Love To Dress Eid 2016

Love to Dress has always been one of my favourite brands. I often refer to them as a Muslimah's version of Zara :D I've loved their collections ever since they first released them on Fashion Valet, I admire the sisters who work together despite being worlds apart to create new collections for LTD. The material of their dresses are amazing and they always pay special attention to details such as good quality zips (pretty minimalist!!!) on your sleeve, to make it easy for you to take your ablution. Plus, you get these small tags with quotes from the Hadith/Quraan, such great reminders masyAllah. Most of all, I like that although they play with light colors, the dresses and tops are never semi-opaque for that matter. When they say fully lined, its really fully lined, trust me.





I am wearing Lara Cape Top in Forest Pink and Cream from their recent collection. I love all their dresses from their Eid collection but I wanted something that I could wear at work, matched with pants hehe. For Eid, I'm going to match this with songket!

Satin Shawl; duckscarves

Top: Lara Cape Top in Forest Pink and Cream from LTD

Bottom: Long Black Skants from FVbasic

All from Fashion Valet

and because I love them too much, here's a compilation of their collection that I've worn for the past year :)

Much love,

Nadya Abd

Aman and Nadya's Honeymoon Guide to Italy: Part 1

Aman & Nadya’s Guide to Milan and Venice

Milan

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to go to Milan. Maybe it’s the hype that comes along with Milan's fashion week or their status as one of the fashion capitals in the world, I thought, Milan, I must come and see you.

Hotel Ibis Milano Centro

We flew from Paris to Milan and we board a bus from the airport, straight to the city centre. Milan hotels were pretty pricey, so we thought, hey, let’s just get a super simple room. Hence, Ibis it is. Most of the time, I usually avoid Ibis. It’s not that I have anything against them, the hotel occupancy is quite high, which means, longer waiting time and a very crowded hotel. But the location was pretty good, price not too steep, so Ibis it was.

Duomo di Milano

We headed to the Duomo. Being the third largest church in the world, the minute you come out from the subway station, the spectacular view greets you. You just can’t help but stare at it in awe and wonder, how on earth did they built this?! So intricate and the enormity of it all, mindblowing. We got our tickets and paid to climb a never-ending flight of stairs, to reach the top. The Duomo rooftop is a whole other story, the view of the city was stunning and I remember we spent quite a bit of time there until the sun set.

Galleria Vittoria Emanuele

We explored Galleria Vittoria Emanuele. It’s a huge shopping arcade but I wasn’t interested to buy anything, I just wanted to sit and have a nice cup of Italian coffee at the Gucci Café. We stood in the centre, looked up at the high ceiling and just gawked at the amazing architecture. Everything about the galleria was so beautiful and definitely the place to go for high end products.

Gucci Café

Gucci Café was quite a pleasant experience. We each ordered a cup of coffee, I can’t remember exactly the type and a plate of biscuits. Quietly nibbling on our biscuits and watch the world pass by. Definitely a great place to people watch. A bit pricey but what else can you expect from Gucci? Haha!

To be honest, apart from the Duomo and Galleria Vittoria Emanuele, I felt that there was not much that Milan had to offer. Maybe we didn't really explore the other parts of Milan but one or two days would be enough to cover Milan.

Food wise, we couldn’t find any halal food so we settled for pasta with tomato sauce and Maggi Mee when we came back to our hotel! :D

Venice

From Milan, we took the Trenitalia to Venice. I can’t remember exactly how long the duration of the trip but it took quite a while to reach Venice.

You know all the things people tell you about Venice?

Its true. Venice is SUPER gorgeous.

If you’ve watched The Tourist, Venice is exactly how it was portrayed in the movie. Canals in the place of roads and small little boats and gondolas floating on the glistening waters.

We arrived around Maghrib time, and went to get our 3-day pass for the Vaporetto ride. The Vaporetto is their main public transportation. To be honest, I don’t know if the day pass was worth the money because we rarely took the water bus. Most of the time, we walked through the alleys or we took the Traghetto, which are small gondolas the locals use to cross the Grand Canal. The only time we took the water bus was during our trip to and fro the train station and one more trip because we felt that it would be such a waste if we didn’t use it.

