Despite the fact that they hope the grass is greener on the other side, many of them leave children behind while they become illegal citizens with very minimal rights, low pay, and the constant fear that they’d get caught by immigration.

‘Under the Same Moon’ is an independent film that was the official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival & is reported to be the highest sale for a Spanish language film in the history of Sundance with $23 million dollars earning worldwide, although made with a very little budget of 2 million dollars.

The film speaks about the special and strong bond of mother and son. When Mom Rosario leaves to America to build a better future for them, son Carlitos, an adorable 9 year old boy goes on an extraordinary journey to find her. Check out the trailer below.

I was lucky enough to get a few answers from Ligiah Villalobos, writer and executive producer of ‘Under the Same Moon’, who was born and raised in Mexico until the age of 11 when she moved to the US. Here is what she had to say.

[1] The trailer of the movie gave me goose bumps, was it hard working with a child character? 

There are always many challenges when you’re working with a young actor, especially when he has never had the lead in a movie before — like Adrian Alonso.  But Adrian has a natural gift for acting and more importantly, he was ready and willing to do whatever the Director asked of him.  We were very lucky that we found someone that was so talented and such a sweet, sweet boy.

[2] The movie seems to touch an emotional level. What was the most emotional scene that you had to write/shoot in the movie?  

The hardest scene to write was a scene with Carlitos when he is waiting for his father to pick him up at the restaurant.  I don’t want to give away that scene, in case people haven’t seen the movie, but that was definitely the hardest scene to write because it touched on some experiences that I went through with my own father.

[3] Was it hard being a woman producer of such an intense Mother/Child bond story?  

No, not at all.  I think being a woman writer/executive producer was actually a plus with this type of story.  I believe that sometimes really emotional scenes are easier for women to relate to because we tend to be emotional beings, or my more overtly emotional than men.  I am not a mother and the Director/Producer, Patricia Riggen, was not a mother yet when we shot the movie, but I think both of us being women gave and not being afraid to express emotion, gave the movie the emotional resonance it required.

[4] Kate del Castillo, who plays Carlitos’ mother Rosario comes from soap opera background in Mexico. What were the biggest challenges in bringing out her splendid performance in the film?  

Kate del Castillo, first and foremost, is an incredible actress.  But in Mexico there isn’t a huge film industry, so most actors end up spending most of their careers in television, and specifically in soap operas.  So it’s not like lesser actresses end up in TV vs. Film.  It is more about the opportunities and jobs that are available to actors in general, in Mexico.   And most of those jobs happen to be in TV novelas (soap operas).  I will say, I did have some reservations about Kate as the mother because she is considered a “bombshell” in Mexico — so beautiful, and single (not a mother yet), etc.  – so different from who she is in real life, but Patricia showed me a movie she had done in Bolivia called, “American Visa” and as soon as I saw her in that film, I knew she was the perfect person for the role.  She WAS Rosario (the character she plays in our film).  I’m so happy she agreed to do the film because I can’t imagine anybody else in the role now.  We were lucky to have her.

** Interview End **

Under the Same Moon will be showing in Jordan as per the schedule below:

Sunday, April 14
10:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)
Screening and Case Study with screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos
The Royal Film Commission, Amman

Monday, April 15
11:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)
Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film
SAE, Amman

7:30pm: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Public)
Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film
Rainbow Theater, Amman

Tuesday, April 16
11:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)
Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film
American University of Madaba, Madaba

Wednesday, April 17

3:00pm: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)
Screening and Case Study with screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos
Princess Basma Youth Center, Sahab

Share and Enjoy

FILM FORWARD have partnered us with the US Embassy in Jordan and the Royal Film Commission (RFC) for the first time in Jordan. The partnership brings together a week full of film screenings and a program full of discussions and unique workshops that will take place in Amman, Madaba, Karak, Salt, Zarqa, and surrounding cities.

The US Embassy were kind enough to put me in touch with Ms. Bethany Clarke, the Film Forward Manager at Sundance Institute, and we got the chance to take on the phone earlier this afternoon about the upcoming Film Forward initiative in Jordan. Here’s what she had to say.

