Mummy-Modified Tom Yum Soup for My Little Girl

We are finally in Dubai winters! Loving the breezy evenings, but not so much the cough and flu that’s been going around. With a 7 year-old in the house, we are guaranteed lovely pesky viral bugs that she picks up from the school run, and the past week has seen a slow-down in our weekend activities as we recuperate. 

My little girl loves Thai cuisine as much as I do (not surprising given the amount of Thai dishes I wolfed down through my pregnancy!). So when I told her I’d make her a soup to combat her cold, she demanded a bowl of Tom Yum.

I have this special, super easy Tom Yum Soup recipe up my sleeve, but it needs a little modification for my bub. She doesn’t like shrimps, and obviously can’t take Thai hot like I can. As a sneaky mummy, I also decided to add a handful of other healthful ingredients, and prayed hard she wouldn’t sniff out the difference. This soup is far from photogenic, but tastes great and is full of nutritional value if I may say so myself! 

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Introducing My Favorite Desi DJ, Bharat Sakhrani

I loveBollywood music. I hum it in the shower, play retro remixes in my car, and for areally intense, high adrenaline workout, nothing comes quite close tobhangra-inspired beats. My friends introduced me to ‘Desi Nights’, aka clubbingto Bollywood tunes, and this is how I met DJ Bharat Sakhrani.

An accountant by day and DJ by night, DJ Bharat really knows how to keep the dance floor alight and effortlessly mixes in English, Arabic and other world tunes.

Vote for Bharat! Under 2 years into his night gig, this ultra-talented young man has been nominated for the prestigious title of ‘Best DJ’ at the annual Ahlan Masala Awards. He’s got my vote! Do vote for him by clicking here, and have a read on what he has to say about Desi DJing in Dubai.

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Beauty Review: Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Intense Lift Cream

If you’ve been following my blog and my social media feeds for a while, you already know I am a huge fan of Neal’s Yard Remedies. Originating from Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden London, this organic skincare brand has been around for over three decades. Love their holistic approach to beauty and their entire library of pure essential oils. 

One essential oil that features quite prominently in the Neal’s Yard Remedies range is frankincense. Love the Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Hydrating Facial Mist and would highly recommend their Rejuvenating Frankincense Eye & Lip Serum

And a few weeks back, I was sent the newest addition to the frankincense family, the Neal’s Yard Remedies Intense Lift Cream. 

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Now Open: Dubai’s Very Own Magnum Ice-Cream Store (VOX Cinemas, MOE)

Magnum ice-cream and I go back a long time. I’ve had a love affair with this calorie-laden, Belgian chocolate coated yumminess for as long as I can remember. Back home in New Zealand, they’d come up with limited edition Magnum flavours, and I remember taking over the family freezer when they introduced the absolutely divine Honeycomb edit where the milk chocolate casing was bejewelled with crunchy hokeypokey and the inner ice-cream was this golden-hued honeycomb flavour. So glad they’ve made this flavour mainstream, my family can now share the freezer again.

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Christmas Bookings 2018

I know its only mid November, but its never too early to plan out that special Christmas dinner. Whether its a family affair or an official corporate gathering, our wonderful foodie city of Dubai has endless options for ringing in the festive cheer.

Keep revisiting this list. I’ll be updating it with more options through the month 🙂

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#BeautyReview Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

I think I’ve found the holy grail for mascaras. It comes in this eclectic hexagonal tube, so akin to everything super-stylish to come out from the ‘Marc Jacobs’ label.

It brings my barely-there lashes to life, like you can actually see them! Thick and luscious sans any annoying clumps with just a single sweep. A second coat gives me the ‘vavavoom’ look of false lashes. I’m talking about the epic Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara. 

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How Deep is Your Scrub? 5 Awesome Body Scrubs by Soap & Glory

What’s not to love about a good old body scrub-down? I am a body scrub hoarder. I have a collection of body brushes, I whip up homemade scrubs in my kitchen, and tend to buy a whole stack of branded scrubs ranging in scrub-strength.

Have you tried UK skincare brand Soap & Glory before? If you are a regular at Boots Pharmacy, it would be hard to miss seeing their pretty pink products on the shelves. Love their packaging and retro-style branding.

I was recently sent 5 of the best-selling body-scrubs, and asked to declare one as my personal favorite. Each scrub is uniquely different and caters to uniquely different needs so it really was a tough choice (oh the perils of being a beauty blogger… lounging in my tub trying one decadently scented scrub after another!). 

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Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask Review

I’ve been a peroxide blonde for nearly 3 years now, and pretty addicted to the color. The countdown is on for a recoloring session, but I’m dreading the backlash the chemical cocktails have on my hair. Bleaching strips my hair of natural hydration and gives my ends this hay-like dryness that is definitely never hitting the glam-squad charts any time soon.

I’ve invested heavily in leave-in hair serums and conditioning masks. Most seem to work, but only temporarily. And I find myself dousing my mane with conditioning promises and finishing off bottle-fulls by the week.

I had the pleasure of attending the Fall/Winter 2018 Sephora Middle East press launch last month, and got introduced to Briogeo; a natural hair-care range hailing from New York.

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