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adorkablephil · 6 years

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Fic: The Roles We Play (4)

Title: The Roles We Play Summary: Dan Howell and Phil Lester work together as voice actors for BBC radio dramas in the late 1930s, but slowly begin to develop “inappropriate” feelings for each other Rating: G Word Count: 3,046 (this chapter) Tags: Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Historical AU, 1930s, BBC, Radio, Actors AU, Slow Burn, Love Letters, Past Character Death, Grief, Angst Author’s Note: This fic was inspired by the @phanfichallenge 20k History Challenge. A bazillion thanks, as always, to my amazing beta, India! See my note on the first chapter regarding historical inaccuracies.

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18 March 2001

Kathleen should have gone home about an hour ago, but she’d found herself unable to put down the letters emerging from the shoebox. She needed to know more! She wanted to know how it all turned out … and yet she wasn’t willing to cheat by skipping to the letters in the bottom of the box. She wanted to read each in its turn, following the story as it had unfolded in these men’s real lives.

She had also fallen hopelessly in love with Great-Uncle Dan and wished desperately that she’d gotten a chance to know him. If Phil Lester’s letters to him were any indication, Daniel Howell had been an incredibly wonderful person well worth loving.

Picking up her phone, she called her husband to tell him what was happening. He, too, expressed curiosity and urged her to stay as late as she liked. He would give the kids their dinner and even put them to bed if necessary. “No,” Kathleen objected. “I’ll be home before bedtime, I promise. I just want to read a few more letters.”

“Order in some food,” her husband, Stuart, insisted. “Look on their fridge. Even crusty old men probably have takeaway menus on their refrigerator. Have some dinner, read some more letters, and come home when you’re ready. You can always go back tomorrow to read more. Or bring the box with you.”

Kathleen shook her head, even though she knew Stuart couldn’t see her. “It would feel wrong to take the shoebox out of the house,” she explained. “I can’t explain it, but I don’t even want to move it off the table. My great-uncle had it open here—left it here perhaps the night before he died in his bed—and it seems disrespectful to move something so precious to him away from where he left it.”

“Well,” Stuart replied slowly, “you will eventually have to sell the house. And probably the table, as well.”

Kathleen laughed. “I know. I don’t need to leave it here forever … just … maybe until I’ve finished reading all the letters. Then I can pack them up and take them home. Save them somewhere special.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Stuart agreed gently. He was a good man. “Just make sure to eat something and don’t stay too late. Remember, you can go back tomorrow.”

“Yes, sweetheart. I’ll see you in perhaps two hours.” They said their goodbyes, and Kathleen wandered into the house’s tidy kitchen. All of the cabinet doors were slightly ajar for some reason, so she shut them. Such things disturbed her sense of order, and she wondered why her Great-Uncle Dan would have left the doors open like that. Did he honestly not notice or care? Or had it been some odd personal choice she could not understand? Did he have some reason for preferring them that way?

As Stuart had predicted, there were indeed a number of takeaway menus on the refrigerator. The one on top was for Domino’s Pizza, so Kathleen decided to order from them in honor of this house’s former occupants and their apparent culinary preferences. She phoned and was asked if she would like the usual order for that address, with all the dips. “Er … no,” she replied, and then ordered herself a simple, small pepperoni pizza. She also helped herself to some Ribena from the kitchen, where she found an entire drawer full of bottles of the stuff. It helped her feel more connected to them, as if she were somehow drinking their favorite drink with them. She raised her glass in a toast to Daniel Howell and Philip Lester, still uncertain whether Philip had been her great-uncle’s “housemate” or if Dan had found some other love later in life. She very much hoped that this had been Dan and Philip’s home together.

Waiting for the food to be delivered, sipping her glass of Ribena, she returned to the kitchen table and eagerly picked up the next letter.

4 August 1939

My most beloved Daniel,

In my lonely house at night, I think only of you. I re-read your letters and hold them to my heart. I think of the sweet words you have written and wish that I could hear them spoken by your lips.

I fear I am utterly besotted. Will you laugh at me? I think not, for I believe you share the intensity of my feelings, but I sometimes feel so alone, isolated in my inability to speak to you on these topics directly. Every time your eyes meet mine, I feel as if I have missed a step on a flight of stairs, as if I am suddenly falling. And, as when falling, I am not entirely without fear, but I like to imagine my fall ending with me landing in your arms.

Fancifully yours, Philip

There were many such papers: some proper love letters and others simple short notes. Kathleen’s pizza arrived, and she began eating absentmindedly, her attention still primarily on the letters from the shoebox. She held them far away from the pizza, however, lest pizza grease stain anything. She would rather risk pizza sauce falling on her own clothing than besmirch her great-uncle’s love letters.

18 September 1939

My Beloved Daniel,

Today during the radio broadcast, you touched my hand by chance, and I found myself momentarily unable to speak. You may perhaps be a negative influence upon my career, and yet I want only to feel the touch of your hand again and again. I want to hold your hand in mine and press a gentle kiss to your palm.

With these thoughts in mind, I will seek sleep tonight in my lonely bed and mail this upon the morrow so that I may hope to inspire dreams of you as long as the letter remains in my possession. In truth, I dream of you most nights, and expect tonight will be no different. I hope you also dream of me.

Yours always and forever, Philip

The doorbell rang again, surprising Kathleen. She looked at her watch to see that it was now early evening, and she should really leave this work behind and return to her family soon. She wondered who might be at the door, and so went to answer it. An older lady with bright red hair showing gray at the roots smiled in a very friendly fashion from the doorstep. “You must belong to one of my boys,” the woman said unexpectedly.

“One of your boys?” Kathleen repeated in confusion.

“Oh, my, yes. My Danny and Philly. Much older than me, of course, but still my boys. I’m Bernice, their neighbor these past … oh … more than twenty years. Nearly thirty, now, in fact.” The woman shook her head sadly, then reached out to take Kathleen’s hand and pat it gently between her own. “You must feel their loss even more keenly than I do.” And then somehow the woman was coming into the house, though Kathleen could not remember having invited her by word or by gesture. Bernice boldly went into the kitchen and made herself a glass of Ribena, then commented softly, “Oh. Someone closed the cabinets. Was that you?”

Kathleen nodded. “I don’t know why they were all open; perhaps a flaw in the construction? But seeing them all open like that bothered me, so I closed them. Why do you ask?”

Bernice smiled sadly. “It always bothered Dan, too. Phil was always leaving the cabinets open, and Dan always chided him about it. They bickered like the old married couple they were, you know.” Kathleen was happy to hear her hopes realized: It was Phil Lester with whom her great-uncle had gotten to spend his elder years. But the odd woman had continued speaking, her voice quiet and reverential. “After his dear Philip died, though, I came every day to visit poor Daniel to make sure that he was eating properly. He grieved so deeply, you know. I noticed the open cabinets and asked him about it, and do you know what that sweet boy said? He told me, ‘If the cabinet doors are open, then I feel like Phil might still be in the house, so I daren’t close them or face the fact that he is truly gone.’ Of course, he himself was gone not long after. Couldn’t live without his love, I think. They were the closest two people I’ve ever known, those two.”

Feeling a sudden upwelling of affection for this woman who had apparently cared deeply for the two men Kathleen had only begun to know through the letters, she smiled and said, “I’m Kathleen Banks, Daniel Howell’s great-niece. I didn’t know him well, and I didn’t know Philip Lester at all, so I would love to hear stories about them. I do wish I’d had the chance to know them before they died.”

Bernice looked Kathleen up and down and replied tartly, “Looks to me like you had at least forty years of opportunity, missy. It’s a mite late to be regretting now.”

Kathleen blushed, feeling as if she needed to explain herself to a woman she’d never even met before 10 minutes ago. “Great-Uncle Dan was estranged from the family my entire life, and I didn’t even know that Philip Lester existed until I began reading his letters today. My family told me that Great-Uncle Dan lived with another Army pensioner to help pay the rent, but that was obviously a lie. Given the way my family seems to have treated him, I don’t know if he would even have been open to knowing me.”

Bernice put her hands on her sizeable hips and shook her head in disbelief. “Well, of course he would have, child! It was only his own family that wouldn’t have him! Or, at least, that’s what dear Philly told me over tea one time when Dan was away. His mother’s funeral, I think it was, and Phil said it was one of the few times the family would even let him near. But of course Phil could not go with him. Danny never talked about his family, but I know Phil hurt for him.”

Kathleen frowned deeply. “I didn’t know,” she told Bernice. “No one ever talked about him, and I guess I was just busy with my own life, and I never thought…”

“Yes, yes,” Bernice interrupted her brusquely. “None of you ever thought of him. But that boy still had a family that loved him.”

Kathleen wanted to ask what family Bernice was referring to, but Bernice had walked up to a photo on the wall and smiled broadly at it. “Oh, those dogs. They loved those dogs. They’ve been gone 10 years or so now, but sweet Danny and Philly kept their photo on the wall.” Kathleen went to look and saw a photograph of two very happy-looking corgis with tongues lolling in doggy smiles at the camera. “The boys walked those dogs twice a day, every day, and it was often the only time they left the house. They liked their own company, you know—didn’t go out much. If I hadn’t stopped by so often to bring them proper food, they would have had pizza delivered every night.”

Kathleen glanced guiltily at the kitchen table, where her pizza still sat a safe distance from Dan’s pile of keepsakes.

“Oh,” Bernice breathed, having followed Kathleen’s glance toward the table. “Dan’s box of memories. He went through that every day near the end. I can only imagine the things he loved deeply enough to save all those years and bring out constantly during those final days.” She sighed, sniffed, and quickly wiped a hand across one of her eyes. She cleared her throat and added, “Well, I suppose it’s only fair that someone from his family be permitted to read the things he held most dear, though the whole lot should most likely be given to those what loved him when you’re finished.” Bernice gave her a steely-eyed glance.

“I think I’ve been coming to love him by seeing him through Phil’s eyes,” Kathleen admitted. “I wish so very much that I hadn’t lost a chance I never even knew I had. He seems like a really lovely person.”

Bernice laughed. “Oh, he was a crotchety old goat much of the time, unlike his sweet Philly, but that Dan had a heart of gold under all that bluster. I do wish you had gotten to know him, as you seem like you might be one of his few relations that might have brought him joy.” Bernice paused. “As long as you loved Phil equally, of course. There was no Dan without Phil, no Phil without Dan. They were a matched pair, and you wouldn’t have gotten a second glance from your great-uncle if you didn’t accept that Phil meant the world to him.”

Kathleen felt tears sting her eyes. “I think that may be why he became so estranged from the family. I think there may have been family members who couldn’t accept their relationship. That’s my guess, anyway. But I can promise you this: If I had ever gotten to meet the Phil Lester who wrote those letters, I would have hugged him even more tightly than my own Great-Uncle Dan. I feel as if prejudice within my own family stole them both from my life, never giving me the opportunity to know them.”

