#The Turkish Brew

[phillygrub]

The Turkish Brew Coffee Shop Opening near Temple University

A new Turkish coffee shop simply called The Turkish Brew will be opening in December at 1444 N 7th Street (at the intersection of Jefferson Street), an approximate 10 minute walk from Temple University. The Turkish Brew is a cafe and lounge with a cozy vibe offering unique specialty coffee, delicious Turkish desserts, and tasty bites. Inspired by the flavors of Turkey, the cafe will offer…

[thebendsbyradiohead]

your eastern european mutual in the nearest café as soon as the temperature goes above 10 degrees

[anon-e-has-a-tmblr]

Anon has never had a brewed turkish coffee and it shows

So, the first bumping lesbians isn't even that much caffeine:

1 shot of espresso is 65mg

7 shots is therefore ~450mg

That's:

-5.5 cups of hot coffee

-3 Monster Energy

-2 5hr Energy

-55mg more than the recommended top daily caffeine intake (no harm is going to come from that)

Oh thank god can’t wait to replace my morning coffee with 2 5hr energy shots and feel nothing out of the ordinary

[honestlycrookeddream]

[uchidachi]

Important Veilguard poll:

Also some of these answers are objectively wrong and I will judge you for choosing them. (Not for serious)

[art-missy]

Greed (Gekko x reader x Iso)

Yeah, I know.

But I love them so much. Plus, this one shot is heavily inspired by a dream I had and I wanted to write it down.

Thousand of apologies for the grammar or any eventual error.

Fade had faced many nightmarish situations in her life: she got trapped in a nightmare when her powers first manifested, she had been tracked down by several people who wanted her dead and she was regularly put in deadly situations since she joined Valorant.

“I hate my heart.”

But there was definitely nothing worse than hearing your complaints about your love life.

It had now been thirty minutes that you were groaning and whining in her dorm room, lying down on her bed and your head hanging on the edge.

“Mom was right.” You sighed in a tone that sounded way too dramatic to Fade ears. “I’m selfish and greedy as hell.”

“Why am I even listening to your rambling ?” groaned the Turkish initiator.

“Because I made you coffee.”

Fade wondered where you got all that energy that you used just for complaining. Did your mouth ever run dry ? She should have seen it coming. Since you joined the protocol, you adopted her as your ‘cool older sister’.

Your words, not hers.

You followed her like a happy younger sibling. She wasn't complaining. You brewed the best coffee she had ever tasted and your presence wasn't overwhelming. You respected her space and often gave her those midnight snacks you prepared that she grew fond of.

She liked you a lot. You were like the younger sibling she never had. But goddamn she hated hearing you whining.

“Okay, so let me get this straight,” she threw a pillow at you when you giggled at the word ‘straight’. “You love Gekko.”

“Yes.”

“But you also love Iso.”

“Yes.”

“And there is no way you could decide between them.”

“No way.”

It wasn't that simple. You loved them differently but with the same amount of affection.

Gekko had a sunny personality. He always brought with him that calm and laid-back mood that tended to ease people around him. He was what you liked to call a light-bringer (‘Not like Lucifer’ you felt the need to precise to Fade to which she just raised an eyebrow and rolled her eyes.). The atmosphere of the room could be gloomy and thick with tension, Gekko would always dissipate any negativity. He was a genuine individual and that was a trait that you adored in him.

Iso on the other hand was like the moon (‘or a Teddy bear’ and this time Fade only let out an exasperated sigh.). He looked silently over his friends like a silent protector. Despite his more discreet personality, he never hesitated to offer praises when he could. There was a certain softness in him that always managed to melt your soul.

“They each own a part of my heart.”

Which was quite ironic if one remembered correctly how you met them.

The first time you met Gekko, you almost insulted him.

Cypher was giving you a tour of the base when Gekko appeared on the corner of the hallway and accidentally spilled his boba on your new top. The glare you had thrown at him was so intense that he freezed for a second before apologizing profusely. You had huffed and ignored him and continued your tour of the base. Your top was ruined. No matter how many times you tried to wash it, the stain stubbornly remained. One could not imagine how surprised you felt when, later, you saw a yellow animal-like creature in your room, putting a box with an apology letter on your bed. Inside the box, you had found the exact same top.

As for Iso, the first time you met him, you almost stabbed him. ‘Almost’ thanks to his reflexes.

It wasn’t your fault. Well, not entirely. You were in the shooting range, focusing on your aim when he entered. Tensed and feeling a sudden presence behind you, you pulled your knife out of its sheath and threw it at him. Of course, he easily dodged it with a tilt of his head and a raised eyebrow as your knife planted in the wall behind. You apologized profusely and he had just shrugged and started to train with a sheriff. The rest of the hour had been awkward, especially when you went to retrieve your knife from the wall.

Fade hummed softly. “Okay. But that doesn’t explain why you’re avoiding them.”

A dramatic whine escaped your throat at her words. She watched you roll on her bed, hiding your face in her pillow.

