don't miss it

it would be very hard for me to understand anyone who wouldn't want to watch the red hot chili peppers in beirut this september. i've already found a cute little cozy group from dubai who are set to go. get tickets now.

xx

kinky.

one of my favorite pubs this time around in beirut was february 30. i say that like i was hopping all around town (i went to two) it was just so creatively set up and my passionfruit martini was oh so yummy. check out their fun napkins. don't count on waking up alone with that hanging out of your back pocket though ;)

xx

a touch of sea salt

i was heavily into this a while back, and reluctantly removed it from my life before the addiction grew too strong. our love however has been rekindled after my friend asked me to buy her some from beirut. it's rare for me to find something that always keeps me on my toes. each time i try some i get thrown off by the the sea salt (in a good way!). it just knows exactly how to bring out the right amount of sweetness in the chocolate. pretty close to perfect for me right now.

xx

LISTEN TO ME: mux mool: skulltaste

i imagine this to be what robots would be jamming to on another planet. i'm a little jealous. 

xx

bonjour liban!

when i think of beirut many images come to mind- my favorite of them all being what you see above. relaxing by the beach/pool with a nice cool drink at hand. you can't not love the gorgeous water of the mediterranean, not to mention the beautiful tan you always manage to steal with you by the time you leave (really ups your attraction level by a couple notches ;). 

i'm actually on the final leg of my 3 week june-journey, which was all dictated by weddings (it is mating season after all)- bahrain to london to boston to beirut, back to back baby. i'd rather not see another plane or suitcase for a while at this point and the idea of unpacking gives me heart palpitations. 

i'm not really sure how i've managed to remain standing considering the hours i've spent getting dehydrated up in the air, the tanning, and partying that naturally rolls over till morning (i don't recommend shots for breaky). each time i'm here i tell myself i'm not going to skybar ever again. still i end up there, suffocated by the compromising proximity i'm held in with a whole bunch of butts i'd rather not have up against me.

i've come to the realization that something about being here makes me feel like my body is invincible. it happens every time without fail. i'm smarter now though, at least i prepare myself mentally and expect to leave unwell. for once i've decided to give in to immobility today and just eat, sleep and chew big red. 

hope you're all getting some summer lovin :)

xx

comme des enfants...

xx

loyalty shmoyalty

imagine a world where being disloyal didn't affect us in any way. apart from missing out on jealous fights and fun make up sessions, things could possibly be less stressful. no?

xx

LISTEN TO ME: the good old days

so i was jumping around in body combat and this song came on, man did it take me back. i still remember how cool i thought i was listening to this when i was what, 9?  i already have a crush on the instructor so when this came on i might have fallen in love - someone else who also loves the cheesy 90s dance music that i do! it's tiring enough that i try to impress him in class; i actually tripped and fell during the last one. standard.

xx

wake up to

fresh morning strawberries. mmmm.

xx

Spiritual Thought of the Day

blah blah blah

but true.

xx

good morning london :)

whenever i'm in london i have to have a daily cup o' joe from nero, specifically a soy latte (and i don't even drink coffee). it really hits the spot, especially against the morning chill. as always, i was welcomed by rain which i thought i'd hate, but surprisingly found refreshing and now that i'm all cozy and bundled up indoors, find oh so peaceful to listen to.

i hope you all have a great day!

xx penguina

john plays

magic.

meet jackson

my ex-roomie and her man now have a puppy and i've been honored as his godmother. it's a pivotal moment in my life tbh.

meet jackson, the very pensive, gentle pup.

very first family portrait-

godmother, very excited father, and proud mother. 

a child of a few words and always lost in thought (i like to believe he's contemplating his Dutch ancestry, and not where to pee next).

 he'll stay in any position you put him in, which is great and comforting to your ego, but deceiving at the same time. i actually thought he was enjoying storytime until i saw this photo...

xx penguina

LISTEN TO ME: train - drive by

this is where a brain remote would come in very handy seeing as i can't get this out of my head! the chorus is really starting to annoy me... 

getaway in bahrain

being born and raised in bahrain means it'll always be a special lil island for me, so spending the weekend there was refreshing and just what i needed. regardless of all the shiii going on there, i always find it so peaceful and happy, especially in comparison to the uae where i'm sure the trees judge us. this trip was the first leg of my summer journey, and was of course for a wedding. despite the brevity of our stay, it was all about relaxing, catching up with old friends and being idiots with some of my closests. 

how to enjoy your flight: go wild with a camera. somehow it doesn't get old.

attempt normalcy. fail.

(excuse yazzy on the left, she never gets it)

get more excited.

 count on me to push the dork limits.

make psycho look reasonable.

attempt the roller coaster.

 (please check out ali's face in the back - absolutely priceless)

attempt normalcy again. fail.

