Tallybalt

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EW GURU

Latest post on 20 June 2013 - 08:32

It will come down to your budget more than anything else. I like Umm Suqeim and Jumeira as they have a lot of character and amenities and it's easy to get to MoE/DAA from there. It only takes 20 minutes max to get to ASD from Umm Suqeim, and ASD is a bit further away at the other end of Al Barsha. A good mix of independent and compound villas and very centrally located and close to the beaches.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 20 June 2013 - 08:23

Yep. In the US it's almost always Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and so forth all the way up to 12th grade. I've never seen a different naming system in the US. ASD uses K1/K2 for pre-k and k. US public schools mostly start at kindergarten as that's the first legally required year for students. Pre-k is seen as optional so not all schools offer them so most of the pre-k kids are usually in private nurseries/day care centers. US private schools with elementary divisions almost always have a pre-k. But in Dubai all the schools seem to start earlier than US schools so I'm wondering if it's a legal requirement? I noticed on their fee structure their early years are called EC1 and EC2? That doesnt sound American to me. American is KG1 and KG2.... Actually, to this American KG1 and KG2 sounds foreign, too. In our community they only offer Kindergarten for 5 year olds so only for a single year and called kindergarten. In areas where they offer it for 2 years, it is generally called 4K and 5K (for the age at entrance) or pre-K and kindergarten. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 20/06/2013</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 19 June 2013 - 17:24

It's not illegal for same genders to share apartments. The official rule is one person per bedroom. And it's not always illegal to share villas. The one-family one-villa policy doesn't apply to the freehold areas. Yes ladies, including the Ranches and Meadows, as they are under the jurisdiction of the master developer, not Dubai Municipality.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 19 June 2013 - 15:26

Err... Am I the only one who's thinking "flatshare?" He's a student with a small budget. New to Dubai. Flatsharing is the sensible option. No lease, no responsibilities. Pay per month, leave when he needs to leave. There are loads of flatshares for young people in the Marina/JLT/Sheikh Zayed, all handy for metro stops.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 19 June 2013 - 08:17

I have an iPphone and DH has the Samsung Galaxy S4 and a blackberry for work. Of the three the BB has the best keyboard. Very easy to type on it. Samsung probably has the best features and layout and the camera is wonderful. The iPhone camera is pretty good too but I'd have to give Samsung the nudge on this one. The big advantage of my phone is that I can easily use it in one hand (holding it and typing on it at the same time). DH complains that it's hard to use his Samsung in only one hand as his other hand is usually holding a cup of coffee. Petty issues!

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EW GURU

Latest post on 12 June 2013 - 13:10

The Club at the World Trade Centre hotel apartments has a 25m pool, ideal for doing laps. These are the three older 1970s apartment blocks near the World Trade Centre roundabout. They offer a structured membership package so you can take out a 3-6-12 month membership. May be ideal for you, given it's close to Jumeira. It's been a few years since we looked there but the fees were very reasonable and the facilities pleasant enough. The pool is chilled during the summer months.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 11 June 2013 - 14:52

As an American and a home baker who makes lots of cakes: 1. We do beat the batter ferociously - but only at the beginning and only with the butter, sugar and eggs. When you beat the butter and sugar together you're whipping air into the batter, making the butter as light as possible. This helps to make for a fluffier cake. Part of the trick is to slowly add sugar over time rather than dumping all of it on the butter at once (which will lead to a denser cake). After the last of the sugar has been added, we add the eggs, one by one, and keep beating for a very fluffy batter. I've successfully eliminated the need for any leavening through long beating times. However, once flour is added we do not beat the heck out of the batter as that would only develop the gluten in the flour. If you look at the shows closely you'll notice that the flour stage is only gently beating and folding till the last of the flour is incorporated, and that's that. The flour is almost always added alternatively with some dairy product - milk, sour cream or yoghurt, but rarely cream (cream makes the batter denser). Americans favor light and airy layer cakes whereas the rest of the Anglo world tends to prefer denser cakes. <em>edited by Tallybalt on 11/06/2013</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 11 June 2013 - 09:10

