Jan
19

Travel: Top 3 picks at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Our family at Disney World

Disney World is a place for all ages, and we have been going for years!  You are getting the opinions from Adam (6 years old), Maya (9 years old), and I am 36 years old on what was our favorite ride or attraction at Magic Kingdom.

Adam’s pick – Dumbo the Flying Elephant 

My brother and his family riding high on Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride is a Disney classic located in Fantasyland.  I believe that after Cinderella’s Castle, this is second to all Disney landmarks.  It is almost always in the Disney commercials and so the younger kids can easily picture themselves flying high on Dumbo.  Parents beware.  This ride always has a long line.  My sister and brother were already in line with their children, so we kind of just joined them.  So instead of waiting in line for 45 minutes, we were in line for about 15 minutes.  No complaints.  There are only 16 elephant flying gondolas that circle around high in the sky for two minutes.   Yes, you read right! Two minutes is the length of this ride.  So many will ask is it worth the wait?  Depends if your kids have seen the commercial.  There are other rides throughout the park that are similar, but to the younger crowd it is all about flying high with Dumbo!  My suggestion would be to go to this ride first thing in the morning, or in the evening after 7pm when a lot of the younger kids have left the park.

In 2013, there will be an expansion to Fantasyland with the princesses having their own themed attractions.  There are plans for Dumbo the Flying Elephant to be increased by size.  Fingers crossed that the wait won’t be to terrible in the future!

Maya enjoying It’s A Small World, not doubt singing the tune

Maya’s pick – It’s A Small World

Deep down in my heart, I am so elated that Maya picked this as her favorite ride.  Our trip to Disney World would not be complete without this ten minute boat ride into a small world in Fantasyland.  The song plays through out the ten minutes, and trust me by the end you will be either singing along or screaming.  I loved glancing at my 6 year old singing the song.  My kids and I love to point out every country and continent represented.  It is a happy ride and a reminder that we truly do live in a small world after all.

Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor, photo credit www.wdwinfo.com

Hummus Mama – Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

A place  to sit down and have a nice laugh.  Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is trying to generate enough laughs to light up Monstropolis.  And since it holds 400 people, the wait is never too terrible and includes a pre-show.  The “Monster of Ceremonies” is no other than Mike Wazowski.  The kids truly believe in the Disney magic that Mike is really talking to them!  The jokes are a bit corny, but it is aimed at the kids.  This is an interactive show aimed at the whole family.  They usually pick a few people on the audience to interact and make fun of at times.  One year they picked Maya, and she was so excited!  This is a great show for the entire family.  I am sure that when the kids are a bit older they will want to bypass this show.  But for now, we can enjoy it!

Jan
15

What to Bring on a Flight

When I travel, I like to think I am simple and realistic with my needs on the flight.  This is what I would have on a 1 to 3 hour flight.

1.  A good size travel tote or purse is worth the investment.  My Michael Kors “jet set” tote is perfect.  Roomy enough to fit all my Travel essentials.

2.  Beauty musts – my lip balm, by Jack Black!  I also carry in my Palestinian hand embroidered make up a mirrored compact, hand cream, moisturizer, hand sanitizing wipes, tissue, and headache medicine.

3.  Gadgets – my iPad keeps me entertained either reading, games, or brainstorming my next great idea!  I also have my iPhone, because I could not imagine my life without it (sniffle sniffle).  I also have my Skullcandy earbuds that allow me to zone out the rest of the world, or at least my fellow travelers.

4.  Sleep aid – I prefer having a shawl with me to keep my warm and cozy.  I do not need a pillow, but having my own blanket makes me feel more at ease.

5.  Lucky charm – I carry with me either a hamsa or my evil eye charm, or as I refer to as my good luck charm.    I have the Pandora Evil Eye Charm that I wear on a black leather rope that makes me feel protected.

6.  Snack – I like to carry my own snack in case I am not in the mood for pretzels.  A baggie with trail mix is all I need.  I also have mints and chewing gum.

Of course, I also have my everyday essentials such as my wallet that holds my identification.

What is your must have in-flight travel essential?

 

Jan
06

Lovely Arabesque Light

My home style is contemporary with an eclectic mix.  My eclectic mix tends to be the art work and textiles that I have collected on my travels.  I love objects that have an arabesque or moor feel.

 

This Egyptian arabesque pendant light  from L’Aviva Home is so interesting.  The fixture is 16″ in diameter and it has a 16″ inch chain.  Initially thought it would look good above my kitchen table, but the scale is a bit too small.  It comes in gunmetal and gold.  This pendant is etched and pierced by hand.

Shadows appear on the surface when the light is cast.  It is so lovely!

