#Lease yachts

[yachtsbookingdubai]

5 Interesting Facts about Dubai Yachting

Dubai, one of the most international cities in the emirates, offers visitors and travelers fantastic sights. In Dubai, foreigners and famous people frequently rent yachts and spend a lot of time sailing along the coast.

You may charter a yacht in Dubai Marina if you wish to take one of the city's well-known yacht tours. Families on holiday, families looking to spend time together while on holiday, and some even lease corporate yachts in Dubai are all frequent users of the marina's yacht rentals.

In this blog article, we try to share a few fascinating facts about sailing in Dubai with you. Even if some of these are simply proven myths, they are still fascinating.

Yachting in Dubai is not only for the rich

Although owning a yacht is necessary to go on a day trip with your family and friends, yachting is not an inexpensive form of fun. During the summer and the busy travel season, several Dubai yacht rental companies offer lower pricing. You don't need to put a lot of money into it.

Even though you may reserve a luxury boat in Dubai, there are yachts of various shapes and sizes available. Depending on your budget and individual needs, you may charter a yacht in Dubai. Prices for small-sized yachts to rent are quite affordable in Dubai. These yachts would not, however, be equipped with flashy features like tiny pools and Jacuzzis. So, renting a boat in Dubai is not really that expensive.

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[joelmillerisapunk]

Beach Daddy I. Unexpected Encounters

Rich daddy!Joel Miller x f!reader

Masterlist • Series Masterlist

Wordcount: 5,849

Summary: You find yourself on a luxurious yacht, invited by your old roommate Sarah, only to discover that her new boyfriend is none other than your very recent ex. Feeling out of place and overwhelmed, you take solace in the kindness of Reggie, Joel's intern, who helps you navigate the ship and offers a sympathetic ear.

Warnings: 18+, mentions of cheating, reader has hair and wears a dress, you meet Joel, there's a few random oc's thrown in

Notes: Hi, I hope you enjoy 🥰 if you're feeling saucy after comments and reblogs and thoughts are always welcome! Ty @saradika-graphics for the dividers

As soon as the soles of your worn-out converse hit the wood of the dock, you know you're underdressed. Your old roommate, Sarah, has invited you to spend a few weeks on her father's boat. But as you approach the enormous white yacht docked at the end of the pier, you realize this is no ordinary boat. The yacht's sides are lined with three stories of windows, reflecting the ocean's crystal clear water.

From where you're standing, you can make out a double staircase leading to an upper deck with a circular swimming pool large enough to land a helicopter in. Men and women in matching black and white uniforms pace the decks, preparing the ship to leave the marina.

When Sarah invited you, you had no idea the vacation would be so extravagant. If you had known, you would have packed something nicer than your department store shorts and tank tops. Truthfully, you don't own anything that would make you feel undressed on a yacht that likely costs more than a private island.

"Wow," you say to yourself.

"What was that, miss? Is there something I can help you with?" The driver asks you.

"Oh, sorry, no, I’m fine. Thank you, though," you answer sheepishly.

"Don’t worry about your bags, miss. Someone from the ship will be down shortly to get them and take them to your room."

Sarah sent a Cadillac to the airport to bring you to the private dock her father owns. You appreciate the gesture more than she knows because even though you accepted her vacation invitation, you're on a very tight budget. Splurging for a taxi from the airport to the Florida coast would have left you choosing between buying textbooks or food when your next semester starts.

This vacation marks the beginning of a massive change in your life. After graduating with your Master’s Degree from NYU, you got accepted into Harvard Law School. You'll be moving out of New York City at the end of the summer and getting a new start.

You worked at a hole-in-the-wall bar to pay your tuition and barely scraped together rent each month from your tips. You lived in an apartment that you shared with your two roommates, Lin and Aubrey. You're not renewing your lease on that dilapidated and overpriced apartment, and the thought of finally getting to quit your job is a fantastic feeling.

After all of the excitement of opening your acceptance letter from Harvard, you notice a shift in the one person you thought would remain your constant through all of the change. That person is Todd, your boyfriend of two years. He dumped you with no explanation the night before graduation.

So when you receive a text from Sarah inviting you on a vacation, you accept without hesitation. You're still hurting from the breakup and wanting to be anywhere other than New York.

"Miss?" A woman in a white polo and black knee-length skirt asks you.

"Uh, yes."

"If you will follow me. Miss Miller is waiting for you."

"Of course," you say with a small smile. It's typical that Sarah would send someone to get you rather than meet you at the dock herself, but you ignore it. You're on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and you're going to enjoy every minute of it.

As you reach the deck with the swimming pool, you hear a high-pitched version of your name being yelled and you instantly remember why Sarah and you are friends. She has a way of making you feel special.

Sarah is lounging on a deck chair in a glamorous white bikini with a blue chiffon kimono. As she stands to greet you, you're surprised she's wearing high heels. You thought women only did that on the runway–or maybe in certain kinds of movies....

"Sarah! It is so good to see you. You look amazing, by the way." You're not surprised to see that Sarah already has a pink fruity drink in her hand.

"Oh, thanks. Daddy bought me a new yacht wardrobe while we were in Paris. Isn't this bikini just to die for?" She asks.

"It really is." You smile with your response.

"You look cute too. You’re always dressed like you're in a Gap advertisement."

Your smile almost falters, but you catch it before Sarah notices. You had almost forgotten how Sarah can make you feel special one moment and two feet tall the next.

"The yacht is gorgeous. I had no idea what to expect; I’ve never been on a boat like this before." You admit while brushing off Sarah's previous comment.

"I figured this would be a big treat for you. It’s a shame most of my other friends have a fashion show in London. Anyway, I am glad you could make it."

"I'm glad I could make it too," you say, still trying to maintain your smile.

Sarah snaps her fingers at a young man cleaning the pool while wearing a uniform that indicates he is part of the yacht’s staff. He immediately stops what he's doing, brings over a second pink drink, and hands it to you.

"Thank you so much," you say to him with a sympathetic smile. You take a small sip and are sure you will be having many more of these; it's delicious. The pineapple juice perfectly complements the rum.

"Good, right? It’s a Caribbean rum punch." Sarah says, clearly watching the enjoyment on your face.

"It’s really good. I’ve made these for customers before, but I haven’t had the chance to try one."

"Oh, you still work at that little dive bar?" Sarah asks, but she is clearly uninterested and does not intend to wait for your answer. "You are going to love the yacht," she continues without skipping a beat. "Daddy bought it last year; it is much better than his old one. You and I will be on the second floor, right off this deck, with the pool. Daddy is on the third floor in the main suite. He has a whole deck to himself, but each of our rooms has its own balcony."

You had not had a room to yourself in six years. In your apartment, all three of you shared one bedroom because you couldn’t possibly afford anything bigger. The thought of a room and a balcony all to yourself feels almost too good to be true.

"That sounds amazing, Sarah. I can not begin to thank you enough for inviting me. You have no idea how badly I needed this. I just went through the worst break -"

Sarah cuts you off before you can finish.

"Daddy keeps to himself. He says he has work to do or something like that. So most of the time, we will have the ship to ourselves. It's going to be the biggest party. Daddy even hired a DJ as part of the staff after I begged him."

"Who is us?" You ask wondering how many people she has invited.

"You, me, my boyfriend, and a few other friends. Everyone else will be coming a bit later. They’re taking Megan's private jet, so they'll get in just before we set sail.”

Part of you is nervous to meet the rest of Sarah’s friends. People who have their own private jets are not your usual crowd. However, you feel a bit relieved that there will be other people to entertain Sarah so you can find some time for yourself to relax. Sarah is the type of person who can party for hours on end. She always has to go to one more party, one more bar, or one more club before calling it a night.

“Maybe don’t mention to the others that you could only afford to fly commercial. If you do, at least lie and say you flew first class.”

“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend Sarah,” you say, purposely trying to change the subject. “How long have you been seeing him?” Sarah must have changed more than you realized, because in the past she never would have settled for one man. Sarah knows this and flaunts it. She has a line of guys wanting to date her and she likes it that way.

“We have been seeing each other for four months now. He is absolutely amazing. You are going to love him. Plus he's super hot!” She gushes.

“Well, I can’t wait to meet him,” you say with a bit of a laugh.

“You will soon, he just went to our rooms to get his sunglasses. Oh, here he comes now,” Sarah says with a huge smile lighting up her face.

He walks out onto the deck, wraps an arm around Sarah’s waist, and pulls her in for a kiss. Then he turns to you as though you had never met.

“Hey, I’m Todd.”

“Todd?” you say, completely dumbfounded by the fact that your very recent ex-boyfriend is standing in front of you with his arm around Sarah.

“Yea, I’m Sarah's boyfriend. She told me one of her old roommates would be joining us.”

“Um, yea.” You respond awkwardly. At first, you don’t understand why Todd would act like he doesn’t know you, but then a lump forms in your throat. Sarah says they have been together for four months.

“Hey, you should go get changed, and we can all go up to dinner together. We're eating on the rooftop deck tonight.” Sarah says, completely missing the strangeness of your interaction with Todd. She snaps her fingers again at another member of the yacht staff. “Will you show her to her room?”

