exphat | ExpatWoman.com
 

exphat

exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 February 2015 - 20:57
Real Pilates too - they use Stott equipment and the teachers really keep aware of injuries and tweak your postures to be sure they're optimal. Great. Not fun finding parking at JLT day time though!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 February 2015 - 20:53
I second TKD, awesome place.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 February 2015 - 20:45
Another massive Essa fan. Got recommendation off EW forums and love it. Dani and the Dermalogica facials. I think I've just made it even more difficult to book my appointments!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 December 2014 - 11:18
We went to The Scene at Pier 7. Very disappointing. Mismatched and uncomfortable chairs and tables, second 2pm sitting meant stressed-out and remote staff who rarely came over, took an hour for all starters to arrive and had to ask repeatedly for drinks, even just water. And then wouldn't serve us drinks after 3.30pm because they decided we were first sitting anyway! Not value for money at all and very stingy with the portions too...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 November 2014 - 18:19
Hi I suffer badly from TMJ - grinding my teeth - and have worn a mouth guard for 20-odd years. Having tried most things I read a Daily Mail article about Botox in the jaw as a solution and wondered if anyone had tried it and/ or knew where you could get it done here? I checked with my dentist and they have had enquiries but do not yet do it...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 June 2014 - 12:25
Tiny orange ones? I've heard them called sugar ants or tile ants and got them in kitchen, bathrooms (soaps) and even water cooler (sweet water?). Get pest control out - they'll put a gel everywhere that is not noxious and will dry by end of day - believe it's safe for pets and babies but check. Warning - didn't work for me first time and I still find them in kitchen cupboards so now use sealed Tupperware for everything as they still come back occasionally!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 March 2014 - 10:20
Seeing as there are big adverts all over Dubai right now to buy apartments in Bodrum, I hope they're going to start some flight services direct to Bodrum soon... Anyone got any inside knowledge?!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 March 2014 - 20:44
Yes I think I did it wrong - I should have nominated him for his own account instead! Next question - if I buy his ticket on my gold status, do I accrue points at gold level or it's purely based on the tier status of the person flying?!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 December 2013 - 17:33
Sorry phone numbers are helpful too, huh?! World Star - Jerad - 050 3910162 or 050 5997516. So polite and friendly too, all three that I met.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 December 2013 - 17:32
I just used a company called World Star - Jerad - to paint a couple of walls. Came recommended by Jim'll Fix It. They chipped out some problem areas, replastered, covered up hairline threads and painted a bedroom and one long lounge wall. 1,200AED, done in seven hours - including rehanging curtains, putting everything back and really cleaning up. I was soooooo pleasantly surprised!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2013 - 21:45
Jones the Grocer does one...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2013 - 21:35
If you get the chance to pick up internet shopping from uk I highly recommend duvetandpillowwarehouse.co.uk (DAPW) - reasonable prices for great quality/ thread count. I also bought goose down duvet there, having been obsessed with Jumeirah ones but unwilling to pay their prices to buy! Can also get Quidco discounts...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2013 - 21:18
I second the health tracker - Nike Fuelband cool, at Jumbo - just bought one for friend's bday. Tracks steps and sleep, acts as watch too.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2013 - 21:13
Culligans 8004945 - low sodium :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2013 - 21:08
How about a little pin with something that wards off the evil eye? I've been given them for both children, for DS it was a sterling silver safety pin with an eye on it (blue iris, with diamonds around the edge), and a small silver mirror like, for DD it was a white gold necklace with a large oval pendant with diamonds around the edging and Quranic words inscribed on it. The latter is only appropriate to give, though, if the mother is Muslim. My friend has been asked to buy this for a work employee - anyone know where to buy? Gold and Diamond Park didn't seem to have heard of it...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 June 2013 - 09:08
BMW expensive - can anyone recommend anywhere else to buy spare parts for BMW Minis in the UAE please?
