10 Things You Didn’t Know About Me
Hi! Welcome to my blog, Claire of Pemberley. My name is Claire Blumenthal. I’m assuming as this is my first post that most people reading this today are people who know me or who have at least heard about me. My story has been one wrapped in mystery and misunderstandings. I’m finally allowing myself to be open and honest with everyone. It’s all out in the open from here on out.
Here are ten things you may not know about me.
1. I was adopted. In the posts to come, I will be referring to different sets of parents. My biological parents had an affair and gave me up for adoption and my adopted parents are the selfless couple who adopted me at 6 weeks old and raised me and have supported me every day of my life. These four individuals will be known as my biological parents and my parents.
I have always known I was adopted and I could not be more grateful for the family I have.
2. I say Tehillim or Psalms every day. My relationship with God was pretty much a one-way street until I realized that He is ultimately my father in heaven and I his daughter. It’s vital to me to keep a running commentary throughout the day in my head going over all the ways that I’m thankful and recognizing that he is in control of everything. Without this constant thought process, I would not be able to function.
3. I owned a media company in Dubai where I launched a men’s digital magazine that I adored. The Pemberley Magazine took me out of very dark places and brought me into the light a bit. I grew a lot during the time that I owned The Pemberley Magazine and that is why I call myself Claire of Pemberley. Unfortunately, I’ve had to close its digital doors because Israel has told me that if I want to be seen as trustworthy by the Israeli government I need to leave my Arab life in Arab countries. It makes me sad to leave my life in Dubai but ultimately I would rather have a Jewish life in Israel than be alone in Dubai.
4. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in August of 2022. I am told I can reverse diabetes and stop the use of insulin injections but that’s only if I buckle down and focus on my health. Which unfortunately I have not been able to do, as of yet. Maybe today is the day I am able to make a change. #SugarFree2023
5. I have an absolute love affair with Sinai. They say that Dahab, a Bedouin village on the Sinai Peninsula, has a magnetic energy. Once you’ve been, it keeps drawing you back. It’s certainly true for me! It’s magical when the sun hits the mountains, and the sea looks like glass.
6. Before I was editor-in-chief of The Pemberley Magazine, I was a columnist for AMI Magazine. I was the original “Girl on a Diet”. I was ecstatic when my pitch was accepted. I had to give it up a few months later though due to the incapability to write after my father’s passing.
7. One of my biggest regrets (aside from being banned to enter Israel) is not learning a fair amount of Hebrew or Arabic. When I was in 6th grade and learning Social Studies, I wanted to be a translator for the UN. How fast we forget our childhood ambitions. The most I know how to say in Arabic is “Can I get more coal for my shisha, please?” I understand how to read and write in Hebrew because we learned at a young age in school so we could learn texts and pray but I haven’t gotten much further in my conversational Hebrew either. I am currently using Duolingo every day to relearn grammar and add more words to my vocabulary so I can live a full life in Israel once I get back.
8. If there was one thing I could change about myself it would be the pores on my nose. I’ve even done therapies to change the size! But to no avail, I’ll just have to learn how to apply makeup better, so it’s hidden, one of my new year’s resolutions!
9. I enjoy smoking shisha (hookah). At one point I was so addicted to it that I had every meeting at a shisha café in Dubai and would sit there for 12 hours straight. My favorite flavors are cinnamon gum and pina colada and watermelon if I’m somewhere primitive. It’s my favorite way to relax while watching people pass.
10. I have not shopped for clothing since 2018. In 2018 I thought it would be a good idea to be a minimalist with all the traveling I was doing. I decided I would not buy new clothes until the outfits I was wearing wore out or were unacceptable to wear anymore. Finally, I was down to just 3 or 4 dresses, and it was time to get some dresses made. With Dubai’s cheap labor I was able to get dresses made at minimum prices. I had designed my own dresses in the past but only for weddings because it was expensive and very hard to find clothes that were modest enough. But this time I took it to a whole new level…. I found a passion I’d never felt before. With the help of the best tailor in Dubai, I went from dressing like an awkward teenager to an elegant woman and I could not get enough. Let’s just say the minimalist idea may have gone out the window a bit. You can check out my designs on Instagram Here.
There you have it, 10 facts about me you may not have known. There is so much more to say and expound on, keep in touch and tell me what you’d like to hear more about in depth!