GLITTERING SIDEWALKS

Isn't she a beaut?! Christmas has been good to me this year.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE

Jacques, the new meek and mild porno mag?

I kinda dig it.

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STARVE FOR A GOOD CAUSE

2011 is looking sartorially bright for me, eh? Sounds good. Anyway, as always, the overly dreamy Christmas Closet Wish List. Enjoy. 

Winter Wants: The Bag by thelonelylondoner featuring knit tops

Adam Oversized wool-blend cardigan, $385
Loopy Knit Pullover, $352
Vivienne Westwood Red Label Draped crepe pencil skirt, $290
Jil Sander Elio stretch-cotton shorts, $445
JECKERSON PA01 PANNA COTTON/ELASTANE 0, 184 GBP
Savana Leopard Wedge Booties, $1,195
Electric Blue Soft Matte, $750
Pendleton Weekend Bag - brodie tartan, 245 GBP
Barton Perreira, $480
The Village - Black, $210
Reindeer antlers, $2.99

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LINE IN THE SAND

 That's why I haven't been writing.

Guns 'n' Roses tonight, Slackline Yoga tomorrow, Motocross Saturday and Fencing on Sunday.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

PILLOW TALK

My boss called me up the other night and asked me if I wanted to write a report on some yacht race happening in Dubai. I get there half an hour late and next thing you know I'm being whipped by a massive entourage through the VIP entrance to a ritzy yacht - I kept all of them from enjoying the first 30 minutes of what followed; mini course after mini course of the kind of food that was clearly hidden from me all my life, that alongside unlimited Moet and Coronitas til sun down (DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE? CUTEST THINGS EVER!!!). And you can bet your bottom dollar I grabbed one of those designer SPF lotions fanned out on that silver platter at the entrance. Typical freelancer behaviour.

What my boss failed to mention was that I was covering the Louis Vuitton Trophy and that I was going to get on board one of the vessels to race as the 18th man. Didn't happen, though, due to crappy winds and major race delays. Not that I minded, obviously! But I could've gotten many more flutes down the chute if I wasn't so busy being a professional journalist (and the only one not carrying any LV anywhere on their person) preparing to compete on the high seas - aka painfully sober.

Still, a great day had. Even better, after declining a ride home because no one knew that I had travelled all the way from another Emirate aboard a public bus for two hours to get there, I arrived home to find lovely noises in my kitchen - COOKING! The Fox had a whole feast in the works. AND it was carb free (yeah, this again...). I love him, oh I do, I do! The only problem is he made a big egg breakfast again for me this morning even though it was his first day back to work from vacay (and no carbs in there either) so it means I've got to come up with something extra special in the next few hours.

Oh, to hell with it. I'll let the pillow do the talking.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

GIMME THAT SALT ALL AROUND THAT RIM

 Hello! I didn't type for a while because I nearly sawed off my left middle finger while feverishly attacking a block of cheese - I started a no carb thing a couple days a week so...it was bound to happen sooner or later. Anyway, isn't that just a fucking awesome album cover? No shame in saying it...the skankiness of her, the wigs, the dirty mouth, her rhymes, the Barbie fascination....the fact that she is ALSO from Trinidad....it all just makes my labia tingle lol.


Disgusting, isn't it? Yet I would wed and bed this girl in a heartbeat (or bed then wed her, doesn't matter...). Throw in the new Kelis (who I'm seeing live tonight) and some Kesh (also Trinidadian) and I'm set for life.

In fact, I would love to sit in on some Young Money meetings (I don't listen to rap regularly but I am highly impressed with this crew, namely Nicki, Drake and Lil Wayne. Young Money is to the world of Hip Hop what Jack Kerouac is to Fiction, and I just hope they can keep it going, even while in prison.

Oy vey...straying very far away from my metal/punk/electro home...

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

HOLED UP IN HERE

http://whatcourtneyworetoday.com/

REALLY!
Pretty random of her, but then again, it's Courtney Love.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

HOLD ME LIKE A GUN

Sorry I've been such a shitty blog parent but this last week has kept me pretty busy.

Anyway, do you like my shoes?

Only 40 dirhams from New Look. Yeah, that's like 6 pounds/10 dollars. I went ape shit there on shoes the other weekend, bought like 6 pairs. I don't know why I am always surprised at how good their collection is. It was never that great in the UK when I lived there, and now I barely shop anywhere else for footwear. Good for them.

In other news...

THIS DREAM is for sale in my neighbourhood. I want it so bad, but I don't have the local license and oh yeah, I don't have 50,000 dirhams. The local guy who owns it saw The Fox and I peering inside of it late one night and just gushing like mad and pulled up in his shiny white Mercedes G Class Off-Roader and explained that it was THE car for his crew, B2B (Between Two Bridges, the English name for the neighbourhood he and I both live in). He's really keen to get rid of it for nearly any price, it seems, which is a bit shady so it's probably a blessing that I can't afford it...

