Through Your Eyes, The Second Morning

The second Pink Tarha Mornings went by quickly and smoothly. We have a bigger crowd this time, just a little bit more from the first one and we have a guest speaker who knows a lot about our chosen topic... PHOTOGRAPHY. Do you know how many photography clubs are in Riyadh? A lot and yes, we will come up with a feature on them one of these days but for now, we had a workshop led by professional photographer Nikoll Long-Carr. You should really visit her site and learn more about this remarkable woman. 

The second workshop titled "Through Your Eyes" is a full basic photography workshop that was held in Piatto Restaurant in Exit 5 here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 'Mornings' are making quite a stir now especially after the feature in Balitang Middle East. You still have to pinch me sometimes for me to believe I just watched The Pink Tarha ladies on tv. Anyway, here is a photo diary of the second Pink Tarha Mornings. Whenever we have this event, everything just moves forward rapidly that it's already over before I can grapple with reality.

Piatto Italian Restaurant

Piatto Restaurant in Exit 5, once again, opened their second floor 'courtyard' for the second Pink Tarha Mornings. We love how they setup the place for a bigger crowd this time. The sponsors of our pastries and baked goods were given a long table. The Piatto management has always been supportive of our endeavor and again, we'd like to express our gratitude to its management, esp. to Sir Steve, Sir Majed, Sir Albert, and Sir Neil, for giving us this opportunity. This venue is, as always, perfect!

A different set of colors

I deviated from the usual pink this time around and used bright colors of lime and orange. If you see our site for Through Your Eyes, I used a different set of digital papers for decorations and sign ages. Even the badges you see above use summery colors. I think it suits a morning event as well. We'll always love pink though. ;)

We usually arrive around 8 o'clock in the morning to prepare the venue and our stuff. Early risers much? Haha! The Pink Tarha ladies didn't have a dress code but Eyecandy, Shoegarfreeruby and I came in shades of peach. Sampaguita Pride had a summer dress with bright yellow details. It wasn't a requirement for the ladies to arrive in pink but some of them did. Yeyyy! ;)

Shoegarfreeruby, fresh from her vacation, is manning the registration area.

Sampaguita Pride having her cuppajoe.

Our sponsors arrived looking fabulous with their equally fabulous baked goodies. Cielo Algaeed arrived with her husband, Mr. Abdul, and went on arranging her Paris-inspired dessert buffet table. We love seeing her work progress over the months.

Cielo Algaeed of Cielo's Sweet Treats

The bubbly and very energetic Cecile Bautista-Perez arrived next with her family in tow. They arranged her lovely setup of cupcakes, nibble bars, cake pops, and chocolates. And yes, we fell easily in love with her baked creations.

Cecile Perez of Dolce Cecilia

There was an abundance of sweet treats and glorious pastries!

Cake pops!

Seems like cake pops are all the rave these days. You should try these yummy balls of sweetness! We also had guests who brought their own baked goodies to be shared. Aren't we lucky to have lovely and generous participants? ;)

Thanks, Meg Tillah, for the cute and colorful cupcakes + cookies!

Thanks, Nadia Tariq!

The ladies getting some coffee + pastries before the start of the program.

The ladies started trickling in to the venue around 9 o'clock. They were welcomed by R who was in-charge of the registration. This time, our folder kits are yellow! Woot! So bright! Haha! The guests are free to roam around the place, have coffee and pastries, and get to know the other ladies.

Let us begin the session!

Eyecandy as our host for today's workshop.

Nikoll Long-Carr on how to hold the camera properly.

Always ready with a smile

The participants listening intently.

A few raffle prizes in between

One of the new things we incorporated in this second event is having a raffle draw. The prizes include Saudi Arabia bags from Camel Corner, ID lanyard (so limited it was only one, haha!), MNG clothes, and a gift voucher for Four Nail Spa and Salon. Nikoll added one of her framed photos too featuring the Kingdom Tower.

