It all started in the 60s. If you turned up on a smart bike there was an immediate crowd round you. Today, the story is much the same.

Outside Starbucks the other day, there it was… the ultimate dream machine. Smooth, silver and seductive. No rider in sight, nor was there anything else to interrupt the view. Not a single blemish. Not a fingerprint. What a stunner.

We know the price tag is the same as a pretty smart car. But with a Harley you get what’s not included in the price tag of most things on four wheels… showstopping street cred – and a permanent smile.

When you speak to the local Harley-Davidson boys you find they’re not a bunch of boy racers. They’re fellows who love the feeling of the open road. Without exception, Harley owners reckon that although the bike’s expensive, every dirham is well spent.

But don’t take their word for it… try one for yourself. They’re available for a day’s hire at Harley-Davidson UAE. For more information, telephone Nelius in Abu Dhabi on 02 6427400 (showroom corner of Al Salaam Street and Al Falah Street) or Sam in Dubai 04 3391909 ext 34 (showroom Sheikh Zayed Road). More at http://www.harley-uae.com

Factoid

Harley-Davidson worldwide has just had its 20th consecutive year of record sales.

Over the last four years, Dubai sales have also increased by around 20%, an in Abu Dhabi the increase is a massive 50% during last year alone. You can pay anything from around Dhs30,000 for a 900cc sportster (that’s a big bike for your money) to Dhs120,000 for the top of the range model (that’s a VERY big bike for your money!)

Events

Harley owners in the US have 12 events scheduled for 1st April alone. Check out the rest of the calendar here.

In Europe, it’s the German Harley owners who have got themselves organised, with six of this month’s eight events being held in Germany.

For more information on the local Harley owners chapters visit the Harley owners group on http://www.hogabudhabi.com or http://www.hogdubai.com

If you’re quick, you’ve just got time to visit the 2nd annual Dubai Bikeweek at DIMC, Dubai - last day, 1st April: http://www.dubaibikeweek.com

Fact or fiction?

Were Harleys buried in England after the war?

And finally...

If you prefer four wheels to two, this tasty little number from Porsche is now available in the UAE! See below for a list of local Porsche agents…

Porsche agents in Dubai

Al Nabooda Automobiles
Between interchange 1 & 2
Next to RAK Bank
Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai
Tel: 04 3213911

Fujairah
09 2221066

Sharjah
06 5422241

Porsche agents in Abu Dhabi

Ali & Sons
Showroom
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Building
Salaam Street
02 6745600

Al Ain
03 7210066

Porsche Middle East Head Office
Dubai
04 2995911
http://www.porsche.com/middle-east

Your chance of having been born on Leap Year Day is about one in 1461. Put another way, only 0.0684% of the world’s population are Leapers. They even have their own webpage http://www.leapzine.com/hr/index.html There are some interesting traditions and folklore associated with Leap Day.

In today’s society, it is okay for a woman to propose marriage to a man. However, that hasn’t always been the case.  When the rules of courtship were stricter, women were only allowed to pop the question on one day every four years. That day was February 29th.

It is believed this tradition started in fifth century Ireland, when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.

The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.

According to English law, February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also have no status on that day. It was also reasoned that since the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage.

In the United States, some people have referred to this date as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose. Sadie Hawkins was a female character in the Al Capp cartoon strip Li’l Abner. Many communities prefer to celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in November, which is when Al Capp first mentioned Sadie Hawkins Day.

There is a Greek superstition that claims couples have bad luck if they marry during a leap year. Apparently one in five engaged couples in Greece will avoid planning their wedding during a leap year.

The Romans under Julius Caesar were the first society to create leap years by adding a day to their calendar every four years. This system worked fairly well.

Pope Gregory the 13th issued an edict in 1582 to create the Gregorian calendar. By his decree, a leap year would take place every four years unless it was a year divisible by 100. The only exception was if the year was also divisible by 400. Therefore, the year 1900 was not a leap year, and neither will 2100 be one. The year 2000 was a leap year. The rest of the Christian world adopted the Gregorian calendar over the next few centuries

The Chinese and Hebrew calendars are based on 12 lunar (moon-cycle) months, adding a 13th lunar month every few years to keep things synchronised. The Islamic calendar is on a 12-month lunar cycle. Therefore, an Islamic year is 354.36 days. This is why the holy month of Ramadan is never at the same time each year

In 1988 the border town of Anthony, Texas/New Mexico celebrated the first World Wide Leap Year Festival. Resident Mary Ann Brown, who was born on February 29th, spearheaded the idea and successfully campaigned to have the town named the world’s leap year capital.

