Continuing with the September birthday theme we celebrated Stu’s 49th birthday this week. We started off with a high speed breakfast at the Hilton. The reason it had to be high-speed is that we only arrived at 10.30 and the buffet closes at 11, so we had to get some serious eating in, which wasn’t a problem of course. After that we had to drop off our now ex-dishwasher, which we have sold, to the very nice American couple that had bought it from us. They live in a penthouse apartment in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), and its actually an understatement to say that we were completely blown away by how stunning their apartment is. We have been congratulating ourselves for a couple of months now on the fact that Stu managed to get us a villa and that we have a little garden and can braai to our heart’s content. I am also sure that the cats are grateful in their own silent feline way, but anyhow we (I) started to adjust that thinking when we saw this apartment. Complete with it’s own pool and lovely outside area, definitely big enough for us to throw the odd chop on the fire, and at least a 180 degree view of the beach and the city, we could probably manage to live there. Just. Haha, its certainly something I will be lusting over for the immediate future anyway. Its good to have a goal, or a dream, anyway.

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As September is 9 months after New Year you would expect to run into a few birthdays here and there this month, and even in our case, with our severely depleted social circle, you would be right! In fact we have 2 birthday celebrations this month, one this last week for Eunice, and one this coming week for my dear husband Stuart. We joined Eunice in celebrating her 26th birthday (man don’t I feel old) on Thursday evening at the Grand Grill in the Grand Habtoor Hotel and Resort, Jumeirah Beach. We decided to take a cab so that we could both have a celebratory drink, but man oh man was the journey hair raising; the cabbie seemed determined to hit 120km/h between speed bumps on the way there, and this, combined with the squeakiest brakes this side of the equator, left me feeling rather seasick. However we arrived in one shaken-but-not-stirred piece, in fact we beat the birthday girl who was fashionably late, and had to settle for water for a pre-dinner drink as no alcohol is served until 19h30 due to Ramadan. The advertised cuisine of the restaurant is South African and the menu included a boerewors starter with pap and even a taste of bobotie served with banana ice-cream. Most of the guys and gals went for home-reared slabs of beef, whilst Stu had a burger and I did the sacrilegious ordering fish at a steak house. Happily it was delicious. We also made up for the slow start on the drinks side eventually flattening about 6 bottles of some lovely Porcupine Ridge Merlot and Fairview Pinotage. After that we headed up to Bar 44 for a nightcap, this is a watering hole (frighteningly expensive) on the 44th floor of the Grosvenor House hotel which is just opposite the Grand Habtoor, and reached by a rather frightening dash through sand and over a busy road, not recommended in heels. This is one place you notice the lack of no non-smoking laws here (well this could change any day as the Sheikh is planning to ban all smoking in public places). It reminded me a little of Spats back in Sandton in the old days (well the 90s anyway), minus the live music and with the addition of the most amazing view of the Jumeirah Beach area (ok maybe not much like Spats after all). The view does make it worth visiting at least once, but save up first! Incidentally Grosvenor House is also home to Dubai’s own version of the Buddha Bar, which we plan to visit another night.

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