Spotted at the bus stop, Defence Road

It's one of those days when I have to literally drag myself out of the house to get some inspiration. And so, drag myself out of the house I did. I didn't have an exact destination in mind. All I wanted to do was just get out of the house, get on the bus, and find inspiration somewhere in the city.

And while trying to do that, I met Ping while waiting for the bus to arrive. She was there before me, and even from afar, she stood out. Mainly, because there was no one else in the area except for a couple of Indian guys. But, it was because of her boots. I don't know why but it seems like boots have been catching my attention lately.

It took me ten minutes to talk to her and ask if I could take some photos. At first, I was quite satisfied with taking them candidly. But then her dress was just so stylish that I knew I had to get a good photo. I don't how Scott Schumann does it, but I really find it hard to approach a stranger for their photo. Mostly, because I don't want to get rejected. I'm scared that they might say no. So far, I haven't been rejected. And I hope it stays that way.

I love this particular photo. Although, I wish she suddenly turned her head in my direction. But the way her hair was swaying in the wind was really beautiful.

And then, I finally had the courage to talk to her. When I told her I wanted to take her photo, she smiled brightly. And I silently thanked God that she didn't say no. She was really more than willing to do so, and for that, I am really grateful. I wish I was able to take more pictures, but as if on cue, the bus arrived and we both ran to catch it. :-)

 We continued our conversation inside the bus. And I started to ask her where she got her outfit out of curiosity. She got her boots from China, while her dress and cardigan were from here. At first, she was hesitant to tell me where she got them, saying that they weren't expensive. But I told her that it doesn't matter to me. I may be a fan of luxurious brands, but they're just that. A luxury. The price doesn't define the quality of an outfit. Most of my clothes are from H&M and Forever 21. And even so, I buy only when they are on sale.

It was really nice talking to her. She has a lot of insight regarding the fashion scene in Abu Dhabi, and how it is different from what she is used to in her homeland, China. The bus was almost to my stop, and I felt a pang of regret leaving Ping. Meeting her made me remember why The Mazuona is existing. And it's a great feeling to know that you have a purpose. If you are reading this Ping, I hope you know that you have inspired me. :-)

By then, I finally decided to spend my day at Starbucks on Najda street, hoping to see more Mazuonas along the way. But it seems like fate decided that it was enough for the day. And so these two Starbucks favorites kept me company. I finally got to use the 50 Dhs Starbucks gift voucher that one of our family friends gave me for Christmas.

Strawberry cheesecake and some Toffee nut Frappucino

I spent my time writing my goals for this year, both for my blog and for myself. Looking around the empty cafe and on what I have written on the notebook in front of me, it's one of those days when you know dragging yourself out of the house was a good decision. :-)