“Oh, pooh!” said Bernice with a dismissive hand gesture. “They wouldn’t have wanted much company anyway! They liked to be on their own, in their own little world, just the two of them.” She seemed to see something in Kathleen’s face and added, “But if you ever want to hear stories about them, get to know them a bit after the fact, you come visit me any time you like. I live just next door at number 18.” Bernice went to wash out her Ribena glass and left it upside down in the dish drainer. “I should be getting home now. I just wanted to see who was over here, since I saw the light on and got curious.” She stepped close and shocked Kathleen by kissing her lightly on the cheek. “You seem a sweet girl. Come see me anytime you’d like to hear about your uncles, because I loved those boys dearly and will never tire telling stories about them.” She smiled sadly again, gave Kathleen another quick kiss on the cheek, and then opened the door and left without another word.

Stunned, Kathleen sat down again at the table. The congealed pizza no longer looked remotely appetizing, and she hated seeing it so close to those delicate and precious documents her great-uncle had saved so carefully. She put the remaining pizza in the refrigerator, knowing that she would be returning tomorrow and might be willing to snack on it then.

Just a couple more letters, she told herself. Maybe two more, then she would head home. There was still plenty of time before the kids needed to go to bed, and Kathleen didn’t want to leave quite yet, not after that emotional conversation with the neighbor.

31 December 1939

My love,

I was, of course, distraught to see you leave so soon after that most precious moment, but I know that you must spend part of the festive season with your own family. I cannot have your attention every moment of every day, no matter how much I may desire it. Please know that you are in my heart and in my thoughts always.

As I write this, I know that I shall see you this evening for our New Year’s Eve broadcast. I will see your lovely brown eyes turn to me and I will know the emotions and the memories behind that glance. We may shake hands or I may rest a hand upon your shoulder, but those small touches contain a multitude of emotions.

We start the new year by turning a beautiful new page. We may find ourselves not in a position to express our feelings as openly as we might like, but we two know the truth and share its inestimable beauty.

Yours most devotedly, Phil

Kathleen couldn’t help wondering about “that most precious moment,” and quickly picked up the next envelope, only to find that it did not contain a letter. Or, rather, it contained a form letter with relevant details stamped in ink.

NATIONAL SERVICE (ARMED FORCES) ACT, 1939 ENLISTMENT NOTICE Date: 15 JANUARY 1940 Mr. DANIEL JAMES HOWELL

DEAR SIR,

In accordance with the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, you are called upon for service in the ARMY and are required to present yourself on MONDAY 29 JAN 1940, at 10 a.m., or as early as possible thereafter on that day to:

RINGSTEAD BARRACKS MILL HILL RINGSTEAD DORSET NW7

A Travelling Warrant for your journey is enclosed. Before starting your journey you must exchange the warrant for a ticket at the booking office named on the warrant. If possible, this should be done a day or two before you are due to travel.

A Postal Order for 4s, in respect of advance of service pay, is also enclosed. Uniform and personal kit will be issued to you after joining H.M. Forces. Any kit that you take with you should not exceed an overcoat, change of clothes, stout pair of boots, and personal kit, such as razor, hair brush, tooth brush, soap and towel.

Immediately on receipt of this notice, you should inform your employer of the date upon which you are required to report for service.

Yours faithfully, James Alistair Davies Manager.

Kathleen found herself almost physically ill at the phrasing of the closing of the letter. “Yours faithfully”? Among all these letters from the truly faithful Phil Lester, a bureaucratic form from the British Army sending Daniel Howell off to World War II with a “Yours faithfully” made Kathleen nearly lose the pizza she’d eaten earlier.

She decided this was an excellent time to go home to the warm arms of her loving husband, who wouldn’t mind if she cried a little bit over events of decades past.

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[ Continue to Chapter 5 ]

#phanfiction #phanfic #historical phanfiction #historical phanfic #phanfiction historical #phanfic historical #phanfiction au #au phanfiction #phanfic au #au phanfic #historical au #1930s phan #the roles we play #myphanfic

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thelittleredheadedmusician · 7 years

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The Girls Who Wear the Bat

Batfam Week day 5 is Legacy! Since the Batgirls are my all time favorite DC characters I just had to write this one about them. Please enjoy my (and Cass’s) short take on what comes from being Batgirl. You can also read it here on my ao3. Rating: G Words: 1,654 Gen

Cass smiled as she tightened the straps on her backpack. It was specially designed to fit over her cape and still allow her to ride her motorcycle. She was sitting on the bike as she pulled her helmet on. Kick starting the ignition she waved to Alfred as she peeled out of the cave.

She raced through the back roads of Bristol into the city. Weaving through the outer suburbs deeper into traffic. She turned off suddenly and pulled into an underground parking garage. Pressing a button on the bike caused a section of the wall to open up, allowing Cass to drive right in to the hidden elevator. She cut the engine and rode up to the top floor. Cass walked her bike into the middle of the penthouse apartment that was technically in her name though she rarely used it for its intended purpose, instead staying at the manor or one of her siblings’. Leaving the helmet on the floor and she shook her head to resettle her short hair. Cass pressed her Black Bat domino mask to her face and climbed the ladder out the skylight.

She took a deep breath of the night air, smiling at the stars and skyline. Walking to the edge of the roof she spun on her toes before leaping off of the ledge. She fired a grapple line as she fell, swinging in graceful arch to the next rooftop. As soon as her feet hit pavement Cass began running, as she made her way deeper into the heart of the city the buildings were closer together allowing her to merely leap from one to the other rather than using her grapple. She pulled it from her belt though as the Clocktower loomed closer. Firing it Cass launched herself off the roof she was currently on and zipped up the side. The tips of her hair and cape fluttered in the breeze, as did the wrappings on her wrists. She soared past the huge clock face and landed neatly on the window ledge above it.

Slipping in Cass set the grapple down on the desk of the bedroom that she had landed in. The one reserved for her and Stephanie’s use. She set her mask next to the grapple but kept the backpack on as she left. Creeping down the steps Cass paused before entering the main space of the Clocktower. A mix of high-tech command center and studio apartment that Barbara had always made feel like home for her.

On one of the large computer screens was the menu scene for 10 Things I Hate About You, the jaunty music just barely reaching Cass’s finetuned ears. On another screen was video footage of Black Canary, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk. The Birds were coming back from a mission and their banter could be heard over the speakers. Babs was slouched in her chair, laughing.

Cass smiled as she looked at her mentor, seeing the relief, happiness, pride, and just a hair of exasperation that she had for her friends. A snort from the couch drew Cass’s attention. Steph was stretched out across it still half in uniform. Her cowl and boots were off and her cape had been flung across the armchair. She wiggled her toes as she continued to giggle at the Birds’ jibs coming in over the comms. Relaxation and ease practically oozed off of her. In spite of this there was a smidge of anticipation in Steph’s frame, likely because they were still waiting on Cass to officially start Batgirl Bonding.

She padded into the room, moving to sit herself on the chair that Steph’s cape was currently occupying. The blonde had her neck craned to see the screen with Barbara’s team on it so she never saw Cass. When Steph rolled over with a laugh her eyes were squeezed shut. Cass stifled a laugh of her own as she slipped the backpack off her shoulders and onto the floor.

Cass schooled her features into a deadpan expression as she stared at her best friend. When Steph opened her eyes and saw Cass sitting there she jumped and launched herself to a wobbly standing position on the couch cushions.

“Mother of Rao!” Steph cried wide-eyed. Cass’s face broke into a wide grin.

Babs whirled around at Steph’s outcry. “Holy crap, Cass,” Babs sighed as her hand fluttered to her chest.

“Too much time with Kara,” Cass pointed at Stephanie with a raised brow. The blonde put her hands on her hips and glared at Cass, though in just the black and purple Batgirl leotard it wasn’t too threatening.

Cass tilted her head at Steph and began to slowly cross her eyes. Steph’s composure began to crack and Babs snorted. “She’s got an excellent point Steph. Hold up,” she said before turning back to the computer. “Gotta go, the girls are here. You three don’t party too hard without me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it boss!”

“Why would we do that?”

“No promises,” were all the replies that came over the comms. Babs rolled her eyes and signed off while Cass exchanged goofy faces with Steph. She let out a short laugh before dropping back onto the couch.

As Steph settled with a bounce Babs wheeled over towards them and shot Steph a look. “Don’t break my sofa.”

Steph shrugged. “No promises,” she gave Babs a toothy grin.

Barbara maneuvered herself from her chair to the sofa while Cass removed Steph’s cape from her chair. She bent and grabbed the backpack from the floor, tossing it to Steph with a “Here.” The other girl caught it with ease and Cass continued to pull her boots off before removing her utility belt and shrugging her own cape off. At last she too sat in Barbara’s overstuffed chair in just her costume’s armored leotard.

Steph had been unzipping and emptying the contents of Cass’s bag. Setting bottles of nail polish, various hair supplies and articles of clothing, and dishes filled with food on the coffee table. “Alfred you wonderful butler you!” Steph cried when she pulled the Tupperware dish filled with brownies out.

Babs chuckled and snatched up the one filled with mini pizza bagels, glee written in every line of the movement. Cass pulled her legs up and tucked her feet underneath herself. Babs bit into the still warm snack with relish and Cass loved watching as her friend melted into the back of the couch with a smile, her whole frame radiating contentment.

Steph was eagerly digging into the brownies, her excitement at the food and the night ahead was so strong that to Cass she was practically screaming through a megaphone. Her blue eyes sparkled as she chewed. Steph caught Cass watching them and raised a brow, holding the container out she asked, “You want one Cass?”

Cass smiled and shook her head, enjoying the feel of her short hair flair out. “Good. Happy.”

Steph nodded understandingly and Babs gave her a small smile. “Do you want tea Cass? I can make us some.”

“Don’t bother. Got it.” Cass told her as she got to her feet and moved to the kitchen. Rummaging around in the cabinets Cass found the mug that Babs had bought especially for her. It was bright yellow with a bat on the one side and the words World’s Best Batman on the other. It always made her smirk and made Bruce chuckle. She grabbed the ones meant for Babs and for Steph too, a blue GCPD and purple one with Disney’s Rapunzel on it respectively. She filled the kettle before setting it on the stove and flicking on the burner.

“Cass! What do you want us to save for you cause this Batgirl is starving!” Steph called over the back of the couch.

“Everything?” Cass asked with a careful head tilt, she furrowed her brows and internally grinned. “I work hard too.” She took on a wounded air and waited.

Steph’s eyes widened and she blanched. Cass barely contained herself as she watched the different emotions flash across her friend’s face. Shock, confusion, guilt, suspicion. Cass felt the corners of her mouth creeping upward, suddenly Steph’s expression settled on an entertaining mix of betrayal, annoyance, and amusement.

“You turd. Ok, you get some of everything but not all! Alfred made enough to share,” Steph turned back so fast her blonde hair whirled around to whip her in the face.

Babs snorted as she ate, causing Stephanie to laugh which only made Barbara laugh even more. Cass turned back to the now whistling kettle, still smiling at the two women who were as much her family as her brothers, Bruce, and Alfred. Maybe more so because the one was her mentor and the originator of the identity that allowed her to become herself and make Gotham her own. The closest thing to a true mother Cass ever had. The other was the one to whom she passed that identity onto, in hopes that it would allow Steph to become herself as much as Batgirl had allowed Cass and before her Babs. Now looking at her best friend, her sister in arms, she knew that she had made the right decision. Steph was glowing, she was proud of herself and for good reason.

