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A Day in San Diego It's 5:30 AM, & we're about to take off for a day in San Diego. Watch the trip on real-time video.. Sometimes with sound, others without.. depending on how I feel about chattering lol Labels: Live Video, Travel $8 in my moola box | link | email this post From Londres to LA  Marilyn Monroe tea room            Tucked away somewhere on Portabello St. I found a vintage heaven, a favorite of the likes of kate moss & lndsey lohan. You'll find lotssssss of gorgeous finds ranging from 70's pucci dresses to chanels, hermes bags, and rare frocks. The place is run by Jeff {pictured above} & that's his eye=popping travel birkin {Butti, I remembered you when I saw it lol}  vespaaaaaa  Ballerina heaven <3   A costume worn by ballerinas of Casse Noisette     At the theater attending Wicked  The Sunken Gardens  The Sunken Gardens   Somewhere in the alleys of Covent Garden I saw beeeeautiful graffiti and drawings on the wall, they should have been painted on canvas +_+   Pink limo? anyone? lol  Bye-Bye London  Hellooooo World!  Unpacking my havaianas  & omg? I'm looooving the retro hair dryer <3  & this tiny little retro tv/radio screen in the bathroom <3  I love it! I love it! I loooooove ittt!  @ Universal studios    Booking our iMAX tickets for The Dark Knight  Aaaaaand munching on a pretzel *drools*  and enjoying a view of the city from mulholland drive <3  I tried to bundle some words that would express how I feel about being here.. I couldn't. All I can tell you now is: I'mmmm loving itttt!I'm also -gladly- going to tell you that my video streaming issues have been resolved on AT&T's network -- Yey! Tomorrow, we're off to San Diego, and hopefully you'll be seeing live videos of that trip. Meanwhile, I'm gonna have to get my sleep 'n get ready for an early start =) lotssss of love x Labels: La Dolce Vita, Photo speech, Travel $4 in my moola box | link | email this post Follow up: Done, & Done ;p Looks like I did keep my promise after all ;p -- Keep checking this tiny little box & you might catch me on the fly ;p ..and, meanwhile, listen to this song & enjoy x Labels: Travel $6 in my moola box | link | email this post A Carinval of Coral Dreams    I was having a conversation with my favorite Gemini a few days ago, & took a walk in memory lane of my visit to the Maldives several years ago. The place was peaceful and with bits of beauty scattered everywhere. An artist's inspiration and a destination for a lover's pilgrimage, it was like a toast to recklessness and happiness. My mind toyed with thoughts of clear waters, vivid reefs, and barefoot walks along endless beaches.. I miss all of thatWhat I don't miss is the state of being burned crisp, and patches of clothing lines on my colored skin =/ Nonetheless, I'd love to go back, & I'm exploiting just about every puppy-eye-ing option to sell the idea to Ahmed, Abdulla, & Khalid {the latter still doesn't has no clue, but if you're reading this now, well then.. pweeZz?} I cannot even begin to imagine the fun of having all 3 of them there <3 Will it work out? I dunno. But if it doesn't work out for me, there's no reason why it shouldn't work out for you, plus there's no harm in planning your wardrobe for the trip, non? -- here are some yummilicious vibrant vacation-finds for you to indulge in this summer ;p 1) Kaftans  Gharani Strok (@Tribe AD, Harvey Nichols or TigerLily Dubai)  Jet printed kaftan from Antik Batik at net-a-porter  Diane vonFurstenberg at NM  Montserrat kaftan from Missioni at net-a-porter  Embroidered kaftan from Michael Kors at net-a-porter 2) Jewelry   Kenneth Jay Kane  Alexis Bittar  Lousi Vuitton  Susan Sadler  Pianegonda   Hermes    Judith Ripka 3) Bags & footwear  Gustto  Juicy Couture  Carlos Falchi  Giuseppe Zanotti  Giuseppe Zanotti  Miss Trish of Capri  Lilly Pulitzer  Kate Spade  Pucci  Betsey Johnson  Giuseppe Zanotti  Kate Spade 4) Sunglasses  Armani  Tom Ford  LV 5) Other must haves:    Travel bags for shoes & lingerie at PrettyPersonalGifts Hollywood life saver kit Shemergency survival kit  Reflexology socks @ Pedlar's  All-Weather Friend Daily UVA/UVB Sun Protection SPF 40  kate somerville protect spf 30  Frédéric Fekkai’s Summer Hair Sun Bandana I think I'm a bit tired of collaging and linking, so I'll stop here now.. & if you have other gorgeous recommendations, then let's put them together in a pool of Coral Dreams, post your recommendations in the moola box -- & as for swimwear suggestions? That is the one part of this entry that I choose keep to myself =) Labels: Fashion, La Dolce Vita, Travel $6 in my moola box | link | email this post Twice Lucky Can you believe the weather? -- Yes, I'm back, & I'm SO GLAD I'm here. Paris was booootyful, but this is hOme, this is where those I love reside, where my horse is, & where my two absolutely adOrable, absolutely silly chihuahuas -Chanel & Tantra- are.. I missed my pony so much that I've been spending my mOrnings & evenings with him, & my mum doesn't complain about it because she hears happiness in my voice when I'm around him, & my sister sees the happily flushed skin I get after I've spent time with him, 'Glow' she calls it, & now she wants to find what makes her glow. I'd like you to watch three of my favorite scenes from the last episodes of my favorite show: #1) #2) #3) My visit to Paris deviated far from that of Carrie Bradshaw, ..I didn't have a Big Fairytale ending with Mr.Big, & there was not a Petrovsky to ruin the magic of my stay, but I dressed fabulously, & got mOre than my fair share of ego massage from the French. When attempting to frankenstein sentences together in French, they'd laugh! ..