Apricot | ExpatWoman.com
 

Apricot

Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 June 2013 - 21:50
I have the Brabantia wall fix, and there is enough air circulation. Union Coop also sells these.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 June 2013 - 21:40
Sorry A Rancher, I know where to go but cannot give specifics unless I study Google maps for a bit and try to jog my memory. It's been a while but I like going there. There are also some great places to buy saffron nearby. Will try to post some more constructive help later on.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 June 2013 - 21:31
Try QV Face Day Cream spf30 I wear it every day and have extremely sensitive and fair skin. It's probably not waterproof but for everyday use it's great. australiajudy, does it sting your face? That's the issue i have with most sun creams/ sun blocks, incl Neutrogena. Last week I was outside in the afternoon watching my kids play and my face got all hot and stingy and prickly, it was awful.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 June 2013 - 21:26
I got some from Daiso in Oasis Ctr, dh 7/ pack.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:48
Akia, there is a clause that allows the children of non Gulf Arabs employed by gov't companies/ institutions to attend UAE public schools. However, with increasing Emiratisation this is becoming rare. <em>edited by Apricot on 31/05/2013</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:42
Park n Shop has American frozen pie crusts in their freezer case (i saw these in the Jumeira branch recently). Safestway makes them in-house and sells them baked in the bakery and frozen (ready to bake) in the freezer case. You could buy some Crisco (Spinneys has the best price) and make my Kentucky friend's famous pie crust: Mix together 1 cup plain flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Using two table knives or a wire pastry blender (Crate n Barrel), cut in 1/3 cup shortening. Add in enough ice water to bind. Transfer to sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap and then gather into a ball with hands. Refrigerate 25 minutes, then top with another sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper before rolling out. Conquer your fear of home-made pie crust and you will be an empowered woman!!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:34
Great advertising in the Daily Mail twice a week! ;)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:28
Apparently holidays in Dubai are sold cheaper in the UK/Europe than trips to Portugal, Spain, etc. Personally if I were a celeb, I would go to Nevis or Necker Island or Seychelles for my sun n sand.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:22
awesome, guess what I'll be doing after the school run on Sunday :)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:21
-Anything by Barbara Kingsolver -Anything by Margaret Atwood (except "Oryx and Crake" which I'm currently struggling with) -Anything by Jennifer Weiner -"The Road Home" by Rose Tremain -"Juliet, Naked" by Nick Hornby -Time Traveler's Wife -"PS I Love You" by Cecilia Ahern -Anything by Jhumpa Lahiri or Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni -A fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry -The Sand Fish by Maha Gargash (far more realistic than any Jean Sassoon book) -The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:10
Must admit I haven't tried for a while - maybe when I go home for summer i'll have another go...Happy to lend you some of my course material for The Odyssey (short workbooks and cassette tapes), enjoyable stuff :)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 17:55
there were some in last year's Entertainner Family book, for Favourite Things and Tickles & Giggles.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 17:36
I didn't mean no intention - I meant books we should all read (supposedly) yet never find the time to..Shakespeare, Dickens, The Odyssey (have tried more than once lol), any of the classics really... I did a university course on The Odyssey, the way it was presented thru all the course material really helped make it enjoyable to read. I also found the classic books more interesting to read after I'd watched, or while I was watching a BBC adaptation. That's how I finally managed to complete "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, then I got so caught up by it that I went on a frantic search for "Daniel Deronda" and other novels by her. My "classics languishing on the bookshelf" are "love in the time of cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko. Even avid readers are guilty of buying and displaying books yet not reading them.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 17:11
Yes. You can either buy them at the fancy dept stores, or you can drive 100 miles out of an urban area to a factory outlet center (google search for Premium outlets) where you can get a discount starting from 20% off retail.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 17:07
I have a great vegan diet cookbook called Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Not many pasta or bread recipes ;) Everything I've tried from it has been really yummy. There's a Sweet potato drop biscuit but you could sub w/ gluten free flour...
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 23:03
The massages at Feet First come highly recommended, very hygienic and that nice Asian spa atmosphere, more affordable than other places.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 23:01
The Gentlemens Spa is really nice.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:59
bump
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:57
Went last August on the most hot and humid Friday. The plus side is that most guests had brought their own food inside the park, plenty of cool boxes and aluminum foil packets, and it was fine. there's limited shaded areas. There are small cabanas available for extra money inside the park.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:32
Union Coop has Sharpie pens! I buy them for marking the kids' school gear.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:29
A celeb-themed wedding quiz, multiple choice (which designer made Melania Trump's wedding dress, what are the 4 c's of choosing a diamond, etc) or I guess a Bollywood themed wedding quiz (Ahlan Masala?). Another idea is to give 4 magazines to each team and have them cut out diff parts (eyes, nose, mouth, chin, ears) to construct a face, with a time limit, 15-20 min max. There should be fun gifts for the winners of the games. Mikyajy has some special offers now.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:17
