1 2 0 5 2

Some people are just cool like that.

2011-12-27T00:18:00.005+04:00

These prints by Dr. Lukas Brezak are so Boojie its not even real. So I just had to blog it on.

[via Society6]

I'm an earring hoe.

2011-12-24T02:46:00.003+04:00

CC Skye - Shield Earrings $110

I'm an earring hoe.

2011-12-19T21:44:00.007+04:00

Nasty Gal - Tuscon Teardrop Earrings $10

This overpopulated world

2011-12-16T04:07:00.008+04:00

Billions by Ward Roberts. It's dizzying, I know... and here I was thinking AD is too metropolitan. That's Hong Kong, in case you wondered.

[via It's Nice That]

Art pour le bebe

2011-12-07T02:09:00.019+04:00

I've come down with a terrible case of baby fever and I can safely say I have thought about babies nonstop this week. These prints by Terry Fan just found me... and I can't get over how perfect they would be for baby's room. For a wee little Malik. I'm especially in love with the first one, there's just something so awesome about whales in prints. There was another one called The Last Whale, but that was a tad depressing. I thought we can wait for the bebe to finish preschool before we introduce him to pollution and loss of biodiversity. Also loving the Pacman theme, the Haunted by the 80's one is adorable.

[From top to bottom: Ocean Meets Sky, Moving to Moscow and Age of the Giants, all are available on Society6 for $18 each]

A Payless Splurge

2011-12-05T01:27:00.008+04:00

Last weekend, we were killing time at the mall and while we were waiting for a cab, we walked into Payless. This thing is, I hate Payless. I hate the name. I hate the plastic-y smell. I hate the cramped shelves full of crap. I basically hate the cheap feeling of it all. But this weekend I found not one, not two but THREE items that I absolutely loved. Sadly, I've vowed not to buy unnecessary things this semester- and I'm practicing even more restraint since the Bobbi Brown splurge. But these two flats were everything I could possibly want... sparkly, beige, textured. Lord, walking away from them was so hard. I figured maybe if they're still around by January when DSF start, I'll get them. If they are not there then that's divine intervention. I also found this lovely bootie and it made me fantasize about recreating (a poor man's version) of this gorgeous outfit Kelly Rowland wore on a shoot in Paris.

Wearabout & the kurta I would kill for

2011-09-04T18:46:00.012+04:00

The other day, while browsing the interweb, I came across another street style blog... Wear about. It's by an Indian photographer based in Bombay and covers everything from what normal people on the street are wearing, to runways and high fashion, to expats and fancy people. It sure has more to offer than the average street style blog.
.
So four pages post-discovery, I came across this outfit and loved it so much I just gazed at it for 5 minutes straight. I think she looks stunning... her hair, her nails, her accessories, her bag and that kurta. Oh my lord, that kurta. Funny story, I once got a shirt tailored in Islamabad from that exact same material, same color with the same red accent on the sleeve. Sadly I didn't look half as gorgeous.
[Photo from Wearabout]

A collaboration made in art heaven

2011-07-29T13:12:00.006+04:00

From top to bottom catching what falls by Mel Kadel, germs and journeyman by Travis Millard (yes, the envelope guy) and the last two, sun stackers and rowboat... where the two artists worked together on the pieces. It's crazy how in the collabo pieces you can see each artist's influence. In sun stackers, you can see Millard's repetitive pattern thing going on, and you also know that wierd monster blob in the boat is his work... but the sun, the colors and the lady with the funky hair is definitely Kadel's. All this awesomeness via Fecal Face.

60's fun in Tripoli

2011-07-27T21:29:00.009+04:00

You would never guess that these people having Mad Men fun once lived in Libya....of all places. I wouldn't have believed it myself, if it wasn't for the Carnation box ;). This, of course, was all before Qaddafi happened.

[Photos from a Time piece on 'Libya before Qaddafi', belonging to a man whose father once owned a hotel in Tripoli]

Envelope doodles

2011-07-27T12:13:00.017+04:00

Imagine you could doodle on an envelope and sell it for $400 or $500. Travis Millard can do that, making him the luckiest guy out there. He's pretty talented though, so I guess it's only fair.

Also, who knew you can get fined for recycling envelopes...

[Top to bottom: waiting lady, blap blap blap, awed crowd, barkers and moving violations...all by Travis Millard via Fecal Face]

One third shaved head

2011-07-25T23:34:00.007+04:00

You know you're exceptionally good looking when you can shave a third of your head and still look attractive.

[Photo via We the People]

Sweet talk on the street

2011-07-22T23:23:00.012+04:00

Murals from "A Love Letter for You" series in Philly by Stephen Powers (ESPO) via this photostream. A video on what he does, what he thinks and more of his murals on Vimeo via The Fox is Black.

Tea at Tajine

2011-07-22T20:48:00.008+04:00

I didn't love Doha, but Souq Waqif definitely struck my fancy. I'd venture as far as saying that it's the best hang out spot I've seen in a middle eastern country. That possibly is an overstatement.... but in any case, it's up there. Moving on from the superlatives, I loved that it's loud and crowded in a way that makes it alive, and everyone does their own thing, but not to the point where it's uncomfortable. I loved that there are tons of cafés and restaurants that all look alike so you don't get that oh-God-which-one-should-I-choose anxiety.

We went to Tajine, a Marrakech-type restaurant that reignited my age old obsession with Morocco. It was a weekday, still it was jam packed. The others went for thé à la menthe, which is the natural thing to order at a Moroccan restaurant, but I was feeling like milk tea. So milk tea I ordered and it was the best milk tea I've ever had (outside the homeland, of course). We sat on the roof, the weather was beautiful and it smelled like sheesha. Then it rained and everyone went inside where it was dark and not so beautiful. But the nutella crepes we picked up before heading home made up for it. So I loved Souq Waqif, for the crowds, the crepes, the cafés and the tea and wish I could have tea somewhere like that right now but Dar's more into beer.

Jimmy, Live in Montreux

2011-07-04T02:51:00.011+04:00

Jimmy was performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival the other day, and I wasn't there to see him. I was sitting here in limbo.

