#not to be french on main but... wine and bread is as good as it gets

[youreorangeyoumoron]

I should have wine more often

[merrock]

event: Renaissance Faire & Gala

location: local Ren Faire grounds

date & time: July 27

ooc duration: July 22 - 29

It's time to load up the party buses and head to the Ren Faire! The buses will leave the Merrock High School parking lot at 9AM and head to the location, where you will have from 10AM until roughly 12AM to enjoy yourselves at the Renaissance Faire and Gala taking place for all Merrockites. Everyone over the age of 21 is invited, and we do ask that everyone come in appropriate attire for the event.

While on the grounds, food and drinks are paid for, courtesy of the Benefactor! If you choose to buy souvenirs or pay for different experiences, costumes, or anything extra, that will be something that you pay for yourselves! There will be privies on site, and plenty of places to change, should you decide to switch wardrobes throughout the day.

Check out demonstrations such as glass blowing, archery and blacksmithing, or watch daring sword fights on the pirate ship, see the knights as they joust in front of the king and queen, listen to carolers and watch jesters perform. Ride on the dragon swing, or one of the elephants on the fair ground. Witness aerial dancers, whip artists, listen to musicians and comedians, pirate shows, puppet shows. Meet the hawks and owls, the trusty steeds, maybe even catch a glimpse of a unicorn… and so much more!

While you're browsing the stands, purchase some costumes and books, crystals and jewelry, pottery and whistles, swords and knives, candy and bread, scarves and capes, blown glassware, leather goods, candles and soaps, puppets and toys, anything that your heart can and will desire!

When you're hungry, make sure to stop and get a giant turkey leg, a twisted pretzel, pickle on a stick, fish and chips, warm, hearty soups -- and lots of your favorite food staples, like walking tacos, french fries, burgers, macaroni and cheese, not to mention all of the ice cream and Italian ice that your little heart could desire! You can grab milkshakes and slushies, lemonades and teas, and of course… lots and lots of ale! (Plus wine and mixed drinks, too.)

In the evening, the chess court will be transformed into a beautiful dance floor, with live music to keep you entertained, which will be the location of our summer gala, perfect for dancing the night away with your honey or your friends. (Have you ever heard minstrels playing 'Low' or 'Cha Cha Slide'? It might happen.) You can come as you are in your Renaissance Faire wear, you do not need to change into formal attire -- but you're more than welcome to if you wish!

The buses will be leaving at 1AM from the parking lot, and everyone should be safely home in Merrock by 2AM. Thank you for coming with us on this adventure! xx

A few important notes about this event, mostly to save you from any burning questions that you might have!

all who attend will be arriving on the bus, and everyone will be heading back home on the bus; this is to assure that everyone has the same experience and same plotting potential. plus, it's a party bus, it's fun!

remember that no children and no pets are allowed -- this is adults only, and 21+. alcohol is sold on the grounds, so drinking is welcome and encouraged!

there is no set location for this Ren Faire -- you can assume it's somewhere in Maine, but it's just there and fictional. that means if something isn't talked about in this post, it is 100% fine to assume that it is there at this Ren Faire, as long as it's a Ren Faire thing! (like there probably isn't an arcade or roller coaster with a laser show, but if you attended one and bought something cool you want to buy there, go for it!)

open starters are super, super encouraged -- they will be posted on our starters page as usual. please make sure that you reply to open starters before creating your own! the only exception is the first person to create one, or if all the other available starters are at cap.

if you would like to post outfits, please tag them with #merrockfashion. outfits will be queued periodically through the day at my leisure; they'll show up through the week to keep the inspo blog from spamming dash.

socials can also be posted! as usual, just tag them with #merrocksocial so we can (again!) queue them to the Times blog.

existing threads do not need to be paused if you don't want to, if you still have muse and want to continue them. we don't recommend dead dropping all threads without contacting the people you are writing with first to ask if they would like a thread for the event or agreeing to something new after, just so people aren't left hanging with no activity!

no thread / plot call post this time, sorry! we want to encourage writers to be thoughtful about what they are writing and do the lifting of reaching out to one another. you are very welcome to make your own OOC posts asking for threads! but we promise -- no one here bites.

the event runs from today (July 22nd) through next Monday (July 29th). starters and threads can be posted any time between those days, and threads can continue as long as you would like after!

& most importantly, have fun! xx

[patrickarchana-caminofrances]

Our day as a Pilgrim on Camino Frances

It’s now day 17 of our French Camino. As you know we started in the Southwest of France in a small village called St Jean Pied de Port. Same place that my favourite author Paulo Coelho also started his Camino.

In Spanish, Camino means The Way. There are many different Caminos but they all end in Santiago De Compostella.

By now, there is a sort of a routine that we have set.

On most days Archana is up at 5:30am and after a quick shower she does her exercises, stretches and a set of InnerEngineering Yoga (Shambhavi Mahamudra).

Patrick is up by 6:45am to do his stretches and exercises followed by a shower.

We have both realised that this early wake-up is an essential to have a good start. As we say, well begun is half done!

Usually by 7:30am we have our bags packed and brought down to the concierge so they can be picked up by the baggage transport service by 8am.

We then have a breakfast, an essential request to FTC (Follow The Camino - Irish booking agency) when we made the bookings through them. Most offered a fantastic buffet breakfast, one hotel even had champagne included!! However, some have only offered a limited choice and one in Logrono only offered a glass of Fresh Orange juice, a pastry and some tea or coffee. In Quintallina del Monte, we stayed in a Rural home & the breakfast was really limited to couple slices of cheese, Patrick had some scrambled eggs and Archana just a toast (stale baguette toasted) with butter and jam. Fortunately we were carrying our own muesli, so requested some milk and yoghurt. For the amount we walk daily, we do like the full breakfast as usually on the way there are limited options and we need to ensure sustenance. On that day Patrick walked 40 km.

Between 8:30am to 9:am we usually leave the accommodation and start walking the Camino. Depending on the size of the town it could be a few 100m to 2 km plus (at times) until we get out of the town and start waking on the trail.

The longer the trail the earlier we try to leave so we are in the next town before it gets too hot around 3-4pm.

Arriving into a town is always exciting, as you navigate to the hotel, you discover some of the sights.

In most places when we reach our bags are waiting for us.

The routine is to check-in, unpack, have a good shower to relax the body and then do some stretches and have a snooze (Spanish siesta time is between 2-4pm) until the outside cools down a bit. Surprisingly the showers (water pressure and hot temperatures) have been perfect, except one!

If we need to do the laundry (usually every 3/4days) we go to the nearest coin laundry as a priority. Some hotels do offer a cheap price for a bag wash however they also use a dryer, which we don’t prefer, as we are kind to our clothes and the environment. Once the laundry is sorted we then cover the town, usually the church or cathedral and other interesting monuments.

By 7:30-8pm it’s time for dinner. We have opted dinner inclusion in most places especially if we are staying only one night, to save us hunting for places that could offer us special menu, since I am a vegetarian by choice however Patrick does have a mammalian meat allergy that needs to be managed. The dinner includes a pilgrim’s menu - 3 course meals including water, wine and bread. They aren’t very inventive with their vegetarian meals though, so most nights Archana gets a mixed salad for starter and a pasta with tomato sauce (freshly made) for the mains….. usually there is a carafe of wine, sometimes a glass but some places have given us a whole bottle (750 mls) at times.

If our package doesn’t include dinner then on those nights, we usually settle on Tapas or Pintxos and sangria or wine.

It’s usually an early night, around 10pm as we have to repeat the cycle again the next day. The wine here is really cheap, €1.8 to €2 per glass (from AUD $3 or ₹150), the wine is always excellent, easy drinking and so far never given us a headache or hangover as no sulphites added (given the wines here have no sulphites added unlike many wines in Australia)!

The Camino is obviously one of Spain’s major revenue earner - Religious tourism!

