When you wake up thinking about Red Velvet & Chocolate cake ball

... then you know you have been bitten by Le Gustav - Innovation Sucrée, more like, you have bitten Le Gustav. I don't know what I can add to what Micheline already beautifully described and said about Le Gustav in her blog post, except one thing:

After Chef Noor offers me a Chocolate cake ball, or a Red velvet ball (yes, they love me this much), the second I take a bite, I instantly get transported to another world full of happiness, joy, satisfaction, love, daisies, rainbows, marshmallow clouds, floating in the air, porsches... yes, those 2-3 minutes are simply heaven to me. Yes! Heaven!

I have been planning on grabbing my not-so-bad-camera and shooting those desserts, but hey.. you know how forgetful and lazy I am, so for now, just look at the lame iPhone's camera photos, and I promise I shall bring you much much better photos. It will also be a challenge for me to do some Dessert Photography.

Red Velvet Cake on the top. Chef Noor baking :)

More and more red velvets (Yes I love this cake)

Red Velvet Balls with Melted white chocolate on the top

Tarts with Pomegranate

Chef Noor pouring Melted White Chocolate on a Red velvet cake

Convinced? I am sure you are! Check the map of Le Gustav :)

Breast Cancer might be around the corner, get yourself checked

Trying not to repeat myself from previous years and during every October, knowing that October is the Breast Cancer Awareness month, therefore I will try to say something new here.

Usually women aged 40 and older are more prune to having breast cancer than younger women. So those women, I urge you to get a mammography every 6 months, if not, at least once a year. Moreover, if you have cancer history in your family, even if you're young do get a mammography, my best friend was only 16 when she got diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, she did not make it.

I have to admit though, she was a true fighter, I don't know how that happens, how women diagnosed with breast cancer, how a teenager for that matter, confront such an ordeal in such a strong manner.

I know mammography is not a walk in the park, but it doesn't really hurt that much, and you should be better safe than sorry.

Also note that, there are ways a woman can check for lump in the breast, and that can be done every month. There are many videos online, just google: "How to check yourself for breast cancer"

Women from Vanity Fair and Men from Sports Illustrator

Differences and Compromises
True, men and women want different things, as much as they compromise, they're different. I see couples around me all the time, and I am not sure what's healthy and what isn't. Compromise for me, is not so bad when it's like 20%. But when you compromise more than that, you're basically losing your identity and what makes you who you are.

Although Mr. Sadhguru from Isha said that we shouldn't identify ourselves with anything because it will limit us from becoming who we will be, but that's a whole other story I will tell you about later and my experience in attending Mystic-eye.

Back to our main subject, individuals in Lebanon are losing their identity because most are not choosing the right partner.

Choosing the right partner, bettering yourself
Why am I bickering on this? It’s for the mere fact that when you choose the right partner, you indicatively improve yourself, your being. And I would like to see more people improved and happy.

Individuality vs Being in a couple
True, being happy is not dependent on others, some things have to be attained by just being on your own, but in my honest opinion, I think that what’s life and accomplishments and success if you have no one to share it with and for them to admire you for?



Our society "wrong for each other"
Do you agree that many Lebanese couples are just not right for each other? I know many of you will tell me I am judging without really knowing them, but I am talking about close couples who are around me, about the body language, how they treat and talk to each other, some have only been married for 2 years, some have been going out for years since they were young (noting that they both changed, but they don’t know how to let go anymore), some recently met, some been for 10 years...

Relationship is overrated and a myth. What about monogamy?
Why am I looking at them? Because I want to find a couple that has been together for more than a decade and still has that spark. Let’s not point out the respect thing, this is the least that should be in a relationship. If you don't have that from the beginning, then you're screwed. I want to see whether we have been brought up to believe in a form of a relationship that is a myth, and whether relationships are over-rated, and people should just face the fact that monogamy is not the “thing”.

Opinions?

Painting by Salvador Dali - Chalice of Love

Now Playing, which suits this post: Ziad Rahbany's "Bala Wala Chi"

Virginity and hypocrisy

I attended a salon that took place in Bardo - Hamra, it was a discussion with Joumana Haddad creator of Jasad Magazine about the language of the body, sexuality and relationships, and the last part was about how virginity and the lack of it are perceived in the Lebanese society. The hymen restoration was brought up, and yada yada...

Gynegologist Testimonial
A gynecologist who was there told a story, he said he works somewhere in the mountains, 1000 meters above sea level, and one day, the father in law of a new bride, brought that bride to him and told him:
- "Check if she was open (--maftou7a-- the slang word used in Arabic to refer to women who lost their virginity), or not.