“Of course. If you will follow me,” the woman says and starts walking towards the double doors leading into the ship.

You glance back at Todd and Sarah and quickly wish you hadn’t. Todd is kissing her again, and then he winks at you as his hand starts sliding down her back. You turn away quickly before you have to see where his hand lands.

“You are in the first room to the right.”

“Thank you so much-” you pause.

“Molly.”

“Thank you so much, Molly. Also, I'm sorry about the snapping. I work as a bartender and always hate when people snap to get my attention.”

Molly smiles genuinely at you after your comment. “Thank you, but we are all used to Sarah and her ways. There is an intercom in your room. If you need anything, just press the button, and someone downstairs will respond.”

You nod and open the door to your room, but room is an understatement. The size and luxury of the room are unlike anything you have ever experienced. The main room houses a king-size bed covered in a white silk comforter. There is also a lounge area with two modern black leather sofas. And your suitcase is already waiting for you on an ottoman at the foot of the bed.

You sigh and throw yourself onto the bed face down in the comforter. It seems like a bad dream that Todd is here, pretending he doesn’t know you, let alone date you for two years.

You were comfortable, and your relationship was secure, or so you thought. It started with little things, like Todd bailing on plans you'd made and how he stopped inviting you to spend any time at his place.

Aubrey was always suspicious of Todd, but you never questioned him. Because you knew, deep down, he was cheating on you, but you went on pretending because it was easier than losing him. You didn’t have to pretend for very long because he dumped you the day before graduation.

You cried for hours on the living room couch as Lin and Aubrey comforted you and supplied you with all the ice cream you could eat. You picked yourself up the morning of graduation and packed away your pain. You would not let Todd, or anyone else, see you beaten; you thought maybe that would make you a good lawyer one day.

You walked across that stage and accepted your diploma with a giant smile on your face because you truly earned it and right after the ceremony, you let yourself fall into misery again.

And now he's dating Sarah.

Sarah had said that they’d started dating four months ago, which meant that Todd was definitely cheating on you. It was just hard to believe that he cheated on you with one of your friends.

Sure, Sarah and you fell in and out of touch as your lives drifted apart, but it still made the betrayal hurt more.

During college, you were very different people. Sarah attended NYU for the party life and never missed an opportunity to go out and have fun. You spent most of your time studying to ensure you didn’t lose your scholarship. Even though you had your differences, you got along for the most part, and while you were living together, you became close friends.

You allow yourself a few more moments of self-pity before pulling yourself off of the bed. You didn't let Todd see you beat at graduation, and you aren't going to let him see it now.

You make your way to your suitcase and roll it into the connecting ensuite. As you walk through the double doors of the ensuite, you are shocked again by the sheer size of the yacht. You take your time unpacking each item of clothing and hanging it in the closet. You pick out a black knee-length dress, which is the nicest thing you have brought, and change into it.

Just as you finish touching up your makeup, you hear the click of the door latch opening.

“Hey, are you ready? Everyone else is here, and we are all heading up to eat,” Sarah says while she bursts into the room without bothering to knock.

“Yeah. Perfect timing. I just finished.” You walk out of the ensuite and see her standing in a floor-length dress made of silvery fabric. She takes one quick look at you outfit and says nothing, obviously unimpressed by your simple choice. You follow her out into the hallway, where three women and four men in black tie attire talk among themselves.

Sarah makes quick introductions, but the only name you catch is that of the tall brunette woman, Megan, the one with the private jet. Your hands are already starting to sweat, and you're honestly grateful that most of the other guests ignore your presence as waiters bring plate after plate of food and set it in front of each of you.

“Megan, how was the flight here?” Sarah asks.

"Oh, it's the worst. My mom has to take the big jet to Japan for a business conference, so I'm stuck with the little jet. Hudson nearly hit his head on the ceiling because it's so small." Megan throws a seductive look at the tall man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Well, I'm sure you didn't have the worst flight. She had to fly commercial," Sarah says, gesturing towards you.

"You poor thing. I've never flown commercial, but I hear it's horrible. Do you really have to sit next to strangers?"

"Yeah, you do, but not in first class." You say remembering that Sarah had told you to say you flew first class even though you didn't.

It's typical of Sarah to throw you under scrutiny when you had planned to avoid talking about how you got here or anything else to do with money, for that matter. Luckily, the one dig at you seems to be enough for Sarah because she gets distracted by Todd.

"You are the sexiest woman I have ever met," Todd says as he runs his hand up Sarah's arm.

"You two are the absolute cutest," the woman sitting on your right says.

"Oh, I know, right? It's so fun that we are equally numbered men to women," Megan says, throwing another look at Hudson, who seems completely clueless.

You eat your meal in silence and try your best not to watch Sarah and Todd. However, it's hard to ignore the fact that Todd has abandoned his meal and is instead licking Sarah's neck. She laughs, runs her fingers into his mess of brown curls, and pulls his face to hers.

You make it all the way to dessert before you can't take it anymore and quietly slip away from the table. Of course, no one sees you leave; if they did, no one cares.

As the door closes behind you, a few tears start streaming down your face. You have to get back to your room before anyone finds you crying. You quickly wipe the tears from your cheeks and do your best to keep any more from falling.

The day's events have finally hit you in full force. You're angry and hurt that Todd has been cheating on you the whole time, and now you have to spend your vacation watching him and Sarah together.

You're so distracted in your thoughts that you run straight into a rock-solid chest.

You had hoped you just ran into one of the yacht's staff members, but you quickly realize the man is not wearing the uniform. All you can see is a suit jacket. You pull back and continue to try to hold back your tears.

"I am so sorry; I should have been watching where I was going," you say while trying to plan your escape.

When you look up at who you ran into, you're met with the most beautiful brown eyes you've ever seen.

"Are you okay, Miss?”

—♡—

Joel is walking down the hallway on his way to the upper deck when he hears a loud burst of laughter. He sighs in frustration; this was supposed to be a quiet escape from work, yet his yacht is full of a bunch of twenty-year-olds.

He had invited Sarah, as a way to spend a bit of time together this summer. Then Sarah asked if she could bring her new boyfriend along, and he agreed without much thought.

Joel met Todd earlier in the week over breakfast, and he seemed like a good kid. He works in finance for his father’s financial firm in New York, so they immediately have so much to talk about.

He is very complimentary of Joel's recent purchase of Explore Air, the second airline that he now owns. It truly is a good purchase, and he has big plans for expansion. 

Joel is impressed that Sarah has picked someone who is putting down roots, and he seems like a stable choice. Sarah has never introduced him to a boyfriend before, so he is taking their relationship seriously.

Having her boyfriend join them would be an easy way for him to get to know him better and also give Joel a little more time for himself, which is probably a little selfish. It’s not that he doesn’t love his daughter; he finds it difficult spending time with his daughter; they aren’t very close. He had only found out she existed fourteen years ago, and trying to connect with a ten-year-old with whom he has nothing in common has not been easy.

It doesn’t help that he has bought her everything she could possibly ask for–for the last fourteen years. In the beginning, he did it to make up for missing the first ten years of her life, but after that, it just became easier than dealing with her when she didn’t get what she wanted.

Sarah is now a spoiled and entitled twenty-four-year-old with no plans for her life other than partying and spending as much money as possible.

In classic Sarah fashion, his agreement to let her bring her boyfriend along turned into her filling each one of his guest rooms with her rich and arrogant friends. Sarah also hired a DJ against his wishes, but after a hysterical outburst where she accused him of not loving her, she got her way, just like always. So his quiet and relaxing vacation with his daughter quickly turned into him hosting a summer-long party.

Before he heads to his stateroom, he figures he better play the welcoming host and go up to greet Sarah and her friends. As Joel turns a corner, he bumps into someone. The woman has her head down, so all he can see is her hair.

“I am so sorry; I should have been watching where I was going,”  the woman says. 

When her eyes finally meet Joel’s, he is surprised it looks like she is fighting tears.

“Are you okay, miss?” Joel says in response. He feels dumb as soon as the words are out of his mouth. She, very obviously, is not okay.

“Yes. I’m just heading back to my room, uh, sir,”  she says as she straightens up, obviously not wanting to be caught crying.

“Oh right,” Joel replies, suddenly realizing that she called him sir, so she must be one of the maids.

He starts picking through his memories, trying to remember when he’d hired her.  Reggie must have been the one to interview her because he surely would have remembered a woman so captivating.

“Before you do that, would you head up to my stateroom and unpack my luggage?  I'm afraid it's been delivered later than usual. Had some business I had to attend to before leaving port, and I didn't get here as early as I would have liked.”

“Oh - I am - Uh -” she starts staring at the floor.

Joel stands waiting for her response. He thinks it is cute how flustered she is; perhaps it's because he makes her nervous. That's pretty common with new hires, but oddly, she makes him feel a bit flustered, which is completely uncommon.

“Yes,”  she stammers.