The water bus system is a bit confusing and you must find out beforehand which stop you’re alighting to reach your hotel. The hotels by the Grand Canal with their own private docks are super expensive so for the other hotels, you have to stop at the main area, and walk to your hotel. Some things to take note of, Venice has quite a number of random stairs and cobbled streets so getting to and fro your hotel might be a bit of a hassle. Always take note of your hotel’s location first before booking. Unless if you’re carrying a backpack then this should not be an issue.

Hotel Antico Doge

Our hotel room was soooooo gorgeous that when we first stepped in, we just went OMGOMGOMG SO SO PRETTY?!?! Even Aman went around to take snapshots and video of our room in all its Venetian themed glory. It was soooooo pretty, I kid you not. If you’re on honeymoon, go on. Book it. You won’t regret, I promise.

Just around the corner from our hotel room was a halal pizza place. Apart from that, we couldn’t find any halal certified restaurants in our area. For dinner, we went to a nearby restaurant and ordered seafood and squid ink pasta. We also specifically asked them not to put any form of alcohol or meat based products in our food. In general, the restaurants in Venice are quite pricey so get your ka-ching ready.

We walked all the way to the central part of Venice which is Piazza San Marco. Along the dwindling passageways are many shops, left and right so we also window shopped while walking. You’ll find many shops selling embroidery, lace, Murano glass, masks and quills.

Venice Free Walking Tour

I won’t go on more about Venice because it has soooo much to offer. On our second day, we went on a free walking tour and the guide brought us off the beaten touristy track. We explored the areas frequented by locals and the guide kept telling us lots and lots of interesting facts about the island. It is quite a fast paced walking tour which takes almost three hours so be sure to wear good walking shoes if you’re thinking of joining them. The meeting place for the tour was right in front of our hotel so we had no problems finding them. The tour is free, all you have to do is to register beforehand and at the end of the tour, it’s up to you to tip your guide :)

We didn’t go on a gondola ride. As much as we would love to, it was too expensive for us. Instead, we took the Traghetto and feeling feeling as if we were on a gondola. If you have a lot of money to spare or it has been your long time dream to go on a gondola, by all means. We were happy to settle for the Traghetto.

Venice has so much character and so many stories to tell. From why they’re known for their masquerade masks, to the flooding that happens quite frequently when it rains or when the water level rises, we truly enjoyed Venice. Definitely a romantic destination, perfect for newlyweds.

Much love,

Nadya Abd

Aman & Nadya's Honeymoon Guide to Paris: Part 2

Aman & Nadya’s Guide to Paris: Food and Shopping

Le Petit Gourmet

39 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris, France

Our first meal in Paris was so gooood, we came back on the last day to have it again. Apart from the big hoo ha of us eating escargots (this is a personal choice, you did your research, we’ve also done our research so to each his own ok!), the food was magnificent.

Le Petit Gourmet is a small cozy restaurant and we were seated by the window. We ordered quite a bit of food because we were so hungry and I remember us being blown away by the steak and the duck confit. If you ever go there, please order the special duck confit. It’s the bomb diggity bomb, guys. The food serving is quite huge, every main will come with some form of carb, either spaghetti or potatoes if I’m not wrong. They also have a set menu, which comes with a drink, main course and dessert. The price is also quite affordable. Standard restaurant pricing, I would say.

If you’re staying near the Eiffel Tower, you have to take the subway. But if you’re staying near Gare Du Nord, the restaurant is just a short walk away.

Nasi Lemak Paris - @nasilemakparis on Instagram

I didn’t really have a craving for Malay food but I kept seeing Nasi Lemak Paris on my Instagram and I thought, ok let’s try. We’re going to have to go all Italian for the next couple of days, so I told Aman, let’s order! Plus, we were soooo tired from walking all around Paris that day, we thought ok let’s just order in.

I would definitely recommend them. Ordering was so easy, I just had to text the code number of what I wanted. We ordered Nasi Lemak with chicken and Prawn Sambal. Yums. We bought drinks from the supermarket just across the street and had our sumptuous dinner in the comfort of our hotel room. The whole ordering process was easy and delivery was free, quick and on time.

