We want to tell you that we're sorry for not updating for weeks, but apologizing would mean that we think that people care, and we need to be more humble than that so... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING OMG.
Seriously though. We've listed the new and interesting vendors we came across during the 3 weeks of Bab Market, check them out 'cause they're all worth a look.
Check them.
Check them out.
Now.
Also, we tried to add in a link to each business's website, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (you can access by clicking the photo), but alas we didn't have the info for all of them. So if you come across a business that you KNOW has an online presence, please let us know. Thank you!
Now check.
Week 3
Desperate Housewives:
A group of expat women living in Bahrain, each from a different nationality, who are all passionate about cooking. They decided to put together some of their best recipes into this cookbook, and have divided it by cuisine. The book includes American, French, Italian, Swiss, Korean, and Ethiopian recipes. OMNOM.
Based on the two samples they offered during the market, the chocolate cake and the almond cake, it’s a delicious variety of food! We think it’s great that these women decided to do something productive with their knowledge and their time, and one of the best parts of the book is that it tells you where you can find certain uncommon ingredients, which is great for the hopeless Bahraini who just wants fat-free cottage cheese and can’t find any. Also, there is a bookmark with measurement conversions. SO USEFUL.
You can find this cookbook at Al Osra supermarket at Al Najibi Center in Budaiya, as far as I know.
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Dandelion Boutique:
This is a boutique offering a variety of pretty accessories. While most of the items are imported from different designers, the owner does design some of the things, like funkily decorated sunglasses.
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
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PopartBH:
This stall boasts customized photographs, turning your old or boring pictures into pieces of art. You can get your pictures customized and printed on canvas, t-shirts, notebooks, or mugs. The stall looked very Andy Warhol-y, and they have some pre-made t-shirts: superman-y, Michael Jackson-y, and of course, mustache-y. Their t-shirts are actually not the typical “I’m a Bahraini hear my t-shirt place roar with karak references,” they’re just a little bit funkier. They’re tops. Does that make sense?
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Moda Art and Design:
This stall belongs to an artist displaying his work. And wow. This is art. The prices are crazy reasonable, especially in comparison with some artists who apparently feel that they are descendants of Da Vinci. The work in this stall are so multidimensional, this is art that you would stare at for a long time in contemplation, only to take a few steps back and see a completely different picture. Beautiful work. In addition to the art, he also had some funky furniture art pieces on display. He’s definitely worth checking out here.
Street Smart:
T-shirt place. Some of the designs seemed nice but they weren’t really displayed, so we couldn’t get a feel for the uniqueness of the designs or the prices. Also, we're worried about the name choice considering the presence of the popular Street Smart Bahrain guidebook.
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
Pretty Little Things/Hana’s Photography:
This stall is managed by two sisters, the first is the owner of small accessories boutique Pretty Little Things, and the second a photographer and graphic designer who is selling her photography with some of her designs. While Pretty Little Things offer some nice accessories, their headbands are a bit too dramatic for me with the flowers and such, and Hana’s Photography offered few but nice work.
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Body Care:
This was a crazy huge stall full of products and information about fat burning and weight loss through natural techniques and oils, in addition to using natural oils for other treatments like fixing damaged hair. I can’t say much about the products since I didn’t actually purchase anything. I think the extensiveness of the stall intimidated me, and if the stall only focused on showcasing a few products, it would have been easier for me to buy something, even if for trial purposes. But this way, I just felt like there was too much to look through. Still, it sounds interesting and I definitely think I’ll check out the business later on. Natural oils. Couldn’t hurt.
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A2 Belladonna:
Graphic t-shirts inspired by Arab culture. These t-shirts feel different in terms of their graphic style, as the images are printed on white t-shirts and look more like drawings/paintings than printed images. They also made them look pretty by displaying them with skirts, an interesting display. It’s good if you find the whole “Arab culture on t-shirts” funny.
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
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Blank.:
These tops are inspired more by pop culture and are more artistic. The owner designs many of the graphics on the tops, and the two girls at the stall were quite nice. They would recommend certain tops based on the buyer’s preferences, and even tell me the different ways I could wear certain tops. It’s nice. They were nice.
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
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Cookie Jar:
Most people already know about Cookie Jar. It’s one of those places that is getting hyped up, so many people are ready to dismiss their cookies as overrated. They’re probably right, since literally everything in the world ever is overrated. So chub and eat your damn cookie. It’s okay if you don’t like it, move on.
We decided to sample some of their things. The first thing we tried is the Red Velvet cookie. Personally, I’m not a fan of red velvet, I don’t like cream cheese frosting, it confuses my brain and I’d rather have old-fashioned cake frosting. But I liked The Cookie Jar’s red velvet, because the frosting didn’t feel cream-cheesy, it felt cakey. It’s still red velvet so I wouldn’t order it again, but it’s definitely one of the better ones I’ve had.
