Apricot | ExpatWoman.com
 

Apricot

Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 22:52
Organix mult-grain cereal from Spinneys. Earth Child oat cereal from Organic Foods & Cafe. I gave DS1 Milupa (now rebranded as Aptamil Bebe rice) and it is a sweet sticky paste, he was addicted to the stuff and refused to try real food or enjoy fruit/ veg. If your baby is EBF and you are taking both a daily prenatal and daily amt of Omega 3-6-9, baby doesn't need extra nutrients from the baby rice. With DS2, I fed him the packet multigrain cereal for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner gave him a porridge/ risotto made from brown basmati rice, onion and 1 kind of veg (I wanted to introduce veggies one at a time), all cooked up in homemade chicken stock in the pressure cooker (super soft food in 10 min). Also fed him jars of HIPP spinach with Parmesan cheese. He currently eats much better than DS1 did at same age!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 22:42
Mebo ointment from the pharmacy, it's made from sesame seed oil. <em>edited by Apricot on 21/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 22:40
Mustela didnt work for either of my 2 babies. I use Pigeon hair & body wash. I don't do a full-immersion bath; I just stand or sit them in the tub, wet them, turn water off, apply soap to hair and body, then spray off the soap. Lush makes a good talc-free body powder; I use Vanillary on my kids. Kiwispers, when I delivered my kids at Al Wasl/ Latifa, the nurses specifically told me to not use J&J as it causes skin probs! They recommended Sebamed Baby instead. I used the Sebamed Baby liquid bath soap for DS1 for a very long time with good results.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 22:06
It's usually sold under the Blue Dragon brand, and all their stuff is usually kept together/nearby in the relevant "ethnic food" section. I've seen Blue Dragon brand in C4 and Spinneys.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 22:00
Loved the cliff hanger in the recent episode--omg, was that really Henry's biological father? And how did he enter Storybrook when no-one can enter???
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 21:57
It's popular because it's one of the cheapest "international" curriculum school in Dubai. Hence the closed waiting list.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 21:44
You can get this kind of wax in any supermarket near the hair removing creams and womens razors. I have bought these in the past and just put into the microwave at very low power to warm through before use.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 01:07
I've only ever seen hair-removing wax sold in plastic tubs in Dubai, not metal tins. In the States I used to empty out the contents of a plastic tub of wax into an electric pot-pouri warmer for at-home waxing. Never heard of/ seen the metal tin sat on an electric warming base...
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 01:02
I've gone to Rekha at Pretty Lady in Satwa. She is Nepalese, but raised in India. Satwa isn't too far from Business Bay area ;)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 00:59
Raining again..
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2012 - 00:47
There was a lot of rain, and now it stopped....
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 01:17
Thanks I have Wilton meringue powder, what do you think of the cookie recipe?Sorry, cookies are not my forte, esp not the "decorated with royal icing" kind! I stick to a very elaborate choc chip recipe, 1 tried and tested recipe for oatmeal date cookies, and recipes in "Joy of Cooking"! Even Nigella has let me down in the cookie dept, and she's usually aces in desserts. Apparently Martha Stewart's cookie recipes all come out really good, so that's a good website to investigate.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 01:11
Can buy the same organic macaroni and cheese (at the same price) at Safestway on Sheikh Zayed Rd.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 01:05
Just avoid the Breyers ice cream (I've always seen it with serious freezer burn and frozen melted ice cream on the outside) and beware the Blue Bell ice cream, these show evidence of having thawed out at some point then being re-frozen. Neither of which brands are sold at Spinneys. Enjoy! great cheap thrills are Classic chocolate-flavored (ie artificially flavored choc!) ice cream and KDD vanilla caramel, KDD tropical sorbet. The Bulla mint choc chip and vanilla are yummy!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:55
I just found a stash while cleaning out a closet. <em>edited by Apricot on 17/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:53
Enemas are (or were) standard practice at government hosps (though things may have changed now). Part of the Baby Friendly Initiative qualification that Al Wasl/Latifa and Dubai Hospitals have now achieved, is dropping enemas and pubic shaves as standard practice upon admission to labour ward. You have to specifically ask for them. Absence of my birth plan meant that I didn't get an enema, pooped repeatedly in the delivery room since I'd previously eaten a yummy buffet lunch. One of my midwives assumed my zonked appearance meant I couldn't hear her nasty comments. Guess who got named and shamed in a complaint letter 2 weeks later!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:39
Baby Splash at Dubai Ladies Club, really nice instructors.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:37
Izzy Dubai taught me how to make my own fresh using trays of frozen chicken wings! It's in the EW archives.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:34
DH had covered the balcony in artificial turf, so each time it rained, rainwater would come INSIDE the apt...I remember that time very well! I swear I thought my car windows were fogging up with humidity Sat afternoon, and then we saw a bunch of the big, harmless ants inside the house so I thought, YES, the ants sense approaching rain!! Very windy all through today..
