Sublime at 29

WHO HERE IS thankful that The Pink Tarha exists? Blow your air kisses and wave your thanks along Sundrenched's way as we celebrate her 29th birthday today! It's overwhelming to imagine how this is the fifth time we're greeting her on our blog and I think it's only fair to say that The Pink Tarha has really, really gone a long way.

I looked back in our past birthday greetings to her and it's been well-known to our long-time readers that The Pink Tarha is S' brainchild. She's also our resident "Woman of Wisdom" and is clearly on the forefront of steering the direction of where the blog is going (or not going).

To stir things up a bit, let me throw in some trivia into the mix. Something you might not know about S? Well, I'm one of her closest friends and just to share some stuff you might want to know...

1. She doesn't like her eggs runny. Well-done is the way to go.

2. She's actually a big fan of wrestling.

3. She's not fond of fresh vegetables (she prefers the cooked ones).

4. She was actually raised in the province and was never brought up as a city girl.

5. She's actually pretty shy (at first!).

Also, we have some messages from her closest girls here in Riyadh.

Shoegarfreeruby: 

"There's no stopping this lady in blooming into a more beautiful woman as the years pass by. The Pink Tarha is a reflection of how vibrant, colorful and wonderful Sundrenched is inside and out. Not only is she blessed with wisdom, but with respect because of her beautiful heart.

Happy birthday dear Sundrenched! May you continue to inspire others to see the brighter side of things everyday. You always are an overflow of brilliant ideas! Thank you for being a trustworthy friend, like a rare gem that is hard to find (and expensive, LOL!). We love you."

From our Honorary Pink Tarha girls.

Jamila F.:

"Sundrenched is a witty and snobby lady....at first! hahh kidding!!

She has introduced me to see the world in a different perspective most especially Riyadh.  Enjoying life even with its restrictions, and loving whatever the situation is.  She's a very understanding and opinionated person who is on top of most of things.  I hope and pray that you enjoy your day! Happy happy birthday!! And may you be more blessed on your special day!"

Jou P.: 

"Have you ever heard of the Midas Touch? The king who was cursed with being able to turn everything he touches into gold? I've come to believe that S has that, only difference is, she turns everything she puts her mind and hands on into something beautiful; one look at Pink Tarha, her brainchild, and you'll see what I mean.

S is brilliant but unassuming, logical but passionate. She's just one of those people who would move you with her quiet confidence and meaningful stares (this one I've learned from experience in more ways than one). In the four years that I've come to know S, she has become one of my closest friends, my confidant, my mentor (she continues to inspire me not just to write but to create), my telebabad (this almost reveals what generation we're from), over-cofee partner and most recently, my favorite travel buddy (her wonder&wanderlust is simply contagious).

Anyway, Eyecandy just called to say that this isn't supposed to be a lengthy testimonial. Hence, let me just say, Happy Birthday, I wish you more miles to cover, books to read and wonderful things to discover. Your Mahn, Jou."

--

So to the lady who started it all, who never flinched at the thought of living in Saudi Arabia and even went on ahead writing about all the good things in it, let's raise our coffee mugs this morning to toast our beloved premier blogger, a trendsetter in all things pink and positive in Riyadh, imitated but never duplicated...truly one-of-a-kind...

Happy Birthday S! 

You might not know this, but she owns Maldives! :P JK

She will probably kill me for posting this photo of hers because she's one of the most modest people I know (not obvious from the posing, but it's true)...Nevertheless, in our true online birthday greeting tradition, here's our birthday girl in her best shot in Maldives!

Feel free to send your birthday love and wishes to Sundrenched in the comments section below.

As for me, I know how you like things simple, so my message to you is: "You know I love you girl." xoxo ;) Oh, and I baked a cake for you! 

Cheers!
#Eyecandy

100 Lucky Juans Winners

Cebu Pacific's 100 Lucky Juans contest came to a conclusion last August 18, 2013. We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners who will be flying in the inaugural flight of Cebu Pac's Big Juan from Dubai to Manila this coming October. Woot, we wish we can join you, guys! (Cebu Pac, are you reading this? Haha!)

