Zekrayaat (ذكرايات / Memories)

The day was full of work, food, and ended with an architectural marvel.. That's how I felt as the day unfolded Food time... Now comes the wow part of my trip, the Grand Mosque at Abu Dhabi: More videos to follow ...

Well, Day 2 was equally packed... Visited a friend of Mary and I, Maya, at her Art Studio (set up at a popup gallery), then I went to see Kat our Brit friend, her sister Marg, her Indian Hubby, and their adorable baby Hazel...Had tons of fun, but had to rush after that to Fujairah to visit my brother Moaty and his family. Here are some of the moments captured in photos (any photo that looks remotely good is taken by Mohamed)... Finally downloaded some of the Day 2 photos... The Courtyard in Dubai. This is where our friend, Maya, has her Gallery The Starbucks at Uptown Mirdiff, Dubai, round the corner from Kat's building Uptown Mirdiff again... one of the few outdoor style plazas Thanks to my brother Moaty for taking some pictures of our visit... My sister-in-law Hanan my nephew Ahmad hooked on the xbox...Thanks to uncle Majdi Don't worry I am not eating it all My niece Haneen eating away Hanan never eats Ahmad = trouble

Day 3 was quite business, business, and a bit of a coffee break. Jumeirah Erihad Towers, random chandelier One of the hangout areas at the Etihad Towers The view from where we were having coffee The lobby cafe The Fairways Restaurant, at the Westin in Abu Dhabi. That's were we had Dinner The ice cream trimmings Parking Time... We thought paying the meter was enough...well, we were wrong :) its fine time ($ 130)

Well, my first day at Abu Dhabi and already experienced: 3.5 meals, a modern art museum exhibit by local UAE artists, a walk through the Abu Dhabi Louvre ( http://louvreabudhabi.ae/ ),  visit to 3 luxury  5 star hotels, completely new set of stories about my family, visiting my brother's own company office, 4 types of coffee (including the Arabic/Gulf  style of coffee, which is very different than Turkish), and finally what is a UAE old ages tradition; a visit to a mega mall. Here are few of the highlights...

Great start of the trip…Peet’s coffee

Staying Hydrated…one bottle down, 2 more to go

No matter how far I travel, or how old I get…it is where I feel like “myself” is what I call “home”

  On my way to JFK to start my Gulf tour… Very excited, but already missing Mary

My last lunch in New Jersey before embarking on my Gulf tour

Vikki's Baby Back Ribs (for illustration only) Majdi asked if I would add this recipe to his blog and I am happy to oblige. The recipe is adapted from Alton Brown's baby back rib recipe, but I modified the spices and the sauce. The method is all AB's though and can be used for spareribs as well as baby back ribs, though you will have to adjust the time a bit. Spice Rub: 8 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb mix (or a bit of thyme, rosemary and oregano) This makes enough rub for three slabs of baby back ribs. Braising liquid: 1 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 3 cloves chopped garlic Microwave the braising liquid for one minute then stir to ensure the honey is dissolved. Pat the ribs dry and remove the m

Bharat is an Arabic Slang for " spices". Every middle eastern region, country, or even family has its own version of it. Mine is no different. This spice blend can be used for a variety of middle eastern dishes such as grilled meats, stuffed vegetables (eg. Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and lamb). This is a 2 step recipe: 1. get equal parts of: Allspice, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, Ground Nutmeg, and Coriander. 3. Mix all the spices together and store them in an air tight container or a small zip lock bag.

This salad takes many forms, shapes, and flavors; however, my favorite version is always the latest one I make… Ingredients: Group A 1 Head of iceberg lattice washed 1/2 large red onion 1/2 a red, green, or yellow Bell pepper 1 large tomato or few little ones 2 carrots 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh mint Group B 1/2 tsp cumin  1/4 tsp white pepper 1/4 tsp back pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp sea salt  Group C 1/4 cup of black olives  1/4 cup of garbanzo beans 1 cup of cooked Farro. You can use any other cooked grain (and I suggest you try different ones every time) 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp Lemmon juice Group D 1/2 tsp sumac powder 1/2 cup of Feta Cheese crumbled (fat free is fine) Steps to create the magic 1. Chop all ingredients of Group A into small size and mix them in a large salad bowl. This is a form of chopped salad that we usually eat with a spoon. 2. Add to the salad bowl Group B ingredients and mix them in.  3