#restaurant and cafe cleaning services

[theendofleasecleaningau]

Expert Solutions for Restaurant and Cafe Cleaning in Marsden Park

Discover top-notch cleaning services tailored for restaurants and cafes at The End of Lease Cleaning. From kitchens to dining areas, trust our experienced team to maintain impeccable hygiene standards, ensuring a welcoming and sanitary environment for your patrons.

[aoneclean]

Elevate your café's cleanliness game with our 'Cafe Cleaning Tips & Tricks' infographic. This visual guide covers everything from quick countertop maintenance to efficient machine cleaning. Streamline your routines, choose the right service, and create a spotless, inviting space for your patrons. Perfect for café owners and baristas aiming to balance exceptional coffee with impeccable hygiene standards.

[fandomunite2107]

Help Wanted (Pt. 1)

Summary: Finding a part time job isn’t easy, especially if the owner doesn’t realize he’s hiring.

Bringing in the last box and placing it on your kitchen counter, you look around at your new apartment. Happy to have carried the last box up your flight of stairs, you wipe your hair away from you face, even though it was pretty early in the morning the temperature was still warm. Looking down on your counter at your to do list that you have made, you figure you might as well cross off a couple of items before its lunch time.

Deciding that the first thing you should do is clean your new apartment before you start to put things away, you find the bag of cleaning supplies that you bought a day ago. Starting with the kitchen and working your way through the bathroom and bedroom you dust, scrub, and vacuum until your new apartment is clean. Feeling satisfied with your work and a bit gross from sweating, you find the box marked bathroom and begin to put your shower items away along with your new bath rugs. After taking a shower and throwing on an outfit, you head to the kitchen and cross off the items that you had accomplished. Looking down at your phone you notice that it is well past lunch time and that you are starving. Figuring that it was time to take a break and explore your new neighborhood, you put on some shoes and grab your to do list and throw it into your bag.

Walking down the stairs leading up to your apartment building, you make the decision to find a local restaurant for lunch. After a couple blocks, you find a small cafe that looks promising. Walking in and looking up at the menu above the register, you notice that they have a variety of sandwiches and soups along with pastries. After you place your order, you find a table near a window looking out onto the street. The food that you ordered comes out and it tastes amazing, you make a mental note to try a pastry at some point.

You take out your phone and your to do list from your bag. You scan your list over, seeing what else you can accomplish today. One item on your list that you are dreading is checking your bank account and seeing what kind of budget you are going to be working with. Sighing, you open up your bank app and log in. The amount that you see in both your checking and your savings isn’t that great. You have a small amount of savings, but you hate to touch that. Your checking account isn’t that much better. You’re not sure that it will tide you over until your teaching job starts up in August. You knew that moving to the city was going to be a risk, but you didn’t have that much of a choice. Deciding that you’d like to eat more than just ramen noodles and crackers for all of your meals and wanting to decorate your apartment so that it feels like home, you add a new item to your to do list: find a part time job. You know that once school starts you won’t have too much extra time, but you’ll be able to work weekends and possibly a few nights. Gathering up your items, you throw away your trash and decide to walk a couple more blocks before heading back to your apartment and unpacking boxes.

As you were about to turn around and head back towards your apartment, you glance at a window with a piece of paper taped to it saying help wanted. You glance up at the sign to the building, seeing that it is a beef restaurant. You don’t have any experience working in the food service, but you’re a quick learner. Hoping that this is a way to cross off finding a part time job, you walk into the restaurant. There is a pretty decent line of people placing orders to go, so you wait in line hoping to ask for an application. Once the lady in front of you orders, you step up to the person taking orders at the register.

“What can I get you hun?” The man at the register asks, taking the pencil behind his ear to write down your order.

“Hi. I. Um. I saw your help wanted sign in your window.” You point to the window and smile. “I was just hoping to fill out an application.”

The man puts the pencil back behind his ear and looks around. Noticing that all of the other customers are either eating or taking their food to go, he sees that there is no longer a line behind you. “Do you have any experience in a restaurant?” He asks you.

“I don’t. But I am a quick learner and I work hard.” You say, hoping that not having any experience wouldn’t hurt your chances at the position.

The man smiles. “I see. Well, there isn’t too much to learn. I just need help out here in the front. You’d be cleaning tables, restocking the napkins, helping bag to go orders.”

“I can do that! Do you have an application that I can fill out?” You cut in, happy that the job isn’t for a cook, because you have very little skills in that department.

“Eh. We don’t need applications here. Think you can start now?” He asks.

Surprised by how fast this is going, you nod your head. “Oh. Sure. Y-Yes. I can start now.” Looking down at your outfit you wished you would’ve worn different shoes.

“Good. You seem like you’d fit in here.” The man holds out his hand for you to shake. “I’m Richie.”

Shaking his hand, you smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m y/n”. Adjusting the bag on your shoulder, you look around at the now almost empty restaurant. “What would you like me to do first?”

“Give me your bag. I’ll put it behind the counter here. You can start with cleaning the tables that are empty. The supplies are underneath that counter over there.” Richie points to where the supplies are hidden. You hand him your bag and make your way over to get the supplies. Once you have them, you pick a table by the window to get started.

As you start to spray down the table, you realize that you didn’t ask any of the important questions. How long are the shifts? How much money do you make? Is it fine if you are just doing part time and not full time? A bit embarrassed that you are going to have to ask those questions at some point after you were hired.

You eventually find a rhythm to cleaning. After you clean and wipe off the tables, you move on to cleaning the window by the door, noticing that it probably hasn’t been cleaned in awhile. Hearing a crash come from the kitchen and someone swearing, you look over to Richie who is taking a customer’s order. He doesn’t seemed phased by whatever is happening in the kitchen so you go back to cleaning the window.

“Dammit Richie! Why in the hell didn’t you call about the order I told you about yesterday.” Glancing over you see a man with a blue apron come out of the kitchen, shouting at Richie.

“Chill out cousin. I got it covered.” You hear Richie say.

“Just get it down. Now!” You take one more glance at Richie and the other man, making eye contact with him you give him a small smile.

“What are you doing?” The man asks you with his head tilted to the side. His volume a bit lower than when he spoke to Richie.

Placing the rag on the window sill, you turn to face him. “Oh. I’m cleaning the window. It looked like it needed it. I already finished with all of the tables.”

“Cousin. This is y/n.” Richie says pointing to you.

“Why is y/n cleaning my restaurant?” You feel the heat rise to your cheeks, as the man turns to ask Richie this question.

“Because I’m slammed up here! You got me making calls and taking orders on top of cleaning. I needed some help so I hired her.” Richie says that last statement with a poke to the man’s chest.

“Why the fuck would you hire someone when this isn’t your restaurant?! You can’t do that.” The man pinches the bridge of his nose and seems to take a deep breath. “Richie. We don’t have the money to hire anyone. We barely have the money to keep this place running as it is.” You’re not sure what you should do and you don’t want to make anything worst, so you slowly gather up the cleaning supplies and place them in the bucket.

“Look y/n. I’m sure you’re great. We just can’t hire anyone at the moment. I. I can pay you for your time that you did today, but that’s it.” The man runs his hand through his hair making it more messy than it was.

You walk up to Richie and the other man, feeling a bit defeated, hoping that this would’ve worked out. “It’s fine. You don’t have to pay me, I was only here for an hour or two.” You place the bucket of cleaning supplies on the counter. “Richie, it was nice to meet you” you hold out your hand to shake his. Turning to the other man. “Um..” You realize that you didn’t hear this man’s name yet.

“Carmen.” He responds going to shake your hand that you have left up mid air.

“Carmen, it was nice to meet you too.” You give a small smile.

Looking at Richie. “Would you mind handing me my bag?” After you grab your bag, you say to Richie. “Thanks. You might want to take down the help wanted sign.”

Carmen looks at Richie. “Seriously. You even put up a sign without asking?!”

“How are people going to know we’re hiring without a sign?” Richie yells back.

“We’re not hiring! Take the sign down now.” Carmen yells before going back to the kitchen.

“Sorry kid. Thought it’d work out.” Richie says to you on his way to take the sign down.

You sigh. “It’s fine. Something will work out.” You walk out the restaurant and turn towards your apartment building.

Walking into your apartment, you set your bag down on the kitchen counter and take out your to do list. Figuring it’s a bit late to look for another job at the moment, you settle in on unpacking some of your boxes. As the hours go by, you are able to set up your bedroom and front room, leaving only the kitchen boxes left to unpack. Feeling satisfied with what you have accomplished so far, you sit down to check your phone. There are a few text messages from people wondering how you are liking your new apartment and new city. After you type out a few responses, you decide that you need to figure out what you want to eat for dinner. You haven’t gone to the grocery store yet and you don’t have anything here to eat. Remembering your bank account from earlier, you know that eating out isn’t really an option until you start getting a paycheck. Sighing, you get your shoes back on and head to the grocery store that you remember passing earlier today.

Once at the store, you grab a basket and start to walk down the aisles. Trying to stretch your money, you pick up some off brand cereal, ramen noodles, and some soup that is on sale. Making your way to the check out, you notice that this store is actually pretty crowded and that the line is decently long. Scanning over some of the magazine covers as you wait to put your items on the belt, the person behind you accidentally hits you with their basket.

“Uh. Sorry.” The person says. Turning around to respond to them, you notice that it’s Carmen from the restaurant.

“Oh. It’s. It’s fine. Nice to see you again.” You give him a smile. It seems like it takes him a moment to figure out who you are.

“Right. Yeah. Sorry about earlier. My cousin doesn’t always think.” Carmen says rubbing his hand over his face.

It’s your turn to put your items up, so you unload your basket, not that it takes that long to do. “It’s okay. Really. Things happen.” As the lady at the checkout starts to ring up your items, Carmen places his items on the belt. Noticing that the final price of your total is more than what you had in your head, you look at the computer screen and realize that the soup that you thought was on sale actually isn’t. Feeling a bit embarrassed, you look at the lady checking you out, and give her a small smile. “I’m sorry. I guess I wasn’t paying attention to the signs right. I thought that soup was on sale.”

The lady looks at the soup that you picked out and then back to the screen. “Nope. They’re full price. You want them?”

“N-No. No thank you.” You reply. The lady takes the cans of soup out of your bag and makes some adjustment on the computer screen. You try to avoid eye contact with everyone.

Carmen looks up and takes in the situation. “I can get those for you if you want.” He says.

The man who fired you, well you guess not so much fired because there wasn’t a position to begin with, offering to pay for your soup turns out to be too much. You could feel some tears coming. You turn to him but don’t look him in the eyes. “Please don’t do that. It was just a mix up.” You whisper.

You quickly pay the lady and grab your two bags before walking out. You probably should have said something to him before you just ran out of there, but you were embarrassed and flustered. As you get a block away from the store, you see a car slow down beside you and the window rolls down.

“Hey.” You hear from the car. Not wanting to be involved in anything, you look straight ahead and starting walking at a bit of a faster pace. “Hey! Y/n!”

You slow down and look at the person in the car, seeing Carmen behind the wheel. “Oh. Hi again.”

“Do you need a lift?” He asks as he pulls the car over to the side.

“I’m fine. I only live a few more blocks away.”

“Get in. I’ll take you. It’s getting late. You shouldn’t have to walk alone.” Carmen says. You contemplate whether or not to get in. You don’t even know this person other than he owns a restaurant.

“Y/n.” You look back to him. “Just get in.” Making a decision, you open up the passenger door. Before sitting down, you notice that there is a bag on the seat from the grocery store with the soup that you didn’t get. You look to Carmen and notice the there’s a faint blush on his cheeks. “I wanted to get you those to make up for earlier.”

Moving the bag to the floor by your feet, you smile at him. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

Hearing a notification, Carmen reaches into his pocket for his phone. After reading something on his phone, he looks to you says, “Hey. I know that you were on your way home, but do you mind if I swing by the restaurant first?”

“Sure. That’s fine.” You adjust the bags at your feet and put on your seat belt. “Thanks for the ride. Um, and thanks for the soup Carmen.” You turn your head to look at him as he pulls back into traffic.

“Carmy.” He says as lights a cigarette.

“I’m sorry?” Not sure what he is referring to.

“Call me Carmy. Most people do.” He says, as he makes a turn onto another road.

You nod and smile, turning and watching the buildings go by as he drives.

