Song of the day

Shite list

1. Muhajeba's wearing leggings and thigh high boots......honey I feel you, but no.

2. The two random boys stopping me at Marina Mall asking me where am from cause I have a certain aura about me....... creepy but funny.

3. The end of the world.............so not interested.

Anger anyone?

Cumin Rice

If I could eat cumin rice for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest bunny in the world. It's my comfort haven, fragrant cumin married into fluffy rice.....yum. I had it plain last night buy works amazing with roast lamb. 

What are some of your comfort winter loves? Please share.......

Recipe

1 cup rice 

1 cup chicken stock

1cup water

2 tablespoons cumin whole

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon cooking oil

Salt to taste

Method

Wash the rice and place into a pot on medium heat, adding the chicken stock, water, cumin, butter, oil and salt. Once the rice starts to boil lower the heat and leave to cook for 40 minutes. Yummy yummy in my tummy.

Song of the day

Apple Baklava

Every now and again I come home and my mother has made Apple Baklava. Now you have to understand that me and Apple Baklava have had an illicit love affair for many years now and well we just can't seem to let go of each other. It's always the same scenario, I come home see my naughty lover on the kitchen counter, he winks, I get flustered and BAAMMM my mom stuffs one in my mouth and asks me do u think its too sweet? I give her this look that translates into, again you made apple baklava? You know I am going to eat the entire thing, tray included? Bless her.

This is one of my favorite sweets, an absolute love, made with tart apples, ground almond, cardamon, crisp filo pastry and warm sweet syrup. I know he's no good for me but I love him..........

Mind-blowing Balanced Sculptures by Michael Grab

Land artist Michael Grab creates astonishing towers and orbs of balanced rocks using little more than patience. Its really unbelievable! You can see how he does this incredible art below. RESPECT.

photo credit:www.thisiscolossal.com

Song of the day

Customer Service

Recently I bought a Tom Ford lipstick (Sable Smoke) from Debenhams in Avenues, go home apply it and it smells stale. You know old lipstick that just smells funky? I have never had a stench problem with Tom Ford lipsticks before, so a couple of days later I go back to avenues march up to the Tom Ford makeup, well lipstick counter and explain the problem to the saleslady. 

None of the other sample lipsticks had a funky odor expect of this one particular color. She shrugged her shoulders and said sorry we can't change it, I told her to find a new one and I want to smell it. She found the "last one" and opened it and volla it didn't smell, but still refused to change it. I asked for the manager, his name was Ghazi such a lovely man, I explained to him my problem, he asked me if the new one does not have the smell, I said no, handed me the brand new lipstick. No drama, nothing. Thank you homeboy Ghazi, your a star. 

                                                                photo credit: Tom Ford

Song of the day

Lather up........

Want to smell gorgeous in the shower? I have discovered the perfect body cleanser.....Kiehl's Fig leaf and sage to be exact. Sulfate free, containing botanical oils, vitamin E all the beneficial pazzaz. It really does leave you feeling soft and oh so fresh and so clean clean. Highly Recommended. 

Psssst.....ask for the sample lotion, they usually give you two, they last for ages!! Frugal and smart!

Poires au Chocolat

Fiddling on the web is my addiction, discovering proper blogs is my addiction on another level. I just had to share this talented food blogger (Emma) from the UK and only 23! Poires au Chocolat meaning pear and chocolate in French and one of her first ever baking triumphs, she bakes scrumptious tarts, deserts and adapts recipes with her own twist. Oh and did I mention she has won food blogger for 2012? RESPECT!

photo credit: Poires au Chocolat

Song of the day

Really Funny Ad

Axe always comes up with the quirkiest ads. This one is extremely funny and clever! Enjoy.

Song of the day

Cheeky Ads

Did anyone catch the Harvey Nichols Xmas Ad last year? It was all about the walk of shame and how to avoid it. Brilliant ad!

This year's theme is to avoid the same dress situation which can be really sticky! I haven't had that happen to me yet, but last year I wore the same dress to 2 different events a week apart and didn't realize that some girls at the first event were at the second! Chin up!

 Does anyone have nightmare same dress stories? Please share!

Lace

Pretending I am actually working at the office, but really looking at gorgeous dresses online on mytheresa I picked three of my favorite pieces.

This soft silk Chloe dress with lace skirt overlay looks so comfy and elegant at the same time.

 How breathtaking is this Erdem number? I love the lace and open back. The pink is so refreshing!

This Pucci sexpot is perfect for XMAS partying although the shoes have to go.

