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Batool Zainab "Bats" Suleman

@biteswithbats

363

followers

928

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Foodie 🌯🍉🍔🍝🍰☕
Practicing IE since 09/2019, recovering from disordered eating.
#HandSlaughteredHalal
[email protected]
Toronto/Waterloo based 🇨🇦

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

"Want to stop for burgers?"
"Sure."
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@burgerspark is a known as the Shake Shack dupe, but does it live up to the hype? You'll have to read to find out.

ITEM SPECS (pictured)

- Park burger, spicy, with cheese, extra tomato, jalapenos, mayo, onions, and dijonnaise
- Sweet potato fries with curry ketchup
- Park burger, spicy, with cheese, tomato, jalapenos, onion, pickles, and dijonnaise
- Crinkle-cut fries with fry sauce
- One drink, free refills
- Spicy Chik'n with jalapenos, slaw, spicy honey butter, chipotle mayo, and tomato

Cost: $55.00 (incl. tax and LIGHT tip)

Ratings for the PARK BURGER:

Taste: 6.75/10
Texture: 7.65/10
Mouth Feel: 7.55/10

Ratings for the CHIK'N SANDWICH:

Taste: 9.95/10
Texture: 9.25/10
Mouth Feel: 9.35/10

Ratings for the FRIES

Taste: 7/10
Texture: 6.65/10
Mouth Feel: 6.85/10

Overall:
Customer Service: 7.5/10, not bad, just nothing special.

Thoughts and Recommendation:

I think Burgers Park is doing something different and taking a lot of risks. They close early, don't have table service, and their menu is pretty bare-boned; and yet, they're spectacular.

The simplicity of their menu means that everything is really well-crafted. For example, the chicken sandwich (not vegan, I know, the name is confusing), on paper, is not something I'd enjoy. I hate honey, I'm not a fan of buttery things, and sweet chicken is typically what I avoid eating.

However, on the first bite, I was converted. It's different and it has an incredible depth of flavour. The rules of good food, salt, fat, acid, heat, are expertly layered, balanced out with a bright slaw, a light sweetness, a solid bun (that doesn't get soggy), and a crunchy fried chicken filet. Delicious, Masha Allah.

The beef burger is fine, but not as outstanding or unique. My friend really enjoyed it though. Something for everyone!

The curry ketchup and the fry sauce were underdogs I didn't even know I was rooting for until I tasted them. I loved the pairings with the fries!

I think Burgers Park boils down to this: simple and minimal but powerful and creative.

I'd absolutely recommend going here, but be aware, you could end up waiting upwards of an hour for a table when it's busy. - Park burger, spicy, with cheese, extra tomato, jalapenos, mayo, onions, and dijonnaise
- Sweet potato fries with curry ketchup
- Park burger, spicy, with cheese, tomato, jalapenos, onion, pickles, and dijonnaise
- Crinkle-cut fries with fry sauce
- Spicy Chik'n with jalapenos, slaw, spicy honey butter, chipotle mayo, and tomato
- Sprite with lemonade

Each burger is wrapped in parchment paper/food wrap and is on a metal tray. The fries and sauces are on the beef burger trays. The chicken sandwich tray just has the sandwich. The drink is in a clear plastic cup with a straw and a lid next to the crinkle-cut fries' tray (right to the viewer). taken in Burgers Park by @biteswithbats

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3 years ago

"I can't believe you actually like hanging out with me!"
"Yeah, you know cool food spots and you drive, so..."
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@icecream2kitchener is a local spot for ice cream, dole whip, and other cold treats. Perfect for hot summers and even hotter post-midterm ice cream runs.

ITEM SPECS (pictured)

- Vanilla soft-serve with light Lotus Biscoff Cookie Crumbles and shortcake
- Hot Caramel Sundae with vanilla-chocolate twist soft-serve

Cost: $9.04 (incl. tax)
The sundae included the caramel sauce, I paid extra for the toppings on the vanilla soft-serve.
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Ratings

Taste: 9.15/10
Texture: 9.35/10
Mouth Feel: 9.55/10
Customer Service: 9.95/10
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Thoughts and Recommendation

As with most things, I am super picky with ice cream haha. I actually find myself typically unable to finish small servings of ice cream because of the overwhelming sweet flavour. I also do not like overly sweet things, so you get the picture.

