Capture the Spirit of Ramadan

The 2012 "Capture the Spirit of Ramadan" International Photography Competition™ is underway and accepting submissions. It is a chance to bridge the gap between cultures, countries, and religions by sharing with and educating the world about Ramadan and its various traditions.

From their website:

"Capture the Spirit of Ramadan" International Photography Competition is a unique and unprecedented 30-day visual celebration that will educate and enlighten thousands of viewers around the world about Ramadan.

Please visit their website by clicking HERE to learn more about their program, the rules, and prizes, and to see last year's winners.  You can also check out their Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Vote for the 2012 MENA Travel Awards

One of my favorite restaurants here in Jeddah, the fabulous Il Villaggio Restaurant, has been nominated for a prestigious 2012 MENA Travel Award in the Best Fine Dining Restaurant category.

I wrote about the wonderful evening my husband and I spent at Il Villaggio earlier this year in this post.

To cast your vote for Il Villaggio Restaurant, simply click here, cast your vote and fill out a simple form. You can only vote once in this competition, but I urge you to please cast your vote for Il Villaggio!


You can get further information about the competition on the MENA website. Here is an excerpt:
The MENA Travel Awards 2012 “ Champions of Service Quality “ Award will be presented to, once again, recognize top industry organizations who have shown the extra mile of success in the Middle East & North Africa's growing travel industry. This is no self-congratulatory exercise, or ‘best advertiser' award. It is a real opportunity to receive meaningful recognition from the Region’s travelers, guests, and customers while being highly recognized by both regional and international travel, and the hospitality industries.

Jeddah's Il Villagio Restaurant Celebrates Italy

ATTENTION JEDDAH RESIDENTS: It's that time of year again when Il Villagio Restaurants and Lounges celebrates its 5th annual International Day of Italian Cuisines - with a Gala Dinner on January 17, 2012, featuring this year's official dish, OSSOBUCO IN GREMOLATA ALLA MILANESE. The Gala Dinner promises to be an exciting and tasty event - there will be a special demonstration about the Ossobuco dish by Executive Chef Vincenzo Raschella and Sous Chef Raffaele Cuomo.


The menu for this special evening features:
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2012 Sprout Salad
Fennel, orange, Taggiasche olives, lettuce, almonds and a mix of fresh garden grown sprouts
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Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese
Braised veal shank, sprinkled with chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest on Polenta Incatenata made of corn flour with herbs, cabbage and beans
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Grapefruit Sorbet with cinnamon fragrance
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ACT QUICKLY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A DINNER FOR TWO at Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant. Just LEAVE A COMMENT on this post telling me what your FAVORITE ITALIAN DISH is. Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS. The deadline for entering is 12:00 noon on Tuesday, JANUARY 17. If you are unable to attend the Gala Dinner that evening, the lucky winner will be able to enjoy your free dinner another evening of your choosing through January 31, when the Il Villagio celebration ends.

For more information about International Day of Italian Cuisines online, click HERE.

Il Villaggio Restaurant & Lounges, Al Andalus Street, Jeddah - Telephone 02-668-8233