#pizza e mozzarella bar

[seeingbeyondtheisland]

ADELAIDE 2024

I have just returned from a trip to Adelaide. You may have noticed my recent name change to "Seeing The Island And Beyond". I explained here on my Instagram that while I intended this blog to only be about my travels outside of Australia, I have since decided to include trips I make around Australia on the blog as I do not travel overseas enough to have continuous content.

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia, I went in May which is Winter here in Australia. Adelaide and all of South Australia gets freezing cold winters.

DAY ONE Date: 20/5/2024 Weather: Day: 18 Degrees Night: 12 Degrees Itinerary: Arrive In Adelaide Check Into Hotel - Adina Apartments Luigi's Delicatessan Rundle Mall Alba Hotel

The trip start at Sydney Domestic Airport on the 20th of May, my Mother and I flew from Sydney to Adelaide via Jetstar. The flight to Adelaide was 2 hours.

The last two trips I took were Singapore and Uluru, both very hot places. When I stepped off the plane in both Singapore and Uluru, I was immediately greeted with the extreme heat. This time however was very different, instead of intense heat, when I stepped off the plane I noticed a biting cold as May is Winter in Australia and South Australia gets freezing in Winter. After getting our luggage, we got a cab to the hotel we were staying at Adina Apartments, a beautiful hotel situated in an old treasury building.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were checked in by a wonderful lady named Natalie, Natalie actually took the time to give Mum and I a print out of a map of Adelaide and explain to us exactly where all of the main attractions were located and directions on how to get to them. She also gave us a list of all of the best places to eat in Adelaide. We were both very impressed with the wonderful service Natalie provided us.

After check in, Mum and I went to one of the restaurants on Natalie's list Luigi's Delicatessan. We were greeted by a lovely waitress who explained the menu to us (there is no menu at Luigi's, instead the wait staff explain the menu to you, something they call a "talking menu") We ordered two pasta dishes, orichette with pesto, peas and brocollini and gnocchi with napoletana. The two pasta dishes were out of this world delicious!!!! they came out on a beautiful big board with a basket of house made bread, Mum and I wanted to lick the bowl it was so good AND the portion sizes were so big we had enough to take home to the apartment with us.

Lunch At Luigi's Delicatessan

After lunch, Mum and I went for a stroll through Rundle Mall, I want to mention that Adelaide is a very easy city to get around because unlike Sydney where I'm from, the city of Adelaide was planned in advance and built in a square so all of the major attractions and restaurants are within walking distance of each other. Rundle Mall is like most major shopping centres in Australia with one huge exception, it is all outdoors and has lots of little narrow laneways to explore.

We walked back to the hotel and I had a swim in the pool, I know what you are thinking "are you crazy? you went swimming in 18 degree weather in Adelaide in Winter?" while indeed I am crazy, the pool is an indoor pool which is heated and there is also a spa within the pool complex so I was nice and warm.

That night, we had a bit of difficulty finding somewhere to eat as most restaurants in Adelaide are closed on Monday nights so that is something to keep in mind when travelling to Adelaide. Eventually we found a nice restaurant in the Alba Hotel, a very beautiful new hotel that we were actually looking at staying at originally, however we chose Adina due to its central location, the Alba Hotel is about a 5 minute cab drive out of the city, it also has an outdoor pool which would be beautiful in summer but too cold in winter. The food we had was very nice, unfortunately I forgot to take photos of the food but believe me when I say it was delicious.

COSTS Lunch: $91.00 Taxi To Alba Hotel: $11.00 Dinner: $89.00 Taxi To Adina Apartments: $11.00

DAY TWO Date: 21/5/2024 Weather: Day: 19 Degrees Night: 12 Degrees Itinerary: Adelaide Zoo Sushi Train Koko Black Madame Hanoi

Day two was dedicated to the amazing Adelaide Zoo. Adelaide zoo is Australia's second oldest zoo, opening in 1883 and is home to 2500 animals. Adelaide zoo is most famous for its Giant Panda's Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the only Giant Panda's found anywhere in Australia. Everyday at 1:15PM is the Giant Panda keeper talk where you can learn more about these adorable animals, I learnt many interesting facts, however I won't spoil it by sharing them here. Other interesting creatures in Adelaide Zoo include Sumatran Tigers, Lions, Taipurs, Manned Wolves, Komodo Dragons and much more. The Reptile Enclosure is also pretty awesome and was my second favourite exhibit after the Giant Pandas.

Adelaide Zoo

After our trip to the Adelaide Zoo, we got on one of the Free City Connector Buses that takes you all around the city and got off at Rundle Mall where we had sushi at Sushi Train for lunch. After lunch, we stumbled across a Koko Black cafe and went in for dessert. I had a warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream which was delicious.

Koko Black

We went back to the hotel and I went and had my daily afternoon spa and swim. For dinner that night, we went to Madame Hanoi, an amazing Vietnamese restaurant just outside the SkyCity Casino. My Mum had a bao bun for an entree and I had spicy tofu which was delicious. For mains we shared Galangal Spiced Half Chicken with rice. The chicken was so tender and succulent and covered in a delicious miso corn puree with pickles, coriander and dried chilli oil. It was the best chicken dish either of us has ever eaten, the portion sizes were big meaning we had leftovers (I may or may not have had the chicken and tofu for breakfast the next morning).

Madame Hanoi

COSTS Taxi To Adelaide Zoo: $12.00 Adelaide Zoo: $42.50 Bus To Sushi Train: $2.05 Lunch: $22.00 Koko Black: $8.00 Taxi To Madame Hanoi: $10.00 Dinner: $66.00 Taxi To Adina Apartments: $10.00

DAY THREE Date: 22/5/2024 Weather: Day: 18 Degrees Night: 12 Degrees Itinerary: Art Gallery Of South Australia Lunch Adelaide Botanic Gardens Pizza E Mozzarella Bar

Day three was very exciting for me because that day I was meeting up with Maura, an internet friend of 10 years!!!!! it was so exciting to finally meet up in person. We met up at the Art Gallery Of South Australia, greeting each other with a huge hug and excited grins. Being from Sydney, I didn't think there would be galleries better than ours in other states but I was wrong! the Art Gallery Of South Australia would have to be better than any of the galleries that I have seen in Sydney. The gallery is completely free to enter, unless of course you are there for a paid exhibition and houses many amazing treasures.

We spent well over an hour walking through the art gallery and looking at all of the beautiful works of art. I was pleasantly surprised to find a digital portrait of Lady Gaga in the museum.

Art Gallery Of South Australia

After seeing the Art Gallery Of South Australia, Maura and I went next door to the South Australian Museum. This museum focuses on native cultures, fauna of Australia, prehistoric creatures, minerals, arctic explorations and much more. There is so much to see here, you could easily spend over an hour exploring everything which we did, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything that we saw.

South Australian Museum

We then went and had lunch at this really nice Ramen bar, unfortunately I cannot remember the name of it and I forgot to take photos, but it was delicious.

Our last stop was the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, a wonderland of all different kinds of plants and flowers. We pretty much walked the entire gardens which was tiring but so worth it. There was a little straw hut which Maura and I both agreed reminded us of "The Secret Garden", a green house with lillypads, a rose garden, a greenhouse with a cave and much more.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

At around 4:00PM, Maura and I said our goodbyes and I went back to the hotel. I had my daily afternoon swim and spa and then Mum and I went to Pizza E Mozzarella Bar for dinner. I had a really nice mocktail which I can't remember the name of, for dinner, Mum and I shared a garlic pizza and a spaghetti in red sauce. Both meals were delicious and we defiantly would recommend them.

Pizza E Mozzarella Bar

COSTS Lunch: $23.00 Dinner: $51.00

DAY FOUR Date: 23/5/2024 Weather: Day: 17 Degrees Night: 11 Degrees Itinerary: Bums On Seats Hanhdorf & Barossa Valley With Winery Lunch Tour - Maggie Beer's Farmshop - Barossa Valley Chocolate Company - Chateau Yaldara - Kies Family Wines - Hanhdorf Concubine

My Mum's birthday is in August so I booked a day trip to the Barossa Valley as an early birthday present for her. We went with a company Called "Bums On Seats", I know, funny name we all had a giggle about it. We were picked up out the front of our hotel in a van by a lovely driver by the name of Jeff. We were the first people Jeff picked up and then we went to 2 other hotels and picked up the other guests, there ended up being six of us so it was a very small and intimate group which was very nice. Everyone we met on our tour was really lovely and we were all quite good friends by the end of the day.

Our first stop was Maggie Beer's Farmshop at Pheasant Farm, this was the main reason I booked this tour for my Mum's birthday because my Mum loves Maggie Beer and has always wanted to visit her farm shop. It took us about an hour from Adelaide to get there, our guide Jeff was amazing and told us many interesting facts about Adelaide, the Barossa Valley and the Farmshop on the way.

Mum of course was very excited when we pulled into Maggie Beer's Farmshop and I got a polaroid shot of her before we went inside. The Farmshop is both a cafe and a gift shop in one, Maggie Beer for years had a show called "The Cook & The Chef" and inside the gift shop is the exact kitchen that she used for the show which Mum was very excited to see. After a look in the gift shop, we ordered morning tea at the cafe and sat and looked at the window at the magnificent Yabby Farm. Our morning tea arrived, Mum ordered a scone and a coffee and I had a dark chocolate brownie with pear, sounds like a weird combination but it was the most amazing brownie I have ever eaten!!!! Mum said her coffee and scone were out of this world. After about half an hour in the farm shop, we went back out to the van and hopped on to our next destination the Barossa Valley Chocolate Company.

Maggie Beer's Farmshop

We arrived at the Barossa Valley Chocolate Company and were immediately greeted with the big chocolate fountain at the front of the shop. We were probably there for about 15 minutes, I bought lots of chocolate and even had a chocolate gelato at the gelato stall out the front of the shop.

Barossa Valley Chocolate Company

We headed to our next destination, Chateau Yuldara for wine tasting. The beautiful big castle was built in 1941 by Hermann Thumm, a European immigrant who was sent to Australia due to WW2 and was placed in a working camp on the Murray River. After the war, Thumm was released and found work in winery near Lyndoch. Driving past an old flour mill with his boss one day, Hermann's imagination and passion were sparked, he made many visits to the current land owners and convinced them to sell him a portion of the land. For months, Hermann worked tirelessly to prepare the estate for its first vintage. Wine making began in 1947, Hermann relied on local grape growers for his first vintages.

Hermann had the infamous Chateau built over a period of 18 months, it was originally built to display his collection of furniture and fine china, however today it is used for wine tasting.

I myself am not a drinker (I know weird to be on a Barossa Valley tour when you don't drink), so while everyone was tasting wine, I walked around the magnificent gardens and even met some sheep.

Chateau Yuldara

We headed to Kies Family Wines for lunch and more wine tasting. On the way there, we were given a lunch menu and asked to pick a lunch, I chose a spinach and ricotta filo with fries and mum chose something called the monkey nut chicken. All of our food was really nice and we got to sit and chat and get to know one another a lot better which was really nice. The winery also had a gift shop, thats where I pretty much spent most of my time while the others were tasting wine. I also went into the garden and noticed that they had American Bag Toss so I had a go at that as well.

Lunch At Kies Family Winery

After lunch, we headed to the place I had been most eager to see, Hahndorf. Hahndorf is a cute little German village that was settled by German immigrants in the 19th century, as a result, the town looks and feels exactly like a town in Germany with its original German style architecture and artisanal food. Just walking up and down the streets, I saw many German flags and restaurants with German music playing inside, I even heard some people speaking German (I don't speak a word of German so I could have been mistaken but it defiantly sounded like German). The town itself has a very interesting history.

