A Quick Trip

Few weeks back my friend and I decided over breakfast to go to Dubai for a day.
Just going on the plane was enough change for us ;p
It was a quick trip... We had lots of fun just walking around in Dubai mall window shopping and enjoying the atmosphere and yummy foods.
Being a foodie it's only natural that I'm drawn to snap pics of foods.
I leave you with the pics :)

We took Jazeera very early in the morning. Im not a fan of Jazeera but it was the

only flight available at short notice.

As soon as we arrived at Dubai mall we headed at Cheese cake factory for breakfast.

A yummy selection of cheese cakes... Unfortunately were so full from breakfast

we didn't get to try the cheese cakes.

I wanted to try this... Maybe next time inshallah.

My Latte

I loved their Napoleon French toast <3 br="br" craving="craving" i="i" it="it" m="m" now.="now." right="right">

Their Monte Cristo was very yummy too... But the portions were just too

big even for two gourmets like us.

While browsing through the shops La Cure Gourmande attracted my attention and we went in...

They have the best candy I've every tried.

Their nougat were soft and chewy. And their Caramels (not pictures) just melts in my mouth.

I love the colorful array of their packaging <3 br="br">

Yummy chocolates

One of the reasons I went to Dubai was for the Organic food cafe. The last time I was there I got from them some tea and I was running out of it. Unfortunately I didn't find the tea i was looking for :(

I should have got this mental health tea for women now that school has started and

as always Abdulaziz and Ahmed driving me crazy ;(

Random shots
The fountain at Dubai Mall

I wished I have brought the boys

Well not really...maybe some other time ;p

I loved these lunch boxes and when I snapped a shot and sent it to the boys to chose

 which one they wanted. Ahmed sent me a voice message "Mama I'm not a baby!"

Loool! Funny card which got for Fahad :p

Peanut butter Reese's sauce at Hershy's World...

I love Reese's products <3 br="br">

My second reason for going to Dubai is to Book World... I had my book list with me so I wouldn't waste time browsing (even though I wanted to camp in there badly)... I got the ones on top of my list... There are some I didn't find... and I was afraid I go crazy and I only had a small bag with me.

Maybe next time :)

Here are the books fantasy & romance... Well that's what I'm in the mood of reading these days.

We had a late lunch at Armani cafe. The last time I ate there I was sick and hardly tasted the food.

 It was the first time for my friend so we went.

I ordered a berry cocktail... Which was yum-O

I loved the rocket & Parmesan salad. Loved it!

Their bread basket and the dips which comes with it are mouth watering.

That was my order can't remember the exact name of the dish but the meat just melted in the mouth and the mushroom pudding which comes with it is out of this world!

For dessert we shared a berry tart which was smooth and fresh and the gelato which comes with it was very very delicious <3 br="br">The day passed very quickly and we headed back to the airport very much exhausted... By that time we just wanted to reach home.
It was a wonderful change from routine... I'm really contemplating of going again very soon maybe this time spend few night catch a couple of movie and camp at Book World <3 br="br">Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Neq9a

I have an over due Ramadan posts. So I hope in the next few days I'll post them all.

 

 

Last Ramadan I was blessed with good friends who sent me "Neq9a" "gifts".

First from my sister in law Reem who sent me a box of biscuits made by "Home Made Chocolates" in saffron and Rahash flavors. They were so delicate, crisp and filled with flavor. I'd have a couple after iftar and they were enough Yuumy as desserts for me. ;p

Then I received an amazing Ramadan themed basket from Swaira from Crazy Yet Wise. Wallah my darling my ga9arty!!! I loved it!!! I loved the tea, the dried fruits, mixed nuts, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, the gum and candy! Loved the feel of Ramadan in the basket and the effort and thought put into it. Swaira, I can't thank you enough 7abeebti! W inshallah na5demich bilafra7!!

