tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44715716679540098132024-03-15T18:09:33.087-07:00The BlondeHolly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-13015231555094018632015-10-10T08:03:00.002-07:002015-10-10T08:03:14.195-07:00The Blonde has moved!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>The Blonde has moved - please come and follow me <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/">here</a> !</b></div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-15794344078847273562015-08-09T10:12:00.003-07:002015-08-09T10:12:37.283-07:00FAREWELL....FOR NOW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In a months time, I will be hopping in a taxi to Hamad International airport, and boarding a flight back to England - this time, on a one-way ticket. My Arabian adventures have almost come to an end, after what will have been two years and one month of riding this intense rollercoaster of emotions.<br />
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Two years and one month of incredible ups, and desperately painful downs, forging lifelong friendships with some truly special girls, and eating amazing food in the finest restaurants I will ever dine at. I developed the best tan of my life, learnt to accept myself without makeup because sometimes it's just too damn hot to wear it, and developed a newfound love for red wine, sushi and English breakfast tea. I fell madly in love, but unfortunately my relationship, like my time in Doha, has come to an end. I've faced so many personal challenges in just two short years (and one month!) but the experiences, both positive and negative, have only served to shape me and make me a stronger person...with a lot of support from the people I am so, so lucky to call my family and friends.<br />
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<b>So what's next?</b><br />
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Once my belongings are boxed up & shipped, and my notice period at work is finished, and I touch down in London town...there is no real plan at the time of writing. The one thing I do know, is that everything I do going forward will be with inner happiness and well-being in mind. If there is one thing I have learnt from the Doha experience, it's that life is precious and life is short, so if ever there was a time to take care of myself and work out what truly makes me happy, that time is now.<br />
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It's time to start a whole new chapter of my life, which includes starting afresh with this blog.<br />
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This will be my last post on The Blonde from Doha, but I'll be back. For those of you who have followed my adventures in Doha, thanks so much for reading, and I hope you'll stick around for what comes next.<br />
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Farewell....for now :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-33216586670219568782015-07-05T13:25:00.001-07:002015-07-05T13:25:28.912-07:00WARNER BROS STUDIO TOUR - THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week, I unleashed my inner geek on a bigger scale than usual.<br />
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I took my daddy-o to the Warner Bros studios at Leavesden (which it transpires is ridiculously close to my family home, I didn't even realise!) for the Harry Potter studio tour.<br />
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It was so busy when we arrived, with visitors from what sounded like all over the globe, eager to see the real magic behind the making of Harry Potter.<br />
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I'm not a massive Harry Potter geek (at least, I didn't rush to buy a novelty wand or Every Flavour Beans from the shop!) but I really enjoyed the books and the films, so I was really looking forward to seeing how the ideas of JK Rowling came to life on the big screen.<br />
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The set up of the Warner Bros studios are essentially a collective of 'warehouses' which are home to all of the original sets and props used in the movies. From the Great Hall, to Dumbledores office, to Hagrids Cabin, the Potions classroom, the Dursleys home in Privet Drive, to the Hogwards Express itself (a recent addition to the tour, I believe) the tour has it all.<br />
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You can even buy Butter Beer halfway round the tour, although if Cream Soda isn't your thing, I'd give it a miss!<br />
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Without further ado, here are some of the many, many pictures I took on the day!<br />
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Dead Dobby!! *sad face*<br />
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What is really striking is the sheer volume of detail and effort that goes in to making every single prop and set, and that is before the camera is even rolling. From sketches, to oil paintings, to cardboard models of sets, to individual hand written labels for potion bottles, costumes...the list really is endless. As a really nice touch, the tour finishes with a room full of wands marked with the names of every single member of the crew who worked on the movies.<br />
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The real highlight for me is the model of Hogwarts that was used when filming all of the panoramic views of the castle in the movie. It was so detailed and really just blew us away.<br />
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Young or old, the Warner Bros Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter is a really amazing way to spend a couple of hours. The tour itself is very relaxed - you book a time slot but the tours go in every ten minutes so it doesn't matter if you are early. Once you're in, you do the tour at your own pace. It isn't guided, but there is information everywhere so you always know what it is you're looking at - even the most diehard of Harry Potter fans will probably learn something new from the tour!<br />
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I highly, highly recommend this. Details for the tour can be found <a href="https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/">here</a>.<br />
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<b>Would you like to visit the Warner Bros Studio Tour?</b></div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-7755496240574669642015-07-01T15:11:00.003-07:002015-07-01T15:25:24.579-07:00A DAY IN BRIGHTON<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One day last week, my parents and I took a drive to the seaside town of Brighton. Exploring new (to me, at least!) parts of the UK is something that I'm really keen to do when I move back to England this year, so I was really happy when my mum suggested that we spend the day in Brighton.<br />
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What better way to start the day than with breakfast on the seafront?!<br />
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We took a tour around the <a href="http://brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion/">Royal Pavilion</a>, an exotic seaside palace, formerly home to George IV. Steeped in history and beautifully restored, it was so interesting to walk through the bedrooms, kitchen, ballroom and music room that were once home to British royalty, as well as being used as a military hospital during the first World War.<br />
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Full of newfound historical knowledge, we explored the Lanes, tiny narrow streets lined with tiny independent shops largely selling jewellery. We also discovered an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Williams-Homemade-Fudge/144332192275095">excellent sweet shop</a> selling delicious homemade fudge - the salted caramel fudge was amazing!<br />
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We took up residence on deck chairs on the beach to enjoy the last of the afternoon sun (for my parents anyway, I was absolutely freezing as I had yet to acclimatise!) but before we knew it the sun had gone behind the clouds and refused to return, so we retreated to the car for a much anticipated fish and chip tea before heading home after a lovely day at the coast.<br />
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<b>Have you visited Brighton?</b></div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-50659233220593641232015-06-24T08:53:00.006-07:002015-06-24T08:53:57.480-07:00MINI HAUL: TESCO BUYS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've always taken great pleasure in going to the supermarket, especially Tesco. That might sound odd to some (and maybe it is!), but there is something very satisfying about knowing that you can walk in to the supermarket and you are pretty much guaranteed to always find what you want.</div>
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Today I went in for one item and came out with a few extras, as is always the way, so I thought I'd share todays purchases in a bit of a mini haul.</div>
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<b><u>BREVILLE: BLEND-ACTIVE</u></b></div>
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I have had my eye on a smoothie maker for a little while now, particularly after my brother was gifted a Nutribullet for his birthday and became addicted to knocking up healthy drinks for himself and my sister in law. At upwards of £70, I just wasn't sure if I could justify the price tag for the Nutribullet, so I conducted a little bit of research online and stumbled across the Breville Blend-Active. Very similar in terms of concept, but a fraction of the cost at just £30. I read a few comparisons between the two appliances online, and then put the feelers out on Facebook where more friends than I expected recommended the Blend-Active, so I took the plunge and made the purchase, along with ingredients to whizz up some delicious smoothies this week in a bid to balance out all of the naughty food I have been eating so far this holiday...</div>
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<b><u>TORTOISE SILVER SPOT PHONE CASE</u></b></div>
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I was in the market for a new phone case - mine had huge chunks missing and would have been hopeless at protecting my beloved iPhone in the likely event that I should drop it on a hard surface - so when I spotted this cute silver polka dot phone case at the bargain price of £6, I had to add it to my basket. I remember once paying £20 for a phone case when I first bought my iPhone - what was I thinking?! It comes in gold too for those with the gold iPhone :)</div>
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<b><u>BEAUTICOLOGY COCONUT & LIME CANDLE</u></b></div>
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I definitely wasn't in the market for a new candle but when I smelt this it practically jumped in to my shopping basket - it smells amazing! </div>
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<b><u>BARRY M GELLY PAINT IN 'COTTON'</u></b></div>
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This final purchase was actually from Boots but I thought I'd add it in here - I'm actually so disappointed with this polish, so much so that I am going to have to take it back! The consistency is horrendous - thick, gloopy and sticky to the point where it makes application impossible, which is so unlike the Barry M Gelly paints which have always been my favourite polishes. Not only that, but the bristles are loose on the brush so for each application, a bristle would trail behind on my nail, streaking the polish. Back to Boots it goes!</div>
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Quite a refrained shopping trip so far this holiday, I think because I know that I will be moving back to England in September so I don't have my usual frantic need to buy anything and everything whilst I'm let loose in decent shops! </div>
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I have a few makeup items left to purchase so I'll also do a mini beauty haul once I have these :)</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-46433481528618056052015-06-18T06:44:00.001-07:002015-06-18T06:44:07.717-07:00LIFE LATELY / DOHA DIARIES #25<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
First and foremost, RAMADAN KAREEM! The Holy month of Ramadan is underway the world over so I wanted to extend my best wishes to all.<br />
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Secondly, it feels so good to be back in front of my laptop, typing up a blog post. I really do miss blogging when I am away from it for extended periods of time. I haven't really had too much time and energy for it as of late as I've been a bit of a busy bee. This post is a bit of a life update / Doha Diaries / catch up post combination to fill you in on what has been going on lately in the life of The Blonde...<br />
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Ps - please forgive the iPhone pictures!<br />
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<b><u>BIG DECISIONS</u></b><br />
Those of you who know me in person/follow me on social media will know that recently I made the decision to follow my head and my heart and put the motions in place to leave my adopted home of Doha and head back to the UK. I'll be touching down in London town on a permanent basis from September, so I still have a few months left to embrace life here in the sandpit. After a very rocky time here due to personal reasons, the lure of being closer to my family has been tugging at me for a very long time, so when my very talented boyfriend was offered a great job back in London, the decision to head home suddenly became very easy, as I would be heading home to all of my loved ones. That's not to say I won't be leaving behind people I am incredibly fond of - I really have made some very close friends for life here in Doha, but I know that once I leave I will be seeing them again!<br />
