Empties 2 - Products I've used up

I am back with another Empties post.

This is supposed to be my Empties 3 but I threw all my empty containers when I moved to a new flat. 

Anywho, these are the products I've used up.

1. The Body Shop Earth Lovers Shower Gel in Apricot & Basil - I love the scent of this shower gel. Will I repurchase this? Definitely.
2. Collin Foaming Gel - it says foaming but it didn't lather. Will I purchase this? Probably not. Btw, this was a gift from a colleague.
3. HHN Natural Feminine Wash Chamomile Cool - It is gentle and keeps me fresh.Will I repurchase this? A big YES!!!
4. Bench Organics Moroccan Argan Oil - I use this to moisturize my legs, arms and tummy. Will repurchase this? Probably. I want to try other Argan Oil in the market.
5. Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub - This product is gentle and not abrasive. Will I repurchase this? Maybe. I ordered this online as it is not readily available in Qatar.
6. HHN Hydrating Facial Wash (original formula) - I love this facial wash as it is gentle. I use this with my silicone facial pad. Original formula is not available anymore. I am currently using the new & improved formula which is creamy.
7. HHN Hydrating Face Toner - I love this product! It is gentle. It stings a little bit. Will I repurchase this? Yes after I finished my HHN Nourishing Face Toner.

What's your vanity staples? 

xoxo,

Katey

Monthly Favorites - November 2013

He-ya!

Just wanna share with you the products that I have been lovin' last November! 

1. Cure Natural Aqua Gel - I love that it gently exfoliates my skins. After using it, my skin feels smooth and soft.
2. HHN Mineral Blush in Petal Bloom - It is pigmented and gives out a natural blush.
3. HHN Mineral Powder in Oriental Pearl - It keeps my skin matte and shine free. I love that it is organic and gentle on my skin.
4. Deborah Milano 24ore Velvet Eyeshadow in 05 - I use it under my waterline that gives a subtle smokey effect. 
5. Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner - Since it is winter here in Qatar, I make sure that I put on lip conditioner to avoid dry and cracked lips.
6. Daiso Basecoat Mascara - I love how it gives volume and lengthens my eyelashes. I was even asked if I'm wearing falsies.
7. Maybelline Define-A-Lash - I use this together with my daiso basecoat mascara.
8. Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner - This baby gives me the perfect cat eye look. I also use this to get that dolly look and it does the job. However, I need to reapply as my eyelids are oily.
9. Lancome Bi Facil - It removes my eye make up quite effectively. Will I repurchase it, maybe. My Nivea Eye Make-up remover does the same.
10. Bio Oil - I have been using this everyday especially on my scars. I also use it on my face, legs and arms. 

Have you tried any of my favorites? 

xoxo,

Katey

Great Deals at Deal Grocer

In my previous post, I mentioned that I did all the arrangement of my Mom's sparty here in Qatar. I was able to do that with the help of Deal Grocer. Last June 2012, I shared with you my love for online shopping. I have to say that Deal Grocer is by far, the best online voucher website I have ever subscribed into.

I love the simplicity of their website. Clean and elegant.

They offer the best deal in the market.

I just wanna share this wonderful site and I hope you will subscribe to them. Aside from getting the best deal, you get the best services and at the same time save money!

Thanks Deal Grocer for making my Mom the most relaxed and happy Mom yesterday. She enjoyed her Sparty at Pink Me Up.

xoxo,
Katey

Mommy's Birth Month!

Yesterday, my Mom had a mini sparty at Pink Me Up. We invited my Aunt Jing, my cousins Russell & Charmie. Unforge, Charmie was unable to come due to work. 

Anywho, it was my surprise gift for her. I did all the arrangement from Qatar.

It was such a joy to see my mom happy, surprised and touched by my little gift. I would like to thank my sister Jenny for arranging the appointment in Pink Me Up. Same with my Aunt and cousins who kept it a secret for almost a month! 

