WhiteOrchid | ExpatWoman.com
 

WhiteOrchid

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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 25 February 2015 - 23:15
Congratulations... wonderful news :-) I agree that you should nip off to Cyprus asap... then sit back and enjoy your pregnancy. Btw I know at least 5 mums who were in your position, got married straight away (either in dxb, Cyprus or back in home country) delivered here and had no problems at all. If you do so right now it will be v difficult to count back and see anything amiss as many women deliver a couple of weeks early.
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Latest post on 15 February 2015 - 10:30
Thanks ladies! Yes, I've been to pilates - including Real Pilates as I live across the road in Jumeira 1. The classes are very good, but personally I prefer aerobic workouts as I feel I've worked hard afterwards, I know that pilates is excellent exercise though, and works the body hard in a different way - maybe I should give it another go!
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Latest post on 10 February 2015 - 15:35
Does anyone have feedback on this school? I hadn't heard of it until today. TIA x
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Latest post on 10 February 2015 - 14:54
Thanks Lolacat. Is it located near Sobha sapphire? And are you involved with the school?
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Latest post on 10 February 2015 - 10:13
Try The Children's Garden in Al Barsha. My friends children are there and their curriculum is designed to teach children through creativity. They are also a bilingual school. Believe they take children from 2 years to 6 years. Thanks Ruby, but I should have stated that my dd is 8 yo so I am looking for a primary school which goes all the way up :-)
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Latest post on 06 February 2015 - 23:32
Hi I have never had a full-time maid and have 3 kids. We have a lovely babysitter whom we use once or twice a week to go out as a couple, and the kids love her. Also had a part-time cleaner (twice a week) for a very long time, and we send ironing out. For the past month I haven't even had part-time help and - believe it or not - my home is cleaner than before as I'm more on top of things.
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Latest post on 05 February 2015 - 16:30
Hi I know a family who live in JP and over the summer were paying 4k per month.
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Latest post on 28 January 2015 - 09:26
Hi our school charges AED1k per child per month for the bus. We don't have school meals, but I'd say they are around AED30-40 per day. Then you have to budget for outings and school trips. We are paying AED1450 for a 3 day (2 night) residential trip to RAK in April.
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Latest post on 27 January 2015 - 10:22
Hi I would say Gramercy and Zuma are the busiest after work.
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Latest post on 24 January 2015 - 18:40
Regardless of whether the police know who did it or not, it is very concerning to see that there is anti-French sentiment in the UAE. As a mother of three children attending a French school in Dubai I find it very disturbing.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 09:19
Mumto2 that's more my price range, where do you shop? edited by Puddle31 on 20/01/2015 I go to Union co-op, lulu and C4. We used to go to the Fruit and Veg market but it did not really work well for us. We get our fish from the fish market. This budget does not include eating out and if we did, we usually head to the food court. I have also learned to make sure to finish what has been bought before going ahead to buy some more. There was a time when things were really tight and I told myself to use everything in the fridge and pantry before going out to buy more. Whatever we had (canned, frozen and fresh) lasted us 2 weeks! It was pretty amazing. There was no waste, we still had good, nutritious food and we still ate well. Great advice.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 08:24
I was mid forties when I had my last baby - the pregnancy is different, for sure, compared with my first at aged 20 but it was a gift and I treasured every moment and, 10 years later, continue to treasure every moment with my DD. It was and still is more tiring etc than when I was young, but it was and is a totally different experience from having young children when, I myself, was still young. If your husband wants more children and you can conceive and carry to term, why not? It will be a blessing for your entire family. My DD's brothers adore her - she is a little princess in their eyes and can do no wrong. She has a home full of loving fathers! Lovely post.
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Latest post on 20 January 2015 - 08:19
I love these threads! I'm not great at totting up exactly how much we spend for a family of five, but I would say it's about AED1000 per week. Personally, I would love to reduce that figure though. Last week I shopped and Co-op and couldn't BELIEVE how much cheaper it was - especially for fruit and veg. Many types were only AED5 per kilo: brown onions, tomatoes, apples, mushrooms, peppers. There were carrots at AED1.95. This is around one third of what they charge at the S word.
