this not so charming man...

i usually like marian keyes' books but this one fell very short of my expectations. first of all, i had waited in anticipation for it to come out because i had read reviews and some critiques even called it her "best book yet". secondly, i enjoy her style of writing and the way her books keep you entertained and make for light-hearted, fun reading.

this one was anything but fun. i endured 337 pages of it and then flung it down and refused to continue because i couldn't have been bothered to carry on reading it. i found it extremely boring (what with all the political carry-on); that she beat around the bush way too much before actually getting to any point; there were way too many characters in the book (and i'm not talking about protagonists but peripheral characters that called for us remembering silly little details); and the main characters were ever so slightly annoying and not very likeable.

in all honesty, i was warned by a friend (who had managed to get a copy before me) that this book wasn't like any of her other books but "it was nice". in this case, different was definitely NOT better.

so, if you're planning to spalsh out on a book anytime soon, think again before rushing out and getting this one because (i know this may be harsh), you may not want to waste your time.

kitsch cupcakes

i just tasted the most sublime cupcakes ever ! rich & moist, with a frosting that complements it perfectly. they were delicious - not that sickly sweet, artificial, industrial bakery stuff that we only seem to come by. i was really craving good cake & these cupcakes satisfied my craving completely.
the cute little store called kitsch cupcakes is located at villa 611, jumeirah beach road, umm suqeim. the telephone number is 04 395 6963.

also, as monsieur and i love eating out, we're always on the hunt for great places to eat at. we recently stumbled upon an absolute jewel at the souk al bahar (for those of you who are not familiar with it, it's around the corner from burj dubai) - it's a gorgeous japanese restaurant called momotaro. the ambiance is lovely and the food was superb. go there (even if only to see the groovy bottles of mineral water) for a lovely romantic evening or for a classy evening out with friends. the green tea crème brûlée was one of the best i've tasted. the fried ice-cream, however, looks rather like an alien and, depending on the flavour of ice-cream you choose (in keeping with the theme of the evening i chose "green tea ice-cream") tastes like one too !

otherwise, for a funky evening out for light snacks, try qd's at the dubai creek golf & yacht club. it's a jazzy outdoor place that also offers shisha. the food was good and i also particularly enjoyed the cinderella mocktail.

when i'm an old woman...

i must say, i love this poem - i always have ever since the first time i read it - so i wanted to share it. it's called "warning" and written by jenny joseph.

WARNING

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.