Dubai, the over-the-top mirage in the desert

The stunning Burj Khalifa at sunset!

Talk about sensory overload! I just survived my first trip to Dubai and what a indulgent week it was. A perk of being married to a man who has to travel for his job is getting to pick and choose the holidays I want to tag along on…especially when the hotel is paid for (75% of the week at least) and all we have to worry about are our flights! 🙂 So when David told me about a big meeting he had in Dubai, I knew this was my chance, at least in the foreseeable future, to see the extravagant city I’ve been hearing so much about. Plus it is only a mere 7 hr direct flight from KL & a 4 hr time difference….which you would think would be easy but holy moly with a 9 month old, yea, not so much!

All smiles….before the flight! LOL

Besides the obvious opportunity to shop in a Duty Free country, I also had on my list just a couple cultural things to see/do that would (hopefully) accommodate a then 9 month old: visiting the highly touted Grand Mosque in neighboring Abu Dhabi and heading out into the sand dunes for some fun. I might as well tell you upfront neither of those things happened. David & I ended up getting food poisoning the 2nd to last day  (the only 2 days he didn’t have to work) and thus had to cancel our Abu Dhabi plans and we could not find a single adventure company that would allow a baby to ride along into the sand dunes. Total bummer….guess this means we have to go back for more fun?! 😉

Jumeirah Lake Towers- huge skyscrapers surround parks & walkways!

Anyway, due to David’s meeting location, we stayed in the Jumeirah Lake Towers area of Dubai in the newly built Movenpick Hotel for the beginning of the week. JLT is located about 25 minutes south of downtown Dubai and just off the waterfront/marina area. It was a very nice hotel & the service was excellent, aside from the construction going on on all sides of us, plus they upgraded us to a suite which was very nice with Ava :). A bonus for me was that our old KL friend and birth photographer Chloe Lodge lived nearby so it was very convenient for Ava and I to meet up with her while David worked!

So amazing seeing the fabulous miss Chloe Lodge!

After David finished his meetings we decided to change hotels, using points, to the famed Grosvenor House in the Marina area of Dubai, where it was a bit more picturesque and closer to the beach. WOW. I don’t even know what to say about this place. What a treat!!! We splurged (it was my birthday “week” after all) and got a nice 1 bedroom apartment, complete with a view of the beach and a full kitchen to boot! This hotel is out of this world amazing. If you ever find yourself in Dubai and want the total “Dubai posh/extravagant” experience….stay at The Grosvenor House- you won’t be disappointed!

The Grosvenor House View

So here is what we did for our week in Dubai:

First thing Monday after arriving late Sunday Ava and I headed to downtown Dubai to check out the huge Dubai Mall. I had just a few things (hehe) on my shopping list and after making a beeline for the information center, we set off for a day of shopping! Our first stop was one you just can’t miss upon entering the mall- the Dubai Aquarium! We didn’t actually pay to go inside because Ava doesn’t “get it” yet but we did stop in front of the big wall of water and snap some photos before heading over to see the “waterfall”- this huge wall of water spanning multiple floors in the mall with giant sculptures of people diving down into the “pools” below. Pretty over-the-top in true Dubai style. There is even an ice skating rink here & a Pottery Barn!! After some fun shopping we broke for lunch at a restaurant from the states that I really miss (Dubai has just about every American-chain restaurant available, seriously, every one of them)- California Pizza Kitchen…and oh my yummy-ness it did not disappoint! Once we were both stuffed (ok I brought her food with me) we ventured into the scorching heat to take our first up close and personal look at the 1 mile high & tallest building in the world- the Burj Khalifa. Holy cow this thing is seriously crazy tall. Wow.

Ice Skating rink in the Dubai mall!

Crazy indoor waterval with sculptures

OMG it was like a touch of home with seeing PB 🙂

All time favorite popcorn…..all the way from Chicago!

a little break from shopping 🙂

CPK lunch with mommy! Whats with her feet?! LOL

Our first up close glimpse of the Burj Khalifa

Stunning surroundings

Part of me felt like I was in Italy- what?!

