#a true tast of India

[mylunchisatvdinner]

Not medium spice in my opinion, pretty mild. But it is pretty good overall.

[sceneloc8]

Top Restaurant and cafes Location For Shooting in Mumbai

Mumbai, India’s lively city, is not just a great place to eat, it’s also a great place to work on creative projects. SceneLoc8 has compiled a list of the best restaurants and cafes in Mumbai for your pre-wedding shoot, photography session, music video, or vlog. These places have the perfect mix of atmosphere and style to make your vision come true.

Possibilities for creative content:

Pre-Wedding Shoots: To add a touch of class to your pre-wedding photos, take pictures of timeless moments of love and romance in stylish cafes or fancy restaurants.

Photography: Look into the unique interiors and architectural details of Mumbai’s best cafes and restaurants to take pictures that show off both delicious food and artistic skill.

Set the scene for your music video in a trendy café or a cozy bistro. The atmosphere and energy of these busy spots will come through in your images.

Vlogs: Show your viewers your cooking adventures and dining experiences through interesting vlogs shot at Mumbai’s famous restaurants and cafes, giving viewers a taste of the city’s lively food scene.

Filming: To make your scenes seem more real, use famous Mumbai cafes or high-end restaurants. This will immerse viewers in the city’s rich cultural tapestry.

Advice for people who make content:

If you want to shoot in a Mumbai restaurant or cafe, keep these things in mind:

Permission and Cooperation: Make sure you get the right permissions from the business before filming or taking pictures. This will make sure the shoot goes smoothly and without any problems.

Time: Plan your shoot for a time when it’s not busy so that there aren’t too many people around and you can get a good sense of the atmosphere of the place.

Respectful Behavior: When you’re shooting, be aware of other customers and staff and treat them with respect. Stay professional and polite the whole time.

Creative Composition: Use the restaurant or cafe’s unique features and atmosphere to your advantage by experimenting with lighting, angles, and composition to make content that looks stunning.

Showing Off the Experience: In your content, talk about the venue’s atmosphere and tasty treats, giving people a tantalizing look into the dining experience.

Why You Should Write Content in Restaurants and Cafes:

The restaurants and cafes in Mumbai are great for content creators in many ways:

Aesthetic Appeal: These places, from trendy cafes to high-end restaurants, have stylish interiors and interesting decor that make them perfect for posting visually appealing content.

Flexibility: Mumbai’s restaurants and cafes can be used for a variety of creative purposes. They can be used as quiet places for intimate scenes or as busy places for lively visuals.

Cultural Significance: Many famous restaurants and cafes in Mumbai have cultural significance. Showing the city’s culinary history will give your content more depth and authenticity.

Accessibility: These places are in different neighborhoods across the city, so they are easy to get to for your shoot because of logistics and transportation.

Unlock the culinary charm and creative potential of Mumbai’s top restaurants and cafes with SceneLoc8. Whether you’re a photographer, filmmaker, or content creator, these iconic locations offer the perfect setting to bring your vision to life. Explore, create, and capture unforgettable moments amidst the vibrant backdrop of Mumbai’s dining scene.

#RestaurantShoot #CafeLocations #MumbaiPhotography #ContentCreation #SceneLoc8 #PreWeddingShoot #MusicVideos

Follow Our Whatsapp Channel:

@SceneLoc8 India

@SceneLoc8 Mumbai

[mylancap1]

CINTA BERSEGI: SHAKIRA, BAKHTIAR'S LOVER (PART I)

Aku follow Shakira dari zaman dia secondary school. Masa tu aku dah nampak sinar untuk Shakira jadi star dalam dunia lancap lelaki. Dekat sekolah, dah ramai yang slowly pergi tandas dan imagine Shakira. Dari sekolah dia jenis yang fashionista & suka modelling, tapi dalam masa yang sama active & suka sport lelaki macam football, futsal, rugby etc. Ada kawan aku cakap dia pernah confess dia turn on dengan body sport man. Six pack, chest, butt, vein antara body part paling dia terangsang bila tengok.

Paling best, Shakira ni ada mixed blood India. Tapi dia tak cenderung nak ikut Indian blood sangat. Hanya libido yang dia ikut belah Indian. Dia ada high sex drive. Body dia more to Malay. Boobs dia aku letak kategori kecik. Cuma bila pakai push up, dia akan jadi fair sikit. Walaupun boobs kecik tapi ada benda lain yang Shakira power. Body cutting dia aku boleh letak hampir perfect. Slim dekat tengah, tinggi & nampak stylo.

Shakira memang cuma sedaya upaya show off tetek dia. Cuma memang naturally, boobs dia size kecik apa boleh buat. Any way, sebagai boobs lover aku boleh turn on dengan semua jenis boobs termasuk boobs kecik Shakira ni. Dia memang kategori kecik tapi solid nak mampus. Kalau dia mendada, memang auto dick aku menegang 100%. Puting dia jenis eraser style. Besar dan mengeras. Damn.

Bila dia tayang boobs, respons dick aku sangat cepat. Means Shakira ada something. Selalunya kalau girl yang tak ada aura sex, tayang banyak mana pun dick aku tetap layu. Aku rasa pakej Shakira ni datang dengan karakter dia yang sangat notty. Dia suka benda foreplay atau melibatkan lidah. Kissing, sucking, bj memang niche dia. Sebab tu kalau candid dia suka jelir lidah dia. Notty sial.

Kalau tak notty, macam mana dia boleh masturbate sambil layan football player. Paling dia turn on dengan Messi. Dia memang obses dengan Messi. Shakira pejam mata sambil bayangkan pelir Argentina yang berurat dan tak circumcised lenjan dia sampai Shakira cum berkali-kali. Memang dia hijabista yang high taste.

Dia sanggup tackle Bakhtiar dengan effort yang lama sampai 2 tahun. Masa tu habis segala aura sex keluar. Bakhtiar yang memang high libido jadi 1st person yang lenjan Shakira. Exploration bertambah, sexual journey pun lagi panjang. Shakira memang jenis layan kinky stuff. Jiwa dia hampir dengan Anna dalam 50 Shades of Grey. Dia akan minta partner make love dengan dia cara BDSM tapi bukan yang melampau. Blindfold, handcuff dan macam-macam lagi cara untuk Shakira mencapai orgasm level tinggi. Paling last, dia akan on top dan ride sepuas hati sampai dia kejang. Body dia akan menggigil dan shaking bila dah sampai big O.

Malangnya, Bakhtiar tinggalkan dia lepas ada penyondol yang igfemes jgk. Part ni yang best. Nanti aku story. Shakira frust dan mula tunjuk the true colors. Dia mula jadi lagi notty. Selama ni dia cover sexiness & aura sex dia. Kali ni, slowly dia berubah lepas putus. Shakira yang selama ni dikenali sebagai hijabista mula cabut hijab dia dan tayang seluruh body yang selama ni bertutup rapi. Nampak la segala curve dan lurah dendam.

