LadyBee | ExpatWoman.com
 

LadyBee

LadyBee
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Latest post on 18 February 2015 - 09:02
Re the large-sized bras ... try Q Room in Dubai Mall. They stock a good selection of bigger sizes (I'm an H) and good-quality stuff as well. I can recommend Prima Donna as a brand -- I was first fitted for this brand in London at Rigby & Peller some 10 years back and have ALWAYS been satisfied with the fit, shape, and the prettiness of the bra, which is important, I think, when one is carrying a ... larger load!). Recommended. The staff are ... okaaaaay ... but will help with fitting within their capabilities. Good luck with that. , <em>edited by LadyBee on 18/02/2015</em>
LadyBee
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Latest post on 18 February 2015 - 08:58
Katie at Robert Alexander Salon at TECOM/Media City. Fantastic colourist (and cutter). She will probably want to lighten you gently (ie not all at once so your hair won't burn/dry out too much) but I believe that's best, unless you need to go platinum immediately (and are going to change it back quickly afterwards).
LadyBee
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Latest post on 18 February 2015 - 08:55
I'm sure you'll be fine. The only proviso re children is that those under 16 have to be accompanied by an adult, as far as I have worked out from info online and from attending concerts myself. PS. Only some concerts have a 'child' price though, so you may be paying for a full ride (ie adult price) for all of you. :/ . <em>edited by LadyBee on 18/02/2015</em>
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Latest post on 18 February 2015 - 08:29
Just did a google, which led me to a website that has loads of flags and other country-related ephemera. Might be worth a shot? http://www.shopforexpats.com/ Failing that, if you only want a flag for a short time, you might be able to 'borrow' one from one of the Australian-themed bars/restaurants around town. Good luck. :)
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 10:39
Nope. Will watch out for it though. Love Ms Walters. I thought you were referring to the fact that we had barely ANY winter, and it's already 30C+ in February. Feel compleeeeetly ripped off. Winter hardly ever happened. *Gnashes teeth* ;)
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 10:22
PS. She is a miracle worker. I never hired her 'as such', but I have seen her work.
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 10:21
Hi, hi ... I don't have Verity's contact number, but I *am* friends with her on FB. If you do a search on Verity Rosewarne (Location: Dubai), you will probably find her. If you want me to send her a message or let her know you are looking: happy to do so. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 10:18
Heinous. Oh my word. She sounds like a prize narcissist. That poor bloke! :(
LadyBee
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:51
Which Sharaf DG? I've done the trek to Times Square for our HP cartridge replacements and have been brutally rebuffed (often!), only to find that the IBN store (down the China end) has more than enough to spare. Word of warning though: don't try and call and check first. If you get a sales assistant who doesn't like to walk, you'll just be told they 'don't have'. Going to the store to look for yourself is your best bet, even if it's a hassle. :)
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:49
A phone is like a vacuum cleaner, it's a necessity of life. It's not a special gift that says "I love you more than money" Why on earth would you need a special gift in order to know that your husband "loves you more than money". Surely that's a given? Would you still love your husband if he was unable to give you expensive gifts? Do [i'>you [/i'>love [i'>him [/i'>more than money? On a separate note...did anyone hear the woman on the radio last week bragging about the gifts her boyfriend bought her, when asked if she would love him if he didn't have the money, her answer was "I don't know I am very self-centered". Unlucky for her, her boyfriend overheard her calling in, and ended their 2 and a half year relationship, right before he was planning to propose to her at the Burj Al Arab on Valentines Day. Her reaction: "do I still get to keep the Porche you bought me for Christmas??"!!! I heard them talking about it but I didn't hear the Woman talking. She apparently had two pairs of Laboutin shoes worth DHs48,000 purchased for her also. The high HIGH ones? Shudder. Sounds like shoe-icide to me. ;)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:44
Oh bo!!locks, JEAN: meant to upvote you, but mouse clicked on down! Apparently, impossible to change back. Grrr! Apologies. x edited by LadyBee on 17/02/2015 Ha ha - the joys of pressing wrong buttons!! Thank you and I up voted you!!! :-) Oh bless. No need -- I'm not really into the whole thumbs thing, esp. since I'm not a regular visitor! -- but I didn't want you to think someone didn't like your entirely fabulous and on-point post!