People do this in every major city in the world. Posh bars and restaurants in London and New York and Paris are filled with drunken people spending too much money. But because this took place in Dubai it merits attention? Hmm. Just once I'd like to see an article about expats living boring, quiet lives.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 11 June 2013 - 09:07

Google Alison Doghouse Dubai. She's very experienced and knows all the ins and outs of getting import/export licenses. I know people who've used her and she's very reasonable too.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 10 June 2013 - 14:27

"It does not apply to those on tourist visas." Ridiculous! From what it sounds like it's Sharjah that's causing the trouble, not Oman?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 09 June 2013 - 08:43

You'll have a much better sense of the availability and advantages of various communities once on ground. It's very hard to get a good idea of what the places are like when doing research from afar. I'll give a perfect example. Don't believe any of the quoted square footages that agents or floor plans tell you. The square footages are grossly inflated through some weird calculating standards that often includes outdoor terraces, patios and carports/garages that we in the US don't include in our square footages. You'll find lots of villas in Arabian Ranches and Victory Heights and so on that are quoted as having 3500 - 4000 square feet when in reality it's closer to 2,000-2,500 square feet of actual living space. I actually sat down with a calculator and ruler and added up all the room dimensions on some of the floor plans I saw and in not one case did any of them tally up to the listed square footage for the property. Still, there are large villas all over the place. Also - the new communities may be cheaper but there's always a tradeoff. Lack of amenities, lack of greenery, lack of pools. You may decide it's worth spending a bit more to be in a more established area. You won't really realize the difference between a completed community and a community still under construction until you get to Dubai. Have you considered Jumeira or Umm Suqeim? There are still 3 bedroom villas available between 160-170K. They won't be as new or 'nice' as some villas you may find in Arabian Ranches but the location can't be beat, the beaches are at your doorsteps and they're so convenient to everywhere in Dubai.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 01 June 2013 - 09:39

What an odd article. Why would the New York Times be interested in private schools in Dubai? I can't imagine that many American readers would be fascinated in the topic. It failed to point out that school fees vary enormously due to the common nationality of the school in question - the Indian schools versus the western expat schools, for example.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2013 - 16:36

You can only give notice to evict if you are selling the property or moving in yourself. The other thread mentioned this requirement, which I've heard before: [b'>12 months notice is required to ask the tenant to vacate but it also means that he cannot rent that property for 2 years [/b'> I think you can give them 12 months notice from the start of their next contract.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2013 - 16:03

The new buyer has to abide by the t's and c's of the existing tenancy in place. He can request that you evict the property but you must receive a 12-month notice from the expiration of your current contract. This is only because the property is being sold. Hi, Our lovely landlord (seriously a really nice man) is selling up. The buyer is 'flipping' the property ie he puts down a deposit and then straight away sells it again for profit, paying the current owner the balance on sale which is expected to take a few weeks. The buyers agent arranged one viewing last week which they cancelled. They then requested another and I offered them a slot. I didn't hear back so 24 hours later but a few hours before the viewing I texted to say I hadn't heard so i assumed it wasnt happening (we now had other plans we wanted to take up) and they were welcome to contact me to schedule any other viewings. The buyer then phoned me and went on to shout at me for the next five minutes. He said I was blocking the sale and that he was therefore going to pay the current owner the balance tomorrow and give 30 days to get out. I asked him how he could do that morally (we have been here nearly four years and have a toddler) or legally and he said he could do it legally and that he had no morals. I insisted he couldn't do it and he said that as we pay monthly cheques he could (??) and that I was just to watch him do it. It was awful, scary and he was very intimidating. He was openly threatening. I called the current owner and he said he would only sell if the buyer honored our agreement (until Nov this year) but at the end of the day I can't expect him to lose a sale, he is already tied to it, and the buyer has openly told me that he will tell our landlord what he wants to hear and then do what he wants as soon as he has the deeds. Can anyone advise? When I told him he had to give us 12 months notice he just laughed at me :( <em>edited by Tallybalt on 28/05/2013</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2013 - 15:14

