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System Restore       So, obviously, I took my time getting back to my "system" of sleep. When my alarm went off this morning at 9:00, all I wanted to do is stretch my arm out the window effortlessly & throw my blackberry out and never see it again. It took an hour & 25 minutes of 10-minute snoozing & jumping out of my skin everytime the alarm went off again before I could drag my feet out of bed: The motive? Sheer fear of tomorrow. You see, tomorrow I go back to work after a relatively long vacation, most of which was spent in Los Angeles and New York, which was great, except for the fact that I never got back in tune with my normal Abu Dhabi sleeping hours. I've morphed into this vampire wannabe that goes to sleep at 5:00 AM & wakes u at 4:00 PM really! -- I never thought I'd become one of those who sleep their days away, but just when you least expect them, things happen. Amongst the things that I least expected was my impression of the Big Apple. To tell you the truth, New York qualifies for the low-light of my entire vacation which was otherwise fabulous. I landed in NY expecting the english version of Tokyo: über modern, fast paced, & well.. crowded. It was all that alright, but in addition, New York was dirty -Bangkok-dirty-, smelly, & very very different from our favorite scenes on SATC. Having said that, NY did have a highlight or two. The first was spending a day with a great friend who knew NY better than I did. The two of us walked for hours through Fifth, Madison, & ended up somewhere across the bridge from Brooklyin. Took a cycle carriage through Central Park, & came upon some gorgeous pieces that I could have never otherwise found on my own, which would become my favorite NY purchase: a cream colored immaculate tulle dress infused with pearls. So delicate that it would pass for a wedding dress, I dunno where I'll wear it to be honest, but the minute I tried it on, I knew I had to have it <3 Overall, shopping in NY was fab. I was able to custom-make polo shirts pour les pooches, & stock up on Tom Ford's Noir de Noir, Oud Wood, & my favorite amongst the three Tuscan Leather that's been rumored to smell like the white stuff. Quite frankly, I dunno if that suggestion holds merit, but I know that this guy here creates magic everywhere he goes. I also dunno if it's a mere coincidence that my favorite character from Lipstick Jungle happens to share the same last name. Victory Ford, a fashion designer character on the show got me startled for oversized pearl earrings, I want! The closest I got to these were a light gray pair I picked up at Harvey Nicholes when I was in London. Fabulous with smoky eyes -which for some reason I'm only in the mood for when I'm out of town.  Lipstick Jungle was slowly growing to become a sane addiction {whereas SATC was the insane kind} especially considering the fact that I watched the movie THREE times during my vacation. Would love to get my hands on a copy of Cashmere Mafia which I haven't been able to find on iTunes, & my mininova torrents failed to download .. Until I do, I'll consume myself in my current addictions: + Foreign movies: La Science des rêves, Happy-go-Lucky + Pink lemonade <3 + Sprinkles cupcakes <3 <3 + Styling Sultan's forelock + The pink key =)  Labels: Fashion, La Dolce Vita, Travel, TV and Movies $8 in my moola box | link | email this post Seabiscuit This evening I opted for a classic: curling up in my couch, with a Domino's pizza a la moi, & a movie -- a la moi being a classic crust with ground beef, jalapeños, olives, & mushrooms, my all time favorite topping combo. The first time I watched Seabiscuit was nearly six years ago, I thought it was well-directed movie, very good storyline, music & overall production. Watching it again tonight made me think of all that makes I.B. the perfect horse for me, in a very once-in-a-lifetime kind of a thing. Seabiscuit was a champion thoroughbred race horse in the United States, & I looooove this movie for so many reasons, one of which is the underlying message that nothing is really impossible in life, real life & not Hollywood movies. It's a story about people, more than it is a horse story.. Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral - 1938 Match Race If you haven't seen the movie, please do =) x Labels: Pony Tales $4 in my moola box | link | email this post Jumping Olympics   Just a quick post for a collective positive prayer for Sheikha Latifa's success in the Olympics this season. Frankly, she's already a winner on my books: she qualified for the games and has been away from home for monthssss preparing for the Olympics, if that kind of commitment is not success, I don't know what is. I've been trying to find out if the actual competition is tomorrow or the day after, & I still dunno, the schedule on Jazeera sports channel doesn't tell; nevermind though, I'm happy to pin me self to my TV screen & munch on my home-made sprinkles cupcakes till they decide to air her game.. And in the meantime, I ask all of you gorgeous people gather & say a little prayer from the deepest depths of your hearts for the success of our fabulous equestrian ambassador <3 What are you waiting for? Labels: Pony Tales $17 in my moola box | link | email this post Leaving LA Behind..  