I spy with my little eye... a German Food Market.

If you pass by Munich, do not miss on Viktualien Market, the major Food market, located in the heart of the city, just next to Marienplatz. You will need to take a first tour before deciding what to have: Meat, Soup, Bretzels, Cheese, Chocolate, Bier, and of course, Christmas decorations, everything is mouthwatering and throws you into a festive spirit instantly.

So as I have completely forgotten about Halloween this year, let me take you to a Christmassy Food Market instead, follow the guide...

I spy with my little eye... a reserved Hotel Review.

Unfortunately, as much as I loved Munich, I am unable to recommand a Hotel as the one we stayed it was not amazing. Five stars, lovely interior but slow service and a couple of fights we shouldn't have had to fight: telephones didn't work, the wifi was capricious, we had 2 individual duvets that didn't cover entirely the Gentleman (the demonstration to the head of housekeeping was hilarious), I was delighted to follow my neighbors discussions through the walls, and the location was not central. That being said, the Breakfast was really good!

But then we asked to speak to the Manager who didn't find time in 2 days to pass by or call us.

Bad service.

So just for the record: I cannot recommand The Palace, Trogerstrasse 21, Munich, website here.

I spy with my little eye... Munich!

I just came back from Munich with pictures, memories and snow in my suitcase! Feedback to follow!

I spy with my little eye... a Memory of the Chanel Jewellery Night.

Thank you Chanel for sending us this Photograph from the Plume evening at the XVA Gallery a few weeks ago. A glass of Champagne, a beautiful Man and red Lipstick, lucky me!

I spy with my little eye... an Affordable Night!

The first edition was such a success the XVA is organising an other Affordable Night tomorrow (Monday 29th October) from 7pm till 9pm! All Pieces are priced at AED 4,000 or less, and the XVA will be displaying their successful local designers accessories. So if you are in Dubai, pass by DIFC (Gate Village Entrance) to enjoy the Cocktails, the good vibes, and maybe go back home with a piece of Art!

For more information on the event, click here.

Sunday Sound

"The very merry Widow" - Betty Grable - 1944

I spy with my little eye... Bretzels for Breakfast.

Snapshot from this Morning's Breakfast. It's official, I'm in Munich!
Eid Mubarak!

I spy with my little eye... fun Shades.

You know how much I love my Specsaddicts, well, while I will probably not need any Sunglasses in Munich this week-end, I came across an other fun brand of Shades. Definitively not the same Style as Specs but quite fun and quirky: A-Morir.

I had a huge laugh when I read their presentation:

"Why are you here? There is nothing for you here.

If you're an intelligent individual with plenty of common sense. I repeat. There is nothing here for you.

Unless, of course, you want to go big, unless you are smart and sophisticated enough to understand and appreciate the quality of handcrafted one-of-a-kind statement piece that actually makes a statement. Unless you want to break necks and drop jaws. then let us welcome you to A-Morir. By definition accessories are supplemental; there is no need to be practical. So go big. Go hard, and go far. 

With love, 'till death,

A-Morir."

Ballsy and made me think of Mary Poppins song "Stay awake, don't nod and dream", telling to do the contrary to what they want you to do, that is, get interested in their brand.

I am not a big fan of everything they do but some shades of pretty cool if you like cat's eyes and romantic looks.

For more information on their collections, click here.

I spy with my little eye... Germany!

Bonjour Ladies and Gentlemen, by the time you read this post I will be on my way to Germany. I am making the most of Eid celebrations by escaping 4 days to Munich! Pictures and deets to come! Gruss Got everybody!

I spy with my little eye... an unexpected Vintage Moment.

I went to get my hair done before the long Eid week-end and unexpectedly found myself feeling like I was back in the 1950's! Rolls all over my hair and head, thanks to the lovely Salome at Carita (Zabeel Saray on the Palm). Happy Eid!

I spy with my little eye... an Art Show.

Today is the opening of the Third Line's Show "Learning by Heart" by Arwa Abouon (and it will end on the 29th November 2012). The Artist's exhibits his thinking on Human Emotion, and particularly his relationship with Faith. I like the photographs and the play on the patterns, very graphic modern work. The perfect show to begin Eid holidays!

The Third Line
Al Quoz 3
Tel.: +971 4 341 13 67
For more information, have a look at the Gallery website here.

I spy with my little eye... a possible Crush.

... on Charlotte Olympia, who never disappoints. Hello Kitties! Cannot decide if I like the black or white version more but i can easily imagine them with a classic Little White Dress or a 1960's pastel colored Dress.  Nothing new on the fashion Scene after Marc Jacobs Mouse Flats, but I am much better with Heels than Flats so these do Pumps did catch my eyes.

For a closer Look at this Kitties, click here.

I spy with my little eye... a Theatre Review.

