Carnival by Tresind Season 5: A Culinary Exploration of Colonial India

Last weekend my little family and I were invited to try out the brand-new menu at Carnival by Tresind. This restaurant ranks high on my all-time favorites in the city, and never ceases to amaze. From the magical interiors to the spectacular dishes, all served with the frills and thrills we have become accustomed to when it comes to the Tresind label, I always get a tad too excited when dining here.

The new menu pays tribute to Colonial India, a time when the British reigned the country and had a significant influence on its traditional cuisine.

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The Art of Draping (The Perfect Makeup Technique for Summer 2018)

I am a huge fan of the contouring technique. Contouring was made for fat faces, and to disguise a love for chocolate. A very skilled job keeps that jawline defined, and those cheeks uplifted even when you forget to pucker up for that pic.

My love for contouring has my makeup drawers stuffed with contouring powders and palettes from many a coveted brand, and then I stumbled upon the art of draping…

Draping is contouring with a pop of color, and has actually been around since the Eighties pop culture phase. Think bright, happy cheeks all flushed a gorgeous pink.

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Crab Market Dubai: Fine Dining Seafood with a View

Love crab, but a little wary of the apron-clad hammering massacre scene? Brand new fine-dining destination Crab Market is a culinary haven for Dubai seafood lovers.

Located on the 15th floor Emirates Financial Towers (North Tower) in DIFC Dubai, the expansive new space boasts of panoramic views of the city, including the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Frame. The interiors are tastefully topnotch with starch-white linen, plush sofas a dedicated glass room for specialty wines, and a smorgasbord of delectable fresh seafood sitting on pristine ice right at the front.

They even have live crab in the tanks, and if you so wish, you can even have a go at fishing out your catch of the day with the automated mini forklifts.

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Black Can Be Colorful Too

I love color, and hardly have anything black in my wardrobe. So when I finally did splurge on a black evening dress for a special night out, it definitely couldn’t be one that was all-out black and boring.

I found this beauty on the shelves of Debenhams just a week or so before Christmas. It comes under the Miss Selfridge label, and what attracted me to it was the colorful floral embroidery right on the front.

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‘Unlimited Food & Drink’ at Ricetta (Four Points by Sheraton, Bur Dubai)

Bargain alert! If you love Italian… the pasta, the pizza, the fruity wines, the tiramisu, the works, you can have it all in unlimited quantities for a mere AED 144 per person.

This amazing offer is available for both lunch and dinner throughout the week at Ricetta, Four Points by Sheraton’s authentic Italian restaurant.

You get a taste of provencal Italy as soon as you walk into the restaurant with its cheerful red checkered tablecloths, the make-believe fruits and vegetable market and a wall plastered with classy black and white photographs of Italy.

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10 Reasons Why You Need the Foreo Luna 2 in Your Life

I’ve always been under the impression that great skincare starts with squeaky clean skin. But the catch 22 here is the premise that we need to be extra gentle with our skin. As one of my good friends puts it, ‘This is your face! You’re not doing the dishes.’

I’ve been using washcloths and facial brushes for the longest time, and when Foreo hit the market in late 2015, I knew I had to have one. However, the steep pricing has always kept me from turning into a Foreo girl. Had I known its benefits earlier, I would have taken the plunge far sooner.

Unlike many other facial cleaners in the market including the much-hyped predecessor Clarisonic, Foreo is like no other facial cleaner ever created, and here are 10 reasons that make it so unique…

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‘Eat Meat Repeat’ at SMK (La Mer Dubai)

Meat lovers rejoice! There’s a meaty new shack that has opened right by the photogenic shores of La Mer Dubai. SMK (or ‘Smoked Meat Kitchen’) is a brand new UAE-born concept spearheaded by UK Smoke Master, Luke Tully.

SMK Slow Cooked Meat Smoked Beef La Mer Dubai Review Food Blog UAE Lifestyle Blogger Beef Brisket (5)

The team have been trained by Shoreditch London’s well-loved restaurant SmokeStak.

SmokeStak is the brainchild of Michelin Star Chef David Carter. “His permanent restaurant in Shoreditch is to BBQ what opera is to nursery rhymes.” – London Evening Standard.

Luke has recently moved to Dubai, and brings with him many years of smoked meat talent.

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Maison Rouge: Fine-Dining with a Side of Cabaret

Last Thursday we were treated to a culinary and visual treat at newly opened Maison Rouge in Conrad Dubai. As the name suggests, the restaurant cum bar is luxuriously plush in vivid tones of red. Everything looks so theatrical even before the show begins!

Maison Rouge Conrad Dubai UAE Review Food Blog French Cabaret Violin Bar Club Night Life Steak Molecular Gastronomy (1)

We arrived a little before 9, and were ushered in with peppy, upbeat tunes by the live DJ. A well-stocked open bar adds to the ambiance, and you can also get a glimpse of the open-fire kitchen where a lineup of international delicacies are assembled together.

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10 Reasons to Add Dalia to Your Diet

Cracked wheat comes in various forms. Bulghur (or Burghul) is the most popularly used variant in Middle eastern cooking. Bulghar is essentially parboiled whole grain wheat, and the Indian variation is called Dalia.

Dalia is very similar to Bulghur, but I find it to be far softer in texture. Bulghur is used for all courses of the day, whereas in India, dalia is predominantly a breakfast staple.

This is not to be confused with Couscous. Unlike bulgur, couscous is not whole grain, and comes from a husked and crushed wheat called semolina. Couscous was originally made from millet, not wheat.

Coming back to Dalia, I love the versatility of this grain. You can replace it with Bulghur when not available, but do keep in mind that bulghur is more al dente.

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Gold Collagen Review (Does Drinking Liquid Collagen Really Benefit the Skin?)

For the past month, my early morning breakfast ritual has had a wee beauty tweak. I start my mornings unscrewing a tiny gold-topped bottle, and sip down its contents daintily. It tastes tangy, sweet and peachy all at once.

This wee drink is not your regular health tonic, but promises be the next generation in skincare. The key ingredient is collagen, the building block for youthful skin, hair and nails. Many expensive creams and potions claim the benefits of collagen, but ingesting it into the system is believed to deliver faster, more permanent results.

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