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<b><u>COPA AMERICA 2015</u></b><br />
We are covering the Copa America tournament at work until 4th July. We have two studios a day, and as a result the team are working every day with no days off. I'm on day 14 and already feel like I'm going a little stir crazy, but it has been fun looking after the guests that the producers have lined up for the Planet Chile lunchtime show - Chef Bojan, the executive chef from Toro Toro at the Kempinski Marsa Malaz came in and prepared some light dishes on air, a pair of Brazilian martial artists came in to demo their moves, a freestyle footballer taught the presenters some impressive ball skills, and an incredible Capoiera instructor wowed us with this graceful and strong martial arts/dance combination, all in our impressive Copa America studio.<br />
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<b><u>GETTING GLASSES</u></b></div>
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I mentioned in one of my <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/06/doha-diaries-my-week-in-dessert-33.html">previous Doha Diaries posts </a>that I was excited about getting my glasses - they finally arrived and I really like them, despite the fact that I can't decide if they suit me or not!</div>
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<b><u>DATE NIGHT AT TORO TORO</u></b></div>
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Matt and I had a really great dinner date at the newly opened <a href="http://www.kempinski.com/en/doha/marsa-malaz-kempinski-the-pearl-doha/dining/restaurants/toro-toro/">Toro Toro restaurant</a> at the Kempinski Marsa Malaz hotel. Everything we ordered was amazing, from the scallops to the prawns to the desserts, which were very kindly complimentary from Chef Bojan. I will do a review post on this restaurant next time I'm there and armed with my proper camera rather than the grainy iPhone!</div>
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<b><u>DATE NIGHT AT MYKONOS</u></b></div>
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As a final date night before we go our separate ways for Summer (Matt's off exploring the US and I am heading home to the UK before we join each other in London to head back to Doha), we decided to opt for Mykonos as our date night dining destination. Situated in the Intercontinental Doha, it is a stones throw from our apartments and one of my favourite restaurants largely due to how beautiful the setting is (in addition to the good food, of course). I have some very fond memories of dining here, such as <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2014/10/the-meeting-of-man-mum.html">the night my mum and Matt met properly for the first time,</a> and also one of my <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2014/09/from-mykonos-to-arabia.html">favourite impromptu date nights</a>. When the weather is cooler, dining on the terrace of Mykonos overlooking the beautiful pool, you could forgive yourself for thinking you had been transported to a Greek island.</div>
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<b><u>PACKING!</u></b></div>
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As I mentioned, I'm jetting off to the UK to spend a few weeks with my family and friends before my final stretch of time in Doha. I'm currently in the process of packing for the trip as well as packing up as many of my belongings as possible to transport back to the UK this time around, so that I won't have quite as much to ship home come September. It really is amazing how many things one girl can accumulate in two years living abroad!!</div>
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I can't really say what my blogging habits will be once I'm home in England over the coming weeks, but I hope to post again soon. Thanks for continuing to support my blog even though I've been very irregular with posting!</div>
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As always, I hope you've had a fantastic couple of weeks, wherever in the world you are reading from.</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-3549890776521086492015-06-13T02:00:00.002-07:002015-06-13T02:00:40.182-07:00BEAUTY REVIEW: BIG EASY BY BENEFIT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every now and then, you stumble across a product that really throws you when it comes to making a decision on whether you like it or not.<div>
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Usually you can get a feel one way or another from a product (with the exception of skincare) after one or a few uses, but <b><i>Big Easy</i> </b>from <i>Benefit</i> has been sitting in my makeup bag for the best part of a year, dividing my opinion every time I reach for it.</div>
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I didn't set out with the intention of buying this product, and it was never really on my radar until I was accosted by a Benefit sales assistant in Boots who had sat me down in a chair and whipped out her makeup brushes before I really knew what was happening. She introduced me to Big Easy, which at the time was a relatively newly released product. I was immediately taken in by two things: the oil-free formula and the SPF 35 content. Living in the desert, where the sun melts your face the second you step out of the sanctuary of the A/C, these are two things that really up-sell a product to me.</div>
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Those, the lightweight formula, and how lovely the sales assistant was meant that I left Boots almost £30 lighter, when I probably only went in for dry shampoo.</div>
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So this product claims to be a '<i>balancing complexion perfector known to help balance skin and oil control</i>' - this is where I fall in to my biggest divide with this product. </div>
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Upon initial application, I love it. It stays true to its claim to '<i>even out skin tone and conceal imperfections</i>'. It doesn't claim to be a full coverage product, which I quite like about it, as I would reach for this on a day where I don't want to go heavy on my makeup but need to have 'something' on my skin. As promised, the liquid to powder formulation finishes '<i>lightweight and smooth</i>' on the skin. </div>
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Let's all forgive my big spam forehead - it is necessary to subject you to this to show the finish in natural light!</div>
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As you can see, a light coverage with a natural finish.</div>
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Now my gripe with this product is, that come the afternoon, my face is ludicrously shiny. No matter if I set it with powder, the shine strikes with full force at around lunchtime, so for me personally the claim that Big Easy '<i>balances skin & controls oil</i>' is nonsense - it doesn't.</div>
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To give it the Benefit of the doubt (<i>Benefit, get it?!</i>), I will take into consideration that I live in a country where the sun shines almost every single day, thus making shine more likely. I just feel like whenever I wear this product, it is almost worse than usual.</div>
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But I persevere! I really like the initial application, and it almost feels worth the constant powder application to maintain a 'no makeup' look throughout the day.</div>
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Would I repurchase? I'm not too sure. The fact that I have been so divided on this product for so long suggests that I probably shouldn't, and that instead I should search for a better (and cheaper!) alternative for those 'minimal makeup' kind of days.</div>
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<b>Have you tried Big Easy from Benefit?</b></div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-467868097659180072015-06-07T10:13:00.001-07:002015-06-07T10:13:09.469-07:00DOHA DIARIES: MY WEEK IN THE DESERT #24<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Another very quiet week in the sandpit this week! I was out of action for a good three days with one of the worst migraines I have had in a long time. In total it lasted for four days, and I was totally wiped out for two of them, so the beginning of my week basically consisted of me laying in bed with cold flannels on my head. Obviously not photo worthy! The rest of the week looked a little something like this...<br />
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<b><u>LIFE ADMIN</u></b><br />
I seem to be doing a lot of this lately. Trying to get on track with everything - I've started using my Filofax again to help to get myself organised (although very, very tempted to purchase an <a href="https://www.erincondren.com/lifeplannerlookbook">Erin Condren Rose Gold Life Planner</a> when they are back in stock as they are so pretty) Very much looking forward to getting fixed plans in the diary with friends and family when I go back to England...only two weeks to go!<br />
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<b><u>SHOPPING / BEING STALKED!</u></b><br />
I took myself off to Landmark Mall once I had started to feel more human again towards the middle of the week. I like Landmark a lot - it's close by and as Doha goes it has a decent selection of shops. There was a sale on in <a href="http://shop.mango.com/QA/women/sale">Mango</a> so I ended up buying a couple of cute oversized but really lightweight jumpers, perfect for the <i>too hot outside / too cold inside</i> scenario that I find myself in on a daily basis in this country! I spent ages browsing round the new Marks and Spencers, and it made me feel right at home. They even stock the stunning <a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/s/lingerie/rosie-for-autograph">Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for Autograph</a> range which is very good to know! I was having such a lovely shopping trip until I noticed that I was being followed around the whole of Marks and Spencers by a guy in a baseball cap, throughout each department I looked over and there he was. I clocked him again outside the shop, so I ducked in to Warehouse and really took my time in there, taking a few pieces into the changing rooms to try on. I must have been in there for a good ten minutes or so, and when I came outside there he was again, waiting. I moved on down to Bershka, had a look around and realised he had sat himself down on a bench outside the store. I quickly hurried down to the other exit and left that way, and made my way along to another shop. As I was coming out of the next shop, he walked past and looked in, saw me and stopped. By this point I was a bit freaked out so I hurried as fast as I could past him and didn't stop until I was way round the other side of the mall - luckily by this point I lost him. Not a nice experience at all and it made me so anxious that I was in a bit of a state for the rest of the day!<br />
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<b><u>DINNER AT ANTICA PESA</u></b><br />
Jemma and I headed off for dinner on Friday night to a restaurant we haven't tried before - Antica Pesa at the beautiful <a href="http://www.kempinski.com/en/doha/marsa-malaz-kempinski-the-pearl-doha/welcome/">Kempinski Marsa Malaz hotel</a>. I liked that this restaurant was in an entirely different part of the hotel to El Faro, where Matt and I have had dinner before. Antica Pesa is off to the left of the hotel, alongside Toro Toro (which I can't wait to try!) The restaurant is lovely and beautifully decorated, with a gorgeous view out over the water. If I was going to live anywhere else in Doha I would want to live in one of the apartments overlooking the Kempinski. We both opted for the gnocchi (surprise, surprise) and were both pretty disappointed with it to be honest. It was baked, which neither of us expected, and quite bland. Not a dish I would have again, but maybe it serves me right for not exploring a different pasta option for once! I would go back to Antica Pesa purely for the dessert alone - I opted for the Hazelnut Parfait and it was amazing! It was essentially Nutella icecream, with chocolate mousse on the side. Heaven! Jemma opted for the Rice Panna Cotta which she also enjoyed. After the meal, we were taken on a tour of the restaurant as we hadn't realised there was a bar upstairs, and back downstairs we waited for our driver beneath the celebrity photo wall - rows upon rows of photographs of the celebrity clientele who dine at the branches of Antica Pesa in Rome and New York.<br />
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<i>Please forgive my blurry photographs - the humidity got to my camera lense when I stupidly decided to try and take some photos outside the restaurant and ruined my snapping abilities for the rest of the evening!</i><br />
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Afterwards, we poked our heads into Toro Toro, a Pan Latin restaurant that quite simply looks amazing. The restaurant was yet to open officially to the public (but it is now, so make yourselves a reservation!) and was open only for 'friends and family', but we were very kindly taken on a tour. The decor is stunning, and the atmosphere is buzzing. So excited to dine here!<br />
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<b><u>A1 NIGHT AT THE GRAND HYATT</u></b><br />
This club night is nothing new and has been running for ages, but this was the first time Jemma and I had been there. By day, the Grill restaurant in the Grand Hyatt plays host to brunch on a Friday, and by night it is entirely transformed into a very decent night club! We arrived at around 22:30, and there were hardly any people there. We headed to the bar for a drink and were joined by the very lovely Moufdi, the man behind A1 Nights. We had met Moufdi way back at the start of our time in Doha, at the Four Seasons beach party. He is such a lovely guy, and arranged complimentary drinks for us for the evening, regularly checking in on us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. Within the hour, the club was absolutely packed from front to back! If R&B is your music of choice, this is the night out in Doha for you.<br />
