The dining life of a special diet scanning the menus for codes like “V” for “Vegetarian” (or it is “Vegan”?). I was at a restaurant and they had a leaf icon for “vegan” and a carrot icon for “vegetarian” (go figure). Then there is all of the interrogating the server for the options. Amilla Maldives has eliminated this confusion by providing special menus printed with all the options for “Your Way” of eating, including:
Looking at the “better half” issues at the halfway point of International Women’s Month. Some women find their satisfaction in the workplace and some find it in the household. Some women find it from both. And for some, the home is the workplace. Such is the case with resort spouses. Juggling the two spaces can be a real challenge. Not to mention juggling the roles of worker and wife. Mind you, increasing numbers of men also face these dilemmas, but historically, it has been the women who were more torn between both. Amilla Maldives Victoria Kruse’s own juggling of so many roles, managing the blurred lines of home and work on a resort, and pioneering initiatives in the Maldives make her a role model for women looking at resort careers or co-careers with their husbands.
My father was a clergyman and so I observed the role that my mother played as “Minister’s Wife” which was also a “job” in its own right even though she did have her own career. The congregation had certain expectations about the presence and contribution of the minister’s spouse. So I grew up with a first-hand view of this informal business-marriage partnership.
The resort couple I have known the longest in the Maldives is Jason and Victoria Kruse. They are (along with atoll neighbours Sonu and Eva Shivdasani) one of the most prominent resort leadership couples in the Maldives. I’ve already profiled Jason’s extensive and distinguished career in the Maldives, but I have long wanted to do a similar profile on Victoria. Her contributions at Kurumba and then Amilla have been noteworthy and growing in prominence with every year of her service. When we last visited Amilla, we noticed that Victoria’s activity and role was beyond full-time and pervasively wearing so many hats. So she was happy to share an exclusive Maldives Complete interview about this experience:
The career opportunities for young women extend way beyond cuisine and coral reef, and Kuramathi resort is shining a light on the range of opportunities in science:
Historically, women have lagged in their interests and pursuit of “STEM” field (ie. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) though they are catching to the boys in recent years (and in some countries have surpassed them even) thanks to initiatives like this one to raise awareness and interest. For more details on what the Maldives is doing to promote women in STEM fields, check out this UN Development Programme report, “Seeing is believing, even through a screen: How can we inspire girls in the Maldives into STEM subjects?”
Cora Cora has turned the dining tables on the testosterone balance in the kitchen with Maldives’ only all-female staffed restaurant:
We can speak from experience, the delightful experience of dining at Ginger Moon ourselves, that the result in terms of the service, ambience and cuisine is exquisite.
International Women’s Day today is an occasion to celebrate women doing great things and the great things that women do. Nova resort is marking the occasion by hosting “Girls That Scuba” Ambassador Hamna Ali:
I caught up with Hamna in an exclusive Maldives Complete interview. She was especially positive about the website’s profiles on Maldivians doing intriguing work in their paradise of a country. She remarked, “In my experience, a lot of people don’t know the local side of the Maldives…such article It bring life into the other side of Maldives.” I checked out her website and I recognized her tiger shark photo (see directly below) which has gone a bit viral on Instagram.
Here is her contribution to a fascinating peek of that other side…
You can follow Hamna’s underwater adventures on her Instagram account and her webpage.
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A water villa slide is one of the most extravagant water villa luxuries found in the top super-premium resorts, but the mid-market priced Siyam World has also introduced them to all of its water villas as well. And extraordinary thrill for the ordinary budget.
If you want to frolic in the octopus’ garden, then Soneva Jani has taken water villa slides to the next level. Not only are they higher and longer than previous water villas slides, they are installed most water villas as well as a public area on at “The Gathering” hub. About time I added a “Slide” tag. Below is Lori enjoying a thrilling ride during our stay at Soneva Jani.
Octopus pancakes anyone? Well, no octopi were harmed in the making of your breakfast at Ayada.
We marvel at our daughter’s vegan discipline as that culinary lifestyle seems so limited. It seems all pulse and veggie stews. But Amilla Maldives features gourmet vegan “seafood” that would tempt us omnivores. The ingredients are based on a soy and meal recipe which with creates both the flavours and feel of range of seafood specialties.
I came across a nifty piece in National Geographic “Five Unmissable Dishes That Define the Maldives”. I’ve sampled 3 of them, but Kulhi Boakibaa, not yet. But if I wanted to, I would head to Riu Atoll where their chef Aritha Fernando not only serves it, but even shares his recipe for you to try at home – “Cooking with love in the Maldives with RIU”: