Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge • 알디프 도산 티 라운지

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge (알디프 도산 티 라운지) is a new tea lounge that just recently opened in Dosan Park (도산공원) neighborhood earlier this year in April. The tea lounge offers a variety of unique tea based menu ranging from milk tea, cream tea, tea cocktails, and tea-based desserts that use Altdif’s wide selection of original house blend tea leaves. 

Altdif itself is a Korean tea brand that’s established in 2016. The name Altdif is derived from the acronym of Art, Life, Tea, Dignity, Diversity, and Freedom which the brand stands for. One of the unique thing about their tea is they pair their original house blend teas with its own theme song and story, encouraging you to enjoy the tea using all of your five senses.

They first opened their tea bar in 2018 in Hongdae (which has just recently closed on July 25) and offered tea course session that’s now available at the Dosan location. The 90-minute tea course explores modern Korean tea ritual, tea mixology technique, tea-brewed dessert, tea cocktail, milk tea and a creative single tea menu that’s already prepared for you to make. The tea course session accommodates up to 6 people per session and available only by reservation through Naver.

I visited Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge (알디프 도산 티 라운지) for the first time earlier this year in May, not too long after they just opened. The cafe itself is located on the second floor of a building, so it’s not too obvious from the street unless you’re looking for their sign. Went on a Thursday afternoon and the place was pretty quiet. The tea lounge itself is pretty spacious with about 30 seatings that are spread around the room. 

As a non-coffee drinker, I immediately got excited as soon as I saw their unique tea-based menu which has options other than the usual matcha latte or hojicha latte. From straight tea, milk tea, tea with coffee and tea with alcohol, I feel like this place is definitely where I can bring all my friends to since there’s at least something that they can order from the menu.

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge 2024 Spring/Summer Menu (알디프 도산 티 라운지 2024 S/S 메뉴)

(Menu Courtesy of Altdif)

I actually found Altdif in the beginning of my May trip and I’m so glad that I did because I had the chance to go back again for a second visit two weeks later at the end of my trip. Tried a couple of different things and everything was not too sweet (just how I like it) and the flavors of each menu are certainly unique. Here are the things that I tried during my visits:

Dosan Signature Purple Milk Tea 도산 시그니처 퍼플 밀크티 ₩8,000 | 9.5/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천 (Caffeine Free)
Tea: Space Odditea 스페이스 오디티 • Aroma: Chamomile, Raspberry, Pineapple
Purple signature milk tea with lavender and vanilla flavors.
보랏빛의 시그니처 티에 라벤더와 바닐라를 더하여 차분하면서도 우아한 카페인 프리 밀크티.

Initially, I thought this will taste like taro milk tea just because of the purple color. But surprisingly and interestingly, the strongest flavor for me was actually lavender. But not in a room fragrance kind of way (sometimes lavender flavored food just ended up tasting like fragrance to me, but this one was not). It’s subtle and the combination with vanilla flavor certainly gave it a milkier taste, with a hint of pineapple in the end. The light sweet cream on top was also a nice addition to the drink.

Dosan Signature Black Cream 도산 시그니처 블랙 크림티 ₩8,500 | 8.5/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천 (High Caffeine)
Tea: Lee’s Breakfast 리스 브렉퍼스트 • Aroma: Empress Tree, Sweet Persimmon, Grain Syrup
Altdif signature cream tea which blends coffee and black tea with savory black cream and persimmon.
커피와 홍차를 블렌딩하고 고소한 블랙 크림과 감태로 감칠맛을 더한 알디프 시그니처 스타일 크림티.

My coffee drinking friend actually ordered this and I tried a couple of sips from her glass. For this one, the coffee flavor hit me first, and then the fragrant black tea. I quite enjoy the sweet and savory cream on top as well. The texture is thicker than the one in the Purple Milk Tea, but still enjoyable and easy enough for me to sip with the liquid part on the bottom. Also, to actually taste the overall flavor of the drink, I think you have to sip the cream and the coffee and black tea blend all at the same time. Even though I don’t drink coffee, I still enjoyed this drink (although now I’m curious to know how it’ll taste without the coffee because black tea with that cream on top doesn’t sound bad at all 😆) . And if you’re curious, my friend (who drinks coffee) gave this drink a 9.5/10. She said it was really good.

