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skamamoroma · 3 years

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I can’t quite get “Last Twilight in Phuket” out of my mind.

I’ve seen so many people say that ITSAY was a masterpiece and that it stayed with them in quite a fundamental way and I’d 100% agree. Everything from the scenery to the music to the way P’Boss shoots a scene to Teh & Oh’s relationship feels warm and familiar and moving.

Seeing them again and as a total surprise and getting to see them in their home, in Phuket (which was 100% a character in p1) and having an insight into their happiness and comfort in the place they belong is not only a gift for people who adore ITSAY but also necessary before we see them move on. The tone was so perfectly done, pitching between blissful happiness and melancholic worry it would all be taken away.

It moved me so much. I’m sure most of us know that feeling Oh felt when he was overwhelmed, standing by the sea in the place he calls home with the person he calls home knowing he loves both and feels content but also feeling frightened of the unknown, already feeling shut out a little from his own safe space by the closure of their private beach and all of the changes he started to see. It’s that feeling of being lost, up ended, having your comfort pulled away from you and I thought the whole 14 minutes perfectly encapsulates what it is to grow up and to be forced to keep moving forward even if you want time to stand still. It made me cry watching Oh’s tears run down Teh’s back... cry in a way I’ve realised ITSAY and that whole universe can cause so easily!

The score was so perfectly scattered through it too and I don’t know of anyone who watched ITSAY who didn’t fall head over heels with the music. It made the show what it is and to hear those familiar sounds was just instantly comforting and familiar and emotional!

But the overwhelming factor for me is, yet again, the attention to detail. The red and blue shirts that they’ve now owned as their colour pallet, the shadowy shots of the iconic locations, the way the bars of their tutor school fell over their faces showing how distant they are already starting to feel before they’ve even left, the significance of them riding in the side car together again and the way Old Town was cast in darkness as they rode away only for the fairy lights to gradually turn on and frame the moon - their next step!

P’Boss, Billkin and PP make magic together and I never ever needed a Part 2 or anything more than Part 1 because it was so perfect for me but I just know I will miss P’Boss’s stamp on things. I guess this is why this little surprise felt so special as it was his magic once more.

Not to mention BK and PP’s chemistry. UNMATCHED. Honestly, some of the most sweet and natural and endearing chemistry that there is truly barely a need for words often, so much of their dialogue is silent. They mastered that in ITSAY and they’ve just got better. The way they use movement as a story telling device will always impress me.

The dynamics between Teh and Oh are so beautifully developed from where we left them. Teh had stood at the sunset and cried because he felt at peace again, he had found some comfort in his own skin after struggling for so long and Oh had been given what he wanted so badly - reciprocation. We got to see Teh’s glorious development from not being able to articulate himself emotionally and being so wound up tight to seeming so chill and mesmerised in his happiness next to an Oh full of confidence and sweetness who just welcomes ever shred of Teh’s weirdness and the edges of his still existing struggle. Teh felt shy, couldn’t quite be tactile in that moment the way Oh wanted but he just smiled, told him if was ok and while still pushing a little (which is GOOD for some like Teh). He did what he always told Teh he’d do - he was attentive and observant. Teh doesn’t need Chines characters or tutoring or metaphor to explain himself anymore.

To see Teh saying “I love you” and speaking out his feelings was so moving and I am endlessly grateful for P’Boss and the writers for that. It had to be him. It shows how far he’s come and that he’s owning his own feelings. To see Oh so adored even while he’s struggling was the perfect mix of contentment and melancholy as they watched the sunset. It’s THEIR sunset. They owned it, made it their thing and found so much comfort in it. It represents so much for them and the fact the day was centred around sunrise to sunset, watching them cherish their final one together is just absolutely the most meaningful thing the writers could have done. They are now adopting the moon, trying to find a new thing that they can make theirs and isn’t that what Part 2 seems to be about? This idea of growing and changing and being forced to face what it is to grow up - it’s scary and you do change. Those struggles are hugely relateable and so human. Change, however, isn’t always bad and they have taken that first step towards it by accepting their sunset cannot be the same anymore but perhaps the moon can replace it?

At the moment they’re in “twilight” and I adore the fact that we get to see how they reach the next phase (pun entirely intended!). I just know that whatever Part 2 is, Part 1 and this little surprise today are so perfect to me and so moving that they are enough. Now I need to go cry again 😭

#itsay #ipytm #i told sunset about you #I promised you the moon #bkpp #itsay thoughts

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mysterylover123 · 3 years

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My Top 10 MHA OT3′s

I feel like MHA is not certain if it wants to be a story about trinities or duos. Sometimes it feels like the narrative follows a long list of contrasting duos, all resembling our leads (BKDK, TSCHK, TDMM, KRMN, MRTM, KMJR, etc.) And sometimes, especially recently, it feels like the series is actually about a bunch of trinities, a la Naruto - the Three Musketeers, the Big 3, and more! So since I’ve spent plenty of time talking about my favorite duo ships, I figured I’d rank my OT3s.

(I’m sure my #1 will be a big surprise “sarcasm”)

#10. TODOBAKUMOMO

So of course Todo/Momo are a ship of mine, and they’ve got great chemistry. But TD/BK’s chemistry is hard to deny, and they’re getting so developed lately, growing slowly into a rival ship to rival BKDK. And early on, Bakugou and Momo did have interesting potential. If these three ever hang out/work together as a trinity, I’ll rank it higher.

#9. THE LURKERS (Mt Lady, Kamui Woods & Edgeshot)

Our first grown-up Trinity hero team; continuing the Trinity theme the Big 3 started when they were introduced, we also saw the birth of the triad of some of the series’ most iconic pro heroes. They definitely had a hard time last arc though. Hope they all come out OK! Also worth noting that they resemble our lead trinity - the Spider-manesque underdog (Deku/Kamui Woods), the cool mysterious one (Edge/Shoto) and the flashy famous blonde one (Kacchan/Mt Lady).

#8. INACAMIESEIJI

Also continuing the School/Pros Trinity theme, we have the Big 3 of Shiketsu! (I know that’s Togacamie in this pic, but whatever). CamieSeiji of course have lots of argumentative chemistry; InaCamie have a few moments indicating there’s a connectiong between them, and Seiji takes enough time to fanboy over Inasa to complete the trio. Also in keeping with the tD/BK/DK parallels, as I put in an earlier post: Camie=Deku, Seku=Kacchan and Inasa=Shoto.

#7. ERASERMICLOUD

And finally in the category of Out-of-UA parallel trios, we have EraserMicCloud, the prequel trinity. Now Erasermic do echo BKDK by being the Broody and Energetic one,with the suggested hero name; though Aizawa is more like Shoto and Kumo like Deku in personality. Not sure which one I want to parallel which, though in either case Mic is Kacchan. Anyway let’s just hope Kumo’s fate doesn’t parallel Deku or Shoto’s...

#7. TODOIIMOMO

I know many fans feel TD/II/DK, but while those three have their great trinity bit together, I think the Momo route has more to go for it. Ii/Momo of course have their status as Class Reps and clearly care for one another, and TD/IIda have tons of feels surrounding the Stain arc and their ongoing friendship, so it all combines neatly.

#6. MIRINEJITAMA

If it wasn’t for Yuyu I’d probably proclaim this one a definitive endgame OT3. I’m not sure who parallels who in the TD/BK/DK olympics, though my best guess is Tamak=Deku, Mirio=Kacchan and Hado=Shoto, becasue Tamaki and Deku are the shy awkward serious boys with the big crush on optimistic blonde Kacchan/Mirio, and Hado/Shoto are the socially weird pretty ones who join the childhood friends to flirt heavily with both.

#5. BKDKJR

I’m sort of grouping in my head a number of Deku and Kacchan’s potential OT3s with the ladies of Class A here (honorary mentions here are BKDKMM, BKDKMN, & BKDKTSU), though my favorite of all those would be BKDKJIROU. Obviously BakuJirou is known enough as a ship - Kacchan inspiring her and saving her and all - and I have a real soft spot for DekuJirou despite them only interacting once, but it was a great one-time interaction. Definitely more of a crackship but I love it nonetheless.

#4. MMKMJR

One of class a’s most obvious OT3s. Obviously KamiJirou is a given - argumentative and lovable, and obviously IzuKatsu, respectively. And MomoJirou too have undeniable chemistry and make a great sister ship (paralleling TDBK). And I actually have a real soft spot for KamiMomo, mostly due to the light novels where they get to hang out and pseudo flirt/inspire each other a lot. So yep, definitely a winner of an OT3.

#3. TGTSCHK

link: https://twitter.com/cutefloater/status/1069193741804679171

So obviously Toga/chako has been having lots of feels lately due to this recent arc; they connect so crazy there and have something interesting coming in future. Toga also said she likes Tsuyu, so both ends have Toga, and TsuChako are just getting cuter together by the day, so this one’s another winner. I again think TsuChako parallels BKDK, so I guess Toga is their Shoto.

#2. BKDKOCHA

If Deku really must end up with Ochako, this is the option I will accept under those conditions. Kacchako has been rising on my favorite ships list (for no real reason, I just like them), so I’m definitely down with that corner. The original planned OT3 of the show! In the drafts, this trinity would have been the center of the story, a la Naruto, and probably would’ve been the OT3. But in the show we’ve got, we all know the One True OT3 is...

#1. TODOBAKUDEKU/TDBKDK

Yep, the core of the show. Big shock, it’s #1. 3 absolute slam dunk ships - BKDK the OTP, TDBK of the perfect chemistry and rom com love, and TDDK of the destined life changing inspiration. I’m not entirely sure how Shoto can work into the destined ‘win and save’ duo that is BKDK, but there’s so much affection between this OT3 - and they just click together so nicely - that I’ll bet the series is gonna work very hard to try.

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jacnaylor · 4 years

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romance book recs!!

romance is my feel good genre, and it’s also usually somewhat easier to read during stressful times, so here’s a list of some books that are either romance or have a romance element i feel like mentioning.

(EDIT: I STAYED UP TILL 2 AM DOING THIS HELP. this is why some of the comments. don’t make any fucking sense.)

romance books and authors:

CONTEMPORARY:

1. The Bromance bookclub series by Lyssa Kay Adams (A group of men form a bookclub dedicated to romance books in order to understand women, improve their relationships and become better men. It’s funny, cute, and all about dismantling toxic masculinity one romance book at a time)

2. Mariana Zapata books (The queen of slowburn romance. The only book I’ve read by her is ‘Under Locke’, but ‘From Lukov with love’ and ‘Kulti’ have rave reviews. There is so much build up and SO much sexual tension with a great pay off)

3. Milly Johnson books (A uk author whose books are primarily set in the north, these are total feel good books. Not so much graphic and more romantic, but her characters are great and her plot lines really hook you in.)

4. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (Super cute, quick enemies-to-lovers story about a bridesmaid who has to go on a honeymoon with the best man when the bride and groom get food poisoning. Obviously this means the holy of holies: fake relationship!)

5. Well met by Jen De Luca (Oh my gosh! Super fun, the characters are just wonderful especially our heroine. A hate-to-love romance set at a renaissance fair! All about overcoming the limits you set on yourself and rethinking your first impressions.)

6. Katherine Center books (My personal favourites are ‘How to walk away’ about a woman who falls for her PT after a near fatal plane crash. And ‘Happiness for beginners’ about a woman taking part in a wilderness trail with her brothers annoying best friend. She writes such great plots and you really feel all the emotions!)

7. Mhairi Mcfarlane books (my personal favourites are ‘Here’s looking at you’ about a woman who comes face to face with her high school bully years later - only he doesn’t recognize her. And he’s not awful? Don’t worry. I know how that synopsis sounds. He’s not excused his actions, but you also understand how he’s grown and changed. It definitely gets you in the feels though. As does ‘You had me at hello’ Which is about a couple from university meeting again years later. God this woman can write angst and yearning!!)

8. A part of me by Anouska Knight (On the same day she and her husband have been accepted into the adoption process, their marriage implodes. This has such a cute romance which follows hate-to friends- to love and it’s v funny)

9. Southern Eclectic series by Molly harper (Just as it sounds. Southern small town romance with a great, quirky cast of characters)

10. Maggie’s man by Lisa Gardner (writing as Alicia Scott) (An escaped convict kidnaps a woman from the courthouse to act as his hostage whilst he tries to prove his innocence. Surprisingly funny and warm. Maggie as a heroine is an absolute joy. They’re sort of chaotic together and it’s a wild ride.)

11. The Mister by E.L James (LISTEN OK - SIT BACK DOWN - It’s not winning awards but it’s actually decent! I was skeptical, but I will admit I was won over. I mean parts are cheesy but it’s so addictive. Basically a rich man falls for his cleaning lady - but it’s also about the yearning. It’s also quite action packed as there’s danger, drama and a chase across europe to get the girl.)

12. RECENT Colleen Hoover (Now, you may enjoy older CH books. Personally I find them very problematic. Now I’ve really enjoyed her recent books though. Especially ‘Without Merit’ and ‘It ends with us’ and ‘Regretting you’. High angst, high drama, dark topics for all of her books. But you can tell she’s matured with her writing. She isn’t for everyone but they’re addictive, fast paced reads.

