Morning Coffee with Mrs. Stephanie Liassides

Morning Coffee with     Mrs. Stephanie Liassides

By Hilary Diack

 

 

Tucked away in a quiet enclave just off the Cairo Alexandria Desert Road, the residence of H.E. Sotos Liassides and his charming wife Stephanie offers a serene and relaxing respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Cairo East Magazine spent a very pleasant hour there with Mrs. Liassides, learning about her life in Cairo, her travels and sojourns in many diverse locales, and her favorite pastimes.

CEM: How do you enjoy life in Cairo?

SL: Actually, this is not my first stay here, I completed my master’s degree in Public Administration at the American University in Cairo back in the 1980’s, so although a lot of things have changed, many places are still very familiar. We have been here in this posting since 2011 and expect to be here for another year. Cairo resonates strongly with my love of Mediterranean culture and atmosphere, so I feel quite at home.

What is your favourite place in the city?

That would have to be Khan El Khalili, it is so full of atmosphere and amazing finds. It brings me back to the past, it has so much history. It is even mentioned in some Greek songs, which shows how famous it has become.

Where is your favourite destination in Egypt?

Alexandria. As I love history and the roots of cultures I adore exploring both the city and the wonderful Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It was also the birthplace of my favourite Greek poet, Constantine Cavafy, his home is still there. I love being near the sea, and I sometimes think when I am on the Alexandrian coast that I could almost reach across and touch Cyprus.

Does anything in Egypt remind you of Cyprus?

A lot. The food, the weather, the warmth and hospitality of the people. Mediterranean people have so much in common.

What other postings have you enjoyed?

Really, all of them. Every country offers something different and gives you new experiences. We had our first posting in Damascus in Syria, then went on to Thessaloniki in Greece, both Bonn and Berlin in Germany, Australia and New Zealand, Dublin in Ireland, and now Cairo. Amongst the many paintings by Cypriot artists we have in our residence you will find a piece of Aboriginal artwork we purchased during our stay in Australia.

How would you describe your typical daily schedule?

Of course, I always take my husband’s schedule into account; we have official engagements and host dinners regularly. As I enjoy cooking I love planning menus and often join in the preparation of the dishes as well. I look for ways to incorporate our Cypriot cuisine as an introduction to our country.

Getting more personal, what is your favourite mode of dress?

Honestly, I love jeans. When I was raising my three children life was so hectic that they were the most practical, comfortable article of clothing I could find. For everyday wear now I prefer a simple, classic look, and enjoy European quality and style.

Quick Questions:

Your favourite perfume?

I like Gucci Eau de Parfum 11. It is fresh and summery.

Favorite type of music?

Light classical and opera, I enjoy Andrea Boccelli when I need to relax, as well as Greek pop music.

What was the last film you saw?

I haven’t been to the cinema for ages, but it would definitely have been a comedy. It is my genre of choice, a good way of escaping our daily pressures.

Your favourite technological application?

WhatsApp, It is so practical, and a great low-cost way of keeping track of friends and family.

Your pet peeve?

I don’t think I have one. By nature I am an easy-going and tolerant person. But I do insist that the family eat together at lunchtimes, and will not tolerate unpunctuality.

Best piece of advice you have received?

It was given by the wife of another diplomat. She told me to always be there for my family and place them first, to be the anchor that would keep them grounded and together in spite of the many moves and changes of country we would need to make. This comes naturally to me as our culture is very family oriented, extending to encompass even distant relatives.

What can’t you live without?

Coffee, coffee and more coffee! Nescafé first thing in the morning, then on to American coffee and Greek coffee during the course of the day.

Happiness is….?

To enjoy the simple things in life. This is my slogan and my philosophy.

Your best habit?

That is a difficult question. I like to be well-informed, so I read a lot, although it often seems to be the latest home decorating and cookery magazines, (she says laughing).

And your worst habit?

I have a sweet tooth, and always bake a lot of cakes. It makes it impossible for my family to diet.

Do you have any time for hobbies?

Now that my children are older I enjoy having time for reading, playing bridge and handicrafts as well as baking and cooking. I must admit that I am not particularly sporty!