It’s the first film forward in Jordan. Many people including myself look forward to having you here. What are you looking forward to the most?

The Team is really looking forward to sharing the independent films with Jordanians audiences and connecting directly with them. I know that the film makers are looking forward to connecting directly with Jordanian audiences. One of the unique things about Film Forward is that we travel with the film makers, in hopes that the audiences would have a fuller experience, to share and experiment the different cultures, and different ideas, and to interact with the people that made the film.

“The light in her eyes” speaks volumes about women empowerment, despite cultural norms. What would you like to tell young female Jordanian film makers? Any advice for them?

Well, I’m a film maker and well it’s about telling your own stories. I think that sometimes young film-makers can be distracted by other people stories, and sometimes they just wanna make it into the next big movie, but telling their own story even if it seems simple or not very interesting to you, to other people it will be incredibly interesting and very unique, because only you have your own perspective.

Directors of ‘The light in her eyes’ and producer and writer of ‘under the same moon’ will be part of the program and workshops around the country. How do you think the dialogue between film makers and the audience will engage a positive cultural dialogue?

What we hope to accomplish is to have audiences see the similarities between those films and the people in other cultures that are featured. We also, hope that people will appreciate the differences, because not everyone in the world is exactly the same, and I think that we can share those similarities and appreciate those differences.

Out of the four films that will be showcased in Jordan, which films do you think will leave the most impact on the Jordanian audience, and why?

WOW! That’s a really difficult question! I don’t know how to answer that, I think they are all very unique. We have Beasts of Southern Wild, a narrative film, and that’s definitely going to be very different. We also have Town of Runners which is about African Americans, a story of family and abandonment, and ‘Light in her Eyes’ a documentary about Syria! The audiences will have to answer that question for me!

We look forward to seeing you between the 13th and 18th of this month. Is there anything else you want the Readers of my blog to know?

We look forward to meeting people in Jordan, and we really hope that everyone will be watching the screenings or staying for Q&A’s, and discussions afterwards. We really look forward to a cross-cultural dialogue. We want to hear from the people!

* End of Interview *

It’s worth mentioning that Film Forward is coming to Jordan with the support of collaborators, including the US Embassy in Jordan that takes pride in the dynamic relationship with Jordan and believes in reaching out to people via Music, Film, Performing Arts and Visual Arts. The Embassy supports the diverse range of cultural programs and encourages cultural dialogue which is what Film Forward is all about. The program is also supported from the Royal Film Commission.

Below is the Schedule of Events as hosted on Film Forwards website. Stay tuned to Sleepless in Amman for upcoming posts about two of the movies that I look forward to the most.

Schedule of Events

All events are free.

Sunday, April 14

10:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)

Screening and Case Study with screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos

The Royal Film Commission

12:30pm: The Light In Her Eyes (Private)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

American Corner of the University of Jordan

7:30pm: Beasts of Southern Wild (Public)

Discussion with Anne Lai, Creative Producing Initiatives Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute following the film

Rainbow Theater

Monday, April 15

11:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)

Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

SAE

3:30pm: The Light In Her Eyes (Private)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

Musa Al-Saket Center in Salt

7:30pm: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Public)

Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

Rainbow Theater

Tuesday, April 16

11:00am: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)

Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

American University of Madaba

11:00am: The Light In Her Eyes (Private)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

UNRWA School

4:00pm: Workshop for NGOs/Filmmakers on fundraising for films (Private)

The Royal Film Commission

7:30pm: Town of Runners (Public)

Discussion with FILM FORWARD and Sundance Institute staff following the film

Rainbow Theater

Wednesday, April 17

12:30pm: The Light In Her Eyes (Private)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

American Corner of Hashemite University

3:00pm: Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (Private)

Screening and Case Study with screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos

Princess Basma Youth Center in Sahab 

7:30pm: The Light In Her Eyes (Public)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

