2 Comments// Posted in Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 12.09.09.
On Sunday I offered my hands in aid of promoting an up and coming mehndi artist, Nadirah, check her out here. I spent my Sunday morning in really hot weather, but ended up with pretty mehndi hands :)
By midday I was pretty exhausted because of the 30+ degree heat (and yeah, modeling is a very hard job too,) so all I wanted to do was take a nap.
Nadirah is really talented and works rather swiftly. She does a variety of patterns and if I’d met her sooner, I’d have gotten some Arabic floral designs done for Eid. Anyway, if you’re looking to have mehndi done in the Cape Town area, I’d highly recommend Nadirah. Her prices are reasonable and has a contact who does very good make-up as well.
1 Comment// Posted in Photos, Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 11.04.09.
As seen on Wired to the Web.
Since I spend 99.9% of my computer time in front of the iMac at work, I’ve customised the desktop to my whim. PC at home is gathering dust for two reasons: 1. I’ve totally converted to Mac and 2. The only time I do turn it on, is when I want to watch a movie because I don’t have a TV. Though, I’m sure that once I customise it again, it’ll look rather similar since I love the multicoloured changing booths at Muizenberg.
I tag whoever wants to do it.
2 Comments// Posted in My Thoughts, Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 10.28.09.
I’ve been reading through my gratitude journal and since I haven’t posted a list in a while I thought I’d share some of the things I’m constantly grateful for. A few of these I’ve listed so many times in my journal that I may have mentioned it on my blog before, so excuse me if I do sound like a broken record.
But to count my blessings another time, I’m grateful for…
1. Friendship and the good conversation that comes with it.
2. Being able to take long walks and liking it.
3. Homemade biscuits and cookies.
4. Tea to go with the biscuits and cookies, of course.
5. Experiencing all the seasons in a year.
6. My freedom, in many regard.
7. Blank paper.
8. My bank balance (though minimal).
9. Being comfortable in my own skin.
10. Potatoes, ALWAYS!
1 Comment// Posted in My Thoughts, Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 10.25.09.
A week ago, I had the refreshing experience of meeting some great-minded, lovely ladies (and some guys)… getting to know new people is something I often crave and I’m looking forward to forming friendships with the few people I met. I also had the pleasure of finally meeting Shafinaaz in person. We started chatting in July this year, since I worked with her on the design of her book, Memoirs for Kimya, that was launched in CT last weekend. Having listened to her has left me with a new appreciation for writing and I realise that I should do it more often. Apart from having the launch celebrations in the air, the excitement of meeting new people and coffee buzzing through my veins, that whole weekend was somewhat revelatory in many aspects for me, but that’s another post altogether.
My week has been so busy, that on Friday I decided to take a walk to the Waterfont to just breathe in the great weather Cape town’s been having. I made a stop at Origin, where I had met up with the lovely ladies and I sat there for a bit, reminiscing. It wasn’t the same without awesome chicas for company… I actually felt a bit out of place. Let me explain the vibe of this particular area first. If you didn’t know better, you’d never believe you’re in the outskirts of the ideallic Bo Kaap, with Chiappini Street masjid about a 100 metres away. Modernly revamped structures surround you and leggy models in tights, speaking in foreign accents walk by. I, in my headscarf and modest clothing, felt like I didn’t belong in my OWN city. Having a specifically South African taxi drive past, with the guard (or gaadtjie rather,) shouting out at me, “Tietie! Issin der anurra glass der? I awso wanna haff coffy!”, wakes me up from my observing stupor and I can’t help smiling broadly. Now that’s the Cape Town I know.
Speaking about coffee, the cuppas I’ve been having recently taste excellent and are so pretty to look at. Staring at the whirlwind of milk on a cappuccino I had, I realised that someone put in some effort to make a pretty coffee especially for me. That led me to watch a barista in action up close at another coffee joint recently. He brewed a latte so ardently, ending off with weaving a milky fern… it really is an art and it shows that creativity can be expressed in anything we strive to do. I too want to learn how to make latte art now and I can see how hilarious it’d be if I were to entertain guests by serving up a cappuccino brewed in my kitchen with a foamy mishapen heart on it.
But back to my week… It’s been filled with all things book-ish. From being completely occupied with typesetting and doing corrections on a dictionary to seeing the book design of Memoirs for Kimya in all it’s pinkness, reading the whispers of the poetry within it and listening to it’s author share her wisdoms. I’ve always been drawn to the world of books, but since working in the industry I am in now, my appreciation of books and all that goes into it has grown so much more. The dictionary has drained me so much but after being drowned by so many words and definitions, combined with being inspired to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write, I’m half tempted to want to write, design and publish my own book someday.
No Comments// Posted in My Life, Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 10.20.09.
With popcorn and a book of course…
1 Comment// Posted in My Life by Nielfa Hanifa on 10.13.09.
Not only that, he’s also the hottest, handsomest and once again, MOST hard core husband ever! (Can you tell I’ve run out of adjectives that start with an h?)
Zeen got himself a mountain bike around the time we took our trip down to the Garden Route in April earlier this year. He’s mostly been cycling on tar and dirt roads to up his fitness levels before actually taking on the real mountain terrain. Then on Sunday, he did his first mountain biking race in Grabouw at Oak Valley Estate.
He entered the 26km route, since it would be his first time experiencing mountain biking, as it should be, and off he went (after getting to the event 10 minutes late, I’d like to add,) in a light drizzle.
