My Great Adventures

Marvadene Anderson

2010-01-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

Who among us can say Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever, has to look up to you, literally? Well there is such a person and her name is Marvadene Anderson A.K.A Bubbles. She is the tallest teenage girl in the world and has a great advantage over many of her peers, at 6 ft 11 inches, the 16 year old Jamaican is the tallest person in her family but not by much. Her parents are both over 6 ft tall, so is her older sister who is also a teenager. It goes without saying, her height is a family trait.

Marvadene uses her height to her advantage, she started out playing netball in Jamaica on the national Under 16 team, but after being scouted by an assistant coach, she recently moved to America and became a member of Rutgers Prep high school basketball team where she is also a sophomore on scholarship.

Marvadene is in new territory both on the court and in the country she now resides. Even though she has just started playing basketball, her Head Coach Mary Klinger is pleased with how well she’s picked up the game.

It is always great to see Jamaican athletes being given the chance to shine on the international stage for their extraordinary gifts and talents. We will be hearing great things about this young lady in the future.

Good luck to you Marvadene! You make us proud.

Usain Bolt

2010-01-05T01:17:00.000-08:00

Usain Bolt A.K.A Lightning Bolt, was born August 21, 1986 in Jamaica. The 6 feet 5 inch sprinter is a three time Olympic gold medalist, holding world records in the 100m (9.69), 200m (19.30) and 4x100m relay (37.10) along with his fellow Jamaican team mates Asafa Powell, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter and it all happened at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.

A year later in the summer of 2009 at the World Championships, the world was given the pleasure of seeing him do the unthinkable, break his own world records in the 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) and receiving a gold medal for his efforts in the 4x100m relay (37.30). It was a phenomenal thing to witness his almost superhuman efforts on the track.

Usain Bolt has amassed quite a few awards in his career; his latest includes an award from the International Sports Press Association where he was named the Athlete Of The Year, beating out America’s eight time Beijing Olympics gold medalist and swimming sensation, Michael Phelps. Bolt also received the ESPY Best Male International Athlete and the Laureus World Sports Award, and these were just for 2009.

Watching him race at the Olympics, his strides looked effortless as if he was only going on a Sunday jog as opposed to breaking the world record again and again and again. After his 100m record breaking race people started speculating about what his actual speed might be, due to the fact that he slowed down near the finish line after he looked back to see where his closest competitor was. I think he will race as fast as he needs to given the situation he is in. I don’t think we will ever know how fast Lightning Bolt strikes until he is put to the test by other athletes because right now he doesn’t expend more energy than he needs to in to order to get world record breaking results.

Burj Khalifa

2010-01-03T22:20:00.000-08:00

Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) formerly known as Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world, is set to open its doors today for the first time. The grand opening will be led by Sheik Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, under heavy security.

Burj Khalifa was designed by an American Architect named Adrian Smith who has also designed Trump International Hotel and Tower. The building was developed by Emaar Properties who started construction of Burj Khalifa on September 21, 2004.

The Burj Khalifa stands gorgeously in all its glory at over 160 stories high and at a magnificent height of 2,717 feet. The exact height was a heavily guarded secret until the grand opening on monday when the height was revealed for the first time on huge screens. It houses offices, residences and a hotel designed by Giorgio Armani which is expected to be opened in March this year.

After all the talk about Dubai's debt crisis for the past few weeks, this is a wonderful way to start 2010, showing the unique vision of Dubai's leader and the creativity that exists here. Burj Khalifa exudes elegant architecture and shows the hard work put into creating it by the vision of an achitect, to the sweat of all the labourers who toiled daily to create this phenomenal piece of architecture that will forever be a part of history.

Witness the spectacular fireworks display at the Burj Khalifa's grand opening.

Tiger Woods

2010-01-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

Weeks ago when the story broke about Tiger Woods being in an accident, it seemed like the world stopped just to watch and listen. There were no more wars going on in the Middle East and the economic crisis was nonexistent. Basically the media outlets turned into celebrity gossip channels. Even the business channels were speculating about prenups and what a divorce would cost him, experts were being interviewed to get into the mind of the great one.

My first thought after his accident was reported was ‘I hope he is doing o.k.’, then there were the speculations surrounding his golf club, was it a weapon used in a domestic dispute or the Jaws of Life that was used to rescue him. Next came the rumours swirling around about an affair he had, then it was up to nine at my last count. I thought, here we go; the media is out to get him big time. Only to hear days later that in a statement to the press Tiger Woods apologised for his many “transgressions”. I thought, really these rumours were all true. I think a lot of people didn’t believe these things being said about him were true until his statement of transgressions.

We have been plagued with politicians and sports personalities who have fallen into traps of “transgressions”, it’s like an epidemic. I thought Tiger Wood was too smart to fall into this sort of situation. He has done so well to keep his private life just so, private. Why did he have to put his family through such nonsense and jeopardize what he has worked so hard to achieve? It seems ludicrous to me.

Didn’t he know that these women (I use the term loosely), had only one thing in mind, publicizing there affair to become famous, because there were no other ways to get the spotlight of the media on them. I guess they are working on book deals and reality shows by now. How do people live like that? What fascinated him about them, to end up throwing his life away like that, be it temporarily?

I feel so much sympathy for his wife, having the whole world gossiping about you because of your husband’s dumb transgressions. It must take quite a toll to know that your husband was playing the field both professionally and personally. I hope his babies are unaware of their father’s stupidity and are unaffected by this whole situation due to their age.

Now there are speculations about whether or not he is going lose his sponsors and the millions that go along with these deals. Tiger has stepped back from his charity, taken time off from golf and is on the verge of losing his family all because of his alleged numerous fidelities. With all these women plus family and business, how did he find time for golf, I guess he is a good multitasker.

In the end he is going to be even more successful, he will be winning tournaments and his sponsors will probably have to pay him twice as much to have him be the face of their product. I don’t think he will want a repeat of the last few weeks so he will stay away from cocktail waitresses from now on. His family life, I’m not so sure about. We will have to wait and see.

New Year's Day @ Dubai Mall

2010-01-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

We went to Dubai Mall last night and the traffic alone going into the mall was bumper to bumper, it was ridiculous. We could see a lot of people in the mall from the road, they looked like a swarm of ants. I guess everybody decided Dubai Mall was the place to be on New Year’s Day. We parked on the bottom floor because we knew without even looking that the top floors would be jam packed.

Up on entering the mall we headed towards the elevators, but the queue alone for six elevators was unbelievable, yes a queue and there are actually six elevators to choose from but not last night. I have actually never seen so many people waiting on elevators before and none of them were opening and two were out of order. The escalator was under repair too so we were kind of stuck.

My husband asked a security guard where the stairs were, because if we stayed there waiting for an elevator we would have been there all night. He pointed us in the direction of the stairs and most of the people started heading for them, so because we had a stroller, I lifted the baby out and my husband lifted it up a flight of stairs with the boys leading the way. Thank God it was only one flight. I don't even think people even knew the mall had stairs until last night.

We got into the mall and it was buzzing with shoppers, it was a busy night for the stores.

Happy New Year!

Dubai Festival City, Truly Festive

2009-12-30T23:37:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Dubai Festival City, we decided to take a stroll outside along the waterfront. There were lots of activities taking place. Of course the mall was filled with shoppers, but upon exiting the mall we came across bikes on display, people either going on rides at the amusement park or strolling along the waterfront, while some dined overlooking the water and docked yachts.

There were people sailing along the canal on dhows, Elton John music videos blasting from a floating karaoke Stage and kids floating in the water in inflated see through balls. It was fun to watch these kids trying to balance themselves only to end up on their buttocks, while nearby, fast food stands served up pop corn, hot dogs and ice-cream.

Our main reason for taking a walk on the waterfront was to see the enormous Christmas tree on display. This year it was standing tall in front of the InterContinental hotel that is only a short walk from the mall, it was no problem since the night was cool.

The tree was decorated with lots of flashing christmas lights that transformed from blue to green, to yellow, it was wonderful to watch. There were also these big toys hanging from the tree courtesy of Toys R Us. Watch the video below of the tree in action.

Dubai Mall’s White Christmas

2009-12-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

Dubai Mall has this great white Christmas tree. It is 94 foot tall and has over 8,000 decorative ornaments on it. It’s also decorated with 360,000 flashing Christmas lights that change in tune to music, the lights change from green to blue to red. It’s fantastic!

My son and I were wondering how they installed such a huge tree and so far we have come to the conclusion that they must have used a crane to set it up, definitely not a job for a ladder.

Watch this video showing the tree lighting up in all its glory.

Merry Christmas

Polar Santa Visits Dubai

2009-12-29T20:22:00.000-08:00

My family and I were walking through Mall of the Emirates recently and we got a pleasant surprise, a huge christmas tree in the centre of the mall. It was a traditional green tree beautifully decorated with a north pole theme.

There were penguins and polar bears wrapped up in scarves, skating around the tree on a track. Around the tree were huge presents, polar bears and penguins, but there was this one big polar bear dressed up like Santa Claus wearing dark sunglasses, sitting at the front of the tree. People sat beside Polar Santa and had their pictures taken.

Polar Santa chilling out

Madonna's Adoption Saga

2009-05-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Is it only me or does it seem a bit odd that Madonna’s adoption bid is being fought against so viciously? She is trying to adopt a 3 year old girl from Malawi whose 14 year old mother died a few weeks after giving birth to her. The little girl named Mercy has been living in an orphanage since the death of her birth mother. The Grandmother has opposed the adoption of Mercy which is understandable except she does not have custody of her granddaughter and don’t forget Mercy does live in an orphanage and has since birth. So where has grandma been all this time?

Now there is also a matter of paternity, a 24 year security guard from Malawi has recently come out of the woodwork claiming to be the little girl’s father only he has never seen her except in the news paper nor has he been in contact or even claimed her since either her birth or the death of her mother.

So why this drama over Mercy when it seems that if Madonna had not been interested in adopting her she would have spent the first half of her life in an orphanage, unclaimed and unknown by her alleged father. If everyone cares so much about her well being, then why not give her the gift of a mother who can give her the love she deserves, siblings and financial security. Don’t forget Madonna won’t be ripping her out of the arms of loving family members, she will be offering Mercy a chance at a normal life, with a family of her own and the endless possibility of hope, love and family.

Madonna should be congratulated for her generosity and the efforts she has made in trying to give kids living in orphanages a chance at a better future.

Motherhood and Multitasking

2009-05-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

How do I find time to workout and take care of three kids?

I have been asked this question a few times recently, here goes.

Firstly, I am a mother of three young kids (6yrs, 3yrs and 4 1/2 months) and it is a real challenge, so don't be fooled by my easy going demeanour. It was tough from my first day home from the hospital with our new baby until she hit the 2 month mark. When I couldn't get back to my much appreciated routine it was frustratingly difficult for me and compound that with lack of sleep and walking around feeling like a zombie daily, I really felt like my life was out of my control and that's a terrible feeling to have. I went into survival mode for two months and then it came, sweet and blissful sleep, my baby girl decided she would rather sleep through the night than stay up and watch TV with me. Being able to sleep throughout the night without being roused from sleep by my baby's cries changed my life. It made everything better and caused me to start thinking about tackling my baby weight.

So how do I find time for exercise when I have kids to take care of?

My solution was a simple but tough one, I decided to workout very early in the mornings. So I wake up every morning at 4:20, hop into my already layed out gym gear and get my workout in then hit the shower, prepare school lunches and get my kids up and ready for school with my husband's help. I workout at home by using either exercise DVDs, running on my treadmill or using a stationary bike.

