#long haired and (arguably) a little fruity

[matrivers]

no matter how far removed from the mcyt fandom i am, ranboo and wilbur soot will always just sneak their little ways in here because they are nothing if not my floofy-haired goofballs that like to make cool art

[multiimistakes]

MISC. Thistle HCs.

🌿 Doesn't actually like being on camera-—visually or via audio. Tolerates it and seems more at ease with Breck, but is by no means a showman. Arguably super awkward and I'm sure his chemistry as Breckin's foil is his only saving grace.

🌿 Nightmare on the aux since he just kinda of cherry picks whatever song from whatever genre and has no set taste. Likes your classics like Gr*en Day, L*nkin Park, Avr*l Lavigne, Ev*nescence. Pretty much any old school band the average alt kid would've been listening to in school. Unironically enjoys some N*ckleback here and there for nostalgic reasons. Enjoys your classic 2k white girl anthems too. Will curveball with stuff like as Ace of B*se.

If I had to pick a sound or a band, he's probably a Pop Punk guy. Really seems to dig (THESE) (GUYS) right now and (THESE GUYS).

🌿 A few stick and pokes but oddly not that tatted up. Does, obviously, have a thistle tattoo on his left bicep. Has been asked 'oh is that a iris/insert any other purple flower here?' so many times he just nods and doesn't try correcting people anymore.

🌿 His relationship with Breckin's content went from finding it randomly, to using it as his ipad kid post-work food entertainment 'cuz fuck it, to being genuinely invested and aggressively moderating the fan wiki because people were getting too much shit wrong.

🌿 Hair can typically found in one of three stages depending on how much he feels like upkeeping it. You're most likely to see him in the first. The second is typically a freshly cut style and doesn't last long. The third is what he ends up growing it to and shaping it into in order to cut it back into the second style.

🌿 Trying to quit smoking but half-assing it. Not a huge smoker to begin with, oddly enough and it's mainly because he's lazy or forgets. That little 'I need a smoke' voice typically gets told to shut up or wait. Keeps talking about switching to vaping but bitches about how 'dumbass kids are fuckin' shit up' because it's harder to buy fruity flavors now. Will grab whatever cigs are readily available but actually likes the 'girly' cigarettes like Virginia slims most.

🌿 Very likely undiagnosed adhd. Vaguely aware of this and maybe you'll catch him researching it here and there but he's got no intention of doing anything about it. King of the multi-pocket pat-down before walking out the door, of checking the oven two extra times to make sure he ACTUALLY remembered to turn it off, and of losing something he just had in his hand literally three seconds ago. Really bad about getting into his bouts of hyperfocus with either the hobby of the month or doing stuff for Breck. Will sit down to work on stuff and forget to eat, etc. Probably why he doesn't smoke hardcore but also why he can't quit. It's just somehow not as high as other things on the dopamine pyramid to dedicate more energy into but also too much of a good regulator for him to kick the habit completely.

🌿 If he doesn't have a cig, he's got some sort of sour candy. Tries to avoid gum because he can't help but pop it and blow bubbles and that annoys even HIM, lol.

🌿 He's got them weather bones. It's mainly his knees but really bad pressure days gets to his elbows too.

🌿 A 'Do no harm, take no shit' sort of dude. Will bitch a lot though. Lots to complain about.

🌿 Thistle could see a honest to god real ghost and be like 'Yeah, okay.' but would still run around with Breckin trying to disprove it. He's not really a skeptic and not really a believer, he just doesn't....care either way. He likes Breckin and so what he wants, Thistle follows.

🌿 Has that Southern sixth sense of 'We shouldn't be here' etc with supernatural junk. Just in general phenomenal at reading vibes from people and situations.

[piraterefrigerator]

oh yeah killian is DEFO a little gay shit head who grew his hair out when it was out of fashion for fun. I like to think of it as a bit of gender fuckery too, I mean I know a lot of fanfic and the fandom see killian as almost a hyper masculine figure (you see it in fanfic a lot with descriptions of masculine scents and masculine energy), but frankly the long hair and the eyeliner (not even looking at his floral prints) say a very different story in cannon. Plus, pirates were super neat as a whole because a lot of the 'historical' accounts we have for pirates came from a book by captain Charles Johnson who didn't even exist (although most people assume he was Daniel defoe under a fake name). Pretty much all of the accounts were propaganda for western society written in a way that simultaneously hyper masculine-ised pirates AND presented them as examples of sodomy. In doing so, presenting pirates as a genuine threat to western society (by virtue of being barbaric and hyper masculine by default) AND by being perverted and outcasts (homosexuality) to discourage sailors from turning coat (as was super popular at the time because the navy paid shit all). Anyway! Long story short, long hair killian = gay coded but ALSO, arguably a bit of gender fuckery. What this says about his gender is up to you though. I just personality like to lean towards 'not necessarily cishet but without the modern terms behind it' (by virtue of being 300 years old)

YESSSSS!! I will die on the hill that Killian's first kiss was a guy. And I am 100% certain that Liam raised him to not be a dick to gay people (Liam is absolutely fruity himself so this was kind of a "Hey don't kill me" talk which worked out well bc Killian knows Liam isn't gonna have his head for making out with some random dude)

So yes I love this entire thing so much thank you anon

[meili-sheep]

Zhongli, Childe, and Diluc and the Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry dynamic and you can't change my fucking mind

Hello and welcome to my Ted Talk

Let me start by saying this came to my mind at like 11 o'clock last night which sent me into a mad rage and I might have written an ot3 smut thing and didn't go to sleep until at least 2. But I can neither confirm nor deny this. But if I have to suffer through this so now you do too. Is this just a long Shit post? Fucking maybe idk any more.

Zhongli

Daddy Zhongli is 100% dark chocolate. A thing for people who have been called an old soul at least once in their life (Diluc) or has or could have responded to a compliment with "Thanks it's the trauma." (Childe) A mature dignified treat that pairs well with a lot of stuff. Well, not the healthiest component of this gay ass neapolitan is arguably healthier because ya know antioxidants or ya know. Zhongli, he's got most of his shit together. He's just lonely. Definitely good at helping other calm down. Strong, reliable. Good boy, best boy. Would be himbo if mihoyo gave us the beef. Give me the goddamn beef bois. Will take care of you, but can defiantly spice up the bedroom.

Childe

Childe is both the most like vanilla person well also being the least vanilla person. He is like that really good vanilla that is a solid 8/10 but then you start pulling shit on it like caramel sauce (family dynamics) or sprinkles (trauma) then it's just a yum 10/10. Very flexible with what he can do and is willing to do. But also he is kinda that white boy jock you kinda make fun of cause your part of the goth cliche (Diluc) or the nerdy cliche (Zhongli) until you realize "Oh fuck he's actually really sweet and smooth" and that's how you start your early 2000s Disney Channel original movie, where you learn not to judge a book by its cover through the power of love. Again just a lot you can do with him. Very dynamic, very fun.

Diluc

I'll be honest I thought of this originally cause of Diluc hair. But the more I thought about it the more really strawberry he feels to me. Like yeah I get normally strawberry people are very cutesy, but strawberries aren't that sweet by themselves. They are kinda tangy with their acidic taste. But can be very sweet. And that's Diluc. Got a bite to him but it's easy to see how sweet he really is under all that and given a little more time he only gets sweeter. And without a doubt a lot of flavors, he packs a real punch. Probably helps I feel he gets pretty easily embraced once he warms up so he gets a face like a strawberry.

Now for the mixes

Strawberries and Chocolate. (Zhongluc) MMM! Classic! Love it! A staple of romance! Is it healthy? Yes of course it is! It's got fruit in it silly! Could u make it better with angst? 100% but baseline great

Strawberry and Vanilla (Chiluc) I will avoid saying a certain phrase that's ruined my life on that fucking clock app. But we know what it is. And it's good. Not everyone's taste but it's delicious. Sweet, tangy you can mix almost anything into it too spicy it up. And ya know it's kinda a comfort. Something you can relax with well at the same time being something you can spicy up and make really indulgent.

Chocolate Vanilla Swirl (Zhongchi) Well not my personal favorite. It's good and you can't go wrong. It's very basic to me personally. A sign of indecisiveness. And as in this case, it feels like "They have canon interactions so it must be!" But again it's very solid and you defiantly can't go wrong, but u can defiantly add something to it. Like a waffle cone over a sugar or maybe some sprinkles

Neapolitan (Zhongchiluc) The reason we are all here. And ya know it's such a good trio mix. Just an absolute classic. And it's good in a variety of ways. From the form, it's into how where you put the flavors together. I prefer cake where the strawberry filling is sandwiched between the chocolate and vanilla, cause it adds fresh fruitiness in-between. Or ya know I like the idea of Childe being a little ya know frustrated with Zhongli because they tricked him. And then they have a sort of friendly rivalry. But then this handsome mother fucker some in from Mondstadt to help out Liyue. And they both start going after Diluc seeing who can win him over before long they just fall in love and become willing to share to make Diluc happy. And Diluc is just lost that 2 drop-dead gorgeous men are competing for his attention. And he's having trouble computing it all. Doesn't help that One is a fucking Fatui and the other a literal god. And Well the reason I feel Diluc is more of theglue of the relationship is cause He's the balance between the two. He's calm like Zhongli a rational thinker, but much more aware of how to deal in mora. He's also can be hungry for a fight and has a lot of energy like Childe. He can also understand both of them. He knows what it's like to feel alone, and feel lose like Zhongli. But he also knows what it's like to feel want to protect your family, and like your pretending to be something you not like Childe. He's that fresh flavor that the others both need to really stand out.

