Taste another culture

The first time my eyes caressed this cookware it was love at first sight! This is on my, ‘I wish I could afford it’ list. If this object is familiar to you, you understand my feelings. For those of you unfamiliar, let me introduce you. Tagine, this is everyone, Everyone, Tagine!

Moroccan cuisine captured my taste buds many years ago. This exquisite looking dish is how they cook most of their delicious meals. Of course the ones that you see on little fires at the side of the road are just terra cotta and not this fancy. Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten was bought at a tiny cafes in Fez, in little individual sized tagines cooked over open coals, eaten with bread and your fingers!  This streamlined version is perfect for slow cooking a complete meal, anything from lamb or chicken to couscous.

Can’t afford to travel to Morocco this year? Don’t like to cook? That’s ok, try the Saffron Cafe in downtown Indianapolis! They serve traditional Moroccan cuisine in a beautifully decorated setting.  If you are going on a weekend make sure you call ahead and get a reservation. This small restaurant fills up quickly because it’s worth it! Make sure you get the Moroccan Mint Tea!

Do it Yourself

In an age of cutting costs and being green why not kill two birds with one stone. DIY Pallet Garden, frugal and edible!

I love the idea of my garden looking like art! I think I will plant herbs in my pallet garden. My favorite thing about summer is the fresh herbs we grow. We put them in salads. Every kind of herb goes great in salads, but my favorites are dill, basil and cilantro! Try it sometime!

Now… where to find a pallet.

See the world through someone else’s eyes

Looking for some inspiration? Check out this photographer, Natsumi Hayashi, she sees the world just a bit differently. Her series of ‘levitating’ photos just makes me want to get outside with my camera! Usually I wait until I’m in another country to start looking for good photo opportunities. I love the exotic. This time, I’m feeling inspired to go walking through my neighborhood and see what I can see. Not a good photography? Then why not just try looking at life from a slightly different angle. Follow your daily routine but open your eyes just a bit wider! You might be surprised where you can find hidden beauty.

Escape 

 I love reading well written books! Usually I stick to the classics but lately I’ve been branching out. There is just something about a well constructed sentence that makes my pulse quicken. Parrot and Olivier in America was the first book I read in my search for good modern literature.

This book looks at the beginnings of our country through two eyes. Parrot has an artists soul and is a sort of jack of all trades who becomes in the employ of Olivier who is a noble born French aristocrat in a difficult time in French history.

Give yourself a treat this summer and try something new! I dare you

“Eight critical principles for successful cross-cultural ministry that does more than give lip service to unity with diversity are: commitment to relationships, intentionality, sincerity, sensitivity, interdependency, sacrifice, empowerment, and call.

II Peter 1:5-7  lists eight more principles for developing committed relationships: faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These principles begin with faith and lead us to the peak of human relationships — Christian love.

If the church is to move forward as a cohesive body across racial lines, we must be freed to love. Divine love is the glue that holds the body together, a critical building block in committed relationships. II Peter 1:5-7 reveals the process by which truth frees us from selfish desires, so that we might share the selfless love of Christ.

We must understand that good, healthy, loving interracial/inter cultural relationships will not flourish overnight. ..Strong relationships require long-term nurturing. ”    - Prejudice and the People of God by Charles Ware

Let’s see that again…. LOVE! That’s it. Not the ‘we have so much in common and get along great’ kind of love but the ‘awkward silences, struggling for conversation topics, listening to stories that you thought didn’t really happen to people any more’ kind of love. The kind of love that doesn’t know what to say so just sits next to a hurting friend. That kind that doesn’t have all the answers. The kind that is willing to step into the uncomfortable, the grey areas of life, and wants to learn.

This love doesn’t come easy. Stepping into real relationship is always hard. No matter how difficult is seems to get passed all the barriers it doesn’t take long to realize most of the difficulty comes from within yourself.  You find yourself in several stages of uncomfortable revelation. First, you realize that you aren’t actually capable of loving people who aren’t easy to get to know. Second, you realize that the most annoying type of person to you might actually know more about loving people than you do! Finally, you realize that what you thought was loving people before was a self serving lie.

