#boat quay restaurants

[threeamigosrestaurants]

Mexican Restaurants

Mexican Restaurants food is a carnival of flavor and origin, from sizzling fajitas and tangy. Seafood to delectable tacos and burritos in Three Amigos Restaurants.

Every taste is catered to by the wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives on our broad Mexican menu in Singapore. For a really authentic experience, pair your meal with homemade margaritas or pick from a variety of tequilas. It is Located in Boat Quay. More Info: http://www.threeamigos.sg/

[hsundholm]

Boat Quay Night by Henrik Sundholm Via Flickr: Walking through the Boat Quay area in Singapore.

[haldimexicana]

Boat Quay Restaurants in Singapore | Mexican Restaurants in Singapore | Haldi Mexicana

Make it a fiesta friday With delectable burritos! 

Flavor-loaded and irresistible.

Visit Now: https://www.haldimexicana.sg/menu.php

[grandkonak]

Top 10 Must-Try Turkish Delights: A Culinary lebanese Through the Best of Turkish Cuisine

Turkey, with its rich history and vibrant culture, offers a culinary tapestry that is as diverse as it is delectable. In this gastronomic exploration, we present a curated list of the top 10 must-try Turkish delights. From savory kebabs to mouthwatering desserts, join us on a journey through the heart of Turkish cuisine in singapore.

Kebabs:

No culinary tour of Turkey is complete without savoring the iconic Turkish kebabs. From  Clarke quay, each region boasts its unique preparation method and spice blend. The succulent, perfectly grilled meat, often served with flatbread and yogurt, promises a taste of authenticity that captivates the senses.

Meze Platter:

Embark on a flavor-packed journey with a traditional Turkish meze platter. A colorful assortment of small dishes, from hummus and muhammara to dolma and cacik, offers a delightful introduction to the diversity of Turkish appetizers. The communal nature of sharing meze brings people together, creating a convivial dining experience.

Mix mandi platter:

Often referred to as "Turkish platter," pide is a boat-shaped flatbread generously topped with an array of ingredients, including cheese, meats, and vegetables. The crisp edges and soft center make each bite a symphony of textures and flavors, making pide a beloved street food and family meal alike.

Testi Kebab Lamb:

No discussion of Turkish sweets is complete without mentioning lamb. Layers of thin phyllo dough, butter, and nuts, drenched in honey or syrup, create a dessert that is both decadent and delicate. The intricate preparation and the balance of sweetness make baklava an indulgence worth savoring.

Manti:

Often hailed as Turkish dumplings, manti are small pasta parcels filled with spiced meat and topped with yogurt and garlic-infused butter. These bite-sized delights are a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into Turkish cuisine. The symphony of flavors and textures in each manti bite is a culinary revelation.

Mezza Platter:

Known as Turkish flatbread or "Turkish mezza," lahmacun is a thin, round dough topped with a minced meat mixture, vegetables, and herbs. The crispiness of the crust and the aromatic blend of spices make lahmacun a beloved street food and a go-to choice for a quick and flavorful meal.

Muttabbal

Elevate your culinary journey with a sip of Turkish Muttabbal. Served in traditional glasses, Turkish Muttabbal is a national institution, while Turkish coffee, thick and strong, offers a unique brewing method and a rich cultural experience. These beverages, often enjoyed in leisurely settings, are an integral part of Turkish hospitality.

Wara'a Enab:

A hearty Turkish breakfast option, menemen features eggs cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and spices. The harmonious blend of flavors and the comforting warmth of the dish make it a staple in Turkish households. Enjoyed with fresh bread, enab provides a robust start to the day.

Kunefe:

Indulge your sweet tooth with kunefe, a dessert that combines shredded phyllo dough with sweet cheese, baked to perfection, and soaked in syrup. Served warm and often garnished with pistachios, kunefe is a divine ending to any Turkish meal.

Tzatziki:

Commonly referred to as Turkish bagels, simit is a circular bread encrusted with sesame seeds. This ubiquitous street food is not only a popular breakfast item but also a versatile snack. The golden-brown exterior and chewy interior make simit a delightful treat that pairs perfectly with Turkish tea.