Btw, this is what my sister Joy wore yesterday. Isn't she cute. She looks exactly the same as her Bitstrips Avatar!! lol

Interior of Pink Me Up is a total girly girl. I love everything. Upon entering, Joy knew where to sit. She's so excited!

They have the place for themselves for 3 hours. It gave them privacy and quiet time. They had foot spa, pedicure and blow dry.

spell R-E-L-A-X-A-T-I-O-N

They have wide selection of nail polishes from Essie and Orly.

Jenny had a hard time choosing which color she wants.

I called my mom and she was trying to stop herself from crying. She was happy but at the same time sad coz I was not there to enjoy the services with them. I told her we will have our own QT when I come home for vacation which is on December.

Aside from the sparty, I gave her a personalized bracelet made of topaz which is her birthstone and charms with our names, Jacky (my nickname), Jenny and Joy. 

Happy Mommy!

Dear Mommy,

I know that you know how much I love you, we love you. We've been through tough times... which is a lot but we were able to surpass these challenges because we have each other. I miss our quality time every Sunday. Where we go to church, eat lunch and then grocery shopping. There are times that I disappoint you but you never given up on me. There are times that I wanted to rebel and be a teenager but then... every time I think of you, I stop myself because I know that I will hurt you. You are a good example. For that, I thank you. 

Mommy, you are the best mom in the whole wide world!!! I love you to the moon & back!

Thank you and I miss you.

Love,

Jacky

Wedding of the Year

Last October 26, I attended my friend's wedding. I flew out of the country to go to Bahrain. (Read my previous post).

Flying with British Airways

So let's start with October 25. My friends and I planned to have a city tour in the morning. Being the independent bunch that we are, we decided not to have a tour guide with us. We opted to research the famous landmark and go there on our own. Being new in the country, it is expected to get lost. We have been driving in circle and using up our gas. We ended up going to this small mall to eat our lunch and went to church for the wedding rehearsal.

Lost in Bahrain

After the rehearsal, we went to Charisse's flat to do the hosts script. Me & Ariel were asked to be the wedding's Masters of Ceremony. Which by the way an honor. I, personally, was a bit scared coz it was my first time to host a wedding.

Lunch!

So, while Charisse and I are busy with Bridesmaid duties, the rest of the ladies were fast asleep. We ordered pizza for dinner then did some dress up. Since we are in Charisse flat, we decided to make over our two tomboyish girls, January and Kamie. Kamie has never worn a dress in her life. Or maybe once when she attended a wedding but that was years ago. For January, she's your typical shirt & jeans girl.

We will attend Gina's last night of being a "Miss" so we wanted it to be memorable. So, Charisse gave them dress to wear. Both ladies are beautiful!!!

photoshoot inside the elevator... kasya tayo!!

We went to Ramee Grand Hotel, where the Groom is working, to celebrate the last night of being Ms. Gina Pangilinan. It was also a reunion as January is now based in UAE while Charisse, Gina, and Leizel are in Bahrain. Kamie, the newest recruit, came from the Philippines. It was a night full of fun, chicka and booze. (cheers to free drinks)

Cheers to friendship

Bridesmaid, Mrs. Wermers, and soon to be Mrs. Gardier

Me & my choice of drink, Peach Champagne

Groom & Best Man!!!

By 2:30hrs, we decided to end the night. 

So, THE day has come! We woke up early coz we need to go back to Ramee, not to drink, but to have our hair & make up done.

Blue Motif

Church wedding was held in Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The church is small but beautiful. It made the ceremony more solemn & intimate. I just have to say that during the wedding rehearsal, I was teary eyed but during the wedding, while Gina was walking down the aisle, I was crying. She is beautiful! Knowing her, she does not commit easily. We would tease her before that she will be last BG to marry. Maybe that's why I cried. Because I am happy to see a friend to finally meet her match. Both are sarcastic, btw! lol...

Charisse read the first reading. I was tasked to light the candle, January & Ariel with veil and Kamie with cord. Liezel was the Matron of Honor and Ate Rax was the Principal Sponsor.

