My trip to Dubai: The Dubai Mall

The hallway at the main entrance

When a shopoholic like me is told that the world's biggest shopping centre/mall is in Dubai, i had to give it a visit. The Dubai Mall is huge, i honestly have never seen anything like it and i have been to a fair amount of shopping destinations in my lifetime. However, i was amazed just by stepping foot in the place for the very first time. 

The huge aquarium and underwater zoo in the Dubai Mall

Let's just see the numbers. The Dubai Mall is home to 1,200 shops across four floors, SEGA republic which is an indoor theme park dedicated to Sonic the Hedgehog, a permanent ice rink, a gold souk and also its very own dinosaur. It is eclectic to say the least and it is home to every shop and brand known to man. It does provide respite for those in Dubai to shop in peace under an air conditioned roof with some wonderful restaurants and cafes to sample whilst shopping at your leisure.

The Cheesecake Factory

Being a hardcore Big Bang Theory fan, i was very excited to find The Cheesecake Factory in the Dubai Mall and it really was a piece of heaven. With every cheesecake known to man, i sampled the Red Velvet Cheesecake and the Oreo Cheesecake and they were delicious. The service was impeccable and we were greeted with a smiling waiter who was very patient with our enthusiasm and excitement being there.

The underwater zoo is breathtaking and though you can pay to walk through it, all visitors can see the aquarium from the outside. You can see sharks and fishes swimming along at their leisure and it is beautifully lit. In fact, there are restaurants based around it so you can watch the underwater kingdom whilst you eat at your leisure. 

One thing you must see whilst visiting the mall is the fountain show which holds the world record for the world's tallest fountain. Modelled on the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, it is a spectacle to see with the Burj Khalifa as a backdrop. It takes place twice a day and we managed to catch it at 6.30pm in the evening, just as the sun was setting in the background.

Though the Dubai Mall is a magical place, for us Londoners, it is incredibly expensive. Prices are marked up by almost 30 - 40% on clothing, shoes and technology - you don't get much for your money. In  the evenings, it turns into the land for the rich with supercars lining the entrance and tourists are keen to get photographs with the works of art. We found it to be a good refuge from the heat and a great place to get a quick bite to eat whist touring Dubai.

Losing a fashion legend Oscar De La Renta

When it comes to the traditional fashion faitytale magic, no one can do it better than Oscar De La Renta. Therefore you can imagine how upset i am to hear that the legend has passed away last night, aged 82 leaving behind a legacy of beautiful dresses. 

He was well known for his dramatic and sensational evening gowns and they were worn by the likes of Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey and a whole host of Hollywood actresses. What has always made his gowns stand out is the cut and flare of the dresses, all showing old school Hollywood glamour that actresses aspire to when wearing a De La Renta gown. 

A big advocate of the designer was Sarah Jessica Parker, a fashion icon herself and she often wore his creations on hit series 'Sex and the City' and on the red carpet thereafter at most events. In fact as her character Carrie Bradshaw, she compared the designer's clothes to poetry: "Oscar de La Renta sleeveless silk, full-skirted dress with black patent-leather bow belt – now that is pure poetry."

Losing Oscar De La Renta is losing one of fashions best and he will be missed truly by the fashion community and followers alike. A legend and every girl's best friend, Oscar De La Renta. 

My Trip to Dubai: Visiting the Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa

Having visited The Shard in London, the highest spot in the city, i was keen to visit the world's tallest building The Burj Khalifa. Literally risen from the desert in four years, it is 829.8 m (2,722 ft) tall and it is awe inspiring to see. The building itself is managed by the same company as the Shard and the structure of the experience is the same too. Entrance is granted through the basement of Dubai Mall (I will talk about this in another blog) and it is incredibly popular with tourists and the emiratis alike. Tickets must be prebooked as slots get filled up early.

You arrive at the entrance and you are met with an influx of information about the building and how it compares to well known landmarks worldwide. It is clear to see that this is the world's tallest building as you are put in a darkened lift for the journey to the top. I think they are missing a trick here as you could have had a commentary about the building of the Burj Khalifa and how it came to being and what is actually inside it. 

The view from the top

Once you get to the top, the view is just phenomenal. You do feel as though you are floating above Dubai and you get to see every inch of the city, all the roads and landmarks and it is clear to see that the country is a work in progress. It is a business city and one thing is for sure, it is very well thought out. There is a clear contrast between Downtown Dubai and the main city centre and from the Burj Khalifa, you can see it all progressing and growing by the moment.

They are also very very proud of the fact that Tom Cruise scaled the building whilst filming Mission Impossible III and it is all over the attraction. If you want to see Mr Cruise scaling the building, see here:

My trip to Dubai: The Sofitel Palm

View from the Burj Khalifa

I recently returned from Dubai and before i left, i tried to find out more information about going there, what to wear and what i should look forward to. However, disappointedly, there wasn't much out there on the internet. Despite the hoards of people who have visited the country, no one had bothered to describe the country for what it is and what to expect when you get there.

No i am not about to slate the country and say that it is not as good as it has been described as, it really is amazing. A whole city built in a desert in less than 100 years is an accomplishment for any country and the amount of care which has been put into making it as welcoming as possible makes it stand out from other tourist attractions. 

We arrived very flustered and weary from an overnight flight on Emirates with a crying child a few aisles over, and got immediately engulfed into the Dubai heat. We took a cab from the airport, a pink one for us as it was those travelling with women and got dropped off at our hotel, The Sofitel Palm.

Pool view at the Sofitel Palm hotel

The Sofitel Palm hotel

When i say heaven feels like this, i am not exaggerating. We arrived at the Sofitel Palm and got given the warmest reception i have ever received at a hotel. We were greeted with smiles and graces as they walked us in to the hotel and checked us in. With cool towels and cucumber mint juice, we were shown around the hotel including the magnificent pools and spa. Our room was even more fantastic with sea views and the most amazing rain shower which literally washed away memories of our flight. 

The beautiful indoor garden walls in the corridors of the Sofitel Palm 

The hotel has seven different restaurants and we were given half board at two of them. We didn't need to venture to the other, the closest one to us Manava was brilliant. A buffet style breakfast. lunch and dinner with food from all over the world meant that i never needed to discover anywhere else to eat. I know that sounds incredibly boring but i am not a big foodie, so having the comfort of well made food on my doorstep was perfect. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone, the service is impeccable and the staff cater to your every whim make it a slice of heaven. They are helpful every step of the way and they never stop smiling!

The food buffet at the Sofitel Dubai Palm

Keep reading for my review of my visit to the Burj Khalifa!

SLAM London 2014 at the O2 Arena

I was fortunate enough to attend SLAM London 2014 at the O2 to see Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and the Happy New Year team to perform live on stage. They danced to some of their most popular songs and drove the crowd wild with their song and dance numbers.

I reviewed the show for BizAsia, see here for my review: http://www.media247.co.uk/showbiz/slam-the-tour-2014-london-review