..... you will touch the STARS ..........my KEEDOS............

...i really have absconded for quite a while ........purging my daily thoughts onto my facebook pg ... my stats on my blog .......though ... show continual growth and for that worldwide support , i am humbled

.........so I'm back .... with my storytelling ......I'm evolving all the time ... rapidly ... when i started blogging ...... i was a different individual ....... in the midst of a shaded forest , high green trees , no sunlight , so i blogged about my reality , yes ,  my reality , my material reality ..........which is , me ... not in denial about that ...........since then ........iv started a philosophical journey , which i have come to realise has no end ........it cant .....else i would stagnate ............and that i cant afford , for myself......

......iv decided to just blog my daily thoughts .......and the obsessive thinker that i am , always has myriads of thoughts fighting for space in my brain ....amidst looking after four keedos .......i need a daily outlet ............

SO .......yesterday , we ventured out into High School Open Days ....... i will have my two eldest keedos foraying into this new world next year ....Parktown Girls High ..........for Nabeela , my daughter , was our first school to visit

          i was captivated ! .......i am an individual who takes in everything , all of the time ... as i am blogging this now , I'm walking through the school gates

   Tall red brick buildings ..........an aura of history , great vision , literature , permeated the air for me

Excited , i think , i was , more than Nabeela , my daughter , for whom we were school scouting........
Long corridors .......... i could almost hear hymn singing ........Peering into the most interesting subject rooms ........with now technologically challenging names ........being out of school for 22 years ......was evident ..........biology is now natural sciences , history is social sciences ........and so forth ......
it indeed is amazing , French as a second or a third language , equestrian sports ..............

the smell of books .........oh ! how i love and have always loved , since i was just a little girl , equally ...the musty smell of the yellowed with age ,  pages of an old book .........or the brand new smell of crisp new pages , with a shiny cover .........these books were my life , my friends ........my escapism ........i spent hours upon hours at the public libraries ........perusing through fiction and non fiction .........i could not get enough ......and my dear dad indulged me so .... every Sunday morning ........he would take me to the CNA and let me choose a book ..........my love for words , their beauty , their depth emanated from that exposure.......

walking through the buildings of the school .....that smell of books and academia permeated the air so thick ..i felt like breathing it in again ..........all for myself ...........

getting back to Nabeela .........she potters around in the kitchen , much because of her little brothers insistent demands of her making snacks for them daily .........i see she doesn't take to it well .......

so today , the family gathered around the breakfast island ...chatting like we always do ..........i asked her to remember the beautiful Art Centre that we visited at the school . I asked her to visualise one particular piece that she loved
                ........it was an oil canvas painting , using mediums of oil paints in peacock colours , oil pastels with some charcoal sketching almost making it three dimensional ...........a fabulous piece ,,,,,,,,,,,  a true work of art  ... a beautiful self creation , an expression of an individual just like her .........

         i assimilated cooking in a like mannered way toward her ........talking to her ... but my boys were silent , ears pricked ......they were enjoying this too............

for arguments sake , i used a simple example , an egg .Eating an egg , simply prepared , would give one sustenance , yes ........but that's it
            lets take that egg , Nabeela , whisk it .........lets make an omelette today
........we will add red onions ........cheddar , gouda and feta cheese , chilli , peppers and for some fine indulgence ..
..lets add some slivered pieces of Scottish salmon .......
  imagine Nabeela , each taste sensation , each mouthful is going to bring to you ................

                   .you Will feel pride
                       a humbled pride , of your own creation......

and the intention of having that family conversation ,  was not that of the cooking .... it was that of a mother talking to a daughter and her three sons ...........about LIFE ............i believe my keedos understood it all ...........

           A LIFE LESSON ..........i believe in this obsessively
           
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don't waste your time doing anything for the sake of it .......you will do it with mediocrity
.....................do it with real PASSION and DEPTH .............
                         
                        most importantly ,
                                                          do it for for YOURSELF ........

.

.

 .............you will touch the STARS ..............my keedos .........................

....living in a POD...........................................................

first february twenty twelve


.                   i wrote this blog post on the tenth of October twenty eleven .... , and could 'nt publish it  ....    because life took a left turn ... and i felt like an imposter.....

                i wrote a few more blog posts after that too , all these have sat in the blogger archives ......

 blogging for me , is an extension of my thoughts ... and being the compulsive thinker that i am  ... it has become a very satiating and gratifying experience to realize my thoughts down onto a virtual but set space ..............

............................reading my then thoughts ,  today  , as maybe a stranger or maybe a friend might read it .... gave me  an insight to so many various different aspects that jigsaws ones puzzle of  LIFE , in its entirety .....


          so iv decided to go ahead and share that beautiful sacred space of time ..... which will always
             remain special ........no matter what path ,  fate has planned .......................................................



