Boy Dubai: Blogger in Dubai - Undiscovering Dubai

Sh*t Dubai Expats Say...

2012-02-13T22:00:00.000+04:00

Duba Fountain - I Will Always Love You By Whitney Houston

2012-02-12T18:08:00.001+04:00

We were just watching this fountain show in tune to Whitney's endless I Will Always Love You at Dubai Mall last weekend, and we were shocked by her death this morning.

RIP Whitney Houston, you have and will always touch every heart that watches the fountain show in Dubai Mall for sure.

Unconfirmed Reports of Fire in Burj Khalifa Trends in Twitter

2012-02-11T23:59:00.001+04:00

Twitpic by @Meow

Burj Khalifa is trending on Twitter UAE tonight. An apparent fire on the world's tallest building has caused alarm on the Twitterverse. Some tweeps saw smokes; some claim they were from the Dubai Fountain though.

A tweet by @SCDxB though says that a fire broke on the 76th level and was already under control when the news hits Twitter.

Hope it's nothing serious.

UPDATE: A Gulfnews report already denied the fire, saying it was a 'Blackberry' story.

du World Music Festival: Sarah Geronimo & Christian Bautista

2012-02-10T18:51:00.000+04:00

Sarah Geronimo is set to return to Dubai anew for the annual du World Music Festival. She will share the stage with fellow pop icon Christian Bautista on March 10, 2012. The festival runs from 7th to 15th March, will be held at Burj Park & Burj Steps @ Downtown Dubai.

Other artists to perform include Gipsy Kings, Amr Diab, Pat Martino, Omar Khairat and Rahat Fateh Ali among others.

For updates, follow this event on Facebook.

Madonna Live in Concert in Abu Dhabi, UAE

2012-02-07T18:36:00.002+04:00

A day after turning back the hands of time on her spectacular Superbowl Halftime performance, Thinkflash is bringing Madonna in concert in Abu Dhabi on June 3rd 2012. Tickets will go on sale by midday of February 27th.

Wondering though, can the Queen of Pop Music cope up with the UAE June weather and give an energetic show at Yas Arena?

Happy Feet! Penguins in Ski & the Mixed Reactions

2012-02-04T09:37:00.000+04:00

Colony of Gentoo and King Penguins are the recent 'expats' creating a stir in Dubai. No doubt these snow penguins are really cute and lovely, but, having it in Ski Dubai received mixed reactions from the UAE online community. Many curious would want to have a sneak peek through the glass window at Mall of the Emirates. A lot are adored and can't wait to have an up-close encounter with the penguins. Called "Peng-friend," people are allowed to interact with the penguins, feel them and spend time directly with them in an environment that 'replicates their natural Antarctic habitat'. This 15-minute session costs AED175 with 10 people max in a group; AED500 VIP option has a limit of 4 in a group and will get you free hot chocolate and souvenirs. Have these birds secure their working visa already? :-)

Born and raised in captivity, the 20 snow penguins are part of a 'world-class breeding program' and have been brought to the UAE from SeaWorld in the United States. And there are many people and animal rights advocates who are crying foul over this 'business move'. Penguins should be living in their natural habitat, they insist.

On the video above (by The National), the Marketing & Sales Director was saying something about "raising awareness about those creatures, and what the people can do to help, raising those creatures in a nice and safe environment..." that I don't buy, quite ironic. At the end of the day, it's all about the profit. At the end of the day, Ski Dubai is just expecting more income than in the past when they just have penguin statues to lure the crowd. Of course, it's business.

Let's see. If they really are employing scientific methods to nurture and care the birds, this couldn't be that bad at all. After all, they're with humans already since the day they were hatched.

Kino's Cafe, Kinokuniya Bookstore Dubai Mall

2012-02-03T18:49:00.000+04:00

Thanks to my meeting last night, I discovered Kino's Cafe inside Kinokuniya Bookstore in Dubai Mall. It was a quiet, relaxing Japanese-themed cafe with a great top view of the Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa.

I had Sencha Green Tea and it was awesome! I love the aroma. It's highly different from all the green tea I've tried before. It has a balance of sweetness and herb. It tastes like broth nuts and roasted pumpkin seeds. I love it.

Kino's Cafe is an ideal place for some casual to serious brain storming, meetings and quiet reading, unlike the typical crowded coffee shops in a mall. I guess it's time to replace More Cafe, at least for a meeting venue.

The menu looks really enticing. I will surely have to try on my next visit.

Review: P.F. Chang's at Dubai Mall, Not As Good As Advertised

2012-02-03T11:00:00.000+04:00

Mongolian Beef

It's Thursday night, we finally tried P.F. Chang's in Dubai Mall after so much buzz about it. It was full house - that suggested higher expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't meet the expectations. Or maybe, we just haven't tried their best and the other specialties.

Shrimp Dumplings

We had Shrimp Dumplings and Salt & Pepper Calamari for starters. Mongolian Beef and P.F. Chang's Fried Rice (shrimp) for main.

The fried dumplings were bigger than the traditional bite size parcels. It wasn't deep-fried, just the bottom. Since we preferred 'fried,' we're expecting something crunchy, but no. Wasn't too bad though, not too good either. Just the herbs were more flavorful than the prawns. The Salt & Pepper Calamari was good. The strips were tender and flavored right. Love it.

Salt & Pepper Calamari

The signature P.F. Chang's Fried Rice was a big disappointment. It was sticky and full of big grated carrots. It lacks spice - doesn't have that 'garlicky' flavor of a fried rice. The "guest favorite" Mongolian Beef was bland. Meat wasn't as crisp as a "Mongolian" beef/barbecue normally is. It has no wow factor.

P.F. Chang's Fried Rice

There's more hype than satisfaction - talk about setting high expectations. Wifey did not enjoy at all. She was suggesting to actually go to Ping Pong but I insisted to go beyond dim sums this time.

We're always fans of Asian cuisine and we've been to a lot of Asian restaurants in Dubai that satisfies our cravings. Noodle Bowl in Al Diyafa Road, Noodle House in Burjuman, even Mini Chinese have better recipes. Overall, it was like dining in a fast-food. When you're in a fine dining, you'd want more than this. It's sooo pricey too. Service was good yes. I wouldn't close my door though, I'm still curious about their seafood mains.

Bubbles & Boba Tea to Open in Dubai Mall

2012-02-02T00:12:00.000+04:00

Photo from Bubbles and Boba Facebook Page

Me and my wife has always been a fan of bubble teas - tried the best from the Far East: Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore. We can trade coffee and frap for it, any time. Nothing in Dubai so far, offers one as brewed and flavorful as what we've tried before. (I haven't tried Ping Pong's yet.) So we're happy to learn from Twitter about this great idea of giving birth to one, at Dubai Mall. Bubbles & Boba Tea is set to open on 6th February, Monday.

Bubble tea, also known as pearl tea, tapioca tea, boba, milk tea and nai cha, among others, contains brewed black or green tea, tapioca pearls (sago), milk and honey or sugar. Commercially, some are blended with fruit juice and other flavors as well - Taro being one of the most popular.

Here's to "Mr. and Mrs. Bubbles", the brainchild of Bubbles & Boba in Dubai. Like you, we're also craving for 'authentic' bubble teas. Can't wait to try.

Follow Bubbles and Boba on Twitter or Like them on Facebook to receive more bubbly updates.

Charice Infinity World Tour Kicks Off in Dubai

2012-01-28T23:25:00.000+04:00

Philippines pride, international singing sensation Charice will kick off her "Infinity" world tour in Dubai on March 2, 2012. She will be promoting her latest album, Infinity, which includes the hit single "Before It Explode" written by Filipino-American Bruno Mars.

The concert will be at Dubai Festival City, 7:00pm to 11:30pm. Tickets are priced AED195 for front pit and AED95 for a regular ticket. Visit platinumlist.ae to buy online or call 055 3691324 for more details.

After Dubai, Charice is set to tour on the following cities and countries:
March 5 - Singapore
March 7 - Jakarta, Indonesia
March 19 - Hong Kong
March 21 - South Korea

-------
Til now I wonder why Charice doesn't get a fair share of radio airtime here in Dubai...

Abraj: The 2 Towers of Dubai

2012-01-27T19:02:00.000+04:00

Abraj: The two towers of Dubai from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Another amazing timelapse video of Dubai by Philip Bloom is making its rounds on Facebook and Twitter. This one features the 2 iconic towers of Dubai, the 7-star Burj Al Arab and the world's tallest Burj Khalifa.

Are You Ready for WWE RAW World Tour Live in Abu Dhabi?

2012-01-25T20:54:00.000+04:00

WWE Superstars John Cena, CM Punk, Alberto del Rio and The Miz among others are smacking it down Live in Abu Dhabi this February 2012.

Three-day heavyweight actions begin Thursday, 9th February until Saturday, 11th February, 2012.

Tickets to WWE RAW World Tour in Abu Dhabi are as follows:

Premium (First two rows Ringside, not tiered) - AED 1200
Category 1 - AED 1000
Category 2 - AED 600
Category 3 - AED 300

source: Think Flash

Emirates Airlines Crosswind Landing in Dusseldorf

2012-01-24T08:58:00.000+04:00

Amazing landing by Emirates Airlines Boeing 777 at the windy Dusseldorf Airport.

Eagles Live in Dubai, Tickets on Sale

2012-01-22T12:54:00.000+04:00

The legendary band behind the hit Hotel California will appear in concert on April 12 at 7he Sevens Stadium in Dubai, their first-ever performance in the Middle East. Expected in the 2-hour concert are The Eagles classic hits such as Desperado, Life In The Fast Lane, Take It Easy, One Of These Nights, Heartache Tonight, Take It To The Limit, and of course, Hotel California.

Tickets are now on sale and you can buy online. Tickets are priced:
AED 350 (Regular - Standing)
AED 350 (Golden Circle - Standing)
AED 1,400 (VIP)

For more information, check the website.

Aside from the concert, The Eagles will also grace the 'grand reopening' of Hard Rock Cafe Dubai.

Dubai at Night: View from International Space Station

2012-01-21T23:50:00.000+04:00

Photo from NASA

Amazing night view photo of Dubai photographed by an Expedition 20 crew member on the International Space Station. Do you see The Palm?

"This night time photograph of the city of Dubai was taken at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time. Orange sodium vapor lights trace out the major highways and surface street grid in and around the metropolitan area, while grey-white mercury vapor lamps fill in the commercial and residential areas. The lighted islands and peninsula of the Palm Island Resort are clearly visible along the coastline. An interesting spiral pattern of lights on the southeastern fringe of the urban area is a camel racetrack." - NASA

Google's First Hangout with UAE Bloggers in Dubai

2012-01-18T20:46:00.000+04:00

Had a great time today mingling with fellow bloggers at the Pavilion in Downtown Dubai. It's great to have received an invitation for this pioneer casual get-together with the coolest people from Google Middle East & North Africa.

We started by introducing ourselves and what we blog about. With us, and hosting the lunch is Google MENA Managing Director, Ari Kesisoglu and Google MENA Communications Manager, Hind Rasheed. It's interesting to know that among our small group, only a couple or 3 uses Arabic language primarily for their blogs. Reasonably, readership is a valid factor. Like here in Dubai, our target audience are mostly comprehensive in English. The demand for the information we provide comes largely from people who at least understand English, expats. There would be a huge difference though if we talk about MENA region. We've also talked briefly about smart phones being an accomplice of improving the way people access information.

After about half-hour of getting-to-know-you under the lovely noontime weather, we went to the auditorium to listen further and see what Google has to say for the blogosphere in the region, and more to that.

The Googley Environment
Google doodle on the blackboards, Google bean bags, the "g" replica, and the Google goodie bags, all these denotes that we're up for some fun and very interesting discovery.

Ari shared more interesting facts. The MENA region has a population of 350 million, and yet only 85 million are online. Though, there are about a million new internet users per month in the region.

Basically, what Ari wants to convey is that Google simply wants to change and improve the way we do things (they've been doing it since 90s yeah). It's about "organizing the world's information." Hence this dialog is to learn what kind of contents we deliver and consume as well.

Maha Abouelenein, Head of Communications of Google MENA, also shared lots of exciting ideas. She refreshed us with figures about Google Chrome, Youtube, Android, Google Plus and Hangouts, etc. We briefly looked back at how Egypt utilized the internet during the difficult times.

One of the most interesting topics she discussed is Search Plus, which I've just learned at the beginning of this year. Simply said, Search Plus is about personalizing your search. When you opt for that, you will be provided with information that is most relevant to your profile - to who you are in Google Plus, and to whom you are connected to - your relationships. You will basically receive results that is close to your online community.

The Google Media Academy is another great initiative she talked about. The project is about educating users on how to maximize the use of Google tools.

Here's another: Google Transparency Report. Government asks Google to remove contents for some reasons. The report lists them down and makes available to the public. Have you ever thought that this is available to us? Interesting...

At the end of the presentation, they emphasize Focus on the user, Empowering others, and Be a force for change as their main principles.

Networking
Farrukh of Copywriter in UAE, asked a very interesting question about, how Google can help in shaping the importance of bloggers to be in the loop - to be recognized and be involved in the immediate community.

I share the same. Bloggers in this community alone still were not being considered as huge content vehicles by many product launches and events. Like journalists, we also want to cover events and access the same contents to share with our readers. Even more, bloggers would most likely be honest and impartial to what they feel and what they want to say. Still, access is limited. Recognition is lacking.

We were served with sumptuous lunch (starter for me) after the session. Unfortunately, as much as I really love to stay, I had to leave early to attend to a meeting. I've finished my appetizer anyway, so I'm not empty-stomached :-). I was able to ask Maha few questions. I wanted to know why Blogger seems just always a runner-up to Wordpress. Even with the recent upgrade, the templates weren't as usable and sociable as that of WP. I love the new back end UI though. Widgets and plugins game is still being won by Worpress. As an avid Blogger fan, I would definitely love to see more great developments with this platform. Regardless, I'll always be happy with Blogspot - thank you for the instant search rankings.

Glad to see Samer of "the one with the carrot on the logo" Jazarah. Shame, I didn't had enough time to meet everyone. I'm already looking forward to the next. This is great! Can we do this monthly? :-) Hopefully the next one's will have more bloggers in. Let's finally build the blogosphere here, Google MENA!

Thank you!

Dubai's Most Popular Water Ride, Jumeirah Sceirah Closed Down

2012-01-16T12:21:00.000+04:00

This photo puzzles me on what they're sad about, until they say...

Wild Wadi's signature water ride, the 13 years old Jumeirah Sceirah is now forever gone. According to their Facebook Page, they had to take it down to give way to something new and as thrilling adventures. The park is closed since 11th January and will reopen at the end of the month.

Here's a short clip of letting go of an iconic slide in the Emirates:

Surely high expectations are up for what the replacements would be. Follow them on Facebook to get hooked of the developments.

AED 20 Fine Per Day For Not Applying For Emirates ID Card?

2012-01-16T00:13:00.000+04:00

Ok, fine! What?

Got an email from a colleague that a strict fine is being implemented since 1st January 2012 for citizens and resident expats who fail to apply for the Emirates ID Card. The fine is 'currently limited' for those who are working in government and semi-government offices.

Apparently, the old news is true, isn't it? Everyday from Jan 1, AED 20 is charged against those who don't have the EID yet. Though, the fine's ceiling is AED 1000.

So if you're one of us, EID fee (AED 100-300, depending on the issuance of your visa) + AED 30 processing fee + fine is now the total cost of Emirates ID Application. Tindi!

