Followers

Whoever came up with this word? What are followers on IG? And what does it really mean?

At first, when I joined Instagram, I seriously had no clue what followers meant and who are these people following me? And why would they? I mean think about it and how ridiculous that sounds. Am I Jesus? Ha! What a thought! Jesus and his followers.

And yet, I found myself following other people. Initially, it was a fun game. Just to see what people are doing or saying or pretending. People that I probably would never meet in my lifetime and neither would they.

To be honest though, my relationship with IG will always be a funny one. Followers or Following. It’s a 95% fake world of commenting to get likes and grow “your followers”.

A behind-a-screen followers. A behind-a-screen commentators. A behind-a-screen lurkers. A behind-a-screen genuine people.

Not to say I haven’t met and learnt from new followers, I did and I do and grateful for these specific “followers”, you know who you are.

Thank you for your honesty and genuine likes and comments.

The rest, well…no comment needed.

He follows me. He follows me not.

Hummus

What a simple word and yet say it and hear it echo centuries of traditions.

Say it and hear the laughter around the tables. Say it and taste the memories of families gatherings.

Hummus saved me. How? You may ask? 2020 I respond.

2020 was an ugly number on a very personal level, on a professional level and a global level.

2020. Dark. Lonely. Sad and yet Hummus saved me. Hummus made me laugh. Hummus made me connect with clients from all over the world. Hummus gave me power.

See, in 2020 I lost a lot but I also gained a lot. I set up shop with Airbnb and for the past 4 years I was spoiled. I indulged in loving and cooking and connecting with the help of a chickpea.

Airbnb was a blessing. It allowed me to travel, to connect, to make new friends. It was a blessing but like everything in life, an end was already written in its last chapter.

Airbnb online experiences no more but new beginnings arise.

Join me at www.onlineteamevents.com and let’s create new culinary memories.

All about love

What can one say about love that hasn’t been said yet. Hasn’t been sang yet. Hasn’t been written about yet. Hasn’t been acted on yet? Love. Love is all and all is love.

I find love in an old picture. In a song. In a smile. In a hug. In food. In a tabouleh plate.

I cook with love. I talk about it. I teach about it. I preach about it. And yet lately, I feel at a loss with love. It has been an incredible year in lessons of heartache, patience and love. And I know I am not the only one to feel like this. It has been a trying year. Mom used to always say, “toughen yourself and you’ll be tough” “be stoic” I believed in that mantra. However lately, I find myself talking to mom’s spirit, and telling her, I really do not want to be tough or stoic or resilient. I want to crawl under the covers and sleep hoping it’s all been a dream or more of a nightmare.

I love to write, but I’m not a writer. I’m a free spirit, passionate and full of joie de vivre and don’t typically follow a recipe, a script or society’s dictation on how to be. What matters to me is to follow in the footsteps of my parents and be a decent human being. Not perfect. Never perfect but live with the rules of goodness and integrity. The rest of the rules, I make them up the way I see fit.

So let’s go back to cooking with love. My recipes are not perfect. I am an emotional cook. I love to cook with abandon and I don’t like to cook with a ruler. Unless I’m making a cake. When it comes to simple dishes, I follow in mom’s steps and say a bit of this and a bit of that, as long as you add a sprinkle of love!

On my website, you’ll find me blogging about my passions. My kids, grandkid, plants, painting, crochet, knitting, writing. I have too many projects or loves on the go… I would love to say singing but I’ve tried and singing is definitely not my forte. However, belly dancing is. I love it. Love swaying to the sounds of music while cooking or cleaning.

Let’s share that love. Yalla, tell me what’s your love.