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As always, I hope you've had a great week, wherever in the world you are reading from :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-72373954046647960452015-06-02T07:33:00.001-07:002015-06-02T07:33:40.868-07:00BEAUTY: MY PERFUME COLLECTION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I say 'collection', my perfume stash is more of an 'accumulation' - I didn't set out to specifically purchase all of the perfumes that currently take up every available surface in my bathroom.<br />
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Over time, they just gradually multiplied. A bit like what shoes do, you know? And handbags, for that matter.<br />
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I realised as well after I had taken the photos of my hoard, that there were some that I hadn't included, so this isn't even all of them. It is safe to say that I am overrun!<br />
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Introducing, my perfume collection:<br />
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<b><u>TOP ROW (L - R)</u></b><br />
Calvin Klein <i>Into You</i> / Hugo Boss <i>Orange</i> / Paco Rabanne <i>Lady Million</i> / Michael Kors <i>Sexy Amber</i> / <i>Chloe </i>by Chloe / Giorgio Armani <i>Armani Mania</i><br />
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<b><u>BOTTOM ROW (R - L)</u></b><br />
Yves Saint Laurent <i>Elle</i> / Juicy Couture <i>Peace Love & Juicy Couture</i> / Mont Blanc <i>Femme Individuelle </i>/ Prada <i>Candy</i> / Victorias Secret <i>Angel</i> / Calvin Klein <i>Euphoria</i> / Givenchy <i>Play</i><br />
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I'd love to say that I have my 'signature scent', the one scent that identifies and defines me, but there are so many amazing perfumes out there that I love and enjoy wearing, that it would be impossible to narrow it down to just one.<br />
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That being said, I do have my favourites. Some have been relegated to an 'overflow' bag under the sink, and these I dip in and out of occasionally. Others take pride of place on the shelf in my bathroom, and these are the scents I tend to reach for on a daily basis.<br />
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I tend to alternate between Calvin Klein <i>Into You</i>, Paco Rabanne <i>Lady Million</i> and Giorgio Armani <i>Armani Mania</i> for my day time scents, which I'll spritz before I leave the apartment in the morning.<br />
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At the moment, Michael Kors <i>Sexy Amber</i> is my handbag fragrance, and comes to work with me every day. As a result, I end up layering this on top of one of the scents I spritz in the morning which is illogical but never mind! It's tiny and handbag friendly - some of the others are epic beasts of bottles that just aren't practical to carry around on a daily basis.<br />
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YSL <i>Elle</i> is probably my favourite evening or going out scent and the one I wear the most. I couldn't describe this fragrance if I tried, it just smells amazing. I was at a friends house one evening years ago and his uber glamorous model sister walked past wearing this and I knew immediately that I needed it in my life. Hugo Boss <i>Orange</i> is another favourite evening scent. Both are relatively clutch-bag friendly in terms of size so I can bring them with me on a night out.<br />
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For some reason I tend to spritz <i>Chloe </i>by Chloe when I go to the gym...I don't know why, it's just the one I always reach for!<br />
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The rest I tend to spritz randomly when I'm in the mood for something different. Lately I have been rekindling my love of Victorias Secret <i>Angel</i> - it is super sweet but I really like it and the bottle is stunning.<br />
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<b>Do you have a signature scent? Altneratively, what is your favourite fragrance?</b></div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-34032996730537699732015-06-01T06:20:00.001-07:002015-06-02T05:53:28.051-07:00DOHA DIARIES: MY WEEK IN THE DESSERT #23<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have to admit that this has been one really quiet week.<br />
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I've barely left the house except to go to work, so my evenings have mainly been spent...<br />
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<b><u>LEARNING A LANGUAGE</u></b><br />
I have been saying it for so long and it was on my list of <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/01/new-years-resolutions.html">New Years resolutions</a>, but I really want to learn French so I have been getting home from work and launching myself into this. I have been using the '<i>Collins French with Paul Noble - Learn French the Natural Way, Part 1</i>' audiobook that I downloaded from the app store onto my iPad. For me, his method of learning really works. He doesn't start off with the basics of hi, how are you, my name is, etc. He launches straight in to teaching you how to construct sentences with easy rules for adapting these sentences into different tenses. By teaching me to say 'I have prepared the coffee', I can also say 'I have decorated the house', as he explains that English words that end in 'ation' (preparation, decoration for example), are spelt the same in French, and can easily be changed to the past tense. As this is an audio book, I am also supporting my learning with '<i>15 Minute French - Learn in just 12 weeks</i>' which is a handy book that I picked up from the airport. This book covers a vast range of topics and has an English to French and French to English dictionary in the back so that I can always look up how to spell the words that I am learning from the audio book. I've actually loved spending my evenings this way and am really enjoying my language learning experience so far.<br />
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<b><u>DATE NIGHT AT THE MOVIES</u></b><br />
Matt and I went to see The Avengers: Age of Ultron. I think this is the first Marvel film that I have seen and I really enjoyed it! Really want to see the rest of them now. It was just an easy going action film so it was easy for someone like me, who hasn't seen any others, to follow the storyline.<br />
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<b><u>GLASSES SHOPPING</u></b><br />
Matt hated my RayBans (and maybe he's right, maybe they didn't suit my face but not many glasses do!) so he took me off to the mall to scout out a new pair. There was a Buy One Get One Free sale at one of the stores in the City Centre - he spotted a pair he wanted so encouraged me to also look for some, and I ended up walking away with these beauties from Gucci...<br />
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I have also ordered some glasses to use whilst I am on the computer at work, and on the laptop at home, as lately I am really feeling the strain on my eyes from staring at screens. These just help to take the glare away and give my eyes a little extra protection, so I am looking forward to picking these up next week.<br />
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<b><u>GYM</u></b><br />
My health and fitness has never been the best, but I am trying to keep on top of my diet and eat as healthily as I can. Mainly, this is being aware of not repeating my food groups too much (if I have a carb heavy lunch, go lighter for dinner and vice versa). It would not be realistic of me to say that I will cut out chocolate, that will never happen (especially because my boyfriend keeps sneaking bars of my favourite Lindt Cookies & Cream chocolate bars into the shopping bag!!) but a little treat every day can't hurt, surely. I have also been enjoying getting back into the gym. As you may remember from my post about <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/03/alphablog-is-for-anxiety.html">anxiety</a>, I don't always find it that easy to pluck up the courage to go, which is daft as it's two minutes downstairs in the lift. Lately, however, I have been trying to beat the fear and go, even if it does mean going after 9:30pm. It is my favourite time to be there, as it usually looks a little something like this...<br />
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Perfect for antisocial little old me!</div>
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As I say a pretty quiet week. I am trying to save my pennies as there is lots coming up over the coming months - various trips to save for, and a big old lifestyle change on it's way that I need to be financially stable for (that totally sounds like I am expecting a child, I assure you it isn't that!!!), but of course I'll update you all when the time is right :)</div>
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As always, I hope you had a great week, wherever in the world you are reading from!</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-58549473605693465642015-05-29T09:36:00.002-07:002015-06-02T09:45:12.157-07:00HOLLYS COOKBOOK: CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TORTE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Chocaholic? If so, this blog post is for you.<br />
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The original recipe comes from <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/chocolate/truffle-torte.html">Deliah </a>- so head on over to her site to check out the ingredients list, which should look a little something like this:<br />
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Doha really isn't the easiest city to source baking ingredients, so I had to make a couple of variations to Deliah's ingredients list - for example, Elmlea instead of double cream, Cantuccini almond biscuits instead of Amaretti biscuits, and Cointreau instead of rum a) because my mum uses it to make hers b) I had this in the apartment c) I love the subtle orange kick that it gives to this dessert.<br />
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The one ingredient you really will need is liquid glucose. My mum brought out two tubes of this for me as I can't find it anywhere in Doha (if anyone finds it, please do share!) I tried to make this dessert once before without it, by using sugar mixed with water as I had read online that this works as a substitute. It still tasted really good but the whole dessert fell apart because it didn't bind together properly.<br />
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My final alternative to Deliahs recipe is swapping out half of the dark chocolate for half milk. This dessert is super rich, so this just tones it down a little. Credit to my mum for that tip!<br />
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You'll want to kick off by lining your baking tin with baking parchment. I didn't have any so I lined it with cling-film. I was a little worried about this but the only damage it did was creasing the top of the torte a little bit, so no harm done.<br />
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You'll want 75g of your Amaretti/Almond biscuits, finely crushed. Sprinkle these all over the base of your lined baking tin.<br />
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Next, break up your chocolate (450g), trying not to eat any of it (although buying 5 x 100g bars leaves you 50g left over to nibble on as you go. The one and only time I have ever been any good at maths)<br />
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I used Lindt as it's such good quality, and one of my favourite brands of chocolate. Isn't it beautiful?!<br />
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Mix up your chocolate, liquid glucose (5 tablespoons), and Rum/Cointreau (5 tablespoons) in a heat proof bowl, and sit on top of a saucepan of simmering water on the hob. Leave to melt. Deliah doesn't say anything about stirring, but I gave mine the occasional prod with a wooden spoon to let the heat get to all of the chocolate.<br />
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Whilst the chocolate is doing its thing on the hob, measure out your cream/Elmlea (570ml...although 573ml didn't do any harm!) and pour into a bowl. Beat until thickened. I used my electric whisk for this until it reached the desired consistency.<br />
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Once your chocolate has melted, you'll want to give it a stir, and take it off the heat to cool for 5 minutes or so until it is warm. Deliah reckons it should be smooth, although once stirred mine went a little bobbly.<br />
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Fold half of your cream into the melted chocolate, then fold the chocolate/cream mixture into the remaining cream. At this point all becomes smooth again. Grab another spoon and help yourself to a bit of the mixture - it's amazing. Now put the spoon down, no more until you're finished.<br />
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Pour the mixture into your baking tin, on top of your crushed biscuits. Smooth over with the back of a spoon or tap the tin until the mixture is laying flat.<br />
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Cover with clingfilm and pop in the fridge to set over night.<br />
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Now you may lick the bowl/spoons/whisk. Go on, you've earned it!<br />
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The next day, take out from the fridge and run a knife around the edge of the torte to loosen it up. I used a springform baking tin which made this whole affair a lot easier, but basically you need to turn your torte upside down so that you end up with the biscuit base at the top. Thanks to the liquid glucose, your torte should be solid and won't collapse during this process.<br />