Nikoll on photo tips and tricks

Nikoll with her framed photos

After the lecture session, the exercise session began. Nikoll roamed around to help out the participants and answer any of their questions. Brunch was also served during this time so they can capture the food, if the ladies want to. There's a photo contest happening after the event. You can check out the photos here.

Nikoll giving Nadia a few pointers

One-on-one session

The ladies enjoying their brunch

E and P with the ladies who are also interested in Toastmasters

One thing we learned from the first Pink Tarha Mornings is to allot enough time to distribute certificates and take a photo of each participant in the process. So we did just that! We get to keep the photos, of course, as our souvenir for another successful event.

Awarding of certificates

Thank you, Nikoll!

Shoegarfreeruby, Eyecandy, Sampaguita Pride, and Sundrenched

The Pink Tarha ladies are very much in debt to all the people who made this event possible! As you've probably read in our Facebook page, we had a lot to be thankful for... including you dear readers! ;)

Thankful to our friends who helped and supported this event.

Thankful to our sponsors, Whites Pharmacy and Volvo.

Thankful to our lovely participants!!!

Again, we'd like to THANK everyone who's supported and helped and cheered us on in this endeavor. This wouldn't be successful without you.

Want coffee? Own the mug too! ;) One of our souvenirs for this event.

Whites Pharmacy has provided ample samples for this event. They came in a cute box too! ;)

A few might be asking why we're holding the Pink Tarha Mornings. What do we get from it? What do we gain from it? Friends. That's what. And with that simple reason alone, we hope to be able to hold more Pink Tarha Mornings in the future. Stay tuned! ;)

The aftermath... Thanks Jou for being our photographer for the day! WOOT!

After all the guests have gone and the our friends have also left for the morning, Eyecandy and I usually have an egress report of some sort.We deal with the packing up and reviewing the event while having our proper lunch (we cannot eat properly during the event... must be the nerves, haha!). It's like having an immediate SWOT analysis of the event. Nothing formal just a quick recap so we can make the future events better. 

So, who's excited for the next Pink Tarha Mornings? We're thinking of bringing The Pink Tarha Mornings to Alkhobar and Jeddah! What do you think? Hahaha! Ambitious much? ;) ~ Sundrenched

How To Survive Riyadh's Sale Seasons

Brace yourself for yet another sale season, fellow Tarhas! The sale season is starting and bet your bottom dollar riyals that it will be chaotic, crazy-fun, and stressful (lol)!

But we have to be realistic here. In our opinion (as veterans of the sale seasons in Riyadh, ehermn, lol), the sales have diminished in value, both in quality and quantity, over the years. It's not like before when we can find really good items at rock bottom prices in large quantities. Now, every thing is just so-so and there are some shops that don't hold it as fervently anymore. But the sale season is still worth going mad over because you'll never know what you'll find. We like surprises! So kung galit ka sa pera, go lang ng go!

Are you set?!

Here's a few tips on how to experience the lows and highs of our favorite season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

1. There are two basic huge sale seasons: the start of the year and the middle of the year. (There are also the less stellar mid-season and end-of-season sales.) The latter is the one beginning this month, if schedules are still the same. Although we enjoy the mid-year sale season, it's the end/start of the year sale (December-February) that we usually wait for when shops go all out!  However, let's not disregard this coming sale season because good deals also come this June to August. Prepare your fulos, ladies! They're about to go to battle! :P

