A life less ordinary

Photos: Halloween and house parties

partners-in-crime — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:46:00 GMT

Jason and Vanessa invited us over for a haunted house warming party - we went as Gory McIlroy and Britney Speared

Photos: Octoberfest Mark II

partners-in-crime — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:57:00 GMT

This year we decided to do Octoberfest in style, the best place in town is the Grand Hyatt where you are greeting with sausage, beer, benches and a German Band!! I got a bit excited as you can see from the pics!!

Photos: All things great - and we had visitors

partners-in-crime — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 15:52:00 GMT

Alex and Neil stopped by the on their way back to Scotland from Australia. We had a whirlwind 2 days, doing everything from Waterpark to Desert Safari, Steak at Atlantis and Deira. They brought a whole lotta luck as Ireland beat the Aussie in the rugby!!

Fairly Busy

partners-in-crime — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:33:00 GMT

So it feels like the world had descended on Dubai after EID - everyone came back from their Summer holidays, the kids go back to school, everyone is back to working 'normal' hours - whatever they are...so you get the picture!!

We've managed to start filling our weekends again too which is great - this weekend we have Alex and Neil stopping by on their way from Oz to the UK so I have a full itinerary for them!! Last weekend we had our first brunch since before the wedding actually, we went to Jumeirah Beach Hotel (the wave) and it was lush! Dim sum and sushi were my high points but a few people tucked into pies and roasted veg, anyways we managed to push on to Left Bank for a few then came home and watched the All Blacks flatten Tonga. Daire has been playing football most Saturdays but his foot became the football a couple of weeks ago so we was unable to play last Saturday so he went to watch England play over at the Battens and I had a lovely Skype with Sarah followed by a Pedicure!! Very relaxing!!

Work has gotten quiet this week so I have been doing lost of research for our visitors - we also have my Aunt and Uncle out in November, John Clarke (DG's mate) in December and then hopefully some more of the Gilmore's in Spring next year. We love having visitors we do!! HINT HINT!!!!! :-)

Photos: Mini moons

partners-in-crime — Sun, 4 Sep 2011 14:14:00 GMT

Trying to fill Ramadan with small extensions of our honeymoon

Back in Dubai

partners-in-crime — Sun, 4 Sep 2011 09:57:00 GMT

So back in Dubai we are submerged into the Holy month of Ramadam and 90% humidity. Basically that means everything is closed during the day - you can't get a beer until after 8pm and you can't do anything outdoors without dyeing from dehydration!! So we decided to take a couple of weekends out of Dubai to try and get a 'break' from it all.

Two weeks after we got back we had 2 nights in Bab Al Shams resort and spa, situated about a 45 minutes drive out in the desert the air is a lot less humid and more of a dry heat. The bonus of a chilled pool, a cold flannel every 30 minutes and ice water all day meant we thought we were in heaven!! It was a luxurious couple of days and we really relaxed and enjoyed a few long lazy days and being able to top up the tan was nice as well. I have really got back into reading (I go through phases) so spent the whole time with my head in a book.

This weekend just gone we went over to Fujairah on the east coast of the UAE, it was a beautiful drive over there through the mountains and red desert and then seeing the ocean the other side was beautiful! Again the temperature was a little more barable over there. We stayed in the Sandy Beach Resort which was clean and nice and cheap and then used our Entertainer vouchers (bogofs) for day passes to the Meridien, 5* Thai dinners and buffet Lunches in the other hotels that are on Al Aqaa beach front.

We finished up the weekend and Holy Month with a welcome back Roast Dinner for the Battens at the Yacht club....although we were so relaxed that I think we both forgot we had to come to work today!!! **que tired eyes and red wine bloat**

Photos: Honeymoooon

partners-in-crime — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 04:14:00 GMT

4 gorgeous days at the amazing Ghillies Lodge on Alladale Estate in the Scottish Highlands was just what we needed.

Photos: London Engagement pics and hen nights

partners-in-crime — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:36:00 GMT

Wedddddding!!

partners-in-crime — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:27:00 GMT

Sooooo, goodbye Fenners, oh and Jo Walker **sad face**. OOOooooo also I didn’t mention that we had some pictures done whilst we were in London – some ‘engagement’ pics – will try and upload them. We were really happy with them – they were great!! We used one and blew it up with a big fat surround for people to sign for the wedding, we now have a lovely keepsake hanging in the apartment. So where are we now......July!??! Mmmmm wedding bliss – who are we kidding, we were both working pretty damn hard and organising the wedding, it was tough going. Although, with the thanks of Rebecca I found a gorgeous dress and we were so happy with the suit Daire had made in Hong Kong we bought the same material to have Tom (Daire’s best man and brother) a suit made in Ireland.

