Audiotonic

So excited...

la flaca se casa

I forgot to mention that as of April 16th I would be in America! I'm stuck in London-Gatwick at the moment with brightly glazed-over eyes and a bad case of the yawns. My flight getting in was delayed from NYC due to some dreary, damp and chilly weather last night, so my plans of arriving to Dubai were pushed back a few hours. Regardless, I loved my time at home and really enjoyed catching up with friends and family. In the end though, I was looking forward to returning to Dubai and getting back into a routine. Zero 7 is playing this Friday at 360, which is one of the most exciting things that's popped up on my calendar since I moved there. I am really looking forward to the show. I've got a couple friends from Pittsford planning a stop through as well this coming weekend, so I'll need to sleep off any jet lag for their arrival. I took my fair share of pictures during my time at home but only had a chance to post some shots from the wedding, which you can check out by clicking on the album below.

la flaca se casa

world's biggest (fill in blank)

Dubai never ceases to amaze me. We've got it all, from the world's tallest tower to the world's largest hotel, the world's largest arch bridge, the world's largest mall, the world's largest water reservoir, the world's (soon to be) largest airport, the world's largest indoor ski park, the world's largest amusement park, and now ... the world's largest chop sticks. You think they would have tried a stab at cooking up the world's largest pita before pulling off something like this.

Although we've put size to shame in just about every corner of the world, Saudi Prince Al-Walid Bin Talal is going to have the last laugh with his newly announced mile high tower. I'd be laughing too if I created a building large enough to make people sick to their stomachs:

"The building will be fitted with a giant computer-operated damper stretching down several floors - to counter the nausea-inducing sway caused by the wind."

Read the full story here.

Chamba

I don't know how people ever got along without Facebook. I went back to see if I could trace when I joined and I think it was somewhere around January 2007. Since then, I have reconnected with 480+ people and counting! It's really made the world feel like a much smaller place, especially being all the way over here. I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook ends up in Merriam-Webster as a noun and a verb with the way people abuse it these days.

Case and point - 2 weeks ago I "facebooked" a handful of friends I knew in Guatemala. It had been about 13 years since we last saw one another, making the reconnection process a lot of fun. I was not sure who I'd find, but I think I got lucky with about 7 successful friend requests. Since then we've been going back and forth, sharing pictures, comparing passport stamps, and reliving the sweaty-palmed, jean jacket, snap-at-the-crotch leotard, middle school dance parties via youtube and the help of this top hits list from 1993. really brings you back...

Everyone turned out to be pretty awesome, spending their years after Colegio Maya everywhere from the Philippines to Hungary, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Holland, and Costa Rica. The list goes on... One of my friends ended up playing professional soccer in Monaco, eventually starting his own sports apparel company based in Orlando, called Chamba. During his time in Costa Rica, Jason was part of a movement called freestyle soccer, which he continues to play and promote today through the Chamba culture. Below is just an example of what freestyle looks like, as demonstrated by Jason Utley Madrigal himself. The Chamba web site has some other fun multimedia links on it. Check 'em out here (cool, cooler, coolest).

Masha'allah

The direct translation for this in English is: "God has willed it".

We often use this phrase here to express admiration and sincere awe in someone or something. In Arabic, it's commonly heard when people compliment one another or appreciate something beautiful like the beach, the sunset, or even the music video below.

An interesting piece of trivia- Ahmed Bukhatir is the owner and CEO of the company I work for. Much to my chagrin, he is also one of the UAE's most loved and famed singers. His songs are very faith-based, delivering messages true to Islam. His voice is gorgeous, generally adhering to the more traditional nasheed style of accapella with some basic percussion to preserve the purity and simplicity of music. I included the lyrics to the song below. Masha'allah.


Today, upon a bus,
I saw a girl with golden hair.
And wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, she smiled.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it `d do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
You see," he said, "I `m blind"

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes the world is mine.

