#Ethnic dining

[sammydigitaleu]

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[newyorkthegoldenage]

The manual for the sophisticated Manhattan gent: where to take anyone to dinner. It may not look like anything special today, but in 1934, the U.S. (and even New York) was a strictly meat and potatoes kind of place, where fine dining meant turkey. Swedish food! Chinese! Japanese! Armenian! Only in New York.

Photos: The Cary Collection & Common Crow

[escandidesign]

Outdoor Dining Chair — Escandi Design

Enrich your outdoor dining experience with a beautiful Outdoor Dining Chair from Escandi Design. This chair perfectly blends its design to be stylish and durable for a perfect setting in any garden or patio. We are ergonomically designed and made of weather-resistant materials, so they will remain lovely and practical year after year. Escandi Design has worked hard to bring a product that is a modern lifestyle outdoor furniture brand, and these dining chairs speak for it in every way by being influenced by the deepest sense of craft and style.

[ibs-gateway]

Enclosed Dining Room Mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor enclosed dining room photo with gray walls and no fireplace

[matriarchalmuffin]

Sun Room - Compact Ideas for a modest tropical sunroom renovation

[angelderadoorian]

Open Living Room Los Angeles Inspiration for remodeling a mid-sized formal living room with white walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace, and a wall-mounted television in a transitional style with light wood floors and brown floors.

[kazimirovich]

all i can say forever

i'm jewish. as a child i moved from a rural town where my family saw acts of rage and hate, emigrated from a country with a horrifying history with jews. you know the one, though there are many. i'm 31 now and i have seen and experienced antisemitism my whole life, in the many places i've lived, to varying degrees. not that i should need to qualify this before everything i have to say - but i know what that looks and feels like. in my life there have been times at which i have been in danger. i choose to stay out of danger in all the ways i was taught. (part of that is not moving into someone else's house uninvited (more in a sec))

(well-meaning?) people want me to have a relationship with israel. they are very invested in assuming i have some connection to this shifting space, this project. they associate my german jewishness with a place i have never been and never felt. home, for me, is the uncle i haven't seen in too long, the ailing brother of my mother, the same red nose. it's fresh sheets hung over dry summer grass, it's bavarian farmland, it's thick liptauer on pumpernickel bread warmed over the wood stove. it's my grandmother's dining room and rough fenceposts, borders we disrespected as kids. home is also here and there and where my family is, where my friends are, where i've built myself.

in a geopolitical sense, it is clear that the antisemitic position is to sequester jews into a partitioned state conceived of by non-jews after the sunset of our most recent attempted decimation. antisemitic, to tell jews "move here, be at home in this space of constant war. impose war on others. fight for a tenuous link to an ancestry you've never seen or studied." in a religious sense, sort of a key feature of judaism since the second exile is that - we're in exile. this is an orthodox argument, but i have to admit that rabbinical discourse is pretty convincing. the secular establishment of the israeli state in an attempt to accelerate any so-called redemption has left us at a point where i really don't know what hope we have for that to occur. if you believe in god, how can you believe they are looking down at us, impressed

because beyond theoretical or spiritual reasons, the bloodlust, the vengefulness, the racism, the violation of law (i know that laws are agreed upon, are broken all the time by those who grant themselves impunity), the evil of this continuance, the evil which grinds babies and text and memory, gnashes it all in its droning machinery, its cold horror and inhumane (unhuman) practice, seemingly perfected... it is obvious to anyone with a single thought that it is an ethnic cleansing. the forcible "movement" (murder) of people of one group from land people of another group want. is ethnic cleansing. we are watching it in real time, and the world stands by and in many cases, it endorses, it beats and imprisons those who are brave enough to stand up to it, it rewards cowardly men in war rooms who having read fukuyama and arendt and maybe even voegelin conveniently forget themselves, because they can afford to, and wave their hands and make calls and decimate entire families cities sovereignties. and liberalism - that fickle ideology whose sole search is for the justification of atrocity - sends its thoughts and prayers, and emphasizes how just horrible both sides are, and conveniently forgets the histories that have led each "side" to this. convenient.

and i can't do anything about it. i can perfectly articulate every well-thought-out argument, i can cry the most frustrated tears from the well of my chest and i can scream that this isn't right, because it isn't, but nobody fucking cares. those who matter have decided for those who don't.

if you align yourself with israel, or feel any sympathy toward the supposed plight of active settlers (not a neutral spot to be in, by the way - another rational argument), i hope you know how thoroughly you've been manipulated. how successful the project of those with the power to decide we don't matter has been. you and i don't matter. so-called free thinkers meme. you fucking idiot. you genocidal maniac.

not putting this under a cut. fuck you. read it all and remember my jewish name and keep it far out of your mouth the next time you tell someone why the people you've told me are my neighbors deserve a flattening.

[omgthatdress]

I wanted to go out to my local Salvadorean food truck and get some pupusas today but I'm stuck underneath a tropical storm T_T T_T T_T

One of the secret best things about the shitty suburb where I live is that while the fanciest dining you'll find are chain restaurants, there's a really large immigrant population and the mom and pop ethnic places are OFF THE CHAIN.

I love you, Karelan Indian place. I love you, Haitian place. I love you, Thai place. I love you, falafel place. I love you, pho place. I love you, Filipino food truck. I love you, taqueria. I love you, Korean market.

[three--rings]

Most people don't have any understanding of what has been lost in Lahaina Town. Not just lives and property, but an entire town.