“Thank you so much -” he says with a smile, leaving a pause in hopes that she would tell him her name, but she quickly turns and heads in the opposite direction. He can't help but stare as she walks away. As she slips around a corner and out of sight, he sighs, knowing he needs to make an appearance upstairs.

Joel walks out onto the deck, where a large dining table is placed and decorated with an extravagant centerpiece. The stars reflect over the ocean and create a stunning backdrop for his daughter's dinner party. He is really impressed at how well the staff has done at transforming this space, most likely with very particular instructions from Sarah.

“Daddy!” Sarah screams as he makes his way out onto the deck. She screams a lot, but he notices most girls her age do. Thankfully it looks as though their dinner party is just wrapping up; waiters are clearing away everything from the table. 

Sarah runs over and hugs him.

“Hello, sweetheart,” he says kissing  the top of her head. “Is everything goin' alright?”

“Everything has gone perfectly so far. The yacht is so awesome; I think my friends could die out of jealousy.”

Joel remains silent, not knowing how to respond to Sarah's need to be the envy of other people. He would leave figuring that out to her mother, Marnie. They hardly speak other than when she needs money from him, which is more often than he'd like.

“Good evening, Mr. Miller,” Todd says as he makes his way over and shakes Joel's hand.

“S'good to see you again, Todd.”

“Likewise. I’d like to discuss a real estate investment I'm working on for a client when you have the time. I would love to get your opinion.”

“Of course. We can talk about it tomorrow night over some drinks.” 

“I look forward to it, Mr. Miller.”

Joel continues to greet Sarah's friends and make small talk for as long as he can manage. He makes his exit by lifting a glass of champagne in the air and toasting, “To an amazing summer.”

Sarah's friends echo his toast, followed by cheering and chatting amongst themselves. Joel slips out and heads over to a hidden elevator, which goes up one more floor where his room and private deck are located. He really hopes that the group makes their way to their rooms soon. He's exhausted and can not wait to slip into sleep.

He opens the double doors to his room and is slightly disappointed that the maid he met earlier was already gone. His suitcase was missing from where he left it, so she must have come and gone while he was greeting my guests.

He immediately makes his way to the bar cart and pours himself a glass of whiskey taking a long sip of his drink, he can't stop his mind from wandering back to the maid he ran into. It’d been a long time since someone had caught his attention as she did. She did seem much younger than him, though. He wasn’t sure that would be a problem.

He walks over to the screen mounted on the wall next to the door, and at the press of a button, the wall of windows at the far end of the room slid open, eliminating the barrier between his living room and private deck. That feature was one of the main reasons he purchased this particular yacht. He thought there would be nothing better than feeling the ocean breeze and hearing the waves even while hiding away in his stateroom.

He steps onto his deck and could see the dinner party continuing without him one deck below. The muffled sounds of conversation and laughing are the only sound drifting up to him. 

Joel sips his drink and watches the white foamy waves follow the yacht as they move through the water. It's the only way he can tell they're moving as the sky darkens to a deep blue. He sits back, relaxing, and imagines the woman's eyes staring back at him.

—♡—

 “Are you okay, miss?” the attractive man asks after you run directly into him.

“Yes. I’m just heading back to my room, uh, sir,” you respond.

“Oh, right,” he says, lost in thought. He pauses for a few seconds and then continues.

“Before you do that, would you head up to my stateroom and unpack my luggage? I'm afraid it's been delivered later than usual. Had some business I had to attend to before leaving port, and I didn't get here as early as I would've liked.”

You stumble over your words, mortified that he clearly thinks you are a member of the staff rather than a guest on the yacht. However, you suppose you look nothing like the typical guests.

“Yes,” you finally say, deciding it is easier than trying to explain the mix-up. He thanks you and continues standing there, staring at you, making sure you are actually going to go unpack for him.

You quickly turn and head back down the long hallway. You must be headed in the right direction because the man does not tell you otherwise. Unfortunately, this is leading you in the opposite direction of your room.

You take a few turns, trying not to accidentally run into the man again and have to explain that you don’t work for him. You should have just told him from the start, but he startled you, and you got a bit distracted staring at his face.

He has a very nice face and a very nice body, and you can’t stop thinking about him. It isn’t too long before you are completely turned around; the ship is so outlandishly large.

Exhausted and embarrassed, you find a small alcove off of the main hallway, lean your back against the wall, and slide to the floor. You just need a minute to yourself to get control of your emotions, but a door opens next to you and cuts that time short.

You jump to your feet and smooth your hands over your dress.

“Hello, I don’t think we’ve met,” the man says. He is very clean-cut, with smooth black hair and freckles dusting his cheeks. You guess that he isn’t much older than you are.

“I’m a friend of Sarah’s,” you introduce yourself, not wanting to get mistaken for part of the staff again.

“Oh, wonderful. I hope you’re enjoying yourself,” he says with a genuine smile. You feel at ease in his presence, happy to have finally found someone who isn’t already judging you.

“I am, but I may need some help. I ran into someone down the hall, who mistook me for one of the maids and asked me to unpack for him. I don’t want anyone to get into trouble if it doesn’t get done,” you say, slightly embarrassed. “Can you help me?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry that happened to you. Do you know who it was?”

“Uh, it was a man wearing a very nice suit - but that probably doesn’t narrow it down much.”

“Not exactly,” he says with a sympathetic grin.

“He was tall with dark brown hair that perfectly complements his brown eyes. He had a concrete jaw that was peppered with black and silver facial hair. His voice was deep, had a southern accent, and he smelled like sandalwood,” you say, picturing the man in your head.

After a few moments, you realize you’ve said way too much. If you could have jumped off the railing and into the ocean, you would have.

“That is Mr. Miller,” he says quickly, saving you from further embarrassment. “I am his intern, so I can make sure someone goes and takes care of his luggage.”

Did he say… Mr. Miller? As in, Sarah’s dad?

“Thank you so much,” you say. “You will have to forgive me. It’s been a long night, and I’ve been so rude and haven’t asked your name.”

“You can call me Reggie.”

“Well, thank you so much, Reggie. Can I ask you for one more favor?”

“Of course,” Reggie says with his signature smile.

“I got a little turned around after leaving the dinner party upstairs, and I’m not sure how to get back to my room.”

“It would be my pleasure to escort you back to your stateroom, Miss,” he says and offers you his arm.

“Thank you so much,”  you say as you take his arm, absolutely delighted by the gesture.

Reggie is leading the way back to your room when he says, “Please don’t hold it against Mr. Miller for mistaking you for part of the staff. He has been under a lot of stress lately and passed the hiring off to me. Since you weren’t at the dinner party, it’s likely he just figured that you were a new hire. He really is a kind person and would have never intentionally offended you.”

“He didn’t offend me. I know I don’t fit with Sarah’s other friends, so it was an easy mistake to make. I could have straightened everything out, but I was a little distracted by some personal issues.”

“Do you need to vent?” Reggie asks innocently.

“It’s just that I went through a really difficult breakup, and I hoped this trip would help me get my mind off of him. It hasn’t worked out that way,” you say, trying to remain as vague as possible.

“I’m very sorry. Was it a long relationship?”

“Two years.”

“Ouch. Well, just give it a bit more time. With what Miss Miller has scheduled, I’m sure you will have plenty of distractions to keep your mind off of things.”

You laugh. “I’m sure you’re right. There is never a dull moment with Sarah around.”

Just as your conversation wraps up, you reach your door. You are so relieved to be back in your room that you could have hugged Reggie. You feel like you could talk to him about anything, and it helps you to feel as though there is at least one person on this ship who has not immediately judged you.

“Thank you so much for all of your help, Reggie. I don’t know what I would have done had I not run into you.”

“I’m here to help anytime. That goes for all of the staff on the yacht. If you need anything at all, just ask.”

You nod as Reggie walks away, and you slip into your room.I You head straight to the bathroom for that giant tub you discovered earlier. You have never been so in need of washing away the events of a day before.

You soak for almost an hour when the water starts getting cold, you reluctantly pull yourself out and wrap yourself in a fluffy bath towel.

You change into your pajamas, a pair of gray shorts, and a Harvard T-shirt. Your grandfather sent you the T-shirt as soon as you told him you’d been accepted; he was so proud.

You pull out your phone to send him a quick text telling him that you are okay. You should have sent it as soon as you arrived, but you forget in the chaos of seeing Todd with his arm around Sarah's waist.

You type out a quick message reading, "Hi Gramps. I made it safe. I will keep you updated. Love you." When you go to hit send, you realize you have no service. So not only would you not be able to contact your grandpa, but you can't update Lin and Aubrey about this horrible situation you are in. You sigh in defeat and toss your phone onto the bed.

Instead of talking with your friends, you use the intercom system in your room to call down for a cup of chamomile tea. You are shocked at how quickly there is a knock at your door. You take the tray and make your way out onto your private balcony.

The balcony is large enough to fit a lounge chair and a small breakfast table. You quickly make plans to put that to use in the morning. It would be amazing to sip your coffee and listen to the sound of the ocean.