The third "Neq9a" I get is from al'3alia AlNoury!!! A Kuwaiti Ramadan themed colorful tray filled with mini pots, a bottle of mini Vimto and a mini teapot. They were sooo cute I didn't want to open them or eat anything from them… but hey! You know me! When it comes to food I polish it off within seconds ;p Lovely Halwa, and Muhalabiya in the tiny pots, and the sesmea balls are yummy… but my favorite were the Ghraiba, And of course the Vimto!!! I didn't use it until we reached the end of Ramadan when I found out that we ran out of Vimto minutes before the Iftar and finally opened the bottle and used it ;p

AlNoory kilich thouq, lovely lady, and Thank you sooo much for the gift <3 font="font">

  Last Neq9a I received was from Delivery Express. I was speechless by their generosity! I got four boxes of chocolates!!! It was just too much. Thank you Mr. Fahad AlJarallah for your thoughtful Neq9a. We really loved it. Our business deals with Delivery Express. They are professionals and have great service.  

A Very Dathra Party!

OMG!!! Yesterday I felt like a child who is excited to go to a birthday party!!!

You know how a kid keeps telling everybody "I'm going to a birthday party! I'm going to a birthday party! I'm going to a birthday party!"

Well I found myself in the same situation. This month there was so many events' I had to excuse myself from because my kids were sick then I fell sick.

I kept telling everyone I know, "I'm going to a Dathra party! I'm going to a Dathra party! I'm going to a Dathra party!"

I even told the bag boy at TSC… "I'm going to a Dathra party tonight!"

He didn't have any idea what a Dathra party is, and he had that look on his face which said, "Ooook! Crazy lady…. Go away!"

Lool!

An amazing Dathra doll made by Jacquies artistic aunt <3

Anyway now you may wonder what a Dathra Party is. Well it is in Celebration of "The Chronicles of Dathra, a Dowdy Girl from Kuwait" volume 2, written by our one and only Denderma!!

Who is Dathra? She is a girl who has a big heart as much as she is big herself, and finds herself in situations whether funny, heartbreaking or just plain crazy!  

Denderma used to post every week a chapter then she collected them before the story was complete and printed them into a book. The book is written in English and some of the dialogue is in Arabish and there is translation to them.

An old fashioned "Dathra" dinner ;p

Now the party!!! It is a very relaxed gathering among sister bloggerettes. The atmosphere took us way back to the 80's – 90's, decorations music, food.

We were supposed to dress in dowdy clothes inspired by the nineties, but since it's my first girls outing and I didn't have anything which fits me from the nineties, I opted for a dera3a and wore some jewelry which I owned since the 90's. Others were more into the spirit of the party and were hilariously dressed in dowdy clothes. Wallah hats off to them!!!

Jacquies, brought with her a Dathra doll made by her fabulous aunt, mashallah, very accurate!!! And adorable!

The food was also Dathra inspired. Almost everything Dathra loves to eat… and the girl loves to eat!!! Now that I think of it… There was no McDonald's at the party!!!

We also celebrated Denderma's early birthday, with a cute fruit cake what we used to consider kash5a back in the 90's, brought by Ansam518. 

By the end of the party we had a small competition who is the dowdiest girl. Swera from Crazy Yet Wise won, Duddette was second and Jacquies came third.

Dinner with Sankist!

Love Sankist!!!

Yummy Elba... Kuwaiti style flan.

from AlNory from blog Nora.

Old fashioned candy from Denderma's table.

We all grew up with KDD ice cream...

and this takes me back to summers in Kuwait.

Do you remember this frozen ice cream?

can't remember the name...

but I remember early afternoons going to

the baqala and getting a stick when I spent

summers here in Kuwait.

My favorite was the orange.

Happy Birthday Denderma!!!

Jacquies pink boa!!!

Goodie bag! Yum!

 

When we left Denderma gave us some goodie bags… let's say amazing and dowdy goodie bags filled with old fashioned candies and chocolates… and a signed copy of the book.

Inside my goodie bag @@

My copy of the book...

and sweet Danderma signed it for me ;*  

Love you girl! Wallah ya36eech al3afaya for a wonderful evening.