& according to the dude with a boyish hollywood smile, my version of rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is "trés mignon", ..Personally? My accent sounded flawless in my ears lol! The French were some of the nicest, most hospitable citizens I've come across in Europe, it's so easy to love them & unlike other parts of Europe, they're relaxed & have a good sense of humor. They appreciate beauty of all sorts, & love food. They have proper meals: entrée, main course, & dessert - & then café. Lunches & dinners extend for mOre than an hour, with lots of chattering, & communication between all those who share a table. Women aren't particularly the most fashionable, in fact, they rank below average on my books. It appeared that every day was a bad hair day to them, & stared with awe at minority who had their hair in place. On weekends, they exerted slightly more effort polishing the look with a streak of eyeliner, or bronze powder. Nonetheless, unlike women I've encountered in England, Netherlands, & Germany, most of the women i've met in Paris appeared to have a close relationship with fragrance -after all, it's France, non? Paris was beautiful, but -to me- nothing surpasses the beauty of home. Now, turn up the volume on your computer & listen to my soundtrack of the day ;p Labels: Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Paris Through My Lens  The first thing in the mOrning I do when I wake up is jump out of bed have a look at this view..  ..while having my favorite breakfast EvEr: muesli. I <3 muesli <3 <3 <3 especially when coupled with blackberries, raspberries, & a few strawberries <3  evening view ;p  Alright, here's what happened; I was walking the streets {err.. getting lost in the city?} & i noticed the Paule Ka boutique, i HAD to stop & take a photo of it for someone, ..as I took my camera out getting ready to take the phOto, those 3 fwench men stroke a pose lol! They were hilarious!! especially the dude on the right Haha!  how cute is that brooch? also Paule Ka  Line up to enter the LV flagship store -- I walked into the boutique only to faint at the sight of gooooooorrrrrgeously stunnnnning burgundy trunks! price tag, you ask? I don't remember honestly, all i could remember is losing count of the number of years i'd have to save for them *lol*   The chef at Allard <3  deliciiiiiousssssssss!  LV display window  another LV display window ;p  right in the very center =)  people.. in a uniform.  policemen + drums    *gulp*  *double gulp double hearts*  <3 <3 <3  <3 <3 <3 <3  Can you even imagine how i felt approaching the shop?  *heaaarrrrrtttt*  handmade  ancient   waiting in vain..  The one rainy day we had..  You can't see the tip of the tower   Crepes <3    The dude on the left: seriously? (The temperature must have been somewhere around 9 degrees!!)  shOpping <3   This photo is for Kosh <3  & this one tooooo <3 Labels: Photo speech, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post A Day in Paris, in Photos                  Labels: Photo speech, Travel $1 in my moola box | link | email this post Love is Here  OMG! the ever so classique monument of Abu Dhabi! The last time I traveled through this airport was at the age of 4 or 5 =/  & I loooove how etihad airlines has the official UAE emblem at the tip of the wings of those aircrafts, I was entertained ;p  Arriving at Charles de Gaulle    AlAin? seriously? +_+    Chunks of chocolate on the display window of a shop -- i loved how raw & sooo tempting it looks  mOre chocolates  ..& even mOre chocolates {Yes, this vegetable yard in entirely made up of chocolates!!} again, on the display window of the shop {how smart?}  Crevettes ;p   I just noticed how beige dominates my coat selection here in Paris ;p My first evening in Paris, & I'm already in Love.The weather is cold, ..mOre like fweeeZzing, but hey, that's an excuse to make use of my over-packed coats & put on my fabulous furs, non? Although I've been here for a mere few hours, I feel tempted {err.. excited?