#middle eastern perfumes

[haveusmelledthisperfume]

Have you smelled this perfume?

While the oil version is a cult phenomenon in the perfume world, the spray version is also very popular. Mixing vanilla, chocolate, spices, musk, and incense notes, it is considered to be a go-to comforting, long-lasting, incredibly affordable option for sweet fragrance lovers. Have you smelled it?

[fragrancesandfashion]

Top 5 Reasons Why Dubai Oud Perfume is a Must-Try

Discover the Magic of Dubai Oud Perfume

Dubai Oud perfume has been a staple of Middle Eastern culture for centuries, with its unique blend of aromatic oils and herbs offering a truly distinct and captivating fragrance.

 In recent years, Dubai Oud perfume has gained popularity globally, with many perfume enthusiasts and connoisseurs clamoring to get their hands on this luxurious and exclusive scent. 

But what makes Dubai Oud perfume so special? Here are the top 5 reasons why it's a must-try:

5 Reasons to Appreciate Dubai Oud Perfume

Dubai Oud perfume is made from a unique blend of aromatic oils, including oud, sandalwood, Rose, and jasmine, among others. These oils are carefully selected and blended to create a fragrance that is both complex and harmonious. 

The oud oil, in particular, is what sets Dubai Oud perfume apart from other perfumes, with its distinctive woody and earthy aroma adding depth and warmth to the fragrance.

2. Long-Lasting Fragrance

One of the most impressive things about Dubai Oud perfume is its long-lasting fragrance. Unlike other perfumes that may fade quickly, Dubai Oud perfume can last for hours on end, leaving a subtle yet lingering aroma that is sure to turn heads. 

This is due to the high-quality ingredients used in the blend, as well as the careful way in which they are combined.

3. Emotional Benefits

Dubai Oud perfume has been known to have a profound emotional impact on those who wear it. The scent is often associated with feelings of calmness, relaxation, and tranquility, making it 

a popular choice for those who struggle with stress or anxiety. 

Additionally, the fragrance is said to promote feelings of confidence and self-assurance, making it a great choice for those who want to feel more empowered.

Click Here To  Try our range of premium perfumes now and discover why it's so special. 

4. Luxurious and Exclusive

Dubai Oud perfume is considered a luxury item due to its high-quality ingredients and exclusive production process. Each bottle of perfume is carefully crafted by skilled artisans who have spent years perfecting their craft. 

This level of attention to detail and commitment to quality makes Dubai Oud perfume a truly special treat for those who wear it.

5. Cultural Significance

Dubai Oud perfume has a rich cultural significance in the Middle East, where it has been used for centuries as a symbol of luxury and sophistication. 

In many Arab cultures, oud oil is considered a sacred ingredient that is used in traditional medicine and perfumery. By wearing Dubai Oud perfume, you are not only treating your senses to a unique and intoxicating fragrance, but you are also participating in a rich cultural tradition.

The Aromatic Charm of Dubai Oud Perfume:

Experience the luxury of Dubai Oud perfume and discover a world of wonderful smells. This special scent is not just something you wear, but an adventure that will make you feel like royalty.

Are you ready to try something new and exciting?

Whether you are looking for a new perfume to wear every day or just want to treat yourself, Dubai Oud perfume from fragrance to fashion is sure to impress.

Visit our website to see our range of Dubai Oud perfumes. You can buy a bottle as a gift for someone special or treat yourself to something luxurious. Whatever you choose, get ready to be amazed by the wonderful smell of Dubai Oud perfume!

[artycomicfangirl]

So back when I wanted to create a comic scenario for a potential Movie-verse Daisy scenario. I had drafts that wanted me to include my own version of her mother, the Sarasaland Queen.

Currently I have a few ideas/head canons, which eventually would switch depending on which direction I would take this!

• First thing I envisioned her, was that purple/mauve/magenta was her theme colour.

• I got the choices between Queen Dahlia, Queen Lavender, Queen Lily Queen Rose or Queen Iris.

