Author: Business & Lifestyle Publishing

A snapshot of all things lifestyle by Island girls Shereen Shabnam and Natasha Dury.
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San Diego Adventure

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

I started September in the USA starting out from San Francisco to San Diego to Las Vegas to San Jose and finishing off again at San Francisco. Although I’ve been to California numerous times, this was my first venture into San Diego. Most resorts in San Diego are thankfully located on the world’s finest beaches (over seventy miles in fact stretching from Harbour Beach to the State Park in San Ysidro). Personally, I had a wonderful experience and content at just being at the Paradise Point Resort sitting at breakfast looking at people getting off yachts, returning from deep sea … Continue reading San Diego Adventure

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The Onam experience

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

Last week I went through memory lane as I saw signs of the Onam celebrations around me in Dubai Supermarkets, jewellery stores etc. Living in Fiji I never came across this festival and had no clue of its significance until I came to Malaysia to study. My parents, being anxious about me in a country where I didn’t know a single soul at the age of 19 arranged with family friends that I should spend some weekends at their sisters house in Subang Jaya. The family, who I still love and adore happened to be Malayali or Keralite, a community … Continue reading The Onam experience

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Rugby World Cup 2011

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

While the Kiwis are gearing up for the much-anticipated Rugby World Cup 2011, the rugby fever in Fiji for the World Cup is equally festive and addictive. There seems to be talk of the big event in the Pacific in all shops, homes, playgrounds etc. (I have returned to the UAE with two official World Cup Rugby balls courtesy of Nadi’s Courts Mega Store who felt my reward for spending over FJD6,000/- for furniture with them entitled me to get nothing but the best I could take from Fiji). Naturally that meant something associated to rugby, the sea or crafts … Continue reading Rugby World Cup 2011

Food & Nutrition (Cuisine), Life on Water, Lifestyle features, Uncategorized3 Comments

The story of whitebait

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

On my way back from Fiji, my daughter was most amused when she saw me have a roti sandwich with fried whitebait in Sydney and asked why would I have that for dinner when there was an amazing buffet of delicacies laid out for us in the Business Class lounge. I quickly launched into the story of whitebait or digana as it’s referred to in Fiji. Digana, or inanga (common galaxies) is a delicacy amongst food enthusiasts around the world and in Fijian families like mine, it is frozen for consumption when in season for visitors like myself who will … Continue reading The story of whitebait

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Ramadan in Fiji Islands ++

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

This year I was lucky enough to catch the first few days of Ramadan in Fiji after 22 years of being abroad during this holy month. It was fun, overwhelming and a wonderful experience for a number of reasons. My uncle, who is the President of  a Jamat in Fiji had invited us to dinner the night of the first tarawih. As soon as our family in New Zealand sighted the moon, the phone started ringing as my uncle’s house hosts the community for 30 days for iftar meals and tarawih prayers together with other members of the jamat. It … Continue reading Ramadan in Fiji Islands ++

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Fiji – the way the world should be

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

  Its been eons since I last blogged about the magical and mystical Fiji on my facebook notes and this my first bit on Fiji on wordpress. While I’m packing for Fiji and Sydney, a few of the Emirati families I know are returning from Fiji after 18 days in paradise. When I hear them talk about the exoticness and uniqueness of the Coral Coast where I was born, the Blue Lagoon Cruises and the fact they keep going back, I realise that I’ve only been to a fraction of the 332 islands that make up our nation. As a … Continue reading Fiji – the way the world should be

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Its all about Al Ain

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

Its been years since I’ve actually spent a night in Al Ain despite the Emirate having possibly the most Fijians – I’m told Fiji has the most competent and caring nurses in the world and Al Ain now looks to Fiji to get more fascinating Fijians into the Emirate. Which is a good thing since we are an endangered species in some ways with so few of us being around so having more Fijians in the UAE can only be awesome. Anyway, Al Ain has always held a fascination for me and every year I tell myself to go to … Continue reading Its all about Al Ain

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The Forts of Liwa

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

My recent clear out meant finding a gem of lost information in my library of thousands of books, tapes, articles etc. One such bit included information on Liwa’s historic buildings which has of recent attracted a lot of interest amongst architecture specialists. Now I’m a great fan of the Architecture Heritage society and in particular of Rashad Bukhash & Peter Jackson and their work with traditional buildings in the UAE. However it pains me that I often end up missing out on the society’s talks and excursions due to work and personal commitments. This does not stop me from doing … Continue reading The Forts of Liwa

Food & Nutrition (Cuisine), Health & Fitness, Lifestyle features, Retail Therapy, Uncategorized1 Comment

A dose of Chocolate to lift the spirits

Business & Lifestyle Publishing

To all the fitness freaks of the world who refute the benefits of chocolate, I feel oh so sorry for you. I love my soft voluptious self and its partly due to the treats I have been enjoying in the last few years….albeit laden with coffee and cocoa. The release of feel good endorphins and the mental orgasms are just an added bonus. So….if you feel like depriving yourselves of life’s simple pleasures, please do so. Just don’t impose your sad state of affairs and deprived lifestyle on me. So there…. PS: To me fellow choco enthusiasts, try out the … Continue reading A dose of Chocolate to lift the spirits