I just checked dubizzle (bored today). It looks like you can still get a one-bedroom in Al Arta for 65K. Most of them seem to be between 70-75K. So you're not too much below the market rate. Your landlord isn't entitled to a rent increase. Btw we are paying 65k for one bedroom in Old Greens. Is that a lot below the market rate?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2013 - 14:27

I think what really applies here is: Current rent is 85,000. Average rent for area is 95-120,000. If she is paying more than 25% BELOW the average (which would start at 95,000) then the landlord is entitled to a rental increase of 5%. Period. If she is currently paying between 0% to 25% BELOW the average, then there is no rental increase. I'm sure they would consider the average to start at 95K as that's what the calculator is using. It makes sense given the huge variation in building quality and size that may exist in one area. First of all, the landlord can't give her an option - pay higher rent or move out so that "his family can move in." The fact that he's given her this "option" is evidence that he has no interest in moving his family into the property. Record all correspondences with the landlord and go down to the rental committee. As it is she's only entitled to 5% rental increase if her rent is 25% BELOW the current market value. hello That is what I was led to believe but what confuses me is that the rental calculator says 95-120 so which figure should she work off? He is chancing his arm

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EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2013 - 14:17

First of all, the landlord can't give her an option - pay higher rent or move out so that "his family can move in." The fact that he's given her this "option" is evidence that he has no interest in moving his family into the property. Record all correspondences with the landlord and go down to the rental committee. As it is she's only entitled to 5% rental increase if her rent is 25% BELOW the current market value.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 24 May 2013 - 21:58

Yes.... Friends of ours sold their villa in the Meadows last year to an Afghan, who bought the place sight unseen...

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EW GURU

Latest post on 24 May 2013 - 21:16

The oldest of the Meadows was built in 2004, I think (or that's when the first homeowners moved in). They're all within a few years age and more or less the same. Upgraded properties will have been done by the owners, not necessarily a reflection of which Meadows it's in. You're probably looking at 20-25 minutes to DAA from most of the Meadows. The distance isn't far, it's the traffic getting out and then the traffic getting into Al Barsha, where the school is. Good morning, Been having a look at properties online and I quite like Meadows area. How safe is it knowing that I will be living with my two kids and Hubby visiting every WE ? How is the traffic to get out to SZR and To Al khail road ? Is too far away from Dubai American academy and new GEMS Al khail ? Which meadows is best and newer ? I think 1, 5 and 9 have nice upgraded properties am I right ? Thanks

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EW GURU

Latest post on 24 May 2013 - 21:10

I think you'll find that a lot of the quoted square footage for properties is grossly inflated in Dubai as the property developers use creative math. Quite often the garage/carport is included in the square footage, along with outdoor balconies/covered terraces as they're still considered living space, when in the US that would not be the case. My house in the US is 3,000 square feet, and when we came to Dubai and were touring properties the agents kept saying, "oh, this is 4,000 sqft, this is 4,500 sqft" but most of the time they were smaller than my house. DH and I kept laughing. With the exception of certain buildings and the penthouses, apartments in the prime areas area also quite small for what people pay in rent. JBR does have huge apartments but the buildings that were built towards the end of the boom, particularly 2006-9, have much smaller apartments because developers were trying to cram in as many units to cash out on the boom. As with the above, the apartments are advertised as X square footage but if you actually measure the room dimensions you end up with a noticeably smaller figure, usually 15-20% off. Interestingly enough it's when you head out to the "cheaper" areas like Motor City that you start seeing much bigger apartments. The thing I don't understand about the housing market here is why everything is built so big and why there is a lack of AFFORDABLE family accommodation. At home, you can easily find a 3 bedroom house (villa) or apartment that is 1000-2000 sq ft. Here, if you're looking for 3 bedrooms, you won't see a place that's less than 1500 sq ft for an apartment and most are much, much more. Villas you rarely seem to see anything less than 2000 or more sq ft. Affordability is a whole 'nother topic... <em>edited by Tallybalt on 24/05/2013</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 22 May 2013 - 13:13

