40 Kong

A friend of mine recently quit her job and took a time out back home in France.  She returned to Dubai a few weeks ago to try to find a new job and rebuild her life here (if you had met her lovely boyfriend you’d understand why!)  She got back in touch with me and I was delighted to go and meet up with her and hear all her news.  What better excuse for a cocktail we both agreed!

We arranged to meet at 40 Kong which is a relatively new roof top bar at the H Hotel.  I have fond memories of the H Hotel because I went there at Christmas last year with my aunt to have mulled wine and watch them turn on the Christmas tree lights.  It was lovely to go back there as it’s been too long.

The traffic was horrendous so eventually I abandoned the taxi and walked the last block to the hotel.  You take a seperate lift which is amazing, it’s on the outside of the building and is all glass so you get a full view of the city from the fortieth floor.  For anyone with a fear of heights I would suggest you close your eyes as the lift has a glass bottom too which is a bit unnerving!  For those of you without said fear definitely take your camera, the lights over Dubai are amazing!

We ordered yummy cocktails,the Elvissa which I think would be easily recreated at home should any of you fancy it. It had real pieces of fruit in which we joked basically made it healthy!  The food looked yummy too but neither of us were hungry, I am looking forward to going back and having some of the snack bites soon!

It was lovely to have a good catch up with a friend and I am so pleased she decided to come back to the sandpit!  I definitely recommend 40 Kong with friends old and new, it’s got a lovely relaxed vibe but is also trendy and good fun.  I think it will be a firm favourite!!

London calling

On Thursday my friend and her husband arrived from London.  I was actually maid of honour at their wedding so I was looking forward to showing them my new home.  I met them at their hotel and we headed off to Dubai Mall to see the fountains and have lunch.  We arrived perfectly on time to watch the fountains when we arrived which was great.  Sadly the fountains aren’t as mesmerising during the day time as at night but such is life!  We had lunch at Rivington Grill which I haven’t been to before but had heard good things about.

Rivington Grill is a bit of a British Expat stronghold, it has a good repuatation for excellent English food and also has a view of the fountains.  Unfortunately it was a dry day due to Islamic New Year – which of course made my friend ask a LOT of fairly negative questions about life in Dubai.  Luckily the food arrived and we changed the subject but I was a bit peeved.  It rather kick started my feeling that she wanted to be negative about my new life regardless – it got a bit tiring rather fast!  Having eaten lovely food (including honeycomb ice cream for my friend’s husband). Eventually we did a tour of the mall (where I really enjoyed the new Hermes pop up store) and then we headed back to their hotel to have a drink in their room.  I then went home to have a bit of a vent to Bond and get ready for dinner.

My friends came over for a drink at ours before dinner and did the obligatory tour of my apartment and then we shared a drink before heading over to dinner at Marina Social.

Marina Social is a new restaurant that just opened at the new Intercontinental Hotel in the Marina.  It’s part of the ‘Social group’ of restaurants with Jason Atherton as the head chef.  My friend was keen to go and in fact had me make a reservation before the place was officially opened…much to the amusement of the maitre’d!  Anyway I will say it’s a beautiful restaurant and in winter it would have a great view over the marina.  The service left a little to be desired, but that’s really just teething issues.  The staff were lovely but lacked the ability to deliver food and drinks in the correct order…our cocktails appeared midway through the meal for example!  Anyway all the food was delicious, the concept is sharing so you can all choose various dishes.  It was all really good but the highlight for me was the foie gras sausage.  My top tip – don’t bother ordering dessert, they bring around a tray of complimentary puddings all of which are yummy!!!  All in all I would definitely recommend it and I am keen to go back and to also check out the bar which looked like it had a fun vibe.

We decided not to have a late evening as we had brunch the next morning.  After a fairly decent nights sleep I went and met the others to head over to Al Qasr for brunch.  We had booked a table at the Al Hambra restaurant and I had invited a few other friends to join us.  Things got off to a good start and we were all thrilled to see just how much food there was on offer!  There were rooms and rooms of options of what to eat, international cuisine in abundance!  The sushi selection was especially good as was all the seafood.  The highlight (and this will come as no surprise to regular readers!) was the puddings, they really were exquisite and they even had a sweetie section which made me very happy! Having eaten and drunk our fill we decided to take the little boats that they have at Al Qasr on to Baahri Bar.  The boats were really cute, I haven’t ever been on one before and I am keen to do it again as it was a fun experience!

