Friday GourMed Brunch at Basilico, The Cove Rotana Resort

It's no secret that brunches are the thing to do on Fridays in Dubai.  With countless hotels and restaurants having their own tempting packages, cuisines and activities, you can practically try a different one each week and still want to see what the others have to offer.

But what if the brunch was in a different emirate?  Would you be willing to drive a long way to get there? And would it be worth it?

What’s New With Radisson Blu’s Fish Market?

If you haven’t heard, Fish Market in Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek re-opened with its revamped look last September 6. And fortunately, Hubby and I were invited to experience its legacy the new way one night last week with Veronica, the hotel’s Senior Sales Manager. I remember we had dinner and Friday brunch there a few times before and as far as I can recall, back then the restaurant had the ambiance of those markets in Thailand where fresh seafood and vegetables are laid out, and the interiors are mostly made from bamboo. Well this time, it hardly looked like anything to what I remembered, because there were three major things that changed with Fish Market:

6 Reasons to Try Al Dawaar Revolving Restaurant & Lounge

When the people at Hyatt Regency Dubai told me a few months ago that their revolving restaurant was undergoing a makeover, naturally I was thrilled.  After all, Al Dawaar is one of my favorite fine dining places so I was excited to see how it would look like.  But of course I just knew it would be amazing. 

Fast forward to last Sunday, my family and I excitedly stepped into the hotel lobby of Deira's iconic hotel after receiving an invitation to try the dinner buffet at their newly renovated restaurant.  As soon as the doors opened on the 25th floor, I immediately saw the huge change.  Practically everything was different!  In a good way, of course.  I was impressed the entire time Ji Eun (Al Dawaar's Assistant Manager) showed us around as she explained the transformation it had gone through.

Doner Deli at Al Barari

I had received an invitation to Doner Deli’s event at their Al Barari branch a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn’t able to attend because it fell on a weekday and I was swamped with work. Fortunately, I had the chance to visit the same branch with my family over the weekend, allowing us to see and taste for ourselves what made it different from the shawarma that we’re more accustomed to.

The restaurant also has branches in Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, Al Barsha, and Fujairah.  Al Barari is not exactly near where we live, but since it was on the way to where we would be going to later, it was the convenient choice for us.  I also heard that there was a playground in front of the restaurant where kids could play, so being a mom, that was a plus.

Casa Pinoy Restaurant in Karama

One of the traits we Filipinos are known for are our love for food.  Whether there's an occasion to celebrate or we want to catch up with a friend, we have to eat.  Just go to Karama, Deira or Satwa, and you'll see several restaurants filled with kabayans enjoying their meal. We simply like to eat.

Of course I'm no exception. And when we heard there was a newly opened resto in the residential district where we used to live, Hubby and I decided to try it out.

#ComeAsYouAre With Crocs Isabella Sandals {A Review}

I used to own only 2 pairs of Crocs shoes: the Farrah Ballet Flats and Huarache Mini Wedge. I can't remember how long I've owned them, but for sure it's been around 3 or 4 years. Until now, I still use them because they're comfy, allows me to keep up with my kids, and just so comfortable! J

I was actually thinking of getting another pair when lo and behold! Crocs sent me an invitation to work with them for their new campaign. Of course I immediately said YES! And after a quick browse on the net revealed that superstars Drew Barrymore, John Cena, Henry Lau and YOONA recently joined Crocs as its global brand ambassadors, I was even more thrilled!

La Dolce Vita Friday Brunch at Andiamo!

La Dolce Vita is Italian for "the sweet life."  Andiamo! means "let's go!" Put them together, and you get an invitation to enjoy a life full of pleasure and indulgence...or in my case last Friday, to a feast of delectable Italian dishes with Hubby and my two girls at Grand Hyatt Dubai's newly refurbished restaurant.

I remember being very satisfied with the food when I had dinner with my family at Andiamo! for my birthday three years ago; so having come from a tiring walking activity in the morning, I was really looking forward to our brunch that day.

Asian Lunch Buffet at Liwan, Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana

For the past few months, my family and I have been having our Saturday lunches in fast food restaurants or food courts in the malls.  Not exactly healthy, I know, but we're always outside at 1pm, and by then, we're all hungry and we want quick fixes to fill our growling tummies. However, last Saturday was different as we were treated to a delectable spread of Asian cuisine in Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana.

A New Miyako at Hyatt Regency Dubai

Nine months after our visit, I received another invitation to dine at Hyatt Regency Dubai's Japanese restaurant Miyako.  This time, though, it was because it had been recently renovated so it was a great opportunity to see what changes it had gone through.

My family of four arrived in the hotel lobby at 7:30pm one night last week, met with their Sales Manager, and we proceeded to the "new" Miyako.  As we approached the restaurant, we immediately noticed its new look.  Instead of the brownish-yellow marble wall with the red and black logo, it was now covered with vertical pieces of wood and its name done with horizontal pieces.