If you're willing to put up with very basic, university dormitory accommodation, then LSE rents out their dorm rooms during the summer months. The rooms are clean, linens are provided and they also include breakfast in the dining halls. Quite cheap, probably around 50 GBP a night? They have several dorms around London but all are in fairly central areas, including one in Bloomsbury and another one near SoHo.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 22 May 2013 - 09:41

An economics professor once told my econ class that bubbles always last longer than people expect them to, and the crash is always harder than expected. Who knows how this will play out.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 08:58

I do sympathize with your desire not to want to make another person's life more difficult than necessary. But the maid is the one who wants to leave so she has to accept responsibility for her actions as well as her llife. Cancel her visa as soon as you can and it's up to her to figure out how to stay in Dubai or find another job. As it is, with the ways the laws are in the UAE you cannot allow her to stay on your sponsorship while not working for you. It's too risky. You need to have a clear and legally official break with her. Hi an update and another advice... I decided to cancel her visa, but I am not sure how to proceed. She is a live out maid, what adds to the complication, I cannot force her to leave, because I cannot go to her house, force her to pack and go. To be honest I don't want to do it either. She is living in Dubai for 7 years now, she lives with her daughters, the 3 of them share the rent, so it is important that she stays, I doubt she will do something crazy, I think that like me she wants a way out, she has some kind of illusion that she will find someone like her former employer and any other house would be better because she could take 2 months of vacation (she keeps telling me that all her friends spend 2 months in the summer away) or it would be closer to her house (to be honest here is far for her, but it was her option, she had another job offer at the time I hired her and she preferred to work for us). Anyway, I only want her out of our house, but I don't want to destroy her life sending her back. I can cancel her visa or even give her some time to find another job, when I hired her it was her situation, she was still in the country looking for a job. the previous employer cancelled the visa when I confirmed I was going to hire her, as they were leaving soon. what should I do? I know that most of you will tell me to be harsh, but end of the day she never did anything so bad, she is not hard working and she thinks I am a push over, but she never stole or did anything really harmful to any of us. Has anyone been in the same situation with a leave out maid?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 08:40

80% is shockingly high, if true. It is a transitional country and one of the underlying reason is probably the combination of growing independence among the women due to education and exposure to western influence, which when combined with family/culture pressure to marry young, leads to disastrous marriages.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 08:15

We never went to brunches, we took plenty of long walks and spent quality time at the beaches and malls were places for errands, not to hang out, and we have a great circle of friends in Dubai. It's all about finding the right friends. No one place is going to be the magical answer.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 08:09

August will be very hot and humid. It's central Florida after all, but coming from Dubai you'll be used to the weather and will find it not quite as hot or humid. Many American public schools start the new academic year in the third/fourth weeks of August, but this varies enormously so plenty of schools don't start till the end of August, and the private schools tend not to start till the traditional start date after Labor day, so you will probably still encounter crowds. But as others have indicated there will be lots to do. Just make sure you drink plenty of water and get rest during the day. Relaxing by pools is a good idea.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 May 2013 - 12:02

It does seem to be an odd thing for Oman to do given how remote and isolated that part of Musandum is, and the popularity of camping on the beach in Dibba or up in Wadi Bih. I bet this move is due to locals in Dibba complaining about the popularity of expats camping/hiking and drinking around the campfire at night with plenty of alcohol....

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 May 2013 - 10:22

Mildly curious. What's the reasoning for all this draconian requirements? Isn't Dibba that quiet little town on the East Coast where Wadi Bih is? Does it mean no more camping up Wadi Bih if you don't have a hotel booking?

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 May 2013 - 09:23

Don't panic. I know people who've brought American voltage appliances, mostly mixers and blenders, to Dubai and they used a converter/transformer and it worked just fine.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 May 2013 - 09:18