Rainbow Theater

Thursday, April 18

11:00am: The Light In Her Eyes (Private)

Director Laura Nix will be in attendance for Q&A following the film

Al-Hassan Cultural Center, Karak

2:00pm: Work-in-progress feedback session with FILM FORWARD filmmakers and staff (Private)

Al-Hassan Cultural Center, Karak

4:00pm: Graduation ceremony and screening of the films produced by the participants in the Embassy’s funded film program (Private)

Al-Hassan Cultural Center, Karak

Share and Enjoy

Left to Right: Lara Abdulhadi (Sleepless in Amman), Ms. Lorraine Hariton Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs, and Mr. Khaled El Ahmad

How do you think ICT and entrepreneurship is going to make a difference in Jordan? Some people used to say schools don’t need computers they need to fixed! HM King Abdullah answered them saying ‘ by giving them tools, we are giving people better chances to a better life’. What do you think?

LH: I think the ICT has many opportunities to actually help improve people’s lives, even in ways that we don’t even understand yet. It amazes me to see some of the innovations of how we can apply that to make people’s life better. So if you look for example at Medical Care, to use technology to improve not just medical records but also diagnosis of diseases, or being able to research to give better care, and to have doctors to speak all over the world and compare information, it all comes together to making a better experience for the patient. Another example could be energy, to be able to link scientists and researchers together and to link ideas and the results of these researchers to everyone in the world, we don’t even understand the impact of these opportunities, they are beyond us, and we probably can’t even grasp the potential and future of where such technology is taking us.

We are embracing any kind of technology that can help people, no matter where it comes from and, much of it is being done here. There are is a lot of research that is being done in Jordan on new technologies to be applied to energy such as water saving. We are hoping to do more and to focus on this area for the next few years, to find the kind of technologies out there that we can adapt here in Jordan to improve water saving, for the agriculture field in particular.

The needs of Jordan can be overwhelming, how can you identify the fields that are the most in need and need attention?

LH: We don’t work in every area that needs a need, because there are a lot of people out there who are already doing a lot. What we do is that we work closely with the government to say ‘What do we have in advantages as a western Government that can impact a change?’ and then we look at these areas, look at what other donors are doing, and see where we can have the best place to do an intervention. Our first focus is education, second after that comes water – whether it’s looking at water-saving agriculture, or working with the government to have better treatment plants and water systems. Recently we awarded 20 Million to look at water systems for schools across the country and for homes, so people have water security here. We are continuing to look carefully water. We are also looking at economic growth potential, and ways to improve tourism in particular.

In regards to education, we are working with the higher population council to study the demographics of the country to see what the needs are going to be in the future. Because too often we look at what the problems are now, and as a result we don’t see the problems that might be emerging or coming up. Jordan and the world as a whole should see where is the population growth, where is it growing, and where is it going to be, because we need to know where the schools  need to be, and where the hospitals and water delivery need to be. If you know in one region in the country the population will be growing, and there aren’t any plans to that area, were going to have a problem. So we need to anticipate things now, and to have them ready for when that happens. So working with the higher population council is brilliant. ICT also applies in this area because you’re looking at ICT trends and were using the statistical models to figure out where you need to be able to plan as a government where these services are going to be needed the most.

What are the parameters you are using to feel satisfied about your accomplishment in a certain area? Are you satisfied with your work with water and education?

LH: There are a lot of different measurements that we use. This is an incredible question, because we’re actually talking about this right now in the office, of how we do a better job at measuring and what measurements are we actually looking for. So for the time being I’m very satisfied actually, and it’s not just a USAID doing the program, it’s us in collaboration with the government and the people. It is everyone working together to get those results. So for example: the fact that 98% of the people in this country can turn the faucet and have clean water coming out is phenomenal. USAID has been working with the government for over 50 years and counting to make such accomplishments happen. It’s a partnership! I’ve been working in development for 25 years and that number is simply amazing. Literacy is also phenomenal – so I think those can speak for themselves. We are also looking at the softer numbers in terms of people’s feelings. I mean how people feel about the quality of their life. You can measure lots of things, but if people are not happy with where they are going, if they don’t feel that they are part of their country or the world, then were concerned about them too, because we like to feel that we are a productive part of this society. It’s hard to measure but it’s equally important.

