Learning How to Shop Saudi-style

The malls in Saudi Arabia are incredible – and gigantic.  I’ve only been to the ones in Jeddah, but I’ve been told the ones in Riydah are just as fantastic.  

They are multi-leveled and have interesting things in them like a full-scale amusement park, a snow village where it actually snows fake snow, tropical lagoons, go-cart tracks and more.  The only thing they don’t have are movie theaters as those aren’t allowed here.  

And then you have the shops.  One of my friends asked if they have any shops they would know. The answer is "yes." They have them ALL.   There’s Sephora, Guess, Bebe, Boots,  Juicy Couture, Zara, Applebee’s, Burger King, Baskin Robbins and more.   They also have a few local shops, a bunch of designer shops and some British shops.  You name it; they have it…or they will have it soon.  I saw a sign for a Tim Horton’s coming soon at The Mall of Arabia.

So why so are the malls so amazing?  I think it’s because it’s hot here and the malls are air conditioned so people go there as a family and hang out.  And I mean they really hang out because they stay for hours.

The website says the malls are open from 10 a.m. until midnight, but with the prayer times, many of the actual shops close in the afternoon and reopen in the evening.  Then they are packed from 6:30 p.m. to closing. When I say packed, I’m talking Black Friday shopping packed. 

But while the shops are the same, the way you shop is different.

My first time in the mall, I picked out a bunch of clothes and wanted to try them on. Apparently you don’t do that as very few of the shops have change rooms. Surprise!

 At first I thought Saudi women simply guessed their size, then tried them on at home and brought back the ones they didn’t like.    

This wasn’t going to work for me.

First of all, I don’t enjoy shopping with crowds of people. Secondly, going to the mall is big endeavor as I take the bus from KAUST from 5 p.m. It takes an hour to get to the mall and then it only picks me up again at 11 p.m.  That’s a long time in a mall for someone who likes to get in and be done in 30 minutes.  And thirdly, I didn’t understand the return policies and some of the shops only give you 2 days to do exchanges. 

Not knowing how it’s done, I didn’t buy anything my first time to the mall. Instead I vowed to never go again and just buy everything online. Yes, that sounds drastic. But keep in mind, I just wasted 5 hours in a mall.  

It turns out there my drastic measures won't be necessary.  There is a secret to shopping in Saudi that nobody told me.  

Yes, you have to buy the clothes without trying them on in the shops.  But there is a place to try them on.  It’s in the restroom! 

I was wondering why the restroom was so big with these bare stalls on one side.  I thought they were for private praying or something (really, I knew nothing).  Nope, they are where you try on your clothes. 

So in summary…you buy the clothes, try them on in the restroom, and then return the ones you don’t like.  

PS  I haven’t bought shoes, so I don’t know how that works yet.

I dream of Victoria's Secret, but Victoria does not dream of me

I don't know if it's the lighting in the change rooms, the fact that I'm practically naked or that I'm spending way too much to plump, push up and accent my cleavage in a pathetic attempt to magically transform into a Victoria's Secret supermodel, but whatever it is, I detest bra shopping.

It seems no matter how much I prepare for the experience, it always ends with me drinking hot chocolate with extra whipped cream in Starbucks after being frustrated and disappointed.

But that was before I discovered La Mode Lingerie on West Gray.

I DREAM OF VICTORIA, BUT VICTORIA DOES NOT DREAM OF ME
Okay...I admit it. I am totally envious of the women who are the perfect 34B or 34C and can buy pretty matching sets from the Victoria's Secret catalogue and have them fit. Sadly, like a lot of women, this never works for me. I've had to accept the fact that my body is just not made for their bras - which sucks as they are so cute!

But pretty matching undies isn't what I was searching for this weekend.

This time I was looking for some serious and practical undergarments. I wanted a strapless bra to go with my New Year's Eve dress. And not just any strapless bra - I wanted one that was guaranteed to stay put all night long, even if I wanted to dance.

GOING STRAPLESS FOR THE FIRST TIME
For years I have avoided strapless dresses and tops just because I never felt comfortable in any that I've tried on.

Believe me, I've done bra fittings at Neiman Marcus. I've tried Macy's and I've even visited wedding boutiques. Call me paranoid, but no matter which one they gave me, I was convinced that they were going to slide down, and I'd be spending the entire evening discretely trying to push it back up.

It turns out my fears were correct.

While these places were fitting me for the bra that fit me the best, it seems that my size is weird and the bra that "fits" is still not the right size. They were simply selling me the closest match.

