Wishing you and yours a safe and lovely holiday!
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Last Weekend I Fell in Love With Nespresso During My Stay At The Missoni Hotel in Kuwait
My Suite overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
Each suite at the Missoni Hotel in Kuwait has a Nespresso Machine.
There is also a tea kettle and abundant supplies for my guests.
My first request ~ for the Bellhop to make me an espresso.
The Bellhop called for backup when he found out I had visitors coming, "The Girls". :)
I haven't had the time to download the photographs and post about my weekend at the Missoni Hotel. (Inshallah, I will very soon.)
I spent two nights there last weekend and tried all of their restaurants and the Six Senses spa. I stayed in the two room suite which was simply amazing. The view of the Arabian Gulf was beyond spectacular. The one thing I had to have after my stay at the Missoni was my own Nespresso Machine.
The night I arrived home (Saturday) this was waiting for me.
I also received a lifetime supply of espresso sleeves, brown sugar and limited edition Nespresso cups.
All I wanted was the simplest machine (espresso for blondes) but what I received instead was this all in one, spectacular model.
I need a closet just for my Nespresso sleeves!
Thank you to my Kuwaiti Santa for making my Nespresso dreams come true way before Christmas. ;)
American Readers, Don't Miss my Friend Carolyn on the Show Ludo Bites America ~ Showing on the Sundance Channel Tuesday's at 9P
Carolyn on camera for Ludo Bites America
Congratulations and I can't wait to see it on DVD in Kuwait.
If you become famous I have plenty of photographs and things to sell to the tabloids...JK ;P
Love and miss you!
Pack a Bag for Charity with Just Noon
What are you waiting for? Now is the time to give the gift of love. Join Just Noon and pack your bag for charity right now. Click on her website link above for more details.
Ho Crackdown in Mahboula!
Google Images
My American girlfriend had an unfortunate encounter with the Police in Mahboula last week. Her rental car company sent an Indian guy to her building at night to return her car after service. She met him outside and since it was so hot they sat inside the car together with it running to discuss what all was serviced on her car. Well the humidity must have fogged up her windows because when the police drove by they immediately pulled up to her car and startled both my friend and the poor little Indian guy.
She said they both jumped out of her car and so did the police. Their police lights were on so her Haras and building manager came out of the building to see what was going on. Everyone was staring at her like she was a prostitute. This is exactly what the police must have thought about her.
She tried to explain but they kept demanding her Civil ID. The rental car guy had his inside his wallet but her ID was inside her apartment. Thank goodness the passenger policeman spoke English enough so she could explain the situation. She said everyone was laughing in the end.
Just a Hint: If you see an expat lady in a rental car reviewing paperwork by her building she is NOT a hooker. The hookers are the Chinese girls standing on the corner around A&G wearing slutty clothes, stripper shoes and loads of makeup.
Google Images
You poor thing. :( Thanks for letting me post this. Hilarious!
Social Media Day Gathering June 30, 2011 ~ Sometimes I miss out on a lot!
It's no secret to my friends and readers that I work a lot of hours in Kuwait. This is the standard for most Americans working in the Middle East. We all knew it when we agreed to come over here so if we don't like it then we can go home.
Yesterday morning I woke up around 4 AM and headed to work on what should have been a holiday. Most Kuwaitis are off in honor of Isra Al Mi'Raj (Ascent of the Prophet Muhammad). Most Americans have to work even if their employer is Kuwaiti. Not only did I have to work extra late on Camp Arifjan, I had to work in this nasty dust storm.
The dust storm yesterday just wouldn't let up. It kept getting worse as the day went on.
When I finished everything and could leave the office the roads had very limited visibility. Thank God the camp gate was still open and I was able to drive home in the dusty dark of night. I called my sweetheart who talked to me the entire way home. Since the roads were too dangerous to go out to dinner in Kuwait City like we planned we decided to make it an at home movie and dinner night. This is when my prince turned my horrible day into something wonderful.
