Openskies | January 2015

REDISCOVERING OLD DUBAI

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Andrew Birbeck, Anthony Blasko, Geoff Brokate, Jonathan Camí, Gemma Correll, Adam Lee Davies, Rasha Al-Duwaisan, Pedro Guimarães, Neha Kale, Cameron Kline, Jamie Knights, Kaye Martindale, REM, Robbie Porter, Lucy Taylor, Kristin Teig, Sandra Tinari HEAD OF PrODuctiOn S Sunil Kumar AssistAnt PrODuctiOn MAnAgEr Binu Purandaran

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E D I T O R ’ S

L E T T E R

GARETH REES

O

n May 18, 2007, I landed at Dubai International

Al Shindagha is no longer only a celebration of the

Airport ready to begin what has become

UAE's past. A number of new creative and cultural

almost eight years and counting in the UAE.

enterprises have joined those stalwarts and the whole

Like most new arrivals, I soon found myself – having run

area is looking to the future. It is this thriving yet

the gauntlet of hawkers in the Gold Souk and inhaled

peaceful neighbourhood, encapsulating both Dubai's

the myriad aromas of the Spice Souk – standing alone

past and present, that Dubai-based writer and heritage

and slightly bewildered on the Deira side of Dubai

consultant Rasha Al-Duwaisan does such a wonderful

Creek, searching for something called an abra – a

job of celebrating with this month's cover story,

traditional boat used to ferry people across the creek

'The Future Of Old Dubai'.

I hopped aboard a small, wooden craft and planted myself on a bench beneath a canvas awning amidst a crowd of eager tourists and local denizens of Deira and Bur Dubai to Bur Dubai. I had been assured by friends that the

As you have probably already noticed from the

now motorised abras, run by the Dubai RTA (Road

beautiful image on our cover, Open Skies is also

Transport Authority), were the best, and cheapest, way

embracing change, with a brand new look for 2015.

of making the crossing. After ridding myself of a gaggle

The change is evident on every single page of this

of persistent entrepreneurs trying to sell me sightseeing

January issue. But just like Dubai's heritage area, we

tours for hundreds of dirhams, I hopped aboard a small,

are moving forward without forgetting our identity. The

wooden craft and planted myself on a bench beneath

all-new Open Skies might look like the old incarnation's

a canvas awning amidst a crowd of eager tourists and

more handsome younger brother – charming, warm

local denizens of Deira and Bur Dubai. The five minute

and intelligent – but the team and I remain committed

journey cost me Dhs1 (roughly US$0.25).

to bringing you engrossing and unique stories from

Anybody who has visited Dubai is likely to have had

the world's best writers and photographers, and to

the same experience I had, but if you take the same

celebrating the many authentic experiences the world

journey today, you will find a very different Bur Dubai

has to offer. We hope you like the direction we have

than the one I found back in 2007. The Bur Dubai

chosen to travel in. Enjoy the issue.

side of Dubai Creek is home to established tourist attractions such as the Textile Souk, Dubai Museum and Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in Al Fahidi District (formerly known as Bastakiya), but the hertitage area that extends from Al Fahidi along the creek to the Heritage Village at

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LOOK OUT FOR THIS ICON ON EACH STORY IN OPEN SKIES FOR AN INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF EMIRATES

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C O N T R I B U T O R S

JANUARY 2015 Some of the people who helped create this issue of Open Skies NEHA KALE

SANDRA TINARI

ANDREW BIRBECK

CAMERON KLINE

Neha is a freelance writer based in Sydney. For this issue, she visited Newtown, the much-loved Sydney neighbourhood that is an incubator for creative ambition and community spirit.

Sandra is a freelance writer and photographer based in Dubai. For this issue, she met the founder of one of the city’s fastest growing fashion companies, Mochi.

Andrew is an Edinburgh-born writer now living in Dalkey on Dublin’s south coast. For this issue, he met the owners of Bizon Studio in Moda, Istanbul’s artists’ quarter.

“Fuelled by a life of travel, I’ve always had a crush on gypset, boho-luxe fashion, so I was over-the-moon to spend a day losing myself in the world of colour that is the Mochi showroom,” she says.

“These days so much art and design, when you scratch the surface, is mass-produced” he says.

“Bizon Studio, with its inspirational hand-crafted mix of porcelain, jewellery, prints and furniture, is a breath of fresh air made all the more enticing by the open-minded attitude of its owners Murat and Seçil.”

Cameron is an American photographer currently based in Tokyo, Japan. For this issue, he travelled to Nara in the Kansai region of Japan to photograph the Wakakusa Yamayaki, or Wakakusa Fire Festival, as it has become known.

RASHA AL-DUWAISAN

KAYE MARTINDALE

JONATHAN CAMÍ

ADAM LEE DAVIES

Rasha is a writer and heritage consultant based in Dubai. For this issue, she explored the pockets of creative activity to be found beside Dubai Creek.

Kaye is a writer based in the UK. For this issue, Kaye travelled to Oslo to dine with Magnus Carlsen, chess champion, model and anti-nerd.

Jonathan is a Catalan Barcelonaborn photographer living in Australia. For this issue, Jonathan photographed Sydney’s Newtown neighbourhood.

Adam is a freelance film writer based in London and Berlin. For this issue, Adam wrote about Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival.

“Walking in Bur Dubai is like walking through a maze of contradictions,” she says. “Complete silence is followed by complete chaos, while the old and new stand wall-to-wall, uninterrupted. It comes as no surprise that the artistically inclined have seen this part of town as a Petri dish for creative experimentation.”

“It was really interesting to have an insight into the mind of chess genius, Magnus Carlsen,” she says. “We had a meal together at a swanky restaurant, Dinner, in central Oslo. He kept me guessing throughout as to whether he is super cool or super nerdy.”

“Newtown was a great location to shoot,” he says. “People are friendly and the neighbourhood is vibrant and multicultural.

Wandering around you will find a photo in every corner. Definitely one of the most interesting neighbourhoods in Sydney, if not the whole of Australia.”

“Often regarded as no more than an out-ofseason photo-op for Hollywood’s log-cabin liberals, Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival has long been an invaluable outlet for daring new American cinema,” he says.

“Whether it’s a piece of street art, an unusual café or a vintage bookshop, Newtown is home to the kind of places that you’d never find on a Sydney postcard,”she says. “It has a history of attracting creative people who aren’t scared to try new things.” she says.

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“You’re standing on a hillside of dry grass and so there’s definitely an element of danger to the fire festival,” he says.

“I think in a country as safe as Japan that’s what makes the festival so fascinating.”

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| 18 |

Entertainment

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E x p E r i E n c E

JANUARY 1, 2015

college football playoff: sugar bowl New OrleaNs, Usa

College football is taken seriously in America, where football is the most popular sport and college teams feed the franchises in the NFL (National Football League). Sports photographer Anthony Blasko captured this image during a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (pictured) and Michigan Wolverines in Michigan in 2013, a typically close encounter that Ohio State won by a single point (42-41). This month Ohio State will take on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl semi-final game in New Orleans, Louisiana on New Year’s Day, while Oregan and Florida State go head-to-head in the Rose Bowl semi-final game in Pasadena, California.

The College Football Championship Game between the two victorious teams will take place in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, January 12. collegefootballplayoff.com

You can fly from Dubai to New Orleans with Emirates and JetBlue. Members of Emirates Skywards earn Miles on JetBlue flights, and members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty programme can earn points for Emirates-operated flights.

| 22 |

E x p E r i E n c E

IMAGE: Anthony blAsko/VIctory journAl

| 23 |

E x p E r i E n c E

JANUARY 23, 2015

Dubai MaraThon 2015 Dubai, uaE

Gary MeenaGhan, a sportswriter for uae newspaper the national, witnessed 18-year-old Tsegaye Mekonnen asefa set a course record in dubai in January 2014, and he thinks the younG ethiopian can Go one step further and break the world record at this Month’s Dubai MaraThon It is January 2014 and Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab

“I think we can take the world record

is glinting in the morning sun. Nearby, 18-year-old

back to Ethiopia,” says Mekonnen. “There is a

Tsegaye Mekonnen Asefa is exhausted but

new generation of Ethiopian athletes, myself

exhilarated, sweating but smiling. He is waving a

included, who will be able to run under

the weather: historically, the mornings tend

large Ethiopian flag, having just won the Standard

the world record time. Even with the small

to start crisp, but the key is how rapidly the

Chartered Dubai Marathon with a new course

experience I have in marathons, I feel Dubai

temperature rises.

record time of two hours, four minutes and 32

is the best course in the world to try to run

seconds on his marathon debut.

the world record.”

4km road races.

More crucial to Mekonnen’s hopes will be

Last year, while the climate was perfect, the pacemakers let their debutant down,

The route in Dubai tends to change

leaving him to complete the final 10km

to return to Dubai for the 2015 event, which

annually because of pervasive construction,

alone. This year Mekonnen is more

takes place on January 23. Having broken the

but it is always flat and increasingly straight.

experienced. If the conditions are correct,

world junior record here last time, he wants

Event director Peter Connerton says this

expect to see him smiling in front of the

to go one better this month; he wants to

year’s course will be “as close to last year’s

Burj Al Arab once again – only this time as a

beat Kenyan Dennis Kimetto’s 2:02:57 world

layout as possible”, adding he expects in

world record holder.

record, set in Berlin in September 2014.

excess of 25,000 runners to take part in the

dubaimarathon.org

a number of emirates staff run the dubai Marathon every year as part of the emirates Group running club, which participates in races around the world.

| 24 |

iMaGe: Jonathan walley/standard chartered dubai Marathon

Twelve months on and Mekonnen is ready

US$200,000 marathon and the 10km and

E x p E r i E n c E

JANUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 1, 2015

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL UTAH, USA

Film critic AdAm lee dAvies highlights the importAnce oF the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL, which tAkes plAce in pArk city, UtAh, this month, And pAys homAge to the mAn who mAkes it All possible, RobERT REDFoRD The golden boy of 1970s American cinema,

Named after his character in Butch Cassidy

Film Festival. We may not have sipped hot

Redford starred in some of the decade’s very

and The Sundance Kid, the festival has recently

chocolate with the stars on the snowy

best films as a blond, beautiful avatar for the

been genially lampooned as having lost sight of

streets of Park City, Utah, but the festival

American Dream. He sought truth as crusading

its early independent vision to become a plush

has undoubtedly helped shape the way we

Watergate reporter Bob Woodward in All The

winter retreat for Hollywood’s visiting elite,

all look at movies since it started in 1978.

