{ my place or yours...destination: jordan }

Petra photo by Yaatra. via flickr.

Each day, upon visiting my {virtual} friend Karey, I feel as though I'm transported into a magical fairy tale. This gorgeous Midwestern Princess, now living in the Middle East, shares the most amazing, heartfelt stories of her beloved prince, their 3 little princesses, and their life in a land far, far away--certainly all part of the magic Karey weaves into her special tales. It's Karey's knack for seeing and celebrating the little things, however, that bring true sparkle to each and every post she writes. 

So while Jordan may not currently be on your top 3 list of Places to Go, your perception of it is certain to change after reading today's My Place or Yours. Please join Karey as she shares with us the happily ever after she and her family have found in Amman, Jordan and why she's so proud to call it home. 

 

Please tell us a little about yourself

hi everyone! it’s me…karey m. i’m positively giddy about sharing suzanne’s space today. mostly because S.HOPtalk is brilliant, but mostly-mostly because suzanne is, quite simply, a wonderful soul. as the oldest of my girlies three would say, i’ll bet her heart is ruby red. she's become one of my very favorite imaginary friends.

i live in amman, jordan with my husband, who affectionately signs all of his notes to me love, uncle sugar, and the three girlies we’ve made: lillie kate, grae-rose, and esmé dahlia. most days, i write mackin ink to remind us of who we were and the grand adventures we shared. if i’m feeling particularly naughty, i write mackin ink to make uncle sugar’s eyes overflow.



we may have already met on kirtsy, where i’m lucky enough to be a design and crafts editor. which means i’m required to scour your bright sites for inspiration to share with the kirtsy masses. {sigh.} it’s a dirty job…good thing i only wear black.

i’m a foreign magazine junkie, currently addicted to anything and everything in print from the uk, australia, anywhere-in-asia, and, of course, the arab world. i’m a crow, drawn to all things sparkly, a madness i’m trying not-so-hard to cure. and every so often, i freelance for a local writing refinement firm. but all i’m really trying to do is add three women to the world who love themselves so much that they want the best for everyone. i really hope that one works out.

enough about me. i’m desperate to introduce you to the country i’ve called home for nearly three years. a country that has gifted my family with her lovely people, her magical traditions, and her never-ending generosity. welcome to my place. welcome to jordan.

Three words that best describe Jordan
heroic, humbling, and always a haven.

Your favorite time of day
ever since we’ve lived in this part of the world {we previously lived in muscat, oman for a few years.}, i’ve woken up every morning around four thirty during the day’s first of five calls to prayer, known as fajr. it sounds like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WvPHkmifnI

no matter your beliefs, it’s an incredibly serene way to begin the day, right? made even more irresistible when i remember that an overwhelming majority of jordan is awake and at peace at the very same time. it's moments like this when i almost pinch myself.

Currently on your radar
cuba has me under her spell. i’m on constant watch for the exact minute our embargo and travel restrictions disappear. until then, i vacation on flickr, swimming in the deep photostreams of modest and jill and saminater.

turquoise.coche.havana photo by saminater. via flickr.

thanks to uncle sugar, we’ve amassed quite an impressive collection of old-school cuban wooden cigar boxes. just a few more, and i’ll be able to make my dream advent calendar for my girlies three. because nothing screams merry christmas more than tobacco and communism.

What is your most cherished spot in your home? And why?
i adore our walls crammed with photos. they truly tell our life story. which, to me, looks an awful lot like one hell of a holiday.



my mood always brightens when i walk through our back hallway. adorned with my girlies’ petite homages to rothko and wescoat, grae’s portrait of uncle-sugar-riding-on-a-turtle from nearly seven years ago, paper lanterns hung with fuchsia ribbon, a locally-crafted carpet, and ever-changing tubs of toys…it’s just plain cheery.

the best part? that hallway leads me to my three and uncle sugar.

Favorite discovery
i love the spontaneity of outdoor markets. souk jara is a delightful weekend excursion during the summer months, and a great source for local artwork, all-things-handmade, and even furniture.

the souq al ard at beit al bawadi is another, i wonder what they’ll have this week kind of a place. from lavender to lemon curd to soap house goodies to a secret back room filled with racks and racks of random couture, this market never disappoints.

i also didn’t realize how much i loved the local pottery, especially silsal ceramics. their modern collection is my downfall, for sure. if you can’t get to amman, you’re still in luck; silsal’s on the verge of opening an online shop.