The history of Hahndorf begins in 1838, George Fife Angas, a director of a South Australian company, made a trip to London to promote colonisation. George met Pastor Kavel during his trip, who was trying to help German Lutherans being persecuted by the King Of Prussia to immigrate to safer places. Angas, moved by the plight of the Lutherans convinced Kavel that South Australia would be a suitable place for the Lutherans to emigrate to and provided a generous donation of 8000 pounds. 187 German Lutheran immigrants arrived in Port Adelaide on the 28th of December 1838 via the 344 tonne ship Zebra. Unfortunately, the passengers were unable to disembark until the 2nd of January 1839 as a result of low tide. Dirk Hahn the ships captain, had grown to respect the passengers and promised to help them achieve their goal of settling and farming together, he managed to negotiate a parcel of land in the Adelaide Hills.

The negotiated contract provided the 38 families with 100 acres of land, rent free for the first year. Of this 19 acres were allocated for housing and roads and the rest for cultivation, the settlers were also provided with a years worth of seeds and some livestock, all on credit as a communal debt. The settlers decided to buy the land at the end of the first year, however it took them a few years to pay off the debt. In addition to the 38 families, an extra 14 families who had settled previously at Klemzig joined the settlement. The new settlement was named Hahndorf (Hahn's Village) in honour of Captain Hahn who had helped the refugees to achieve their goal.

I absolutely loved this little town so much, all of the little shops are so cute, and I even bought a really cute bag in the Hahndorf Bag Shop. I have always wanted to visit Germany, but I want to do so even more so after seeing this village, I'd also like to start learning some German as I literally know none.

Hahndorf

The Bag I Bought In Hahndorf

After Hahndorf, our wonderful tour had come to an end and we were dropped back at our hotel, where we said our goodbyes to all of the lovely people on the tour and our amazing driver Jeff. I of course went and had my afternoon swim and spa and then we went out for dinner.

We walked down to Chinatown that night and went to a really beautiful Chinese restaurant called Concubine, the food was amazing and so was the service. We got a little lost on our way there, so we rang them to ask for help getting there and one of the staff members literally walked down the street to find us!!!!! I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. I of course had Tofu and rice for dinner.

Concubine

COSTS Bums On Seats Tour: $169.00 Dinner: $41.00

DAY FIVE Date: 24/5/2024 Weather: Day: 17 Degrees Night: 12 Degrees Itinerary: Glenelg Beach Cheeseburger Adelaide Central Markets Osteria Oggi Koko Black Rundle Mall

Day five was our last full day in Adelaide, so we decided to go down to Glenelg beach via tram. Glenelg Beach is a beautiful beach that is very popular in the summertime, the area of Glenelg, is also pretty amazing, there are many shops, cafes and restaurants. Lots of little photo ops along the beach front, a fountain in the centre square and a huge amusement centre for kids and big kids. As Mum and I went in winter, Glenelg was pretty quite and obviously we were unable to actually swim, however it was still very worth the trip here.

The first thing we did was go out on to the wharf. As we came back from the wharf, I discovered the little photo ops on the beach and got some photos with them. We then went to a little cafe called Banjo's for morning tea, mum had coffee and I had a mini Hawaiian pizza. We then walked up and down the main street and had a look in all of the little shops before getting the tram back to the Adelaide CBD.

Glenelg Beach

After Glenelg, we were both craving cheeseburgers so while we were on the tram back to Adelaide CBD, I looked up good burger bars in Adelaide and found one simply called "Cheeseburger". Once we got back to Adelaide CBD, we both walked to Cheeseburger and had a delicious cheeseburger for lunch.

Cheeseburger

After lunch we walked to the Adelaide Central Markets. The Adelaide Central Markets has over 80 vendors, selling fresh produce and amazing food. The fruit and veggies looked so beautiful and fresh!!!! I really wished I could have taken some back to Sydney with me. We walked up and down every aisle, I had a snickers pop at Jamu which was delicious and we both decided to return for lunch the next day.

Adelaide Central Markets

That night for dinner we went to Osteria Oggi, a beautiful Italian restaurant. The restaurant is unique in that rather than sitting at an individual table, you sit at a more communal table, the idea of this is to encourage guests to mingle with and get to know one another which I think is quite a lovely idea. They do also have private booths but these are reserved for groups. We had a really lovely server whose name now slips my mind, however I DO!!!! remember she had an Industrial piercing which I was very jealous of. Mum and I shared Spaghetti with smoked passata, capers, olives, chilli and basil and wood grilled zucchini, both dishes were absolutely delicious and had us wanting to lick the plate.

Osteria Oggi

After dinner we decided to go to Koko Black for dessert. We both ordered the same thing that we did on the Tuesday and we both enjoyed it just as much. In Adelaide, Friday is late night shopping night and since we were already in Rundle Mall, we decided to walk through and have a quick look before returning to our hotel.

Rundle Mall

COSTS Tram To Glenelg Beach: $3.00 Morning Tea: $8.00 Tram To Adelaide: $3.00 Lunch: $10.90 Dinner: $60 Koko Black: $8.00

DAY SIX Date: 25/5/2024 Weather: Day: 16 Degrees Night: 12 Degrees Itinerary: Check Out Of Hotel Torrens River Cruise Adelaide Central Market Church

COSTS Taxi To Torrens River: $9.00 Torrens River Cruise: $17.00 Lunch: $16.00

Waking up I was hit with a pang of sadness as I realised that this was the last morning I would wake up in the Adina Apartments. Luckily, our flight back to Sydney wasn't until 3 in the afternoon so we still had almost a full day to spend in Adelaide before heading to the airport.

We checked out of the Adina Apartments, however as we were still going to be out and about in Adelaide, they held our bags in storage for us.

We got a taxi down to the Torrens River. The Torrens River is the reason that Adelaide was selected as the site for settlement in 1836 when the Europeans arrived due to the fresh water available from the river. We went on a cruise down the river with Popeye River Cruises that took us through the entire river. Along the way we were handed around photos of the river throughout the ages and given many interesting facts by our guide, the cruise went for 45 minutes and was a very pleasant way to spend the morning.

The Torrens River

After our cruise, we walked to the Adelaide Central Markets and had lunch at an amazing pizza stall called Atlas.

Lunch At Adelaide Central Markets

After lunch, we walked across the road to the beautiful St Peter's Cathedral. Adelaide is known as the "City Of Churches" and has many beautiful churches to explore. Sadly I only got a chance to see one, however I'm hoping to visit again and when I do, I'll defiantly check out the others. St Peter's is a beautiful church and defiantly something I recommend seeing.

St Peter's Cathedral

This is where our trip in Adelaide basically finished, we went back to the Adina Apartments and got our luggage and then got a taxi to the airport where we flew back home to Sydney.

I must say I really enjoyed Adelaide far more than I was expecting, Adelaide is a small but beautiful and diverse city with beautiful food, unique sights and friendly people from all walks of life.

TIPS - Adelaide gets very cold in Winter so make sure to pack plenty of warm clothes, boots and a coat if you visit in winter. - When using public transport, tap your card on the scanner when you get on but don't tap off again as you leave.

[umi-no-onnanoko]

Ieri sono giunta all'ultima pagina del quadernino dove, quasi quotidianamente, cercavo di trovare 10 cose che mi piacessero in modo da essere grata per queste cose/ persone ed al contempo per fare si, una volta finito il quadernino, di comprendere cosa ricorreva di più e quindi ciò che mi piace davvero rispetto a ciò che era passeggero.

Questo è il risultato, ovviamente ci sono anche altre cose che mi piacciono, ma ciò che è rimasto nel tempo (più di un annetto) sono queste cose:

L'inverno

Il nero

Il tiramisù

La pioggia

Il mare

Il blu

Scrivere, soprattutto a mano (lettere,testi, poesie, canzoni)

Disegnare

Le lasagne

Il thè (soprattutto il thè nero e quelli alla vaniglia e all'arancia e cannella della Twinnings)

Gli abbracci

Il rosa

I fiori di ciliegio

I soffioni

I baci sulla fronte

Cantare

Il colore Tiffany

Tutto ciò che è vintage

L'antiquariato

William Shakespeare

Il cappuccino (Con molta schiuma, quello solubile della Nescafé, o quello con la cannella)

Che mi vengano accarezzati i capelli

La musica (soprattutto da giradischi)

Halloween

Natale

Le arance

Le margherite

I profumi da uomo

La cannella

I palloncini

I baci perugina

Le pesche

Il vento estivo

Il limone

Il Giappone

Vienna

La sacher

Ballare

Il verde

Harry Potter

The Mentalist

I tacchi (anche se non so camminarci)

I tulipani

I bambini che ridono

Fare la spesa

I Queen

Tiziano Ferro

Sperimentare

I braccialetti con le conchiglie

I maglioni di lana

Gli ombrelli colorati

I bomboloni alla crema

Il lillà

Le ombre degli oggetti

Il rossetto rosso

Le borse in tela

I cartoni Disney

Death note

Demon slayer

Il ramen

Gli anni 50' e 80' della moda

Emma Watson

Le canzoni italiane "vecchie"

I delfini

I pop corn

Vedere i film al cinema

Andare a teatro

Cantare quando non c'è nessuno

Inventare nuove parole

Aiutare gli altri

Il bianco

L'odore della terra bagnata quando piove

I sottobicchiere in sughero

Le parigine

Stitch

I lecca lecca alla Coca-Cola

Le candele

Le luci di Natale

Suonare il pianoforte

Gli accordi di chitarra

L'odore della bigbabol alla fragola

Riordinare

Le uova di pasqua

I libri

Il viola

I capelli puliti

Il sapone alla melagrana

Essere gentile

Gli abbracci

Ascoltare gli altri e le loro storie

Guardare fuori dal finestrino

I messaggi inaspettati

I ti voglio bene

I croissant (alla crema, alla marmellata di arancia, al miele e nocciole o integrali vuoti)

Sognare

Le farfalle

I pettirossi

Le cinciallegre

I cannoli alla crema

Gli stivali in pelle

La pizza

La mozzarella in carrozza fatta in casa

Il succo di frutta all'albicocca

L'erba mossa dal vento

La neve

I cani

Le nocciole

Il bagnoschiuma al miele

I gatti (soprattutto quelli neri)

L'alba

I peluche

Leggere

Preparare dolci

Le tartarughe

La luna e le fasi lunari

Fare sorridere gli altri

Le mongolfiere

I toast fatti in casa

I colori della natura

Il rosso

I cereali con all'interno il cioccolato fondente

I fiori

I film dello studio ghibli ( in particolare il castello errante di howll)

I fiocchi per i capelli

La generosità

Le stelle

I grilli

Argo

Latte e cioccolato

La pasta al pesto

I conigli

La rugiada

La pasta al ragù

I biscotti al cioccolato

L'arcobaleno

L'indaco

Il giallo

Il succo di frutta alla mela

Le coccole

L'azzurro

I bagni caldi

Le patatine fritte

Gioielli a tema astronomia

Le nuvole

L'arancione

Van Gogh

Fare colazione al bar

Pranzare seduta sull'erba

Scoprire e provare nuove ricette

I panini al salame

Il corallo

Il giardinaggio

La coppa del nonno al caffè

Nightmare before Christmas

Il pain au chocolat

Lo zucchero filato

Passeggiare

Curiosare tra i libri nelle librerie

Fare regali

Organizzare sorprese

Il rispetto

Il dialogo

Gli anime e manga

Le caramelle ricoperte di zucchero

Conoscere nuove persone

Le conversazioni interessanti

I musei

La letteratura italiana e straniera

I Funko-pop

I post-it

Gli oggetti in resina

I balletti

Le conchiglie

La magia

Supernatural

Le ortensie

Le tazze in vetro minimal

Le civette/ i gufi

Le sfoglie al burro

I ghiaccioli alla pesca con pezzi di frutta

Le coccinelle

L'Egitto antico

Gli scarabei

I dolcetti in pasta di mandorle

Il piccolo principe

Le frittelle di mele

Parigi

Gli aquiloni

Il profumo di pino silvestre

Il modo in cui le persone camminano

Gli occhi (Soprattutto quelli verdi, grigi o così scuri da sembrare neri)