Having filled the mugs with tea and the respective owner’s preferences of milk and sugar she easily carried them back to the living area. She set them down on the coffee table before squeezing herself onto the couch between Babs and Steph. The other two grumbled and swatted at her but moved let her get comfy. Once again tucking her feet beneath her.

Cass picked up her mug and sipped it happily. “We ready?” Babs asked, pointing the remote towards the DVD player.

“J Gordon-Levitt and Heath Ledger here we come!” Steph whooped, shaking a bottle of nail polish.

Cass gave Babs a thumbs up and settled in.

#batfamweek #dc comics #writing #own writing #my fic #cassandra cain #barbara gordon #stephanie brown #minor characters #alfred pennyworth #dinah lance #helena bertinelli #zinda blake #the batgirls are better than you #yes alfred #love dinah laurel lance #the birds of prey kick butt and take names

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frostedpetticoat · 5 years

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Ring in the New Year with Pizza

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Domino’s®.

For 2019, my New Year’s resolution is to be more open and honest. So, I’m going to get ahead of the year and start right now.

I am old! Much older than I look (thank you, Grandma, for the no-wrinkle genes). There, I said it! Yes, my friends, I try to keep my age a bit ambiguous here on The Frosted Petticoat, but in the spirit of honesty I’m going to admit that I am in my 30s. Okay, okay, I’m well into my mid-30s, but that’s as exact as I’m going to be… I said I was going to be honest, not saintly.

I have been married close to a decade and am the mother of a pre-schooler. I confess this now to explain today’s post. My idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve celebration is drastically different in my mid-30s than it was in my mid-20s. There is literally nothing that sounds more horrific than getting dolled up, putting on heels, and celebrating 2019 with a group of strangers in a crowded nightclub. Seriously, why is the music so loud?!

So, this year, I am unapologetically throwing the ultimate mid-30s mom party. Whip out the stretchy pants and blast the music circa 2003, because I’m going to ring in the New Year with pizza at home. Domino’s® Pizza to be exact. I’ve partnered with them to give you the checklist you need for a killer party. Who’s with me?!

Alright, if you are team “not-even-the-new-year-can-get-me-out-of-my-pjs”, I’ve got your list for the ultimate mom-themed NYE party at home:

A smorgasbord of delicious fare from Domino’s

Because nothing says a party like not having to cook and getting delicious pizza delivered straight to your door.

Sparkling Apple Cider served in Champagne Flutes

Because let’s be honest, hangovers are like death in the mid-30s. But pour the cider in champagne flutes… I’ve got my standards!

Spice Girls CD on replay

Because I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want…. Zig-a-zig-ahhhh!

Noise-makers, hats, and 2019 glasses

Because if you’ve walked around with a milk-stained shirt all day, you’re beyond the point of embarrassment by this stage in life.

Paper plates

Because the dishes ain’t going to wash themselves.

Fancy tablecloth and crystal stemware

Because unlike in my mid-20s, in my mid-30s I actually own a fancy tablecloth and crystal stemware. YOLO!

All that’s left to do is get the kids to bed on time. Then you and your mommy gal pals are free to eat, drink, and be merry! So, whatever your NYE plans are, make sure you include Domino’s. It’s simply delicious and easy. Use 20NYE for 20% off your entire menu-priced order when you order online now through 12/31. Happy New Year!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Domino's®.

from The Frosted Petticoat http://bit.ly/2EP54nO via IFTTT

#The Frosted Petticoat #Sam Temsah-Deniskin

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foodstreetinbangalore · 4 years

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Foods You Can’t Leave Bangalore Without Trying

Bangaloreans are on a very basic level foodies. At the point when you live in a town whose name actually means 'Town of Beans' you must love food! So when you're in the Garden City and feeling peckish, here's a rundown of the best neighborhood snacks. Visit - food streets in bangalore. Idli Dip Sambhar Things like idlis and dosas are extremely clear however one exemption would be Idli Dip Sambhar, only for being so Bangalore. Two steaming hot, delicate idlis (and here and there a vada) dunked in a profound flying saucer-like bowl of quite hot, zesty sweet and deep sambhar, this may sound practically cruel, yet you haven't generally delighted in idlis until you've suffocated them. Where to get it? Idli Dip Sambhar is accessible basically wherever in Bangalore. One of the more 'sambharlicious' places around is Amruth Vegetarian. Bisi Bele Bhath Bisi Bele Bhath truly means 'Hot Dal Rice' (the name alone ought to conjure in you a glow much the same as eating mother's hand crafted daal chawal). The dish highlights daal, rice and vegetables mixed together like a khichdi, and presented with boondi, namkeen or some of the time potato chips. It's spirit food at its best. Burping is energized. Where to get it? Bisi Bele Bhath is an exceptionally regular 'rice thing', accessible at most neighborhood South Indian joints. On the off chance that you need to eat it only a single time, probably the best spot is Maiya's. Gobi Manchurian Gobi Manchurian | Hotel Chandrika, Cunningham Road No, don't call your optician. You read that right. Gobi Manchurian is North India's unceasing most loved Gobi-meets-China's amazing Manchurian-style of cooking in a Hindi-Kannada-Chini-Bhai-Bhai mix that leaves you marginally confounded, somewhat delighted and totally fulfilled. These reduced down bites are completely oily and fiery, with garlic and green chiles giving it its mark mythical serpent breath afterburn. Crunch away! Where to get it? Gobi Manchurian is under the 'Chinese' or 'Extraordinary Items' menu at most South Indian cafés. For the crunchiest, spiciest and yummiest Gobi Manchurian, head to RS Shiv Sagar. One bit of leeway of living in a city with a more tight cutoff time than Cinderella's is that everyone is up for a decent breakfast. What's more, breakfast food has gotten so well known in Bangalore that there is no disgrace in eating singed eggs and toast for lunch, or a pleasant breakfast platter at supper. Throughout the day breakfast joints are developing in prevalence all over Bangalore, with past English breakfast turning into our second-most loved Brit after Mr. Bean. Where to get it? Bacon desires can hit you whenever. Make certain to get your suggested portion of bacon, eggs, ham, hotdogs and toast at the Hole In The Wall Cafe. Bun Nippat Bangalore is a city of trend-setters, so normally they have they own imaginative mark chaat. Bun Nippat is a basic idea, a fresh, broiled masala nippat is put in the warm limits of a new bun, alongside slashed onions, ground cheddar and a mystery ingredient that can't be uncovered to non-Bangaloreans! Pair this with a container of masala coke, and you will be shipped to unadulterated chatpata heaven. Where to get it? Bun Nippat slows down are found around school territories on the grounds that the children love it. The best bun nippat and masala coke blend is accessible at Chetty's Corner. Momos Bring your eyeballs down from your heads Delhiites, everybody realizes your momos are the best thing since reproduction lightsabers. Be that as it may, the Bangalore momos have truly made their mark as of late. Bangalore momos are littler than those found in the north, the outside layer gentler and the sauces are much more front-of-the-tongue zesty than back. Little pieces of paradise! Where to get it? As convention directs, momos are normally found in slows down out and about. Certain slows down in Indiranagar, Koramangala and Whitefield are exceptionally well known. A standout amongst other non-side of the road places for momos is Taste of Tibet. Steaks While their event in most other significant Indian urban communities is very uncommon (most clear joke ever), the Bangalore steakhouse business has been going from solidarity to quality. Karnataka state permits the butcher of bulls over the age of 12, or the import and serving of cow hamburger. Most steakhouses are of top quality and serve the choicest cuts, yet not many of them get their uncommon and medium uncommon right. However, on the other hand, most steak darlings here couldn't care less. Where to get it? A large portion of the focal zones of Bangalore have fantastic steakhouses, the vast majority of them serving liquor to make for a total steak supper. The one spot that marginally defeats all the others is Millers 46. Beast Steak Burger Beast Steak Burger | Peppa Zzing, Infantry Road/Courtesy of Zomato It just shows signs of improvement and better for meat darlings in Bangalore, on account of the blasting specialty burger scene in the city. Miles in front of inexpensive food burgers every which way (other than moderateness), these high quality burgers (patties are made of meat ground in the kitchens) are in effect vociferously requested. The assortment of styles, fixings and tastes accessible are astounding, and it is extremely unlikely that only one burger can summarize your experience. Really awful one such burger is sufficient to fill most stomachs. Where to get it? There are an excessive number of unprecedented burger joints to give it a shot, however winning it as far as generally speaking eatery idea is Smally's Resto Cafe. Gourmet Pizzas When Bangaloreans need a window into paradise (otherwise known as pizza), a chain joint like Domino's is without a doubt the final retreat. Bangalore is presently home to a few heavenly gourmet pizza eateries that take into account coffee shops' requirement for elegant and modest, at the same time. From the wood-fire decency of Toit to Bakester's exceptionally desi-tasteful Indian-fixing pizzas, the normal pizza sweetheart has bounty to look over and bounty to slobber over. Where to get it? The previously mentioned Toit isn't only well known for its smokey-seasoned pies. This difficult to-get-a-table spot is additionally famous for its specialty lager microbrewery. Look at Toit Brewpub. Cold Stone Ice Cream What's more, we should not overlook dessert. The greatest sweet-tooth longings lately is for cold stone frozen yogurts. At the point when you request, you are urged to look as the frozen yogurt skilled worker puts your frozen yogurt on a piece of cold stone and pounds, crushes and blends away until it transforms into a smooth-finished and wonderfully blended frozen yogurt parfait, served in a waffle bowl. The main issue: you can't converse with your mouth full. Where to get it? Stoner is a chain that has carried this imaginative idea to Bangalore, and it has truly gotten on! Discover it at Stoner. Extraordinary Mentions These dishes get extraordinary notices since they are dishes put on the map by one café and are authentic must-attempts too. Lamb Leg Biryani (Laham Mandi) at Taa'am, Queen's Road Delicate Coconut Chicken Kabab at Ujwal Bar and Restaurant, Vasanthnagar (hot chicken kabab served inside a delicate coconut) Apam and Mutton Stew Breakfast at Koshy's, St, Mark's Road (Sunday morning breakfast as it were) Davanagere Benne (Butter) Dosas at Sri Guru Kotteshwara, Basavanagudi ABS (A** Burning Sauce) Wings at Plan B, Castle Street (attempt their ABS wings challenge, on the off chance that you dare!)

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cutsliceddiced · 5 years

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New top story from Time: The Fascinating Way Popeyes Comes Up With New Items Like That Chicken Sandwich Everyone Is Obsessed With

Like the discoveries of gravity and radiation, the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich phenomenon – which recently sparked huge crowds across the U.S., supply shortages, at least one case of customers demanding the sandwiches at gunpoint and up to $23 million in free publicity – happened mostly by mistake. Without a few errant tweets by Popeyes’ competitors, future American generations might not grow up hearing about the Great Chicken Wars of 2019. But despite the social-media-kindled fire and deep-fried fury, the sandwich that launched 1,000 memes was the result of years of calculated strategy and a creative process that sounds more collegiate than corporate.

