Category Archives: eating out

By Gosh! Great Breakfast!

Posted on September 15, 2018 by

Hasmik crossed the square and returned with a packet of sugar, bought from the first of three small stores, each of which sell a little bit of everything. We began to hope that our breakfast, first mentioned 30 minutes ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Architecture, Armenia, breakfast, Christianity, Church, Cooking, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, eating out, Food, Great weekends, joy, Local delicacies, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Women | Leave a comment

Call me Old Fashioned

Posted on August 3, 2018 by

“Eat something” said the Doctor “and relax. Walk around a bit and then come back in an hour so I can take your blood pressure”. I left Peace Corps’ building in Yerevan and wondered where the nearest food could be … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, cocktails, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, eating out, Food, gratitude, Happiness, Peace Corps Armenia, Social niceties, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, welcome | 5 Comments

The Ting About Dubai (or “Jamaica?” “No, she drank of her own accord.”)

Posted on January 17, 2018 by

We found what must surely be the only Jamaican bar in the Middle East. Ting Irie is in a Souk attached to the Manzil Hotel in downtown Dubai. Although the restaurant is the real ting, the Souk is not. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Beauty, Capitalism, clothes, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, eating out, fashion, Food, Jamaica, Marketing, Middle East, Mother/daughter dynamic, personal failings, shopping, Social niceties, travel, UAE, Vacation spots | 1 Comment

Teachable moments in Dubai

Posted on January 14, 2018 by

I once had a boyfriend who said I could suck the fun out of anything. Fair warning: I am about to give this treatment to Dubai, a place I, perhaps unexpectedly, now adore. Everything you have ever heard about Dubai … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Beauty, Capitalism, Cross-cultural understanding, Design, drinking, Dubai, eating out, fashion, Food, Islam, joy, Learning, life lessons, Marketing, Middle East, National pride, shopping, Things that gladden the heart, travel, UAE, Vacation spots, Women | 3 Comments

Vegetarians: look away

Posted on November 21, 2017 by

To Gyumri to attend the Cow Head Festival, run by Mr. Digital Pomegranate (not his real name). For me, Caleb and Matt (the two big, bearded Southern gentlemen pictured), the event kicked off at 5pm on Saturday and cost 1000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, eating out, Food, friendship, Great weekends, identity, joy, Local delicacies, Marketing, Offal, Peace Corps, travel | 2 Comments

The children of Lor?

Posted on October 30, 2017 by

46 children attend school in the village of Lor in Syunik Marz, Armenia. There are twelve forms, 0-12, with a scant handful of children in each. 46 is fewer children than last year, and more than next year. Worldvision, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian art, Armenian writers, Beauty, Cross-cultural understanding, eating out, Education, Emigration, Environment, Food, friendship, gratitude, Great weekends, Halloween, identity, joy, love, National pride, Nature, Peace Corps, Poetry, resilience, Syunik Marz, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, work, Youth | Leave a comment

Seeing Armenia with fresh eyes. Part one

Posted on October 24, 2017 by

It feels like I spent a week on the waltzers and in truth, I am still a bit giddy. Part of me blames Charles Masraff of Armenian Wine Importers Ltd who introduced me to Trinity 6100 Rose, a most delicious pale … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Armenian art, Armenian writers, art, Beauty, chess, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, eating out, Food, friendship, Fundraising, gratitude, Great weekends, History, Jermuk, joy, love, Mount Ararat, National pride, Nature, Peace Corps, Soviet Union, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel | 2 Comments

From Washington DC to Yerevan

Posted on March 23, 2017 by

You’ll have heard of the Smithsonian of course. And the Lincoln Memorial. And the US Capitol. These are the icons and institutions for which Washington DC is rightly famous. You will not have heard of the Hyatt Place hotel, built … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Armenia, eating out, Peace Corps, travel, Washington DC | 2 Comments

Tips for Lady Travelers

Posted on December 28, 2016 by

My beautiful Riad is in the northernmost part of the Northern Medina, close to a launderette, a number of scooter repair shops, some foundry workers and an Islamic saint’s tomb which non- Muslims are not permitted to enter. The riad’s … Continue reading →

Posted in drinking, eating out, errors of judgement, Marrakech, Morocco, shopping, travel | Leave a comment

Big Night Out

Posted on December 27, 2016 by

Hussain came to the Riad to pick me up about 6:30 on Christmas night. He wore a robe the colour of port wine and a matching fez. Real ‘wise man’ attire.  We walked past the mosque and through dark, uneven, … Continue reading →

Posted in eating out, joy, Marrakech, Morocco | Leave a comment