Then I figured, HEY SINCE WE’RE TAKING RISKS WITH COOKIE FLAVORS WE DON’T LIKE, let’s try the Caramel Pecans. I don’t like pecans. I’m okay with caramel, we’re not best friends or anything, but we greet each other in public and sometimes make each other laugh. So I close my eyes and wince as I try the Caramel Pecan cookie. It was delicious. It punched me in the face. You know why? The perfect food combines all the ingredients so that you can’t really tell what each ingredient is, and that’s what happened with this cookie. Basically, it was just a regular old chocolate chip cookie, but with added texture and a hint of caramel, so it took the chocolate chip cookie to another level. It wasn’t some magical invention of a cookie, but it was a chocolate chip cookie with a bonus. I don’t know why this cookie isn’t popular, I thought it was way better than the red velvet, the chocolate chip, or the peanut butter whoopie pie. Now I wrote too much and I feel bad for the other businesses. But there.
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Blaze Burgers:
Blaze Burgers decided to have their stall feature one burger, which we think is a good idea so that no one gets confused and they get to pump out burgers as quickly as possible. We didn’t get to try the burgers, but they seemed to sell out fast.
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Week 4
TypoScrabo:
Now this is an interesting stall. The business featured, basically, a humongous Scrabble board, that acts both as a coffee table and as a wonderful board game for giants. Definitely an interesting concept, and it was a lot of fun to play around with the letters. Our question is whether or not the company will feature other types of products based on Scrabble, or if it’s just this huge (and attractive) coffee table. Still, it was great of them to let people play as they walked by. Certainly interesting.
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Fyunka:
This is a brand that is gaining more exposure in the Middle East, and their things are featured in a store in Seef Mall. This stall features interesting bags and purses with funky designs. While the products are good, they were overpriced, a tote with a simple print on it should not cost more than 20BD, but these bags were around 50BD. It’s a tote with a picture. Pretty picture, but still. They have an attractive range of products and lots of people don’t mind shelling out a little extra for them, so it’s up to each person and how deeply they fall in love with the bags.
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Ana Salma Al3arabeya (I am Salma, the Arab Woman):
This is one of our all-time favorites. This stall belongs to a poet who is selling her book of poetry, Ana Salma Al3arabeya. The book consists mostly of very short poems, you can open up a random page and quickly get a sample of her work.
We are not regular Arabic poetry readers, and we know that Arabic poetry is both beautiful and inaccessible in the sense that it is known for its strict meter and rhyme schemes, in addition to the complex vocabulary that may be difficult for those who aren’t accustomed to this type of literature. Ana Salma Al3arabeya is an absolutely beautiful work of art, the poems are short and concise, each one telling a different story, and its word choice uses terms that are simple but perfectly worded to give maximum impact. At the end of each poem, we were blown away by how understatedly powerful the little story was.
This is what Bahrain should promote, true artists that blow you away, not someone whose mediocre work got publicity purely from their popularity. We have truly wonderful artists in every field and you should definitely check out this book and explore hidden Bahraini gems like this.
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Meem Collection:
This stall looked like it featured a cute collection of knickknacks, from artsy teacups to scarves to some art prints. Perhaps a place for those who wish to add some artsy touches to their homes.
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
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Dead Sands:
This stall features some of the cast and crew members of the first Bahraini zombie movie. What they basically did was bring a zombie to the market and set him loose to have a little bit of fun. He created quite a stir and definitely added a kick to the market.
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Week 5
Fanatek By Fatima:
This stall features a collection of houseware (kitchenware? cookie jars? jars? pots?) with modernized Arab twist (well, it had Arabic writing on it). Basically you can get a kettle that says Chai on it or Gahwa, which we think is pretty cool since it may solve the age old “Ay wa7ed feehom il chai w ay wa7ed il gahwa?” Bahraini conundrum. Cute stuff.
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Powder Closet:
This is a clothing and jewelry boutique that is based in the Equillibre Gym & Spa in Riffa. The owner is extremely helpful and clearly passionate when she talks about her business (as are many others, of course, it’s refreshing). She has a collection of designed tops alongside other imported collections and funky collections of imported jewelry as well. Her price ranges are mostly reasonable, but she does have some higher-priced products depending on the material of her products or the specifications of the designers. Definitely worth checking out.
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Raindrops on Roses:
This business features a collection of baby-goodies, such as little dresses or pillow cases with kids’ names sewed on. The name is adorably fitting and they have a nice collection of things for the parents (or the parents’ friends who need to buy them something for their kids).
(If anyone has their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Website information, please let us know so we can link to them on the blog!)
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Pachachic:
This is a newly established business that features items for the perfectly hipster home. Just kidding. Kinda. They’re nice things. They feature items to decorate a “shabby chic” home, so their things give off a cottagey feel and make you want to ride a bicycle in a poofy dress while your little doggie chases you around the cottage. Worth checking out if you want to spice up your house a little bit.
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Check back soon for weeks 6 & 7!
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