                                                  "LIVING IN A POD"

ten October twenty eleven ........................

....its been a while , writers block , some may say , i don't think of myself as a writer though ........

           a thinker , a contemplater , a dreamer , a cook , a mum , a wife ,  a WOMAN

          
..so , let me explain

                i have been in limbo.......................struggling with the yin and yang of this temporary life



                    you know , i am so much of either  , white or black ..................cant seem to find  the GREY ................. its so bloody elusive !! .................. and i am just tired , tired of chasing that perfect fit ... the glove fit of serenity , ease , happiness , peace , joy ...............
                            is it ludicrous to keep on searching for that GREY ... when you know actually you are predominantly BLACK

               what in the world is she talking about ? ......................... i hear some of you say............
                 just rambling on .................


                       i had three perfect days of GREY ............ recently

          you know the kind of days ,
                    that are just perfect , perfect weather , no wind , blue skies , even the sunshine is just the right shade of bright ! , yes , those kind of days

 

.................and like all perfect moments , happen , everything just falls into place with minimum effort .................
                    , i just happened to mention to A that wouldn't it be fantastic to go to  Cape Town ..... its been a few months since our last trip *hint hint* .............. he calls me a few days later .........yip , the trip is on ! ............. work and play again ! .............

       and i am really a sucker for luxury , .............. l love it luxe

                so i search for our ....pied-a terre......... "home away from home" ........
              well , not really .............. a lil more , actually ............and the place that i had been perving for a long long while now , is available  ........ yes  ................ please confirm  !..................



             we drive up to Camps Bay .................. the mighty Atlantic Ocean to our right ,
               it is a sight so wondrous , so vast and far reaching ..................... and the majestic                         
                                         Table  Mountain , to our left

               we turn left into Argyle Road , and drive up to no 3 ........... "POD"...........new kid on the block of boutique hotels ........HOT HOT HOT .....................

                    ahem .................its little wonder 'POD' appears on Conde Nast Hot List 2011 , and finds its place among Tatlers 101 Best Hotels in the world

                                              POD is a luxury boutique hotel like no other ......................

                                                                                                    fifteen rooms , sharing the glory of the mountain and sea views , present the pinnacle of modern design and architecture - instilling a sense of seaside sophistication , so often attempted , so rarely achieved.

                       COOL BEYOND QUESTION.....................

       RELAXED YET WHOLLY REFINED

                                                   BAREFOOT LUXURY

        
Cocooned in privacy and immersed in tranquil air ..........................
                                                       friendly staff cater to every need and desire .................no need to lift a finger....................

             RAW YET POLISHED..................


                   Frequented by celebrities and alive with culture , Camps Bay is one of the worlds most desirable destinations

                      sun , sea and nightlife ................. all yours to enjoy

   immersed in such a cocooned 'POD'  .......... it would be difficult not to  feel pampered , sanctuaried , pampered again ............... quiet , soft service .................... the mind , body and soul were in unison ...............
                           this time most definitely for both A and myself ............ in unison

                 with two souls now in tandem ............... the oyster was there for the taking

                 we dined out at our old favourite ' HAIKU '................Asian Fusion Cuisine again .......... with a very spicy edge ................. the food was good ............ the mood of haiku  ,  is exactly like how i like it ................ loud , dark , moody but electric vibe ............... trance like ............
                     we ate , we savoured the food and each others company ...............
                                                  we talked , we heard one another .............
                             souls have to be in tandem ............ to hear one another speak

   so often , so loud are the disturbances of life .............. we speak ............ but .......... we don't hear

                                      the days passed in a haze ............... slow ,  satiating , sexy

                   the Cape Coast always turned me on ............ especially the ruggedness and masculinity that it possesses .................

                       three days of balance ............ a balance that seemed unattainable in fast paced Jozi

     yet ,  so in the palm of ones hand ............. here

               not in any way .............. a reality ,  for ever ........................
                              a lesson to learn ... maybe


                                  a moment to grab ..................... with both hands ,,,,,,,,,,,, yes


                        i know what i want ....................... if only it were not so
                                                                             ELUSIVE    


                   
           

  

............unexpectedly MOYO..................

............... we had the most fantastic iftaar .. fast break .... last week
..................................the setting was surreal.................
.......................................................glass , blue sea , bright sunshine ..........fading ............
                                  pink , then mink .................. twilight ..................
..........................................dusk!..................

