The Ideal Shawarma.. Where art thou?

One of us at Doha Diaries dreams of the perfect Shawarma. Read on...

Dreams have such a powerful effect. Whether you remember the dream or not, there are days when you wake up in a mood and you are not sure why it lingers on without a rhyme or reason. Have you ever had those days? I know I have. This morning was one such day.

I woke up hungry and it was not just a little craving that was easy to get rid of. I woke up ravenous for some Shawarma. The dream was vivid and exquisite. I was walking through the streets of Doha taking in the wonderful aromas of sheesha, attar and smokey meat. I could see the people sitting around tables covered with different kinds of food. The air had a slight chill in it and the feeling of being in that place just filled me with an odd sense of satisfaction.

Everyone around was smiling and talking about this and that, it seemed as if everyone knew one and other and so did I. As I walked on, I smiled at many and they all returned the greeting with warmth. Finally I spotted a table that I surely felt was mine. I sat down and waited for someone to come get my order. No one did. This didn’t seem to perturb me at all. I just sat there taking in the sights and smells of the place. All my senses were heightened and I knew I was in for something spectacular.

Soon enough a waiter walked towards me holding a tray that didn’t seem to have much on it. I have to say I was a little disappointed. After seeing all the food around me I thought I was going to be spoilt rotten with a feast. The tray had two things on it, a glass of lemon mint juice and one Shawarma. As the plate was kept before me I saw the dish. It seemed like perfection, the meat looked moist and succulent, the bread looked soft with lightly browned areas and the juices of the shawarma were gently falling onto the plate. I could not wait to dig in. I took a bit of the bread which had some tahina on it and put it into my mouth. The feeling was indescribable. It seemed to hit the spot and I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I was going to gobble that shawarma up like a caged animal set free, without a care in the world. I picked up the shawarma and raised it to take my first bite when....BEEEEEEEEEP....

My alarm went off. I woke up with my mind reeling and stomach yearning. So many feelings were bubbling up inside me. I was angry, craving, expectant, hungry to the point of desperation.

Now I cannot seem to keep my mind on anything except going on a search for that perfect shawarma. Let me know what your favourite shawarma places are and help me find my treasure. My heart is set on it and I feel like I have fallen in love.

Could you please help Doha Diaries find the perfect Shawarma?  

BB creams - Finally in Doha!

We are excited to see that the BB cream has finally hit stores in Doha. This cosmetic, (well deserved) hype that was running world over has reached Doha too. BB cream is a moisturizer, foundation and a sun block, all in one, small, affordable tube.The 'B'lemish 'B'alm, like its name, conceals blemishes, evens out the skin tone, protects the skin from the sun and keeps it moisturized.  It is so important to take care of your skin in a hot place like Doha. Almost all brands have introduced their own brand of BB cream claiming a better SPF, a better glow or a better price! Unlike foundation creams, BB creams are available in limited number of shades – at the most two or three. It is perfect for everyday wear as it does not give a greasy look after you have been out in the sun for a few hours, not to forget it avoids tan or worse, skin burns. 

Here are our top 5 recommendations:

Garnier’s Skin Renew– 50ml for QAR 22.75 (one shade available- Medium Light)

Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB cream -  30ml for QAR 45 (available in dark, light, medium and apricot)

Estee Lauder’s Day Wear BB cream – 30ml for QAR 131

Christian Dior Hydra Life BB creme – 15ml for QAR 204 (available in nude and fair)

Lancome’s UV Expert GN Shield – 30ml for QAR 235 (shades 01 and 02 available)

Good news for all the Shiseido lovers out there! Their Perfect Hydrating BB Cream is going to be available in Doha stores from April 2013 onwards.

Doha Diaries BB cream Tip: Try mixing two different shades of Garnier’s Skin Renew and Maybelline’s Clear Glow Bright Benefit Cream. Works like magic! 

(All the above mentioned creams are available at The Center in Doha)

Qatar International Food Festival '13

Yesterday, Doha Diaries went for The Qatar International Food Festival which was held at the MIA Park.  Although a lot of people were complaining (both online and offline) about numerous parking issues, we managed to find comfortable parking spaces for ourselves. As we were hoping, the weather was perfect for good food. There was a light breeze in the air as we walked to the much anticipated food festival. First thought was relief as the place wasn't as crowded as we expected it to be. Lots of space for sitting and walking around. We also spotted the 'Dinner in the Sky' event, and felt even more relieved that we didn't book a table there. A table was being carried off ground by a large odd-looking crane. It looked inconvenient for the foodies back on ground level as we wondered if they felt comfortable enough to be eating good food up there. Here are a couple of things we liked, and not so liked about the event.

Things we liked

- A good, mixed family crowd

- Lots of seating and space for people to walk around

- We loved the Torch Hotel's stall. It had a Mexican theme and we munched away on the Fajitas and Nachos.

-The winner stalls for the night were the dessert stalls. The stall of Sharq Village & Spa had a signature chocolate dish with chocolate dumplings in bread crumbs served with a berry compote. That dish took us to food heaven. Another winner was the Village Restaurant's Deli Stall. Lots of Canopies, mini sandwiches and cupcakes (with yum frosting!).

- Pricing! The food was very well priced and it let us taste all kinds of food comfortably.

Winner of the day! Chocolate Dumplings from the Sharq Stall

Is that a bird? Is that a plane? It's just a weird looking table!

Things we not-so liked

- The pricing of the vouchers seemed a little off. There was a 10 riyal service charge for every voucher booklet you purchased. Since we just reached and did not know about the pricing of the food, we were not sure how much to buy as well. Every time we purchased additional vouchers, we paid an extra 10 riyals.

- We are not sure why they charged us a service fee when the service wasn't quite there. Dustbins were scarce and we had to walk for a while till we spotted a dustbin.

- Parking woes were a many. Even though we got lucky, a lot of people complained about lack of parking space. This has become a standard problem for every event in Doha, maybe it is time someone stepped up and did something about it?

QIFF had a carnival atmosphere and is rightly being called a 'food festival'. Festivals are all about celebrating occasions and being a foodie who is surrounded by great food is reason enough. 

Doha Diaries recommends not leaving the festival without trying out the dessert options!

Go or not go for the festival?

Doha Diaries says a definite 'Go!'

For more details about the festival and schedule, you can visit: http://www.qatartourism.gov.qa/

Nando's

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Wondering what to do for lunch today? Doha Diaries suggests beginning your weekend with some good food. Doha Diaries is never disappointed with the quality of food and service at Nando’s. Nando’s is the place for all the chicken lovers out there. We ordered their Chicken Espatada with sun dried tomatoes and green peppers with a side of spicy rice and creamy coleslaw. Their signature peri peri sauce gives an unconventional twist to the whole dish. Worry not vegetarians, their veggie burger does not disappoint. The drinks on their menu is unique but goes well with the food. We ordered a Madeira Red which is a pomegranate lemonade mixed with sprite, and a Crimson Cola, a cola drink infused with pomegranate, fresh mint and lemon.  Nando's is located at many convenient locations around Doha, so it is an easy work lunch option as well. Some of the locations are listed below:  

1) Financial Square on C Ring Road 

2) City Center, Level 3, opposite the theatre 

3) Al Sadd

Before we sign off, we leave you with a quote we resonate with.

Isn't it true? Eat some great food and have a great weekend!

Weekend Diaries.

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This weekend is  packed with so many fun events, we had to pick out the best few. Here are weekend activities lined up for you!


If you have moved to the beats of ‘Temperature’, 'Got 2 Luv U' and 'Get Busy' , you will love what’s in store for you this weekend. Sean Paul hits the city of Doha on Friday.  On March 29^th, Sean Paul will be performing at Intercontinental Doha. Imagine dancing to his tunes by the beach. If you like the sound of that, you'll love the concert!

The best clown in the world is in the city!  “Slava Snowshow” at the Qatar National Convention Center on the 28^th to 31^st promises to be a visual treat. Expect world class performances and as they say ‘you are never too old to enjoy clowns’. ( PS: Youtube videos of their previous shows are mind blowing!)

'Holi hai!’, roughly translates to ‘It’s time to celebrate Holi’, and we couldn’t agree more. For those missing out on the Holi celebrations back in India, fret not as Sealine beach resort brings to you ‘Rang Barse’, an event that hopes to make full justice to the Indian festival of colors. With a carnival theme, it will have various stalls along the beach. Expect a lot of dancing too! Apart from a dance contest with a Bollywood theme, there is going to be a huge dance floor with live DJs spinning latest tracks.  

DD Tip: If you plan on playing with colors, wear comfortable clothing.

W Doha is having some fun events this weekend! DJs from the Ministry of Sound EVO & RST perform at Crystal on Thursday, and they have an Afro Beats night at Wahm on Friday. Interesting genres of music maketh an interesting weekend.

If you plan to take it a little slow this weekend, you can catch 'The Third Man', a movie which was selected by the British Film Institute as 'the best British film of the 20th century'. You wouldn't want to miss out on a classic like that! Doha Film Institute will be screening the movie on Thursday and Friday at the Museum of Islamic Art.  You can get more details here about the screening here: http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/events/dfi-uk-cinema-showcase

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The foodie in us is psyched and curious about the International Food Festival which is going to be held from 28^th to 31^st March at the Museum of Islamic Art. What intrigued us most was the ‘Dinner in the Sky’ event. It also aims to promote Qatari cuisine this year, something we are looking forward to! We are hoping to gorge on delicious food (of all kinds) while enjoying the (last few) wintry nights here. For more details about the festival and tickets, you can visit their website at http://qifoodfestival.com





Have a delightful, fun-filled weekend!

Keeping it Fit and Fine

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Summer is on its way and we are getting our fitness plan in place. If you plan to tone up and are wondering what to do, Doha Diaries recommends a couple of places you can join to get your summer swag on!

Kickfit classes on Thursdays at InterContinental Doha

This 10 am class will help you burn those calories by combining boxing, karate, Muay Thai and Capoiera. With so many techniques, there is no doubt that calories will be burned!

Thursdays at 10:00 am.

Fees: QAR 30 for members and QAR 40 for non-members.

For more information call 44844852 or email them at bayclub@icdoha.com

Spinning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at InterContinental Doha

Spinning is becoming a very popular form of exercise and it helps a person to really tone up his / her body. If you love using exercise bikes to keep fit, this class is your calling!

Mondays & Wednesdays at 6:15 pm

Fridays at 12:00 pm

Saturdays at 9 am

Fees: QAR 25 for members, QAR 35 for non-members

For more information call 44844852 or email them at bayclub@icdoha.com

Pilates on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Yama Yoga Stidios

An extremely popular form of exercise, Pilates helps you to improve your abdominal strength, flexibility and posture. The Yama Yoga Studio has three locations in Qatar and hopes to encourage a healthy yoga-loving community here.

Tuesdays at 6:00 pm

Thursdays at 10:00 am

Fees: QAR 60

For more information, visit www.yamayogastudios.com

Zumba

We at Doha Diaries love to Zumba! Zumba combines Latin and International music to give you contagious dance moves. Imad Askar holds Zumba classes in the Recreation fitness center Dance Studio of the Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Centre.

Fees: Members: QAR 30 Non Members: QAR 40

Class Schedule: http://imadaskar.zumba.com/class-schedule

Which regime are you going to be following this summer?