Shakira dah mula tayang butt. You wanna do anal, Shakira? Ahhhhh... atau doggy sampai cum berkali-kali... shit!

Okay, Shakira dah start pergi party yang selalu celebs nakal dekat Malaysia join. So, yeahhhh dah dapat expect... go Shakira, please do more. Fuck you Shakira...

RATING

Face 6/10

Muka Shakira bukan kategori yang terlalu jelas nampak aura sex dia especially kalau waktu normal. Tapi bila Shakira show off macam dia jelir lidah, buat muka horny dia damnnn. Masa tu rating muka dia akan meningkat tinggi.

Boobs 7/10

Boobs dia kategori kecik. Sumpah aku cakap tak padan dengan mixed blood. Tapi kategori kecik Shakira bukan biasa-biasa. Bila dia dah mendada, dick aku akan tak keruan. Tegang dan takkan turun sampai la kena layan fapping. Sideboobs dia padu. Nampak jenis tegang dan mencanak ke atas boobs dia. Sekarang senang dah tengok sebab bila tak bertudung, hari-hari dia boleh belanja.

Butt 6/10

Tak banyak boleh aku cakap pasal butt dia sebab baru je semenjak dua ni dia show off. Tapi aku boleh review yang butt dia ada aset tersendiri. Butt dia bukan jenis tonggek dan lentik tapi melebar. Sapa yang butt lover akan faham apa aku cakap. Butt macam ni sesuai untuk spanking sampai merah. Dan one fine day, boleh penetrate untuk anal. Please belanja lagi your butt Shakira.

Body Cutting 8.5/10

Body cutting dia aku letak hampir perfect. Tak perfect tapi menghampiri. Pinggang dia yang slim dengan bontot lebar. Boobs pulak kategori kecik. Model luar negara suka body type macam ni. Dengan rambut panjang, kalau dia berani naked aku akan bagi markah 10/10. Sumpah.

Sexual Attractiveness 8.5/10

Aura sexual dia power. Nampak dia sangat notty dan akan goda partner dulu sebelum make love. Dia jenis yang tak suka rushing. Muka dia, acting dia boleh buat dick yang dah cum 3 round boleh tegak balik untuk kali ke 4. Expression muka yang dia buat tu paling mahal. Tak nampak fake tapi nampak obvious cara dia show off her sexiness. Dia akan suka passive action dulu masa 1st round. Means lelaki layan la dia dengan dominant. 2nd round dia akan mula ride partner sampai kejang.

Others

Dirty talk antara kelebihan Shakira. Memang specialist dapatkan lelaki sado & sport man. Bila dah dapat, baru body memainkan peranan.

OVERALL RATING

7.5/10

[onenicebugperday]

@billionneuronscurious submitted: Cicada excreting fluid.

(Location: Maharashtra, India.)

Ha! Great shot!

For those that don’t know, there are a lot of true bugs (including cicadas) that feed on sap and other plant fluids. As they feed, they excrete excess fluid and sugars via their anus - this fluid is often called honeydew. There are other bugs that will feed on honeydew (especially ants!) and bees sometimes make honey out of it. I have a jar of honey that was made primarily from bees that collected spotted lanternfly honeydew. That one in particular doesn’t taste very good, imo! It has an aftertaste that’s reminiscent of burnt rubber.

[secretearthquakecheesecake]

GOOᗪ EᐯEᑎIᑎG

In every bite of a samosa, you taste the true essence of India. Samosas are like little pockets of love filled with spices and flavors...

Samosa lovers unite: let’s celebrate the joy of these triangular treats on forthcoming Holi festival of colours.

Meanwhile recipe for your practice..Now a days Samosas have become a popular entrée, appetiser, Or snack in the cuisines around the world..

🌼𑜞᭄with ℒℴѵℯ 🌹💞

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

i explain india but i'm drunk.

Hello maggots of mine you're all such babygirls and bastards just like Aziraphale and Crowley. I'm so proud of you all for existing. Yes i'm a wholesome drunk you now know this about me. The wine tastes like rotten grapes and smells of battery acid and cost 245 rupees INR. Speaking of INR, thanks to a maggot's ask, I'm here to explain India. I've never set foot outside of this country. But I'm also very very shit at general knowledge.

To any non-Indians reading this, this is a totally legit 1000% everything covered all-inclusive summary. To any Indians reading this, I'm so so fucking sorry.

India, explained.

So there's south india and there's north india and there's north east india. north india is very racist about south india and they're both very racist about north east india. Most of these people are also probably racist either to other countries or they have internalised racism. It's a wild trip.

There are. A lot of languages here. And a LOT of scripts. I can read two scripts, understand four Indian languages and speak in two of them (badly), and those two are not my native tongues. I cannot speak in my native tongues. It's basically English at this point. These aren't dialects, those are separate. Picture like, Europe, but more, in terms of how many languages.

Everyone hates each other which is valid for the entire planet honestly.

In south india we have a lot of coconuts. Like a lot. There are so many coconuts you have no fucking idea guys you cannot escape the coconuts. I was nearly killed by a shower of coconuts when I was 5 I escaped by one second.

There are also cows. People will tell you that you are being racist when you say India has cows everywhere. But it's true. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure to be stuck in a traffic jam. Next to the street barrier thing (what divides a street im too drunk for this) I saw a huge bull fucking HUMPING a cow. The vehicles just had to move around them. They were having sex right there.

If you're a middle class Indian kid, your career options are: doctor, engineer, scientist, CA, lawyer, government official or family disappointment.

Needless to say, I was going to be doctor and am now instead family disappointment. I'm babygirling so hard it's insane. The prodigal son.

It's very ace-friendly and heterophobic in the sense that you are not supposed to be exhibiting any sexuality whatever in a respectable household. Just shut up and give virgin birth already. But be married. That's crucial.

Oh yeah gay marriage isn't legal trans people are constantly othered by society and/or given no respect whatsover and we're just all vibing here this is totally not why I'm finishing a small bottle of cheap wine on a thursday past midnight alone in my room.

Foreigners are like a zoo species you see them you're instantly concerned like what are they doing outside the TV screens and then either people are normal (rarely), they run up and take photos or try to slip into conversation (more often than you'd think, even I've been guilty of the conversation thing as a kid) OR they start talking about how 'this western culture is ruining our culture'. Which is fair but honestly both the 'cultures' these people are talking about usually involve incredible amounts of bigotry and are more similar than they think.

I think the lesson here is that humans just suck as a species. Except for you maggots. I love you all and I will defend you with my life.

THE CHAAT. THE CHAAT IS INSANELY AMAZING. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CHAAT. I HAVE NO SPICE TOLERANCE SO I HAVE TO BEG ON MY KNEES FOR THE SPICES TO BE REDUCED BUT STILL. THE CHAAT. THE CHAAT, YOU GUYS. YOU NEED IT.

Sorry yes I'm normal. ALSO THE STREET DOGS. THE INDIES. THEY'RE SO LOVELY AND SWEET AND CHAOTIC AND I KEEP TALKING TO THEM. Once when I was crying I made the dog distress while and like five dogs that I didn't know came running to me and comforted me and licked me.

