DAY FORTY NINE - Planning for Christmas Dinner

"Cook? You're going to cook Christmas dinner? Why in the world would you want to do that?"

Cathy Harborow, NYU Abu Dhabi's Manager of Faculty & Support, seeing my dumbfounded expression then went on to suggest I order Christmas dinner from Gems Restaurant in the nearby Cristal Hotel. "They do a fabulous job", she enthused. Then I'd have no worries about cooking with my tiny oven, and who wants to experiment with a turkey on Christmas Day? No pots and pans to scour by hand (no dishwasher here), no mess, no bother. I warmed to the idea pretty quickly.

When I stepped off the elevator on Cristal's 17th floor this afternoon I spotted brochures prominently displayed on a table by the entrance to the restaurant. They were hopefully entitled "Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi - 2013 Festive  Season". I opened one up and there it was: Christmas Turkey with Condiments. Save yourself the hassle of slaving over a kitchen stove. Let our Chef create a special whole roasted turkey with garnishes and condiments for you. Minimum weight is 4kg. 

Hmmmm, I wondered, so is that 4kg. off the bone? Or is that a 4kg. whole bird, which really isn't a big turkey? We Carlsons do love our leftovers, and I'd rather err on the side of too much than too little. 

A man I assumed to be the Maitre d' stood stiffly at a podium. I walked over with my brochure in hand and asked if I could order the turkey dinner with him. It became immediately apparent that his English comprehension wasn't all that great, and his thick accent made it difficult for me to understand him. 

"There will be three of us", I explained. I figured he could suggest an appropriate amount to order.

"You want three turkeys" he stated with authority, pulling out an order form and picking up a pen.

"No, there are three people. There will be three of us for dinner. I'm not sure how much turkey to order".

"Three kilograms?" Now he was looking a little irritated. "Four kilograms minimum", and he took the brochure from my hand and pointed out the paragraph where this was noted.

"Okay, fine" I said, "One turkey. I want one turkey". 

Pacified, he started filling out the order form. I waited a few moments and tried again.

"It says here garnishes and condiments. What comes with the turkey exactly?"

"The traditional. Potatoes, sauce, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding". 

Say what?!?!? Yorkshire pudding? That's not traditional in my part of the world. And are the potatoes mashed or baked or boiled or something else? I heard no mention of stuffing or dressing. Is there gravy or is that what's meant by as "sauce"? Or is the sauce cranberry sauce? SO many questions bubbled up in me, but based on the conversation thus far, I dared venture only one follow-up question.

"Is there dessert?"

He lifted his head up from writing and looked me right in the eyes. "No dessert".

I sighed, took my receipt, thanked the man and left. 

As it turns out I came upon Stove Top Stuffing in Lulu's Market a few weeks ago, so I have that as back-up just in case there is no stuffing with the turkey, and I'm not hopeful. I also found some cranberry sauce in the small gourmet section of a British department store, Marks and Spencer, so I am good on that score as well. Those are my "must haves", and I'm covered. After a little bit of hunting I found my Libby's canned pumpkin, so Doug will have his pie, and when I packed to come back to Abu Dhabi I included a box of Ghiardelli Brownie Mix, so Jeff will have his brownie sundae (he's not a pie guy). If all I get on Christmas Day from Gems Restaurant is a juicy turkey, then all will be well. 

And hey, maybe Yorkshire pudding will end up being my new favorite turkey side dish.

Yorkshire puddings. Up till now I thought they were the traditional side dish for roast beef. 

DAY FORTY ONE - Grocery shopping and the cost of "eats"

True Confession: I don't cook dinner very often. In fact, as I write this, I realize I haven't cooked dinner once since I've been here. Sometimes we eat out at a very nice restaurant (there are many), sometimes we order take-out (yes we can get pizza here easily), sometimes we even venture downstairs to the NYUAD Dining Hall on the 2nd floor (hit or miss), and sometimes we pick up fast-food (shwarma is the local favorite). But we always eat breakfast at home, and I like to have healthy snacks on hand, so that means I have to go out and shop for groceries.

