So Lately I have been going to the divan hotel with my dearest friend Mr. Omer, here in Erbil. You can check them out by clicking on the name so you can see what I get to see. The hotel is very nice! and right around the corner . . . . everyone that works there loves me. I talk to everyone so when I go they all remember me. I am ALWAYS passing out my business cards, which is a must to maintain a good business relationship with people.

here are some recent pics from dinner and dessert.

Dessert Formerly known as Deep fried coconut Cheesecake! MMMMMMMMM

Random mexican brand in a cool Skull bottle

tequila - WAS GROSS!

Hey To all my followers . . It has been a very long time since I have written to you. I am sorry! I'm not so good at this. You want to know whats going on in my life? I am going to post anything, this blog is not for anything specific. Just the small things so you can keep up with everything going on in my life. My thoughts, my feelings, my fears, my life. . . . .

sM.A.C tHat FouNdaTioN oN!!!

From WHITE     To DARK

M.A.C - Hello my new fav foundation! Match Master with SPF 15 by M.A.C . . THE BEST! my face looks FLAWLESS, and let me tell you I have Tons of flaws! It has a base color then it matches to your skin. HMM how does it do it you ask? MAGIC DUH!! 

NOOO Actually its New Foundation technology using translucent pigments to enable a fully personalized finish influenced by the subtleties of your own skin's undertone. Moisturizing demi-matte finish. Medium build-able coverage. Line-reducing soft-focus powders.

GET IT!! ITS AMAZING!!!!! 

The only thing I DONT recommend with this product is using a primer. The formulation works on direct skin contact. Today I tried it with a primer, and it came out a little caky and it didn't "absorb" into the skin as well. I didn't have time to redo it so I had to settle .. DONT worry y'all I still like FAB!!! 

Well Thats all I have for this one. 

Write to you next time.

'Till then, put some make up on, it will make you feel prettier then you already are & you will have a better day. :)

XOXO

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

So I was walking around the Dubai Mall when I see this store "LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics" I'm thinking ok cool, I love cosmetics. So I decided to check it out.

I walk in and was instantly greeted with 2 smiling faces. Taking me 1st over to the lotion station, the lotion she rubbed in my hand (which felt AMAZING, LOL) I loved. It was "sympathy for the skin" for dry skin.

It is:

Fresh, organic bananas:

They are emollient and highly moisturizing, when applied topically. They soften the skin, making it flexible and pliable.

Vanilla pod infusion:

Vanilla pods are made up of sugars, vanillin, fats and mineral salts. The sugars in vanilla act as humectants (moisture binding), when applied topically, and are particularly suitable for retaining moisture on hair, skin and lips.

Then she took me over to the wash station where she washed my hand with some "Ocean Salt Cleanser" O'EM'GEE my hand was sooo frikin soft!!! 

It is:

Lime extracted in vodka and sea salt

The antibacterial effects of lime and the trace of alcohol in the product is ideal for blocked pores, blackheads or blemishes. The minerals in sea salt soften as the salt scrubs away dirt and blockages, 

I went over the whole store looking at everything. I ended up leaving with a long list. The below are a few more things I purchased:

"Buffy Body Butter"

Ground rice

We add ground rice to Buffy as an exfoliant; the slight roughness of the ground rice sloughs away surface dry skin cells to reveal a brighter, fresher looking skin. In a shaving product, it also raises the beard prior to shaving.

Shea butter

Shea butter is moisturizing, emollient and softening on skin and it's so gentle that it has been traditionally used in Africa for baby massage.

"Black Stockings"

Sun Kissed and Spicy

Spicy pimento berry oil and cinnamon give Black Stockings its warm, deep fragrance. The fragrance was created by Shakira from our UK team, and we think it smells like a warm Caribbean beach. Rub Black Stockings over your legs to give them a gorgeous, sun kissed glow.

When Silk Won't Do, Try a Pair of Black Stockings...

Helen created another version of Silk Stockings for those with darker complexions. Black Stockings balances out skin tone and gives a stunningly realistic tan with its coppery pigment and hints of shimmer. Have a paler skin tone? Don't fret! You can use this sexy Caribbean-inspired number too.

Pimento Berry Oil

Pimento berries are full of fragrant oil that is distilled from the dry, unripe fruit. The oil is spicy and warming

Cinnamon Leaf Oil

Cinnamon is very warming on the skin and is known to increase blood circulation.

 Okay those are the few that I am going to post pics of. . Everything else check out on www.Lush.com.  I love that they are all 100% natural. . They are very much into recycling. If you bring in I think its 6 empty pots you get a body bar free. They also ask for your extra bags. A cute touch is, they put stickers of cartoon drawings of the people that make each product. 

I VERY MUCH RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT!! when I have more time I will post All of the stuff I got.

I hope that you love these products as much as I do. 

I am going to go to bed. I will be back with more posts.

'Till then, Recycle, Reduce and Reuse!!

I Love your FACE?!?!