10 winter skin essentials

10 winter skin essentials

By Lydia Schoonderbeek

I’ve tried and tested a large chunk of what the beauty and skincare industry has to offer and have rounded up our essential edit of the must-have winter skin essentials. From pampering products that really work and treatments targeting skincare for all ages, discover our huge range of carefully selected products this month.

1. THE ANTI-AGEING CREAM: ESTÉE LAUDER Re-Nutrive Ultimate Lift Age Correcting Cream

This multi-talented cream repairs and moisturizes so skin appears younger, more lifted and energized. This unique formula is definitely worth trying if you’re looking for soft and dewy winter skin.

2. THE SERUM: CLARINS Double Serum

When it comes to Clarins’ Double Serum the rule of “less is more” no longer applies. Deliciously fragranced and silky smooth, I recommend this product for all year round perfection.

3. THE HAND CREAM: LA ROCHE-POSAY Cicaplast Hands

Never underestimate the importance of healthy hands. Aside from your face, it’s safe to say that hands are the most exposed part of the body, especially in winter. La Roche-Posay has created a revolutionary hand balm, which forms a glove-like moisture barrier without being greasy or sticky.

4. THE FACE MASK: DIOR

Prestige Le Grand Masque

Give your skin a breather this winter with this luxurious mask for glowing, firmer skin. The results are instantaneous – fine lines are less apparent and skin feels noticeably plumped out and hydrated. It also smells divine!

5. THE HYDRATOR: CRÈME DE LA MER

The Treatment Lotion

Crème de la Mer never fails to produce the perfect balance between timeless products and advanced modern technology. An initially oily texture, the lotion quickly dissolves and your skin is immediately left with a more even tone and softer texture.

6. THE BB CREAM: MAC

Prime BB Beauty Balm

Looking for one product that acts as a foundation, primer, SPF and moisturizer? Prime BB Beauty Balm is a seriously hardworking beauty hero that creates a flawless and even skin tone, and provides such great coverage that you won’t need your regular foundation.

7. THE EYE CREAM: STRIVECTIN

Eye Concentrate for wrinkles

This is a bit of a cult product for reducing dark circles amongst those in the know, and it can be difficult to find. Use it for 8 weeks and you should see a brighter eye contour area with dark shadows reduced.

8. THE BRONZER: RIMMEL Natural Bronzer

Get a warm glow all over with Rimmel’s Natural Bronzer. This gorgeous light and natural-looking bronzer gives an instant brightening effect whenever you want.

9. THE CLEANSER: THE BODY SHOP

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser

To clear away all the SPF and impurities from your pores, you need a deep cleanser that also respects your natural oils. This one – a creamy, dreamy milk that can be smoothed on dry skin – imparts a dose of Vitamin E to protect weather-worn skin.

10. THE YOUTH CREAM: THE BODY SHOP Nutriganics Drops of Youth

This silky serum from The Body Shop may be 99% natural but it’s backed by impressive scientific research. When used in skincare, it protects and repairs, speeding up cell renewal for a more luminous, youthful complexion.

 

Find Serenity at Lazib Inn

By Lydia Schoonderbeek

Being in the fortunate position of working for a magazine, and constantly involved in a flurry of writing, photographing, recipe testing, designing and all. When the chance came for me to review Lazib Inn, Fayoum, I jumped at the chance.

With its shimmering sand flats at low tide and rich archaeological sites, Fayoum is the oldest city in Egypt and one of the oldest cities in Africa. Today with its lakes and sanctuaries, pristine desert, which include fossil remains such as Wadi El-Rayan and the Valley of the Whales, it is unbeknownst to me why this town is still a hidden gem.

If you fancy a change from the honeypot parts of Egypt, here’s a chance to discover the west of Egypt. There is something of a frontier-town atmosphere and faded majesty to Fayoum. Lazib Inn is a good base from which to explore or just get away from bustling Cairo. Owners hotelier Olivier and Nanette Masson have designed and created this lodge with antiques, maritime drawings and luxury linens in 9 luxurious suites.

