code name: drédin: historic cities

Saturday, May 9, 2015

al ain

This past March while I was in the UAE, I took a trip from Dubai to Al Ain to see and feel the hot springs. It was my last full day in UAE and we had dinner plans back in Dubai, so we had to be quick! Who would have thought two girls from a UW Chem class would be road-tripping in the Middle East?

Once we arrived in Al Ain, the fourth largest city in the UAE, we didn't waste anytime taking our sandals off and soaking our feet in the natural hot water. It's said that the minerals in the water are good for the skin. Every 8-10 minutes, the pipes would burst with an out-pour of fresh, steaming hot water. Stik wanted to get out, but I made her stay. Pain is beauty!

Al Ain was also the closest I could get to Oman. We were separated by one big mountain, Jabel Hafeet. If we had time (and maybe extra reinforcements), we could have extended our trip to a third country. Bummer, I guess I'll just have to go back...

xo | din

dress | H&M

din's Travel Notes
Al Ain is very historical city. In fact, it's the birthplace of the UAE's first President (see my visit in the Wisdom Garden). There are many things to do in addition to The Spring such as Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum. We attempted to see this, but came on the day it was closed! Although The Springs were our main focus, I recommend planning ahead so that you can maximize your trip.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Georgetown

Cities that hold their historical image offer so much inspiration. The light can hit in such a way that a new story is revealed-- even within the 5 minutes you may have popped into a shop (or in my case Baked & Wired for a Chocolate Doom cupcake).

For this look, I did soft contouring for my makeup and a winged eyeliner. Under this gorgeous red are mixed prints and textures. I wanted to show you how easy it is to create a new look with some of your staple pieces. (This skirt was the best $7 I spent in NYC's H&M.) Finally, I added one of my go-to clutches to polish off the look.

The visuals in my section of the city are so exuberant. Stay tuned for what I'll be inspired to do next! Oh, and if you're in town, let's grab a coffee from Baked & Wired!

xo | din