~~So I'm gonna rush to the typing and application centre tomorrow morning to halt my fine to AED 320 (16 days). I'll confirm this with another post tomorrow.~~

I bet some Typing Centres don't know about this implementation. One centre said there's no fines being implemented, while another is unsure.

So to avoid any inconveniences and hefty fines, go to the nearest EID centre at the soonest possible time.

Getting Husband-sponsor Visa in Just 1 hour

2012-01-14T22:51:00.000+04:00

Last Thursday, I applied for my wife's visa under my sponsorship and surprised that I got it in just an hour. I went to a Typing Centre complete with all the documents required:

Copies of our passports
Copy of my visa
Arabic Salary Certificate with company stamp (or copy of employment contract)
Copy of marriage contract authenticated by UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Copy of tenancy contract (on my name)
2 passport photos of my wife

We're the only customer in the typing centre so it just took about 10 minutes to finish the typing. We went to Ministry of Naturalization and Residency at the dnata building in Deira (near Clock Tower / City Centre) - this Immigration Centre is not crowded at all compared to other Immigration offices in Dubai.

I paid a total of AED 1375 for the following:

AED 250 (husband's visa fee)
AED 500 (fee for an in-country issuance of visa)
AED 600 (fee for change of status, in-country)
AED25 (Immigration processing fee)

I opted to pay the in-country issuance of visa instead of having to exit the country - the fee is actually cheaper (or just the same) if you compare to a return air ticket. * If the wife is not yet in the UAE, the fees will be less.

After that, my wife needs to take the medical test (within 2 months) to complete the residency and get her passport stamped.

Coldstone Dubai: This is how they serve Ice Cream

2012-01-13T14:27:00.000+04:00

Coldstone never fail to please their customers, not only with ice cream, but with the cool and awesome showmanship of the crew. How about throwing and catching ice creams huh. Every time we visit, we always ask for a 'show'. This video by thasneen, tells you why.

Are they employing baseball and cricket players? Really cool!

Here's another one:

Exclusive Invitation for Bloggers in the UAE from Google Arabia

2012-01-13T07:12:00.000+04:00

This must really be good. A great opportunity to mingle with fellow bloggers and a dialog with Google execs. I'm thankful for the invitation.

Azkals to play 3 friendly matches in UAE

2012-01-11T17:18:00.000+04:00

I got a tweet:

The Philippines national football team, Azkals will be in UAE from February 5-17 for a training camp and a series of friendly matches. This is a part of preparations for the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup on March.

First of their 3 matches will be played on February 6 (7:30pm) in Abu Dhabi against the reigning Serbian SuperLiga champions Partizan Belgrade. The Azkals will also play matches in Dubai and possibly Sharjah.

Football is just gaining popularity in the Philippines and the surprising Azkals is one of the major reasons behind it, although they just rank 159 in FIFA world standings. This is a great opportunity for the Filipino expats to see their national team up close. Tickets start at AED 50.

Here's a highlight of Azkals vs. David Beckham and the LA Galaxy friendly match in Manila, to give you a preview:

Keep an eye on this post for updates on tickets, schedules and venues.

The Dubai Mall Metro Link Futuristic Bridge

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000+04:00

Artist impression of the glowy, futuristic link.

Emaar is set to develop an 820m-long glassy pedestrian bridge linking the metro station to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. The footbridge will be fully air-conditioned with extensive glazing overlooking the Downtown District. Its 10 travellators will start at the Burj Khalifa/The Dubai Mall Metro station entrance pod and travel through the Downtown Dubai development before connecting directly with The Dubai Mall. According to Emaar, The travellators can carry over 13,500 people per hour, moving at an average speed of 0.5 metres/second.

Another great idea to invite people to walk. Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa is just about 5-10 minutes walk away from the metro station. If you take the feeder bus, it would actually take ages before you reach the mall due to bottleneck road congestion. This facility will be very beneficial especially during summer. The bridge is scheduled to be operational in 2013.

Jason Mraz, James Blunt, James Morrison Headline 2012 Dubai Jazz Festival

2012-01-09T22:16:00.000+04:00

Dubai Festival City will serve as new home for the 10th edition of Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival, which will see an outstanding line-up of legends, stars and divas including Jason Mraz, James Blunt and James Morrison, converge on a specially designed, acoustically enhanced venue from February 16th to February 24th 2012.

James Blunt, on February 16
Jason Mraz, on February 23
James Morrison, February 24

They are slated to perform from 10:30pm til 12 midnight. There are loads more great performers in the line up. Tickets are priced AED 295, 395, 595 and 995 respectively.

For more information and for tickets, visit Dubai Jazz Festival website.

Donate Relief Goods to Typhoon Victims in the Philippines

2012-01-08T18:53:00.000+04:00

dnata and Emirates Airlines are encouraging everyone in the UAE to contribute relief goods in food and toiletries to help the victims of typhoon Sendong in the Southern Philippines province of Cagayan De Oro (CDO). Donation boxes are located in dnata and Emirates offices across Dubai. If you need assistance, you can contact 0503104958.

Donations are accepted until 17th January 2012.

"Also known as tropical storm Washi, Sendong triggered flash floods that left over 60,000 homeless and thousands still missing as the death toll nears 1,500."

"Relief goods in the form of food must be limited to ready-to-eat or non-perishable items such as canned goods, instant noodles and biscuits. Toiletries include basic items such as bath soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Contributions must be clearly labelled with the contents of each package. These will be separated into categories for easier dispatch to the Philippines."

PBA 2012 Basketball Games in Dubai: Ginebra, Rain or Shine and Barako

2012-01-06T12:07:00.000+04:00

Photo by InterAKTV

Philippine Basketball Association will once again visit Dubai to bring its official games closer to overseas Filipino crowd. Hopefully, they already learned their lessons on who to partner with and avoid the same fate suffered by Talk 'n Text in 2011. Ginebra for the 3rd straight time will be among the contingents, together with Barako Bull Energy and Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

Game schedules are:
February 23 - Rain or Shine vs. Barako Bull
February 24 - Rain or Shine vs Ginebra

Loads of reasons why every basketball fan should not miss this pair of exciting games. Rain or Shine's prized 2nd-overall pick and a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, Paul Lee is bringing his "Angas ng Tondo" wares along with the highly improving Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood and Ronjay Buenafe. Barako Bull will have 2-time MVP Willie Miller, Danny Siegle and Don Allado among others. They also have the surprising steal-of-the-draft rookie Dylan Ababou in its roster (if he won't be traded). Dylan is a familiar face for the Dubai crowd as he has already played twice here for Smart Gilas during the Dubai Invitationals. Crowd-favorite Ginebra will be bannered by superstar veterans Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Eric Menk and Mike Cortez among others.

Adding excitement are the taller imports. Ginebra is bringing back 7-foot-1 Chris Alexander who led the team to its last championship. Barako is looking to sign-up NBA veteran DerMarr Johnson to beef its front court. Rain or Shine, which is currently playing the the Philippine Cup Semifinals, still has to finalize their enforcement in the Fiesta Cup. Although rumors say that Adam Parada, coach Yeng Guiao's import in Red Bull, will most likely be their import.

Tickets are priced as follows:
VIP - AED200
Ringside - AED150
Lower Box - AED100
Upper Box - AED 60

You can buy tickets in Dubai at Mediacom-Karama Branch (04-397 7272 / 050-2584829/050-9492680) Look for JR. In Abu Dhabi, Pisco (02-6416044) Look for Ms. Rose

Games will be played at Al Shabab Sports Club in Al Mamzar, Dubai. Gates open at 4:00 PM

Overspending? at Cavali Club in Dubai Trends on Twitter

2012-01-05T05:39:00.000+04:00

This photo has ignited fire as it has been making its rounds in Twitter and Facebook criticizing the $100,000.00 plus spent in partying at the high-end Cavali Club for "3 hours." THIS PHOTO. I'm sure this is NOT unusual in Cavali and other posh Dubai night clubs.

"This is how they do it here." "Very disturbing." "Insensitive, when others are dying in hunger," these are just some of the comments this photo has gained. We've seen the bad side... If the person has really loads of extra cash, I hope he can also spend this same amount or even more than this to support some humanitarian efforts. Who knows they do?

* How much tip was given to the servers then? Hmmm

Amateur Video of the Burj Al Arab 2012 New Year's Fireworks

2012-01-02T05:30:00.000+04:00

My amateur shot at the fireworks.

Photos: Burj Al Arab 2012 New Year's Eve Fireworks

2012-01-02T04:59:00.000+04:00

While majority of the crowd went to jampack Downtown Dubai to witness Burj Khalifa's world-class fireworks, we decided to see the original landmark of Dubai - Burj Al Arab's New Year's Eve show. Burj Al Arab has one of the best fireworks display last night in Dubai. It lasted longer than Burj Khalifa's. It was exactly a 15-minute dazzling show, with less gaps and all extravagant presentation. Our spot was a little bit out-of-angle, though we had a peek on the other 2 fireworks spots of Dubai, Atlantis and Burj Khalifa. Here are some photos my sister Kath took from the Jumeirah Open Beach shores... Happy New Year!

Dubai: Help Typhoon Victims in the Philippines

2011-12-31T10:12:00.000+04:00

The Filipino community in the UAE will be holding HAKBANG BUHAY 2012 - a charity walk for the benefit of typhoon Sendong/Washi victims.

When: Friday, 6th January 2012
Where: Safa Park, Dubai Gate 4 (7-11am)
Everyone is of course very welcome

Minimum donation is AED50. Donations in kind will not be accepted in the event as we are aiming to send the help through the quickest possible way - which is in cash.

This charity event is organized by the Philippine Business Council - Dubai, under the auspices of the UAE Red Crescent and the Islamic Affairs for Charitable Activities Department; Supported by the Philippine Consulate General - Dubai & Northern Emirates and the FILCOM - Dubai & Northern Emirates

All proceeds will be sent to the Philippine National Red Cross c/o UAE Red Crescent.

Hope to see you join us in this walk of life. Check Illustrado Magazine's Facebook Page for further updates.

No Philippines Team on 23rd Dubai International Basketball Tournament?

2011-12-29T17:54:00.000+04:00

Smart Gilas - Philippines ended the 2011 Tournament as 1st Runner-up to Egypt

The annual Dubai International Basketball Invitational Tournament will start on 12th January until the 21st. Games will happen at Al Ahli Basketball Stadium in Dubai.

As of this writing, 10 teams from 6 countries have confirmed participation. They are:

Egypt: Al Gezira - Al Ittihad Alexandria
Syria: Al Jalaa Aleppo
UAE: UAE NT- Al Ahli Dubai
Kazakhstan: BK Almaty Alma-Ata
Iran: Zob Ahan Esfahan
Lebanon: Sagesse - Al Hekmeh Beirut-Anibal Zahle-Hoops Club.

Surprisingly, regular guest team and tough title contender, and the biggest crowd-drawer Philippines is not (yet) on the list. Smart Gilas, the Philippines national team who represented the country in the last 2 tournaments, has not been re-formed since most of the players have joined pro.

Powerade Tigers club in the PBA was invited and supposedly would fly in to represent Philippines since they have 2 of the most popular Gilas mainstays in their roster - JV Casio and Marcio Lassiter. But with their surprising upset of the top team in the league, they will be playing in the PBA semifinals which is aligned with the Dubai Invitationals.

The Stadium is always filled up to the rafters with basketball-crazy Pinoys when Philippines team is playing.

Could the absence of a Philippine basketball team this time means a drop in the crowd?

FlyDubai's Non-Traditional In-Flight Safety Video

2011-12-19T21:04:00.000+04:00

The boring narratives will soon be gone. Airlines are surely reinventing how they present their in-flight safety instruction videos. We've seen rapping flight crews, dancing stewardess, celebrities cameo on safety videos and more. FlyDubai, one of the best to offer budget flights teamed up with the producers of FREEJ, the Middle East's first 3D animated series to come up with this comical, 3D presentation far from the sleepy traditional ones. Kids or adults will definitely keep their eyes glued in this 3-minute 40-seconds video on-board the Boeing 737-800. Great job guys! And great collaboration too. Freej compliments the simple yet animated colors of the FlyDubai brand.

Keep Fit Dubai

2011-12-10T18:30:00.000+04:00

What is dubbed as the "Largest Fitness Campaign" dedicated to healthy living under the slogan "Keep Fit Dubai" aims to gather proposals and solutions for a healthy and less-stressed lifestyle. The event will generate a movement that stimulates collective responsibility and action with the purpose of this event being to motivate & attract the whole community to adopt a healthy life style.

"The causes of health problems in this region both physical as well as mental are very much due to the lack of physical activity at nursery, school, work and home plus in-general poor eating habits."

Mark your calendar folks:

Date: Friday 16th December 2011
Time: 3:30pm to 6:30 pm
Venue: Dubai Police Stadium, Al Wasl Road
Cost: FREE
This event is open to all age groups

There will be activities like dance routines of all kinds, sports & physical fitness routines, even flash mobs. Booths will be equipped with free BMI, Nutrition Counter, Free Assessments, Free Medical Check, Fun Challenges, Fitness Tests, Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qigong lessons.

When there's fun, of course there are giveaways as well. Spot prizes include iPad 2s and xBox, and more.

This event will be a great opportunity for all citizens to attend, interact and participate in the various fitness shows and competitions that will be available for you to enjoy.

Fore more info, check the website. Register at http://www.keepfitdubai.org to be eligible to win cool prizes. Like their Facebook Page or Follow Keep Fit Dubai on Twitter to be updated as well.

This event is organized by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sports and Physical Fitness Program, Dubai Police Sports Affairs Department.

Photos: Dubai Ballooning & Night Glow Lanterns Show

2011-12-03T23:29:00.000+04:00

The crowd was a bit frustrated that the 8 hot air balloons didn't fly in the sky. Well, the event was just 'ballooning' and the highlight was actually the Night Glow - where the crowd let loose hundreds of colourful floating lanterns into the dark sky (sold for AED10 each at the venue).

View More Photos on this Facebook Album.