TLDR I don't give a single shit about canon interactions and I feel their personalities have good mixes.

[masterofmaagnetism]

11 and 28? I would give an f/o but idk who these would fit

[ ohoho fake dating + enemies to lovers i can’t resist ]

[ “Please just pretend to be my date.” (11) and “Please tell me this is a joke.” (28) ]

[ Characters: William Afton, Keegs Arrowood ]

[ warnings: pining and repressed feelings lol ]

“Please just pretend to be my date.”

Keegs stared at his boss, processing what the man just said to him. Did he seriously just ask for Keegs, arguably his worst enemy, to be his date? For a fucking office party that Fazbear Entertainment was holding for restaurant owners? Why couldn’t he just ask Henry???

“Please tell me this is a joke,” the mechanic finally replied, his answer gaining a groan from William. Apparently, it was not.

“We both know I don’t joke with you,” William responded, confirming Keegs’s fears. What kind of stupid, fruity hell had he descended into? What did he do to deserve this? Well, he probably knew.

Keegs let out a long sigh, about to tell him to fuck off before William spoke again. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re my last hope. Henry said no, Scrap would have killed me if I asked, not even your idiot friend Wrath wanted to go.”

Of course he didn’t want to go, Wrath was in love with Splice and would have considered it cheating even if he still hadn’t told the animatronic his feelings.

“I hate you...” Keegs muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why don’t you just go alone? No one will judge you for it, if you even care about that. And the rumour that you’re dating your employee would be worse!”

That seemed to make William think for a moment, opening his mouth for a rebuttal but closing it soon after. His gaze even drifted away- he clearly hadn’t thought about those consequences. After a moment, he shook his head.

“Being alone is more embarrassing.” Keegs let out a loud groan at this, running his hands over his hand and clasping them behind his neck as he turned away from that british fuck.

What made it worse is that he actually kinda wanted to go. Not because he wanted to go with William, but because he hadn’t had an excuse to dress up the entire time he’d been active. A big office party like this? It would be perfect. And it would give him the chance to scope out the other restaurant owners, and test their animatronic knowledge.

He finally turned to face William again, surprised to find the brunette still standing there. He had to admit, it was amusing to see him so desperate. He let out a huff a breath, giving in to the desire to wear a suit.

“Fine,” he said, not missing how his boss immediately lit up (while also somehow seeming disappointed- probably because he officially had to take his most hated employee to a function with him). “One condition.”

Of course he had a fucking condition. William just nodded, not wanting to push his luck. “Do not send anybody my way so they can talk to your “partner”. Tell them I’m socially anxious if you have to, but I will straight up tell them the horrors of this place.”

William’s face scrunched up in discomfort, but relaxed when he realized this was the best he was gonna get. “Deal.”

And so, it was set in stone.

---

Keegs straightened his jacket for what seemed like the hundredth time as he looked in the mirror in his bedroom. He’d have to leave soon; he didn’t want William to know where he lived, so they’d agreed that they’d meet at the Afton house instead.

The suit he wore fit perfectly, and was the same pink shade as his hair. Well, the jacket and slack were. His shoes were black, his shirt a light shade of lavender (to match William’s inevitably purple suit), and the little bowtie he wore was a rainbow eyesore.

With a quick glance at the clock, he ran a hand over his hair, said goodbye to Vanny, and headed out.

William’s house actually wasn’t too far from the apartment Keegs shared with Vanny, but he only came over at midnight and 2am, so it wasn’t like he could be tracked back there, so he never worried. This was the first time he’d ever driven there though, usually just walking.

He paused upon reaching the doorway. Did he really want to do this? And, more importantly, why was he excited to do it? He knew it was more than just a chance to dress up or interrogate some assholes. He didn’t like the metaphorical butterflies in his... well, he doesn’t really have a stomach. His intake?

....

He didn’t like the flutter in his chest when knocked on the door, and heard a familiar voice call out, “coming!” from inside. He especially didn’t like the extra flutter in his chest when the door opened and revealed William, dressed in a purple suit like he thought he’d be, but still surprising him nonetheless.

Apparently, Afton had the same idea Keegs did and was wearing a light pink dress shirt under his dark purple suit jacket, a shade that went perfect with the shade of Keegs’s own jacket.

Neither of them said anything about it, but Keegs couldn’t help but notice the pleased, and surprised, smile on his boss’s face.

“Let’s go,” he quickly said, turning on his heel and heading right back to his car.

---

William looked hilarious with his long limbs folded into Keegs’s volkswagen beetle, the car clearly not built for men as tall as him. It was a sight Keegs would treasure for the rest of his robotic life.

“Comfortable?” Keegs teased, snickering at the glare William shot at him. Thank god they were back to bullying each other, he wasn’t going to acknowledge whatever the fuck happened earlier without dying first.

“Laugh it up Arrowood, I doubt you’ll feel the same way when you’re out of your element,” William replied, narrowing his eyes at Keegs.

Unfortunately, and he’d never admit this, the bastard was right. Social functions weren’t Keegs’s thing. He’d never been good at feigning interest, and that was pretty important at shit like this.

But he just rolled his eyes. At least they’d be out of the car soon.

---

It wasn’t better out of the car.

The building the party was being held in was... crowded. Uncomfortable. Keegs ended up having to stick far closer to William that he’d planned, and whatever fucked up reaction his false human heart was having never let him forget it.

The only up side was that William seemed just as uncomfortable as he was. Not with the people around them, he spoke to them just fine and even seemed to forget about his fake date. That is, until Keegs bumped into him.

Of course he noticed that Afton’s face turned red whenever they touched, but he had no idea why. At first he thought he was angry, but William didn’t look like that when he got angry. Unfortunately, Keegs hadn’t reached the “human bodily reactions” part of his research yet, so it merely served to confuse him.

Finally, after three or four hours, he grabbed William’s arm to get his attention, ignoring the red on the man’s face. “I need a break. I’ll be out back. I probably won’t run.” 

There was a short pause, before William took Keegs’s car keys and pocketed them. “You won’t escape me that easily,” the man joked, only because there were people watching. He even threw in a wink for effect.

Keegs just rolled his eyes, and escaped to through the backdoor. He was quick to pull his jacket off, relishing the cool breeze. Once realizing he wouldn’t be going back in for a while, he also untied his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt.

Once satisfied, he sat down on the bottom step of the little stairs, holding his palm against his forehead to cool it down to help with his headache. It wasn’t long before he heard the backdoor open and close.

There was a pause, before the man (undoubtedly William, based on the footsteps) made his way down the stairs and sat down next to Keegs. The android looked over at him, not at all surprised to find he’d also taken off his own jacket, and loosened his tie.

“Getting too much for even you? I’m glad I left when I did,” Keegs said, returning to his goal of soothing his brain. He heard William chuckle. It was a soft sound, clearly from his chest. But it was also... not rude? It was actually kind of sweet.

And then he sighed, and the sound brought that flutter back. “I would seem so, yes. I forgot how draining it is to talk to idiots.” He meant people who weren’t handy with animatronics, something Keegs had learned from observation (eavesdropping).

Keegs just nodded. He understood. Animatronics were his whole life, it was hard to talk about anything but them.

“Thank you for coming with me,” William spoke up after a while, making Keegs look up at him again. “I know we don’t always get along, but I’ve... enjoyed it. Getting along, I mean.”

The mechanic just stared at him, surprised. He opened his mouth to presumably reply, but William leaned forward quickly and caught him in a gentle, cautious kiss.

Keegs shocked himself by returning it.

William’s lips were soft, and easy to lean into. Keegs suddenly understood how this man had ended up with a wife. He felt a hand in his hair, and leaned into it without breaking the kiss, unwilling to break the moment.

He’d noticed the tinge of alcohol on Afton’s lips the second they’d connected with his own, but he didn’t care all that much. 

Finally, William broke it by leaning back, looking down at Keegs with slightly pink lips. “Between us?” he asked, his voice low and quiet, a small smile on his face. ‘Between us’ was a fun little thing they’d started the first time Keegs found the man covered in blood.

But this one was different. This one meant a lot more, and couldn’t be used at evidence against the man Keegs was supposed to eventually kill.

“Between us,” Keegs replied just as softly, and this time... he meant it.

[riskeith]

hi babe, hope you slept well.. ♥️

answering on the phone is just *takes screenshots* *opens tumblr app* *switch between screenshots and answering* do you also put on my messages on the laptop and answering with your phone usually, because that’s what i do lmao sjshdks. thank god for technology.

(I LOVE BEING CALLED BRO.. i believe that i would’ve been a dudebro in another life tbh..) there is? i’m not super immersed in the fandom actually so i had no idea, do you have any examples? ofc only if you wanna talk about it i know these topics can sometimes be annoying to think about. also you’re right! ‘don’t like don’t read’ is the law. follow it. i can’t believe how some people have the nerve to talk about what other people do creatively... yikes

you should if you ever find yourself not knowing what to read! i think their fics were some of my first in the fandom and they set the bar so high hehe. dude i love how oikawa just wants to see kageyama burn it’s so funny..... he’s so cocky about it while kageyama’s just his moody self. speaking of; one of my fave fics of yours is the swapping jerseys one!

WTF 😭 BABY POOLS AND POOL FLOATIES..... razor please come back to us please. sidenote but do you also think that his powers are 5 star level? hes soo powerful it’s so odd how he’s only 4 star haha... or maybe it’s just me being biased.

