It's cookin' in Riyadh!

This week the temperature has hit near +50c everyday. To make matters worse it doesn't get much cooler in the nights, dropping to only +46 yesterday. When it's windy, you would think it has a cooling effect, but actually it feels like somebody is holding a hairdryer to ur head on full blast of hot air!

We are also moving houses in this heat..Looks like summer weather is here to stay for about three months onward, inshallah not more! Actually I don't mind it if there's a water source like a pool nearby!We have one in our new apartment alhamdulillah.

What else is hot now in Riyadh is fashion! I went to the Palla Mano exhibition yesterday and it was awesome!

There was two banquet halls, one for the bazaar and other for the fashion show. Saudi designers were competing for the title of Fashion Designer of the year, first time ever! There was a white runway and beautiful dim lighting all around the hall. An anticipating female crowd filled the room with perfumes and excited chatter. Maids dressed in old fashioned arabic clothing went around offering the guests arabic coffee, chocolates and dates.The ceiling was adorned with huge crystal chandeliers. An all female camera crew was ready to capture the event on film.

There was lots of stunning ladies in attendance, I felt under dressed in my long flowery dresss. Everyone seemed to have had their hair done at a salon and donned Oscar Gala-worthy dresses and evening makeup.

Excitement was definately in the air!

The show was great, there are many talented saudi fashion designers maashallah! Afterwards I browsed the bazaar area and chatted with the women there. Some of the competing designers work was on display. I walked through different booths displaying arts, jewellery, abayas, evening gowns, wedding dresses, spas, home furnishings, bakeries, female run volunteer organizations and photographers. Seeing all these women doing what they clearly enjoy so much really gives hope for the future of the women in this country. These kind of pioneers in their own fields are the women who inshallah will slowly bring progress to women's rights..

 I thought these serving trays were a fun idea: Its a painting which she covered with plastic and cut into pieces, each with a stick in the middle where you place whatever you are serving. You then just lift your own piece off and wa'la you have a plate!