Heavenly Chocolate Foot Massage

There’s nothing like indulging in some me time - specifically me pampering time - on a lazy, winter, weekend afternoon. A visit to the foot spa for a massage/reflexology session for my tired feet is the perfect relaxation therapy to switch off and disconnect from reality.

As it was my bday a few days back, I decided to try a special treat this time; the Chocolate Treatment. Wow! That was heavenly!

As I laid back in the massage chair, my feet and lower legs were being smothered with chocolate paste and the aroma of the chocolate was filling up the room. I was left to umm marinate in the chocolate for a while and was offered a cup of hot cocoa to add more chocolate to the overall experience. After some time, the chocolate was washed off (sniff) and it was time for some serious kneading, rubbing, stretching and pressing my feet back to shape.

Worth every moment of the 60 minutes regime!

I read later on today in a magazine about this organic strawberry and chocolate manicure and pedicure being offered at a nail spa this month (Valentine’s special apparently). That’s going to be next week’s treat!

Emirati Expressions – Art from the Heart of the Emirates

Emirati Expresions is an exhibition showcasing the work of Emirati artists across different mediums  including photography, digital design, sculpture, mixed media installations and paintings.

The exhibition is taking place at Gallery One in Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi until the 16th April 09.

I attended the exhibition’s opening night and to be frank I expected better work, as I’ve seen really good Emarati art in other exhibitions. Nevertheless, there’s a number of good pieces from familiar names fromthe local art scene and some familiar names who attended the same university I did,  as well as good work from other artists I haven’t heard of  before. Jalal Luqman’s and Lamya Gargash’s (two of my fave UAE artists)  work were great as expected.

I absolutely loved the  ad campaign for this exhibition:

My favorite execution is the one with the camers lenses. I totally love it! In case the ads didn’t make sense to you, they symbolize the Emarati man and woman (as the Emarati men always wear a white thobe/kandora and the women wear black shela/head cover and abaya). I love the detail of the men’s black ghutra depicted in all 3 executions.

Campaign credits: TBWA\RAAD\Abu Dhabi.

Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta

I recently attended the world premiere of Journey to Mecca, the documentary-drama telling the story of Ibn Battuta’s epic journey to perform Hajj and showing modern-day Hajj as well. The film which was shot on high-definition IMAX film premiered on a specially built IMAX giant screen outdoors on the lawns of the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi between 7^th and 9^th January 09.

This was the first production granted permission to shoot the Grand Mosque and the Kaabah in Mecca on ground and from air using IMAX cameras; resulting in spectacular first-time footage of the holy land and of the Hajj. The film was shot simultaneously  both in Arabic and English (with English narration by Ben Kingsley).

Although I’ve been to the Kaabah and seen it in person; which is a great, overwhelming and inspiring, spirtual experience…I have to say that the amazing cinematography  and views captured are absolutely breathtaking and it’s the closest you could get to feeling the same tingles as seeing the Kaabah in person.

I find the production of this movie very interesting, expecially that only Muslims are allowed in Mecca and a whole Muslim crew had to be tought how to work with IMAX format. Muslim or not, getting permits in KSA to shoot in the holy land is a very complicated process! To read notes and stories from the making of the film visit the Production Notes section of the film’s website.

View the Arabic trailer:

and the English trailer:

The scene where the Kaabah is shot with a steady cam while the pilgrims shot going around it and fast-forwarded was pretty awesome (last scene in the trailer)

 For more info about the film visit it’s official website.

 

Flussshhh

Happilly flushed 2008 down the toilet