Knowing people and trying to love them as God does usually involves seeing your own sinful self in all it’s disgusting glory. It’s so easy to believe you aren’t that bad if you never let people get close or never try to get close to people who have nothing in common with you. It’s when we start to live out God’s command to love all people regardless of race, culture, background or taste that the true self emerges.

In all honesty, I’m not sure that there is anything else that we need to do as children of God. If we devote our whole lives to really loving (knowing, listening to, learning about, and sacrificing for) people then, consequently, we will really know God’s heart.

Max Colson is autistic. His mother, Emily, raised him by herself. She set aside her career as an art and creative director in advertising to help her son.

Though easy to read, this book is quite profound. I found myself for a moment seeing through her eyes. Watching as day by day the struggle to just be able to communicate with her son consumed her. Simple tasks became monumental hurdles to overcome and nothing was simple. A trip to the grocery store could quickly turn into a wrestling match. However, instead of wishing for a better life for her son, she embraced the one he has and celebrated the gift it is. I hope you are as blown away by that fact as I am. Let me repeat… Somewhere along the way, after many sleepless nights and tears, Emily had a perspective shift.

I want that perspective shift… I want to see my life and others through God’s eyes. Maybe what we consider as success, isn’t. Maybe like Mary, we should just sit at Jesus’s feet and listen more often instead of only counting the accomplishments of a busy life as valuable. But I think it goes deeper than that. I’m discontent somewhere deep in my heart and consistently seek something to help me escape any small sufferings I experience, and if we are being honest, then I’d say we all do that in one form or another. I keep thinking there should be more to life than this; then feeling guilty for having too much in comparison to other countries or people. Aren’t I supposed to be the blessed one?

“While Max doesn’t understand how the world works — and therefore isn’t free to do all the things most people take for granted — he is completely free in the area that holds most of us captive. Max truly sees the world more as God intended — he is not judgmental or impressed by looks, status, or finances. He doesn’t try to ft in. He never boasts, and Emily says he can’t  lie. .. Max puts on no pretensions, and there is no malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy or slander. Max is simply incapable of pretending to like someone to get something from them. He loves the things he loves just because he loves them, not because someone else thinks he ought to. .. Could it be that though we are all fallen, some people are not as affected by the fall as others? ”  - Chuck Colson

In God’s eyes is Max actually the blessed one?

In seeking answers to the question of how to deal with suffering, I’ve found many books on Christians ‘suffering’ in first world situations, but no books yet on the problems of third world suffering, or on permanent suffering, where one’s situation is never going to change. So, I turned to stories, True ones. Personal accounts of permanent situations, places where the circumstances won’t be changing and yet hope has been found, God has been seen and known more deeply and joy has been given! And just for a brief moment I’m lifted out of my own mind and given a glimpse of a different perspective on life.

I’d love your impute, your experiences and discoveries on your own journey!

Things that are on my heart…

brown eyes seeking mine, adolescently skinny arms reaching for whomever steps close enough to touch, one foot attached to an ankle, the other gone forever, lying on a cot in a earthquake damaged building

brown bodies starving, malnourished orange hair, dust covered, constantly moving, dying on the road or by men with guns, burying the dead along the way, what have those eyes seen

breathing in and out, each breath mechanical, literally, her head the only body part showing, 60 years in an iron lung

tiny eyes unable to look into another’s, sights and sounds overwhelm, inability to communicate the pain, a young mother watches, helpless

narrow path inter-spaced with feces rivers, barefeet, eager eyes, uniform clad, running to school, past the alcohol, past the abuse, past the hopelessness, just for a few hours a day

things closer to home, breaking my heart, denial, insecurity, fear, bitterness, pain, oh my dear friends

how can my heart hold these things? enlarge my heart O God!

how do the hopeless find hope, the weary continue on, do we only care because the stories are so tragic, would we care if our neighbor died

Growing up my family started a tradition of sorts, international mission trips to Brazil. Thank you family! Now stepping off the plane in Recife, my senses fill with the first sight of palm trees waving in the breeze, the sound of lyrical Portuguese being spoken, and the smell of diesel all remind me of home. We are greeted by family so why wouldn’t I feel right at home!

