Month: December 2016

Grateful for 2016, a year in review

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We are about to bid farewell to 2016. Am I ready for the year to come? I am definitely ready to write a beautiful 2017 life story, hand in hand with my family. As with each year, 2016 made me stronger with challenges I faced and always grateful with all the blessings that came our way. Here’s a look back at our 2016 life story. LittleMiss made a big move from nursery to foundation stage last January that had me send out a request for more pedestrian friendly Dubai. Tarana and I also launched the first ever blog support group for moms – UAE Mom Bloggers February gave me the opportunity to share my passion of fun lunch box packing that led to conducting a private bento workshop for a company here in Dubai. I shared a stage with Al Islami Foods last March for a bento box demonstration during Dubai Food Festival. Also finally got to write about our Disneyland experience. The kids and I found ourselves in April “winter” where we played with …

movenpick jlt nosh review

Christmas Buffet at Movenpick Hotel JLT

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It may seem surprising but Christmas is widely celebrated here in Dubai, almost all establishments are adorned with festive decorations and Santa Claus make several appearance across the city. For many Filipinos this is also the time to reunite with relatives who they have not seen for a long time and a special day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. As with any celebration expect a traditional feast that would require one to spend a few days of food prep and whole day in the kitchen. You can skip all and just enjoy the night away by spending Christmas eve or lunch at Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Lake Towers. View this post on Instagram Our expat kids have been spending Christmas in Dubai for the past 6 years. My son can barely remember what Christmas is like back in the Philippines while LittleMiss only know of the celebrations we have here. They are not missing out on the Christmas festivities because all establishments here are adorned with lights and decorations. One Filipino activity we do yearly as …

toys for less al barsha

Toys For Less in Dubai

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A favorite moment of mine will always be watching my kids expression on Christmas day as they open beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on it. Christmas is just around the corner and our kids wish list is getting longer every day. Its time to think about things to buy and making sure you are staying on budget. We recently discovered Toys For Less a sister company of Brands For Less which offers affordable branded toys and clothes for kids. Available items A wide range of toys for kids up till pre-teens is available. However, the toys you might see in the photos I posted might not be available when you visit. I advise that when you see something you think your kids or godchildren will like better grab hold of them because the staff won’t be able to guarantee if its still there on your next visit. For instance we were looking for Shopkins and Play-Doh toys on our first visit but when we went back the following week we found both. Clothes for both boys and girls …

dubai garden glow

Dubai Garden Glow: Fun Family Attraction

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Dubai once again opened one of the worlds largest themed gardens, the Dubai Garden Glow, now on its second season. Located at Zabeel Park the garden offers two attractions for the whole family to enjoy  – Dinosaur Park and Garden Glow. Tickets cost 60 AED per person, guests under 3 years old can enjoy park for free.  Price seem to be expensive but considering you get to see two attractions I do think its worth a visit. Access to park is via Gate 6 and 7 of Zabeel Park. I suggest you visit the park at 4pm to give you ample time to enjoy day light at the Dinosaur Park, have dinner then proceed to Glow Garden by sundown. Dinosaur Park The park features 100 life-sized dinosaurs and a few of them “interacts” with visitors by means of sounds and movements. All these things make it more realistic to a child (adult too), I imagined this would be quite scary for a toddler at night. Dinosaur lovers will have fun walking through each period and reading all the information …

Garlic and Herb Hassleback Potatoes from Spinneys

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In the Philippines we celebrate Christmas season the longest, from September until January. Yes, by September Filipino families start decorating for the season, carols are played and countdown begins. My first Christmas dinner for 2016 happened last November 21 with Spinneys Dubai. It definitely kicked off festivities on a high note, Chef Mark and his team prepared a delicious spread of minced pies, turkey, roasted beef ribeye paired with yummy sides of stuffing, hasselback potatoes, vegetables and all the trimmings you could possible think off. Photo Credit: Spinneys Dubai We also got some tips and tricks on how to prepare a stress-free Christmas menu from Chef Mark Evans and lovely food presentation from Spinneys Food Magazine editors Amy and Emily. I am all for a stress-free Christmas menu preparation this year, no more spending long hours in the kitchen because I’m ordering some food lovingly prepared by the experts. With just 16 days till Christmas day, Spinneys is giving us the option skip the panic of shopping for ingredients with a variety of delectable treats like a whole crown turkey with …