With H.H Sheikha Hind Al Qassimi of the UAE Business Women Council

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With H.H Sheikha Hind last night

One of the nicest people I meet regularly through my local foster family is H.H Sheikha Hind Al Qassimi, Chairperson of the UAE Business Women Council so it was awesome to renew contact with her again last night with Sahar Madani, President of the Diplomatic Ladies in Dubai at the opening of Madi International’s new showroom.

As we know very well as women, Madi International is one of the Middle East’s leading distributors of internationally reputed professional salon Furnishing, beauty equipment and beauty Brands for Salons, Spas, Beauty Centers and Beauty Clinics – we come across the name every time we go to a salon or spa in the UAE.

The opening of Madi International’s biggest showroom was done by H.H Sheikha Hind Al Qassimi and Sahar Madani, both amazing and friendly women who continuously inspire me with their energy. I caught up with Sahar 2 weeks ago when Princess Ameerah was visiting for the dinner Sahar organised for women empowerment and its awesome to see her getting involved in all industries relating to women and organising events that we have all come to love as women living here.

With Sahar Madani, President of Diplomatic Ladies, Dubai

Naturally we were overwhelmed by Madi International’s new showroom – Mohammed Madi told me its  spread across a whopping 9,000-plus square feet and showcases all the leading beauty brands in hair care, skin care, nail care, make-up, salon & Spa furniture and equipment, among others. It truly is a one-stop-shop destination which caters exclusively to the beauty and wellness needs of consumers from the latest collections and styles  available.

As I was rushing out to a Chechen fashion show by Firdaws with another role model of mine, Thoraya Al Awadhi, I couldn’t meet Adnan Abou-naaj, GM of Madi International to ask him about the new identity of the company that makes the stores look vibrant with a more dynamic brand image. As a PR chick, I am interested to see how this was evolved from what they had before. Maybe next time.

All I can say is that from what I saw in the showroom, the UAE women are in for a treat the next time they venture out to beauty salons, clinics & spas that take on Madi products as they look awesome. My personal favourite is the black leather reclining chair for the hair wash – check it out. 🙂

Mohammed Madi opens his showroom with H.H Sheikha Hind Al Qassimi and Sahar Madani

Healing Juices….make it a habit

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My first encyclopedia of healing juices that I've lent to many friends for inspiration and ideas

One of the healthiest things I started 2 years ago inspired by a book and my hydrotherapist was starting my mornings with juicing.

Armed with a juicer and an encyclopedia on juicing, I also encouraged my near and dear friends to follow suit and now its great to see them wake up every morning and juice the life out of various fruits and vegetables.

Its a legacy I’m leaving my closest friends and family so that even if they are far from me or travelling, I shall always be on their mind as the one who inspired them to take juicing seriously as an everyday habit.

My favourite combination for the morning juice is a mixture of carrots, cucumbers, celery, apples, ginger, orange and beetroot.

Couple of weeks ago I stayed at Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri and to my delight, a mobile juice cart came to my table at Sofra restaurant on both mornings and the waiter had a long chat with me about different combinations he does for guests as well. His recipes were awesome.

On my birthday I went to the Dubai Shangri-La for a chilled out breakfast and was thrilled to see they also started a juice station which I looked forward to the next morning…they made some delicious smoothies as well as power juices.

There are so many benefits of juicing. I also bought my baby sister a juicer last year which I hope she’s using.

Here’s to a healthier and vibrant lifestyle with juicing and to friends and family who will always be bound by this tradition.

Artesian Water takes top position

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Weekend indulgence - ice-cream with FIJI water

A bizarre phone call from a middle aged woman left me smiling today asking what makes FIJI water one of the purest form of water on the planet (I’m getting close to 40 soon so I guess that would make me middle aged too although I like to think 40 is the new 20 and I’m just about to start my life with gusto).

Anyway, it was to ask if FIJI water really did keep you looking young and what was the big deal about artesian waters and the obsession by Hollywood stars to bee seen with one. Now I am no authority on waters but I have a penchant for enjoying FIJI Water because it reminds me of home and it has silica in natural form as well as Acqua Panna which also tastes so awesome.