Summer Citrus Milk Tea 도산 썸머 시트러스 밀크티 ₩7,500 | 9/10

Ice Only • Caffeine Free
Tea: Habit Plus 더하기 차 • Aroma: Green Tangerine, Orange, Quince
[S/S season only] Caffeine free milk tea with a citrusy flavor of lemon-scented herbs.
[S/S 시즌 한정] 레몬향 허브의 시트러스한 풍미로 상큼하면서도 싱그러운 매력인 카페인 프리 밀크티.

The summer Citrus Milk Tea is one of their seasonal menu and definitely reminded me of a refreshing summer drink. The milk tea is citrusy sweet with a hint of zestiness in it. The sliced orange garnish also goes really well with the drink. The flavor is definitely something that I’ve never tasted before and I quite enjoyed this drink.

Signature pudding plate 시그니처 푸딩 플레이트 ₩12,500 | 10/10

Tea Master’s Recommendation #티마스터추천
Altdif’s signature pudding plate with homemade oolong tea pudding, hojicha pudding, vanilla milk cream, crispy crumble and dried fig.
직접 만든 우롱차 푸딩과 호지차 푸딩, 바닐라 우유 크림, 바삭한 크럼블과 건과일로 다양한 식감과 차의 풍미를 느낄 수 있는 시그니처 푸딩 플레이트.

Their signature pudding plate is really good. I ordered this both times I was there. The pudding texture is closer to a panna cotta, but a little bit creamier. The hojicha and oolong tea flavors on the puddings are really fragrant. Love the sweet crispy crumble and dried fig. Both gave a nice texture contrast to the overall dish. Everything on the plate actually works wonderfully in a bite and I really love this dessert. 

Honestly speaking, there’s not a lot of great tea-focused cafe around Seoul, especially with unique milk tea and tea cocktail menu. Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge is certainly a nice addition to the category, especially with their spacious venue (usually most tea places are small with limited seatings). It has definitely become one of my favorite spot and would totally recommend to check this place out if you’re ever in Dosan Park neighborhood (so it can stay open and I can go visit them again on my next trip 😆).

 

Altdif Dosan Tea Lounge • 알디프 도산 티 라운지

Address: 서울 강남구 선릉로161길 21-4 2층
Telephone: 0507-1389-5034
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:00-21:00 | Closed on Mondays

Instagram: @altdif_dosan

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Beyond The Dough Pizzeria

Beyond the Dough is a small pizzeria in Singapore that specializes in Tokyo-Neapolitan style pizzas. Opened earlier this year in March, the pizzeria has a pretty unassuming facade with a clean, simple, humble interior. The open kitchen concept design gives you a glimpse to Eddie Murakami, the master pizzaiolo who trained at two of the world-renowned best pizzerias in Tokyo—Pizza Strada and Pizza Studio Tamaki—, who often found behind the counter busy making pizzas to order.

What so special about Beyond the Dough’s pizza is the fact that they use high-quality imported ingredients, special proofing techniques for the dough and the use of wood fire oven to fire their pizza. For the pizza dough, they use imported Japanese flour with 30-hour proofing time. They also use Okinawan salt, olive oil from Italy, Japanese water filter for their water and even imported Japanese wood for their fire oven pizza.

I actually found out about this place because a friend who’s living in Singapore told me about it. She said this place went viral on Tiktok and told me to go and see if the food is as good as the hype. She also told me that getting a reservation at this place is really hard. Like you have to reserve 2-3 months in advance hard. But it just so happened that when I walked by this place on a Friday during lunch hour, they have empty tables available so I went in with three of my friends. 

