"Brunchin it up Proper Like"

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
*Ruth Reichl

When I was asked if I wanted to partake in brunch here in the UAE, I automatically assumed that I was finally going to get some breakfast food without cooking eggs, toast, and oatmeal in  my own kitchen. However, it was nothing like that. To my surprise, brunch here in the UAE has an entirely different meaning with few similarities to the USA.

Bruch is usually enjoyed on the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) with hours ranging from 12 pm all the way into the night with evening brunches.

So far, I have been to two and they both have been enjoyable with completely different experiences.

My first brunch was an evening brunch held at  Le Meridien Dubai hotel near the Dubai Marina.

We got all dressed up and caught a cab to enjoy an outdoor event of food and entertainment. It was buffet style with many food and dessert options to choose from that you got up and plated yourself. This brunch also included all you can drink alcohol and beverages. This particular brunch is usually very expensive, however, we caught a deal on Groupon, but it did not include the drinks, so you had to pay full price for that portion if you chose to drink any alcoholic beverages.

The entertainment portion included live karaoke like music, juggling, and a guy oiling himself down well enough to climb on the inside of a rubber ball. It was interesting to say the least. Lol.

After this brunch, we headed to "Barasti Beach Club" which was an actual free party on the beach in the sand. I don't recall ever partying in the sand after dinner, but it was cool.

This was my first brunch. I met some really cool people and had an awesome time soaking up the fact that I was looking and feeling good in a new country 8,000 miles away from home. I truly was living for the weekend in this moment.

Brunch number two was a complete opposite of my first brunch here. First, it was an afternoon that started at 12pm. We made reservations ahead of time but was running a little late due to the traffic. We walked into a more quaint atmosphere of all you can eat Italian goodies that was brought to your table instead of you going to make your own plate.

"Jazz at Pizza Express" included a set menu of all you can eat items like pizza, pasta, bread, and salad. You also had an all you can drink menu that was included in the price you paid. The mojitos were my favorite!

Not only were we provided with great food, but we also heard great music, and enjoyed ourselves with dancing and laughs. 

The dress was a little more casual than the first brunch I went to, but everyone who attended still looked conservatively nice. I decided to dress up some jeans.

I met some really awesome people this day as well. We talked, laughed, danced, sang, and ate until we couldn't eat anymore.

Although we were inside, the restaurant did have outdoor seating with a great view.  

The after spot for this brunch included shisha (hookah) at a beach lounge and evening stroll on Jumerirah Beach. This area had an entire strip of restaurants and vendors for shopping. They also are actually in the middle of constructing the biggest ferris wheel in the world.

Brunch here in the UAE all offer something different. A friend I recently met here told m e that last year, her and her boyfriend probably went to 30 brunches. This is why I workout with running and Crossfit during the week, so that I can enjoy my cheat day on Fridays (not every Friday if I can help it). I can't wait to enjoy plenty of more though. They are quite adventurous.

"The Hokey Pokey- The Process of Getting Your Visa and Emirates ID"

"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination."

*Carl Rogers

When I arrived at the school, the first thing they did was take my passport. Luckily for me, I was warned of this from the Facebook group that I had joined, so I wasn't completely out of the loop as to what was happening and why.

They take your passport so that your documents can be processed for your work visa and Emirates ID card. I hear it usually takes about 2 weeks to have you passport returned to you with your visa and Emirates ID, however, the person responsible for this task at my particular school had a family emergency to tend to outside of the country, so there was a delay in my process.

The process for me included the following:

1) I handed over my passport to the school's head secretary
2) She turned it over to the person responsible for processing Visa and Emirates ID documentation
-My school paid for m visa fees, Emirates ID fees, and blood work and x-rays needed for the process
3) I was taken to the local health department by school transportation during my planning period where they drew blood from my arm and tested it to ensure I wasn't carrying any diseases or was with child, performed an x-ray on my chest, and sent me over to take a picture for my ID card
4) Once my visa was complete, I was taken on another day to have my first dose of the hepatitis vaccine at the preventative medicine clinic (this is a 3 dose vaccination that is monthly)
5) Once my Emirates ID was complete, the school sent a driver to go and pick it up, bring it back to the school and give it to me. 

When everything was given to me, I finally felt official. It was International Women's Day to be exact and i thought to my self, what better way to bring this day in than to be OFFICIALLY a resident of another country. I had gone from Houston, BACK to Georgia, to now the UAE as an international educator. I had a little celebration with my self internally and the smile on the outside of my face spoke volumes.