… y’all good? https://t.co/lPaTFXfnyP

— Popeyes Chicken (@PopeyesChicken) August 19, 2019

The story begins in the late aughts when the company changed its official branding from Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. This shift in identity not only aimed to attract a wider audience by emphasizing a localized, more wholesome-sounding operation, but also to expand the company’s culinary depth of field beyond its signature offerings. Chicken and biscuits are obviously delicious, but by drawing on its Cajun and Creole roots, Popeyes gave itself a way to stand out from countless other chicken chains. (Both Domino’s and Dunkin’ would later follow this tack, dropping “Pizza” and “Donuts” from their names, respectively.)

“There’s so much more we can do with the food and the menu,” Amy Alarcòn, the company’s vice president of culinary innovation, explained in a phone call in 2017. “Cajun gravy, tons of seafood promotions [like] spicy garlic and hushpuppy shrimp, Zatarain’s shrimp. Those types of things do tremendously well and it’s part of being on the Gulf Coast and coming from a culture that’s heavily dominated by seafood, crawfish boils, shrimp étouffée, the list goes on.”

In the world of fast food, it’s not easy to innovate in a way that can scale to thousands of locations consistently in order to scale to thousands of locations consistently. Concepts generally cannot cost too much, require new equipment, stray too far from a core set of ingredients or be too complicated to explain to consumers in 30-second ads between spots for home insurance and Chevy Silverados.

To invent within these tricky parameters, Popeyes created a product-invention process more personalized and elaborate than one might expect from a chain with 3,000 outposts around the world. A few times a year, the company invites about two dozen delegates from different corners of the company — from marketing to operations as well as its ecosystem of franchisees, suppliers and ad agencies — and sends them to a given U.S. city with a bustling food scene. In places like Portland, Ore., Charleston, S.C., and Seattle, the team seeks out inspiration by learning about local culinary history and, of course, by eating everything on offer from roadside stands and dives to fine-dining spots and Michelin-starred haunts. “We always joke, bring your big-boy pants,” said Alarcòn. “Bring the elastic waistband.”

Following this 72-hour, high-calorie rumspringa, the team spends the next few days brainstorming hundreds of potential Popeyes concepts by talking about evolving trends as well as their personal lives. Once the list is compiled, the group then undertakes the tedious work of stress-testing all the possibilities against their logistical realities, such as figuring out how the item would be produced, whether it would successfully scale on a global level and how it might be marketed. Finally, the company spends months developing and testing the chosen product internally before it arrives in stores.

In 2016, long before the new Popeyes Chicken Sandwich was a sketch on a drawing board, I joined one of their ideation sessions in New Orleans, the spiritual roost of the company, which is now headquartered in Miami. After a flurry of ghost tours, live jazz, remoulades, spiced pig ears and muffulettas, the group assembled at Mardi Gras World — the famous carnival-float emporium — to digest everything they consumed in the city’s oldest and newest institutions. But this was more than just a field trip. Each delegate was also tasked with sharing insights about food in terms of their lives and families. “I can pretty much guarantee that whatever your obsession is, it’s going to filter out into the larger audience because that’s our responsibility,” Alarcòn told the team before describing her obsession du jour: the comfort food of her childhood like fondue and casseroles.

Over king cake and coffee, each participant made a quick presentation, touching on themes and topics that would otherwise seem out of place at a fast-food ideation summit. A marketing manager discussed his pursuit of “cleaner eating” to help accommodate his partner’s autoimmune disease. A product developer told a story about bonding with his Brazilian mother-in-law by Skyping her in Rio and cooking together. A member of the social media team talked about a weekly ritual of getting sandwiches with his daughter at Jersey Mike’s subway chain. One franchisee had adapted his diet to work within the boundaries his family’s gluten-free regimen. Another chef talked about honoring his father by recreating a family Cajun-style barbecue recipe. Next, huge sheets of white paper were tacked to the walls and the ideas started to flow.

In the aftermath of the Popeyes sandwich fervor, what this intensive, intimate process reveals is how in the age of gimmicky, brightly colored, Instagram-friendly food items, there is also a literal and spiritual hunger for something relatable and familiar. After all, the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich, which will reportedly return to stores in the fall, is just a sandwich. Sometimes, that’s more than enough.

via https://cutslicedanddiced.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/how-to-prevent-food-from-going-to-waste

#Time #top stories #IFTTT #news

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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My Not-So-Secret Recipe for Cultivating Adult Friendships

http://fashion-trendin.com/my-not-so-secret-recipe-for-cultivating-adult-friendships/

My Not-So-Secret Recipe for Cultivating Adult Friendships

t’s 8 p.m. on a Friday night and my husband is cursing at a pot of pasta. A few feet away, perched on a sagging IKEA couch, my ex-roommate’s ex-lover is planning a backpacking trip with my high school theater camp buddy’s husband’s college friend. Behind them, a drag king comes in late from “genderqueer jiu jitsu” and hugs a 10th grade English teacher, returning her copy of The Body is Not an Apology. An ex-coworker from who-knows-how-many-jobs-ago is pouring more wine for the previously mentioned high school theater camp buddy while asking to join her blacksmithing class, while another ex-coworker is snuggled up in an armchair with an actor I once directed in a touring production of Romeo and Juliet. I am setting the table with my grandmother’s good silver and all is right with the world. Welcome to Frambly Dinner.

“Frambly” is the term we came up with to describe our family of chosen friends and the brambly way we all ended up entwined, but trust me, this shorthand is the only formality. I’ve been hosting this dinner party with my husband for nearly three years now, and what started as a “writers group” (guess how much writing we did?) has morphed into something I think many people, millennials especially, find as elusive as the rest of the American Dream: warm, reliable community.

My grandparents — all four of them — were friends for years before they got married and started having kids (two of which would eventually marry each other and have me). When you look at pictures of my mother’s Bat Mitzvah, my dad’s parents are there, dancing in the background. I remember one of my grandfathers giving me a hug at the other’s funeral and saying, “You lost a good friend, Kiddo,” which struck me as odd, even at 10 years old, since they had known each other far longer than I’d been alive. He was the one who had lost a good friend.

When I moved across the country after college graduation, I took many of my grandparents’ things with me — things that belonged in other kitchens, in other eras. Even though I knew almost no one in California, table service for 10 still felt like a necessity. It was a way of carrying their legacy with me, even though I didn’t yet know how to bring it to life. When I met a red-headed bartender who loved to cook as much as I did, I decided to stay. We cooked our favorite recipes for each other, and many of mine (the desserts, mostly) came out of inherited old cookbooks that were peppered with advice to the wife, the hostess, for whom every meal is an opportunity for social graces and tabletop diplomacy.

Now, if you ever happen to move to a new city and worry about making friends, I can promise you this: If you date a bartender, move in with a burlesque performer, and get a job at a Shakespeare theater, you will quite suddenly be surrounded by a wealth of interesting people. And if you feed those people regularly and well, you will sit down to dinner one day and notice that not only do you now have actual friends, but they feel a bit like family, too. And although this wild assembly of bohemian roustabouts is hardly the stuff of a Rockwell Thanksgiving, you might realize what I did: those pearls-in-the-kitchen Bettys from the cookbooks were on to something.

The friendships that buoyed my grandparents’ lives were founded at their synagogue. By the time my brother and I came along, they’d been known as “The Card Club” for several decades. The group was eight couples in total, that got together once a month and had dinner before the husbands played poker and the ladies played dominos. The hosting rotated from house to house, but both my mother and I have strong memories of ironing napkins, polishing the good silverware, and arranging trays of nuts and candies for when The Card Club was coming over.

But much as I admire The Card Club, I worry that it’s not a replicable model for modern friendships. In fact, millennials report feeling lonelier than older generations and, if the myriad essays on the topic are to be believed, making and keeping adult friendships hasn’t come as easily as many of us expected. Perhaps because an economy reliant on freelancing, gigs and side hustles doesn’t exactly encourage workplace friendships; or because we’re less likely than any previous generation to belong to a formal religious organization. And since we’re waiting longer to have kids, if we have them at all, we’re not making PTA alliances or bonding over a shared flask at the elementary school rendition of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” either.

To put it bluntly: No one is going to make our friendships for us. But if we’re as anxious, broke and lonely as the internet suggests, battling our imposter syndrome in increasingly tiny apartments (as the stats say we are), then maybe that’s exactly why we need to resurrect and reform an oft-forgotten social relic: the dinner party. It’s time to stop letting an antiquated idea of “the perfect host” get in the way of our ability to create space for our community and nurture lifelong friendships.

When asked what brought me to California, I often quip that moving across the country for no reason seemed like the kind of thing one should do in their twenties, but the truth is, I was grieving. The price paid for such a close loving family (my dad’s parents lived two miles in one direction, my mom’s two miles in the other) was that after burying six people in ten years, there wasn’t a street I could drive down or a place I could go that didn’t remind me of someone I had lost. I had grown up with a minimum of 13 people around my grandmother’s table for Shabbat Dinner every Friday night, and I didn’t have any faith at the time that I would ever feel that same sense of joy and peace as those nights brought.

The first few times hosting were stressful. I worried that the food wasn’t good enough. I worried that the apartment wasn’t big enough. I worried that my goal of being a good host wasn’t feminist enough. The first time felt like I was playing dress up in someone else’s heels, but this weekly time set aside for sharing food with friends is something I now cherish beyond measure, and I slowly realized that the feeling I was missing from Shabbat dinners and that I envied from The Card Club nights was something I could create for myself, but not by myself. So I invited people in. And even if it sounds cheesy, I want to invite you in too. I want to invite you to create your own Frambly Dinner, and I’ve outlined my best tips below to help get you started. You don’t need matching napkins or a spotless house or even a dining room. All you need is a few people you’d like to spend more time with, and a willingness to invite them in.

Just Try It Out

You don’t have to commit to hosting a weekly or even monthly dinner party. Just try one and see how it goes. Think of it less like a “dinner party” and more like just having some friends over. If you can get over this first fear, everything will come easier.

If You Plan It, They Will Come

I work three jobs and so does my husband. But Friday nights are sacrosanct. The beauty of hosting regularly is that we never have to worry about when we’re going to make time to see our friends. Celebrating birthdays, promotions, holidays, etc., are all simple and genuine: just add a toast or a cake. No one has to stress about FOMO because if you miss it this week, there’s always next week. But I’ve found that the people who value this like we do continue to block out their Fridays for the Frambly.

You Don’t Need a Table

Our apartment features one room to serve as kitchen, living room and dining room. It’s not big. Most of the time, we set out platters of food on the kitchen counter and everyone helps themselves to a plate before perching on the couch, armchairs, footstools or on pillows around the coffee table. If you wait until you have a proper dining room table to try your hand at hosting, you will miss out on years of friendship.

Keep It Simple

Give a half hour window for when folks should arrive and then forget about the clock. Serve everything family style. Pad your menu with lots of veggies — they’re inexpensive, colorful and hardly anyone is allergic. Don’t let the last minute cancellation or additional guest ruffle your feathers. Don’t make a seating chart. Don’t plan dessert if you don’t want to — you can always just offer tea or send someone to the corner store for Ben and Jerry’s.