One of my favorite restaurants is the Fish Market. The one at Spoons in Mahboula is excellent and fresh. He went there in the middle of the sandstorm to pick up our dinner while I showered off the layers of dust, dirt and sand.
Here is the Lobster that he picked out for me. Whenever he gets Lobster for takeout he sneaks a picture and sends it via sms with accusations that I'm murdering an innocent creature. For some reason he isn't embarrassed to do that! If I pull out my camera phone at any restaurant table he looks mortified .
Aussie Tail ~ Good day mate!
Thanks to him I ended up having a good night after a terrible day in the dust. We watched the movie Passengers and it was okay. I liked the ending and it was definitely the best part of the movie.
Today my asthma is acting up and the dust storm is even worse than yesterday. I am relieved to be at home, enjoying good food and blogging in my pajamas. Teeheehee.
I want to thank my fellow bloggers His & Hers Q8, Q8 Stig, and Omarker for the invitation to attend the Social Media Day Gathering yesterday at 2 PM. I'm so sorry I missed it but I'm looking forward to the next one. (Hopefully on the weekend ~ hint hint ;P)
Lady Carolyn on LUDO BITES AMERICA - "Yes Chef"
Chef, Mardi Gras Princess, restaurant owner and family friend Lady Carolyn is featured on - LUDO BITES AMERICA - "Yes Chef" and I really want to watch it. PLEASE HELP! How Can I get the Sundance Channel in Kuwait?
Not Your Grandma's Recipe
Classically trained to remake the classics, Ludo Lefebvre is a 5-star French chef who’s writing his own restaurant rulebook. Now, Ludo is on a mission to blend his extraordinary culinary talents with everyday eats. He and business partner/wife, Krissy, are hitting the road to reinvent American cuisine. From Carolina barbeque to New Mexico chiles, each episode finds Ludo and Krissy setting up their innovative touring restaurant at a local eatery desperate for fresh ideas. While Ludo takes a crash course in US culture, Krissy is out generating buzz for opening night. If it pans out, they’ll fill seats and stomachs. Working together with their hosts, the creative duo try to fuse Ludo’s high-end cooking with American classics and reignite a community’s passion for food – inspiring them to live a little more outside their comfort food zone.
Ludo Bites America with Queen G’s
The art of the pop-up restaurant was taken to the next level recently by Chef Ludo Lefebvre, host of "LudoBites.” The French born Lefebvre has been seen on the "Today” show, "Iron Chef America,” and has received countless praise from the greatest chefs in the world. His new series, "LudoBites America” is slated to begin mid-July on the Sundance Channel and the chef will be traveling to six different cities for one episode each.
The very first episode is centered around Chef Ludo’s visit to Mobile. One of the renowned chef’s stops was at Queen G’s Café on Old Shell Road in beautiful Midtown Mobile.
Congratulations to Carolyn and the gang at Queen G’s and our other talented local chefs for playing host to one of the top 50 chefs in the world. I know they are as excited as we are.
I’ll keep you posted as to the exact airdate once I receive word. For more information on Chef Ludo, check out http://www.ludolefebvre.com/. For excellent fried oysters visit Queen G’s.
Article Link
I'm Lovin' the New Look of His & Hers Q8 Blog
Looool, my only chance to be in a Kuwaiti Newspaper. You can just make out E&TC which is on His & Hers Homepage. ;P
From the moment I first discovered His & Hers Q8 blog I was hooked. They are truly a Kuwaiti married couple in love with Hers impeccable style and charm perfectly matched to His creativity and drive.
Check out their new look here: His & Hers Q8 Blog
They were featured in Al-Watan newspaper (read here) with several other great Kuwaiti blogs. I want to say it is well deserved.
It's such an honor to be considered one of Hers friends. My readers might remember my post on Call Me the Blog Matchmaker (click here) where I wrote: His & Hers q8 and Dear Baby Blog (Hint hint ;) I guess it worked because Hers is due in September and my post was written on November 27, 2010. ;) I'm so happy for you both!
I want to thank His & Hers for supporting E&TC from the very beginning. Congratulations on the well deserved recognition and lovely new look of your amazing blog. I'm lovin' it!
Photo credit: His & Hers Q8
Cloudnine Luxury Full Service Salon in Your Home
I found this post on 965 Malls Blog that mentions a full 'home' service salon called Cloudnine. I immediately thought of my American friend Holly who doesn't have time to visit a salon while working in Kuwait. I was impressed with their website and services that they offer in the comfort of your own home.
Prepared to be spoiled:
Getting To Know You
Greetings from Kuwait! The land of dust, heat and hummus ;P
I was curious if I had regular readers from around the world. I would love it if you would comment and introduce yourself. :) You can stay anonymous if you would like. Just tell me where you are from (city, state & country) and how often you read this blog. You can even send a photograph to expatandthecity@gmail.com and I will add it to this post.
I saw another blogger a while back who asked his readers to send pictures of his blog on their computers. The photographs were really cool and he had a collection from all over the world. So please feel free to do that or send whatever you would like. Be sure to ask me any questions you might have about my life in Kuwait or living here.
I would love to hear from you so please don't be shy and introduce yourself.
:* E&TC
Photo credit: Viva Weddings
Rest in Peace Beloved Friend
This morning I awoke to the devastating news that you had passed away dear friend. My heart is broken and I can’t believe you are gone. Kuwait will never be the same without your big smile and loving, brotherly kisses on my cheek. I know that you are looking down from heaven but those of us still here will miss you more than words can say.
Every time I hear this song on my iPod I will think of you and how much you loved this song.
Till we meet again beloved friend.
GirlCrushing
Urban Dictionary's definition of a Girlcrush:
A (normally) straight girl's crush on another girl, often a celebrity. Is mostly platonic in nature. A girl who is girlcrushing must by definition be straight, otherwise it's just a regular crush.
If I had a celebrity girl crush it would have to be Angelina Jolie. I'm totally straight but there is nothing sexier than Jolie. She is a gifted actress, stunningly beautiful and a devoted humanitarian. Frankly, she is smokin' hot.
Now, let me focus on the reason for my post. There is this beautiful Lebanese girl that I see whenever I go to an office here. She is working there as an assistant and I've seen her on several occasions. The first time we met she told me I was hot. If you do not live here then you might not realize that this is very unusual conversation for this part of the world. Sure, in the West you might say this to another girl as a compliment but here it's just not a normal part of your everyday conversation. Especially in a professional setting when you first meet.
When she said it I was taken by surprise. I think I actually turned pink with embarrassment. I was sure she was just being friendly and cute. That she didn't mean anything and it was just a compliment. She was extremely friendly, charming and we had the longest conversation. We talked about living in Kuwait, how she is from Lebanon and our love of travel. She couldn't believe that I never visited her country and I told her I would love to one day.
The next few times I saw her I was actually looking forward to it. In an innocent way so don't get the wrong idea. She just seemed so interesting and always ready to help me with my work. She made things happen that seemed impossible and we always had fun together.
This last time I saw her she asked why I never called her. We exchanged numbers the second time we met but I just never called. She wanted to meet for coffee or lunch. I told her before how much I enjoy Lebanese cuisine and she suggested this famous restaurant for lunch. I explained how busy I am and apologized. She kept complimenting me. I think I turned pink again. Loool.
On my way out of the meeting I stopped by her desk to say goodbye and that is when she told me she had a 'girl crush' on me. I started laughing. Hell, I was nervous and wasn't sure what that meant or what she meant by saying it. Instead of being completely freaked out by it I took it as a compliment. I told her I like her too and how I'm glad we are friends. She told me she was going to call me for lunch soon and I told her that would be fun. I've had girls hit on me before and it just gave me the creeps and freaked me out. I never have that feeling with her.
When I reached my office I went straight to Google and looked up 'girl crush' and found the definition by 'girlcrush' as in one word. I am extremely flattered that someone as sexy, intelligent and worldly as she would pay me such a compliment. But when I'm driving I always go straight and I can't see myself taking any turns, not even for a brief moment of curiosity. I'm guessing that she is just being sweet and that she said it in an innocent way. I plan to go to lunch with her and hopefully we will become good friends.