We wish we can write about all the winning entries in this contest but we only have limited space in the blog so we chose a few that really touched our hearts... You all know that The Pink Tarha ladies are children of overseas Filipino workers, right? We even wrote about our experiences in one of our first entries in 2009 in honor of our fathers who endured the harsh desert to provide well for us. And so, we salute these parents who are dedicating their entries to their children. And we hope their children appreciate all the hard work and sacrifices their parents did for them.

Andre Dela Cruz looks forward to his vacation so he can reunite with his family whom he considers as his true home. This photo is full of happiness and love.

The joy of being with a loved one.

Divina Gracia Morillo recognizes the hardship of working abroad as a housemaid, especially in Dubai. But she doesn't give up because she's doing it for her parents and children. Like what she said in her entry, "Working in Dubai is so hard but that's life. We have to survive every day for our family." We're sure our parents, when they were away from us during the 90s, also felt the same way. It's nice to know that Divina doesn't want to waste precious seconds on her vacation. She's spending it all with her family.

This winning entry by Joey Eva is truly worth that seat to a beautiful vacation. He left the Philippines to give his son a better future but in return, he wasn't able to see the milestones in his son's life, especially when his son started attending school. This photo brings joy and sadness. Such a touching moment. 

Awww, cute!

I can imagine my father's emotions when he couldn't attend my and my siblings' recognition days and graduations. Ahh, the memories! But good for Joey, he will now be able to go home this October. His son will be in for a treat!

And speaking of graduation, Grenor Salvador's photo of his daughter on her graduation day is also poignant. He hasn't seen his children for four years. We're so glad he won because he will be able to come home this October and see his daughter get married. He won't miss that lovely moment of walking his daughter down the aisle. Awww.

Celebrating milestones

We are so happy for the winners of the 100 Lucky Juans contest. Check out all the winners here. We hope that they enjoy their prize this October. Don't forget to wave when you pass above Riyadh. Oh, right, you won't. But do remember that The Pink Tarha is cheering you on. We hope you all have a great vacation with your family and friends. Thanks Cebu Pacific for making this possible!

*This entry is sponsored by Cebu Pacific. All opinions are the writer's.

Zohoor Alreef's Signature D'Orient Collection

I was with Shoegarfreeruby last Tuesday night in Granada Mall and she said she'll be getting another bottle of perfume. That sent us into a discussion of perfumes, the kinds we have in the market, and how we choose them for ourselves. I have a three bottles in my dresser. One is my signature scent, the one that I've been using ever since because it matches me perfectly. One is the special occasion scent, the one that is used on rare, special moments that the bottle is hardly ever empty. And there's the last one, the wild card. It's that random find. You liked the scent and you use it when you just don't want the usual. 

Now I'm still on the verge of guessing on what category the new rich, woody perfumes of Zohoor Alreef will go to. Their newest collection of six, exotic perfumes are inspired by Oriental countries from the Far East to the Middle East. And mind you, these countries are special in their own ways. 

The Masoumeh is inspired by the East Asian country of Burma. Its attractive and feminine pink color shows how delightful this sweet-smelling perfume is. A blend of honey makes it sweet but its woody base makes its undertone richer. If you're a woman looking for a touch of luxury and sophistication, this is for you. I think this perfume fits me. 

India is the inspiration of Azin, the deep blue perfume that is rich in Indian spices saffron and cumin blended with patchouli and citrus. A hint of sweetness is revealed through its cedar wood base. This is for the confident woman! Eyecandy fits the bill and I think she will like this. 

Houri, a warm, fruity eau de parfum, emanates the sweet scents of Pakistan. Made from a blend of red fruits and green leaves, this perfume smells natural and mellow perfect for the desert's warm, summer night. Shoegarfreeruby is The Pink Tarha's natural and mellow, I'm sure she'll like this. 

The light, summer scent of Jannat is inspired by the country of Kazakhstan. I love the color of this perfume. Its bluish tint is simple but refreshing to the eyes. Its heady combination of summer roses and spices is reminiscent of a sexy but subtle elegance our own Sampaguita Pride has. 