40 Reasons, Big and Small, to Love UAE

2011-12-02T21:53:00.000+04:00

As we all join in celebrating the 40th National Day of UAE. Let me list down my 40 random reasons, big and small, to love the country:

UAE bridges the gap between nations by being a venue for us, expats, to understand different cultures, traditions and beliefs
UAE is still generally safe. I have a peace of mind whenever I roam in the country. There may be few cases of petty crimes but we hardly see them ourselves.
UAE has balance of tourist attractions. Amazing futuristic cities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and unexpectedly great escapes in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the rest of the Emirates
UAE welcomes Christians, other religions and their church in the country. There are at least 10 Christian / Catholic church in the country. Unlike other Islamic countries, Christmas is allowed to be celebrated here.
There are no political circus in the UAE. No one talks about it (at least in my circles)
It is generally clean and orderly here
The country holds at least 10 world-records and still aiming for some. Just shows us how dedicated the nation is in providing top-of-the-world-class attractions, architecture and amenities.
We can wear our casual attires outdoors - although I hate it when some go over-board
There are a lot of green parks within the city - a good place for picnic, sports and kids playground.
UAE have clean, white sand beaches - great water sports as well.
All households are air-conditioned.
It's multicultural in the workplace. We discover a lot of things from our co-workers. We try to learn each other's languages too.
People's level of passion about sports is ultimately high - especially football. There are world tournaments here as well like the Dubai Tennis Championship, Dubai World Cup, etc.
Food is easier to buy - not that cheap, but more affordable against the monetary value.
Apartment spaces are huge
Public transportation are run by the government /semi-government alone; and now it is more orderly
Shawarma stands are in every corner
Desert safari and desert camping on pre-winter
Amazing skydiving view on top of The Palm Jumeirah
It has the only two 7-star hotels in the world - Burj Al Arab (Dubai) and Emirates Palace (Abu Dhabi)
From time to time you can still encounter camels crossing on the road in front of you (near the deserts)
There are loads of concerts of our favorite performers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Iftar everywhere during Ramadan
Dragonmart, Bur Dubai Creek, Karama and Satwa - places to find good bargains
Big malls with great indoor parks and amusements like, Ski Dubai, Sega Republic, Kidzania, etc
Stunning hotel exterior and interior designs
Taking the Dubai Metro Ride
Taking the water taxi (abra)
Dhow Cruise at Dubai Creek and Dubai Marina
Deep-see fishing on a yacht, while seeing the Dubai skyscrapers on the backdrop
It's TAX FREE here
Gasoline / Petrol are really affordable
Gold Souk for bargains and deals on gold and jewelries
There are various volunteer organizations and charities that give us opportunities to lend a hand within and outside the country
Very patriotic and passionate celebration of the National Day
There are sporting events/festivals for air (Al Ain/Dubai/Abu Dhabi Air Show), water (Sharjah Water Festival), and land (F1 Grand Prix, and more)
Bars and Clubs are aplenty
For non-muslims, there are pork products in select supermarkets and hotel restaurants
There are more than 450,000 Filipinos in the country - and our favorite Filipino foods are available in many groceries and restaurants
The social media online and offline communities and events are visibly active (Facebook Events, TwitUp, MeetUp, etc)

I'm happy to be living in this country I call my second home. I'm sure there are more than 40 reasons. What's yours?

Google's Tribute to UAE's 40th National Day

2011-12-02T09:21:00.001+04:00

The logo was Andrew Osama's work - a 13 year old student from Abdel Jaleel Al Fahim School, who won in the My "UAE Doodle for Google" logo competition. The contest aimed at representing the culture, tradition and people of the Emirates. He bested 20,000 other entries from 30 different schools.

Happy National Day UAE! As my friend Olay says, Life begins at 40!

Balloon Night Glow & Lantern Release on UAE National Day

2011-11-27T22:17:00.001+04:00

Remember the floating lanterns scene from Disney's 'Tangled'? See it live in Dubai.

The Meydan is hosting an extraordinarily fun Balloon Night Glow and Lantern Release on UAE National Day, Friday 2nd December. Almost all of the hot air balloons will be grouped in the evening. These balloons will be arranged in such a way that they are going to take off in the sky, but instead of ascending, the balloons will be held down.

This will also allow a perfect glimpse of night sky where the giant balloons will glow like a huge light bulbs recalling that of Chinese lanterns. Hence, this will unleash a predominant preview for the spectators. The mass floating skylamps release will be the climax of the evening. This will be a symbol of Unity where all will come together and actively participate to release the Skylamps. There will be about 20,000 biodegradable sky lanterns on display.

ENTRANCE IS FREE. Show starts at 5pm until 9pm. The Night Glow is part of the UAE Balloon Championship organised by Dubai Sports Council.

Like Meydan Events on Facebook for updates. You can also check the Ballooning Championship website.

Wanted in Dubai: Respect, Good Cultural Understanding is a Plus

2011-11-22T22:29:00.001+04:00

An insensitive Caucasian man sunbathing in front of 2 ladies in abaya at Jumeirah Beach Park.

I stumbled across a disturbing photo shared by a friend on Facebook. She said, those two veiled women (on the photo) were just sitting there quietly when this Caucasian couple came and just joined them at the same table. Next thing you know, the guy stripped, the woman stripped to their swimsuits. Worst of all, the guy had to sunbathe right IN FRONT of the women. "It was quite a disgusting sight," she added.

Swimsuits are accepted on Dubai beaches, yes. Western (and liberal) lifestyle, well most of, are tolerated as well. But being an open-minded city doesn't say we can abuse things and take the situations on our own. This kind of things normally escalate to bigger cultural conflict debates. Good thing the women seem to not mind at all.

But please... we, expats are fortunate that we are free to do what we want to, but let's all be aware of the limitations, be sensitive of others and respect the culture of this beautiful country we call our second home.

Samsung Galaxy Note World Tour Stops in Dubai

2011-11-12T18:49:00.001+04:00

The next stop for Samsung Galaxy Note WORLD TOUR is Dubai on November 29th, according to Samsung Mobile Facebook Page.

UPDATE: Samsung Mobile Arabia is giving 10 invitations to this exclusive event. Check this link on how to get a chance at one.

Britney Spears Did Well, Not Bad in Abu Dhabi Concert

2011-11-12T02:07:00.001+04:00

Photo from Britney Army World Facebook

She's hot! Britney Spears definitely wowed the crowd, and allured the guys.

It was a continuous 1 hour and 10 minutes, opened with Hold It Against Me (Waz Up Abu Dhabi!) and ended with well, Til the World Ends on the encore - a lot of new singles on the set too. She's great, full of energy; A full Femme Fatale production set, and she seems at her element. It's Britney Spears live! She had a lot of costume strips, err, costume changes - which personally I never thought she'd be "allowed" to wear in "Abu Dhabi". She's daring! She pulled off her signature lap and pole dance with a male fan in the Lace and Leather performance - to the delight of the crowd. She never were on her famous two-piece in the entire evening though. (~~Butt~~) But there's just much shots of her rear all throughout...

But, was it just my eyes or she's lip synching? Well not the entirety of the show - 'coz I knew she sang the soft and easy Don't Let Me Be the Last To Know live. It would have been so cool if she had interacted with the crowd more. Yeah she had shout outs but (as I've heard in the crowd) you can count on your fingers the words she said :-) #WhatsUpAbuDhabi #ThankYouForComingHere and the "energetic" #Amazing and #GreatJobGuys when some fans went up the stage to dance.

And oh, she also performed Rihanna's S&M. She did great in it actually. It is one of the most received performance of the night.

Photo from Britney Army World Facebook

Photo from Britney Army World Facebook - by Martin Pfeiffer

Nonetheless, it was a great show. I like it, we do. Seeing the classic Hit Me Baby One More Time performed is epic! She's our childhood 'crush' - and for once in high school we were surrounded by Britney fan girls too. It's simply amazing that we got to experience Britney Spears in Abu Dhabi.

D/SLR Cameras Not Allowed on Concerts... Why?

2011-11-11T12:56:00.001+04:00

Camera deposit at Yas Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi during F1 after race concerts

This is the most frustrating fact. You have a DSLR camera, spent a lot on accessories, fascinated to take beautiful snaps, yet come your favorite concert, you're not permitted to carry it with you. But you are just a passionate hobbyist. How bitter could that be?

Why are these concert organizers stiff on this policy? Is it simply defending the copyright of the performance? They don't want the audience to capture high quality photos and videos and reproduce 'pirated' CDs or DVDs huh (?) They don't allow us to make high resolution photos that we'll publish online with our logo/name watermark in it; or they avoid us making unauthorized 'merchandise' like shirts, mugs and other prints of the artists or the concert - and monetize from it (?) What else?

Apparently, capturing our experience in high quality outputs isn't included in the ticket price we pay. I asked Think Flash Abu Dhabi on Facebook and they replied, "No professional cameras are allowed. Only personal pocket cameras."

We may have 'professional' cameras, but we're not professional photographers. How do they classify 'professional' cameras anyway - anything big is one? As I understand, a good professional photographer could still take a quality photo even if he's using a point and shoot.

I hope this policy would soon be scrapped. For now, it would take a genius to hide and get his D/SLR in.

Flash Mobs Still Trending in Dubai

2011-11-06T18:25:00.000+04:00

WARNING! If you're not into flash mobs, leave this article now... there's loads of videos down here.

Flash mobs are still one of the most popular "alternative" marketing or brand awareness gimmicks in Dubai; and it looks like every mall and tourist spots will have to showcase their own versions. A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act or dance for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, artistic expression, and lately, brand recall. Here are some of the flash mobs and so-called "flash mobs" that had happened around Dubai:

Dubai Airport Flash Mob

This so far is the best I've ever seen. It is (un)organized very well and has all the elements of a flash mob. No props, no costumes. People come in random and in mixed civilian attires. Performers came in from different locations and really surprise the crowd - the people standing beside them. The dispersal element is excellent - feels nothing had just happened. Great job!

Mirdif City Centre Flash Mob

They call this a flash mob though it lacks a lot of the right ingredients to classify it to such. It has an 'obvious' entrance choreography, costumes, and a set stage. It's not a mob. A mob should depict a riotous crowd at least.

Deira City Centre, Iconic Flash Mob

The beginning looks like a 'staged' performance with those box props and entrance choreography. They made it though after a while when they mixed themselves to the crowd, creating a riot atmosphere until they ran going to the Iconic boutique. But still, there's no surprise factor.

Mall of the Emirates, Harvey Nichols Flash Mob

This, again, is another 'staged' performance. Most elements of a flash mob is missing. Having it done on a Mall floor doesn't consider it a flash mob already.

Dubai Mall

Not so much a mob, but looks good, I can't just find the HD video.

Dubai Mall, Du Flash Mob

Just another so-so one...

This one at the Mall of the Emirates, though not a flash mob, creates a freeze mob

At the end of the day, all of these, successful or failed flash mobs still entertained the crowd, and til now makes us smile.

Did I miss any good flash mob? Please leave a link to it in the comment below.

A Magical Sunday Funday at Ping Pong Dim Sum Dubai

2011-11-05T21:35:00.000+04:00

Gaston Quieto

New and improved Sunday Funday weekly games night conjures up some award-winning magic by world-famous illusionist Gaston Quieto along with little magical parcels of deliciousness.

Ping Pong, the uber cool dim sum emporium at The Dubai Mall, has once again teamed up with legendary toy store Hamleys to launch Sunday Funday, a fun-filled weekly evening of traditional pastimes and board games.

However, this season there’s definitely more than a little bit of magic in the air. Quite apart from the classic board games such as Chess, Monopoly, Cluedo and Scrabble, Ping Pongers will also be amazed by the sleight of hand from world-famous magician Gaston Quieto, who will give a performance on Sundays
between 23rd October and 4th December.

Gaston is an international award-winning illusionist and sleight of hand specialist who has performed around the world, on stage and television, entertaining heads of state and royalty including former USPresident Bill Clinton as well as the royal families of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwaitand the UAE.

And no need to queue or strain to see over a crowd, Gaston will pass by tables mystifying and enthralling kids and parents alike close-up and personal.

So how do you ensure Gaston visits your table? Well there’s no telepathy involved. There will be a special area of the restaurant which will be kept separate for guests who order the set menu, which is competitively priced at AED130 for 5 baskets per adult and AED60 for 2 baskets per child. Drinks are not included.

“We always encourage a fun and lively atmosphere at Ping Pong and we are extremely lucky to have Gaston, he is a real star, quite simply he’s magic. Combine that with our tasty dim sum dishes and families are in for a real treat,” said Angelo Domenico Rosato, General Manager of Ping Pong at The Dubai Mall.

One thing is for sure, chicken buns, vegetable spring rolls and of course the king of all dumplings, the prawn har gau, are proof enough Ping Pong’s chefs have their own brand of magic and that’s no illusion. Ping Pong Dubai is located on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall, overlooking The Dubai Fountains.

Follow Ping Pong Dim Sum Dubai Facebook Page to receive more updates

Samsung Galaxy Note Sneak Peek in Dubai

2011-11-04T20:26:00.000+04:00

Samsung Galaxy Note had a soft launch last night at Dusk Terrace, Radisson Blu, Dubai Media City. It was well attended by techies, bloggers, Samsung Mobilers, ambassadors and fans.

Galaxy Note is the latest mobile / tablet from Samsung. Looks like a really good hardware upgrade of the Galaxy Tab 1.0. This one looks more in between of a smartphone and a tablet. What I like the most is it comes with a stylus (S-Pen).

It runs Android 2.3
on 1.4 GHz Dual-core processor
16 GB memory upgradable up to 32 GB
8MP camera
comes in 3G and wi-fi of course
It's 9.65mm thin, 82.99mm wide, and 146.85mm tall

It comes in a large screen display of 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display. Big, if you're thinking of a mobile phone. Won't really fit in your pockets (I can, in my back pocket ;-) ). AMOLED provides an expansive high-resolution screen that enables faster pixel switching response times than traditional OLED displays. It also consumes less power and offers a high refresh rate not compromising superior image quality.

Galaxy Note also boasts of a multi-input feature, and it's where I think the S-Pen is a winner. S-Pen, according to Samsung, is "the most advanced pen input technology featuring an array of functions including pressure sensitivity, preciseness, speed and more." I look at it as a minified version of WACOM pen. In the few minutes I tried the S-Pen, I have to get used to pressing the tiny button in it to properly do some inputs and enable some commands. With the S-Pen, the Note by far is my most preferred alternative to a real notepad. I can screen capture, and easily can annotate anything in it. I can sketch, scribe and as long as it is neat, can accurately be recognized and converted.

The S-Memo looks cool too. I can write, draw, import photos, videos and audio - and you can edit and crop images too. For someone like me who loves to draw charts and wireframes, it would be essential.

It was just my 5-10 minutes experience. Like anything else, it still needs to be proven on a user-testing perspective. I haven't reviewed it thoroughly. There's still more in it that needs to be experienced and tested - the MS Exchange ActiveSync, its info security capabilities, the Cisco WebEx conferencing, instant messaging, telephony, etc. There are also some little gesture recognition issues when I'm trying it, but let's see in actual. So far looks good.

~~Samsung Galaxy Note will officially be available today, 4th November at the Samsung Brand Shop in Dubai Mall. I've heard they're launching it giving first buyers a free accessory pack.~~ It's now available in Dubai.

Luxury Hotel & Resort For Your Pet Dogs and Cats in Dubai

2011-11-02T22:25:00.000+04:00

This one's interesting! You know how much it costs per night? Here's what I got from Urban Tails website:

Junior Suite - suitable for small dogs only at 115 Dhs per night
Deluxe Suite - suitable for small to medium sized dogs at 135 Dhs. It is a medium sized suite with a garden view.*
Urban Suite priced at 145 Dhs is suitable for medium and large sized dogs. The suites have a plasma TV, webcam, garden view.
Junior Royal Suite has all the luxuries your pampered pet desires, like an extensive garden view, plasma TV, webcam, sheepskin rug, extra cuddle and playtimes for 245 Dhs per night.
Book one of the 2 exclusive Royal Suites, the largest suites in the resort, with a plasma TV, webcam, butler service, garden view, extra cuddle & playtimes, sheepskin rug, free collection & delivery, holiday photo album all for 395 Dhs per night.

^All rates are inclusive of food. Play times include use of our fun agility equipment, toys, balls, frisbee toss, rope tug time, throw & fetch, shallow pool & paddling pool time.

Oh, how pampered! For more info, do check their website at http://urbantailsdubai.com

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2012

2011-11-01T21:52:00.000+04:00

Photo from http://www.dubaimarathon.org/ Media Centre

Run for a Reason. I've been wanting to participate in a marathon and this 2012, I wouldn't let it pass.