THE LAST STOP
Refusing to pay $60 or more for a bra that I didn't feel comfortable in, I dropped into La Mode Lingerie.

I figured, if I didn't find one there, I would return my strapless dress and get something else. Besides, the boutique is conveniently located by a Starbucks and after driving all over the city, I was dangerously close to needing my pity-party hot chocolate fix.

I walked in, and let me just say, La Mode should have been my first stop. They are set up for the serious bra shopper who doesn't want to waste all day. There is no rummaging through drawers, no bins of bras, and no frustration at trying to find your size or color.

I simply told the woman that I needed a beige strapless bra and gave her my estimated size. Within minutes, she brought over three could work, and the fitting began.

30% OFF AND FREE ALTERATIONS!!!
The people that work at La Mode Lingerie are the bra fairies. There is no lying, no trying to squeeze you into something that doesn't fit, and no denying when something is too big or is going to pucker or show through your outfit.

They want you to look good and feel good about what you're wearing - even if no one else is going to see it.

So when they had me try on the one that was the "closest fit," they were honest and told me that it wasn't perfect. They said that was a little too big in the back (Ha! I knew those other ones would slip down).

But get this...they would alter the hooks for FREE!!!

Now that's service.

Plus, if you go now, they are having a 30% off sale on all regular priced items until December 31.

Oh...and here's a tip. When shopping for a bra, bring the outfit you want to wear it with. This way you be sure that it will work for the occassion.

LOCATION
2013D West Gray
Houston, Texas 77019
713-529-3980

Bliss in the City: Cosmos, pampering & girl talk

OMG...Bliss on Shepherd is a spa after my own heart. I swear that if Sex in the City was located in Houston, Carrie and her girl pals would be hanging out there and sipping on cosmos.
This is because Houston's Bliss is not just a spa. It's a nail bar!

Okay, for those of you who haven't been to a nail bar, you really have to go. Not only do you get all the traditional spa services like massages, manicures, pedicures and facials, but you can enjoy a glass a wine, a martini or freshly roasted coffee while you are being pampered. How cool is that?

THE BUSY GIRL'S HAPPY HOUR

The first thing you'll notice when you walk into Bliss is the design. It's open, spacious and beautiful. In fact, the lobby is not a waiting area, but a chic and happening lounge, where you can get your nails done while hanging out with friends.

"Girls can drop in, have a cocktail and catch up with their lives, while getting some pampering done," said Nancy, co-owner of Bliss.

Nancy and Nick Nikolovski are the owners of the Bliss, which is Houston's first nail bar.

They wanted a place where people could come and relax after work or on an afternoon.

With any service, customers can get up to two complementary drinks of their choice -- ranging from Cosmos, appletinis and other cocktails, to wine, coffee and tea. They also serve mimosas on Sunday.

"We wanted to pilot a new concept with Bliss and create a social environment," said Nick. "We have all the traditional spa amenities, too, but then the nail bar brings out something different."

They also do a lot of SPArties (spa parties) such as baby showers, bridal parties and birthdays.

"One SPArty that we had was for a 10-year-old girl. Nancy helped them learn how to make bath balls with salt and different scents. It was fun and very entertaining," said Nick.

But if you don't want to hang out in the lounge, Bliss also has a private suite where couples or a group of friends can get together and enjoy some quality time.

"We have a group that comes in to watch Lipstick Jungle on the flat screen in the suite. The girls get their nails done, relax with a cocktail and then watch the show together and chat," said Nick.

MIAMI MEETS EUROPE

Before opening Bliss, Nancy and Nick were basically spa connoisseurs. They had been to spas all over the world and spent some time in Miami. They knew as a customer what they liked and what was missing.

"I started Bliss for almost selfish reasons. I was tired of going to high-end spas and wondering how clean they were," said Nancy.

They had been thinking about the concept of Bliss for a while, but what really set the ball into motion was a scare Nancy got after visiting a spa.

"I thought I got an infection from a spa. It turned out to be nothing, but after that I didn't want to worry about how clean the tools were. I decided I would open my own place and make sure everything was up to my standards," said Nancy.

Nancy works in the healthcare industry so she said they went all out when it came to sterilization and cleanliness.

Nancy said that at Bliss, they don't reuse anything, and they have a medical grade sterilizer. Their whirlpool footbaths are also state-of-the-art. They are pipeless so the water is not recycled.