Camminare sotto la pioggia senza ombrello

Il rumore delle foglie secche sotto le suole delle scarpe

Condividere il mio tempo con chi merita

La storia dell'arte

Le mani

Il beige

L'odore dei libri

Le trecce

Le lentiggini

I capelli ricci nei ragazzi

Le foglie d'acero

Il gelato alla pesca e cocco (il mio preferito se artigianale)

Le fotografie

Gli abiti da sposa in stile princess

Il legno

I camini

La pallavolo

La F1

L'architettura gotica

La pasta al gorgonzola

Sailor Moon

I pic nic

I marshmallow

Gli anelli da uomo

Le lucciole

I pancakes

Il romanticismo

I profumi speziati

I peperoni

I musical

Lo stile cottagecore

I disegni d' anatomia

Le rondini

Le sculture in marmo

I mercatini di Natale

Il vetro di Murano

Mangiare cubetti di parmigiano

I mozziconi di matite

Giocare a basket

I tramonti

L'autunno

Il caramello (anche salato)

L'odore del soffritto

L'eleganza

Le tazze

Le perle

Audrey Hepburn

I draghi

I balli latino-americani

L'astronomia

I soffioni

I videogiochi

I leccalecca a forma di cuore

I ricci

La camomilla

I martinpescatori

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I cappotti

I vinili

Gli specchi

Il salice piangente

La focaccia (soprattutto alle cipolle o alle patate)

La redvelvet

Lo spazio

Il silenzio

I girasoli

Sentire parlare in francese

La marmellata/ crema di maroni

Gli schiaccianoci come quelli del balletto

Le mele cotte

I libri gialli

La torta pere e cioccolato

Le polpette

Il porridge

I pinguini

La marmellata di pesche

Il cioccolato fondente con nocciole intere

Il cioccolato con caramello della Milka

La mitologia

Grazie a chiunque avrà voglia di leggere fino qui, questa piccola sfida mi ha permesso di conoscermi meglio e quindi spero potrete conoscermi un po' meglio anche coi lettori o trovare interessante porvi la stessa sfida e scoprirvi.

-umi-no-onnanoko (@umi-no-onnanoko )

[funkatello]

Sydney's Italian Food Scene: Trends and Traditions

Italian food has long been a staple of Sydney’s diverse and vibrant dining scene. From cozy trattorias to upscale ristorantes, you’ll find Italian restaurant Sydney passionate about pasta, pizza, antipasti and more. While tradition remains at the heart of Italian cuisine, a new wave of chefs and eateries are putting modern twists on classic dishes.

Here’s a look at what’s trending on Sydney’s Italian food scene, as well as old-world traditions still going strong:

Handmade Pasta Renaissance

From orecchiette to paccheri, gnocchi to tagliatelle - handmade pasta is having a moment. Stanley Street restaurants highlight freshly rolled and extruded pastas made in-house daily. Expect unique shapes and flavors like squid ink fettucine, beetroot ravioli, and pumpkin gnocchi. These textural homemade pastas showcase quality ingredients.

Neapolitan Pizza Perfection

Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in wood-fired ovens is on the rise. With charred and chewy crusts, San Marzano tomato sauce, and imported mozzarella - pizzerias are turning out gorgeous, flavor-packed pies. Expect classics like Margherita and Diavola as well as creative seasonal toppings.

Italian Regional Spotlight

More eateries are exploring regional Italian cuisines like Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, and Emilia-Romagna. Expect dishes from best Italian restaurants Sydney highlighting grilled meats, seafood, olive oils, pastas, and produce native to each region. This gives diners a taste of Italy’s remarkable diversity.

Craft Cocktails

Leave basic Chianti behind. Darlinghurst restaurant and bars offer craft cocktails. These cocktails are Italian-inspired. They use amaros, liqueurs, Italian spirits, wines, fruits, herbs, and more. Think Negronis. Think Aperol Spritzes. Think Bellinis. Think new concoctions. These new concoctions feature Sicilian blood orange, Genovese basil, bergamot, and beyond.

Salumi & Formaggi

Many delicious Italian cheeses and cured meats are available, so charcuterie and cheese boards are very popular. Enjoy a feast of prosciutto, salami, mortadella, coppa, and culatello. These can be paired with Italian favorites such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Toscano, Gorgonzola, and Burrata. Great for appetizers before dinner.

Simplicity Done Right

Even with new trends, Sydney’s best Italian restaurants let prime ingredients shine through. Dishes like cacio e pepe, carbonara, saltimbocca alla Romana, branzino, and roasted meats executed flawlessly highlight quality and simplicity. This philosophy of letting great produce and technique speak for themselves remains at the core.

Italian Hospitality 

Another tradition carrying forward is Italian hospitality and convivial dining. Eateries embrace a bustling yet homey trattoria vibe with frequent calls of “Ciao bella!” Warm service and a lively ambiance go hand-in-hand with the food.

Family Recipes

Many restaurants showcase recipes passed down for generations. House-made pastas, sauces, desserts, and cures keep old family traditions alive with care and expertise. Dining out becomes an authentic homestyle experience. 

Fresh Produce & Ingredients

Italian cuisine culture centers on quality, seasonal ingredients. Menus shift to highlight ripe tomatoes in summer, mushrooms and truffles in autumn, and artichokes and fennel in winter. Expect the vibrant flavors of ultra-fresh vegetables, cheese, seafood and meats.

Conclusion

Sydney’s Italian food scene keeps evolving while staying rooted in tradition. For a sublime taste of Italy's flavors and hospitality, book your table at Funkatello in Darlinghurst. Our fresh pasta, pizza, seafood, wines and cocktails encapsulate both innovation and tradition. 

[fishmech]

they used to make more money that way back in 2021 (when the article you posted is from) sure. but these days the business is collapsing:

Investors plowed billions of dollars into the space, and start-ups and established companies made plans to expand. Some Kroger stores had ghost kitchens, and Wendy’s announced plans in 2021 to open 700 delivery-only locations. That year, the commercial real estate company CBRE predicted that ghost kitchens would account for 21 percent of restaurant sales by 2025. But as the pandemic subsided and customers returned to dining inside restaurants, large chains found themselves squeezed by overtaxed kitchens and rising customer complaints, forcing them to reconsider their delivery-only strategy. Wendy’s has pulled back from its plans, and Kroger shut down its ghost kitchens last year.

During the pandemic, Chuck E. Cheese created Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings, a virtual restaurant that was featured on delivery apps like GrubHub and DoorDash and offered more grown-up versions of the pizza served for children’s birthday parties in the restaurants. “We were in the pizza business already, so we’re not serving something that’s foreign to our kitchens,” said David McKillips, the chief executive of Chuck E. Cheese. “It’s in our DNA.” The delivery-only business has slowed as diners have headed back for stuffed-crust pizza and Skee-Ball, and some of the favorite Pasqually’s dishes are now on the Chuck E. Cheese menus, Mr. McKillips said.

During the pandemic, Brinker International, which owns the Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant chains, created two virtual brands: It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Italian Classics. Both were embraced by hungry Americans who were tired of cooking at home. But as more diners sought to share mozzarella sticks in person, the company’s restaurants became overwhelmed with orders, making it difficult for its kitchens to juggle the brands. As a result, Brinker shut down Maggiano’s Italian Classics last year and has pared It’s Just Wings, instead putting some of the fan favorites on its restaurant menus.

ghost kitchens being legal is weird to me. like why does chick e cheese have a side hustle as a fake restaurant

[taruntravell]

Top-Rated Restaurants Near Duomo Milan

As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, here are some top-rated restaurants near the Duomo in Milan, Italy. Please note that restaurant popularity and rankings can change over time, so I recommend checking more recent reviews and rankings on platforms like TripAdvisor or Yelp for the most up-to-date information.

Ristorante Galleria: Located right next to the Duomo, this restaurant offers a stunning view of Milan's iconic cathedral. They serve Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in an elegant setting.

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia: A Michelin-starred restaurant that offers a gourmet dining experience. The menu features traditional Italian dishes with a modern twist.

Pisacco: This trendy restaurant is known for its contemporary Italian cuisine. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists, offering a stylish atmosphere and a diverse menu.

Manna: A restaurant with a focus on organic and locally-sourced ingredients. Manna offers a menu that combines Italian tradition with creative flair.

Trattoria Milanese: If you're looking for traditional Milanese cuisine, this is a great place to try classic dishes like osso buco and risotto alla Milanese.

Bice: Bice is a well-known Italian restaurant chain with a location near the Duomo. They offer a wide range of Italian dishes, including pasta and seafood.

Ristorante Savini: Located inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, this historic restaurant has been serving Italian cuisine for over a century. It's a great place to experience Milanese elegance.

Mozzarella e Basilico: If you're a fan of Italian pizza and mozzarella, this cozy pizzeria is a great choice. They serve delicious Neapolitan-style pizza.

Obicà Mozzarella Bar: This restaurant specializes in fresh mozzarella and Italian food featuring this beloved cheese. It's a great spot for a light meal.

Luini: For a quick and delicious snack, try Luini, a famous Milanese bakery known for its panzerotti, which are fried dough pockets filled with various fillings.

Please keep in mind that restaurant information can change over time, and new establishments may have opened since my last update. Also, consider making reservations in advance, especially for popular restaurants near the Duomo.

[menuandprice]

Dollies North Shore – Paia, Maui, HI

Happy Hour at Dollies North Shore – Paia, Maui, HI

Updated 10/29/2022 by the Maui Happy Hours team

Happy Hour at Dollies Paia 3pm-6pm and 9pm-Close Daily

Happy Hour Food at Dollies North Shore Paia - $6 Happy Hour Pupus – Tacos, Quesadilla (Cheese or Beef), Bruschetta, Mini Nachos (Cheese or Beef), Chips ‘n Salsa, Mini Pizza, Mozzarella Bread, Mini Sloppy Joes Happy Hour Drinks at Dollies North Shore - $3 Bud Light and Coors Light draft beers - $1 off well liquor, calls, and house wine - $5 shots of Jagermeister, Fireball, Goldschlager, and Rumple Minze —————————— Address: 120 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI 96779 Phone: (808) 579-9070 About: Hang out with the locals in the best sports bar with the best pizza on Maui! Dollies has been a Maui tradition since 1983 when we opened our pub and cafe in Kahana, Maui, and quickly became a local favorite. Now we’re bringing the fun to Paia with our newest location, Dollies North Shore at 120 Hana Hwy in the heart of downtown Paia, Maui. At Dollies, we still individually hand-press our pizza dough and cook it in stone ovens. It takes a little longer, but we think you’ll agree it’s worth it. We feature locally sourced produce and Maui Cattle Company Beef including certified Black Angus deli meats. According to these Dollies North Shore guests: Happy hour at Dollies North Shore is from 3pm-6pm and 9pm-close daily and features discounted pizza by the slice, appetizers, beer, wine, and cocktails. “Friendly staff and good prices for happy hour!”T.J. S., October 2022 “The bartender we had tonight was very friendly and made excellent drinks at a great price! There were some sports fans having a good time and the live music was good!”Sara E., October 2022 “Dollies is a great spot to stop and have a drink and a bite. I came in with a friend and we got the fried pickles and a medium bbq pizza. Our waiter, Chris, made the entire experience a lot of fun. The pickles and pizza were good although the pie could’ve used more time in the oven. Overall a pleasant experience, I’ll be going back soon. Mahalo guys!”Katie C., October 2022 “This place should be rated the best hamburger on Maui. They use Maui beef. Awesome! And Carl is doing a great job. Our first time here. Come eat here.”Doug L., October 2022 “Courtney was wonderful. We had two small ones and we came at the end of happy hour. She got us food and drinks quickly and was very kind.”Kiley E., May 2022 “I love this spot (Dollies North Shore). I came in because I was looking for washrooms and most places don’t allow you to use it but the staff at Dollies were so friendly and welcoming, I love the vibe in this place, it’s not trying to be special or touristy at all just a real spot with really reasonable price. I really appreciate it!”Sammy C., May 2022 “Great atmosphere. Great airflow which is great for those hot days. Staff was SUPER friendly and the food was great. I had the grilled chicken sandwich. Very good. Prices are very reasonable. If I get a chance to come back to the island I will be revisiting Dollies North Shore in Paia. Thanks y’all. It was awesome.”Nick T., March 2022 “Looking at reviews we were not sure about eating here but thought why not. Beer is outstanding price if $4.50 with good selection and pizza’s looked interesting.  WOW, what a nice find as everything coming out of the kitchen looked awesome. Each couple had a medium pizza all were unique and outstanding. Took leftovers back to condo and they were still awesome.”Andy B., March 2022 “Staff was super nice and the food was served quickly. The pizza was good, (The Greek). Excellent location for people watching, and lots of TVs for sports. Good, casual atmosphere.”Shelly T., March 2022 “Have eaten lunch at Dollie’s twice on our vacation. The service was great. Pizza was delicious and our waitress Alli was awesome! I recommend next time you are in Paia go in to eat.”Patricia N., July 2021 Want to make a comment or ask a question? Are you a fan of this business? Tell us in the comments below.