[Montreux Jazz Festival, 2011]

Entertaining + members of another race

2011-06-30T05:20:00.011+04:00

One thing I do not miss while I'm away is the dinner parties the paternal unit hosts way too often. Malheursement, he's hosting one these dreadful soirees later on tonight...and there's white people coming. Dinner parties are boring no matter who is in attendance, but I find that the presence of members of the Caucasian race lends a painfully awkward edge. And it always makes me feel a little bad for them, that though they graced us with their presence, we can't offer them all the things they love--wine, rare meat and funky cheese (we're just not into that sort of thing). Don't get me wrong, I love white people but these cultural differences are just so difficult to overcome.

Rug potential

2011-06-10T23:15:00.007+04:00

I think this pattern has great rug potential.

[Eugene Andolsek via But does it float]

Embracing unproductivity

2011-05-15T00:38:00.011+04:00

Today, I'm in a very restless, distracted, anxious state that's greatly diminishing my productivity. Normally, I'm not very hard on myself on such days, instead I embrace my unproductivity and hope that the next day will be better... but it's really becoming an issue that is increasingly harder to justify. Anyway, after hours and hours of trying to force myself to work (in vain) I've decided that for the 4th day in a row, I am embracing unproductivity. So, aren't these collages hilarious? The old lady sweeping up people is just too funny.

[By Hilary Faye via all the mountains]

Black people, white people, old people & New York: the best of black and white photography

2011-05-13T22:10:00.014+04:00

[Wolf Suschiztky. Derek Hudson. Vivian Maier. Vivian Maier. Wolf Suschiztky. Unknown. Steve Perille. Steve Perille. Steve Perille. Steve Perille. Wolf Suschiztky. Unknown. Unknown. Unknown. Arno Fischer. Unknown. Unknown. Rosalind Solomon. Didier Cozin. Didier Cozin. Albert Levy. Greg Schmigel... all via the incredible every day i show].

Amazon getaway

2011-05-08T21:13:00.006+04:00

Given a choice of travel destinations that included a Caribbean cruise, an East African safari or an Amazon getaway, the Jubes chose the cruise. But I'm feeling very Amazon getaway these days. It would be out of the world amazing, staying at the Kapawi lodge which I found on a "Best Hotels in Ecuador" list in NatGeo Traveller. Apparently, the lodge is so secluded, the closest road is a 10-day walk away, and the rivers are not navigable. The only way to get there is by air. The idea of being secluded in a rainforest turns me on in so many ways (the trees, the trees!) . My only concern is the insects (I really can not handle any more vesicles and bullas) and white people seeking a spirtual life-changing experiences.

Shala's Earrings

2011-05-07T13:04:00.005+04:00

There was a time in my life when I loved earrings, I had like a gizillion pairs and I'd wear a different one everyday. Then one sunny day my passion for earrings died, just like that. So I donated my entire collection to the sister and wore only silver studs. Now, the passion has been reignited (it all started with a Pull & Bear gift for the Jubes), so currently I'm now attempting to rebuild the collection... I'm really feeling these Prada earrings on the ears of the incredibly stylish Shala Monroque. I'm also digging the cherry tomato necklace.

[Photo via JAK & JIL]

Irascible

2011-05-01T23:11:00.005+04:00

i·ras·ci·ble
adjective. easily provoked; easily angered
origin. (Latin) from irascibilis = "prone to anger".

Peregrinate

2011-05-01T22:35:00.003+04:00

per·e·gri·nate

verb. to travel or wander about; to voyage.
origin. 1585-95 (Latin) from peregrīnātus = "in the act of transit"

Oh là là!

2011-04-24T05:16:00.008+04:00

In keeping with the spirit of Earth Day, I thought I'd share a story about a man who built a huge treehouse. First, I saw the pictures on Fubiz, and I thought oh my, that's a lovely treehouse (though it does seem somewhat precarious). It looked alot like a treehouse-apartment-complex to me and I got to thinking about how wonderful it would be to live in a giant treehouse. 30 meters tall and 14 years in the making. So I thought I'd further investigate this Horace Burgess and his ginormous treehouse. Turns out it's not at all an apartment complex, rather a divinely inspired treehouse church. Apparently the Lord came to Horace and told him to build a treehouse and the Lord promised to see to it that he never ran out of supplies. The whole vision itself was really quite brief, only about 4 seconds, but Horace went ahead with it. It's all so very Evan Almighty. The divine inspiration part is hard to grasp, but I have to say it's an incredible feat. And, the sweetest part, he built his wifey a penthouse suite on the 7th floor, isn't that just darling?

General Knot & Co.

2011-04-18T01:31:00.005+04:00

I'm still on that tie-collection-building mission and think I found the perfect ties from General Knot & Co. A little bit on the pricey side ($70-$100) but apparently the ties are all vintage and limited editions with fabrics from WWII... They also have the cutest, gayest bow ties, but they're not very surgeon material.

Sipadan

2011-04-16T01:54:00.007+04:00

Flickr really has much more crap on it than good, so once you do come across a worthwhile photostream, it really is the best feeling. One can then spend hours and hours creepily gazing at the photos of a complete stranger trying to put the pieces together and figure out what their story is (like Hawa & Didier, whose story I never quite figured). So today, as my heart was breaking over spring break ending, I came across this stream with photos of a picture-perfect vacation in Sipadan. After some Wikipedia-ing I found out that Sipadan is an island off the coast of Malaysia; pristine and rich in marine species.

These pictures remind me of that divine feeling; the first hours of a day when you're on an island vacation. That calm happiness you feel as you wake up at 9.45 am, get dressed and then head down to the breakfast buffet and the endless possibilies of an entire day of maxing and relaxing before you.

Lace

2011-03-03T16:04:00.006+04:00

from Jason Wu's collection... insanely pretty.

[Photos from JAK & JIL]

Dans les arbres

2011-01-20T21:49:00.008+04:00

Part deux of my treehouse dream. Except I only want it more now. The interiors are out of this world, you seriously don't need a house if you have one of those. And check out the terrace on the fourth one, it's like a full fledged condo.

