Dubai | Happy New Year!
Yep, this post is 20 days too late to the party, I know, you would think I'm talking about my New Year that will happen in less than 15 days already. But hey, better later than never right? Plus, a little party never killed nobody!
I welcomed 2018 in the extreme cold ( at least to me ) and now I'm here in a hot night, impatiently waiting for 2019 to come. Talking about what can happen in a year? I really thought 2018 wanted to kill me. It's the year I shattered into million pieces and it's the year that I look back and my heart aches. I'm so ready to save the file 2018 in a folder that I won't open for a long long time and ready to put some of the shattered pieces back together in the coming year, with hope.
My friends booked a table and that brought me to DIFC and the universe brought me fate. Julia, a dear friend of mine is all about astrology and stuff like that, I often roll my eyes when she does that. But the last day of 2018 converted me into her too, I am utterly thankful for what the universe brought to me and I can't think of a better way to start a new year!
Champagne and fireworks, hugs and laughter, music and dance, glitters and chocolate cake. I like to celebrate things in a big way and I need all these essentials. At one point of the night, I thought I was somewhere over the rainbow. Okay maybe I was dancing on the table, but it got me there.
DIFC is such a wonderful place, I spent a large amount of time reading under the trees or in a cafe when I lived here. The galleries and auction house, different restaurants. I might have a few glasses of drinks, but I was so surprised to see Chinese artist Zhuang Hongyi's works showing in Opera gallery. Art really has no borders and it can bring us together.
I left Dubai in early 2014, shortly after the new year. I danced in LPM with all my girlfriends to celebrate that new year. Maybe because I know I was leaving, I hugged everyone a bit harder and laughed a bit louder. It was an epic night, so is this one. I have to catch the flight back home in 4 hours. I have my luggage packed in Marina's car, and we headed to the beach after picking up some shawarmas from Zaroob of course.
There's something about a big body of water that calms your soul. It was so quiet and peaceful. And the new moon is up there, with us. It's always this kind of spontaneous trips that stay in your mind and excites your nerves right? The short 16 hours I spent in Zurich, the weekend at the Nai Harn Beach. And now another epic new year memory.
I wish when I'm old and grey, I can still remember those days and remind of myself what a wonderful journey life has been, and because I don't want to disappoint my future, I will keep wandering, keep moving, keep believing, keep loving.
Where to next, my heart?
Photos by Marina Qureshi and me shot in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Dubai | Half Desert, Half Sea, Half of My Heart
My feelings towards the desert are something extra.
I read about Echo and her Sahara life at a very very young age and always dreamed about going. So when school was finally finished I found myself a job in the desert and didn't hesitate a second and jumped on the plane.
And my oh my, was it a wild ride.
I left the desert for about 5 years now, but the life I had there, forever has a soft spot in my heart. The sunset is different from any other places, the water is different from any other beaches.
I don't know about other countries, but in China, you get three days off over The New Years, and it might sound crazy to a lot of people, but I booked a flight and decided to go to the desert for a quick weekend getaway. I'm newly single, and I need my supporting system. Plus I really miss my girlfriends over there. Adding all that up, I booked the ticket and went straight to the airport after work.
Well, it is kind of crazy, even the guy at the check-in counter said it's crazy. It's not from Germany to Spain, it's not from Shanghai to Phuket. It's a solid 10 and a half hour flight, it's like going to Paris for a weekend and come back. But I went for it. I followed my heart and I knew it's worth it, and it was way beyond my imagination of how wonderful the trip was.
Half Desert, Half My Heart
I didn't even go to Downtown the first day, I stayed with my friend Marina, the brain behind the Fashion label Marina Qureshi London at The Villa, outside of the city and I can't wait to go into the deep desert with her.
Other than the Christmas Eve we spent in the desert for Moroccan tea and talk 7 years ago, Marina hasn't done any desert safari before and I decided that it's time for her to experience. For people who don't know desert safari, a desert safari involves a jeep drive through enormous mounds of sand (called "dune-bashing"), you have to flat your tire first before you hit up the hills. We were only paying for it for the sake of Marina's safari experience. The rest of the packaged deal of camel riding and belly dancing etc are just too touristic for us, and we decided to escape. Also, I think the camels there were crying and it's too sad for me to watch, let alone ride.