YEAH! THE SAVING SCENE IS SO AHHHHH. god especially if they have dialogue while person a is hurting and person b just spills all their feelings and becomes so erratic and scared and person a is like holy shit you love me.... and after everything is okay there’s still some awkwardness and tension and aaa.... 💢💔

OOO. sadly the ps5 is always out of stock it’s crazy how fast it sold out. but i mean it makes sense it’s arguably the most popular console so.. hopefully they restock soon. last of us is such a fun game! and the second part is ~gay~ which is always a plus. i’m not sure which memes you mean? tell me 👁 HAHA that makes sense actually omg... lumine and aether reunion won’t happen until like two years if the updates keep coming the way they are (STOP THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE SO FUNNY.... like hello if you want to unlock the rest of the story you either gacha $pin for it or you imagine it yourself love ♥️😗) talking about this makes me wonder what the other worlds might look like....

your followers are just here to witness us planning our co-op date sjsjdkdjskz. speaking of,,, hehe. i have some fantastic news. i’m at ar level 11 right now and co-op unlocks at level 16... i might just reach that tomorrow (today for you) so i’m just saying hehehehehehehehehehehe.... 😏♥️

BOWL CUT. my cutie little baby. also mullet? sounds nice omg you will probably rock that look... 😳 i’m a non mullet supporter but if cluna has a mullet then call me a yeehaw mullet lover i suppose. can’t believe my wife is a cowboy. OMG YEAH IT MUST FEEL SO NICE your head went bzz bzz. how long did it take for them to accept it? and yeah god ikr some people take hair so seriously which is fair but also i’ve never understood it... like it grows out..? wow you really went from a ballet girl to punk rock style huh. i feel like you’re the both sides of the ‘she was a punk she did ballet’ meme.

memo fic is a jealous fic? mmm smells good. I FIGURED jshdjdkhsjs slow songs are just not your forte, huh? rip. langst is the best yet worst thing ever tbh. and YEAH I DO we’re truly 🤝 ok literally mood sometimes it’s just nice to talk about how much you love a character through another character in a fic yk? so what if this 2k fic contains 1k words about how beautiful oikawa looks? it’s what iwa feels <3 (YOU’RE LEARNING!!!!!!! THATS SO EXCITING!! i guess you just have to drive me around, huh?)

oh i’m in love i’m with that fic my girl. and i knew about that spoiler it’s kind of hard to miss it since it’s everywhere skdhdkdhdk... god, that sounds so good thank you for sharing it. pining iwaizumi hajime >>>>>>>> the air i need to exist 🥺 

THE DAY IS SO SOON CLUNA, it’s literally here soooo soon holy shit i just can’t wait. i played for almost 6 hours today in a row like an idiot and now i never wanna see hilichurls again in my life but hey, one step closer to my baby. prepare yourself.. 😏

AWWW i had a feeling you’d be a tea person. but omg tea effects your sleep? how late is too late for you to drink it? what’s your favorite flavors? 👁 and i’m addicted to both shdkdhsks. i say addicted bc i literally have 6 cups of tea per day easily and like.. 1 or 2 coffee cups per day. it’s really bad but i can’t stop so.. 🙇🏽‍♀️

COLLEGE BOYFIES CLUNA. COLLEGE BOYFIES WITH DIP DYE HAIR. imagine them doing each other’s make up and nails before going to concerts together. imagine xiao in euphoria kind of make up. holy shit. here’s something for your overwhelmed heart jsdhjshska. xiaoven soulmates girl, no doubt about it. THE EDIT THE EDIT THE EDIT!!!! they just look so beautiful. we need scenes with them like Asap. the edit is based on a fic... notes down.

can’t wait to see your screenshots. super excited!!

xo, m.a. (i almost wrote my name down in a haste shshskdjdk... although you’ll find it out soon...)

hiya!! i slept alright~ ahaha

:o that’s smart! but no i don’t LOL whether i’m on my phone or my laptop i just continuously scroll up and down fhdskjfkhsdf i think that’s why i come close to missing some paragraphs some times oops. yay for the ~wonders of technology~

(AIGHT NICE AHAHHA fhsdkjfsh does that mean you’re a bit of a tomboy?) actually coincidentally i came across this thread: https://twitter.com/maxatsuomi/status/1350145589296685057 which gives you an idea lmao (also some things on there i wasn’t even aware of wtf) EXACTLY??? it’s even worse when non content creators try to come for content creators like?????????/ um you’re getting all this food for FREE and yet?????? lmfao the nerve of some people

i def will!! FKJSHFDSKJ yeah that do be their dynamic lolol. and thank you!! i too think i snapped on that one 😩😩 glad others agree ahahah

i actually haven’t really seen him in combat... and when we could trial him i was too busy trying to pass the quests to focus on how he fought fhdkfhsdkfjshf but i do think his abilities are cool!! he have wolf above head 🥺

YEAHHH BOYEEEEEEEEEEE god that reminds me of a scene from a drarry fic (What We Pretend We Can't See wink wonk)

oh damn!! hope they restock soon for your sake~ yissss ive watched a playthrough and omg lev.... my Son. i don’t think i can find the memes again but it was just about the bugs like how if you throw a grenade on the highway everyone will run out of their cars like a flashmob or something hfskfhsdjfkds. (LMAOOOOO) there’s actually a trailer with the other worlds! https://youtu.be/TAlKhARUcoY (it has spoilers tho supposedly lol. none we understand rn at least)

hdsfkhjs. omg you absolute legend!!!! but i also hope that you’re taking care of yourself and prioritising the important things too fhsfhdksdhf. but i am excited hehehehehe

AHHAAHKFHDSKJFSD pls... once i saw someone with an actual proper mullet on the bus and i was like “ew... keith would look like this irl?” FJSDHKFSAHKDASHDFSDJFKJFDSHFKJS. but what can i say i got influenced by all the kpop bois 😔 and hmmm idk? i think my dad didn’t care too much but ik my mum did/does fhsfskfsdfhkf so who knows lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllll. IT REALLY DOES GROW OUT LMAO LIKE. fhkshkfsdkj my cousin called me a rockstar when she saw it LOL so you’re prob right 🤪

yeah slow songs really just. aren’t LMAO ‘behind this mask of mine’ was based on a slow bts song and i put it in the playlist i had for it (bc obviously) but i wanted to skip it every time hfksjdhfskjdfhskfdkfhkslfhadksfjsdjhfkashkfjsdh. EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!! you are so correct. (hehehe i was gonna say that too that you don’t need to drive bc it’ll take you around 😏 LMAO)

fhkdsj thank!! legit pining iwa.......... more like pining ME mayhaps i just be self projecting 🤪🤪

lolol dw i can fight the hilichurls for you 😩 also who’s your fave enemy to fight! i used to like fighting the treasure hoarders most but the hilichurls are cute.. FHSKJDHFSDFKJSD plus i need their fucking masks my god why are their drop rates so shit hfsdhjfks

i’m not too sure actually? i’ve never been up early enough to test it but i like drinking tea like after dinner... which is the problem AHAHA. hmm well i like matcha a lot LOL but also chai? and then like black tea.... all the other ones too... i used to drink some fruity ones which were nice but we have a lot of the like basic chinese ones at home too and i enjoy those as well lol. wbu?? omg.... m.a........... dfhksdfkjhfkjshfksjd that’s a lot!!!!!!! do you even need to drink water then HKDSJFHKSDFHDKDSHFJKSDH

omg............. ive never seen euphoria LOL but ............. omg ...................... i cannot process thoughts rn.....

xoxo!! c.r. (you mean bc we’ll be playing co-op? you don’t have to if you’re uncomfy fhdskjf my genshin name was literally ‘aether’ up until yesterday FHDFHSDKFSDFJSHFKSDF)

[turtle-steverogers]

Code: WTF (1/3)

hey, so here’s a little three part fun fic involving fbi agents and russian spies! (with just a little angst) enjoy!

warnings: a small depiction of death, but it’s not super bad

ship: platonic ralbert, platonic spalbert, soon to be sprace

word count: 1927

editing: ofc not

-

Making decisions, Albert has come to realize, is not his forte.  Granted, he’s generally good at helping others make decisions- he’s got that sort of innate way of looking at the whole picture, which is good when you’re trying to help someone sort through different situations.  But he can never seem to apply this strong suit to himself.  

Like when he was thinking of career paths and he’d spend hours at night staring at his ceiling and wondering whether or not he wanted to commit himself to a world of chance and danger and join the FBI.  Because, wow, had that been a dream of his ever since he watched his first James Bond movie at nine years old.  There was something thrilling about watching that action- seeing how he could use his sharp problem solving skills for something bigger than himself.  He wasn’t sure if he was ready to pledge himself to something that seemed almost like a life sentence, but he also was never one to run from a challenge.  So...after a couple years of college and a bachelor’s degree in engineering, he started studying for his Phase I assessment.  

It was grueling.  The entrance exam was no easy task and it only got harder from there with the ‘Meet and Greet’ and Phase II written assessment.  Not surprisingly, though, he had made it through and soon he was off to Quantico, where he was tested against his own willpower for upwards of 21 weeks.  It was tough, but he made it through with flying colors.  

Shortly after his 28th birthday, on a sunny and almost too hot July morning, he’d been trying not to let a giddy smile spread across his face embarrassingly as Director Larkin swore in his class- awarding them with their badges and credentials.  The smile did break through however when Larkin had looked directly at him while speaking of “Those most fit and impressively accomplished” and winked.  But he was proud of himself.  Sue him.

