When asked what my favorite style of cuisine is, my eminent answer, with no hint of hesitation, has always been Thai. I love their flamboyant mix of exotic spices, the heat of their fiery red chili, the pungency of fish sauce, and the aromatic whiff of lemongrass. Many a time when I am out with friends, not everyone in the group shares my love for Thai. In those instances, I am thankful for food-courts, although the hit of ‘Thai-ness’ fails in comparison to a well established Thai restaurant.

Imagine my thrill when Busaba Eathai invited us in for a tasting of their new menu additions! Busaba Eathai has never been stoically traditional, but offer more bistro-style Thai dishes that cater to a wider global audience. Click here for my previous review. However, if you are like me and love it hot and pungent, they can crank up the heat any way you like! And if you are with friends who claim to detest Thai, you might just make a convert of them here.

I was at Sensation Dubai this Friday night, the world’s biggest dance party! Set at the Desert Dome at the rather elusive Bab Al Shams arena, getting to the venue was an adventure in itself. We had a pair of deluxe tickets that gave us access to the exclusive buffet and bar, and we managed to get a cosy table with spectacular views of the stage.
Every New Year, the fireworks at Burj Khalifa manage to make works headlines but being the claustrophobic that I am, I have never ventured there for a fear of the crowds. Sensation Dubai’s opening act must come pretty close to the epic fireworks; the stage, the lighting, and the spectacular show of lights looks like something from outer space!

 

The tradition of wearing a Bindi, the ceremonial red dot worn by women of the Indian subcontinent, originates from ancient Hindu beliefs. The word ‘Bindi’ is derived from the Sanskrit ‘Bindu‘, or ‘point’. In Hinduism, this point on the forehead (right between the eyebrows), is considered the sacred spot from where creation begins.

Traditionally, round red bindis were worn by married women to signify their marital status. Over time, the humble bindi has surpassed religious significances, and has gone on to become a besotted ethnic accessory that comes in many colours and shapes.

I recently got introduced to the very talented Ninorah Fernandes, founder and creator of Nindi. A clever brand name that incorporates the bindi with her very own name, the Nindi range takes inspiration from all across the globe and best of all, they can be reused time and time again. They even have Hamsa Nindis! Ninorah gives us more insight into her innovative brand, read on for more!

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We all have an alter ego, another aspect of our day to day facade that often gets overshadowed with the formalities of a stiff-collared designation. I have been blogging about food for nearly two years now, and it never fails to impress me when I manage to uncover a hidden chef in someone quite unexpected!

By day, Paul Alexander Estorffe is a Senior Communications Manager at The Qode, one of Dubai’s most reputed PR communications houses. I happened to stumble upon his Instagram account @paul_estorffe and was pretty amazed by the kind of spectacular dishes this ‘home cook’ dishes out! Do follow him and have a look for yourselves. In today’s guest post, Paul has been kind enough to share a simple yet very fancy-sounding recipe he has created all by himself; Paul’s Kipper Pate with Drambuie and Toast. I’ll be trying this out myself this week, thanks Paul!

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If you are following me on my social media handles, you’ve already heard the news: The Tezzy Files has been nominated yet again for the very prestigious category of ‘Best Blog’ by Ahlan Masala!

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The Tezzy Files turns 2 this month, and this is the second time the blog has been listed by Masala! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see my blog on this list of some of the best known bloggers in our city.

If you enjoy reading my posts and feel I deserve to win, please do spare me a minute and cast your vote! You can also win some pretty amazing prizes just for placing your votes. All you have to do is sign into www.masalaawards.com

Much love,

Tezzy. 

I am pretty addicted to the Naturalmente Green Tea Lip Cream. This beautifully scented, all-natural lip cream has become a staple in my makeup bag. Made of highly nourishing natural ingredients, this lip cream easily absorbs into the skin and even boasts of anti-aging properties. Read my complete review by clicking here.

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Today I have not one, not two, but THREE Naturalmente Green Tea Lip Creams to give away. Read on to find out how to win.

Sephora has always managed to stay a few steps ahead of the beauty game by bringing in some of the world’s most sought-after brands exclusively under their umbrella for the Middle East region. Brand new on their coveted list is the South Korean brand Tony Moly.

Tony Moly is a skincare brand with a difference – ‘Tony Moly’ translates to ‘putting style into packaging’, and we are not talking suave and sophisticated here at all; their packaging is just way too adorable!

Take the Tony Moly Banana Hand Milk for example. The cream itself is refreshingly light and absorbs quickly into the skin, yet it also manages to be very moisturizing thanks to the key ingredients milk and banana extracts. But the product itself is completely overshadowed by the cuteness of the packaging… an actual replica of a banana!

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A young boy, on a visit to his mother’s ancestral home in Meerut (North Western India), is left fascinated by a bright yellow find. So contrastingly different from the usual fiery reds and deep greens, this prized yellow chili happened to fall in the hands of a boy destined to be arguably India’s most celebrated chefs, Sanjeev Kapoor himself.

So cherished was this find that many decades later, Sanjeev Kapoor opened up a whole chain of restaurants called Yellow Chili. Where Signature and Options are the chef’s ode to Indian fine-dining, Yellow Chili aims to be your cushy neighbourhood retreat for some seriously good, home-style Indian dishes.

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I can sniff the weekend! Heading off to yet another Friday brunch tomorrow? Perhaps you just want to sleep in for a change, and head out for a chillaxed feast at a leisurely 8 pm or later? I was at the Meridien Village Terrace last Friday. With a lavish spread, flowing beverages and live music to boot, their Friday ‘Latino Latino Nights’ are just the place to be!

The UAE can finally boast of breezy-beautiful evenings, and what better way to spend a laid-back Friday with friends and family than under the stars?