Me in the UAE: Eid Mubarak!!!

Sunday: First day of EID! The curtains are down, eating and drinking in public is now allowed and most importantly, Starbucks is OPEN! Today, we celebrate!

After breakfast, we went back to Marina Mall with a different mission in mind today. Finding a dress for Formula One in November. They have told me this is similar to Mardi Gras. Lots of parties so these ladies are planning early and hopefully get our VIP tickets for Julie's birthday celebration. We heard there were great sales for EID but we must have missed them because we didn't see any. We started off stopping by Ted Baker to see the dress I'd like to get for Formula One (the fancy night)

The dress! Working out has now become a necessity to rock this dress:)

Then, met Julie and Justine at Starbucks where I got a lime mint coconut frappuccino. It was perfect and refreshing! We went into a couple of stores to find outfits for tonights Eid Festival and Tuesday Ladies Night at Hemingway's (a local Ex-Pat hangout). No luck but had fun trying on accessories and feather headbands. I felt extremely British and certainly wished I was so I could wear these to weddings!

Julie found her chair!

Went to H&M and bought a couple of shirts and a necklace to wear tonight! The food court is now open so we went there for a quick snack. I chose a slice of chicken and mushroom pizza.

After lunch, we headed back to hotel to get ready for the Eid Festival. We went to Khadilaya Mall where they had a falcon, dancers, henna and Mexican food. Threw the last one in for fun - we actually found a Mexican restaurant from home here. Let me start with how crowded it was! We walked in to find a local Emirati with a falcon so we got a quick picture.

Symunek, me and Jen with the falcon.

Eid decorations at Khadilaya Mall

Tent with Henna, Dates and Tea

Local Emirati boys dancing with canes

Next, we went upstairs to Cantina Laredo for dinner and drinks. Sorry, no drinks, mocktails. They don't serve alcohol in many restaurants but I sure did miss my margarita. I split chicken quesadillas with Symunek. They were a little different but still Mexican food. I LOVE Mexican food so to find a restaurant pleased me! They actually have one in Houston that I've never been to.

Chips and Salsa!!!

Maria with our mocktails - Pina Colada and Pomegranate Mint

Martha, Julie and Symunek ready to order

After dinner, we found a lady, Fadaah, who offered to do our henna for $10 Dhm. She makes dresses and has a business at the mall. Her story was pretty interesting (divorced and on TV-not to common in the UAE-much more to the story). She offered to make us all abayas and gave me her phone number. She will meet us at a cafe to choose materials and designs. Can't wait!

Fadaah

Me getting my henna

Jen getting henna

Jen, Julie, Martha and I with our henna.

After like 10 minutes, you rub the paint off and it makes a stain - pretty cool!

Finished product:) Thanks Fadaah!

After henna, we went back to Beach Rotana and went to Trader Vic's. It's been closed but now that Ramadan is over, alcohol is being served. We all ordered something fancy complete with an orchid. They had a Latin band and it was packed. We had lots of fun...it never stops:)