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Ta da!<br />
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Dust the top of your torte with cocoa powder to pretty it up, and top with strawberries for a pop of colour to serve. Amazingly, I couldn't get hold of any strawbs (unless I was prepared to buy an entire crate - I wasn't) so mine was served up with just the cocoa powder, and a jug of chilled pouring cream on the side.<br />
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Deliciously smooth, rich, creamy and chocolately - this is the perfect dessert to <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/05/doha-diaries-my-week-in-desert-22.html">serve up at a dinner party</a>, and once you get the hang of it and have the right ingredients to hand, it is actually super easy to make :)<br />
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Enjoy!</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-37348650778069464262015-05-28T10:44:00.001-07:002015-05-28T10:51:21.040-07:00REVIEW: AL QASR BRUNCH, DUBAI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Todays post is all about a must-try brunch in Dubai.<br />
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My mum got a taste for brunch when she last came to Doha - we did the Oktoberfest brunch at the Grand Hyatt hotel and before the end of the day she was involved in a conga line weaving its way around the restaurant, and dancing on the table along with the rest of the brunch goers to the rhythm of the German band. Needless to say, she enjoyed her first Middle Eastern brunch experience!<br />
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Knowing I was due to <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/05/review-miramar-al-aqah-beach-resort-uae.html">join her and her friend Jenny in Dubai</a>, I was tasked with booking a brunch for the three of us. Originally we were going to book into the Atlantis hotel brunch at Saffron, but having remembered how rowdy it was, with a real 18-30s vibe (<a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2014/10/dubai-part-two.html">ideal for my 26th birthday last year</a>, but not the atmosphere we were after this time around) and hearing that Matt didn't really rate the food when he went, we opted instead for his recommendation of the <a href="http://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/madinat-jumeirah/activities/the-friday-brunch-at-al-qasr/">Al Qasr brunch</a>. Situated at Madinat Jumeriah, the Al Qasr hotel is stunning even from the approach.<br />
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Super friendly staff greet you upon arrival. I also want to point out just how helpful the hotel were - I had emailed them in advance to ask if they would mind us storing our luggage whilst we attended the brunch, despite us not being guests at the hotel, as we were due to head to the airport later that day. Viktoria at the Concierge sent me a speedy reply and couldn't be happier to assist with our request. Unfortunately, the cases were stored in their outdoor luggage area (under shade) and the Cadburys Creme Eggs that my mum had searched high and low for in England after Easter and brought all the way over for me sadly melted in my suitcase! A small price to pay for a fabulous brunch, however.</div>
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The brunch goers gather early - even when we arrived at midday, 30 minutes early, there was already a big crowd emerging in the lobby, peering over the balcony to catch a glimpse of what awaited us downstairs.</div>
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Finally, we were taken to our table, situated on the shaded terrace of MJ's Steakhouse. The shade from the roof and the light breeze from the fans did little to cool us down - the Middle East is HOT in May!! - but we didn't let this get to us, as being outside was the prime location. We took a little wander, drinking in the amazing view of the hotel grounds, and out to the striking Burj Al Arab hotel.</div>
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Below, boats meander along a beautiful river that weaves amongst the palm trees. By this point, you kiiiinda want to be down there, sailing along in the sunshine...</div>
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...but up top, brunch awaits! I thought I had seen it all at the Saffron brunch, but the Al Qasr brunch far outshines it. </div>
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Grab a Malibu-filled coconut from the boat, and sip it as you browse the amazing food on display. </div>
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There is every type of food you could possibly fancy - sushi, pasta, Indian, Chinese, kebabs, roast dinner, salads, paella, fish and chips, and a whole room dedicated to pork products! For me, the very best part was the dessert - there was so much of it! Pancakes, macarons, doughnuts, cheesecake, torte, a chocolate fountain, and even a machine dispensing hot chocolate...a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. I must confess to having more than one plate of dessert. Okay, more than two plates of dessert...</div>
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<b><u>PRICES</u></b></div>
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Moet Brunch - 695 AED / Bubbly&Cocktail Brunch - 575 AED /Non Alcoholic Brunch - 495 AED</div>
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The Al Qasr brunch is definitely the priciest brunch I have been to at over 100GBP per person to include bubbles and cocktails, but the selection and quality of food plus the stunning location and buzzing atmosphere completely justifies this price.</div>
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If you are ever in Dubai, definitely book yourselves in to Al Qasr. It is a fantastic brunch and I highly recommend it. </div>
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I can't wait to get back to Dubai to do it all over again!</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-3235313034048541242015-05-26T08:04:00.002-07:002015-05-26T08:06:03.802-07:00DOHA DIARIES: MY WEEK IN THE DESERT #22<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm not even going to apologise for the fact that it is now Tuesday and this should have been posted on Sunday...to heck with blogging rules!<br />
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Last week was a fairly busy one, kicking off with...<br />
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<b><u>A SHELLAC MANICURE AT B/ATTITUDE SPA</u></b><br />
At work on Sunday I looked down at my sad, sorry nails and decided that they needed a treat, so I called up <a href="http://www.battitudespadoha.com/">B/ATTITUDE</a> spa and booked myself in after work for a Shellac manicure. My nail tech, Olha, did a fantastic job of shaping my nails just how I like them, and perfectly applying my French Shellac. Over a week later and they are still completely intact with the exception of two minor casualties to the corners of two nails, but nothing that a dash of white polish hasn't been able to touch up! I always feel very 'put together' with a French manicure - it always looks so clean and elegant.<br />
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<b><u>HOSTING OUR FIRST DINNER PARTY</u></b><br />
Hard to believe we have lived in our apartment for over a year and a half and not yet hosted a dinner party! Our friends and colleagues Ade and Naz have hosted us twice at their villa, so it was high time we returned the favour. Jemma cooked up a delicious main course of pasta, chicken and salad, and I put together a chocolate torte for dessert (recipe coming soon to the blog!), whilst Marion did a super job of making the place look hospitable for our guests! It was a really lovely evening with lovely people, including Ade's girlfriend Jessica who will be moving to Doha in September.<br />
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<b><u>DATE NIGHT AT THE ASTOR GRILL</u></b><br />
We were due at date night and both of us fancied steak, so Matt and I chose the Astor Grill at the St Regis as our venue. We had been once before together and the steak was phenomenal, so we were hoping for more of the same. We weren't disappointed, and the Astor Grill is fast becoming one of my favourite restaurants. Our waitress was the very lovely Roselle for a second time, and we set about ordering half of the menu - wagyu steaks for us both, a side of roasted vegetables, wedges, and truffle mac'n' cheese (which I didn't even have room for and ended up taking for lunch the next day!) The Entertainer voucher makes restaurants like this so much more accessible, hence we both went for the Wagyu steaks, something we wouldn't normally do. The chef very kindly sent over a complimentary portion of the most amazing steak tartar and never ending freshly baked bread. All washed down with a bottle of red wine. A perfect date night.<br />
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<b><u>DINNER AT NOBU WITH THE GIRLS</u></b><br />
When it came to deciding where we should go for our girls dinner, Jemma's suggestion of <a href="http://www.noburestaurants.com/doha/experience-3/">Nobu</a> was the perfect choice. This would be our last dinner all three of us until after Summer, as Marion is now away on a business trip for 3 weeks, then I go home for 3 weeks, and this also crosses over with Jemma and Marion going home for 3-4 weeks for their Summer holidays. Such a special restaurant was definitely fitting for this special dinner. After eagerly awaiting the opening of this restaurant for so long, it was exciting to see what all the hype has been about. The restaurant itself is stunning and atmospheric - huge high ceilings with gorgeous light installations (i'm a sucker for those), a busy open kitchen, and staff that shout 'welcome' in Japanese every time the hostess brings new guests to their table. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, and more than eager to assist in making recommendations. We found the attentiveness of the staff a little overbearing, but that is all down to personal preference - they certainly give 100% to their customer service which is something that can't be knocked. As to be expected from the name of the restaurant, the prices are very steep, but the food was delicious and beautifully presented - even the vegetables! We ordered sushi to start, followed by cod for Jemma and I, and sea bass for Marion.<br />
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As a guide, for 3 mocktails, 3 portions of sushi rolls, 3 main dishes, 3 vegetable dishes, and a pot of tea to share, our meal came to 1,300 QR.<br />
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After our meal, we decided to explore. The entire restaurant is stunning - a waterfall flows from the top of the restaurant, right down through the middle, and the views from each level are fantastic. There is a stunning bar on the first floor, where of course we stopped for some photos. Outside on the first floor are tables with a fabulous view, ideal for a date night when the weather is cooler. On the roof, there is a fantastic lounge area that curves up to the highest point of the restaurant, where it meets an observation deck for photographing the Doha city skyline. The lounge area would be perfect for drinks and dinner with a big group of friends - but only if you can afford the incredibly steep 5,000 QR minimum spend, something that would unfortunately put us off spending an evening here.<br />
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A lovely evening to end a lovely week in the desert.<br />
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As always, I hope you've had a great week, wherever in the world you are reading from :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-80903219158126256312015-05-21T00:08:00.002-07:002015-05-21T00:14:54.648-07:00REVIEW: MIRAMAR AL AQAH BEACH RESORT - UAE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When my mum and her friend Jenny booked a weeks holiday at the Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah, UAE, I absolutely had to join them for a couple of days. As I mentioned in my <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/05/a-dubai-mini-break.html">previous Dubai post</a>, Doha is only an hour away by plane, so Dubai is a destination that is so easily accessible for a weekend jaunt.<br />
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I hopped on a flight to DXB very early on Thursday morning, and was met by my driver at Arrivals. I was so pleased that my mum had organised a hotel transfer for me, rather than having to take a Dubai taxi, as I'm not entirely sure they would have known how to get to where I needed to be.<br />
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The first thing to note about the Al Aqah Beach Resort, is that it is <i>miles</i> away. I'm not talking 30 minutes in a taxi like it is to Dubai. I'm talking almost <i>two hours</i> by car.<br />
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Through the desert...<br />
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Vast expanses of golden sand dunes stretching for miles into the distance, peppered with wild camels.<br />
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Then through the mountains...<br />
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...before finally reaching civilisation.<br />
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I was greeted at the hotel entrance and helped with my luggage by Sunday, the worlds friendliest man with the worlds coolest name. Check in was smooth, and the staff were very friendly and eager to help me to the room with my baggage.<br />
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It was so great to see my mum - she was already 5 days into her holiday so it was lovely to know that I would be spending the last two days with her.<br />