“Everything is fine today, though. Right ?” said Fade. “You didn't hold any grudges against Gekko and neither did Iso against you. You’re even friends with both of them, now.”

You looked up at her with sad puppy eyes.

“Friends,” you repeated with a deflated tone. “I was fine with being friends with them both since I could not date them. There was a good balance. But now…things got complicated.”

Fade was now curious. It seemed like you weren't only being dramatic. Right now, you almost sounded desperate.

“What do you mean 'complicated' ?”

“I mean that the balance is now broken,” you groaned in the pillow. “Do you get that ?”

She definitely didn't. To her ears, your speech was as incoherent as a dream. It was the thing with your rambling : you rarely started chronologically and just blurted the first event that was nagging your mind.

“How did that ‘balance’ break ?” Fade sighed while checking her nails.

“Gekko kissed me.”

She immediately looked back at you. This was getting interesting.

“He what ?”

“On the cheek ! On the cheek ! On the cheek ! On the cheek !” you sat up quickly to precise it. “He kissed me on the cheek.”

Fade blinked. Unbeknownst to you, she already had a slight idea of what was going on between Gekko and you. Neon had been telling her about the Hispanic initiator sometimes sighing on her shoulder for two days.

“And of course you ran away,” she sighed as you let out another whine. “How did that even happen ?”

Your fingers were now fiddling with the pillowcase.

“Well, we were cooking snacks in the kitchen while dancing on his Spotify playlist. He was making crepes, I was making cookies and we were having fun valsing in each other's arms when it happened,” you made a noise between a sad whimper and a sigh of frustration. “Ambar Lucid’s voice can lead to some intense situations, I think.”

“And then you ran away.”

“The best run of my life,” you sighed sadly.

You’ve even been paying Wingman and Dizzy with sweets so they would not snitch whenever they found you.

Fade massaged her temples as she slowly processed what you said. She already knew you could be quite avoidant sometimes. And she also knew you hated being that way.

“What about Iso ?” she asked. “Is your ‘balance’ broken with him too ?”

You grimaced. “Kinda…?”

Fade raised an eyebrow. “Kinda ?”

“Kinda.”

“He kissed you too ?”

You shook your head and rubbed the back of your neck. Fade noticed how flustered you were.

“You know that sometimes Iso helps me perfectionning my aim.”

“Mmhmm,” Fade nodded.

It wasn't uncommon to see you both exiting the shooting range together. It wasn’t a secret that you two were quite close.

“Well, he was very…uhm…cuddly during our last shooting session.”

“Cuddly ?” Fade raised an eyebrow.

“Like, back-hugging me while helping correct my aim…breathing in my neck and murmuring instructions in my ear.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“The balance is definitely broken.”

You let your back fall back against the mattress in a dramatic gesture of helplessness.

“I know !”

“Then what do you plan to do ?” asked the initiator. “You’ll keep avoiding them both eternally ?”

“Well since you don’t want to put me in an artificial coma…” you trailed off, ignoring the deadpanned glare she shot at you.

Fade sometimes thought that your avoidance will bring you more problems than you reckoned. She remembered the regret in Deadlock’s eyes when she spoke about her sisters. Fade really didn’t want you to experience that.

“Talk to them.”

“To tell them what ?” you almost scoffed. “‘Hey ! I have a big fat crush on the both of you and was satisfied with our friendship but your recent actions unsettled the balance I had between your friendship and my feelings so I’m now avoiding you because I’m incapable of confronting my feelings and have a proper conversation about it with you two ?’” you said with a dramatically high-pitched voice.

Fade looked at you with so much exasperation in her eyes that you felt your body wincing in response.

“Well, yes.”

“Hazal, no !”

“Why not ?” she flicked your forehead with her finger and you winced once more. “Communicating your feelings wouldn't be harmful. Getting things off your chest with these two would help you. Don’t you think you’ll miss something if you don’t do anything ? The thing that you avoid you’re giving it power by avoiding it.”

You were about to answer with a snarky remark but the alarm of her phone cut you off. Fade looked at it, sipped the remnant of her coffee then stood up.

“I’m being called for a mission.”

You stood up too and stretched a little.

“Time for you to kick some asses and time for me to run.”

“You mean ‘to talk’ right ?”

You shook your head and walked towards the door.

“Nope !”

You were stubborn and Fade was well aware of that. It was sometimes your greatest quality but in your current situations, it was one of your biggest flaws.

“You—”

Too late, you were already gone. She could hear your quick steps echoing in the corridors. She sighed (again !) and just decided to prepare for her mission while hoping everything will be fine for you.

You kept running in the hallways, avoiding the range because Iso had the habit of training at this hour. You also avoided the corridors leading to the backyards where you knew Gekko had the habit of playing basketball with his buddies and Neon. Why weren't you walking ? Because walking made you easy to see, easy to catch. While running made you all blurry and hard to capture.