INDIAN DANCE MUSIC. I FUCKING LOVE IT IT'S INSANE. My family were elitist as fuck so I never got to listen to Bollywood music as a kid but it's AMAZING I'm so glad it exists. Bhangra too.

Beaches very very pretty hills very very pretty honestly the nature is fucking beautiful if you can just quickly pretend humans don't exist, which again is true of this entire planet. Yeah. Okay I'm so fucking drunk.

Yeah lots of diversity which is very nice when the humans aren't screaming at each other about it but the rest of the time it's very nice

The garbage and sewer stories? yeah they're all true im sorry

Traffic rules more like traffic suggestions amirite

Well, we still have far better healthcare access than america. so. there is that.

If you speak English well you'll be mocked and isolated. If you speak English poorly you'll be mocked and isolated. Honestly, just be rich. That'll fix it all.

All the conservatives hate each other and don't realise they're the exact same but in like different flavours.

Oh yeah we have auto rickshaws. Look them up. They're so much better than cars I don't get motion sick as easily in them. But the drivers all hate you and never want to take you anywhere.

Eyyyyyyyyyy it's so fucking fun here *drinsk more alcohol* I am so fucking not looking forward to college.

Please someone crowdfund me out of here let's all go chill in Alpha Centauri I've heard it's nice this time of the year.

I will, however, miss the casual live cow pornos. A true highlight.

[I got this peer-reviewed by my friend in India's top law school, just in case, because I'm too drunk and generally dumb. They say I will not be killed. And they've been on Twitter so.]

Irrefutable legal proof y'all. I don't mean to offend anyone except bigots. Fuck you, bigots, if you're not offended then I've disappointed my community.

[eatmangoesnekkid]

No matter what you may be going through, I can honestly say that when you become devoted to weaving the great beauty of life, tantra, into your daily life, your life naturally and instinctively starts to transform. The fear, doubts, hopelessness, or anxiety starts to fall away. Beauty is truth-- a deeply internal spiritual experience, a cleansing from the field of love. When you allow yourself to plug into beauty, this electromagnetic field, the spark of divine love and aliveness that has been powering and populating the entire planet for eternity, you create more and more energy and your body changes for the brighter. What else you could ever desire other than knowing beauty in the present moment? With divine love, no matter what you are doing, life becomes more energy-giving than energy-taking.Whether making a fresh juice for your family, giving yourself a breast massage, cleaning your floors, picking up your child from daycare, sitting down relaxed while eating a meal, or working behind a computer, taking a moment to calibrate to true beauty in the present moment changes you into a more advanced version of yourself overtime. Slow down. Take a breath. Give yourself over to the unknown. Taste your food. Relax more. Check your posture. Be soft in your tailbone. Think of fuchsia flowers. All of this is true beauty. I’m not saying that you should try to remove all pain from your life because doing so would be inauthentic and pain, when present, plays an important role in our bodies and lives. I mainly want you to know that you have so more capacity for new beautiful narratives but better, energy-giving thoughts and actions are needed in the meantime. Then all the patterns, worries and thoughts that have been making you sad, regretful, afraid, obsessive, or anxious begin to dissolve into an offering of fuchsia flowers. Care enough about your body to be responsible for orienting your energy towards bliss at any given moment. This is true beauty. This is living in divine love. -India Ame'ye, Author

[oct0bra1ns]

HONESTLY; Indian yandere who knows so many languages and learns your state language, culture, and everything. because India is diverse, and he just wants to appeal more to you. AND if you are from a different religion, well, he could just pretend y'know. it's not like such marriages are uncommon in India, and in the end, he will just kidnap you ! but don't worry, you can still practice your religion. Or if you are Pakistani/Bangladeshi.... well all he will have to do is prepare some cash, pull some strings and you will be on his lap in no time.

SO TRUE

the north/south troupe with yandere is just too YUMMY, like, he'll go above and beyond to learn your culture, language, your favourite dishes and if he can't match the taste, he'll book a flight for you to enjoy it

EXACTLY, if appealing to your parents isn't good enough, he'll settle for whisking you away, not much they can do when registering a marriage is hella simple now a days, besides, who's going to object or question him when he has the entire police in his pockets

AND PLS, i feel that would be a veryyyy last measure, i mean, he'll do everything to gain the approval of the parents, hell, if they want their child to settle abroad, he'll pull some strings and get everything ready, if that's not good enough, he'll even send money everything, as much as they ask :P

[fatehbaz]

Because most medicines were produced from [...] plants [...] these early “pharmaceutical monopolies” required full control of the production and trade of a species. Russia successfully managed the rhubarb trade in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while Spain controlled the distribution [...] from Spanish America, mainly cinchona from Peru, in the same period. “True” cinnamon grew only on Sri Lanka, so whoever controlled the island could dominate the cinnamon trade. The Portuguese were the first to create a monopoly on the cinnamon trade there in the early seventeenth century. That monopoly was later optimized by the Dutch in the late eighteenth century [...].

“True” should indeed be in quotation marks here - the term reflects the historically contingent tastes of Europeans, rather than any botanical category [...]. The rarity of cinnamon in the early modern period made it one of the most coveted spices of that era, and European countries without direct access to the cinnamon trade tried to imitate, substitute, steal, smuggle, or transplant the “true” product from Sri Lanka. [...]

---

In the early modern period, cinnamon was also important both as an exotic commodity and as an important therapeutic substance. The Dutch East India Company (VOC), which controlled Sri Lanka between 1658 and 1796, was well aware of this. The VOC vigorously exploited the Salagama - [...] specialized Sri Lankan cinnamon peelers - to supply enough cinnamon, which for a long time was gathered from forests. Only after the peelers rebelled, leading to a war that lasted between 1760 and 1766, did the company revise its production policy. 

Experiments with “cinnamon gardens” (kaneeltuinen in Dutch) led to enormous successes, and the company eventually grew millions of cinnamon trees on plantations in the final decades of the eighteenth century. Meanwhile, competitors of the Dutch had come up with their own solutions [...]: Spain had started growing other Cinnamomum species on plantations in the Philippines, while France and Britain succeeded in transplanting cinnamon to islands in the Caribbean. But the Dutch monopoly was not simply threatened by outside competition. Smuggling, by peelers or VOC personnel, was strictly forbidden and severely punished. [...]

---

Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein (1636–1691) was the VOC administrator on India’s Malabar Coast when he started experimenting with cinnamon oil in the 1670s.

He concluded that the oil, which he extracted from the roots of local cinnamon trees, was of better quality than oil from cinnamon trees on Sri Lanka. Van Rheede reported these results in his entry on cinnamon in volume 1 of the Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, the twelve-volume book that was produced by a team of local and European scholars, and supervised by Van Rheede himself.

