history

Authentic Indian Fine-Dining at Bukhara (Globally Ranked Restaurant at Kempinski Ajman)

Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Bukhara is a historical city of Uzbekistan. For centuries, Bukhara has been a center for trade, arts, culture and religion, and fell on the Silk Road that connected it to the Indian subcontinent. This pathway brought the Moghuls to India, and was home to the great Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan. With this came a great deal of social and culinary influences such as clay oven baking, the art of skewered kebabs and rustic brass cookware.

Reliving the authenticity of this historical bond, Bukhara restaurant at Kempinski Ajman recreates the charm of a bygone era with a spacious interior elaborately decorated with unique, vintage curios, brass vessels and carved wood. Even the staff here are dressed to match the ambiance with elaborately embroidered suits and golden sandals.

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Ajmal Perfumes: The Origins of Oudh and the Making of the Middle East’s Biggest Fragrance Icon

In a market submerged with brands, only a few stand the test of time. And then there are those that manifest a sense of patriotism by embedding themselves into their adopted home of the Middle East. Such brands are as rare as precious gems, and the one that tops my list has to be Ajmal Perfumes.

With a history dating back to 1950, I have a special connection with this brand as like me, Ajmal Perfumes roots back to Assam, the North Eastern state of India. 

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Celebrate the Spirit of Togetherness at Fairmont Dubai

My very first ‘Iftar’ this year was a good two weeks before the start of Ramadan (oh the perks of being a food blogger!). On Wednesday 10th May, I sat at a very festive table alongside a mixed group of journalists, bloggers and their families to delve into a very authentic feast.

How does the Iftar at Fairmont Dubai differ from other grand, Arabesque Iftars that are so prevalent across the city this month?

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Memoirs of the Gulf War #MyFatherMyHero

When Bollywood blockbuster ‘Airlift‘ released in late January this year, it brought back bittersweet memories of the Gulf War. My family and I were in Kuwait during the summer of 1990, and through the innocent eyes of adolescence, I can still vividly remember all that unfolded.

Airlift is an action-packed Bollywood movie that is based on the real-life bravery of an Indian businessman. Mathunny Mathews is credited for being one of the people responsible for fixing a deal with the Indian government and safely airlifting over 170,000 Indians back to India from Iraq-invaded Kuwait. Till this movie came out, I had never heard of Mr. Mathews, and if he ever reads this, I would like to say we are eternally grateful to him as my family and I were one of the many families who’s lives he managed to save.

However, our story in Iraq-invaded Kuwait was rather different from what was portrayed in the movie, and given today is August 2nd, the 26th anniversary of the Iraqi invasion, I wanted to share some of my personal memoirs from the Gulf War with you.

gulf war kuwait iraq invasion memoirs the tezzy files blog
This artwork was edited from aljazeera.com
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Barjeel Al Arab: An Enchantingly Emirati Dinner by the Creek

As we sat by the terrace, surrounded by a hauntingly beautiful Emirati past, I contemplated on how the chaos of city life managed to look so serene from this angle. At this vantage point, the stark lights of the city halo into a rainbow of colours, and enchantingly spill onto the vivid dark waters of the Deira Creek.

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What is a Michelin Star Rating? A Brief History into the Culinary World’s Most Coveted Star

A Michelin star rating is akin to the holy grail of fine dining. It is a serious foodie’s Bible code, and topnotch chefs across the globe crave its approval.

But how did Michelin, a manufacturer of tyres, gain such authority over the world of food? Read on for its very colorful history.

michelin star guide history background what is 1900
An image of the very first edition of the Michelin Guide (1900) taken from the dignet.com site.
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A Whirlwind Tour of Amsterdam & Beyond: Day 1 #tezzyinamsterdam

Hello darlings! Did you miss me? Sorry for the extended silence, I’ve been away on an exciting 3 day tour around Amsterdam. This Eid holiday was totally unexpected, and I have to say its been the best surprise I’ve ever received because I actually won this trip on radio!

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Mother’s Day: celebrating motherhood across the globe

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Oh wait, it has already passed!

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This is the very first Mother’s Day card Farasha has made for me. Mummy treasure!

 

In the UAE and the neighboring GCC countries, Mother’s Day falls on 21st March but having been raised in New Zealand (where my mother resides!), my calendar always alerts me to the second Sunday of May.

This year, Mother’s Day in the West falls on 10th May (the second Sunday of May), and I thought it would be apt to dedicate a post to this special date.

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