Let People Help

Ask them to bring drinks, or something to contribute to a cheese plate in case dinner is a bit late. Or to pick up some cookies on their way over. Let them come early and help cook if they want. Let them tackle some the dishes. Let them pitch in. Remember, you’re building a family, not running a restaurant.

Just Clean the Bathroom

You can fake everything else and no one cares anyway.

But here’s the biggest secret:

It’s Not Actually About the Food

I’m a good cook. My husband is incredible. But what I’m reminded of on nights when we tell the Frambly that we just can’t handle the cooking that Friday and we all pitch in for some pizza instead, is that the food is just the excuse for getting together. The real nourishment comes from knowing that there is a time and a place where we will be welcomed and loved no matter what. And carving that space out in this world is the true art of hosting.

Molly Conway is a playwright and writer living in Oakland, California. You can follow her on Instagram @moxiequinn for periodic updates about her garden and Frambly Dinner. She has yet to finish a cup of tea while it is still hot.

Illustrations by Alec Doherty.

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usharethisph · 4 years

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Domino’s Pizza Mother’s Day Menu

#salezoneph #sale manila #promomanila #Domino’s Pizza Mother’s Day Menu

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bluebookweb · 6 years

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According to a Recent Study/Survey … Mid-May 2018 Edition

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine’s “According to …” research roundup features exclusive research on a McDonald’s LTO from the experts at Sense360 as well as a noted increase in online reviews, top foodservice trends, popular loyalty apps, clean label lovers and the wine echo chamber.

Dramatic Increase in Online Reviews

Yet-to-be-published research from Xenial and Merchant Centric that shows a dramatic increase in the amount of online reviews for U.S. businesses. From March 2017 to 2018 company reviews online increased by a staggering 66 percent to over 610 million total reviews, according to analysis of 27 million U.S. businesses. (See graph images below).

The restaurant industry also saw a sharp increase in both guest engagement and restaurants actively engaging reviewers online. Restaurant reviews from the 10 most reviewed categories jumped from 86 million in 2017 to 141 million in 2018—a 64 percent increase year-over-year.

The data also delved into the top ten restaurant categories and their frequency of guest engagement* by category:

Most engagement

Steakhouses

Seafood

American

Least engagement

Chinese

Pizza

Mexican

* Guest engagement is relative to guests leaving reviews, relative to other categories, not the rate at which these businesses are responding.

Restaurants are ahead of other industries in leveraging this guest outreach. According to the data, the restaurant industry is far more proactive in responding to guests’ online reviews. From March 2017 – March 2018 alone, there was a 29 percent increase in restaurants responding to online reviews; and overall they respond to guests at a higher rate than all other business (see bottom graph below).

With so much importance being placed on how businesses engage with restaurant guests to keep them coming back and attracting new guests, both Xenial and Merchant Centric are excellent resources in providing insight as to how businesses are managing their reputation online and using guest feedback to improve experience and drive sales.

McDonald’s 2 for $4 Mix & Match Breakfast Deal

A new report from Sense360 explores the effects of McDonald’s 2 for $4 Mix & Match Breakfast Deal on visitation by observing visit patterns both before and during the campaign and highlighting the differences between the two periods. The deal includes a choice of any two breakfast sandwiches from a select menu of three items: the Sausage McMuffin with Egg, Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle, and Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit. We looked at visit trends for that week and compared to the same week last year.

Top Five Foodservice Trends

A new report from Restaurant Technologies, which provides cooking oil management and exhaust cleaning solutions for more than 26,000 foodservice providers, shares the top five foodservice trends for 2018 that operators should have an eye on to not only survive, but thrive in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.

The report covers:

Technological innovations: Appliances such as smart refrigerators can detail inventory, and smart ovens can now guide staff through step-by-step dish preparation. Continued cleaning support for grill and fryer hoods/flues can also be automated and simplified with AutoMist.

Safer work environments: According to the National Safety Council, more than 25,000 slips and falls occur every day in the foodservice industry, many of them preventable. This report shares simple tips for training and prevention guidelines to help protect the operator’s bottom line from costly claims, and to care for employees and their morale.

Effective food waste management: As Americans push for more eco-friendly options in their everyday choices, restaurant operators would do well to reduce waste and cut overspending, says this report. According to ReFED, restaurants generate 11.4M tons of food waste, amounting to approximately $25B in wasted funds – a shocking number given how slim restaurant margins are. Digital solutions such as the app Karma allow restaurants, grocery stores and other foodservice vendors the opportunity to sell excess food at a reduced price.

Solving space concerns: The back of house is shrinking. Restaurant Technologies shares tips to capitalize on smaller spaces such as using a combi oven, prep coolers, planetary mixers and vertical solutions.

An emphasis on experience: With the restaurant industry becoming more and more competitive, operators are looking to experiential opportunities to bring in business. Some restaurants now have extravagant themes, while foodservice concepts within higher education and corporate settings are upping the ante hiring executive chefs, and offering more than the typical soup, salad and sandwich menu.

Starbucks’ Loyalty App Is User Favorite

Starbucks’ app is the most popular among several well-known restaurant loyalty rewards apps, a new survey finds. Nearly half (48 percent) of app users surveyed regularly use the Starbucks loyalty app, compared to 34 percent who use the Domino’s app and 30 percent who use the Pizza Hut app.

The survey of more than 500 smartphone owners indicates how customers use food delivery and restaurant loyalty apps and how restaurants can potentially increase customer engagement by delivering food through an app or launching a loyalty rewards app. The user experience (UX) of Starbucks’ app contributes to its popularity, say experts who point out UX elements the app does well. Users must, for example, pre-load money onto the Starbucks app to pay with it. Since the money is on there and can’t be spent elsewhere, it entices users to visit Starbucks more.

“You’ve already pre-spent the money,” said Chris Hobbs, president of Two Tall Totems, a Vancouver-based mobile app and software development firm. “I think that’s what makes it so sticky.”

The Starbucks app also clearly communicates to users how they can earn rewards, and it offers real value — not only through free food and drinks, but also by offering free music, games and other goodies.

Successful Loyalty Apps Capitalize on Love of Winning

Loyalty rewards apps are popular; 50 percent of smartphone owners regularly use them and are incentivized to do so through gamification, or the idea of turning the brand’s experience into a game. When a Starbucks user earns points towards a reward with every cappuccino he or she buys they’re more likely to keep purchasing. “Gamification makes users return to the app,” said Olexandr Leuschenko, head of mobile stack at Ciklum, a digital solutions company. “Gamification revolves around social actions and receiving awards — badges, likes, leaderboards, and other things that give the user a special status. People like to be the best in something almost as much as they like to get a free product.”

Food Delivery App Users Want Options

Food delivery apps such as Postmates and Uber Eats are also popular among app users. A significant number of food delivery app users surveyed (20 percent) say they use their preferred app because it has “better restaurant options.”

Some food delivery apps create exclusive partnerships with popular restaurant chains. For example, DoorDash partnered with fast-food chain Wendy’s to deliver its food. Experts recommend that restaurants exploring delivery of their food through an app should ensure the apps they work with have a wide variety of restaurant options and a large user base.

The Manifest’s 2018 Consumer App Survey included 511 U.S. smartphone owners. To read the full report, click here.

State of Local Restaurants

Womply, the leader in front office software for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), unveiled the State of Local Restaurants report, which charts consumer spending patterns at small, independent restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia during all 365 days of the year.

The report, which is available for public use on Womply.com, reveals a wide range of trends in consumer spending at local restaurants, including how sales trend during the days of the week, months of the year, and on major holidays. The report includes a national view and localized findings for each state, powered by analysis of tens of thousands of restaurants in every corner of America during every day of the 2017 calendar year.

“One of the most difficult aspects of running a local restaurant is not knowing where you stand,” says Womply Founder Toby Scammell. “By launching the State of Local Restaurants report, we’re giving unprecedented visibility to restaurateurs so they can understand how their sales patterns and seasonality compare to national and regional baselines.”

Nationally, local restaurants see 48 transactions at $35 per ticket for average daily revenue of just over $1,700. Based on average monthly revenue, the top 10 states last year were:

Washington, D.C., $115,000 monthly

Hawaii, $80,000

Florida, $71,000

California, $71,000

Illinois, $68,000

Utah, $65,000

New York, $64,000

South Carolina, $63,000

Nevada, $63,000

Maryland, $63,000

The report uncovered highly consistent sales patterns for local restaurants, with very little seasonality. In general, revenue as a percentage of annual sales doesn’t change much from month to month, and the average weekend is bigger than most prominent holidays.

While no particular day accounts for more than a half-percent of annual sales, the report highlighted some surprising findings about top revenue days:

Mother’s Day weekend rules all, with 44 percent of all restaurants reporting Mother’s Day as their top day of the year. The Saturday before Mother’s Day was the No. 2 day of the year, as well.

Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick’s Day rank No. 36 and No. 48, respectively, and are the top sales days among all prominent holidays behind Mother’s Day.

Valentine’s Day, while typically associated with dining out, is not in the top 100, ranking No. 107 nationally for restaurant sales.

“The more we study sales patterns on Main Street, the more we learn that consumer spending tends to defy conventional wisdom,” Scammell says. “This kind of analysis illustrates how dangerous it is to rely on assumptions when running a thin-margin business. Our goal with the State of Local Restaurants report, as with all our data analysis efforts, is to better inform the small business owners who keep our local and national economies humming.”

Serving Up Success

The latest report from YouGov titled “Dining Out: Who’s Serving Up Success,” is an analysis of dining brands in the U.S. and provides insights and infographics into:

Dining brands in the fast food and steakhouse categories

Three case studies of successful brands – Little Caesars, Chick-fil-a, and Texas Roadhouse

Americans who eat out at least once a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner

Here are some of the findings regarding top brands.

April Brings Good News for Restaurant Recovery

The restaurant industry produced encouraging top-line results in April. The 1.5 percent same-store sales growth is the strongest in the last 31 months. For perspective, the industry hasn’t recorded seven consecutive weeks of positive sales growth since December of 2015. These insights come fromBlack Box Intelligence™, a TDn2K™ company, data through The Restaurant Industry Snapshot™, based on weekly sales from over 30,000 restaurant units, 170+ brands and represent over $69 billion dollars in annual revenue.

“We are seeing an uptick in restaurant revenue beginning with the fourth quarter of last year,” stated Victor Fernandez, vice president of insights and knowledge for TDn2K. “Stronger economic conditions and high consumer confidence are certainly factors. However, this performance has to be considered against last year’s soft sales. A longer view suggests there are still significant challenges for the industry.”

However, with same-store sales positive over a two-year period in April, it could be an early signal that the industry is more vibrant and is showing signs of returning to consistent positive comp performance.

As for bad news, it is impossible to ignore the fact that positive sales come from increases in average check while guest counts continue to slide. Same-store traffic was down -1.4 percent in April. Even though this was the best month based on traffic in over two years, it highlights the fact that stopping the erosion in guest traffic remains the industry’s number one priority.