Our first stop… Food. Oh how I’ve missed Brazilian food. Northeast Brazil doesn’t have alot of spicy food at all, in fact most of it is rather bland, low on seasoning and the addition of manioc root doesn’t help. However it does serve well as comfort food. Rice and beans(usually black-eyed peas) form the staple dish and stand alone as a delicious meal. I still haven’t been able to replicate Brazilian feijao at home.  However, my first meal back in country was not so traditional. We went to Cipo Nativo pizza bar. It’s Brazilian kitsch; outdoor, parrots hanging everywhere, sand under your feet when you are no where near the beach, and awesome pizza!

Recife stretches out over the landscape, skyscraper after skyscraper dotting the distance and pushing the limits of the land right up to the edge of the ocean. The city literally looms over the sea leaving just the barest stretch of beach for the ocean to lap up against before the concrete takes control. In the heart of the city lies Marco Zero where the Portuguese first settled in the area. This is also the place where you can see the most Dutch influence. The Dutch only controlled the area for 20 years until the Portuguese won it back, yet their architecture and designs live on.

Yet my favorite place in the city is up on a quaint little hill in a little suburb aptly named Olinda (Beautiful).  Boasting over twenty churches and chapels as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage site this small neighborhood is so picturesque you could spend all day appreciating it’s beauty. Not to mention the view.

In the evening you can sit looking out over the city lights and take your pick of Tapioca vendors and other local street food. Tapioca is literally tapioca ‘flour’ that is fried and filled with goodies. Traditionally it is filled with cheese and freshly shaved coconut flakes. This is a Northeatern Brazil specialty.

Want to get away from the big city? Head south along the coast to Porto de Galinhas! Voted the best beach in Brazil due to it’s equatorial location leading to year round warm waters and breeze. There is a tiny village chock full of artisan shops and restaurants. The other major attraction is the vast reef just off the shore, that at low tide is full of snorkelers and scuba divers. We did both!

Buenos Aires is known for Tango and Asado, and on Sunday’s in San Telmo they are known for their antique market. Quiet side streets begin teaming with people as the markets open. Antique vendors from vintage to kitschy set up their temporary stalls. Street vendors thrown down blankets and carefully lay out their trinkets and knockoff clothes. An old couple dance the tango for the crowds causing a bottleneck in the center of the street as people stand on tiptoe to catch a glimpse. Roasted nuts and empanadas fill the air with their spicy aroma. All around the square sweat soaked weary men squeeze orange after orange in a hand press. He yells ‘jugo de naranja’ , as each glass fills he grabs another from his young protege who is rapidly cutting more oranges. The pile of plumb oranges is quickly transformed into a pile of hollowed out shells of what once was pulpy juicy goodness that will not stay in my glass for long.

The next day we visit the Cathedral of La Plata. This massive neogothic, European inspired Cathedral is one of the largest in South America. Located in the center of this planned city in Plaza Morena, opposite the City Hall, it”s brick edifices loom over the well manicured lawns and statues lining the plaza. In the bright sunlight of this humid ‘summer’ day the Cathedral looks pink. Despite the color, it’s resemblance to the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, is no coincidence.  Inside the vaulted ceiling lets in light from the upper windows where stained glass would be were this actually in Europe. The lower windows all shine colorfully with scenes of bible stories mixed in with legends of saints. Outside again the noise of traffic and children laughing fill my ears again.

Children… I would say our visit to Argentina was characterized by children. The two couples we visited both had children; lovely, vibrant, full of life, children. Each step outside the house was an adventure in packing for, rounding up, finagling transportation, alleviating tears, answering questions and playing with their children. Between dress up performances of swan lake where the villain was wearing a Boca Juniors jersey and swimming in the wade pool under a ‘boiling sun shield’ sheet hung on clothespins we were always entertained. The almost two year old, Lucy, loved my husband. By loved I mean cried gut wrenching crocodile tears every time he looked her way. Until ice cream was involved… then her fear turned into fascination as she followed Tim around pied piper like, turning her big blue eyes up into his and opening her mouth wide to receive another bite. Only when he was nearing the bottom of the bowl and her tummy was full did she seek refuge in her mothers arms again.