[By a German company called Bauraum via Lace & Tea]

Not one for winter

2011-01-20T00:14:00.006+04:00

Nope, I'm really not one for cold weather. I can't fathom living in a place where winters look like these pictures, I would get so depressed, I'd take my life away with the first snowfall. I like Middle Eastern winters, the cloudy skies and watching the rain, but I can't stand the icy extremities and chronic goosebumps.

[Matthias Heidriech on Behance Network]

This 2011th year

2011-01-13T23:07:00.005+04:00

It doesn't feel at all like a new year, am still writing 2010 all over the place. I didn't celebrate, no new year's resolution, nothing half as eventful as last year. Since the first day of this year, sitting in the library looking through Scientific American issues from 1995, I still can't believe its been more than a decade since the 90s. God, I wish it was the 90s again, this whole 21st century thing is so lame.

When it's cold outside...

2011-01-13T22:17:00.008+04:00

When it's cold outside, all I can think about is buying the perfect jackets/coats. Especially with the most massive sales going on these days. I really like her whole ensemble, nice jacket although am not sure about the tail thing. Nevertheless, very cute jacket and clutch and I can't wait to have an end of semester shopping spree.

[Photo by Mr. Newton]

Rocking nappy hair

2010-12-25T01:05:00.003+04:00

Some people can rock nappy hair like no other, others spend loads of time, money and effort tryna cover it up with weaves and extensions. That girl looks so good with her do, and couldn't you help but notice how hot she is?
[Photo by Mr. Newton]

Love and Aspen

2010-12-24T02:17:00.004+04:00

We've been talking about Christmas and the winter, jet setting and Aspen, chocolate cake and hot cocoa, Agent Provocateur and Elle Macpherson. As always many dreams, many fantasies, and tonight, much much love and certainty that with love, prayer and hard work it's only a matter of time 'til we have it all.

[Gstaad 1961 by Slim Aarons]

Let's get it on, sugar

2010-12-20T00:12:00.009+04:00

Marvin looking so damn handsome, I just had to blog this one on. I can't say I love all his work but he can really work the stage, watching him perform Let's Get it On, and Heard it Through the Grapevine definitely are two of my favorite Youtube distractions.

(especially this one).

[Photo from The Impossible Cool]

Little people

2010-12-19T01:54:00.006+04:00

Sometimes with over exposure to economic theory I tend to think of kids as commodities, subject to cost-benefit analysis, but realistically, who the hell can resist little ones in their little outfits.

[Photos (cropped) from JAK & JIL]

Farouche

2010-12-17T16:35:00.009+04:00

fa·rouche
adjective. sullenly unsociable.
origin. (Latin) foasticus = without / "out of doors".

Chillin in Vietnam

2010-12-15T00:06:00.005+04:00

There's something relaxing about that place.

[Photos (cropped) from a random photostream]

Guy with a nice beard

2010-12-14T18:06:00.006+04:00

If I had a beard, it would totally look like that.

[Photo from the Sartorialist]

Where's Liu?

2010-12-14T17:06:00.005+04:00

It's like where's Waldo with a political message.

And in case you're wondering, it's not photoshopped.

[Liu Bolin via It's Nice That]

Rug fantasies

2010-12-13T20:56:00.005+04:00

Since it started getting cold, I've been fantasizing about rugs alot. It gets so damn cold in the early morning and the marble floors make it so much worse. So I've stopped putting my clothes in the closet, somehow clutter makes me feel warmer. Anyway, I saw this rug on Design*Sponge a while back and it really is the most perfect rug. Also love the long cushion on the white sofa, it brings the whole room together. I really can't save up for a rug, so I've been thinking alot about stealing one of those lovely Pakistani rugs from my parents when I go home for the holidays.

[Photo of Jill Malek's living room from Design*Sponge]

An Accra Home

2010-12-12T23:42:00.010+04:00

Of course I couldn't find an article about a fabulous house in Africa without blogging it on. It sounds really bad coming from an African, but I can not believe this house actually exists in a Sub-Saharan African country that is not South Africa. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some pretty awesome houses in Africa but the whole minimalist, eco-friendly look is hard to find. And the craziest part is the house is built with timber and abode mud bricks (with plenty of trees outside) in a way that makes air-conditioning unnessecary. I know, I can't freaking believe it myself, no AC in Africa. Imagine how much money that would save you in Sudan, or Tanzania... literally, thousands of dollars a year. The details on Joe Osae-Addo's "inno-native" approach here. Plus, as if the house isn't enough, there's a little intro about how he met his wifey. I'm always up for a long distance love story.
[Article + photos from Dwell via A Merry Mishap]

Clothes and things

2010-12-11T23:27:00.009+04:00

So I've developed this unhealthy urge to buy clothes, alot of it. And it's strange because I was never really the compulsive shopper. So in the past few weeks I've also developed an appreciation for this tax-free, mall-filled country where a meagre student's allowance goes a long way when it comes to shopping. Now here's an outfit I wish I could go out there and buy.

Pretty things

2010-12-09T16:14:00.013+04:00

JAK & JIL blog is my greatest blog discovery since Mrs. Lilien. Seriously, this is even better than the Sartorialist. I've misallocated so much time these past few days looking at the beautiful people, shoes and legs of this world. God damn, the things I'd do for those show stopping red Sergio Rossis. I must admit I've been very superficial few weeks, also been very bitchy-but that's okay. Besides the new blog, I've spent alot of time finishing all four seasons of Mad Men and now life feels oh so empty. However, the weekend shall be dedicated to viewing the 2010 Victoria's Secret show... seeing those lovely angels is sure to uplift.

Love & Sneakers

2010-11-26T00:28:00.005+04:00

You know you truly love someone, when you start accommodating their needs and desires in your future plans. So here I am, this person who has never really cared much for shoes, planning to construct a sneaker wall in our future home for the duck (if and when we get rich). It may not sound like a big deal, but I really am not the accommodating type, it's always my way or the highway, but I'm actually getting to that point in a relationship where his happiness makes me happy.