After the ceremony, Race- his roommate during Quantico whom he’d grown particularly close to- had handed over some suspicious looking store brand lemonade in a shitty, plastic cup and bumped their shoulders together, smiling as he raised his glass.  Albert mirrored his grin and clinked their glasses together.

“To the dream.” Race had said, taking a sip.

Albert drank too, and echoed, “To the dream.” 

Now, three years later, he’s finding that his bad decision making skills are still very present as he stares at the shelves of brightly colored cereal boxes, trying to decide what he wants this week’s breakfast to be.

As a Senior Special Agent, it’s very serious reconnaissance work.

Just as he’s reaching for a box of Dark Chocolate Crunch Cheerios, Race materializes next to him, looking a little tight around the eyes as he places a couple cans of Progresso soup into their basket.  

His movements are calculatedly casual, but Albert knows him well enough to know his stress tells.  The way his shoulders are just slightly raised, ready to launch into motion at the first sign of trouble.  The tense of his jaw and the slight scrunch of his nose- as if he’s smelling something off.  Bad.

“Hey, Al,” Race says, straightening.  Even his voice is that sort of forced casual it gets when he’s inwardly freaking out about something, “Do you remember our trip to Morocco?”

A shiver runs down Albert’s spine and he gives himself credit for only hesitating for a moment before recovering.  Morocco is their personal code for ‘hey, someone is definitely following us, so we either need to dip or do something about it.’

“The first or second trip?” Albert asks, his words just as rehearsed.  

And that’s their follow up code.  The first trip means it’s an unknown party; the second trip means it’s someone affiliated with whatever operation they’re currently assigned to.

Really, it’s counterintuitive to even ask, because they haven’t been on any major assignments in nearly a month now.  Director Larkin had given them both time off from the big stuff after their last operation had gone decidedly south when they lost a couple of the DEA guys they’d been teamed up with in a surprise shoot-out against the drug corporation they were tasked with bringing down.  

It was jarring to say the least, and neither him nor Race complained too much when Larkin had suggested laying low for a while.  It was the first time they’d ever lost their own men on a mission and in such a gruesome way.  Some arterial blood had sprayed Albert in the face, getting on his tongue and clogging up his nose.  He doesn’t remember much after that.  Race says he dissociated big time.  Albert doesn’t really care.  He just knows that he still can’t eat tomato sauce on his pasta, because the red of it still looks too much like--

Yeah, no.  Alfredo sauce is a new favorite in the Dasilva-Higgins apartment.

“First trip.” Race says, watching as Albert carefully puts the Cheerios box in the basket.

The sudden feeling of being watched pricks at Albert’s neck and he resists the urge to look behind him.  

“When’d you first notice?” Albert asks, dropping his voice lower and motioning for Race to follow him as he moves down the aisle, still trying to look nonchalant as he grabs a random box of Fruity Pebbles.  The gun that’s tucked into the waistband of his jeans becomes a noticeable weight against his lower back.  It’s a comforting weight, if not a little disconcerting.  But that’s basically in their job description.

“On the way here,” Race says, following Albert’s lead and plucking a box of shitty granola bars off a shelf behind them.  As long as they look busy, they look normal, “Noticed him walking behind us around the time we passed Suffolk.  Was wary, but didn’t think too much of it until I saw him lurking by the bananas while I was getting some apples.”

“Didya get a look at him?  Any discernible features?”

Race shrugs, eyes darting over Albert’s shoulder, then to the side, “Not really.  Short, I’d stick him around 5’4”?  Dark hair and eyes.  He’s wearing jeans and a leather jacket, kept his hood up.”

Albert hums, “And you last saw him by produce?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” Albert says, “Come on.”

They forgo the rest of their shopping list and hurry to check out, trying to maintain a sort of ostensibly relaxed appearance.  Just as they’re leaving the market, turning the opposite way from which they came, Albert’s neck prickles harder.  His stomach swoops a little and he hesitates, waiting for the right moment to turn around and grab the collar of the offending party, pulling him into a nearby alley and pushing him against the bricks.

He hears Race curse, but doesn’t look at his field partner as the guy against the wall’s hood falls away.  For a moment, Albert’s stunned, instinct falling short as his gaze sweeps over the guys face.  

And as shocking as it is, it’s comforting in a way.  Because even after eleven years, Albert would know those brown eyes and sharp features anywhere.  

His grip on the guy’s collar slackens and he feels his shoulders slump a little, “Spot?”

Spot grins, “Heya, Al.”

XXX

“Wait, so you know our stalker?”

It’s probably the millionth time Race has asked that since they’d dragged Spot back to their apartment on 14th street, taking a few cautionary side roads just in case.  Now, they’re gathered in the kitchen, each of them settled in with a beer even though it’s arguably too early to drink.  

Whatever, Albert thinks, It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?

Besides, what else are you supposed to do when the guy you’d been best friends with until he allegedly fell off the face of the earth, shows up in your life again by stalking you while you’re grocery shopping.

Yeah, Albert deserves a drink.  And he’s technically not on the job right now-- ok, he and Race are always ‘on the job’, but he’ll digress.

“Yup,” Spot answers for Albert, taking a swig of his beer, “best buds since Lindsay Hartman splashed punch on him during ninth grade homecoming, then pushed him into the refreshments table where I was getting a sandwich.”

Race shoots Albert a bewildered look and Albert shrugs, “I was kind of a dick back then and I was going through a gay panic, so I brought her to the dance and then accidentally blurted out that I thought her brother was hotter than her during the slow song and...well, ninth grade wasn’t the best year for me.”

“Clearly,” Race sounds amused, but he’s obviously still too shook up by Spot’s existence to jab Albert too hard.  

Albert can’t blame him, either.  It’s inherently bizarre to have your current and past best friends standing in the same room after thinking you’d never see one of them again.  

“Albert never mentioned you,” Race says, looking at Spot.  He’s got his ‘agent face’ on- studiously taking in all of Spot’s mannerisms, while not wavering his gaze from his eyes.

“Wouldn’t expect him to,” Spot says, unbothered, “We lost touch after high school.”

“More like you disappeared unexpectedly and never answered my phone calls or texts and I thought you died, but I couldn’t find anything on you since you were off the fucking grid.” And yeah, maybe Albert’s a little bitter, because he and Spot had been closer than close, but during their second year of college, Spot transferred to some school somewhere in Europe and never spoke to him again. 

Spot looks a little guilty now, but he still manages to be the dick Albert always knew him to be and says, “Tomato, tomahto.”

Albert rolls his eyes, “What even happened to you, man?”

“That’s actually what I’m here about,” Spot says.  A shadow passes over his face and he suddenly looks sharper- rougher, “I- uh, there’s, uh, some...trouble regarding...things...”

Race and Albert exchange a look and Albert can see the words, well, that’s vague, bouncing around in Race’s head.

“What kind of trouble?” Race asks.

“So,” Spot starts, then stops, shaking his head, “This is a bit of a crazy story, but anyway.  I moved right?  Overseas?  And I ended up, um, getting into a bit of a...situation.”

Wary now, Albert places down his beer and crosses his arms, “What kind of situation?”

“I kind of got recruited by the FSB?”

The shocked silence is almost palpable.

Race recovers first, “The Russian intelligence agency?”

A pause, “Yeah, that’s the one.”

Albert can’t handle this.  This is too much.  Too weird. 

He scrubs a hand over his face, “You do know what I, what we-” he gestures between himself and Race, “-do, right?”

He knows Spot knows.  He needs to ask, anyway.

“Yeah.”

“So, you’re telling a couple of FBI guys that you’re part of the FSB?” It sounds weird to Albert’s own ears.  He laughs a little, because really, he has to.

“Well...yes.”

“This is fucking weird,” Race states, pointing out the obvious, “Anyway, is there more to your so-called ‘trouble’? Or are you just now realizing the moral wrongness of being an American in the Russian spy network and want some sort of atonement?”

Spot seems to have an internal battle with himself before he mutters something that sounds like ‘fuck it’, “Albert, you’re my next mission.  I’m supposed to kill you.”

“Oh,” Albert says, frowning down at his crossed arms.  Then, Spot’s words process, “Wait, what!?”

-

hehehe we love an russian fbi drama

thanks for reading, chiefs

hmu to be added to my tag

TAG LIST: @getchapapes @we-dont-sell-papes @suddenly-im-respecsable 

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[benjaminsblog]

3.1.21

I popped into Luton for a blood donation - I had an appointment, but it turns out that was for two days’ time, and I’d mistook meself! No matter, the helpful staff had space for me, and so I sat and filled out my forms before going for the screen test. This is normally a brief formality, but as I’d said I had been out of the country since my last donation, this meant a delay. This was the first time I’d arranged to give blood since starting at AE, and as such I had to find the dates of every abroad trip I’d had for nigh-on the last two years! I had to resort to scrolling through this very blog to locate the exact dates (or near as dammit), which took me quite a while. The nurse took it all in good spirits though, and eventually I was allowed into the inner sanctum.

I was a teeny bit nervous, I think simply because it had been so long. But it was the most painless visit I think I’ve ever had, with the strips of tape being pulled off my arm (along with some hairs) arguably the worst of it. The nurse who oversaw my visit was very helpful and friendly, and as it was a quiet time of day, we nattered a little while as I recuperated and had a ‘fruity biscuit’. She reminded me not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day, and I assured her that would not be a problem! I said in fact I don’t usually have a legitimate excuse for doing sweet FA, so I took this opportunity with both hands my good hand and did sod all for the rest of the day.

[workingonthevices]

The following is a list—well, paragraphs, actually—summarizing what we know about Robert in the game, with minimal editorializing from me. (There’s some. I tried to keep it down.) Just a list I want to keep handy, and it might be useful for those who haven’t played the game. To be updated as I remember things.

