The United Arab Emirates remained at the top of Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking in February, with the highest score among the 53 economies tracked on Vaccine Doses Administered. The country also scored well on Vaccinated Travel Routes, with a low case count and low overall mortality over the preceding month.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Since November 2020, the Covid Resilience Ranking has offered a monthly overview of where the pandemic is being dealt with most successfully and with the least amount of disruption to people and businesses.
This month’s issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine highlights 15 unique journeys of Emiratis and expats in the UAE who are making a name in the world.
On the cover is Vijay Bhatia is the Managing Director of Jules Tourism, a 52-year-old businessman, and an owner of five different companies in different parts of the globe. He is a Singaporean national but an Indian by race.
Vassilios Nicolaos Vitsilogiannis is a political scientist who has practiced journalism for many years. Currently, he is working with various media outlets from print to radio in different parts of the globe.
A man that believes that magic is real creates his own destiny in the world of fantasy and dreams. Moein Al Bastaki a 40-year-old Emirati is a magician, illusionist, and mentalist.
Abdelkarim Madkour is currently the manager of the Al Mamzar Community Restaurant in Dubai. He was a graduate of hotel and tourism in Egypt. And throughout his professional life, he focused on working with different internationally acclaimed hotels, restaurants, and cafés in Egypt and other parts of the globe.
Aparna Bajpai, created her destiny at a young age as she moved towards married life. Although committed to family life, the situation never stopped her from reaching the top of her dreams.
DJ Tom Higham, a British decent Disc Jockey who has been in Dubai for several years to set up his career and passion in creating the best beats and nicks of all time.
For Saif Ali Khan, a Canadian Managing Director of Supreme Events and Entertainment, nothing is impossible. A professional software engineer who now manages events and advertising.
Satakshi Singh is an Indian and have been in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for 15 years. She studied in different schools around the Emirate and took-up Hospitality Management in Switzerland.
One of these business-minded individuals is of Filipino descent, Bonn Lozano, the owner of Shokudo Restaurant. He has been in Dubai for 15 years, continuously growing his business and helping people be part of his enterprise’s success.
Executive Vice President of One Road Group- Dubai, ChengLing “Jojo” Zhang, described the city of Dubai as a place of great culture and possibility. Her love for business and success always drives a young entrepreneur like Jojo.
Omar Rodriguez grew up in San Francisco, California, and moved to New York to start his culinary journey. He stayed in “The Big Apple” for almost half of his life. In that city, his spirit molded him to become practical and wise in the world of gastronomy.
Migration Specialist Karun Luthra is already a legend in the consultation industry. Throughout his career, he has been into sales and consultation. His comprehensive journey in influencing and guiding people to have the best decision supports him to become a developed individual and service-oriented motivator
Nepalese Nipendra Maharjan is currently working as a Senior Quality Control Officer in a coffee roastery. This 29-year-old man started his journey in Nepal when he took the barista training.
Rabih Arabi is the owner of Barako Art Café and Pinoy Word located in Al Rigga, Deira, Dubai. His intelligence gave him a margin to target many nationalities for his businesses.
Fatima Zhara Alaoui, the managing director of ITQAN Immigration Services, developed her courageous spirit from a young age. She went to Dubai at the age of 19 and brought goals to transcend her life and have a brighter future.
A woman of valor like Pragna Vaya, the managing director of Orbit Events and Promotions, lived and established her life in the United Arab Emirates. Her entire career was planted and harvested in the beautiful emirates of Dubai.
This story has been featured in the 11th issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine. To get a copy, you may contact Ms. Elaine “Bella” Marbella at +971503196856. If you have an inspiring story or know someone with one, please send an email to us at eic@dubavibesmagazine.com
According to the Khaleej Times, students from Dubai who were supposed to return to the UAE tonight have been stranded in Ukraine after Russian soldiers launched an offensive on the Eastern European country.
Students from UAE usually go for higher education in Ukraine especially those who want to pursue medical studies.