Most people hear "a city/town in Hawaii" and they picture probably resorts. And there are plenty of resorts nearby. But those are all fine.

Lahaina was an old whaling town dating back to the original colonization by white settlers. Before white people arrived, it was the capital of the island, where the high chief ruled, including Kamehameha the Great. The buildings are old, wooden, and crowded together. Obviously that was a problem in the face of the insanely fast wildfire.

But these weren't mansions, Mc or otherwise. It was a tourist town, a destination for cute, spendy shopping and dining, full of art galleries. (OMG THE GALLERIES. There was so much ART lost. There was original Dr. Seuss art in one gallery when I was there in January. That's gone now. Etc.)

But the people who lived and worked in Lahaina were mostly working class, working retail and restaurant jobs, living in old apartments and small houses. Lots of elderly, lots of non-white in a wide range of ethnicities, old hippies who have been there since the 60s and 70s. Yeah they were probably a little better off than people who drive in from other places to work in West Maui, at least because their property was high value, if they owned. But they lived without A/C, hung their laundry on lines, biked to work, called in sick to go surfing when the waves were up. There was a Chinese cultural center and a Buddhist temple, two different structures, if that tells you anything. Multiple museums housing historic items and cultural centers.

And the town will be rebuilt, in some form, I imagine. Or re-developed, more likely. People who are now homeless, who can't afford to rebuild or pay for two residences while the recovery happens will be bought out by deep pocketed developers. If they rebuild Lahaina Town I'm afraid it will be Lahaina Town tm by Disney.

Another fake paradise for tourists with lava rock from the Big Island. Another bit of Hawaii swallowed by capitalism and climate change.

I'm not painting everything about Lahaina as it was as perfect. Front Street was an often gaudy display of brand names and hucksters out to shovel in the tourist dollars. And of course the politics of Hawaii are incredibly complex and fraught in so many ways. I'm just a mainlander haole. I will never live on the islands, despite my family there constantly asking me to move. But I've spent more time there than anywhere I haven't lived, almost all of that time in West Maui.

My mom works in a building that is not there anymore. She just described that job to me as "the last job she'll ever have" as she's 79 and very happy with working two days a week selling t-shirts to cruise ship people. My brother has worked in a gallery on front street for the last ten years.

I don't know. A city of almost 15,000 permanent residents is just gone. 50 or so are confirmed dead, in some horrific circumstances from what I hear.

My mom says people are just walking around with thousand-yard-stares, aimless, clutching cell phones trying to get signal (there isn't any, but you can get lucky and get a call through. Some texts are going in but not out.)

So I don't know folks. Keep those people in your thoughts. If you can donate, I think this may be a good place because it's going to lots of local orgs on the ground: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong

I keep thinking of new sad things.

Anyway I'm going to leave you with a picture I took while strolling down Front Street one evening.

[sammydigitaleu]

[victoria-daydreams]

Compliments to the Chef

AN: It's here people! I floated the idea and you all demanded it be written. Don't care if there's any inaccuracies about fine dining culture or rules, we're all here for Chef Luca. If you commented on my original post I went ahead and tagged you. I wrote this on my phone because I'm on vacation so excuse any typos or errors.

Taglist: @chiddybangchiddy @emjayewrites @ay0nha @adorabubblesblog @ayoarticulate @blowmymbackout

Word Count: 4.4k

Prompt: Thinking thoughts about writing a fic with Chef Luca from The Bear involving an black!oc/black!reader on a study abroad trip in Copenhagen and them falling for each other.

"How do you even function in this weather?"

The coldness of December in Copenhagen could be quite unbearable at times. In her thick peacoat, Dannie shivered as snow gently fell to the ground in large, fluffy clusters. The tingle of cold air on her golden brown skin felt as if someone was jabbing needles all over her body. It was an unfathomably cold evening and Dannie began to wonder if this outing was worth it.

Aya, a native to the country, only laughed and tugged at the thick knitted scarf around her neck. "You want my scarf?" she questioned, smirking at the American.

Glancing at her friend, red-cheeked from the cold, with snow falling in her dark, springy curls, Dannie shook her head.

"Don't think that will change me freezing my ass off," Dannie retorted, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to maintain some warmth.

Aya laughed again in response, "Come on, we're almost there," she said, linking her arm with Dannie.

Dannie's teeth clattered as the cold wind continued to permeate her coat and her wool sweater. Stiffly, she walked with Aya, her shoes crunching loudly against the snowy cobblestones underfoot. Despite the frigid temperature and the feeling of being frozen to the bone, it was beautiful day in the capital of Denmark. As far as the eye could see, picturesque buildings lined the streets in colorful rows. The vibrant colors of the architecture reminded Dannie of cakes and other tasty pastries. The two women passed by cafes which littered the narrow streets of the snowy city, filled with tourists and locals of all ethnicities and nationalities.

Finally, they arrived at the restaurant, its name written in Danish. Savory scents and muted conversations greeted Dannie as Aya spoke with the host about her reservation. Without a doubt, this was the most expensive restaurant she'd ever been to in her life just based off the interior. After taking their coats, the host showed Aya and Dannie to their table, which offered a splendid view of Copenhagen. A glass of water was poured for her followed by a menu being placed into her hands. Browsing the menu, Dannie's eyes nearly bulged at the prices of dessert alone.

"Aya, why does a desert cost damn near an arm and a leg?" Dannie asked, her brows raising in disbelief.