After the wedding, we went to Sofitel for the cocktail reception. 

The reception started with the arrival of the guests. While waiting for the couple, there were waiters serving light snacks & drinks. Then newly weds arrived. The couple had their first dance as Mr. & Mrs. After the first song, we then had a Filipino tradition of clipping money to the couple.

Mr. & Mrs. Nicolas & Gina Gardier, Belgian meets Filipino

After the dance, we then have our dinner. Food was delish! Sofitel also made a specialty drink for the couple. Bride's drink is a mixture of vodka and blueberry and Groom's drink is a mixture of rum & coke.

When we had our fill, we proceeded with tossing of bouquet and garter.

Ate Rax caught the bouquet and Serge got the garter

Charisse gave a heartfelt toast for the couple. I almost cried! 

Then cake slicing and wine drinking. After the reception, we went to Tapas to continue partying. We danced, we laughed and we drink some more. 

It was in deed THE "Wedding of the Year"! I love everything about it. The ceremony, the reception, the after party. Everything!

All throughout the event, I felt the love of the couple to each other. The simple touch, the way they look at each other, the smile.... argghh... it is so romantic. It is so overwhelming!!!

Have you been to a beautiful wedding? I wanna know your experience.

Speak to you soon.

xoxo,

Katey

Holiday Inn Express Bahrain

Hello Loves!!!

I have been MIA for a whole month coz life has been catching up with me. lol... been busy lately on which I will share with you on my succeeding posts.

Last October 24, my friends & I flew to Bahrain to attend the wedding of our dear friend, Gina.

We all stayed in Holiday Inn Express Bahrain. This is my second time to stay in a Holiday Inn Express so I came prepared. My first stay was in Holiday Inn Express Dubai when my BFF and I had a weekend in Dubai.

Anywho, just wanna share what I like and not about my stay.

I did my reservation via IHG Website and booked for their King bed standard room with seating area. 

Check-in procedure: We came early of October 25 at 2am. Check-in procedure is quite slow. Though we only had a 20-minute flight, we are all tired because it was already 2am. However, Receptionist did recognize me as an IHG Rewards Member and gave me my entitlement. 

view from my room

Room: Room is clean. I like that I got what I needed, King bed and non-smoking. I was in 18th floor, same floor as my friends. Bathroom is clean.

I like that they do turn-down service unlike Holiday Inn Express Dubai that we called several times but nobody came. My room is always clean and neat. Kudos to the Housekeeping Team.

Restaurant: If you book in Holiday Inn Express, you are entitled to complimentary breakfast. Breakfast is okay. Nothing special. I just ate few bread and some sausages. On my 3rd day, coffee machine was not working properly and I have informed the waitress about it. Variety of food is little though. I like the variety of food in Holiday Inn Express Dubai. (Manama - 1, Dubai - 1, we got a tie!!!)

WIFI: Wifi is free in the lobby and public area, however, in room internet is at a charge. I actually opened my roaming and I finished my credit in a few hours. Lesson learned! 

Staff Attitude: Staff are friendly. They greeted me every time they see me. Cool beans!

All in all, I did enjoy my stay at Holiday Inn Express Bahrain. In case I will visit Bahrain again, I will definitely stay in this hotel. 

What's your favorite hotel to stay in? Love to hear from you!!! 

xoxo,

Katey

Peloponnese Night at Mykonos

I had a wonderful dinner with my friend last night.

Cleng went for vacation last month and we were unable to have a bonding due to our hectic schedule. So when she came back, I invited her for dinner.

Mykonos has been one of my favorite restaurants in InterContinental Doha. Mykonos has a new theme every Tuesday which is Tour to Greece. Chef Ilias will bring you to different region in Greece without leaving Qatar.

Last night, they introduced Peloponnese Menu which is a 4-course menu. 

Weather is really good so we opted to seat in the restaurant's terrace.