As already mentioned basic household goods are either rare or expensive in Dubai. You'll find that your options are restricted to either the cheap (and feels and looks cheap) or the nice and very expensive. A good example is linens. Towels and sheets are either cheap and scratchy or comfortable and expensive. There's nothing comparable to Bed Bath Beyond in Dubai, so while it may seem odd to ship something as basic as linens to Dubai, trust me you'll be happy you did once you discover what the going prices are. Because most of us accummulate household goods slowly over time it can come as a nasty surprise to realize how expensive it is to have to buy everything in one go. The other type of goods I strongly suggest bringing to Dubai is kitchen supplies. If you like to cook, and have good quality pots and pans, bring them. You can get good quality goods in Dubai but it comes at a premium and the range is also limited. Above all there's the convenience of having an entire household's worth of goods and furniture shipped and delivered to your new home. Spend a day or two putting everything away, and bam, you're at home! There are great second hand deals in Dubai but it will probably require weeks, even months, of chasing them down. Each time you see a sofa or a bed you like, you also have to figure out how to transport it and if you do each piece individually the costs can really add up so the second hand deals aren't quite the bargain they may first appear to be.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 12 May 2013 - 09:57

I remember the first day of my first Ramadan in Dubai. I'd arranged to meet a friend at a Costa's that we knew was going to be open (we were both new). The coffeeshop had the duly blacked out windows so you couldn't see inside. The staff happily took our order but when we started to settle down they told us it was only for takeaway, no drinking inside. I looked at the blacked out window and then at the Filipino staff, and said, but no one can see inside. That's why you've blacked out the windows, right? "yes ma'am. But you still can't drink inside." So we had to leave the coffeeshop and go into full public view with our cups of coffee, which everyone could see that we'd bought and would be drinking very soon. I was merely amused. I'm all for the Ramadan regulations as it's their country but there are a few gray areas regarding the public dos and don'ts regulations that did seem a bit silly.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 11 May 2013 - 10:39

280,000 jobs? Really? That's a bit naive, isn't it? I must say I know nothing about world expos and certainly growing up it was never an event widely reported nor do I know of anyone who went to a world expo. If it's like a huge six-month long conference I'm sure it'll generate a fair number of service level jobs but 280,000 seems like an enormous overstatement. If, for some reason, the magic happens and Dubai does generate 280,000 jobs in the next seven years that would put an enormous strain on the city's infrastructure as all these people would have to be housed, transported around and the children educated.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 06 May 2013 - 10:48

The US embassy maintains a list of American curriculum schools in the UK: http://london.usembassy.gov/american_schools_uk.html There's more than one "American" school around London. London is a huge city so if you decide on a school you will want to live as near it as possible. Having given the above advice I'd have to say that my personal preference would be to put my children into a good local private school for the experience. Given that there were a number of British educated students at my Ivy League alma mater I don't think it makes a difference if you're worried about the US college process. You'd just have to do the SATs on the side.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 17:11

http://www.dubailand.gov.ae/english/Tashjee/RulesandRegulations/Law%2026.pdf Article 9 says no changes to the t's and c's of the contract during the first two years.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 17:05

No. The t's and c's remain exactly the same when you go into your second year.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 10:24

Your friends are awfully generous to allow someone to stay with them long-term without paying any rent. Do you mean you're not "officially" paying rent but that you're actually staying for free? This is either a big wind up or someone is incredibly naive about what a freeloading guest can do regarding her rights to stay in a villa. Don't know why you all are being so hard on LD. Half the teachers in Dubai share flats. Thanks for support. And thanks everyone for feedback and advices. Have been to the Rent Committee and have to say it was worth going there! Did you tell the rent committee that you were illegally renting by sharing a villa with friends? I am NOT renting, am I am staying with friends there. And yes for sure I told them as I wanted to hear their advice.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 10:05

Oh, do tell us what the rent committee told you. If we were all wrong it'd be nice to know why. Don't know why you all are being so hard on LD. Half the teachers in Dubai share flats. Thanks for support. And thanks everyone for feedback and advices. Have been to the Rent Committee and have to say it was worth going there!