You take a seat on the lounge chair and place your tray in front of you. A tiny teapot and matching cup are accompanied by a small plate of macaron cookies. You pour yourself a cup of tea and bite into one of the pink, dainty cookies.

You can't help thinking that this vacation would be perfect if you could spend the whole time in this room. Unfortunately, you would have to come out eventually and face Todd. You could have told Sarah the truth about Todd being your ex, but now that you are sailing, you have no escape.

It would have made the rest of the vacation unbearably awkward if you'd told Sarah. You have to keep this secret, at least until you are all back on land. A flash of shame hits you when you remember the other secret you would have to keep from Sarah. 

The fact that you are undeniably attracted to her dad.

[labuenosairesfrancaise]

Appuldurcombe House

Hi guys!!

I'm sharing Appuldurcombe House (abandoned/in ruins). This is the 20th building for my English Collection.

I decorated most of the house ground floor, for reference.

History of the house: 

Appuldurcombe House  is the shell of a large 18th-century English Baroque country house of the Worsley family. The house is situated near to Wroxall on the Isle of Wight, England. It is now managed by English Heritage and is open to the public. A small part of the 300-acre (1.2 km2; 0.47 sq mi) estate that once surrounded it is still intact, but other features of the estate are still visible in the surrounding farmland and nearby village of Wroxall, including the entrance to the park, the Freemantle Gate, now used only by farm animals and pedestrians.

Appuldurcombe began as a priory in 1100. It became a convent, then the Elizabethan home of the Leigh family. The large Tudor mansion was bequeathed in 1690 to Sir Robert Worsley, 4th Baronet, who began planning a suitable replacement.

The present house was begun in 1702. The architect was John James. Sir Robert never saw the house fully completed. He died on 29 July 1747; in his memory a monument was erected overlooking the house on Stenbury Down.

The house was greatly extended in the 1770s by his great-nephew Sir Richard Worsley, 7th Baronet Worsley of Appuldurcombe.

Worsley had left the estate saddled with heavy debts, but Appuldurcombe passed to his niece, Henrietta Anna Maria Charlotte (daughter of John Bridgeman Simpson). She married the Hon. Charles Anderson-Pelham, later first Earl of Yarborough, in 1806. The founder of the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, he made few changes to the house and was quite happy to retain the property as a convenient base for his sailing activities.

Appuldurcombe House circa 1910

In 1855 the estate was sold. An unsuccessful business venture ran Appuldurcombe as a hotel, but with its failure, the house was then leased as Dr Pound's Academy for young gentlemen.

Advertisement for Appuldurcombe College 1889

Advertisement for Appuldurcombe College in the Times, London, April 19, 1889

The house was inhabited in 1901–1907 by a hundred Benedictine monks who had been exiled from Solesmes Abbey in France and were shortly to settle at Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight.

Although the house is now mainly a shell, its front section has been re-roofed and glazed, and a small part of the interior recreated. The house has become well known as one of the supposedly most haunted places on the island.

More history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appuldurcombe_House

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This house fits a 64X64  lot, but it coulf fit a 50x50 too.

I only decorated some of the important rooms. All the rest of the house is up to your taste to decor.

Hope you like it.

You will need the usual CC I use:

all Felixandre cc

all The Jim

SYB

Anachrosims

Regal Sims

King Falcon railing

The Golden Sanctuary

Cliffou

Dndr recolors

Harrie cc

Tuds

Lili's palace cc

Please enjoy, comment if you like the house and share pictures of your game!

Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sims4palaces/

@sims4palaces

Ealry acces: October 20

DOWNLOAD: https://www.patreon.com/posts/appuldurcombe-112466692

[punkshort]

Will you eventually do a Swept Away, likes and dislikes post for Joel? The little taste of his character is just delicioussss, he’s so mysterious. I’m dyingggg to crawl inside your brain and see how his character is going to unfold 😍💋

I would love to! I love getting this ask because it always gives me good ideas for future chapters, so thank you!

Let's jump in:

Likes:

1. Sunsets: he loves the colors and how every day is different. He loves it because it's a work of art that everyone in the world can appreciate, no matter who you are.

2. Boxing: it's the only form of exercise he actually enjoys. He really likes taking his anger out on a punching bag, and he tends to hold in a lot of anger from his job.

3. Money: I mean, come on, that's not a big surprise. He likes to live comfortably and without having to worry about the cost of anything. And, sure, when he slaps his black card down and someone does a double take, he feels a rush of pride.

4. Cigars: he didn't used to like them but they have grown on him throughout the years. A colleague of his convinced him to join a cigar club and he found it was a great way to network and rub elbows with the elites.

5. Poetry: he will never admit it, though.

6. Filet Mignon: he loves a perfectly cooked medium rare steak. When he was choosing which restaurant to lease space to on the first floor of his hotel, he only looked at steakhouses because he liked the idea of having a good steak a mere elevator ride away.

7. The Natural Look: he prefers women who don't use too much makeup or plastic surgery/fillers. Almost all of the women he knows, whether through set ups or spouses of his colleagues, all look like they've gone to the same doctor and had the same procedures. He likes women who are comfortable in their skin and aren't fake.

8. McDonald's French fries: it's his Achilles heel. Every now and then after a long, boring art gallery opening or cocktail party, he will instruct his driver to go to McDonald's on the way back to his penthouse to get some fries.

9. Private Jet: he loves being able to come and go whenever he pleases, anywhere he wants. And he especially loves not having to go through security and be surrounded by people squished into a tin can. He likes that he can stretch out and eat a good meal and even sleep in a real bed when he travels, which is often.

Dislikes:

1. Kale: it's a vile weed and he won't touch it.

2. Surprise parties: he absolutely loathes being surprised. Especially when it's been a long enough day and he thinks he's going home to relax and suddenly his penthouse is filled with fifty people drinking all his booze and making a mess of his home and he has to pretend to enjoy it.

3. Lifting weights: he thinks it's obnoxious and he doesn't care about glamour muscles but his trainer always makes him do one day a week where he lifts weights. He gets it over with as quickly as he can.

4. Satin sheets: too slippery and his pillow always ends up on the floor.

5. Campfires: he hates the smoke from campfires because it gets stuck in his clothes and he has to send everything he was wearing to the cleaners right away before it spreads to other fabrics.

6. Lillies: they remind him of funerals.

7. Tea: he could never find a tea he actually enjoyed. All tea tastes like hot water with a dash of some vague flavor and it's just never worth it. Unless he's sick with a sore throat. Then he might have some.

8. Boats: he tends to go out on yachts and sailboats quite a bit, but he doesn't like the open water. He gets seasick and he always has to take pills beforehand.

9. Golf: because all my Joels hate golf, for no particular reason.

[missredherring]

Someone Who Calls Me Baby

Dieter Bravo x Javi Gutierrez

Rating: T

Word Count: 1.4k

Contents: SFW. established mmfm relationship. sugar daddy/baby dynamics. small panic attack. anxiety. fluff.

Summary: He shakes his hands down at his sides, but it does nothing to expel any of the nervous energy running through him: his fingers still tingle as he taps them together and a faint ringing starts in his ears. 

When he scoops up his phone to reread the text from his agent the message hasn’t changed.

He hasn’t gotten the role in a while.

A/N: Uh... well. The bts pics of Pedro on set for The Materialists happened and an idea was floated around about having multiple Sugar Daddies... and somehow I came up with this idea of Dieter only being able to sustain his position as a Daddy for so long until he too became a Baby.

I'll probably explore this quartet again when we learn more about the mysterious M, but this is the main idea that wanted to be written right now.

There are no spoilers for The Materialists, and as we don't even know his name yet, I've used "M" as a name placeholder.

Not beta read and lightly edited. All mistakes are my own.

@sp00kymulderr @freelancearsonist @covetyou

He didn’t get the role. 

Dieter tosses his phone onto the couch and stands up. The need to get away from the thing starts his pacing. As he walks around and around his living room, he fidgets with the colorful bracelet you’d made for him and tied so sweetly around his wrist the other day to replace the previous one that had fallen off. 

The story had potential and he did want to work with the director attached to it, so it’s disappointing to not be chosen for the role, but beyond that it forces him to think about his financial situation. No role means no income coming in for said role, and while he isn’t in the red Dieter hasn’t seen his bank account this low since before moving to Sherman Oaks. Any time he thinks about it too much he starts sweating. Like now. 

He shakes his hands down at his sides, but it does nothing to expel any of the nervous energy running through him: his fingers still tingle as he taps them together and a faint ringing starts in his ears. 

When he scoops up his phone to reread the text from his agent the message hasn’t changed.

He hasn’t gotten the role in a while.

He needs to be responsible and save money. Dieter knows this, he really does. Enough people have told him, begged him even, but it always slips his mind in that moment when his card comes out of his wallet and he feels like he could give you anything in the world. 

Maybe he could start a budget for himself, but what would he have left to spend on you? Nothing compared to what he has been recently, that’s for sure. No more self care days together at exclusive spas that provide you with the softest robes he’s ever felt in his life. No more trips to indie galleries where you pick out new pieces for his collection. No more deep dives into craft stores for whatever supplies you need for the new hobby you’re trying out. 

