Danderma's Blog, page 77

A Tour in the Newly Reopened Dean & Deluca – Part I

Yesterday I was invited by Al-Shayaa company to rediscover the recently re-opened Dean & Deluca store in the Avenues. Being a fan of D&D who missed the place badly when they closed down for renovation meant I was more than eager to go with my camera and be there on time.

Inside D&D I was greeted by Mr. Tasos Petropoulos, Ms. Elisa Albendea from Al-Shaya food retail division who showed us around D&D along D&D’s general Manager & Chefs -apologies, didn’t catch your full names guys - The first thing I noticed is that D&D had expanded its seating area inside & outside and yet it was still crowded with happy diners.

The flowers section which I used to love is now gone and in its place is a wood fire oven from Pizza Rustica which is now served inside D&D so if you miss Pizza Rustica you can now have it again in D&D. Many people had pizza takeaways and salads around us. One poor woman waited while I took pictures of her pizionally za.

And I got to try their pizzas on my own. I have to say my vegetarian pizza with grilled and balsamic marinated vegetables drizzled with pesto was exceptionally good.

As we moved along, I noticed a new “Munchies” section where all you would need for a movie night is available. They even sell popcorn which is right there with the current Kuwaiti favorite trends. Spot On. The brand they sell is the local Let’s Popcorn brand which guarantees freshness and if you are a fan of flavored popcorn they will not disappoint.

Of course not only is there popcorn, but also jars of sweets of every kind you can think of. I think you can easily get whatever you need for a movie night in one trip to D&D.

The fine chocolate section is the munchies section closest neighbor. Row upon row of fine chocolate pieces in all shapes and flavors made with the finest ingredients available.

The designs on these chocolates are hand painted, one by one, and not mass printed like other available chocolates.

There, below, are the Fruit Pastilles or as D&D names is, The Pate de Fruit. So soft, freshly made in store, melts in the mouth, and comes in exotic flavors like Mango and Rose & Lychee.

I tried the mango one and I was instantly in love. That’s a big problem for me as I cannot resist these sugar coated goodies :’( Hello five more kilos!

D&D now make macaroons as well. Macaroons lovers would be happy to here that.

D&D also sells the finest Saudi dates coated with different toppings for date lovers especially given that dates are a culinary pillar in our Kuwaiti cuisine.

Next comes the tea section. A huge selection of different types and flavors of tea for tea lovers.

Stay tuned for Part II…

My Beautiful Orange Acrylic Tray

Ever since I moved to my new apartment and began redecorating I’ve gone into a frenzy of a supressed obsession of mine: buying tea sets and tableware. I don’t seem to be able to stop searching around for delicious designs and wanting to buy them.

One of my favorite shopping destinations is Dar Nur in Shuwaikh from which on my last visit I bought the below gorgeous acrylic orange tray that completed a tea set of mine and that tea set became my -current- absolute favorite

I love my tray so much, I want to redecorate the entire living room to go with it in silver, chromse, and orange! That would have to wait a few years though. Look how the light catches the fine Arabesque engraved detailing.

Of course those are my favorite tea cups or tea estecanas so far. So bodum like, so pretty.

Is not following someone on Instagram considered a Personal Insult?

Is not following someone on Instagram -or any social media application- considered as a personal insult? Should we read too much into it?

I’m not really sure how to answer the above question for I myself have conflicting feelings towards it. Do we expect people to follow us in the virtual world if they knew us in the real world? Well, in an ideal case they should. But what if they don’t? What does that entail exactly?

What about ones that follow us say, on Twitter? Then when you open up your instagram account, and they follow suit, you see that they’ve followed everyone else and made the choice, deliberatly, not to follow you when they imported their facebook/twitter contacts. What does that say exactly? Will your feelings be hurt to a certain degree? Or at all? Should your feelings be hurt?

Who do we really follow? Friends, family, and people of interest to us. A business we like for updates or an instagrammers with amazing pictures. Do we have to follow the cousin who posts about nothing but their shoes? Or that aunt who posts nothing but pictures of cats making cute faces every five minutes?

