Monday, May 28, 2012

Dubai Mall - Lego, Aquarium and TWG

We were at Dubai Mall over the weekend, and look what I spotted at On The Top, a Lego Architecture set! Didn't realise that Lego had launched this series ... Nice!


What does 10 million litres of water look like? Have you ever seen a whale-shark IN a mall!? Look no further ... it is the Dubai Aquarium in the Dubai Mall.

Cool facts from dubaifaqs.com ... Tank dimension 51 x 20 x 11 meters, Perspex acrylic viewing panel size of 32.8m width x 8.3m height, over 30,000 aquatic animals (unless the big fish get hungry) including 400 sharks and rays with over 85 different species of fish and other sea creatures, the thickness of aquarium acrylic is 75 cm (Wow!), and the water temperature is kept at a constant 24 Celsius.

We were lucky enough to see a diver in full action, whilst viewing from the free vantage point outside. For the pleasure of entering, it would cost an adult ...  25 AED (Tunnel), 50 AED (Tunnel and Zoo), 75 AED (Glass-bottom boat), or 625 or 825 AED to swim with the sharks.


Oooh ... Nice tea-house!
Cafe: 1837 TWG Tea

Tel: +971 4 325 3857
Described in Dubai Mall's website ... TWG Tea, the finest luxury tea brand in the world, welcomes you to its Tea Salon. TWG Tea has created a distinguished tea-infused gastronomy using the world’s greatest single harvests and exclusive tea blends. Step into an oasis for the senses, tantalise your palate with a unique cuisine and indulge in handmade patisseries, all prepared fresh daily. 

We also spotted a quaint wooden figurine shop on one of the top floors ... Bartolucci of Italy.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Shoe Addicts Welcome - Scarpe, Dubai Mall

For those who love shoes ....
Scarpe, The Shoe District - Due to open in Dubai Mall in August 2012.

Are you expecting?

Damam (UAE's national health insurance company) full page advert in the local papers last week ... Are you expecting?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Frankie's - Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi


Located: Fairmont Hotel - Bab Al Bahr, Bain Al Jessrain (Between the bridges), Abu Dhabi
Tel: +971 2 654 3333
Neighbouring hotels: Traders and Shangri-La
Opening hours: Daily noon-3pm , 7pm-1am

One evening last week, I had dinner with a visiting colleague at Frankie's. It was a toss-up between MPW and Frankie's, but because it was 9pm when we sat down to eat - we chose the lighter option!
Food is good, but I have had better Italians ... Service is good though, so overall its acceptable!
 
Bread basket - Posh dips include olive tapanade and sundried tomato
 
My spaghetti frutti di mare - Not enough pasta, too much sauce!

Time Out Eating Guide, Abu Dhabi - 2010
There are two names above the door at this impressive Italian, but we’re only really interested in one. Frankie Dettori may know a good pasta when he tastes one, but we’d trust him better if this were a stables. Marco Pierre White, on the other hand, is a name we can rely on the Fairmont obviously does; he runs the restaurant next door, too. Opened by Prince Andrew in late October, 2009, there was barely time for us to try Frankie’s before going to press, but it already seemed to know what it was doing.
Fiat 500 CC promotion ... I like!

Fairmont by night

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Popeyes fried chicken - Good food, bad service


Branch: ADNOC Petrol station, Khalidiyah
Store code: 10550
Feedback: http://www.tellpopeyesuae.com/
Date of the bad experience: 21st April 2012

What we had ...
3 piece chicken combo (Includes a medium Coke, Coleslaw and "Biscuit"), 20 AED.
2 piece snack box, 11 AED.
 
Sigh ... isn't it frustrating when the food is good (Crispy fried chicken, very tasty!), but the service is bad. Make that very bad! Here is what happened -
1) I was standing in-line, when a man basically stepped right in front of me - I told the cashier who said "I didn't see. I am normally the delivery man, just standing in for the cashier today". Poor response!
2) After waiting what felt like 20-25 minutes for my chicken (There was only 4 persons waiting in-line, and probably 6 tables filled with patrons at the outlet), the server gave me my chicken - with no drink. I asked him where it was, and the answer was ... "You did not order the meal!" Good grief, just check the receipt, mate! I reminded him otherwise, and without even apologising ... he gave me my meal WITH a drink.

Terrible!

The receipt - Do note who served me, shudder!




















The service basically ruined the meal, even though we normally enjoy the fried chicken!

Yummy fried chicken!

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Deliciously Chocolate - Scents & Sensibility


Desserts have never smelt better with the introduction of Deliciously Chocolate’s fragranced range called, ‘SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY’ complimenting desserts with a range of aromatic notes.

Add: Deliciously Chocolate Boutique on Level 1, Menara IMC, 8 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +60 18 287 8828
Located: A five-minute walk from Bukit Nanas Monorail station and Concorde Hotel. Located in between Concorde Hotel and Menara Prudential.
Map: Google Earth
Opening hours: Mon - Fri (10:00am - 6:00pm), Sat (For pick up only, 10:00am - 1:00pm).