I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew. He couldn't hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I `d go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have blessed indeed, the world is mine

Dubai Summer Games 2012

Surprised? I was just imagining this hitting headlines sooner or later and here it is. Dubai will surely take a stab at the Summer Olympics. I didn't realize it would happen so soon. It just doesn't make sense though with temperatures hitting 120+ degrees during the summer time with 100% humidity. I'd like to see them get past environmentalists with proposals for air conditioned 65,000 seat stadiums. Although, human rights activists didn't seem to sway Beijing much in their fight for Darfur. If anything, Dubai would make a better contender for the Winter games with their upcoming indoor snow dome and that giant indoor ski slope near the beach...

it's the most wonderful time of the year!

That's right. it' s baseball season. the emails have already started flowing in from friends back home relaying tales of home openers, extra innings, beer-dampened cement stairs, and that warm, burnt pork smell. Ironically, my date with Bob Sheppard will have to be put on hold since my Yankees will be in Cleveland (of all places!!) the weekend I'm in NYC. So sad since this is their last year in "the cathedral". I'll have to catch a (gasp) Met's game, but would prefer to attend a ball game with my dad. Frontier Field in Rochester is a great spot since they host the Rochester Red Wings, a triple-A farm team for the Twins. Dad and I have had some good moments on that field, so I'm hoping for clear skies, a frothy draft, and a good, soft pretzel to keep the upstate new york chill at bay.

I'll leave you with an excerpt from an email I received recently. it might as well have been sent by a Sox fan (boo hiss). it did, however, bring a smile to my face:

"How was the Dubai World Cup? That must have been
the most over the top, expensive-to-put-on, decadent sports event
you've ever been to...oh wait, Yankees fan. I'd bet those horses
don't get groomed nearly as often as the mane on Johnny Damon."

can't wait for

rain
cowboy boots
fresh spinach
Starburst
recycling
basements
sidewalks
pretending not to read the cover of US weekly and People in the checkout line
Target
NPR
Rochester accents
Bagels
corner stores
$2 drafts
gumball machines
Daniela
brown paper grocery bags
hoppy beer
Mexican restaurants
good tortilla chips
mom and dad
lucky pennies
corduroy
Wegmans
the 6 train
self check-out aisles
3 digit area codes
100-127 V/60Hz plugs
turning right on red
HBO
mom's stuffed artichokes
Dinosaur bbq
victoria's secret
dishwashers
knitting
fireplaces
ebay
pinstriped uniforms
Skipper
playing my violin
down comforters
electric toothbrushes
Blockbuster video
all things Goya
taking naps in my parents' bed
Gatorade
old yearbooks and photo albums
dutch apple pie
my cousin's wedding
paying $40 for a tank of gas
deer crossing signs
hipster sightings
holding a big, delicious copy of the Sunday Times
string cheese
museums
the US Postal service
Maseca corn flour
tap water
carpeting
Steve Colbert
reminiscing with wine-stained lips

..16 days to go before my trip home. first time back in almost 6 months.

Not sure if this song has come out in America yet, but I'm absolutely in love with it. i also secretly wish i was in this music video. The artist's name is Adele and she is fantastic. enjoy.

extra baggage

British Airways happens to be one of our clients, as we provide communication solutions and consulting services for them throughout the Gulf region and Africa as well. This part of the job is pretty cool since we need to figure out how to market and strategically position our clients in the media spotlight, taking into consideration the culture and interests in this part of the world. Effectively doing this has involved extensive research about the political and social scene throughout the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, in addition to some quality one on one time with just about every journalist, from English dailies to Arabic financial publications. Striking up these friendships has helped me understand what the public will read, what the media is interested in publishing, and how to position my clients according to these needs.

Today has been a bit crazy, however, since BA is faced with a crisis. Normally when crises occur, it's good news for me since it gives us an opportunity to rebuild a tainted reputation and come up with creative ways to help the public understand that the dust will settle and things will get better for the client. Today, in particular, we have seen widespread panic relating to the new T5 terminal at Heathrow that will serve as the main hub for BA. The buildup and PR for this project has been incredible, taking up a fair share of our time in the process. This news story has made waves throughout the region and will likely push people to find alternative methods of travel.

