Day 98: Las Mariposas

Saturday: May 31, 2014

Today I went shopping with my mom and grandma. It was a girls' day out, and we hit up a bunch of stores. I got to update my wardrobe a bit for the summer months, as well as find some cute accessories [do I need a Greco-Roman gold headband? no. do I now own one? yes]. In the Neiman Marcus, I noticed that they had cute butterfly garlands dangling from the ceiling, so I snapped a photo as we went up the escalator. After that, we ate in the cafe inside Neiman Marcus, called Mariposa. It's all rather fitting.

Day 97: Rainbow Roll

Friday: May 30, 2014

Sushi/sashimi is one of my favorite foods. It's the one type of food I haven't had to change much after all of my allergies. I just have to make sure that any mayo or "special sauce" is left out. This roll is particular is also one of my favorites. It's basically a California roll with added toppings. From back to front, it's salmon, tuna, avocado, yellowtail, and cooked shrimp. It's great if you don't want to get too crazy, but also don't want to look stupid ordering a California roll.

Day 96: Cerulean Sunsets

Thursday: May 29, 2014

I love pretty views. Ideally, I'd enjoy working in a tall building with a nice view. That's probably not best for my employer; I'm not sure how much work I could get done! I just love seeing the sky change colors and watch people as they go about their day. It's funny, isn't it? Everybody has their own life, their own problems, their own dreams. But for the most part, we can't see each other as more than a face in the crowd. 

Day 95: Where East Meets West

Wednesday: May 28, 2014

I took this photo on my way to driver's ed. Don't worry, I wasn't driving at the same time; my mom's still in charge of that for now. Even though I'm excited to learn to drive, I'm a bit disappointed about missing so many great photo opportunities. Plus, if you keep your eyes on the road, you can't look and admire the scenery. One thing I love about Texas is how there are so many clouds in the sky. Dubai skies often get smudged by smog and sand storms.

Day 94: Northern Downpour

Tuesday: May 27, 2014

It's been pretty rainy and overcast for the past couple of days. This is a photo of the same church from Day 83 but from a different perspective. It's no longer bright and vibrant, but washed out and faded. It's okay, though. Apparently the Edward's Aquifer is too low right now, so we need the rain. The title is a reference to one of my favorite songs by Panic! At the Disco. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the rain actually came down from the north.

Day 93: More Furry Friends

Monday: May 26, 2014

The weather over the weekend has been gloomy, rainy, and overall pretty melancholy. I don't mind, because I love rainy weather and I will take any excuse to listen to some Bon Iver (don't judge me.) Either way, it's not the most desirable weather for Memorial Day weekend, but my day has been brightened by this little one. Her name is Queenie, and she's my uncle's dog. He brought her over so we can meet and play with her. She's very quiet and gentle, and loves getting belly rubs.

Day 92: Vegan Strawberry Cake

Sunday: May 25, 2014

After church, my mom, grandma, and I went out to eat at a vegetarian restaurant called Green. It's in a fairly new and hip part of town. They have a wide selection of entrees (all of which can be made vegan) as well as vegan desserts. The desserts are what excited me the most. I've always been a dessert lover, and hate to turn down a good pastry or cupcake. However, after discovering my egg allergy and being egg-free for 6 months now, I've had to do just that. Since the desserts are vegan and eliminate all of my food allergies/sensitivities, I got to have a giant piece of strawberry cake for the first time in months. It was amazing, tasted like strawberry Nesquik, and didn't even taste like an "alternative" recipe. I am now determined to try every single one of their desserts.

Day 91: Boot Scoot and 5K Run

Saturday: May 24, 2014

Today my mom and I participated in a 5K run at our local museum, the Witte. It's a museum that focuses on natural history, science, and South Texas culture. The proceeds from the race will go towards sending schools to the museum, free of charge. Even though I'm a bit older than the target demographic, I'll admit that the museum is a lot of fun, and a great place to take elementary school kids. As for the race, the route was more difficult than I anticipated and I definitely didn't run my best 5K time. Either way, I had fun and finished well.

Day 90: Italian Soda

Friday: May 23, 2014

I'm not a big soda drinker. I never have been. Even as a small child, carbonated beverages were hard to drink because of the bubbles. And now, I don't like sodas because they offer no nutritional benefits, and I don't want to drink my calories. However, I will make exceptions for fruity Italian soda. I get the nice flavor of blood orange paired with the fanciness of a bubbly drink. It's perfect.

