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BOX PARK DUBAI IS OPEN NOW

 

What is the Box Park in Dubai?

Box Park is a new, open air strip mall type concept that stretches for 1.2 km. It’s a completely new concept for Dubai, apart from the similar set up at North Beach in JBR which opened about a year ago.

Box_Park_Dubai_Grom

 

Where is Box Park?

Box Park is located on the Al Wasl road, not as far down as City Walk, almost opposite Dr Michaels Dental clinic. The Box Park is on the same side of the road as the big Spinneys. It’s quite obvious to see as all the development is similar to cubist box type architecture. It is the third of a new cluster of modern shops and eateries on Al Wasl road.

 

What would you expect to find in Box Park?

65% of the outlets will be eateries, not all of them are open, but as of April 2015 there were Lebanese, Egyptian, salad places, Italian restaurants and an ice cream shop all doing a roaring trade on a week day evening! There are plans for a Chinese and Japanese but sadly no plans for any Indian places yet. 35% of the development will be retail. There are a mix of shops, some of which sell unusual gift type items, sports goods and shoes. I popped into one outlet called The Zoo which stocked an eclectic mix of jewellery, quirky gifts and collectibles. See the golden skull below.

Box_Park_Dubai_Grom

Is Box Park worth a visit?

Yes definitely, it’s open from 10 am to 12 pm, but the retail shops close at 10 pm. I would suggest planning a walk along the strip and ending or with a meal, ideally outside if it’s not too hot and I also recommend trying the Italian ice cream sorry gelato from GROM, already a favourite with local residents. If you go at night, the outlets are lit up with very brightly coloured lights. There is also the first Dubai branch of an Egyptian eaterie called Studio Masr. I will go back to try that soon.

Box_Park_Dubai_Grom

Is there valet parking at Box Park?

Yes there is but it comes at a price. If you want VIP valet parking at Box Park then it cost a cool Dhs 100 per hour of your stay! If you want non VIP parking (I guess it takes a little longer for your car to get back to you as they park behind the development) it still costs a hefty Dhs 50 per hour. There is also an old fashioned open air car with a driver that cruises up and down the 1.2 km strip at a cost of Dhs 10 per passenger, so that might be fun for older people or kids who want a ride if it’s too hot to walk.

Box_Park_Dubai_Gelato

 

Have you been to Box Park in Dubai yet? Has this article inspired you to try it ? Would love to know what you think of the ultra modern building boom we are seeing in Dubai, do you like it? If you want to hark back to some old fashioned restaurants, then just behind the box park (turn right at the post office) you will find Kebab Bistro and the original Smiling BKK.

 

Thank you

Monica

If you’d like to know the Top Things to do in Prague together with a secret list of reliable, cheap airport transfers, fabulous guides and the best restaurants AND get the highlights and lowlights of Sir Baniyas Island in Abu Dhabi ,  stay subscribed as these will be the next posts coming up!

 

 

 

 

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GET TOGETHERS IN DUBAI ARE EASY WITH TAPAS AND DRINKS

Get Togethers in Dubai – Where to go?

Where can a group of friends, mums or colleagues arrange to meet up in Dubai for fun, drinks, snacks and opportunities to chat? We don’t want to pay too much but would still like to maybe have a few drinks and eat something nice. I recommend Salero – a Spainish tapas and bodega restaurant in the Kempinski hotel – Mall of the Emirates, a great place for Get Togethers in Dubai. On TUESDAYS ladies receive 3 glasses of sangria for FREE! Order 3 types of tapas for Dhs95 and watch some Flamenco performers – also free! Great deal I think.

 

The Ambience

I felt like I was in a proper Spanish place, all the staff  are Spanish themselves or they speak the language. Modern but warm lighting and décor provide a great atmosphere to relax in, seating is comfortable and conjusive for a large group or a small gang of friends. The colours are warm reds with natural woods. The music isn’t too loud which allows you to mingle and chat properly.

tapas_in_Dubai

The Food

The menu is not extensive and is mostly tapas based, there is cold, hot or special tapas. I visited at lunch time and chose from the special tapas menu. I loved our calamari in a perfect, light batter served with aioli dip. The buttery, garlic prawns in a herb sauce were plump, juicy and delicious. Their spicy sauce is worth eating properly with hunks of specialty bread. These two dishes with the bread and tomatoes (complimentary) were worth ordering a few times! Portions are good too, 3 portions of tapas are more than enough for two people to share.  We also liked the mushrooms and green padron peppers. There are fabulously authentic gin cocktails using Tanqueray, Beefeater and even Hendriks, do choose the excellent Fever Tree tonic as your mixer which is also available here. But sorry no light tonic as yet but if enough people ask for it, we will get it here!

Bread_and_olive_oil_get_togethers_in_Dubai

Prawns_in_Dubai_great_for_Get_togethers_in_Dubai

 

The Deal

We visited at lunch time and shared one Special Business lunch for Dhs 150, this included 3 types of special tapas, soft drinks like homemade lemonade and a choice of desert (we ordered Catalan cream, a kind of Spainish crème caramel – again more than enough for 2 people) This deal is on EVERY DAY FROM 12 to 6pm but there are cheaper lunch options too, so great for afternoon get togethers in Dubai. BUT every evening from 5pm to 7pm (order has to be punched by 7pm) many of the tapas plates AND some cocktails and mocktails are HALF PRICE. This means you can re order some great food and drink a few times in a fabulous setting and not feel ripped off.

Creme_Caramel_in_Dubai

The Details

The Kempinski hotel will valet park your car, so you don’t feel you’re going to a restaurant in a Mall. Do book before hand and remember to avail the half price deal you have to place your order by 7pm but then you can stay as long as you like.

