Daughter of a Spartan king, Cynisca as many other Spartan women grew up running, riding horses and even wrestling. Sparta wanted healthy women to give birth to healthy babies who would then become strong warriors.
Cynisca was also known for her ability to race chariots. She competed in this sport and won first prize in the Olympics in 396 and 392 B.C.
The legend of Akhtamar is a tragic love story. Once upon a time, Tamar, an Armenian princess who lived on a small island in Lake Van met a commoner boy. She and the boy spent the entire day with one another. They knew that their friendship would be frowned upon but they had to continue to see each other. Every night, Tamar would light a torch and the boy would swim to her. They quickly began to fall in love. This story has one ending but as it’s been passed on from generation to generation, the reason behind the tragic ending differs.
One version states that, unaware of a quickly approaching storm, Tamar lit her torch and her love began to swim towards it. The winds became stronger yet her love pushed through the waves. Suddenly, the wind and rain blew out the torch and Tamar’s love lost his way and drowned.
The other version of the story recalls that Tamar’s father became aware of this commoner boy and was furious about the relationship that was building between him and his daughter. One night, as Tamar stood waiting with her torch, her father tossed the torch into the lake below. Tamar’s love swam in various directions, attempting to find her, but drowned from exhaustion.
In both scenarios, legend has it that Tamar’s love cried out “Tamar, akh Tamar (Tamar, oh Tamar)” throughout the night. Some say that his cries can be heard still, in the night, near Akhtamar Island.
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This story stars a crazy love-struck queen, Queen of Assyria, Semiramis. As most legends, this too has various versions - though none that would change the story drastically.
Queen Semiramis wasn’t too keen on sticking to one husband. One version of the story states that because of her lust for men, her husband, King Ninos left her. The other version is that the she was widowed. Nonetheless, Queen Semiramis (Shamiram in Armenian) was madly in love with Armenian king, Ara. She would constantly send him gifts and letters attempting to entice him to marry her. Whatever she would send him, King Ara would send back. This infuriated her! So, naturally, she declared war on Armenia and commanded her soldiers to capture King Ara, alive.
Sadly, Ara died in battle - shot by a poisoned arrow. Some say that the queen’s son killed Ara out of anger towards his mother. Nonetheless, as the Armenian soldiers grew closer and closer to Assyria to avenge their king, Queen Semiramis promised the Armenians that she could revive him with black magic. But, alas, she failed to bring him back to life and ordered her guards to throw his body into a pit.
It is also said that the queen sentenced one her of son’s to death for mocking her wishes and her attempts to bring Ara back to life. Keeping it in the family, she was later killed by one of her son’s who then become ruler Assyria.
There is a mountain in Armenia called Ara (Արա լեռ), and it’s supposed to resemble the late king laying down on his back - the highest peak of the mountain is the tip of his nose.
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There once lived an Armenian shepherd from Ani who greatly adored his wife. So much so that he would do anything for her.
His wife, being very religious, would attend church daily for prayer. One version of the story states that because of their status as "common folk," his wife was often asked to leave the churches of Ani because she was not fit for the royals around her. Another version of the story explains that the churches were so loud and crowded that his wife could not pray in peace.
Being the great husband he was, this penniless shepherd convinced a great architect to build a church for his wife. The Kingdom of Ani refused to allow for this church to be built inside its walls, and so, it was built outside of it. From that day on, his wife prayed peacefully in her own church, called, the Church of the Shepard (or in Armenian, Հովիվի Եկեղեցին).
The church's ruins can still be seen outside of Ani's walls, but it is one of the most badly damaged structures of the city.
Thanks to Virtual Ani, the following images show where the church is located and what it once looked like.
I must admit, I’m not a fan of boxing – not that I’m against it, I just never got into it or understood its purpose. But from what I can gather, the ultimate goal for boxers is to win the prized jewel – an intricately designed, hand crafted title belt.
It may surprise you to find out who is behind these ornate belts. No, it is not designed by a world famous jeweler, or made in the factories of France or Italy. It’s made in New Jersey by a man named Ardash Sahaghian. He is the “originator of the modern boxing belt.” A man, who finally at the age of 91, in 2012, was recognized for his work, and was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Sahaghian’s beginnings were not about fine jewels and belts. He worked odd jobs when he was younger in his birth country of Romania, until be began to train to become a jeweler. The Soviet Union was not kind to Sahaghian. He was arrested, tortured and sent to jail, upon which, his mother passed away after witnessing what her son was going through. This and other events pushed him to immigrate to America.
Long story short, he and his family settled in the United States. On one occasion, Philip Valentino, Sr. was so impressed with Sahaghian’s work, that he asked him to redesign old boxing belts. While interviewing for the Armenian Weekly, he stated, “These belts are like big pieces of intricate jewelry, or sculptures. It was not such a big change for me, just bigger than what I did… They became my biggest creations.”