**Part Two will pick up at the restaurant**

[dewdrops-whammy-bar]

Tenth Drink Free

Chapter 1/10: Heart 1721 words

Dewdrop is a barista in a college town. He’s sworn off romance for the time being- he doesn’t have time for it. He’s an adult with a job, he doesn’t have time for dating and inevitable heartbreak. Until a hot nursing student with an ass to rival the gods walks in. Oh fuck. And he’s got puppy eyes. Oh FUCK. A story told in the space of nine coffee shop purchases and a freebie.

Behold, the quinessential (no pun intended) coffee shop au that every fanfic author writes eventually. I need hot nursing student Aether and pathetic sopping wet barista Dew to have gay t4t sex.

I don't have a set upload schedule but if you want to be added to a taglist lmk in the comments!

Read below or on AO3!

Dew cracks open his energy drink with his teeth as his other hand haphazardly pulls his apron over his head. The strap catches on the butterfly clip holding his hair back and yanks it out of place. Dew hisses in pain as it tugs on his hair and manages to catch it before it hits the floor.

“Hungover again?” Cirrus asks sympathetically as she passes with a tray of pastries. Dew grunts and shakes his head.

“Nah. Couldn’t sleep.” It’s only semi-true, he’d in fact been having a marathon of 80s horror movies. He’d awoken to Rain slinking out of his room at 11 to make coffee, leaving only thirty minutes to throw on clean clothes before he had to be at work. Luckily the little cafe tucked between a furniture store and a Mediterranean restaurant was only a fifteen minute walk from his apartment. The benefits of living in a college town, he supposes.

“I can let you off early so you can go home for a nap,” Cirrus offers. “Tuesdays are slow in the afternoons anyway.”

“That would be amazing, thanks Cir.” Dew sighs and takes a sip of his energy drink. He bends the tab of the can up, clamps it between his teeth, and pulls his hair back. Wrapping it into a loose bun, he secures it with the butterfly clip and retrieves his can from its precarious position.

“You’re gonna chip a tooth like that,” Swiss provides unhelpfully from his place at the sink. “And god knows if the dental insurance here will cover that.”

“I’ll be fine.” Dew rolls his eyes. “Focus on those muffin pans, dish boy.”

Swiss flips him a soapy middle finger, but Dew has turned and walked out of the kitchen by then. He downs about half of his red bull, stifles a burp behind his hand, and taps Aurora out at the register.

“Ohhh, thank god.” Rory sighs, dropping her customer service face. “There were two Karens half an hour ago. One right after the other. Fuckin’ exhausting.” Her bright pink lipstick is slightly smeared, evidence of her bad habit of chewing on her lips. “I need a drink…”

“It’s noon. Go steal a croissant from the kitchen instead. Thanks for putting me in the line of fire, by the way.” Dew rolls his eyes playfully. “Go smack Swiss’s ass for me.”

“Yessir!” Rory gives a two-finger salute before scurrying off into the kitchen. Dew sighs and resigns himself to the following hours of tedious interaction. A moment later, there’s a squawk from the kitchen followed by a squeal from Aurora.

A chai latte, a caramel macchiato, two vanilla lattes, two drip coffees, an Italian soda, and a needlessly complicated order that Dew can’t even begin to remember later, he’s only a quarter of the way through his shift. At least it’s a quiet day. The regulars from the local college usually come in before classes or on weekends to study.

Dew props his elbow on the counter and rests his chin in his hand, letting his mind wander. He’s been saving up for a cool guitar pedal and managed to find it on Ebay for half the price, but he is in a bidding war for it. He’d sneak a peek at the listing on his phone while the cafe was relatively quiet but he’d left it in his bag. Shit.

He straightens up, cracks his back, and begins reorganizing the supplies behind the bar. His fingers are getting twitchy from the caffeine kicking in. He curses his health insurance for not covering ADHD medication so he can actually function as a person. Or mood stabilizers. Or even therapy.

The door swings open again as Dew is cleaning the steam wand on the espresso machine. He sets the wet rag on the counter and turns to see- oh wow. His grumpy mood is instantly forgotten.

An absolute Greek god of a man stands near the doorway, scanning the drinks menu. He’s tall, built like a brick wall with just the right amount of chub, and- from what Dew can see- an ass to die for. If he were a slightly weaker man, he would vault over the counter, drop to his knees, and choke himself unconscious on that man’s dick.

He shifts his weight and bites his tongue in annoyance. Stupid fucking high libido. He doesn’t have time to be creaming his pants at work. He’s not above using his break to jerk off in the bathroom, though…

Someone clears their throat. Big Sexy (as he’s decided to call the man) stands before him, fidgeting with his fingers.

“Oh, are you ready to order?” Dew asks, hoping to any higher powers above and/or below that he hadn’t been staring.

“Yeah. Can I get a… actually, what do you recommend?” Big Sexy asks, cocking his head adorably. Dew feels hypnotized by his dark blue eyes. “This is my first time here, I’ve been meaning to check it out for a while but kept forgetting.” He shrugs apologetically.

“Oh- yeah,” Dew stammers a bit. “I, uh, my go-to is a cold brew with hazelnut syrup and about half of one of those creamer cups.” He points at the side counter where a small shelf holds straws, sugar packets, and other extras. “You could add more cream if you want, I just like it a little bitter.”

I wonder what his cream tastes like, his horny brain supplies helpfully. Dew gives that part of his brain a mental smack and turns his attention back to Big Sexy.

“Alright, I’ll have that. Medium, please.” Big Sexy reaches into his back pocket for his wallet. Dew enters the order into the register, glad to pull his eyes away from Big Sexy’s.

“That’s $4.25.” Dew grabs a clear cup from a stack and jots down the order as Big Sexy swipes his card. “And can I get a name for the order?”

“Oh- Aether. A-E-T-H-E-R.” Big Sexy- Aether replies, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Aether…” Dew mumbles to himself as he scribbles down the name. “Sick name. Your parents must’ve been cool.”

“Actually, I uh- I named myself. Had a weird phase when I was 15 and it kind of… stuck.” Aether seems a little embarrassed by this, rubbing the back of his neck.

Dew pauses for a moment to consider this information. Aether could just be a nickname, or… well, Dew had renamed himself at 13. There could be a possibility that Aether was trans, just like him, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. Instead he turns to begin making the drink.

“I’ll have it for you in a minute,” he tells Aether, physically restraining himself from sneaking another glance at those pretty blue eyes. That would have been weird, and he really doesn’t want to scare this guy off.

Dew finishes making the coffee almost on autopilot. He wants to ask questions- was he a student at the local college? If yes, what did he study? Did he have a private dorm room? Would he be willing to fuck Dew until-

Good lord, get your shit together. Dew thinks, giving his head a shake. Your break’s in half an hour. You can fantasize then.

He slides the finished drink across the counter with a little creamer cup on top. “Aether? Here ya go.” He didn’t really need to call out the order name since there wasn’t anyone else waiting, but he liked saying it. Aether. Ay-ther. It was a cool name.

“Thanks, uh…” Aether’s eyes dart down to Dew’s nametag. “Dew. That’s, ah- that’s a cool name too.”

“Thanks. Picked it out myself.” Dew rarely genuinely smiles at customers, but the grin he gives Aether is 100% real. “You’ll never guess what it’s short for.”

“Hmm… Dewey? Dwight?” Aether cocks his head again, not unlike a puppy. Dew shakes his head.

“Nope.” Dew turns back to the machines, picking up his discarded cleaning rag. “You can keep trying, I doubt you’ll get it.”

“Guess I’ll have to keep coming back.” Aether chuckles. “Do you guys have a punch card by any chance?”

Dew sputters, left reeling by the comment. God, he’s pathetic. The mere suggestion that Aether might be coming back makes his heart flutter like a teen with their first crush. Oh fuck, was this a crush? He’s too old to be having those.

“Um- yeah, let me get one for you.” Dew turns back to the register to hopefully hide any blush he had and retrieves a punch card from the drawer under the counter. He remembers to grab the hole puncher too and clicks a hole in the first space on the card. It was a heart today, of all shapes. “Here.”

“Thanks so much.” Aether gives Dew a smile and poor Dew can do nothing but stare at his stupid, gorgeous puppy eyes. “I’ll make sure to come back.”

“Y-yeah, see you soon then.” Dew manages to say with a nod. He watches Aether leave- Good lord, that ass is a sight to behold- and decides to take his break early. He taps Swiss in and makes for the back door of the kitchen.

Leaning against the wall next to the dumpster, he lights up a cigarette and takes a long drag. His head tips back against the brick wall as he exhales the smoke. God… pull it together. You are twenty-four. You have a job and hobbies. You absolutely CANNOT be having a puppy crush on a CUSTOMER. Especially one you’ve only interacted with for five minutes. This is pathetic. Finish your cig and go do your job so you can get paid and be a functioning adult.

Dew does just that- smokes his cigarette down to the filter, stubs it out on the wall, tosses the butt into the dumpster, pops a mint in his mouth, and re-enters the kitchen. 

The rest of his shift goes… fine, he guesses. He downs another red bull, banters with Swiss, gets scolded by Cumulus for “using kitchen equipment unsafely” (closing an oven with his hip), and manages to interact with customers without accumulating an HR report.

On his walk home, the darkening autumn sky is remarkably close to a certain shade of blue. Dew grits his teeth and turns his gaze to the sidewalk.

kudos and comments on ao3 would make my day!

[deathbypufferfish]

It's finally done cooking, my sims gameplay ideas list! After scouring all types of sites, generators, lists, and my brain for ingredients, I've come up with a list stew that hopefully will spark some inspiration for your sims gameplays!

This non exhaustive list consists of ideas that are applicable to sims gameplay/things to do in-game. AKA things that can be played out in the sims or half pretended. If you're looking for less-gameplay story ideas, I recommend my story/conflict idea list. Most of the conflict and love ideas are on that list. Please feel free to send asks to add to the gumbo! Just note in your ask that it's for the gumbo and keep it applicable/feasible for gameplay. (To keep the post from getting too long I'll make a contributor list into a compressed image later on for those who send off-anon.)

If you are looking for more complex, in-game story ideas check out the Story Soup list here!

🍲 Gumbo below the cut! ⬇

Single Sim Gameplay:

Learn an instrument

Learn a new skill

Start a seashell collection (Island Living)

Have a sim get a bad haircut

Enroll an Adult/Elder sim in university

Use a skill you don’t usually play with

Become a mountain climber

Build a Servo

Take care of local strays

Use more likes/dislikes

Conflict:

Drop out of or fail university

Drop out or fail out of highschool

Talk badly about another sim in your house to other sims

Sim loses their job

Failed retail business

Family:

Foster a child

Parties for children

Have a baby shower

Have a slumber party

A grandparent/other family member moves in with your main household

Have a specific family holiday tradition besides the in-game ones

Family bike rides

Game night

Parent trains child in their sport

Family hikes at Granite Falls

Family volunteering

Bake sale (entrepreneur table)

Have a family photoshoot

Have teens study at the library

Have your teen go through a bad fashion phase

Host an exchange student

Make school picture day photos (Teen poses, children poses)

Have an arts & crafts day

Go fishing as a family

Have a specific weekly meal (spaghetti night, a fancy meal)

Make ice cream together (Cool Kitchen Stuff)

Wear matching pajamas for holidays

Have a bake off

Play with voidcritters (Kids Room Stuff)

Granola family (camping, hiking, low tech, simple living)

Play in a multi-generational household

Adopt

Family reunion

Unexpected baby

Have siblings share a room

Social/Activities:

Sports party night (e.g. watching the superbowl, world cup, etc)

Start a book club (with clubs)

Have a themed kids birthday party (Here’s a helpful website for ideas)

Have a potluck (buffet tables)

Garden party

Neighborhood party

Neighborhood holiday decorating contest

Host a haunted house in your home

Picnic

Barbeque party

Go to the arcade

Go regularly to restaurants (Dine Out Reloaded Mod to make restaurants tolerable)

Have an out of control party (maybe a teen party)

Go camping

Go to an Ice skating rink/roller skating rink

Spa day (at home or at a spa)

Make an army of snowpals

Movie night

Stargazing night/camp out in the backyard

Weekly bowling night

Museum trip

Karaoke night at home

Campfire night

Pool day

Weekly meetups with friends at a cafe

Try on wedding dresses with a bridal party

Have someone stay over (Growing Together)

Love:

Hook up with a service sim

Have a vacation romance

Have a “meet the parents” moment

Have an affair

Divorce

Marital fight

Rejected proposal

Throuple/Open Relationship (Open Love Life Mod)

Left at the altar

Use fear of commitment, jealous, or unflirty trait

Create a rocky marriage

Challenges:

Spend too much money on a vacation

Play with lot challenges

Use simple living (only cook with ingredients and do grocery orders)

Don’t clean up after sims (don’t drag plates, laundry, trash)

Use the Reduce and Recyle lot challenge for realism

Use the Filthy lot challenge to make cleaning harder

Lose a large sum of money

Randomize your sims’ traits as they age up

Household:

Have puppies and kittens

A serious house fire (either with cheating or with fireworks. There is also a mod for more intense fires here

Spring cleaning

Garage sale

Visit houses before you move into them

Create a storage room/attic (Eco Living boxes, Discover University chest, toy chest, treasure chest etc) Use this for old heir’s items if you are playing a legacy

Start a garden (herb, vegetables)

Renovate the house

Watch what your pets are doing

Adopt a stray animal

Teach your pets tricks

Upgrade objects

Have a home bar/rec room

Go on a vacation

Play with roommates (additionally have them be odd, difficult, or a romance option)

Have an always messy home

Hire a live-in butler

Hire a regular maid

Location:

Play in a sustainable community on one of the islands/isolated areas. (community farm, community space, homes)

Play in a tiny home (Tiny Living)

Play in a haunted house residential (Paranormal Stuff)

Become an Archaeologist. Live in Sulani and regularly visit Selvadorado for work

Career/Business:

Bookstore

Art gallery: sell your paintings or buy them off Plopsy/Buy Mode

Bakery

Play a career you don’t usually play

Winter sports store in Mt. Komorebi

Own a farmstand for your produce (Eco Lifestyle entrepreneur table) You can even build a small building for it on your property!