We noticed a shift in the way you advertise, for the first time we stating hearing and seeing ads on buses and in the paper ‘USAID From the American People’ – and we’ve noticed that the message has been stressed a lot lately in advertisements. What made you choose to enforce the new slogan and make it more vivid?

LH: First of all, the foreign aid program is about a people connection. Not only do we want the people of Jordan to know that, we also want the people in the United States to feel a sense of ownership for it also, because it is their money. So what we’re trying to emphasize more and more is that ‘people to people connection’ and we can see more of that coming over the next few years. We are trying to let the American people know what their assistance gets them because there is frustration in the United States because people say we send money but they want to know that it has meaning and made a difference somewhere. If they are going to pay harder tax money to provide assistance, they want to know and be ensured that it was meaningful, so that’s what it’s about.

Share and Enjoy

“Computing is not about computers anymore – It is about living”. So anything that we need to discuss today is about technology and how its changing about us. Here are the 9 remarkable things from Fadi Ghandour’s Special Address worth remembering!

(C) Fadi Ghandour – Photo by Ala’a Tarawneh

#1: The issue of connectivity, the issue of broadband today and the future has to be a human right. Because everything has to be digital, and the people who are not connected, are having a human right issue.

#2: As we discuss being digital and look at education in the Arab world in Jordan and everywhere else, and entrepreneurship, I’d like to tell you that Joichi Ito named director of MIT Media Lab was a bartender who doesnt have a degree. When he came to the Arab World he didn’t get the chance, and yet MIT gave him the opportunity and there he is successful as ever.

#3 – When it comes to Business and commerce, it is all online, if it’s not totally today, it is the future. So you need to understand that, remember it, because there are 100 million Arab internet users today. Everything is going digital, so remember that when building businesses.

#4 – Commerce is also social, so remember that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are already addressing that. So how do we become social businesses? E-Commerce is important in terms of instant feedback, addressing the needs of the client, everything is, and will be social.

#5 The future of work is something to think about when talking digital today. In 2009 Time Magazine wrote a whole feature about the subject. Who knows what jobs will be born a decade from now? It won’t look the same, no one will pay just for showing up. It will be run by a generation with new VALUES, and women will increasingly be at the controls.

#6: Social structure in the digital age is different, the feedback of the employees is no longer valued. Sitting with the person that you work for is no longer valued. It is he who is evaluating you, and every organizational structure needs to think abhout. Companies are learning institutions, the education is a must. Not having a learning institution in your companies in the digital age is vital! It’s not the future, it’s here, it’s not how you deal with it, it’s grasping it 24 hours a day, every single second of the day.

#7: Watch out for micro, small, and medium size companies. The internet broadband connectivity, cloud, open source, is so empowering that these people will eat your lunch and be part of your market share! So keep an eye out.

#9 Non-state actors (YOU) are as important as the government today! We need to think about the empowerment of the individuality  We learn locally, not only globally. What happens in Kenya for example, in terms of crowd sourcing that citizens are facing, tells you how much it is irrelevant to censor the crowds, because the tools are so powerful that you waste your time as a government censoring what is not part of today’s world! But Yesterday’s world!

and finally…

#10 – Information and knowledge fatigue and overload. It is of supreme importance to us today! It’s been said that many managers are suffering of health from a direct result of information overload.

• 66% actually admitted suffering from the information overload!
• 43% say that important business decisions are delayed as a result of having too much information.

As we think about the future, as we think about today, and address technology from a computing perspective, what does the digital age do for us? Think about that!

Share and Enjoy

Just before we started firing a list of questions, I loved how humble Ambassador Jones was giving credit to his Social Media team. ‘Have you seen thanks to Haytham and Fares’s leadership that our Facebook page has now surpassed 90,000 Fans?’ That was the first thing we heard today. ‘When we came here over a year ago, Fares and I agreed that we needed to set a goal of over 100,000 likes on Facebook – we’re almost there! We’re very excited about this’ He said.

