Dubai Update: April 2012

Helloooo!
I cant say that I have been overly inspired to blog this year... the inspiration & motivation has been lacking, and often times I find myself looking at a blank screen, and the ideas and words just dont come out. So my apologies for no updates or very few posts this year, I do intend to start up again as there are so many wonderful things to write about :) This post will consist of various random Dubai news updates, and is dedicated to the memory of Saffron.

Saffron:
Yesterday, I had to say goodbye to our cute little fluffy hamster Saffron. The vet suspected that she had a stomach tumor, which are apparently quite common amongst hamsters. With that in mind, we knew it was her time as we didnt want her to suffer. Saffron had a great life and we enjoyed our time with her. RIP little one.

Obi
In other pet news, Obi has settled in nicely, and is such a great kitty. We love him so much, and enjoy our moments with him. He has become rather mischievous at times, looking for trouble at every opportunity available, but it's all kitten fun & keeps us laughing, especially when the catnip is out.

Zumba Fitness:
The gym that we joined offers many workout classes so as a resolution to get fit, I started trying out different classes. This led me to discover Zumba Fitness!!! After one class, I was hooked & wanted to know more about anything and everything Zumba. Soon thereafter I discovered that a Zumba instructors training course was coming to Dubai, and without hesitation, I signed myself up. The training course was done with Hermann Melo, and it was an amazing 2 days - lots of new information acquired, lots of Zumba dancing, and lots of fun! I have now started practicing the materials we were given as I have also signed myself up for the Zumba instructors Level 2 coming up in May. Ive even come to love the Zumba clothing - they look 80s inspired in bright colours, but are a blast to wear.
If you havent tried Zumba, I highly suggest you try a class! More info can be found at http://www.zumba.com/ where you can find classes near you, and generally get more info about it.  

Kenyan Student Sponsorship
I have sponsored a student to continue on to secondary education at the Olympic Secondary School in Kenya. Alex is 15 years old and resides in Kibera, the largest slum of East Africa. This wonderful sponsorship program was established by my parents who recognized the need to help these students continue on to secondary education as otherwise they would not be able to afford it. In first world countries, we take education for granted, but these children desperately want to go to school and further their education as it's really an opportunity for them to get out of the slums. When my parents asked if we wanted to sponsor a child, we were thrilled to participate.
* Does this sound like something you would be interested in supporting as well ? If so, GREAT! For a donation of $350 CDN, a student gets one year tuition paid including their books, exams, uniforms and shoes. In addition, each child has been set-up with an email account to correspond with it's sponsor. We can't wait to hear from Alex :) It's sad to think that we spend that kind of money on going out or buying new clothes, but this is money well spent on providing a child with a future. Every single penny donated goes towards the child!
* As a side note, the Rick Goodfellow Golf Invitational is fast approaching in Ottawa Canada - which is in support of the Olympic School in Kenya. If you would like to participate, donate money, or sponsor a hole, please let us know asap - it would be immensely appreciated!!! Please help support a great cause :)
More info available at http://www.rgicharity.com/

New Career Opportunities
At the beginning of April, Aaron and I decided to end our working relationship together. It wasn't something I was passionate about, and for that reason, I wasn't giving it my all. While I am still helping him with his inquiries, admin work and videos, I am doing a lot of self-reflection to see what I would like to pursue in order to build a lasting career. The answer is still vague, but I am considering a few options still in the early stages so Ill share in another update...
I did interview with Emirates Airlines to be The Face of Emirates at their international events and press releases, but it was not for me... The position was for single ladies, and companies in the United Arab Emirates can discriminate based on age, looks, nationality and the likes. So when Emirates announced that the ladies chosen had to live in Emirates apartments with other girls, this job was no longer viable as the wedding is 4 months away, and living away from my husband was not an option. It was a good experience though !

