According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the Eid Al Adha holiday for federal government agencies will begin on Monday, July 19 and end on Thursday, July 22. And with the two-day weekends, residents can have a six-day break.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Residents will have almost a week-long Eid Al Adha holiday starting on Monday next week.

This following announcement by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAGHR) yesterday that the Eid Al Adha break for federal ministries and entities will begin on Monday, July 19 (Day of Arafat) and will end on Thursday, July 22, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

And with the two-day weekends, residents can have a six-day break.

Citing a circular issued by the authority, WAM said work for all federal ministries and entities will resume on Sunday, July 25.

The authority also greeted President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates; and the people of the UAE and Arab and Islamic countries on the occasion.  A four-day holiday has been announced in the UAE on the occasion of Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha. (Photo by Tawpee Comeso)

Like most expats, Ammar sometimes crave going to Old Dubai to be connected with the culture and history. Other times, a walk on the marina is what he needs, Ammar said.  

Like most cities around the world, Dubai has the old and new parts of it; and for Sari Ammar, living in the city is like enjoying the best of two worlds.

“Each area of Dubai has its own essence,” Sari, who was recently appointed director of sales and marketing at Millennium Place Mirdif, tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

“I sometimes crave going to Old Dubai and be in connection with the culture and the history. Other times, a walk on the marina is what I need. I enjoy riding the bike in Al Qudra in the silence of the desert,” says Sari, who moved to Dubai from Lebanon in 2001.

“Dubai has been my base for the past 20 years. I have been working in different international hospitality chains between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I have been in charge of many regions throughout my career and GCC has been one of them. The job enables me to travel to different places and coordinate with all travel markets around the world,” Sari says.

Being in the hospitality industry and, at the same time, “a passionate traveler,” as he describes himself, Sari has been in many places around the world either for professional or personal visits.

“I get to meet people from all around. I get exposed to different cultures and I become part of a bigger family,” he says.

But at the end of the day, it’s Dubai where he comes home to. “Dubai is a very special place for me. I don’t feel like an expat in Dubai. It is the home where I have the comfort, the safety, the diversity and the respect for whoever is living in this city. I value being part of the development of Dubai,” he explains.

Sari says he is very excited about his new job. “My biggest professional accomplishments to date have been in setting up successful rewarding commercial structures,” he says.

“The hotel, with all its assets, is very promising in terms of location and market offerings in that unique area.  The company’s mission aligns with my own professional values and I believe together with the team we will achieve great results,” Sari added.

Millennium Place Mirdif, the new four-star hotel property development in Mirdif Hills community by Dubai Real Estate Co., will be featuring 248 keys of which 116 are rooms and 132 are residential apartments, along with a variety of dining options including Hunter & Barrel from Australia, Batchig “The Lebanese-Armenian Restaurant,” Habanos Cigar Lounge & Bar, The Urban Bar, G-Level an all-day dining restaurant and the rooftop pool bar, gym, spa and multi-purpose meeting space.

Sari will play a pivotal role in developing key sales & marketing strategies to drive commercial productivity and growth for Millennium Place Mirdif that is due to open in Q4, 2021.

Cheng, operations manager at one of the largest spa chain in UAE, says: ‘I was very persistent. I guess my will power, positivity and zest in life have taught me how to survive.’  

As an operations manager at one of the largest spa chain in UAE, Joyce Cheng’s days are always full of surprises.

“There is no mundane day for me. Each is a chance to run with the wolves,” she tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

Joyce, who finished Bookkeeping in Malaysia before studying fashion, beauty and wellness in Singapore, said her job gives her the opportunity to do various functions – from training therapists to assisting with customer complaints and everything else in between.

“It is rarely boring. My job continuously fascinates me,” she says.

Joyce, who has been calling Dubai home for the past 10 years, had also stayed in Paris, London and Abu Dhabi.

“It is a beautiful city, very cosmopolitan,” she says of Dubai. “Lots to explore; same in the UK. You have chance to meet good prospects for business and interesting people from all walks of life. You will learn a lot from this city because of its diversity,” said Joyce. 

She had previously gone to Hong Kong to pursue fashion designing and stayed there for two years.

Joyce’s life journey began one day when she realized she would have to do it all by herself if she was to get to where she wants to be.

“Early in life, I learned how to earn a living because my parents didn’t support my career choice,” she shared.

“As I was very persistent to chase my dream and make it a reality, I tried everything from sewing bridal gowns to hairdressing, bookkeeping, massaging…the list goes on.

