Finally, 2012

I woke up today and remembered I had a blog :) It's been a while since I've let that happen.

So it’s 2012, and I know I don’t only speak for myself when I say 2011 was sort of a bitch of a year despite the good. I’m looking forward to a new year and really do hope the best of '11 will only match up to the worst of '12.

I’m not sure how I managed to party every single night during the two weeks leading up to the new year. I made sure that no matter what, I’d end the year with a bang, and that involved being exhausted.. and intoxicated. One drink does it for me believe it or not. Yesterday was the first night I slept before 5 am. I blame Beirut.  I was there for a wedding and a couple engagements, and each event had a pre-party that drained my energy. I actually cut my stay short because my body couldn’t handle it. I had some stuff to deal with back home, which is mainly the reason. You’d think I’d come back and rest, I didn’t even sleep after getting 4 hours of rest before my flight- I just showered, changed and went out. In my defense, two good friends were visiting and stayed with me, so we were excited. Resting on the 30^th didn’t happen either; but I’m pretty glad I was reckless and irresponsible in that respect; it was worth it. In the past two weeks I’ve managed to see most of my oldest and dearest friends from all over. It was nice to have the old and new in one place. 

I had no idea what to expect of New Years Eve (which imo is the better way to celebrate it) and so I had a lot of fun, the venue was great – at Park Hyatt Creek Hotel at Legends. There was yummy food (I'm still questioning the date with foie gras though), lots of space to lounge around, and a dance floor to go wild on. It’s not always easy to find that balance. Most importantly I was in good company. The photo on the left is of me and two very special friends of mine at the party. 

I still haven’t thought about all my resolutions. I’m trying to be realistic this year. The first one I’ve already prepped myself for is to be more adventurous. I’m thinking, spend less time in Dubai and more time in new places. We’ll see. We should all stop picking on the small insignificant details- that doesn’t get old does it? Stop complaining and force ourselves to find a happy place, be surrounded by people who inspire us-not bring us down. Meet new people. Put ourselves in challenging positions (not talking about in bed, but sure) to build that muscle in us that helps us adapt to changes in life. Get in touch with ourselves-meditate. Ditch the comfort zone. Work on a new sport/talent. Stop trying to find our soul mate (don't cringe you know it's a subconscious thought)-I don’t believe we have just one. Do more charity work at least once a month-give something away that we really like. Spend more time with family. So many more to think about!

I hope you all enjoyed your New Years Eve and wish you all a fresh new start. Make this year a memorable one. I wish you all good health, happiness, love and success xx

Holiday Check-in: Beirut Day 2

I'm staying at my best friend's apartment in Beirut, it's right on the corniche in a lovely building and our view is directly facing the Mediterranean Sea. This photo was taken my first day, exactly the gloomy day I've been craving for so long. 

Christmas was great, on the 24th we had a yummy dinner with family and the 25th was spent with close friends and family then turned into the first night of partying for me. For those of you who know the city, I went to Angry Monkey, then ended the night in My Bar. Both completely different crowds but just as close to me. It was weird but so much fun to be with nearly the whole Boston crowd I'd party with when I was in uni. Good times. Cheers to people not changing and only changing for the better if they do :)

Today though, it's sunny and the weather is fresh and beautiful so I plan on spending time outdoors. Just trying to regain some energy. I'm here to attend two engagements and a wedding, and for anyone who knows Beirut, that means a pre-party and a post-party for every event, so it's up to my mornings and days to get myself together. I make it sound like I'm falling apart (not the case) it's just the sort of semi abusive relationship you have with Beirut when you visit; you know exerting energy until 5 am daily can't be that good for you, but it's just too addictive to say no to, and staying home is not an option.  

I'm going to try checking in as much as I can here. I hope you all have a great day! xx

Xmas Tune of the Day: Silent Night

Sleep in heavenly peace

*Merry Christmas*

I arrived in Beirut this afternoon and was swept away by the wind... literally! I'm not complaining one bit though; I welcomed the rain drops and gloomy weather with open arms.