The Dubai Mall Aquarium

Gorgeous fishies 🙂

After such an exciting first day, Tuesday was a bit more laid back- we walked to a nearby cafe and park to meet up with Chloe! So much fun catching up and hearing all about her new photography journey in Dubai while Ava screamed for joy on a nearby swing set :). Its amazing that after living in KL only 2 years we take a trip to Dubai and get to meet up with an old friend from KL who captured our first steps as parents and as a family of 3! Well I am sure you guessed that Ava needed a nap after such a fun filled morning so after some down time I took her to the nearby Marina Mall area. I just love boats. I grew up in Seattle and grew up boating on the lakes as well as the sound and it’s just always been mesmerizing and relaxing to me. So, we did a bit more shopping (fun times!) before walking outside to what was a huge maze of walkways and docks where the most glamorous yachts were parked. What a fun day!!

Catching up with Chloe! Last time she held Ava was during her newborn photoshoot!

swinging!!

Chloe snapped this amazing shot without us even knowing- love it!

mid-day snoozer-oo in the hotel 🙂

The Dubai Marina

Crazy seeing all these luxury yachts next to all these massive skyscrapers!

Wednesday was our final day solo before daddy joined in on the fun and as luck would have it, we were able to meet up with yet another old friend!! This time from David’s high school baseball days. Crazy right?! His buddy works as a pilot for Emirates Airlines…so fun. Anyway, Mike’s wife Nancy was such a dear and seriously we have never met before but she glady picked Ava and I up and took us around town for the day. We headed over to the giant “Palm” to check out the Atlantis Resort. We checked out their huge aquarium, had a nice asian style lunch, and wandered about the over-the-top opulence inside before snapping some photos outside. After getting back in the car, Ava promptly passed out so we just ended up driving around a bit to check things out. We went over to the Jumeirah Resort which is directly in front of the crazy 7 star hotel- the Burj Al Arab and walked around, soaking in the expensive air (LOL). For dinner the guys met up with us and after a glass of wine in their condo (55 stories up in the Marina- eek!!) we walked across the street to the Marriott hotel which had a lovely bar & restaurant at the top: The Observatory, with amazing views of the Palm, the beach, and the Dubai Marina in general. We could even see the crazy skydivers jumping down into the marina beach area. What a fun evening out with old friends- how lucky are we?!

My little cutie pie all set to explore for the day 🙂

Grand entrance at the Atlantis Resort!

Lavish hallways

Stunning Atlantic Aquarium

There were even scuba divers inside!

no flash- whoops!

Because why not buy some gold bars?!

Outside the Atlantis, love the colors

The iconic Atlantis Resort

Another small marina near the Jumeirah Resort

The 7-star Burj al arab hotel…on its own little island off the coast. crazy. Behind it is the world biggest cross…ironic in a Muslim country no?!

Checking out the view at dinner at the top of the Marriott.

360 views at dinner

I have never seen so many skyscrapers in my life! Including NYC!

The view of “The Palm”….can you see it?

Little trooper passed out at dinner!

Amazing dinner with old friends!!

Thursday morning was the start to our time as a family in Dubai. We went for a nice morning walk around the JLT area, catching up and waking up over coffee before packing up and heading over to our next hotel- The Grosvenor House. Let me just say, the arrival, the lobby, the floral arrangements (oh my, the flowers), the check in process….all of it- top notch. They were able to check us in early and after picking our jaws up from the ground upon entering our 1 bedroom suite, we decided lunch was in order so we headed down to the pool area to their Siddharta Lounge by the Buddha-Bar for some yummy tapas and some wine to cheers to our time together. So much fun…and clearly a nap was in order for all of us so after a family style nap, we headed back over to Downtown Dubai to catch the famous water show in front of the Burj Khalifa after the sun sets. This time we checked out the shopping in the Souk al bahar, connected via bridge from the Dubai Mall. This was such a fun shopping treat- its modeled after authentic and old-school style Dubai shopping- we wandered about and picked up a couple of great pieces for our kitchen before eating upstairs with a view of the show at the amazingly delicious Lebanese restaurant- Abd el wahab. Such a fun night out seeing an amazing show & with the best company a gal could ask for :). The night was capped off by a wonderful surprise back in our hotel room: a bottle of chilled white wine along with a gorgeous and decadent chocolate cake for my birthday- so fun!