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 09:30

1. She is sharing a villa, not a flat. That's a different scenario and illegal in most cases.The authorities may have turned a blind eye to it in the past but it still doesn't mean she has any legal protection. 2. She's started threads asking the same question too many times now. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a wind-up. 2. Don't know why you all are being so hard on LD. Half the teachers in Dubai share flats.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 09:22

I remember the last time there was a big villa sharing crackdown back in late 2008, before the market collapsed. Apparently there were some areas where villa sharing was legal. Mirdiff was one. The freehold compounds (Ranches, Springs) were also exempt from the one family one villa policy as they were "privately" owned and not subject to DM regulations but the regulations of the master developer such as Emaar and Nakheel and they didn't prohibit sharing. That could have changed since then. I don't think there's a one family one apartment policy in place, but I do vaguely remember there was a limit placed on how many unrelated women could share a single apartment which was some sort of anti-prostitution policy. After all so many companies, especially the hotel companies including Jumeirah, the airlines, the retail giants, house their workers in shared apartments, even in shared bedrooms, so this can't be illegal. Here's a link from Emirates' website explicitly saying they put staff in shared accommodation: https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/crew_accomodation.aspx <em>edited by Tallybalt on 05/05/2013</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 29 April 2013 - 16:28

I'm aware of the licensing arrangement between Waitrose and Spinneys, which allows Spinneys to carry the Waitrose brands and use the name, but I go to the Waitrose in the UK all the time and the Dubai Waitrose isn't quite the same supermarket. More expensive and doesn't have the full range of the UK Waitrose offerings. Since just about everything in the Dubai Waitrose seems to be available at Spinneys I've always been puzzled as to the point of Waitrose here. I still haven't been able to figure out what the difference is between Waitrose and Spinneys other than the markup. Even the baked goods is exactly the same. All I know is that the Waitrose in Dubai isn't the same as the Waitrose in the UK. Waitrose here is the same as the UK and has a licencing agreement with Spinneys to stock their brand...

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EW GURU

Latest post on 29 April 2013 - 11:00

I still haven't been able to figure out what the difference is between Waitrose and Spinneys other than the markup. Even the baked goods is exactly the same. All I know is that the Waitrose in Dubai isn't the same as the Waitrose in the UK.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 26 April 2013 - 11:33

Hmm.... I think I now understand why he was deported and that being too "handsome" was a polite excuse to avoid stating the obvious.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 14 April 2013 - 21:05

It's sad to see someone blow an opportunity. Your maid had a chance to continue working with a good employer but she blew it. As long as she did learn her lesson she'll be fine, even if she has to take a "step back" by working for a less than desirable employer for a bit. Sometimes that needs to happen for people to start taking their work seriously.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 14 April 2013 - 21:00

All PR cheese have the same rind and are made in the same region of Italy but they don't all come from the same source. PR is a legally protected name for the cheese which means it's been made under certain circumstances, using certain ingredients, aged a minimum number of years and made in a very specific region. But there's many producers of the cheese. There's no "bad" PR and the average ones are leagues better than any imitators or the stuff that comes out of Kraft's green containers. But some PR cheeses are definitely better than others, partially because they've been aged longer. A piece of advice passed on to me by an Italian friend: how you grate the cheese also affects the flavor. People tend to grate it finely into a powder or shred it, but to taste the cheese at its best it should be crumbly, sort of like breadcrumbs or ground almonds. The best way to achieve this result is to process it in the food processor till the cheese resembles ground almond. I can't explain the science behind it but the cheese in this form does deliver a much more powerful flavor to the taste buds than the powder/shredded form. I thought it was common knowledge there are a lot of PR imitators out there! Isn't there only one source/factory for PR with distinctive rind packaging? In any case, I will definitely have a look around. Thanks for the replies.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 14 April 2013 - 17:35

Carrefour sells them in their cheese counter. But you need to double check that the staff haven't mixed it with Grana Padano by accident. Carrefour has the cheapest prices for Reg-Parm and it's perfectly fine, but the ones at Waitrose are better quality.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 14 April 2013 - 09:14

Connecticut is a lovely state with a high quality of life. Hartford is the state capital and it's seen better days but it is surrounded by a range of suburbs from the average to lovely. The western suburbs tend to be the best. I don't know too much about Windsor but the adjoining suburb of Simsbury is affluent and has excellent schools (both public and private) and housing. If you go to realtor.com and plug in the zip codes (06070, 06081, 06089, 06092 for Simsbury) you'll find the comprehensive listings of houses for sale. Another good area is West Hartford. The cost of living won't be the cheapest in the US but it will be substantially cheaper than the suburbs closer to NYC. As regards schools, public/state schools in the US is tied to where you live so wherever you live you'll be in the catchment zone for the local elementary, middle and high schools. The general rule of thumb is that the more expensive the housing the better the schools. As for private schools Connecticut has lots of them, two of the better ones around Hartford are Loomis Chaffee and Ethel Walker.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 04 April 2013 - 17:13