Cleng & I had Pinot to match our dinner

Salad from Main region "Maniatiki", orange, potatoes & herbs

Red Snapper fillet "Lavraki", saute green leaves, lemon-caper vinaigrette

Chicken stew "Krasato" served with thick pasta & grated cheese

Orange pie "Portokalopita" served with vanilla ice cream

While eating, we are serenaded by Bouzuki band

My favorite is the salad. Aside from the presentation (me love some mason jars), I love baby potatoes. Cherry tomatoes are sweet and Rocca leaves are fresh.

My least favorite would be the dessert. (am not a sweet tooth)

What I love:

1. Portion is just right. 
2. Pasta is homemade and cooked to perfection. 
3. There's live entertainment
4. Very affordable! QR 170.00 for a 4-course meal? Who can beat that!

What I don't like:

1. Nothing!

Will I comeback? Definitely!!!

Verdict: 4/5

Shelter for the storm

Last September, my friends & I, went to Bay Club to support our company's project Race around the world. This project aims to help country devastated by storm. For every 1km is 1$ pledge. Each of us pledge 8$. I know its not that much but we sweat to help. And we are proud of it!!!

Beauty Boutique Review - Dado's Beauty

My colleague Christy has been asking me if Brazilian waxing is painful. I have been "waxing down under" for years now, thus, I believe my pain level is high. So I told her to come with me one Saturday afternoon, after work, to try it herself.

I happen to have Ezdan My book that entitles me to a buy 1 take 1 free in Dado's Beauty Salon. (me loves some discount). So, here's a short review of Dado's Beauty.

Ease of booking an appointment:
Scheduling an appointment is very easy. They also have sms confirmation of your appointment! 

First Impression:
Girly girly! I also like their tagline which is "Beauty with a conscience".

I love the interior! The waiting area is soooo cute!

Attitude of the staff:
Staff are friendly but professional.

Service/Treatments availed:
Spotless Waxing

Linette is my aesthetician. She's warm and friendly. It was my first visit in the beauty boutique but she made me feel at home. The wax they use in the salon is made of shea butter and they did not use strip of cloth to pull off the wax. 

First, she powdered the area to be waxed then apply the wax. Once the wax dried up, she pull off the wax. She press the waxed area to lessen the swelling.

Honestly, I only felt little pain. That's how good Linette is. Also, I did not feel any stickiness after the process.

Value for Money:
Services are competitive. If you want to see full list of services, you can check out their cool website.

Would I go again? YES!!! I actually booked for another waxing session at the end of September.

Verdict:
4/5

Spa Review - Argan Spa

Last September 3, my friend Chatz and I went to Argan Spa to try out their services. We are lucky enough to grab a great deal from Qgrabs.com.

We got lost going to the place but it was our fault. My colleague said that the spa is near Villagio but it is near Landmark!!! Good thing we left our accommodation early so we came just in time for our treatment. Yey!!!

This would be a short review of Argan Spa.

Ease of booking an appointment:
Scheduling an appointment is very easy. Receptionist is friendly and accommodating. It was a pleasant surprise when she asked me if I am "itsmisskatey" in twitter. Yup! They read tweets! 

First Impression:
Place is very calm and peaceful. 

Attitude of the staff:
Staff are professional. They keep the relationship on a professional level and they let you relax unlike other spas. 

Service/Treatments availed:
Body Scrub and Facial

Facial - I really enjoyed my facial. The Aesthetician's hand is so light that I fell asleep. My main concern is my nose because of the whiteheads and she focused on that area. 

She first removed my mascara. (I came from work and had no time to remove my make-up). After that, she cleansed my face using a sponge. She then applied the facial scrubs and massage my face simultaneously. To open up my pores, she steamed my face for 10 minutes then the pricking starts. I noticed that she uses her fingers (with gloves of course) to remove the whiteheads. Unlike the facial I had back in my home country, they use an extractor. After the pricking part, she then applied the facial mask. This is when I fell asleep. When the mask dried up, she removed it and sprayed... yes sprayed, argan oil and massage my face so the skin can absorb the oil. It was so relaxing!!!