Pet supplies store 

Plant store

Tourist gift shop

Mattress/Bed   store

Florist shop (Flower Arranging Skill)

Juicery (Juice Fizzing Skill)

Yoga studio (host classes at a retail business or at a home studio)

Start a Bed and Breakfast/AirBnB with the roommate system

Become a celebrity in a path besides Actor/Actress (Author, Chef, Video Creator, Skier, etc.)

Food truck (Restaurant)

Fish stall (Entrepreneur table)

Make a living on Plopsy

Wool store (Cottage Living)

Natural health store (Herbalism)

Resources Used

ADAM DRIVER GIF DISCLAIMER: YES I KNOW IT'S A STEW

[ncityprincess]

how doyoung would be as a boyfriend

minors do not interact!

-ok he seems like a total sweetheart to me 🥹

-pinterest bf vibes

-he would dote over you like a delicate flower idk

-you would never have to lift a finger

-he would be so proud to have you as a partner

-would absolutely flaunt you around to everyone in his life

-he would be so excited to introduce you to his family

-even if his hand feels sweaty and clammy in yours while he’s introducing you to his parents

-he’s still beaming inside because his parents can finally get to see how amazing you are

-he would be over the moon if you and his mom ended up being close with each other

-as an idol he would probably keep your relationship private

-doesn’t like to mix business with pleasure

-you’re his precious little baby that deserves to be protected from any unnecessary hate and conflict

-if he wasn’t an idol you would be all over his instagram page

-his phone would be filled with cute and cheesy couple pics either way

-would be more than happy to take all of your ig pics too if you were into social media

-idk why but i could see him having a couples youtube channel or something if he wasn’t famous 😭

-he would cherish all of the adventures and moments you guys share

-i can’t stress enough how protective he would be over you

-he would literally do small but meaningful acts of service

-like warming up your towel in the dryer while you’re in the shower so that you can be warm when you dry off

-or save your starbucks, chipotle, etc order to his notes app so he doesn’t forget it

-nothing goes unnoticed by him

-if your mood is off he would immediately know and get to the bottom of it

-if someone was mean to you?

-he would find them and give them a piece of his mind

-because no one talks to you like that

-he’s your number one cheerleader

-if you had something big going on in your life like getting your masters or getting a promotion at work he would brag about it to everyone

-he’s so proud of you 🥹

-he would be Seated for your gossip

-he’s hanging on every word while you tell him all about what sarah said about janice

-cute cafe dates

-grocery shopping dates

-amusement park/carnival dates

-100% would win you one of those big ass plushies

-when it comes to arguments he would definitely want to talk things out

-needs to have the last word but he’s working on it

-even if he believes he’s in the right he would still give you your chance to speak

-you guys would bicker sometimes over petty shit like leaving crumbs on the counter or not replacing the empty milk carton

-but after talking things out you guys would make up fairly quickly

-100% into make up sex

-gets really clingy and whiny afterwards

-and you love it

-he can be a real snuggle bug when he’s in a softer mood

-but he can also toss you onto the bed and ravish you when he wants to🤭

-he would sing in the morning while he cooks you guys a delicious breakfast

-he does most of the cooking

-and cleaning

-random headcannon:

-one time you guys were supposed to get all dressed up to go to a fancy restaurant

-you had reservations and everything

-but you guys are so in sync with each other that you both say fuck it and go to mcdonald’s instead

-in his suit and in your evening gown

-and you had the time of your lives eating those big macs

-overall he’s very passionate and treats you like royalty

-how he is in bed will be linked here whenever i write it <3

[skybrushus]

Lyra signaled and then turned right off of Sea Stallion Drive in my Royal Equestria Security Forces (RESF) dreamscape. Bon Bon routinely checked the car's navigation system and watched through car's window right side window as the character of the city change before her eyes.

As they drove away from main downtown thoroughfare of Ft. Trotterdale they left behind swanky shops, upscale restaurants, and fashionable new apartments and townhouses tailored to the young business executives. Just a couple blocks further and they were passing through older working class neighborhoods. Beyond them lay the older apartments, shops, cafes, and dormitories that surrounded the university. Journeying further brought them into a vast sprawling maze of light industrial, truck yards,warehouses, and eventually the commercial docks of the city. It was around 7pm but being it was summertime there was still a far bit light in the sky as Celestia had not entirely relinquished her reign for the day.

There final destination was small, dingy, two-story office building that was probably 60 years old and hadn't seen a fresh coat of paint in 20. Decades of diesel smoke, factory emission, tropical sun, rain, and general neglect had left the building's exterior color rather indeterminate.

Normally during the day this area was abuzz with activity, but it was the early evening on a Friday and most businesses, and their workers, were now closed and vacated. Only one window at their destination showed any light and possible occupancy. Lyra pulled around to the back employee parking area. Letting the car coast to lessen the rumble of its V8. There was only one other vehicle parked in the covered parking area. Bon Bon squinted at license plate on the squat, subcompact. Like the building it was parked under, Ft. Trotterdale's climate had not been kind to its. Faded red paint, speckles of rust on the body panels, and sun bleached plastic trim told the story of its daily toils.

Bon Bon checked a note on her phone and looked at the license plate again. "Yep. That's Fast Talk's current car. Lyra shut the engine off looked over at her partner. "Well now that we've found him lets pay him a visit. What passes for the cleaning service isn't suppose to show up until 9pm. That should give us a chance to have a nice chat with him!"

As they exited the vehicle Bon Bon reached down under the back seat and pulled out short barrel, 12ga, pump-action shotgun from its locking, concealed rack. Calling it a sawed off would disrespectful of the care that had gone into modifying and customizing it. Quietly her and Lyra closed the car's doors. As they did the car's paint scheme seemed to shimmer for just an instant as the vehicle's security wards activated.

Both were amused to find that the physical lock and the supposed security wards for Employees Only stairwell were inactive. Before entering the stairwell both mares pulled their RESF badges out and hung them from their belts. Then each they donned a pair of wraparound glasses that shimmered as several wards on them went live.

They'd dealt with Fast Talk numerous times and the stallion was mostly bluster. However some of the company he associated with were another matter. So out of an abundance of caution Bon Bon went first. Slowly and quietly she ascended the stairs while keeping the shotgun in a low ready position. At the top of the stairway a fluorescent light fixture flickered spastically. Carefully the earth pony peeked around the corner and let her eyes sweep over the hallway. The glasses showed no signs of camouflaged individuals or wards. Although the door knob of office in question did sparkled with a low grade form of ward. Bon Bon used her right hand to make series of signals to Lyra.

Thumbs up. Hallway is clear. Cupping her hand and making a series rotating motions followed by a wiggling of the fingers. Door is closed. Probably locked. Is warded.

The two mares softly treaded up to the door. From under it a thin sliver of light leaked out and the muffled sounds of a radio broadcasting some sporting event could be heard coming from within. Lyra knelt down next to the door knob and gently placed a one-use paper ward breaker on the door next to the knob. The mint green unicorn thumbed the safety off of her pistol and looked up at Bon Bon who carefully pushed the cross bolt safety off on her shotgun. Then the earth pony nodded her head.

Lyra's horn glowed softly and a slim force wall appeared in front of her. Then for a second her horn flared as it triggered the ward breaker. In an instant the both mares heard sharp, loud CRACK as the ward on the door and the physical lock broke. Before the sound had even subsided Lyra had turned the door knob and was heading into the office with Bon Bon bringing up the rear. Sitting behind a battered office desk and looking up suddenly from some paperwork was a wiry, slightly feral looking earth pony stallion. His left hand quickly moved toward but then moved even quicker away from the battered .41 magnum revolver sitting on top of the desk when he saw the muzzle of the 12ga pointed at him. Slowly he raised both his hands with the palms out.

Lyra quickly swept the corners of the room with her 9mm before snatching the revolver off the desk. Through all of this the muzzle of Bon Bon's 12ga never wavered from the stallion's chest. Lyra dropped her force wall and then used her horn to close the door to office behind them. Then she used her horn to magically pull all of the drawers open except one that was locked. Coming around the desk the unicorn did a quick visual inspection. Satisfied she smiled and finally addressed the stallion who'd remained silent through all of this.

"Fast Talk! Buddy! How have you been! We've been looking all over for you!"

The dappled violet stallion kept his hands up as he smiled weakly at her. "Um. Ladies! Good evening! What an unexpected surprise! I didn't expect to be meeting you tonight!"

Bon Bon lowered the shotgun muzzle but returned it to the low ready position. "Well now you have." The ivory white mare grumbled.

The stallion giggled nervously.

[beautifullache]

🦄The Sims 4🦄

🍵Restaurant Bundle🍵

💕Early Release 4.26.2024💕

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 3,400 restaurants as of December 31, 2023, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants in North America and Europe. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on Fortune's Most Admired Companies 2024 list and Time Magazine's Most Influential Companies. With over 115,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices.

Crew Member

Restaurant Prep/Grill

Service Leader

KITCHEN LEADER

Kitchen/Service Manager

Manager

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

Moe's Southwest Grill

Because, there’s no place like Moe’s. It’s the place you love to visit and hate to leave. If that doesn’t scream perfect job, we’re not sure what does. Maybe it’s our proudly unique culture or our crew made up of one-of-a-kind individuals, like you. Or maybe it’s because when you’re at work, it doesn’t feel like work. And your goals become our goals – after all, we’re more than coworkers, we’re family. It all starts here, behind the counter with “Welcome to Moe’s!”.

Crew Members

Shift Lead

Shift Manager

Assistant Manager

General Manager

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

Panera Bread

We are Panera Bread and we believe that good food, the food you can feel good about, can bring out the best in all of us. Food served in a warm, welcoming environment, by people who care. To us, that’s good eating and that’s why we’re here. We are inspired by our mission and purpose in everything we do: “One Panera for a Healthier and Happier World.” We believe in serving delicious, freshly prepared, clean dishes made with carefully selected ingredients that we would be proud to serve our own families. Our menu, crafted by chefs and bakers, features classic, comforting dishes, each with an intriguing twist. We respect our planet and take measures to lessen our impacts. We believe in treating people with warmth, kindness, and respect, whether it’s a guest in our cafe or one of our associates. We believe in helping our local communities, especially in times of need.

Cashiers

Salad and Sandwich Maker

Shift Supervisor

Team Manager

Baker

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

Panda Express

Panda Restaurant Group, the world leader in Asian dining experiences and parent company of Panda Express, Panda Inn, and Hibachi-San, is dedicated to becoming a world leader in people development. We are family-owned and operated with over 2,500 locations worldwide and more than 48,000 associates. Our mission is to deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives. Our vision is to be recognized as a world leader in people development to become loved by our guests. What makes Panda a great place to work is our rich and purpose-driven culture that focuses on values that promote growth and progress for our people and business. This is the foundation created by our Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Andrew and Peggy Cherng, to help all members of the Panda family excel not only in their professional lives, but also their personal lives. We do everything with intentionality and a clear mission that prioritizes people over profit. Our values drive the foundation upon which Panda Restaurant Group operates: Proactive, Respect/Win-Win, Growth, Great Operations, and Giving.