13. The Austenland duology by Shannon Hale (You might have seen the Austenland movie - The cutest, cheesiest, sweetest, campiest movie ever. Well there’s a book! It’s about women who go on a holiday and live their own Jane Austen story with actors. The first book leans towards Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield park. The second book is more Northanger abbey and Emma.

14. Brigid Kemmerer contemporaries (She is an auto-buy author for me, especially her contemporaries. She writes the best teenage characters, the best teenage boys I’ve ever read about. Her characters are real, she writes about kids trying their best, struggling, and being good, and kind, and the world not being kind to them. Usually the books have a pov from both the female and male love interest. I would rec any of them tbh. ‘Letters to the lost’ comes before it’s companion novel ‘More than we can tell’. I loved ‘Call it what you want’ with has modern Robin Hood elements!!!! seriously she is my favourite YA contemporary author.

15. Sophie Kinsella books (If you haven’t picked up her stand alone novels then what are you doing???? she is the queen!!!! Personal favourites are ‘Can you keep a secret’ and ‘I’ve got your number)

16. A quiet kind of thunder by Sara Barnard (I love her ok. Her books are short and sweet but she packs a punch. TBH these aren’t primarily romance, they’re more just about teenage girls but this one has a good romance element so I’m putting it on here. It’s about Steffi, a selective mute who sometimes communicates with basic sign language who is assigned to look after the new boy at school Rhys, who is deaf.)

17. Meet me at the museum by Anne Youngson (GORGEOUS! moving, tender. A lonely housewifes strikes up a correspondence with a widowed museum curator in Denmark. Oh gosh. I just love this one. It’s about friendship, love, grief, second chances, the choices we make. Seriously love this one and it’s not that long.)

FANTASY:

1. Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson (Elisabeth has grown up in the great library, protecting grimoires with powers and fearing sorcerers. When a dangerous grimoire is released, she’s forced to team up with an enigmatic sorcerer and his demonic servant in order to save the world.)

2. Sky in the deep duology by Adrienne Young (A viking inspired story about a warrior who is captured by the tribe she is at war with. Such good tension and it’s also got a lot of action. Battle couple romance! Mutual respect! Hate to love!)

3. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (I’ve reread this book once but will end up reading it again. It’s a time travel romance about a woman staying in cornwall dealing with the death of her sister who is transported back and forth to the 17th century. It’s a favourite. The romance is wonderful but the stakes are really high too. I also love ‘Belleweather’ by the same author)

4. An ember in the ashes series by Sabaa Tahir (Oh god, the romance. THE ROMANCE! it’s so much. The angst, the pining, the longing. The first book follows Laia, part of a slave class in a roman inspired world. She begins spying in the top military academy and meets Elias, a reluctant soldier. This is a proper fantasy series with only the first three books out, but it’s so great.)

5. Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen (Let me just copy the blurb ok: “Meet Captain James Benjamin Hook, a witty, educated Restoration-era privateer cursed to play villain to a pack of malicious little boys in a pointless war that never ends. But everything changes when Stella Parrish, a forbidden grown woman, dreams her way to the Neverland in defiance of Pan's rules.” I MEAN COME ON. a gorgeous adult fairytale with love and redemption at the center.

6. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot (Obviously Meg Cabot is the most iconic and we stan. But this series is my absolute favourite by her. About Suze Simon, a kickass, no nonsense mediator - Someone who helps ghosts move on to the other side. Sometimes by force. She has to move house and ends up sharing her room with a 100 year old hot ghost named Jesse. The tension. The angst. THE BANTER!!!!)

7. House of Earth and Blood by Sara J Maas (a half fae half mortal girl tries to solve a murder with the help of a fallen angel. It’s a LONG book, but for me personally it flew by. It’s a big new fantasy world but the romance has a great build. Overcoming grief! Being normal together! Being in danger together! THE UST! the characters are so good. I ahven’t been this impressed by a new series for a while)

8. Cursebreakers series by Brigid Kemmerer (yep, she gets another mention. This one is a beauty and the best retelling about a man forced to relive the same season over and over, becoming a literal beat, until a girl from our world can break the curse. The second book, following secondary characters, is my fave so far. But both feature kickass ladies and those small romantic moments BK is so good at)

9. A court of thorns and roses series by Sara J Maas (a fae inspired beauty and the beast retelling. The only time you support a ship switch. Also the secondary ships are getting their own books and oh my god. I’m so excited.)

HISTORICAL/CLASSICS/MILLS AND BOON

1. Jane Austen (The original rom com queen, obviously. Pride and prejudice and Emma are faves. Also I have a major soft spot for the alwayc chaotic and underrated Northanger Abbey)

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Actually might be my favourite classic ever. Often described at an industrial p&p. Margaret, from the south, comes face to face with the harsh reality of the world when she moves up north and comes face to face with a brooding millowner. There’s obviously a lot more nuance than that but. THE PINING!!!!!! THE MISCOMMUNICATION! THE DRAMA!)

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (You might have seen the film. Please also read the book. Told entirely in letters. The sharp witted author Juliet Ashton falls in love with Guernsey and it’s characters whilst researching what happened there during the war. Funny, moving and romantic.)

4. The Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn (A butterfly hunter foils her own kidnap and is paired together with a reclusive natural historian. They solve mysteries together. They can’t admit they wanna sleep together. The tension.......unbearable. See also the Julia Grey mysteries by the same author)

5. The warrior knight and the widow by Ella Matthews (So last year I discovered Mills and Boon and I have no shame about it whatsoever. This is a medieval beauty and the beast retelling about a woman being escorted to her fathers estate by an enigmatic and scarred knight. She’s hoping to convince her father to let her steward her own lands, and of course trying not to fall for her escort.)

6. The bareknuckle bastards series by Sarah Maclean (A badass, brooding trio of siblings who rule the underbelly of Covent Garden fall for smart, beautiful women. Opposites attract, Good girl/bad boy, strong women, banter. Super fun historical romance)

7. Redeeming the reclusive earl by Virginia Heath (I just read this and it was seriously cute!!!! And book where the hero blushes even once is a good book in my opinion. Basically aspiring antiquarian named Effie barrels into the life of a new earl - who really just wants to be left alone to be grumpy and sad and disfigured. ALONE. But Effie wants to dig on his land. And she won’t take no for an answer. She also talks A LOT.

8. A family for the widowed governess by Ann Lethbridge (Technically this is part of a series but you don’t need to read them in order and this is the best one. A widow who is being blackmailed accepts a governess post. She can’t tell her employer about the blackmail especially when she starts falling for him.)

9. The bedlam stacks by Natasha Pulley (I read watchmaker and didn’t like it but you might like it. This one also FEAUTRES A M/M ROMANCE. I know this list was super straight im sorry. Anyway this is about a botanist falling in love with a priest in the jungle.

10. The wilderness series by Sara Donati (Think outlander without the time travel and also not set in scotland. Basically Last of the Mohicans fanfiction about Hawkeye’s grown up son. An english woman moves to america when her father promises she can be a school teacher there. Little does she know he actually has plans to marry her off. Things get more complicated when she falls for Nathaniel Bonner, a white man raised native american and who’s daughter and extended family is Native American. Like outlander there’s romance, adventure, history. But unlike the outlander books the love interest is a decent guy (i say as if i don’t love the tv show)

STUFF THAT REALLY ISN’T ROMANCE AT ALL. BUT I SHIP A SHIP.

1. The Lacey Flint series by Sharon Bolton (Lacey Flint is a police officer who becomes involved in the hunt to catch a Jack the ripper copycat. There actually is a strong romantic element with the other lead police officer.)

2. The last hours duology by Minette Walters. A novel about the black death and a closed estate lead by a woman who’s trying to protect her people. There’s also a kind of murder mystery. But she also has a close relationship to one of the surfs that I got super invested in.

3. The Strike series by J.k Rowling (I know we don’t stan anymore but. This series about PI and his assistant slowly growing closer? Becoming best friends and partners? Not acknowledging any feelings for each other?

#books #book recs #literature #romance #romance books #romance reads #penvenens #romance recs #romance reader #historical romance #probably forgot loads

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lee-donghun · 3 years

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*gasp* I never finished this- (there was a lot going on at the time) @petra-dragneel

Day 3:

If I absolutely absolutely have to pick than Jun would be my bias and Donghun my first bias wrecker but *no* I refuse.

So Jun and Donghun for bias, and BK for bias wrecker (..and chan...and sehyoon- but especially BK)

Jun was the first I truly truly fell for. His humor, his talent, his personality, the way he deals with the 4 children he calls his members, his looks I won't even try to deny help as well, but honestly even if wasn't as hot as he was, he just makes me laugh so much??? And so soft?? Like I just??? He's so perfect???

And his *voice*- it's definitely my favorite in A.C.E. I mean even the rappers are amazing vocalists and Chan and Donghun perhaps have voices that most people would regard as better sounding- But Jun's just stands out so well to me. I don't even know how to describe his voice, but it's more unique and distinctive and just sounds really amazing.

Speaking to his humor again as well, I know he's said to be the least funny- but he makes me laugh the most. Of course though, some of that laughing is *at* him wether it's him being scared again or the other members torturing him again- but his reactions make me laugh. He's really good for boosting serotonin when you need it.

Of course the Jeeth- you can never forget the Jeeth when talking about Jun.

He's just- I *simp*

And then there is Donghun- he's relatively new to the bias list but he hits *hard*.

Donghun really caught my attention in the first place during the concept teasers period of HJZM because he looked so good. It was very superficial at first. But honestly, the more I paid attention to him, the more I realized he just made me *soft*. He not only is just completely adorable, but he very obviously cares so, so much about his dongsaengs. He's one of the first to tease the others, but it comes off in a way that no matter what he says, you just *know* he loves the others. I don't know how to explain it but he just does. He's also very physically affectionate and while it doesn't make someone less sweet if they aren't, it does make it more obvious at first glance. He's also so sweet to Choice and I just??? I love Hun???????

His voice, like Jun's, is iconic as well. The way he hit high notes, low notes and everything in between so effortlessly is amazing. He can also sing emotional songs without it sounding too flat, or too dramatic. He just has the perfect amount of emotion in his voice and it sounds like heaven.

BK- BK is a lot of things. He's amazing at dancing, rapping, singing- a true triple threat. But he is also a little shit. He's so *so* extra and *knows* he looks good and he doesn't use his position as a rapper to mean he has to act all tough and deny feminity. He's even gone as far as to say Genderless people inspire him, and that they don't consider clothing as being for one binary gender or the other. Plus, he's spoken up about Mental Health, is a host at Pops in Seoul and did I mention his dancing? I'm watching Mixnine right now, and his skills were instantly picked up upon. He doesn't hold back and I just love him for it so much.

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bradfordarchive · 5 years

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guess who’s bk.... bk again..... shady’s bk...... tell a friend... bradley struts onto the scene w a bleached blonde n shaven head wearin a white eminem vest. it’s she! more abt her under the cut u kno the drill

pinterest can b found here!!

MARGARET QUALLEY / CIS-FEMALE. — bradley milligan is really making a name for themselves as a tier 4 shepherd. i think that she is studying psychology in their junior year at lockwood, living in off campus. originally from queens, bradford pear is known to be brave & resilient, but can also be ruthless & destructive. — nai / 23 / gmt / she/her.

the kind of sour cherry only certain people have a taste for

once drank a bottle of whiskey, insisted she could still do a cartwheel and accidentally kicked an old man’s front tooth out in the process. proceeded 2 collapse into a flower bed and laugh so much abt it that she cried

barely takes anything seriously 50% of the time and is angry the other 50%

if she was a coffee she’d be black with five grains of sugar that you couldn’t taste until the last sip

father runs a gang n strip club in queens called ‘no angels’ tht fronts an affluent drug trade, primarily coke. his name is tony milligan n his gang is p infamous around there fr being jst like…. completely cutthroat n awful. they were nicknamed ‘tony’s rottweilers’ by locals bc he bsically has all of these trained dogs on leash at his command n they’re still a growing organisation tday

he’s pretty much the worst human being alive n bradley hs like….. a lot of issues with herself as a result of years of toxicity n abuse

in terms of more family bkground info her mum’s name was alyssa n she vanished when bradley was 12. jst like…. into thin air. nothing. no note. zilch. gan! n when bradley asked her dad abt it his response was essentially “guess she didn’t love us enough to stay”. as bradley’s got older tho n become (without intention) more involved in the business side of things, it’s become pretty clear there was far more to the story. they had a horrible marriage n tony ws quite violent at the best of times, which didn’t help the fact tht alyssa ws struggling a lot w severe depression n rly just… not in the mindset to b dealing w anything else on top of tht, even where motherhood ws concerned. bradley p much… would look after her a lot n they’d both b scared of her dad n it was just a whole mess. anyway im rambling bt basically tony (bradley’s dad) gt wind of alyssa sleeping w men tht worked fr him n he just… got rid. bradley’s kind of worked out over the yrs tht her mum didn’t jst leave on her own accord n tht something must hav happened to her bt she’s too scared of her dad to ever directly accuse him

when her mum went all of her dad’s cruelty pretty mch got channelled straight onto her. it ws diluted between two before bt as u can probably imagine her upbringing was jst…. a steep downhill decline frm tht point onwards

she learnt ways 2 deal w the incurring trauma bt they weren’t healthy ones at all! bsically jst. will do or take anything fr the distraction. chases a thrill like it’s the only way to remind her she’s alive. has absolutely no regard fr her own wellbeing n sometimes gets other ppl in trouble too bc she’s so insatiably reckless

high functioning alcoholic. if u ever see her w a coffee cup u jst kno tht one sniff will confirm high alcohol percentage. honestly idk hw she does it her liver must b yellin

she hd….2 separate stints of psychiatric hospitalisation n she never tlks abt it. like ever. acknowledging she’s been vulnerable is her worst nightmare n bc of the way her dad raised her she always thinks any sign of struggling within herself is weakness. truly does…. not kno how to properly emotion

honestly. im probably missing a million things bc i kind of feel like a microwaved shrimp as i write this bt. basically her life is jst the worst a true… abomination! bc im evil like tht sometimes

loyal to a point of fault. if she cares abt u and u murder a man in cold blood she’ll brawl anyone that says ur guilty

honestly wld probably fight a person over anything. sometimes she’ll jst be having a bad day n she’ll burst n take it out on whoever says the wrong thing. a minefield!