Looking ahead, we'll need to develop material to showcase that this was just a hiccup and that BA is on track to running a successful, new terminal (let's hope). I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of glad to be flying home on Emirates Airways in a couple weeks.

my mother's daughter

Nostalgia has hit me like a bag of bricks this week! I was just tiring of my daily dose of kcrw and the new and fantastic Raconteurs album when I suddenly found myself doing a search for Linda Ronstadt on youtube. I love this woman, not for her duets with Aaron Neville but for her awesome Mexican ballads dedicated to her late Mexican father. Sunday's growing up were my favorite since my parents always played the most eclectic mix, loading their 5 disc cd changer with everything from the Beatles, to the Guess Who, Moody Blues, Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra, Carpenters, Ottmar Liebert, Roberto Carlos, Pat Methany, Sergio Mendez, Santana, The original James Bond soundtrack, and of course, Linda Ronstadt's "Canciones de mi Padre" (thanks mamacita).

I'm much better when it comes to smell since it really triggers the most vivid memories, but music is probably the next most powerful way to tap into the past. Let's see, this song makes me think of tropical rain, visits from my tia Carmen, tio Neto and and their kids, warm hand made tortillas and refried beans, my mom's Obsession perfume from the early '90s, and turning blue from trying to match Linda's high octave and drawn out notes (you'll know when you get to that part of the song). This will probably humor anyone that listens to the tune and will make no one's day besides mine, but I felt it worth sharing the bright spot of my Thursday afternoon in the middle east.

Ana Behibek

That means "I love you" in Arabic. There was a lot of that going around on Valentines day amongst the ladies of villa # 30, which I didn't have a chance to post pictures of until getting my hands on them yesterday. Conditions were perfect for celebrating this year with the four of us overworked and unloved (awww). We saved the wine, chocolate covered strawberries, and Scent of a Woman for the 15th and went for mojitos and the tastiest late night shawarma instead. Check out the pictures here or click on the link below.

valentines day in dubai

this just in

Driving into work, my view of the bright blue Dubai sky was interrupted by an immense black cloud of smoke looming over the skyline ahead. Moments later I found out that an explosion took place in an [illegal] fireworks warehouse, setting off a chain of over 40 fires in a part of town called Al Quoz, which is on the way to the Burj Al Arab hotel. Not a very nice part of town, but still pretty unfortunate. check out the story here.

My question though - how is it possible to conceal an illegal fireworks warehouse in Dubai but get 4 years in jail for entering the UAE with poppy seeds on your clothes from a bread roll you ate 7 hours ago?! unbelievable

Feliz Pascua

I was told on Friday night that I have a strut like Arnold. My limp is pretty funny come to think of it - I got my stitches out on Wednesday and the scar is healing relatively well, albeit very slowly. Regardless, I've been limping around with a permanent bend in my right knee. I know this sounds crazy, but it's actually much more comfortable to wear three inch heels than my reef flip flops since the heels keep my right leg permanently bent, making me look a bit less awkward when I walk around. I'm being careful and trying to stay off my leg completely, but a woman's gotta do what she's gotta do to get around and look stylish. I guess I should be thanking Steve Madden and Aldo for their help in the healing process, in addition to Band-aid and Neosporin.

Easter was not much to be celebrated here. For starters, I spent 11 hours at the office! I suddenly had a pang for Sweet Tart bunny and chick-shaped candies, Cadbury eggs (which I don't even like), and the smell of that plastic grass mom used to use to fill up our baskets. Easter really does come with a smell and you can find it in the candy aisle of CVS (sigh). I miss this time of year suddenly. To celebrate, Faisal gave me a large chocolate egg covered in gold foil and we dined at a great Latin place called Pachanga where a Spanish trio was playing live bossa nova and covers of some of my favorite artists including Rosario's Casa en el Aire (my favorite of hers!) and Maná's Corazón Espinado.
I'm hoping to be all healed up by this weekend since I was handed a VIP pass today to the Dubai World Cup, which is basically the richest horse race in the world, hosted by the one and only Sheikh Mo! I will need to do some hat shopping beforehand and am going to stay hopeful that these Arabs know how to make a mean mint julep.

