[ burj al arab ~ a tour ]

WHEN YOU THINK of Dubai, one of the images that comes to mind is of the sail-shaped 7 star luxury hotel that juts out into the Arabian Gulf. Burj Al Arab is an all-suite hotel that dominates Dubai's skyline and has consistently been voted the world's most luxurious hotel. With personal butlers, a Rolls-Royce fleet and helicopter transfer, it is the ultimate in pampering for the rich and famous.

I was so excited to attend a breakfast event there yesterday so I could get a look around {since an overnight stay isn't exactly in my budget!}

I managed to snap a few pics of the areas I saw so here is a peek...

I would have loved to see the rooms, the restaurants and the spa but it was fun just to get a taste of what this incredible hotel has to offer.

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

IT'S HARD TO believe it's already weekend time again! I'm looking forward to this weekend - I'll be attending a very lovely annual breakfast event on Sunday at the top of the Burj Al Arab hotel. I've been dying to see what this hotel is like and I'll finally get the chance. If I can sneak any pics while I'm there, I'll be sure to share with you on Monday. Got any special plans?

lisa

[ my fatboy balcony ]

TEMPERATURES are finally starting to cool and soon we'll be able to enjoy some time out on our balcony. Remember our Fatboy beanbags that acted as our temporary seating until our sofa arrived? {see post here}. Well, they now have their new home out on our balcony.

The snap-together wooden tiles we laid down give the space a nice cozy feeling...

with just enough space for our 2 big Fatboys for lounging...

and enjoying the 180 degree view...

to watch the skydivers come down behind the welcome sign...

see if anyone is at the pool...

or how traffic is doing today...

I think we'll be spending a lot of evenings out here {and I'll be reading a lot of blogs out here in the afternoons}.

lisa

[ black halloween ]

NOTHING SAYS spooky like black on Halloween. I came across these easy DIY decor ideas at Sweet Paul and thought they were definitely worth sharing.

painted pumpkin
What could be easier than painting a pumpkin with flat black paint and sitting it on an old chair? Instant spooky!

embroidered noises
Write some words with a white pencil onto black fabric (or paint some burlap with flat black paint), then embroider with white thread. Frame in some cheap frames and rough up the edges.

creepy animals
Paint some plastic animals with flat black paint and use pushpins to create the eyeballs. Simply remove the heads off the pins, glue onto animals and add a pupil with a marker.


I think the flat black is what really makes these spooky. Have you spookified your home yet?

lisa

[ today's inspiration ]

lisa

[via riazzoli.blogspot]

[ individual turkey pot pies ]

LOOKING FOR something to do with all that leftover turkey? How about making these individual pot pies? They look great for serving or freeze them all for future meals. You can use ramekins that go from freezer to oven or little disposable foil containers - just assemble everything, top with crust and freeze.

Individual turkey pot pies

This is a great recipe for cleaning out your fridge after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. Use up leftover turkey and veggies. The crust is delicious - or save time by using frozen, prepared pie crust from the grocery store. You can substitute chicken instead of turkey for any time of year.

what you need:

for the filling: 

3 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large potato peeled and diced (not a baking potato)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper diced

8 oz button mushrooms, diced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

leftover cooked turkey (or a rotisserie chicken from grocery store)

1 - 2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or any leftover veg you would like to add, diced)

for the sauce:

8 tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

dash of hot sauce

salt and pepper

for the crust:

16 tbsp cold butter

3 cups flour

10 oz cream cheese, chilled

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 large egg

how to:

filling:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and potato to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes. Mix in the garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender. While the veggies are cooking, shred or chop the turkey (or chicken) into bite-sized pieces. Once the veggies are finished cooking, turn off the heat and mix in the chicken and frozen peas and carrots. Stir in the red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup (don't overcook). Mix in the heavy cream, hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce will be thick. Pour the sauce over the turkey and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into 6-8 individual ramekins or foil containers.

crust:

Cut butter into 16 pieces. Pulse together in a food processor with flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt and pepper. Continue pulsing just until the dough forms a ball. Transfer dough to slightly floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out dough rounds to be about 1 1/2 inches larger than the diameter of your pot pie dishes. 

Lay the dough rounds on top of the individual dishes and pinch along the edge. Beat the egg with a whisk and brush the dough tops lightly.

If freezing, wrap in foil and place into freezer bags. Do not bake before freezing. Frozen pies can be baked straight from the freezer. Remove foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 60 minutes.

If baking, place pot pie dishes on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated 375F oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

lisa

[ happy weekend! ]

AND TO my fellow Canadians out there, Happy Thanksgiving!