Restaurants Should Continue to Get Fair Share of Tax Cuts

“Though first quarter growth was somewhat disappointing, the reality is that the economy is growing solidly and should continue to do so,” explained Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors and TDn2K economist. “While wage increases are still not robust, they have been improving and the gains from the tax cuts will continue to trickle through to households for the rest of the year.”

“That personal income is rising modestly, rather than surging, could help the restaurant industry. Households have enough additional funds to spend on a night out, but not enough buy big-ticket items. Thus, we are seeing a slowdown in vehicle purchases while demand for soft-goods and eating out is holding up well. Restaurants should continue to get their fair share, if not more, of the tax cuts. However, the limited portion of the tax cuts going to low and middle-income households points to only a moderate rise in demand going forward.”

Check Growth Continues to Accelerate

Beginning in mid-2017 and continuing into 2018, we’ve observed an increase in average check. Year-over-year growth in average check was 3 percent or higher during the last two months compared with 2.4 percent for the last quarter of 2017.

TDn2K research has shown that top performing restaurant brands grow average checks at a higher rate than underperformers. There is evidence that top performers have established a value proposition that allows them to pass along cost increases associated with higher operating expenses, especially labor.

Opportunity Areas for Restaurants: Off-Premise and Beverage Sales

Another consistent trend is off-premise consumption outpacing dine-in sales. In April, to-go, delivery, catering and banquet sales each outperformed sales growth for dine-in sales. Across industry segments, the percentage of total restaurant sales represented by these off-premise food categories has been growing. Consumers behavior is shifting and “on-the-go” has become an extremely important component of restaurant demand.

Also noteworthy during April was the robust growth in same-store beverage sales. This month’s beverage sales growth was the highest in over 30 months. This is another important metric to follow in the near future. TDn2K studies have revealed guests of both full-service and limited service restaurants really value beverages (either alcoholic for full-service restaurants or soft drinks for limited service brands) as part of their restaurant experience. According to TDn2K’s White Box Social Intelligence data, top performing brands based on sales growth tend to have a much more positive guest sentiment based on beverages than underperforming brands.

Recovery Continues for Casual Dining and Fast Casual

Fast casual, casual dining and upscale casual were top performers in the month. Fast casual and casual dining continue to see a resurgence after years of underperformance. Both of these segments have year-to-date positive same-store sales growth and are the segments with the biggest improvement in sales growth so far in 2018 compared with the previous year.

Soaring Turnover Rates May Have Peaked

The national unemployment rate fell under 4.0 percent for the first time since 2000, reminding restaurant operators of how challenging the current environment is. But recent results published by TDn2K’s People Report™ reveal that the skyrocketing turnover rates may have reached their peak and now have started to stabilize and even drop slightly. “As with sales growth, these drops in the turnover rate have to be taken in context,” said Fernandez. “Turnover falling a few percentage points does not necessarily mean we’ve reached an inflection point. Turnover rates for both management and non-management employees are still the highest we’ve seen in well over a decade. We expect turnover rates to remain extremely high in today’s low-unemployment environment. Vacancy rates also remain historically high.”

“There is definitely a reward for getting better-staffed restaurants,” continued Fernandez. “Our data shows in the first quarter of 2018, guests’ online mentions revealed that service is a more important differentiator than food. Nowadays, consumers can get a meal from many different sources. But they are saying that service is a key driver of their experience.”

Top 250 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurants

The fast-casual segment has rebounded since 2016, but experienced a consecutive year of single-digit sales growth performance in 2017. Unit growth decreased for the third consecutive year, dropping from 9.8 percent in 2015 to 6.1 percent in 2017. These findings and more can be found in Technomic’s recently released Top 250 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, now available for purchase here.

“Although the segment shows signs of slowing, fast casual is still a bright spot in the industry,” said Dave Henkes, Technomic senior principal. “There are a lot of exciting things happening on fast-casual menus and, as the U.S. market becomes increasingly crowded, we can expect many of these brands to look internationally to further bolster their brand.”

Key themes from the report include:

Total sales growth in 2017 was at 9 percent for the top 250 restaurant chains

Chicken was the hot protein of 2017 and fast casuals capitalized on its popularity

Fast-casual chains with impressive triple-digit unit growth included CoreLife Eatery and Wahlburgers

Despite being the smallest fast-casual menu category by sales, the pizza segment continued to outshine the others, with a 27.3 percent year-over-year increase

Looking forward, expect to see fast casuals featuring a larger focus on clean-eating initiatives and planet-friendly changes to align with growing concerns among consumers. Ethnic flavors and ingredients will also thrive in the coming year with the rise of Middle Eastern concepts, touting exotic yet healthful menu items. Chains looking for more exponential growth will look to unpenetrated global markets, including Australia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

Inside the Wine Echo Chamber

As the season of rosé draws near, a new survey* from digital wine platform CorkGuru confirms drinkers typically default to the wines and beverages they know when dining out. Sixty-seven percent avoid asking staff for recommendations for a variety of reasons, including not wanting to bother anyone and fear of looking uninformed.”

“The average mid-size restaurant could have dozens of varietals on their wine list, but only 15 percent of restaurant-goers say they look to try something new,” said Danielle Gillespie, CEO and founder of CorkGuru. “That’s a lot of wasted inventory, and a missed opportunity to deliver more exciting wine experiences to guests.

CorkGuru helps restaurants manage wine inventory, while offering pairing and exploration suggestions to diners. Gillespie, a wine lover herself, developed the platform after years of playing the wine guide to friends and family, realizing restaurants were missing out on the opportunity to connect with guests and improve their dining experience.

“You don’t have to spend a lot for a good glass of wine, but if you don’t know what to look for or are afraid to ask, you’re probably not getting the value you want,” said Gillespie.

Coupled with the use of CorkGuru, Gillespie advises diners to:

Choose wine from largest section of the menu; it’s an indication of what the wine director cares about most.

If something is in French/Italian, ask the server for clarification versus guessing.

Steer clear of young big, bold and tannic red varietals. Some things are truly better with age.

When looking for good value, avoid the second-cheapest wine in a section. Restaurants know people will choose it to avoid the cheapest option so it may be overpriced.

Still not sure? Stick to regions known for producing quality varietals like Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and Super-Tuscan red blends.

The CorkGuru survey also found 27 percent of diners tend to order what they recognize and trust, while only nine percent typically ask the staff for a recommendation.

“The fact people aren’t asking questions is why money is being left on the table for restaurants, and people are getting stuck with what they already know or what they had last time,” said Gillespie. “Life’s too short for boring choices!”

Clean Label Consumers

The belief that natural, organic, and humane agricultural practices produce foods that are healthier, tastier, or more nutritious is widespread among the general adult population. These convictions, especially among consumers who seek out clean label products, combined with rising concerns over food safety have caused a notable shift in behavior when purchasing foods and beverages. Market research firm Packaged Facts in the report Organic and Clean Label Food Consumer in the U.S. revealed that more than half (53 percent) of adults say they are buying more natural and organic foods than ever before, and nearly half are buying more organic foods through standard supermarkets as organic selections have expanded.

“Many consumers ascribe positive attributes to clean label foods, even if they don’t personally partake,” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. “The food industry has seen a rise in adults who believe that various food products that are natural, boast organic or animal-welfare credentials, or make other claims to clean label status taste better, are healthier, are more nutritious, or are better for the environment.”

In painting a picture of the archetypal clean label consumer, Packaged Facts’ research found that the organic/clean label consumer tends to be informed, curious, and engaged, as well as active in the management of his or her own health and wellness, and often highly educated and accomplished professionally. However, it is also true that there is a powerful emotional component to clean label consumerism. It’s personal. It means connecting to the community and to the world; making choices that are possibly values driven, or perhaps inspired by nostalgia for a simpler time; and advocating for the well-being of animals raised for food, of growers in developing countries, or of the planet. It can be empowering to those with this mentality, notes Sprinkle.

Further, Packaged Facts found that the demographic features disproportionately seen in organic and clean label consumers also include:

being Millennials and younger Generation Xers

being of Hispanic and Asian ethnicities

residence in the Northeast and Pacific regions of the U.S.

possession of an advanced academic degree (beyond college)

presence of children in the household, particularly younger children

an annual household income of $100,000 or more

Organic Eating Trends

Last month’s release of the Environmental Working Group’s report that pesticide levels in organically grown foods is equal to that of conventionally grown foods generated a lot of publicity, and raised the question of whether or not consumers of organic foods will switch to all natural or conventionally grown foods. It’s not likely, says The NPD Group, a leading global information company, since organic consumers hold a strong belief in their nutritional knowledge and healthy lifestyle and won’t let it be undermined.

Consumption of organic beverages and foods has been growing for a variety of reasons including increased availability, more affordable organic options than in the past, and a growing number of health- and nutritionally-conscious consumers. The percentage of eating occasions where foods with organic labels were consumed increased from 7.5 percent to 9.7 percent in the past three years. Over a seven day period about 10 percent of the population consumes all organic foods, 19 percent consume all natural and organic foods, 20 percent all natural only foods, and 51 percent of the population are non-users of organic and all natural foods, according to NPD’s National Eating Trends®, which continually tracks all aspects of how U.S. consumers eat.

Organic only consumers, who tend to be female, ages 35-44 and 55 to 64, live on the west coast, and have a household income of $75,000 plus, have strong convictions when it comes to their healthy lifestyle. They feel they know more about nutrition than most people and frequently check labels. The demographics of those who consume both all natural and organic foods skew towards children under the age of 6, females, ages 18-54, and Hispanics. Similar to organic only consumers, they maintain a healthy lifestyle and consider themselves knowledgeable about nutrition and the foods they eat. Although one might assume consumers of all-natural have the similar profile to organic only and those who consume both organic and all natural foods, all-natural consumers are remarkably average in their attitudes toward healthful eating and put greater importance on taste and convenience.

“Organic consumers will hold steadfast to their beliefs and continue to seek organic foods despite negative reporting, and all natural consumers will continue to place convenience and taste first,” says Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst. “For food manufacturers, grocers, and producers, it’s a matter of understanding the attitudes and behaviors of each group and responding to their unique needs and wants.”

Nuts are in Demand

US demand for nuts and seeds is forecast to reach $7.1 billion in 2022, according to Nuts & Seeds: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Suppliers will benefit from rising population and disposable personal incomes, and an ongoing consumer trend toward healthier snacks.

More information about the report is available here.

Almond demand in value terms is projected to represent the fastest-growing and largest product segment in 2022. In volume terms, almond sales are also projected to register the most rapid gains among discrete segments. The healthy profile of almonds will contribute to gains and their presence in various recipes and derivative products, such as almond butter, flour, and milk, will continue to support sales.

This report forecasts to 2022 US nut and seed demand in nominal US dollars valued at the prices received by US suppliers at the point of first sale (i.e., farmer or processor level) and in pounds on a shelled (i.e., without shells) basis. Total demand in nominal US dollars and pounds is segmented by product in terms of:

cashews

almonds

peanuts

pecans

pistachios

walnuts

other nuts such as hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, and pine nuts

seeds, consisting of sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds

To illustrate historical trends, total demand in value and volume terms, total production in value and volume terms, the various demand segments, and prices are provided in annual series from 2007 to 2017.