has the worst luck in romance…. ever. the majority of her past bfs hav been absolute beasts n as a result she kind of has the ‘romance is dead n love is a lie’ mentality

speakin of which i feel like she’s bi bt wldnt have dated a girl or anythin. like guys r probably…. her preference just bc historically theyv treated her worse n she hs a very self destructive personality like that. sexy!

dresses like courtney love, 2014 sky ferreira and a character from this is england had a baby. mostly wears stolen clothes from strangers and jackets that swamp her. hair is p much always a wild mess n she usually hd kind of smudgy/smoky makeup bcos apparently she’s allergic to combs and generally looking presentable… relatable content

personality wise she’s v sarcastic. sometimes blunt. kind of has a habit of…. assessing a person n she’s quite perceptive bc she’s been trained to b by the way she always has to monitor her dad’s expression fr the slightest emotion change. she’s quite confident n can p much mke a conversation out of whatever. sort of independent too like she hs a bunch of friends bt she doesn’t care abt going out places alone if she’s in a certain mood n jst wants…… to get into chaos. she’s probably kind of known around campus/town bt itd b a 50/50 balance between bein known as intimidating n bein known as that one girl tht always gets into anarchy

where the app is concerned!! iv made her a tier 4 shepherd bc i feel like she deals fr her dads gang thru the app n like. they probably have something incriminating held over her head about pearl winters (shoutout 2 pand love u icon) who’s her best friend n she wldnt want her to go to jail or anything so. i haven’t rly decided fully what it might be?? mayb...... this hit and run they were involved in bt. bradley ws in the passenger side n pearl ws in the bk n this guy sawyer ws driving n they told him to stop bt he jst like. purposefully ran this man jason dwn. it ws super traumatic obviously n bradley feels responsible even tho she cldnt rly do anything abt it so. ya she’s prob bein blackmailed w something to do w tht perhaps

likes: fishnets, stealing cars, throwing watermelons off rooftops and whiskey

dislikes: amy schumer, honesty, yellow tulips and going home

in terms of Plots

hm. mayb someone tht knows her frm home/queens??? like tht frequents no angels (her dad’s strip club) or picks up frm there or smthn

she deals coke thru the app n probably other drugs too like pills n whtever..... bt feel like coke is her main sell. she doesn’t even need the money she jst does it bc it’s like.......... the culture she’s been raised into n also she finds the risk of it all entertaining so. mayb she deals to someone

anyone….. shes brawled in the past like. she’s literally a menace i cnt express this enough. wil jst randomly throw a drink in someone’s face fr no reason bc she’s bored. she’s probably pissed off 1000 diff ppl in 1000 diff ways. the possibilities r endless n i jst think tht’s a sexy prospect!

fwbs perhaps??? exes??? (probably ws a tumultuous relationship wtever…. ur muse is like like bradley is. a handful)

mayb someone tht she met at an aa meeting when she hd to go fr a court mandated thing one time after bein arrested fr public indecency. i feel like there’s probably a rly expensive statue somewhere thts fancily Sculpted n she like. did a flying kick n kicked the dick of it off n gt arrested fr it

ppl she……. Goes Wild Goes Crazy w. truly jst the most self destructive person alive so anyone w a similar mindset wld b a hellish bt fun combination

on the contrary a gd influence cld b nice perhaps? like someone tht genuinely cares abt her n she jst doesn’t kno hw to compute it

um. honestly the world’s our oyster. hmu n we cn brainstorm if none of tht catches ur eye!

#wshintro #depression tw #hospitalisation tw #abuse tw #alcoholism tw #drugs tw #addiction tw #disappearance tw #murder tw #death tw #grief tw #self harm tw #alcohol tw #god thts a hefty amt of tws to say the least bt. wht can i say. bradleys life is abysmal #hit and run tw

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thotyssey · 6 years

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On Point With: Angelica Sundae

From the Vegas strip to Metropolitan Avenue, this funny glamour ghoul became well-known in Brooklyn nightlife as one third of the nutty supergroup the Haus of Umpteen Corpses. And when the Haus got evicted, she became a much enjoyed entertainer in her own right--making the children laugh, cry and squirm. It’s the bittersweet Angelica Sundae!

Thotyssey: Angelica, hello! Thanks so much for talking to us today! How's your summer been so far?

Angelica Sundae: Thank you so much for having me! My summer has been WILD! After Pride I was looking forward to a little slow-down, but that certainly has not happened! And I'm not complaining!

You're everywhere these days... everyday is Sundae! I was just looking again at those fabulous pictures of you and the girls at the Met Opera House in full regalia from back in May. What was the story behind that outing?

Merrie Cherry approached me and Untitled Queen to be involved in the Met Opera’s season wrap party. It was a little mixer before their show Cendrillon, which was a cool take on the Cinderella story, so we came as the wicked stepmother and her two daughters. It was SO FAB, and the first time I had been to the Met. Truly unforgettable!

I bet you're finding yourself in a lot of incredible places and situations you never would've imagined you'd be in back when you were a little Sundae scoop.

Yes, absolutely. I started doing drag 12 years ago in Las Vegas and had my share of fun gigs and opportunities there, but New York is really a completely different animal.

Are you a Nevada native?

No, I was born and raised in Rockford, IL but moved to Sin City with my family at 18 and was there for a decade. It's definitely home.

What got you into drag there?

My first real job in Vegas was as a host at their Hamburger Mary's. A few months after I started, we did a charity "turnabout show" where all the boys who had never done drag got to perform. I got such a positive response that I just kept going from there.

Was Angelica always your drag name?

Angelica was born in Brooklyn. My original drag name was Missy Boqu, bestowed upon me by Mary's resident karaoke goddess.

And what kind of numbers / aesthetics were you sporting at that time?

Being a Vegas queen, there’s a lot of pressure to be a showgirl. There were a lot of sequins and rhinestones, some elaborate costumes. I did a lot of pop numbers, a lot of top 40. Very "give the people what they want.”

When did you make the move to NYC?

I came to New York five years ago, it's so hard to believe!

You're also a makeup artist and hairstylist. Did you come here to pursue that, or drag?

I had been taking a bit of a drag break when I moved here, so I did come to pursue hair and makeup... and have been doing so at Mudhoney Salon in SoHo since I arrived.

How did you discover the Brooklyn scene, and become Angelica?

My sweet auntie Severely Mame worked with me at Mudhoney when I first moved here, and really facilitated my introduction to the scene. I was a Bathsalts baby--my best friends and I went every Monday. After Mini Horrorwitz asked me to put her in drag, the spark was reignited and I finally started going out in looks again. My first real performance here was at Bushwig with the now defunct Haus of Umpteen Corpses.

Wait... was it Mame who turned you goth, or were you Born That Way?

Haha! I was definitely born that way, but growing up in the Midwest I wasn't confident or bold enough to fully represent the dark side that I love so much. With Angelica, I felt like it was my second chance to really commit to that aesthetic.

youtube

The Haus of Umpteen Corpses was a very funny and bizarre drag supergroup consisting of Mini, yourself and a third person we won't name, who was your partner at that point. That relationship did not end well and therefore the group broke up, but you and Mini have gone on to be successful solo performers and occasionally a duo. Were you worried that that wouldn't happen... that people only wanted the House?

We did experience a lot of requests for "the Haus" when I think we were all ready to define ourselves a little more as singular performers. So yes, there was some worry about that because what we were doing was so special. I'd never discredit the work we did together because of tumultuous personal drama behind the scenes. When the Haus dissolved, it was heartbreaking. But in the end it was the best thing for Mini and I to be able to explore who we are individually, and she is by far my favorite person to perform with,...and we still do PLENTY of that!

When you and Mini do shows together, do you plan a lot of stuff out and rehearse a lot... or is it all mostly off-the-cuff?

We do some planning, we rehearse together if we want to do anything complicated, we definitely give our duets some structure. But I think we both love being in the moment. So a lot of it is improv, which has produced some really fun moments on stage.

Your big night together now is Mini Sundaes at Pizza Party in BK on Sunday nights! You’ve been doing that for awhile now. How would you describe it to the uninitiated?

Mini Sundaes is a blast! We don’t perform, but we definitely give showzzz. Basically we pick a theme each week, and then show music videos based on that theme, along with playing some drinking games. I like to describe it as Beavis & Butthead with drag queens."

And I see that you’ve taken over for Mother Mame (who has moved out of the city recently) as the Tuesday night bingo queen of another Brooklyn spot, Boobie Trap.

Yes I have, and it's really an honor to fill her extra wide shoes! Boobie Trap Bingo never disappoints, the crowd gets so competitive and so rowdy. It's wild as hell each and every week, and I love it!

And now you’ve recently begun hosting a monthly Thursday goth / darkwave dance party at Dream Baby in the East Village, Vicious! One of the saddest trends in recent nightlife is the disappearance of the goth scene... is there hope for a resurgence?

Tonight [Thursday, July 12th] will be our second installment of Vicious, and I cant wait! Last month was so fun and this month should be even better. I think darkwave / goth / punk / electroclash nights have a very valid place in queer nightlife and offer an alternative for that part of the community that isn't gagging over the newest Kim Petras bop (no offense, I stan Kim, but I'm all about more diverse options).

On Thursday the 19th, you and Mini and several other amazing performers are doing Lee VaLone and Vic Sin’s Sinners Kit Kat Cabaret at Bizarre! What do you have in store for that?

I'm bringing back one of my favorite performances that I did at the Spring Break edition of Razor 5000 earlier this year, and Mini and I are planning a cute little mommy / daughter number that should be a carry! Kit Kat Cabaret is absolutely one of best shows in Brooklyn, you don’t want to miss it.

Then Thursday the 26th, you’re doing the monthly prelim for the Mx. Mont Rose comedy queen pageant at The Rosemont! Are you prepared to slay us for that one?

I am SO PREPARED to crack the audience and the judges up with a new number that DreamBoi produced the mix for. My sharp contour seems to be a very defining characteristic of my makeup, and you'll get to laugh about that at the pageant!

Busy July, queen! What else?

My last show of the month will be Friday the 27th also at the Rosemont for Bitch Nasty, celebrating my good judy, Renee Glitch, for her birthday! Surprises are in store!

This just in: RuPaul’s apparently getting a talk show, and OMG maybe she’ll step down as host of Drag Race! Um, no, not likely. But if she does... who should take her place?

That is such a hard question! There are a lot of great options! My top three would probably be Bob the Drag Queen, Sasha Velour, and Bianca Del Rio, because they're such great hosts and icons in the Drag Race universe.

Good picks! Okay, so finally: the BK scene has been constantly evolving and changing. What do you see now in nightlife that you really like, and what not so much?

Of course, I love seeing my fellow performers going out on a limb, not adhering to what the masses may think of as "drag," throwing that definition away and exploring the infinite possibilities in their looks and performances. This community is endlessly inspiring! But, for as much as we strive for diversity and inclusivity, I still see talented people being underappreciated and underutilized. The market is definitely saturated, so it's hard to give everyone a spotlight, but I would still love to see more of those performers get the recognition they deserve.

Here’s hoping! Thank you, Angelica!

Angelica Sundae co-hosts “Mini Sundaes” with Mini Horrowitz at Pizza Party on Sundays (10pm), hosts “Boobie Bingo” at Boobie Trap on Tuesdays (10pm), and “Vicious” at Dream Baby on second Thursdays (10pm). Check Thotyssey’s calendar for all her scheduled appearances, and follow Angelica on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube.