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Lunch was the first port of call. Mum and Jenny were all-inclusive, so I ordered the grilled salmon from the A La Carte menu, eager for something light ahead of an afternoon of sunbathing.<br />
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When it arrived, it looked amazing, and the accompanying vegetables were delicious but the salmon itself was absolutely packed full of giant bones. Every single forkful was filled with them, to the point where I just couldn't eat it. At the equivalent of over £20, I was pretty disappointed, and even more so when the restaurant manager didn't offer to discount the bill. He offered a replacement meal but by this point mum and Jenny had finished their lunch and I wasn't in the mood anymore.<br />
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Not the best first impressions of the 5* resort.<br />
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My mood soon lifted when we headed outside to the pool area, which was absolutely stunning. I would go as far as to say it was one of the loveliest pools I have ever seen! It was like an enormous lagoon, with a pool bar in the centre, against the stunning mountain backdrop.<br />
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After a few hours of swimming and sunbathing, we took a wander around the beautiful gardens...<br />
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And then a wander along the beach...<br />
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Before heading up to the room to get ready for dinner at the Bahari beach bar, where the barman had promised my mum that he would look after us and make our evening special.<br />
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He had reserved us the best table in the restaurant...<br />
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Right on the sea-front, with the therapeutic sound of the waves gently breaking against the sand. As we tucked in to a feast of cold mixed mezze to start, our lovely waiter informed us that he would be selecting and making cocktails for us all night, and as soon as we finished one he would bring over another concoction for us to try.<br />
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Cocktail after cocktail came, and we had fun (unsuccessfully!) trying to guess what ingredients he had used in each.<br />
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My main course from the A La Carte menu, the lamb kofta, was delicious - I would highly recommend this to anybody dining at Bahari beach bar.<br />
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At the end of our meal, our wonderful waiter (I wish I could remember his name but after seven or eight cocktails it's understandable that I wouldn't remember much!) informed us that the entire evening was complimentary, gave my mum and Jenny and big cuddle to say goodbye as it was their last evening at the resort, and off to bed we went, full of good food and cocktails after a fantastic evening. Such a lovely dinner thoroughly made up for the disappointing lunch.<br />
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The next morning, we packed up our cases and hit the long road to Dubai, sent away with a beaming smile from Sunday (one name I could not forget!) as brunch was calling our names...but that is yet another blog post for another time!<br />
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If you are looking for a Middle Eastern all-inclusive holiday away from the hustle and bustle of Dubai with a beautiful pool and scenic surroundings, then I would for sure recommend the Miramar Al Aqah beach resort. The location is gorgeous and the staff are super friendly.<br />
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For me however, it was just too far away from anything especially to visit in only two days, although it was great to see a landscape so different to that of Doha and Dubai.<br />
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After two years in the desert, I am very happy to report that I have finally seen a wild camel!<br />
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Sometimes it's all about the little things :)<br />
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-30072620992448346982015-05-18T02:31:00.002-07:002015-05-18T02:32:06.364-07:00DOHA DIARIES: MY WEEK IN THE DESERT #21<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><u>WINDING DOWN</u></b><br />
A relatively quiet week after <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/05/a-dubai-mini-break.html">coming back from Dubai with Matt</a>. The football season is nearly at an end so the first part of my week was spent at work, tying up loose ends from the season and awaiting news on the Copa America tournament that we will be covering over the Summer<br />
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<b><u>BOOKING FAMILY TIME</u></b><br />
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I finally booked my flights home to the UK for June! I am so excited to be heading home for two and a half weeks - can't wait to be back with my family and to hopefully catch up with all of my friends who I didn't have a chance to see last time I was home.<br />
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<b><u>TENNIS WEDNESDAYS</u></b><br />
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The girls and I played probably one of our final games of tennis until later in the year. It is SO HOT to be outside now, even in the evenings. Such a shame as I really liked the idea of setting aside Wednesdays for tennis - the psychiatrist I went to see for my anxiety suggested organising my week into a routine so I always know what day to expect certain events, and this week I know that Wednesday is our day for tennis so I can look forward to it rather than subconsciously worrying about it. Routine is something I will definitely adopt into my weeks going forward.<br />
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<b><u>A MINI BREAK TO THE UAE</u></b><br />
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I went to join my mum and her friend in the UAE for a couple of days. It was so lovely to see my mum even if only briefly - but that is a blog post for another time :)<br />
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As always, I hope you had a great week, wherever in the world you are reading from!</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-54494821072220355632015-05-10T09:20:00.001-07:002015-05-18T02:10:37.800-07:00DOHA DIARIES: A CATCH UP POST #20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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...<br />
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<b><u>DINNER WITH THE GIRLS</u></b><br />
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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!<br />
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<b><u>SWISS BRUNCH</u></b><br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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 ;)<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b><u>ROOFTOP BAR AT THE ST REGIS</u></b></span></div>
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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!<br />
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<b><u>DATE NIGHT AT PAPERMOON</u></b><br />
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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 <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2014/12/dinner-at-papermoon.html">my last visit with Jemma,</a> 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!<br />
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<b><u>SAYING GOODBYE</u></b><br />
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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.</div>
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That brings us up to date, and I will try and be back on track with these weekly Doha Diaries posts going forward.</div>
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I hope that you had a lovely week, wherever in the world you are reading from :)</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-4827576610631275362015-05-09T09:29:00.003-07:002015-05-09T11:27:07.594-07:00REVIEW: AFTERNOON TEA AT THE ST REGIS HOTEL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When Jemma suggested afternoon tea on our next day off together, I was very excited at the prospect of scones. I really, really love scones! So much so that one night when I was living back at home with my parents, my mum and I drove to Tesco at around 9pm as we had a late night craving for scones with clotted cream and jam. Like mother like daughter!<br />
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Jemma booked us a table in the Sarab Lounge at the St Regis hotel. When we arrived, a table had been laid up for us outside, overlooking the beautiful St Regis pool, beach, and the Gulf. As usual, Jemma stole the show with a beautifully elegant floral dress, and as usual I had wardrobe envy!<br />
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It was very humid today, so we only lasted five minutes before asking if we could retreat into the air conditioned sanctuary of the Sarab Lounge. The good weather here in Doha literally seems to last five minutes before the Summer humidity creeps in and being outdoors becomes unbearable. Doha problems!<br />
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We selected the <a href="http://www.afternoonteadoha.com/lady-astor-afternoon-tea">Lady Caroline Astor afternoon tea package</a>, picked our teas (Moroccan Mint for both of us), and sat back on the comfortable lounge sofas, eagerly awaiting our food.<br />
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It was worth the wait!<br />
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A selection of five delicious sandwiches (our waitress very kindly swapped out the fillings that Jemma and I didn't like, in favour of one of the other fillings), four small yet perfectly formed freshly baked scones (hidden wrapped in a serviette in the photo) served up with clotted cream and homemade jam, and a selection of miniature desserts to finish.<br />
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Everything was delicious. The staff were lovely and very attentive to us all afternoon but by no means intrusive, and we were left to chat for ages after we had finished eating (finishing up with a discussion about Politics!) before settling the bill.<br />
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The Lady Caroline Astor package costs 149QR per person, and I would really recommend the St Regis Sarab Lounge if you are looking for afternoon tea in a really relaxed setting. Despite the surrounding opulence of the hotel, it really did feel like we were sat chatting and eating in one of our living rooms. A vast contrast to <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2014/03/ladies-who-brunch.html">our last afternoon tea at the Ritz</a>, which was a little more formal.<br />
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There are several afternoon tea packages available at the Sarab Lounge - next time we might have to indulge in this decadent spread!<br />
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For reservations, call +974 4446 0105 or email diningreservations@stregis.com</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-5963320809545813302015-05-06T11:02:00.003-07:002015-05-06T11:09:19.882-07:00REVIEW: VOLUME 1 SECONDE MASCARA ULTRA BLACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have found the mascara to rule all other mascaras.<br />
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By 'found', I mean that back in December <a href="http://www.buynowbloglater.com/2014/12/a-rave-for-bourjois-volume-1-seconde.html#more">Laura </a>wrote a rave review, and I promised myself that when I was finished with whatever mascara I was using before (clearly so unremarkable that I can't even remember what brand it was by or what it was called) I would seek out the mascara in question and give it a whirl myself.<br />
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After all, almost every other successful beauty product purchase I have ever made has come off the back of a recommendation by Laura, so I already knew that this wouldn't disappoint.<br />
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<b><u>BOURJOIS PARIS: VOLUME 1 SECONDE MASCARA ULTRA BLACK</u></b><br />
I never thought I would get excited about a mascara, <i>ever</i>, but this offering from Bourjois has been a game changer for me.<br />
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It is everything I could possibly hope for in a mascara, and then some.<br />
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<b>PIGMENTATION </b>- I can't get on board with colourful mascaras. I can't even venture down the brown mascara route. For me, I want my lashes as black as black can be and this product delivers just that. Laura talked about the original Volume 1 Seconde mascara in her post, and Bourjois obviously knew that they could do better and so subsequently brought out the 'ultra black' variation, and you really can't get blacker than this.<br />
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<b>VOLUME </b>- The consistency of this mascara is thick, meaning that the formula really clings to the lashes, making them appear fuller. The more coats you apply, the thicker the coating. The only downside to this is that your lashes can clump together. This doesn't particularly bother me, and a little extra attention with the wand soon puts this right, but something to note if you are a lash perfectionist (Charlie, I am looking at you!)<br />
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<b>CURL & LIFT-</b> Some people swear by eyelash curlers, but I just can't get to grips with them. I'm probably doing something wrong, but they don't seem to do the trick for me, and seem like a lot of faff for little result. Luckily, this mascara seems to curl and lift my lashes as soon as it is applied, and the curl stays all day.<br />