Farmers Go Tech

IoT is used in agriculture to control remote instruments and sensors in order to optimize farm work. IoT solutions enable farmers to use different tools, such as smart sensors (measuring light, temperature, soil moisture, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, pest infestation, soil content or nutrients, location, etc.), applications and systems that save time, money and energy.

A study conducted by the Ag-Tech market research company, Alpha Brown, which included an extensive survey among more than 1600 farmers and ranchers in the U.S., indicates that IoT solutions are currently being used by 250000 farmers in the U.S. mainly for livestock and cereals crops(grains). The technology is also utilized on a smaller scale in other farming operations, such as dairy, vegetable, fruits and greenhouses.

Furthermore, the study reveals that more than half of U.S farmers have an interest in buying such solutions, which reflects a market potential of 1.1 million farmers and market size of $ 4 billion a year.

“We believe that in order to develop a profitable product or to make smart investments, a broad and detailed understanding of the potential customers’ (farmers) demand is needed,” said Gil Rabinovich, the CEO of Alpha-Brown. “IoT is still a developing market in the Ag-Tech world, and it is important for suppliers to fully understand the farmers’ interests and expectations of the emerging technologies. Our research indicates that the market has much room for growth and that is certainly encouraging.”

The study presents information on farmers awareness, the current market size, the market potential, and the leading companies in the market today.

Office Coffee Trends

American businesses seeking to improve productivity should consider investing more in employer provided, higher-quality coffee options, according to Office Coffee Service in the U.S.: Market Trends and Opportunities, 3rd Edition, a new report by market research firm Packaged Facts. While the average employee does not expect an employer to provide coffee that significantly outshines their usual coffee beverage purchased or made outside the office, they do expect their employer to deliver coffee and coffee drinks that can reasonably compete with it.

“Office coffee is a thriving industry that’s expected to continue to see sales growth through 2021,” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. “Among the market’s key growth factors is the increasing realization that companies need to provide higher-quality coffee and related benefits as part of broader employee retention and loyalty strategies that ultimately help enhance employee productivity. Not only will great coffee keep employees onsite at work, but it could also provide extra incentive to get to the office in the first place.”

For office coffee service providers, it comes down to business economics based on employer cost-benefit analysis that weighs employee time spent away to get coffee against lost productivity. The key is to show employers that investing in office coffee services will help their bottom lines. As Packaged Facts discusses in the report, when coffee successfully is integrated as a productivity tool it often translates to growing a company’s bottom line.

Packaged Facts research reveals that 68 percent of at-work coffee drinkers usually drink coffee made or dispensed onsite at their workplace. This underscores the fundamental utility to having at-work coffee options—employees do use them. Meanwhile, 51 percent usually drink coffee from outside of work (not home) and 46 percent bring it from home. Ultimately, the issue again is whether at-work coffee options can be improved and/or offered as a perk, making them more appealing to employees.

While employed coffee drinkers are more likely to be satisfied than dissatisfied with their workplace coffee options, they are not generally enthusiastic about them. Packaged Facts survey data found that given the importance they place on various coffee-related attributes, employed coffee drinkers’ satisfaction with those attributes falls short when applied to their workplace. For example:

Coffee drinkers responded they are heavily inclined to give both coffee quality and coffee flavor high importance. However, when asked if they are satisfied with these attributes at their workplace, the response was lukewarm.

Positive responses were likewise underwhelming in regards to employee satisfaction about the type of coffee roast (dark, light, etc.) and coffee selection/variety that employers made available to them.

Office coffee service providers can use this information to their advantage. Providing high-quality coffee that delivers on flavor via just two varieties that communicate clear distinctions that matter to the target audience could make most employees happy while keeping product assortment manageable. For example, offering a light roast and a dark roast leverages a longstanding and still important distinction that cuts across the spectrum of coffee drinkers. Integrating brand choice into this straightforward approach maintains control over product assortment while leveraging a brand’s qualities to better meet a target audience’s needs and expectations.

Dining in Decibels

The Baltimore food scene now has another factor to consider when choosing where to dine: noise level. SoundPrint, known as the “Yelp for noise,” is a New York-based mobile application that partnered with Baltimore’s Hearing and Speech Agency (HASA) to launch the app’s data collection. The partnership seeks to serve the greater Baltimore community by providing the average decibel levels of a restaurant so customers can determine the best spots for conversation. Following a soft launch, the app is officially live.

“Many people don’t have a concept of healthy noise levels,” said Greg Scott, founder SoundPrint. “This can be a problem both for conversation, and for hearing health.”

Scott was inspired to create the app after finding other consumer review sites to lack accuracy in sound readings, which made it difficult at times to hear and connect with his dates in New York.

“We are huge supporters of the Baltimore foodie scene, and want to enhance and support its growth by providing another resource for diners who may be hard of hearing, or simply want an environment that’s conducive to conversation,” said Erin Stauder, executive director of HASA. “There is a tendency for people who are hard of hearing to simply avoid going out to restaurants; we see this as a way for these individuals to still enjoy the social event of dining out, without having to worry about noise level,” she said.

The app allows customers to use a real-time sound meter to take a 15-second reading of the decibel level of a restaurant or bar. The crowdsourced readings make up a sound profile for each venue. Users can filter restaurants based on how loud or quiet they are, much like you’d use filters to search for a restaurant on Yelp.

Several hundred sound readings were taken across neighborhoods in Baltimore in April following the app’s soft launch. This data makes up Baltimore’s “Quiet List” and “Loud List,” of individual restaurants, as well as the quietest and loudest neighborhoods. These lists follow below.

To download the app, search for SoundPrint in the Apple app store. To learn more about hearing health, visit http://www.hasa.org.

The following lists were curated using several hundred SoundPrint data captures taken during peak restaurant hours, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

The Quiet List – Quietest Restaurants in Baltimore

1. Ban Thai Restaurant (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon) 2. Dalesio’s (Little Italy) 3. Himalayan Bistro (South Baltimore) 4. Kiku Sushi (South Baltimore) 5. Da Mimmo (Little Italy) 6. Lumbini Restaurant (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon) 7. La Tavola (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon) 8. Ikaros (Greektown) 9. Charleston Restaurant (Fells Point) 10. Dooby’s (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon)

The Loud List – Loudest Restaurants in Baltimore

1. R. House (Hampden) 2. Holy Frijoles (Hampden) 3. Homeslyce (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon) 4. Rye Street Tavern (South Baltimore) 5. Mick O’Shea’s (N. Charles/Mt. Vernon) 6. Alexander’s Tavern (Fells Point) 7. Papi’s Tacos (Fells Point) 8. Clavel (Hampden) 9. The Brewer’s Art (N. Charles/Mt Vernon) 10. The Boathouse Canton Waterfront Grill (Canton)

Quietest Neighborhood for Dining in Baltimore: Little Italy (Quiet, avg. 63 dBA)

Loudest Neighborhood for Dining in Baltimore: S. Baltimore – Riverside/Fed Hill/Locust Point (Very Loud, avg. 81 dBA)

Other insights:

Restaurants in Baltimore generally have Moderate noise-level until 8 p.m. when it transitions into Loud based on average dBA.

Initial data indicates Baltimore may be one of the most noise-friendly restaurant cities, but more robust data is needed to verify.

Decibel Guidelines

Quiet = 70 dBA or below (safe for hearing health, conducive to conversation)

Moderate = 71 – 75 dBA (safe for hearing health, manageable for conversation)

Loud = 76 – 80 dBA (likely safe for hearing health, conversation is difficult)

Very Loud = 81+ dBA (unsafe for hearing health, conversation is very difficult)

According to a Recent Study/Survey … Mid-May 2018 Edition posted first on happyhourspecialsyum.blogspot.com

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beaslagle085-blog · 7 years

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Story Time or Storyteller: Your worst vacation

Hello and welcome to Storytime. In this segment, to be determined when is the next time this will appear and depending on the response I get, I want to talk about my worst vacation.

Actually, it was not all bad, there were some pretty good and funny moments (read to the end), but the beginning and the end were bad.

I want to take you back to 2004, April, and my trip to Disney with my family. I mentioned in the last post that at that time, I was a Disney Vacation Club member. This was, and still is Disney’s way of owning a timeshare, based on in the point system. I had gotten my first 150 points, and 2002’s points (150), and 2003’s (150) points as a way to say thank you for becoming a member. For a family of 5 (me, my parents, my sister (age 15 at the time), and my nephew (age 8 at the time)), that was a very generous vacation week. I had set the vacation for Easter week, which for Columbus, Ohio, USA Public Schools, this was the time when the children (and some college students) took a spring break (I still like the European system of vacation and hope one day we would adopt that system). The dates were for April 9-14, 2004.

After I book the stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas, I got dizzy one day after choir rehearsal, and I scheduled a doctor’s appointment. My doctor sent me straight to the hospital, and I found out I had high blood pressure. Not good for me, and I wondered if I had to cancel this vacation. They put me on some medication, and it is under control today. On with the trip.

They scheduled a follow-up for April 8, one day before the trip, which I was not happy about, but, OK. That was not the only thing that was about to happen.

I was at my home, packing for our trip, and my sister called me. She wanted me to pick her up from the church that was around the corner from my parents. I refused, telling her that she can walk herself home. My mother was packing, my nephew was playing with some friends, and dad was at work. I also told her that I needed to get some sleep for my appointment the next day, so she got mad at me and hung up.

She got home, got into an argument with mom about staying out late, and stormed into her room. She lit a candle for a minute. Apparently, it was longer than a minute because she fell asleep and had knocked the candle, which was still burning. She smelt the comforter burning and ran out the room to get something to put the fire out. That woke up mom and my nephew, who tried to open the door to the room, but the door was stuck. The alarm sounded, and the people from the alarm place called to see if everything was alright. This company does a double calling. They also called my aunt who lived on the next street over, and he called my dad to come home from work.

In the meantime, no one called me. I was still up, trying to pack some of the clothes I had washed for the trip. I was told later that had they called my house, I would have panicked, which I would have. Thank God no one was hurt.

The next day, as I prepared to go to the doctor’s appointment, something told me that something was wrong, but I did not know what. So, I got dressed, got in the car and started driving towards my parent’s house, which was on the way to my doctor’s appointment. As I drove down the street, I noticed something strange about the house, but I could not put my finger on it. I was pretty early for the appointment, so, I decided to stop in to see if everything was alright.

As I got closer, I noticed a big black hole where the windows of my sister and nephew’s rooms used to be, and on the side of the house on the right side was a burnt mattress. I sped around the corner on in the driveway, got out, and ran to the front door. There were people taking clothes out the front door and dad talking to an insurance person. I went to the kitchen and asked mom what happened and she told me. I am trying to make sense of everything and mom told me not to worry about it and go to my appointment.

I got a clean bill of health to go on the trip and stopped by the house after the appointment. Me and my parents were talking, and I had to address the elephant in the room, “were we still going on this trip?” It would be a waste if we did not.

