This evening at the Middle East Institute in Dupont Circle the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center had organized an Omani Cultural Night. After registering and eating a couple of dates we walked in. It was pretty much a LONGGGGG line for the food. A room that had handicrafts (embroidered clothes, cane baskets etc), a henna demonstration and some live music. *
Since the food line was incredibly long we went to see the handicrafts and then the henna demonstration. After Sarah introduced herself and told us about henna she started applying henna for volunteers. She grew up in Salalah and came to the US 15 years ago. I got a chance to have henna applied as well. :) She said that she made the henna herself with henna powder, lavender oil, sugar and lemon juice. She doesn't like the commercial ones because of all the harsh oils in them. Also, her way of pronouncing 'henna' bothered Saurabh a lot. She said, "hennnnna".
After the henna we went up to get food. All the kababs were over, but we got the lamb and chicken preparations and rice. Pretty good for a free cultural night!
*Explanatory Note: the first para is in white because I want to represent Oman's flag with the 3 paras. So if you tilt your laptop screen you can read it, or if you highlight it with your mouse..ORRR you could choose to not read it, all up to you :)
*Explanatory Note: the first para is in white because I want to represent Oman's flag with the 3 paras. So if you tilt your laptop screen you can read it, or if you highlight it with your mouse..ORRR you could choose to not read it, all up to you :)
I was just gonna leave a comment about the white and not being able to read it - however, i just scrolled my mouse over it to 'highlight' it and could read it, but your explanation later makes sense :) Also, Omani night - thats freakin awesome that they had an event like that in DC!!!
ReplyDeleteWere you able to get oman tasting schwarmas here???
ReplyDeleteNope! I missed most of the food. It is funny you asked about the shawarmas 'coz that is the only thing I mentioned to S before we went that I would like for them to have.
ReplyDeleteThe food seems quite cliche, nothing REALLY Omani. The event in itself was more lame than not. But, it was good to go. Plus I got to apply mehendi! :)
Hahah, i KNEW something was off about my 'shawarma' spelling!!! And booo about the food being lame. That's the big reason why I would have gone.
ReplyDelete