If he can’t keep up with the outings the others are taking you on would you still want to be with him? If he can’t provide for you financially, what use is he?

He can’t take you yachting around various European bodies of water like Javi can, or fuck you in the backseat of a luxury car without worrying about the seats because it’s leased like M can.

At most he can bring you with him as he goes back and forth between LA and New York City and make you wait on set or in a hotel while he works. 

He’ll have to move, sell his things, get a small apartment that he’ll probably have to share with roommates. Roommates. Him, Oscar-winner Dieter Bravo, living with the other struggling artists just waiting for the callback that will change their lives. If he ever gets a call back again. 

Fuck. The inside of his cheek is starting to bleed, the coppery tang bringing him out of his spiral a little. The thoughts are still there, still swirling around him and waiting to yank his feet out from under him again. 

He’s sober. For real this time. He promised everyone that he wouldn’t do hard drugs by himself anymore. The temptation for distraction is strong, but he knows letting you down would feel worse than this anxiety that’s crawling up his spine.

His phone goes off in his hand and the sound he makes is more of a sob than anything else. 

Javi’s face is staring back at him, his smile brighter than the sunset behind him when they’d all vacationed at his home in Majorca last summer. 

He has to hit the accept call button twice before it picks up.

“Dieter! I was reminded not once, but twice that you would be alone this weekend. How are you enjoying your alone time?”

Javi sounds so calm and affectionate; it’s the warm breeze that finally breaks through his weakened defenses. 

Dieter flops down onto the couch, switches the call to speaker, and buries his face into the cushions. The fabric of the cushion scratches at his face with his effort, but it must not be enough, because Javi makes a worried humming noise. 

Javi inhales and Dieter’s throat squeezes tight and he finally stops making embarrassing noises. 

This is it. Javi will finally tell him what they’ve all probably been talking about without him: that he doesn’t fit in with the group. He isn’t a real Sugar Daddy; he’s like those artificial sweeteners that try really hard to replicate the same sweet flavor but just can't get it right. They’ve all just been humoring him until they could find the right time to bring the subject up, and that time is now. 

“Not so good, hm?” Javi asks and he doesn't wait for a response this time. He launches into a detailed report of his day, which is almost over thanks to the magic of time zones. Business meeting after business meeting, followed by an inspection of a processing plant to a review a batch of oil made with new presses and centrifuges. 

A lot of the jargon goes over his head, but some of it’s sounding familiar and Dieter lets himself be soothed. He even turns off the speaker in favor of pressing the phone to his ear, making it feel like Javi’s right next to him.  

Javi finishes his one-sided conversation with the reminder that olive oil, even oil as good as his, shouldn’t be used a sexual lubricant. Then he goes quiet and lets the silence settle over the line.

Dieter inhales and his lungs don’t feel as crushed as they did before, so he turns his head to free his mouth from the cushion.

“Thanks.” 

“Of course,” Javi says and Dieter can just see the elegant shrug that usually accompanies the reassurance. “We’ll talk about whatever’s bothering you when we’re all together. Is that alright?”

Can you wait that long or do you need help right now?

“Yea.” Dieter says and almost believes it. The anxiety spiral has lost it’s momentum, but it’s still there, always there, at the back of his mind. 

“Good. I fucking love you, man.”

“Can you say that without the macho bullshit?” Dieter tries for a light tone and winces at what comes out of his mouth instead. No wonder he didn’t get the role this time if his acting is this rusty.

“I love you, Dieter.”

Dieter closes his eyes to better hear the statement. He knows. Javi’s more than a friend, but there’d always been a hesitancy in crossing that line. A nervousness to being left vulnerable and unrequited. This arrangement they all have together isn’t usual and what if Dieter’s the one that pushes them too far and breaks everything beyond repair? 

“One more.”

“I love you, baby.” Javi says with enough earnest sincerity that there’s no room for doubt.

It feels… really good to hear that coming from Javi. He’s said it to you many times himself. He’s heard the others tell you the same thing too, but to have it directed at him? He understands why you bloom under the words like a flower in the sun, as a warmth spreads through his chest and the anxiety fades away enough for him to think clearly and be more active in the conversion with Javi. 

“How did I get such greedy partners?” Javi clicks his tongue, the question more to himself than Dieter, and a weight lifts off Dieter’s shoulders. 

Javi sounds content, more amused than annoyed, and the cadence of his voice as he gives Dieter what he wants, what he needs, is steady and sure. Like he wants to give him those words as much as Dieter wants to take them. 

The call doesn’t last much longer; Javi really did just want to call and say hello, but he insists they can talk for as long as Dieter wants. As much as he’d like to keep Javi with him, he can hear the drag in his voice, so Dieter thanks him again and tells him to go to bed. 

When the call ends Dieter stares up at his ceiling, feeling drained but calm. He blinks when his phone chimes and checks the screen eagerly, hoping it might be a message from M or you. Ideally you’d both reach out and complete his little feel good moment. 

He’s only a little disappointed when it’s an email from his agent with more offers and scripts for him to look over.

[dryndelicate]

"Seriously, you've leased a yacht? I actually thought the ballrooms of this island would be waiting for me."

[printedword]

Carney is one of two Massachusetts hospitals targeted for closure Aug. 31 following recent chaotic developments at Steward Health Care. The embattled for-profit hospital chain filed for bankruptcy on May 6 and has been mired in crises involving patients and creditors across several states. The chain is led by a former heart surgeon who collected more than $100 million in compensation and bought a $40 million yacht while employees at Steward hospitals complained about a lack of basic supplies, according to a Senate committee. More than 2,200 employees now expect to be laid off in Massachusetts and Ohio, according to notices filed with state regulators. The company's CEO, who lawmakers say has declined multiple requests to answer questions voluntarily, is expected to appear under subpoena in mid-September before a Senate committee to address "financial mismanagement" at Steward. The case has raised broader issues for lawmakers and analysts about the role of private equity investments in health care. Many people from communities impacted by hospital closures are asking why there aren't built-in protections when a corporation takes over an institution providing essential life-or-death services. [...] After the bankruptcy filing in May, Steward announced plans to close hospitals and lay off thousands of workers, leaving community members who depend on the hospitals worried about where they will get care. The chain's financial flameout captured the attention of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which authorized an investigation into the company's financial dealings. The Senate probe is expected to include questions about Steward Health's deal with private equity investors, its lavish spending, the lease deal and the hospital closures. The committee also issued a subpoena that compels de la Torre to answer questions about his company's struggles. At a July 25 hearing, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who chairs the committee overseeing the investigation, said de la Torre refused multiple invitations to testify before lawmakers, which prompted the bipartisan vote to order him to testify on Sept. 12. While Steward closed its hospitals, Sanders said, de la Torre was collecting a "$100 million payday that he used to purchase a $40 million yacht." Sanders said the executive also bought a $15 million, custom-made fishing boat and had access to two private jets. De la Torre "epitomizes the type of outrageous corporate greed that is permeating throughout our for-profit health care system," Sanders said at the hearing. "Today we are saying enough is enough. It is time for Dr. de la Torre to get off of his yacht and to explain to Congress the financial chicanery which made him extremely wealthy, while the hospitals he managed went bankrupt."

[simshousewindsor]

HOW THE QUEEN AND ROYALS TRAVEL IN STYLE: FROM HELICOPTERS TO PRIVATE JETS

EASTON, Windenburg (SNN) - - The Windenburg royal household published its financial report for the year 2022-2023, giving a glimpse of how the monarch and the working members of her family get from A to B and how much it all costs.

In total, over the last financial year the royals spent §4.5 million simoleons on travel, including the official tours undertaken by George I, Queen consort Rowena, (then) Princess Katherine, and Prince Louis, as well as some minor working royals.

But how do the Windenburg royals travel, and what methods do they have at their disposal? SNN has the answers.

Helicopters

One of the main methods of domestic travel for the queen and the working members of her family is by helicopter.

The queen currently relies on one main helicopter at her disposal, The Queen's Helicopter Flight (TQHF), which is painted in a deep blue color with royal cyphers on each side. The craft is a model EC155 from Americreek manufacturer LorySims and has been in use by the royals since 2009.

Though helicopters are capable of landing in the gardens of Buckingsim Palace, the main central Easton landing hub for members of the royal family is at Kently Estate in a large field at the northern end of the complex.

The 2022-2023 royal household financial statement revealed that over 179 journeys were made via helicopters by the working royals throughout the year.

As the expense for this is paid from the allocation of funds the queen receives from the government to pay for her official duties, she retains the right to approve each use of her aircraft by family members.

Private Jets

In the same way that the queen has the use of helicopters to help her travel quickly and safely within the U.K. for short haul flights, she also has access to private jets both for her personal use, as well as for the use of working members of her family and government officials.

RAF Voyager

In the 2022-2023 financial year the royals undertook a number of foreign tours. The queen and other members of her family are regularly asked by the Foreign Office to undertake international visits, in promoting Windenburg assets around the globe.

