If you like Indian fashion, and who can resist it, then you must like saris. A well-crafted, designer sari is the most feminine, most glamorous piece of clothing a woman could ever wear. On those occasions when I’ve been convinced to wear one, I’ve immediately felt like I had transformed into a princess. And, in my very personal opinion, the best sari is one with a dark base and some wonderfully intricate design. Which brings me to the upcoming Shrishti Latha Puttanna Exhibition & Sale at the super glamorous Paramount Hotel, on September 11th, from 10 to 8 and 12th, from 10 to 5. Of course, if saris aren’t your thing, there will be plenty of pretty salwars combinations at the sale as well. And, of course, you can stop by the bar at the Paramount after your shopping spree, to mingle and people watch in their wonderful setting. Happy shopping!

Can’t stress enough about how you MUST BUY your tickets for the upcoming I-View Film Festival in NYC. Don’t think you can wait until the last minute, because as a festival insider, I can tell you some of the best events and screenings have very limited seats. If you count in all the international media descending on the festival, the sponsors and their guests, the filmmakers and their guest, then you do the math… It’s just a trickle of tickets that are available for the buying public. So please do not be disappointed! Visit the I-View website for more info. I highly recommend Opening Day docs including Bhutto, the Opening Night event featuring Onir’s quartet of films I AM, the Centerpiece film Just Another Love Story, starring androgynous filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, the Showcases featuring Vishal Bhardwaj, the Shakespeare of India, and the Closing Night film Mirch. Oh, who am I kidding, just buy an All-Access pass and see it all!

Although we now seem to be over the hump of this heat now, I still crave refreshment in my drinks. I also have been addicted to Ciao Bella’s Mint Leaf Chip ice cream all summer long, but that’s on a whole other List. Anyway, Moroccan Mint Tea is one of the best ways to end any meal, helping digestion and lightening up the breath. Plus, it’s simply delicious and a breeze to make, so here it goes:
*Buy some Gunpowder Green Tea from Porto Rico, or any place that sells loose teas.
*Get yourself a fresh peppermint plant at your local Farmer’s Market. Just $3 at Union Square from nearly all nurseries, and mint is one plant that keeps on giving for a long, long time.
*Buy some Demerara sugar, I get mine from Trader Joe’s and you can’t beat their prices.
*Boil two cups of water, then allow the water to slightly cool off the stove for 30 seconds. Drop in a teaspoon of Gunpowder tea, a tablespoon of sugar and a stalk of mint and stir well. Let it sit for one minute, then pour into two small glasses filled with mint stalks and leaves. Drink, share and be delighted!

Dates Stuffed with Almonds

Ingredients:
3 dates, pitted
3 raw almonds

Preparation:
Take each almond and stuff it into where the pit of the date was. Enjoy!

Almond Shake

Ingredients:
Two cups of milk
1/4 cup of blanched almonds, skin removed
2tsp. of sugar
A pinch of cardamom powder

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Add ice if desired. Enjoy!

Dried Fruit and Nuts

Ingredients and Preparation: For this one I suggest buying an all natural trail mix of dried fruit and nuts.

Fresh Fruit Bowl

Ingredients:
Dice up any of your favorite fresh fruits and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Honey and chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:
Scoop into little bowls and drizzle with honey and nuts if desired. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed some these simple recipes. Next week, we will take a look at foods for Eid!

Top image courtesy of Coconut Water Products, almonds by Almond Brothers

Ramadan Mubarak to all! With Ramadan in full swing it’s important to get your nutrition in during the pre-dawn meals, especially since this is what will be holding you up for 15 hours! My sehri meals usually consist of some healthy fats, fiber and protein. I will also have a cup of coffee and two glasses of water with a multi vitamin. My only issue is that at 4:00am in the morning I am not too motivated to be cooking for a long time. So, I developed some fast, filling sehri meals that will keep you focused and full throughout your day. These meals are so nutritious and filling that I would continue to have them even after Ramadan is over!

PEANUT BUTTER AND FRUIT

Ingredients:

Two slices of high fiber, whole wheat bread
Thinly sliced fruit slices (I like apples or peaches)
Two tablespoons of peanut butter
One teaspoon of cinnamon

Preparation:

Spread the peanut butter and cinnamon on both pieces of bread. Top with fruit slices.