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:35
Oh bo!!locks, JEAN: meant to upvote you, but mouse clicked on down! Apparently, impossible to change back. Grrr! Apologies. x <em>edited by LadyBee on 17/02/2015</em>
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:33
Absolutely depends on access to schools + access to your DH's work. Try and make it easy-ish for both parties (and you, of course). Mirdiff is a good option -- price-wise -- but you should start looking for schools in the area. If your DH is doing the Dubai--AD run, it will be horrific for him though, so the other side of town would be better. If your DH is 'downtown' CBD, Mirdiff should be fine, but again: make sure you have a school nearby so your children can be with their friends in the zone. If your school/DH's work are towards the Marina end of town, you may be lucky to find something in the Meadows area. A 4-bed in Meadows recently went for 230K, which suggests there may be more floating around that could be cheaper (maybe!). Jumeirah Park or Jumierah Village Circle are also options, but only if you want to be down the Marina/new Dubai end of town. Schools are good down this end, but again: do think of the commute your DH has to do before making a big decision. Re real estate agents ... all have their good and bad points. Start searching on Dubizzle and take it from there. You may get a deal direct via a LL (which will save you agency fees and extra costs) but you should check regularly to keep up to date. Of the realtors, Better Homes is one that crops up a lot, but like many of the others, they may have quite nice villas but their starting prices can be horrendous. Good luck.
LadyBee
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 09:19
[i'>It's been too long since we've had an entitled, b!tchy, must-have-the-last-word, button-pushing cray-cray in this parish.....'Hattan' tells us nothing, other than that you did do a teensy bit of research to 'establish' yourself in a pretty top-notch eff-off villa in the region. Though truthfully, you should have gone all-out Emirates Hills.[/i'> LOL LadyBee! Yep, I agree Moonflower has produced one of the funniest threads since I joined this board - like you say, comedy gold! Chortle. Moonflower really should have ditched the whole Emaar developments (ie Meadows/Emirates Hills) and gone for an island on the World. I hear they're actually building things out there now .... :D
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 08:56
You simply cannot put a price on three to four hours a day everyday, not to mention the bad example I'd be setting for my girls by doing that kind of work How would taking care of your own home yourself be setting a bad example to your girls? I would have thought the opposite to be true, many choose to do their own housework out of preference, and for whatever reason there's nothing demeaning in doing so. edited by chezmoi on 15/02/2015 I would like for them to one day marry men that can properly provide for them. You are entitled to raise your daughters as you like of course, and I don't mean to be critical but how can you guarantee that even if they marry super wealthy men that something could not possibly happen to affect their wealth? If they are raised to only expect to be served by maids they will be ill prepared to deal with any eventually that might heaven forbid change their circumstances. Even the Queen of England was taught how to sweep, mop, clean and dust as a young girl, does she ever need to do these things, no, but actually she chooses to sometimes to when she is on her private vacations so she can enjoy a bit of privacy away from servants. She also regularly walks her dogs herself as well. Just my opinion, I do not deny you yours, and I wish you all the best. edited by chezmoi on 15/02/2015 Exactly. Well said. I was raised in a pretty entitled environment with nanny/cleaners etc, but from the time I was 10, my mother would sort through the washing and separate mine apart from the rest. I would wash, hang it out, iron etc because she believed I should learn to take care of myself, and know how to do everything, which included every level of cleaning/hoovering/polishing/cleaning silver/raking the garden/cooking from scratch/sewing/knitting ... you name it. And I'm a better person for it. Moreover, I'd been 'helping out' with various household tasks since I could hold a dusting cloth. Raising one's daughter to be an entitled know-nothing spoiled princess is very possibly one of the worst things one can do. Same applies to sons. Self-reliance and the ability to cope with anything life throws at you is key to being an adult. I hesitate to mention the Beckham kids, but their oldest kid works in a local coffee shop for pocket money, and they've bought a second-hand clunker for him to learn to drive. They're teaching them the value of money and self-worth and that nothing is 'free'; you have to work for it. I reiterate: they'll be better adult human beings because of it.