“I guess my will power, positivity and zest in life have taught me how to survive wherever I am, wherever I chose to be,” Joyce added.

And so, with an insatiable hunger for knowledge, she has developed the habit of spending hours at night surfing the net for things to learn.

“This might sound unusual, but my day starts not like most people’s. Mine starts at midnight. I am a night owl, a late sleeper. I’m fond of ‘googling stuff’ like how-to tutorials, discovering the latest beauty or art products, and more.

“I like stuff that feeds my mind and fuels my creativity. Apart from it, I make sure all things are prepared before I close my eyes. Then, I wake up late in the morning like say around 10am. I check my phone and email and sometimes have little snacks before I jet off to work,” she says.

And finally, asked which part of Dubai is her favorite, Joyce has this quirkily witty reply: “My bed.”

“I’m busy at work. So, after a long day I just simply wanted to rest. But if I have the luxury of time, you can find me in the beachside with a glass of rose wine,” she says.

Joyce is one of the pioneers who opened Dreamworks Spa, and has 10 branches  in Dubai under her belt. She is a licensed medical massage professional and certified fashion designer, hairdresser, and cosmetologist.  

Cheryle Dias shares her journey from taking customers’ queries at a reception desk in Dubai to being among the world’s fashion icons.

‘I am a very passionate person. I am focused. I make things happen. I started as a customer service staff. I sat at the reception and handled queries from clients. After my three-year contract expired, I jumped to a shipping company where I became general manager, owing to my degrees. Then I started pursuing a career in fashion.

‘Fashion is my passion. I enjoy every bit of it. You can make a trend by styling yourself and people will follow. Nothing is fixed. It’s how you style yourself.’

By Jojo Dass

International Fashion Week Dubai, which will have its 12th season this November, is among iconic events the city is known for.

But did you know that the woman behind this very successful event, now also being held in major European cities, started out as a construction company customer service staff?

It was 2002 and having just arrived in Dubai, Cheryle Dias had to start somewhere.

“I am a very passionate person. I am focused. I make things happen,” says Cheryle. 

“I started as a customer service staff. I sat at the reception and handled queries from clients. After my three-year contract expired, I jumped to a shipping company where I became general manager, owing to my degrees,” she added.

Cheryle has an MBA with a major in marketing. She also has a master’s degree in Fine Arts with major in fashion designing and textile.

‘Fashion is my passion.’

Eight years on, Cheryle started pursuing a career in fashion designing, landing different jobs till she finally launched her own label – Cheryle Dias Bridal and Couture, which is currently available in Paris and in several Dubai fashion houses.

“Fashion is my passion,” says Cheryle, who is from Goa, a Portuguese colony in India that gained its independence in the 1950s.

“I enjoy every bit of it,” added Cheryle, a happily married mother of three kids.

Cheryle said a fashion trend is a matter of taste and originality.

“You can make a trend by styling yourself and people will follow,” says Cheryle. “Nothing is fixed. It’s how you style yourself.”

She said designers struggle with so many thoughts in mind whenever they launch their label. “How should it be done? Will the marker accept it? There are so many things in your mind when you launch a label? How do you start? Starting is very critical for fashion designers,” Cheryle says.

Cheryle word-of-mouth marketing got her to where she is now.

Words of advice

“I started with bridals. It became my identity,” she says. 

“Then, I started getting inquiries about evening gowns and so I did evening gowns. It’s a step-by-step thing and soon I was getting inquiries about ready-to-wears. It’s all word-of-mouth. It’s very important for a fashion designer to market herself or himself,” Cheryle added.

Marketing yourself as a fashion designer is just half the work, says Cheryle; the other half is knowing who your market is, she added.

“It is also very important for a fashion designer to know her or his target market,” she says.

But how does one develop a market?

Cheryle says endorsement by influencers and celebrities help. “But if you don’t have the capacity, you will need to make use of the social media, which is very, very important for a fashion designer” she says.

There’s a bit of caveat though, she said. The design can be copied but not to worry, Cheryle said. “They can’t copy all. They can’t copy what’s on your mind. You are the creator and you can keep creating,” she added.

International Fashion Week Paris will have its fourth season come September this year; Milan will have its fifth also in September; while New York and London will finally have their inaugural edition likewise in September.