We booked through an Irish Company called Follow the Camino #followthecamino. Along with the baggage tags we also received a guide and app from them to assist us during the Camino. So far we had a great selection of hotels, monasteries, B&B type accommodation ranging between no rating to 5 star rating. Similar to the breakfast it’s been a mixed bag experience. Some average experiences and others absolutely splendid surprises! Like in the Tom Hanks movie, life is a box of chocolates……🙏🏽

[stargazeraldroth]

I like to imagine that the Stars specialize in cooking the cuisines of the cultures or ethnicities they’re associated with, either via general aesthetics or because of their creator’s ethnicity or native culture- If, uh, that makes sense, haha. Hope you don’t mind me ramblinggg- Also Ink gets more because he’s got two cultures I associate him with whoops-

Like! I think Ink would be good with French and Japanese cuisine, since Comyet has stated he’s french and his aesthetic is largely based on Japan, I believe? Or maybe just eastern Asian culture, but I’ve largely seen most people specifics Japan. From French cuisine, I really enjoy the idea of him making, like, macarons and crêpes (both French and Japanese styles!), as well as more savory stuff, like aligot and gougère (both involve cheese because for some reason Ink strikes me as the type to enjoy cheese???). He also strikes me as the sort to like drinks with fun names, like rinquinquin (a peach flavored alcoholic beverage!). From Japanese cuisine, I could see him loving mizu manjū (very pretty clear buns with a bunch of different fillings, they’re gorgeous and very artsy looking!) and shirokuma (shaved ice mixed with condensed milk and decorated to look like a bear!), and I could see him really enjoying age-onigiri (rice ball that’s been fried!) and takoyaki. Drink wise, since Comyet says he likes burnt food, I could see him enjoying akumochizake (sweet rice wine made with charcoal or ash), or maybe matatabicha (tea made from silver vine, because Ink has big cat vibes haha).

Dream would be good with Spanish cuisine (though I imagine he specializes in sweet no matter where they come from, but that! Isn’t! What I’m focusing on!). If we’re talking Spanish sweets, I see him being good at most of them, but I think he’d like smaller stuff or handheld foods the most, like pionono (small cylindrical pastry soaked with syrups and topped with toasted cream) or churros (which are actually commonly a breakfast item in Spain, he’d love it!), and for savory food, I could see him enjoying stuff easy to eat on the go, like pinchos morunos (skewers of diced pork or chicken marinated with olive oil and other spices) or pa amb tomàquet (toasted bread rubbed with tomato and seasoned with olive oil and sea salt!). For drinks, I could see him liking agua de cebada (malted barley mixed with sugar and lemon!) or calimocho (red wine mixed with cola).

Blue is difficult for me because I can’t find anything solid about associated cultures or where his creator might be from, so I usually imagine he specializes in Mexican foods (with a bit of American), mainly because he’s so associated with tacos and also I like doing research on different cuisines. Obviously there’s his aforementioned tacos, but I could also see him being very good with stuff like enchiladas or machacado con huevo (eggs scrambled with shredded dry beef!), and for sweets, I could see him making stuff like hot milk cake (butter sponge cake made with scalded milk) and marquesitas (a crêpe that’s been rolled like a taco and filled with a variety of sweet things). For drinks, I could see him making café de olla (coffee made with cinnamon and unrefined whole cane sugar which is specifically prepared in an earthen clay pot- Blue seems like a coffee drinker to me, haha).

This got too long but I wanted to ramble so I hope! You don’t! Mind!!!

My brain's only processing half of this but yes, I agree! I don't really imagine Ink as someone who drinks alcohol very often, but I also imagine he has a higher tolerance for it than most people. Dream also has a higher alcohol tolerance, but through self-conditioning rather than naturally high tolerance. I headcanon Blue and Stretch as Canadian, but it's interesting to see your headcanon too!

I imagine Dream as the main baker of the group, so I can see Ink going to him like "I wanna try this!" and showing (well, more like describing) the food or drink to Dream. And you can bet your entire bank account that Dream has snatched recipes from the two, particularly dessert recipes. I don't make the rules (yes I do).

[mask131]

Simple facts about Ancient Egypt (3)

And here is my last entry on various simple facts, trivia and elements about Ancient Egypt as a society and nation, to completement my mythology posts. (At least, my last entry of this summer). A bit of a warning, as usual, my sources might be a bit too oversimplified or a bit outdated, but that’s what I know about Ancient Egypt and feel free to correct me if anything is wrong! 

We talked of great general facts about history and geography… We talked of the various jobs and social classes… Why not conclude with everyday life? And let’s begin with the heart of it all: food!

# Unless there were very bad crops leading to famines, the “common folk” of Ancient Egypt usually ate their fill and did not die of hunger. But while they ate their fill, they ate very simple and plain foods. The main element of the Egyptian alimentation was bread. Every meal had at its center the bread – sometimes served with onions (which was the most common and widespread vegetable of Egypt). Made with either spelt flour or barley, there were forty different types of Egyptian bread, usually of conic shape (since the molds for the bread were cone-shaped). Egyptians also ate a lot of vegetables and fruits: cucumbers, radishes, garlic, salads, cabbages, grapes, grenades, dates, figs… Egyptians especially ate a lot of lettuce: they believed it was an aphrodisiac and frequently ate some to augment their sexual desire. For great occasions, big holidays or special events, Egyptians added to their bread-and-plants meal either a fish or a duck, if the hunt/the fishing had gone well – because for every day folks, you had to get your own meat and fish. The meat coming from farms, the “raised” meat, was only a product for the wealthy and the upper-class.

# Egyptians took three meals a day: one in the morning, one in the beginning of the afternoon, and one in the evening. To eat, Ancient Egyptians sat on the ground, and didn’t use fork and knives, but either their own fingers, either a piece of bread.

# Egyptians were BIG beer drinkers. They drank more beer than water – and for good reasons! Because the water they obtained from either the Nile or wells tended to be filled with bacteria causing all sorts of disease and infections. So they preferred the much safer beer. Even kids drank beer every day – but hopefully it was a beer very low in alcohol. Egyptians created their beer with barley, and each family had to produce its own beer: a barley bread was broken into crumbs thrown into a big jar, filled with a mix of water and honey (or dates if you couldn’t have honey). The Egyptians then crushed and mixed the whole thing with their feet (yes, they entered into the jar and stomped it all). The gruel or porridge they obtained from this mix was then left to ferment for several days, before being eaten. Yes, “eaten”, not drank. Because Egyptian beer, on top of being much more nutritive than today’s beer, was also much thicker – it was more of a food than a drink.

# Since Egyptians had no sugar, they sweetened their meals with either honey or crushed dates. The wealthiest Egyptians drank wine, either red or white. And Egyptians already made foie gras! Yep, long before the French. But the funny thing is that they didn’t just do goose foie gras… They also made hyena foie gras.

# Egyptians, men and women, thought physical beauty was very important. If their clothes were typically simple and white, with not much color or ornament, they however had very varied and extravagant jewels, hairdos and makeup. Egyptian jewels came in the form of bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings – the wealthy and the rich had jewels made of precious stones such as turquoise, lapis-lazuli, jasper or carnelian, while the poorer wore jewels made of enamel/faience.

# Egyptians wore most of their makeup around their eyes – they highlighted the shape of the eye by covering its borders in a black substance, either galena or kohl, before putting green makeup over their eyelids. Egyptians sometimes even dyed their eyelashes or eyebrows in green – and this wasn’t just a women’s habit, men also did that. The reason why Egyptians placed so much makeup on their eyes was because there were no sunglasses at the time, and the Egyptians desperately sought a way to protect themselves from the harsh rays of the sun, the dust carried by the desert’s wind, and the flies that tries to infect eyeballs. Galena and kohl had antiseptic properties, hence why Egyptians covered their eyes with it.

# While green was a very common makeup color, Egyptian women LOVED red makeup, made out of ochre. They used red makeup on their lips and on their cheek. They rather used henna to paint their fingernails and toenails – sometimes even their whole feet.