Mmmmm what - else just excitement mostly!!! We left Dubai on the 28^th July for the UK – tons of luggage, scared we had forgotten something and me ogling at my bling, we were off!!

Wedding weekend:

Thursday touchdown – head to Jenny’s, unpack and get settled. Head to dinner with Daire’s parents and sister/brother in law.

Friday – I went to see Chrissie for coffee and feel some love from baby Charlie, went and collected Danielle from Liverpool Street Station, Charlotte got delivered by dad....hen night commence!!! Flavin and Jenny get home – mass getting ready session!! So much fun – the boys found themselves drinking beer in the garden to stay out the way!!! Chrissie picked us up and we headed to Aqua in central London and had an amazing evening organised by Yolanda. I had a fabulous evening and felt so blessed to have so many amazing and close friends!

Saturday/Sunday....WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me whilst I reminisce and wait for the official pictures to arrive before I upload them. xxx

PS - we honeymooned in Scotland. Amazing. See pictures.

Photos: May and June...

partners-in-crime — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:28:00 GMT

Engagement, Hong Kong, UK and goodbye Fenners :(

Massive Catch up - Part Two

partners-in-crime — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:20:00 GMT

Where were we?!? Yes – so engaged mega excited – drunk and high as a kite. I slept for like 2 hours and was wide awake at 4 am....needless to say I was in event mode!! That morning we set out some parameters and agreed a date – in 12 weeks time!! Oh I should also say that on my birthday I also signed a month long contract with Blink Events which I was very excited about – starting date!? The next week!! SO you can know see why it May, June and July sped by pretty damn quick!!!

Before our wedding though we made the trip to Hong Kong to see one of Daire very good friends get married. I had never been to Hong Kong and was uber excited about the whole 4 days we had there!! Needless to say we had a fabulous weekend, afternoon tea, roof top cocktails, Chinese Club dinner (complete with noodle slapping experience) lots of drinking in the street (also a novelty for us Dubai folk), late nights, boat rides, oh and a gorgeous wedding in the middle of it all!! Ally and Ness came from Dubai with us, friends came from the UK and Singapore, also as the bride was Aussie there was a massive contingent from that part of the world which all made for an amazing and very tiring few days and you will see from the pictures!!

Back in Dubai work was getting pretty busy for me doing a live event in Ferrari World at the beginning of June, but we found time to send invites out, book our venue and church, have marriage lessons with an Italian Priest in Dubai (DON’T ASK!!) buy the bridesmaid dresses....and generally start to get things in order. After my event (which went so well I was invited back after my contact finished and offered a permanent position) we back to the UK to do all the legal requirements – catch up with friends and family and show off the ‘bling’ it was very surreal but seeing the venue we had chosen for the first time we were happy that everything was going to go juussssst fine!! I came back to Dubai and Daire stayed on in Europe managing to schedule in work meetings in Milan before heading to Ireland for his stag weekend – we he finally touched down in Dubai he had no voice, stunk and looked like he could sleep for a week!! June – much like May – flew by, although we had to say goodbye to a couple we had met here, they moved to Hong Kong with their family which was sad as they were lovely and we didn’t feel like we spent enough time hanging out with them – big up the Fenners!!! Mental night...check out the pics....actually reckon it’s time for a break...

Photos: April interlude

partners-in-crime — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:44:00 GMT

The Jackson's in town

Massive Catch up - Part One

partners-in-crime — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:42:00 GMT

OK so we have been VERY bad at updating this – 16^th April was our last upload!! However, when I tell you what we’ve been up to I hope we will be excused?

April was a tough month – I was looking for work and getting a bit bogged down by it all I seem to remember, thinks were coming and going and we were just pottering along and getting on with living in Dubai. Daire ditched his useless PA and I took up the position for a few weeks getting everything in order over in the office. It was so weird working away and looking up and there he was - basically we were spending pretty much every breathing minute with each other and it was great!! We had our friends from Hong Kong over for a few days with their 3 children so spent pretty much the entire time in the pool with 5 children including Lexie and Bella – it was fab. They came over Easter weekend so we went to a 5* hotel down near the Burj Khalifa where the kids did an Easter Egg hunt and eat all the chocolate they could lay their sticky hands on!! See the pics for more of their cuteness!!