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[mitchamsocialuser]

Best Woodfired Pizza in Sydney

Whether you prefer it Neapolitan, woodfired or vegan, pizza is one of the best comfort foods out there. Sydney has a gluttonous amount of great pizza joints that offer everything from traditional to contemporary pizza variations.

Glorietta is a North Sydney standout, serving up Neopolitan street-style pizzas with a creative flair that’s reminiscent of Italy’s streets. Bella Bruta is another Newtown favourite, offering pizza that’s not so traditional and a dedication to quality.

Coogee Pavilion

The ground floor at Coogee Pavilion (also known as ‘The Pav’) is a busy family-friendly spot, with a woodfired pizza oven and oyster bar. It’s a perfect spot for sharing and is complemented by a nostalgic games arena with giant magnetic scrabble, ping pong and an in-house theatrette.

It’s also a great place to enjoy seafood dishes like lobster rolls and sashimi. The restaurant upstairs, ‘Coogee Pavilion Rooftop’, is an adults-only zone with four indoor and outdoor bars, a huge wrap-around balcony and the best coastal views in Sydney.

It’s a bit of everything, and everything is done well. The food is casual and the vibe is family friendly — a snapshot of the local beach-loving community.

Via Napoli

The best pizza Sydney has to offer is served at Via Napoli, whose owner and chef Luigi Esposito has spent years in pizzerias around Naples and Europe. He has a passion for the authentic and is committed to using the best ingredients and delivering the right taste.

The restaurant is a buzzy place, filled with frantic waiters and large groups of people crammed into a dining room that feels like a pizza factory. Giant one metre long pizzas are lifted over everyone’s heads and shoved onto their table, bubbling with molten mozzarella cheese and slightly smoky from the 90-second blast in the 485 degrees celsius domed wood-fired oven.

There are a few vegetarian options on the menu and a good range of wines from Italy. But the real reason to go here is for the metre-long, extraordinarily good pizzas.

Da Mario

Da Mario is a restaurant in Rosebery that has solidified its reputation for dishing out some of the finest woodfired pizzas and classic Italian foods. Experience lunches of Rosse or Bianche including Margherita “extra” with buffalo mozzarella, Marinara con tonno with preserved tuna, speck e fontina with smoked prosciutto or Gorgonzola con radicchio all emerging from the central wood-fired oven.

Originally, Da Mario was one of the first Sydney pizzerias to get AVPN accreditation (the globally respected Association Verace Pizza Napoletana). Its commitment to adhering to the strict rules of this organisation means that all their pizzas are authentic.

Verace Pizzeria

If you’re looking for a woodfired pizza in Sydney, head to Verace Pizzeria in Macquarie Park. It’s one of the city’s few pizza parlours certified by the Associazione verace pizza Napoletana, meaning that their pizzas are adherent to strict rules regarding size, appearance and ingredients.

The standard Margherita is a great place to start, while the potato pie and prosciutto pizza are also popular. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try the eggplant-cream base or stack it with black truffle.

Pizza Madre

Pizza Madre is one of the best places to enjoy woodfired pizza in Sydney. It offers a wide range of pizzas and other dishes.

This Italian pizzeria is a favourite amongst many locals. Their delicious pizzas are made with the highest quality ingredients and a lot of love is put into each one.

They offer several vegan pasta and pizza options on their menu and also deliver pizzas to your doorstep. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, this is the perfect place to visit!

Located in Bronte, this Vacanza pizzeria is the perfect spot to relax and have some great pizza. This place has received rave reviews from both locals and critics. Its pizzas are handmade and include cult favorites like Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente Diavola.

[angelinosplumbingemergency]

Ollo

Ollo in 23750 E Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu CA is a farm-to-table restaurant inspired by local California cuisine. Its comfortable, modern dining room is flooded with light and has a lush outdoor patio that’s surrounded by vines and greenery. The menu is Mediterranean and Italian influenced and includes a number of delicious dishes that are sure to satisfy your hunger.

Ollo is open everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its menu is huge so you’ll likely have trouble deciding what to order, but here are a few of my favorites:

The Ollo Scramble with scrambled eggs, white cheddar, spinach, mushrooms and caramelized onions is the perfect breakfast dish. Or try the oatmeal pancakes with roasted hemp seeds, goji berries and banana slices.

Pizzas are a speciality here and the Hawaiian - Hills Farm Roasted Ham, Pancetta, Pineapple, Mozzarella, Fresno Chilies is one of the best pizzas in town. Or for something a bit more adventurous, you can go with the Ahi Tuna Poke - Cucumbers, Onions, Fresno Chilies, Cilantro, Nori, Avocado Mousse and Sesame Soy Chili Sauce.

This no frills restaurant is a Malibu institution and a must-try for those looking to get some fast and cheap food while in the area. The burritos here are incredible, and the fish tacos are also a must-try.

Broad Street Oyster Company is known for their lobster rolls, but they also have a variety of other seafood options to choose from. The oyster tower, which is a shareable platter of fresh oysters, crab, shrimp and uni is another must-try item on the menu.

A great place to grab a quick and easy meal in Malibu, Neptune’s Net is a classic seafood joint serving up beer battered fish and chips with a variety of other entrees like crab cakes, calamari, shrimp and clam chowder. The place is a favorite amongst locals, so be prepared to wait for your order.

OLLO Restaurant and Bar serves up a wide range of Mediterranean-inspired Californian cuisine with plenty of vegetarian options as well. The quinoa bowl is a tasty option, made with mixed vegetables, hummus and yogurt. The glass noodle bowl is also an excellent choice, with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and purple kale along with your choice of meat.

[davisroofingrestorationllc]

The Best Restaurants In Powell, Ohio

If you're looking for a great meal in Powell, Ohio, look no further. From Italian to American cuisine, this town has it all.

Caffe Daniela

Caffe Daniela is a great Italian restaurant with good wine, great service and reasonable prices. It's a small place that you may even miss if you don't know where it's located (it's tucked away on the second floor of the Powell Town Center).

The menu at Caffe Daniela offers both traditional and contemporary dishes with fresh ingredients prepared daily by their chef who has been there since they opened in 2009. You can choose from pasta dishes like Spaghetti Carbonara or Ravioli Primavera; chicken, veal or seafood entrees such as Pollo alla Parmigiana (chicken breast topped with mozzarella cheese & tomato sauce); pork chops served with roasted potatoes & veggies; or steak served medium rare accompanied by grilled vegetables & mashed potatoes - all served on white linen tablecloths!

The Pearl

The Pearl is a great place to enjoy a meal with friends or family. It's located in Powell, Ohio, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Columbus. The restaurant serves Italian food that specializes in seafood dishes like crab cakes and lobster ravioli. There are also plenty of options for vegetarians including salads with avocado as well as vegan pizza topped with mushrooms and artichoke hearts.

The prices at The Pearl are very reasonable considering how delicious their meals are! Most entrees cost around $20 or less while appetizers range between $8-12 each depending on what you order (they have some pretty unique options). Parking can be difficult during peak hours since there isn't much space around the building itself; however there is usually plenty available across from it on Main Street if needed

Bravo! Cucina Italiana

Bravo! Cucina Italiana is a family-owned restaurant in Powell, Ohio. They have been open since 2000 and serve traditional Italian food. The restaurant has a full bar and offers private dining rooms for parties of all sizes.

these restaurants in Powell, Ohio.

You can get food at any one of these restaurants, and you can get drinks at any one of these restaurants. They're all within walking distance of each other, so it's easy to hop between them if you want to try something different.

There are two main areas where these restaurants are located: Powell Commons and Market Square Park. Powell Commons is just north of downtown Powell on State Route 741 (North Market Street). It has about 10-15 restaurants in the area that serve everything from American food like burgers and pizza to Indian cuisine and sushi rolls. Market Square Park sits right next to Powell Civic Center Park at 300 Market Street NE (State Route 741), which makes it a great place for outdoor dining during warmer months!

The best restaurants in Powell, Ohio, are Caffe Daniela, The Pearl and Bravo! Cucina Italiana. These restaurants offer delicious food at reasonable prices.

At Davis Roofing & Restoration, LLC we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality service possible by doing the job right the first time. We strive for excellence in all of our workmanship, and it is our mission to provide all of our customers with an honest job at an honest price. We specialize in residential roofs and commercial roofing.  We provides quality roof installation services. Whether your roof needs a simple repair or needs to be replaced all together, we can help!

Davis Roofing & Restoration, LLC (614) 706–7003 50 E. Olentangy Street, Suite 204, Powell, OH 43065 https://davisroofingohio.com/

[superchat]

I’m gonna grill up some brats. I got a microbrew chilling in my wet bar, and I was gonna warm up some ziti. Why don’t you come by if you got some, uh, triple-fried pizza dough or some kind of frozen meatballs or whatever it is? You can warm it up in my microwave, or you can warm it up back at home, bring it over piping hot. But if you want to bring over a vegetable medley, a crudités, figure out how much lunchmeat you can spare. Maybe bring over a pound and a half, two pounds of black forest ham, maybe a dijon-mustard spread. Any kind of dessert. Maybe a german chocolate cake or something like that. I tell you what would make you a big hit with the dudes is get some key lime pie a la mode. I’m talking about ice cream on the side. And you have got to have a bite of my homemade ziti. I’m just gonna warm her up. She’s been in the freeze. You know what I love are those hot mozzarella sticks. Cube ‘em up, put ‘em in some marinara sauce. You have them on standby. ‘Course, you can’t go wrong with some sour cream and onion, so long as you bring  R I D G E D  C H I P S.

[drariellevalentine]

Medically Inevitable

Chapter 9- Mischievous Mishaps

Warnings:- Alcohol, slight cursing, a bunch of fluff and cuteness overload

Characters:- Arielle Valentine, Alyssa Raines, Ethan Ramsey, Arabelle Raines, Naveen Banerji, Kyra Santana, Sienna Trinh, Jackie Varma, Ines Delarosa

Pairing:- Ethan Ramsey x Arielle Valentine

Author’s Note:- Guess what! I finally figured out how to add a ‘keep reading’!

Ethan’s PoV:-

You never thought babysitting a 5 year old would be this tough. But this girl is starting to prove you wrong. Arabelle has a level of curiosity that cannot be matched by many 5 year olds. She has questions about everything she notices. You usually approve of this inquisitive nature (as long as you don't need to deal with it) but this kid just loves to ask you personal questions. And this isn't the only hard part, the hardest thing is how stubborn she is. But yet she managed to somehow get into your life. Just like Arielle, your subconscious reminds you but you shake it off as soon as the thought crosses your mind.

Grabbing the strawberry milkshake you just made, you make your way to the living room. Handing the glass to Arabelle you take a seat in the sofa and go through Naveen's recent test reports.

“Thank you! Mm, this is yummy!”, she says as she listens to the story.

You keep looking at the pages but can barely focus, your mind wanders to Naveen and Arabelle. You try to understand what the story is about. After minutes of listening. you understand that Naveen is reading some Disney story to Arabelle from her e-book reader, guessing that because Naveen is mentioning of a prince and princess quite often along with some utensils which can talk. You scoff at the childishness of the story. 

