Q&A Portion 10

Whew, it's been a long time since the last Question and Answer Portion. We have a handful of questions from our very lovely readers today which we'll try our best to answer. If you're going to ask us what's going on in Saudi Arabia right now, we can just say that it's pretty much normal. And we hope it stays this way. Anyway, let's all keep calm and move on...

1. Where is the biggest New Look in Riyadh?

The biggest branches are in Hayat Mall and Olaya Street. They have two floors and lots of selections! You can also visit other smaller branches in Granada Center and Riyadh Gallery. The Rollasoles we featured in our Facebook page came from New Look and they're located in the Accessories section, together with the wallets and tights, so go before designs and sizes are gone.

2. Which mall in Riyadh has both Centrepoint and City Max?

Riyadh Gallery! It even has Debenhams so that's three department stores in one mall. Have fun shopping! There are Citymax and Centrepoint branches near Sahara Mall too but you need to cross busy streets and intersections to get there.

3. I so LOVE the blog. You guys keep it up! Kudos to all of you! I was wondering if you guys know where to buy/find marzipan icing for fondant cakes? I'd like to practice making fondant cakes but don't have an idea where to get the marzipan icing. Thanks!

Thank you very much for the kind words. We hope you continue reading our blog. As for your icing needs, there's Baker's Rendezvous in Dabab St., just beside Mama Noura. For more baking tips in Riyadh, the beautiful and creative Ms. Nadia of Bake Fresh is probably the best resource person. She'll be offering classes soon so check her Facebook site as well. If you want to ask other bakers in Riyadh and learn more information, here's a link of home bakers in the city from Riyadh Yummy Yummy Guide.

4. Hi, do you know the name of the mobile store somewhere in Sulaiman street?

Unfortunately, we don't even know where Sulaiman St. is. What we do know is mobile stores are scattered all over Riyadh. You can start your search for gadgets in Batha (Electron Center) and Mursalat. For a more convenient shopping experience, Jarir Bookstore and HyperPanda have their own gadget corners and displays.

5. Do you know any Bed&Bath branches in Riyadh? The one in Sahara Mall has already closed.

We haven't seen another branch except the one in Sahara which you mentioned. There are other bed and bath essentials stores. Try Home Centre and IKEA.

6. Hi! I would just like to know if you have any infos regarding King Khalid University Hospital? Also about Taif Military Hospital? I would like to know which one is the best. Thank you.

Hi there! We don't usually give advice in which hospital is the best for you to work in because we don't have a lot of information about hospitals here and it's a huge decision for your career life so we don't want to meddle with that. However, we can just give you an overall view of the places where both hospitals are. The King Khaled University Hospital is the King Saud University's hospital, one of the biggest here in Riyadh. Taif Military Hospital... well, are you talking about the Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital? If yes, then the only difference we can tell you is that the hospital is in the agricultural province of Taif, about 7 hours away from Riyadh. Since both are hospitals under the Ministry of Health (MOH), they're probably one of the best hospitals (as compared to private ones). It's just a matter of the location where you will thrive best: the urban area where it's bustling and hot (Riyadh), or the rural area where it's laid back and somewhat cold (Taif)? No matter what hospital you choose, we're sure there are a lot of Filipinos there to help and guide you. (Of course we're partial to Riyadh because we're here. LOL!)

7. Hi! I love reading your blog. I would just like to know if you have any information about Al Hammadi Hospital in Riyadh? I have a job offer as a nurse there. Do you know any one who works there?

Again, we don't really want to play a big role in a life-changing decision such as your question. We can only give you what we know from our friends who have information about these hospitals. The Al Hammadi Hospital is one of the biggest and best private hospitals in Riyadh. We're not sure how they treat their employees though but there are many Filipinos working in Al Hammadi. Of course, the entry-level salary is not as competitive as the military hospitals.