"Everyone has a reason to run, or to take up running for the first time. We run because we want to stay fit, improve our health, compete in races, support a cause or just try something new. Whatever your reason for running, you'll experience many physical, mental and emotional benefits from the sport. Choose to run in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2012 and run for a reason. Take part in the 3k, 10k and 42k Marathon race."

When: Friday, January 27, 2012 · 7:00am - 2:00pm
Where: The start and finish will be at Downtown Dubai, adjacent to Burj Khalifa

According to the organizers, the marathon route has been changed and is now more exciting.

For more information visit http://www.dubaimarathon.org/. Check the event and RSVP on Standard Chartered UAE Facebook Page.

Registration is ONLINE ONLY; deadline is 31 December 2011. Entry fees are as follows:

For 42.195km Marathon - $120 (approx. AED440)
For 10km Road Race - $60 (approx AED220)
For 3km Fun Run - $15 (approx AED55)

Click here to start the registration process.

Amazing Behind the Scene Video of Tom Cruise Scaling Burj Khalifa

2011-10-28T14:27:00.000+04:00

Here's an amazing video (from Gulf News) of Tom Cruise courageously scaling the tallest building in the world while filming for Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol.

Side A Live Gig + Ruffa Gutierrez and Aga Muhlach in Abu Dhabi

2011-10-22T12:19:00.000+04:00

November 4, 2011, 7:30pm at Abu Dhabi National Theatre

TELL ME, don't you want to relive your favorite 90's ballad hits, when you're probably chasing the first love of your life, when you're trying to rebound from a broken relationship, and all these things? IF ONLY...

Side A, one of the illustrious and award-winning Filipino groups that will FOREVERMORE be in our hearts, will perform live in Abu Dhabi on November 4, 2011, 7:30pm at Abu Dhabi National Theatre. Also with them are TV5 and Philippine's brightest stars Ruffa Gutierrez, Aga Muhlach and Shalala.

So don't LET THE PAIN REMAIN, go and buy your tickets available at AED150, AED100 and AED75. SO MANY QUESTIONS? call the following for more info: 0559220181, 0505614926, 0503139532

So the question, WILL I EVER hear good music again has been answered, yeah! See you there, let's hear the old and new Side A!

The "Etisalat" Cash Prize Scams

2011-10-22T08:58:00.000+04:00

Years ago I start receiving various calls saying I've won cash prizes from 'Etisalat' so he needs to collect my personal details. Just recently, my wife and my sister also gets the same calls. We never buy any 'Etisalat' lottery, never join any raffle, never offered of anything. Then somebody, using a 10-digit 'Etisalat' standard mobile number calls, saying we've won thousands of cash or whatever for a certain automatic raffle because we are an 'Etisalat' subscriber.

We saved the numbers and reported them to Etisalat actually.

Never should we entertain these kind of calls. From the first sound of it, you'll know it's trash. Just by the simple obvious clues, you should never ever fall prey for these. If you want, just play around and trap them.

If it's a random mobile number, don't ever believe it. Just think why would a corporate entity like Etisalat not use their shortcode numbers (e.g. 101) or at least a land line to reach you. They probably have a formal way to contact you. Another best thing to do is tweet them about this at http://twitter.com/EtisalatUAE. Believe me, their Twitter manager is very responsive and prompt. Follow them @EtisalatUAE.

If you haven't heard of any promotions, then don't ever give in your information. In the first place, if they ask for your name, why? Legitimate ones should have a record of your profile already, right?

If you're not a Twit, call Etisalat (Dial 101 - but be patient). Report or at least confirm.

In the news, Some Fraudsters Arrested
According to News/blog Newzglobe, hundreds of scammers were already arrested:

"Hundreds of fraudsters have been arrested and fined by Dubai police for cybercrime activities regarding UAE’s telecom, Etisalat. Dubai Police possesses an extremely powerful cybercrime unit which is actually renowned across many areas of the world and were able to catch the fraudsters who were conning customers to transfer their call credits to them, only for them to sell it for a fee."

That's good news then...

“There are the scammers who call and pretend that they are from Etisalat and there is another group who are selling the balance,”

Selling 'balance' is also a scam? There are lots of them in all bus stations, entrance of malls, everywhere... They're whispering 'balance' 'balance' 'balance' or 'pasa load pare' whenever we pass by.

Nike Running Club and Event in Dubai

2011-10-21T00:00:00.000+04:00

Good news runners! The first Nike Run Club Dubai will launch Tuesday 1st Nov, 2011, 7.00pm at Dubai Festival City. Follow Nike Running Middle East on Facebook (click here) for more details. They will also reveal a new running location in the coming days!

How To Win Premiere Night Tickets To Movies in Dubai?

2011-10-18T23:47:00.000+04:00

Most, if not all, premiere night tickets to movies here in Dubai are not for sale - they are by invitations only. In some cases, you have to win tickets to go to the premier. Here are 5 brands to follow on Facebook to score tickets if you are a person who wants to see the movies first among your friends.

1. Shooting Stars LLC

Follow them on Facebook as they regularly announce competitions to win pair of tickets to the premier. Competitions could be via comments or via email. At times, they also give away some movie merchandise. Alternatively, you may check their website www.shootingstarsuae.com for updates on movies.

2. Kitsch Movies

Follow them on Facebook where they announce weekly competitions to win tickets to the premier. Competitions are through their website www.kitschmovies.com where you have to answer some trivial questions via email. They've also got some cool movie updates on the site.

3. Reel Cinemas

Follow them on Facebook where they announce competitions to win tickets to the premier. Competitions are in the form of trivial questions and at times you have to send your answers via email. If you win with Reel Cinemas, you could either be watching the movie at Dubai Mall or Dubai Marina Mall only. Their website is www.reelcinemas.ae

4. VOX Cinemas (formerly Cinestar)

Follow them on Facebook and join their simple competitions to win tickets to the premier. Most of the time competitions are within their wall and you have to answer through the comment part. If you win with Vox, you could either be watching the movie at Deira City Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Mall of the Emirates, or even at Ajman City Centre. Sometimes competitions are also done via those mall's Facebook pages. Their website is www.voxcinemas.com

5. Grand Cinemas

Follow them on Facebook and join their competitions to win tickets to the premier. Most of the time competitions are within their wall too and you have to answer through the comment part. If you win with Grand Cinemas, you could either be watching the movie at Dubai Festival City, Ibn Battuta Mall or at Grand Metroplex near Wafi. Their website is www.grandcinemas.com

What's not bad about this is you could win a lot of times - and you're in for a really good chance because they select bunch of people to be invited. They need to fill the thousands seats in cinemas remember. I've been there more than 10 times already.

These are just 5 of the many ways to 'win' tickets or to get invited in the premier. You could also get tickets on radio, tv, and other brands on Facebook and Twitter. You could, of course, get invited directly by the film distributor. That is, again, if you are the person who wants to see the movies first...

Did I miss something? Please feel free to leave on the comments section below.

16 Amazing Photos of Fog in Dubai

2011-10-17T12:59:00.000+04:00

It was foggy this morning eh! So weather is now changing yay! Here are some of the beautiful shots of the fog hovering on Dubai skyscrapers I saw across the web:

from PictureSocial.com

from TrekEarth.com

from Fungur.com

from Allianz

from Don Veto Blog

from UAE Dubai Tourist Attraction Blog

from Blogging Via Typewriter

from Bob McCarthy Flickr

from AEG's Blog in Wunderground

from National Post

from Ayham Howly

from Jonathan Kang Flickr

from Reuters

from Standard Chartered UAE Facebook Page

Did I miss some good ones? Please feel free to leave a comment.

UAE Ballooning Championship 2011

2011-10-16T09:49:00.000+04:00

I always fancy anything flying - aircrafts, balloons and all that. And so this event for the 2011 UAE National Day excites me much. If plans push though, this will be one of the events to commemorate the 40th UAE National Day on December 1, 2 and 3. It is slated to be done at The Meydan in Nad Al Sheba.

Follow them on Facebook (here) for regular updates, or visit their website.

Fitness: Dubai Walk for Your Bones

2011-10-14T12:58:00.000+04:00

Join International Osteoporosis Foundation in the Dubai Walk for Your Bones to be held on October 21, 2011 at Dubai Festival City Toys R Us Court Area. Expect a lot of fun activities and prizes to be won too. Also, entertainment for children, such as face-painting, balloon bending and more. This event is under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Know more about this event on this Facebook Event Page. Contact Karishma Whabi of MCI Middle East on 04-311-6300. You can also email wod2011@mci-group.com

Leadership By Example

2011-10-12T11:04:00.000+04:00

I came across this photo of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at DubaiParty.ae Facebook Page. On the caption it says:

"This is why WE LOVE DUBAI & the UAE! Where else would u see a LEADER travelling alone in public, with the public? Respect & Love To H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum"

And he's not even seated. This indeed is a good sight to behold - leadership by example. Also, this is a strong testament to the safety and security in the Emirate. Imagine, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai?! This is just one of the many reasons why he is so loved by people.

Upcoming Concerts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi - Which Ones Are You Seeing?

2011-10-10T00:30:00.000+04:00

It's the time of the year once again - when our favorite celebrities troop the region for concerts and some series of shows. Here are some of the famous acts coming in the country:

JANET JACKSON - October 13 | Yas Island
THE PUSSYCAT DOLL KAYA JONES - October 13 | Amika One, The Monarch Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road
METALLICA - October 25 | Yas Island
CRAIG DAVID - October 27 | N'Dulge Club, Atlantis
MICHAEL BOLTON - November 4 | Madinat Arena
WYCLEF JEAN (Beats on the Beach) - November 9 | Abu Dhabi Corniche
BRITNEY SPEARS - November 11 | Yas Island
FATBOY SLIM (Beats on the Beach)- November 11 | Abu Dhabi Corniche
JAY SEAN (Beats on the Beach) - November 11 |Abu Dhabi Corniche
EXAMPLE (Beats on the Beach) - November 11 | Abu Dhabi Corniche
JULIANA DOWN (Beats on the Beach - November 12 | Abu Dhabi Corniche
INCUBUS - November 12 | Yas Island
THE CULT - November 12 | Yas Island
PAUL McCARTNEY - November 13 | Yas Island
THE SCRIPT (Sandance) - November 18 | Sandance Beach, Atlantis
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTER | November 24 | Burj Park, Downtown Dubai
BASEMENT JAXX - November 25 | Atlantis
CREAMFIELDS (TIESTO, TINIE TEMPAH, ETC) | December 8-9 | Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
CHRIS BROWN - December 9 | Dubai Festival City

Are we gonna see Lady Gaga live in Dubai or Abu Dhabi as well? Rumors are everywhere

Ladies Alert! Vanity Box Beauty Salon Opens in Dubai

2011-10-06T14:48:00.000+04:00

My businesswoman friend has just opened their new salon for ladies. My wife (GirlDubai) says it looks really posh and she can't wait to go there. VANITY BOX BEAUTY SALON is the latest talk in town over at Bur Dubai - Karama. It is a full-service beauty center dedicated in providing customer satisfaction by delivering excellent service, quality products, and offering pleasing atmosphere at acceptable price/value relationship. Check the photos below for the ambiance.

They cater to individuals and groups. You can enjoy relaxing bathing facility, beauty and treatment sections. It is a perfect place to enjoy beauty services and promote the social aspect of a pampering day, a relaxation area and fully customized packages to suit your needs.

Packages starts from AED 80 and a range of options for you to choose from.

Check out and Like their Facebook Page here to get updated and also read some customer feedback.

CONTACTS:
Please call 04 370 9911 or 056 139 2708
Email info@vanityboxdubai.com

LOCATION:
Shop # 1, Al Telal Bldg. # 7, Karama, 126309 Dubai (on the opposite side of Burjuman, near Pizza Hut just a block away from Kabayan Supermarket and Pyramid building with ample parking space exactly near the salon)
Click here for the location map

Public Inter-city Buses in Dubai will have a WiFi

2011-10-04T11:03:00.000+04:00

Finally! Installing WiFi spots on public buses is what I've been long waiting for. According to an article in Dubai-Bus website, "The authority is also planning to launch a number of value added services like wifi connectivity on some intercity bus routes to attract young and net-savvy commuters."

As far as I know, intercity bus routes means Dubai to Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman or other Emirates only (?).

Public buses in Dubai are mostly patronized by up to middle-class, average-income earning populate in the Emirates. And most often, you will see the a lot of commuters using their Blackberry, iPhones and iPADs while traveling.

It is not clearly mentioned though if the WiFi will be free. In Dubai Metro, you have to subscribe to Du and pay per consumption - that just sucks.

"The most efficient & convenient way to circle the city"
Since Dubai Bus aims to be the most efficient and convenient public transport to circle the city, I hope they also address some concerns. How can it be convenient if they always fill up the bus to more than its fullest? Last year they were strict on not allowing anyone standing on any Dubai-Sharjah-Dubai buses. How can it be comfortable if they allow unhygienic people aboard? They prohibit food and drinks to preserve the cleanliness in the bus, and to avoid unwanted smelly foods. But you know what, I'd rather have those smelly foods in than other unpleasant odor coming from... sure, you know what I mean.

Worst(est) Traffic in Al Ittihad, Sharjah-Dubai Road Ever

2011-10-02T18:56:00.000+04:00

Photo from Khaleej TImes Online

This past week has been the worst(est) traffic jam I've ever experienced in Ittihad Sharjah-Dubai Road. I left Sharjah 6:40am and reached Hor Al Anz, DEIRA 8:50am. That's a whopping 2 hours and 10 minutes road trip for a distance less than 12km. My everyday travel used to be an hour given the constant morning rush. This week, 90minutes is the shortest I could.

The reason? Some construction is going on at the border of Dubai and Sharjah. Khaleej Times reported that the 6-year closed Mamzar Exit is being reconstructed and will be converted into an exclusive 'Bus and Taxi Only' lane. Any private vehicles that would enter will be fined AED600.

Bus and Taxi Lane for Sharjah-Dubai Road

Will it really ease the traffic? Honestly, it's highly unlikely that much. The lane is just about a kilometer long, and starts at the foot of Al Nahda bridge. The morning traffic clog in Sharjah commonly starts beyond the 2nd subway in Al Wahda Road.

Also, public buses in Sharjah leave every 20minutes, and there are only about 6-8 Dubai terminal destinations - that's just 8 Dubai-bound buses leaving every 20 minutes (add the one Abu Dhabi bound bus that leaves every hour). I don't see that much Dubai-bound taxis every morning as well. Bottom line, it is still the private cars that clog the roads.

Public buses also only use the Al Wahda Road. Traffic jam starts actually from other sub-highways that leads to the bottleneck Ittihad Road. Al Khan and Al Nahda bridges alone bring a volume of cars in the morning.

But anyway, the effort is appreciable. I hope my theories are wrong. I hope this move would at least slowly ease the spelled Sharjah-Dubai traffic. Rumors say that this lane will be opened on 1st of November which is the RTA Public Transport Day.

Get TEDx Dubai Admissions Through FreeRice

2011-10-01T13:20:00.000+04:00

TEDxDubai is giving you a chance for a free admission to this edition's TEDx. All you have to do is play on Freerice.com, and play til you get your rice donations higher. Here's how:

Create an account on FreeRice.com here. You can use Facebook or Twitter Connect too.
Join TEDx Dubai Group here
Start playing

Click here for the rules to guide you in playing.

By October 15th, the top 5 rice donors will get an admission to TEDxDubai 2011 ″The Beauty of Small Things” taking place on the 22nd of October. Winners will be also asked to go onstage during the FreeRice segment.