Semana Santa

One of my favorite things about living in Guatemala was celebrating Semana Santa, or "Holy Week". Every year my parents would take us to Antigua, a gorgeous little town tucked away behind 3 volcanoes in the central highlands of the country. Since Guatemala is a predominantly Catholic country, most people take the holidays very seriously and Semana Santa is by far the most celebrated in Antigua. All week locals spend the day sprinkling tapestries of flower petals on the street, creating rich, colorful blankets with patterns designed from scratch. Upon these floral carpets pass processions of men and women with martyred expressions whose sole purpose is to carry a series of immensely heavy floats on their shoulders that showcase the stations of the cross. The fresh aroma of pine needles and floral petals is often interrupted by waves of burning incense that cloud the cobblestone streets for the majority of the week. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience that I suggest everyone should see at some point in time.

Here in the UAE there is obviously a shortage of Reese's peanut butter eggs and every other magical taste that accompanies the holiday, but we do have something to celebrate. March 20 is Mawlid, also know as the Prophet's birthday, which is by default a national holiday. I'm not sure what the locals here to do prepare but I will be sure to report if its anything spectacular.

I'm including a video I found on youtube of the weekly festivities in Antigua. It does a great job of capturing just about everything from the flower beds to the music and the slow and steady swaying of the floats.

tragic

Remember a few weeks ago when I commented on the fog in Dubai? Well, the weather really took its toll on morning commuters last Tuesday - a thick blanket of fog caused the worst ever accident in UAE history. 200 cars were involved leaving 3 people dead and almost 400 injured. You can read about the story here. Fortunately, no one I know was involved in the crash, but the road on which the accident took place is widely traveled since people are always headed back and forth between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Hopefully the government cracks down soon and starts enforcing some more rigid road rules.

still alive

Wow, the last week has been thrilling. Aside from feeling like my body is slowly beginning to take on a pancake shape from all this laying around, I have been able to soak up some quality pop culture. In fact, last week I watched all of seasons 1 and 2 of 30 Rock, most probably my favorite sitcom in ages. It's witty and tongue in cheek and made for smart, cynical, sarcastic people as well as those who just want a good laugh. I had a taste of it last year when I caught a glimpse of their brilliant "Cleveland" episode and since then I've been hooked with no time to catch up until now. 

Some other discoveries:

KASH check out Swings and Roundabouts (both versions), as well as Alright Fine

More reasons to feel guilty

Parov Stelar i can't get enough

I figured out how to harmonize along to the entire and fantastic new Goldfrapp album

I have way too many split ends

Cooking dinner on crutches is way harder than it sounds

Papaya is actually tasty if you sprinkle some lemon juice on it

No Country for Old Men is a pretty decent flick

27 Dresses is NOT

Oat Bran tastes like grits

Sleep

Lahore

I was the first one at the airport. No problems getting my ticket, getting through security, and getting my bags checked. Mehr arrived only to realize that she had forgotten her passport, at which time Faisal and her brother had to turn around, retrieve it from their apartment and hustle back to Terminal 2 at DXB. With or without them, I think I still would have left for Lahore considering the hassle I went through trying to get there.

No one told me that sun dresses are not allowed in Pakistan. I should have known better, but the Shariah laws in Dubai don't really apply, and I was left with a suitcase of adorable summery attire that sat on the floor of Mehr's room the entire weekend. Fortunately, she had plenty of traditional blouses and pants for me to sport while I was there.

Lahore reminded me a bit of Latin America – everyone has a driver, a maid, a security guard, a cook, a gardener, and some extra hands to help around the house. In Pakistan, people drive on the left side of the road and the traffic there made me long for Dubai, which isn't saying much. We dodged rickshaws and horse/mule-drawn carts with the most random things imaginable. Certain parts of town were so congested with diesel-fueled rickshaws that I had to cover my mouth since my lungs started burning from the black smoke that clouded the air! The mother tongue in Pakistan is Urdu, but many people speak English as well. Most young men and women live at home with their families until they are married, and living on your own with a boyfriend or girlfriend is unheard of. Families are immense, friendships run deep, the food is out of this world, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking for another opportunity to return.

