What you missed @ Sandance Dubai 2013

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE!! I yelled as soon as I found out they were going to be the headlining act to mark the end of the Sandance season as we welcome the hot, summer months in Dubai. Even before they could release the names of the supporting acts I was already out the door to pick up my early bird tickets a month in advance and couldn't wait to go see the angelic Florence Welch in the flesh!

Fast forward a couple of days and I'm stuck in traffic at the Palm Jumeirah but I wouldn't let that affect my mood being as I was so giddy with excitement. Not only had I paid early bird prices to see the my favourite band but their supporting act was Keane, another great band who have performed in Dubai before but I was unable to attend their previous concert. So being stuck in traffic would be worth it once I got to the venue, right? WRONG

Surprisingly, we were able to find parking easily at the venue even though it was a little far it didn't phase us. Already late for Keane's set I felt the buzz of walking up to the gate while listening to them play one of their many hit songs (what's funny is they ALL sound the same). Once we got all our tickets sorted we dashed to the bar to get our drinks and enjoyed Keane's mellow music. I was glad I didn't miss out on Somewhere Only We Know and Everybody's Changing which are two of my favourite Keane songs. So far, the night was going
well, the crowd seemed to be as excited as I was. Once Keane was done with their performance our goal was to keep moving to the front when Florence + The Machine started.

During this time, Idris Elba (you might know him from the Wire and hey he's also a DJ) began his set and I didn't really know what was happening during this time. I was so confused by his music and he looked even more puzzled on stage. But the crowd was cheering so that means they were enjoying it (either that, or they were pretty much tipsy on the excessive amount of alcohol).

Then comes Florence + The Machine after what felt like ages. Don't get me wrong, they didn't make us wait! They were on time for the performance but throughout the entire concert I couldn't believe that I was actually there and going to see them live! My excitement started from the moment they brought her harp onto the stage :D I can still feel exactly what I felt then!  My excitement was put on a back burner throughout their set though. By the time Florence came on people were already quite drunk and were constantly talking really loudly and weren't even paying attention to the set. What's worse is that most of these people were right next to us. It was already a packed gig and everyone seemed to want to squish to the front to get a good view of the band, which is fine if they actually concentrated on the gig and let everyone around them enjoy too. People just seemed to want to started arguments which totally deterred from the concert we were all looking forward to. Florence sang most of the songs of her new album and even though I wasn't familiar with them I was still on such a high just knowing I was in her presence!

Once they were done, people started to rush away from the stage and this allowed us some room to breathe. We were present when the announcement was made for the next Sandance gig to open the new season in Oct. The Killers, Of Monsters & Men and the Wailers are the headlining acts for the gig and I was 100% sure I was going to attend to see the Killers! Another great act whose concert I had missed before.

Moving out of the concert, we were stuck in traffic for an hour in the parking lot itself. Sadly, all the memories I have of the concert are bad ones (as you can read, I've written this blog a month after the concert). Bad organization and this is the first gig I've been to where VIP ticket holders are seated in areas far away from the front of the stage and the only thing that makes them a 'VIP' is the close proximity to the bar. It feels good paying a small amount of money and then being able to move up right to the front (first come first serve) but it isn't worth it if it ruins the experience of the concert for everyone.

So the big question is, will I be attending Sandance in October? The answer is a definite No (unless I get freebies, because who would ignore freebies?) Its alright if you're there just for the drinks and not interested in the concert one bit but why would you spend money if you're not there for the music? Why not just go to a bar?

Sorry for the horrible pictures! Was too crowded and didn't want to risk dropping my camera

Christmas Time, Mistletoe & Wine

December has got to be one of my favourite months of the year mainly due to the fact that it consists two of the best occasions, Christmas and New Year's Eve. Nothing better than decorating the tree before Christmas then waking up to the wonderful aromas of the mother's cooking in the morning and the excitement of opening up those colorful presents that seem to occupy a perfect spot under the tree.

This Christmas, however, I wasn't feeling much of this joy. Maybe it's because I had to work on college stuff throughout and didn't really feel like a 'holiday' to me. That feeling changed come Christmas morning when I handed my parents their gifts. There's nothing better than looking at the positive reactions, of the people you love most, as they open up the presents that you worked so hard to think for and wrap :) Then going to friends houses and wishing them and spending time with them. Christmas seems to bring, along with it, extra joy and happiness into our lives regardless of whether you celebrate it or not. My parents also got me an Android tablet which I love very much! (my dad has become quite generous when it comes to giving gifts. Christmas miracle? Let's see what he comes up with next year before I decide.)

Little Lou also seemed to love his Xmas present from me.

Pre Christmas lunch at a friend's house marked the beginning of the festive season for me and tonight marked the end of Christmas after a lunch (and Secret Santa revelations) at mine. Thank you everyone for coming and making this Christmas (like others) one to remember :) x

The Day I Met Louie

Going to college has got to be one of the most boring things I do all week simply because everything seems to be taught over and over again! So you can imagine my mood when I was dropped to college an hour early (these are the days when I really understand and appreciate the fact that I have my own car and I honestly loathe the days when I have to give it in for servicing!). Unlike other days, however, that day turned out to be one of those days that I will remember forever. That was the day I met little Louie, my kitten.

I remember it like it were yesterday, I was sitting on the steps outside
college and there were two guys sitting in the exact same place but one of them couldn't stop playing with the kitten that was sitting under his legs. My first thought was that this guy had probably got his kitten to college to use it to get girls to talk to him (cuz trust me there have been guys in my college known to do this, with dogs mainly). So I didn't really bother saying or doing anything because I didn't want to give him any attention. Checking my watch I had another 45 minutes left and at that point I began to wonder why time seemed to pass so slowly when you wanted it to just wiz by?

Soon after, the guys headed to their class (i presume) and left behind the kitten and some bottles of milk. I couldn't hold back any longer because the kitten was just the cutest thing ever! I went next to it as soon as the guys were out of sight and began to play with it. Soon, I was joined by some of my classmates and realized that it would soon be time for me to head to class. But I didn't want to leave the kitten behind. At that point, I made the decision that if no one came to claim him I take him home. No one did. Safe to say I didn't end up going to class, I spent the whole time trying to figure out how to take him home, alone in my car. Called a friend who came and assisted me we put him in a box and took him straight to the vet, who informed me that he was male, 2 months old and that he was perfectly healthy! Took him home and he fit right in.

When I found him in college me a long with some of my classmates were trying to decide on names for him. We thought of Monster, Ninja and Cookie but none of them seemed fit. In stead, I decided to name him Louie because it feels right. He's a happy camper, who loves to play and snuggle in bed with me (he does bite a wee bit but I guess it's just because he's still small)

It's really nice having Louie around and bringing him home is, probably, one of the best decisions I've ever made because he really shows you how much he loves you! Every time I come home from out he's the first to greet me at the door and I never feel as alone as I did before he came along.

Just Because: He's Cute

Who in their right might would leave this cutie at a store in Toronto? At least they put him in a wee little jacket which, let's be honest, accentuates his cuteness! Glad he got to keep warm! 

(I've posted this picture on all my social networking sites and am contemplating making it my wallpaper! What is it with little animals in cute coats?)

Late for college!
x

Grown Up.

It's time to take  a break from all this fashion posting which is so NOT me and rant about something, how shall I put this, that I've experienced/gone through/felt (pick the word you think would fit this post most).

Going to Deria City Center the other day turned out to be more than just a Christmas shopping trip, in stead I felt something I haven't felt in a while.. I felt like an adult. Most people who know me well will know that I constantly whine and whinge about not feeling like an adult because I live with my parents and depend on them for all my basics, without them I don't know where I'd live or whether I'd be able to nourish myself. The one thing I'm looking forward to most is the day I am able to break free from my norm and fend for my own needs. Due to these two factor I've never felt like a 'grown up'. Little did I know that this trip to a mall I've been to a gazillion times before would make me feel slightly different.

When we left the mall after purchasing a lot of unnecessary items and some cat food, I started to think about Dubai and how much it had changed. Gone are the days when Deria City Center was the shopping mall, the mall where you went with all your classmates on the last day of school, the mall where you always ended up on dates, the mall where we had all run into Shilpa Sheatty on our 'last day of school' trip.. This mall seemed to be a key character in so many of my most fond memories. I also remember having to rely on my dad for all my transportation needs, how he would only drop me to the mall in the mornings and I'd spend the whole day there with the boy I was crushing on and how I'd yearn for the day I'd have my own car so I could leave the date/outing whenever I wanted (the days when the metro was non-existent). However, now I have my own car, I can go wherever I want (not just a mall) and spend as much time as I want with my friends (till my mother rings me and reminds me of my curfew, that is!)

It's a little bit sad though, even though it is a liberating feeling. Why 'sad'? Because I no longer spend time with majority of the people I used to in high school and nowadays I feel like we do not appreciate the time we spend with a lot of people. An outing is just that.. an outing! A reason to do something because we have nothing better to do! Back then, going out was something of a novelty we could only do it when our parents permitted us to and according to their schedules (when they were free to take us wherever we wanted!) We also had to think before we decided on how much money we'd ask them for!