Some Famous Leapers Born on February 29th

1972 - Anthonio Sabato Jr., model & actor
1964 Henrik Sundstrom, Sweden, tennis star
1916 - Dinah Shore, singer
1904 - Jimmy Dorsey, bandleader
1792 - Gioacchino Rossini, Italian opera composer
1964- James RB Ogilvy, son of English princess Alexandra
1932 - Gavin Stevens, cricket, Australian bat on 59-60 India/Pakistan tour
1928 - Alan Loveday, British violinist
1928 - Joss Ackland, born in London, England, actor, Queenie, To Kill a Priest
1924 - David Beattie, British governor-general of NZ
1916 - Dinah Shore, American Actress
1908 - Alf Gover, cricketer, bowled in four tests for England/famous coach
1896 - Ranchhodji Morarji Desai, premier of India, 1977-79
1896 - Wladimir Rudolfovich Vogel, composer
1468 - Paul III, last Renaissance pope, 1534-49

February 29 Events in History

1996 - Kenya defeat West Indies (all out 93) in Cricket World Cup
1988 - Mark Greatbatch scores 107* vs. England on Test Cricket debut
1988 - Nazi document implicates Kurt Waldheim in WW II deportations
1968 - Beatles’ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” wins Grammy
1964 - Frank Rugani sets badminton shuttlecock distance record, 24.3 m
1956 - Islamic Republic forms in Pakistan
1940 - “Gone with the Wind,” wins 8 Oscars
1868 - 1st British government of Disraeli forms

Leap Year Cocktail

Invented at the Savoy Hotel in London on February 29th, 1928 this sweet concoction was said to have spurred many a marriage proposal.

2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve with a twist of lemon.

Cheers!

There have been a number of privacy rows sparked by the social networking site and for those who really value their privacy, there is a strong temptation to delete their Facebook account and leave the site forever.

However, such is the reach of Mark Zuckerberg’s hugely popular yet somewhat controversial website that not being on Facebook now has real disadvantages - for example, many other websites now ask for your Facebook credentials to log into THEIR site.

So what’s the answer? You can go into “stealth” mode on Facebook - nobody but your existing friends will be able to see any of your activity, statuses or photos.

To do this, follow these simple steps.

Visit Facebook.com, log in to your profile and click ‘Account’ in the top-right corner. From there, choose ‘Privacy Settings.’

• From the ‘Privacy Settings’ page, click on ‘View Settings’ to see who can search for you, send messages to your account, see your education and work settings and more. Change all of these drop-down menus to ‘Friends Only.’

• Return to the ‘Privacy Settings’ page and choose ‘Customize Settings’ near the bottom of the page. This new page will load a number of different privacy options, but you’ll want to click through each one and change the setting to ‘Only Me’ so that nobody else can see your Facebook activity.

• Stay on the ‘Customize Settings’ page and scroll down to ‘Things Others Share.’ Here, you’ll want to edit and disable settings so that your friends are unable to write on your wall, comment on posts and check you in to places.

• Return to the ‘Privacy Settings’ page and, under ‘Apps and Websites’ in the bottom-left corner, select ‘Edit Your Settings.’ This page shows all of the third-party websites and applications that you have given access to some of your Facebook information. If you see anything on this list that you want to remove, just click to remove it from the list.

• Stay on the ‘Apps and Websites’ page, scroll down to ‘Instant Personalization’ and select ‘Edit Settings.’ Uncheck the box at the bottom of this page to block other websites from accessing your Facebook interests. Select ‘Confirm’ when a pop-up asks you if you’re sure you want to disable this option.

• Return to the ‘Apps and Websites’ page, scroll down to ‘Public Search’ and select ‘Edit Settings.’ To keep search engines from finding your Facebook profile, uncheck the box on this new screen.

Voila - you’re now in Facebook stealth mode!

1stinflowers.com will deliver that special Stateside floral message for you in style, and this month you can upgrade your order and save 10% by using the code 859007 at the checkout.

The UK website Bunches.co.uk will make your gift special with free chocolates delivered with many of their arrangements, and you’ll also get loyalty points to spend on your next order.