Kitchen Team

Shift Leader/Cook

Assistant Manager

Store Manager

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

QDOBA Mexican Eats

At Qdoba, we are one big, flavor-packed family. Working at Qdoba is about more than just food. It's about cracking conversation, working with people we dig, and serving up awesome in everything we do. It's a place where coworkers become compadres and a place where guests can feel the love as soon as they walk in the door. We create great experiences together and the energy and enthusiasm we bring to our work can be contagious. We’re real people, serving real people. So, don’t use a script, fake a smile or pretend you are someone you’re not. Just be you.

Team Member/Cook

Line Server

Shift Leader

Assistant Manager

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

Starbucks

By bringing people together over coffee, Starbucks has become one of the world’s best-known and best-loved companies. We purchase, roast and serve award-winning coffee. We also offer Italian-style espresso beverages, cold blended beverages, delicious food, premium teas and selected compact discs through our retail stores. Working at Starbucks is a lot like working with your friends. When you work here, you’re not an “employee” – we call ourselves “partners” because we believe in shared common goals and mutual success. We’re dedicated to serving ethically sourced coffee, caring for the environment and giving back to the communities where we do business.

Barista

Shift Manager

Supervisor

Allow Teen

Allow Young Adult

Allow Adult

Allow Elder

DOWNLOAD NOW

[definedvines]

You got any hcs for how post game Eri n Toshiro are?

I guess I like to think that they start out with simple, somewhat awkward reconnections, going out to lunch and catching up, etc., with Toshiro's whole personal rebellion thing being a big elephant in the room that he doesn't really address because like he said in his phone call-- he's hella busy dealing with all that.

But one day he's finally found calm, and become steady in life. He invites her out and they end up finally spilling it all out to each other, talking for hours about what happened, both to them in the past and to Toshiro recently. (Maybe they mean to have a quick stop at a 24/7 fast food place to get a snack before catching the train home and parting ways. Maybe they're there late into the night, spilling their feelings and apologies for hours over cheap coffee gone cold.)

It mends their friendship to a much more familiar and less awkward phase. But Toshiro's reasons for standing up for himself have been a little vague, and Eri grows almost unbearably curious over time about these "kids" he keeps saying "helped him see the light."

It's late summer when he brings her to Leblanc, hand in hand, under the guise of a simple late night coffee date; but he'd called the work phone earlier and there are teenagers waiting for his arrival. A month since he's been free with the chaos off his shoulders, of waiting for them to get back from their trip, and not everyone can even be there, the former leader home way too far.

Eri starts taking her journalist dreams seriously, starting with a food review and interview in a cooking magazine starring one titular cafe. And Toshiro's... figuring it out, but he finds he quite enjoys how cleaning restaurants and homes and doing chores for people reduces his stress. Being a maid for hire wouldn't be so bad, he jokes, but he sticks with his basic cleaning services. for now.

Whether they are roommates or just friends or more does not matter much, but more would take quite some time to develop (or at least Toshiro says so to some of those nosey kids' teasing).

[loosesodamarble]

Black Clover Cafe AU

Based on a silly little post.

(Note: I’m not actually that well versed in cosplay restaurant culture. This is mostly just a shitpost. For funsies.)

……….

Secre Swallowtail is the owner of Black Bird, a popular butler cafe.

Men in crisp, black suits. Varnished wood furniture. Fancy European style tea sets and table settings. There’s even a glasswork chandelier. It’s your typical aristocratic atmosphere for a butler cafe.

The men working at Black Bird aren’t just dressed as butlers but they also are assigned certain attitudes or archetypes to play into. Some are just kind of an exaggerated version of their normal selves while others really have to enter a character.

Sukehiro Yami is a “bodyguard” butler. A lot of his lines and mannerisms play up a protective persona. For example, he can ask to put an arm around a customer to guard them on their way to a table. He is also actual security for the cafe and has punched a guy unconscious to protect the customers. He’s the most popular butler.

Asta is the clumsy, “new hire” butler. He’s supposed to act meek and apologetic as he tries extra hard to serve customers. Also he’s not actually allowed to drop anything. At most he can bump into a chair or table (but NEVER a customer).

Finral is of course the flirty butler. Acting so suave for customers. He gives each lady a flower (never the same one twice in a row and they change with the seasons). His lines include him muttering “ah, but an esteemed lady/lord like you shouldn’t be seen with a lowly butler like myself.” Super cheesy stuff.

Gordon is the mysterious type of butler. He’s allowed very few “lines” outside of the standard “Welcome milady/master” or “As you wish.” It’s part of his charm, allowing customers to wonder what such a quiet, polite man like him is thinking. He gets extra points for being the only butler with prominent make-up (his black lipstick and eyeliner isn't as heavy as it appears in canon).

Henry is the sweetest of sweetheart butlers, the deredere if you will. He’s never failed to make a customer smile. Gives lots of compliments, similar to Finral, but with platonic intent. He’s also the one who writes the menu, making everything sound as delicious as possible.

Gauche is the harsh, “tsundere” butler. Instead of saying “it’s not like I like you” he would say “I didn’t choose to serve you.” 😆 But he always follows up with a small smile and “But I’m happy to do so now.” Also serves as security for the cafe.

Zora’s butler persona is meant to be a bit of a sadist. He gets to have a bossy attitude with customers. “You will drink this tea and you will like it” or “What makes you think I’ll take your order?” are things he might say. “Mocks” customers for how much they rely on him.

Nacht’s archetype in the cafe is basically a possessive yandere. Warns customers not to let any butler but him serve them and to appreciate all his hard work, because he only does it for them.

Fuegoleon plays an stern butler, not smiling and always insisting on his “duty” to the clients. He speaks very kindly to customers despite that. He has to fight back smiles because customers are so happy to see him and that makes him happy.

William is a straightforward gentleman archetype. Bowing and pulling out chairs, stuff like that. One gimmick he has is reciting poetry to customers. He’s the second most popular butler at the cafe.

Rill’s butler persona is haughty and a perfectionist. Always claiming his service and even those he serves are a cut above the rest. He also will occasionally play the piano to enhance the classy atmosphere.

Nozel is almost a blend of Gauche and Fuegoleon, stern like Fuegoleon and abrasive like Gauche but also displays an aloofness that neither portray. He's genuinely surprised with the popularity of his frigid persona. He was originally set in the “yandere” role before Nacht came along (and he’s very glad to be out of it).

Yuno isn’t a waiter. He’s too shy for it so he cleans up after customers (still dressed as a butler for aesthetics). Customers are really upset that he never serves as a waiter.

Magna and Luck definitely aren’t butlers either. They’re in the kitchen stacking and cutting sandwiches, as well as baking the various desserts on the menu.

Klaus and Marx are in charge of the drinks. Marx mostly works with the teas while Klaus focuses on the types of coffee they carry. There are non caffeinated drink options but the tea and coffee is highlighted as part of the aesthetic.

Jack is the head chef of the establishment. From the quiches for lunch to the pan-fried meats for dinner, Jack's got it covered. He's also got his fancy knife work which turns plain fruits and veggies into works of art.

Secre makes sure the uniforms get changed every once in a while to match the season.

Each employee actually goes by a different name while at work to protect their identities. That goes for the kitchen staff too despite never being seen in the front of house.

Nacht actually has extra identity protection by wearing a wig since outside of work, he’s actually still bleaching his hair like a delinquent.

Also, each employee has a “signature dish” on the menu based on their butler persona and a food they actually like.

[becomingkatie]

anniversary trip to the mountains

Friday we left work a little early to drive down near Shenandoah National Park. We stopped in Sperryville to go by a brewery we used to like to go to after hikes in the area. They were in a totally different building, and when I asked when they moved they said October 2020! Which shows how long it's been since our hiking days! Yikes - we used to casually do hikes that required hours-long drives to the trailhead just on a regular weekend, but now we've fallen out of the habit. We'd both like to do it more, and were excited to hike this weekend.

After beers we got pizza (at a restaurant we've been to before that had also changed significantly since 5 years ago) and then checked into the house we were renting near Luray.

Saturday we did the Strickler Knob hike. In the photos of the sky (view from the house we rented) where the mountain does a lil step up to the right of the sunset - I'm pretty sure that's the peak/overlook we hiked to. The hike was pretty miserable, but in that way where being miserable with someone you love is kinda funny instead of just shitty. The bugs were awful and we didn't think about bug spray, just sunscreen. And I chose the wrong shoes instead of my hiking boots and suffered. It got rocky, and most of the rocky section was like the picture I posted, but there were a few "climb up this 6ft boulder" moments where I felt like I was at the climbing gym but with real life consequences if I messed up. The peanut butter sandwich at the top was great though.

We got cleaned up after hiking and then checked out Luray Caverns. We have driven past the highway signs for it so many times over the years, so it was nice to finally see it. Was it worth the $34 apiece to get in? Eh, maybe. I'm glad we saw it. It was bigger than I expected - like a longer walk to get through the whole thing. And there's an organ inside that vibrates the stalactites to make music, and it played "A Mighty Fortress is our God" and I cried despite not being religious. I grew up in a church with really old/traditional hymns and a very solemn service, and that music still makes me so emotional even though whenever I read the Bible I am like "boy this is FUCKED up."

From the caverns we got dinner at a little diner spot, then ice cream and cocktails before heading back to the house. The distillery had a dog who enjoyed greeting all of the patrons. I enjoyed being greeted by a dog. But it wasn't climate controlled inside so the 90+ deg outdoors was more comfortable than inside.

Lastly, we stopped by Patty O's cafe on the way home. There's an inn with a very fancy Michelin starred restaurant in Washington, VA, and the chef there opened up this more casual cafe across the street. It's super cute and I really wanted to try it, but the vibe was better than the food. There was a live bluegrass band playing, and although I was bummed at first because it made it hard to hear each other talk, it was a nice atmosphere. The food was good but not mind-blowing. We also got some treats from the bakery to take home, and they were similarly good but not amazing. Except the chocolate mousse. That was mind-blowing, as much as a simple chocolate mousse could be.

Overall it was a really nice weekend getaway a few hours from home!

[vulpes-fennec]

Love on Water Lilies 🪷 (Ch 1)

Summary: Prince Lucien Vanserra of the Autumn Kingdom is all play, no work. Elain Archeron, a waitress and aspiring restaurant owner in the city of Colibri, is all work, no play. Caught in a larger scheme of politics and war, Lucien and Elain are turned into frogs. Will Elain get her restaurant back? Will Lucien ever become Fae again?

Read on AO3

An Princess and the Frog inspired story for @elucienweekofficial Day 5: Nature 🍃

“Fried plantains and fresh fruit salad! Two vanilla golden toasts with honey syrup! Banana pudding!” The line cooks’ voices rang out from the sizzling kitchen.

“Coming right on up!” Elain Archeron plastered on a bright smile and cheerful voice as she dished out plate after plate of breakfast at Roy’s Cafe. The heavenly smell of fresh coffee was barely enough to keep Elain awake—she was exhausted. Elain glanced at the clock. Five more minutes…

Her shift at the Purple Flamingo Cabaret last night had certainly taken its toll, for the Summer Kingdom’s Mardi Gras festivities had begun. The swamp city of Colibri, known for good food and even better music, drew thousands of visitors every Mardi Gras. And this year, a special celebrity was in their midst: Prince Lucien Vanserra of the Autumn Kingdom, who had arrived just yesterday.

Although Elain hadn’t seen this prince yet, she heard plenty about him last night at the Purple Flamingo. The fourth and youngest son of King Beron Vanserra, Lucien was young, rich, handsome…and most importantly, single. He would probably remain that way, too, for word on the street was that Lucien was a total flirt. Gallivanting his way across Prythian’s kingdoms, taking on new lovers each week, partying all night long…

Elain grabbed a beignet to-go when she finally clocked out. Gulls squawked in the distance, green-painted trolleys clanged as they rolled by. Mardi Gras revelers walked by, decked out in chic outfits of green, purple, and yellow. With her food-stained yellow apron, worn ballet flats, and frazzled honey-brown hair, Elain felt a pinch of resentment.

Must be nice to never have to work a day in your life. Every year, the promise of generous tips during Mardi Gras dangled before food service workers like a carrot, tricking them into taking extra shifts.

