Saturday, December 29, 2012

Spa time

So I've been extremely busy with work and family visitors. Now I am on vacation and have nothing planned for this week. It feels good!
Time to drink plenty of tea and relax!

I must book myself into an ottoman spa...a few months ago I went to a spa on The Palm and it was superb!
The massage treatment I booked was lovely and as an added bonus I could use all the facilities. In most spas you can use the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. However at the Zabeel Saray spa they have a salt swimming pool, adventure showers, steam room, sauna, hot stone relaxation chairs, freezing cold plunge pool and many relaxation areas.
It was so peaceful. Bliss!


Saturday, December 8, 2012

Shivering in Dubai

It's Winter in Dubai! After the heavy rainfalls of last week Dubai's weather has drastically changed...it is freezing!
On the way to work I have to wrap myself up in layers and put the car heater on. No AC allowed!
When I get home I put on my fluffy dressing gown and my Ugg boot slippers. Hibernation!
What I don't understand is how come nobody else feels the cold?? At work most of my colleagues were wearing t-shirts...and I'm there wearing a big jumper. What is wrong with everyone?
How does nobody else feel the cold? What on earth would I do if I went back to the UK?
He understands what I'm talking about!

Friday, December 7, 2012

If you have food in your fridge...

Is this really true? If it is then Alhamdulillah! I am blessed! How can I help the people who are less fortunate? Does this make you feel guilty...it makes me feel guilty and like I have a duty to help others...but like I've said before you can't help everyone so where shall I start?

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Emirati Food at Festival City

I visited an Emirati restaurant in Festival City today called Al Fanar. The food was so flavoursome and fresh!
The restaurant is located along the Canal Walk outside the Mall. The entrance was a stone archway and before you reached the seating area you were taken on a mini journey through old UAE. They had several statues of Emirati men and women cooking, fishing etc It was really interesting to see and made me even more excited about the food.
We then decided to sit inside as it was too hot at lunchtime...however outside there was arabic majlis type sitting which I would have loved to try.

The inside of the restaurant was decorated with artefacts and had a beautiful tree in the middle. The atmosphere was quiet and had Qu'ran playing, which made the setting very serene.
 We received the menus and I was delighted to see that each dish was accompanied by a photograph. This made it simple to choose! Unfortunately I forgot my camera at home therefore I have had to use photographs from the restaurants website.
For starters we had...
Vegetable Samboosa
Koftat Samak
They both came with a tasty hot sauce type dip. The samboosas had plenty of flavour and the pastry was crispy. The fish melted in your mouth and had a fresh taste to it. Both dishes were very light and we eagerly awaited our main course...
Beryani Dajaj
This was a massive dish enough for two people. I loved the sweetness of the sultanas with the fragrant rice. The crispy onions also worked well with the rice and chicken. This dish was also very light and we moved onto our dessert...
Luqaimat
We had to wait ten minutes for our dessert as they were being made at that moment. They were hot and syrupy and went really well with the mint tea we ordered. The Luqaimat we had were drizzled with a thick syrup and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. I want some more!

I have guests visiting soon so I will be taking them to this restaurant to try the wonderful Emirati cuisine! However next time I will be getting a plate of Luqaimat for myself!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

My BBQ week

I bought a BBQ!
Smokey Joe
I have only attended friend's BBQs and I usually just sit around and get the food handed to me on a plate. I had no idea how to start a BBQ or how to cook the food. I assumed it was just really simple, and it was. On Saturday I had my first BBQ and it was successful! I loved it!
I lit this on my own!!!
My BBQ week

Saturday:
OK so today I did not have a car so I could not go out to get any groceries therefore I used what was left in my fridge...

Chicken Kebabs and Kofta
Aubergines
Pink clouds!!!!
 Sunday:

Herby chicken kebabs
 Monday:
My secret recipe cheeseburgers

Snacks on the balcony
 Tuesday:
Hotdogs

Melted cookie and marshmellows
Wednesday:
Nandos Chicken Kebab
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Thursday:
Today I gave up on the BBQ! Take-away!!!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Frustration!!!

I am having the worst week of my life!!! As I have mentioned in a previous post my car has been scratched so is at the garage being repaired.
I thought it would take a day to fix it but apparently I will only get it back on Thursday. I tried to argue on the phone with the car man but in the end he had enough of me and said,
'Do you want it fixed or not?'
To which I replied 'Yes' very quietly.

