THE PINK TARHA
Do you snuggle, er, struggle, to survive Riyadh’s winter days? As residents of a country that has most of its months on “summer mode”, we welcome the cool days during this time of the year and we make the most of it. After all, it’s a winterful, er, wonderful life!
In our column on a DQ Living issue in 2020, we listed down some activities you can do to enjoy the winter days in Riyadh (read “Winter Has Come” here). While this season makes us want to lie in bed all day long, reminisce in its late dawns, and just sip hot chocolates in the comfort of our warm homes, there are reasons to forgo stilling ourselves and instead get up and enjoy the cool days.
We’re updating our list of winter activities to include some things new, heartwarming, and fun.
Keep your stomachs warm with “Asian fondue.”
In need of a hearty, heartwarming soup to keep you warm? Look no further than the hot pot (or hotpot), a pot of steaming broth or soup that is continuously simmering while a variety of foodstuffs and ingredients are added. This cooking method originated in China and the dining table has a heat source that keeps the soup stock, whether it’s the simple clear broth or the fiery spicy one, hot. Typical hot pot ingredients include thinly-sliced meat, seafood, mushrooms, and vegetables. You can mix your own sauce from the bar. We suggest sesame paste with oyster sauce, sesame oil, crushed peanuts, garlic paste and fermented bean paste with a dash of vinegar, soy, and spring onions. Don’t forget noodles and rice! This is perfect for groups!
Try this at Hala Hot, Hot Pot, or Riyadh Chinese Restaurant.
Enjoy a stroll in the park (in Riyadh governorate).
You’ve probably visited most parks in the Diplomatic Quarter already and the known parks in Riyadh center like Olaya Park, King Fahd Library Park, and An Nafal Park. This winter, the Riyadh Municipality has announced a winter initiative in 10 locations within the scope of the governorate to provide unique social experiences in public parks every weekend. Apart from just walking or strolling in these areas, there will be open markets that display products from locals. This is a social experience that will try to connect and integrate sustainable communities in Riyadh province.
Activated parks include Uyaynah Park in the Jubailah Governorate, Alshaba Garden in Alkharj, and King Fahd Park in Sudair Municipality. More details at twitter.com/amatalriyadh.
Have a good cup of coffee (with unique desserts).
With the mushrooming of so many cafés in Riyadh, it’s not just enough to have a good cup of coffee to attract customers. It should be paired with not-so-basic sweets and desserts that are not found everywhere. Thankfully, some coffeeshops have been creative! Now, we can enjoy the perfect pairing of black coffee, cappuccino, latte, etc. with the perfect decadent sweets.
Just A Space (@justaspace.sa) is currently attracting long lines with their crème brulee and waffle sticks. LOUD (@loud.sa) has chimney cake (with ice cream if you want). Chök (@chok.ksa) has elevated cronuts filled and topped with creams and fruits. ELCT (@elct.sa) has warm chestnuts!
Savor the good “IG-worthy” outdoors.
Camping is best done in winter when you won’t feel the brunt of the sun in your skin. However, not all of us are knowledgeable when it comes to camping. So why not spend a few hours under the night sky in coffee “camps” in Thumamah? The area is filled with IG-worthy café camps and simple eateries that will call the desert home during these wintry months. It’s far from the city center but that’s the point: to get away for a few hours and enjoy a relaxing ambiance away from it all. Thumamah is also home to a lot of camps and tents so if you want to stay overnight, it’s a great place for that too.
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Dark Vanilla Café (@darkvanilla.sa) is gracing the Riyadh desert with their scrumptious desserts while beside it is Crispish (@crispishksa), a chicken burger shop that has one of the best chicken lollipops in Riyadh! A few kilometers away is the camp with Half A Million Coffee (@halfmillion_sa) and Key Café (@keycafe.sa).
Visit new places.
Of course, the Riyadh Season zones are still the best places to visit for fun and entertainment in Riyadh. However, if you want to escape the crowd, Riyadh has some hidden gems that you can go to.
For indoor activities, visit exhibits like Tales of Nostalgia at the Misk Insitute, The Line Exhibition and From Spark to Spirit (both at the Jax District in Diriyah). For outdoor activities, visit the Reef Café (@reefcafe.sa) which features a farm and mini zoo or Mirzam x Najdarah (@mirzam_sa), a unique restaurant with water landscaping at AlAmmariyah.
*Mentioned @ are Instagram account handles.
Janelle Vales-Yasay and Reina Tejano-Berina are the power duo behind the successful multi-awarded blog “The Pink Tarha”, an online lifestyle guide in Saudi Arabia. They started their blog in 2009 and since then have inspired many people by showcasing the fun and interesting side of living in KSA. What started out as a hobby for the girls has gained so much positive attention and appreciation in the process winning them the Saudi Excellence in Tourism Award.