I love routines and now workout is apart of it. It was tough waking up so early in the morning for the first month but then my body got use to the idea and I even started waking up before my alarm went off and that in itself was a victory. I also found out that starting the day by doing something good for my body has its own reward, I feel energized almost like I'm bouncing off the walls sometimes and renewed, healthy and happy. It's great! I also love early mornings, it's so peaceful and quiet, everybody is asleep and it's my 'Me Time'.

The rest of the day is devoted to my children's well being and getting things done on my mental 'To Do List', the usual household chores, homework and other stuff that's apart of daily life. The best thing to do I have found is to prioritise everything in your life from a level 1 to a level 20 and beyond. For example, I know I must workout 6 days per week and to make sure it gets done I do it first thing in the morning when the kids are asleep, no excuses. I know dinner has to be made but there is also homework to get done, so we do them both at the same time. I could go on but you get the picture. Timing and multitasking will get things done as well as excellent teamwork.

Being a parent is a tough job and you have to be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for it and be a good negotiator, that's what I learn everyday, it teaches you patience when you feel like you are about to lose it and causes you to make silly faces and do funny voices and develop a creative imagination to get a laugh from the little faces that stare at us in wonder and amusement.

How do you handle parenthood and daily life?

Dancing For Weight Loss

2009-04-21T23:52:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, before I started my post baby weight loss journey, I came across Lisa Rinna’s dance workout DVD and immediately remembered her saying how she had lost weight and achieved and toned and sleek physique not to mention a set of rock hard abs during her stint on Dancing With The Stars just by Ballroom dancing. Other contestant on the show made similar weight loss claims including Marie Osmond. So I decided why not give Ballroom dancing a try.

Yesterday I started to dance along to Lisa Rinna’s Dance Body Beautiful DVD and let me tell you, it’s a super cardio workout, from the warm up to the cool down sweat was pouring off me and the dance routines were pretty intense, it’s great. What a fun workout.

My plan is for the next 6 weeks to see what Ballroom dancing does to my body. Why 6 weeks? It seems like an appropriate amount of time to see if my experiment works out (no pun intended). I will still be cycling and running on alternate days 6 days per week but will incorporate dancing as well.
Wish me luck.

Red Bull Air Race in Abu Dhabi

2009-04-20T01:40:00.000-07:00

There was a Red Bull Air Race at the Abu Dhabi Corniche over the weekend, so we drove up there on Saturday. I was pretty excited to go because my husband told me about the Red Bull Air Race he attended while in Australia last year and how great it was. So I went there expecting to be thrilled with tons of breath taking action and heart stopping stunts but instead was bored out of my mind.

Firstly it started two hours late, which I shouldn’t mind since we did reach there an hour later than it was suppose to start, but it also meant that we were there waiting for an hour in the heat trying to determine if they changed the venue. There wasn’t even pre show action to keep us entertained, pretty disappointing, so we stared at the sky for over an hour waiting to get the thrill of our lives only to be left wondering, when the show finally started, ‘is this it, what happened to the show?’ We left after the third act and went home. What a let down, probably we should go to the Australia one instead since that one has lots more action.

I saw this video on youtube of a Red Bull Air Race in Istanbul, enjoy.

Weighty Matters

2009-04-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

This week has been really frustrating in terms of my weight loss challenge. The scale an I are having a love/hate relationship for some reason. I'm putting in the work and the scale refuses to give me the credit.

It hasn't always been like this with us, we have been friends for the past 7 weeks, from the moment I started on this journey to zap the baby weight, I have lost as of this moment 19.4 pounds which is and incredible amount of weight I know. So what's the problem all of a sudden? why has my weight been fluctuating since I woke up sunday morning? I have been trying to figure it out for the past week and I have a theory and it called a PLATEAU!

My workout just isn't working out no pun intended. My body is probably not responding to my workouts anymore, I think. The thing is I added cycling to my routine as well as a hill routine this week, so I don't see what the problem is.

When I started my weight loss plan 7 weeks ago I did Ultimate Bootcamp (Taebo) 3 days per week for 3 weeks, along with Hills (walking at various inclines for 20 mins) 3 days per week. Then I switched to Shape Bikini Body Camp (30 min sculpt) 3 days per week for 4 weeks and also started to run 3 miles 3 days per week for 4 weeks.

This week I added cycling 3 days and hills 2 days, so I figured I should have atleast upped my weight loss. Yesterday I decided to switch my DVD workout to the 30 min cardio interval routine on the same DVD (DVD has three 30 min workouts) and cycled for 30 mins afterwards and this morning I hopped on the scale and it seemed to have worked, then afterwards I ran intervals for 3 miles on the treadmill, hopefully that will kick it up a knotch. I will keep monitoring the situation and make sure to switch up my routines to avoid disappointments.

Skinny Jeans For Men?

2009-04-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend while indulging in some family fun, I came across a shocking sight, a guy (teen) wearing the tightest pair of I can't breathe in these, skinny jeans and to top it off a close fitting t-shirt. His friend also a dude, was sporting a similar look but not as tight, but that's no excuse. I had to do a double, triple, quadruple take, I stood there and tried not to make my steers so obvious.

When do members of the male population wear their girlfriend's skinny jeans and do they not feel ridiculous wearing these pants of the skin tight variety?

When do fathers have to say 'son that is just too tight, go change or throw on a jacket', I thought you only told teenage girls stuff like that. It's totally mind boggling.

First the fashion was to wear pants that are 12 times too big and hanging around the knees, now it's all about hopping around trying to pull up a pair of pants then laying on the bed with stomach sucked in trying to zip them up. What's going on?

Men wearing skinny jeans, not cool. Boys, Stop it! It's just wrong....so wrong.

Yoga Is Just Not For Me

2009-03-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

This morning I had this brilliant idea to do a 30 minute yoga DVD, what was I thinking? Well, I'll tell you what popped into my head. I have seen pictures of celebs the likes of Jenny McCarthy, Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few, well, those are actually the only ones I read about who practice yoga. My point is, they are really lean and toned all over and since I am trying to lose this baby weight and achieve a lean and toned physique I figured, what the heck, lets give it one more try.

Yeah, I know what your question is, when have I ever done yoga? Well for your information, in 2007 I started P90x which is pretty intense and yoga was apart of the program, so yes, I did yoga for 6 weeks but only 6 times and I absolutely hated it. All I kept saying was "crap, crap, crap", I'm quite sure you should be thinking more harmonious thoughts during yoga. So since that was more than a year ago I figure how hard could a 30 minute session be, the answer is really hard and to think that was for beginners.

The truth is I prefer fast paced workouts and you all know that yoga is just the opposite of that. Its slow controlled movements just does not cut it for me, even though you do work up a tremendous amount of sweat.

The moral of the story is 'No More Yoga'!!!

Namaste, that's all I got from yoga.

Rainy Night In Dubai

2009-03-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

While getting the kids ready for bed last night, I heard what sounded like thunder roaring in the distance. My 6yr old son loves the rain, so we looked out the window into the night sky only to see flashes of lightning streaking across the sky like fireworks.

I couldn't believe it, rain could actually fall, but then I came to my senses and said 'yeah right', like that's going to happen. You have got to understand, rain falls basically a few times per year in Dubai and only over the winter and frankly, we have gotten our quota of rainfall for this year, so understand my pessimism.

So, the kids settled back in bed and minutes later I heard what sounded like rain drops hitting the window, I shouted out the obvious in my excitement 'it's raining'. We all looked out the window and watched as the rain fell on the pavement, already glistening from the downpour, the wind swaying the trees and the night sky glowing from the constant flashes of lightning. It reminded me of a day in Jamaica where rain is not a luxury but a frequent occurrence.

I think my kids are missing out on the natural elements of the Jamaican climate. My 6 yr old son still remembers the hurricane we were in the midst of on our vacation in the summer of 2007.

My Running Scenery

2009-03-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

my running view

So there I was this morning on my early morning run while everyone was asleep. It was quiet, just the sound of my feet hitting the surface, sweat pouring off me, taking in my passing scenery, the green grass, the perfectly landscaped yard, the birds flying by and the sun trying to burst through the clouds but only managed to make the cloud glow, the morning seemed calm and cool. Then I heard my 3 yr old son say 'hello mommy' and I turned in time to see him wave at me with a smile, I said hi and continued to run. Minutes later I heard my 6 yr old son say 'hello mommy', so again I said hi and continued on my run.

I was brought back to the reality of where I was, I was not outside running but on my treadmill instead and my changing scenery wasn't changing at all but the same looping view outside my window. I checked my time, distance, calorie burn and was done for the day.

Running Scared

2009-03-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

I have always dreaded the whole idea of running, even in high school I would get this nervous spill my guts on the floor feeling when track and field season came around. I don't know what it was about running that terrified me, probably it was the idea of competing in races and the dread of looking like an idiot when I came in last, with spectators laughing at my expense. Trying to hide in plain sight so I wouldn't be chosen by my P.E teacher to race was my last resort, I couldn't skip class since that would mean detention. So my solution was to not look the teacher in the eyes out of fear of being noticed. I always felt this great sense of relief when P.E was over.

This might come as a surprise to you after confessing my deep fear of running but I have recently started running on my treadmill. At first I started walking at a pretty steep incline on the treadmill, then after a couple weeks it didn't seem so challenging so I decided it was time to put my running shoes on. I figure if I run as opposed to walk, I will burn twice the amount of calories in a shorter time frame. I think I might like running after all, but time will tell. I also found this website about running http://www.runnersworld.com/ .

24

2009-03-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

24 is a really addictive show, it's like a drug, you just completely get hooked on it. My husband bought all six seasons of 24 last year and we spent a few weeks over the summer glued to the action packed series. We got so hooked on it that my husband had to put an end to the madness by saying no more 24 for a while because we just kept popping in one DVD after another, we just had to know what was going to happen next, until hours later and way past our kids bedtime we were still contemplating watching another episode. I had the 24 shakes; I even tried to imagine what would happen next, I just couldn’t stand the suspense.

After the very brief recovery period we decided, O.K, we are ready for another round and we won’t get so totally hooked again, but we were wrong, the same thing happened all over again. Let’s face it, we just can’t handle 24. The 24 script is well written, well acted and a thrill to watch, my husband and I wondered how they came up with these plots. All the episodes in all six seasons were just really exciting to watch. I was on the edge of my seat the entire six seasons.

At the end of the last episode in the sixth season, we were scrambling to see if the seventh season was already out and was very disappointed when we found out that it hadn’t even reached TV yet.

If you are a 24 fan you know how I feel.

Weight Loss Secret

2009-03-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

Is there really a secret to weightloss?

I have been hunting for the secret that would make weightloss a walk in the park and have come up with all these so called fat burning pills, gadgets, teas and fad diets that seem too good to be true. When you actually read the fine print on these fat blasting products it tells you that for them to work you have to exercise daily and eat nutritious and portion controlled meals. What I am looking for is something that says eat what ever you like and take this, then watch the fat melt away and you will look like Heidi Klum in 30 days. Where is that product?

The truth is the secret to weightloss I have found is not really a secret at all, even these same products tell you, but the answer is not really in using these products but is in the fine prints on these products. So what's the answer? Simple, eat less and exercise more.

In practising this simple philosophy you can get desireable result but it takes hard work and consistency and slowly but surely you will lose the excess weight you carry around on a daily basis.

Right now I am in the midst of trying to lose the weight I piled on during my recent pregnancy and have adapted this philosophy for my own success. Yes, it is hard work .....Yes, it is frustrating.....Yes, sometimes I feel like giving up when the numbers on the scale seem to take forever to move and seems to not reflect my hard work and determination, but I try to imagine the end result and my imagined self looks pretty good in those skinny jeans, so I press on fighting for the reality of a healthier more energetically toned, skinny jeans wearing me.