Even though it’s supposed to be summer Down Under, the Aussies have had their share of bad weather too, so cheer someone up with flowers from www.readyflowers.com.au, and help raise funds for the Queensland flood appeal while you’re at it.

As Valentine’s Day is now looming on the horizon, it’s a good idea to get your order in now for your distant loved one - and remember, ladies… lots of men like flowers too!

This year, the show will share a strategic co-location with Hardware+Tools Middle East 2011, bringing together for the first time two closely-related industry exhibitions.

For more information, go to http://www.gardeningexpo.com/

The colour of the lapis lazuli is a solid but vibrant dark blue. The gold coloured veins running through this crystal come from a mineral called pyrite. This crystal is called the stone of “Total Awareness” as it helps to expand awareness and intellectual capacity.

Lapis lazuli is an ancient gem, and its powers were known by the Babylonians, Assyrians, the ancient Greeks and the Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians created jewellery with lapis lazuli and used this crystal as a symbol of truth. It was the practice to bury a lapis lazuli scarab with their dead, as they believed it would offer protection.

To the Greeks the lapis lazuli was known as ancient sapphire and was often set with gold. 

The lapis lazuli activates the throat chakra as well as the third eye chakra. In meditation it opens the third eye to higher guidance, intuition and connection to the higher self. It can also aid you developing insights into your dreams and may assist in past life recall. It balances the yin and yang energies. When worn over the heart, it connects heart and mind. 

Lapis lazuli organises the mind, helps with decision making and aids truthfulness in business.

It is said to have been one of the stones used on the breastplates of the high priests.

This crystal helps with physical ailments such as high blood pressure and imbalances of the thyroid. It eases sinus ailments, headaches, eye problems, nervous system imbalances, speech problems, pituitary gland problems and for pain relief.

It’s an important remedy for disorders of the throat and immune system and can activate the regenerative energies of the body. It also helps to build self-confidence.

It is a stone that protects from both physical and psychic attacks, heals emotional wounds and cleanses the auric field. Lapis lazuli is a very powerful stone and should be used carefully.

The stone can be found in Chile, the Soviet Union and the United States, but most significantly from the mountains of Afghanistan.

Green tea has become quite popular among the health conscious, but white tea is now earning accolades for its potential health benefits.

White tea is produced from the same tea plant as black, green and oolong teas. Each is distinctly different in flavour and colour and the nutritional components vary as well. White tea is delicate, slightly sweet and doesn’t have the weedy aftertaste that is sometimes associated with green tea. A coup of white tea contains less fluoride than other teas and only 15mg of caffeine, compared with 40mg for regular tea and 20mg for green tea.

White tea is brimming over with natural polyphenols, health promoting antioxidants that strengthen immune systems and suppress free-radical activity. A recent issue of the African Journal of Biotechnology found that the antioxidant properties of white tea are similar to those of green tea. Lab tests on the four varieties of tea found that white tea inhibited mutations in DNA, the earliest stages of progression of a healthy cell to a cancerous one, more efficiently than green or black teas.

In 2003 a study by the Linus Pauling Institute found that white tea was as effective as sulindac, a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in suppressing pre-cancerous tumours in mice.

They also found that lab mice treated with a combination of white tea and sulindac had significantly fewer tumours than those treated with either substance alone. There is also evidence to suggest that white tea may be beneficial fighting viruses, bacterial and fungal infections.

The early research is encouraging, making white tea an attractive alternative for both flavour and health benefits.

How tea is processed

Black Tea: Mature leaves are withered to remove moisture, then they are rolled and left to fully ferment or oxidize. The darkened leaves are then dried again to stop the fermentation process.

Oolong Tea: The process is the same as that for black tea, but with a shorter fermentation stage.

Green Tea: The leaves are not subjected to the fermentation process and are withered, steamed, rolled and dried to stabilize their natural green colour, flavour and nutrients.

White Tea: This involves the least processing of all. Immature leaves are harvested in early spring with the silvery white buds unopened. Leaves and buds are steamed together and air dried to prevent oxidation and the preserve more of the natural plant nutrients and antioxidants.

The boffins believe it may be possible to reduce the emissions with a new strain of clover.

The white clover gives cows and sheep extra protein - so also improving animal health - and at the same time reduces emissions of methane and nitrogen waste.