So I have been getting taxis to and from work, which is costing a lot! Today I had a massive argument with the taxi driver as he would not listen to me!!! I was so frustrated. I have been really calm for a long time but today I just blew up.
I told him the exact directions but he kept going a different way. In the end he took the wrong exit on Emirates road and I went mad! I told him to stop the taxi and that I was not paying for him to tour around Dubai! I told him to stop the taxi at the side and I would get out. He refused then turned the taxi meter off so I did not have to pay the full amount.
He then had to turn around to go back to were I lived at which point he took me via a 'shortcut' which it was not! I told him specifically which way to go and he said 'No no you will see!'
At this point I shouted
'THIS IS MY COUNTRY! I'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS WAY HOME FOR 4 YEARS!'
Both sentences were lies, but I was right...it took me double the time to get home.

I am now really angry that I became angry whilst I was going through a state of calmness and peace.
I am a little happy that I did not have to pay the full taxi fare.
I am really dreading having to take taxis for the rest of the week.
I have never loved my car so much in my life!!!! Alhamdullilah!

On a positive note yesterday I got henna done...for National Day...oh no...I just remembered I was annoyed and argued with the henna lady as the two hands were not the same. OK so maybe I should chill out a bit more. Maybe the walk through the secret gardens did not work...



Saturday, November 24, 2012

The beauty of nature

So a few days ago my car was hit whilst it was parked at work. According to the security guard and the police my car was parked perfectly and it was the other drivers fault...I got the green paper. Woohoo!
Anyways the back of my beautiful car has a dent and the paint has come off so I have to take it to be repaired. I now feel so lost without my car!!!

Everyone who knows me knows that my car is my best friend and even when I used to live 3 minutes from work I still took my car. Today I have been trapped at home so I decided to take a walk around my area, which I have never done despite having lived here for a few months.

This is what I found...
The Secret Garden




 I did get caught in the sprinklers but it was nice. I should do this more often! MashAllah the beauty of nature is mesmerising!

Friday, November 23, 2012

The Woman in Black

Today I visited the theatre to watch 'The Woman in Black.' I had seen it at the Madinat Theatre a few years ago when it was showing in Dubai and had to go and see it again since they were back here.
The movie is based on this storyline however differs slightly and obviously can be shown in more detail on the screen. The theatrical performance was fantastic and very interesting as there were only two actors. There was also the 'woman in black' who popped up occasionally to give everyone a fright! They were helped along by fantastic sound effects - I can still hear the drumming of the rocking chair.
I went to the afternoon performance thinking that it would be quieter but the theatre was full. There were three rows of students from the same school who annoyed me and kept screaming when it was not even scary, but during the interval they kept saying how they weren't scared?!? Anyway the actors and the story was so engaging that I soon forgot about the pretentious kids.

If you don't know already 'The Woman in Black' is about...a woman in black...who haunts a town due to a tragedy that occurred long long ago. I don't want to give too much away.
I really enjoyed the show and thought the actors were tremendous; the two men changed accents, clothing, the set and put on a brilliant performance without even breaking a sweat! I admire confident people like that.

'The Woman in Black' is on for the rest of the week so if you get a chance go and see it!
Not for the faint hearted or pretentious students!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Project Cupcake - Dubai Mall

I don't usually like the taste of cakes in Dubai so I was a bit skeptical when a friend suggested I try the cupcakes from Project Cupcake in Dubai Mall.

WOW! Which one to choose?

They did not have many flavours but the ones they did have sounded delicious! I took quite a while to choose what I wanted...in the end my table opted for...

Mont Rose

Belgian chocolate cupcake kissed with a pink vanilla frosting

Nutella Madness

Secret recipe Belgian

chocolate cupcake centred
with Nutella, topped with a
Nutella frosting 




California Dreaming

Vanilla California cupcake

topped with a cloud of
marshmallow frosting

Sparkly marshmellow!

All were extremely delicious, moist and full of flavour! I wanted more but was held back.
I think this will be a usual treat for me and I will not rest until I have tried all the flavours!

UPDATE! Two days after I wrote this I invited a friend to come to Project Cupcake with me again! I really shouldn't have but...mmmm I did! I got a Red Velvet Valentine.
Soft red velvet cake,
delicately finished with
a cream cheese frosting.
I can't stop myself!