So the hunt continues…

Jan
05

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and Pills

I love books and I love shopping. Recently I saw the  table book, The Grand Bazaar Istanbul from Assouline, I thought how perfect.  It is beautiful!  It is under the category “For the Host/Hostess”…so if anyone is coming for a visit keep it in mind.  This hostess would love to have this book on her coffee table.

The Grand Bazaar in Turkey is spectacular.  It is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world with over 4,000 shops!  Talk about retail therapy.

I was there in 1998 on my honeymoon, and I wish I had shopped more.  I could only buy things that would fit in my already bulging suitcases.  During that visit my husband and I were vacationing for a couple of months until we moved to Moscow, Russia.  So I did not have an address in which I could ship my finds!

The other day, my brother asked me if I had any ibuoprofin.  And so I pulled out my little pill box, which happens to be from the bazaar.  He took one look and said, what the hell is that?  He could not even figure out how to open it.

My little trinket is still being used after 13 years.  It is hand painted enamel, though I did not see any markings on it, which most likely means it is not silver.  But no matter.  Isn’t it gorgeous?

I love taking objects and making them work in our everyday lives.

Luckily, I do not get headaches too often, but when I do and I pull out my pill box I get happy remembering the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Happy Shopping!

Jan
03

My Pinterest Inspiration: A Spice Rack

 

My pinterest inspiration, a spice rack

Have you started using Pinterest yet?  For those of you who have not heard of it yet, it is a virtual pinboard.  You can organize and share things on the web, or you can see what others have done and get inspiration from people who have similar interests.  Once you find an image you like than you pin it on your virtual pinboard for future reference.  Genius!

Recently, I saw a spice rack that someone had pinned and got inspired (and from that pin I was able to visit the website called The Perfect Pantry). Immediately I put that spice rack on my “organize my home” board.  I knew that was the solution I was looking for in my kitchen.  I had a deep drawer that I was using presently for my spices, but I wanted to reclaim that drawer for other kitchen gadgets.

My hunt for a spice rack began.  I went to the Container Store, Home Depot, and Lowes to look for a spice rack to hang on my pantry door.  I found a wire type rack, but did not like it aesthetically for my pantry.  I also found a small wooden rack, but I would have needed six of them, and that would not have been price effective.

In my family I come up with all the fabulous ideas.  But I am lucky to have my own personal Carter Oosterhouse who takes my ideas and makes it a reality.  My husband, Bilal, can build and fix almost anything.  So, I did what I do best.  I showed my husband the picture on my board.  He said he could make it! I did my happy dance in my  head, and said let’s do it…ahem…I mean when can you start?

My husband building the spice rack

It turned out to be a big project that took a lot of time.  The spice rack is five feet in length and one feet in width.

But the end result is fabulous!  I spray painted it a beautiful blue using valspar’s satin indigo.  To add an extra detail I also used chalkboard paint at the top.

Chalkboard paint and valspar’s spray paint gave it a custom touch

I love that my spices are taking up vertical space on the pantry door, which was previously unused space.

My next step is to take all the spices and put them in uniform jars.

Where do you store your spices?

Jan
02

Green Eggs and Ham

I love to read books.  And my kids are following in my footsteps.  Adam, who is 6 years old, is so proud of himself.  He is reading all the time and just read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss all by himself.

He looked at me and said take a picture of me pointing at page 62.  So now I have my son giving me directions for my photos.

Jan
01

Beauty Tip: Start 2012 with a Clean Face (and clean brushes)

2012 is here and most everyone is making a new resolution or two.  I say start the new year with a fresh, glowing face!

When was the last time you washed your make up brushes?  Never.  Yuck!  A good makeup brush can last for years.  But you must take care of them.  If you don’t clean the brushes, all the accumulated makeup turns into bacteria and dirt.  And yes, you are putting that bacteria right back onto your face.  So if you have been having break outs, it could be as simple as you washing your makeup brushes.

Yucky, dirty makeup brushes

You should do a deep cleaning  once a week, minimum.  And for those of you who have acne or problem skin, you really should wash your brushes daily.  Some makeup artists like to spritz alcohol on their brushes and wipe it clean, but personally I like to see my brushes get a good cleaning.  I like to use a foaming face wash to clean my brushes, but baby shampoo works as well.  I like to take my brushes and run them under warm water and then apply a bit of cleanser to wash off the dirt.  I leave it under the warm water until the water runs clear from the brushes.  Then I let the brushes air dry by hanging off the edge of the sink (or you could put a clean towel and place the brushes on it to dry).

 Clean makeup brushes 

Now go wash your brushes, and get your glow on for 2012!

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