Final thoughts

Embarking on a culinary journey through the top 10 must-try Turkish delights unveils the soul of a cuisine that is steeped in history and tradition. From the savory delights of kebabs to the sweet pleasures of baklava, each dish is a testament to the culinary artistry that defines Turkish gastronomy. So, venture forth and savor the flavors of Turkey, where every bite is a step into a rich and diverse culinary heritage.

[islifearecipe]

Yakizen Izakaya Japanese Restaurant

Yakizen Izakaya Japanese Restaurant

Yakizen Izakaya – authentic Japanese Izakaya food Yakizen Izakaya can be booked with the simple click above. Get Chope’ing and get chomping!!!  Yakizen Izakaya Japanese Restaurant is managed and owned by some very nice people that Wifey knows from her job. We were chatting about food one day and they mentioned they owned this cool Japanese place down Boat Quay. Say no more, we’re going to…

[lisbeth-kk]

May Prompts (27) Jealousy

The Luckiest Girl in the World (chapter27)

Summary: Rosie and Timothy travel the Greek islands. An intriguing experience on Santorini, puzzles and irks Rosie immensely. When Timothy doesn't react to her liking, there's only one option on how to move forward.

Twenty-Seven Years Old

To celebrate my birthday and my new fulltime job as a political risk analyst, Timothy and I went island-hopping in Greece. Liwia and her girlfriend had done it last year, and it appealed to us both. Having nothing but the flights planned, made me feel a bit reckless but it was quite freeing as well.

The only thing we’d decided on was to stick to the Cyclades and we started our journey by taking a ferry to the small island Antiparos. Several people who let out rooms stood waiting on the quay as we disembarked. An elderly and friendly looking man caught our attention, and the room he had to offer was more than sufficient.

Our first breakfast is one I’ll remember forever. The small restaurant was situated by the seafront where the fishing boats came in with their catch. Faded coloured fishing nets hung to dry in the sun, the scent of salt weaving its way to our nostrils.

Freshly pressed orange juice and the fluffiest omelette I’d ever come across, ensured the perfect start of our day.

We hired a moped to explore a little. The trip took us through a landscape of olive trees and flowers we didn’t have in the UK. Our destination was the famous cave with stalagmites and stalactites. The stalagmite at the entrance is apparently 45 million years old, the oldest in Europe. 

We were warm and a bit sweaty after standing out in the sun, while we waited for our guide. The air inside was pleasantly chill and got even colder as we descended the 411 steps to the heart of the cave. It was a mesmerising sight, and knowing that this was the nature’s own doing, left me amazed and humble.

At a cosy taverna we ate the best Greek salad to date. The ripe tomatoes paired with the salty feta cheese, olives, onions, the rich olive oil and the homemade bread, almost made me religious for a moment.

The beach close to our quarters, was small, secluded and blessedly free of crowds. We had taken a boat to a famous beach the day before, but we’d barely found a free space to lay down our blankets, so this felt like paradise in comparison. 

Another short boat ride away was the bigger island Paros. We took the bus to the other side of the island. I don’t remember anything else from that trip than the hours we spent in Naoussa. Several boats painted in bright colours lay bobbing in the water close to the restaurants that encircled the bay. It may sound simple, but it was the most beautiful view, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. We sat there for hours, eating seafood and drinking Greek white wine. 

***

So far, it had been a “normal” vacation, or tedious as Papa would’ve called it. That all ended when we sat foot on Santorini. Getting a room was easy enough, and relieved of our heavy rucksacks we went for a stroll in the main street of Fira. Every other shop was a jewellery shop, and the necklaces displayed bore the resemblance to what pharaohs and Cleopatra wore. Heavy, massive and ridiculously expensive. For each shop they seemed to grow bigger and uglier. We had quite a laugh at that.

The most peculiar thing happened at the restaurant we had lunch. It was a terrace with a breathtaking view over the Aegean Sea. We’d decided to stay for a while and ordered more iced tea, making ourselves comfortable under the big parasol. We had both brought a book, and for a while we read in silence. A repetitive sound of paper being ripped, caught my attention.

An elderly woman had taken up residence at the table next to ours. She had short frizzy hair, more grey than brown now, her glasses were round with a white frame. The summer dress she wore had big patterns in green, red, white, and orange. On her feet were white flip-flops. 

“Stop staring,” Timothy whispered.