8. Hi Pink Tarha! Very excellent blog, ladies. I literally spent my whole day yesterday reading through all of your entries. Really informative in a very COOL way! Btw, I just need to ask if you have any idea how much does it cost to have a kitten vaccinated? How much does it cost to get the kitty documented (travel docs, etc.). We are buying an 8 week-old cat with no vaccinations and papers yet. Thanks a bunch!

Wee, another cat lover like Eyecandy! A cat vaccine usually costs 80-100 riyals ($25) in pet shops. As for the documents, when your cat is vaccinated for the first time, the pet shop vet usually just gives you a card that serves as your cat's document. That's what we know so far. Eyecandy goes to the Pet Village in the old airport road but we heard that it closed recently. You can try Life and Nature Pet Center in King Abdul Aziz Road (0505444905) and Riyadh Veterinary Clinic near exit 7 (+966-1-456 - 8736). We don't have personal experiences on these shops though. Thank you very much for reading our blog and loving the entries. :)

So there you go. We apologize if it took us a few weeks to answer your questions. We'll be faster next time. Ask and you shall be answered! :)

Q&A Portion 2

Our Formspring is getting lots of questions! Yey! Keep 'em coming! :) Here's the second batch of Q&A.

1. Hey Tarha ladies, you know a catering service for an event? There's an upcoming celebration but I'm not good in cooking & I'm tired from work to prepare for such a party. Please give me any contact person that will help me. Thanks.

Are you looking for Filipino dishes for your party? Most Filipino/Thai restaurants offer catering services. You just have to tell them how many guests you'll be having and they'll whip up your choice dishes good for your event. La Paz Batchoy Restaurant (01-4779647) in Suleimania offers Filipino viands. Try their kare-kare, adobo ribs, and sisig. Kruathai Filipino/Thai Restaurant (01-4647228), also in Suleimania, makes good pad thai, curries, and spring rolls. Peking Restaurant (01-4765250) has, you guessed it, Chinese cuisine! Villa Restaurant in Umalhamam is a favorite too. Home makers who turned their cooking passion into business can also be contacted for catering. TitaMariyah's is good for a large gathering.

2. Just wanna ask where Citymax is? i'm near Euromarche in Thakassusi. Hope you could help, thanks! :)

CityMax is like SM. It's almost everywhere. The nearest branch in your place that we could think of is the one in Thalateen Street. Eyecandy, who's living near your place, shops in that CityMax branch. There's a bigger CityMax near Sahara Mall, along King Abdulaziz Road. Farther ones would be in Khurais Road and somewhere along the road to IKEA (Exit 15).

3. Are the Philippine schools there okay? Are the students well-attended to and the education system okay? - Gabby

Good question! Eyecandy, who studied here in Riyadh (and who has a brother studying high school here now) is preparing an entry about Filipino schools in Riyadh. Please stay tuned.

4. Among all the Filipino schools in Riyadh, which can you recommend? Which has good feedback from the parents?

We can't say for sure which is the best but we know personal friends whose children are studying in the Second Philippine International School (SPIS) and Palm Crest International School (PCIS). Eyecandy studied in the International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR) and Elite International School. Stay tuned for E's entry on this.

5. Are there companies [in Saudi Arabia] that accept female graphic designers? Thanks so much for the answers. God bless.

We don't know of any companies here in Saudi Arabia that hire female graphic designers through employment agencies in the Philippines. But if you're already here (through a dependent visa), you might get a freelance job. You can also be hired locally but graphic design works for women are really rare.

6. Kung mahilig ako sa night clubs, can you recommend Saudi Arabia as a place where I can work?

Nope.

7. What is the worst thing about living in Saudi Arabia?

Getting homesick and for us girls, not having the freedom we're used to in the Philippines. Feel free to browse around the blog so you know what we're totally missing (example: commuting in jeepneys and LRT).

6. I was going to write a little parody note like "Omigod, I'm like soooo amazed at you guys, you're like totally sick" but then I thought you might take it wrong. I will say "f'reals" that writing in this blog is topnotch - fun, witty, breezy. The writing is simply excellent and your design is awesome. Regards from Veeds of Arabia.

