New Year Giveaway

Happy New Year to my lovely readers, 2011 was a busy and hectic year to us Egyptians, we cried we laughed, we fought together, we stood together, but no one denies that 2011 was a year that the history will always remember as the year we had our freedom and made the impossible dream came true, personally 2011 was the best year in my life as I had my lovely son in it. let's us all hope that 2012 will be better than 2011 and I wish you all an utter fulfillment of your hopes and dreams.

Now let's talk about the giveaway, I was at Victoria's secret store last week, and I saw this set of four different types of Victoria's secret signature pink body mist.

I decided to get it and give away to one lucky reader, all you have to do is to make sure you did at least 2 of the 4 steps below, and leave your name and email, to inform you in case you win.
 Step 1: like the blog page on Facebook Press here
 Step 2: join the blog group on FacebookPress here
 Step 3: join the blog members Press here
 Step 4: follow the blog on twitterPress here

the winner will be randomly chosen and will have the gift delivered by courier, this giveaway is international meaning that you can join from any country in the world. and it will end on 31 January 2012.

Have a nice New year eve everyone, see ya in 2012

Hot or Not - Wearing rain boots in Egypt ?!!

Last year I was in Prague and it was freezing there, the temperature was something around -25 degree Celsius, all the streets were wet and slippery, and one day I was walking back to my hotel and I got stuck inside a pile of snow that reached to above my knees, for an instance I thought I won't go out of it with all of my toes, next morning I decided to head to the mall and get rain boots, I bought a pair of red hunter boots, going back to Egypt where it seldom rains, I didn't put them on again, but this winter I noticed that they are all over the online shops and some people are wearing them, especially that H&M had a few pairs.

But I am not sure if it's OK to wear them where there is no rain or even snow, though they can look great when styled up.
So what  do you guys think, is it a hot or not ?!

Maya Diab for Make up for ever

I was walking by the makeup and body care corner at  the Dubai mall, as I glimpsed something like a studio setup, when I approached I realized it's the new make up forever store, I heard before that MUFE has opened a concept store in the Dubai Mall, but haven't really seen it before. it's amazing really, stocked with thousands of MUFE items and with the cutting edge, backstage studio interiors it  makes you feel like a star doing her makeup in the movie set.

Photo: by me

MUFE chose Maya Diab to be their new face for their latest two collections" sculpted glow" and "smokey couture." I loved all of the makeup looks they created on her, so original and sexy, and I loved the idea of getting an Arab celebrity to represent the new lines, personally I love the  MUFE concealer and the 3D foundation.

Maya with the MUFE team

Magazines and nail polish

Some people collect coins, some people collect stamps, but me, I collect nail polishes and magazines, I've been collecting fashion magazines religiously since 1998, so I have piles and piles of magazines scattered everywhere in my old bedroom in my parents' house, the thing that makes my mum goes crazy on me, and I totally refuse to let go of a single copy of them, also I am a big collector of nail polishes although I don't wear them all the time, but whenever I stand by any nail polish stand in a store, I feel like buying the whole stand, my favourite nail polish brands are Essie, OPI and China glaze.
I decided to share with you some photos of my latest nail polishes purchase and my December magazines. "maybe one day will show you my whole collection."

I have a lot of reading to do

Christmas in Cairo

I don't celebrate Christmas, but my dear friends do, so I'd like to share this post with them, Christmas time for me is the best ever, I know it's Christmas when one of my dearest friend calls, to tell me about the DEO (the German School in Egypt) Bazaar, which unfortunately I missed for the last two years. I love when I walk into City Stars and find all shops hanging  the Xmas decoration, the red cups of Starbucks, the Christmas tree at Virgin Mega store, the turkey dinners I got invited to, the endless lines at Le Carnival and Sedra dessert shops even the little boys at El Thawra street, selling Santa masks and hats, all of this make me feel, like it's the most wonderful time of the year, IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME GUYS.

As I said before I don't celebrate Xmas, and at new year's eve,I am one of those boring people who stay home in PJs and my Christmas print fluffy slipper, I don't know why but I prefer a cozy family gathering over a night out that day, every year , my family gather for a heavy delicious dinner cooked by the greatest chef ever, a.k.a Mum. it's either a turkey or shrimps, and cannelloni has to be included " I really don't know why but it's a family tradition anyway", we have dinner while watching Home Alone part 1 and part 2, another family tradition I guess.

so here is my guide for spending Christmas in Cairo:

- The Decoration:
1- Theodor's:
a concept store in Maadi, that simply have the best Xmas decorating items and ornaments in Egypt.

 2- Everyman's:
a bookstore in Korba, that have amazing collection as well, and just in front of it, there is a tiny store that I can't remember its name right now, that shop also has a huge collection of pretty stuff and for cheaper prices.

3- El Mousky/ Dar El Barbra:
the area may not be so cool, but they have everything you can wish for, all Xmas trees types and sizes whether it's plastic or natural, candles, ornaments, everything really and for the cheapest prices ever but you have to bargain and bargain and bargain there, my advice if you want to go there, go in a group and watch for your belongings.

