a bit of ear candy

This morning I've been running around trying to organize the media since Ahmed Bukhatir has a concert tonight in Dubai that I will be attending at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. I'm really looking forward to finally getting to hear him sing live. It should be something else. I wrote a post about him a few weeks ago - this is basically what he is going to be singing in both English and Arabic, all done in the traditional nasheed style.

A friend of mine sent me a really fantastic mix of artists that have kept my ipod busy for the last few days including:

Matthew Dear
Panda Bear
Tortoise
Bright Black Morning Light
The Be Good Tanyas
Dilla
Tom Waits
Bon Iver
Sufjan Stevens
Little Feat

I'm sure a quick name search on myspace will yield some good samples of some of their tunes. A few of them are a bit more well known - I can safely say I've been to my fair share of Little Feat and Sufjan Stevens shows, but Bon Iver is someone relatively new whose melancholy album I started listening to about a month ago and have really enjoyed.

On a completely different note, I found this piece about the Big Lebowski on NPR and it made me laugh since it's likely something that I would have heard on my morning commute into Aurora, Ohio. Either way, it made my day. Have a listen.

(awwwwww)

Not a whole lot has been going on since last week. The back and forth exposure to extreme heat and cold sent me into a strange sort of fever on Thursday, but I managed to keep things together and recover. Apparently this type of illness is common here since our bodies are not used to such extreme temperatures.

I was reading a few blurbs about Hillary's blunder with the press and her Kennedy assassination slip-up when I stumbled upon this article. I never have the time to read this kind of news, but it kind of made me want a penguin.

150 floor flight

It was only a matter of time before someone actually did this. I don't know which is worse though... the pain in your thighs from clambering up 150 flights of stairs or the jail time and 5,000 dhms fine.

WTF

Last night was the first time in months that I watched an entire Yankees game, albeit 8 hours ahead of the east coast with Arabic food and Miller Lites at hand via a shoddy internet connection streamed through mlb.tv. It was incredibly fun to watch, especially toward the beginning with Pettitte pitching 5 strikeouts in the first 2 innings- he eventually gave up 3 consecutive singles in the fourth that screwed up the Yankes 2-0 lead. And then, of course, the whole game took a turn for the worst as every Yankees game has gone this season, leading to a 7-4 loss. I contemplated sporting my 21 jersey, but I thought I'd save it for an occasion when the team really needed me. Maybe now is a better time than ever. Check out more highlights on the game here.

what stays in dubai happens in dubai? apparently

Trouble in the Middle East

he should write for the daily show

john mccain is really old

thanks for that, sean mintus.

axis of evil!

Last night I went to Friday Night Live at the Madinat Jumeirah, which was quite a show. After the success of the original Axis of Evil Middle East tour, a group of about 9 comedians decided to join forces and tour the world together. I was impressed since they represented just about every demographic in Dubai from Filipinos to Egyptians, Indians, and Lebanese. The popular thing to do, of course, was rip into Bush and fall back on him and America sucking royally to get the crowd revved up. Each comedian eventually transitioned into making fun of Arabic traditions, cities, customs, oh yes.. and let's not forget about Israel, which always got a big round of applause and cheers from every Arab in the room. All in all, it was hilarious. My favorite guy was Ronnie Khalil. He kind of reminds me of someone who would have been in show choir in high school. I think it's his facial expressions and theatrical accent. Anyway, plug in some head phones since the sound quality isn't that great and enjoy.

unhappy endings massage

"A man working as a masseur has been arrested by Dubai Police for killing a client by crushing his skull with a wooden club shortly after giving him a massage..."

