My chips indulgence

I love Piattos - cheese flavor.  on lazy nights, this is my dinner (i know...... it's unhealthy - but it's yummy!) between Lay's french cheese and Piattos cheese - PIATTOS!

i just had one pack for my late afternoon snack

The Cheesecake Factory-Dubai Mall

Finally....i got to eat at

I had to be early to make sure that i don't get to stand in the queue for sooo looooong.  Otherwise, there's gooing to be an addition to my collection of varicose veins. At 9:50 a.m. i was already in the mall wearing this:

reached the place in a matter of seconds.  but they open at 10:00 am during fridays.  so i had to wait for a few minutes.  there were not too many people yet though we were told to still fall in line. when my turn came, the Lady at the reception asked for my name and was told to fall in line again in the other side.  note: you will be escorted to your table. then you can browse the menu while waiting for your server.

the cheesecake display counter

the place is a bit dim



and to my table

indeed the menu has loads of cheesecake varieties



and a lot more

menu also has adverts of other establishments franchised by the company - M.H. Al Shaya

i ordered lunch size carbonara without green peas and chicken

parmesan cheese was added

paired it with Red Velvet Cheesecake

and lemonade

after my 1st taste of the cheesecake, an insect landed on top of it and crawled to the side. i called the server and showed it to her.  she was so apologetic, took the piece back and asked if i want a new one or not anymore. of course i was there for the cheesecake and i havent even finished half of it. so i said i want a fresh slice of the same kind.  they gave me a new one but since i already feasted on the carbonara, i was a bit full and finished only like 2 scoops of the cheesecake.

i requested for the bill and asked that the cheesecake be wrapped to go.  the Manager approached me and apologized for what happened.  and i said it's fine but i cannot finish it anymore so i had it wrapped. he said they'll take care of it. when the bill came, i was surprised to see only the carbonara and lemonade so i inquired why the cake was missing. my server said that it's complimentary because of what happened (and i had the guts to have it wrapped...lol). now that's what you call service.  Thank you The Cheesecake Factory - all the more reason for me to go back - and i definitely will.

The place has 2 entrance/exits - 1 in the aquarium side and another in the gold souk side. it is easy to pass thru if one is going from/to the other side.  i don't know how they control it but maybe they get to identify who is just passing thru because there is no escort.

In the aquarium side, The Cheesecake factory is between Brunetti

and Candylicious

which has Garrett Popcorn

on my way to the taxi stand, i bought my fave bun

 and here's the Red Velvet Cheesecake after travelling for 10 minutes

better to eat there :-)

Verbena Sorbet by L'Occitane en Provence

I love L'Occitane Products. they're all over my little relaxing room.  The verbena fragrance line smells really fresh.  I don't know how to recognize the notes but as long as i don't get migraine attacks and a choral ensemble of sneezes, then i'm fine with it. I already tried both the Verbena (original) and the citrus verbena.  Now it's the verbena sorbet's turn

When i received an email that the Verbena Sorbet is already available in store, i immediately made a trip and bought one bottle.  Interestingly, my home spray is also a verbena.  So me and my home have the same smell. 

Meet the Verbena Sorbet:

 

so refreshing....this and the other verbena scents.

catching up

was so tired and lazy to post anything last night. played tennis for 2 hours straight with a colleague. yes, only the 2 of us so it was a test of endurance and stamina.  not that i'm a pro but collecting the balls was more tiring than trying to hit and return.  we only had 12 balls so ball collecting became the game. lots of bending than running....

here's my office outfit for Aug. 29:



and here's my office outfit for today:

didn't get the chance to take photos of what i had for lunch and dinner
but...
enjoyed my moment with Sugar!

my scents

i'm so picky when it comes to scents - i prefer lighter notes with refreshing citrus smell. the strong ones give me migraine attacks and a succession of sneezes.

these are scents that i love using as they are all mild and kind to the nostrils-makes me feel fresh all day.

i prefer getting the smaller bottles (if available) so i can easily stash it in my purse if i want to spray again - typically like a grab and go thing. Jo Malone Sakura scent, Diptyque l'eau de neroli, The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit and Bath and Body Works white tea and ginger are my preferred summer scents. If the JM Sakura is not available, i go for English Pear and Freesia.  it took me 1 year to find this Sakura scent - not in their stores but from the inflight duty free of cathay pacific. i flew to my home country via CX and bhuoy, i was soo happy when i saw it in their inflight catalogue.

i also developed a certain friendship with Moschino Happy and Dior Addict II which i use for special bonding moments. i usually buy these during winter.

