Tuesday, 30 December 2008

Jabel Hafeet


My colleagues and I drove to Jabel Hafeet on Sunday (Al Hijra). It is a mountain that lies on the outskirts of Al Ain, and actually straddles part of the boarder with Oman. It is termed as "the greatest driving road in the world", though I seriously doubt that.

Weathered Rocks

Weathered Cliff

Ridges

We visited the Al Ain Museum and checked out the market for live sheep. There were truckloads of sheep waiting to be sold and slaughtered. We also went to the natural oasis in the region and headed to the Mercure Grand Hotel for lunch.

A stupid sign

Christmas Card



I didn't get any Christmas card this year, not counting the electronic one of course.

Catcat gets one from the kitty hotel though. She must be some VIP in that Cattery after spending so much time there.

Friday, 26 December 2008

Merry Christmas!


Catcat and I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2009!

Tuesday, 23 December 2008

FAIL

This poor doggie has no idea what he's in for.....

Poem

STRAY CAT
by Francis Witham

Oh, what unhappy twist of fate
Has brought you homeless to my gate?
The gate where once another stood
To beg for shelter, warmth, and food
For from that day I ceased to be
The master of my destiny.

While he, with purr and velvet paw
Became within my house the law.
He scratched the furniture and shed
And claimed the middle of my bed.

He ruled in arrogance and pride
And broke my heart the day he died.
So if you really think, oh Cat,
I'd willingly relive all that
Because you come forlorn and thin
Well...don't just stand there...Come on in!

Twilight


A trusted source recommended the movie Twilight to me. Checked the rottentomatoes.com and the review was split. Decided to trust my source and to go against the website. I checked the newspaper and went to the Mall of the Emirates to get the tickets. It was the first time I was seated in a cinema with free seating. I watched movies in the same movie theatre before but it wasn't free seating the other time. I should have known this was a sign, a sign telling me the movie was not good.
Movie ticket with no seat number

I never read any books from this series before. And after watching the movie, I know I never will. I like Vampire story but the storyline in this one is weak. But thanks, trusted source, I enjoyed my nachos and hot dog very much.

Nachos with Salsa sauce and melted cheese

Hot dog with mustard and ketchup

Sunday, 21 December 2008

Fire!


There is a fire outbreak in the Karama area at this very moment as I am posting this blog entry. I can see it from my office. The smoke is thick and spreading everywhere.

It is not uncommon to see thick smoke from fire outbreak in Dubai. This is actually my third encounter. These outbreaks seem to always fall on the extreme end; they come with explosions, black sooty fumes and affect a huge area.

Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Escargot


Saw this in the supermarket and decided to give it a try. This dish always reminds me of the restaurant our family used to go to for Sunday buffet brunch when I was very young. My sisters and I would line up round after round at the station where the chef prepared the escargot with garlic. I would smile with glee when the snails were ready and the garlic smell filled up the station. Those are some of my fond childhood memories.

The snails I bought from the supermarket were prepared with garlic butter, which tasted slightly different from my memory. But they were still a nice change from my usual noodles/rice/pasta routine.

Sunday, 14 December 2008

Maroon 5


A bunch of singers/bands came to the UAE to perform during December. The singers were Sting, Simple Plan, Maroon 5 and Kylie. Out of all these, I picked to attend Maroon 5's concert last Wednesday.

The show were scheduled to start at 9 but the band appeared on stage at about 9:25pm. Adam Levine's hair has grown considerably long since I last saw him on TV. The band started the night with This Love, followed by songs from their first album "All about Jane" to the latest "It won't be soon before long".

I took some videos using my mobile and would upload them when I could locate my connection cables. Maroon 5 live show was fantastic. The audience was good too. We sang "Won't go home without you" together and it was a memorable performance.

A blurry image of Levine captured by yours truly

Sunday, 30 November 2008

Dubai Winter


The weather in Dubai is getting cooler and cooler, suggesting the long awaited Dubai winter is finally here.

During the winter season, Dubai is a pleasant place to live in. With constant sunshine, cool weather, comfortable humidity and gentle sea breeze blowing from the Gulf, it is a big contrast from its summer. We can actually enjoy outdoor activities and have some fun strolling around the neighbourhood.

