Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Seer Torshi 101

With my mom and brother out of town, my dad and I had a day to kill together before I came back to NYC. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to learn how to make some seer torshi, or pickled garlic.
"Torshi" originally comes from the Persian word "Torsh", which means "sour". In the cuisine of many Balkan and Middle East countries, turşu, toursi, turshiya, torshi, or turšija means pickles. It is common in Turkish, Greek, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Bosnian and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is a traditional appetizer that comes in many flavors and "Selska turshiya" (country pickles).


First, buy garlic (Preferably on sale at Wholesome Choice). Clean and peel the outer most dry layer.


Next, find a large glass jar; wash and dry completely. Best method to get rid of all water is by washing jars thoroughly, and then putting them in the oven for a few minutes to completely dry out all moisture.
Now, place garlic and dried black plums in jars. (This ingredient is optional) Add vinegar of your choice. We chose an Asian tart vinegar from the local Chinese supermarket. You can use whatever you like, however darker vinegars seem to work better.

(My dad the showoff)




Finally, seal tightly with a layer or two of plastic wrap under the lid (to prevent rust from dripping into the jar). Date the jar and store in a dark cool place for as long as you can wait. I would recommend a minimum of 1 year because, like wine, torshi gets better with age.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Tee Room

I went home to Cali for two weeks and my blog took the backseat. But I'm happy to be back in NYC where there are actually people on the street and awake after 9pm.
During my trip my grandma dragged my cousin Apameh and I to a monthly gathering of Iranian Senior citizens. Each month they congregate at the 'Tee Room' a restaurant attached to a golf course. (Although they all thinks its the "Tea Room") Each month the old folks meet in their best outfits, eat kabob, gossip about eachother and attempt to 'gher' or dance to Persian pop music. Here is my grams and the homie sippin on some sizzer..




And then, there was the entertainment. I present Svetlana and Gretel, the performers for the evening. Two really unattractive Eastern Euro twins who live in their car, speak horrible English, weigh a combined total of 30 kilos and make a living by doing mediocre acrobatic shows that are borderline scary.





Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Global Crises and Solutions

Yesterday all the tenth graders from Beacon High School (including my little stars) participated in a Global Symposium that we organized.
Direct from the pamphlet: "Beacon students study world events of the past and make meaningful connections between past inequalities and current global issues. In 9th grade, students participate in the Middle East Peace Conference and learn about the key challenges to peace and the distribution of resources in that region. In 10th grade, students learn about the legacy of imperialism, world wars, the Cold War and international human rights issues. As a complement to the two year Global History curriculum, students complete 50 hours of community service and explore ways they can affect social change now and in the future."
It was a day where students were both educators and participants, and our job was to teach the students to teach.


here are some pictures:












There were about 60 topics that students taught in groups of 4-5. Here are a few of them:
UN Millenium Development Goals and G8
Small Arms Trade: Legacies of the Cold War and Urban Violence
The International Criminal Court and Geneva Conventions:
Victors’ Justice or A Step Towards Global Morality?
NGOs: Are they essential for change or do they excuse governments from responsibility?
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic: Is education the key to success or a form of social control?
Global, Multinational Corporations: Greedy Companies or Pioneers of World Progress?
Trade Barriers and Economic Sanctions: Are They Effective?
Taliban, Hamas, Tamil Tigers, and Al Qaeda: Terrorists or Disenfranchised Groups?
Tobacco: Recreational Habit or Method of Social Control?
Latin America at the Crossroads: The Venezuelan Challenge to American Influence
The International Debate on Human Rights and the Prison Industrial Complex
International Cooperation or One World Government: Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Who Cares About Mother Earth: Can We Find a Balance Between the Needs of Human Civilization and Sustainable
Indigenous Peoples and the Discourse of Progress
Women’s Rights and Transnational Feminism
The Future of Globalization: Transnational Capital
Neoliberalism and the Global Justice Movement

etc. etc. etc...

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

My Lovely Lady Lumps

Oh why oh why didn't more of us know about this before hand. So many of my friends could have entered!



They've got the curves and the long legs and dressed in a rather revealing tunic this Arabian camel looks ready to do a little turn on the catwalk duirng the Mazayen al-Ibl—a parade of "the most beautiful camels" held in this desolate region about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

Although Saudi Arabia has rapidly become a wealthy and highly modernized country, the camel is still prized as a symbol of the Saudi people's nomadic heritage. But of the 1,500 animals on display, the 72 most attractive are to be spared any heavy lifting not to mention the winning owners each get a new sport utility vehicle.
*sigh*

So what makes a camel a babe? "The nose should be long and droop down, that's more beautiful," Sultan al-Qahtani, one of the event organizers, told the press. "The ears should stand back, and the neck should be long. The hump should be high, but slightly to the back."


Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Thank You Idin...

...for the best picture ever!!!!
he sent me another KASHEW classic:



I LOVE THIS! THIS IS AMAZING!!!

and he's right, if you're on MySpace, go to Idin's profile and go to the "Agressive Photos" group and there are hundreds of pictures!
My friends are so cool.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Why is Everyone Jumping?

