The Mediterranean Cruise Directory Egypt is “Misr” in Arabic. It occupies the northeastern corner of Africa, and is connected to Asia by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is bordered by Libya on the west, Sudan on the south, Israel on the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Egypt has a surface area of 386,662 square miles, approximately the same size as Texas. The population of Egypt is about 75 million. Cairo, Egypt's capital city, has a population of more than 17 million. This great metropolis is the meeting place of Africa, the Arab world, Europe and Asia. Cairo is the most important city in the country and is the political, cultural, and economic center. The oldest part of Cairo lies in the vicinity of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar and Al Azhar Mosque. The modern part of Cairo was built by a descendant of Mohamed Ali, in the 19th century.  Today a sprawling city, with its ever expanding suburbs, surrounds this historic core.  The most famous mosque, the Mohamed Ali Mosque, was built in Cairo in his memory. Cairo is known as the city of a thousand minarets due to the profusion of mosques. In approximately 3000 B.C., a civilization emerged on the banks of the River Nile. It reached a stage of development and sophistication that none of its contemporaries surpassed. The ancient Egyptians' ability to organize society, keep careful records, and maintain the continuity and advancement of their civilization almost without interruption for 30 centuries set them apart from all other civilizations. A land of motion within the stillness of centuries, the silent felucca sails in contrast to the chaos and cacophony along the Nile. Among today's monuments are the world's largest textile mill, one of the highest dams, and the largest manmade lake. Yet, all the noises of construction, cries of street vendors, even the braying of donkeys, in ever-expanding Cairo are absorbed by the eternal quiet of the deserts. Egypt is a country with many secrets tied to its past. It is an explorer's land, with places to find treasures such as antiquities, gold or jewels. It is a place to see palaces and bazaars, where the real and the reproduced can be considered. It is a land where flowers bloom in the desert and in the underwater gardens. For those who can “drink the water of the Nile,” the rewards are magnificent.

ZOËS KITCHEN Announces Dollarhyde as CEO, Hornsby as COO (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.----Fast casual chain ZOËS KITCHEN today announced that Greg Dollarhyde, currently Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, will also assume the role of President and CEO, replacing co-founder John Cassimus.

Kurdish, Asian, Russian and Mediterranean Food in the Same Brentwood Strip Mall—Is Chick-fil-A Feeling the Heat? (Nashville Scene)
At 11:15 a.m. on a recent Monday, the number of SUVs coiled around the Chick-fil-A in the Brentwood Place shopping center is enough to make you wonder if the cashier is doling out stimulus checks with the grilled breast sandwiches. Nothing against Chick-fil-A, but I can't help thinking that if ju...

Recipes for making gifts and keeping the children happy (The Morning Call)
The holidays are the perfect excuse for getting hands-on with your kids in the kitchen. If you're able to embrace the mess and suspend all notions of perfection, everyone can have a blast.

The Valley's priciest home sales (The Arizona Republic)
Last week's biggest real estate deals in the Valley.

Seven Oaks home comes with a Porsche (Austin American-Statesman)
What: This gleaming two-story Mediterranean-style house in the Seven Oaks neighborhood off of Bee Cave Road west of Loop 360 is owned by retired pilot and philanthropist Joe Moss and his wife, Nena. The Mosses gave $25 million to the Children's Healthcare Hospital in Atlanta (where they used to live) and have supported many causes with their charitable gifts.

Dining Guide (gazettes.com)
Editor's Note: Once a month, we present an abbreviated compilation of restaurant listings.

Wine wisdom in Los Angeles (Los Angeles Times)
Restaurants can be great places to explore vintages, thanks to proprietors' expertise, passion and respect for customers' budgets. S. Irene Virbila restaurant critic For those of us who love wine, Los Angeles is a wonderful city for all things vinous. We have some of the best wine shops in the country, so competitive with one another that the selection of wines and favorable pricing trump ...

Consider giving gifts made from your own kitchen (Lansing State Journal)
Homemade gifts are an easy way to lend a personal touch to holiday giving. They show you've taken the time to fuss a bit, as well as give special consideration to the recipient's desires.

Pasta al dente (The Nassau Guardian)
If you have a whole lot of people to entertain on a limited budget, you should consider serving pasta dishes. One of the great things about serving pasta besides being an economical base to your meal is that you can find a different style of pasta for everyone.

Modigliani Mussels, Absinthe Fountain (San Diego Reader)
The current may have swept away the Currant I reviewed glowingly a year ago, but it hasn't drowned the restaurant's civilized atmosphere.