On Point Archives

#onpointwith #angelicasundae

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briteboy · 7 years

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stealing @bratsims format because i need a less ugly way to mass answer your messages which will hopefully motivate me to stay on top of this! at least i can say i tried

so if you sent me an anon message in the past...idk MONTH (i’m bad i know) it might be here. (older ones are near the bottom) if not, check my faq because it’s probably answered there. (and if you’re the person/people who sent the twin flame & 7th house asks, i plan to answer those separately because i have a LOT to say. get ready)

game of thrones, nuclear war, real life santis, lou theories, i’m evil, HERE WE GO!! i literally had to cut it off at the last one because it was just too much for now. i’ll try to answer some more later ok

we’re starting off on a great note

Anonymous said: gaddamn rooney's tiddies lookin' hella ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

STOP!!!!!!!!!!! THAT’S MY CHILD soaidfnjds she’s supposed to have like b/c cups (goals for me tbh, the big boob life is not fun) and sims 4 pregnancies just fuckin make them...NYOOM i’m mad you can’t edit sims’ bodies during pregnancy even with cas.fulleditmode on -___- so i let her live with her giant preggo tiddies for now

Ngl I want a kiss between Santi and Gianni (I'm sorry I'm literally trash)

then i’m here to satisfy your desires: they do kiss periodically because gianni is one of those people who’s like “why shouldn’t you kiss your friends?” free love 4 everyone

IM SCREAING AT UR YOUTUBE CHANNEL OK!!!! I LOVEEE IT, WOW

DON’T IT’S UGLY EXCEPT FOR LIKE TWO VIDEOS

hey this is kinda random but i thought joe seaward from glass animals looked kinda like santi? he has quite a weird face too lmao

oMG i actually love that, i know what you mean. that dude reminds me of a bull terrier lmao i actually saw glass animals like two weeks ago!! i didn’t really get a good look at the drummer but now i wish i did. missed connection

i just finished reading santi's story and ugh it almost had me in tears! beautiful, your story telling skills and editing skills are perfection!

ahhhhsdkgkds thank you so much ;____; that means the world to me <333

Unpopular opinion: im so done with game of thrones tbh. It's not even good anymore :/ I liked the first season but since then i've skipped through episodes because they are just sooo fucking boring and dragged out!

see like the first three seasons were pretty good because they stayed true to the books. (actually that’s a lie, littlefinger’s chaos speech in the s3 finale was real fuckin bad because guess what: it was original material LMAO) the fourth season was where it started to get messy and then the fifth season was a fucking shitshow because they completely IGNORED the fourth book and cherrypicked all the “good” parts out of it (read: the most action-y parts, while ignoring all the most important pieces of character development) and they botched the dorne storyline, oh and who could forget the iconic moment of throwing in a rape (THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN IN THE BOOKS) just for fun :) love it! but anyway if you think the show is boring i probably wouldn’t recommend the books, they’re even slower getting through them lmao. but it’s worth it in my opinion. there’s so much they don’t include in the show and it makes me Angery

Okay, game of thrones fan here, I haven't read the books (yet at least, I bought book 1) but I feel like dany is going to practically turn into her father, this season she is already showing traits like his.......

OH YEAH i definitely feel like they’re moving in that direction in the process of revealing jon as the “true” king of westeros and it’s so bad lmfao. the thing is, like...cersei is already mad king 2.0? why do we need another one?????? the entire point of dany’s arc is that she’s constantly trying to deviate AWAY from the way her father ruled, demonstrated by the fact that she freed the slaves (whereas all the targaryens before were slave owners), the fact that she’s not perpetuating the whole incest thing (LMAO GUESS AGAIN BECAUSE JONERYS HAS TO HAPPEN FOR SOME FCKING REASON), the fact that she has dragons which haven’t existed in how many years...like, if she ever ends up being like her father in the books, it’s NOT gonna fucking happen like this. but i don’t think she will anyway, george rr martin has been pretty clear about her trajectory thus far. anyway this show is so ugly, next question

rooney's eye are so BIG

just like her tiddies lmao i kno sometimes i forget how big they are and then she does one of those silly endearing animations and i’m like o ;-; hello big dumb baby cow eyes

Cows? Are you secretly Matthew Daddario?

WHO i had to google him lmao i was about to say “oh the teen wolf guy” but jk @ myself u idiot it’s shadowhunters damn i literally googled “matthew daddario cows” and

tru

I love how fragile Lou looks like but the truth is that she is strong af and you can't play with her bruh

SHE IS ;-; and that’s a huge theme in her story, i’m excited <3

ima leave ur blog and come bk and spam you so you will finally notice me

im part of this online forum of girls that talks about our period and weather or not one of us might be pregnant and once this girl posted saying that her husband invited his mom without telling her to thier honeymoon and she didnt find out until they arrived at the hotel and she was already there. the most recent part reminded me of it. but long story short, her dad moved all her stuff out of his house and her friend came to pick her up and they got a divorce.

OISOJDFAKNLJSD WHAT!!! i’m guessing you sent this because of that thing i said about the reddit post lmfaooo imagine your mom on your honeymoon. why. that’s soooooooooo good 4 her u know. u don’t need to be married to his mom as well

thanks 4 trusting my love santi. he's beautiful

thank u he thinks ur beautiful too 💘

do you have any tips for runing game in good quality and fast?

euhhhhh the only tips i have for you are to merge your cc, close all other programs while you play your game, maybe invest in a cooling pad uhhhhhh yeah idk any other tips you can probably find on google

You told that thing about unfollowing people and I thought you unfollowed me, but then I checked and you didn't and I'm crying omg

lmao omg ;-; i literally cut my following list in half, it was so chaotic and it was making me anxious. so if ever unfollow any of you please don’t take it personally (i know it’s a stupid thing to say, and it’s a lot easier said than done) it’s just my brain explodes when there’s too much going on at once and some content blends into others, i’m trying to only follow people who i’m genuinely interested in enough to keep up with their posts from now on

I haven't been able to sleep in over 72 hours thanks to the constant fear over the looming world war. I'm fine. Completely fine

Oh shit, have you noticed that the media has been putting out more 'what to do during a nuclear attack' kinda articles? This world is slowly going to shit, for real. I'm not even near any of the danger really, but it still absolutely terrifies me to see all of that bc it could very well go wrong and hit my place as well yknow? I have no idea why i send this to you but you seem chill and calm so thanks for reading my freakout askfjsls

YEP it’s pretty terrifying. but at the same time don’t let fear overwhelm you, fearmongering is an ugly, ugly thing and you don’t want to live your life constantly worrying. so just prepare yourself for what might come, but at the same time, just spend as much time with your loved ones as you can, do all the things you’ve ever wanted to do, and then if it doesn’t turn out as bad as we thought it would, you *tim mcgraw voice* lived like u were dyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyin’

@ Jesus anon: I really don't think it's the right time to complain about "using the lord name in vain" when there are people terrified of leaving their homes bc they are afraid to get killed (aka that poor, poor Jewish anon in charlottesville)

yeah idk like i want to respect everyone but it seemed to be in poor taste to bring that up at a time like that lmao. and also i’ve literally never in my entire life met someone who actually takes “don’t say the lord’s name in vain” seriously.

I asked about the poses and HOLY CRAP THANK YOU SO MUCH! I finally have good poses to use for story telling. Thank you soo so so so sooooo much!

YAY i’m glad you found some good stuff <3 and honestly just going through lana’s blog you’ll find a ton of good poses, it’s a gold mine

Idk how much tv you watch, but have you've ever come across a tv show that used music from The Sim? Because once in a while I'll hear Sims 3 build/buy music on some random show and I'll get a lil shook because I find it so weird that the generic music they're using comes from a major game title.

OMG LMAO NO what i wish i’d come across that tho. one time i used sims 1 music in a video i made for school and someone recognized it

I love your stories gosh I check your page "it's everyday bro with femmesim flow" Lol sorry for that awkward Jake Paul "poop" ❤️

lmao thank u i had no idea who jake paul was until my friends started talking about him

yo, I also remember once in french class real life santi asked me what videos games I like to play. When I told him the sims, he looked at me for a while and shaked his head. He was like, "why do you want to watch your sims use the toilet?"

WHY DO YOU WANT TO WATCH YOUR SIMS USE THE TOILET SAME that’s all i care about when i play

that rooney face in the 5 facts is so iconic, its my fave picture of her. You should blow it up and frame it

i should tbh. i should print it out and put it in my wallet to show everyone because she is my child

sorry the bother you, merging cc makes your game smoother? can you explain to me please?

boop

hi i love you ♡ pass it on

I LOVE U

Can I say that hearing a MacBooks fans screaming for dear life as they try to cool down when playing the sims has actually started to haunt my nightmares

SAME my macbook is actually doing it right now for no reason. thanks laptop

Maybe Santi should go to therapy to talk out his issues.

maybe he should 🤔 but tbh he’s already talked out everything, there’s nothing really more to talk out. he just has to cope with it. he’s treated lou like his therapist thus far and that’s not okay

i love ur story and omg i totally get where lou is coming from with being tired of being compared to molly by santi, thatd hurt so much esp with how much she cares about him

thank youuu ;-; i’m glad you understand, this was a part i’d wanted to get out for a loooong time now, and i know you guys were always like “um why does she put up with this” lmao. she just loves him, that’s why. but you’re right, it does hurt.

My theory is very similar to the other anons in that Fiona's dad/Lou's ex had a mental illness (schizophrenia, depression, what have you) but he actually did kill himself and that's why she's not completely losing it on Santi because I feel like most people in that situation would have not handled it as well as Lou did

🤔 you’re right about the last part, and there’s a reason she has so much patience, das all i’m sayin

i started your story from the beginning last night and i am in awe. Its amazing. It inspired me to put a little more effort in learning to edit and write. It was like reading screen caps from a movie! I didn't want to stop reading. Anyway thing was a super sappy ask, but i appreciate your stuff. And i'm bad at putting my thoughts into words.

omg ;__________; when people tell me i inspired them it means the most to me, my brain just can’t process it lmao. so thank you so so much ;-; <333 THE MOVIE THING ESPECIALLY GOT ME IN THE HEART because i feel like that’s my aesthetic with most things i create because i’m such a film person lol. don’t worry i love super sappy, and you did a good job of wording everything because it got me right in the feels <33

Okay I've been snickering for about 43 minutes bc SANTI GOT THAT GRU CHINNN

WOT is that i googled it and the only thing that came up was the dad from despicable me lmfaosdkjfs but ok

Please, please do punk edits of your some of your characters! I'd die.

WHAT DOES THIS MEANNN do you mean like. those 2010 tumblr edits of punk disney characters and then the joker from suicide squad looked like one of them. do u want santi to be the joker. because my boyfriend already relates him to suicide squad joker because of his face tatt lmao

You love to make me cry

i do i’m sorry. if it makes you feel any better i love to make myself cry too. but my biceps grow stronger with every tear

I reeeally dont think those chancla comments were offensive??? Why would they be?? I'm hispanic (born and raised in the sunny Dominican Republic, received a fair amount of chancletazos myself) and I laughed out loud when i read them 😂😂

I JUST WANT U TO KNOW I SHOWED @ichosim THIS MESSAGE AND SHE LAUGHED FOR 12 HOURS AT “CHANCLETAZOS”

whATT my little brothers name is santiago n we call him santi for short!! guess it's not rly that uncommon but we live in a small country and he's also 4 so like,, no other santiagos!! idk why im saying this its completely irrelevant just kinda surprised me :'))

OMG wow hell yeah another real life santi...santi acts like a 4 yr old so he might as well be your brother

Just curious.. Do you play sims or just use it for storytelling? Sorry if thats weird haha

well my recent gameplay pics should answer your question lmao. i do like to play but i don’t have enough time to both play and pose scenes so i mostly just pose scenes for now. :[ i am gonna be off work for like two weeks tho so hell yeah gameplay here i come!!

I'm starting a Fiona appreciation movement because she is the real star of santis story RT and i love her and she is way underappreciated and I love her KThxBi

SHE IS THE REAL STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i’ve said this before but santi’s relationship with her is the most important to me, out of every relationship he has in this story. i’m so glad you love her so much, sorry about what’s about to come in the next few scenes tho

Oh my heart, Santi is alive, god exist

I have a pretty hard time understanding Santi's story mostly because I'm not English but I'm sure I'll figure it out:)

ahh oh no D: i’m sorry i wish i spoke every language in the world lmao. if you want, you can message me off anon and i’ll help you understand it!!