Not only that you're helping yourself into a free admission, you're also assisting the cause. At FreeRice.com the more you play by testing your knowledge in different areas, the more grains of rice are donated through the World Food Program.

TEDxDubai 2011 The Beauty of Small Things | Teaser 2 from Giorgio Ungania on Vimeo.

*Created in the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading,” the TEDx program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis.

Burj Khalifa Ushers Mission Impossible 4 Movie Poster

2011-09-30T22:35:00.000+04:00

Google Day UAE 2011

2011-09-30T10:12:00.000+04:00

Calling all Developers, Entrepreneurs, Students, Webmasters, IT and Business Professionals!

For the first time ever in the United Arab Emirates, Google will be hosting g|uae on October 19 & 20 in Dubai.

"Google is very excited to meet with computer science students, software developers, small businesses and tech entrepreneurs in the UAE. We will be demonstrating Google's suite of products that are driving innovation in technology and business across the globe, and here in the Middle East."

Visit this link - as it will be updated regularly and will soon include details on the agenda, so make sure to come back to the site for regular updates! Registration is free but slots are limited. You may take the quiz, err, register on the same link and choose which day/s would you attend to, and your registration will be confirmed until some few weeks (which is weird though). Be sure you're ready to answer a few algorithmic and syntactical questions eh...

Again, visit the site - https://sites.google.com/site/guae2011/

Philippine Film Festival in Dubai, UAE

2011-09-28T22:17:00.001+04:00

How to win free tickets to see Britney Spears Live in Abu Dhabi

2011-09-27T06:50:00.000+04:00

Simply visit www.yasalam.ae to sign-up and get a chance to win two of 10,000 invitations to see Britney Spears perform at the Yasalam first after-race concert.

YASALAM AFTER RACE CONCERTS happen on 11 to 13 November at the Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Aside from the pop princess, American rock band Incubus, British rock band The Cult and music legend Sir Paul McCartney are set to light up Abu Dhabi as part of this year’s ‘Live on Yas Island’ concert series.

Ushering the main events is BEATS ON THE BEACH, happening on 09 to 12 November. It has become one of the hottest events within the Yasalam programme – ‘Beats on the Beach’ has acted as a platform for local artists to showcase their talent alongside some of the most popular performers from across the region and the world.

Expected to perform on the BEATS are: Example, Fat Boy Slim, Jay Sean, Najwa Karam, and Saber Rebai among others.

LIKE ThinkFlash on Facebook to keep on the loop.

The Rib Room Experience at Emirates Towers

2011-09-25T11:32:00.000+04:00

We've just had one fine Thursday evening again, this time at The Rib Room in Jumeirah Emirates Towers. This newly re-launched steakhouse already boasts of its stylish cozy interiors, before you even savor with what's on the menu. The serenading live saxophone adds class to the already-posh atmosphere. We were welcomed and ushered politely into our table by the receptionist. Offered and asked about what we wanted to have for a drink.

THE MENU
The Rib Room is famous for their, well, signature rib dishes. The appetizers are more of seafood varieties (oyster, mussels, prawns, calamari, lobster) than beef and salads. The mains have classic steaks and ribs. Chateaubriand, Australian Beef Tomahawk, Beef Fillet Wellington, Wagyu Beef and Pork Baby Spareribs are some of their drooling main course. Rest of the menu you'll find Grilled, Fish and Shellfish, Vegetarian Options, and of course the side dishes and sauces.

Have a look at The Rib Room PDF menu here.

We were served with a complimentary bread. Also, recommended with a Zinfandel Red Wine (I forgot the name), rich in taste and is very smooth. Perfect match for our meaty and seafood orders.

OUR ORDERS

Prawn Cocktail

I had Prawn Cocktail for appetizer. I've seen this one on a cooking demo during Taste of Dubai and finally I've had a taste. It's a 7-8 layers of medium-sized prawns with slices of avocado in it, in a ketchup-mayo-like dressing, topped with some herbs, and a rye bread at bottom of it. It was served semi-chilled. It's excellent! The combination of the tasty prawns and the medium-sweet avocado is perfect. But I guess I would have preferred it better when it's not chilled when served.

Spicy Fried Calamari with Tartar Sauce

Wife had Spicy Fried Calamari served with lemon and Tartar Sauce. I like that the calamari isn't rubber-like. The breading is mildly spicy and really tasty when dipped with tartar sauce. We didn't even need to squeeze the lemon in the sauce.

Australian Wagyu Beef Stockyard Rib Eye

Wife had 200 grams Australian Wagyu Beef Stockyard Rib Eye - because this is the only 'fat' she loves. Yes, well done (how cute is that potato strip on that photo huh). It's not the typical thick steak cut and she's happy about it. I tried it, tastes good, but I guess it would taste best with a black peppercorn sauce rather than the Lemon and Tarragon sauce she asked for it. It comes with a bowl of flavorful Tempura Wasabi Fries too (look below behind the lobster) - it's a must try!

Atlantic Lobster (and the bowl of Tempura Wasabi Fries)

For me is the Atlantic Lobster - the typical grilled one. One thing about big lobsters is sometimes they have less flavor than the smaller ones. I'm not sure if there's a better dip for it than the Hollandaise - that was what our server recommended. Maybe because it's too big, I find it a bit slimy in the long eating. Generally, this one's a winner! My side is a Baked Potato with Sour Cream, not bad.

American Cheesecake with Strawberry Ice Cream

Warm Chocolate Liquid Fondant

To end the night, we had American Cheesecake with Strawberry Ice Cream and Warm Chocolate Liquid Fondant. Nothing really extraordinary about the cheesecake and the ice cream, but they were good. I like the chunky berries and the syrup on top. And so with my chocolate fondant, the liquid chocolate inside was not too warm though. Although the chiffon was not as soft as I was expecting.

We left the restaurant happy, satisfied and thinking of going back again. We left with a complimentary cupcake each.

-----------------------------
The Rib Room, located on the Lobby Level, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, is open for lunch from 12.30pm and dinner from 7.00p. Visit their website here.

An Event for People New In Dubai

2011-09-20T12:51:00.000+04:00

Are you new in Dubai? Still getting into it? Want to know the things you could do, or not do? Where and when to go? Then NEW IN DUBAI is an event for you. New in Dubai is an event full of useful information on clubs, sporting activities, art groups, doctors, dentists, help in the house, banking, insurance, green issues, job opportunities, ladies groups, charities, children’s groups, talks on local etiquette and regulations, language schools, driving schools, your pets and a whole lot more.

It's happening on 1 October, 2011 | 10am – 6pm at Conference Centre, Knowledge Village

Join the New to Dubai facebook page for a chance to win some exciting prizes at the event! Click here to register.

Check the website for more info: http://www.newtodubai.org/

Here's a clip on who will be there and what else to expect on the event:

Photo Blog: Snow Park at Ski Dubai Experience

2011-09-18T17:15:00.000+04:00

We had a great time at the Snow Park inside Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates.

"Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East and offers an amazing snow setting to enjoy skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, or just playing in the snow. Young or old, there is something for everyone, from the beginner to the snow sport enthusiast. Ski Dubai is a unique mountain-themed attraction that offers you the opportunity to enjoy real snow in Dubai all year round." - SkiDxb.com

You can enter the park for AED120 per person that comes with a complete snow suite. You have to buy gloves though (you need to) at the Ski Store. The cheapest, yet really usable, you could get is the Ski Dubai branded cotton for AED20 each.

Strolling in the -3*C Snow Park is one among the basic things you can do inside. You can roam around the park except the ski and cable cars area. You can glide and slide, climb the rocks, cross and pose on the hanging bridge, and you can pull and ride some sleighs too.

Here are some of our photos taken at the park:

The slides

One of the foot bridges in the park

It's free to slide and glide - and you can repeat it until you get tired

If you want to roll with this giant ball, you need to pay additional AED 30

Feels like Christmas - there are lots of pines in there

At the back of that huge glass is the mall. That small hut sells coffee (if you can't stand the ice) and some snacks.

The biggest open area at the park

The "caves" near the entrance / exit - where the ice are so close to you

Mist in our camera just minutes upon leaving the park; and it stayed chilled for few more minutes out

Taxi Drivers' Reputation in Dubai... Good and Bad

2011-09-18T01:15:00.000+04:00

The way taxi drivers in Dubai introduced themselves to me was generally unpleasant. Well, majority of them.SEX MANIACSOn my first month, I sat on the front passenger seat. This frolic taxi driver, from the beginning of the trip talks about "What is peni* in Philipinni?", "What is puss*?" and nothing but sex and trash. And then he's trying to teach me what it's called in Pakistan. I'm a bit aloof, but jolly that I may, and for the sake of maintaining a friendly conversation (because I'm inside his cab), I talked, answered his every question. When I'm about to go, as I was handing him my bill, he grabbed my arm and wanted me to touch his effin' b*lls. I pulled back and to my shock, I punched him on the chest. I shouldn't have left my cash but I was so shocked and ran inside home quick. I thought of reporting to the police - but since I'm new in the city, feared this kind of things - that I may be the one to get the raw end of it.That disgusting incident has earned the Dubai taxi drivers a too bad reputation from me. After that, I never rode a cab seating beside the driver. I always sit at the back. One time, I'm opening the back door but the taxi insist that I sit in front. No way jerk! I also avoid conversations with them. Other taxi drivers are plainly too noisy and trash talkers too. They thought every 'kabayan' loves to talk about sex. Even if I ignore their non-sense blurbs, they don't stop. There are other drivers who will enumerate all the trash Tagalog words they learned: "P*tangina", "Gag*", "Baya*", "GLORIA ARROYO" name it they know it.TOO FAST TOO FURIOUSMajority of them drives like they want to take you to hell, not just because they're too fast, but they're rude. They don't know customer service. In taxis here, the customer is not always right. Some of them shout at you. AND, everywhere you may want to go, they will always complain 'traffic.' If you're going in a short distance, they'll drive the cab against their heart, and you'll hear them talking to themselves loud in their language. They prefer not too cold temperature. Sometimes when you ask to turn the A/C cooler, they're pissed. Oh man! They get pissed off at little things... Hot tempered. A FEW GOOD MENBut of course, there are a few behave drivers. Silent all throughout the trip would be best. There are also wholesome jolly ones. Once, an old man cheerfully sings "Pinoy Ako" by Orange and Lemons. He knows. Another one recites all the presidents of the Philippines. Others talk using "Saan ka papunta?" and directions "kaliwa, kanan, diretso, hinto." Another one, knows Wowowie by heart. There are funny and gentle drivers as well. Some would really care to help you load and unload your groceries in compartment. There are those who start intelligent conversations too. Some talk about world politics, and our own Gloria and Marcos government. But sadly, only A FEW of them.THE HONEST ONEThe best experience so far for us is riding on this old man's cab. He's the silent type. My wife left her bag in the cab with the mobile and other important cards in it. We tried calling her mobile several times to get the attention of the driver. No answers in the first half-an-hour. Then he called us back using my wife's mobile saying that he noticed it late and asking how he can return it. I asked where is he that time and we'll go to meet him. Instead, he offered to pass to where he dropped us off to return the bag. After an hour, he came back and handed the back and phone and everything. His name is Salahuddin - I won't forget because he's rare. I do hope we'll have more of him.These are just my stories. I've been hearing more of the worse stories from others. One is, you might end up in a desert with the cab driver and you know what happened.

Free Pizza for a Year from Pizza Express Dubai

2011-09-04T20:37:00.000+04:00

Here's one great reason why you should follow Pizza Express Dubai on Twitter (@PizzaExpressdxb): They will be giving 5 lucky followers a supply of pizza every week for a whole year round. So that's 48 FREE'ZA huh!

Pizza Express is known as one of the most genuine Italian pizza chain in the country - best known for their authentic toppings. You may also Like Pizza Express Dubai on Facebook for more info. Check also their Cool Prizes section in their website, and get a chance to get an exclusive entry and swim with the dolphins at Dubai Dolphinarium.

Pizza Express outlets are on the following locations (with their telephone numbers):

Bin Sougat - 04-2852393
Jumeirah (Park n Shop) - 04-3945616
JBR (2nd level) - 04-4370171
IBN Batuta Mall - 04-3685134
Dubai Mall Kidzania - 04-4485221
Dubai World Trade Center - 04-3318480

Don't forget to follow @PizzaExpressdxb on Twitter for a chance of a year-round FREE'ZA!

Max's Restaurant Dubai Opens Today

2011-09-01T11:01:00.000+04:00

We had a blast at the Max's VIP Tasting Experience last night. It's the first time they let the public try what's on their 'Dubai' menu. The night is exclusive for their Facebook participants and Bloggers. Feel sorry for others who excitedly wanted to come in but have to be told to comeback at the real opening day.

From the entrance into our table, everyone's smiling and courteous. Everyone's introducing themselves - you can befriend anybody. The mood is happily upbeat. The friendly staff takes great 'pleasure to serve' you. They're dancing too.

Max's, as we all know, serves one of the best, if not the best tasting fried chicken (since 1945). Its popular classic crisp and texture makes it all unique from other fried chicken out there. They also serve famous Filipino cuisine like Kare-kare, Bulalo, Chopsuey, Sinigang, Fresh Lumpia and their famous desserts Leche Flan, Buco Pandan, the GIANT Halo-halo and the Caramel Bars as well. I need not go further to say how excited we Filipino expats are.

The menu looks pretty similar to Manila minus the pork dishes. Interestingly, they've got Lamb Adobo and Crispy Lamb Shrank as alternatives. The Lamb Adobo doesn't quite fits my liking - it could be the lamb that makes it acerbic I guess, which we're not really used to. I'm sure those who eat lamb could appreciate it as the flavor remains Adobo. Not really bad, I'm just not used to it.

The Lamb Adobo - it comes with an appetizing Kangkong Ensalada on the side

Curiously, they don't have Chicken Adobo.

The batter-free fried chicken lives up to its reputation - crispy, tender and juicy - and still served with sweet potato chips known as Kamote Fries. Balsamic. We've learned that the chickens are imported from Saudi. Price is unarguably reasonable. At AED24 for half and AED44 for a whole - way better than a AED20 3-piece Fastfood fried chicken somewhere else eh.

Still... Sarap to da bones!

Crabmeat Fried Rice looks really posh. One serving is good for 2-3 persons. Like it! Not oily.

Chopsuey is fine. Lots of chicken in it, and lots of cabbage too...

The Camaron Rebusado is surprisingly savory. Are shrimps a lot tastier here? Maybe a little less salt would make it perfect. And, we never actually mind even if it was served when we're already having dessert

Camaron Rebusado - breaded prawns

We had Sago't Gulaman and Corn Shake for bevs.

THE SWEET PART
Sugar and the caramel syrup is just right on the Leche Flan. Firm as cake, soft as jelly. Rich and creamy in egg and milk flavor. Mouthwatering from the time we ordered.

Leche Flan

Buco Pandan is a luscious coconut strips and pandan jelly dessert. Serving includes a scoop of Macapuno Ice Cream topped with rice crispies.

Buco Pandan

But why don't you have Ube Creme Decadence (or Dessert Sampler) Max's? I hope in time it will be available here.

We're almost about to leave when the brand manager approached us for some interesting foodie chit-chats. The Bakery Corner and Coffee Shop has yet to open, yet he asked us to try their signature Caramel Bars. So fresh from the fridge and unpacked, we tried. And yeah, tastes really similar to the original. I wish they'll also have Ube Cakes and Lenggua De Gato.

