The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 02: A Comma (is a Restful Pause)

[Hypoxia]

Port Townsend is okay but gets boring after a few days. (I spent a week there last summer.) A few quaint downtown blocks, some nifty public spaces, lots of water-fresh air, and few directions to go -- it's at the corner of a peninsula, y'know. And it's wet. Head on over to the dry zone of Seqim (pronounced Skwim), then to Port Angeles and the rest of the Olympic peninsula.

Remember, you're just across the Sound from Seattle and Bellevue and Microsoft zillionaires etc. Don't expect bargain rates. But the boat-building school is great.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Get bored in Port Townsend? You must not be the avid seafood gourmand that I am. And then there's the various beers--and the concerts at Fort Warden--and the Wooden Boat School. There's a lot less to do in Port Angeles.

 

[NotWise]

Ya'll have me confused. "WA" is an abbreviation for "Western Australia" but I don't know of any Port Townsend in Western Australia. It's also an abbreviation for the US state of Washington, where there is a Port Townsend.

So if we can narrow this down to the state of Washington, then I don't know what's so special. Is the seafood better than, say seafood in New Orleans, or DelMar? And beer? We all have beer, don't we? I can't walk a half block downtown without coming across another tap room.

 

[Hypoxia]

So if we can narrow this down to the state of Washington, then I don't know what's so special. Is the seafood better than, say seafood in New Orleans, or DelMar? And beer? We all have beer, don't we? I can't walk a half block downtown without coming across another tap room.

Oh sure, there's beer and food. I remember being surprised by a good Mexican restaurant when I visited in 1964. There's more now. But it's not exactly a Garden for Gourmets or a Disneyland for Drunks. For those I go to San Francisco, Santa Fe, San Antonio, or San Luis Potosí.

PS: There's a great Pecan Beer from Moriarty NM near Albuquerque. Note that in that region it's pronounced PEE-can, like what one pisses into when out and about. But the beer is good.

 

[_Lynn_]

Well, since I have nothing to add to the church/beer/sleep/coffee and anything else I missed, I'll grab a water and take off.

 

[oggbashan]

Og. A perhaps unusual way to find the exact location of Churches is to Google "Dove's guide to the Church Bells of Great Britain." The Guide is available free on line and now contains an exact OS reference number for all of the 4000 or so churches with bells in UK.

In the old days churches were often the centre of footpath networks and the OS maps those well, so there may be alternative points of access.

If however, your church has no bells, my suggestion is entirely useless and you'll have to search for your 'encaustic' tiles somehow else.

I know exactly WHERE it is, and a lot about it.

What I don't know, and can't find out, is WHEN it is open to the public to view - as is required by the funding that maintains it. The nearest local history group is at least five miles away, or WAS. They seem as defunct as the website information.

The reason it is so isolated - now - is that it was built on a nobleman's private estate, inconvenient for the villagers but next door to his mansion. The mansion has long gone and all that is left near the church are some derelict farmworkers cottages. They are probably derelict because they too didn't have road access, and the access they did have has been cut by the motorway.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I know exactly WHERE it is, and a lot about it.

What I don't know, and can't find out, is WHEN it is open to the public to view - as is required by the funding that maintains it. The nearest local history group is at least five miles away, or WAS. They seem as defunct as the website information.

The reason it is so isolated - now - is that it was built on a nobleman's private estate, inconvenient for the villagers but next door to his mansion. The mansion has long gone and all that is left near the church are some derelict farmworkers cottages. They are probably derelict because they too didn't have road access, and the access they did have has been cut by the motorway.

Is there one of those English pubs nearby? You could try going for a beer and asking at the pubs? That way it wouldn't be a completely wasted trip and someone might know.

 

[oggbashan]

Is there one of those English pubs nearby? You could try going for a beer and asking at the pubs? That way it wouldn't be a completely wasted trip and someone might know.

They've updated the website!!! Yesterday.

It's open 9am to 6pm seven days a week - if you can get to it.