The New York Times article I found on the net...
She's So Cool, So Smart, So Beautiful: Must Be a Girl Crush
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/11/fashion/thursdaystyles/11CRUSH.html
Blog Buzzzzzz
Moodypanties's Blog
Two Girls: Moody Panties and Wet Knickers
Check them out (link below). These adorable girls are hilarious, wicked and fun!
http://moodypanties.wordpress.com/
Two Girls: Moody Panties and Wet Knickers
Check them out (link below). These adorable girls are hilarious, wicked and fun!
http://moodypanties.wordpress.com/
Can Men and Women Be Friends?
Eva Longoria Parker and Mario Lopez
Written by Camile Chatterjee of Psychology Today
If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, it may explain at least one of their shared beliefs: Men and women can't be real friends. Blame the sexual tension that almost inevitably exists between any red-blooded, heterosexual man and woman. Point to the jealousy that plagues many rational people when a significant other befriends someone of the opposite sex. Boil it down to the inherent differences between the sexes. It just can't be done. Right?
Wrong, relationship experts have said. "The belief that men and women can't be friends comes from another era in which women were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for romance," explained Linda Sapadin, a psychologist in Valley Stream, New York. "Now they work together and share sports interests and socialize together." This cultural shift has encouraged psychologists, sociologists and communications experts to put forth a new message: Though it may be tricky, men and women can successfully become close friends. What's more, there are good reasons for them to do so.
Society has long singled out romance as the prototypical male-female relationship because it spawns babies and keeps the life cycle going; cross-sex friendship, as researchers call it, has been either ignored or trivialized. We have rules for how to act in romantic relationships (flirt, date, get married, have kids) and even same-sex friendships (boys relate by doing activities together, girls by talking and sharing). But there are so few platonic male-female friendships on display that we're at a loss to even define these relationships.
Part of this confusion stems from the media. A certain classic film starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal convinced a nation of moviegoers that sex always comes between men and women, making true friendship impossible. "When Harry Met Sally set the potential for male-female friendship back about 25 years," said Michael Monsour, assistant professor of communications at the University of Colorado at Denver and author of Women and Men as Friends. Television hasn't helped either. "Almost every time you see a male-female friendship, it winds up turning into romance," Monsour noted. Think Sam and Diane or Chandler and Monica. These cultural images are hard to overcome, he said. It's no wonder we expect that men and women are always on the road to romance.
But that's only one of the major barriers. Don O'Meara, Ph.D., at the University of Cincinnati-Raymond Walters College, published a landmark study in the journal Sex Roles on the top impediments to cross-sex friendship. "I started my research because one of my best friends is a woman," said O'Meara. "She said, 'Do you think anyone else has the incredible friendship we do?'" He decided to find out, and after reviewing the scant existing research, O'Meara identified the following challenges to male-female friendship: defining it, dealing with sexual attraction, seeing each other as equals, facing people's responses to the relationship and meeting in the first place.
CHALLENGE #1
Defining the Relationship: Friends or Lovers?
Platonic love does exist, O'Meara asserted, and a study of 20 pairs of friends published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships lends credence to the notion. In it, Heidi Reeder, at Boise State University, confirmed that "friendship attraction" or a connection devoid of lust, is a bona fide type of bond that people experience. Distinguishing between romantic, sexual and friendly feelings, however, can be exceedingly difficult.
"People don't know what feelings are appropriate toward the opposite sex, unless they're what our culture defines as appropriate," said O'Meara. "You know you love someone and enjoy them as a person, but not enough to date or marry them. What does this mean?"
CHALLENGE #2
Overcoming Attraction: Let's Talk About Sex
The reality that sexual attraction could suddenly enter the equation of a cross-sex friendship uninvited is always lurking in the background. A simple, platonic hug could instantaneously take on a more amorous meaning. "You're trying to do a friend-friend thing," said O'Meara, "but the male-female parts of you get in the way." Unwelcome or not, the attraction is difficult to ignore.