} to share my thoughts avec toi, so here goes: Pre-Paris Warnings: I heard plennnnty on how grumpy, unhelpful & inhospitable the french are, and I mean A LOT. My verdict? everyone I met today fell nothing short of adOrable.. Starting with the passport control officer who smiled my way & gave my brother the You-Lucky-Bastard death look, & ending with our chauffeur & his effortlessly charming french-tinted accent "Is it yough fighst time in Paghee? Oui? Welcome to Fghance, I 'ope to see you again" Landing: My heart danced at the sight of the city, knowing that -this is- indeed Paris, the city of fashion, inspiration, & Love. Seeing the Eiffel tower from a distance, for the first time, ever: My heart fluttered frantically, with warmth & mixed emotions. I don't think my brother really understands what's with me & Paris, nor why for the longest time ever I've been wanting to share that very moment with my Prince Charming {seriously, his catastrophic loss, non? lol} -- nonetheless, karroozi was there to share the moment, demonstrating the epitome of sisterly support Haha Arriving at the hotel: No time to look around, all I was concerned with is to change my coat, & go out for a walk to discover the places around Post-discovery: Back to the hotel to admire its Parisian beauty, I threw my handbag on the bed, put classical piano on the CD player, slipped into something comfy & started arranging my clothes in the closet. That was followed by a hot, more like boiling hot shower to counter attack the exterior temperature, opened the windows, & rendezvous-ed in bed with my PowerBookah to type this post, & sleep like a baby afterwards. So, the summary of my thoughts before I went to sleep? Sitting here in this lovely suite, at this lovely hotel I realize that Love is not here. He's back home, recovering from his surgery & probably wondering "why isn't she here to see me this evening?" -- I'm not one to use the term "fdait" loosely {it's too precious}, & I do not think I ever said it with reference to a non-human entity except for Hello Kitty, but today on the plane, as I played his videos over & over & over again on my camera, I thought of him a million & one times, ..& in all those times, my heart screamed "fdaita, fdaita, fdaaaaiiitaaa" under my breath lol -- I love my horse, SO MUCH. À bientôt <3 P.S. Commenting system is PMS-ing & is being really moody, sometimes it'll accept your comment, other times it won't. I will try to fix that problem. Labels: Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Pre-Paris: The Look I love maria carla's look as a brunette in this phOto, & thus, this look is going into my Paris Look-Pool -- i *heart* the effortless hairdo, but i don't think I can pull that look off without risking scaring half the population of that city {the other half are philosophers on trips ;p} -- So, here's what I'm opting for this time: 60's glam meets 40's laces meets 21st century modern sharp cuts. Flirty bouncy ruffles, fionkas, fionkas, & more fionkas {a.k.a. bow-ties! & on a side note? i like the word fionka better, it's cuter ;p & i think it should be added to Webster's by the way ;p}  I <3  Sabrina-neck 60's dresses.. ..& chic pink coats <3 ..& i absolutely love the delicate lace her hosiery is made of <3My quest for netting fascinators in our shops went down the drain {why am I not surprised?} I So I decided that the minute I land in the capital of aaaaaawl romantic cities I would go on a hunt for the perrrrrrrrfect one, ..in dusty pink, beige, & black..      ... And while searching for photos on the internet, i came across this.. which I totally fell in love with, & i'm thinking: this is the EXACT look i'd like to go for when -of course- my prince charming & I decide to tie the knot somewhere far, far, faaaaar away -- I love how dramatic her hat/fascinator is and how that dictates utter simplicity for a hairstyle, makeup and dress.. This is definitely the look i'd wanna go for, I would have my own makeup done {as opposed to commission someone to cake up my face & make me look like just about every commercial arab singer on the covers of magazines}, ..& I would style my hair like that, just plain.. natural.. and simple <3  I'm slowly embedding the idea in my mom's head for digest and acceptance, ..that, my idea of a fairytale ending is no lavish typical 'lochal' wedding where just about everyone in town comes over to eye the bride & the groom & next day yap about how oversized {or undersized} her diamonds were, ..where the bride looks like a sick shaky chihuahua in a clown outfit, & the groom is escorted by an army of men from her side of the border. Seriously, why?I would opt any day for a beautiful romantic destination, fly over my close friends & family.. in addition to his chosen ones for a weekend and enjooooy every moment of your big day in natural settings, where you're not being eyed by strangers that you haven't even met, & your mom is not freaking out about Oud Wood running out, or that who & who hasn't been served enough coffee to give them refugee eyes for light years to come. ... How did I end up talking about this here? It's something I feel so strongly about, perhaps because I am in a position to criticize it, I've had a taste of it, & classic ways didn't work out for me. It's just not my cuppa So, back to my inspiration pour my Paris look, i'm so excited {can you tell?} => ..& I know, I knowwww that some might argue that Paris is just another city in Europe, ..but.. Paris -to me- stands for so many things, it's much more than just a city -to me; It's fashion, it's music, it's the city of philosophers, artists, & lovers. Paris is inspiration. Life is good. $0 in my moola box | link | email this post 34 Going On.. Home   sushi takeout      ..seriously? in a restaurant?  ..and this too? lol  on the way to the theater   i <3 those hands     This one is for Rude Lovers, when i saw this i rememberrrrred you girl xx   macarooooooooons   lol @ car plate  snaaail! ew..ew.. eewh!  <3 so true  <3 <3 <3  double <3 pink love  reflection    At the natural history museum     mOre shoe shOpping? <3 <3 <3  i felllll in looooove with this top <3  ...& the perfect shade of greeeeen On my iPod today: This will be a short post to share sOme photos with you, ..{& to draw a smile on Pandora's face} -- I miss home, & the smell of hoooommmmme.. It's 1:00AM here, & i've yet to pack >_<; I'm going home! I'm going Hommmmme!! =D I'm so happy <3 On a random thought: I dreamed of a rabbit last night, a big cuddly furry rabbit that i was carrying around, ..the strange thing is that in that dream, i could speak with the rabbit {alice in wonderland? lol}.. i was feeding it treats & teaching it the alphabets *_* ..dream interpreters out there, please cast your wisdom here. Highlight du jour: gorgeous lace bubble top i found today! i couldn't wait to go back to the hotel, so i changed at the shop & wore it avec black skinnies & gina flats right away, i love itttt! Lowlight du jour: ..I'll keep this to myself I'll be in touch with you when i go back home, & meanwhile, MISS ME!.. i know i'll miss you awl *muah* xx Labels: Photo speech, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Too Tired to Type           listening to music @ HMV  mom & pop style Italian food with my bestest fwendah EvErrrr  my über blinged gorgeous leica sitting on top of the table enjoying the attention the waiters give her lol  cuteness? I <3 the color  OMG! i hovered stella mccartney's yoga outfits, yoga shoes, yoga EVERYTHING! they're über cute, über gorgeous li'l thingies <3  ...a McKinsey knock-off?    ..@ the theatre   lunching with my bestest fwendah   the besssssssssstest, classiest, trés chic hat makers in town -- if you're a fan of gorgeous hats like me, you MUST have yours made here =>      ..seriously, why awl the unnecessary additions to the car? Too tired & physically exhauuuuusted to type an entry >_<; ..enjoy the photos & you'll read the stories tomorrow {inshaAllah} -- lots of love coming your way xx Labels: Photo speech, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Everywhere I go..  Say Cheeeese {& sprinkle it on my pizza please lol}  ..mmmMMMMmm, melting cheese   evidently the yummiest pizza      The Westminister Abby  I loved the architecture, ..but unfortunately one of their fathers spotted by super blinged camera & asked me not to take photos =<  ..but of course, there's no stopping me from taking photos. I took this picture with my camera hangind upside down, & without looking at the view finder.. not so bad =Pp    view from the passage   cuuuuuuuuutness! i loved the over sized pom-pom ski gear avec strass, gorgeous! <3  chocolates? anyone?  now here's something i'm not very used to: The Normal carries a makeup pouch in her bag? o_O ..omg! is this real?! i couldn't believe it when i saw her glossing up that i HAD to snap this photo for those who know her to see.. Haha!  ..at Oxford St.'s HMV, my second residential address in the UK lol  *does 70's dance moves* lol  Aaaaaaaapple storrrrrre <3   geeks in action  The Normal, Ahmed & I teamed up to play a piece and record it on one of those demo machines, .. much to our surprise, we turned around to see that our trio was the center of attention of the crowd, we were circled around lol  ..the crowd replaying our piece AFTER we left the machine, haha  ..one mOre reason to make me miss hOme =< I wish i could have my friends all in one place: NEXT TO ME! So now that i'm almost done with shoe & horse-gear shopping, i've switched to music CDs, ..my small little pleasure of every trip. I say small little pleasure because music shopping gives me this rare feeling of discovery.. Going through dozens of CDs & listening to snippets of each track & tasting the different moods and tunes *smiles from ear to ear* - a beautiful feeling! Being a person who doesn't watch TV {yes! i don't watch TV, 'cept for E! & Fashion TV occasionally over a meal alone} , I had nooooo idea about Melody's funny commercials.. haha.. seeeerrrrriously, you must watch them *lol* I found a few clips on youtube, here: Aside from that, ..I didn't realize my use & abuse of the word "seriously" in my conversations until my friend sent me this grey's anatomy clip in an attempt to mock me >_<; .. but, seeeeeeerrrrriously, what's wrong with using the word 'seriously'? {okay, now that i've repeated it several times in my mind, it's starting to sound odd o_O} Highlight du jour: umbrella-less-ly & carelessly strolling down oxford st. in the rain, with my ipod plugged in my ears Lowlight du jour: "Everywhere I go I see a world designed for you and me, I always realised with every new sunrise that you are with me everywhere" -Pink Martini $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Oh Mon Dieu Birkins! OMG They're Everywhere!        