Believe it or not, it has been over a month, but I’m still riding the high from the recent student recital experience I had the privilege of sharing with the audience and my fellow dancers. Raqs Shamadan—oh, how I love thee now, though it wasn’t love at first sight. Like many of us, I once believed the candelabrum belonged solely to wedding celebrations, particularly the Zaffat . The Zaffa is an Egyptian wedding procession, and the most familiar to us is Zaffa al-Arous — the

What was your most memorable candlelit dinner experience ever? Was it a romantic evening with your partner at a haute cuisine restaurant in Paris? Perhaps a homemade gourmet supper in the comfort of your own home? Or maybe wine and charcuterie in a cozy Alpine chalet with a breathtaking mountain view? I’ve had my fair share of candlelit dinners to reminisce about, but the most memorable of them all was when the underground power lines downtown burned out, leaving my building

“A samurai has no goal, only path…”. This specific phrase might not have a direct origin in Bushido - the samurai code of conduct - but rather reflects modern interpretations of samurai ideals. It is pithy nonetheless. “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey”. This sentiment has been expressed in different forms by many thinkers, writers, and philosophers. The concept of living in the moment holds immense appeal, especially in a world that often feels like it's constan