• Iris, Rose or Lilly were considered due to the Desert-like theme Daisy is associated with. But that’s just another another idea!

• Her role specializes in either Botany, or Zoology. Possibly to connect as a reference with Daisy’s theme of Archaeology in the 1993 movie. But also, this role might have greatly helped Sarasaland in the past.

• I was looking to use Middle-Eastern or Persian influence for her potential design. Which was why I thought of Lavender. A flower known to be prominent in their perfumes.

• To contrast with her Husbands take-charge and leader role of a warrior. The Queen is one who is calm, level-headed and graceful. She is gentle, but still doesn’t mean her determination should be one to overlook. A Diplomatic type of person?

• In my personal lore, I thought that something happens to the Queen when Daisy was a child. An event that whisked her away, one where she put her life on the line to protect her husband and daughter.

It was this event that resulted in the King to be very protective of the Princess. And possibly, one that might trigger Daisy to grow up into who she is now. She had seen someone that she loved so much lost. So? She pushed herself to be ‘stronger’ to the point of how athletic and brave she is now.

As for this picture? The two spotted a rare green butterfly floating around the balcony. The Queen mentions how this is a unique type of butterfly. One that it doesn’t appear in the day. Only at night.

It is thought that because of this. This butterfly is seen as fragile and weak. But only a few choose to see, that is far from the truth.

The locals believe that if you see one, it brought good luck. Because these butterflies glow brightly during the night.

It has also been used as a metaphor around the kingdom.

“ Do not underestimate the shyness of the rare Sarasaland Green Butterfly.

For when the time is right. Or when push comes to shove. You will see their determination glow brighter than anything you will ever see.”

[csuitebitches]

What do you think about consumerism in relation to the "hypergamous" lifestyle?

Great question. I'm going to be honest with you. There’s no point in sharing my opinion, I’d rather share my observation.

there is this perception that you have to spend crazy $$, wear designer, go on expensive holidays, be a part of exclusive member-only clubs in order to bag a wealthy guy. The thinking is, “if I look the part, I will fit right in.”

let me break it to you. If you’re Asian, Middle Eastern - you come from a culture that basically defines marriage as something between two families and not individuals - you could live the above lifestyle, live way beyond your means but your chances of bagging a wealthy guy are low. If you do not have the family background or education level to support your lifestyle to be with a rich guy, it’s going to be very difficult, not impossible. You could bag someone who is upper middle class, but definitely not the 0.01%.

While it’s true that the rich do spend like crazy - you have to understand that (especially in Asians) the level of spending is completely different. They can book a first class emirates flight without caring about rates, they have access to concierge services, the circles are small but tight. It is extremely difficult to break into these if you don’t have the money or are extremely good friends with someone who is in this circle. To keep up with this circle is another financial headache.

The consumerism is crazy, it is high yes, but often it’s for things you might not expect. “Silent luxury”, investing in jewellery, properties, experiences, hobbies, drivers, PAs, 24/7 staff to take care of your home, having personal managers at the banks that have your accounts, seeing the top CEOs, politicians, actors etc as regular people - keeping up is not easy. Even if we look at normal stuff, like shopping for clothes - they’re able to blow this thousands of $ on a simple Hermes tea cup set, break it, and buy another one very nonchalantly. Not to mention the constant social gatherings, the clothes (god forbid you repeat), your life’s experiences etc etc. Women here don’t work to maintain their lifestyle, they work to enjoy what they are doing. Even if they stop working tomorrow, they will be financially taken care of by their families or husbands.

hypergamy here is completely different and obstructed. Let’s take my own example. I date boys that my family picks out for me - boys whose families own massive conglomerates, who are cultured and sophisticated, etc etc. I ended things with my last boyfriend because of multiple things, but what mattered most was that my father felt that he wouldn’t be able to provide for me the way I was used to all my life. (Even tho my ex came from a wealthy background too). At every social gathering that my parents organise or take me to, I’ve got my parents friends asking my parents if I’m single, if I’m interested in meetings their sons, etc etc. Dating and marrying hypergamously in Asian and Middle Eastern cultures is very much a family affair. There is a lot of talk that happens in these circles - who married who, whose kids are dating who, did you hear that A’s son fell in love with some middle class girl he met in college - not to your face, but behind your back.