May is always a good month...not least because it starts with my birthday on the 5^th!! Whoop whooooop!! I had decided on a low key birthday this year, missing home a bit etc so Daire planned a surprise dinner location which was lovely. We got all dressed up and he was cool as ever....we got dropped at Jumeirah Madinate and walked though to Mina A’Salam hotel. He was taking loads of pictures which was like SO weird but I thought I would just go with it...the sun was just setting when we got out of a gulf buggy at the end of a long pier that led to a restaurant. Me being miss eager beaver wanted to run to find out what it was and get stuck in....but noooo, Daire was walking slowly and taking pictures...Ggrrrrrrr. So we get to the restaurant and it’s all romantic and there’s petals on the table etc etc. I was a little suspicious that something was afoot, a surprise gift or something...but it was my birthday and we agreed not to give gifts to each other this year so I didn’t think too much more about it. We had a lovely meal and when we left the restaurant it was completely dark so the pier was lit with those big outdoor oil burners, it looked beautiful. It was on the pier that Daire stopped me and asked me to be his wife!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I was sooooo shocked and happy and cried so much and said yes even before I saw the ring he was holding!!!!! We celebrated champagne back in the main hotel – he had organised it all!! I was just so overcome – it was amazing!!!

OK – let have a break – this is a 3 month catch up...have a look at some pictures!!

Weekend Activities

partners-in-crime — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:50:00 GMT

So since my last post we have managed to part take in a few non music related things which has been pretty cool. This weekend Redbull X fighters were 'battling it out' in a stadium that had been built on the beach about a 10 minute walk from where we live. I have never been to any live extreme sports and it was amazing! Check out the pics to see some of the tricks these guys did on the bikes - was totally bonkers! Then, this morning whilst Daire and I were pouring over the morning papers and time out I saw that it is the Gulf Film Festival at the moment so this afternoon we went to a free screening of 2 documentaries that were filmed in Iran and Iraq. It was really interesting and the fact that it was free was a brucey bonus. It goes to show that there are 'alternative' things to do here if you really look for it. We finished off the afternoon with a meal in a lovely Persian restaurant near the Cinema in Dubai Festival City and now we're 'relaxing' at home with the Man U/ Man City derby on the TV....get us! Oh so cultural!!!

Photos: 'Cultural' Weekend Activities

partners-in-crime — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:02:00 GMT

Beach, X fighters and Iranian food

Music

partners-in-crime — Sun, 3 Apr 2011 02:26:00 GMT

Dubai pretty much has it all going on, however if you've lived in amazing cities like London and Sydney you soon realise that what is going on here is nothing compared to what we've had!!

Regardless of this fact each week Daire and I purchase the time out and trawl it for all things 'different', new and exciting. Whilst there are not many music festivals, gorgeous museums and galleries or really anything we used to fill our weekends with, it turns out there are quite a few 'gigs' (well there have been recently). We've been to see Chicane, Eric Clapton, Steve Wonder, at Jazz Festival we saw Jools Holland and Alison Moyet and we're heading to Chill Out next weekend to see Hot Chip and a whole bevy of other artists. I hope they keep them coming as this has been some highlights for us, only thing is that they never let camera's in so no pictures to document it all :(

We are trying to branch out and try other things - thinking about going to red bull fighters on Saturday as well.... although I've heard that everything kind of stops when it gets too hot!!!? I am scared - it will be even harder to do non alcoholic related activities!!

Photos: Cruising Visitors

partners-in-crime — Sun, 3 Apr 2011 02:08:00 GMT

Remember 'New Zealand Road trip' that D, Redface and I took last year!? Well the lovely couple we stayed with in New Plymouth came to Dubai to board the QE2 to the UK. Whilst they were here we repaid their hospitality.

Photos: Car booting

partners-in-crime — Sat, 2 Apr 2011 21:21:00 GMT

Ever done car boots? Rock up, open the boot and sell your shit!! NOT IN DUBAI!! When Rebecca said she was going to sell all her crap I signed up as 1st assistant!! However - it was not as easy as it all sounded: there was no driving into position and opening the boot - there was a lot of pushing and shoving with Indians, Philipino and Arabs to get inside and then a whole lote more pushing and shoving to unpack and actually sell the stuff. It was extremely successful though, and despite getting up at 5am was all over by noon.

Photos: Pork, Pancakes and post employment

partners-in-crime — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:47:00 GMT

March in a nutshell

Pork.

partners-in-crime — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:37:00 GMT

Not done an update in a while - there's a fair amount to fill you in on so going to do it in short blasts. First one: PORK!

For those that don't know, Dubai and all of the middle east are Muslims and therefore do not eat Pork. This means you cannot buy it in most supermarkets, if somewhere like Waitrose does sell it then it is in a separate little room off the main store and ALL products are in there. This means it has the fresh meat along side the tins of heinz beans with pork sausages - all very odd. Anyways, Daire found one of these amazing 'Pork Shops' a short walk from where he works, so one day I received a frenzied and excited call from him spitting that they had real sausages and bacon and jaffa cakes. Sucked into his excitement I told him to get everything pork!!!

So, one Friday morning I cooked a winning breakfast and it was SOOOOO good. Something like pork is so easy to leave out of your diet but this breakfast reminded us how good it was. Yummy - Park and Shop (the pork shop)is now a regular stop off for Daire! Bring back the Pork!