Ottawa Visitors
On April 26th, my Mom and her two sisters Guylaine & Line will be arriving in Dubai for a 10 day adventure. We are so excited to be welcoming them! This will be Line's first transatlantic trip ever!!! Lots of fun activities in store :)

Wow, so how was that for an update ? Hope you enjoyed reading ! Keep smiling :)

xox <3 xox

Obi, The Cat

Growing up, I always had pets around - from birds, hamsters, cats, dogs, and horses. But when one lives abroad the logistics of owning a pet gets to be a trickier when traveling and relocation come into play. While I had a hamster Safron, it's just not as interactive as a cat or a dog. So, my solution was to join a great cat adoption program called Feline Friends (http://www.felinefriendsdubai.com/), and we would become kitty foster parents. Stray cats and animal abuse are quite rampid here in Dubai so we figured it would be nice to help the little kitties in need :) And, we both love cats so much!

Obi came to us last Wednesday February 29th in the afternoon as a shy 7 month old black & white kitten with big green eyes... but it didnt take long before he was exploring our apartment, and getting to know us. And within 24 hours, he had us wrapped around his little paws and we considered him part of the family.

Obi was found at the young age of 2 months, along with his mother and 2 brothers by Feline Friends as they had been abandoned. Since then, his family members have all been adopted, and unfortunately, Obi has had three other foster parents in 5 months :( This is baffling as he is such a great kitty!!! As for his name, Im not sure why he is called "Obi", but it comes from Nigerian origins meaning "heart". The movie buffs and Star Wars fans are probably thinking about Obie Wan Kenobi; and the rappers out may be reminded of Obie Trice. Nonetheless, it's a peculiar name that suits him. 

Favorite Toys: stuffed lion & mouse toys, but his favorite is tossing our potpourri arrangements all over the place while we work, and then chasing after the leaves on the ground! the rustling drives him nuts :)
Favorite Food: fish & seafood wet food, stinky! He also loves drinking water straight from the tap, and then playing in it and splashing everywhere
Favorite Treat: biltong (dried beef jerky)
Favorite Activity: hamster watching... Obi & Safron have become good friends :) Obi enjoys keeping Safron company next to her cage, and making sure she doesnt get stuck in tight spaces in her hamster ball.

Obi has claws and as a kitten he accidentally scratched us a few times. It wasnt enough to really hurt, but we were slightly worried about the furniture when he was left alone. But, we found this GREAT solution called SoftPaws - they are little coverings that are glued onto each front claw with non-toxic glue, available in various colours. They last about 4-6 weeks, and the cat doesnt really notice them. Obi is sporting the white SoftPaws as his beginner trial pair :)

Simply fallen in love with this cat, and cant imagine daily life without him. While there are still adoption formalities to finalize, we are pleased to announce that we will be keeping him!!!
Welcome to our family Obi :)

xox <3 xox



Dubai Update 10/12: My 27th Birthday !

Birthday Surprise ~
 
     On December 7th, I started celebrating my upcoming 27th birthday week at the Seafire steakhouse in the Atlantis. We both enjoyed a wonderful meal, and indulged in their magnificent food. We of course both had our usuals - me a tenderloin. As a side note, Sergio Garcia was at the table next to ours since the Race to Dubai golf tournament was just starting.

       On December 8th, I was sleeping and thought nothing of it when he came to tell me he was home. As I stirred in bed and opened my eyes, I couldnt believe what I was seeing... My Mom and aunty Michelle were standing there in my bedroom - they had come from Ottawa to surprise me for my birthday & to bring Christmas spirit over to Dubai !!!

For the next 10 days, my Mom, Michelle & I were constantly on the move, enjoying our wonderful time together:
* We ended up going to the Race to Dubai to watch the pros of the European Tour on Sunday, the final day. Tickets were free! We watched from the tee-off boxes, fairway shots, and putting - and followed the #1 player on tour Luke Donald. It's always impressive seeing these guys live, just to see and appreciate their sheer talent. We then got home, and quickly got ready for my birthday dinner with friends at the Thai Bistro in the Dubai Marine. It was an all you can eat & drink thai buffet, but it wasn't that impressive. The food was ok, and it didnt live up to our Thai Wok experiences, but we had a great night with friends & family. Thanks to everyone who came and made it a great night :)

* I was absolutely spoiled for my birthday!!! Considering Mom and Michelle had come from Ottawa, I hadnt expected additional gifts. But, low and behold, my Mom showered me with presents - sandals, jean capris, two tops, a skirt, and a Hello Kitty bathrob. WOW! I can't wait to meet the dolphins and ride a horse :) THANK YOU !