The Marina
Flea market

Dubai winter usually lasts 6 to 7 months from late October to early April. If you are planning to visit the Middle East, it is the best time to travel the region.

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Ice Skating Ring

My skating boots

Went ice skating with colleagues last night in the Dubai Mall. The ice rink was not as big as I imagined. I guess I am getting jaded. Things in Dubai used to be ginormous and anything normal seems tiny.

My colleagues


Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Big 5 and Rugby 7s

Terminology:
The Big 5 : Exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre on construction industry.

The Dubai Rugby 7s: Annual Rugby event in Dubai

The above terms are the buzzwords for this week in Dubai. Everyone is talking about them. You are either asked if you are attending them, when you are attending, or how much you paid for your tickets.

I am not interested in both. So shoot me.

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

Kinokuniya


Kinokuniya is my favourite bookstore in the world. I am extremely pleased that they've decided to open up a branch in Dubai.

I love Kino because they carry a wide range of books, in terms of genre and publishers. They not only have the prettiest and cutest Japanese stationery, but also practical and useful notebooks and files. The best of all is that everything is priced fairly. And the fact that they have comics and Chinese books means heaven to me.

Racks of books-AWESOME!
Japanese novels
Chinese novels
Some of my favourite comics
There is an art gallery too!

Monday, 24 November 2008

Baby Shower


Attended my first baby shower last Friday. My friend Tara is expecting and the expected due date is late December this year.

Both the father-to-be and mother-to-be are beaming. I hereby wish them a healthy and happy child. It is always a delight to see friends glowing in their happiness.

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

Weeds


I was driving to work this morning and saw this landscape "designer" removing weeds from the central divider. He reminded me so much of Singapore. I used to be very scared of the weed removing machine because getting hit by the cut grass was not exactly a pleasant experience. But then after looking at this poor fellow doing his job, I realise the weed cutting machine is not so bad, after all.

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

Do you have a good job?

My work station in London office

Chanced upon this article awhile back. Worth a read.

Take the test

Today's job market favors employees. The attitude of most workers is that they should have a job that makes them happy. So it's no surprise that at any given time 70 percent of the workforce is job hunting, according to the Wall St. Journal.

Everyone is looking for the right position. But what exactly does that mean?

Here is something it's probably not: Prestigious. People who chase fame and prestige are generally not as happy as other people. If you're after fame, you are setting goals that are dependent on other peoples' approval. Conversely, goals about self-acceptance and friendship make you happy because you have more control over them.

You might think you're different - that you have a legitimate shot at fame. Ninety percent of young workers think they are in the top 10 percent of all workers, according to Business Week. Also, 40 percent think they will become famous. The reality is 1 or 2 percent ever achieve a modicum of fame.

A good rule of thumb when choosing a job to make you happy is to pick one that is based on the following list of attributes.

To test a job to see if it's good, give the job points for each attribute it has:

1. A short, predictable commute - 1 point
The problem with a long commute is that it is long in a different way each day. Sometimes it's the rain, sometimes there's an accident. Sometimes traffic is backed up for no apparent reason. Humans can acclimate themselves to a lot of traumatic stuff - even being a paraplegic, according to Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness. But you cannot acclimate yourself to something that is bad in a different way every day.

2. Workflow you can manage - 1 point
This is not about doing work. This is about managing your personal life, which you cannot do if you have no control over your workflow. You need to be able to predict when things will be difficult and when it's safe to focus more on your personal life. This is why management consultants are generally happy - they oversee their own schedule. But those who hold client-heavy jobs, such as lawyers or financial analysts, have to jump at a clients' whim.

3. Clear goals that are challenging - 1 point
Goals that are not challenging result in boredom, not happiness. But challenging work without a clear goal is a bad job waiting to happen because people want to know how they're doing. But you can't get feedback from a boss who does not set clear goals to manage your progress.

It is worth noting that the primary cause of workplace burnout is not the amount of time spent working, but whether the work you did can make a difference. For example, nurses on the pediatric burn unit have high turnover because it is exhausting to be taking care of children without being able to stop their suffering. Conversely, entrepreneurs are typically happy because they have so much control over workflow and goals.