DATES AND NUT OATMEAL (This can be made the night before)

Ingredients:

1/2c. of oven toasted oats
1c. almond milk (I like the unsweetened kind by Silk)
1tsp. cinnamon
2 dates sliced
10 almonds chopped

Preparation:

Cook the oatmeal according to the directions, using almond milk instead of water. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until cooked.

EGG AND TOAST WITH YOGURT

Ingredients:

Two slices of whole wheat, high fiber toast
One soft boiled egg, mashed
Salt/pepper if desired
One cup yogurt
1/2 cup of high fiber cereal

Preparation:

Spread the egg on top of both toasts, add salt/pepper if desired. Mix the yogurt and cereal together. Enjoy!

Top image courtesy of GulfNews.com

Me - “Nina, this could be the next piece for my column.”
Nina - “No.”
Me - “No?” (Oh no, Nina hates me already!!!)
Nina - ”NO. YOU HAVE TO PERFORM THIS LIVE!!!”

So after a quick, swift kick in the pants from our girl Rothe I embarked on this journey. Aroon Shivdasani at the Indo-American Arts Council immediately gave me a slot. She had, after all premiered Little Zizou at her festival in 2008. Her support remains invaluable to all us South Asian artists. Thank you Aroon! And btw please try and catch zizou on dvd. You will not be disappointed. Jitin Hingorani, the IAAC’s fabulous PR came over and laughed at all the right moments, friend Ken Hypes agreed to videotape it for free, the young ones at the Guild Gallery were so sweet, and of course so many friends and colleagues came out on August 12th at the Guild Gallery at 7.30 to hear me croak on about my life!!! I had a blast performing it.

Friends, my great wish would be to perform it some more at various venues. So at the risk of being that artist who promotes herself (I hate those people!) I ask you to let me know if there are any opportunities for performinging this. I would appreciate it so much. In the mean time, a little teaser for you all is attached. Would love to hear from you!

Enjoy and thanks to all the supporters,
Zenobia

For more info and to contact Zenobia, check out her fabulous new website!

Top image courtesy of Life

You may not like the words PETITE and CAKE together but I do. To me, it’s a little taste of something heavenly without any of the guilt, you see. So you may imagine my delight when I passed by the Baked by Melissa shop on 14th Street, right off Union Square, and noticed the little bites of paradise they serve up each and every day. Brought a few to my trainer and she did not even chide me for getting her sweets. That’s how deliciously small they are! So, at never more than a dollar a piece, they are the perfect little sweets for someone who wants to look delicious as well as taste a treat. With flavors like Peanut Butter & Jelly and Sunday Special - only available in August - you know I’ll be baaaaack…

The New York Transit Museum sells this really cool line of jewelry made out of authentic old MTA tokens. The earrings are $50 and quite beautiful and I can think of a few people who would love the $100 charm bracelet. And for the really classy man in your life who just happens to have it all, the cufflinks are divine - even if divinely expensive… But most of the line is not, though never as cheap as a $.75 token, which was a ride costs you back in the days… But with two convenient locations, one in Brooklyn and one in Grand Central, this is one stop I don’t mind making. Oh Conductor!!

Once you have spent some money, you’ll of course want to save some, which is why I highly recommend getting your I-View Film Festival tickets now, while they are on an Early Bird special sale. You’ll get considerable discounts on the All-Access Pass, which is by far the BEST deal. Once you’ll attend opening day celebrations and films, you’ll be hooked. Do yourself a favor and save on the money and disappointment of booking later. And if you need any reassurance, google “I-View, Variety” and “I-View, The Hollywood Reporter”. Yup, the festival is going to be THE event of the season!

A very poignant, interesting and heartfelt film is opening in NJ, NY and Northern CA this weekend: Hiding Divya. A story of Bipolar Disorder in the Desi community and how it affects three generations of women, it’s a must-see for those who enjoy a little knowledge with their entertainment. The more I think about it, the more I cherish the moments in the film, the performances and the soundtrack. Kudos to the Mirza sisters and the team behind the film for having the courage to tell this story! For a full review, check out the AVS blog.

