23 Aug 2010
by Elainein Christian Life, Dubai Info, Emotions, Married Life & Life Tags: Dubai properties, house hunting
Last month i wrote the likelihood to house hop soon?
Well… It’s happening as of Wednesday!
In the next 1.5 weeks we’ll be busy searching for a studio/ 1 bedroom apartment for rent with a budget of not more than 46k per/yr. Since it’ll be a temporary lease (1 year max), we’re not looking anything too expensive and fancy for both of us.
A good timing to move out really, as property prices have been dropping (10-30%) since 2009. And it might fall further due to ongoing numerous empty apartments/villas around.
Over here, rentals are usually paid in 2-4 cheques or 1 year in advance, depending on location and property itself.
Woopie! Am SO looking forward to a new place, IKEA shopping together and a kitchen of my own!
If it all goes well, we hope to move in before 15th Sept. Praying it’ll be a smooth hunt!
21 Aug 2010
by Elainein Blogging, Design Tags: graphic design, logo design
Except that, tweaking is still required in order for it to be applied. The husband is helping me create a HTML code/ script so it could behave like any widget, automatically branding the 
logo into place.
(Example: See photo below, lower right-hand corner)
I decided to test it out on some food photos in my previous post (Dubai EatOuts #153: THAI TERRACE)… And i’m LIKING it!
Surprising it only took less than an hour to draw it out using Inkscape software (free download), and yes i miss Photoshop ALOT but sadly isn’t installed on my husband’s laptop.
Oh hey, am uber glad to have picked out my best design this soon!
20 Aug 2010
by Elainein Dubai Info, Eat&Review, Married Life & Life Tags: budget eats, dubai eatouts, thai restaurant
I’ve been scouting about for budgeted Thai/ South-East Asian restaurant located in Karama for weeks, and found Thai Terrace located just 15 mins (walk) from our place!
Yeah, the busy me never knew there were good dinner venues near us!
Once seated, the friendly waitress handed us their ambitious menu, cooking everything from starters to desserts! Though we walked in famished, it took us 10 mins deciding what to eat.
The husband was voicing his love for SPICY green/ red curries, but I, concluded to try familiar dishes to begin with.
This restaurant was known to be crowded but due to Ramadan month, it grew dim.
We ordered:
1 Pla Rad Prik (Crispy Fish with Chilli Sauce)
1 Gai Phad Prik Gaeng (Chicken and String Beans with coconut milk)
2 Soft Drinks
2 Small bowls of rice
1 Tom Khar Gai (Spicy Coconut Soup)
Total Bill: Dhs 141
Their Tom Khar Gai is a must try… It’s rich coconut flavour still got me drooling while typing this!
Just food alone, i rate Thai Terrace 7/10. A reasonably priced restaurant that will keep you smiling for more.
THAI TERRACE
Location: 2B Street, Trade Centre Road (Karama)
19 Aug 2010
by Elainein Blogging, Design, Me Time Tags: graphic design, logos, watermark logos
I’ve been keeping myself busy with my little hobby… Blog maintenance.
Learning to enhance bit by bit and experimenting with designs is what i want to be good at! My DIY assignment for this month was to sketch out a few watermark designs for all my food images.
Hmmph… Too many options to pick!
With some professional help from the husband, the confirmed design will be inserted into all my existing (and new) foodie photos VERY soon!
18 Aug 2010
by Elainein Blogging, Me Time
Ahhh… Wednesdays!
My favourite day to think and do some food research for my eat and blog (EatnReview) posts this coming weekend (Friday/Sats)!
Hmm, for the month of August, i’m thinking to explore budget foods nearby, nothing overly delicious and expensive.
So, watch this space!
15 Aug 2010
by Elainein Christian Life, Emotions, Married Life & Life
While strolling back from dinner yesterday, the husband briefly noticed that we’ve spent -more than- half of our married life elsewhere (Dubai) rather than our home countries!
