A Desert Mirage

I couldn't imagine living life in a desert such as this. Still, the soft sand under my bare feet and warm sun kissing my face was a beautiful experience. Desert mirage? No. So blessed this is my real life.

Welcome to Dubai.

xo | din

din's Travel Notes
Be a knowledgeable tourist! If you research an activity online, don't settle for the first listed price. For example, my friend and I wanted to do a "desert safari" complete with dune bashing and camel rides. The first "deal" we saw was 199 AED. Another discounted to 150 AED. Fortunately my savvy friend is an excellent researcher and found us a deal that included all of its competitors' features for 99 AED! That's $26.95 USD for dune bashing, camel rides, snacks, dinner, entertainment, and henna.

The Palace

We've arrived! The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is a five star hotel and built for luxury. We spent some time out front taking photos, making Instagram vids, and laughing––why not?!

The weather was slightly overcast, but still sunny enough to enjoy being outside. That called for a selfie. This is how we do!

Below are a few shots as seen from the front lawn. More beautiful images of Etihad Towers can be seen here.

Let's take a tour of the palace interior, shall we? Press play on the videos below for a taste of luxury!

 

A gold dispenser? Well, of course!

Aside from seeing the grandeur of the hotel, one of our main goals was to get to the beach for a drink. We prepared ourselves to carry "We know what we're doing and where we're going" attitudes and made our way downstairs from the lobby. We were stopped in our tracks!

One we reached the doors to the beach, the hotel security guard informed us that it was private. (It's accessible only by hotels gusts, hence the aforementioned attitudes). And while I'll save you from the back and forth dialogue, I will share the money phrase that we pounced on: "You're going to the BBQ restaurant?" Immediately Stik said, "Yes!" I had no idea what he was talking about, nor did I want BBQ, but I knew that this was our ticket! And that's how we ended up on the private, white sandy beach of the Emirates Palace overlooking an incredible view.

View from our seats at BBQ Al Qasar

This structure may be reserved for the Sheikh, or President.

After watching the video above, you'll agree that it was completely serene. Since we were there early, only one other party (two girl-friends like us!) were on the dining/bar platform. Meaning to say it was quiet! Stik and I were able to enjoy our drinks while we reflected on how crafty we were to get on the beach, the stargazing opportunities around us and, most importantly, how blessed we are!

As the sun set, the dinner rush started to make their way on to the platform filling our area of the beach with multiple voices and scents of sweet-flavored shisha.

xo | din

din's Travel Notes
Stik and I could have given both our arms, legs, and first borns to stay at the Emirates Palace. Instead, we accessed it like the locals would and took advantage of the free aspects of the beautiful estate. The main interior (lobby and bar/restaurant) are open to visitors, as well as the front entrance area (lawn, steps, fountain). Although the beach is private, go with confidence to the security and tell them you're headed to (give name of your preferred beach restaurant). You're allowed to go only for restaurant purposes, so it would also help if you already have a reservation!

Etihad

View of Etihad Towers from Emirates Palace

Oh, Abu Dhabi. You continue to amaze me.

Could you imagine this type of architecture as a daily part of life? As an American, I don't see these types of structures. Our buildings, some more architecturally appealing than others, are built for necessity. When it comes to the United Arab Emirates, however, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan had a different idea: Get the Emirates on the map! And if you haven't heard by now, he did.

Approximately 40 years ago, life in the desert started shifting as structures such as these starting popping up; as well as other environmentally and tourist attracting concepts. They've attracted business and entertainment alike. Most recently, Furious 7 was filmed here. If you've seen the trailer for Furious 7, or the movie itself, Etihad Towers is the location where the car flies through the glass! I'm curious to watch the film to see if there are other structures––even if it's just a drive by–– that I might recognize.

So what kind of fancy business is going on in there anyways? Sleeping. They're hotels! Well, by the looks of it, clearly there is more than sleeping is going on. Check out the details here. So, if you're in charge of planning your team retreat, consider staying here! The fees are probably just slightly less than the Emirates Palace (stay tuned for details on that!), where I'm viewing these amazing structures in the pictures above.

I may or may not have photo-bombed tourists' precious memories on these steps. If I did, it was Stik's idea and I may or may not have laughed til I cried.

xo | din

scarf | LOFT
necklace | H&M
tank | Mossimo
skirt | Forever 21
sandals | Mix No. 6


din's Travel Tips
The exchange rate between the USA and UAE (and Qatar!) is fixed. And, most importantly if you're an American like myself, in our favor! $1 is 3.67 dirham (AED)! What I found as best bang for my buck was shopping in the local markets, or Souks. As well as dining away from the tourist attractions (aka money grabbers!). Any of your friends or colleagues who spent hundreds at brunch weren't doing it right. Keep checking back and I'll show n' tell you why!


photos | eshcala

Drop The Mic

Host Dorian Paul D with performers

One favorite past time from our days at UW was attending spoken word performances. In keeping with tradition, Stik was able to track down a pretty significant event for us to attend—the Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival. It was hosted by Dorian Paul D, founder of Rooftop Rhythms, and included several deeply talented artists.

We were able to catch performances from local artists, a Canadian artist, as well as some from the States! A few of those by name were "G" Yamazawa (pictured with me above), Kane Smego, and Patricia Smith (or "Jimi Savannah", depending on which parent you ask). More details on this empowering event can be found at www.abudhabipoetryfestival.com.

Fun fact: "G" also lives in DC and is performing at Busboys and Poets next month! Follow his Facebook page for more details. Small world, eh?

As I mentioned yesterday, my vacation fell on Stik's birthday. After the show we enjoyed a birthday dinner at The Noodle House at Souk Qaryat Al Beri. We sat alfresco enjoying the cool air and architectural sights (most of them hotels) along the water.
 
I definitely think my Thai Chicken with cashews dish had the best flavor, and my adult beverage was the perfect pairing to both a full day and my meal.

It was also fun to have the serving staff surprise Stik with a dessert (candle, too!) and song. She thought it was a typical dinner out—not on my watch!

View of the Grand Mosque from the water taxi.

After dinner, we took a short stroll, then hopped on a water taxi. Just for fun, of course! Visit my Instagram for more videos and pics of my time in UAE.

It's been a few years since my sister-Stik and I have had the opportunity to celebrate our birthdays together. All I can say, it keeps getting better and better! 

As does my vacation in UAE! Next, I'll tell you about my time at the palace!

xo | din

My Accessories
flower headband | The Market NYC
necklace | H&M


din's Travel Notes 
Most restaurants do carry alcoholic beverages. If you do not see it on the menu, just inquire with your server. Cheers!

Abu Dhabi

I've arrived!

The architecture is so artistic and innovative!

We arrived on International Day of Happiness. Why not?!

aka Stik

Those are some pretty significant buildings. I'll share more in a later post!

We called this the "Tetris" building

The story of my recent vacation began on the morning of Christmas 2014. I was extremely ill, resting at home, and debating on whether or not I could muster up enough strength to go spend the holy day with my family. It was when I hopped onto Twitter looking to see if I had received a response tweet from a particular company that I saw I was mentioned in a tweet from my sister-friend, Rahma, or as I refer to her as Stik.

Either I was still sleepy, had brain fog from illness, or in denial, because that tweet only registered to me as a call to action: look at this. Cheap flights? Sure; no harm in taking a look.

It wasn't until I opened my email to see a flight confirmation and email communication with an Etihad Airways rep that it finally registered...I'M GOING TO THE UAE!!! And the crazy part was it all happened while I was sleeping.

Did you notice the time-stamp on the tweet? Stik, who lives in Qatar, later told me that she couldn't wait til I woke up! This was huge!

There are two things you're probably wondering right now: "What did din do to deserve such a blessing?" and "Can I be friends with Stik?". Well, I turned thirty and 'No', she's mine! That's right, the trip was a birthday gift; gifted on the celebration of Jesus' birth; and planned for Stik's bday.

So amazing. So extremely blessed.

The shots above were taken at the Corniche (coast). We were headed for brunch at Le Boulanger Marina Cafe. As it was a beautifully bright day, we sat on their patio overlooking the man-made beach and sailboats bobbing in the distance.

While we could've stayed there enjoying the sun, we had other places to see!

Formerly a women's park, Mushrif Central Park is now open to all.

Mushrif Park was having a grand re-opening with a community day. Ripe Food & Craft Market was present which meant lots of great vendors were there.

The Wisdom Garden

This wood ring (r.) was my first purchase in UAE.

I love local vendors because this is where I find my most unique, personal jewelry. The wooden ring pictured above immediately caught my eye. I learned from the vendor that it was Sudanese made. I chuckled a little as I thought: "I came all the way from the US to the UAE to buy a piece of jewelry made by my people."

At this point, I'm sure there is no need for explanation as to why the silver ring was purchased, right?

Indeed I tell you, this is what true friendship looks like: Having friendships that span the globe and sharing experiences with them! And, I was extremely blessed to spend 10 days with one of my favorites. Follow my posts as I share my travel looks and experiences across the UAE and Qatar's capital. Don't forget to continue reading past the outfit credits for my travel tips!

My OOTD
shades | LOFT
headband | The Market NYC vendor
necklace | H&M
tank | Mossimo
cardigan | H&M
skirt | Soprano
sandals | Mix No. 6
manicure | Rex Day Spa
crossbody handbag | Mossimo *Don't carry heavy items; it weakens material around strap/bag connection 



din's Travel Notes
 

Apparently you can fly internationally in a box.

The moment the man seated in front of me lowered his seat back (before take off, mind you), I knew I had to capture the shot. As I mentioned, I flew Etihad Airways, an Abu Dhabi airline. And from the picture above, you can come to the conclusion that "no" I did not fly first-class. Whatever airline you fly, 14 hours is a long time in the air. Here are some travel tips to help you manage your view from the top:

– If you're uncomfortable because you're cold or need an extra pillow ask the flight attendants!
– Be sure to peek through the packages of blankets and pillows they have resting on your seat because they often supply you with earplugs (to drown out those shameless snorers), eye masks (14 hours of sun while trying to rest isn't preferable), and a toothbrush (feel free to remind your seat-neighbor)
– Pack gum (so that your seat-neighbor doesn't have to remind you there's a toothbrush)
– If you're storing your carrying on in overhead compartment, be sure to get out of there what you need. A window seat will decrease your mobility; especially if your neighbors are sleeping!

xo | din