I'm in and cooking! Here's some info for anyone out there thinking about joining in!

What one event in this area will have dancing, live music from folks such as Carmine Guida, drummer Casey Bond, and the Pittsburgh band Ishtar, food all day and all night, and access to interesting vendors, all for one low price?

Al-Hafla! All this for $20 if you e-mail by tomorrow, 1/10/09 that you are coming (otherwise, it's $23 if you show up at the door, still a low price)!

This is an event for the Society for Creative Anachronism, but we want to urge area bellydancers who are not in the SCA to attend. The only requirement is that you come in some attempt at pre-17th century garb. Ren faire stuff is fine, as well as Indian salwar kameez outfits or "gypsy"-style outfits (peasant blouses and skirts).

Bring cushions to sit on and bring drums or zills if you have them; bring money, as we have vending:

Farasha and Su'ad (dance goodies)
Maghrebi Imports (dance and decor goodies)
Fruits of the Earth (beautiful jewelry)
Anka Kusu (handmade dance belts and other items)
Charles the Leatherworker
Sands of Thyme (exotic teas and spices)
Rasheika (jewelry and dance goodies)
Elizabeth (handmade sterling silver and gemstone jewelry)

The menu:

Besides the typical dayboard fare of bread, fruit, cheeses, vegetables, and
hardboiled eggs, there will be spinach dip, cucumber and yogurt dip, cheese dips (spicy cheese
and cheese with walnuts), hummus, and torshi (Persian pickles). These items, or at least
some of them, will be on the dayboard all day.

In the morning will also be eggs and lentils; apricot pudding; and Arabic
shortbread.

At around lunchtime, there will be Sicilian chicken baked in bread (pasticcio di
ibn Thumnah, or the Emir of Catania's chicken). This is spiced cooked chicken pureed
with bread crumbs, almonds and pistachios, parsley, capers, egg, and lemon juice; the
mixture is inserted into hollowed-out loaves of semolina bread, baked, and then the loaf
is served cold in slices.

There will also be chickpea stew (chickpeas stewed with parsley
and caramelized onions and spices); and mujaddara (spiced lentils with basmati rice
and caramelized onions). Oh, and baklava.

For dinner, we are having manti ("Turkish ravioli" - beef-filled pasta dumpings
in a yogurt/butter sauce); chicken with lemon, garlic, and herbs; eggplant
all'Usticcese (an eggplant recipe from the Sicilian island of Ustica, essentially fried eggplant
sticks sprinkled with mint, vinegar, and sugar); Persian salad; cauliflower with tahini sauce;
and for dessert, Persian-style rice pudding (and any baklava and shortbread left).

To drink, there will be a variety of teas (chai, mint, and decaffeinated; there
will be hot water so people can brew by the cup); ginger drink; lemon drink; and water.

All this will take place from 10 AM to 10 PM at Silver Lake Nature Center, Bristol, Pa. silverlakenaturecenter.org for directions!

ME ME ME ME!!!

with drum and zills and flute!!!

(and decor if needed....have oriental rugs will travel)

Sean and I will be there. :)

Happy Al hafla eve
(who's stopping by to set up tonight??)