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Latest post on 19 January 2015 - 12:10
If you have a healthy lifestyle you should be fine. Many of my friends have had kids in their 40s and are doing great. There is an interesting book called The Fertility Diet on this topic - sorry can't remember the author's name - written by a British woman (not a doctor though). It contains lots of tips to boost your fertility - most are just about staying healthy. Re: the actual pregnancy, all I can say is that in my latest pregnancy (age 38) I just felt a bit more tired and had to make more of an effort to get up of the floor late in my pregnancy. Other than that, I felt great. Good luck x ETA: Found it online! Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fertility-Diet-Maximize-Chances/dp/1847372007 edited by WhiteOrchid on 19/01/2015 <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 21/01/2015</em>
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Latest post on 06 January 2015 - 11:48
Personally, I would never let my kids go un-vaccinated in this part of the world. I know two people who have had TB here, one of whom died. We simply do not benefit from 'herd immunity' here as we would in the west. So it's not worth the risk! It's a v emotive topic though. A male friend of mine left his wife over it.
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Latest post on 06 January 2015 - 11:42
Hi I flew with them (Return to Istanbul) a few years ago and they were fine. Flight was packed though, probably due to low fare. My parents flew with them regularly for a while (before there were direct flights from Brus to Dxb) and were quite happy too. Obviously not the same as EK but does the job if you just want to get from A to B!
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Latest post on 05 January 2015 - 18:46
Hi Carambar, pls email me on [email protected].
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Latest post on 02 January 2015 - 10:53
That is good that it has changed. I was so angry when I saw the quota and so disappointed that a school in a country like this could be so discriminatory. edited by EmmaRitz on 01/01/2015 Sorry to hear you had that experience, but I think that that was in the 'old' days. I definitely notice it was quite a 'white' school 4-5 years ago, but that definitely changed now.
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Latest post on 01 January 2015 - 17:14
VD, the reason I thumbed down your post is that I still disagree with taking out loans unnecessarily. If a new arrival cannot afford to stump up 6 months' rent (or get a loan from their employer), then I honestly think they are taking a big risk by moving here. As for borrowing money to finance luxury items (e.g. TVs, phones, flashy cars) - well that is plain stupid. Like DT I have been here over 10 years but not borrowed one penny. And no we are not on a huge expat package - just a normal one.
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 13:52
What a shame for all involved... your colleague must be very upset. How awful, spending NYE in detention. Yet another warning not to get into debt in the UAE... it's just not worth it.
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 13:49
Our experience is that pupils in one school are scattered all over. It is far less local than I had imagined. I think that is partly because there is so much moving of schools. Whilst it is certainly preferable to be close, at least to begin with, you may find it is less achievable in the longer term if kids change schools or move on to secondary and end up in different schools,. Keeping close to school can mean a lot of house moves! True. Some kids at our school in Oud Metha live as far away as AR or Jebel Ali.
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 13:47
If you mean the person I think you mean I miss her..she always went out of her way to jump on certain posters to remind them how much better her life is now she's left Dubai...Her RR, her private schools and the lovely weather...I remember one ridiculous argument about how much it rained in certain parts of the UK !! lol Back in the days when there was spirit on here.... I know, she certainly made the board more entertaining. Remember her boasting about her kids' tans in April and then the UK having the worst summer ever. It was hilarious!
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 11:20
@ WO, I recall that post, I did not find it strange actually and I was living in Dubai then, it could even have been useful to some to have her viewpoint however I respect your right to have that opinion. I think given the topic of this thread it was relevant for me to make a comment on my perspective. I don't post my views just for the sake of it or where its off topic. People are complaining this forum is boring and just an information board. it certainly will be if we cannot say anything more than where we can find that elusive grocery item. edited by Di@DXB on 31/12/2014 Thanks Di. As I said, I don't mind *constructive*, objective posts made by expats who have returned to their home countries. But that particular poster only said negative things about Dubai and praised her lifestyle in the UK - which, let's face it, was very privileged and not representative of what most Brits could afford. It was almost as if she was saying "well my life here is much better than yours, although you couldn't afford it if you returned here". As such I found her approach quite passive aggressive. Oh and she even admitted that one of her favourite pastimes was 'Dubai-bashing'! Not what I would call constructive. <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 31/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 09:12
I do understand what DT is saying. Although *constructive* posts from re-pats are interesting and helpful, we have had some rather odd ones. Around a year ago there was a poster who kept logging on to tell us how much better her life was since returning to the UK. Most of them said something like: "I'm sitting in big garden of my beautiful house, just 15 mins drive from the best private school in the area, where my kids are getting a wonderful education, so much better than in Dubai. The weather in the UK is so much more pleasant, we have got tans in April. The job I have got pays much more than what I could earn in the UAE and there is zero crime around here. Having said that, I do live in a very affluent area, which many could not afford. And we get the opportunity to return to Dubai and enjoy the five star lifestyle there as we still own a successful business there, so really we are not missing out on anything." I struggled to see how this could be useful to anyone, and couldn't help but feel she had something to prove by constantly telling us all this. It wouldn't occur to me to log onto mumsnet and tell people int he UK that I love the weather here and am just rushing off to the beach - such a nice break from the freezing cold.
