Book Review: Whispers from the East by Ilham Badreddine Mahfouz

"Through art, the truth is delivered for the viewer to experience."--artist Ilham Badreddine Mahfouz.

The world is full of art whether you have an artistic eye or not.  Everything has a shape and unique characteristics.  Art connects people emotionally, bonds  groups through symbols as well.

I got myself a copy when I found out that Ilham Badreddine Mahfouz wrote a book called 

*

because she is a beautiful woman inside out.  Her art is a representation of her feelings and thoughts.  Her art reminds you that there is still pain and problems, yet there is still hope.  Whispers from the East * is a combination of combining the emotions and memories of  Ilham's life  with art.   Ilham includes her thoughts on the suffering of the Syrian people.  By using art, Ilham is able to convey the feelings of pain and suffering greater.  We are a visual society.  We like to see the world in terms of pictures and abstracts.  Perhaps, Ilham is correct in saying "Abstract art appeals to me for the mystery and imagination of expression it affords."  

With each art in the book, Ilham gives a reflection of thoughts and emotions.  She shows despite how humanity is fragile, humanity can succeed once we understand the pain of each other.  

 I highly recommend this book if you truly want to get a worldly view through the abstract of art.

*contains affiliate links

Grocery Shopping in Dearborn

Part II:

Yesterday, I wrote a post about eating Arabic food in Dearborn, Michigan.  Today, I will talk about grocery shopping for Arabic food items in Dearborn.  Hubby, son and I went to a grocery store called Super Greenland on Warren Ave.

Talk about unbeatable prices in Fruits, vegetables and other items!

Just about any grocery item found in the Middle East, can be found in Super Greenland.  This store doesn't just carry Middle Eastern items, it also carries western items like Nutella, Snickers, and other national brand items.  What caught my attention is the fact that you can buy vegetables or fruits in bulk, literally in a carton.

Some of the items we bought include:

Fresh Almonds

Cactus Pears

Fava Beans

Guava

Zucchini

How awesome is this?!  Fresh produce in bulk at very cheap prices.  I mean the zucchini was $0.49 per pound.  Seriously?!  So, if you are in Dearborn, or you are going to Michigan, head on over and experience some grocery shopping--Middle Eastern style.

Related articles

• Six ways to save money with fresh produce (csmonitor.com)
• How to Make the Best Grocery Shopping List (foodonthetable.com)

Traveling for the Soul: My Version of Eat Pray Love

Food is a connector to life.  Food is used in happy occasions, as well as grieving occasions. It is an identity, often a common link amongst people.  People are proud of their cultural foods.  Even here in USA, we can find that foods vary from region to region, yet we share the same language and pop culture.  So, imagine when one travels outside the US.  Oh the variety—the beauty, the smells, tastes, and textures.

This summer, my son and I had the privilege to travel to the Middle East: Jordan and the Palestinian territories.  A civilization that is thousands of years old, a history filled with cultural achievements, the Arab society continues to thrive on food.  When you enter someone’s home, expect the hospitality to be equivalent to five-star hotel.  This is the treatment we received from family and friends. 

In Jordan, we had visited my husband’s family, his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews.  (Unfortunately, my husband couldn’t take time off work to come with us.)  One of the cities we stopped in Jordan was Aqaba, near the Red Sea.  It is a tourist spot for many domestic and international travelers.  Hubby’s family served us the local dish: Samak Asayadeyah (Fish and rice dish):

This is considered top quality because the fish is from the Red Sea.  Yup.  Imagine fresh fish.  Once you have tasted fresh fish, there is no way going back to frozen fish.  It is just not the same.  Your taste buds have experienced something out of the ordinary. 

Now in Ramallah, West Bank, there are lots of varieties of foods to choose for the taste buds to experience and enjoy.  A favorite dish that I had there was Stuffed Grape Leaves.  It is cooked with a rice mixture rolled in grape leaves with a little lemony taste.  I heart this dish as a child and as an adult.  Stuffed Grape Leaves is my all time favorite dish. 

The Old City of Jerusalem has a special place in my heart.  Not only for the richness of its history, but also for its religious meaning. Not only is it a religious place for Jews and Christians, but also for Muslims.  The Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque are must visit sites for Muslims, and even tourists who are interested in religious history.  Even to see different people of religious backgrounds walking the streets of Jerusalem is an awesome experience.

Just like Eat Pray Love, I have found Aqaba and Ramallah a place to eat foods that are a truly enriching experience.  I found love in Aqaba and Ramallah when visiting family and friends.  I found a city to pray in Jerusalem where the prophets and messengers walked the old city.

“This post is sponsored by TravelingMom.com. EAT PRAY LOVE ON DIRECTOR’S CUT BLU-RAY & DVD will be released on video November 23rd. I was able to preview a copy of the DVD. “