So last Thursday I went to the Theatre at Madinat Jumeirah to see "Rest upon the wind", a Play inspired by Khalil Gibran's life. I found the direction to be very good, very arty, well thought, involving dancing and singing, it was very good. The acting was quite unequal unfortunately, all the characters didn't have the same flame, and the way the story was told was too spread out for me too: going back and forth with time. I like Arty but I am not always great with Conceptual. A few length I would have skipped, but again, I applaud the  Direction, and I felt really blessed to get a real Play in Dubai!

Thank you to the Madinat Jumeirah for bringing Culture to Dubai.

For more information on the play, click here.

I spy with my little eye... a Young Collectors Auction.

Don't forget tonight the Ayyam's Young Collectors Aunction (remember this post?)! If you have your eyes set on something, make your way to Alkersal Avenue in Al Quoz 1 to bid on one of the sixty-six lots of Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Video and Installation Works from well established and emerging Artists throughout the Region. Some of the Artists will be there as well so do not hesitate to pass by, even if you are not bidding! 

For more information, have a look at the Facebook event here or at their website here.

Sunday Sound

"Red Robins, Bobwhites and Bluebirds" - Martha Raye - 1944

I spy with my little eye... a Dinner at Hakkasan.

Lately the Gentleman was in the mood for Dumplings so we went to Hakkasan. What a good pick! The service was sweet, efficient and attentive, the interior design has a cold vibe I thought (blue walls), but it is intimist, thanks to the softened lights, and I liked that. And the Food.. Well the food was glorious, everything was light, and tasty, exactly what I like. I cannot talk about anything else than Dumplings as this is all I had, but I definitively recommend it and I am already looking forward to coming back! It i expensive but it's worth it.

Hakkasan - Dubai
Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road
Tel: +971 4 384 84 84
For more information, click here.

I spy with my little eye... a Cultural Contribution.

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, HOB does now collaborate with Klap! So what is Klap? It is an online Cultural Magazine, it is multicultural, multi-discipline and multi-voices, written by a collective of cool kids and culture junkies all over the world, it's about Cinema, Art, Beauty, Literature, Food, Music, Travel, Fashion... with by-monthly themes. September and October were "Un/Conventional", November and December will be "Fant/Asia". Watch out for that little gem full of Culture, Energy and Coolness!

And to read HOB's first article on Dubai's Cinema Platinum Suites "First class ? Gold class? No. Platinum Suite.", click here. Yes, we have special Cinemas here in Dubai!
Happy reading everybody!

To read and follow KlapMag, click here.

I spy with my little eye... a Play inspired by Gibran's Life.

Tonight I am going to the Theatre, I cannot tell you how much I've missed that so a big Thank You to my darling Friend A. for spotting this Show and booking the Tickets! Tonight I am spending the evening with Khalil Gibran, the famous lebanese Poet. The Show is called "Rest upon the Wind" an is inspired by Gibran's  life: his childhood, time in Boston, Mary Haskell's influence on his work. The Play was written by Nadim Sawalha, showng through the whole journey the warmth of Lebanese Family Culture and the Arab sense of Humour.

It is showing until the Saturday 20th October at the Madinat Jumeirah.

Feedback tomorrow!

To book, click here.

I spy with my little eye... Glimpses of the Art Night.

I love Art Nights, such a great initiative: Art and Culture for free, along with good Music, interesting Crowd and amazing Food. What's not to love? 

So here are a few Photographs from this fun Night. The XVA remains my favourite gallery, there is always something happening, and this time, they were hosting Movida's Cocktails and DJ, what a rocking Evening!

A big thank you to Cuadro for the smile they put on my face with Sinisa Vlajkovic's Photographs!
Also lovedLeland Bobbe and Al Moutasin Al Maskeri portraits at the Empty Quarter.

And finally Aliel Jewellery is also a must, always welcoming and, well... Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend aren't they?

I spy with my little eye... a Reminder.

Unfortunately  I will not be able to attend as I am hosting myself, but if you are free tonight, don't forget to pass by Solidaritea's Big Pink Beach Party at Riva Beach Club on the Palm. Remember this post?

Because it is October! Remember the boobs ........the normal boobs ( . )( . ), the silicone boobs ( + )( + ), the perfect boobs (o)(o). Some boobs are perky (^)(^), and some boobs belong to grandmothers \./\./ And let’s not forget the very large boobs (o Y o), and very small boobs (.)(.), and lastly the asymmetrical boobs (•)(.). 

I spy with my little eye... Home Made Jam!

For some reason, Winter rhymes with Jams, Soups and Biscuits. It probably has to do with the 2 cosy years I spent in Alsace (East of France, near Germany), I loved the way they celebrate Winter and make it a happy time. So last week-end, I made Peach and Saffron Jam. I love the golden Colour, and I am pleased to see I am finally getting the right consistency. As they say: Practice makes Perfect! 

I spy with my little eye... a busy Evening!