According to the Khaleej Times, three UAE airlines, flydubai, Air Arabia, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, have temporarily halted flights to Ukraine.
The suspension was in effect until further notice, according to Air Arabia, while FlyDubai confirmed today’s flights had been canceled.
Wizz Air flights in the nation have been temporarily halted.
The Russian military launched missiles at several Ukrainian cities on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin authorized a special operation in eastern Ukraine.
We last dived into the world of legitimate and original Filipino cuisine when we visited the Philippines, a gorgeous place. With those misses in mind, we’ve been eager to introduce you to a new breed of Filipino dishes available exclusively at Kusina Natin To’.
This restaurant is located in Al Satwa, Dubai, directly across from the Iranian Hospital. Kusina Natin To’ has taken on the challenging task of representing locally produced Filipino-style cuisine on a budget to the mid-range dining establishment.
You’ll arrive in an ample eating space, where intimate group dining experiences may be hosted properly, after negotiating and being surprised by the historical nature and its dark, luxurious décor with a touch of Filipino origin.
Kusina Natin To’s menu is divided into several distinct types of Filipino cuisine, including both traditional and modern culinary styles. You can then experiment with large portions of various group meals or even an a la carte menu. All of the Kusina Natin To’s sound incredible, and we could have quickly just stared at them.
The following are the must-try dishes at Kusina Natin To’:
Seafood from the Cajun region (Group meals for 2-3 or more)
A great concept is the Cajun Seafood Festival dinner. Crabs, shrimp, shellfish, and squid are all cooked and seasoned to perfection. The distinctive Cajun sauce (a combination of several seasonings such as paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and a secret ingredient) was a huge winner.
Bulalo Steak (2-3 pax per serving)
We’re all familiar with the spicy and aromatic Bulalo soup, but the Sizzling Bulalo Steak in this restaurant is a must-try. Yes, you read that correctly. Bulalo Steak is a type of beef that comes from the Philippines. Bulalo on a sizzling dish with flavorful gravy is a must-try. Its salty and sweet flavor, along with a kick of heat, can excite all of your senses.
Balbacua (2-3 pax per serving)
The presentation is complemented by a silky mouthfeel of delicate meat when served hot. Balbacua is a meal from the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Its soup is light and refreshing, as well as delicious.
Sisig (chicken or beef) (2-3 pax per serving)
When you go to Kusina Natin To, don’t forget to get this sisig Delux (chicken or beef) to have a taste of Pulutan and Pinoy Style sisig. This menu’s crispness and chili punch bite are a must-try. This is one of their most impressive menus.
Pansit Bihon (2-3 pax per serving)
Enjoy the platter of Pansit bihon with your family and friends. The main features of the traditional pansit that we are expecting are truly upscaled and perfectly mixed in its soy sauce and bounteous veggies and meat. It will always be up to you if you want a beef or chicken meet. Customization is widely accepted.
Papaitan (2-3 pax per serving)
When is the last time you taste your standard papaitan? If you had it in the Philippines, worry no more; it is now in Dubai. There’s a real depth of flavor to the broth and comes across as a Filipino standard “pait.” The chef knows it! Perfect for parties.
Chicken Kawali (2-3 pax per serving)
Like the traditional Litsong Kawali, Chicken Kawali is a whole chicken marinated into different spices with lemongrass inside. It is deep-fried for several minutes. Amazingly, it’s crispy like litson kawali. You can even experience the crispness of it up to the bones. The meat was tender and juicy.
Beef Kare-Kare (2-3 pax per serving)
Are you looking for the perfect kare-kare? The taste is gorgeous. It is like those fresh peanuts are ground and cooked. In this serving of 2-3, this will not be enough for you. I assure you that you will order another serving for it. The beef is so tender and juicy. The combination of sauce and bagoong alamang is just perfect!
Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet (2-3 pax per serving)
We take a look at their famous sweet and sour fish fillet from here. Their version of this dish is very Filipino, where Sweet is much more drowned than the sourness of the plate, but it tastes fantastic. I tell you!
Dating a Bangus (2-3 pax per serving)
Of course, it is boneless! Fried Daing na Bangus is perfectly marinated in Filipino vinegar with a touch of oriental spices. Another mouthwatering meal for you.
At this point, we’re highly impressed but also have some big decisions to make. But, telling you this, this is a highly recommended restaurant. The service has been excellent, but it was also clear that they have super friendly staff to attend to each customer now and then.
Are you looking for an affordable yet delicious meal this winter? It is time for you not to worry anymore because we found the best seafood restaurant in Sharjah.
From its cozy and motivating environment to its generous and hospitable service crews, you’ll enjoy every moment of your stay in the OFF-THE-HOOK seafood hub in Al Nahda, Sharjah.
Upon entering the restaurant, the ambiance, cleanliness, and proper sanitation are widely observed for both crews and customers. Feel how homie the environment is from its first floor to its vast veranda, where you can see the sides of Dubai and Sharjah.
Now, let us talk about the food. OFF-THE-HOOK offers affordable yet very presentable and fantastic meal variants to their customers. Aside from ala carte orders, they also have group meals for three or more individuals. You can enjoy your eating experience with your family and friends at the most reasonable price.
If you are a group of friends who love to eat in a boodle fight manner, OFF-THE-HOOK is the best restaurant for you. These group servings can make your mouth watery, and the aroma of Cajun sauce is distinctly flavored. Never leave the restaurant without tasting their black calamari that can take you into heaven. Well, for sure, you’re also wondering how white calamari turns into a black one? I bet that’s their secret.
Good seafood dishes always come with unique sauces that can complement the flavors of each crustacean. Try their Cajun sauce that will never disappoint you. Its extra kicks of depth-based aroma flavor are distinctly offered only in OFF-THE-HOOK.
“The journey of life is filled with ups and downs. Sometimes you have highs, and sometimes you have lows. But nothing is forever.”
Vijay Bhatia is the Managing Director of Jules Tourism, a 52-year-old businessman, and an owner of five different companies in different parts of the globe. He is a Singaporean national but an Indian by race.
Fresh out of high school in 1989, Vijay Bhatia said he started working at Emirates, the largest airline and one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates.
Being a man of business has been in his nature. Before having Jules Tourism, he had been a trader. According to him: “Jules Tourism belongs to my business partner from Nigeria. What happened was, one day, we just met and talked. She told me that Jules Tourism Company was not doing well; that time, she also asked for a partnership.”
“I have been in Dubai for almost 50 years. The motivation that keeps me going is when Dubai does something different. That is why, I admire the ruler of this city. In this emirate, every day is a different day, and every hour is a different hour,” he added.
“It is constantly changing,” he said. Taking inspiration from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, every day is different for him, he explains.
He also added that he looks at the ruler of Dubai as his guiding person and inspiration.
Keeping a positive frame of mind
“You should diversify. You can’t have one business. If something happens to it, you will be down and out.”
Vijay started his tourism business amid a pandemic, and many people are questioning him about his decision to open up an enterprise in a volatile moment. But as a man of independence, he solidified his self-trust.
Vijay said, “Do not put your eggs in one basket. You should diversify. If something happens to it, you will be down and out. We have diversified. So, we have this, and we have plans to open other businesses as well, like a cleaning company and a limo service company.”
When asked about his plan, he said he did not know yet. But he is happy that he has already achieved his dreams even at a young age. Vijay said he had traveled a lot – 56 countries and 126 cities, to be exact.
But there’s one place, he says, he keeps coming back to the Philippines.
“I used to go there every year,” he said. “My second home will be the Philippines when I grow old. I am 52, so like when I am 60…65…70, I want to stay in Makati.