.
Speaking of which, the other day at the food court there was this Japanese father with the most darling little girl in a stroller. So we turn around to check out the cute baby, and the guy totally thinks we're checking him out. We weren't but he was wearing nice sneakers.

[Lanvin sneakers on The Selby]

Letters from Aden

2010-11-25T20:45:00.008+04:00

Lately I've been feeling very nostalgic in the morning. I wake up and I miss things. Mostly Pakistan. But seeing these illustrations makes me miss Yemen alot, and of course Aden. Our first family vacations were to Aden, and for all the four years in Yemen everytime we had a long holiday we'd drive down to Aden, it was seven whole hours, but it was well worth it. I wonder what it looks like now, and if I'll ever see it again. But even if I could, I probably wouldn't want to. It's just never the same.

I have to say, I haven't been at my happiest since Eid break. It's never easy going from having the perfect life with someone you adore, to long distance again and a place that you really don't like that much. But at the same time, I'm very grateful for everything in my life, even being in this place that I hate so much. You wouldn't think gratitude and unhappiness could coexist. But yeah, I'm grateful, for Aden vacations and for last week and for everything in general. I'm not very happy here and now, but I'm sure a few years from now, I'll look at this too with nostalgia.

[Art by Claire Fletcher]

Break

2010-11-10T17:33:00.003+04:00

Yaay for holidays.

[Photos 1,2,3 from superbomba , 4th from Square America]

Outdoor space & lake views

2010-10-22T19:52:00.007+04:00

I love the outdoor space in this fishing cabin (built in the 1940s and recently renovated).

[New York Times]

Special requests

2010-10-20T00:44:00.009+04:00

Ain't that Good News - Sam Cooke

Who's that Lady - The Isley Brothers

I Can't Help Myself - The Four Tops

It's the Same Old Song - The Four Tops

Shop Around- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

I Second that Emotion- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Come into my Life - Jimmy Cliff

I Can't Live Without You - Jimmy Cliff

Something is Worrying Me - Otis Redding

Come to Me - Otis Redding

and I couldn't possibly put him alongside these legends, but he's still pretty good,

When it's Cold Outside - John Legend

Lab frustrations

2010-10-19T23:41:00.005+04:00

At first it was funny, but it's not anymore. The drosophila flies from our genetics experiment keep dying for no reason at all. They survive the anesthetic but I walk in one sunny day and every fly in the jar is dead. When I walked in today and saw three jars full of shrivelled dead bugs I wanted to fling the jar at the walls and cuss out who ever came up with this damn experiment. And if that isn't bad enough, the university just hired a new lab technician, a woman who looks like a true bitch. I can be patient with flies that die, and retarded lab partners but the one thing I can't stand is dealing with hormonal, rude bitches.

[Photo of a science teacher in 1942 from this hilarious gallery, LIFE magazine]

Just one wish

2010-10-18T00:13:00.006+04:00

If I had just one wish, only one wish. I would wish that I could rewind time and re-live the 1970s in Africa. You know that era that is the setting for The Last King of Scotland. God does that movie has some seriously disturbing scenes. Anyway, Africa in the 1970s just seems so blissful and perfect.

[Antananarivo, Madgascar 1977 by mwanasimba]

Flamboyance

2010-10-16T03:05:00.004+04:00

Not trying to make any political statement on the matter, just very very amused by the flamboyance.

[Photo by S.L. Robertson]

Weekend, at last.

2010-10-15T01:37:00.005+04:00

It hasn't been a long or busy week, but I've been tired. Every night, it has taken me till 6 am to fall asleep, and I'd have to wake up an hour later. So, I'm really looking forward to staying in bed for hours after I wake up tomorrow morning and maybe even get some morning reading. And speaking of reading, I just bought a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I know I've been going on and on about my brokeness and I really am broke, but it was for 17 dhs, and I could only afford it because I skipped my weekly Baskin Robbins.

[Photo by Slim Aarons, 1964]

Patriotism, colonization and the Sudan

2010-10-13T03:35:00.015+04:00

I have never seen anybody throw a party for their nation's independence day when they're abroad until I met Nigerians. I'm not sure if it's patriotism or just simply the desire to party, but every October 1st every Nigerian I know is out celebrating Independence day. This year a friend of mine went as far as taking a flight over the weekend to participate in an Independence day dance in another country.

I, personally, am on the other side of the patriotism spectrum. While I would never claim to be anything other than Sudanese, I definitely wouldn't attend an independence day party, much less throw one.

On the topic of independence from colonization, I found these photographs of Sudan under British rule way back in 1884/85. The first two are of Sawakin, the second is the house of a man by the name of Osman Digna a leader of uprising against colonization, and the last is of "refugees" from Dongola, look closely, you'll see my great grandfather is in this photo (I kid).

[Photos from the National Archives on Flickr]

Love in action

2010-10-13T02:39:00.008+04:00

Lately, the roomie's been up till 2 and 3 am every night on the phone with her lover with whom she spends the entire day. She talks and talks until she reaches this stage of delirium and stops making sense, but she won't hang up and go to sleep because her reality is better than her dreams. Then when she finally falls asleep, she sleeps so well she misses her 8 am class and still sings in the shower. She goes out everyday, dines out everyday and shops every. single. day. She comes back at midnight, barely in time for curfew and walks in with the biggest (and dumbest) smile on her face and asks me, "why are you so happy?" so I'd ask her "why are you so happy?" so she can share the details of her rendez-vous. Having a roomate in love truly is annoying and now that I can see it from an objective point of view, I've developed a new appreciation for her, for putting up with me when I was the fool in love.

[Photo by Steve McCurry, Morocco 1988]

Sleepless nights

2010-10-12T01:43:00.005+04:00

The past couple of weeks have been one sleepless night after the other. Sadly, my version of sleepless nights doesn't have a lantern, stars and little cacti on a balcony/terrace. It's crazy how similar this print is of my mental image of nights at my dream home in Merowe.

[By Danna Ray via all the mountains]

Sometimes minimalism

2010-10-04T02:23:00.005+04:00

But sometimes minimalism works perfectly, especially in a pristine natural setting. For introverted Jubes and I, these isolated places would truly be heaven on earth.