"Because it’s 'fine dining'," Aya explained simply. "Don't stress about prices tonight," she reassured, with a dismissive hand wave. "It's your birthday, I'm treating you remember?" she reminded.

"Aya, I love you, but I'm helping you pay for this," Dannie stated firmly, placing her hand over her heart. "I refuse to let you break your bank account over a tiny portion of food and dessert," she added jokingly.

"Aya?" a British voice called.

Dannie's eyes flitted over Aya's shoulder to see man dressed in a fitted navy blue shirt and black slacks with a black apron tied around his neck. Aya turned in her chair, her face lighting in recognition.

"Luka! Hej!" she exclaimed, waving him over.

Approaching their table, Dannie realized that this Luca was nothing short of a heartthrob. Strikingly warm blue eyes, tousled blond hair, and not to mention his wide and undeniably strong frame.

"It is so good to see you here again!" Luca said, smiling at her.

Playfully she rolled her eyes, "You don’t know how long I remained on the waiting list to eat here again," she quipped, standing up to give him a quick hug.

"I see you brought a friend this time," he noted, as Aya pulled away from him.

"Yes! This is Dannie, she's studying abroad here and today is her 26th birthday, so we're celebrating!" Aya introduced excitedly. "Dannie, this is Luca, my chef friend I've been telling you so much about!" she said, gesturing towards him.

Dannie gave him a shy smile and offered her hand to shake as Aya sat down.

"A pleasure to meet you Luca, I’ve heard so much about you," Dannie said, her voice laced with the warm southern twang she was born with.

"First, a happy birthday is in order, I cannot think of a better place to attend for such a special occasion," he responded, mirroring her smile. "And hopefully Aya here has only been saying good things," he joked, glancing at her before reaching for Dannie's hand.

The moment their hands brushed against each other, Dannie felt Luca slightly jump at the sensation.

"Good god, your hands are freezing," Luca commented, letting out a chuckle and moving his right hand to the other side of hers. "You need a warm drink in you," he said, in that thick accent of his sending a shiver down her spine.

"Well, I wouldn’t mind a hot chocolate, if a fine dining establishment like this can manage it?" Dannie suggested, enjoying the heat from his hands engulfing her own.

Luca's mouth curled upward and nodded, "Yeah, I think I can manage that just fine," he assured, rubbing small circles against her skin. "I'm sure the kitchen has everything I need for this special request," he informed. "Anything for you—as friend of Aya's," he added quickly.

If Dannie’s was not mistaken, there was a hint of red he saw on the man's lightly freckled cheeks.

"I will be sure to get that out you, Dannie," he promised.

"Thank you Chef Luca,"

Reluctantly, Dannie pulled her hand from his grasp. Silence lingered between them for a moment and blue eyes stared unblinking into dark brown eyes. His intense eyes sent another pleasurable shiver down Dannie’s spine. That look…God, it made the temperature in the room increase by at least five degrees. Aya sharply cleared her throat, snapping them from their heated gaze.

"Right," Luca began, clearing his throat himself. "One hot chocolate coming right up for the birthday girl," he said, with a grin before leaving for the kitchen.

Dannie watched his form retreat. Luca went to rub the back of his neck, clearly feeling sheepish. Three quick snaps drew Dannie’s attention back in front of her to Aya grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Girllll," Aya sung, her eyebrows raised high. "What was that?" she asked, leaning her body forward. "Did I just inadvertently play matchmaker? Is this love at the first sight?" she questioned.

"Listen, it may not be love at first sight, but…” Dannie answered, taking both of Aya's hand. "The spirit of Tamera has fully possessed my body!" she joked, causing both of them to quietly squeal together and lightly stomp their feet on the floor.

~~~x~~~

An hour later

"This has been one of the best meals I have ever tasted in my entire life," Dannie stated, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

Aya hummed in agreement, "Including the specially made hot chocolate?" she asked teasingly, wriggling her eyebrows.

"Yes, the hot chocolate too," Dannie agreed with exasperation, rolling her eyes and laughing.

"Maybe we should send our compliments to the chef, personally," Aya suggested, a mischievous expression on her face.

"No!" Dannie whispered, her face growing hot at the mere thought of Luca coming back to the table.

"Why the fuck not?" she whispered back. "You two were practically eye fucking each other in front of me earlier," she pointed out.

"Okay, but—"

"Excuse me," Aya called, cutting Dannie off and a maître d' promptly was at their table. "The dessert was absolutely phenomenal. My friend here would like to personally send her compliments to the chef who made it," she explained, a barely hidden smirk on her lips.

"Of course, ma'am,"

Feeling utterly mortified, Dannie had taken to hiding her face behind her hand.

"Why would you do that?" Dannie asked, her hand sliding down to cover half her mouth.

"Come on, you’ll thank me later," Aya dismissed, picking up her wine glass. "You and Luca would be such a hot couple together," she said, before sipping her dry red.

"Really?" Dannie asked skeptically.

"Yes bitch!" Aya responded, almost in disbelief she had to answer that.

Dannie grabbed her own wine glass and raised it to her lips, thinking of Luca. His warm demeanor was definitely an attractive trait, as well as his prowess in baking such delicious treats. Any woman with a pulse will find that trait irresistible in a man.

"I was told I've been summoned,"

The sound of a British accent instantly snapped from Dannie from her musings and straighten up her posture. Looking up, Luca was at their table and smiling at the two of them, his hands folded behind his back.

"Yes, hello Chef Luca!" Aya greeted, with a knowing grin. "The dessert was to die for!" she complimented. "Dannie and I just had to tell you in person. Right Dannie?" she asked, nodding encouragingly.

"Everything was superb, Chef Luca," Dannie agreed, "Thank you,"

"You're very welcome and thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it," he said.

"Before you go Luca, could you tell the maître d we're ready for the check?" Aya said.

"Ah, yes the check," he replied. "I already have it here," he informed, unfolding his arms and giving the little black book to Dannie.

Opening the book, let out a small gasp of surprise. The receipt showed a balance of zero.

"Are you kidding me?" Dannie asked, glancing back up at him.

"The chef heard it's your first time in Copenhagen, wanted to make this an unforgettable experience," Luca explained.

"Job well done, I'll say," Dannie retorted, chuckling a little. "I fear wherever I go next in Copenhagen nothing will hold a candle to this,"

"Well, I know my way around the city pretty well," Luca began. "I can show you some spots that will blow you away, if you’ll let me," he offered, smiling shyly.

Dannie nodded vigorously with a smile, "That would be amazing, Luca. Thank you," she said, mindlessly playing with her ginger dyed hair.

Luca’a face seemed to brighten and a faint blush starting to cross his cheeks, "Saturday?" he questioned.

Dannie took the pen from the checkbook and wrote her phone number on the receipt.

"Saturday,"

