interfaith dinner mingle!!

[stefanged]

Who: Interfaith Center regulars & the not-so-regulars (party crashers are welcome too!!)
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit
When: Forward-dated to November 4th

[The Interfaith Center sounds far more bustling and busy than usual - and anyone peering inside would quickly figure out that a communal dinner is underway! Take off your shoes and walk in: the lounge has extra tablecloths on the floor as well as buffet tables with non-alcoholic beverages and all sorts of food, including Jordanian cuisine (or the outer space equivalent of Jordanian food).

The board games are out of their hiding nooks; the furniture's arranged for the maximum seating possible; and even the teddy bears donated by Kitty & Winn are out for cuddling, should anyone want them.

The kitchen's bustling with helpers - Stefan's running around at vamp-speed to make sure everything's a) done on time and b) cooked to perfection - but he sure wouldn't mind an extra hand. And if you're still not up for some food? Well, the prayer rooms are open as usual. There's always a quiet moment to be found, even if the laughter's louder and the scent of freshly-baked mansaf's wafting through the long corridors.

Anyone and everyone who's ever been inside the Interfaith Center has been invited (via text message - and Stefan even used the fancy emoji). If you're not particularly faithful or devout? Well, drop by anyways. There's more than enough food to spare.]

Comments

[nugqueen]

Of course.

[Leliana sets to work, carefully cutting the vegetables into manageable sized pieces.]

I don't think I've tried that - stir fry. What sort of dish it?

[If it was as good as most of Stefan's cooking, she wouldn't be surprised to find herself enjoying it.]

[stefanged]

Really? It's pretty simple - you take vegetables, you take olive oil and a few spices, and you stir them as you cook them over high heat.

[He reaches for a clean wok and some olive oil, before stirring in some chopped up garlic and onions. He's not in any particular rush, so it's all over low heat for now.]

My mom taught me when I was little, and I just uh, kept it going.

[nugqueen]

[She was a bit envious, that he learned such skills from his mother. Her own had died when she'd been young. Though really, what could she even remember of her? The only thing she remembered was how she smelled - Andraste's Grace. Those had become her favorite flower.]

A worthy tradition. I am sure she would be thrilled to hear it.

[Passing some of her chopped vegetables, she sets about doing more prep work. If he needed more chopping, she would do it, but then there were other things she could possibly prepare - tea, snacks, and the like.]

[stefanged]

If you're done already, come on over - I'll show you how it's done.

[He takes the vegetables - it'll be enough for one batch! - before gesturing for her to follow him over to the stove as he tosses them into the wok. The oil sizzles, and a few stray drops land on him, but he's a vampire. He doesn't flinch.

He gives her a wooden spoon, motioning for her to stir it.] See how the vegetables are staring to turn darker? That's what we're looking for.

[nugqueen]

[She stirs carefully, nodding as she concentrates on the vegetables and waits for their color to darken.]

I won't be surprised if there are no left overs left of this.

[Giving one last stir, she passes him the spoon before stepping back to let him inspect.]

[stefanged]

Looks good!

[He reaches for a platter, motioning for her to go ahead and pile it high.]

You never know. Between me and Caster, I think we've got enough for half the Fleet.

[nugqueen]

Only as good as the chef who made it, I think.

[She means you did this, Stefan. Not her. At any rate she makes quick work moving the meal from the wok to the platter.]

[stefanged]

[He suspected as much, but he can't exactly let her take all the credit either. As he watches her work, he'll rest his arms against the counter.]

Yeah? Then it's gonna be twice as good.

[nugqueen]

Flatterer.

[She grins, looking down at her work as she speaks.]

I do enjoy the work here. This place is important to everyone in the fleet, I think.

[stefanged]

I'd sure hope so. You've helped me out way too long if it weren't the case.

[And one that doesn't even pay real money, at that!]

Which reminds me, since I know a lot of our holidays are coming up - is there a winter holiday in yours?

[nugqueen]

There are two - Wintersend could be the one you might think of as a winter holiday, though it marks the end of winter and signifies a day of gathering for trade and the like.

[stefanged]

Does it have any religious rites or customs? We should prepare now, just in case anyone else from Thedas wants to observe it.

[Or, rather, he'd rather have these traditions celebrated equally. He knows how awkward and lonely it was, growing up, when Christmas and Hanukkah dwarfed Eid in every sense of the word.]

[nugqueen]

Oh, not at all. It's merely a gathering to celebrate the harvest. More of a feast of sorts. Nothing terribly religious about it save for thanking the Maker for a good harvest.

[stefanged]

Hm, so if we did something like this again... it would be more in line with Wintersend?

[He tilts his head.]

If tonight goes well, I certainly wouldn't mind doing it again.