Baahri bar is really fun, they have a really big terrace so you can enjoy the nice weather we are now having.  A few other friends joined us here too and the party really got started!  It turned out they have a two for one offer on bottles so two bottles of gin were delivered to the table…this may have been an error in reflection! Sadly I saw a side of someone I really wish I hadn’t and a friendship probably died that evening ‘in vino veritas’ is a true if sad adage after all…

So much sun!

On Friday Bond persuaded me the beach really wasn’t hotter than just lying down on the sun and that I should join him there for a bit.  I was not convinced but as the poor soul had to go to Bahrain on Saturday and thus was losing a day of his weekend I decided I’d go along with his madness.  Sadly I was right, it really was VERY hot and quite humid but we made the best of it!  The water was lovely luckily and so we just swam and bobbed about a bit before admitting defeat…

On the way home we stopped off at Fruiteiro for a yummy iced lemon and mint drink.  It really was delicious and refreshing.  I am obsessed with these iced wonderdrinks which are healthy too!

In the evening we got stuck into Madam Secretary which is brilliant, it’s a clever and dynamic show with a terrific cast. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s a show about the female Secretary of State who is trying to do the best possible job whilst also being a good parent.  I really enjoy the politics of it and the family drama is a nice offset to that. If you haven’t seen it I definitely recommend it!  It has caused some pretty big debates between Bond and I too – it’s interesting to see the male/female view point that this show throws up.  If you like House of Cards or Scandal then this is one for you!

On Saturday Bond headed off for his trip and I went to meet the other two members of the three Musketeers for a pool day.  The Sheraton had a ‘groupon’ offer; for 95 Dirhams you got full spa and pool access and 50 Dirhams was redeemable for food and drink.  We were lucky to arrive and find three loungers next to each other in the sun. It really is a gorgeous pool, infinity style and really tranquil.  Amazingly though there were quite a few people there wasn’t a lot of noise which was lovely.  It was so great to be with two people I really like and connect with – we can talk about anything and everything which we did for several hours.  We even survived an endurance test in the sauna when we were determined to last the full length of the sandtimer…it was no mean feat and we were all excessively proud of ourselves!  The jacuzzi was far more our style it transpired!

The weather was ideal too and we have all picked up a bit of colour!  The burgers we all decided to indulge in were REALLY delicious, I haven’t had such a good burger in a while.  The Sheraton also does a fantastic lemon and mint juice which was especially good for N who was feeling a tad under the weather as there is a cold roaming around Dubai.  We really did have a wonderful time and all agreed we need to do more of this sort of thing as it’s on our doorstep!

At around 6 we decided we had had our fill of the pool and spa and so off we went to our separate abodes to freshen up before meeting for drinks later.  N bailed as the cold had rather taken hold of her poor thing!  S and I agreed to go for a quick beverage at The Wavebreaker bar at the Hilton JBR.  This was very convenient for me as I can walk there in a few minutes. The bar is lovely and right on the beach, the rugby was playing but very few people were there to watch it so the vibe was still relaxed.  A glass of prosecco in front of us we put the world to rights.  It was interesting to hear from a ‘long timer’ in Dubai how lucky I really have been to find friends.  Apparently I am the person she feels closest to along with N who I introduced her too and it’s taken her two years to meet me.  She told me that I make her feel at ease and that’s the best part of being my friend – I was really touched because that’s how I feel with her too.  I think with age I am realising that while longevity is great there is a lot to be said for just clicking with someone and not having any history or baggage!

Cheesecake and chat

This is the new ‘smores’ flavour – it looks amazing but sadly I am not a huge fan of the marshmallow!

On Monday I whizzed up to Abu Dhabi (AGAIN – soon the car will be able to drive the way with no navigation!) to meet my bestie at Yas Mall.  We did some roaming around before deciding to do far more important things and entered the Cheesecake Factory.  We kept things civilised by eating a main course before diving in to the cake. I had the chicken pot stickers which are amazing especially as they are just light enough to allow room for cake too!  My friend had a very healthy salad wrap which she said was a nightmare to eat but really delicious.

Naturally the cakes were flawless as ever, honestly I have yet to have one I don’t love and this time we both managed to finish them.  No mean feat given their sheer size!