Assortment of 3 kinds Appetizers (おまかせ前菜3種盛り合わせ) S$18 | 7/10

Omakase Style

Started the meal with this dish. First, the left one one the plate is the celery, olives, and octopus with pink peppercorns. Not a big fan of celery in general but the olives and octopus were pretty good. The octopus was cooked nicely, tender and not tough at all. The middle top one is broccoli vinaigrette with shredded cheese. The broccoli was cooked and seasoned nicely. A pretty straightforward dish. And lastly, the right one on the plate is tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant in red sauce and shredded cheese. This was my favorite out of the three on the plate. The vegetables were nicely cooked and it’s really flavorful.

Everyone’s Favorites French Fries (フライドポテト) S$8 | 9.5/10

Anchovy Garlic Flavors

This French fries was the BOMB. Very crispy with great anchovy garlic seasoning. Wasn’t expecting much when ordering the fries but turned out, this was one of the highlight of my meal. Would definitely order this again if I go back.

Burrata with Tomato (ブラータチーズとトマトのサラダ) S$22 | 8/10

Fresh Italian Burrata, Fresh Tomato, Balsamic Sauce

The burrata was delicious with nice silk, creamy texture. Overall the dish is nicely seasoned and very fresh.

Home Made Mini Bucket Lasagna (ミニラザニア) S$12 | 8.5/10

*Limited to 1 portion per customer only

Even though the portion is small, this Mini Bucket Lasagna is packed with big flavors. The combination of layered al dente pasta, creamy tomato sauce, minced beef and cheese gave a comforting spoonful of flavors when I tasted it. The size is kind of perfect if you want to have lasagna without having to order a big portion of it. 

Buffalo Margherita (水牛マルゲリータ) S$35 | 9/10

Tomato Sauce, Basil, Buffalo Mozzarella

This pizza was super good. Easily one of the best pizza I’ve ever had in recent times. It has crispy thin (but not too thin) crust with chewy texture on the rest of the slice. The sauce was flavorful with the hint of smokiness from the wood fire oven. The highlight of this dish was the runny tomato sauce covering the slice. It was so good.

Singapore Rampage (シンガポールランページ) S$39 | 7/10

The Sauce is Made From 100 Prawn Simmered for 20 Hours

Ordered the Singapore Rampage since it’s one of their recommended menu and the description of the sauce does sound intriguing. Taste wise, it definitely reminded me of Singaporean food flavor profiles. The flavor of the prawn sauce is pretty bold but it’s a bit fishy and salty for my taste. The flavor of the whole pizza is interesting and definitely something that’s out of the box.

During my meal, the service was pretty good. I found that the table was a bit small though for the amount of food that we ordered so it was a bit cramped when all the food is out. Is the place worth the hype? I don’t know how hyped up this place is on Tiktok but I think I can see why it’s hyped. The pizza is definitely great and I can see myself going back for their pizza (and their fries too actually). Worth noting, the pizza price is a bit on the steeper side and there’s a S$3 charge for water if you don’t order any drinks (if you do, I think the water is complimentary). I think their pizza is definitely worth a try if you don’t have to fight too hard for an empty spot at this place. 

 

Beyond The Dough Pizzeria

Address: 150 Arab St, Singapore 199832
Hours: Mon 5 pm-9:30 pm | Tues-Sat 11:45 am–1:45 pm, 5 pm–9:30 pm | Closed on Sundays

Instagram: @beyondthedough_pizza

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Centre Cheongdam • 센트레 청담

Centre Cheongdam (센트레 청담) is the Canadian celebrity chef Antonio Park’s first overseas restaurant that’s focusing on Eastern and Western fusion dishes with locally sourced Korean ingredients. Drawing from his mother’s Korean heritage and going back to his root, chef Park opened Centre Cheongdam (센트레 청담) in July 2022, offering American and European-style brunch and dinner menu with an extensive wine list to pair them with.

Surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows, the interior of the restaurant is reminiscent of dining in a garden with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. Keeping true to their garden dining concept, the dishes seem to also draw inspiration from nature and the four seasons, reflected in the way each dish is using various colorful fresh ingredients that are beautifully served on a plate.

My first visit to Centre was nothing but a pleasant experience. Came here for a late lunch with my friend and the place wasn’t all that busy. Maybe it’s because we came way past lunch hour rush on a weekday so there were only a couple of other tables with patrons at the end of their meals. 