* One day, the ladies and I rented a car and made our way to Abu Dhabi. I was worried that the ladies would have a hard time driving in the aggressive UAE manner, but they did really well and managed perfectly, without even getting lost once.
- We stopped at Yas Island's Ferrari World - the largest indoor theme park in the world, to experience their rollercoaster, which is of course the fastest rollercoaster in the world. We arrived at 11 am, and there was hardly anyone there, and so there was a very little wait for the coaster. We were all a bit tense waiting to ride it... to give you an idea, it goes from 0-240 km/hour is 4.9 seconds, with a G-force of 1.7 gs. This coaster is pretty impressive - riders must wear safety goggles, there is no overhead harness, there is a lapbar and seatbelt to keep you in, it is designed to replicate an F1 racetrack, and needless to say, it is FAST. I yelled my little heart out for the first half of the ride, then relaxed a bit... It is such a rush - so much so, that we got off and did it again immediately! For the rollercoaster fans, this is definitely a ride you must try at least once :)
- While the main attraction at Ferrari World is the Formula Rossa coaster, we also toured around the rest of the facilities and did their other coaster, where 2 tracks race side by side. It was also a great experience, and lots of fun.

- Next we headed over to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is one of the largest mosque's in the world, and the largest in the UAE - it cost over $1 billion to build and it can accomodate 40,000 people for prayer. This mosque is absolutely beautiful, and a must-see if in the region. For those considering a visit, be warned - ladies you will be given an abaya and a headscarf to wear & men must wear long pants or they too are given a cover-up. It is free to tour the mosque, and there are several guided tours - we joined a tour for a bit, and the guides are quite informative. Unlike most tourist attractions, there are no souvernirs or gitchy things being sold. Nice. The artwork and sheer beauty was breathtaking - and while we were in a mosque, we didnt feel it was overly religious or awkward to tour.
- We finished off our Abu Dhabi day with a light Arabic dinner at the Fairmont. It's a beautiful hotel with great views of the mosque. Aaron was working at the Fairmont that night so we stayed and hung out with him before his event.

* The ladies wanted to go to the Gold & Spice souk so we spent an entire afternoon there one day. Again, this is a definite must-experience when in Dubai. We stocked up on spices, beautiful pashmina's and jewelry. The ladies did very well for themselves, and got amazing deals - when in the Souks, dont forget to negotiate the prices!

* Another day, we ventured to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and had lunch at the Atmosphere. This restaurant and lounge is on the 135th floor (I believe) just a few floors away from the observation deck, so why not enjoy your time at the top of the world with a delicious lunch. They have different lunch specials at decent prices, and I would also recommend this place... Great views of the city on a clear day, and nice food (call ahead for reservations though!).

* Friday afternoon brunches are famous in Dubai, and the ladies absolutely wanted to try one before leaving. We chose the Saffron brunch at the Atlantis so that they could see the hotel, the aquariums, and enjoy one of the best brunches in Dubai. It was my second time returning, and I must say I did quite well for myself the first time - great food & drinks, painting a picture. This time I didnt find the food as good, maybe the selection is too fast so it's hard to make a choice, but the drinks were just as delicious, and the ladies and I filled our boots. I was actually impressed with the shots Mom and Michelle were taking back haha - they were getting right into it. By the end, we were sitting at a drink filled table, paintings in hand, stuffed full of food, and thoroughly content :) Aaron joined us during his break...

