Downbound Train

Dec. 14th, 2025 09:04 pm
eiffel_71: The Big Match opening title (Default)
[personal profile] eiffel_71
To Crawley for Brighton & Hove Albion Women v Chelsea. Train arrived at Gatwick 14 minutes late, just in time to obviate any Delay Repay claims but, along with my need to visit the bathroom at Gatwick, enough to leave me arriving outside the ground with only 20 minutes to kick-off. Long queue for Kate’s Fish and Chips van again, so their delights will have to wait until the New Year.

With a long queue for the turnstiles, a steward told those of us at the back to walk round to the ones along the side behind. That helped get us into the ground before kick-off but meant walking all the way round once on the inside. At least that allowed me to exchange waves with mascot Sally Seagull, whose costume head was adorned with a blue Santa hat.

The serving hatch at the near side of my stand was closed. (Natch.) I plodded on to the one at the other end, and, as the teams were lining up before kick-off, reached the front to be told they had no sausage rolls. I had to make do with a chicken balti pie and a bag of crisps.

My seat was on the aisle, in the adjacent block to the Brighton Samba Band and their followers who kept making plenty of noise from beginning to end. An injury to Chiamaka Nnadozie meant fringe England keeper Sophie Baggaley turned out between the sticks for Brighton, and on today’s display she staked a pretty strong claim to keep the shirt. She pulled off a string of super saves and it looked like the She-Gulls might go in on level terms until just before the break Sandy Baltimore put the visitors in front with a beautiful curler into the far top corner.

While my allegiance is with Brighton, seeing Chelsea’s stars like my Queen Lucy Bronze, Lauren James and Millie Bright in the flesh was still a thrill. Sam Kerr came on for Chelsea at half-time, and harried the unfortunate Caitlin Hayes into heading into her own goal from a cross. Sophie Baggaley made saves from Kaptein and Kerr.

Fran Kirby’s return to action as a 70th minute substitute gave the Brighton support a momentary feelgood burst but three minutes later Alyssa Thompson drilled home Chelsea’s third. That was how it ended.

Back at Gatwick there were very few eateries in the section of South Terminal adjoining the station. I got a Christmas Sandwich, a mince pie and a decaf mocha from Pret A Manger. The Portsmouth train was 18 minutes late setting off (a passenger taken ill on a train) (just realised I sound like Reggie Perrin there). By the time we got home the delay had grown to half an hour. £CHING! (Well, just over three pounds.)

Straight off the ferry and on to the town carol service.

Rec-cember Day 13 : Suits

Dec. 14th, 2025 10:47 pm
falena: mel and langdon from the Pitt, side by side (Langdon/mel)
[personal profile] falena

This is not a fandom I was much obsessed with. The tv show was all right, in its early seasons at least, eminently watchable. Not something I've ever wished to revisit. However I remember enjoying some of the fic back in the day.

Only one has withstood the test of time. needs must by [archiveofourown.org profile] thatotherperv. 98K Harvey/Mike. Extremely explicit. When Grammy needs an upgrade in care, Mike knows that the usual one-off gig as a paid submissive won't be enough. He takes a job he's been refusing for a while - a long-term, full-time contract. He expects his client to be a sadistic asshole. He expects not to like it. He's wrong on both counts. It's an AU where Mike is a prostitute. Dom/sub. Now, BDSM is totally not my cup of tea, but this fic does such a great job of explaining this dynamic that I could totally see the appeal. Also, everything is perfectly in character. And there's lots of plot (the first two seasons are basically re-written, IIRC). And emotional growth. Plus, it comes in podfic form too, read by the crazily-talented [archiveofourown.org profile] dodificus. I lost count of how many times I listened to this story and every damn time it grabs me by the throat and never lets me go for the whole 11 hours of it.