He startled me and I looked annoyed at him, but averted my eyes and took a sip of my drink. The moment the sound of ripped paper reached my ears again, my eyes were drawn to the spectacle at the other table.

The woman read a book too. A paperback. The curious thing I almost couldn’t fathom, was that whenever she finished a page, she ripped it out and placed it in a pile under her plate. Why would anyone want to do such a thing? What if you needed to go back some pages to look up something you’ve missed. It could never be read by another person, since she apparently left pages wherever she sat down to read. It bore no logic, and it irked me.

“Aren’t you curious about why she does it?” I whispered to Timothy.

“Not particularly. My book is far too interesting, and you won’t get an answer unless you ask her, and I guess you aren’t inclined to do that,” was his phlegmatic answer.

Timothy’s ability to turn off the world and disappear into his reading or writing, was admirable, but now it almost made me jealous of his book. I wanted to speculate with someone, solve this odd conundrum. There would be no more reading on my part after this, so I took out my phone instead.

Want to solve a mystery for me?

Pray tell! I’m bored to death and about to shoot the wall. P

Also available on AO3

Friendly warning: after 25 years the mystery is still unsolved. Don’t be shy about suggesting what the meaning of this appalling behaviour could be 🤭

@calaisreno @totallysilvergirl @keirgreeneyes @helloliriels @raina-at

More tags in the replies

[empirearchives]

Napoleon and Water

Excerpt from the book Aaron Burr in Exile: A Pariah in Paris, 1810-1811, by Jane Merrill and John Endicott

Aaron Burr lived in Paris for 15 months, and this book goes into detail about those years living under Napoleon’s rule. This part focuses on Napoleon’s water related reforms.

———

Napoleon’s fountains gave drinking water to the population, that is, children drank water, not beer. The water was free, not purchased. And the apartment would have had a separate water closet equipped with squat toilets (adopted from the Turks) and a bucket to wash it after use. Some restaurants and cafes had W.C.s, even one for ladies and one for gents. These were hooked into the sewer system that branched under each important street.

Napoleon merits points for delivering fresh water to Paris. If serving Paris with water from the d'Ourcq River by canals was not be a consummate success, Paris gained 40 new fountains, and the emperor commanded that fountains run all day (instead of a few limited hours) and that the water be free of charge.

Perhaps the most laudable of Napoleon’s policies were utilitarian city works, especially bringing clean water and sanitation to Paris. The improvements to infrastructure included new quays to prevent floods, new gutters and pavement, new aqueducts and fountains, and relocating cemeteries and slaughterhouses to the outskirts of the city. This was also a way of keeping up employment. An Austrian aristocrat in town during Napoleon’s wedding to Marie-Louise wrote his mother, in Vienna: “Nothing can give an idea of the immense projects undertaken simultaneously in Paris. The incoherence of it is incredible; one cannot imagine that the life of a single man would be enough to finish them.”

It was a tall order. Previous rulers had been aware of the problems and one big engineering initiative, a failed marvel, had been the waterworks at Marly, located on the banks of the Seine about seven miles from Paris. Louis XIV had it constructed to pump water from the river to his chateaux of Versailles and Marly. This was the machine marvel of its age, with 250 pumps that forced river water up a 500-foot rise to an aqueduct, and it was a sight Burr mentions going to see. By 1817 the “Marly machine” had deteriorated because it was made of wood, and the waterworks were abandoned.

Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve, the prominent 19th century literary critic, wrote that there had been “ten years of anarchy, sedition and laxity, during which no useful work had been undertaken, not a street had been cleaned, not a residence repaired nothing improved or cleansed.” Postrevolutionary Paris was at a nadir in terms of both the inadequate, disease-ridden water supply and the filthy streets, which were basically open sewers, deep with black mud and refuse.

“Napoleon,” writes Alistair Horne, “was obsessed by the water of Paris, and everything to do with it.”

Parisians had mostly been getting their water directly from the Seine or lining up at the scant pay fountains. In 1806, nineteen new wells for fountains were dug that flowed day and night and were free. Napoleon had a canal built 60 miles from the River Ourcq, ordering 500 men to dig it, while still a consul in 1801. It brought water to the Bassin de la Villette, opening in 1808. Some doubted the wisdom of having such an abundance of water—an oriental luxury that might incur moral decay. Now the supply of water for firefighting was also much improved. The canal had light boats, as Napoleon tried to make back some of the huge expenditure by licensing navigation, and a circular aqueduct from which underground conduits went to the central city. In 1810, there were still many water porters wheeling barrels through the city.