Here's a couple dirty secrets. 1. Dubai is not that big. Unless you're working in one end of town and living at the other end (by which people generally mean north versus south) or living in Sharjah and commuting to Dubai, it doesn't really take long to get around Dubai. People may moan about a 30 minute commute but back home that sounds just about normal. 2. Too many people still think of Dubai as a long and narrow city built along the coastline. That's true enough - it is long and narrow, but it means that people tend to ignore the areas "out there" eastwards from the coastline. In many cases it's quicker to get to DIFC/Downtown from the unfashionable communities eastwards than it is from Dubai Marina/Greens/Palm/Emirates Living. 3. Quality of apartments and villas are pretty much the same all over Dubai. Just about everyone has granite countertops, for example. Few kitchens are truly in the "luxury" category you'd find in the West, even the kitchens on the Palm Jumeirah are completely unremarkable. I've seen a lot of apartments/villas in my time in Dubai, both in high and low end areas, and the quality of finishings was pretty much the same. Some buildings, especially by Emaar, do splurge on nice lobbies and amenities but that seems to be the extent of the differences. So what I'm saying is that you can spend, say, 100K on an apartment in a "nice" building in one of the prime locations but you can also just as easily spend half that on a nearly identical apartment in a lesser area. There were reasons for wanting to avoid the "lesser" communities some years ago when they were still construction zones and had little amenities or shops around. But that's really not the case for most of them now. If you're looking for an inexpensive apartment in a relatively pleasant area you might want to look at Dubai Silicon Oasis. A young friend of ours is renting an apartment there and I was pleasantly surprised when we saw it, the building was quite nice and he had good views towards the Dubai skyline. There's a large shopping center with a Spinneys supermarket in the middle of the community and lots of greenery around. And you're only twenty minutes from anywhere in Dubai, so people claim, including DIFC, Downtown, most of the malls and so on. Since Silicon Oasis is eastwards, commuting avoid most of the bottlenecks that can occur in the north-south rush hours.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 04 April 2013 - 08:56

The DXB to Atlanta flight gets tons of American subcontractors working in Iraq/Afghanistan. I only bring this up because the testerone level on the plane can be a bit high and the bathrooms quickly become a mess. The quality isn't Emirates but it was ok enough.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 04 April 2013 - 08:51

Plus there's Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim. They're quite handy to ASD. If you're after space the biggest villas will be in Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim and Al Barsha. You're also more likely to have your own pool. Arabian Ranches, Meadows and Lakes are masterplanned communities inspired by large American suburban masterplanned communities, but most of the villas don't have their own pools and instead use the community pool facilities. The houses will be smaller and if you're used to a large California suburban house you may find them cramped. I personally prefer Jumeirah / Umm Suqeim as they're right along the sea and have more individual character. The villas do vary in size and quality. Al Barsha is closest to ASD (which is in Al Barsha anyway). The villas can be huge but parts of it is still a construction zone with unpaved streets. Jumeirah Island is slightly further out. The villas are the largest of the masterplanned community villas but because the villas are surrounded by lakes they can have mosquito problems.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 02 April 2013 - 12:18

You're not going to find a qualified nanny or child-minder in Dubai. The handful of families with proper nannies will have sourced them directly from Europe at significance expense (European wage levels). The huge supply of domestic help in the UAE is going to be from either India, Sri Lanka or the Philippines where there really isn't a proper system of certifications or training for nannies and where most people just have the maids look after the children. Your best bet is to advertise for a maid who has experience working with families with children and thoroughly check their references from their previous madams. I'd also look for older maids as they tend to be more reliable. edited by Tallybalt on 02/04/2013 <em>edited by Tallybalt on 02/04/2013</em>

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