Konichiwa, Daiso Japan!

Once in a while my dad can be sweet-talked into driving to far off malls and shops like Rimal and IKEA... so we decided to check out Al Othaim Mall which was near the area (Exit 16). Don't be put off by it's name. It's not one big Othaim grocery... it's actually a very nice mall with a roller coaster, skating rink and rides on the top floor. The shops are not bad either, as you'll find most brands like H&M and Centrepoint there. It's kind of a mix of European brands and Shola-esque boutiques. So you'll find Evans on one side and then an Oud stall on the other.

But what excites me about Othaim Mall is not the brand boutiques but a specialty shop called Daiso Japan. The shop sells quirky Japan-made products from toys to household items like drawer partitions and portable fans. It's like the "88 Shops" in Manila... but in Riyadh. :P

Daiso Japan is on the lower ground floor. It's near F&F and Kipling.

I was so excited I was literally jumping around stalls and saying "ohhhh, ahhhh...." like a kid in a candy store.

At first glance, it looks like a dowdy shop for household items,
but look closely and you'll find....

It's a nice place to shop for things for your house or accommodation. You'll find matching dinner sets and decors at reasonable prices.   

 

Stuff to help you wash, press and store clothes.
(Pardon the blurry photo, I was really jumping excitedly hehe)

I am really a fan of Japanese products because of their ingenuity. Can you imagine, they even designed things like rubber balls to get rid of static in your dryer and a mat that helps you fold clothes like an SM sales clerk!

Toys for pranks!

So far this is one of the best gag stores I've seen! There are some at riyalin shops but you're always wary if they actually work because of the packaging... 

Kawaii! Doll's Kimono!

What can I say, I love dolls! I was sorely tempted to buy this mini kimono for my Pullip doll and I had to remind myself that I was saving my moolah for my bakasyon grande...

Here are some more neat-O stuff that I probably should stay away from.... ahahah... 

Glow-in-the-dark bracelets (L) and drawer partitions (R)

Battery operated fans! You pull off the top lid, switch it on
and the soft "blades" twirl enough to give you a slight breeze.

If that's not enough, you can get this bigger CLIP ON version
and clip it to you desktop monitor. LOL. hindi ko kineri...  :))

 

The price range is around 5 - 30 SR... depending on how big the item is... a lot like the riyalin price range. I'm not sure for the really big items because I got distracted and didn't really check. Hehehe...

I admit, I'm a sucker for these things and I'm so glad that there's a shop like this in Riyadh! I love novelty items. Here, my imagination runs wild! (like Sundrenched when she's at Jarir! Hehe...) Babalik ako! Promise!  ^_~

xoxo,

Sampaguita Pride

Red Carpet Beauties

AS MOST OF you know, ladies here in the Kingdom are all covered up in public. We're required to cover our hair (with our tarhas of course) and wear our abayas whenever we go out of our house. The idea of a beautiful woman isn't exactly glorified (and/or exploited) in this part of the world, but as young and sassy Pinays, you know we'd find loopholes to express our beauty one way or another. Whether it is underneath our tarhas and abayas or through this blog! You better know that we bring it. Can I get a B for Beautiful? Right on. ;)

So, how can ladies in this desert city be fab and stay fab? Well, there are plenty of ladies-only salons peppered throughout the town. If you're Filipino, chances are you get a regular home-service haircut/manicurist from fellow kabayans who do it for some extra income. But if you miss the hustle and bustle of your local beauty shop, fret not. There are lots to be found here. Though you might miss your regular gay hairdresser as all these salons are for women only. Nevertheless, you'd feel right at your feminine comfort zone with the sounds of snipping scissors, loud gusts from the blower, bubbles from the foot spa machine and the snickering between gossiping girlfriends.

Members of the Pink Tarha Team, along with other girlfriends decided to try out The Red Carpet Hair and Beauty salon. It is co-owned by a well-known Filipina entrepreneur here in Riyadh located in the Suleimaniah District. We have been hearing from our titas and other common friends that they have been to the place and they gave us enough good feedback to try it out for ourselves.

Now readers, you all know my birthday just came to pass... :P and it was before my birthday extravaganza that we opted to try out the salon. You know, to glam it up for an upcoming big day. So my friends and I set up an appointment via telephone and we arrived at the salon at around 5:30pm.

Reception area

Lounge area

A mini-snack bar, I suppose.

First thing I noticed was, "They don't have a red carpet!". Hahaha. You enter the salon here like you do a neighbor's house, via doorbell and intercom. When I arrived inside, I didn't personally feel like a "royal treatment" was headed my way (as described on their flyer). The salon looked like any ordinary hair salon in the Philippines. I wouldn't say that it looked like a glam spot on the LA strip. But I suppose the ambiance was welcoming enough not to intimidate potential customers. It was clean and quiet. A little house music wouldn't hurt in my opinion.