OH MY GOD! Birkins are everyyyyywhere here, e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! I love this bag, i love it! i love it! i love it! ..but carrying my 35cm togo made me feel like it was one of those bags you often get as an extra when you buy a 100ml perfume bottle lol -- Nonetheless, that hasn't stopped me from elbowing mine, ..I just love it waaaaay too much ^.^ except for the part where I saw this lady carrying a red, red RED crocodile birkin right before my eyes! First there was this pause in my heart beats {i'm not kidding lol} & then my eyes resembled flash bulbs sparkling with hearts, ..& then I was overcome by a strong, strrrrooooongggg urge to camouflage myself into the table where that croco beauty was resting. It was gorgeous! ..no, no.. that doesn't do it just, ..it was STUNNING! My second favorite birkin so far is my friend's tan ostrich avec a hermés fionka scarf, it suits her.. & so do her other 12 Togos & 3 Crocos {yes *tears in my eyes* three crocos and a dozen Togos lol! Third favorite? a gorgeous fuschia ostrich beauty, i didn't think it suited the lady carrying it, perhaps because the color was too young & vibrant for the age/style she was dressed, but nonetheless.. it was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! For those of you who are not as aware as one should be about the Hermés Birkin, here's a little I got from wikipedia: - "In 1981 Birkin was traveling on an airplane seated next to the President of Hermès when she spilled the contents of her handbag. When the President of Hermès noticed, he offered to create a bag named after her, a first for the company since Grace Kelly. She sketched her ideal bag, thus providing the model for what became known as the Birkin" - "In pop culture, the Birkin has become a symbol of ultimate luxury, ....In Paris it has been associated with, among others, so-called BCBG (bon chic bon genre) women. In recent years the bag has featured prominently on popular television shows such as Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, and Will & Grace. In the final season of The Sopranos, Dr. Melfi carried a Birkin bag into her own therapy session." Want to know more? Read this Crazy for everything Hermés? Check this often. Want to own one without having to wait a century & a half {& for a rediculous premium?} Go shopping here $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Sandals in the Rain  ..the winner of the most prettyful face ^.^  winner of second prettyful face..  classic beauty es negra *faints*  i <3 themmmmmmm *double faint*  lining up for ice cream  he put up a show for me, ..& messed it up lol   seriously? lol  i ought to buy one of these for my cubicle neighbor  *drools*   at the harrod's chocolate bar   mOre shoes..  clutches? anyone?  Ahmed's teeeee that i loved <3 ..yes, 'riding' is what caught my attention lol  lying under the trees at hyde park & revising my spanish notes      the bridge *gulp*  On my ipod: and: aaaand: It rained. Ever since we got here we've lived the city's sunniest days; according to some. Today, however, it rained. Clouds started clotting through out the day with mist and wind filling up the space.. I stood at our hotel room's balcony with the wind blowing in every direction, ..it blew my hair up & away.. it felt like a scene from an indian movie, with that distinguished indian female-singers' voice pitching away in my head >_<; On a side note: i'm having a serious problem with shoe shopping this trip, I simply cannot say no. I can't. I fall in love too easily with them, & once i do, i have to have them in e-v-e-r-y color. seriously. Someone help. I've been splurging on stilettos since day-1 of arriving in London, hovering just about every piece of beauty i lay my eyes upon, but the beauties are simplyyyy countless *lol* -- somehow though the fact that I cannot keep up don't matter, because i got my faaaaavorite pair of lace heels avec trés classy fionka, I can't stop wearing them.. inside the room, the bathroom, & would absolutely love to go to sleep wearing them, ..except that bedtime is reserved for bliss socks to compensate for sandal scandals & torture I put my feet through during the day. Highlight du jour: finding the perrrrrrrrfect special notebook that would hold ALL of my spanish notes Lowlight du jour: Having to share my sainsbury's very berry >_<; & the rain stopping me from getting on the london eyeeeeee ugh! Labels: Daily, Pony Tales, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post From Eden to London  riding boots  <3  double <3 ..i fell in loooove with their display, I want to take those giant camellias back home with me >_<;   from the garden to your plate, bon apetite  ..this is THE place for fish & chips   fortnum & mason's scones <3  ..& took a walk in the garnden  When you see this, doesn't your heart tingle with pleasure? lol   head baaaaaaanks <3  the pradas i couldn't find my size in ='( *thniff thniff*   Listening to this on my ipod: Being in London is quite an experience, if I may say, although it's not particularly my cuppa tea for a vacation destination {mainly because it's the place to see & be seen when it comes to Khaliji people}; it does -nonetheless- hold a special mystic energy that draws me to it somehow.. I've been carrying my twin-lens reflex with me around to photograph the ancient architecture with ancient style & i've run out of film >_<; .. i honestly can't wait to go back home & have those films manually developed at one of those tiny indian film developer stores.. apparently, no one develops film manually for commercial purposes, humans have been replace by machines.. one of the many classic topics in economics. Aside from that, i've been stocking up on my riding gear, i absolutely *heart* the selection and the maaaanyyy options they've got here for lady riders, & packed gifts for them ponies too ^.