A short ten minute walk away is the Madinat Zayed Mall. This is an old mall by Abu Dhabi standards and is somewhat shabby. We appear to live on the edge of the garment district, and this mall is home to shop after shop of fabrics - colorful silks and more sequined, sparkly and beaded material than I thought existed. It is also home to the city's Gold Souk, and there are over 80 small shops selling what, to my eyes, look like the very same ornate necklaces and earrings. I wonder how they all stay in business. There is a small food court, some clothing stores, electronics stores, a home goods/furniture store, and two grocery stores: the Food Co-Op and LuLu's Hypermarket. LuLu's has become my "go-to" grocery store.

This is the view out my guest room window. The Madinat Zayet Mall is in the middle of the photo, extending from the center left right to the middle. It's the long structure with the blue-green domes on the top and parking lot out front.

I've zoomed in on LuLu's which you can see in the center. The name is in green to the left of the domes. 

My first few visits were mostly reconnaissance. What was the layout and what did they sell? I grabbed a shopping cart and was off. Already I felt very much at home. 

This part of town has been referred to as Little India, so I found lots of Indian food here as well as Pakistani and Arabic items. Mixed in throughout the store, though, were many brands familiar to me: Duncan Hines cake mixes and frostings, Kraft cheese slices, Activia yogurt, Crest toothpaste. There was a large display of Tang. Who drinks Tang anymore? And boy does this country have a sweet tooth judging by the shelf space allotted to candy. I spotted the Ethnic Food aisle and was amused to find Ken's Light Options Olive Oil & Vinegar salad dressing. I bought a bottle just because. 

The LuLu's produce section is quite large, and I was surprised to see fruits and veggies that were unfamiliar to me. And here I thought I was oh-so-sophisticated thanks to my beloved Wegmans in Central New York State and specialty markets like Aspen and Citarella in New Jersey and NYC. Very humbling, I must say. 

I was also surprised to find a prepared food section which included a salad bar and hot food bar. For some reason I thought this was an "American thing" and that in other countries people made all, or most, of their meals from scratch. Apparently not. I found a huge olive bar; lots of interesting salads including my new favorite, Fatoush; cheeses (many yogurt based); whole roast chickens and fried pieces (lots of poultry is eaten in this country); and an enormous selection of mostly fried food (LOTS of fried food!). 

I passed by the fried food with only a glance. Okay maybe two because I do love samosas. But it was the bakery section that really caught my attention. I walked by the familiar cakes, cookies and cupcakes - been there, done that. I found a section of the bakery devoted to baked goods of the region, wonderful little pastries and bites concocted of dates and nuts, phyllo dough, and sweetened with honey. Yum!!!!! I figured in the interest of learning about this culture, I needed to buy some. Actually I decided that over the course of the coming year I should try each and every one! Not all at once, of course. Maybe a nibble or two every night as a special treat. Compare and contrast. Evaluate. I need to be thorough.

This is Doug's new favorite. The label says Hareesa Nafi-Kia, and it's a moist little almond (I think) cake soaked in honey and topped with a mix of nuts. 

This is my favorite thus far. It's called Bourma, and it is crispy, shredded phyllo dough wrapped around a filling of dates and pistachios, all soaked in honey. The nuts have protein, the dates are high in fiber, and honey is a natural sweetener. I figure this is Health Food (heh heh heh).

Now that Winter is almost here the weather is gorgeous. Just perfect with temps in the lower 80's/upper 70's, and there is almost always a gentle breeze blowing. This afternoon I took myself to LuLu's just for the joy of getting outside and taking a walk. My mission: yogurt for breakfast, lunch food for me, fresh fruit for snacking, and whatever else struck my fancy.

When I first started shopping in Abu Dhabi I gravitated to the foods that I knew and brands I could identify. Now that I am feeling more comfortable in general, I am very intentionally trying new things.

