Dimitra Scribbles
Global Travels & Asia Minor
Mediterranean Journeys & Other Adventures
Each day we breathe, we must remember our unlikely fortune. Each of us is a survivor with a purpose.
I'm collecting stories about Asia Minor & former Greek villages in Turkey. Post your contact info & testimony about Asia Minor history & refugees - it's an exciting project. Γράψε μου με την ιστορία σου από τη Μικρά Aσία.
You'll also find here snippets on the arts & media, Mediterranean themes, & favorite places including rosier days in Greece, plus Istanbul, and a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. I blogged from India while on a Columbia Business School social enterprise trip that was a profound experience. We visited Mumbai's Dharavi slum & rural microloan projects. I wrote a story on the India trip, and an award-winning paper.
Read my prosfora bread recipe and get inoculated with a favorite Greek song.
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Thursday, June 29, 2017
Thursday, January 26, 2017
America. Pomegranates
In the spirit of the political climate in our nation, I'd like to report that this pomegranate of unknown USA origin is the best I've had in a long time: no bad seeds, sweet and tart. And the skin has a rich red color. And it was only $2.50.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Greek Documentary Film: Hungry in Athens
Saw two documentaries about the Greek crisis this week: how financial
hardship is fostering food sharing, and how he migrant and refugee
influx forced everyday people to comfort nearly drowned strangers.
This is about the former: "The Struggle Behind the Lens: Interview
with Greek Filmmaker Takis Bardakos:
http://greektv.com/the-struggle-behind-the-lens-interview-with-greek-filmmaker-takis-bardakos/
hardship is fostering food sharing, and how he migrant and refugee
influx forced everyday people to comfort nearly drowned strangers.
This is about the former: "The Struggle Behind the Lens: Interview
with Greek Filmmaker Takis Bardakos:
http://greektv.com/the-struggle-behind-the-lens-interview-with-greek-filmmaker-takis-bardakos/
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Dormition of the Theotokos in New York
The "falling asleep" of the Virgin Mary is commemorated each August 15 on the Greek Orthodox calendar with services and big, secular festivals. Catholics call it the Assumption.
In this New York church, the all-holy Mother of God is depicted on an icon cloth placed in a wooden tomb that is covered in beautful flowers.
In this New York church, the all-holy Mother of God is depicted on an icon cloth placed in a wooden tomb that is covered in beautful flowers.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Orthodox Christian Meeting in Crete & Women?
Greek Orthodox leaders meeting in Crete, Greece. Source: Archdeacon Panteleimon |
It was supposed to be in Istanbul but that was deemed too risky. So far the press releases are formalities and the American priests' Facebook posts reflect how awestruck everyone is.
On day one, today, the big story is that the Russians didn't participate. It's a patriarchal power game, and the BBC reported the Russians have issues with the Ukranian Orthodox and unity efforts.
Photos from the St. Menas Cathedral in the city of Iraklion look inspiring, as were the vistas from an ancient monastery overlooking the
Mediterranean Sea.
Sadly, I have not seen any nuns or females in photos. With greater sadness, I point out the orange juice brand (see photo) that someone decided should be served to make a scantily-clad point. You couldn't serve that today in Iznik, Turkey. That city was formerly called Nicea, and was where another of these famous councils came up with the Nicene Creed used in most Christian churches. We still pray for "one Holy, catholic (true) and apostolic church."
Hopefully we won't be visiting the Orthodox Church's ashes with tour buses in another 1000 years; that's the drill in Iznik now. We all hope for some inspiration from this council.
Photo credit: New Yorker And Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Archdeacon Panteleimon via Facebook, showing the leader of the American Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Demetrios, seated at far left.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Friday, June 10, 2016
How Minority came To Dominate Anatolia
The source here is not known to me, but this article link is a fascinating read, and includes the following:
In a "cultural process known as elite dominance, a minority imposes its culture on the majority. The Turkification of Asia Minor is evident in the fact that genetically, the majority of today's Turks are most closely related to Greeks and Armenians rather than Central Asian Turkic peoples, like the Uzbeks and Kazakhs."
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Love, Authenticy & Predators
Be authentic, open and loving, but remember life is war.
With weak people seeking power and acting as bullies, we sometimes need to seek refuge in the figurative treehouse, just like animals. This reminder came from Athens, Greece, with the video below, which illustrates a scene Dad and I witnessed outside our house. Feathers blew lightly across the snow, betraying violence in the Linden tree.
Author Paulo Cuelho says, "Love does not need to be understood. It needs only to be shown ... The world around you will reward you." And sociologist/inspirational speaker Brene Brown says we should let ourselves be deeply, vulnerably seen and love with our whole hearts, though there is no guarantee."
Sure, indulge your emotions, but be fierce. Consider the movie Life As War, the third film in a trilogy about modern society, with moving Philip Glass music. It depicts our hyper-technological life, and the absence of nature, which adds to unnecessary fear. Ευχαριστώ, Βασίλη μου!
With weak people seeking power and acting as bullies, we sometimes need to seek refuge in the figurative treehouse, just like animals. This reminder came from Athens, Greece, with the video below, which illustrates a scene Dad and I witnessed outside our house. Feathers blew lightly across the snow, betraying violence in the Linden tree.