Now Napoleon attacked the problem of the Seine as a catchall for pollution. Parisians were so used to it that men swam naked in the river and a contemporary guidebook advised merely that the water of the Seine had no ill effects on foreigners so long as they drank it mixed with wine or a drop of vinegar. Thus houses on bridges were demolished and an immense push began to clean and modernize the city sewers.

As this book is about Aaron Burr, here is section about Burr taking inspiration by a new water related invention during his time in Paris:

Remarkably for someone who was very aware of his health, he never complained of the water. He did, however, take an interest in an invention to make it easier to dig a well. When the inventor of a process to make vinegar from the sap of any tree was not in his shop, Burr and a friend, “Crede”, went to see another invention: “We went then to see Mons. Cagniard, and his new invention of raising water and performing any mechanical operation. His apparatus is a screw of Archimedes turned the reverse, air, water, and quick silver. Cagniard was abroad; but we saw a model, and worked it, and got the report of a committee of the Institute on the subject. If the thing performs what is said I will apply it to give water to Charleston.”

[Bold italics for quotations by me]

[famousinuniverse]

La Nouvelle Seine Restaurant, Quai de l'Archevêché, Paris, France: The restaurant is a tied up boat on the Seine river. Since 2013, they have boarded a barge at the foot of Notre Dame de Paris to create a new place for meetings and artistic and culinary discoveries! With its restaurant, its bar and its magnificent performance hall within its theater, La Nouvelle Seine is the unmissable address on the Parisian quays.

[shadowreader23]

Final Fantasy Replay part 2

It was time to head to Golden Quay. Noctis mentally prepared himself as he got in the regallia not noticing the concerned look on Gladios face. He woukd be meeting Ardyn face to face for the first time. Shoulf he act as he did the first time? Should he be a bit more friendly to Ardyn? Woukd he be able to hild hinself back? He understood ardyn now and he knew why the man had done what he did bit that didnt mean noctos had to forgive him for all the pain and suffering he had caused. All this overthinking was giving noctis a headache. 

"Noct?"

Huh. He must have beem to lost in his thoughts to hear the question prompto asked

"Sorry prompto could you say that again?"

"I asked if we coukd stop here to take a photo with the chocobos" promoto smiled.

Right the chocobos. Prompto loved the animals. They did this the first time around as well.

"Of course" Noctos smiled as ignis stopped the car and they walked over to the group of wild chocobos prompto had spotted. Noctos missed seeing his friend like this. So young, happy and carefree this was the prompto he wanted to save. They stayed for around an hour as prompto got his photos and they sat down taking a short break and sharing some of the snacks they had packed for the journey. They hadnt done this the first time around.... it was nice but ended all to fast. They got back into the Regallia and finished their trip to Golden Quay. ___________

Ignis pulled into the parking spot with a sigh. Golden qualy finally they had arrived.  He was still concerned about Noctis. While he hadnt had anymore episodes he still seemed off. Ihnis just hoped the prince wasnt attempting to conceal an illness of some kind. He refilled the regallia while Noctis amd prompto had a chat looking at the beach.

"You're worried about him as well" Gladio said knowingly recognising the look that meant ignis was deep in thought.

"Yes hes been off ever since the incident" Ignis pondered

"Maybe the crystal triggered something?" Gladio suggested

Finished filling the regallia ignis paid and they proceeded down the bridge to the restaurant. __________

"If you're here to catch the ship im afraid your out of luck"

That voice. Ardyn. Ardyn. Noctis took a deep breath to keep his cool and decided to go off script slightly.

"Why's that?" He asked playing the part of spoiled prince

"No ships in or out on order of niffleheim" ardyn rolled a coin between his fingers before throwing it at noctis who caugh it. "You can use it on your travels" then Ardyn walked away. Very short very breif encounter he didnt attack ardyn or yell at him mayve he could do this after all.

In the relm of the Astrals Shiva smiled.

