LIVING THE SWEET LIFE

There is nothing like seeing old, what-you-see-everyday-on-your-way- to-work things through the fresh eyes of a newbie in town. Suddenly you are being pointed out or asked about things you never gave a passing glance to and wonder have you really become that oblivious, has it really been that long living here... It seriously worried me that I had become one of those living zombies who go about life without experiencing life much.  Did I really need a niece in town, a fresh, young girl with sparkle in her eyes, a zest for life to match and an enthusiasm for the most mundane things to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings?

Abu Dhabi to most westerners is a pleasant surprise - the sun and sand is what they expect and come hoping for, but discover so much more, pristine beaches that stretch for miles, even the public beaches are the cleanest I have seen around, amazing iconic architecture, hospitable people and the service - most visitors are blown away by the courtesy and service in restaurants, spas, hotels, shops even petrol stations. My niece couldn't get over how easy it is to fill up the tank here, you just drive in and let the people do it for you - the valet parking at the malls, the packers at grocery stores, the laundrette who pick up your washing from home and deliver nicely pressed shirts on hangers the next day or  how everything gets tidied up in my home without moving a finger (I have a lovely helper, who cooks and keeps our home tidy). But is that not exploiting people, I hear you ask - creating a culture of doing nothing - a hierarchy of I deserve to be treated that way and you are there to serve me? To be honest, when I first moved here, I was worried as hell about that as well - I didn't want to become one of those spoilt people who expect service all the time and at any time of night or day - until I had an enlightening discussion with a friend, and he made me see things differently, quite differently, infact. It is simple, everyone is just doing their job, the people at the petrol station, the valet parking guys, the maids at home - you are helping them have a job by creating a need, now the best you can do is keep creating the need so they have jobs but at the same time tip them generously every time they help you so they get to increment their salary - and believe me that does help them keep their jobs and raise their families back home and serve you with a smile and courtesy that keeps you smiling as well. Its a win win situation were my friend's words that really stuck home. The I can do it all myself mantra practiced by the west actually burns people out in the end. Its nice to be helped, for some one to carry your shopping once in a while - these little things matter, contrary to belief, it doesn't make us lazy, it makes us feel good.

Here are a few pictures of Abu Dhabi, you might want to visit and experience the sweet life one day...

Design In Numbers

There is no getting away from the fact that numbers and design are intrinsically and intricately linked together. Even though, when we think of design we think of slightly crazed or eccentric artists with their heads engrossed in labyrinths of forms and shapes and colours and textures, and not a thought of sterile mathematics or boring numbers crosses our mind. But the truth is numbers and mathematics determines every aspect of design from dimensions to proportion to symmetry to costs of production - every which way we look at it, design is numbers.

 Remember Fibonacci and his golden ratio or the divine proportion, as its known?   It determines the proportion of the worlds smallest building block ie the atom and those of celestial bodies as well. Nature relies on it to maintain balance and it crops up amazingly everywhere - for example the ratio of male bees to female bees in a bee hive is the golden ratio and sunflowers which have opposing spirals of seeds have the same ratio between diameters of each rotation. Nature it seems designed everything on numbers and patterns and so do artists unconsciously and inexplicably every time they go through the design process. Heres ode to magnificent numbers in design - furniture that is numbers!