Why, thank you! Yes, we're really totally sick (in the head) sometimes. Hahaha. Thank you for the good words and please do visit our blog again.

If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask! The Pink Tarha ladies will do our best to find the answers for you.

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. ;)

Back To School

Haven't done a Collage Week for weeks now so here's one for you: it's college week in Collage Week at the Pink Tarha blog! :)

This school theme should have been published last June but we girls became so busy with other things. (This is so long ago that Eyecandy has already grown her hair longer and Sundrenched has already cut her hair shorter now!) However, we figured it still is in season because the second semester for most colleges and universities will start next month.

We visited one of the Philippine schools here in Riyadh last May to complete our photography workshop. After we finished shooting our models for our portraiture lessons, we decided to ham it up for the cameras. Seeing the classrooms, blackboards, hallways, and stairs of the Sovereignty International School (formerly known as Second Philippine International School), we realized we terribly miss school and wondered why we were thrown to the cruel outside world and can not stay in school forever. :P

Feeling like kolehiyalas all over again, we came up with suggestions of what to wear in school (provided you can wear civilian clothes):

Sundrenched: Jeans from Divisoria, Philippines
Eyecandy: Jeans from Next

Jeans are, of course, the staple in every college student's closet. They're very versatile but it's hard to wash and iron them... the secret is you don't. Hehe. We're sure you've reused your jeans a couple of times before throwing them to the laundry basket. Sundrenched, who went to the University of Santo Tomas for her degree, had to wear a uniform but says she wears jeans every time she goes out to meet friends and brainstorm on projects. Eyecandy, who went to college at the University of the Philippines-Los Banos which has the perpetual normal clothes day, says shorts are the means to go to school. (But she's wearing jeans here because she's in Riyadh, not in Laguna. Hehe.)

Tops from Citymax

In college, you can wear anything as long as it's decent and comfortable. Most college students now opt for tees and jackets. S feels like polo blouses are the safest bet on college dressing because they're not shabby and not too formal. E likes gypsy tunics in colorful threads and airy fabrics and shirts to evoke the free spirit of her alma mater.

Shoes from Peacocks.

Headbands from Forever 21.

Flats are your saving grace when your classrooms are in different buildings and you need to rush from one to another. But shoes with heels can give you the confidence boost that you need especially when you're giving your oral presentation or defense. S says she wore black shoes with one-inch heels or plain black flats in school. "It's part of the dress code. Bawi na lang sa style ng sapatos!" E can pick whatever she wanted but relied on slippers most of the time. (Again, for purposes of being in Saudi Arabia, she's in her red kitten heels on the photo. ;)

Accessories are optional but if you want to stand out, then go for eye-catching headbands and jewelries. Just make sure they match your clothes.

College is fun!

No matter what you decide to wear, enjoy your college life! You'll miss those days for sure when you're already out slaving in the work industry. E and S miss their allowances the most! ;) For those who are past the college life, look back and tell us something about it.

Background photos used were searched through google.com.

Skirt-ing the Issue

Eyecandy and Sundrenched were in Al-Akaria Mall three weeks ago. For Filipinos here in Riyadh, we're sure you know that Al-Akaria Mall is one of the first malls in Riyadh. Madalas ito ang tagpuan ng mga Pinoys noon... kaya naman madalas din i-raid ng mga religious police! Now, the old Al-Akaria is not as busy as it used to be but it still houses best-selling shops that we cannot get enough of: Nine West which has racks of on-sale shoes, Aldo Liquidation which is always on sale (and whose racks are arranged per shoe size, thank goodness!), and Al-Sawani which offers designer brands (UCB, Guess, Levi's, etc.) with huge discounts. After searching these stores, S and E came out empty-handed. So they moved further and found Feel Free, a clothing store. This time, they came out with something some things... skirts!