I keep on track by reading health magazines, my absolute favourite is Shape, I look forward to reading the inspirational weightloss stories of regular everyday women like me. I also scour the web for good health articles and have found http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/ . It is the best fitness website I have ever seen and I visit it everyday, it has workout plans that includes videos, meals ideas and tons of resources all geared towards getting you in shape. I also chat with a fitness expert on a daily basis, my husband. Right now I work out at home by using exercise videos and my treadmill, but when I start going to the gym to change things up, my husband will be my personal trainer.

Wish me luck.

OctoMom

2009-03-13T00:47:00.000-07:00

It is incredible that one woman can conceive and actually carry eight babies all at once, I can only imagine its effect on breathing and balance.

We have all heard the story by now about Nadya Suleman code name 'OctoMom', single mom to fourteen kids and I wonder how she will be able to take care of all her children, but I assume with lots of help. Can you imagine all the diaper changes and bottles of formula and homework and what type of transportation will be required to transport her kids? WOW, I am tired just thinking about it. She did mention hiring nannies and having them work on shifts, which is a great idea.

The debate about her choices has been going on for weeks and yes, being a single mom with little cash and six other kids should have been enough to stop her from going through invitro fertilisation which increases the chances of conceiving multiples. She made a bad decision, but guess what, the babies are here and thriving so lets get past the grand debates and public criticisms and those who can assist her do so and those who can't, leave he be. What's done is done.

I was happy to see that Nadya is buying a house and that Dr Phil is doing more than just having her on his show to exploit her for ratings as other TV programmes have done, but is actually trying to help her through his foundation by giving her the necessary items needed for a nursery and safe guarding her kids comfort and wellbeing.

I didn't agree with Nadya's parents public critism of her with the whole world watching her every move, this is something that should have been done in a family setting, yeah they're frustrated at her insane choices but its still a family matter.

I wish Nadya Suleman and her family goodluck, and pray for them to get settled into as normal a routine as possible with a family of fifteen.

If you would like to help Nadya Suleman's family financially visit her site http://www.thenadyasulemanfamily.com/ .

Yeah.....I'm Back!!!

2009-03-13T00:13:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't blogged in quite a while, but what can I say.....?

Ok, here goes, I had a little girl in December 2008, (congrats to me) and I felt like my pregnancy went on forever which was pretty frustrating, especially in the last trimester when I felt so uncomfortable and had trouble sleeping. Then she was finally here and what followed were weeks of little or no sleep and trying to get use to having a new baby in the house again.

I felt so out of balance when I couldn't settle into a routine immediately, which was pretty important for me, seeing that my husband and I also have two boys who attend school and trying to get them to sleep at nights was a challenge since they were so excited about their new baby sister.

The good news is that baby Gabrielle is now sleeping through the nights ( keep your fingers cross) and we have gotten back to our much loved routine.

Dubai Mall

2008-12-04T08:55:00.001-08:00

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

My family finally took a trip to the newly opened Dubai Mall today. I have to say it is a nice mall so far, it is still under construction after the opening has been delayed for over a year already.

Of course there are the usual line up of retailers, but what makes this mall really different from the rest is that it has an Ice Rink, yes you read it right an Ice Rink in Dubai. As we entered the mall we were faced with this awesome sight, people were skating and having a grand time while others stood around the rink watching.

My family then moved on to another spectacular attraction, what could be more spectacular than an Ice Rink you ask? Well, how about the world’s largest Aquarium; it is an incredible sight to behold. We saw schools of fish swimming by which included sharks and other species of sea creatures. We even saw a couple of divers in the Aquarium. We stood there for quite some time. By the way my sons are quite positive that they have found both Nemo and his dad.

After taking in those incredible sceneries we headed to the food court, there are the usual fast food restaurants, but you can also enjoy a nice dining experience in a restaurant setting. While cruising the food court to see what we fancied we came across a restaurant called Ribs and Rumps, we checked out the menu and decided to eat there, so we sat at a table overlooking the Ice Rink. The menu consisted of grilled chicken, steak, lamb chops, and ribs; by the way the buffalo wings are incredible. The food is great, I highly recommend it.

Take a trip to the mall with your family you will enjoy it immensely.

The video I have posted on top is one I made of the Dubai Mall Aquarium.

Grand Racing & Super Car Show

2008-04-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

My family has a passion for motorsport and we especially love to watch Formula 1, so this weekend we went to the Dubai Autodrome to watch a few races. The racing events that took place were the GP2 Asia series, Speedcar series and Stock/Superstock Bike Championship. It was truly a very entertaining, adrenaline pumping sometimes heart stopping day of events, with the loud sounds of high powered engines, the occasional crashes, high speed chases to the finish and victory for the lucky few it was just another fun filled day at the Dubai Autodrome.

We watched the races in the comfort of the VIP lounge, with a buffet in the background, with TV screens positioned around the room and waiters ensuring our comfort. The VIP lounge is also right above the Pit Lane which I was excited about since I had a clear view of it and would be able to witness the cars doing their pit stop, except there was no pit stop during the racing events so that was a disappointment.

We were happy to cheer on our friend Ryan Gourzong who competed in two bike racing championships, riding the coolest bike on the circuit, Rasta Rocket which is in the colours of the Jamaican flag (black, green and gold). It was exciting to see him racing again after his crash on that very track in 2007. GO RASTA ROCKET, WOOOO!!!

It wasn't all about racing at the Autodrome though, a Super Car Show was held as well where they showcased the truly exclusive and very luxurious and obviously it goes without saying super expensive rides like the Bentley, Ferrari, Mercedes, Lamborghini just to name a few. We walked around what was probably the most expensive car lot and got a very up close and personal view of the hottest rides on the market. I'm sure it was a truly incredible experience for the true car enthusiast. Check out the photos I snapped.

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Earth Hour In Dubai

2008-03-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

My family did our part in contributing to Earth Hour, so it was lights out for us between the hours of 8pm and 9pm when this global event started, we even turned off our TV. That wasn't all either because we went a step further by ordering takeout dinner since our electric stove was well......electric. We figured since the restaurant was going to be open why not make them make us dinner, it seems pretty reasonable to me. Its not like we were making the Chef go out of his way or anything, so I figure it was a win win situation, they got paid and I got dinner.

I know that people including our neighbours and friends contributed to Earth Hour, but while out and about I didn't notice the city of Dubai looking any dimmer, in fact it looked the same as usual to me. The Nad Al Sheba racecourse for one had its lights blazing in all its glory and the reason for that was the Dubai World Cup which is an annual horse racing event that started in 1996, was in full swing at this time. That is what I call an extenuating circumstance but you could also look at it another way, with hundreds of well dressed spectators watching the best horses race then that meant there were hundreds of lights not being used in their homes. So you see another win win situation. Helping out the planet while being entertained without even knowing it, PRICELESS.

What did you do for Earth Hour?

Fire On Sheikh Zayed Road!

2008-03-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

We were on our way home after a quick stop at Emirates Mall this afternoon when we saw thick black clouds of smoke puffing into the sky in the distance on Sheikh Zayed Road. At first my husband thought it was a car that had caught fire but as we got closer to the scene of the blaze we realized it was on the opposite side of the road and the thick black billowing smoke was coming from where an Emarat petrol station was located, that was when I came to the conclusion that either the petrol station was on fire or a building behind it. I just found out from the news that it was actually an electric cable behind the Emarat petrol station that had caught fire and the Civil Defence later extinguished the blaze. Scary!

Twins: Hollywood's Must Have Accessories

2008-02-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

Kanji symbol meaning twins

What's going on with Hollywood's bottled water supply? It seems like Hollywood has started the latest trend and it has nothing to do with being a trend setting fashion icon, having twins seems to be the thing to do these days in the land of the stars.

It seems like with nearly every celebrity showing off baby bumps, publicists are demanding their star clients to stand out from the pack of mommies-to-be to garner more attention from the press and what better way than to have twins. Since having twins is the constant buzz of the Hollywood elite now a days, I am sure there is going to be a wide demand for triplets next season. Fashion changes all the time why not the number of babies one has per pregnancy. By this time next year twins will be so last season.

Stars who have added to the twin trend includes Jenifer Lopez, P Diddy, well at least his Xgirl, Julia Roberts, Marcia Cross, Patrick and Jillian Dempsey as well as Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, just to name a few.

A very pregnant J Lo

Keisha & P Diddy with their twins

Julia Roberts strolling with her twins

Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon

Marcia Cross & hubby with their twins

Patrick & Jillian Dempsey with their daughter and twin sons

Body For Life

2008-02-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago my hushand and I were browsing the aisles of a bookstore with our toddler when we came across a book entitled Body For Life: 12 Weeks To Mental and Physical Strength, so we purchased a copy. I have never felt compelled to read a fitness book before but the title of this one immediately grabbed my attention. I couldn't even wait until I reached home to open the book so as soon as we got back to our SUV I started to devour the pages of the book, that is a better way to describe it than to merely read it.

For hours the book written in what I can only describe as a simple straight forward way, nothing technical to confuse the already confused, held me captive from beginning to end. The before and after pictures seemed unbelievably amazing and so did the stories of the participants who took part in the Body For Life Challenge.

I am always searching for a way to simplify my fitness and nutrition plan and to get maximum benefit for my efforts especially when done the right way. Lets face it, that is the only reason people buy fitness magazines, to revamp their fitness routine, that is definitely why I buy them myself.

The book isn't just about losing weight, it also taps into your mental wellbeing as well. It serves as an inspirational tool which encourages you to examine your life and make plans for the future.

Reading Body For Life was the boost I needed to end my recent exercise hiatus. I was using the P90X program which gave me great results, but my body was telling me it needed a break from the demanding cardio routines and combine that with the fact that it was christmas and who am I to resist all the trappings that go hand in hand with the celebration, I am but a mere mortal and lets face it greater people than I have tried. I'm just no match for christmas.

For my new fitness plan I have combined Body For Life and P90X because they basically follow the same principle, which is to lose weight you need to do both cardio and resistance exercises for maximum results as well as adopt a healthy diet. So what I have done is to do the strength training routines from P90X as well as the simplified cardio routine like riding a stationary bike, from the Body For Life plan, this way I can do my cardio routine in the comfort of my living room while I watch TV. That is what I call multi-tasking which I am the Queen of, lets face it to be a mother of two very active boys I have to be.

One thing I do to keep me motivated is to keep a fitness diary to document my very specific fitness goals, exercise routines, daily meal plans along with my thoughts.

The thing about Body For Life that really takes the pressure off the 12 week challenge is the fact that you get a 'Free Day' once per week in which you are allowed to eat whatever you want guilt free. So it gives you something to look forward to at the end of the week.

I give the Body For Life plan two thumbs up, I would give it more if I had more thumbs.

Bird Strike!

2008-02-24T00:40:00.001-08:00

We were driving along on saturday, chatting and listening to music when.....WHAM..... out of nowhere a bird came crashing into our windscreen. I never even saw it happen because at that very moment I was chatting with my husband and was facing him instead of the windscreen , that's when I heard the awful sound of something slamming into the glass.

With my heart beating a mile a minute, you know what, lets just make that a mile a second, I turned to my husband and asked him what the heck just happened, that's when he told me about the CRAZY bird.

Why would a bird fly so close to traffic? Shouldn't they know to stay out of danger.

It's Soooooo C-cold

2008-02-08T03:57:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how cold it has gotten here in Dubai. It's really tough getting out of my warm bed in the mornings to face a day filled with fluctuating temperatures.

