HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wish you all a wonderful BRILLIANT fantastic amazing FABULOUS and magnificent 2010!

Image: Tumblr

AND THE WINNER IS…

Congratulations HANAA (BASBOOSA)!! You have won a Men’s Watch from Orient Japan. I hope your husband enjoys wearing it! An email will be sent to you right away, so be sure to check your Inbox (and Spam Folder just in case). If you do not respond within 3 days, I will have to choose another winner.

Thank you everyone for participating. This is 2009’s last giveaway! Here’s to hoping that 2010 brings us bigger and better ones! Happy New Year!

DECEMBER COLOR PALETTE

 

Images (Clockwise from top left)

{ Nymag.com – Paulette – Martha Stewart – Brabourne Farm }

WINTER DREAM TEA LATTE

Run, don’t walk, or better yet, drive to your nearest Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (which is my favorite “fast-coffee” chain by far) and get yourself a Winter Dream Tea Latte with a dash of vanilla. Oh. My. God. It is heaven in a cup.

Ever since I tried CBTL’s Vanilla Latte, I became an addict. I’ve tried purchasing their vanilla powder, but they don’t sell it over here – EXCEPT - during the winter season, when they offer promotions on some items. This year, like the last, they’re offering the vanilla as part of a trio of flavors. I got that last year, and was planning on doing it again (yes, I buy the whole thing just for the vanilla), when another thing caught my eye. It was a Christmas-like package that included a large mug, a LARGE can of vanilla powder, a Winter Dream Tea can and a tiny whisk! How cute. Sold!

Back home, I unwrapped the package, opened the can and almost fainted. The tea smells divine! It is spicey and heady and dreamy! Both the can and the mug feature recipes, which I’ve adapted and changed a bit. Here’s what I did:

Pour a quarter cup of boiling water into your LARGE mug. Seep the teabag in it for 5 minutes, then discard. Boil or heat your milk (I use low fat) either in the microwave or on the stove – either way it should be quite hot. Add it to the tea. Add a tablespoon of THE vanilla powder. Add sugar if you like it sweet – I used one Splenda sachet. Don’t forget to whisk it!

Drink up!

Note: By the time you read this, I will have bought enough of their stock (which the label says expires by the end of 2010) to last me a year – just in time for their next promotion.

Update: My friends have informed me that the latte is sold as a promotional package only (see above photo) and is not made at the coffee shops here (Kuwait).

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: SHANTA

It’s funny how the universe works. Sometimes you think that some things are coincidences. But other times, some incidents make you have your doubts. A couple of days ago, my sister called me from a shop downtown and said that she had been eyeing a bag made by some local designers. She said it was really pretty and she really wants it, and she was wondering if it justifies the price. At first, I had my doubts. I had heard of this brand, Shanta, before, but have never seen it’s designs let alone touch it or analyze its worth. So, I told her to hold the thought, and think about it for a while. On that same evening, I received an email from one of the designers of Shanta, introducing me to her line and informing me of their upcoming exhibition. Coincidence or fate?

Shanta, which means “bag” in several Arabic dialects, is a collaboration of two friends, Muneera Al Naibari and Sirine Sadeddin, which produces unique and creative handbags. They describe their designs as “not just an item but a style that is the right mix of timeless elegance with a funky edge”. That statement describes it perfectly, especially when it comes to their Classic line. I fell in love with their Classic handbags, which can also be used as clutches. They come in gorgeous luxurious leathers and a perfect boxy, fold-over shape, and can come in neutral colors such as beige or funky colors such as hot pink or turquoise.

Now the question is, should I get my own, or should I just steal share my sister’s?

Shanta is available in Fortune Cookie boutique (Karizma House, Kuwait), Cream (Saifi Village, Lebanon) and online at Facebook, and Pickyourtag.com.

Their upcoming exhibition will be held at The Exhibition, next to Slider Station, on the 28th and 29th of December from 10 am - 10 pm.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Have a wonderful and very merry Christmas!

Image: Tumblr

WIN A MEN’S STYLE WATCH FROM ORIENT JAPAN!

Hey everyone! This giveaway is extra special and bittersweet at the same time. It’s the last one that’s going to take place on this blog this year (as in 2009). Today’s giveaway is an Orient Japan 50M water resistant men’s style watch with scratch resistant mineral crystal, a stainless steel case and Japanese design engineering (see above picture). They make awesome men's watches, such as the gorgeous cem65001m model.

This watch is a perfect women’s accessory, if you’re looking for a chunky stylish piece – something to punch up your outfit. If it’s not your type, then why not for a special someone? Your dad, brother or partner..

To enter:

• Leave a comment telling me why you want this product in the comment section of this post.

• Leave your name and email in the comment (a first name will suffice).

• If you’re a follower of this blog, you will get an extra entry. But you must leave another comment telling me that you’re a follower.

• This item can only be shipped to US locations.

• The winners will be chosen at random and notified via email. If the winner does not respond within 3 days, another winner will be selected.

• Please follow the above rules or your entry will be disqualified.

The contest ends Wednesday December 30th, 2009. The winners will be announced the following day.