The high rate of silica in Fiji Water supports the biological processes of the body. Silica is presented as regulating body temperature, carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, helps remove waste from the body, dissolves nutrients and minerals, cushions joints and protects organs and body tissues. So its more for health reasons although I find that my skin has over the last 3 years improved heaps from drinking more water that happens to be mainly FIJI.

While most people in Dubai like Perrier or San Pellegrino, I merely put up with it because it happens to be available in most restaurants. I also like local water but when I have a choice, I always go for FIJI or Acqua Panna instead of Evian, Perrier or San Pellegrino.

I drink Acqua Panna more for the fresh revitalising taste and FIJI for beauty/health purposes. I recall getting a frantic call from a hotel asking where they could get Fiji water supplied for a Hollywood celebrity coming to Dubai as they risked losing the booking if they couldn’t supply FIJI water in the room. I pointed them to NTDE and started investigating why water from my country was such a HOT stuff amongst celebrities and I’m glad I did as now I’m sold into drinking FIJI water whenever I can.

According to US Food and Drug Administration FDA studies, FIJI’s artesian water comes from deep within the earth and never comes in contact with the air. (In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, water from artesian aquifers often is purer than other water sources because the multiple strata of rock and clay provide a critical protective shield against potential contamination.)

In the case of FIJI Water, natural artesian pressure forces the water up and into a completely sealed bottling system, which has been designed to eliminate any contact with the environment….i guess that makes it super pure but whatever the case….I’m sticking to FIJI water and Acqua Panna and if it keeps me looking upbeat, young and energetic, then that’s a bonus!

Corvette UAE Club (CUC) Pre summer drive

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My drive today was in a red Corvette (Fahad's)- part of the CUC entourage

Today was an awesome day for NJD and me. After a leisurely breakfast with sweet Sakina and my weekend grocery shopping, I joined other Board members, Corvette drivers/owners at the Ibn Battuta Mall for our quarterly leisure drives that usually ends with a dinner at the Yas Island or Courtyard Mariott.

In the past we have done mostly Abu Dhabi drives in conjunction with Road safety campaigns, no phones while driving campaign etc but today was a low key event which made it nice and cosy. NJD joined Osama in his new black Corvette with red motifs while I joined Fahad in beautiful red one – I have to say we missed Hamad this time as I am usually his co-driver/passenger as well as our past race track driver Al Falasi, his wife Shamma and little Khalifa.

Of all the leisure/networking groups I am a member of, I find CUC the most tight knit as a family…all the members watch out for each other and I’ve always felt super protected and respected with the same level of comfort I would have with my close family members. In that way it stands out hence the reason I make extra effort to be part of the Club’s events. Today we skipped having police escorts we normally arrange so the route was a lot more flexible. We had fun at Atlantis as the entourage became the hottest attraction amongst the throng of weekend visitors and tourists who became camera happy as the cars passed by.

We toured to Madinat after Atlantis and then to Dubai Marine International Club where a photoshoot of the cars/members took place against the backdrop of yachts and the clear blue waters of Dubai. At DIMC, a London chick started jumping up and down as I got out of the car to pick NJD and she started screaming she had never seen so many nice cars all at once and almost mobbed me. It was a hilarious sight and it took me a while to realise she was probably a newbie in Dubai who in a Barasti influenced mellow state got a bit overwhelmed seeing so many Corvettes in one place and wanted to be  friends + go for a ‘drink’. (I can be ‘duh’ at times). Naturally I didn’t have the heart to tell her she didn’t remotely come close to the quality of friends I would choose to be associated with and I certainly didn’t wanna hang out with her at Barasti with my child – first impressions do count!

Anyway, thanks to Christian, a superb chef and one of our members since we first began, the drive finished at Courtyard Marriott with a dinner that was organised by Christian’s team. I skipped dinner for another event that in true diva style I overlooked in favour of Russell Peters & Once upon a time. (I am becoming a TV series addict in my old age).