The scientists say that some pasture species, such as lotus (a legume) can directly reduce methane emissions by as much as 16 per cent, thanks to its condensed tannins.

However, legumes such as lotus are difficult to establish and do not keep growing in grazed pastures.

Now the scientists are working on a white clover that contains concentrations of the condensed tannins - normally only found as trace amounts in white clover and are entirely absent in grasses.

Soon, we may all be able to breathe a little more easily about the planet’s future.

It’s one of many springing up above the streets of New York, as a new generation of farmers looks to put to work spaces that normally go to waste.

Farmer Annie Novak turned a 750 square metre factory roof into Eagle Street farm, the first commercial rooftop agricultural venture in North America.

“We’re growing about 20-25 different varieties of fruit and vegetables,“ she says. “We grow everything from carrots, which surprises people because the soil is very shallow, to eggplants and tomatoes, because around the neighbourhood they love them.

“The farm has been commercially operable for two years now. In the first year we experimented a lot with crops, and we were trying to figure out just what plants didn’t die.

“This year we’ve been focusing more on the marketing and we are able to run ourselves as a business because we sell to restaurants, and we have a market and a community-supported agriculture group. We operate the whole year without a single penny of debt.”

But it is not the only farm in the area that is up on the roof. Brooklyn Grange in Queens also transports its products within cycling distance to local restaurants and residents.

And rooftop farms are not only a question of crops. An entire community is growing around the organic philosophy. More and more residents are volunteering for gardening duties, and a network of restaurants is spreading an alternative eating culture.

How’s that for organic thinking?

Fry-up

After a heavy drinking session your digestive system is under a lot of strain, so the full breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages and the accompaniments could cause indigestion. But fat contains many calories for that much-needed energy boost, and eggs and meat are rich in the amino acid, cysteine, which is thought to be good at clearing out toxins. Well...does it work? Sort of, but try not to fry...go for the grilled option instead.

Painkillers

You’re really better off avoiding painkillers altogether, but you have to take some, the keyword is moderation. Remember that aspirin and ibuprofen may irritate your stomach, and paracetamol gives your liver even more work to do. Since you’re is already feeling delicate, popping pills should never be your cure of choice.

Hair of the dog

There is scientific evidence to prove this works, but only in the short term! All it does is make your body deal with a new intake of booze, but once you’ve finished drinking - it’s back to hangover hell. It seems you’re just putting off the inevitable, so perhaps it’s best not to bother.

Caffeine

Many people rely on a can of coke, a cup of tea or shot of black coffee. However, these will only make you feel better for a short time. A hangover is a sign of dehydration… caffeine causes dehydration… so these remedies will just make your head feel worse later on.

Water

You’re hung-over because you’re dehydrated. Water combats dehydration, so the best thing is to drink lots of water before going to bed. If you forgot to do that, and only just remembered where your bed was, then you need to tackle the problem the next day. The magic formula is a pint of water every hour.

Fruit Juice

Try to get freshly squeezed juice, which works best to replace lost vitamins. The fruit sugar boosts your energy levels and can help your body get rid of toxins. If the fruit is too acidic for your sore tummy, add water, or make a smoothie with banana and yoghurt. Another option is to try a less acidic vegetable juice.

Sleep

Try to get as much sleep as possible. Your body is working extra hard to clear out the mess you’ve made of your internal organs. This will make you sluggish. If your raging headache isn’t keeping you awake - go back to sleep! While your head is on the pillow, your poor neglected body doesn’t have as much work to do to make a recovery. 

Qanat Al Qasba - includes Eye of the Emirates
Al Taawun Road, Between Al Khan and Khalid lagoon, Sharjah
Tel: 06 5560777
Email: info@qanatalqasba.com
Website: http://www.qaq.ae

GALLERIES

1x1, Art Space
Al Wasl Road
opposite Umm Suqeim Choithram
Dubai
11am-8pm, closed Friday
Tel: 04 3483873
Email: onexone@eim.ae

Al Majlis Gallery
Between Al Musalla roundabout
and Dubai Museum
Bur Dubai, Dubai
9.30am-8pm, closed Friday
Tel: 04 3536233
Email: majlisga@emirates.net.ae

Art Couture Gallery
Al Fattan Marine Towers II
The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence
Dubai
Timings: 10am-9pm daily Saturday-Thursday, 2pm-9pm Fridays
Tel: 04 3994331
Email: art@artcoutureuae.com
Website: http://www.artcoutureuae.com