In a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Sapadin asked more than 150 professional men and women what they liked and disliked about their cross-sex friendships. Topping women's list of dislikes: sexual tension. Men, on the other hand, more frequently replied that sexual attraction was a prime reason for initiating a friendship, and that it could even deepen a friendship. Either way, 62 percent of all subjects reported that sexual tension was present in their cross-sex friendships.
CHALLENGE #3
Establishing Equality: The Power Play
Friendship should be a pairing of equals. But, O'Meara said, "in a culture where men have always been more equal than women, male dominance, prestige and power is baggage that both men and women are likely to bring to a relationship." Women are at risk of subconsciously adopting a more submissive role in cross-sex friendships, he said, although that is slowly changing as society begins to treat both genders more equally.
CHALLENGE #4
The Public Eye: Dealing with Doubters
Society may not be entirely ready for friendships between men and women that have no sexual subtext. People with close friends of the opposite sex are often barraged with nudging, winking and skepticism: "Are you really just friends?" This is especially true, said O'Meara, of older adults, who grew up when men and women were off-limits to each other until marriage.
CHALLENGE #5
The Meeting Place: Finding Friends
As the workplace and other social arenas become increasingly open to women, the sexes are mingling more and more. Still, men and women continue to have surprisingly few opportunities to interact.
"Boys and girls form their own gender groups in elementary school," explained Monsour. "They learn their own ways of relating to each other. So when they do get together, inspired by puberty, they see each other as dating partners because they've never really known each other as friends." A surprisingly major factor in this phenomenon is the kids' own innate interest in children who act like they do. Called "voluntary gender segregation," it continues into adulthood. "You see it at cocktail parties," said Monsour. "Men go off to one corner, and women go to another."
These obstacles may seem numerous and formidable, but male-female friendship is becoming not only a possibility but also a necessity. If men and women are to work, play and coexist in modern society, researchers believe men and women must learn to understand and communicate with each other. To that end, social scientists like Sapadin, Monsour and O'Meara have studied how to do just that. The field of research is still in its infancy, but they are now beginning to understand some basic truths about male-female friendship:
TRUTH #1
Friendship Is Not Equal Opportunity
Not until high school does puberty really draw boys and girls together, which then continues into college. But as people develop serious romantic relationships or get married, making and maintaining cross-sex friendships becomes harder. "Even the most secure people in a strong marriage probably don't want a spouse to be establishing a new friendship, especially with someone who's very attractive," said Monsour.
The number of cross-sex friendships continues to decline with age—not surprising, because most older adults grew up in an age where consorting with the opposite sex outside of wedlock was taboo. According to Rosemary Blieszner, at Virginia Tech and author of Adult Friendship, elderly people rarely form new friendships with members of the opposite sex. Her research shows that only about 2 percent of the friendships elderly women have are with men.
TRUTH #2
Men Benefit More from Cross-Sex Friendship
There are proven—and apparent—distinct differences between female friendship and male friendship. Women spend the majority of their time together discussing their thoughts and feelings, while men tend to be far more group-oriented. Males gather to play sports or travel or talk stock quotes; rarely do they share feelings or personal reflections. This may explain why they seem to get far more out of cross-sex friendship than their female counterparts.
In Sapadin's study, men rated cross-sex friendships as being much higher in overall quality, enjoyment and nurturance than their same-sex friendships. What they reported liking most was talking and relating to women—something they can't do with their buddies. Meanwhile, women rated their same-sex friendships higher on all these counts. They expect more emotional rewards from friendship than men do, explained Sapadin, so they're easily disappointed when they don't receive them. "Women confide in women," noted Blieszner. "Men confide in women."
TRUTH #3
...But Women Benefit, Too
All that sharing and discussing in female-female friendship can become exhausting, as any woman who's stayed up all night comforting a brokenhearted girlfriend can attest. With men, women can joke and banter without any emotional baggage. "Friendships with men are lighter, more fun," said Sapadin. "Men aren't so sensitive about things." Some women in her study also liked the protective, familial and casual warmth they got from men, viewing them as surrogate big brothers. What they liked most of all, however, was getting some insight into what guys really think.