Lou is an angel honestly

“there are worse things than seeing an angel before you die”

what tablet do you use? or how do you draw hair? it looks so pretty.

omg haha i don’t have one! i wish i did tho. all of the brushes i got from deviantart, i’m trying to find the specific ones but they’re all elusive wtf. i’ll post them when i find them! for now, here’s a good guide to drawing hair, by airi <3

Nah nah I always knew you'd save him.....eheheeh.....THANK YOU FOR NOT KILLING BABBY SANTEEEEEEEEE DNDDNSKANW YOU WOULD HAVE HAD SO MUCH BLOOD ON UR HANDS AS ALL UR FOLLOWERS COLLECTIVELY DIE FROM A BROKEN HEART BUT DW WE DIDNT BECAUSE UR QN ANGEL....but I toooootally knew you'd save him... /sweats/

I’M GLAD U HAD FAITH <3 i know omfg i would’ve expected a mob at my house if i’d actually killed him. if i ever killed him i would just lay down somewhere and die. that’s it for me

Lou & molly almost always have teeth showing, do you draw them on each pic?x

no, only sometimes i’ve drawn them when i felt like their mouths weren’t matching the expression i wanted. but most of the time it’s just the pose.

is it too late to send 16k dollars to guarantee santi's inclusion in a loving home with loving friends

it is absolutely never too late to send me 16k i promise you that

I just bought school books for $550 who knew studying marine biology could be so fuckING EXPENSIVE

EWW WTF...i’ve been lucky and haven’t had to spend a ton on books in my college career (one time i even went to such lengths that i got access to free trial version of one of my school books in a pdf, screencapped EVERY SINGLE PAGE, which was more than 400 pages, just so i wouldn’t have to spend $70 on it. i love cheating the system)

waIT i never saw ur selfie where is it, must see

u could probably just search “selfie” on my blog and find it, or enjoy the ugly closeup drunk snap i posted last night

Hey guys I'm a happy trans man that has no mental illnesses. I'm fucking pissed about Trump's ban. And to any one that says it's logical FUCK YOU! I'm having flashbacks to don't ask, don't tell because this is the same fucking wacked up logic. I'm so angry, like I'm a human, yes I may require testosterone shots once a month but that's it, I even administer them to myself. I pay for them with my own god damn money so fuck you transphobic bigots who say this law is fair. It's not. WE ARE HUMAN TOO Also same anon that ranted. Sorry about that I'm just really pissed and I love and thank you for sticking up for the community. We love you and I love you. And you're right not all trans people transition. We all do what we want to. Some start on T or E and have the full surgery. Some just have top surgery. Some just do testosterone or estrogen. Some never do anything. We're all still trans and we're all valid.

YES ALL OF THIS, sorry i didn’t answer this when it was all happening. but askdkjfas thank you for this message, I LOVE YOU TOO, SO MUCH <333 and i’m glad you feel comfortable enough to voice this in my inbox. yes every trans person is valid no matter what they decide to do with their bodies <3

One of those old hot topic shirts that said " if Darryl dies we riot " but with santi instead of Darryl.

OMG LMAOOOOO NOW THAT’S A CONCEPT who’s making these i want one

your use of references and reaction pics and gifs fucken KILLS ME

Crystal anon here. I googled around my area to find there are none of those y'know, crystal, candle, incense, magic type shops. I have panic attacks when I go outside and I wanted to look into alternative stuff since I'm on meds and w/e. I wanted to know if you or friends had any experience or recommendations for buying crystals online like on etsy or amazon. How can you tell if they're real?x

ooooh ok. usually there are shops like those in cities or even in towns with like kitschy little promenades with independent shops. (i know there’s one around the town over from mine, which is so random lmao) i do have friends that have crystals but i think they mostly just collect them for the ~good vibez~ and don’t really look too far into the healing aspects of them. i would say first go with the one that coincides with your birth because those are the ones that are like specifically catered to you and strengthen your being. as for buying online, hmmmmm i mean i don’t really know any specific trustworthy sellers because i don’t have much experience with this, but definitely read the reviews! those will help you a lot <3

Hello could you please tell us how you edited the pic of rooney in that one post that the anon asked for the unedited version?

i honestly didn’t do much of anything that differs from my usual editing process! i made her eyes a bit bigger by using the clone tool, cloning the top of her eye and applying it a little bit farther up...if that makes sense. it’s hard to explain how to use that tool lmao. and i think i used the liquify tool to bring part of her eyebrow down to look more worried.

there's still a part of me that says she ain't dead and molly is just in a coma lmao end mE

OMFLDKGKJS yeah she’s not dead surprise. i WILL say there is still flashback stuff that will be revealed. well not “revealed” like molly’s death was revealed, like i just still have to showcase some things that happened afterward. because it doesn’t just end with molly’s death, there’s stuff after that as well :~}

I'm Mexican, have lived around Mexicans, have been to Mexico multiple times growing up, just came back from a family trip at practically the border between Mexico and Guatemala and never in my life have I ever heard the word "joder" i had to look it up xD (not hating or anything I just thought I'd mention it cuz I found it funny...lol) k bye...

OK NOT SURE IF the ppl you’ve been around just don’t curse or whatever but...joder is DEFINITELY something i’ve heard mexican people say before lmao

Okay so this is random, but i was telling my sister the name of one your characters in ur story (santi) and she kinda just starts singing his name, and she said "santi high, santi low, santi go." And im just sitting there, like woah.

LMFAO WHATKNJDSKJGD “woah” same

u gonna incorporate fis hat into a really like emotional sad thing in her story huh

oMG i wasn’t planning on it but hmm 🤔

Why no el chingo? NO ME GUSTA (I'm joking btw ily)

LMFAOOOO because i didn’t wanna have to defile my son by downloading the penis mod RIP

let santi grow out dem eyebrows 2kforever

omg he does let them grow out except for the little line he shaved in when he was 14 that never grew back RIP

in ur bio it says "kt" and i know why,, it means killing them as in killing off ur characters slowly i see u gurl

i bet this story was just an excuse for you to see the world burn. well done.

OMG i mean, that was definitely one of the side effects of it all. but really it was just that i NEEDED to get this story out after it had lived in my brain for so long.

ur dead 2 me

I... just.... can't... too much pain Y U DO DIS 2 UZ?!?!!!

#anonymous #nonsims #saviorhide #sunny answers

31 notes · View notes

instantdeerlover · 4 years

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The LA (Quarantine) Dinner & A Movie Guide added to Google Docs

The LA (Quarantine) Dinner & A Movie Guide

Dinner and a movie is a timeless combination. And while you can’t exactly leave your house at the moment, you don’t really have to - there’s plenty to watch at home, and even more to order for delivery or takeout (how’s that for optimism?). So we’re here to make sure you’re doing dinner and a movie right. Below, you’ll find our picks for great delivery, and which classic movie you should pair it with. We’ll be updating regularly, but for now, here are 28 combinations to keep your quarantine nights feeling fun, and hopefully, just a bit more normal.

All restaurants featured on The Infatuation are selected by our editorial team. The LA (Quarantine) Dinner & A Movie Guide is presented by Uber Eats. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, supporting our local restaurant community has never been more important. Uber Eats customers can now give directly to the restaurants they love at checkout. 100% will go to the restaurant. Order now to support. See app for details.

Featured In The Ultimate LA Delivery & Takeout Guide Check out all our guides THE SPOTS Tacos 1986 $ $ $ $ Tacos in Downtown LA $$$$ 609 S. Spring St. Not

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Movie Pairing: Have A Good Trip: Adventures In Psychedelics (Netflix)

“This new Netflix sorta-doc is basically just Party Legends with a bigger budget, as a bunch of celebs (Sarah Silverman, A$AP Rocky, Sting, etc.) narrate animated versions of their greatest psychedelic experiences. Is it good? Not really, though if you enjoy the occasional spontaneous flashback, I can’t recommend it enough. And since a whole lot of the film deals with mushrooms, do yourself a favor and order Tacos 1986’s hongos tacos. Served on a handmade corn tortilla, the mushrooms are perfectly sauteed and seasoned, then doused in a tangy salsa ranchera I’d chug a gallon of. Are they psychedelic? No, but they are available for takeout and delivery, the latter of which might come in handy if the thought of leaving your couch terrifies you.” - JM

Order delivery Elio’s Wood-fire Pizza $$$$ 7953 Santa Monica Blvd

Movie Pairing: Home Alone (Prime)

“This is now the second Christmas movie I’ve suggested in quarantine and you know what? You’re welcome. Besides, I watched Home Alone year-round as a ’90s kid, so there’s no sense in changing it up now. The Macaulay Culkin classic still fully holds up, and pairing it with Elio’s, the pizza pop-up currently operating out of Employees Only, is the perfect nod to the movie’s most hilarious subplot - delivery pizza. But unlike Little Nero’s, Elio’s pizza delivery is efficient, the pizzas are fantastic, and they’ve yet to crash into one of my lawn ornaments. The sausage and onion is my go-to, but if I’m particularly hungry (a.k.a. always), I throw in a margherita as well. You should, too.” - BC

Brent's Deli $ $ $ $ American , Deli , Eastern European in Northridge $$$$ 19565 Parthenia St 8.5 /10

Movie Pairing: Italianamerican (The Criterion Collection)

“Whenever I need a quick, easy, straight-to-the-system jolt of comfort, I turn to two things: Italianamerican and Brent’s Deli. The first follows a (then) 32-year-old Martin Scorsese as he interviews his parents about everything from post-war Italy to the family’s famous meatball recipe. And while it’s fun to see his childhood home (and to watch him squirm while his mother chastises him), what’s really great is his parents’ banter - relentless, borderline-mocking, and always full of love, it’s obvious that these two have spent a very full life together. Pair this with the pastrami Reuben sandwich from Brent’s Deli (which is served on rye and can be made with curly fries), and you’ve got a one-way-ticket to serotonin town. Both their Westlake and Northridge locations are available for takeout and delivery, call (805) 557-1882 or (818) 886-5679, or find them on various delivery platforms.” -KH

Casa Vega $ $ $ $ Mexican in Sherman Oaks $$$$ 13301 Ventura Blvd 7.6 /10

Movie Pairing: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (Starz)

“Two iconic LA Mexican restaurants are featured heavily in the last act of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. El Coyote, the spot on Beverly where Sharon Tate had her last meal, and Casa Vega, where Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth (Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt) have a meal the same night. One where they get absolutely hammered. So I suggest ordering an enchilada house platter to go along with the half-gallon margarita you order. It’s $30, which is roughly eight servings. I’d also suggest sharing if you want to remember the ending of the movie, which you certainly do.” - BK

APL $ $ $ $ Steaks in Hollywood $$$$ 1680 Vine St 7.8 /10

Movie Pairing: There Will Be Blood (Netflix)

“There’s no better spot for a true Daniel Plainview-style dinner than The Old Place, the sepia-toned steakhouse and saloon in the Santa Monica Mountains. Unfortunately, it’s closed. So instead, order a big piece of beef from APL. This Hollywood steakhouse is certainly fancy enough for any self-respecting oil man, and they’ve got ribeyes and NY strip steaks for takeout and delivery - not to mention BBQ brisket, fried chicken, and chicken-fried pork chops. Whether you choose to eat them with a napkin draped over your head is entirely up to you.” - JM

Cassell's Hamburgers $ $ $ $ American , Burgers in Koreatown $$$$ 3600 W 6th St 8.0 /10

Movie Pairing: Camp (Prime)

“If you grew up going to theater camp like I did, Camp was a cultural tentpole and ‘Here’s Where I Stand’ is still a song you scream-sing regularly in the shower. If you weren’t a theater kid, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Either way, this is a movie you need to be watching. For one, it boasts a 16-year-old Anna Kendrick literally poisoning another girl to get the lead role in the musical, but most importantly, it’s the perfect excuse to order Cassell’s. The classic Koreatown diner serves some of our favorite burgers and shakes in town, and that’s exactly what you should be eating while soaking in the simple, childhood nostalgia of summer camp.” - BC

Order delivery Say Cheese $$$$ 2800 Hyperion Ave

Movie Pairing: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (Prime)

“While the ’80s had The Blues Brothers and the ’90s had Wayne’s World, my generation’s troupe of Lorne Michaels-affiliated white boys is The Lonely Island. And although their careers are filled with important, hyperintellectual work like ‘J*zz In My Pants’ and ‘Threw It On The Ground,’ my favorite is Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a 2016 mockumentary starring Andy Samberg as an annoying, slightly jacked ‘Justin Bieber type.’ It’s both completely stupid and Mensa-level genius, and when I want to experience that same high-low combination, I turn to my ‘college special’ - freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli. For the cheese, my go-to spot is Say Cheese in Silver Lake, because of their friendly, non-pretentious staff, and their wide selection of specialty cheeses (which they will let you sample). For the can of le chef, I just go to the grocery store.” - KH

Melrose Umbrella Co $ $ $ $ West Hollywood $$$$ 7465 Melrose Ave

Movie Pairing: Punch-Drunk Love (Hulu)

“Before Uncut Gems, there was Punch-Drunk Love, the excellent Paul Thomas Anderson movie that showed what Adam Sandler was capable of when he decided to, you know, act. It’s only 95 minutes long, but filled with relentless, slowly ratcheting tension (plus romance and the occasional physical altercation). So to-go cocktails from Melrose Umbrella Co. are the ideal accompaniment. My favorites are their traditional mai tai, or the Ring Of Fire - a perfect balance of mezcal, aged cachaca, Aperol, lime, habañero, and ginger. Like Sandler’s character, these tiki-style drinks are sweet, boozy, and likely to knock me out.” - BK

Papa Cristo's Catering & Greek Taverna $ $ $ $ Greek in Koreatown , Westlake $$$$ 2771 W Pico Blvd 7.8 /10

Movie Pairing: Mamma Mia! (Hulu)

“Is this pairing a bit on-the-nose? Of course it is. But I also watched Mamma Mia! four times in a row on a turbulence-filled flight to Asia last year, and I regret absolutely nothing. Besides, now you have the perfect excuse to call up Papa Cristo’s. The classic Greek deli/market on Pico makes my favorite Greek food in LA, and their entire menu (plus some meal kits) are available for delivery. I love their saganaki, spanakopita, and Greek yogurt and honey, but frankly, you can’t go wrong with anything. So just do what I do and over-order - you’ll need the leftovers for your fourth viewing anyway.” - BC

Order delivery Lu Din Gee (Duck House) $$$$ 501 S Atlantic Blvd

Movie Pairing: The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Prime)

“There are so many reasons to love The Last Black Man in San Francisco - the incredible cinematography, the ways it weaves in complex issues like gentrification and displacement without being heavy-handed, Danny Glover. Plus, it’s a two-hour love-letter to the San Francisco I know and love. One of my favorite memories from when I lived there was when I’d walk to Irving St. with my boyfriend at the time, and we’d order all the char siu, bao, and duck we could carry, then pick it all apart with our hands while watching French bulldogs celebrate their birthday in Golden Gate Park (this absolutely a real anecdote). And while we can’t do that anymore, you can still order whole Peking ducks from Lu Din Gee, a Taiwanese restaurant in Monterey Park that specializes in Beijing-style birds, inexplicably. Call (626) 284-3227 to set up a delivery or takeout.” - KH

Pacific Dining Car $ $ $ $ American in Downtown LA , Westlake $$$$ 1310 W 6th St 7.0 /10

Movie Pairing: Training Day (Prime)

“There are a lot of ways to get the full Training Day experience, though most of them involve PCP. So instead, just order takeout from Pacific Dining Car, the long-standing late-night favorite that Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke’s characters actually visit in the film. The majority of their steakhouse menu is available for delivery and pick-up - PDC is offering a 30% discount on takeout orders, too - which means you can do exactly what Denzel says and ‘Get yourself a baseball steak.’ They’re also offering several different Steakhouse Survival Kits, so you can stock up on prime beef, cheeses, and even breakfast staples. For menus and ordering information, check out their website.” - JM

Order delivery Spoon & Pork $ $ $ $ Filipino in Silver Lake $$$$ 3131 Sunset Blvd 7.8 /10

Movie Pairing: At Eternity’s Gate (Hulu)

“Artists tend to be a bit obsessive - we’ve learned that in a lot of movies, but especially in At Eternity’s Gate, a beautiful film about the end of Vincent Van Gogh’s life. Willem Dafoe plays Van Gogh in an appropriately strange, perfectionistic way. Watching his performance, I was reminded of Spoon & Pork’s tremendous Filipino food - they’re obsessive when it comes to perfecting pork. That’s clearest when I eat the patita, their slow-cooked, deep-fried pork shank that’s doused in chili garlic, and is equal parts crispy, salty, and moist every time. There’s something beautiful about perfection - and you’ll know it when you taste that patita.” - BK

Order delivery Masa of Echo Park Bakery & Cafe $ $ $ $ Pizza , Italian in Echo Park $$$$ 1800 W Sunset Blvd 8.2 /10

Movie Pairing: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Netflix)

“As a Chicagoland native, I know that few movies are dearer to the people of The Windy City than Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. So lean into that fact and order delivery from Masa while you watch. The family-owned restaurant in Echo Park is run by Illinois natives and their buttery, perfectly constructed deep-dish pizza is proof. I tend to go for The Traditional (sweet sausage and mushroom), because that’s what I grew up eating, but you can’t really go wrong with any of the pies. Just be sure to throw in a manchego salad and bread pudding as well. Then sit back, embrace your food coma, and gaze in stunned amazement at how well this film holds up.” - BC

Destroyer $ $ $ $ American in Culver City $$$$ 3578 Hayden Ave 8.6 /10

Movie Pairing: Blade Runner (Netflix)

“Despite the fact that Blade Runner is set in ‘Los Angeles, November 2019,’ we still don’t have flying cars or replicants (unless you count the Kardashians). And while you could mourn society’s decided lack of technological progress, I’ve got a better idea: An order from Destroyer, the futuristic Culver City spot that actually feels like it could be in Ridley Scott’s film. They’re offering their breakfast and lunch menu for takeout or delivery from 9am-3pm (plus a marketplace of goods and sundries available until 8pm), which means you can enjoy dishes like raw oatmeal with a vanilla disk or rice porridge with chicken while you attempt to figure out if Deckard was a robot or not.” - JM

Clark Street Bread $ $ $ $ Cafe/Bakery in Downtown LA $$$$ 317 S Broadway 7.5 /10

Movie Paring: Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (Hulu)

“Portrait Of A Lady On Fire is a cinematic masterpiece. I cried while watching it the first time in theaters (remember when we could do that?), and I cried again while watching it the other night, all alone in my apartment. I also found myself wondering, ‘Why was that scene of her eating the bread so damn satisfying?’ The closest I’ve gotten to experiencing that uncomplicated bliss is at Clark Street Bakery. Their takeaway counter is open for pick-up and delivery, and has everything you need for watching a French love story, like buttery kouign-amann pastries, rows of crusty bread loaves, and most importantly, their Nordic breakfast plate - a massive platter that comes with a sourdough roll, Comté cheese, ham, butter, jam, and a hardboiled egg.” - KH

Marvin $ $ $ $ American in Beverly Grove $$$$ 8114 Beverly Blvd 8.2 /10

Movie Pairing: The Favourite (Hulu)

“The Favourite is all about satisfying appetites. The ones in the movie are a bit more illicit than truffles and butter (although Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne does have a soft spot for rich desserts), but Marvin’s fantastic French-ish food makes me feel like an indulgent 18th century royal. They’re offering $75 dinners for two, which change nightly, but have recently included fettucini with black truffles, beef bourguignon pot pie, and rigatoni Bolognese. Be sure to order a few bottles of Burgundy, so you can get appropriately as drunk as the three fantastic leads in the film. For menus and ordering info, check out their Instagram.” - BK

Wally's Beverly Hills $ $ $ $ Wine Bar in Beverly Hills $$$$ 447 N. Canon Drive 7.3 /10

Movie Pairing: The First Wives Club (Netflix)

“Don’t fact-check me on this, but I’m pretty sure there’s a law saying you can’t watch The First Wives Club without drinking your weight in wine in the process. So, make sure you secure a delivery from Wally’s. The Beverly Hills wine bar has one of the largest (and best) wine stocks in the city, plus solid snacks like flatbreads, truffle popcorn, and charcuterie boards to keep from getting too drunk. Not that Goldie, Bette, and Diane would judge you for it - I just want to make sure you make it to the end for the dance number.” - BC

Fish King Seafood $ $ $ $ Japanese , Seafood , Hawaiian in Glendale $$$$ 722 N Glendale Ave 8.1 /10

Movie Pairing: Moana (Disney+)

“I’ve been feeling increasingly like Moana lately, trapped on an island (my house), not allowed to leave. Unlike this Disney heroine, I’m not going to get in a boat to find Dwayne Johnson and defeat an angry Polynesian god. But like her - I assume, since she was on a boat for a while - I want to eat some extremely fresh fish during this movie. Fish King, the Hawaiian-ish spot in Glendale, is the ideal place for it. In addition to serving Hawaiian-style poke, they’ve also got a great fried fish sandwich, grilled fish plates involving everything from bonito to mahi mahi, and clam chowder, all available for takeout and delivery. For more info, call (818) 244-2161.” - BK

Steep $$$$ 970 N Broadway

Movie Pairing: Get Out (Prime)

“Yes, the takeaway from Get Out is that being a person of color in America oftentimes feels like being in a horror movie. I get that. I think it’s genius. I would have given Jordan Peele the Best Original Screenplay Oscar a second time if I could. So when Catherine Keener sends Daniel Kaluuya to the Sunken Place with a cup of tea, the correct response probably isn’t “When was the last time I had a good cup?” But if you’re like me, place an order at Steep. This modern tea house in Chinatown serves a variety of loose-leaf teas like green tangerine pu-erh, shan lin xi oolong, and spring snail green tea, as well as pre-made versions of their blacks, greens, and oolongs for those who don’t have a strainer. If you’re hungry, they also have Taiwanese dishes to go, like braised pork rice with a marinated egg and pork butter with beef broth. Order directly from their website for delivery and takeout.” - KH

Order delivery All Time $ $ $ $ American in Los Feliz $$$$ 2040 Hillhurst Ave 8.9 /10

Movie Pairing: Midsommar (Prime)

“It might not include any psychedelic mushrooms, and it definitely doesn’t include a bear, but if you’re looking to recreate the bacchanal brutality of Midsommar, a Market Box from All Time is the way to go. The contents change often, but you can expect bright and bountiful amounts of fresh fruits and veggies, all of which would look great in your May Queen crown. They’ve also got wellness brew kits (perfect for when you want to put someone under your spell!) and meals like veggie lasagna and cottage pies, plus deluxe options like a food and wine Survival Kit, which costs $500. And while that might seem like a lot, remember, your village only celebrates this festival once every 90 years.” - JM

MiniBar $ $ $ $ Hollywood $$$$ 6141 Franklin Ave

Movie Pairing: A Simple Favor (Hulu)

“If the original trailer featuring seven different scenes involving martinis wasn’t a big enough hint for you, I’ll spell it out - A Simple Favor is essentially a community PSA for the iconic cocktail, and as viewers, it’s imperative we play our part. Sure, you could attempt to make a bad version at home, but what fun is that when MiniBar is offering entire JUGS of dirty martinis for $50? The answer is no fun, especially considering the tiny bar in Franklin Village makes one of our favorite versions in town. Available for both takeout and delivery, 10am-6pm, via the new LA Bodega On Wheels, or by email at info@minibarhollywood.” - BC

Broad Street Oyster Co. $ $ $ $ American , Seafood in Malibu $$$$ 23359 Pacific Coast Hwy 8.6 /10

Movie Pairing: Moonrise Kingdom (Prime)

“I grew up in a coastal New England town that looks suspiciously like the one in Moonrise Kingdom, and eating at Broad Street Oyster feels a bit like going home for me. The hot lobster roll should be your order here, along with some fantastic popcorn shrimp, oysters, and the Beach Burger. Plus, I’m pretty sure the restaurant was decorated with discarded set pieces from the movie. Broad Street is available for pick-up and delivery. Check out their Instagram for more information.” - BK

Order delivery Azay $ $ $ $ Japanese , French in Little Tokyo $$$$ 226 E 1st St Not

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Movie Pairing: Tampopo (iTunes)

“Heartwarming, absurdist, and filled with food shots that rival Chef’s Table, Tampopo just might be one of the greatest films ever made about food. And while it would have been easy to pick any one of LA’s great ramen spots to pair with a viewing, I’d choose to watch it while eating one of the many home-style Japanese dishes from Azay, like a breakfast set made with broiled fish, bowls of unagi, or their daily bento box. Or try the omurice, a simple staple that’s featured in one of my favorite scenes, where a gooey, runny omelet is folded over a bed of fried rice then drizzled in ketchup - which, surprisingly, is only the second-best scene in this movie that involves an egg. Check their Instagram, call (213) 628-3431, or email [email protected] to place a takeout order.” - KH

Order delivery Osteria La Buca $ $ $ $ Italian in Hancock Park , Hollywood , Larchmont $$$$ 5210 Melrose Ave 8.2 /10

Movie Pairing: Goodfellas (Netflix)

“Interested in constantly reminding your younger brother to ‘Keep an eye on the sauce’ while you alternately attempt to unload some unlicensed handguns, snort drugs, and dodge a DEA helicopter? Osteria La Buca’s new All Day Menu is for you. They’ve got family-style portions of spaghetti pomodoro, rigatoni Bolognese, and chicken parm that’ll feed up to six, plus house sauces and pastas, all available for takeout or delivery. Even if you don’t have an evening of illegal activities planned, an order from Osteria is still a great idea - and if you blast Harry Nilsson’s ‘Jump Into The Fire’ while you’re picking up your food, you’ll literally be a Goodfella.” - JM

Order delivery Birdie G’s $ $ $ $ American in Santa Monica $$$$ 2421 Michigan Ave 8.4 /10

Movie Pairing: Christmas Vacation (Hulu)

“A Christmas movie? In the spring? Welcome to life in the quarantine, baby. Though the original Vacation is probably the best of the series, Christmas Vacation boasts a cornucopia of iconic moments that defined my childhood: A cat getting electrocuted, a rabid squirrel terrorizing the house, and Cousin Eddie kindly telling the neighbors that ‘The sh*tter’s full.’ And there isn’t a better way to watch this masterpiece than with a holiday meal of your own from Birdie G’s. The Santa Monica comfort food spot has a delivery menu filled with everything from matzo ball soup to noodle kugel to whole chicken in a tropical sauce - the latter of which pairs poetically with the Griswold’s incinerated turkey.” - BC

Order delivery Highland Park Brewery $ $ $ $ Highland Park $$$$ 5127 York Blvd

Movie Pairing: The World’s End (Prime)