It was lovely to see her and put the world to rights and just chat about life and the universe.  A boy she likes is considering coming to Abu Dhabi for a visit so I am looking forward to meeting him and seeing if I deem him worthy!  She’s an incredible person so I tend to be rather protective of her…

We headed home to chill out and get an early night as she starts work at 6.30 and I had to drive back to Dubai to get to work in the morning.  We put on ‘The Other Woman’ which is a HILARIOUS movie.  I haven’t seen a chick-flick in ages, and I definitely recommend this Cameron Diaz romp.  The concept is quite original and it’s very well executed – the idea is that Cameron Diaz finds out her boyfriend is in fact married.  She ends up becoming friends with the wife while they plot the demise of said cheating male.  Much fun and chaos ensues and you learn that the unlikeliest of friends can often be the best!  On a side note  Nicki Minaj also does a fabulous performance as Cameron’s best friend and assistant, as does her hair which seems to be different in every scene!  It’s low brow but amusing and definitely one to watch with your best bud on a sleepy night in!

Abu Dhabi Adventures

The building in the middle has a revolving restaurant on the top believe it or not!!

The Tomcat has been to Dubai before when another friend of ours lived here so I thought we would do something different and head to Abu Dhabi for the second day of her whirlwind tour.  One major advantage of driving is being able to do spontaneous things like that.  The journey to Abu Dhabi is pretty straightforward and not wildly exciting though the desert is pretty impressive.  On the drive we had a classic moment of ‘Dubai Driving’ when the car in front suddenly slowed down dramatically.  We both thought that maybe the driver had collapsed so I pulled up next to him to make sure there was nothing wrong…we both burst out laughing, the guy was casually eating a burger while driving with his knees hence the sudden slow down!!  Only in Dubai would that happen!

Typically with all the chatting that went on I missed the exit for the Grand Mosque which was the main purpose of our trip…Luckily we saw signs for the Corniche and so decided we would go there and tick off two landmarks.  It was only as we drove towards the Corniche that we realised we weren’t quite sure what we were looking for. It turned out it was the sea front and it was really rather lovely, the sea in Abu Dhabi is far bluer than Dubai for some reason.  We considered walking around it but it was a tad too hot in the middle of the day to brave it.

Soon we spotted signs for Presidential Palace and Emirates Palace Hotel so I decided to add those to the tour.  Presidential Palace is pretty impressive, you can’t get very close but you do get a good view of the HUGE gates.  Then we went to Emirates Palace (if you watched SATC 2 then this is the hotel they are supposedly staying in – actually the UAE refused to let them film here an so the movie is shot in Morocco!) Once we had explored and spotted a lovely restaurant we agreed that this seemed as good a spot as any for lunch.  We were lucky to get a table in the restaurant with a view over the sea while we indulged in yet another brilliant buffet. Toms was most amused by the gold bar dispensing machine we saw on the way out and couldn’t believe such a thing existed.  They are actually all over the place here!

Emirates Palace is renowned for being one of the most luxurious hotels in the world and it did not disappoint.  The food was delicious with a wide variety of options. A highlight for me was the celeriac soup which was yummy.  They also had my favourite cheese ‘tete de moine’ so I was very happy to have that!  The cakes were all delicious too and the chocolate custard pot was to die for.  It was really good value for money and I am very keen to go back!

Having had our luxury lunch we decided it really was time to go to the Grand Mosque, after the sat nav directed us to an entirely different mosque we eventually found the one we were looking for. The Grand Mosque is truly an amazing place, there is a sense of peace there that even as a non-Muslim you can really appreciate.  The architecture is amazing, it’s vast for one thing and it’s all white with amazing inlaid marble and chandeliers and stained glass and embroidered carpets.  Honestly I have now been three times and it never ceases to impress.  You have to wear an abaya to enter which my friend found hilarious because they are sooooo long that I can’t walk without tripping!  I was so glad we made the effort to go because Tomcat loved it and got some amazing photos too and we even managed to watch the sunset over it as we drove away.

The drive back to Dubai was uneventful until the arrival at Dubai Mall where we had to face the challenge of parking!  Imagine my delight on finding three spaces free so I could easily park and right by waitrose too – a total win.  We meandered around a bit and looked at some shops before finding our way to the fountains.  We got a spot right by the front and so were close enough to be splashed by the dancing fountains who performed to an Arabic piece of music.  We both really enjoyed it, I think it’s impossible not to love them to be honest.

On our way back to the car we stopped for an all important Sephora splurge, we both went a bit mad and Tomcat treated me to some lovely pressies which was excessively generous and kind of her!  Having destocked Sephora we headed to Waitrose to get snacks to eat while watching rugby.  She died laughing at the ‘Pork Room’ which to be fair is pretty funny!  We grabbed sausage rolls and pork pies and some crisps and dips before heading off to watch the Rugger with Bond and his best friend.  I think those English reading will agree it’s best to gloss over the Rugby which was the only downer to the weekend.