For their journey, the royals travel aboard RAF Voyager, the U.K government's VIP jet. While it maintains a military function as a mid-air refueling craft, it's also used to transport high-ranking government officials and members of the royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Kent used it the most as they undertook the most international visits on behalf of the Crown during the year.

RAF Voyager is maintained and manned by the Royal Air Force, which oversees all of the royals' air travel.

The Royal Train

The Royal Train comprises a dedicated set of claret liveried sleeper, dining and lounge carriages reserved for the use of senior members of the royal family when traveling around Windenburg. There has been a royal train since the reign of Edward I and the current one was presented to King George I in 1994, though it has had its interiors updated in the years since.

Total expenditure on the royal train, including operating lease payments, for 2021-2022 was §1 million simoleons.

Royal Yacht

The royal yacht of the Windenburg monarchy, also known as The Royal Yacht Windenburgia, has been in service since 1978. It is the second royal yacht to bear the name, the first being the racing cutter built for the Prince of Brindleton Bay in 1813. The yacht travels more than five-hundred thousand nautical miles around the sims world to more than 120 ports in 16 countries.

Fleet of Motor Vehicles

As well as helicopters, planes and trains, the royals also have a fleet of luxury motor cars that are used for official events such as the State Opening of Parliament, as well as regular engagements around the United Kingdom of Windenburg.

The Rolls Royce State Limousines are official state cars manufactured by Rolls Royce as a gift for the late King George I on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee in 2017. The two cars produced, in navy and black, were in service for the King up until his death in 2023. They have most recently been in service for Queen Katherine I. The Queen Mother (then Queen consort) used the car while accompanying the King's coffin. Both cars are kept in the Royal Mews.

In 2022-2023, the official expenditure on motor vehicle journeys undertaken by the queen and senior royals was §200,000.

[xtruss]

Mohamed al-Fayed, Tycoon Whose Son Died With Diana, Is Dead At 94

An Egyptian businessman, he built an empire of trophy properties in London, Paris and elsewhere, but it was all overshadowed by a fatal car crash that stunned the world.

— By Robert D. McFadden | September 1, 2023

Mohamed al-Fayed in 2003 outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where a judge was asked to consider whether the car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, and his son Dodi, was caused deliberately. Credit...David Cheskin/Press Association, via Associated Press

Mohamed al-Fayed, the Egyptian business tycoon whose empire of trophy properties and influence in Europe and the Middle East was overshadowed by the 1997 Paris car crash that killed his eldest son, Dodi, and Diana, the Princess of Wales, died on Wednesday. He was 94.

His death was confirmed on Friday in a statement by the Fulham Football Club in Britain, of which Mr. Fayed was a former owner. It did not say where he died.

The patriarch of a family that rose from humble origins to fabled riches, Mr. Fayed controlled far-flung enterprises in oil, shipping, banking and real estate, including the palatial Ritz Hotel in Paris and, for 25 years, the storied London retail emporium Harrods. Forbes estimated his net worth at $2 billion this year, ranking his wealth as 1,516th in the world.

In a sense, Mr. Fayed was a citizen of the world. He had homes in London, Paris, New York, Geneva, St. Tropez and other locales; a fleet of 40 ships based in Genoa, Italy, and in Cairo; and businesses that reached from the Persian Gulf to North Africa, Europe and the Americas. He held Egyptian citizenship but rarely if ever returned to his native land.

Mr. Fayed lived and worked mostly in Britain, where for a half-century he was a quintessential outsider, scorned by the establishment in a society still embedded with old-boy networks. He clashed repeatedly with the government and business rivals over his property acquisitions and attempts to influence members of Parliament. He campaigned noisily for British citizenship, but his applications were repeatedly denied.

“It’s the colonial, imperial fantasy,” Mr. Fayed told The New York Times in 1995. “Anyone who comes from a colony, as Egypt was before, they think he’s nothing. So you prove you’re better than they are. You do things that are the talk of the town. And they think, ‘How can he? He’s only an Egyptian.’”

Mr. Fayed at a party at the venerable London department store Harrods in 1989. His takeover of the store in 1985 struck many Britons as akin to buying Big Ben. Credit...Fairchild Archive/WWD, via Penske Media, via Getty Images

He reveled in the trappings of a British aristocrat. He bought a castle in Scotland and sometimes wore a kilt; snapped up a popular British football club; cultivated Conservative prime ministers and members of Parliament; sponsored the Royal Horse Show at Windsor; and tried unsuccessfully to salvage Punch, the moribund satirical magazine that had lampooned the British establishment for 150 years.

His takeover of the venerable Harrods in 1985 struck many Britons as shameless brass, something akin to buying Big Ben. A year later, as if securing a jewel in the crown of British heritage, Mr. Fayed signed a 50-year lease on the 19th-century villa in Paris that had been the home of the former King Edward VIII of Britain and Wallis Warfield Simpson, the divorced American woman for whom he abdicated his throne in 1936.

But Mr. Fayed’s triumph as an Anglophile was the made-for-tabloids romance between his eldest son, Emad, known as Dodi, and the Princess of Wales, who had recently been divorced from Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and alienated from the royal family. It began in the summer of 1997, when Mr. Fayed invited Diana and her sons to spend some time at his home on the French Riviera and on one of his yachts. Dodi was there too.

The Egyptian-born nephew of the Saudi billionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, Dodi was a notorious playboy who gave lavish parties, financed films, dated beautiful women and was once briefly married. He and Diana had been acquainted, but by many accounts they fell in love on the Mediterranean sojourn. As their romance bloomed, the British press pounced. Paparazzi hounded the couple everywhere they went.

A cameraman filmed the site of the car accident in Paris that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, and Mr. Fayed’s eldest son, Dodi al-Fayed, in 1997. Mr. Fayed declared that they had been murdered by “people who did not want Diana and Dodi to be together.”Credit...Jacques Demarthon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

In the early hours of Aug. 31, 1997, a Mercedes-Benz carrying Diana and Dodi and driven by Henri Paul, a Fayed security agent who was drunk and traveling at a high speed trying to elude carloads of pursuing paparazzi, slammed head-on into a concrete pillar in a tunnel in Paris. All three were killed.

Controversy exploded over the cause of the crash and the implications of the affair. Some tabloids suggested that an immigrant had been an unfit suitor for a princess. But friends said that the couple had planned to marry, and that the Fayed family had offered Diana and her sons a warmth that contrasted with the way Britain’s royal family had shunned her after the divorce.

As rumors and conspiracy theories swirled, Mr. Fayed declared that the two had been murdered by “people who did not want Diana and Dodi to be together.” He said they had been engaged to marry and maintained that they had called him an hour before the crash to tell him that she was pregnant. Buckingham Palace and the princess’s family denounced his remarks as malicious fantasy.

The deaths inspired waves of books, articles and investigations of conspiracy theories, as well as a period of soul-searching among Britons, who resented the royal family’s standoffish behavior and were caught up in displays of mass grief. In 2006, the British police ruled the crash an accident.

And in 2008, a British coroner’s jury rejected all conspiracy theories involving the royal family, British intelligence services and others. It attributed the deaths to “gross negligence” by the driver and the pursuing paparazzi. It also said a French pathologist had found that Diana was not pregnant.

Mr. Fayed called the verdict biased, but he and his lawyers did not pursue the matter further. “I’ve had enough,” he told Britain’s ITV News. “I’m leaving this to God to get my revenge.”

Mr Al Fayed, with his wife Heini, at the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997. Diana, Princess of Wales, 36, Dies in a Crash in Paris. August 31, 1997.

Mohamed al-Fayed was born Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed in Alexandria, Egypt, on Jan. 27, 1929, one of five children of a primary-school teacher, Aly Aly Fayed. Details about his early life are murky.

His accounts of growing up in a prosperous merchant family were discounted by British investigators. He sold sewing machines and joined his two younger brothers, Ali and Salah, in a shipping business. In the early 1950s, Adnan Khashoggi set the brothers up in a venture that exported Egyptian furniture to Saudi Arabia. It flourished.

In 1954, Mr. Fayed married Mr. Khashoggi’s sister, Samira. Dodi was their only child. They were divorced in 1956. In 1985, he married Heini Wathén, a Finn. They had four children, all born in Britain: Jasmine, Karim, Camilla and Omar.

Information on survivors was not immediately available.

The Fayed shipping interests profited handsomely from an oil boom in the Persian Gulf in the 1960s. Acting as middlemen for British construction companies and gulf rulers, they helped develop the port of Dubai, the Dubai Trade Center and other properties in what is now the United Arab Emirates.

Mohammed Al Fayed stands in front of the east stand of Craven Cottage, home of Fulham. Photograph: Kieran Doherty/Reuters

Mr. Fayed at the Craven Cottage stadium in London in 2012 before an English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Sunderland. Mr. Fayed was Fulham’s owner and club chairman. Credit...Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Mr. Fayed, who made all his family’s major investment and financial decisions, moved to London in the mid-1960s. He added “al-” to his surname, implying aristocratic origins. After buying the Scottish castle, he expanded its estate to 65,000 acres; after acquiring the Fulham Football Club, he built it into a top team in a nation infatuated with the sport. (He sold the team in 2013 to a Pakistani American businessman.) A heavy contributor to the Conservative Party, he nurtured relationships with members of Parliament and Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major.