LadyBee
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Latest post on 17 February 2015 - 08:40
What a shame it's breakfast-time ... I could really use some popcorn. Wow. Just ... wow. This has been the funniest thread I have read in a lot of years. I've never seen such troll-worthy click-bait-attractive action. You've gotta hand it to moonflower: stupendous effort from a newbie. Brava (or should I say 'bravO'?). Well played. PS. For future reference, moonflower -- just a word of warning -- you really should do this thing on a Thursday. That way everyone can play up to your heart's content. Doing this kind of thing early in the week can be confusing (and some may take you seriously). Rookie mistake, I have to say, but hey: you certainly sprinkled some JJ-like sparkle into the mix! It's been too long since we've had an entitled, b!tchy, must-have-the-last-word, button-pushing cray-cray in this parish. I, for one, have been laughing long and hard. (Does anyone remember the chick from the US Southern region who didn't want to move because she'd have to leave her lovely life, cotillion organisation and fabulous dinner parties, but her wretch of a husband was planning on dragging her out here anyway? Comedy gold). PPS. You even made me look up your other posts, lord love you. FYI: when you're talking about which section of Meadows into which you're locating, just remember that when someone asks you which Meadows, they're wanting the number of the community, not the type of villa. 'Hattan' tells us nothing, other than that you did do a teensy bit of research to 'establish' yourself in a pretty top-notch eff-off villa in the region. Though truthfully, you should have gone all-out Emirates Hills. If you paid 450K for a Hattan, you might be getting a good'un, but you've also probably been ripped off ... but since this is all conjecture and you're a wind-up merchant, it hardly matters, I guess!
LadyBee
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Latest post on 13 January 2015 - 10:52
We bought ours about three years ago at Sharaf DG Times Square. It is about twice the height of a bar fridge and the very top section 'quick freezes' (ie you can pop in a bottle of grape and it will be chilled in 10-15 minutes, if needed). It's a Daewoo with auto-de-frost, has drawers etc, and has never given us a problem. It's been a boon for us, in fact. It cost 1200dhs then but we thought it was well worth the cost at the time. PS Sharaf deliver, set up etc as well btw.
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Latest post on 12 January 2015 - 12:04
as Blackadder would say "baldrick, that's about as subtle as rhinoceros' horn disappearing up your backside" Snigger. ;) :D
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 January 2015 - 11:58
You are annoying now.... HATE it when new peeps drag up every other old thread just to promote their biz. Subtlety. There's a word. Now use it. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 January 2015 - 11:55
Can't remember how much our cylinder cost -- it *was* eight years ago -- but 120 dhs seems fine for a refill. We pay 125dhs from Al Fahidi. Very reliable. Even do Fridays. Very quick too, usually.
LadyBee
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Latest post on 06 January 2015 - 14:42
Polio... Enough said. There are people out there who will look for every tiny reason not to expose THEIR child to even a tiny risk (which there is with some vaccines) and will find plenty of friends on specialist websites to agree with them. The fact that the risk of dying from measels (for example) is much higher troubles them not one bit. Never mind the risk their infectious child causes to others. "I'm all right Jack" my father would have called them. These people are often the same people who have been; a)abducted by aliens b) experiencing a past life c) have a shaman as a life coach. I'm sorry but the internet is a place where you will find exactly what you're looking for and is not a reliable source of medical advice in many cases. This makes me angry. I wish I could like this post an octillion times. :) . <em>edited by LadyBee on 06/01/2015</em>
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 10:15
I can well imagine. Poor thing. Again: wish there was a space for him at ours, but no can do. :(
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 10:12
I prefer the expat mentality of then to now. The people who expatriated here seemed different. All were after money and there actually was money and a salary included all allowances. To get a job, you applied. If you were qualified, you would get a call that day, that week. Even if you were not qualified yet spoke English, you would get a call. I loved it under Sheikh Zayed his face everywhere, even the mention of his name demanded respect. People respected each other. Expats respected locals, locals respected expats. No one ever told anyone they did not belong here or should go home if they do not like something. People would let locals go fast through a service station - they generally knew that they were not trying to be ignorant, only trying to be fast asa they had left their cars running - it was not turned into a big fight of the beliefs. As long as fellow expats did not do it, there was no problem. Now things are easier in other respects, though. It is a lot easier to speak to staff, we no longer have to wait to go for holidays do get things (as the store we want to sop at are here now), there are things to do. I do think this is a better tourist destination now, though. Before it was the desert, Hard Rock. markets, whereas now the list if endless. And that what the plan - to divert the revenue away from being oil reliant, and this has been achieved. I will return as a visitor later in life and will no doubt love it! Interesting post! [i'>I prefer the expat mentality of then to now. The people who expatriated here seemed different. All were after money and there actually was money and a salary included all allowances. To get a job, you applied. If you were qualified, you would get a call that day, that week. Even if you were not qualified yet spoke English, you would get a call. [/i'> This is true ... to an extent. But perhaps -- compared to 'then' -- there is less of a JJ attitude as well? That surely can only be a good thing? I arrived at the tail of the JJ phenomenon and the winsome ladies-who-lunched .. with maids and Beemers and designer everything, had become something of a 'meme' rather than a reality, and I have to say: I'm quite glad about that. I actually like that more people now understand that we are largely wives and mothers and working women (single and married) who are struggling to save and have a good life and have plans for the future (back home) without it all being about the staff and the brunches and money-celebrating attitude .... More people now know that Dubai-ites are simply working people (many with families) who are trying to get ahead rather than living the 'high life' (that the life that we have all read about is pretty much a myth unless you're in the absolute stratosphere, money-wise). This is a good thing. Don't you think?