What I’m trying to say is - you could look the part but still not bag the guy. You could dress nice, you could wear expensive perfume and make up but in the end, backgrounds are vetted extremely carefully. Especially in today’s day and age where looking the part has become easier than ever. So now when you tie this to consumerism, you can see why it can be difficult to keep up with this level of consumerism and spending. And even if you can - that may not guarantee anything. Unfortunately life isn’t like kdramas and some rich guy isn’t going to take pity on you and transform your life when he could just be with someone who has a similar upbringing which is more comfortable.

I’m not sure if I answered your question correctly, but I assumed that you were basically asking me if looking the part can get you any points in the hypergamy scene.

[thewitchywitch]

About Me

Hello!!

I'm The Witchy Witch, also known by the names of Azami and A. J. Snow. I use she/her pronouns and I’m a Leo sun, Taurus Moon, and Scorpio Rising!

I consider myself an eclectic witch, and I'm Muslim-Pagan. (I'm always open to questions about this!)

Currently, I'm focusing on practical magic, and I'm in the process of learning more about Appalachian folk practices. A lot of my practice is rooted in Middle Eastern beliefs and practices as well.

A lot of the plants I use in my practice, I collect myself from outside! I live in West Virginia, and it is full of amazing plants that have both medicinal and magical properties.

Some of my favourite forms of magic include sympathetic magic, poppet magic, container spells & magic, sigils, candle magic, kitchen magic, divination, astrology, potion brewing, perfume witchcraft, and using magical oils & powders.

A large part of my pagan practices specifically are centered around kemeticism; I'll also say now that it's simply a coincidence that I'm also Egyptian. You don't need to be Egyptian to be Kemetic. The Egyptian pantheon is open! It is not a closed practice <3

I also work with (president) Caim of the goetia, so I reblog information related to demonolatry even though I don't consider myself a demonolater.

Please feel free to ask any questions!

[brookstolemybrand]

On the "Alabasta" vs "Arabasta" thing:

I just wanted to point out that even if the name is supposed to be "Alabasta" from "alabaster" (which I think it is, altho in Japanese it could also be a pun on "Arab" at the same time) that doesn't make it any less MENA related because alabaster is a material that's strongly associated with MENA and particularly Egypt and Mesopotamia

I also tried to look up the etymology of the word, which is unfortunately a bit unclear; it can be traced back to Ancient Greek but it seems to be of foreign (likely Middle Eastern) origin. But altho it isn't a confirmed etymology, the only suggestions for the sources for the word that I could find were Ancient Egyptian:

1: ꜥj-r-bꜣstjt (“vessel of the goddess Bast”)

May or may not be accurate but it would be very fitting considering the holy sea cats in Alabasta

See this alabaster jar depicting Bast in the form of a lioness doing a little blep, from Tutankhamun's tomb:

2: an Ancient Egyptian city called Alabastron (possibly modern Amarna?) — I assume "Alabastron" was the Greek name but this would support the idea that the word is of Ancient Egyptian origin

See also this Wikipedia article about the type of perfume vase that the word is supposed to come from, also originating from Ancient Egypt:

This also reminds me of the perfumes of Nanohana

It seems that in antiquity alabaster referred to Egyptian alabaster specifically, but by analogy it was then later used to mean other similar materials, like a specific type of alabaster-like gypsum or marble, but gypsum is softer than alabaster while marble is harder and more opaque. Gypsum alabaster was particularly used in Europe I believe, while some marble objects from India were also apparently labeled as "alabaster" by Europeans

I'm definitely not an expert in any of this though, I'm not a geologist or a historian and I haven't studied Ancient Greek or Ancient Egyptian, so take everything I say with a grain of salt (and feel free to correct me if you know better)