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 08:57
[ Hi ER! I am very out of touch with expat life but I still post on here. I am ok with getting thumbed down. We can't all have the same opinions... AnonDubai, you're not out of touch at all! I'd say you're more up to speed than I am. Plus, as you say, you're an 'agreeable' poster and you don't get worked up about other people's posts. Unlike me - posting when I was in a bad mood yesterday - I have since deleted what I wrote. Lol.
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Latest post on 31 December 2014 - 08:52
My commute takes about 15 mins in the morning, and longer in the afternoon (25-30mins due to traffic). I'd love to live right next to school but there isn't much family accommodation available around there (Oud Metha). I agree with ER and AD that living close by is definitely better for kids - and outweighs other factors. There is a similar but more established school in Academic City but it's just too far from our home in Jumeira 1.
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Latest post on 30 December 2014 - 11:02
I would say most people travel at least 5-10km to school.
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Latest post on 29 December 2014 - 09:29
[i'>Note: The author wrote this article on behalf of Randstad Mena, recruitment specialists for the Middle East and North Africa. [/i'> LOL !! Well spotted, DT! Living up to your name again ;-)
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Latest post on 28 December 2014 - 22:47
My 3 closest neighbours have moved out over the past month. They are all leaving Dubai - one to return to the UK, one to the Phils and another to move to Spain. They are all Brits. I have real difficulty believing that there is a massive influx of expats from the UK atm. The second article posted (by Nima Abu-Wardeh) is by far the most accurate.
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Latest post on 28 December 2014 - 14:20
Btw do your require alcohol at your wedding? If not, hiring a venue and simply getting a restaurant (e.g. curry house) to cater could save a lot of money. I still think St Ethelburga's is a great idea btw! GBP450 to hire the venue plus catering... Plenty of budget wedding advice on this forum: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=142 Enjoy your planning :-) ETA: Ooooh... check out Islington Town Hall for your ceremony (nearest reg office to City - short drive away). Lovely pics: https://www.google.ae/search?q=getting+married+at+islington+town+hall&client=firefox-a&hs=iPs&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=0dyfVIGdOYXwaPnygfAO&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1366&bih=633 <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 28/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 28 December 2014 - 13:54
Licensed wedding venues in Westminster: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/approved-ceremony-venues Note: Asia House and Old Mayfair Library are temporarily replacing Marylebone Town Hall (reg office), so no extra fee for registrar attendance.