# In general, Egyptian household were known to collect a LOT of pots, jars, bottles and vials filled with creams, perfumes and various body oils. It wasn’t just pure vanity: Egyptians took great care of their skin because it could easily be damaged by the dryness and hotness of the Egyptian climate. Plus, Egyptians also had a great fear of aging, which was just as stigmatized as today, and so they tried to keep their skin looking as young as possible for as long as possible. In fact, one aspect of this fear of aging was the Egyptians’ fear of baldness. To fight it off, Egyptian men used all sorts of potions and products whose recipes we kept today, and that were made with the most improbable and repulsive ingredients. Donkey’s hooves, dogs’ legs, dates cores, snake fat or crocodile fat!

# Another fight against aging was the Egyptians’ fight against white or grey hair, that they constantly covered by either dying their hair black or wearing a wig. Egyptians were BIG fans of wigs – because they were considered a sign of wealth and upper status, since you needed a LOT of money to buy a wig. They were made out of real hair, decorated with various feathers, and plunged into bee wax to keep being straight and shining. However, to wear those wigs, Egyptians had to completely shave their real hair underneath…

# Ancient Egyptian houses were made out of mud bricks – all houses were made of mud bricks. You could only distinguish them by their size and their level of comfort, not by their material. A typical Egyptian house had three to four rooms, with thin walls and an uncovered ground – plus, the roof was always flat and doubling as a terrace. The houses of the nobility were much bigger (300 meters square roughly) , with much more rooms: they had several bedrooms, reception rooms, kitchen, pantries and workshop. Noble houses were also noted for having thick walls, and being covered in painted ceramic. To protect themselves from the heat, Egyptians built only a few windows, placed in high positions, and always towards the north – plus there were ventilation openings bult on the roof.

# Egyptian houses, however, were not very solid. They had no foundations, they just rested on the ground – and their bricks were made by leaving to dry out in the sun a mix of mud, stone and hay. If the wind was blowing too hard, cracks appeared in the walls, and if there was a flood, the walls simply melted and the house was swept away. So Egyptians often had to rebuild and repair their houses.

# Of course, no need to tell you that getting water to the house wasn’t easy – Egyptians had to go to the well two times a day to get water, and they kept it in large jars either in the courtyard or near the door. Only the rich could afford having big bathrooms and even toilets, and they were the only ones who built special passageways for dirty water to go outside of the house.

# Poor people in Egypt had the strict minimum when it came to furniture: a few stools to sit, a few mats to sleep on the ground, and a few baskets to put their clothes into. Rich people could afford tables (though they were low), beds, chairs and chests. But things such as wardrobes, high tables, or libraries did not exist in Ancient Egypt… There were couches however: But they were made out of bricks, and covered in cushion/pillows to make sure you didn’t break bone when you wanted to sit. To have light, Egyptians used a type of oil-lamp, made of a cup in which was placed a burning linen wick. Beds were also very uncomfortable, since it was a rectangle of wood, with cross-breams of woven reed, with no mattress whatsoever. There was no pillow, but a piece of wood on which Egyptians rested their heads. There was also no bedsheets whatsoever – all Egyptians could do was cover their beds in cushion or pieces of cloth. During the hottest nights, Egyptians slept on their roofs (which was also where they kept their stored grains and cereals).

# After talking of the house, let’s talk of the household. Egyptians were very BIG on love stories and romance in general, constantly painting or describing couples hugging or holding hands. While numerous marriages were arranged, a lot of Ancient Egyptians marriages were actually done out of love – something that was very unusual for the time, compared to the neighboring civilizations. People married young – around twenty years old for men, around fourteen years old for girls (because men were recognized as living longer than women in Ancient Egypt). The main purpose of the marriage was for the couple to make children, because it was believed that the child’s duty was to help and assist their parent when they grew old. So couples had lots of children – the average Egyptian family had ten children. When they died, couples were buried together in the same grave.

# A very interesting fact: women in Ancient Egypt were considered equal to men in the eyes of the law. This meant women had the same rights as men, could own money or wealth of their own, could go out without any chaperone and without their husband being present… In fact, if a woman was abused or harmed by her husband, she could go to the tribunal, and the husband would be punished by a severe beating – up to a hundred hits with a wooden rod. And if the abusive husband harmed his wife again, she could demand a divorce and to have money given to her.

# Because yes, divorce existed in Ancient Egypt! Some couples, when they married, wrote a contract, but it was not obligatory – and usually these contracts were only written by couples who were married together for a few years now. That’s because the contract’s function was to establish to who belonged what in the household (the furniture, the clothes, the money, the house) and it was only used to take care of the topic of heirs and inheritance. There was no official religious or bureaucratic ceremony for the marriage – no priest was called, no bureaucrat of the town was called, there was no trip to the temple… The only thing that “validated” a marriage was the fact that a man and a woman lived together as a couple in a same house – in fact, a woman was officially married when she first placed her foot inside the house of the boy she wanted to be the wife of. If a couple didn’t like each other anymore or couldn’t stand each other, they just had a divorce. Well… if they could afford it. Because the Egyptian divorce required for the couple to split their belongings between each other, which was a cause of many feuds and disputes. Typically the divorced woman returned to her parent’s house, until she could find a new husband.

# Unlike what some people believe, there was no “harem” and no polygamy among Egyptian couples – it was a strictly pharaonic habit. The regular folks of Ancient Egypt could only have one wife or one husband. Similarly, while the pharaoh was allowed and encouraged to marry within his own family, incest was forbidden for the regular inhabitants of Egypt – siblings could not marry, and parents could not marry their children.

# The love Egyptians had for cats was so great that, when a cat died within a house, all of the household grieved, and every member of the family (because a house’s cat was thought to be part of the family) shaved their eyebrows.

# Children are taken care of by their mother up to six years old or so. During this time, the child’s life is mostly just playing around with their siblings and their neighbors in the streets. Starting at six years old, the boys become their father’s charge, while the mothers stay with their mother. Boys are taught either their father’s job, or were sent to school, while girls learned from their mother how to take care of the house, or how to do farm work. But for the “school” part, it was only for the boys of rich family, since school was an elitist organization in Ancient Egypt – school was the only way for Egyptians to become scribes, scientists, priests or ministers. All those that didn’t go to school were forced to work alongside their parents – yes, even at five or six years old! Child labor was very common. Little boys could be found sculpting stone, doing woodwork, painting, shaping jewels, building houses, while little girls learned how to weave, how to brew beer, how to grind grains, and of course if the child belonged to a farmer’s household, they were seen working in the fields.

# Children often had a shaved head to avoid the plague that were the lice. Children could only keep one lock of hair, that often grew into a braid – it was the “lock of childhood”, or “children’s braid”, a braid which was cut off at fourteen years old.

# There was no difference between boys and girls when a baby was born: both were welcomed with great joy and festivities. As I said before, women had the same rights as men, and so girls were just as beloved as boys.

# There were a lot of toys back in Ancient Egypt, for young children (below six) to play with. Balls made of woven reed or stitched cloth, rattles, stone spinning tops, earthenware dolls (for girls), and even all sorts of wooden animals with articulated limbs and jaws. In fact, the same way young children of Europe often played with miniature horses or horses on wheels, Egyptian kids (who had no idea what a horse was since they weren’t from the region) rather had lions with wheels, or wheeled crocodiles.

# And most of the time children were left naked. This was actually part of a strange obsession with cleanliness that possessed Ancient Egyptians: people thought that leaving the child naked would allow the clothes to keep clean and thus avoid unnecessary laundry. However, children were forced to wear jewels, especially ear-rings (be it boys or girls, both had their ears pierced). Children were only asked to wear clothes when the temperatures went low and the air was a bit chilly – they then wore a sleeved tunic.

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

Hello there! I wanna request something if that’s cool! 나 자신에 대해 말해줄게!

