Tag Archives: Mums in Singapore

Children's Products

Billieblush Dubai | One of Sofia’s favourite clothing brand.

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Billieblush Dubai | Summer is fast approaching and Sofia and I were lucky enough to be introduced to a lovely brand called Billieblush, and having had a look at it’s Spring Summer collection we are both hooked.  This is Sofia’s mood board that she put together herself, and it looks like the perfect wardrobe for our family’s summer holiday.

The clothes are designed with children in mind, but parents will be happy that the clothes are stylish too especially if we have strong headed children who insist on dressing themselves, and the results are not always what we hope for (I am sure most mothers have a story of what their kids chose to wear to the birthday party).  With these clothes you can mix and match them, and still look cute whilst wearing age-appropriate fashion.

The brand is a fabulous fun girls wear brand that offers pet-a-porter fashion at affordable prices.  The new collection has enough sparkles and lace to keep all girls happy.  They have thoughtfully designed t-shirts, leggings and dresses that Sofia struggled to narrow her selection to just these items as her favourite items from Billieblush.  Sofia’s sequin t-shirt cost retails in the UK for around GBP18, and a dress costs from GBP30 and up.  They are great outfits for children to wear to birthday parties as well as being great to give as birthday gifts for children and family.  Most importantly, Sofia thinks the clothes are comfortable.  (What a relief)

Stockists in the UAE:

Lollylop- Dubai Mall

Courcelles- Dubai Mall

My little Angel- Abu Dhabi

Tryano- Yas Mall

Children's Products

My favourite artwork for 2016 | Arkham Creative | Tariq Sharif

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Quote ‘Seashellsonthepalm’ to get your discount.

37 year-old Artist Tariq Sharif was born in Bahrain, but grew up in the UK, and he is creator and owner of Arkham Creative, who was previously a marketing manager for a telecom company in Bahrain.  Tariq recently moved to Abu Dhabi and discovered his creative talent to essentially make portraits from ‘shredded paper’.  We talk to him about his newfound talent that has been very popular with family portraits.  They make beautiful gifts for birthdays, Mother’s Day, and even a perfect present for grandparents.

What inspired you to start the first piece of your incredible art work?

It all started from a printing problem I had back in 2013, there was a certain color I wanted for a print but couldn’t get match I was looking for, so I took the colored paper that I wanted and decided to cut out what I wanted with blades and to my surprise, it turned out better than I thought, then I was rushed to the hospital because I have cut myself a couple of times and had some blood loss, blades are very sharp by the way.

Can you share with us if you could pick 5 celebrities in the world to create your paper art on?

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Michael Jordan, Robin Williams, Emma Watson & Femka Jensen

Name three of your favourite artists?

Gary Larsen (comic artest), Todd McFarlen (Spiderman & Spawn Comics) Jim Lee & Frank Miller ( comic book artists)

You also do children’s portraits, how long is the process if a mum is interested in ordering one?

The process begins with the mum selecting her favorite picture of her child, I will revert back with a demo of what the image will look like, after that it will take about 2-3 days, the time lapse video will also be sent at the same time

What is the best way to get in touch with you if potential clients are interested in the art?

Potiential clients can contact me direct on my Instagram channel @arkhamcreative or they can email me direct Arkhamcreative@gmail.com but if you really want to get a discount contact me through Seashells on the Palm to take advantage on getting your hands pieces of art that a truly personal.

Watch Tariq’s creative art from The Links on Youtube

Food

Some new Valentine’s Restaurants to try | Dubai | Top restaurants

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With almost 5  – 10 restaurant openings a month it is a real headache to pick something that you are comfortable with or whether to try something new.  We inevitably always go back to our favourites but never on Valentine’s day itself as we usually stay at home for a home cooked meal but a day before or after Valentine’s we will venture out as we think the whole concept is a little cheesy.  For us, it is just a good excuse for a date night.  Here are some of the possible options. Share with us any ideas that you might have too – all husbands need some help and ideas.

#Play Restaurant and Lounge | H Hotel | Sheikh Zayed Road

New to the neighbourhood.  The Chef is Reif Othman – ex-regional chef of Zuma Restaurants for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, and who oversaw the Hong Kong and Miami operations too.  Othman has a 40 chef team and has every potential to be great.