-The Candles:
I have two addictions in my life, designer bags and scented candles, and the last is the more likely I can get of course, back in 2008 at Christmas time, I enterd my friend's house in Amsterdam, and it smelt so nice and delicious, I told her this smells like Xmas, she told me that is because of the Yankee's candles she was burning, since then I have become addicted to the Yankee's candles, and also I like the bath and body works ones for Xmas.

-The Food:
you can find turkeys in almost every big supermarket in Egypt, but if you are looking for a premium quality one head to Gourmet shop in Dandy Mall or Maadi, I tried it once and I can tell you there is a signficant difference in the taste.

and you don't want to miss NOLA's Xmas cupcakes, not only they taste heavenly they are super cute too

- The Fashion:
finding a good evening gown in Egypt can be sometime harder than finding your soul mate, so to save your self the hassel, head straight to Dresscode in city stars, or to the boutique in the 5th settlement, they are the best when in comes to evening gowns.

Dresscode

The Boutique

 - The gifts:
if you haven't finished all your Xmas shopping by now, head to amuse they have nice ideas for unique gifts, or go to faces and the body shop they have nice affordable packages of perfumes and body lotions. and if you are too lazy to get out of your pajamas log into www.bungalowh.com, it's an online shop for international and local designer clothes, acessories, baby stuff, candles and more, not only you can shop by a mouse click, they will get what you want deliverd and wrapped at the same day.

-The Music:
This is my favourite Christmas song, what is yours ?

 

 

Have a happy Christmas everyone, and a happy new year

It's fishy in City Stars

Well finally you don't have to travel to Thailand for a fish spa,because a Fish Spa called (It's Fishy) will be  opening soon in City Stars Mall, if you are not accquintated with the fish spa, it's basically water tank filled with Guarra Rufa, a kind of tiny fishes with no teeth that exfoliate the dead dry skin and leaves your feet smooth and soft. also they will be having different kind of treatments and massages.
I am so excited about that, what about you guys?
I promise as soon they open I will try and let you know what I think about.

I have to have it !!

I like Ego store in Orouba so much, I used to go there a lot to browse the new collections and get inspired,they have nice display of shoes and bags for brands like Chloe, YSL, Moschino, Iceberg and many more. And I was so happy when finally they became so active on their facebook pages, posting about the new pieces they receive and about offers and discounts.
When I saw a photo they posted yesterday of Walter Baldan laced up booties, I had to add them to my wishlist, these babies look so beautiful, and I am definitely in need for a shoes with this colour in my wardrobe.
 I hope they will still be in stock by the time I come to Cairo, next week...Please wait for me Baldan, I need you.

Leaving on a jet plane

 I am going to travel for awhile, starting from tomorrow "by the well of God" , so I won't be able to post frequently, so if you want to be updated and get to know what I am doing up there, make sure to follow me on Twitter Press here and  go like the blog page on Facebook Press here

And please don't forget that next Friday December the 16th is( Buy Egyptian day), in that day try to buy only Egyptian products, and if you are going out try to go to a local restaurant or cafe, not the big franchaises, this will have a big impact on our economy, and it's only for a day.

till I see you again, take care and stay beautiful.
Noha

Designer Crush : Amina K.

Around four years ago, I had a meeting with the editor of the magazine I write for, and we agreed to do an article about the uprising young Egyptian designers, I knew like five designers back then and she told me you have to include Amina Khalil, and I asked who is Amina Khalil, she told me that she is a new designer  starting a new brand called Amina K, which everyone is talking about, and that she was showing out her collection through open days, in Hacienda in North coast, and my editor went to one of them and liked her stuff a lot, so she gave me her number, and I called her to ask for more info, and she was the most sweet and friendly girl ever, she sent me some photos for a fashion show she did in London, and I can't tell you guys how much I loved them.since that time Amina K. has widely expanded and grow out to be one of the most famous and talented designers in Egypt, and she definitely became my favourite one here.

Amina studied fashion designing in London and trained in big fashion houses like Mathew Williamson and DVF,  after that she flew back to Egypt and decided to start her own fashion clothing line, totally inspired by the Egyptian culture but with a modern contemporary twist, imagine a pair of short made out from Khayamya fabric, or a belt made from a kilim, that is so original, and all of her collection is designed to be mixed, matched and layered together so it leaves you to unleash your own style. I love the fact that all her items are mainly handmade in local workshops using local fabrics and materials. and she was the first and only Egyptian designer to design a collection of  Sunglasses/ medical glasses in collaboration with Baraka.
Every season I make sure to have at least a couple of things from her newest collection, and I have to say they are traffic stoping items, whenever I am abroad I got stopped by different women to ask me from where my belt or my vest is, and I have noticed it's a common phenonmena when it comes to Amina K.

Here are my favourite picks throughout the years

2008

 Winter 2009

Summer 2009

Summer 2010

Summer 2011

Winter 2011

 Amina K is available in Beymen and in her showroom : 24 Al Thawra street, Dokki