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 10:02
Oh chook. Awful story. Will give you some dhs tomorrow when we catch up. Bless his little heart. I'd take him on, but no can do with the cat-crazy hounds we have in the vicinity. x
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 10:00
What region? What age student? What type of course (ie Suzuki, Trinity, AMEB etc)? At your place or at the teacher's? What goals do you have for your child/children?
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 09:53
If you're *really* into your coffee, you could go all-out and get a manual espresso maker from a supplier like RAW Coffee. I have enjoyed pod coffee, but I really like the fact that I am actually making REAL coffee with all the grinding and pumping and planning that a manual espresso maker involves. What's more: if you buy a machine from RAW, they will show you how to use it and get the best out of it, and you also have access to fresh-roasted beans 'on tap' for your coffee-making future. I'm not dissing the pod method (promise) but you will LOVE making your own coffee from scratch if you're into this sort of thing. It's worth the effort anyway. Good luck in your decision. http://rawcoffeecompany.com/collections/home-espresso Or just cheat and buy their beans to use in a good bean to cup machine. Been doing this for years and would never go back to any other type of coffee now ha ha! That's doable too. PS. I should add that the website machines are only a tiny example of what is available in-store. And they can order machines in, if you feel so inclined ... :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 09:46
If you're *really* into your coffee, you could go all-out and get a manual espresso maker from a supplier like RAW Coffee. I have enjoyed pod coffee, but I really like the fact that I am actually making REAL coffee with all the grinding and pumping and planning that a manual espresso maker involves. What's more: if you buy a machine from RAW, they will show you how to use it and get the best out of it, and you also have access to fresh-roasted beans 'on tap' for your coffee-making future. I'm not dissing the pod method (promise) but you will LOVE making your own coffee from scratch if you're into this sort of thing. It's worth the effort anyway. Good luck in your decision. http://rawcoffeecompany.com/collections/home-espresso
LadyBee
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Latest post on 19 November 2014 - 09:40
I preferred the lack of traffic then but prefer the wider range of choices re housing/schools/food/shops now. Agree--the only thing I dislike now is the traffic compared to 4 years ago. But it still beats the traffic back home. I still think the traffic 'back home' is better than what I experience here. For one thing, it seems like 'back home' people are more on the same page where traffic rules are concerned. Sure, there was lots of cutting up and speeding and things, but not to the extent I see here. And indicating! Wow. People seemed to indicate a lot more in London/Sydney than they do here. I really notice that both expat Westerners (and everyone else) think that the indicating thing 'doesn't apply to them'. But then, that approach seems to infect a lot of people here ... The traffic volume, however, is awful compared to when we first moved here in '08. I don't think there is such a thing as peak hour anymore because there is No Good Time to do SZR (now) compared to there being actual windows of opportunity seven/eight years ago. Except Friday. Sometimes Friday can still be a good day to get out and about! Still ... I used to love driving. I've never had an accident here, nor a fender bender or even a little ding ... but I'm much more wary of the driving out here now than I was in 08. Maybe I'm just getting old ... ;)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 10:21
Hello! A maltese lover here too, mine is 2 years old. A pity you thumb down Modern Vet cause we like the doctors over there, Dr. Renata, Dr. Lourdes, Dr. Lukas, all caring people and vets. Ditto. Been patients with Mod Vet for seven years, and they've seen us through some rough times but with 100% success rate. Dr Lukas = The Man. As are the other vets AND the staff behind the counter = brilliant altogether. Could not be happier with their care. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 10:18
Whenever DH travels to London he brings a cooler bag and ice packs. On his last day, he buys smoked kippers from John Lewis, puts them with the ice packs in the hotel freezer until it is time for him to leave. Strange, I know....:biggrin: Not so strange! If I had the cohones, I'd smuggle back stuff myself. As it is, I rely on the kindness of dear friends for this sort of thing. Just last week, I had a pack of sausages and black pud' lovingly delivered to me from Ireland. And it was the Best Breakfast Ever (with eggs, bacon etc). Bliss.