There I was “Mrs Moral Support” getting myself comfortable while watching this drizzle turn into a proper downpour. About an hour later, the 12km fun run riders starting coming in with their white number boards. Shortly thereafter the first 26k riders, with the blue number boards, could be seen across the way and they too started coming over the finish line quickly. So, I eagerly watched out for Zeen’s riding kit to show up in the distance for me to recognise.
I was pleasantly distracted by my friend’s 8 year old who triumphed over the finish line after doing his first 12km race, all by himself. Then not more than 5 minutes later, I hear Zeen’s name and I see him going over the finish line. So I run up to take a quick snapshot of him (that I’ll upload sometime later,) and congratulate him on finishing. Zeen, soaking wet, smiles and thanks me, then lifts his arm to show me his forearm that seemed to have no skin left on it and was bleeding. My face immediately turned into one of horror and I ask him what happened.
6kms into the race, Zeen had to manoeuvre his way down a very steep hill and he made a technical error by adjusting his weight on the bike while going downhill at about 40-50km/h and ended up falling, using his arm as a buffer and dragging all the way down. He ended up with lacerations all along his right side, on his leg, his chest and all the skin on his forearm worked the way a break pad would on a car.
But my husband is hard core, wait… he’s HARD CORE in capital and bold letters! Because after he fell, he took a break, got back on his bike and carried on to finish the race… and when I say finish the race, I don’t mean he willed himself to come over that line, bike by his side, because you never give up; I mean, he finished the race in the top 100 at 59th place in a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes and 57 seconds.
After Zeen got himself bandaged up at a first aid tent and we waited for a friend, a veteran MTB-er who did the 46km, to finish. While sitting there, I could see that Zeen wasn’t himself. He had a blank stare on his face looking at who knows what, shivering cold and clearly in lots of pain. By the time we got home, the adrenalin wore off and he was completely out of it.
After a shower, some clean bandaging, a whole lot of painkillers and a nap, he woke up to be a bit more cheerier with his speech regained. We had a quick snack before heading to sleep for the night. Now let me say this again, my husband is HARD CORE! He fell down a hill, got back on his bike to finish a race in the top 100 and the next morning… he gets up and drives himself to work.
I don’t know how Zeen managed it, but by the time he fetched me the afternoon, he was in so much pain and his hand was completely swollen, we were both convinced his arm was broken. So we went to the doctor at about 6PM, who tells us he needs get X-rays done and last night we sat in an ER waiting for about 3 hours to find out, just how hard core he really is. Zeen and I were joking around, because if his arm was broken and he still finished a race in the top 100, he deserves a trophy or medal or something!
To end this off, his arm is not broken, thankfully… but there is no denying it, My husband is still most HARD CORE!. For a first time out on mountain biking trail and finishing in the top 100 after injuring himself so badly, he did totally awesome and I’m so proud of him!
1 Comment// Posted in My Life, Random by Nielfa Hanifa on 09.29.09.
Before Eid I decided to clear out my cupboards to give away clothing and shoes that I haven’t worn in a while. I ended up with two big bags full. Not that I’m a frivolous spender but, I realised then that I should start controlling my impulsive urge to shop.
Now there’s nothing wrong with spending your hard earned money on something pretty to wear or a pair of shoes that you actually need and we all know, that there really is comfort in retail therapy, so I don’t think I can give it up entirely. But, I’ve decided… for each new item of clothing or pair of shoes I buy, particularly when I do it impulsively, I need to give something away.
Having to think of something to give away in exchange for something new isn’t as simple as it seems. For example, I still have a pair of sandals that my dad bought me shortly before I got married but my feet seems to have grown a teensy bit since then and I hardly wear it because it’s too uncomfortable to walk in. Though, for some strange and stupid reason, I’m all sentimental about it because it’s the last pair of shoes my dad bought me. I’m dying to buy gladiator styled strappy sandals, (in a bigger size,) but I’ve got to pluck up the courage to give the old, dear pair away.
So, since implementing this strategy, my impulse to shop, has been been curbed on a few occasions, so I guess it’s working and my cupboards are way more neater for it. But now I’m wondering, if I buy someone else something while I’m shopping, would that count as giving something away?
1 Comment// Posted in My Religion by Nielfa Hanifa on 09.18.09.
Those who perform taraweeh on the last night of Ramadaan, to each of them Allah ta’aala will say: “My beloved slave, eat from the fruits of Jannah. Drink from and bathe in the fountains of Salsabil and Kauthar. As verily, I am your Rabb (Lord) and you are my ‘abd (slave).”
These excerpts are from the hadith narrated by Sayedinaa Ali Ibn Abee Taalib (RA) on the rewards of performing taraweeh.
May Allah ta’aala accept all our ‘ibaadah during this Ramadaan, insha’Allah.
No Comments// Posted in My Religion by Nielfa Hanifa on 09.18.09.
Those who perform taraweeh on the twenty-ninth night of Ramadaan, Allah ta’aala grants them the reward of a thousand Hajj Maqbool (accepted pilgramages), insha’Allah.
No Comments// Posted in My Religion by Nielfa Hanifa on 09.17.09.
Those who perform taraweeh on the twenty-eighth night of Ramadaan, Allah ta’aala raises them a thousand darajaat (levels) in Jannah, insha’Allah.
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