After immediately being seated on one of the sofas, we’re handed the menu while our server set up the table for us. We decided on two appetizers and one main course to share and the food came 10 minutes after we placed our order. Pretty swift service. 

Fruit Ricotta (₩23,000) | 9/10

Orange, Grape, Tomato, Blueberry, Strawberry, Pear, Raspberry Compote, Mint Pesto, Dill, Ricotta, Pecan, Radish
오렌지,청포도, 토마토, 블루베리, 딸기, 배, 라즈베리 콤포트, 민트, 딜, 리코타, 레디쉬

The Fruit Ricotta was sweet, sour, fresh and nutty all at the same time. Every single fruit was cut beautifully and the highlight of this dish for me was the raspberry compote. Expecting it to be a little bit on the sour side for my personal preference, I’m pleasantly surprised when I found that it was nothing but. It hit the right amount of sourness and the flavor is very balanced and does not overpower the taste of the fresh fruits but rather a great accompaniment to them. Thoroughly enjoyed this dish as the opening of our meal and I think this dish can also be a great dessert if you want something fresh to end your meal.

Pork Rillette (₩19,000) | 8/10

Pork Rillette, Seasonal Fruit Marmalade, Caper, Cornichon, Pink Peppercorn, Sour Cream, Sour Dough
돼지고기 리예뜨, 계절 과일 마말레이드, 케이퍼, 핑크 페퍼콘, 코니송, 사워 크림, 사워 도우

The Pork Rillette was definitely richer and heavier than our first course. The rillette was smooth and creamy with that typical fatty flavor one usually find in a rillette. The whole dish was brightened up by the marmalade and the peeled oranges that are placed prettily on top of the pork rillette, giving it a nice acidic note to the bite. For this dish, you definitely have to eat everything in one bite to get that balanced flavor.

Lobster Linguine (₩37,000) | 9.5/10

Lobster, Avruga Caviar, Garlic, Onion, Parmesan Regiano, Pepperoncino, Italian Parsley, Clam stock, Chicken Stock
랍스터, 아브루가 캐비어, 마늘, 양파, 파마산 레지아노, 페페론치노, 이탈리안 파슬리, 조개육수, 닭 육수

The Lobster Linguine was my favorite out of all the three dishes we ordered. The pasta was cooked al dente with a moderate amount of well-seasoned broth poured around it. The lobster that’s sitting on top of the pasta was fresh, thick and cooked just right where the meat hit that right firm, springy texture. The caviar and parmesan gave a fun additional hit of flavors in every bite. Overall the dish was light, flavorful and fulfilling at the same time. 

After all the food was served, there are two memorable things that I can say about my dining experience. First, the food was great. Everything was well seasoned, a lot of flavors in each bite and the ingredients were very fresh. Second, I really love the plating, the play on colors and the attention to details they put in every dish. Every plate looks like a well-drawn painting and it definitely excites my taste buds just by looking at the plate before taking a bite into the food. Overall, it was a really nice dining experience for me.

 

Centre Cheongdam • 센트레 청담

Address: 서울 강남구 도산대로49길 9 스타크빌딩 1층 센트레청담
Telephone: +82 507 1372 0559
Hours: Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00 (Break Time 16:00-17:00 | Last Order 15:00 & 21:15)

Instagram: @centre.cheongdam
Centre Website

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Cartel

Cartel is the newest addition to the speakeasy bars that have been popping up around Jakarta recently. Opened just last week, the casual bar that specialized in locally brewed craft beer and crafted cocktails is hidden on the second floor of the building next to their sister restaurant Mookata at SCBD Park Lot 7C.

After walking up the flight of stairs (or take the elevator if you choose to), you’ll be greeted by wall to wall shelves that display various products that one would find in a vintage neighborhood grocery store. Push the middle shelves under the ‘Cartel’ sign and that’s how you enter the unassuming bar.

First thing that you’ll see when entering the space is the bright green and yellow neon sign of two hands, each holding a cocktail and beer glass on the wall. The cool breeze of the air-con will give you an instant escape from the hot weather outside (which is very welcomed considering how hot Jakarta’s weather is these days).