Sometimes you have to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they truly didn’t know you were there, or they missed you somehow. Should you go and follow them? If you subtly remind them you are there with your own follow, likes, and comments on their picture and they still won’t follow you, should you corner them in real life and demand they explain themselves and follow you?

What is worse and more insulting, not following someone at all from the start which insinuates that they are not of any interest to you before giving them a chance, or those people you know who do follow you only to unfollow you after a couple of days. What does that say?

The funniest thing is when people do fight in real life. You know the fight is serious when the person unfollow  you AND blocks you on instagram.  Is that really necessary? What happens if you make up later on? Do you unblock and refollow each other? Is it childish? In some cases it is but we can also take it as a proof that people do consider following others in social media as an extension of their relationship with you and therefore would be insulted if you do not follow/like/comment etc.

What do you think? Is not following a person you know on Instagram or other social media applications a personal insult? Should we read too much into it? Does it mean anything really?

A Lip Smacking Treat from Gelato Italiano

Last week I had a movie night gathering in my place that I will post about soon and if you follow me on instagram you probably have seen it. One of my guests was the fabulous Um 3zooz who arrived bearing two boxes of her one and only Gelato Italiano. 

The first thing I did to those boxes was to hide them in my freezer All mine and Danderma doesn’t share ice cream. It wasn’t until yesterday that I decided to attack them and attack them I did! Me, my husband, and our two stray cats!!! Can you blame us? See what’s inside the first box!

And this is the contents of the second box! 3awar qalb

Back to the first box, the chocolate flavor was so rich it felt almost like eating a piece of velvet fabric!

The caramely thing with chocolate flavors, the vanilla with real vanilla beans softly nestled in the cream folds

Now the second box had an killer mango and a very interesting lavender flavored gelato with a deep purple hue! I have to say I enjoyed it very much even though I’m not a lavender fan in the first place! Yum!

As I was taking these shots I heard a sound nearby. a strong mew. Look at the face Nefirtiti is giving me!

I shooed her away only for her to go and call her sister Lolo. I don’t understand why the two of them always travel in a pair! They came in and looked at me just as I was about to take my first bite.

So we gave them some ice cream. They were happy!

Thank you Um 3zooz for making me, my husband, and even the two cats very happy. My ice cream boxes are NOT to be shared. All mine and very yum

If you want some Gelato you could always pass by Gelato Italiano and get yourself some. I’ve yet to find someone who didn’t fall in love with it when I introduced. You can contact them on 22434434 or visit their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@GelatoItaliano_) or Instagram (@GelatoItaliano), or pay them a visit in their main branch in Sharq, Ahmad Al-Jaber St., Bur Al-Jaz tower, Kuwait City.

Review: Blodry Bar Express Hair Blow Dries

A while ago I received a very cute invitation for a VIP treatment at a newly opened Express Hair Blow Dry Salon located in Dar Al-Awadhi complex, Kuwait City.

Inside the invitation bag was a treasure trove of old fashioned chocoolates from our childhood! Yum!

Plus, the invitation card said to call and reserve and appointment for a complimentary blow dry session with the salon. I don’t usually review salons -I don’t like to be touched by people- but in this case it was different. I wanted to see if they truly delivered express blow drys on the go or not so I made an exception and had an appointment straight after work on Thursday. 

On Thursday I went to Blodry bar straight after work. Descending the escalator into the basement of Dar Al-Awadhi you cannot miss the place with its turquoise painted wood door and the hanging old fashion hair dryers. I went right in and into a small yet fashionable reception with a big screen TV.

and a fashionable waiting area which I want to copy exactly into my own bodouir! Love the interior of the place!

The artwork hanging in the salon is very eye catching and, as told by the owner Ms. Nouf Al-Hamad, is for sale! Apparently people are bidding on the artwork already and  once sold it would be replaced with more artwork which also serves the purpose of redecorating. Smart.

The salon is small with about four chairs and two washing basins. The design is as cool as the waiting area.

And lots of quirky stuff to look at.

There is also a nice beverages making area in the far corner of the salon.

When your turn to blow dry your hair comes, your head scarf -if you wear any- is hanged neatly using a hanger on the wall.

You are served a beverage of your choice with little treats.

