The Best Restaurants in Khobar on Valentine's Day

Needless to say, The Valentine’s day like any other non-Muslim holiday is not celebrated in the kingdom (boring ha?).  This day is deemed immoral or “Haram” in their language, thus Mouttawas (Religious Police) and agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice are out in full force to make sure that the colour red or any gifts that commemorate this occasion are not seen in any public places.

While this may be the best time of the year for expat married couples to re-ignite their romance, my friends and I are equally excited to celebrate our single-blessedness by having a nice dinner and fun chat over a cup of coffee after in Khobar's downtown like what we used to do from previous Valentine's Days. For those living in the Eastern Region who couldn't decide where to go on February 14, 2013 you may consider one of my favourite restaurants where there is more than food to enjoy. Good place, excellent customer service and affordable and reasonable price.

1.) Carlton Al Moibed Hotel houses diverse restaurants but Mediterraneo definitely caught my radar with their grilled fresh seafoods every Sunday. It may be few days late from Valentine's Day but its definitely a dinner to remember.

Location: Carlton Al Moiabed, Al Khobar

Fresh seafoods grilled simply to perfection. Plain without any frills. Tastes like heaven!

2.) The slogan of the restaurant "You'll be stunned that something so simple can be so good" speak for the food they serve and my experience eating at this place totally proves it. Their French Fries was just beautifully fried seasoned with only salt and the burger I ordered is just yummy. Makes me wanna go back and eat tonight.

Location: Dharan Mall, Dharan

3.) If you're taste buds are seeking for real gastronomical adventure Bamboo Kitchen is the place to go. All of your favourite Asian Cuisines like Chinese, Mongolian, Thai and Vietnamese are served under one roof. They also have a selection of dishes for vegetarian. Amazing right?

Location: Dharan Mall, Dharan

4.) If grilled seafoods from Meditarraneo at Carlton Hotel is not enough for you, swim your way to The Dhow Restaurant which serves seafoods all the way.

The Dhow is a total seafood dining experience. You'll know exactly what to expect from their menu upon entering the place, but don't get me wrong guys the place doesn't smell like a fish market hehe! There is a big aquarium by the staircase, there are fish displayed under a boat image from a projector  and there are surf-board looking columns. I especially love the runway isle.I just wish to see the waiters in sexier outfits, something closer to the motif. A lifeguard outfit perhaps or a mermaid. It would have been so perfect. Hehe! 

5.) The V-day is two weeks passed from pay day which means stretching the budget for those who have already remitted money to their loves ones from their home country. But with little budget you can still enjoy a good Asian cuisine at Phu Pink. 

For those who doesn't fancy eating in well know restaurants around Corniche area, this place is definitely the top choice. They have the best tasting Thai dishes which I'm a big fan of yet super affordable price.

Location: Al Khobar

Happy valentines day everyone!!!

Beso!

My New Year's Resolution

I'm glad that my blog "Challenged Fashionista" has been running for more than a year now. May it continue to inspire more people not only in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but hopefully all over the world to be true to themselves and to hold on to their passion no matter what.

It's been a long time since my last post. It's only obvious that I have been busy trying to figure out my new year's resolution. The coming of the New Year 2013 is as usual just like any ordinary day in the kingdom. I celebrated the New Year’s Eve with my friends and officemates at our company accommodation. I miss celebrating it in my home country (Its more fun in the Philippines!!!) . There is one thing that always excites me on new year though and that is setting a long list of goals or new year's resolution.

What are your new years resolution? I would like to share few of mine.

1.) Sometimes we ignore the most important things in life. We only remember thee when things aren’t going so well. We forget to greet our family and friends' birthdays and other special occasions that are meaningful to them. I am as dumb in mathematics as memorizing the birthdays of my family and friends. This is the reason why I bought a new Smartphone to save me from embarrassment for forgetting their special dates.

Spirituality, Family and friends will always be my priority in life. A little time to kneel and pray each night, more time in communicating with my family and keeping up with my friends will always come first (promise!)

2.) I hope that being called a “B**** by someone at work is a complement in my case but its not. It struck me to reflect on myself when I heard this from an officemate which is second on my priority list to work on this year. I am aware that I tend to be very mean when busy and sometimes for having a bad hair day, lack of sleep and for receiving our salary late but I never meant any of those

I hope that thinking positively and projecting a happy face are a good way to start with.

3.)   I haven’t stepped into any gym since I got here and I miss doing work-out a lot. I bought a dumbbell but it has been sitting at my room for quite a long time because I am busy. 

Needless to say,  health is wealth so I am going to push myself to do exercise despite the lack of time, be more watchful of the food I am eating and take supplements. 

Is this too much to take in a day? I hope not. 

4.)    .)    Save! Save and Save! This has always been my goal each year and I must say that for the past years I may not have achieved my goal completely, nevertheless I have done it. Shopping on a budget is surely a challenge for anybody so I will try my best to be wiser in shopping which means looking for the next best thing on anything that is affordable and doesn’t compromise quality and most importantly to shop for what I need only (choked!)

My coin bank without a lock. 

5.)   When you are busy organizing is the least thing you have in mind but organizing our things serve us in many good ways. It is not only pleasing to the eye but makes everything in order making it easier for us to find things when we need them.

I found a way a better way in my opinion to hang my belts in this way its much easier to pick one and thus I know what else I need to shop the next time. 

I will be more systematic and organized with my things at home and office.

Happy New year to all of my fabulous followers and readers! Thank you for following and reading my blog.

Beso!

What spoiled my Christmas Eve in Saudi Arabia?

The caroling of children on the streets, the noise of cars rushing on their way home, the lights of Christmas decors everywhere, the midnight mass, the food, gathering with families and friends and shopping madness are only few of the many wonderful things I miss so much this holiday and I'm sure a lot of my fellow Filipinos in the kingdom and other expatriates feel the same way.

I still haven't gotten used to this and this time of the year still bring tears to my eyes if I look back to the memories I have with family and friends in the Philippines during this day ( sorry guys, I'm being dramatic. Please bear with me). Yes, we still do celebrate it here with colleagues at work and friends but at the convenience of our accommodation but of course there's no better way to celebrate it than to be home with the people we love. 

This year, I had a simple celebration of the Christmas Eve with a dinner by the Sea at The Murjan Island in Dammam with a good friend. 

My Noche Buena (poor me, hehe!)

 View from top of the Tower.

This sweet smile of mine vanished as soon as I reached the peek of the tower with the stinky smell of urine. This is exactly the same smell that lingers inside the Judas Cave and it is a dismay. I just hope that these tourist attractions would be taken care of really well.

With a view as breathtaking as these, it was still a night worth spending and celebrating my Christmas eve in Saudi Arabia in a simple way.

Until next time guys! Beso!

Beso!