Fandom: I’d like a romantic matchup for Jujustu Kaisen, Ninjago & MHA (For JJK I don’t want to be matched with any of the minors and for MHA I don’t want to be matched up with any of the girls)

My name is Joey but I also go by Himawari, Rin or Magtanggol too! I’m Transgender (ftm), Aromatic, Polyamory, Unlabled, & Bisexual, I’ve been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Schizophrenia, BPD & OCD and im wasian (west-southeast asian and white), polish, arab, flipino, scottish & russian.

personality traits (and notes): extroverted, at first awkward, shy and distant when meeting people, extremely independent, when comfortable I talk about a lot of stuff for hours, loud talker, emotions come off as sarcastic or silly (due to autism), confident, straightforward (I have a urge to correct someone of faulty information), uses “big” words, good sense of humor, playful, entertaining, optimistic, mischievous, curious(I’m nosy and I love gossip), i can be a rule breaker(sometimes I don’t mean to), dad/tharapist friend, when I go out I bring water bottles, first aid kit, chapstick(s) just in case, chill but some people would say I have some “repressed anger issues”, I get a realllyyy overractive Brain, I tend to get deep and philosophical when I’m left on my own for to long, I can be verbally aggressive when prevoked, I have a hard time taking everything seriously, when someone yells at me I’ll turn very cold and aggressive very fast

hobbies: anime/manga, gaming, anthropology, pathology, zoology, music (I’m a vocaloid producer, i can rap like MILLI, i make odecore/breakcore/scenecore music and I make music like ATARASHII GAKKO, YOASOBI & Ado too), dancing, filmmaking, art (drawing, painting, pottery, digital art, etc), learning different instruments/languages, cosplaying, skateboarding, tabletop RPG’s, taking pictures of things that I think are pretty, collecting figurines/stuffed animals and puppetry, science/history, soccer/volleyball/basketball and swim, cooking/baking, art is definitely my main hobby I dedicate a lot of time to it

likes: vocaloid/utau, k-pop/j-pop, watching documentaries/youtube, decorating my room, iced coffee, boba tea, bread, sharks, cats, cold weather, Christmas music/christmas in general, musicals, cleaning, rhythm games, being with my friends, shopping, partys, mint candles, sweet and spicy food, deserts.

I'm a ENTP, 4w3 and a Aquarius ♒️

misc: I live in a mixed language house hold where I speak mostly polish and Arabic, and some Korean and Japanese, it world be nice if the person who I get can react to that lol, i know 6 languages (Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Polish & French), prone to be a bit directionless in life, tries to find comfort and humor in hard times, tries not to take life to seriously, everytime I have a party there’s always dabke dancing and I take control of it all the time and it’s super fun!

appearance /aesthetic: 5'6 / 167.64 cm, midsize, rectangular body shape, i have a masculine and feminine face (somehow), dimple on chin, hazel eyes, wears glasses, dyed black boy hair, lots of piercings, no tattoos(I need some), for style, i wear a lot suck as goth (trad goth, romantic goth, mall goth, cyber goth, and victorian goth), gyaru (hime gal, himekaji, agejo, rokku, manba, banba, kogal, tsuyome, and kigurumi), scenemo/emo, & vkei ouji and lolita, i wear streetwear clothes mostly at home/school/work, i wear fishnets and combat boats/converse, but I also wear Y2K and I also dress in alternative clothing a LOT.

thank you so much! miłego dnia/lub nocy.

Hi Joey! Thank you for your request! Sorry it took a while. I hope you like your matchups!

In Jujutsu Kaisen, I match you with...

Gojo matches your extroverted energy flawlessly. But at the same time, everyone around is glad you’re there with your “chill dad friend” energy to combat his “chaotic wine aunt” vibes.

While he initially comes off as shallow, Gojo loves it when you get deep and philosophical. It gives him a chance to talk about serious topics that he otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to.

He feels like he can be himself when he’s with you and that means a lot to him.

Please speak different languages around him! He thinks it’s so cool. He’s convinced you’re always flirting with him, even if he has no clue what you’re really saying.

Feel free to mess with him in this regard. Say the most random and unhinged things in a flirtatious enough tone and he’s flirting back.

You can also occasionally switch it up and say something actually romantic just to keep him on his toes. He loves it!

Look at me and tell me this man isn’t a fan of vocaloid/k-pop/j-pop. He’s got his favourite songs but is always open to recommendations. He enjoys being able to dance around with you to his heart’s content.

In Ninjago, I match you with...

Jay’s another one who is fascinated by your ability to speak several languages. I feel like he only speaks English, and a tiny bit of Spanish that he learnt in high school.

You may need to find someone else if you want to have a deep philosophical conversation that is more than one-sided. But Jay is happy to listen if you’re happy to ramble.

He does his best to keep up with the conversation and will occasionally say something so profound, you may need to take a minute.

Skating dates! Jay is absolutely a skateboarder and he’s so happy you are as well. He enjoys clearing his head by going skating with you, somewhere out of the way so fans don’t bother you.

He also enjoys watching YouTube with you. He doesn’t really mind what you watch; he gets invested in anything and everything.

Jay loves your figurine and stuffed animal collection. He thinks it’s really cool. I can see him as someone who has a figurine collection of his own so he likes comparing what you each have. He’ll pick up new figurines of you when he’s out and has the time.

In My Hero Academia, I match you with...

Denki is absolutely a fan of vocaloid/k-pop/j-pop. He loves that type of music so much, especially the upbeat songs he can dance to.

Say anything in a different language and Denki is going to think you’re the smartest person on the planet. And then he’s running what you said through Google Translate so he knows what you said. The results are always interesting���

Much like Jay, I see Denki as someone who enjoys skateboarding. He likes being able to do cool tricks to impress you. Just make sure you take some Band-Aids.

When you go on skating dates, you’ll usually end up at a cafe somewhere. Denki’s also a fan of boba and he’s slowly working his way through the entire menu at his favourite boba place.

Loves playing games with you. Whether it’s tabletop RPGs, video games, or board games in general, he doesn’t mind.

He has a preference towards video games, but honestly, as long as he gets to spend time with you and have fun, he’s happy with anything.

[operation-priority]

Tankiste on Leave

This is an impression of a French tank crewman on leave. One may see this uniform on tankiste who have been granted leave to get some much needed rest. The only military items permitted on leave was the basic light blue wool uniform, cloth headgear, and Étui-Musette Modèle 1892 for their personal belongings (sometimes belts and helmets can be seen as well). Weapons and other combat equipment would be left with the unit Quarter-Master. The sunglasses are based off a 1913 US patent, and while not a widespread item to have among the French populace, sunglasses existed during the time period and were worn by few.

The first display depicts the common tinwork and mess items one can see the Poilu using. We can see the two issued canteens in their wool covers intended to mask the shine of the tin. To the right of the canteens is a Bouthéon, or Camp Stew Pot, intended to carry soup rations for a section of soldiers. Four of these stew pots were issued to a squad and they could provide soup rations for four people. Despite the name, this tin was used for cooking and transporting soup as well as coffee and wine. The lid doubles as a pan with a protruding conical piece that accepts a wooden handle. When not in use it was to be worn at the back of the soldier's pack secured by the large load strap. A designated ration or soup carrier holding two of these tins as well as several bread bags and canteens sent to supply the frontline was a common sight to see.

Immediately below the Bouthéon is a Gamelle Modèle 1852, a mess kit issued to the individual soldier. This would be the main tin used for eating rations. It features a smaller pan that rests inside and a detachable handle that can be fixed to this pan. The lid of the mess kit is secured by a chain. This pan and handle are shown to the left of the gamelle. Inside the pan is a camping spoon and fork which was a common private purchase item at the time. Further to the left of this is an Opinel folding knife and standard issue can opener. The can opener was standard issue while the folding knife would be purchased in the civilian realm. Below these small kit items are canvas bags intended to hold dry rations. The double ration bags are intended to carry roasted coffee in one side and sugar in the other. The larger ration bag could carry bread or canned food. Immediately below the one liter canteen is the regulation cutlery. This included the spoon and fork while the tin plate was a common civilian model requisitioned for use within the Army.

The second display photo shows an example of contents within the Étui-Musette Modèle 1892 for this particular tankiste. These bread bags were intended to carry the soldier's rations and personal items. From the left to right we can see a pouch for glasses, an individual first aid kit, a handkerchief, a Double Toothed Comb, Lip Balm, Pocket Mirror, and assorted canvas bags. The double-sided comb was primarily to issued combat lice which would be a prevalent issue in the trenches. A nice pocket mirror is always good to have, this version protects the mirror in a wooden case. Other examples can be seen such as a simple round or rectangular model with metal backing issued in a canvas envelope.