Your bag is kept in its own place away from your lap.

And the hair brushes that would be used to blow dry your hair would first get sanitized before usage in this special over like device. Very clean especially for people who hate the blow dry brush smell that lingers in the hair after the salon.

As your hair is being blow dried, you can’t help but notice more stuff all around.

And look! Retro phone handsets to enable you to talk on your mobile while your hair is being blow dried! Nice touch!

Of course all this would mean nothing if their blow dry wasn’t good or express. So the golden question is, how was their blow dry?

Growing up with curls meant that I had to blow dry my hair on my own and I can assure you, its one of my talents. I used to blow dry my cousins hair once upon a time. Once, I even hated a salon’s pre-hairdo blow dry so I snatched the brush and blew dry my own hair to the annoyance of the hairdresser.

I can tell from the way the hair is parted and the first stroke of hair if the blow dry is going to be good or a flop. In this case, Blodry Bar’s blow dry passed with flying colors! Different sized hairbrushes were used, my hair was shiny and sleek but with a good volume and not overly straight, you know when its too straight its lifeless. The good blowdry survives and stays and doesn’t get ruined by the time you go home. And most importantly it was indeed express: My hair was washed, conditioned, and blow dried in 30 minutes!

I would totally recommend the place for a quick blow dry pre or after work. No fuss, no mess, just blow dry and out. They do offer a hair dyes once a week only and they do very simple updos, nothing major or over inflated. This way you can make sure no one will take your turn or distract your hairdresser with their own hair being dyed or cut or whatever. I like the concept and I loved their service especially given that they are in the heart of Kuwait City which means I can get there after work enroute to my place and get all dolled up. I am going to be a faithful customer insha2 Allah. Thank you Ms. Nouf Al-Hamad for the invitation and wishing you the best of luck.

Blodry Bar open from 8 am till 5 pm and are located in the basement of Dar Al-Awadhi tower. For appointment you can call 22322272 or check their facebook page (link), follow them on Instagram (@BloDryBarKw) or on Twitter (@BloDryBarKw).

Picture of the Week: Serene

Yesterday afternoon I decided to go out to 360 Mall. Its been forever since I’ve been to a place in Kuwait that had no crowds, no children crying bloody murder, no teenagers messing around, and no overdressed youngsters trying to impress each other. It was a very calm evening where I shopped, walked around, had lunch, almost all alone in the big wide beautiful mall.

Then as I was getting out of the parking on my way home I saw an airplane flying towards the sun so I took a quick picture with my iPhone. It was so calm and peaceful sailing away towards the sunset. I only wish I had a better camera or a stronger lens with me. The only change I did to the picture was to photoshop the light poles out and voila, a picture of a serene day out is there. Beautiful and calm, no?

Book Review: The Doctor Will See You Now by Max Pemberton

Back in March I read and loved a book “Trust me, I’m a junior doctor” by a British medical doctor called Max Pemberton (post). I liked it so much I set out to find the other books written by the same author/doctor and yesterday I managed to finish another one, his third or fourth actually, titled “The Doctor Will See you Now”.

In this book I can see the doctor has gained confidence and is training in psychiatry. It is still an enjoyable and funny read however it was very touching indeed. Less humor and more reality for sure. You get to read about old people wasting away with dementia or living in nursing homes and how, in one’s old age, having someone by enough caring enough to take care of you is a blessing.

Some of the situations in the book raise questions like, would you be willing to bequeath your priceless Picasso paintings in exchange of companionship, would that be right? What about the use of Electrical Shock Treatment for severely depressed patients? How is that administered and how humane is that, if at all beneficial? All of that with doses of comedy lurking in between the pages.

 I would personally recommend this book, I liked it very much indeed and I’m still on the lookout for other publications by Dr. Max to go on my bookshelf along with the two books I’ve read already.

My Blog Office Phone Line from Mada Kuwait

A week after I returned from my vacation in the UK I received a package from Mada company with the words “Danderma’s Blog Office Line”. As I was in the middle of unpacking and settling down to the routine back home I took a while to finally open the package and have a look at what’s inside.

