Early Friday morning, I got delivered a bag of yumminess from Brownie Blues. What a ‘sweet’ way to kick-start the weekend!
These brownies come in the cutest of packages, and if it wasn’t for that whiff of cocoa goodness, these would be far too pretty to tear open!
Me
et Guillaume Cuiry, Art Expert in 20th Century Design & founder of La Galerie Nationale (Alserkal Avenue, Dubai). His love affair for art furniture was developed at a very early age, and it all started when his parents decided to set up his study room with the very coveted designer pieces of Joe Colombo.
Guillaume’s interest in the world of vintage pieces was further ignited by his best friend Jacques, a collector of 40’s and 50’s antiques. Seeing a shortage for genuine antiques in Dubai led Guillaume to set up La Galerie Nationale in 2011. The gallery represents a whole list of prominent designers including Jean Royere, Jean Prouve, Pierre Guariche, Chatrlotte Perriand, Mathieu Mategot, Marco Zanuso, Alexandre Noll, Geoffrey Harcourt, Max Ingrand, Serge Mouille and Warren Platner.
I had an intruiging chat with Guillaume a few days ahead of his gallery’s Dubai Art festival. He is a true encyclopedia on furniture art! Read on to learn more about coveted furniture pieces, and how you too can build a sought-after collection of your own.
Spring, the youthfully trendy fashion brand, has a special affiliation with this season. They are, after all, named after spring, the season of early blooms, lazy sunshine and laid-back days by the beach.
I’ve been browsing their online store, especially their accessories section, and it got me lusting for a whole load of things for spring. Here’s a compilation of my Top 10 Must-Haves for Spring, from Spring 🙂
I am a huge fan of Dr. Hauschka, and it has been a struggle finding their gorgeous, organic beauty products in the UAE. Then I discovered Bashara Care, an online beauty store operating in the UAE, and got super excited!
One of my favorite products from the Dr. Hauschka range is the Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream. It was my favorite facial cream during my late teens, and when my little parcel of Dr. Hauschka goodies arrived from Bashara Care (exactly one day after placing my order!), this little tube brought back a whole flood of memories.
Walking into Tribeca is like getting whirled into the maddening genius of the rabbit’s hole from Alice in Wonderland. Located on the first floor of Ocean View Hotel (JBR, Dubai), Tribeca is a “little slice of the big apple”. Conceptualized and created in 2003, Tribeca is the brainchild of a New York-returned chef who found a niche for hearty American grub in Glasgow. Ofcourse, every successfully delicious international chain has to be imported into the Dubai foodie scene, and here we have Tribeca – New York madness created in the suburbia of Glasgow!
The opulence of St. Regis Dubai manages to take my breath away every time. The cobbled driveway lined with vintage street lamps transports me to the romantic era of horse-drawn carriages and corsets. The magnificence of the palatial-style facade is further enhanced when stepping into the marbled floors of the lobby. The spiraling stairway, gilded with retro glam, frames a larger than life chandelier, an epitome of luxury that would be so apt for the scenes of The Great Gatsby.
This time round, I was lunching at Brasserie Quartier, St. Regis’ decadently French all-day cafe, diner and bar.
The beautifully breezy ‘winter’ days in Dubai are slowly but surely sweltering out. Although we do not have an official ‘spring’ season this part of the world (think summer, hotter summer and a mild, breezy winter!), the fashion police make it a point we are dressed up all pretty for this elusive season.
This fashionably Spring season, Pinko is reintroducing the floral femininity of the sixties and seventies. Their playful dresses showcase botanical motifs in swirling fabrics and ladylike silhouettes. These make me want to delve into elaborate tea parties and take out all that fine china from the cupboard!
One idle, sunny afternoon, my siblings and I headed to The Square, the heart of the city of Palmerston North, New Zealand. After a few mundane grocery chores, my sister treated us to a taco lunch.
She has been raving about Dos Locos Taco since I landed in New Zealand. This Mexican food truck has been setting trails ablaze in the foodie scene of Palmerston North. Owned and operated by a very lovely couple of Mexican and South American descent, the business first started off in New York, America’s street-food central.
My father was a very active member of the community at Palmerston North (New Zealand). He was a member of the Rose Society, had acted as president of the cultural society three times over, and was always involved in fund-raising events for the local Islamic Center. In retrospect, his social life has definitely been more varied and meaningful than mine.
On 21st February, Palmerston North held its annual Esplanade Day at the very popular grounds of the Esplanade. Here, small businesses and communities take up stalls selling all kinds of nifty, often handmade items, at exceptionally good prices. A makeshift stage is set up with live music and local entertainment, and members of the Islamic Center also put up a stall here to raise funds for the upkeep of the center’s needs.
The taboo linked to tattooing is progressively fading (pun intended!). A great deal of discrimination has been linked to the inked. Tattoo enthusiasts have often been stereotyped as society outcasts, and even today, we are prone to hiding our tats in formal settings, especially the workplace.
Your body is your canvas, if you want to decorate it with tattoos, its totally your business! I’ve recently had my second one done, and thought I’d share my experience with you.