Van Rheede’s assessment of cinnamon - in fact, the very publication of a multi-volume work about the flora of Malabar - infuriated the governor of Sri Lanka, Rijckloff van Goens, who had secured the cinnamon monopoly of Sri Lanka for the Dutch. Van Goens insisted that Van Rheede stop his medical experiments, claiming that the monopoly was at risk if the cinnamon trade was extended beyond the island of Sri Lanka. 

But Van Goens was not so much concerned about the therapeutic efficacy of cinnamon from either of the two regions. He was motivated by an imperial agenda and regarded the natural products of Sri Lanka as superior to anything similar in the region.

The experiments of Van Rheede, who was his former protégé, threatened not so much the botanical quality of the product, or the commercial interests of the Dutch East India Company, but rather the central position of Sri Lanka in the Dutch colonial system and the position of Van Goens as the representative of that system.

---

Even when Sri Lanka still only produced cinnamon that grew in the wild, the Dutch harvested enough to supply an international market and were able to dictate the availability and price level throughout the world. The monopoly, whether defined in commercial or pharmaceutical terms, was not easily put at risk by efforts like Van Rheede’s. Those involved in the early modern cinnamon trade were motivated by various reasons to defend or undermine the central position of Sri Lankan cinnamon: botanical, medical, commercial, or imperial. These motives often overlapped.

---

All text above by: Wouter Klein. “Plant of the Month: Cinnamon.” JSTOR Daily. 17 February 2021. “Plant of the Month” series is part of the Plant Humanities Initiative, a partnership of Dumbarton Oaks and JSTOR Labs. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

[winterlogysblog]

Fairy Scents ft. Kiane Kids Scent Headcanons

It's well established that each fairy has a scent that is associated with a flower or a herb. So far we have confirmed scents for each notable fairy we have been introduced to.

So after some quick research I found some info about these flowers and their scents

King - Gold Osmanthus

Osmanthus Wine tastes same as I remember, but where are those who share the memory XD

Origins: China

In the language of flowers, they carry the meaning of love and romance, symbolising true love and faithfulness

Smells like a mix of juicy peaches, ripe apricots with soft leather or suede.

Elaine - Lavender

Origins: Mediterranean

Represent purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness.

Biblical meaning of lavender symbolizes purity, devotion, and love

Delicate, sweet smell that is floral, herbal, and evergreen woodsy at the same time

Helbram - White Rose

Origins: Ancient Greece

Symbolize loyalty, purity, and innocence.

Combination of floral and fruity notes, with hints of honey and jasmine

Fun fact: A White Rose is what King used to kill Helbram (the first time) it turned red because of the blood

Gerheade - Mint

Origins: Mediterranean

Symbol of Hospitality and Wisdom

Gloxinia - Ginger

Origins: Maritime Southeast Asia

In many cultures, ginger is considered a symbol of love

Used in religious rituals to symbolize cleansing, protection and blessing.

Warm and spicy, with a hint of sweetness

Lancelot - Lemon

Origins: Unknown (said to be first grown in Northeast India, Northern Myanmar, or China)

Symbol of purity and cleansing

Headcanon Time

Since Nakaba hasn't spoken out about their scents I'll give my thoughts on the matter.

Lancelot introduced fruits into the mix of scents and Gloxinia smells like Ginger which is a root so I went ham with this.

Nasiens - Oleander or Sunflower

Oleander are toxic which is very fitting for our Mad Herbalist

Smells like Vanilla

Oleander symbolizes love, beauty, and resilience

I want one of Kiane's kids to smell like Sunflowers cause you know... Sunflower

Sunflowers also don't have a distinct smell so it's actually fitting for Nasiens since he grew up thinking he's human so there's really no natural fairy-like smell he could have detected from himself

Sunflower represents longevity, lasting happiness, adoration, and loyalty

Sixtus - Peach

Since Sixtus looks extremely like King I think it's only fitting if his scent is close to King's as well

Peaches symbolizes longevity

Belte - Jasmine

Belte gives Helbram energy and he kinda looks like him too so his scent also needs to give Helbram energy

Jasmine stands for purity, simplicity, modesty and strength.

Zana and Zillian - Blackberry and Raspberry

Since they're twins I want their scents to match

Blackberries are mild, sweet and slightly acidic scent, with earthy and woody nuances.

Some believed that blackberries contain properties of abundance and prosperity

Raspberries are fruity, sweet and slightly acidic

Raspberries are symbol of kindness in Christian art.

Tioreh - Pink Hyacinth

Phao - Lily of the Valley

Symbol of purity, joy, love, sincerity, happiness and luck,

Has a floral and green scent, with fresh and slightly sweet notes

I want one of Kiane's kids scents to come from the earth, something underground. There's an underground Orchid but it smells bad so that won't do so I specifically looked for a flower that has an earthy scent. I also want it to be PINK for Tioreh

Sweet, robust, and earthy

Pink hyacinths symbolize playful joy.

[leftoverenvy]

Tastes Like Sugar (ch. 29)

Summary: India Mae, or Indi, is a music major, struggling to pay bills, tuition, work, and make good grades.  Emily Prentiss is a BAU profiler, as well as a DC socialite thanks to her huge family fortune.  The two enter into a mutually beneficial arrangement: Emily will pay for Indi's school if Indi accompanies Emily to her social functions for a few months, posing as her girlfriend.  As weeks go by, the lines between their arrangement and their true feelings start to blur.  But money can't buy love, right?

Pairing: India Mae Banks x Emily Prentiss; OC x Emily Prentiss

Warnings: smut; sugar baby relationships; age gap (16 years - but all over 18)

Word Count: 2.8 k

Read on Wattpad | Ao3 | Previous Chapters

Taglist: @ssa-sapphic 🧸; @5raysofsunshine 🌮; @reidselle 🦭; @swiftfiles 🐝💚; @gaelic-symphony 🎻 ; @sadgirlml 🌻💌; @hotchs-bitch 🦆 ; @multiverse-mxdness ; @madelineleong ; @scorpsik 🎨 ; @heidss

A/n: Wow, I am so so sorry that it's been so long since an update.  I've finally found my joy in writing again.  If you're still following this story, I cannot tell you how much your patience and loyalty means to me.  Enjoy <3

Chapter 29 - Wayward

My summer with Emily was like a dream. She had only been gone on two cases, spending more regular hours in the office. We didn't comment on her unusually light case load for fear it would jinx it. I loved the time we were able to spend together with a more normal schedule. I enjoyed twisting myself around her while we watched movies on the couch. I relished the way she made me feel as she watched me play the piano. I yearned for the way she touched me every night.

Even though she had been gone for a case in Alaska for the last week, I still counted it a blessing to have had so many weeks uninterrupted by calls away. "Hi angel!" I startled, jumping halfway off the couch.

Once I had caught my breath, I smiled widely and responded, "Emily!" She flopped down next to me on the couch, pulling me in for a proper kiss. "Missed you," I mumbled between kisses. Once our frenzy had slowed down, I whispered against her neck, "I have something for you."

"That's funny, me too!" She whipped out a keychain with a photo of the Northern Lights in it.

I chuckled, sitting up to grab it and examine it more closely. "This is actually very pretty, Em. I thought these were supposed to be cheesy."

