Where to visit?

After the lovely response on my last post about buying an abaya, I thought I would put something else out there and seek more advice.

B has never been to England before and is SOOO excited that even I have began to get excited. I was talking to him yesterday about any specific places that he wants to visit and Buckingham Palace, going on a train (and the underground), Big Ben and "somewhere by the sea" were top of his list. He also wants to go to a certain high-end store because it is ran by "a man in my country who did good" can you guess where ;)

Apart from those things, he doesn't really know and I am a rubbish tour guide (just ask my family about the Muscat Tour 2009) so if you were going to the UK for the first time or could do anything... what would you like to do? I am thinking of taking him to the Natural History Museum and the V&A so I can claim to have done the whole culture thing, but anything outside of London? Am even considering booking a afternoon tea somewhere, but will probably do that in my home town.

Tips please :) in return you shall all get virtual red double decker bus keyrings.

OB xx

Abaya help

Oh god. I need to buy an abaya for an Omani friend's wedding next month (really looking forward to this & what a post it should make) and *breaking news* I am going to meet B's parents. We have decided to go back to his home country for this and well it gives me the excuse I have been dying for to go on holiday. B has never cared that I don't wear an abaya, but for the sake of avoiding problems for this first visit, I have agreed to. I only have to wear it when I go out with his mother/sisters or if we are going somewhere like the market... so no problem from my end.

However.... I don't suit an abaya. Or at least the one I used to wear when I was with A and went to his village (in Oman) to see his VERY traditional family. No offence is meant by this, but I looked like a witch! I looked like some mad white woman who needed to be told it wasn't halloween anymore. On the other hand, I went with some friends to Muttrah a while back when they were abaya shopping and tried on a type of epileptic fit inducing shiny, flashy abaya that would have not looked out of place on Elvis. (But as the photo above shows, I am partial to the odd tassle!!)

What do I do? What is fashionable in abayas? My friends are useless because they hate wearing them and end up wearing just totally plain black ones (which make me look like a witch/nun on the loose) so help me ladies. I know from the emails and bits I have got from people that there are a few Omani women who read this, so help me please! Where do I go? Where are the best shops? Am hitting the shops tomorrow with B to see if he can help, but knowing how hideous he is with shopping I know it won't be much use. I want something with a bit of colour, but not TOO flashy... for example, I don't like "diamonds" Oh and shiny material is a BIG no no... am a curvy lass and that just ain't a good look.

Is is ok to wear the same abaya everyday/every other day for two weeks? Do I need to buy a few? I won't be wearing the headscarf, even though that does actually suit me, but do abayas come with a headscarf I can throw round my shoulders? To Omani girls or girls who wear the abaya these are probably really stupid questions.... but I want to be sure! Oh and how much will I be looking at for something nice? I have heard everything from RO20 to "uuum Bank Muscat, can I have an overdraft facility please?"

Any help would be really appreciated :) thanks in advance.

OB

I have gas...

It was great to hear everyone’s dinner party related horror stories and for the first time in my life, I am pleased to announce that… I have gas! The nice man turned up with a big shiny canister and after much huffing and puffing – he was not impressed I lived on the second floor and there was no lift – I can cook again. So how did I celebrate this amazing feat, well I ordered from the Noodle House after realising I had no food to cook anyway!

I was thinking the other day about what point behind my blog was and came to conclusion that there wasn’t much of one. I like writing, I like embarrassing myself in public (after years of fighting it) I like pretty things and well, I think my life is pretty humorous as not a day goes by without something going wrong! Nothing makes others feel better about stuff going wrong in their lives than knowing it happens to every bugger else as well.

I ventured out to Essence Spa at the weekend and it was FABULOUS. Back in the UK, I was never much of a spa princess but as soon as I moved here I began to crave pedicures (mostly because of the embarrassment of realising half the blokes stared at my ankles/feet even when I wore leggings under skirts – so it would be unfair to not give them something pretty to look at!) The trip was a much needed stress reliever and I can seriously recommend visiting them – unfortunately they don’t pay me in massages for every time I mention them, but just in case such a scheme should arise…. ESSENCE SPA, ESSENCE SPA, ESSENCE SPA. :)

I was going to go to the Tom Jones concert tomorrow at the Intercontinental, but so far haven’t bought tickets so maybe I will see you there! Depends if I can muster up the energy to stumble down to the box office. Who is going? Muscat Mutterings has lots to look forward to after winning two tickets in a Muscat Confidential competition for the gig, but being the nice chap he is, he had already purchased some for himself, he gave them to fellow blogger Delirious in the Desert.