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 10:12
I confess that without meat juices I don't know how to make gravy - we don't use Oxo, so I find the Bisto Best in the Jar (not meat flavoured) with boiling water perfectly ok.. When I have a roast with meat juices I can make a proper gravy with Bisto powder (in the box) and if I want to thicken a casserole or mince I use a sprinkle of the granules in the red drum - as a gravy it's pretty foul !! lol but each to his own - I think we all like to hark back to the way our mums used to feed us :) Meat juices pretty much make the sauce, true! Deglazing is the best, but if you don't have stock in the freezer (or on standby) then it's a tough job, I agree. One way to go though, is the onion route. Caramelise onions in equal parts of butter/oil -- brown/white/whatever onions -- with a bit of water or stock if you have it, plus a bit of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Really let the onions cook over a constant low eat until they're dark brown and thickening. That's where the flavour comes from. When softened and dark, add some flour and some more stock/water to the mix as the sauce thickens. Even a dollop of cream, for richness, can add a bit of interest and thickness (but before you do that, a splash of wine or even better, brandy, can work wonders). Don't forget to season with pepper and a bit more salt, if needed. Herbs too! Herbs are great. This works for roasts and sausages and all sorts. Just delicious. . <em>edited by LadyBee on 12/11/2014</em>
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 09:00
Genuinely interested.. Do peopel really use these? Don you just add some flour to pan juices and cook out? Yes. This. However ... when DH wants to eat cr@p that reminds him of being a kid, he invariably requests bangers and mash with fake gravy, so I have a jar of bisto (mix it with boiling water) on standby. Shudder. Still ... makes him smile, and for everything else: I make gravy/jus/etc from scratch. :) the smell of it and the look of it...... it's on a par with drinking nescafe edited by IzzyOnTheSeat on 12/11/2014 Worse. Airline coffee in Economy class. Bleargh.
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 08:44
Genuinely interested.. Do peopel really use these? Don you just add some flour to pan juices and cook out? Yes. This. However ... when DH wants to eat cr@p that reminds him of being a kid, he invariably requests bangers and mash with fake gravy, so I have a jar of bisto (mix it with boiling water) on standby. Shudder. Still ... makes him smile, and for everything else: I make gravy/jus/etc from scratch. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 12 November 2014 - 07:36
Tarragon vinegar/red wine vinegar/white wine vinegar/sherry vinegar Savlon Nurofen Boots Eye Whitening Drops M&S knickers Vanilla -- the really good pure kind, made with alcohol Valrhona cocoa French onion soup mix Jarred shaved black truffles (I know it's possible to buy this here, but it's much cheaper back home, and the quality is better too) Christmas pudding -- the M&S pecan/brandy version saves me a world of issues re cooking and is absolutely delicious.