I really liked this ice cream because it is creamy, not too sweet, and a great base for toppings. Don't get me wrong, it stands well alone, but with my simple toppings, it stood out as an incredible alternative to the more "heavy" ice cream offerings I have sampled.

The ice cream is "thick" but melts at a reasonable pace. The texture reminds me of frozen custard, except less liquidy, and less rich (in a very good way). The mouth feel was outstanding, I honestly think it had some of the best mouth feel I've ever experienced with soft-serve ice cream. The customer service was wonderful, as always, and virtually all staff members are equipped to handle picky people like me with information, recommendations, and answers to my million-and-one questions.

All in all, I strongly recommend you check them out!
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ALT TEXT: (From bottom to top) a hand with golden nail polish holding soft-serve vanilla ice cream in a clear cup with cookie crumbles on top. Another hand holding a hot caramel sundae in a clear cup. This second hand belongs to the person pictured in an white-and-black-polka-dot orange shirt with a lanyard, a rain jacket and black pants. Their phone is in the hand not holding ice cream. (From bottom to top) a hand with golden nail polish holding soft-serve vanilla ice cream in a clear cup with cookie crumbles on top. Another hand holding a hot caramel sundae in a clear cup. This second hand belongs to the person pictured in an white-and-black-polka-dot orange shirt with a lanyard, a rain jacket and black pants. Their phone is in the hand not holding ice cream. Some of their hair (black/dark brown) is in the picture, but not their face. The background is a parking lot, seemingly empty in the picture. taken in Ice Cream 2 by @biteswithbats

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3 years ago

I had a blast at Word on the Street! I would definitely recommend their events to anyone with an interest in art, reading, and/or community taken in The Word On The Street Toronto by @biteswithbats

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

"Is the food actually good? Or is it just a Canadian staple?"
"Let's find out"

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@bostonpizzamarkham was the latest addition to my GTA restaurant rotation. This location in particular has halal options that are cooked separately on request (but please confirm yourself when you go). Let's discuss what I got and if I'll be going back.
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ITEM SPECS (from two visits)

Halal Wings; Tamil Hot, Memphis Hot, and Hot; well done (total from two visits)
Herbivore Pizza with mushrooms
Vegetarian Half Nachos
Jalapeño Shrimp Tacos
Jalapeño Shrimp Thai Bites, less sauce, extra spicy (both visits)
Shrimp Alfredo with halal alfredo sauce and no white wine
Handcrafted Quencher (unlimited refills) in peach mango, watermelon, and berry (both visits)
Unicorn Lemonade

Cost: ~ $175.00 (including tax, but not including tip)
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Ratings (Overall)
Taste: 7.85/10
Texture: 7.95/10
Mouth Feel: 8.25/10
Customer Service: 8.85/10
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Recommendation

Let's get right into it, starting with my favourites:

- The Jalapeño Shrimp Thai Bites are excellent, I wish they were spicier but easily remedied by requesting hot sauce

- The Handcrafted Quenchers are great. My favourite one is peach mango. Free refills and not overly sweet, it's a must try for those who like flavoured sparkling water.

- The Halal Wings are by far the best wings I have ever eaten. Moist, flavourful, cooked through, and accompanied by a nice variety of sauces. On Thursdays the wings are discounted!

Some items were just okay. I'll post those thoughts in the comments due to character limits. In brief, some items are too bland or over salted. Check the comments for more details.

Better than I expected, Boston Pizza is a solid choice for a night out with friends or a family dinner. The vegetarian and halal options are nicely done and make BP an inclusive place for mixed-faith groups. I will definitely be going back, especially on Thursdays for the wings!

COVID-19 wise, they have dividers inside that keep tables separate and are following current protocols.