                                      unusual circumstances , unusual events , made for the family being in Durban for a few days during the Auspicious month of Ramadaan...............keedos , though fasting , had reserves of energy , and as now thorough bred Vaalies , that they are ,  do , when they get down to the seaside , do! .......... got into the unusually icy waters of the Indian Ocean................
......................................and , it is the midst of winter ........... and no , they didn't feel cold!..............i sat huddled on the beach ............. shivering!..................

as we walked back to our apartment on the Durban Point Waterfront ... a spectacular sight loomed ahead........
...............being a native Durbanite ............... much to my chagrin , i couldn't for the life of me fathom out what in the world this imposing , yet absolutely magnificent architectural wonder was , perched right at the end of the pier................

......................oh right ! MOYO!.............................................."moyo" is the Swahili word for soul.........and a dining experience at any MOYO restaurant is an African soulful experience.......... ours that night truly was!..........

..............this brand new baby of the famous South African MOYO clan ........... is because of its venue .....unparalleled to its bigger siblings ............... it is situated right at the very end of the UShaka pier..........it is a double or i would say , maybe , a triple volume glass house............that offers 360 degree panoramic ocean views as well as views of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the distance .......... the ever beautiful Golden Mile of the Durban coastline ........... i could go on forever and ever............. this was my hometown after all!!..............

.....................keedos were famished , and it was about that time of day that we found ourselves deciding to break the days fast ............. at this fascinating funky African experience of a venue

the menu , like the decor ,  at MOYO is eclectic...........inspired by the diversity of Africa............it is sophisticated in an unpretentious African style..........

..............................we decided to go simplistic ............ and savour the tastes of the sea................tagines of Moroccan prawns ............... succulent , fleshy , tender ............... morsels  ..........with the unmistakable taste of cumin , paprika , saffron , ginger ,coriander.................warm earthy Mediterranean flavours............pan fried in what seemed to be chermoula  sauce............... a sauce made of cilantro , parsley , chili , olive oil , tomato , lemon .............

....................the tagines of prawns arrived with a Moroccan style flat bread ..........with fennel , sesame and the famous nigella seeds grained in .............

......................................keedos , A and myself tucked into this heavenly feast ................ the flat breads mopping up the chermoula ................... heavenly food in a heavenly setting .......................
 

...................... it was an iftaar ................. that will forever be a precious memory......................

........................... a reminder as we sat outside ................. satiating hunger and thirst of the day................looking out at the deep blue ocean ............... the beauty of the surrounding ................ some of it man made .................. all of it ,  not............., a creation of our Creator ...............


                   .a stirring of the soul again !..................................................................

.............decadent KHEER..............

on a bitterly cold ,  venomous Joburg afternoon in the midst of Ramadaan , ............ looking out of my kitchen window , dark and blustery .......................

                                  only a heartwarming pot of kheer would do ! ................

                      India boasts a variety of sweet deserts to pamper the sweet toothed...............
                   One of the most common deserts is a very simple preparation of rice and milk. This pudding is called Kheer............and is made with either vermicelli or rice and has become one of my favourite Indian deserts.........This creamy and sweet stove top pudding is fairly quick and easy to prepare , and can be  enjoyed served either piping hot or cold........................

...........  , a fellow blogger , Salma , passed on this recipe to me .......... i have tweaked it here and there , and i need to tell you , with a hint of a warning ! that this version is addictive , ultra rich and decadent and oh so moreish!!......................................


you will need

2 litres of milk ..............
1 cup of washed basmati rice
4 tablespoonfuls of sago


1 sachet or box of ready kheer mix .. this is entirely optional , for me personally this mix just  contains an amalgamation of all the ingredients that i use in the preparation of this dish in a much denser concentrated form............... adds depth and flavour ........... why not ?
  

     so.......
                    add milk , rice , sago and kheer mix to a large pot
                    bring to a slow boil , stirring intermittently
                    thereafter lower heat and gently simmer for approximately half an hour
                    the mixture will gradually thicken  , become very creamy and evaporate slightly

        you can now add :
                                       1 large tin of condensed milk
                                       1 large tin of desert cream
                                       1 large tin of coconut milk
                                       100 g of slivered almonds
                                       elachi  -  cardomom powder ......... to suit your taste

simmer on a low heat , until very soft and mushy , as it simmers , it will thicken

you may thin the mixture down abit at this stage if you like , by adding extra milk


add sugar to taste , a cup , for this quantity , would not be excessive !
            i used more .............. i like it sweet ! ................
..............................but ,, it  really is up to you!...............

...................garnish with a sprinkle of elachi powder , slivers of almonds and pistachio............




......... enjoy as either an after dinner desert , , or as in my home , , cold for breakfast the next day !

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