DOHA DIARIES: A CATCH UP POST #20

I have been pretty inconsistent with my Doha Diaries posts over the past month or so, and as a result there are a couple of days/evenings out that I took pictures of but never blogged about, so I thought I'd include all of these in this weeks Doha Diaries post even though they aren't all necessarily from the week gone by...

DINNER WITH THE GIRLS

We had a lovely meal at Market one night after Jemma finished work, opting for a quiet meal instead of a night at a bar. I am so addicted to the sushi at Market, in particular the prawn tempura rolls which are seriously divine. I could eat these all day every day!

SWISS BRUNCH

Marion's friend Gloria was visiting from Germany, so a brunch was in order! We didn't actually realise that this was a themed brunch until the night before, so were a little disappointed to learn that it wasn't the usual spread that the Hyatt normally offer. That being said, there were still some some very lovely traditional dishes that I was able to try, and it was a paradise for cheese lovers with fondue and a whole station dedicated to cheese!

The Grand Hyatt are unbeatable with their themed brunches, even from the moment you enter the Grill, as there are always themed props for a photo opportunity! The general manager Christoph and his lovely family always lead from the front in their themed attire, and even the menu is tailored to whatever that weeks theme might be.

Fellas, please take note: If a group of girls ask you to take their picture...there really is no need to kneel down in the bushes to take the photo! From eye-level will be just fine ;)

ROOFTOP BAR AT THE ST REGIS

After brunch, we spent the early evening having drinks at the St Regis rooftop. It was the perfect evening to be outside. As is always the way with this tiny city, we ran into some of our colleagues and joined them for a few drinks before they set off to the Sundowners beach party at Sharq Village. The girls then went on to the Reggae beach party whilst I was in granny mode and went home for an early night!

DATE NIGHT AT PAPERMOON

I suggested a date night at Papermoon as Matt has never been. The food was delicious (can you guess what I had?!) and the staff were absolutely lovely. They had changed the menu since my last visit with Jemma, so the spinach gnocchi with Gorgonzola that I was looking forward to had been replaced by gnocchi in tomato sauce, but the chef very kindly made it up with a the Gorgonzola sauce for me anyway :) Matt opted for the light choice of sea bass with roasted vegetables, and we both decided on dessert. Not hard to guess who picked the chocolate lava cake with coconut ice cream and who picked the fruit sorbet...I really need to get to the gym more often!

SAYING GOODBYE

It was the funeral for my Auntie Jan on Friday. It was so hard to decide whether or not to travel home to attend, and in the end I decided that I would stay in Doha and mark the day in my own way, as I had travelled home to surprise her in April when it became clear just how poorly she was, and seeing her and saying goodbye in person was the most important thing. I bought a bouquet of lilies, tied with a white bow, and set these up in my bedroom with heart shaped candles, and attached my Cancer Research daffodil to the bouquet. It's still so hard to believe she's gone. My Dad and brother told me that the funeral service was really lovely and touching, and I wish so much that I had been there.

That brings us up to date, and I will try and be back on track with these weekly Doha Diaries posts going forward.

I hope that you had a lovely week, wherever in the world you are reading from :)