I quite like Donna/Harvey as a pairing, unfortunately it was never very popular in the fandom. I remember being so happy when I found this little gem: Happy To See Me by [archiveofourown.org profile] Zinnith (I originally had bookmarked on LJ, just to give you an idea of how old some of my fic recs are; it was easy enough to track down in the Ao3 too, though). Great character voices and lovely, lyrical prose.

The Pitt

One of the aspects that made the previous Dom/sub story work for me was how explicit and detailed the kink negotiation was. That reminded me of an excellent fic that hinges on that very concept in this fandom: Red Light, Green Light by [archiveofourown.org profile] avocadomoon. Now, it's avocadomoon, the BNF author for Kingdon, so I don't think I have to say more. Her fic are consistently the ones with the highest number of hits on the Ao3 for a reason. Anyway, for my DW friends who are not into the Pitt, this story features Mel and Langdon becoming friends-with-benefits. I'm making this sound boring. It's so much fun. I always giggle when I re-read certain parts.

[syndicated profile] atlas_obscura_places_feed

Looking down into the abandoned rock quarry at Mineral Hills

Tucked at the very end of a residential street in Northampton, MA, is the unassuming entrance to the Mineral Hills Conservation Area, a free network of hiking trails. Entering the forest area, which is maintained by the Friends of the Mineral Hills and monitored by the Kestrel Land Trust, one is unlikely to realize at first that they are just a brief walk from a large abandoned rock quarry.

The quarry operated from the 1950s until the early 2000s when a stop-work order was issued due alleged zoning violations. In 2007, the land that includes the quarry transferred to the City of Northampton’s Conservation Commission. The conservation funds were raised by local groups and individuals from nearby neighborhoods committed to protecting the land. 

Now, atop the rock quarry’s ledge, visitors can have a look down into evidence of human industry now returning to its natural habitat. Bring binoculars to try to spot frogs, birds, and other critters who have made their home in this protected former gravel mining site.

(no subject)

Dec. 14th, 2025 04:38 pm
watersword: Keira Knightley, in Pride and Prejudice (2007), turning her head away from the viewer, the word "elizabeth" written near (Default)
[personal profile] watersword

On my way out the door to a vigil for last night's mass casualty incident; today is also the thirteenth anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, and there was an antisemitic mass shooting in Bondi Beach, Australia yesterday.

I do not know how I am going to get through this vigil and come home and light my chanukiyah, with its engraving, More life. The great work begins.

Write every day: Day 14

Dec. 14th, 2025 10:18 pm
luzula: a Luzula pilosa, or hairy wood-rush (Default)
[personal profile] luzula
Alibi sentence (or rather, alibi finishing of an unfinished sentence). How about you?

Tally:
Read more... )
Day 12: [personal profile] luzula, [personal profile] garonne, [personal profile] goddess47, [personal profile] trobadora, [personal profile] badly_knitted, [personal profile] sylvanwitch, [personal profile] sanguinity, [personal profile] cornerofmadness, [personal profile] carenejeans, [personal profile] chestnut_pod, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] ysilme

Day 13: [personal profile] goddess47, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] trobadora, [personal profile] badly_knitted, [personal profile] sylvanwitch, [personal profile] chestnut_pod, [personal profile] sanguinity, [personal profile] cornerofmadness, [personal profile] carenejeans, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] garonne, [personal profile] ysilme

Day 14: [personal profile] china_shop

Bonus farm news: Today I threshed some radish seeds.

Pinch Hit #121

Dec. 15th, 2025 10:20 am
yuletidemods: A hippo lounges with laptop in hand, peering at the screen through a pair of pince-nez and smiling. A text bubble with a heart emerges from the screen. The hippo dangles a computer mouse from one toe. By Oro. (Default)
[personal profile] yuletidemods posting in [community profile] yuletide_pinch_hits
This pinch hit is due two days after the main deadline; it's due at Friday 19 December at 9pm UTC.