Day 89: Gifted Goodies

Thursday: May 22, 2014

My grandma did a little gift-swap with some relatives. They wanted American goods, such as handbags and face creams. In return, we got our favorite Mexican treats. What we didn't expect was the sheer amount of candy we'd get. My favorite candy, mazapan [shown up close in the second photo] came in a box of 50 pieces. It is literally 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) of pure candy. There's also multiple bags of other candies, like a coconut and caramel blend, and tamarind based treats, though those don't interest me as much. I didn't get a picture because it isn't very pretty, but we also got an entire half wheel of cheese. Good times.

Day 88: Give Me A Chance

Wednesday: May 21, 2014

This is my favorite perfume scent. It's an called Chance, Eau Tendre and it's by Chanel. Featured is the tiny baby sample I got a few years ago, and that's what started my obsession with the scent. I'm horrible at describing smells, so the official description is that it's "to be both delicate and radiant, with an intoxicatingly light, fruity trail. An unexpected mingling of grapefruit and quince meets the crispness of fresh green notes, while a trace of Jasmine Absolute lingers in the air. Gently warmed by a sheer veil of White Musk, at once, innocent and seductive." I was hooked on the sample, but the perfume itself is a bit pricey. So, I waited until I got birthday money to purchase it for myself, and I still haven't tired of it.

Day 87: Sunny Skies and Long Drives

Tuesday: May 20, 2014

I took this picture while my mom and I were stuck in traffic on our way to pick up some sushi. I've been absolutely loving the weather, because it's been so cool and sunny. Luckily, the summer hasn't picked up quite yet, and I'm grateful for that.

Day 86: Latino Candy

Monday: May 19, 2014

Whenever my family and I get back in town, we always check out our local H-E-B for awesome candies and goodies imported from Mexico. My favorite is mazapan, an incredibly sweet candy made from crushed peanuts. I also like all of the sweet juices and sodas brought in from Mexico, since they're typically made with real cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup. It doesn't seem like it should make a difference, but it definitely does. Either way, I'm always amused by my favorite candy's awkward if accurate categorization. Who knew Latino gum was a thing?

Day 85: Stained Glass Windows

Sunday: May 18, 2014

I spent the night with my best friend and went to church with her and her family. The church is absolutely stunning, and had lots of ornate stained glass windows, such as the one featured. I'm very visual, and I appreciate being in an environment with lots of interesting things to look at.

Day 84: Faux Leather

Saturday: May 17, 2014

These are my two favorite pieces of faux leather in my closet. The satchel has been a handy bag of mine for over a year now. I love how it has pockets on the front, so that I can easily store my phone and gum there. The sandals are a fairly recent addition, but they've become a fast favorite. I love strappy shoes, and these are perfect for my flat feet.

Day 83: Indigo Skies and Steeples

Friday: May 16, 2014

This is a church near where I live in Texas. I don't think they hold weekly mass, but they do matrimonial celebrations. I really like being able to look out of my window and see the church. It looks especially nice during thunderstorms.

Day 82: Breaking the Fast

Thursday: May 15, 2014

Now that I'm back in Texas, I get to eat all of my old favorites. The US is definitely more friendly towards people with specific food allergies, and that makes me incredibly happy. Today I had my favorite cereal, Shredded Mini Wheats, which is hard to find in Dubai. I poured in soy milk that did not come from a shelved box, nor did it contain funky additives [guava pulp? why would my soy milk need guava pulp?? ew.] I also got to top it off with fresh strawberries. If you recall Day 68, you'll know that fruits and veggies are very expensive in Dubai so we often skip over them. It was a simple pleasure, but it made me really happy.

Day 81: Variety

Wednesday: May 14, 2013

I'll admit, upon my arrival back to the United States, I go through a bit of reverse culture shock. It always takes me a few days to get over the portion sizes, weather, freedom of expression, and variety. I'm absolutely dumbfounded at the number of different choices I have when it comes to cereal, soda, chips, and other foods. I think it's awesome how there's something for everybody, even if it's a bit overwhelming.

Day 80: Dubai Panorama

Tuesday: May 13, 2014

Typically, photos are posted here the day they're taken. However, I've waited for this photo because I couldn't figure out how to post it. It's a panorama shot taken from the roof of my house in Dubai. While panorama shots are awesome because you get to see so much of the skyline, they're really hard to present. So, I came up with this set up that allows me to show you the panorama in great detail. Unfortunately, you'll have to tilt your head (or phone screen) to see it, but I hope you like it anyway.

Day 79: Missed Connections

Monday: May 12, 2014

Well. My mom and I have made it to Dallas, but about an hour before our last departure, it started to rain. Due to the lightning, our flight has been cancelled and we have to wait until tomorrow to get on our last flight home.

