Some of the best times I’ve had in the recent times have been with my girl pals… I’ve always loved the concept of girls’ nights out and chick flick nights in and find it extremely therapeutic.

A friend once said girls nights’ out is the best way to get over a bad day or a broken heart. After being lied to and cheated on for over a year by a dude who she considered her best friend and soulmate, my friend found a lot of solace in working out and having fun girly nights out with women who made her laugh and see the positive side of her life.

My last girls night in was for iftar at my pad with my girl pals, Maissa, Edina, Wajma, Habiba and my daughter Natasha. It was great catching up with all of them and as I watched everyone chatting, I realised each one of us were unique and came from interesting backgrounds.

Maissa, a local Emirati with an amazing personality is my soul sister. I love her diverse interests in cooking, interesting serious movies + sitcoms, chick flicks and our mutual interest in art, museums and exhibitions. I absolutely love and adore her entire family and moments with her are always treasured.

I was introduced to Maissa by her mum (an amazing writer) with whom I share a passion for publishing and I hope one day in the near future we will venture on a writing project together. I love working wholeheartedly with friends with whom I can build something special that has a positive impact on people around us. It doesn’t feel like work when you do need to go the extra mile. I can just see myself lying on Afra’s sofa discussing a cookbook or the next cheeky alternative reading material for the mixed local audience.

Its interesting to see my daughter and Maissa discussing movies and stuff when they get together. I really believe my intelligent, beautiful and charismatic friends will have an amazing influence on Tash and am glad I only relate to and hang out with very unique intellectuals from equally unique backgrounds.

On the same night I also had my Bosnian Australian friend Edina visiting with Wajma, an Afghani Australian. They are both friends of Natasha’s guardian Amira who is a Lebanese Australian. Edina is an ace HR chick while Wajma’s family owns and runs a TV station and needless to say, they are both drop dead gorgeous. I would love for Tash to learn more about their work and enjoy their company as much as I do.

Visiting us the same night was Habiba, an Egyptian Italian who just moved back to Dubai from London so it was a delight to catch up with her over iftar and introduce her to my other inspirational friends in Dubai. I got to know Habiba through Leila, my French Algerian friend, ex-colleague and confidante who I love to bits and wish she was living here instead of Paris to share my girly nights with.

We sorely missed Rajah, my Fijian chum married to an Emirati, my Italian friend Michela and my gorgeous Belgian Moroccan neighbour Farah who is Dubai’s hottest fashion stylist. I so wanted to introduce Farah to all my regular friends because I think they would have gotten on so well together.

Having these treasured moments with friends are possibly the one thing that keeps me sane in between work and traffic. Whether it’s a Wagamama or movie session with Maissa or bumming on the couch with Rajah, there is nothing as therapeutic for a woman as a fun girly outing that’s full of laughter.

To all my gorgeous friends out there…I love you loads and hope to have more girly nights out…hopefully we shall have a bigger group for our next chick flick night. XXX