So, that night, I packed my luggage in my car, locked up my house, and headed towards my parent’s house. The plan was to pack up my car, stay the night at a hotel, which was the plan before the fire, then the next day, we drove down to the airport, parked my car, and got on the plane to go towards Disney World.

Getting lost and bad food…

We got off the plane and dad had rented a Jeep Grand Cherokee (do they make those anymore?). Nice car for 5 people. Roomy, I had the whole back seat to myself. Score. Now it is time for us to find Disney. One of the things I like about Disney now is if you fly into Orlando Metropolitan airport and you are staying at a Disney Resort, they do have the magic Express Bus. Not the case if you are flying from Rickenbacker Airport to Tampa International airport. If that was the case, then three adults, a child, and a teen would not have been seen wondering through the streets of Tampa and Orlando, before reaching their destination. The kids fell asleep, I fell asleep, and mom and dad were talking. Nothing like a quick stop to Burger King to put us all in the mood of La-La Land.

When I woke up, dad was trying to find the entrance. There are 50 ways to get into Disney, and we had to pick the one that was the less noticeable. Well, we turned around in a parking lot of a church and went back in the other direction. Soon, my nephew, who was the only one that was alert asked, “are we looking for the entrance back there?” We had passed it again, so we turned around once more, this time in a parking lot for all things Disney souvenir.

We pulled in and started looking for the resort. At Disney, there are plenty of signs, and it took a minute, but we found it. Since the reservations were in my name, I had to check us in. Once in the suite of three bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and our own private viewing of the pool with a clown for a waterslide, we began to rest for a moment, then prepared for our first dinner reservation of the trip, Boma.

Boma, which is located in the Animal Kingdom, is an African Buffet Restaurant. I liked the food, the parents and kids did not. I am the only one who is adventurous in my family, except now I can add my nephew to the mix (at least he will eat sushi with me). When he was 8, he only ate hamburgers and French fries (now I see where my other nephew, his brother gets it from). When that happens, I consider that a bad meal. I cannot enjoy a meal when your family is sitting there complaining about it. So, for future trips, we will not be going to this place.

The Rest of the Trip…

I realized this is a long story so I will tell you later. I thought I had a copy of the posts from my Traveling to The Mouse’s House, which was a trip report (also another form of storytelling) of this trip, but when my computer had to be decluttered by Geek Squad last October), the blog file was not part of the files restored.

A couple of things to note about this trip of mine:

The last day at Disney (we had two more days before catching the flight home, which you can read about in the last post), we went to a restaurant called Ohana, which means “family” Polynesian, and if you have watched Lilo and Stitch, it also means “everyone is family and no one gets left behind”. I do want to warn you, if you are vegan or vegetarian, this is not the place for you, although I think they have since added those options to the menu.

Anyway, we ran late (which was no surprise when you have a stubborn teen in the mix. Our reservations were for 7 pm, and we got there at 7:15. So we waited. While waiting, the child and teen got into it, and dad had to issue a “no talking zone”, and to sit away from each other. Mom got restless and started looking at the drink menu. (Insert comic moment- things you don’t do when bored and not a drinker): Ask about the drinks. She wanted to know what was a Backscratcher. We told her that it would put her under the table. Then she asked about what was in the other drinks. Thank God, the hostess rescued us before we got into THAT conversation, LOL.

Next dad started calling everyone “cousin”, which is the proper way to greet family. So, we had a cousin waiter, a cousin hostess, and so on. My family is really humorous.

The other thing was once you leave Disney, it is best to go home. We did not leave for the flight home until Friday. Between the Wednesday, we checked out of Boardwalk Villas to our new home, a dilapidated hotel (or should I say motel, because you enter the rooms from the outside, not a lobby), and it was "Boring City" after that. Me and my sister did not want to go visit one of Dad’s friends with them (nephew had to go because his friend was there), and I spent most of the day trying to find a place within walking distance to file my taxes, and she was in the pool. We had Domino’s pizza, and my parents came back after that. We sleep a couple of hours before headed towards the airport. That was Thursday.

Friday…

We dealt with a string of plane issues. One pilot was sick so another one had to be called in. Then, he forgot that he was called, so we had to wait on him to arrive. Once we got up in the air, we were 5 mins from home, and the plane turned around. Something fell off the plane while in the air, and then we had to get a replacement, so, back to Tampa, we go. We sat a couple more hours in the terminal, then we switched planes. Finally, we got home for my parents to deal with a home with two burnt rooms.

So, it is finally your turn: What was your worst vacation, and write about it? It does not have to be as long as mine, but it sometimes it may help.

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foodstreetinbangalore · 4 years

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Foods You Can’t Leave Bangalore Without Trying

Idli Dip Sambhar

Things like idlis and dosas are extremely clear however one exemption would be Idli Dip Sambhar, only for being so Bangalore. Two steaming hot, delicate idlis (and here and there a vada) dunked in a profound flying saucer-like bowl of quite hot, zesty sweet and deep sambhar, this may sound practically cruel, yet you haven't generally delighted in idlis until you've suffocated them. Where to get it? Idli Dip Sambhar is accessible basically wherever in Bangalore. One of the more 'sambharlicious' places around is Amruth Vegetarian.

Bisi Bele Bhath

Bisi Bele Bhath truly means 'Hot Dal Rice' (the name alone ought to conjure in you a glow much the same as eating mother's hand crafted daal chawal). The dish highlights daal, rice and vegetables mixed together like a khichdi, and presented with boondi, namkeen or some of the time potato chips. It's spirit food at its best. Burping is energized. Where to get it? Bisi Bele Bhath is an exceptionally regular 'rice thing', accessible at most neighborhood South Indian joints. On the off chance that you need to eat it only a single time, probably the best spot is Maiya's.

Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian | Hotel Chandrika, Cunningham Road

No, don't call your optician. You read that right. Gobi Manchurian is North India's unceasing most loved Gobi-meets-China's amazing Manchurian-style of cooking in a Hindi-Kannada-Chini-Bhai-Bhai mix that leaves you marginally confounded, somewhat delighted and totally fulfilled. These reduced down bites are completely oily and fiery, with garlic and green chiles giving it its mark mythical serpent breath afterburn. Crunch away! Where to get it? Gobi Manchurian is under the 'Chinese' or 'Extraordinary Items' menu at most South Indian cafés. For the crunchiest, spiciest and yummiest Gobi Manchurian, head to RS Shiv Sagar.

One bit of leeway of living in a city with a more tight cutoff time than Cinderella's is that everyone is up for a decent breakfast. What's more, breakfast food has gotten so well known in Bangalore that there is no disgrace in eating singed eggs and toast for lunch, or a pleasant breakfast platter at supper. Throughout the day breakfast joints are developing in prevalence all over Bangalore, with past English breakfast turning into our second-most loved Brit after Mr. Bean. Where to get it? Bacon desires can hit you whenever. Make certain to get your suggested portion of bacon, eggs, ham, hotdogs and toast at the Hole In The Wall Cafe.

Bun Nippat

Bangalore is a city of trend-setters, so normally they have they own imaginative mark chaat. Bun Nippat is a basic idea, a fresh, broiled masala nippat is put in the warm limits of a new bun, alongside slashed onions, ground cheddar and a mystery ingredient that can't be uncovered to non-Bangaloreans! Pair this with a container of masala coke, and you will be shipped to unadulterated chatpata heaven. Where to get it? Bun Nippat slows down are found around school territories on the grounds that the children love it. The best bun nippat and masala coke blend is accessible at Chetty's Corner.

Momos

Bring your eyeballs down from your heads Delhiites, everybody realizes your momos are the best thing since reproduction lightsabers. Be that as it may, the Bangalore momos have truly made their mark as of late. Bangalore momos are littler than those found in the north, the outside layer gentler and the sauces are much more front-of-the-tongue zesty than back. Little pieces of paradise! Where to get it? As convention directs, momos are normally found in slows down out and about. Certain slows down in Indiranagar, Koramangala and Whitefield are exceptionally well known. A standout amongst other non-side of the road places for momos is Taste of Tibet.

Steaks

While their event in most other significant Indian urban communities is very uncommon (most clear joke ever), the Bangalore steakhouse business has been going from solidarity to quality. Karnataka state permits the butcher of bulls over the age of 12, or the import and serving of cow hamburger. Most steakhouses are of top quality and serve the choicest cuts, yet not many of them get their uncommon and medium uncommon right. However, on the other hand, most steak darlings here couldn't care less. Where to get it? A large portion of the focal zones of Bangalore have fantastic steakhouses, the vast majority of them serving liquor to make for a total steak supper. The one spot that marginally defeats all the others is Millers 46.

Beast Steak Burger

Beast Steak Burger | Peppa Zzing, Infantry Road/Courtesy of Zomato

It just shows signs of improvement and better for meat darlings in Bangalore, on account of the blasting specialty burger scene in the city. Miles in front of inexpensive food burgers every which way (other than moderateness), these high quality burgers (patties are made of meat ground in the kitchens) are in effect vociferously requested. The assortment of styles, fixings and tastes accessible are astounding, and it is extremely unlikely that only one burger can summarize your experience. Really awful one such burger is sufficient to fill most stomachs. Where to get it? There are an excessive number of unprecedented burger joints to give it a shot, however winning it as far as generally speaking eatery idea is Smally's Resto Cafe.

Gourmet Pizzas

When Bangaloreans need a window into paradise (otherwise known as pizza), a chain joint like Domino's is without a doubt the final retreat. Bangalore is presently home to a few heavenly gourmet pizza eateries that take into account coffee shops' requirement for elegant and modest, at the same time. From the wood-fire decency of Toit to Bakester's exceptionally desi-tasteful Indian-fixing pizzas, the normal pizza sweetheart has bounty to look over and bounty to slobber over. Where to get it? The previously mentioned Toit isn't only well known for its smokey-seasoned pies. This difficult to-get-a-table spot is additionally famous for its specialty lager microbrewery. Look at Toit Brewpub.

Cold Stone Ice Cream

What's more, we should not overlook dessert. The greatest sweet-tooth longings lately is for cold stone frozen yogurts. At the point when you request, you are urged to look as the frozen yogurt skilled worker puts your frozen yogurt on a piece of cold stone and pounds, crushes and blends away until it transforms into a smooth-finished and wonderfully blended frozen yogurt parfait, served in a waffle bowl. The main issue: you can't converse with your mouth full. Where to get it? Stoner is a chain that has carried this imaginative idea to Bangalore, and it has truly gotten on! Discover it at Stoner.

Extraordinary Mentions

These dishes get extraordinary notices since they are dishes put on the map by one café and are authentic must-attempts too.

Lamb Leg Biryani (Laham Mandi) at Taa'am, Queen's Road

Delicate Coconut Chicken Kabab at Ujwal Bar and Restaurant, Vasanthnagar (hot chicken kabab served inside a delicate coconut)

Apam and Mutton Stew Breakfast at Koshy's, St, Mark's Road (Sunday morning breakfast as it were)

Davanagere Benne (Butter) Dosas at Sri Guru Kotteshwara, Basavanagudi

ABS (A** Burning Sauce) Wings at Plan B, Castle Street (attempt their ABS wings challenge, on the off chance that you dare!)

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