And if you can’t find anything to do in this list, well then, I give up! Between wax, sweets, films and shopping, there really should be a little something for everyone…

Images courtesy of NY Transit Museum, EngenderedNYC and Hiding Divya Productions

Ingredients:

1c. of shelled edamame (I buy the frozen kind)
1 15oz. can of corn
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1TB. of rice vinegar
1TB. of soy sauce
1tsp. of sesame oil
2tsp. of garlic powder
1TB. of freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Let the flavors marinate with each other for at least an hour before serving.

Serves 1 generously, or 2 as a side.

Small image courtesy of TheDailyGreen.com

This week I’m starting a new column on The Ajnabee, a pre-viewing review of a film based only on the film’s trailer. What do you get at first impression, when you see those two odd minutes of scenes pasted together by a professional trailer editor? This is what I see. Feel free to set me straight or share your own gems. If you have a trailer you wish to share, with a short pre-view review, I’ll publish you on here gladly!

‘Puke Curse Hate’ - or ‘Sit Watch Snooze’ as the blog The Bloodshot Eye, where I got the image above, calls it - is a film I don’t really look forward to seeing. I did not read the book and stand by my principles. When a writer gets an advance to write about her life BEFORE going out there to write about it, it’s a bit fishy to me. And uninteresting. If I read about real life, I want real life, not real life with a hefty advance… As if Gregory David Roberts, the guy who wrote ‘Shantaram’, had gone to his editor to get an advance before dealing drugs, landing in jail and bonding with the gundas of Bombay. Hum… The book would have turned out VERY different, I guarantee it! There is something to be said for just living life and then discovering you might have had an interesting time, which others might be tickled to read about.

So, I see this and I think of Julia Roberts touring India at the same time as I was there, with her family, and how it was in the news that she got the Taj Mahal to close for the day, so she could visit it unbothered by the real Indians there. Sheer mortals are so bothersome to a star. I think Bali’s monkeys caged so they would not bite Mr. Roberts’ children and infect them with real Indonesian rabies. Rabies is such a pesky illness for a star’s kids. And I think that being a hot blooded Florentine, I take offense at how my people are portrayed in the film. It’s great if the book and the film can inspire lonely, bland, middle-aged women to travel the world looking for their own Javier Bardem, travel always does a soul good. But as far as calling it an adventure… NAH!

Oh, and BTW, Naples does not have the best pizza in the world, NYC does! I swear to that fact, Mother’s Neapolitan blood running through my veins and all!

Image courtesy of The Bloodshot Eye

‘Peepli Live’ is a film that will NOT leave you untouched. As I exited the screening room with a group of journalists and reviewers, I felt like I needed a soft place to fall and a good cry. Of course, not everyone will be affected by the poignancy of the predicament depicted in it, some will latch on the humor of the film, written and directer by Anusha Rizvi. Therein lies its genius. Watch it, starting this Friday the 13th, and if you need more incentive read my review on AVS here, or the interview with superstar Aamir Khan here.

‘Salt of This Sea’ is about a strong Palestinian woman who returns to her roots, only to find them, well… in Israel! The film, directed by Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, tackles an opinionated, angry female lead, strong themes and a subject I am forever passionate about. Watch it in NYC, at the Quad, this weekend. Read a short review here.

‘Afghan Star’ is one more wonderful film and by yet another wonderfully talented female filmmaker. Yup, that seems the theme for The List this week, strong, talented women, possibly filmmakers. Havana Marking’s film is now available on ITunes, a fact she disclosed only to her closest FB friends. But you know me, can’t keep a great secret to myself… Especially one that involves a favorite film! Read a review of the film on AVS, as well as an interview with Havana herself here.

‘Life of PI’ by Yann Martel. If you haven’t already done so, run to buy a copy and you’ll devour it, just like a tiger… It’s not only really fantastic summer reading material, but it will give you new insight into the philosophies of world religions. If that sounds like a bit of a contradiction, philosophy and religion used in the same sentence, then this book is definitely for you! And don’t even get me started about how disappointed I am that Ang Lee’s film version has been derailed due to budget!

Get yourself a DATE! Oh, no, not one of the opposite sex, but a fruity date. One, delicious, sugary, luscious date. They are everywhere I look these days, for Ramadan, and at their very best after harvest in July. Don’t be shy, you can even have more than one date at a time, in this case. And Ramadan Kareem to all my Muslim Ajnabee brothers and sisters around the world!