PH #121: SMPLive, Roughhouse SMP, Mirai SMP - XYouly, Highcraft (Web Series)
Request 1 by serilly
SMPLive
Characters: cscoop (SMPLive), Traves (SMPLive), Joko (SMPLive), Worldbuilding (SMPLive)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I love Joko/Cooper, they have a really fun dynamic that's like "when I like a guy so I have to psychologically torment him about it". I'm always interested in reading about them.
I also just love Travis in general, I think he's a very fun character.
SMPLive's world also has a lot of fun underexplored aspects for worldbuilding both from a metafictional (hits, the wheel, chats and the court system) and fully in-universe (the bread/void/salmon cults, Spawn City's economy, the server cop mechanic) perspective.
Likes: Fish hybrid Cooper, dog hybrid Travis, goober Joko (skin color matches emotions), courtroom drama, worldbuilding, shenanigans, light metafiction
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, power dynamics, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, graphic violence

No letter

Request 2 by serilly
Roughhouse SMP
Characters: Pokay (Roughhouse SMP), RoastedJames (Roughhouse SMP), Wuna301 (Roughhouse SMP), Michaelmcchill (Roughhouse SMP)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I really really badly want to read Poke/James fic, there's like none!! I think they have a really fun dynamic, they're basically inseparable. I would say they're almost like the same mind in two bodies. They are infesting my brain lately.
I think this is my most wanted out of all my requests. There's absolutely no content for this SMP or these guys in general which makes me really sad.
I really like interpreting James as being like, very emotionally reserved and hiding it under being "the funny guy" and "the problem causer".
Likes: Alien (vaguely Slowpoke-esque) Poke, avian James, trans male James, mutual pining, chaos, avian courtship, the rest of Roughhouse terrorizing Michael, Michael/Luna as secondary pairing, Michael in general (he's really funny)
Other characters from RHSMP very welcomed as supporting characters, i.e. Beef, Dink, Burren, Crumb, etc!
As a heads up, if you include Luna in the fic, Luna uses they/them pronouns now, they used he/him when RHSMP was ongoing.
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, power dynamics, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic

No letter

Request 3 by serilly
Mirai SMP - XYouly
Characters: Travis (Mirai SMP), Technoblade (Mirai SMP), Joko (Mirai SMP), Cooper (Mirai SMP)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

I am OBSESSED with the dynamic between Travis and Joko in Mirai SMP. They're very "toxic yaoi". However I'm really not a fan of the possession plot twist so please just disregard that entirely!
I would love to see some relationship study on how their roles sort of shift towards the opposite as the game goes on, with Travis hardening up and using his crazy emotional intelligence to read Joko like a book and Joko struggling to keep up his apathetic, intimidating persona.
Especially with how the underlying guilt Travis has with Cooper's death and his falling out with Techno plays into it. Super fascinating stuff.
I'd also really love to read an AU where they win and get out together with their plan to exploit the bounty on Techno.
The fic can be read on here or on Wattpad, no SMPLive knowledge is needed at all.
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, Amanda (I know she's canon in Mirai SMP, but I don't like that she is)

No letter

Request 4 by serilly
Highcraft (Web Series)
Characters: wtbarce (Highcraft), traves (Highcraft), JOKO (Highcraft), cscoop (Highcraft)
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)

This series is mostly episodic, so you most likely won't need to watch all of it if you've never watched it.
I have a couple different ideas in mind:
- Building off the SMP and "I raised his property value" where Cooper rebuilds Joko's house in the sky could be fun
- I love the modded episodes, especially the more fantasy-based ones like the Aether and the Twilight Forest ones, I'd love to see something based on one of those with worldbuilding and such
- I really love Travis and there's not a lot of good fic about any of his characters, so anything centered on him would be nice. A lot of stuff writes his characters as naive or childish when he's not and it frustrates me because I love how he's incredibly intelligent and can read people like a book despite his shenanigans. He's kind of a high int low wit type character.
Likes: Anthro dog Cooper, tired basemom Cooper or little bastard Cooper with no in between, Joko/Cooper, Travis/Barce, troublemaker Travis, adventure map worldbuilding, mod worldbuilding
DNW: RPF, explicit sexual content, chatfic, unrequested setting change AUs, superpowers, kidfic, graphic violence