Today's purchases: prepared Fatoush salad, fresh fruit, dates (this is the land of dates!), an Egyptian fava bean dish called Foul, and a cheese I've never heard of before called Hajdu (very good with a mild taste). Not shown is a large container of Fage yogurt, Doug's favorite, which was the most expensive item at 24 dirham. Total cost for all this was 66.55 dirhams (AED) which equals $18.12 in US dollars. Not bad, right? 

Friends back in the States have been asking me about the cost of living here in the U.A.E., and I have to say that, in general, it is less expensive than it is in the United States. At least when it comes to buying most groceries. 

The local fast food joints are amazingly cheap, and the local eateries are very affordable as well. But if you go out to a nice restaurant at one of the many hotels or resorts, you can easily pay NYC prices and more. Much more. Thus our strategy is to eat very modestly most evenings of the week and then to dine out and have a "splurge" meal. It all balances out quite nicely. 

So far, so good, friends. So far, so good. 

Today

DAY THIRTY SIX - What I know for sure (about me)

Readers of Oprah Magazine are familiar with the last page where Oprah writes a small piece entitled "What I Know for Sure". She doesn't lecture us from On High about life, the Universe and everything. She talks about what she knows for sure about herself, a lesson she's learned, an experience that's opened up her eyes. Sometimes the reader can relate to what she's saying, and sometimes not. 

A few minutes ago I got back from my second visit to the gym on the top (50th) floor of my apartment building, Sama Tower. Once again I am blessed with a "treadmill with a view". Actually there are views from everywhere in the gym through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

This corner of the gym has several treadmills and eliptical machines. The treadmill in the middle is "mine"  ;-)

For many reasons, some under my control and some not, I fell off the exercise wagon several months back. Hard. I mean after 8+ years of exercising and training with a personal trainer, I came pretty much to a grinding halt. I feel it, it shows, and it hasn't been a good thing. 

So here I am starting a new life in Abu Dhabi. Everything is new once again, kind of like when I moved from Syracuse to Ithaca in 1993, and then from Ithaca to Hoboken in 2003. I seem to be on a 10-year cycle of some sort.....

This time, though, things are wayyyy different. And while I am excited at the opportunity to be here and oh-so-open to new sights and experiences, what I know for sure is that for the sake of my sanity and my health and happiness, I need to be grounded. For me that means imposing some routine on my life. I don't mean filling up every day on my calendar with something. I don't mean I need to schedule in "busy-work" just for the sake of something to do. No. What I mean is I personally need a framework upon which to build my week because otherwise I feel untethered, I feel like I've been tossed into the middle of a large body of water and can't see the sides to even know which direction I should swim. 

And so here I am in Abu Dhabi, and I need to ground myself. I need to ground myself so I can be free to explore and learn and have the courage to put myself out there and meet new people. My first step, and it seems so obvious and natural, is to re-establish a gym routine. 

I was delghted to discover that the main Fitness Center on the 4th floor is staffed with 7 (I think) trainers, and NYUAD offers a FREE 7-week training program to all its students, faculty, staff and their spouses/partners. You just sign up and meet twice-weekly for a 30-minute session. Two days ago I marched myself to the Fitness Center to chat with the director in person, and now I am scheduled to meet with my trainer, Melissa, this Sunday afternoon. I am so psyched!

It's my first step, twice-weekly training, and that will also motivate me to go to the gym between session. It feels so good simply knowing this is on my calendar. Does this make sense? Am I the only person like this? 

Well, I can't speak for you, but knowing I need some structure in my life is what I know for sure.

Check this out - adjacent to the top-floor gym is a lovely pool and whirlpool. You can't tell but it's open to the sky and just lovely. I haven't used the pool yet, but you can bet I will and soon. 

DAY THIRTY THREE - Taking things for granted

This evening we concluded our long, relaxing, chill-out-and-do-nothing-special National Day weekend with dinner at Doug's favorite (thus far) seafood restaurant, Finz (a play on the word "fins"). I feel like you must be getting sick of me waxing on about my lovely meals. Just trust me when I say the meals I don't talk about, and that's most of them, are usually salads from the local hypermarket or the Grab-and-Go on the first floor of our building. 