So for this Collage Week, the Pink Tarha ladies welcome the fall season with feminine silhouettes with the help of SKIRTS. Yes, skirts. Even if we're really cowboys most of the time (i.e. kaladkarin sa ora-oradang lakwatsa, laging handa sa bakbakan [ulk!], etc.), we also wear skirts once in a while to remind ourselves that we're truly ladies (so we better act it!).

Here's what these two PT ladies got:

Skirting the issue. Yes, we're ladies.

Actually, excess lang yan ng kurtina, LOL!

On Eyecandy: Brown embroidered skirt FEEL FREE Sandals NEW LOOK On Sundrenched: Black embroidered skirt FEEL FREE White inner tanktop MNG Black blazer NEXXUS Thin belt DOROTHY PERKINS Silver sequined flats NEW LOOK Heart necklace CITYMAX

These are two almost identical long skirts but with E's and S' different fashion style, you can see two ways on how to wear 'em.

Eyecandy, Bohemian Chic

You can see E's free spirit in how she wore her brown skirt. She wore it as a dress! (Actually, nagmamadali lang yan kaya hindi na nakapagsuot ng blouse, hehe.) This la femme boheme knows how to show that earthy touch with neutral browns.

Sundrenched, Posh Chic

S seals her prim and proper fashion personality with this ensemble. (Pero sa totoong buhay, hindi yan prim and proper masyado, hehe.) The long skirt made her look taller and the black color and thin belt cinching her waist made her thinner. (In short, ilusyon lang ang lahat ng ito! LOL!)

Both girls love their skirts. S says that she can move freely with the cotton fabric used and E is so satisfied with the price (just SR50) that she got two more. It also helps that the skirts have dainty embroidery that is subtly eye-catching.

Now, we challenge you ladies to wear skirts and send us your photos! We're ladies after all. There's no issue there.

Berry Romantic

Ramadan Kareem!

Now that Ramadan has started, don't be surprised to see the malls decked with lanterns (not to be confused with the Christmas lanterns okay?) and lamps. Last year, the highlight of decorations was the royal color of violet. Is it the color of Ramadan? Anyway, speaking of colors...

A few weeks ago, the PT Ladies' (minus Eyecandy who had her much-needed day off) "dress up Monday" theme was "colorful," the opposite of the power dressing attire we had. We didn't know if it was ESP or cosmic timing or coincidence that we arrived in berry-colored blouses! Not really colorful enough because we lacked the other rainbow colors so we tweaked the theme to "Berry Romantic" instead. Hehe, girls can change their minds yes? Versatility ang tawag d'yan. :P Berry colors like purple, plum, blueberry, and lavender abound. If only we're wearing dresses, it could have been more romantic! Hehe. (Asa pa!)

Drama much?!

The berry colorful ladies now:

On Maryhadalittlehump: Purple polo shirt ZARA Pink pullover BERSHKA Gray slacks PAPERDOLLS Headband ACCESORIZE Bangles PARFOIS On Shoegarfreeruby: Short sleeve jacket PAPERDOLLS Floral top and eyeglass necklace TOPSHOP Pants CITYMAX Patent teal shoes OASIS Hair pin and button earrings H&M On Sundrenched: Plaid polo and black skinny jeans CITYMAX Maroon flats PARFOIS Headband ACCESORIZE

Fine, we couldn't wear dresses but there's always hope for lady-like and romantic themes in this side of the warm world. Berry colors helped in bringing out the ladies in us. It's probably safe to say that the Pink Tarha Girls are now Pink Tarha Ladies! Oh, how we've grown up... nah! :P

Now that we're done with a little bit of color... yathink we'll switch to something dark yet again on the next Collage Week?! Stay tuned!

Our Tribute to a Great Woman

The Pink Tarha Ladies wore yellow last Wednesday, joining many Filipinos all over the world to give tribute to a great woman who inspired millions of Fillipinos to aspire for greatness with humility and goodness.

As the Philippines bid farewell to President Corazon Aquino, we Filipinos in Saudi Arabia had our own way of saying our adieu to the woman considered as "the most loved president in the entire history of the Philippines." While we were not part of the huge crowd swelling into the streets of Manila ignoring the torrential rains of tropical storm Kiko to get a glimpse of the former president's brown casket, we paid respect by doing what we do best:

Dress up and accessorize... in yellow.