^ .. mum thinks i'm obsessed, & i often confirm it to her.. i *know* i'm obsessed, ..it's a good kind of obsession that.. well.. just feels GREAT! & i love it! This afternoon the two of decided to check out the hyde park stables, & lemme tell you this: Booooooring.Riders take their ponies for a walk around the park {seriously!.. a walk? just a walk? lol} & people stare at them in awe *lol* -- I miss riding back home, with no one to lead the hack or order direction.. So yeah, ever since i got here i've been doing the classic typical trés english things: have fish & chips for lunch at sea shell's -evidently london's best for fish & chips- {&yes, the same place i photographed back in 2000}, have afternoon tea & the ritz with cupcakes & cucumber sandwiches, & practically live on scones avec lemon curd & marmalades <3 ..& of course, shopping =) Highlight du jour? gorgeous head bands avec rhinestones & massive cuteness {i have a weakness for those >_<;} Lowlight du jour? I have experienced the MOST embarrassing 30 seconds, ..on sloan street.. I'll never forget this. ever. Labels: Daily, Pony Tales, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post This Side of Swopticalis: Wish You Were Here  breakfast..     from the garden to your plate, bon apetite    ..& mushrooms too  ..& took a walk in the garnden    ..to the end of the road?  roses..  cranberries? o_O madri.. i was too chicken to taste lol  they're actually those mushrooms we purchase at abella & spinny's.. only here they sort of grow everywhere.. I couldn't help but feel like Mario lol  ..one of my many favorite views I don't think we'll need words for this post, the photos say it all =) $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Hello From Heaven  Strawberry charlotte in the making  ..his turn  ..& my turn =>  Can you smell them?  ..stuffing the shortcake inside the mold  ..all 6 students' work go inside the fridge for 4 hours  ..out of the fridge & adds strawberries =)  ..my summer vegetables soup that I sent to my mum's room, she lovedddd ittttt *e'hum.. clears throat in pride* lol  ..one of the many things we made  roast lamb: this piece was cooked inside the oven for 12 hours! Seriously! twelve-hours!  Making tomato essence  mini strawberry charlotte  apricots, orange, lemon, & vanilla  side of the class  the tree which I stretch my back against every afternoon & read a book  riding gear  hacking with the girls  scale talk: he's much larger than he looks in this photo  on a hill with my massive appaloosa, Oscar  9 months old foals  My Alzur fiiiiinally makes it *tears of joy* Hellewwwww to awl of you from heaven. I've always imagined it would be a beautiful place; I just didn't know how beautiful. The grandiose of the 700-year old architecture that shelters gorgeous rooms, the splendid gardens from every part of the world, & the aaaabsolutely délicieux food are trés extraordinary. And the cookery school with its omniscient chefs made my jaw drop at several occasions when revealing yet another secret ingredient & method. I baked my first cake at the age of 10, with the help of my then 6-year-old nephew. When the cake started gaining shape & expanding in size inside the oven; we thought something alarming was about to happen, that we must have made a disaster out of it & decided to abort mission and keep it a secret forever *lol*. We had no clue that a good cake MUST expand, or else there's no 'sponge factor'. Now, everytime I bake any sort of pâtisserie I cannot help but experience a deja-vu of my childhood baking days lol So, enough with the history lesson & lemme share with you the excitement of the cookery school: I AM HAVING -SO- MUCH FUNNNNNN!! seriously, it doesn't get much better than this; everything we make is 100% organic food, no chemicals, no nothing.. we pick our vegetables & herbs from the garden {i have yet to master the art of picking veggies & herbs, but o'well.. i'll worry about that later when I need to lol} -- I learned how to make a numberrrrrr of things, but what I consider my most valuable lesson is how to keep the nutritions of your green food even if you choose to cook it {you'll see how GREEN my soup is, & i swear.. no artificial flavors, no nothing}.. My chef jacket & maroon aprine are my fashionable items du jour, haha. My first day here was honestly less than charming, the larger piece of my LV Alzer somehow didn't make it on the flight & decided to stick around back in Dubai {Do not say "I told you so!" this is especially directed at my sister & karroozi. I hate that phrase, even though sometimes it's true >_<;} -- we were held at the airport for an additional hour or