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<b>LONGEVITY</b> - Once applied to my lashes, this mascara does not budge, and so can take me from morning to night easily without having to re-apply.<br />
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<b>PRICE POINT</b> - At £9.99, it delivers amazing results and doesn't break the bank.<br />
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Admittedly, it takes a little while to dry, but I haven't found this to be an issue at all.<br />
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Here's a scary mug shot of my eye area to show you the difference one coat of this mascara makes.<br />
It goes without saying, but the left is my eye with eyeliner only, and the right is my eye with eyeliner and just one coat of Volume 1 Seconde Ultra Black...<br />
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You know the iPhone emoji face with the hearts for eyes? That is the emoji I would allocate to this mascara. I think it must be love.<br />
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Repurchase? YES!<br />
Recommend? YES!<br />
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Have you tried this mascara?</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-86809263254684791712015-05-02T12:47:00.004-07:002015-05-02T12:47:59.300-07:00A DUBAI MINI-BREAK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I clocked that the Mr had a rare run of days off in a row, I suggested a long 'weekend' away. I say 'weekend', as we both mainly work every actual weekend, but the opportunity to escape the sandpit from Tuesday through til Thursday was too good not to take.<br />
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It didn't take long for us to decide where to go.<br />
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Only an hours flight away, Dubai is the perfect mini break destination for any Doha dweller. We are also lucky to have Oman, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain on our doorstep, but on this occasion Dubai was the clear winner.<br />
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After miraculously squeezing everything <strike>except for my hairdryer which I smuggled into Matt's carry-on</strike> into the worlds smallest suitcase, we hopped in a taxi to Hamad International airport, and left the small sandpit of Doha for the bigger sandpit of Dubai.<br />
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We arrived at <a href="http://www.fairmont.com/palm-dubai/">Fairmont the Palm</a>, our home for the weekend, and Anicia gave us the warmest possible welcome as she assisted us with our check in, before we set off to snoop around our room.<br />
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We dropped off our bags and hopped aboard the free shuttle to the Mall of the Emirates in search of lunch and suncream (in that order)<br />
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I was so excited when we stumbled across the <a href="http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/">Cheesecake Factory</a> - I've heard good things about it but never come across one before. My mac 'n' cheese burger with sweet potato fries was just what the doctor ordered. I may have dragged Matt back here on our final day to actually sample the cheesecake as I was too full from my burger on this trip to manage one! Have a peruse of the <a href="http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/menu/desserts/cheesecakes/">cheesecake menu</a> and you'll see why a return trip was necessary...<br />
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Full of food and stocked up on suncream, we headed back to the hotel and made a beeline for the beach.<br />
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The hotel grounds were stunning - a huge expanse of golden sand overlooking the Marina skyline (ruined slightly by the ugly red ship which sadly didn't move for the whole weekend!), and two huge palm tree-lined pools.<br />
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Weary from our epic one hour flight and afternoon of sunshine, we decided to stay local for the evening and wandered down to Ba, the Chinese restaurant in the hotel.<br />
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Down the candle lit corridor, you enter a relaxed lounge area - I can imagine when the weather heats up (even more) that this bar is flooded with people seeking refuge from the humidity.<br />
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Down the winding staircase, you come to the main restaurant.<br />
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By the time we had finished dinner, the main restaurant had filled out a little more, as had the garden area where we were seated, which when we left was completely full with diners making the most of the warm pre-Summer evening.<br />
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The setting was beautiful, the staff super friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. We shared honey glazed BBQ pork (actual, real, proper pork!), pan fried duck breast, sticky rice and sauteed vegetables, washed down with a glass of red for me and a beer for the Mr.<br />
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I would highly recommend a visit to Ba if you are in Dubai and looking for delicious food in a stunning setting.<br />
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The next morning, breakfast was the first port of call, so Matt suggested a trip to <a href="http://eggspectation.com/locations/dubai/jumeirah-beach-residence/">Eggspectation</a>.<br />
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After some serious perusal of the menu, my <i>eggspecations</i> were certainly high, and were absolutely met when this beauty of a breakfast was set down in front of me...<br />
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The lightest, fluffiest pancakes I have ever eaten (drizzled with maple syrup, of course), eggs scrambled to perfection, rosemary potatoes and delicious fresh fruit, all preceded by a bread basket with jam. Breakfast would totally be my favourite meal of the day if it always came in this form!<br />
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If you are in Dubai, skip the hotel breakfast and head on over to Eggspecation and try and grab a table outside, overlooking JBR the Walk. We were beaten to it by earlier risers, so we ate inside and took a walk around after instead. The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Resort is lovely - restaurant upon restaurant line the beach, and yet more restaurants can be found tucked away behind.<br />
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After breakfast, it was back to the hotel for us for a full afternoon in the sun, where Matt took up prime position in the pool.<br />
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It was a couple of hours after taking this picture that I realised our sun bed neighbour over to the left was Gaz from Geordie Shore, and his current lady friend. Way-ayyy! Not quite an A-List spot but it gave me the same buzz I used to get from spotting famous faces in the canteen when I was working back at ITV in London. Sad, I know!<br />
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That evening, we got ourselves ready for dinner and wandered down to the pool bar for happy hour.<br />
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We headed over to the Dubai Yacht Club for dinner, where we had made reservations at <a href="http://www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com/en/dining/aquara.html">Aquara</a>, overlooking the marina.<br />
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This was my second visit to Aquara, and once again the food was spot on (I highly recommend the lamb rump), but sadly the service was unbelievably slow and the staff literally paid us no attention whatsoever - one even let the door to the restaurant close on me, charming! The setting is beautiful though, so we tried to over look this and enjoy our meal overlooking the yachts docked in the marina.<br />
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Our next and final stop for the night was Barasti, a lively beach bar, for a beverage and some apple shisha.<br />
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We spent our final morning at the hotel soaking up some last minute sunshine (despite the fact that we would soon be heading back to more 30+ degree weather in Doha!), before venturing back to the Mall of the Emirates to satisfy my cheesecake craving.<br />
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Sadly I didn't get to see the penguins, but SkiDubai looks so amazing... shopping centres of the UK should really take note, the malls in the Middle East put ours to shame!<br />
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We had such a blissful, relaxing couple of days in Dubai, and it was just what we both needed. Bring on the next mini-break :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-60450553111560284032015-05-01T00:36:00.002-07:002015-05-01T00:36:37.222-07:00LIFE UPDATE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've realised that it's been a really long time since I last posted, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to just write a quick post today to let you know that I haven't completely abandoned The Blonde.<br />
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As you'll know from reading my previous post, I lost my aunt to cancer very recently - we were incredibly close so it really has been the saddest time.<br />
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I haven't been out much because I haven't really wanted to do anything, and in turn I haven't had much to blog about, or the motivation to put together some content to post. Hence all has been a little bit quiet on the blogging front this past week.<br />
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I've just returned from a 3 day mini break with Matt which I'm looking forward to posting about - it really was much needed and I feel so much better for it :)<br />
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I also have some beauty related posts lined up as I have acquired a few new products that definitely need discussing, so keep your eyes peeled for those!<br />
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Anyway...that's where I'm at.<br />
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Hope you are all well, wherever in the world you are reading from, and thanks for your continual support for my blog, it is very much appreciated :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-3114925018062022362015-04-19T11:37:00.001-07:002015-04-19T11:37:50.946-07:00ALPHABLOG: C IS FOR (THE MONSTER THAT IS) CANCER.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Thursday morning, I received the news from home that we all knew had been coming - the news that my wonderful Auntie Jan had passed away that morning after a very short battle with pancreatic cancer. It all happened so quickly - we were all sitting round the dining room table together on January 1st, seeing in the New Year and clinking glasses to a wonderful year ahead after how hard 2014 had been for our family. She wasn't feeling well, but none of us expected what was to come. In just four short months her health deteriorated rapidly, and all I can say is thank God I went home to see her in March.<br />
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It hasn't really sunk in yet, I don't think. I can't help but feel detached. Deeply, deeply sad but in a way so far removed from the reality of what has happened.<br />
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Maybe for now I've run out of tears, after so many nights of crying myself to sleep at how unfair it was that this terrible thing was happening to my wonderful Auntie Jan, with her doctors and loved ones completely powerless to do a thing about it, other than pray.<br />
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It is astounding how many people are affected by cancer in its many forms. It seems like everybody knows somebody who has, or has had, cancer.<br />
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If you've been reading my blog for a while you will know that early last year my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, which completely rocked our lives. He had a successful operation to remove his lung and the cancer, and I am thankful every single day that I still have my dad in my life, and that he is healthy and well.<br />
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It is a ruthless monster of a disease, a disease that doesn't discriminate about age, gender or the lifestyle a person leads.<br />
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I just hope one day in the very near future a cure can be found.</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-21582248273439782422015-04-18T10:59:00.002-07:002015-04-18T11:04:58.415-07:00A NIGHT AT THE FOUR SEASONS DOHA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On Friday morning, I packed my smallest suitcase, rounded up my Mr and hopped in a cab.<br />
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Destination? The <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/doha/">Four Seasons</a> hotel, Doha.</div>
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We were greeted at the check-in desk with a warm welcome from staff full of smiles, who promptly took care of the paperwork before advising that our room - which we didn't expect to be ready (we had arrived three hours earlier than the check-in time as we were heading to the Four Seasons brunch) - was all set for our arrival. </div>
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We had been upgraded to an Ambassador Suite, situated on the 9th floor of the hotel, with stunning views of the pool, beach and the ocean.</div>
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The room was gorgeous, with so much space for just the two of us. With a powder room on the right and mini bar facilities on the left, the room opens up onto a spacious lounge/dining area, with a balcony from which I took the above photos of the beautiful view.</div>
