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

Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy

 

I always say I read Nora Roberts books when I have nothing better to read or when I want something light to read when I want a break from historicals or fantasy books I usually read. Not that I don't enjoy them, I usually do, but sometimes they grow tiresom because most of her trilogies are similar, like the characters and plot.

 

So few months back I started reading "The Next Always" the first book in the Boonsboro trilogy. I really liked the characters and the book. There was also a supernatural element in the story as some of her books do. This time is a moody but benign ghost living at the inn which the Montgomery brothers are renovating.

 

Beckett Montgomery and his brothers begin renovations on the historic hotel in Boonsboro, Maryland. A second chance for the inn leads to a second chance for love.

 

 

I finished reading "The Last Boyfriend" last week and it was also a light entertaining read. I finished the book in two days. I enjoyed this one more, because there was a conclusion to the first book and another beginning for the main character in this book and a teaser for the third book.

 

"Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist—and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery McTavish...

Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation—and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery’s thoughts. But the attraction she’s feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen’s hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected—and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last…" - Penguin Group

 

Yes. I'm really looking forward to the last installment of this trilogy "The Perfect Hope".  Since I can't imagine how Hope and Ryder will come together since half the time they are politely cold and stay out of each other's way most of the time.

Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out—with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except apparently Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro…

As the former manager of a D.C. hotel, Hope is used to excitement and glamour, but that doesn’t mean she can’t appreciate the joys of small-town living. She’s where she wants to be—except for in her love life. Her only interaction with the opposite sex has been sparring with the infuriating Ryder, who always seems to get under her skin. Still, no one can deny the electricity that crackles between them…a spark that ignited with a New Year’s Eve kiss.

While the Inn is running smoothly, thanks to Hope’s experience and unerring instincts, her big-city past is about to make an unwelcome—and embarrassing—appearance. Seeing Hope vulnerable stirs up Ryder’s emotions and makes him realize that while Hope may not be perfect, she just might be perfect for him…

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.

Game Of Thrones

So who is following Game of Thrones S2?

The second season covers almost most of the key events

of the second book of George R.R. Martins, Clash of Kings.

While reading the book a while back I was wondering how they will compress all these characters and events which are in the book in a 10 episode season?

As it happens, alot of characters are missing, maybe they will be introduced later in Season 3, who knows, and some scenes has been changed. Tyrion Lannister is my favorite character.

So far, Season 1 has stayed true to the first book and my favorite.

It doesn't mean I'm not liking season 2... I do feel disappointed when the episode reaches the end, and can't wait for next week to come.

What I'm Reading

I've started rereading my Game of Thrones books again. I love those series but they are so intense and I had to stop, and in between, read other lighter books.  I'm so excited that Season 2 for the series will start very soon on OSN!

I've finished reading Katie McAlister's "Love in the Time of

Dragons". It is a fantasy romance, entertaining for a couple of days read, and a quick change, but not kept as a reread.

Yesterday I've started on "A Discovery of Witches"  by Deborah Harkness, another fantasy romance, and it seems pretty interesting. I can't put the book down.

Books Review

I was really looking forward to read "Lover Unleashed" by J.R Ward during the break I took. I saved the book for this particular trip. I wanted to read it uninterrupted or distracted.

From the first three chapters I had a sinking feeling that the book will disappoint me. It was obvious the story was more about the unsolved issues Vishous faced in "Lover Unbound", than the main protagonists Manny and Payne. Vishous is one of my favorites, but his story was a bit disappointing at the end and I didn't like Jane his mate. However they had the biggest part in this book over shadowing Manny and Payne, and I began understanding Jane better and liking her more than I thought.


I was so looking forward to Manny's story since he was mentioned in "Lover Unbound" and was excited to learn that his love interest would be Payne, since she is a very complex and unbending and tough as nails character. Unfortunately Payne was a big letdown. I was hopping a little of shove and push between the two characters before they realized they were in love. As it turned out, Payne was doormat!


I still don't understand what went through the authors mind when she wrote the book. There was hardly enough written pages about these two characters and I felt their relationship wasn't real because there wasn't enough between them going on.


Besides all that, there was a side story of Detectives De La Cruz and DelVecchio trying to catch a serial killer, which had nothing to do with the Brotherhood or Manny and Payne, and I was wondering all the time if the author was running out of ideas???!!!


I also missed the interaction between the other colorful characters in the Brotherhood which I only had a glimpse of by the end of the book.


Don't get me wrong. I love J.R Ward and her style of writing. I'm still one of her faithful readers, and I would still recommend her books to anyone who is interested in this genre but this book in the series was a bit of a downer to me.


Now, I've read on several blogs her next book "Lover Reborn" will be the story of Tohr, and I wonder, Is Tohr ready to fall in love after the death of his mate Wellsie? Will we see more action between the Brotherhood and the Bloodletter's Bastards? Will there be some action with the Lessening Society? So many things I missed in this book I hope to find them in the next book.

No I'm not yet done with Lisa Kleypas's books. I still have few more which I'm saving for future vacations.



During this break I also brought with me "Married By Morning" the Hathaway series. It was Leo Hathaway and Catharine Marks, his younger sisters paid companion, story. It was the last book in the series, although not in order for me to read.


As usual I wasn't disappointed and I'm not going to say much about the book to not spoil it for other readers who might be interested. I loved both protagonists; they were strong and witty and knew what they wanted. I loved the witty dialogue, the bantering and the teasing between them. I also enjoyed the other Hathaway members who had their fair share in the book yet not overpowering the main characters.


The romance between Leo and Cat has been building in the last two books, they jump right into their attraction for one another from the beginning of the book and I didn't feel it was false because of the build up between them. You really need to read the previous two books to understand what I'm trying to say. Early on in the book we get to know Cat's secret and the issues she was struggling with. It did come to me as a surprise when she decided to go to her half-brother, whom she was a bit cold with in the previous book, and who happens to be Leo's brother in law, for his support and advice on what to do with the threat she was facing. The ending came to me as a surprise. Yes. there is a lot of kidnapping in Lisa's books, but I thought Cat would be abducted by the villain and not a member of her family.


I will say no more!


In the end, like every time I finish reading a Lisa Kleypas's book, I wish I can write like her. Maybe I'll write a Kuwaiti romance ;p