I was booked for a haircut and a facial while my girlfriends were still undecided on either getting a pedicure or threading for their eyebrows. I hadn't had a haircut since January and my hair has lost its shape and volume. According to the grapevine, the hairdressers that this salon hired were all trained or were previous employees of David's Salon in the Philippines.

Their styling trays were clean and organized.

Hair care products used are from L'Oreal and Wella.

The "spa" area where they do the facials and body massages.

Facial products used are from Nu Skin

Apart from the areas seen here, the salon also has a space for their foot spa/manicure/pedicure clients. They are also known in the Filipino community for adding nail decals to their polish and I have heard good things about their foot spas. In an interesting note, as one of my friends was getting her eyebrow threading done, we learned that they also do "Brazilian waxing". *wink wink*

I opted for a 'Galvanic Facial Spa' which is an upgrade from your regular facial where they use this special device and gel that is supposed to further energize the skin. The facial was painful as it should be when they pierce your pores to take out the bad stuff. I just chanted in my brain, "Pain is beauty...pain is beauty...pain is beauty". LOL.

Voila!

My hair all done and my skin is still glistening from the facial (with my friend, J).

The service was fair enough. I just think that they were a bit understaffed. The mini bar wasn't even stocked I guess because no one offered us to have some snacks or something. I was satisfied with my haircut, but it wasn't like a "Wow!" moment. The facial was good, but when I started asking the lady about the benefits of what she was doing/applying on me, all I got were generic answers. It would be beneficial if she educated me along the process so that I too, can care for my skin better.

Overall, the Red Carpet Hair and Beauty Salon offered what it could. We all came out of that salon looking better than we did going in, so that means they did their job right, right? Right.

So, if you are in Riyadh and have been long searching for a salon to treat yourself to...Or if you are an incoming OFW having withdrawal syndromes with your local beauty shop in the Philippines...worry no more. You can try The Red Carpet Hair and Beauty salon and see if it fits you. If not, then rely on your Pink Tarha Ladies to scout out more salons in this city in the days to come. :)

Cheers!
-ec-

The Red Carpet Hair and Beauty salon offers hair design and style, hair treatments, hair coloring, nail care and nail art, facial and body treatment, massages and waxing treatments.

Contact them at:
Near RKH/Military Hospital
Suleimaniah District
P.O. Box 64115
Riyadh 11536, KSA
T: +966-1-293-3497
M: +966-55-651-0758

PARFOIS: Pieces of Conversation

The Pink Tarha Girls are fond of accessories, and so are a million girls out there who want to add a little bit something something special to their everyday wear.

Accessories define fashion style and help catch a person's attention to your best assets. Necklaces elongate the neck while earrings emphasize the face. Rings and bracelets can also tell something about you. Accessories do not need long introductions to be worth your while.

The PT Girls buy their accessories at Parfois, a Portuguese fashion accessories brand founded in 1994, which doesn't only offer blings but the best bags in town. They also have colorful scarves, the simplest yet prettiest shoes and eye-catching watches.

One of the most coveted bag patterns from the S/S 09 Collection.

One of these bags is my splurge (guess which) for the month of April.

Here's some fashion tips for the fun ladies out there inspired by fab products we saw at Parfois:

Shoes in safe, solid colors are not really show-stoppers but they should be a staple in your shoe rack. They're for the I-don't-want-to-dress-up-but-I-still-want-to-strut-my-stuff days. The flats are practical while the high heels are sexy!

Black, white and silver jewelries never go out of style. These will give your corporate look a sophisticated edge.

If you want to treat yourself for some fancy bling but doesn't want to spend too much on it (like us), Parfois' faux gold jewelry is the answer. These pieces will take you from plain to glam in no time.

For night parties, bring a clutch or a wallet instead of huge totes. You wouldn't want to look like you just came from work right?

Scared to wear blouses and dresses with colors and patterns that hog too much attention? Try wearing or layering solid-colored tees and then adding a colorful, printed scarf. It will give you a laid back but feminine appeal.

Want to channel that Blair Waldorf in you but is too shy to wear the huge head pieces she wears? Then these cute little headbands and clips will do the trick. They're subtle but as charming as what the Queen Bee dons.

Huge watches tend to give off a masculine vibe but with Parfois watches, designed with springy and summery florals and candy-colored straps, no one will dare ask you "Dude, anong oras na?!"

For you guys, read above and listen to us. Give your wife or girlfriend a little something special from Parfois. They'll soon be saying, "Wow! This is gorgeous! How come you know what to get me now?!" Talk about giving importance to what a girl wants (even the minutest details)! Trust us, they'll love you more. (Oh, you can thank us later. ;P)

For Parfois branches, click here.
Featured Parfois is the branch in Faisaliyah Mall.

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.