“Every time I see this movie about a fantastically epic pub crawl, it makes me want to crack a beer. Or, as the plot gets crazier and crazier, like 17 of them. Fortunately, Highland Park Brewery has their beer pick-up system down pat, and even delivers to most areas of the Eastside - check out their Instagram for more details. So I highly recommend stocking up on some insanely fresh beer (I went last week and got some four-packs that had literally been canned that day) - go for the Hello, LA (a clear, pine-forward West Coast IPA) and the America’s Preference, a crisp, dry, extremely drinkable pils.” - BK

Gigi's Bakery & Cafe $ $ $ $ Cafe/Bakery , Cuban in Historic Filipinotown $$$$ 2200 W Temple St Not

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Movie Pairing: The Devil Wears Prada (Prime)

“Maybe it’s the excessively appetizing frying sounds the foley artist scrounged up, or the ‘$8 worth of Jarlsberg’ he claims it contains, but when Andy’s ‘chef’ boyfriend (I use quotations here because he has an awful lot of free time at night for someone who claims to be in the restaurant industry) whips up a grilled cheese for her in their New York apartment, two things become abundantly clear: I’ve never made a grilled cheese like that in my entire life, and I need to be eating one, like, right now. But Gigi’s can actually do you one better - not only does this Cuban bakery sell one of the most perfectly pressed Cubanos known to man, but they also serve a variety of pastries like pastelitos de guayaba queso (guava cheese strudels) and their famous potato ball - all of which are still available to-go. Find more info on their website.” - KH

Order delivery Dudley Market $ $ $ $ American , Seafood in Venice $$$$ 9 Dudley Ave 8.5 /10

Movie Pairing: The Lighthouse (iTunes)

“If you’ve got a roommate, chances are, you’re already feeling like Robert Pattinson in The Lighthouse, so you might as well lean into it and order dinner from Dudley Market in Venice. Even though their dining room is closed, they’re still putting their fishing boat to good use, and every day they’re offering fresh-caught fish (whole or filleted) for takeout and limited delivery. Call (310) 392-0825 or DM them on Instagram to see what they’ve got today. To-go wine is also 30%-50% off, so you and your roommate can have drunken brawls while you cook - unfortunately, Dudley doesn’t sell lobster, which means no one will get to shout ‘You’re fond of me lobster!’ before invoking Neptune’s fury.” - JM

Order delivery

via The Infatuation Feed https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/dinner-and-a-movie-delivery-la Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created May 26, 2020 at 11:42PM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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florahecate · 5 years

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Read More Big Mac vs. Whopper: Which One Is Better for You, According to an RD

The following post Big Mac vs. Whopper: Which One Is Better for You, According to an RD is republished from Eat This Not That by Cheyenne Buckingham

It’s time to settle an age-old debate: between the Big Mac and the Whopper, which of the burgers is healthier? Loyal customers of either McDonald’s or Burger King may be slightly offended at the idea of even comparing each fast food chain’s prized menu item in such a fashion, given that they have such devout followers. However, when you’re trying to eat healthy but really in the mood for a classic fast food burger, you may be curious about what the healthier option really is. We called on nutrition expert Maryann Walsh, MFN, RD, CDE to assess which of the two burgers is the healthier option when no substitute will do.

Which is healthier, the Big Mac or the Whopper?

Surprise: They’re actually about the same.

“Put these two iconic fast-food burgers head-to-head, and they come close to being neck-and-neck nutrition-wise, given the fact that the Big Mac has about 1 ounce less meat pre-cooked than the Whopper,” says Walsh. “A Big Mac has 3.2-ounces of meat, while the Whopper is a true quarter pounder at 4-ounces.”

Here are the stats:

Big Mac: 540 calories, 28 grams fat, 46 grams carbs, 25 grams protein

Whopper: 660 calories, 40 grams fat, 49 grams carbs, 28 grams protein

Even the sodium count is nearly equivalent in both burgers, at 940 milligrams for the Big Mac and 980 milligrams for the Whopper.

“As a dietitian and diabetes educator who usually preaches the importance of controlling carbohydrate intake the most, I’d honestly say choose the one you like better—let’s face it, this is like a Coke or Pepsi argument,” says Walsh.

If you want to make each burger healthier, Walsh suggests swapping out the bun for lettuce instead. Also, ask to have the condiments removed as well. If you do that for each burger, the calories drop quite dramatically.

Big Mac: 240 calories, 16 grams fat, 5 grams carbs, 18 grams protein

Whopper: 250 calories, 18 grams fat, 3 grams carbs, 20 grams of protein

RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

Is there an even healthier option to order?

“Considering a Garden Chicken salad from BK comes in at 520 calories and at McDonald’s a Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad comes in at 320 calories before dressing, (so let’s round up to 500), your best bet would be to stick with the Whopper and Big Mac—just tweak a few things,” says Walsh.

One such tweak the dietitian likes to make to burgers is to scoop out the excess bread in the bun, too. This way you can still enjoy the burger, sandwich-style, without consuming an excess amount of carbs.

“Even a four-piece chicken McNugget or chicken tenders starts at about 200 calories for four pieces, and that’s before you have dipped them in anything,” she says.

Walsh affirms that both of these burgers are not the absolute worst fast food options you could order. There was a time when the Big Mac was the most caloric burger on McDonald’s menu, but now, there’s the Double Bacon Smokehouse Burger that clocks in at 1,130 calories—about twice the calories of the Big Mac.

The post Big Mac vs. Whopper: Which One Is Better for You, According to an RD appeared first on Eat This Not That.

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samuelpboswell · 5 years

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For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners

It’s an absolute phenomenon. According to the sacred laws of modern television, digital, and on-demand viewing, consumers spend a whopping 364 days a year actively avoiding advertising and marketing messages. From strategic bathroom breaks and the embracing of alternative, bingeable entertainment channels to the installation of ad-blockers, consumers want to avoid unsanctioned commercial interruptions—whenever and wherever they’re enjoying content. But when Super Bowl Sunday rolls around, it’s Opposite Day—and for a few glorious hours, we’re on the edge of our seats with excited anticipation of the next ad to dance across the screen. It’s the Super Ad Bowl. For the average consumer, this phenomenon is simply an entertainment tradition. For marketers, it’s a series of case studies in marketing storytelling, creativity, and boldness in action. And this year, there were several case-in-point ads that entertained the TopRank Marketing team as consumers and inspired us as marketers. Below team members share their winning picks for the ads that won the “Super Ad Bowl.”

#1 - Google’s “100 Billion Words” Leaves Us (Nearly) Speechless

In a time of political and social upheaval—a time of distrust and divisiveness—Google takes time remind us that we are united by a common language: A language of gratitude, affection, and connectedness. And, of course, it’s multilingual Translator service helps bring people and these love languages together. [embed]https://youtu.be/uXfJc8up6cM[/embed] As a search engine that is increasingly powered by machines, in this piece Google showcases the tangible human benefits its platform offers, while also encouraging us all to choose unity. It’s a stunningly beautiful message and incredible brand marketing. This one topped my personal list of 2019 faves, and my colleague, Social and Content Marketing Manager Lane Ellis, felt the same: “Google helps put the ‘G’ in global with its Google Translate Super Bowl 2019 spot, with a touching look at how its translation services are being used every day to say small things that mean so much,” he shared.

#2 - Bud Light and HBO Riles Game of Thrones Fans

Since the summer of 2017, Bud Light’s medieval marketing campaign featuring the “Dilly Dilly” catchphrase has been a beer lover’s favorite. With several commercials now part of the series, it’s safe to say that Super Bowl viewers were anything but surprised once the beer company’s newest ad started rolling on Sunday—that is until “The Mountain” of HBO’s hit show, Game of Thrones, made his appearance. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fhOItB0zUM[/embed] “It was a good reminder that breaking audience expectations is really effective in creating genuine surprise and excitement,” Content Strategist Annie Leuman shared. But the real marketing magic, Annie said, is happening on social media—with both brands leveraging the “Bud Knight” as a way to continue the buzz and excitement. Of course, with many avid GoT fans around the office, Annie wasn’t the only one moved: “This ad had a fabulous surprise ending and we saw the merger of two fabulous brands,” Debbie Friez, Influencer Marketing Strategist, said. “I’m not sure it sold me on Bud Light, but as a Game of Thrones fan, I’m even more excited for the final season.”

#3 - Burger King’s #EatLikeAndy Stands Out Thanks to Simplicity

Creativity in marketing comes in many forms—and sometimes it’s in the simplest form. With over 50 Super Bowl commercials competing with each other and the hype of the game, there was a lot of noise during this year's event. And for our CEO Lee Odden, the most memorable ads were simple and singular in their focus. “The commercial that exemplified simplicity best for me was the #EatLikeAndy spot from Burger King,” he said. “There's basically no dialogue or promotion. It's just vintage video of the real Andy Warhol opening a BK bag, pulling out a Whopper and eating it, finishing with the #EatLikeAndy hashtag.” [embed]https://youtu.be/8fIfPKpY7HQ[/embed] Lee added: “It may have been the retro simplicity that made the BK commercial stand out, the fact that we can all relate to the ketchup bottle struggle, or Casey Neistat's recent BK joke video making the Burger King brand top of mind. Whatever the reason, the #EatLikeAndy commercial is the one that stood out amongst a blur of ads during one of the most boring Super Bowls I've ever seen.”

#4 - Microsoft “Levels the Playing Field” with Emotional Storytelling

Our brains are programed for stories. And Microsoft’s story-centered ad aimed at showcasing the power of technology—accessible technology that is—engaged our minds and our hearts in its cause. “Everything about this commercial tugged at the heartstrings,” Account Manager Claire O’Neill shared. “There wasn’t a dry eye in my house.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM2QJO2IDFo[/embed] Storytelling can help marketers build trust. Storytelling can break down barriers. And stories can build connections. “This ad pulled at my heartstrings with all the feels,” Debbie seconded. “But what made it really incredible was the story—it was great content; a great story with a beginning, middle, and great ending. In addition, Microsoft has featured some of these kids in other ads, too, showing off some creative repurposing.”

#5 - Bubly Busts the Awareness Bubble with the Help of Michael Bublé

Over the last couple years, sparkling seltzer has become the new battleground for many drink makers. Of course, La Croix is perhaps the most well-known of brands. And as any up-and-coming or niche brand knows, gaining awareness ground is the first order of marketing business. PepsiCo’s young Bubly brand is coming up in the world, according to Influencer Marketing Strategist Jack Fitzpatrick. “For me, nothing will beat Michael Bublé sitting on the floor of a gas station pouting, surrounded by cans of PepsiCo’s Bubly sparkling water,” he laughed. “This commercial fit perfectly into the brand’s fun-loving personality and featured the well-liked Canadian singer as the spokesperson. This total please-all ad for a makes sense for a brand that is working to grab market share from sparkling water goliath, La Croix.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1uNrSJKV34[/embed]

#6 - Hulu Strikes Intrigue and Fear with Trailer for Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale

Tension is a key storytelling element—and perhaps one that marketers don’t leverage often enough. Tension builds excitement and intrigue, and it commands attention. Hulu’s intense adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale checks all those boxes—within each episode and it’s teaser trailers. As Account Manager Jane Bartel describes it: “The trailer capitalizes on all my fears as well as they do in the show, and makes me not want to miss the next season.” [embed]https://youtu.be/PuWg6AyzETg[/embed] “From a marketing perspective, it very effectively teased the content to existing viewers (and probably attracted some new ones) by using an almost ‘propaganda-esque’ opening showing how women are entering the workforce in large numbers, and healthy babies are being born all over the place,” Tiffani Allen, Associate Director of Search and Analytics, adds. “The spot then takes a turn to show that this is, in fact, not the reality and shows the movement of women actively fighting back and ‘burning’ the system,” she says. “It was powerful to see that kind of contrast within messaging while staying on narrative.”

#7 - Stella Artois Plays on Familiarity While Encouraging Change

Nostalgia and familiarity are incredibly powerful marketing and engagement tools. Look no further than the resurgence of classic tales such as those from the Star Wars franchise hitting the box offices every year. This year, Stella Artois leveraged three iconic characters—each of who are well-known for having a signature drink—to evoke nostalgia, while also challenging potential customers to embrace change. And yes. I said three iconic characters. Sarah Jessica Parker reprises her Carrie Bradshaw character from Sex and the City, while Jeff Bridges appears as “The Dude” from the cult classic The Big Lebowski. Finally, in the full version, we briefly see Jonathan Goldsmith, who for a decade portrayed “The Most Interesting Man in the World” for Dos Equis. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=439muvajodg[/embed]

Share Your Super Ad Picks

When Super Bowl Sunday rolls around, the brands and their ads are the showstoppers. Which ads and marketing messages resonated most with you? Tell us in the comments section below. You can catch TopRank Marketing at several upcoming events, including this week on Feb. 6, 2019. Join Lee Odden as he presents a live webinar with BrightTALK on the future of collaborative B2B content.