President’s Men; he was rugged and self-reliant

but it still thrives as a bustling film market and

Designed to showcase the talent, spirit and

as mountain man Jeremiah Johnson; and he hit a

is a crucial focal point for emerging filmmakers

passion of American independent cinema,

mean baseball in The Natural. He even played that

that has extended to embrace world cinema

Sundance has served as a launchpad for

most magnificently doomed American striver

as well as fostering homegrown talent. In fact,

the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino,

in The Great Gatsby. A move behind the camera

the chances are that your in-flight movie just

as well as giving crucial early exposure to

to direct Ordinary People in 1980 garnered

wouldn’t exist – or at least not be not quite

directors such as Bryan Singer (The Usual

immediate Oscar recognition, and Redford

so good – without the expertise and flair that

Suspects, X-Men), Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s

has successfully switched between acting and

was cultivated and championed in a small ski

Eleven, Magic Mike) and Christopher Nolan

directing ever since, but his greatest achievement

resort on the side of a mountain in Utah.

(Inception, Interstellar).

has been the meteoric rise of Sundance.

sundance.org

you can fly from dubai to salt lake city via new york with emirates and Jetblue. emirates flies to new york three times daily, with a fourth daily service launching on march 8.

| 26 |

imAge: reX FeAtUres

We’ve all been to Robert Redford’s Sundance

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U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S

BAHRAIN

OMAN

LEBANON

EGYPT

E x p E r i E n c E

JANUARY 24, 2015

WAKAKUSA YAMAYAKI NARA, JAPAN

PhotograPher CAMeron KlIne recalls the day he PhotograPhed WAKAKUSA YAMAYAKI, the annual festival during which the dead grass on Mount wakakusa is burned. the festival takes Place in nara, JaPan, this Month suggested that for all of our advancements in

was crisp and cool on the day I arrived in late

safety not much has changed.

January; it had a freshness that only mountain

Some say the mountainside was burned

With its mountain backdrop, the former capital of Japan, Nara, is approximately one hour away from Kyoto, and every January

air has. Wild deer roamed the streets, which

to eradicate wild boar or insects, while

hosts the fire festival. Members of Kofuku

were lined with vendors, and as I approached

others maintain that it was the result of

Temple, Todai Temple and Kasuga Shrine

Mount Wakakusa, where I would later witness

a feud over temple boundaries. What is

participate in ceremonial duties during

the annual Wakakusa Yamayaki festival, I

known for sure is that in the year 1760,

Wakakusa Yamayaki. First, a torch is lit at

wasn’t sure what the day would bring. In

long before modern safety regulations

the Kasuga Shrine, and then the sacred

winter, evening comes early in Japan, and

and fire extinguishers, the mountain was

fire is carried by a procession of Buddhist

temple members gathered near dusk to

set ablaze and an annual festival was

monks. The sacred flame lights a bonfire that

light a bonfire that would eventually engulf

subsequently formed. Regardless of its

eventually consumes the entire mountain.

the mountainside. As I watched the bonfire

origin, Wakakusa Yamayaki is one of Japan’s

Volunteer fire fighters come from far and

being lit I couldn’t help but think about what

most impressive winter festivals, and slightly

wide to ensure a safe festival, but still the

this spectacle might have been like some

off the beaten path frequented by visitors

promise of a mountain aflame gives you a

300 years earlier. My proximity to the flame

to Japan’s Kansai region.

sense of danger during this age-old festival.

emirates flies to three destinations in Japan daily: osaka, tokyo-narita and haneda.

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iMage: caMeron kline, caMeronkline.coM

The air in Nara, in the Kansai region of Japan,

T H E

V I E W

F R O M

LISBON VALTER VINAGRE, PHOTOGRAPHER, 60, MERCADO ALVALADE NORTE IMAGE: PEDRO GUIMARAES

“I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER, BUT I AM ALSO A PASSIONATE COOK, AND I PARTICULARLY LOVE TO COOK WITH FISH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS IN PORTUGUESE CUISINE. TRADITIONALLY, MOST FISHING BOATS SET ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS ON MONDAYS, SO I VISIT THIS MARKET EVERY TUESDAY TO ENSURE I CAN PICK THE FRESHEST FISH – LIKE THIS LINE-CAUGHT SEA BASS. MY FATHER, WHO WAS A GREAT COOK, TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT FOOD, AND WHENEVER I EXPERIENCE A DELICIOUS DISH IN A RESTAURANT, I ASK THE CHEF FOR TIPS. I COOK TWO MEALS A DAY FOR MY WIFE, MY SON AND MYSELF. I CAN’T GO A SINGLE DAY WITHOUT A SUPERB MEAL.”

Lisbon joined the Emirates network in July 2012, and in 2014 Emirates became the Official Partner of Portugal’s most successful football club, Benfica.

L u n c h

w i t h

MAGNUS CARLSEN Kaye Martindale talks to Magnus Carlsen over a plate of the world chess champion’s beloved “spicy food” at Oslo’s Dinner Bar & Restaurant images: geoff Brokate

M

agnus Carlsen arrives 20 minutes late and, to my

making chess cool again, with rising global interest and more young

surprise, he’s brought someone with him. Dinner with

people taking up the game than ever before.

Magnus becomes dinner with Magnus and his agent.

His appearance – fashionably tousled hair, brooding looks and

Worryingly his agent, Espen Agdestein, seems to do all of the talking

a trendy but relaxed style – matches his reputation, but I begin

for him, while Magnus strikes the pose of an uncomfortable and,

to doubt that this is the guy who’s dispelling the reputation for

perhaps, slightly petulant teenager.

nerdiness that chess suffers from.

At the age of 24 Magnus is the reigning world chess champion

As we walk through the sophisticated Chinese restaurant, Dinner,

and is being heralded as the game’s saviour. Famed for his relaxed

in the centre of Oslo, a respectful hush descends. The popular

attitude, model looks and savant-like intuition, he’s credited with

establishment is packed with wealthy families and fashionable

| 33 |

MAURITIUS

L u n c h

w i t h

Today he’s decided To embrace The sTimulaTing effecT of chillies and has chosen The Szechuan chilli-pepper Kam Kon pot couples and, although there’s no overt looking or commenting, you

find the word in English, but it feels more like he’s using his hands

can sense that someone special has entered the room.

to try to convey to me the very sensation and effect that spicy

Magnus – who is a huge name in Norway – also senses the effect of his presence. When he sees the photographer’s lights in the

food has on his mind – as if words aren’t enough. We settle on “stimulating” to describe the feeling.

middle of the restaurant, he asks nervously if we have checked with the restaurant first.

Today he’s decided to embrace the stimulating effect of chillies and has chosen the Szechuan Chilli-pepper Kam Kon Pot. Espen orders

As we sit, Magnus continues to avoid eye contact as he and his

the same and I take Fresh Temptations. Espen tells me we don’t have

agent scrutinise their phones and confer in Norwegian. Apparently

time for more than one course as Magnus is off to play an exhibition

there’s a big chess tournament going on in London and they are

game where he’ll take on three people at the same time.

following the action online.

Magnus apparently doesn’t like to plan much in chess and prefers

Magnus seems to be very difficult to engage in conversation,

to follow his intuition, feeling his way around the board rather

and I wonder if he has problems with English or if the stereotypes

than adopting a strategy. He describes playing chess as “a great

about chess champions being socially inept are true. I throw out a

creative satisfaction, perhaps something like painters and writers

question, hoping he’ll answer. “Why did you choose to meet here?”

experience”, and finds chess most sublime when he manages to

My words hover for a few moments before being picked up by

create something “really unusual and special”.

Espen, who simply replies: “He likes spicy food.”

As soon as he mentions chess, all my doubts about how the

But finally, after some discussion with his agent in Norwegian,

interview will work out dissipate. His face lights up, his hands

he apologises and, as if a switch has been flicked, comes alive with

begin gesticulating and he is transformed into a confident and

boyish freshness and charm.

natural young man.

He says he was debating whether to have spicy food or not.

I wonder if Magnus speaks like he plays chess. His body language

“Spicy food is good but sometimes it’s too…” he begins before

suggests a natural effusion of energy while it seems as if he weighs

words give way to a gestural sign language. I wonder if he’s trying to

each word, to make sure it’s the best vehicle for what he’s trying to

it is estimated that more than 1,200 norwegians currently reside in the uae. emirates launched daily flights to oslo in september 2014.

| 35 |

L u n c h

w i t h

Magnus gives the iMpression of one who doesn’t waste much time with ‘what ifs’ and ‘if onlys’ express. There’s now no doubt in my mind that I have his absolute

One year later, a 13-year-old Magnus found himself playing Garry

undivided attention.

Kasparov, considered by many to be the greatest chess player to

His father introduced him to the game when he was five, but

have ever lived. Watching the video on YouTube, my heart went

it didn’t overly interest him. “It was just a game that I played more

out to the sweet young boy who looked like a lost child facing a

or less like anyone plays any game.” Chess truly came alive for him

very intense looking man. However, Magnus saw it a different way:

when he was playing his sister at the age of seven. “We spent a few

from the perspective of a champion’s last stand against the new

hours playing in deep concentration and I understood the game in

generation. “I can’t imagine a worse situation for myself to be in at

a different way. That was a very special game.”

35 years old,” he says as he stretches his arms up over his head as

Our food arrives. Magnus and Espens’ meal is a rather succulent dish that consists of a variety of meats coated in a sweet looking

if to ward off the stiff constrictions of old age, then takes a big gulp of Coca-Cola.

sticky sauce, while I sense a hint of derision at my vegetarian choice of tofu and seasonal vegetables.

Magnus gives the impression of one who doesn’t waste much time with ‘what ifs’ and ‘if onlys’. My questions of a speculative or

By the age of nine Magnus already had “high hopes” for chess’

abstract nature seem to slide off him as if he’s made of Teflon.

place in his future. “I realised that I had a different attitude towards

Perhaps what makes him such a great player is his insistence on

chess than my peers. They did it in their spare time and I wanted to

staying in the reality of the moment. I ask him if he wishes he’d got

do it every day, so it was only natural that I was going to be one of

to play Kasparov more often before he retired. He looks at me

the better players.”

and narrows his eyes, as if making sense of the question. “No,” he

In 2003, Magnus had already outgrown Norway’s small chess

answers, slightly baffled, “I don’t think about that.”

pool. The Carlsen family took the children out of school for a year

Magnus repeats the phrase “free flowing” throughout the

to drive around Europe in a camper van so that Magnus could

interview, and I’m starting to see him as grandmaster of Zen as well

develop his chess by playing at higher-level tournaments than he

as chess. “I think it suits me in chess when neither of us are playing

could find in his homeland.

out the manuscript. I’m really not very comfortable with it, I feel so

| 37 |

L u n c h

w i t h

I get the sense that Magnus prefers to play games he enjoys rather than sIMply playIng to wIn much better when I speak from…” Again Magnus abandons words

number one rank since May 2011. Yet he believes he hasn’t reached his

as if they don’t even come close to describing his reality and draws

peak yet. “I just want to continue to learn. To be better. There are so

the sensation in space with his hands. They seem to be expressing a

many ways I can improve. I make stupid mistakes in every game. I think

natural fluidity of the body.

I’m going to inch a little bit closer to my potential.”

He’s famous for being laidback during games – even going so

I look down at my list of pre-prepared questions and suddenly

far as to fall asleep during the world championship. But he denies

feel like I’m the nerd.

“It’s the same in life. I like that free flowing feeling. I don’t really

psyching his opponents out with his poker face, saying that he feels

make plans too far ahead. I go with the flow until it doesn’t work

the worry inside and that it just happens not to show too much on

and then I have to do something different.”

the outside.

I ask him if he thinks he’s met the world’s next number one and

Going with the flow seems to be working so far for Magnus. At the end of November he defeated Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan

he catches me unawares with his boyish innocence and earnest

Anand in Sochi to maintain the world championship, a title that he

gaze, replying saying yes he has. I lean in as he tells me the next

describes with genuine light-heartedness as “a nice thing to have”. It’s

champion is from Norway. Fooled by his poker face I only realise

the number one spot in the ranking that holds more value for him.

he’s joking when he laughs out loud and points to himself.

I began the meeting wondering how anyone could imagine that

I get the sense that Magnus prefers to play games he enjoys rather than simply playing to win. He describes the games in the

this awkward looking boy could make chess cool; now I’m not so

world championship as “not that interesting for me as I didn’t have

sure. I ask him how he feels about being chess’ ambassador of cool

the chance to play for myself ”, a sentiment that he reiterates when

and he answers: “I always thought chess was cool.” He grins at me

speaking about his recently ended ventures in modelling for fashion

and looks me in the eye. Checkmate.

Sensing the end of the interview, a cluster of blond children have

brand G-Star Raw. “I’ve come to realise that I like to give my time to chess more. It was an interesting experience but ultimately it’s

left their tables and gravitated towards Magnus clutching scraps of

not for me. I just find the whole process of filming – speaking from

paper and pens. Magnus obligingly gestures to them to approach

a manuscript and doing takes over and over again – so tedious.”

and autographs their papers and poses with them for selfies.

As we leave the subject of chess behind and say our goodbyes,

Magnus has been called the Mozart of chess and his penchant for playing by ear has brought him to the top of his game. It’s hard to

Magnus’s agent, Espen, once again takes over as Magnus retreats

believe that there’s anywhere else for Magnus to go in the world of

back behind his finest G-Star Raw scowl.

chess. He is already the highest rated player in history and has held the

dinner.no

the BIll 2 x szechuan Chillipepper Kam Kom pot: DKK458 (us$76) 1 x Fresh temptation: DKK178 (us$30) 1 x sparkling water: DKK79 (us$13) 1 x Coke: DKK47 (us$8) Total: DKK762 (us$127) | 39 |

T A S T E

O F

| 40 |

B O S T O N

T A S T E

O F

B O S T O N

JOHNNYCAKES Boston’s Neptune Oyster, opened in 2006 by Jeff and Kelli Nace, specialises in seafood dishes, including this American classic, originally created by the native Algonquin Indians IMAGE: KRISTIN TEIG

INGREDIENTS FOR THE JOHNNYCAKES: 1 cup flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/4 cup semolina 3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 egg 2 tablespoons oil 2 cups buttermilk TOPPINGS: A drizzle of honey butter Bluefish tartare (if you can’t find smoked bluefish, you can use smoked trout, but bluefish is more local) Crème fraiche Sturgeon caviar Sea salt Chives

STEPS 1 2 3 4 5

HISTORY

Combine the cornmeal, semolina, flour and sugar

The original settlers of New England

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and oil together, then add the buttermilk

called journey cakes by the settlers,

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a thick batter forms

colonist slurred the words, pronouncing

Pour into a buttered nonstick sauté pan and cool until golden brown

Tisquantum, nicknamed Squanto, helped

learned how to make Johnnycakes from the local Algonquin Indians. Originally because they could be carried on long voyages in saddlebags and cooked along the way, historians believe the it Johnnycake. Johnnycakes were served at the first thanksgiving feast, which lasted three days. One of the Indians, to educate the pilgrims on growing, grinding and cooking corn. Squanto later helped the English to map out

Garnish with a drizzle of honey-butter, smoked bluefish, creme fraiche, sturgeon caviar, sea salt and chives

much of New England.

With more than 50 New England companies operating in the UAE, the Boston route is popular among corporate travellers coming to Dubai.

Emirates non-stop daily service launched in March 2014 with a Boeing 777-200LR. In August 2014, a larger 777-300ER was put on the route to respond to demand.

| 41 |

S t a y :

R o o m

JOHNNY CASH SUITE, ABODE MANCHESTER MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM

Words: GArETH rEEs ImAGE: ABodE mANCHEsTEr Abode Manchester is just a five-minute

On Fifth – are five loft-style suites, all themed

late, great Man In Black might have stayed in,

stroll from both Manchester Piccadilly

and some displaying work by artists including

rather than a kitsch tribute to the artist. After

railway station and the city’s creative core,

Yoko Ono and David Hockney. Johnny Cash

a day exploring Manchester’s many cultural

the Northern Quarter. Housed in a grade

memorabilia is kept to a tasteful minimum in

pleasures and a night enjoying its fine bars and

II listed building – a former Victorian cotton

the large, light-filled Johnny Cash Suite, which,

restaurants, give the lift a miss and make your

warehouse – the hotel is best-known as the

with its high ceilings, elegant combination of

way down the beautiful walnut staircase to a

location of one of the city’s finest restaurants,

period features and contemporary furnishings,

first-class full English breakfast courtesy of chef

Michael Caines Restaurant. But on the fifth

comfortable bathroom and bedroom and

Dean Wright and his team at Café Bar & Grill.

floor of the property – aptly named Fabulous

vast lounge area, is the sort of room the

abodehotels.co.uk

Emirates offers three daily flights to Manchester, including one daily A380 service.

| 42 |

ABU DHABI CLASSICS INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SEASON

OCTOBER 2014 - MAY 2015

PERFORMANCE CALENDAR JANUARY 7th 2015

APRIL 28th 2015

MAY 27th 2015

Khatia Buniatishvili: Solo Piano Concert

Orchestra Accademia Teatro alla Scala with Mikhail Tatarnikov (conductor) and David Fray (piano)

Bertrand Chamayou : Solo Piano Concert, Global Encounters

8:00pm Pre-concert Talk at 6pm

8:00pm

8:00pm Manarat Al Saadiyat Auditorium

Manarat Al Saadiyat Auditorium

Emirates Palace Auditorium

FEBRUARY 17th 2015

APRIL 29th 2015

MAY 28th 2015

Staatskapelle Dresden and Christian Thielemann

Orchestra Accademia Teatro alla Scala: Opera Gala

Bertrand Chamayou : Solo Piano Concert, The Wanderer

8:00pm

Al Qattara Arts Centre, Al Ain

8:00pm Pre-concert Talk at 6:00pm Emirates Palace Auditorium

8:00pm

Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain

FEBRUARY 18th 2015

MAY 12th 2015

BOOK NOW!

Staatskapelle Dresden and Christian Thielemann

TCA Abu Dhabi Classics Music Awards

Tickets are available now from Ticketmaster.ae

8:00pm

7:30pm

Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain

Emirates Palace Auditorium

For more information visit abudhabievents.ae

Official Media Partners

Organised by

S t a y :

C l a S S i C

ST PANCRAS RENAISSANCE LONDON HOTEL LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Words: GArETH rEEs ImAGE: CorbIs ImAGEs London has perhaps more iconic hotels

a building designed by the great Victorian

Now Scott’s Neo-Gothic masterpiece, its

than any other city in the world: The Savoy,

architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, which

striking red brick façade and majestic interior

The Langham, Claridge’s, The Ritz, etcetera,

housed the Midland Grand Hotel from 1873

complemented by contemporary comforts

etcetera, etcetera – the list of luxurious

until 1935. From the mid-1930s until the new

and chef Marcus Wareing’s wonderful Gilbert

properties with storied histories is undeniably

millennium, the once magnificent property

Scott Bar and Restaurant, is back where it

impressive. St Pancras Renaissance London

beside St Pancras railway station was in turn

belongs – on a par with one of the finest

Hotel, opened in 2011, is a relative newcomer,

used as offices, abandoned, partially restored

hotels in one of the greatest capital cities in

but its own story began in the golden age

and used as the setting for British pop group

the world.

of grand London hotels. The hotel occupies

the Spice Girls’ video for their hit Wannabe.

marriott.com

Prepare for your trip to London by listening to UK artists such as The Clash, Lily Allen, Pet Shop Boys on ice.

| 44 |

S t a y :

C o n t e m p o r a r y

Minaret Station Wanaka, neW Zealand

Words: Gina Johnson imaGe: minaret station Minaret Station sits in a glacial valley in

Designed by its Managing Director, Matt

Each tent comes with its own Kiwitub

New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Accessible

Wallis, and built with the assistance of a

– a gas-fuelled, chemical-free, portable

only by helicopter, the 65,000-acre working

few skilled friends, the aesthetic is based

Jacuzzi that can even be attached to the

deer and sheep farm and luxury tented

on the homestead-style lodgings of the

base of a helicopter and set down on a

lodge is the incarnation of the childhood

Wallis family’s past. It comprises four tented

snow-capped ridge where guests are left

adventures of the four Wallis brothers –

suites, cocooned in a sturdy canvas canopy,

with a satellite phone, a beverage (chilled

sons of the legendary New Zealand airman

accented by locally sustainable materials

by one thousand-year-old glacial ice) and

and entrepreneur Sir Tim Wallis – who

such as wood sourced from the property

the satisfied feeling of having just ticked one

grew up farming, fishing and foraging this

and sheepskin carpets made from the wool

wish off the bucket list.

vast alpine estate.

of the family’s own sheep.

minaretstation.com

You can fly to Queenstown with Emirates and Jetstar. Emirates Skywards members earn Miles on international routes with Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Japan and Value Air.

| 46 |

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E n t r E p r E n E u r

Bizon Studio

Moda, Istanbul, turkey Words: AndreW BirBeck iMAGe: Bizon studio

In the heart of Moda, Istanbul’s up and coming arts district, you’ll find Bizon Studio. Renowned for its ever-changing window displays, glazed porcelain, framed sketches, otherworldly sculptures and intricately crafted jewellery, Bizon has rapidly become one of the area’s must-visit ateliers since opening in 2011. Founded by close friends and former Fine Art students Murat Gökçe Yilmaz and Seçil Abdişler, Bizon is both the realisation and continuation of their life’s work. “Seçil and I have created art and design for a very long time now, way before we set up Bizon Studio,” Murat says.

“I graduated in ceramics while Seçil majored in sculpture. In fact, as well as running the business, we’re both continuing with postgraduate studies.