2. Take note of the periods of a sale season, which we'll liken to the stages of "cooking water" here. (Sorry, water is the only thing I can cook, lol. #S)

a. Poaching. This the beginning where the water is kept warm but there's no visible bubbling to indicate heat. In this period, the sale season has started but they're still not advertised loudly. Merchandisers are preparing and any minute now, they'll be amping up the temperature so we can all feel the heat! You should power up your sixth sense shopping radar so you get the latest sale scoops. Also during this time, the department stores are already on sale. Centrepoint and Citymax just went on sale three weekends ago so that's a good sign. They wouldn't want to compete with the bigger brands during the sale season so inunahan na nila. Lol. For those who are eyeing the more known brands, wait for the next period before unleashing your cash... As you know, the "poaching" stage this year is over last week. Hope you got good finds in Centrepoint, Citymax, and Iconic. I know I did. *wink*

b. Simmering. Here we will see bubbles forming and gently rising to the surface of the water, but the water is not yet at a full rolling boil. You will see the red signs hanging and you'll probably think, this is it! It's here, it's sale season so let's go! Okay, hold it! The stores don't go all out at once. If you noticed in past sale seasons, they usually begin at 25% to 50% off. 25% and 50% off are good because well, you still get to save something. But we all know they can get lower two weeks, or even a month, from now so you can wait it out further. However, the advantage of having a major shopping spree during the "simmering" period is you get the first dibs on every thing. There will still be a lot of items that come in your size. The clothing, shoes, and accessories are in tip-top shape. Unlike when you wait out the 75% discount, you get items that were already handled many times. We're currently in this stage now. MNG, New Look, and Parfois are simmering and my wallet's suffering from a first degree burn from yesterday's visit to Othaim Mall.

c. Boiling. Of course, the hottest point among the periods! It's the most exciting part but also the most damaging (to your wallets). During this time, the stores are already offering 75%-90% off, the lowest they can get. The red signs are blaring and glaring and they’re utterly tempting. Unfortunately, this is also the time when a lot of people have already caught on the sale season virus and are in the malls almost all the time scouring for more goodies. You have more competition! You now need to dig deep in the bins for undamaged items and search the racks with passion for your shoe size. Lol. We say that this period is the most damaging to your wallets because even if you don't notice it, you buy a lot! You are attracted to the SR 10 necklace or the SR40 pair of shoes... which leads you to buy more stuff you're not even sure you need or want. Just so because they're cheap. Well, hold on for dear life! The boiling stage this year might be 2 weeks before and after Ramadan, which falls on August this year.

d. Cooling. Every thing is naghihingalo by now. The salesmen rearranging and replenishing stocks over and over, the racks losing shape and stuff, the pockets (of your husbands, lol), your wallets... you. You'll be tried from all the sprees that you will need to rest. And you will need to give the discounted stuff a rest too. By this time, latak na lang ang natitira. These are the stuff left behind by every one else and you will need to let go of them too because they're no longer worth it, even if it's so cheap. Alright, we had that time in our lives that we still went out and check out the latak just because we wanted to and unbelievably, we still had the energy to do so. But now, we know better (we do?!?). We let those stuff go... because we'll prolly see them again next sale season. Hahaha.

3. Mind what you buy. It's easy to get lost in the euphoria of the sale season but it will be a good thing to think before you buy (yeah right!). During the "poaching" period, head to the malls to check out the brands you love and take note of the products you'll want to buy when they go on sale. It’s also a good thing to be chummy-chummy (friendly) with the salesmen so you can ask the exact date when they’ll go on sale. During the "simmering" period, buy the stuff you really, really want (tipong hindi ka makatulog sa gabi sa kaiisip) even if it's just on a 25%-30% off because you'll never know if you'll still see it again during the boiling period. Wag nang maging super kuripot noh at mag-intay pa ng 75% off para sa mga bagay na gusto mo talaga. Sabi nga nila, "The early bird catches the worm." May gan’on?!  Grab and buy the clothes, shoes, and sandals that you love (and can never let off the hook) during the simmering period because they still have it in your size. During the "boiling" period, go crazy in the stores! By that we mean this: get a shopping bag, grab all the stuff you want without thinking, and sort later. During sorting, that’s the moment you think about it. Take the stuff out one by one and debate (in your head or with friends) if you need it or just want it. Discard those which do not make the cut. It will actually be helpful if you return them to the shelves and racks where you got them so other people can check them out immediately. During the "cooling" period, the only thing worth buying are prolly the small accessories that didn't get beaten up in the duration of the past three periods.