The bottom left display photo shows more small kit items that could also be seen, with personal effects like a smoking pipe and trench watch, grooming items like the regulation razor and shaving items, toiletries like a toothbrush, and the standard issue sewing kit with scissors. Nothing much to be said here as it is universally understood as to why one would carry these items. Note however that the shaving kit and tooth care items were not standard issue and needed to be purchased separately by the soldier in military bazaars. The soldier's ID booklet and ID tags can also be seen. Every enlisted soldier would receive an identification booklet once they were incorporated into the military. It was to be carried at all times from the day of their incorporation into active service until discharge from the reserves. It would then have to be kept safe as a civilian in order to prove that they had completed their service obligations to the military. The booklet was to be worn on the soldier at all times. As a tankiste, the booklet would be carried within the interior breast pocket of the black leather motorist coat if this was worn. In all other cases it would be worn on the interior breast pocket of the wool tunic. It was often placed inside a wool or leather case in order to protect it from damage. The booklet contained everything to know about the soldier, from their mobilization class year, to their measurements and full name, to civil and military status including campaigns fought, awards, wounds, specializations, vaccinations, visa for military police, and much more.

The identification tags would be issued to all soldiers in order to properly identify their body when they died in battle. By the time of the AS, soldiers would often have two of these ID tags with one worn on the wrist via chain and the other worn around the neck secured by a spare boot lace. Other fashions and methods of wearing these tags would be seen as well. These are Plaque d’Identité Militaire Modèle 1915 variants specifically. The wearer's name and mobilization class year was stamped on one side with the recruitment region and recruitment number on the other side (the unstamped wrist tag is an original unissued example).

The bottom right display showcases various Artillerie Spéciale memorabilia. These are all post-war examples because the AS would get their due recognition in helping end the war in the years after the armistice. This was because after the war General Estienne and Louis Renault were heralded as war heroes who were able to take the military and civilian circles of the French bureaucracy and have them agree on the right path to take in regards to the creation of the French tank force and the doctrine of numerous light tanks swarming the enemy over the predominant idea of large landships. The Renault FT itself would be nicknamed 'Le Char de la Victoire' (The Victory Tank) because of the impact its use had in stopping the German Spring Offensive and their effectiveness in the battles leading to the end of the war. This nickname would make an appearance on medals awarded to factory workers who aided in constructing the Renault FT at the Billancourt factory. At the war’s end, France was in celebration after years of hardship and violence. As Louis Renault was awarded the Grand Cross of the Légion d’Honneur for his company’s contributions to the war effort, his workers were also given medals for their hard work in physically constructing the machines. This medal was commissioned and designed by the famous French sculptor Pierre Félix Masseau. His task was to create a medal that commemorated the successes of the Renault FT during the Great War. His design was 27 mm in diameter and featured a depiction of the Renault factory’s main product during the war: the Renault FT. The front of the medal depicted a Renault FT crushing the German Eagle with the caption “LE CHAR DE LA VICTOIRE. 1918” (The victory tank. 1918) above it. The back of the medal depicts the Renault Billancourt factory in a bird’s eye view. The maker’s mark is on the Renault FT side to the right of the tank. Three versions of the medal exist in gold, silver, and bronze. Silver versions feature the Boar’s Head poinçon denoting pure silver on the reverse along the integral loop. All versions feature the same design on the front and back and have the marking “Argent” on the rim of the medal. These medals would be offered to workers of the Renault Billancourt factory by the management after the armistice in 1918. Six original gold and bronze medals are presented here.

To the left of this is a 1919 Renault advertisement taken from a newspaper. From 1919 to 1923 Renault had changed its logo to the Renault FT as it had become their most famous product. It would appear on commercial tracked tractors and other Renault vehicles. Below this is a 1922 French Army pamphlet which outlines the unit organization and vehicle specifications of the Renault FT. And once again below this pamphlet is a photograph of 507e RAS operated Renault FT on parade in Wiesbaden, Germany, 1919, during the post-war occupation of the Rhine region. All AS units that were collectively awarded the Croix de Guerre after the war had the medal painted on the left front side of the turret on their FT inside the white geometrical shape of their company, sometimes bordered in red. We can faintly see the medal painted inside a white triangle on these tanks. To the right of this is an original May 1921 letter hand written by General Estienne himself. He is writing to a prominent American woman who asked what his opinion was on the American Tank Corps' performance during the Great War. Beside the letter is an original stamp and magazine cover from Le Pays de France depicting the French Father of the Tank. On the right we can see an original armistice handkerchief depicting the famous Canon de 75 modèle 1897. Immediately below this is a stereograph depicting AEF forces and their tanks fighting in the Ardennes in 1918. Placing this photo in a stereoscope would produce a 3D effect for the viewer.

These paper items are wrapped in museum-grade UV protective film. Here's hoping that they will survive in perfect condition status for another 100 years!

[iwaslisteningtotherain]

Dating thoughts that I am sharing here because I would never say them TO these people

What HAPPENED - how can you go from talking about Balzac and the "poetry of the bus station" and the joys of a difficult life of artistic fulfilment, in a faux-French cafe in Islington Green over nice wine (the 2nd and 3rd cheapest on the menu, but this isn't Spoons) to the next morning, acting like you can't get away from me fast enough? And ever since, silence. It's not even as if my ego is particularly bruised - It's just that I'm confused. I thought you were so romantic and different. For God's sake, you're a French violinist who travels around all the time playing music, with only what you can fit in your backpack + a book in each pocket. Don't tell me you're just a standard-issue fuckboy, in it for the sex with no consideration or sensitivity for my feelings like oh I don't know, 99% of other men. I mean like... on the first date you literally started shaking when you held me close for the first time, you held my hand to your heart to show how hard it was beating. And then you get what you want and... did you not want it so much after all, or did you lose interest after you got it, was the romantic act all put on to get me into bed, or was the sex disappointing? (OMG, am I not good in bed????????? Is it that I'm a bit fat????????) Because it was disappointing for me, actually, I hope you know (if my bedroom skills were poor, it's just that I lacked proper inspiration). But, but, were you just a mediocre, standard-issue fuckboy all along? That's my main issue with you - the thought that I got you wrong. Certainly the regard I had for you has evaporated, and I say that honestly - not as a woman scorned. It's the lack of consideration, the lack of maturity, the lack of consistency, it's not masculine.

You came on waaaaaaay too strong when we first met (and for some time after) and it was pretty repellent - but with some time apart, and now you seem to be playing it a bit cooler... well, on Saturday when I thought I may not see you again, or that you might approach someone else, I didn't like that idea at all, and when you messaged me the next day I was pretty stoked. I have butterflies for seeing you again, which is unexpected. And I have to say... what qualities are really important in a man? I like that you walk me to the station and message me to make sure I got home safe, you always let me walk through the door first, you noticed I ran out of butter for my bread roll and got me some more. What is more important in a husband, than these little acts of kindness and generosity? Everyone seems to have nice things to say about you.

[little-fairy-forest]

1.5k event!

More info below!

Rules :

• Choose any 2 of the prompts (Menu) below, e.g. chocolate cake and garlic bread , I will write the corresponding prompt sentence within your fic

• Add your character of choice ( no character x character)

• Tell me the genre e.g. fluff, angst, romantic, platonic, etc

• Tell me the AU you want e.g. quirkless AU, royal AU, college AU etc

• Please look at my rules for stuff I do not write about here

• Only able to apply for 1 fic as there are limited spaces,

• Please be patient!

Menu for the garden party

Would you like :

Table for two? (Short drabble >500) 1/4

Exclusive booth? (Drabble <500) 0/6

Private balcony? (Mini fic <700) 3/3

Starters

• Garlic bread : "Neither of us are ready, and thats okay"

• Spring rolls : " I deserve so much more than you, your holding me back"

• Caesar salad : "I did it because I had to...not because I wanted to"

• French onion soup : "I'll always chose them, because they always chose me"

• Vegetable soup : "I still need you"

• Calamari : "it was never your fault"

• Stuffed mushrooms : "just let me go, it's better this way"

• bread sticks : "I've always loved them, even when we were together..."