I've been hearing about Finz for ages. When I'd talk to Doug after a long day of packing and cleaning at Dad's he'd mention he'd had dinner at Finz with an NYU associate. I realized Doug was not exaggerating about dining there regularly when we walked in this evening and everyone, from the hostess to the wait staff, greeted him like an old friend. Seriously.

The food was indeed excellent. Finz has a reputation for being the best seafood restaurant in Abu Dhabi, and that's saying a lot in a city that sits on the Arabian Gulf and has a fish market reminiscent of the old Fulton Fish Market. You can see the dhows going in and our of the harbor daily, their nets piled high in the stern. 

Fishing Dhows lined up at Al Meena Harbor in front of the fish market. The Abu Dhabi skyline is across the way.

The restaurant is part of the Rotana Beach Resort but sits apart from the main complex. It's a relatively small structure set on the beach, A-frame in design, and surrounded with decks. 

Finz Restaurant

The interior is simple but elegant with a vaulted ceiling that exposes the structural beams and a polished wooden floor. Mood lighting, soft music, and the gentle sound of lapping waves set the mood.

We sat inside at the table in the far left-hand side of this photo, tucked into the corner by the windows. This is an old photo because the small barrier island across the way now houses a huge Cleveland Medical Clinic plus other skyscrapers. The view to the Gulf is completely obscurred, which is sad. Still the ambience of the place is warm and lovely. 

"Nice", you say, and you'd be right. But it turns out this restaurant, this structure, is unique in Abu Dhabi. 

"Unique?" you say and look again at the pictures.

It turns out that Finz is the only building in Abu Dhabi made completely out of wood.

When I first read this in a travel guide of the region I did a bit of a double-take. I took a pause and digested the information. Upon reflection it made sense to me. In a country that is mostly sand and has very little vegetation, much less trees that can produce lumber, it makes complete sense. 

I spent the first 60 years of my life in the Northeastern United States. As a child I lived in New York State's Hudson River Valley with its view of the Catskill Mountains purple in the distance. I lived most of my adult life in Central New York with its green rolling hills and Finger Lakes, and finally I lived in Hoboken. Even in Hoboken we have trees! Though I knew better, I pretty much took trees and, by extension, wooden houses and buildings pretty much for granted. Yes I knew in some parts of the country, even our our Southwest, that wood houses were less common. But still I was taken aback to learn that there is one, and only one, totally wooden building in Abu Dhabi. 

I think it's a good thing indeed to be reminded that many things in our lives that we take for granted and don't think twice about are pretty darn special in other parts of the world. 

DAY THIRTY TWO - Thanksgiving in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is a country of ex-pats. As I mentioned in one of my first blog posts, 80% of the population comes from other countries. Surely then, I reasoned, some of the restaurants would provide a Thanksgiving dinner for the Americans because, if for no other reason, it would be good for business. 

I did some Googling and came up with a list of restaurants. I was calling at the last minute, so I struck out with my first few restaurants. To my relief 55th and 5th, a restaurant at The St. Regis Resort on Saadiyat Island, had openings for two at 7:30 p.m. Perfect! According to the website the British chef had "created a special menu for the occasion", and although I couldn't find the menu itself listed, I trusted that it would be good. This was the St. Regis after all, right?

At 6:30 we hailed a cab and off we went. Darkness had fallen, and in anticipation of the upcoming National Day I could see buildings brightly lit with the colors of the U.A.E. flag.

These building were a blur as we drove by, but you get the idea. Lots of red, green and white (black is the other color on the flag, but it's kind of hard to have black lights). When I first arrived Doug told me with a note of surprise in his voice that the city was decorated for Christmas. This didn't sound right to me since it's a Muslim country, so when I found out about National Day, the decorations made sense. 

I wished it was still light outside as we drove up the long, winding entryway to the St. Regis. I could see lots of palm trees and flower beds, and I'm sure it was spectacular. It sits on the Arabian Gulf side of the island, so in daytime the views out over the water must be beautiful.