Tonight is Art Night at DIFC! You will find me around the XVA as always, my favourite Gallery, and I cannot wait for they new "Rebirth" Show by Iraqi Artist Sami Al Karim (cf this post). I will also make sure to pass by the Aliel boutique for some Eye Candy, they have amazing stones they source all over the world, unique and delicate pieces, not for me right now, but the inspiration is priceless! CHeers to DIFC for hosting us!

And after all that Art and Culture, I am looking forward to catching up with a high school Friend I haven't seen for 10 years. That's one of my favourite things about Dubai: it is such a hub you bump into loads of old Friends. All the routes lead to Dubai!

A preview of the "Rebirth" Show at the XVA co-hosted with Movida... Good Music and Cocktails are expected! Love the colours and texture of this painting.

And a preview of Aliel's new collection.

For more information, have a look at the XVA and Aliel websites.

I spy with my little eye... a Tribute to Manolo Blahnik.

Paris is celebrating Manolo Blahnik's 40 Years of Success and Glamour with a shop-in-shop and an exhibition at the Department Store "le Printemps". For that occasion, the designer re-edited one of his first successful Pieces: The Ossie, named after the Bristish designer Ossie Clark, and to illustrate the event, the french tv channel purple.fr created a movie featuring the famous Shoe on top of the Department Store Roof. Amazing scenery!

Apologies on the format... big designer, big screen.

For information of the Printemps' website here (text is unfortunately in French only)

I spy with my little eye... a Reminder.

Don't forget that today, the viewing for the young collectors Auction begins at the Ayyam Galery, remember this post?

I spy with my little eye... a Winner!

If you've been following, you know I like to play this little game I call "let's try hairdressers all over the world". So far I've seen my hair smoke in Lebanon, I've seen 2 hairdressers trying to manage my curls at the same time in Thailand, I've been sitting for an hour without being able to see myself because the mirror was hung up too high in Lybia, I have been looking for a proper blow-dry in Dubai for a year... and I have missed my Lebanese hairdresser in Paris loads! 

In Dubai I tried a few, and I will be very honest: Franck Provost was a disaster. First time of my life I actually got out of a salon with a ponytail, it was nearly insulting how bad it was. Pastel was sweet but unable to manage my hair without a hair straightener. Why would I pay someone to do something I can do myself at home? Plus, I do not have afro hair. Curly yes, frizzy, yes, but not untameable. Belle Femme was the closest to what I consider a blow dry, I only got out of there with one bobby pin to keep the fringe in place... Until my dear friend A. sent me to Carita at Zabeel Saray on the Palm. What a revelation despite my first doubts. Her name is Salome, and she does wonders! She was trained in Paris by Alexandre Zouari before she joined Carita, and she knows a good fringe! She managed to get me out of the salon without a single bobby pins (hurray for the Hairdresser!), and a huge feeling of relief. I can stop searching, I found her. Good news is: the price is right too and if you can't get Salome, Zein is great as well, I will take A.'s word!

Zabeel Saray Hotel
The Palm
To phone Carita: +971 4 453 04 58

Sunday Sound

"Once too often" - Betty Grable - 1944

I spy with my little eye... a Retro Look.

All of Dubai has been talking about them, well... this is how I rock my SpecsAddicts! Have a Retro day everybody!

Want the look? Click here.

I spy with my little eye... a Big Pink Beach Party.

Ladies and Gentlemen, October is Breast Cancer month. Not to celebrate it but to raise awareness and fight it. Ladies, take care of your Breasts, get them checked regularly. Gentlemen, thank you for your (enthusiastic) support. To allow the dialogue, SolidariTea is organising a Big Pink Beach Party on Wednesday 17th October at Riva Beach Club on the Palm from 5pm until 8pm. It will be the occasion to learn, be curious, ask questions to women currently fighting or recovering, awareness is the first step in the fight. Also the occasion to share a girly time and tea!

The event is free, all you need to do is RSVP to the FB event here and show up!

Oh... and I just love the Flyer, made my day!

I spy with my little eye... a Young Collectors Auction.

The well known and established Ayyam Gallery is planning a Young Colletors Auction on the 22nd October at 7pm in Al Quoz 1.
If you love Art or are already thinking about Christmas present, this might be a good opportunity for you to put your hands on some worthy pieces. The range of estimations goes from AED 2,000 to AED 10,000, and the Ayyam Galley is offering quite a diverse choice of Artists and Art Styles.
And if you are just curious about Auctions, go and have a look, i know I love the ambiance, it's alive, full of energy, electric, always a fun evening, plus you get to discover new Artists.

Viewing is from the 15th October until the 21st October, from 10am till 8pm.
Auction will be on the 22nd October, beginning at 7pm.

You can, of course, ask for the catalog, just email at: auctions@ayyamgallery.com

Ayyam Gallery
Alkersal Avenue
Exit 43 of SZR
Street 8, Al Quoz 1
Telephone: +971 4 323 62 42
For more information, click here.