Up in Lights

Doha's ever glowing & growing night skyline

To read or leave comments, please click on the comments link below. Thanks!

Doha's Breakfast Central

Hide your coffee pot, hide your toaster,
and hide your fryin' pan, cuz...

(for best results use your Antoine Dodson voice ↑)

Doha's Breakfast Central has come to rescue us from banging those pots in the kitchen by removing the guess work of where Doha peeps can go for a good breakfast, OR where to avoid. Being that breakfast is my FAVORITE meal, I jumped on the @DineatDawn twitter bandwagon right away so that I wouldn't miss any of their review announcements. Yours truly was even bestowed the honor of accompanying them on a covert mission to a local diner, but I'm afraid my incessant chattering throughout the meal was a distraction and now they feel a "do over" is in order. So how do burning ears affect taste buds? I guess ears weren't the only thing burned...can you say bridges? Anyhoo, give my twitter buds @haniarif and @vallath a warm welcome by gracing them with a visit at their new tumblr site...

Oh, and just because I've been thrown under the bus doesn't mean they wouldn't enjoy a bit of chatter from you. Let them know how they are doing and/or suggestions on whom to review.

Happy eating!

To read or leave comments, please click on the comments link below. Thanks!

Arab in America

I ran across a few tweets from someone I met recently in Doha that has put a spin on my reporting. While Qatari Adventures gives my take on what it's like to be an American in Arab lands, Ramy flips that around by giving his take of America while on the road in L.A. ~ California, that is. Ok, so Texans don't quite count California as a true representation of America, but we won't tell Ramy any better. These witticisms, if you may, hit on a few striking differences in our cultures.

On with the tweets...


One of the many things I'll miss about Doha...saying "fill'er up", just like we did in the olden days in America. No, Ramy, those gas stations were open. Now, get off your duff and do it yourself.

I love this one. This is truly one of my first complaints when arriving in Doha. Back off people, give me my space is what my eyes were glazed with on my first trip to the local mall. In America, there is a transparent two to three foot buffer zone that envelopes us and no one crosses into that zone without an "Excuse me", or an "Oh, I'm soooo sorry"....well, if you live in Texas, anyway. Kudos for picking up on that quirk so quickly, Ramy, and if you value that air that you breathe, I suggest you not breathe others', unless you've practiced up on your apologies.

LOOOOOL, definitely a no fly zone here, dear. This tactic will fly no where in America, not even California. Open your car door, get your lazy patooty out of your car and help yourself. Oh, if only that concept could catch on in Qatar.

Yep, no interaction with the fuzz here. You better be checking the MOI traffic website to see if you've been flashed by the many cameras around town or you just might not catch that flight out of Doha as you planned.

No reason to worry about hiring someone to close your criminal record here. Qatar will handle it for you. It's called deportation.

No doubt Ramy's running into as many quirky things in L.A. as I am in Doha. It's eye opening to see America through an Arab's eyes. Looking forward to more tweets as his trip unfolds. Safe travels!

You can follow Ramy here @ramykhalaf

To read or leave comments, please click on the comments link below. Thanks!

Dashing Diva

Ran across yet another new salon under construction in Doha today. You read right, this one is NOT a saloon. It's the Dashing Diva Nail Spa & Salon. Where do they get these names, anyway? Can't wait to dash through that hand and come out a diva. I'll be sure to post pics.

Dashing Diva ~ Environmental Road (Landmark Area)

To read or leave comments, please click on the comments link below. Thanks!

Well, Don't Just Sit There

If you're sitting on your duff in Doha these next few weeks, it's not for the lack of scheduled events in the desert. To say that Qatar is shakin' these next few weeks is an understatement. Here are some of the highlights...

January 18th is Doha Tweetup time, (not to mention my mom's 85th birthday ~ Happy Birthday, Mom!) The venue is Al Tabkha Restaurant on The Pearl and EVERYONE is invited. Take a moment to meet the tweeps you stalk on a regular basis. Click here to reserve your spot!

January 21st ~ 23rd is going to be a special treat at Katara with the Vienna Boys Choir performing live. No need to travel to Austria when they'll be in our own backyard. I have my tickets. Get yours HERE!

January 25th-28th Vroom Vroom! It's the Qatar Motor Sports Show 2012 bringing you luxury cars, sports, cars, ridiculously EXPENSIVE cars, live demonstrations and so much more to the Doha Exhibition Center. Checkout their site for all the nitty gritty.

February 2nd-5th The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters is on tap. Meander around the Doha Golf Club and see your favorite golfers swing away.

February 13th-19th Khalifa Tennis Stadium will be buzzing with the Qatar Ladies Open. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch the tennis greats of the professional world in action, now's your chance. I'll be there behind the players' bench. You can buy your tickets here or at the kiosks set up at Doha's main malls.

February 16th If all that is not enough, Yusuf Islam, who we all know as CAT STEVENS is coming to Doha. Details are forthcoming. I hope to be able to hop on that Peace Train!

Peace Train performed live in 1976 by Cat Stevens

What are you waiting on?
Buy your tickets and mark your calendars now!

To read or leave comments, please click on the comments link below. Thanks!