The buildup of excitement leading to an evening strategically organized by the clever ladies behind The Dinner Club 57 is beyond. After months of seeing and hearing stories of these secret evenings, you can only pray that you’ll be next to get the exclusive invite. Founded by Buthaina Al Mazrui and Alamira Noor Bani Hashim, The Dinner Club 57 has become the golden ticket to the best of the best in UAE.
I received my invite a few weeks before the actual event and that’s when the curiosity rooted itself. Who would be joining me at the dinner table? Where will it be located? What will be served? And, most importantly, what will I wear?! I contacted the lovely people at Symphony Dubai and they were generous enough to let me wear a stunning red Vivienne Westwood dress (they used it for their latest campaign-which you absolutely MUST see) for my special evening.
A few days before the dinner, I got an unexpected knock on my front door from my mailman. A plain envelope with only my name on it. I opened it to find a map of the secret location. I can’t stress how incredible it is to have beautifully printed matter mailed to you. Seriously, take note: attention to detail is what truly makes the magic. There were simple directions, the last of which said “If you see something unusual, you are at the right place.”
The night had finally arrived. I opened a traditional Emirati fort gate to a trail of candles guiding me along the ocean and to the spectacular dinner table. This place was like nothing I’d ever seen in Abu Dhabi before. It was a traditional setting, an old abandoned hookah bar waiting for a new development to bury it into the ground. It’s one of the last remnants of the old city, with the buzz of the new circling around you. We dined in the wind-tower, and with summer here, what a perfect location to have one of the last outdoor dinners of the season.
The food was beyond delicious, served personally by our hosts. The smart design and music eased conversation amongst some of the most influential women in this country. Fendi sponsored the night and gave each one of us a completely handmade leather clutch and a copy of their fantastic book, Baguette. I felt so lucky to be sitting amongst such masterminds! What a better way to meet new people?!

The evening was truly unforgettable. I can’t hand it to Buthaina and Noor enough. These young women are changing the way Abu Dhabi eats, thinks and interacts one meal at a time. Bravo!

View the rest of the photos here: The Dinner Club 57

Umm..Beirut. I know they say New York is the city that never sleeps but that’s a serious lie. People sleep a lot in New York. You walk around at 4am and it’s pretty quiet on the streets, and if people are still partying, it stays inside. Beirut, on the other hand. Beirut does not sleep. And I did not sleep in Beirut. The reason I’m writing this post so late is because I was busy catching up on the sleep that I lost in my 5 days there.
I feel like every city I fall madly in love with has some French history. Like New Orleans. And same with Beirut. Yes, colonization is a horrible thing and I should not embrace it. But, god damn, it made Beirut’s architecture so beautiful. Another horrible thing that I kind of love: the ruins of Lebanon’s civil war. Buildings and monuments previously bombed still stand tall amidst completely modern architecture, a reminder of the country’s bloody past. Also, the mixture of Christianity and Islam blending throughout the country. Walking into a cathedral and then entering a Mosque on the same block. Blew my mind.
Beirut is full of life and history, and Lebanon in general is a beautiful country. But, let me tell you, these people know how to party. Bar hopping until 6am, dancing to incredible music (except house, sorry, I hate house) and then hopping into a taxi that’s blasting incredible Arabic music on your way home for a quick nap before doing it all over again. AND THE FOOD. Oh my god, the food. Don’t even get me started because I’m about to cry now that I’m back in the Emirates.

Beirut, you are now on my top 3 list of incredible cities. Thank you!

Love always, a voiceless and sleepy Yumna.

View the rest of the photos here: Beirut

Just when I thought I couldn’t have fun in Abu Dhabi, it happens all at once.

Yachts, beaches, swimming pools, good food and endless dancing.

View the rest of the photos here: Play Hard

The New Year began in Brooklyn. I worked a full-time job in the fashion industry. It made me happy up until fashion week came around, which I covered and simultaneously despised. At first, leaving the job seemed terrifying, but ultimately became the biggest blessing in disguise. Although I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, I knew exactly what I didn’t want to do, and who I didn’t want to work for or with. And I quickly moved forward. I was featured as a Rising Photographer on Dazed Digital. I escaped to New Orleans with Clayton and KT for my first Mardi Gras. I fell in love with the city that I’d heard so much about, and yes, it was just as magical as everyone claims. Met Jac, who not only became a muse, but an incredible friend and partner in adventure. I made many incredible friends this year, but also lost a few. I realized that there’s a twisted beauty in losing friends. It became a reminder to appreciate the gifts which they bring into your life, a reminder that everyone comes in and out of your life for a reason. I worked on a short film, which was fun and beautiful. Spent a few weeks in LA with my brother and Jac. I rented a mini-cooper convertible and found myself staying in the Morning View Mansion that Incubus recorded in (high-school swoon!). Back in NYC, my car became my second home. I found any excuse to escape the city, and did practically every week. I spent a lot of time with my dear friend Derek in his incredibly beautiful home in the Catskills. It became my favorite place to escape, to think, to create and to feel endless comfort. I discovered epic swimming holes, beaches, weird towns in Jersey, and spent a lot of time at home in DC with my family. One of my favorite escapes was living on the most beautiful houseboat in Provincetown, with Clayton and KT. We rocked day and night, watched lightning storms, cooked delicious food, and explored the secret treasures of that little town. I found so much love in both Clayton and KT. They became so much more than friends to me; they were lovers, teachers with the most open hearts, and endless, non-judgmental care. The long-awaited departure from New York to live in The Middle East became more real to me as time passed. Between finding work to save for my expedition, and preparing for the actual move, I hit a rough spot and lost quite a bit of my sanity. My healing involved a lot of acupuncture and long motorcycle rides with a special man. And, of course, my beautiful friends took very good care of me. Kira Madden and I spent countless nights drinking wine, sharing endless knowledge, laughter and tears together. Danielle Redman always opened her warm arms, and we caused trouble all over the city, danced, twerked and watched sunrises. And Jac, my beautiful Jac became a sister to me, always around to escape when I needed it, even on a minutes notice. As the time to leave came close, I prepared by packing, and dancing as I saw fit. I got a week’s notice that I could finally go to Yemen, and I did. But not without trouble. I dealt with bureaucratic drama, which eventually led to me spending an unexpected week in Istanbul. Then, finally, my long-awaited time in Yemen arrived. I spent three weeks exploring the devastating mess my home had become. I treated myself to a few weeks in Cairo, and fell completely head over heels in love with it. I worked on an epic story with a new beautiful friend, Ghazala Irshad. And now, I’m here in Abu Dhabi working on some magic.