Body Scrub - I also enjoyed this treatment. The lady who did my body scrub is from Thailand. She's quiet but very professional. She gave me a shower cap and disposable underwear before we started. She then asked me to lie down, facing the bed. She asked me which scrub I prefer. I chose coffee over apple. Then the scrubbing begin. The stroke is just right. The scrub used is not too abrasive so no need to be afraid of walking out of the spa with scratches. She started with my back then legs then arms then my belly. She then asked me to rinse off the scrub. When I came back to the room, my bed is clean again. She asked me to lie down again. She then applied argan oil to keep my skin moisturized. 

Value for Money:
Services are affordable. They have promotions available in their Facebook Fan Page.

Would I go again? A big YES!!!

Verdict:
4/5 

Room for improvement: 

1. Play some music in the facial room.
2. Increase the room temperature in the massage room. I was shivering when I stood up to take a shower

Zumba!!!

Restaurant Review: Animato

One Friday morning, my friend and I decided to have our breakfast outside. We totally forgot that during Ramadan, all restaurants are close! 

We went everywhere... when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere.

Hot weather + hungry tummy = DISASTER!

We were in the Westbay Area when we finally decided to eat in one of hotels in the area. 

So here's a quick review of Animato in Moevenpick Tower & Suites.

Animato is Moevenpick's All Day Dining Restaurant. We have been to Moevenpick's Wok Mee. If you wanna know our experience read here.

Animato is located on the 1st floor of the building. 

We were welcomed by a hostess and we're asked if we were in house guests. (my friends and I have this weird habit of not dressing well, like what happened here). We said we were walk-in guests then we were escorted to a quiet table near the window. 

We were asked for our drinks. If you have read some of my restaurant posts, you will immediately know our drinks.... lemon mint!!! Yey!!!

Oh!!! So our breakfast turn to brunch!

Food Variety: Medium - its not so big but its not so small. Starters are quite big but the main course comprises of pasta, barbecue chicken and rib eye. There are some arabic food, well... it is Ramadan and it is an Arabic country. 

Attitude of staff: courteous and very friendly

Ambiance: quiet and comfortable

Value for money: wallet/pocket friendly

Will I recommend the place: Yes!

Verdict: 4/5

Hope you like my little review of Animato restaurant.

Do you have any embarrassing experience in a restaurant?

xoxo,
Katey

How are you feeling today?

Are you living an InterContinental Life?

Yesterday, my team and I checked in at InterContinental Doha The City to unwind and enjoy the weekend.

We booked 2 twin bedded rooms. I shared my room with Mavic while Abdien and Mina shared in one room.

Mavic & Mina checked in first at 12:30 pm while Abdien came at 5:00 pm and I came at 6:45pm.

I came just in time for Iftar.

We had our Iftar at The Square. There was a massive variety of food. 

We enjoyed our Iftar. My favorites are the chicken rice and shawarma. 

Our room is in 42nd floor. Let me just say it... room is so spacious!

Nespresso machine!

The bathroom is HUGE!!! I can actually dance inside. I love their bathroom amenities. Why? Because the scent is lemon! Me love some lemons, you know. It awakens your senses in the morning!

I did enjoy my stay at InterContinental Doha The City. I'll give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Why 3.5?

1. Their mobile charger is available only in Concierge Desk. It maybe shallow but imagine if you are waiting for an important call and your mobile went dead. You have to stay at the Concierge Desk to wait for the call while your mobile is charging.

2. You need to ask for room amenities like dental kit, slippers and bathrobe. I booked for 2 guests but amenities provided by Housekeeping was for one guest only.

3. We ordered pizza but nothing was prepared for us. 

at Room 4208

However, check-in procedure went smooth and all staff are courteous. 

Will definitely recommend the hotel. Actually, I have one friend who booked after I said my stay was enjoyable.

Speak to you soon.

xoxo,

Katey