Something from Montblanc, they have a shop in MOE on 1st floor. They have nice gifts for men besides the pens they are famous for. Their gift wrapping alone is super stylish.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:14
I saw them on 2-for-1 special at Park&Shop the other day, the mushroom and tomato basil varieties. Which brings their price down to the Everyday Low Price offered by Carrefour... ;)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 29 May 2013 - 22:12
I store tahina in the fridge. I also store the organic ghee in the fridge. I only put the non-organic ghee in the fridge during the summer (kitchen doesn't get cooled by the a/c). I have had both tahina and ghee spoil due to being stored in the kitchen cupboards.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 24 May 2013 - 00:33
I've got both my kids enrolled in The Childrens Garden Jumeira. DS1 and DS2 both started there at 2 yrs old and they've really thrived under the care provided by the teachers and staff. DS1 in particularly has really blossomed in the past 3 yrs at TCGJ, he has gone from being painfully shy and unwilling to participate to a voluble and highly sociable, confident child. I attribute this to small class sizes, very caring staff and a holistic curriculum.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 23 May 2013 - 09:46
Vanilla is on Sheikh Zayed Rd, maybe White Crown bldg near the bldg with McDonalds and Nazih Trading (the beauty supply place). I went there once for waxing, it was nice but haven't returned.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 23 May 2013 - 09:42
Saw a few in Pardha House shop (in the Fikhree Ctr bldg) in Satwa earlier this week. Awful color choice though. I would make the trek to Deira for best selection.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 23 May 2013 - 09:40
I find competitive fares on the Sharaf Travels website. the flights with one or more stop overs are cheaper.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 May 2013 - 01:14
Fun places to shop in San Francisco: Ambiance boutique in the Haight Ashbury area, Amoeba Records also in Haight-Ashbury, the Gunne Sacks-Jessica McClintock factory outlet in South San Francisco, Macy's Union Square (for their cookware dept in the basement, they often have local chefs' cooking demos), Sanrio Hello Kitty store off Union Square (it has gobbled my pocket money for the past 20 yrs). <em>edited by Apricot on 22/05/2013</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 May 2013 - 00:46
T: Tayyiba, Tahira, Tasneem. Tayyiba is an "old fashioned" Arabic name, not common and translates as purity. I've heard it pronounced "Tiber" (like the river in Rome) by Brits and shortened to "Tie-bee".
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 May 2013 - 00:19
Yes. I get blackheads which need to be removed somehow. I have had facials at L'esprit de Beaute, Elche, Simply Skin, Jebel Ali Hotel Spa, Amouage Beauty Ctr in Sharjah, Shangri La Dubai, Dubai Ladies Club. Currently I'm solving the problem with nightly application of 1% BHA gel. Might consider one of the places mentioned on this thread. I also like micro-dermabrasion, the results were awesome the one time that I tried it, but can't recommend the place I had it at due to the cosmetologist's crappy attitude.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 23:57
Sure. The parking lot of Beach Ctr (on Jumeira Beach Rd) has recycling bins. There's a gov't kindergarten behind the former Beach Rd Choithrams that has 3 metal recycling cages outside the gates, which are emptied regularly. EEG office 1 villa before Beach Ctr always accepts recycling during office hours and all day Saturday. Ikea in Festival City used to have newspaper collection bins in the mall entrance of the dedicated Ikea car park, not sure if still there.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 23:51
DH gets his tailored in a small shop off Al Diyafa Rd called Thawb al Watani. Very good selection of fabric, fair pricing, and discounts are given to loyal customers. was in Satwa this AM, loads of dishdasha tailors. Al Amiri sells like the rolls royce of dishdasha material, mostly imported from Italy. Given the quality of the material sold I would expect that their in-house tailor is top notch as well!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 May 2013 - 00:22
[i'>bump[/i'>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 23:43
2. Fairly quickly, unless your purchase date is just before a public holiday or in August/Sept. I'd say 2-3 working days max. 3. White goods: Dubizzle or Carrefour if you plan to live here for 3 yrs max. There are plenty of budget brands like Actron, Beko, etc. Furniture: Dubizzle, Pan Emirates and Home Center. Have a wander through Home Center, if you like the look then sign up for their loyalty program BEFORE purchasing furniture. You could get enough in "reward vouchers" to buy lamps, and home decorating accessories from either Home Ctr or their sister brands, Lifestyle and Baby Shop.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 23:31
The gate entrance that is parallel to Sheikh Zayed Rd, and from which you can access Archive restaurant. From the gate, turn right, walk on a bit and there's a nice play area opp the labyrinth. for bathroom visits, i walk back to the gate entrance, hang a left and walk towards the prayer bldgs, where there are clean bathrooms nearby. The lake just behind Archive does have ducks but it's been padlocked for the past year, so no access to feed ducks, etc. All of the lakes are located bang in the middle of the park, so it's a trek from any gate you enter. With toddlers, I personally avoid the lake. Drowning hazard and they keep wanting to dip their feet/ arms in the water which looks beyond awful. Another good toddler area in Safa Park is to enter at Gate 2, walk straight towards the lake and past 2 play areas on the right, take a right turn on the path that curves around the lake and walk towards the play area on the right side. The only caveat is that to get to the nearest bathrooms (located to the right of Gate 2 entrance past the brown prayer bldgs) you cross the games and fun fair area and I have to be "mean mummy" and drag them away from the Malik Burger and dodgy rides.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 23:12