How we said goodbye.

Many Filipinos in our workplace wore yellow ribbons. It brought smiles to our faces whenever we encounter them on the hallways wearing their silent tribute. On the day of Pres. Aquino's funeral, the PT girls wanted to absent from work just so we could glue our eyes on television and watch the coverage. Alas, we couldn't! We just wore the ribbon above. Nothing can stop us to continue what Tita Cory has started and wanted - for us to be free and empowered.

Eyecandy, Mary, Sundrenched... continuing the good fight.

We were born on years when Aquino was president. While we do not have distinct memories of experiencing the first EDSA Revolution, we know how important that event was in our lives and the lives of every Filipino. We will not have this present if not for that glorious piece of past. Cory Aquino is gone but her ideals and leadership will remain alive. We hope that the values she left be the torch that will light our path towards Election 2010, for us to choose leaders with the same honor, integrity, and dignity that she had.

TULOY ANG LABAN, mga KABAYAN!

____________
What We Wore
On Eyecandy: Yellow tunic HARAJ Sleeveless inner top RIVER ISLAND Black slacks HARAJ Slingbacks MILANO Yellow cocktail ring DOROTHY PERKINS
On Maryhadalittlehump: Yellow sleeveless blouse ZARA Gray slacks PAPERDOLLS Black sandals ZARA
On Sundrenched: Cardigan, gray slacks, necklace, cream shoes NEW LOOK Yellow bracelets JADED (Centrepoint) Scarf CITYMAX (Eyecandy's)

Corporate Appeal

How hard is it to pull off a corporate look? It takes a lot of effort especially if you're one of the Pink Tarha Ladies. We do not like wearing the executive look because they're way too much effort-ful to conjure. We're doubtful if we can last a day in it. Our Collage Week on neutrals was the most formal we can get ourselves to wear. Corporate dressing? Not for us. We only wear them once in a blue moon, or when a challenge to power dress comes. Like last Monday!

The challenge was to come to work in a power dressing aka corporate mode. We had visions of tight pencil skirts and sky-high pumps like those working girls you see in the Makati Central Business District but of course, we have to subdue everything here. Subtlety goes a long way anyway. Here's how powerful we can get:

The Pink Tarha Ladies Tigresses
(Mary is still absent due to sickness. But she's doing well now, folks!)

Shoegarfreeruby's eclectic mix of colors

Batwing cardigan H&M Blue and white smock dress CITYMAX Black slacks (old) Gladiator sandals H&M Bag BETSEYVILLE by Betsey Johnson Black headband BERSHKA Earrings MS. SELFRIDGE Watch CASIO BABY G

Even if black and white is the main theme of the day, R ventured off the world of usual power dressing by incorporating color to her wardrobe. Her bag is definitely not something you'll see in the corporate ladder but so what?! If you have a bag like that, don't you get the attention worthy enough to get you to the top?

Eyecandy's touch of 'rock it!'

White polo and black round vest MARKS&SPENCER Ash gray plaid slacks RED HERRING (Debenhams) Black patent mary jane PEACOCKS Red crocodile purse LIZ CLAIRBORNE Black lace headband FOREVER 21 Grey plastic bangle CITYMAX Dogtag necklace CENTREPOINT Crystal drop-earrings ACCESSORIZE

Black, white, and grey... learn the most basic in corporate attire but don't stop there. Take E's cue on making the look yours by infusing your own style. She's still the rockin' and rollin' girl with her go-getter, always upbeat attitude. The red clutch, the floral headband, and the dangling earrings make quite a statement don't cha think? They catch the eyes of the beholder... and those looks will probably linger for more than just a while.

