#oh its secret staycation

[ryuseitai]

this roblo x game where ur a food in a hosue adnu look for other foods is so cute and fun what the

[squishneedsahero]

Yes

Awesomest of Them All 2.0

Part 5 of 13

Word Count: 1284

Batman x Batmom!Reader

You know what the bat family needs? Someone to pull them together and give them all the love they deserve. Who better to do that than you? An author rising to stardom in Gotham who catches the eye of a billionaire with your standoffish attitude at a huge social gathering. You are yourself and never pretend to be more or less than that. Plus you're the most stubborn person in the world, refusing to let good things go without reason.

This is a rewrite of my story Awesomest of Them All, I wanted to see how much I've improved over 3 years.

"I love you," you say snuggling into Bruce's side.

"I know," Bruce says kissing your forehead.

"Did you just-"

"Yes I did just quote Star Wars," he says running his fingers through your hair and turning back to the movie. The two of you were having a movie night because Dick was spending the night at Wally's and Alfred was on his one vacation a year. The two of you are marathoning all eight Harry Potter movies since last time you had marathoned Star Wars. The most important part of all of this being the fact that you had stolen his shirt and sweatpants to wear and the two of you hadn't eaten anything except takeout for nearly 3 days straight.

His phone buzzes, "You gonna get that? I don't mind," you say, knowing it could be important.

"It's not anyone important," he says, ignoring the text.

"Alright, if you're sure..." you trail off, a little confused as it had been going off every fifteen minutes without fail only for him to ignore it every time.

He smiles and pulls you closer to him, "I'm sure my dear."

You wake up when you feel Bruce move next to you. You had fallen asleep near the end of the seventh movie, and woke up now in time to watch the epilogue. "You awake?" Bruce whispers, and you nod wrapping your arm around him and lean your head into his shoulder. "I love you," Bruce says, leaning his head on top of yours.

"I love you too," you say as the credits begin to roll, "So now what?" You ask, rolling over to face him.

"How about a walk?" He asks, but doesn't give you much of a choice as he is already standing up with you bridal style in his arms.

"Okay," you smirk, then reach up and kiss his jaw, loving the feeling of him holding you tightly in his arms.

He takes you out to the garden where he puts you down to stand in the grass. "What are we doing?" You ask.

"We're taking a walk, like we used too when we would sneak out at all those galas," he responds gently, taking your hand as he does so.

"Alright..." you trail off, even more confused but still going with it. You hear his phone buzz again, alerting you that another 15 minutes have passed.

Eventually he stops beneath the drooping branches of  the willow tree, where he lets go of your hand and takes a step back. He reaches one hand into the pocket of his sweatpants. He pulls something out of the pocket, but its to dark for you to see what it is. You blink, and when you open your eyes again he's down on one knee looking up at you.

Your hands go to your mouth, "Bruce," you whisper.

"Y/n l/n, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Bruce asks, holding up and opening a black velvet ring box.

You nod, and make some sort of high pitched winning noise, unable to get any words out. You swallow and catch your breath, "Yes!" You practically shout, when you're finally able to speak. You lunge at him, wrapping your arms around him and knocking him back into the grass, "Yes," you say quieter,  kissing him. You pull back to look at him, and he has the biggest grin you've ever seen on his face.

"I love you (y/n)," he says kissing you, and slipping the beautiful diamond ring on your finger.

"I love you too," you say kissing him again. The both of you keep lying in the grass, making out, in your sweatpants and pajama shirts until Bruce's phone goes off again.

"I should probably get that now," he says pulling the phone out of his other pocket.

"Okay... who is it?" You ask sitting up to look at him.

"Dick," Bruce says texting Dick back.

You laugh, "of course it is, is he worried you chickened out?" You tease.

"No, just impatient as ever..." he pauses before asking, "can I see your hand, to send him a picture so he believes me?"

"Yeah," you laugh,  holding it out to him. He takes your hand in his and takes a picture with the ring showing.

Bruce sends the picture then puts his phone back in his pocket as you laugh at the small boy's antics.

"I love you," you say gently and roll over to lay on top of him.

"I love you too, thank you for not letting go when I tried too," Bruce says gently as he then pulls you into a kiss.

You laugh gently, "you're the one who's not letting that go, huh? I thought I'd be the one holding it over your head."

He smiles, "no I was an idiot back then."

"Back then? It was three months ago Bruce!" You laugh loudly and kiss him again before laying on his chest. "So, as much as I love you and love it out here... how would you feel about moving this back inside... perhaps to the bedroom?" You as quietly.

"You need only ask my love," he says sitting up and taking you in his arms with him as he does so. It's effortless for him and your heart flutters in your chest. How did you little nobody y/n l/n get so lucky?

Needless to say he easily carries you inside to your bedroom, since you had moved in within a week of him telling you his secret. He lays you down on the bed and he gets on top of you. They two of you can't get enough of one another, kissing, cuddling and loving all night long. He takes care of you and you take care of him.

That whole night and the next two days are spent together in a little staycation. There's lots of sex, more sex than normally because you are the only two in the entire manor. It's perfect.

At the end of the week the two of you find yourselves wearing pajama pants and robes, to hide all the bumps and bruises you'd given each other, to welcome Dick and Alfred home. In your four years of dating Bruce, Alfred had become like a father to you. Then there was Dick, the only 13 year old in the world you would do anything for.

Alfred is more quiet about his congratulations, welcoming you to the family and giving you one of his rare hugs. Well, his hugs weren't rare, but he usually hugged you when you were the only person around. It was a sign of affection reserved for special occasions and private moments.

Dick on the other hand is ecstatic, practically bouncing off the walls. His questions are all over the place. "I get to dress as a bear to be the ring bearer, right?" And "can I call you mom?" "Oh! Does this mean you could adopt me too?!" Alongside a million other ideas.

You can only laugh and hug him tightly as you tell him, yes, he can call you mom. It wasn't as if you had caught him almost doing so on multiple occasions and each time told him it was alright, but no it wasn't until now he felt able to call you mom. But yeah, him asking such an innocent question is what get you crying, gods above you loved your family so much.

This was your family and it was small but it was perfect. You all had each other and no one was missing, just the four of you as close as can be. Nothing in the world would make you want to let go.

[everwitch-magiks]

RWRB Fics Roundup

Hey y’all! Once upon a time I had the ambition to post links on here to all the fics and new chapters that I publish on AO3, and I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been an absolute disaster at that over the summer. In my defense I’ve just had so much to write, but that’s not much of a defense seeing as it doesn’t take ages to chuck a link on here. Anyhow. Bottom line is, I’ve severely neglected it, and it’s gotten to a point where I’m just gonna make a post with links to everything I’ve written since June (ish) for you to peruse, so you can see if there’s one that you didn’t catch wind of that catches your eye now. Neat, huh?

So, without further ado, the links! The fics! Let’s go.

Completed works

Love At First Bark General Audiences, AU, tooth-rotting fluff. 3K. “I still don’t know your name, do I?” Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate. “It’s David,” Henry supplies. “Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?” Henry blinks at him. “... David?” “What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.” Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

Shameless Explicit, AU, Henry has a reputation. 14K. Henry has a lot of sex. A lot. He's young and in college and there is no shortage of men to fall in bed with. What better time to explore what he likes and what he fucking loves, as well as to catalogue how to make his many, many partners feel as good as possible? It’s all part of the learning experience. And Henry is a very dedicated student.

Alex has been inescapably aware of Henry ever since that one time they kissed. You don’t just stop being aware of the guy who basically caused your sexuality. So when Henry propositions Alex at a lame frat party, Alex accepts eagerly. Maybe this is exactly what he needs. Maybe, if he can just have Henry once, he’ll have a better chance of finally getting over his embarrassing fixation with Henry. It's worth a try.

When The Time Is Right Part four of my sex club series. Explicit, AU, dom Henry and sub Alex. 16K. “Maybe I could challenge you more,” Henry suggests, his eyes carefully trained on Alex. “And hold you accountable for longer. How does that sound?” “That sounds fucking amazing,” Alex tells him, the words coming out in a rush. “Yes. That. Please.” “Alright, then.” Henry offers him a sly grin. “Alex, love. You just gave me a wonderful idea.” It’s really something, how quickly Alex’s heartbeat picks up. “Oh? Do tell.” Henry’s grin widens. He looks alarmingly pleased with himself. “How would you feel about a staycation?”

When Alex asks Henry for something a little more intense in the bedroom, they end up taking more than just their sex life to the next level.

Out For A Bite Explicit, AU, suspense and supernatural elements. 3K. Henry's eyes fly up, zeroing in on the reflection in the mirror. There, behind him. The man from the bar. He looks different in the fluorescent bathroom lights. Sharper. There’s a look in his eyes that has Henry shivering all over again. It's greedy. Hungry.

He’s staring right at Henry.

Henry's throat feels dry. His heart beats madly. He's heard whispers of this place, and more importantly of its patrons. He thinks he knows what this man is.

ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn’t have fallen in love with) Explicit, AU, Alex and Henry in DIY Punk & mainstream pop punk, respectively. 34K. Teenage music sensation Kensington have taken the world by storm. With their cool leather jackets and wickedly distorted guitars, they're a pop duo that packs a punch. Or at least they sound like one—their lyrics unfortunately lack any semblance of depth. Alex can't fucking stand Kensington. But thankfully, he doesn’t have to. He’s not likely to cross paths with those British pop losers during his final semester of high school in Texas. And even if he did, he'd never let some stupidly attractive blonde take his focus away from the goal that Alex has worked towards for years: winning the Austin Band Slam with his latino punk trio.