I’m sure I’ll go to bed smiling today as I had an awesome time with Sakina, NJD, old friends from the Corvette family and packing in loads of laughs from Russell Peters with a bit of fairy tale drama. And it feels awesome to be part of a club that started out as a CSR initiative to educate super car owners on safe driving, be part of events for children with special needs and in the process has become part of a family where members look out for each other. CUC is yet another reason why I love being in the UAE so much.

Corvette Line-up at DIMC

Plastic money – prepaid provides relief

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Over a meal recently an old friend Anu who I met through the Business Women’s Group gave me an overview on what she’s working on and it happened to be a seminar focussed the inaugural Middle East Prepaid Awards organised alongside the third Prepaid Summit Middle East.

It is apparently an area that is increasing rapidly and as a consumer, I myself now prefer prepaid cards – whether its for phone or my internet USB flash key. I also decided to give my 11year old a prepaid credit card to buy apps for her ipad 2 and this was only possible because my bank had started a bling card that can be used by kids easily (Naturally I have had multiple heart attacks at the beginning when this chick thought using a card meant she could go crazy with it without mumsy knowing – but all the transactions came to my email and I soon put a stop to young NJD being plastic happy).

Apparently loads of banks and retailers were involved in the summit that was held at Westin. From AlShaya and Ibn Battuta gift cards to travel cards, it seems like the industry is going crazy over safe, controlled plastic money.

The inaugural Middle East Prepaid Awards was presented in association with Visa Inc, and recognised the most outstanding and innovative organisations and individuals operating within the industry when it came to prepaid cards…all I can say is that I’m glad my little tyke has plastic money with a limit on it or else I just can’t handle dealing with the expenses of another diva within the same house.

Treasures of the World’s Cultures

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Diva just received an invite to Treasures of the World’s Cultures, second in a series of exhibitions that paves the way to realising Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision and the opening of the Zayed National Museum.

Bringing life to elements of human history dating back 2 million years, the exhibition highlights examples of ‘buried treasure’ and recent artworks from around the world. I’m told the exhibition connects historical and modern cultural perspectives through one visual experience.

As a self proclaimed culture vulture,(I’m not just a fluffy chick obsessed with Romantic comedies only afterall), it would be interesting to see historic objects from across the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, plus items from the Modern World.

Organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority in collaboration with the British Museum, Al Ain National Museum and Sharjah Archaeology Museum, I’m glad to hear it will be at Manarat Al Saadiyat until July 17th – all I have to do now is organise the latest car launched in the market to be at my disposal for a weekend so I can go test it by cruising around Abu Dhabi and get to see this exhibition.

A number of talks and panels will take place to complement Treasures of the World’s Cultures. First of the series, on 18 April, will feature Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, who will explore the highlights of the exhibition and reveal some of the extraordinary stories they evoke… Diva reckons you should put it in your diary if you are in Abu Dhabi that day.

Exclusive Style Consultation With Top Fashion Stylist Farah Kabir

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Farah in action

Al Ghurair Centre offers exclusive Style Consultation Opportunities With Renowned Fashion Stylist Farah Kabir

One of the people I have become very fond of in the last two years is Dubai’s hottest and trendiest fashion stylist, Farah Kabir, who also happens to be my ex-neighbour and is like my older daughter and a friend. She and Leila, another friend keep me feeling young.

While I lived next to her, it was an absolute delight bumping into Farah in the mornings, near the lift or just as she was about to go out as she was always impeccably dressed and no matter what she was wearing, it always looked effortlessly chic. Naturally she is talented and this is her career but I still feel one has to have a natural knack for style and clearly Farah has it.

We always felt Farah would be an incredible independent stylist – doing what she does best and enhancing people’s sense of style in Dubai. (Trust me, there are those like me who work all the time and have no idea of what’s trendy, what’s not, and where to go for clothes).

Help is now at hand with Al Ghurair Centre which has kick-started its signature Al Ghurair Styling Event which runs until March 31st 2012 offering 10 days of pampering and styling in a relaxed setting where women can mingle and chat, exchange fashion tips and get insider styling ideas from Farah.