"We should check anyway" Ignis said and lead the group through the restaurant to the dock where sure enough there was no boat in sight. Dino was sat there but after they found out about the boat Noct decided they wouldnt go on his silly quest and instead they spend the afternoon doing hunts. They needed to get stronger and soon. So they backtracked to the chocobo ranch and took care of the monster in the area meaning they could now rent out chocobos and they all got some practice in. Noctis had really held back he was readjusting to fighting the way he used to it was just taking a while he was happy the arminger followed him back though it would save him so much time by not having to find all the royal tombs.

After dealing with the Monster they hedded back to Golden QUay and spent the night in the luxury room. It would be the last time they had such fine accomidations for a while.

As soon as his head hit the pillow Noct was out like a light. He had a room of his own but decided Prompto could share with him and Ignis and Gladio could share the other room.

Prompto was going to feel loved this time. He was going to know noctis was his friend no matter what and the even though he was a MT noctis didnt care. Prompto was his friend and deserved so much better than he got last time around.

_______ "Prompto had no idea why Noctis was suddenly acting a lot nicer to him but he didnt mind. The prince was less angry and standoffish agreed to his photo ideas and was more than happy to listen to him talk about chocobos and help take photos with him and now instead of sharring with gladio and iggy he was here sharing with noctis! The prince had insisted. What had happend? How had he got so lucky? Were he and Noctis best friends after all? How had that happend? When had that happend and how hadnt he noticed?

The bed really was comfy..... with that thought prompto also fell asleep.

______ Anyone want Part 3?

[nancyfmccarthy]

Firth of Forth from Fife!

We have a book, ‘100 Walks in Scotland’, that we are hoping will be the guide for our stay here. Today we headed to Craig in Fife to check out the first walk we had chosen.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and windy. The walk started in Crail, a little fishing village on the Firth of Forth. It is said that it was once the busiest fishing harbor in Scotland but it is tiny and quiet today.

The trail ran just above the beach, through Cellardyke to Anstruther. Out and back was about eight miles of beautiful fields and ocean (or rather firth) views. We saw a few other walkers but no big groups being led by kilt-wearing bagpipers, thank heavens.

After our walk, we drove 20 minutes to St Andrews where we will spend the night. We had a wonderful first day on the road. So far so good on the left hand driving!

We had to stop for coffee and a scone at the Crail Harbour Gallery and Teahouse when we reached Crail. This little shop had a beautiful and very busy deck with amazing views. We had to settle for a table by the window.

Looking back to Crail Harbour from the trail.

.

.

In Cellardyke there was an ocean pool …

…and a quiet harbor with laundry drying on the quay.

Anstruther was a little busier, with more pleasure boats in the harbor. The port area had several restaurants and shops suggesting that it might be busy in season. Not sure how a lot of cars would get through the tiny village though.

A black cloud threatened us on the return walk, but no rain.

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Twenty (Part 2)

I text Claire when I’m on the bus and tell her I can’t make it to the hotel. Her response is immediate. 

Why???

I tell her about how Jude invited me to Dublin, and as soon as I hit send my phone starts ringing. I pick it up and she’s immediately talking. 

“Did he actually?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my God.”

“I know.”

“So you’re going to Dublin?”

“I’m on the bus now.”

She gasps. “Is there other people going?”

“Yeah of course, it’s hardly going to be just me.”

“Still.” There’s a pause. “He might kiss you again.” She says it like it’s a warning, but I can’t help but conjure up the memory of him pressing me into a trellis wall at the festival, hot breath on my face, and my stomach feels funny. 

“Hopefully.”

She laughs. “Hopefully not! You tell him that if he’s going to mess around with your feelings then I’m going to kick his arse. Or I’ll get Shane to do it.”

“Oh, you didn’t tell him about what happened, did you?” I feel my face burning. 

“No way! I’ll just tell him to kick his arse and he’ll do it for me, no questions asked. I’ll make him fly to Berlin if I have to.”

I smile. “Whatever.”

“I want updates when you get back.”

“Ditto! I’m sorry I won’t see you before the debs. Be sure to take loads of photos, and tell me if there’s any scandal.”

“Oh I will.” She says. “Although I bet it’ll be a lot of Rock the Boat and the Cha Cha Slide, so more than likely nothing exciting whatsoever.”

“You don’t think Rock the Boat is exciting, no?”

She snorts. “Good luck tonight babes. Remember what I said. Keep him at an arm’s length.”