The post For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

from The SEO Advantages https://www.toprankblog.com/2019/02/super-bowl-marketing-ad-favorites/

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befoundonlinemarketing · 5 years

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For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners

#1 - Google’s “100 Billion Words” Leaves Us (Nearly) Speechless

#2 - Bud Light and HBO Riles Game of Thrones Fans

#3 - Burger King’s #EatLikeAndy Stands Out Thanks to Simplicity

#4 - Microsoft “Levels the Playing Field” with Emotional Storytelling

#5 - Bubly Busts the Awareness Bubble with the Help of Michael Bublé

#6 - Hulu Strikes Intrigue and Fear with Trailer for Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale

#7 - Stella Artois Plays on Familiarity While Encouraging Change

Share Your Super Ad Picks

The post For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners posted first on http://www.toprankblog.com/

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christopheruearle · 5 years

Text

For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners

#1 - Google’s “100 Billion Words” Leaves Us (Nearly) Speechless

#2 - Bud Light and HBO Riles Game of Thrones Fans

#3 - Burger King’s #EatLikeAndy Stands Out Thanks to Simplicity

#4 - Microsoft “Levels the Playing Field” with Emotional Storytelling

#5 - Bubly Busts the Awareness Bubble with the Help of Michael Bublé

#6 - Hulu Strikes Intrigue and Fear with Trailer for Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale

#7 - Stella Artois Plays on Familiarity While Encouraging Change

Share Your Super Ad Picks

The post For Our Marketing Team, These 7 Super Awesome Commercials Are Big Winners appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

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johnmkenney · 5 years

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Game of the Year 2018

2018 was an interesting year for games. While there wasn’t as much depth as previous years, the games that stood out were truly something special. This was certainly a year where big franchises that had been dormant for a few years came roaring back, but more importantly some developers released some truly unique new IP that took the industry by storm. All of this combined for some great experiences that won’t soon be forgotten. There wasn’t a ton of games I thought were fantastic outside of the top 10, but this was one of the most difficult years to order the top 10 as the quality of each game was unbelievable.

As always, the rules for inclusion are as follows:

The game must have its final retail release in 2018. Thus, anything in an alpha/beta state or Steam Early Access does not qualify. This rule is still being under consideration for removal.

In the case of episodic games, they must have their final episode delivered in 2018 to make the list.

While this list is comprehensive, I haven’t played everything. Games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Dragon Quest XI, Hitman 2, Forza Horizon 4, Florence, and The Messenger all seem great but are unfortunately all still on my backlog.

Most importantly: the game has to be really good. No-brainer there.

Honorable mentions:

While this year wasn’t as competitive past the Top 10, there were a few other games I played that deserved mentions as my final cuts:

Monster Hunter World - This was a causality of not having enough time to get deep enough in the game, but from what I played MHW does a great job making the series more accessible to a broader audience. Octopath Traveler - The game oozes style and has a great combat system, but unfortunately the late-game repetition and disjointed story keeps it from becoming something great. Yoku’s Island Express - It was truly a unique idea to mix pinball with Metroidvania, and it pays off with a fun game and a great soundtrack.

Without further ado, here are my top 10 games of 2018:

10. Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Bandai Namco/Sora - Switch)

The follow up to Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS, this entry once again delivered. Nintendo managed to bring back every character that has ever been in a Smash game, including characters that were cut from previous installments for various reasons. The team managed to make enough subtle tweaks to most characters to keep the brawler as entertaining as usual. However, the standout mode in this version has to be in the massive single-player Spirits system. There are over 1,000 unique spirits to collect in this game, and to unlock most of them you need to complete a special battle that represents the character of the spirit you are trying to unlock. These clever fights help pay homage to characters that don’t make the cut for Smash, and it is a nice touch to help add several dozens of hours of fun moments.

9. Into the Breach (Subset Games - PC, Switch)

Following up to their 2012 indie hit FTL, Subset Games is back with another clever run-based adventure. Into the Breach is something all its own though, as this turn-based strategy game tasks you with using a few mechs to defend various cities and structures from an invading alien menace. Customization is key here, as you are able to unlock multiple squads and pilots that help completely modify your strategy to save the world. One of the more brilliant parts of the game is that almost all the information is provided to you prior to each turn. You know exactly where each enemy is going to attack the following turn, so the goal isn’t just to eliminate your foe, but also disrupt them. If you see your opponent is poised to barrel ahead in a straight line towards a building, you can use a ranged attack to instead knock it of its path so that it instead rams into another adversary. While it is incredibly challenging to have the perfect turn, everything is within your control so you know it was your fault if things go wrong. Ben Prunty also delivers an incredible soundtrack yet again, as his melodies help really set the atmosphere for each tense battle.

8. Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Studios - PS4/XBO)

Easily the most talked about game of 2018, Rockstar’s prologue to their 2010 western is an incredible technical achievement. The amount of detail that goes into every aspect of this game seems mind-blowing, and it is quite easy to lose yourself in the world that has been created. The story is also one of the biggest improvements in the game this time around, as seeing how Dutch’s gang fell leading to the events of the previous installment is a fascinating tale. The protagonist, Arthur Morgan, has one of the more gripping character arcs seen in the past few years. There is an absolute ton to accomplish in this game, as it is constantly introducing new side quests as well as presenting random stranger events that help make everything feel very alive. Unfortunately, sometimes the gameplay gets in its own way, and some of the later missions can be a repetitive slog despite the gripping story being told. This is one not to be missed, but there’s just enough keeping it from being a true classic.

7. Donut County (Ben Esposito - iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

Donut County is easily the weirdest game on this list as this is a game where you play as a hole. While in most games that have pits you are used to avoiding them, here you are actually trying to have as many characters and objects fall into a hole as possible. The puzzles aren’t difficult at all, but every time you suck something up, the hole gets larger so that you are able to go after larger items until nothing is left on screen. It is a unique concept that works, and it is something that anyone can play. What ties everything together though is the tremendous cast of characters in the game, as BK the raccoon and everyone around him will keep you laughing the entire way through. There is a journal in the game, the Trashopedia, which includes hilarious descriptions written by a raccoon describing real world items. It is worth ready every single entry. The soundtrack does a great job pulling everything together, and the game only being 2 to 3 hours makes it a great quick jaunt for everyone.

6. Tetris Effect (Monstars Inc/Resonair - PS4)

At this point, everyone knows what Tetris is. So, there’s nothing new that can be done with Tetris, right? Wrong. Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the mind behind Lumines, helped gets the rights to Tetris so that his studio could help work on a version of Tetris that functioned similar to his music-based puzzler. While he only served as a producer on the title, his influence is clearly seen. The hallmark mode, Journey, has you making a specific number of lines as the speed changes based on the tempo of the song that is playing. All the while this is happening, interactive backgrounds also animate to the rhythm. Once you hit your line goal, you keep your blocks on screen, but you are then transported to another song and environment to continue on with its own tempo with a new count of lines to achieve. While the game was initially built for VR, it plays just fine on a normal TV and will have you glued trying to get that classic four line namesake. The presentation also extends to multiple other challenging modes, including trying to build the highest combo as well as using 3 or 4 blocks to clear every line on a puzzle. The weekly events will keep you coming back, and overall this a great package to help revitalize one of the best games ever created.

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games - PS4)

While the previous generation saw great comic success with the Batman Arkham series, it was often wondered when some other classic heroes would get a resurgence in the gaming world. It took a while, but Insomniac found a way to capture that lightning with their PS4-exclusive Spider-Man. Skipping the origin story that has been told to death at this point, you are transported into the life of Peter Parker years after he has already become Spider-Man and several of his foes are already locked up in the Raft. Certain characters have yet to become their iconic villainous forms yet, while others are already terrorizing New York City like the Shocker. A unique Spider-Man story is told here, as with the change of canon you aren’t sure the twists and turns each character arc is going to take which always keeps you on your toes. Most importantly, the gameplay here is a blast. Previous Spider-Man games always have trouble making it feel fun to swing around the city, but Insomniac’s version has you darting around the city with ease. Random events happen in the city in real time, and everything is so tightly packed that you can accomplish anything even if you only have small amounts of time to play. There are great nods to Spider-Man and Marvel lore through with Peter’s costumes and collectibles. The underrated gem of the entire experiences are the sequences where you play as Mary Jane and Miles, as their ventures help show that everyday people are just as important to Peter’s success as Spider-Man is.

4. Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 LLC - PC)

Definitely the most unique game on the list this year, Return of the Obra Dinn casts you as an insurance claims collector that needs to catalog the deaths and disappearances of a few dozen people from an abandoned ship that has just returned. Ok, that might not sound captivating at first, but stay with me. Lucas Pope (creator of Papers Please) made one of the most novel puzzle games here, as you are given an empty journal and an artist’s rendition of everyone who was aboard the doomed vessel. You are then able to walk up to any corpse on the boat and be instantly transported back to the exact moment of their demise. Sometimes you hear brief dialogue, but mostly you are just able to walk around a still scene of the exact moment of their death. Here, you walk around and try to figure out who the person is, how they died, and who else was there. While you can typically figure out how the person died, the true puzzle solving comes with finding out the names of who each person is from their involvement in other scenes, and it creates a deep loop of investigation and revisiting moments. There truly is nothing like this game, and the unique look helps it give it a style all its own.

3. God of War (Sony Santa Monica - PS4)

While multiple franchises saw returns this year, none had more of an impact than the return of God of War. Previous installments in the series saw Kratos as a bloodthirsty screaming god looking for revenge, but this time around he moved away from Ancient Greece to Midgard for a quieter life where he is taking care of his son Atreus. His wife in this realm has recently passed, and your objective is to honor her last wish of spreading her ashes at the highest point in the realm. Part of what makes this entry in the series so satisfying is that it slows down the adventure and gives more weight to the combat as well as more options to vanquish your foes. The light-RPG system implemented helps you determine what skills Kratos can utilize and lets your specialize your character more than previous games. While the combat is great, the world and its story is what takes center stage here. Kratos’ relationship with his son makes for great moments throughout and does a lot more to humanize Kratos compared to previous games in the series. The supporting cast does a great job of making the world feel alive as well, especially Mimir who will help give insight to the history of everything around you in real time as you travel. Kratos’ return is a triumph, and it helped make me care about a franchise that I thought I had lost all interest in. The ending was left very open, so its very exciting to see where Sony Santa Monica goes from here.

2. Dead Cells (Motion Twin - PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

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Early Access has been a system that has certainly had its ups and downs, but Dead Cells just may be the best thing to ever come out of the program. There have been games in the past that have attempted to fuse Metroidvanias and rouge-lites, but none have succeeded like this. It’s simple, at the beginning of every run you are given a melee weapon and a choice of one other weapon, all of which differ depending on what you have unlocked so far. From here, you’re free to explore the first level of the game and keep any upgrade that you find. Also along the way you occasionally pick up cells from enemies, which serve as your currency for upgrades. However, if you die before the end of a level, you lose everything that you picked up so far in that area. This helps build tension when you’ve gotten a rare blueprint for a new item or a large number of cells, as you want to make sure you can reach the collector who will essentially bank your cells and let you buy things to improve future runs. Its a loop that works.

While the upgrade system, the unique weapons and skills, and branching paths help set this rogue-lite apart, the true glory in Dead Cells is the combat and how tight the controls are. There are few 2D action games that feel this good to play, and it makes some of the more frantic levels an absolute blast. You’ll certainly get to the first boss in an early run, but he’ll likely demolish you. Improve yourself a little bit, and the next time you get back to him you see progress but still no victory. Hone your skills more, and the next thing you know it you are trouncing the first boss every single time you get to him. Then as the game ramps up in difficulty in the following levels, you learn to adapt in new ways to advance even more. After tons of runs and hours, you’ll eventually find yourself at the final test: The Hand of the King. He is without a doubt the hardest aspect of this game that will do everything to crush what you thought was a perfect run. But when you finally have a run that allows you to land that final blow and defeat him, it is something special that encapsulates the beauty of perseverance in this game. This just might be the best rogue-lite since Spelunky.

1. Celeste (Matt Makes Games - PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

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At the beginning of the game, you’re told that Celeste is a game about climbing a mountain. While that is very true, it’s about much more than that. Celeste is a precision platform that stars a young girl named Madeline who is setting out to climb Celeste Mountain to prove she can do it. Her intentions aren’t crystal clear at first, but she’s told by one of the other NPCs that she’ll fail. She has told by her mother in a dream sequence that she’ll fail. She’s followed by a dark version of herself that tells her that she’ll fail. It becomes evident quickly that this is a game about conquering your own anxiety and doing something outside of your comfort zone.

While Celeste draws inspiration from games like Super Meat Boy and I Wanna Be the Man, there is enough to give the game its own identity here. This game is punishing, but at the same time it is incredibly fair. Anytime you die, you are sent back immediately to the beginning of the screen. This allows you to easily evaluate how you made a mistake adjust or fine tune your strategy from there. Soon obstacles that seemed impossible are nothing to you, and you instead need to figure out how to get through the next roadblock. You get better and learn something every time you die, and that helps you propel forwards better than other similar games in the genre. There are also collectibles hidden on most screens known as strawberries, and they serve as an extra challenge to help make each level even harder if you want to take the extra step. But the true difficulty lies in the bonus B-side and C-side levels that unlock should you find the other collectibles in each level. These are remixed levels that are shorter than the main game but present new twists on the mechanics of each world, leading to one of the most rewarding feelings should you be able to conquer these. They are not for the faint of heart.

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