Frog hug at the aquarium in San Diego       Shooting a music video on Rodeo Drive  Sprinkles cupcakes <3   Satisfying an obsession with headbands  vespa love    Shamu, the largest killer whale   Fountain cafe  Breakfast by the pool I'm sitting here on my flight to NY, & looking at four hours of flight. The first line of this entry alone took nearly 15 minutes to type {seriously} courtesy of a *very* annoying brother {in a very cute way that is, but still annoying } And now that he's finally engaged with the entertainment device, I am able to continue what I started. So yes, I've been away from you, for a very long time. I thought of you often, many random thoughts and small things that I felt the urge to share with you, but I used the little time I spent in my hotel room to catch up on sleep.. The truth is, I've slept less in my vacation than my work days. I intend to catch up on a week of sleep when I get home in a couple of weeks, meanwhile, I want to make the most out of my time out here & my next destinations. Los Angeles, Hasta Luego The last time I felt this way was three years ago, after my first visit to Tokyo. I looked outside the airplane's window as we slowly departed the home of Shibuya girls, & Harajuku kids and felt a pang of sadness to leave it behind. The sadness however was short-lived, 6 months later we were on our way to Tokyo, again. Departing LA was not very dissimilar; I looked outside the window & in the eye of my mind I saw a kaleidoscope of picture-perfect moments: Walking the 3rd Street promenade, coming face to face with Christian Bale, Seal, Heidi Montage, & Christian Slater, then strolling by Rodeo Dr. in all due fabulousness, & munching on my freshly baked red velvet sprinkles cupcake first thing in the morning. It was all like a dream. A dream come true. For that, I decided to jot-down snippets of this dream here for your visit to the City of Angels ;p Where to stay? The Beverly Hills Hotel is a great place to be. Get a private bungalow or opt for a room with a patio overlooking the quiet back gardens. The hotel is located on Crescent Dr. where you'll enjoy a morning walk in a beautiful neighborhood where everyone you run into smiles and wishes you a good morning despite the fact that you look like you just rolled out of bed {which in my case was mostly true}. The ancient building has 1920's glam scribbled all over it with great service quality to match. Upon my arrival I submitted 2 pieces of clothing for pressing, & when they asked me when did I want them back, I said "no rush.. tomorrow is fine" - They were hanging in my closet, starch pressed only 1 hour later +_+ That was the first spark to ignition the love -- the rest was history ;p Have breakfast by the pool The Beverly Hills Hotel pool is one place you should not miss, you never know who you might see there. It's the place to see & be seen. Surrounded by a beautiful view and beautiful people, breakfast becomes an experience. Order their worldly famous cranberry french toast and have it with fresh carrots juice while enjoying the setting. Gorgeously delicious! Have a quick breakfast at the Fountain Café On the lower ground of a hotel lies a famous diner-like cafe that makes some of the best belgian waffles I have ever had. I would drop by around 11-ish for those, or for a really early breakfast when I didn't feel like being in the see-&-be-seen spots. Best treat? the waitresses are always dressed in pink ;p Go to Bliss Spa The W-Hotel in Westwood has the much celebrated Bliss Spa, I opted for a manicure & a foot-patrol pedicure the first time, & may I just tellllll you how entertaining the experience was? {minus the talkative braggadocio 50-something lady occupying the station next to mine}, it was by faaaaar the best mani & pedi I have ever had. Highly recommended. The next treatment was a deep-tissue full body massage in a coral blue room that put me to sleep. The perfect amount of pressure, and perfect spots. Heavenly! Have a burger at Nine Thirty Not the time that is, but the restaurant ;p The same hotel that harbors the heaven mentioned above also has a lounge/restaurant on the ground floor named Nine Thirty, stop by & order their char-grilled burger served with steak fries, & your choice of cheddar or blue cheese ;p Have a bagle to go! Plain toasted bagle with cream cheese, or plain toasted with cheese and smoked salmon smear at Noah's New York bagles are absolutely mouth-watering! Fresh, crispy, & delicious. Have it with a mocha to go ;p Bring home a small Anthropologie I love this shop for many reason why I love shopping at Anthropologie is the fact that it's a bundle of cuteness! I love their design and travel books, the poofy skirts, and cute little things for home. I couldn't resist the Babushka nesting dolls salt shakers. Cuteness for poached eggs breakfasts on weekends =) Chocolate souffle under a starlet sky The Polo Lounge makes a great chocolate souffle, if you're a chocolate person {who isn't!