I cannot complete my review of Argentina without talking about the beef, so much meat… so full. Known for their beef we didn’t waste anytime on the vegetables but dived right in the deep end. First night there our friends cooked an Asado for us. (Asado is basically a barbeque but on a whole new level) Out their back door is a beautifully tiled full size grill built to stand alone. The hardwood charcoal is started and the grill is put in place and then just add meat. Typically three or more separate cuts of meat are added, the more the merrier. Asado is also the name of a particular cut of meat, similar to short ribs all kept together and thrown on the grill with the fat left on to melt into the meat as it slowly cooks. Several other cuts of meat were also ceremoniously thrown on the grill and served in a giant pile of browned, juicy, salty beef. A small tomato and cucumber salad on the side and a glass of Quilmes is all you really need. Of course to get the real treatment we, later in the week, went to a Parrilla (an Argentine steakhouse) where the grill never stops and whole animals are professionally chopped up and slapped on the grill. Never ending meat.

First things first… First Friday! Nothing like art, free food and some wine to ward off the blues.  Here is a map of all the galleries.

Devour Downtown is still going on till Feb. 5th. We save for this! Twice a year the finest of downtown restaurants offer three course thirty dollar menu’s. This year we tried Adobo Grill. They offered so many choices of entrées that we ended up each getting something different and sharing along with their signature, handmade at your table, guacamole, and a fresh margarita, it was well worth the thirty dollars.

How about some retro roller derby to get your blood pumping?! Cheer and jeer as the Naptown Roller Girls take on the St Louis Arch Rival at the new Indiana Convention Center Saturday, Feb. 5th at 7:30pm

In Celebration of Black History month the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is having a free concert on Tuesday Feb. 8th. Showcasing the significant impact of African-American music and musicians on the cultural life of Indianapolis and the nation.  (And in the spirit of planning ahead… on March 2nd Idina Menzel – known for her roles in Wicked and Rent, will be joining the ISO for a special night, don’t miss that one)

I love old films, especially the black and white film noir ones, you know… the ones where a detective is seduced by a blonde who needs his help and in the end is deceiving him and by then he finds out it’s too late.  Those kinds!  The Indianapolis Museum of Art is indulging my love this winter.  Showing in the Toby Theater, attached to the museum, on Feb. 11th & 18th starting at 7pm.

For something a little more low key try one of downtown’s Tea Rooms.  Located  just off the Circle Teapots N Treasures, while a bit kitschy, is a great place to people watch while you sip a hot cup of tea.  If you’re in the mood for lunch with your tea then head to Teas Me just north on 22nd st between Talbot and Delaware. They also will host tea parties for you and your friends. Or if you are a locavore check out The Iris in Irvington where local tea is served from Peace Leaf Tea,  local art is displayed alongside local chocolates from J. Evelyn Confections and pastries from Roll With It Bakery.

For the theatre lovers check out the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre version of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank‘ all this month. If you are willing to drive a little out of town(and are interested in something lighter) check out the Buck Creek Players stage play of ‘Barbecuing Hamlet‘

One last thing. This last month a new grocery store opened on 10th and Rural that everyone should check out. Pogue’s Run Grocery is specializing in local, organic and generally all around good for you groceries. Along the back wall they even have bulk, serve yourself products. Along with their great groceries, they have a cafe serving some of their offerings. Check out this colorfully painted alternative to driving farther north for health food stores.

We stayed in a lovely Bed and Breakfast on eleven acres of property inbetween South Haven and Saugatuck, Michigan. This area is known for their small town lure and their art culture.  The Saugatuck/Douglas area was voted one of the Coolest Small town’s in America by Budget Travel, which we didn’t know until we saw ‘Victory Party’ signs around town. South Haven is not far from where we stayed as well. So there was lots to see and do.

Never been to a Bed and Breakfast? It’s important to know what to expect. When traveling the best advice and guide you will have is someone local… hence why I write about where I live. A Bed and Breakfast gives you immediate access to locals who love to share their favorite places with you. Our lovely hosts, Mike and Patty, knew of several great restaurants and places to visit as well as having great stories to share of their lives and travels. Mike is a hunter and has been Cairbou hunting in Canada and Ibex hunting in South Africa and enthralled us with his adventures. Patty has been cooking since she was little and it shows. Her homemade breads and jams are amazing and that’s just the starters for breakfast.  They raise their own chickens on their property and have a nature trail with a stocked pond as well. The ham and fresh egg soufflé was wonderful and Patty’s own recipe.

