Tag Archives: Mummy blogger Singapore

Pregnant nesting mode | Imagining my next dinner party with White Almonds

Since having three children I haven’t had any dinner parties, well, to be honest, formal dinner parties.  I remember the days when I loved hosting and entertaining.  Most mums can relate that after the kids have gone to bed I would love nothing more than to crawl into my own bed.  I know I am in nesting mode, and I want to get the house in order and to get re-inspired to have friends over again.  White Almonds have put together a mood board for me that I love – just perfect for Seashellsonthepalm.com.  Perhaps it is time to invest in new tabletop pieces.

White Almonds is normally a wedding & gift registry company perfect for weddings.  However, it doesn’t mean that we can’t buy ourselves a little treats from their incredible and unique collection.

Sara Farah, the founder of White Almonds has a love for the arts with an exceptional eye for detail.  Through her extensive travels and education she has gained invaluable experience in acting, fashion, art, design, interiors and the flourishing wedding industry.

Holding a Masters in History of Art, Sara uses her skills to focus on her latest venture, White Almonds, to not only pick out delicate, exceptional and beautiful bespoke tabletop and decorative pieces but also to collaborate with leading brands and stores.

If you like the collection, here are some details of Seashellsonthepalm.com‘s bespoke mood board.

Marie Daage, hand painted porcelain from France available at White Almonds .  For more information call +971 4 4570401 or check their beautiful website www.white-almonds.com or you can follow them on their Facebook page.

Palm Tree collection

Beaker                                             304.38 AED

Espresso Cup and Saucer    457.15 AED

Tea pot                                           1318.57 AED

Shells Collection:                  

Dessert Plate                              405.44 AED

The Dirtiest Fruits & Vegetables | The revised Dirty Dozen list 2014

The EWG has now updated its list for 2014.  It creates a list every year by testing for the amount of pesticides that remain on a wide range of fruits and vegetables.  If you think that going 100% in your household is too expensive, you can just consider making changes with the top 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables.

I really believe that it is so important not to flood our children’s systems with unnecessary chemicals  – especially the ones that are in our power as parents to avoid.  This frees up their little immune systems to heal and repair itself and to keep them as healthy as possible.

Topping the list yet again this year are the APPLES.  99 percent of them tested positive for at least 1 pesticide residue.  See the full list below – the higher up the list the higher the pesticide residue.  Click here to see the full list on the EWG Website.

Apples

Strawberries

Grapes

Celery

Peaches

Spinach

Sweet Bell Peppers

Nectarines (Imported)

Cucumbers

Cherry Tomatoes

Snap Peas (imported)

Potatoes

Dubai | Best pre-natal massage | Hands down.

The Mummy-To-Be massage at SensAsia Urban Spa | Palm Jumeirah

I just had the first massage in Dubai in months or has it been years?  Well done me.  I know it sounds ridiculous but with 3 children, I am also currently pregnant with my 4th, and a family business to run I always feel so guilty to take an hour out of my schedule for myself.  My guilt-ridden logic tells me it would normally involve a 20-minute drive there, have a treatment and 20-minute drive home – that is close to 2 hours out of my ‘work and home schedule’.

So, when SensAsia Urban Spa created the Yummy Mummy Club, and ‘forced’ on me a 90-minute pre-natal massage I thought that I would take up the opportunity.  I am also skeptical when it comes to pre-natal massage.  Most of the time, pre-natal therapists around the world are so scared of lawsuits that a massage involves someone rubbing almond oil on you, and nothing else much happens.  It usually leaves me feeling even more infuriated and irritable for wasting precious time and money, and I am feeling more tensed than relaxed after the treatment.  In 4 pregnancies, I only found one other location in Dubai (at a five star hotel so prices were not that reasonable, mind you) that did amazing pre-natal massages but the therapist was so good she was offered another role in a paradise resort.

The SensAsia Urban Massage appointment was with Anna, from Indonesia, and she was amazing.  I even debated on sharing her name on the blog for fear she would now be so booked out that I wouldn’t be able to request for her again.  She made my timeout worth leaving the real world behind for 90-minutes.  She used almond oil as a base, mixed with some pregnancy-friendly essential oils to massage into my skin to help to nourish the skin especially for the tummy area.  The best part was the perfect amount of massage pressure  she applied to relieve the knots in my shoulders and lower back, and my body felt much lighter.  It was not the useless butterfly fingers, which I might have expected, where nothing is achieved but Anna had good hands, and she was extremely well-trained on pre-natal massages.  She knows the typical places that might ache – I even pointed out on my appointment card to focus on my shoulders and my lower back, and she actually followed the requests.  I could not recommend Anna at the SensAsia Urban Spa more highly.

I just wished I could have been more disciplined about taking my mind off my task list during the massage.  I could feel my brain desperately working to remember everything that I had to do the moment the massage was over.  It took me 30-minutes to relax and the next 60-minutes was bliss so I personally would recommend the 90-minute massages.  I have since purchased the 3-month Yummy Mummy package to take advantage of the great prices and offers included.  I am imposing on myself a massage once a month to ensure that I am a better and more relaxed mum and wife during this pregnancy.

It’s also a really nice baby shower gift for friends who are expecting.  You know at least it will be really appreciated.  I will be organizing that for a few expecting friends for sure.

Well done, Salina Handa, who is the founder of SensAsia Urban Spa for creating the perfect time out for me.  I loved the entire experience.

To book your massage or other treatments you can call one of their following locations. www.sensasiaspas.com

The Village +971 4 349 8850

Palm Jumeirah + 971 4 422 7115

Emirates Golf Club +971 4 354 9228

Downtown +971 4 456 0866