The doctor answered:
- "Ok will check her but you'll need to get out."

The father in law insisted to stay inside, but the doctor told him:
- "You can't because you are not her husband."

The doctor then asked the newly bride what the story was, and she told him that she was "open" as she slept with a man she was once with. He told her not to worry. He called back the father in law, and told him the girl is a virgin. The father in law replied:
- "I will go to the city and take her to the syndicate of doctors and have her checked, if you are lying to me, I will cause you a problem"

And then the gynecologist's answered brilliantly:
- "I will give you a paper saying that she's a virgin when she left my clinic, and then you took her..."

I was the first in the room to applaud.

Thoughts and opinions
Thoughts? The pompous ass presenter wanted the male feedback on the matter, whether they would marry a none-virgin. A guy replied: "I would only marry a none-virgin". His reasons were:

1. She's lying
2. She has done everything without losing her virginity 
3. She had her hymen restored

"And I don't want to build my future with someone who lied to me." 

He forgot that it is possible that she's really a virgin. But what difference does it make? So what do you think about women's virginity or the lack of it in Lebanon, do you think it's a retro subject and we in Lebanon should be beyond it, or is it still a taboo for you or your surroundings?

Painting by Salvador Dali "My wife naked watching her own body"

Geek in the nature

So I left my laptop and iPhone (WAP enabled) at home, but not the cam obviously, and went away for almost 2 days.

Hope you like the pictures. Awesome place indeed, you can check their website here.

And that was the perfect ending! Best moment in my recent period of existence. Beautiful.

Help from bloggers required

Help required (by me) from bloggers who are Lebanese or blog from
Lebanon, so please do check this link for more info, I am waiting for
your participation. I prefer Audio or Video participation, but text is
still okay ;)

Muchas Gracias amigos

Signs and Snow

 

 

Taken in Zaarour by yours truly - Winter 2010

Valentine's day, not so comfy!

It all started with us going towards the north while participants came through the opposite side of the highway towards the gathering that was taking place in Martyr's place to commemorate the memory of Rafic Hariri.

 

Anyway, after arriving to Amyoun, we took a right and then went to a village which name is very hard and can't remember, I think it's "Deir Shibtit".

We started our hike which was supposed to be an application for the photography workshop we took the day before. So here are some stuff I learned, mainly the cottony water effect. Enjoy!

Coincidently I was wearing a t-shirt that said on it "Coquelicot"

 

It was supposed to be a moderate level hike, turns out the guide was bored and took us from a harder track. The track was too hard that my muscles are hurting me a little bit too much today, to the point that I was walking like a penguin the whole day.

  

  

I personally liked the below one. Daisies were everywhere. Plain beautiful.

It didn't feel like a day in February at all, we were all in T-shirts, the river's water wasn't so cold and while going back home we ate ice-cream, it felt like August.

Why did "Ain't No Smoking 2nite" fail?

If you remember, there was going to be a "Non-smoking night" in Gemmayze in about 35 pubs yesterday October 28th. More here. Being a non-smoking advocate myself I asked several friends of mine about their encounters yesterday in several pubs in Gemmayze and their opinions. They said that most of them had people smoking inside although these pubs were supposed to be part of the "Ain't no smokin 2nite" campaign that was organized by Rotaract.

There were people smoking even in pub-restaurants such as Olio. You would think that they would be busy stuffing themselves instead of smoking.

A friend of mine even told me this: "There was also one pub that had a sign that said Smoking Friendly"

Another friend said only few of the pubs stuck to the campaign, one of them was Berlin. But the others allowed people to smoke.

There are several studies done around the world, in Europe and in the US, saying that banning smoking in public places has decreased the number of deaths caused by smoking! But why should we believe scientists right?

My favorite smoker's argument is this: "Why should I forbid myself from smoking, so what if I die 10 years earlier, at least I would've done something I enjoy!"

So basically, the 10 years prior to that when you have lung cancer is enjoyable?

There is a new article today suggesting that Lebanon must move to ban smoking, Syria did? Are they better than us?

What I don't understand is why do Lebanese people stick to rules abroad, but tend to be anarchists in Lebanon? And anarchist for what? For telling you not to smoke because it endangers your life and the life of the strange people that are beside you and you have no right to bother them?

Smoking bothers me as much as if someone was picking their nose or playing with their toes, so why should I be okay with them when they smoke? Bala 2arafkoun! I don't mind people smoking, I just do when it's a closed place and when I am eating, is it too much to ask for? some oxygen and to actually be able to taste the food?

