We Should Officially Call These Meet Ups "Cinderella Nights"

Let's Volt In!

A Cinderella Night would normally begin with a simple message like, "Let's volt in - October 24". Then, there's me telling my husband and kids that I will be out from the afternoon of that day and may not be back until very late at night.

On the day of our meet-up, my kids would still ask, "Mommy, what time will you be back?"

"Late. You know my friends," I'd say. 😜

The "volt in" begins with a late lunch. Or early dinner, whichever it may be called - just the same. Lunch at 3:00pm-ish.

Actually, we feel like more than meeting each other, our Dubai friend is just "exploiting" us so that she could eat Filipino food. LOL.This time, we tried another Filipino restaurant for the first time. The server said they've been in Abu Dhabi for about a year.

Balbacua, Mixed Noodles, Daing na Bangus and Pinadapang Manok (not in photo) for dinner.

We would eat (with food critiquing on the side) and catch up on each other's lives. This time, it would be five months since we last met.

Coffee Time!

Of course, these meet ups won't be complete without coffee! We headed to Souq Al Mina again, firstly to get focaccia bread at Marmellata because Friend 1 would bring it back home for her hubs. But then we did not realize that Marmelatta was closed on Tuesdays, sooo, "Sorry, Dan!"

We moved on to a nearby coffee shop and ordered our coffee. Friend 2 got this special from the shop's "Milky Signature".

Friend 1 and I both tried their French Press (mid roast Costa Rican blend).

We enjoyed how the barista patiently explained to us the different brews and beans they use. Eventually, when he served this coffee, he said that he wished we saw him prepare it. Yeah, I kind of wish that, too.

We then continued chatting, talking mostly about the difference in the lifestyle in the Philippines and here in the UAE. We couldn't help but compare, especially since I was there for four months and Friend 2 also had her vacation in June.

Coffee Time (Pt 2)

We eventually realized that the Souq Al Mina was noisy -- there was this constant noise from the petroleum ship that was docked at the port. We decided to move along and since we don't know where to go, we ended up at Marsa Mina again.

It may be because it was a week day, or something else, there were not a lot of food trucks/shops open when we came.

We went around and ended up at Courchevel. Friend 1 ordered a capuccino, to load up caffeine for her drive back to Dubai while friend 2 and I got the smoothie that the server was too eager to let us try. It's a mix of berries with mango ice cream as the base. Quite tasty, I'd say.

Close to Midnight.

Friend 1's hubs called to check on her, what time she would head back. It was about 11:00pm already. A few minutes more and I saw my husband calling. Really?!

"Mommy, where are you?!" I heard that sweet, tiny voice at the other end of the line. LOL, my youngest was still awake and was waiting for me to come home.

"I'm coming home," I sad.

"Are you coming home tonight, or tomorrow?!" my friends and I all cracked up upon hearing this. LOL, now I am scared. 😱

That said, the three of us knew that we had to start moving or the next meet-up might be in peril.

Friend 1 was able to drop me off at home at exactly 12:00 midnight. Wheew! Talk about a Cinderella Night, eh?!