No letter

Canon links: Playlist for Roughhouse SMP, partial playlist for Highcraft, link to fic for Mirai SMP





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Mr. Mercedes (Season 1)

Dec. 14th, 2025 02:06 pm
calzephyr: Scott Pilgrim generator (Default)
[personal profile] calzephyr
I thought Mr. Mercedes was going to be a solid crime thriller about a retired cop and his one unsolved case, but wow, it was so much more!

There are three seasons available on Netflix, and, TBH, after reading a synopsis of S2, I'm just going to stop and enjoy S1. S2 frankly sounds like a turd. I understand audiences often want more of the same, but sometimes a story is just fine stopping at a certain point and I don't want to feel let down.

I didn't know until about halfway through that it was based on a Stephen King work, and then some of the stuff made sense. It's a very detailed show, and I enjoyed the suspense, callbacks, and chills!

Fair warning though--there's some gross sexual abuse, and things get a little squishy in parts.



Disadvent 14

Dec. 14th, 2025 02:24 pm
psocoptera: ink drawing of celtic knot (Default)
[personal profile] psocoptera
Yesterday was all, uh, advent and no disadvent - Christmas shopping including tree but also groceries and school supplies and picture wire and replacing lost winter gear and three boxes of dish detergent from the only store around that still carries a dish detergent I don't hate (it's all pods, pods, pods now, and I guess I've become the dad from Strictly Ballroom, "it's all video, video, video". anyways.).

Today, however, we put up lights on the tree and in the living room and also got rid of all the spare bulbs and fuses and warnings/instructions for lights we don't have any more, and also threw out two broken strings of outdoor lights that were in the garage. And also we had two strings of lights we'd never used because the colors were creepy and unpleasant (a blue and a purple, which I had bought as colors of holiday lights I like in general, but these weren't good implementations) and it occurred to me that I could send them with Q to see if the LARP people had any use for them, as people who sometimes want creepy lighting effects on purpose, as I have seen in some event photos. He has been instructed to emphasize that I don't want them back.
[syndicated profile] atlas_obscura_places_feed

The sculpture/benches by Siameses Company.

On the edge of Mexico City's Historic Center, a small chapel known as Concepción de Tlaxcoaque anchors and names the Plaza Tlaxcoaque. What is now a public square was once home to a 1960s modernist building which housed the DIPD (Investigation Divisions for Crime Prevention). This institution served many roles for the Mexican and Mexico City governments, but it was particularly known as the headquarters of the Secret Police. During the counterculture students movements of the late 1960s  and early 70s, it became a site of arbitrary detentions, interrogation under torture and disappearances. A major earthquake in 1985 heavily damaged the building which would lead to its demolition. In the early 21st century, the square was remodeled to include a Plaza de la Memoria (Memory Plaza) where the government attempts to atone for the previous repressions, and it has also become surrounded by artworks such as murals that seek to help it shed its dark reputation.

"Quetzalcóatl Danza con sus Hijos al Mictlán" (Quetzalcóatl, the Aztec/Mexica god, dances with his sons to Mictlán, their version of the underworld) is a lofty title for a lofty work. Designed by artist Seher One for the walls of the Juana de Arco (Joan of Arc) Building, at the time of its completion in 2017, it was a likely contender for Mexico's largest street art mural. Practically below it, on an underground traffic tunnel, there is another superlative mural. Inaugurated in 2018, this one is the work of Jorge Cejudo, called "Soy Mi Centro" (I Am My Center), it was set up as a "floating" mosaic, not placed directly on the walls but rather atop aluminum panels. With about 9 million individual tiles stretching over 650 meters in length, it is often considered the largest mosaic of its type in the world. Finally, another building-tall mural can be found not far from the Tlaxcoaque Chapel, celebrating the band Three Souls on My Mind (later known as El Tri) and painted by Leonardo "Leo" Monzoy.