But the point is: both names point to the MENA region, "Alabasta" just has stronger Ancient Egyptian associations while "Arabasta" would obviously have stronger Arabian associations

Neither of them have anything to do with India

[hearts4jean]

aot MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) hcs cuz im MENA teehee

╭──────────── · · ୨୧ · ·────────────╮

・❥ eren: palestine or turkey

・❥ mikasa: kuwait

・❥ armin: oman

・❥ jean: egypt or syria i feel (he’d look so good in a keffiyah 🤭

and yk those arab guys who always smell good with the most

majestic perfume ever? yeah. jean. would also adore fairouz)

・❥ reiner: united arab emirates (pls he’d make such a good emirati

pulling up to work everyday in a red keffiyah as some oil tycoon

LMAOAOOAO)

・❥ annie: syria

・❥ marco: libya or syria (like his bf hehe)

・❥ pieck: pakistan or iraq (jus like me twin)

・❥ connie: morocco or iraq

・❥ ymir: tunisia or morocco

・❥ onyankapon: sudan or eygpt

・❥ hitch: lebanon

・❥ hange: iraqi

・❥ sasha: libya or iraq (specifically basra region in iraq which is a

kind of village-y area of iraq, not much city but still is city,

depends where you are)

・❥ levi: yemen (ik it look like i said that cuz of his height but i

promise its not LOL)

・❥ erwin: syrian (ethnically) but lives in uae

・❥ gabi: jordan

・❥ falco: bahrain

・❥ udo: saudi arabia

・❥ zofia: iran

・❥ pyxis: syria (would watch bab el hara religiously)

・❥ shadis: algeria or egypt

・❥ carla: turkey

・❥ zeke: lebanon

・❥ bertholdt: tunisia

・❥ historia: united arab emirates

╰──────────── · · ୨୧ · · ──────────── ╯

[endlessly-cursed]

Next Gen- Yasemin Battersea-Parsons

“𝑰𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒕.”

Name: Yasemin Neeru Battersea Parsons

Nicknames: Yas

Birthdate: 16th of December 2004

Zodiac Sign: Saggitarius (i think??)

Personality Type (MBTI): TBD

Blood Status: Pureblood

Nationality: Turkish-Indian-Irish

Physical Appearance

Hair: Black, curly

Eyes: Black

Height: 1.57m

Weight: 64kg

Body Type: Medium-size

Skin Tone: Dark brown

Distinguishing Marks (scars, birthmarks, etc.): One birthmark on her neck

Background

Hometowns

Kolkata, India- The rich and ancient city was the place of birth for Yasemin, and where she spent much of her winter in the Bengali equivalent of Christmas and even participated in religious rites, despite following the Muslim religion more.

Antakya, Turkey- Her other hometown, she lived in a rustic yet wealthy house with her grandmother, where she spent many summers and even visited many mosques and started on her Muslim faith

Dublin, Ireland- Her main residence, living outside the center, she loved how carefree and busy they were and many of her friends lived near, and her formative years were spent there

Family

Mother: Esmanur Zeynep Battersea

The only living Battersea that directly descended from Simon by then, she was raised as a hanimsultan and was treated like Middle-Eastern royalty despite being long gone. She did not expect to have children after Shreya, and was delighted to have one more child. Despite being fond of Yasemin, her favouritism was never noticed by her daughters

Father: Mahmoud Ismail Parsons

A Bengali businessman, he married Esmanur to enforce his monopoly on the industry and expand his growing empire. When Esmanur was pregnant again, he was surprised and worried, because his wife have had fertility problems years prior and didn't want to risk her life. Nevertheless, Yasemin was born healthy and without much fuss, and he spoiled her

Older sister: Shreya Humashah Battersea Parsons

Although she was first angry at Yasemin's birth, the moment she held her, she knew she loved her. Shreya loved to take care of her and talk about girl stuff, going shopping and having silly moments. Shreya was like a second mother and role model to Yasemin and are very close, even after Shreya marries Kevin Farrell and forms her family with him

