Sunset Sea Dinner at St.Elmo's

St. Elmo's Logo!

"I am the sea. In my depths all treasures dwell. Have they asked the divers about my pearls?" the Egyptian poet Muhammad Hafiz Ibrahim.
I have always had a special fond to the sea, its mystery, and its untold stories..All because my name is pearl.  I had built a myth inside my head since I was a little girl that I was indeed from the sea. Lunatic? Maybe. but such mystical illusions do make the best stories later.Yes, I believed the sea was my  home, and to it I will return someday. Everything that reminds me of the sea makes me live this myth again..

This time it was not the sea itself, nor a ship, nor Corrine's Bailey Rae " The Sea" song, neither the Little mermaid movie, neither the famous sea navigator Jacque Costeau nor a small shell I picked up from the shore. This time the sea experience was from a whole restaurant that embraced the concept of the SEA from the floor to the ceiling , from the plate to the cup!

Zaytouna Bay

Where the streets have no name..

I have just been merely talking and discussing food and health issues. I miss sharing a song or a random thought on my blog. So, here is a non-food related post about a song :)

I hate discussing music but this song "Where the streets have no name" is special and holds deep meanings.



I always loved what Bono says about Samuel Beckett and the tribute he played for him when he died. At the beginning, Bono says :
"His voice to me was like a stream
Scarce heard; nor word from word could I divide
The whole body of the man did seem
Like one whom I have met in a dream
Sam Beckett dreamt of other roads
Sam beckett dreamt of other lands
Of another home, of another home
Where the streets have no name
Take me
Take me"

 Bono was actually adapting lines from the wordsworth poem, "Resolution and Independence". Here's a few lines:

          The old Man still stood talking by my side;
          But now his voice to me was like a stream
          Scarce heard; nor word from word could I divide;
          And the whole body of the Man did seem
          Like one whom I had met with in a dream;
          Or like a man from some far region sent,
          To give me human strength, by apt admonishment.



I always play this song in my head when I am walking for hours around Beirut streets, streets with no name or atleast I haven't memorized their names. As I walk to find myself something to make me smile, make me ponder for a while about life, people and things.


We all dream of other homes, and of other lands. Maybe it shouldn't be our purpose in life, maybe it should be  justa way to find ourselves...
"Waiting for Godot" play for Samuel Beckett. I guess most of the people I know have read it . But  I never actually finished reading it. Maybe I didn't want to wait with the characters.Maybe we shouldn't wait for something to happen to us. Maybe we shouldn't wait to get home, but create home where we are at the moment. And maybe we shouldn't dream from the beginning. We should fight. Fighting is better than dreaming..

Or maybe you shouldn't read my words. Those words of someone scared of her dreams.
 

If you were late in sleep, An arabic Duo !

      I havent featured an arabic song before but this song is just different than all other arabic songs.  "If you were late in sleep",was a special song sent to me almost a year or less ago,  a theatrical song in the Play Zenobia, the Syrian queen of the Palmyrene Empire .
The  play was the production of the famous Lebanese composer,musician, poet and producer  Mansour Rahbani (known as one of the Rahbani brothers) . And this is one great Duo from the play, between Carole Samaha and Youssef el Khal.  Carol with her feminine yet powerful, assertive voice and Elkhal with his masculine yet warm words.
                         

If you  were late in sleep     
  

                               

      

            إذا تأخرت بالنوم فلن تغني لك الحساسين 

ولن يحييك   وجهي لأنني أمشي مع النهار .. لا إلى قرار

أنا تأخرت بالنوم لأحلم أكثر .. بعينيك أكثر
الريح كانت غافية فسقطت عن حائط .. وكسرت جناحها ففي المدى نواحها

اسماؤنا اكبر مما كانت كانت قبل ان كنا
أحبّكِ من دون إسمٍ
أحبكَ من دون مجدٍ
وحتى سقوط آخر تاج
وحتى سقوط الغمامة في النهر
وحتى جفاف الينابيع بين التلال
محال

Cedars of Lebanon by U2

"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." (Psalm 92:12)

I know it is almost 2 years since U2 announced their latest Album ,"No Line on the Horizon",  including the hits : "Magnificent, I ' ll go crazy if I dont go crazy tonight" ... But there was a song that caught my attention back then in 2009: " Cedars of Lebanon".. I have been procrastinating since then to blog about it. I think it is never too late to blog about it, especially after I heard Lady Gaga's song saying something that even if you are Lebanese its ok  because you are born this way! " 

And,  I am not posting this out of nationalism or fanaticism, about the Cedars of Lebanon, Lebanese heritage or  what Lebanon has offered to the world .