It wasn’t always this way. Elain remembered the Mardi Gras celebrations of her childhood, the way she and her sisters danced to lively jazz and ate their way through delicacies all night long. The Archeron home used to be in the Marigold District, where all the wealthy Fae lived. But then Elain’s mother passed away, leaving her father depressed. Reginald Archeron rallied himself enough to fight in the Hybern War seven years ago, but lost his leg during one of the early battles.

Elain loved her father dearly, but it was plain fact that he had practically given up on life after becoming handicapped. The familial roles had reversed: instead of their father ensuring his daughters’ needs were met, Elain, Feyre, and Nesta were forced to take odd jobs in order to survive. Nesta delivered and occasionally edited for The Colibri Tribune. Feyre cleaned the art studios and landed the occasional art commission. Elain juggled multiple shifts between Roy’s Cafe, the Purple Flamingo Cabaret, and Emile’s Seafood Bar.

Though her shifts were grueling, Elain tried to view them in a positive light. It was career training of sorts: she paid attention to different management styles, brushed up her conversational skills with all sorts of Fae as a waitress, and improved her culinary skills as a cook. Ever since she was a little girl, a riverfront cafe to call her own had been Elain’s dream. When her family fell from wealth seven years ago, that dream was almost lost.

But now, Elain was closer to achieving that dream than ever. She was fairly confident in her capabilities as a cook and waitress. She had strong accounting skills, enough to ensure her restaurant wouldn’t go bankrupt. And more importantly, she had been in serious talks with realtors for a decrepit riverfront pavilion. The pavilion was a little run-down, but it was perfect in Elain’s heart. She juussttt needed a little more money…which was where the Mardi Gras cooking contest would come into play.

Because in addition to the multiple parades, balls, concerts, and parties, Mardi Gras featured local cuisines in a series of cooking concerts.

Today was the jambalaya cooking contest, which was taking place at Firefly Square. Tomorrow, Elain was slated for the baking contest, where she planned to wow the judges with her peach cobbler. The day after, she would participate in the fry contest, having perfected her fried chicken spice rub.

Elain stopped home to briefly freshen up. It was a tiny, cramped space—an utter downgrade from their old home. She and her sisters had squeezed three narrow beds into a room, the sole closet overflowing with clothes. The living room wasn’t much better: Feyre’s art supplies were strewn across every available surface, and Nesta’s second-hand books tilted in precarious stacks. Only the kitchen, Elain’s domain, remained spotlessly clean and organized.

Elain powdered her face, brushed her curls, dabbed a bit of lipstick, and donned a new dress. She needed to look fresh and proper, and a cute face never hurt.

She then hurried to Firefly Square, wheeling a little wagon full of ingredients and her trusty steel pot. Savory dishes were not her specialty, so Elain needed all the luck she could get. However, she was fairly confident that her jambalaya would at least place in the top three. Her best friend, Vassa La Bouff, and her sisters had helped refine the recipe over the last year, and the ladies could be trusted to give their honest opinion.

“Name?” The event attendant held a clipboard at the check-in table.

“Elain Archeron,” Elain replied cheerfully. The event attendant wrote her name on a wooden placard and placed it on the scoring rack. The five judges, a mix of renowned cooks and locals, were seated under a rich purple tent. Onlookers had gathered on the sidelines of Firefly Square to watch the judges sample each entry and announce their points.

Several other participants were already present, busying away at their own cooking stations. While there was no set “start” time due to the participants’ varying culinary skills and recipes, the judges would begin tasting at one o’clock in the afternoon. So Elain got to work.

First, she braided up her honey-brown hair and donned a flowery pink apron. Then, she began expertly mincing: peppers, celery, onion, garlic, and tomatoes. The heated oil sizzled the chicken and sausage, bringing fragrant notes of paprika, bay leaf, and thyme into the air. The meat was taken out, the vegetables added in. Elain cleaned the rice, poured in homemade chicken stock, and added more salt, pepper, and herbs.

Elain stirred the bubbling mixture, using the time to observe the other participants. There were ten competitors total. Some appeared to be seasoned chefs, others looked like novices. Regardless, everybody was making good progress on their jambalaya. And more importantly, everyone looked like they were having fun.

Elain’s mouth watered from the scents wafting from her pot alone. The consistency of her jambalaya was thick, but not mushy—it was all coming together nicely. Elain did a final taste test and smiled. Spicy, savory, and tangy…it was her best pot of jambalaya yet.

The judges seemed to think so, too, when they sampled her dish.

“Wonderful aromas.”

“The chicken is the right amount of tender, Miss Archeron.”

“Tastes just like my grandmother’s home-style jambalaya!”

This—this was exactly why Elain loved to cook: seeing people enjoy her food made her happiest. She was the last contestant up for tasting, which meant the score the judges awarded would be her final placement for the contest. Elain’s breath caught when she tallied up the judges’ marks. Third place…third place! Oh, she was going to walk away with prize money! Elain ducked her head and tried to squash her victorious beam. One step closer to—

“Excuse me! Excuse me!”

The most beautiful male Elain had ever seen strode into the courtyard, lugging a steaming pot with bare hands. His skin was a burnished brown, his long red hair tied up in a haphazard bun. She found herself eyeing his corded forearms, exposed thanks to the rolled-up sleeves of his white linen shirt. The male’s straight-legged olive green pants accented his muscled thighs, and his shiny black shoes with their gold details indicated expensive taste.

An entire entourage of Fae, mostly female, had followed the male into Ironwood Square, inevitably shoving Elain to the back.

“It’s Prince Lucien,” the crowd murmured to each other. “What is he doing here?”

Prince Lucien? Well…that explained how he could hold such a hot pot without any oven mitts. The Autumn Kingdom’s royal family possessed fire magic, which meant they could manipulate flame and were essentially immune to burns. Elain even overheard at The Purple Flamingo last night that Autumn males—especially the royal princes—fucked with an intensity that matched the fire in their veins.

Elain had practically snorted upon hearing such words last night, though looking at Prince Lucien now, it was certainly believable. But the delighted giggling of several females when the prince stepped up to the podium snapped Elain out of her reverie. Ugh! Prince Lucien was a playboy at best, a heartbreaker at worst, she reminded herself. No, she would not encourage the fantasies that had been surely planted in her mind thanks to his impromptu appearance, lest she turn into a tittering female over a male like him.

“Good afternoon, honorable judges.” Prince Lucien’s voice was rich and buttery, with a slight accent. For some reason, it reminded Elain of sunlight. He turned towards the crowd, and Elain stifled a gasp upon seeing the scar that ran down his face and cut through his left eye, which had been replaced by a mechanical gold eye. Such a brutal injury, yet the prince was made more handsome even with the scar.

“Welcome, Prince Lucien!” The lead judge leapt to her feet, a wide smile on her face. The crowd cheered again. Some females even screamed hysterically.

Prince Lucien gestured grandly to the entourage that followed him, gold earrings twinkling off the tips of his pointed ears. “I am here to enter the jambalaya competition. As there was no kitchen in my hotel suite, I had to borrow the kitchen at Restaurante Genevieve. Chef Michel and these citizens can attest that I made the jambalaya all on my own.”

The prince peered intently at the scoreboard, already stacked with ten other names and numbers. Elain could have sworn his brows raised in subtle surprise.

“Though I see now that I was tardy…” Prince Lucien trailed off as his eyes swept the crowd, as if he were looking for someone.

“The entry period closed thirty minutes ago but ah…we can make an exception, can we not?” The lead judge said quickly, and the audience clapped in agreement. The other judges nodded eagerly, clearly delighted at the presence of royalty. “Well, Your Highness, we would be honored to sample your jambalaya!”

Elain’s jaw slackened. A prince, participating in a jambalaya contest? She had never heard of such a thing. Royals had their own chefs. They probably wouldn’t even know how to boil an egg.

The prince’s russet and gold eyes were still scanning the square with unusual interest. Elain eyed him skeptically from the back, observing the confident smile on Lucien’s face and the swaggering cut of his broad shoulders. There was the off chance that Prince Lucien possessed culinary skills…but he was from the Autumn Kingdom. He wouldn’t know a thing about authentic jambalaya, Elain told herself. Elain relaxed, knowing she was safe and secure in third place as the judges sampled Lucien’s entree.

“Cauldron, this is absolutely divine!”

“Look at the colors on the spoon! So vibrant, so fresh!”

“I could eat this for the rest of my life and die happy.”

“Last call to score…and…first place! We have a winner!” The crowd cheered raucously.

Elain’s mouth completely fell open when the score attendant placed Prince Lucien Vanserra’s name placard on the top of the board, shifting everybody else down. Which meant…which meant she had been knocked off third place.

Elain was in shock. She wasn’t going to make it to the podium, and she wasn’t going to earn any prize money. Prince Lucien bowed, and then turned to the crowd that had gathered.

“Good food is meant to be shared! Please, feel free to finish the pot!” he announced, voice dripping with pride. More cheers and claps rang out as Elain was jostled out of the way in the mad stampede for the winning jambalaya.

This was not possible. This could not be happening.

Elain’s face grew hot with embarrassment, as she hurriedly packed up her wagon. It was time to go; she could not bear to spend another minute in the square with knowledge of her loss. Elain half-wondered if she should join the crowd and really try Prince Lucien’s jambalaya for herself. It couldn’t be that good. But the notion of a rich, playboy prince edging her off the podium in a cooking contest he had no stakes in was too shameful to consider. She could’ve done better. Should’ve done better.

Elain didn’t look back as she wheeled her wagon home, the rusty wheels click-clacking over the cobblestoned streets. Her half-full pot of jambalaya would become leftovers for her sister and father. At least they didn’t have to spend more money on groceries this week.

Some humility would do her good, Elain knew, as she was not a “professional” chef yet, but gods…would she ever be? If a prince could beat her in a cooking contest? If she couldn’t even win a couple judges’ favor, how was she going to draw the Colibri Fae to her restaurant?

—Later that evening—

After a fitful afternoon nap, Elain decided to stop by her cafe before heading to Vassa’s house. Well, it wasn’t hers yet, but Elain had recently begun treating it as such. She sat on a bench, listening to the lapping of the Mayhaven River, watching the steamboats chugging by.

“I’m almost there,” she whispered to herself. “People are going to come here from everywhere, I’m almost there.” The riverfront pavilion was a shabby brick building that had been a mess hall for dock workers in its previous life. The interior’s open layout would be the perfect place to install a stage for local musicians. Each table would have fresh flowers, the walls would be painted a creamy tan, the big windows would offer river views and plenty of natural light… oh, it was all coming together.

The door swung open. Hudson Jennings, Elain’s realtor, walked out with a folder tucked under his arm. Elain leapt up from her bench, ready to bid him hello. But she froze when a head of red hair ducked through the doorway. No…it couldn’t be…

“Pleasure doing business with you, Your Highness,” Hudson said, shaking Lucien Vanserra’s hand firmly. Even without his entourage of fans, Lucien held himself with a regal grace and winning smile.

“Of course,” Elain could hear the prince respond smoothly. “I look forward to establishing a second residence in Colibri.” Elain could only watch in horror as the realtor handed Lucien a set of keys before parting ways. Keys to her riverfront cafe!

“Mr. Jennings!” Elain ran as fast as her little feet could carry her as soon as Lucien had walked away. Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods. This must be a bad dream.

“Oh! Miss Archeron!” Hudson blinked his cat-like eyes in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here!”

“Mr. Jennings, did you just sell the property to Lucien?” Elain was breathless. Please say no, please say no, she begged silently.

“Ah, yes I’m afraid I just did.” Hudson patted the folder of papers. “I know, I know…you have been eyeing that property for some time, Miss Archeron, but the prince showed up with ample cash! We have several other properties available in town for your cafe, though. Let us talk more next week.”

“But—” Elain tried to say, then deflated. Her realtor was already walking away. There was no use. Unless she somehow managed to alter Hudson’s memory, rip up the sale papers, and steal the keys from Lucien, the property was gone. And so were her dreams of owning a riverfront cafe.

It seemed the prince was hell-bent on ruining her life. Lucien had fame and fortune, and got everything Elain wanted because of his name. Perhaps Elain had angered the Mother, somehow. For how else could so much go wrong in less than 24 hours?

Elain tried very hard not to cry as she rode the trolley to Vassa’s house. One, she was in public, and ladies did not cry in public. Two, the La Bouff Mardi Gras ball was starting in a few hours. Elain had been looking forward to the event all month, and crying right now would make her eyes puffy.