We left out of the house this morning at 8:00 and the temperature was 13°C, about a minute later it had dropped to 12°C, but atleast the sun was shining.

Last year at the height of summer I couldn't wait for the winter season to start just to get over the blindingly suffocating heat that Dubai is well known for, but I find I really can't stand the cold either, I just hate being cold.

I know people will be laughing and saying 12°C isn't cold, that's very warm compared to say Beijing where snow fall has left people stranded, threatened its economy, disrupted lives and damaged buildings. But understand my point of view, I'm not use to these kinds of fluctuating temperatures, I am from beautiful tropical Jamaica where the weather is perfect year round, except when a hurricane passes through and wreaks havoc on its citizens. For instance last year August when we witnessed firsthand the destruction of hurricane Dean.

We were one week into our vacation when "WHAM" hurricane Dean hits. Can you believe it? The one time we choose to vacation the hurricane decides to stop by for a visit too. For weeks to come the after effects of the hurricane were felt. In our case we went nearly a week without electricity and running water. The only good thing to come of the hurricane was the fact that we were around our family and went through the same experience they did and we didn't have to find out by phone thousands of miles away how things were going.

Now I don't know what to wish for, the heat of summer or a trip to Jamaica or better yet probably I should just stop wishing.

Does My Right Arm Seem Longer To You?

2008-02-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was in Carrefour which is basically the french version of Walmart, to pick up some stationery. While browsing the aisles I walked by some sweaters and since I have been meaning to get one to wear around the house because it has gotten so cold in Dubai, I tossed one in my shopping cart without trying it on.

At home I gave it a quick wash and put it on, what I realized immediately was that the right sleeve was shorter than the left, either that or my right arm grew overnight. Anyway, I tried stretching it which I kind of figured out wasn't going to work since the sleeve was about two inches shorter.

I had to laugh it off because really what could I expect from a product that had its tags cut out. I came to the conclusion that it probably was apart of a bad batch of sweaters that were turned down by supplier for there poor workmanship, that's my theory.

What has become of my sweater do you ask?...................I'm still wearing it.

Grand Racing

2008-01-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we took our sons to the Dubai Autodrome to enjoy an afternoon filled with competitive car racing.

When we arrived at the Autodrome a race was already in progress, the race was twenty eventful laps filled with the loud sounds of engines going at there maximum speed, crashes, cars running of the track, pit stops and victory for the fastest few. It was truly exciting to watch, with the emotions of the spectators there supporting their favourite driver changing as fast as the gears of the racing cars.

It was a fun afternoon, the boys totally loved every moment of it and I am becoming a fan of motorsport.

Al Ain Aerobatics Show 2008

2008-01-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

My family drove up to Al Ain for the Aerobatics show on friday, we went last year and it was so much fun.

On final approach to the airshow ( I sound like I was flying don't I ...anyway) we saw a team of fighter jets doing some death defying aerobatics, it was so exciting to watch them.

When we actually reached the venue we along with alot of other spectators had one problem, parking. All the lots were full so we had to be diverted to another parking lot which is not really an official lot meaning we had to go sandduning to find this lot, then hike to the airshow, just kidding we didn't hike but there was alot of walking involved.

There were display tents set up showcasing aircrafts, flight school, there were women doing henna designs, men handling falcons that people petted, even a car was on display. The place was really cold but not to worry there was a Starbucks tent close by.

We entered the stands and I was overwhelmed by number of spectators present, the stands were full to capacity but we were lucky enough to find seating and we settled in and enjoyed the show.

The Al Ain Aerobatics show consisted of teams of small aircrafts doing incredible aerobatic displays, they did loops, flew mere inches by each other very close the ground, it was fascinating, there was also a red bull helicopter doing stunts that I didn't know a helicopter was capable of, like flying upside down.

Also present at the show was the Guinot Wing Walker team which consists of two small aircraft doing aerobatics with two women doing acrobatics while strapped to the wing of the planes, it's one of those how do they do that moment.

The Wizards (South African team) also showed an in credible display by combining aerobatics with skydiving, in which two aircrafts displayed there aerobatic skills and as a finale two skydivers jumped from the planes it was just beautiful.

For the grand finale of the airshow the TinStix of Dynamite team gave quite an explosive performance combining incredible aerobatics coupled with vey loud explosions and lots of smoke, it made me feel as if I was in a war zone, it was fun to watch.

The Al Ain Aerobatics show was a fun filled experience for the entire family.

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Britney Spears At The MTV VMA's

2007-09-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

It was with a great sense of anticipation that I watched the MTV Video Music Awards last night, well at least the first half hour of it, until I gave up and went to bed after losing interest in the show all together. It just seemed kind of boring especially after watching Britney Spears perform.

Britney Spears performance which was highly anticipated and I'm sure was meant to be the highlight of the show and a grand announcement of her comeback was a total flop in my views, which is kind of sad since I was hoping that she would show her nay sayers that she's still got it. Instead I think the whole thing backfired, for what was supposed to be the grand opening act turned out to be a 'show stopper' and not in a good sense of the phrase.

Why would she lip sink at a live show? Its not like she was doing any great choreography that would zap her breath. She also seemed like a cautious amateur performer moving across the stage. I'm sure that she has been rehearsing her routine for a while, so couldn't someone in the Spears camp have said, "hey Brit, this whole performance ain't gonna work". Also, if this is the best song on the album I predict very low sales in her future and I am not even psychic.

Welcome To Jamrock

2007-08-14T04:17:00.001-07:00

So, I'm finally here in Jamaica after being away for exactly one year, my family is here for our vacation. We flew from Dubai to New York on Friday on Emirates Airline, great flight by the way, the flight crew ensured our comfort and our boys were thoroughly entertained watching the Cars movie which they absolutely love, they watched it every chance they got. I tried to read my novel but kept falling asleep. I also kept watching the time alot to see how long before we actually landed in New York, not a good idea on a 14 hour flight, its pretty frustrating when you realise you have only been flying for an hour and you feel kind of trapped in one spot.

When we landed in NY the place was freezing, the rain had fallen earlier adding to the drop in temperature, it was reported on the news that it was the coldest it has been in the summer since 1879. Still it was a much welcome relief from the suffocating heat of Dubai.

At the hotel I just stood by the window looking out over the city, I was mesmerized by the lushness of the greenery and the sites below, its just so different from Dubai's sandy views.

We stayed in New York for a couple days so we had some time to go out and experience a bit of New York. One of the things we did was to find a Jamaican restaurant and eat some great Jamaican dishes that we have missed out on for an entire year since there isn't a restaurant in Dubai that serves Jamaican cuisine. We had jerk chicken for dinner and for breakfast we went to Henrica's which is a restaurant that serves Jamaican and Chinese cuisine. We ate ackee and saltfish with fried dumplings. The food was so delicious. After a big breakfast we headed off to Green Acres Mall to check out the shops, I especially wanted to go to JCPenney which I got a chance to do, since there is none in Dubai it was a priority for me to make a trip to the store.

On Sunday we left New York for Jamaica which is not as simple as it sounds. First of all we were booked to fly on Air Jamaica only to find out that they had contracted North American to fly us down as opposed to using an actual Air Jamaica plane. We boarded the plane on time only to be stuck on the ground due to maintenance problems for about an hour before we were even informed by an Air Jamaica rep of the issue that was holding up our flight after some passengers started arguing about the inefficiency of the airline, the uncomfortable seats and their growing hunger. The passengers were asked to leave the aircraft and wait in the departure lounge and we were also told that the flight would be delayed for a further 2 hours, I honestly thought there was going to be a riot so I had my camera handy to catch the action just in case. In the end it took about an hour for the problem to be resolved, we boarded the flight and flew to Jamaica where the rain, the green landscape, the beautiful sea and our family welcomed us back home. What an adventure.

Check out this Welcome To Jamrock music video by Damian Marley.

Pimp My Ride, Dubai Style

2007-07-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Festival City (mall) we saw a company called Head Start Vision, they specialize in making over vehicles with Hi Tech accessories, in a way it could be described as Pimp My Ride Dubai style. They had two vehicles on display that had some great accessories on them, I'm sure it cost a bundle. Both vehicles seemed like an entertainment centre on wheels. Below are some videos I shot of the pimped out rides.

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Playing Tennis On Top Of The World, Dubai Style

2007-07-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a friendly game of tennis on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab Hotel ahead of the 2005 Dubai Duty Free Men's Open. When I saw the pictures I thought it was amazing, it must be the world's highest tennis court, I'm beginning to think everything is possible in Dubai. I just came across the video and thought I would share it with you. Go ahead and enjoy.

Friday the 13th, Fact or Myth

2007-07-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

What makes Friday the 13th so unlucky that people's world stops on that day and as a result businesses lose money?

I have been trying to find the event that caused this superstition that is feared by so many to come about and there seems to be no logical explanation on the historical origin of Friday the 13th. Even though Friday the 13th maybe more of a myth than a fact there are many people who fear this day, the clinical term for the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia. This fear is so paralyzing to those affected that their whole world stops for that day and some people don't even bother to get out of their beds.

A few years ago I was involved in an accident on Friday August 13th in which a car slammed into the side of the car I was driving, everyone was OK by the way, but even though I had that horrible experience I am not affected by the fact that it was Friday the 13th, I don't consider myself to be a superstitious person. Instead I developed a fear for driving, isn't that a laugh, I haven't driven since that accident.

To me Friday the 13th is just another day on the calendar, sometimes I don't even realize the significance of the day until someone points it out. Bad things happen everyday of the year to people around the globe, it doesn't just happen on Friday the 13th. For that reason I think its more mythical than factual superstition.

Nintendo Wii

2007-07-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Tene' and I'm addicted to Nintendo Wii. I wonder if there is a Nintendo Wii anonymous group out there, I would sure qualify to be a member. We recently bought Wii and have already hopelessly fallen victims to it. My 4yr old loves to play the golf game, Terrence and I compete with each other in tennis, which he always beats me at and bowling which I always beat him at (Psst, don't tell him I told you, its our little secret). We end up playing for hours and it is a lot of fun, we thoroughly enjoy ourselves.

With the heat of the Dubai summer upon us it is a very good idea for us to have such an entertaining indoor activity that not only is fun for the whole family is a very physically active game, it will have you moving around a lot because it simulates playing the actual game whether it is bowling, golf, tennis, boxing or baseball, you'll be moving that body of yours to stay in tune with your game. It increases your heart rate and has you sweating like crazy, I even have what I call a tennis arm because my arm became soar from swinging the tennis racket, it felt like I was actually lifting weights.

Wii is fun, keeps you off the sofa, and will burn those unwanted calories, since its like a fun workout, although there is really no such thing as a fun workout.

Living On The Edge

2007-07-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

My family went to Magic Planet located inside the Mall of The Emirates, it is a family amusement arcade, it is a fun hangout and has rides, arcade games, pool, bowling and food.

Terrence (husband) decided to try out the Robo Coaster which once you get in people just gather around to watch the action. The Robo Coaster is kind of like a robotic arm that you get strapped into and it rotates and throws you from side to side. Terrence thoroughly enjoyed it, I even have the video to prove it. I think it was a piece of cake for him because of him being a helicopter pilot but I don't think I have the stomach for the Robo Coaster. Do you?

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The P Diddy Break Up

2007-07-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

So P Diddy, Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs has gone and broken up with the mother of his tiny babies, how sad. I really don't know what Kim Porter expected though that after bearing his three kids she could get a different title like Mrs P Diddy other than girlfriend. At their age and with kids in the picture girlfriend sounds so high school, don't you think? If the guy isn't committed enough to marry you and has announced that fact to the whole world that should have been a clue that the end is near and that he is not over his player ways. He even went as far as saying he wonders "Do you really think that God meant for a man to have just one wife?" that sounds like a player's answer. I guess that means he is living in the wrong part of the world then, doesn't it?