You had to survive, to run away. But running away from what ? Embarrassment ? Shame ? Your own feelings ? Whatever that was, your feet led you to the kitchen right in front of the fridge. If you had to survive, it would not be with an empty stomach. Luckily for you, there were still remnants of the cupcakes Clove made the day before. Very colorful, very sparkly, but delicious.

You were eating the cupcakes like a starved rodent when a voice suddenly called you from behind.

“Finally, we found you !”

You jumped a little, startled, then slowly turned around and met the astounded yet amused gaze of Jett and Neon. You silently stared at them for what felt like a few long and heavy seconds before you unhurriedly lifted another untouched cupcake to your mouth and slowly — very slowly chewed it.

Neon awkwardly cleared her throat then took a step forward.

“We…uhm…thought you were with Fade.”

You raised an eyebrow as you licked some icing off your fingers.

“Fade’s on a mission.”

“That explains why you’re here alone,” said Jett with a light chuckle while playfully nudging Neon’s elbow.

You hummed lowly. Were you hanging with Fade that much ? Not surprising. You literally adopted each other once you joined Valorant. You grew so close that come agents thought you actually knew each other way before you joined the protocol.

“You were looking for me,” you said, sizing the two girls. “What do you want from me ?”

The way they were staring at you reminded you of the twins in ‘Shining’. They weren't even blinking. They took a step closer, you took a step farther.

“Please speak,” you sighed. “You two are getting creepy.”

“We need your help,” said Jett.

You raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. Jett usually was too proud to admit these kinds of things.

“Why my help ?” you asked as you took another step farther.

They exchanged a quick glance before looking back at you.

“Gekko—”

“Iso—”

They interrupted each other as your brows furrowed.

“What’s up with them ?” you asked, feeling your body tensing.

They exchanged another glance when they realized they now had your attention. Jett took another step closer.

“They need help because they’re…uhm…”

“Hurt ! They’re hurt,” completed Neon.

You nodded and started speed walking to exit the kitchen.

“Okay. I’ll get Sage.”

Neon quickly stopped you.

“Sage’s on a mission.”

“Then I’ll get Skye.”

“She went back to Australia for her days off,” said Jett.

You stopped a distressed groan from escaping your mouth. Why didn't the protocol have more healers? You were just three. Were you that rare ? Plus, you thought that Sage and Skye were way better healers that you were. More effective and quicker.

“Shit…” you cursed under your breath. “Where are they ?”

“Iso’s dorm.”

You didn't think too much and just ran towards the dorm quarter. Like the worst case scenario machine that it was, your brain started imagining worrying things. Too buried in your dark thoughts, you barely realized that you knocked on Iso’s door. He looked at you with a raised eyebrow then crossed his arms.

“Can I help you with something ?”

Your eyebrows slightly furrowed when you didn’t see any visible injury on him.

“I…”

You cut yourself when you saw Gekko behind him. He looked at you with wide opened eyes, as if not expecting to see you —which was the case. You even saw Wingman, hiding in the corner of the room throwing you an apologetic look. You cleared your throat then looked back at Iso.

“Jett and Neon told me you both were hurt,” you said and you felt yourself internally cringing when Iso’s eyes squinted slightly. “Since neither Sage nor Skye is in the base at the moment, I’m here to heal you.”

“Heal us ?” repeated Gekko as he shared a glance with Iso.

The duelist let you inside the room and slid the door shut behind you.

And then it clicked. Neon and Gekko weren't playing basketball in the base backyard like usual, Jett wasn’t hanging with Yoru and Phoenix, and Iso wasn’t reading nor in the range. You were so worried that you didn't notice how orchestrated this situation felt. You didn't notice that Neon, Gekko’s best friend, did not seem worried at all.

“You’re not hurt, huh,” you clicked your tongue.

Gekko nervously rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward but sad smile.

“We kinda are, though.”

You looked at him with narrowed eyes. The poor initiator was incapable of looking at you in the eyes. Which was not the case of Iso who didn't stop staring at you.

“Are you now ?” you scoffed with sarcasm.

Gekko's eyebrows furrowed at your tone.

“You’ve been avoiding us for—”

“Sit, please ?” Iso interrupted the both of you, still looking at you.

“Why ?”

He tilted his chin in the direction of his bed.

“We have to talk,” he answered simply while taking the chair of his desk to sit on it backward.

“Do we ?” you crossed your arms.

“Please,” you heard Gekko say with a tired tone.

He was already sitting on the bed and was patting the space beside him. You rolled your eyes but reluctantly accepted to sit beside him. You kept eyeing the door and the two agents noticed it. The three of you stayed quiet for what felt like long minutes. You were looking down at your lap, unaware of the long glance the two men were sharing. Then finally, Iso spoke.

“Gekko and I are dating.”

Oh.

“Okay,” you said simply after a few seconds.

Your fists were slowly clenching.

“It’s been a few months now,” Gekko said while rubbing his neck.

You took a deep breath and nodded, still avoiding their eyes.

“Okay,” you said with a neutral tone. “And…?”