"Our staff has a three-step process. They soak, manually scrub and then sterilize all the tools," said Nancy. "Plus we have a designated Clean Cop."

SLIP INTO BLISS WITH DAILY DEALS

So are you ready to go all Sex in the City with cosmos and fabulous nails? I know I am. The only problem is trying to figure out which night to go on because Bliss has some great specials:

Early Bird Specials: Come in before 2 p.m. during the week and get a mani-pedi for $55 (regularly $70)

BYOB (bring your own boy) Tuesdays: This is like Guys Night Out because your guy friend will get 10% off any service.

Girls night out Thursdays: Get any service and get your eyebrows done for just $15.

They also have gift certificates that you can purchase online and some fun stocking stuffers in the store for the spa-lover on your list.

INSIDE BLISS SCOOP

While the daily deals are great, I really can't wait for January. That's because Nancy and Nic let me in on a little secret, that of course, I will share with you...
"In January, we are planning to kick off a wine tasting night co-hosted by local wine bars," said Nancy.

Wine tasting and manicures with some girlfriends? Now that sounds like fun!

LOCATION:701 Shepherd Drive Suite #100
(2 blocks before Washington)
Houston, TX
713-864-8787

http://www.bliss-nailspa.com/

Get 'naked' while shopping

I have a confession to make. I'm not big on shopping - especially during the holidays when the malls are crowded and my wallet is feeling light.

But that was before I discovered Naked Body & Bath in the Rice Village. They put the Zen back into shopping - and that's a good thing for tired, stressed out shoppers like me.

C'MON...TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF

If you visit Naked, be prepared to take your shoes off. I mean it. They have this whole foot soak thing going on that is heaven...and it's free. Bonus!!

I admit I was reluctant to try it at first, just because I felt a little bit weird relaxing on the job, but then I figured I might as well give it a go. Besides, how could I write about it if I didn't know what it felt like?

So I plopped myself in one of the comfy chairs and let the "Naked" associate fill up the brass tub with hot water.

Then I prepared myself for the most relaxing shopping experience of my life.

PURE, CLEAN AND...NAKED

When the people at Naked say their stuff is "naked", they mean it.

"Everything here is at least 95% natural - a lot of it is even more than 95%," said Janine Abmagr, one of the three co-owners of the store. "All of our handcrafted soaps, bath salts and scrubs come from natural ingredients."

This means that you're not going to find detergents or parabens in any of their stuff. Instead, the products are created to nourish your skin. They are also hypo-allergenic which makes them good for most people who happen to get rashes from everything.

HERE'S WHERE IT GETS FUN

Okay...so there I was resting in the foot bath, and letting my stress melt away as a fizzy bath ball moisturized my tired feet. And what was I thinking about? Was I thinking about my story deadline? Was I worried about how I was going to get everything done this week? Nope...all I was thinking about was what scents I would like.

You see, this is how it works. Everything starts fragrance-free and then you choose your own essential oils (or fragrance oils) to custom create your own bath products.

"You can choose one oil or you can mix a couple together. I've seen one customer mix up to seven in order to get the scent she was looking for," said Abmagr.

Once you pick your fragrance, the associate will add it to your product - whether it's a lotion, a bath salt or a scrub. It's fun to watch because she really does scoop everything into a mixing bowl and mix it up. But the customizing doesn't stop there.

"We have three types of lotions and three types of bath salts depending on your preference," said Abmagr. "Of course you can try them. That's our whole philosophy - try before you buy."

Hmmm...another decision? I think this calls for an additional soak in the footbath.

SHOPPING NEVER FELT SO GOOD

Even though I was relaxing the whole time, Naked Body & Bath did help me with my Holiday shopping.

By the end of the 10 minute foot soak (I choose a vanilla/honey/coconut scent), I was able to cross my sister-in-laws and a couple girlfriends off my list.

I would love to tell you what I got them, but sometimes they actually read my blog and I don't want to give it away. But let's just say, they all will have soft, great smelling skin in 2009.

Oh...and one more thing. Because most of the store is unpackaged, the "Naked" associates gift wrap your purchases in cute little boxes and bows so you don't have to - and it's completely complimentary.

It's a small thing, but just like the footbath, a little pampering goes a long way.

GETTING NAKED OVER THE HOLIDAYS

If you want to get Naked this holiday season, visit them at:

2516 Times Blvd Houston, Texas
http://www.nakedbodyandbath.com/

PS: All this customizing isn't as expensive as you would think. My custom-made gift sets were around $25 each, but you can create your own for as little as $15.