Danderma's Blog, page 128

Would you use a hair straightener to iron your clothes?

I was flipping through In Style magazine when I saw the picture above. It was a tip by the /magazine's editor her ghd hair straightener to straighten out creases in their shirts!

I think this is a brilliant idea! Many times I am too lazy to set up my ironing board and heating my iron or switching on my steaming iron which takes forever to produce steam! Using a hair straightener is a quicker more convenient way to straighten out creases for sure.

I usually use, erm, my hair dryer to blow out creases in my 7ejab. I would be using my straightener next time for sure.

Would you use a hair straightener on your clothes?

Things 2 Do in London: Häagen-Dazs Again!

I have written about a favorite hangout spot of mine in London before (post). I don't mind going there twice a day, every day, while I am staying in London. They have upgraded their look and changed their narrow entrance and its more spacious now.

So what if it's an ice cream place and its winter? They have amah-zing winter menu items which include hot chocolate too! For example their new white fondue…

And if you order it they give you a X-mas decoration ball as a gift too! Of course we can always find places to hang it y3ni. Anyways they also have these new tiny selection of different ice creams in one.

Also Carribean Hot Chocolate infused with coconut and more selections of the different mini desserts.

The first thing I ordered was a large cup of American coffee.

Of course I had to try the mini dessert new dish! I was torn between that and the white fondue but the dessert journey won

Four little glasses each with a different style and flavor. The first one was a tiny scoop of Strawberry Cheesecake on top of raspberry compote and pieces of real berries. It was good but my least favorite of the group.

The second one was a Macadamia Nut ice cream on top of a piece of cookie swimming in buttery caramel sauce. One of my favorites

My second favorite one was a tiny scoop of bannofee ice cream which I asked to change to Pralines and cream -my favorite flavor in Häagen-Dazs by the way- and it tops banana slices drenched with caramel sauce. Yummm.

The best is always saved for last and the last one was my favorite. I don't recall the ice cream flavor but it was on top of a very chewy brownie piece drenched in chocolate sauce.

Oh la la

More goodies from Häagen-Daz's menu.

Needless to say I polished the little glasses off and still felt like I want to eat more ice cream because the portion is really small.

Therefore even if its winter time it doesn't mean that we cannot eat ice cream. If you are in London you might want to pass by Häagen-Dazs in Leicester Square and have a spectacular time trying out their festive winter menu.

Funny Ad in London

Walking down South Molten Street the other day I found a hilarious ad in the window of a new hair waxing place called "The Ministry of Waxing"! Its a reminder for women to "Wear bare skin and not fur" during the Xmas holidays. The ad was complete with this addition to the poster…

After having a good hearty laugh I walked further down the road and back to oxford street when I saw this.

Even Santa is advertising hair waxing and threading! Gone are the days with hairy blonde arms I suppose, even if it was the dead of winter!

I still like the first ad better though! I wish we have such creative ads in Kuwait.

London's High Street Store of the Year

Shopping the high street in London is great, there is no denying that. However every year there is one high street store that stands out and when you enter you want to buy it all. Three years ago it was Dorothy Perkins. For the past two years it was River Island. This year it is -Surprisingly- Miss Selfridges!

I haven't found a decent thing to buy at miss selfridges since 1998 but this year they've outdone themselves! Two metallic party dresses that I couldn't find online. A lovely collection of quirky fashionable rings. Ruffled skirts in different colors. Long sleeve shirts with a twist. Flowery prints that don't make you look like a grandmother, and a clutch that looks like a Cambridge satchel! Many of the stuff I couldn't find online though 7safa.

I wonder if the branch in Kuwait stocks all these items? It would be worth checking out indeed if it is!

Lip-smacking Hot Chocolate Dippers from Germany

As a big fan of hot chocolate and chocolate dippers I was ecstatic when I found a big collection of chocolate dippers in one of the German Xmas markets held in the UK every winter -which I will post about later-. Check out the wacky flavors they have: Strawberry & Pink Pepper, Almond Raspberry, Cappucino Orange, Tarte Citron, Cassis Cardamom -Cassis shino b3d?- and many more!

Ako b3d Peanuts, Cherry Hazelnuts Anseed, o Ginger.

The non alcoholic chocolate dippers sell for £3.50 each. The alcoholic ones are more expensive o 9ej bel 6agag but check out how the alcohol is added, in a separate plastic tube!

Good Idea! I wonder if the tube ends are encapsulated in the chocolate dipper? If only they added no alcoholic syrups like raspberry or hazelnut or vanilla for example the flavors would be much better an more intensified!