Outside of murals, Tlaxcoaque's surroundings also include sculptural works. The bright colors of Siameses Company's metal benches might make them the first to catch the eye. This collective consisting of Marisa Lara and Arturo Guerrero has made functional street furniture that also tells stories of animals like cats, rabbits and dogs via psychedelic visuals and shapes. A nearby statue might be the most controversial feature of Plaza Tlaxcoaque. Representing a woman with her arms outstretched towards the sky, it is a memorial to the Khojaly Massacre (spelled here as Jodyali).

In 1992, during the first Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenian forces entered the Khojaly region populated by Azerbaijanis, leading to what is commonly referred to as a "massacre" of hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians. This particular monument refers to the event as a "genocide", a term which is controversial as many believe it is historically inaccurate. The Armenian people themselves are often considered to have been victims of an attempted genocide by Turks in the early 20th century. With Azerbaijanis being a Turkic people, claims of genocide perpetuated by Armenians are politically-loaded. It would appear that this monument was part-funded by Azerbaijani organizations, along with a statue of former president Heydar Aliyev which was displayed in Mexico City for less than a year before its removal in 2013. With a 2023 Azerbaijani offensive conflict resulting in an Azerbaijani victory and exodus of Armenians from the area in 2023, the Jodyali monument remains unchanged as of late 2024, and likely to continue standing as a controversial feature.

Book review: Martyr!

Dec. 14th, 2025 10:50 am
rocky41_7: (Default)
[personal profile] rocky41_7 posting in [community profile] booknook
Title: Martyr!
Author: Kaveh Akbar
Genre: Fiction, literary

It took over a month for my hold on this book to come up, but Friday night I finished Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. If you look into online book recommendations like on New York Times or NPR, you've probably seen this title come up. This book is about a young poet who sobers up after years of severe addiction and is now looking for meaning and purpose.

Martyr! is a beautiful book about the very human search for meaning in our lives, but it also is not afraid to shy away from the ugliness of that search. It juxtaposes eloquently-worded paragraphs of generational grief with Cyrus waking up having pissed the bed because he went to sleep so drunk the night before. Neither of these things cancels the other out. 

Everyone in Martyr! is flawed, often deeply, but they're all also very real, and they're trying their best; they aren't trying to hurt anyone, but they cause hurt anyway, and then they and those around them just have to deal with that. Martyr! weighs the search for personal meaning against the duty owed to others and doesn't come up with a clean answer. What responsibility did Orkideh have to her family as opposed to herself? What responsibility did Ali have to Cyrus as opposed to himself? What responsibility does Cyrus have to Zee, as opposed to his search for a meaningful death? 

Cyrus' story is mainly the post-sobriety story: He's doing what he's supposed to, he's not drinking or doing drugs, he's going to his AA meetings, he's working (after a fashion)...and what's the reward? He still can't sleep at night and he feels directionless and alone and now he doesn't even have the ecstasy of a good high to look forward to. This is the "so what now?" part of the sobriety journey.

It's also in many ways a family story. Cyrus lost his mother when he was young and his father shortly after he left for college, and he spends the book trying to reckon with these things and with the people his parents were. Roya is the mother Cyrus never knew, whose shape he could only vaguely sketch out from his father's grief and his unstable uncle's recollections. Ali is the father who supported Cyrus in all practical ways, and sacrificed mightily to do it, but did not really have the emotional bandwidth to be there for his son. And there are parallels between Cyrus and Roya arising later in the book that tugged quite hard on my heartstrings, but I won't spoil anything here.

Cyrus wants to find meaning, but seems only able to grasp it in the idea of a meaningful death--hence his obsession with martyrs. The idea of a life with meaning seems beyond him. He struggles throughout the book with this and with the people trying to suggest that dying is not the only way to have lived. 

