A Pastry Chef's Recipe Book - Love this

Nida's wall:

Lime Tree Cake Tasting

To those of you living in Dubai, there is no better time to go to Lime Tree Cafe than to pick up cake for someone's birthday. There's pretty much an excuse to get as many types as you want; unless you don't need that excuse which is great. That's exactly what I did a couple days ago. Then I justified it with being research for my blog as well. The cakes I chose in order of preference:

1. The Lime Tree Carrot Cake: carrot cake is my favorite, so I'm very picky. Lime Tree's was so moist and delicious but I would have enjoyed more nuts for that extra bite. Also the icing was slightly too creamy and sweet, I prefer it with more of a hint of a cream cheese flavor and slightly more granulated - similar to Magnolia's icing. 

2. Orange & Chunky Chocolate: Meant to be eaten with yoghurt but I preferred it without. It was a very yummy cake, not something I would crave regularly, but the taste was different which makes you want to keep eating until you figure out what it is you like. 

3. Banana Cake with Fresh Banana Frosting: I loved this cake once upon a time, but then when I tried it again the frosting was just way too sweet and it was overall too heavy. I would have preferred it without any icing at all, and perhaps some nuts (yes I'm obsessed with them).

4. Chocolate Sand Dune Cake: I had a bite of this cake and didn't return to it. I'm so picky with chocolate cakes, it has to be a specific flavor and texture I'm going for. It was too dense and dry. This one would have done well with a moist icing to balance out the textures more. 

Morning Tune

I thought I'd start your day off with some good old childhood memories :)

Spiritual Thought of the Day

Wear an inner smile. To be spiritually content is to constantly wear a quiet inner smile. The eyes light up with the sparkle of self-awareness and self acceptance, the face shines with happiness and the body moves with grace and ease through life. Today let me be content.

*Thank you mama*

Advice to the Frequent Flyer

I was recently told by a friend of mine who works as an airline hostess that it's important not to shower with hot water for at least 3 hours after a flight - it should be luke warm. Otherwise,  you run the risk of developing varicose veins, which no one really wants.

Word of the Day

u·biq·ui·tous/yo͞oˈbikwətəs/

Adjective: Present, appearing, or found everywhere

You know when your tongue just isn't a happy cookie and makes sure you mess up a word at all costs. I'm pretty sharp at pronouncing most English words, but I had such an internal battle trying to pronounce this one today. 

It's still threatening me. 

"Wrinkled, wrinkled little star... hope they never see the scars."

The above clip makes me realize just how much I love this movie. *sigh* I love you Meryl.

Funny enough, this is EXACTLY what I felt like as I was melting in Dubai's 8am sun for a shoot today, which coincidently takes place at a funeral. Minus the trip and disconnected limbs (sorry not as exciting). Good thing I'm still young and don't need to stick myself together with a can of spray paint. Clearly it's not safe to have around. Really sucks to be in their position.


"This is life's ultimate cruelty. It offers us a taste of youth and vitality, and then it makes us witness our own decay." Lisle Von Rhuman 




Maybe one day I'll wish that elixir they used really does exist...

Letting Loose with Robyn

                           More warehouse dancing. Love it!

Strawberry Tart à la Nida

I'm proud of everyone I know and their accomplishments, but one of the people who I love hearing from and am perpetually proud of is one of my besties Nida. She's one of the smartest girls I know and despite her initial dreams to use her Columbia degree and work in a top bank, she decided to take a slightly different turn and try out a passion she felt would only ever be let explored in her kitchen. 

After pastry school in Chicago she moved back to NYC and has worked for well reknown chefs such as Jean Georges (I forgot her new employer, but he's a good one).  I've told her to send me photos of her delicious work everyonce in a while and this is the first, after a trip to the farmers market.

Here's what Nida had to say, "My strawberry tart made very impromptu at home. Used all the strawberries from the Farmers Market. Citrus sucre shell, vanilla diplomat (a fluffy yet creamy mixture of pastry cream custard and lightly whipped cream), fresh strawberries, apricot jam as a nappage to glaze the berries so they don't wilt too much! Very simple, not too sinful, great with a floral glass of rosé!"

And I thought my impromptu PB + J sandwiches were special...

boys n girls: A cumulative conclusion of an on going debate

After talking to a lot of my single friends (guys and girls) we attempted to come down to a conclusion to the following question: Do people in Dubai fall in love? Obviously this is a generalization bla bla bla no one needs to get defensive. And I'm not one of those bitter people who hasn't found love here, or someone who constantly bashes it, on the contrary I've grown to love Dubai. Since I came here though, finding a couple who love each other beyond the black hole of superficiality that Dubai has been sucked into is like spotting Waldo on a page he isn't even on. I'm not talking about that premature love we are all aching to feel and say after a couple months of being with someone. But that genuine love that comes when you've stripped the person of everything they own, and are in the eyes of others, and just see with your own heart. 

I get it, we're all pressured by social/cultural/family expectations, but for some reason, these expectations have blown up to a more elitist and demanding level that is just a great way to fuel anyone's morale. Abu's hypnosis with that huge ruby in the Cave of Wonders is actually a state people get into here, except they wouldn't mind getting stuck in the cave (reference to Aladdin for all of you who had a weird upbringing). No one will ever EVER admit the reason they're with their partner who doesn't treat them that well or they don't even enjoy is because of his looks/social/monetary/family status. Despite the fact that their conversations are a bottomless pit of no substance, they manage to put up with it because of their low self esteem and the fact that they've forgotten or never experienced a partner who becomes their best friend and lover for being him/herself. 

At the end of the day, what makes them feel good isn't the person their partner is, but their nascant materialistic obsession of what he/she has, and ultimately how they look with him/her. The problem is these couples manage to convince themselves that they're happy, and only the lucky ones break free and realize their relationship wasn't real. Some people never do, but they don't need real. For those, Dubai is more than perfect. 

Reasons are endless as everyone has their own, but perhaps a lot of people are too busy boosting their own self-esteem, that they don't have enough attention to spare to take care of someone else, or love someone for who they are.  It could be that the people aren't capable of loving anyone other than themselves. Ultimately, I think it can be agreed on that Dubai has a pretentious fog over it. So maybe the correct question to ask is: Once you're sucked into that black hole of superficiality, can you find a way out?