Salero Tapas and Bodega is located on the ground floor of the Kempinski hotel Mall of the Emirates and I think it will make a great choice for lunch after some shopping or an evening get together in Dubai.

Tel 04 409 5888

www.salero-bodega.com

Fevertree_tonic_in_Dubai

 

Don’t Forget

Don’t forget to tell Salero that you booked on the recommendation of DoinDubai. I’m sure lots of different groups of people are looking for sensible places to get together in Dubai at the moment so why not share this article with your friends?  That’s great for our blog too.

And if you’d like to keep up to date with the latest happenings then

 Keep up via your favourite Social Media

  • Following DoinDubai on Twitter  gives you  up to the minute happenings or
  • Follow on Instagram if you are more of a pictures person, 
  • There is even a YouTube channel if prefer short videos of recipes, restaurant experiences and roads I have travelled!

and if this has put you in the mood for something even more Spanish then see if you can experience the Real Thing here!



THANKYOU

Monica.

 

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iPILOT DUBAI HAS LANDED IN MIRDIF

4TH JULY 2014 UPDATE

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED  The winners are Heather, Varjavand and Ugo. Well done to all three of you ! Your flight tickets are valid for 6 months and are on their way to your email boxes now.  Happy Landings and a big THANK YOU to everyone who took part.

THREE fifteen minute flights to give away!

DoinDubai was the first person to fly (and safely land) the AirbusA380 simulator plane on Thursday June 20th.  An intense 15 minute session, it really felt like being in a cockpit flying for real, albeit with the help of an instructor. I’m much happier being a passenger in a real A380 as opposed to a pilot, but I can guarantee aviation buffs will love this experience; it couldn’t have been more real. The simulators are actually licensed by Boeing and the controls, even down to the pressure on the foot pedals and the pulling up on the throttle, are all just like the real thing ! This is a piece of precision in a place linked to casual shopping and eating.

Fancy flying yourself?

Then YOU COULD BE ONE OF 3 LUCKY SUBSCRIBERS. iPILOT have kindly given DoinDubai 3 fifteen minute sessions to give away to SUBSCRIBERS worth Dhs 349 each !

Just answer the question at the end of this post for your chance to win a brilliant present or fun activity to do in this heat.

Forget fun in the sun have a session in the sim instead..

Try a session in the Sim
iPILOT Dubai

WHERE IS IPILOT DUBAI?

The iPILOT Dubai is located on the first floor of Mirdif City Centre Mall next to the iFly in the Playnation Zone. It’s open Mall hours. There is another branch at Dubai Mall near Kidzania.

WHO CAN FLY?

Any one aged 6 years old and up can fly but they must be at least 150 cm tall so they can reach the foot pedals. You fly with a qualified instructor who guides you through the process. In the Mirdif branch there it is just the pilot and the instructor, whereas in Dubai Mall despite it being a 737 as opposed to the A380, you can bring up to 5 passengers along!

WHERE CAN YOU FLY TO?

I took a short flight around a very real Dubai complete with iconic buildings and shoreline landing back in Dubai but you could choose to land your plane almost anywhere in the world.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?  (if you don’t win!)

15 minutes          Dhs 349 (we have 3 of these to give away!)

30 minutes          Dhs 549

60 minutes          Dhs 1000

90 minutes          Dhs 1499

 

iPILOT Dubai in Mirdif City Centre
iPILOT Dubai in Mirdif City Centre

IS THERE A NUMBER I CAN CALL TO FIND OUT MORE?

For both Dubai Mall and Mirdif Mall call 056 738 7444

 

TO BE IN IT TO WIN… 

One of the 3 fifteen minute  flights:

  • Make sure you have SUBSCRIBED to Emails from DoinDubai; having signed up here on the site 
  • Finally that you have answered the following question in the comments box below

What does the A in the A380 stand for?

 

Oh and if you’re in London, Prague, Switzerland or Germany, you can still fly a plane CLICK HERE

 

You must be a SUBSCRIBER TO DoinDubai Emails TO BE IN IT TO WIN!

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NAIROBI WESTGATE – MALL CARNAGE

Westgate Masaai Market Nairobi

NAIROBI WESTGATE – MALL CARNAGE – Yesterday, Saturday 21st September,  a vicious and wanton attack was carried out by Al Shabab, a Somali terrorist group, on a shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

The terrorists targeted some of society’s most vulnerable people, children and mums doing their Saturday shopping and other children who were taking part in a cookery competition as part of Junior Masterchef.

59 people of  various nationalities have lost their lives and over 175 are injured. At the time of writing, the siege is still on with Kenyan security forces trying to bring the carnage to an end.

DoinDubai has visited the Westgate centre on many occasions, it’s one of Nairobi smarter and more international type malls built over 3 stories with a large supermarket, a cinema complex and a popular restaurant, Art Café. It also hosts the long-established arts and crafts sale The Masaai Market on it’s open air top floor once a week. I wanted to take photographs of the mall for a post but was denied permission due to security reasons earlier in the year. There is some security at the centre, cars are checked with mirrors and boots are looked at.

But what hope would a couple of security guys have against a bunch of hardened terrorists in combat gear brandishing AK 47s? Not much.

Nairobi is a lovely place with a vibrant arts and culture scene

It is home to a huge international community who live with security issues but up to now have taken them in their stride, it certainly didn’t feel unsafe or restrict us from getting involved in everyday activities. I always felt completely safe in the Westgate Centre enjoying cappuccinos with fancy salads with friends and families in a New York style café.

I  would never have believed an attack on this scale could have taken place.

23rd September 2013

9.13 am Dubai time

The death toll now stands at 68 people, the siege is on going.

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