Sundrenched's classic approach

Blazer MS (Centrepoint) White tee ZARA Black wide-leg slacks NEW LOOK Black pumps F&F Mode Layered bead necklace PROMOD Black hand bag Thrifted from HARAJ

She's the only one who wore the blazer but to minimize the formality of it all, S chose to scrunch her sleeves to 3/4 and wore a basic white tee under. With a layered necklace and high heels, who cares if her black and white ensemble is your ordinary take on corporate look?

It might take a while for us to wear the corporate attire again but it sure is hell fun to become "powerful" for a day. Where's our whips? Whapakkkk! ;P

Substance and Style

When it comes to clothes and colors, nothing beats the basics. The Pink Tarha girls found ourselves dressed in basic pieces in neutral colors on the same day so we just have to take a picture!

It's surprising that we're wearing whites, browns, grays, and blacks while it's summer (gettin' hot in here already, yes?) Oh well, you know summer in the Kingdom is different! While the beachcombers in the Philippines are mourning for this year's gone too soon summer, we, fabulous people of Riyadh, don't even have to wish for sunshine!

Anyway, here's our neutral office ensembles for Collage Week!

Dressed to work it!

The whole corporate look for work doesn't really suit our tastes that much. You'll rarely see us wearing corporate jackets or black suits even though it is required. That is too serious for us sassy girls. What we do is play up with our basic pieces to create smart casual looks that are not too intimidatingly dressed to kill.

C'mon, we can be conservative with our basics and neutrals without sacrificing substance and style.

Work it, girls!

MNG vs. Citymax (Butterfly Tank Top)

In my latest foray to Citymax, I saw a tank top that has a very familiar butterfly design. I spent a few minutes walking, occupied by the "where did I see that again?!" thought in my head, when it hit me: I have something like it in my closet but it didn't come from Citymax! It's a tank top I purchased from MNG last year.

SPLURGE

MNG butterfly tank top, SR45
(down to SR25 during the S/S '08 sale season)

SAVE

Citymax butterfly tank top, SR20

There's still differences on the designs and its colors and on the fabric used.

The MNG design detail

The Citymax version seems awkwardly sewn too. It doesn't seem to have a good fit but since it's saving time, the latter will probably do for the upcoming hot, hot months.

It's been raining lately, yes? I bet we all enjoyed the drizzle. How did you spend the rainy weekend people? I spent mine sleeping! Sarap matulog! ;P

CITYMAX: They Got It All For You (Quite)

For the first edition of our newest category "Shop Spotlight," I'm bringing you the "SM" of Riyadh! Shoegarfreeruby has already talked about this shopping stop on the first Spend vs. Save entry of this blog and I'll just have to gush about it because I too found this a fantabulous shopping haven!

Maryhadalittlehump said she misses the "scent" of SM‭ Department Store. ‬Who doesn't? We Filipinos grew up in SM! We were hoping SM will open in Riyadh‭. ‬Of course‭, ‬that's only wishful thinking‭. ‬The truth is‭, we already found a sortta like little SM here but they carry their own brand‭ - ‬CITYMAX‭. ‬

This entry will just supplement the claim that indeed‭, ‬Citymax brings you cheaper alternatives to MNG‭, ‬Zara‭, ‬and other staple mall brands‭. ‬They even copy the designs of the last fashion seasons. During the sale months‭, ‬clothes can go as low as 10SR‭ (‬jeans incuded‭!). ‬

This is the only photo in this post that features the guy's section here‭. ‬Sorry, hehe‭.‬

Clothes all you want

Promo for the month‭: ‬a free 30SR voucher for every 150SR worth of prods you buy

Summer cover-ups‭, ‬perfect for the beach‭ (‬where‭?)‬

Watches with really classy designs

Cute hair accessories

Home decors

Bath essentials

Bags‭, ‬bags‭, ‬bags

Bedroom sippers

A good news for shoegarfreeruby‭: ‬the red version of her bow cardigan is still available‭! ‬Yiheeee‭!‬

There's a section for kids too and it has really cute dresses‭! ‬They also have a shoe section which sells more sandals‭ than closed shoe styles. ‬Their home decor section has lots of fab stuff for your flats‭. ‬I frequent their mugs display too. I found various imitations from MNG's and Zara's clothing designs‭ which I'll feature on the next Spend vs‭. ‬Save‭.‬ Citymax has lots of branches in the city. I frequent the Thalateen branch but I also visit the one in Le Mall. (Uhuh, they're totally far from each other, hehe.)