You switch your attention back to the medical reports rather than listening to that unreal and childish love story.

Half an hour after, a whiny Arabelle grabs your attention. Sighing you place the file on the coffee table and try to listen to her.

"But I want to hear more of it!" She pouts and Naveen smiles.

"I know, Belle," He starts, "But your e-book reader is out of battery and I can promise you that Uncle Naveen just has boring books in his phone, nothing as interesting and lovable as the stories you read."

You see Naveen smirking at you as you groan. "What do you want?" You ask.

"Belle here wants to read more but her e-book reader is out of charge," Naveen sighs.

"I'll find something for her to read," you say and move towards your bookshelf to find something that a child can read.

Naveen fakes a cough and when he understands he got your attention, he proceeds with a smirk,"Just like I said, my friend, you don't have anything that a child can read and I can assure you that."

You pretend to get annoyed and go back to your seat. All this time Arabelle looks at you with puppy eyes and a cute pout on her face, again reminding you of a certain intern. This face is going to be the death of me one day! You sigh, pinching the bridge if your nose, “Fine! There's a library in this building. Let's go there."

As soon as the words leaves your mouth, Arabelle smiles at you brightly, running towards you and engulfs you in a hug, or at least tries to. “Thank you!”

Shocked from the sudden action, you sit there still for a moment before awkwardly reciprocating it. Though you act like you’re not comfortable, deep inside, this small act of affection warms your heart up.

Soon after you enter the library, Naveen leaves you to read the rest of the story to Belle because he found some books he was looking forward to read. "She'll guide you up to the part I read her," He waves before moving.

Sighing, you take Arabelle to the kids area, she runs off. After finding the book, she runs over and hands it to you. You have to crouch down to grab the book. With one last sigh, you guide her towards the sitting area. On your way, she clasps your hand, sticking to your side. Another affectionate act that warms up your heart and this time you can't help but smile.

"You know her and mine name is the same!" She says pointing towards the picture on the book.

"Really?" You ask and she nods enthusiastically.

"Her name is Belle and so is mine!" She smiles broadly.

"Isn't your name Arabelle?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Belle," she beams at you and you smile back at her.

As you start reading she's doing everything but listen. She just won’t sit straight. She's jumping around, lying on the rug or sitting. Lastly, she plops herself into the center of your lap, bending over your knee. You look up to see Naveen laughing as he snaps a picture. “What are you doing?”

“Absolutely nothing.”, he replies when clearly you can see he’s texting someone. You’re about to ask when Belle interrupts you. You look down to see her head on one side of your leg, feet on another.

“What happens next?!”, she asks. You continue reading the story, and end up reading several more.

Arielle’s PoV:-

After dropping off Belle, you drive back to Flair and pick everyone up. “Hey guys! Are you all ready?” You look up to see everyone dressed and styled perfectly. “Looking good, ladies! Now come on!” You lead everyone to your car and drive to ‘Glamour’, the new club that opened downtown a few months back.

“Arielle, I got you a jacket! Here.” She spins me around and slips it on as the rest of the girls get down. You lock the car and head to the very, very, very, very long queue.

“Follow me, girls!”, Alyssa saunters to the front of the queue, flashing her ID at the bouncer. You notice a few paparazzi flashing pics, something the both of you are very accustomed to.

“Please, come in mam. Who else is with you, you mentioned 5 other people?” Alyssa points to the group and another bouncer leads us through the heavy crowd to the secluded VIP lounge.

"Oof! I need a drink after getting through this crowd," you sigh and take a seat.

“Well I need at least ten!", Jackie says and then places your order.

A few minutes later the bartender places a tray of shots in front of your group.

"We're going to start with tequila?" Alyssa asks slightly shocked.

"Start, finish and everything in between," Sienna giggles."That's Jackie's life quote!" She hi-fives you and all of you laugh. Jackie scoffs from beside you.

After four more round of shots, your now sultry voice says,"I wanna hit the dance floor now!"

You drag everyone along with you to the crowded dance floor. You couldn't help but move along with the sultry bass beats, swinging your hips with Aly. Both of you mirror each other’s moves, earning whistles from the girls. After a while, Sienna, Ines, Kyra and even Jackie joins you two. All six of you dance away into the night, letting all your troubles float away.

Ethan’s PoV:-

After you come back from the library, you notice Belle with a sad look on her face. “What happened?”, you ask.

“I miss mommy! When are they coming back?”, she asks.

“They’ll be back a bit late, my dear. Meanwhile, we can do something fun, don’t you think? Your aunt always does fun things with you when she babysits you.”, Naveen replies.

“Okay...what can we do?” You rack your mind for ideas. What do 5 year olds like to do? You notice the time and it’s already 7, and you haven’t made anything for dinner.

“Do you want to help me make a pizza?”

“Yes!!”, she shouts grabbing Jenner’s attention. He bounds towards her and the two play with each other. “Uncle Ethan, can you take a picture pwease? I want to send it to Aunt Arielle!”, she pleads.

“Alright. Stay still.” The pair pose quite adorably as you whip out your phone and click a picture. You show it to her. She tells you to send it. Opening your messages, you tap on her contact and shoot a few texts and the picture.

“Now! What’s this about a pizza?”, Naveen asks. You lead them to the kitchen island, Naveen sits on a bar stool as you lift Belle and let her sit on your island.

“Eeek!! That was fun!”

“Now, don’t move around.” You turn towards your fridge and grab the pizza dough you made earlier. Placing it on the marble top, you grab a packet of flour and a rolling pin.

“Do you know what’s the first step of making a pizza, Belle?”, Naveen asks.

“Mhm! First we roll out the dough! Aunt Arielle always spreads flour on the top!” Naveen nods as you peel off the cling wrap and knead the cold dough in your hands until it becomes soft. You divide it into three, two medium and one small.

You scoop a generous amount of flour and place it on the marble top. “Can I spread it?”, you turn to see her with pleading eyes.

“Alright. Like this.” You take her hand and help her to spread the flour all over the counter. You quickly roll out all three balls of dough, then picking out toppings like different cheeses, vegetables and sauces.

“What do you want me to do?, Belle asks.

You have the most important part, Belle. You get to spread cheese and sauce, placing all your favourite veggies on it!”

“Okay! Can you help me?”, she turns to you.

“...What do you want on your pizza?” She pulls a bottle of sauce the you made and mozzarella towards her.

“Okay, first scoop as much of the sauce as you want on your pizza.” She scoops a quite generous amount and turns to you, waiting for your instructions. You carefully take her small hand in yours and slowly help her spread the sauce, noticing Naveen smiling in the corner of your eye.

“Ooh! This looks good! What now?”, you grab the packet of shredded mozzarella and hand it to her. “I love cheese!”, she quickly dumps and obscene amount of cheese on her pizza and spreads it all over, causing Naveen to laugh.

“You really are like your aunt! You know Ethan, Arielle would do the same thing whenever we made pizzas....and I’m quite sure she still does it now!”

“She does! She said that cheese makes everything better!!...done!”, she says.

“Okay...do you want any veggies and meat on your pizza?”, you ask as she thinks quite furtively. It’s quite amusing seeing the serious face of a 5 year old.

“...I want mushrooms and sausage please!” You take a cutting board and knife, slicing the toppings that she asked for and handing the board to her. She places all her toppings and then suddenly she tries to get down. You quickly scoop her into your arms, causing her to giggle and shout, “Again! Again!”

“Belle! Don’t do that, you’ll get hurt! Do you want me to tell your aunt?”, Naveen lightly scolds. Her face falls.

“No...” She turns to you with big blue eyes, quite similar to yours. “Sorry...”

“It’s alright. Now, don’t do that again!” You place her on the floor, before you can steady her, she quickly runs to Jenner, the pair running around your apartment.

“You know...I don’t think I’ve ever seen you happy with a child. That too babysitting because someone asked you. You’re quite good at it.”

You scoff, “I’m simply doing what others would do. Now, what do you want on your pizza?” Both of you finish your pizzas and place all three of them into the oven. After setting a timer, you head to the living room and discuss the diagnostics team’s cases as you keep an eye on the notorious pair.

Arielle’s PoV:-

You barely notice the time you spent on the dance floor. But then Kyra, who left the dance floor for a breather, signals for you from the bar.

"I'll be back!" You scream to the gang but you aren’t sure if they heard you.

"Wait, I'll come along. I need a drink," Sienna says and follows you.

"You have a lot of texts!" Kyra says as soon as you reach her. You take the phone from her and thank her.

You unlock your phone to find texts from Ethan and Naveen. Naveen texted you some "Have fun" and "Enjoy the night!" along with a few pictures of Arabelle, some her solo and some her playing with Ethan.

While Ethan only sent you a couple of pictures, some of Naveen and Arabelle and the other of Arabelle playing with Jenner.

You smile seeing those pictures. Sienna to takes a peek at those from behind you and then says, “Look! They’re so cute!!” You both hush over the adorable photos of Belle and Jenner, quickly responding to both of the texts.

Si nudges you after a moment. "Hey! I have an idea. Let's play truth or dare?" She asks you both.

"Yes, please!" You say and at the same time Kyra says,"Oh hell yes!"

"I'll call the others over." You say and make your way towards the rest of the gang. Borrowing an empty bottle from the bartender you make your way to the VIP lounge.

You take a corner sit with Kyra besides you, Alyssa beside her. On the opposite side Sienna, Jackie and Ines sit.

Kyra spins the bottle once you all are seated. The empty wine bottle spins for a few seconds before stopping at Jackie and the group cheers.

Kyra gives Jackie a dare of collecting number of some random guy by flirting with him.

Jackie goes with a smirk and returns after ten minutes. She hands Kyra a tissue. Opening which you guys find a number written in there, the number is not quite understable at first glance but then you can make out the number eventually. Kyra whistles lightly noting the number more clearly.

The game goes on like this and after a few rounds, it's your turn and Sienna is to give you a task.

I'll go with dare," You say and Sienna smirks. You’re regretting this already.

“Do a striptease," she grins.

“Sorry, what?!" You ask shocked.

“Do a striptease. You know strip, take a picture and send it to the contact on the top of the list."

You swear that you saw her smirk again but then again you aren’t sure as she hides it.

"Fine!" You grab your phone and make your way towards the restroom to click the picture.

“I'll come to make sure of it!" Sienna screams from behind.

“Me too! Someone needs to make sure Arielle clicks the hottest pictures," Kyra too joins you.

You enter the restroom to find it empty and a content sigh falls off your lip.

“Get to work now!" Sienna chimes.

You strip off the upper part of your dress, Kyra grabs your phone and clicks a few pictures. Then you slip on your dress again as Kyra hands you over your phone.

The three of you return to the table.

"Who's the lucky one who got the pictures?" Alyssa grins as you take your sit and you roll your eyes.

"She is going to send it now," Kyra too grins.

“Hah! Too bad, it’s only Aly!”

You unlock your phone and open the log to find Ethan's number on top of the list. Your mouth drops, so wide. You are doomed. In midst of all the excitement and tipsiness you completely forgot, that the last person who called you is Ethan.

"Can I send it to someone else than the first person in my list?" You ask nervously.

"Nope," Sienna answers and you sigh. “Wait!...who is it?!”

“Omg! Ari, who is it?!”, Aly shrieks. She snatches the phone from you and shrieks.

“Oh my god...Is this?...”, she turns to you. You nod, wincing.

“Who is it? You guys are freaking out so much!”, Jackie asks.

“None other than her boss.”, Aly says. All of them are confused until Si blurts out that it’s Ethan.

“Oh dear...”, Ines’s face goes white.

“You’re kidding!...right?”, Jackie says.

“You’re doomed!”, Kyra says. You glare at all of them.

“How do you even have his number?”, Jackie asks. You rack your mind for an excuse, Aly jumps in.

“Naveen is an old family friend of ours, so he babysits Belle a lot. Turns out, he was staying at Ethan’s apartment so they’re both babysitting her.”