"I thought the Alaskan landscape deserved better. It was gorgeous up there; I wish you could have seen it."

"Thank you, babe. I love it." She kissed my cheek, tugging me closer.

"Now," she started, "What's this about a present for me?" I smiled bashfully, suddenly nervous to play the song I had finished for her. "I thought I was supposed to bring you presents."

"I didn't say it was a present. It's not a big deal. Just a lil something."

"Mmhm," she hummed skeptically, her eyes narrowing. "Show me." Something in Emily's glittering eyes told me she was excited by the prospect of receiving a gift. When was the last time someone had gotten her something that she really wanted?

I reluctantly left her arms and stood up. Butterflies swarmed my stomach, nerves overtaking me. This was a bad idea. I should have recorded her song and let her listen to it on her own. I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet – she was going to hate this.

"I've uh," I nervously sat down at the bench, "Been composing this summer." I had worked all summer on this composition when Emily was out of the house.

"I know, baby. You've done some really great pieces."

"Yeah, well." I swallowed thickly. I tried to think of what to say next.  I thought you deserved one to show you how much I love you.  Instead, I whispered, "This one's called 'Emily's Song.'" Before she could say anything, I started playing.

As soon as I pressed down on the keys, my hands knew what to do. I didn't need to think about it, muscle memory controlled my fingers. I felt myself start to tear up playing, knowing just how much love I had woven into this song. I wished I was brave enough to tell her. Embarrassed by how emotional I was, I begged my eyes to suck the tears back in, certain Emily would be appreciative but not emotional. 

As I started the last part of the song, I knew that I would never love anyone like I loved Emily Prentiss. But the thought terrified me. I was only twenty-two – what did I know about love? And how could she feel even a fraction of what I felt for her?

When the final notes of the song rang through the air, I couldn't bring myself to look at Emily, far too embarrassed. I heard her sniff and then push herself off the couch. Another beat passed and I felt her arms wrap around my shoulder. "That was perfect, Indi. Thank you." She pressed a kiss to my temple, her lips lingering longer than usual. "I mean it, angel. No one's ever written a song for me before. It was absolutely beautiful."

Her lips trailed down the side of my face, lingering at the corner of my mouth and until I turned my head to kiss her back. She deepened the kiss and trailed her hands down my body to show me how much she liked the song.

- - -

Emily and I fell back into our morning routine as if we hadn't broken it during the summer. I made us breakfast as she packed her go bag for work. We ate in silence, as she read on her iPad. Breaking the quiet, she asked, "Are you ready for your first day back?"

"I guess," I responded morosely. "I liked our summer together. I liked being able to focus on music and you. No math or English essays to worry about." Emily chuckled at that, moving her dishes to the sink. 

"At least you have a good first recital piece ready."

Puzzled, I asked, "Which one?"

"My song," she said, beaming with pride.

I narrowed my eyes with uncertainty. "You really think it's good enough for recital?"

"Yes I do," she affirmed. And her voice was so confident, it left no room for objection. "This will be your best semester yet!" she said positively. 

"But how can I be expected to do homework when you're home if your case load keeps up like this?"

"Are you pushing for me to go away on a case?" she asked with a smirk.

"Absolutely not!" I protested. "I'm just saying, it will be hard to concentrate knowing you're home."

"We'll manage, angel." She kissed me on the forehead and moved to holster her gun to her hip. My heart skipped a beat staring at her; she made everything look sexy. "I'm off to work now. I'll text you if I'm called away." She leaned down to kiss me briefly. "I want to hear all about how your first day goes! I'll call you if I'm away, or I'll see you tonight."

"Bye, Em." When the door to the garage closed softly behind her, I sighed. I wanted to get to campus early so I could get a good seat in class. I quickly did our dishes, grabbed my backpack, and hurried out the door.

But life had a funny way of balancing itself out. I had had the best summer of my life and was already disappointed to have to go back to classes, just to receive the worst welcome back to school present: my car broke down. I called Emily in tears, worried that I was going to start the semester off on the wrong foot with my first professor.

I dialed Emily's number with shaky hands, feeling the passing cars shake mine as they zoomed past me on the highway. I wasn't sure how Emily understood me through my hiccups and tears when I told her I was stuck on the shoulder of the highway.

"Shhh. Calm down, baby. It's going to be okay, I'll make all the arrangements. As soon as we're off the phone, I'll call a tow company to come get it and take it to the shop." I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, tears abating, thankful, as always, for Emily.

She continued, "In the meantime, baby, just drive the Lexus – the keys are by the door." I felt my heart rate elevate at the thought. "Or, if you'd prefer, you can Uber over to Quantico and pick up the Jag."  Pick up the Jag.  She said it so casually, as if driving one of her very expensive cars did not cause me extreme anxiety.

"No I do not want to "pick up the Jag!" Emily, what if I crash your car?!" I felt my face go hot at the thought, palms starting to sweat in anxiety. "You love all of these cars and they're so expensive and I'm not on your insurance!" I rushed out.

"Breathe Indi! It's just a car. And you don't have one right now. Please, take whatever car you want. Or Uber everywhere – I'll put more money in your account for it. Is that what you'd prefer?"

"No!" I nearly shouted. I took another deep breath, trying to keep in perspective that this wasn't Emily's fault and she was just trying to help. "I-" I exhaled into the phone. "I'm sorry," I deflated, "It wasn't fair to blow up at you like that. I appreciate you letting me drive the Lexus." 

Sensing the storm was over, Emily said, "I'm only sorry I can't see you drive it." I could almost hear the smirk in her voice. "I'm certain you'd look damn sexy in that car."

I chuckled and swiped at the remaining tears, embarrassed I had cried so much in front of Emily. "We'll see if you still say that when I ding your Lexus," I half joked.

"Like I said," her tone more serious, "It's just a car, angel." I paused, unsure what else to say. Her voice was calming though – she calmed me. "Look, I've gotta run. I promise I'll send a tow truck, but Uber home and grab the Lexus so you aren't late for class, okay?"

"Okay," I said softly, tears welling back up in my eyes.

"I'll call you later with an update."

"Bye…" And the line went dead.

- - -

Throughout my first class, my thoughts fixated on my car and how I was going to pay for everything. Even though Emily had been paying for most everything the last few months, I wasn't sure I'd be able to afford whatever the mechanic's bill was going to be. 

As my thoughts contemplated every little thing that could go wrong with my car, I missed everything my professor said. I was immensely thankful the first day was always spent going over the syllabus. I'd just have to make sure to read that thoroughly later tonight.

Over the lunch hour, Emily called. "Car's toast and probably not worth fixing."  So much for easing into it, I thought. I sighed deeply. Of course life would throw this at me. Things with Emily were just too good for everything else to be going right. 

"Okay…" I sighed. I mentally calculated how long I could go without a car while I built my savings up again. I also braced myself for having a conversation with Emily later about asking to go back to work; that battle wouldn't be won easily. But how else was I supposed to take on a car payment?