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2012 - 00:19
I thought you were already married, Semi Saudi? Or is this a dress for the walimah (announcing nikkah to the community) party? I have a Jessica McClintock off the shoulder wedding gown from the States, willing to sell/ rent out...(nope wasn't my wedding dress, just fell in love with style!) edited by Apricot on 13/01/2012 I married a local so as it goes here, first we go to the court and do all the official side, then it's permissible for us to "sit together" and get to know one another properly before taking the plunge and living together from day one :) D So we did that more than a month ago, now preparing for the party and when thats over we'll live together :) How is the dress? I need something way OTT (Typical arabic wedding)Cool, so you ARE getting ready for the walimah(that's the WHITE dress party in current Emirati culture)! How exciting! I have 2 white Jessica McClintock poufy, long gowns but neither has bling-y stuff on it like sequins or crystals. <em>edited by Apricot on 17/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 23:58
Don't worry about weight as muscles are more dense than fat (BMI readings are also just a 'guide' and are inaccurate). http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/muscle-to-fat.html As long as you are losing the inches, then it's alright! Fit in that ol' pair of jeans yet? lol....not yet but got into a skirt this morning that has been taunting me for months!Congratulations! Isn't that a great feeling!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 23:57
I have it on VHS, happy to sell (just don't tell my DH!!!)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 23:50
You could try posting on Dubai Divas yahoo group or contact Al Huda in Um Suqeim: alhuda dot sisters at gmail dot com I've been to their coffee morning and they seem like a bunch of well-meaning people. I'm not the right ethnicity, but you could be!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 23:34
Table 9 at the Hilton creek - superb and a beautiful selection of veggie dishes. If you phone ahead and warn veggies coming they will, I'm sure, make sure there are some good options for you. Stunning food and service and you get o go into the kitchens and meet he chefs. I second Table 9 - they have two tasting menus as well, one meat and fish and one purely vegetarian. Great selection of food for all tastes, and the bag of homemade sweets to take home is definitely worth going for! The pick and mix is worth going for just on it's own!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the lemon sherberts are amazing!!!!!! The guys deserve to do well it's an amazing restaurant.They have vouchers in the Entertainer Fine Dining Book--yesss!!! Does anyone know if they're open for lunch?
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 15 January 2012 - 23:04
I genuinely love this cleaning schedule, but it was devised for a live-out maid in a large house without children (I think there was a dog). I think the presence of young children, especially babies, tends to throw the schedule a bit off. I would personally prefer more help babysitting than expect monthly silver-polishing, TBH. I decided that laundry would only occur twice a week, Monday and Thursday, because hanging out/ taking down laundry and immediate ironing takes up valuable time that could be spent helping me prep in kitchen or keeping an eye on the toddlers.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 14 January 2012 - 00:26
You can replace the raw egg white with meringue powder or egg white powder (Dr Oetkers in Choithrams, Wilton meringue powder in Tavola) and the recipe will still work.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 14 January 2012 - 00:21
Not too late. I planted my first garden this time of year about 3 yrs ago! But get your seeds bought and planted out this weekend STAT!!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:47
Doesn't Scotch Brite make something similar? I've seen them at Union Co-op (Safa Park), maybe even C4, the Scotch Brite version....