Another perk of staying at a Bed and Breakfast is meeting other travelers and hearing what they have checked out nearby. You can also get great ideas for where to go next. It’s always fascinating to hear of others travel experiences, near or far.

The Seymour House itself was another bonus. It is a beautiful Italianate style Mansion built in 1862. The main entrance is impressive with a view of their cozy dinning area on the left and even cozier living area on the right and tucked around the corner is an inviting library. Our room, Patty’s Garden, was off of the library and overlooked their landscaped grounds.  The owners have added onto the back of the original house and have their living quarters there so  the main part of the house is all devoted to the Bed and Breakfast.

The first day of our vacation we drove south to explore the smaller town of South Haven. Situated at the mouth of the Black River on Lake Michigan this picturesque little town was very relaxing and fun. It reminded me of Seal Beach, CA with it’s local shops and restaurants all lined up on a boulevard leading to the beach. We went into each cute little nautical themed store and almost bought more dishware (awesome square pottery plates and mugs) but ended up doing the ‘wise’ thing.

We ate at a highly rated cafe, Cafe Julia, with a decidedly cafeteria/coffee house type feel to it. The food was delicious and fresh and the coffee was great. I had the Southwest wrap, which was black beans and corn relish over a generous portion of roast beef and cheddar cheese with a side of multi grain curry salad and a giant granola cookie! So yummy!

It was a very blustery day and I wore a sweater for the first time in months, not a big bulky one but a light mid-sleeved one. The wind was whipping up the waves on the lake and several kiteboarders were dotting the surface. Kiteboarding is something I’ve been wanting to try but it looks rather scary. The big ‘kite’ carries them over the waves and can lift them up high into the air.

South Haven’s lighthouse has been around for 100 years. The original wood one was replaced in 1903 with a steel light house and pier. The waves were rushing up and breaking over the edge of the pier as we walked along. It was thrilling as long as you don’t mind getting a little damp and your shoes wet. South Haven is a delightful small town on the Michigan coast and worth a visit!

]]> http://juliesmindsedge.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/ushering-in-fall-with-a-little-vacation/feed/ 0 julielandrum Seymour House South Haven Two kiteboarding South Haven Lighthouse http://juliesmindsedge.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/how-to-live-it-up-on-labor-day-weekend/ http://juliesmindsedge.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/how-to-live-it-up-on-labor-day-weekend/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:34:18 +0000 Julie http://juliesmindsedge.wordpress.com/?p=94 ]]> Looking for something to spice up your Labor Day plans? Look no further.

Since I won’t be around I’m going to live vicariously through you… my readers, by offering up to you all the things I would love to do this weekend… if I weren’t off doing something so much better!

September 3rd

First Friday – New work by Mab Graves at the  Harrison Center for the Arts  ”Harlow and the Raven King”   She calls herself a Pop Surrealist and her paintings are beautifully haunting. Also check out…

Wu Laku’s Studio and Garage – This off the beaten path studio is worth the hunt. Take Mass Ave away from town till it T’s at 10th. Turn right on 10th st, across the railroad tracks and immediately left onto Brookside Ave. Why is this worth the trek?  This Friday will be featured a series of butterfly paintings by Rachel Steely that shouldn’t be missed! Plus you can say you found an out of the way studio and gain street cred. ..maybe.

If you are hungry…Rib America Festival – Sept 3-6th at Military Park. This is always a very popular event. I would recommend going when you can get in free as tickets for food cost.  Free admission before 5m on Friday Sept 3rd and before 1pm on Sat. Sun. and Mon. There will be some great bands playing throughout the weekend.

There are also some great concerts this weekend:  Kings of Leon, an Indie southern roots Rock band will be playing Verizon Wireless Music Center on Friday. Check out some of their music here.  Another Indie band playing this weekend is Vampire Weekend. They will be playing in Bloomington, IN in the IU Auditorium and will be worth the drive. Here is a sampling of their upbeat, pop rock music.

September 6th – Labor Day

The Jazz Kitchen is bringing the party outside.  A hoppin’ Street Fair with top notch Jazz musicians and local vendors in what is now a Labor Day tradition not to be missed. Fair starts at 12:30pm

And in the evening come out for the final concert of the Garfield Park Summer Concert Series at 6:30pm – America We Remember. Great patriotic music as the sun sets and fireworks to end your long weekend!