There are also gift sets with several different dippers and chocolate pieces sold for  £16 each. Can you guess what flavor I chose?

The flavor I chose was… Cappucino Orange! Coffee and Chocolate and Orange all together… Ya wayle waylah

I haven't tried it yet but I know it would be amazing. If you are interested in purchasing those from their German makers online store here (link).

Good Saturday Morning…

Good morning! How is the last day of your weekend?

As for me I've been plagued by this hellish flu that just won't go away! I am always tired and dizzy and my throat, well lets just say that I forgot how swallowing without pain felt like!

I should therefore have a very good big hearty protein fueled breakfast. English breakfast that is with a high stack of scrambled eggs swimming in baked beans with a side of mushrooms and hash browns. Washed down with a tall glass of freshly squeezed OJ for vitamin C and of course my morning black coffee mix. Die flu virus DIE!

What are you having for breakfast :p

Review: Firin "Gluten Free" Bakery's Goodies

A few months back I read a tweet about a new bakery that was going to open soon called "Firin Bakery" that specializes in Gluten Free baked goods! Needless to say I followed them immediately and even drove all the way to their branch in Hawali to check them out but they weren't open yet.

Months passed and I totally forgot about the place until I went to Pretty Little Things exhibition (post). On my way out I was handed a goody bag with a box of freshly baked good from Firin Bakery -even though they weren't participating in the exhibition-. The next evening I was starving and I decided I better try them out, so I made my self some tea and sat down with the box planning to eat only the two mini cupcakes, maybe take a picture or two for this post.

The thing is, erm, well you see I thought they being gluten free and all wouldn't be that soft or good like usual cakes. I was very much mistaken. Within minutes I had eaten the mini chocolate cake, the mini carrot cake, the BIG apple cake slice, and the top of the blueberry muffin. Nothing was left to take pictures off except the remains of the bluebery muffin. I polished off the box, literally!

Forget the gluten free part. The cakes were very good and very dewy and moist and brimming with taste in comparison to other cake makers, gluten free or not. I enjoyed every single bite and I am planning to go back for some more! The fact that they are gluten free thus not made with wheat meant they were a tad lighter than other cakes and muffins!

I am so glad and so proud of this bakery. Finally! I will go back for a more detailed review soon insha2 Allah! Meanwhile if you are interested you can order from firin bakery by visiting their website www.firin.co or by calling 2266100. Just stay away from the carrot cupcake, it tasted a bit weird.

Want to invite a blogger for a review? Then AVOID this mistake…

As bloggers we get invited to many things: events, exhibitions, tryouts, tastings, previews, shop openings, restaurants, etc. The fun part of blogging is the ability to see things first hand and try them before everyone else. Sometimes our opinions and feedback are considered and actually incorporated before the opening which is quite cool in itself.

What is not cool though, is when you are a blogger, and you see almost all your fellow bloggers get invited and post reviews on some new "thing" going on. Be it a store or a restaurant opening for example. Then after several bloggers had posted about it you open your email and lo and behold, you are finally invited to that "place".

Sadly this had happened more than once. Every time it happens the first thing that jumps into my mind is "taw elnass"! Now why on earth would you wait until you have   checked all the bloggers off your list until you decided that I was eligible for an invite? Is it to ensure continuity? As in news about your "new" place would continue still to be circling around? Is it because you forgot? Is it because you had to get the more important blogs on the block first then go down the list to the least popular ones?

Assuming people who do the invitation truly have no clue that inviting a blogger to your place after you have invited all of the other bloggers is more of an insult than an honor. After all, who wants to post about a place two or three weeks after all of Kuwait had read about it on all other blogs y3ni?

So what to do? Either extend an invitation to all blogs on a certain time or date on the same time. Or extend an open invitation -at the same time- to all blogs you want to invite to come and check the place and try it out whenever they can or within an open timing. But inviting bloggers one by one is not really OK.

There you go, now YOU understand why I'm not going to come check out your "new place". Bloggers of Kuwait are friends, they know each other, they talk to each other, they go out with each other off-blogger duty, and guess what? They they tell each other where they are invited and when they were invited. Just keep that in mind the next time you insult us by trying to extend an invite to a blogger after all the bloggers had come and gone. I for one will not accept your invitation. Comprende?

