Santa Claus Banta Claus

...is what I've been saying on Chistmas. Life has changed. I miss the Christmas parties at work, in the apartment complex and the season's White Elephant gift exchanges with friends.

On another note, traffic issues are really getting on my nerves. Like someone said the other day, every Dubai-ite works really heard to get their BA degree - that is the Brake-Accelerate traffic issues degree that plagues the city.

But Santa's gift to me on Christmas day was a smooth drive to work and back. What regularly takes me (2+2) 4 hours took just (0.5 + 0.5) 1 hour!

Tabbouleh

Here is my favorite local recipe. It's nutritious, low fat and delicious !

Ingredients:
1 bunch parsley
2 lemons rolled and squeezed
1 cup cracked wheat
1 tomato
1 red onion
2 tblspn olive oil
salt
pepper

Method:
1. Soak the cracked wheat in a little water for 20 minutes
2. Chop the parsley very fine
3. Roll the lemons and squeeze enough juice out of them
4. mix the salt and freshly ground pepper in a dish
5. Cut the onions into very small pieces
6. Seed the tomatoes and chop them into very small pieces
7. Now in a bowl, mix the cracked wheat and parsley
8. Slowly add the tomatoes and onions
9. Mix in the salt and pepper
10. Add the lemon juice
11. Add the olive oil and mix everything

Serve chilled with hot arabic bread and hummus

Yum !!!!

Dubai International Cat Show

The Dubai Creek Side Park had it's annual Cat Show. This year, Akash, Lucky and I went to witness the event and got to meet tonnes of cat lovers from aroud the country. It's interesting to note that in this part of the world, despite the weather, people prefer to keep long haired himalayan cats over other other short-haired breeds.

Lucky wasn't too happy to see the other felines at the event and hissed and spat at every other cat he saw but overall the evening was quite enjoyable.

I'm back I'm back

It's been a busy 12 days and I really missed blogging! But I'm back n so glad ! Life's been a whirljig of events in the last few weeks and (like McDonalds would say ).... "I'm Loving it"

Quick 5

Many thanks to Amrita for this wonderful idea.

Ten Years Ago

1. I had just entered my teenage - kudos to my parents for putting up with me
2. Was one of the biggest geeks (cum teachers' pet) in the ninth grade
3. Tuition classes (or more accurately daily gossip sessions) were the funnest part of the day
4. Windows 95, Dial-Up Internet and Email were the hottest, latest and greatest technology
5. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (then less than a year old) was my favorite movie
   

Five Years Ago

1. I was a sophomore in college at the University of Arizona, Tucson
2. I was new to cooking and the only recipes I knew were: pav bhaji, chawli and alu mattar
3. Learnt to use an alarm clock in the morning (arrghh...the pains of being independent), eat, sleep, study alone
4. Built my first snowman in Charlotte, NC, USA
5. Met my fiance for the first time (I didn't know back then we would be engaged some day)
   

Last One Year

1. Made a tonne of new friends in Austin, TX
2. Visited New York and Seattle for the first time
3. Got my first ever promotion at work
4. Decided to move back home to UAE
5. Started eating chocolate after 3 years
   

Yesterday

1. Got stuck in my first ever serious Dubai traffic jam
2. Celebrated Diwali / Eid in Dubai after six years
3. Made my own meethi-lassi
4. Looked through my parents' wedding album
5. Tried to parallel-park my car and failed miserably
   

Five Things Planned for next 5 Years

1. Study some more
2. Teach a little
3. Visit Australia
4. December 07 :D :D (insha-allah!)
5. More oil painting lessons
   

Five Yummy Things

1. Chocolate
2. Masala Dosas
3. Pralines n Cream ice-cream
4. Chaat
5. Fetuccini Alfredo
   

Five Songs I know by heart

1. Pehla Nasha - Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
2. Hero - Mariah Carey
3. Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye - Mukesh / Jagjit Singh
4. Dancing Queen - ABBA
5. Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas - Kishore Kumar
   

Five Things I'd do If I had the Money

1. Open my own fusion-food restaurant
2. Sponsor a less fortunate child's education
3. Buy an apartment in downtown Paris
4. Donate money towards cancer research
5. Buy a Porsche
   

TV Shows

1. FRIENDS
2. Everybody Loves Raymond
3. The Golden Girls
4. Tom & Jerry (yep I still love them!)
5. Fraiser
   

Five Things I Can't Live Without

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Laptop
4. Water
5. Cell phone
   

Five Favourite Cuisines

1. Indian
2. Mexican
3. Indo-Chinese
4. Lebanese
5. Italian
   

Five best places to visit

1. Dubaiiiiiii
2. New York City
3. Mumbai
4. Tokyo
5. Paris

That's why God made parents........

God could not be everywhere, that's why He made parents....

Wednesday was a big day for me. Akash and I got engaged here in Dubai - just how we wanted it. Our parents met, discussed our future and overall the event left us reassured on how much our parents love us.

The excitement is high right now - with social events involving new family and friends on the agenda, along with the local Eid and Diwali festivities, Akash and I are quite overwhelmed with the affection being showered on us.

Thank you friends !

Things have been sorted out and I am sooo happy and excited. Particularly, I'm grateful to all of you friends who prayed so hard for me. More updates in a day....Thanks again friends. You guys ROCK !

Dear Friends.....

I've been going through some trying times recently. I know many of you have stuck by me through thick n thin....so one more time, please keep me in your special prayers. Of course I will tell you what I'm asking you to pray for but when the time is right...

If God answers your prayers, He is increasing your faith, if He delays then He is increasing your patience & if He does not answer, then for sure He knows you can handle it perfectly well