The bar is actually more spacious than what I imagined it to be. There are three seating areas—the main dining area, the bar seating and the three more private sections on one side of the space.

At Cartel, their line of four signature cocktails is called ‘The Protagonists’ which are the Velvetea Tarik, Pisco Mangoshu, Royal Boulevardier, and SCBD Breeze. I got to try a couple of their cocktails as well as their beer selections.

Velvetea Tarik (170k) • Mocktail Variant (120k) | 9.5/10

Vodka, Black Tea, Caramel
Strength : ○○○
Taste Profile : Sweet, Creamy, Nostalgic

A unique blend of Vodka, Black Tea, and Caramel in a cocktail inspired by teh tarik. This enchanting elixir combines the rich flavors of caramel and bold black tea, elevated by the smooth touch of Vodka.

The first drink I tried was their Velvetea Tarik. Ordered the mocktail version of this drink since it’s one of the menu that has a mocktail option. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything when ordering this but after my first sip, I was mind blown. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you probably know how much I like milk tea and this drink is probably one of the best milk tea I’ve ever had in Jakarta.

First off, it’s not too sweet. The amount of sweetness from the milk, caramel and and brûléed foam on top was just right. The black tea is really fragrant and the combination of all these elements certainly reminiscent of teh tarik, but not quite the same. They definitely put their own spin to it, making this drink pretty unique. If you’re a fan of milk tea or teh tarik or sweeter cocktail, would definitely recommend this menu to try. (I was actually debating to order a second glass but decided against it since there were other drinks and food that I wanted to try. If it weren’t for that, I’d probably order that second glass because it was that good.)

Royal Boulevardier (190k) | 8/10

Royal Special Edition, Bitter Liqueur, Sweet Vermouth Clip USD 100 Aromatic Spray Garnish.
Strength : ○○○○○
Taste Profile : Spirit-Forward, Oaky, Clean

The classic Boulevardier is elevated to a regal experience with the use of a premium Royal Special Edition whisky, meticulously aged in sherry oak casks, imparting rich, complex flavors. This distinguished spirit is expertly blended with a robust bitter liqueur and sweet vermouth, creating a harmonious balance of bitter and sweet notes. As a finishing touch, a USD 100 note is used as a luxurious garnish, accompanied by an aromatic spray, enhancing the olfactory allure of this sophisticated libation.

Very smooth and fragrant, but slightly on the bitter side for my personal preference. My friend liked this one though since she prefer less sweet and more bitter cocktail.

SCBD Breeze (170k) • Mocktail Variant (120k) | 7.5/10

Gin, Jamu, Citrus, Prosecco, Mint
Strength : ○○
Taste Profile : Refreshing, Bubbly, Tart

Inspired by the vibrant SCBD Park in Jakarta, the SCBD Breeze captures the essence of this dynamic urban oasis. This refreshing drink features a base of crisp gin, infused with the earthy and herbal notes of Jamu, a traditional Indonesian herbal tonic. Fresh citrus adds a zesty brightness, while a splash of prosecco provides effervescence and a touch of elegance. Garnished with a sprig of mint, this cocktail is a perfect blend of local tradition and modern sophistication, mirroring the park's blend of natural beauty and contemporary flair.

Taste profile just like what the menu describe. Refreshing, sweet, and sour all at the same time. The herbal note isn’t too strong and the citrus note definitely shines more.

Luwak Negroni (190K) | 8/10

Gin, Luwak infused Bitter Liqueur, Coffee
Strength: ○○○○
Taste Profile: Spirit-Forward, Clean, Nostalgic

Strong coffee luwak taste, very smooth and more on the sweeter flavor profile. If you drink coffee, you probably will enjoy this drink.

For their locally brewed craft beers, they have home brews, seasonal brews as well as new brews every Friday so you can ask the bartender for the availability of their brews.

Cartel Tasting Flight (110k)

Created to help you decide what you love the most, our tasting flight consists of 3 types of beer in a smaller portion.