I am just wondering how a song like "Cedars of Lebanon" and Born this way" talk about Lebanon. Gaga mentions a line only in her song, while U2 wrote a whole song about "Lebanon", or atleast of a  “Lebanese experience” by a foreigner.

Take That 's Newest Album " Progressed" Vs Lebanese Government "Progressing"

You say "TAKE THAT" and people go saying  that isnt it the "tale of boys meet boys, exploitation and idolisation, dreams fulfilled and crushed, ruined friendships, success as vengeance, glorious pop and the furies of fame"( BBC) .But let's all forget this drama and see what these guys are up to! 

I was pretty excited when Take That announced the release of their album just now!Not just that the band reunited again last year  and Robbie Williams is still to be considered one of the unique singers around the globe, it's just the band have really beat all the odds& obstacles, the drama, the rumors . Besides their  previous album "Progress" sold 2 million copies just last november! 

A great review  was written by Nick Levine on BBC  about their latest album,  whereby he states that : "you can't blame this ten-legged national treasure for trying to remind us that it's more than just the summer's biggest live draw – especially when, for a band playing the album repackage game, Take That are feeling pretty generous. Following a template that Lady Gaga looked to with her Fame Monster reissue, Progressed couples the original 10-track album with a second disc boasting eight brand-new songs."

On side note :   It was on JUNE 13 that Take That Released their Newest Album " Progressed" & the Lebanese Government  Progressed !As Today marks the formation of The Lebanese Government. A bit of progress maybe? Maybe not? 

Let's wait and see! But till now let's hear Take That singing because am sure they already progressed! ;)

Loreena Mckennit's Magic

This is a post for a special song/poem ,  that I would like to share  for one of my favorite musician,Loreena Mckennit. God bless her . Her songs are an inspiration for me. No words can truely describe her voice and the music she plays.


I am just happy that I was able to see her live when she came to Byblos Festival in Summer 2009 .
That night was magical ; her voice reverberated alone but in the background you could hear  the sound of the waves as they hit  Byblos port .  There was a harmony ;  as if she rehearsed with the sea before she played live. 


Dante's Prayer -Loreena Mckennit  ..


When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and fire

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Please remember me





The official site for Loreena McKennitt and her private record label, Quinlan Road.

A Song For Goodbyes

Just a warm warm up for the month of march,  I will share with you , one of my favorite songs for the American rock band, Dashboard Confessional.
I usually listen to this song when am saying goodbyes to things, places, and people. Dont want to be a bit melancholic, but i think this is a perfect song for such situations. The song for goodbyes.
It is called , "So long, So long"

It's time like these

I have not added any music lately to the "music" collection.
I was just listening to a song that really caught my ears :) ( if I am allowed to say this ).

A song by a famous American Rock band : The Foo Fighters , : "It's time like these"( Acoustic Version).
I feel that these are sincere word, here are the lyrics :

"I am a one way motorway

I’m the one that drives away

Then follows you back home

I am a street light shining

I’m a wild light blinding bright

Burning off alone....."

Too Much Will Kill You

Too much of what? Too  much of Love !!
Huh? A thought I had  spinning in my head these past few days. Why on earth would too much love kill someone??
Shouldnt hate do this job?? Shouldnt revenge?
Love??? This divine emotion?? This unique state of humans?

But wait a second. It does kill sometimes if it is superfluous. It melts the person, dissolves him or her, make him/ her tired from loving. It can suffocate , leads to cases of insanity.  And so perhaps,  at the end it will lead to death, literally or figuratively.
Perhaps  the arabs got it  first in their famous arabic saying which  goes like :" من الحب ماقتل   "  : Translation : And  of love one kills.

U2 Concert in Istanbul

Well, I wouldn't dare not to write a post on my favorite Rock band, U2.


I wont be talking about U2 but rather on their latest concert yesterday in a nearby country,Turkey.
Remarkably, U2 was the first rock band to play in Istanboul, Turkey.


I saw their concert just on the TV news and some youtube videos and i was amazed by the Ataturk Stadium , the lights, the stage and everything U2 prepared to enthrall their fans. It was really an unbeatable concert ( thought i wasnt there). 50,000 people from around the globe came to watch !


There was one remarkable video where Bono ( as usual including politics in his speeches) talked about the " Bridge" since Istanbul was European Capital of Culture. Here is what he said:
"It took us a while to come to your magical city Istanbul.... We are so very grateful to be here. What is going on in this country is important for the whole world. Yesterday, thanks to Egemen Baris, we walked across the Bhosporus Bridge from West to East, not just a bridge from Asia to .......... It's a beautiful bridge, and it's a bridge not just from Europe to Asia, not just from the religious to secular, from the past to the future, from where Europe has been to where Europe needs to go..." 


