How to make frosting icing

Imagine walking into a party where you know almost no one (pathetic) — a party at which I, a stranger to you (probably), have arrived well before you (sorry). Should this occur in real life, it is inevitable that shortly after your entrance, as you are tentatively probing the scene in search of safe ingress into social traffic, I will yank you, abruptly, into the middle of a conversation. I will turn to you and start talking as if you’d been involved in the discussion for an hour. I will lob questions at you that are tailored so that any answer you give can be right. Soon, you will forget I dragged you into this interaction; your easy popularity will seem, in retrospect, inevitable. You will most likely feel at least vaguely friendly toward me, because I so clearly want to be your friend. And the whole time I am doing this — because, despite your rewritten recollections, I am the one doing all of this — I will be thinking: Oh, my God, I’m doing it again. I hate this. I hate this. Why … [Read more...] about 13 Women, 30 Activities and One Goal: Make Friends

We get why Texans love Whataburger: It's fast, it’s cheap and there’s a drive-thru window that is all too convenient on days when you’re strapped for time. Order delivery or pickup now! Grubhub Order Now But before you grab another Double Meat, you should know that Houston—being the amazing, diverse food city that it is—is teeming with craveable drive-thru food, and many go well beyond the burger. Tacos al pastor, local brisket, kolache, shrimp pad Thai and, yes, even those classic burgers , fries, and shakes. It’s all up for grabs. So before you Google, "drive thrus near me," and select from the bevy of fast-food restaurants that pop up, read on for our hand-picked selection of 11 essential drive-thru restaurants Houston has to offer. Common Bond On-The-Go Since opening in Montrose in 2014, Common Bond has stretched across Houston, including a number of On-The-Go locations that have drive-thru windows. Take a ride to the Heights, Garden Oaks or … [Read more...] about Houston drive-thru restaurants worth sitting in line for

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 On a recent trip to Vietnam, I’m pretty sure I found one key to a happy and harmonious urban life. During the drippy, languid hours of mid-day heat in Ho Chi Minh City, which many also call Saigon, I frequently ducked into every hẻm, or alleyway, that I saw for a little bit of shade. They quickly became my favorite places in the city. Lined with homes and storefronts that opened up directly into the street, these alleyways were filled with scooter parking, lush potted trees, craft workshops, shrines wafting with incense smoke, and baskets of various things for sale. Cars, still a rarity in this city, occasionally snagged parking at alley entrances when they could. In these alleyways, where the vast majority of residents live, the division between one’s own property and the street is more of a suggestion rather than a rule. Life spills out of the home and onto the streets, where … [Read more...] about What Vietnam’s alleyways can teach the Bay Area about bureaucracy and community

Chinese tourists take pictures in the Champs Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, March 14, 2023. REUTERS ZURICH/BERLIN/LONDON — Urs Kessler, who runs Jungfrau Railways, a train that takes tourists up the highest mountain in Switzerland, was excited for the return of Chinese tourists after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted late last year. But barring one small group in February and a few larger ones expected in May, few have materialized. Many tour operators like Kessler are disappointed by lower-than-expected bookings from high-spending Chinese travelers who before the pandemic would typically splash between 1,500 and 3,000 euros per person, according to the Global Times newspaper. Chinese outbound flight bookings to Europe during March and August are only 32% that of pre-pandemic levels, according to travel data firm ForwardKeys. The travel industry is also grappling with cash-strapped domestic holidaymakers looking for cheaper vacations as energy and … [Read more...] about Europe’s hopes for busy post-COVID summer dim as Chinese tourists stay away

Jump to: Tricky Clues | Today’s Theme MONDAY PUZZLE — When people first start solving crosswords, their goal tends to be simple: Most just want to understand the clue and to have a decent chance at coming up with the correct answer. And that’s understandable. Everyone has to start somewhere. But there is so much more to enjoy inside a puzzle — even on a Monday, long considered to be the “easiest” crossword of the week — than just maintaining a rote tempo of clue, answer, clue, answer. I encourage solvers to stop and smell the cruciverbal roses whenever possible. Notice the wordplay in the clues and marvel at the minds that come up with these punny delights. I also like to watch a good theme develop as I solve. To some, the theme is one of the building blocks of the grid. To me, it’s the cherry on the sundae, because I get to enjoy some bonus wordplay. Just because a puzzle is said to be “easy” doesn’t mean it lacks challenge or fun. The theme of today’s puzzle, by Adam … [Read more...] about What the Fish Said