4. Two co-workers you're close friend with - 3 points
If you have two good friends at work, you are almost guaranteed to like your job, according to Tom Rath, the author of Vital Friends. This is, in part, because you can process the bad parts of a job more productively with friends by your side to help you.

So finding a job you like or turning a bad job in to a good job might actually be totally under your control; you can decide you are going to be likable and make friends, or not.

Test results:

0-2 points, probably not a good job

3 points, probably a good job

4 - 6 points, probably a really good job

Tuesday, 11 November 2008

Pierchic


We celebrated Mum's 60th Birthday at Pierchic. Pierchic is voted as the most romantic restaurant in Dubai. With its panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf, a backdrop of the Madinat Jumeirah, the Alantis Hotel and the Burj Al Arab which changes colour throughout the night, combined with the sound of sea waves, spectacular seafood and excellent service, Pierchic is no doubt the most romantic spot I have ever been in my life.

We first drove to Al Qasr Hotel and had the car parked by the hotel's friendly staff. Then we walked through the lobby and were greeted by everyone until we reached the ground floor entrance. A golf buggy took us from the hotel to the pier. The 15 minute buggy ride allowed us to have a good look at the Madinat Hotel. We even spotted a group of yogis practising yoga under the starry sky.

Once we reached the shore, we had to walk for about 5 minutes on a wooden bridge which connected the mainland to the restaurant. As suggested by its name, the restaurant was built on a pier. On the bridge, we had a fantastic view on the Dubai landmarks. The walk also provided us with a nice transition and prepped our mood for the dinner.

We were greeted warmly again at the end of the bridge. It was rather unfortunate because I forgot to book a table on the terrace during my phone reservation. We were seated indoors instead. Luckily we still managed to get a table with a reasonably good view.

We had the chef's recommendation: cold plate starter and seafood main course. The food itself was great, but it was the fine dining experience that was priceless. Knowing that Mum was the birthday girl, the restaurant served us a chocolate cake at the end of the meal too.

Appetizer - complimentary by the chef

Cold Platter - Chef's recommendation

Lemon Sorbet with mango pudding to cleanse our palette - on the house again!

Fresh Veggie

Seafood hot plate


We had a great time. It was an unforgettable experience. Although this meal cost even more than what it did in Burj Al Arab, it was, in my opinion, worth every penny.

So to my dearest Mum: Happy Birthday and may every day of yours be filled with laughter and happiness. Catcat and I will always love you. :)

Monday, 10 November 2008

Dubai Mall


The brand new Dubai Mall was opened on 4 Nov, 2pm. I brought my folks to the new mall for a brief visit. The Dubai Mall, like any other malls in the UAE, was enormous. It housed the world largest arcylic panel in the Dubai Aquarium.

Already in the Guiness Record- The world largest Arcylic Panel

Unluckily for us, most of the shops were not ready yet. And some parts of the mall were still under construction. The aquarium, on the other hand, was absolutely fantastic. It was a lot bigger than the Lost Chamber in the Atlantis Hotel, and the tickets were cheaper too.

Dubai Mall-Work in Progress

Opening soon....

Dubai Ice Rink

To my surprise, Kinokuniya is going to have a branch in Dubai. I am delighted as I like Kino a lot better than Boarders or Virgin Megastore.

Kinokuniya!

Thursday, 6 November 2008

Friday Brunch at Burj Al Arab


My Dad wanted to dine in the Burj Al Arab and checked whether the hotel really lives up to its reputation. Therefore I booked a Friday Buffet Brunch at Al Muntaha, the restaurant at the top floor of Burj Al Arab, for the three of us.

The spread of food was excellent. The sea view was unbeatable. We had the Palm Jumeirah on our left and the World on our right. There was a live band and a good selection of liquors. I didn't manage to taste every single dish in the buffet. It was just impossible. How I wish I had a bigger appetite and a bigger stomach.

Our Table

The Palm Jumeirah

The World

The Live Band

And *drum roll* the FOOD







The Interior

The Private Beach