Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Brunch and rambles...

This feels like a non-post as:

a) It's about a dress
b) It talks about my weekend which at this point feels like years ago.

Anyway...I plough on :)

So first of all, I did the brunch at the St Regis Saadiyat Island. This means wearing a dress, drinking champagne and eating lots of cakes.

I actually hate buffets - I always wander around, admiring all the food but completely unable to make a decision.

And when I do I end up with 132940349 different cuisines on my plate and most of them the cheapest food items. The buffet strategist will get oysters and lobster. Me? I end up with a plate of beige carbs - potato, bread and cake.

Then there's the thought of spending an afternoon surrounded by a bunch of drunk expats. Well, I pretend that's one of the reasons but truthfully it's because going to brunch also becomes synonymous with slipping into a champagne coma where I fall asleep at 3pm in the afternoon and waste an entire day.

Well despite this I gave it another go and made an effort - AKA wore a dress.

This old Topshop dress remains one of my favourite buys - it's about 2 years old now but the print is so pretty - watercolor love hearts or petals...either works - and I love wearing it. The shift shape is also very flattering.






Dress: Topshop
Bag: Celine
Sunglasses: Elizabeth & James
Shoes: Not pictured but my new heels! :)

...and some pictures of the brunch and the hotel!







It's seriously blissful there...

Rambles...
  • I had Minx nails applied yesterday. Whilst the results looked great on my day off, and I was happily throwing my nails around, I felt a bit of an oddity at work today. They do make me smile and they will only last a matter of days on the hands so I am not too disturbed by them. Nail experimentation is fun I suppose.
  • I also had my hair "did" yesterday and the ombre has been taken to the next level. Some parts of my hair are now VERY blonde. Well blonde for a brunette anyway. Photo to come - alongside a more comprehensive Minx review.
  • I am thinking of attempting Insanity - the crazily hard series of DVD's. It's one of those structured programmes from the sadists that gave the world P90X. I need to do something. I can no longer run outside comfortably due to the heat so this might be the answer. Plus I do get passionate about a structured programme....for at least a week :) Anyone tried it or willing to join me? 

New post tomorrow :)

Posted by Laura at 10:37
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68 comments:

  1. I'm so jealous, it looks so idyllic there! Dress is gorgeous! xo

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    1. it so was...there for less than 2 days but it was BLISS! I just want to move in :)

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  2. *swoon over the dress. Shift dresses makes me happy too. :)

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    1. even though I am old they make me feel grown up :)

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  4. very very envious of your weekend, especially with the lovely weather and the cakes!
    iv been dying to give the silver metallic ones a go.. but with my track record, theyl peal within hours.
    lovely post, as usual!!
    x

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    1. They would...in hindsight i wouldn't get them on my fingers...I was basically told "don't wash your hands" as it shortens their life...sorry, but I wash my hands like no tomorrow :) haha

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    2. That sounds.. sanitary ;) I'm not great with basic manicures as i somehow chip everything, so i guess Minx isnt for me either. Maybe shellac or something of the sort is the way to go!
      x

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  5. You should try these at home workouts - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hamelin-Dabell-Method/149612442115

    They're free and Hamelin has two 3 week challenges followed by a beach body workout - the results are awesome

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    1. thank you so much for the link! I was going to torrent the Insanity - no way i would pay anything other than £0 :) haha

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    2. Laura can you share the torrent link? How to download from torrent. I DYING to try the insanity workout, but cant fish out the amount of money they charge for the DVDs.

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  6. What a gorgeous setting! I am totally the same way at buffets--getting all the wrong stuff and getting WAY too much of it haha. I am the worst buffet candidate, but they probably like people like me because I for SURE do not get my money's worth.

    LOVE the softness of the watercolor dress, and the cut looks great on you! Glad you had a great weekend, it was gorgeous here in Seattle too so I was able to enjoy it and relax :)

    xo
    Alyson
    www.crushingonclothes.com

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    1. Alyson - I thought of you the other day as I am briefly going to be in Seattle in August (probably 1st/2nd)...we need to go Sephora shopping :)

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    2. Absolutely, I would LOVE that! :) please email me and let me know, we can meet up!

