A few more garden shots. You probably already know this but I'll tell you anyway; I didn't start any of these from seeds on my own, we all know how the herbs turned out!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Something Borrowed, The movie.
5.15.11 : 135/365
I'm a big fan of Emily Giffin and actually Kate Hudson too, who as it turns out stars in the film adaptation of Giffin's book, 'Something Borrowed'. We recently went to see this (yes, the mister comes with me... he's a good sport, remember?) and found it incredibly entertaining. Some aspects are true to the original novel and others not so much, but it was an all-around good time! I highly recommend it, and actually I even insist that you go and see it if it's still in a theater near you, because how well this movie does will dictate whether or not it's sequel 'Something Blue' is made... I loved SOBO and desperately want SOBL!!!
Go and see it... NOW! :P
Go and see it... NOW! :P
A 30th birthday gala!
5.14.11 : 134/365
Happy Birthday again to our dear friend J, who included us in his incredible gala celebration. We had a fantastic time and have some awesome aaaaand 'interesting' (leaving those ones out!) pictures to show for it!! :)
Happy Birthday again to our dear friend J, who included us in his incredible gala celebration. We had a fantastic time and have some awesome aaaaand 'interesting' (leaving those ones out!) pictures to show for it!! :)
Ohhh Shiny!
5.13.11 : 133/365
We decided to finally replace our old, less than 'good' bbq with a new, shiny one! (Wait until you see it in action!)
This was a very exciting purchase for us as it's no secret that we love our B. B. Q.!!
This was a very exciting purchase for us as it's no secret that we love our B. B. Q.!!
Bali::and off I go on a writing retreat...
I'm heading off to Bali tomorrow. It's around 30 years since I've been there. Horrifying thought. The 30 years thing, not the actual going to Bali. Some of you were probably in nappies, or at pre-school or still wearing knee highs (does anyone still do that) the last time I went; with my long permed hair and new husband in tow :)
This time I'm heading off alone (it's not sad, don't worry) to attend a workshop run by the Sydney Writers' Centre. Aren't they clever going to the tropics so that when you're sweating about what you're writing you can brush it off as the effects of humidity!
I booked this ages ago when I was searching for a focus other than the paid work. If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know that I'll have a go at most things. It could be called a short attention span; I prefer to call it a fascination with learning :)
But writing is one of those things that is a constant in my life. I do a lot of writing for work. I love that part of it. Discussing problems with my clients, working out what we're trying to achieve and then producing it. The solution always involves words. If I'm really lucky I get to design some graphics too. But not all the time. Rarely in fact. And while I try not to use too much formal language, sometimes it has to be so. Which I suppose requires its own creativity. That's me with my Pollyanna hat on.
Writing creatively is what I'm looking to do sometime down the track. This blog is a small part of that. I feel like I'm embarking on something. I'm not sure of its shape or form, but it's exciting. And the worse thing that can happen by heading off to Bali? I'll meet some nice people, have a crack at something different, revisit a beautiful place, have a cocktail or three....:)
I probably won't blog while I'm away but I have scheduled two posts about two very lovely young women I know so you don't miss me too much. So you all take care and I'll catch up with you when I get back. And wish me luck getting everything finished at work today before I can down tools with a clear conscience...that could be a challenge :)
But writing is one of those things that is a constant in my life. I do a lot of writing for work. I love that part of it. Discussing problems with my clients, working out what we're trying to achieve and then producing it. The solution always involves words. If I'm really lucky I get to design some graphics too. But not all the time. Rarely in fact. And while I try not to use too much formal language, sometimes it has to be so. Which I suppose requires its own creativity. That's me with my Pollyanna hat on.
Writing creatively is what I'm looking to do sometime down the track. This blog is a small part of that. I feel like I'm embarking on something. I'm not sure of its shape or form, but it's exciting. And the worse thing that can happen by heading off to Bali? I'll meet some nice people, have a crack at something different, revisit a beautiful place, have a cocktail or three....:)
So what is this Iran/Persia thing?
Let me try to sort it out for you.
Three Aryan or Indo-European tribes migrated from Central Asia into the area we now know as Iran in the 2nd or 3rd millennium BCE: the Medes, the Parthians, and the Fars. They settled in different parts of the Iranian plateau but spoke very similar Indo-European languages. Farsi was the language of the Fars whose land was known as Parsa which morphed into Persia. From about 500 BCE or so, the state-authorized religion was Zoroastrianism.
Remember Indo-Europeans are not Arab. Arabs invaded in the 7th century and proceeded to convert the Zoroastrians to the relatively new religion of Islam.
The Indo-Europeans called the country Iran, after the word Aryan or “country of the nobles.” But the rest of the world called the area Persia even though the Persians were only one part of the original ethnic mix. Reza Shah in 1935 let the world know that the country's name was Iran, to strengthen the concept of Iran's being one nation of different ethnic origins.