I also liked what he said about Snow Patrol as being a sacred talent :)
Noone can beat really beat U2 , neither in their songs, nor on their social and cultural impact they bring to this world . 
And as Bono once sung:  "But hope and history won't rhyme

                                          So what's it worth
                                         This peace on Earth"

*An intersting analysis of what U2 said by Lisa Darick, can be found on this link :
http://lafiga.firedoglake.com/2010/09/07/u2-bridges-istanbul-turkey-on-world-stage/

Paulo ! It is Contagious!

Well, this whole post started because of Paulo!!.
Ah i was listening to a singer called Paulo Nutini. Perhaps none of my friends heard of him. A young singer but with a 50 year old voice!! Even more when he sings country music, his voice would sound like a yorkshire! But i was surprised while i was reading his biblioraphy that most of his songs were featured in the most watched series :  Last Request (Scrubs & One Tree Hill ), Million Faces ( Grey's Anatomy )...etc
Check his other songs as well . They are awesome. Gotta love his voice ;)

" Tallllll--INT"
Talent. Talent. Talent.
 Yes, everyone got a talent, an allure that makes him/her different from others.
Maybe am not in a position to judge who is talented and who is not . But i know  for sure that talent is everywhere around us . An average eye ignores a talent.So, we just have to search, look and enjoy it . It is a bless to have it and even more to enjoy people having it.

Perhaps, we dont know what is our true talent, this one special gift  makes us unique.  One talent , two or even more  are just waiting for you to be discovered.

You might be a drawer, a musician, a singer, a swimmer,  a businessman , a dancer.....you might be a comedian, an event organizer,  a politician, an adrenalin addict,  a computer geek,or  a fanatic soccer fan, a  community volunteer, a story teller, a workaholic, a  music collector, a crazy driver,

A marathon Cheerer ,traveling across countries 

                                                                A Wanna be clown!!
                                   

A C

Crazy Scientist!!

A Cool Farmer 

a cameraless photographer , a creative blogger, even a "post- it note " maniac, ..oh and i almost forgot a magical cook! ;)

So like What Paulo said :Try " New Shoes" every day, 
Try them all .....And  whatever you find is " your special" thing, enjoy it , and spread it around you.Show your apptitude .

Inspire others because talent is contagious ! :)

Boyce Avenue :)

Boyce Avenue. An uprising band of three talented brothers ( yes they beat Jonas brothers :P) .
They merely started playing the songs of their favorite artists in their home acoustically, and posting it on youtube to share them with the world. Famous songs for Rihanna ( I hate that i love you & Umbrella ), Goo Goo Dolls , Coldplay (Viva La Vida), Taylor Swift ( Breathe),Oasis, Linkin Park,Usher , Ne Yo,Leona Lewis , and many other artists...

They deserve a post on my blog because i have been listening to their songs repeatedly  on youtube in the past 3 months :)
Finally ,  they launched their first album last week ( June 15).
I simply love them. No need to elaborate.

Shuffle! & Let it go!

My best part of the day is listening to music. Whether on my 10 minute walk to work or down to class or whether during a car/bus ride or even during studying. And Whether on radio or my WMP laptop or my sansa! Particularly,I love it when it is on shuffle. Cose it forces me to listen to songs i havent listened to in ages .
I used to go to pandora.com before they prohibited it in Lebanon and other countries.
It is a wonderful site because it introduces to me similar young artists that play the same music i like from famous musicians/ bands.
But since i was frustrated that Pandora doesnt work, i kept searching for sites that provide similar services, like www.jango.com and many others that seemed fine.
There is one particular website i am currently using, which not only gives you the artists that you might like but also asks you for your mood right now and dancing feeling!!
Check it out : www.musicovery.com . It is like a whole" Music- Adaptation" environment!

Shuffling , i was today with my Sansa, i came across Carlos Santana 's collection. Oh wow i haven't listened to him since my first year undergrad, i.e around 3 years ago!

I love how he plays the guitar. ( I dont intend to write a review about him) but i love his passion, and the unique music he creates . The music takes you to another place, or even more, it is like your soul singing.>I remembered the first CD i got for Santana was the " Marathon " album ( 1979). I didnt buy it back then , i found it in My dad's CDs collection covered with Dust along with Bach music and Beethoven and other classicals. Surprisingly, dad got it as gift and he never listened to it. So, i saved it after 25 years of a forgotten fate . That is how i met the King of Guitar, Carlos Santana.