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:45
only to discover the sale price was the original UK price.Darn!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:43
yes, totally worth it. I've had plenty of holidays disrupted by TOM.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:30
Oh AmyAus82, the best part was that some kid named Kevin from the States wrote to Gulf News (and they published this letter!): "Dear Editor, my 7th grade classroom has been reading the matrimonials section of your newspaper for the past few months. We just want to let your readers know that describing a girl as "homely" is not very polite. Also, no boy wants to marry a homely girl!" For those of you not familiar, in the States the term "homely" is used to describe a girl with an unattractive face. No doubt the Sub Continental Asians putting in the ad were using the term to indicate a young woman only too happy to spend her married life involved only in childbearing, childcare, cooking, managing a home, hosting dinner parties, etc. <em>edited by Apricot on 13/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:18
I thought you were already married, Semi Saudi? Or is this a dress for the walimah (announcing nikkah to the community) party? I have a Jessica McClintock off the shoulder wedding gown from the States, willing to sell/ rent out...(nope wasn't my wedding dress, just fell in love with style!) <em>edited by Apricot on 13/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:11
One of my expat friends is a bit craft-minded, she made her own "lamp shade reducers" from circles cut out of thick corrugated cardboard packing boxes.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 23:03
I enjoy crafting playlists for DH's runs. A fine balance between his and my own musical tastes... Waka Waka (this time for Africa)-Shakira Especially in Michigan-Red Hot Chili Peppers Mariposas- Shakira If there's a rocket tie me to it- Snow Patrol Given to Fly- Pearl Jam Leatherwing Bat- Peter Paul & Mary Men in this Town- Shakira Get me Bodied (extended)- Beyonce She looks to me- Red Hot Chili Peppers Buffalo Soldier- Bob Marley Did it again- Shakira Dani California- Red Hot Chili Peppers Hello- Beyonce I shot the Sherrif- Bob Marley Kill the Lights- Britney Spears Ocean- the mighty mighty bosstones <em>edited by Apricot on 13/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:53
I love my Bravado nursing bras. They're the only bras that have remained supportive even though I've gone down a cup size in past 4 months. The bra has 4 rows of hooks and eyes in the back, so super adjustable through weight gain/loss. So comfy that I sleep in them. Even better than Elle Macpherson maternelle, which I used to think were 'da bomb'. I order these online. Not cheap at US$50 each but seriously, so comfy and supportive. I'm not a VS fan, though haven't bought lingerie from them for a very looooong time.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 January 2012 - 00:09
No, Al Bustan Ctr is closer to Abu Hail Ctr! If you're in Jumeira, the most convenient place to buy a nice jalabiya without going into serious debt is either Beach Ctr (Yashmac store upstairs) or Kashka in Dubai Mall (LG, near Waitrose and KAS Australia cushion shop). The Kuwaiti pavilion in Global Village may have more fashion-forward styles, though. I always get my (straight, Caucasian) hair done for Emirati invites at Pretty Lady Salon in Satwa (left at the Rydges Plaza roundabout off Dhiyafa Rd, then the first U turn, then first right into parking by-lane) and ask for a lady named Eva. Nearly half the price of Jumeira salons. Just tell her you're going to an Arab party, need a blowdry with curls, and she'll sort you out. Oh, edited to add: make sure you buy some totally gaudy crystal hair clip to match your jalabiya (the accessories store near nail salon in Mercato, Al Washia Trading, Magic Fyor in Dubai Mall, the little shoe store on ground floor of Beach Ctr) and have the hair stylist incorporate it into your hair style! <em>edited by Apricot on 13/01/2012</em>
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:53
AmyAus82, thanks for the heads up, good to know the Mercato branch is taking part in the sale.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:47
Dubai Library Distributors on Sheikh Zayed Rd (North) (same side as Ace Hardware and Dubai Garden Center) stocks the Italian brand Giotto Bebe, it's suitable from 2 yrs, non toxic. They also have branches in Bin Sougat Ctr in Rashidiya and Satwa (which has a good range of the stationary despite its modest size). Emirates Trading (the road that leads to Maktoum Bridge, heading towards Deira) stocks some kids paints in big bottles (and even some color pencils/ markers in same brand) which wash out completely in the washing machine, but they are priced double what you will pay for the Giotto brand at Dubai Library Distributors. I have a German friend who does lots of art projects with her 3 boys at home, to thank for all this info!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:38
Presam, your DS sounds like my DS2, who is also 18 months old. Believe me, we do a lot of talking, and vocab-encouraging exercises (reading stories aloud, nursery rhymes, having nonsense word conversations, playing games, etc) with the older DS1 so naturally DS2 is also involved, and he makes all those half-word-sounds, plus his own longer multi-syllable "words". I think that baby having a language that only mama can "translate" for others makes a really sweet bond at an age when the baby is taking more steps towards independence...
