In 1998, my family decided to take a slightly chaotic and very off-brand spiritual journey: a trip to Rome during Ramadan. We boarded a ship from Athens to Ancona — which, if you’ve never done it, is basically like being trapped on a floating buffet where the entertainment makes no sense and your sister is [...]
Author: Saira Rasheed
THE SUMMER WE TURNED POOR
2000. We are back in Pakistan. This is not fair to me by any means. I am 9, I was born in post communist Bucharest and I only get 9 years of the Foreign Service whilst Tariq and Farzana get to float away in post BSc bliss in London after having been educated in American [...]
Ananda in The Himalayas
Earlier this year, Ananda in the Himalayas joined my Breakfast Club’s global network as a Wellness Partner. I have always cherished being connected with this incredible team—their depth of knowledge in wellness and Ayurvedic practices goes far beyond passing trends and fleeting fads. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Naresh from the Ananda [...]
Coffee with Virginia Weik of The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis New York holds a very special place in my heart and was one of the first places I ever had an alcoholic beverage — which may sound ridiculous, but it was actually a very special memory. The hotel, its history, and its very own identity make it a must for those visiting [...]
Roadside Daal, Stolen Shoes and a Belly Dancer: A Very Real Childhood Trip
When I was five, I went on pilgrimage. Yes, pilgrimage. This was during our move from Senegal to Greece. Spirituality. Clean white clothes. Zamzam water. You get the picture. Except—it wasn’t quite like that. Because we weren’t that kind of family. We went as a group—my parents, my siblings, and I—but very quickly it became [...]
Julie Danziger of EMBARK Beyond
I first started following EMBARK Beyond in 2020 while locked down in London, and I was immediately inspired by their forward-thinking approach. Fast forward five years, and the company has achieved even more. Julie Danziger, Co-Founder of EMBARK Beyond, is now also a Founding Member of my Breakfast Club, making this journey even more special. [...]
25 Years of Islamabad
19th January 2000 we landed in Pakistan - our origin that became home officially. I was told that life will change drastically and so it did, but Islamabad will always be home. You can leave Islamabad, but Islamabad doesn’t leave your heart. When my father retired from the Foreign Service, I was fairly young. Born [...]
The Story of the Saudi tenants (The easy ones)
I didn't even realise that I had preserved this memory away from my conscience for many years till recently but it really shaped my love for children and babies - not in a baby fever kind of way at all but in a natural way of bonding with kids and understanding cultures. When I was [...]
Athens: 1995 – 1998: Where the neighbours cats ate my pets & my siblings broke my face with a frisbee
We were very obsessed with Greece. It was a country that we had on the highest pedestal. Ironic in hindsight, but we were so in love. We felt we had hit the jackpot being posted there. Athens was the epitome of the diplomatic life for us. I was admitted to the cheaper school as my [...]
Elizabeth Mullins of the fifth avenue Hotel
I met Elizabeth through my amazing Breakfast Club ladies who wanted us to connect and meet. Little did I know, Elizabeth Mullins would turn out to be the most inspiring woman I have met in recent memory. Our worlds seemed to be similar with both of us coming from diplomatic backgrounds, having grown up seeing [...]
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