The St. Regis Saadiyat Island, United Arab Emirates

We found our way to the restaurant, and as it turned out it was not crowded at all. The maitre d' showed us to a lovely table tucked into a niche which felt nice and private. Then she handed us the menus - the regular dinner menu as well as the Special Thanksgiving Menu. I opened up the latter, my mouth already watering in anticipation of a lovely turkey dinner with some creative sides. To my utter surprise I saw Whole Roasted Yellow Chicken with a Bread & Lobster Stuffing. 

What?!?!? I read it several times because I thought surely this could not be right. I'd no doubt this was a lovely dish, but it was NOT turkey! I looked at Doug, and it was clear he was thinking the very same thing as me. 

I put the Thanksgiving Menu aside and picked up the regular menu because really, if I couldn't have turkey then I was not going to settle for a chicken. Whole. Yellow. Roasted. Stuffed with Whatever. It was still a chicken. 

Our lovely server explained the regular menu, and we learned that 55th and 5th specializes in Wagu beef. I am not normally a beef person, but at this point I figured if I wasn't going to have turkey then I should go for the specialty of the house. We decided upon Chateaubriande with Bernaise sauce, and it was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth juicy perfection. 

Our gracious server presenting our dish.

Here is my meal. It came with house-made potato chips (crisps) which were very thin and light, and roast shallots. I got a Caesar salad on the side as well, and Doug opted for the potato puree (aka mashed potatoes).

Alas there were no apple or pumpkin dessert options on the menu, so we "settled" for a warm chocolate souffle with hazelnut ice cream and all those beautiful and edible garnishes. Not a crumb was left :-)

So while I did not have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I still had an absolutely delicious meal. And most importantly, I got to spend it in Abu Dhabi with Doug. No complaints. None.

DAY TWENTY SEVEN - Easing Back In

"It's gotten quite a bit cooler since you left", the airport guide cautioned me when I told her I'd been gone a month.

The automatic doors whooshed open, and I stepped out into the night. The air was indeed cooler, a lovely 73 degrees, and the humidity had thankfully dropped as well. Palm trees were silouetted in the airport lights.

I was glad the limo driver didn't want to talk. I was tired - exhausted in fact - and I wanted nothing more than to ride into the city in silence. The main road from the airport is always well lit, but now regularly interspersed along the median were sparkly decorations with Arabic lettering and large number 42's. The buildings lining the road were draped with lights in the colors of the U.A.E. flag.  I had read the "Gulf News" paper en route from Frankfurt and knew early next week is National Day, this country's version of our Fourth of July. The country was founded forty two years ago, the same year I graduated from high school, and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E. is all decked out for the anniversary celebration.

These decorations are outside my door at Sama, but they are identical to the ones I saw along the highway on my way from the airport. The falcon imagery or symbol is everywhere, kind of like our American Bald Eagle.

The driver deposited me in front of Sama Tower, and I dug out my NYU ID card so I could pass by security. Once in the elevator I paused before punching level 23. What was my apartment number? I was only in Sama one week before leaving for the States, and now a solid month had passed and I was so, so tired. 

Thankfully Doug opened the door at my slightly hesitant knock, and I stepped into the place I would now call home for the next ten months or so. It was familiar, yet at the same time it was new to me again. Doug had gotten some snacks for me: grape leaves, fresh hummus and pita, and a variety of dates and little cakes, but I wasn't hungry. I was so woozy with fatigue that all I could think about was crawling into bed and falling into a deep sleep.

Why is it that sometimes when we are at our most tired, sleep eludes us? I lay in bed, and my mind wouldn't stop. As if my trip over were not long enough, I had to play it over again in my head. I thought about my dad in Maryland and my friends in Hoboken. As the sky lightened almost imperceptibly, I heard the morning Call to Worship. I looked at my bedside clock: 5:25 a.m. It wasn't till around 7:00 a.m. that I finally dozed off, and four hours later I was awake once more.

"You better get up now or else you'll be awake again tonight" I told myself. 

But I couldn't move. I lay in bed for several minutes before finally crawling out from under the duvet. I stumbled around the apartment, wandering randomly. There was the suitcase sitting open on the floor, my clothes spilling out of it. I pulled out some things and then walked to my closet and stared at the drawers, trying to remember where I'd put things. 