The property is located on Lake Karun in the village of Tunis, right on the lakefront, so yes, you can actually wake up and look at the serene water. Lazib Inn, which opened in February 2014, is managed by Francois Willemin, and a hit with sophisticated Cairenes and foreigners in search of a quick getaway where one will be pampered in secluded beautiful settings.

The place is still very much a secret. It’s almost a shame to tell you about it, because I love new places when they’re at that ghost-ship stage. With excellent contemporary international cuisine with an Egyptian twist, and attentive and convivial staff, they have managed to create an environment that everyone can enjoy.

How to get there:

Lazib Inn is located in Fayoum 120 KM Southwest of Cairo

Find them online:

Home

http://www.facebook.com/lazibinnhotel

Healthy Recipes for the New Year

By Dalia El Kady

Chicken Avocado Soup

Ingredients

2 Chicken breasts

3 Teaspoons olive oil, divided

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 Cups green onions, finely chopped, divided

1 Teaspoon minced garlic

1 Tomato, diced

3 Cups chicken broth

1/8 Teaspoon cumin

1 Teaspoon salt

2 Avocados, diced

1/2 Cup cilantro, finely chopped

Lemon wedges

Method:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add chicken to the heated skillet and lower temperature to medium, cover pan and grill chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165° F. Shred chicken and cover with foil to keep warm, then set aside.

In a dutch oven or equivalent, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat until hot.

Add the 1 cup chopped green onions and minced garlic to pot; Sauté about 2 minutes.

Add diced tomato; Sauté 1 minute, until soft.

Add chicken broth, cumin, and salt to pot.

Stir well and bring to a boil.

Cover pot and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.

Layering in separate bowls; Fill each bowl with shredded chicken, diced avocado, chopped green onions (from the remaining 1/2 cup), and cilantro.

Next, ladle the chicken broth onto the layered chicken (you can omit Avocado if you want to lose more weight, but having it once in a while is really healthy).

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

8 Chicken breasts

1 Medium onion

1 Teaspoon minced garlic

Juice of 3 lemons

1 Teaspoon vinegar

1 Teaspoon ginger paste(or fresh grated)

1 Teaspoon oregano

1 Teaspoon chicken spice of your choice

2 Teaspoons soya sauce

Salt & pepper

1 Medium tomato

2 Teaspoons olive oil

Method:

Mix all marinade ingredients in the blender and coat the chicken to marinate, then leave for not less than 2 hours.

Grill chicken on the stove a charcoal grill.

Enjoy with a salad.

Egyptian Green Beans with a Twist

Ingredients:

Half a kilo of green beans

1 Medium onion cut in slices

1 Medium tomato

1 Teaspoon minced garlic

1 Teaspoon tomato paste

Salt & pepper

2 Teaspoons olive oil

Method:

Blanch the beans in boiled water, then put in cold water for one min.

Prepare an Egyption tageen,then put the onion, tomato, garlic, and one cup of water and tomato paste along with the olive oil, put in oven on high for 25 mins then add the beans and continue cooking for another one hour, serve with yogurt or basmati rice.

Cannelloni crepe

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour

1 ½ cups of milk

1 egg

1/4 coffee cup of oil

½ tsp of salt

½ tsp of pepper

Directions:

1) Mix all the above ingredients well and make sure the mix is very smooth.

2) Brush a Tefal pan lightly with oil

3) Use the coffee cup to pour your dough mix into the heated pan and try to have a perfect circle

4) Toss and remove it when you see nice light brown patches on the dough

5) Always remember to cover your cannelloni to stop them drying out

Filling:

110 grams of grated Cheddar or Gouda cheese

110 grams of grated Roumy cheese

350 grams of Mozzarella cheese

450 grams of sliced sautéed mushrooms

Mix all the above together

Roll up each cannelloni with the above filling and cover it with the following sauce:

White Sauce and cheese

5 Cups of milk

5 tbsp of flour

50 grams of unsalted butter

Salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

200gm of cooking cream

200 gm of melted blue cheese

Method:

Mix milk and flour in a saucepan and stir until smooth

Place on stove on medium heat and keep stirring until the milk is hot then add your butter

Season with salt and pepper

Lastly add your melted blue cheese and cooking cream

Getting your dish ready:

Put some white sauce as a base in a suitable size Pyrex dish.