[Photos by Patric Johansson]

The sweetest home in Harlem

2010-10-04T01:11:00.008+04:00

I always love the houses on The Selby that are cluttered with lots of odds and ends, rather than the bare minamalist ones. So this sweet, book-filled home in Harlem caught my eye. The owners are this really cute old couple, filmmaker Albert Maysles and his professor in psychotherapy/family therapist wife. When asked what style would she call her home, wifey Gillian Walker answered:

"Memorial. Almost everything represents gifts from friends, family. Books represent many paths taken and are too precious to part with (although they overflow all available space). In bookcases, on tables, every possible surface there are photographs and mementos of our beloved dead as well as recordings of events of our lives, mixed with images of our heroes: Chavez, Malcolm X..."

[Photos from The Selby and interview on PAPERMAG]

June in Tanzania

2010-09-21T15:22:00.011+04:00

The biggest hammock, rough seas, a fisherman's shack and hundreds of little crabs at South beach

Ugly Betty

2010-09-21T15:01:00.006+04:00

I know it's so 2008, but I just finished watching the entire four seasons of Ugly Betty. The plot really wasn't going anywhere (you know it since the first episodes) but the characters grow on you (Manda and Marc and the oh so handsome Bobby). Coincidentally, the Suarezs were on today's MSN feature of 15 classic TV families. I'm surprised they were on it because the list included some serious classics, like the Addams family, the Jeffresons, Will Smith's family from Fresh Prince, the Cosbys and the Simpsons.

Next show up for watching: Mad Men.

Love and good company

2010-09-19T22:51:00.005+04:00

The sweetest thing about being in love is the companionship.

[Geese I met on the way to Coco beach]

Flight

2010-09-18T12:20:00.009+04:00

I have no recollection of how I ended up there, but I was looking through the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine's online reader scrapbook. I've never been on one of these small planes like the ones on Dastardly and Muttley and their Flying Machines (yeah, obviously I don't know jack about airplane names/models) but the ones Coastal airlines use to get around Tanzania are pretty fun. It's hard to appreciate flying with the big commercial jets we fly in these days, but once you try one of the smaller planes, you actually get excited about it and the views are spectacular--and the ocean looks so blue.

Besides Dastardly and Muttley's airplanes, I would love a ride on a hovercraft.

And since we're on the topic of flight and aircrafts, my paternal unit decided to donate all his Emirates airmiles to me so I might be able to upgrade my back to school ticket to first/business class. Yay! The prospect of not having to fly amongst commoners is exciting, but I must curb my enthusiasm until it's for sure. And I leave you with my favorite photo from the scrapbook: the name is Burt Ashton.

Zanzibar loves reggae.

2010-09-16T11:00:00.011+04:00

No seriously Zanzibar loves reggae. Everyone on the island seemed to be listening to reggae. The first night at the hotel our room was adjacent to a "reggae club" (it was actually this really shady spot behind this place that in the morning doubled as a crafts shop and at night became a club). The music was sooo loud and played until the wee hours of the morning so sleeping was impossible. The next day they moved us to the other side of the hotel, to a room that was adjacent to a restaurant apparently owned by the president's sons. So that was a mix of reggae and The Rolling Stones, again until the morning.

At first it was annoying but then it became amusing. I thought the funniest thing was how at night all these white girls who'd spent the morning sunbathing at the beach would hook up with local guys with dreads and head to the "reggae clubs", and I would wonder, do these girls actually think that they're getting a "taste of the local culture"? Because none of the night time "tourist activities" I saw going down were in agreement with the local culture. The economy in Zanzibar is built on tourism, and the local guys in dreads seemed to be profiting from tourism in more ways the one...if you know what I mean ;).

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I'm not a reggae fan, but there is this one song I heard in a taxi in Nairobi from Nas & Damian Marley's album Distant Relatives called "Count your Blessings". It's a good reminder that every little thing is a blessing; even stuff like having someone to miss you. And if you have things like schools, welfare, pensions and healthcare in your life and you still complain... well then, you should be ashamed of yourself. Nas comes in towards the end and ruins it, but it's good anyway.

[Photo from mwanasimba's photostream in Zanzibar]

Acedia

2010-09-13T18:57:00.004+04:00

a·ce·di·a
noun. sloth
origin. 1600-10 (Greek) from akḗdeia, derived from the word kêdos = care or anxiety with the prefix a-.

One month without DSTV.

2010-09-09T08:20:00.005+04:00

It's been almost a month since, in an act of extreme alturism, I decided not to renew DSTV subscription. God, I miss travel channel so much! Admitting it makes me feel lame, but I lived vicariously through Julian and Camilla.

[Photo by Aya Brackett]

Some really good scribbles

2010-09-06T09:34:00.004+04:00

I haven't checked Blogger's Blogs of Note since last year, but earlier on today I did. And a fortunate coincidence it was, I discovered the work of Bridget Farmer. She's an Irish artist/print maker who lived in Australia for a while then moved back to Ireland recently and is soon moving back to Australia. She does alot of birds and I'm not a bird lover but her etches/sketches are great. These two are like really crazy scribbles that take bird form. They look so effortless but detailed. Just pure genius.

[Magpie and wood duck etching with borders cropped out]

Impedimenta

2010-09-06T06:54:00.003+04:00

im·ped·i·men·ta

noun. baggage or things that impede one's progress.
origin. 1590-1600 (Latin) plural form of impedīmentum from the verb impedire literally meaning "to shackle one's feet."

My desire for a fish pedicure

2010-09-06T05:13:00.011+04:00

So, I am back to blogging after a rather extended respite. It's hard to keep the blogging up when one is on holiday but now that the summer is almost over, here I am again. Lately, I've been feeling that I have nothing to say alot of the time, but I feel like I've got to keep this blog alive. It's done me good. It's wierd how going back in time I find that alot of the stuff I blogged about as a dream or fantasy has actually happened. When I first started more than a year back I blogged about a travel fantasy to go on a safari. Only just yesterday my paternal unit asked if I wanted to go to a game reserve during next week's break. And that fantasy was before I ever knew we were moving to Tanzania. Maybe my blog is like Oprah's The Secret dream board thing (remember that?).