“I’m not doing this.”, you declare. “There’s absolutely no way I’m sending this picture.”

“Oh yes you are!”, Kyra grabs your phone and sends it to him, leaving you to gape in horror. “Don’t worry, I’ve sent a message that says that it was a dare and you’re very sorry.”

“Why did I ever agree to this?!”, you facepalm yourself.

“Cause you love us! Now, it’s Jackie’s turn to spin the bottle.”, Aly says.

Ethan’s PoV:-

As the timer for the pizza rings, Belle rushes towards the kitchen. “Don’t go near the oven!”, you shout as you walk towards the kitchen. A few minutes later, you’re carefully placing three steaming pizzas on the kitchen island, oven mitts in hand.

“Mmmmmmmm!! It smells sooooo good!”, she yells.

“Well that’s because you made it!”, Naveen says as he takes out the plates. Grabbing the pizza cutter, you quickly slice the pizzas and bring them to the table as Naveen sets the table. You bring a bottle of wine and lemonade along with some glasses. All three of you eat as soon as you feed Jenner, Belle’s stories entertaining you.

“-So Uncle Mark asked for the bag of flour and Aunt Arielle said she would get it, so she went and climbed a stool to grab the bag. But she spilled all the flour on herself! It went poof!”, she laughs while mimicking an explosion.

“Okay, that’s enough storytime for now. Eat your food before it gets cold.” Naveen says. Belle ends up finishing first and running towards Jenner, the two playing in the living room. You and Naveen discuss a new medical documentary that he watched the other day. After a while, Naveen sits the the living room watching tv while you finish up the dishes. The apartment is quiet, devoid of any laughter, shrieks or giggles. Washing your soapy hands, you quickly rush to your room to find Belle fallen asleep on your bed, Jenner beside her.

“It’s adorable, isn’t it. I think you like having her around.” You turn to see Naveen adoring the pair.

“Maybe.” You lift Belle up, placing a lean pillow underneath her head and cover her with one of your comforters as Jenner loyally stays by her side.

“I’m starting to think your dog likes my granddaughter more than you!”, he laughs. A small smile perks up on your face as you watch the pair. “I’m heading to bed, my boy. Tell Sunshine I asked for her, hmm.”, he says as he walks toward your guest bedroom, the one that she was staying in. You go back to the kitchen when your phone chimes with a message. You see it’s a photo from Arielle. Unlocking your phone you click on her contact only to see a half naked picture and a text. “What the hell!...Dear god!”, you almost drop your phone on seeing the scandalous photo.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”, you’re about to call and confront her when you decide not to, telling yourself it’s because she’s had an eventful week and deserves to blow off steam when really you don’t want to upset her. Deleting the text, you go back to the sink. You’re finishing up the dishes as you hear the doorbell ring, this time no singing.

Arielle’s PoV:-

Jackie spins the bottle, slowly stopping on Aly. “Dare.”

She grins wickedly, “Oh, I’m going to have fun with this! Hmm...let me think.” She puts a lot of thought into it before exclaiming, “Okay, see Mr. Moneybags over there?” Jackie points to a guy wearing an Armani suit, Aly nods. “I want to go over there, flirt and lead him on...and then tell him that his invited to your wedding as that he can come as your sister’s date.”, she finishes with a wicked grin.

“Oh my god Jackie! She’s married!”, Si shouts.

“It’s alright. I’m sure Adrian won’t mind!”, she says with a wink. “Although it has been a long time since I’ve played this game.” She sashays over to the guy and starts flirting with him, at the same time giving us a clear view of his face. After a few minutes, the smirk on the guy’s face gets replaced with a embarrassed shock.

“Damn Jackie! You’re cruel, just look at that guy’s face!”, you reply.

You all laugh as Aly says, “I’m definitely getting you back for this! Now it’s Sienna’s turn.” Si spins the bottle, which slowly lands on Ines.

“I’ll go with truth.”, Ines says.

“Okay! So...what’s going on with you and Zaid?”, Sienna asks without skipping a beat. Clearly alcohol has given her a major confidence boost.

Ines gets flustered, “What! Nothing’s going on! We’re just friends!”

“Right....my turn!”, Kyra spins the bottle landing on you. “Aw! I wanted to give a dare, but she’s obvi not going too!”

“Who said?! Dare!”, you reply. Si’s definitely not the only one who got a confidence boost from the alcohol.

“I dare you to slam 5 shots of tequila, continuously. No limes, no salt.” Clearly, you made a bad choice.

“Ooooh! Savage!”, Jackie says.

“Ugh fine! But don’t blame me if I throw up on you!” Kyra happily lines up five shot glasses, pouring tequila in each.

“Wait! I’m recording this!” Aly whips out her phone as you get up from your plush seat and ready yourself. “3...2......1!” You slam one shot after another, the tequila burning your throat. By the time you’re on your 5th shot, you can’t stand.

“Ugh, I think that was too much...” You sit down as Ines hands you a water bottle with lemon.

“Wow! That was impressive!! Okay, now Ines has to spin!”, Kyra says. Ines spins the bottle, landing on Kyra.

“I’m not making the same mistake you dummies made, truth.”, Kyra replies.

“Hey!”, you yell playfully.

“Okay, what was your most embarrassing moment in high school?”, Ines asks.

Kyra winces, “I take that back, karma’s a bitch! Okay, so in high school, we had a really pretty, young geography teacher. One day she brought in a guest for a lecture. The guy looked pretty old so I thought he was her dad because he called her a pet name, so I went and asked.......turns out he was her fiancé.” You burst out laughing as do all the others, “Oh dear!”

After the laughter dies down, Aly spins the bottle, landing on Jackie. “What the hell, dare!”

“I want you to....steal that bottle of Don Pérignon.”, Aly says pointing to the champagne bar.

“Oooh! Someone’s getting in trouble!”, you sing.

Jackie rolls her eyes, “Whatever!” She walks to bar and slowly swipes the bottle, all while flirting with the cute bartender. Several minutes later, she walks back to the lounge and slams the bottle on the table.

“Colour me impressed!”, Aly says while pouring everyone a flute.

“My turn!”, you spin the bottle, only to land on Sienna. “Ooh! Karma’s definitely being a bitch today! What will it be, dear bestie?”

“...truth.” She says carefully. Luckily, you know just what to ask.

“So...remember the housewarming party a few weeks ago? Well, look what I stumbled across in the morning!” She scroll through your camera roll until you find the picture you took of Sienna and Danny and show it to everyone, as Sienna’s cheeks turn red. “Mind explaining this?”, you ask with a smirk.

“What?! That was nothing! We were just talking and ended up falling asleep! I have a boyfriend, remember!!”, Sienn tries to defend herself.

“Mhm...” The game finally winds down after all of you are completely and utterly drunk...except for Ines.

“How are you still so sober?”, you ask.

“Cause I have an early shift tomorrow. Plus, who’s going to drive?”

“Ah. Good point!”, Jackie says.

“I think we should head home.”, Aly says. We all agree and enter my car, giving Ines the keys.

“Wait, go to this address first. We need to pick up Belle.” You hand out water and sticks of gum to everyone as Ines drives to Ethan’s apartment. You pop a berry flavoured stick for yourself, as everyone has a competition to see who can blow the biggest bubble. Kyra ends up winning, by the time she pulls up, you’re quite sober. Reluctantly heading up, you ring the bell. The door is opened to find Ethan at the door, giving you a look.

You don’t know what to say and start rambling, “I’m sorry! It wasn’t my fault! The thing is, I didn’t know that you were on the top of my contact list! I tried to”-

He cuts you off. “It’s fine. Belle is sleeping and Naveen went to bed just now.” You sigh with relief. “Was she too much trouble?”

“Not much more than you.”, you laugh as he leads to you to Belle. You find her and Jenner snuggled up together, the sight is an explosion of cuteness. You snap a quick pic. Carefully lifting up the covers, you pick her up and place her on the side of your hip, making sure not to wake her up. Ethan hands you a small file as you exit the apartment. “I managed to run a few more tests, here’s a copy of them. See if you can find anything.” You nod and carefully go back to the car, concealing the file and slide in, handing Belle to Aly and slipping the folder in your bag. You show the photo you took as you post it, leaving everyone to gush.

You manage to reach your apartment in 30 minutes.

Everyone slumps on the couch as you tell them to wait. You go inside and get a few extra pairs of pajamas, so do Si and Jackie.

“Here, change and get ready for bed. You guys can sleep wherever you want.” Ines bunks with Si, Kyra bunks with Jackie and Aly comes with you. Way too exhausted to follow through your night routine, you quickly strip and slip on a pair of pajamas. Cleansing your face, you throw your hair into a braid and flop into bed beside Belle, after pulling out a few extra blankets for them. “Night Aly.”, you say with a yawn but she’s already fallen asleep.

“I’ve danced and drunk all my troubles away for tonight, but I’ll have to face them...someday.”, you think as you fall into a deep slumber.

Taglist:- @mysticaurathings @caseyvalentineramsey @kaavyaethanramsey @ohramsey @ohvamsey @coastalengineer @openheartincorrect @incorrectopenheart @openheart12 @monsoonblooms12 @realmrsramsey @jamespotterthefirst @hopelessromantics4life @starrystarrytrouble @rookie-ramsey @mrandmrsramsey @semanticsandsea-lemons @ethansrookie02 @archxxronrookie @whippedforethanfreakingramsey @sad-satan-herself @mary-c92 @arcticlumineer @princessfuzzy12 @alina-yol-ramsey @maurine07 @binny1985 @aarisa-frost @nikki-2406 @akshara16 @drethanramslay @mayatrueman @mvalentine @theroyalrookie @siaramsey @stateofgracious @schnitzelbutterfingers @drstellavalentine @drethanramsey @drethanfreakingramsey @openheartthot @openheartfanfics @playchoices @literaryexpress @ethandaddyramseyx @custaroonie @lillyvalentine11 @in-love-with-a-trans-girl @xpandabeardontcarex @lilyvalentine

[flirting-with-psychology]

A Do you live in America?: Yes Favorite Animal?: Wolf Do you like Apples?: They’re not my favorite fruit but they’re not bad Would you ever be an Astronaut?: Probably not Do you shop at American Eagle?: No

B Who is your Best Friend?: Right now I’d say Cristi Do you have a Boyfriend?: Yes Are you Bisexual?: Maybe just a little bit, but still like 98% straight Did/Do you play with Barbies?: Yeah Do you have a Baby?: No

C What is your favorite type of Chocolate?: Dark chocolate. What’s your favorite Candle scent?: Cinnamon Do you celebrate Christmas?: No What’s your favorite Color?: Green or pink Do you like Cats?: Yes

D What holidays do you Decorate for?: Hanukkah and sometimes halloween Are you scared of the Dentist?: No Do you like doing DIYs?: Yeah sometimes, but not for like household stuff When was the last time you went to the Doctor?: In december What’s your favorite alcoholic drink?: Moscato

E What do you do for Easter?: Nothing or sometimes an easter egg hunt when I was a kid What is one thing you do Every day?: Check my phone Have you ever seen the Eiffel Tower?: Yes Would you say you’re Emotional?: Yes What’s your favorite thing to Eat?: Chocolate

F How many Friends do you have?: Idk? Have you ever been Frisked by the police?: No Do you enjoy French Fries?: Yes How often do you Forget things?: A decent amount Have you ever gotten into a Fight?: Not a physical one

G Are you a Girl?: Yes Do you believe in God?: No Do you have a Girlfriend?: No Are you Gay?: No Are you Glad to be taking this survey?: Yeah it’s different

H Do you dress up for Halloween?: Yes, I love halloween Hello, How are you today?: Eh Do you like Horses?: Yeah Have you ever been High?: A couple times Do you like Hot weather?: Not really, I like warm but over 85 kinda sucks

I Do you think this survey is Incredible?: Nah What’s your favorite flavor of Ice cream?: Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch What is one of your Interests?: Jewelry Did you do the Ice Bucket Challenge?: No Have you ever been Ice skating?: Yes

J Tell me a Joke.: Knock knock. Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad I didn’t tell the long version of this joke? What is your favorite Junk Food?: Chocolate Is there any Jewelry you wear every day?: No What’s your favorite type of Juice?: orange juics Do you believe in Jesus?: No

K Who was the last person you Kissed?: My boyfriend Describe your first Kiss.: We were hanging out in my room and cuddling on my bed so I figured we should kiss, it wasn’t the best Have you every Kicked someone in the balls?: Not on purpose Will you break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar?: Not in this pandemic What’s your favorite Kids’ show?: Drake and Josh

L Are you a Lesbian?: No Are you in Love?: I’m not sure Do you like Lemons?: I like them in things, but not plain What do you eat for Lunch?: I had eggs in toast for brunch Do you Lose things often?: Kinda, but mostly just in my own house

M Do you watch Markiplier?: No Do you know someone named Michael?: Yes Do you play Minecraft?: No Do you Miss someone?: I miss everyone I can’t see in person Do you like Mozzarella sticks?: Yes

N Would you consider yourself a Nice person?: I guess so What’s your Nickname?: Star Do you get your Nails done?: Not too often Do you listen to Nickelback?: Not really Have you bought anything New?: Yeah I buy new stuff all the time. Most recent was the DVD of Galavant

O Do you sleep with your door Open?: No, that’s awful Do you know anyone who has really bad Odor?: Kinda Would you ever be in an Open relationship?: No Do you like being at the Ocean?: Yes How Old are you?: 26

P Do you watch Pewdiepie?: No Have you ever Puked mid blowjob?: Lol no Do you like People?: They’re ok What are your favorite Pizza toppings?: Cheese, pineapple, and garlic Do you have any Piercings?: Just my ears

Q Are you a Quiet person?: I am until I am comfortable with you Have you ever Quit a job?: Not really, I got laid off with the option to change positions but I declined that option How Quick are you getting ready to leave the house?: I’m terrible at it, it takes at least 2 hours What is your favorite Quote?: Carpe diem Have you ever met a Queen?: No but I saw the queen of England in a parade

R Have you ever had Rabies?: No Are you close to your Relatives?: Only my parents What ended your last Relationship?: He said didn’t have time for a girlfriend Do people call you a Redneck?: No Rate this survey.: 6

S Do you like sports?: Mostly not What is your favorite Sex position?: Missionary Do you like to go to Six Flags?: Yes Is Summer your favorite Season?: probably not, I like fall Do you like to Shout?: Not usually

T Do you Toast your Poptarts?: No Do you like to be Terrified?: Not usually Are you on Tinder?: I used to be and I still have my profile Do you like Tacos?: No Have you ever played Tennis?: Only in gym class, and not well

U Are you wearing Underwear?: Yes At a restaurant, What’s your Usual?: Depends on the restaurant Quick! Look Under your bed. What’s there?: A box of toiletries Have you seen the movie Up?: Yes Would you say you’re an unorganized person?: In my personal life

V Do you like Velcro?: Not particularly, I don’t like the scratchy sound it makes What would be your perfect Valentine’s day?: A romantic date Have you ever seen a Velociraptor?: No Have you ever Visited a Volcano?: No What Vehicle do you drive?: Subaru Forester

W Do you like the Water?: Yes Do you like Wendy’s?: I like the nuggets Do you like Walruses?: I have no opinion Do you hate Waiting?: Yes Do you like Waffles?: Yes

X Have you ever played with a Xylophone?: Only when I was little Have you ever had an Xray?: Yes Did you ever wish you had Xray vision?: No Do you still love your EX?: No Do you hate the letter X?: No, it’s just a letter

Y Is your favorite color Yellow?: No What has been your favorite Year?: 2nd grade or junior year of college Do you hate being Yelled at?: Who doesn’t? What did you do Yesterday?: Had an interview and then watched a lot of New Girl What was your favorite thing to do when you were Younger?: Play story games with my friends

Z Have you ever went to the Zoo?: Yeah Do you hate getting Zits?: Yes Do you like Zebras?: They’re fine Do you like eating Zebra cakes?: Never had one Do you use Zedge?: I don’t know what that is

[superfuji]

Questo è il forno dove mi rifornisco di pane, crostate, ciambelloni (quando non preparo in casa) e pizza. Di più: questo è il forno dove da ragazzino nel tragitto per andare a scuola (prima delle paranoie di oggi si andava a scuola a piedi, tutti insieme) compravo la pizza da mangiare a ricreazione, anzi anche oggi quando le scuole sono aperte c’è la folla da stadio per comprare la pizza, ma anche in stagione da spiaggia la gente si compra le tegliate intere per andare al mare. E’ il primo forno che è stato aperto ad Ostia (o forse il secondo o il terzo ehehe, ovviamente escludendo i forni all’interno del parco archeologico di Ostia Antica come ad esempio la domus delle gorgoni), chi è di Ostia lo conosce molto bene. Occhio, la pizza che sfornano i forni è diversa dalle teglie che sfornano le pizzerie a taglio: impasto, consistenza ecc sono differenti; differenti eh, entrambe ottime ed in ogni caso ora che pizzerie, ristoranti, bar, rosticcerie ecc. sono tutti con le saracinesche abbassate, se vuoi la pizza o te la compri al forno o te la fai a casa, quindi tu pensi di andare al forno, prendere il pane e un bel pezzo di pizza con la mozzarella, con le patate, con pachino e olive, bianca farcita con porchetta, con mortazza, con affettati vari e formaggi e rughetta, oppure rossa, marinara ecc. ecc. COR CAZZO! Ora i vigili si sono inventati che i forni di Roma possono vendere solo pizza bianca, pizza rossa biscotti secchi e grissini. E inventati perché è una circolare partita da loro per evitare assembramenti. Cosa è? Eccesso di zelo, ansia da prestazione? O semplice propensione e inclinazione a rompere li cojoni? Non è che uno muore o un bambino diventa isterico se non gli compri più la pizza con la mozzarella, ma credo che stiamo arrivando all’isterismo, insomma quando decideranno che cosa possiamo o meno mangiare cosa succederà? Gli articoli 25-48-53 di Weimar? Arriveremo ai decreti di Reichstag e dei pieni poteri? Occhio eh perché l’andazzo è quello

[jeonsduck]

Prince or Pauper

Prince Part 2

You had expected that to be the first and last time you saw Nakamoto Yuta. Someone like him who had five bodyguards, a driver, and two cars probably wouldn't ever even think of you again. Yuta, however, seemed intent on breaking the status quo because they very next day, a strange figure starts to follow you around. A slightly familiar strange figure. As you walk from your dorm to your 8 AM lecture, you notice what appears to be a grown man on a skateboard in generic e-boy fashion following you around campus. He stays about twenty yards behind you at all times, skateboarding at a snail's speed. He even follows you into your lecture, sitting three rows behind you. When you turn around to look at him, that's when you recognize him. He's one of Yuta's bodyguards! You wait until after the lecture finishes to confront him and ask why he's following you. You trap him in an empty lecture hall, whirling around and demanding answers. The bodygaurd sighs and removes his atrocious white sunglasses. He looks bashful, almost ashamed that he's caught. "My boss told me to keep an eye on you." You squint at him in confusion until it clicks. "You mean Yuta? He assigned me a bodyguard?" The guy shrugs, shifting his skateboard to a different hand. "The boss doesn't get out much. And when he does he doesn't get to meet with many friends. To be honest, I don't know that he has any. Real friends, I mean. But he likes you. So here I am." It sounds reasonable when he says it like that. Maybe Yuta's just lonely? But he didn't even ask for yout number, so why the security detail? "What's your name?" You ask. Its getting tiring just calling him bodyguard. He seems to debate answering that before conceding. "Mako." "Well Mako, let's get to class yeah?" He chuckles and ruffles your hair in an annoying big brother kind of way. "Yeah, let's go, kid."

Despite Mako's assignment to watch and protect, you don't hear from Yuta for another three days. Well, in the beginning you didn't know it was Yuta, your phone buzzing off the hook with some unknown number. Dang, telemarketers were getting desperate. On the fifth call you decided to pick up. "Y/N! Why haven't you been answering your phone?" Your eyes widen and you look at Mako who's sitting two tables away. He shrugs and gestures for you to continue talking. There's a lot of wind and static so its hard for you to hear what Yuta is saying. "Yuta? How did you get this number?" "Oh, I just looked you up, don't worry about it! Sorry, I've been out of town this week. But, I just got back and was wondering if you wanted to go get some pizza? I've been craving this amazing place I know for days." Oh, maybe he's in a moving car? That mighy explain the background noise. Your stomach grumbles, and after only eating instant ramen for dinner this week, pizza sounds amazing. "Yeah, I'd love to." You agree. "Perfect! Are you still on campus? I'll pick you up." "Yeah, I'm at the science building." You answer slowly because, Mako is right here, so Yuta should know where you are. Theoretically. "Good! Meet me by the soccer fields in 15!" Yuta hangs up and you just sort of stare at your phone for a second. You save the number Yuta called from as Yuta with three question marks and pack up your things. You head over to the soccer fields expecting to see the black SUV or maybe a fancy sports car in one of the commuter lots. What you don't expect is a fucking helicopter, idling on one of the empty fields. Yuta hangs out the open door when he spots you. "Come on, I already got us a table!" He shouts. You look back at Mako, but he just takes your backpack and gestures for you to board the helicopter. "Go on, kid." You turn away from Mako and jog across the field to the waiting helicopter. Yuta helps you in, fitting a headset over your ears. Another bodyguard straps you both in and you have to yell over the rotors and wind to be heard. "Yuta, why are we in a helicopter?" You ask, clinging to the brace bar for your life. Below you, your campus is quickly shrinking into the distance. "Well, when we got back to the States we couldn't get clearance for the jet at the local airport, but they cleared the helicopter. And then I thought, we already have the helicopter out, so pizza!" Yuta explained it like it was a simple, logical series of events and you just nodded blankly. It was too loud to talk in the helicopter so all conversation ceased until you landed. You recognized the skyline as the pilot made a lap around the city. "Yuta, are we in New York City?" Yuta just laughed and nodded in confirmation. The pilot landed the helicopter on a helipad partway up a skyscraper. Yuta helped you down from the aircraft and the three remaining bodyguards followed you into the building. The restaurant takes up four floors, Yuta was saying, but you were completely distracted by the decor around you. It looked like this place had four Michelin stars to its name. Most of the other patrons were dressed to the nines, but you and Yuta were just wearing jeans and a tshirt. Yuta's jeans were designer and his tshirt was Balenciaga, but that was beside the point. "Mr. Nakamoto it's an honor for you to dine with us tonight. And your guest?" A maitre d'hotel had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, surprising you. "It's great to be back. This is my friend Y/N. Were you able to secure my usual table?" Yuta asked, smiling cordially at the man. "Yes, of course, right this way." He bowed slightly and began leading the way. Apparently, Yuta's regular table wasn't a table at all but an entire dining floor. Of course. There were at least five waitstaff positioned to assist, but you were the only one with a menu. Even the bodyguards, who were sitting one table over seemed to already know what they wanted. "Feel free to look over the menu, order whatever you want. I'll get the tab so-" you cut Yuta off, folding the menu closed. "I'll have whatever you're having. You did say it was the best pizza you've ever had." Yita smiled brightly, signalling a waiter over. You watch him order, asking for some type of pizza you can't pronounce and the pairing wine. "Next time I'm choosing where we go, and I'm footing the bill okay?" You say and Yuta looks at you with surprise in his eyes. "Okay, whatever you say!" He agrees with a chuckle. The waiter returns with the wine bottle, and Yuta waves him off in order to pour it himself. "So, still don't know who I am?" He asks, glancing up at you. You sigh, glancing around the empty dining hall. "I mean. You're rich obviously. And important. Four bodyguards is a bit much. Also, should I be worried that you sent Mako to look after me?" You ask, accepting a full wine glass from Yuta. "You noticed him?" "He's not the best fake college student, but he tried." "Does it make you uncomfortable?" You think about that for a moment, twirling your wine glass around. "Not really. He's not doing me any harm. But should I be worried about my own safety? Does being friends with you constitute a bodyguard?" You ask. Yuta doesn't reply immediately and you take a sip from your glass to fill the space. Its bitter, like all red wines, but not in a bad way. "Are you the child of a mafia kingpin?" You wonder out loud. Yuta's eyes bluge and he nearly chokes on his wine. The bodyguards start laughing heartily, one coming over to ensure that his charge won't asphyxiate. "I guess not." You mumble. "No, no nothing like that. Interesting guess though. The bodyguards are more, protocol than necesity." Yuta explains. You nod solemnly, processing the new information. Protocol? That sounds pretty official. You don't get much more chance to think on it because at that moment the pizza arrives. Its a weird pizza, visually and descriptively. Romano, parmesan, and buffalo mozzarella cheese, garlic herb dough, a slighty spicy kick to the sauce and the toppings :prosciutto, onions, mushrooms, truffle oil, lobster and shrimp. So effectively, the most expensive seafood pizza you'll ever eat. Except holy shit, this isn't just some rich people bullshit, this is honestly the best pizza you're sure has ever been made. It's not just a hodgepodge of expensive toppings, it actually,taste's good. "I think I might fucking cry. Yuta this is delicious." He laughs at you eyes crinkling in the corners. "Of course it's good! I know what good food tastes like." Yuta says. He looks proud, taking a sip of wine to hide his blush. The rest of the meal passes in near silence because there's no time to talk when there's pizza this good. You and Yuta manage to finish the whole pie and the whole wine bottle. You're both slightly tipsy as you make your way back to the helipad. You're clinging onto Yuta and laughing as he tells you silly jokes and stories up until you get put back in the helicopter. Somewhere between New York and campus you doze off, your head resting against Yuta's shoulder. He drifts off as well, his head coming to rest on top of yours. One of the bodyguards takes a photo, for both posterity and blackmail the next time he wants a day off. When you land, Mako is waiting on the soccer field with a car to bring you to your dorm. Despite the bodyguards assuring Yuta that them can put you in the car themselves, he insits on helping buckle you in. You rouse a few times, humming sleepily and he tutts you back to sleep. "See you soon, Y/N." You might feel a gentle kiss on your forehead, but that could just be you dreaming.