But when Henry comes crashing into Alex's life, with his intriguing piano pieces and piercing blue eyes and slow, purposeful kisses that make Alex burn with want, Alex finds that he might need to reevaluate his stance on both pop losers and distractions. Or maybe not. Maybe he’s better off keeping Henry at arm's length, since it's so painfully evident that Henry will never love him back.

Never Tell Me The Odds Teen and Up Audiences, canon verse, an outside perspective on First Prince as well as a story about a certain Star Wars mural. 2K. "Wait!" Alex yells up to the driver. "Stop! Stop the car!" Up close, it's beautiful. Two stories tall. He can’t imagine how somebody was able to put together something like this so fast.

Ash had never imagined that they'd get the chance to actually meet Alex Claremont-Diaz, and much less get the chance to tell Alex about how that very special Star Wars mural came to be. Although of course, Ash never would have met Alex if it hadn’t been for Farida. Farida and her bold courage, and her warm compassion, and her sometimes infuriating (but always endearing) stubbornness.

yrs. faithfully (with nowhere to go) Explicit, canon verse, a lazy morning in bed leads to something more. 3K. When Alex and Henry wake up together the day before their anniversary, they're genuinely planning on getting out of bed and spending the day as productive members or society. Truly, their intentions are honorable. But a trip down memory lane gets them reminiscing about that night exactly one year ago, when Alex had come running through the rain to deliver some choice words about obtuse fucking assholes.

As Alex and Henry start to relive the memory, they quickly realize that they both remember it intimately. So intimately that they might be able to pull off something of a do-over.

Gadgets and Gizmos A-Plenty A companion piece to dearest Hattie’s soulmate fic. Mature, AU, a look into Henry buying sex toys. Yes. That’s the fic. 2K. There’s a bunch of regulars that Amir knows by name (and, unavoidably, by kinks), but most often Playtime gets one-time visitors. Which makes sense, really. A lot of people don’t seem to want to step into the same adult toy shop twice. So Amir is always a little extra curious when there’s a repeat customer, especially one who is this attractive. And, interestingly, one who’s come back so soon.

The tall, classically handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes left Playtime no less than five hours ago after having purchased a medium-sized, fairly standard vibrator well suited for anal play. And now he’s back. Because apparently, he’s found he needed another vibrator.

If Sex Was A Sport We’d Be Winning Mature, AU, a classic Olympics hookup. 3K. It's remarkable, truly, that Alex didn't even want to be here. He only came all the way to Ariake because June was determined to watch a bunch of prissy ponies strut around to music. Still, perhaps the true Olympic experience lies in the wide variety of disciplines. Or, perhaps, it has something to do with chatting up a pretty blond behind the stables and getting him to show you the inside of an Olympic tack room. As Alex quickly takes to Henry’s sweet smiles and easy confidence, he realizes that just a few stolen moments with this man might turn into his most cherished memory from the Tokyo Olympics.

Alex knows better than to get attached, though. He and Henry live an ocean apart. There’s no way this quick fumble in the stable equivalent of a supply closet could ever lead to anything more. Right?

Talk Dirty To Me Explicit, AU, dom Henry and sub Alex. 9K. Henry studies Nora’s expression for a moment. There’s something about her favourable account of this guy she claims not to want to sleep with again that doesn’t add up. "But you're still not interested in taking him on?"

"He wants more than I'm willing to offer," Nora says frankly. Henry’s always liked this about her—how she doesn’t skirt around the hard facts. It's a part of what makes her so good at dominating. "But you know what? For you, he'd be kind of perfect."

Henry has been active in the local BDSM scene for years and there’s no shortage of men who’d love nothing more than to find themselves at his mercy. But Henry is on a break. He’s not looking for a new partner, but he’s also not expecting to become so intrigued by the man that Nora insists he should meet. Alex is a newcomer on the scene who doesn’t yet know exactly what he wants, much less with who. There’s no way that he could turn out to be exactly who Henry needs. Right?

Date night (please toy with me) Explicit, canon verse, a night out leads to some fun with a toy. 4K. This… this is new. They’ve talked about trying this, about what it’d be like to conceal some of their intimacy in plain sight, about what it would feel like to try and reclaim what is most private to them by flaunting it without anyone even knowing, by daring to take risks again. They’ve agreed that they’d still need to be careful, but they’ve also agreed that it would be interesting. That it would be fun.

And apparently, Henry thinks tonight is the night for it. “Do you trust me, love?”

“Yeah.” Alex swallows. He picks up the box, studying it for a moment. “Do you want… what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to go to the bathroom,” Henry says evenly, “You’ll find everything you need in the box. Then I want you to come back and sit down. Can you do that for me?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Alex taps the box, grinning in Henry’s direction. “I expect we’ll be leaving soon?”

Henry smiles slyly. “If you’re good, yes.”

Ongoing works

Hashtag Soulmates Mature, AU, Henry writes fanfiction. 23K and 7 chapters so far. Alex is perfect and handsome, the golden boy, everybody’s secret crush. So there is absolutely no way that he is the reader who screeches in caps lock every time that Henry posts as much as a drabble. There’s no way. Except Alex just closed his browser fast as fucking lightning, but not before Henry had gotten a good glimpse of the page Alex had open: AO3. ‘Don't Stop Me Now’, Henry’s current wip. The one that Henry literally just updated.

Sweet Jesus. Could it really be?

That... is all! It’s been a productive summer. I’m very excited to continue writing Hashtag Soulmates, and also to start working on a few upcoming First Prince fics that I’m planning on writing. Stay tuned for fics! ♡

[battle-of-alberta]

OCtober: Cal and Ed

It’s finally over. I’m sorry for the delay but stuff has been Happening. If there’s a tourism site that attracts you more to one city or the other, let me know.

Calgary | Edmonton

Below is some meta stuff about the ‘research’ (if you can even call it   that, it was more of a vibe check) I did for re-doing the profiles. Read  on, if it intrigues you. And I gotta mention there’s a bonus rabbit hole I went down for Calgary’s self-image that is. Well. A Lot.

Major Cities: Calgary and Edmonton

We made it team, the heart of the Battle of Alberta, the major city rivalry that defined generations. Calgary is the largest city in the province and the centre of southern Alberta, a young, fast-paced major city that oscillates wildly between boom and bust and is attracting both attention and employees from the traditional major cities in Canada. Edmonton is the capital of the province and the the most northern major city with a metro population of over one million on the continent, a little older and more blue collar, somewhat more stable economically, and quickly rising to meet the challenges presented by open data and sustainable urban planning. And, as we know, they've been antagonizing each other since the 19th century, but collaborating as well.

Website Round Up Premise

While I was revisiting these character profiles, I took a look at how cities represented themselves on their municipal sites and tourism sites rather than how cities were represented in the news or in stereotypes, as the latter already tend to live in the back of my head. I was interested to see who the target audiences for each city were, what they considered their strengths, and how much effort each city put into putting its own identity on display. I was also interested into what ideas sort of fed into any pre-existing confirmation bias I had about each city's personality as well as interested in what narratives might be used to counteract negative stereotypes.The first thing I tended to notice was the overall information architecture of each city's website. How easy were they to navigate? What kinds of information did they have? How did they organize it? How did they communicate that information?

Out and About

There's a sharp difference between the websites of major cities from other cities. They are very careful to separate the corporation of 'The City of' from the cities we might know, and therefore both websites have a much more business-like tone and more distance from their civic identities. This means no traditional "About" pages as other cities might have.

At the time I'm visiting, Edmonton's page has some ADORABLE art of a nuthatch that's making me very homesick. Calgary has a seasonally appropriate snowy skyline.

Calgary does have an "Our Organization" tab which describes the City as a corporation, and likewise Edmonton has a "City Government" tab that performs a similar function. Edmonton's is in alphabetical order which is only a little annoying and Calgary's reads like a very perfectly chunked business portfolio that doesn't... really say as much as it looks like it does, but it does get bonus points for vision/organization/accessibility.

I have never seen a more concise history of Calgary in my life. It's literally three bullet points and a couple of bracketing sentences, but it does do the job. Calgary is, more or less, what it says it is (although I do take slight issue with its self identification as a trading post - it may have functioned that way but that was not what it was founded for and in fact the trading companies gtfo'd asap in those early days). It goes on to paint a very good sketch of the city in as few lines as possible in the text, and there's a little video at the end that feels like it was voiced over in 1988 even though it's clearly not.

Edmonton's City government page is even vaguer. Let's make a more dynamic and resilient Edmonton shall we, the page suggests. Resilient against What Exactly, I wonder. Winter? The boom-bust? Calgary? who knows. The majority of the sub pages are even more mysterious and essentially paint the picture of a city. It's a normal city. Trust us. We do city things. Here is exactly how government works and how to raise and lower a flag. In Edmonton, which is, in fact, a city.

I'm begging you if you think Calvin is hokey and annoying please read the Our Culture page and see it's EXACTLY how I intended to portray him because it's eXACTLY what it's already like. "The Four C's of Our Culture" give me a break.

Edmonton offers me a picture of the skyline and says "City of Opportunity: City of You". I suppose this is true. I don't know what it means. I fear slightly for its intentions.

I keep seeing "Calgary: A great place to make a living, a great place to make a life" and it's like. Stop! I won't go! You can't make me! (and again the Strong and Resilient Calgary. these kids are always catching colds because they don't eat properly.)