In 2009 Sagaghian’s grandson, Edward Majian founded SARTONK to “safeguard a boxing legacy that dates back over three decades.” As their website states, Sahaghian’s most visible works include belts for the: WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO.
To keep this amazing gift alive, SARTONK is participating in a small business competition that can grant them $25,000! I encourage you to help keep this tradition going from one generation to the next.
Support them by voting once a day, EVERYDAY until February 23rd! Click here to vote!
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
For photos of their work, check out ESPN PHOTO
Learn more about SARTONK at http://www.sartonk.com/! And spread the word!!
I'm a lucky person to be surrounded by people who don't give up, who break the stereotype, who inspire me to do the same.
I've been following Sebu Simonian's musical journey for a while, and it is incredible to witness his growth and the masses that follow him, Ryan and Capital Cities. It makes me so proud to see and hear about their accomplishments - the latest being part of Coachella 2014, performing in day two with Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Lorde, and MInGMT.
Here is my story, a World of Creation published in May 2011 - an inside look at the band, Sebu, Ryan, and those that inspired them and their music.
I hope their journey continues to even higher peaks.
I made this letter "A" for a friend of mine. He sent a text today showing it framed and displayed. It's always nice to see that people enjoy what I've created.
I was asked to create the zodiac sign for Cancer - a Christmas gift.
Image from: Wallsave.com
I came across this article: Why Women Matter in Consumer Goods. It's a good read. It explains the power women consumers have, and the strength that retail companies gain with women executives.
Women make up 85% of buying decisions in the U.S. That's pretty powerful. So with all that power, as women, shouldn't we dictate what we want? Shouldn't we be able to say what we don't want and how we don't want women to be portrayed in order to sell a product?
Take a look at 5 Minutes of What the Media Actually Does to Women, and ask yourselves, if we have 85% of buying power, shouldn't we not buy from companies that would rather sell to stick-figures? Shouldn't we not buy the magazines that "teach" you the secrets to weighing 90 pounds?
How wasteful is it to have such a powerful voice of 85% and not use it properly.
I love all things chocolate (well, except for white chocolate). But no worries, I do not discriminate.
My Ultimate Hot Cocoa (aka hot chocolate) Recipe
Serving: 2
Ingredients:
Directions:
Hot Cocoa
Whipped Cream
Carefully pour the yummy goodness of hot cocoa into the mugs and let them chill out for two minutes. Then dollop on the whipped cream. And for the extra kick of chocolate amazingness, sprinkle on some chocolate shavings. Here is where you can also sprinkle in shavings of white chocolate. If you want to go wild, sprinkle a pinch of ground nutmeg or cinnamon.
Enjoy!!
Variations of stuffed grape leaves can be found throughout the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean areas, and of course, Armenia. This recipe comes to my family from centuries of grandmothers and mothers teaching their daughters and daughter in-laws. You would commonly see this dish on the dining table, especially at formal dinners.
It's inexpensive, healthy and vegan. The only portion that takes up your time is when you're wrapping the leaves - why not call on your friends and family to help out?
The Recipe
Serves 8
The Directions
This dish is normally served as an appetizer, and is great at room temperate or cold.
Enjoy!
I had written about the drinks: Black Russian and White Russian, in the summer 2010 issue of Yerevan Magazine. Believe it or not, these popular drinks have stories beyond drunken nights.
Enjoy your Black Russian White Russian
**The FYI Series is meant to introduce historical context of pop-culture. Some of the stories have been proven by historians and some are still debated. I suggest taking these as a light read, as it is not meant to be a historical paper.**
I was quite hesitant to share these photos because they are those of my close and dear friends. It’s of their special day – a day that brought immense joy to those who know them.
The short story is this – as their wedding ceremony concluded, the wedding party rushed to Zorthian Ranch for their photo session. I had heard of this place years ago and was fortunate enough to visit when the couple was scouting locations. The couple had invited me to come along while they were taking their wedding photos, but I did not want to interfere. For close to 30 minutes, I was standing at the church parking lot talking to the various people I’ve come to know. Then I said to my sister, “Let’s go!” and texted the married couple and said, “I can’t stand it! I’m coming!” So I rushed home, grabbed my camera and headed to the ranch.
I am so glad that I did. It gave me a chance to participate in this portion of their wedding day and to take some shots myself.
So, here is a glimpse…
Long story short, the 100 Years War that began around 1337/38 and went up to 1453 was a war between France and England. The king of England (King Edward III) believed that he was also the kind of France. Technically, this could be held true because King Charles IV of France was Edward’s uncle, and when he died, Edward was the closest male heir to Charles. Yet, Charles’ cousin, Philip VI was crowned King of France.
This war, that was lead by ego, naturally surpassed the deaths of both Philip and Edward (as it lasted over 100 years). It also created new weaponry and military tactics. One such weapon was the English longbow.
