Abu Dhabi Travels! Veiled fashion & Arabian makeup at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel.
Whenever I travel, I love to get into the spirit of the destination and have it influence my looks. In Abu Dhabi, this was my outfit of the day.
My film crew and I were amazed by the “Austin Powers in Arabia” decor of our host hotel, the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. (The Fairmont also hosted us in Dubai.)
Photos by my talented filmmaker Melissa Rundle.
Outside, the pool and beaches stretch out towards the famous white mosque.
The lobby offers Middle Eastern tea to weary travelers…
… and has portraits of the sheikhs that rule the United Arab Emirates.
In the basement, you can smoke shisha (or hookah). We had a fabulous meal at the award-winning Frankie’s Italian Restaurant & Bar — I’m still thinking of the eggplant parmigiana and chocolate lava cake.
My room’s decor continues the mod theme with a circular light-up mirror. What a nice welcome: a plate of chocolate and fruit.
We had rooms on the Fairmont Gold floor, which included a number of perks such as a lounge and open bar. (In the spirit of gonzo journalism, I drank fresh grapefruit juice with gin.)
Silhouette and my view from the bedroom window. Later, I’ll take you inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Abu Dhabi’s a cultured, classical destination in contrast to the high-tech bustle of Dubai. The cities are only a 1.5 hour drive apart, so we recommend that you visit both.
The mosque is the most famous attraction, and one that you must experience for yourself.
Coming up: video footage of my Arab adventures in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
What do you think of my Middle Eastern-inspired makeup and coordinate? Have you ever wanted to visit this part of the world?
PS: I’m currently in Budapest and heading to Belgrade and Zagreb! Follow along my travel adventures on LaCarmina Instagram.
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Hong Kong shopping guide & travel tips! Cute panda cookies, Hello Kitty fashion, Uniqlo, Sogo.
Hong Kong is all about eating and shopping. I did a bit of both on my most recent trip.
Read on for a peek inside the Chinese city’s cutest stores, and my latest Business Insider article about kawaii food.
Sweet meets Gothic, in this Kowloon shopping mall.
Corset skirt: Atelier Pierrot, from Laforet Harajuku (see photos from inside this Tokyo department store)
Mary Jane shoes: Demonia
Hong Kong locals love to take photos with funny backdrops. Shopping centers often have displays, like this “Sweets Paradise” one in Kowloon, for that very purpose.
Remember when my friends and I posed in the “Magician’s Liar” last year in Mongkok?
Japanese pop culture is extremely popular here, hence the “Sushi Oishii.”
What do you think I’ll find on my plate?
Hopefully not these “Black or White” burgers from McDonalds (dyed with squid ink, they look inedible). I prefer the cute Rilakkuma buns from 7-Eleven.
Better yet: these panda bear cookies from Kee Wah Bakery! I gave a box to Seby and to Naomi.
I’ve taken you inside many of Hong Kong’s malls, but here are photos from a not-so-known area, Whampoa. It’s home to a boat-shaped department store and Treasure World.
Hong Kong’s my favorite place to pick up cute accessories (I just got a fat-cat bag and wallet). Characters such as Rilakkuma are plentiful, but prices are much cheaper than in Japan.
I always stop by the cosmetics chain, SaSa. You can get Japanese makeup brands and gyaru eyelashes for half the Tokyo price.
You know Hello Kitty is popular when she has her own store, a collaboration with KiLaRa.
In addition to casual wear, the shop has red-bowed purses, shoes…
…and tons of kawaii accessories.
Monchichi monkey jewelry is sold in the Japanese department store, Sogo (it has locations in Causeway Bay and Tsum Sha Tsui).
Also in Sogo: the girly-lace-romantic-pop brand, Liz Lisa.
Clear purses and scalloped fabric are currently in. (Compare these Liz Lisa photos to the ones I took last year.)
The crochet garments are great for layering (I bought the white one on the middle mannequin).
Often, I find bizarre-cute items (like this Wario shirt) simply by wandering around. In Causeway Bay, there’s a “squish-faced cat store” — a pet store that specializes in Exotic Shorthair kitties!
It’s a Hello Kitty world. We only live in it.
Sanrio teamed up with Uniqlo for a tshirt and tank tops line.
I leave you with these panda bear bags. For more details about the various malls and brands, read my Hong Kong shopping posts.
What do you think of Hong Kong’s clothing selection? Would you gobble up these panda biscuits?
Speaking of – I have a new article in Business Insider, with 30 photo of kawaii food! Snoopy cakes, Hello Kitty bentos, mouse lattes and more.
In your opinion, who does cute cooking better, Hong Kong or Tokyo? If you’re intrigued by this food trend, I wrote a book about it that includes recipes: Cute Yummy Time. Bon appetit!
LA CARMINA