As we sat back in the car and headed back home, we saw the sunset and decided to against the GPS's will and to do a little detour, and we found the perfect desert that just there for us, no one else. I always loved a good desert sunset, You hear the wind, the prayers far from the mosque, it's something that I call "beautifully sad". It's so grand that you, and everybody else, seem so small within.
I came down here for some consolation, not necessary from people. I know if there's any place in the world can keep me grounded, it's here, with my barefoot in the sand. I always consider here as the starting point of my adult life, This land kept a lot of my "First". It might seem strange to someone that home is not the place where I feel most comfortable at. But at home, I can't be completely who I am, I'm my parents' daughter, my little siblings' big sister, my grandparents' sweetheart and all the other hats that are me, a real me too. But at some level, subconsciously I behave the way that they want me to, not exactly what I wanted to.
But here, I can be truly who I am. I can walk down the beach at 4 am, I can drive to the desert for the sunrise. I can eat as many shawarmas as I want, at any time, any place. (Well, actually the best two places to get shawarmas are Zaroob in Sheikh Zayed Raod and Al Malah in Al Satawa. ) I am a little bit out of control, and I feel free anytime after midnight. I would not consider moving back here because life is all about moving on right? But what this land gave me is something I will cherish forever, whenever and wherever. And that, my friend, in a city where money can literally buy everything, is precious and certainly priceless.
Photo by Marina Qureshi and me, shot in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Talk to Your Neighbors
I’m always a big fan of dressing up for occasions. New Year’s Eve is obviously no exception.
I wanted to put out some outfit options for New Year's Eve and photograph them too. But by the time Xiaoyu arrives, there comes my Ayi (cleaning lady) and I know my apartment would not be the ideal location anymore.
“Why don’t we shoot outside? ” I suggested, Xiaoyu and Tina agreed too, but my Ayi is like: “ Miss are you crazy? It’s so cold outside! ” True, and I just recovered from a nasty flu.
“Oh, I have an idea! ”
The Fruit Shop Owner
5 mins later, we found ourselves in the corner fruit shop, owned by a family and they are such sweet people, I asked them if we can shoot in front of their shop, and the guy is like it’s too cold outside, come inside and shoot! It’s all yours!
I know you would think that because I buy fruits from them all the time and they know me. Truth is I usually just order from certain apps. Very few times I physically shopped in their store and they remembered!
I grew up in a house of a street where everyone knows everyone. People don't just close their doors all the time, especially in summer, the gate of each house is wild open, even when they are napping or out for grocery, and as a kid, when you pass by, the neighbors are always asking if you would like some chocolate or a slice of watermelon.
Back to the city, everybody lives in their own squares and even in the elevator we just stare at our phone and avoid eye contacts (guilty).
The fruit shop owner's sweet smile just melts my heart and I decided to do a few more experiments.
The Florist
The same story goes to the florist. I have the habit of having flowers in the house always, and I shopped in their store several times, but every time it was a girl and today it was a guy, I guess it's the husband. I felt terrible to ask him the question since he has customers in the shop and I would just be in the middle of the thing. Out of complete surprise, he said do what you must do, any flower you like can be used in your photos! In fact, he actually gave me a pink rose. I felt utterly grateful and head to toe overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.
The Teashop
I knew it wouldn't be a problem to shoot in this tea shop, cuz judging on the color and the decor, this place is made for Instagram. After receiving the confirmation from the shop staff, we jumped into the pool and had a great deal of fun.
At this point, I already forgot about the purpose of what we were supposed to do today, who cares what you are wearing, today I learned that our fruit shop owner is an ex-military, our florist used to live in Indonesia, and the girls in the tea shop are studying computer science.
Talk to your neighbors, and love them too.
If you don't know it yet, they love you.
Wearing: Black evening dress Marina Qureshi London. Flower print jumpsuit Topshop.
Makeup by Tina Cai, shot by Xiaoyu in Shanghai, China.
The "No Makeup" Makeup
No, I’m not talking about my daily makeup routine.
I don't wear makeup to work most of the time. Only when we have openings or other events that require me to be a decent human being in a public place. I then will apply my 5 mins makeup routine that my cousin told me over the phone 7 years ago.
Don’t get me wrong, I have so much respect for the ladies out there who get up an hour earlier just to get their makeup done. They seem so “put together”. I wish I can be one of them (when I grow up)? So far I’m just a girl who eats a banana in the car whilst put some tinted moisture on and calls it a day.
So when China born, Canada raised Makeup artist Tina Cai reached out and asked if I can be her model, I was sold in a heartbeat.
Just like I get my nails done by professionals because I’m so bad at doing it myself, I love the touch of a makeup artist’s hand and the brushes swipe over my face. When you do your own makeup, you look at yourself in the mirror all the time, when someone else is doing, I usually only check when it’s all done to see the final result.
Tina studied my face and said she would give me a very light look, a look that is still very me.
Wait, I thought my look is “just add the red lipstick”?
The truth is, “No Makeup” Makeup is definitely Not " No Makeup." Tina spent about an hour to finish the entire look, and I love it very much. It's refreshing, light, yet delicate. Using my friend Liya’s words, “It looks like it’s there, but it’s not at the same time.” when I do my own makeup. I thought because I don't wear anything on my face I need a bold lip color to wake me up. And red lipstick is my security blanket, if I don't wear it I feel like I'm naked... but Tina believes that nude lipstick is my new best friend and I am willing to give it a go.
“Why can’t you be like this every day?” Liya asked me.
Well, I wish I could, can we talk about it, Tina?
Makeup by Tina Cai, photo by Xiaoyu shot in Art+ Shanghai Gallery.
Saturday at Home
Shanghai is a great city to meet people.
You never know who you gonna run into at the corner dumpling shop ( insert name: Moritz, Oliver), who’s gonna open your taxi door outside of your compound on a Tuesday night ( insert name: Diego). Pain Chaud is where I met my favorite Arabian Habibi ( insert name: Ahmed ), and I found my “ best hello ” one summer afternoon in an art gallery event ( insert name: anonymity ).
Fast forward to four years later, while Shanghai still is as exciting, I found myself more and more staying in and having quality time with myself. Be it an age thing, the weather factor, or whatever it is that makes it harder and harder for me to put on a dress and go for a 3 hour long, 6 people above social event.
As much as I want to be like Olivia Palermo, tres chic even when walks her dog, I can often be found in PJs and an overcoat while walking my two monsters in downtown Jing’an. Since I had the magic power to keep all the exes out of the country, there’s nothing left to worry about, I figured.
That being said, when I do want to spend a day at home, I would still get up ( sometimes even earlier than weekdays ) and get showered. Strangely it’s much easier for me to put on a silk dress when I know I don’t have to go places. This Realisation Par dress is called “The Juliet," so naturally I have to have it.
Play my forever favorite Sade album, sit in the home office for some emails or return to bed for some classic reading. I will be in my happiest habitat. Even my two little monsters would get the memo and quietly sleep on my slippers (nope, not in any of the three beds that belong to them).
Time alone becomes much needed and necessary this time of the year when your daily routine involves a lot of events and cocktails already. You will have to take yourself to the sidewalk, hit pause, and reflect. Tell me, through the martini glass, are you really happy?
With just 14 days left to its grand finale, I’m slowly making peace with 2018. I emotionally invested so much in this year that in some level I can’t wait for it to be over already, but I know it will be “ a year to remember," a year that I will look back to again and again when it’s actually gone.
Here is to Saturdays at home, the quality time with yourself. No matter how great that club looked like in your friend’s Instagram story, you are still truly happy with staying in.
What is that word again?
Oh, JOMO.
Photo by Xiaoyu shot in my casa.