"I'll see you tonight, okay baby? I'm going to make sure to come home early."

- - -

Later that evening, once classes had finished, I arrived home. I was excited by the prospect of Emily coming home early, and I eagerly awaited the garage door opening to see if her car was in the garage. Once the door had raised fully, I counted three cars in the garage…except, whose car is that?  In my spot, where my car should have been, was parked a shiny, new Audi. Panic swelled inside of me. I didn't want to rush to conclusions, but Emily didn't drive Audis. In fact, I had told her it was my dream car. But surely she wouldn't have irrationally bought me a car without thinking about it first.

Not seeing the Jag parked in her spot, I quickly dialed her number as I walked through the door. "Do you like it?!" she asked excitedly.

"So I'm not crazy?" I spit out, trying to control my rising temper. "You did buy me a car?"

"Yes! Do you like it?" she repeated.

"Emily…" I said in warning. 

"Don't make this a big deal, India. I swear to god, don't. This isn't a big deal."

Her flippant tone fanned the flames of my anger. "It's a car, Emily. An expensive one at that." Suddenly, Emily's cavalier attitude on spending rubbed me the wrong way. I had never cared what anyone did with their money; it was theirs to do with as they pleased. But to hear firsthand how dismissive she was about such a purchase enraged me. Especially because she was wasting her money on me.

How could she not understand this? She threw money around like it was nothing. It made me feel like shit, like I was worthless. How could I ever repay someone who gave me everything? How could I ever be enough for her? I had nothing. I was nothing.

She sighed into the phone. "Can we talk about this when I get home?"

Clipped, I responded, "Great." And I hung up. Immediately, I knew I shouldn't have done that. No matter how badly she angered me, she didn't deserve to be disrespected.

I paced the living room waiting for Emily, counting out each step until I lost track. I tried to match my breathing to each tick of the clock on the wall. For forty-three minutes, I tried to calm down, anxious about our impending argument.

But no amount of mental preparation would have helped, because as soon as Emily walked through the door, we started fighting about the car.

"I don't see what the big deal is, Indi. It's a car for fuck's sake." I winced at her cursing during an argument.

"But that's exactly it, Emily! You can't understand why this is a big deal for me."

"Do you not like the car? Is that what it is? We can exchange it for any kind that you want," she offered.

"It's too much! And it wasn't part of the deal!" I shouted at her.

Shock flooded her face and she froze. Softly, almost hurt, she asked, "Do you seriously still consider this just an arrangement?" She spit the last word out as if it left a sour taste in her mouth. "You can stand there and really tell me that you still just see me as an ATM?"

"I NEVER saw you as an ATM, Emily. Of course this is more than being your sugar baby." It still didn't sit right. Rocks settled in my stomach. How could I ever get her to understand? 

"Then what? You think just because I love you that should mean my support should just stop" - she snapped her fingers - "like that?"

Our argument entirely forgotten, "You love me?" I whispered, aching at the thought of her taking it back, but sick at the thought of her really meaning it. I wouldn't allow myself to believe she meant it.

"I-" She blew out a puff of air. "Yeah." Time stopped. My breathing, my thoughts – they all stopped. "I love you, Indi. I am so in love with you."

And for a split second, I almost accepted the car. But accepting this huge gift almost felt like I would be solidifying our original arrangement. I couldn't sort it out anymore. I was overwhelmed by it all. By how much I needed Emily. By how this had turned into something so different than the life I had pictured for myself. I didn't know who I was anymore; I had lost myself in a game of make believe.

Emily couldn't want me forever like I wanted her. Too soon she would realize that I could give her nothing in return. Only then, it would be too late for me. I would be too far gone, too far entrenched in the India Emily wanted me to be, the real Indi never to be seen again.

My eyes went huge at the thought. Who had I let Emily turn me into? Who had I become during this arrangement? And how had I lost myself so quickly? Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. This mansion felt like a collapsing, cardboard box. Emily's affection, once a warm, safe blanket around me, now felt like a noose.

Shaking my head, I turned and ran upstairs. When I came back down, bag packed, Emily hadn't moved an inch. 

I needed distance from this life – from Emily – so I could find Indi again. But who was I without Emily? It had only been six months, and already I had no idea what life would be without her. I had pretended to be what I thought Emily wanted for so long that I forgot who I was. It didn't matter, though. Because if anything was certain it was that I could never be enough for Emily. She deserved so much more than the little I could give her.

I drove quickly back into the city, to Penelope, to my real life. I knocked on the door to what used to be my home praying Penelope was there to greet me. When she opened the door, tears flooded down my face. As I walked through the door, Pen's arms around me, I couldn't help but feel unsettled. I didn't feel at home here anymore. If I didn't fit into my old life, or into Emily's, where did I belong?

Continue to next chapter

[elysianightsss]

Baker!Techno x reader

Wont ever stop plum.

Warning: beware of the honeycomb, PTSD, hinted drugging, mention of gunshots.

Your eyes blink open taking in the sight of the white sheer curtains flowing softly in the warm breeze, the feel of the gentle cotton sheets against your body did nothing to pull you out of your hazy sleep.

Things you don’t remember, places you’ve never been, a true dream if you’ve ever had one full of fiction and mistrustful information. It could never be true so you don’t dwell on the fragments of you in the desert that are fracturing your already fragile state of mind.

Your delicious baker always tells you not to think too much, with everything you’ve been through all you should be doing is relaxing.

But what had you been through is the real question.

You breathe deeply taking in the breath taking smell of cinnamon sweet buns downstairs, ears twitching at what you think is the radio playing in the background. Someone muttering something about India, hotel alpha victor echo, hotel echo Romeo, you don’t know not paying attention to such frivolous matters.

Instead you roll over onto your side eyes going to the French doors that are open giving you a full view of the blue sky, sun shining but not high enough for it to be midday. You recon it’s nine, possibly ten. The smell of fresh cut grass tells you that Techno had been up since about six am to do all the chores before you could even offer.

He was very passionate about you finishing the last two books of your favourite series and you can’t do that if you’re distracting yourself with silly things like chores. His words, not yours.

Breathing deeply once more not wanting to spike your heart rate, somehow your man always knows. It’s rather strange but it’s another thing on the list of things you shouldn’t dwell on. Catching a wiff of rain in the air, you can tell that the vineyard, you have as your beautiful back garden, got the drink it desperately needed last night.

Finally thinking you’ve given your baker enough time to ice those sweet buns you pull yourself from the sheets however groggy, you manage to slip on a silk robe and stagger your way through your home.

Your kitchen was Techno’s pride and joy, besides you of course, he designed it and got some friends of his to help build it. It is the definition of a baker’s dream, equipped with a state of the art pizza oven and four electric ovens for his exquisite bakery dishes adding a crisp texture, to delightful cookies and puffs.

Your tired eyes scan the kitchen quickly latching onto the sight of sixteen sweet buns waiting for you. You pad over ready to reach for one of the freshly iced cinnamon buns only to be stopped by your baker.