~~~x~~~

Saturday

Dannie loved farmers markets. There was always just a magical feel when she visited one. Now, compound that with the fact that she was in a different country during Christmastime and she might as well been in Winter Wonderland. Above, the sun shone uninhibited in a perfect, cloudless blue sky. With a gentle breeze, snow from the ground and buildings swirled past Dannie as tiny crystals. She could not envision a more perfect day for a first date.

"I think you're a mind reader Luca," Dannie said, stealing a glance at him. "I absolutely adore farmers markets," she informed, with a smile.

"I promised I'd show you the best spots in the city, didn't I?" he reminded, their arms brushing against each other as they walked side by side.

She nodded, "You did," she agreed. "Keeping promises, a good quality to possess. I like that in a man," she stated, their arms brushing again.

Luca smirked, "Noted," he said, smoothly lacing his fingers with hers.

Dannie’s heart fluttered, her chest blossoming with warmth. She could've just melted right into a puddle at that very moment. They made their way deeper into the busy market, walking through the narrow lane as the mouthwatering aroma of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine was soon thick in the air.

Along a few connecting streets, each road was dedicated to different vendors. One street was filled with paintings and handmade jewelry. Another street had fresh produce and jams. While a different different part of the market was selling hot food based on scent alone from how strong it was.

"You know," Luca began. "Aya said you were studying abroad, but you never said what for," he said.

She chuckled, "You're right, we knew you were needed in the kitchen, so our conversation was pretty limited," Dannie recalled, with a nod. "History, that’s what's I’m here. I’m a history major,"

"Ooh, not my best subject," he mentioned, laughing lightly. "History class use to always put me to sleep," he joked.

"Why does everyone say that!" Dannie exclaimed lightly, laughing a little. "You mean to tell me there was never a time period you learned about and just became obsessed with it?" she asked,

"I became obsessed with baking at a young age," he answered. "You, on the other hand, are a true history buff. I can tell just by how excited you’re getting," he stated. "So, tell me, what are your favorite periods to study?" he asked.

"It’s World War I followed by the Roaring 20s, then World War II, lastly the 50s and 60s," Dannie listed, using her free hand to count them off. "I dabble in The Gilded Age as well," she added, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know something within me just gravitated to those periods the moment I learned about them in school. I think it’s mainly the aesthetics, fashion, and music," she explained, smiling softly. "To be clear though, I would never want to live through those eras. The world is hostile enough to Black people as it is. I can hardly imagine what it was like back then," she finished, raising a finger.

When Luca didn't reply after a beat, Dannie began to internally panic thinking she said something wrong.

"Oh no, did I kill the vibe?" Dannie asked, with a horrified expression. "I swear every time I speak about my love of history it always somehow results in vibe killing,"

"No, no," Luca reassured. "I'm just admiring how cute you are nerding out over history, I do the same when it comes to cooking," he explained, with a grin.

"Well, join me in my cuteness and tell me what made you nerd out over cooking," Dannie said, playfully bumping his shoulder.

"I fear the amount of time that would take would consume our whole date," Luca joked.

"And I want to hear every second of it," Dannie said. "I'm dying to know how the man next to me became the esteemed Chef Luca,"

"Alright, you asked for it," he said, letting out a chuckle.

Listening with her full attention, Dannie learned from Luca how at a very young age he’s always had a passion for cooking and because of that he was able to hone in on his skills. Of course, this led to Luca thinking he was ‘the shit’ by the time he got to culinary school, carrying a major chip on his shoulder. That chip stayed him as he progressed into his career until he was unintentionally humbled by another chef after witnessing their skills in the kitchen. Without working with this chef, Luca swears he would not be where he is now had it not been from him.

"So, a slice of humble pie did the trick, huh?" Dannie concluded, her tone teasing.

"Yeah, yeah it did," Luca admitted, laughing and nodding his head. "You can either choose to accept it or deny it. Luckily, I accepted it and changed the course of my career," he went on.