These days it is permissible to use the terms Iranian and Persian more or less interchangeably. I use the word Persia when I am referring to the culture of the country and Iran when I’m referring to the country, its government and policies.
Three Aryan or Indo-European tribes migrated from Central Asia into the area we now know as Iran in the 2nd or 3rd millennium BCE: the Medes, the Parthians, and the Fars. They settled in different parts of the Iranian plateau but spoke very similar Indo-European languages. Farsi was the language of the Fars whose land was known as Parsa which morphed into Persia. From about 500 BCE or so, the state-authorized religion was Zoroastrianism.
Remember Indo-Europeans are not Arab. Arabs invaded in the 7th century and proceeded to convert the Zoroastrians to the relatively new religion of Islam.
The Indo-Europeans called the country Iran, after the word Aryan or “country of the nobles.” But the rest of the world called the area Persia even though the Persians were only one part of the original ethnic mix. Reza Shah in 1935 let the world know that the country's name was Iran, to strengthen the concept of Iran's being one nation of different ethnic origins.
These days it is permissible to use the terms Iranian and Persian more or less interchangeably. I use the word Persia when I am referring to the culture of the country and Iran when I’m referring to the country, its government and policies.
Introduction to the Second Set of Snippets: Persian Music, Markets and Caravanserai
When someone asks me what I’ve been up to and I reply “A three-week trip to Iran,” I most often hear in response “Really? Why?” There are lots of reasons, needless to say, all of which I’ll talk about in due time. But let’s start at the very beginning: When did Persia first come into my consciousness?
I realize, to my surprise, that it was my mother playing In a Persian Market from sheet music on our family’s piano. I must have been about eight or nine. The sheet music’s cover, at least to my memory, was a market with tents of some sort and a camel and was printed on dusty orange paper.
I searched the internet several nights ago and found a copy of the sheet music and listened to a fellow playing it. My memory of it was pretty accurate. I learned that the piece was written by Albert W. Kelèbey, a Brit, in 1920 who, as far as I can tell, never visited Persia. The minor key makes it sound vaguely exotic, but it bears little relation to the Persian music I heard in Iran. He tells the musical story of a camel caravan coming into a market, a beggar calling out for money, a princess being carried dreamily through the market and being entertained by jugglers and a snake-charmer, a Caliph interrupting the fun, and then all the sounds slowly disappearing as night falls.
If you want to listen to it, here is the link to youtube.
I realize, to my surprise, that it was my mother playing In a Persian Market from sheet music on our family’s piano. I must have been about eight or nine. The sheet music’s cover, at least to my memory, was a market with tents of some sort and a camel and was printed on dusty orange paper.
If you want to listen to it, here is the link to youtube.
The Real Persian Music
We had the chance to listen to three live musicians and, on our long bus rides, to watch a video of the Rastak Group which specializes in Persian folk music. I thought they were brilliant. If you want to listen to them, here is the link to one of my favorite songs, the Azuri Gal Gal youtube.
A fellow was playing the tar as we ate our very first dinner in Tehran. I’m afraid that given our jet lag and the first venture into Persian food for many, we didn’t pay as much attention to him as we would have later in the trip.
We visited Moslem Mirzazadeh in his shop in Yazd where he makes beautiful traditional instruments. He played both the tar and in this photo the settar for us.
In Esfahan at the Hasht Behesht Palace, we listened to a fellow who is doing a project he calls Music in the Palaces. He comes there every morning at 8:30am to play the tar for an hour. Reza, our incredible Iranian guide, importuned him to stay a bit longer to play for us.
In the Real Persian Markets
We walked through a number of bustling markets in Iran. Lots of people and great variety in the goods and services offered. Often sellers of a particular item—like pounded copper or gold jewelry or kitchen equipment or spices—would be in the same market location.
Hamadan
Members of our group bought scarves which were part of our required attire.
A fellow in a bread shop, proudly showing us the end result. Reza, our guide, bought us some, fresh out of the oven. So good.
Zanjan
Men selling small green sour plums, along with fruit you recognize.
Tabriz
Arched ceilings enclose many of the markets we visited.
Shops selling wedding accoutrement, including shoes and sugar cones which are rubbed together at the end of the ceremony to sprinkle the newly weds with sweetness for years ahead.
Mashhad
The market in Mashhad primarily caters to the pilgrims from all over the country visiting the shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth imam of the Shi'a Muslims. He is the only one buried in Iran. Lots of trinkets and a profusion of black fabrics.
Also rows of male mannequins. Very strange I thought.
Shiraz
Shops in Shiraz sell very brightly colored cloth in contrast to the shops in Mashhad. Nomads living in the area wear incredibly sparkly dresses.
Esfahan
There are a number of artists and artisans practicing traditional crafts in Esfahan's market. I’m going to devote a post to them later on. Here I want you to admire the various food shops: strawberries brought into the market in a wheelbarrow, greens and spices, and beautiful vegetables.