“Ah ah ah, this first.” A smooth piece of golden honeycomb appears in front of your face instantly making you salivate. You take it putting it to your lips, taking small licks before sucking on an edge missing the way Techno groans under his breath.

“Take such good care of me.” You mumble mouth a little full, eyes fluttering shut with a soft hum.

“Won’t ever stop plum.” His lips skim your forehead. He’s so sweet and so sincere. He’s genuine and loving. Everything he is always is. Not even a hint of darkness swirling in his eyes. Not even a spec.

Gunshots and the smell of dusty sand echo through his senses as his darkening orbs dart around your face while you suck on the sweet honeycomb.

“How’d you sleep plum?” He asks an arm curling around your waist pulling you against his warm body. With no shirt covering his hairy chest and a bit of pudge from all the taste testing. Wearing a simple pair of basketball shorts you whimper at the feel of him pressed up against you.

You nod eyes still closed, taking more of the honeycomb into your mouth to suckle on laying your head on his chest too. “Maybe you could use a bit more of it hm?” He hums in your ear before sucking your earlobe into his mouth, raking his teeth over it. “I think that’s a good idea, why don’t we cuddle for a while hmm?”

You nod, feeling disoriented letting Techno guide you to the bed you’d just left. His thick fingers stroking your head gently as he slips in behind you, holding you tight. “Let it happen plum.” He whispers, and you do eyes fluttering shut. All memories of that desert that had started to form in your head, gone.

[politijohn]

Hey, I was a bit curious. You mentioned you support democratic socialism. Most of the historical examples we can pick of socialism are inherently non democratic, we can also take examples of some current ones like Venezuela. We can take that a bit further if we include communism in this conversation. How do you propose that fits in today's world, especially when socialism (or communism) is not sought after by world leaders? Even countries who claim to be socialists (for example India) are moving towards capitalism, they are in fact capitalists in everything but name. So I was curious as to how America could be a democratic socialist when it was the one who proposed and actively advocated for capitalism. I suppose what I really want to know is, is that even plausible? And if so, how do you think that could practically happen?

Also wanted to add that I really love the content you put out! Very informative. Sorry if I went too over board!

You posed good questions! It's my view that the next realistic step the US should make is to social democracy, which still adheres to the capitalist framework. Imagine a country where Bernie Sanders' platform is the norm rather than our broken neoliberal status quo.

This is not the end goal, however. Even though social democracies significantly improve their citizen's quality of life, they still perpetuate injustices globally.

Socialism - true socialism - ensures a truly democratic society while addressing injustices. But it is also fragile; greedy entities, which the world is full of, can quickly corrupt the system because the state, by its publicly-owned nature, has been given sole power over societal services and goods.

Socialism, today, has a sour taste to the average American because of propaganda and bad-faith actors co-opting socialist movements did terrible things in its name (We can't forget many of these states were forced into terrible conditions by Western imperialism in the first place). This sour taste poses a real challenge to convince Americans that socialism is a worthwhile goal. Anything progressive in the political realm is painted as socialism, as if it is some evil to be avoided at all costs.

To shift the narrative, we must continue fighting for leftist policy and interventions. They're widely popular, despite what politicians and mainstream media say, and we must make them a reality by demanding that of our public officials. Running more leftist candidates, engaging in direct action, and participating in organized civil disobedience will help hold government institutions accountable. During the FDR years, we saw how our government can work FOR us in a more socially democratic fashion. Convince people that these policies propel society further compared to the status quo and force an 'ah-ha' moment that socialist government and policies aren't so bad.

This, I believe, will allow us to keep moving further left toward democratic socialism. When people's basic needs are met under social democracy, they can increasingly turn their attention and energy to bigger issues like climate change, imperialism, and other global crises.

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

lil bro's okay, but grandfather's not so good. it's still stable, but they're talking about travelling down west it's cooler, but it's gonna be costly oof. lil bro has scool in like 4 days, and it's likely they'll put out a circular to postpone school openings.

anyways have i mentioned i hate taylor swift? because i do so badly. one of my mutuals reblogged a "fav song" post with a taylor swift song and i got a papercut, she's bad luck see proved.

gooooooddd im so sick of all these edits with her lyrics. fandoms are polluted with her word and all these super cool gifs so talented and then i see her words "who else decode you" and i feel like throwing my laptop im so so so so sick of her and her brand of sickening white conservative "feminism".

i'm thankful she doesn't come to india i don't think i can handle the cooties. the other desi anon saying upper middle class girls liked her? totally true. i moved schools to like a richer more renowned one and i started hearing about her way more than i ever needed to.

anyways if you ever need recs to hindi songs, do let me know! i promise you every single lyric arjit singh has ever sung has contained more romanticism, more poetry that the entirety of her 30 albums and 900 copy paste songs, and that's after you translate it in english using google translate (bad translator for hindi).

I’m so sorry to hear that about your grandfather. I hope your family will find a way to travel west without it hurting financially. Also, your brother has school? In the U.S. this is around the time the school year ends. Is this the beginning of the school year or is this resuming school?

Right! Fandom is totally ruined because of Swifties. The only music they use in edits are hers and completely bulldoze any conversation when it comes to Taylor Swift, saying their faves would be swifties, no matter how OOC it is for the character. Like the “Hobie Brown is secretly a swiftie” post. HE WOULD NOT BE A SWIFTIE! Hobie is a fucking radical punk! He is the ANTITHESIS OF A SWIFTIE!

(Also-I was so confused by the “I got a papercut see bad luck proved,” because I genuinely thought that was a song title of hers. Her songwriting is just that bad.)

This is so damning, the correlation of wealth and Desi Swifties. This is what it’s like in the U.S. too but it’s crossed over with racial politics too. But generally richer = more likely to be a Swiftie. At least this is like anecdotal proof now rather than conjecture that I was accused of by other people.

Please send in the recs! I love expanding my music taste and from my limited exposure to Bollywood films, their soundtracks are always so fucking fire!

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A large, shallow dish full of golden brown rice with chickpeas, bits of tomato, and whole spices; it is garnished with mint and sliced almonds. End ID.]

Chana pulao (Pakistani-style rice and chickpea dish)

Chana pulao is a simple, tasty vegetarian staple common throughout various regions of India and Pakistan. It is often prepared during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, but may be prepared year-round. Fragrant, fluffy basmati rice is cooked with aromatics, chilis, tomatoes, pungent spices, and herbs in this filling, one-pot meal.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (240g) cooked chana (chickpeas / garbanzo beans)

2 cups (360g) dried basmati rice, rinsed and soaked

3 cups (710mL) water

1 shallot, sliced

2 roma tomatoes, diced (optional)*

2 green chilis, slit

1 green chili, sliced

10 mint leaves, chopped

1-inch chunk (10g) fresh ginger, julienned

4 cloves garlic, chopped and crushed

3 Tbsp neutral oil

Sliced almonds, fried in neutral oil until golden brown, to garnish (optional)

Whole spices:

2 Indian bay leaves (tej patta)**

3 pieces Ceylon / true cinnamon bark (dalchini), or substitute cassia cinnamon

2 green cardamom pods (elaichi)

2 Indian black cardamom pods (badi / kali elaichi)

1 star anise pod (chakri phool)

1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

5 cloves (laung)

2 Tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)

2 Tbsp coriander seeds (dhania)

1 dried red chili pepper, crushed, or 1 tsp red chili flakes

Ground spices:

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp salt

1 tsp Indian chili powder (ground mirchi)***

1 tsp garam masala

All of these spices can be purchased whole or ground at an Asian or halaal grocery store. If you don't have any of the spices, you may omit them. Star anise and fennel both have a licorice-like aroma and may be substituted with each other or with aniseed. Black cardamom has a strong, smoky, camphorous aroma--if you don't have any, just use a bit more green cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.