Art House Dubai
opposite Emarat petrol station
between Al Arouba Street and
Safa Park junctions, Al Wasl Rd
Jumeirah 2
Dubai
Tel: 04 3448004
Email: arthdxb@emirates.net.ae

Art Sawa
Tel: 04 3408660
Website: http://www.artsawa.com

ArtSpace Gallery
33rd floor, The Fairmont Hotel
Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai
10.30am-8.30pm, closed Friday
Tel: 04 3325523
Email: info@artspace-dubai.com
Website: http://www.artspace-dubai.com

B21 Progressive Art Gallery
Opposite Spinneys warehouse
and Courtyard, off 3rd interchange
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
10am-6.30pm
Tel: 04 3403965
Email: B21gallery@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.b21gallery.com

Bagash Art Gallery
Belvedere Court,
Kuwait Street,
Dubai
9.30am-8pm
Tel: 04 3515311
Email: info@bagashartgallery.com

Basta Art Café
Off Al Musalla roundabout
towards Dubai Museum
Bur Dubai, Dubai
10am-10pm
Tel: 04 3535071

Creative Art Centre Gallery
Off Jumeirah Beach Road
(road beside Choithrams)
Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Tel: 04 3444394

Dubai Ladies Club
(Art and Talent Center -
Rotating exhibition of both international and local artists)
Jumeirah Beach Road, next to Beach Park
Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Tel: 04 3499922
Email: info@dubailadiesclub.com

Eclectic Art and Coffee House
Block 12, Knowledge Village
7.30am-9.30pm
Tel: 04 3631944

Gallery 76
Dubai International Arts Centre (DIAC)
Villa 27, Street 75b,
off Jumeirah Beach Road
(behind Town Centre)
Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Tel: 04 3444398
Email: artdubai@emirates.net.ae
Website: http://www.artdubai.com

Gallery Meem
Take Al Quoz exit at 4th interchange, Sheikh Zayed Road ie going towards Arabian Ranches.  On left hand side, next to Presotto -
need to make u-turn at traffic lights beside Marina Interior Design.
10am-2pm, 6pm-10pm Sunday-Thursday
Tel: 04 3477883
Email: info@creativearab.com

Ghaf Gallery
Abu Dhabi. 
Tel: 02 6655332
Website: http://www.ghafgallery.com

Godolphin Gallery
Nad Al Sheba Club, Dubai
9am-5pm (until 8pm on race nights)
Tel: 04 3363031

Green Art Gallery
Villa 23, street 51
off Jumeirah Beach Road
near Dubai Zoo, Dubai
Tel: 04 3449888
Email: greenart@emirates.net.ae
Website: http://www.gagallery.com

The Mojo Gallery
Unit 33 Al Serkal Avenue,
Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai
Tel: 043477388,
Fax: 043236367
Email: gallery@mojo-me.co

Mondo Arte Gallery
The Galleria, 2nd floor, Mall of the Emirates, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
10am-10pm
Tel: 04 3413001
Email: mdarte@emirates.net.ae

Original and Unique Art Gallery
Al Wasl Rd, Jumeirah
Dubai
Tel: 04 3948808
Email: info@onuart.com

Presotto Middle East Objects and Elements
Al Barsha exit at interchange 4
Sheikh Zayed Road
Umm Suqeim Street
Dubai
(Take U-turn at third set
of traffic lights and follow signs)
Tel: 04 3406443
Email: retail@presottome.ae

Pro-Art Gallery
Palm Strip Mall, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1,
Dubai. 
Tel: 04 3450900
Email: info@proartuae.com
Website: http://www.proartuae.com

Showcase Antiques Art and Frame
Jumeirah Beach Road
Umm Suqeim 2, Dubai
9am-8pm
Tel: 04 3488797
Email: showcase@emirates.net.ae

The Jam Jar
Street 17a, Al Barsha, just off Sheikh Zayed road behind Dubai Garden Centre
10am-9pm
Tel: 04 3417303
Email: jamjar@eim.ae
Website: http://www.jamjardubai.com

The Mojo Gallery
Unit 33 Al Serkal Avenue,
Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai
Tel: 043477388,
Fax: 043236367
Email: gallery@mojo-me.co

The Red Gallery
Contemporary Vietnamese art
Villa No. 833b, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
10am-9pm Saturday-Thursday, 4pm-9pm Friday
Tel: 04 3955811 / 050 655 7210
Email: theredgallery@emirates.net.ae
Website: http://www.theredgallery.net

The Third Line
3rd interchange exit from
Sheikh Zayed road to Al Quoz area
located on same road as Courtyard
11am-8pm, Friday closed
Tel: 04 3411367
Email: events@thethirdline.com
Website: http://www.thethirdline.com

Total Arts at the Courtyard
Off Sheikh Zayed road
Al Quoz area, Dubai
10am-1pm, 4pm-8pm, closed Fridays
Tel: 04 3475050
Email: totalart@courtyard-uae.com

XVA Gallery
Building 7, DIFC Gate Village,
Dubai. 
Tel: 04 3535383
Email: xva@xvagallery.com
Website: http://www.xvagallery.com

MUSEUMS & HERITAGE SITES

Al Ahmadiya School & Heritage House
Deira souk area, Dubai
8am-7.30pm Saturday-Thursday
2.30pm-7.30pm Friday
Tel: 04 2260286

Dubai Museum
Bur Dubai, Dubai
8.30am-8.30pm Saturday-Thursday
2.30pm-8.30pm Friday
Tel: 04 3531862

Hatta Heritage Village
Follow signs from Dubai-Hatta road
turn off at Hatta Fort Hotel roundabout
8am-8.30pm Saturday-Thursday
2.30pm-8.30pm Friday
Tel: 04 8521374

Heritage Village and Diving Village
Shindagha, off Al Mina Road
Bur Dubai, Dubai
8am-10pm Saturday-Thursday
8am-11am & 4pm-10pm Friday
Tel: 04 3937151

Majlis Umm Al Sheif
Off Jumeirah Beach Road
Umm Al Sheif, Dubai
8.30am-1.30pm & 3.30pm-8.30pm Saturday-Thursday
1.30pm-8.30pm Friday
Tel: 04 3946343

Sheikh Saeed House
Shindagha, off Al Mina Road
Bur Dubai, Dubai
8am-8.30pm Saturday-Thursday
3pm-9.30pm Friday
Tel: 04 3937139

THEATRES

Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (DUCTAC)
Mall of the Emirates
Dubai
Tel: 04 3414777
Email: info@ductac.org

Madinat Theatre
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Madinat Jumeirah Complex
Dubai
Tel: 04 3666550/6580

National Theatre
1st Zaid Street
Abu Dhabi
Tel: 02 4452501

The UK’s TV documentary Dubai Dreams covered many of its facets, and the recent rainy weather once again highlighted some of the problems of brand new houses that don’t have a comprehensive guarantee against defects.

But the final conclusion, once all the new developments are finished, is still anybody’s guess.

On the one hand, some property speculators have certainly made a lot of money - usually by acting as middle men between the developer and the purchaser. Stories are told about ordinary people making extraordinary profits by buying off-plan and selling on before completion.

Others tell of couples who have been sold into buy-to-let schemes, only to find that there are no tenants for their property - so they have had no choice but to leave the place empty or move in themselves. 

The Abu Dhabi market seems to be going forward at a less dramatic and consequently steadier pace. Developments there seem to have a feeling of more space and airiness, and perhaps lessons are being learned from some of the less successful Dubai stories. The same applies to the open desert sites in the more northern emirates, where exciting projects are planned in both Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain.

Dubai’s new property freehold law was welcomed, but whether it will make the market more optimistic in the long term remains to be seen.

But the key to all this is perhaps one word - speculation. People often lose sight of the fact that it means just that.

Property, like any other commodity, is driven by market forces, such as supply and demand. So it’s obviously not recommended to use money you can’t afford to lose, but if you have spare money, why not?

However, common sense dictates that you should choose reputable developers and agents when buying, and research the market thoroughly before committing yourself.

The garnet is a grounding stone that stimulates life-force. Garnets of other colours are linked with other energies and chakras.

For gentle spiritual healing you should choose a cut and polished clear garnet. This stone also has a protective energy which is especially effective against evil. It’s also known as the stone of commitment - to purpose, to others and also to oneself.

The name garnet comes from the Latin word “granatus” meaning seed or grain. The name was given to the uncut red garnet because of its close resemblance to a pomegranate seed. The pomegranate is sometimes known as a gift of love in Greek Myth.

Garnets have been used as a source of light for thousands of years. It is said that Noah used large garnets to light the path and the interior of the Ark. It was also one of the stones used in the breast-plates of highpriests and has been used as a sacred or healing stone by the American Indians, the South American Indians, the Aztecs, the Mayans and by certain African tribes.

The garnet works a stone of health by extracting negative energies from the chakras and transmuting them to create a beneficial state. It’s also a stone of purification. Red garnet is used to treat disorders of the blood and low blood pressure. It can also be used for treating disorders of the heart and lungs, the spine and spinal fluid, the bones and the cells. It’s said to enhance the assimilation of iodine, calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, D and E.

The garnet is a symbolic gift of love for the eighteenth anniversary of marriage, and it’s also given as a token to mark two-year anniversaries. 

For more information about stones and crystals contact Birgit E. Schürenberg (natural therapist, crystal healer, reiki master), General Manager, Ornament Gifts, 205/1 Umm Suqeim Building, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai, telephone: 04 3382433 or 050 7959916, fax 04 8846233, email: bes@emirates.net.ae

Previous Stones of the Month:

Turquoise | Topaz | Opal | Sapphire

In North America, Thanksgiving is the time to give thanks for the harvest and it’s observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. (The difference in dates reflects the seasonal difference in the harvest). This year, the North American date is 22nd November.

The origin of the celebration dates back to the days of the early settlers of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It is said they were particularly grateful to Squanto, the Native American who taught them how to catch eel, grow corn and who served as their native interpreter. (Squanto had converted to Christianity and learned English as a slave in Europe. Without Squanto’s assistance, the settlers might not have survived in the New World.)

The Plymouth settlers who came to be called “Pilgrims” set apart a holiday immediately after their first harvest in 1621. They held an autumn celebration of food, feasting, and praising God. The Governor of Plymouth invited Grand Sachem Massasoit and the Wampanoag people to join them in the feast. The settlers fed and entertained the Indians for three days, at which point some of these natives went into the forest, killed 5 deer, and gave them to the Governor as a gift. The first official Thanksgiving Proclamation made in America was issued by the Continental Congress in 1777.

Thanksgiving is similar to Christmas in that it’s a time to spend with friends and close family. The highlight of the holiday is usually a feast featuring the traditional bounty enjoyed by the pilgrims.  If you want to replicate a traditional Thanksgiving meal visit http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holidays-and-Events/Thanksgiving/Main.aspx Thanksgiving also marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season with retailers primed and ready for the most lucrative season of the year.

While North Americans are readying for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hindus and Sikhs are observing Deepavali, also called Diwali or Divali. Known as the “Festival of Lights,” it symbolises the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for humankind. Celebrations focus on lights and lamps, particularly traditional dīpa or deeya (earthen lamp) and fireworks are associated with the festival. Diwali is a colloquial name used in North India, while the festival is formally called Deepavali in South India.

Diwali is celebrated for five consecutive days at the end of Hindu month of Ashwayuja. It usually occurs in October/November, and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals in India. Diwali comes exactly twenty days after Dussehra. Hindus and Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to strengthen family and social relationships. For Hindus it is one of the most important festivals, and beginning of the year in some Hindu calendars.

There are several beliefs regarding the origin of the holiday. The most repeated version is that Hindus celebrate Diwali to mark the time when Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana. Some also view it as the day Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura or in honour of the day Bali went to rule the nether-world, obeying the order of Vishnu. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh faith. In India, Diwali is now considered to be more of a national festival, and the aesthetic aspect of the festival is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith. The festival is worshipped on exactly the same set of days across India. It falls in different months depending on the version of the Hindu calendar being used in the given region.

If you are fortunate enough to be invited to a Divali celebration you are in for a delightful feast. Visiting Hindus during Deepavali is an interesting culinary experience, as you will get to taste a variety of delicious food. The tempting spread covers both sweet and savoury dishes as well as snacks like murukku, halwa, vadai etc. With Western influence, housewives also bake Western style cookies and cakes. As spicy food is part of a Hindu’s diet, families serve a wide variety of curries with briyani. However, traditional Indian homes will only serve vegetarian food. 

If you want to create your own Divali feast, take a look at http://www.indianfoodforever.com/holiday-recipes/diwali/

Jews around the world observe Chanukah - the eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of Kislev 25 - celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality. More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. 

When they sought to light the Temple’s menorah, they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity. To commemorate and publicise these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.

On Chanukah Jews recite recite Hallel and the Al HaNissim prayer to offer praise and thanksgiving for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few… the wicked into the hands of the righteous”.

Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil - latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “a great miracle happened there"); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children.

More excuses to have a good time

In UK, you can expect fireworks on 5th November, to celebrate the failed attempt to blow up the houses of parliament by a certain Guy Fawkes. Although the 5th is the actual day, there will be massive fireworks displays all over the UK for the whole of next weekend.

The end of the month sees the Scottish St Andrew’s Night on 30th. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland - as well as Greece and Russia.

The celebration tends to be more popular with Scots who live abroad and there are many Scottish societies in places where Scots emigrated to, including the UAE.

Many people wonder what they should eat on St. Andrew’s night. Because Andrew was a fisherman, it seems appropriate to eat fish. Otherwise you could eat any traditional Scottish food. It used to be that a singed sheep’s head was traditional!

St. Andrew’s night is now celebrated all over the world with fine Scottish food and a ceilidh. In Dubai, there’s a St Andrew’s ball on 23rd at the Hyatt Regency. Check out the Dubai Caledonian Society website at http://www.caledoniansocietydubai.com/Events.aspx

Eerie Eyeballs

Makes approximately 9 dozen bite-sized eyeballs

3 oz lemon gelatin (can be sugar-free)
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup pineapple juice
8 oz cream cheese (can be lowfat)
1 cup mayonnaise (can be fat-free)

Dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 cup water in double boiler, add marshmallows and stir to melt. Remove from heat. Add pineapple juice and cream cheese. Beat until well blended. Cool slightly. Fold in mayo. If you have a truffle candy mold or round ice cube trays, pour the mixture in the molds and leave to set in the fridge. Otherwise pour into a deep ceramic dish and chill until thickened or firm enough for scooping into eyeballs. Using a melonballer, scoop full balls of the mixture and set aside for decoration. To decorate, use liquid food colouring and an old detail paintbrush and get creative. You will need black food coloring for the pupils. Also, if you are in a hurry, instead of painting the colored irises, you can carefully dip the ball in a small pool of food coloring to approximate the iris, but still paint on the pupils.

You can save a lot of aggro with the melonballer by using an ice cube tray with rounded holes. Spray the trays with non-stick cooking spray beforehand like you would any gelatin mold, let the gelatin mixture sit in the refrigerator to set, then carefully pop the eyeballs out to paint them. Some of the eyeballs will break, but they do have one flat which is good since then they don’t roll around while you are trying to paint them.

Creepy Witches’ Fingers

Makes: 5 dozen

1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1 Egg
1 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp Vanilla
2 2/3 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking powder*
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Almonds, whole blanched
1 Tube red decorator gel
(optional, not pictured)

Gross everyone out with these creepy cookies.

In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda*, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into one end for a finger nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape. Using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325*F (160*C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with “blood”.

Remove from baking sheets and let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

(Collected by Bert Christensen, Toronto, Ontario)

* As an alternative, just make your favourite shortbread recipe.

Brittle Meringue Bones

3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line cookie sheet with brown paper bag or parchment. In a medium sized bowl at high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt till fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Add vanilla. Place in pastry bag fitted with a medium plain piping tip. Pipe 3” bone shapes onto parchment or brown paper bag. Bake 1 hour until set. Turn off oven, dry in oven 1 hour. Be sure to store in airtight containers or they will become soggy. Makes 4 to 5 dozen small finger-sized bones.

Bizarre Brain Pate

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin, softened in 1/4 cup water
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 pounds cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
(or 1 pound crab meat)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Tabasco or Creole seasoning to taste

Heat soup, undiluted, and mix in the cream cheese. Stir in softened gelatin and blend well. Fold in remaining ingredients and pour into a lightly-oiled mold. Shape it like a brain, or at least what you think a brain looks like. Chill until firm and serve with your favorite crackers.

Ghoulish Gravestone Cookies

This one is straightforward. Use your favourite recipe for basic sugar cookies or shortbread. Cover with icing. Once the icing has set, use food coloring pen sets, in most large grocery stores with the cake decorating supplies, to create an inscription. If you cannot find any food colouring pens, use a fine, soft watercolour brush and normal black food coloring.

Put your guests’ names on the gravestones - guaranteed to creep them out!