Anyways this has been a long post and now I must sleep since I have an early day tomorrow!

Goodnight people!

PS: This post will probably not apply to majority of the people reading it but hey it's my blog and I guess I can post as I please!
Also, you can probably expect more blog posts like these because I don't think I have the capacity to post blogs on just one thing! xx

Discount Card: Hits & Misses

Discount cards are every woman's (and their boyfriend's) dream. Why? Because we live in Dubai where majority of our time is spent outdoors and to do that we seem to go through our entire paycheck in a matter of minutes. Discount cards, help make this entire process of planning a day out much simpler and less damaging to our bank accounts. Here's a list of 4 cards, 2 that are worth having and 2 more that you shouldn't waste your time applying for. Again, these opinions are subjective and I can only speak from my own experience.

HITS

GRAZIA INSIDER CARD

Ask any young woman what her favourite store in the UAE is and one (or all) of the following will definitely be in the mix; American Eagle, Topshop, New Look, River Island and the list goes on and on. But what if I told you, you could go shop at all these stores and more and not leave with an empty wallet? (Unless that was your intention).

Introducing (for all of you who weren't aware of its existence) the Grazia Insider card. This card gives all holders a 20% discount at a number of popular clothing stores in the Emirates. All you have to do it visit the site http://www.grazia.ae , register for the card and it should be sent to you in a week or two. The site also provides you with a list of stores where the card is acceptable.
Sadly, Forever 21 isn't part of this scheme! But we can all hope that it might happen in the future (never say never...)

They have actually stopped registration for a while but they will be up and running soon, keep checking the site because this is a card that is worth waiting for! I highly recommend you get it as soon as you can!

DUBAI CITY CARD

This card is appropriate for all you club going foodies out there! With this city card you are eligible for discounts at some of the most popular restaurants/pubs in Dubai like Belgian Beer Cafe, Ceaser's bakery, Millions of Milkshakes, Sublime bar, Time Cafe and many more. For the entire list check
http://www.timeoutdubai.com/citycard/search/all-locations?pagelimit=25

You can also register for the card on TimeOut Dubai (website)



PULP JUICE CARD

I'm a HUGE fan of juice bars and Pulp is one of my favorites and what makes them even more special is that they have a loyalty card. Whenever you pick up a juice present your card to them and they will stamp it for you. Once you get 8 stamps you get one juice free. This isn't a one of a kind card and it really makes you think whether it's worth getting 8 juices just to get 1 free but if you're a regular at Pulp and you really like your juices then I would suggest you ask them for a loyalty card on your next trip there! Most juice places have their own loyalty cards, so I would recommend asking them if they have one when you visit. It doesn't hurt to ask and if they do have one it will be highly beneficial to you in the long run!

MISSES

AIR MILES

I've been using this card ever since it first came out and I haven't seen the point of it yet! I haven't utilized any of my points to pick up products because I just feel like you require a lot of points in order to pick up a small product. Maybe it's just me but Airmiles definitely goes down as one of the most pointless loyalty cards in my book!
To register for Air Miles you can visit their website
http://www.airmilesme.com


In my opinion, card like Air Miles and Shukran Rewards are the most pointless. I don't like cards that don't give me any immediate benefits. And point schemes go down as being really irritating and useless in my books! Plus they constantly feel the need to bombard you with emails that just take up unnecessary space in your inbox (Air Miles don't do this much anymore!)
Again, this post is just based on my opinion and I bet there are many of you who will disagree with me about certain things! If you have your own experiences to share why not leave me a comment below, maybe I'm missing something!

Love,
N

My Style: Wedding Party

Dressing up for a wedding reception can be tricky because no one wants to upstage the bride on her big day. The first rule of thumb for all ladies attending a wedding is to STAY AWAY FROM WHITE as that color is the bride's for that day. However, since today's reception is more of a party rather than a typical reception I opted for a white+black dress that dips at the back (which is a style that is coming back).
I decided on minimal accessories just a pair of pearl earrings and a statement 'brass knuckle' inspired clutch.

For my make up, I decided to test my hand at creating a black wing look again (and it didn't look all that bad this time). Decided on classy, elegant make up (I hope I managed to pull it off) and went with an easy up do (which really just involves pinning all your hair up).

Dress: Jane Norman
Clutch: Iconic
Earrings: For Love

xx