 Pinkgirl Q8, Duddette, Swera, AlNory, Ansam518, Just Noon, Jacquies, The Side Talk and of course Danderma... it was lovely seeing you ;*** lets do this more often :)

You can get your copy of The Chronicles of Dathra, a Dowdy Girl from Kuwait - Volume 2 at 52 Degrees.

Ansam's Pizza

Oh Yummy Me!!!

This looks sinful!

Ansam's Pizza is now served at Napket it's topped by a selection of mushrooms, ricotta cheese, spices and a soft fried egg in the middle with  yolk oozing around the pizza like sauce!

 Talk about Snob Food!!!

Yum Yum!

More about Ansam's Pizza Click Here!

Happy Five Years to @Ansam518

Happy 5 years to Ansam518 Blog

And wish you many happy and interesting

posts!!!

Ansam you're the one who inspired me to

start my own blog :*

The Party!

If it came to me… I'd order a cake… have Caesars Pizza and goodie bags and have the party at school.

But Nooooo…. Ahmedan wants a party! And of course he went to his father, "I want a Party Baba!"

Fahad is still feeling guilty because we weren't in Kuwait last year during Ahmed's birthday. My sisters had for him a small party with close friends but he didn't want to celebrate with them… w 3afar 3alaihom 3afra… only because we weren't there, and I remember he called us crying, saying he doesn't want his aunties and wants us back! It really stuck with Fahad.  

"Give him the party he wants!" The big boss commanded!

Really!!!! Not in the mood for a party and the chaos which comes with it!

*sigh!*

"Ok baby, what kind of party do you want?"

"I want a football party!"

Oh God! Help!

So we set on preparing for the event. I wanted it to be an outdoor party, and was planning to rent one of those football fields and have some catering and a DJ, but during that time the weather was very chilly and unpredictable. So I went to Goal and Ahmed was super excited on having his party there! Unfortunately the only open date for the event was on the 31st a week after his actual birthday…Not a problem! I also checked around different bakeries seeing what kind of football themed cakes they had and he chose the design he liked best from Mr.Baker with the flavor he likes…chocolate on chocolate!

I also wanted the invitation to be extra special. So I ordered football cookies from Safi… they are so cute and so yummy! Yep I had a taste ;p The cookies were distributed with the invitations. I saw the kids were so excited about the party when I went to pick up Ahmed from school. I just hope they'd come.

Day of the party… was raining so heavily and I was really nervous that no one will show up. But alhamdullah 25 out of 30 kids we invited showed up. The kids had a blast! A bunch of 5 year olds all running behind the ball and it didn't matter which goal they kicked the ball in, even the girls played! I also asked them to provide us with a free style ball performer. The Gentlemen at Goal did a great job in involving the kids in the game and keeping the cranky birthday boy who loved all the attention happy!

Their dinner was at Chillies which was right next door. I chose Chillies from McDonald's because their menu was better. They had a choice of cheese burger, chicken crisps or pizza.

All in all it was very good :) Except I lost my voice for two days ;p

I want to send a very Special and Big! Thank You! to my sisters and cousins who were there for Ahmed and me! They were there to help me and make sure everything went smoothly.

And I leave you with the pictures ;)

Football Lollipop cookies from Safi, Nuzha.

The invitations ;)

Goodie bags...

I found football themed goodie bags

at Party Land with foot ball themed goodies,

I just added extra chocolates and candie ;)

Free style preformer.

The timing was right. By that time the kids were a bit tired and needed a break  and they were agog from all the tricks he did for them!

Here is Ahmed doing his own tricks.

Chinna sij!

All the kids had a turn :)

Another trick by Ahmed :)

The kids lost it here when Mr.Goal came out.

Some were hyper excited and others were terrified!

Ahmed & his BFF cousin Yazan ;)

And here is the cake...

design chosen by Ahmed from

Mr.Baker

Happy Birthday my baby...

Al3omer killa inshallah...

 3asa allah ye7afthek w yebale'3ni feek ;***