Congratulations fellow Lebanese on one of your other lousy sense of humanity, logic and respect. Kudos! Ya3tikoun el 3afieh. I am glad I didn't go to Gemmayze because if I did and had found people smoking, I would've probably caused a scene.

Finally, why did those hypocrite pubs sign into this campaign if they were going to act like a cheating newly wed red-eyed husband?

Sign Petition to pass an electoral law to ban smoking in public places here.

Ain't no smokin 2nite in Gemmayze this Oct 28

35 pubs and restaurants in Gemmayze street are participating so far in the Rotaract campaign "Ain't no smokin 2nite". The event will take place on October 28th.

The below poster was designed by a fellow blogger Maya Zankoul



You can check the facebook event page here.

Blog Action Day 2009 - Climate Change

Gear up, prepare your keyboards, set your mind, put the screen in front of you, 15 October 2009 is Blog Action Day and the topic for this year after high demand is Climate Change.



Please help spread the word to other bloggers, let's make it happen.

For more info on climate change, please refer to older posts starting the month of August 2009. Or just check website of local Lebanese NGO www.indyact.org, the global 350 campaign, and the actual campaign www.tcktcktck.com

Save yourselves! Please help raise awareness about the subject.

What is your logic exactly?

We decided yesterday to go on a picnic in one of the most spectacular places in Lebanon. Kannoubine Valley (located near Bcharre in the mountains of north Lebanon, just before the Cedars) also known as Kadicha Valley, was our chosen destination. It is a beautiful place as you will see in the photos below.





But what I couldn't make out and get through my thick skull is understanding how do these group of people think and process things such as leaving their f*ckin garbage behind?

I mean, here we are bi ekhir ma 3ammar rabna, in the middle of nowhere, there is no municipality (not that it's a valid reason), where people go on purpose so they can be in the nature, far from the city noise and its pollution, near fantastic landscapes, and then here comes their garbage? Inno who do you expect will clean after you? Are there like magic elves who live in the forests that we don't know of and whose job is to clean after dirty people?

Gal El Maleh canceling his shows in Beiteddine

Seriously? (A la Delirious way)

Check it here.

La Dame Blanche

Friday Night had El Día Español, so after being held up at work till 7:30pm, I finally made it to Downtown Beirut. Sat a little bit with the Spanish colleagues, then after some left, I thought I would shoot some photos in Downtown, now that I have a fancier machine (Camera).






Started out the weekend with a visit to Kefraya.


Unfortunately the tour was not available as they are doing some constructions. So after taking a walk among the vineyards, enjoying the scenery and then checking out the Château, we headed to the wine tasting bar.


I am no expert on Wine Tasting, nevertheless it is still an enriching experience. We started out with La Dame Blanche, which I personally really liked, it was smooth on the tongue and easy on the throat. Then the famous Blanc de Blancs came along, afterward La Rosée du Château, which didn't really leave an impression on me, followed by Myst de Château Kefraya, which also isn't something I would like to drink, probably because I am not a fan of Rosée, then Château Kefraya 2005, which had a taste of wood, and that was the main reason why I liked it, and finally Le Comte de M, probably the most prestigious, but I liked the previous red more.


As we were already in West Bekaa, we thought we should benefit from our time and drop by the Qaraoun Lake. Quite a view, although I sort of got bored from seeing lakes in Virginia.




Later on we continued to our next destination, West Bekaa Country Club. A nice place indeed, especially after feeling over-warm due to the hot weather, seeing the pool, you would just want to jump in, however, I couldn't because I had to attend to Loreena McKennit's concert afterward.


When we arrived to Byblos, the place was packed, it took us about 40 minutes to find a parking place. We got there a little bit late, at about 9:15pm, and it said on the ticket that it starts at 8:30pm, however the concert hadn't started yet, and I will tell you why! It is because President Michel Sleiman was attending the concert.


The next day, we headed back to Litani to meet with the rest of the colleagues. And there it was!

The long river



The wooden bungalows on the river side





And the most fun kayaking ever. With my new underwater camera case, I can now take photos while I am ... well underwater!


I have the normal lens, nevertheless I got my opportunity of taking some photos of dragon flies, which made me so happy.


Finally, after I arrived back home, I showered, all my colleagues went to sleep early, while I dressed up again, and went to Downtown Beirut and Gemmayze to check la Fête de la musique. You can continue reading my post about it here... Oh oh and I saw my favorite Lebanese Minister! Wrote about it here.