Sisters in Switzerland: Kempinski Grand Hôtel des Bains

Judging from the title and my previous post about our trip, I’m sure you’d have guessed that my sister and I stayed at the prestigious Kempinski Grand Hôtel des Bains when we were in St. Moritz last year. Unbelievable huh?!  Even I still can’t believe how lucky we were!

The hotel certainly lives up to its name. Everything about it shouted luxury and grandeur.  Very impressive!

Sushi Restaurant - A Hidden Gem in Sharjah

A restaurant with a name like Sushi Restaurant doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? And if you’re from Dubai and told that it’s located at the Industrial Area in Sharjah, I’m sure you’d forgo the idea of travelling all the way there, right?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to us one Friday after Hubby and I attended a presentation. One of the Titos we know from the CFC community invited us to try the restaurant for lunch; but it was only when Tito Rick guaranteed that the food was really delicious did Hubby and I agree to join; and despite their hesitations, we convinced our friends Oliver and Ana to go with us as well ☺

Chef's Table in Little Manila

Little Manila celebrated its first anniversary today, and I, along with Hubby and a few other bloggers and vloggers, was lucky to have been part of the restaurant's history when we were invited to the Chef's Table last Saturday to try out new items that were going to be introduced to their menu.

The first thing I noticed upon approaching the Pinoy resto was the iconic jeepney parked proudly outside.  This was made and brought all the way from the Philippines, in time for Little Manila's anniversary, and passersby are very welcome to sit inside!

Sisters in Switzerland: Crowne Plaza Zurich

As I mentioned in my previous post, Ate Ning and I stayed in Crowne Plaza Zurich during the first half of our trip.

Staff & Service

Despite our tired bodies when we arrived at the hotel on our first day, we couldn’t help feeling energized by the cheerful Guest Relations staff who warmly greeted us as soon as we entered the lobby. When we told them it was our first time ever in Switzerland, they were more than happy to assist us.

Like most hotels, they have contacts with local tour companies; and once we decided what we wanted to do on our second day, they made the arrangements and explained how to reach the pick-up point. We didn’t have to worry about anything else.

Pinoy Food Favorites at Little Manila

When news came out that Al Ahli Group had opened a restaurant called Little Manila last year, I was excited to try it out. After all, it was the first time favourite dishes and popular food and beverage outlets from the Philippines would all be available under one roof, so you can understand why the Filipino community was buzzing with excitement. However, as days and weeks passed, we discovered through our friends that the quality of food and service were somewhat disappointing. This negative feedback didn’t bother us, though. We still wanted to try it, but I admit the enthusiasm wasn’t as great to convince us to find time in our schedules and go all the way to Al Muraqqabat in Deira.

Ramadan Iftars 2016

My last post was about an authentic Emirati restaurant, and since it's still the month of Ramadan, what better topic to blog about than Iftar dinners, right? Right. So let me share with you the ones Hubby and I were blessed to have been invited to this year.  Unfortunately, though, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted at most of them because I was either there as a corporate guest (and I was just too shy to take a lot of pictures), or I didn't know how to use my camera properly to adjust with the lighting.  Just use your imagination na lang, ok? ☺

Aseelah Restaurant, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek

Aseelah. In Arabic, it means “one belonging to a great heritage and family.” However, if you haven’t heard yet, Aseelah is also the newest restaurant at Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek that opened on the 1st of June.

Having visited the hotel a few times and always seeing the wall announcement that it was “Coming Soon,” I was curious when the restaurant would actually open and what kind of food it would serve. When I had a taste of the camel sliders during the cruise on Al Mansour Dhow with my sister, and again at the Taste of Dubai last March, at least I had an idea of what to expect. But these just made me look forward to its opening even more.

Review: Chocolate Spa and Hot Oil Treatment at Queens Beauty Lounge

Last week I was contemplating on visiting the salon near our home. Nine months after having my hair rebonded, the curls and waves were already showing, and because of this, my hair was in the early stages of frizziness. Plus, my nails were in desperate need of cleaning because it’s been months since I’ve had a mani-pedi.

So just when I was wondering if I had time to visit the neighborhood salon that weekend, I received an invitation in my inbox from no less than Sakshi Nath to try the services of Queens Beauty Lounge. Hurray! The heavens must have heard the cries of my nails and hair! ☺ Of course I grabbed the opportunity and booked an appointment right away.

Post-Birthday Weekend Stay at Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah

Unlike the past years, we didn’t have any party or “big” celebration for Sophie’s 3rd birthday this year. I simply took the day off to take her for a date at Dubai Mall; and then in the evening when Hubby got off work, our family had dinner at TGIFriday’s (more about this in a separate post, I promise). However, we were very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend the weekend after her birthday at Radisson Blu Resort Sharjah, so this treat was simply perfect timing.

Our stay was for the first 3 days of October, from Thursday to Saturday. Naturally, being the last day of the workweek and the building that caught fire that afternoon, we expected to arrive at the resort pretty late because of the traffic, and yes, we did. However, we did manage to avoid most of the main roads that had really heavy traffic. Caila and Sophie both fell asleep on the way, but as soon as we arrived and I told them we had finally reached the “nice, nice house,” they became all excited and re-energized.