What dreams are made of!

When I was 14 ... for some reason, I'd unreasonably ask my parents to give me an apartment. I wanted to live on my own, earn on my own, eat on my own, pretty much be an adult.

I didn't know much about being an adult, heck I don't even know anything now about being an adult, even though I'm working, have my own car, more importantly am married and have a beautiful baby-boy. I guess it's every kids dream to be an adult, only to realize that when you become one ... you either want to be a kid again, away from all these tiny issues, ranging from phone bills to the vaccinations of your kid or you never actually become an adult.

But this is not the sole purpose of todays post, todays post really, is dedicated to my wifes and my dream, of leaving dubai for good, and starting a new life somewhere else in the world. There are a few destinations we are looking into; Australia, Canada, United States, Europe or maybe even Phillipines. But it's risky, a gamble, especially now that we have Karsten, we need to assure a safe ground for our child.

We have been contemplating on finding jobs, housing, see how life on the other side might be like, but we quickly realized that it's not as easy as it may sound. How's life over there? We'd actually have to go there. Housing? We'd actually have to go there! Job? Woha! They don't offer you jobs in the US, when you're not there as an expatriate unless you know something they don't. And that's usually not the case!

Let's face it! There's no safe way of doing this! So I'm guessing, we'd have to gamble. But is that really a good idea!? I mean we're not Emiratis, who can just come back "home" to dubai to our parents if shit goes down the drain. We have to quit our jobs here, get rid of almost everything and leave. Including cancelling our residence visas! Which is not the cleverest thing to do!

Time and time again, I have proven to myself however, that if you really want something, you can do it! And I really want this! So... I know, I can do this! So for now, we'll go and travel to the places we're thinking of taking our lives to... let's see what we find!

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex

An emotionaly addictive affair

Ever since I can think, people have been telling me, don't speak around a problem, don't lie while explaining an issue to yourself.

So here's my take on reality checking. I am addicted, and it gets worst, i have an emotional affair towards my addiction. Everybody knows, that affairs are bad... And everybody knows that if you're addicted, you need to make sure to get yourself away from it. Before it eats you alive or ruins your life, marriage or underwear.

Now i don't wish to brag but my affair is pretty hot! White, has beautiful eyes, a body to die for and smells gorgeous. And is very good in making me relapse! From free to yearning to get back to it.

If you're still wondering, i'm talking about my car! Not some cheap hooker off beverly hills blvrd. It's a beautiful, convertible Mercedes Benz SLK 200, with a LG DVD sound system, black leather interior... And problems to the bone! as pretty as the car may be, it's broken! Not literally, but after 110k km and fair wear and tear, as well as absolutely no funds to actually afford getting this baby really back on the road I need to admit to myself that this car is unreasonable.

Every 10k km there's a service, every service, there is something that needs repair, because something is broken? no! because something is not the way it's supposed to be!  such as the window not being correctly aligned, or the seatbelt not opening by just pressing on the button. Small stuff, that ends up being expensive. Because parts are expensive for a mercedes? Wrong again! because Labor is expensive. Parts are reasonably cheap to be honest! For instance, two Shock absorbers for the car, original parts,  cost only  1,600 Dhs together! The labor? 6,000 Dhs, does it make sense? No, not to me!  But this is not the only thing that makes me cry! The insurance is expensive too! because it's a two door, convertible, classified Sports-Car! oh and it's a Mercedes! Don't forget the brand! it's important in this Monologue!

So, I've decided to sell it. my only problem is, I cannot offer 1 year warranty, first 20k km free service, or a free refrigerator! Agents are interested, but only for a fraction of the cars value! Individuals have called me once, and then never again! But the worst part is, every time I open the door to this car, this scent crawls up my nose and takes me back on memory-lane; of how good it feels to drive this baby, how much fun it is to open the roof and just chill at a traffic light while playing around with my radio or how "cool" I look when I park it and leave the car, press the lock button and you hear the sophisticated locking mechanism, locking the car as if a living, breathing organism tells you! "It's ok! we'll be alright!".