I really enjoyed this book and I think it deserves the praise it's gotten. I've tried to sum up here what the book is "about," but it's a story driven by emotion more than plot. It's Cyrus' journey and his steps and stumbles along the way, and I think Akbar did a wonderful job with it.

Culinary

Dec. 14th, 2025 06:30 pm
oursin: Frontispiece from C17th household manual (Accomplisht Lady)
[personal profile] oursin

Last week's bread held out fairly well until it did a variety of mould-related activity. There were still some rolls left, fortunately.

Friday night supper: Gujerati khichchari (with cashew nuts) which I do not seem to have made for absolute yonks.

Saturday breakfast rolls: brown grated apple: Light Spelt flour, molasses, a touch of ginger (this didn't really come through, probably overpowered by the molasses): rose like absolute whoah.

Today's lunch: the smoked haddock and pulses thing - smoked haddock loin fillets baked in cream + water with bay leaf, mace and 5-pepper blend, flaked and then layered with bottled black beans (would buy again), some of the cooking liquid added, top sprinkled with panko crumbs and baked in moderate oven for c. 40 minutes, served with baked San Marzano tomatoes, and slow-cooked tenderstem broccoli, finished with lime, some of which seemed less tenderstemmed than one might have expected.

O come, Divine Messiah

Dec. 14th, 2025 01:16 pm
marycatelli: (Galahad)
[personal profile] marycatelli
O come, Divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
Read more... )

Russian Dacha in Slovenia

Dec. 14th, 2025 12:00 pm
[syndicated profile] atlas_obscura_places_feed

This building is the only one of its kind in the region, showing the Russian style of summer homes created before World War I. It was fully restored in every detail by 2020 and is now open to the public for tours and is used to host special events.

Such buildings are more popular in Soviet areas in land owned by upper-class citizens under the tsars. This estate has a full balcony projecting out from the second floor with exceptional timber design. The land around it contains a gazebo that mirrors the house's flourishes alongside a lake and small stream.

falena: (la vie en rose)
[personal profile] falena

This is a sci-fi romance? Space opera, I think, technically. I know, it sounds weird as a combo, but it totally works. One of my all-time favourite m/m romance books. It's not a big surprise, when you learn it started out as original fanfiction on the Ao3. I'd actually read it back then and liked it. When it was published I bought it just because I was happy to be able to support one fanfic writer, thinking I wouldn't get much out of the book since I'd already read it...Boy, was I wrong. The worldbuilding had been increased a lot, adding a lot of politics. well, intergalactic, alien politics, but still messy human politics at its core. And I adore politics when it is a) fictional b) integral to the plot c) well-written. ANyway, at its core it's a tropetastic love story, (arranged marriage!There was only one sleeping bag! Grump/sunshine pairing). I adore these two characters. Blurb from GoodReads

While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

Is the new Prince Kiem Here To Stay?. 1.6K. Exclusive interview by Hani Sereson Jainan/Kiem. Outsider's POV. This is written as a newspaper article (by a canon journalist). Soooo IC and a lot of fun. It's a perfect epilogue, imho.

And Indeed There Will Be Time. 5.4K words. Jaina/Kiem, explicit. a little of what happened in those three days after they were rescued from the mountains. The sex scenes in the books are fade-to-black, so this awesome fic author took it upon themselves to give us some hot smut that can slot perfectly into canon. :D

The Pitt

Let Me by [archiveofourown.org profile] baeksoolatte. 6k words. Mateo Diaz/Cassie McKay, explicit.

“I heard from Dana,” Cassie says after a beat, voice light but with an edge like she’s tossing a grenade wrapped in ribbon. “Apparently Victoria Javadi has a crush on you.”

Mateo groans. “Jesus.”

“She says you don’t date coworkers.”