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So today I'm back. With, really, a simple desire. I would like one of these fish tanks in Japan where you stick your feet in and the fish nibble all the dead skin and you've got yourself a nice pedicure. The flip-flops and unpaved streets of Africa combination has done some serious damage.
[Photo from "Why We Travel" slideshow by Jodi Hilton for New York Times]

Sunshine, sand and the skyline in Tanzania

2010-06-09T23:04:00.007+04:00

At the beach, every single day.

Home & my first macaroon.

2010-06-08T19:36:00.010+04:00

The late afternoon was spent eating icecream on the dock, and though it sounds like a cheery activity it wasn't. It was a sad day; dark, cloudy and the ocean looked sad. The cousin wanted to go home, and I wanted to be home too. I want to be with my Jubes. So as I sat there eating my icecream by the side of the sad sea, I thought about the Jubes and how if he was there sitting on by my side that bench by the sad sea becomes home, the same way that the AD corniche becomes home in his presence. So I came back home and sat on the computer and looked through old pictures and found these saved from last summer. Last summer when all I dreamt about was Paris and macaroons. All I wanted was a taste of a macaroon. Months later he bought me my first macaroon. Once again he'd made a wish come true and he wasn't even trying.
[Photos from My French Life by Vicki Archer and Abby from Abby Try Again]

Summer bummer

2010-06-02T00:01:00.008+04:00

Summer is great but it's really hard to feel the vacation vibe when the Jubes' academic year is at its most stressful. There were plans of movie nights and breakfasts to make things easier on my becoming surgeon, but after coming here, I realized talking and staying in touch is harder than I imagined. So now, I try to entertain myself but I feel guilty, lonely and distant most of the time. I love you and am sorry things have to be so hard.

[Photo by Mark Powell in Madrid]

Panjandrum

2010-05-12T17:00:00.006+04:00

pan●jan●drum

noun. a self important or pretentious official.

origin: 1745-55, coined by the 18th century English dramatist Samuel Foote; the "grand panjandrum" was an imaginary character from a nonsense impromptu story by Foote.

Muliebrity

2010-05-11T23:22:00.006+04:00

mu●li●eb●ri●ty

noun. the state of being a woman

origin: 1585-95 (Latin) muliēbritās = womanhood (derived from mulier = woman).

A Study for Jubes

2010-05-04T21:46:00.005+04:00

I can't wait for the studio apartment with Jubes phase of my life to begin; when we have a little crib just for ourselves... with a cozy bed and sofa and our two mugs... and lots of plants. I mean what else does one need in life?

But sometimes I get to thinking about moving into a bigger place, so the Jubes can have his own study that I can decorate. Give it that whole doctor in the 1800's look, with vintage anatomical drawings. And just for his pleasure and enjoyment Andy Kehoe prints and the most comfy chair in the world. I've already found two items for the study, lamps and paperweights from this little shop.

Early evening walks

2010-05-01T23:07:00.004+04:00

After a largely uneventful but peaceful weekend... a Friday of aimless talking and a Saturday of academic work, an early evening walk would be just about the best way to relax before the start of a new week.
[Photos of Valparaiso, Chile and Prague]

Orgasmic dessert fantasies

2010-04-30T19:14:00.009+04:00

I'm aware of the fact that I'm close to exceeding my daily blogging quota but I really couldn't resist this one. The Jubes and I just had long distance lunch, salad pour moi and the all-time Zalama delicacy, cheese mana'eesh, pour lui. Now that the post-lunch nausea has faded there's the overwhelming desire for dessert. A "Snoopy" milkshake and the contents of these paintings peut-etre?

[Paintings by Will Cotton, from top to bottom: White Christmas, Swept Away and Peppermint Hideaway ]

Summer plans and small talk

2010-04-30T17:29:00.010+04:00

In my previous life, that is the life that preceded my arrival at this institution, I always liked this part of the year; the part before summer break. It was always the best time to make small talk. One needn't make awkward and unnecessary comments about the weather, because one can inquire about others' summer plans. But being the unoriginal place that AUS is, no one ever has summer plans--everyone's staying for lame old summer session.

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But I do have one acquaintance who plans on spending a summer in India, how "exotic" is that? No but I applaud her originality, India is a pretty original summer destination, at least for holiday makers in this part of the world. Curry, crowds, "exotic" odors, omnipresent cattle and the wonderful Hindi language.
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As for me, I look forward to a four months vacation, but I'm still bummed out at the thought of no Jubes, not to be able to spend summer in the Dominican Republic together sucks, but not Skyping is too much.
[Photo of Calcutta in 1996 by Steve McCurry]

A crappy mood sweeps over

2010-04-15T22:41:00.004+04:00

I am in a terrible, shitty, crappy mood, but why should I be when I have a weekend full of prospective beach fun with the lover. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I think the coffee that I splurged on is a laxative, and I spent nine hours in the past three days watching The O.C or maybe this morning's encounter with visa man....asshole. I really need an activity to fill my time with, blogging obviously no longer works.

[Photo by Alex MacLean]

A brief return

2010-04-01T00:43:00.010+04:00

A short while back I realized I don't care much for blogging anymore and decided to abandon this here blog. But now I return, in need of a diversion.

I came across these photos, and it got me thinking about Let the Right One In, the only movie that succeeded in taking the cliche element out of the whole vampire thing. After watching it, I realized it was classified as horror, although I felt no horror at watching it. Which got me thinking about how silly the entire horror movie genre is, how can something scare you if you bought it for that purpose. But last week I was watching Drag me to Hell with the Jubes and then I realized that I really enjoy horror, in presence of Jubes and a Barista Blast.

[Photos from this photostream on Flickr]

P.S. You were right, I returned.

Erudite

2010-03-13T20:49:00.007+04:00

er●u●dite

adjective. characterized by extensive reading

and knowledge; scholarly.

origin: 1375-1425 (late Middle English) from the Latin e = out of and rudis = rough or unskilled.

