For years I've been trying to add green tea to my "attempting to help myself repertoire", but I just never seem to be able to stomach the stuff. While I can down cup after cup of herbal ginger tea, I have been searching for a way to reap the benefits of green tea. I've finally found the answer: Numi Organic Tea's Toasted Rice brew. While the box says it is nutty and savory smooth, it just reminds me of a warm cup of toasted rice. Odd, yes, but it tastes unlike anything I've ever had - and in a good way. Now, on to my next self-improvement endeavor, yoga. The tea is available at Al Maya Supermarket in Dubai Marina and costs Dh22.75.
* Kerri Abrams
My new addiction is the health news website Blisstree.com, which delightfully curates the best of health and wellness news from the internet. I love their body-image positive messages, recipes, tips, product reviews and sleek news roundups. They also offer regular slide shows, delivering along with beautiful photography and helpful tips. Recent offerings include 10 Fall Vegetarian Pizza Recipes and 5 Ways to Trash Negative Thoughts for Fat-Talk Free Week. The information and recommendations on this website have the same feel as the kind of information best friends would share: tried, tested and well worth the effort and price.
* Ann Marie McQueen
I recently stayed at the Eastern Mangroves Hotel; Spa by Anantara in Abu Dhabi and was really impressed. Compared to many the hotel is relatively small - which I liked - and although it's located just off the highway, it feels properly removed from the hustle and bustle of the city - the views of the mangroves and lagoons certainly help in this department. Although we'd intended to simply lounge by the pool, the sight of kayakers heading off into the distance soon gave me itchy feet. I've kayaked through the mangroves before, but this session was particularly good; we set off on our 90-minute journey at 5pm and returned with aching arms just as dusk was falling- a sunset swim capped the afternoon of nicely. For more information about the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara and their Activity and Spa Escape Package see: abu-dhabi.anantara.com.
* Emily Shardlow
Prep your hair while your slumber - an interesting concept indeed. The velcro rollers are designed to flatten like a sponge when you lie down, allowing you a peaceful night's sleep all while giving you voluminous, bouncy hair. The sleep-in-rollers come inside a complimentary pink drawstring bag containing two packs of ten jumbo rollers that are rather large in diameter, with small bristles that attach to the head - make sure to use a hair pin to fasten them into place. The big question is, can you feel them when you sleep? Well yes, a little, but not enough to call uncomfortable and they are extremely easy to gently pull out when you waken. A must for anyone that longs for big hair without the fuss. The rollers come in sets of 20 for Dh160, with gift sets including 20 rollers, a bun ring and diamante tail comb priced at Dh550.
*Katie Trotter