The longbow was unlike other bows and was plucked using the index and ring fingers. It had the ability to shoot arrows much further and faster than previous bows. The French dreaded the longbow. It was tricky. As the English fired, hitting their targets, the French fired back thinking that they were also in range, but only ended up losing precious ammunition.
In one battle, the French captured a group of English longbowmen. Instead of killing them, they cut off their index and ring fingers, in doing so, ending their skill and ability. As the Englishmen gained consciousness, and upon realizing what had occurred to them, they shouted back to the Frenchmen, “I CAN STILL PLUCK YOU!” while sticking out their middle fingers.
As centuries passed, this phrase slowly morphed into the very popular saying of, “F*** you.”
Here is more info about the Longbow: the weaponry of choice for the notorious, Robin Hood.
**The FYI Series is meant to introduce historical context of pop-culture. Some of the stories have been proven by historians and some are still debated. I suggest taking these as a light read, as it is not meant to be a historical paper.**
How would you answer, "A Redneck is...?"
Did you automatically think of Honey Boo Boo of the Hillbillies? Perhaps you're right. After all, a rose by any other name...
Before the existence of TV and reality shows, the word Redneck had somewhat of a different meaning, and believe it or not, Rednecks contributed to the human rights we take for granted today.
The origins of the name Redneck have not been determined by linguists, but over time, the name appears in various settings. What seems to hold true though, is that the name suggests rebellion.
In more recent history, in the early 20th century, those labeled as Rednecks were “unionized workers” particularly in the mining industry in Appalachia (most of whom are believed to have Scottish ancestry). The reason why they took on that name was because of the red bandanas they wore around their necks as an unofficial uniform of the union worker. Their fight or “rebellious” attitude attributed to more rights for the laborer.
The majority of these mine workers came from farming families. These farmers too were referred to as Rednecks, but not for the same reason. Because the necks of these farmers were constantly exposed to the sun, they turned red.
Rednecks go even further back to before the United States’ existence. In 1600’s Scotland, the Scottish Presbyterians would at times wear red cloth around their necks to express their refusal of the bishop’s rule. They were labeled Rednecks by Scotland’s ruling class.
What has not changed in the name “Redneck” is the fact that in pop culture, now and then, Rednecks were and are considered low class and uneducated. Perhaps this is true, but these uneducated, low class citizens of the United States are why certain rights exist today.
**The FYI Series is meant to introduce historical context of pop-culture. Some of the stories have been proven by historians and some are still debated. I suggest taking these as a light read, as it is not meant to be a historical paper.**
I love visiting my university. It is extremely beautiful, and today's sunset only added to its beauty.
ONEArmenia's SHIFT:: Tech campaign calls all techies interested in developing a mobile app in Armenia that is geared toward the world market.
You will have a chance to pitch your idea and showcase your work to top notch entrepreneurs in the field including: Alexis Ohanian, Co-founder of Reddit and Hipmunk, Matthew Brimer, Co-founder of General Assembly, Yoav Kutner, Co-founder of Magento and Oro CRM, Rameet Chawla, Mobile Apps Architect at Fueled, Nina Kouyoumdjian, Finance Analyst at Google, and Raffi Krikorian, VP of Engineering at Twitter.
"The First Place winner will be given the opportunity to work with Social Objects, a leading mobile app development start-up in Yerevan, in order to turn their abstract idea into a unique and important contribution to the software sphere and to society as a whole. In addition to having a world-class development team build their app, part of the $25,000 in-kind grant will go to marketing and taking the app to market. Following official OneArmenia policy, a portion of profits from the project will be reinvested to help fund another key OneArmenia sector --namely its community projects. It's a win-win proposition, no matter which way you look at it." - ONEArmenia
For more information, visit: www.ONEArmenia.org
These past two weekends have been packed with some amazing events I had the pleasure of photographing.
The first one was for an art show fundraiser for the HALO Trust; an organization with the mission to clear land mines and munitions from war-torn areas around the world.
Here are some photos from that event.
And my second event was for the 5th birthday party of a very special little girl.
Saw this image on the wall of a neighboring apartment. Couldn't resist.
I recently read a story about a father in Pakistan drowning his own daughter, basically because she was born a girl. He wanted a boy. She wasn't even two years old.
His wife, fearing for her life, hesitated to say anything to the police. When she finally had enough courage to do so, the police questioned how she could allow this to happen, knowing very well what the culture is like.
This stems further than just idiocy. In my opinion, it stems to the lack of education (both for the males and females). Education leads to political, family and human rights.
Well, see for yourselves: Empowering Change: Gender and Education in Pakistan; Women's Rights and Democracy in the Arab World
Here is the link to the article about the father who drowned his daughter: I Drowned My Own Daughter in a Rage
Last week, I began working on a birthday invitation for a cute five year old girl who loves horses. Here is a sneak peek of what the invitation art looks like
