post 119/365
Life is a mysterious cycle of ups and downs, of birth and death, of love and break ups. Today’s post is in memory and honor of my aunt Samira Karam Mady, a great woman in deed whom I loved dearly.
Month: February 2016
War Through the Eyes of a Genius
post 118/365
Maroun Bagdadi was arguably Lebanon’s most prominent filmmaker, one whose work has been seen all over the world. One of his best-known films, “Houroub Saghira” (Little Wars), a narrative on the brutalities of Lebanon’s civil war, was shown at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, drawing this comment from a prominent film critic: “To make a film about Beirut that eschews polemics for more universal, more human issues is an achievement.” In 1975, he directed his first feature film, Beyrouth ya Beyrouth, Koullouna Lil Watan, a 75-minute documentary produced in 1979, won the Jury Honor Prize at the International Leipzig Festival Documentary and Animated Film.
Celebrating the First Tooth
post 117/365
In Lebanon, we practically have a different kind of dessert for every occasion. Meghleh to celebrate the birth of a child, Snayniyeh for teething, Maamoul for Easter, Awwamat for Ghtas, killaj for Ramadan, a’mhiye for Barbara, and. Every dessert’s name hides a little story behind it. Snayniyeh is derived from “snan”, which means teeth and this scrumptious dessert is usually prepared to celebrate the appearance of a child’s first tooth.
Whirling Sufis in the Sky
post 116/365
Scanning the landscape with its breathtaking aerial view, they soar above. Dreams are made of this flight of fancy soaring higher, dodging the clouds, and kissing the blue formations so exquisite across the ether. They fly in circle in a chanting meditative manner. Dancing in loops, till they all seem like they are merging into one. The progression of their dance rhythm reminds me of the whirling Sufis.
Beautiful Batroun
post 115/365
The charming coastal town of Batroun, nestled by the sea, gathers close the winding roads, the homing trails, and lanes that sleep the whole night long. Cooled by the scent of mountain breeze, it is lulled by the sea wind’s song.
The Wish Of Bliss
post 114/365
We bathe in the water, sopping, sponged and soaked, cleaner than clean we become. Scrubbed to white bone, this one moment, with our head under a stream of warm water, we feel the bliss of cleanliness and purity, overwhelming us as we bathe in this moment of peacefulness.
Beirut’s Minerals
post 113/365
Salim Eddé, an engineer and graduate of the École Polytechnique, began in 1997 to put together a mineral collection like no other. Eddé’s story of success could be classified as one of the “Steve Jobs moments”, an idea hatched in a garage with personal funding of around $8,000 by Eddé and a college friend. Elias Eddé, Salim’s younger brother who was still in college, worked alongside the pair. Murex was born, and it is now one of the most successful software companies in the world and still very much a family business.
The White Bowl of loveliness
post 112/365
What if you were to indulge, just completely let go, and sink into a fresh bowl of Labneh? Become drenched in that sour creamy texture encapsulating everything that is great about our food. Taste it. Savor it. So rich, your tongue becomes thick with it. Frothy and smooth with a hint of saltiness, it’s a dish saturated with pure bliss, overflowing at the brim with zesty green olive oil.
The Power Couple
post 111/365
Astute minds have always found ways to each other, and these pairings aren’t always disastrous. In fact, sometimes these partnerships result in even greater productivity. One such couple that has contributed more then any other in human, civil, and women’s right, are Laure and Joseph Moghaizel. They maintained a romantic bond that centered around an intellectual and emotional intimacy unmatched by any of their other liaisons. They met at the age of 17 and were inseparable since.
The Castle of the High Rock
post 110/365
The broken clouds and the serene hills around this stone castle lay soundless. The straying wind of time passed flies fast from deep within and though the shrubs desolated by time still stand, while time takes its grip, the grounds never sleep on this sullen earthly strip.
365 Days of Lebanon 