Did you enjoy reading the story? This story has been featured in the 11th issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine. To get a copy, you may contact Ms. Elaine “Bella” Marbella at +971503196856. If you have an inspiring story or know someone with one, please send an email to us at eic@dubavibesmagazine.com
Vassilios Nicolaos Vitsilogiannis is a political scientist who has practiced journalism for many years. Currently, he is working with various media outlets from print to radio in different parts of the globe.
“Life is too short, and we need to spend it with our loved ones. I know people who need me, and I’m there for them, but I don’t want to talk about it since this matter is a matter of intimacy.”
Greek descent Vassilios has been in media for a long period. And his journalism practice creates leeway for him to integrate his knowledge in politics and media. He was a Master of Arts in International Relations graduate and worked as a political journalist and analyst.
Aside from being part of the estate of public figures, “One of the jobs I did in the past was the English teacher. Children are the future of this world, and any learning process should include Preparation: Arousing Interest; Presentation: Encountering the New Knowledge or Skills; Practice: Integrating the New Knowledge or Skills; Performance: Applying the New Knowledge and Skills,” he said.
Vassilios fondness for children also set him to be a philanthropist. In the United Arab Emirates, he worked as media coordinator at Small World, a charitable institution supporting children in need globally. The organization was under the auspices of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Al Nahyan.
He started his career in print media in one of the prominent media agencies in Dubai, covering significant events around the emirate. This man of talents currently works as an anchor of the weekend’s news report on radio Strimonika, a radio under the patronage of the Museum of Radio and Technology in Salonica, Greece.
“During my presence in Dubai, I worked with many other magazines. Also, I collaborate with various websites worldwide; my interviews get published online. Recently, I had a great friend who offered me her magazine to conduct interviews with great personalities from around the world,” he remembered his Dubai journey.
“I would love to, but as a journalist, I travel to meet new people, to develop new projects, and engage in collaborations in different countries. I reckon a place to live in is Europe, close to most of the world.
Diversity fuels Passion
Staying for almost ten years in Dubai gave him the feel of the multicultural setting of the city that imposes new norms and values of a traditional ethnic culture fused with modernity and innovation.
“This has constructed their diasporic identity by using, reinventing, and reinterpreting their ethnic traditional cultures,” Vassilios added.
According to him, he finds Dubai as a great city that creates an opportunity for everyone. It is good in every way, especially the diversity of culture, that makes him more passionate and satisfied with meeting new people and personalities.
“Being a journalist is very exciting. I get to meet new people, get to know them better, and then interview. It’s a psychoanalysis process which I enjoy doing to my interviewees,” Vassilios shared.
On the other hand, as a journalist, he also faces struggles in competition and the accuracy of resources that challenged him from time to time. Although his professional career has run smoothly despite controversies, the obstacles he faced in his personal life never hindered him from surviving in his work.
Did you enjoy reading the story? This story has been featured in the 11th issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine. To get a copy, you may contact Ms. Elaine “Bella” Marbella at +971503196856. If you have an inspiring story or know someone with one, please send an email to us at eic@dubavibesmagazine.com
“I love my job; I love performing, playing music, feeling the energy of the crowd, curating playlists, and building my music collection.”
Things will always get better when you hear the whimsical and fantastic music of DJ Tom Higham, a British decent Disc Jockey who has been in Dubai for several years to set up his career and passion in creating the best beats and nicks of all time.
“The most satisfying thing for me is taking a crowd on a journey, and leading them through the music they have not heard and letting the energy of the music take them away, but you need the right crowd and setting to do this.”
DJ Tom’s exceptional musical talent has been nurtured since he was young. His dream of becoming a music producer someday is currently in its development. And the city that never sleeps-Dubai is an excellent platform for him to build a network, process his passion and make a seamless dream that will never stop him from aspiring for greater heights.
Aside from being one of the best performers in the town, DJ Tom studied Economics at a university in the United Kingdom. Although a diligent student, he still managed to balance his passion and academic life.
“I studied Economics at university, but I bought my own set of decks while studying. I entered and won a few DJ competitions, and by the time I finished university, I was already playing in three cities across the north of the UK, so the transition to full-time DJ was the natural next step,” he said.