The Caramel Bars (still on Beta mode) :-)

INTERIORS
They say the store can accomodate about 170 guests, including the al fresco. They've got a private section, a bakery corner and cafe in the house. Ambiance is not really what you're expecting in a posh fine dining, but generally it's clean, orderly, and amply spaced.

MINI-TOUR AND THE STAFF
We were invited by the managers to check the kitchen as well. Wow! Everything in is brand new. Clean and organized. 99% of the staff are Filipinos. They brought in some managers from Manila, and they also sent some to Manila to train for at least 3 months prior to opening here in Dubai.

at may uwi pa si totoy...

We will definitely be back to "the house that fried chicken built". Next to try: Chicken Sisig, Crispy Lamb Shrank, Sinigang and the Giant Halo-halo.

Click here to view what else are on the menu... and other photos too.

Max's is located at Bur Dubai - Karama juncture, within the Spinneys building near Burjuman..

Review: LG Optimus 3D: Recording, Viewing and Sharing 3D

2011-08-30T16:01:00.000+04:00

LG Optimus 3D, one of the first, if not the first mobile to feature 3D is built on a Tri-Dual Architecture -Dual-Core, Dual-Channel and Dual-Memory. It has 4.3-inch WVGA screen capable of showing HD contents in both 2D and 3D. This phone can convert normal photos and videos into 3D as well. Before we go deeper into further technical aspects of this latest amazing smartphone, let’s first tackle ‘the 3D experience.’

Viewing 3D without glasses was I thought a pain, but perhaps, it is just normal for first-timers to adjust, tilt the phone to one’s preferred 3D angle. The content is best viewed at the optical sweet spot which is 30-40cm in front of the screen. The LCD uses a series of slits on the front of the screen that block light so that users' left and right eyes see different images. Hence, no need to the traditional 3D glasses. Now I’m seeing it perfectly – 99% flicker free.
Thanks to the phone’s preloaded 3D contents (3D Space) I’ve had a quick first-hand experience to view 3D with my bare eyes. It has 3D Games and Apps, 3D Gallery, 3D Camera of course that comes with a 3D Guide. The 3D Guide is graphically enhanced to, well, “guide” you in Creating, Viewing, Sharing and Connecting. The graphics of the 3D Games are stunning. You’d be able to feel the depth of the video, or photo sliding into your hands. Definitely cool!

Creating Of course you can shoot your own photos and videos in 3D. It’s just a matter of switching 2D or 3D in the camera options. It’s got dual 5MP cameras at the back to do that. When shooting, the best distance to observe between the camera and the subject is around 0.5 – 2m. The results are unbelievably perfect. You can share them as 3D with your pals if they have a 3D-capable device, else you can convert them into 2D to share it everywhere.

The experience with the preloaded 3D games is totally awesome

How about playing Angry Birds in 3D hey!

Sharing in Youtube Youtube will automatically recognize and add a 3D icon to all 3D videos you’ve created. There’s a Youtube 3D in case some of us are not aware of. Go to http://www.youtube.com/3D Connecting You can use either HDMI 1.4 to connect on a 3D TV or connect using DLNA to other gadgets

Youtube's 3D channel is in the 3D Space

The 3D experience in overall is pretty impressive. There’s more to LG Optimus 3D that I’ll share in my next posts.

15 Most Creative Ramadan Ad Designs in the Middle East

2011-08-09T16:31:00.000+04:00

Cookies, pizza, cakes and pastries shaped as a crescent moon? Why not! Here's a round up of 15 most creatively designed ads for Ramadan within the UAE. We could find most of these on Facebook.

1. Cinnabon

2. Dreamland Aquapark

3. HP Middle East

4. Nescafe Arabia

5. Oreo

6. Pizza Hut

7. Renault GCC

8. Virgin Megastore

9. Cobone

10. Burger King

11. Dubai Dolphinarium

12. At The Top, Burj Khalifa

13. Mall of the Emirates

14. The Westin Dubai - Mina Seyahi

15. Kempinski Hotel

Did I missed some? Please leave their URLs at the comment section below.

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol Official Trailer (English)

2011-08-06T18:14:00.001+04:00

Max's Restaurant to open in Dubai and Sharjah September 2011

2011-07-13T03:44:00.000+04:00

Click the photo to go to Max's Restaurant, Dubai Facebook Page. Like It for updates

Our favorite Chicken House is set to open a restaurant each in Dubai and Sharjah on September 2011 - and soon in other Emirates. I'll keep you updated once an exact date becomes available.

Max's Restaurant replaces Mini Chinese in Sharjah City Centre.

Max's in Sharjah City Centre - Photo by James Philip Galvez Alonzo

My favorite restaurant in Sharjah City Centre used to be Mini Chinese. No choice that's the only restaurant in the mall - but they really have good food. Two months back when we're about to dine in, we're saddened to see it closed. But when we saw what's about to replace it - we're kinda excited it's Max's Restaurant. But we're curious as well if it is the real Max's from the Philippines. As we know, not everything in Dubai is the same as what's in Manila (Jollibee?).

This Facebook Page validates it all. Like it to receive more updates.

UPDATE (August 4, 2011) - I've spotted this Max's signage (below) at Spinneys Bur Dubai / Karama. It's just a block away from Burjuman / Centerpoint. Yay!

Every time we're on vacation in Manila, Max's is always on top of our list to go to. Actually I'm in Manila while writing this and we just had 'Chicken all you Can' last week. No one until now beats Max's chicken for me. Looking forward to that in Dubai. Also my wife is delighted that her favorite Caramel Bars and Lengua in now in the UAE. And the giant halo-halo... now you're drooling huh? Thank you Max's for coming closer. If there's one Filipino restaurant that will not only appease the cravings of the Filipinos but also capture the foreign appetite as well, it's got to be Max's.

By the way, Max's UAE is recruiting. If you know anyone interested in applying for a job with Max's Restaurants in Sharjah please email your CV's to foodmark.hr@cplmg.com.

Organizer of Dubai PBA Games f'd up, lets Talk n Text Team Stranded at the Airport

2011-07-03T16:16:00.000+04:00

Before I go to the title story, allow me to say that I was contacted by the organizer / promoter Ramon Pizarras 3 weeks before the games to design a t-shirt and logo for the PBA Games in Dubai. As a big PBA and sports fan, I agreed (with terms). After I sent my design to him - I got no word and he can't be contacted by any means. I didn't get ANYTHING in return - even complimentary tickets. Let me clear that I DID NOT volunteer for that job.

--------------------------------------------------------

Today I learned a shameful news - The Talk n Text Tropang Texters team were stranded in Dubai Airport. Thanks to the promoter Mr. Ramon Pizarras who left them out after the celebrated games. According to a reliable source, the organizers missed to pay the hotel bills of the teams and their return tickets.

According to Coach Chot Reyes tweet (below), the (Asiana?) Hotel management refused to release their passport after knowing that an amount of $8000 is still in due. All three teams (Ginebra and BMEG the other 2) paid the remaining hotel fees from their own pocket in order for their passport to be released.

Unfortunately, Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters was the only team stranded at Dubai Airport.

@coachot Chot Reyes
Nightmare in Dubai! Hotel refuses to release all 3 teams' passports as organizer still has $8000 debt. We had to advance d funds! Anobayan

I don't have to add up anything else. Just look at the photos and read their tweets below and tell me how you'll feel.

rich_alvarez Richard Alvarez
Man, first they wouldnt release our passports at the hotel, and now they didnt confirm our plane tickets!? This isnt good..

@JAlapag3 Jimmy Alapag
Could be in for a long night if we don't get on this flight back to Manila...

@mtnpeek Ali Peek
Pissed off man! How irresponsible! How s the league gnu 2 leave the champs behind in the middle east to fend 4 themselves!

@mtnpeek Ali Peek
I dropped $6,000 2 help some of my teammates get a flight bk home! Oh! I'm gng 2 get my cash back n sm1 has to pay!

@JAlapag3 Jimmy Alapag
Midnight here at Dubai airport trying to get these flights back to Manila organized...

rich_alvarez Richard Alvarez
Looks like we are stuck in Dubai for at least a day, unless we can pull off a miracle! I love it here, but I miss my fiance and my family.

@ManilaBlack4 Harvey Carey
Bad business...

@coachot Chot Reyes
Here na in Bahrain.Still cant get over leaving my guys behind,but cudnt offload my luggage anymore + twas best so less pax to worry about.

@coachot Chot Reyes
UNBELIEVABLE how badly d PBA handled this trip, esp since I warned them already about this promoter, coz this is NOT d 1st time this happnd

@coachot Chot Reyes
A coach is only as good as his assts:goodwork @scwtN! update coach: 345am emirates 3 pax, 555am Qatar flight 13 pax, 945am emirates 3 pax

j_rey_8 Josh Reyes
by coachot hey, @pbaprodteam , how can you let this happen?? iniwanan kami ng lahat? shouldered hotel bill, paying for our tickets with personal money.

@aresgutlerrez Ares Gutierrez
by coachot @TinaMaralit @coachot shucks.. promoter was notorious. local basketball community avoids them like a plague. ewan ko ba pano nito nagoyo PBA

@coachot Chot Reyes
To those asking, d name of Dubai promoter is Ramon Pizarras. I warned d PBA about him na, pero tinuloy pa rin e -- kami pa nadamay :(

fmango Fidel Mangonon III
Either this bad experience in Dubai for TNT has 'grandslam' written all over it, or is a bad omen re: its particular bid for it.

@rich_alvarez Richard Alvarez
So we've been in the airport for 9 hours.. We had to buy our own plane tickets because our promoter couldn't settle the bill.. Wow.

---------------------------------

With regards to my issue with Mr. Ramon Pizarras, it was clear that my work had been used all throughout the event. This photo below shows that customized PBA (Dubai) logo -with buildings silhouette at the back - and yet I got no single word from him.

I promoted his event on my network. That blog entry alone got 5,348 hits, 433 times shared on Facebook, and 97 times Tweeted, and I got loads of calls and politely lead them to ticket sales. And no word from Mr. Ramon Pizarras. I designed the shirt and logo despite my super busy schedule (because he follows up). I was not asking for payment - I only hold on to his promise that

I'll be receiving an allowance for the shirt design
I will be joining their committee and will be receiving an allowance (means automatic entry to the games)
I will be his official photographer on upcoming sports events
I will be his official blogger / publisher on upcoming sports events

All these happened through phone conversation. And sociable I am, I agreed. I trust people easily as much as I don't. But this served another lesson to me. And to you Ramon Pizarras, shame on you! I've lost all respect I thought you deserve. Shame on you - to let the guests teams down. Shame on you for running away. Shame on you for avoiding to communicate with me - with us. I wouldn't have bothered to blog about my personal experience with you - but letting a guest professional basketball team this way, sorry i couldn't help it. This is not the way to treat guests. And what happened to me is certainly not the way to treat people who render help wholeheartedly.

PEBA 2011 "Where the Heart Is" Photo Contest

2011-06-30T19:23:00.000+04:00

The Pink Tarha, proud to be a part of this year's PEBA (Pinooy Expats Blog Awards) and GLOBE Kababayan SIM bring us the Globe Telecom Photo Contest.

Rain, clouds, more colors, vintage effect? What happened? Don't fret, it's still the PEBA 2011 Photo Contest. We just added a fun, very colorful side to it. Of course, it's hand-in-hand with the theme of the PEBA 2011 Blogging Contest. This is our first major project as a blog, and the first tie-up we have of PEBA Inc... please support us! Grab your cameras and shoot!

Here's the gist: All Filipinos living and residing abroad and of legal age are eligible to join this photo contest. Think of a subject/subjects that will show us where your heart is, what you consider "home." A home is not just a place, right? Capture your interpretation of the theme with the use of your cameras! We don't discriminate so you can use whatever camera you have, as long as you pour lots of creativity and mix in passion. :) Submit your photos (a maximum of 2) at pc@pinoyblogawards.com starting today until August 1, 2011. Worthy judges will be taking a look at your photographs and your family and friend can support you through the Facebook pages of PEBA, The Pink Tarha, and the Globe Kababayan. Winners will be receiving electronic gadgets and more prizes from our wonderful sponsors. For more information, please read THIS. (If that doesn't work because sometimes Google Docs is choosy aka nagiinarte, haha, then you can also click here. ;)

We'll be giving away Globe TipIDD cards worth P300 each for the first 50 participants. We'll be awaiting, rather eagerly, your wonderful photos! :)

Again, don't forget to read the full mechanics and rules HERE (It's a must!). It's just four pages and font 12 so it won't be stressful to read. If you have more questions such as why there are clouds and rain in the poster above or who's that guy holding the camera or why you should join, don't hesitate to email us at pc@pinoyblogawards.com or thepinktarha@gmail.com. Don't be shy now. :)

Kindly share this to your family, friends, and fellow photographers. More photos, more happiness shared. :)

Superbus: How To Get To Abu Dhabi From Dubai The Fastest Way

2011-06-30T10:31:00.000+04:00

The travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and vice versa may be reduced dramatically to 30 minutes. Thanks to the thought of commuting through an electric "Superbus" - dubbed as the next-generation solution to the inter-Emirates commute. The project was apparently presented during the Commercial Vehicles Middle East exhibition in Dubai March this year.

The midnight-blue "bus" is 15 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and 1.65 meters high. It has 8 gullwing-style doors on each side. It travels at a whooping speed of 250 kph. There is a plan to create another racetrack, err, highway lane to accommodate a 250kph high-speed. Think F1.

It is made of lightweight materials including aluminium, carbon fibre, fibreglass and polycarbonate, and weighs just 9,500kg fully loaded.

The vehicle would carry up to 23 passengers only, but in levels of comfort that they say would be comparable to traveling in a Sedan.

Drivearabia: "The Superbus made an appearance at the Dubai Autodrome where Mohammed Ben Sulayem apparently “drove” it around the track in a publicity stunt"


All photos are from DriveArabia.com

How much would a trip cost is another thing. All photos are courtesy of DriveArabia.com

Cool Coca-cola Ad at Dubai Creek

2011-06-27T05:15:00.000+04:00

Photo from 365 Things To Do In Dubai

Iceberg on summer: Coca-cola's creatively cool and non-traditional ad afloat Dubai Creek near Dubai Festival City.

Which restaurant serves pork in Dubai?

2011-06-26T05:28:00.000+04:00

If you're craving for your favorite Filipino pork dishes, worry no more! Crispy Pata, Lechon Kawali, Inihaw na Liempo, Pork Spareribs, all these and more are available at Four Seasons Restaurant in Rydges Hotel. Rydges Hotel is located in front of the busy Satwa Roundabout (Al Dhiyafa corner Mankhool Road). Four Seasons is more of like a Karaoke Restaurant Lounge - perfect for the traditional Manila pub restaurant.

Unlike some Filipino foods in Dubai, Four Season's dishes taste very Pinoy (Pag lechon, lechon!). Not only that, this restaurant also serves San Miguel Beer (Pale Pilsen) for AED 15 per bottle - or AED 135 for a bucket of 10 - really low price for a beer in Dubai.

The restaurant has a Chinese ambience at the door - but really very Pinoy inside. Other than pork, they also serve a range of Asian cuisines. And oh, they also got a bar :-)

Why are they people paying with credit cards for less than AED10 purchases? why?