Prints, and this humble blog

2010-03-13T03:29:00.011+04:00

When I first started blogging, most of my posts where about illustrations and picture books. With time I found out that there's alot of things I like to obsess about: places, the 90s, movies, Paris and surprisingly, plants. Then of course there's Jubes...but it didn't take a blog for me to realize that. I still like to post about prints though; its a way for me to keep track of all the prints I wish to buy once I join the workforce. So as a tribute to my blog's humble origins, here are two great ones by the talented Chris Turnham. I love how his prints seem to revolve around voyages and expeditions from back in the days of colonialism, ships and decent gentlemen.

[Prints by Chris Turnham, Phileas Fogg Checks the Time and Spring Cleaning in Paris]

In celebration...

2010-03-12T23:40:00.006+04:00

One year of blogging, 175 posts and, of course, Independence Day in Mauritius.

[Photos from none other than mwanasimba's photostream. Ile aux Cerfs and Jardin de Pamplemousses, Mauritius; Summer of 1994]

Languor

2010-03-10T04:08:00.009+04:00

lan●guor

noun. a heaviness or oppressive stillness of the air.

origin: 1250-1300 (Latin) languere = to be faint or weak.

Doubtful Sound

2010-03-07T02:07:00.011+04:00

Sometimes one gets stressed out in the absence of stressful causes and the only thing that can change one's state of mind is a fishing trip at Doubtful Sound. If I had the money and the marriage certificate, my Jubes and I would be off to New Zealand by now.

[Photos by Scott L. Robertson]

Crown and Crumpet

2010-02-28T15:18:00.018+04:00

I am energetic on truly toxic proportions today... I feel unstressed and optimistic. No idea why though. I'm in the mood for one of these days out with Jubes where we're out all day and by the end of it we're exhausted, broke, yet ecstatic. Sadly, I'm here, he's there and there's no outting anytime in the near horizon. I can still dream though, of Crown and Crumpet in SF. I would love nothing more in the world right now than afternoon tea there. It's so girly and cheery, and so un-me but I guess that's the charm. Of course, I'd have to take the Jubes seeing as how I have (and desire) no friends but him. Naturally, he might complain about the setting being a little gay, but the menu looks like it can more than compensate.

It is very Alice in Wonderland; they're even celebrating the release of the Alice in Wonderland movie... which I can't wait to see in 3D.

Crows

2010-02-28T15:00:00.001+04:00

Crows are undoubtedly among the ugliest creature out there--along with turkey, these slimy fishes from bio lecture and those hideous cats without fur. But somehow seeing crows flocking around brings joy to my little heart. Somehow it's de-stressing. It so happens that the places that I loved living in the most are the most crow infested; Aden, Islamabad, Dar es Salaam. I wonder what it is that makes a habitat attractive to crows, I always thought it was coastal areas but Islamabad was completely landlocked.

The sister told me that the Indians brought crows to Tanzania and the East African coast. She also said that Peter told her that some government agency gave cash prizes for everone who brought crow claws (in an effort to eradicate them). The prizes are only a few shillings, but they do motivate people to kill them. I wonder whats the government's beef with crows.

[Photo from the amazing mwanasimba's photostream taken on Mama Magina Road in Kenya, summer of 1974]

Today...

2010-02-28T14:48:00.006+04:00

I discovered the ailement from which my darling Selma suffers! Apparently 'tis nitrogen deficiency. I always suspected that but our plant nutrition lecture today confirmed it. The telltale sign of nitrogen deficiency in plants is that the shoots are green while the old leaves turn yellow. That apparently happens because the nitrogen travels from the older leaves to the newer shoots... this sets it apart from other nutrient/mineral deficiencies that yellow the newer shoots but not the older leaves.

Now where do I get non-stinky fertilizer?

[The totally irrelevant photo is by Bharat Sikka]

Is this nostalgia that I feel?

2010-02-27T02:28:00.006+04:00

I guess you can never really get over Yemen.

[Photo from Flickr]

Aborted Friday night plans

2010-02-27T02:04:00.006+04:00

The plan for tonight was movie night with Up in the Air followed by The Men Who Stare at Goats. We were really putting my patience to the test with two consecutive George Clooney movies, but it never happened due to the need to Skype with the familia and then the Duck's early bedtime. And then he argues that he doesnt have a bedtime. Now I'm all alone with nothing to do and an urge to just go ahead and watch Up in the Air without him... just like he did with Amreeka.

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I could watch Lost, I haven't seen the episodes after the premiere, which I must say wasn't too appealing. Everyone was so hyped up about it but the Lost people failed to deliver. It's becoming more confusing than intriguing. I came across this photograph today of people watching the premiere at Waikiki beach in Honolulu. Magical moment. I'm totally wishing I was there (and also wishing the Jubes was a Lost fan; it's so hard not being able to discuss the island and its happenings with him).

[Photo from Time by Hugh Gentry for Reuters]

Fractious

2010-02-25T19:47:00.005+04:00

frac●tious

adjective. irritable, cranky, quarrelsome.

origin: 1725 from fraction in the obsolete sense of "discord" or "disharmony". Derived from the Latin word frangere = to break.

Exit Winter

2010-02-25T13:09:00.007+04:00

Enter Summertime with its scalding sun.

We unknowingly kissed winter goodbye last week. Last weekend while frolicking around the various emirates of the UAE with Jubes, I kept complaining about how cold it was. Unbeknownst to me, I was witnessing the last of the winter. No more fluffy clouds at midday and occasional showers at dawn.

[Photos from april cakes' photostream via ffffound.]

Hypnagogic

2010-02-18T16:40:00.006+04:00

hyp●na●gog●ic

adjective. of or pertaining to the state of drowsiness that precedes sleep; relating to hallucinations or images perceived during this state of drowsiness.

origin: 1885-90 (French) hypnagogique originally from Greek hupnos = sleep and agogos = leading (from agein = to lead)

For the love of biology

2010-02-18T16:39:00.002+04:00

Memorizing the seemingly infinite branches on the Tree of Life sucks, but here's a tribute to the amazing science of biology and the incredible microorganisms of this world, in keeping with my budding surgeon Jubes' impressive success in the field of medicine. You make me proud.

