Expat blogs
A Canadian in Abu Dhabi
A fun blog about living in the city by – you guessed it – a Canadian living in Abu Dhabi. Anne Marie McQueen has been here since 2008 and absolutely loves the capital. Read all about her experiences, whether she’s talking apartment hunting or her escapades in the gym. Her blog is a decorated one – with awards from expatblogs.com and ExpatArrivals. It is also recommended by InterNations as the Top Expat Blog Abu Dhabi.
www.annmariemcqueen.blogspot.ae.
Neil and Caz in Abu Dhabi
Read all about the life and times of this English couple since they moved to Abu Dhabi in 2008. This blog also has useful information on how to get around the city. We really appreciated the recent post on the new street signs in the city. We all know that every street has at least three names, and on this blog you will find a neat table of all the names a street was ever known by. Good work.
www.neilandcaz.blogspot.ae.
Yabba Dhabi Dooo!
This blog chronicles the adventures of an American family in the city. The posts are short and sweet with photographs that tell their own story. We enjoyed a quiet chuckle at the picture posted of a pink and white
sign for parking for women.
www.yabbadhabidooooo.blogspot.ae.
Frugal Expat
Is there such a thing as a frugal expat? Apparently so and this blog offers handy advice to those on a budget. One of the first posts we set eyes on was from a guest giving tips on how to save on travel costs. Who wouldn’t like to take a holiday and not be broke afterwards? If the 200,000 hits it has is anything to go by – it is a popular one, to say the least.
www.frugalexpat.com.
Food blogs
I Love Food
Blogger LoLy’s profile describes her as a simple girl living in Abu Dhabi who loves to eat and share chocolate. We like her already. She also takes pictures of everything she eats so you can see what you’re really getting.
www.abudhabifood.blogspot.ae.
Assia Kitchen Moment Culinaires
Assia is a Moroccan woman who is bringing the tastes of her homeland to the world with her blog. Her recipes are mostly for Moroccan food, but there are some other cuisines in there too, and her pictures are beautiful.
www.momentsculinaires.blogspot.ae.
iGourmet
This is a fairly new blog, it only started in May, but there is a lot there already. Mai posts mostly recipes, some pictures of her travels and shares what she learned on her international cooking course in Abu Dhabi.
www.i-gourmet.blogspot.ae.
midEATS
This is a fantastic blog for fans of Middle Eastern cuisine. Recipes, interviews, pictures, resources and food reviews can all be found here.
www.mideats.com.
My Mouth is Full
Stunningly beautiful pictures and great, informative entries about restaurants and recipes make this a great blog to follow. Updates can be a bit sporadic, but they’re so delightful that they’re worth waiting for.
www.mymouthisfull.com.
Fashion blogs
On Street Abu Dhabi
This very cool website takes a look into street style in the capital with lots of great pictures taken of people in well-known spots in Abu Dhabi. Think of it as our own version of online fashion bible The Sartorialist.
www.onstreetabudhabi.com.
The Fashion Hub
This chic Dubai and Abu Dhabi-based fashion blog is edited and founded by two sisters on the road to the fashion industry. The two British/Persian sisters, Parisia and Lydia, cover the two emirates’ fashion scene. The blog is updated daily, with features on current trends, outfit posts as well as events of which TFH attend and cover.
www.the-fashion-hub.com.
Sporty blogs
Duplays
Duplays Abu Dhabi is the place to go for sport-loving bloggers. The site keeps you up-to-date on sports from football to beach volleyball and badminton, offering the chance to compete in leagues no matter what your skill level. Users can also interact to try and get new teams together and even add a review of events they’ve participated in.
www.abudhabi.duplays.com.
Abu Dhabi Blues
The link between Manchester, UK, and Abu Dhabi is obvious if you follow football. The two expat bloggers who set up this site know the link and are very open to banter about their team, Manchester City. Or, if you’re more red than blue, you could kick on over to Manchester United Supporters Club UAE at muscae.wordpress.com.
www.abudhabiblues.com.
All about blogging
Want to start a blog? Angela Beitz catches up with Tala Farah, the influential blogger behind My Small Obsessions.
Tell us about your blog.
My Small Obsessions is a lifestyle blog and I write about all of the things I love: fashion, food, beauty, travel and shopping.
Why did you start it?
My two main obsessions are fashion and writing and I wanted to do something where I would be my own boss and do something that I loved. I also needed something that allowed me to live in Abu Dhabi yet still be a part of the fashion scene in Dubai. Blogging was the way to do that. I started it just for fun and honestly didn’t expect it to pick up so quickly and make me so busy! Sunday August 4 was the first birthday of my blog and I have had over 88,000 page views since its inception.
What are the best and worst things about being a blogger in Abu Dhabi?
Most of the fashion events, fashion companies, magazines and shopping is in Dubai. Sometimes, I have to go to Dubai three times a week and spend all day there jumping between events and meetings.
I even usually need an outfit change in the middle. It gets very tiring.
How do you find inspiration?
I read a lot of magazines, online magazines and blogs. A lot of times though I would be shopping, looking at store windows, or seeing how people dress in their daily lives to get ideas for stories. I also try to upload a food post once a week where I either make something delicious or I review a new restaurant in Abu Dhabi.
What are some of the great hidden gems you have found in our city?
I found out about Mirabelle Boutique, which is based out of Salma Saad’s living room. She sells a really great selection of comfortable and cool clothes. I also discovered Pearlesque, which is an online vintage jewellery store owned by Gazl Al Zalek. She sells fabulous, well priced jewellery and showcases new items.
What tips do you have for bloggers?
Blogging is very time consuming, and don’t expect people to read your words from the start. Keep updating it regularly and they will come – just slowly! Always make sure that your topics and posts are up to date.
www.mysmallobsessions.blogspot.com