The La Bouffs resided in the Dorado District, the richest district in all of Colibri. Vassa’s “house” was actually a grand, three-story mansion of pale white marble, elegant columns, iron lace accents, and sweeping gabled roofs. When Elain arrived, the bustle of the musicians tuning their instruments and the servants, the gurgling fountain, and the beautiful lanterns of green, yellow, and purple faelight made her smile. A good party always made her feel more alive, even though she attended very few of them in recent years.

Vassa’s parents were one of the Mardi Gras royalty this year, and had invited Elain to the La Bouff Mardi Gras ball. Vassa was a true friend: she didn’t shun Elain after the Archerons fell into poverty, and for that Elain was eternally grateful. The footmen, used to her comings and goings, offered Elain warm greetings when she entered the mansion via the servants’ gate.

While Elain spent her days working, Vassa spent her days studying. The young La Bouff was finishing her last year at the prestigious Colibri Academy for Witchcraft, and was determined to be the top of her class. The only thing in Vassa’s way? Briallyn, a rival witch from the Continent. During the unfortunate occasions Elain had to interact with Briallyn, Elain felt the witch resembled a beady-eyed lizard.

Elain made her way down the spacious hallway and knocked on Vassa’s bedroom door.

“Elain! I’m so glad you’re here!” Vassa threw her arms around Elain. Her best friend’s orange hair was styled into loose waves, her bright blue eyes already lined with gold shadow. “Come, let us get ready together!”

“Vassa, it’s so good to see you,” Elain sighed, her voice still thick with emotion from earlier.

“What’s wrong?” Vassa asked, her brow creasing with concern. “Was it the jambalaya contest? Did you not get first place? I mean, second place is also fine, and so is third.”

Elain sat down on Vassa’s bed, hugging her knees to her chest. “The jambalaya concert was fine, until Prince Lucien Vanserra showed up at the last minute,” she said bitterly. “I had placed third, but that was before the judges awarded him first place. I got bumped down and I didn’t get any prize money.”

“Oh no,” Vassa rubbed Elain’s back sympathetically. “I’m so sorry, Elain.”

“It’s just not fair!” Elain complained, her face heated with anger. “The judges gave him special treatment, letting him enter the contest even though the judging window had closed! Lucien was cooking off-site, how could anybody truly tell he was the primary chef? And perhaps they didn’t want to upset a prince, so they put him first even though he didn’t deserve it!”

“I see what you mean,” Vassa hummed. “Did you end up tasting his jambalaya? Surely it couldn’t be as good as yours. Those judges must not have working tastebuds.”

“No, but that’s not even the end of it. I found out he bought the riverfront property from Hudson Jennings this afternoon. Vassa, you know how long I’ve been saving up for my cafe! To think the perfect location would be gone, just like that…”

“Cauldron boil and fry him,” Vassa muttered darkly, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Vassa. I know you’ve been looking forward to meeting Prince Lucien, that you want him to court you.” Elain sighed. “I shouldn’t be bad-mouthing him.”

“No, no, no,” Vassa shook her head. “Of course, I want Prince Lucien to court me, have you seen how handsome he is? But, your restaurant is something that I’ve been waiting for ever since we were little girls, Elain…when I see him tonight I will convince him to rescind the purchase.”

“Thanks, Vassa,” Elain smiled, feeling better. What Vassa set her mind to, Vassa achieved. She had no doubt her friend’s beauty and persistence would get the prince to change his mind. “He did say he wanted the property as a second residence.”

“Well! It wouldn’t be too hard to convince him to buy property in other Colibri districts!” Vassa raised her brows excitedly. “He could move in with me.” Vassa jumped to her feet, trying to inject some more life into Elain’s forlorn posture. “Now I know today hasn’t been the best day, Elain. But this ball will turn it all around! I have just the perfect dress for you, and I know you’ll have plenty of males to dance the night away with. It’s in the closet, come see!”

***Lucien***

“Just look at all of this, Jurian,” Lucien said to his best friend when they regrouped after the dance ended. “One of the best parties I’ve been to in a while.”

He had left his entourage of pretty females at the La Bouff mansion gate. Not that it really mattered, since there were even more females inside the ball. The musicians played lively tunes, inviting attendees to kick up their feet and whirl across the marbled outdoor dance floor. The La Bouff Mardi Gras decorations were simply exquisite, from the soft faelight lanterns hanging off trees to the flower arrangements on tables. Fae wine and cocktails flowed freely, wait staff walked around with platters of delicious food.

“Don’t tell Tarquin, but I’m enjoying myself far more here than the Mardi Gras balls in Adriata,” Jurian slurred slightly. The male lifted a pair of deviled eggs off a waiter’s tray and handed one to Lucien. “Though it is positively boiling in Colibri.”

“Of course, we’re near the Bog of Oorid,” Lucien remarked. He had donned an emerald green jacket with embroidered gold leaves at the cuffs, a freshly pressed white shirt, and black pants. The layers made him sweat profusely, though Lucien wicked away the excess moisture with a slight release on the damper of his magic. He looked good, and that was what mattered at the end of the night.

“Gods, I’m so hungry,” Jurian muttered as he inhaled a fried catfish filet within seconds. “They ate all your jambalaya before I could eat some.”

Lucien laughed. “Better clean up those crumbs and drink some mint julep before the next dance, Jurian. The females won’t appreciate fish breath.” Jurian only rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to a slice of Mardi Gras king cake.

Lucien scanned the rows of vendors, looking for the baked goods. But none of the vendors’ name tags read “Elain Archeron”. He sighed inwardly. He had no idea what Elain Archeron looked like, but had been hoping to try some of her famed treats. Tarquin, Prince of Adriata, could not stop talking about the hummingbird cake, peach cobblers, and powdered sugar beignets Elain made when she catered his Mardi Gras event in Adriata last year.

“If you’re visiting Colibri, you must try Elain Archeron’s food,” Tarquin had told him. “Elain’s cafe should be open by now. She is a very kind female as well, and please tell her I said hello.”

Elain Archeron had been one of the jambalaya contestants earlier in the afternoon, but the female did not bother introducing herself to him. Odd.

“Looking for Vassa?” Jurian inquired. Lucien was supposed to meet the Mardi Gras princess and ask her for the first dance, but her parents claimed Vassa was running late for the ball.

“I suppose,” Lucien murmured, even though that was not the case. Jurian knocked back another glass of Fae wine beside him. “Cauldron, Jurian. Save some space for the mint juleps before you get too drunk.”

“Aha! That reminds me…I’ll find those mint juleps while you’re looking for your princess. All this heat has me parched. Be right back.” Jurian clapped Lucien on the shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.

Lucien lingered on the side, trying to assess which pretty female he would dance with next, when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. A pale-faced female, with onyx black hair and equally dark eyes, was standing behind him. There was something cunning in her face, something odd Lucien could not quite place. Nevertheless, the female was dressed as one of the wait staff and innocuously offered him a platter of powdered beignets.

“Beignet, Your Highness?” she asked, her voice peppy. “I heard the prince has a sweet tooth.”

“Thank you.” Lucien picked one up with a napkin and absentmindedly brought it to his mouth. It was only when Lucien swallowed his first bite that he realized something was wrong. The beignet was slightly bitter, the powdered sugar chalky on his tongue. Suddenly, everything seemed bigger. Everything was bigger.

Lucien blinked, feeling like his eyes had doubled in size based on how long it took for him to fully blink. The grass…it was eye-level, the blades of green sharp and extra vibrant. His body was hunched over on all fours. He was…a frog?

Oh gods. What the hell just happened?

A looming shadow darkened the space around him. Lucien looked up just in time to see the waitress, monstrously tall with a wicked glint in her eyes, poised to slam a bowl over his head.

Act first, think later.

Booiingg! Lucien moved on instinct, his frog legs launching him into the air like a spring. He dove straight into the crowd of Fae party-goers, stalling the waitress from pursuing him any further.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. That was new. Fear seized Lucien like a vise, the adrenaline sending him into flight mode. Where the hell did Jurian go? Everything was so damn big…the distance he normally crossed in three quick strides now required multiple leaps.

There! Jurian was near the tree line, mint juleps in hand. Lucien hopped towards his friend, gaining more mastery over his new limbs with each leap.

“Jurian!” Lucien blinked, surprised that he still retained the ability to speak. “Jurian! Down here!” he called out, louder this time.

The Fae male above him glanced down and promptly dropped the drinks in shock. Lucien flinched reflexively when minty sweet alcohol rained down, but it didn’t matter any more. As a frog, he had no clothes to protect from spilled drinks.

“Fuck, I must be more drunk than I thought.” Jurian blinked twice and chuckled. “I could have sworn that a frog with Lucien’s voice just spoke to me.”

“That’s because it is me!” Lucien hissed, hopping up and down insistently. “Jurian!”

“Holy shit.” Jurian knelt on the ground, scooping him up in his hands. “Lucien, is that you?”

“How many times do I have to say it’s me?” Lucien grumbled. Jurian’s green-brown eyes peered down.

“Cauldron, you still have your scar and your gold eye. Well, it’s not made of metal anymore, but…fuck.” Jurian lifted Lucien up to perch on his shoulder. Lucien brought a webbed hand to his face, feeling at his left eye. Sure enough, he could see out of both eyes—truly see, without relying on a metal contraption. “Fuck, I probably look like I’ve gone mad, talking to a frog.”

The male took some deep breaths, pacing back and forth. Lucien clung onto Jurian’s purple jacket for dear life. “Jurian, can you stop moving?”

“Sorry. We need another drink.” Jurian swiped two goblets of wine off a passing tray and ducked behind a drooping willow tree. Lucien hopped down, sitting on all fours on top of Jurian’s thigh. “Okay, Lucien. What the fuck happened?”

“I ate a beignet from this waitress, and then I turn into a frog and she’s trying to trap me under a bowl!” Lucien glanced furtively at their surroundings, but did not see the wretched female’s face.

“What did the waitress look like?”

“High Fae. Pale, with black hair and black eyes. She was wearing the La Bouff servant’s uniform.” Jurian’s gaze darkened with protective instinct.

“Why would she put a curse on you?”

Lucien shrugged. “Not sure. She knew who I was, though, so that’s strange. I’m Beron’s youngest son, with a slim path to the throne. What good would come out of cursing me?”

“Perhaps she wanted money. Ransom a prince, you know.”

“As if Beron would pay more than a couple coppers to get me back,” Lucien said bitterly.

“You’re right, your father is a bastard.” Jurian frowned. “Could you undo the curse yourself?”

“I can try.” Now that he had Jurian to keep watch, Lucien closed his eyes and tried to tunnel deep down into his well of magic. He had always had a knack for spells and curses. It wasn’t like that of witches, who required specific ingredients, tools, and conditions to generate any effect. Rather, it was pure magic—power that stemmed from being the son of a High Lord.

He found the dark stain of the curse, but despite all his efforts to extract it, the stain remained stubbornly present. It was as if it was interwoven into his very essence. Lucien yanked and prodded and threw wave after wave of magic against it, but to no avail.

“It’s not working,” he announced glumly.

“We should find the La Bouffs…tell them that one of their staff, or the food they served, turned the visiting Autumn Prince into a frog,” Jurian proposed, his fists clenching with concern. “If they cannot resolve this, then they should be held liable.”

“Isn’t that a little harsh?” Lucien replied dryly. “Lord and Lady La Bouff can only do so much. But Vassa…she’s studying to be a witch. I heard she’s the top of her class…perhaps she could assist with undoing the curse.”

“Perhaps,” Jurian mused doubtfully.

Lucien hopped onto the rim of the wine goblet and stuck his tongue into the chilled liquor. The sweet and tangy notes were far more sensational thanks to his new taste buds. Unfortunately, his added weight was an imbalance to the delicate stem, and Lucien promptly tipped backwards. Red wine poured over his entire underside, drenching him.

Jurian began to laugh.

“You know frogs absorb liquid from their underbelly skin, right? You’ll be drunk in no time.” Lucien stuck his tongue out at Jurian and rolled around the grass for a bit, trying to clean himself off. “I suppose Vassa would be glad to help a prince for fame, or fortune.”

“Also, we have the old tale of princesses kissing frog princes,” Lucien reminded Jurian. “With the laws governing witch magic, it’s very likely that this curse follows the same path of resolution.”

Jurian snorted. “Good luck trying to convince a princess—even if it’s a Mardi Gras princess—to kiss a frog. We are better off pleading directly.”

Lucien tried to grin, but it felt strange with a new mouth and new facial muscles. “You seem to underestimate me, Jurian.”

