Overheard in Abu Dhabi at #MediaMondaysUAE – #ToroToroAD edition

"Please don't take my picture. My image is worth money."

POUTINE! POUTINE! POUTINE! Where to eat it in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

In honour of Canada Day Friday, I resolved once and for all to find and add up all the places in the UAE serving this most fattening and comforting of dishes. It turns out there are 12. Please tell me what I've missed. It's a bit weird writing about something you know so much about. I'm not sure it works, but I tried.

Snap caption: Graffiti is illegal in the UAE, but sometimes people do it anyway

Spotted in the Between Two Bridges Area of Abu Dhabi

January in the Gulf: Our own sort of Polar Vortex

Cold guy #1.

In every year that I have lived here, January has provided some of the most amusement. The talk of the weather is particularly fun for someone who spent eight chilly years living in Canada's capital of Ottawa.

Dear BBC: Thanks for the A Canadian in Abu Dhabi shout-out!

A colleague pointed out that this piece from Sunshine Flint about life in Abu Dhabi lists this space as a way to find out more about life in the city.

The article was likely being prepared just as Abu Dhabi lifted the five per cent cap on rents, which has everyone (myself included) a little worried about what will happen when we re-up. 

Highlight of my week: Painting otters at the Dubai Acquarium and Underwater Museum

Yes, I saw Blackfish. I know all about aquariums. But, but - these otters are painting, with little tiny brushes!

Still in Canada, because this much snow

The scene from my brother's front door Sunday morning.

I was due to arrive back in Abu Dhabi from a visit back home tonight. However as you can see, there was a giant dumping of snow on my hometown of London, Ontario this weekend. Several times over the weekend officials closed Highway 401, which is how we make the two-hour drive between London and Toronto's Pearson International Airport, and I didn't risk the drive. (More love to Etihad Airways, my favourite carrier in the world. I can say that, because I've flown a little, though never Aeroflot or Ryan Air, thankfully. Anyway, a call, zip, doodle, one small Mastercard charge and I'm flying out Tuesday night)

I have to tell you that while I am here, I'm loving the winter: the crisp, invigorating air, the cool coats and hats, warm cups of hot chocolate, furry slippers, flannel pyjamas, lots of comfort food and just the general cosiness of it all. (I'm not loving having to wear boots everywhere, the instant and unsolvable dry skin issue and of course, the bane of every Canadian woman, "static hair".)

Yet I know my delight at the season is due to my imminent departure from it for sunny, warmer climes. Next week there will be flip flops, and beach yoga, and warm evening breezes across my balcony.

If everyone around me is a little less excited than I am about the white stuff, of course that is because they are going to be in the thick of it for the next six months. And even though I've been gone from Canada for 5.5 years now, I still remember that winter loses its lustre very, very quickly.

Khloe Kardashian stops in Dubai to promote clothing line at Iconic, jokes about rapping, does not talk about hubby Lamar Odom

Here is the story.

PS: Smallest red carpet ever.