Read the full story here

i'm too sexy for my abaya

Before coming to the UAE, I was definitely guilty of reserving some feelings against the hijab and abaya. Like many people, I saw it as a form of cultural oppression and male chauvinism - perhaps it is in a way. I won't get into the thick of it since there doesn't seem to be a right answer. Let's just say that I've learned to embrace it as more of a cultural and religious statement than a form of oppression. I look at it this way - my Emirati girlfriends have never known anything else - they like wearing the abaya since it's light and flowy, you can spruce it up with fancy embroidering and sparkles, and it's simply a staple in the way locals dress here. My grandmother has never owned a pair of pants in her life, simply because it wasn't part of her upbringing nor did it become part of her style. Most Indian women choose to wear saris for the same reasons - it's all they've ever know and it keeps them in touch with their culture. Emirati women seem to choose the abaya for similar reasons. although some of them may wish to shed that black layer when the heat settles in, it doesn't seem to bother them since its a symbol of their cultural roots and preserves that sense of nationalistic pride. Little girls are not required to wear them, but I always wonder what they think about their mothers who do. I imagine that they look forward to it or simply expect it as part of their coming of age, kinda like I used to look forward to fitting into my mom's high heels and wearing lipstick like she did. ok, that may not be the best comparison, but basically every little girl someday expects to take on her mother's identity and persona in some way, so I imagine it works the same way in this case.

I found this article today and it got me thinking about the abaya as more of a fashion statement than anything else. Although we equate "modernizing" to "westernizing" it doesn't necessarily need to be that way here. Modernizing the abaya doesn't need to mean getting rid of it completely, but rather adding a few bells and whistles to the sleeves and trim. I think the lady pictured up top looks pretty fabulous myself, but I'll leave that for you to decide.

"Just because the women wear this doesn't mean they're oppressed." - student from the Virginia Commonwealth University

somethin' just aint right...

1. Gas prices have skyrocketed in Dubai to over $4 a gallon
2. Tampa Bay is on a franchise-record home winning streak after a 10-1 win over the Yankees?!
3. People actually think they can get away with smuggling heroin through Dubai - ha!

wishing for wegmans

Last night was quite a good time with the arrival of Steve and Josh, two of my best friends from home. We go as far back as the lunch table our freshman year in high school and have spent just about every monumental teenage moment together from pep rallies to prom. It's crazy to think back 10 years ago and imagine what we would have said then had someone told us we would be sharing a bottle of wine in Dubai last night. We had dinner at Le Meredien just off airport road, which I had never been to but will need to start going to more often, with their really tasty all you can eat and drink buffet dinner for just 150 Dirhams (about $40). They had everything from Indian fare to fresh seafood and Arabic food. The night led us to the Irish Village, where I've been spending quite a few nights with the temperature just perfect in the evenings. We're milking this for all it's worth before it starts to heat up and the mere thought of standing outside brings sweat to your brow... Tonight we're headed to Barasti, another great outdoor venue, and then who knows. I am SO sleepy after my 2:30 AM bed time and 8:30 AM meeting this morning, but I'll have to make do with a nap on the beach tomorrow I guess (i know, life is hard...sigh). Below is a picture of us from last night. Josh is in the middle and "Stevo" is on the right.

Just when you thought it was safe...

They go ahead and do this...

thunder!

Sarah came into my room this morning to make sure I was up and as I peeped my head out from my bathroom to wish her a pleasant morning, our bodies froze with excitement from the sound of roaring thunder outside of my bedroom window. We cautiously leaned out the window to make sure our ears weren't playing tricks on us, only to be welcomed by that sweet, thick smell you can only find just before a summer downpour. Although we were greeted with just a drizzle, other parts of the city had some of the worst rain in years. Here's one of my favorite shots of the morning from Gulf News and some coverage on the weather - unlike most parts of the world faced with rain, the news had such a positive twist to it since we haven't seen even a sprinkle since January!

this fine social scene

So I may have shown up about 15 minutes after Sam Hardaker was done with his set (sob), but we ended up hanging out for the rest of the night, which was far more exciting! Below is a picture of us with Mr Mr of Audiotonic on my right. Both such great people.

Precisely

Dumb as we wanna be

horsewhipped!

Just imagine if American drivers were equipped with horse whips...

Road-rage driver 'tried to hit me with horsewhip'

check out the full report here

Oh yes, as you'll see in the last paragraph of this article, there is a reason why I keep all 5 fingers down when driving in the UAE.

pre-shrunk, vintage, slim fit...

Just when I thought Busted Tees and Urban Outfitters had taken over the 100% cotton, American Apparel world of tongue in cheek came Dangerous Breed with this haram collection of juxtapositions. I honestly can't decide which one I want the most.