Perfect Bite Scale: Almost There (for the wings specifically) by @biteswithbats

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5 years ago

CLOSED!
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GIVEAWAY ALERT! @momosbakery._ and I are collaborating for a giveaway! The winner will receive a dozen cupcakes with their choice of design!*

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Like this post
2. Follow @biteswithbats and @momosbakery._
3. Tag a friend in the comments. 1 Tag = 1 Entry, you can make unlimited entries!

The giveaway will close on June 13th, 2021, at 11:59 PM and a winner will be selected on June 14th, 2021 Insha Allah. The winner will be contacted via Instagram direct message.

* Subject to rules and limitations that can be clarified by @momosbakery._ upon winning. Winners must be able to pick up their prize from Momo’s Bakery in GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

Please be wary of the scam accounts that are trying to gain people’s information through fraudulent activity. You will only be contacted by this account (@biteswithbats) and in my message to you I will NOT ask you for any personal information that isn’t relevant to the giveaway. I will likely ask you for your full name, general region (e.g. Richmond Hill), and will then direct you to message @momosbakery._ with a unique passphrase.

DISCLAIMER:
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING. By participating, the Contestant (“You” or “participant”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of @biteswithbats (Batool Zainab Suleman) as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign. If you are under the age of majority please seek a parent/guardian’s permission before entering

Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

Rules continued in comments and can be found in my linktree. Picture of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with brown frosting. Background is black with digital fireworks. Picture is surrounded by the word "giveaway" by @biteswithbats

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5 years ago

"We always go Real Fruit, are you sure you want it again?"
"Where else could we go?"

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@officialrealfruitbubbletea (aka RFBT) is my choice of drink spots when I'm feeling thirsty for something more satiating than water, why is this the case? Let's discuss below.
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ITEM SPECS

- One medium Mango Diamond Slush with lychee jelly, no sugar, less ice, extra blended, INCLUDES mango chunks

Cost: $6.21 (incl. tax)
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Ratings
Taste: 8.55/10
Texture: 9.25/10
Mouth Feel: 8.85/10
Customer Service: 6.65/10
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Recommendation

Once upon a time, I existed without having had bubble tea. It was a miserable time, and I don't know how I survived it. /s

My love for mango diamond slushes were threatened by sugar. You see, ever since I was a child, I HATED, abhorred, DESPISED sweet fruits. So when I was first introduced to this drink, I didn't like it (silly me). It wasn't until I tried it at RFBT that I realized that I could order this drink with no sugar. That magic moment changed my life.

As for this particular drink there are three main reasons I like it:

- The texture is smooth and has a wonderful consistency. The lychee jelly only makes it better. The jelly has a chewiness to it that is irreplicable. The mango chunks might be a bit off-putting to those who don't like mango, but to me they're perfectly complimentary to the drink.

- The taste is pure mango, not too watered down or too sweet. The lychee jelly's taste is amazing. It's slightly sweet, with the tiniest hint of umami. The mango chunks bring back any mango taste that might've been lost with the ice used to make the slush.

- The mouth feel, I could probably write a thousand words about the mouth feel alone. But it's best summed up like this: if you think mouth feel isn't real, this is the drink that will convince you it is.

COVID-19 wise, they were struggling to point out when customers weren't wearing masks correctly, but were otherwise okay.

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Perfect Bite Scale: Almost There by @biteswithbats

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5 years ago

"Does it have to be spicy to be good?"
"Most of the time."

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@rowdy6ird was our choice of Saturday dinner recently. Does it fair well against the titans of the Toronto fried chicken scene? Read below to find out.
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ITEM SPECS

- Three Big Rowdies with Rowdy Rub
- One Rowdy Veggie Sandwich with Rowdy Rub
- Fifteen Piece Family Chicken Meal; Nine with Rowdy Rub, Six Regular
- NOT PICTURED: Garlic Parmesan Five piece Rowdy chunks
- Accompanying sides: poutine, coleslaw, macaroni salad, and curly fries

Cost: $115.85 (incl. tax)
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Ratings (Overall)
Taste: 6.55/10
Texture: 8.95/10
Mouth Feel: 9.15/10
Customer Service: 7.15/10 phone, 9.15/10 in-person
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Recommendation

Rowdy was recommended to me by Google Maps and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

The sandwich is excellent in texture and mouth feel, but I have to dock points for the lack of spice. I asked for the spiciest rub, but instead was met with something resembling sweet paprika. The spiciness promised just doesn't hit the mark. The mouth feel and texture make up for this, but I can't ignore the blatant false advertising.