UAE-based restaurant chain opens branch in the ‘Big Apple’

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – AWJ Investments has announced the successful opening of Operation: Falafel’s first international location in New York. Marking the ongoing success of the holding group which currently runs 12 unique culinary concepts across 38 outlets in the Middle East.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of its international expansion plans the established and beloved UAE homegrown brand, Operation: Falafel opened its first store in June, in one of the food capitals of the world, New York City. The first store is located at 232, 7th Avenue Chelsea, Manhattan, and channels Operation: Falafel’s distinctive restaurant design, that has impressed diners visiting the new hotspot. The almost 2000 sq ft restaurant seats 60 and serves even more for take-out and delivery options. 

As the first location in AWJ Investments international portfolio, the new restaurant has seen huge success within its first few weeks, with sales exceeding targets by 40% within the first week.

The popular restaurant chain, known for its modern twist on casual Middle Eastern street food, offers an adapted menu for the Western market as well as the classics including shawerma, pitas, bowls, salads, hummus and of course the brand’s namesake, falafel.

Manhal Naser, Group CEO and Co-Founder of AWJ Investments, says: “With the UAE celebrating 50 years of prosperity, development, and inclusivity we wanted to pay homage to our home and continue to break moulds as a proud UAE homegrown pioneer moving into the western market.

“Our goal following the onset of the pandemic was to continue with our global expansion, which we have successfully completed with the opening of our New York location. We are thrilled to still be in a position to share real Middle Eastern street food with the world, taking a monumental step into western markets. We’ve seen an increase in interest in franchise opportunities, proving the success of the dine in and delivery concept in the market.”

“Customer feedback has been exceptional, in terms of flavour, the quality and freshness of our dishes as well as value for money. By remaining authentic to our brand roots, we are able to achieve a perfect balance that provides customers a healthy, delicious, affordable and on-trend dining experience in an effective operational model. We’re looking forward to welcoming more customers into our new location.”

The success of the opening has proved encouraging for AWJ Investments, with the company now accelerating its plans to open more outlets across the Big Apple, including 10 stores in the Downtown area of Manhattan and signing a further 350 units throughout the USA by 2023. Operation: Falafel will also continue its growth mission by opening France and UK in the coming months.

Caption: ‘Being the person at the back of the house, I generally had less opportunities.’ – Alexandra Kelner, TIME Asma Hotel, on breaking the glass ceiling.

By Jojo Dass

The hospitality industry, they say, is a man’s world, where top posts are dominated by men.

Recently however, there have been more and more women breaking the glass ceiling, and Alexandra Kelner, who recently assumed post as general manager of the four-star TIME Asma Hotel in Dubai’s Al Barsha shopping district, is among them.

What made her story quite unique is that she was a dark horse coming from behind, if you will, at the housekeeping department.

“I believe working in the hospitality industry requires lots of dedication, persistence and commitment regardless of gender, especially if we have a passion for what we do,” Alexandra, born in France, tells Dubai Vibes Magazine.

“I started my career in the housekeeping department, and being the person at the back of the house, I generally had less opportunities compared to those who were working front of house,” she said. 

There’s more! 

Alexandra will be leading a management team of women.

TIME Hotels’ CEO Mohamed Awadalla, said it has always been integral to their corporate strategy to diversify our workforce and offer equal opportunities to all members of staff. 

“Under the leadership of Alexandra, all areas of the hotel operation will be managed by women, from HR to sales, F&B, finance, front office and housekeeping – even our executive chef is a woman. 

“I am sure that this talented all-female management team will provide inspiration to all women who want to carve out a successful career in hospitality,” said Awadalla.

To this end, Alexandra said she is “beyond grateful for the trust that the executive team of TIME Hotels has placed in (me), under the guidance of CEO Mohamed Awadalla.”

Alexandra said she is very excited to be leading the team. “Of course, we are still in the soft opening period and that involves a lot of hard work preparing for the grand opening. But so far, the experience has been rewarding and I am looking forward to welcoming our first guests to TIME Asma,” she says.

TIME Asma Hotel held its soft opening last month.

Alexandra had worked in Algeria for two years as part of the pre-opening team of Sheraton Oran Hotel & Towers in Oran, prior to coming to Dubai.

She has been with TIME Hotels since August 2010, where she worked as executive housekeeper and moved up to become rooms division manager. Prior to that, she was assistant executive housekeeper at the five-star Grosvenor House Hotel for three years from 2007.

Alexandra has been in Dubai since August 2007. She said her initial plan was to stay for two or three years. “But, I guess, fate had other plans for me. Obviously I’ve stayed a lot longer and Dubai has become my second home,” she says.