Maliha has its roots in the mountains of Afghanistan (a country I would like to visit someday, seriously!). Maliha gives a sensation of fresh mountain air. With its delicate combination of floral woody notes on a dry powdery base, a youthful, charming woman will enjoy this. I'm quite sure Maryhadalittlehump likes this type of fragrance. 

Lastly, the summer of Indonesia is the inspiration for Asal, the fruity scent that will whisk you away to a far-off exotic beach. Its peach and orange blossom scent is warm, carefree, and enchanting. All The Pink Tarha ladies will love this! 

So there you go, six new fragrances from Zoohoor Alreef that will be great addition to your dressing tables! Choose the ones that not only catches your sense of smell, but the one that encapsulates your personality! Oh, and if you're partial to any of the countries they were derived from, go for it! I'm torn between Masoumeh and Asal. They'll be on the third category… that wild card perfume that is different from the usual. 

By the way, did you know that you can shop the products of Zohoor Alreef online and they deliver on your doorstep? Oh yes! Visit their website now! ~ Sundrenched

Zohoor Alreef

Store Locations

Contact Information

FB: www.facebook.com/ZohoorAlreefStores

Top 5 Reasons Why Men Should Read The Pink Tarha

So there I was walking nonchalantly on an event when a woman suddenly came into my direct view and caught my attention and asked, "Pink Tarha ka diba?" (You are a Pink Tarha, right?) I normally get crazy shy during these kind of moments so I said Opo (Yes) in a whisper. The woman asked "Pwedeng mag-picture tayo?" Whoahhhh! Wait, wait. Is this some kind of a Punked! episode?! Hahaha! I wanted to hide under the table. The first thing on my mind was "Am I beautiful today?! Reputasyon ng Pink Tarha ang nakataya dito!" (It's The Pink Tarha's reputation on the line.) LOL!

Her husband, toting a camera, was with her so I and the woman (who I will not name here but really, she has my eternal gratitude) assumed that the husband would take our photo... but he handed the camera to a friend who was nearby and asked him to take our photo... the photo of the three of us with me in the middle. The woman looked at the husband and asked, "Kasama ka din?!" (You want to be in the picture too?) The husband laughed and said, "Syempre, reader din kaya ako!" (Of course, I'm a reader also.) I was supposed to burst out laughing but I maintained my simple smile (naks!) for the camera. I had a quick chat with the couple and said thanks after that. I was too shy to ask for a high five from the man and shout "You go, bro! You're the man!" after him. :P 

You cannot imagine how thankful we are to our readers!

It's very entertaining for us to know that men read The Pink Tarha. It's a given that most of our readers are women because our topics and status updates tend to sway their way but it gives us a different kind of high when we learn that the guys read us too. I mean, why would they?! Some of you guys might even be asking why should we?! Well, there are very VALID reasons why you should and here, let me help you in uncovering them.

1. Because you need to keep your bored wife unbored. So you had the opportunity to take your wife to Saudi Arabia but she finds herself bored. I don't know, maybe because commuting here is a problem, women driving is non-existent, persistent news of abuse and harassment are well, persistent... so she couldn't go out much. An unhappy wife makes a husband unhappy. So uncover all the possible means to keep your wife busy... and happy! First and foremost, give her the link to our blog, tell her to read our entries in making herself productive in the desert, and discuss the options afterwards. Now, if there's still no solution to your wife's boredom, tell her to message us. We reply and we welcome all kinds of questions so she just has someone to talk to (and someone to talk her out of this desert rut she's currently in). We tell you, she'll be happy in no time at all. Possible side effects would be spending too much time online and persistent nagging to go out to try out new restaurants and visit new shops. Don't say we didn't warn you! Also, unbored is not a real word.

In relation to reason number 1 is reason number 2... (for guys who already have their wives and children with them here in Saudi Arabia)...