The veggie sandwich was surprisingly delicious. It seems to be #Seitan (recently viral on TikTok) or another vital wheat gluten based faux-meat. The texture and mouth feel, again, are exceptional.

The spicy fried chicken suffered because of the lackluster rub. The regular chicken was more palatable and not claiming to be something it isn't.

Both on the sandwiches, and as a stand alone, the coleslaw was much better than the ones found at Rowdy's competitors. I appreciate a coleslaw that doesn't drown itself in mayonnaise.

Macaroni salad was atrocious. I will never purchase it again. Same for the chunks.

Curly fries leave something to be desired. They are too short and lack the signature curly fry mouth feel. Nonetheless, they are halfway decent. Pretty good in the poutine.

Overall, Rowdy isn't trying to replace the fried chicken spots in Toronto, it seeks to offer an alternative. I think that they are doing a good job but have room for improvement.

COVID-19 wise, they're following physical distancing and everyone is wearing masks.

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Perfect Bite Scale: Getting Closer Big Rowdy chicken sandwich with rowdy rub by @biteswithbats

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6 years ago

"So you can tolerate mild food?"
"Yeah, I've been building my strength for the blander foods in life"

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@affysgrill Pickering location is where we chose to buy takeout from for a recent at-home celebration (just my household). Check out what we got and what I thought below.
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ITEM SPECS

- Two full racks of ribs; extra sauce, spicy
- One 20 ounce ribeye steak; well done
- Three Texas fried chicken sandwiches; extra spicy, no onion, extra tomato
- Herb Chicken Penne; extra spicy, well done chicken
- NOT PICTURED: Fried Chicken Sandwich; no toppings
- NOT PICTURED: Fried Chicken Sandwich; no tomato, no onion
- Accompanying sides were fries and baked potato

Cost: ~ $225.00 (incl. tax), this is an estimate because I don't remember if I gave a tip or not.
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Ratings (Overall)
Taste: 6.35/10
Texture: 5.15/10
Mouth Feel: 7.05/10
Customer Service: 6.25/10 phone, 8.85/10 in-person
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Recommendation

I have a long and complicated relationship with Affy's. I don't like most of their food, I think that their customer service needs work, and yet I somehow end up eating their food at least a few times a year.

Let's talk about each item.

- Steak: bland, tasteless, mushrooms were the only saving grace
- Ribs: meh, I've had better, sauce is pretty decent
- Texas/Fried Chicken Sandwich: meh, portion is large but both types of sandwiches lack flavour
- Penne: the dish that surprised me the most. I usually hate Affy's entrées, but this one was incredible Masha Allah. They followed my instructions and, for the first time, served a good pasta dish
- Sides: meh, nothing special, baked potato was under done

The penne is the main reason Affy's received above 5/10 in every category. Without the penne, it would have been much lower (except the in-person service, that was excellent).

Affy's is a restaurant that has continued to serve a market I like to think I'm not a part of, people who want to eat bland food. Just kidding, their whole schtick is the middle-of-the-road dine-in restaurant theme. They execute this goal with mostly bland, over salted food.

COVID-19 wise, they're doing the bare minimum. Masks.

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Perfect Bite Scale: Imperfect
(Penne is Getting Closer) taken in Affys Premium Grill by @biteswithbats

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6 years ago

"Batool, at this point, are you even a blogger?"
"Is this how you're wishing me happy birthday?"

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@dqcanada Pickering location
After a tumultuous year, I decided to go with a nostalgic cake for my birthday last week. A Dairy Queen ice cream cake. Read below to see how it went.