That was a plot twist you definitely did not see coming. Why did you feel so betrayed ? What were you expecting from these two ? You wanted to stay friends with them anyway. You felt your nails digging in your palms. Why did you feel so hurt ? Why did you feel so disappointed ?

“And we thought it was fair to tell you.”

You let out a breathy and mirthless laugh.

“Thanks, I guess,” you said, your eyes not leaving the door. “Why are you telling me this ?”

You wanted to walk away from this situation so bad. You needed to. This felt too heavy. You felt a lump in your throat and slowly started to have difficulties breathing but hid it the best you could. Gekko gently grabbed one of your hands and his thumbs gently caressed your palm where your nails were digging in your flesh.

“Because we both fell for you,” Iso said as his hand reached for your face.

His fingers gently brushed the corner of your lips where a few crumbs of cupcakes remained. He noticed your pupil dilating.

“We both spent time with you individually then fell for you,” he continued. “Despite the fact that we’re already dating.”

“So we talked and we wanted to ask you if you wanted to date us,” Gekko smiled nervously. “The both of us.”

You felt your breath hitching as his words slowly reached your brain. You blinked, looked at the duelist, then at the initiator, but you stayed quiet. Iso stood up from his chair to sit beside you and Gekko on the bed.

“Do you hate us ?” he suddenly asked you.

You silently shook your head.

“But you’ve been avoiding us for almost three days !” Gekko said. “We thought we did something wrong.”

Your brows furrowed as you looked where Wingman was hidden. Did he snitch ?

You turned your face back in Gekko’s direction to throw him a very pointed look. As if remembering the kiss from two days prior —which was certainly the case—, he avoided your eyes, a light blush on his cheeks.

“O-Oh.”

“Yeah ‘oh’,” you deadpanned.

“Sorry.”

Iso watched your interaction with calm but curious eyes. He observed your fist clenching and unclenching, how your body was turned towards the door of the room, how your feet fidgeted. His lover and his crush reunited in his room. It was weirdly not unwelcome.

“I suppose your answer is ‘no’”, he said with a neutral tone.

He would feel disappointed and a bit sad if your silence and your breathing wasn’t betraying your own feelings. He and Gekko exchanged a glance, the flame of hope burning in their heart. Gekko gently squeezed your hand in his and sat closer to you.

“Tell us how you feel.”

“What are you ? My therapists ?” you scoffed, not daring to look into their eyes.

“Please.”

And in just an instant, your shell broke. Your shoulders shook slightly, your hand was squeezing Gekko's with strength, and your eyes were on your lap. Exchanging another glance with the duelist, the initiator brought your wrist to his lips to kiss it. Iso, on the other hand, wrapped his arm around your shoulders to hold you against his chest, his lips pressing against your temple. Wingman even came out of his hidden spot to hug your leg. You did not need words. They were already understanding. Yet, you could not help yourself but ask in a shy murmur :

“Am I too greedy if I want you both for myself ?”

You felt Iso chuckling against you.

“Is it a bad thing if we consent ?”

You hummed. He did have a point. Gekko suddenly leaned against you, his arms wrapping around your waist and a hopeful smile on his face. You literally were sandwiched between the two agents.

“So…is it a yes ?”

Flustered by the sudden proximity of your two faces, you cleared your throat and looked away in the direction of Wingman who visibly encouraged you with silly gestures.

“I…guess it is,” you said. “If you still want me.”

“Can I kiss you ?”

You felt very dizzy by his sudden question, your heart beating at a way too fast speed. You felt Iso holding you more firmly against his chest. When you looked up at him, he was smirking down at you.

“Isn’t it my turn ?” his face got closer. “You two already kissed, no ?”

So he knew.

“It was on the cheek !” Gekko retorted. “And do you think I didn't see that kiss on the temple ?”

“What about the one on the wrist you just did ?”

You exchanged a glance with Wingman. He shrugged and you sighed.

“Guys !” you interrupted their playful banter. “Please.”

They both stopped then looked at you.

“Alright,” said Gekko while nuzzling his face against your collarbones. “How about some quality time to begin with ?”

“We have all our time,” said Iso while rocking you from side to side.

Believe it or not, I started writing this in july. Then my brain decided to throw a tantrum again.

Like I said (wrote) before, this one shot is heavily inspired of a dream.

Anecdote : I had this dream where I was an agent of the protocol and was avoiding Iso and Gekko because I felt too awkward to confess to them. I had healing abilities in this dream, and I healed them both after a mission (a pretty hardcore one) before running away in the corridors of the protocol (the exact same corridors we saw in the Neon cinematic). Fade even hid me in her room and let me play with her cat in this dream. Wingman ended up snitching on me, Iso found me and carried me on his shoulder while I was scolding Wingman. Iso then entered in his room (with me still on his shoulder) where Gekko was waiting for us, pouting. I was sat down on the bed and the two agents sat beside me and kissed my cheeks, asking me to not run away from them ever again.