We never stop learning and sharing our ideas with others and think of Bizon as an open kitchen of art and design where everybody is welcome.”

Although the pair attended different universities the friendship goes back to their formative years and an unspoken chemistry clearly exists between them. “We complement one another, not only with our work, but we also tread the same path in life and have a common goal,” Murat says. Yet art and business can be a notoriously difficult marriage, the creative mind often finding itself in conflict with commercial constraints and responsibilities. Murat admits it was tricky at the beginning, and a steep learning curve. “The business world has different rules and roles,” he says. “We had to adapt quickly, especially as at heart we’re both free spirits. It took a little getting used to.” However, to counterbalance this, Bizon Studio was a homecoming in many ways. “These are the streets where we grew up,” says Murat. “It’s a positive place to be and we’re surrounded by other creative people. We’re very lucky.” It’s hard to disagree. bizonstudio.com

The Emirates Lounge at Atatürk Airport opened in May 2012, and reflects a EUR1.5 million investment.

The luxurious space offers seating for more than 100 customers covering an indoor area of 520 square metres.

Guests can enjoy gourmet Turkish and world cuisine, a complimentary full-bar service, a state-of-the-art business centre with Wi-Fi connectivity, TV and reading areas, shower facilities and a prayer room.

| 48 |

n e i g h b o u r h o o d

NewtowN, SydNey, AuStrAliA Words: Neha Kale Images: JoNathaN CamI

| 50 |

ice offers music from some of Australia’s biggest artists, including John Farnham, Kylie Minogue and INXS, to prepare you for your trip to Sydney

It only takes a moment for a place’s

like a Martian houseguest in a city obsessed

moody bars and offbeat bookshops that

contradictions to make perfect sense. In

with harbour vistas and sky-high real estate,

line its main thoroughfare, King Street.

Sydney’s Newtown, this is on weekend

but here the words “I have a dream”

And despite signs of gentrification, the

mornings, when the light bounces between

aren’t a historical rallying cry – they’re a

area is still known for counterculture,

the punks sipping espresso outside faded

worldview that’s lived on a daily basis.

community and open-minded an clientele.

terraced houses, the long-haired stallholders

Newtown has always been a place for

The fact that nearby Enmore Road has

brushing dust off well-loved vinyl and a

dreamers. In the last century, low rents

fast become a canvas for creative and

mural that superimposes a Martin Luther

and the area’s close proximity to Sydney

culinary experiments is proof that the

King quote against the Aboriginal Australian

University have lured artists, migrants and

neighbourhood’s most interesting chapter is

flag. Newtown’s bohemian swagger can feel

activists who’ve shaped the shoebox cafés,

the one that’s currently being written.

| 51 |

n e i g h b o u r h o o d

Osteria Di russO & russO

You won’t find overcooked spaghetti at this low-lit osteria, which, despite blending gauze curtains, flickering candles and framed pictures in the manner of a Fellini film, turns every Italian dining trope on its head. Co-owned by Pino and Marc Russo, a father-and-son team intent on combining the ambience of a 1970s Italian restaurant with progressive dishes that reference classic flavours, it’s the kind of place that proves that tradition and imagination go hand-in-hand. Skip the a la carte menu for the well-priced six-course offer, where dishes such as squid ink risotto crowned with prawns and mussel butter and charred octopus with sheep’s feta and heirloom tomatoes have put chef Jason Saxby, whose CV includes Michelin-starred Sydney restaurant Quay, on Australia’s culinary map.

158 Enmore Rd, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 8068 5202 | russoandrusso.net.au

the stinking BishOps

It’s no accident that The Stinking Bishops, a white-tiled space punctuated with dangling light globes, oversized cheese wheels and communal tables that evoke a midcentury schoolyard, feels like it’s been lifted from a European backstreet. The cheesemonger-wine shop started life when founders Jamie Nimmo and Kieran Day, whose backgrounds span film effects, music and hospitality, started yearning for the providores that dot neighbourhoods in London and Paris – the sort of places you could convene with a friend over a glass of red or stock up on charcuterie and triple-cream brie. Nimmo says that the duo work closely with local importers to offer Australian and foreign cheeses such as Holy Goat, a creamy goat’s curd covered in ash and Trebbione, a rich Tuscan pecorino that comes wrapped in hay. And judging from the stream of loyalists sipping Sangiovese over cheese boards on weeknights, the pair is doing something right.

5/63-71 Enmore Rd, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +614 2 9007 7754 | thestinkingbishops.com

| 53 |

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n e i g h b o u r h o o d

Black Star PaStry

Christopher Thé believes that pastry is an art form, in the most inclusive way possible. When the former fine dining chef opened Black Star Pastry, a pint-sized shopfront consisting of nothing more than a glass counter and makeshift pavement seating, in 2008, he couldn’t have predicted that locals would gladly spend Saturday mornings lining up for his strawberry and watermelon cake, a feather-light blend of watermelon, rose petals and Iranian pistachios, or lamb shank and red wine pie, where meat is slow-cooked overnight and encased in a buttery crust. Thé may have added a second outpost in nearby Rosebery, with plans to add expanded seating to his Newtown site to house fans interested in enjoying his creations alongside a cup of locally roasted Little Marionette coffee, but Black Star’s cult following – and commitment to honest produce and sustainable values – shows no sign of losing its edge.

277 Australia St, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 9557 8656 | blackstarpastry.com.au

Brewtown newtown

Whether you consider Brewtown a temple to third wave coffee, a moody second office or a high-wattage all-day café, there’s no doubt that Newtown’s favourite industrial chic hangout, founded by Sydney coffee veterans Charles Cameron and Simon Triggs in 2013, is also its most multifaceted. Linger over Belgian waffles with orange ricotta and caramelised figs or sit at the bar and sample a pour-over – a type of filter coffee made from beans expertly roasted on-site. Alternatively, just make a beeline for the well-curated upstairs retail space for striped T-shirts, a flaky cronut assortment and a brand-new in-house record shop.

6-8 O’Connell St, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 9519 2920 | brewtownnewtown.com

| 55 |

n e i g h b o u r h o o d

Earl’s JukE Joint

Named for Earl Palmer, a legendary New Orleans session drummer who played with Fats Domino and Tom Waits, Earl’s Juke Joint is owner Pasan Wijesena’s love letter to his neighbourhood, as well as an homage to musical greats. Housed in a former Newtown butcher shop, the bar – ranked among Sydney’s best by Gourmet Traveller – features Art Deco lampshades, mahogany panelling and black-and-white images of jazz icons, a backdrop tailor-made for savouring cocktails spun from ingredients such as Campari and fresh grapefruit juice. Its interior might be textbook-perfect but the soundtrack is less interested in authenticity than it is on capturing the freewheeling local vibe. If you slide into a wooden booth any night of the week, you’re bound to hear anything from Johnny Cash to 1990s hip-hop.

407 King St, Newtown, Sydney

DEfiancE GallEry

The roll call of artists who have shown at this long-running Newtown gallery reads like a who’s who of Australian sculpture. In the past two decades, the elegant space, which was established by prominent local sculptor Campbell Robertson-Swann and co-run by manager Lauren Harvey, has served as a backdrop for steel structures by Michael Buzzacott, still lives wrought in copper from Paul Hopmeier and pieces by Anita Larkin that weave together elements such as electrical wire, found objects and shipping crates. Robertson-Swann and Harvey, who house a sprawling collection of art and artifacts an in an apartment above the gallery, take a curatorial approach that’s more interested in artist’s longterm trajectories than they are in unearthing the next big thing. But the space still lays claim to a crowded calendar where solo shows, group exhibitions and one-off projects are scheduled every three and a half weeks.

47 Enmore Road, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 9557 8483 | defiancegallery.com

| 57 |

n e i g h b o u r h o o d

Gould’s Book ArcAde

Stepping inside this labyrinthine bookstore, which the late Bob Gould – a Sydney intellectual famous for anti-censorship protests in the 1960s – established in 1988, feels like entering a universe that’s blissfully free of Amazon’s clutches. In this split-level space, floor-to-ceiling shelves heave with everything from leather bound first editions and volumes on Australian politics to vintage issues of Vanity Fair and pulp novels featuring original 1930s dust jackets – evidence of its founder’s famously voracious reading habits. Although the store’s cryptic organisational system can make navigating its one million titles feel impossible, it’s best to give in to its shambolic charm. The world might be hooked on product ratings and online recommendations, but Gould’s recreates the classic bookstore pleasure of getting lost in the printed word.

32 King St, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 9519 8947 | gouldsbooks.com.au

The enmore TheATre

Featuring sweeping staircases, gold chandeliers and a lavish red-velvet auditorium, the Enmore Theatre would feel like an Art Deco history lesson – if it weren’t also a living testament to Newtown’s music scene. Built in 1912, the heritage-listed theatre is the oldest continuously operating music hall in the state and has played host to everyone from The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes and Kraftwerk to homegrown bands such as The Temper Trap, Chet Faker and Something for Kate. But the Enmore, which is one of the city’s two surviving Art Deco theatres, and narrowly escaped demolition in the1980s, isn’t focused on music alone. The 1,600 capacity venue is also a backdrop for major performing arts events such as the much-loved Sydney Comedy Festival.

118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown, Sydney | Tel: +612 9519 9231 | enmoretheatre.com.au

| 59 |

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L o c a L

K n o w L e d g e

Mochi A young clothing brand with a big heart and bigger ambitions, Dubai’s Mochi is making waves in international fashion, while helping women in traditional handicraft industries worldwide Words and images: sandra Tinari

A

visit to the vivid marketplaces of

seen some mind-blowing places,” says Tabari

and helping charitable organisations, so by

Jaipur in northern India in 2001

during a brief break from her busy schedule

starting Mochi I knew this could be a way

proved an inspirational moment

in her bright Dubai showroom. “I visited

of using fashion to help people. On the

for Palestinian-born, Dubai-based designer,

some of the local stitching communities [in

spot I ordered some bags in my favourite

Ayah Tabari, who was so bewitched by

Jaipur], the work was enchanting and the

embroidery and fabrics and that is where

the colours and exceptional quality of the

bright colours of the embroidery really

Mochi began.”

locally stitched fabrics, she founded Mochi

caught my eye.”

on the spot.

“I am a great believer in wanderlust and have therefore travelled quite a bit and

Popular with fans of whimsical and

“This is where the idea came to me:

creative fashion and global travellers alike,

why not combine my two passions? I have

since its inception, the boho-luxe label

always been interested in volunteering

has entranced fashionistas in the region

| 61 |

©National Archives

A rich history and a continuous legacy

QASR AL HOSN FESTIVAL 11-21 FEBRUARY 2015 Under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces

Discover Abu Dhabi’s cultural heart at the iconic Qasr Al Hosn Fort on a journey not to be missed. Celebrate Emirati culture, heritage and tradition across the festival’s extensive grounds and enjoy a wide range of workshops, displays and activities highlighting the latest conservation and preservation updates.

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I have only been desIgnIng for a few years, but I have always had a love for fashIon and stylIng and has already been seen on the backs

Jaipur, the entrepreneur had not previously

and instead produces just a few themed

of international celebrities and fashion

considered a career in fashion.

collections each year, remaining strongly

influencers, such as Rita Ora, Poppy

“I have only been designing for a few

focused on the Mochi aesthetic and core

Delevingne and her model/actress sister,

years, but I have always had a love for

values but inspired by and produced in

Cara Delevingne.

fashion and styling,” she says. “From a

different corners of the globe.

The unique label focuses on fabric,

young age I watched my mother dressing

colour and embroidery, and transforms

up in her beautiful things, so I think this is

journey and the reflection of different

handmade artisan textiles into chic, modern

where the passion began. I actually studied

cultures,” says Tabari. “Focused on

silhouettes and covetable pieces. Tabari’s

communications in London, so Mochi was

supporting women, who produce

eye is firmly set on dressing strong and

slightly unexpected.”

bright coloured embroidery in different

sophisticated women, who maintain a fun edge. However, until that fateful day in

The designer steers clear of the exhausting seasonal fashion schedule,

| 63 |

“Mochi is a brand that begins with a

communities, the tribal chic one-of-a-kind pieces are handcrafted by these local

L o c a L

K n o w L e d g e

artisans. The collections are all about

standard of living and purchasing power.

fourth and present collection, Palestinian,

using different embroidered textiles from

They can now save more, purchase more

is close to her heart, drawing on her

different countries around the globe

and in the smallest minute scale of things

Palestinian heritage.

to produce modern silhouettes out of

this contributes to the overall spending

traditional materials.”

power of the population.”

“Mochi is not seasonal, the collections

Producing two collections each year –

Each collection is produced in the country that the materials are sourced from, and Tabari says she has been amazed

are continuous so it is more important

one in spring and one in autumn – Tabari

and inspired by the talent she has seen

to stay focused on ethnically produced

says her personal journeys inform the way

among the local artisans in each country.

garments. Through Mochi I have managed

she designs. Her inaugural collection, Jaipur,

to fulfil my dream of creating jobs and

was a fun introduction to the brand; the

Dubai on the move as a fashion capital for

opportunities for work among women,

second, Thailand, was more sophisticated

the region, thanks to a number of emerging

as well as the monetary benefits that

as she moved towards womanhood; the

successful designers, the construction of the

contribute positively to their wellbeing,

third, Hungary, was very romantic; while the

expansive Dubai Fashion District (D3) in

Despite having lived in London, with

through mochi i have managed to fulfil my dream of creating jobs and opportunities for work among women

| 65 |

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L o c a L

K n o w L e d g e

I wanted to create somethIng that was unique to the regIon, not seasonal but ethnIc, somethIng that a homegrown desIgner has never attempted Business Bay and December’s launch of the

the ultra-glamorous homegrown fashion

launch, 2015 is shaping up to being even

Dubai Design & Fashion Council, Tabari says

brands in the region.

bigger and better, the designer says.

there is no better place to base her brand.

Tabari agrees. “I wanted to create

“We have some really cool

“I grew up in Dubai and have watched

something that was unique to the region,

collaborations lined up, which you will

the creative industries grow over the years,”

not seasonal but ethnic, something that a

know about soon but other than that I

she says. “It seemed silly to start anywhere

homegrown designer has never attempted,”

have a wish list of where I would love

else. Dubai is a great platform to start a

she says. “Mochi was also born to support

Mochi to be stocked and I just want

business before globalisation. The support

stitching communities, their talent and

everyone to keep loving the brand, so that

network here is also amazing, which helps

their work worldwide and this is definitely

I can continue to suppor t the communities

with necessary tools to promote, develop

unique to the market. Creating fashion and

and their work.”

and grow your business.”

empowering women around the world is

Dubai shoppers can visit Mochi’s

something that has never been done here.”

showroom near The Greens in Tecom, Al

fashion, Tabari’s clothing has a very different

While this fledging, ethical fashion brand

Barsha, but Mochi is also available online.

and fresh feel when compared to many of

has already experienced an exciting whirlwind

However, despite her affinity with Dubai

| 67 |

allthingsmochi.com

M A I N The Future Of Old Dubai, p70

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The area beside dubai Creek, known To many as old dubai, will forever be rooTed in The CiTy’s pasT, buT, boasTing an abundanCe of CreaTive CulTural enTerprises, iT is now looking Towards The future Words: rasha al-duWaisan images: rem

01

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Dubai is home to the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic. A six-hour peak period sees up to 20,000 transit customers pass through Emirates Terminal 3 each day.

02 01

02 03

View of Dubai Creek and the Al Fahidi District from the Heritage Village, Al Shindagha Emirati artist Abdul Qader Rais painting beside Dubai Creek Al Fahidi abra station

03

T

here’s a place in Dubai where seagulls

Understanding, an enterprise that offers walks

surf on gusts of wind drifting over

through the neighbourhood as part of its

an expanse of green water – where

superb cultural programme. “When you go to

wooden ships still lie at anchor. Here, sprays

a mall you can choose products from many

of salt, sweat and gasoline blend with the

different countries. In the souk here before, you

smoke of agar wood as the same breeze

could do the same.You would find merchants

makes its way through the adjacent souk.

from India, China, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia,

Further inland, a cluster of wind towers trap

everywhere, selling their goods. There were

the air and send it into the once occupied

some things you could find in Dubai that you

rooms of the dwellings below.

couldn’t find anywhere else in the region.”

This area beside Dubai Creek is where the

The cosmopolitan legacy of the era

city began. It’s where tribesmen first settled

has persisted ever since and continues to

and transformed a small fishing village into a

permeate the area’s street life. One bankside

thriving community of pearl traders. It’s also

path takes you to markets reminiscent of

where, in 1892, low tax burdens attracted

Mumbai, where busy hands put together

merchants from around the world to exchange

strings of marigold and offerings of milk,

their goods and establish businesses.

bananas and rasgulla. Around the corner,

“It was like a blueprint for Dubai Mall,”

a Persian textile vendor stands a stone’s

laughs Nasif Kayed, the man who runs the

throw away from an Egyptian electronics

Sheikh Mohammed Centre For Cultural

supplier and a Korean man selling imitation

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handbags. Scenes such as these reveal the full spectrum of Dubai’s evolution, where the old, new, foreign and local coexist in a chaotic symbiosis.

Over the years, this fusion has attracted the attention of artists, writers, architects and designers, and, in 2010, the Dubai government appointed the Dubai Culture And Arts Authority to repurpose the area’s historic quarters into cultural enclaves. Dubai

04

Culture now manages Al Fahidi District and the Heritage Village at Al Shindagha, where they lease plots for independent creative enterprises and provide studio space for their own initiatives.

Majlis Gallery Alison Collins was, in many ways, a trailblazer.

The founder and owner of Majlis Gallery was one of the first to recognise the area’s creative potential. Arriving in Dubai in 1976 as an interior designer, she spent her mornings commuting across the creek by boat for one of her assignments. She fell in love with the surrounding area and aspired to live in one of the wind-towered houses of Bastakiya (now Al Fahidi District). Soon enough, a family of tea importers in the souk helped her secure a lease to the beautiful home that would become Dubai’s first art gallery.

04 05 06

An art class at Majilis Gallery Majilis Gallery owner Alison Collins Majilis Gallery courtyard

“It all happened so naturally,” she says of the chance encounters that led to its beginnings.

05

“It was a very small community back then and a wonderful artist named Julian Barrow knocked on my door asking for the lady who he heard loved art. Three weeks later we took all the furniture out of the majlis, our living room, to put up an exhibition of his paintings.”

Collins went on to host artists informally for ten years before the house became an official art space in 1989. Since then, spontaneity has continued to shape the way she manages many of her events. “The catchphrase these days seems to be ‘pop-up’,” she laughs, “but I’ve been popping up for years.”

XVa Hotel and Gallery “You could always come for a staycation,” says XVA owner Mona Hauser when I tell her that I would choose to stay at her hotel if I didn’t live in Dubai. It’s not a bad idea. There’s something about the space that takes me to another place altogether.

There are moments when I imagine I’m in 06

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the home of a Bahraini pearl merchant or

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07

the hacienda of an eccentric Ecuadorian sculptor. Hauser only adds fuel to the fire.

“When I first came here, it was really wild.

There was no sidewalk, only sand with goats running around. I even heard that a man used to tie his horse to that tree,” she says, pointing to a trunk that’s sprouted out of the courtyard’s tented roof. The stylish interiors and modern art installations amplify the surreal atmosphere even further. XVA is one of Dubai’s finest contemporary art galleries and always has the quirkiest pieces on rotation. A doll’s petticoat straddles the ceiling of one entrance, while menacing mannequins in graphite suits guard another.

“XVA is very particular, almost magical” says 07 08 09

Julien Famchon, a graphic novelist invited

Lost Memory 3 by Halim Al Karim at XVA Hotel And Gallery Coma In Paradise by Halim Al Karim at XVA Hotel And Gallery XVA Hotel And Gallery owner Mona Hauser

to live and work there for two months by Dubai Culture and the Institut Francais. “Plus the standard of art and artists here is really 08

something else.”

Mawaheb “Are you the yoga instructor?” asks Alex Loveday, as I walk into the courtyard of Mawaheb, an art school for adults with special needs. I am tempted to say yes just so I can stay. I’m not the only one who feels that way – a bird has built its nest on a fan above the portico and doesn’t look like it plans on leaving. “We shouldn’t turn that on!” warns Wemmy De Maaker, the formidable force responsible for transforming the Al Fahidi District house into a vibrant capsule of talent. De Maaker had worked as a nurse for people with special needs in The Netherlands for 18 years before moving to Dubai. He arrived with a number of ideas. “There are some beautiful schools here, but there’s a cut-off age at 18,” she explains. “Many of my artists were at home, depressed.” Saddened by the situation, she decided to offer an alternative option for them and “chose art because it speaks a universal language”. The results are astounding. The paintings that cover the courtyard walls are a rare blend of controlled skill and unfettered creativity. Art instructor Gulshan Kavarana makes sure that artists have a theme to work on, while encouraging their trademark tendencies to surface. Last year they painted a series inspired by Frida Kahlo, a woman with her own disabilities, which ended up on display 09

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at one of the top galleries in the city.

