabin Stage. Our crew’s vantage point on the cement amphitheater stairs gave us a solid view of both stages while dancing or sitting. We made that spot our home base for the weekend.

Nahko was the headliner Thursday. A fun group, but not my favorite. Their new ‘Take Your Power Back’ song was the highlight of the set for me. Plus their brass players are cool. We found Greg, my ultimate teammate, late during this performance.

Once the sun vanished during the Nahko set - soooooo many LED things turned on. People were carrying LED toys of all kinds. Hula Hoops, walking canes, bowas, whips, nunchucks, shoes, and even top hats (no monocles though).

Bed by 1pm - after a long day!

Friday started out wet. I woke up to rain at 6:30am and ensured the campsite was secured.

Unable to fall back asleep - I setup a second canopy for the neighbors. Then made myself a breakfast burrito and iced coffee.

Eric and I chatted all morning. He’s a NetSuite developer living in Portland with his girlfriend Nicole who is a freelance writer for health topics. They are more into the Electronic scene, while Julia and I are into the Jam bands.

A quick walk into the venue at noon’ish and I find Patrick, Kayla, and Sam instantly. Got free tea drinks from Zevia, then I returned to the luxury of VIP camping to wait for Julia. Janna visited with her friend Grey - said security for VIP was lax - haha.

3pm Julia arrived! I chauffeured her through the check-in process. Shannon, the Mesa camp host, hooked us up with the required credentials. Then we relaxed, got drinks from the venue, and changed in prep for the big Umphrey’s event.

6:45pm we met Lia - the Brand/Social/Media Manager for Meltdown. She was amazing all around - chatting with us about the festival and the contest. She walked us backstage to the band green room. Minutes later all 6 members of Umphrey’s McGee walked in.

Julia and I stood in a circle with Umphrey’s for almost 20 minutes. It flew by. My shirt was a hit at first. The narwhals and other fish were fun to point out. Then we chatted about the Jam/Rock vs. Electronic bands - which we obviously prefer the guitar mistakes to keyboard spacebars.

I don’t remember everything - it was a whirlwind. Julia asked if they ever skied while on tour. Not much, but Joel and Ryan do ski in their off time. Ryan even puts his kids on a leash to teach them on the mountain.

We finished with a group photo, which was a big highlight of the weekend for us.

If that wasn’t enough - we got to watch their set from the stage. Lia again escorted us to our spot after the band took the stage. We were right next to the guitar tech. Photographers and staff moved all around us. There were also 4 other fans who got backstage in other ways. We took a bunch of photos and danced the whole show. The sound was not optimal (couldn’t hear any vocals for example) - but the unique experience was totally worth it. Amazing!

I could have went home directly after that and been content. We were floating on cloud 9. Then Brother Ali came on the Cabin Stage. We danced with Patrick and Kayla in our spot.

Clozee was the main closing act on Friday night. A solo female electronic artist from France. Described as ‘Nature with a Baseline’. Fun, even if not our cup-of-tea.

Unfortunately we couldn’t stay up for Break Science or Acorn Project. Sometimes that old age catches up with you. Bed at 1am.

Saturday the 3rd was a lazy morning. Julia slept in until almost 11am. I prepared another round of breakfast burritos and iced coffee. Passing out iced coffee to everyone around was a treat.

River time was perfect. We met Patrick and crew at the water fountains with their big intertubes. Walked down past the main river path to our more secluded spot. Janna and Grey met us there.

Swimming, sunning, and generally relaxing all afternoon.

Julia and I ended the afternoon with a hammock hang in the forest above the river. In the shade we napped until almost 6pm.

Greek pitas with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta, hummus, chicken, and sauce hit the spot. Then we changed into matching leggings and hawaiian shirts. I wasn’t sure about the leggings with no shorts on top at first, but I went with it anyway. Looked great!

The crew all met up in the regular spot again for Polish Ambassador DJ set. Patrick with his Pug leggings and Kayla in her dragon costume. Really wish we had a picture of that together.

Dirtwire was the 9pm band on Saturday night. 3 dudes playing a wide variety of instruments (13+?) wearing cowboy hats. Hilariously awesome.

Gramatik was the main act - and he blew the roof off with loud EDM. I drank whiskey.

I stayed up a bit later watching Spafford and Mctuff. Plus a walk through the late night tent, viewing the art installations all around. Bed at 2:30am.

8am Julia left camp for a work trip. A flight to Dallas for a WalMart implementation. Employee of the Month has its drawbacks.

I packed up camp myself. On the road by 10am after saying goodbye to the neighbors.

Home at noon, just in time to see Julia off to the airport. Too tired to drive downtown to watch the Sounders.

Overall an amazing weekend. The Umphrey’s experience is something I’ll never forget. Time with friends in the woods is always a treat. Can’t wait until next year!!