Oh my, oh my!

4. Mind your budget. We're the number one offenders of this rule. We go over budget during the sale season and we usually say we'll not gonna repeat it in the next sale season but we do repeat it. (Bad girls!) However, please feel free to not imitate us and work with the money you allotted for the sale season. Allot a specific amount for the sale shopping spree. It will be hard because we're betting you'll want a lot but just try and spend your money wisely. If you're having your vacation on the latter half of the year, then it might be wise to spend some money on pasalubong already. When it comes to saving, we're probably the worst persons to give you advice so we end this tip #4 now. Lol.

5. Have fun and enjoy the experience. It will be more exhilarating and fun when you shop with friends and your family (only if your husband is supportive, lol). You get to ask them their opinions. You get to eat lunches and dinners together. You get to wait out the salat with them. And you get to laugh at yourselves when you think how crazy you are for acting on your shopping impulses. Wives, please don't fight with your husbands when it comes to taking you to malls, orayt? Ask them nicely and sweetly. Threaten for a separation only when he gives you an almost ultimate refusal. Hahaha. Just kidding. It will be good to have one person who’s more decisive than you are. Chances are you will regret a lot of things you didn’t get but don’t fret, there will be more gorgeous stuff coming your way on the next seasons. 'Nga pala, wag namang parang end of the world na at mag-hoard ha?

6. This is the most important: Read The Pink Tarha for sale alerts so you always get informed! :)

Orayt, that’s it. We'll see you in the malls, ladies! Say hi when you bump to any one of us. Hopefully, we don't fight over the same stuff. Haha.

§undrenched

Winter in South East Asia

How are you enjoying your winter?

The other Pink Tarha ladies have posted the photos of their winter essentials. Don't you just love their cute and gorgeous stuff? I wish I can wear 'em here in Manila! Haha! I doubt if I can fit in Maryhadalittlehump's knitted wear though. Hehe.

While I am not experiencing Riyadh's brrr days right now, I had the chance to experience winter in another country! And I wore my winter essentials. Mabuti na lang may practice na ako ng 'winter' sa Riyadh, kung hindi, I'll probably stuck with just long sleeved cotton blouses for this trip. Before Saudi Arabia, I can't imagine a dry winter sans snow. But I ♥ winter! Here's my winter ensemble:

Day 1: ALL BLACK
Beret PROMOD Black turtle neck blouse ZARA Black cotton coat and black pants CITYMAX Jelly shoes JESSICA in SM

Day 2: CHECKS AND STRIPES
Shades TERRANOVA Scarf ACCESSORIZE Military jacket NEW LOOK Checkered boyfriend shirt THE BF SHIRT from the World Trade Bazaar Black velvet pants CITYMAX Black knee-high socks ZARA Embroidered flats LADIES MARKET in Mongkok Messenger bag HUMAN

Day 3: SPLASH OF COLOR
Black cap H&M Shades FOREVER 21 Colorful scarf ACCESSORIZE Military jacket NEW LOOK Inner graphic tank top TOPSHOP Black pants MNG Embroidered flats LADIES MARKET in Mongkok

I miss winter in Riyadh! I'm sure everyone's freezing in there but I know, with your family and friends with you, I'm sure you'll just give winter the cold shoulder and will not let the chill ruin your celebration of welcoming the 2010.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

§undrenched, blogging in MNL

PS. I just have to say that it's such a good thing I was already unveiled because I do not have to photoshop my photos to blur my face. Wala din kasi akong Photoshop dito sa Pinas, lol. Yun nga lang, kailangan n'yong pagtyagaan ang hitsura ko. Hehehe. ;)

Winter Essentials

Winter time has definitely made it's presence felt in the city. It's now difficult to get up from bed in the morning, just because the cold keeps calling you back to bed. Coffee sales are up and laziness is in an all time high. Perhaps our bodies aren't just made to combat the cold weather and that is why bears hibernate (Ano daw? Paki-konek nga!) Haha. Well, the Pink Tarha ladies will definitely be combating this winter season....in style! Here are our favorite winter style essentials for the season.