Where do you go to escape?
i could wander ‘round readers bookshop all day with my girlies, and still return that evening after i sent them off to sleep. it’s seriously that well-stocked and that much fun.



for me, maybe the most remarkable aspect of readers is that it was made in jordan by two jordanian women. even more impressive? they’ve hand-picked every. book. in. the. shop. the very very very best part? one of them is my friend. and both she and readers make me way less homesick.

Who is/are your favorite artist(s)?
i firmly believe rima malallah must be a living fairy. not the kind that perches quietly on tufts of pale pink, but the kind who mesmerizes all who enter her studio as she races up and down her twisty staircase with her pixie fringe and random expletives and armloads of her very cool art.



i’ve bought customized treasure boxes and journals, which are always a hit. when i need an exceptionally fab hostess gift, i simply drop off bottles of wine, upon which she decoupages a sampling of her exceptionally fab work. i always always request her owls.

What is/are your favorite local shop(s)?
the crow in me can’t stay away from lama hourani’s gallery. i think every woman should own one of her distinctive pieces. as for me, i’m working on my third.



Best kept local secret
when we first arrived in amman just a smidge before our girlies’ september birthdays, someone whispered in my ear about sugar daddy’s bakery. at the time, sugar daddy’s was nothing more than the most drop-dead delightful cupcakes and cakes, baked in a home kitchen and delivered by one of the most handsome boys in the city.

today, that handsome boy’s become a family friend, and is mere weeks away from opening new shops in beirut and dubai. we never celebrate a birthday without his babycakes. and he’s promised me that as soon as he moves into his brand new amman location, he’ll give me his current shop’s sunshades. anyone recognize those cupcakes?



An ideal spot to linger over lunch
i honestly can’t remember the last time i enjoyed a leisurely lunch. but lingering over early cocktails or a light dinner with uncle sugar? i’m in.

the living room has been a favorite since our first few weeks in amman. they've a sushi bar, a stellar salmon tori, sinkably deep velvet couches, and the lighting makes anyone look gorgeous.

we also enjoy the square bar at the four seasons. uncle sugar is always impressed with the mini kobe burgers. i’m always impressed when the staff - from the valet to the doorman to the waiter - pretends to remember me. welcome back, madame.

at least once or twice a month, i meet friends at our favorite sushi bar, vinaigrette, for some urgently needed laughs and crunchy salmon salad. it’s beyond.

When visiting Jordan, don't miss...
there’s a reason petra was named one of the new seven wonders of the world. it’ll steal your breath, and fill you up with enough awe and beauty and…wonder to last a lifetime and maybe even a few days after that.


lights at the end of the tunnel photo by flylice. via flickr.

be sure to schedule your trip around a nighttime tour, which is pure magic.

If you had an opportunity to live anywhere else in the world, where would we find you?
we move a lot, and i’ve found that i require very little. the closer to water, the better. sunlight and heat are delightful, too. but, for me, the very idea of our next home – wherever it may be – is terribly exciting. i always dream of our next adventure.

secretly? if i could steal anyone’s life and homes and talent, i’d become john hardy in half-a-heartbeat. wouldn’t you?


john hardy home in bali via cookie magazine.

What's your motto?
it is sheer good fortune to miss someone long before they ever leave you.

i so wish i could tell you those words can be found in…i don’t know…some j.d. salinger short story or the secret history or even me talk pretty one day. they’re not. i tripped over them years ago while reading one of toni morrison’s books. i never made it past the dedication page, where these fourteen words sat.

no regrets, though. because they’ve been in my back pocket ever since, and helped me get through a few heartbreaking goodbyes.

i’m also a big fan of it’s nice to be nice. even when it sounds more like please. stop. being. a. jerk. please.

the end…

oh, suzanne! this was heaps of fun! thanks, everyone, for reading my ramblings.

i wonder if i’ve tempted you at all to visit? i know jordan’s far away and she lives next door to some rather interesting neighbors, but this is the sort of country that’s simply worth all the effort in the world. jordan breaks my heart with her courage and love and never-ending loyalty. you’ll love her. i just know it.

and, remember…you’re always always welcome at my place! xoxo. karey m.

Thank you so much, Karey...what an amazing place you've shared with us all today! And yes...I'm tempted.