"The Biggest Mall in the Entire World: The Dubai Mall..."

"There is no weather in malls"

* Charles Baxter

My first week here (not even five days yet), I needed to get a phone and was advised to head out to Mirdif City Center,  which I thought was the biggest mall here because it was so big that I got lost, which resulted in a anxiety attack and a cry for help. Although this mall was indeed grand, it in fact is not the grandest of them all.

THIS is the grandest of them all. The king of all malls. The great, great, GREAT, grandfather of glamor and glitz. The Dubai Mall. This mall is so huge that it would probably take you an entire full weekend from sun up to sundown to experience all that it has to offer. From hotels, to restaurants, to shopping, to ice skating AND skiing to name a few, this mall has under its one roof everything you could possibly think to do at one location.

During my afternoon visit last week, my friend and colleague were able to give me a brief tour and I must say, I didn't think an afternoon at the mall without actually buying clothes, shoes, and make up could be so relaxing yet eventful.

It started with a ride breezing through the city enjoying the view of the skyline. One of my favorite things to do no matter where I am is driving or riding in a car, listening to good music, and being in awe as I watch a great view of the skyscrapers.

As we approached the mall, the valet entrance was lined up with all sorts of foreign automobiles and people stopping to admire them.

When we finally found a parking spot in one of the nearby garages (parking was free but it is indeed a hustle trying to find a spot; if you can, your best bet will probably be carpooling or catching a cab and being dropped off), we walked in and flowed into the busy momentum of people chattering, sight seeing, taking selfies, shopping, and eating.

At the bottom floor

My friend decided to take me to her favorite gourmet popcorn spot. This was some of the best flavored popcorn I've ever tasted. Apparently, they have one in the states, but I've been living under a rock this entire time because I have never heard of them. Not only did they have popcorn, but they also had popcorn covered energy bars and other sweet treats. I got a mix of brownie and paprika flavored popcorn.  

I took  my popcorn and walked around the mall with it in my hand as if I was comfortable on my couch at home watching the next best ratchet reality program; in other words, I was relaxed! We walked around ab it more to figure out all the spots they wanted to show me and areas they didn't get to see the last time they were there. Before lunch, we ended up at cereal café that allowed for youto relive your childhood eating classic cereals from growing up while relaxing in beds covered in 80s and 90s teenage memorabilia. Our background was the "Jump Man's Fountain" waterfall.  It was a beautiful sight  to see watching the water fall from so high with grace and serenity.      

                                             

        

When your friend wants to relive her childhood lol

For lunch, we went to the "Shake Shack". I had a melted cheese stuffed mushroom burger with a strawberry cheesecake flavored milkshake. It honestly was one of if not the best "burger" I've ever tasted. It made me feel complete with total bliss as I devoured it into a non existent sight. The feeling was equivalent to....let's just say it was really good and I am glad that |I had a chance to enjoy it. Lol!

The "Umbrella Walk" had to be one of my favorite sight seeing moments of the afternoon. The beautiful colors reflected together in a rainbow of still movement. I completely fell into a trance of admiration and thoughts of how this well known exhibit was even thought of and put together.

Underneath the Umbrellas

The top of the umbrellas

One area I cant wait to bring my daughter to when she gets here is the indoor aquarium. They have a view of the tank that you can enjoy for free, but it does cost money to walk through the actually aquarium which has you surrounded by fish as if you were in a tunnel.

Inside View

Bottom view

 

Top View

The setting of the sun as we headed outside was indication that our afternoon was turning into night. It was time to catch the next presentation of the Dubai Water Fountain show. As we waited for the show to start, we walked around noticing all the pictures that were being taken as we captured a view selfies of our own. I was introduced to the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world). It was then that it hit me; here I was accomplishing everything I set my heart and mind out to do. I was in Dubai in the world's largest mall, and in front of the Burj Khalifha, the world's tallest building. The only thing that was missing from this experience was my daughter. But I wasn't complaining about it or even sad. I knew our time would come when we could experience this together. For now, it was up to me to live in this blessed moment so that I could share with the world how truly awesome God really is.

It was time to head to part 2 of our night. I decided to take one last view of the different levels of the mall from the very top.

My experience at The Dubai Mall was truly a memorable one. I definitely plan on returning a couple of more times before leaving this country for good. It is one area of Dubai that you have to witness in person when you come to the UAE. Never a dull moment in this city period.