GOD BLESS SYRIA..,

10 WAYS TO LOOK FRESH AFTER THE “WILD NIGHT”

It is the weekend and it is going to be lots going on out there you won’t want to miss. The problem is that you go out feeling like a queen wearing an astonishing dress that you have cautiously ironed and with a makeup flawlessly covering all your face’s imperfections and finally, your statement jewelry all ready to sparkle in public. The major issue is what happens when you come back from the outer world of partying, drinking and most probably, sweating; abandoning our heels in a corner and avoiding any kind of reflection within the house, most of us fall asleep whispering: “tomorrow I’ll deal with the makeup and the dress”. Tomorrow arrives (usually faster than expected) and what you see in the mirror that you finally decided to confront is not very… well let’s face it, it’s ugly. So, I would like to share some tips for a better appearance after a wild night hoping it will be of assistance for some of us women to look fresh for a casual lunch with friends the day after:

Pre-hydration: 

Before going out you have to keep in mind that alcohol dehydrates your skin and hair. So before putting your foundation, remember to use a moisturizing cream, oil (one that suits your skin type) or a B-12 complex vitamin. Ow, and drink lots of water. 

Uriage Isofil Moisturizing Cream

Prevent puffiness: 

According to Glamour Magazine, sleeping with an extra pillow really helps the “lymphatic drainage” and prevents fluid from accumulating. A B5 serum may also be applied for the skin before sleeping.

Anti-circles: 

As caffeine is good for the face, experts advise to put green tea bags over the eyes and the sides of your nose for two minutes.

Makeup: 

In my opinion, the only kind of makeup suitable for such circumstances is a corrector (green for redness and yellow for the blackness around the eyes).

Clarins Eye Concealer

Tinted Moisturizer vs. Foundation: 

The latter doesn't work well on hydrated skins and doesn't absorb as well creating little “cracks” on your skin. Thus, better use a tinted moisturizer for hydration and coverage.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer 

Bright Eyes: 

Use a beige liner along your waterline so the eye can look wide and rested. It is then optional to put mascara on.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Shadow Sugar Biscuit

Lips a Mourrir: 

Wear a bold, hydrating lipstick on to distract from any flaws on your face

The Hair: A very simple chignon or a pony tail always works better. Try to keep the hair up, it rarely looks awesome down after a wild night.

Mac Winter colors lipsticks

The Highlighter and a touch of Blush: 

 Apply some light reflecting highlighter on the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and on the middle of your forehead; with a not-to-red, not-to brown blush you can hit the door and Hasta La Vista!

                                         

                               Mac White Highlighter                   Chanel Blush "Espiegle"

The Smell: 

Wear a light fruity or sweet perfume which will put forward your innocence; always works better with a light   makeup rather than a heavy Chanel No5. 

Chocolover by Aquolina

10 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD START RUNNING... NOW

I am very well placed to know how annoying it is to have to exercise after long working hours or before a bad*** party. While browsing the internet, I realized many people felt that way and thus, I decided to post few reasons explaining why running is not that bad after all. 

1. Most races and fun runs are full of hot bodies dressed in extremely light clothing no matter the weather which means there's a free pass to an aesthetically environment. Wear your sunglasses and go enjoy the view.

2. You can lose weight by drinking nothing but hot water with lemon. Or you can run for an hour, treat yourself to a cookie and still fit into your skinny jeans. One of these options makes you bitchy; the other makes you rad.

3. Take your iPod with you, and your runs suddenly become a safe place to indulge your love of not-so- popular music. With enough practice, you can even blend in a couple of dance moves; One of those ridiculous ones that you would never ever do in a club or bar while wearing high heels and a short dress. 

4. When your boss, your melodramatic friend or your grumpy boyfriend won’t leave you alone, calmly put on your running shoes and head out the door. They won’t follow you. It’s a safer alternative to storming out screaming with both middle fingers in the air (you should still do this in your head just for spectacular effect).

5. You’ll discover lulu-lemon pants are good for more than just buying tampons. They are comfy, sexy and if cautiously chosen, give you a fine butt. 

6. Running is the last place you have to “be a lady” and we women all need to connect with our manly side: sweat, snot, burp and even sneak behind a bush to pee; it will definitely be a pleasant feeling. 

7. Going for a run right before going out for a drink means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.

8. Studies have shown that runners have better sex. Sex counts as a cross-training workout, which in turn makes you a better runner. Thus, the naked truth is that running leads to even better sex.