Hamadan
Zanjan
Tabriz
Mashhad
Shiraz
Esfahan
Caravanserai: The Real Stopping Place for Camel Caravans and Other Weary Travelers
In the 17th century (Safavid Dynasty), Abbas I set out to build 999 caravanserai to accommodate the camel caravans traversing Persia on the Silk Road(s). There were already lots of them in existence but he had a plan to boost the economy in a major way. We stopped at several as we were crossing Iran in our bus and passed many more that were in ruins.
Here we are in a caravanserai, converted to a restaurant, awaiting our dinner in Zanjan. It is not especially comfortable for foreigners, unaccustomed as we are to sitting on the floor. But the food was great and we ate it as best we could without dribbling on ourselves or the carpets. Fortunately our waiters spread plastic to protect them.
On the way to Jolfa, close to the northern border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, we stopped for tea and cookies at a refurbished caravanserai, soon to be opened as a hotel catering to skiers. The raised platform in the center of most caravanserai are for unloading and reloading the camels coming in through the one entrance.
The caravanserai in Meybod has been turned into a shopping area with a rug museum in the back corridor. The entrance is graced with a beautiful dome. One shop featured small pottery bird whistles which were very popular with our group and gathered school children. When the shop keeper returned with a box to refresh her supplies, I noticed that it was stamped Made in China.
This is a photo of our hotel in Esfahan before it was converted to the quite grand Hotel Abassi.
THAI YELLOW CHICKEN CURRY- Easy step by step recipe
Today I made this warm, milky, flavorful Thai curry which is very comforting eaten with freshly boiled basmati or jasmine rice, it scores high on the nutrition scale too and is tasty to boot, so lets get cooking!
Thai yellow curry paste is easily available at all supermarkets and is easily distinguishable from its Red and Green counterparts, using Coconut milk from a tetrapack is so easy and I definitely prefer it over the elbow grease of extracting milk from fresh coconuts.
Ingredients-
- Boneless Chicken- 500gms
- Coconut Milk- 200 ml (freshly squeezed from 2 coconuts or packaged)
- Thai yellow curry paste-50 gms
- Refined oil-2 tbsp
- French beans- a handful, top and tail
- Brinjals(long variety)- 2-3 sliced lengthwise
- Cauliflower(separate into florets) 1/2 cup
- Carrots-1/2 cup diced, if desired
- Cilantro/ Coriander- for garnish
- Salt and black pepper to season
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and empty the contents of Yellow Curry paste(easily available at all supermarkets).Fry for a minute.
- Add the washed Chicken pieces and continue frying on low heat for another 5-8 minutes.
- Next tip in the coconut milk and stir well, add salt.
- Add the veggies and cover, add 1/2 cup more water if required.
- Cook for another 15-20 minutes till the Chicken and veggies are both cooked through, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with freshly boiled rice.Enjoy!
OT Tip - Summer Activity Ideas Pt. 2
Here are some activity ideas for Finger Dexterity:
- Press cookie cutters into dough or putty
- Play with finger puppets
- Play pick-up sticks game
- Screw and unscrew small lids, nuts & bolts
- Fold paper (i.e. origami, airplanes etc.)
- Hold a handful of marbles, transferring one at a time into a container
- Draw shapes & write words in a variety of medium (i.e. shaving cream, sand, finger paint, hair gel in a baggie, etc.)
- Draw designs on an Etch-A-Sketch board
- Play board games with small pieces to manipulate (i.e. small Connect 4, Trouble, Chinese Checkers, Chess, Bedbugs etc.)
- Use fingers to sprinkle toppings on food (i.e. sprinkles, shredded cheese etc.)
- Roll dough with a rolling pin
- Hand clapping games
- Squeeze objects (i.e. glue, bubble bear, etc.) with both hands
- Use both arms to twirl streamers, scarves etc.
- Build with Legos
- Trace patterns on paper
- Draw a picture using stencils
- Tear lettuce into pieces to make a salad
- Spread icing on cookies, cakes, etc.
- Copy patterns/pictures using shapes, pegs etc.
- Put together models
- Dot-to-dots
- Mazes
- Hidden pictures
- Word searches
- Put together puzzles
- Use changeable markers to improve tracing skills
- Simulate cutting motion by transferring objects with bubble tongs
- Cut straws into small pieces and string to make a necklace
- Cut play dough/putty
- Cut shapes out of foam
- Cut picture from cereal boxes
- Allow your child to write/color/play while in a variety of positions
- Standing at a chalkboard/easel/window
- Lying on stomach on the floor
- Kneeling at a work surface
- Side sitting on the floor
- Store items in containers that require strength/dexterity to open/manipulate
- Ziploc bags
- Film containers
- Coffee cans
- Plastic jars with screw lids
- Containers with clasps
I hope these gave you some great ideas for summer ideas! Have fun!!
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