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:25
May look into getting a second hand one for DH's car I think this is your best option. As your DD is 13 months, the Graco Nautilus mentioned by SEY83 (I have this for DS1, and the only con is that it doesn't recline or offer neck support as well as the Britax car seats) won't work. Also, it's kind of impossible to find good quality rear-facing car seats brand new in Dubai (at least until Britax or its Australian subsidiary get an official agent/ distributor for UAE). Dubizzle is where I have found most of my car seats :)
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 23:17
Just made and served the fetteh to DH and he was sooo impressed! I did it the healthy way, so I oven-roasted the eggplant (sliced lengthways) and the Arabic bread squares, doubled the garlic, used a little less butter, sent DH on a last minute run to Choithrams as we'd just run out of tahini paste! I've only recently started making Arabic food for my DH (trying to recreate all his childhood favorites) since his mom can no longer cook, so a BIG Thanks Ginnee!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 01:40
And there isn't a sheikh who owns Emirates, it is owned by the Dubai government. Do you mean the Emirates chairman?Owned? Managed? Chairman? Same difference. I think the OP is referring to Sheikh Ahmed.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 01:13
Micasa serviced apartments.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 01:11
I left Dubai Zoo in tears so i cannot imagine how distressing it would be for a childReally??? I took my cousin visiting from SF and her kids (at that age where they say exactly what comes to mind in a REALLY loud voice, 4 yrs old and 2.5 yrs) in November, expecting the very worse thanks to previous EW threads, and the zoo was really tidy, didn't smell at all. The Politically Correct Americans were impressed... I convinced DH to come with kids to Dubai Zoo 2 weeks ago on a Friday afternoon. It was a little smelly, but not disgusting. Our fellow humankind's behavior was embarrassing and distressing.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 00:58
Congratulations Xiana! Pls contact Jane Head at stoliboli at hotmail dot com. All workout sessions are held at her home in Barsha, which she has set up with all her gym equipment. You will need to do a personal consultation with her at her home before she starts you on a workout program. She can put you in a group session to lower costs, you can request an all-female group or mixed group. I am only recommending her because my best friend has gone to her after each of her pregnancies, and I have seen results on my friend's body!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 00:49
I've seen hair mascara at the Bin Sina Pharmacy on Beach Rd (next to Reem Al Bawadi restaurant).
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 12 January 2012 - 00:42
Alternatively, Tavola/ 4Homes is the current agent in Dubai for Magimix and they can help you with spares.
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 10 January 2012 - 00:41
My landlord let me choose and design my Ikea kitchen 2 yrs ago, and he footed most of the total cost! I chose a very modern look that combines several different cabinet doors. I'm still happy with the cabinets. One drawer sticks out, but that is my fault!
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 January 2012 - 23:47
Pot holder. Local bank handed them out years ago with slogan "Don't get burnt, trust your savings with us!"
Apricot
1987
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 January 2012 - 23:43
Ina May Gaskin's books are amazing! Plenty of common sense post-birth care material.
 
 
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