 (ali needs to get out more)

 try to look hot, but lose hope after 15 unsuccessful shots.  

xx penguina

25 things I've learned in my 20s....

my friend yas always finds a way to entertain my life; today's entertainment was this article written by ryan o'connell- 25 things I've learned in my 20s. it's quite kosher i feel like i wrote it. we might all have a lot more in common than we thought except i guess i don't have much else to learn in the next 5 years of my twenties...

1. You can’t date a jerk and expect to turn them into a good person. Jerks are fully committed to being unpleasant. Those brief moments of tenderness they give you are designed to trip you up and give you false hope. It’s best to stay away altogether.
2. The rumors are true: your metabolism does slow down as you get older! That means if you’re still eating whatever you want, there’s a good chance you’ll start to gain an awkward amount of weight. It won’t be too drastic but your clothes will start to hang differently on your body and you’ll feel an overall feeling of unattractiveness. Start to be conscious of what you eat and strive to live a healthier lifestyle if you want to get your teen body back. (Let’s be real though, that might not ever come back.)
3. You’re going to lose touch with a lot of your friends. With some people, it will be expected but with others it will feel like a punch to the stomach. No friendship is truly safe in your twenties. You’re undergoing so many personal and professional changes that there’s bound to be some casualties along the way. Don’t worry though. You’ll end up with the ones that matter. If someone’s no longer in your life, it’s for a reason.
4. You’ll be jealous of everyone who’s more successful than you. That’s okay. Just transfer that jealousy into something productive, like working really hard so you can one day eclipse them and make them feel jealous of YOU.
5. You’ll question every decision you make and never feel completely certain that you made the right choice. It’s pointless to wonder though. You’re here now so you might as well make it be the right decision.

yeah

priceless ventura

ace makes my day anyday.

xx

just fyi

sadly this really applies to me. 

xx

recent realizations

the jellyfish always has to ruin the moment...

• can someone please design the perfect bikini for tanning that conceals yet helps avoid the tan lines? thanks.
• i really like silk.
• i get very nervous if i can't see burj khalifa. 
• any fun moment will always pass by so quickly. so inconvenient. 
• i suddenly have an urge to adopt children (in the future obv).
• i'm a little intimidated by girls who play the violin.
• change is frightening ONLY because we always feel our situation might worsen instead of improve. why are we so negative?!
• note to self: avoid maxi dresses after getting asked if i was pregnant in one.
• being around crows in fujeirah felt like i was around the ravens in game of thrones. yeah i'm a little obsessed.
• i've just accepted that i'll never find the nail polish color i'm looking for. it's not completely white, but a bit off-pink and opaque. 
• i need to start using packing organizers.
• i love midnight snacking and anyone who'll snack with me.
• the sea at night is nothing without phytoplankton.
• i find straight guys who notice every detail of a girl i.e. if her manicure is up to par, very creepy.
• being told a juicy secret is like having a live grenade attached to you. i'd rather not know. 
• i shouldn't have let peanut butter back into my life. oh well.

 xx penguina

nook worm

so i'm really excited about my nook. yup, that excited i had to pose with it like that. it's cool, i embrace my nerd. i love books and still buy them for the library i will one day have, yes, with dangerous sliding ladders and secret passageways; but the idea of not having to carry a brick slash harry potter slash porn - in my defense i did NOT know anything about 50 shades of grey before i started it,  around doesn't sound too bad to me. i'd written a post about the nook a year ago, my brother works on the interface so i remember trying it out. i made it pretty clear to him that i liked it then.... he chose to ignore my hints, thanks tamer :p 

i suggest you guys check it out. you're practically carrying a whole library in a tiny tablet that's easy to read from, esp with its glow light. considering it's summertime, it's the perfect time to invest in one for the beach/plane. you can also highlight words or look them up. very nerd friendly. it's also much cuter than the kindle. lots more personality. i'm attached.

happy readings :)

xx penguina

olden misery

oh the woes of being an adult. if this at all sounds familiar to you, there's actually help on earth. that poor old man is probably still sitting on his drunken star. love how the little prince just peaces out. 

xx

break it down milk

in case you were wondering, milk knows exactly how to enjoy itself and which friends to do it with.
a friend's friend uploaded this video. not sure what the motivation was, but i like knowing there are people out there who still like to experiment in the kitchen.

who would have known food coloring, milk, and dish soap could have such a creative orgy together. 

xx

g'morning dubai

the great thing about living in abu dhabi and having so many friends in dubai is the fun of being a nomad whenever i visit. this weekend was extra special, not only because i stayed with my ex roomie from uni who just recently moved here, but also because the view from her bedroom is prettay damn cool! i'm sure she loved how the first thing i did every morning was let all the sunshine in to enjoy the view. it's also a stunning sight much earlier in the morning when the clouds are at eye level.

this is definitely not dxb mall's best angle. i get tired just looking at it... 

xx penguina

LISTEN TO ME: devil's tears

i'll taste the devils tears, drink from his soul

but i'll never give up you.

******

xx