Exhibition: Pretty Little Things

I was invited last week to attend a new exhibition called "Pretty Little Things". The organizer Ms. Noaf Hussein seemed very sweet and even though I couldn't attend on the first days she contacted me again and I was intrigued. I made it in the very last day.

The exhibition was held in a villa built in the 60′s and recently renovated in Edailiya! I   love love LOVE 60s houses and architecture so I almost gasped when I realized this old villa was the exhibition place. It is called villa 16 located in one of Edailiya's main streets.

My first stop was at Qumar 14′s stand. Have I already told you that I adore their winter bishts? No? Remember this post (link).

More colors of the winter Bisht were available and I have to say the purple which was worn by the designer while tending to the stand was much more beautiful than my brown one! If you are planning on getting yourself one get the purple one.

My next stop was in "The Yard" location. They were many interesting stuff to look at. For example this wagon filled with funky gadgets.

This beautiful satin shirt.

This SIM card holder which I think is a brilliant idea so I bought myself one. I put my UK SIM card and my VIVA card with the puck and pin number in it now.

Quirky blank notebooks for writing.

Interesting items! I asked about the availability of their salted caramel spread, the one they distributed  during last Ramadan. Sadly they said they don't stock it at the moment Anyways here is their website information.

Nest I passed by Silsal Ceramics place. A beautiful handmade pottery that combines both the funky and traditional designs in cups, vases, plates, candle holders, etc. I loved these candle holders.

I loved those mugs too!

There are many more good pieces but all my pictures are horrible! For more about Silsal Ceramics you can visit their website (link) or call them on 99006123 or visit their store in Hawalli, Ibn Khaldoun St., Al-Ritaj Building, 2nd floor, office 3.

Then it was time to go to Goji Boutique's section. Going gaga over their items is an understatement especially given that most items were reduced into bargain prices. Check out this lovely bracelet! I couldn't let it go and I bought it immediately.

This rubber bracelet which is also beautiful.

I didn't buy that one but I did buy the blue one behind it :p

I also bought this brown winterish blouse. It is one wide side like a poncho on one side and a normal sleeve on the other. It looks better in real life.

I almost bought this Batman Ring as well.

and this is my beautiful new clutch! Showcased here by the very sweet Ms. Hawazen one of Goji Boutique's owners!

In the opposite room there was Baby B's section which had many cute stuff for babies and toddlers.

When I was finally done and nearly broke Ms. Noaf insisted I sit with her outside for a cup of tea. The seating was very cosy indeed.

The weather was amazing. Twinkling fairy lights surrounding comfy plush seating.

Fresh tea was made and served immediately. Quite refreshing in the cold weather.

Candles and lanterns everywhere.

Even blankets were provided, folded on each seat.

So you can imagine how cosy the setting was. I drank my tea with Ms. Nouf and we ended up chatting for almost an hour. The girl is quite extraordinary I tell you. The amount of effort she'd put in this exhibition is humongous and the attention to details is amazing. She told me how she put it all together and we had so much fun chatting!

The Baking Tray, with their cookies, drinks, sandwiches, and pastas were catering in the event. So were their newest restaurant Home Slice Pizza.

Plus their Bess Foul Bess Falafel as well.

While we were having tea Ms. Nouf disappeared for a while and returned with two loaded handbags with my name on them! I was speechless!

I didn't have time to photograph all the items in the bags but dear fellow Ansam did (post). I must say it was quite a generous haul of all the items in the exhibition indeed!

Thank you dear Nouf for your invitation and for the great effort you've done to make the Pretty Little Things that special. I truly hope it becomes an annual exhibition! I wish you the best of luck and next time we need more than 3 days please!

Red Bull Art of Can Exhibition

I was invited to the opening of the Red Bull Art of Can Exhibition held 360 Mall last week. However since I've not been feeling well lately I couldn't attend it. To my surprise -and happiness- my friend Jacquies had been there and graciously shared with me her pictures to post about. I will show you my favorite ones.

Spiderman ya7leelah!

Diva metkha9ra?

Nice one! Reaching out!

Can't tell what this one is but I think its made on an acrylic slab.

Thaqeel El6ena Pop Eye is there substituting his usual spinach can with a red bull. Nice idea though.

Kuwait Towers.

London's Big Ben's too!

Ya7leelha el ant.

A fashion piece too…

The exhibition looks really interesting! I wish I could have made it. The exhibition is on from the 3rd of December till the 17th of December in the Exhibition hall of 360 mall. I do recommend you pass by! Who knows maybe you will be inspired and participate with something next year?

Thank you dear Jacquies for the pictures