I am wandering around India right now. The weather is hot and humid, with a few monsoon showers thrown in. I have vowed to travel light, but my time here will entail a long list of social engagements, the Eid festivities included. Limiting my makeup stash given the travel allowances has proven to be a tough call, but I have narrowed down to a top 10 list of makeup products that have made it into my travelling makeup bag.
“The bus was a carcass of a vehicle, a mere tin box with faded paint and prison bars that housed an entire crowd of perspiring strangers. Each grasped on to any available solace as the driver took frivolous turns on the rocky, uneven roads ahead. I stood there, balancing my luggage and child with hands and legs, praying the next swirl will not deplete my balance, lest I end up crashing out of the glass door behind me.”
I am heading off on a summer holiday, and one of my pet peeves has been trying to squeeze in all my essentials into the constricted luggage allowance. This time round, I am carrying 9 eye-shadows, 2 blushes, 1 highlighter, 1 bronzer and 2 lip and cheek stains in my hand-bag. Quite a stash you say? Well here’s news for you, this entire list of goodies is stocked in The Balm Voyage Vol. II palette, and its actually as slim and compact as my passport!
Where are you heading off this summer? If you are a major foodie like me, you’d take to Google to plan out your foodie trail in the little time you’ve got at your destination. However, an even better bet is having a local friend who’s lived and eaten around the city. Today we are exploring Toronto (Canada) through the tastebuds of my very special friend Upa Hazarika. Upa and I go back a long, long time and have been friends since we were wee toddlers. Trust me, this girl has great taste when it comes to eating out 🙂 Read on about her recent trip back to her hometown Toronto.
As a food blogger I’ve had the pleasure of being invited to an endless array of tastings, but it isn’t every day that I get to spend a Friday morning in the grilling station of one of Dubai’s finest grilling restaurants. Located on the ground floor of Crowne Plaza Dubai, Chamas Churrascaria & Bar looks every bit a carnivore’s dream. Even prenoon, the interiors are dimly lit, flamboyant and inviting.
‘Chamas‘ translates to ‘flame’ in Brazilian, and ‘Churrascaria‘ is a place where meats are cooked in the traditional ‘churrasco’ style of barbecuing on skewers, often on open flame. I was invited here by the wonderful team at “Kitchens of Dubai”. These storytellers showcased to us how the essential elements of water and heat come to play at mastering the art of grilling.
About a week ago, I headed off with the family for a mini break to Tilal Liwa Hotel. Located 175 kilometers beyond central Abu Dhabi, Tilal Liwa Hotel is located in Madinat Zayed – the Western region of Abu Dhabi, in close proximity to the Saudi border. Getting to the hotel from Dubai entails an infinitely long road-trip across the desert, and adds to the thrill of adventure and exploring a brand new territory right in our very own backyard.
Tilal Liwa Hotel is a strikingly Arabesque 4-star property that was originally created for VIP guests and royalty visiting the annual Camel Beauty Contest. Yes, such a thing exists – and only in the UAE! Celebrating its tenth year, this event showcases the best breeds of camels both from the UAE and beyond. During the event, the occupancy at Tilal Liwa is on record high. However, given the unique concept of this beautiful property, the hotel has been opened up to the public and is slowly but surely gaining a steady stream of tourists and local staycationers alike.
One of the biggest perks of blogging is getting to meet very interesting, creative and likeminded individuals. A few months ago, I had a chance encounter with the lovely, bubbly Yvette Ali. I fell in love with her endearing accent, and my heart missed a beat when she mentioned she originates from the very colourful country of Puerto Rico. As we were at a foodie event (at the launch of the BBC Good Food show to be precise), I had a long list of questions for her about her native cuisine. Till I met Yvette, my idea of Puerto Rican dishes was vaguely similar to Spanish offerings. However, Yvette tells me their food has a great deal of African and Latino influences thrown in as well!
By day she freelances as a consultant (do check out her site by clicking here), but in her spare time Yvette whips up a feast that takes her back to her cultural roots. In today’s guest post, Yvette gives us a vivid glimpse into the world of Puerto Rican cuisine, and ends by generously sharing a recipe for her all-time favorite Escabeche de Pescado con Vianda. Read on for more!
Playing tourist in my own city, the family and I headed out for a staycation at Manzil Downtown last weekend. Located at the heart of Downtown Dubai, just a stone’s throw away from The Dubai Mall and closeup views of the iconic Burj Khalifa, Manzil Downtown is the perfect choice for tourists and residents alike.
‘Manzil’ translates to ‘home’ in Arabic, and with its minimalist design accentuated with Arabesque decor, this hotel is an ideal place to unwind. Despite being a long-term resident of Dubai, Manzil Downtown made us forget we are in the center of the city. The ambiance is one of serenity and calm, and the staff are well versed, efficient, and very hospitable.
The Sharjah Food Festival ended this weekend. The festival is spread across three areas within Sharjah; Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Qasba and Al Montazah. We spent an idle Friday evening at Al Majaz Waterfront courtesy Zomato, and had a great time.
The Sharjah Food Festival has stalls from many well-known brands, and is also a great introduction to a few I have not heard of earlier.
We had a very memorable, chilled-out staycation at Hilton Al Ain. Our day was lined up with siestas in our suite, splashes by the pool, and a delicious lineup of gastronomy at Flavours restaurant and Makani Cafe.
Hilton Al Ain is also renowned for Paco’s, Al Ain’s most happening Tex-Mex bar featuring award-winning live entertainment by a very talented band called “Steel”.
The Tezzy Files 