“I don’t,” he says, glancing at her. “But if I were going to… date one…”

Cassie looks at him sidelong, smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I know.” She doesn’t say no. She never says no. “Mateo, it’s not a good idea.”

This my faveourite rarepair in the fandom. There are 9, NINE stories in the tag at the Ao3. I weep. This pairing has so much potential! Age gap. Hot, jaded older woman, super hot younger man. They are friends in canon. This fic explores the potential between them so beautifully. Gah. I want more!!

Wishing . . .

Dec. 14th, 2025 08:59 am
sartorias: (candle)
[personal profile] sartorias
A peaceful Hanukkah to all who celebrate. And to all others (who are sane) let's wish that those who do celebrate can do so in peace.

Christmas recipes

Dec. 14th, 2025 05:43 pm
scripsi: (Default)
[personal profile] scripsi
Glögg

Glögg is a Swedish mulled wine that has been drunk since at least the Middle Ages. The word comes from the older glödg, which simply means heated. Nowadays it is traditionally served in December. Though you can buy it readymade, I always make my own, as I find the bought stuff too sweet.

½ bottle brandy
1 bottle red wine
1 bottle port wine (I use the cheapest possible of all three bottles of alcohol, as the spices dominate the flavour.)
25 grams of whole cinnamon
10 grams of whole cardamon seeds
10 grams of whole cloves
300 grams granulated sugar
15 centiliters of water

Lightly crush the whole spices and mix with the brandy After 1-3 days, strain and mix the brandy with the red wine and the port wine. Dissolve the sugar in the water on low heat, and add to the alcohol. Now it’s done, and just needs to be bottled. Will keep for several years.

Serve heated in small cups with whole almonds and raisins. Usually with gingerbread cookies and ”lussekatter” (saffron buns) to eat with it. In Sweden you can buy special cups for it, but cups meant for Turkish coffee are the perfect size.

The discarded spices can be re-used in a simmer pot.

You can play around with the recipe, and add other spices. This year I added two star anises and two tonka beans, some black pepper and allspice. Vanilla bean and dried orange peel can also be added. And you can use any sugar you like, this year it was a mix of rock sugar and some tonka-infused sugar.



Gingerbread

Mix together:
150 grams softened butter
2 ½ dl sugar
Add
½ dl golden golden syrup
1 dl cold water

Mix together in another bowl
8 dl white flour
1 tbl ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp ground clove
1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Slowly as the flour mix to the wet ingredients until a dough is formed. Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge overnight, at least for 12 hours. Remove about an hour before you plan to bake. Roll out very thinly, like 2-3 mm and cut out with cookie cutters. Heat the oven to 175C and bake for 6-7 minutes.

If you wish you can decorate with frosting. The traditional shapes of the cookie cutters are hearts, men, women, pigs and billy goats, but whatever shape you want is fine. I have collected a lot over the years, but my favorites are a pig and a man cutter that once belonged to one of my great-grandmothers, so it’s over a 100 years old.

TIP: These cookies are a hassle to move to the baking sheet as they are so thin. So I roll out the dough directly on a silicone baking mat so I don’t have to move them.



Knäck (Christmas Butterscotch)

This is a traditional Christmas candy. “Knäck” translates to crack, and beware, these are delicious, but can be hard on the teeth and fillings.

You need equal parts of double cream, golden syrup (or treacle) and sugar. I usually use 2 dl of each. Pour into a pot and heat until boiling, while constantly stirring. Adjust the heat so it doesn’t boil over and continue to stir. Cook until 126-130C, or until a drop of the mixtures, dripped into cold water, is easily formed into a ball. Traditionally poured into small (like 1,5-2 cm across) fluted paper cups.

It’s very popular to add chopped blanched almonds as the last step before pouring, though personally I don’t care for that. But for the amount above, you would need about ⅔ dl unchopped almonds.

vignettes

Dec. 14th, 2025 11:10 am
marycatelli: (Default)
[personal profile] marycatelli
This week's prompt is:
island 🏝️

Anyone can join, with a 50-word creative fiction vignette in the comments. Your vignette does not have to include the prompt term. Any (G or PG) definition of the word can be used.