#Bistrot Bagatelle | Fairmont Dubai | Sheikh Zayed Road

The new hip and trendy restaurant focuses much on the sharing concept of French foods  with new twists on traditional dishes.  It is from the same company that brought you Catch.  The truffle pizza and beetroot salad are worth the trip, but be on time and quick as they do ensure that they turn around the tables on time, and you will be asked to have dessert in the bar area which can get quite smokey which can appeal to some who want to keep on partying into the late hours.

Tel: +971 4 354 5035

#Beach Bar & Grill | One & Only Royal Mirage

You can book a private beach gazebo at the the One & Only.  The restaurant has been around for a long time but these private beach gazebos are a new concept.  It will cost around AED500 per person which is not bad for a Valentine’s evening at one of Dubai’s most exclusive hotels.

Tel: +971 4 399 9999

#Hashi | The Armani | Burj Khalifa

Still a firm favourite of ours.  It is now a highly sought after location for dinner dates with fountains in front and the Burj Khalifa towering above.  The food is as good as the view – unique and interesting with great service from a well-trained team.  Top tip: book early to secure a table outside, and bring a jacket as it can get a bit nippy but there are heaters outside too.

Tel: +971 4 888 3444

#Marina Social | Intercontinental | Dubai Marina

A brilliant restaurant by Michelin-starred British chef, Jason Atheron, who had been the excutive chef for Gordon Ramsey’s Maze restaurant in London.  Jason has a love for Dubai as he lived here previously with his family before returning back to the UK and propelling into stardom.  Atherton now has restaurants all over the world with several in London including his Michelin-starred Pollen Restaurant, Singapore and now Dubai.  The Chef is inspiring creative, and the passion in his food is apparent in his dishes.  One thing you have to try is the artichoke ice-cream and judge for yourself.

Tel: +971 4 446 6777

#Jean Georges | Fine Dining | Four Seasons

One of my favourite restaurants in Dubai.  There is both the casual dining and fine dining sections and of course, on Valentine’s the fine dining would be the preferred option.  The fine dining venue has to be left for date night evenings where time is not a concern; you will need time to enjoy the meal with a glass of bubbly, and the service is out of this world – think silver service in the UK.  The menu is unique, and an experience for true food lovers.

Tel: +971 4 343 6118

Home

Alternative cleaning products for the home | More natural methods that are equally effective

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I am always looking for better alternatives than the harsh chemicals that companies tell you that you need to clean your home with. The truth is that we don’t. We also don’t need to pollute our house, our drains that will eventually flush out to sea affecting all marine life. It is really hard to ensure that we are always cleaning with the best products especially when you have young children, and I am aware that we cannot eliminate it always but we can, as parents try. Also, if you have staff at home it is worth educating them because they feel uneasy cleaning the house with ‘homemade stuff’ because we have all been conditioned that chemicals bought in a shop must be better.

#Cleaning using water and vinegar for all purposes – 9 units to water and 1 unit of vinegar.

#Window cleaner – ¼ cup of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of natural liquid soap and 2 cups of water. Shake and spray.

#Sink cleaner – First, pour a pot of boiling water down your drain. ½ cup of baking soda. Leave it to rest for a few minutes, then pour 1 cup of vinegar followed by 1 cup of hot water, and leave it for 5 – 10 minutes. Flush one more time with a pot of boiling hot water.

#Dog wash and shampoo – I had been using harsh dog shampoos for my dog at the start, that left him with itchy skin until someone involved in the dog business told me that Johnsons & Johnsons baby shampoo was a great alternative. I don’t use this product for my children as I prefer organic products but for my dog it was perfect. The months of expensive vet fees disappeared by just changing his shampoo.

#Natural air fresheners – sprinkle from baking soda into a smelly thrash can to absorb bad odours or use a ground coffee and place it near areas of bad smells.

After the house has been cleaned or whilst it is being cleaned it is good to leave all windows and doors opened to vent the house and let the winds take away any lingering chemicals in the air.

Click here to find out about some unwelcomed hidden chemicals in your home products.