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Tashkeel

ingredients like beetle cocoons and wasp

probably because the food is so good. The

The monochrome maze of passages in Al

galls. Many have medicinal purposes,” she says,

inventive takes on traditional Emirati dishes

Fahidi District is not easy to navigate. It’s easy

explaining that she reveals these purposes

teem with flavour, featuring ingredients such

to walk in circles and end up exactly where

with a cleverly crafted game of SPINGO, or

as saffron, date syrup, rosewater, truffles and

you started. Fortunately, an eye-catching mural

spice bingo. “If you win you get a gift voucher

cumin-spiced aioli. The menu of activities is

lets you know if you’re moving in the right

for a discount on raw Yemeni honey,” she

just as stimulating. Creekside is above all a

direction. “I wanted to add some colour to

continues. “It’s a way to get people to go back

cultural café and hosts a number of events

the walls,” says Ruben Sanchez, the Spanish

to the souk!”

that centre on architecture, heritage, art,

street artist currently in residence at Tashkeel,

design and contemporary culture. Activities

a creative collective with subsidiary studio

Creekside

space in the district. “The mural is one of the

Something about sitting on the bankside

and poetry to workshops on graffiti and

first things I did in Dubai,” he says. “I was fresh

platform at Creekside makes everything

Arabic typography. The walls themselves

and absorbing the culture. I started to research

seem more palpable. I’m seated at the

are also strong talking points, displaying the

the area and tried to recreate in my mind

corner closest to the water and feel like

photographs of Wilfred Thesiger from the

how life would have looked like back in the

I’m playing a gargantuan game of Battleship,

Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford University.

day. I imagined a guy playing the oud, having

where my hands can somehow touch the

The images reveal scenes of the Creek in the

coffee with cats around.” His spirited and skilful

battered boats that sweep by every five

1940s and provide a fascinating indicator of

rendition encourages passersby to reconsider

minutes. Even my taste buds feel distended,

how the place has changed.

their surroundings, something another Tashkeel artist has accomplished in a very different way.

range from talks on social entrepreneurship

10

In his guidebook Never Forget, Emirati illustrator Khalid Mezaina invites people to look “beyond Dubai’s tallest towers” to the “true heart of this young city”. He takes readers through Satwa, Souk Naif and the Hindu temple, asking them to add their own graffiti, patterns and classifieds to his black and white depictions of street life. In this way, he encourages us to keep interacting with these spaces and keep them in our memory.

Frying Pan advenTures Arva Ahmed had doubts about taking her culinary tours to the creek when she first launched Frying Pan Adventures several years ago. She caters to a crowd that avoids tourist traps and was initially discouraged by the signs of change. “They are selling Chinese toys in the Spice Souk!” she cries in frustration before she describing the simplicity of the area when her family first moved here in 1989. After a closer look, however, she reconsidered. “This place has so much to offer if you know what to avoid,” she says, and has since created an itinerary that past participants have described as the most authentic experience they’ve had in Dubai. It starts at the Deira Fish Market, where everything from shark to shrimp is smacked, stacked and sliced. After an abra ride across the creek, the group has an Emirati breakfast at Creekside followed by a visit to the Spice Souk. A highlight of the experience is the deliciously obscure insight that Arva literally brings to the table. “The souk is not just for spices. It’s also for a host of random

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Dubai international Writers’ Centre

of Nabataea poetry and a writing masterclass

It is Saturday morning and an international

is a place where writers can meet, where

cast of characters has come together under

young talents are born and nourished,” says

the tented enclosure of a house in Shindagha.

Abdulla Al Shaer, the director of the centre.

Accents abound as Arabic, English, Hindi,

We are seated in a majlis that overlooks

Swedish and Romanian bounce off the walls

the wind towers of the Heritage Village on

of the historic venue. We are here to listen

one side and the waters of the creek on the

to the stories of David Heard and Frauke

other. “We find that many writers need to

Heard-Bey, a former petroleum engineer and

be removed from modern civilisation to be

historian who settled in Abu Dhabi after their

inspired,” he continues. To serve this end, the

marriage in the 1960s. “I remember when the

centre will sponsor a number of residencies,

banks of the creek were made of sand,” says

where established authors can think, write

Heard, “and when the abra would take you to

and enhance the skills of potential protégés.

the front door of the dentist.” This was one

13

by post-modernist maestro Ben Okri. “This

of the first events to be held at the centre,

siKKa art Fair

the latest offshoot of the Emirates Literature

Every March the walkways of Al Fahidi

Foundation. Others have included an evening

District overflow with homegrown talent.

11

14

10 11 12 13 14 12

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Creekside’s beetroot salad A talk by David Heard and Frauke Heard-Bey at Dubai International Writers’ Centre Communal area at Dubai International Writers’ Centre The rooftop of Dubai International Writers’ Centre Stairway to the rooftop of Dubai International Writers’ Centre

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15

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17

16

18

15 16 17 18

Boulder Plot by Vikram Divecha at the Heritage Village, Al Shindagha Birds in the Al Fahidi District Wind towers at the Heritage Village, Al Shindagha Artist Ruben Sanchez next to his public artwork in the Al Fahidi District

SIKKA, the word for alleyway in Arabic,

one inspired by Dubai, another by Istanbul

of gouged rocks appears like a congregation

is an 11-day fair showcasing art, theatre,

and a third by Glasgow. Using “reverse

of behemoths, beasts the artist describes

film and music produced by those born

functionality” as her methodology, Uster

as “one-eyed cycloptic monsters”. Each

or based in the UAE. Established by Dubai

repurposes the structures, “undressing them

one has survived blasts in the quarries of

Culture in 2011, it provides a platform for

from their ‘capturing’ function and turning

Fujairah, where explosives have failed to

experimentation that continues to grow each

them into ‘disseminating’ monuments”. Her

fully penetrate the cylindrical holes that

year. Past programmes have included a series

Glasgow wind tower housed a real tree

have been drilled into them. The outcome

of workshops featuring Arabic calligraphy, film

growing out of a tyre. Above the tree, a

is a contrast in form, where “mankind’s

animation and origami among other mediums.

foam cloud drenched in water created the

rational incisions” offset “the organic shapes

illusion of rain in an otherwise dry Dubai

of nature”.

A significant aspect of the occasion is the Open Studios exhibition, a debut display of works by those under the Artists-

spring season.

Alien Technology is another example of this contrast, whereby Kuwaiti artist

Dubai, Delfina Foundation and Tashkeel,

ArAb Fund For Arts And Culture (AFAC) PubliC Art Commission: inVisible

the residency sponsors five artists and one

There’s an apocalyptic aura at the launch

past, she sought to find a link between the

curator to work out of a designated house

of the AFAC’s end of year commission,

sources of income that created two very

in Al Fahidi District for three months. At

InVisible, at Al Shindagha. Maybe it’s the

different societies, namely pearl and oil.

SIKKA, the artists invite visitors to their

corrosive colour of the clouds or the boys

She discovered that they are made of the

studios to reveal finished pieces or works

in white playing football in the dust. Or

same colour and that pearls are simply a

in progress. Many of their projects have

perhaps it’s the installations themselves,

“lighter version of the same spectrum found

been site-specific. A dynamic example is a

the ominous and futuristic creatures

in crude oil”. Her iridescent oil drill brings

collection of wind towers created by the

that seem to emerge from their rustic

these connections to light and emerges as a

Turkish artist Deniz Uster. She reinterprets

surroundings. Vikram Divecha’s Boulder Plot

mutant form of marine life that reminds us

the architectural form into three renditions,

is an impressive case in point. His assembly

of the Gulf ’s indelible links to the sea.

In-Residence programme. Formed as a partnership between Dubai Culture, Art

| 79 |

Mona Al Qadiri has created a giant drill bit covered with iridescent paint. In an attempt to reconcile her alienation from Kuwait’s

b r i e f i n g YouTube On ice, p82 | Stocking The Cellar, p86 | Destination: Shanghai, p90 | Route Map, p98

E m i r a t E s

N E w s

EmiratEs announcEs support for rEdfEstdXB Emirates has announced that it will support the next three editions of the annual Dubai music festival RedFestDXB, which this year will take place in Dubai on February 12 and 13.

The festival, which is expected to attract more than 24,000 people across the two days, will welcome several star acts, as well as acting as a showcase for emerging artists and new talent. Emirates’ sponsorship of the event reaffirms its commitment to growing the arts and music scene in its home base of Dubai.

“This event is a brilliant way to highlight Dubai's unique qualities as a premier music destination to some of the world's most popular artists,” said Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial

title of the UK’s biggest selling digital album in

Operations Centre, Emirates. “We also want

2013.The group went on to win a Brit Award

to open up new audiences and celebrate the

for Best Breakthrough Act in 2014.

As the biggest music festival in the Middle

talent that brings people of all ages together.”

Event organisers Done Events and Arabian

East, RedFestDXB boasts two days of nonstop hits from top international artists.

Radio Network (ARN) have announced

Closing each evening, the main stage will

that Kiesza,The Script and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea have all confirmed they will be

become a real party with sets from some of

performing at this year’s festival.

the world¹s biggest DJs. Electronic music duo Gorgon City, best

Kiesza was one of 2014’s worldwide breakout stars. Her hit Hideaway reached

known for their 2014 smash single Ready

number one in the UK in April and was a

For You Love featuring MNEK, will close the

mainstay of the US Top 40 last summer.

Virgin Radio RedFestDXB festival on Friday,

Thomas Ovesen, COO of Done Events, said

February 13.

A wide array of street food, eye-catching

Kiesza would be a treat for fans, adding, “This is a must-see artist, and I predict one of

installations and an electric atmosphere make

2015’s favourites.”

RedFestDXB the most exciting music event

The festival will also welcome indie favourites Bastille, whose debut album Pompeii claimed the

in the region. redfestdxb.com

YoutuBE on icE YouTube is now available on Emirates. YouTube is home to more than 100 hours of video uploaded every minute. Now on Emirates you can enjoy some of YouTube’s top content during your flight with the new dedicated You Tube channels on ice showcasing comedy, science, sports food and more. The videos are curated by the creators themselves.

This monTh The YouTube channels on ice DigiTal WiDescreen feaTure:

Channel 1475

Channel 1476

Channel 1477

Channel 1478

Channel 1479 Host, Paul F. Thompkins,

The popular science

Internet and TV sensation

THNKR explores ideas

CDZA, or Collective

and technology channel

Rosanna Pansino’s

and offers a glimpse

Cadenza, presents

discusses the latest

Vsauce2 has amassed

cooking channel has

into the worlds of some

popular “musical video

internet trends with a

more than 400 million

been viewed more than

of the world’s most

experiments” featuring a

string of celebrity guests

views.

half a billion times.

innovative thinkers.

collective of New York-

on Speakeasy.

based virtuoso musicians and performers.

| 82 |

E m i r a t E s

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extra services to new york Jfk “New York is one of our busiest and most popular routes in the United States,” he continued.