Place the cannelloni rolls side by side on this

Finally pour the remaining white sauce on top of the cannelloni

Cook in a pre-heated oven on a high temperature for around 11 minutes  or until the topping is a golden brown

Oriental Sausages

 

Ingredients:

200g of homemade sausage ( or from good supermarket)

20g chopped tomatoes

30g chopped yellow and red pepper

20g pomegranate extract

10g onions ( sliced)

10g garlic ( crushed)

20g vegetable oil

Method:

Brown sausages in a thick bottomed pan in oil, along with onions, garlic and peppers. When nearly cooked through add chopped tomatoes and pomegranate extract and reduce heat. Simmer until the tomatoes are cooked through and the sauce reduces.

Great served with rice or freshly cooked baladi bread.

 

New Year’s Resolutions to Improve your Child’s Relationship with Food

Top Tips from Dietitian Marcus O’Neill

It’s that time of year again where the hope and promise of a new year encourage us to commit to all sorts of changes to improve our health.  This year though, in addition to making some positive changes for yourself, why not also make it a point to consider your child’s health too?

A good place to start is by addressing their relationship with food. Eating habits are formed at a young age and they can significantly impact health later in life. It’s important to ensure that the habits your child forms with food are good ones so they grow up to become healthy eaters.

Here are a few resolutions you can make this year to improve your child’s relationship with food.

Stop using food as a reward

“Wow, you did really well on your test today. Let’s go out for ice cream”.  Most parents have said things like this at one time or another, but in order for your children to develop a healthy relationship with food, you should minimize the use of food as a reward. Not only do food rewards encourage the overconsumption of junk food (because let’s face it, that’s what most food rewards are), but they also teach kids to eat as a reward to themselves even when they’re not hungry. Food rewards also tend to undermine the nutrition education being taught to them at home and school. This doesn’t mean you should never allow your child the occasional treat, but a good game of football or a great report card shouldn’t be used to justify a stop at their favorite fast food restaurant.

 

Teach them how to cook

In today’s fast-paced society, cooking has become somewhat of a lost art. Yet there’s no better way to develop positive connections between your child and the food they eat, by having them learn to prepare their own meals. This may mean you need to re-familiarize yourself with the kitchen too, but don’t be afraid to dust off some of those old recipes and get the kids involved. Depending on their age, they will be able to take on varying levels of responsibility in the kitchen.  Younger children can help you by washing vegetables and measuring ingredients, while older kids may be able to prepare part of the evening’s meal before you get home from work. It may mean that meals will take a little longer to prepare, but the skills they develop along the way will last a lifetime.

Don’t make them clean their plate

I know when my brother and I were kids, we weren’t allowed to leave the table until we had finished eating everything on our plates. I’m sure this house rule came from my parents’ desire not to waste food. While this is understandable, it’s not a good idea to force a child to finish their plate when they’re not hungry. If you encourage kids to rely on environmental indicators, like the time of day or how much food is on their plates, rather than their own internal cues they’ll lose the ability to know whether they’re hungry or full. Instead, start by serving them smaller portions and allow them to eat more if they wish. Children, particularly those that are younger, can have wildly different appetites from day to day. Some days they will eat a lot, others they will have a little appetite at all. This is completely normal. Allow them to listen to their hunger cues. If they’re hungry, they will eat.

 

Bring back the family meal

Kids today are involved in more and more activities.  As a result family dinners are often pushed aside in favor of grabbing something on the go.  This is a shame because not only do meals made at home tend to be healthier but eating around a table is an opportunity to teach your children important lessons about portion sizes and the pace of eating.  In fact, recent research has shown that sharing three or more family mealtimes per week reduces the chances of your child being overweight, consuming unhealthy foods or engaging in disordered eating.

Toss the scale

Very little good can come from regularly weighing your child, particularly when it comes to their eating behavior. The problem with weighing your child is that weight alone is actually a pretty poor indicator of health.  It doesn’t tell you if your kids are eating a nutritious diet or how active they are.  Unfortunately, what weighing your child can do is promote a concept of self-worth that is determined by a number on the scale. If their weight isn’t what they consider to be desirable, body image issues can arise, which in turn can lead to disordered eating. If you do have concerns about your child’s weight, by all means, bring them to the attention of your pediatrician and they will help you address them in a constructive manner.