Farah will give shoppers a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform their wardrobe, and signature style as she has styled for big-budget Hollywood movies such as the Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol blockbuster and world-class brands such as Nike, Tag Heuer, Harvey Nichols, De Beers and Cartier.

Farah started her career working at avant-garde boutiques such as Demeulemeester, Yamamoto and Comme des Garcons before entering the world of styling. She is also a graduate of the prestigious London College of Fashion.

If you feel like you need a style makeover or you need to make a few changes in your wardrobe, there is no one in Dubai better than Farah to make it happen for you….what are you waiting for girls?

For further information, please contact 04 2055309 / 285 or visit www.alghuraircentre.com


Abu Dhabi Festival Plus Bringing Shakespeare to life

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While doing my Masters in Literary Studies, I always cringed when an assignment on popular classics came my way. But as I grew older and wiser, they grew on me… mostly due to the influence of living with Eric who as a stage actor loves performing classics and it looks like NJD is going that route too since her video of emulating Juliet has been a hit amongst friends.

So lo and behold, I am now a fan of Shakespeare (when I really should have been a fan while I was studying him). Naturally then it was delightful to hear of Midsummer Night’s Dream reinvigorating a Love of Shakespeare across UAE as the UK Theatre Company returned to the Abu Dhabi Festival 2012 with a specially commissioned production of the play.

The mesmerising performance at the packed Abu Dhabi Theatre held its audience in awe, as the actors played out one of Shakespeare’s most imaginative plays. As part of Abu Dhabi Festival’s education program, the interactive play breathes new life into this amazingly clever and classic Midsummer Night’s Dream and its cast of mortals, mechanicals and fairies is packed with dazzling poetry and sparkling comedy.

Her Excellency Mrs Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival thought the Director, Buckhurst and his talented cast did a superb job and delivered a powerful and passionate performance. A popular and enduring comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream features three interlocking plots set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of fairyland under the light of the moon. The story, mixed with mortals, a feuding king and queen, magical practical jokes, love affairs and characters transformed in the most unlikely ways, danced across the delightfully constructed stage.

The Festival continues its commitment to showcasing the very best of the arts, with a schedule combining classical music, theatre and performing arts, jazz, ballet and fine arts until the 6th of April. The programme crosses cultures and explores the past, present and future of artistic expression.

Interesting acts to watch for would be Naseer Shamma and Global Ensemble. The ensemble will perform on the 24th of this month, and a unique fusion of music of the Spanish guitar, oud, percussion, upright bass, clarinet, harp and piano will transcend genres and blend influences. The act is an Abu Dhabi Festival Commission and World Premiere event.

There will also be an Emirati flavoured adaptation of the well-known Restoration comedy, The Rivals, by Richard Sheridan by Abu Dhabi based Resuscitation Theatre. Not to miss as well would be Arab musician Ibrahim Latoof and Riwaq Al Fikr, Royal Opera House’s production of Beloved Friend and SUTRA: a stunning blend of Kung Fu, Tai Chi and contemporary dance bough by the illustrious Sadler’s Well Theatre in London and feature 17 monks of the Shaolin temple in China. I cant wait to see this…i reckon its worth a journey into Abu Dhabi to get a glimpse of SUTRA.

The dynamic team at The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) have done an amazing job in their bid to nurture the arts, education, culture and creativity for the benefit of society and the advancement of Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision.

ADMAF’s broad programme of initiatives and events – including the Abu Dhabi Festival and the Young Media Leaders, The Nationals’ Gallery and The Artists’ Studio among many others – brings together audiences of all ages and nationalities. Through its educational and community programmes, it nurtures the creative talent of the UAE and beyond, in partnership with leading national and international institutions….how cool is that?

London’s Globe Theater Brings Love of Shakespeare to Abu Dhabi - IMAGE BY ADMAF

ART DUBAI + JOHN JONES ART ON PAPER AWARD + SIKKA AND MORE

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I loved 'Aquarium' by Beatriz Milhazes at the Cartier enclave in Art Dubai

The last two evenings have been awesome with me doing whistle stop tours of the galleries at Art Dubai after work.