The nearest pub? If I remember rightly it was run by two ancient ladies who would only let you it if they liked the look of you. If they didn't? They fired a shotgun loaded with rock salt over your head.

Of course that made it popular. You had to get into their pub, or survive the rock salt.

But they died a couple of decades ago and it was turned into a trendy gastro-pub that failed and is now closed, and turned into a private house.

Near? About ten miles away, and that's a long way in rural Kent.

 

[ChloeTzang]

What's a gastro-pub? Sounds terrifying.

 

[Hypoxia]

The reason it is so isolated - now - is that it was built on a nobleman's private estate, inconvenient for the villagers but next door to his mansion. The mansion has long gone and all that is left near the church are some derelict farmworkers cottages. They are probably derelict because they too didn't have road access, and the access they did have has been cut by the motorway.

Sounds like you'd need a pony or ornithopter to reach it comfortably. Good luck.

I could use an ornithopter today, to skip over the mountain miles between home and a big-city medical appointment. Only 50 miles as the crow flies but about twice as far if the crow has to walk and push a flat tire. Two hours down and back. A slow gyroplane could cure that.

Churches: We used to seek old, obscure churches in New and Old Mexico and Guatemala. Many larger missions were built for Dominicans aka Dominators -- the suckers are typically huge, fortress-like, overawing. These monstrous structures were often built by the labor of women and children 'cause the men were off working the fields. Carved depictions of hell and the stations of the cross supposedly soothed the populace by showing them scenes worse than their own fucking miserable enslaved lives. "You ain't got it so bad, see?" Once the history becomes clear, these monuments to pain are much harder to view.

 

[oggbashan]

What's a gastro-pub? Sounds terrifying.

It's a pub that claims to serve gastronomic food - food for serious foodie nuts. Most of them serve dishes that are little better than normal public house food but at three times the price for small delicately arranged portions.

There is a real gastro-pub some miles away from me. It is Michelin recommended:

http://thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/

They serve great, local and seasonal food at reasonable prices.

But they are the exception. Most gastro-pubs are ghastly and don't do proper beers.

 

[oggbashan]

An aside on Michelin Star ratings for places to eat.

Taken very simply, in FRANCE the ratings go upwards in this order:

1st - if you are nearby you will get reasonable food here.
2nd - worth a short diversion if it isn't too far off your route.
3rd - worth driving 100km to go to.
4th - worth a special journey.
5th - heaven for food addicts.

But as the rating rises so does the difficulty of making a booking, and the cost of the meal.

In France? You might be able to walk in off the street for the first, or book on the same day; book a week ahead for 2nd; a couple of months for 3rd; and for 4th and 5th? Forget them unless you are seriously rich and famous. Even then try booking for later in 2018.

In England? There are so few Michelin rated restaurants that advance booking is essential and even a 1st Michelin rating is worth driving 100km to. 4th and 5th? Look for unicorns instead.

There are only FOUR 3-Michelin star restaurants in the UK; and 21 2-star.

The Sportsman is a 1-star.

Back to coffee...

 

[ChloeTzang]

Okay so I'm not that much of a foodie outside of dim sum. Krispy Kreme is my idea of food heaven. So I think the nearest three star Michelin restaurant to me is either San Francisco or Chicago. Both options coz I have relatives in both. Hmmmm maybe next trip. My SO would be interested, he's a sucker for a good restaurant. This expands my culinary horizons beyond chop suey. Lol thx ogg

 

[_Lynn_]

It's hot and humid again. Not the best day for getting groceries but I was tired of staring at the empty shelves.

 

[NotWise]

Here's a question that I thought I'd ask here rather than starting a new thread on the AH.

Can there be too much sex in erotica?

I'm struggling to the end of my current story. The two MC's are both relating shared memories of sex in former lives and having sex themselves, partly because the stories turn them on. At one point the woman starts calling the man "champ" because he's constantly hard and says she'll be sore in the morning. And she is.

It just seems like too much fucking. I'm not sure readers could tell (and maybe they wouldn't care) who was fucking whom in some scenes. It's confusing.