I would love for a band like Muse or heck, even a slightly lame Snow Patrol to come to Muscat just for a bit of variety. Have always wondered what the chances of someone getting a big BIG popular band over here and putting on a gig at the SQ Stadium in Bausher… would people go for that or are people just not as interested in music here?

If you are after escaping the heat – doesn’t it seem hotter than last year at around this time – Suburban has written a post on her secret shopping hangouts so well worth a look. I do wish she would write a book or something on her interactions with the security guards at her place who seem to be a little more gangster than Muscat is perhaps ready for ;)

While on a slightly more sombre note, Rania on Sleepless in Salalah has wrote about the horrid incident that took place in Yemen where a thirteen year old girl died after being brutally raped by her husband. Her brother in return for one of his sisters traded the girl to the man. When the hell is someone going to step in and do something about child brides? These poor girls can’t speak for themselves, so it is about time someone gave them a voice. Personally I think these men are nothing better than paedophiles and should be locked up, to do this to anyone is horrific but to do it to a child is in my opinion unforgivable.

Anyway, quite a long post today.

Weekend soon, chin up!

OB

Opps-a-daisy

Oops! Well I had every intention of writing a blog post last week but work reached fever pitch and when I got home each night I was just crashing out. Pizza Express and Silk Route certainly had their income boosted by me this month, thank god for deliveries.

I had a really fab blog idea that came to me in the middle of the night but instead of writing it down I just rolled over, went back to bed and forgot. So instead you are going to get a post about my failings as a domestic goddess!

I always wanted to be one of those women that you hear about who can do a full day at work, do all the day’s chores, spend “quality time” with the 2.5 kids and the dog then hold a dinner party that everyone fights for an invite to. Well I think it is fair to say I have become known for my dinner party (yes, just the one…) but not for the best reasons. My friends will not let it go now and while they have asked to come back, I think it is out of pity more than anything. The food was great, the candles were lovely and the service was spot on. Or at least that is what they said about the dinner they ate that night following last minute reservations at The Restaurant in The Chedi!

No, I’m not that rich that when I hold a dinner party I hire out The Chedi and take over the kitchens for one night – although, following a lottery win that could be quite a cool idea – No, instead of holding the spectacular dinner party that I had planned, we ended up making dinner reservations when after THREE (insert expletive here) hours prep work I realised the gas had ran out.

B’s suggestion of “can’t you stick it in the microwave?” was met with nothing but horror and my guests response of near of hysteria didn’t help much either. I had chopped, marinated, sliced, grated and peeled enough food to feed all the guys sitting down Lovers’ Lane (post coming on them soon) on a Thursday night, but I had no gas to cook it on. I lost the number for the gas man when my phone crashed a few months back, it was 7pm at night and after B caught me crying on the road outside our street sobbing “I just want someone with gas to drive past” (now who hasn't said that at one point or another!) he decided to make reservations.

Anyway, the reason I am telling you this as this happened almost a week ago now and I still haven’t got a canister. So I am using work as an excuse for the fact that I am sat in bed, waiting for B to bring me some shish tawok from the place round the corner.

Inspired by the witty (and bloody hilarious!) blogger OtherOman, I am going to start doing meal plans (obviously once the gas gets sorted!) as I realised I have been spending a fortune on food shopping lately.

How much do you all think you spend a week on shopping? Where do you shop? Any embarrassing stories about dinner parties that will make me feel better or does anyone want to come to the next one and witness the calamity as it unfolds?

Coming soon...

Wow, I cannot believe this blog is getting so many hits. Thanks to everyone for your kind comments and such. Started writing a blog post but am dashing out the door to see a friend so will finish it tomorrow. Hope it is worth the wait.

OB