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Through double doors to the right of the room, you enter the bedroom.</div>
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The bed was like sinking into a soft cloud - it was ridiculously comfortable! </div>
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Through further sliding double doors to the right of the bedroom, was my favourite part of the suite - the bathroom.</div>
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Having lived in an apartment with only a shower for the past year and a half, there is no sight more welcoming than that of deep soaking bath tub!</div>
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Brief room tour complete, it was time to head downstairs to brunch, but not before Matt had finished taking in the view.</div>
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We were led to our table outside on the Nusantao terrace, and the first of many glasses of bubbles were poured.</div>
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As is my brunch ritual, sushi and seafood to start!</div>
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There is so much choice at the Four Seasons brunch, from seafood and sushi, to mixed grills, to roast dinners, to curries, to noodles, to fresh pasta and delicious light salads. Chef Marco Arlotti came round with parmesan risotto for all of the guests to try, and having tried this at the <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/02/bloggingme-bloggers-workshop-at-four.html">BloggingME event back in February,</a> I wasn't about to pass it up!</div>
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I only managed one picture of the food, but I also enjoyed fresh gnocchi (of course!), mixed grill, and not one but two plates of dessert (including Nutella cheesecake, a Nutella crepe, and the most amazing chocolate and mandarin mousse which I urge any Four Seasons brunch goer to try!)</div>
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Feeling merry and full, we finished up at brunch and headed back to our suite to get ready for an afternoon in the sun. A colleague and his lovely family were at the beach too (also having a staycation!) so we said hi to them all, swam a little in the sea, before settling down on a sun bed to catch the last of the sunshine.<br />
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Back at the room, we noticed a fruit platter had been laid out for us.</div>
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I tucked in to the grapes, and ran myself a lovely long bath, whilst Matt hopped into bed for a nap after a very busy day of eating, drinking and sunbathing - it's a hard life but someone's gotta do it!</div>
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My bath was amazing (I'd bought a lush bath bomb with me for the occasion), and I slipped into my Four Seasons robe afterwards, feeling utterly relaxed.</div>
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We watched a couple of episodes of 24 (the DVD goes everywhere with us!) before perusing the extensive room service menu and ordering some dinner - smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel for me, and pizza for the Mr.</div>
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Outside, children were still playing in the pool and there was a lot of atmospheric sounds coming from the newly opened Nobu restaurant that sits at the end of the pier - this may just have to be our next dinner date location.</div>
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Happily full, we settled down for the night.</div>
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After a long sleep in the amazingly comfortable bed, we begrudgingly dragged ourselves out of it to head down to breakfast at Nusantao.</div>
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They have a great breakfast selection, pretty much every breakfast food you can think of (with the exception of pork products of course), but I opted for fresh fruit, a croissant with jam, and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, all of which were delicious.</div>
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We spent our morning down by the pool, tucked away in the beautiful gardens, until it was time to head back upstairs to our suite, pack, and check out.</div>
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We had such a lovely stay at this incredibly opulent hotel. After a year of the football pundits I work with raving about the Four Seasons, it is now so easy for me to see for myself why they rate it so much - professional, friendly, and highly attentive staff, beautiful rooms, gorgeous grounds and facilities - I for one can't wait to stay here again.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* I won this one night stay at FS Doha during the BloggingME event so the room night & breakfast were complimentary, but the brunch and room service we paid for ourselves, and couldn't be happier with the service received throughout the duration of our stay. A big thank you to Sarah Derrig and Kirsty Rice for running the competition, and to Mia at the Four Seasons for so kindly putting all of the arrangements in place for our stay :)</span></div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-9081489211844243762015-04-13T10:03:00.002-07:002015-04-13T10:07:58.339-07:00ALPHABLOG: B IS FOR BLOGGING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It would be crazy of me to write about anything other than '<a href="http://blogbasics.com/what-is-a-blog/">blogging</a>' as the topic for the second instalment of my 'Alphablog' series. <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/03/alphablog-is-for-anxiety.html">'A is for Anxiety'</a> was the first in this series of posts in which I write about a topic relative to my life for every letter of the alphabet.<br />
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I have been blogging for years, and The Blonde is by no means my first blog, only the first blog that I have really put my everything into! Extremely cliche, I know, but it really is my space on the Internet to write about whatever I want to write about, and I couldn't be more pleased with how far I have come with it.<br />
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<b><u>THE STORY OF MY BLOG</u></b><br />
I started The Blonde on Sunday 21st July, 2013, twelve days before I boarded a plane to begin a new chapter of my life in Doha, Qatar. As I explain in <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2013/07/the-next-chapter.html">my very first post</a>, I started this blog so that my family and friends could keep up to date with my adventures in the desert. Almost two years on, it has certainly been serving its purpose, and it gives me the biggest rush of pride and happiness when my family and friends tell me that they love reading my blog. Their continual support for me and my blog has been amazing.<br />
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Particularly in the past year, since I began sharing my blog outside of the comfort of my family and friends and promoting my blog on social media, my readership has expanded to so many countries around the world. It is an amazing feeling to receive an email from somebody I have never met, from a country I have never visited (and even countries that I have!) saying that they read and enjoy my blog.<br />
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Going back to that very first post that I wrote, I also said that I wanted to document my life here in Doha so that anyone looking to move to the Middle East could read about what life is like here from the perspective of somebody who has made the move themselves. I have received so many lovely emails from people who are looking to move to Doha and have stumbled across my blog, and said that it has helped them to really get a feel for the country or put them at ease about their move. It really makes my day to hear that!<br />
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When I was first offered my job out here, I tried looking online and only found one or two Doha blogs, which I know helped to reassure me enormously, and it was great to see snippets of the country that I would soon be calling 'home'. Now, there are so many great Doha blogs written by lovely expat bloggers - many of whom I have now had the pleasure to meet! - that give such a good insight into life here in this tiny Middle Eastern city, and I feel so happy to be a part of this ever growing expat blogging community.<br />
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Not only do I feel a sense of pride in how my blog is received by other people, but I feel a sense of pride for myself, for the time, energy and money that I have invested to bring my hobby to life. And it really is a hobby. For some, their blog is their job, and that is amazing. What a dream for your hobby to become your source of income. For me, I maintain and write my blog on top of a full time job which is demanding both inside and outside of the office, <a href="http://skinkicks.co.uk/index.php?route=blog/category">a second blog</a>, as well as a relationship that means the world to me, family and friends across the globe that I want to always be in touch with, and a social life here in Doha with my friends....sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day for everything, and very often it is my blogging hobby that falls by the wayside. But that's okay.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(This is where most of my blogging takes place - love these beautiful sheets from Kylie Minogue's bedding range! My canvas says 'When I fall in love / It will be forever', because I'm a hopeless romantic!)</span></i></div>
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<b><u>BLOGGING - MY WAY</u></b><br />
Whilst I try my best to, I don't put pressure on myself to post regularly - the most regular I aim for is my weekly Doha Diaries posts, and anyone who follows my blog will know that they are never on time!! Some people thrive on working to a blogging schedule (I salute you and your epic organisation!) but that just wouldn't work for me at all, so I blog when it is the right time for me to blog, and don't beat myself up if I just can't find the time to put fingers to keyboard.<br />
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Similarly, I don't put pressure on myself to carve out a genre for my blog. I call it a 'lifestyle' blog, because it incorporates all elements of my life, from the way I spend my days, to the books I read, to the friendships I have, the date nights I go on, to the makeup I wear, to my travels, to the food I eat (lots of that!) I write about whatever I want to write about, because at the end of the day, it is my blog, and I and I alone control its content. I have had people try to dictate to me about my blog in the past, only to be met with the very firm resolution that I will not change my style of writing for anybody. There are hundreds of thousands of bloggers in the world, and room for each and every one of them. I won't be the first Doha blogger to write about my experience with a hotel/spa/restaurant in this tiny city, and I certainly won't be the last - but that won't stop me writing about it, and why should it? The same goes across all genres of blogging. My favourite beauty bloggers are always writing about the same products, or the same PR event, and it doesn't make their blog any less of their own work - I for one enjoy reading more than one opinion about something.<br />
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I am very protective over my blog due to all of the hard work that I put in to it, as any blogger will understand, and as would anybody who has ever invested a lot of themselves into something. Inevitably, putting content out on to the Internet for the world to see is going to lead people to form opinions, positively or negatively, and that's more than okay. It's life. I take the constructive criticism on board, and embrace the positive feedback, but dismiss anything destructive. As with all elements of my life, I don't want or need negativity through my blog.<br />
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<b><u>BLOGLOVIN'</u></b><br />
Blogging for me, is a very positive thing, and by and large only good things come out of it. Blogging is my escape - it is a chance to unwind, switch off, learn about new people, discover new places in the world, and read about the latest beauty products, usually curled up in bed with a cup of tea in hand. Blogs are informative, interesting and inspiring - Matt and I are planning a trip to the Maldives this year, and right now one of my favourite bloggers <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/">Rose (aka The Londoner)</a> is teasing her readers with <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2015/04/arriving-at-huvafen-fushi-maldives.html">post </a>after <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2015/04/spas-sharks-maldives.html">post</a> (after <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2015/04/up-with-the-sun-maldives.html">post</a>, after <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2015/04/an-island-palace-maldives.html">post</a>!) about her holiday at one particular Maldives resort - now I have a little insight into what to look for in a resort, all thanks to a blog I love reading. No tedious trawling through Trip Advisor for me!<br />
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I am completely addicted to beauty blogs (<a href="http://www.buynowbloglater.com/">Buy Now, Blog Later</a> being the absolute Bible.)<br />