Omer posing with "Billy's" Sushi ;)

Look at their fancy Chop stick rest

See its me, and an Edemame :)

Omer Eating Tempura Soft Shell Crab

So there I am sitting at my table with Omer and of COURSE waiting on. . (for the sake of this persons identity his name has been changed to Billy) Billy at this nice restaurant/bar/Club called Zuma, in Dubai. Nice atmosphere, music, low lighting the works. The waitress comes over, kneels down to my level and says "I ........" she what? "what was that you said" I had to ask her cause I was on my 2nd cosmo and it had been a while since I had last drank that much so I didn't quite get it . . "I love your face" . . LOL!! she said "I LOVE YOUR FACE."? EXACTLY what I thought she said, GOOD so I wasn't drunk after all. . . LOL. . WHOOO says such a thing .  . I wanted to bust out laughing!!! but that would have been rude! sooo, I nicely said "thank you" and went STRAIGHT into ordering everyones dinner. (yes I ordered for everyone).

HMM not sure why I made this face

For a starter I got edemames, and Tempura soft shell crab for Omer. For dinner I got the Yakatori, which was SMALL, seemed like 1/2 a chicken breast cut into small pieces then put on a skewer. I also ordered Shrimp Tempura California rolls. They were ok, the seaweed seemed not so fresh it was a little tough/chewy.  I didn't get to many pics because my battery for my phone was so low, and I didn't have my camera, HI I always have my camera, and I been taking it out so I can go on base ( I will blog about that soon) always the flash wouldn't work. So the few I do have you get to see on here. 

For Omer I ordered Teriaky Salmon, it looked delicious. And yes he confirmed that it was :)  . . For Billy I ordered a variety of sushi and the lemon herb with mushroom sauce Sea Bass. Trying to help my friend stay healthy. :)

Of course I ordered Bowels of rice and Miso Soup to start. Nothing like the salad from the Japanese restaurant in Felton ( the name is on the Tip of my tongue, help me out someone).

Omer Posing with the VOSS

This place was nice. . . . . Matter of fact it was SO fancy they served VOSS (said in my BEST deep russian sounding voice) water. Which by the way, they also served in the business class of Oman Airways. ;) Yes ma'am and sir I HAVE been in business class. Jealous much? HAHA don't be. . I work hard for my money :) 


Well I was now on my 3rd Cosmo feeling nice, and ready for a nice night out on the town.

That story is going to be on ANOTHER post.


SOOOOOO. . . . . . . . . . TO BE CONTINUED !!




'Till then, stay healthy, have some VOSS and Edemames. (HEY!! YOU GO BACK AND READ THAT WORD "VOSS" CORRECTLY RUSSIAN SOUNDING VOICE!)

Jooa'anna

I was trying to think of what a good name for my blog should be. So I figured that Gypsy was appropriate for me because I move around so much. Then what can I put with it, I like the sound of Jooa'anna and the meaning fits perfect. It is Arabic for HUNGRY! LOL .. I am hungry for knowledge, for history, and of course the foods of the many places I travel!!

To add to this (speaking of hungry) I found this cute website that has recipes and she has a show on The Food Network. www.hungry-girl.com

I have been trying to eat healthy but keep it delicious at the same time. There are hundreds if not thousands of websites that offer great tasty recipes that are healthy.

One thing that sucks, but is turning out to be ok, is here they don't have things like Pappy's Season salt, SOOOOOO that means I have to do everything from scratch. Which of course is very healthy. There is no preservatives and you know everything that is in the ingredients. I am still getting use to cooking like this but I know soon I will get better. And the ovens, well everything is in Celsius, so that too is hard to understand.  But again I will get use to it.

OHH YEAAHH!!

So pops sent me a package (through DHL incase your interested ask for my address) and of course he is my dad so he put allllll kinds of little random things in the box. Kool-aid (OH-YEAH), some expired coupons, some first aid sanitary hand wipes, (at first I thought they were condoms. I was like wow this guy is HILARIOUS!! guess he can't afford any more grandkids! LOL).. He sent me some of my shoes as well. YAY! more heals!!

With plastic top still on

BUT the best part of all this was the POP CORN!! what do you know about the Orville Redenbacher's POP UP BOWL??

Removing Plastic

Its the coolest thing!! and its so much better, you don't get your hands all buttery and greasy.

And of course its DELICIOUS!!!!!
Well thats it for this post. I will focus on some more work and figure out what I will make for dinner :)





~'Till next time, have some popcorn & some kool-aid to wash it down.

STELLLLLA!!

So right now I am sitting back relaxing drinking a Stella Artois beer,  kind of disappointed that the Niners are NOT going to the Bowl. Well guess it is what it is. My friends (who's names are being changed for the sake of their identity)  Brad and Billy are over hanging out with me keeping me company (as usual). Its always a good time when they are here.

Today I was asked if my workers can leave early. Of course I told them no. Their argument was, "well its Thursday, so we wanted to get prepare for tomorrow." They are crazy. FIRST of all today is THURSDAY a WORK day! Tomorrow is Friday their OFF day. I told the translator to tell them just that. Then one lady said "Well I have guests over." and I told my translator to inform this person that they will still be there when they get off work at the regular time. SMH. . I'm a VERY nice boss, but don't be lazy. They already don't have a lot to do in the office as is. ANYWAYS thats the story of my DAY in the "Work Zone"

Well I guess thats it for this time around!

~ Until then stay colorful, but not blue!