 
From the fruity to the floral, from the spicy to the herbal, desserts are hand finished to perfection and simply bursting with scent and flavour. Taking inspiration from the wonderful world of perfumery, Deliciously Chocolate introduces a range of scented cakes, tortinos, patisserie, thinly sliced biscuits and macaroons.
The face and talent behind Deliciously Chocolate is dessert artisan, Ms Anizah Baharuddin, creating desserts marked by her own imagination.

“We have amazing cakes in our Signature Menu but for our new range, Scents and Sensibility, we wanted to push the envelope with our perfumery range based on the idea of pairing chocolate with aromatic accents. We experimented with floral, fruity and citrus notes and paired them with chocolate goodies and the ones we put into the menu are those which got us excited on the first bite,” Anizah said.

The new selection of desserts include aromatic cakes such as ‘Lavender Blue’, a scented layer of lavender white chocolate ganache cheesecake with blueberries on a bed of crumbly orange shortbread; and ‘Mary Rose’, a dark chocolate torte with layers of rosemary infused chocolate mousse and fragrant mango French buttercream.

“Everybody likes to indulge in a treat, which is essentially what we are about. All our exquisite desserts are a taste sensation using traditional recipes and authentic methods,” says Anizah.

On what inspires her latest range of desserts, she says, “I am inspired by anything and everything around me! This can be an idea for a flavour or a shape or an eating experience, but it is always grounded on the desire to create something delicious and different, unique to Deliciously Chocolate.

Other features to Scents & Sensibility include ‘Dark Spice’ patisserie, a sublime dark chocolate tart with an aromatic layer of fragrant caramelized banana in maple syrup, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, black pepper and paprika catering to dark chocolate lovers.

For those with a weakness for cupcakes, customers should try the ‘Bella Rosa’ white chocolate cake with rose scented strawberry filling topped with lychee buttercream; ‘Choco Cayenne’ chocolate with chili laced ganache.
Other features to the new menu include ‘Chocolate Ginger’ and ‘Chocolate and Orange Marble Loaf with Orange Blossom’ loaves; ‘Seasalt, Lemon Thyme’ and ‘Dark Chocolate’ cookies; and a range of Jasmine Green Tea, Peach and Vanilla and Violet, Rose & Blackberry macaroons.

All of Anizah’s artisanal creations are freshly made-to-order and are delivered to customers seamlessly using the modern conveniences of technology, thriving on their motto of being convenient but never compromising on quality.
“We are a very passionate team here at Deliciously Chocolate. Right from the sourcing and quality of our ingredients, to individually hand-making cakes and patisserie using traditional methods, to the delivery to our customers - perfection is the aim of the game!” quips Anizah.
With this passion comes quality, which is evident throughout their products. Every chocolate curl, glazed topping and garnishing is added as a finishing touch to their desserts with expert precision.

Desserts from Deliciously Chocolate are prepared on a daily basis and Anizah’s years of working with cakes and desserts account for the exquisite French-styled desserts including their ever-popular 'Tuxedo Salt', ‘Oblivion’ and sweet miniatures including Tortinos, Whoopies and Macaroons from the Signature Menu.

Deliciously Chocolate has expertly combined beauty and classic good taste in what they do, together with an intriguing sense of scent, taste and adventure.

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Hyundai Veloster - Abu Dhabi

Look what we spotted in Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago ...
 

The Hyundai Veloster, what is most striking about this little car is its doors - 2 on one side, and 1 on the other side!

Price in UAE: 75K-80K AED (Or, 65K RM - Yes, Proton-money here!)
Excerpt taken from: Drive Arabia
Engine: 1.6 I4 FWD
Gearbox: Only auto available, it’s a 6 speed
Power: 128 BHP
Economy: 7.2 litres/100 km
Acceleration, 0-100 km/h: 10 secs

The Veloster is Hyundai's head-on dive into the sport-compact segment, with an entry that will be controversial forever. The styling for this compact hatchback is one thing, but it has only three side doors, one on the driver's side and two on the passenger side. The standard engine for the GCC is a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, which puts a downer on its sporting intentions, especially since the standard gearbox is a 6-speed automatic. Features include a smart key with starter button, panoramic glass roof, cruise control, faux leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth phone, LED rear lights, rear camera with sensors, fog lamps, adjustable steering wheel, power windows and electric mirrors. Additional features available in some markets include a full set of airbags, ABS, stability control, automatic a/c, power driver's seat and a premium stereo with subwoofer.

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil & Cowgate - The National, UAE

Newspaper: The National, UAE
Dated: Sometime in April 2012



Source: bbc.co.uk
Here is an excerpt ...

A Malaysian minister embroiled in a scandal over government funds meant for a cattle project says she will resign.
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said on Sunday she would step down as minister for women, family and community on 8 April.

Her family had been accused of misusing the 250m Malaysian ringgit ($83m; £53m) fund to pay for condominiums, vacations and a Mercedes.
The "cowgate" scandal led to talk that Prime Minister Najib Razak might delay upcoming elections.

The minister said her resignation was not related to the cattle project run by her husband and three children. She was said she was stepping down as a "responsible member of the government" after her term as senator ends next month.
She added that she would, however, continue to serve as chief of the women's wing of the ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and governing coalition Barisan Nasional (BN).
Her decision came after months of pressure from the public and opposition over the allegations.

Her senatorship was widely expected to be extended before the scandal broke last year.