They crossed into the main of the market, stumbling upon the Christmas market . The massive space was filled with all sorts of food vendors, stalls, vendor kiosks, and there was even a petting zoo with a variety of farm animals. At the center of it all, a gigantic Christmas tree stood, towering above everything in the square. The freshly cut pine tree was covered in lights, garland, and ornate ornaments.

"This will always be my favorite time of the year," Dannie sighed wistfully, admiring the lights and decorations around them.

"I remember spending my first Christmas here in Copenhagen," Luca mentioned. "It felt like I was in a movie," he added.

"If it snows on Christmas Day, that would just put the icing on top of the cake,"

He turned to look at her, "You know what, an idea just popped into my head,"

"What?"

"Has anyone ever made you dessert from scratch?"

"Yeah, some family members of mine, but never like a romantic partner or anything like that," she answered, and the realization dawned on her. "Wait—are you offering to do that for me?"

"I am," he nodded. "You mentioned cake and the gears in my mind started turning," hestated. "Plus, all the ingredients I would need are all around me,"

"Making a girl feel special, that must be your superpower Luca," Dannie joked.

“Not just any girl. I like to make you, feel special Dannie,” he corrected, squeezing her hand.

She giggled, "If you’re making dessert from scratch, chances are I won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor tonight,"

"Guess you'll have to come back to my place again tomorrow then," Luca suggested, smirking slightly. "Come on," he said, leading her the nearest stall.

For the next thirty minutes, Dannie and Luca shopped at the farmers market, grabbing everything necessary for the surprise dessert Luca was going to make. Instead of the usual 'divide and conquer' tactic, they remained together, tackling neighboring stalls at the same time. After two laps around the market, Dannie and Luca were at there final stalls. Luca was at a strawberry vendor a few stalls down, while Dannie waited at a honey seller’s. Shifting the weight between her feet, Dannie could feel her feet start to grow tired from walking. Another minute passed before the older woman handed her the jar of honey with a smile.

"Is there anything else you and your boyfriend are interested in purchasing?" the older woman questioned, still wearing a kind smile.

Boyfriend. The term nearly makes her choke on her water she was drinking.

"Oh no, we’re not—" Dannie began, but stopped herself. "Thank you for the honey, ma'am," she finished, nodding her head and placing it in her canvas tote bag.

Not soon after, Luca appeared next to her carrying his own bag of groceries. Automatically, his hand came to rest on her lower back.

"Do we everything we need?" he asked.

"I believe so," Dannie replied, with a nod. "Can't wait for you to wow me again in a more intimate setting this time,"

"I aim to please, love,"

"A fucking pet name? Pick me up from the goddamn floor!" Dannie thought.

Grinning, she linked her arm with his, "Next time, instead you baking for me, I want to be apart of the baking process," Dannie informed.

"You’re already planning for a next time?" he questioned, arching his brow.

"Of course, do you know how rare it is to find a man who has a passion for baking?" she quipped, raising an eyebrow of her own.

"Back to my place?"

"Lead the way," Dannie encouraged, and Luca guided her out the farmers market

~~~x~~~

"I cannot wait to eat this cheesecake," Dannie said, leaning back on the counter and crossing her arms. "Too bad I have to wait until tomorrow to get a slice," she pouted playfully.

"We can have a slice of it over afternoon tea," Luca suggested, carefully placing the cheesecake into the refrigerator.

Dannie rolled her eyes, "Ugh, god you’re so disgustingly British," she teased.

He closed the door to the fridge, "Hey, don’t knock it until you try it," he retorted, pointing the tip of the wine bottle at her that he grabbed.

"I'll have you know, my drink of choice is a strong coffee," Dannie informed, lightly digging her index finger into his pec. It took everything in her to keep a straight face feeling the firmness of the muscle. "Not black coffee though, I'm not a serial killer," she clarified, laughing lightly which he shared. "But because you're so cute, I'm willing to try it for you," Dannie conceded, booping the tip of his nose.

"You'll thank me for expanding your palette," he quipped, causing her to roll her eyes again. "If you would be so kind to get the glasses, love,"

"Since you asked so nicely," Dannie said, moving over to the overhead cupboard.

Grabbing two wine glass, she turned back around just in time to get a perfect view of Luca's back. His shirt was just tight enough that she could watch the flex of Luca's muscles in his biceps and shoulders underneath the fabric.

"So goddamn strong," Dannie thought. "I wonder what it would feel like to have that grip around my hips or my ne—"

The cork escaped the bottle's hold with an echoing pop, snapping Dannie from her impure thoughts.

"You okay back there?" Luca asked.

She cleared her throat, "Yeah, totally," she answered, finally walking back over. "I didn't want to startle you as you opened the wine," she explained, placing the glasses down.

Filling both glasses, Luca handed her a glass first and then picked up his own.

"Cheers," Luca said, tilting his glass.

"Cheers," Dannie echoed, clinking their glasses together and sipping their wine in unison.

Lowering his glass, Luca’s gaze fell back on Dannie.

"After our afternoon tea and cheesecake, how would you feel going to the National Gallery of Denmark with me?" she wondered, swirling her wine around in one hand while the other reached for a blueberry left over in a bowl.

"I would love that,"

"It’s a date then," Dannie smiled, dipping the berry into the bowl of whipped cream and popping it into her mouth.

Pure bliss swept over her face at the sweet and tangy flavor flooding her taste buds.

"Fuck that was so good," Dannie laughed, shaking her head when Luca leaned in towards her. She swallowed. "Luca?" she asked, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.

"Sorry, you…you got a little something…" he trailed off. "Right," he continued softly, reaching out with his thumb and gently wiping leftover whipped cream from the corner of her mouth. His thumb drew across her bottom lip. "There," he finished, dragging her lips apart slightly.

Dannie couldn't move from her spot, and from the looks neither could Luca.

"Silly me, I’m such a slob," she said, the words coming out in one soft breath.

He removed his thumb from her lips, "No, you’re fine," Luca responded, before bringing his glass back to his mouth and quickly downing the rest of his drink. Clearing his throat, he placed the cup back down on the counter. "It might not be the cheesecake, but might I offer you the best strawberry you'll ever eat?" he asked, regaining his usual warm demeanor.

Dannie smirked, throwing back the rest of her wine as well, "You may, since you forbade me from eating any earlier," she reminded, putting her glass down.

Luca grinned, plucking a freshly washed strawberry from the bowl and gently pressed it against Dannie's lips. The move caused a giggle to bubble within her chest and her face to flush with heat. Opening her mouth, Dannie bit down into the perfectly proportioned fruit in Luca's fingers which moved a little. The sweet juices filled her mouth, a drop of it escaping from a corner of her lips.

"How was that?" he asked, a cheeky smile on his face.

"Mmm," Dannie hummed in satisfaction, closing her eyes and nodding. She waited a moment after swallowing her first bite, still relishing the nectar of the fruit, before speaking. "Certainly the juiciest strawberry I've ever eaten," she responded, wiping the corners of her mouth with the back of her finger. "You flinched slightly when I bit into it," she pointed out, making Luca chuckle.

"I was hoping you wouldn’t notice,"

"Don't worry, I don’t bite..." Dannie promised, her voice dropping a pitch. Instantly, Luca's cheeks flared red at her words. "Unless, you want me to," she teased, and leaned forward to bite into the remaining strawberry.

"Fuck me..." Luca breathed.

Smiling coyly, Dannie turned her back to Luca and started to walk over to the living room. Suddenly, a pair of warm, strong hands gripped her waist and spun her back around. Luca's face was expressionless, but his pupils had darkened considerably and flickered over her face. Dannie met his stare through hooded eyes, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. The tension between them was palpable and it hung thick, making the soft and shallow breaths from both of them more pronounced. Luca ran his hand across her lower back before pulling her closer, dipping his head towards her.

The little space remaining between the two sent Dannie's heartbeat into overdrive. Their faces were barely an inch from each other. Her eyes dropped to his lips, slowly making their way back up her his by way of his jawline. It was as if a dam broke. Within a blink of the eye, Luca pressed his mouth against Dannie's. Inhaling sharply, any and all thoughts flew from her head at the feeling of his lips. Dannie softly moaned into the kiss, her eyes closing while her fingers found their way to grip on Luca's blond locks. Eagerly, she returned the kiss as he walked her back until her lower back was pressed into the edge of the granite countertop.

"God, you're so beautiful," he huffed out before leaning back down to kiss her roughly.

Luca's palms slipped beneath Dannie's sweater to glide across her warm skin, his lips nipping hungrily at her lower lip. Only heavy breathing and the smacking of lips filled the air of the kitchen. With practiced ease, Luca wedged his leg between her own while his left hand skirted around her midsection until it he hooked her leg around his hip. Dannie's hands gently made their way to unbutton Luca's shirt, finally being able to fully appreciate the taut muscles underneath her fingers.

Another moan fell from Dannie, this one breathier than before. His body responded, grounding himself into her. Moving his mouth to the corner of hers, Luca's lips trailed down her neck, peppering open mouthed kisses down her jaw and neck. Dannie could only pant his name in quick, short gasps.