} -- reserve a table for dinner outside under the tree {make sure it's under the tree} & go for dinner and a chocolate souffle to remember right after sunset. The starlet tree under the mauve sky is the perfect picture-perfect setting to devour that souffle. It's always a good idea to order your souffle at the beginning of the meal, it takes 25-30 minutes to prepare. Go to the 3rd St. promenade Unlike most places in europe, Los Angeles is a night-city, & by that I mean people go about doing their things in the evenings. The streets of LA throb with adults, teenagers, & children after 21:00, and if you like people watching, the 3rd St. promenade is the place to go. Lots of mid-range shops, cafes and restaurants on the street.. Lots of people around, whether just walking by or demonstrating talents and fishing for agents or production companies. Catch a great movie at the 3D iMax theater The Bridge cinema at Howard's {on the San Diego freeway} is a great spot to catch a 3D movie. Unlike Universal Studios' theater, this one has reserved seating.. So, you don't have to show up 3 hours before your movie to make sure you get a decent seat. In an iMax theater always opt for a back seat, being too close to the screen would only ruin your 3D experience. You can book tickets online at: & just use the same credit card you used for your booking to retrieve your tickets from any kiosk there! Easy peasy, no? Go up the hollywood hills & take a photo! Just stand there, work your charms, & have someone take your photo with HOLLYWOOD in the background. Fabulous! When you go home, load it into Adobe Photoshop & Replace the 'H' with a bonus 'B' lol. If you're traveling alone and don't have someone to take that photo of you, don't fret, just stop one of the cars driving up and down the hill & have someone do that for you. LA people are simply fabulous! Go to Nirvana on a Friday Saturday night A traditional/contemporary indian restaurant that makes great butter naan bread, & scrumptious butter chicken. Also, order their stuffed mushrooms for entrée Go up the Malholland Drive To get a coast view of LA and a valley view go up the Malholland Drive. The air feels and smells different from each side of the hill. Our chauffeur took post-card material photos of my brother & I. They'll be framed {& I rarely think a photo is good enough to be framed!} Visit Malibu, walk on the beach I went to Malibu to shop for tack at the European Equestrian Center, the place was right on the beach, & stocked many different colors of my favorite jodhpurs. I walked out of the store with baaaags & baaaags that would later be shipped express back to Abu Dhabi, but I couldn't disregard the view, and the curiosity to see what's up those hills by the beach. It was the perfect time of the day, and the perfect weather. After several stops, & an endless stream of more post-card material photos we headed back to the hotel. I secretly wished I had a condo off one of those cliffs. Have dinner at the Gordon Ramsey restaurant in West Hollywood The star of the celebrity culinary show Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsey, has a restaurant at the London-West-Hollywood hotel. You'll need to reserve in advance, & be dressed for the occasion *wink* Go to Santa Monica & Venice Beach On a Saturday, or a Sunday morning. Lots of people, lots to see. Have a cupcake! If you've missed the Judith Leiber cupcake clutch, don't fret, settle for the next best thing: Sprinkles heavenly cupcakes, Red Velvet is my favorite! Lunch at the Ivy Now, there are two Ivy locations, one in Santa Monica & the other in Beverly Hills, on Robertson Blvd. You want to be at the one in Beverly Hills with Matthew Perry & the rest. Keanu Reeves loves the place and is said to be a frequent Ivy-er. I haven't spotted any stars, but I sure devoured their peaches and dandelion salad with ricotta salata <3 Another thing that I really enjoyed about LA is the sight of mothers with their children. Seriously. No, my motherly hormones are not kicking, but seeing moms of 2 or 3 kids with perfect swim-suit material bodies is SO refreshing! Perfect abs, & toned arms and legs, no baby stretch marks, & no rippling flabs. It felt good, no.. GREAT to see such fabulous mothers. If I ever become a mother, I want to be one just like that =) Until my next post, I'll be spreading love, lots of love your way x *** Note that this post was written on a flight, & published 3 days after it's been written Labels: Photo speech, Travel $15 in my moola box | link | email this post A Day in San Diego It's 5:30 AM, & we're about to take off for a day in San Diego. Watch the trip on real-time video.. Sometimes with sound, others without.. depending