"What's the matter with me? Why can't I remember things? Why am I so foggy?" I chided myself.

As I moved slowly about the apartment my head began to clear. I looked out the windows which had been cleaned on the outside during my absence and observed that with the cooler, dryer air my view had expanded. Whereas before the Arabian Gulf and sky blurred together just beyond the skyline, now the Gulf extended far into the distance. The Emirates Palace, barely visible through the humid haze a month ago, seemed so close I could reach out and touch it. 

I heard the roar of an approaching jet, but it was immediately obvious this was not a commerical aircraft. It was too close and too loud. I scanned the sky and a lone fighter tore into view, executing deft rolls, smoke trailing behind it. Then it did several loops and climbed high in the sky only to plunge straight down to the earth before leveling off and doing yet more rolls. I love air shows, and here was one just for me! I guessed this was a practice run before next week's National Day celebrations.

As I began to feel better and calmer I could hear my friend Roger's voice in my head. "Be kind to yourself, Kathi". 

Yes, it's been a crazy few months. The abrupt move to Abu Dhabi and then back to the States only three weeks later to be followed by a month of non-stop work, moving my father from his house to a retirement community in Maryland. It's no wonder I felt exhausted and disoriented. 

"Stop. Sit. (Or Stand!) But stop. Pause and ground yourself. Cut yourself a break. Don't beat yourself up. Be kind to yourself."

Postscript:  I wrote this yesterday and am editing it now after an excellent night's sleep. I am already feeling SO much better. Abu Dhabi.... I am back!

DAY TWENTY FIVE - The adventure resumes

It was exactly 4 weeks ago today on October 27th that I left Abu Dhabi and flew back to Hoboken. The past four weeks were a blur as I finally settled my father-in-law's estate and then jumped right into moving my dad from his home of 50 years to an independent living community minutes from my sister and her family in Silver Spring, Maryland. I managed to fit in shopping for things to bring back to Abu Dhabi, and I spent some lovely time with friends. 

But dear heaven it was a stressful four weeks. Many times I woke up in the middle of the night and had a few moments of disorientation: "Where am I? Am I in Hoboken or in Clinton Corners in my childhood bedroom? Or at Lori's in Maryland? Or Abu Dhabi?" One night I remember waking up alone in bed and thinking, "Oh Doug is still doing email out in the living room. I need to go get him," only to realize in the next moment that he was half a world away. 

I am so grateful I was able to come home and get my dad settled. Now I can rest easy knowing he is in a safe and comfortable place with lots of neighbors and plenty of activities to occupy his time. My sister is thrilled that he is near so he can join their family for holiday meals and attend his grandchildren's school concerts and other activities. I feel such relief knowing Dad's house is completely cleared out and cleaned up so when it is finally sold (fingers crossed) there will be nothing to do other than deal with the paperwork. And I am so happy I was able to meet up with many of my friends. 

But I am very, very happy to be returning to Abu Dhabi. Before I left I was able to get our apartment set up, so when I arrive I can simply unpack and settle in. Now that I know I will be there for a good chunk of time I can begin exploring in earnest and find interesting activities or classes...... who knows? I can begin planning Jeff's Christmas visit, and then in January my friend Linda is flying in from San Francisco, and among other things we're going birding in the Dubai Creek area. My friend Mary Catherine wants to rendezvous in either India or Africa. I mean how cool is that? And I am hoping other friends will be able to come visit in Abu Dhabi or meet me somewhere in Europe. I can hardly believe I have these opportunities!

Mainly, however, I am looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi so I can rejoin Doug. When we decided to go over with his NYU job it was with the idea that it would be an adventure we would share. The past few years have been challenging for us, and even though his position at NYUAD is intense and will require vast amounts of his time, we are committed to exploring and enjoying this time together. I can't wait!

Let the Arabian Adventure resume. 

I'm flying back on Lufthansa with a 7-hour (ugh!!!!) layover in Frankfurt. I've never flown a 747 before, so this is another "first" for me.