Robert is characterized as an aloof and emotionally distant person. He’s gruff, he hates small talk and prefers silence, and is generally off-putting. He’s described by many characters as very difficult to read, a closed book, and is described as often pretending he doesn’t have feelings. He discloses very little personal information about himself. He’s described as a “quiet man” and is not at all a talkative person. 

Vices, self-destructive tendencies, and other issues

Alcoholic, spends much of his time at the bar, particularly Jim and Kim’s. He has a long list of other vices and self-destructive tendencies, including smoking, using casual sex as a coping mechanism, minor infractions of the law including trespassing (sneaking into movie theaters) and vandalism (throwing rocks at things). He seems generally self-aware about his self-destructive tendencies and about how he’s losing the daily battle against them.

Struggles to perform many activities of daily living. It’s considered noteworthy if he took a shower, shaved, combed his hair, found properly cleaned clothes, ironed any of his clothes. His house is an absolute mess, littered with empty alcohol containers, cigarettes, clothes, and take-out containers. His truck is similar. In the middle of the game, Robert once disappeared for a week and contacted nobody because he had “been in a way”. Generally, this reads a lot like classic depression.

It is indicated that he attempted to get better before, and he failed to achieve any lasting progress. He suffers from a lot of self-loathing (more on that in the biography section), and he now believes that any attempt he makes to improve will be doomed to fail: “I know I’m just gonna fuck it up like I always do. I’m broken.” He seems to believe that he deserves the loneliness and suffering that comes his way.

In his good ending, he understands the depth of his issues and he chooses to put self-improvement over romantic relationships: “I have some stuff I need to work on... uh, emotionally... before I can get into anything romantic with you. You deserve better than who I am right now. I need to be on my own for a bit. Figure some things out.”

If you take the casual sex and booty call route, he tells you that he sees those relationships as one built on mutual objectification: “You were an object to me the same way I thought I was an object to you.”

Hobbies, interests, Betsy, and other positive miscellaneous things

Avid film lover. His says his favorite genre is Italian neorealism, and he likes Michael Powell and Samuel Fuller. He insists that one has to watch good cinema. He owns an extensive DVD collection.

Despite the fact that he derides mainstream cinema as drivel, he enjoys watching them, and he enjoys watching shows unanimously describes as trash; this indicates some sort of appreciation for media that isn’t the best quality and perhaps an acknowledgment that it has its place, while maintaining that it oughtn’t be one’s entire media diet. Sidebar, he really doesn’t want the season finale of Long Haul Paranormal Ice Truckers spoiled for him.

While he calls himself a skeptic, he believes in the existence of many cryptids and is often out at night hunting for them. He made up the story of the Dover Ghost, but after that scare on the overlook, he seems to have convinced himself it’s real.

Sense of humor largely relies on telling long, dramatic, often false bits about himself. Though, he often calls his own bluff after. Despite this, he seems to be truthful when talking about deeply personal and emotional information—on the rare occasions he feels pushed to talk about it at all.

Has a lot of places he likes to go to think, including the overlook outside of town and a particular spot a little ways into the woods. He jokes that he’s got a brooding quota.

He enjoys whittling, and he says that his hands are scarred from small accidents while whittling. He defends it as a long and time-honored tradition. When the MC is learning to whittle, Robert makes a comment that it’s alright to not know what one has whittled, with the implication that its the process and action itself that is.

He likes Santana and Tom Waits. He claims he carries at least four knives at all times. Prefers pineapple on pizza.

His drink of choice appears to be whiskey, but he doesn’t seem picky. He does like white zinfadel, which he describes as “fruity and refreshing” and asks the MC not judge him for it.

He owns a Boston terrier named Betsy, whom he lets pull him along when they go out for a walk. He cares enough about her diet to advise Damien and the MC against feeding her cheese as a snack. How and when he got Betsy is dubious; he says he simply picked her up and that she isn’t really “his”, but it’s likely a bit.

He drives a red pickup truck, “arguably the oldest pickup truck that can be legally driven”. He keeps a well-stocked first aid kit in it at all times.

He lives between the Christiansens and Damien, and his house is described by the MC as “amazing” and having “sleek, modern appliances throughout the [living] room”. 

Biography and family

Lived in Brooklyn, which he refers to as “back home”, presumably indicating that he was born and raised there.

He developed the drinking problem while he was living in New York. Moved to Maple Bay, Massachusetts with his wife, Marilyn. They had hoped a change in lifestyle would help Robert do better: “Marilyn and I moved out here to settle down—we thought it would help to get away from all the distractions, all the money... the drinking.” While Robert says he tried to “be better” he was unable to resist the temptation and failed.

The quote also implies that the Small family had money, and the lifestyle associated with at least some wealth served as a distraction to Robert.

Marilyn died in an accident, undisclosed but presumably a car accident. Robert believes that Marilyn died hating him.

Robert is estranged from his only child, Val, who still lives in Brooklyn and is a photographer for a new media digital magazine. She’s 24 or 25, Robert can’t remember, and he hasn’t seen her in four or five years. Robert says he always cared about her, but “things just... got in the way” and when she started college, she “want[ed] nothing to do with [him]”. Val similarly describes the relationship, saying that he was neglectful for decades. By the time Robert moved to Maple Bay, Marilyn was the only tie between them, and that disappeared with Marilyn’s death. Robert believes that Val hates him, and when she comes up to Massachusetts to “patch things up”, he doesn’t understand why Val would bother.

Robert describes himself as having “spent so much time chasing after things [he] thought were gonna make [him] happy that [he] ruined [his] only real chance at happiness”.

His relationship with his own father is estranged. They had a falling out, though Robert doesn’t remember what over. “All I know is that me and him, we just don’t see eye to eye. I mind my business, he minds his. I get a Christmas card from him every other year and I check in with him if a tropical storm ever hits his villa.” Robert’s father lives with his girlfriend in Florida, and Robert seems sure his father is content. Though it’s part of a long bit, there’s a possibility Robert is afraid that “history is doomed to repeat itself”, ymmv.

Other relationships

Robert describes Maple Bay as a good town with good neighbors, though he says not all of them are good people. He’s certainly referring to Joseph.

He is good friends with Mary, and the pair of them spend much of their time at the bar together. Robert appears protective of Mary to an extent: he gets annoyed when the MC is callous toward her. By the same token, he often tells Mary to soften up her sharpness around the MC, and is arguably a tempering force against her humor sometimes (ymmv). Mary is able to pick up on subtle cues indicating Robert is not feeling emotionally well, ones invisible to others like the MC, and she expresses concern for him and asks the MC look after Robert when he’s out of her sight.

Joseph had an affair on Mary with Robert. Because of his experience with Joseph, Robert describes Joseph as a bad person who will stab others in the back when called on it. Joseph says that the affair was a single day thing, “ended the same day it began”, and attributes Robert’s animosity to the “Robert politics” of casual sex. There is a photograph of Robert and Joseph on Joseph’s yacht, in which Robert is wearing Joseph’s sweater; this throws some doubt on Joseph’s version of events. Mary knows about this affair, and despite it, remains close friends with Robert.

[marketingadvisorvietnam]

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/in-hanoi-autumn-is-a-transcendent-season-22/

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

It is a time when the soul turns poetic, mesmerized and spellbound by the charisma that autumn bestows on Hanoi.

The scent of milk flowers in the wind

Green rice scent in your little hands

Leave a fragrance in your footsteps.

Trinh Cong Son’s song, Nho Mua Thu Ha Noi (Missing Hanoi’s Autumn), would play on my neighborhood’s old loudspeaker when I was a little kid.

The indelible memory that evokes extraordinary beauty is refreshed anew every October as I wake up, open the window and a calm and gentle breeze ruffles my hair.

The sun seems mellowed, too.

There are fragrances and hints of fragrances in the air, lingering like a pleasant aftertaste.

When it all seems like a beautiful dream, I know autumn is here, here in Hanoi.

Autumn in Hanoi is a transcendent season. It becomes the muse for poets, musicians and artists, and it becomes the muse that makes everyone’s heart sing.

It casts a spell on everything – the air, the space, the food, the drinks, the fruits.

I was born in Hanoi, and have lived here all my life. Yet, I fall in love every year, at this time of the year.

The weather

The spring brings in warmth after a biting cold winter, and the a scorching summer follows. It rains. Then, autumn steps in gracefully, bringing cool, gentle breezes and sunlight that sprinkles just the right amount of warmth all around. The sky smiles a brilliant smile. The leaves of huge trees turn red, reddish brown, yellow and other hues that adorn Hanoi in this season.

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and West Lake cast peaceful yet stunning sceneries. Cycling or riding a motorbike slowly through the streets of Hanoi at this time is a lovely experience, watching fallen and falling leaves, feeling the soft breeze and soft warmth of the sunlight.

The flowers

In the evening and the night, the famous hoa sua or the milk flower exudes its bewitching fragrance. Along some sections of the West Lake promenade, on streets like Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Thanh, Quang Trung and many other places, the scent is so strong that some people, especially women, said they feel faint.

Autumn also seems to be the season of daisies and lotuses that are carried on many vendors on bicycles and sold on pavements. The sight of women holding bouquets of daisies on a breezy autumn day adds to the beauty of the capital city during his season.

The fruits

Autumn leaves its mark on the capital city with fruits that are particular to this time of the year, that seemed made particularly for this time of the year.

