Mixing up Religion, Sex & Art in Beirut

I discovered a post written by Isabelle Mayault  for  Mashallah News  about artist Chaza Charafaddine.

I think I am in love!

The female artist says “I was educated by nuns and lived in Europe. This is probably why, for me, it’s natural to mix everything.” words that really struck a chord in me.

Not that I was raised by nuns or even had a strict Catholic upbringing, (well, baka did always try to scare me with those demons pictured in the stained glass windows at the Kolster Kapelle  in Benedikbeuren ), but certainly the exposure to and then the repulsion of Catholicism ends up having a twisted effect on most, your truly  included.

Back to Miss Chaza, who lives in Beirut, this particular body of art, which was shown in Dubai recently, mixes La Divina Comedia , Persian miniatures and portraits of beauty particular to transsexuals/1940's movie stars.

The mix of historical icons, the mosaic and riot of color and myth stirs me.

How does the effect of artists mixing religious and sexual, historical fact and fiction/mythology move you to view the world differently?

The Wonders of Kraut

In the last week I have become completely enamored with two things: the coconut vinegar that La Reine bought some months ago at the Vietnamese shopping mall

and green cabbage. I am so enamored with cabbage that I have earned the nickname krautina from my mean spirited brother, who is completely to blame for my infatuation in the first place.

Every time he comes over he is mentioning numerous times how he made this 'killer' cole slaw and can eat nothing but, just loves it blah blah blah.

 I bought a head of cabbage then last week and it sat around for days until I decided to make an alternative to boring potatoes or rice by using it as a side dish. Remembering the brother I saved a quarter of the cabbage to make 'slaw'. Always, an ingredient I need is missing in my kitchen, this time it's vinegar, managia ....so, off to the pantry to find some alternative and that's when I found the coco vinegar from the Vietnamese store.

It doesn't really taste like coconut, barely a hint - a bit sweeter and lighter than regular vinegar. The coconut taste does come out in the finished dish though, a subtle Thai flavor.

I made my fresh chopped coleslaw salad with a few tablespoons of coco vinegar, a tiny bit of mayonnaise, a few teaspoons of simple sugar, a teaspoon of fish sauce and a bit of chili flakes, sea salt, pepper.



                     The Wonders of Kraut

Maybe it is in our blood to love cabbage. It is obligatory for Bosnians to make Sarma for the Christmas holidays which will last from December, January and half of February, since we make enough for an army and it's cold enough to store on the porch. Also, there is the pan fried German-y (sour) sauerkraut with flekice, flat noodle like squares of dough Baka made once a month whether we needed it or not. I think we are a kraut infused family, by tradition.

Senior Student @ 29 Degrees of Gung Fu

Feed Denver Team on the Green Carpet

I just found this picture of me and the Feed Denver team on the 'Green Carpet' that was laid out for The Urban Conversion release party in November. Julie, who I am entwined with has since decided to move on from Feed Denver and pursue her dream of traveling South America. Ariel, the production manager at Feed Denver: Urban Farms & Markets is wildly planting in the hoop house and soon, the outside beds at the farm in Stapleton , while her husband is celebrating that he has just been accepted to film the 2011 Oscars. The Girl, who is standing next to Ariel,  lets me hang out with her so that I can improve my street cred and is looking alarmingly farmer- like in this picture.

Culatello

The joys of Italy! Just browsing around reading my twitter feed and happened on this fellows' blog (via @TheUnknownChef) and this beautiful picture of cured meats in a shop window greeted me. Prosciutti, culatelli, speck, salame....I dream of visiting my bel' Italia again soon so that I can nonchalantly stand in front of this window and know that I can get an etto or two at any time I want. Thank you Adrian for reminding me why I should not stop dreaming away or saving soldi to go back home. And now I'm going to go downstairs and speak Italian to the Queen and make her laugh by telling her some joke with the gorgeous word 'culatello' in it.

Marianne Faithfull

Mr. Sloan's Lake

I'm back to walking the lake. Too much time wasted looking at it's engaging beauty from the bay window.