All in all, I had one of the best birthday weeks ever...incredibly memorable and fun! It was so easy and such a pleasure to host these ladies; they are welcome back anytime :) Thank you Mom and Michelle for coming to Dubai and surprising me :) I think it's safe to say that 2011 has been the year of surprises. My 26th year was a good one, and Im looking forward to my 27th year on this planet - I dont feel older, only wiser ;)

Happy New Year !!! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012 !!! Let's remember to be positive, caring and kind ... be the change!

xox <3 xox

Dubai Update: November v2

~ Paul McCartney Concert ~

On Sunday November 13^th, I had just returned from the gym when we got a phone call saying we were invited to the Paul McCartney concert at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi that night. It was 7:30 pm, it takes over an hour to drive there – we had to shower, get ready, and eat? We hurried ourselves up, and got there having only missed 4 songs !!! Not only did we have free admission, we were given VIP passes right at the front of the stage … incredible !

Paul certainly knew how to put on a show for the 20,000 plus in attendance… the following link provides the set-list for that night’s concert:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/paul-mccartney/2011/yas-arena-abu-dhabi-united-arab-emirates-13d1fd8d.html

What can I say about Paul McCartney?
I was not familiar with his solo hits, but we wanted to see this living legend live. We were blown away with his showmanship and talent, and really enjoyed the concert. People didn’t really get too excited when he played his solo songs, but everyone was having a right good time when he played the Beatles songs.

Paul played song after song for 3 solid hours, including two encores. He continually made references to Abu Dhabi, spoke a bit of Arabic and told the crowd interesting stories along the way. Paul switched between a few guitars, a ukulele, and the piano… And then all of a sudden, the song Live and Let Die came on, and the pyrotechnics came out in full blast. Fireworks high above the stage, and shooting all over the stage – not something you would particularly expect from a man pushing his late 60’s. WOW!

I couldn’t review this concert without mentioning the band as well. Great energy and sheer talent!

All throughout the concert, I couldn’t help but think of my parents. Both of them had grown up listening to and idolizing the Beatles, and because of that – and Beatles RockBand, I had known that music as well. I had actually surprised Aaron with how many songs I knew and sang along too… My parents have not had the chance to see Mr. McCartney live, and so I was extra grateful to be standing there at this concert, only a few rows back, enjoying it in its entirety. I even got teary eyed during Eleanor Rigby and Let It Be …

For a short clip of Paul singing Let It Be at Yas Island click on the following link - you can even hear the crowd singing along, and I do apologize it's a bit shaky hehe:  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K6GDxYp_4o&feature=feedu

And another clip from Live & Let Die with the pyro follow this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg0jSBp9Mp4

I often wonder which artists in my generation will leave a lasting legacy over 5 decades such as the Beatles and Paul McCartney, or even the Rolling Stones whom I had the pleasure of seeing live in Shanghai. Obviously the scene has evolved due to technology, but it seems sex tapes and scandals sell music, whereas sheer talent is often overlooked… Oh well, the Paul McCartney show is definitely at the top of my list for best concerts, and I would suggest going if his tour stops in a city near you.

xox <3 xox



Dubai Update: November v1

These past few weeks have been really exciting over here in Dubai, never a dull moment, that’s for sure. Events, holidays, concerts, work… No rest for the wicked!

~ Halloween ~
Halloween – one of my favorite holidays! So we went all out, and made the most of it… Friday October 28^th, we went to Chi The Lodge with Heather, her husband Matt, their friend Andy for their annual Halloween party. I was extremely impressed by the costumes, and the effort people had made – wow! Some costumes actually truly scared me to the point I had to look away, and some were majorly impressive – like the Predator, or BumbleBee Transformer, who both won for best individual costumes. We were dressed as 80’s punk rockers for this party.

On Saturday night, our friend Sumit was hosting a Halloween party at his house. Not too many people were dressed up, but it was nice to gather with friends and meet new people. I dressed up as a cat.