ITEM SPECS
Custom Blizzard Cake with the following:
- Bottom Layer (custom Blizzard): chocolate soft serve with brownie and cheesecake pieces
- Middle Layer: two layers of fudge cookie crumbles
- Top Layer (custom Blizzard): vanilla soft serve with brownie and cheesecake pieces
- Decoration (top): custom printed picture, custom coloured icing in turquoise/teal
- Decoration (sides and border): custom ombre from turquoise to white, with extra icing

Cost: $53.40 (incl. tax)
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Ratings
Taste: 9.45/10
Texture: 7.15/10
Mouth Feel: 9.15/10
Customer Service: 9.05/10
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Recommendation
Was this one of the best birthday cakes I've ever had? Absolutely. But were there things that I'd want to change? Yes, let's discuss.

Next time, I will not be getting the brownie pieces. They were quite chewy and tasteless and are the reason that the texture got a lower score. Did they ruin the mouth feel? Not at all. It's obviously partially my error for ordering brownie pieces in the custom layers, but I expected better from DQ.

The middle layer was my best friend on my birthday. It was delightfully crunchy, rich, and had a slight bitterness that really elevated this cake. I was blown away by how much I liked this cake. I mean, I knew DQ cakes were good, I just didn't realize they could be GREAT.

Regarding price and value, I might be a bit entitled when I say that I was very satisfied. I felt like $53.40 for 12+ servings with all of my crazy customisations was fair and reasonable. Their customer service was also great, the cake manager here really undersold her skills and honestly did an exceptional job.

COVID-19 wise DQ is really doing the most. Very strict on masks, physical distancing, and encouraging customers to use their drive thru. Great job!

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Perfect Bite Scale: A Few More Steps Dairy Queen ice cream cake (round) with picture of hijabi woman's face. Teal to white ombre on sides Turquoise gel frosting on top says "Happy 21st Birthday Batool Zainab!" by @biteswithbats

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6 years ago

"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"
"My treat then, I guess?"
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@zaitountoronto
at Markham and Finch was something I passed by when driving through the area. My food blogger sense kicked in and I knew I had to check it out. So for my birthday (Jan 13th) I decided to treat myself to their food. Keep reading to see how it went!

Item Specs
- Chili Steak Sandwich with extra tomato, extra hot sauce, extremely spicy, extra garlic sauce, and extra mushrooms
- My grandmother got a tandoori chicken wrap with everything except hot sauce
Cost ~ $19.00 (incl. tax)
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Ratings
Taste: 8.85/10
Texture: 8.15/10
Mouth Feel: 9/10
Customer Service: 9.45/10 .
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Recommendation
This is, hands down, the BEST SANDWICH IN TORONTO. I have had my fair share of sandwiches. My old favourite was one from @tendersucf (still an EXCELLENT sandwich) but this one just took the whole darn cake. Its crispy from the toasted bread, soft and savoury from the filling, and the acidic bite from the tomato made this too good to be true. The customer service is phenomenal and they truly want to make sure that their customers have the best possible experience. I will definitely be coming back when I'm in town Insha Allah. Genuinely so impressed by this new find!
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Perfect Bite Scale: Almost There by @biteswithbats

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7 years ago

"What am I craving right now?"
"Burgers!"
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@topgunsteakandburgers
at Markham and McNicoll is something I've had a few times and have found to be my favourite location of the franchise. Keep reading to find out why!

Item Specs
- Tornado with no raw onion, extra tomato, and with extra toppings: onion rings, grilled mushrooms and extra aioli (~ $12.00 before tax) there was a sale that made the fries free but otherwise it's an extra $5.00
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Ratings
Taste: 7.75/10
Texture: 7.5/10
Mouth Feel: 7/10
Customer Service: 9/10 .
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Recommendation
Top Gun is definitely a decent burger spot. The customer service is unmatched here as the staff ensures that you have a great experience. When I went, they were more than willing to put up with my picky preferences. This coupled with an excellent sauce made the burger worthwhile. Is it the best burger I've ever had? Maybe not. Nonetheless, it's a nice spot for a bite with friends.
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Perfect Bite Scale: A Few More Steps by @biteswithbats

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7 years ago