• king prawns : "Don't cry, I hate it when you cry"

• Smoked salmon : "just prented to love me, just once!"

Main course

Pizza : "is that my hoodie?" "Our hoodie"

Cheese burger : " can we stay like this forever?" "No my arms hurts"

Lasagne : " babe, can you please shut the fuck up?"

Steak and chips : "Love you to the moon and back" "only once?"

Kebabs : "I love you" "who doesn't"

Butter chicken : "I saw that! You checked my ass out!"

Sea food boil : "sorry? I didn't understand, I don't speak bullshit"

Spaghetti carbonara : "I got your nose!" "Well I got your virginity!"

Chicken wings : "I hope both sides of your pillow are warm"

Katsu chicken curry : "I can't tell if you need a hug, some wine or kick up the ass"

Dessert

Chocolate cake : "good night, sweet dreams"

Lemon cheesecake : "love you to the moon and back"

Truffles : "Imagine me and you dating..." "I do it all the time"

Ice-cream : "shhh and go back to bed"

Chocolate moose: "it will always be you...It had always been you"

Apple pie : "touch *pronoun* and your dead!"

Fudge brownies : "your blushing" "no.. it's just warm in here"

Tiramisu : "stop smiling...it's making my chest hurt" "your in love (character)" "no I'm still in denial dumbass"

Baklava : "I love you so much" "more than (character)?" "..maybe"

Cannoli : "having love for someone and being in love with someone arw two different things

Thank you for taking part!

No set schedule for when they are posted, but it will be as soon as I can as I'm a fulltime student ❣️

[frenchxie]

@scrletscarab​

It was technically bad business to save the good stuff for friends when you owned a restaurant. Jean-Paul actually ended up enjoying running this business, even though it stared as a simple cover for the rest of his life. Italian food would always be a lovely thing to be surrounded by. Plus, he would never get over the looks on customer’s faces when they asked to compliment the owner, and were thanked by a man with a heavy French accent. It would never get old.

Another perk of being the owner: he could close it whenever the hell he wanted to. It was successful enough to stay stable while keeping with his personal schedule.

Today it was closed. The blinds were pulled down over the front windows and door, but the lights inside were warm. Two people occupied the entire building: Jean-Paul and Layla.

Yes, she had married the man he loved. That simple fact left room for resentment and jealousy but he had none. There was never going to be anything between him and Marc— he had come to terms with that early on. And the more he got to know Layla, the more he adored her. She was a true friend. And Marc wasn’t the only one affected by the mess Frenchie had broken them out of.

The only sounds came from him as he moved effortlessly around the kitchen. While the bread spent some time warming up in the oven, he picked out a bottle of wine. A few minutes later he entered the main room carrying a basket of warm sliced bread, the wine, and two glasses.

Once he got to Layla he sat everything down and poured her glass first. He looked to her, smiling softly, and slid the glass over to her. “I’m glad you stopped by.” He sat down after pouring his own glass. “We haven’t spoken since we left Pleasant Hill. I wanted to see how you are doing.”

[hejscandinavia]

Hey everyone! Classes for session two finished so now I’m going to recap the past two weeks! Get ready for a post dump haha. For my study tour, I’m going to have a post per day because there was so much to see!

Well I’ll start with Sunday arrival in Svalbard! It was so cool to walk out of the airport! Mountains were everywhere surrounding this giant lake. The lake is a crystal clear electric blue with hints of green as it gets closer to shore. The tops of the mountains have several patches of snow. Most of the time it was between 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. We first walked out to the main sign outside. It is a pole giving directions to different big cities around the globe. Right beneath, a polar bear watch sign. These things are everywhere AND I LOVE IT. I got so much merch with it on. 

After loading up the bus, we drove to the Seed Vault. Yes, THE seed vault, where most crop seeds are stored in cause of a natural disaster! We aren’t able to go inside, but we got to walk near it. It looked a lot smaller outside. My favorite part about the building is the top part reflects the northern lights due to its glass shard design! 

After taking so many photos, we went to unpack at the Coal Miners Hotel. It’s called this because the coal miners on Svalbard used to live there. Who could have guessed. I stayed with Ava on the second floor. Its was pretty good. It had two doors, with soft robes, a sink, a closet, and our beds. Our beds were SO soft. 

We then had 2 hours to just roam around. The main thing was head to the “city” center to go shopping. It’s a 20 minute walk on one road. You can’t get lost. The most annoying part was it would seem so much shorter because there are no trees, but it does take 20 minutes. 

Already on the walk we started to see wildlife such as barnacle geese and REINDEER! You are guaranteed to see them, at least one a day. They are so much shorter than what I imaged. They are the size of medium sized dogs. There were shedding their winter coat so they were a mix of light grey/cream and light brown. They had felt on their antlers and dark circles around their eyes. 

So began souvenir shopping. So many things to buy! I ended up purchasing stuff more so for my feet. I’ve been getting really bad blisters on my feet when I wear my hiking shoes. I didn’t know what to get and we didn’t know if we were going to be shopping before the flight. So I purchased some leather/wool gloves, a patch, a sticker, a head band, and a key chain. We also went to Husky Cafe. It was super cute with, yes huskies!!! I had a poppy seed cake with tea.

After shopping, we took the bus to Camp Barentz. It is a recreated cabin of William Barentz��s crew, the first known people to arrive in Svalbard and survive a winter without previous training. We had two speakers, a French man and a German women in their late twenties. The French man was the main speaker who talked about William Barentz’s crew. During the late 1500s, the King of the Netherlands wanted to find a quicker route to Asia. He sent a group of men to go do that but had to bring back gifts from Asia. Even though the men had roughed several months in the polar night and found a new land with many minerals, the King put them in jail because they didn’t meet the requirements. 

We then learned about polar bears and how to protect yourself in Svalbard. The main thing is to avoid being with a polar bear in the first place such as going out in high visibility and making loud noises to scare them off.

We learn all this over a lovely meal! We had drinks including a shot of liquor traditionally given to new comers to the island. I also got a glass of white wine. Over the fire, the German women made reindeer soup. It was really good! It’s supposed to be based off a dish created by the Sami. With it we had the best bread and butter. After that, we had polar brownies. Which means double sugar, double butter, double everything to increase the fat for winter. It was very dense but very good. Lastly, we could have either a berry drink or Svalbard coffee. They put hot coffee over the fire and dunk a BURNING LOG into it. Well it was smoky haha.

We left at 10:00 pm and it still looked like 12:00 pm. Finally, we crashed out of our rooms for the next day of hiking.

[thatonefoodblogger]

They got me. I'm a sucker for well-placed sponsored restaurants.

On the best of days, I find OpenTable to be full of local eateries trying to make their way out of the Google-Sphäre and onto your nearest device with an app store. On the worst days...the dreaded *chain restaurant* sneaks into your list of recommended places, masquerading as the best icon of the cultural zeitgeist of the area.

Damn you Olive Garden!

Ok. Don't get me wrong, I love unlimited bread sticks and soup as much as the next guy, but sometimes I want (well, most times I want) that one place nearby that represents the area with their food. And, most times, places like that need this little thing called a

Reservation

Que OpenTable and their terrible way of getting a ducking map of restaurants you want to look at. But, I digress.

Tonight, (yesternight, last year...whatever) I found myself regretting my OpenTable reservation at Saltine. I saw their website long after I'd made the reservation and hopped in the Uber, "Oh no," I thought, "A hotel restaurant that looks to be on the precipice of franchissement."

But, my little tidbiters, this is a classic case of "Judging a Book by its cover". Or, more accurately, its dustcover. While the website would indicate a chain or 'Saltine's (and the location being conspicuously across the lobby of a Hilton), it's architecture and decor is my favorite blend of sea-shanty and art deco. Old photos of ocean-going vessels and catches-of-the-days are a perfect pairing to the crap-soup. My French 75 was a bitter and slightly salty take on the drink I judge almost any cocktail bar upon, but suited the aperitif-ness I was looking for.

