Some month ago, BBC News interviewed Lebelik’s co-founder Louise Doumet… This week-end I was able to view it online, click here to watch it. It was (and will be) also broadcasted on BBC three times this week…

It is with a smile that I saw it, hope you will too…

Soraya

Up and to the Left (your left, his right)
Indicates: Visually Constructed Images
If you asked someone to “Imagine a purple buffalo”, this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they “Visually Constructed” a purple buffalo in their mind.

Up and to the Right
Indicates: Visually Remembered Images
If you asked someone to “What color was the first house you lived in?”, this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they “Visually Remembered” the color of their childhood home.

To the Left
Indicates: Constructed Sounds
If you asked someone to “Try and create the highest the sound of the pitch possible in your head”, this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they “Auditorily Constructed” this this sound that they have never heard of.

To the Right
Indicates: Remembered Sounds
If you asked someone to “Remember what their mother’s voice sounds like “, this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they

Down and to the Left
Indicates: Sensations/ Kinesthetic
If you asked someone to “Can you remember the smell of a campfire? “, this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they used recalled a smell, feeling, or taste.

Down and To the Right
Indicates: Internal Dialog
This is the direction of someone eyes as they “talk to themselves”.

All info are taken from here:

http://www.blifaloo.com/info/lies_eyes.php

http://www.thefreeresource.com/eye-movements-and-lying-what-eye-movements-say-about-a-person-when-he-or-she-is-speaking

Aura headpieces, who less than a year ago was only a new born beautiful brand, is today available in most international fashionistas’ favorite stop: Le Bon Marche Paris.

Seeing this put a huge smile on my face first not only because I am a very big fan myself and very often wear Carolina’s art (the designer) but also because I proudly have the pleasure to see these pieces on Lebelik’s face as well….

Looking forward for many new great news…

Soraya

Pictures from Sophie’s Choice’s webstie

This Thursday – 25th of April from 4 to 8 pm-, “Sophie’s Choice” women’s clothing boutique and the trendy men’s clothing boutique “Slowear” will host a common event entitled “Boys meet Girls”. Even though I would personally have used the word “women” rather than girl and “men” rather than boys, I still believe this event will be a very successful one and I am looking forward to being there on that date and excitingly waiting to get a sneak peek at Jessics K’s new collection.

I might bump into some of you

Warm regards,

Soraya

Picture from Sophie’s Choice’s wesbsite

Still, I have had amazing vacations in my little Lebanon. So first I would like to thank everyone who made this possible: My Mexican crazy friend, My favorite traveling partner, Boston the Dog, Montse the cat, Nikos our new Greek friend, the 24hour-cousin, Jack the champ and of course everyone who barred with me my low-battery phone and my recent absences…

The truth is from each and everyone I just named (except for the pets) I learned something I will always carry in my heart, so today I decided to share with you my small list… I hesitated for a while since I know my dad reads my blog (Hello Dad ) but then again, it already got way more intimate in the past…

1. Mexican Chilaquiles (Martha Stewart Recipe here) is nor the best remedy for a hangover, nor the yummiest breakfast on earth.

2. The Mexican is always right: If  your heart said “Boum Boum” then “Boum” it should be.

3. Don’t be Stupid!

4. The new-greek-friend reminded me how nice it is to be surrounded by easy-going people.

5. Always kiss those you love goodnight! A virtual or imaginary kiss would do.

6. If you have to tell someone: “Please keep it as a secret” then you probably shouldn’t be telling it to them to start with.

7. Traveling partners are those you don’t have to talk to everyday but know that it will always be a true pleasure to share, a pizza, a laughter, a bed, dirty secrets, and untold fears.

8. It’s better to bond over an ice-cream.

9. You should always have a mascot.  It keeps the bound stronger.

10. Every family wonders: Are we the only crazy ones?!

11. We don’t need 8 hours of sleep. It’s a fallacy!

12. Vacation is a mode not a time frame.

I’m in Beirut now writing while none of those I shared with my lasts weeks are here, and I can guarantee you all nor the wine, nor the best Rum, nor finger-licking-good ice cream taste half as good.

Love always,

Soraya

PS: For those wondering what to do in 5 days in Lebanon, this is how you can fix your heart, paint over the ugly parts in our lives and destroy your health: Enjoy!

1. Go clubbing in: Momo, BO, MAD, Music Hall, Mandaloun. Don;t forget to stop by Zaatar w Zeit or Falamanki for a hearty breakfast afterwards!

2. Have a drink in : Myu, Momo, Centrale, for more artsy places: Hamra Street or Mar Mkhael Street

3. Have a Coffee in: Balima in Saifi, and/or Zaytouna Bay

4. Spend the day in the Bekaa Valley, visit the Roman Ruins of Baalbeck and have lunch in the Massaya winery.

5. Attend a crazy Lebanese family lunch.

6. Visit the Jeita Grotto.

7. Eat Fish on the sea side and indulge an Almaza beer.

8. Walk in the Byblos Souk and smoke a chicha.

While having fish in “Chez Sami”

9. Find a Mascot.

Monste the Cat and the Mascot.