2. Because your wife reads The Pink Tarha. And there is a need to relate to her. So you know what she is talking about. I think this is one of the main advantages you'd get from us. By reading The Pink Tarha, you'll know what they want or where they want to go next. Also, the next time they ask you to go somewhere in a random manner, you'll know who to blame and not spend your waking hour fighting with your wife for not telling you sooner. Also, the maps below our places/restos/shops entries can help you find your way faster. You know how most women are, right? One of these days, they will ask you to go at a place/store you haven't heard of and you'll wonder where they got that tip. And then, your wife will forget the directions on your way there and when that happens, you'll just go in circles. Eventually, you will blow your top off. So it's better to be ready yannow. Just in case. ;) 

Number 2 reason in simpler terms is Read The Pink Tarha so you can relate to your wife. Because you know, any additional reason to be closer to your wife is a winner in our books so go for it! 

For guys who don't have their families here or the single guys in general...

3. Because you need to be updated. Seriously guys, just because you're working hard for your families back home and toiling away in the heat of this unrelenting desert, you should be serious all the time. Don't you get tired of being serious and workaholic all the darn time? Have fun!!! (We mean clean fun, okay! No hanky-panky business over here.) You are entitled to some positive and good vibes and reading The Pink Tarha will give that to you (or we hope it does!). Also, our sale updates will tell you when and where to buy pasalubong for your families and friends back home. I swear there are some practical, relevant information in this blog that you can use in all aspects of life. Passport renewal? SSS contributions? Yup, we discusss these, ermn, serious stuff too you know. 

4. Because you have idle hours and you need to do something about those idle hours. Instead of wasting your time on nonsense websites, spend it on our blog! Haha! Reading The Pink Tarha blog is a good way to spend your time while waiting for your favorite teleserye. Oh yeah, you're not into teleseryes... right?!? Haha! Aminin. Or maybe you have nowhere to go to or no one to talk to or nothing to do during your day off. Maybe you want to laugh at the expense of another to tide your time away? Do it with The Pink Tarha. Go marvel at our ability to shop for hours and lie our way into thinking that it's only for "window shopping". Or wonder how we end up eating in restaurants all the time as if we don't know how to cook (uhmn me). Or find meaning into our unconditional love for shoes and travels. Or ask us any question too! (However, we do not accept any marriage proposals at this moment. LOL!)

5. Because isn't it obvious by now? We're funny (or we think we are). And you deserve a good laugh.

There are more reasons (wait for the second entry which might make more sense). For example, in certain highly unlikely random occasion, there would be that moment when your wife will stop someone in an event or in the mall and will ask you to take a photo with her/them. You need to know it's us. Or not. Haha! But who knows? Sometimes, we truly think that our lives here in Saudi Arabia is as random as we imagine it to be. Don't you? You need to be prepared. 

We always quip that real men not only wear pink, REAL MEN ALSO READ PINK. Because by reading The Pink Tarha, you become a man who understands women. And to us, that's the essence of being a real man. (Shucks, tell me where to sign up for a beauty pageant! I think I just gave an answer worthy of a crown! Hahaha!) ~ Sundrenched

PS. Girl friends, you need to forward and share this entry to your husbands! Pronto! ;)

Breathtaking Maldives: Medhufushi 2/4

Writing this entry on the Maldives is proving to be difficult. Every time I see the pictures, I wanted to teleport there pronto! A part of me is asking, "Is there someone who can tell me where those days in paradise went?" Because it feels like it was over in an instant! How is that even possible?! Anyway, the duty of a Pink Tarha comes first. Hehe. I must look at our photos again and again just so I can write and publish this entry. Hahaha!

Medhufushi Island Resort, bird's eye view

And so... we arrived in our resort via seaplane. Our resort is located in the Meemu Atoll. Here's a map of the Maldives complete with our path from the airport to our resort. Fuchsia marks the spot!

I'm quite sure the flight path is not that straight. Hehe.

The friends are usually the talkative ones. We're kind of funny and rowdy (slight lang) like that. But upon landing, the sun worshippers in us have no words to say: bright blue endless skies, waters in various shades of azure, and the warm hearty welcome... hay, this is the life! Seriously, if there's a place where simplicity and luxury mold into one, it's this place. This vacation is not cheap but it's super worth it.