And then...I had to wake up because my sister called me... ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ

It's fine though, I had a lot of dreams where these two were involved... And when I say (write) a lot of dreams, I mean A LOT.

I even had a dream where Brimstone begged me to date Yoru and Deadlock and I was like 'sure why not'.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this until the end. I wish you a nice day/night.

[shitsndgiggs]

Can u do an arda guler x Muslim reader where there parents try setting them up and where they have a nikkah

A/N: This was unbelievably hard to write, since I’m not muslim myself. I tried.

SIGNED WITH LOVE - ARDA GÜLER

In which your parents orchestrated a meeting with a different intention in mind

Arda Güler x muslim! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

In a bustling neighborhood of Istanbul, amidst the aroma of freshly brewed Turkish coffee and the gentle murmur of the city, Arda and I found ourselves at a pivotal moment orchestrated by our families.

We had known each other for years, our paths often crossing in gatherings and community events, but today was different.

It began with a casual invitation from my parents to join them for tea at a local cafe. Little did I know, Arda's family had also been invited.

Seated across from each other at a small table adorned with delicate tulip-patterned cups, our parents exchanged pleasantries, their conversation peppered with knowing glances in our direction.

It wasn't long before the purpose of this gathering became clear: our parents had orchestrated this meeting that swiftly turned to discussions of marriage between us.

I glanced at Arda, who met my eyes with a mix of surprise and amusement. He leaned forward slightly, his voice gentle yet uncertain. "I hope this isn't too awkward for you," he said quietly, his tone tinged with a hint of nervousness.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "I think... I think it's a lot to take in," I admitted honestly. “But I trust our families. They want what's best for us."

Arda reached across the table, his hand finding mine in a gesture that conveyed reassurance and solidarity. "Haklısın," he affirmed, his gaze steady. "And I've always respected your family's wisdom."

As our parents outlined the customs and traditions that would guide our union, the gravity of the moment settled upon us.

This wasn't merely a casual discussion—it was a pivotal decision that would shape our lives together.

"So," Arda began, his voice steady as he glanced at the nikah resting between us, "shall we?"

I looked at him, feeling a surge of gratitude for his calm demeanor amidst my own swirling emotions. "Evet," I replied, reaching for the pen. "Haydi yapalım."

With careful deliberation, we signed the contract, a symbol of our consent to embark on this journey together.

The words, carried the weight of our mutual commitment and respect.

As we exchanged glances, a shared understanding passed between us, a silent vow to honor the traditions that bound us and the bond we were forging.

Amidst the clinking of cups and the soft hum of conversation around us, Arda and I sat together in quiet reflection.

Our hands still intertwined, as we contemplated the future that lay ahead, filled with hope, understanding, and the unwavering support of our families.

[witchyligea]

Black Tea Focusing Potion Recipe

This is very simple and easy to disguise. I chose these ingredients for practical reasons. In Turkey we drink black tea all day long and my mom brings me tea when I'm studying. I carry cloves with me instead of gum because I have braces. It's very usual for me to draw on my schoolwork so no one will think it's for witchcraft. I have originally written this in Turkish so if you want me to I can post that version as well.

Ingredients:

Black tea for banishing negativity and ilnesses.

A clove (or more) for mental clarity.

A sigil for focusing. (I draw mine with a blue pencil.)

Instructions:

1.♣️ Draw the sigil on a piece of paper and place your teacup on the sigil.

2.♣️ Say your intention while putting a clove or more in your tea, depending on the size of your cup.

How I make it:

♣️I draw my sigil on a paper. I made mine with the sentence "I want to focus on studying." Then I place my coaster and teacup on it. (Google Turkish teacup if you are curious.)

The teacups and coasters I have at home are transparent and it's nice to be able to see the sigil through the coaster when I'm drinking the tea. It's not necessary or anything though.

♣️ I say my intention and drop the clove in the cup. Then I study while waiting for the tea to become a drinkable temperature.

Other ways to do it:

If you can't draw on a paper, you can simply trace it on your cup with your finger.

You can put the cloves in while brewing it. You could also stick a paper on your kettle or place your kettle on your sigil. Or again, simply trace it with your finger.

I think it would be really cool to make coasters with sigils on them but I can't really do that now.

[vaultsixtynine]

my honest belief that ancient elves in da didn't have coffee so rhu will brew turkish style and solas takes his i'm-being-very-polite sip before passing it back to her with a scrungy expression

[curioscurio]

Oooo do you have a favorite tea or fun tea fact? 👀

I ADORE a good jasmine green tea! Something that's strong but not too acidic, and I do enjoy some sugar every now and then. Where I live, it's super hot Almost all year round so I love almost all my tea fresh brewed and poured over ice!

To do this and not get an overly watered cup, first measure out how much tea you need for say a relatively large 24oz glass of iced tea. Then only add HALF as much water as you want in the end. So instead of measuring out 24oz of water, measure out 12oz and use the 24oz worth of tea. Then you have a hot tea concentrate! Fill your beverage cup to the brim with ice and pour over as soon as its finished brewing for a great cup of iced tea!