In summer, young dracontomelons are used to make a syrup for a thirst quenching drink. But in the autumn, when they are ripe, these are peeled and sugared or salted to make a snack people love. Dracontonmelon is a fruit that reminds people of Hanoi.

From September to October is also the time of ripe persimmons, when the fruit’s skin turns a glossy yellow or orange, and the pulp is crispy and sweet.

Grown in urban areas and usually close to temples, thi is a fruit is similar in shape and color as the persimmon, because they belong to the same plant species. But the thi is not meant to be eaten, because the taste can be quite harsh and bitter if not prepared correctly. Instead, people buy the fruit for its pleasant and fruity smell to place in the house as a natural deodorant.

The eats

Apart from the fruits, autumn in Hanoi bring to mind eagerly awaited delicacies like beaten green rice and noodle that are packed with memories for both old timers and the young.

Com (Green rice flakes)

Com, immature rice kernel roasted over very low heat and pounded into flakes is an essential of autumn here. Its special sweetness and nutty flavor gets further enhanced by the lotus leaf in which it is typically packed. Having this with ripe bananas is a popular combination that is a must-try dish for all newcomers to the capital city. 

Today this simple dish has spawned many other popular dishes like com cake with mung bean filling, com sweet soup and com ice cream.

Com is not for hasty people. You have to take it really slow, like a food for thought.

Thach Lam, Author

Ragworm

Ragworms can either be fried with meat or eggs with tangerine peels, crunchy and fragrant, with a rich taste. Fried ragworm has always been a favorite of gourmets in autumn for two reasons. First, they can only be harvested during high tides, so they are very rare and expensive (VND500,000 or $23 for a kilo). Second, not many places serve great ragworm dishes in Hanoi. The best places are on Hang Chieu Street in the Old Quarter or on Lo Duc Street.

The late author Vu Bang, a Hanoian at heart, wrote: “An autumn without ragworms feels as tragic as a woman who has wasted her youth”.

Snail dishes

Boiled snails are another favored autumn food in Hanoi, maybe because these are at their freshest during this season. A bowl of boiled snails can be an appetizer before going on to other dishes made with the molluscs. The steamed snails are taken out of the shell by using a small and flat metal pick, and dipped in a chili-garlic sauce.

On colder autumn days, a sweet, sour and savory snail vermicelli soup is great body warmer. An original Hanoi dish, bun oc is a vermicelli soup with a tomato-based broth made by slowly simmering pork or chicken bones, topped with fried tofu, prawns, fish cakes or beef and Vietnamese herbs like perilla and cilantro. Of course bun oc will not be bun oc without the famous escargots – as the French refer to snails. To add even more flavor to this dish, you can either use fermented shrimp paste or chili oil. One of the oldest bun oc spots in Hanoi is on Hang Chai Street, where it is always busy and crowded. A bowl of bun oc costs around VND30,000 ($1.28) a bowl.

Another “cooler” version of this dish is called bun oc nguoi (cold snail vermicelli). This is another traditional Hanoian dish. The broth is made of snails, rice vinegar, special herbs and some fried scallion sprinkled on top. A great bun oc nguoi spot can be found on Tay Son Street.

Lotus seed sweet soup

The lotus seeds are used in traditional medicine but can also be turned into a sweet and elagant dessert, cooked in syrup that has a light taste and a fragrant, heavenly smell.

Banh troi tau (Sweet rice soup)

This is another autumn-geared dessert made with sticky rice and mung beans cooked in a sweet soup made with water, sugar and grated ginger, garnished with toasted sesame, peanuts and coconut milk. The dish adds to the enjoyment of rare rainy days of autumn.

The drinks

After all the walking around and the eating, it’s time for another treat that is part of Hanoi’s autumn charms, thirst quenching drinks that also soothe the soul.

Lotus tea

The lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and found in many parts of the country, but connoisseurs will tell you that the most fragrant ones, which are used to make the famous lotus-scented tea, is to be found on Hanoi’s West Lake.

It is said that it takes about 1,500 lotus flowers to make one kilogram of lotus tea, so the price of high grade lotus tea can go up to hundreds of dollars per kilogram.

    A sip of this tea will make you feel the price is worth it. The fragrance and a sweet aftertaste linger long after you have finished your up. This tea is sold on Nghi Tam Street, and among other places, a lovely café called Huong Mai on Ma May Street in the Old Quarter serves a great cup of lotus tea.

Egg coffee

Much has been written about Hanoi’s egg coffee, and it has now reached places as far as Chicago, but the ultimate place to have it is at its birthplace. 

One of the best places to get a cup of egg coffee is at Giang, a humble café on Nguyen Huu Huan Street, where Hanoians get together on chilly days and enjoy the feeling of warm coffee running through their veins.

Tra da (Vietnamese green iced tea)

Arguably the most popular thirst quencher in Vietnam, tra da is a very simple drink, but an awesome one, nevertheless. Refreshing and affordable, this drink also has a special flavor in Hanoi, compared to other parts of the country. It is more bitter and therefore has great sweet aftertaste. Those who are used to the tra da in Hanoi will tell you that you can get it anywhere else in the country.

In sum, every aspect of life in Hanoi is toughed by the autumn magic, and if you spend a weekend experiencing it, chances are you will extend your stay or play your return even before you leave.

More lovely and stunning photos of Hanoi’s autumn

(Click on buttons on the right to see more photos)

Story by Tuan Hoang 

Photos by Giang Trinh, Kieu Duong, Nguyen Chi 

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[marketingadvisorvietnam]

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/in-hanoi-autumn-is-a-transcendent-season-21/

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

It is a time when the soul turns poetic, mesmerized and spellbound by the charisma that autumn bestows on Hanoi.

The scent of milk flowers in the wind

Green rice scent in your little hands

Leave a fragrance in your footsteps.

Trinh Cong Son’s song, Nho Mua Thu Ha Noi (Missing Hanoi’s Autumn), would play on my neighborhood’s old loudspeaker when I was a little kid.

The indelible memory that evokes extraordinary beauty is refreshed anew every October as I wake up, open the window and a calm and gentle breeze ruffles my hair.

The sun seems mellowed, too.

There are fragrances and hints of fragrances in the air, lingering like a pleasant aftertaste.

When it all seems like a beautiful dream, I know autumn is here, here in Hanoi.

Autumn in Hanoi is a transcendent season. It becomes the muse for poets, musicians and artists, and it becomes the muse that makes everyone’s heart sing.

It casts a spell on everything – the air, the space, the food, the drinks, the fruits.

I was born in Hanoi, and have lived here all my life. Yet, I fall in love every year, at this time of the year.

The weather

The spring brings in warmth after a biting cold winter, and the a scorching summer follows. It rains. Then, autumn steps in gracefully, bringing cool, gentle breezes and sunlight that sprinkles just the right amount of warmth all around. The sky smiles a brilliant smile. The leaves of huge trees turn red, reddish brown, yellow and other hues that adorn Hanoi in this season.

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and West Lake cast peaceful yet stunning sceneries. Cycling or riding a motorbike slowly through the streets of Hanoi at this time is a lovely experience, watching fallen and falling leaves, feeling the soft breeze and soft warmth of the sunlight.

The flowers

In the evening and the night, the famous hoa sua or the milk flower exudes its bewitching fragrance. Along some sections of the West Lake promenade, on streets like Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Thanh, Quang Trung and many other places, the scent is so strong that some people, especially women, said they feel faint.

Autumn also seems to be the season of daisies and lotuses that are carried on many vendors on bicycles and sold on pavements. The sight of women holding bouquets of daisies on a breezy autumn day adds to the beauty of the capital city during his season.

The fruits

Autumn leaves its mark on the capital city with fruits that are particular to this time of the year, that seemed made particularly for this time of the year.

In summer, young dracontomelons are used to make a syrup for a thirst quenching drink. But in the autumn, when they are ripe, these are peeled and sugared or salted to make a snack people love. Dracontonmelon is a fruit that reminds people of Hanoi.

From September to October is also the time of ripe persimmons, when the fruit’s skin turns a glossy yellow or orange, and the pulp is crispy and sweet.

Grown in urban areas and usually close to temples, thi is a fruit is similar in shape and color as the persimmon, because they belong to the same plant species. But the thi is not meant to be eaten, because the taste can be quite harsh and bitter if not prepared correctly. Instead, people buy the fruit for its pleasant and fruity smell to place in the house as a natural deodorant.

The eats

Apart from the fruits, autumn in Hanoi bring to mind eagerly awaited delicacies like beaten green rice and noodle that are packed with memories for both old timers and the young.

Com (Green rice flakes)

Com, immature rice kernel roasted over very low heat and pounded into flakes is an essential of autumn here. Its special sweetness and nutty flavor gets further enhanced by the lotus leaf in which it is typically packed. Having this with ripe bananas is a popular combination that is a must-try dish for all newcomers to the capital city. 

Today this simple dish has spawned many other popular dishes like com cake with mung bean filling, com sweet soup and com ice cream.

Com is not for hasty people. You have to take it really slow, like a food for thought.

Thach Lam, Author

Ragworm

Ragworms can either be fried with meat or eggs with tangerine peels, crunchy and fragrant, with a rich taste. Fried ragworm has always been a favorite of gourmets in autumn for two reasons. First, they can only be harvested during high tides, so they are very rare and expensive (VND500,000 or $23 for a kilo). Second, not many places serve great ragworm dishes in Hanoi. The best places are on Hang Chieu Street in the Old Quarter or on Lo Duc Street.

The late author Vu Bang, a Hanoian at heart, wrote: “An autumn without ragworms feels as tragic as a woman who has wasted her youth”.