The main course? Recommended by my waitress the crab cakes and succotash were delicious, though my waitress continued to reassure me that the succotash could be removed (do people not eat succotash in Virginia???), I greatly enjoyed my chosen wine pairing of "Fritz Zimmer Spätlese Riesling" (3.8/5), though I can imagine it might have been a bit too honey-sweet for the true connoisseur.

Then there was the dessert - a simple chocolate tart. I was slightly disappointed at the choices (nothing wrong with them, but I am particular with my desserts), but I was sure the tart would satisfy my sugar requirments. Now is when I admit something you all will hate me for - I'm not really a fruit on my (or as my) dessert guy. The candied bits of (what I think was) tangerine we're just not what I enjoy. The chocolate tart and the cream were lovely, the candied fruit pieces tasted, for lack of a better word, stale. Still. Sugar-quota accomplished.

In the end, Saltine was a lovely escape, though a somewhat, "modern" or "safe" one. It is nestled in the downtown area and, if you aren't having to go to the shipyard like me, is probably worth the trip. Would I eat there again? Absolutely. Would I look for another place the next time I'm around this area? Also yes.

The problem with Saltine is its comfort. Traveling in for a day got me to go in just the same as anyone staying at the hotel it's attached to: Saltine is close, produces good food, and is a safe bet on a night when you don't have time to hit a McDonald's after an unsatisfying meal.

Saltine - you were great, but you're my safety net. Never change...unless you want to experiment a little more. Then, like almost anything in the bedroom, I'm so down to try out whatever it is you come up with.

4.1/5

[thehungrykat1]

Old Manila at The Peninsula Manila Reopens with a New Chef and a New Menu

The Peninsula Manila will always be a place close to my heart because this is where we held our church wedding reception last year after holding out for two years due to the pandemic. During this period, some of its restaurants had to keep closing and reopening because of the various restrictions being imposed. But one restaurant in particular was always on our mind because it remained closed from 2020 to 2022. Thankfully, Old Manila has finally reopened this 2023, showing off a brand new chef with a brand new menu to highlight its rebirth.

Old Manila is located on the ground floor of The Peninsula Manila’s Ayala Tower. This is a more private area within the hotel just past the very popular and busy lobby lounge where most of the Christmas activities are being held. The Hungry Kat was invited last week to rediscover the charm of Old Manila and to taste the wonderful flavors of their new menu.

Accented in art deco-inspired geometric patterns in gray, cream and black, and complemented by large-scale photographs by Filipino-Spanish photographer Francisco Guerrero, the contemporary interiors of Old Manila are the perfect backdrop for its unmatched bistronomy and grill menu and the extensive wine selection inside The Peninsula Manila’s 47-year-old signature restaurant.

Old Manila has served as an exquisite meeting place for the refined dining crowd of Metro Manila. Aside from the main dining hall, they also have semi private areas for small groups and families.

Our lovely dinner that evening was hosted by Mariano Garchitorena, The Peninsula Manila’s Director of Public Relations. We were also having dinner together with the Koppes who are always fun and entertaining companions.

The new chef at the helm of Old Manila is the talented French Chef de Cuisine Gaël Kubler who brings a new culinary flair to this iconic restaurant. He explained how he is learning more about the Filipino palate during his three months in the country and he is continuing to develop new dishes and ideas for Old Manila.

For tonight, Chef Gaël will be bringing out some of the most popular items on Old Manila’s new menu. We started with a choice of breads accompanied by rum raisin butter. This pair alone gave us a tasty preview of what else is to come.

We were also given an amuse bouche consisting of Tartare and Eggplant Caviar. The tartare was a delightful mix of flavors while the eggplant caviar was a surprise with its creamy texture.

Here are a few of the special appetizers on the menu. The Fresh Irish Gallagher Oysters (P1,690) look like they were just plucked from the ocean. These high-quality imported oysters are served with red wine and shallot mignonette.

The colorful Ahi Tuna Carpaccio (P1,490) comes with raw tuna prepared with calamansi gel, pickled mango, ginger oil and coconut dressing. This is a good starter that can be shared with the group.

What really blew me and everyone away was the Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute (P1,290). This is honestly one of the best soups I have ever tasted. The creamy and very fragrant broth is made with guanciale, hazelnut, and truffle. You can taste the truffle flavors balanced with the creamy ingredients which make it such a heavenly bowl.

For the main courses, you can choose something light like the Green Asparagus Risotto (P1,790). This is made with amaretto, roasted pistachio, pancetta, and Parmesan.

Another optoin is the Tasmanian Salmon (P2,690) with cauliflower puree, herb oil, and iodized sauce. This is what Chiara ordered, something simple yet elegant that even kids will enjoy.

There's also the Atlantic Turbot (P2,890) with its delightful combination of prawns, oyster mushroom, bok choi, potato, and ginger beurre blanc,

I ordered the Tournedos Rossini (P3,190) simply because I love anything with steak and foie gras. This has a thick cut of black opal wagyu topped with a luscious duck foie gras on a brioche bun and served with truffle mash on the side. The combination was just perfect with the tender wagyu giving way to the delicate but generous slice of foie gras.

Look at how big these Jumbo Tiger Prawns (P2,890) are! These are three huge pieces of juicy tiger prawns cooked fresh off the grill. You can have a full dinner with just these prawns.

But the highlight of our dinner at Old Manila is definitely the Jack's Creek Wagyu Tomahawk MB5 Steak (P11,990). This is a 1.2 kilogram wagyu steak cooked with its bone gloriously hanging by the side.

The steak was cooked perfectly medium, giving it a juicy and tender texture. The flavors of the beef were highlighted with every bite. All items from the grill come with your choice of sauce including bearnaise, red wine, green peppercorn, and ginger beurre blanc.

It also comes with two side dishes like the Grilled Green Asparagus with dill dijonnaise and fried leeks. You can also choose the Coconut Fried Rice with green curry, calamansi, and red chili.

The Dessert selection at Old Manila (P690 each) is also not to be missed. The Banana and Toffee comes with tuile, crémeux, and rum raisin ice cream.

There’s also the Pear and Hazelnut with spiced moscato, sponge, and salted caramel ice cream. All the dessert items look quite elegant with their presentation.

The Lime, Basil, and Strawberry come with sorbet, berries gel, and lemon crumble. Everyone’s favorite dessert turned out to be the Chocolate and Raspberry with fondant, ganache, and coulis. It was shaped and presented like a tree with soil and branches which makes it quite a popular item for photos.

We would like to thank Mr. Garch and Ms. Grace of The Peninsula Manila for hosting our fantastic dinner at Old Manila. We’re so happy that this dining institution in Makati is finally open once again to give the well-discerned foodies of Manila another venue to explore these culinary offerings. See you at The Pen soon!

Old Manila

Ground Level, The Peninsula Manila, Ayala Avenue corner and Makati Avenue, Makati City

8887-2888

www.peninsula.com/manila

www.facebook.com/ThePeninsulaManila

[heybergerthibaut]

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON RECIPE

Boeuf Bourguignon, a treasure of French cuisine, embodies the very essence of rich, comforting gastronomy. Originating in the Burgundy region of France, this iconic dish is a celebration of simple ingredients and complex flavors. Let's discover together the classic recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon, as well as three creative variations, accompanied by suggestions for accompaniments and a selection of exquisite wines to complete this culinary experience.

Classic Beef Bourguignon recipe

Ingredients:

1.5 kg beef (cut into pieces)

200g smoked bacon

250g button mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)

3 carrots (peeled and thickly sliced)

2 onions (thinly sliced)

4 garlic cloves (crushed)

750 ml red wine (preferably Pinot Noir)

500 ml beef stock

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 bay leaves

Fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Butter

Instructions:

Season the meat with salt and pepper, then brown in a casserole dish with olive oil. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, brown the lardons until golden. Add the onions, carrots and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.