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Latest post on 06 November 2014 - 11:59
You must be new here, pixxydixxy. This is not about discrimination; it's about the 'bottom line'. Fact is, in this particular part of the world, different nationalities command different pay grades. This is why it's difficult for perfectly capable westerners to find office admin jobs in the UAE; it's much cheaper to employ someone from India/Philippines than it is to employ someone from South Africa/UK/Australia/NZ/etc. It may be annoying, but until legislation is introduced to stop it, it will continue to be a thing. Smart, educated and experienced one may be, but why would a company choose you over someone to whom they can pay half the salary? To do otherwise is bad business practice, discriminatory though it may be. . <em>edited by LadyBee on 06/11/2014</em>
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Latest post on 25 July 2014 - 21:06
Hey, hey: I have your number written down -- so you can delete it if you want -- and I'll text you first chance I get tomorrow or Sunday. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 25 July 2014 - 09:16
Our gardener puts our dates in mesh 'at the right time of the year' and around about now, we're presented with great hacked-off branches of gorgeous brown fruit that I sort, moist-wipe and store for future use. I freeze some, I dry-pack some, I give a lot away ... and I have lots of recipes too. Question: what do other people do with their dates after they've been picked? Am I doing the right thing in terms of storage and preparation for use? Any info would be lovely. I have several huge branches with which I have to 'deal' and more to come from our trees in the next week or two. TIA. :) Want to give some away??? I am looking for dates to make date jam but don't want to do it with store bought ones. I can give you jam in return ;) Sure! How many pounds do you need? No need to 'repay the favour' [unless you really really really want to!'> ... am happy to share the bounty. Let me know. :) I don't know... a few...Thank you so much, I am sure I really, really would like to repay the favor! edited by pmd on 08/07/2014 Hi pmd! Dates are ready. Sorry for the delay -- our gardener wanted to leave some of the big bunches for just a bit longer! -- but I now have several pounds of lovely little beauties for you, whenever you're ready for them. I've wiped them and packed them, so all we need to do is set up a time for the handover. I'm not on EW very often but will try to keep a look-out for your reply. :)
LadyBee
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Latest post on 25 July 2014 - 09:12
I'd be more concerned about a random jar of food being forgotten and shipped out with the crockery than the allegedly 'dodgy' stuff. But that's just me. thanks for the tip LadyBee, I was planning to keep all the foods out of the boxes but now I'll be more careful:) Heh! We found a jar of Moccona coffee nestled in with a crate of kitchen stuff and it was ... seriously ... a molten sticky lava-like GREEN upon arrival. Thank goodness the lid hadn't dislodged! Yup: making sure food doesn't do the trip is verrrry important. :D
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Latest post on 23 July 2014 - 12:38
I've heard stories of P!glet getting scribbled out of Winnie the Pooh books but have never met anyone who has had this happen to them...I think there are a lot of urban myths..I think as long as there's nothing overtly objectionable you'll be ok... When we moved, not only were we subjected to a shedload of urban myths, but our relocation company over-egged the pudding by informing us that even bibles and Christian films etc were verboten. Absolute poppycock. It may well depend on the customs officer checking one's shipment, but we brought a huge amount by 'day plane' and the remainder via the snail version, but absolutely everything came through. Thanks to advice from EW'ers at the time, we decided to err on the side of relaxation rather than panic. Absolutely nothing from either shipment was questioned or removed, and that included random garden Buddhas, a Torah, all my AA Milne books (featuring P!glet!), a healthy selection of R-rated DVDs/CDs (which were all in their own boxes, not in CD/DVD booklets) -- including several from the LGBTQI genre -- various art books (including a stunning coffee table book by Robert Mapplethorpe), more than a few framed photographs featuring n*u*d*e*s ... everything came through. I'd be more concerned about a random jar of food being forgotten and shipped out with the crockery than the allegedly 'dodgy' stuff. But that's just me. And our bibles and other religious ephemera sailed through too. :)
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EW GURU
Latest post on 16 July 2014 - 15:55
Which rooms are you looking to have fitted for curtains because I think that does influence one's choice as to durability etc. We have heavy poly-cotton (more cotton than poly!) curtains in our living room which are lined with 90% black-out fabric and they work very well indeed. They are machine-washable (but I have them cleaned by a curtain specialist so they last longer) and are in a pretty inoffensive print to match the room/furniture. In the drawing room, we have roman blinds (linen-cotton) and the big windows have a similar-coloured fabric but in a silk blend. This room isn't used very often, only receives 'full sun' in winter, and as a result: I was happy to choose a more elegant and less-durable fabric. The bedrooms are all done in poly-cotton blends, again with black-out fabric. The small windows at the front door/kitchen/hallways/garage are dressed with bamboo blinds which roll up/down as needed. When choosing your curtains, make sure that they suit the pitch of the room; don't choose fabric that will fade, for example, if the curtains will be