2011-06-16T13:01:00.000+04:00

Fathers Day: Dim Sum for Dads at Ping Pong

2011-06-16T06:21:00.000+04:00

Don’t leave your dad at home this Fathers’ Day - take him for a treat at Ping Pong, our all-inclusive dim sum offer will go light on his wallet and his waistline

Take off his slippers, drag him out of his favourite armchair and get him down to Ping Pong, the uber cool dim sum emporium at The Dubai Mall, to celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday 19 June 2011.

Although he might moan and groan a bit (its hormonal apparently) he will thank you for it, once he’s tasted Ping Pong’s famous steamed, fried, griddled or baked dim sum treats.

And he’ll be ecstatic when he realises he can eat all he wants (and so can you) for a very paternal Dhs80 for adults and wait for it dads, it’s F-R-E-E for kids under 12 years old (but that’s just your own children; nieces, nephews and pets don’t count).

“We would like for families to come down on the special day and do it the Yum Cha way. ‘Yum Cha’ meaning ‘drink tea’ is a Chinese tradition where on special occasions people visit tea houses to chat, socialise, drink tea and eat dim sum. We want Fathers to enjoy this experience while still being able to go light on their wallets and their waistlines!” said Angelo Domenico Rosato, General Manager of Ping Pong at Dubai Mall.

“We have many dads that come regularly to Ping Pong and enjoy our ‘Lazy Friday Brunch’. So on Fathers’ Day it’ll be dads that get spoilt with something familiar on a special day. Added Rosato

Families can choose from more than 40 varieties of dim sum, soups and salads, and dads deserve a day off, at least once-a-year when they can laze around, sipping delicious mocktails (well somebody has to drive home – right?).

All of Ping Pong’s dim sum is hand crafted by specialist chefs and the menu features a large selection of Chinese teas ranging from healthy traditional green tea through to flowering teas and fruit-based mocktails,

Ping Pong Dubai is located on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall, overlooking The Dubai Fountains. For more details, please visit www.pingpongdimsum.ae or join their Facebook Page

Video: Megan Fox talks about LG 3D TV in Abu Dhabi

2011-06-13T10:01:00.000+04:00

Google hosts Not for Profits Day in Dubai

2011-06-11T16:22:00.000+04:00

Google will be holding 2 events in Dubai - one for Not for Profits on the 22nd of June, and one for Women in Technology on the 23rd of June at Dubai Knowledge Village Building 1.

Google is very excited to meet with web-masters marketeers, and owners of Not for Profits on the 22nd, and with female engineers, students, marketeers, entrepreneurs and business owners on the 23rd.They will be demonstrating and assisting with Google's suite of products that are driving innovation in technology, business across the globe and here in the Middle East, and inviting inspiring external speakers for you to hear.

You will also get the chance to speak individually with Googlers about your online strategy, the tools that we can offer you, and about the opportunities offered by the web.

Visit the events website (here) for future details on the agenda.

The events are free.
Register for Day 1: Google Serve for Not for Profits here.
Register for Day 2: Google Serve for Women in Technology here.

Day 1 will focus on Increasing exposure, supporters and presence online and is suitable for professionals working for Not for Profits in UAE.

Day 2 will focus on building a successful online business and entering the field of technology and is suitable for women working in Digital Marketing, female entrepreneurs, female Small Businesses and students.

Source: Google Serve for MENA in Dubai 2011

Filipino expat to launch first 3D Magazine in the UAE, Middle East

2011-06-10T14:58:00.000+04:00

A young entrepreneur from the Philippines is set to launch what's dubbed as the first 3D print magazine in the Middle East. Jonah Cruz, 27, 3D creator and editor of Mint Magazine, hopes "to capture the readers’ attention and, in the process, connects with them through stories that will uplift and change their lives."

According to Khaleej Times, all photos, artworks, and advertisements in the special edition will be enhanced using a technique for creating optical illusion of depth called stereoscopic or 3D. 3D glasses comes with each magazine.

“There is an abundance of creativity in the media industry. Technology creates out-of-the-box thinking to deliver stories to the readers. Mint Magazine is about old-fashioned commitment to maintaining high standards of journalism fused with fast-paced changes in the media to develop high-value content,” Cruz said.

Will 3D Magazine be a hit?
3D has become a hit in films and other video content. For advertisers, introducing your brands in a new media always boosts better memory retention. Consumers always go for 3D. But will a 3D Magazine be able to replicate that recall effect? The challenge is how advertisers will present the ideas in 3D. How they'll convert that retention into actual sales is another.

Content is king
This adage has been used and abused a lot these days. But yeah, no matter how vibrant the package is, if it doesn't have the right content your market is looking for - the idea will quickly vanish. Stunning looks and feel undoubtly creates really good impressions. Reasonably interesting contents make those good impressions last.

"The special issue of Mint Magazine will tell stories of Filipino people’s struggle for freedom at a personal level such as overcoming fears commonly experienced or dealt with by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Topics will delve into the social costs of migration — most common of which are having estranged family relationships brought about by years of parents working abroad."

"Other issues will talk about emancipating oneself from bad habits such as nicotine addiction, gambling or alcoholism. Tips on how to become debt-free during economic hard times will also be provided. A review of pop culture in conjunction with Pinoy migration can also be read in the special 3D issue."

I'm optimistic that Mint Magazine will make it big. Though I'm afraid, since their market is targeted mostly at the Filipino community - they could miss the opportunity to let the entire region discover this innovation - that is if they don't have a plan to tap the greater market.

The 3D magazine will have 5,000 copies initially and distributed free of charge from June to September 2011. By October, it will be sold at Dh7

A freaky image for a Facebook ad

2011-06-10T14:41:00.000+04:00

Uhmm, not really sure if this Facebook ad will work. Why put a freaky image in it? Makhsoom Dubai is yet again a daily deal site which is just about to launch. I didn't get the relation of the image with deals.

2011 PBA Games Live in Dubai

2011-06-08T18:01:00.000+04:00

UPDATE: Meet and greet your favorite PBA teams and players for autograph signing and picture taking at Pinoy Grill in Al Rigga, Deira:

June 29 Wednesday, 12:30PM (BMEG Llamados *)
June 30 Thursday, 12:30PM (Talk and Text Tropang Texters *)
July 1 Friday, 12:30PM (Barangay Ginebra Kings *)

- source Pinoy Grill Facebook Page (* subject to change, please call Pinoy Grill at 04 222 2225 for confirmation)

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Philippine Basketball Association will again play official games in Dubai. In cooperation with UAE Basketball Association and FBC Sharjah, the PBA are bringing 3 high-profile teams for 2 matches. Grandslam-seeking Talk & Text Tropang Texters will play Derby Ace Llamados and crowd-favorite Ginebra in a rare 2 consecutive days matches.

It will be the 2nd time for Ginebra and BMEG (formerly Purefoods) to play an official game in Dubai. In 2007 Fiesta Cup, Ginebra defeated Purefoods 92-82. Ginebra was without its superstars Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and Eric Menk then. Purefoods was less Kerby Raymundo. Mark, Jayjay and Kerby were loaned in the National Team while Eric was nursing an injury. This time, these superstars are present.

Ginebra will also be sporting a promising back court courtesy of the surprising Rob Labagala and John Wilson along with Mike Cortez, Willie Miller, Ronald Tubid and Jimbo Aquino. Willie Wilson, Enrico Villanueva and high-flying JC Intal will add more flavor to the game for our kababayans.

Derby Ace will also have Rico Maierhofer, PJ Simon, Jonas Villanueva, Rafi Reavies, Roger Yap, Rommel Adducul, Don Allado, Marc Pingris and the newly-acquired MVP-contender Joe Devance.

2007 Dubai game between Ginebra and Purefoods.

Talk and Text will definitely add excitement as they're not only bringing their superstar lineup lead by Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Ali Peek, Ranidel De Ocampo, Jason Castro, Harvey Carey, Larry Fonacier and Jared Dillinger; Their latest 2 championship crowns are enough to say that they're bringing a heavy competition in the games. Not to mention, they're coached by Chot Reyes.

In 2007 Dubai game, Ginebra still has Andy Siegle, Mike Holper, Mark Macapagal , Gec Chia and Sunday Salvacion. Purefoods still has Rey Evangelista, Noy Castillo, Paul Artadi and Jun Limpot

The games will be held at Al Shabab Sports Club, beside Century Mall in Al Mamzar.

Derby Ace will first play the Tropang Texters on June 30 at 7:30PM. On Friday, July 1 at 6:30PM Ginebra will test the mettle of the Tropang Texters - it will also be their first game since the Commissioner's Cup Finals.

Ticket prices are AED 150 for ringside and AED 60 for upperbox; available at the following outlets:

Orlando Sports (Dubai, Sharjah, RAK, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi)
Pinoy Grill (Dubai)
Pizzeria Uno (Dubai)
Mr. Inasal (Dubai)
Tipanan Restaurant (Dubai)
Tagpuan Restaurant (Dubai, Sharjah)
Royal Palace Bakery (Sharjah)
Mabrook - Mabuhay Restaurant (Fujeirah)
Filipino Club (RAK)
Golden Pinoy Restaurant (Abu Dhabi)
Dana Travel (Dubai
Agemono (Dubai)
Naysee Trading (Dubai)
Al Barjeel Restaurant (Al Ain)
Boracay Club / Asiana Hotel (Dubai)

For more info call Ramon Pizzaras (050 6901779), Jimmy Santos (050 1874481), Rico Cardoniga (050 5854836), Ryan Palad (056 7240677), Karlo Calleja (050 4656378), Sherwynne Pizzaras (050 9091257), Kitt Sanque (050 8057189)

In 2007, Ginebra was with import Rod Nealy and Purefoods was with Marquin Chandler.

Kodak Bloggers MeetUp / TweetUp and the Special Ostadi

2011-06-01T08:51:00.000+04:00

Tweets and bloggers in Dubai gathered for a dialog with the Social Media Manager of Kodak Europe, Middle East and Africa, Madlen (@madleeeen). Madlen is in town to attend to some conferences and to meet and greet different blogger groups and tweets. She was with Rashid, Marketing Manager of Kodak Middle East & Africa. and Sarah, Account Executive of RAEE PR.

The homey Special Ostadi - Photo from TimeOutDubai.com

The place is called Special Ostadi, located in the old streets of Bur Dubai. It is a homey restaurant - Iranian cuisine they say. I was surprised about the food. I seldom go to Arabic/Persian restaurants lately. But indeed, Special Ostadi serves one of the best, if not the best, kebabs in town. Thanks to Paul (@Daddybird) for choosing the place.

The witty restaurant owner plays with us

Rashid presenting Kodak products

@cnystedt @mnystedt @hshippey @daddybird @madleeeen

We spent some fun time sharing about what Madlen has to see or experience or learn about Dubai on her short stay. We also briefed her about various activities of bloggers and tweets.

After the chitchats, Madlen and Rashid presented us with the new range of Kodak products. Easyshare point-and-shoots, Wifi-enabled digital frames, Playsport and the most interesting Easyshare Max.

The Kodak Playsport

Playsport is a waterproof, shockproof 5MP camera. We had it thrown on the floor and it is still working. Had it dunked in a glass of water and yes it is still fine. The LCD display just looks smaller though than my Olympus. But I wanted to test its mettle on the underwater of course. I'll have a beach holiday this June and would want to try it out. Definitely a shoo-in my camping backpack.

Easyshare Max

My personal favorite is the Easyshare Max. This DSLR camera has an impressive 30x optical zoom with optical image stabilization, a 12 megapixel backside illuminated sensor, a 3-inch HVGA LCD and EVF 'round back, and full 1080p video recording. At first impression looks like I could trade my old Nikon D60 for this. And it only costs around AED1700 in Dubai. Not bad at all.

The rest of the Easyshare group of cameras are as impressive as well. The touchscreen Easyshare PnS could probably one of the reasons why Flip folded up. The digital frames comes in 7 and 10-inches. Currently, only the 7-inch frame is wifi enabled, and social media ready.

Surely there's a whole lot more to say about these products. Once I've tried them, I will definitely share what's the best recommended for your lifestyle.

It's not everyday we hear about Kodak. Most often, it's Canon, Nikon, Olympus even Samsung. Yes, Kodak is really one of the frontrunners in camera. I thought they're being left out. Thanks to this meetup, I was reintroduced, in fact I'm reminded about Kodak.

Thank you for Kellie (@DubaiWriter) for the invitation.

Ping Pong: The Best Dim Sum Experience in Dubai

2011-05-20T08:29:00.000+04:00

What a great treat to kick-off the weekend. With my wife, we visited Ping Pong Dim Sum Restaurant anew at the Dubai Mall. We had our last food at 12pm and really starving already by half past seven. She's been craving for some 'authentic' Chinese cuisine and so I thought of dim sums. Was just wondering, I thought we'll have a heavy dinner; will dim sum satisfy our BIG hunger?

It's my 4th time in the restaurant and her 2nd. We already have 'favorites' - the steamed Har Gau and the Crispy Prawn Balls. We've tried some signature dishes, and their flowering teas, but we want to try more...

On the menu, there were about 15 categories (dumplings, veggies, rice, fried, platters, etc) and 8 sets to choose from. It's so hard to choose as we both love anything dim sum. Here's what we ordered all in all:

STEAMED DUMPLINGS

2 Har Gau (King prawns & bamboo shoots)
Coriander Dumpling (King prawns in translucent pastry)
Seafood Shu Mai (King prawns & scallops topped with carrots)
Seafood Roll (King prawns & fish wrapped in cabbage)

STEAMED FLUFFY WHITE BUNS

Char Sui Chicken Bun (Honey-roast barbecue chicken)

FRIED & ROLLS

Crispy Hoi Sin Duck Roll
2 Crispy Prawn Balls

DESSERTS

Chocolate & Banana Spring Roll

BEVERAGES

Strawberry & Coconut Yin Cocktail
Strawberry & Vanilla Bubble Tea

Did I say we're just 2? Haha, I know - because the way to order at Ping Pong is to tick the box of your choice on a lengthwise paper. We just couldn't stop. It took us quite to decide which to try ;-)

Anyway, the prices range from AED 12 to AED 25 only. It's not that much, neither cheap at all. There are 3-pieces of dim sums per order served in a traditional steaming Chinese basket (if steamed).

Har Gau, Seafood Shu Mai and the Char Sui Chicken Buns in their baskets

The crunchiness of the flakes covering the savory king prawns combined with that translucent pastry, dipped in sweet and sour sauce is just so heavenly. Prawns are tender and not half-cooked (photo below).

My favorite Crispy Prawn Balls (below)

And... Har Gau - it's the king of all steamed king prawn dim sums. It's best when eaten right upon serving - while it is still steaming a bit. The Coriander Dumpling is as good as well. I guess it's the mix of bamboo shoots in Har Gau that made it more tasteful for me. Ping Pong's Steamed Dim Sums are not slimy and sticky. It cuts when you bite at it. Though they come in 'tiny' bits, these dim sums are tightly and heavily wrapped.

Har Gau - I forgot the traditional pork dim sums when I tried it.

The Seafood Roll is again, king prawns and fish wrapped in cabbage (see below). It doesn't taste bad - maybe I'm just not a cabbage guy - but my wife appreciates it. It's best when dipped in chili soya sauce. Looks unique too!

Seafood Rolls - wrapped in cabbage

The rest of our food are as sumptuous. What highlighted the dinner was... well, the dessert! Yeah we've tried various banana rolls a lot of times - but their chocolate filling in the banana spring rolls are out of this world. I never actually thought it would taste that good. A bite of this hot fudgy roll plus a scoop of cool ice cream equals a luscious finale to a palatial dim sum dinner!