“Let’s bet on it: if you can get the princess to kiss you, I’ll walk Eris’s dogs for the next month.”

“I do enjoy a challenge. I offer you this, just for fun. If the princess kisses you, Jurian, then I’ll buy you a new sword. Out of Illyrian steel.” Lucien stood on his hind legs, straightening his back and tilting his chin up with the regal air of a prince. Jurian rolled his eyes.

“As if a princess would want to kiss a lowly Autumn Kingdom foot soldier over its prince.”

“I beg to differ, Jurian. I’m a frog this time…I think that evens the playing field.” Lucien winked. “Besides, stop discrediting yourself. You’re one of our most skilled warriors. Anyways…best of luck, I’m off to find the princess!”

“You bastard,” Jurian muttered darkly, shaking his head with amusement. He finished his wine in two large gulps, holding the empty glass up in a mock toast. “I would say I hope you lose, but life would also be boring if you were stuck in frog form.”

With that, Lucien hopped off towards the La Bouff mansion. There was a slim chance Vassa was still getting ready for the party—truly, females needed all the time possible plus more for these elaborate events.

Most of the ball’s festivities were taking place in the garden and first floor, and Lucien could hear Lord and Lady La Bouff—the Dorado Mardi Gras King and Queen—chatting with guests. That meant the light emanating from the window on the second floor was none other than Vassa La Bouff’s.

Clinging to small nooks in the marble, scaling up vine to vine—which was made harder thanks to his slippery frog mucus, Lucien made his way to the golden window.

Princess Vassa was standing on the balcony, and simply put, she was the most beautiful female Lucien had ever seen.

The female’s wide eyes were cast towards the heavens, her expression a mixture of hope and despair. Honey-brown hair was swept up into an artful bun studded with luminous pearls. A tiara of rose gold rested on her brow, glittering in the moonlight. Her soft curves and elegant shoulders were accented by a strapless lavender gown with a heart-shaped neckline.

“Please, please, please,” the ethereal princess whispered, clasping her gloved hands to her chest. “Please.”

Lucien hopped closer, the world spinning out of view. Ah, damn it. The alcohol was kicking in faster than he’d anticipated. Princely charm now had to be mobilized in full force if he wanted to receive a kiss.

He cleared his throat, but only a ribbet came out. The princess glanced down, spotting him. Gods, she was beautiful. Those doe brown eyes, that golden skin still warm under the silver moon, and those pretty rosebud lips that hooked Lucien in like a moth to a flame.

“If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask.”

[jeansbabylove]

Black Clover as Uni Students, pt. 2

Black Bulls, pt. 2

Finral Roulacase

was sent to a provincial university because his family was embarrassed that he did not get into the capital's university

still takes up business administration like his dad wanted

not because he had no choice but because he can't think of other options

he had no motivation to study tbh

a terrible student, he'd rather skip classes and meet girls

dabbled into alcohol, drugs, and then drag racing

he had the talent for it so he raced for a few years

it was not a profitable profession and what he was doing was technically illegal, so he stopped

also because he had a wake up call that his supposed fiancée might get married off to his brother instead

went back to school but to study automotive and hopefully become a car mechanic or an engineer

Charmy Pappitson

food is life for this girl so she took culinary arts on weekdays and went to pastry school on weekends

also a social media influencer that focuses on travel and mostly food

she also posts about her monthly private restaurant, where she makes food for her friends (grey and vanessa are a crowd favorite)

people are eating it up and it is the content that everyone looks forward to every month

due to high demand, and like an accidental plan, she opens up charmy's kitchen right after graduation

but because of her nature of wanting to always travel to taste good food, she convinces her mentor jamon in keeping up the business while she makes up recipes

their regulars are usually from rich families like mimosa vermillion and lolopechka heart, where charmy and jamon started extending their services to catering for private functions of their regulars

Gauche Adlai

a thief, a shoplifter, he did all kinds of odd jobs to keep him and his sister afloat

went to juvie, which forced his sister into being kept in an orphanage

their misfortune in life and his time in juvie motivated him to get a proper education so that he won't get scammed by people ever again

once out of juvie, he worked multiple jobs to save up for uni

studies financial management at the local college while keeping some of the jobs he had

visits marie once a month and swears he'll take her back into his custody soon

goes into law school with a scholarship after college, and graduates with honors

gets hired at the largest financial firm in the country and funds marie's college education as well when she got out of the orphanage

Grey

studied biology in the local college

after graduating, she was offered scholarship to continue her masters degree while she worked in the university as a research assistant

she also works at a cleaning company to help with her living expenses

because of her schedule, she usually gets the closing shift of cleaning a commercial building in the city

it was late one night when she almost gets harassed by some men

she was saved by gauche who was clocking out of his shift in the cafe at the second floor

ever since, he would wait for her shift to be done as well and he walks her home since their places are on the same way

continues to work at the university as a full-time researcher while also working on her phd

she quits the cleaning company after a few years but bumps into gauche in the uni and she learns he had enrolled into law school

Zora Ideale

didn't go to college

was previously a gang member until he realized his way of life had no direction and was not what he envisioned

became motivated to turn his life around

would definitely be one to sign up multiple accounts for free online classes

fucking lost his mind when certifications are actually to be paid for

took decent part-time jobs to get his certificates

started his security company from his meager savings and tremendous efforts

was able to grow it into a mid-size company in just two years

okay i am legit so obsessed with black clover these days and i wanna keep going with these scenarios. i was thinking of part 3 for the rest of the black bulls but i also wanna do the golden dawn babies. aaaaaa i might continue this later, see u!!!

up next... tba

[stoked2surf]

Today we deep cleaned and worked on making a shade net for the field. Cleaning took priority though bc the outdoor kitchen and bathrooms desperately needed it, two spaces i personally like to have pristine.

After work we were looking for something to do so we decided to head to Montezuma beach about 20 minutes down the road opposite of santa teresa. The roads were much more winding and far less steep, but possessed many potholes so traveling slow was key.

Once in town we were greeted by colorful building and hand painted signs about happy hours and menus along with the welcoming smell of a wood fired stove. the town is fairly small and positioned right on the water with a beautiful cove.

first things first we grabbed an iced americano at a beautiful cafe with tons or outdoor seating and welcoming beach signs all hand painted. we took out coffee to go and walked through town and found ourselves at a beach entrance with a trail walk. we decided to walk it for a little while and see where it led. there is a much longer route but we did what we had time for before the sun set.

Plenty of lavarock like formations along the beaches provided for many fun side quests to look in tide pools and shell beds. shell collecting is frowned upon in this area so we stuck to seaglass and tile if we found it.

We wondered all the way to a beautiful beach with a waterfall and many rock piles that people have stacked on top of eachother. we couldn’t quite explain the feeling but this place felt spiritual in a way.

on our way back into town we wanted a cocktail and came across a place on the water that claimed “the best fucking view in montezuma” so naturally we checked it out but were a little stunned by the prices, (gringo prices), so we left and went to a place we saw on the way in that had a happy hour special.

Upon arrival the setting is magical, very laid back open environment with a wood fired stove that the food is all cooked in (what we smelled on arrival), and the decor was on point. the best way to describe it was a Costa Rica “dive bar”.

the staff was incredibly personable and you felt at home and very welcome. (we do believe that everyone there was very very drunk). We had the best cocktails that we’ve had while here and they were two for one! i had a white russian with about 3oz of liquor in it haha and Annagrace has a passion fruit margarita which she said is the best margarita she’s ever had!

We spent some time there and headed back to camp but in the parking lot we were approached by a german woman and a teenager she claimed to be her son, they asked if we spoke english and then told us there predicament.

They said they had no service or wifi and needed to get to their hotel with all there bags and they taxi wanted to charge them $100 usd (which is ridiculous) but my gut feeling felt off. They asked for a ride before telling us anything about themselves or their trip. from the start of it it felt fishy and i knew i was not going to be providing any rides as the facts continued to not line up.

we could not even give them a ride as my surfboard took up the back of the rental car the way it had to be slid in eliminating two seats, leaving only one open. we told them this and provided them with a location across the street that had free wifi and two numbers for local taxis that were given to us by a local restaurant owner, and they were both very reliable and would not rip you off. but they refused and moved on very quickly once we said no, like who wouldn’t want this valuable information in this situation?? fishy.

overall trust your gut and you will be okay. pura vida.

[absentcaryatid]

In Love with a Married Man

An ATEEZ fanfic by AbsentCaryatid

With the help of supportive friends, Seonghwa and the reader begin a romantic relationship despite Seonghwa's status as a married man. The circumstances are far more solemn than prurient in this heavy story.

3.4K words, Content note: suitable for all Tumblr using ages, gender neutral reader, angst with some lighthearted moments, emotional hurt/comfort, Alzheimer's disease, therapy mentioned, food, cheating is referenced, peaceful off-page death of the spouse, reader has an unspecified health issue affecting their energy levels, they/them pronouns used for the reader

~

The rumpled man ran a hand through his gray touched black hair as he stared off into the distance. As a regular at your restaurant, you would have remembered him anyway, even if he had not had such elegant features. Tonight, his handsomeness was countered with the look of a haunted man. With motives based more in shared humanity than food service, you carried the coffee pot over as an excuse to check on him.

Close like this you could see tears streaking his cheeks. Offering a clean handkerchief from your pocket, it took a while for him to notice your presence, much less the handout. Taking the cloth slowly, his gaze was unfocused and seemed to go right through you. “It is my wife,” he uttered in a strained voice that broke your heart.

He did not seem well at all. Concerned he was going into shock from some bad news, you slipped into the booth at his side. Unexpectedly, he clung to your shoulder, body wracked with sobs. “She doesn't know me anymore.” Wetness seeped through your shirt as you wondered how to handle the situation. Recollecting himself, he quickly scooted out the other side of the booth. Awkwardly he fished from his pocket a large bill far more than the value of his meal which was then crumpled into your hand before he rushed out.

The abrupt exit and behavior leading up to it was not remarked on. Patrons at your place tended to mind their own business, though you did share a quizzical look with Yeosang, the other server on duty tonight. Your mind kept coming back to the man and his situation throughout the rest of your shift. You hoped he made it home safe tonight, and that he had people to look after him in such a rough condition.

The next week he was back, earlier than usual, and bearing a box of cookies from an upscale bakery nearby. Handing them over with a bow, his soft voice asked for forgiveness. “I behaved very badly last week. I won't trouble you again.”

Setting the carton aside, you waved him into his regular booth. “You will always be welcome at my cafe. There is nothing to forgive, I am sure your reaction was very human given whatever your circumstances were.”

A look of gratitude crossed his face. “Thank you, you are very kind.” While his words said the right things to be polite, he seemed flustered still. “I would like to explain myself, if I may. Would it be weird to ask you to join me for a moment?”

Drawn to his sincerity, you reasoned your other customers could wait as long as it took to put the man at ease. One of the perks of owning the cafe was the ability to take a break whenever you needed to and the steady customers got along just as well without you, to the point of getting their own drinks if needed. The cook, Wooyoung, was used to your health needs that led to frequent unscheduled rest time and he would bring out the dishes as needed if Yeosang had his hands full covering for your section of tables.

Far more composed this week, the man who sat across from you began his story. “My name is Seonghwa, and twenty-five years ago I married the love of my life.” Getting that out must have been a heavy task by the way he released a labored breath afterward. “You might have noticed me here every week at the same time.” At your nod he continued. “My wife has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. With our kids away in college, I can't bear going back to an empty house after visiting her in the nursing home nearby so this transition time over dinners has been a necessary thing for me. Having others around really helps me get out of my own worries. Usually that is, last week was a lot.”

Seonghwa fiddled with his hands on the table, and you unconsciously leaned in, reaching out to hold one. The gesture was a caring one, and he seemed to receive it that way, drawing strength from your warmth. “She gets angry lately, she can't help her rages, so I left earlier than expected. I love her so much and it is killing me to see her like this while I am helpless to ease her distress. At this point she has not recognized me for a month, and it is almost too much to bear.”

You squeezed his hand before pulling away as you sat back up fully. “I have seen what Alzheimer's did to my great-grandmother, and how it affected the whole family. It was particularly hard for her husband. My heart goes out to you dealing with this, with your wife still so young, your kids too.”

“Thank you. I really haven't talked to anybody about this. My boss is aware due to all the sick leave I was taking to care for her beforehand, until it became too much, but he doesn't understand like someone who has been there.” Seonghwa met your eyes. “It is not right of me to burden you with my troubles, though. You wouldn't happen to know a good therapist, would you?”