"Luca…Luca…." she breathed, her head thrown back.

Slowly, he drew back from her, forcing Dannie to open her eyes and lift her head up. Staring into his smoldering eyes, Dannie was mesmerized by the flush that stained Luca’s cheeks and neck, not to mention his swollen lips. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, both their breathing labored.She felt herself chasing his lips as he withdrew. Luca wrapped his arms around her thighs and effortlessly lifted her onto the cool countertop.

"You're too good at this," Dannie commented breathlessly, before capturing his lips in another slow, languid kiss. "I bet there has been many girls in this same position," she suggested, kissing him again while her hands busied themselves with undoing his belt.

"Not on the island darling," he whispered, running his tongue along the slope of where her neck curved into her shoulder, making her shudder uncontrollably.

"No one has had the pleasure of christening this?" Dannie questioned, slowly dragging her legs up to wrap around his waist.

"Until now, no," Luca answered, his face retreating from her neck. "Would you like to do the honors?" he asked, smirking at her.

Her legs tightened around his hips, "Yes Chef,"

[escandidesign]

Famous Dining Chairs - Escandi Design

We at Escandi Design recognize the value of both form and function in dining furniture. Our Famous Dining Chairs are not only exquisite but also ergonomically made for optimal comfort. Look through our selection to locate the ideal chairs to complement your dining area's decor and personal taste. You may design a dining space with Escandi Design that is classy and welcoming, making every get-together with loved ones a special occasion.

[lynzishell]

OC Questionnaire ft. Atlas Stephens

✨Tagged by @elderwisp 💖 Thank you so much!!✨

01 💛 NAME

Atlas Michael Stephens

02 💛 NICKNAMES

None at the moment, but when he was younger, a kid in school thought it was hilarious to call him Lassie... but since Atlas never reacted to it, they soon lost interest and it never stuck. In high school, his track coach and teammates just called him Stephens.

03 💛 GENDER

cis male

04 💛 STAR SIGN

Cancer sun, Leo moon, Cancer Rising

05 💛 HEIGHT

6'0"

06 💛 NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY

American of English/French descent

07 💛 FAVORITE FRUIT

Grapefruit

08 💛 FAVORITE SEASON

Spring

09 💛 FAVORITE FLOWER

Passion Flower

10 💛 FAVORITE SCENT

Clean laundry, Petrichor, and Asher 🩵

11 💛 COFFEE, TEA OR HOT CHOCOLATE?

Coffee: Americano

12 💛 AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP

7-8 he sleeps well when he's in a routine, but struggles to sleep when he's not in his own bed, or if his routine gets thrown off.

13 💛 DOGS OR CATS?

Dogs.. He never considered himself a pet person at all until he met Ash and bonded with his dog, Jasper.

14 💛 DREAM TRIP

Selvadorada (he's on his dream trip now... or so he thinks 🫣)

15 💛 NUMBER OF BLANKETS

Ash is his blanket... not even joking, the boy is that snuggly! Otherwise, usually just a thin sheet... he tends to overheat easily and doesn't like to be under blankets... he usually has to roll away from Ash eventually during the night.

16 💛 RANDOM FACT

He has named all the plants in his apartment after classic video game characters: In his bedroom he has Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi. Peach is on the dining table. And the hanging plant is Bowser.

✨imma tag: @likelyamused, @igotsnothing, @havenroyals, @onestormeynight, and @dandylion240

✨Of course, feel free to ignore as per

[pxgeturner]

keep you safe. keep you mine.

ghostface!miguel o'hara x reader. prologue.

you're a junior in college and you have a totally awesome boyfriend in the master's program. a girl from your school is murdered and your boyfriend is there to make sure you feel safe (college/uni!au as if its not obvious)

an. I've had this idea in my head for like a month. executive dysfunction is a little bitch so i've onlyy been able to sit down n write this today. I wrote part of it a work but most of it within the last hour. (it’s currently a bit past midnight on the first of october) which if u have been here for a while, know that’s v surprising for me. i really wanted this to be posted on the first of the month but what can u do. i’m just gonna queue it atp. this isn't very action packed bcz it's just a prologue. but im soooo excited. also, r is latina coded but can be read from any ethnic standpoint. also this has not been proofread.

warnings: r has a panic attack, mentions of death (slightly graphic description of a dead body)

wc. 1.2k

you can’t change the channel. you don’t know why. but you can’t. a girl from your university was killed just about an hour ago. you were going to turn on the run of practical magic that started about half an hour ago. you just keep watching the news-lady rehash the same information over and over again. the killer all but turned the poor girl inside out. she’s in your finance class. you worked on a group assignment with her. she’s one of those girls who tries to maintain the hierarchy of high school in college. which is total bullshit, you’re third years for crying out loud! she’s passive aggressive, sure, but she should’ve had so much more time to grow. so you’re sitting there. bundled in blankets, not able to press the button on the remote. 

PING! 

something hits the sliding glass door to the back porch. you don’t want to become chopped liver. so you stay in your seat. a few minutes pass, you think, and no more noise, so you turn back to the tv. 

thud thud. you ignore it, keeping my eyes on the screen. 

then my cell starts to ring. you jump in your seat, and search for it, lost in the blankets. It’s miguel. you pick up the call. 

“hey mickey, you scared me.”

“sorry, baby. mind opening the door? It’s a little fresh out here?”

“the slide door?”

“yeah,”

you untangle myself from the blankets and approach the glass. you turn on the outside light, and it’s him. you unlock the door and let him in. he kisses your cheek as he comes in. “hey, angel,”

“hey yourself,”

“where are your parents?” you shut the door

“concert, pop surprised mama with tickets to a merengue singer. gloria something.”

he nods and comes in to hug you. “how’s your night been angel? The news is on? why’s it still playing?” he strokes your hair “you know if you keep watching this fear mongering shit it’s gonna just make you anxious, baby.”

“yeah…” you melt into him, feeling safe with your big strong boyfriend here. “can you stay the night?”

“’course baby. anything for my sweet girl.” he leads you back to the couch, “what do you want to watch?”

“practical magic, but it’s already running.”

“don’t you have the dvd?”

