Brooklyn girls loves two things and the third is a secret. Vintage shops and good food. No matter what, it is either Saraghina, Cafe Mogador or Sunday in Brooklyn.

You’ve got Mirth, The Break, Awoke and every over priced furniture store on Franklin ave. You tell your friend how beautiful she looks, she loves your lace bralette, you end up buying 5 items for $200. And you go home loving NY with full awarness the more your out, the more things change easily.

I am rarely in Williamsburg and only when I need something. The most apperciated is the grocery on kent and the pharmcy on driggs and north 7, they literally have it all. And I will always miss them around. Oh and the bodega on Bedford and North 8, great emported chocolate bars selection for sure.

Sometimes on a good Friday night we end up there at Carcas or Tabare. So much memories, I cried my heart out after every school session. It was my mistake, I didn’t learn how to use a little bit of influence and say F it.

Learning curve for sure, learning curve.

Bedstuy is so beautiful in Fall. The streets are lined with beautiful trees on both sides, they are wider than usual which makes us reconsider our stay in this beautiful diverse neighborhood for the years coming. I walk Jedo Lulu twice a day, we must always stop at his favortie conrors where the people who gives him good rubs are there. The guard lady by Sincerely tommy is Lulu’s favorite, You can feel the love. The treats he gets at Chicki’s. We walk all the way on Madison to Angl for some vintages and eye candies. But my heart can’t be more dispointed by the change of chefs at Stonefruit cafe. She was the monk bowl legend. I still pray she will write a book and share the magic, I tell you this Women in “Women on Top” in the middle of Brooklyn.

It is so sad how as arab girls we cant embrace our love for silk and lace without being taken out of context. My favorite conversation with my girlfriends has always been about the best slip and lace. But definitely cant deny how this part of our passion comes out only in real time which makes the conversation even more interesting. We talk about how the most valued item we wear is actually the most taboo topic in any platform we like, online or papers or just a simple social gathering (not around close friends). No one has to feel it or know about it. Maybe that’s why I love it. You can understand the style and mind through a set of Lingeire. And you can’t argue with me on mix and match, I hate them so much. You can’t even make me understand the a cotton set, okey, maybe with a little piece of lace I am ready to negotiate.

It felt like the only thing we can take with us when leaving our country is our culture, and some spices as well. I thought with my culture, I can live anywhere. I didn’t realize it wasn’t just art, clothes and books. Slowly I brought pieces from my mom’s home. I started looking for vintage ships like the ones my dad had. I wasn’t a floral accent until I went Meirda in Mexico and started to cry to move our of the US and live in Egypt. I slowly turned my home into my family’s. I am still 13 hours flight away. My friends will always be there. The sea food can never be here.

I wounder if now I will ever feel the need to change something, or something is missing. I wounder if home now is just warm enough to feel like home? I might need a floral satin silk robe like the ones my mom’s have.

Getting the fluffy boy this summer made our “Weekend Life” more green and full of delicious snacks. The vintage cotton sarong made the Fort Greene picnic even more Brooklyn. Every Saturday morning we would walk lulu to Saraghina to pick up breakfast and snacks for the weekend and a quick vintage picks at Mirth. We dont want to do anything but be lazy, watch tv, go to the park to eat good food. Summer could never happen better than this.

When my friend told me this is what makes you authentic. I thought a lot about it and conculded my thoughts with “How boring, this is so boring!” They say this is what makes you instragmable. But I don’t want to be that and I am honestly nothing but coincidence of my surrounding. I will never have one city, one home, one street. I will always adapt to new things and progress.

When yoga in every cornor, you don’t really need the pants. I found myself seeing this more and more. It happens in conversations where you see this is exactly how people validate themselves. It didn’t hit me until summer when I spent a month somewhere else and then I came back here to see it unfolding in front of my eyes like I was never here. So many people there trying so hard to live like someone in Williamsburg with the lack of a good workout plan and a barbar shop. And so many people here thinking they are the shit of all original, putting themselves in a lot of pressure or not even trying because they need the whole package for this to happen.

I just want to keep things happening. Whatever the day brings, I will take it all in and try to find my balance for my own happiness.

But I needed to find it with a great mix of vintage shopping and new american spots like Sunday in Brooklyn and Wythe Hotel. We shared delicious cheese and so much of the unspoken to the old times curated. Mirth, Dobbin, Break, I still didn’t find a coat I like.

The ludlow at day is not a brunch place, not a weekend favorite too. But in the middle of the week, I don’t mind taking my ipad to the Ludlow Hotel to write something. At the Ludlow street, I know for sure my yellow tight with checked burgundy skirt is going to be appreciated. It is cold outside too, I am still not ready to adapt. I just negotiated my alterations cost. He said for this 10 and this 15 even though their both the same dress. I end up paying 15 for both of them. I’m very specific with my favorite spots, I don’t like new places. I am at Frankie next, Extra Butter, then Assembly NY. I’ve got deep love for Assembly NY, their shoe collection is seasonally great. My thoughts are not coming together easily today, maybe I need a muse?

I should head back home and get ready to go to the gym. I am definitely not doing that. Now I see a new store, I got excited until I realized am too old to be Japanese trendy. I think I will eat something thai, mexican or japanese since am here.

It took me 4 apartments and a move to Bedstuy with tree lined street infront of beautiful brownstones to feel home. Where life is a mix of everything I enjoy and wanted and things I can’t control where I find myself very accepting toward. It feels very original, nothing hip but a cornor coffee shop.