“I promise.” I say, my fingers crossed in my lap, and I hang up the phone. 

I clamber off the bus on George’s Quay and the city is thronged. The traffic is snaking along the river, buses and bicycles all fighting for space on the narrow road, and it’s noisy. There’s this incessant roar of a hundred collective engines idling, people talking, shouting, the hiss of the bus as it opens up the luggage compartment. I feel very tiny. I join a crowd of people waiting for the lights to change to cross over O’Connell bridge, and I’m carried along with the wave of bodies when the light turns green, the pedestrian crossing making that incessant beeping sound. I’m trying my best to look like I know what I’m doing in case someone mistakes me for a tourist and pickpockets me or something, and tell myself I’ll have to get used to this, because when I go to college I’ll be doing this every day. 

I queue up for the city bus near the Spire, and I never remember it being so huge. Everything here is huge. People’s faces don’t seem friendly, all hard lines and vacant eyes, that rush-hour stare. Someone shoulders past me as I cling to a yellow handrail on the crowded bus, and doesn’t even turn around to say sorry. I text my mam, letting her know I’m okay, even though I’m not convinced I am. 

I get off at Seafield Road, just like Jude told me to, and make my way up the street, looking out for any of the landmarks he mentioned. It’s a big, leafy suburban area lined with big red brick 1930s houses on both sides of the road. 

I hang a left off Seafield and head up Vernon Avenue, a string of Georgian terraces that opens out onto the sea. The air is fresh in a way that reminds me of the holiday village, but the seafront in Clontarf has nothing on the one I spent the summer on. It’s built up here, pathways and benches and those outdoor gym machines that nobody ever really uses, it isn’t as unspoiled and beautiful, instead it’s so very urban. I peer over a wall and down into the outdoor area of a trendy restaurant full of trendy people eating al-fresco, their plates adorned with microscopic portions of oysters and scallops and other expensive foods I’ve never tasted. A man with a booming voice says something down his phone about owning properties in Howth and I wonder if my mother really was onto something when she said this area was posh. 

I arrive outside Jude’s house. It’s an old Georgian place with lush foliage outside, a brand new car sitting in the driveway. It’s all period details and sash windows, a set of wide stone steps leading up to the front door, which has a classic arched fan light above it. It’s the nicest house on the street by far. It looks like it should be featured in a magazine.

I quickly learn though, that when very cool kids say that a party starts at seven, they apparently don’t mean seven. I’m the first to arrive, and Jude actually looks surprised when he opens the door to me. 

“Oh, Evie, Hi.” He says, the heavy-handed plonking sounds of a piano drifting into the hall behind him. ‘I didn’t think you’d come so early, I still have to shower.” Oh God, no. He lets me in anyway. “Come in, my sister is just practising for her piano lessons. They start up again next week but she hasn’t played all summer.” He rolls his eyes. “In case you can’t tell. She sounds shite.” He sounds especially American in this environment, so it’s freaky to hear him use a word like “shite.” 

I step into the hallway, high ceilinged with a herringbone wood floor that extends into the back of the house. It’s been built well into the garden, huge windows with glass so clean it’s invisible look out over a patio with all that expensive outdoor furniture that you sit on in the showroom to pretend that you’re the kind of person who could justify paying for something that’s only brought out of the shed for three months a year. 

I want to say something like: “I never knew you were so rich” to him, before I decide that it might sound stupid. I just walk on through to the open kitchen and dining area and act like I’m always in giant, converted Georgian houses, and this is all completely uninteresting to me.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” He asks me, and I nod, and then sit there watching him make it, perched on a barstool, the white marble countertops cool under my elbows. 

“I’m sorry I’m early.” I say. “I thought it was at seven.”

“No it’s fine, I said seven in the text. I should have been more specific.”

“More specific about…?”

“That seven doesn’t actually mean seven, you know? That it means, like, sometime after eight.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you expected me to decode your text.”

He smiles and shakes his head as he tosses a tea bag into a mug, and by now it’s like I can read his mind: He doesn’t think I should apologise for not knowing that, but it doesn’t make me feel any less stupid. 

There’s a sudden clacking on the wooden floors and Jude’s mother strides into the room jangling keys. I whip around to look at her. She’s a very young, very beautiful woman with blonde hair in a gamine style. She pauses when she sees me. “Oh hello.” 