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  7. The dress is gorgeous, shame you can't buy it anymore...
    I loveee a good buffet! xx

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    1. whats your strategy? :) Carbs or oysters or everything? :)

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  8. I love the dress. and your pics of Dubai and surounding areas makes me miss it! ( I visited 1.5 years ago as my best friend lives there)

    Might be coming back as my freind is trying to find investors to get the NKOTB (don't laugh) to do a concert in DUbai. If she pulls it off..i will be there with BELLS on...

    Also, i have always been told i am a "waste" to take to a buffet as i do the same... carbs carbs carbs...then i get full on about 3 dollars worth of cheap carbs....

    http://www.thecurrentlyobsessed.com/

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  9. Such a lovely dress ! It really looks fab on you :) Oh and looking forward to see your hair xx

    butterfleyesblog.blogspot.com

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  10. I love the dress :) it is beautiful and glad you had a nice weekend.
    There is a 30 day May challenge that I am doing (although a week behind) and that really gets you sweating! http://www.bodyrock.tv/
    Maybe that would be good too?
    xx

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  11. absolutely love that dress!! so gorgeous! xx

    http://theh-way.blogspot.com/

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  12. Love the dress...and of course the beautiful surrounding don't hurt either :)
    Personally, I do Tae Bo-by Billy Blanks. I have been following his program pretty faithfully for about 5 years(he updates it with new DVD's about every two years). But every time I watch Insanity I get sucked in...it's MAKES you wanna buy it!!

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  13. so jealous of where you live! wish we could go out in pretty dresses like that and not freeze/soak to death! :( the dress is gorgeous! looking forward to seeing the hair! big fan of the ombre! :)

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  14. Such a gorgeous print - so jealous of your sun too, it's so rainy here in London x

    themusingsofflorence.blogspot.com/

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  15. Saw the Minx nails and was quite envious I must say, but this. This is taking it to a whole new level. Gosh, I need a holiday!

    -Elodie x
    http://www.elle-yeah.com

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  16. OMG Laura...your dress turn me CRAZY =)

    XO - MUNICH - LA VIE Quotidienne - www.laviequo.com - SHOP in: http://laviequo.blogspot.com/2012/04/laviequocom-shop.html

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  17. lovely lovely dress and beautiful pictures! LV x
    lv-inlovewith.blogspot.co.uk

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  18. such a lovely print and gorgeous pictures!

    http://hayleynatasha.blogspot.co.uk/

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  19. Gorgeous hair in the picture! xx

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  21. the dress? swoooon. i´m going to rome next month and i´m looking for something similar. or a yellow one.we´ll see. insatnity? noooo....i just signed up for yogaeasy.de online and i just luuuurve it. yoga yoga yoga!! haha
    i´m following you since...forever (mupnorth was on youtube ;))? and wanted to tell you that i just love your blog! xx

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  22. nail experiments are fun, your right.
    I love your dress, its beautiful, and the pictures are amazing.
    It looks like such a wonderful relaxing place.

    Jess x

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  24. love your photos and the dress!
    cant wait to see the new ombre
    i keep getting the urge to do it, but always chicken out when it comes down to it

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  25. Love the dress and brunch looks so good. Although I also get major food indecision at having so much choice and usually end up prioritising cake over real food. x

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  26. The dress looks beautiful! Always so stylish, Laura!
    www.TheMoroccanShopaholic.blogspot.com

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  27. Love that dress on you! Also so jealous, it looks lovely there! I cant wait to see the hair photo, I'm having ine ombre'ed up friday, exciting!

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  28. I just checked out Insanity. Looks crazy and amazing! I was really tempted... Go for it :)

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  29. Love that dress and wow that is INSANE. I'm intrigued though will check out further. PS looking forward to seeing your hair. I have ombre tips too!

