Wine I tend to like old school, powerful reds. French, mostly, and some of the super Tuscans. California wines can be tricky if you're not familiar with their processes, because a lot of vineyards gather up a bunch of random grapes and toss in pieces of oak in metal vats instead of properly casking them. I don't like a powerful oak taste in US wines because this is usually what it means. OR it's because they use brand new American oak, and that makes it taste of turpentine, and no me gusta. Having said that, I try and look for wines that are in used oak barrels (or French oak) and that DON'T have a vanilla/sweet note. I don't care for sweet wines.



Silver Oak is my US standard for not ridiculously priced wine. Specifically from Alexander Valley, not Napa.
Raymond Reserve, CabSav, 2008 - perfect for a red meat night, or even a good cheese board.
Charles Krug, CabSav, 2008 - great with most dishes that aren't overly spicy. This one is about as sweet as I'll get (it's not very) I typically drink this for my "regular" wine.
Penfolds 128, Coonawarra Shiraz - freaking delicious. Spicy, not too astringent, not sweet, goes with your face.



Cheese
Humbolt Fog cheese - I have eaten a ridiculous amount of this lately. Soft goat cheese made like Brie, with ashes woven in like a vein. Spicy, I don't know why, but it almost numbs your mouth. This + roasted almonds + figs = my kryptonite.



Random stuff
Magic Erasers. What sorcery is embedded in this product? I don't know, all I know is that they are magic. This is what got the blueberries out of my deck. <3
Gladys Knight - I've had her on repeat for weeks, now, and she never fails to make my day better. Good god, I love her. I even forgive her for becoming Mormon. Kinda.
Bamboo sheets. Jesus jumped up Jorge, those are what saved us in 110+ degree temp. And then they'll do the same in winter. I don't know how it knows to keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool, but it does. They're every bit as good as high-end silk/actual linen sheets.



Fic - Kurt/Blaine centric
LONG list, under the cut. Building off of this beginning of a recs list.

Understand that as I have less and less free time, I'm less willing to put up with things in fic. I don't want OOC, I don't want steady male sobbing, there are phrases that for me are complete deal breakers, and most importantly, I am not interested in SEEING TECHNIQUE. I know we all try that early on when we start writing fanfic, but man... I get why my creative writing teacher in college sent me a note: "You're not ee cummings." LOL. But look! I can make grasshopper in a new.. what? But-?

Be sure you can tell a STORY without tricks before you try tricks. I say this, and yet there are a few stories I'm going to rec that aren't perfect, that have things that bug me, but the story telling was great enough that I'm willing to overlook the flaws. (I'll tell you when it's coming.)

Writers

flaming_muse - obviously the top of my list, and not just because we're friends. This is how I see Kurt and Blaine (and everyone else.) She writes them thoughtfully, without prejudice, and she remembers how it felt to be in love for the first time. She also writes amazing Burt. She can do funny and hot and sweet, and this is my go to for fic. Notable fic: Hammock, the story that got me into fandom (no, really) Reflection, which deals with the issue of "do people hate me because I'm gay? Or because I'm me?" in a painfully honest and moving way. And SUM, which is getting a varying POV written, and I'm super happy about that. List of all fics here. Highly recommend.

robotsfighting I'm fairly new to this writer and am systematically going through all of their fics. Solid, thoughtful writing. Also does a great job of capturing the innocence of first love. Notable fic: When You Find Your Way Back Down, Blaine is drunk (BIOTA) and Kurt isn't. But Blaine can't shut up. Oh, achy and excellent. UST! I've copied a good 10 fics to my Kindle for company today, but so far, I'm really pleased with how she writes with sensitivity and a real sweetness. Highly recommend.


lookninjas Another person I've recently picked up on, and oh, how I've loved everything I've read so far. Love. She has a series where she explores Klaine from Blaine's father's POV (OC) and while it's not precisely my personal head canon, it totally works. Very touching, a wonderful concept (mother with detachment issues, father torn between the two and distant himself.) She calls it her Ben!Verse, and you need to read all 12 (short) stories together, they work well as chapters. MASTERLIST And notable fic: Unexpected, followed by Messy. This is a part of a series, they're linked (thank you, author!) and YMMV, but I enjoyed them. Highly recommend.


skintightsocks if you're in Glee fandom and don't know these writers (yes, it's two) then holy crap, are you in for a treat. They are the dirty smut writers. Everything is gold. EVERYTHING is gold. And just about everything is R and up. Master list, I wish I was you, reading these for the first time. :D Highly recommend

pushplaytobegin The big story that's getting recced is one I'm waiting on because I have WiP fear. BUT. I peeked at the opening, and it's going to be good,unless something horrible happens and she stops writing the way she does. So. If you don't have WiP fear, jump on I Put Away Childish Things. The fic that led me to her writing, Homage, very sweet future fic. Her masterlist. I still have her list to go through, but the few I've read, I've enjoyed.


cimmerians One of the first writers in Glee I found, and realized there was some great stuff in here, even things I swore I wouldn't read again. (RPF) Speaking of, Love and Affection is a delightful (in many ways) RPS where Darren whisks Chris away for sexy lake times. Writes kink and smut, and does it well.


rainjoyswriting - she's British and doesn't convert things to US terminology, so be aware of that. I'll be honest, that throws me off a lot of the time. But she can tell a good story. There are times things are a little dark, a little too weepy, but still, there are those times you're looking for angst and dark fic with boy-lovin', and she has a massive catalog. Notable stories: Close and Fix (a bad-boy Blaine AU, and one of the better ones out there) Her masterlist (and really, I love when authors do this.)



Specific Stories
idoltina Literal Liminality I just came across this one the other day, and AU can be really hard for me. Canon or bust is usually how I roll. But this is still in character and fun, even though I laugh a little at the time line. (But hey, I'm invested in the characters, I can believe in love at first sight.) Sweet story.


This story written in a Glee Kink Meme, where Puck says (BIOTA-esque) that he's totally go gay for Kurt. Funny and cute little short.


...and yes I said yes I will YES by ohquixotica - fun smutty fic, for people already invested in the pairing. A phrase or two that made me wince (but then, with all the fic I've read over the years, there are just some phrases I'm tired of, so I'll keep it to myself) but I smiled and squirmed as is appropriate. :)


And even though I recced her in the author section, this just came through and it's so sweet. (A common refrain with this pairing, I know. Which is why I love it.) Nobody, Not Even he Rain by robotsfighting I have a thing for rainstorms and heart-felt conversations, so this did nicely.



I have about 28 fics on my Kindle that I need to collect links for, so here's some to get you started. (Most are from the above authors.)

Not comprehensive, I know, but this has kept me occupied happily.






FEEL FREE TO REC (and why you rec them) IN COMMENTS.

And last but not least, I highly recommend Hey, Don't Judge Me for all of your recap, review, snark needs. (Newly up today: Just Desserts, X-Factor, and Jersey Shore) And I highly recommend you share with others how awesome those girls are. And then buy a shirt. :D