“Now that I can help with.” Glad you finally had something substantial to offer, you gestured with a thumb toward the back wall. “There is a card for a grief counselor on the cork board by the cash register. Jongho is a regular, in here for black coffee each morning. He can be pretty stoic, probably shields himself from taking on clients' pain, but multiple people can vouch for the quality of his services, including myself.”

“You lost someone?” Seonghwa's concern for you amidst his own troubles touched your heart.

“There are many kinds of loss. I had to give up the version of my future I was expecting. Jongho helped me come to terms with my disability diagnosis and my own changing body.”

Seonghwa looked thoughtful. “Even though she is still here, in many ways the woman I married is gone and I am grieving prematurely. Seeing Jongho would probably do me a lot of good.”

“I hope so.” With a last tender look, you pulled out your pen, then stood and announced you were back in wait staff mode with the question, “So, what will you have tonight?” By the time your shift ended, and Seonghwa long since gone, you noticed the business card was taken from the board. You hoped Jongho could help such a clearly troubled man with the burden he was carrying.

Seasons came and went, and slowly but surely each week brought Seonghwa looking healthier. Sometimes he was absent on his usual day, often returning with college souvenirs, a new hat or sweatshirt courtesy of his growing children. He now regularly showed up with houseplant gifts too, a small collection dotted the cafe entryway on shelving he had installed himself. Both the garden club and woodworking classes at the community college had expanded Seonghwa's circle of friends. Some of them would join him for semi-boisterous weekend brunches and it thrilled you to see Seonghwa laughing at their jokes.

He of course was not responsible for much of their noise. Mingi and Yunho were the loud ones, easy to recognize from their height but also the way their voices carried. It never bothered the other patrons so you didn't mind, especially not when you saw life returning to Seonghwa's eyes. You knew things would never be easier given his wife's condition, but he seemed to be coming out from under the strain of being her caregiver for so long.

San's soft voice with a question about the specials brought you out of the trance. Hopefully the moment of woolgathering was not too noticeable, nor was your focus on Seonghwa. Taking their orders went quickly after so many visits had the group familiar with the menu. Seonghwa was first, then he excused himself to wash his hands.

Meanwhile, you began walking away to inform Wooyoung of the latest orders. Years of experience let you catch Hongjoong's voice over the clatter of plates and conversations all around, and it brought you to a halt. You weren't proud of it, but you eavesdropped while pretending to straighten the place settings at a nearby table.

“San, we went over this before. The cafe owner is off limits.”

Mingi's deep voice came next. “If Seonghwa is not ready to ask them out, perhaps jealousy might be the motive he needs. That other server, what's his name....”

“Yeosang,” Yunho supplied.

“That's it,” Mingi continued, “Yeosang has been pretty obvious dropping hints that his employer is single. Let San shoot his shot if Seonghwa is not ready to begin dating.”

In a scandalized tone, Yunho pointed out, “But Seonghwa is married!”

Hongjoong shut down the judgement of their friend. “We all know his situation. It is a marriage in name only at this point. As much as he loves his wife, the relationship is effectively over on her side with no memory of him or their children at all, and her mental capacity in steep decline. Seonghwa did say his therapist was helping him work on giving himself permission to move on in some ways.”

Your eyes went wide from all you had learned. It was in confidence you had admitted to Yeosang late one night while closing down how charming you thought Seonghwa was. Attractive too, may have been mentioned. It never had occurred to you that Seonghwa might be looking for companionship again. Apparently Yeosang had some strong ideas about who might be a good match, but the idea of his blatant assistance in this way was mortifying. Looking around for the man you were strongly considering demoting to busboy on the spot, you grabbed him by a muscled arm and dragged Yeosang into the kitchen.

“Go wrestle in the dining room, you are going to make this souffle fall,” Wooyoung complained good-naturedly.

He was right of course, you were behaving unprofessionally. Still, you had your limits and being dangled before customers was beyond the pale. Fussing with your apron, you took it off and slumped in the chair set aside for your frequent rest breaks. “As much as I like him, Seonghwa would never want a spoonie like me. He's already had enough tragedy in his life.”

Yeosang and Wooyoung took notice how quickly your mood had tanked. It was not like you to be so down about your condition and it had your friends worried. “I was out of line,” Yeosang admitted. “I should not be so cavalier with your love life.”

Wooyoung took your hands in his after glancing at the griddle to make sure nothing needed immediate attention. “Yeosang is right though, I don't even get out of the kitchen often and yet the number of times I've seen Seonghwa following your every move with a smile on his face has been, well, a lot, okay? He is obviously smitten.”

“Maybe I just have a cowlick and is laughing at me.”

Wooyoung threw an arm around your shoulders. “Darling,” he began, and you knew any authority you once had over him as an employer was lost forever after this day. “Take the chance if he offers a date. Worst that can happen is all goes well and we tease you about us being right forever.”

Agonized, you rubbed your face. “If he asks. I'm not making the first move and looking like I am preying on customers.” Trying not to panic, you prepared to face Seonghwa with this new information in the forefront of your mind.

Yeosang handed you a fresh paper towel after you washed your hands. Now ready to work, he sent you back out with an encouraging word in your ear. “Just watch Seonghwa's reactions to you. We are telling you, he really likes you.”

Wooyoung took a look at the order slip you had left behind. He recognized the omelet Seonghwa always chose and smiled at Yeosang. “I can work with this.”

When time came to bring the food to Seonghwa's table, you conveyed a message from Wooyoung. “My cook said to tell you he made it extra-special just for you, and to look carefully if it has everything you want.”

Seonghwa looked perplexed. “Um, okay. It is the same order all the time, but, uh, please thank him for me.”

Shaking your head as you left, wondering if it was better not to know what Wooyoung was on about this time, you briefly contemplated life with different employees.

Back at the table, your crush poked at the food suspiciously and the omelet flopped open. Finely diced bacon, mushrooms, onion, and green pepper were secured in a thick layer of melted cheese. “Boss likes you back,” was the carefully arranged message formed by the ingredients.

Hongjoong was the first to notice the hot sauce embellishment in the shape of a heart on the upper portion and he lovingly teased, “Looks like everybody is rooting for you two to figure things out.”

Seonghwa would have been furious at this meddling from all sides if he had not already been thinking for a long time about dating you. Most of his sessions with Jongho these days revolved around the ethics of going out while married. At this point, he was the only one holding himself back. For some time now, Seonghwa's own children by his beloved wife had been urging their father to let himself date if he wanted. And truly, he longed for romantic affection and companionship in his life again. It was not that he did not want to begin another relationship, and he always did have you in mind, but he still felt a lingering sense of duty to his wife and the vows to forsake all others taken long ago.

Observing carefully to make sure they were not pressuring, Seonghwa's companions talked it over with him. San even Googled some caring, real-world advice from a clergyman about a similar situation which seemed to offer some relief. With newfound resolve found through the support of his friends, Seonghwa had an answer ready the next time you came by asking if there was anything he needed. “There is one thing I need, if it is okay with you. May I take out on a date?”

The hoped for words still took you by surprise so you slowly repeated, “You need to take me out?” You blinked, too stunned to do anything else. No customer had ever made that request before, and frankly there was no other customer you would have accepted the offer from. “Yes.” The certain answer was all you could manage to get yourself to say in the moment, but you must have said it aloud because his reaction was immediate.

Ecstatic, Seonghwa made an unserious suggestion, with laughter that reached his eyes. “Where shall I take you? Here perhaps?”

The thought of getting to know your crush under the eyes of your troublemaking staff horrified you. “Pizza, an ice-cream parlor, funnel cake at the fair will do, anywhere but here, please,” you pled.

After some consultation, the date was set and you retreated to the kitchen to recover.

“Did you accept? Please tell me he asked, right?” Wooyoung seemed overly knowledgeable for someone stuck in the kitchen while everything was going on. After updating him on the results, he grinned and showed you a photograph on his phone of the omelet message before it had been hidden. While you were tempted to playfully hit him at first, Wooyoung's thoughtful documentation of how your relationship began became a cherished memento later saved to your own phone and Seonghwa's since he had been too anxious to think of preserving it before eating.

The first date of many to come was a mix of both lighthearted and serious moments. There were things you both needed to be very realistic about if the relationship had any chance of succeeding. He was upfront that some of his in-laws would see your relationship as cheating on his wife. In fact, her sister would later try to wound you with the knowledge that Seonghwa would never have been yours if his wife hadn't developed Alzheimer's. The love and support you received from Seonghwa allowed you to be charitable toward her behavior since she had lost her close sibling to the disease. Still, he defended you with the firm boundary that she would be cut out of his life if she ever tried to hurt you again.

On his side, Seonghwa came to terms with the limitations of your own health. The sudden fatigue, the down days, and the need to listen promptly when your body needed rest were all facts of your life he needed to respect. In the past you had lost friends who could not comprehend that a diagnosis does not always mean getting better. This was your life, and Seonghwa accepted that, proving daily his worth.

You learned from Seonghwa's upbringing that he considered marriage sacrosanct. To even hint at the possibility of a sustained romantic relationship, no matter how unavailable his wife, was a huge step you were certain he was not taking lightly. Things progressed, and while his adult children were at first hesitant to meet their father's partner now that dating had become a reality, they were quickly won over to see the two of you together. When their dad had explained you were the reason his eyes sparkled again, they were completely supportive, more than you had ever hoped, even when you eventually moved in with Seonghwa and were present for all the family holidays.

Seonghwa's weekly visits to his wife continued. Out of respect you would wait in the car or begin grocery shopping nearby. A few times you had to abandon the cart when it was obvious Seonghwa needed your attention to console him after such emotionally draining visits. He made sure his wife was receiving the best care possible, but it was incredibly difficult to be a complete stranger, and sometimes one she became agitated to see.

When the call came one day that she had passed peacefully in her sleep, it was both a relief and heartbreaking. Seonghwa cried for both who he had lost and because his wife could now be at peace. You held him tight and rocked him to sleep.

Over a year had passed since her funeral. His sister-in-law had held her tongue while you were in the front row. Seonghwa had insisted that being between his children and with you nearby gave him the strength to get through the day. Most days he woke up telling you how grateful he was to be your partner. One day was different. He asked you to marry him.

It had been something the two of you had discussed on and off for years, more as a hypothetical situation. As a widower, Seonghwa was now free to remarry, but had needed the time to feel right. Sensitive to his situation, you had never pushed, and would have been his forever even without further commitment than your already shared lives. Still, now that he was truly ready, you accepted his proposal without hesitation.

The ceremony was a simple civil service. Seonghwa's kids were there, as were your friends Yeosang and Wooyoung. Seonghwa had remained close with his hobby friend group so Hongjoong, Yunho, San, and Mingi were also present. And then Jongho, friend to you both now that he had sworn off treating either of you ever again.

That night you lay in bed simply enjoying the closeness of being cuddled up to your husband. You must have been tired because your mind wandered to his deceased wife. “Sometimes I worry I took you away from her.”

Seonghwa looked at you fondly as he stroked your hair in reassurance. “The damage was done by her disease long before you entered my life. I love you for being so caring, but please don't let my past dim your happiness on this day. It is an occasion to celebrate.”

You nodded sleepily into his shoulder. Seonghwa would always carry a photo of his wife in his wallet, now in addition to one of your own wedding day. Acknowledging his past was necessary to loving him fully, and you never compared yourself to her. Without reservation, he had chosen you both at different times and there was no competition. The only thing that mattered going forward was the present, a long life partnered to the man you adored. Seonghwa absolutely loved you in return and made sure you were secure in that knowledge for the rest of his life.

~

Masterlist

[richwall101]

The Bristol Beacon (Formerly The Colston Hall) Bristol's Main Concert Performing & Arts Centre

Top Picture - The Original Victorian Facade of 1887 Cleaned and refurbished.

The Second & Third Pictures - The newly built Beacon Foyer sits adjacent to the main performance hall and provides performance and arts space, Cafe, Bars, Ticket Office, Restaurants, and customer facilities. (This image shows it with the name Colston Hall this has now been removed and replaced with its new name Beacon Hall)

The Forth Picture - Shows part of the rebuilt and refurbished main entrance of the original Victorian Building with new stairs leading down to a large basement area with bars and other customer services.

The Fifth Picture - This shows the main performance auditorium under construction and almost complete. This new design has been built to provide an almost perfect state of the art variable acoustic environment..

The Hall openes for its first performance on 30th November 2023