9. Girls are lucky; there’s an entire industry committed to making us look awesome while getting our sweat on. Workout clothes come in all sorts of cool colors and designs. Jockstraps, on the other hand, will always be ugly with questionable stains.

10. Non-runners will sit on the couch and call you crazy. Those people will never learn what their bodies are capable of. You, on the other hand, will die knowing you from head to toe by using every inch of it. That’s not crazy, that means knowing how to utilize free, natural resources for a better self. 

I wish i could take (full credit) for this post but these facts were found in various "fitness" blogs. Now, chop chop, but your sneakers on and run out the door.

A CHRISTMAS ORIGINAL: EGGNOG

Finally, the weather has level down the temperature and I can finally say that it is cold. In these circumstances, as I have already mentioned in my previous posts, movies, a cozy fireplace and a pleasant company are on top of my to-do-list. Today, I would like to add “eggnog” to the list. This winter beverage often served at Christmas dinners (in the States, definitely not in Greece) is an original drink that everyone should try at least once.

When I first heard about eggnog I was shocked and disgusted by the idea. In fact, my father introduced me to the term which apparently has been popular for quite a while back in the fifties in London, and has been going on since then. At one point, even Mac Donald's (again, in the States) had readymade eggnog! 

No people. It’s not eggs scrambled enough to make it liquid, and you don’t find pieces of fried eggs floating in your mug. No, No. Eggnog is creamy, steamy, and tasty; it is not that bad after all as long as it is made at home as the carton eggnog sold are disgusting (i.e: liking eggs obviously is an important prerequisite). What is cool about it is that one can drink it in the morning or in the evening with a touch of whiskey, bourbon or rum. 

George W. Washington, the first president of the United States, had eggnog as his primary beverage and we even know his own recipe: “One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whiskey, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, 1/4 pint sherry, eggs—mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently.”

The best recipe I found, and which worked just fine is the one below. Unfortunately, it is not diet-friendly but again, what is during Christmas?  Enjoy!

EGGNOG

Yield: 4 servings

GlasswearGlass mugs

ToolsStand mixer

Ingredients

4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1/3 cup (78 ml) sugar

2 cups (475 ml) whole milk

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

5 ounces (150 ml) bourbon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish

Instructions1. Beat the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer for approximately one minute, or until they lighten in color.  Slowly mix in the sugar and continue to mix until dissolved.
2. Slowly pour in the milk and cream.  Add the bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.  Transfer mixture to a large serving bowl.
3. Clean out the bowl of the stand mixer.
4. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer until soft peaks form.  While the mixer is still on, slowly add another tablespoon of sugar and beat to form stiff peaks.
5. Add the egg whites to the cream mixture and whisk to combine.
6. Serve in glass mugs with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg on top.

Note: There is a risk of salmonella and other food-borne illnesses when consuming uncooked eggs.  It is recommended that when preparing this recipe, you use grade A or AA eggs that have been refrigerated.

FREE, FRESH, FABULOUS, FALL

Dear Fall,

First and foremost welcome; it’s been quite a long time since we’ve sensed you and truly, you have been missed. The heat this year was at its peak and our skin still feels the scorching of it.

Summer was good (for most of us at least); but as soon as you came along, despite the relief we felt when we the breeze started caressing our hair, some of us seems to have met with our melancholic ego. We had forgotten the taxes, economic difficulties, financial crisis and what not’s that were around us all of last year.

This is why, dearest fall, you have to persuade us that things are not that bad and that all of it is just an unpleasant phase we are going through. I know you are not Santa and writing you a letter is not so effective, but I am asking you either way to try and keep all these happy, refreshed, relaxed people smiling even when routine takes over their lives once again.

They say that winter is going to be hard on us this year but I am sure it’s just those damn politicians and journalists terrifying us. Everything will be just fine and all of us will have food, shelter, friends and family around us which at the end of the day, is what matters.

You should know that I like you a lot. Actually, I love you more than any other season. You include my birthday, my best friends' birthday, my adventures-to-tell after summer, a shopping spree bringing along new clothes; you motivate me to be induced into new activities, hobbies and to renew my membership at the gym. Basically, you do things that no man or family member could ever do. You are unique.

so here I am on my desk looking through the window and contemplating your beauty: the red – brown leaves dancing to the sound and movements of the wind, slowly falling off the trees, an indecisive sky turning from sunny to cloudy within minutes and finally, the people walking on the streets: few of them are lightly dressed and cold whereas others are warmly dressed and hot.