Finally, on Monday October 31^st – Halloween night – we went to the Cavalli Club for their dinner package with Sumit, Rasha, Heather & Matt. While there weren’t many people for the actual dinner, the club quickly filled with dressed up partiers having a spooktacular time. The club did an impressive job at theming the party. For instance, upon arrival we were given blood injections to be drank from a syringe – it was really blood mary, the decorations were quite well done, the food was Halloween themed, and they had acrobatics from the ceiling…We danced the night away, enjoyed the costumes & had a great time.

 

We also found a few stores that sold pumpkins… The nicer bigger pumpkins were rather expensive & I certainly wasn’t going to enjoy carving a $30 pumpkin! We ended up getting one each at Carrefour for only $5, and while they were small, they were still fun to carve. I did mine as a cat to match my outfit.

xox <3 xox

Parents in Dubai

In September, my parents came to visit us here in Dubai for one week. The week went by so quickly, and we did tons of great things around the city. My parents had spent about 3 weeks on safari in Kenya, so Dubai was on their way home back to Canada. While I have lived abroad in many countries for short amounts of time, this was the first time that they had come to visit me in my own place - what a grown up feeling, to host your parents in your very own apartment!

During the week we took them on a tour of the city and did many different things. They got to see that when Dubai sets its sights on something, it goes bigger & better than anywhere else. Everything from the Burj Khalifa, to JBR, the Palm, the Burj Al Arab, the Dubai Mall to name a few. We also spent a lot of time at the pool just relaxing & keeping cool! It was extremely hot the week they were here so we tried to stay cool as best we could.

Short summary of the week :
* We stopped by the Atlantis to view the hotel, it's grounds & the fishtank. While we didnt go in for the aqaurium tour, the tanks at the Atlantis are much nicer than the one in the Dubai Mall (in my opinion). You can spend hours looking at the different fish and watching their behaviours! The hotel is lavish, it's almost a bit tacky - like Vegas, but it's not something you see in Ottawa or Canada really.

* One night for dinner we stopped at Flavours on Two in the Towers Rotana. They have a great dinner brunch with a different theme each night. That night it was Indian, and so we indulged in a bit of food and a lot of wine. With the engagement two nights prior, and all the excitment of having my parents in Dubai, it was not a pleasant following morning for me YIKES ! hahaha

* We spent one afternoon relaxing on the beach in the Jumeirah Beach Park. I had never been, but it was beautiful ! When I was a child, we used to go on beach holidays and spend every day on the beach for hours on end. This reminded me of those times, and it was great. We swam in the warm ocean, read our books, people watched and I got a sunburn. And while I had told them the ocean would be warm - not even refreshing really, they were incredibly surprised to experience it for themselves. The ocean is quite clear, the sand was really soft, you could walk into the sea for a long time, and the waves were little - so it was perfect.

* My Mom had wanted to see the fountains, so I had taken her on two different nights. We must have seen them over a dozen times since one night they had a show every 15 minutes or so. No matter how many times you see the fountains, it is always amazing & never gets boring. Although I am rather disappointed that we didn't see the Thriller show, but we did see the Celine Dion one, the Whitney Houston one, some Arabic music ones, and a few Opera ones. On the way to the airport, we stopped to watch the fountains one last time before departure. My parents was amazed, and couldn't believe this was in our city - and it's free !

* When we visited the Fountains, we also toured the Dubai Mall. With it's own aquarium, a skating rink, Sega game world, a waterfall, and such, we didn't see it all - but we did tour the high end designer stores, which was quite a thrill. And what I always find amazing about this Mall is that it is always full and busy!

* We also ventured to the Bur Dubai area to see the Gold & Spice Souk. I had also never been, but it was terrific. I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Dubai, and to those who live here. At the Spice Souk we got great little spice packages - they had vendors upon vendors with so many different spices and flavours on display, it was beautiful. Similarly in the Gold Souk, we just toured around the shops and couldn't believe the worth of all that gold just sitting in all those shops! My mom had wanted to buy something original as her Dubai souvenir, but we didnt' come across anything too remarkable. In both places you can negotiate the prices which add a little excitment to the shopping experience, and the spices were definitely cheaper than at the grocery stores here.