I'm also on a huge Saffron Tea kick and find that it's been a huge help in stabilizing my emotions as well as tasting ... unique? Either way I like it haha! You don't need much, only like 6ish strands per 12oz ish, depending on your preference. Sometimes 12 for me depending on the flavor haha! also I like to resteep them a few times if possible lol. Check out with a doctor though first bc it can lower blood pressure and some other things. For me it just helps curb my everyday anxiety a little, but it's incredibly potent and you don't need a lot at all.

You can also brew catnip like tea as long as it's culinary grade! It can act as a natural depressant/sleep aid. Yes, it makes cats crazy if they smell it, but makes humans sleepy when we drink it haha!

I also love a turkish tea over ice, sweetend with a little sugar! I love that you can brew it super strong and dilute it to your preference as sometimes I like it strong and sometimes I like it really light.

I've not been interested in boba tea as much lately unless I need a super sugar kick! I find I really dislike the taste of powdered tea and that boba places often over brew their hot tea. Some have actually had some great Pu'er tho!!!!

I could go on tbh but my knowledge really is only the tip of the tea iceberg lol

[rose-tea-and-strawberries]

Celebrating Ramadan With Kalim and Jamil

Masterlist

First of all, I would like to say that all of this is incredibly self-indulgent. I know that everyone has their own traditions and ways of celebrating Ramadan but this is how my family observes this month. I would love to hear anyone else’s input.

Okay, my mother would love to meet them because they are good, respectable boys.

Every year my mother goes abaya shopping where she has to buy three different abayas (one for Eid, one for Taraweeh/Jummah prayers at the mosque and one for everyday wear) and she always gets upset because I’ve been using the same abaya for the past three years and I only get another one once my previous one has been worn down. Well, now she shall be disappointed no longer because not only would Kalim buy me three wardrobe’s worth of the most luxurious abayas known to man with the fanciest matching shawls but he also, most probably, would get her the fancy abayas as well.]

Kalim would win her heart by buying her those really luxurious hijab shawls.

Oh my god, Eid dress shopping would be a whole other monster. After finding out that I buy two dresses/outfits for Eid, he would be like ‘ha you thought’ and just pull up a thick magazine and ask my mother to point out anything and everything she wants me to have - since she’s the one that does all of the Eid shopping - and the next day I’d find a pile of readily tailored clothes in my bedroom.

A few weeks ago, my mother bought me a golden bracelet with my name written in Arabic on it and honestly part of the reason I love it is because it is exactly the kind of gift Kalim or Jamil would give me.

Iftar and Suhoor would be a feast with Kalim, Jamil and the Al-Asim wealth. Like these boys would stroll up with the rich people dates and my mother would be sold (my mum and her dad love dates).

This has nothing to do with the rest of the post but I know for a fact that the Scarabia boys would get my name right on the first try and I love them for that.

(Context: I have an Arabic/Muslim surname and I spent all my life going to a whiter-than-the-antaractic primary school that used to be a church. That place was so white that we didn’t even have proper assemblies, we had ‘service’ where the priest from down the road would come and talk about the Bible to the entire school whilst the 10-20ish Muslim kids would sit at the back of the hall and read books. So whilst I was there everyone would pronounce my last name as the way you would spell it out in english whereas the actual arabic pronunciation is different but since everyone including my teachers, the librarians, my mum and dad’s coworkers etc called me by the western pronunciation, I thought that that was what my name is. It was only after my Arabic/Quran teacher pronounced my surname in its Arabic way that my dad told me that it's the proper way of saying it. Not going to lie, it felt kind of weird knowing that I’ve been getting my own name wrong for over a decade and I still use the English pronunciation to this day)

Similarly to how Kalim would win my mum with dates and clothes, Jamil would win my mum with handmade kunafa. Trust me, my family loves kunafa.

Also, my parents love arabic tea. My mum collects tea sets and her two favourite sets are her Turkish tea glasses and silvery metallic Moroccan tea set. Jamil would see her arabic mint tea leaves and he would offer to brew it for her and it would taste like perfection, I just know it.

There was this one Ramadan where my mum got into Arabic calligraphy so she bought this big canvas and some black paint and my sister and I tore out pages from my cartridge paper pad and used my calligraphy pens and we just sat and tried to replicate the arabic calligraphy art we saw on google images whilst listening to nasheeds and I KNOW that Jamil would love to do this. Like he would come out with a masterpiece after ten minutes and then judge watch me try to make mine look half decent before trying to help me. 

I don’t think Jamil would be allowed in the kitchen when my sister, mum and I prepare food for Iftar since it’s a girls only zone but if he could enter it, I know that he would be all calm and everything would be ready at least ten minutes before the adhan compared to the rat race that happens in my house where there are some days where we are laying the table like a minute before it’s time to break fast.

So the day before or two days before Eid, my mother or her friends would invite all of the ladies and their daughters for a henna party where we pay a professional to come and put henna on our arms (and sometimes feet) and we play music and sing and dance and eat sweets and it's a whole thing. Kalim would be upset that he can’t join us but he’d understand since it’s a girls only party and there will be women who want to take off their hijabs and relax but he would pay for like ten of the best henna artists he knows and order food for us and he’d be such a sweetheart like he’d be so happy when I’d show him my designs and he’d talk about how his siblings would wear henna and he used to wear it before he got tattoos.

So, my family likes to celebrate my dad’s lunar birthday since he was born during Ramadan and then, since my sister and I made a big deal of it, my parents decided that they’ll also celebrate our lunar birthdays as well - and by ‘celebrate’ I mean that my mum would order takeaway from our favourite restaurants for dinner - and I can so see this as a thing that Kalim would do only he would treat my lunar birthday as an actual birthday with cake and presents and the whole she-bang.

I kind of want to introduce Kalim to my grandma only to see his reaction to her calling my little sister ‘shaytan’ (satan/devil) as a term of endearment.

Speaking along those lines, I also have a very artistically talented friend who shares the same morbid humour as me and as a gift she made me a canvas with the words ‘Kullu nafsin thaiqatu almawti’ (Every soul shall taste death) written in arabic calligraphy that I have hung up in my bedroom and I would love to see Jamil or Kalim react to that just being one of the first things they see.

[the-problematic-trolley]

I like my lovers like I like my coffee (but increasingly more convoluted/nonsensical):

Piccolo 👽

Hot

Black with extra sugar 🥰

Flat White 🫦

Long black 😳

Ethically sourced ✊

Expensive tastes

Turkish 🇹🇷

Irish 🇮🇪

Columbian 🇨🇴

With extra cream🤤

Made in a Waffle House 🤭

Pinned on an hipster aesthetic Pinterest board 📷

Chocolate covered beans 🐾

Organic/vegan

Bulletproof

With buttered sourdough toast 🍞

Black Eye 🤬

Roasted in house 🔥

French pressed 🇫🇷

Thai iced 🇹🇭⛏️

Vietnamese iced 🇻🇳⛏️

Finally ground

Pumpkin spice/honey lavender

Cold brew

Pour over

With a pinch of table salt to cut the bitterness

Baked into a tiramisu

So scalding hot I need my panties surgically removed from my loins which results in a multimillion dollar lawsuit against a multibillion dollar corporation spun to defame me as a con artist.

Picked from civet scat

As an affogato

[ashenlavellan]

Dragon Age Warden & Champion TAG

I was re-tagged by @samanthess since I’ve already done my Inky - so, now I’ll be doing my Warden and Champion!

Name: Ceren Azra Tabris

Nickname: Ceri (created by Leliana - Ceren uses this nickname during later events, since she is undercover for awhile) | Mia dea, which is Italian for “my goddess” (solely used by Zevran)

Gender: Female

Star Sign: Pisces Sun // Libra Moon // Scorpio Rising

Height: 5’5” (Zevran is 5’7”)

Orientation: Heterosexual

Nationality/Ethnicity: Half-Fereldan/Half-Rivain (she is half-Welsh and half-Turkish)

Favorite Fruit: Pomegranate - she loves the texture and nibbling on them when multi-tasking.

Favorite Season: Fall - likes the cooler weather, but not too cold.

Favorite Flower: Water-Lilies - hard to find within Denerim, but her mother once purchased a small bouquet and hand-pressed them into her journal.

Favorite Scent: Jasmine and Sandalwood - muskier and earthy scents, soothes her and the latter is part of Zevran’s cologne.

Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: Coffee - she tried a brew that’s local from Antiva, thanks to Zevran swiping some from a merchant.

Avg. hours of sleep: (Pre-Origins) around 7 hrs. (Origins and onward) around 4.5 hrs. due to nightmares.

Dogs or Cats: she likes both, but slightly prefers cats.

Number of Blankets: Rarely has one, unless facing extreme cold - has higher body warmth than normal, especially when Zevran cuddles with her.

Dream Trip: Antiva - she wants to try the many dishes that Zevran described to her, as well as taking down a cell of Crows like they’re an appetizer.

Random Fact: she hardly managed to style/braid her once it got as long as it did, but Zevran always offers to style her hair since he’s gentler when braiding or styling.

————————————————————————————

Name: Lysandra Brynhildr Hawke

Nicknames: Lys (companions call her by this), Lysa (Carver calls her this once their relationship is mended, but Bethany came up with it), and Mitt hjärta (Fenris calls her this after she teaches him some of her mother tongue - means “my heart”)

Gender: Female

Star Sign: Taurus Sun // Aquarius Moon // Sagittarius Rising

Height: 5’9” (Fenris is 5’8”)

Orientation: Bisexual

Nationality/Ethnicity: Half-Fereldan/Half Free-Marcher (Half-Welsh/Half-Scandinavian)

Favorite Fruit: Strawberries - whenever she’s able to find grains of sugar, she dips them into it if not fully ripe. (her father taught her this)

Favorite Season: Late Spring - Early Summer

Favorite Flower: Amaryllis - Bethany and her grew a small garden once they fully settled in Lothering

Favorite Scent: Ylang-Ylang and Chamomile - once managed to purchase a candle infused with this scent.

Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: Tea - specifically chamomile before going to bed.

Avg. hours of sleep: (Prologue) 8 hrs. / (Arc I) 7 - 8hrs. / (Arc II) 6.5 - 7hrs. / (Arc III) 6.5 hrs. / (Inquisition) 6 hrs.

Dogs or Cats: Dogs - she’s always been around them and she dearly treasure her mabari hound.

Dream Trip: Orzammar - she’d heard the details when reading the memoirs that Ceren had released and wants to see the culture herself.

Number of Blankets: Just one, especially since Fenris holds her when they sleep. She runs a little warm due to her magic.

Random Fact: Out of all of them [Ceren, herself, and Juniper] she’s actually the first to deal with pregnancy and gave birth shortly before her appearance in Inquisition.

Thank you so much for tagging me - I enjoyed doing this again! I hope you love them as much as I do - whoever wants to do their Warden and Hawke, feel free to use mine as a tag to you!!

[honestlycrookeddream]

How to Make Turkish Coffee Without an Ibrik? Easy Tips!

[mixelation]

I’ve heard of putting butter in coffee, my dad said something about it being a Turkish (maybe? I could be misremembering) thing. When I looked it up, it apparently originated in Ethiopia and Tibet, and is still a traditional way of drinking coffee in Northern India, Vietnam, and Singapore.

I’ve also heard of putting salt in coffee, but that was just putting salt in the grounds before brewing because it would supposedly cut the bitterness.

interesting! again, i've only heard of butter in a coffee as a last resort thing, never with good outcomes. i assume if it's a normal way to drink it in some places then there must be a way to do it so it turns out good. i wonder how different the coffee/butter is in those places?

[withlovelunette]

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers (WIP title)

— A Nutcracker Retelling

Genre: Fairytale retelling, adult fiction, speculative fiction.

Setting: Wintery, early 19th century Germany, Russia & other culturally-inspired fantasy settings with a touch of steampunk.

Summary: Clara Stahlbaum is forced to prematurely shelf her ballet career after a severe injury. Feeling lost and alone, the former ballerina leaves the comfort of her home in the countryside to visit the city and help her godfather run his toy shop while she recovers from her mental strife. After encountering a peculiar stranger with wooden hands who speaks of a fairy that can undo all injuries and ailments, Clara is pulled into a plot of curses, tragedy and lost personhood.

Themes: Identity & self worth, loss of humanity, defying fate, vengeance and repressed emotions, hints of unhinged womanhood if you squint.

Introduction & Context

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers is a retelling and slight reconstruction of the beloved story The Nutcracker & the Mouse King, taking partial inspiration from the ballet, but is otherwise mostly based on Hoffmann’s original 1816 novel! I’ve been deeply infatuated with this story ever since I watched the animated movie by GoodTimes Entertainment (please tell me someone else watched this as a kid) and the Barbie version when I was little. I’ve since read the original book and been wanting to reconstruct the story into something new! Everything in this post is very much a WIP and subject to change as I develop the story, as it’s still in its first draft!

Inspirations & Vibes

Tchaikovsky’s music and the ballet (naturally), powdered snow, sweet Turkish delight, hot steam from the locomotive swirling in the crisp winter air, scent of gingerbread and mulled wine with cinnamon, winter wonderlands and peppermint candy canes, pastel baroque & rococo aesthetics, white marble with specks of blood, loss of humanity and sense of self, tragic romance, whimsical inventions, old fashioned toy shops filled with wonder, out of tune music box and other antique trinkets, freshly baked Berliner buns, the gritty and dark hiding beneath the prim and proper, prickling fingers on thorns while picking berries.

Main Characters

Clara Stahlbaum (23) she/her

Burnt out gifted kid filled with longing and passions she can no longer pursue, a romantic posing as a cynic to protect her feelings, loves messing with little trinkets and antiques and is kinda a nerd.

Hans Peter (25) he/him

Stoic, intellectualises his feelings, detached yet slightly vain, charming until you realise he’s not aloof for allure’s sake he’s just kinda socially awkward, but hey maybe that’s charming to some.

Godfather Drosselmeyer (52) he/him

Eccentric, mischievous, a bit sketchy but people brush him off as just a quirky old man, secretive, knows a lot and yet literally no one in the city knows anything about him he just showed up one day.

I might make a deep dive post about these characters to go into their psychology and development if that’s something people would be interested in! Deconstructing a character’s psyche is one of my favourite aspects of writing and I’d love to be able to share it. Also I know this seems very heteronormative as a story but I promise there are queer themes brewing beneath the surface here I would die otherwise.

✦ If you’d like to be added to a tag list for future writing updates/excerpts, please let me know! 

Story Tag; #md&ws