For 4 years I’ve lived in minimal inspired apartments in warehouse renovated areas. Of course I found myself taking photos there, and of course people loved it. But it took me a lot of energy to make home a mix of everything I grew up with and it just never worked. I moved to my current apartment, and no matter what the object is, it fits perfectly. I’ve got my minimal pieces, middle eastern and african art, books everywhere, mid-centruy pieces and french style molding. It felt so natural and perfect. It reminded me of Jeddah and Cairo. The molding simply brought our favorite quiet escape, Paris to Brooklyn. All the browns around me, made it even easier for me to accept new colors and made me more relaxed not to have to fit to my apartment. Trust me when you take a mirror selfie in a grey and white apartmnet nothing looks good but a palette of black, blue and greys. Maybe yellow sometimes, I still wasn’t sure and would put it immediately back in a banker box.

In cities like SF and NY and am sure a lot more in the US, you trully live by the neighboorhood lifestyle. You do yoga more if it was in every cornor. Unlike everywhere else where culture overcome everything.

I decided to go Dobbin in Bushwick in search for art decr mirror. I find it so weird how I feel disconnected from it all. I loved the laidback of it until I realized it is still a lot of hard work they put into living it. I still mention how it took me 5 years to experience everything against the lifestyle of Saudi to find a place in NY that brings me back and put me in the middle ground of all lifestyles and aesthetics since our generation lives by this. I will still go Bunna for the vegan Ethiopian and still going to order Queen of Falafel and maybe and rarely Roberats but that’s about it.

In Soho there is the most romantic interaction between an eye and a pair of shoes. I saw these patent leather red mary jane with a little pump on someone in Soho and I just know a quick research will get me what I want. I am not really a red shoe person as much of a lipstick but I was just in silk short with lace trim on all sides. We can’t talk intimate but we can talk about my vintage Carel find, a beautiful red and flat mary janes. God bless the internet.

I make a point to grab a foccacia on the go from Rosemary’s because it’s west village and since am there it seems only appropotate. My route is specific if not very new york. Maybe am really into this new york thing but I am in denial. I want my chocolate and coffee at Sant Ambroues West Village bar, I feel I shouldnt buy paper magazines, but the new Ipad is too big and a stop here is mandetory and there are all the shops along perry st that you can’t find in Soho.

Favorite part of this city is just a few blocks from Soho. I am always skeptical but excted to find products I love in china town. I prefer the japanese market on grand but for the sake of asian ketchup and not so good sponge cake, I go there a lot. I should never eat that much cake but I know I want it. But then there is somethng so bautiful about the lights at night and the fruit stands in an allery next to canal street which is full of loading truck that still looks simple and brings you back to every old city outside NY.

I leave with a Guava juice box and Cheap spongy cake that makes the night so perfect. They are my cheap thrills.

Nights in Manhatten

The night never ends after a long week. And man how much I love a busy hardworking week. Art, dinner and somewhere to relax and enjoy the ambiance. It better to happen on Thursday and somewhere downtown. Even when the night starts uptown at The Met, it always ends downtown. And when it start downtown under the high line galleries, your art date ends somewhere in the lower east side.

I love the Bowery hotel and Ludlow. I don’t mind Public instgram crowed. I want to eat somewhere in east village. Walking in Greenwich, listen to jazz after a dinner at Carbone. And even Flatiron, who dosn’t like the food there. I could even do oysters at Balthazar when Soho feels real quiet and windy on Browdway.

Midtown

Somewhere midtown, lunch and a slice of honey cake if possible. And while all our doctors located there, everytime I have a visit, I make a point to schdule lunch with him. He would love it if I say yes to Nobu, I am simply happy with a biryani from Symphony Spices or pick up pizza from Rollio and set on a bench at central park.

I understand the charm, I love the potential as a new women with longer hair in my 30’s. No sense but my ambition and real housewives.

5 years of america in weather appropriate mistakes and trends. Soon enough you will realize you must adjust to climate and you cant resist seeing it everyday and not doing it. This is why we should love NY, it teaches you lessons. 

It could be because I wear mostly Silver. I’ve always been a minimalist (simple) but never afraid to have fun with trends. They do feel relatable. But like always I go back to my plain black dress and whatever comfortable skirt I have. This summer am all for muted with colorful footwear, vintage silk, vintage prada heels and strappy sandals. Am even thinking a patterned and colorful chanel bag for this fall.

I hate it with people put a lot of pressure on silly things, enjoy life and try new things. It’s authentitc to be adventurous and happy.

I wanna be like the girls i see everywhere in leggings and sport crop tops. I wanna go pilates without forcing myself to do so. I hate strength training. And how everytime i have soul cycle, i must go Outdoor Voices just to buy a new pair of leggings or a bra to force myself to go the class with a fake smile.

According to a good friend, walking lulu twice a day is not enough. Even when i mentioned it’s a 40 to 60 min walk. And here i thought, this brownstone stairs situation can tone my legs effortlessly.

Last month we went to the Yucatán area. Mérida, Valladolid and Tulum. For all I know, I am so ready to live my spanish dream of Penelope Cruz and learn phrases to help me be mad at Anas in the most dramatic way, I am alrady a dramatic wife, simple but can be very fluent when am angry. I just need to add an extra flavor and spend more time in Mérida in a beautiful colonial maison. 

The first thing that comes to my argument to move out of the US is the cutlure of the cornor bakery. I  NEED MY FRESH BREAD. I just want an old big enough house for everything I love. And live my favorite memories with my grandma. I could write a book about the limited moments we had together taking a cab ride to downtown Cairo.

Moving to Bedstuy, we now have a general store with freshly baked bagguette from Saraghina delivered 8 am every day. It made me happy and forget my mission for while. There is nothing better than going to Saraghina bakery to pickup fresh pasta and cheese. I love making my own tomato sauce.