hit by direct sunlight in summer, even if you have black-out lining. They will fade anyway. Choosing a colour/pattern which isn't too light/dark is probably best. Bedroom curtains on the other hand? Try to get the maximum black-out lining possible so you can sleep in when you want to! One thing we do love is our blinds. True, they don't wash well (like draped curtains) BUT dust can be brushed off and they do look pretty good too. If you are using a *good* curtain guy who comes with recommendations, you should trust his judgment to a big extent because he knows what he's talking about. But don't let yourself be talked into paying more than you want; just because some fabrics are cheaper than the rest doesn't necessarily mean they aren't as good. Pure linen can look lovely, for example, but it crushes easily and unless you're prepared to put in the cleaning work, they're just not worth it; you're better off getting a blend of some kind. Good luck! Not sure if I helped ... but I tried! :)
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 July 2014 - 15:33
Absolutely no problem. :) Re the 'number' ... well, if an LL is hoping to deal direct with a prospective tenant, they'll stick a mobile number on a poster-sized card or what-have-you *on* the building itself. At this time of year, there will be a few around but as it's school holidays (and Ramadan) there will be fewer from which to choose so you may not see so many dotted about ... Doing the trawl around looking for your desired 3M closer to your moving date would probably be best. If you want someone else to do the legwork, do start a thread asking for help in that regard. Not sure who on EW is doing this right now (the one 'regular' that I know who does it now works full-time for a company so I'm no help there either, I'm afraid!). Good luck again ... and *DO*, if you can, join an FB group which focuses on the local community. You never know; you may find someone who is wanting to move out of their villa and that may turn out to be your dream home. :D
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 July 2014 - 07:35
I can't personally recommend any agents that are better than 'the rest'; in my experience, they're all much of a muchness. With that in mind, I would suggest you drive around the Springs and look at the properties in which you might be interested and start taking notes. Look at the floor plans -- available online -- to see which type of property would suit you best. As you get closer to your move date, take note of any properties which are available for lease by physically looking 'on the street' for mobile phone numbers (posted on the building) and take it from there. Call the number. Make sure you're talking to an LL, not an agent who wants a big fee ... you have to work hard, sadly. Another option is to join a Facebook group which specialises in the community. There are a few about; just do a search for your area and join. Sometimes word-of-mouth is better than going through an agent, especially if you want to save money (the real estate agent fees are stupid, particularly when one considers how very little the agent actually does for its fee!). Dubizzle is another option. Some owners/LLs advertise there directly and while you may get properties which have already been leased (but are still being advertised grrrr) you can also find the occasional property which truly is being advertised by the owner so you can come to a deal with them without paying the agent fee. You could also find yourself someone who specialises in finding properties for people -- a relocation agent -- and do it that way. Yes, you will have to pay them a fee and possibly a fee to an agent, but it takes away the legwork from you personally, and you will only be shown properties which absolutely suit you. I'm not saying that ALL agents are terrible, but they're obviously after their 'cut' and that does mean they care little for the needs of you or their client ... and that does show. We toyed with moving a few years ago but the villas we looked at were absolute dumps and the agent really did not care. At all. We got our property, some years back, via Better Homes. They charged like wounded bulls, did diddly squat to help us (we did all the running around) and the % we paid for the 'service' felt like blood money at the time. Thank goodness our LL was keen to drop them after the first year so we could deal direct with him, negotiate the rent etc ... and still be here in the same villa seven years on. . <em>edited by LadyBee on 15/07/2014</em>
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 July 2014 - 07:20
Just to add: finding a 'dog friendly' apartment may also be an issue. Unless the building management -- and Landlord -- approve of the arrangement (and there are many apartment buildings which don't permit dogs) your choice of rental spaces is severely reduced. And not all apartments/studios have balconies so the dogs would be even more trapped. Sorry. :(
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 July 2014 - 07:13
I'm trying not to be judgmental, but please ... please don't bring your two big dogs to Dubai and hope that they can adjust to living in a 55K-priced apartment. They will suffer; you will suffer. If you are working full-time, your dogs will be trapped inside without any chance to stretch their legs during the day and nowhere to go. Bored, lonely and unhappy dogs will act up and can have a tendency to make their own 'fun' at home -- destroying furniture etc -- or, even worse: may self harm (chewing their paws to the point of horrible infection, losing their appetite, hair, will to live). If they haven't been raised in a small environment, these are not uncommon reactions. I think it's commendable that you want to bring your pets with you, but think of how they will cope in what will essentially be a studio or a very tiny 1-bed space. Living outside the emirate -- as someone else suggested -- may be a better option, but you will have to commute (and it's not pleasant) and that also means your dogs will be left alone for even longer days than if you were working 10 minutes from home. The last thing you want to do is import your beloved pets and be unable to cope. There are so many abandoned animals out here, it would be mortifying if your dogs were yet another statistic. Good luck. Sorry to be so blunt. . <em>edited by LadyBee on 14/07/2014</em>