(no subject)

Dec. 14th, 2025 10:37 am
skygiants: Nellie Bly walking a tightrope among the stars (bravely trotted)
[personal profile] skygiants
On a lighter Parisian note, I read my first Katherine Rundell book, Rooftoppers, which I would have ADORED at age ten but also found extremely fun at age forty!

The heroine of Rooftoppers is orphan Sophie, found floating in a cello case the English Channel after a terrible shipwreck and adopted by a charming eccentric named Charles who raises her on Shakespeare and Free Spirited Inquiry. Unfortunately the English authorities do not approve of children being raised on Shakespeare and Free Spirited Inquiry, so when they threaten to remove Sophie to an orphanage, Charles and Sophie buy themselves time by fleeing to Paris in an attempt to track down traces of Sophie's parentage.

Sophie is stubbornly convinced she might have a mother somewhere out there who survived the shipwreck! Charles is less convinced, but willing to be supportive. On account of the Authorities, however, Charles advises Sophie to stay in the hotel while he pursues the investigation -- but Sophie will not be confined! So she starts pursuing her own investigations via the hotel roof, where she rapidly collides with Matteo, an extremely feral child who claims ownership of the Paris roofs and Does Not Want want Sophie intruding.

But of course eventually Sophie wins Matteo over and is welcomed into the world of the Rooftoppers, Parisian children who have fled from orphanages in favor of leaping from spire to steeple, stealing scraps and shooting pigeons (but also sometimes befriending the pigeons) and generally making a self-sufficient sort of life for themselves in the Most Scenic Surroundings in the World. The book makes it quite clear that the Rooftoppers are often cold and hungry and smelly and the whole thing is no bed of roses, while nonetheless fully and joyously indulging in the tropey delight of secret! hyper-competent! child! rooftop! society!!

The book as a whole strikes a lovely tonal balance just on the edge of fairy tale -- everything is very technically plausible and nothing is actually magic, but also, you know, the central image of the book is a gang of rooftop Lost Kids chasing the haunting sound of cello music over the roof of the Palais de Justice. The ending I think does not make the mistake of trying to resolve too much, and overall I found it a really charming experience.
[syndicated profile] atlas_obscura_places_feed

Rumbula Memorial

Turning into the drive to Rumbula Forest from the busy modern highway with its whooshing cars punctuated by honks and flashing headlights and traffic signals you are immediately met by a great iron archway.  Dark, twisted branches of two bent trees intertwined overhead forming a foreboding gateway that hints at the history of what is ahead.  As you venture further down the memorial drive, the scene gradually drains of color, growing quiet and reflective.

In 1941, Rumbala Forest, located just outside of Riga, Latvia, became the site of two horrific Nazi mass killings during the Holocaust.  Today, it stands as a somber memorial dedicated to those lost.  Upon entering, a large menorah commands attention before thousands of uncut stones engraved with victim’s names, arranged in the shape of a Star of David.  Interwoven into the design are cobblestones etched with the street names from the Jewish ghetto symbolizing not only the individual lives but also the social fabric of a vibrant community that was destroyed.  Nearby, large mass graves of some 25,000 victims are marked by small stones and candles, silently urging visitors to reflect on the devastating consequences of hatred.

Visiting Rumbula Forest is a powerful act of remembrance and a warning against intolerance.  For a deeper understanding, consider learning about the memorial and the massacres beforehand and booking a guided tour through the Jewish heritage groups in Riga.  Bringing a journal can help in processing the emotional weight of the experience.

The site is easily accessible from Riga by car, taxi, or bus.  The site offers many trails suitable for walking and biking but there are no facilities or cafes, so plan accordingly.  It is open daily and there are no entrance fees.