In 1979, the Fayed brothers bought the fading Ritz Hotel in Paris for under $30 million and, with a 10-year, $250 million renovation, turned it into one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed dined in the Imperial Suite before their fatal crash.

In 1984-85, in their greatest commercial coup in Britain, the Fayeds paid $840 million for the House of Fraser, the parent company of Harrods and scores of other stores, and invested $300 million more to refurbish the chain’s flagship, in London’s exclusive Knightsbridge section.

After the sale of Harrods to Qatar in 2010 Mr Al Fayed stayed on as honorary chairman for six months

Mohamed Al Fayed in the Harrods food halls. Photograph: Mark Richards/Daily Mail/Shutterstock

Prodded by a business rival, the government investigated the Harrods deal and in 1990 concluded that the Fayed brothers had “dishonestly misrepresented” themselves as descendants of an old landowning and shipbuilding family. The government report said the money for Harrods had probably come from the Sultan of Brunei. The sultan denied it, and Mr. Fayed, who was not accused of wrongdoing, called the report a smear.

In investigative reports by the press and the police, Mr. Fayed was accused by many women of unwanted sexual advances, job-related sexual harassment of female employees at Harrods, and even sexual assault involving teenage girls. He denied the allegations and, although he was questioned by the authorities in Britain, he was never prosecuted on such charges.

Mr. Fayed was bitter about being stymied in his quest for British citizenship, although all his children by his second wife held that status. As he noted, he had lived in Britain for decades, paid millions in taxes, employed thousands of people and, through his enterprises, contributed mightily to the economy.

Mohamed Al Fayed leaves the High Court in London, after giving evidence at the inquest into the death of his son, Dodi, and Diana, Princess of Wales. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

“They could not accept that an Egyptian could own Harrods, so they threw mud at me,” he told reporters. He sold Harrods in 2010 to Qatar Holding, the sovereign wealth fund of the Emirate of Qatar, for more than $2 billion, and announced his retirement.

— Robert D. McFadden is a Senior Writer on the Obituaries Desk and the Winner of the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for spot news reporting. He joined The New York Times in May 1961 and is also the Co-Author of Two Books.

[yacht]

YACHT — Manic Panic

Here is a new song—no muss, no fuss! Claire plays the guitar solo. Italian artist Olimpia Zagnoli made the cover art. The song is about getting older while being punk. Can you be a punk and play tennis? Can you be a punk and lease a Chevy Bolt? Can you be a punk and almost exclusively drink Talking Rain from the Costco Business Center in North Hollywood? These feelings and more, now accessible and on demand!

Used to be manic, now I just panic.

[bankingusa]

Fed bars former Santander Consumer executive over high-priced gifts

The Federal Reserve has banned a former Santander Consumer USA executive from the banking industry for improperly accepting high-priced gifts such as Super Bowl tickets and luxury hotel stays.

The former executive, Brent Huisman, “routinely solicited and accepted” gifts from auto auction companies that worked with Santander Consumer, the Fed said in an enforcement action made public Thursday. Huisman consented to the issuance of the order.

Huisman previously reached a settlement over the issue with Santander Consumer, which had sued him for accepting the gifts and for the misuse of confidential information. He had also agreed to pay $275,000 to Santander Consumer, the subprime U.S. auto lending affiliate of the Spanish banking giant Banco Santander.

Huisman accepted more than $1 million in gifts from auto auction companies, including Kentucky Derby tickets, first-class airfare and sponsorships for youth sports teams he coached, Dallas-based Santander Consumer said in its lawsuit.

Santander Consumer also alleged that Huisman and his wife used credit cards from an auction house that worked with Santander Consumer. The two used the cards to pay for sporting goods, airline tickets and a yacht rental in Cancun, the lawsuit said. The company said that it learned of the gifts after Huisman’s departure.

As the company’s senior director of asset remarketing, Huisman worked with auto auction companies to sell repossessed vehicles or cars that came off leasing arrangements.

He left Santander Consumer in June 2019, two months after asking staff to print confidential spreadsheets and presentations that contained company sales data and its fees with several vendors, the lawsuit said. He would later use those documents at an unnamed Santander Consumer competitor, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit said that Huisman’s conduct disrupted Santander Consumer’s business and harmed the company’s reputation and relationships with current and potential business partners.

Huisman’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. Santander Consumer declined to comment.

The Fed’s enforcement action prohibits Huisman from working for a bank without the central bank’s prior approval. Violations would open him up to further civil or criminal penalties.

[avictimofthejazz]

🌛 Amy to Face

@iloveitxwhenaplanxcomestogether (Amy)

Sleep is not coming tonight. Face accepted that nearly two hours ago. Some nights he is fine… but other nights… other nights, the ghosts linger too close for him to rest. Tonight, phantoms in his own head are keeping him awake, and every time he dozes off, he ends up back in Vietnam. Accepting surrender, feeling it is more dignified than having a panic attack in the bathroom, he has settled for a chair in the living room of the plush penthouse suite he got for himself last week. They think he is a yacht salesman from the Hamptons, considering a relocation to the Beverly Hills market, and offered him their one-month trial run on the apartment. No rent for a month… if he likes the place and decides to make his move, they can arrange a lease then. Of course, in a few weeks, he will admit that study has convinced him the Hamptons are his best market for now… but if he ever changes his mind, he will be delighted to rent a property from them. Then Mr. Ernesto Houston will vanish, and he will pop up somewhere else under a different name… or take one of his house-sitting gigs again… Swallowing a sip of scotch, he turns his attention back to the number place puzzle book in his hands. Scratching a nine into the proper square, he sighs. Hopefully Amy is still asleep… he had slipped out so carefully that she likely has not realized he left. Perhaps in a bit he will try to sleep again… or at least go back and join her. At any rate, it will be more comfortable then sitting here on his own… A sound in the hallway catches his good ear, and he turns. Squinting past the halo caused by his lone light, he relaxes as soon as he recognizes the figure.

“Did I wake you?” he asks Amy worriedly. “I was trying not too…”  

[tryan-a-bex]

Oops time to buy another building and set up a lease to own co-op for it, you think.

You didn’t realize at the time, but the button was a test. The first year, you got your own life in order and helped out your family. After that you went nuts wrecking the real estate economy by undercutting all the other landlords. Not only was your rent a tenth of usual (costs of maintaining the building, basically a strata fee), but it was a rent-to-own sitch where the people who paid in could get their “equity” back out of the building when they left.

For you it was fun seeing random strangers thrive instead of struggling. (Also kinda fun seeing predatory landlords cry instead of partying in their yachts.) It wasn’t until ten years later, when society in general was starting to change because of your influence, that the owner of the button showed up again.

“It was a test,” they say.

“Ah,” you say, not completely surprised. “Did I pass?”

“We were impressed with your creativity. Here’s how we score. At 0, you use the money to directly cause harm. At 1, you use the money to benefit yourself and cause only the normal level of harm. At 2, you use the money to benefit yourself and your friends and family. At 3, you use the money for yourself and your loved ones and are also conscious to do so in a way that causes less harm, and you share some with strangers. At 4, you take care of yourself and loved ones and also materially improve the world for many many people in a way that causes as little harm as possible. At 5, you change the world in such a way that people in general start to follow your example and the whole species is improved.”

“Species?” you say faintly.

“Well yes. We were planning to bulldoze your planet to create an intergalactic superhighway. But you managed to improve your species enough that maybe we won’t just rescue the dolphins, we’ll make a little detour around you. See what happens for a few more years.”

“Thank you?” you say weakly.

“Oh yeah, and you get to stay around to see what happens. Catch you later!” The button guy disappears and you are left with your entire worldview shaken (and, apparently, immortality).

Anyway it’s been a quarter century since all that, and you turn to your best friend (who is incidentally from Alpha Centauri and thinks humans are neat), and say, “You wanna design this one? I like your art style and I think you’ve got the housing needs of humans down now.”

“Wahoo!” they say, rubbing their hands gleefully.

On the day of your 18th birthday, you pressed a button that gives you $10,000 for every day left in your life. You just checked your bank account: $1,000,000,043.

[josipheit1345]

Unlocking Success: Josip Heit and His Global Business Empire

In today’s competitive business landscape, visionaries like Josip Heit stand out for their innovative approach and diverse investments. As the Chairman of GSPartners, he has revolutionized multiple industries, from real estate to luxury tourism. His ventures span across real estate development, luxury goods, rare metals, and blockchain technologies, making him a leading figure in the global business ecosystem.

In this blog, we’ll explore the multifaceted empire built by Josip Heit, showcasing his contributions to sectors like mining, vehicle leasing, and media, while emphasizing his commitment to excellence and innovation.

Real Estate Development and Innovative Concepts

Highlights of Josip Heit’s Real Estate Ventures:

Innovative urban development projects.

Focus on energy-efficient buildings and eco-friendly materials.