TRUTH #4
Cross-Sex Friendships Are Emotionally Rewarding
Although women dig men's lighthearted attitude, most male-female friendships resemble women's emotionally involving friendships more than they do men's activity-oriented relationships, according to Kathy Werking, at Eastern Kentucky University and author of We're Just Good Friends. Her work has shown that the number one thing male and female friends do together is talk one-on-one. Other activities they prefer—like dining out and going for drives—simply facilitate that communication. In fact, Werking found, close male-female friends are extremely emotionally supportive if they continuously examine their feelings, opinions and ideas. "Males appreciate this because it tends not to be a part of their same-sex friendships," she said. "Females appreciate garnering the male perspective."
TRUTH #5
It's Not All About Sex
"In reality, sex isn't always on the agenda," said Werking. "That could be due to sexual orientation, lack of physical attraction or involvement in another romantic relationship." After all, even friends who are attracted to each other may also recognize that qualities they tolerate in a friendship wouldn't necessarily work in a serious romantic relationship. And after years of considering someone as a friend, it often becomes difficult to see a cross-sex pal as a romantic possibility.
Of pairs that do face the question of lust, those that decide early on to bypass an uncertain romantic relationship are more likely to have an enduring friendship, says Werking. One study by Walid Afifi, of Penn State University, showed that of more than 300 college students surveyed, 67 percent reported having had sex with a friend. Interestingly, 56 percent of those subjects did not transition the friendship into a romantic relationship, suggesting that they preferred friendship over sex.
Men and women have increasingly similar rights, opportunities and interests, which can make cross-sex friendship very political, noted Werking. "It upsets the agreed-upon social order," she explains. "Women and men engage in an equal relationship, or they aren't friends." For one thing, new generations of kids grow up believing that boys can play with dolls and girls can take kickboxing, and they're crossing paths more frequently as a result.
Men and women are also becoming more androgynous as their societal roles become more similar. "Men are more willing to have feminine characteristics, and women are a lot more willing to admit to traditionally masculine characteristics, like assertiveness," said Monsour. His dissertation showed that women and men categorized as androgynous had twice the number of cross-sex friends.
Whatever the challenges of male-female friendship, researchers agree that to succeed as friends, both genders have to openly and honestly negotiate exactly what their relationship will mean—whether sexual attraction is a factor and how they'll deal with it—and establish boundaries. In Afifi's and Reeder's studies, the friendships that survived—and even thrived—after sex or attraction came into play were those in which the friends extensively discussed the meaning of the sexual activity and felt confident and positive about each other's feelings. Once they got past that, they were home free.
"If sex is part of the dynamic, addressing it explicitly is the best strategy" for making sure the friendship survives, said Werking. "The issue will fester if friends try to ignore it." So in the end, male-female friendship does have something in common with romantic relationships: To work, communication is key.
Researchers tell us that men and women can be friends. But do we really believe them? A survey of more than 1,450 members of the Match.com dating site revealed that we're an optimistic bunch:
1. Do you believe men and women can be platonic friends?
Yes: 83%
No: 11%
Unsure: 6%
2. Have you had a platonic friendship that crossed the line and became romantic or sexual?
Yes: 62%
No: 36%
Unsure: 2%
3. Who is more likely to misinterpret the intimacy of friendship for sexual desire?
Men: 64%
Women: 25%
Unsure: 11%
4. Is it possible to fall in love with someone who first enters your life as a friend?
Yes: 94%
No: 4%
Unsure: 2%
5. Do you hope that when you do fall in love, your partner will have started out as your friend?
Yes: 71%
No: 9%
Unsure: 20%
6. Who is better at keeping sex out of a platonic relationship?
Men: 13%
Women: 67%
Unsure: 20%
By Camille Chatterjee of Psychology Today
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200109/can-men-and-women-be-friends
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