Hi Apricot. My kids will not go on this trip YIPEEE lol. Any recommendations on CHEAP hotels in the SF area. It's just for one night and I'm finding the cost pretty steep.Hi LuLee, will answer your last q first. Best bets are Residence Inn by Marriot in Los Altos or Mtn View or Hampton Court Hotel, Sunnyvale. There is Extended Stay America San Jose, we have stayed there twice, 1-2 nights each time and the place is ratty and worn down, the sheets not always clean, it's not comfortable for DH. Residence Inn has a really good complimentary hot breakfast buffet and early evening "snacks" (a mini portion of a main dish plus a veggie side). Go have a look at Google Maps to discover which areas of the California Pacific coast appeal to you, then contact me, we can figure out a great holiday for you :) <em>edited by Apricot on 03/05/2013</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 21:36
Lebanon, but that would involve a fantasy in which my husband's salary could support our current lifestyle AND a brilliant restored stone farmhouse in the mountains in preferred area AND political stability/daily safety.... My current residence looks pretty good right now :) <em>edited by Apricot on 02/05/2013</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 20:50
Hi Anon, I have this phone number saved in my mobile for Poison Control: 800424
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 19:18
i went to see a good cupper (not sure if that is the right term) at Wafi; she also treats at a local women's clinic in the mornings but as i work i could only go to her clinics at wafi; pyramid spa edited by MrsBW on 01/05/2013Thanks for the recommendation Mrs BW!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 19:11
I I caved in and did the Idiot Proof Diet for a while. It seriously worked! Apricot, please tell us more about this Idiot Proof Diet. Never heard of it before.It's a paperback book I randomly found in House of Prose, written by India Knight and Neris something, you can check it out on Amazon UK and their forum *** to twig dot com. I combined it with Appetite for Reduction, which is like low GI vegan food, and really enjoyed it. Surprisingly, it's a fun combo to follow for people who like to cook.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 19:07
There are loads of shops in satwa. I'm sorry I don't know the names of them xMy fave haberdashery shops in Satwa are Aalam Al Khoyoot (yellow sign with black old fashioned sewing machine) and Fida.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 19:05
Hey 3Diamonds, I saw a whole bunch of Betty Crocker cake decoration stuff at Carrefour MOE 6 weeks ago, incl the gel food color tubes. Another good branch of Carrefour for cake decorating stuff is Carrefour Mazaya Center.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 19:01
We start off in San Francisco (1 day of site-seeing), drive down the coast to Los Angeles (1.5-2days).I'd like to know if 1.5 days of driving enough? Hi LuLee, we just got back from SF with the kids. We had to visit family in the Monterey area from our base in Silicon Valley and our day was completely ruined by taking the scenic route, Hwy 1, there and back. What could have been a 1.5 hr trip each way became a torturous 3 hrs. My advice is to take Hwy 101 from SF to Monterey, visit the aquarium (not cheap, 3 adults, 1 child and 1 kid under 3 cost us $89 in tickets, but totally worth it and you should spend as much time there as you can), then continue south. I think, from your previous posts, that you have kids under 6 yrs old. If the kids will be with you during this drive, I would suggest that you take Hwy 101/ Hwy 5 and break the journey at Madonna Inn (each room is decorated to a different theme) and Harris Ranch (famous for their steaks!). You might want to further research this as I last traveled that route 15 yrs ago! You will arrive in LA in a good time frame and hopefully the kids will be ok too. Hwy 1 is stunningly beautiful but if you get caught up in any kind of traffic (eg Friday, Sat, Sun from 11 am onwards, approaching Monterey area) or road works, there are few alternate routes to your destination, and they are just as lengthy as potentially sitting out the traffic.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 20:54
I got rid of my baby belly thru cutting out most carbs. After resisting the idea of dieting for ages and just focusing on working out, I caved in and did the Idiot Proof Diet for a while. It seriously worked!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 02:48
Shukr have a factory outlet store located in Amman Sports City, Jordan. My cousin brought me a few things. Maybe email the company and ask if their outlet store has the styles you like in stock. I use Giordano linen coats as "modern" abayas outside of the Gulf.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 02:42
looking for interesting shops that have perhaps quirky or unusual jewellery for gifts.... sauce is too expensive for what it is, for me. damas boring and real stuff. fab india not quite good enough quality. the only shop I can think of is Melange in Jumeirah Plaza. Anyone got any other suggestions ? Designers Lounge opp Sunset Mall on Beach Rd?
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 02:38
There's one in the airport's departures terminal. You take the escalator past Magrudy's to the first floor and keep walking straight, it's on your left.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 02:30
How about contacting Greenheart and checking if you can visit their farm in Ras Al Khaimah? The photos of their farm on Facebook are lovely.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 01 May 2013 - 02:26
Hi I would definitely favour buying locally grown produce. It's worth noting, however, that the regulation here is much more 'relaxed' so what is labelled as 'organic' here may not meet western standards iyswim. My hometown in California began a community organic garden in 1993, and my classmate in high school successfully petitioned the city and managed an on-campus organic garden not long after. I'm a weekly Greenheart customer, and am very pleased with the standards they aspire to and the service they provide to the Dubai community. I have attempted veg gardening several times here and appreciate the huge amount of effort that goes into farming in this region's soil, let alone farming with natural pest control methods. Thanks to Greenheart, I can feed my children organic veg just like my parents gave me.
 