I remembered months before our wedding, many assumed that i’ll be following my groom back to Australia…
But hula! It turned out to be an adventurous detour! Btw, we’re not avid travellers, so when we somewhat knew our upcoming journey, it was tough needing to leave behind family, friends, foods…
Good thing, my heart hasn’t yearned for the Oz life, yet.
August… Mmm, a soothing month to reflect and be thankful wherever we’re blessed with!
14 Aug 2010
by Elainein Dubai Info, Eat&Review, Married Life & Life Tags: Indonesian foods
If you’re feeling adventurous, head down to Betawi Cafe, a tiny Indonesian dine-in located behind the corner streets of crowded Karama.
The second we stepped in, it felt like we walked into an Indonesian household… Hearty laughters and familiar Bahasa conversations ringing the entire room!
We made small talk with a regular diner and found out that the owners and cooks are Indonesians, so it’s no doubt that we’re tasting genuine Indonesian cooking.
The husband was yet again, elated to order his usual favourite spicy Nasi Goreng and Teh Tarik. And i, decided to try their Opor Ayam (Chicken coconut curry served with rice).
Portion was generous, my bowl of curry was rich and tasty!
We ordered:
1 Nasi Goreng
1 Pepsi
1 Teh Tarik
1 Opor Ayam
Total bill: Dhs 57. Cheap and worth every dirham spent!
Aside from their modest laminated menus, shabby sweaty (wall mounted fans) interior, this is my must-visit eatout venue!
BETAWI CAFE
Location: 4B street (Behind Ministry of Health building), Karama, Dubai.
13 Aug 2010
by Elainein Dubai Info, Eat&Review, Married Life & Life Tags: American/Australian foods, Steak Eaters
I haven’t had steak for a long time, so hubs and i were keen to dinner at the popular American/ Australian Outback Steakhouse franchise in Dubai Festival Centre.
Upon walking in, we were promptly directed to our seats, menus came after and orders taken in a swift.
All along I thought it was a meaty dine-in, until I realized their menu consists of pastas and seafood too.
As we were just admiring their woody interior, the complimentary brown bread board and butter arrived within minutes… Mmmm, warm bread slathered in butter…
We ordered:
1 Mushroom Onion Soup (to share)
1 Bloomin’ Burger
1 Classic steak (Sirloin) in Mushroom sauce with 2 sides, fries and steamed vegetables
1 Passionfruit Mojito
1 Cherry Limeade
Total bill: Dhs 114 (After 30% discount)
Their steaks comes in three different sizes (6oz, 9oz, 12oz), the petite me opt for the 6oz of course.
Overall, I rate this eatout just above average because my medium-rare sirloin weren’t cooked properly, the meat was too rubbery for my molars liking, and the steamed vegetables were awfully salty!
Steak aside, both Bloomin Burger and Mushroom Onion Soup was delicious.
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
Location: Dubai Festival Centre (Level 1)
10 Aug 2010
by Elainein Blogging, Health, Me Time Tags: DIY Manicure, Freakonomics
I LOVE giving my nails a good DIY manicure, just simple steps will do:
Step 1. Wash hands with anti-bacterial liquid soap
Step 2. Pat hands dry
Step 3. Moisturize with Sally Hansen’s Hands, Nails & Cuticles creme
Step 4. Apply 2 coats of Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails clear coat.
Step 5. Apply 2 coats of my favourite colour (Jumpy nail polish byVipera Cosmetics -Made in Poland), leave coloured nails to dry,
And lastly: Re-apply clear coat as top coat. Juicy!
The husband had a good time reading Freaknomics, so now’s my turn to find out what’s so smart about it!
09 Aug 2010
by Elainein Blogging, Design, Emotions, Me Time
Not sure how soon, but i’m excited to start re-designing my blog -If time permits- before 2011. Other than ‘attending’ HTML & CSS lessons taught by my husband, i’ve practiced bits more by memorizing and testing the codes repeatedly…
You see, I wouldn’t want to cling onto my hubs (though he’s ever ready to assist) too much over a simple HTML dilemma, and learning on my own would do wonders for a beginner like me!
So here’s hoping that i’ll reach intermediate level by October.
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