Distant cousin: Luke Battersea

A bit closer in age, despite him being prickly and reserved, Yasemin approached him slowly, allowing him to come to her, actively listening to whatever he talked about and giving surprisingly helpful advice and thoughtful gestures, such as baking him his favourite cake for his birthday or when he had a bad day, or ensure that the cook cooks his comfort food once a week, and include him in the family trips

Hogwarts

House: Hufflepuff

Best Class: Herbology

Worst Class: Potions

Boggart: Everybody diminishes her efforts, throwing them and shouting at her that she'll never be enough

Riddikulus: The papers get up and start dancing cha-cha-cha

Patronus: A hare

Patronus Memory: Dancing in the rain when she was eight with her father and Shreya as her mother film

Mirror of Erised: (before turning 19) Achieving peace and stability in her hometowns (after turning 20) having stability, peace and a family with Scott by her side

Amortentia (what she smells like): Victoria's Secret perfume 'shimmer', strawberry bubblegum, henna

Amortentia (what she smells): Ice, cologne, something related to Scott

Career

11-18: Hogwarts student

21-35: Philantropist

36-65: President of the Battersea company

Personality & Attitude

Priorities: Making some good in the world, her family's wellbeing

Strengths: Kind, empathetic, insightful, caring and generous

Weaknesses: Naive, clueless, innocent during her adolescence, way too trusting, a people pleaser and can't say anything bad about anyone

Stressed: During social gatherings and during exams, feeling stupid all the time

Calm/Comforted: Watching her comfort show (FRIENDS), spending time with Shreya, in her bed

Favorites

Colors: PINK, burgundy red, navy blue and lilac

Weather: Sunny

Hobbies: Reading, knitting, baking and creating skincare and makeup routines

Fashion: Yasemin is far more fashionable than her sister Shreya, often wearing heels and short skirts and tops, all in the palette of pink, black and white. She also has curly hair and has a rigorous routine that she always asks not to be interrupted when performing it

Relationships

Significant Other/Love Interest: Scott Morris ( @potionboy3 )

Both friends from the moment they met, unlike her peers, Scott seemed to get her, and Yasemin always felt seen with him. What she didn't know is that Scott had a huge crush on her. A crush that everybody save her seemed to notice. For years, he dropped subtle hints here and there, but the clueless Yasemin didn't seem to see it.

Until, on a party, after sharing a meaningful moment, Scott surprised Yasemin by kissing her and declaring his feelings for her. What was more surprising to Yasemin is that she felt the same. Even though Yasemin was a year ahead of Scott, they saw each other often and even gave him the keys to her house once they became serious.

[MORE TBA]

Friends: Noor Verma Dhendron ( @legilimenace )

Even though they were different, Noor and Yasemin got along and suprisingly complimented one another. Shreya soon befriended Mansi, Noor's sister, and became inseparable, becoming almost members of the family

Mia Morris ( @gaygryffindorgal )

Scott's older sister, Yasemin liked her from the beginning and she was key in setting her up with her brother

[MORE TBA]

Jude Cozens ( @unfortunate-arrow )

Both with similar natures, she met him through Scott and also reminded her of Luke. She was shocked when she learned that he and Noor started dating

Yasemin is looking for friends! I'll favour those born in 2004-5! Hmu or send me an ask if you're interested!

Rivals: TBA (why would you want to antagonize this angel?!)

Trivia

She doesn't drink alcohol due to religious and personal reasons

Her drink of choice is a lime Aquarius

Always has a red velvet cake for her birthday

She hates green peas

Is surprisingly good at breakdance, salsa and dabke, and often does it in heels

Used to hate her curly hair and tried to straighten it like Shreya for most of her teens

While Shreya inherits her father's businesses, Yasemin inherits her mother's legacy

Is medium sized and was always made fun of by her parents' peers and went on crazy diets and developed body dysmorphia due to early development

Almost never went to parties because of people getting drunk and being invasive towards her

Cries easily for everything, yet can be calm in dire circusmtances

Picked up baking thanks to her therapist and often shows up to classes and gatherings with Turkish and Bengali sweets when she feels her friends are feeling down or stressed or wants to celebrate

Has the cutest and most elegant handwriting in Hogwarts (it was voted)

[haveusmelledthisperfume]

Have you smelled this perfume?

