WOMAN’S WEEKLY | ‘I WANTED TO BE INVISIBLE’
I recently did some freelance writing for Woman’s Weekly, where I used to be senior writer. Click here to read my real life feature on adult anorexia.
Category Archive: PORTFOLIO
THE GUARDIAN | DUBAI GOES TO THE DOGS: CITY’S EXPAT CULTURE LEADS TO SURGE IN ABANDONED PETS
Click here to read my feature for the Guardian, Dubai goes to the dogs: city’s expat culture leads to surge in abandoned pets. Photographs also by me.
BUZZFEED | THESE TWO WOMEN ARE TRYING TO FINALLY GIVE ARABS SOME DECENT EMOJIS
Click here to read my article for Buzzfeed on the Dubai-originated Halla Walla emoji app, These Two Women Are Trying To Finally Give Arabs Some Decent Emojis
STYLIST ARABIA | A SAFE HAVEN
Increasing violence in the Middle East is making the UAE’s position as a sanctuary of relative peace and stability all the more crucial. I investigated what the UAE means to young Arabs, and how… Continue reading
STYLIST ARABIA | WORK/LIFE: ORGANIC FARMER
This was a regular feature I’d write every week for Stylist Arabia – a kind of ‘day in the life’ of women with interesting jobs. I found this organic farmer, who toils under… Continue reading
STYLIST ARABIA | GO ON A CULINARY ADVENTURE IN SRI LANKA
In which I eat my way round the south of Sri Lanka
STYLIST ARABIA | NEW SHOW BRINGS SURREAL CAIRO TO DUBAI
My news story on Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi for Stylist Arabia
STYLIST ARABIA | “GO BEYOND SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD”
It was an absolute joy to interview Dubai-based photographer Ekta Saran for this feature. ‘Chasing Bur Dubai’, her photo and video project documenting the hidden lives of one of Dubai’s oldest neighbourhoods, captures… Continue reading
STYLIST ARABIA | GET YOUR CULTURE FIX IN DOHA
My travel story about a surprisingly pleasant, art-filled weekend in Qatar
STYLIST ARABIA | THE ROAD IS NO PLACE FOR MACHISMO
Click here to read my latest column for Stylist Arabia
STYLIST ARABIA | TALKING BACK
How women in the Middle East are using online mapping tools to fight back against sexual harassment
STYLIST ARABIA | HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL
Click here to read my interview with the winner of the 2016 Montegrappa Writing Prize
STYLIST ARABIA | WHY I HATE ‘FEISTY’ FEMALE CHARACTERS
Click here to read my column on female film characters
STYLIST ARABIA | I’VE SWAPPED BINGE-WATCHING FOR BINGE-READING
Click here to read my column for The Books Issue of Stylist Arabia
STYLIST ARABIA | “DUBAI WAS ALWAYS TOP OF MY LIST”
Click here to read my interview with jewellery designer Monica Vinader
STYLIST ARABIA | QUIET ROAR
Dubai is probably the last place you’d expect to find an underground slam poetry scene, but I spoke to two women making it happen
STYLIST ARABIA | “STORYTELLING IS IN OUR DNA”
Click here to read my interview with the founder of Dubai’s literary festival, the largest in the Middle East
STYLIST ARABIA | FIGHT CLUB
Click here to read my feature for Stylist Arabia on two women who took part in the boxing documentary White Collar DXB
STYLIST ARABIA | WE COULD ALL USE AN UBER FULL OF KITTENS
Click here to read my regular column for Stylist Arabia, this time on the joy of looking after animals
STYLIST ARABIA | IRAN’S FESTIVAL DARLING
My interview with Narges Rashidi, breakout star of indie Iranian film Under The Shadow
STYLIST ARABIA | PRIZE FIGHTERS
My interview with the two women authors who were nominated for the notoriously male-dominated International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2016
STYLIST ARABIA | WHY SHOULDN’T HERMIONE GRANGER BE BLACK?