I guess I am not the best person to judge the guy, after all I have never been a fan of his, he seems so full of himself, he can't rap, he seems like a pretentious person with his all white parties, there doesn't seem to be a humble or down to earth bone in his body and worse yet he is always flashing his wealth around there is nothing understated about him.

A man who lives to party isn't a man you marry and have kids with or in Kim's case have kids with and hope to marry. P Diddy is a middle aged player not mature enough for the commitment of marriage. A man who can break up with the mother of his infants isn't a man you take home to meet your parents. How can you expect for your kids to grow up in a stable environment when you subject them to a father the likes of P Diddy, wealth doesn't automatically mean happiness, love and comfort.

I know that relationships don't always work out so why drag it out, but with P Diddy you can practically guarantee being in a relationship with him is a bad idea. Kim needs to stay as far away from him as possible to maintain her sanity if not for her sake then remember the babies she is responsible far. In a way KFed and P Diddy are from the same "Leave Your Babies Mama Playerz" club, only thing that makes them different is money, one has it, one doesn't. I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't the best of friends.

Lewis Hamilton

2007-07-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

Formula One has been around for quite sometime now but I have just recently become a fan of the sport since the grand debut of Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton a 22 year old British Formula One driver for the McLaren team is making waves during his first season on the F1 circuit. He has competed in 9 races this season and has managed with hard work and determination to stand on the podium 9 times, placing either first, second or third.

It is amazing what he has accomplished in his very first season. Right now he is in the lead by 12 points. I was routing for him to win the British Grand Prix in front of his home crowd but he came in third after having some difficulty on the track on Sunday.

The "New" 7 Wonders Of The World Revealed

2007-07-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

With the dawn of 07.07.07 a new list of the 7 wonders of the world has been revealed, this is a historic moment as the original 7 wonders list that was compiled by the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago will for the first time be changed.

With the aid of modern technology a "new" 7 wonders list has been globally voted on via text messaging and online voting. The "new" 7 wonders of the world are, drum roll please :

Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Christ Redeemer, Brazil

The Great Wall, China

Machu Picchu, Peru

Petra, Jordan

The Roman Colloseum, Italy

The Taj Mahal, India

Barrington Irving: Mission Completed

2007-06-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

Barrington Irving, the first black man and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the world, has successfully completed his World Flight Adventure. He landed in Miami on June 27th and was greeted by his family, fans and reporters.

What started out as a 5 week worldwide journey, instead turned into 97 days due to maintenance problems and unpredictable weather conditions but in the end he made it home safely, completed his mission and accomplished a major goal. He should be so proud of what he has done and at such a young age. He might have wondered what he had gotten himself into when the days till his return kept increasing instead of the opposite occurring but he never quit, that is what counts in the end.

Barrington's journey took him across 4 continents and on his journey he was able to experience different cultures, tour new cities and meet new people instead of just merely stopping long enough to rest and refuel before continuing on his journey. I'm sure he met up on a few surprises one of which was eating ackee and saltfish and being welcomed by the Jamaican community here in Dubai of all places.

Barrington Irving set out on his World Flight Adventure not to become famous but to inspire young people, but he ended up doing more than that by proving dreams should be limitless for all as long as you believe in yourself and what you hope to accomplish.

Congratulations Barrington and I wish you and your family all the best.

Beyonce: BDay

2007-06-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased the latest Beyonce album (BDay) and I wished I didn't. I thought it would have been a great album to listen while I worked out but to my great disappointment there were about six songs that I could honestly give a thumbs up. I have only listened to the album once, I really wish I could return it.

There is this particular song on the album entitled 'Upgrade U', it has a nice beat and some nice choreography but lacks substance and so unlike the type of meaningful songs we have heard her sing in the past, songs that her audience can connect to. "Upgrade U ain't no I'm A Survivor" and that's pretty much an understatement. This album has somehow cheapened her otherwise classy and talented image. If these are the types of tunes she will be producing in the future as a solo artist she better jump start the Destiny's Child group and fast, because this solo career doesn't look good on her.

Why are so many artists selling out the image we have come to know and identify them with. They usually start out with a unique voice and look, then sell out their image by the second album, especially the women whose clothes become less and less till they are practically naked.

Beyonce should take herself out of the spotlight for a couple of years, she is everywhere these days kind of like Tom Cruise and people are sick of him now. It is also a big disappointment to hear of her 'Bitchonce' attitude towards her Dream Girls costar Jennnifer Hudson, if the reports are really true.

See her Upgrade U video below which has down graded her in my views.

Trucking Accident

2007-06-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

We were on our way home recently when we came across a truck that had flipped over and was laying on its side in the left lane of a round-a-bout, it looked as if the driver may have lost control. The windscreen was smashed but I'm unaware of any injuries occurring.

I would like to say this is a rare sighting but that would be a lie. I have seen SUVs flipped over onto their roof, I have also seen a truck run off the road and into a sandy hole at the same round-a-bout where I saw the truck on its side. The hole has since been leveled off. I think these incidents are a combination of bad driving and lack of experience in these big vehicles.

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Paris Hilton In Jail

2007-06-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

I was surfing YouTube when I came across this video and decided to share it with you. Carson Daly showed an exclusive footage on his show of Paris Hilton in jail, I thought it was hilarious. Forgive me Paris.

La Parrilla

2007-06-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

My family enjoyed a wonderful dinner at La Parrilla restaurant located on the 25th floor of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. It was quite a delightful experience.

La Parrilla is an Argentinian restaurant that caters to the entire family. Coming out of the elevator and walking towards the restaurant there were two significant views that captured our attention, the first is looking straight down into the lobby area from the 25th floor, it is both terrifying and captivating. The other significant view is looking out across the city at night just beautiful and breath taking. Below is a picture of the view from the 25th floor.

Inside the restaurant the atmophere immediately hits you, La Parrilla's interior has a hacienda style feel to it. In the centre of the restaurant there is a stage where a three piece tango band, singer and dancers perform.

Our evening was filled with great food, entertainment and a very attentive and friendly staff. We will definitely be going back.

Below are videos of a few of the performances we saw. Please enjoy.

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http://www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com/

Paris Hilton's Jailhouse Music Video

2007-06-22T01:26:00.000-07:00

I came across this music video, you could say its a remake of Paris Hilton's music video without the real Paris Hilton. I'm sure Paris is sorry to have given the general public ammunition to turn her dilemma into a joke. I also sincerely hope she has spent her time in the "Big House" analysing her life and strive to change her party girl image unlike Lindsay Lohan and her frequent rehab vacations. Since when has rehab been turned into the 'it' spot for celebrity getaways? I guess they have run out of places to visit in the Caribbean. What a joke.

Rubik's Cube: What A Challenge

2007-06-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

We recently came across a store selling Rubik's Cubes while cruising the Mall of The Emirates. I have been trying to find one to buy for the longest while, so we immediately went in and bought not one but three. Ever since then we have been trying to unlock the secret code to solving the mystery of the Cube, but so far we have only succeeded in matching up one colour at a time.

Rubik's Cube has been around for many years and it is still a fun toy for the entire family, it is thought provoking simply because while trying to solve its mystery it allows you to think about what your next move should be. I think solving it involves some elements of math and science some how. Hopefully I will break the code of the cube real soon.

Mr Bean: The Beanbastic Lover

2007-06-20T13:37:00.001-07:00

I have always enjoyed watching Mr Bean, the guy is totally hilarious. My husband recently showed me a video he received in an email from a friend of his, it was of Mr Bean in his very own music video, well he was actually the dancer in the video. I thought it was hilarious so I decided to share it with you guys. So go ahead and enjoy Mr Beanbastic.

Graduation Day

2007-06-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

My 4 year old son Ethan, graduated from preschool on Wednesday. It was a great occasion and a proud moment for my family to watch our little boy in his cap and gown receiving his graduation certificate.

When he was a baby I tried hard to imagine him growing up, talking, walking, going off to school and of me joining the elite group of soccer moms and on, and on my imagination went. Everyday I watch him grow up a little more, mastering his everyday life and new experiences. I am so proud of the little guy, of all his accomplishments so far, of being the brave little boy who despite being put in a totally new situation of having to attend school and being away from us for the first time in his life, even if it was just for a few hours daily, mastered such an experience quite successfully.

I can't stop smiling when I think of him in his little graduation outfit. I don't think he has even begun to grasp the whole concept of how special an occasion him graduating was, but eventually he will when he is old enough to understand.

Congratulations Ethan

Mun Chi

2007-06-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

My family recently dined at Mun Chi with our friends, it is a restaurant located at the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa and serves Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Chinese cuisine. While our party was contemplating our choice of dishes to indulge in, we were served spicy prawn crackers accompanied by three sauces. For drinks I tried a shirley temple, which is a non alcoholic beverage, even my 4 year old son enjoyed it. My husband enjoys a good peking duck and Mun Chi serves the best one I have ever tasted.

Mun Chi caters to families. As we were seated my 4 year old son was given a colouring book and crayons, which is always a good distraction, while my toddler was entertained by the Mun Chi staff. Our evening there was quite enjoyable and the service was excellent.

At Mun Chi you have a choice of dining indoors in the two story glass roofed restaurant overlooking the beach or you can dine outdoors just walking distance from the beach.

http://www.habtoorhotels.com/

Damian Marley: Conscious Lyrics

2007-06-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

I enjoy listening to the conscious lyrics of Damian Marley. Yeah, the beat is great and you can really get distracted by it and end up missing the deep meaning of his lyrics and the message he is trying to bring across. But once you really listen to the words of his songs, you will then hear him talking about the politics of life, education, the injustice people face and other aspects of our lives.

This is a music video I just finished watching entitled Road To Zion by Damian Marley featuring Nas. Enjoy.

West Indies Cricket Team: What A Major Dissapointment

2007-05-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

Will the real West Indies cricket team please stand up?

What has happened to the new generation of West Indies cricketers? Have they lost their passion for the game or do they even care about playing the gentleman's game anymore?

It seems as if the passion, love, dedication and hard work that the West Indies cricket team was known for has gone with the retired and legendary cricketers like Michael Holding, Jimmy Adams, Gary Sobers, Courtney Walsh, Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd to name a few.

This current cricket team lacks the will to succeed at their chosen sport, as a result their very loyal fans are frustrated with there performance of late. They seem to be on a constant losing streak. Are the other teams just better or do they have a greater desire to win than West Indies team? This borders on the ridiculous.

I am no where near to being a die hard fan of the game of cricket but the West Indies team is apart of my culture. You make mention of Jamaica or the Caribbean and what comes to mind is Bob Marley and West Indies cricket.

I live among people who are passionate about cricket and will never miss a match if it can be helped. My husband went to Jamaica for the semi-finals of the world cup cricket, it would have been nice if the West Indies team had shown up too.

Bryan Laura was the captain of the West Indies team yet still he was not a team leader, the irony. Marlon Samuels made his first and only century and his next move was to get a PR instead of perfecting his skill. Their heads seem to be on their celebrity status rather than on being the best team ever. It can be said that they are the most unfit team out there, yet they refuse to train to make up for what they are lacking.

The West Indies team is a talented bunch, so why are they so much of a disappointment? Is every thing about money and fame and the status it brings them? They should be paid what they are worth, what do you think? If that was the case they would be going home with empty pockets right about now, probably that will be a big motivator to win a game every now and then.

Is West Indies cricket dead? Why can't we trade them for the Aussies? Is that even allowed, if not, it should be.