Stunning floral centerpieces in the lobby of The Grosvenor House

Check in fun!

Lunch- love these couches surrounding the massive tables!

Cheers!!

And a little afternoon nap – LOL

Souk al Bahar shopping fun!

I loved the design

Crazy kids gift shop!

So fun- she loves being on daddy’s shoulders!

The first watershow of the night begins….every 30 min starting at 6pm

Tried for a family shot!

So lovely with the sun setting in the background!

This picture speaks a thousand words: her daddy, his ear, their similar smirks….love these 2 so much!!

The hallway leading to the restaurant for dinner- so intricate!

Sunset show!

I didn’t take pics of the best of it…was too busy watching!!

All lit up at night!

Stunning

A decadent way to end a wonderful day and night out!

Friday arrived quickly as did my 35th year (what?!?!) and we decided to head out for breakfast in the Jumeirah Beach Residences area. We found a fun little organic restaurant and had Eggs Benedict before strolling to the beach to check things out- it looked so refreshing so we quickly went home and changed for the beach. The Grosvenor House has a partnership with the Le Meridian (located directly on the beach) so we were shuttled over (5 min) and enjoyed swimming in the persian gulf for a bit, cooling off in the lukewarm water. Unfortunately things quicker turned sour….I ended up with food poisoning from the mornings breakfast!! So awful and not a fun way to spend my birthday. I was in the bathroom all afternoon and finally David sent for a nurse who came to check me out and give me some meds to help. They even sent up chicken noodle soup and some crackers for me. All of it complimentary- such amazing service at The Grosvenor House!! David was able to care for Ava until we all passed out but then it was David’s turn :(. Poor guy was up all night. Lame.

Lame- the scene of the crime: my birthday breakfast turned food poisoning! 🙁

Cutie pie!!

So crazy- walking down to the beach- a huge outdoor cinema plays movies all day and all night with huge sofas in front with the beach behind. Only in Dubai…

The beach!

It’s almost fake seeing all those buildings right up next to a gorgeous beach!

Beach babe!

The beach with the runway behind where the skydivers take off from

Beach babe!

Super clear water and so warm- like a bathtub! Not refreshing given the heat….

Can you spot Ava?! 😉

So Saturday….our final day before a late night flight. We were pooped both from the week of activities and the recent bout of poisoning so we decided to enjoy our amazing hotel room with some room service for breakfast since we were finally feeling better. They gave us a super late check out so we didn’t have to rush out of there. After breakfast we headed over to the crazy Mall of the Emirates for our final mall stop. This place is crazy- there is even an indoor ski hill!! What?! Plus a Crate & Barrel….be still my heart. After lunch we met up with our final set of friends, this time from our short time in Indianapolis who now live in Dubai. It was so great catching up over a late lunch with Jim & Elaine and meeting their daughter before heading out to the airport. Jim & Elaine were the first “expat” couple we ever met and they encouraged us so much before we moved to Kuala Lumpur from Indy.

On daddy’s shoulders once again!

Crazy- indoor ski hill at the Mall of the Emirates!

They told us its really like 5 degrees in there!

Be still my heart…more USA shops!

Awesome catching up with Jim & Elaine…..they inspire us to be better expats!

I still can’t believe we spent a week in Dubai- it flew by in the blink of an eye and even better getting to meet up with 3 different sets of friends from 3 different walks of life? I cannot even begin to express how blessed we are to have those people in our lives! What a fun week in the UAE– indulgent, relaxing, expensive (whoops!), and a little taste of home….

Goofball!

Until next time, keep in mind how small our world really is~

Kimbra