From Shoegarfreeruby's (R) closet:

Violet, wool hat with a bow trim from Jasper Conrad

Black wool cap with bow from H&M

Black, knitted scarf from H&M

Wool hats are very 'haute' fashion forms this winter time. Kick your outfits up a notch with pretty hats that will keep your heads warm and pair it with a knitted scarf to complete the look, just like R does. Since our heads are the most visible parts of our body when we're out in public (because we are in our abayas), hats and scarves are the accessories we can do away with.

From Maryhadalittlehump's (M) closet:

Stripe sweaters from MNG and The XDye Knitwear

These three sweaters are M's favorites. Since she is a slim lady, stripe patterns do well for her. Colors this season are particularly dark and plum-ish. The green one is reserved for Christmas gatherings. Layer these sweaters over a crisp, white blouse and you got yourself a trendy top to go to work with.

From Eyecandy's (E) closet:

Cotton scarves (and one silk scarf) from Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.

E is big on scarves. It's her favorite accessory during winter (apart from boots and gloves). A good pop of color always go well with her abaya on..so with a scarf, you can't go wrong! It's simple and the color you choose shows a little personality. E's favorite scarf is the pink one (Pink Tarha represent, represent yo!). Boots are also big this season, though we're still waiting for the sale season to get ourselves new pairs of boots. We're still clacking away with our old ones...when we got them though, we'll sure feature it!

Other staple winter apparels are ponchos, socks, stockings, leg warmers and gloves. Be sure to have one handy or else you might freeze! A special someone to give you warm hugs are beneficial too. Paano na lang ang ilan sa amin na malamig ang pasko? I guess it's just layers and layers of clothing for us then! Haha.

Sundrenched (S) is in the Philippines at the moment so we weren't able to get her favorites photographed. It was E by the way who took these pictures at her family's living room adorned with Christmas decor. Can you feel the Christmas spirit yet or what?!

Keep warm! :)

Stop at the Red Signs

The SALE SEASON is here! Actually, we're late in posting but if you hurry, you'll probably still get lucky to score the items you've been wanting to get at popular brand stores at lower prices. MNG started the sale season with a subtle green discount sign on their glass windows (Eyecandy and Sundrenched saw them first at the Al Rashid Mall in Al-Khobar during their train trip to the Eastern Province). Other stores have followed suit.

Debenhams

Promod

Topshop / Topman

There are more stores on sale. The good news is, they'll still be lowering their prices anytime soon (maybe a week or so from now). Our advice is this: when you go to the mall now, enter the shops and browse. If you saw a dress or a blouse or anything that catches your attention and you feel that you cannot sleep at night without it safely tucked in your closet... then grab the darn piece and pay for it in its first discounted price. The problem with waiting for the bagsak presyo week is that you might not have the item in your size anymore or the style might just be gone. Stocks are not forever yannow. But if you can still live another week to let go of an item, then wait until the stores drop their prices to 70%. After all, patience is a virtue. :)

We're guilty of saying we're not going to buy until they're waaaaay below their original prices but hey, we're girls... we can always change our minds... especially when faced with hot, hot red sale signs all over. :P

Chill Out

Sorry for the lack of posts folks. The Pink Tarha Girls are currently busy traipsing all over the city to bring you the latest in Riyadh living. Don't worry, we'll bombard you with entries once we get back to the normalcy of life. That will be soon, promise.

Before we begin the weekend, we'll end the weekday for you with a very refreshing Collage Week! Burned out from the work week already? Hay, don't sweat it out! If you meet the hot weather with flaring tempers, you'll never get out of this sweltering heat alive... so, just keep your cool... CHILLAX!

Looks like spring instead of summer, yes? Or both. :)

It's not about the climate or the weather. It's about our frame of mind and outlook in life. Brighten them up!

Happy weekend!