My husband thinks that the West Indies team still has a chance to make a comeback. He has even suggested them getting a top sports psychologist for starters, to get them thinking as a team again.

Bryan Lara is so full of himself, there is no I in team Bryan!!!! I think his retirement is the best thing that has happened to the Windies in a long time and hopefully this will be the boost the team needs to make West Indies cricket what it use to be.

Cable Car

2007-05-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

My family had a magnificent aerial view of the famous Dubai Creek and surrounding areas from the seat of a cable car on saturday. The cable car took us along the Creek and stopped at certain points for us to enjoy the beautiful scenery below us. We were in awe.

While the cable car slid along, we enjoyed the passing scenery below us, people just relaxing on the lush lawns of the Creek Park, bikers enjoying a nice evening ride around the huge park, boats sailing up and down the Creek and park visitors looking up in wonder at the cable cars gliding along. We even saw a newly married couple and their bridal party being photographed on the shores of the Creek.

The cable cars are located at the Creek Park and can be rented at a reasonable cost for 35 minutes. I highly recommend this experience to everyone.

Check out the pictures I took during the ride.

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Nivea For Men Endurance Challenge

2007-05-21T00:46:00.000-07:00

My family went to watch the first round of the Nivea for Men Endurance challenge, held at the Dubai Autodrome. It was an exciting event to watch while some great music blasted from speakers.

The race kicked off on friday at 6pm and lasted 24 hours, with teams changing drivers every hour. This event was truly about how much these drivers can endure before dropping out or if they can stand it, keep going around the 1.2 Km CIK Kartdrome track till the end of the challenge.

In the end the race was won by the Nivea for Men professionals, while the MRDC team placed second and the Kartdrome Speedsters came in third.

This is a video I shot of the endurance challenge, you could say I had a courtside seat at the event.

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Wonderland Theme & Water Park

2007-05-18T01:08:00.001-07:00

My family visited Wonderland recently. We had a great time going on the rides, playing games both in the game boothes and the arcade. We even won a stuffed animal.

Even though my family had an enjoyable trip there, the place seemed almost deserted and lacked the excitement and energy one expects of a fun environment such as an amusement park. I think it has alot to do with the time of year, it's getting really hot these days, that is why we chose to go in the evening when it had cooled down a bit.

We plan on going back, but when the place is buzzing with activity and excitement. Half of the fun is listening to the screams of people on these daredevil rides.

If you hate crowds, now is the perfect time to go. If not, then ...............

These are some pictures of Wonderland.

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http://www.wonderlanduae.com/

Room Service

2007-05-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

My husband recently came across a Room Service menu we've had for over a year but never used. We decided to try out this food delivery service, so we ordered dinner that included a mix of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine from different restaurants that are featured in the menu. Our meal was excellent, everything tasted great.

This service has given new meaning to ordering out. This is definitely not fast food, Room Service is a food delivery service in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that features the finest restaurants in the region. You can order delicious gourmet meals to include Italian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Latino, Lebanese and Iranian cuisine, to name a few and have it delivered to you in an hour. When ordering you can try food from one or more restaurants if you desire to mix the different cuisines in one sitting, that's what we did. To utilize this service click this link http://roomservice-uae.com/ .

I hope you enjoy my delicious discovery. Have a great dining experience. Enjoy.

Fun City

2007-05-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

A trip to Fun City is always an enjoyable experience for my family. Our boys drive the little cars and go boating on the river while we play video games and basketball. Then we all drive the bumper cars, which is no doubt our favourite activity there. Fun City will bring out the kid in any adult.

Fun City, located inside the Ibn Battuta Mall, is definitely a fun place to be.

Check out the pics I took at Fun City.

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Camel Crossing

2007-05-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

A common encounter for my family while driving on Nad Al Sheba Road, is seeing large groups of camels crossing the road on their way to train on the camel tracks near by. We have often had to stop to allow them to cross right in front of our vehicle. It is fascinating to watch.

Camels are used for racing in Dubai. Camel Racing is an ancient sport that has in recent years been renewed. There are two types of camels that are better suited for racing, these include the white or golden Anafi and the brown or black Boushari.

This is a video I shot of camels crossing the road right in front of our vehicle.

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My Weightloss Challenge: My New Workout Plan

2007-04-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

For the past 6 1/2 weeks I have been challenging myself to lose weight. So far I have succeeded in losing 9.2 Lbs in the first three weeks, by combining walking on the treadmill for an hour daily and a healthy diet. Since then I have managed to maintain my weightloss, but I think there is more work to be done to tone my physique before I can officially move into the "maintain my weight " phase. So I have decided to change my workout plan.

I contemplated my weightloss dilemma and asked my husband for his opinion on the matter, because who would know better than my super fit husband. Terrence (husband) suggested that I added strength training to my workout sessions. So on Sunday I started my new plan by first of all walking for 30 minutes on the treadmill, then I do the Billy Blanks Ultimate Bootcamp workout video for another 50 minutes.

Right now I am in lots of pain in all the right places after my first two days on my new plan. The Billy Blanks Ultimate Bootcamp workout entails lots of strength training, squats, taebo moves, triceps, biceps, push -ups and ab work, it works every muscle on your body, its great.

A favourite saying of Terrence is "No Pain, No Gain", trust me its true. I can't wait to see the end result.

My latest workout tune is Sean Paul's : We Be Burnin'. Enjoy the music video below.

Barrington Irving's Dubai Barbecue

2007-04-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

My family attended a barbecue today that was hosted by a Jamaican family in Dubai in honour of Barrington Irving. This was my second time meeting up with him.

It was a fun event with delicious Jamaican dishes to include curry goat, rice and peas, barbecue chicken and something I haven't had since I left Jamaica over a year ago, ginger beer. We all enjoyed the festivities, the company and the food, while some Bob Marley music played in the background.

The Jamaicans in Dubai are all proud of Barrington and his very ambitious world flight adventure and so every opportunity we get, we celebrate with him, today was no different. We believe in his dream and so we will continue to support his adventure. He is one of us after all.

To track his progress go to his website at http://experienceaviation.org/

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Burj al-Arab

2007-04-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Burj al-Arab ("Tower of the Arabs"), is a seven star luxury hotel in Dubai. It was designed by Tom Wright to resemble a sail. The Burj al-Arab stands at 321 metres (1,053 ft) on an artificial Island 280 metres (919 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. At night it is a sight to behold, this is when the Burj al-Arab lights up in all its glory, it's a beauty to see.

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Barrington Irving In Dubai

2007-04-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Barrington Irving flew into Dubai from Egypt on a scheduled stop on his world flight adventure.

The Jamaican community here in Dubai welcomed him by having a brunch in his honour. It was a great event and we all had a grand time chatting with Barrington and feasting on some great Jamaican dishes, to include our national dish, ackee and saltfish.

Barrington is a humble, very friendly and intelligent young man. Even though he is on this incredible journey around the world, that will no doubt make him a public and historical figure, recognised worldwide and well sought after, he seems like just a regular guy whose main objective is not fame, but fulfilling his dreams and completing his mission.

Blue skies and happy landings on your world flight adventure.

View pictures taken at the brunch.

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Track Barrington's progress at http://experienceaviation.org/

Allure

2007-04-20T03:32:00.000-07:00

Allure is a water feature found in Festival Waterfront Centre. Waves of Water flows down a sloped surface encrusted with authentic seashells and segmented by green, blue and aqua - coloured glass.

See a video I shot of this beautiful creation.

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The Fountain Of The Sun

2007-04-20T03:04:00.000-07:00

"The Fountain Of The Sun" found in Festival Waterfront Centre, symbolizes the fires of the sun, truth and honour in its gold coloured light. Observing this water feature, you will see the water flowing down the bronze ball chains that suspends from the North Oval Court's skylight and hear the rain droplets tapping against an array of musical cymbals.

View my video of this beautiful fountain.

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Origami

2007-04-20T02:24:00.000-07:00

Origami is the grandest fountain found in Festival Waterfront Centre. It is a two and a half story tall cascading sculpture, its design comprises of folded stone water panels, switchback staircases, and ovelook patios.

View a video I shot of the Origami.

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Dubai Festival City

2007-04-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

Dubai Festival City is a work of art. The design is spectacular. A trip there is always an enjoyable experience for my family. Walking through Festival Waterfront Centre, you will first hear the sound of water cascading, then see magnificent water features of gigantic proportions to include Allure, Origami and The Fountain of The Sun, the designs are quite unique.

Dubai Festival City is 2.1 million Square foot and comprises the already completed Festival Power Centre, which is the largest household shopping centre in the Middle East and includes ACE Hardware, IKEA, HyperPanda and Plug - Ins ElectroniX.

Also included in Dubai Festival City is the Festival Waterfront Centre located on the Creek, which is in its final stages of completion. This does not detract from Festival Waterfront Centre at all, you can shop at the many stores or dine at the restaurants and cafe's there. Once completed It will boast 550 shops, 90 restaurants and bistros, a 12 - screen cinema, other entertaiment centres and best of all you can dine along the Creek.

View my pictures of Festival Waterfront.

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Mercato Shopping Mall

2007-04-15T23:26:00.000-07:00

Mercato which is Italian for market, is the first themed mall in the Middle East and UAE. It has a Renaissance feel to it and its design concept is based on Italian, French and Spanish styles. Its Mediterranean themed design gives you the feeling of walking through a European town.

My family makes regular trips there to grocery shop at the Spinneys, but there are also over 90 stores for shopping enthusiasts to enjoy and you can also check out the latest movies at the cinema or sit and have a Starbucks.

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Sparkle Beauty Salon

2007-04-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

Since my arrival in Dubai over a year ago I have struggled with the issue of finding a beauty salon that caters to the needs of the african american hair. Now my search is over with my recent visit to Sparkle Beauty Salon.

Sparkle Beauty Salon is owned and operated by a Jamaican couple who saw the need to solve a problem that the Jamaican women living in Dubai, have been having, finding the perfect beauty salon that reminds them of home.

The salon has a very nice, relaxed atmosphere and friendly and helpful employees. It was quite obvious by my conversation with my hairstylist who is from Kenya, that they all have the highest respect and admiration for their boss.

Upon entering the salon, I was greeted by an employee who offered me refreshments. I walked around the salon before my appointment to see the layout and checkout the products on display. My hairstylist got to work on my hair while we chatted away about our different cultures. The time flew by fast and at the end of it I loved my hairstyle. The salon reminded me of being back in Jamaica and going to my regular salon.

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Children's City

2007-04-10T02:33:00.000-07:00

My family visited Children's City located in Dubai recently. It is the first educational city in the UAE for children between the ages of 2 an 15. Children's City is a hands on place where kids are free to explore without the fear of breaking the objects being displayed. It's a place where kids learn about the world they live in.

The design concept of Children's City was influenced by the children blocks game. The building is three stories high and consists of galleries based on different themes. The different galleries found in Children's City includes:

Discovery Space - This gallery deals with the human body, water, and physical science (Electrical circuits, changing gears, energy and movement).

The Way We Live - Showcases the past and present economies of Dubai and and also on display are models of buildings on the creek. There are also displays set-up about international culture and nature.

Space Exploration - In this gallery kids can learn about the solar system, astronomy, aviation and how astronauts live in space.

Computer and Communication - This gallery teaches children about modern and old fashion methods of communication.

Also included in Children's City is a Planetarium located on the top floor. It contains stars, planets and constellations projectors. The planetarium seats 100 visitors. We got to watch a show on stars, it was really fun.

There is also a Play Space where kids can play games.

We all had so much fun that the time flew by unnoticed and three hours later we exited Children's City.

View my slideshow.