 
Top 5 UK curriculum online schools for expat families and kids abroad

Top 5 Online Schools For Expat Families in the Middle East

How expats in Germany can get German pension refund

Bye Bye Germany - Hello German Pension Refund?

UAE Emirati Lawyer Awatif Khouri in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Meet the Emirati Woman Breaking Grounds in UAE Law: Awatif Khouri

Mashreq NEO NXT Account | Why Kids and Teens Need Financial Education

Why Teens Need Real-World Financial Education?

International university transition tips

How to Make the Transition to University Life Easier

How to apply for Germany VBL Pension Refund as an expatriate | Germany Pension Refund

Bye Bye German Public Service Job - Hello VBL Pension Refund

Tourist SIM cards in Dubai guide

Tourist SIM Cards in Dubai: Where to Get One and Package Prices

World's most expensive cities to live in 2024

These Are the World's Most Expensive Cities To Live in 2024

Dubai ranked as one of the best cities to work in 2024

Dubai Ranked Among Top 5 Cities in the World to Work In

What are the signs that your online date is a fraud

8 Warning Signs Your Online Date is a Scammer

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Repatriation

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Leaving For Good

Best and Worst Countries to Get Started Abroad for New Expats

Best and Worst Countries for New Expats to Get Started Abroad

Under the Mango Tree by Robyn Fok | Expat Books

Expat Author Robyn Fok's 'Under the Mango Tree' Deals With Pet Grief & Loss

Expat Wife, Happy Life: Interview With Expat Author Florence Reisch

(Images: Supplied)

Expat Interview: Meet Florence Reisch, Author of 'Expat Wife, Happy Life!'

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: A Tribute by UAE Expats

Remembering an Extraordinary Woman: A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

10 reasons why expat women love the UAE

10 Reasons Why the UAE is a Popular Choice for Expat Women

6 Common Fears of Moving Abroad By Yourself and How to Overcome Them

Moving to the UAE Alone: 6 Common Fears and How to Overcome Them

Ultimate Babyshop Baby and Toddler Travel Packing List

These Baby Travel Essentials Are Must-Haves For Your Next Family Getaway

Requirements to apply for a UAE Golden Visa

How Do I Obtain a UAE Golden Visa? Requirements, Eligibility, and Process Explained

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

Opening a bank account in the UAE

A Newcomer to the UAE? What to Consider When Choosing a Bank for Opening an Account

Culture shock in the United Arab Emirates for expats

14 Ways You Will Experience Culture Shock in the UAE

Why you shouldn't upload your resume on your LinkedIn profile

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Upload a Resume to Your LinkedIn Profile

10 Secrets to Happiness as an Expat

10 Secrets to Finding Happiness as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

The best European cities for new expats

Pictured: Prague

The Best Cities in Europe for Expat Arrivals

House in Husavik

10 Amazing Things To Do In Iceland

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

The Labriz eforea spa location

Why Seychelles is One of the Best Holiday Destinations

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose