yay

Okay, I'm really super excited because so many American stores and restaurants have been opening here in Riyadh. Just a few that I'm lovin...Gap, Payless, Carter's, AppleBees, and Fridays, to name a few. And now there's a new one to add to the list. It's one of hubby and I's favorite places to eat when we come to the US...drum roll please....Outback Steakhouse! Yay!

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not someone who has to use all American things or has to eat all American foods just because I'm American. I love this big wide world, and I love experiencing all the different things from it (from shopping to eating to learning about customs, etc.). But when you live far, far away from home, it just feels so comforting to see something you not only know, but something you love.

Hubby, little guy, and I went to eat at the new Outback here and I was happy that it was very close to the US. It's like a taste of home. ;-) For fun, I took some pics (oh yeah, for my family members reading this, you probably know a certain couple that I also took these pics for...wink, wink). This particular Outback has two entrances. Most restaurants do in Riyadh because one entrance is for "family" and one for "men". If I go out to eat with just my girlfriends, we'd go to the family section. Families also sit in the family section. But if a group of guys go out to eat, they'd sit in the men's section. It's a cultural thing. Anyway, what I thought was cool is that they had one entrance in English and one in Arabic. Take a look:

The restaurant is located inside a mall and is actually on the 2nd floor. You take an elevator (or stairs) up to the actual restaurant. Across from this entrance is this:

Btw, I can actually read this. My written Arabic is way better than my spoken Arabic.

So anyway, there's a little look at some Saudi life for you. ;-) And to think...some people still think that all Saudis live in tents...now, where did we park our camel?...lol. :-)