The only thing that irks me about some Citymax branches are the narrow aisles‭. ‬How can I fit my trolley‭? I carry around the mesh bag for shopping because it's more convenient. And sometimes, they also take too much time in arranging racks na parang dinaanan ng bagyo and misplaced items. Parking is quite okay as long as you go before the 6pm salat.

Of course it really pales in comparison to the retail giant that is SM but what the heck, Citymax is the next best thing to SM!

PS. There's still Centrepoint, the more upscale "SM" version but let's save that for another day.

*Citymax on photos is the branch in Thalateen St.

Topshop vs. Citymax (Origami Blouse)

I dropped by Citymax, Thalateen the other night for a short walk after a hefty dinner at Assaraya Restaurant. I would normally just scout at what the store had to offer and would pick one good find at a typical non-sale day. I was surprised to see that they had 2 items identical to what I had bought from the previous sales.

I got this from Topshop and they call it their ‘origami’ blouse. I just love the folded details near the collar and the bow too. The original price was SAR 260 reduced to SR 65. Citymax had the same grey stripe blouse. They were also offering it in a different color, lemon yellow which I bought. You can’t say no for SAR 40!

The obvious difference was the material used. Topshop has a better textured fabric that was quite stretchy. Citymax has a thicker, smooth non-stretch fabric. The other identical item they have was this cardigan. I bought mine from Ms. Selfridge. Too bad I wasn't able to take a shot of their version.

Other great stuff I got from Citymax were:

Smock dresses

Tulip skirt

And my fave from this batch is this black & white bow cardi:

This is Spend vs. Save from the Inside Our Closet category.

Remnants of the A/W Sale Season

So it is over... but I'm still not over it!

I'm sure the girls of Saudi are still left with unopened stuff that were accumulated from the frenzy and chaos known as the sale season. I, for one, haven't gone through my purchases one by one. They are still piled up on my reading couch: tried on once, labels still intact. Every time I open my wallet, it keeps reminding me that it committed suicide, not once but many times over in the first months of 2009. I'm such a cruel boss!

I started the sale season right but even if it's already finished, I just can't get over the euphoria of it all. I'm sorry, eh it only happens twice a year! And I'm in denial like that.

The chaos the sale season brought.

I took advantage of the last days of the sale season by buying stuff I do not normally get for my wardrobe. Like tattered jeans, colorful tops, pastel dresses, bling-y flats... these are the stuff my bleak closet is not made of. And I surprised myself by getting them out of their misery being dumped in piles of goods that say "Come and get us, we're freakin' 95% off!" Who's the idiot who'll not be compassionate enough?! I care! I really, really care!

Bottoms from Bershka, New Look, Peacocks, and Stradivarius

Tops from Stradivarius, New Look, and CityMax

Dress and shirts from New Look, CityMax, and Zara

Gladiator sandals and accessory from New Look

Handbag from Peacocks

Sequined flats from New Look.

I even made a friend jump with glee by taking her to stores that were still on sale. And she couldn't help but swipe that card! I'm a BI much?! Hey, she's from UAE so what are the odds that she'll be finding these items there? Okay, chances are, she will but... will she find them in those pretty cheap prices?! Yeah, I thought so too. Now, I'm tagged as her "ultimate shopping buddy in Riyadh" in our Facebook pictures. Hehe.

Once in a while, we have to do that... surprise ourselves by doing something unpredictable and owning something we could've ignored in the first place. And, finding people whom we can share our interests! It's been a wonderful season. I'm ready to let go now only because there'll be another that'll start mid-year.

Sigh. July's S/S Season Sale seems such a long wait noh? Double sigh.