I think the days of celebrity endorsements being the key to product sales are long gone, and beauty bloggers are the new experts. I touched upon this in my Marketing dissertation for my Masters (way back in 2010, can't believe it was that long ago!) and it's amazing to see just how influential bloggers have become. I have rushed out to purchase products completely off the back of reviews I have read on blogs (Oribe dry texturising spray, I am looking at you), and I'm nowhere near alone in this. It is no wonder that bloggers are able to generate an income from their blogs, with some companies paying thousands upon thousands of pounds for a product mention/review/video from a high profile blogger.<br />
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<b><u>THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY</u></b><br />
I am a small fish in a big pond, but my blogging journey so far has certainly not been without it's fair share of opportunities. I have been invited to some brilliant events, been gifted some amazing products, and dined at some lovely restaurants, all off the back of my little space on the Internet. Of course that is a great feeling - but it isn't what blogging is all about, not by a long shot, at least for me.<br />
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<b><u>WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL BLOG?</u></b><br />
For me, my blog is successful because it is something I've built from scratch, and something that brings me happiness and pride. It is successful every time my mum texts me to tell me she loved my most recent post, or when my dad mails me to say he's enjoyed a post but spotted a spelling mistake (he wants it to be the best that it can be, too!) It is successful when I receive an email from someone I've never met telling me they enjoy reading my blog, or that they are looking forward to their upcoming move to Doha because it looks like quite a fun place to live. It is successful because I have the continual support of my family, friends, and my boyfriend - despite the fact that to this day he still doesn't 'get' blogging ("<i>Why do you want to read about what someone you don't know gets up to in a day?!</i>") - and that drives me to continue with my little hobby called blogging :)</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-88644975578316153352015-04-12T11:36:00.005-07:002015-05-18T02:10:25.220-07:00DOHA DIARIES: MY WEEK IN PICTURES #19<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have realised, after weeks of berating myself for not publishing my Doha Diaries post on a Saturday night at the end of the week, that it actually makes way more sense for me to post this on a Sunday so that I can actually <i>include</i> the whole of Saturdays activities in the post...so Sundays it shall be going forward! Which I am pleased to report actually makes this post on time for this week ;)<br />
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My week started in the way that all weeks should start (work aside), with dinner at Hakkasan.<br />
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I thought I was late, so made a mad dash over in my flip flops (stopping to change into my heels on the approach!), but when I arrived I couldn't spot the girls at the bar. I turned to head back to the reception desk when I heard somebody call '<i>Holly!</i>' - I turned and spotted Michael waving from the bar. Marion and Amelie were running late, so Michael and I (unintentionally) ordered the pinkest drinks at the bar. Yes, that is Michael's on the left! ;)</div>
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On a Saturday night, 6pm - 7pm is Happy Hour at Hakkasan, where those with a dining reservation can have a free cocktail at the bar. The girls arrived a little after 7pm and the barmen very kindly still served them a complimentary cocktail, before we headed over to our table.</div>
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One thing I love about Hakkasan is the interior - wherever you sit in the restaurant, you always feel like you are dining in a tiny, intimate setting - perfect for a date!</div>
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We perused the menu, before Marion (aka 'The Boss')ordered a selection of starters and main courses for us to share.</div>
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The Boss chose well!</div>
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Crispy duck salad (amazing)...</div>
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The vegetarian dim sum platter...</div>
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Grilled Shanghai dumplings...</div>
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The starters were great, and it was so nice trying new items from the menu. I am one of those people who sticks with what I know, so when I come with Matt we usually order the duck spring rolls (his favourite) or the salt and pepper squid (my favourite). The crispy duck salad has got to be one of my new favourites, it was so good.</div>
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For the main courses, The Boss ordered the spicy prawn curry (Delicious!)...</div>
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The sweet and sour chicken with pomegranate...</div>
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Accompanied by a side of seasonal vegetables...which just so happened to be my very favourites!</div>
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Michael was a great sport, keeping up with our very girly chats and inside jokes about coral dresses, bling shoes and laundry! It was a great evening with some brilliant people. All we were missing was Jemma, who unfortunately had to work late...but a great excuse to go back :)</div>
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After a very action packed few days from Thursday through til Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after work were my 'getting things done' evenings, ahead of two much needed back to back days off.</div>
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Matt and I spent Wednesday morning down by the pool, and then when he headed off to work, I jumped in a car to the Grand Hyatt for a one hour aromassage* at Jaula Spa & Club.</div>
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Of the spas that I have tried in Doha, the Jaula Spa at the Grand Hyatt hotel still remains my favourite (my first massage there was the best massage I have ever had in my life!) I love the relaxation area, where I curled up with a book after a slight panic that I would be late for the appointment after getting stuck in traffic for half an hour! Finally, it was time to unwind after a long few six day weeks.</div>
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After my extremely blissful massage, I came out feeling pampered from head to toe and utterly relaxed (until I checked my phone and saw missed work calls..back to reality!) I curled back up on my lounger, sipped mint tea and ate Arabic dates whilst waiting for my car to pick me up, and was back in Zen mode before I knew it.</div>
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That night, I played tennis with both Marion and Jemma which was so much fun! We played two against one for a little while, and then alternated playing one against one whilst the third had a rest!</div>
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Thursday was a St Regis pool morning, after which Matt and I took a trip to the Pearl to cure our Elevation Burger craving. It was the perfect day to be sitting outside in the shade.</div>
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Unfortunately neither of us really rated our burgers...which was a huge disappointment especially after I so boldly claimed that <a href="http://www.hollytheblonde.com/2015/02/elevation-burger.html">these were the best burgers in town!</a> </div>
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We took a walk around the marina with our sights firmly set on getting ice cream from Marble Slab (genuinely, the best ice cream in Doha), stopping en route to check out some cool fish...</div>
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A random fact about me...growing up I really wanted to be a marine biologist because I love fish, despite the fact I am deeply scared of being in the sea! Not really any wonder that career didn't pan out...</div>
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Finally we made it to Marble Slab, picked our ice creams and our toppings, and settled down on a bench overlooking the beautiful marina.</div>
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On Friday after work Matt and I headed over to the City Centre mall for a quick Pizza Express before an evening in watching 24...we are finally on the last series! Amazing to think that we started watching season one way back in July. Jack Bauer is still going strong!</div>
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Back in March, Rosie from Punchline Media in Bahrain got in touch with me and very kindly invited me to check out a new monthly comedy night that was coming to Doha, called the Chuckle Club. I had missed out on their first show as I was back in the UK, but she kindly invited me and and a plus one to the show on Saturday night at the Doha Mariott. I took my man, and we hopped in a cab to the Mariott all set for a laughter filled evening.</div>
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There was an area set up for drinks and snacks, and people made the most of the Happy Hour before the show started. I eyed up the popcorn, but exercised a bit of willpower instead.</div>
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As with any multi-act comedy show, you never know what you are going to get, and the comedy may not be to the taste of everyone (which at 130QR per ticket could be deemed a bit of a gamble) - I laughed out loud in parts, chuckled quietly in others, and felt silently awkward at some of the jokes I didn't find funny and/or didn't get...despite raucous laughter from others in the room. Perhaps I am the unfunny one?!</div>
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This months comedy trio were <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqepmgxcthY">Yianni Agisilaou</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b88f6bHxxVc">Chris Garcia</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uYSA3L2O2w">Carl Hutchinson</a>. If you are a Doha dweller, you can follow the latest news of the return of the Chuckle Club over on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheChuckleClub">Facebook page</a>. </div>
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I still maintain that my boyfriend is the funniest person I know, and makes me cry with laughter on an almost daily basis. It's like a private comedy show every day of the week in our relationship!</div>
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Unfortunately my week ended on a very unhappy note following further sad news from home regarding the health of my wonderful Aunt. I wish I could be at home right now to be with my family, rather than thousands of miles away in Doha. Such a busy week has been a brilliant distraction from everything. I say this a lot, but life is so precious.</div>
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As always, I hope you have had a great week, wherever in the world you are reading from.</div>
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Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4471571667954009813.post-46664820399319539842015-04-08T04:10:00.001-07:002015-04-08T04:10:11.881-07:00BOOKSHELF: ELIZABETH IS MISSING - EMMA HEALEY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>"EVERY BIT AS COMPELLING AS THE FRENZIED HYPE SUGGESTS. A GRIPPING DETECTIVE YARN AND A HAUNTING DEPICTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS" - OBSERVER</i></b></div>
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Just inside the front and back covers of my copy of Elizabeth is Missing, are countless snippets of reviews from the critics about this debut novel from Emma Healey, who is just two years older than me with this Sunday Times bestseller under her belt. The above, from the Observer, is my favourite from the critics as it entirely sums this book up.<br />
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The main protagonist, Maud, suffers from dementia - she can't remember what things are called, where she is, why she is where she is, and who people are, and the subject of just how disabling dementia as an illness is, is really brought to the readers awareness in this book. It feels very real, and you can't help but be charmed by Maud as she has absolutely no awareness of the effects of her behaviour as a result of her mental illness.<br />
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Maud is adamant that her friend Elizabeth is missing. She carries little bits of paper everywhere with her to jot down notes to help her remember things, and her notes are telling her that Elizabeth is missing - she tries to enlist help to find Elizabeth from whoever will listen, only everybody dismisses her claims as nothing more than incoherent ramblings.<br />
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The story flashes back to Maud's childhood, growing up after the second World War. Her seemingly incoherent ramblings are intertwined with an unsolved mystery from her youth, and the mystery only really unravels right at the very end of the book, keeping you gripped until the final pages.<br />
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I loved this book - it was so well written, with a very unique protagonist. I have wanted to write a novel ever since I was little (my parents will vouch for the fact that I had about a hundred 'chapter one' Word documents saved on our computer as a kid...I never seemed to quite make it to chapter two!) so the fact that Emma Healey has had so much success at just a few years older than me is so inspiring, and makes me want to put fingers to keyboard again.<br />
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I would highly recommend Elizabeth is Missing to any age group, from young adult and upwards. It's a great read.</div>
Holly xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16992316676042789252noreply@blogger.com0