Look Who's Coming Over!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

The one and only, the very talented, creative and original!!!




Prince is coming for Abu Dhabi Formula 1 this November!!!!

And I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that he will wear this fantabulous outfit:




Also in the line up for Formula 1 music showcase are Linkin Park and this moronic egomaniac



But wait, it's not all!

Mission Impossible 4 is going to be filmed in Dubai, which brings here Tom Cruise



and this guy from Lost.


Tom Cruise is scheduled to stay and work in the emirates starting October for 3 weeks and i don't really care about other guy.

Charu Parashar

Charu Parashar is a well known and well received Indian designer who shows at the Dubai Fashion Week every year.

She is a native of New Delhi and comes from the family of textile merchants.
Mrs. Parashar not only designs clothing, but she actually block prints a lot of fabric for her collection.
Very time consuming, as far as i understand, but the results are wonderful.

Here is the collection she brought to Dubai Fashion Week in 2009.
It's cute, but nothing to write home about.
Also, i don't know where on earth they found such interesting looking models.








Now look at her collection for India Fashion Week 2010! Oh, my! What a difference! Vibrant, inventive, flamboyant!
Enjoy!

Azza Fahmy

I love these kind of stories; i think women's success stories, such as Azza Fahmy's are great inspiration for us all!

Check this out - Azza Fahmy was born in a middle class family in Egypt. Her mom didn't even finish school, but not only was she literate, but also fluent in French. Then, when Azza Fahmy was about 15, her dad died, and family went through some hard time financially and emotionally.

When Azza Fahmy graduated from the university, she spent eight years designing book covers for some civil branch of the Egyptian government. Imagine, working on dreadful, boring, miserable book covers for loooong eight years. If you can't, then go look at some info booklet from your own government and now try to imagine working with these kind of aesthetics for eight years.

I personally will shrivel up and die.

Anyway, i guess she had enough eventually and decided to pursue her designing career.
She did it with much gusto and success. Now Azza Fahmy is sort of a Middle Eastern David Yurman - her pieces are just as easily recognizable, desired and expensive as his. In Dubai she has her own store; hoity-toity Harvey Nicks and Bloomie's carry her merchandise as well.

See for yourself:













Pix are from www.azzafahmy.com

Armani/Dubai Caffe

I was chatting today with my absolutely fabulous friend Jamala, and she gave me an idea about this post.

So, Jamala, this post is dedicated to you!

See, when gorgeous people of Dubai want to have a bite to eat, or just have some juice, or, perhaps a piece of cake, they don't go to any old Libby's, or Shonney's, or God forbid, IHOP (I personally miss all of these places).

They go to Emporio Armani Caffe.

Did you know that Giorgio Armani not only sells suits, but also soups and sandwiches?
Now you know.

There are 2 Armani Caffes in Dubai - one in Dubai Mall, another in Mall of Emirates.

Armani Caffes are furnished from toothpick to couch with Armani/Casa merchandise, which i think is very streamlined and sleek.

They serve everything you would expect to see on the menu in any self-respecting Italian osteria - gazpacho, pizza, pasta, etc.

So, next time you are hungry in Dubai, go eat there. Who knows, you might even run into him:



Jamala certainly did; but he wasn't wearing a top hat. I just like the picture.

P.S. I'm not gonna post pix of Armani Caffe offerings - after all, really, who wants to look at arugula salad when you can feast your eyes on these muffins instead.

Mille Rostock

Mille Rostock is a Danish designer and business owner who started her career in Dubai.

That's all i know about her.

Well, and also that she is often time participates in Dubai Fashion Week and sells who clothing and scarves here.
While her clothing collection didn't do anything for me - you can check it out for yourself on www.millerostock.com - her silk scarves and shawls are quite marvelous.

They are voluminous, luxurious pieces that hug one's neck gently and flatter your complexion. They are also very expensive - scarves start at $70 US and shawls go up all the way to $350 US.

Pix via www.millerostock.com

Fauchon

So i was dragging myself today around one of the enormous Dubai malls, "Mall of the Emirates" or MOE for short, when i got stopped dead in my tracks!

Screeching halt!

What???!!!

There is a huge Fauchon store/cafe! Here it is, staring at me with it's big white letters on the black background! I didn't know Dubai had it! (Turns out it has 2 - one in Dubai Mall, one in MOE)

In case you didn't know, Fauchon is an uber-luxurious, expensive and exclusive gourmet food store. It's main store is in Paris, of course, right on the Place de la Madeleine; they carry every fine food imaginary from candied chestnuts and macaroons to caviar and chutneys. And everything in between!

They are expensive. Fauchon eclair is a like a Ferrari eclair, and it costs something around 6 Euro each. Their tuna sandwich is about 12 Euro. I know, i know...

Anyway, i must confess, i didn't enter the store - i was rather concerned about the state of my waistline, wreckage on my credit card and general condition of my sanity should i get hypnotized by their fabulous, luscious, delectable offerings.

Just look at their eclairs! Some of them are lookin' back at ya!








...and macaroons!



...cakes are not bad either!