Figs

Last week I tried Figs for the first time, having heard so much about from two of my favorite people in the world. Set in a cozy open corner in 360 we set to order as much as we could as everything sounded delish. Known for their stone oven pizza's we ordered away and away actually all the way to Basra and back.

Their truffle fries were amazing, hot, salty, crunchy, creamy on the inside, truffle aroma everywhere, a must! Their fig pizza without the bresola was my favorite, as was their Caesar salad with avocado and wedge salad with blue cheese dressing. The only dish I didn't like was the french onion soup, way too sweet for my liking. And please don't forget to try their bread pudding! Addictive.   

Song of the day

BICE

This an odd post as I went to BICE this week but didn't take any pictures expect this menu blunder. The ambiance was really nice, live piano playing, sounds of laughter, crisp linen table cloths, mock bar with array of repulsive mocktails to match, you get my drift......

Dishes I really liked:

Tuna Tartar
A pasta dish with veal and spinach topped with a cream sauce (forgot the name)
Beef Carpaccio
The bread basket....really yum
Aubergine parmegana
Lobster salad
Salad with fresh mango's (forgot the name also)

Dishes I didn't like:

Spaghetti bolognese.......the meat had the worst funky smell ever.
Gnocchi.......watered pesto sauce no flavor whatsoever


I didn't try anything else but will next time and promise more visuals!

Song of the day

Frugal Find

Another frugal find post. I spotted the above plaid shirt at H&M for 3 KD only and teamed it with a lace pencil skirt. I am wearing black pumps but that was cut off! I will post more shoe options very soon. This bargain is still going on at H&M.

Swedish delights at IKEA

Did anyone know about the Swedish goodies sections at IKEA? I needed to run an errand the other day and noticed this delightful corner selling crackers, jams, chocolates, wafers, etc. I didn't manage to buy anything as I was in a rush, but my bestie A, that grew up in Sweden informed me that the KEX wafers are really good. Has anyone tried any of these items?

Song of the day

Frugal Finds

As a huge lover of fashion, I can't resist a good bargain, I mean a really really good one. Take for example the skirt I am wearing below I bought from H&M for 2kd only! How can someone walk away from that? I teamed it with an Elizabeth and James top and J Crew blazer. More frugal find posts to follow. This skirt is still available in the H&M branch at the Grand Avenues. Happy Shopping!

Song of the day

Rigatoni with Baked Pumpkin and Mushroom

I haven't posted any recipes lately, no excuse really, but I purchased a beautiful pasta clay dish at Williams Sonoma recently and created a pasta bake on Friday which was a big hit! Seasonal baked pumpkin with chestnut mushrooms, white sauce and Rigatoni. 

Recipe:

1 butternut squash cut in big chunks
1 box chestnut mushrooms chopped lengthwise
3 tablespoons pine nuts (roasted)
1 box Rigatoni
Handful of fresh thyme, tarragon, basil
2 onions chopped
4 garlic cloves smashed
3 garlic cloves whole unpeeled
1/2 stick of butter
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

White Sauce:
1/2 stick of butter
2 tablespoons white flour
1/2 liter full fat milk (warm)
Nutmeg
Gruyere cheese grated
Parmesan cheese grated
White pepper
Salt

Method:
In an ovenproof dish place the pumpkin pieces, 3 whole garlic cloves drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with black pepper and salt and put in the oven at 200 Celsius for an hour until fully roasted. Mash the flesh with the back of a fork, including the roasted garlic cloves, set aside. Melt 1/2 stick of butter, remaining olive oil and saute the onions until translucent, adding the mushrooms, fresh herbs and remainder of the garlic. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the pumpkin mash, lemon juice and cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Cook the rigatoni for 5 minutes very al dente. Set aside. Make the bechamel sauce by melting the butter adding the flour and stirring for 2-3 minutes. Slowing adding the milk and stirring until it forms a thick consistency. Add the cheeses and nutmeg to the sauce. In an ovenproof dish layer the white sauce, pasta and pumpkin mushroom mash, repeat adding the remainder of the white sauce on top with more cheese. Put in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 200 Celsius.

Beat that Dubai!

China is to build the tallest building in the world in 90 days according to the independent. Once built in March, Sky City in Changsha will be the tallest skyscraper in the world, standing at 2,749ft (838m), over 220 floors. Burj Khalifa took five years to build standing at 828m, but architects and engineers at Broad Sustainable Building (BSB) are confident they can beat this record. Very interesting to see this unfold!

Song of the day

Pure Dance

Enormous respect to Japanese photographer Shinichi Maruyama for capturing nude dancers in their element. How beautiful and graceful are these images? There must have been a huge level of patience creating these shots. The beauty of art, priceless. Read more here.