My only concern in this life when you come along is when it will be a good day to wash my car. Your rain is unpredictable and very muddy. But I empathize with this condition as you are summer’s washing machine.

I hereby end this letter dedicating you to all my friends and family and letting them know that this year will be better than the one before and worse than the one to come as long as we remain positive, hopeful and true to ourselves.

I virtually hug you and thank you for coming for the 26^th time into my life.

Love,

Tamara

   

AMOUREUSE DE CHARLOTTE

Charlotte Olympia and her shoes

She’s been on the market since 2006 but I haven’t really taken her very seriously until last season. This fall, I want to buy everything she has thought of, designed, displayed. Every single pair of what she has done is an exclusive. It is an expensive buy but I would spend a little extra money for it: It will be the disco ball of your wardrobe! She is well known for the shoes but I wouldn’t mind carrying a Matrioshka clutch or a purse in 

the shape of lips. 

                      

As worn by the famous

HASTA LUEGO SEVILLA...

Seville is a lovely city. Waking up early in the morning, enjoying a rich breakfast at the Palacio de Villapanes Hotel and sipping my (finally) perfectly prepared Cappuccino is exactly what I was looking for after my previous weekend in Mykonos.

The Hotel's lobby: my morning coffee place

Still, the schedule was a little bit hectic; as soon as the last drop of my (again) perfectly prepared Cappuccino was gone, we had to rush into the bus and go to the renowned sites of the city like Alcazar, the Mesquita and the cathedral of Santa Maria Sede. Not that I dislike History, but I’d rather spare my readers of the historical-all-that-jazz part. BUT, just because I am a proud Arab (at that time the Arabs were super amazing smart people who helped Spain obtain the civilized and artistic touch it has today), I would like to point out few historical points:

• Hercules was the one who marked with six columns the place where the great Julius Caesar later on built the Seville which was then called Iulia Romula Hispalis (206 B.C)
• 527 was the year where the Visigoths established themselves and promoted Catholicism through King Recared.
• In the year 712, the Arabs (called the Moors at that time) settled in Seville for quite a long time (around 536 years!); a period long enough to influence the arts, religion and the language.
• In 1248, Fernando III brought back the power of Christianity and put an end to the Moors’ power.
• In 1492 many things occurred that altered the history of Spain and the world in general: the Moors were completely thrown out from Seville, Spain was unified under one crown and Christopher Columbus discovered the “New World” which made Seville the intermediate route between Europe and America.
• The first economical and artistic decline hit the city in the sixteenth century mostly due to the Plague, the floods, etc.
• Thanks to its river, Guadalquivir (the Grand Valley in Arabic), Seville was since the ninth century both a river port and a bridge between the Atlantic ocean and the hinterland of Andalusia.

Seville’s small alleys and terracotta walls made me travel in a time where people moved with carriages and horses, where children would safely play on the streets and where women would sing opera songs from the play “Carmen” while drying their laundry on the balcony; basically, where all was simpler. After the appreciation I had for all these rural details, I concluded that Seville is one of the best cities in Spain in terms of beauty and history (again, my Arab origins come into play in this bias statement).

Wall of  the Royal Palace of Alcazar (originally a Moorish fort)

the Royal Palace of Alcazar

Garden of the Royal Palace of Alcazar

the Mesquita, Cordoba: Islamic architecture's perfection

One big, big, BIG disadvantage in Seville is the food. Paella? No way; I didn’t like it at all (just by looking at the picture tell me frankly, would you eat it?); Tapas? Most of them looked odd and are either way not sufficient for my metabolism. Also, this thing that they have with the damned “jamon” is ridiculous: everything has ham in it, even a green salad! Thus, I spent the weekend eating bread and some “safe” appetizers. So if you go to Spain, you probably should pack several cans of Tuna and a big bag of Spaghetti. 

Traditional sea-food-based Paella (pity the flies wandering around don't show on the picture)

Another great experience was spending the day at a Spaniard farm located in a far away place in the mountains where all appeared to me as if I was leaving in another era. I had a great time exploring the area and a lot of fun riding the “horsey”.  The people owning the farm as well as (I guess) their relatives were very hospitable serving us water, sangria, wine and tapas over and over again. They were all dressed in flamenco dresses and flowers in their heads, dancing to the guitar which made me understand and appreciate the beauties of the Spanish folklore.

How cute?

Break in the mountain with a lot of Folklore