The water villas from the reception area

The Medhufushi Island Resort in Maldives has white sandy beaches surrounded by a crystal clear lagoon. It has 112 villas to choose from. Sixty-six beach villas are located in the island itself, with direct access to the sea shore. Eight of them are suites boasting of the finest amenities. The resort also has 44 water villas, or those rooms standing on water (aka our dream villas!) which has direct access to the lagoon water (or as my friend say, her very own "pool" in the Indian Ocean).

The lagoon suites, reachable by a dhoni only.

Their two lagoon suites are perfect for honeymooners. You'll have the complete privacy and "isolation" because a private dhoni (small boat) is needed to go here.

Hello, water villas!!!

Our palm-thatched water villa is how we imagined it to be like. It looks simple from the outside but luxe awaits inside. We were given the best location among the 44 water villas in the resort... since it's two persons per villa and we're 6 in the group, we were given 3 villas standing side-by-side. They're the nearest one to the main island and are facing the side where the sun sets.

Wohoooo! Here we go!

The colors of paradise

Walking to our rooms

The calming waters in between our villas

Our room! I stayed in 114 while E stayed in 113

Opening the door felt like stepping into our dream. Sima, the guest relations officer, toured us in one of the villas and we were squealing like little school girls when we saw what was in store for us. So for this entry, I'll be the one giving you a "tour"of our home for four days:

Welcome to our room!

The bed is so inviting, and attention to detail is perfect! 

Coffee and tea area

Of course, we tried the espresso machine immediately!

Behind the wall is a restroom made for two!

Woot, E immediately had a bubble bath in her tub!

So nice that every thing is divided into smaller rooms.

The room is equipped with AC, a flat screen television (that my roomie and I weren't able to open... not once!), DVD player, telephone, hair dryer, a stocked mini bar, and an in-room safe. I also like that their cabinets for our clothes are huuuge!

One of our favorite places in this villa is the wooden veranda which has the chairs, swing, and sun loungers that made us want to just stay put all day long. (Only if no other activities were available.) We can just stare into the ocean, read a book, sunbathe, enjoy our drinks, etc. in this place and we won't get bored. Ever.

I love this swing!

Now I'm confused where to sit down. Hehe.

Hello neighbors!!!

Complimentary champagne to celebrate this vacation!

The stairs leading to the water is so convenient. During low tide, the water reaches the first and second steps only while during high tide (usually in the afternoon and night), the water becomes waist deep and reaches half the stairs. 

It's low tide.

E is on the left, I am on the right.

Every dawn of our stay, it was raining. Thankfully, the rain stops at around 7 o'clock in the morning and the sun shines brightly mid-day. This is one of those cloudy mornings that we experienced in the resort:

Amazing view from the water at 7 in the morning.

Now that we've toured you in our villa, here's a quick tour of the resort (quick meaning 10++ photos, hehe!). The restaurants and activity centers are a 5-minute walk away from the water villas. 

Catching the sunrise

Relaxing beach side

Too many spots to lounge around

The small opening which goes to the beach villa from the beach

One of the beach villas

The pathway from the water villas to the center of the island

The Medhufushi Spa is located in a hut facing the sunrise side of the resort. All the staff are Indonesians who specialize in very relaxing massages. The resort has a gym and a souvenir shop too.

One of my favorite places in the resort!

The Vilu Bar and the reception huts

You can order snacks of nachos and sushi/sashimi platter at the bar

Four cheese pizza and chicken satay (<3 the peanut sauce)

Buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner happens here at the Malafaiy Restaurant

The swimming pool area

Catching the sunset 

Gusto lang namin maiyak sa ganda ng place! As innn. Haha! We felt so blessed because we were given the chance to visit this gorgeous place. And so, the resort tour stops here. On the next entry, we're bringing you the activities we did in the resort. Weeee! ~ Sundrenched 

Medhufushi Island Resort

Meemu Atoll, Republic of Maldives

T: +960-672-0026

F: +960-672-0027

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Medhufushi

Website

Read other entries on Maldives:

Planning for Maldives

Breathtaking Maldives 1/3