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 July 2014 - 09:26
You'll hear good and bad things about all the majors, but for us: we went with Crown Relocations and could not have been happier. Nothing broken, the process was smooth -- we sent 1/4 by plane for instant-ish delivery and the rest by snail-paced version -- and it was all packed beautifully at the London end and disembarked at the Dubai end with minimal fuss. They set everything up too -- put the bookshelves up, shelved our books (and we have a LOT), made sure everything went to the correct room according to the labels on our boxes ... and nothing was 'held' in Customs (which was nice). Best of all, I lost my engagement ring a few months before we moved and the Dubai end FOUND it. Seriously. It wasn't even on the manifest but they found my beautiful ring and put it safely on a shelf even though it had obviously been floating around goodness-knows-where. Amazing. It's not like I expected them to pocket it -- I thought it was gone for good -- but the fact that they found it and drew my attention to it was just marvellous. Crown wasn't cheap though. We paid over £4K for the entire shipment and that was in 2008, so I'm sure it costs more now. Moreover, even then, the instructions as to 'permitted' goods for import were very out of date (eg they told us we couldn't bring in Christian things ie bibles, which was SO not the case) so when you are packing up, do be sure to get the most up-to-date instructions as to what you can and can't bring into the UAE. Good luck. :)
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 July 2014 - 07:19
Following thread with interest. I have just inspected mine and they are at the green-turning-orange stage. I'll be making: - spicy date pickle thing that you can get in the Bur Dubai choitrams (think it's locally made and scrumptious) - sticky toffee pudding -date jam -some sort of christmas chutney thing (will it keep from now until then??) Actually, some of the chutney recipes recommend a good 2-3 month 'sitting time' with the acknowledgment that -- unopened -- said chutneys last a lot longer. So yes, making jarred stuff now would be perfect. Great ideas! Thank you. I'm planning on making a sticky toffee pud/cake this very weekend actually: great minds think alike. The pudding itself is lush enough, but it's the buttery caramel sauce which really packs a punch. I once made this particular recipe for a dinner party and took the remains into work for morning tea; it went down a treat. The sauce though? Well, some colleagues decided it would be a GREAT idea to eat the extremely moreish but rich leftover caramel goo directly from paper cups after all the cake had gone ... and I think one of them was actually hallucinating from the sugar high. :D
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 July 2014 - 07:14
Ladybee, if you have any yellow, unripe ones , I'd love to buy some. TB, my mum makes that spicy date pickle - yellow dates, garlic and birds eye chilli. Slightly sweet, crunchy and spicy.Very, very popular in our house. Edited to add a recipe that I've tried and love: [url=http://www.thekitchn.com/party-appetizer-recipe-bacon-wrapped-stuffed-dates-recipes-from-the-kitchn-43591'>Bacon wrapped Dates stuffed with almonds[/url'> - I substitute toasted pine nuts or cheese for almonds. edited by tkoshy on 09/07/2014 Darn it, I've only got the 'gone-to-brown-sugar' types left, tkoshy ... but come next season, I will definitely keep you in mind. Promise. That pickle recipe sounds lovely! And the wrapped dates too. There are so many great ideas here: thank you. :)
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 July 2014 - 07:13
Sure! How many pounds do you need? No need to 'repay the favour' [unless you really really really want to!'> ... am happy to share the bounty. Let me know. :) I don't know... a few...Thank you so much, I am sure I really, really would like to repay the favor! Aw! No worries. I'll drag this message back up around 'weekend'-time -- after I have a few more branches harvested -- and we'll arrange a handover. :)
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 July 2014 - 10:26
Our gardener puts our dates in mesh 'at the right time of the year' and around about now, we're presented with great hacked-off branches of gorgeous brown fruit that I sort, moist-wipe and store for future use. I freeze some, I dry-pack some, I give a lot away ... and I have lots of recipes too. Question: what do other people do with their dates after they've been picked? Am I doing the right thing in terms of storage and preparation for use? Any info would be lovely. I have several huge branches with which I have to 'deal' and more to come from our trees in the next week or two. TIA. :) Want to give some away??? I am looking for dates to make date jam but don't want to do it with store bought ones. I can give you jam in return ;) Sure! How many pounds do you need? No need to 'repay the favour' [unless you really really really want to!'> ... am happy to share the bounty. Let me know. :)
LadyBee
804
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 July 2014 - 09:54
This page -- or others of its ilk -- might be worth checking out as well (as a leaping-off point to finding stock that suits you). :) https://www.facebook.com/BrasforaCauseme
 
 
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