Although Edmonton makes literally zero attempt to define itself (outside perhaps the official symbols page hidden under Facts and Figures), what strikes me is that it is portraying itself as a very future-oriented city, which, when I was growing up we really never were. We were an inward city constantly wishing we were somewhere else which is partially still true, and we were a city with such an intense nostalgia (that unlike Calgary we failed to really capitalize on) that grated roughly against a complete failure to preserve history. It does kind of make me glad that the city is looking towards the future and just like, acknowledging basic realities (like snow) and trying to involve people in urban planning more (and throughout the website the city LOOOOVES to share data which I also called, haha). There's also an adorable animation of the city road map in its strategic planning pages. It's interesting that for a city that leaves itself up to your own interpretation, it does have a LOT of information about itself collected and available.

Tourism

Oddly enough, neither city has substantially changed their tourism homepage to accommodate COVID-related staycation plans, although each does mention that many things may be closed or unavailable as a result of the pandemic.

CaLGARy, Be PaRT of THe EnERGy!!

I like how Edmonton's self-presentation is "original" and "we do things differently". It's like a Keep ___ Weird thing but in an understated self-assured way that makes me laugh a little. Like yeah, I guess we are kind of different, I guess we're just not used to seeing that as a good thing.

In the tourism guides there isn't much to say about Calgary's that isn't just "oh, classic Calgary" but I do think the fact that they have "quick facts" to explain what timezone it's in and what currency they use is adorable to say the least. also the title of the guide is CALGARY (and the canadian rockies) and that sums up Calgary pretty well, which I'll elaborate on more.

I actually can't find Edmonton's guide, if it has one, but that's ok. The website hits all the buttons that I would and I actually use exploreedmonton quite frequently because it has a nicer event calendar than the city website does, which is important in a place nicknamed Festival City. I really appreciate how things are organized by month/season and even down to "what's happening today/tomorrow/this week" because it makes planning trips for my visitors easy, so now you know my secret : ) I wish I could just beam this site directly into people's brains when they mention "oh yeah thats where the mall is" when I say I'm from Edmonton.

Interestingly enough it's Calgary's turn to be vague, which I can only assume is part of its "exactly what it says it is" charm. This desperation to find a shred of self-description outside of things to do and places to stay led me down a rabbit hole I will elaborate on in a moment that truly showed me I Knew Nothing about how deep Calgary's branding goes. Otherwise, the website is very practical and functions more like an answer to questions you had about the what and the how and less so the why.

Also, the "Locals" page on Calgary's site has tips on hosting friends and family from around the province safely during the pandemic which is kind of cute. Edmonton doesn't really have a local page (i guess because if we had a hashtag like #loveyyc we'd ruin it)

Bonus: The Rabbit Hole

I wondered why Calgary's tourism page, which I expected to be the most in your face description of the city possible, fell kind of flat. I learned this seems to be because tourists are not the target audience that Calgary wants to attract. It's companies and corporations, and they get their own page.

Boy oh boy do they get their own page

This led me down this frightening path of getting validation like being repeatedly punched in the face by what On Brand Calgary truly means and I'm frankly quite speechless about it - all I can say is that you need to see it for yourself.

The tourism site gestures to a Billion reasons why you should hold your next meeting in Calgary and here is where the self definition as Big City Energy and Western Hospitality starts kicking the tires and lighting the fires. Likewise with the media-oriented page. Suddenly stuff like the Calgary Bucket List starts popping up and I can't help but go hang on, why not suggest this to tourists?

"It's cowboy spirit, but also refined and cosmopolitan" [sighs into hands]

Suddenly all the "Calgarians love visitors! Calgarians love the outdoors!" stuff is spilling out like water from a dam here. "Where's Calgary?" [Link that reads FIND US].

Like i literally feel like the tourism side on the left is the Kids Menu, it's the corporate stuff on the right that I'm actually finding the type of information I want on. Eventually, I somehow make my way to Calgary's Destination Strategy which is trying to make Calgary a place that... well, people go. Like, internationally. Like the Olympics but MORE of that.

Then I find the Brand Evolution. Then I find Calgary's Economic Development site. The poetry about rocky mountain prairie skies and "where a handshake still means something" starts to reach its peak.

Then back through the tourism site I find the video. And the video makes me shake because it suggests the premise of The Powerpoint.

The Powerpoint. I cannot summarize the powerpoint in any meaningful way or how my emotions were a rollercoaster further and further up and down the longer i scrolled. Everything I know and suggest about Calgary seems to be unequivocally true, including the sense that Calgary as a person is the sort of person who makes powerpoints about his own identity crisis because that's precisely what this is.

And then I get to the part of the powerpoint that suggests I imagine what kind of person the city of Calgary might be (and implied: does that person think about anything other than the mountains???) THEY EVEN DID AN OCEAN PERSONALITY TEST FOR THE CITY I KID YOU NOT

Hi, City of Edmonton, hire me to take an OCEAN test for our fair city. I'm begging you.

[welcometoaucklandtatum-blog]

Everything You Could Possibly Need To Know About Auckland

It’s no easy feat making a move to a new city. But never fear, we’ve rounded up a local’s guide of the best things to try, buy and eat around town so you can live your best life here in Auckland!

Food

We’re happy to report the foodie scene here in the city of sails (it’s a nickname, just go with it) is thriving. Whether you’re looking to get dumped by gyoza or the best fried chicken in town, check out the below for tried and tested local gems.

The Coup, Takapuna – Dare we say it, The Coup puts the colonel’s 11 secret herbs and spices to shame. Don’t pass up a chance to give one of their game-changing Po’ boys a try.

The Blue Breeze Inn, Ponsonby – Any Aucklander will tell you The Blue Breeze Inn is one of the best in town. Featuring a pan-Asian inspired cuisine, head here for a legendary Mai Tai (or two). While you’re at it, order a round of dumplings, pork belly bao and XO noodles. We warn you this spot is addictive!

Eden Noodle House, Mt. Eden – Speaking of dumplings, Eden Noodle House is legendary among locals for a cheap bite. Often with lines out the door, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu – they’re that good.

Rude Boy, Freemans Bay – Offering classics done right, head here for ultra gram-worthy dishes and sprawling cabinet food that’ll make your mouth water. We recommend the mixed creamy mushrooms or if you’re on the go, a sourdough doughnut from the cabinet.

Sugar, Northcote Point – Take a day and head out to the Chelsea Sugar Factory to Sugar. Their high tea is a must for special occasions and is complimented with some of the best views in town.

Winona Forever, Parnell – Another café doing good things, the Eton Rifle French toast is not to be missed. The big breakfast plate also hits the spot.

Oh Calcutta, Parnell – Serving the best Indian in town, once you try their butter chicken and tandoori salmon, no other will compare.

De Setti Soldi, Epsom – A small but mighty family-run Italian spot offering fresh classic pasta and pizza. You’ll fall in love at first bite.

Prego, Ponsonby – Another fabulous Italian spot offering excellent Italian cuisine. Their spaghetti agioli is a must-try.

Wu & Yu, Mt. Eden – A whacky and wonderful blend of East and West, Wu and You’s menu boasts dumplings, soft shell crab tacos and a dessert menu to die for.

Garden Shed, Mt. Eden – The closest a café will come to a garden picnic, The Garden shed keeps things classic and focusing on flavour and presentation. Their burger is one of the best and not for the faint-hearted.

Giapo, CBD – You’ve never seen ice cream like this before. Prepare for your mind to be blown.

Dr. Rudis, Viaduct – To finish off those big work weeks look no further than Dr. Rudis. Featuring an in-house bowling alley, micro-brewery on-site and live music, see out the week from their rooftop.

Headquarters, CBD – Another after-work favourite, head here for a cold beer, lounge in the sun and boogie to Dad music.

Miann, Morningside – For handmade chocolate creations. BYO stretchy pants.

Lowbrow, Queens Rise CBD – Southern American foods at its finest.

Bars

Deadshot, Ponsonby – Tucked away on Ponsonby Rd, Deadshot is a table service bar where bartenders come to you and whip up a concoction based on your preferences.

Caretaker, CBD – Same as above but in Britomart underground.

The Churchill, CBD – A rooftop gin bar in the Four Seasons on Queen Street. At an international standard, head here when you’re wanting to impress.

Talulah, CBD – A tiki bar with strong neon hues and even stronger cocktails. Our advice, tell the bartender to surprise you, you won’t be disappointed.

Chapel, Ponsonby – Not a destination but a stop along the way on any big night out.

AV Club + Saturdays, CBD – A one-stop spot for when you’re in the mood for a quiet one and a boogie. Saturdays keep things mellow while AV blasts house music at its finest.

Family Bar, K Rd – A hub for the local LGBTQ+ community, head here for non-stop Britney and Beyonce all night long.

Beauty/Hair

We’ve already made the questionable choices, so you don’t have to!

Spring Spa, Ponsonby – From facials to pedicures they do it all! Pro Tip: Ask for Kushbu when booking, she’s a threading genius.

Dry & Tea, Newmarket – For when you want a little more sparkle for a night out.

Rose Quartz Hair Studio, Parnell – One of Auckland’s best kept secrets, owner Michaela’s hands are magic when it comes to hair. And her chat is great too!

Blaze, Newmarket – Masters of their craft when it comes to hair colour.

Health

Sweat up a storm at these spots.

Box Fitness Studio, Newmarket – A boxing class like you’ve never seen before!

Westward Cycle, Newmarket – A spin class by candlelight. Think of it as a dance party on your bike.

KCore Pilates, Victoria Park – Feel the burn at one of the best reformer Pilates classes in town.

Body Tech – Offer curated fitness programmes backed by research, not claims.

Morning People – Pre-work rave? Keep an eye out for weekly pre-work raves at local bar Cassette.