This year has been a whirlwind of adventure. I want to say that I’ve learned so much this year, but I know that I’ll be saying that at the end of every year to come. I started this year thinking I knew exactly what I wanted. And now, at the end of the year, I can proudly say that I know absolutely nothing, except for the fact that I’m heading in the right direction.

A happy and safe New Year to you ALL. I hope you find happiness, love and adventure in the year to come.

(Click here for last year’s Year in Review)

View the rest of the photos here: 2012, A Year in Review

I spent my 24th birthday in the two countries that make up my blood. Yemen and Egypt. I know you’ve all heard me rant on about Yemen, a place so dear to me. But the truth is that I am only half Yemeni, my other half is Egyptian. Because of my distant relationship with my mother, I had never been to Egypt.
After news of my wonderful Swedish friends heading to Cairo to report, I decided to join. My family in Yemen threw me a surprise birthday party fully equipped with delicious food, amazing music and belly dancing, and I hopped onto a plane for Egypt right after.
Upon arrival, a football player-sized Egyptian man, Mowafak, was waiting for me with a sign that said my name in both English and Arabic. I immediately felt at home. We drove through Cairo with Om Kalthoum softly playing on the radio, until we reached the houseboat on the Nile that would become home for the next nine days.
Cairo was home to both my mother and father when they were my age. It’s where they met, where they were educated, a place that had to exist in order for me and my siblings to come into existence. As I roamed through Tahrir, I wondered what it was like for my father to go to that same square every day, attending university, having no clue of the symbolic value it would hold for me and my generation today.
Tahrir was an experience beyond words and photographs. The energy was epic, historic. I met brilliant and caring people in Tahrir. I felt a country coming together for freedom. Yes, there was violence, tear gas, disgusting instances of sexual harassment, but the good energy overpowered all of these things.

Egypt really stole my heart, and now that I’m in Abu Dhabi, I’m not really sure if this is where I’m meant to be living.
Cairo, I believe I’ll be seeing you again, very soon.

View the rest of the photos here: Cairo

Due to current political turmoil, I wasn’t able to get on a plane from JFK to Yemen last week. I struggled for 18 hours with my Yemeni family on the phone yelling in one ear to get on the plane anyway, while airport staff threatened to deport me if I stepped foot Yemen. “You’re an Arashi! You have Yemeni blood! Don’t they understand how things work here?,” “Ma’am, if you enter Yemen as an American citizen, you will be arrested and deported. We cannot advise you to get on this plane.”
I decided to play it safe. With my layover Istanbul, I stayed a few days after Eid passed and the consulate in Turkey reopened. The staff knew my family, and thankfully pulled a few strings for me to enter.
My few days alone in Istanbul were interesting, my Eid spent alone was unexpected. I was literally thrown into the city with no prior plans, no accommodations, no language and no contacts at all. But I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m glad my adventure began this way- thrown into the fucking deep end all alone, and warmed up for the rest of my long swim home.
Istanbul is a spectacular city, but I am so glad to finally be in Yemen. Let the magic begin!

View the rest of the photos here: Istanbul

I took Jac down to DC and gave her a tour of my hometown this past week. We snuck into my old backyard, which is basically just huge woods and creek. Leaves were falling and the warm light was beaming through the branches. It was so beautiful to make photos in a place where the younger me would spend hours dreaming up a storm. It hasn’t changed one bit, and I hope it never will.

View the rest of the photos here: Jac in Infrared

The light has been perfect lately. The temperature is cooler. The pace is slower. The people are warmer. My patience has been lacking, but a good friend reminded me to be here, now. To enjoy every moment for what it is. “You’re here for a reason.”

View the rest of the photos here: Achromatic Autumn

I cannot believe summer is coming to an end. But, what an amazing one it has been. Here are some shots from August, I think the pictures speak for themselves.

View the rest of the photos here: The Rest of August

“I wanted to be alone in quite an unusual, new way. The very opposite of what you are thinking: namely, without myself…” -Pirandello, One, No One & One Hundred Thousand

There has been a lot of movement here. There has been a lot of realizations in movement, learning how the rest of the world adapts to our aerodynamic speed, and how we in turn do the same. Maybe it’s the speed that keeps us away from our darker self, while we laugh at its attempt to always catch up.

View the rest of the photos here: No Emotion