GOOD LUCK!

THE MOST AWESOME WOMAN ON THE PLANET

Seriously, is Ellen one of the most awesome women in the world or what?Please pleeaaaase watch her speech for Tulane University’s 2009 Commencement Ceremony speech. It makes me want to weep at how boring mine was!

I used to watch reruns of her old sitcom Ellen, and I LOVE her current talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show. I truly think she’s one of the funnies women alive. Maybe even the funniest woman alive! LOVE YOU ELLEN!!

AND THE WINNER IS…

Congratulations MINDY and CRYSTAL (QUEEN MAMA)!! You have both won a Perricone MD Acne Kit containing a Cleanser, Toner, Acne Treatment and Hydrator. An email will be sent to you right away, so be sure to check your Inbox (and Spam Folder just in case). If you do not respond within 3 days, I will have to choose another winner.

Thank you for joining everyone. There is one more giveaway to go before the year ends, so keep your eyes peeled! I promise it’s a good one.

Note: I have eliminated the entries which do not have an email. I give everyone more than a fair chance. For those who didn’t leave an email, I check each person’s link to see if they have an email in their blogger account, or on their actual blog. I always stress the importance of the email.  I also draw the winner after the deadline internationally, so that everyone gets a chance to enter.

PERFUME OF THE MONTH: LE POT AUX ROSES

Le Pot Aux Roses by Stephanie de Saint-Aignan has become one of my favorites. I discovered it last summer in a small boutique in a small French town on a mountain. I loved it so much that I bought the entire stock (which was only 2 by the way!). The shop lady said she thought it was discontinued so I was really disappointed.

The perfume literally smells like a pot of roses. Roses that have been marinating in white musk. Breathtaking!

I cherished those two bottles like they were pieces of diamond, and I was afraid of wasting any drop of it, so I decided I will not use it daily, but from time to time. Some weeks later, I was shopping in Paris at Le Bon Marche, when my sister pointed to some shelves. And lo and behold! There was a whole collection of perfumes by Stephanie de Saint-Aignan! I bought a couple more including Berberiades – a very spicy scent.

Here’s a surprising fact I just found out from their site. The fragrance is “a rosy violet floral that does not actually contain any rose”. I can’t believe it! Really, you have to go smell this. Now.

With Notes of: Violet, Iris, White Musk, and Green Notes.

WIN AN NV PERRICONE ACNE KIT!

I never tire of giveaways. But the thing that exasperates me the most is that I can’t take part in them. This week’s giveaway is especially important to me because, frankly, who doesn’t have skin problems now and then? If you’re one of the lucky few, then don’t tell me! If you’re not, then you’ll love this. I have two Perricone MD Acne Kits for you to win. Each kit contains a Cleanser, Toner, Acne Treatment and Hydrator. Read more about the contents of the kit at NV Perricone.

To win a Perricone Acne Kit:

• Leave a comment telling me why you need this product, why you think it will work and what your favorite Perricone MD products are, in the comment section of this post.

• Leave your name and email in the comment (a first name will suffice).

• If you’re a follower of this blog, you will get an extra entry. But you must leave another comment telling me that you’re a follower.

• This item can only be shipped to US locations.

• The winners will be chosen at random and notified via email. If the winner does not respond within 3 days, another winner will be selected.

• Please follow the above rules or your entry will be disqualified.

The contest ends Friday December 18th, 2009. The winners will be announced the following day.

GOOD LUCK!

NECKLUSH

I just discovered an amazing brand called Necklush. It’s a handmade scarf/necklace accessory. They are free-form cotton loops that can be worn as  a necklace, choker, scarf or even a headband. Some of the designs are screen printed, which makes them more limited than the single-color ones. Oh, and they’re unisex too.

The amazing thing is, you can loop them however way you want. That way you can never tire of wearing it. Love!

And how about the name? I think the name is just darling, don’t you?

Now I have a dilemma. I don’t know which one to get! The ones above are my favorite. Thoughts?

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: BLACK APPLE

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing 24 year old Maya Moussa and 26 year old Tala Kawash and reviewing their Beirut-based clutch line Black Apple. Let me tell you, these girls have got a good thing going. If you don’t want to eat up those designs, you might as well carry them!

Read the complete article and view more pictures at Khaleejesque.

AND THE WINNER IS…

Congratulations DIANA!! You have won a $100 Shopbop.com gift card good towards the entire Uggs Australia store. An email will be sent to you right away, so be sure to check your Inbox (and Spam Folder just in case). If you do not respond within 3 days, I will have to choose another winner.

Big thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway. There will be a couple more giveaways before the end of the month (and year), so keep checking back!

Note: I have eliminated the entries which do not have an email. I give everyone more than a fair chance - I even go as far as checking each person’s link to see if they have an email in their blogger account, or on their actual blog. I also draw the winner after the deadline in all countries (not just mine) so that everyone gets a chance to enter.

Another Note: So sorry for the delay in this announcement but I was down with the flu and couldn’t bear to turn on the computer until yesterday (when the Internet connection was horrible and refused to publish this post).