With seemingly endless flankers, Arabian house's original Amber Oud can be easily overlooked. Unisex to masculine, it combines woods, silky amber, and a light dose of citrus for an easy-to-wear, long-lasting scent that defies its affordable price. Have you smelled it?

[icycoldninja]

What would Dante do if he ended up in Eastern Europe?

Well first, he'd be really confused as to how he even got there. Then he'd wander around and try to communicate with the locals. Being a demon, he can adapt and learn new languages pretty easily, so he'd learn the basics of the local language pretty soon.

Then he'd start asking around, looking for a pizzeria so he can taste some "authentic" pizza. When he doesn't find one, he'll get really disappointed. He could have sworn Europe was where pizza was invented! It takes a quick phone call from Vergil to remind him that Italy is in Southern Europe, not Eastern Europe, where he currently is. Before Dante can ask Vergil to portal him home, the line goes dead, meaning that Sir PizzaMan is on his own.

Dante continued to wander around, wondering where he can find transport to get home. Along the way, he runs into a sexy lady, who convinces him to get a drink with her at a local bar.

An hour later, Dante is hammered and alone; the woman long gone and the half demon having consumed 3x the amount of liquor required to knock out an average human man. He is now incapable of rational thought and starts dancing on the counter, even though no music is playing.

The other patrons stare in shock; they've never seen anyone behave like this in their lives. Eventually a couple of equally drunk thugs approach him and a brawl breaks out. Dante goes to his holsters to pull out his pistols, only to find they are gone. Turns out the woman from earlier was a pickpocket, and stole them from him when they were drinking together!

Absolutely floored, Dante trashes the bar and everyone in it before heading out in search of that little thief. Thanks to his half demon senses, he was able to track her down by following the diminishing scent of her perfume.

Eventually, Dante corners the thief inside a pawn shop, where she was haggling with the clerk. Terrified as to how Dante found her so easily, the thief surrenders her stolen goods and runs off before anyone can say anything.

Pleased that he has his weapons back, Dante turns and gets ready to leave, only to find that he has several police officers waiting outside, ready to arrest him for trashing the bar earlier. Still feeling kinda tipsy, Dante kicks open a nearby window and makes a break for it down the street.

With the police hot on his heels, Dante races through town until he spots an unattended scooter sitting on the sidewalk. He "borrows" said scooter and tries to use it to escape his pursuers, only to find that the scooter is remarkably slow.

Disappointed and frustrated, Dante runs away from the city and into the nearby woods, where he comes face to face with a brown bear, who looks very hungry.

4 weeks later, Nico spawns her van into the forest, and Nero pops out, followed by a very cranky Vergil. The two search the area for some time before catching wind of some smoke that seems to originate not too far from where they are. Believing it to be a signal fire, the pair speed towards it, soon discovering that Dante went and built himself a cozy log cabin in the middle of the woods.

As father and son marvel at the structure, Dante himself emerges from the cabin, looking like a lumberjack--in fact, he had been for the past month or so.

Turns out, he loves living in the woods so much, he didn't want to return at first.

Nero and Vergil ultimately convince him to return--but only after promising to buy him all the pizza he wants for 2 weeks.

[mariacallous]

Focaccia is made with a very soft dough, slightly rich from generous amounts of added oil that helps it become crisp-edged as it bakes. As I was working on this recipe, Netflix’s “Salt Fat Acid Heat” premiered, and suddenly making focaccia felt particularly timely.

In Samin Nostrat’s excellent, highly acclaimed series about the fundamental elements of making good food, she invites the viewer to learn how to make Ligurian focaccia. In Liguria, Italy, they add the unique step of topping the focaccia with a salt brine before baking the dough. I was captivated by the simplicity and beauty of the focaccia making process, and have rewatched that part of the “FAT” episode countless times.