Even though we don't have all the beautiful colours of fall here in Dubai, we'll still be celebrating Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings {including pumpkin pie - I found pumpkin here! see my recipe here}

No big family gathering. But to me, as long as I've got my guy at my side, I'm truly grateful for that.

However you'll be celebrating, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. And to all of my non-Canadian friends, I'm wishing you sunshine for a lovely fall weekend!

lisa

[sylvia's simple life]

[ hanging on ]

TODAY I'M loving this charming backsplash. Not only is the white subway tile a classic favourite of mine, but how cute is the way the utensils have been hung? A branch simply inserted into the shelf brackets - no installation required. Brilliant!

lisa

[kjerstis lykke]

[ a sad day ]

TODAY MARKS a very sad day. I first used a MAC back in design school in 1988. Since then, I have owned many. In fact, everything I've accomplished in my graphic design career of over 20 years is all thanks to the tools that Steve Jobs helped to create. So to me, he has had a huge impact on my life.

Thank you Steve Jobs for your vision, innovation and dedication. You are a true genius and you will be missed.

lisa

[ my shopping bag wall ]

IF YOU are anything like me, receiving something from a designer shop is an exciting event {perhaps if I shopped there on a regular basis, the novelty would wear off}. And to me, the shopping bag is just as exciting as what's inside - the giddy knowledge of what treasure it contains.

I don't have many but any that I do have, I've collected over the last few years and haven't wanted to part with them {that's the hoarder in me}. I knew that I would eventually want to display them and have recently come across a few examples of how to do just that:

a framed grouping...

or simply hung from their handles...

or grouped into a collage... 

I decided to go the framed route since I had a great spot in my bedroom crying out for artwork...

I gathered up my collection and decided to add in my vintage advertisements I picked up at the Nice antique market {see post here} just to mix things up a little bit...

Off to IKEA for some frames...

I decided to play around with the arrangement on the bed, trying to get the sizes to fit well with one another...

Then the tedious task of framing them and transferring the arrangement onto the wall {using my favourite 3M Command Strips}...

Finally done!

I'm really happy with the random arrangement which also leaves room in case I happen to receive any others I want to add to the group {are you reading this, hon? hint hint...}

lisa

[house&home; tumblr; swansisland; via alexandrastylist; via inmyownstyle] 

[ outrageous slow cooker whole chicken ]

IT'S BEEN a while since I shared a great recipe and believe me, this one is GREAT! If you are looking for a carefree, delicious whole chicken recipe, this couldn't be easier. Just get out your slow cooker and spices and you're off to the races! You'll never want to roast a chicken in your oven again.

Lisa's outrageous slow cooker whole chicken
This recipe couldn't be easier and you will be amazed at how juicy and delicious this chicken is. The best part? You can use the juices to make a yummy gravy for serving, or, throw all the bones back into the juices in the slow cooker, add water and cook on low overnight to make the best chicken stock ever.

what you need:

roasting chicken (mine was smallish at 3 lbs but the larger, the more cooking time)
1 cup sliced onion

2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper


how to:

Combine all spices together in a small bowl.

Rinse your chicken, remove giblets and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub spices all over your chicken on both sides.

Arrange your sliced onion into a bed at the bottom of your slow cooker.

Then lay your chicken on the bed of onions.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and set to LOW. Don't open it during cooking - just let it do its thing.

Let it cook 5-8 hours on LOW. The larger the chicken, the longer the cooking time. If juices run clear when a skewer is inserted and the leg moves freely, it is done {or use a pop-up poultry thermometer while cooking}.

This chicken will be juicy and succulent when it's done. If you prefer a crispier skin, after it is cooked, place the chicken on a baking pan and put it under the broiler for 5-10 minutes.


to make amazing chicken stock:

After dinner, remove all leftover chicken from bones and refrigerate. Put all the bones back into the slow cooker with the juices. Add water until it's about 3/4 full (I added about 8 cups). Put the lid back on and let it simmer on LOW overnight.

In the morning, strain out all the bones, onions, etc through a colander. Chill and skim off any fat/oil from surface. You can do a second strain through cheesecloth if you like.

Use for soup, or freeze 1 cup portions in freezer bags for future cooking.


to make amazing chicken pasta soup:

Saute 1/4 cup diced celery and 1/4 cup diced carrot in 1 tsp oil in a saucepan. Add chicken stock (I added about 5 cups for 2 large servings). Add in some chopped, leftover cooked chicken and bring to a boil. Add 2 handfuls of uncooked shell pasta and simmer until pasta is tender. Season with salt/pepper to taste.

This slow cooker chicken recipe goes a long way and is also an easy, economical way to cook chicken to use for other recipes like pot pie, quesadillas, chicken salad etc. Enjoy!

lisa