Monthly Archives: March 2011

The Brunch Crowd

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We all know there is breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, from time to time we have brunch.  And what is there not to love about brunch? You get all the delicious breakfast foods without having to wake up early. And for some reason you feel less guilty for stuffing yourself silly at brunch.

But brunch in Dubai is different. I mean it can be one of those glorious affairs with that delicious omelet station and dessert bar (Kaleidoscope at Atlantis easily rivals breakfast brunches in Las Vegas).  Generally, invitations for brunches in Dubai are a euphemism for eating and mostly drinking yourself silly followed by needing your friends to support your walk out of the restaurant.

This Friday I went to the Al Habtoor Grand in Dubai Marina to celebrate a friend’s birthday at The Grand Grill Steakhouse.  We had a gorgeous table on the patio with the weather being a perfect accompaniment.  As soon as I sat down, the waiter asked me for my drink choice and I was happily sipping on some pink bubbly. My thoughts from the restaurant were:

Pros:
- Service – Our waiter Frances always ensured our glasses were full and the we were well fed.
- Ambience – the outdoor patio is great for a party and the choice of 80s music was great for a lazy Friday afternoon. There is also a small dance floor that helps you burn off calories.
- Food – If you are a meat eater, the selection of steak, ribs, lamb chops and chicken legs are great. All of the meat is succulently flavored and perfect with a beer to wash down.
- Price – At Dh. 295 per head (including alcoholic drinks) it is a bargain compared to brunches at Al Qasr or Yalumba that go at Dh. 495 per head.

Cons:
- Food – The vegetarian fare is limited and the side accompaniments are limited
- Food again – My biggest pet peeve was the lack of dessert options.  The only dessert available was a Malva Pudding with Ice-cream and I’m of the school of thought that if there is no chocolate, it’s not a dessert!

Dubai has a lot of brunch options but one thing that doesn’t change is how the crowd degenerates over time.  Initially, all the diners are looking cheery but the crowd degenerates fast when drinking beer/wine like water.  As I was heading out, I noticed one diner having to be escorted by one of the janitors to a taxi. Unfortunately, he was part of the majority and not the minority.

Nevertheless, the Dubai brunch experience is a must-do for all; whether it’s enjoying the food or watching adults act like teenagers.  So go on and enjoy one yourself and get ready for a hangover before you go to sleep for a change.

Product Alert: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

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Don’t stop make it pop,
DJ, blow my speakers up
Tonight, I’mma fight
’Til we see the sunlight
Tik tock on the clock
But the party don’t stop, no

- Lyrics to Ke$ha’s song “Tik Tok”

You know I kind of respect Ke$ha. She sings about partying until the morning and still manages to look half decent in the morning.  Dubai’s lifestyle means that you could be out till 2 am and still have to make it to work at 7 am the next day trying to erase the signs of last night. In this case, I break out the big boys to make me look perky: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.

This stuff is the mother of all concealers and I’ve experimented with a lot of them.  I’m paler than the average Indian girl and any lack of sleep shows very clearly with dark ditches forming under my eyes.

Body Shop and Benefit both make great multipurpose concealers that are easy to use and blend in over imperfections or redness. However, both of them can’t do much for dark eye circles where MAC trumps all.

That being said, MAC concealer isn’t easy to use.

1. The pump is extremely defective! Concealer is meant to be used in small amounts and one pump manages to dispense enough concealer to cover your entire face. Since it’s fairly pricey and in order to avoid wasting money and unnecessary product, ask for a sample container upon purchase. Dispense a pump or two into the container and use it over the span of the week. Just make sure you screw on the lid of the container tight after each use.

2. It has to be applied with a brush. Don’t try to use fingers for this otherwise it will become very obvious you have caked it onto your face. The best brush for this is the MAC 217. Just swipe a smidge of concealer, dot under the eyes and blend like your life depends on it! Seriously, nothing looks worse than obvious concealer. A useful trick is blending all the way into the inner corner to the outer corner.

That being said, once it’s on, it’s on! the concealer easily lasts for 12 hours without fading.  If you tend to have extra dry skin, take a lightweight eye cream and dab it on top of the concealer to make it look more natural. Make sure to have one of the MAC ladies swatch you with a couple of shades to get your perfect match.

And now armed with this weapon, don’t be afraid of partying like Ke$ha on a school night!

Tuesday Tip: Edible Beauty

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This is our weekly section, Tuesday Tip. No matter where you work, Tuesdays tend to be the dullest day of the week. So to combat the general “meh”-ness, we bring to you a quick tip to perk up your day!

Also, if you do happen to try out our Tuesday Tip, send us a photo and we’ll feature you in our column!

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Tuesday Tip – Edible Beaut

If you are an Indian mother with a 20-something unmarried daughter, all you are thinking about is how to get your daughter married off.  Unfortunately, my Mum belongs into this category. I have held firm with her that marriage is definitely not on the cards for 5 years or so. However, in order to pass the time she insists on “grooming” me for the impending D-day.  When she’s not coaxing me to cook in the kitchen, she is advising me of concoctions to whip up and apply to my hair and face.  And as weird as putting items from your refrigerator onto your hair may seem, it really works! So here are a few tips from my mother to you:

Oil your hair once a week
This is very important if you tend to heat style your hair often as over-styling can lead to split ends.  Whip up a mix of 2 parts almond, 2 parts coconut, and 1 part castor oil into a bottle. If you have time, heat it up before oiling otherwise use as is.  Massage into your hair focusing on the scalp and the ends. It will be most effective if you leave it in for up to 2 hours prior to shampooing. It will slowly reverse the damage and leave you with shiny, healthy hair.

Yogurt + Honey Mask
Make a mixture of 5 parts yogurt (the unsweetened, plain kind) and 1 part honey and mix together well. Apply thoroughly into your scalp and lengths of the hair and onto your face as a mask.  Let the treatment dry off (about 30 minutes) and then rinse off with a mild shampoo.  Yogurt is a natural moisturizer and you’ll end up needing much less conditioner. Honey is a natural antiseptic and will instantly clear up your complexion. If you need some extra TLC, add some lemon juice as well.

Apple Cider Vinegar + Tea Tree Oil Rinse
The desalinated water available in Dubai can be quite harsh on your hair so it’s always good to end your shampoo with a final rinse of clean water. Take 2 parts of filtered water (i.e.drinking water) and 1 part of apple cider vinegar and add 5 drops of tea tree oil.  Use this in your final rinse making sure you don’t let any tap water touch your hair or scalp. This rinse helps in regulating oil production in your scalp and protects from the harshness of tap water.

While salon treatments may show results immediately, there is a chance they can have long-lasting negative effects. Herbal treatments remove this risk however they are time-consuming and require regular usage. Don’t expect magical results from the first try but with regular usage, they will definitely work.  I also recommend picking up a hair dye brush to make this easier.

And don’t forget about the best part of herbal treatments, you can eat as you get pretty!