I wish you're all spending your Christmas with people you like or better yet, love. Push aside any concerns or worries you may have; no matter what sort of negative point you might be at, look at the beauty in life and in love. Make sure you milk every bit of the Christmas spirit and I hope it's a joyous holiday season for all of you whether you celebrate or not, brimming with love, laughter mulled wine, delicious treats and LOTS of presents xx

Love always, 

                              May

Christmas Recipe: Sweet Potato & Marshmallow Casserole

One of my favorite dishes that I usually only ever eat during Thanksgiving or Christmas, is a Sweet Potato & Marshmallow Casserole. It's the savory dish that thinks it's a dessert. When it's around, I don't really see anything else on the table... that's right, it's love. If  it's made to perfection, you won't be able to stop eating.

Once you delve in with your spoon, you move deeper through the layers of goodness; first the slightly burnt and crispy marshmallows that are melted in the middle, into the smooth sweet potato mash and if you're lucky you'll get the crunch of the toasted pecans with that bite. If you make this at home the aroma of the burnt sugar from the marshmallows, and the mix of cinnamon and orange will make you oh so happy, it's a seduction you won't be able to fight. Best thing about it, it's simple and easy to make; so unless your taste buds aren't alive, you won't be able to mess this one up.

Ingredients:

5 sweet potatoes, sliced
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup Acacia honey or brown sugar, up to your taste buds
3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1/3 cup of chopped toasted pecans
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (10.5 oz) pack of miniature marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain.
3. Place mashed sweet potatoes in large bowl, and use an electric mixer to blend with the applesauce, honey, orange juice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spread evenly into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Scatter  
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through, and marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.
5. Savor every bite. 

If you haven't tried this already, you'll be thanking me when you do :) 

Bon appetit! xx

Who Said Black Cats Weren't Good to Have Around?

How sweet! It's the gift of the mommy instinct in all of us. I've always loved black cats, this video just made me reaaally want one. Sometimes nothing is more rewarding than making someone else feel better. Love the look the cat gives at the end like, "and that's how it's done." 

Happy Thursday xx

Want to Educate Yourself?

For a lot of us, we wish we paid more attention in school, for some reason NOW we're much more interested in scooping as much education as we can into our brains. If you are one of these people who wants to give themselves that second go at learning everything from "arithmetic to physics, finance, and history" check out Khan Academy. You can learn everything you want at your own pace. Oh yeah, and it's free!

Since I'm on the topic of learning at our own pace, I have to recommend Lynda.com to those of you who aren't familiar. I spend hours on this site, mainly on Photoshop and Lightroom tutorials. This one isn't free, but it's perfect and will teach you everything about any software in detail. I prefer taking these online tutorials rather than courses because you can always take note of the videos and return to them whenever you need a recap. 

Xmas Tune of the Day

I hope you're all preparing for Christmas break. Milk each minute, relax, and find time to explore some new places! As for me, I can't wait to be spending Christmas in Beirut this year; it'll be jam packed with events so friends from all over will be flying in! Not to mention, it'll actually be cold (the way winters should be).

Happy Wednesday xx

More Pecha Kucha Night Photos

Found these photos taken at Pecha Kucha Night @ the Pavilion. Click the links to look at more photos of speakers and guests. 

Taken by Ahlan Magazine 

Taken by my favorite photobooth: fishfayce

TV Shows to Watch: Revenge

My roomie told me to start watching the show Revenge, so I decided to check it out. I've watched an episode and I'm hooked; be prepared for what seems like a modern day Count of Monte Cristo in the Hamptons..

I'm also a little obsessed with Joshua Bowman.

We would probably never get along considering the shirt he's wearing, but he's just really.. nice to look at. This photo doesn't do him justice though, you'll have to watch the first episode.

I also never thought much of Emily VanCamp in Brothers & Sisters, but I really like her in this show too. She's just got this monotone expression that's a reaction for everything, and I'm hoping it's meant to be that way.

I wouldn't mind having a house in the Hamptons, just without all the drama that seems to come with it. This show makes me filter the people there to abnormally rich charity givers who don't have much to do except look good while trying to convince everyone including themselves that they have the perfect family. I should probably watch more than one episode before making all these judgements.