Of-course the first question (seeing as Khaled had all them Questions lined up today) was – How come you’re not on Twitter? You have to give it to Khaled’s SM skills to stalk people…

The minute you go on Twitter, you have to stay on it, said Ambassador Jones. ‘I’ve been reluctant’ he continued ‘I wasn’t sure there was a demand for my tweeting.’

The upcoming milestone is the 100,000 fans on Facebook, and maybe then the whole Twitter thing would be revisited and decided upon. ‘Im an old fashioned guy, and not everybody wants to hear what I think all the time”. Humility is such a great trait, but trust me Your Excellency, many people look forward to you joining Twitter soon.

So down to business – What are your major initiatives for the ICT sector in Jordan?

The American Embassy is proud of their role in supporting ICT in Jordan. The MENAICT Forum today was sponsored by the USAID, the first day was a tremendous success. The Embassy works closely not only with Intaj, but with all chambers, to promote trade in Jordan. ‘We’ve identified ICT in our USAID and in our mission goals as an area where we think there’s tremendous potential’ Said Jones. ‘We’ve seen the growth here, we’ve seen the vision of the people (like the one’s from the panel earlier this morning) and we like working with them, and will continue to do that!’

Last October, a trade delegation of 15 health technology firms to Silicon Valley as part of a US funded program – where deals were made. The Silicon Valley incubators ‘Plug and Play’ met these Jordanians, and were so impressed that they plan to open an operation in Jordan.

Stay tuned for updates  

• U.S. Embassy – Jordan on Facebook www.facebook.com/jordan.usembassy 
• U.S. Embassy – Jordan on Twitter @USEmbassyJordan 

Share and Enjoy

Data is growing on daily basis, with all things connected, the transfer of data has become essential in our daily lives. A statistic states that 800% in the next five years is the size of data growth rate, and 90% of that data is actually two years old.

Watson can be used amazingly in the Health Care industry. Research shows that only 20% of knowledge phyicians use to make a diagnosis is evidence based! Creepy huh? And so, one in five diagnoses are either incorrect, incomplete, or could be leading to fatal results.

We are seeing the third wave of technology on the way for a smarter planet, and Watson is almost the answer that IBM is hoping would make a difference. When Watson first started, it was the size of the room. Today it’s the size of the fridge, and before you know, it will probably be the size of a tablet.

So how does Watson work? Here is an example from their website: ”

“A physician can use Watson to assist in diagnosing and treating patients. First the physician might pose a query to the system, describing symptoms and other related factors. Watson begins by parsing the input to identify the key pieces of information. The system supports medical terminology by design, extending Watson’s natural language processing capabilities.
Watson then mines the patient data to find relevant facts about family history, current medications and other existing conditions. It combines this information with current findings from tests and instruments and then examines all available data sources to form hypotheses and test them. Watson can incorporate treatment guidelines, electronic medical record data, doctor’s and nurse’s notes, research, clinical studies, journal articles, and patient information into the data available for analysis.

Watson will then provide a list of potential diagnoses along with a score that indicates the level of confidence for each hypothesis.” 

The Watson team focused on three key capabilities: Natural language processing, Hypothesis generation & Evidence-based learning. It can be used beyond healthcare, possibly in education and call centers, and it could be making a big difference across the world very soon.

Mr. Bashar Kilani Territory Manager @IBM Middle East closed off by saying “We are trying to invite the computer Watson to the MiddleEast” – I really hope so – Would love to see the capabailities in the Arab World!

Share and Enjoy

This years theme is ‘Arab ICT Spring: Realizing the potential’ which will feature the MENAICT Expo, Investing in ICT, business matching sessions, the Arab Golden Chip awards, and many networking opportunities all over. Ever since MENAICT started – the regions premier ICT Event, we are here today with some of the brightest minds in the region and the world!