Last Friday I received a cute text letting me know about this cute little thought to Lebelik in Elle Magazine, March 2013 Issue.

It put a smile om my face so I am happy to share it with you…

Last week something stupid came through my mind: I wanted to bake Sfouf Bi Debs (or Lebanese Molasses Cake). Typicaly it should take 5 minutes for the preparation and 25 minutes in the oven, or so I thought. To tell you the truth it took me one week and 4 trials to come up with my perfect recipe… I share it here with you to spare you some time =).

Small story: This cake is very often eaten by Christians in Lebanon during the lent (before Easter day) period.

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour

2 cups of debs “kharroub” ( molasses)

1 cup of vegetable oil

3 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of aniseed (anise powder) in a bit of water

Tahini to grease the baking pan like a true lebanese

a handful of raw sesame seeds

Procedures:

Preheat the oven at 180 C

Mix the flour baking powder + debs + oil + milk + aniseed together.

Grease the pan with the tahini. Pour the batter and spread it evenly. You can even use a bit of water to help you spread it.

Bake it for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let is cool for a while then cut the in squares and enjoy with an Arabic coffee or a white coffee for a typical Lebanese break.

Happily yours,

Soraya

]]> http://lebelik.com/blog/yummy-tummy/finally-my-sfouf-bi-debs-tasted-yummy/feed/ 0 http://lebelik.com/blog/city-girl/from-beirut-to-milano-a-warm-thought-on-womens-day/ http://lebelik.com/blog/city-girl/from-beirut-to-milano-a-warm-thought-on-womens-day/#comments Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:40:39 +0000 Soraya http://lebelik.com/blog/?p=3100 Milano lifestyle

Today is Women’s Day…

Last year I wrote a post for all the women I love but this year I am dedicating this day to a woman I agreed with this week on only one thing that of disagreeing on almost everything. And I even never noticed this before.

I grew up with this woman and with time we became very close and never realized we have completely opposite ways of seeing life, love, men, food, and friendships. Still, and until today I know we both wish for one another nothing but everything that will make each happy.

So for her on this day I will post some pictures that I hope will make her smile of corners and areas of charming Milano…

Maria and I wondered what they were talking about

Feeding the birds

Artsy students Italian style

Brera is where I think I would like to live if I were to move to Milano

At California Bakery in Milano

At Corso Como 10 for an interesting and yummy diner

I thought of a very special woman when seeing this adorable balcony

Romantic chairs with a view to the Duomo

Food Market: My favorite spots

My everyday snake

Students in Milano

I wanted to steal it

When the doors opens: always pretty stuff appear

Bloggers in Milano: And a warm kiss to you my friend-more-than-cousin from Sunny Beirut

I had a quite interesting day that started with a morning meeting with two fascinating Syrian sisters and continued with an enjoyable Catalan Spanish professor. I then shared Japanese entrees with two friends that for me look like an old charming married and divorced (971246 times) couple. I obviously was late for work today… Happily late…

But since I left this adorable pair of friends, I couldn’t stop thinking about the discussions we had, some character traits that always surprised me and the different ideologies we believe in… So, like everyone, I googled everything we talked about but mainly the differences between the pessimistic and the optimistic and the diverse directions in which one or the other evolves.

I then realized you need a pessimistic to see the missing stones in a scenario, and an optimistic to give him the power to still continue; a pessimistic to help avoid the worst and an optimistic to make him smile along the way.  The pessimistic will have a thousand plans to get to his goals; the optimistic might have a vague plan drawn on a piece of paper lost some months ago….

To you, my brilliant not-so-optimistic friend, I promise to do my best when it comes to undertaking any project and I also promise to always thank God for introducing me to you, because I know you will always see the holes before anybody else does and will do your best to avoid any crash…

But I also wish you will always remember that, whether half full or half empty, there is always room for some vodka in the glass

Chin-Chin,

Soraya

Yesterday, monday morning as I opened my facebook I read all these curses and negative quotes about monday mornings…. Too bad for them because my week started with a warm coffee and Carla Skaff’s amazing line of jewellery inspired by her love for Indian culture… I must have misread the invitation email; I arrived there one hour earlier and found myself enjoying a great conversation with the Skaff family.

Carla is the youngest of the “Skaff Sisters” -the charming co-founders of Sunflowers-. She, on top of running their adorable boutique in Saifi, has a line of high-end jewellery. she sells mostly rings and earrings that are designed in Lebanon and produced in India…. And yesterday morning she extended he exhibition to one more day. So I went to the Skaff’s boutique and was happy to see I was welcome even though I wasn’t quite punctual. I had the intention to help them a bit with setting the small details that were left, but instead I enjoyed taking pictures…

Getting Ready…Eye Candy Getting Ready to be Properly Exposed…

Needless to say the Sunflower girls don’t do things half way and for Valentines each person left with a heart full of lavender…

Soraya kisses from Sunny Beirut…