on how I feel about chattering lol Labels: Live Video, Travel $9 in my moola box | link | email this post From Londres to LA  Marilyn Monroe tea room            Tucked away somewhere on Portabello St. I found a vintage heaven, a favorite of the likes of kate moss & lndsey lohan. You'll find lotssssss of gorgeous finds ranging from 70's pucci dresses to chanels, hermes bags, and rare frocks. The place is run by Jeff {pictured above} & that's his eye=popping travel birkin {Butti, I remembered you when I saw it lol}  vespaaaaaa  Ballerina heaven <3   A costume worn by ballerinas of Casse Noisette     At the theater attending Wicked  The Sunken Gardens  The Sunken Gardens   Somewhere in the alleys of Covent Garden I saw beeeeautiful graffiti and drawings on the wall, they should have been painted on canvas +_+   Pink limo? anyone? lol  Bye-Bye London  Hellooooo World!  Unpacking my havaianas  & omg? I'm looooving the retro hair dryer <3  & this tiny little retro tv/radio screen in the bathroom <3  I love it! I love it! I loooooove ittt!  @ Universal studios    Booking our iMAX tickets for The Dark Knight  Aaaaaand munching on a pretzel *drools*  and enjoying a view of the city from mulholland drive <3  I tried to bundle some words that would express how I feel about being here.. I couldn't. All I can tell you now is: I'mmmm loving itttt!I'm also -gladly- going to tell you that my video streaming issues have been resolved on AT&T's network -- Yey! Tomorrow, we're off to San Diego, and hopefully you'll be seeing live videos of that trip. Meanwhile, I'm gonna have to get my sleep 'n get ready for an early start =) lotssss of love x Labels: La Dolce Vita, Photo speech, Travel $7 in my moola box | link | email this post City of Angels Los Angeles *gulp* -- we've just arrived in Los Angeles & I'm already in love with it. I have yet to share with you my first impression, the trip, the place, the hotel, the people, & the many "only in America" moments I've experienced on my first day, and yes, there are photos too. Right now, I'm sooo jet-lagged like there's no tomorrow, I took a shower & smothered on guerlain's midnight secret on my face {& somehow convinced my brother that he needed it too}, & I'm now tucked in bed & ready to trip away to la la land +_+ its 9:28 PM now & I dozed off with mini-naps at least 3 times over the course of writing this entry.. I should get some sleep, & in the meantime, take care of yourselves.. Lots of love coming your way x Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device $6 in my moola box | link | email this post What Went Wrong? ;( *thniff thniff* I'm still unable to configure my streaming videos on vodafone's mobile network, which explains the lack of videos... And, I miss youuuuuuu allllll *sob sob sob* Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device $7 in my moola box | link | email this post Follow up: Done, & Done ;p Looks like I did keep my promise after all ;p -- Keep checking this tiny little box & you might catch me on the fly ;p ..and, meanwhile, listen to this song & enjoy x Labels: Travel $6 in my moola box | link | email this post | 6:55 PM Follow up: Running Short I'm running short of time, luggage almost done but not final. Will require the übermensche-ness of the brother to close it, & well.. I lost my keys for the trunks.. I wonder if I'll have the opportunity to post the camera/video screen before I take off.. Do you hate me? Please don't ;( Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device $0 in my moola box | link | email this post | 9:48 AM Come Away With Me.. Last night, I spent some time at the stabes in the company of my ponies; torn between Sultan & IB, I rotated 3 minute shifts back & forth between them, like a mother hen that doesn't know where to lay eggs. In the past, travel was so much easier, there was absolutely nothing that I couldn't detach myself from -- that, however, is no longer the case. I often wish I had the ability to cast a Cinderella Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo spell that would shrink them both to travel-size whenever convenient, how nice would that be? Very. By the end of the evening, I made peace with the fact that people don't bag their horses with them when they travel, & instead, I decided that I would take YOU. All of you. How woud you like to come away with me? ;p -- through real-time/live streaming video from my cell phone. I'll post the camera screen on my blog later today before I take off.. In the meantime, have a faaaaaabulous day x Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device $6 in my moola box | link | email this post Memorable Quote "Every morning, I cut out my heart. But in the morning, it was full again." -- favorite memorable quote from the English Patient the movie. I had to share it with you x Love, Me Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device $1 in my moola box | link | email this post |
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