Snail dishes

Boiled snails are another favored autumn food in Hanoi, maybe because these are at their freshest during this season. A bowl of boiled snails can be an appetizer before going on to other dishes made with the molluscs. The steamed snails are taken out of the shell by using a small and flat metal pick, and dipped in a chili-garlic sauce.

On colder autumn days, a sweet, sour and savory snail vermicelli soup is great body warmer. An original Hanoi dish, bun oc is a vermicelli soup with a tomato-based broth made by slowly simmering pork or chicken bones, topped with fried tofu, prawns, fish cakes or beef and Vietnamese herbs like perilla and cilantro. Of course bun oc will not be bun oc without the famous escargots – as the French refer to snails. To add even more flavor to this dish, you can either use fermented shrimp paste or chili oil. One of the oldest bun oc spots in Hanoi is on Hang Chai Street, where it is always busy and crowded. A bowl of bun oc costs around VND30,000 ($1.28) a bowl.

Another “cooler” version of this dish is called bun oc nguoi (cold snail vermicelli). This is another traditional Hanoian dish. The broth is made of snails, rice vinegar, special herbs and some fried scallion sprinkled on top. A great bun oc nguoi spot can be found on Tay Son Street.

Lotus seed sweet soup

The lotus seeds are used in traditional medicine but can also be turned into a sweet and elagant dessert, cooked in syrup that has a light taste and a fragrant, heavenly smell.

Banh troi tau (Sweet rice soup)

This is another autumn-geared dessert made with sticky rice and mung beans cooked in a sweet soup made with water, sugar and grated ginger, garnished with toasted sesame, peanuts and coconut milk. The dish adds to the enjoyment of rare rainy days of autumn.

The drinks

After all the walking around and the eating, it’s time for another treat that is part of Hanoi’s autumn charms, thirst quenching drinks that also soothe the soul.

Lotus tea

The lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and found in many parts of the country, but connoisseurs will tell you that the most fragrant ones, which are used to make the famous lotus-scented tea, is to be found on Hanoi’s West Lake.

It is said that it takes about 1,500 lotus flowers to make one kilogram of lotus tea, so the price of high grade lotus tea can go up to hundreds of dollars per kilogram.

    A sip of this tea will make you feel the price is worth it. The fragrance and a sweet aftertaste linger long after you have finished your up. This tea is sold on Nghi Tam Street, and among other places, a lovely café called Huong Mai on Ma May Street in the Old Quarter serves a great cup of lotus tea.

Egg coffee

Much has been written about Hanoi’s egg coffee, and it has now reached places as far as Chicago, but the ultimate place to have it is at its birthplace. 

One of the best places to get a cup of egg coffee is at Giang, a humble café on Nguyen Huu Huan Street, where Hanoians get together on chilly days and enjoy the feeling of warm coffee running through their veins.

Tra da (Vietnamese green iced tea)

Arguably the most popular thirst quencher in Vietnam, tra da is a very simple drink, but an awesome one, nevertheless. Refreshing and affordable, this drink also has a special flavor in Hanoi, compared to other parts of the country. It is more bitter and therefore has great sweet aftertaste. Those who are used to the tra da in Hanoi will tell you that you can get it anywhere else in the country.

In sum, every aspect of life in Hanoi is toughed by the autumn magic, and if you spend a weekend experiencing it, chances are you will extend your stay or play your return even before you leave.

More lovely and stunning photos of Hanoi’s autumn

(Click on buttons on the right to see more photos)

Story by Tuan Hoang 

Photos by Giang Trinh, Kieu Duong, Nguyen Chi 

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[marketingadvisorvietnam]

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/in-hanoi-autumn-is-a-transcendent-season/

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

It is a time when the soul turns poetic, mesmerized and spellbound by the charisma that autumn bestows on Hanoi.

The scent of milk flowers in the wind

Green rice scent in your little hands

Leave a fragrance in your footsteps.

Trinh Cong Son’s song, Nho Mua Thu Ha Noi (Missing Hanoi’s Autumn), would play on my neighborhood’s old loudspeaker when I was a little kid.

The indelible memory that evokes extraordinary beauty is refreshed anew every October as I wake up, open the window and a calm and gentle breeze ruffles my hair.

The sun seems mellowed, too.

There are fragrances and hints of fragrances in the air, lingering like a pleasant aftertaste.

When it all seems like a beautiful dream, I know autumn is here, here in Hanoi.

Autumn in Hanoi is a transcendent season. It becomes the muse for poets, musicians and artists, and it becomes the muse that makes everyone’s heart sing.

It casts a spell on everything – the air, the space, the food, the drinks, the fruits.

I was born in Hanoi, and have lived here all my life. Yet, I fall in love every year, at this time of the year.

The weather

The spring brings in warmth after a biting cold winter, and the a scorching summer follows. It rains. Then, autumn steps in gracefully, bringing cool, gentle breezes and sunlight that sprinkles just the right amount of warmth all around. The sky smiles a brilliant smile. The leaves of huge trees turn red, reddish brown, yellow and other hues that adorn Hanoi in this season.

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and West Lake cast peaceful yet stunning sceneries. Cycling or riding a motorbike slowly through the streets of Hanoi at this time is a lovely experience, watching fallen and falling leaves, feeling the soft breeze and soft warmth of the sunlight.

The flowers

In the evening and the night, the famous hoa sua or the milk flower exudes its bewitching fragrance. Along some sections of the West Lake promenade, on streets like Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Thanh, Quang Trung and many other places, the scent is so strong that some people, especially women, said they feel faint.

Autumn also seems to be the season of daisies and lotuses that are carried on many vendors on bicycles and sold on pavements. The sight of women holding bouquets of daisies on a breezy autumn day adds to the beauty of the capital city during his season.

The fruits

Autumn leaves its mark on the capital city with fruits that are particular to this time of the year, that seemed made particularly for this time of the year.

In summer, young dracontomelons are used to make a syrup for a thirst quenching drink. But in the autumn, when they are ripe, these are peeled and sugared or salted to make a snack people love. Dracontonmelon is a fruit that reminds people of Hanoi.

From September to October is also the time of ripe persimmons, when the fruit’s skin turns a glossy yellow or orange, and the pulp is crispy and sweet.

Grown in urban areas and usually close to temples, thi is a fruit is similar in shape and color as the persimmon, because they belong to the same plant species. But the thi is not meant to be eaten, because the taste can be quite harsh and bitter if not prepared correctly. Instead, people buy the fruit for its pleasant and fruity smell to place in the house as a natural deodorant.

The eats

Apart from the fruits, autumn in Hanoi bring to mind eagerly awaited delicacies like beaten green rice and noodle that are packed with memories for both old timers and the young.

Com (Green rice flakes)

Com, immature rice kernel roasted over very low heat and pounded into flakes is an essential of autumn here. Its special sweetness and nutty flavor gets further enhanced by the lotus leaf in which it is typically packed. Having this with ripe bananas is a popular combination that is a must-try dish for all newcomers to the capital city. 

Today this simple dish has spawned many other popular dishes like com cake with mung bean filling, com sweet soup and com ice cream.

Com is not for hasty people. You have to take it really slow, like a food for thought.

Thach Lam, Author

Ragworm

Ragworms can either be fried with meat or eggs with tangerine peels, crunchy and fragrant, with a rich taste. Fried ragworm has always been a favorite of gourmets in autumn for two reasons. First, they can only be harvested during high tides, so they are very rare and expensive (VND500,000 or $23 for a kilo). Second, not many places serve great ragworm dishes in Hanoi. The best places are on Hang Chieu Street in the Old Quarter or on Lo Duc Street.

The late author Vu Bang, a Hanoian at heart, wrote: “An autumn without ragworms feels as tragic as a woman who has wasted her youth”.

Snail dishes

Boiled snails are another favored autumn food in Hanoi, maybe because these are at their freshest during this season. A bowl of boiled snails can be an appetizer before going on to other dishes made with the molluscs. The steamed snails are taken out of the shell by using a small and flat metal pick, and dipped in a chili-garlic sauce.

On colder autumn days, a sweet, sour and savory snail vermicelli soup is great body warmer. An original Hanoi dish, bun oc is a vermicelli soup with a tomato-based broth made by slowly simmering pork or chicken bones, topped with fried tofu, prawns, fish cakes or beef and Vietnamese herbs like perilla and cilantro. Of course bun oc will not be bun oc without the famous escargots – as the French refer to snails. To add even more flavor to this dish, you can either use fermented shrimp paste or chili oil. One of the oldest bun oc spots in Hanoi is on Hang Chai Street, where it is always busy and crowded. A bowl of bun oc costs around VND30,000 ($1.28) a bowl.

Another “cooler” version of this dish is called bun oc nguoi (cold snail vermicelli). This is another traditional Hanoian dish. The broth is made of snails, rice vinegar, special herbs and some fried scallion sprinkled on top. A great bun oc nguoi spot can be found on Tay Son Street.

Lotus seed sweet soup

The lotus seeds are used in traditional medicine but can also be turned into a sweet and elagant dessert, cooked in syrup that has a light taste and a fragrant, heavenly smell.

Banh troi tau (Sweet rice soup)

This is another autumn-geared dessert made with sticky rice and mung beans cooked in a sweet soup made with water, sugar and grated ginger, garnished with toasted sesame, peanuts and coconut milk. The dish adds to the enjoyment of rare rainy days of autumn.

The drinks

After all the walking around and the eating, it’s time for another treat that is part of Hanoi’s autumn charms, thirst quenching drinks that also soothe the soul.