Click here to read my regular column for Stylist Arabia, this time on race on stage and screen
STYLIST ARABIA | GOTHIC GLAMOUR FROM LEBANON
Click here to read my interview with Lebanese jewellery designer Gaelle Khouri
STYLIST ARABIA | A STRANGER IN HER FATHER’S LAND
Click here to read my feature for Stylist Arabia on Palestinian photographer Rula Halawani
STYLIST ARABIA | GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? IT’S OVERRATED
Click here to read my regular column for Stylist Arabia, this time on going home for Christmas
STYLIST ARABIA | SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS
Click here to read my feature on camping in the Gulf
STYLIST ARABIA | THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR WOMEN-ONLY STUNT TEAM
Click here to read my news story for Stylist Arabia on an all-women plane stunt team
STYLIST ARABIA | THE POWER OF FOOD IS MAGICAL
Living for decades in exile from her home country of Libya, food became a crucial way of maintaining her cultural identity for Sherine Ben Halim Jafar. I interviewed her about her life story… Continue reading
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SCENT
A gorgeous feature to research and write, all about the neurological links between perfume and memory
GRAZIA | How To Recognise You Aren’t Just Sad About The Weather, But Have SAD
I’ve struggled with Seasonal Affective Disorder for pretty much my whole life (hence moving to Dubai!). I wrote about it for Grazia – click here to read the feature online
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | THE CURE
I went to Austria’s Vivamayr Altaussee clinic to try ‘the world’s toughest detox’ – and lived to tell the (kinda hilarious) tale
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | UNPRETTY
My investigation into the UAE’s alarming prevalence of body image disorders
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | 2015 BEAUTY HOT LIST
Every year, Women’s Health Middle East publishes a beauty bonus issue with a gorgeous flip cover. This year, I edited our accompanying annual Beauty Hot List of must-have products. Click here to read.
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | A PRIVATE PARADISE
Click here to read my Women’s Health Middle East travel feature on the Maldives
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION
You might not expect the insanely hot and arid UAE to have any organic farming, but it’s a burgeoning industry. I spoke to some of the people leading the charge
WOMEN’S HEALTH PANEL DISCUSSION
In May 2015, I spoke on a panel discussion about body image, as part of a health and wellness event hosted by fitness fashion brand, Hautletic, in collaboration with Women’s Health Middle East. This… Continue reading
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | FOREVER YOUNG?
Click here to read my Women’s Health Middle East feature on the “Peter Pan generation”
BUZZFEED | 24 THINGS YOU LEARN TO LOVE WHEN YOU MOVE TO DUBAI
Click here to read my Buzzfeed listicle, 24 Things You Learn To Love When You Move To Dubai
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | FROM PETRI DISH TO PLATE?
A newsy feature on where we’re at with the development of mass-market in vitro meat (and why it could be good news for our health and the environment)
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | SEEING RED?
I investigate the Gulf’s ‘anger epidemic’ (it’s a thing!)
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | FASHION INSIDERS
Click here to read my feature for the Women’s Health Middle East Fashion Special
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | NORTHERN SOUL
A trip to Thailand’s oft-overlooked northern region
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | BROKEN RECORDS
Click here to read my Women’s Health Middle East feature on the woman who broke the world record for number of burpees completed
BUZZFEED | 21 SECRETS GIRLS WHO LIFT WON’T TELL YOU
Another viral post on being a woman who lifts (this one at 1.9 million views and counting!). Click here to read 21 Secrets Girls Who Lift Won’t Tell You on Buzzfeed
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | EBB AND FLOW
This was a fun feature! I lived for a month according to a ‘hormone horoscope’, to see whether our cycle really impacts our everyday behaviour
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | GOING THE DISTANCE
Click here to read my feature on marathon training for Women’s Health Middle East
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | HOMEGROWN TALENT
To celebrate the UAE’s 43rd National Day, I wrote this feature on local fashion designers for Women’s Health Middle East. Click here to read the feature in full
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | PERK UP!
Click here to read my collaborative feature on coffee, using original material from Women’s Health US localised with extensive additional reporting for Women’s Health Middle East’s Gulf audience
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | SHOULD YOU UNPLUG YOUR LIFE?
Click here to read my full feature for Women’s Health Middle East on mobile phone addiction, Should You Unplug Your Life?
WOMEN’S HEALTH MIDDLE EAST | WOULD YOU POP A PILL TO FORGET YOUR EX?
This was such an interesting feature to research. It’s all about memory erasure therapy, how close it is to entering mainstream mental healthcare, and its implications for our emotional lives