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Dubai Creek Park

2007-04-10T00:17:00.000-07:00

We went biking around Dubai Creek Park on monday. The bike we rented at the park entrance, seats six people, has four wheels and can be pedaled by four individuals.

On our ride we enjoyed the beautifully landscaped view of the perfectly manicured Creek Park. We rode along the famous Dubai Creek and saw people fishing on the banks of the creek while Dhows (boats) sailed on by. We saw Cable Cars passing by overhead with sightseers enjoying the views below. I'm sure it was quite a beautiful view. We passed by a barbeque area that was being used by park visitors. Also on the way we saw a jogger and people relaxing on the grass.

The Dubai Creek Park is a fun place to be and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

These are some of the services offered at the Creek Park:

Park Train
Children Games
Children City
Cable Car
Bicycle Rental
Mini Golf Course
Barbeque Areas
Restaurants / Snack Comers
Ladies Days

View my slideshow.

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Arabia's Wildlife Centre

2007-04-07T00:29:00.000-07:00

My family drove up to Sharjah to see the Arabia's Wildlife Centre, Sharjah Desert Park.

Arabia's Wildlife Centre is home to over a hundred species of animals. The Wildlife Centre's main focus is on Arabian wildlife. There you can find some species of animals that have become extinct. The species at the centre falls into these categories: reptiles and insects, aviary, nocturnal, large predators and monkeys. The Arabic natural heritage is being preserved and promoted in the wildlife centre.

Walking through the centre is amazing, it is well organized and the species are housed in areas that is a recreation of their natural habital. It's really incredible to see. The aviary has a cascading waterfall and you will see the birds flying above and around you freely with nothing separating them from the viewing public, it's really amazing to witness. I was in awe.

Outside you will find a viewing area, where you can sit and have lunch in the circular restaurant enclosed by a wall of glass overlooking animals such as the gazelle, ostrich, oryx and spinytailed lizard. There is also a recreated mountain habitat housing the long horned ibex, while flamingoes can be spotted in a small lagoon surrounding the building.

Species found here includes:

Reptiles and insects - Arabian snakes, lizards, amphibians, fishes, common insects and arachnids.

Aviary - Local songbirds, small raptors, a dark cave houses bats and blind fishes. Housed on the other side of the aviary are three smaller desert cats to include a caracal, wildcat and sandcat.

The Nocturnal house - In this section night and day has been switched inorder for visitors to see the Arabia's Nocturnal mammals in there own habitat, these include mongoose, honeybadger, jackal, porcupine a few species of foxes, hedgehogs and rodents.

Large Predators and Monkeys - Here you will find Arabia's baboons, wolves, hyena's, cheeta's and leopards. Only a thick glass wall separates you from the animals.

The centre is comfortable, has seating at every viewing area and is climate controlled, so visitors can still visit the Arabia's Wildlife Centre during the long and very hot summer months.

It is a fun adventure for the entire family. I highly recommend it. I wish I could show you guys some pictures of the centre and it's residence but absolutely no cameras are allowed.

My Weightloss Challenge : Week 3

2007-04-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

It's been three weeks since my weightloss challenge began and it's a tough challenge might I add, but I am sticking with it. I am motivated by being fit, losing weight and feeling great knowing I did something good for my body yet another day and I absolutely refuse to quit no matter how hard it gets during my workout sessions.

This week I have lost 2.2 Lbs, bringing my grand total of weightloss so far to 9.2 Lbs and this is after eating fast food a couple of times during the week.

My work out song of the week is by Usher - You Don't Have To Call. Enjoy

Rasta Rocket

2007-03-31T06:34:00.000-07:00

My family went to the Dubai Autodrome on friday to watch our friend and fellow Jamaican, Ryan Gourzong compete in a bike race. His bike named Rasta Rocket is painted in the colours of the Jamaican flag (black, green and gold), you definitely can't miss it, it's a beauty.

There were other caribbean supporters there cheering him on as well. It was really exciting knowing that a Jamaican was there competing and we were proud to be there to witness the event.

The race was an exciting one to watch. It was eleven laps at top speed around the track. On the very last lap, on his way to finishing at his best time ever, Ryan crashed, he was thrown from his bike at high speeds but managed to land safely and he got up on his own two feet and walked off the track with only a broken toe. His bike kept sliding down the track and burst into flames that was later extinguished. The bike is a total loss but Rasta Rocket will live on in a new bike. Ryan Gourzong will race again.

These are a couple videos showing the race, one of which shows the actual crash.

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Check out these photos.

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My Weightloss Challenge Update: Week 2

2007-03-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Everyday for the past two weeks I have challenged myself to achieve a weightloss that I feel is possible. It has turned into something more for me though, I am instead testing my endurance and fitness level, challenging myself to not give into my thoughts of cutting back on or skipping a workout session and possibly just sleep through it instead, but I know I would feel guilty if I don't follow through.

My main goal now is not so much weightloss, its being as fit as possible and I feel myself getting there.

During the second week of my weightloss challenge I have lost a total of 3.6 Lbs bringing my total weightloss so far to 7 Lbs.

My latest CD of choice to listen to during my workout is Madonna's Immaculate album. My favourite tune to workout to is La Isla Bonita. Check out the music video below.

Barrington Irving's World Flight Adventure

2007-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Barrington Irving, a 23 year old senior majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, has embarked on a tour around the world in a single-engine plane he calls "Inspiration". He is a Jamaican who was raised in inner city Miami.

Through a chance encounter with a Jamaican airline pilot who invited him to see the cockpit of a Boeing 777 jet, he discovered his passion for aviation.

He started out at 15 washing planes in exchange for flights or money and practised at home flying on his microsoft flight simulator software. He was so passionate about aviation that he turned down football scholarships to pursue his dream.

Barrigton Irving started calling aircraft manufacturers in 2003, to have them donate or lend him a plane to pursue his "World Flight Adventure", but he was unsuccessful. So he started asking aircraft manufacturers to donate various components to build his "Inspiration". He also asked Colombia (aircraft manufacturer) to assemble the aircraft for him. He visited aviation trade shows and was successful in securing all the necessary parts to build his aircraft a Colombia 400 otherwise known as "Inspiration". Colombia has built him the world's fastest single-engine piston airplane and it is fueled for the world flight adventure by the help of chevron.

Barrington Irving has worked extremely hard to get where he is today. He is a young black man with a dream. His main objective is to get more young people interested in aviation. Keep a look out for him he might be stopping in your neck of the woods aswell.

His journey will take him to many places over his 5 week adventure to include Dubai. We are hoping to meet this inspirational young man.

He is teaching us all to reach for the skies.

To track his progress click on this link http://www.experienceaviation.org/.

My Weightloss Challenge Update : Week 1

2007-03-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today was my weightloss challenge weigh in and after a week of daily workouts I am happy to say that I have lost a grand total of (drum roll pleases) 3.4 Lbs (Yeah!!!).

My workout routine is 1Hr of intense walking on the treadmill every morning. My diet consists of fruits, vegetables, water, grilled or baked meat, but don't be fooled, my diet isn't a strict one.

During my workout, to help pass the time I listen to CDs, my favourite workout tune is "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. Watch the music video below.

Dubai International Boat Show 2007

2007-03-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

My family and I went to the Dubai International Boat Show recently. It was an indoor event where boothes were set up and a variety of companies showcased their products, ranging from interior decorating, model boats, navigational instruments and other boat related products.

We went there thinking that we would get to see actual boats, get to walk around on a few, get a feel for what's out there, that was not the case. It was a very disappointing boat show in my opinion.

Check out my boat show album.

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My Weightloss Challenge

2007-03-14T00:02:00.000-07:00

I am no stranger to healthy eating and exercising. I believe in combining them to produce incredible weightloss results. The first time I had to create a weightloss program tailor made for me, was after having my second son, I was determined to snap back to my pre-pregnancy weight. It took me two months to lose 25 Lbs without breaking my diet and working out every single day.

I prefer working out in the privacy of my home, so my choice of workout in the past was Billy Blanks' Ultimate Bootcamp (it is 1hr of intense strength training and cardio). Now that I actually own a treadmill, I will be using it along with playing squash and continue to run after my boys.

My goal this time around is to lose 15 - 20 Lbs, it could be less, I really don't want to look like these super skinny hollywood stars.

As always, I am going to keep it to a simple 1,2,3 method: exercise, healthy diet and consistency.

I know what works for me and I am just going to stick to it.

DIFC Gulf Art Fair

2007-03-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

Madinat Arena and Fort Island

My family and I went to the DIFC Gulf Art Fair on saturday, held at the Madinat Arena, where over 40 international galleries were invited to showcase their works of art.

Walking through and looking at the art work on display which was a mix of sculptures, paintings and drawings, you were bound to to find something of interest and make you say yes, I would love to own that piece. I saw simple pieces that were basically almost blank canvases to elaborate pieces. There were art that made me say I could do this and it would cost less, to wow, this is really good.

When it comes to art, I am not the type to delve deep down to try to figure out what the artist was thinking during its creation and what a particular piece means. I view art from a practical point of view, if I see a swirl of colours I don't try to interpret it. My husband on the other hand thinks all pieces of art have meaning and will stand there trying to decipher it. He will even question the artist about it.

I appreciate art and think that art is in the eyes of the beholder.

My son, Ethan, went crazy for this car.

My husband asked me what criteria is used to judge the success of an artist?

I am unaware of the process when an artist crosses over from being an unknown to having their works displayed in galleries, especially the top ones. Having their works fetch prices of several hundred thousand to several million.

USD 79,000.00

The Imprisoned Bird (great conversation piece)
USD 40,000.00

USD 500,000.00

This is my photo album from the art show.

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Fruit & Vegetable Market

2007-03-08T00:58:00.000-08:00

My family and I just came back from the Fruit and Vegetable Market here in Dubai. We didn't purchase any produce, we just went there out of curiosity because we keep seeing the sign and our neighbours have mentioned going there and that the prices are pretty reasonable.

It is a clean and open market area, well organised and pretty easy to navigate. The higglers are pretty persistent in their pursuit of potential customers. You have those who are stationed in the market area and others who are walking around with their produce on display. When you are getting in or out of your vehicle higglers are there greeting you with there produce, hoping to tempt you into making your first or last purchase.

The prices are indeed less than what you would pay at your supermarket. I recommend you go there especially if you consume a lot of fruits and vegetables.

View my album below.

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Damian Marley

2007-03-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love this song from Damian Marley a.k.a Junior Gong. He is the son of the late Bob Marley and he looks so much like him. I'm sure if he was alive today he would be so proud of his son.

This music Video is entiltled Beautiful and features so called bad boy Bobby Brown. Enjoy.

teneclipse@gmail.com

Lunar Eclipse

2007-03-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

I just witnessed for the first time in my life a lunar eclipse, I saw it at approximately 2 AM. It was an incredible experience. The sky over Dubai was partly cloudy at the time so it was frustrating not being able to get the full effect of the lunar eclipse and having to wait minutes for the clouds the pass by to take a few pictures and a video of it. But I did get it. Also, at this time the skyline has an orange hue to it.

Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's light. The event is rare because the moon is usually above or below the plane of Earth's orbit. It is the first total lunar eclipse in three years.

This is a video I shot showing the Lunar Eclipse.

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The Moon earlier in the evening before the eclipse

The Lunar Eclipse

The moon eclipsed and blurred by the passing clouds

Dubai Zoo

2007-03-03T02:11:00.000-08:00

On Friday my family and I visited the Dubai Zoo. You wouldn't believe it, but this was my first trip to a zoo. It turned out to be lots of fun seeing all the animals in residence.