Seriously even while writing this I have a heavy heart, but I guess at one point or another, I need to let go. I will have to let go of my very first, very own and very real Sports-Car! In this world it's every mans' dream to have one! And I've lived it and that's what should make me proud! And one day, I shall own another one! and keep it, for good! That's it from me... and the car my father owned the first generation of and I own/ed the second.

Until next time, game on!

-Alex

Bull's Eye... Ribeye?

Food is one of my favorite hobbies; and I'm not talking about cooking! in fact, I can't cook! Or let me rephrase this! I am afraid to cook! I see my wife wield that wand and what usually comes out is a masterpiece of "yummers". When I wield that wand... well... the result is most of the time, what looks like a magic trick by Harry Potter on crack, ecstasy and LSD. Yes! I know! Horrifying!

But as we live in the city that makes the lazy, my wife and I often tend to just say "meh!" and run for the door, usually to the next best restaurant that doesn't scream ... BANKRUPTCY! But sometimes we like treating ourselves for something a little bit more fancy.. more juicy... a nice piece of meat! Yes that's right you vegetarians and vegans out there! We eat that cow!

As the world has it, I learned about my steak addiction in a Chicago Grill.. in Dubai.. called Uno. Nothing strange about that! In actual fact, it became our absolute favorite restaurant after having visited said place almost every week for over 3 years... we'd even just walk in, sit down and wait - the food would come, by itself! Unordered. By a waiter named Kyle who'd address us by name! Gosh I loved that place! ... 

Yes.. I said "loved"... past tense! It's over! We broke up! Majeigh and I knew our favorite steak so well, that we noticed the day they changed their supplier! Shame on you Uno, shame on you! The meat started tasting different, was not as tender and didn't have this juicy medium - rare center anymore! but we still went there... they even expanded, now they have outlets in three malls.

Until ... that day! We walked through Dubai Festival Center (city, I have no idea!) were hungry .. and saw this place. It seemed nice from the outside. And after a first look into the menu it also seemed nice on the inside! We decided to try it. It's Australian, it's red and it's called Outback... I know, pretty simple!

We ordered the "New York Strip" the first time we ate there, but quickly discovered, that we prefer the rib eye they make. It comes seasoned with ... Seasoning.. and it's as tender as if the chef was pounding that 12oz steak with a tenderizer for 5 days in a row! it didn't taste 5 days old tough, it tasted as if there was a cow in the kitchen... waiting to provide for that medium-rare piece of heaven... sorry, I tend to get a little carried away.

Seriously though! If you are vegetarian and you need some time off killing all those innocent vegetables, Outback is the perfect place to convert from being a vegetarian to being a carnivore. That juicy red piece of meat, with it's delicious seasoning, served along with a creamy peppery pepper sauce.... is seriously not to be missed! 

I hope I didn't offend anyone with this post, and if I did, my deepest apologies, now carry on complaining about how long the que is at the passport control, while I use my e-gate card.

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex

Helena?

When my wife and I started this Blog, we decided, that we will both be blogging about stuff, however each of us go into their distinctive fields, I as I'm a tech freak, am supposed to blog about Technology, Hardware, Cars, basically nerdy news. and She was meant to be blogging about fashion, design, Events, food and so on! This is my attempt on showing her the world of blogging from her point of view.

Helena as Gucci decided to name it's latest Spring/Summer Collection Open Toe High Heel Boot made of pretty much the finest leather. Is as stunning as it is high and elegant.

This $1.555 "luxury" boot, from Gucci features an open toe and stands fast on a 1 inch platform. The entire 17 inch boot is accented with a cutout design on the outer side, while the inner side is untouched from where the ankle touches the calf on up. It is all held to your leg by a zipper which reaches from your heel all the way to the top. This boot is all leather even the lining and the sole and has a padded insole.

Elegant? Yes! If you like it however is all up to you! Funny though is, that Saks Fifth Avenue states the following:

"DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, A CUSTOMER MAY ORDER NO MORE THAN THREE UNITS OF THIS ITEM EVERY THIRTY DAYS."

Seems it is liked .. and not just by few!

That's from my side,

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex

The day of my birth, just 24 years later...

Good morning World,

Yesterday was my birthday! I usually don't like to brag about my birthday, but I must say, I liked it!
After work, my wife and I left our son in Mirdif, with his grandparents and proceeded to a place called, "Fish Market" in the Radison SAS in Deira.

The concept is simple, the setting too! It's a fish market, you sit in the middle of a (not bad smelling) fish market and eat. There are 2 sections, one side has all kinds of fish, from live lobster (ranging from Dhs600/kg to oysters being Dhs15/pcs) and the other "stand" has all kinds of Asian/European vegetables, then a Waitress will attend to you, asking you what fish you'd like to have and in what kind of sauce you'd like it to be cooked and served.

Majeigh and I decided to have half a kilo of King Prawns, and a quarter kilo of Mussels, the Prawns cooked in Lemon Butter Garlic Sauce, the Mussels in a spicy red (no idea what the name was) sauce. fried rice, mixed fried noodles and (I think they were fried) Vegetables.

Wow! I loved the food!  it was very filling and it felt good. to that we enjoyed a pineapple daiquiri and some "the mixed juice of the month" which was banana, pineapple, and lots of other things... It cost almost nothing and to our surprise got 15% discount from emirates bank! Woohoo!

I was stuffed and enjoyed a super nice Dinner for two birthday dinner... now, on to the next year filled with pure awesome!

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex

It sees, it breaths... and it panics

I'm lucky! I must say that I'm very lucky!! You see, I'm still enjoying the power of 500 Horse powers, and it's not costing me a penny! it's like I own the car... for a while!

As I'm still driving my fathers SL, I seem to find features every time! like yesterday when I was standing at this traffic light, the car seems to come with some kind of Magnet, Chick magnet they call it; but that's not the point of todays post.

As I was driving down the highway this morning, I turned on cruise control, you all know that feature, "oh my foot is so tired, please let me relax my foot...*click*", what I didn't know is a nifty little feature Mercedes abbreviates with DTR (no idea what it means) which basically adjusts your speed, to the limit you set, and then records the road in front of you. when it sees another car, a little light comes up, it slows down the car, and adjusts the current speed to the guy in front of you. Indicate, steer, go left, and the DTR turns off and your cruise control kicks back in, accelerating  you with a nice push into the backseat.
[more after the jump..]

The Speedometers max Speed says 300, I don't know but I'm pretty sure it can almost do that!

The thing that made me laugh however is, that if you go say, 130, and a truck in front of you does 80, and you pull behind him, the DTR Mechanism, does something pretty cool! It slows the car down in 2 ways, it actually operates the breaks, AND shifts down to break with the engine. but at the same time, it freaks! It kicks in a mad peep, and turns the DTR light (those 2 cars) red... freaking Funny! The monster, of a Mercedes SL55 with 500 Horsepowers... panicked and peed itself in it's pants!

I love Technology!

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex

Supercharge me!

So I've been driving my fathers car for a while now, a Mercedes SL55 from 2003 with it's almost 500 HP (476) and its 355 KW equipped with a Supercharged V8 Engine, it's very... very difficult to keep your foot off the floor! Even in idle, you can already feel the shivers going through the cars body, and when you do 180km/h on the highway and pretend you're not fast enough yet only to start accelerating a little more you feel the power going from the engine to the floor only to come back through the tires into your hands... it's a great feeling I believe that makes people want to buy those kind of cars.

Honest though, it's not cool! It's just not practical! Seriously in city traffic where you do 10 to 20 km/h stop and go, you can almost see how the needle slowly sinks into its knees forcing you into the next petrol station to fill it up again!

But until my dad is back in town, I'll be driving this baby ... behaved!

Until next time, Game on!

-Alex