the Borderless Culture Life & Style

Star Gazing at El Matador Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:47:00 +0000

It's my favorite beach in Malibu. The sand is smooth...the rocks are worn and arranged like a sculpture museum...it's beautiful...keeps a low profile and nourishes your soul. I've gone there a handful of times. Once for a birthday picnic. We lay there on our picnic blanket, listened to the waves and watched the sunset with no one around us. I went again most recently with my sister who was visiting and we saw for the first time, this beach blanketed with some rather debaucherous starfish enjoying the rays of the sun.

It was a good day.

From Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras to the Ninth Ward

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:03:00 +0000

With the recent Superbowl win, New Orleans this February felt like a phoenix rising. Mardi Gras on February 16th, 2010 was electric and extra celebratory. The feeling in the air was buoyant and alive. The crowds were densely packed, often jumping in unison to catch those famous multi-colored beads tossed unceasingly from those beautiful, inventive and elaborately crafted floats. The hard drum beat from the numerous marching bands kept people moving. When the parades were over, the crowds filtered en masse into the French Quarter. And there people with their fanciful costumes, rubbed shoulders with tourists and other locals. The line for Cafe du Monde stretched down the street, everyone craving those warm doughy beignets caked in powdered sugar. As the day progressed, the bars got increasingly busy, and the revelers rowdier and wilder.

Floats from Mardi Gras 2010

For the few days, I was in New Orleans, I visited the French Quarter daily. I love the music that echoes through the streets, the architecture and the galleries. We indulged and sampled the best restaurants in the French Quarter and every night, they were overflowing with patrons. It was wonderful to see a New Orleans so full of life, so vibrant. So different from the images I saw on the news in August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit.

Images from Mardi Gras 2010

Musicians and a tap dancer in the French Quarter

This was my second visit to New Orleans. The first was in 2003. It is such an incredible city. The rich melding of so many cultures and influences. And perhaps if I had just stayed in the French Quarter this time, I would have easily assumed that New Orleans was back on track, that everything was rebuilt and back to normal. But that would be far from the truth.

New Orleans is still struggling with this new normal. When you wander outside the French Quarter, signs of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina are still visible. A constant and painful reminder of what was lost.

Empty lots and destroyed empty homes - Rebuilding New Orleans still has a ways to go

When Hurricane Katrina hit, the French Quarter was not as badly affected because it stands on higher ground. The areas that were hit the hardest lay 6 to 12 feet below sea level. And when the high winds violently blew and flood walls failed, huge sections of New Orleans was submerged under stagnant water for weeks. The water became all the more toxic over time as gasoline and car fluids and other chemicals from home appliances bled into the water. Some houses, civic centers, schools, grocery stores, commercial spaces, hospitals continue to rot with mold. What I learned this time during my visit that I had not realized before, but seems so obvious, was that so many of the buildings that were affected by the hurricane had to be gutted and upgraded before inhabitants could move back in.

Abandoned homes in the 9th ward

It has thus required a tremendous investment - financial and emotional, patience and a steel will to overcome this disaster. There were a couple counties that were completely destroyed. New Orleans had 9 hospitals pre-Katrina, now they have 5. There are school buildings that are still dormant, sealed and silent. Grocery stores are fewer and further apart. How do you live in a city that can no longer provide you with healthcare or your daily necessities? Many national businesses, have still not returned. They are holding out to see how the reconstruction plays out, before they recommit. Strip malls lay empty and abandoned. I was told that local businesses are fighting to re-open, to revive their communities. But then often times finding the old employees to run the businesses is also a challenge as New Orleans has lost a significant number of their population - who just could not return.

Strip malls that still lay dormant four and a half years later

For residents of the more impoverished Ninth Ward, Upper and Lower, the area that was perhaps the hardest hit from Katrina as they were flooded from multiple sources, rebuilding continues to be struggle in spite of the assistance from Habitat for Humanity and numerous celebrities including Brad Pitt, Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis.

Yes, New Orleans is still hurting despite valiant efforts to rebuild and recover. For a brief moment in time, Mardi Gras reminded us all of the joie de vivre that once was and still is so prevalent in this city. There is a spirit you find in cities that have experienced the worst that humanity can bare. There is just that extra passion for life, that extra appreciation for what you have got and that extra love for those people dear to you. I went to New Orleans to see in part what had happened four and half years after Hurricane Katrina and perhaps to see how I could help. While I left with a twinge of sadness, that one feels when you see someone you care about hurt, I did not however, expect to leave feeling so enriched with life lessons of perseverance, gratitude, and overcoming what seems to be insurmountable difficulties.

Beads that caught in the electrical wires

Smart, Simple and Romantic...Sigh....

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:22:00 +0000

I'm not usually one to do a post on commercials from Google no less, but for some reason and I am a little embarrassed to say, I loved this ad from Superbowl Sunday. Perhaps because I am a sucker for romance, or Paris....

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;from=metadatawidget_en-us_foxpsorts_videocentral&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;vid=f0aab814-4dca-4ae5-8920-af71d05e1287" target="_new" title="Google: Search On"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Google: Search On&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Garbage Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:25:00 +0000

Keeping on the subject of Egypt, I saw last night an incredible documentary. Perhaps one of the best I have seen in a really long time. It is called Garbage Dreams. It is the directorial debut of Mai Iskander and it is a tremendous effort. It is a powerful story about growing up, the hopes and dreams we carry in our lives, community, family, human and cultural survival. This movie also casts a beautiful light on a group of people who are too invisible to the rest of the world and gives them a voice.

The synopsis according to the website is as follows:
Filmed over four years, GARBAGE DREAMS follows three teenage boys – Adham, a bright precocious 17-year-old; Osama, a charming impish 16-year-old; Nabil, a shy artistic 18-year-old – born into the trash trade and growing up in the world’s largest garbage village, a ghetto located on the outskirts of Cairo. It is a world folded onto itself, an impenetrable labyrinth of narrow roadways camouflaged by trash; it is home to 60,000 Zaballeen (or Zabbaleen), Egypt’s “garbage people.”

For generations, the residents of Cairo have depended on the Zaballeen to collect their trash, paying them only a minimal amount for their garbage collection services. The Zaballeen survive by recycling the city’s waste. These entrepreneurial garbage workers recycle 80% of all the garbage they collect, creating what is arguably the world’s most efficient waste disposal system.

When the city they keep clean suddenly decides to replace the Zaballeen with multinational garbage disposal companies, the Zaballeen community finds itself at a crossroads. Face to face with the globalization of their trade, each of the teenage boys is forced to make choices that will impact his future and the survival of his community.

Interview with director, producer, cinematographer Mai Iskander:

The movie is touching, poignant, at times humorous, and enlightening. We will find out on February 2nd whether Garbage Dreams, already shortlisted for an Oscar nomination, moves one step closer to receiving that well deserved golden statue.

A Trip to late 19th and early 20th Century Cairo

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:48:00 +0000

It has already been a couple days of dismal gray skies with uncharacteristic outbursts of heavy rain in Los Angeles and the weather forecast predicts a week more. Southern California spoils you with an abundance of warm sunny weather, that when it rains, I forget how to handle any other type of weather. So with my mind on warmer sunnier days, I started sifting through photographs from past travels and realized that there are a host of images that I took in Cairo, Egypt that I never posted. These pictures hold for me a fascinating revelation about Egypt that I have never read in any architecture, travel or guide book. If it was not for Ahmed Bindari, who spent the day showing me around Cairo, I would have never seen these extraordinary buildings.

Most people when they visit Egypt see glorious buildings and treasures from Egypt's rich Pharaonic history and from their days as the heart and mind of the Islamic empire. Few people however pay much attention to the incredibly interesting hybrid architecture of Cairo from the 19th and early 20th century where art nouveau and art deco and motifs from Islamic architecture meld together create a new architectural language and identity... or where Jewish, Islamic and Christian icons are woven together throughout the facade and interiors of an apartment building.... Bindari documents these buildings for the Egyptian government. He has found most of these buildings strolling through the intricate network of narrow Cairene streets. And for one day two Novembers ago, he gave me a peak into this extraordinary world of modern Egyptian architecture.

Apartment building - notice the asymmetrical arches

Yup, a Rococo style palace in the heart of Cairo built by an Italian architect for knife-maker Habib Sakakini. This building is visible from numerous axes, as handful of streets end at its doorstep. Despite initial plans to turn it into some sort of a museum - that has not come to pass. It is now used by a handful of rather lazy government officials who now refuse access to all visitors. We were granted access later in the day by a more friendly and accomodating caretaker after we supplemented his salary a little.

Palace Sakakini, interior
Sakakini Palace, interior stairs

Sakakini Palace, exterior

This apartment building located in the Daher neighborhood of Cairo, I call the mixed faith building. The exterior has a mixture of Islamic and Art Deco motifs while the interior (see below) has the star of David in its iron work and Christian motifs on the mailboxes (not shown here).

Art Nouveau styled building - private residence

Art Nouveau Style House on Aly Bahsa Mobrak Street - Private Residence

Apartment Buildings

This incredible jewel of an apartment building in the historic El Darb El Ahmar district is being torn down by its owner. Half the interiors on the first and second floors are already destroyed. The only reason it is still standing is because of third floor resident Salah El-Din who loves this building, refuses to leave his apartment and is fighting to save it. For his determination and perseverance, he has paid a price - his wife and children have moved out. When we met Salah, he had padlocked the front door of the building to keep the owner out. The pictures below are the interiors of his apartment.

Unfortunately, many of these buildings shown here are under-valued and under-appreciated in Cairo and most building owners would rather tear down these buildings and build anew then work to conserve them. Cairo is so densely rich with incredible historical architecture yet so limited in funds, it is often too difficult a task to select which buildings should be saved and which destroyed.

For more images from 19th and early 2oth Century Egypt check out: www.egyptedantan.com/egypt.htm

For more information on Sakakini Palace:
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sakakinipalace.htm

Reflections on Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:22:00 +0000

After the last glass of champagne was drunk and the last wedding toast was made at my sister's wedding celebrations a few weeks ago in England, my husband and I decided to make our way over the Celtic Sea to the Emerald Isle, otherwise known as Ireland for a wee vacation. During our six days we were there, we visited Cork on the southeast of Ireland, drove up to the Dingle Peninsula in the west and then drove northeast to Dublin.
Now being travel junkies, Ireland is definitely not the most exotic place we had ever visited. For people who like to be challenged and taken out of our element and comfort zone - this was not the trip. Nevertheless, we did have some very special experiences. A good friend of mine whom I knew many years ago in Tokyo, who has since returned to her hometown of Dublin, told me that there was a concern that Irish hospitality and their friendly nature was on the wane. But we happily reported that we met incredibly helpful and friendly people. Any Irish person we stopped for directions, and that was often, was always very generous with their time. (The only exception were two African taxi drivers in Dublin - one drove away instantly in tremendous haste when I in my most friendly yet pathetic voice asked for directions to our hotel. It was as if I had just asked for his first born. The other taxi driver informed me that any directions he would give me would result in me getting even more lost, so it was best he said nothing).

The name the Emerald Isle is a very apt for Ireland. I don't think I have ever seen such endless fields of brilliant green. Coming from pollution rich Los Angeles, I inhaled the Irish country air like it was my last breath. And while we were never suddenly inundated by herds of sheep on a narrow country road as I had desperately hoped to be, we did see sheep everywhere - white little furry clouds like polka dots against a lush green backdrop. We also did see a lot of cows which are no doubt responsible for the sinfully delicious butter and ice-cream we had in too much abundance all over Ireland.

In the City of Cork, we stayed at this wonderful hotel called the Hayfield Manor. The grounds and the rooms were large, well kept and comfortable. And for the most part our service was very good. But something did strike me as odd. They, at this hotel, had a huge number of Eastern Europeans who worked as wait and support staff. That in itself is perhaps not so unusual. After an influx of Eastern European countries joined the EU, many came to Ireland from Eastern Europe drawn to the opportunities available when the Irish economy was booming as the Celtic Tiger. However, what was so striking, given that they are working in the hospitality business, is that none of them ever smiled. There was instead a harshness in their tone when they took your order, brought you your food, cleared the table. They were actually so cold, that I started to feel very uncomfortable. Did they not know that communism had failed and that big brother was no longer watching them? I finally concluded that either the hotel was badly abusing them or that the vestiges of the dark days of communism still hung heavily over their heads. Or perhaps it was the endless rainfall all summer. That would make me cranky too.

As we travelled around Ireland, we did meet many more people from Eastern Europe who had left their own countries and made new homes in Ireland and for the most part, our experiences were much more positive after we left the Hayfield Manor. Odd.
For us, the city of Cork was a huge disappointment, as was Kinsale, the supposed sailing and foodie capital of Ireland. I think if we knew better, our time would have been better spend driving around the Irish countryside. Kinsale, although, lauded as wonderfully picturesque and glamorous felt more like a kitschy tourist trap. And although, we went to one of the most renowned restaurants in Kinsale for lunch "Fishy Fishy," I can't say we were blown away. For the most part we were completely thrown by how overpriced the restaurants were in Ireland. Most of food we had was wildly disappointing if not sometimes inedible until we got to Dublin. (Although, we did have one of the best fish and chips ever in Dingle).

We did learn while in Ireland, that the Irish still take their potatoes very seriously. Every meal I had, every meal, came with potatoes. As if not carb-ridden enough, my big bowl of pasta at dinner one night came with a side of potatoes three ways - potato croquet, french fries (which the Irish do very well), and potato gratin. "Would you like some more potatoes with your potato?"

Something the Irish make very well however, is soup. I never had so many different soups from so many different kinds of food establishments and they were all good.

Dingle Peninsula

From Cork we drove to the Dingle Peninsula. Dingle turned out to be a wonderfully charming town. Very picturesque - with planes of green grass terminating in black cliffs that plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. We only had one night there, but wished we had more. It would have been a great location to do some hiking.

Good pub in Dingle

Fast food in Dingle

Our final destination was Dublin - which we loved. Dublin has a great vibe and energy. Although, we visited the all standard tourist destinations, my most favorite parts of Dublin were found when we just wondered around aimlessly. There was however, one historic building well visited by all tourists, that as an architect and a nerd gave me tingly sensation down my spine. Well actually it was one room in particular - The Long Room in Trinity College. I was in love. It is the main chamber in the Old Library of Trinity and is 65 meters in length and houses 200,000 of the Library's oldest books. This room is spectacular. It killed me that they did not allow photography. I would have gone wild capturing every angle, every detail. Instead I just stood there, motionless, trying to memorize every little nook, every capital, every arch. My only option was to buy a postcard of the room (which I have scanned below), but the image does not do it justice.

Dublin Castle

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

St. Patrick's Cathedral Interior
James Whiteside, Chief Justice of Ireland 1866-1876

Capital, interior St. Patrick's Cathedral

While in Dublin we stayed at the Dylan Hotel - a uber chic, sometimes a little too cool to be practical hotel. We loved our stay there. The service was exceptional. Our room was comfortable, the bathroom was little odd but since each room has its own unique design, it may have just been our bathroom. The location was also great. The Dylan Hotel is located just on the periphery of all that craziness in Dublin. Turn down the street and you have escaped the hustle and bustle of the city but within a 10 minute walk you are back in the middle of the throng.

Lounge area, Dylan Hotel

My last comment on Ireland is about the street signage. I would imagine that many of the people who visit Ireland rent cars and drive from town to town, as we did. However, in all the research I did on Ireland and in all the guidebooks I read, nobody mentioned how direly lacking street signage is in Ireland! They are either invisible covered by a tree or ivy, or mislabeled or missing. At first I thought, it was just because we were tourists and didn't know any better; didn't know where to look; just weren't savvy enough. Turns out the Irish also have problems with their own street signs. It seems that we were all getting lost together. In addition to the lack of signage, the Irish also love their roundabouts. They are everywhere coupled with the poor signage. You have no choice but to keep going in circles trying to guess the best road out. On the plus side, we had none of the common problems we read about renting cars in Ireland. Our car we rented still had the new car smell and drove like a dream. We loved our peppy Peugeot.

If we had to do it all over again, I would definitely go back to Dublin and Dingle but instead of the southeast, I think I would focus more on the northwest of Ireland as was recommended to us at the end of our trip. Our trip was not as thrilling as I would have hoped, but it was an experience we would never forget. And now back in Los Angeles, every time I open up my refrigerator and pull out that Irish butter to slather on toast, I am once again in the midst of rich green fields surrounded by sheep and cows.

Aaah...breathe deeply.

Bath Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:30:00 +0000

So it seems, contrary to my sentiments in my previous post, some recent developments in the City of Bath have called into question how purely picturesque and historic this city truly is - and how worthy it is of its unique World Heritage status.

First I should correct myself. Apparently there are only two cities in the world - where the entire city has been awarded as a World Heritage Site. One is Bath and the only other is Venice. Only Dubrovnik's old walled city has been awarded that status not the entire city.

Back to Bath - with its most famous Roman ruins north of the Alps; the Georgian city which evolved over the 17th and 18th century, harmoniously planned and laid out with Palladian inspired architecture and urban design. So harmonious in fact that two new huge urban development projects almost had UNESCO rescind Bath's prized World Heritage status. A shameful fate that has befallen only the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman.

The first of these controversial projects is Southgate - an urban mall designed by Chapman Taylor. It is unfortunately, one of the first buildings you see when you step out of the train station. While most of it is still under construction, I did see some of the complex start to take shape and it does stick out like a sore thumb. Architecturally, it is definitely not the first thing you want to see when you enter the city. Jonathan Glancey in The Guardian described its style as "Las Vegas Georgian for its soulless imitation."

Southgate - artist renderings
(Images from www.southgatebath.com)

Southgate - Aerial view
(Images from www.southgatebath.com)

The other apparent urban blight that has just received the go ahead from Bath council leaders despite tremendous opposition is Western Riverside - a huge residential complex designed by Feilden Clegg and Bradley that will include 2200 flats and take the form of blocks of 9 story buildings. Apparently, rather generic in design, critics claim that it looks no different from buildings you would see in any other part of the world. Critics also say that both projects lack a sense of scale and place and are a complete deviation from the understated monumentality that makes buildings like the Royal Crescent and the Circus in Bath so special. Both the Western Riverside and Southgate are expected to be completed next year.

Western Riverside
(image from www.bathwesternriverside.co.uk)

Going back to my prior post (which I still stand by) about Bath simply too picturesque... I simply don't think I know any other city in the world that can pinpoint only two developments that they consider unsightly. In most cities the commercial pull of the developer is infinitely much stronger. (Uh, Los Angeles). But then I guess, not all cities have the distinction of being a World Heritage Site. This predicament then begs the question - when you have a historic city of such extreme architectural unity and beauty and new urban developments projects are necessary to service a growing population - what design or form should they take?

A little Roman with the Georgian in Contemporary Pretty Pretty Bath

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Since I reside the majority of my time in Los Angeles, a city which epitomizes American urban sprawl and endless miles of hideous strip malls, the thought of a place being too picturesque rarely enters my mind. That is not to say that there is no beauty in Los Angeles. The ocean, the lush natural environment of the mountains and the desert are incredible. A meditator's dream. But generally, Los Angeles is a city of grit. One can drive miles and miles in a desperate search for thoughtful design and come up empty.

And then there is a place like the city of Bath in England.
It is almost so pretty, so overwhelmingly picturesque, that my foreign, unsophisticated eye could almost not handle it. Can a place be too picturesque, too charming? Can such a thing be possible?

While visiting the more industrial city of Birmingham this past May, I took a two and a half hour train ride through the lush English countryside, down to Bath for a day.
The City of Bath was originally founded around naturally occurring hot springs. During the Roman occupation of Britain, the Romans built their famous baths (see images below) and temples. Having lived in Italy and visited the sites of many a Roman bath, I was amazed at how well preserved this bath in England is. Not only was I able to get a good sense of how the space was developed and used by Roman society, with a lot of the structure still intact, I was also able to marvel at its engineering.

The Great Bath

Overlooking the Sacred Spring

The brilliance of Roman construction hollowed out tiles bricks to lighten the load of the roof and to serve as an effective insulator.

During the Georgian era, the city became a popular spa resort which provided the city with some of the best examples of Georgian architecture constructed from the 'Bath stone.' In 1987, the City of Bath, the entire city, was honored with the designation of a World Heritage Site.
The other prominent monument in the main town square is the Bath Abbey which originated in the mid-700's. The first effective king of all England, Edgar, was crowned in this Abbey by St. Dunstan and St. Oswald in 973. During the Middle Ages, the Abbey and its Monastery continued to thrive with a growing middle class. Even during the bubonic plague or Black Death, the church remained an important part of English life, providing guidance and assistance to a devastated population.

Bath Abbey nave

Under the rule of Henry VIII, his clashes with the Catholic church resulted in the closing of all monasteries and this church essentially fell into ruin after January 1539. For twenty years the parish stayed dormant. It was not revitalized and rebuilt until the rule of his daughter, Queen Elizabeth who supported a plan to restore the abbey as a parish church of the Church of England - which it remains today.

In 1942, the city of Bath was bombed in the midst of World War Two and the Abbey was damaged once again. Restoration of the Abbey finally took place between 1991-2000. The organ was rebuilt and the Risen Christ statue was created.

Reconstructed organ

"The Kiss" by local artist Sophie Ryder inside the Abbey

The Risen Christ Statue outside the South Transept

The Minotaur also by Sophie Ryder in front of the Abbey - a little brute amongst the beauty

Royal Victoria Park - lush greenery and manicured parks also envelop the city of Bath

In conclusion after my day in Bath, I suppose a city can be 24 hour beauty all 7 days of the week. But for me, the city of Bath would be a too sleepy and just too pretty place to live. (Aside from the one disgruntled resident, stuck in 'rush hour' in Bath who tried to run me down). I suppose I have gotten used to needing a little grit with my architectural or natural beauty. I thought about another city that also has the title of World Heritage Site - the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. With its fortress walls plunging straight into the blue waters of the Adriatic, this city is extremely, breathtakingly beautiful. After all it is known as the pearl of the Adriatic. However, the bullet holes that still remains in some of the buildings, the sagging orange tiled roofs, the laundry hung out to dry and of course a history of war and a fight for survival gives the city a raw edge, a vulnerability and complexity that is captivating beyond the initial brush of beauty. Perhaps my time was brief, but I did not see or feel that in Bath.

But for a day trip - I had a good time.

Out and About Southern California: From Country Marts and Monocle to Sea Urchins and the Channel Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:56:00 +0000

Sea lions and a seagull enjoying the sun

The month of April has turned out to be surprisingly busy for me, which has resulted in a lack of posts. However, with the weather warming up, I also seem to be scurrying around a little more and so here are a couple updates on some recent activities.

This past weekend we visited up the Brentwood Country Mart for the first time in search of Monocle's new store in Los Angeles - its first ever in North America after the success of the original store in Marylebone in London. In spite of my high hopes and great anticipation, I left somewhat disappointed. During mid-day Saturday, around lunch time no less, when there was increased buzz and circulation around the store, we spent 45 minutes waiting for the store to open. The "Back in 15 minutes" sign was obviously not very accurate. During that time, we saw other potential customers approach the store, peak through the window and walk away. For the brief 5 minutes someone did show up to open the store, the salesperson seemed disinterested and was dressed somewhat slovenly (this in a city that is so driven by appearance) and left again promptly soon after. We actually never made it into the store. This entire experience was really not in keeping with the sleek smart brand that Monocle (or Tyler Brule) promotes. It made me realize that when you are trying to create or solidify a brand - everything matters from the location, the space, the design, the items sold, the human representation and service. Since many of the products sold in the store are created in partnership with Japanese designers and Monocle I would suggest that they might benefit from adopting also the meticulousness and promptness of service found in any department store in Japan. I guess at some point I will venture back. It would be nice to get in the store this time.

The Monocle Shop in Brentwood

Shifting from the commercial to the natural - a couple weekends ago, we drove just over an hour north of Los Angeles to Ventura, then motored 14 miles out into the Pacific Ocean to reach the island of Santa Cruz - one of 5 in the Channel Islands National Park. (There are 8 islands in all). Santa Cruz is the largest of all the islands (96 square miles) and like the others is contains animals, sea creatures, flora and fauna that are found on no other place in the world. It is often known as the American Galapagos Islands. Surprisingly, although easily accessible, it is one of the least visited national parks in the U.S.

Santa Cruz - the view from Potato Head Point

While we did not make it to the sea caves this time, the ones around Santa Cruz island are some of the largest in the world.

Remnants from the ranching days

The island is named after a Franciscan priest's staff which was topped with an iron cross. It was accidentally left here during the 1769 expedition by Gaspar de Portola for the King of Spain, who was the first to claim ownership of the island. Before and during Spanish rule, the Chumash Indians lived on the island for over 9,000 years, originally named the island Limu which means "in the sea." Unfortunately, the 'white man's disease' measles apparently wiped out the majority of the native population on the island. The rest were forcibly moved to the mainland in 1814. In the 19th century, Santa Cruz was used as a sheep ranch and vineyard- farming Zinfandel, Reisling, Muscatel and Granache grapes. The wine was then shipped and bottled under the name "Santa Cruz Winery" in San Francisco.

The tail of a humpback whale

Orange starfish underwater

The purple fuzz are sea urchins

On the way to the island, we spotted sea lions and a couple humpback whales (or one very fast moving one). These sightings kept my mind preoccupied and less focused on my gurgling seasickness. Once on the island we picnicked and hiked for hours, feeling most of the time like we were the only people on the entire island. The clarity and color of the water was unlike anything I have seen on any coast of the United States. The cool temperature of water was the only barrier keeping me from diving right in clothes, backpack and all. But the pull was strong. After about 7 hours on the island, we packed up all our trash, as nothing is to be left on the island and boarded the boat back the mainland. The ride back was calmer, the ocean had settled and by the time we had driven back to Los Angeles, the entire trip seemed almost like a dream.

Some thoughts on Speed...

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Some days ago, I was reading about the latest technological developments in Japan's bullet train or Shinkansen. I have taken trains in North America (Canada and the U.S), all over northern and southern Europe and in Northern Africa (where the heat made me hallucinate), but it is the Japanese Shinkansen that makes me salivate like Pavlov's dogs. Don't get me wrong, the French (TGV) and the Germans (ICE) all make fabulous high speed trains -

Computer generated image of the Shinkansen E5 - to be released in 2011.
(The image is from JR East Press release. www.jreast.co.jp/press/2008/20090112)

but nowhere else in the world do you have the extreme speed and punctuality, the cleanliness and comfort and a hot ōbento served at your seat. Japanese officials claim that the average train is late less than 30 seconds each year and that includes delays caused by earthquakes, typhoons and snow. (Ha! Only in Japan)! And in the line's 45 year history of transporting 7 billion passengers, there have been no deaths caused by derailment or collisions. (The shinkansen was originally developed for use during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics).

This is the present Shinkansen model in used, the S500 (image from wikipedia)

(Admiring) Sigh...

However, not satisfied with the status quo, JR Tokai is pushing forward with their plans to develop the magnetically levitated (maglev) Chuo Shinkansen. The superconductive maglev train holds the world speed rail travel record at 581 km/h (361 mph). This advanced transportation technology could in its commercial use - link Tokyo to Nagoya in 40 to 50 minutes (while traveling at a mere 500km/h). To provide some scale of that speed, commuters could go from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just over an hour. (To drive from LA to SF takes about 6 hours. Presently to take Amtrak from LA to San Francisco requires a couple if not more connections and over 8 hours of travel time). To be fair, I should note that construction of Chuo Shinkansen is anticipated start in Japan within the next two to three years and the line would open in 2025.

In the meantime, the E-5 series of trains is scheduled to take the rails in 2011 in Japan. This model will travel at a speed of 320km/h (200 mph). On the flip side, I live in a country where the railway tracks still used were laid around the time of the Civil War (1860's), and where every American industry is desperately looking for a handout from the government to stay afloat - I cannot help but admire that JR Tokai will cover the entire cost of the estimated 5 trillion yen to develop the Chuo Shinkansen by themselves without relying on any government subsidies.

The irony is that the maglev technology was first developed in America by Dr. James Powell and Dr. Gordon Danby in the 1960's. However, due to tremendous mind blowing short-sightedness, the ongoing development of this technology was terminated in the U.S. in the 1970's by the Department of Transportation under their faulty assumption that cars, trucks and planes would suffice for the future.

