Watch Unveiling Of Burj Dubai

From the land of make believe...the Burj Dubai unveiling.

Burj Dubai ...The Uber Skyscraper Is It Tall Enough For Ya?

Where everything is done with a "bigger, taller and tackier is better" tude...Dubai opened the world's tallest skyscraper Monday in a blaze of fireworks. It renamed the half-mile-high tower for the head of neighboring Abu Dhabi, whose billions bailed out Dubai amid last year's financial crisis.
Long known as Burj Dubai - which is Arabic for "Dubai Tower" - the building rises 2,717 feet - 828 meters - from the desert. The $1.5 billion "vertical city" of luxury apartments and offices and a hotel designed by Giorgio Armani also plans to have the world's highest mosque - 158th floor - and swimming pool -76th floor.
What do you think of this uber skyscraper?

6th Annual Dubai Film Festival

The 6th Annual Dubai International Film Festival takes place 9 December thru 16 December. The event has grown considerably since its 2004 inception, with the 2008 festival representing 66 countries and 181 film submissions. Here's the list of gala screenings:

9 December: Nine (Opening night gala)
10 December: Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (Bollywood gala)
11 December: Alvin & The Chipmunks (Children's gala)
11 December: City of Life (Arabian gala)
12 December: Mother and Child (World Cinema gala)
13 December: Budras (Cultural Bridge gala)
14 December: Cartgena (Focus on France gala)
15 December: Avatar (Closing night gala)

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The prestigious Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Marina Circuit takes place Friday, 30 October - Sunday, 1 November 2009. Click here to view the live webcam of Yas Island which boasts the world’s first Ferrari theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, featuring the world’s fastest roller coaster. It will also have the Warner Bros. theme park and Yas Water Park.

Besides the race circuit, concerts are being held on Yas Island every night during the event. Artists featured are Beyonce (Thursday, 29 October ), Jamiroquai (Friday, 30 October ), The Kings of Leon (Saturday, 31 October ) and Aerosmith (Sunday, 1 November ). Quite a lineup!

Dubai...Biggest,Tallest,Most Grandiose

The Dubai Fountain and the newly opened 12 million square foot - yes, you read that correctly - Dubai Mall will now join the emirate’s ranks of impressive landmarks.

The fountain’s beam of light shining upward can be seen from over 20 miles away and is believed to be visible from space making it the "brightest spot" in the Middle East. Its powerful nozzles will shoot water sprays to the height of over 500 feet, equivalent to a 50-storey building.
Towering over 900 feet, the fountain is said to have a unique design made up of five circles of varying sizes and two arcs. Designed by California-based WET, the creators of the famous Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Dubai Fountain also has double the mass of nozzles, and uses a colour projection system that is by far the largest and most sophisticated in the world.
The Dubai aspires to be the fashion capital of the region and is an architectural marvel spanning 12 million square feet. Over 1,200 retail outlets can be accommodated in the mall, which currently hosts more than 900 stores.
The mall has two food courts, with over 160 food and beverage outlets, and a seating capacity of over 3,000. Fashion Avenue is a 440,000sqft fashion precinct dedicated to haute couture with over 70 signature global fashion brands. Besides a dedicated VIP entrance, it features its own dedicated Fashion Catwalk — the first of its kind with a mall in the region.
The Gold Souk is a sprawling gold and jewellery retail showcase with over 200 stores and lots of bling.

The Mall will also feature Dubai Aquarium and the Underwater Zoo, an Olympic-sized ice-rink and The Waterfall. Oh, and don't forget the largest cinema complex in Dubai.

Whew! And just when you think it can't get any bigger, taller or more grandiose...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sunrise in Dubai

Roses are red...
Violets are blue...

Yachts in Dubai Creek

Blah, blah, blah , Mr. snow...
Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Pretty Far East Of Worth Dubai Eye Candy

So much to do and see. Dubai is a colorful, boisterous montage of the old and the new...

Spices at the souk.

The famous Ski Dubai...a great way to beat the heat.

A man made ski slope inside the Dubai Mall.

Ski slope viewing from the Kempinski Hotel.

Wild Wadi Water Park...makes Disney look wimpy!

Looking through the gates at the Burj Al Arab (better known as the "sail").

Another view of the Burj Al Arab. And no, they did not close the gates to keep us out!

Birds flying in front of Burj Dubai (the world's tallest building).

I'm a born and raised beach bum but you have to admit the desert has a beauty all its own, especially at sunset.

The desert is very dramatic and provides a lot of entertainment for locals and tourists, alike. Dune bashing, which sounds violent but is nothing more than riding up and down the dunes via 4x4s, dune skiing/boarding (can't wait to try this since I can be a "mean" surfer on water), camel/horse riding or even dune dinners and camp outs are all popular activities. Can't seem to get over the constant gritty sensation so spending the night on the sand in the desert is not high on my agenda.

Another gorgeous desert sunset.

What a pretty pose but I don't think Mr. snow will let me keep this one. For the record, this camel didn't spit on me although I have had that happen (in Morocco) and it was memorable but not pleasant.

Below is the dragon statue welcoming you to the Dubai Dragon Mart, of course.

Dubai Madinat Jumeirah cafes...looks just like home. Venti Pike's Place, please.
The Gold Souk will blind you with bling. Got your AMEX black card?

The entrance to the Gold Souk, Dubai Mall.

Don't forget to keep up with our adventures at pretty far east of worth.
Until next time...

slightly north of worth goes pretty far east of worth!

I've held off announcing the exciting news but here it is...slightlynorthofworth is headed for Europe and the Middle East for business expansion. As I say on my website, slightlynorthofworth.com will be globe trotting with business ventures throughout Europe and the Middle East. Right now, my primary focus will be Dubai which has become the epicenter of what's happening in the world.
I will be introducing a portfolio of U.S. companies to the U.A.E. market along with my expanding website and blog. So come along...you don't want to miss this adventure!

Until next time...

More Money Than Brains

The Bathroom of the Palace Suite

Everyone knows that Dubai has become the ultimate luxury destination for the uber rich. 5 star hotels won't suffice, hence the concept of 7 stars which has significantly upped the ante in a high stakes game of all out opulence.

The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi takes the cake with its $1 million dollar (this is not a typo), seven night "vacation of a lifetime" package. The Emirates Palace is operated by Kempinski, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group so I guess their marketing group has a lot of experience. To be fair, you do get two days of private jet trips to Iran and Bahrain, and gifts of jewels and guns. The jewelry gifts are cool but I'm not sure how those guns will go over. Considering where your day trips will be, though, maybe guns are a good choice.

Here is what you get on this “program of pure opulence” for about $140K a night:
* First-class round-trip flights from any international destination serviced by Etihad Airlines to Abu Dhabi

* Seven-night stay in a more than 7,000 square-foot Palace Suite at Emirates Palace on an all-inclusive basis

Private Dining Room in the Palace Suite

* Chauffeur driven German luxury Maybach at your disposal during your stay in Abu Dhabi

* Daily spa treatment in the Anantara Spa

* Day trip in private jet to Iran to create your own Persian carpet from the most exclusive and well-renowned hand-maker

* Day trip in private jet to the Dead Sea Jordan to experience the famous sea and an afternoon Anantara spa treatment in the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar

* Day trip to Bahrain in private jet for a deep sea diving pearl experience. Your pearl will then be hand designed with jewelry settings

* Royal Golf experience at Abu Dhabi Golf Club

* Make your own perfume with experts from YAS Perfume

* Deep sea fishing trip

* Gifts including helicopter sunset and desert island tour.

* Gifts including the rarest pearls in the world from Robert Wang and a selection from Holland & Holland Sporting Guns.

You read that right...a gift of guns.

Lucky for you, being a slightlynorthofworth reader, I have managed to get a discount off the package price. Use discount code "$1.99off".

OK, so that part is a joke but I couldn't stop laughing when I originally saw the offer and the gift of guns. It's a crazy world!

Until next time...