“OMG YES” you jump out of your seat and dash over to the tv stand, opening the dvd stash drawer. “HERE IT IS” you wave it around in triumph before inserting it into the player. 

once you’re back on the couch your boyfriend goes “if you have it on dvd why would you watch it on cable?”

you pout at him “it felt special. like they were playing it just for me. it was the perfect time.”

he shakes his head and chuckles, “you’re just too cute, baby.”

… 

“she talked shit about you, y’know.” gwen says after she tossed a penny into the fountain. 

“what?” the two of you start walking to the dining hall

“that girl, ava whatever? she was in my drawing class after your finance class with her. she like, thought you were obsessed with her.”

you stop in your tracks. “wait. what the fuck?”

she steps back and turns to face you. “yeah. i didn’t tell you because i figured if she never said anything to your face it wouldn’t be a big issue.”

“ok…” this is confusing “a: what did she say and b: why are you telling me this?”

“she said you’d stare at her. and that you look like you look like a… what did she say?… ‘a brainless mutt’ and other shit. she only said shit like that a couple times. and i ripped her a new one both times.” she gestures for you to keep walking. you realize today they probably have pizza and she wants to get there before they run out. “i’m telling you this so you don’t feel too bad. she wasn’t some innocent soul, she was a bitch. you’re so nice. but i don’t want you wasting your emotions on her.”

you think about all this information as you two walk. you never really liked ava. she totally thought of herself as a queen bee, and that’s so icky. the class you had together is tiered with semi-circular layout. you sat at one end, and she did at the other. when you space out, you guess it might seem like staring, but, like. what the hell?

and then you see miguel. he’s in a booth with peter, mj, and miles. you and gwen go up to the table.

“hey, angel”

“hi mickey,”

“they have soup, got some for you. cranberry juice too.” your favorite food and your favorite juice? he’s heaven.

you smile so big it almost hurts.

“did you get me food?” gwen asks miles

“i- uh, didn’t know what you wanted,” gwen glares at him– it’s a joke but when you’re on the other end it doesn’t feel like it. “-but there’s plenty of pizza left! i haven’t gotten food yet. i wanted to wait for you.” gwen smiles and offers him her hand. the two of them leave and you slide into the booth, next to miguel. 

“how was break?” peter asks. 

“it was good! love being with my family as usual.”

“and miguel, i’m sure,” mj winks playfully. 

“i was at my parents house!”

“and miguel went over every time you offered.” peter says before taking a sip of his coffee. 

“he’s so in love with you. it’s an obsession.” mj jokes. 

miguel drapes his arm round your shoulder exaggeratedly. “gotta keep my girl safe, there’s some freaks who’d want to hurt her.” you elbow him lightly to tell him to stop joking like that. 

somewhere along the line after gwen and miles get back, the subject changes to them trying to convince you and gwen to go to graduate school. 

“you’re so smart! You could study classical literature! or ethical studies! or ethnic studies! genders studies.”

“oh my god parker please stop throwing studies in my face. i’m so happy y’all are having a good time in the master’s program. and i’m so glad that miles is planning to go do that kind of path too,” you lean back, head supported by miguel’s arm. “i just have no desire to be a career academic. by the time i graduate i’ll have spent seventeen years of my life on education. After i get that diploma i just want to write.”

“and that’s exactly what you’re gonna do, doll.” 

a few days later, and the weekend has arrived. you’re in miguel’s room, a tim burton film playing as you two cuddle. 

the movie gets drowned out by the sound of an alarm, coming from your phones. it’s an emergency alert from the police. someone else has been found dead. someone from your school. your breath turns shallow and a lump forms in your throat. you’re crying. you can’t breathe. everything is blurry. your chest feels heavy. miguel holds you, whispering in your ear reassurances. he’d never let anyone touch you. you’re safe. nothing bad is ever going to happen to you. he’s here to protect you. 

thank god you have miguel to protect you from everything evil outside.

[magnetothemagnificent]

Hi! I thought this might be a good question to ask you since you are so knowledgeable. I’m writing an epic fantasy story and I need to do some research on what life was like for Jews right before and after the destruction of the 2nd beit hamikdash because that is the basis of the setting. I would also love some information about the daily life of the kohanim at the time. Could you help me out with some reliable sources? Thanks so much!

Some aspects of Jewish life c. 1st century CE:

Economy:

Large-scale household pottery manufacture

-Pottery manufactured by Jews does not need to be ritually purified

-Certain pots began to be standardized in size, indicating importance of measurements for other industries

Expansion of oil and wine industries (hence the standardized jars)

Culture:

Stone vessels. Varying explanations, but all have to do with maintaining a distinct Jewish identity.

A new type of oil lamp- knife-pared lamp.

Dining rooms for the wealthy.

Lots of Mikvaot

Rock-cut familial burial caves

Display tombs but only in Jerusalem

Jews regarded as distinct ethnicity both by themselves and by the foreign powers

Prayer developing. Prayer distinct from Temple worship had already begun after the destruction of the first Temple, and continued into the second Temple era.

Lots of apocalyptic and messianic cults especially as the destruction of the Temple grew closer.

Spoken language is Aramaic and Hebrew

Synagogues beginning to appear

Strong relationship between the Jews of Israel and the Jews of Babylonia

Lots of Halakhic debates

Corruption within the Kohanim because of the Hasmonean power vaccuum and the Romans appointing the High Priests instead of the Jews.

Sources:

Jewish Life Before the Revolt: The Archaeological Evidence

Ethnicity and Ancient Judaism: Jewish Identities in 1st Century Alexandria and Antioch

Prayer in the Period of the Tannaim and Amoraim

Aramaic Tombstones from Zoar and Jewish Conceptions of the Afterlife

THE ORIGIN OF THE SYNAGOGUE: A RE-ASSESSMENT

‮אתא אגרתא ממערבא‬ ("An Epistle Came from the West"): Historical and Archaeological Evidence for the Ties between the Jewish Communities in the Land of Israel and Babylonia during the Talmudic Period

Were the Priests All the Same? Qumranic Halakhah in Comparison with Sadducean Halakhah

The Torah of the Jews of Ancient Rome

I'm also tagging @didyoumeanxianity because they have a lot more experience with that era (I'm more biological anthropology than cultural).

Good luck with your novel, it sounds so exciting!!