The welcome session started with a few words from Mr. Mohammad Tahboub, chairman of Intaj ICT! ‘We have a common Arab ICT vision’ he said ‘In Jordan we foresee an ICT Transformation, driven by new ICT trends that will reflect on all economic aspects.

The welcome speech was followed by another speech by Dr. Hatem Halawani – Minister of Industry and Trade and Ministier of ICT.

Some of the most interesting stats and numbers shared include:

• The MENAICT spending in 2013 is forecast to reach $100 Million Dollars
• Recent studies on emerging and developing economies has found that every 10% increase of internet penetration cause 1-2% decrease in GDP
• More than 450 companies, with revenues of 2.5 million dollars in the ICT sector
• Jordan launching ICT strategy to plan from 2013 to 2015 menaict over 450 tech companies
• $450 million growth rate is the target of the new National ICT Strategy
• The worlds population is projected to be 10 Billion people by 2050! Tripling in 100 years! Catherine Rogers
• 70% of the worlds population could live in cities by 2050 – putting incredible pressures on the already strained infrasastructure
• It took the internet 4 yrs to reach the world! It took social networks a few years to take over our lives!
• 90% of user devices are within arms-reach all the time
• YouTube is the worlds second largest search engine
• In the MENA region there are 100 million Google searches, and 100 millio YouTube Views

 Stay tuned to @larahadi @MENAICT for live Tweets from the event – Blogposts will be compiled shortly after  

Share and Enjoy

Seeing as it was snowing, and at least -3 degrees outside – I was a bit skeptical on whether we’d enjoy it or not, but as it seems Volendam, Marken, and the windmill village of Zaanse Schans was beyond my expectations.

Our first stop of the day was Marken, a visit to a traditional clog maker who should us the A-Z of making clogs! I still remember the gentlemen’s name who had quite a sense of humor if you ask me! His name was Bart. I remember when he first introduced himself my first reaction was to go like ‘SIMPSON?’ Inside joke, but I hope it at least put a smile on your face. Learning that Dutch people still wear clogs as an interesting idea! The wooden shoe is slip and water resistant because of the kind of wood they use, which is no surprise that some farmers still wear them – apart of course from traditional folklore and festivities. The amazing part of this demonstration is that within minutes a piece of wood is transformed into a show. Just give it two weeks to try, and you’re ready to sharpen the edges, and start coloring as you see fit.

The highlight of my day however was a visit to the Volendam Cheese Factory, hence the title of this blogpost. Believe it or not, I have a thing for cheese, any kind of cheese, unless it’s blue cheese or has cumin in it. The cheese factory sits on a 400 m square area, which tells the story of how cheese has been made across the Netherlands since the beginning of time, till now. Whether it’s the taste or the smell, you can’t have enough cheese in this place. I can easily say, I’ve bought a few cheese blocks and I can’t wait to get back to Amman to enjoy them over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You know the golden rule, Joey doesn’t share food, and neither do I!

Just think of how much can be made with this cheese, Lasagna, Tortellini, Spaghetti, Ravioli, Cannelloni, Fettuccine, Margarita Pizza, Calzone, offfft! The list of endless!

The last stop of this beyond cold day was the Zaanse Schans Wind Mills. The museum holds a scale of windmills that date back to the 17 century, some are still operated till this day by volunteers. The museum pretty much holds everything in that era from paintings, tools, and the actual mills. If you walk straight away from the museum for about 10 minutes, you can actually walk into a windmill that’s actually operating till this day. The sense of spices is overwhelming, and quite enjoyable.

Oh well, seeing as I’ll be back in Amman soon, I’ll have to go to sleep! I knew I would regret that afternoon nap as soon as I woke up three hours later!

For more pictures follow me on Instagram http://instagram.com/larahadi

Share and Enjoy

So we arrived to the Netherlands yesterday after what seemed like forever! Note to self, flying at 3:00 a.m isn’t as much fun, you don’t get to enjoy the day by landing early, and you ruin it by sleeping out! Anyhow, here I am doing it again, leaving myself mental notes to a blog post I know I won’t be reading again, because I can’t even proof read my own writings.