[passionate-baker]

Italian Adventures Part II: Bologna

Finally, the time has come - welcome to Italian Adventures Part II: Bologna!

Boyfriend introduced me to the gorgeous city of Bologna not long after we got together, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s why it holds such a special place in my heart. On our first trip there, I fell head-over-heels for the city & ever more smitten with Boyfriend. We’ve been back a handful of times since that first visit, & every time - without fail - we dream of uprooting everything we have here in Dublin & running off to the Emilia-Romagna capital. It’s romantic, it’s quaint & peaceful, it miraculously remains somewhat untainted by tourism, and it’s the birthplace of one of our favourite meals: the mighty ragu. 

Bologna is known as ‘La Grassa’ in Italian - which translates to ‘the fat’ in English - & it isn’t hard to see why: you will be extremely hard pressed to have a bad meal in the city. Although I’ve included a list of our favourite restaurants below, use that more as a guideline to get out & find the places that work for you; we’ve eaten at a hell of a lot more restaurants than are listed here, but these are our old faves. Wherever you find yourself, please don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy two dishes - tagliatelle al ragu & gramigna alla salsiccia - both of which are specialties of the city. You can thank us when you get home. 

As with our Italian Adventures Part I: Florence guide, there is a huge amount of recommendations in this post. To make life easier, I’ve streamlined everything into six sections: Stay / Coffee / Eat / Drink / Museums + Attractions / Places to See + Things to Do. The difference between the last two sections is an entry fee; Museums + Attractions are all paid entrance, while the Places to See + Things to Do are free. 

Happy travelling, friends!

S T A Y

Airbnb  //  we stayed in the most fantastic apartment on our last visit. The flat - Silent Bright Apartment -  is located a stone’s throw from Strada Maggiore & was honestly the best Airbnb experience we’ve ever had. It was spacious and clean, it had a balcony, it overlooked the blazing rooftops of the city, the kitchen was extremely well equipped for cooking, the bed was amazing, and there was a bathtub in the bedroom. The location was about an eight minute walk to the main square in the city. Basically: it. was. perfection. Added bonus: there was a totally adorable turtle roaming free in the courtyard below! We named him Sporo and had a really hard time leaving him behind. 

Albergo delle Drapperie  //  if you’re looking for something more central, you can’t really find anything better than this boutique hotel. It’s quite small, and it literally overlooks the bustling market stalls of the old town. If I remember correctly: the hotel is across the road from a beautiful flower shop (feast for your eyes), around the corner from Tamborini (feast for your belly), and a further few minutes walk from Osteria del Sole (feast for your Italian soul), which is kind of exactly where you want to be.

C O F F E E

Caffe Zanarini  //  for us, this is the Gilli of Bologna. The coffee is fantastic, the pastries are even better, and the space has that super Italian feel to it that just warms my heart. We normally nab a spot along the bar & enjoy our breakfast the true Italian way, but once in a while we treat ourselves to the somewhat extortionate prices for a table outside on the square. Let me tell you, it is always worth it, if even just for the people watching. (And pigeons.) A must-visit.  

E A T

Trattoria Serghei  //  three words: gramigna alla salsiccia. After ragu (duh), this is the dish of Bologna, and Serghei do it extremely well. It’s a small, traditionally run family joint that we find ourselves returning to time and time again. The food is always exceptional. We normally go for the ragu & the salsiccia pasta dishes to start, and then share a big hunk of meat as a main - the last time, it was an insanely tender pork shank that was about the same size as Boyfriend’s head. Amen to that! A must-visit. 

Osteria de Coltelli Da Biagio  //  a tiny bit further than some might be willing to venture, but the food is worth it. The dishes are on the larger, heartier side of things, and the meal as a whole was outstanding value for money! ... that said, we did notice the staff favoring the locals over tourists like us, but the quality of the food was high enough for us to let this slide. 

La Capriata  //  wandering along a covered archway off Strada Maggiore one day, we stumbled across LC & decided to stop in for a lazy lunch. We ate in the most beautiful sun-drenched courtyard, surrounded by lemon trees. The food was outstanding. It was super fresh - we had an amazing caprese salad that was beyond delicious - and perfectly traditional; I had an unforgettable ragu with homemade pasta served in a Parmesan bowl. A bowl made of Parmesan = the stuff of dreams! 

Pizza Regina  //  sometimes, you just need a pizza and you need it to be reliable. We opted for the less traditional take-out option and brought our meal with us to Osteria del Sole so we could have it with a beer. We ordered a custom made pizza - n’duja + mozzarella -  & devoured it within five minutes of sitting down. It was amazing! 

Lindt  //  I’m kind of a bit sorry/not sorry for including this in my list. Listen, just hear me out: we had delicious chocolate gelato in the most amazing chocolate hazelnut dipped cones and it was worth every single penny. I regret nothing. 

La Sorbetteria Castiglione  //  for a more authentic gelato experience, we always trek a little bit out of our way and it never disappoints. Our faves are the pistacchio and nocciola!

D R I N K

Osteria del Sole  //  definitely one of our favourite places in all of Bologna. According to my notes, it’s the oldest osteria in the region - 1465 apparently! - and it is so bloody brilliant in it’s simplicity. You make your way through the market streets, buy some antipasti goods in the nearby market, bring it into Osteria del Sole, buy a drink to go with it, and have your lunch picnic style alongside locals at one of the long communal tables. It is fantastic. An experience not to be missed: a must-visit. 

Osteria I’Infedele  //  a recent find. Similar in style to Osteria del Sole in that it was small, filled with locals, cheap & relaxed, but it had a more youthful vibe to it and a wider drinks selection of cocktails etc. 

RosaRose  //  located on Via Clavature, this is a fantastic spot for people watching. Boyfriend & I sat outside for hours one evening, listening to a nearby street musician, soaking up the atmosphere, enjoying the free platter of food that came with our spritzs, watching the sky change from blue to pink to dusk. Perfection. To experience the true Bologna vibe, this is a must-visit. 

Enoteca Italiana  //  a beautiful wine shop that has a small amount of barrels & stools for dining on. We enjoyed some wine with a delicious meat & cheese platter on one of our first visits, and have since returned for breakfast & coffee. 

Bar Senza Nome  //  a fantastically vibrant bar, located on a buzzy street lined with heaps of similar places. However! This one, apparently, is the only bar in Italy that is run & managed by deaf people. It’s amazing! You go in & the walls are lined with how-to sign language photos for ordering your drink! If you aren’t brave enough, the barmaids read your lips and that’s equally as amazing. Such a fantastic experience. Added bonus: you can eat your weight in free monkey nuts while drinking extremely cheap spritzs! Probably our favourite bar in the world. A must-visit. 

Birreria Popolare  //  a hipster craft beer place that was located conveniently near to our apartment. We were drawn in by the beer emoji sign out front, and we sampled some nice Italian beer. Added bonus: if you’re lucky enough to visit at the right time (we were), you get a free platter of food with your drinks!

Le Stanze  //  I kind of liked the thought of this bar more than I actually enjoyed our experience there. It’s located inside an old chapel from the 16th century, and there are original frescoes still lining the walls & the ceilings. It was cool to see the artwork, but there was nothing distinctly Italian about the place. It was overpriced, and too touristy for our tastes.

M U S E U M S  +  A T T R A C T I O N S

Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio  //  one of the most magical, dreamlike buildings I’ve ever visited - somewhat reminiscent of Hogwarts. Boyfriend & I spent ages wandering back and forth along the arched passageways, but the real draw (and the part you have to pay into) is the wooden Teatro Anatomico from the 17th century, where they used to hold anatomy lessons. Worth the €3!

Santa Maria della Vita  //  the lure of this church, although pretty beautiful in its own right, is actually a fantastic group of wooden sculptures hidden in the back. They charge a measly €4 to see the group, but it’s certainly worth it: the scene depicted is the moment that Jesus dies, and honestly they are some of the most expressive pieces of art we’ve seen.

La Due Torri  //  yes, it’s very steep, and yes, it’s claustrophobic.. but it’s worth it for the breathtaking views over the terracotta rooftops of Bologna. Added bonus: it’s super cheap! A must-visit. 

Palazzo Fava  //  a renaissance palace & art gallery space. The very first time we went to Bologna together, we saw an amazing Edward Hopper exhibition here, so it’s definitely worth checking upcoming shows just in case!

Museo Civico Archeologico  //  fantastic archaeology museum to wander around if you find yourself looking for something to do. Particular highlights for us were the beautiful building itself, and the Egyptian exhibition.

P L A C E S   T O   S E E   +   T H I N G S   T O   D O

Market shopping  //  wandering along the tiny streets around Via Drapperie and Via Pescherie Vecchie, you get a real feel for the Bologna lifestyle. The flower shops, the fish stalls, the butchers, the cheese-mongers, we love it all. Our favourite places to stop into for some goodies are Tamburini & Simoni, both of which are reliably great. Definitely a must-visit.

Basilica di San Petronio  //  the central basilica in the middle of Piazza Maggiore. A beautiful internal space, much bigger than it looks from the outside. Note: if you want to take photographs inside the church, you have to pay a small fee. 

R E L A T E D   P O S T S :

Bremen, Germany  //  Paris, France  //  Amsterdam, Holland   //  Copenhagen, Denmark  //  Cork, Ireland  //  Edinburgh, Scotland  //  Westport, Ireland  //  Barcelona, Spain  //  Munich, Germany  //  Vienna, Austria  //  London, UK i - ii - iii  //  Florence, Italy

[grubshots]

Well this is ideal. (at Obicà Mozzarella Bar Pizza e Cucina) https://www.instagram.com/grubshots/p/BwaUhCjFTxa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ot5v8lyfe6cd