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 September 2012 - 10:33
I was around where you are % wise...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 18:50
bump!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 September 2012 - 17:28
I have these bizarre little ants in my apartment. They're the size of a pinhead and orange - they have taken up residence in and around the water cooler, in the bathrooms and in my sofa!!!!!!!! The gel stuff you can buy in Ace doesn't affect them at all. They don't particularly bother me except on the sofa where they seem to bite me because I brush up against them. Any suggestions how to get rid?
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 September 2012 - 17:15
So after three months of pushing and some pretty major frustrations, I have got the mortgage rate down by 2%!!! They tried two cheeky suggested rates along the way which I rejected - I pointed out that their special offer for new buyers was 3% lower than my rate! Their second offer was just their flat inter-bank loan rate. This isn't the lowest rate I could have got to, I'm sure, but I'm not locked in to a special offer period on it either so it worked for me - it was the rate I suggested to them all along... I kept threatening to take my complaint to the Central Bank - that seemed to work. So I recommend you all do this - persistence does pay off even if I am now nearly bald!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 September 2012 - 17:12
Some good news! I'm putting the update into http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=165095
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 September 2012 - 17:03
Does anyone know exactly when the housing fee started being calculated based on average rent for homeowners, rather than as a percentage of the purchase price? If early 2010 I estimate I may be owed upwards of 3K AED as Dewa are still charging me as a percentage of the purchase price! And does anyone know how to work out average rent - is there a page on the Rera site?
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2012 - 13:40
TEDx night not official and not endorsed by the TEDx organiser, who works very hard at it, so I will be boycotting that...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2012 - 01:00
Went for the first time last weekend, was impressed with the food and the fact you can ask them to borrow a Mac laptop!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2012 - 00:56
I can't flirt at all. The trouble is, I think it means I end up with men who approach me rather than me doing any form of selection, because I don't risk anything and therefore don't really date much - so am a bit too grateful when someone actually does make the effort to chat me up! Would also LOVE to read the chapters - and as an editor and proof-reader, should be able to give some good feedback :-) <em>edited by exphat on 29/06/2012</em>
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2012 - 00:36
I have begun the process by calling the bank today and asking for the interest rate, querying why so much higher than for new buyers, asking for the early repayment costs and saying I am checking how much to transfer to other banks - and considering a complaint to the Central Bank. Let's see if I get anywhere. Considering last time I had to go to The National and it still took three months of complaints for them to bring it down 1%, I think it's going to be a long fight. But worth it. Would still appreciate any other real-life examples from other home-owners...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2012 - 00:32
Just had wooden floors put in the bedrooms, replacing the nasty, cracking cream tiles. Yes, they're a bit creakier. I ban heels in the bedroom - so shoes go on and off outside the door. They really don't get particularly dusty - they get cleaned once a fortnight, a bit of a sweep up of hair here and there in between. Just the same as the tiles in the other rooms... You can get good wood veneer flooring here so it's real wood but not ridiculously priced. There's a place in the Marina selling it. I again used Space 3 (I posted on here before, used them for my kitchen) - Western-run, well installed, very happy...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 June 2012 - 14:25
I'm chasing my bank directly too but any info much appreciated from anyone else who has made these enquiries
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 13:41
I know someone who brought a British nanny over from UK and had terrible problems sorting out visa as it wasn't a recognised nationality for maid. Ended up with job title of babysitter...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 13:32
If everyone posts this on their Facebook or Twitter it could really help. Got to 10,000 young men signing up for bone marrow donation in UK that way...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 13:30
We did desert drumming at a hotel for our work Christmas party. Awesome. Fantastic for a very mixed-nationality group. So much fun! Otherwise Bateaux Dubai. Sounds like you've done most things!!! Golf lesson? Ice skating? Salsa class?