Busy Day!

weather is still the same - hot at night and super hot during the day! news says that it will start to cool down :-) so looking forward.....

today's office outfit:

my morning was soo busy. breakfast at 10:00 am was a small size Lay's potato chips - french cheese flavor. i didn't even get to finish the entire pack.

and my lunch (still from my colleague's enterprising flatmate) - meatballs with quail egg

you looked so dashing today my Sugar!

Vanity Kit (Part 1)

I am a no make-up person.  Lipstick is the only cosmetic that i love to splurge on. i want to have 1 or 2 shades in my everyday purse and cosmetics pouch in the office. and more in the bath...my favorites are the illamasqua pencil in red and hello kitty in black case.  of course the benetint too which is an all in one product. i use it as eye shadow, lip color and cheek tint.  what i love most about benetint is that it doesn't need a make-up remover when used in the cheeks. i just wash it off with water and my ever dependable facial wash.

these are my lip colors in the bath from left to right:  clarins, shu uemura, hello kitty lipstick and lip gloss, illamasqua pencil and next to it is the liquid type (i like the pink version of this better), guerlain. the face shop, dior, benefit, tarte and the guerlain lip liner

 

oh and i also apply my face powder.  though i stopped doing it for 2 weeks now since my sunscreen is so greasy and i don't have time to let it dry. it's summer here and weather is in the 40'sC during the day and in its 30's by night time.  whenever i dust my face with powder, i get lumps and becomes so cakey. my colleague advised me to get the gel type sunscreen. have yet to scour the malls for this. i also keep 2 palettes of eye shadow and another palette containing eye shadow/blusher/lipstick in one which i use on special occassions (the need to put some color on my face)

 

i also have some nail colors. but my friend told me to just leave nail coloring to the pros as i never get it done nicely. so these babies will soon be walking to some lucky recipients.

My Monday

today's office outfit:

my lunch was again from the enterprising flatmate of my colleague. tilapia in coconut milk with rice of course and the plastic spoon and fork (which i thought at first was missing so i had to grab a pair from my stocks-after i finished eating, i saw the pair)

 

the tilapia up close:

 

my dinner was N_K_D Pizza:

 

i get to choose my toppings: artichoke, mushroom, pineapple, corn, beef pepperoni and feta cheese. small size, thin crust and white sauce.  this pizza is love!!!! and they deliver fast.... 

 finished everything with this:

my soda indulgence - 7-UP free (free of sugar and free of caffeine made my heart beat!). so yeah, this and ginger ale are my alternative to juices.  can't sleep when drinking something with caffeine. no amount of tossing and turning and counting sheeps can shut my eyes before 12 midnight. so my tea is caffeine free too. my starbucks would be anything without coffee (lol)

seeing you made my day Sugar!

today's meals

my office outfit for today....

 

i started my morning with a half slice nutella filled sandwich shared by a colleague. good enough for a morning meal.

my lunch was pork steak ordered from the enteprising flatmate of another colleague.
for 10 Dhs., this is what i got which includes a pair of plastic spoon and fork.

dinner was at:

i was given a BFG lovers card last year....1 stamp per visit and the 10th meal is free. it took me a year to eat 9 times and tonight, i was able to claim my free value meal which includes 1 fanta....

1/4 chicken - leg part (my choice)

1 side dish - my choice was rice (they also have potato wedges and mashed potato)

they gave me another BFG card

will start filling again

oww, hello Sugar! great seeing you today, wink....wink...