Mada, an ISP company that provides a quick and portable internet connectivity solution for its subscribers, had recently introduced an “ISDN Phone Line” service within the same internet router, and gave me my own line with a one year paid line subscription to try, posing as my own blog phone line. This is what came inside the package.

Inside the package was the Mada Soho WiMAX router which, wirelessly, provides both an internet connection and the phone line plus a portable navy blue Panasonic phone, thank god it was blue and not pink! In a matter of minutes I had unpacked the entire thing and was ready to install.

All I had to do was plug the router to an electrical source to get it to work.

Connect the phone to the router.

Give Mada a phone call to activate the service, and voila! You are connected with both an internet service and a land line like phone service!

The number I’ve got now, my Danderma’s blog office number that is, is a 223XXXXX number. It comes with a Caller ID, Call Waiting ID, Call Forwarding, Call Return and Call Conferencing. I can take it every where with me, even if I go to the chalet or to the border or if I have to move. It is very suitable for living in a place without phone lines yet.

Did I face any problems? Well, once I used the phone line to call for home delivery from a local fast food place. The lady operator who answered was wary because of the phone number and when I gave her the address for Alzahraa she was very cross and told me that this number is not Alzahraa number. I tried to explain what it was, that I was not a prank caller, but she wouldn’t listen to me and demanded my mobile phone number. This is the only problem I’ve had with the phone line so far.

As for the connectivity, I’ve been using the service for about ten days now and so far I’m content with it. Of course, in my case I already have a Mada internet router providing me with internet and I am lucky to get an excellent service. I bought a Mada router back in the day when no one knew about it and it worked like a charm. We lived in Jabriya then and the connection was excellent. When we moved to AlZahraa the connective was still good albeit not as good as it was in Jabriya. Therefore when I connected my new Router and Phone I had no problems with the connectivity. However that is not the case with everyone. With some people it works with others it doesn’t. You have to double check with Mada on that issue.

The service I got with my Mada is free for three months internet usage and one year phone usage, afterwards I have to renew my subscription and pay for it on my own and so far I think I am going to do that. At first I thought about sharing my blog office phone number on the blog but I still haven’t made my mind up about that still. I’m going to buy myself an answering machine, something I’ve wanted since forever, and hook it up to the phone and I’ve already shared my office number with two companies instead of my own mobile.

Thank you very much Mada Kuwait for giving me my own blog office phone number. For more information about Mada’s services, packages, and pricing you can give them a call on 1822888 check their website (link), follow them on facebook (link), or on Twitter (@Mada_Kuwait), or on instagram (@Mada_Kuwait).

10 Things I want to Do before the End of 2012

Re-publish Dathra book 1: edited, proofread, and with the new cover.
Find out more outlets to sell both Dathra books together once the 1st is republished.
Join a photography class or two. Find out if I have any photography potential.
Finish working on the last room of the apartment filled with junk and unopened boxes.
Use the thing I got 9 months ago to teach me how to play the piano.
Lose 5 kilos. Just 5. Not so much to ask, no?
Paint the things I want to paint and see if they turn out OK or not. Fingers crossed.
Go back to the dentist. Go back to the dentist. Go back to the dentists. Work on my teeth is not done yet. Hate dentists. Go back to the dentists. Must be brave.
Be more active. Either take a daily walk or join some gym. Maybe a dance class or I’d buy a bicycle like everyone seems to be doing around me. Tempting.
Sleep. I’ve lost the ability to sleep like a normal person in reasonable hours. I think the activity/gym might help me out there.

Well, these thought’s have been going round and round on my mind recently and they are things I really want to do and ASAP. I will check this post again in 1 January 2013 insha2 Allah o see if I did indeed accomplish anything on it. What about you? Do you have anything you want to accomplish before the end of the year? Please do share if you do, maybe I’d get some inspiration

Picture of the Week: The Old Box

Old traditional Kuwaiti boxes like the one above come in a variety of sizes and designs. I realized recently that I have a few of this box too many. I wonder what am supposed to hide inside them though. Then it got me wondering: what did Kuwaitis use them for in the olden days? Cooking? The one with the latch doesn’t look like a cooking type of box.

Any ideas?