The Library at One and Only Royal Mirage

To say that I love this place is an understatement. Its dark, warm and cozy. You can play chess on big over-sized wooden chess boards while sitting on a plush sofa next to the fireplace (not like you need a fireplace). You can order Moroccan Tea until you're mint green in the face and the afternoon tea there is deeee-lish.

What more do you want in a secret hide-away place to write, muse or just watch your waist expand? This place has it all! On top of being amazingly warm and inviting, the views to the gardens that prelude the sea are stunning. You're likely to see a wandering peacock or two in the garden and the food in the neighboring dining room is yummy from appetizing start through to the sweet end.

I haven't stayed in the hotel, nor have I lived in the residences, but the staff here knows me by name and every time I sit down, I'm met by the words that I love most to hear: "Moroccan Tea, Ma'am?"

Well, yes....I think I will! :)

(PS photos by others)

Gingerized

Anyone who knows me knows that when I first came to Dubai, it was a tough adjustment period. And during that time, I found two things that kept me sane: 1) my new friend, Mahsa Page and 2) our new bestest friend, Miss Ginger.

For me, there are a few key elements that I look for in a best friend and a few of the top criteria are as follows:

1) Trustworthy and Reliable - this means that when they say they're going to be somewhere, they either show up or let you know they're not going to show up (and have a good reason). I can count on them to be there for me in times of fun, laughter and tears and in general, they're "there" for me. AND they can keep a dirty secret or twenty. :)
2) Fun - the best kind of friend makes you feel like dancing on the tables with happiness after you showed up feeling down in the dumps.
3) Easy to talk to and a great listener - non-judgmental, doesn't interrupt you, actively listens to everything you have to say, lets you cry on (or in) them and never complains of too many tears.
4) Makes you feel happier by just being around them - this one should perhaps be higher up on my list because it really is a very important one. You don't want to have a close friend that brings you down or makes you feel worse than being alone, right?

Well.....dear friends, let me introduce you to one of the best friends of my life, Miss Ginger. She's perfectly pink, chilly with a little "edge" to her but makes you feel so warm and happy inside, and at $13 dollars a pop, she's a godsend.

You can only get Gingerized at the Address Hotel (Downtown), however, and there's only one bar-tender there that does it right. For that Mahsa and I were semi-grateful. It kept her nice and exclusive for us and something that we can now share with our other close friends and still have the feeling that she's somewhat "secret".

I "would" give you the recipe, since Mahsa and I now have the keys to the Universe after spending multiple hours testing and tasting and re-testing and re-tasting and re-tasting (hey, we wanted to get it perfect for you guys), but you're just gonna have to make an appointment to have "one-on-one" time with me for this one. It's only to be shared in person. :)

So, here's to Ginger....the most perfect best friend a girl could ever ask for (and I don't even like to drink!).

Tea for One

I promised a showing of my favorite things in Dubai and the number one thing topping my list here is the Moroccan tea. I have a love for this stuff like it was made from Heroin itself. I cannot get enough of it and not a day goes by that I don't have some. Often alone. Sitting in pure, blissful silence.

Chris doesn't share my love for tea...and that's fine. This is one of those "me" things that I don't even WANT to share with anyone necessarily. It's been my comforting friend through this entire journey and make no mistake....I won't be coming home without it!

Some new pics...

The Chedi Hotel, Muscat, Oman - do yourself a favor: book immediately.

Happy New Year - thanks 2010! :)

Well, so much for the "Picture a Day" idea! To be honest, I've been too busy to do it! Which is a good thing, I guess, but I thought I'd show some of what I've been up to. Since I wrote last, I've traveled to Egypt and Sri Lanka (which, by the way, I must HIGHLY recommend - Egypt on the other hand...I'd skip), been SUPER busy with work, been commissioned for a couple (ok 14) new building photo shoots and have just, in general, been enjoying life to the fullest.

Here's some shots from the last 6 months....saying goodbye to 2010 on a really happy note! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Am I "World" Peace?

The other night, my boyfriend and I got into an argument. Two people who typically can't take their hearts off of each other were suddenly in a battle against each other....a battle of "who's right" versus "who's wrong"...or even who is "more" wrong or "more" right?

Suddenly there was a line that had been drawn between us..and instead of standing together, we stood on opposite sides of that line.

He threw a rock, I retaliated by throwing a grenade. He shot with a pistol, I pulled out an AK-47. It got ugly....and bloody, and in the midst of actively hurting each other, we both continued to stand our ground. Two people who love each other more than anything and are committed to each other. Two people who wake up together, eat together, share stories, laughs, tears....people who travel together, who understand the other one's quirks, likes and dislikes.

Those two people were now on a battlefield standing facing each other, with strong resolve in their eyes and hearts.

I sat on the edge of my bed, while he stood by the door in a threatening move to "leave" unless I could surrender myself to the "being wrong". I refused. I felt like I had a full on metal rod shoved up my spine, that was not going to allow me to bend or be bent in any way, shape, form or fashion.

I'm assuming he felt the same way as he made the last gesture to get me to bend, before he walked out the door.

I sat there for a very long time...in shock that he actually left. He actually walked out on me. Why couldn't he just say he was sorry??? Why couldn't he just put his f'n ego down for one moment and realize that harmony between us was more important than who was right in this argument? Why couldn't he??? Why couldn't HE???

Then I thought of the state of myself in that moment. How resolved I was and how committed I was to my ego in that moment. To being right. To not being the "weak" one that would make the first step to put down my weaponry and instead hold out my hand to him...who I love...to say, "I'm sorry...let's get over this, shall we?". But in that moment....I couldn't do it. Not even to him, who I love DEARLY.

I sat there with my "resolved", "stubborn" self and it all became so clear to me....the "unrest" that exists in the world...in Palestine and Israel, in Iraq, in Mexico and the US...the world peace that we all want and why its so far away. A peace that we all so beg for and don't understand WHY people just won't stop killing, hurting and hating each other.

Hating people that they have never loved...people that they have never even had dinner with...never having seen so much as a smile on each other's face, people that they have never made laugh...people that they grew up being TAUGHT to hate? How can they put down their weapons and hate? How can they give up their "Resolve" to be "right"?

How could I ever see WORLD peace, when I wasn't willing to have peace in my own personal relationships? How could I ever expect Palestine and Israel to stop their fighting? How can I ever expect the unrest in Iraq to stop? How could I?

World Peace doesn't start when the world wars stop.

It starts at the most basic level: It starts with Me.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" ~Ghandi

PS Yes I then made a call to Chris. :)

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