LISTEN TO ME: follow u - yogi ft. ayah marar

i'm loving this. she's also jordanian which is pretty damn cool. 

xx

BEAUTY: hair against the sun

it's that time of the year when we willingly enter an abusive relationship with that big bad ball of fire we call the sun. i don't care how many sherry argov books you've read, there's no being a bitch with this force. despite all the maladies it perpetually threatens us with, we choose to sit under it for hours to feel like we're glowing for the next couple of days. hey, the compliments that ensue are totally worth it, right? 

who doesn't love that moment when you're focusing so intently on those rays of light that you almost feel them infiltrating every single pore, it gets a bit too intense at times. and yet, it doesn't matter much that you're actually testing your dehydration levels while pretty much cooking yourself alive minus the skewer and the shawarma spices. you just know how pleased you'll be, looking at your reflection after your shower; not to mention the little trips to the loo at the beach where you anticipate pulling down your bikini bottom to check out the tan thinking "hellz yeaahhh" the higher the contrast is. yes, it's a common joy we all rejoice in let's hold hands.

the point of this post is taking care of your locks this sultry season. my hair has always been a significant part of my life, mainly because of the years its taken to figure out what it needs to just chill the f out. it also sent me to an emergency acupuncture session when i was six and sprained my neck trying to brush it in vexation after a very unnecessary comment made by my brother. he found it funny. i didn't. it took some time and therapy, but we're friends now. my hair is very curly you see (i call it curly, not frizzy. please take note). i actually wished on a shooting star that i'd wake up with it straight when i was nine. oh the innocence of our youth. needless to say, it was a futile approach and i stopped wishing on shooting stars that year. just to let you know i'm fine now and i love it and i wouldn't be me without it. 

this was not supposed to get that personal... glad we're closer. more on the subject of the sun's abuse to our hair. i've found that a hat will protect so much aka very little, and more so just your scalp. since people are generally shocked that my hair is soft because of the curls (it doesn't appreciate the pre-judgement, fyi), i've realized i'm doing something right. what i use once my hair dries after i shower, and religiously after being out in the sun, is ARGAN OIL. i'm sure you've heard of it but not sure if you've really explored it. well do. you'll notice a difference instantly. after all, a fried head of hair is not part of your summer glow.

xx penguina

my kind of brunch

i truly love brunch on a lazy day with good company. for some reason i never get around to it in dxb. it always ends up having to be in some extravagant buffet at a hotel with people who act like they've never experienced booze during the day and are so daring for trying it aaaah. i'll start my search after ramadan. 

photos are from harvest in harvard square. 

1st course: fresh oysters and a bellini (my favorite).

2nd course: vegetable frittata with english breakfast tea.

3rd course: spoil yourself with something sweet. this mint-pineaple sorbet hit the spot.

xx

if he says...

... he's a keeper.

xx

*daily treat*

despite the fact that the doc told me to avoid all dairy, i cracked; i just couldn't walk by pinkberry and not have some. it didn't even matter that my stomach pains made me feel like dying would have been a better option last week. i blame my devil-may-care attitude towards life (i'm so bad aren't i). my camera didn't even consent, she purposely didn't focus on my subject. very rude. 

i just noticed my life somewhat lackluster and broke it down to the fact that i haven't had my favorite froyo in far too long. i've found that it's my hardest dairy weakness; i can live without the rest. yes, even cheese. SO, i got my favorite choco-pomegranate duo, and was having serious trouble concentrating on the discussion i was having with my friend about the many reasons her life has changed for the better... i think. 

regardless of the fact that i got stuck in sheikh zayed road's 6pm traffic, or that the humidity decided to style my hair for the ideal "before" shot of an anti-frizz informercial promoting how to handle the absolute WORST frizz, or that a friend described his newborn's shitskapades during lunch, or that female circumcision came up in convo with a friend and my pops at dinner (why?!?), it didn't matter, cuz i had my pinkberry, and my day was made :)

moral: yolo. give in to the daily treat.

xx penguina

LISTEN TO ME: bitter:sweet - dirty laundry

 what's the fun in playing it safe?

i think I'd rather misbehave

my way

****

love me some good electro swing. let this bring out the coy kitten in you (girls).

xx

i dare you

to follow some of these at work. my friend dalia sent me these dares and i actually laughed out loud reading quite a few of them. creating, being in, and watching awkward moments, is basically my life. i highly recommend you to follow suit. 

ONE-POINT DARES
 1. Ignore the first five people who say 'good morning' to you.
 2.To signal the end of a conversation, clamp your hands over your  ears and grimace. (lol)
 3.Leave your fly open for one hour. If anyone points it out, say, "Sorry, I really prefer it this way".
 4.Walk sideways to the photocopier.
 5.While going in an elevator, gasp dramatically each time the doors open.
 6.When in elevator with one other person, tap them on the shoulder  and pretend it wasn't you.
 7.Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy..." (so annoying)
 8.Don't use any punctuation.
 9.Interrupt your conversation with someone by giving a huge dejected sigh. (i'd so do this)
 10.Use your highlighter pen on the computer screen.

THREE-POINT DARES 
 11.Say to your boss, "I like your style", wink, and shoot him with double-barreled fingers. (crinnnge worthy)
 12.Kneel in front of the water cooler and drink directly from the nozzle.
 13.Shout random numbers while someone is counting.
 14.Every time you get an email, shout ''email''.
 15.Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has got over his or her caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
 16.Keep hole punching your finger. Each time you do, shout,  "dagnamit, it's happened again!". Then do it again.
 17. Introduce yourself to a new colleague as "the office bicycle". Then wink and pout.
 18. Call I.T. helpdesk and tell them that you can't seem to access any pornography web sites. (yesss)
  

LISTEN TO ME: hot chip - motion sickness

everything spins, everything spins from my head til my motion sickness

****

finally some hot chip back in our lives. 

xx

humidity thinks it's love

humidity is such a pain in the arse this time of year. it's super affectionate and will smother you to suffocation. kind of like someone annoying who just doesn't get the point. my camera didn't appreciate the effect the humidity uninvitedly offered either - i didn't alter the photo in any way. ugh i can feel the stickiness looking at it. it'd probably be pretty amusing watching someone who relied on their specs try to get around tho.

i hope you're all able to handle it (pointless comment).

xx penguina

WEAR: floral pumps

these alice + olivia floral devon pumps look like good fun.

xx