Ladurée and Pierre Hermé

I don’t know how to compare this two but I love them both. Bought a box of Ladurée as we were walking along Champs-Élysées. There is also a Pierre Hermé outlet there but I went to the one at Rue Cambon. If you’re thinking of buying Ladurée for your family back home, make your purchase at the airport (after immigration, at the duty free shopping area). Not only is it tax free, you don’t have to carry the fragile macarons all the way to the airport.

Crepes

I don’t know if it’s just my mentality or crepes in Paris taste so much better. You can find crepe stalls quite easily, there are a few around the Eiffel Tower area but take note that it is a bit pricey. Otherwise, you’ll somehow chance upon crepe stalls on your way back to your hotel. We shared a crepe, strawberries with Nutella, it was piping hot and we had it on a super cold day. Really syiok. There are so many fillings to choose from, so take your pick.

Le Napoli

102 rue de paris

A French family friend brought us to a certified Halal Italian restaurant. It’s not within the touristy area of Paris so we had to take a subway out from our hotel, Ecole Militaire > Invalides > Mairie de Clichy. From there, you have to walk a bit before reaching the restaurant. I had Chicken Cordon Bleu and Aman had Spaghetti Bolognese. Highlight of the dinner would be the Halal Foie Grae. The creamy texture of the foie grae, eaten with biscuits or bread and jam. Yummeh! Such an interesting experience for us :) Thank you Charlene!

Grand Mosque of Paris

Around the area of the Grand Mosque of Paris, there are several halal restaurants. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant we went to, but just ask the people working at the mosque and they will happily give you directions. Its just a 3-4 minutes walk from the mosque and you’ll find a row of halal restaurants. We settled for one and had kebab, couscous and the works :)

Supermarket – Pastries and Puddings

Get a hotel near a small supermarket so you don’t have to take the hotel room with breakfast. For all our hotels, we took it without breakfast as we prefer buying our own. Afterall, you’re in Paris. Try the croissants, pastries and the 1001 different puddings and desserts from the supermarket. We always made sure to buy some back so that we can have our breakfast in our hotel room, or even have it at night if you’re feeling peckish.

Shakespeare and Company Café

37 rue de la Bûcherie

75005 Paris

This was an unplanned rest stop for us. It was soooo cold so we thought, ok let’s get a hot cup of drink to warm ourselves up. If you’re tired from walking to the Notre Dame Cathedral from The Grand Mosque of Paris, this would be a good rest stop. The café is a bit small though so you might have to wait for a seat.

Shopping

Branded Goods - Printemps

64, BOULEVARD HAUSSMANN
75009 PARIS – FRANCE

Shopping in Paris is heavenly. If you’re thinking of buying branded goods, majority of tourists will head to Galeries La Fayette. I prefer going to Printemps, just a short walk away from Galeries Lafayette as it is less crowded and I get better service. Tax refund process is done in the same building. You can opt for cash or credit card but they will give you a lower amount if you opt for cash. Please remember to submit your tax refund forms at the airport before leaving Paris!

Souvenirs

Get the Eiffel tower keychains from the African sellers around the Eiffel tower area. They sell them wayyyyyy cheaper and you can bargain with them as compared to buying it from proper tourist souvenirs stalls. If you’re buying t-shirts or other souvenirs, head towards Sacré-Cœur Basilica.There are so many souvenir shops selling a large variety of souvenirs from t-shirts, postcards to actual figurines of Paris landmarks.

When it comes to food, always ask. Is there alcohol? Gelatine? Animal-based products? Whenever we bought anything from the supermarket, we always made sure to check the ingredients first before purchasing. Ingredients in another language? Get Google Translate. Its heaven sent. Just take a photo and it will translate all the ingredients for you.

We enjoyed every bit of our Paris trip. We walked, explored and tried many new things. I hope my entry has somehow helped you craft your own itinerary. At the end of the day, I am writing this blog entry not only as a guide, but as a way for me to remember my first trip with Aman :)

Much love,

Nadya Abd