“Adding this fourth service will give our passengers even more choice of connectivity when flying from any part of our global network, in particular the Far East and South Asia. Once in the US, our partnership with JetBlue adds even more seamless connectivity onto their network of 65 Emirates is launching a fourth daily

destinations from JFK.”

service from Dubai International Airport to

Starting March 8, the new service, EK 207,

John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

will depart Dubai at 2.50pm and arrive in

in New York.

JFK at 8.35pm. The return flight, EK 208, will

Hubert Frach, Divisional Senior Vice

depart JFK at 4.30pm and arrive in Dubai at

President, Commercial Operations – West,

1.15pm the following day.

said the new service will allow passengers the

Passengers from New York will be able to

convenience of an afternoon departure from

connect to destinations such as Johannesburg,

both Dubai and New York, “to complement

Nairobi, India and many cities in Emirates’

the existing morning and evening departures

Middle East network with connection times

of our existing three services”.

under four hours.

Staff Q&A Fasih Uddin Ground Dispatcher, Emirates Airport Services What does your job involve?

I work as part of a team to achieve OTP (On-Time Performance), with the safety and security of customers, crew and property our main priority. I co-ordinate all functions of each aircraft turnaround. I make decisions on key operational issues, such as offloading customers, baggage and cargo to ensure our flight schedule is maintained.

I have worked on all our aircraft including the A380 and the Boeing 777.

Why do you love your job?

million

The number of passengers who have flown on Emirates' New York route since its launch in June 2004

I have been with Emirates for 12 years.

I chose this career because I wanted to be part of the aviation industry and work for one of the best airlines in the world. Ground dispatch gives me the chance to use all my aviation experience to assist our operation.

seven extra flights to malDives Emirates now operates a third daily service to Malé, the capital of the Maldives.

Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – West Asia And Indian Ocean, said the service increase was due to a proven strong market for leisure and family travel.

“With a wide range of luxury hotel chains, romantic beaches and adventurous water sports activities, it certainly has something for everyone,” he added.

Flight EK656 departs Dubai International Airport at 2.10am and arrives in Malé at 7.15am, adding seven more inbound flights a week to the Maldives.The return flight, EK657, departs Malé International Airport, Hulhulé at 8.45am and arrives in Dubai at 11.55am.

The seven new flights are operated with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

get to your gate on time

Don't miss your flight Please make sure you get to your boarding gate on time.

Boarding starts 45 minutes before your flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If you report late we will not be able to accept you for travel.

| 84 |

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Stocking the cellar Emirates wine professionals reveal how the airline ensures its wine offering is consistently world-class Words: Lucy TayLor

Chateaux Margaux in the Gironde, France, is one of Emirates’ many suppliers around the world

A fine wine with an excellent meal is regarded by many as one of

Emirates wine specialists buy en primeur – often before the wines

life’s great pleasures. So it’s no surprise that Emirates places such

are even bottled. The airline currently has more than 1.2 million

emphasis on serving stellar vintages.

bottles in its cellar in France, some of which will not be ready to

To date, Emirates has invested more than US$500 million in its

drink for a decade.

wine programme – a statistic indicative of the weight wines carry

“When we lay down wine, we first assess its potential for ageing

with modern travellers.

and estimate when it might be ready,” says Oliver Dixon, Fine Wine

“Wine is an experience,” says Emirates’ President Sir Tim Clark.

Buyer with MMI, explaining the process of selecting the vintages that

“Our customers want to enjoy wine onboard as if they were in a fine

make it into the cellar.

dining restaurant.”

“Most Bordeaux wines served in Business Class will be eight

Joost Heymeijer, Emirates’ Senior Vice President – Catering Inflight

to 12 years old, while First Class wines will be 10 to 18 – in many

Services, adds that passengers “have come to expect a great deal”

cases, older. We recently served a Lynch Bages 1996 and a Leoville

from the airline’s offering. “They’re more adventurous nowadays and

Las Cases 1989.”

keen to sample different grape varieties from around the globe.”

The biggest challenge is how the wine will react to altitude, as

This is easily accomplished on board. Wines from Bordeaux form

atmospheric pressure and humidity can significantly affect flavour

the centrepiece of the collection, accounting for almost half of the

“A typical 747 has a cabin altitude of around 8,000ft with very low

airline’s cellar. There’s also an array of New World vintages, including

humidity, says Dixon. “You feel dehydrated as a result, which has an

options from Australia, New Zealand and the US.

impact on smell and taste. A wine’s tannins are accentuated, while the

Vincent Poncin, a Purser with Emirates, says both the breadth

actual flavours tend to be slightly subdued.”

and integrity of the offering are appreciated. “Our regular customers

“As a result, you have to select vintages to suit such conditions.

know our wines and look forward to having them again, but equally,

The best method is to choose wines with harmony: rounded, soft,

when someone joins us after a connecting flight, they are pleased to

full-flavoured.”

see a different selection from their previous journey,” he says.

Evolving aeronautical technology also plays a part. “Modern

Even passengers who know their wines will occasionally seek

aeroplane designs have improved the cabin environment significantly,”

recommendations – and the highly trained crew are always on

Dixon says. “The A380 (which already comprises 25 per cent of the

hand to assist.

Emirates fleet) has a cabin altitude of only 5,000ft. That’s the same as

“Senior crew and pursers are offered training at (wine supplier)

being in the Swiss Alps.”

MMI in Dubai, delivered by professional oenologists,” Poncin explains.

This same dedication is evident in the sourcing. A team of

One thing is certain: wherever you’re heading with Emirates, you’ll have a world of expertly sourced wine options to choose from.

| 86 |

Your home in Dubai

• • • • • • • •

Located in the heart of Dubai Opposite Metro Station Walking distance to Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest skyscraper Dubai Airport - 15 min Abu Dhabi Airport - 45 min Walking distance to shopping malls Close to Business Hubs (DIFC and DWTC) Spa and Outdoor Swimming Pool

Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O Box 116957 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 323 0000 | Fax: +971 4 323 0003 www.emiratesgrandhotel.com

I N S I D E

E M I R A T E S

160

TYPES OF WINES OFFERED ON AVERAGE ANNUALLY

THE EMIRATES WINE CELLAR IN NUMBERS

7%

OF ALL WINES AND CHAMPAGNES ON-BOARD ARE CONSUMED IN FIRST CLASS

41.5%

OF ALL WINES AND CHAMPAGNES ON-BOARD ARE CONSUMED IN BUSINESS CLASS

51.5% OF ALL WINES AND CHAMPAGNE ON-BOARD ARE CONSUMED IN ECONOMY CLASS

57%

OF WINE CONSUMED ON-BOARD IS FROM BORDEAUX, FRANCE

65.4

MILLION SPENT ANNUALLY ON CURRENT WINES AND SPIRITS

OUR WINE CELLAR IN BURGUNDY, FRANCE, STORES

1.2

MILLION BOTTLES OF WINE, SOME OF WHICH WILL BE READY FOR CONSUMPTION IN 2021

WE INVEST OVER

US$

US$

LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN OUR WINE PROGRAMME

22.65

MILLION ON FIRST CLASS AND BUSINESS CLASS CHAMPAGNE

DIFFERENT SPIRITS

12

DIFFERENT CHAMPAGNES, WINES AND PORTS

43

60

ON AN AVERAGE DAY, WE OFFER

DIFFERENT COCKTAILS

*CHAMPAGNE IS THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE IN FIRST CLASS AND BUSINESS CLASS* | 88 |

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Choose a car you can relate to.

Explore our exclusive highend fleet: Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and more.

Available for daily, weekly, monthly and lease. *Terms and conditions apply.

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D e s t i n a t i o n

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G u i D e

D E S T I N A T I O N

SHANGHAI Enjoy our guide to the city with the largest population in the world Shanghai has a lot of nicknames - Pearl of the Orient, the Paris Of

Shanghai’s architecture is an interesting mix of old and new – in

The East – and they all point to the fact that it’s one of the most

among all the space-age skyscrapers you can spot plenty of unique

exciting and exotic cities in China, if not all of Asia.

colonial architecture, left over from the city’s heady days in the early

Shanghai is the tallest city in mainland China (the 632m Shanghai

20th Century. Head to the outskirts of Shanghai and you could see

Tower is the second tallest in the world), as well as its most

historical architecture that dates back even further in the ancient

populated, with more than 24 million people buzzing through its

Chinese water towns such as Zhujiajiao.

streets. And, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange being one of the

Shanghai is a multicultural destination, home to some of the most

most powerful in the world, this is China’s financial centre, too.

exciting restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels that China has to offer.

EAT

STAY

DO

COMMUNE SOCIAL

SHANGHAI PARK HYATT

MAKE A GRAND ENTRY ON THE MAGLEV

This luxury five-star hotel stretches from the 79th to the 93rd floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center. The location in the business district of Pudong makes it very popular with business travellers, but you don’t need to be working in the city to enjoy the central location, gorgeous rooms and amazing views of Shanghai. shanghai.park.hyatt.com

Take a ride on the world’s fastest train – the Maglev travels at an astounding 431kmph. It’ll take you from Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road in just under eight minutes. This might just be the coolest commute from the airport you’ll ever have. smtdc.com/en

ASTOR HOUSE HOTEL

For the best views of Shanghai, hop on the elevator at the foot of the Shanghai World Financial Center and rocket up (at five metres per second) to the Garden Observatory on the 100th floor. At 474m high, it’s the second highest viewing platform in the world. There’s a handy map to help you pick out key landmarks on the skyline. swfc-observatory.com

This is the best place for tapas in Shanghai, and the menu features some seriously creative combos.

Think baked smoked bone marrow, onion jam and sourdough; miso grilled mackerel, wasabi avocado, and cucumber chutney; and DIY tuna tartar. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere too, with no reservations and no service charge. communesocial.com

JIAN GUO 328 For the best traditional Shanghainese dishes in the city, you can’t go wrong with Jian Guo 328. Located at 328 Jiangguo Xi Lu, near Xiangyang Nan Lu, it’s really popular with both locals and visitors, thanks to its cosy, welcoming vibe and seriously tasty food. Try the fermented tofu, the shuijing cooked shrimp or the jiang-guo salted chicken for an authentic taste of Shanghai.

ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET Dinner at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is a complex experience… in a good way. There are eight courses prepared by 25 chefs, and you eat in sync with audio visual displays to make it a more “multi-sensory” experience. Luckily, the food is delicious enough to be worth the fuss. The location is secret, so you have to book ahead. uvbypp.cc

You might want to stay in Astor House just because of its colourful history. Pujiang Hotel, as it’s also known, has welcomed loads of famous faces – Ulysses Grant, Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin have all stayed here. Today, it’s one of the most famous hotels in Shanghai, and a tourist attraction in its own right. pujianghotel.com

THE PENINSULA This luxury hotel in Shanghai has a great location right on the Bund, and close to Huangpu Park.

