My grandmother used to say that the poor one is the one who doesn’t have friends.
During this festive period of the year, I can’t help but be grateful for being surrounded with the best kind of friends who add meaning, warmth and endless laughter to our days.
Happy Holidays! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you’re enjoying this time of the year with friends and family.
As my best friend (and wicked gifter) claims, it is much nicer being gifted an experience than an object. And I agree with her 100%, especially after my recent theater experience at La Place des Arts.
(Photo from the official website of the musical)
I was gifted a pair of tickets to watch the currently touring musical Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, and since my last theater watching was in 2002 in London, I was really excited to go through the experience again. So, last Friday night, R. and I went to La Place des Arts where were lead to our seats on the balcony overlooking a huge audience and an intricately designed stage. I will not go into the details of the plot (you can read the synopsis here), but I can definitely and confidently say (and R. wholeheartedly agrees) that it is a must-see, a funny and witty play that engages you for the whole 2 and a half hours. I mention the stage design because I couldn’t take my eyes off of all the colors, lights and different backgrounds; it was captivating to have all that stimuli for my senses.
Here is a photo that I took with my phone before the start of the show (photos were forbidden during the show) so you can how overwhelming the view was from the mezzanine balcony.
I think yes. I love braids when they’re done in a cute sexy way. Look at this do, isn’t it really stylish?
So are you a fan of braids?
The big move has finally taken place and we are here in Montreal. At the airport, everything went smoothly and we were out of immigration and announced permanent residents in less than an hour. We arrived last Thursday and so far it has been a warm welcome (weather and people) and a great beginning to a new journey.
Just because I like to take photos, here is an album of photos taken this weekend while strolling in my new neighborhood.
… are the best kind of gifts, no?! I was in Beirut last week (that’s mostly the reason behind my disappearance) and I received three unexpected gifts from my mom and sisters! I absolutely loved them. I’m not usually a materialistic person, but these cute gifts warmed my heart.
Thanks N., L. and L.! <3
Pendant of my favorite animal, the giraffe
A much needed pair of trendy brown sunglasses
An over-sized hip blue canvas bag
While walking around in Berlin, R. and I ran into the banner above, which immediately caught our attention. We pushed the door in and were greeted by a silent middle-aged man behind a desk surrounded by complete silence. We asked if the Room of Silence was open for anyone and whether it was for free. The silent man spoke, “of course,” he said. We pushed another door that led to a room as small as a regular living room with chairs lined in theater-style. We took two adjacent seats and just sat in silence for five minutes. I did a 5-minute relaxation session, abdominal breathing and all, and R. sat there with his thoughts in total silence.
The Silent Room
We were beyond thrilled by the possibility of escaping the hustle and bustle of the city with just one push of a door. What a brilliant idea. We totally disconnected from everything outside, from the pain in our legs, from the plans for the rest of the evening and from the world. Read below for a description of the Room of Silence, Berlin:
The following description is taken from Berlin101 website.
The “Room of Silence” is located in the north side of the Brandenburg Gate. It is inspired by the meditation room in the UN building in New York. The room was opened in 1994, and offers the people passing by a chance to sit down in silence, meditate, rest and so on, and is decorated with abstract pictures. We can tell you it is indeed a very relaxing, positive experience.
Opening Hours: Apr-Oct 11:00 -18:00, Nov & Jan-Mar 11:00 -17:00, Dec 11:00 -16:00.
We perch, we watch people come and go changing with the weather, yet the city remains the same.
Istanbul, 2011
Dear readers — I am looking for a title for this photograph, any creative ideas?