While the focaccia recipe here differs from its Ligurian counterpart, the essential components are the same, and the lessons learned from Nostrat are helpfully applicable. Primarily, one is reminded that when a recipe has so few ingredients, each ingredient should be of good quality.

Focaccia requires extra-virgin olive oil, and that olive oil should be good, fresh and have a robust flavor. Choosing the olive oil can be a matter of preference. I’m partial to California olive oils with their smooth butteriness; high quality affordable varieties can be found in most grocery stores. You could also splurge on an Italian olive oil from a specialty market. The olive oil will help your focaccia get a crisp crust, and it will perfume the dough with its flavor.

I like using kalamata olives in this recipe for their fruity wine-like flavor, but you could certainly use your favorite olive variety. The olives serve to accentuate the flavors in the oil, and the dough also gets topped with za’atar to bring a welcome herby earthyness to this rich bread. Just before putting it in the oven, I top the focaccia with flake salt for crunch and savoriness. After oil, salt is focaccia’s best friend.

I love to serve this olive and za’atar bread with an Israeli-style spread: fresh salads, good feta, hummus and baba ganoush. Leftover focaccia is always a gift, and it can be turned into delicious croutons, stored in the freezer for future snacking, or it can even become the base of an unexpected Middle Eastern-inspired stuffing. Thanksgiving is around the corner, after all. Soon after Thanksgiving is Hanukkah, which provides another opportunity for this oil-centric recipe.

Notes:

The dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, or up to 48 hours. It then needs to rise for 2-4 hours on the baking sheet before baking.

The cooked focaccia freezes well.

[financeprincess]

any tips for dating an investment banker?

Can’t say I’ve dated one of those specifically but I have dated men from finance and tech industries. All I can say is, these men can be ruthless. You have to be extremely selfish with your time and energy and pour everything into yourself. Don’t be closed off but make him adhere to your schedule too. Your time is just as important as his. I’d say the most important aspect is to be highly intelligent, well read, focused on your education for your sake and otherwise. Don’t lead with it or your finances in a masculine way, masculine men do not care about your income as long as it isn’t a damsel in distress situation (when you’re a damsel in distress you will mainly attract predators). Men with lots of disposable income have a lot of options available to them, dating and otherwise. So I’d say lean in to your individuality and your intellect and don’t be afraid to speak your mind about things you’re passionate or well informed about. It doesn’t have to be the same interests as him either, he might enjoy a different perspective about various topics. I read a few tech and finance newsletters every morning because it interests me, but you can find many other publications for your interests. An acquaintance of mine who’s a tech entrepreneur, even though things didn’t work out between us, said he always really valued me for my insight and my intellect, even over my looks.

And it’s really not about the looks. If you look at higher income individuals they do not go for the overdone Instagram escort look. As long as you are taking care of yourself with exercise, good diet, skin/teeth/nails/hair are healthy and glowing, light but flattering makeup (brows/concealer/blush/mascara/lipgloss type of look), and you dress in a flattering but not too casual or revealing way you’re off to a great start. And also, wear expensive smelling perfume or something unusual like middle eastern fragrance oils. I’m a total fragrance junkie and have very unusual and unique fragrances in my collection, and I always get complimented on my scents.

It’s also important to bring the fun energy, these men work grueling hours with meetings and bureaucratic rules and it can be a very intense and stressful environment. Bringing your fun energy, your feminine essence, your ability to express pleasure and excitement about things can be incredibly refreshing.

[mpreg-nouveau]

In 1900s omegaverse how many people do you think tried to time their trips to the US so they could secretly register as an alpha upon entry with perfumes and such, but totally miscalculated their heats and ended up mating with someone on the boat over (cause they were cramped and could take months) so they show up to Ellis island or angel island very pregnant and asking for a marriage license as well as a certification citizenship.