*Tomatoes are a common add-on but are not strictly traditional in this dish. Add them in for the tangy flavor and additional color, or omit them for lighter, fluffier rice.

**Indian bay leaves are distinct from Turkish or California laurel bay leaves and have a different taste and fragrance. They will be labelled "tej patta" in an Asian or halaal grocery store, and have three vertical lines running along them from root to tip, rather than radiating out diagonally from a central vein. Omit these if you don’t have any.

***Mirchi is made from dried and ground red chilis and is distinct from chili powder, which contains various spices and dried aromatics in addition to ground chilis. Substitute with more red chili flakes, or with another ground red chili powder such as prik bon.

Instructions:

1. If using dried chickpeas: allow a cup (175g) of dried chickpeas to soak in plenty of cool water overnight (or quick soak by placing in a pot and covering in several inches of water, bringing to a boil, removing from heat and allowing to soak for an hour). After soaking, drain chickpeas and place in a pot covered by several inches of water; bring to a simmer and cook for an hour or two until tender. Optionally add a few crushed cloves of garlic, half an onion, and a bay leaf in with the water to flavor the chana.

2. Rinse rice in several changes of cool water until the water runs mostly clear. Cover it with cool water and allow to soak for about half an hour while you prepare the produce and spices.

3. Prepare your produce. Slice shallot by cutting the stem end off, placing each lobe flat-side-down, and slicing horizontally (perpendicular to the root). Dice tomatoes and cut a slit vertically in two green chilis; slice another green chili horizontally. Wash ginger (or peel it, if the peel seems particularly thick or tough) and julienne by slicing thinly in one direction to produce discs, then slicing the discs thinly in another direction to produce matchsticks. Roughly chop garlic and crush it with the flat of your knife. Rinse and roughly chop mint.

4. Heat a few Tbsp of a neutral oil on medium in a large, deep pan. Sauté larger whole spices--cardamom pods, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns--for 30 about seconds until fragrant. Add smaller seeds (coriander, fennel, and cumin) and fry for another minute until fragrant and a shade darker.

5. Add shallot and fry, agitating often, until golden brown. Add ginger, garlic, green chilis (sliced and whole), and crushed red chili / chili flakes and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

6. Add ground spices and mint and sauté for a few seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

7. Add tomatoes and sauté for several minutes until water has evaporated.

8. Reduce heat to low. Add water, chickpeas, and rice and cook, covered, until rice has absorbed all of the water, 15-20 minutes. If your pan tends to stick or has a thin bottom, stir occasionally.

9. Allow to steam without removing the lid for another 5-10 minutes. Fluff and serve warm. Garnish with sliced almonds, cashews, mint, or lemon as desired.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I feel like the reason why people are pointing to JM akgaes is because there are more people in the current process of becoming JM akgaes, because the breaking point for a bunch of superbiased Jimin-biased Jikookers was the Face v. 7 comparison. Felt like this 'turnover' point for KTH akgaes from Tkkrs was 2017-18. The mistreatment rhetoric was everywhere and even today the Burn the Stage documentary is the holy grail of mistreatment for KTHs.

I wanted to ask you, BPP, what do you make of V's reduced streaming numbers in USA? I was surprised. Does this represent Army's true power with JM / JK's numbers being an additional cherry on top (or whole sundae on top) because of GP / casuals / solos ; or is this a sign of the 'split focus' so-called OT7s with a bias towards members who are central to BTS' image in the USA; or have KTHs done permanent damage to goodwill among Army?

I know you're not V biased but if you have a breakdown to offer I would be greatly interested. (Vminimin bias here).

***

I wanted to ask you, BPP, what do you make of V's reduced streaming numbers in USA? I was surprised. Does this represent Army's true power with JM / JK's numbers being an additional cherry on top (or whole sundae on top) because of GP / casuals / solos ; or is this a sign of the 'split focus' so-called OT7s with a bias towards members who are central to BTS' image in the USA; or have KTHs done permanent damage to goodwill among Army?

Ngl, this reminds me of the discourse about the difference in streaming performance between JITB and Indigo, where RM's streaming numbers were more than Hobi's in the US (and globally). Hobi akgaes thought it was weird considering Hobi had just done Lollapalooza and had a huge turnout. Just like back then, people discounted just how much the fandom shows that everyone here really just does what they want, how people's music preferences show up in their streaming habits, and they aren't coerced to stream like mindless orangutans in the fandom. Tae's album, just like Hobi's album, is really good, but it's also not in a genre a lot of people find accessible, very enjoyable, and can withstand streaming incessantly.

Look at the difference in streams between Yet to Come and RUN BTS.

All that aside, my perception is that the maknae-line have many people who bias them from the USA, but far as I can tell, Jimin has the most dedicated fans in the US, UK and Korea + Japan; Jungkook in the US, India, France and Japan; and Taehyung in China, SEA, and to a lesser degree, Japan and the US. I recall I've seen a few surveys here and there a few years ago (before 2019) that showed popularity rankings in various regions, but those rankings are no longer reliable as they've been gamed to hell by akgaes (usually Taehyung solos based on the instances and call-outs I've seen).

So, coupled with the fact not a lot of people care to constantly stream V's sleepy, vibey, but admittedly tasteful album because it's not their taste, it's also possible Taehyung has fewer heavily-biased fans in the US to compulsively stream his album, compared to Jimin or Jungkook. The fact any of the members show up on the charts at all is because of OT7 ARMYs, who have the absolute numbers to place the members high enough to chart even if each ARMY only contributes a handful of streams. Any group of akgaes who have been trying and failing to rechart on the most exclusive charts will tell you the same thing. It's literally a numbers game and ARMYs simply have the numbers.

Those who are biased generally push for the members they bias more, other factors like the genre and listenability of the song influences how the wider fandom responds, and the core of the fandom remains OT7 ARMYs who push each project in any case, and are the reason any of these projects can get those sort of recognitions to begin with.

These aren't comparisons that matter to me for any member, not for my biases and not for the maknae-line, because I do think they're unhelpful, generally very reductive, and only serve the purpose of inflating the egos of various akgaes who weaponize this data to show other members in the group are less deserving of their accomplishments and/or any support those members receive.

It's not like Tae's doing bad either lol.