I am Coming Home

(picture of CAYUGA lake)
Maybe home as some people say is not just a place or a country.
For me, this holds true. I am a wanderer. I am a gipsy. I keep searching for my home.
This is only because I get detached easily from a place , only physical detachment perhaps but never mental or emotional because memories are engraved deeply in my brain, and securely protected from any memory disorders!
If I liked a place , I will make it my home. Even if I have never visited it.Maybe just in my dreams or thoughts.
For many, this doesnt hold true.

Home , they say, is the place where you have both the sweet and bitter memories, it's the place that you have grown up in, the place where all your beloved people are , or it is the place where you feel attached to its ground that you cant leave it.

But what if there is another place that you dont know that it exists ( bc you  never visted it) and it 's your true home. The place where you can find your true self..


I know it's a long way home. I have yet to discover this home that can keep me with it forever.
No more gipsy heart .
Maybe one day.I will find it or maybe it will find me too.

P.S: With Vanessa 's song (Bearthtaking song!) I know FOR SURE i am coming home....

Dream ..like New York .....(NY, I LOVE YOU)

I was googling and surfing the internet about some songs. And i accidentally found this song.
I have never heard it before ..It is inspiring though ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Sn3-fc2pw&feature=related









A pic i took over Brooklyn Bridge-Summer 2008



Here is my favorite part of the song..actually the whole song is great!

So many dreams come and go
We blink our eyes
Time flies by we don't know
What ever happened to those childhood years?
When we thought we could fly
We got to keep those dreams alive

And dream like New York
As high as the skyline
Aim for the stars above those city lights
I want to dream like New York
I'm running down Broadway
I got to catch the next train
I'm making my way

Race to work again today
From nine to five
I only strive to stay awake
But the child inside me
Dares to believe I still can fly
Can't let those dreams just die

I got to dream like New York
As high as the skyline
Aim for the stars above those city lights
I want to dream like New York
I'm running down Broadway
I got to catch the next train
I'm making my way

How many times have u tried and failed?
Have you watched your dreams slip away?
Well every hero falls and every soldier crawls.
And every dreamer dreams again
Got to dream again

Go on and dream like New York
As high as the skylines
Aim for the stars above those city lights
Go on and dream like New York
Run on down Broadway
Catch the next train
Go make your way

Go on and dream like NY
As high as the skylines
Aim for the stars above those city lights
You got to dream like NY
Run on down Broadway
Catch the next train
Go make your way

May it be -Enya

Ii is one of my favorite songs in this decade: May it be. A song by "Enya", an irish vocalist, & instrumentalist , who had famous songs like " only time" for "sweet November" movie .." May it be" was the song for " Lord of the Rings" movie, I think it is one of the most inspirational songs that makes you shiver when you hear it.

Here is its lyrics:


May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie ut�li� (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alanti� (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome

You may rise to find the sun

Mornie ut�li� (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alanti� (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

A promise lives within you now

Not another Movie Review!

Well, I dont want to be redundant like those outthere on the world wide web& write a movie review that would be number 1,000,000 on the web!!! & Pls make sure that am not also criticizing those movie critics.

But i usually criticize movies in these cases:
1) During the movie, where i get fed up from a scene or more ( or a script )..etc
2) Just 5 minutes after i get out from the theater, which is usually a " discussion" with my friends and involves various point of views.

3) When someone asks me specifically " What do you think of that Movie"?

4 ) i don't consider it a scrutiny but rather a comment that i also wait for the Credits part at then end of the movie just to wait for the "song".. Ya the perfectly chosen song for the movie always make me remember the movie..

So this leads us to the fact that i am a " soundtrack-movie" addict"..Ya i collect all songs of each movie i watch .. not just MUSICAL movies like " Mamma mia or Mary Poppins or Beauty and the Beast" ...etc .. BUT also movies that display a background music .. This music inhabitates my mind and directly after i finish watching the movie , i go back home and download them.

WEll ya ofcorse everyone now will say : Batman soundtrack is obviously one of those moviess.. Some of the movies i liked their soundtracks" Lord of the Rings " , " Twilight" ( sorry guys but it was a hit), Spider man,Sweet November,A walk to remember, Bridget Jones Diaries, The Matrix, 10 things i hate about you, Music and Lyrics and not to forget the soundtracks of TV series like SmallVille,One tree Hill!!

These soundtracks make me listen to new artists and even new kind of music. I consider it a" cultural experience" :)

One of the recent songs i heard was for the 2012 movie : by Adam Lambert " Time for Miracles ".. Good choice for words and music..
The soundtrack was awesome as well.
Here is the link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RheJdXCIjSo

Better Days- goo goo dolls

One of my favorite bands.\
And this song is just .. i cant even explain it.
It is not that it is just perfect. it speaks my mind.
it is like the story of my life. it is like the speech of my thoughts.

"I need some place simple where we could live
and something only you can give
and that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive"
Peace :)