First Downbeat
According to DJ Tom, his first gig was a complete disaster. It is a 60th birthday celebration in Newcastle, and the equipment at the venue was faulty, and he was not briefed for the music. That was also when he realized that every tim he sets his hand on his deck, he should always be prepared.
“My first residency came while I was at university, playing warm-up sets under a more experienced DJ headlining, and I learned a lot from these experiences. However, I am very fortunate to have bunches of career highlights from playing alongside Steve Angello at his Size Matters Festival, winning the Pukka Up DJ competition, and playing in the main room in Amnesia.”
Although a university graduate, DJ Tom chooses the best thing that will make him happy and fulfilled. According to his friends, Tom never had a real job- as a kid, he worked a paper round, a summer as a bar back at a sports bar, and a two-week stint at a pub. He never had any office experience.
How to Juggle?
DJ Tom spent most of his time living in Dubai in the Marina area, close enough to walk into JBR, and enjoy the beachfront, just outside of all the traffic.
He describes Dubai as a city with so much to offer. He is thankful for all the fantastic opportunities the city has given him and the connections he managed to build with people from all over the world.
Moreover, not all the time, he is at its cloud nine. According to him, “Covid has been the biggest struggle I have faced – being forced to stop working for almost a year due to lockdown, restrictions, entertainment bans were unbelievably difficult.”
“My next goal is to establish myself as a music producer, under a new alias, and then build a brand as an artist in a new musical direction. I have worked hard this season to catch up financially to where I was before Covid and after Ramadan. I will be reassessing my work-life balance to make more time for focusing on my productions in the studio,” he ended.
Did you enjoy reading the story?
This story has been featured in the 11th issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine. To get a copy, you may contact Ms. Elaine “Bella” Marbella at +971503196856. If you have an inspiring story or know someone with one, please send an email to us at eic@dubavibesmagazine.com
A woman of greatness creates her destiny by trusting herself and believing that there is nothing impossible to those who know how to wait and envision a progressive life.
Satakshi is an Indian and have been in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for 15 years. She studied in different schools around the Emirate and took-up Hospitality Management in Switzerland.
This woman always believes that passion gives somebody a drive to push through in achieving dreams. As a millennial, her mindset makes her hungry for development and learning. And she found that creating her own business would help her not just to be a woman, but a woman who has a voice in society.
Building her empire
Before building her own business in Dubai, Satakshi served as an employee of several companies in the emirate. Most of these industries are concerned with finance banking. Later on, these experiences aided her to manage a business of immigration.
“I am passionate about it (immigration service). People at first did not believe in me, that I could create my own business because of my age, but I realized trusting myself was one of the most important ingredients in achieving ambitions,” she said.
At 29, she built her empire full of confidence and exemplary purposes. Her core keeps her poignant in helping people migrate, enjoy and aim high. Satakshi’s motivation to build her empire reflected in her stay in Dubai for many years.
According to her, although many people want to work in Dubai because of several opportunities. Still, there are some people in Dubai tend to migrate to other countries like the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
“Make sure that if you want to migrate to another country, make sure that you think for it many times. Migration is a huge step, and it is not easy at all,” she said.
Dubai is full of life
For Satakshi, Dubai is already her home. She began visualizing her dreams one step at a time. It started when she was a student and continued to develop into the chief executive officer and founder of Annaka Group.
“When you want something, don’t overthink about it, just follow your instincts,” said this woman of passion.
The keenness and self-trust can undeniably make someone an unbothered queen or king.
Sakshi believes that a dreamer must not give up. The key is determining whether someone will push for a goal and enjoy what is on the table.
Did you enjoy reading the story?
This story has been featured in the 11th issue of Dubai Vibes Magazine. To get a copy, you may contact Ms. Elaine “Bella” Marbella at +971503196856. If you have an inspiring story or know someone with one, please send an email to us at eic@dubavibesmagazine.com