Lotus tea

The lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and found in many parts of the country, but connoisseurs will tell you that the most fragrant ones, which are used to make the famous lotus-scented tea, is to be found on Hanoi’s West Lake.

It is said that it takes about 1,500 lotus flowers to make one kilogram of lotus tea, so the price of high grade lotus tea can go up to hundreds of dollars per kilogram.

    A sip of this tea will make you feel the price is worth it. The fragrance and a sweet aftertaste linger long after you have finished your up. This tea is sold on Nghi Tam Street, and among other places, a lovely café called Huong Mai on Ma May Street in the Old Quarter serves a great cup of lotus tea.

Egg coffee

Much has been written about Hanoi’s egg coffee, and it has now reached places as far as Chicago, but the ultimate place to have it is at its birthplace. 

One of the best places to get a cup of egg coffee is at Giang, a humble café on Nguyen Huu Huan Street, where Hanoians get together on chilly days and enjoy the feeling of warm coffee running through their veins.

Tra da (Vietnamese green iced tea)

Arguably the most popular thirst quencher in Vietnam, tra da is a very simple drink, but an awesome one, nevertheless. Refreshing and affordable, this drink also has a special flavor in Hanoi, compared to other parts of the country. It is more bitter and therefore has great sweet aftertaste. Those who are used to the tra da in Hanoi will tell you that you can get it anywhere else in the country.

In sum, every aspect of life in Hanoi is toughed by the autumn magic, and if you spend a weekend experiencing it, chances are you will extend your stay or play your return even before you leave.

More lovely and stunning photos of Hanoi’s autumn

(Click on buttons on the right to see more photos)

Story by Tuan Hoang 

Photos by Giang Trinh, Kieu Duong, Nguyen Chi 

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[marketingadvisorvietnam]

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

Marketing Advisor đã viết bài trên http://www.ticvietnam.vn/in-hanoi-autumn-is-a-transcendent-season/

In Hanoi, autumn is a transcendent season

It is a time when the soul turns poetic, mesmerized and spellbound by the charisma that autumn bestows on Hanoi.

The scent of milk flowers in the wind

Green rice scent in your little hands

Leave a fragrance in your footsteps.

Trinh Cong Son’s song, Nho Mua Thu Ha Noi (Missing Hanoi’s Autumn), would play on my neighborhood’s old loudspeaker when I was a little kid.

The indelible memory that evokes extraordinary beauty is refreshed anew every October as I wake up, open the window and a calm and gentle breeze ruffles my hair.

The sun seems mellowed, too.

There are fragrances and hints of fragrances in the air, lingering like a pleasant aftertaste.

When it all seems like a beautiful dream, I know autumn is here, here in Hanoi.

Autumn in Hanoi is a transcendent season. It becomes the muse for poets, musicians and artists, and it becomes the muse that makes everyone’s heart sing.

It casts a spell on everything – the air, the space, the food, the drinks, the fruits.

I was born in Hanoi, and have lived here all my life. Yet, I fall in love every year, at this time of the year.

The weather

The spring brings in warmth after a biting cold winter, and the a scorching summer follows. It rains. Then, autumn steps in gracefully, bringing cool, gentle breezes and sunlight that sprinkles just the right amount of warmth all around. The sky smiles a brilliant smile. The leaves of huge trees turn red, reddish brown, yellow and other hues that adorn Hanoi in this season.

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and West Lake cast peaceful yet stunning sceneries. Cycling or riding a motorbike slowly through the streets of Hanoi at this time is a lovely experience, watching fallen and falling leaves, feeling the soft breeze and soft warmth of the sunlight.

The flowers

In the evening and the night, the famous hoa sua or the milk flower exudes its bewitching fragrance. Along some sections of the West Lake promenade, on streets like Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Thanh, Quang Trung and many other places, the scent is so strong that some people, especially women, said they feel faint.

Autumn also seems to be the season of daisies and lotuses that are carried on many vendors on bicycles and sold on pavements. The sight of women holding bouquets of daisies on a breezy autumn day adds to the beauty of the capital city during his season.

The fruits

Autumn leaves its mark on the capital city with fruits that are particular to this time of the year, that seemed made particularly for this time of the year.

In summer, young dracontomelons are used to make a syrup for a thirst quenching drink. But in the autumn, when they are ripe, these are peeled and sugared or salted to make a snack people love. Dracontonmelon is a fruit that reminds people of Hanoi.

From September to October is also the time of ripe persimmons, when the fruit’s skin turns a glossy yellow or orange, and the pulp is crispy and sweet.

Grown in urban areas and usually close to temples, thi is a fruit is similar in shape and color as the persimmon, because they belong to the same plant species. But the thi is not meant to be eaten, because the taste can be quite harsh and bitter if not prepared correctly. Instead, people buy the fruit for its pleasant and fruity smell to place in the house as a natural deodorant.

The eats

Apart from the fruits, autumn in Hanoi bring to mind eagerly awaited delicacies like beaten green rice and noodle that are packed with memories for both old timers and the young.

Com (Green rice flakes)

Com, immature rice kernel roasted over very low heat and pounded into flakes is an essential of autumn here. Its special sweetness and nutty flavor gets further enhanced by the lotus leaf in which it is typically packed. Having this with ripe bananas is a popular combination that is a must-try dish for all newcomers to the capital city. 

Today this simple dish has spawned many other popular dishes like com cake with mung bean filling, com sweet soup and com ice cream.

Com is not for hasty people. You have to take it really slow, like a food for thought.

Thach Lam, Author

Ragworm

Ragworms can either be fried with meat or eggs with tangerine peels, crunchy and fragrant, with a rich taste. Fried ragworm has always been a favorite of gourmets in autumn for two reasons. First, they can only be harvested during high tides, so they are very rare and expensive (VND500,000 or $23 for a kilo). Second, not many places serve great ragworm dishes in Hanoi. The best places are on Hang Chieu Street in the Old Quarter or on Lo Duc Street.

The late author Vu Bang, a Hanoian at heart, wrote: “An autumn without ragworms feels as tragic as a woman who has wasted her youth”.

Snail dishes

Boiled snails are another favored autumn food in Hanoi, maybe because these are at their freshest during this season. A bowl of boiled snails can be an appetizer before going on to other dishes made with the molluscs. The steamed snails are taken out of the shell by using a small and flat metal pick, and dipped in a chili-garlic sauce.

On colder autumn days, a sweet, sour and savory snail vermicelli soup is great body warmer. An original Hanoi dish, bun oc is a vermicelli soup with a tomato-based broth made by slowly simmering pork or chicken bones, topped with fried tofu, prawns, fish cakes or beef and Vietnamese herbs like perilla and cilantro. Of course bun oc will not be bun oc without the famous escargots – as the French refer to snails. To add even more flavor to this dish, you can either use fermented shrimp paste or chili oil. One of the oldest bun oc spots in Hanoi is on Hang Chai Street, where it is always busy and crowded. A bowl of bun oc costs around VND30,000 ($1.28) a bowl.

Another “cooler” version of this dish is called bun oc nguoi (cold snail vermicelli). This is another traditional Hanoian dish. The broth is made of snails, rice vinegar, special herbs and some fried scallion sprinkled on top. A great bun oc nguoi spot can be found on Tay Son Street.

Lotus seed sweet soup

The lotus seeds are used in traditional medicine but can also be turned into a sweet and elagant dessert, cooked in syrup that has a light taste and a fragrant, heavenly smell.

Banh troi tau (Sweet rice soup)

This is another autumn-geared dessert made with sticky rice and mung beans cooked in a sweet soup made with water, sugar and grated ginger, garnished with toasted sesame, peanuts and coconut milk. The dish adds to the enjoyment of rare rainy days of autumn.

The drinks

After all the walking around and the eating, it’s time for another treat that is part of Hanoi’s autumn charms, thirst quenching drinks that also soothe the soul.

Lotus tea

The lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and found in many parts of the country, but connoisseurs will tell you that the most fragrant ones, which are used to make the famous lotus-scented tea, is to be found on Hanoi’s West Lake.

It is said that it takes about 1,500 lotus flowers to make one kilogram of lotus tea, so the price of high grade lotus tea can go up to hundreds of dollars per kilogram.

    A sip of this tea will make you feel the price is worth it. The fragrance and a sweet aftertaste linger long after you have finished your up. This tea is sold on Nghi Tam Street, and among other places, a lovely café called Huong Mai on Ma May Street in the Old Quarter serves a great cup of lotus tea.

Egg coffee

Much has been written about Hanoi’s egg coffee, and it has now reached places as far as Chicago, but the ultimate place to have it is at its birthplace. 

One of the best places to get a cup of egg coffee is at Giang, a humble café on Nguyen Huu Huan Street, where Hanoians get together on chilly days and enjoy the feeling of warm coffee running through their veins.

Tra da (Vietnamese green iced tea)

Arguably the most popular thirst quencher in Vietnam, tra da is a very simple drink, but an awesome one, nevertheless. Refreshing and affordable, this drink also has a special flavor in Hanoi, compared to other parts of the country. It is more bitter and therefore has great sweet aftertaste. Those who are used to the tra da in Hanoi will tell you that you can get it anywhere else in the country.

In sum, every aspect of life in Hanoi is toughed by the autumn magic, and if you spend a weekend experiencing it, chances are you will extend your stay or play your return even before you leave.

More lovely and stunning photos of Hanoi’s autumn

(Click on buttons on the right to see more photos)

Story by Tuan Hoang 

Photos by Giang Trinh, Kieu Duong, Nguyen Chi 

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