Author Paulo Cuelho says, "Love does not need to be understood. It needs only to be shown ... The world around you will reward you." And sociologist/inspirational speaker Brene Brown says we should let ourselves be deeply, vulnerably seen and love with our whole hearts, though there is no guarantee."
Sure, indulge your emotions, but be fierce. Consider the movie Life As War, the third film in a trilogy about modern society, with moving Philip Glass music. It depicts our hyper-technological life, and the absence of nature, which adds to unnecessary fear. Ευχαριστώ, Βασίλη μου!
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Lenten Recipes: Bamia & Veggies
Mixed Baked Vegetables
2 c (1 can) diced tomato
2 c (1 can) tomato sauce
4 c small whole fresh okra
1 large eggplant, peeled
6 small red potatoes
4-5 red pearl onions, or onion to taste, chopped
Dry Oregano
Dry Basil
Black pepper
Water
Salt to taste (none if canned tomato has salt)
Method: wash okra and cut off top, place in a bowl and sprinkle with 1
cup white vinegar. Add one cup of water and set aside at least 2
hours.
Peel and slice eggplant into 1-inch cubes, sprinkle with salt, put in
colander to drain bitterness, wait at least half hour, rinse eggplant.
Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes or 1-cm slices.
in a small pot, cover bottom with olive oil and briefly sauté onion,
add dived tomato and a little of tomato sauce and cook about 20
minutes, add sprinkled oregano, pepper, basil. Set aside.
In a baking pan - mom uses Corningware, sprinkle olive oil. Place
mixed vegetables, pour sauce over and sprinkle again with olive oil.
Bake at 375 for approximately 1 hour, but check at 30 minutes. You can
cover with foil, and may need to raise temperature. Lenten/vegetarian!
2 c (1 can) diced tomato
2 c (1 can) tomato sauce
4 c small whole fresh okra
1 large eggplant, peeled
6 small red potatoes
4-5 red pearl onions, or onion to taste, chopped
Dry Oregano
Dry Basil
Black pepper
Water
Salt to taste (none if canned tomato has salt)
Method: wash okra and cut off top, place in a bowl and sprinkle with 1
cup white vinegar. Add one cup of water and set aside at least 2
hours.
Peel and slice eggplant into 1-inch cubes, sprinkle with salt, put in
colander to drain bitterness, wait at least half hour, rinse eggplant.
Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes or 1-cm slices.
in a small pot, cover bottom with olive oil and briefly sauté onion,
add dived tomato and a little of tomato sauce and cook about 20
minutes, add sprinkled oregano, pepper, basil. Set aside.
In a baking pan - mom uses Corningware, sprinkle olive oil. Place
mixed vegetables, pour sauce over and sprinkle again with olive oil.
Bake at 375 for approximately 1 hour, but check at 30 minutes. You can
cover with foil, and may need to raise temperature. Lenten/vegetarian!
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Absolut Bowie: New Yorker 10.15.2001
This was the back cover advertisement for the New Yorker Magazine on October 15, 2001.
It was just a month after the horrible terrorist attack, and the articles included, "Life in the largest Arab-American community, and a letter from China on "the disaster as it appeared in the provinces."
RIP David Bowie, for whom resting peacefully meant being cremated in New Jersey and having ashes spread across Bali.
It was just a month after the horrible terrorist attack, and the articles included, "Life in the largest Arab-American community, and a letter from China on "the disaster as it appeared in the provinces."
RIP David Bowie, for whom resting peacefully meant being cremated in New Jersey and having ashes spread across Bali.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
David Bowie: Change, Influences & Chicago Ties
At Bowie Is, MCA Chicago. By Dimitra DeFotis |
"I feel confident imposing change on myself. It's a lot more fun progressing than looking back. That's why I need to throw curve balls," Bowie said.With yet another album from Bowie, a man of many styles, the Chicago Tribune's longtime music critic writes for the BBC on the surprising
list of U.S. artists who influenced Bowie, who Bowie encouraged or who collaborated with Bowie.
I shot the photo at right at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art at the 2014 Bowie Is retrospective, which was financed there with support from some big Chicago hedge fund managers. Here's the BBC piece:
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160108-space-oddities-david-bowies-hidden-influences
UPDATE: I wrote this post the day Bowie died, not realizing he was on his deathbed. But he had just released his album. The New York Times obituary notes he was 69 and had cancer, Don't we all wish we could go the career retrospective in his honor, planned for March at Carnegie Hall.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Happy New Year Vasilopita
Yours truly got the coin in her own Vasilopita bread - a Greek new year tradition in honor of a holy saint who gave money to the poor disguised in loaves.
This was the last slice of my loaf, a leftover slice, and the coin was so buried not even I could see it - nor could the people at my New Year's Eve dinner party. Και του χρόνου! To the years to come!
This was the last slice of my loaf, a leftover slice, and the coin was so buried not even I could see it - nor could the people at my New Year's Eve dinner party. Και του χρόνου! To the years to come!
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
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