Add the flour and mix well to form a roux.

Pour in the red wine, beef stock and tomato paste. Add the meat, garlic, thyme and bay leaves.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat for 2-3 hours, until the meat is tender.

At the end of cooking, adjust the seasoning to taste and serve hot.

Creative variations

Beef Bourguignon with Caramelized Shallots: Add caramelized shallots for a subtle sweetness that blends perfectly with the richness of the sauce.

Beef Bourguignon with White Wine: Use white wine instead of red for a lighter, more delicate version of the traditional dish.

Beef Bourguignon with Root Vegetables: Incorporate root vegetables such as parsnips and celeriac for a rustic, earthy variation.

Accompaniment Ideas

Homemade potato purée: A creamy purée to soak up the delicious sauce.

Fresh tagliatelle: Fresh pasta is perfect for capturing

every drop of sauce.

Gratin dauphinois: Oven-baked sliced potatoes with cream and garlic.

Haricots Verts Sautés à l'Ail: Crisp green beans with a touch of garlic.

Pain de campagne: A slice of rustic bread to top the sauce.

Green Salad with Walnuts: A light, crunchy salad to balance the richness of the main course.

Mushroom Sauces: Mushrooms sautéed in a butter sauce to intensify the flavors.

Our Wine Selection

Château de Pommard, Clos Marey-Monge, Pommard

Domaine Faiveley, Nuits-Saint-Georges

Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin

Joseph Drouhin, Beaune Clos des Mouches

Bouchard Père & Fils, Volnay

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche

Château Margaux, Margaux

Château Latour, Pauillac

Domaine Leroy, Richebourg

Domaine Armand Rousseau, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze

Conclusion

Boeuf Bourguignon, a mainstay of French cuisine, offers a culinary experience that evokes both the warmth of home and the elegance of shared meals. Whether you opt for the classic recipe, a creative variation or one of the suggested accompaniments, don't forget to complement this feast with a refined wine for a complete taste experience. Let this dish become an ode to conviviality, tradition and the love of good French cuisine. Bon appétit!

#apero

#easyrecipes

#gourmets

#recettedujour

#gourmands

#ideesrecettes

#cuisinesaine

#cuisinepascher

#recettefacileetrapide

[brookpub]

Classic Pub Food Around the World | Best Pub Food in Cambridge

Classic Pub Food: A Culinary Tradition with Timeless Appeal:

The term "classic pub food" is used to describe the traditional fare served at bars and taverns. Dishes of this type tend to be warm, reassuring, and occasionally decadent, making them ideal for the relaxed setting of a bar. While regional variations in the dishes themselves are to be expected, classic pub fare is universally recognised for having certain defining features.

Characteristics of Pub Food:

Warming and Satisfying: 

Traditional pub fare is satiating and filling, perfect for a night out on the town. These meals are typically hearty and calorie-dense, perfect for refuelling diners at parties or after a long day.

Comforting Flavours: 

The timeless flavours of traditional pub fare are a major draw for many diners. Meat, potatoes, cheese, and bread are common components, often cooked in ways that are comforting and reminiscent of simpler times.

Shareable: 

It's common practise to enjoy many traditional pub dishes as a group. Pubs are great places to meet new people because of the community atmosphere that fosters conversation and friendship.

Good Companion for a Cocktail: 

Traditional pub fare is designed to go well with everything from beer and cider to whisky and wine. These foods are commonly served at bars since their flavours complement the alcohol offered there.

The Significance of Traditional Pub Fare:

Importance in Culture: 

Classic pub food is strongly connected with the culture and history of the regions in which it originates. These recipes have been passed down through the centuries, keeping local cuisine and culture alive.

Convivial Ambience: 

Pubs are more than just watering holes; they are lively meeting places for locals. Traditional pub fare is essential to establishing a comfortable setting ideal for socialising and making new friends.

Effect on the Economy: 

Taverns and bars have been vital to local economies for a long time.     sales are a major source of income for bars and restaurants, helping to maintain and create jobs in the service sector.

Attraction to Visitors: 

Traditional pub fare is becoming a major draw for visitors. Pubs play an important role in the tourism business because travellers often seek out regional fare at them.

Adaptability: 

Traditional fare from pubs has evolved tremendously throughout time. While it retains its traditional roots, it has also developed to meet the demands of modern diners' tastes and diets.

Certainly! These international pub dishes are popular:

United States

Pub Food: Buffalo Wings

Buffalo wings are the classic American pub snack. Deep-fried chicken wings are covered in a spicy buffalo sauce mixed with hot sauce, butter, and seasonings. They usually come with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

The UK

Pub Food: Fish and Chips

British pub food fish and chips dates back to the early 19th century. It's battered and deep-fried cod or haddock served with thick-cut fries. Beer batter gives the dish a crunchy texture and a harsh taste. Mushy peas and tartar sauce accompany fish and chips, creating a delicious contrast of flavours and textures. This pub favourite shows British enthusiasm for deep-fried comfort food.

Germany

Pub food: Currywurst

The currywurst is a typical German pub food. It's made with curry-flavored ketchup sauce and curry powder, and it's topped with sliced bratwurst sausages. French fries or rolls are common accompaniments.

France

Pub Food: Croque-Monsieur

A traditional French bar sandwich, the Croque-Monsieur is described here. Crusty bread is used to create this sandwich filled with gammon and gruyère cheese. When the cheese is melted and bubbling, toast the sandwich or bake it. Béchamel sauce is an option for serving on top.

Mexico

Pub Food: Nachos

Nachos, a bar food with Mexican roots, are described here. Tortilla chips are the main ingredient, and they're typically served with melted cheese, jalapeo peppers, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Ground beef or chicken with seasonings is another common addition to these dishes.

Japan

Public Food : Yakitori

Yakitori, which originate from Japan, are grilled chicken skewers. The chicken pieces, often marinated in a savoury marinade, are skewered and roasted over charcoal or an open flame. The finished product is a juicy, savoury, and smokey chicken dish.

Spain

Pub Food: Patatas Bravas

Typical of Spanish bars, Patatas Bravas are a delicious potato dish. They are fried potato chunks that are served with an aioli and a spicy tomato sauce. The tangy sauces are a welcome counterpoint to the crispiness of the potatoes.

India

Pub food: Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka is a popular dish in Indian restaurants and pubs; it consists of skewered chunks of chicken that have been marinated and grilled or roasted in a tandoor oven. The chicken is tasty and little spicy due to the marinade, which commonly consists of yoghurt and spices. Naan bread or rice are common accompaniments.

Australia

Pub food: meat pie

The Australian beef pie is a well-known dish in Australia. It's a baked good consisting of a pastry case stuffed with ground meat (often beef), gravy, and occasionally vegetables. Tomato sauce (ketchup) is a common condiment served alongside these portable pies.

Thailand

Pub Food: Thai Spring Rolls

Thai spring rolls, also known as "por pia tod," are a common bar snack in Thailand. These spring rolls are served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce and normally contain a variety of veggies and sometimes prawns or minced pork.

Conclusion:

Pub eats from all over the world are an essential component of the international drinking culture because they showcase the varied culinary traditions and flavours that characterise each country.

To sum up, traditional pub fare is more than simply a dish; it embodies the very best of what it means to gather with friends and family over good food and drink. Its ability to evoke feelings of warmth and familiarity is universal, making it a prized and significant part of the world's cuisine. Whether it's fish and chips in the United Kingdom, buffalo wings in the United States, or tapas in Spain, traditional pub fare has a way of bringing people together and inspiring a sense of nostalgia and community that keeps people coming back for more.

We at the Brook Pub near Mill Road, Cambridge, serve some of the best pub food, starting from starters, main courses and desserts. Our food is prepared fresh from local ingredients. Our relationship with our customers is amicable, and we always guide them to understand our menu and what drinks to pair with the food. 

Apart from food and drinks, we also host Live music nights, Open mic nights and Karaoke nights for entertainment. Open mic and Live music are famous around our community as more students live near Cambridge University. So, visit us if you want good food, drinks, music and friends.