so, & took off to our hotel with cases of shoes, cameras, accessories & riding boots and gloves, but no clothes. I was at the verge of tears imagining that I'd have to wake up next morning with nothing but the same pair of denims, that i'd have to kiss my Lacroix, vera wangs, & Chanels good bye indefinitely. And I was tired of the flight too, so that didn't help much. The Emirates porter insisted that I smile again, but his "You have a beautiful smile, we'll make sure to get you your luggage tonight for you to put back that smile again" didn't work with me, in my guts I felt like going Zelda on him, & secretly promised myself that on my next trip, I ought to experiment more with other carriers. At 11:00 PM of that same day, my dear Alzer made it to the hotel safe & sound. The sky opened its gates wide in a biiiiiig Haaaallelujah *lol* & I slept in the comfort of my favorite white english cotton piece =) The cookery classes and hacking with MASSIVE horses trotting and cantering through endless corn fields, lavender & rose gardens, & through small villages marks the highlight of this trip up to this point, I'm not used to riding ponies of this size.. Arabians are much more narrow at the top, & certainly with shorter stems, ..these stood at nearly 17+ hands, which is about 175-180 cm, i'm telling you, they're MASSIVE!!! I was amazed by their size and build, the trot felt like a mini-earquake lol.. but what I loved the most about them is that they were quite courageous & insensitive towards cars & trucks.. a giant UPS truck didn't scare them, not the leeeeeast bit, & going up-hill and down-hill through muddy grounds & cutting through hybrid trees and plans was like a breeze. As I rode through those fields I watched foals gallop through endless greens I wished I could somehow 'tow' those fields to the airplane on my way back home for Arabians to enjoy =D AnyhooZz, it's time for me to run now.. but I'll keep in touch with photos, I promise =) xx Labels: Daily, Pony Tales, Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post Overdue Visuals  I'm going large scale with my paintings, ..this one's about 3x2 meters, I don't know if it'll ever hang on anyone's wall, but it makes me feel good -damn good- to go large scale.  original sketch as it shows in my little book of inspirations -------------------------------     imprisoned   tribute to Synn  one of the best parts of travel: foreign music   slot/pachinko/arcade  his cuppa tea  my cuppa tea  I <3 you  Long overdue photos -- on my last trip to tokyo, I took over 4GBs of digital photos {had aaabsolutely noo problems blending in with the japanese from this perspective}, given the lack of time spent in front of my computer, I haven't had the change to actually *sit* & resize them photos.. I have just done that this mOrning, & will be uploading them & publishing them in batches.. not all, but some. meanwhile, i'm experiencing mood fluctuations coupled with confusion concerning my career path, the other day on my way to work, I asked myself the question whether "this" is *really* what I want to do for the rest of my work-savvy years, & the answer was a hesitant half-nod. I love financial analysis, I do.. heck, I love ANY kind of analysis.. that's what I do in the back of my head 24/7 & sometimes drives my mum & friends crazy.. because I always get to the conclusion of matters without solid facts, & yet somehow.. the analysis turns out to be right -most of the time. So yes, I love analyzing projects, assessing markets & so forth.. but there's something there that just doesn't sit nicely: environment. my work environment is as good as it gets in Abu Dhabi, seriously.. & I love my team, my little cubicle overwhelmed with phOtos of travel & otherwise, I get along with just about everyone {don't necessarily enjoy mass communicating with everyone, but i understand it's important for my job, thus, i put an effort into molding myself into an extrovert} nonetheless, i am impatient, making me 'wait' for things to happen killllllls me & tooooortures me, I like to have what I want. here. now. When you're an analyst though, unfortunately, you do not have the privilege to give orders.. instead, you take orders from the next person on the managerial ladder, & the next, & the one after; so far, my reporting ladder looks like this: - Director -- Deputy director/Senior project manager --- Project Manager ---- Associate ------ Me ------- Project officer -------- Support I'd like to think that the situation is not so bad, but for those of you who have trouble being bossed around you'd know exactly how it feels. But, you're no longer in high school & can get away with challenging your science teacher by getting kicked out of class, & you're no longer in college and able to drop a class because -in your own sense- the class 'does not add value' to what you want to become in the future.. You're now there, out there, in the vast wide world.. & its your chance to make a print -your own- & if you fail to, well then.. who cares? no one.. but then again, if you lack that burning ambition, it wouldn't matter to you anyway. But if you do have it, ..if you strive to become better in