There are 235 rooms and suites to choose from – ask for a deluxe room that looks out over the river.

Even if you’re not staying, the roof terrace is a cool spot to hang out in the evening. shanghai.peninsula.com

SEE THE CITY FROM THE SWFC OBSERVATORY

WATCH DANCING IN FUXING PARK One of the cutest things you’ll see in Shanghai is the sight of the city’s older residents exercising with public “ballroom” dancing. Head to Fuxing Park in Luwan, where you’ll see hundreds of pensioners moving to the beat. You can even join in if you’d like – visitors are welcome.

EMIRATES STAFF TIPS: DONGTAI ROAD ANTIQUE MARKET

“In the market you will come across the elderly playing cards and Mahjong, kids running around and shoppers and owners chatting and bargaining. It’s a very lively place.”

Susan Zhu,

Lounge Supervisor, The Emirates Lounge, Shanghai

HUANGPU RIVER NIGHT CRUISE “The city is more beautiful at night than it is in the daytime.

You can experience its silence and beauty under the moonlight.

This cruise is the best way to see both old and new Shanghai.”

Molly Mo,

Supervisor, Emirates Airport Services, Shanghai

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C O M F O R T

WELLNESS IN THE AIR To help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips.

Regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you enjoy your journey and time on board with Emirates today.

SMART TRAVELLER

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER Rehydrate with water or juices frequently. Drink tea and coffee in moderation.

TRAVEL LIGHTLY

WEAR GLASSES

Carry only the essential items that you will need during your flight.

Cabin air is drier than normal, therefore swap your contact lenses for glasses.

BEFORE YOUR JOURNEY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or if you suffer from a respiratory or cardiovascular condition.

Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications?

Get a good night’s rest before the flight.

Eat lightly and sensibly.

AT THE AIRPORT

USE SKIN MOISTURISER Apply a good quality moisturiser to ensure your skin doesn’t dry out.

KEEP MOVING Exercise your lower legs and calf muscles.

This encourages blood flow.

DURING THE FLIGHT

Allow yourself plenty of time for check-in.

Avoid carrying heavy bags through the airport and onto the flight as this can place the body under considerable stress.

Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.

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Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent.

Babies and young passengers may suffer more acutely with popping ears, therefore consider providing a dummy.

Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently.

Avoid sleeping for long periods in the same position.

MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE Loosen clothing, remove jacket and avoid anything pressing against your body.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE Try some light exercise, or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.

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12/21/14

9:01 AM

V i s a s ,

q u i c k

c o n n e c t

Guide to us customs & immiGration Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs form will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.

CUSToMS DECLARATIoN FoRM All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs Declaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only.

The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.

ElEctronic SyStEm for travEl authoriSation (ESta) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure.

ESta factS: Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending.

A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport. apply onlinE at www.cbp.gov/ESta nationalitiES EligiblE for thE viSa waivEr*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom** * SubjEct to changE ** only britiSh citizEnS qualify undEr thE viSa waivEr programmE. | 94 |

&

q u a r a n t i n e

i n f o r m a t i o n

Cut the queue at JFK with quiCK ConneCt If you’re connecting through New York JFK, you can avoid long waiting times in US immigration and queues for connecting flights with the Quick Connect service. US Customs and Border Protection Agency created the special service for passengers who have a connecting flight within three hours of arrival at New York JFK.

Follow theSe StePS:

1

2

3

4

have your boarding card or ticket for your connecting flight ready for the ground staff as you exit.

You’ll be given a Quick Connect card. Continue to the Quick Connect queue in the Arrivals hall.

After passport clearance, claim your baggage and clear US customs, regardless of your final destination.

If your bag is tagged to your final destination, hand it to emirates staff at the transfer counter for your onward flight.

quarantine in australia Australia has strict biosecurity laws, so when you arrive you’ll need to declare certain food, plant or animal items on your Incoming Passenger Card.

You also need to declare equipment or shoes used in rivers and lakes or with soil attached. All aircraft food must be left on board. Please take particular care when you complete your Incoming Passenger Card – it's a legal document and false declarations may result in a penalty.

quarantine in Japan Japan has strict rules around exposure to livestock and bringing in livestock items.

You will need to go to the Animal Quarantine Counter if: • you have recently been to a livestock farm • are bringing livestock products into Japan • your visit to Japan will involve contact with livestock the counter is in the baggage claim area. If you’re bringing meat and livestock products into Japan without an import certificate, you must see the animal quarantine officer. | 95 |

U A E

S M A R T

G A T E

BE SMART! USE UAE SMART GATE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NATIONALITIES THAT CAN USE UAE SMART GATES

UAE

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Belgium

Brunei

Canada

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Oman

Portugal

Qatar

San Marino

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

*UK

USA

GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN SECONDS AND GET YOUR VISIT TO DUBAI OFF TO A FLYING START Citizens of the countries listed on the right and UAE residents can speed through Dubai International airport by using UAE Smart Gate.

If you hold a machine-readable passport, UAE Emirates ID card or E-Gate card you can check in and out of the airport within seconds.

Just look out for signs that will direct you to the many UAE Smart Gates found on either side of the Immigration Hall at Dubai International airport.

USING UAE SMART GATE IS EASY

1

Have your UAE Emirates ID card, E-Gate card or machine-readable passport ready to be scanned

2

Place your passport photo page on the scanner. If you are a UAE resident, you can scan your UAE Emirates ID card. If you have an E-Gate card place it into the E-Gate slot

OK!

3

Go through the open gate, stand in the blue footprint guide on the floor, face the camera straight-on and stand still for your iris scan.

When finished, the next set of gates will open and you can continue to baggage claim

*UK citizens only (UK overseas citizens still require a visa)

UAE SMART GATE CAN BE USED BY:

REGISTERING FOR UAE SMART GATE IS EASY To register, just follow the above process and then spend a few moments having your details validated by an immigration officer. That’s it! Every time you fly to Dubai in future, you will be out of the airport and on your way just minutes after you landed. | 96 |

• Machine-readable passports from the above countries • UAE Emirates ID cards • E-Gate cards

R O U T E

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M A P

R O U T E

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M A P

R O U T E

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M A P

• • • • • • • •

Contract Drafting & Review Business Setup , Offshore & Free Zone Companies Corporate & Commercial Legal Services Litigation & Arbitration Debt Collection Banking, Insurance & Maritime Cases Real Estate, Construction & Labor Cases Trademarks, Patents & Copyrights

‫ﺻﻴﺎﻏﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻮﺩ ﻭﻣﺮﺍﺟﻌﺘﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺗﺄﺳﻴﺲ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻷﻭﻓﺸﻮﺭ ﻭﺍﳌﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺍﳊﺮﺓ‬ ‫ﺍﳋﺪﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻟﻸﻓﺮﺍﺩ ﻭﺍﻟﺸﺮﻛﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻘﺎﺿﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻜﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﲢﺼﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻮﻙ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺄﻣﲔ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﺔ‬ ‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﳌﻘﺎﻭﻻﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻘﺎﺭﺍﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﻟﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺎﺭﻳﺔ ﻭﺑﺮﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﺮﺍﻉ ﻭﺣﻘﻮﻕ ﺍﳌﺆﻟﻒ‬

• • • • • • • •

DUBAI EMIRATES TOWERS, 14TH FLOOR, SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD P.O. BOX: 9055, DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 330 4343 | FAX: +971 4 330 3993 contact@emiratesadvocates.com | www.emiratesadvocates.com ABU DHABI Tel: +971 2 6394446 auh@emiratesadvocates.com

RAS AL KHAIMAH Tel: +971 7 2046719 rak@emiratesadvocates.com

DUBAI INTERNET CITY Tel: +971 4 3900820 dic@emiratesadvocates.com

SHARJAH Tel: +971 6 5728666 shj@emiratesadvocates.com

JEBEL ALI Tel: +971 4 8871679 jafz@emiratesadvocates.com

DIFC Tel: +971 4 4019562 difc@emiratesadvocates.com

WITH AFFILIATE OFFICES IN SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT AND OMAN

FOR 24 HOUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL +971 (50) 328 99 99

R O U T E

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M A P

THE FLEET Our fleet contains 235 aircraft made up of 221 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft BOEING 777-300ER

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of this aircraft – in fact one in every five 777300ERs flying today is in Emirates’ livery. If you took all of the wiring contained within all of Emirates’ 777-300ERs and placed it end-to-end it would stretch from Dubai to New York and back again.

Number of Aircraft: 102 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m

BOEING 777-300

Since 1999, Emirates operates two and three-class versions of the 777-300.

Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m

BOEING 777-200LR

In 2005, the Boeing 777-200LR set a new world record for distance travelled nonstop when it landed at Heathrow airport, London, after a journey of 21,601km (11,664 nautical miles) from Hong Kong the long way round. Emirates received its first 777-200LR in August 2007.

Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m

BOEING 777-200

Emirates’ first Boeing 777-200 registration A6-EMD was delivered to the airline in June 1996. It completed 23,066 departures, and recently retired from the fleet in 2014.

Number of Aircraft: 7 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m

BOEING 777F

The most environmentally-friendly freighter operated today, with the lowest fuel burn of any comparably-sized cargo aircraft. Along with its wide main-deck cargo door which can accommodate oversized consignments, it is also capable of carrying up to 103 tonnes of cargo nonstop on 10-hour sector lengths.

Number of Aircraft: 12 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m For more information: emirates.com/ourfleet

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AIRBUS A380-800

Emirates first A380 was delivered in June 2008. Since delivery it has carried more than 1.2 million customers and completed more than 3,000 take offs.

The aircraft has flown an impressive 20 million km - that is equivalent to almost 27 return trips to the moon.

Number of Aircraft: 58 Capacity: 489-517 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m

AIRBUS A340-500

This ultra-long range passenger airliner was introduced to the Emirates fleet in 2003. This saw the launch of the First Class Suite which has since been rolled out on the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.

Number of Aircraft: 7 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m

AIRBUS A340-300

Similar in many respects to Emirates A330200s, the A340-300 is equipped with four engines giving it an enhanced range.

Number of Aircraft: 4 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m

AIRBUS A330-200

First added to the fleet in 1999, this aircraft operates predominately on shorter-haul routes.

Number of Aircraft: 21 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m

BOEING 777-400ERF

This aircraft is capable of carrying up to 117 tonnes. The deck-side cargo door, with a height of approximately three metres, allows the uplift of oversized shipments that cannot be accommodated in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft. The nose door allows the carriage of long pieces.

Number of Aircraft: 2 Range:9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m Aircraft numbers through end January 2015

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E n t E r t a i n m E n t

CAPTION COmPeTITION

E-mail your captions for this cartoon to openskies@motivate.ae with ‘CAPTION COMP’ in the subject line. The winning caption will be published in the February issue.

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Cate Blanchett