* With so many great places to visit, we decided to stop by the Souk Madinat. We ended up taking a little boat ride around the Madinat and the surrounding hotels, and it was quite nice. The grounds there are absolutely beautiful, and it was like we had ventured to another part of the world, but with the Burj Al Arab in the background. The shops were relatively quiet since it was a Friday afternoon, but my Mom did manage to find her great Dubai souvenir - a silk cover up that really could be a dress. It is a piece of art in itself.

* On our last night together, we went to Channels dinner brunch at the Media Rotana. It was Asian fusion night, but it left us all with a bad stomach. Needless to say, I dont recommend it. After we stopped in Nelson's and danced for quite a while. The DJ was playing some oldies tunes, and taking requests as well, so we all joined in on the dancefloor. I must say it was rather cute to see my parents dancing in the bar !

The week went by way too quickly, and it was sad to see them off. Now that they are both retired, they can technically come visit whenever they want ! There were still things we didn't get to do, so it is an excuse to come back - although visiting me should be excuse enough! haha It's too bad it's just so darn far with an expensive visit visa haha. Showing my parents around, and seeing their perspective on this city, also gave me a new appreciation of the city. When I had first arrived, I was just like them - in awe of the city, and loving it. But it gets so easy to focus on the negatives in every day life, and to forget the great things - I mean we are living in a foreign country tax free with such a great standard of living, great restaurants & shopping, beaches, hot weather, really almost anything we could want. Life in Dubai is great !

Mom & Dad thank you so much for everything, it was such a beautiful week ! Can't wait for your next trip :)

xox <3 xox

Thanksgiving in Dubai

Canadian Thanksgiving:

     This year, Canadian Thanksgiving seemd to come quick on Monday October 10th. For those of you who don't know, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated the second Monday in the month of October, while American Thanksgiving is on the 4th Thursday in November. While the dates differ, the meaning is esentially the same - as the name would suggest, to give thanks for what we have with friends and family. Food usually consists of turkey, veggies, gravy, desserts - you know, all those yummy things!

   Seeing as we are rather far from family & friends, I started my own tradition in Dubai. HI thought Id cook a feast. For the appetizers, I put shaved turkey, hummus, cheese & herbs on a cracker, and warmed it in the over. Mmmm. I then served a roast chicken, asparagus, potato roasties, gravy & buns, and a large garden salad for dinner. Mmmm. It was also my lucky day since I found some Clamato juice in the Waitrose supermarket, as well as celery, so I treated myself to a delicious Caesar! Mmmm. We ended the night with two different desserts with a lot of chocolote and peanut peanut butter. Mmmm.

   There was a lot to be grateful this year, and we took the time to recognize it all. I am grateful for our health, for our work, for our happiness, for our wonderful families, for amazing friends, for good times & those not so fun times, everything! These are the things that I am grateful for all the time - not just one day of the year. Unfortunately, we often forget how lucky we are in this world, so it is nice to take the time to appreciate.
  

   Thanksgiving this year brought some very happy news ! A very good friend of the family had been diagnosed with cancer this year. Doctors weren't really sure what the situation was until they could operate, and remove the cancerous cells. After the surgery, there was a long 2 week waiting game... But then, right before Thanksgiving weekend, the doctors had let him know that they had managed to get everything and that he was in fact going to be ok ! He will now get a second lease on life, and everyone is just so happy for him and his family! I really couldnt have wished for better news, and what good timing :)

   October is a great month with Thanksgiving, Halloween, fall colours turning in Ottawa, cooler weather in Dubai - what a great time of year. I cant wait for Halloween here !

****

   Thank you for the continued support on this blog, I know I say it alot, but I truly mean it ~ I have nearly hit 3,000 hits from around the world ! I am a bit behind in my posts with some posts about our vacation to England unfinished, and I'd also like to post about my parents visiting here in Dubai ! What a great time :) That sums it up for now!

   xox <3 xox