Or just for that matter omegas that are coming over without family and thought some quack patent medicine or traditional herbal remedy would keep them from going into heat on the ship but they end up meeting with an alpha in rut anyways and hooking up together.

Do you think they just had a justice of the peace at those places on standby cause of that stuff? With translators of multiple languages cause they two may not even speak the same language cause they got on the boat at different ports but felt duty bound to stick together for the kid/the alpha slipped up and marked the omega during their romp so they feel obligated to stick to them.

Heck the two may not entirely know each other's names or be able to write their own names in english so there's someone on standby as well to teach the english alphabet briefly for Eastern Europeans, Jewish, African, Middle Eastern, and Asian immigrants.

Or on a sadder note, do you think they have to have officers there to help with situations that turn out not so amicable?

Social workers speaking with devastated omegas who were abandoned by the alpha they met on the boat and now have to help them find a boarding house in NYC for pregnant omegas.

Or someone there to catch alphas trying to escape the omega they accidentally knocked up cause their heat scent was just too alluring, and make sure they register as the sire for legal reasons.

I'm imagining officers regularly having to console sobbing rejected omegas or dealing with crazy situations like an alpha running around and shouting, trying to get a determined omega clinging to them to let go but the omega is determined to not be a single parent in the new world.

Or sadder still, a mediator between families, some alpha who was already in America having to come to terms with the fact another one slept with their fiancee who they sent for when they were both in their hormonal periods, so now the omega has two mating bites.

And cause having to stay several days on angel and Ellis island is usually covered by the shipping companies under penalty of law, what crazy things do they try to do to avoid these things? Like make sections of the boat to hold omegas in heat, pass out condoms to everyone, charge more for omegas, etc....

....Would the statue of Liberty be depicted as pregnant or holding an infant in this universe given the prominence and focus on pregnancy in this society.

I'm having many thoughts

[coffeewithcutcaffeine]

For the ask game!!!! :]

orchid, mahonia, sage, cactus

Thank you so much for sending this to my inbox, dear! ❤️️

From #random get-to-know-me ask game:

Orchid is answered here, mahonia and sage are answered here!

cactus ⇢ something you’re currently learning (about)?

I have to admit that most of my research these days revolves all around Voievod, either to get familiar with the topics I work with in my current WIPs or to simply pile up the necessary information I will need for the future. So here is a list of all the things I am currently learning about (and giving you a taste of everything that tackling a Vlad Dracula fiction requires):

a detailed biography of Mehmed II,

Ottoman cuisine,

basics about Islam,

Wallachian female fashion (currently focused on veiling),

preferred horse breeds in the 15th-century Ottoman Empire,

Ottoman architecture (mainly that of private housing — if anyone has any tips/references/advice to share, please, never hesitate to reach out!),

favourite perfumes of Ottoman sultans,

sacrament of confession in the Eastern Orthodox Church,

birth and childcare in the Middle Ages,

menstrual cycle in the Middle Ages,

the difference in warfare and fighting style between the Europeans and the Ottomans.

There are definitely more things that could be added to the list, but I cannot remember them at the moment. 🙈

[wildbeautifuldamned]

Middle Eastern Essential Oil Bottle Metal Perfume Vintage Decor ebay gwloasw

[rexaleph]

became a bit of a fragrantica poster recently lmao

anyways, news from that front: couple weeks ago someone made a thread on english fragrantica abt biases and prejudices you might have towards brands, inspired by a thread on the russian forum. and obviously i love hating things for no reason so i wrote a long response like "never tried it and don't want to, the bottles are ugly, reminds me of a bad tweet i saw 2 years ago" etc etc. but few people really played the game as much, the thread mostly turned into litigating if it's ok not to like chanel for the nazi collaboration and the inane "and yet you participate in society" shit that follows. so now i looked at the russian thread (i don't have an account on the forum) and it's 16 pages and 2 years of people having a fun time discussing all the perfumes they hate for no reason, with like real interesting variety in the prejudices as well (though everyone who hates middle eastern perfume will ofc be racist abt it). so like is this cultural? is this part of my culture?