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A GOTHIC ROMANCE

Call it a poor girl's mental block but I've seen this scent just about everywhere before, heard everyone's gushes, even thought the name - Black Orchid - sounded exactly like something that I should be smelling like for the rest of my very dark life, but never bothered to test it out until last night at the mall. And only because I was smelling a tad sweaty from hopping buses all day and about to sit in a darkened theatre with several other people. The Fox - who is taking a shot at courting me once more - and I went on a date and ended up finding our perfect scents - and I presume - each other's perfect christmas gifts, before catching the 8.15 showing of The Devil (yeah, I dunno). His would be Bleu de Chanel and mine would be aformentioned heady otherwordliness. Funny thing is it also smells just like this eggnog-y type drink we guzzle at Christmas time in Trinidad, but made for your neck! I can't quite nail it in writing so just go sniff for yourself next time you hit up the department stores.  

3 things I'm stoked about right now:

Tackling Adrien Brody on the red carpet when he comes here for the gala screening of his latest film 'Wrecked'. The Abu Dhabi Film Festival hits the capital this weekend, baby!

My next swap social happening next week! Business is booming! More later.

Modeling in early November for students at a photography workshop. Save for a few Kill City shots taken by Panda back in the day (and a shoot done two days ago to promote my next swap social), I don't - and am certainly no - model, but I'm thinking why the fuck not? From what it looks like, I'm on a mission to be as out of my element as possible for the rest of 2010 (I just competed in Abu Dhabi's Dragonboat Races, got picked up on by some male high school biology students I was giving an exam to, started a business overnight, and literally just got asked to train with the country's national triathlon team...). So modeling? Piece o cake.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

PICTURES OF HOME

I've been dreaming of seating a lot over the past few months. I guess it's a new home (studio) owner (renter) thing...

Above are my favourites at the ridiculously swanky Fairmont Hotel opposite my house. Sometimes I just go sit in their lobby with the cheapest beverage I can find on the menu just to enjoy them. I even already have the contact for the chair buyers and will spit out shitloads to grab those rope ones before anyone else does the next time the hotel does a design/decorating overhaul.

But like Fairmont furniture, rent in Abu Dhabi is merciless, and I don't have shitloads.

So I was well excited when I stumbled upon my very own chair project one day on the bus home from work. I somehow managed to find a pair of dusty wing-backed armchairs perched on the edge of a construction site one day. And with some less than flawless Arabic conversation with the labourers - thanks to the boyf - I got them for free (AND they put them in the back of the car for me!). Since then, dumpster diving has become my new thing.

BEFORE...

MIDWAY...at the upholsterer's

MOVING DAY!!!...

TODAY!!!...

WITH ITS SISTER!!!

Very much in love! I almost never sit on them, or let anyone sit on them. If I do, I'm constantly vigilant for spills and stains coming from their person......that's how much.

Seriously though, Abu Dhabi is the best place to dumpster dive because it's one of the most wasteful cities in the world. My daily 30 minute jogs around my hood on an evening reveal many a secondhand pleasantry! I always come home with some great junk or other that keeps The Fox's eyeballs rolling.

P.S. Speaking of chairs, while I was away on holiday last week, someone replaced my comfy office swivel chair with a uncool, uncomfy stationary one, and I am not at all pleased....but with these babies, I easily let that slide by the end of the day.

IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

MAKE ANYONE CRY TODAY? SADLY, NO, BUT IT'S ONLY 4.30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9rNLZX2G8

I have the DVD and watched it again one lame night last week, but seriously? The whole movie is up there! Look how good I am to you. I used to want to be Katerina Stratford so badly. Now I'm back on it. And Heath Ledger in this is just...is it wrong to put the deceased in your spank bank? Sorry, that was majorly offensive. For what it's worth, I always thought he had superb talent.


IȾ iϟ Ẇrittɇn.

GOD IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WATCHING

...and that's how it's done. THAT'S how you live.

 And OF COURSE the owner of a place like this is named Cindy Gallop. What else would she be called, yuh know? Extra Fucking Credit.

I can't stress how much this place is blowing. my. mind. So glad I found it right on the cusp of renting my first apartment in Abu Dhabi and am thoroughly re-inspired. Speaking of my potential new home...dear readers, I am terrified. It's perfect. And I promise after today to never gush over it ever again until I am moving in because I'm afraid to jinx it. It's the cheapest and biggest studio I've seen in town so far. It's brand spanking new, includes water and electricity, has a huge window, HUGE white rooftop (say hello to better outfit of the day photos), 24 hour fitness centre with sauna, parking spot, 10 mins away from where I work and smack opposite some of my favourite hangouts (can already see myself rolling home at 4am). What's the catch? I'll have to pay a year's rent up front plus deposit and agency fees. So my mum and I are scraping up some serious cash right now, and this is exactly why even though I have a pretty badass fulltime job with matching salary (which I just received), I ate cup noodles for lunch today and will be serving drinks on my friend's boat this weekend for a measly 50 dirhams an hour. I can't remember if I told you about this friend - The English Russian? - He lives on a boat, has a diamond drilled into one of his canines and likes BDSM. He also offered to lend me some of the money. I politely refused though...

YEAH, I FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE MY PICTURES BIGGER. DADDY LIKEY!

[photos from The Selby]

FLUSH

In case you wanted to see some of my favourite artist's art pieces jumping around...

...literally

Hillier in da House! I haven't visited his site in a while but these are my latest of his 'inactive' pieces that I adore.

Really missing London today...