Fortnum & Mason: The Dubai Edition

Only a couple more days to go until we can get our manicured little hands on the goodies at Fortnum & Mason here in Dubai. Though with one caveat; there will be no foie gras. Controversial but delicious, foie gras is not halal because of how it is produced. I am sure though that the rest of the goodies will make up for the lack of foie gras and maybe our waist lines and pocketbooks will be the better for it.

The new Dubai store is described as being a vast, three story department store. It is located between the Dubai Mall and The Address Downtown Dubai in a free standing location. The current facade around it was done by the brilliant Rory Dobner.

Link to original photo

Check out the facebook page of Rory Dobner for more of his work and some gorgeous and inspiring pictures.

Will let you know how it is as soon as I make a trip to Fortnum & Mason. Which will be soon. Very soon. Tah for now, dahling.

Saadiyat Island: Paradise at our doorstep

Living in the UAE means that we are absolutely spoiled when it comes to the coast line. Factor in the relatively warm winters and it is understandable that people not only want to live here but vacation here. Being quite loyal to the Dubai coast line I finally made the plunge and went to Saadiyat Island. Now I wonder why I have not gone before! It was gorgeous. White sand and turquoise water made a simple day trip into a vacation away to some faraway Caribbean paradise.

Entrance to the beach

 Entrance and membership fee information from the website:

• Basic entrance fee of AED 25 per adult and AED 15 per child over six years old. An annual membership fee of AED 500 per adult and AED 1,000 per family.
• Daily access fee inclusive of sun-lounging facilities is AED 50 per Adult/Child on weekdays and AED 75 on weekends. A six-month membership fee is AED 1,500 and an annual membership fee is AED 2,500. 
• There is free parking for up to 200 cars at the beach as well as a public bus service which stops there

Enjoying the beach

From the small restaurant

 As we did not bring snacks with us we opted to grab something from the small restaurant which was by the entrance. I went for the tabouleh and hummous. Both were well flavoured and cost AED22 each. There were other Arabic mezze, such as moutabel and Beiruty hummous, also for AED22. Sandwhiches and pizza, as well as some nice salads were also available to order and were around AED30-50. The prices were reasonable for the quality and quantity of what we ordered.

Looking towards the sun loungers

There are also changing, shower, washroom and locker facilities at the beach which are clean and well maintained.

After a nice day at the beach we headed across to the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas for a lovely Devonshire Tea at The Library which was AED70 per person. At first we decided to sit outside and enjoy the view but as we were not in the sun we slowly got rather chilled and moved inside.

Rose hip and hibiscus tea outside on the terrace

Delicious scone with clotted cream and cherry jam

Inside The Library

The Library was a cozy place to enjoy a Devonshire tea. I could imagine coming here even alone and reading one of the books they have on hand while eating scones and drinking tea or grabbing some girlfriends for an opportunity to just catch up. The service was excellent and because the scones (which are freshly baked) did not come in the time frame that was given to us we also received a glass of fresh orange juice.

Getting to Saadiyat Island is simple from Dubai as you only need to follow the E11 south bound and then you will find the signs to Yas Island/Saadiyat Island. From the Marina area to Saadiyat Public Beach it took us about 40 minutes with a stop at a petrol station.

Check out Saadiyat Island this weekend for an escape from the norm. 

The count down to love day

And the count down begins for both the RAK Half Marathon and Valentines Day. Both of which are on the 14th of February. Convenient that the 14th is a Friday which in the UAE means weekend! I was listening to the radio and an advertisement for a local jewelers came on where they asked a question which was something along the lines of "what do women want most from the man in their life?" And then it went on to say that we as women want to hear "I love you". According to this jewelers you can say it with a teddy bear, flowers, jewelry etc. Spare me the teddy bear. Even as a child I was not so much into plush toys. I had two that I loved, had those since birth and I have no love for any other plush toy. Flowers should not just be delegated to just Valentines day or special occasions. What about bringing flowers as a surprise, as a "the weather is not nice pick me up" surprise. Regarding jewelry it all depends on whether or not you can afford to give your lady love (or man love, equal opportunities) some jewelry. So there you have it, worst case scenario all three options are not viable, what is a girl/guy to do?

1. A muy romantico picnic in the park: Dubai in the "winter" is fabulous for staying outdoors. A park pick nick can be as expensive or as cost friendly as you want to make it. You can either pick up some gorgeous take away foods or make your own. Invest in a beautiful vintage style pick nick basket and blanket to set the scene. Bring proper cutlery, decorative napkins and nice glassware and plates. Take along a mini selection of luxe desserts. This is the time to splurge on macarons from Pierre Hermé, Perrier water, special cheeses and meats, bread from Le Pain Quotidien, desserts from Paul, the list is endless. Make it personal, bring some flowers and enjoy sometime with one another eating lovely foods, and talking under the warm sunshine. 

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2. S'mores in the desert: Dubai is, as you may have noticed, surrounded by natural beauty. The desert is a vast and magical place especially as the sun rises and sets. Heading out into the desert can be a great Valentines option for couples that are more outdoorsy. Firewood can be purchased at most petrol stations in the UAE, to be prepared like the boy/girl scout that you are, have that sorted a couple days before and bring plenty in case you intend to see the sun set and rise. Newspaper and matches to start the fire are also important. I know people who use lighter fuel to start the fire but I would be wary about the fumes. Like the first option also make sure you have a blanket for sitting on or bring folding chairs for more comfort. As the desert is still quite cool in the evening bring some extra clothes; a warm jacket/ sweater is still needed in the night. You could even gift your love a matching toque/ glove set (double points for having a small message embroidered somewhere). S'mores are easy to make: bring a box of graham crackers, assorted chocolates (mix it up with a varying assortment from Lindt Excellence) and of course marshmallows. You will also need a long stick or skewer for roasting the marshmallows on; these can be found in most grocery stores in the outdoors section. Carrefour has a great selection for outdoor pick nicks etc. Bring as well a thermos with hot chocolate and tea to drink through out the night. Cuddle up and enjoy!

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 3. Dinner a casa: Dinner at home on Valentines day does not have to be a death sentence. Au contraire mon ami/ ma amie! It could very well be a swoon worthy event. If your lady love/ man love works on a Friday this could be such a wonderful "welcome home after a day of work" thing. But! And this is a big but. Do not dress like a slob just because you are at home. Men wear nice slacks and a dress shirt, ladies dig into the dredges of your closet and take out that gorgeous figure hugging cocktail dress. Wear an apron if you are worried about making a mess while cooking (this goes for the men as well). Or of course you can save yourself cooking and order in or get some lovely items from The Lime Tree Cafe or Eataly. But make it thoughtful. Unless your other half is craving AED 2 schwarma, keep it classy. Decorate with candles and flowers, have some soft music playing in the background, prepare a welcome drink. Candles are super inexpensive escpecially at places like IKEA. Floating candles inside a nice glass bowl make the light bounce. For a beach vibe add some sand to the bottom and sea shells. Nicely set the table with glassware, cutlery, plates and decorative napkins. Essentially you are bringing the restaurant atmosphere inside your home. A quick google search for "romantic dinner at home" will bring up images and ideas to help you on your way.

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If you want to gift your lady love/ man love something make it something personal. What do they like? Wherein lie their interests? Are they a vinyl fan? You can gift them a new vinyl from Virgin Mega Store. If they like poetry an old book with a hand written message from you is adorable. If you have a mutual interest like horse back riding or diving make a handmade voucher for diving and a beach lunch or a sunset desert hack. We all have interests and there is nothing nicer than having something take an interest in said interest.

Valentines day is an opportunity to show someone how much you love and care for them. So even if you are a single on this very much couple orientated day so something fun with friends. All of the above can also be done as a group, pick nick in the park, s'mores in the desert and a nice dinner at home can become a friend or family event.

Enjoy this Valentines day and cuddle up. And for all you RAK Half Marathon runners good on you and see you at the finish line!