“They want to erase Palestine from the memory of the new generation, and anything I can do to fight that, I will be more than happy.” Shafiq Al-Hout 1999

Recently deceased PLO co-founder Shafiq Al-Hout once described his family’s exodus from Jaffa to Beirut in April 1948 with the following words: “How could we possibly reach Beirut? The land road was closed, and also dangerous… We had no choice but the sea. Thus we headed for the sea where a Greek ship called “Dolores” was awaiting us… which was so crowded, even on deck, that it was about to sink due to the huge number of people who hoped to seek refuge in the ports of Lebanon.”

It is exactly with a cinematic homage to this statement that Annemarie Jacir’s film Salt of This Sea opens. An ode to the Palestinian refugees, and those who feel displaced the world over, Salt of This Sea is both a personal journey through the oft overlooked headlines of today and a testament to a wrong that continues to be perpetrated, with little or no repercussions to the perpetrators.

After an initial, desolate shot from the sea of the ancient city of Jaffa, now part of the modern Israeli city of Tel Aviv, Jacir’s film begins in the city’s Ben Gurion Airport, where the Palestinian-American Soraya has just arrived from NY, looking to retrace her roots. As soon as she discloses her forefathers’ nationality to the customs authorities, Soraya is subjected to an assortment of searches and questions that make our border crossing procedures in the US seem like a visit to Disneyland. The recurring reasoning behind this abuse. “This is for your own security” a statement repeated by nearly every Israeli Soraya comes in contact with.

Given only a two-week visa to the country, as a result of her Palestinian heritage, Soraya begins her journey in Ramallah, where the joie de vivre of the Arab world envelops her at every turn. She is asked more than once what her sun sign is, instead of being given the third degree. A stark contrast to the uptightness and lack of sense of humor on the Israeli side… It’s no wonder Reuters reported at the beginning of August a sharp rise in property prices in Ramallah, accompanied by the appropriate building boom! Who’d want to live in Tel Aviv anyway?!

Oh, but there is one aspect of the city that appeals to Emad, the quiet, thoughtful Palestinian man who begins to accompany Soraya on her quest: The sea. He has not laid eyes upon the sea in 17 years, because of the check-points and restrictions that accompany his heritage in Israel. And it is his yearn for a voyage to the water, Soraya’s search for her Grandfather’s legacy as well as their friend’s Marwan craving for adventure that takes this trio on a journey that we, the audience, won’t forget or be left untouched by.

The couple become an Arab, modern day version of Bonnie and Clyde, on the run from both the Israeli military - ever-present and always able to spot a Palestinian from a mile away, or so they think - but also the Palestinian Authority. Within this flight from justice, Soraya discovers the source of her anger but also a kind of love that has a lot more to do with need than with mushy sentimentality. The acting - by Suheir Hammad as Soraya, who brings her obvious inner strength to the part, Saleh Bakri as Emad, who is boyishly vulnerable and simply handsome, and Riyad Ideis as Marwan, the kind of guy you could swear is a good friend in real life - is superb and I found it hard to believe this is the first film for all three leads.

Ultimately, for an Italian who grew up adoring the sweet taste of Jaffa oranges, has been an avid supporter of the Palestinian cause, but hardly knows the details of the 1948 Nakba or the exact lines of division - personal and political - for the West Bank and Gaza, Jacir’s Salt of This Sea is a great learning tool, at times emotionally charged, other moments very personal but engrossing throughout. And I’m all for a film that showcases a fabulously strong female lead, not afraid to be exactly who she is!

At a time when talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authorities are on the verge of resuming, it is undeniably a film worth watching. Salt of this Sea is a Lorber Films Release and opens at the Quad in NYC on Friday, August 13th.

All images courtesy of Kino Lorber Inc.

Ingredients:

1/2c. of quinoa, rinsed and drained
1tsp. of adobo seasoning
1 small can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2c. of frozen or spinach
1/2c. of part skim shredded cheese
Freshly cracked black pepper
Dollop of your favorite salsa

Preparation:

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the box, add the adobo seasoning. Once the quinoa is cooked, add the black beans, spinach and cracked pepper. Serve in two dishes, with a dollop of your favorite salsa. Enjoy with a tablespoon of light sour cream or guacamole.

Servings: 2

Top image courtesy of Orosend.com