“Mom this is my friend Evie, Evie this is my mom.” Jude says.

“Hello…. Missus Turner.” I say, because that’s how they address people’s parents on American TV, but it just seems to amuse her. She has the same loping half-smile as her son, and regards me with Jude’s eyes, which is disconcerting. It’s the exact same, sharp, steady gaze that always seems as though it’s cutting through me. “Oh, darling, it’s just Colette.” She insists, and her accent is so posh that it’s almost British. “You’re one of the girls from the Holy Faith school?”

“No, I’m actually not. I’m from Tullamore. In Offaly.” 

“Oh Offaly.” She says dully. “Very nice.”

“She’s one of my friends from holidays.” Jude clarifies. 

“Ah, you’re Shane’s sister.”

Jude slides the mug of tea in front of me and I take it immediately, grateful to have something to do with my hands. “No, um. No I’m not.”

“Ah.” She reaches for her handbag from the dining table and rifles through it impatiently. “Jude, have you seen my reading glasses? I can’t find them.”

“Did you check the office?”

“Why would they be in there?”

“I’m just asking, did you check?”

They bicker back and forth while I sip sheepishly on my tea. She seems intense, but actually, now that I think about it, sometimes Jude seems intense too. I feel a little wounded that Colette has never heard of me, because it means Jude didn’t bother to mention me. When he told her about his holidays and all the things that happened, I wasn’t in even one of his stories? It’s depressing.

She leaves the room, and I hear her opening a door, the jarring piano music suddenly amplified. “Ivy, get ready please, I want to leave in five minutes.” She shuts it again. Neither Jude nor I say anything until the footsteps have disappeared into the landing upstairs 

“They’re going to my grandmother’s house this evening.” He tells me. “They’ll stay until midnight, maybe, and then they’re coming back.”

“Oh right.”

“How’s your tea?”

“It’s lovely, thank you.” 

The room feels very large around me, and I feel like I’m Alice. I’ve drunk the potion and I keep shrinking into my environment. The smallest girl alive. Soon I’ll be a microscopic speck on these parquet floors. 

“Who’s coming tonight?” I finally say into the long silence, and Jude slumps on the counter, looking very thoughtful. “A few people. Not many you’d know. Actually, except for Jen.”

“What about Kasper and Joe?”

“Everyone got their college offers today, so some people have other plans. They’re too busy to see me off before my big voyage…”

“Oh!” I exclaim. “I never asked about your leaving cert. How were your results?”

“I was happy.” He says with infuriating vagueness.

“Yes okay but what did you get?” 

He laughs. “What’s it to you? It doesn’t matter.”

“I want to know, come on, you can’t withhold that.”

“I got enough to secure my place at university.”

“Which is?”

He rolls his eyes. “Five hundred and fifty.”

“Out of six hundred?!”

“Yes of course out of six hundred.” He chuckles. “What else?”

“That’s amazing! Congratulations.” I reach out across the counter and pull him into a hug.

“Thank you.” His cheeks have turned pink. “But if you tell anyone I’ll kill you.”

“Why, so they don’t figure out how much of a nerd you are?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly it.”

His little sister runs into the room and grabs her shoes from the mat beside the patio door. “Hello.” She says to me as she fiddles with the velcro straps. 

“Hi.” I say back. 

“Ivy, this is my friend Evie.” Jude tells her. “Evie, this is my sister Ivy. The one who was playing the terrible piano.”

“Mean.” She pouts.

“Yes, mean!” I agree. “I think you sounded great.”

“She’s lying.” Jude says, and she darts over to karate chop the air in front of his stomach a dozen times. He puts his hand on top of her head and musses up her long, fawn coloured hair . “If you want me to say you’re good then you should have just practised.”

“You should have just practised.” She mocks. 

“Do I sound like that?” Jude asks me. 

I snicker. “Yeah you do.”

He pokes her in the ribs and she squeals, racing across the room away from him. I sit back and smile to myself as he messes with her. I’m seeing a side to him that I never thought about him having. On his own he’s nearly mythical, this mysterious puzzle to solve, and here in his native environment he seems like an ordinary boy. Someone’s big brother. I imagine him growing up within these four walls, arriving when he wasn’t too much older than Ivy is now. Picturing him as a child is pulling at my heartstrings. 

