The Dubai Expat Diaries

Rock Balancing as the name suggests is the art of delicately and patiently placing rocks in a combination that appears physically impossible.  Here are a few pictures of the amazing work by an international rock balancing artist at the Walk as part of this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival.

As the global credit crunch hits the pockets of average Dubai expats, Ibn Battuta mall has come up with a unique offer this DSF 2009. The mall is giving away gift cards worth AED 10,000 of shopping as part of their Spend and Win raffle. Shoppers who spend up to a specific amount can register [...]

Everyone’s familiar with the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, which has been a longstay member of the Jumeirah hotels community…most popular, perhaps due to Barasti Bar, one of the most popular social watering holes in Dubai. Next door on the same complex is also The Westin Dubai, which opened in May last year with a well-remembered [...]

Superstar DJ Fatboy Slim comes to the Middle East for the first time ever during Dubai Shopping Festival 2009.  Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) successfully took dance music from the clubs into the living room and to the top of the charts – earning him a unique place in the nation’s heart along the way. 

The Ruler of Dubai has issued a directive to freeze residential and commercial rents in Dubai this year. But there is a condition, if the rent is more than 25% below average for the area – with the new rental index being used as a guideline, the freeze doesn’t apply. The move is meant to [...]

Another company Istithmar World has laid off 10 percent of its workforce, adding to the growing list of companies in Dubai firing their staff as a result of the global credit crunch. It is but obvious the impact these recent job losses as well as the general state of the economy will have on an ordinary expat’s psyche. A new research by YouGovSiraj shows [...]

There are lots of very good deals out there this DSF 2009, from clothing and accessories to mobile phones and home appliances.  If you are looking to replace an old refrigerator or washing machine with a new one, you can check out the offer available with LG. This DSF, they will take back these old [...]

A report by Swiss Bank UBS estimates that the population in Dubai will decline 8 per cent this year.

It seems like there will finally be some respite for Dubai expats struggling with the huge jump in apartment rents over the last few years. According to a property firm Asteco, the average rent of a one bedroom apartment rose 4 per cent last year with no rise at all in the final quarter. “Certainly [...]

According to a recent Arabian Business news report, “the first flight operating from the new airport being built as part of the $33 billion Dubai World Central (DWC) development will take off by the end of 2009, project chiefs said on Saturday”.  Located in Jebel Ali, it is said that once ready, the Al Maktoum International [...]