Chocolate and Banana Spring Roll with Chocolate Ice Cream

We've really had a lot, but there's a looot more to try. There's over 50 items in the menu and I've heard they'll be introducing more exciting dumplings very soon.

Service
I can't say a word about the service. Maybe it's the nature of dim sums that is easy to prepare so our orders came in no time - and always at the right time - not altogether. The crews are also very courteous, polite and hospitable. We were greeted and ushered to our table by a smiling crew, January - that's the way to set a great mood for dinner.

Ambiance
You'll feel a balance of a high-end and a cozy restaurant inside. I think the neon-blue on elegant black theme of the outlet is creative. You'll forget that it's inside a mall actually once you're in. The music was not loud - perfect for a hearty tete-a-tete.

Activities
Activities? Yes there are other activities happening inside other than dining. It was 3 days before Easter when we came and at one corner, some kids are busy painting Easter Eggs guided by a friendly crew. There are also boardgames during Sundays. I remember the last time there was a fun chopstick-oriented game too.

Tomorrow, Friday (Lazy Fridays), there will be unlimited dim sums for a very reasonable value. Who's with me?

So, did dim sum satisfy our BIG hunger? Yes. So much. Thank you Ping Pong Dim Sum for the treat!

Bake Fest Dubai (BakeFestDXB) Round 2

2011-05-13T08:16:00.000+04:00

I stumble upon this event post on Facebook and got interested to attend.

Bake Fest Dubai (BakeFestDXB) is an event for community bakers here in Dubai. This year's will be held at the new Wild Peeta outlet which can accommodate a LOT more people.

The new Wild Peeta is located next to Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station (next to Pizza Express and Japengo).

According to the Facebook event post, those who are selling baked goods will be given 1 table measuring approx 70cmx50cm, and will be allowed to set up from 11.30am onwards.

For any questions send a tweet to @theregos. RSVP on the Facebook event post here.

Here's a lineup of bakers on show:

Anja Schwerin
Abigail Concepcion Caidoy
Rajani Mani
Sidiqa Sohail
Maggie Tuite
Radia SiYoucef
Nick Rego
Fatma Bin Shabib
Yasmin Mebar
Toffee Princess

Geekfest Dubai April 2011

2011-04-25T01:59:00.000+04:00

It's the time again when the geeks face the flicks - Geekfest! On April 28th 7PM, let's mingle to the jungle as we socialize, share and like each other's ideas in real life. This will also be the last Geekfest to be held at its birthplace - The Shelter in Al Quoz.

This edition will feature Mobile Apps Showcase, GeekTalks about World Bloggers Day, MidEast Post, Voila Dubai and The Angel of Peace. It will also feature The Biggest Picture in the world.

Here's part of the blog entry of Alexander McNabb of Fake Plastic Souks:

GeekFest Mobile
We’re putting on a mobile showcase for app developers: we’ve invited some of the leading mobile applications developers in Dubai to showcase what they’re up to at GeekFest – including ishopaholic, CareZone, ME360, Aramex Shop and Ship and more! They’ll be demoing apps as well as answering questions about platforms, markets, opportunities and whatever else you want to bug them about. In Aramex’ case, this is the first time their new app will be shown in public – it’s literally fresh from the coding shed!

Geek Talks

World Bloggers Day
What are we going to do about bloggers?
Ion Gonzaga is by passion and profession a web designer, as well as being a keen blogger and online socialite. He’s been tapped by World Bloggers Day to raise the word among the UAE’s bloggers. How do you want to mark World Bloggers Day? Any ideas? Ion’s looking for feedback and participation alike during this GeekTalk session! If you’re interested, you can check other countries' agendas at www.worldbloggersday.org. There’s already a page created at www.worldbloggersday.org/dubai!

MidEast Posts
Content aggregation = voices of the region together
Blog aggregator, voice of the region, the Arab Huffington post or an online newspaper? MidEast Posts represents probably the most diverse and vibrant reading from around the Middle East every day. Co-Founder David Westley takes us through the voices of bloggers from around the region and how MidEast Posts plans to represent those voices.

Voila Dubai
A community to serve the community
Voila Dubai is a new initiative that plans to bring the city to life through reviews of its places to go and things to do – sharing consumer feedback within a community. Narain Jashanmal explains the idea behind the site – and takes a look at the development of the region’s new digital platforms and innovations.

Malaak, Angel of Peace

The Angel of Peace
Creating content, popularising content, funding content
Malaak, Angel of Peace, is a highly popular Lebanese cartoon strip created by Joumana Medlej, the prolific multimedia and digital artist and graphic designer. The strip has gone from strength to strength, growing in popularity as it has in scope – and is now in its fifth book. Joumana’s travelling from her native Beirut and will be be talking about the story behind Malaak as well as looking at the innovative online fund raising methods she’s now using to fund the new book of the Malaak story.

Stuff

The World’s Largest Picture
45 Gigapixel image to be auctioned for charity
What do The Next Web, Engadget, CNET, Wired, Gulf News, Gizmodo, Geek.com, The Independent, Popular Science, Petapixel, and countless other websites and publications have in common with HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum?

They all covered Gerald Donovan’s amazing panoramic image of Dubai’s skyline (Sheikh Mohammed on his Facebook page!) – at the time of its creation, it was the world’s biggest digital photograph. The 45 GIGApixel image was stitched together from thousands of zoomed images into one enormous, incredibly detailed image. To celebrate the first anniversary of its digital unveiling, Gerald has re-rendered the image using the latest software to correct stitching errors in the original version. And now - for the first time ever - it's being printed.

There will only ever be ten copies printed, each one something like an incredible twenty feet by four feet.

The first signed print, numbered 1/10, will be auctioned for charity, and it’ll be on show for the first time at GeekFest. What we want to know from you is WHICH charity should it be sold off for?

GameFest

Powered by tbreak.com, who are also the team behind GeekFest Abu Dhabi, GameFest will feature, once again, the chance to act like a fool or kill people or even both!

Eats and deets

There is no registration, no formality, no requirement of you other than to turn up and even that's optional. As usual, catering from the wonderful folks at LimeTree Café! There’s bound to be some other stuff cropping up, so do feel free to keep in touch – you can follow @GeekFestDubai on Twitter or find us on Facebook. If you've never been to The Shelter before, there's a map (as well as a funky GeekFest video) on the Shelter website here.

GeekFest will sort of start 7.30pm-ish on Thursday 28th April and will, as usual, end when everyone goes home. The talks will start at 8.00pm and this time we'll be keeping an eye on the clock! You have been warned! :)

Alexander is a communications, public relations and marketing consultant specialising in the Middle East telecommunications industry, particularly in the launch and operations of leadership operators in competitive markets.

Hot Air Balloon Ride over Al Ain Deserts

2011-04-21T02:24:00.000+04:00

Dubai Empire State of Mind (with Lyrics)

2011-04-19T07:50:00.000+04:00

Here's the lyrics of this Youtube hit Dubai Empire State if Mind:

Goodbye Canada, I must say you will be missed,
I trade my winter gloves for a pair of oven mitts,
Flip flops in December, damn I'm loving this,
And I can still go skiing at the Mall of the Emirates.
All jokes aside... Dubai's the best,
Just host a visitor and tell me if he's not impressed,
Built from the desert but, you woulda never guessed,
Best of the Middle East, sprinkled with some West.
Perfect place to travel from, but this is where my base is,
What a perfect blend of fifty different places,
All the diverse cultures, languages, and races,
Adds a real spice to life that everyone embraces.
From a desert with some shrubs to a world hub,
From not being on the map, to it's own rap.
Sheikh Mohamed raised his vision straight to the sky,
Make your arms do the same, let's hear it for:

Dubai, concrete desert where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do.
Now you're in Dubai, you've got to love the mentality, turn dreams to reality.
Let's hear it for Dubai, Dubai, Dubai.

I say hamdullah that things are back to goin' well,
The economy and buildings are both growin' well,
So bring the tourists on, we'll play some show-and-tell,
Let's add two to a five star hotel.
That's the Burj Al Arab, in case you didn't get it,
Just pick a record out, let's make a bet we set it.
And if it's set then we'll break it and we will maintain,
Look up at the Burj Khalifa, just make sure your neck don't sprain.
Wanna see some culture? You can see them all,
Wanna do some shopping? You should see the malls,
Shopping on a budget? You can hit Karama.
Wanna see Atlantis? You can skip Bahamas.
Lookin for some nightlife? Don't look too far,
Pre-game at Caramel, party at Boudoir.
Some say its artificial, more like official art,
You really can't deny, this city's got some heart.

Dubai, concrete desert where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do.
Now you're in Dubai, you've got to love the mentality, turn dreams to reality.
Let's hear it for Dubai, Dubai, Dubai.

Something charming bout the old Dubai like Bur Dubai and Deira,
But I still prefer the new Dubai like Downtown and Jumeirah,
And I love the other Emirates from Abu to Fujeirah,
But you really can't deny that the party's over here.
We could go to JBR and just chill and tan,
Or take a tour of some islands that were made by man,
Big events are every month so you don't have to make a plan,
Rugby 7's, Tennis Open, or the World Cup at Meydan,
And I'm barely scratching the surface,
This city's got way too much for just a couple of verses.
So if you need another reason to come and visit just ask me,
Or better yet just move here, it's tax free.
They come in winters when the weather is a dream to 'em,
Take off in summer when the city is a steam room.
The only two seasons are warm and hot,
It's no wonder that this city's such a melting pot.

Dubai, concrete desert where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do.
Now you're in Dubai, you've got to love the mentality, turn dreams to reality.
Let's hear it for Dubai, Dubai, Dubai.

Hot and Sexy in Dubai Beach

2011-04-17T00:14:00.001+04:00

Found this photo by random on Google images. Hot yeah? Have you ever thought that you could flaunt on the skimpiest of bikinis here? This photo might say yes, and it just shows how tolerant Dubai can be about this beach lifestyle. As long as you are not harming others' eyes, go. But always keep in mind that UAE is not our home country, respect and be sensitive about the culture and the people. We are happy to enjoy the luxury of living our lifestyle here, but be aware of the limitations.

Samsung Smart TV Officially Launched in UAE

2011-04-16T21:43:00.000+04:00

Samsung officially launched its Smart TV in a 4-day event from April 6-9 at Dubai Mall. As to my previous post, this latest innovation from Samsung aims to bring the internet experience to TV. It's like transforming the television into your own YouTube, Facebook Live or Twitter Streaming and more than that. You 'll be able to share everything do you on the TV instantly and effortlessly.

To learn more about the Samsung Smart TV, please read my post at the Design Rockstar blog.

Here are some photos from the launch at Dubai Mall:

Tiger not in the woods in Dubai?

2011-04-13T18:50:00.000+04:00

This photo is currently circulating in Dubai Twitterverse. A tiger's head is shown looking out from a black Range Rover. The photo was taken at an exit near Mall of the Emirates. Is it a real tigga or a stuffed one?

There's always something strange on the Dubai roads eh?

Samsung Smart TV Bloggers Meetup

2011-04-13T07:15:00.000+04:00

From 'idiot box' into a smart box - that's how Samsung sees the Smart TV will fit. In a special Dubai bloggers meetup held March 31 at Media One Hotel, Samsung exclusively unveiled their latest innovation and let us experience some of its features, well, some.

Basically, it is a TV that has access to the internet. Through its Smart Hub - the user menu interface, you can socialize, browse any websites, search for contents you want to watch - did I say in 3D? And like your smartphones, you can also install apps in it. So you can access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Talk or your mail, etc while watching. Imagine while you're watching football, you're seeing your Facebook wall and you can easily exchange rants and raves with your friends. Cool huh? Also, the Smart TV recommends contents related to your interests, primarily by your browsing history.

What we've spent a lot time on was its 3D feature. I must admit, it's really amazing. The picture quality is superb. I've also learned that it also has 3D sound system so it's definitely a shoo-in for a home theater.

Trying the LED 3D viewing

Another cool feature of the Smart TV is converting 2D videos into 3D - any video - be it from YouTube, a DVD or even a mobile phone video.

File Transfer
Transferring photos, videos or music from your mobile device to the TV is so effortless. Thru AllShare, you can wirelessly transfer files from any compatible media such as Samsung Galaxy Tab or other Smartphones and hard drives.

Input Mode
The presenter used what appears like a typical remote control to navigate through during the presentation. Although they say, a remote control with a trackball on the front and a QWERTY keyboard at the back is coming out. There's also an Android app to download on your smartphone that you can use as remote control.

What apps does Samsung Smart TV support?
You can download Samsung Apps - which according to the presenter have around 300 apps to date. I know right! This is also what most of the bloggers cry about. But Samsung sees the number to grow byat least a thousand by the end of the year. If you're an applications developer, you can contribute via their Samsung TV apps SDK.

The Expert Panel's Clamor
One of the most evident clamor from the bloggers is pointed to the lack of Bluetooth support. It's just an uncool idea to have a wireless smart device that doesn't support one of the basics and first in short-range connectivity.

While currently it doesn't have a built-in web cam, I hope it would support a 3rd-party webcam plugin too.

Nevertheless, I'm excited to pimp my living room with a Samsung Smart TV. It's like having a YouTube on a boob tube - and more than that. Did I say you can also play your favorite games, and you can convert them into 3D as well?

More photos from the Bloggers Meetup:

Volunteer for Twestival Dubai 2011

2011-03-30T19:05:00.000+04:00

Twestival Locals are run 100% by volunteers. I'm honored to be one of them. My designation is in the auctions. What auctions? Each Twestival is supporting an amazing local cause with 100% of donations going direct to projects happening in their own community. In Dubai, the organizers selected the Dubai Autism Centre as this year's beneficiary.

"The Dubai Autism Center (@DubaiAutism) is a non-profit organization and was established in November 2001 to foster a better understanding about Autism and to offer specialist services for both, people with Autism, and for those who care for them."

Proceeds from the auctions are going to the Centre. Dubai tweeps bid for iPAD2, Nokia and Sony-Ericsson mobile phones, Flip cams, hotel getaways, some artworks, and several other vouchers. All these, plus the generous sponsors enabled this Twestival to raise a total of $40,760. Du reportedly donated AED 100,000 for the cause.

To add to that, here are some photos of the fun on that night:

Spiderman climbs Burj Khalifa

2011-03-29T05:06:00.000+04:00

Spiderman climbing Burj Khalifa today (photo courtesy of @lindahollier). It would take him til midnight to reach the top; and the strong cool winds bring a bit more challenge.

Follow this news on GulfNews.

Amusing and Funny Signs / Posts You'll See in Dubai

2011-03-27T13:56:00.000+04:00

Tago kung tago...

Dare to inquire?

Al Qasba Food Festival

2011-03-14T06:43:00.000+04:00

I smell something better than Taste of Dubai hmmm, well, expectations wise. It will run for 10 days (March 24th to April 2nd), and the entrance is free.

AlQasba.ae - Al Qasba Food Festival comes back again this year: Bigger, better and sharper!
Talented chefs, entertaining activities, kitchenware on sale and a lot of delicious food will all make your favourite exhibition a must-visit one! With a unique theme ‘Slice and Dice’, learn how knives can be your magic tool to decorate your food and present your dishes in style. Live cooking shows, interactive workshops, entertaining competitions, food sampling and the unique kids corner will ensure you spend an unforgettable time with your family and friends.

Location: Al Qasba, Sharjah
Dates: March 24th - April 2nd
Times: 5:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Entrance: FREE