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Latest post on 28 December 2014 - 13:43
Congrats Bonbon! Wonderful news. Whereabouts are you both from in the UK? That could help narrow things down a bit. We got married in a reg office and it was *super* special... in Westminster, Marylebone Old Town Hall to be precise - where Paul McCartney got married (twice). Lol. Unfortunately it's now closed for a refurb but I believe they have agreements with a couple of other venues (both old buildings). Problem is... most reception venues in central London would work out v expensive. We used the Savoy, fine for a smallish wedding, but pricey for 100 guests. Most stately homes charge about GBP100+ for food & drink, so you would need to be flexible. How about this venue in central London... looks like a converted church and not too pricey, plus right in the City: https://hirespace.com/Spaces/1178/Seventy-Eight-Bishopsgate/The-Nave/Events https://www.stethelburgas.org/hire-venue Not sure it's licensed for civil wedding venue, but you could always get married in a (nice) nearby reg office and then go there for a reception with a 'churchey' feel :-) Good luck :-)
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Latest post on 28 December 2014 - 11:46
Thanks for your replies. My husband will not work so he will be looking after the children. I'm after the names of schools close to BB so that I can research those first and see if there are places available, not sure of the location of the schools so would rather start with the ones close to where I'll be based for work. Can anyone recommend a nice residential area that's not too far away from BB (my housing and schooling are included in my package) also, is renting a hotel apt long term a good option, do they tend to be furnished? As always, appreciate your feedback! Congrats on your job offer :-) Just a quick question... have you received confirmation in writing that you will be able to sponsor your dh and children? Unfortunately only women working in certain professions (e.g. teachers, doctors, nurses) can do so... unless they have a very influential employer. I came out here 10 years ago and was not able to sponsor my dh, despite earning a very good salary and working for a govt organisation. I know other women who have had the same problem... some employers just assume the dh will be working and will therefore sponsor the kids. May be worth double-checking to be on the safe side. Best of luck x
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Latest post on 11 December 2014 - 16:17
Hi it may have been Ekaterina & Maria (stores in Lamcy, Arabian Centre, Mazaya Centre and a few other places). At first sight the dresses seem v ornate & arabic but if you look carefully you can find some v nice ones. Apparently, they get them from a website based in China called Light in the Box. That may be the site you were thinking of. http://www.lightinthebox.com/c/wedding-dresses_1181
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Latest post on 11 December 2014 - 15:53
I see property as a long term investment therefore long term projections for Dubai are good. Dubai is a safe haven in a wealthy region offering stability and a sound banking system. Were you here in 2008 ladymary? 'Safe haven' was an often used refrain that year as a reason why Dubai would escape the recession. And yet...... True... I can't believe anyone would call this a safe haven. That is definitely naive pre-2008 talk!
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Latest post on 11 December 2014 - 15:50
It was a global recession. Prices dropped in the US,UK everywhere. Dubai recovered a lot faster than the rest of the western world. If Labour gets elected in the next GE wait and see how many businesses move here from the UK. Anyway, we have made money buying and selling the right houses at the right time, I would always encourage people to buy if they can afford to do so. I disagree with all three points. 1) As PP stated, Dubai was hit extremely hard not only by the recession but by the property crash due to oversupply. 2) I really doubt businesses would just leave the UK due to a Labour win. They hardly did that last time Labour rose to power and the current party leadership (Ed Miliband) is not any more left-leaning than Tony Blair was. 3) As you state, you bought at the *right time*. We also made a tidy profit doing this in London, but Dubai is a much more risky market and I would not call this a right time as prices have risen sharply. Buying a place to avoid paying rent is the biggest trap ever. You stand to lose a *lot* more if its value crashes than you would pay in rent over many years.
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Latest post on 11 December 2014 - 15:34
Depends... if he/she had also invited work colleagues who were as close as me then I would be annoyed. But if it were 'just' clients and friends then less so.
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Latest post on 11 December 2014 - 09:03
Hi, I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. It must be very stressful and frustrating. Have you tried meeting her for coffee and kindly explaining to her that you find the situation a bit strange? If she says she doesn't understand, then you could say that you just don't find it normal to send so many text messages etc per day and that it makes you feel uncomfortable. You could turn the situation around and say that maybe amongst *her* friends it's the done thing but you're not used to that sort of thing (that way she won't feel singled out as a freak). If you're from different cultures, you could use that as an excuse. I don't suggest you call the police or speak to her dh at all. In any case, there are no anti-stalking laws in the UAE. A couple of years ago a woman was stalking a man in my old building by standing outside for at least an hour every evening. Several ppl complained to security but they said that they had consulted the police and that there was no law prohibiting that sort of behaviour. As a last resort, you could block her from your social media. But if she is sensitive, that could backfire so I would give her at least one verbal warning first. Good luck xx
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Latest post on 09 December 2014 - 09:57
Tough one... I agree school trips are fantastic, but it's a lot of money. Last year all five of us flew to Paris for less than than that - obviously didn't cover accomm etc once we got there, but that puts things into perspective!