Bigger (depressed) sigh...

Aside from being infinitely more energy-efficient than flying and driving and virtually pollution free, there are many other potential positive repercussions of this superconductive maglev Shinkansen for Japan. While Tokyo is already an economic powerhouse, if easily linked by train to other urban centers like Nagoya and Osaka, connecting the rivaling Kansai and Kantō regions, these three cities could form a very dominant economic bloc. Additionally, with the option of taking a brief train ride from Tokyo to Osaka, Haneda Airport in Tokyo (the airport Tyler Brûlé cannot stop gushing about as the world's most efficient transit hub) would be able to increase its number of international flights and thereby strengthen its role as a gateway to Tokyo. Its proximity to Tokyo alone would make it a very attractive alternative to Narita Airport.

Hmm...mental note...make travel plans for Japan in 2025...book ticket for Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka...experience the future of travel.

For information on Maglev technology click here or here.

Faris al Saffar and his Magical World

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:30:00 +0000

The Fisherman

Yesterday, I went to a small art show exhibiting the work of Iraqi artist, Faris Al Saffar. The exhibition was called Baghdadism and was a collection of sketches influenced by the artist's life in Iraq. The gallery was simple and perhaps did not display the sketches in the best possible way but that did not diminish the magical quality of the images. The sketches which ranged in subject matter from children's songs, to horses, to children, to fishermen, to architecture and religion were playful, animated and dreamlike. Powerful and poignant in their seeming simplicity. Yet there were so many little details that enriched each image.

Children's Song

I had the opportunity to talk briefly with Al Saffar during the course of the evening. He was mild mannered, almost shy yet excited to share his work. Given my background in architecture, he was curious if architecture firms could use his rendering abilities. When I complimented him about his art - his eyes twinkled when he smiled. Given all the horror stories we often hear about Iraq, it was hard for me to reconcile the gentle man that stood before me with the life he lived under Saddam Hussein.

Kites

Born in Baghdad in 1964, he grew up on a multinational corporation's oil processing plant outside Karkuk. After university, he was drafted to serve in Saddam Hussein's military as a civil engineer where he was forced to work in secrecy on Saddam's long range missile project. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, Al Saffar went AWOL and returned to Baghdad to protect his family. Managing to get through the Republican guards, he eventually fell into the custody of the American military. For the next year and a half he was sequestered in a refugee camp in the desert of Saudi Arabia along with 100,000 other Iraqis. During this time he taught himself English. With the intervention of the United Nations, Alsaffar was later given political asylum in the U.S.

Ramadan

Art and drawing has always been a passion of his. While in Iraq, the University of Technology in Baghdad sponsored 5 exhibitions of his work. Then in 1986, the university selected Al Saffar to be their representative at the prestigious Arab Gulf Universities Festival.

Children's Book 5

Since moving to America, Al Saffar has worked at Disney as a special effects artist. He also taught art at the City of Glendale Parks and Recreation. He also continues to study, always trying to perfect his craft.

Children's Book 1

After I came home, I took the business card he gave me and checked out more of his work on some of his blogs. His range of work blew me away. The mediums changed and some of the images were much more layered and complex. Each image captured my imagination, moving from one wondrous story to the next. The images were foreign yet welcoming. His portraits spoke volumes of lively characters and their mysterious stories.

Portrait 3

Portrait 4

I hope Faris Al Saffar continues to pursue his art with the same passion and devotion that has driven him so far. And I want to thank him for the joy his art has given me.

Caricature 4

Caricature 5

For more information on Faris Al Saffar and to see more of his art, visit the following websites:
http://alsaffarstudio.blogspot.com/
http://iraqifolkart.blogspot.com/
http://visualdiaries10.blogspot.com/

Raising History - Alexandria's New Underwater Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:49:00 +0000

Egypt, like so many other countries, struggles to maintain that delicate balance between providing for its own citizens and catering to tourism. When it is a poor country, with a not so transparent government and with limited funds, this balance is often less stable and more tenuous. More often than not, time and resources are spent attracting foreign currency acquired through tourism instead serving your own poor local population. For well run countries, this may not be a toss up. Money comes in, invest in improving the plight of the country. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case in Egypt.
The city of Alexandria along the Mediterranean had captured my imagination long before our bus pulled into the city's environs. Like the rest of Egypt, Alexandria is densely layered with centuries of history. Founded by its namesake Alexandria the Great, it is the location of the Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) and the ancient Library of Alexandria. It was ruled by Julius Caesar and Cleopatra and it is where the western world intersects the Arab world.

Alexandria along the Mediterranean

Modern day Alexandria unfortunately, is somewhat less glamorous. As Egypt's second largest city, traffic paralyzes the city and buildings that once spoke of the city's great diverse history are falling apart and blanketed with dense layers of pollution.

In 1994, just off the coast in the Mediterranean, divers discovered thousands of objects which included 26 sphinxes and pieces that are thought to be a part of the Pharos (Lightho use) of the Alexandria. It is also believed that still underwater are the remnants of Cleopatra's palace complex. Built on an island, it was submerged by waves after an earthquake took down the island it stood upon in the 5th century. While some of these objects have been raised and can be viewed in a makeshift open air museum, there is now an huge somewhat controversial effort underway to build a giant underwater museum thereby allowing the rest of the sunken treasures to be viewed.

French architect Jacques Rougerie, an expert in water-based construction projects, with the blessing of UNESCO, is designing an fiberglass tunnel that would allow a close-up viewing of the sunken monuments. If all goes well, construction on both the inland and underwater pieces could start in 2010 and be completed within two and a half years. It all sounds very exciting and glamorous, as well it should with a US$140 million price tag. However, there are many critics who are less than thrilled and view this project more as a money pit and a wasteful diversion of funds - which reminds me of another project.

While I was in Alexandria, I visited the Biblioth eca Alexandrina, the modern reincarnation of the ancient Library of Alexandria. Although it took hours to navigate through the streets of crazed traffic, the building in itself was incredible. It is light and airy and rich with exhibitions. Its technological capabilities are mind-blowing. The day I was there, college students had occupied every available table. It all seemed very hopeful (despite questions of censorship), this grandiose effort to restore Alexandria to its famous former historical intellectual glory. When I returned to Cairo, I shared my excitement with an Egyptian friend of mine. He was less enamored with the project. "We have spent US$220 million to construct this building of great learning, but Alexandria is nowhere near the great center of knowledge, research and learning it once was. All this money was spent on the construction of this one singular project when literacy rates in Egypt are so low (59% for women and 83% for men). The money could have been used to build a better education system throughout the entire country." For him, a flashy tourist destination won precedence over educating Egyptians. While there is free public education in Egypt, not one person I spoke to said it was any good. Instead they all agreed that there was dire need of a significant overhaul.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina - exterior

Bibliotheca Alexandrina - interior

Now the sources for the financing for this underwater museum is still unclear. The Egyptian government is hoping that it will come from private companies and organizations. Even if and when it does come, the technological and environmental challenges are many. The under water currents and strong and the dirty murky sea water does not allow for much visibility which may require the construction of a separate underwater lagoon. While government officials are hoping that this museum will make the often forgotten Alexandria a bigger tourist draw, there are others who feel that the money would be infinitely better used fixing up the crumbling buildings downtown, many of which are extraordinary examples of colonial-era architecture. US$140 million dollars in infrastructure improvements alone would go along way in improving the lives of the 4 million residents of Alexandria.

All this brings me back to my original dilemma. How do you find an equitable balance when resources are scarce and the range of need is great? Egypt runs on tourism and building these solitary and yet undoubtedly incredible landmarks like the Library of Alexandria or this underwater museum can help to increase revenue for all sectors. (It did not go unnoticed that our guide slipped a few police officers some money in return for their aid maneuvering through

(The four vertical structures are reminiscent of the Egyptian fellucas).

the cramped streets of Alexandria). However, with a corrupt government, the money rarely ever filters down to the people who need it. So should international organizations be less supportive of these one off types of projects and more supportive of using funds to build local infrastructure, restore buildings, improve education and other social conditions for the Egyptian people? It is a tough call. Especially if you view, those submerged monuments as part of world heritage and global human history as I am sure UNESCO does.

All I know is that if this museum is ever built, I will be on that bus again to Alexandria to check it out but maybe this time while I am there, I will consider working with some organizations that are trying to improve the everyday lives of the local residents.

*The top two and bottom two images are pictures of the proposed underwater museum. Images are from Jacques Rougerie Architect.

The Love of all things BIG and small

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:37:00 +0000

This is the story of a 60 year old electrician Jesus Hernandez and his best friend, Chacho. Twice a week, Hernandez drives to Hollenbeck Park in West Los Angeles with a loaf of bread, Chacho's favorite cereal, to visit the goose he raised since he was a gosling. Upon sighting Hernandez, the big beautiful white bird with its bright orange beak will swim hastily across the park's lake and climb into Hernandez's arms and will gently give him a peck. Hernandez will then playfully toss Chacho back into the water. Gleefully shaking off the drops of water, Chacho will eagerly paddle back for another toss. Eventually, Hernandez and Chacho make their way together, walking side by side to a grassy clearing. Hernandez will lay out on the grass enjoying the warmth of the Southern Californian sun while Chacho rests near by keeping a watchful eye over any strangers that may pass by a little too close. When Chacho is ready to go back into the water, Chacho will gently poke Hernandez with his beak to signal that he wants Hernandez to follow him back to the lake. This has been a regular occurrence for the past two years to the amazement of other park visitors.

This odd friendship started four years ago, when Hernandez went to the pet store, to purchase what he thought was a duckling for $5. The bird was only 15 days old and was very small. But to Hernandez's surprise the bird grew very fast and by the time he was two, Chacho had outgrown his owner's small backyard. Neighbors also started to complain of the loud honking. And so Hernandez embarked on the most difficult task of finding a new home for his feathered friend. That is when Hernandez discovered Hollenbeck Park. It seemed a perfect home with a meandering lake and shady trees and plenty of other ducks and geese for Chacho to befriend.

But leaving Chacho there the first time was heart wrenching. The goose refused to be left behind and followed him back to the car, running as fast as his webbed feet would take him, honking. "It was very hard to leave him. When I left, I was crying," says Hernandez.

Now two years later, Hernandez's visits to the park have become routine. Park visitors frequently witness the big white goose waddle with single minded determination towards Hernandez the moment he steps into the park, and thence commences their stroll together through the park - man and goose. However, to allay the jealousy of other geese and ducks, Hernandez now brings tortillas to feed the rest of them. When it is time to leave once again, after collecting his belongings, Hernandez will lovingly put the goose back in the water beneath the shoreline wall, so that he can make a quiet escape - until the next time.

Assuredly, Hernandez comments, "He's my best friend. I love him and he loves me."

(I wanted to add a couple sentences to this story about happiness and the love and appreciation of all creatures...but I think this story alone says it best).

Click here for an audio slide show of Chacho and Jesus Hernandez.

*The material for this post was taken from a LA Times article titled "Almost a brother goose." It is written by Bob Pool and was printed in the California section February 21, 2009.

The Curious World of Gastronomic Rankings

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:39:00 +0000

I love restaurant/dining guides. I am actually a little fanatical about them. When I am thinking of trying a new restaurant either in my own neighborhood or in a new city I am visiting - I cross check reviews - Zagat, Michelin, citysearch, Wallpaper, Concierge, various newspapers and so on.... Depending which city I am in, the array of guides I consult undoubtedly vary some. It is a little anal I suppose, but it has saved me from some horrid establishments and helped me find some gems that I return to every chance I get. Generally, they work for me - and up until recently that is where my thinking about these guides stopped - until I read an article in the Financial Times on the coveted Michelin 3 star rating and Chinese food.

The article by Fuchsia Dunlop was about how the Michelin guide awarded its highest honor, 3 stars to the first Chinese restaurant ever. The recipient was Lung King Heen in Hong Kong's Four Seasons Hotel. The restaurant's chef Chan Yan Tak (see image on the left) is a specialist in Cantonese cuisine. And from every article and review I have read about this restaurant, the food is spectacular. But given the long history and diversity of Chinese cooking, it is curious perhaps even controversial that this is the first and only Chinese restaurant to win this rating. According to this article, Michelin acknowledged that only 2 out of the 12 inspectors working on the Hong Kong/Macau guide were Chinese. Hong Kong foodies and some critics argue that foreigners lack the cultural knowledge to fully appreciate and judge Chinese food. Chinese cuisine has significant differences from European traditions such as "the relative unimportance of sweet dishes; the lack of anything corresponding to the European practice of wine matching foods; and perhaps most of all, the Chinese love foods that have no taste but are eaten largely for their slithery, squelchy or rubbery mouthfeels."

All this then raises the question - whether it is truly possible to judge cuisine from vastly different cultures using the same criteria?

According to the director of the Michelin guides worldwide, "Good cuisine is good cuisine where ever you are," and one doesn't have to be an insider to appreciate it. In support of his argument, 6 Japanese restaurants in Tokyo received the prized 3 star rating. In addition, Tokyo has the most Michelin stars of any city with 227. (I wonder how many of the judges were Japanese?) However, the question remains valid - can we judge all cuisine with one universal standard. I really don't have an answer to this question. But every so often when I go out to eat with my Chinese side of my family, I do wonder if I would be slurping up every morsel with extra zeal if I was more Chinese, less foreign. Instead, more often then not, I am staring at the dishes quizzically, wondering which mushy jello like substance is more flavorful. But this experience of mine is not unique to Chinese food. Mate is the national drink of so many countries in Latin America and while in Argentina I ordered it at the conclusion of one of my many extraordinarily delicious meals, but I simply could not get past the second sip. Having grown up in Japan, Japanese food more often than not is my go to comfort food, even so there is an entire smorgasbord of Japanese cuisine that I will not go near. All this makes me wonder, how much of this is cultural variances and how much is merely personal preference? Or are your personal food preferences determined by your own cultural influences?

I suppose it does make sense that when judging a culture's food to have critics or foodies who can fully appreciate and explain the unique characteristics and flavors of a specific food. People who can gently push us a little outside our comfort zone and open our eyes and palette to new experiences and tastes. Ultimately, isn't that the whole point of sampling different types of cuisine - to enrich ourselves and to learn about another?

Hip Hop Rising from the Rubble of Palestine

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:19:00 +0000

I wonder if when Tupac Shakur wrote the words to Holla if Ya Hear Me or when Public Enemy recorded Fear of a Black Planet did they ever imagine that their music and lyrics would resonate so powerfully with people on the other side of the world in the heart of the Middle East. Could they have imagined that their music would inspire the birth of Palestinian hip hop? But that I suppose is the incredible ability of music to transcend geography, nationality, culture and other boundaries to connect and inspire. This is the story of Slingshot HipHop, a documentary by New York based artist Jackie Reem Salloum about the rise of Hip Hop as a new form of expression and resistance amongst young Palestinians in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

Their music is no doubt political and full of angst and frustration after all they are trying to survive under the extreme violence of the world's longest occupation. Many of them have lost friends and family and endure daily the inhumanity of check points that tightly control their movements. These young Palestinians channel their anger and frustration into rap; using music to protest, to provide release, to educate, to share and cross boundaries whether they be political, cultural, sexual, religious or national. Their goal is to have some control over their own story and to share it with the world at large.
Salloum, the director, who is herself of Syrian/Palestinian descent turned to film-making to challenge the stereotypes of Arabs in the media. This documentary took her five years to complete, on a non-existant budget, heavily dependant on the kindness and generosity of friends and family. Her perserverence ultimately paid off, when the movie was shown in Sundance last year. While this documentary is rough around the edges, it is also enlightening, poignant, humorous and entertaining. And I just really liked the music.

This movie is slowly making its way around the world, often playing at smaller venues. The DVD is expected to be released in April 2009.

One of the groups she profiles, the originator of Palestinian Hip Hop - DAM (Da Arabian MC) said when they first started rapping, there was no such thing as Arabic Hip Hop and they had initially assumed that if they were to perform this type of music, they too would have to write and preform in English. Now DAM raps in both Hebrew and Arabic which has given them not only a strong Arab following but also an Israeli one.

Below are a few of their more popular songs:

Life of an Expat: Dubai Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:28:00 +0000

Adventures and discoveries in Dubai and its environs continue for our friend and her family. Here is another update on driving, sight seeing and celebrating the Eid, Christmas and the New Year in an Arab country:

Emiriti Kids on National Day (ITP images)

After a month filled with statutory and religious holidays and of course, sheer gluttony, January started off with some lethargy for us. December began with National Day (on December 2nd) commemorating 37 years since the creation of the United Arab Emirates. Many patriotic Emiritis decorated their cars with flags and massive paint jobs depicting Emiriti culture. We skipped the parades and festivities in favour of lounging at the beach and jumping the massive waves.

The following week we had 3 days off for Eid al Fitr. During the Eid break, we headed to another emirate named Fujairah on the east coast, passing first through Sharjah, the religious emirate where alcohol is completely forbidden. Sharjah is the emirate from which a lot of people commute to Dubai, as housing is much more affordable. Although is only about a 10 minute drive from the Dubai border, during rush hour it can take over an hour and a half or so. We also drove past the Hajar Mountains which is a large mountain range that runs along the UAE and Oman. It was nice to be outside the flat and big bustling Dubai city and see mountains again.

Furjairah city itself is not that exciting. It is quite old, small and run-down especially after glitzy Dubai. Our purpose there however, was not to have a beach holiday (what it is known for), but to see the mountains and find some wadis (valleys or dry riverbeds). With all the rain we had in Dubai, we were certain we'd see some flowing rivers and pools, but to our dismay we found only dry, empty wadis. We stopped by Wadi Al Hilo, an archaeological site and Wadi Warayah, but were disappointed to see them both completely dry. Since driving in the UAE (even with maps) is difficult given the poor signage, we got lost a few times on our drive and did not catch as many wadis as we had intended.

We enjoyed some desert-like scenery on our trip and stopped by Kohr Kalba, the 2000 year old mangrove swamp (oldest in Arabia) inhabited by a range of birds. We watched a flock of flamingos fly past us. We also saw people digging for crabs and setting up camp tents.

Christmas Season in Dubai
Since we had first arrived in Dubai during May's scorching summer heat, we had left a lot of the sightseeing activities for when we had company - so we promptly got busy playing tour guide and tourist around the city with the arrival of my family. Our first stop was the 7-star Burj al Arab (the hotel shaped like a ship's sail) - which was grossly overpriced and tacky in its decoration. (The dining room had some weird computer chip motif a garish color scheme). We had heard as much from everyone, but we had to see it for ourselves. The brunch buffet we had was good, but not necessarily better than other buffets we've had. The panoramic views of the sea and city on the 27th floor however, were spectacular.

On Christmas Eve, we took the day off work and went on a day tour to the town of Hatta, a popular weekend getaway for Dubai residents, located about an hour and a half away. En route, we had about 15 minutes of dune bashing in the desert (driving around sand dunes in a SUV) which was loads of fun, much like a roller coaster, but much more nausea-inducing. The desert was just breathtaking and had such super soft reddish sand. It felt like we were miles away from civilization, although truly, we were just a few minutes away from some nearby shops. The Hajar Mountains also formed the backdrop along our journey as we made another stop at the Hatta Pools. These are naturally forming mini-waterways (perhaps from underground springs). It was very pretty, but we decided not to dip in when we say garbage floating in the water. We had lunch at the Hatta Fort Hotel and then checked out the Hatta Heritage Village which had preserved ancient homes. Upon our return to Dubai, we made another stop at the Ras al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary at the foot of the Dubai Creek. We spent a bit of time just sitting and watching flamingos and other birds from a distance.

New Year's Eve
We woke up New Year's Eve morning to hear on the radio that Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, had declared that all events were to be cancelled that night to show solidarity with the suffering of the Palestinians. Ultimately, only the fireworks and live bands were cancelled. Most of the events still went on pretty much as scheduled, but with softer music and no over top new year's eve paraphernalia.

Dubai Shopping Festival
January 15th marked the start of the annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) which meant a lot of scurrying around to the different malls to find the best deals possible. We had been holding off on a few purchases in anticipation of this event and there were some awesome sales, some up to 70% off. This year however, DSF was a bit more subdued as the usual festivities (fireworks and live performances) were cancelled out of respect for the war on Gaza. Dubai is also not as filled with tourists as it has been in past years during the festival. The retail sector here, next to the over inflated real estate market, has also been hit hard.

Lastly, update on driving in Dubai
Some of you have asked about my driving progress. I haven't driven in a few weeks and the longer we live here, the less inclined I am to drive given that Dubai has one of the worst traffic accident stats in the world (196 deaths in the first 9 months of 2008, an improvement from last year, but this does not include the thousands of non-fatal accidents). This is actually quite high considering that in a population of 1.5 million people, a huge chunk of the population don't drive. We actually witness the manifestation of this stat all the time with reckless, dangerous and aggressive drivers - particularly amongst Emiratis who are above the law. One such crazy driver ran over an expat woman killing her out of road rage directed at her cab driver. His trial has been postponed due to the non-attendance of witnesses - hmmm...coincidence, Sherlock?! Currently, I am still mulling over the need to drive over the risk of a heart attack and an accident. Some people we know are consistently getting into minor fender benders, even in parking lots. Hearing these stories, aren't a huge incentive for me either to get behind the wheel.

A Little Wine Tasting

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:52:00 +0000

When you think about countries that make fine wine - what comes to mind? France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Australia...?

What about China?

Yup. In May of last year, Berry Brothers & Rudd, England's oldest independent wine merchant published in its "Future of Wine Report" that in 50 years CHINA would be the world's leading wine producer! It may surprise many that China is already the world's 6th largest wine producer, with 600 wineries. While most of the wine that is manufactured today is rather unimpressive, China has according to the experts, the terroir to make a fine wine that could rival the best of the French. Sacre bleu!

If curiosity gets the better of you - you can purchase a bottle of Grace Vineyards (Shanxi Province) Chairman's Reserve for $60. Just in time for Chinese New Year!

---------

If you are traveling through East Asia and you would like some guidance on what wine to drink, you would find that the most influential sommelier is a 20-something year old manga (comic book) hero. Meet Shizuku Kanzaki. In Tokyo apparently, wine sellers await his weekly recommendations before adjusting their orders. Many wine experts think he is also responsible for the rise of wine consumption in Korea, China and Taiwan. Hotels, restaurants and wine stores all over Korea and Japan specifically stock whatever is recommended, as demand is incredible. Many venues often selling out of French wines - the creators wine of choice.

This manga series written under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi, is created by the Kibayashi's brother and sister team, both in their late 40's. Their goal was always to describe the wines from an average drinker's perspective. While not formally trained, both tremendous wine lovers, have even rented an apartment just to house their 3000 bottle collection and installed an earthquake warning system to protect them.

In their series titled "The Drops of the Gods," Shizuku Kanzaki, our manga hero, starts to learn about wine from a description of 12 wines bequeathed to him by his father after his death. His father considered these bottles the world's best. Kanzaki must learn more about wines, so that he instead of his adopted brother who is a sommelier, can finally inherit his father's collection. Every Thursday when the comic is published in Weekly Morning, readers learn right along side with him. Translated into most East Asian languages and most recently French, there does not seem to be any rush for an English translation as Kanzaki-san is not a big fan of American wines.

11 Things I Learned about the Egyptians from a 3 week trip

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Sometimes when I am lining up at the grocery store, or the post office, doing those weekly mundane chores that cannot be avoided, it is hard for me to imagine that barely two months ago, I was standing at the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza (built in 2560 BC) being violently pelted by a seemingly unceasing sandstorm. With my eyes closed, my body hunched over, I hugged my camera close like a baby and waited for it to be over.
And so started my three week tour of Egypt. During that brief amount of time we went from the Mediterranean city of Alexandria all the way south to Abu Simbel, close to the Sudanese border. We flew on local airlines and sailed down the Nile. We watched the wealthy Egyptian socialites dressed in tuxedos and strapless dresses party at the Nile Hilton and farmers in their simple abayas lead their cattle to the banks of the Nile.
When I was in graduate school, I studied the history, architecture and geography of Egypt; I also have many friends who had lived and worked there who generously shared their knowledge and insight with me; but for me to truly experience the country I had to open myself up to adventure and visit it and in doing so I picked up a few colorful insights about the Egyptian people.

Egyptians like to laugh and have a great sense of humor.
Egyptians love to talk politics.
Egyptians are excited and proud to show you their country. We experienced incredible hospitality and generosity.
Egyptians are fully aware of the dysfunction of their own government - but feel completely handicapped in bringing about a shift for the better and so they learn to survive with the status quo.
Egyptians drive without their headlights at night. (Especially so in Aswan. It will be pitch dark but not one car will have their headlights on).
The delineation of lanes on the streets of Cairo mean absolutely nothing. If there is any space on the road in Cairo, there will be a car. A two lane street will have five rows of cars all honking trying to squeeze through. Side lanes will also have donkey carts and occasional goats added to the mix.
Many Egyptians live in buildings that will remain under construction indefinitely. There are miles of mid rise buildings with rebars peaking through unfinished concrete columns. I was given two explanations for this. The first reason is that owners of buildings only have to pay taxes on their buildings, when construction is complete. Thus, owners prefer to 'technically' not complete construction on their building. The second reason is that only when an individual has purchased an apartment do they actually build that apartment level, thereby curtailing any potential loss in investment. Therefore, the completion of construction of these apartment buildings can take a very very long time. I am not sure if either reason is valid.

In Egypt, you may be toothless, illiterate, barely able to eke out a living but you will have the fanciest newest mobile phone on the market.
It is no secret that Egypt is not a wealthy country and many in their population work extremely hard to sustain a living. However, since jobs are limited and many are illiterate, many Egyptians also find the most creative means to earn a living. Frequently sited were soda, tea and bread stands on the side of the road (or a freeway). I was also shocked to see the number and variety of vendors on rowboats selling wares to tourists on the deck of cruise ships sailing down the Nile. I also came across an individual 'helping' tourists to cross the road in Giza given that crosswalks and traffic lights are hard to find (all over Egypt) and Egyptian drivers love to speed.

While many of the buildings that constructed these days lack the intricate craftsmanship of centuries prior; and while many Egyptians perhaps cannot afford ornately decorated homes there is still nevertheless such an appreciation of color and design. Artfully painted walls, delicate iron and copper work animate and liven up so many simple buildings and share stories about the lives of the residents inside.

The entire purpose of metal detectors are missed by the Egyptians. Metal detectors are located at the entrance to every major hotel and tourist site all over Egypt perhaps with the intent of keeping tourists safe from those with less honorable intentions. (No doubt a reaction to the 1997 Luxor massacre). However, while tourists are generally herded through the detectors, the constant beeping from the detector is treated more as background noise than a signal that a metal item has been discovered and requires further investigation. I beeped everywhere. It could have been my keys, my cameras, my belt buckle, my jewelry. But no guard ever seemed remotely interested. So then why bother installing them at all?

I Think and Presto It Is! The Importance of Mindfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:31:00 +0000

The past few months have found me sequestered on a plane more often than usual. Frequently unable to sleep and not a big fan of watching movies on a 3 inch by 5 inch screen, my activity of choice to pass the time is to read. If I don't have a gripping book with me, then I read lots and lots of magazines and journals. Their subject matter and articles run the gamut. Most recently, I was reading the December 2008 issue of Psychology Today and Inc. Magazine. While they are wildly different magazines, there was an article in each magazine that intrigued me and gave me pause. Having read them in sequence, both these articles became even more powerful - especially so, as I was reflecting on my hopes and goals for 2009.

I have always read and believed that your thoughts affect and influence your life experiences. However, most of us go through life unconscious, on autopilot often consumed by our thoughts but unaware of their true impact. But how and what would we think and feel, if our thoughts and brainwaves created our immediate physical reality? Would we change our thinking, our thoughts? Well that technology is in the works.

After I was served my drink by the flight attendant, with my can of tomato juice in hand, I flipped to the lead article in Psychology Today titled "The Art of Now" by Jay Dixit. While it did not mention anything particularly ground-breaking, it reinforced the importance of mindfulness - of being present and aware of your thoughts. When you become conscious of your thoughts, you are more able to merely observe and accept them and become less governed by them. Only when you are free from the chatter in your mind are you able to fully appreciate and celebrate life. Mindful people are happier, more accepting, more exuberant and secure.

