relaxing at fore deck while we were crossing the Straits of Messina, Sicily.
Oh its meme time…and my friend Thess made it clear I must do this, or else she won’t send me chocolates and wont let me kiss her baby Charlie the pug.
that was over a week ago when we were in Italy and was cruising back to Antibes, France. But work has caught up with me.

The face behind this blog?

Shalimar is my birth name but when I went to a Catholic school for my kindergarten I found out I have another name. Shalimar Leonora, after my paternal grandmother.
As you see the Catholic priest refused to baptize a very catholic girl like me for having a foreign Moslem name.

I grew up in a small town of Naga, Cebu, Philippines. Where I spent my childhood, making tree houses, riding bikes and having scratches , wounds for trying stunts , climbing roofs and throwing rotten fruits to passing people and standing on stools learning how to cook at an early age.

By then at early age I have already been travelling around Philippines, visiting relatives and families in Samar , Leyte, Manila and Surigao. I think on my own little world I was well travelled by then.

The difficult period of Philippine politics sent us packing as political refugees to Greece. I was 14 when we settled to Athens, the city I call now home, if am not on my cabin and calls the port “home”

The face behind this blog?….

Perhaps the best line to describe my curiosity on food came from our chef who once said:


Venice, Grand Canal by Rialto… having a go with gelato…melone flavour!!

Why is it Shalimar that every time we are on a different port you must go out and have ice cream?
Well I told him I need to try every flavour of Italian gelato and surely each country have different kind of ice cream right?

This blog has been born out of my passion for food and travel. I do have memorable moments of my travels I want to share with you.

I once joined a trekking trip, up in the remote mountains of Central Greece in Agrafa. I went ahead of the group once and after reaching the village square I went to a cafe to get some drinks. When I say cafe up in the villages, they are mostly for men who hang around to drink, play backgammon and cards. You dont see women, but I went in ordered a drink in Greek had a quick look what card game the men were playing.
The cafe went quite, first they had a shock an Asian walking inside a cafe let alone speaking Greek.
Then I broke the cardinal rule of Greek chauvinistic society by checking what game they were playing.
Well the men were arguing whether I must go or not. One said let her say she is my gouri, a lucky charm. Once they have finished playing they asked me I understood the game, I said yes I know how to play it. That somehow broke the ice……and questions flowed in where I come from and where I learned to speak Greek.

See, some people I know said I have this aura that connects me to people from all walks of life.
Well lets see what my close friends say on this part…

As for food, my ex would tell everyone that Shalimar memory on every trip she does is all about food!!!! Perhaps that sums up about me then.
Other than food and photography, I love books… cookbooks to whet my appetite, travel books for my next adventures.

And by the way, its summer and peaches are abound. I love them except I must skin the peaches I could not stand the skin, it makes me think of caterpillar’s hairs.

Now the face….


a very stressed stewardess doing her morning shopping in venice at Mercato Rialto, taking a short caffeine fix!


with the crew I work and live with at St Marks, Venice… ok am very short!!


enjoying beer… crotone, italy.


on my birthday…..with T

Whats this meme is all about?
Is to post a short blog article that includes a photograph (or a series of photos) showing the face behind your blog. If you already show a photo somewhere on your site (such as in your about page), then make your post more interesting and choose a photo that’s not currently online.

2nd step

Include links to other people that have displayed a photo, or include their photos in your post, adding a reference. Here are the others who have participated so far:

David Airey :: Graphic DesignGayla at Mom GadgetChar at Essential Keystrokes Paul at Reflections Rob at 2DolphinsZep at The In-SectIngo at StixsterStevie at Lost In CyberspaceThe Paper Bull at (oddly enough) The Paper BullLisa Sabin-Wilson at Just A Girl In The World
Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.comWendy Piersall at eMoms at Home Dennis Bjørn Petersen at The Beta News Randa Clay at Randa Clay Design DrewMcLellan at The Marketing Minute Becky McCray at Small Biz Survival Phil Gerbyshak at Make it Great! Steve Woodruff at StickyFigure Dave Olson at Live the GREAT life that you desire Greg at Become a Remote Control SEO
Ariane Benefit at Neat Living Blog Genesis at the At Home Mom BlogArmen at iFFECT.NET
Mihaela Lica at Online Public Relations
Tara at Graphic Design Blog
Doris Chua at Home Office Women

Edward Mills at Evolving Times

Tony D. Clark at Success from the Nest
Jonathan-C Phillips at SmartWealthyRich
Karen at A Deaf Mom Shares Her World
Lisa Gates at intrinsic life design

Rammel Firdaus at rammelfirdaus.com

Carol at Pentimento
Adam Kayce at Monk at Work
Thomas at Technical Blogger
Tammy Lenski at I Can’t Say That!

Chris Brown at Branding & Marketing

Rory Sullivan at Hamelife
Derek Wong at Going The Wong Way
Embuck at embuck.com
Ms. Q at QMusings

Shelly Tucker at This Eclectic Life

Steve at Ramblings from the Marginalized
Troy Worman at on!blog
Lilith at Lilith’s Owl Nest
Revov at REVO-OVER

Karin at Stop/Start

Sha at Sha Money Maker dot com
Derrick Sorles at Life By Design
Ken Xu at Mysites Advisor dot com
Roberta at Roberta Ferguson

Donovan at Blog That Outside

Leanne Wildermuth at Artist by Nature
Ingrid at Through My Eyes
Don Lawson at Affiliate Watcher
The Giddy Tiger at Giddy Tigers

Mike Busson at Twenty Steps

Rosemarie at Miscellaneous Matters
Charity at Design Adaptations
Nancy at Erik Quinn: The Heart of a Family
Robyn McMaster at Brain Based Biz

Chris at Chris HoytFaddy at Girl Next Door
Thess at In Nederland
Jean at A Great PleasureSuzie at 1Day@ATimeJason at Blisslogs
Johnny at Really Smart GuyBob at BobMeetsWorld.com
Chin Nee at De ‘moments
Skipper at My Life Starts At Forty-TwoSeiche at SeicheLeah at Leah’s CafeiRonnie at I Set No Corner Girlie of HiP & CooL
Marie of VANIDOSA
Mickaela of textunlimited

Shalimar

A link back to this post is much appreciated, to help create a more personal community!

3rd step

Tag as many others as you like in your post to spread the meme.

4th step

If you link back to me here and send me an email. I’ll add you to the list above. This isn’t absolutely necessary but it does help me to keep track of the collection (I have an idea or two for an ultimate blogger showcase).

Each person tagged should create their own post and repeat the process.

NOTE: If you feel like doing this meme, please feel free to do so. Just don’t forget to contact David leaving him a line so that he can add you to his list. OR You can also simply leave me a comment and I will add you to my list.

Since I have been out of the blogging world for a long time I lost track who has been tagged or not…..