The parties we attended were like nothing I'd ever seen before. Most people hire companies to come and set up tents that host hundreds of people. Under the tent you'll find colorful carpeting, low benches with bright cushions, tables lined with spicy curries, and a variety of traditional lamb, chicken, and fish-based dishes. Pakistanis love their scotch, so the number of empty bottles of Black Label trumped the small collection of sour, Jacob's Creek consumed. Pakistani women are gorgeous with their big eyes, tan complexions and shiny, thick black hair. They rock the sari for fancier occasions (like Farah's engagement) and also sport the salwar kameez. I was able to capture all of the above in the pictures I took. Unfortunately, we did not have a lot of time to sightsee but the illustrative link will provide a glimpse of the fancy silks and jewels that garnished the weekend.

ouch

Well, I'm back from Pakistan. I returned in one piece, in fact, only to find myself in this compromising position just yesterday evening. No worries, pictures from my trip are on their way, but in the meantime, here's a little taste of the drama behind that glorious white piece of plaster on my leg.

The relatively old, Arabic-style house we live in has had quite a few problems since we moved in, from mice sneaking in to oven doors breaking and leaking air conditioners. This has been a running joke since we never know what's going to happen next. To say the least, here's what happened next. In our bathroom, there is a ceramic counter of sorts very delicately anchored to the wall that holds our sink and toiletries in place. Getting ready for a fun night out, I rested my leg on the counter top for some leverage since I was shaving my legs and the mere weight of my leg, metaphorically speaking, was the straw the broke the camel's back. The entire counter fell from the wall, shattering into hundreds of broken chards that I subsequently slipped and landed on. I had no idea what happened until I looked down to find a pool of blood that had generated from a 2 1/2 inch deep by 6 inch long gash in my right calve muscle and some other beauties on my right side. The reaction from my room mates from seeing the purple muscle within and the multiple layers of fat and skin was enough to convince me that I'd need more than a band-aid.

Fortunately for me, my room mates knew exactly what to do, putting pressure on the wound and wrapping me up tight. Within 5 minutes we were on our way to the Welcare hospital where I stayed for about 5 hours until they were finished with me. The process involved thorough cleaning of the wounds, a tetanus shot, IV, x-rays, around 20 stitches both internally and externally, and a plaster cast to keep things in place. I'm stuck in bed now, taking about 4 pills 3 times a day to save me from pain and infection. I've got a pair of crutches that so far have facilitated one trip to the bathroom as well as 3 different types of apple juice, courtesy of my amazing room mates. I am so rich with wonderful friends and so lucky for them. I think at one point I had 8 people in my little room, complete with kisses and flowers and hands for squeezing. Hopefully someday I can repay the favor. For now, I guess I'll milk this TLC for all it's worth since I'm expected to take about 10-12 days to heal - no driving, walking, drinking, etc. I'm doing some work from home and taking it easy, throwing in a nap here and there and hoping to catch up on some movies and books I've been meaning to consume since I got here.

Sarah took some lovely pictures of the damage so I'll post them on picasa for anyone who's interested. In the meantime, I'm alive and well and lucky in many ways. This still REALLY SUCKS but hopefully it will pass quickly enough so that I am ready for St. Patricks Day at the Irish Village!

bombay dreams! well, kind of

Since freshman year, my "brown" friends (a.k.a. desis, the Brown Alliance) have been pushing me to make a trip to my homeland for some much needed soul searching and perhaps a samosa or two. After quite the ordeal of getting my ticket and visa in place, I'm finally packed and heading out to Pakistan this afternoon for Faisal's sister's engagement party, in addition to some other planned activities that will take us through Sunday night. We'll be staying in Lahore, which is said to mirror Delhi quite a bit. I've packed a sari for the actual engagement, which I will be sure to report on upon my return. The weather is comparable to Dubai, with highs in the mid-80s, although the nights seem to be dropping into the 50s there, which is a little cooler than the current conditions here. Above all things, I am in good hands and will be safe. What's humored me the most about this adventure is that when I tell people where I'm going, they make it a point to remind me that Bin Laden is headquartered in Lahore - Honestly, if he is, all the better since we've been looking for him for 7 years with no luck. I'll be sure to give a shout to the USA if I bump into him.

pictures to follow. In the meantime, here's a clip from one of my favorite broadway shows.

This can't be good for you..

That's oil painted on their bodies! These boys are called Pintados, or Painted Ones. Apparently, since the 17th century, villagers of San Nicolas de los Ranchos have been painting themselves in oil for this annual, Lenten festival to scare away evil spirits in the foothills of Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano.