Drop in for some (or lots of) coffee!

Hospitality. The UAE is famous for it. Whether you live here or visiting, you will feel it in the warm welcome, the open doors and the overflowing trays serving Emarati coffee and dates wherever you go.

This shop window dispalying hundreds of coffeepots captures this essence in an unexpeced way. It’s a giant piece of art, the way I see it! (Click the image for a clearer view)

That’s about 6-parked-cars wide x 6 shelves high, now that is alot of coffee!

So if you haven’t visited the UAE yet, please drop in – you’ll love more than just the coffee

Mirror Mirror on My Phone

I miss my old phone, the MOTOKRZR  K1, which I initially bought because I fell in love with its elegant gold color and killer signature Motorola flip. Then I discovered how functionally useful it was: the reflective gloss surface doubles up as a handy pocket mirror!

I’d use the mirror numerous times in a day, without anyone noticing how vain i could get, well.. am not vain, but for example if I just stepped in somewhere for a meeting, I’d gracefully glance at my phone, pretending to check for messages/check the time while what I’m really checking is whether my hair is in place (it was windy outside) or I’ll be having dinner with friends and subtly look at my phone to check if there is something between my teeth (you know how bad taboulleh looks between teeth). Or if my make-up has gone wrong (heat + makeup can be disastrous) I’d be able to wipe something off, and of course it comes in handy with the hourly lip balm ritual.

It’s so frustrating though that after around 6 months after I stopped using this mobile (it died on me) I still find myself glancing at my new phone and then realizing that there is no mirror!

Someone once asked me what feature/built-in tool I think mobile phones should have. I couldn’t think of anything as they pretty much have it all there (connectivity, reminders, alarm clock, mini torch lights, games, dictionaries, cameras and so on). Maybe they should utelize the vibrating power so that mobile phone could double as a mini massage device (no I wasn’t going to say “vibrators”), or maybe they should add a swiss knife, or better a nail file.

I don’t know where I’m going with this….for me I’m happy with a phone i can talk & sms with and set an alarm really, I barely use any other features….I just think a mirror is  great feature to have in a phone.

Dont you just love it when

When you randomly go to the mall on lunch break, and on passing by one of the stores’ windows you find that (expensive but gorgeous) blazer you tried on and fell in love with just a week ago, is on SALE in an unannounced part-sale in the store?

It certainly made my day!

Digging into your neighbour’s pockets

If you happen to be an Abu Dhabi resident, your favorite neighbour, Dubai (Mall of the Emirates, to be precise) wants to honor the proximity and offer you exclusive deals and discounts as part of their ‘Welcome, Abu Dhabi Neighbour’ Promotion.

After proving you are from Abu Dhabi (e.g. driving license issued from Abu Dhabi), you get a voucher book with coupons for discounts from several outlets at the mall. The promotion runs from April 30 to May 9, and the vouchers are valid unitl 31 July.

Have Dubai people stopped shopping recently, or are less tourists coming and spending their money in Dubai that the malls are trying to get a share of Abu Dhabi people’s pockets? Or maybe Mall of the Emirates is trying to retain its existing Abu Dhabi people market share, as it is probably now facing fierce competition from Dubai Mall, the recently opened largest mall in the world and the popular outdoor shopping/leisure venue The Walk – JBR.

All in all, it is a good promotion for Abu Dhabians. And ofcourse it does make us feel special to have something especially for us, and they preferred  us over their other neighbour – Sharjah! I just think the promotion should have run longer as April 30th – May 9th means 2 weekends only (Abu Dhabi people would go to Dubai on weekends). By the time the offer was announced (press, lampposts and radio ads started on or just before the day of the promotion, if I recall correctly). By the time people started asking and the promotion spread by word-of-mouth, the first weekend was missed and this left us with only one weekend to go to Dubai and collect the voucher book and make use of this promotion. Other than that, they could have used more targetted communication channels like door-to-door leaflets to ensure maximum reach to Abu Dhabi residents. But that’s just my word of advice – neighbour to neighbour.

What does every woman want? Hair straighteners, obviously

I read recently about a new restaurant lounge in Dubai called Hive, which has found the winning formula to satisfy its female clientele: add hair straighteners to its female toilets!

Imagine, on a night out, your hair is done and you’re looking all stylish and  dressed up, but after waiting in the UAE humid weather your hair frizzes up and you end up looking like a scarecrow. Sounds familiar? Well if you arrive at Hive, all you have to do is excuse yourself to freshen up, and presto! you come out of the salon toilet with your hair back in perfect shape!

This is pure genius…why didn’t anyone think of this before?

You can read the short article here. Yes, I stole the title..couldn’t have said it better! That really is what women want in a restaurant toilet. Cuz, you can have a huge handbag with your entire make-up kit, perfume, extra hosiery and other essentials, but it’s always the hair that needs that extra oomph to complete the look!