 Shopping

Key malls to check out are Sylvia Park Shopping Centre and Westfield Newmarket. Expect to find classics including H&M, Zara, Kookai, David Jones and Decjuba.

K Rd, CBD – Head here for thrift shopping. Check out Stalgic Society, St Kevins Arcade and The Army Shop.

Ponsonby – A hub for local designers including Ruby, Lonely and Deadly Ponies. Head to Tatty’s for pre-loved designer treasures.

Things To Do

Waiheke – A hop, skip and ferry trip away, Waiheke is a wine-lovers paradise. Vineyards to checkout include Cable Bay, Casita Miro and Mudbrick.

Beaches – Classics include Mission Bay, Kohimarama, Takapuna, Piha and Red Beach.

Staycation - For when you want to get away without getting out, head to The Hotel Grand Windsor. You’ll find yourself immersed in olfactory hospitality with lush rooms, a spa on hand and flowing cocktails from Cooke’s Restaurant & Bar. Dreamy!

Day Trips – Just over an hour and a half away, locals escape to Matakana and Omaha at every chance they get. Matakana’s weekly farmers market is legendary as is Omaha’s expansive range and surf.

Night Markets – On the hunt for local up and coming foodie trends? Look no further than the Auckland Night Markets, where many of Auckland’s hotspots have started.

Rangitoto – Another short ferry trip away, you aren’t an Aucklander until you’ve done the trek up Rangitoto at least once.

Auckland War Memorial Museum – Learn all about basically anything with a stroll around the Auckland Museum.

Cornwall Park – Our answer to a central park, Cornwall makes for the perfect running route and picnic spot.

The Capitol – Level up your dating game and book a movie at The Capitol, a hidden boutique cinema that’s equal parts intimate and magical. And within walking distance of your house!

Stream – While we’re sure you’re missing Stan, we have a killer slate of streaming options. Check out Neon for the latest and greatest movies and HBO drops, Lightbox is only good for The Handmaids Tale, and TVNZ OnDemand, home to The Bachelorette, Grey’s Anatomy and is 100% free!

Creative Mornings – A free series of morning talks from local creatives and industry leaders; topics vary but you’ll only leave having learnt something new. Tickets are limited so be sure to register on creativemornings.com to be in the know!

A Guide To Speaking Kiwi

Guilty of merging and switching vowels and ending every sentence like we’re asking a question; us Kiwis sure do make it hard for newbies to fathom exactly what we’re saying.

Instead of nodding, smiling and acting like you completely understand this unique accent, find an empty room, say the following words out loud and soon enough, you’ll be convincing everyone (and yourself!) that you are a true-blue Kiwi!

Dick: A wooden platform outside a house. Usually enjoyed in the summertime.

Tin: One more than nine.

Iggs: Laid by chickens and often enjoyed with evercardo on toast.

Chups: Chips.

Fush: Found in the sea and enjoyed with chups.

Why-poo: Small seaside town.

Tiddy Beer: Your cuds favourite stuffed toy.

Cud: A young person or goat.

Beer: Large mammal often found in forests.

Beer: Not clothed or covered.

Beer: A cold beverage enjoyed in the summer.

Rung: A piece of jewellery worn on a finger.

Bug: Large/ considerable size.

Bugger That: Not going to happen

She’ll be right: That’ll do. 

Bloody Nora: WTF. 

Beard: Where you go to sleep.

Hid: Rests on top of your neck.

Ear: What we breathe.

Stuck: A thin piece of wood found on a tree.

Pig: Used to hang up wet washing.

Silly-brities: A famous person.

Really: Something that hardly ever happens.

Cheer: Something to sit on, often round a table.

Sucks: Comes before sivven

Have any questions? Concerns? Need a pal? Don’t be scared to reach out! 😊

You can catch me on jaiden@lassoo.co.nz or 02102837039

[cozy-possum]

Thoughts/Theories on Riverdale Season 4

So assuming they’re not gonna wrap up the Gargoyle king thing in like what two more episodes? We’ll have: The Gargoyle King, The Farm, The Black Hood, and Hiram all as plot points/ villans?

Over what time period is all this taking place, as in how many days is it being cause on one hand some episodes feel like its been a month in the entire episode, and others it’s like “oh its been an hour”, like the adjustment period after Southside High closing was stated to be a week right. Even though apparently they all showed up the day after Southside closed. I don’t care about exact dates I just want a vague timeline.

Can we please get more background on the Serpents, why is no one freaking out about two of their members joining the farm??? Does that mean The Farm knows all their secrets???

Are the Pretty Poisons just leaderless?? Since Toni and Cheryl are in the Farm? Or are the Poisons secretly working for The Farm/still under Toni/Cheryl’s leadership? 

Can someone please call out Evelyn for being 26 in high school, that’s like proper illegal in the state I’m from, like you’ll get arrested illegal

We all caught the fact Evelyn gave Kevin a shroom brownie in the heathers episode right? Like thats probably how they’re controlling everyone

Betty staying with The Farm, as if Jughead’s dad isn’t the sheriff/ an ex-gang leader, on top of the fact she legit just said “dad’s coming here next” like what was her thought process, “hmm lets gather the family he was going to kill, in one place, it’ll be fineeee” I’m sure she’s going to be full on snooping during her staycation but still not a good idea

Also betting Edgar/The Farmies are going to try to isolate her and she and Cheryl/Toni are going to team up 

I’m really not a fan of the little supernatural elements they’re hinting at, if i’m watching a “teen drama show” i want it to be “teen drama” to me adding in supernatural elements (without stating it from the beginning) just feels like a cop-out

If they’re gonna pull another pregnancy sub-plot I’d much prefer it to be Veronica over Betty, like think about the drama that would cause in her family. Veronica seeing it as a way to better herself/ the cliche “I’m not going to be like my parents” trope, her father wants Archie out of the picture, but surprise he might be the father of your grandchild, good luck getting rid of him now. Also the potential for a whole Reggie vs Archie “who’s the dad” sub-plot (like ideally they don’t have this at all but if they’re gonna do it..)

[topfygad]

10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August

By Alice Holtham

Live gigs, a Disney movie marathon, a new ladies’ night inside the Burj Khalifa and the first What’s On Lock In is here…

As we head into August we’re looking ahead to some of the best things to do in the city this month. From live performances from S Club 3, Westlife and The 1975 to new bars, new ladies’ nights and of course the first ever What��s On Lock In, we’re bringing you a guide to the best events happening this month.

Here’s 10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August. 

August 2: Enjoy a value birthday brunch at a popular party spot

To celebrate their second birthday, Mr Miyagi’s at Media One are offering an array of top deals to keep you partying all day long on Friday August 2. As well as offering 50 per cent off everything on their food and drink menu from 12pm to 9pm, they’ll be running three servings of their Wok and Roll party brunch from 12pm to 3pm, 4pm to 7pm and 8pm to 11pm for a bargain Dhs199 – including bubbles. Of course, you can expect all the usual crowd karaoke, cabaret shows and a live DJ to have you hitting the dancefloor.

Mr Miyagi’s, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, 12pm to late, Friday August 2, brunch priced at Dhs199. Tel: (04) 420 7489  mrmiyagisdubai.com

August 2: Throw it back with a live performance

S Club 3 – made up of three members of the original S Club 7 – will take to the stage for the post-brunch party at the Dubai Marina party spot The Hideout on Friday August 2. Doors open at 4pm, and as well as offering free entry to all guests, there’s a brilliant drinks deal on offer. From 4pm to 8pm, guests can enjoy four hours of unlimited house drinks for Dhs200. S Club 3 members Bradley, Jo and Tina were three parts of the original group, who rose to fame with their catchy pop hits in the late 90s. When they take to the stage next month, fans can expect to her the trio perform their most popular songs including Never Had A Dream Come True, Reach and Don’t Stop Movin’.

The Hideout Dubai, 1st Floor, Marina Byblos Hotel, Dubai Marina, 4pm to 8pm, Friday August 2, Dhs200. (058) 534 6000. thehideoutdubai.com

Around August 10: Head away for an Eid getaway

Eid Al Adha is likely to begin on Saturday August 10, and those who typically work Sunday to Thursday are set to enjoy a five-day weekend over Eid from Friday August 9. So, with an extra long weekend on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to book a last-minute getaway – and take advantage of some top deals too. Top of our travel lust-list is Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, who are offering a five-day program of exciting Eid activities, as well as some top discounts for travellers. From August 1 to 31, when you book a four night getaway at the luxury Robinson-crusoe inspired property, you’ll only pay for three nights, or book a seven night holiday and you’ll only pay for five nights. There are also added benefits such as a complimentary 50 minute spa treatment and sunset dolphin cruise on the four-night package, and 50 per cent off seaplane transfers when you book the seven night package. Use the code TSFME219 when booking.

soneva.com/soneva-fushi

August 14: See The 1975 live

Indie pop rockers The 1975 will grace the stage at Dubai’s new Coca-Cola Arena on Wednesday August 14, with tickets on sale now, priced from Dhs200 and available from the1975dxb.com. The band, consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew “Matty” Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel, will come to Dubai as part of their world tour, which commenced earlier this year. When they take to the stage in Dubai, fans can expect to hear some of their best-loved hits including Chocolate, Love Me and Give Yourself A Try.

The 1975, Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Wednesday August 14, from Dhs200. the1975dxb.com

August 15: Get wet & wild at an emoji-themed waterpark party

Dust off that unicorn pool float – Aquaventure Waterpark’s evening pool party is back on Thursday August 15 at Atlantis The Palm. Atlantis’ famous waterpark is set to come alive at night next month with two DJ zones, energetic fire and laser shows, huge emoji inflatables and over Dhs50,000 in prizes up for grabs. The pool party will run from 8pm to 12am and early bird tickets are currently available online with 40 percent off, so you can get yours for Dhs149 if you book soon.

Aquaventure Emoji Party, Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, 8pm to 12am, Thursday August 15, early bird Dhs149. Tel: (04) 426 1169. atlantisthepalm.com

August 15 to 30: Rewatch all your favourite Disney movies

This summer, Dubai Opera is showing a line-up of Disney’s greatest hits from August 15 to August 30. Across the two weeks, Dubai Opera will show no less than 48 films, celebrating animated and live action titles from all decades. This mega movie marathon will show four different films each day, at 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm. The incredible movie list includes classics such as The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Bedknobs And Broomsticks, The Aristocats, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and many more.

Disney movie marathon at Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm, August 15 to 30, from Dhs60 adults, Dhs40 children. dubaiopera.com.

August date TBC: Party at a brand new bar

Antika Bar will be opening its doors in DIFC in August and taking the spot of much-loved Sass Café, which closed in May 2018. Found on level one of Al Fattan Currency House, the new bar is expected to have a completely new look compared to the previous tenants. Inspired by the hidden theatres of 1950’s Lebanon, Antika Bar will have comfortable plush seating, with quirky antique decorations and a stage in the centre of the restaurant. There will be a big focus on live entertainment, as well as a weekly schedule of exciting events, including two weekly brunches and a ladies’ night. 

Antika Bar, Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, opening August 2019. Facebook.com/Antikabardubai

From August 20: Enjoy a seven hour ladies’ night for Dhs200

Fancy taking your Dubai ladies’ night up a notch? A brand new ladies’ night is launching on Tuesday August 20 at Atmosphere in the Burj Khalifa. Taking Dubai’s party scene 122 levels up, the new night is brought to you by Secret Parties, and there’s seven hours of unlimited drinks up for grabs for the girls, with packages starting from Dhs200. The new Secret Parties event will run from 9pm to 12am, and included in the Dhs200 price for ladies is free flowing sparkling wine and a selection of bites. Or, upgrade to the Dhs300 package and you’ll also get bespoke cocktails and house drinks included. From 12am, all guests are then invited to head down to Armani Prive, where there’s unlimited drinks for ladies until 4am.

Secret Ladies Night, Atmosphere Lounge, 122nd floor, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, 9pm onwards, Tuesdays from August 20, from Dhs200 for ladies and Dhs500 for gents. Tel: (04) 888 3828. secret-parties.com

August 23 and 24: Enjoy a mega staycation at the first ever What’s On Lock In

You’re invited to the first ever What’s On Lock In: an epic, weekend-long summer party taking place from Friday August 23 to Saturday August 24. And because we want you to enjoy Dubai in the best possible way – pool parties, brunch extravaganzas, epic staycations and summer libations – we’re taking over the uber-cool Studio One Hotel at an unbeatable price.For Dhs699 for two, Tickets include early check in, a one-night stay at Studio One Hotel, TEPfactor fun, limited hair and nail services and massages, VitaDrip®infusions by The Elixir Clinic, all-inclusive Friday lunch at The Maine Street Eatery or Larte, five drinks at The Irish Village, five drinks at BOHO, yoga activities, breakfast at Larte, lunch at Mr Miyagi’s  or El Chapo’s Tacos, all day pool access, oh, and late check out.

What’s On Lock In, Studio One Hotel, from 10am Friday August 23 to 5pm Saturday August 24, Dhs699 per room per couple. For more details, visit WhatsOn.ae/Lock-In or book your tickets here.

August 29: Sing along as Westlife take to the stage

Irish boyband Westlife will take to the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk on Thursday August 29 as part of their 20th Anniversary tour. Westlife first broke into the harts with their debut single, Swear It Again, and went on to have a string of hits including What Makes A Man, World of Our Own and Flying Without Wings.

Westlife at Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Thursday August 29, from Dhs250. livenation.me

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from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2KfHErT via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

[brianmarshalltampa-blog]

Brian Marshall’s St Petersburg Historic Hotels of Ghosts, Love, and Money

From St Pete Beaches to Downtown Streets, the History of 3 Landmark Hotels

St Petersburg is just across the bridge from Tampa, but some people who live on this side of the Bay think it’s an ordeal to cross it for pretty much anything besides work.

I, on the other hand, love St Pete and don’t mind driving over for something other than a job, like a great restaurant, a cool bar, or the beach…and St Petersburg seems to have all three.

One of the many upsides to living in Tampa Bay is that you can have a staycation at a great hotel near the beach with a short drive. That’s what I enjoy doing with the family when we all have a chance.

For me, three hotels that standout not only for their charm but for their…you guessed it… history, are the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, The Don CeSar, and The Cordova Inn. I’m going to take you down the road of each for a lesson in St Pete historic hotels with spook, splendor, and saga.

Vinoy With a View

According to hotel lore (there are different variations of this story), the Vinoy Park Hotel, aka Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, became a reality all because of a bet between Pennsylvania businessman Aymer Vinoy Laughner and the era’s golf champion Walter Hagen. You see, Laughner had a house on Beach Drive, near this beautiful piece of land. Laughner bet Hagen he couldn’t hit golf balls off the top of his watch without breaking the crystal. Hagen proved him wrong. When Laughner and another guest went to collect the balls Hagen hit from a neighbor’s lawn, the guest told him what a nice site the waterfront home would be for a hotel. The rest, as they say, is hotel history.

So in 1923 Laughner purchased the property on Tampa Bay, hired architect Henry Taylor to design a hotel, and after two years and $3.5 million, the Vinoy Park Hotel opened for business on New Year's Eve 1925. At the time, the Vinoy was the largest construction project in Florida history and the largest and most luxurious of St. Petersburg’s boom-era hotels.

St Pete Native

The Mediterranean Revival style, salmon-colored hotel charged $20 per night (wish it still costs that much) and celebrities, athletes and dignitaries such as Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe, Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge and James Stewart flocked to the St Pete hotel.

Then the party was over and the US Army converted it into a training school during World War II and later as an R&R facility for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Following the war, the 347-room hotel changed hands again, this time

In 1945, Laughner sold the Vinoy to Charles Alberding, who owned a Chicago-based hotel chain, Alsonett Hotels.

Although Alberding brought back the Vinoy to its glory, it eventually lost steam and in 1972 a 20-year-old offered to buy the hotel. Bob Reynolds was a St. Petersburg native who loved the hotel ever since he was a kiddo. Because Reynolds didn't have the money to buy it, Alberding agreed to lease the hotel with the option to buy for $5 million. Even though Reynolds got some partners to organize a company, commissioned then St Pete mayor Randy Wedding who happened to be an architect to restore it, he wasn't able to raise the funds and in '74, the hotel closed. The hotel reopened a year later, only to reclose again the same year. In '78, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places which gave investors tax breaks. The Vinoy sold most of its contents at auction and remained empty. Its lease changed hands several times and the downtown St Pete area went through growing pains.

The Rennaissance of Vinoy

Then a fine group of men formed the Vinoy Development Corporation, found an equity partner, and Stouffer Hotels and Resorts begun a $93 million restoration in 1990. Two years later, it reopened as the Stouffer Renaissance Vinoy Resort. Four years later (yeah, that’s the hotel biz), another hotel group bought the Stouffer hotel chain and renamed it the Renaissance Hotel Group. Just a year later, Marriott International bought the Renaissance brand name and in 2005, then bought by FelCor Lodging Trust of Dallas, but is still managed by Marriott.

But enough about who owned it…let’s get to the good stuff. Ghosts.

The Baseball Effect

For some reason, visiting major league baseball teams have most frequently reported seeing ghosts. Perhaps they’re trying to scare-off visiting teams? Take Miami Marlins relief pitcher, Scott Ryan Williamson who in 2003 when alone in his room, rolled on his stomach and felt an immediate pressure on his back and couldn’t breathe. When he turned over, the pressure was released, so he rolled back on his stomach again and felt the same pressure. When he turned back over, he noticed a man standing near the curtains wearing a coat.

Freaky? Oh, yeah.

Other guests have said they’ve seen a well-dressed man in a formal suit walking the halls, thinking he’s a concierge at the Vinoy. When they look back to ask him something, they notice he’s disappeared into thin air.

Pink Lady

Another member of the Historic Hotels of America also built in the heyday of the jazz era is The Don CeSar.

A year after the Vinoy was purchased, real estate developer, Thomas Rowe, purchased the property on which The Don CeSar sits and hired architect, Henry H. Dupont to design it.

The story of this hotel and its owner isn’t much about the building, selling, and renovating of the Don CeSar. It’s more about a love story that some say still roams the halls of this historic hotel.

80-year-old St Pete Don CeSar aka The Pink Palace, aka the Pink Lady, aka Loews Resort on St. Pete Beach, aka 'the Don' story starts in 1872 with Rowe while in London attended the performance of Vincent Wallace's light opera 'Maritana'. The leading lady was a stunning Spanish young woman named Lucinda. It was love at first sight for Rowe, so following the performance, he went backstage to meet her.  The feeling was mutual, and so their romance began. But not everyone was thrilled about it, such as Lucinda's parents who were members of the Spanish aristocracy. They didn't want their daughter having anything to do with a poor boy from Massachusetts, so they forbad her to see him.

That didn't stop her and Rowe from continuing to see each other in secret. One of their favorite spots to meet was at night in a closed courtyard with a beautiful fountain. It seemed their budding love mimicked the opera as Lucinda became 'Maritana' and Thomas Rowe 'Don CeSar', another character. On the night of the last performance, they made plans to meet at their beloved fountain and run away together to America.

Love letters between the young couple went back and forth until servents intercepted the last one from Lucinda, discussing their plans. As soon as her parents found out, they immediately took her back to Spain.  

In the meantime, young Rowe was oblivious to this and waited by the fountain, as planned, until sunrise, but Lucinda never appeared.

Heartbroken, he continued writing to her without a response. Rowe finished his studies, went back to the States and then he received a letter addressed to 'My beloved Don CeSar.' There was a clipping of her death in the envelope along with a letter begging Rowe to forgive her parents for taking her away from him and saying, 'We found each other before, and we shall do so again. This life is intermediate. I leave it without regret and travel to a place where the swing of the pendulum does not bring pain. Time is infinite. I will wait for you by our fountain... to share our timeless love, our destiny is time. Forever, Maritana.'

Romantic? Oh, yeah.  

Birth of 'The Don'

In mourning, Rowe fell ill and his doctors recommended a warmer climate to get him away from the dreaded winters. So in 1925, he visited St. Petersburg, Florida found land on the beach, and began to develop one of the most pristine properties in honor of his beloved Lucinda aka 'Maritana'. The Don CeSar was actually styled after the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

With guests such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lou Gehrig, and Al Capone, it would be thee place where people would stay when they wanted to get away from bleak winter weather during peak seasons, January - March.

Rowe never got over the love of his life, Lucinda, and eventually married a companion.

In the lobby of the St. Pete hotel the courtyard and fountain where the two love-birds once met, was replicated. He was known to spend countless hours at this spot wearing a white Panama hat and white tropical suit, most likely reminiscing about his time with Lucinda.

The Great Depression hit, but Rowe had a brilliant idea to keep the Don in business during hard times. He called the Ruperts in New York and they created the first Florida baseball spring training program. The New York Yankees came to Florida for training, stayed at the Don, and began a tradition to this day.

St Pete History Buffs to the Rescue

Rowe died in 1940 leaving the Pink Lady to his wife. She knew nothing about the hospitality industry, made poor decisions, and eventually, the hotel went out of business.

Just like the Vinoy, the U.S. Army purchased the Pink Palace in '42 and it became a convalescent hospital for aviators and pilots of the Second World War. When it became no longer needed by the army and government, it was boarded-up, barricaded, and downright creepy. Soon rumors of bats and ghosts of the dilapidated hotel ran rampant in St Petersburg for years until '72 when a group of history buffs rescued it from being demolished.

The glory of the Don was resurrected and more ways than one.

St Petersburg Ghost Stories

Time passed and the staff began noticing weird things happening at the Pink Palace.

Such as a front desk clerk taking a stroll as sunset with her husband on the beach noticed a man wearing a tropical white suit and Panama hat walking with a can. Does that description sound familiar?

Then there was another hotel staff member who walked through the old kitchen at midnight and turned to see a 1940s nurse dressed in full army medical corps uniform watching him.

And can't forget the time when a new late-night dishwasher took a break from the mounds of dishes. When he returned, all of the dirty dishes were cleaned and stacked neatly in the middle of the kitchen floor. That's really nice of whichever ghost washed them, but the dishwasher did like most of us would...he immediately left and never came back.

Yet another story of a housekeeper while cleaning the 5th floor where Rowe once lived, heard repeated knocking on the door of the room she was cleaning. Becoming annoyed, she opened the door, but no one was there. She left the room, went downstairs thinking it may be another housekeeper knocking, but found everyone was already gone for the day. Needless to say, from that day on, she refused to clean any room on the 5th floor.

Goosebumps? Oh, yeah.

There are more stories to tell of the paranormal activity at the St Petersburg Don CeSar, but you get the picture.  

Love After Life

Following the Don's becoming part of the National Trust for Historic Hotels in America, new stories emerged of a young couple strolling the hotel grounds, as well as the 5th floor, hand in hand at sunset. The man wearing...you guessed it...a tropical white suit and Panama hat and the beautiful young lady with long dark locks wearing a Spanish-style peasant dress.

Were Lucinda and Rowe's forbidden love finally brought together through the Pink Lady in the afterlife?

I'll let your mind wander for a min...

St Pete Local Lore

Another one of my favorite St Pete hotels with a haunted past is The Cordova Inn. Although not as famed as the Don and Vinoy with the same long, rich history, this boutique hotel boasts its own resident ghost.

The Cordova family from Michigan built the hotel 1921, downtown St Peterburg.

The story goes, when the family built the hotel, they sent their personal butler to manage it. This butler ruled the property with an iron fist. He was known to always dress in full uniform and maintained a white-glove reputation for impeccable accommodations, attention to guests, and Euro-style service.

After 20 years, he passed away in the hotel and became somewhat of a legend. It would be nice to put a name to the ghost, but apparently, no one remembers it.

The Cordova family sold the hotel in the 50s and for 50 years, the property changed hands several times, but the name remained the same.

In the early 80s and 90s, St Pete became a less than desirable city to visit and The Cordova closed its doors. While waiting for its fate, schoolboys would break into the hotel after dark and later tell stories of hearing unhappy howling...rumor has it, it was the butler (it's always the butler).

St Pete Sundial

Back when the Sundial was known as BayWalk, new life begun to blossom into downtown St Pete and a local investor saw the potential of The Cordova and purchased it. The hotel was completely renovated...even the water basins in the hall where servants apparently cleaned-up before serving their wealthy employers.

The St Pete Butler

In 2001 the St Petersburg hotel reopened as The Pier Hotel and finally as The Cordova Inn.

Although they say after 2001 no one heard or seen the infamous butler, there are guests to this day who've experienced fans turning off and on by themselves, rooms becoming suddenly freezing cold, hearing heavy footsteps in the halls, and smells of rotting flesh.

Rather tame events compared to the Don and Vinoy, but nevertheless, spooky.

No matter what hotel you stay in St Petersburg, FL, make sure you take note of the history, the charm, the character and of course, the ghosts. ~ Brian Marshall

[amiraxbdullah]

hello tumblr!  well we’ve missed alot but okay. i’ll try to remember wht had happen over th last few months. 📌 first thing first, i got (finally!)married to th (real)LOML on th 211219! alhamdullilah! #theWanforMira is finally halal! --- th wedding went well and smoothly on both sides, thanks to our family, groomsmen and bridesmaids. we had 3 beautiful outfits as per picture by my dream bridal, With Love Yumi and i was beautified by kak hidayah. i had a beautiful decor by SID, superb delicious food by my mak. it was a memorable day we(or atleast i) wont forget. i got S to dance for my hadang. not only tht, he had his groomsmen to dance along too, not to a song, but 2 songs! heheh, i was literally smiling ear-to-ear when i saw him dance for th first time. it was so cute, i cant! i wanted to cry cos i knw he wouldnt do such things yet, he always suprises me. sigh. i love this gem 💎

📌 routinely, whoever get married, will head over for their honeymoon right? so did we. ours was a secret destination(to our family) until we were sent off by our them(which was quite a surprise, cos it was a Monday) & friends. i was a lil too attached to adam, so i cried when i left him. --- anw, our honeymoon was @ TURKEY! we went for 12days! 3nights at Cappadocia & 6nights in Istanbul! before all these, pls consider us having an almost 24hrs flight + stop over at dubai. (then i realised i have a pimple at my groin. applied acne patch and okay, lets sleep till next flight)

📌 CAPPADOCIA: we came here for th same reason others would, their hot air balloon! arrived at nevsehir airport, safely and frozen! yup, cos we were just in sweater and jeans! thank goodness we got our self airport service and they’re just in time! lucky us, he let us rest in th van first(warmer: on). phew! and yes, being asian, we’re very foreign to th weather and super amazed tht cold air came out of our mouths. hehehe. also, glad we took airport transfer cos th route to th hotel was dark and took us 30mins to reach.

1st day, arrived at hotel, Henna Konak Hotel. got checked in, chill(cos jetlagged), we had our dinner and bam, we had our sleep. oh wait, no. im missing out an important part. so remember th pimple? yup, i remove th acne patch and put plaster which i bought from their local shop. it was a cloth-material ya, not th typical elastic waterproof kind. chop-chop, we slept it off and next morning. checked email: tour for hot air balloon was extended to tmrw as to a bad weather. it was very windy and very cold. {pimple check: a lil redness seen, swelling a lil} weather checked: 4-5°C

2nd day - woke up for breakfast and ever ready for our tour! so showered, remove my plaste---- checked email: TOUR CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER. MONEY IS REFUNDED. very devastating  😭😭 long story short, we’re aimless roaming for souvenirs, finding for alternative tour since hot air balloon is cancelled! explore places to eat and enjoy watching alot of stray dogs and munchkins! hehehe theyre so adorable i wanna chew them, okie im not sadist. {pimple check: --- (I ACCIDENTLY PULL MY SKIN AND TEAR IT WHILE I WAS REMOVING TH PLASTER) yes O-U-C-H! moving on, i applied pantyliner over th pimple cos now it looks like a pus. EWW. swelling got bigger.} weather checked: 2-4°C

3rd day - we have been having cappadocia breakfast and enjoying every bit of it. we literally had fruits and mains for breakfast. so we got a tour. normal museum visiting, history knowledge and S bought me an onyx ring which (super)pretty! it changes color depending on light! heheh as a souvenir too! and, we did ATV! first time for me cos S did ATV bfr, so he got th hang of it. we were fetched and sent to another place for it. as we travelled, it gets colder despite th warmer in car. random weather check, it was -2°C umm okie, reached destination > briefed on ATV > chose our helmet(i chose a helmet tht has no face shield) and leggo! as we drove, im getting a hang of it and enjoying it until, i increased my speed as my trainer was way ahead and thts when, i got snow slapped! it was a cool experience also.. unforgettable. cos initially it was drizzling, little did we knw, it was snowing. we were starting to freeze. and bummer us, we left our phone in th ATV-house. lucky we had a nice trainer, he had our shot taken by his phone.  {pimple check: now, i have to stretch bfr i even do anything, just so my groin is “seasoned” and also cos im limping a lil.} weather checked: 1-3°C

4th day: to summarise our cappadocia trip, we enjoyed th company of new people. met new friends. l learnt how to ride ATV. we have a valid reason to come back for hot air balloon. sad to leave as it starts to snow. Cappadocia will be missed! checkout > head to airport. {pimple check: swelling gets worst. pus is eliminating itself, causes mess. redness got worst too, signs of infection. limping not getting any better too.} weather checked: FINALLY IT SNOWED! -1 - 1°C

📌 ISTANBUL: okay nope, not gonna do th day-by-day thing again. haha, im gonna summarise it. cos, i didnt really enjoy my istanbul trip, except we could sightseeing, explore museums, food(kunafeh all day, everyday!) and met Aysenur! she is my bestfriend’s(Nad) friend! while my biggest highlight was our stay for a week @ Yasmak Hotel & my infected pimple. Yasmak Hotel was 11/10! really, their customer service was 110%! their breakfast was always lit! okay, its lit for us cos we’re asian? hahah. but really, we would go back to th same hotel and definitely diff itinerary. i’ll post pictures in my next post from my honeymoon! wait ya!

📌 CORONA TIME. period. no attachments, hence 2mths holiday! wooo! 📌 we were suppose to celebrate S’s advance bday in Bangkok. plans cancelled due to covid(corona virus disease 2019). so we change to KL, well better than nothing. guess Hes th best planner above all. Malaysia had lockdown. so no ones entering in or exitting out. OK. so staycation it is. 📌  2mths ends in 2days, tht means school start! yes. FINALLY, I’VE BEEN ROTTING AT HOME. okay no, school had to be on hold, so everything do online, okay. lets zoom! summary of my 2months @ home, i did cooking, i learn to cook new dish, housechores all day-everyday cos sis is staying at in laws. hehe. okay bye! love, mira.

[thehungrykat1]

Novotel Manila Welcomes Summer With Opening of Ice N Cream (Part 2)

Summers in the Philippines are excruciatingly hot. They say that you can even fry an egg outside just by placing it on a hot concrete floor, and I totally believe that. So what’s the best way to cool and refresh ourselves during these sizzling summer months? Let’s have ice cream! Novotel Manila Araneta Center has the perfect solution to our problems as they open the newest and hippest ice cream parlor in the city, Ice N Cream by Novotel. The Hungry Kat was invited to the media launch of Ice N Cream last April 11, just two days after I had checked out from my summer staycation at Novotel Manila. It was great to be back at my new secret hideaway in Cubao and try all these fantastic ice cream flavors. 

But before that, let’s get back to my overnight staycation at Novotel Manila (read part 1 here) where I found another way to beat the summer heat. Their Swimming Pool is located on the sixth floor and is open from 6:00am to 7:00pm. I did not imagine this hidden tropical oasis sitting right here inside the busy Araneta Center, so it was so refreshing to get my feet wet and take a dip inside their lovely pool.

Families will definitely enjoy bringing their kids to the swimming pool for a morning or afternoon of fun and bonding. They can also learn essential swimming skills this summer through the Bert Lozada Swim School from March 29 to June 19, 2017. Kids and even adults can have sessions of learning and fun before the school season starts again.

I wanted to avoid the crowds so I decided to hit the swimming pool early in the morning after I woke up from my relaxing slumber. My massage service at In Balance Spa last night was really effective and it was so tempting to just lie in bed all morning, but I also wanted to take a quick swim.

Just beside the pool is the 6th Pool Bar and Lounge. This is a casual pool bar by day but it transforms into the trendiest outdoor club at night. Guests can groove to the beats of the resident DJ and experience a pool party during weekends and special events.

I just love having the pool all to myself which is why I usually wake up very early to catch this serenity. After a few laps around the pool, my tummy was already telling me that it was time to head down to Food Exchange for a yummy breakfast buffet. 

Food Exchange Manila offers its breakfast buffet from 6:30am to 10:30am. Guests at the Club floors can actually have their breakfast either here or at the more private Premier Lounge, but I always like the wider selection at the hotel cafe so this is where I usually have breakfast first. I did have an indulgent dinner last night so I really needed their Juice of the Day to keep my appetite healthy.

A wide selection of breads and pastries are available like the Ube Ensaymada which is a highly recommended item. Early risers can also get as much Puto Bumbong as they want as well as crepes, salads, fruits and more.

They also offer a good range of hot dishes like the Homemade Corned Beef which is a thicker and meatier version of those canned items. The Canadian Bacon was also a popular dish with its low fat bacon. I had some fried eggs prepared which I placed on top of my garlic rice and that was all I needed. Noodles and even pizza are also on hand with several juices and beverages to choose from.

After my breakfast at Food Exchange, I went up to the Premier Lounge to check out the breakfast setup there. The lounge is a better venue for those who want a quiet and more private breakfast experience. While the selection may be smaller, you get a much better view of the city. As expected, I could not help myself from having a second breakfast so I ordered a cup of hot chocolate and helped myself with a plate from the buffet table. That is how The Hungry Kat enjoys breakfast.

The best thing about staying at the Executive Room is that you can request for late check out as long as it is available. My check out was scheduled at 4:00pm so that gave me even more time to explore the hotel facilities. The one area that really impressed me at the hotel is their expansive bridal garden and tent called the Versailles Garden. This 2,500-square meter outdoor events venue can be found at the back of the swimming pool area and offers a spectacular place for weddings and celebrations. Many special occasions have been held at this venue which gives its guests an exclusive and enchanting area.

Would you believe that this picturesque garden paradise can be found right inside Cubao? I would have never thought that a place like this even existed here at the Araneta Center but Novotel Manila has definitely transformed the way we see this busy commercial district.

Novotel Manila is even taking it one step further this summer with outdoor movie screenings and garden picnics at the Versailles Garden all weekends of April starting April 15. Take a break and bond with family and friends while watching exciting movies at this outdoor oasis.

Another reason to visit Novotel Manila Araneta Center is the newly opened Ice N Cream by Novotel located at the lobby floor just beside Food Exchange Manila. The newest ice cream destination started scooping to the public yesterday, April 16, 2017 and gives everyone the coolest and sweetest reasons to beat the smoldering summer heat.

This hip ice cream parlor is not just for hotel guests but for anyone who wants to get out from the heat and enjoy their fun and creative ice cream flavors. There are around 30 different and unique ice cream flavors to choose from which you can enjoy on a cup or cone starting at only P100 per scoop. I think that’s much better than going to those crowded coffee shop for a cup of coffee that is twice as expensive.

Novotel’s ice cream are made from premium local and imported ingredients from Germany and France. These are all homemade and gluten-free, with less sugar and absolutely no stabilizers, resulting in a very creamy texture with high quality and consistency. Some of these flavors, like the Purple Dream with ube and langka, are found at the dessert section of Food Exchange Manila but diners loved these so much that Novotel decided to set up their own ice cream store.

Ice N Cream by Novotel showcases many creative and yummy flavors like Cocoyeah, creamy coconut milk mixed with slivers of young coconut meat; Breezy Berry, a mélange of berries married with the cool breeze of mint; or Sugar-Free options like Oh Honey Honey, local lime zing blended with Tagaytay honey. 

Other Philippine flavors are also highlighted like the Leche De Almond with its velvety leche flan crowned with crunchy Almond Florentine. The Passionista, on the other hand, has a pleasantly sweet and tart silky passionfruit goodness.

Ice N Cream by Novotel also offers classic flavors with catchy names such as Oui Vanilla, Choco Goes Nuts, It Match-a Been Love, and Wake Me Up Before You Go Go which has rich notes of coffee with real coffee bean crunch. They even have alcoholic ice cream flavors like Kirsche Me, a black forest ice cream with high quality couverture chocolate and sponge infused with fruity Kirsch brandy. Or try the Papa Don Preach with plump, juicy raisins enhanced with a kick of warmth from rum. All these exciting flavors are sure to keep ice cream fanatics coming back for more.

During the media launch last week, I was privileged to be one of the first to sample their myriad of delicious flavors. I ordered two scoops of ice cream on a cone with Choco Goes Nuts and Oui Vanilla flavors. I was really surprised with the creaminess of the ice cream which are almost similar to other imported ice cream brands. Novotel Manila takes pride in their homemade ice cream flavors and I can attest to the quality of their creations.

Guests can also choose to have their ice cream inside a cup for the same affordable price. You can also add toppings to your ice cream to personalize your treat.

Aside from the yummy ice cream offerings, Ice N Cream by Novotel also features freshly made pastries and baked favorites like Buko Pandan Layer Cake, Coconut Cheesecake, Chocolate Praline Cake, Croissant, Danish breads, Double Chocolate Chip cookies and much more. They also offer milkshakes and Carmen’s Best ice cream flavors for even more variety.

One ice cream monstrosity that is available at the Gourmet Bar by Novotel is the 15-scoop Le Mont Gourmand which is now also available at Ice N Cream. Media guests were invited to participate in a fun ice cream challenge to design and create their own bowl of Le Mont Gourmand. 