I felt quite bereft when my buddy left on Sunday morning and I was perhaps not quite my usual cheerful self at work.  Still she messaged me today to say she is trying to persuade the other girls to do a group trip which will be amazing!  Something to look forward to for sure!!

Brilliant Brunching!

When my friend ‘Tomcat’ booked her flights to Dubai I was ECSTATIC.  She is one of my favourite people and we always have fun together.  She booked a flying visit and her one request was that we had a brunch which seemed easy enough to accommodate!

I did my research and discovered that Traitteur at the Park Hyatt was the best place to go.  I sent out a message to my buddies out here and booked  a table.  Everyone was very excited to go to a smart brunch with a fabulous reputation and so the countdown began…by the time Toms finally arrived I was like a small child on the brink of Christmas.  We had a bit of an airport adventure when I got a TAD lost and had to take a detour via my office so I could find my way!  Tomcat was nice enough to say she was thrilled to see my office and have a roadtrip with me (one of the reasons I love her is her ability to always see the silver lining!) Once we got home we pretty ourselves up and headed off to indulge ourselves.

Truly Traitteur is a stunning place, it has huge high ceilings and amazing wood panelling.  They had fantastic live music, an accoustic guitarist and a singer with a great repertoire and mix of old and new music. We all were very impressed from the moment we sat down!  Soon sparkling wine was poured for all of us and toasts were made and then the all important eating commenced!

Bond’s best mate out here and I get on very well and so we abandoned Bond and headed to the seafood room because Bond won’t eat it and I love oysters and the like.  They had two different types of oysters, sushi of all types and sashimi, fantastic prawns and lots of different seafood salads. Tomcat was in raptures over it all as we filled our plates.  The oysters proved to be as good as expected, especially when Bloody Mary’s were ordered!

Soon we went to the main courses, there was a whole pork section which you know always makes me happy!  There were three different roasts; duck, lamb and beef all cooked perfectly.  Several stews were on offer as well as curries.  Honestly there was something for everyone.  We really enjoyed everything and ate several courses before heading to the main event – the dessert room!!  We all gasped on entering it, seriously I feel like I have now seen what heaven might be like.  It was incredible to behold that much cake in one place and the presentation was so beautiful too.  These people really know what they are doing when they do dessert!!

Look how elegant that fondue is!

SO MUCH CAKE!!!

Honestly it was like nothing I have ever seen, several tables of cake and truffles and marshmallows!  There was a chocolate fondue with everything you could imagine to smother in chocolate.  Honestly it was hard to decide what to have and so the girls and I decided that the smart move was several trips…I think by the end we had all tried everything!!!

Having eaten everything in sight we then headed outside to enjoy cocktails and champagne in the sun.  It was a tad hot but everyone seemed to cope alright with it – it’s amazing the power of a good view!

The evening ended with a house party at a friend’s place which was great fun, we all danced to old classics on VH1 and generally had a good time!

Rockstars!

A few months back the legend that is Bon Jovi announced he was coming to Abu Dhabi.  My bestie LOVES him so the legal eagle and I booked tickets so the two of us could join said bestie to enjoy the show.  I drove up on Thursday night with the legal eagle and met up with my bestie at the Du Arena on Yas Island.

Having managed to park on the sandpit that they claim is a ‘car park’ we walked what felt like miles to go and meet the bestie and commence the worship of Bon Jovi.

The Du Arena is HUGE and has a lot of excellent food options.  We had standing tickets so we decided to get milkshakes and then find a good spot.  I had the most amazing Kinder Bueno shake which was just what I needed in that heat.  Hilariously my poor bestie attempted to get served and was ignored hugely and the lady would only speak to me.  We still don’t know what she did to offend the waitress but it was obviously serious!

The concert was amazing!  The two blonde bombshells danced their feet off and knew all the words which I was rather impressed by.  The band were amazing, I don’t know how they managed to perform so incredibly and energetically in that heat.  You could see the sweat pouring off them but they never stopped giving their all and keeping the crowd pumped up!  Even though it was hotter than hell it didn’t matter because it was so enjoyable!!

The highlight had to be ‘Living on a Prayer’ at the end – the whole crowd sang along and loved it.  We were all really into it!

Getting out of the arena was a nightmare, it took hours to actually exit and the drive back felt like it took a lifetime.  I was shattered by the time I got home but it was honestly totally worth it!

For anyone else who watched it I hope you enjoyed the concert as much as we all did!