So, welcome to Amsterdam, a country where prostitution is legal, infamous for its toleration of drug abuse, and guess what, I’ve had a dozen people telling me it’s one of Europe’s most beautiful countries, you just need to know that you’re about to land in a country full of life, history, and a story to unfold by walking through its streets. Little did I know that there’s so much truth to that.

Amsterdam’s rich heritage and culture is a spirit seen all over in town. I personally have fallen in love with the architecture in this city. The buildings seem to have stood the test of time, and are absolutely divine to walk through. One of the wealthiest ports in the world since the 16^th century, Amsterdam is a place to visit, enjoy, explore, and admire. The efficiency of this country is beyond words can describe, it’s so compact that 500 people live per square KM, and there is no time wasted traveling from point A to B! Trams are on and off between stops, and you can miss a ride by being a few seconds behind. Like the famous saying ‘All roads lead to Rome’, if lost, all trams lead to Central Station. It took a bit to get to understand the transport system here, but with the help of GPS, Google, and well barely any thanks to the smartphones that consume lots of battery, we seemed to be just about fine.

The first stop ever believe it or not was the Zoo! Artis Royal Zoo, that has been in Amsterdam since 1838 has African Penguins. Call me lame or childish, but that was enough to make the zoo my first stop in the city. The Zoo has a tropical fish Aquarium underground which has magical colors, and the walk around the zoo in the -1 degree temperature was worthwhile, especially with a silly duck totting behind in my shadow the whole time.

For more pictures follow me on Instagram http://instagram.com/larahadi

Next stop of the day was all the way to Dam Square, and a visit to Madame Tussauds! An interesting and very realistic experience within a vast array of wax figures, although I’ve been told nothing beats the one in London. (I left a note to visit that once there). My Facebook friends already got a laugh with my ‘Strangle Biber’ pause. Hollywood Duo Brad and Angelina are well, Brad is kinda ugly, but at least Angie had Oz mesmerized with all her tattoos, before taking off the rest of the tour with world presidents, more celebrities, and of course historical characters. Did I mention I had Picasso paint me, and a quick pic with the Mona Lisa? It was a good one hour laugh if you ask me!

The rest of the day was left lazing around Dam Square – where I finally caught batman. Just in case you’re wondering where he had disappeared after ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ it’s safe to say he’s cruising around Dam Square in Amsterdam taking pictures with tourists.

I guess the best part of the day was a Canal Cruise around the city. Amsterdam is definitely candy to one’s eye! A pirates treasure if one may say, and you can’t enjoy the city without a Canal cruise all over, admiring the beautiful houses, classic and contemporary architecture! As it seems, we’re in luck… 2013 is Amsterdam’s 400 year celebration of their Canal Ring, also known as The Grachtengordel, which was constructed during the Dutch Golden Age, and still stands as an open air museum for tourists to go through and enjoy some of nature’s most breath taking views.

Enough for now, sleepless or not, I won’t be getting any sleep typing away here!

G’Night World!

Share and Enjoy

So yesterday, my husband Oz and I headed to Umami at 6:00 p.m. We were greeted by a very friendly host who let us have our choice of table before being presented with the menu, which had a new addition, 9 pages worth of Sushi love.

First Impressions

I usually write a ‘First Impressions’ section before writing a review, but because it was my third or fourth time at Umami, it was hard to take any mental notes. But overall, you can’t help but admire the attention to detail. The lighting is low and perfectly tuned, not to dark that you can’t see the food or the menu, not too florescent like most restaurants that it’s harmful to your eyes. The general ambiance and décor is well maintained as well.

Before the Bites

Since Oz doesn’t do Sushi at all, he settled for a Teppanyaki dinner instead. We placed our orders at 6:30, and enjoyed a small talk while it was being prepared. While my sushi took 15 minutes to be served, the Teppanyaki was served at 7:00. I felt it was a bit too long to wait for half an hour, but my husband didn’t seem to find, so I figured, it was worth the wait after all.