Ethan (preschooler) enjoyed it thoroughly, but what really got him excited was seeing the lion, he calls him Alex and the giraffe Melvin or Noman. The names are straight from the movie Madagascar, he loves to watch it, he calls it the 'lion movie' and he watches it over and over and over, you get the picture but Stephan (toddler) watches it only for the musical scenes, you should see him dancing. Ethan even tried to get the attention of the lion by roaring at it.

The Dubai Zoo is located in Jumeirah and attracts alot of families. Although small, it houses many indigenous Arabian species including the Arabian Wolf, which is no longer found in the wild, Gordon's Wildcat and the world's only captive breeding colony of Socotra Cormorants.

Walking through yesterday I saw bears, gorillas, monkies, parakeets, falcons, peacocks, flamingoes and other animals.

It was great.

Check out my videos and pictures below. Enjoy.

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Check out my Dubai Zoo Album.

Dubai Zoo

Lose Inches With Vacunaut

2007-02-24T20:03:00.000-08:00

I recently did a Vacunaut session at the Aviation Club gym with my sister in law Annette.

Vacunaut training utilises the unique combination of vacuum suction and exercise to target inch loss from the waist, hips and stomach.

During a Vacunaut session 80% of all fat burn is directly from the midriff. Vacunaut is a method of sculpting the shape of both women and men.

Before I started the session I was measured by a Vacunaut Therapist. I was then fitted with a one piece body suit, then the vacunaut suit, or as I call it my space suit. I got onto the treadmill and was hooked up to the Vacunaut machine, all the air from the suit was vacuumed out. Then my session started.

The session lasts for 40 minutes, first there is the warm up, then the speed is increased, so is the incline. To take my mind off the time, I watched a TV built into the treadmill. I walked at a pretty good speed for the entire session. It felt like tiny fingers were gripping then releasing its hold on my hips, stomach and waist.

At the end of the session, I was again measured, the results of which were startling, in total I lost 2 inches in one Vacunaut session. I'm telling you it was an incredible experience. I highly recommend it. Below I have a video of my session along with photos.

Vacunaut reshapes, refirms and rejuvenates your body.

Dubai Museum

2007-02-24T04:27:00.000-08:00

My family and I visited the Dubai Museum today. It is housed in the Al-Fahidi Fort that was built in 1800 and is thought to be Dubai's oldest building.

Years before the fort was used to defend the town from warlike neighbouring tribes. It also served as the seat of the government, the ruler's residence, a jail and store for ammunition.

The museum was opened by the ruler of Dubai in 1971 with the main purpose of preserving the records of Emirates traditional life, which is fast disappearing. Local antiquities and artifacts from African and Asian countries are collected and stored in the museum.

Outside the museum , there is a large boat on display. Once inside the museum you will see a Narish Khyma (arabic summer house), with a collection of local boats surrounding it. There is also a deep well close by. We also saw an arabic woman who does henna designs. There are several life size displays of traditional arabic scenes. Traditional weapons for e.g. hangars (curved daggers), swords and others. Basically, the museum is a showcase for Dubai's history and traditions.

At the end of our tour we stopped at the museum's gift shop, which is a treasure trove of arabic keepsakes. I encourage everyone to stop by for a tour, it is quite exciting and will leave you in awe.

While walking through the museum Terrence was hit with a sense of disappointment when he realized what Jamaica could do to educate fellow jamaicans and tourists about our history, culture and traditions. Jamaica has a rich culture and history that is going to waste in history books. We need a museum to honour our heritage.

This is a video of men diving for pearl, click play.

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Please view my museum album by clicking on the picture.

Dubai Museum

Justin Timberlake @ Grammy Awards 2007

2007-02-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

I missed the live grammy awards action last week, if I was in Jamiaca it would never have missed me, but you are more likely to see a rebroadcast not the live show here in Dubai.

I was really looking forward to watching the Justin Timberlake performance. Thanks to YouTube I got to watch the performance that I was anticipating. The lady performing with him is Robin Troup. Please enjoy the video.

Dubai Tennis Championship

2007-02-21T03:29:00.000-08:00

Aerial shot of Dubai Tennis Stadium

My family and I went to the Dubai Tennis Championship, Women’s Open, held at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Tuesday. We watched two matches, the first was a Singles match where Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) defeated Elena Vesnina (RUS).

Daniela Hantuchova & Elena Vesnina

The next match we saw was a Doubles match where the team of Janette Husarova (SVK) / Kveta Peschke (CZE) defeated Martina Hingis (SUI) / Maria Kirilenko (RUS).

Kveta Peschke & Janette Husarova

VS

Maria Kirilenko & Martina Hingis

This is a video clip from the doubles match, click play to enjoy.

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View my tennis match photo album.

tennis pics

Happy Birthday Ethan!

2007-02-16T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today is Ethan's 4th birthday, yeah, he is growing up real fast, it's incredible.

We had his birthday party at his school on thursday, it was lots of fun. We actually went to school during his lunch break to surprise him, the look on his face was priceless.

We brought him a spiderman cake and gift bags for him and his classmates, also superman plates and napkins. He loves these superheroes in particular and since the colours are basically the same, it worked.

We brought him home to an even bigger surprise, a jeep he can actually drive around in. He drives around in it with this huge smile on his face, he totally loves his jeep, he's actually over the moon about it. He took it for a spin around the block thursday evening, he drove it to the mini supermarket close by, drove over slopes, reversed, parked, the works, he handles it like a real pro. The jeep is a miniature version of a wrangler. When he drove by our neighbors they would just look at him and smile because he looks so cute in it. It is so cool.

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My Valentine

2007-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Terrence has evolved from a hardcore commando, military officer and helicopter pilot, to a guy who buys pink things for me. This valentines, be brought home moet & chandon champagne with a pink label, in a very nice pink packaging. To my great surprise there were also champagne flutes, which are.........guess what?.....pink and shaped like tulips and they stand in a crystal clear glass base. Just beautiful. I even got a pink cellphone.

I'm telling you, my guy is full of beautiful surprises. That's not all, there was even a teddybear with a red rose attached, I found it on the desk in our home office first thing this morning. When I get up in the mornings, I head straight for the computer. So he even thought of that. It was really a beautiful surprise. One that I will forever cherish.

What a guy?

Delicious Curry Chicken

2007-02-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

I consider myself to be a good cook, but there are certain dishes I haven't yet attempted. This is the year for creating more delicious dishes that have yet to be added to my recipe box.

This curry chicken dish (today's dinner) is the first of many mouth watering dishes to come. Enjoy the view.

P.S..... It tasted really great, if I should say so myself. Compliments to the chef I say. LOL

Bob Marley, The Poet

2007-02-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

One good thing about music, is when it hits you, you feel no pain.

Bob Marley was a poet in my eyes, he is like the Shakespear of reggae music. His songs are as relevant today as they were when he first wrote them and they will continue to be relevant as long as the world exists, especially in Jamaica.

Any where in the world you go today and mention you are jamaican, people will immediately ask if you knew Bob Marley. My husband is a pilot so he travels all over the globe...... and alot, he has encountered people who ask him as soon as they find out his nationality, if he knew the king of reggae.

I still love to listen to Bob Marley albums. The lyrics are clean and pure, they have meaning, they tell a deep story of politics, love, unity, peace and relationships. Unlike these new artists who mostly sing about sex, guns, violence, money and whose only aim is to make women seem worthless.

Bob Marley will always live on, he lives through his poetic lyrics and hypnotic beats, and his children.

I have to admit that even though I'm a Jamaican and have lived in Kingston for over seven years, I have never visited the Bob Marley museum, though I have every intention of seeing it this summer. A crime you say, I think so too.

Please enjoy this music video by clicking play.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller Peeved

2007-02-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

This caricature of Prime Minister Portia Simpson was published in the Jamaica Gleaner recently after the PNP's travel expenses came under scrutiny. It was reported that the PNP has spent nearly $10 million on just seven months of travel.

The Prime Minister reponded by saying, "If I’m travelling on personal business, my husband ensures that I travel properly as he has given me a credit card from the day we got married".

A Day At Al Garhoud Nursery

2007-02-07T03:44:00.000-08:00

We visited Al Garhoud Nursery today to pick up some house plants and to stroll through the garden souk (market) to see what garden supplies they had available. This was my first trip there and I loved seeing all the brightly coloured plants, greenery and beautifully decorated flower pots.

Walking through the souk (market), you will see several vendors showcasing their plants and other garden accessories. The prices are pretty reasonable and there are a variety of plants to choose from. I even recognised some of the plants from back home in Jamaica, though I don't remember their names.

One of the vendor's gave my son a beautiful miniature pottery set pictured below. Isn't that sweet?

Caribbean Comedy

2007-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

I received this video in an email from Rosie (sister in law). I thought it was hilarious. Click play to enjoy.

Tiger Woods In Dubai

2007-01-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

My family and I went to our first golf tournament, the Dubai Desert Classic Challenge Match, the proceeds of which went to charity. We watched twelve of the world's best golfers compete today.

They were paired into teams as follows:

Henrik Stenson & Notah Begay III - winners
Tiger Woods & Mark O''Meara - placed second
Lee Westwood & Darren Clarke - placed third
Greg Norman & Sergio Garcia
Colin Montgomerie & David Howell
Thomas Bjorn & Ernie Els

I took so many pictures at the golf tournament. My only aim was to get the perfect shot of Tiger Woods in action. I just kept running from one hole to the next, trying to beat out the crowd for the perfect standing position to set up my camera to achieve a great shot. It was an adrenaline rush for me, taking picture after picture. I had my own Desert Challenge going on. I got so close to Tiger that I could have reached out and touch him. That was really something.

My son Ethan (preschooler), ran onto the green after a ball that Tiger Woods hit. Terrence had to run after him onto the green while holding Stephan (toddler). Ethan was also off to the side practicing his golf swing. It was really funny.

When Tiger wasn't setting up for his shot he had this smile on his face, I just kept wondering, what is he smiling or talking about? Was he wondering why people were fascinated by him?

What really surprised me about him was his height. The guy is over six feet tall, I always thought he was about 5' 10" or there about, I guess I was wrong.

Prior to today I was of the impression that golfing and watching a golf tournament with the world's greatest players was reserved for the priviledged few. That myth was dispelled with today. Golfing is for all.

Please click on the album below and view it in slideshow for maximum effect.

Al Ain Aerobatic Show

2007-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

We drove up from Dubai to Al Ain for the annual Aerobatic Show on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It took us an hour to get there and the drive was well worth it. Al Ain is a beautiful place, their sand is golden brown, it looks so rich. Al Ain is beautifully landscaped, its has a tropical feel to it with the palm trees just swaying in the wind.

The Aerobatic Show is held at Al Ain International Airport from January 26-30, 2007.

We saw some amazing aerobatics by very talented pilots and parachutists. It was stunning and we were all in awe and applauding these dangerous maneuvers. It was really great. We saw the teams from Russia, Pakistan and Saudi, these were fighter pilots doing death defying stunts that takes your breath away. There were also remote control aircraft, a Schweizer helicopter and Bulldog airshow. Bulldog in the world's smallest aircraft (yellow plane) did some great stunts he was Ethan's favourite. There were also parachutist from the UAE and the USA.

We captured these moments with our trusty digital camera. Please enjoy our adventure by clicking on these images. P.S. View it in slideshow.

Al Ain Air Show

Do You YouTube?

2007-01-29T02:02:00.000-08:00

I just recently discovered YouTube, as recently as last week and only because Terrence told me about it. I think I might have been living under a rock. What do you think? Enjoy my new discovery. I thought this video was so cool, just click the play button. By the way, at the bottom of this page you will find a YouTube search box, so search for any videos you like. Enjoy.