 “Dubai is amazing! I love the constant change here, it’s so vibrant and it’s a place where everything is accessible. It is a very diverse, clean and safe city that’s always striving to be the best with a variety of initiatives for the hospitality, tourism, real estate and other sectors. Dubai is a truly unique city, welcoming all nationalities for both work and leisure, creating a melting pot of cultures,” she says. 

Asked which part of Dubai she loves the most, Alexandra said: “I’ve been in Dubai for over 14 years now and I do not have a specific area or place that I can categorically call my favorite. 

“However, something I do adore is when a new experience becomes available. Recently the Expo site opened to visitors, I really enjoyed visiting the Dubai Safari and I can’t wait to look around the museum of the future next to Emirates Towers – it’s such a beautiful building. And I guess that’s my point, it is very difficult to have a favorite, when Dubai always has something new and exciting to offer.”

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, inaugurated Deep Dive Dubai, which has been verified by Guinness World Records as the world’s deepest swimming pool which features a sunken city complete with an abandoned streetscape, apartment, garage, and arcade.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai has just given everyone another great reason to see this international city that never has a dull moment:  The world’s deepest swimming pool for diving.

Deep Dive Dubai, which was opened by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has an incredible depth of over 60 metres and holding 14 million litres of water, the equivalent of six Olympic-sized swimming pools, WAM reported.

The Crown Prince was accompanied at the opening by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.’

Guinness World Records has verified Deep Dive Dubai, located in the city’s Nad Al Sheba neighborhood, as the world’s deepest swimming pool for diving, according to the WAM report.

The diving pool has bragging rights to the latest technology and unrivalled facilities, including what will be the region’s most advanced hyperbaric chamber, an astonishing sunken city that divers of all levels can explore, complete with an abandoned streetscape and featuring an apartment, garage, and arcade. 

Freediving and scuba diving experiences and courses are offered to all ability levels by a team of international diving professionals.

Among the features of the 60m pool are two underwater habitats with a dry chamber at six and 21 meters, 56 underwater cameras covering all angles of the pool, as well as advanced sound and mood lighting systems, WAM said.

This latest attraction will be open for public bookings late this month at deepdivedubai.com, with guided experiences and courses offered. 

(Photo courtesy of  Dubai Media Office Twitter handle)

Rupert saw it all happen, sitting on the abra, crossing the Creek every day for five years until the day he finally got a driver’s license and was able to explore more of the city that the abra had introduced him to.

By Jojo Dass

Ride the abra and let Dubai cast a spell on you.

This perhaps explains why most people who used to cross the Creek on the abra – for work or as weekend warriors – have stayed on through the years.

The spell just wouldn’t go away. It’s in the breeze caressing your face; the view from the other side; the wooden, motorized boat crossing the water with nothing but bare essentials – not even a rope or some kind of railing to hold on to as you sit next to each other on a bench for the 15-minute ride; and of course, the water itself, calling on you to frolic.

That spell.

Rupert Fernandes, 62, born and raised in Mangalore, India, arrived in Dubai 27 years ago when he was 35, and worked as a marketing agent.

The abra, he said, was a daily thing for him as he raises a family in the city – his daily grind at the time, if you will. Unbeknown to Rupert, the spell caught up with him and carried him through the years.

“What I love the most about Dubai is the abra. I used to ride the abra twice a day. Back then, the fare was just AED.50 fils,” recalls Rupert, who now heads a reputable company’s logistics and freight forwarding division in the Jebel Ali industrial zone.

Indeed, Rupert is always reminded of the Creek and his abra rides whenever he sees his two daughters: the eldest was born in 1993 at around the same time he arrived in Dubai; the second, in 1996 at which time he was already busy making a living, with the abra becoming a regular fixture of his working class life.

Along with his rides on the abra are memories of how Dubai was during those days. “I have seen how Dubai grew. I saw it all happen. I absolutely feel I have become part of this city’s growth,” says Rupert.

Yes, Rupert saw it all happen, sitting on the abra, crossing the Creek every day for five years until 1998 when he finally got a driver’s license and explore more of the city that the abra had introduced him to.

Rupert’s wife works at the same company. His two daughters are now living their own lives in Melbourne, Australia. The couple is looking forward to being reunited with them in the future and tell them about the abras on the Creek, among other stories.

Indeed, for generations, the abra has been the lifeblood of Dubai. Those wooden boats have been there since the days when there was nothing much on both sides of the Creek but a number of houses and merchandize shops lit only by flickering lanterns. 

And the stories have been passed on and on. (Photo by the award-winning Marcky Mark)