Pictures: https://imgur.com/gallery/UDwrWnd

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yahooin-travel-inspirations · 7 years

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6 Korean festivals and markets to help curb your culture fix

Oh Korea. How you have captivated the world with glamourous K-pop stars and heart-wrenching dramas of love and life. But, apart from the obvious glitz, Korea also plays host to thousands of years of rich history and culture which should not be missed. Here, we shortlist a couple of markets and festival you need to visit before you can elevate your K-Fan status.

The Markets

Gwangjang Market

The Gwangjang Market is one of the oldest traditional markets in Seoul with over 100 years of history, and it’s one of the best places to sample some of Korea’s most mouthwatering dishes.

Upon entering the market, you’ll be greeted by endless rows of food vendors serving authentic local dishes like bindae-tteok (mung bean pancake), gimbap (seaweed wrapped rice), bibimbap (mixed rice), sundae (Korean sausage), and of course, kimchi.

Aside from the abundance of local fare, the Gwangjang Market also offers quality silken goods and fabrics, making it a popular destination for young fashionistas and couples looking for vintage wears and traditional wedding items.

Address: 88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Opening Hours: General stores 08:30-18:00 . Restaurants 08:30-23:00 . Clothing stores 21:00-10:00 (Next day)

Price Range: 2,000 to 5,000 Won (SGD2.50 to 6.25)

Tongin Market

Another popular food paradise worthy of your itinerary is the Tongin Market, famously known for the DIY-style Dosirak Café. The food hunt begins by first exchanging cash for a food tray and 10 traditional brass coins (yeopjeon).

The coins are then used to purchase various food items from the food vendors. Visitors wander around the marketplace, filling up their lunchbox with tasty and affordable eats and paying with the brass coins like in olden times.

Don’t miss the popular snack tteokbokki, a chewy and spicy rice cake fried in oil and chili paste – a speciality of Tongin every visitor must try.

Address: 18, Jahamun-ro 15-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Opening Hours: 7:00 – 21:00, closed every 3rd Sunday of month

Dosirak Cafe: 11:00-17:00 (last coins exchange until 16:00). Closed on Third Sunday of each month (Dosirak Cafe is closed on Mondays)

Price: 5,000 Won (SGD6.25) gets you 10 coins

Busan Gukje Market

You can find almost everything you need here at the Gukje Market, from electronics and kitchen appliances, to vintage handicrafts and even fresh fish! Imported products are also a specialty of the market, making it a popular shopping spot for both locals and foreigners alike, hence the name gukje, which means ‘international’ in Korean.

Chances of you getting lost here is pretty high, with its narrow alleyways and hundreds of stalls. Thankfully, all the paths wind up at either Bupyeong Market, Kkangton Market or Nampo shopping district, for even more retail therapy (no brass coins this time).

The busy lanes also make it an exciting spot for drama fans as it has served as backdrops to a number of Korea movies and dramas. Oppa, notice me!

Address: Sinchang-dong 4-ga, Jung-gu, Busan

Opening Hours: 9:00 – 20:00 Varies by store (closed on every 1st and 3rd Sundays)

Price Range: 2,000 to 5,000 Won (SGD2.50 to 6.25)

The Festivals

Gimje Horizon Festival

Known for being one of the biggest ‘must-visit’ festivals during fall, the Gimje Horizon Festival, held at the Byeokgolje Reservoir in Gimje city between late September to early October, is an agricultural extravaganza that promotes the thriving farming culture in Korea.

The event showcases some of the region’s most traditional farming methods and gives visitors a chance to take part in various eco-related programmes that include the makgeolli (Korean rice wine) festival, rural landscape drawing contest, international rice cook-off, kite-flying and tug-of-war competitions.

Festival-goers also get the chance to sample premium local delicacies (like hanwoo beef) and catch traditional folk performances to experience Korean culture at its finest.

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is one of Korea’s biggest celebration of snow which takes place every year for the month of January (6th to 28th*). Locals and tourist alike flock to the frozen Hwacheonstream to take part in the wintertime carnival’s main event of ice fishing in an attempt to hook the fresh mountain trout (sancheoneo).

Those unfazed by the cold can choose to take a dip in the icy manmade pool for a shot at barehanded fishing. Your catch of the day can be either grilled and prepared sashimi-style right on the spot at the Sancheoneo Grill Centre for a small fee.

*Event dates is subjected to change due to weather conditions Aside from fishing, the festival also boasts a number of adrenaline-fuelled snow sports like ice-skating, ice soccer and bob-sleighing, as well as a winter village decorated with sculptures and colourful neon lights. Perfect for families!

Andong Mask Dance Festival

Dubbed the cultural capital of spirits and folklore, the 3000-year-old city of Andong makes an ideal venue for one of the nation’s most vibrant cultural affair.

With more than 50 traditional programmes being held over the 10-day-long celebration (from late September to early October), visitors will be mesmerised by a kaleidoscope of colour at the annual Mask Dance Festival. Join in the free-spirited fun, with captivating mask dance performances, puppet plays and world mask exhibits that show off the ritualistic heritage of this sacred Korean folk art.

Calling all K-culture junkies and food-lovers! Need help planning for your upcoming trip? We got you covered.

#1197772596

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