[Photos from top to bottom: Giardia lamblia, Listeria monocytogenes, and herpesvirus 5 from Discover magazine's article "Cool Killers: The Beauty of Deadly Pathogens"]

Stop that train...

2010-02-08T12:01:00.012+04:00

There is absolutely nothing in my current life that I dread more than the Abu Dhabi-Sharjah bus... it's like the kiss of the death. Prospective sister-in-law asked me if it would make it better if there was a train--and oh how I would love my life if there was an AD-Sharjah train. In microeconomic terms, "it would dramatically raise my standard of living".

Is it normal that I have never been on a train? And is it not crazy how well Steve McCurry captures the spirit of the Indian subcontinent (although some of the pictures do romantacize India a little). But no seriously, taking a train in India--that would be a truly dreadful experience, although it did appear to be a spiritual and glamorous on Darjeeling Limited--the awesomest movie.

[Photos by Steve McCurry, first photo of Darjeeling, second of Old Delhi and last of Agra in 1983.]

Gelid

2010-02-03T16:59:00.010+04:00

gel●id

adjective. very cold, icy.

origin: 1600-10 (Latin) from gelidus = icy cold and gelū /gelum = frost.

Une promenade

2010-01-28T17:21:00.006+04:00

I wonder what it feels like being Parisien. What would it feel like to be over the Tour Eiffel and the Champs-Elysees? To walk around Paris and not get absolutely excited about every little thing. To faire une promenade and then sit down in a park on Saturday morning, without feeling the urge to stop at every cafe you walk by and try all the pastries on the menu. I guess I'll never know.

On the subject of promenades and walks on Saturday mornings, ONE MORE WEEK till the Jubes. =) Abu Dhabi is no Paris, but we're masters at make believe; 8 am walks at the corniche, we can pretend it's the Seine and breakfast at La Brioche.

[Photos from flickr, 3rd by Aya Brackett]

Bird Watching in Panama

2010-01-28T04:40:00.015+04:00

I wouldn't call myself an avid bird watcher, but who doesn't enjoy watching birds in the morning. There are these unattractive brown-black birds that are native to AUS, they fill the trees, and hop about the grass and get especially loud and abnoxious at dawn and sunset. But in the past two days, I've spotted these gorgeous new birds with metallic-blue wings and orange-red tummies. A very welcome addition to campus.

So the picture above: Canopy Tower in Soberania National Park in Panama; an ex- U.S. Airforce military radar station turned eco-lodge (right in the middle of the rainforest). A visitor says, "you really get to be in the canopy: open the window of your room and probably less than 40 feet away are hundreds of bird species. You see toucans flying by, fruit crows, motmots, blue cotingas and green shrike-vireos. They also have a library, which is really cool because you can easily check out what you just saw — or think you saw."

Wouldn't that be nice, to open the window and see toucans?
[1st photo and excerpt, "Why We Travel", The NY Times, 2nd from flickr]

The Stealing of Selma

2010-01-24T13:10:00.007+04:00

While I was on holiday, the dorm supervisors stole my beloved (albeit dying) potplant Selma which I left on the windowsill and relocated her to the reception. Everyday I walk by it and wonder, should I steal her back, should I ask for her, or should I leave her? Selma herself really isnt that special, and she does suffer from some terminal illness that I haven't been able to diagnose despite my excellence in the field of biology (and copious online reading on her species). It's not Selma herself that I'm attached to (she might have a name, but she's just a parlor palm from Ikea) it's that memory of the trip to get her with Jubes and how long it took us to choose the perfect plant. I also still can't decide whether to be shocked at the audacity of the supervisors, or be thankful for their attempt to save my plant which I left outside, alone, to weather the elements.

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On a different note, today I am fighting the demotivation and apathy that has taken over my life in the past week.

[Photo from Flickr]

Italian

2010-01-22T23:08:00.010+04:00

The day before I was leaving, while she was trying to make sourdough bread for the first time, the chef-aspiring sister told me a kid in her school's father was opening an Italian restaurant that very weekend. But I, leaving the following night, wouldn't be able to see it.

That's a random story, but looking at these pictures of Chef Ignacio Mattos at Il Buco, an Italian restaurant in NYC, I remebered that. I am very much in the mood for an Italian restaurant these days, and I'd love nothing more than an Italian food date. The best Italian food I've ever had was at Casereccio in Amman but it had a terrible location (the terrible location being Jordan itself), and the worst was at Zuane in Dar es Salaam, with a great ambiance and location.

Doesn't Il Buco look lovely (the wine and meat... maybe in another life), and wouldn't it be nice to own a restaurant.

[Photos by The Selby]

Cravings

2010-01-18T20:58:00.008+04:00

The worst part about being here (at the moment) is the coffee--and the cold. After Tanzanian coffee, I could never look at coffee the same way. Today I stood infront of the coffee/tea/hot chocolate shelf at the minimart for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to substitute the coffee at home. There were lattes, cappucinos, mochacinos and all that fancy crap, but all I wanted was proper coffee. So at the end I settled for Nescafe. It was sad.

I should head to the mall this weekend and reward my self with a coffee maker, a cup, and proper coffee beans... and then be broke all month.
[Photo by Rune Guneriussen]

Back to the old life

2010-01-17T22:21:00.007+04:00

I believe that, slowly (and oh so slowly), I am accepting my life here. Right now I'm just hungry and terribly cold and homesick. I feel like I haven't eaten in ages (although I did) and the roomie is taking forever to return from the mall with the promised McDonald's veggie burger. I'm still exhausted from last night's flight even though Tanzania really isn't that far, but there's just something about airports and connecting flights that drains one's energy. I wasn't looking when we flew past Mt. Kilimanjaro and I missed the glorious view of "the roof of Africa" sticking out above the clouds; it's the only good part of the flight. Maybe next time... in May.

[Photo from Flickr, the view of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the air]

These Arms of Mine

2010-01-13T01:04:00.010+04:00

they are lonely, lonely and feeling blue

these arms of mine,

they are yearning, yearning from wanting you.

[Photo from Flickr The Commons and song by Otis Redding]