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Latest post on 09 December 2014 - 07:50
The One store in Jumeriah told me they will no longer carry christmas decor/themes when I tried a few days ago. The rep said the outlet branch has whatever is left and its on sale True... I popped in as I live next door and there was very little there :-(
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Latest post on 09 December 2014 - 07:48
Hi I know quite a few women who have done this, and had no problems. One of them delivered in a govt hospital and pointed out the issue when she registered. She was told that it was fine, and that the most important thing was that she was married when she delivered. I am not saying that this is a 100% guarantee that your friend will not have problems, but no-one I know did. I have also been on EW for about 8 years and never heard of any such happenings. I agree that ppl should stop lecturing on issues they know very little about. <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 09/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 09 December 2014 - 07:41
Believe it or not mine are not at the most expensive schools. I have two but both at secondary which is AED72k per year per child which equates to AED144k. Many other secondary schools are way higher than this . True... and many primary schools are nearly as much now - esp the new ones. I pay AED74k for three primary school kids - thanks to French govt subsidies paid to the school. ETA: I meant to say I think you're doing a great job on the income and outgoings you have. Well done :-) <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 09/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 08 December 2014 - 20:03
Incidentally, a good money-saving tip is to speak French to your kids. Both French schools are govt-subsidised hence very affordable ;-)
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Latest post on 08 December 2014 - 19:57
GE..not sure where your money is going but we have about 80% of the income that you state. Our apartment costs AED100k a year but school fees are AED144k a year. We don't get flights and my kids do a couple of paid activities every week. They are always needing money for school and uniform is costly and both outgrowing clothes at a tremendous rate. I'm also topping up a mortgage back home as rental income doesn't cover mortgage. It is tight but we get by. Wow, 144k on school fees! Sounds like a lot. How many kids do you have? <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 09/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 08 December 2014 - 19:51
Well done CoffeeBean!!
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Latest post on 08 December 2014 - 09:35
[ Ok.... I have to say that before you posted that I was going to say the same thing as LovelyLily. When we 1st came out here 10 yrs ago, our basic income was a little more than yours and we managed to save about 25k per month - and that would be a normal month without extras e.g. bonuses (these we never touched). As a result we managed to put a substantial amount aside in the first few years. We still had a v nice lifestyle e.g. lovely apt, weekly salon visits, outings. But we didn't go to flashy restaurants or travel to much (unless it was for work). We chose to cash in our EK flights, unused annual leave etc. Oh and we didn't have a car as we lived right next to the office. Now that we only have one salary and 3 kids (without fees paid), it's obviously very different but we still save a reasonable sum every month. Key to this is living in an apt, not sending kids to *very* expensive schools and only having one holiday a year. Do you mind me asking how much your villa costs? As you say, it sounds as though that's the main issue. <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 08/12/2014</em>
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Latest post on 02 December 2014 - 11:30
hello ladies, I am now shifted to Dubai near Jafliya. we have only one irani salon in my area and i dont like it. Plz tell me about good parlor where i can do many service in one package. i also want to do smoothening for my hair, do they do it here? I can't really recommend other services, as I haven't found my self a place "economical" and "hygienic" at same time. However,I can highly recommend "Beauty Plus Ladies Salon" in Satwa for hair smoothing or rebondng. They do all kind of hair treatments....... Prices are really lowest, they use very good branded products. Might be good idea if you bargain a bit with manager "Aliza".....or just check their monthly offer. sometimes offer prices come to as low as 300 Dhs for any length. :biggrin: edited by rose717 on 02/12/2014 Thanks Rose. Whereabouts in Satwa is this salon?
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Latest post on 02 December 2014 - 11:03
There are some fantastic deals at Pan Emirates - we recently got a large sofa there for only AED3k and it seems like vg quality (at least much better than Ikea).
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Latest post on 02 December 2014 - 11:00
Hi not sure about packages, but you're not too far from Pretty Lady on Mankhool. It's a very god salon with very good prices. Hth xWhite Orchid I used to be a loyal customer of Pretty Lady, until they recently began charging Jumeira1 prices lol! I found a good package at a salon nr my dentist on Bank Street called Beautiful Times, in the Habib Bank bldg. I did waxing n pedicure there, was v happy w hygiene, service, etc. Interesting, Apricot! You're right that PL have increased their prices of late. How much is your package on Bank St? And what does it cover? Hope you don't mind me asking ;-)
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Latest post on 01 December 2014 - 19:45
Thank you every one for reply and suggestions. Yes my sleeping routine is up side down, I should start from this. By the way, why I am thumbed down? For munching food? Or for feeling depressed or trying to relax? Some people are really nasty :angry: Sounds like they could do well to follow some of the excellent advice given on this thread.