Bites and Nibbles

Shizoko Teppanyaki

The Shizoko Teppanyaki is composed of Angus Beef and Shrimp, cooked with black pepper sauce, and ginger sauce, served on a side of mixed veggies (Mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, zucchini, and onions). Of course with fried rice and a side dipping sauce! The dish was well presented, and apparently equally mouth-watering and delicious. I remember Oz saying “People who don’t eat Beef would fall in love with this dish, it’s so good”. So it’s settled, I trust his judgement, and I hope you would too.

As for me, my sushi experience was quite a feast. Here’s what I ordered with my list of thoughts.

Sashimi Salad

For the Salad, I chose the Sashimi Salad, and needless to say it was quite an experience. I thought I’d be presented with one that tastes just about the ones I’ve tasted all over town, but this one was pretty zesty! Yep, a delicious taste of lemon bursts into your mouth as you bite into this salad. By the way, I added sodium free Soy Sauce when I was half way through to experiment a different taste, and it was just perfect. The mix of lemon dressing with Soy Sauce brings out the taste of the sashimi beautifully.

Alaskan Salmon Platter

Alaskan Salmon Platter

If you are a salmon lover like me, a must have at Umami is the “Alaskan Salmon Platter”. The 12 piece platter comes with 3 slices of Salmon Sashimi, 3 Salmon Sushi (on a bed of rice), 3 Salmon Maki’s, and 3 spicy Salmon. The Sashimi is to die for, and the sushi rolls are just perfect. Sometimes because they are served with quite a chunk of rice, some restaurants over-do the vingar which gives the rice a weird after taste, Umami didn’t, it was done quite right. The Maki’s were ok, but I personally couldn’t stand the Japanese Mayo for some reason, so I simply scrapped it off. Tasted quite divine without it.

Avocado and Salmon Maki (Top Right), Avocado Maki (Top Left).
Smoked Salmon Maki (4 pieces Far Right), Volcano (3rd Row Left), and
Tempura Fried California Roll (Bottom 3 with glazed teryaki sauce)

The ‘Avocado Maki’ is made of freshly sliced Avocado, rolled in Noriand Japanese Rice, and so is the ‘Avocado and Salmon Maki’ but of-course with the addition of Salmon. Both rolls were quite delightful, light, and tasty.

Smoked Salmon Maki

Salmon Maki Close Up

I’m not quite sure if I’ve ever had a ‘Smoked Salmon Maki’ before or not, and hence I ordered this Umami Specialty Maki roll. Smoked Salmon, with Japanese Mayo, rolled in Crunchy Sesame Seeds, was different, but the good kind of different. I was expecting very strong flavored salmon, and I was afraid it would put me off the rest of the food, but it didn’t, it was a unique taste that you’ve probably never had before.

Volcano Roll Close Up

The “Volcano” is also an Umami Specialty Maki Roll, made of spicy tuna, ebiko, and served with crunch and sweet soy! I loved it! I personally like any tuna roll to be spicy when ordering Sushi anywhere, so this was just a perfect addition to my dinner feast.

Tempura Fried California Roll Close Up

… and saving the best for last, my favorite roll was the “Tempura Fried California Roll”. I’ve had deep fried Sushi on so many occasions but never as good as this. Crab, Avocado, and Japanese Mayo, deep fried in a Tempura Batter. The deep fried part takes the healthy out of the Sushi equation, and so I decided to steer clear of dessert, because this roll was to die for.

What better way to end such an amazing meal other than Green Tea. The sand tea timer indicated 3 mins for light tea, 4 mins for medium, and 5 mins for Strong. The Tchaba Tea was sensational, best enjoyed sugar free, the flavor is unique and bittersweet with a distinct aroma to delight the soul.

Green Tea

I think this review says it all, a unique experience, great food, amazing ambiance, and the presentation and attention to detail makes this Sushi journey one of a kind, one that I would recommend over and over.

Thanks Team Umami, it was superb!

Share and Enjoy