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  32. I've been thinking about doing Insanity as well! I'm kind of a little bit scared though, haha! :)

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  33. Oh, do Turbofire!!! Same company as P90X and Insanity and it is AWESOME!!! XX ~ E

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  34. Please post more pictures of the shoes! :)

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  35. That dress is just beautiful, it looks amazing on you xx

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  36. I started Insanity but I found it was just so much cardio. Now I am switched and am doing a P90x/Insanity Hybrid. I like it so much better!

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    1. I'm doing the hybrid too! what day are you on? and how are your results? :)

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  38. So pretty! Great pictures from your weekend and I love your dress!

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  39. There's a P90X II. It doesn't seem harder than the first just different.

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  40. Hi Laura, I love the post. The pictures are beautiful and I cant wait to see your hair and nails.

    I did insanity-- only the first 30 days (of 60) before my wedding. I missed a day here and there but for the most part did it in its entirety. It put me in the best shape of my life-- I highly reccomend.

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  41. omg i love the print!!!

    good luck with insanity, i had to give up gym this month cos i'm way too busy and it makes me very sad to be honest. i do nejoy it after all. i could try and do some shredding with jillian, but...

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  42. I find Insanity to be too hard on knees and joints - and my knees and legs are healthy. You might develop an injury in time due to all the jumping around. I found that there are better ways and just as effective to do a cardio - like Tae-bo. It's not as hip as it used to be, but it's very effective for elevating and keeping your heart rate up for 45+ minutes. It's also low impact, so the risk of injury is minimal.

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  43. I love the dress! It looks amazing and such a same Topshop don't sell it any more.

    I really need to start getting in shape for summer but just don't seem to get round to it.

    Lou
    www.thekeypieces.co.uk

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  44. Hi there! Love your blog!
    I attempted and completed the Insanity - it's actually for 63 days ... and the results are immense! Like you, I am a keen runner and i run regularly.. completing 10ks, half marathon and even the London Marathon. Insanity is just what the title suggests... Insane! I have completed two rounds of it!
    I also completed Insanity Asylum... (30 day workout)... that too is crazy stuff!

    Good luck and you must give it a go!

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  45. I love the dress, what a pretty print! I'm looking forward to seeing your newly done hair. :)

    Just Another Day:
    Beauty & Fashion
    Literature, Movies, & Music
    ETC

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  46. Try Physique 57. It's given me results in a very short time.

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  47. I highly recommend Insanity. The result you get will be phenomenal but of course diet plays a huge part during that 60 days.

    I'm a big fan of Insanity. I'm in a better shape now than I was in high school / college. All the best. I hope you'll try the program. Plus Shaun T is hot. :-)

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    1. I totally agree with you on that! Shaun T is nice to look at during the workouts! :)

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  49. I love the dress. It looks amazing :)

    http://girls-hodgepodge.blogspot.de/

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  50. I LOVE Insanity. It's a good all around workout. Challenging, but if you can make it through the first week you're good...until month two..haha.

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  51. I started Insanity a few months back but because of schedule changes I stopped. But am definitely going to start again and this time go through the whole thing. :)

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  52. i completed insanity, tough but worth it, lost 2 stones and feel fab xxx

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  53. I have that dress- gorgeous but makes my hips looks huge!

    I can say been there, done that AND got the t-shirt with insanity. Hard, hard, hard work but gets the results! Good luck! Xx

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  54. That dress is gorgeous :) Lovely photos of the hotel too!

    AwayFromTheBlue.blogspot.com.au

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  55. I can't do Insanity! tried it and failed miserably. I'm alternating between the 30 day shred and ripped in 30 by Jillian Micheals.
    May be you've already seen videos of MissChievous on youtube. She actually does insanity and did a video and I think a blog post about it.... which is why I tried it in the first place.
    :-)))

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  56. Wahoo your dress is so pretty :)!

    Xx
    http://wwwricestyle.blogspot.fr/

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  57. I love the style and print of the dress, it's lovely and really suits you.x

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