We had all these toppings, syrups and sauces at our disposal to create the best and most creative bowl of Le Mont Gourmand ice cream. It was not as easy as I thought because this bowl is huge! We also had to act quickly because the ice cream was melting fast.

Here it is! Presenting our own Le Mont Gourmand. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to win the top prize but we did have fun sharing and devouring this colorful bowl of ice cream.

Here’s another great treat from Novotel Manila. From April 16 to 29, 2017, Ice N Cream by Novotel will be having a Buy 1 Take 1 offer for the purchase of one scoop of any ice cream flavor (diner pays for the higher priced ice cream flavor). What’s more, if you are social media savvy and aspiring “IT” girls and guys, you can join the search for the Novotel iScreamers: The Ice N Cream Dream Team. Simply follow Novotel Manila’s Facebook page and look for their Ice N Cream contest video (here’s the link). Share on the comments why you should be part of Novotel iScreamers and take your shot to be part of the lucky five to win exciting prizes such as a year’s supply of ice cream at Ice N Cream by Novotel, one overnight stay in an Executive Suite with breakfast and Premier Lounge access similar to my summer staycation, exclusive passes to product tasting, events and new flavor launches, plus a meet and greet with the Bb. Pilipinas Candidates on April 28, 2017 during the Ice N Cream grand launching! Check out the full contest details here.

I never thought that I would enjoy having a staycation at Cubao, but everything during my stay at Novotel Manila Araneta Center has been magical. It has been a while since I last stayed in the Cubao district, but Novotel Manila has truly transformed the way I see Araneta Center and I’m sure this is the case for other travelers as well. Other higher priced luxury hotels may be more popular in Makati or at Roxas Boulevard, but Novotel Manila is now my favorite secret hideaway this side of the city.

Novotel Manila Araneta Center

Gen. Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

990-7888

www.novotel.com/Manila

www.facebook.com/NovotelManilaAranetaCenter

[topfygad]

10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August

By Alice Holtham

Live gigs, a Disney movie marathon, a new ladies’ night inside the Burj Khalifa and the first What’s On Lock In is here…

As we head into August we’re looking ahead to some of the best things to do in the city this month. From live performances from S Club 3, Westlife and The 1975 to new bars, new ladies’ nights and of course the first ever What’s On Lock In, we’re bringing you a guide to the best events happening this month.

Here’s 10 things to look forward to in Dubai this August. 

August 2: Enjoy a value birthday brunch at a popular party spot

To celebrate their second birthday, Mr Miyagi’s at Media One are offering an array of top deals to keep you partying all day long on Friday August 2. As well as offering 50 per cent off everything on their food and drink menu from 12pm to 9pm, they’ll be running three servings of their Wok and Roll party brunch from 12pm to 3pm, 4pm to 7pm and 8pm to 11pm for a bargain Dhs199 – including bubbles. Of course, you can expect all the usual crowd karaoke, cabaret shows and a live DJ to have you hitting the dancefloor.

Mr Miyagi’s, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, 12pm to late, Friday August 2, brunch priced at Dhs199. Tel: (04) 420 7489  mrmiyagisdubai.com

August 2: Throw it back with a live performance

S Club 3 – made up of three members of the original S Club 7 – will take to the stage for the post-brunch party at the Dubai Marina party spot The Hideout on Friday August 2. Doors open at 4pm, and as well as offering free entry to all guests, there’s a brilliant drinks deal on offer. From 4pm to 8pm, guests can enjoy four hours of unlimited house drinks for Dhs200. S Club 3 members Bradley, Jo and Tina were three parts of the original group, who rose to fame with their catchy pop hits in the late 90s. When they take to the stage next month, fans can expect to her the trio perform their most popular songs including Never Had A Dream Come True, Reach and Don’t Stop Movin’.

The Hideout Dubai, 1st Floor, Marina Byblos Hotel, Dubai Marina, 4pm to 8pm, Friday August 2, Dhs200. (058) 534 6000. thehideoutdubai.com

Around August 10: Head away for an Eid getaway

Eid Al Adha is likely to begin on Saturday August 10, and those who typically work Sunday to Thursday are set to enjoy a five-day weekend over Eid from Friday August 9. So, with an extra long weekend on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to book a last-minute getaway – and take advantage of some top deals too. Top of our travel lust-list is Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, who are offering a five-day program of exciting Eid activities, as well as some top discounts for travellers. From August 1 to 31, when you book a four night getaway at the luxury Robinson-crusoe inspired property, you’ll only pay for three nights, or book a seven night holiday and you’ll only pay for five nights. There are also added benefits such as a complimentary 50 minute spa treatment and sunset dolphin cruise on the four-night package, and 50 per cent off seaplane transfers when you book the seven night package. Use the code TSFME219 when booking.

soneva.com/soneva-fushi

August 14: See The 1975 live

Indie pop rockers The 1975 will grace the stage at Dubai’s new Coca-Cola Arena on Wednesday August 14, with tickets on sale now, priced from Dhs200 and available from the1975dxb.com. The band, consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew “Matty” Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel, will come to Dubai as part of their world tour, which commenced earlier this year. When they take to the stage in Dubai, fans can expect to hear some of their best-loved hits including Chocolate, Love Me and Give Yourself A Try.

The 1975, Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Wednesday August 14, from Dhs200. the1975dxb.com

August 15: Get wet & wild at an emoji-themed waterpark party

Dust off that unicorn pool float – Aquaventure Waterpark’s evening pool party is back on Thursday August 15 at Atlantis The Palm. Atlantis’ famous waterpark is set to come alive at night next month with two DJ zones, energetic fire and laser shows, huge emoji inflatables and over Dhs50,000 in prizes up for grabs. The pool party will run from 8pm to 12am and early bird tickets are currently available online with 40 percent off, so you can get yours for Dhs149 if you book soon.

Aquaventure Emoji Party, Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, 8pm to 12am, Thursday August 15, early bird Dhs149. Tel: (04) 426 1169. atlantisthepalm.com

August 15 to 30: Rewatch all your favourite Disney movies

This summer, Dubai Opera is showing a line-up of Disney’s greatest hits from August 15 to August 30. Across the two weeks, Dubai Opera will show no less than 48 films, celebrating animated and live action titles from all decades. This mega movie marathon will show four different films each day, at 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm. The incredible movie list includes classics such as The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Bedknobs And Broomsticks, The Aristocats, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and many more.

Disney movie marathon at Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm, August 15 to 30, from Dhs60 adults, Dhs40 children. dubaiopera.com.

August date TBC: Party at a brand new bar

Antika Bar will be opening its doors in DIFC in August and taking the spot of much-loved Sass Café, which closed in May 2018. Found on level one of Al Fattan Currency House, the new bar is expected to have a completely new look compared to the previous tenants. Inspired by the hidden theatres of 1950’s Lebanon, Antika Bar will have comfortable plush seating, with quirky antique decorations and a stage in the centre of the restaurant. There will be a big focus on live entertainment, as well as a weekly schedule of exciting events, including two weekly brunches and a ladies’ night. 

Antika Bar, Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, opening August 2019. Facebook.com/Antikabardubai

From August 20: Enjoy a seven hour ladies’ night for Dhs200

Fancy taking your Dubai ladies’ night up a notch? A brand new ladies’ night is launching on Tuesday August 20 at Atmosphere in the Burj Khalifa. Taking Dubai’s party scene 122 levels up, the new night is brought to you by Secret Parties, and there’s seven hours of unlimited drinks up for grabs for the girls, with packages starting from Dhs200. The new Secret Parties event will run from 9pm to 12am, and included in the Dhs200 price for ladies is free flowing sparkling wine and a selection of bites. Or, upgrade to the Dhs300 package and you’ll also get bespoke cocktails and house drinks included. From 12am, all guests are then invited to head down to Armani Prive, where there’s unlimited drinks for ladies until 4am.

Secret Ladies Night, Atmosphere Lounge, 122nd floor, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, 9pm onwards, Tuesdays from August 20, from Dhs200 for ladies and Dhs500 for gents. Tel: (04) 888 3828. secret-parties.com

August 23 and 24: Enjoy a mega staycation at the first ever What’s On Lock In

You’re invited to the first ever What’s On Lock In: an epic, weekend-long summer party taking place from Friday August 23 to Saturday August 24. And because we want you to enjoy Dubai in the best possible way – pool parties, brunch extravaganzas, epic staycations and summer libations – we’re taking over the uber-cool Studio One Hotel at an unbeatable price.For Dhs699 for two, Tickets include early check in, a one-night stay at Studio One Hotel, TEPfactor fun, limited hair and nail services and massages, VitaDrip®infusions by The Elixir Clinic, all-inclusive Friday lunch at The Maine Street Eatery or Larte, five drinks at The Irish Village, five drinks at BOHO, yoga activities, breakfast at Larte, lunch at Mr Miyagi’s  or El Chapo’s Tacos, all day pool access, oh, and late check out.

What’s On Lock In, Studio One Hotel, from 10am Friday August 23 to 5pm Saturday August 24, Dhs699 per room per couple. For more details, visit WhatsOn.ae/Lock-In or book your tickets here.

August 29: Sing along as Westlife take to the stage

Irish boyband Westlife will take to the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk on Thursday August 29 as part of their 20th Anniversary tour. Westlife first broke into the harts with their debut single, Swear It Again, and went on to have a string of hits including What Makes A Man, World of Our Own and Flying Without Wings.

Westlife at Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk, Dubai, Thursday August 29, from Dhs250. livenation.me

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source http://cheaprtravels.com/10-things-to-look-forward-to-in-dubai-this-august/