Unfortunately, too often we are so consumed in our own thoughts that it trumps everything in our surroundings. Ellen Langer from Harvard University suggests in this article that we become mindless because once we think we know something, we stop paying attention to it. When we lose focus and appreciation of our surroundings and present environment, we turn inward with the faulty assumption that our thoughts and anxieties have more pressing value. They then become our perceived reality.

Buddhists call our lack of appreciation of living in the present, "monkey minds," because we instead prefer to swing from thought to thought mindlessly. So few people I know take the time to enjoy a meal, savor a cup of tea, admire the brilliance of a flower or feel the warmth of the sun on their skin. But if they did, it is proven that they would be happier, more fulfilled, less depressed.

The irony is that if life is passing us by because we are consumed with the minutia of our own thoughts, how many of us are actually fully aware of its content and of what we are imagining and conjecturing every minute?

This leads me to my second article - "Reality Bites" by David H. Freedman in Inc. Magazine. The focus of this magazine is generally about entrepreneurs and up and coming companies. In the December 2008 issue, they profiled the work, the founder and the scientists at a young company in Australia called Emotiv. These people have created a headset that reads your brain-waves and thereby allows you to conjure up entire worlds using nothing but your mind. (Read the italics again - this is huge).

This technology they hope will introduce emotions into the sterile computer revolution. Doors and windows could open because you think it. Your stereo, as described in this article would sense that you are depressed and play more upbeat music, and so on. The options, the possibilities, the uses are limitless. That's incredible isn't it?

This then led me to ponder - what kind of environments and experiences would our thoughts and brainwaves be creating for ourselves? If we were fully aware that we could completely affect and alter our immediate physical reality with the sheer will of our thoughts - wouldn't we become more mindful? More conscious of each thought? And wouldn't we be more selective about what we choose so often to fixate and focus on?

Well, think about it - this future ain't so far off.

Which world would your thoughts create?

Wishing You a Very Happy and Healthy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:48:00 +0000

To My Grandmother -

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:17:00 +0000

I read somewhere once that to fully enjoy and celebrate the highs in our lives, we also had to open ourselves to experience the lows, the sadder, more painful moments. And only by experiencing all that life has to offer can we truly live life to the fullest. With that in mind, I write this post.

I actually wrote this piece on November 18, 2008 on a plane. I keep a small black notebook with me where ever I go to jot down interesting observations, any ideas that my suddenly creep into my brain or record any pressing thoughts. On the night of the 18th, I was on an Air Canada flight flying from Toronto back home to Los Angeles. I had spent the previous four days, sitting by my grandmother's bedside in a very gloomy hospital. My grandmother had fallen very ill and was now hooked up to a respirator - without which she could not breath. I was returning back to Los Angeles to deal with some personal affairs with the intention of returning to Toronto when they turned the respirator off. Fortunately for me and my family, my grandmother's fierce love of life persevered and when the respirator was turned off, she continued to breath on her own. My grandmother is alive weeks after doctors gave up hope, but is still weak and frail. Never have I been more aware of the intense gift of life and its fragility. Compelled at the time to express what I was feeling for her, I wrote this:

November 18, 2008
My grandmother is hooked up to a ventilator right now and for the past few days, I watched her chest rise and fall, as oxygen struggled to get past her scarred and damaged lungs into the rest of her body. There are so many tubes and pins going in and out of her, it pains me to see her like this. My grandmother. Her frail and delicate body is overwhelmed by the sterile machinery that surrounds her.

I am her first grandchild and with the novelty of being the first I was showered with so much love. And until my sister was born, I monopolized her all attention and affection. Now while she has ten grandchildren in all, she will always have been my grandmother first.

With each passing day, I fear she is drifting further away from me. And the language barrier we share (she only speaks Chinese and I barely make do) is now magnified by this physical toll. I watch her with her eyes closed in the hospital bed and I want to embrace her and thrust us both into a time warp to those days when she would burst with excitement when I would call her on the telephone to tell her I was back in Toronto and would be visiting her soon. I long to see her smile and laugh with robustness and tease my aunts and uncles. But instead she is quiet.

I don't know how much longer I have my grandmother on this earth with me, but I wanted the world, the universe to know that I love her and that I hope she forgives my long periods of absence and that my world is blessed and brighter because I know her and because I am loved by her.

Life of an Expat - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:06:00 +0000

A couple months ago, I posted a write-up from a family friend on her experiences as an expatriate in Dubai. Here is her update.

September 2008, Dubai

A young boy performs his Eid prayers in Dubai*

Ramadan
September 1st marked the first day of Ramadan, where for one month, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset and break their fast with iftar, an evening meal, often a massive feast in Dubai. Most restaurants feature huge all-you-can-eat buffets and all sorts of dinner deals even at fast food places (waistlines beware!). During Ramadan, it is actually a criminal offense in Dubai to eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in public. Fortunately, Ramadan also means that we work two less hours a day as mandated by labour law - so we get off at 3:30pm or 4pm. Hurrah! Of course, as lawyers, this only sometimes applies, given the enslavement nature of our profession, but we get to leave early at least half of the time.

Real Estate Woes
Some of you may have heard about the ridiculous nature of rent and housing here in Dubai. Prices have been steadily escalating. Some reports indicate a 27% appreciation in the past year, although it is predicted that this will slow down next year - perhaps sooner with the Wall Street meltdown. From our searches, we've seen properties going up in value every few weeks. Until recently, there was no such thing as rent regulation. Even with it, rent prices are sky high. We had to dish out CDN$3600 (Gulp! My heart still aches) per month to rent a one bedroom, one bath apartment, and had to pay six months in advance as most landlords ask for a six or twelve month advance payment! This is why employers provide a housing advance allowance and why a lot of people live in the neighbouring emirate Sharjah and do the 1.5 hour commute or share rooms in villas.

Even with the crazy rents which are further exacerbated by the realtor fee paid by tenants at 5% of the yearly rent and the municipality tax of 5% of the monthly rent (one of the few taxes here, although there is a VAT proposed for the near future), rental apartments in the Marina area are so popular they are rented within a couple days of being listed.

Dubai Marina

Will our property ever close?
We are STILL in the process of closing the purchase of our apartment which is excruciatingly painful with the 3495824905683492634689656809 documents to complete and execute and then re-complete due to the realtor's 492853490268 mistakes. We have to constantly follow up and remind the realtor to do his job. It is the most brutally awful, tedious and arduous process. We also have to agree to the most unconscionable terms in the loan agreement (akin to signing the rights away for your first born). They include writing undated cheques to the bank for over a million dollars in the event we default on our mortgage (writing NSF cheques is a criminal offence here so having three bounced cheques permits them to charge us if we default). We are constantly arguing fervently with people to ensure they do their jobs so we don't lose our 10% deposit. Physical attendance at the land registration department is mandatory; as is the hand delivery of documents. This is all combined with new real estate laws and procedures that spring up all the time. We desperately hope that all our pain and suffering in undertaking this gargantuan task will someday pay off.

Losing the Beer Belly
Incidentally, in spite of eating a lot of food and the fact that many people gain weight in Dubai, my husband has lost 25 pounds in our first three months. This is even before we started working out regularly. He attributes this to NOT drinking beer. (He was accustomed to drinking some almost every night back home). Only restaurants in hotels can serve alcohol (there is a law about having rooms available when serving alcohol which is why bars, clubs and fine dining tend to be attached to hotels). So we generally can't have liquor when casually dining.

Chameleon Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel

In addition, licenses are required in order to purchase alcohol or to even possess alcohol in one's own residence. We also just realized that we can't get a license until my husband has a job, since married women are supposed to rely on their husbands to buy alcohol. Since he doesn't have one yet, he can't apply for a license. We can get around this somehow, but the thought of going through another application process which will require my employer issuing and signing a No Objection Certificate - is disincentive enough. Perhaps we will wait until Ramadan is over and do the one hour booze run to the "hole in the wall" in another emirate call Ajman where they don't have the 30% liquor tax Dubai imposes.

Vacation!
We are heading to Cyprus at the end of September for six days! Hurrah! We have two days off for Eid al-Fitr which celebrates the end of Ramadan and I'm taking a couple additional days. We chose Cyprus as it is less than a four hour flight and we wanted to avoid a Muslim country which would be busy during the religious holidays. Plus Cyprus has mountains, milder temperatures and greenery - which we miss.

*The image of the boy saying his Eid prayers was taken from news.bbc.co.uk.

Bohemian Paris - Le Marais

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:52:00 +0000

A friend's wedding in Athens a few weeks ago, gave me the perfect excuse to spend a few days in Paris on my way home to Los Angeles. This time, with no meetings planned, I was able to spend a lazy day wandering through the streets of Le Marais. While I did do a little shopping, much of it was curtailed by the strength of the euro, instead I spent the majority of my time sitting at cafes, bistros and a library/wine bar watching Parisian life bustle past me.

Once an actual marsh (which is where it gets its name), Le Marais started to take shape in the 12th century. The rich character of the neighborhood is a result of diverse layering of cultural influences that have settled here over time. Now Hasidic Jews intermingle with Paris' gay population. Young and edgy designers and up and coming artists display their work in small funky boutiques and chic yet edgy galleries.

There were a few places that I particularly enjoyed visiting - incidentally, they were either all on the same street, adjacent to each other or just around the corner.

We had brunch at les philosophes, located on 30, rue Vieille du Temple. (See left for meal and bistro). It was a great spot to watch people start their day. (Make sure you check out their existential bathrooms).

For a book or a glass of wine after a day of shopping, or a glass of wine while reading a book, La Belle Hortense is a wonderfully charming and cozy bookstore/wine bar. They have an interesting collection of books which range in topics from colorful and animated children's stories to architecture and travel to the weighty pontification of French philosophers. We got their at 5PM, just when they opened, before the evening rush and plunked ourselves in the back on their comfortable black leather sofas.

For an odd and unusual yet creative collection of clothing, furniture, accessories and other paraphernalia, check out DOM- Christian Koban (www.dom-ck.com) at 21, rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie. (When I first walked by with its blaring music and black interiors, I thought it was a trendy bar or restaurant). Downstairs they have some rather smart pieces of furniture. (See above for the boat shelf). They also have stores all over Germany.

I bought two small paintings by a Cypriot artist at CARRE D'ARTISTES (www.carredartistes.com) - an art gallery that features the work of 30 artists from various backgrounds from around the world. New artists are profiled each week. The raison d'etre of this gallery is to introduce new artists, provide them a respectable venue to promote themselves and sell their work and at the same time, allow people from all socio-economic backgrounds to acquire original pieces of art. I think it is a very smart concept. They have a few locations in Paris and in other cities throughout France. The gallery I visited was located on 29, rue Vieille du Temple.

Around 7:30PM, after having spent about eight and a half hours wandering the neighborhood, we headed back to the hotel. But as far as new experiences go, my time at Le Marais was as close to perfect as they come....

.

Unionville: The Beauty behind the Beast

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:46:00 +0000

While Toronto, Canada does not possess the grandeur and beauty of a city like Paris or London, it does have numerous neighborhoods downtown that are distinctive and vibrant with culture diversity, character and charm. The suburbs of Toronto however, are a very different story. Like many North American cities that have kowtowed to the culture of the car and urban sprawl, the suburbs are remarkably unremarkable - heinous rows of condominiums, parking lots, strip malls and cookie cutter homes.

There is however, a little gem located just north of Toronto - hidden behind a speeding eight lane highway lined with endless mind-numbing strip malls, bland chain stores and generic restaurants. Surprisingly, once you turn the street corner into the town of Unionville, the sounds of traffic become a distant memory. Get out of your car and walk around Main Street - you won't find a chain store here. Main Street is dotted with galleries, fun stores and restaurants, gazebos and picturesque little parks. The town is not very large and it will not take you very long to stroll from one end to the other, but you will find yourself much calmer and happier when you do.

If you get a chance to venture up to Unionville, there are two stores in particular I enjoyed visiting. Noteworthy is elegant store tucked below a staircase off Main Street. They sell beautiful and ornate paper products, unusual hand-made cards, organizers, etc. Distinct Living is a home store with chic and unique home decorations, and kitchenware that you won't find easily anywhere else.

DISTINCT LIVING
161 Main Street
Unionville, ON
t.1.905.477.8717
www.distinglivingltd.com

Noteworthy
209 Main Street
Unionville, ON
t.1.905.944.9066
www.noteworthyinc.ca/index.html

For information on Unionville, visit the following websites:
Unionville Tourism
Wikipedia

Life of an Expat in Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (Deeba Haider) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:49:00 +0000

A few months ago, a close friend of my sister from law school, shortly after getting married, packed up her life in Toronto, Canada and moved with her husband clear across the planet to Dubai in search of new experiences and her pot of gold. She had never been there before, and up until then had minimal if any exposure to the Middle East. Her first trip to Dubai was to meet her new colleagues and sign her employment contract as an attorney for a luxury goods company. Since her big move, she has been, on occasion, sending fascinating descriptions of her experiences as an expatriate in Dubai. With her permission, I am sharing some of it on my blog. Her write-ups provide an interesting perspective on a city, that we have been hearing so much about but really know so little; and the common struggles of settling in a foreign environment.

...................................................................................................
July 2008

Summertime
It is hot out here!!! With temperatures soaring over 40 degrees Celsius regularly, we are hardly ever outside and for the few minutes that we walk from air-conditioned car to air-conditioned building, it is positively sweltering and our skin prickles from the scorching sun. Apparently, some temperature records have been broken, when we hit over 47 degrees and a few people have died from sunstroke/heat exhaustion, although these are predominantly construction workers who have to toil in this heat. Not sure how those poor guys work in inferno-like conditions, even with the laws forbidding construction from 12-3 pm in the summer, the rest of the day and even the nights feel like being in an oven.

The summer months in Dubai are known to be very quiet (even with the big summer sales) with a mass exodus of expats to their home country, leaving from a month to the whole summer, as a return ticket home yearly is usually part of the compensation package. This is also in line with the Labour Laws that permit our vacations to be broken up into a maximum of two parts only, which is totally contrary to what I had expected.

After 1.5 months in the hotel apartment, we moved to a friends’ villa a few weeks ago when they went home to Canada. The villa we stayed at for almost 3 weeks was HUGE!!! with 4 bedrooms, a lounge and 3 bathrooms upstairs in addition to the regular downstairs rooms and also had a large maid’s quarters (anything over a 2 bedroom here comes with maid’s quarters, even some apartments, as it is virtually unthinkable to do one’s own chores here). The backyard was a lovely oasis with 2 little pools and trees, but with the scorching heat, it was very much like a hot bath so we only used the pool for 5 minutes once. We did, however, make much use of the BBQ and had some friends over for dinner a few times.

The Social Scene
We’ve been meeting lots of new people through friends’ introductions, networking events, and I’ve joined a women's social club called Bridget, after Bridget Jones, originally for singletons, till they realized that not all married women here fit the stereotypical profile of Expat Wives (the parent organization of Bridget) whose daily lives consisted of spa appointments, lunch, and shopping, but that some of us were independent career women as well. The club hosts monthly brunch buffets (one of the key Dubai hallmarks is the all-you-can-eat and drink Friday, the first day of our weekend, brunches), drinks nights and other events.

I’ve made a few friends from there and have been meeting up with them regularly already, and have also signed up for a Dinner Club as well so there are lots of opportunities to go out and mingle. Thus far, the friends we’ve made are from the Netherlands (via Nigeria for 6 years), Ireland (viaEngland for a few years), Germany (via London for 10 years), a few from Canada and the United States - a reflection of the very diverse nature of Dubai.

From One Temporary Abode to Another....

Because of the ridiculously high rent, e.g. US$5000 per month for anything less than one-year lease and US$3500 per month for a one-year lease (12 month rent to be paid in advance – which is why employers will give us cash advance for housing), we had been hoping to buy an apartment relatively quickly. As most banks require presence in the UAE for 6 months, we had limited options although one bank was willing to consider us, but had to wait for my 2^ndpaycheque to be deposited and then of course, the waiting game began.

The top of our list of frustrations is how long everything takes here, the red tape (e.g. buying a mobile requires showing of passport), and how inconsistent things can be depending on who you ask and what mood they’re in etc. However, my husband did benefit from such haphazard application of rules as he managed to have me, a mere woman, sponsor him for residency. Rules are changing all the time, but last time we had checked only female doctors and engineers could sponsor their husbands. However, given my position and package, they considered me eligible to sponsor him, even though they didn’t ask for our marriage certificate (which we had to have notarized in Canada, attested by the UAE Embassy in Canada, the Foreign Affairs Department of Canada, and the UAE consulate in Dubai).

After many searches and disappointments, we finally made an offer on an apartment on Tuesday, which was accepted yesterday. The apartment we bought, a one bedroom (approx. 900 sqft) has a partial marina view (full marina views only come with 2 bedrooms) and while it is a little smaller than what we were originally hoping for, the price for this area is quite good and is with our preferred developer. (Can't trust the other lesser known developers here since there are horror stories due to the lack of regulation. Everything can be quite sketchy). The great thing is that it is right next door to the Marina Promenade, with shops and restaurants and the other retail outlets close by.

Marina - Jumeirah

Local and Cultural News

Nothing can be depended on here nor can you hope that people can actually do their jobs properly. The phrase “Inshallah” meaning “God willing” is one of my favourite ones, as people will promise you something prefaced with “Inshallah”, which we usually take for, “maybe we’ll try, but don’t hold your breath that it will actually happen”. All of these incompetencies and delays just make me want to yell “Khallas!” (“enough!”) already. Of course, the never-ending traffic jams and horrendous driving will induce one to cry out “Yalla!” (“hurry up” or “come on”). That coupled with the very confusing roads and endless construction, which means getting lost and doing lots of U-turns, do not make commuting a very pleasant experience here.

Some of you may have heard that the US and UK embassies issued terrorist alerts for the UAE in June, but that turned out to be a conversation overheard by two blokes at a pub that joked about bombs, so no worries so far on that front for us over here.

Other interesting news that may have hit the international news waves is the two Britons who were caught having sex on the beach here. The pair who just met was quite liquored from the all-you-can-drink/eat Friday brunch and got all frisky on the beach in broad daylight. The police officer who happened upon them gave them a warning and then returned to find them at it again. He proceeded to arrest them and was then verbally abused and assaulted by the woman with her shoe. The pair are facing up to 6 years in prison and have apparently gotten married to reduce the sex before marriage offense. They have denied the offense (DNA test results are still pending!), although one would have thought that they should have realized that assaulting an officer would have been the bigger offense. This will likely cause problems for other expats as there have already been recent complaints by local Emiratis about the immoral nature of expats in terms of public displays of affection and scantily clad women. A lot of expats fail to realize that we are still in a Muslim country with conservative values in spite of the fact that they permit alcohol and Western cultural norms. These expats are expecting to party like it is Ibiza or Cancun. Hopefully, they won’t cause the authorities to really clamp down and tighten up the restraints and make life difficult on the rest of us.

Jumeirah Mosque