I might step back and replace two or three copulations with one hotter one, and then let the chapter end without anybody being sore, or being nicknamed "champ," but with a clearer telling of the tale.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Here's a question that I thought I'd ask here rather than starting a new thread on the AH.

Can there be too much sex in erotica?

I'm struggling to the end of my current story. The two MC's are both relating shared memories of sex in former lives and having sex themselves, partly because the stories turn them on. At one point the woman starts calling the man "champ" because he's constantly hard and says she'll be sore in the morning. And she is.

It just seems like too much fucking. I'm not sure readers could tell (and maybe they wouldn't care) who was fucking whom in some scenes. It's confusing.

I might step back and replace two or three copulations with one hotter one, and then let the chapter end without anybody being sore, or being nicknamed "champ," but with a clearer telling of the tale.

I'd say no but then I write 30k word sex scenes so who am I to say goooooo for it. Lol. Whatever you feel comfortable with as long as you don't lose your readers. If you read it yourself and skip over bits, delete those. Just the way I work, suggested only.

 

[sr71plt]

Here's a question that I thought I'd ask here rather than starting a new thread on the AH.

Can there be too much sex in erotica?

I'm struggling to the end of my current story. The two MC's are both relating shared memories of sex in former lives and having sex themselves, partly because the stories turn them on. At one point the woman starts calling the man "champ" because he's constantly hard and says she'll be sore in the morning. And she is.

It just seems like too much fucking. I'm not sure readers could tell (and maybe they wouldn't care) who was fucking whom in some scenes. It's confusing.

I might step back and replace two or three copulations with one hotter one, and then let the chapter end without anybody being sore, or being nicknamed "champ," but with a clearer telling of the tale.

In erotica? Yes, I think so. Because I think erotica is about the emotions of sensuality, not the vigorous and frequent sliding of tab A into slot B.

 

[_Lynn_]

In erotica? Yes, I think so. Because I think erotica is about the emotions of sensuality, not the vigorous and frequent sliding of tab A into slot B.

I agree.

 

[ChloeTzang]

In erotica? Yes, I think so. Because I think erotica is about the emotions of sensuality, not the vigorous and frequent sliding of tab A into slot B.

I think it's how you write it isn't it and yes, it's that sensuality and your ability to get into your reader's mind and tease them until they're hooked and they can;t stop reading.

It's that old porn vs erotica discussion and you can write extended sex scenes either way. Porn is the Tab A into Slot B stuff, while erotica takes you into the heart and minds and as long as you can do that and keep the reader hooked and wanting more you can keep going with the sex and it's still erotic. It's all in the readers minds. IMO and I'm no expert. You guys have been at this way longer than me.

 

[NotWise]

IMO and I'm no expert. You guys have been at this way longer than me.

Oh Chloe! your humility is sweet, but stop that. You might be--at least in reader's reactions--the best erotic writer who's hit these pages in a while. Recognize what you've done and let us learn from your input.

 

[TxRad]

Oh Chloe! your humility is sweet, but stop that. You might be--at least in reader's reactions--the best erotic writer who's hit these pages in a while. Recognize what you've done and let us learn from your input.

These kids grow up so fast and learn the same way.

How much is too much of anything? If you feel like it is too much then it probably is. The right balance of things makes the best of whatever you are making. My two cents worth anyway.

Interesting evening last night with showing the ladies how a story gets started and how it is plotted and written. Their reactions and actions to what i wrote was even more interesting. I won't go into detail as it will be in a later installment to the series. They were both down for the count before midnight and I ended up writing three short chapters and got the fourth started.

Fresh coffee for those in need.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

how come nobody told me about Darkly Dreaming Dexter before?

 

[MagicaPractica]

how come nobody told me about Darkly Dreaming Dexter before?

Short answer = never heard of it.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

Short answer = never heard of it.

neither had i until a chance meeting on Netflix.

they did this with it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_(TV_series)

 

[MagicaPractica]

neither had i until a chance meeting on Netflix.

they did this with it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_(TV_series)

Ah, yes. Heard of the show, haven't watched it.