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 19 January 2012 - 13:27
Tough call! I itemised everything and worked out it was about 40K GBP - I insured for about 10K GBP. I figured the same thing as many posters - what were the chances of the ship going down or everything getting water-damaged? What was unbelievable was that it was just one box that went missing - the one the packers had cleverly labelled CDs & DVDs thereby making it the most theft-worthy box of all... And I couldn't believe what was clearly theft came down to my own insurance and not the shipper's insurance but there we are. Consequence: I lost my entire two decades of music and got back a quarter of their value... I would second the suggestion to find alternative ways to insure rather than the shipping company's own insurance. That's what I'll do next time. I would DEFINITELY insure the most valuable items, just from theft...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 10:51
bump, help appreciated :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 10:34
The salary sounds about right although only you can really benchmark PM salaries according to your experience, age and salary in this market. Obviously if you have three offers, and so soon, you have a strong position to negotiate from. In terms of packages, I too am looking and also have several on the table; I've found they varied wildly, from one company not offering even health insurance or a flight home for yourself, to one offering both but only for yourself, to two offering flights and health insurance for you, your spouse and up to 2 or 3 children, life insurance for you and schooling of 25K per year for 2 or 3 children. One of those was a local company, the other, surprisingly, a free zone international one. So I think that completely depends on the company. I hadn't realised it wasn't a legal requirement to at least provide health insurance for the employer until I started looking this time round.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 22:57
Pretty sure the pharmacy in Greens would do it for me when I asked, it was just too expensive for me. Best to call a couple to see...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 22:55
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-muscle-memory.htm
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 22:51
Eyelet curtains, yes, that's what I meant! Will check them out thank you sadubai :-) Any other suggestions, anyone?
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 22:50
Most click-worthy thread title on here :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 22:47
The Alan Carr Easyway book didn't work for me the first time either - but it did the second time I read it, six months later, back in 2000. I've not smoked since. I'd say try reading it again. Lower your expectations and you may just find it starts sinking in. But you have to make the decision that you are stopping (and it was that piece of advice he gave, that you are not 'giving up' because you are sacrificing nothing, that most appealed to me) for good at the point at which you decide to stop. Other than learning how to run, this was my biggest ever obstacle - I couldn't ever visualise myself as a non-smoker, the way I couldn't visualise myself as a runner. Now I am both. Just because you can't visualise or imagine it doesn't mean it won't happen, it just means there's a mental blockage. You can still do it :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:18
Can't remember - I left the job this insurance came with in April - but wanted to update for fairness to say Daman did approve that minor op in the end. It wasn't really too long to wait for approval but I knew I was leaving the job - I just got the op in the week I left ;-) So a thumbs up there.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:14
Just seen this Dubai Cat!!! One beginning with M and ending in q which I would never, ever go to again...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:12
That will come back to you in time, financially or in good karma :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:11
Oh I just mean a Marie Jo shop. You'd have to go to UK for R&P :-(
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:04
I have never been questioned at any airport in the world carrying an Epipen (and never declare it as liquid, it never gets picked up, which bemuses me!). Just to be on the safe side, I do carry a letter from my doctor to confirm I need one. You can buy them over the counter here; I have not had any medical insurance here so far that covers them, so I get them on prescription from the UK.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:54
I was fitted with a Marie Jo L'Aventure bra by Rigby & Peller three years ago and it's still my favourite and comfiest. Believe there's a standalone shop in Dubai Mall I keep meaning to try.
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:37
Electrical goods and kitchen stuff generally. Plus duvets and covers - it gets really confusing with all the different country sizes here! Extension leads. A good supply of magazines, they're expensive here! One thing I regret not bringing is a Christmas tree, I've never found one I liked here! And some winter clothes - you never know if you'll make a trip somewhere cold from here and may regret leaving them all in storage at home...
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:31
Well done! I too thought it was impossible for me this time last year. But yesterday, after a hiatus of three weeks, I managed my first 30-minute continuous run. It IS possible! And muscle memory is great! Plus I have lost quite a lot of weight - and gained good muscle tone - in the last few weeks once my runs got to 20 minutes plus. You CAN do it!!!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:28
I have saved well here but I never got Dubai fever and always had several savings plans. But yes, I am single :-)
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:26
Wow I'll say gender then!
exphat
80
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:25
Not to share with same ***, it isn't. And it's generally fine anyway... Dubizzle your best place, should be easy to find something!
 
 
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