I briefly meet his father too, before they leave for the night; A big American man with a loud voice who also looks altogether far too young to have an eighteen year old son, and he’s firmly uninterested in me. He doesn’t stick around to exchange pleasantries and the three of them leave about one minute after I meet him, which I don’t mind. Jude goes to have a shower after that, and he leaves me alone in the big kitchen, spinning around on the barstool and reading the spines of all the cookbooks on a shelf until he comes back downstairs. 

I help him to bring glasses and plates out to the table on the patio, and he starts unloading a shopping bag full of spirits onto the countertop. I nervously ask him if we’re going to be drinking all of that tonight, and he sarcastically replies that yes, we will be, and I personally will have to have at least two of the bottles to myself or he’ll tell everyone I’m a freak. There’s loads of food too. Oven pizzas and chips, chicken goujons, and those indian snacks you get at Marks and Spencers. I put on the oven and shovel everything in while we make idle smalltalk, never once mentioning the festival, the kissing, or the fact that by this time tomorrow, he’ll be gone, because whenever the conversation veers that way, he gets distracted by something else and we wind up changing the subject.

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[threeamigosrestaurants]

Best Restaurant on Boat Quay

Mexican food is a carnival of flavor and origin, from sizzling fajitas and tangy seafood to delectable tacos and burritos. Take in the vibrant atmosphere that is decorated with typical Mexican design and will transport you to the bustling streets of Mexico.

[scotianostra]

Lochrin Basin

Lochrin lies between Fountainbridge in the west and Tollcross to the east. Lochrin Basin is the eastern terminus of the Union Canal. Robert Gray established a brewery here in 1731. This became the Lochrin Distillery in 1798, which operated here until 1848 after which it was replaced by the Lochrin Iron Works. The name originates from the rin or stream emerging from the South Loch (or Borough Loch), which once lay to the northwest of The Meadows.

Lochrin Basin is the centrepiece of Edinburgh Quay, a mixed-use development providing office and residential accommodation and licensed premises, which was voted the Best Regeneration project in Scotland at the Scottish Design Awards 2005. Sadly the restaurants and bar that helped it achieve that award have now all gone and the units lie empty. It is an attractive area though several boats berthed here have people living on them and there is a café offering coffee and food to go, or sit at the canal side chilling.

It is also the eastern end of the Forth and Clyde Canal Pathway.

[haldimexicana]

Indian food restaurant near me | Haldi Mexicana

Enjoy the rich and creamy flavors of healthy palak paneer at the best Indian restaurant in singapore!

Fresh and flavorful treat for veg lovers.

Reserve Now: https://www.haldimexicana.sg/menu.php

[tatselksism]

Thoughts on Tomarang

As a Simmer from Singapore, I am pleased to see how well Southeast Asia is represented aesthetically in Tomarang.

It is quite an immersive experience for me as, for example, there are certain buildings/areas in Tomarang which look like they could have been taken straight from Katong, Chinatown and Boat Quay in Singapore.

Whilst Tomarang seems to be mostly based on Thailand (maybe 60%?), I think the influences from Vietnam/Malaysia/Indonesia/Singapore etc. are blended in well to form a cohesive-looking culture.

The world is abit too small for an EP world. But that isn’t really surprising at this point.

I take more issue with how little stuff there is to actually do there. Much of the new stuff that can be “done” is in rabbit holes and the 2 premade community lots are kinda lacklustre.

My plan is probably just to use Tomarang as a vacation world, like Sulani and Mt. Komorebi. So gotta add a vacation rental there.

Have renovated The Screaming Gecko into a restaurant so that my Sims don’t have to wait around for the Night Market to open to enjoy Tomarangian food.

Will probably bulldoze the national park lot and turn it into some sort of multi-functional complex of shophouses. This is to make my Sims have more of a reason to visit Tomarang and to maximise the use of the limited number of lots in the world.

Will probably also rebuild the Cahyaputris’ house. The premade one seems abit too countrified for the urban setting. Also, I want to squeeze more rental units in to achieve the landlord aspiration.

[crowley1990]

There’s something weird about eating in the Titanic restaurant, knowing that you’re really in the White Star Line office and that the outdoor seating out the back really is the quay everyone was stood on, waiting for their boat to the Titanic.