Real estate portfolios that cater to both luxury and affordable housing segments.

Under his leadership, GSPartners has not only built structures but also communities, setting benchmarks in real estate development worldwide.

Mining and Rare Metals: A Legacy of Excellence

Key Contributions in the Mining Sector:

Ethical sourcing of gold and other rare minerals.

Investments in cutting-edge technologies for efficient mining operations.

Establishment of long-term partnerships with global mining firms.

Josip Heit’s mining ventures underline his vision to create wealth while preserving natural resources, making him a trusted name in the industry.

Luxury Tourism: Aircraft and Yachts Redefined

Features of Josip Heit’s Luxury Tourism Services:

State-of-the-art private jets equipped with modern amenities.

Exclusive yacht charters offering bespoke travel experiences.

Budget-friendly packages to make luxury accessible to a broader audience.

These ventures not only enhance the travel experience but also contribute significantly to the global tourism industry.

Vehicle Leasing in the Luxury Goods Sector

Why Josip Heit Excels in Vehicle Leasing:

Diverse fleet of luxury and performance vehicles.

Competitive pricing models tailored for corporate and individual clients.

Exceptional customer service that guarantees client satisfaction.

This venture has earned him widespread acclaim, further strengthening his foothold in the luxury goods market.

Import and Export: Leveraging a Private Logistics Network

Specialties in Import and Export:

Handling of goods ranging from minerals to luxury products.

Seamless integration of blockchain technologies for tracking shipments.

Focus on international trade compliance and environmental sustainability.

His logistics network underscores his ability to adapt to market demands and deliver exceptional results.

Blockchain Technologies: Pioneering the Future

Blockchain Initiatives by Josip Heit:

Development of secure payment platforms for international transactions.

Application of blockchain in gold-backed financial instruments.

Creation of user-friendly apps for seamless integration with businesses.

By harnessing blockchain, Josip Heit not only stays ahead of the curve but also ensures his businesses remain innovative and future-ready.

Media Ventures: Informing and Engaging Communities

Highlights of His Media Business:

Coverage of global news with a focus on economy and technology.

Promoting independent journalism and fact-based reporting.

Digital transformation of traditional media outlets for wider reach.

This venture cements Josip Heit’s reputation as a thought leader who values informed communities.

Corporate Investments: Diversifying Economic Portfolios

Key Areas of Corporate Investments:

Expansion into fintech innovations for smarter financial solutions.

Partnerships with startups focusing on sustainability and technology.

Strategic acquisitions to strengthen his global presence.

Through these investments, Josip Heit contributes to the global economy while creating jobs and fostering innovation.

Rare Metals and Gold: Building Economic Stability

Why Josip Heit Prioritizes Rare Metals:

Gold serves as a reliable investment during economic fluctuations.

Ethical mining practices ensure long-term sustainability.

Innovations in storage and trading of rare metals.

These efforts highlight his expertise in balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.

Fintech Investments: Revolutionizing Financial Services

Contributions to the Fintech Industry:

Development of blockchain-enabled financial platforms.

Support for startups focusing on AI-driven financial solutions.

Emphasis on secure and efficient payment methods.

These investments showcase Josip Heit’s commitment to transforming the financial landscape.

Conclusion

From real estate development to luxury tourism, rare metals to blockchain technologies, Josip Heit exemplifies visionary leadership and innovation. His work across diverse sectors underscores his dedication to creating sustainable, profitable, and impactful businesses.

Whether it’s his vehicle leasing services, media ventures, or corporate investments, Josip Heit has redefined the standards of excellence. As the Chairman of GSPartners, he continues to inspire entrepreneurs and shape the future of global industries.

For more insights into his remarkable journey and contributions, explore Josip Heit Reviews and discover why he remains a pivotal figure in the business world.

More Information:- Josip Heit Curriculum Vitae

[morestorersa]

The Growing Demand for Storage Units

The vibrant lifestyle and growing population of Cape Town have increased demand for storage space. As urban living spaces become more crowded, homeowners usually need extra space to store furniture, sports equipment, and other personal belongings. Similarly, businesses seek storage units in Cape Town to hold excess merchandise or important papers without incurring the high fees associated with long-term leases on larger properties. This trend underlines the vital role that storage units in Cape Town play in supporting both individuals and businesses in effectively managing their space in a congested urban setting.

Benefits of Using Storage Units

Using storage units in Cape Town offers several advantages:

Space Management: With limited space in homes and offices, storage units in Cape Town  are an effective way to simplify. This can result in a more structured living or working environment.

Security: Most storage units in Cape Town provide additional security features such as surveillance cameras, gated access, and on-site personnel. This guarantees that belongings are safe from theft and harm.

Flexibility: Many suppliers provide flexible rental agreements, allowing consumers to select short- or long-term alternatives based on their needs. This versatility is especially useful for people going through transitions such as relocating or renovating.

Accessibility: Many storage units in Cape Town are designed for easy access, allowing clients to recover their belongings as needed. This is especially handy for organisations that need quick access to stored items.

Types of Storage Units Available

When considering storage units in Cape Town, it is important to understand the various types available:

Self-Storage units in Cape Town: These are the most popular types of storage solutions. Customers rent a unit and have possession of their goods, allowing them to access them at their leisure.

Climate-Controlled Storage units in Cape Town: Ideal for sensitive goods like electronics, artwork, or documents that can be affected by temperature changes. Climate-controlled facilities provide a steady atmosphere for stored items.

Vehicle Storage: Cars, yachts, and caravans can be stored at specialised vehicle storage facilities. Storage units in Cape Town frequently offer extra protection from the outdoors.

Business Storage Units in Cape Town: These boxes, made specifically for businesses, can carry merchandise, equipment, and important documents. They usually have additional features such as storage and wider access doors.

Choosing the Right Storage Unit

Selecting the appropriate storage unit requires careful consideration of several factors:

Location: Proximity to the house or company is critical. A conveniently located facility reduces the time and money spent travelling to access stored items.

Security Measures: Investigate the security features provided by various facilities. Consider features such as 24-hour surveillance, secure fencing, and controlled access points.

Unit Size Options: Ensure that the facility has a variety of unit sizes to meet your requirements. To minimise overcrowding, consider a unit with enough spare room.

Conclusion

Finally, storage units in Cape Town are a vital resource for people and organisations looking for extra room and protection for their goods. With so many options accessible, from self-storage to climate-controlled containers, there is a solution for everyone. Individuals can make informed judgements that improve their organisational efforts while keeping their valuables secure and accessible by taking aspects such as location, security features, and pricing into consideration. As urban living in Cape Town evolves, storage solutions will surely continue to play an important part in supporting both personal and professional activities.

[theabstruseone]

Third spaces were such a big deal throughout history that it's become a literal meme for the fantasy genre: "You all meet in a tavern..." Then it moved to local pubs then to social clubs then to organized not-that-physically-demanding sports leagues like bowling or darts then to coffee shops and then...well...nowhere.

Third spaces are the central social hub where people would hang out and talk and tell stories and catch up on gossip and current events and talk about grievances and get angry at power structures with one another and make plans to address issues...starting to see why this feels a bit intentional and systematic? And again, it's not a recent thing. The scene in Hamilton where they're all drinking and planning the American Revolution was more or less how it happened in history. Rebellions and revolutions and unions and strikes all started with people hanging out in third spaces and talking.

Now, third spaces are a luxury for the rich. Country club memberships, yacht parties, exclusive social events like charity galas and political fundraisers, etc.

What happened? Ask yourself if you were going to go to the local bowling alley or pool hall or American Legion, how would you get there? Drive. How far would you drive? How much traffic would you face? How long would you be able to spend there considering the time to get there and get home in time to get enough sleep for work the next day? And that's assuming you even have the ability to do so with expenses like gas and parking fees and tolls and child care.

Meanwhile, the specific places are less friendly to just hanging out. Not just for the reasons mentioned above, but also because they're just no longer good places to chill. Bars play loud music, restaurants are built to turn over customers faster, bowling alleys and pool halls and the like tend to charge per person per hour instead of per game (so you can't take your time and play at a leisurely pace to spend time talking and stretch your dollar), and a LOT of locations close far too early.

Not to mention a lot of the over-commercialization of these spaces is driven by rising real estate prices. Unless you're constantly turning over tables or getting more money out of guests, it's not easy to afford the lease on a property in a good location. In my particular industry (tabletop gaming), it happened a lot in the 2010s with a lot of hobby game stores closing due to rising rent as people would just hang out and play D&D or Magic: The Gathering or Settlers of Catan all day and only make one purchase for the entire time giving over to game cafes that served food, coffee/tea, and sometimes beer/wine/liquor to squeeze more money out of people.

Sure, online communities can pick up the slack, but a lot of those aren't exactly safe spaces. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Twitter, etc. can monitor everything said even in private groups and chats then sell that information. Or, as seen in a few recent cases, hand the private information over to law enforcement. Kind of hard to talk about forming a union or organizing a protest when the place you're discussing it is logging every word and handing it right over to the people you're looking to organize against.