Cause the beat is thumping!
Lately, I've noticed a funny little trend, all over the world people are jumping!

H and P in Kauai!




Melly Mell representing the Canadian jump!



My estudiantes in Q-ba!





And of course the king who, I think, started it all: Kashew jumpin all over the world!







Anybody got more of these? Send them to me!

Friday, April 27, 2007

Reunion!

My two chubby and loveable friends from Cali came to reunite with me last weekend. I just received the pictures hot off the press so I thought I'd share.
I have a feeling the only reason they came was to be featured in my blog.
*Sigh*, it's not easy being in the limelight.

Here they are, round and jolly, trying to find their way to my apartment:



So we went around the city: Did tons of cool stuff. I taught them about New York. They learned.

Hoda insisted to try EVERY flavor. (and she did)


"King of New York!"


Bean Buddies since 7th grade. (notice how much taller I am)


Just cause I look cool.


Just cause the picture is cool


You'll notice Payam is not in many pictures, mainly because he ditched us to watch a basketball game.
You'll also notice that the weather was amazing, they brought the sunshine with them and then took it back. Its raining now.
m'kay bye.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Hunting the Hunter

Today Nicey saved me from an uninvited visitor. When I came home from school I heard a creepy buzzing. Immediately he spotted the culprit and came up with an attack plan:





After the use of guerilla tactics and walkie talkies, Nice and I caught the enemy bee.



Relax animal lovers, the bee was shoo'd out of the window and not smashed. Please don't send me forwards about how wrong it is to wear fur.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Nina, The Pinta and the SabaNas

On a lighter note from yesterday. They say April showers bring May Flowers and Sunday was the first day of a few days of April Showers. NYC Mayor Bloomberg fears floods but since we're on top of a hill, we're fine. Instead Smo and I walked down to the park below our building to the flooded Baseball Diamond to test run our paper boat.

I introduce, the SabaNas




Go little boat, go.



Check out the footage of some flips: Extreme!

Smooth Sailing

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Unfortunately, it was a short lived glory.
R.I.P. SabaNas, R.I.P.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Yellow Journalism: Follow up on Cube

Yellow Journalism refers to the idea of sensationalizing or basically lying in the newspaper in order to sell more papers. The term was coined during the late 1800's when Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolf Hertz accused each other of exaggerating their headlines specifically in relation to the start of the Spanish-American War. (Maybe Jack Kelly was wrong when he said "Headlines don't sell the papes, Newsies sell the papes")

On February 15th 1898, the U.S.S. Maine mysteriously blew up in the Havana Harbor. Although Spanish scientist claim that the explosion was caused by "an internal and accidental explosion" the competing newspapers, eager to have a better headline, began to fabricate the events fueling American anger by publishing astonishing "atrocities" committed by Spain in Cuba and accusing them of blowing up the ship. So much so that on April 11, President William McKinley asked Congress for authority to send American troops to Cuba for the purpose of ending the civil war there.
(Cubans didn't want either of them there, and they still don't)

So why am I telling you this? Because today in the New York Post (a newspaper known for its bull-shit), yellow journalism, a practice continuously executed since the Spanish-American War, found it's face on the front page yet again.
The article reeks of McCarthyism and is filled with lies and propaganda.
The Beacon school, where I student teach, and Mr. Turners house were swarmed with paparazzi all weekend and all day today. As students walked out of class, they would scream: "Hey, how was Q-ba?" (To which one student responded "Eff you!" )

Please read for yourself: NY Post

The students and several community members have extended their support and if it can bring attention to ending the blockade then hopefully the situation can turn out for the best. I would appreciate everyone's support in basically just having our back. This will probably get worse before it gets better.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Reggae Sun Delight

Welcome to the "Reggae Sun Delight Juice Bar"
Located at the corner of 135th and Lenox in Harlem
(Notice the sugar cane leaning on door)



How are you feeling today? Do you have Menopause? Jet lag? Allergies perhaps? Well, don't worry we have the best con-cock-tion for you.
Start with some greenery: celery, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes and even cilantro. Add some fruit, cantaloupe, green apples or purple grapes.
Blend together with a dash of hot sauce and ginger. Peep the menu and ingredients.
(click to enlarge)







Saba and I ordered a drink to heal bruises. We had just gotten into a fist-fight and needed to heal. (I won) Ingredients include: Pineapple, Orange, Lemon and Ginger. We stayed away from the greens. But they should have written ginger in bold because it was liquid fire.
Here's me playing off the intenseness:

When we showed up the owner had stepped out to buy some honey. In the meantime Caviar and I chopped it up with other customers about gout, sea-moss and chomped on a soy chicken empenada. Homey didn't show up till half-hour later, casually strolling in (honey in hand) and finally made our drinks.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Spring Break Trip.

For those of you who don't know, I went as on a really cool spring break vacation. Want more details? Call me.

I have hundreds of pictures, here are a few:

The Classic


Fellow Comrades








a school in Pinar del Rio


I'm so popular with my students.






Pablo Neruda: "Naked you are slender as a naked grain of wheat. Naked you are blue as a night in Q-ba"







Two Shining Stars