the smallest most minute little things, then it *is* a great deal. For girls in our culture; I feel that we have to put maaaaassive effort to get what would normally be rightfully ours. Work with passion is one; a friend of mine who has SO much potential had to go to the moon & back persuade her parents for their permission to pursue her master's degree in the UK, & after that.. she had to take a trip around the universe to every single planet out there for their "fine! but we're not particularly thrilled" for a job offer at one of the leading investment banks worldwide. No matter how strong the girl may appear, there will always be that part of her -her very core- that needs support, that boost from family & friends... why do we get put-down by our own people for wanting to achieve more? In my case, it's a more complex set of filters. I'd like to move on to the next step & have the flexibility and support to do it right, ..my father gives me the latter, & my society deprives me from the former. $0 in my moola box | link | email this post The 'lochal' in me  fancy sOme curls today? YESSSS!  in tokyo, you really don't know which car to snap a photo of, they're awl gawjus, they're awl hotttt  Hotttt!  luvZz ittt  how cuuuute is this?? apparently, the Ginza boutique is the only place with camellia-flower bags, you should see their tiny li'l bags, so, so, SO cute.. i was too lazy to snap a phOto of it *lol* perhaps some other time  Tokyo's met  outside the museum   I snapped a couple of pictures as -us- early birds were getting into the theatre..  ..befOre they asked me to stOp taking pictures & I pretend to be the clueless dumb gaijin who doesn't get a word of what they're saying.. & secretly hoooooping they'd buy it.. they didn't. >_<;  ..at omote-sando  ..hu?     ..hmm?  coffee made with love..  ..freshly grilled sweet potatoes  my aaaabsoluuuuute favorite  ..a daily drink We are who we are, people don't change.2 things cannot change about me, regardless where I am..whether back in AD, or the North Pole: 01. Listening to Mohammad Abdu/Abadi Al-Johar whilst getting dressed & making my hair befOre going out. 02. Dehin Oud + my fave eau de toilette on my clothes, skin, & hair. & that -as you may have guessed already- applies to Tokyuuu too -- but something there just dOesn't click, y'know? *lol* everything looks aaaabsolutely normal with Mohd abdu singing Ayooh, Mehtaaj Laha, or Sara.. i'm telling you, perrrrrfecttttly normal AS LONG as the blinds are shut! When I open the room's curtains it's a completely different story.. haha.. it *just* doesnnn't go.. 'Rayyanat Aloud' cannotttt match the scene of Tokyo's conjested skyline, awl those tall buildings with a million neon lights & a thriving life in between >_<; ...nonetheless, I can't help but enjOy the contrast, in my own way -- that's the lochal in me =D So, now that i've hoovered tokyu, i'm ready to go back hOme.. I actually misssss wOrk! so, other than being an adrenalinaholic, a shOppaholic, i'm also a wOrkaholic -- upon my come back, i'll have a huuuuge load of wOrk to do that i think i'm gonna camp at the office for days {potentially weeks?} the news wOn't particularly appeal to mum, but i love, love, looooove what i dO, ...& I have fun dOing it. I also happen to have an unearthly love for life too *lol* -- which is why i have a tradition that I spend my last day in the mOst unorganized, un-planned way. The last time I wuZz here our flight was scheduled to take off @ 4:00 AM; me brother & I were skipping through Disney Land till about 10:00PM {& we hadn't dOne ANY of our packing whatsoever} -- this is one of the many things i ADORE about him, anything.. literally a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g can pop into me mind with no prior planning & he'd be up for it, he's just as spontaneous. The first time i dragged him with me to DisneyLand I didn't expect him to enjOy it SO much, ..but turns out quite the opposite.. Plus, i had to drag him with me regardless, so I don't risk looking like a coo-coo gone bonkers skipping my feet around & singing "I caaaaan shooowwww you the wooooorrrrrld, shining shiiiimmering splennnnndid" at my loudest {which is why I always lose my voice the day after.. Haha} Ohhh now that I remember, ..the plaaaace was sooooo magical *flutters around* This time -however- our farewell was a broadway musical, ...*heart stops beating for a second* the live jazz music, the voices, the taaaap dancing, & swiiiiing.. it was awl oh-so-very-very prettyyyyyful.. their costumes toooo! i lovedddddd ittttt *smiles from earrrr to eeear* aaaaanyyyyhoooZz, I've gotttt to runnn nOw & get me share of Z.z.Zz.... tomorrOw we fly back, >_<; I'll leave you with the lyrics of 'A whOle new wOrld' ..& if you know me, imagine meee singing it {NO earplugs!!! *lol*} I can show you the world Labels: Travel $0 in my moola box | link | email this post *SCRRRREAM*  the part my brother dreads every morning: "Which bag do I carry today? ..this, that, or the other?" -- he's so cute though, he'd give me an honest opinion with a reason nonetheless x  Hotttt!   so.. so..so... h00t!   Ginza's main street on Sunday -- they block | |||||