I personally am not a beer drinker and not very well-versed on the subject, but it was interesting tasting their home brewed beer.

Instead of following the trend on just serving drinks at the bar, Cartel provided a selection of food menu that you can order along with your drinks, sparing you the hassle of looking or ordering food from somewhere else. They have a pretty good selection of Asian, Western and Indonesian menus for you to choose from. And the portion of the food is pretty reasonable compared to their prices.

Korean Fried Mandu Platter (88K)

Spam Fries (75k)

Popcorn Chicken with Salted Egg Sauce

Nasi Goreng Kampung Mewah (105k)

King Prawn Aglio Olio Pasta (105k)

Green Chili Honey Buntut Bakar (155k)

During my visit, the service was pretty good. The staff were also very friendly and quick to act when we call them to ask for something. The ambience of this place is pretty relaxing (but the music’s pretty loud, just like any other bar I guess) and I kind of like how there’s enough space between the tables so the place doesn’t feel too cramped. I can see this place to be a good spot to wind down with friends or even co-workers after a busy day at work.

One thing to note, parking at SCBD Park is valet and self-drive valet only which costs 100k. If you don’t want to do valet, other parking option is available at Lot 17 across from Lot 7C.

 

Cartel SCBD

Address: Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52-53, SCBD Park Lot 7C Level 2, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Telephone: +62 822 5888 7326
Hours: Sun-Thrs 11:30 am-11 pm | Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am

Instagram: @cartelscbd

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Pier No. 12 × Magnum × Bakerman Summer Soirée

Last week, I got invited to Magnum Summer Soirée in collaboration with Pier No.12 and Bakerman for the launch of Magnum’s newest product the Mango Yoghurt Parfait ice cream. The event was held at Pier No.12 at Land’s End PIK and together with Winda (@munchandsnap.jkt) we went there to try out some of their collaboration menus featuring the Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait.

To celebrate the launch of the Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, Magnum works together with Pier No.12 and Bakerman to create special drinks and desserts menu that’s only available at Pier No.12 and Bakerman outlets all through October ‘24.

Make My Magnum (75k+)

Choose your own 3 toppings to be served with either Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait or the Magnum Classic. Topping selections include strawberry sauce, mango sauce, peach, dragon fruit, mango, melon, grape jelly, strawberry jelly, egg roll crumbs, biscuit crumbs, passion fruit popping boba, strawberry popping boba, lychee popping boba and whip cream. If you wish to have more toppings, each add on costs 10k.

magnum mango jasmine citrus

Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, Mango Pudding, Mango Syrup, Jasmine Brew, Mango Konjac Jelly, Lime Twist.
This one is actually a Bakerman exclusive menu, so I believe you can only order this drink at the Bakerman outlets.

Magnum sunkissed spritz

Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, Aperol, Soda Water, Sparkling Wine, Sunkist, Dehydrated Orange.

Magnum mango jelly fizz

Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, Coconut Water,Mango Konjac Jelly, Lemon Juice, Mango Syrup, Soda Water.

Magnum Mango Sago

Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, Egg Roll, Tropical Foam, Pomelo, Fresh Mango, Mango Sago.

Magnum Tropical French Toast

Magnum Mango Yoghurt Parfait, French Toast, Strawberry, Vanilla Cream, Caramel Jam, Vanilla Sauce, Maple Sauce.

There’s also special decorations around the outdoor area of Pier No.12 as well as various fun activities that they provided for the guests. There were free polaroid pictures, make your own bracelet station and BBQ station serving various seafood menu for us to try. Although the weather was pretty hot, we had fun at the event. Also, I believe the decor will stay until the end of October. So go there for a visit if you want to take pictures with the Magnum orange-themed decor.

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Pier No.12 at Land’s End PIK 2

Address: Land’s End PIK 2, Unit LEP 2 No. T6 Jl. Yos Sudarso, Tangerang, Banten, DKI Jakarta 15211
Telephone: +62 821 2121 2460
Hours: Sun-Thrs 11am-11pm | Fri-Sat 11am-12am

Instagram: @pier12.id

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