Its awesome to see so many familiar faces and art enthusiasts lapping it up….my favourite area this year has to be the Cartier enclave. I didn’t want to leave as it was like a mini paradise set up to entice us and although I am not such a great fan of most Cartier jewellery, I have to say they really know how to pull the crowds with the ambience they have created at this years Art Dubai.

One hot news that has emerged is that the judges of the John Jones Art on Paper Award have selected artists Hassan Sharif (UAE) and Luis Camnitzer (Uraguay) as dual recipients of the inaugural award. The two artists are shown on the stand of New York gallery Alexander Gray Associates…. I went to see their gallery amongst others and they have some super talented people this year featured at the stands.

This Award was conceived by master framers John Jones Ltd. and Art Dubai to recognize the potential for excellence and innovation for works made on paper.  Sharif and Camnitzer will be given the opportunity to present a dedicated exhibition in Dubai between March 2012-2013, and in addition to the artists receiving a cash prize, the winning works will be acquired by the John Jones Contemporary Art Collection in London.

I also came across the information on SIKKA and the ArtBus concept which I think is a superb idea for people who really want to see all the art scene that Dubai has to offer without worrying about transport, parking etc….diva likes this idea heaps.

To make it more interesting,  the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture commissioned UAE-based artist UBIK, to design the SIKKA ArtBus. The ArtBus, organised by ArtintheCity and thejamjar, in partnership with the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, serves as a convenient guide for visitors to various art fairs, galleries, educational and interactive talks, and other art events taking place in Dubai. Another bus acts as a complimentary ArtBus shuttle, taking passengers to and from SIKKA 2012, until March 24.

SIKKA 2012 is held at the historic Al Bastakiya, the vibrant cultural nerve-centre of Dubai….there is so much more to enjoy in terms of Art in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi that I don’t know where to start and where to stop…..all I can say is that the UAE totally rocks when it comes to the Art scene this month. There is no place in the world I would like to be in right now, my home country Fiji Islands included (Fiji is a paradise and the way the world should be so me saying that in March I reckon UAE is more fun than Fiji means a lot).

 

The Cartier area at Art Dubai


Royal Jet and their challenging Medical Evacuation Mission

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Although I generally don’t like talking about brands that clash with the business interests of our group members, this week I found myself questioning and going against that as I was reading about Royal Jet’s Medevac unit successfully completing a highly complicated medical evacuation mission as it flew 31 Chinese workers injured in explosions in the Republic of Congo to China – I thought that was very commendable and worth a mention.

Frankly speaking, I always saw Royal Jet as an international luxury flight services company more on the premium side without knowing that they also have a medical team. So it was an eye opener finding out that Royal Jet Medical Evacuation Service offers state-of-the-art equipment and highly-qualified, skilled and dedicated medical professionals….this clearly is the caring side of the brand.

So…the story is that using its fully equipped and expertly manned Boeing Business Jet aircraft, the Royal Jet Medevac mission landed in China after a 16-hour flight from Maya Maya Airport in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, following a brief stop in Abu Dhabi for fuel and crew change. On board were Royal Jet’s well-trained and highly-skilled Medevac team headed by Dr. Ibrahim Soto, Royal Jet’s Medevac Medical Director with five Chinese medical experts who were dispatched to Brazzaville by the Beijing government, shortly after the blasts to attend to the wounded.

The blasts apparently claimed more than 200 lives and injured over 1,500 and six Chinese workers out of about 140 working at a nearby construction site were killed in the blasts. The medical team arrived in Brazzaville and spent 15 hours stabilizing the patients before accommodating all of them safely in the aircraft.

In a nutshell, Royal Jet’s fleet of Gulfstream, Learjet and Boeing Business Jet aircraft covers the globe and tailor each mission to the patient’s medical needs along with specialists and highly trained medical team. While other Royal Jet’s product offering spans several operations including luxury air charter services and Royal Jet Charter Brokerage (providing travel solutions through sourcing the appropriate aircraft for charter), I find the Royal Jet Medevac side of their business great as it helps save lives.