Superman-Wannabe at iFLY Dubai

I am not the storyteller for today because I have a guest who wants to share an awesome experience! :) He is a dare devil, a big fan of everything extreme. He is my travel buddy, my tech support and my partner-in-whatever. He has written a post before and I'm so glad he agreed to write for my blog again. I think you know who he is! I, now, present to you my guest blogger for today... drum roll... my husband, Ed! :)  -Lady

I think most of us have dreamed of being able to fly, to be like Superman, soaring from one place to another. In iFLY Dubai, I was able to be like Superman, minus the cape! iFLY Dubai at Mirdif City Centre is an indoor Skydiving simulator which allows a person to fly inside a tunnel, a first of its kind in the UAE. As they say, it is a preparation to Skydiving (which I’m planning to cross out on my bucket list someday)!  

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Ramen Night at Umami

Ed loves ramen, just like Naruto. If you're not an anime fanatic, you wouldn't understand the connection. I, too, was clueless at first. Here's a little bit of explanation: My husband is addicted to Anime and Manga. I often see him in front of our desktop, watching cartoons in Japanese language with English subtitle or reading online comics. His favorite is Naruto, a popular Japanese anime series. Since I have never watched an episode, I know nothing about Naruto, except that he loves to eat ramen! I stumbled upon this anime trivia when we were in Hong Kong, Ed asked me if we could have some of Naruto's favorite (not the ready-to-cook in a pouch, but the authentic one). To make the long story short, just like Anime, ramen became one of Ed's simple joys . :)

My husband spoils me a lot, he follows me to whatever restaurant I choose every time we're out. One weekend, I felt it was about time to choose a place where he could have what he likes. I heard from a friend that there's a new Japanese stall at Mall of the Emirates foodcourt. I told him about it and his face lighted up, like a 10-year old boy who just received a present.

Umami occupies a small spot at the west food court of Mall of the Emirates. The stall is an eye-catcher; logo is in orange and black and there's a Japanese pagoda designed on the wall.

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Vapiano: A Taste of Italia in Dubai

"Buonissimo!" I heard that word from my husband, as he munched a slice of pizza at Vapiano, while my full attention was still on taking food pictures for Instagram. Yes, I'm one of those IG addicts who snap first and eat later. :)  I grabbed a slice after I uploaded a photo online. My eyes widened the moment I had my first bite, I ecstatically said "Namit"! Though we said  two different languages, Ed in Italian and I in Ilonggo (a dialect of my province), we both had the same satisfied expressions. 

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Insta-Pic of the Week: Dream Angel

 One of the best sale items I got this Dubai Shopping Festival is from Victoria's Secret. This Dream Angel Heavenly gift set, in a glittery gold box, is at 50% off, only 45 AED for an angel mist and a lotion. I simply love Heavenly's mild floral scent; it smells fresh and warm. Heavenly scent at a heavenly price! ❤

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The Astounding Water, Fire and Light Show at Dubai Mall

I was torn between two spectacular events last weekend: the fireworks display at the Festival Promenade and the much talked about water, fire and light show at Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. I'm a big fan of fireworks, but I was greatly interested about the show at Downtown. So, after weighing the pros (no cons in these amazing events), I went to see The Water, Fire and Light Show which was first shown during the New Year's Eve countdown. It has been a talk of the town since then. 

Ed and I went to the musical fountain area of Dubai Mall. The show starts at 8:00 PM, but it was already too crowded at 7:30 PM. We went to Souk Al Bahar and found a better spot; in fact, I consider it as the best spot as we were exactly in front of the water platform with a semi-transparent screen. The show uses water, fire and light very artistically. The mixture of elements along with the cultural theme and the theatrical performance create an astounding show. Watch the video at the end of this post.

WATER

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Festival Parade at Al Seef

I always look forward to the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival, not just for cheap, sale items but for the celebration at Al Seef Street along Dubai Creek. At 8:00 pm, every weekend, people gather in the sidewalk of Al Seef to witness a grand festival parade. It's my 4th year in Dubai and I have noticed how the parade gets more colorful and magnificent each year.  

Have a look at the vibrant Dubai Shopping Festival Parade I witnessed this year.

colorful mascots and parade bands

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Chillout: The Coolest Lounge in Town

There is a lounge in Dubai where you can chill and feel the chills! Chillout, pronounced as 'chill out', is a bar/cafe where everything is made of ice; from tables and chairs to decorations. We have been to Chillout 2 years ago, I didn't had a blog back then. Their promotional deal was back at Cobone late last year, that reminded me of our unique afternoon date. Since today is Thursday, I'm taking a break on my usual Insta-pic  of the Week post, here's a Throwback Thursday post on Chillout instead. :) 

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The Best of Broadway at BurJuman

Over the weekend, Ed and I went to BurJuman Centre for a little bit of shopping. We were so delighted to see almost all of the items we have been eyeing were on sale. Aside from the discounted shopping, BurJuman had another great treat in store for us. There's a free Broadway show at the mall every night. The free mall show is another perk of the sale season; Dubai Shopping Festival is not just about sale and shopping, it is also a month of fantastic free shows, colorful festival parades and amazing fireworks display. 

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New Year's Eve Dinner at Red Shrimp

Two years ago, Ed and I welcomed 2011 at the foot of Burj Khalifa and witnessed the grandest fireworks display I've ever seen. We wanted to do that again for 2013, but due to unwanted health-related circumstances (in short, I wasn't well), we couldn't stay away from home. So, the only option that we had was to have dinner at a restaurant with a terrace where we could view the fireworks. Red Shrimp at Burjuman Center was the only restaurant I can think of, it has a terrace, it's just a short walk from our place and it's something new for both of us. 

I booked a table for two at Red Shrimp hours before our scheduled dinner. Over the phone, I asked the manager if we could see the fireworks from the terrace, he said that we could have a great view of the fireworks at Dubai Creek and see a little of Burj Khalifa. 

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Insta-Pic of the Week: Sale Season!

I see RED and my favorite four-letter word (apart from l-o-v-e.). 

My featured Instagram photo for this week is all about the season I love the most, it's shop-til-i-drop season! It's the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival. DSF runs from January 3 to February 3, 2013. Time to shop for new wardrobe pieces and for homecoming gifts! Yay for my closet, Yikes for my pocket! :) See ya at the malls!

For more Insta-Pics, follow me on Instagram: click here or search for ladyandhersweetescapes

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The Light and Water Show at DFC

There's a new addition to the long list of attractions in Dubai! The Light and Water Show at Dubai Festival City is a showcase of laser lights, special effects, water and fire, in sync with up-beat tunes. It is another spectacular attraction that shouldn't be missed. 

Ed and I were able to watch the show last month, here are some of the photos that we took: 

an awesome display of laser lights in vivid colors along with a fountain show

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Guilty Pleasures at Haagen Dazs

The weather temperature in the Middle East finally dropped, from the scorching 40º C to the chilly 20º C. Yay!!! (doing the happy dance) But how ironic, I found myself yearning for ice cream on a cold winter night. No one could stop me from getting some scoops, not even Mr. Winter nor the inner voice which constantly tells me to cut down on sweets! So, I sat at Haagen Dazs' comfy red couch and devoured the world's finest dessert! 

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Hello 2013!

Hey guys, Happy New Year! So, how did you welcome 2013? I hope you all had a blast just like I did! I gave 2013 a grand welcome in  the middle of a busy highway, strange but true! :) 

My husband and I had a good New Year's Eve dinner at Red Shrimp, a restaurant with a terrace, which I thought has a great view of the fireworks display at Burj Khalifa. We were surprised when we arrived at the table reserved for us; Burj Khalifa was nowhere in sight! There is a thick layer of glass blocking the view. Due to the zero visibility of the tower, we hurriedly went to the main road after dinner, 10 minutes before midnight, to see the annual fireworks show at the world's tallest. 

In the middle of Trade Center Road, along with other people who were waiting
for the fireworks to start.

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