Day 78: Duty Free

Sunday: May 11, 2014

Today was Mother's Day and we spent it together as a family. It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad we all got time together. Right now my mom and I are a little closer than usual because we're flying together from Dubai to San Antonio. We spotted this cute boutique inside London Heathrow's airport, and killed some time in there. The first leg of the trip hasn't been bad. Only two more flights to go!

Day 77: From Above And Below

Saturday: May 10, 2014

Today's another one of those two-part posts. I usually have a daily star - a photo that is a winner as soon as it's taken. But I just couldn't decide between these two pictures! The first was taken on the way to a friend's house. Dubai is a place of glitz and glamor, so much so that even the street art is classy! The second photo was taken off the balcony of said friend's house. While I'm sure those poor people weren't having fun in the standstill traffic, it did make for a nice picture!

Day 76: City Landscape

Friday: May 9, 2014

I was on the metro (as always) and managed to snag a window seat. I typically spend the whole ride looking out the window, and snapping the occasional photo. Today was perfect, because the skies were clear and cloudless, with minimal smog. I also think the train's windows are slightly tinted, acting as a light blue physical filter.

Day 75: Make A Wish

Thursday: May 8, 2014

This is a fountain outside of the hotel where my youth group meets. I'm saddened, because this was the last meeting I'm able to attend before flying home to Texas for the summer. While I'm extremely glad to be going home and I know I'll be back in the fall, it wasn't fun saying good bye to a few of my graduating senior friends.

Day 74: Shakespeare and Chandeliers

Wednesday: May 7, 2014

Here in Dubai, one of my family's favorite restaurants to frequent is Shakespeare and Co. They serve a variety of different foods and pastries, all of which is consistently very good. One of their selling features is the quaint, frilly, Shakespearean/Victorian inspired furniture and decor. Overall, the vibe feels like you're ready for tea with the Queen. I thought I'd feature one of their light fixtures, because I have a thing for chandeliers.

Day 73: Supermodel

Tuesday: May 6, 2014

I picked up a vinyl copy of Foster the People's latest album, Supermodel. They're one of my favorite bands and it's so exciting to finally get some new tunes from them. So far, my favorites are "Best Friend" and "Are You What You Want To Be?" This album is similar to their last, but there's definitely a more synth-heavy psychedelic feel, along with their familiar vocals.

Day 72: A Little Taste of Mexico

Monday: May 5, 2014

I found these sodas imported from Mexico at a fast food joint called Taqado. I had already eaten, but decided to get one of these sodas anyways because they looked delicious. My favorite sodas are the ones from Mexico, because they use real cane sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. Needless to say, my strawberry soda was amazing and it was such a treat knowing these bottles must have traveled thousands of miles just to get to Dubai. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Day 71: Neon Pickles

Sunday: May 4, 2014

One of my favorite restaurants is Wagamama, a contemporary Japanese place. They make amazing food, and are great about making custom orders. My favorite dish is the Cha Han fried rice, which comes with a cup of miso soup and a side of pickles. There is nothing I would change about the rice, and the soup is also incredibly delicious. However, I can't get over the oddly cold pickled vegetables. I usually just poke them with a chopstick, but today I also photographed them.

Day 70: Desert Sunsets

Saturday: May 3, 2014

As someone who is definitely not a warm-weather person, Dubai can be a little tricky to adjust to. It's hot year round, there's construction everywhere, the traffic is nightmarish, sand storms take the place of thunderstorms, and if you're a light sleeper, the call to prayer can interrupt precious sleep time. But the desert sunsets are amazing, and I'm glad to see them daily.

Day 69: New Perspectives

Friday: May 2, 2014

We've finally settled down a bit into our new house. I can't say I was particularly thrilled about moving in the first place. For one, I lost a lot of closet space and now have to share a bathroom. But, we have pretty balconies and a second story now, so I'm not complaining too much. I'm hoping to even grow a few plants (probably cacti) on my balcony in the cooler months.

Day 68: Cherry On Top

Thursday: May 1, 2014

Wow, it's May. I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by! Today's post is going to be a rare two-photo event. I knew spring was here to stay after seeing the lovely fruits and berries in the supermarket. I spotted these cherries and thought they were too pretty not to photograph. I even wanted to get a bag to go, until I saw the price.

Now, if you're American don't freak out yet. The price is in United Arab Emirates Dirhams, not US Dollars! However, this price is still soul-crushingly high as 124 AED pero kilo is about 17 USD per pound. Yikes!