dubai

Dubai Festival City: Pirates of the Bay, Famous Dave’s and so much more

I love mall-hopping with my little girl. It’s our mummy-daughter bonding time, and one of our favorite shopping destinations has always been Dubai Festival City Mall.

Apart from a wide range of shopping options including the two anchor tenants Ikea and Robinson’s which do not have stores anywhere else in the city, Dubai Festival City has a great selection of restaurants and cafes, and the spectacular IMAGINE show that takes place every half-hour at the harbor front is absolutely magical for kids and grown-ups alike.

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The Gota Patti Saree by Suchita Stylista

There is nothing like traditional Indian hand-worked embroidery. Every region of this vast country boasts of their own style of handiwork and hand looms, and the North Western state of Rajasthan arguably takes the lead when it comes to the brightest hues of color and color clashes. The art of tie-dye that was an integral part of the hippie movement of the roaring sixties was born here.

Rajasthan is also home to Gota Patti. What is Gota Patti you ask? It is an ornate version of applique embroidery where intricately cut pieces of gold or silver ribbon are placed into a pattern and sewn onto either georgette or silk.

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The Grove Salons: A Chitchat with Owner Ruchika Singhal

If you are following me on Instagram, you might have seen my stories showcasing my experience at The Grove Salons at JLT, Dubai. I don’t think I’ve had such a detailed chat about my hair as I did with their hair magician Cherizeh Gadhiali. She didn’t just give my hair a new color, but brought it to life with a special state of the art Kerastase treatment that gave my dried up ends some much needed TLC.

Loving my new ‘Matte Blonde’ color. Its less on the brazen orange and more on an earthy muted, nearly green tone that seems to work well with my tanned complexion.

Get 15% off all services at The Grove Salon JLT with my code TEZZY15
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Breakfast at The Market Place (Marriott, Al Jaddaf – Dubai)

A night’s stay at five-star property Marriott Al Jaddaf includes a complimentary breakfast at their all-day dining restaurant, The Market Place. The breakfast runs from 8 am till 11 am and covers a wide range of international breakfast favorites.

Having over-snoozed in my comfy queen bed with the curtains blocking out the morning sun well past 9, all my good intentions of doing a few laps at the pool post breakfast were forgotten and we headed downstairs a little past 9.30 am.

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Dinner at Scots American Grill (Marriott, Al Jaddaf)

We spent a very restful, pampered weekend away at Marriott Al Jaddaf (Dubai) and during our stay we visited Scots American Grill for dinner. This fine-dining steakhouse is located on the first floor of the hotel, offers a unique menu that is a fusion of Scottish fine foods with a new-age American flair. They have an entire lineup of steaks as well as enticing seafoods, and the very helpful staff are more than happy to assist with your choices.

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A Weekend Away at Marriott Al Jaddaf, Dubai

2019 has been a super busy year so far, but busy in a good way. All my weekends have been packed with socializing or eating out or photography activities and I’ve been craving a good old quiet, under the covers laid-back break.

I recently got an invite to spend a night at the Marriott in Al Jaddaf, Dubai and thought this would be the perfect low-key break I’ve been wanting so badly.

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Zou Zou: A Turkish Lebanese Delight

I was mispronouncing ‘Zou Zou’ as ‘Zaw Zaw’, but I later came to know its ‘Zoo Zoo’, an affectionate feminine Arabic name. Perhaps this beautifully bronze-lit authentic diner is named after a beloved Zou Zou the owner happened to know, a brilliant cook who had a special penchant with Mediterranean flavors and loved to feed a large brood.

Such is the warmth and familial familiarity that exudes from this beautifully decorated ‘Turkish meets Lebanese’ restaurant, located in Insta-friendly La Mer, Dubai.

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O’Pao: Vada Pao Reinvented #WhatAPao

I recently watched the brand new Bollywood flick ‘Thackeray’, more so for being a die-hard fan of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui than having even an ounce of knowledge about Indian politics. No I wouldn’t recommend this movie, the slow-paced screenplay does not do justice to Siddiqui’s talent nor the fiery journalist turned politician he portrays. But what I did gather from it all was Balasaheb Thackeray’s undeniable influence on restoring the Marathi identity.

One particular scene that resonates is where Thackeray (played by Siddiqui) starts a street-food revolution introducing the humble ‘Vada Pao’ as a Marathi snack.

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Piadera: An Italian Food Affair

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When a beautiful young lady called Norina was seen kneading the traditional piada dough on the shores of an Italian beach, a love-struck stranger affectionately named her Piadera. This intriguing love story is the inspiration behind the brand new Italian restaurant chain Piadera . I visited their branch at scenic Al Seef last weekend and indulged in a number of traditional Italian treats including their signature piada stuffed with smoked beef, a refreshingly unique Lemon Cider Mojito made with Italian lemon cider, a scrumptious quinoa salad and a creamy burrata. However my favorite from the night was the divinely delicious Pesto Pasta, highly recommend it. Will be revisiting for more 👌💚 . 🎶 'Happier' by @marshmellomusic . . . . . . . . . . . #piadera #piada #pestopasta #italianfood #italianfooddubai #dubaifoodblogger #dubaifoodblog #zomato #zomatouae #lemoncider #eeeeeats #alseefdubai #alseef #mydubai #foodphotography #dubaifoodie #uaefoodblog #uaefood #happier #happiermarshmello

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The Imposter Syndrome

Have you heard about the Imposter Syndrome? It’s become an epidemic. It’s that little gremlin sitting on your shoulder making you doubt all the accomplishments you’ve worked so very hard to achieve. You start doubting yourself. When you hear the applauds you stiffen up thinking this isn’t for you. You start believing you are a fake, you start believing you are an imposter .

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