• GRLbint

Hand embroidered pillows can take women weeks to make & the designs/stitches historically represent villages & regions that these women come from.


Another one of Sardine’s infamous geishas watches as people pass her by in the streets, “Serene being serene”.


When visiting Haribye, there are many cafes overlooking their famous waterfalls. In some cafes you can even dip your feet in the water while enjoying tea and knafeh!


This native fruit of the region is used in cookies & baklava. Figs/dates have been grown in the Jordan Valley for the last 5000 years.


"This mural is an act of remembering and dedicated to all stories of Palestinian displacement."


We interpret this piece as a Palestinian satisfied with their hard work and content with the crops they reap owning the land which is theirs.


Some of the earliest evidence for basket weaving technology originates from the Middle East as the oldest known baskets were discovered in Faiyum in upper Egypt.


We joined Sardine & other comic artists for a class discussing comic storytelling & techniques at his studio in Jabal Amman.


‘Memory of Fragrant Oranges’ focuses on the oranges of Palestine before 1948, capturing a fragment in time that paints a fruitful Palestine not often shown.


We escaped for the weekend to Madaba, just outside of Amman. There we enjoyed a coffee at Kawon and found this amazing piece by Hanin Ghlailat on the outer walls.


While in Istanbul, enjoy a plate of mezze on a Thursday afternoon with aubergine, potatoes, bulgar, and creamy tzatziki.


‘Labik Allah O’ Labik ‘ is the common phrase you’ll hear during the last three weeks of the Islamic ‘Hejry’ year.


In Istanbul, you’ll find stray cats roaming the city everywhere! Not only do these furry friends have their own unique personalities, but Turkish locals cherish their cats.⁣


We ended up in Mohammad’s Hamam حمام, a place where pigeons are kept. We’ve shared about pigeons before, but actually experiencing a Hamam was quite authentic.⁣


While visiting Hatay, make sure to stop by the famous Affan Kahvesi where they are known for their coffee and Haytalı.


Couscous is the national dish of Tunisia and was just recently added to the United Nations ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ list since the dish is nationally recognized in Tunisia.


We love sharing the street art of Amman. Check out Sara Allan’s amazing piece!


Walking through the seaside town of Arsuz gives us a sense of renewal. Enjoy the street art in the central part of town!


While strolling through Arsuz, a southern Turkish beach town on the Mediterranean Coast, we ran into Gulcan’s lovely artwork.


Menengiç is made from terebinth fruits, which are related to pistachios, and has more of a milky consistency. Definitely a yummy treat after a long day!


Imazighen women were treated as equals to men and were ‘the chief’ of the home & family. Women were queens, including Queen Dihya in modern day Algeria.


Club Gingembre in Tunis was an experience out of a 1970’s retro movie. People were dancing, socializing, and being themselves without a care in the world!


Lebanese people openly shared their struggles with us, but despite this, they continue to persevere through these hurdles.


Tunisian cuisine is a melting pot of civilizations rooted in the Amazigh culture & diversified to encompass southern Mediterranean lifestyles.


Tunisia has been known for being more progressive in women’s issues compared to other countries in the region. Tunisian women have worked in all sectors, civil societies and politics.


The Arab Spring in 2011 brought about many uprisings and protests in various MENA countries, but none were as successful as the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia.


Not far from the Armenian neighborhood in Beirut, we stopped by Onno Bistro, which serves an artistic mix of Armenian and Lebanese food.


Safarjaliah is a unique dish made of beef, pomegranate sauce, and quince, a popular fruit grown in Aleppo, Syria. Syrian food varies based on the region.


In Gaziantep, pistachios (fistik) of various colors, flavors and aromas are sold at every corner. Pistachios are a trademark of the city.


The artist incorporated messages that were already written on the wall. The scarf is a symbol of the Lebanese revolution with messages including ‘Rise’.


Mosaics are colored images formed by small stones, glass pieces, or any other solid material. Ancient mosaics can be found throughout the Middle East.


We keep posting his work because we are obsessed! Sardine’s street art has been a signature of Amman for us since we arrived here 1 year ago.⁣


Ramadan, observed worldwide in Islam, is a month of fasting, prayer, and community.


We couldn’t help but splurge on these beautiful Peshtemals! Can and Rose run their own home business, Handmade Studyo in Denizli.


Ezme is a traditional spicy, Turkish dish made from finely chopped tomatoes, spicy peppers, cucumbers, and pomegranate.


Walking down the famous İstiklal Street off of Taksim Square, you’ll find countless sweet shops serving the famous Baklava and Kadayif.


When we first moved to Jordan we kept hearing about this dessert called 'knafeh', which is made of cheese, shredded filo pastry, sugar syrup, and pistachios.


It may not be olive harvest season now, but in the midst of quarantine, we are so grateful for the precious olives and olive oil we find in Jordan.


Warak Dawali (also known as warak einab or yalangi) is one of our FAVORITE dishes of all time, and we finally made it from scratch with our roommates!


Tea culture is a huge part of Jordanian culture. We've each been invited for tea on numerous occasions, just one indicator of the hospitality you find here in Jordan.⁣


Rumor has it that tourist sites in Jordan will be opening up again after Eid. Masks and gloves will be required, but that is not going to stop us from seeing the beautiful Petra.⁣


Eid Mubarak and Happy Independence Day 🇯🇴 to all of our friends in Jordan!


During the lockdown we saw so many positive changes in the environment in Amman due to there being very few cars on the road and much less litter on the sidewalks.


Last week we ventured on foot to 7th Circle all the way from Weibdeh. On our journey, we were struck by this gorgeous piece of artwork by ‘Sardine’.


Can you tell that we LOVE the street art in Amman? We discovered this gorgeous piece by Suhaib Attar and Randa Abu-Rahmeh while walking to 7th circle a couple weeks ago.


Souq El Balad — Every Saturday we head to the downtown souq in Amman to get our produce for the week, and this little spice shop is one of our first stops each time.


As part of the expat community in Jordan, we have always been so grateful for it's diversity. We love that we meet individuals from every corner of the globe.


We discover hidden places everyday while living in Jordan, which is honestly one of the greatest and most beautiful parts of travel and exploration.


The Irbid baleh is the largest baleh or second-hand shop in Jordan. People venture to the baleh to shop because they can find quality clothing and products for low prices.


Lara's favorite traditional dish of the Levant. Last weekend in Mafraq our Jordanian friends prepared us the most delightful meal with a huge plate of Maqluba.


Street Art continues to be one of our favorite parts of Amman. In many cities around the world street art is vilified, however, in Amman the opposite is true.


"Knowledge is Flight" by Amman street artist, writer, and illustrator ‘Sardine’.


Around every corner in Jordan we find new inspiring pieces of street art — typically ones that push us to reflect, challenge our minds and hearts.


Pigeons hold significance in the Middle East and their popularity continues into the modern era. Pigeons have been used as messengers and referenced in religious texts.


You may be wondering why GRLبنت chose an eye to be our logo. Well, our logo is inspired by the ‘Evil Eye’; a popular symbol that's meant to ward off evil and envy.


Meet Ali Sulu, GRLبنت's favorite carpet seller in Gaziantep! Ali explained that carpet selling is an old tradition found in local villages in Turkey, especially in Kurdish villages.