 Start a garden

Many children have a poor understanding of where the food they eat comes from. As more children grow up in an urban environment, it’s increasingly rare for them to have ever even stepped foot on a farm to see how the food they eat every day is actually produced.  An easy solution to this – start your own garden! I realize that green space in Cairo is at a premium, however, if you have access to land make use of it.  Even if you live in an apartment, it’s easy to plant some vegetables and herbs in pots on your balcony.

Get the kids involved from the beginning.  Have them choose some vegetables they’d like to eat and help them plant the seeds. Make them responsible for watering the plants and ask them to help harvest when they are ready. The smile on your child’s face when they’ve picked their first ripe tomato off the vine will be priceless. Starting a garden won’t mean you’ll never have to buy produce at the market, but it will help to strengthen your child’s connection to food, which makes it worth the effort.

Given today’s food environment, it can be a challenge to get your child to develop a healthy relationship with food, but following these resolutions can go a long way towards avoiding issues that can have a huge impact on their long-term health.  Happy New Year!

GYPSUM GALLERY

A New Take on Local Art

By Francesca Sullivan

In a period building in leafy Zamalek the new Gypsum Gallery offers a fresh perspective on Egypt’s contemporary art scene. Don’t look for a store front; the priority in renting the gallery was to find a space with a great atmosphere in which both artists and viewers can feel comfortable. And so far the gallery has already created something of a buzz, with a sense of anticipation for what’s coming next. It opened in October, kicking off with ‘Spectral Days’, a bold photographic exhibit by Iranian-born artist Setareh Shahbazi, one of a core group of eight artists chosen by curator Aleya Hamza to form the gallery’s main collective.  Other artists represented include Doa Aly, Mahmoud Khaled, Maha Maamoun, Basim Magdy, Mona Marzouk, Tamara Al Samerai and Ala Younis.

Hamza is an international curator who graduated from Goldsmiths College in London with an MA in History of Art in 2001. She has produced projects and exhibitions in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Beirut, Budapest, Bonn, Odense and Rabat, as well as Cairo and Alexandria. She has also worked as a lecturer at the AUC and curator at both the Townhouse Gallery and the Contemporary Image Collective. Her most recent exhibition was held at the Tate Modern in London earlier this year. The Gypsum Gallery is the first space she has wholly managed herself, and it has taken a year to put the project together. Cairo West Magazine went to meet her and find out more…

 

CWM: What was your motivation in opening the Gypsum Gallery?

OH: Talking to different people in the current art scene in Cairo it became apparent to me that there was a gap in the market for a gallery concentrating solely on contemporary art. My aim is to help produce and showcase interesting contemporary art, and maybe also to stretch the definition of what that is in a commercial context.

A lot of artists have a strong practice on the international circuit, but few of them are actually represented by any gallery. I have formed a basis of just eight artists, but we intend over time to invite others to show in the space.

How did you choose which artists to form this core?

It is important for me that each artist’s work is singular, that they stand out individually, but that there is coherence in what they are doing. For me, each of them produces work that reflects on the world around us in a profound way, and perhaps with new, unexpected perspectives that take us outside our comfort zone.

Four of the chosen artists are not Egyptian based, but they are all people I have wanted to work with for years. The main link between them is that they all have a strong conceptual aspect to their work and are very much in control of the visual language they use, in a precise way.

How do you see the current state of the art world in Egypt?

There is a general lack of infrastructure in terms of state support for the arts, art criticism and education. Before this I have worked mostly in the non-profit section of the art scene, which has a very different, viewer-based audience. Art has become somehow fashionable among the upper middle classes, but one of the most important developments in the last fifteen years is that the distinction between what is ‘local’ and what is international is being broken down.

People may wonder about the decision to open a commercial art gallery during a time of economic hardship, but it is important to reach out in international terms. Regionally things are opening up, especially in Beirut and in Dubai – and Cairo is an important part of that constellation. International borders in the art world are less significant now; we have social media and are operating through a wider base.

Who are the customers for contemporary art these days?

There are collectors who buy for institutions, foundations and museums. And then there are private individual collectors who show in their homes, often with varying motivations. The challenge in viewing contemporary art is that the viewer must use more effort to invest in the image. Sometimes a piece will trigger a feeling instantly, and that is great, but often it requires a degree of engagement that is more than just a glance before moving on. That’s why it is even harder for viewers to relate to a time-based medium such as video installation – because it actually requires their time.

My hope is that we can drive a collectors’ culture within Egypt that will help artists be able to continue producing without relying on funding. Indeed, this is part of our role.

What can viewers look forward to at the Gypsum Gallery in the immediate future?

We are currently exhibiting new work by Doa Aly, entitled ‘House of Sleep’. Aly originally trained as a painter at the Academy of Fine Arts, but since 2007 she moved into mainly working with video. This exhibition marks a fascinating return to her originally discipline, while continuing a relationship with the ongoing themes in her work, merging scientific principles from psychology and anatomy with esoteric strands of thought and literature. The work in this exhibition is a reinterpretation of a tragic love story by the poet Ovid.

From January 14th we will be presenting an exhibition by Kuwaiti born artist Tamara Al Samerai, who is based in Beirut. It is made up of drawings and paintings, though over the past decade Al Samerai’s practice has encompassed photography, animation, video and installation as well. Her work is characterized by an air of mystery; a dark playfulness that diffuses melancholy.

Both these exhibits reflect the fact that drawing and painting, albeit presented in new ways, are still totally relevant in contemporary art. This is despite the fact that they have become a loaded medium whose long history so full of references presents particular challenges to the artists.

Not to be missed.

Aleya Hamza is committed to bringing art audiences fresh perspectives as time goes by, and helping to ensure Cairo’s place on the regional as well as international map of contemporary art. Open daily from 12pm to 8pm (closed on Sundays) the Gypsum Gallery has already become an important stop for collectors and for both visiting and resident art lovers.

5a Baghat Ali Street, 3rd Floor, Apartment 12, Zamalek

 

The Open Door by Latifah al-Zayyat

 

The Open Door by Latifah al-Zayyat

Reviewed by Nahla Samaha

The take-off point of the story happens when Layla gets her first period, which to her father is humiliating and shameful enough to bring tears to his eyes. This moment comes to define the rest of her life as her father begins placing tough restrictions on her life and arranges for her to marry her cousin.

The father, a symbol of an older generation unable to come to terms with the social and political changes unfamiliar to it, is also representative of a zombified middle class with no adaptable or innovative vision for the country’s future.

Layla is a symbol of the new generation who was able to develop a different sense of self apart from the one stipulated by her conservative upbringing.

One of the female characters in The Open Door describes her generation’s dilemma by saying, “Our mothers knew their situation, whereas we are lost. We do not know if we are in a harem or not, or whether love is forbidden or allowed. Our parents say it’s forbidden; yet the government-run radio sings day and night about love. Books tell women they are free, and yet if a woman really believes that, a catastrophe will happen and her reputation will be blackened.”

What begins to empower Layla is her participation in anti-British protests,  “She was fused in a whole, pushing her forward, embracing her and protecting her. She shouted anew in a voice different from hers, a voice which unified her being with a collective one.” She soon comes into her own, leaves her betrothed, and falls in love with a fellow revolutionary in Port Said, against the backdrop of the war on the Suez Canal in 1956.

This pioneering work delved into exploring the symbiotic relationship between nationalism and feminism. Al-Zayyat tackled a timeless hot topic that continues to regenerate itself among Arab women.

A few years ago, al-Zayyat said that writing The Open Door today would be “an impossibility”, she said, “roads to salvation are blocked; the common ground of shared values seem to break down into multiple different sets of values according to the varied social strata; the common sensibility and its language is no more; people lacking national unity are divided and subdivided until each is turned into an insular island.”

Although The Open Door tells a story set in a specific time period, it was also ahead of its time in many ways. Layla’s journey is far from an outdated one, her experiences, heart-wrenching disappointments, love, betrayal, and political persona, all come together to create one of the most complex and profound works of contemporary feminist literature.

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