Tag Archives: construction
Didier Drogba attends Vogue Cafe launch in Dubai
Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba joined a number of top international models to launch the glamorous Vogue Cafe in Dubai.The establishment is Conde Nast's first restaurant in the region and the company pulled out all the stops to ensure the grand opening was an occasion to remember.Drogba – who played for Turkish club Galatasaray last season – shared the red carpet with renowned models Karolina Kurkova and Petra Nemcova at the glitzy even in the Dubai Mall.The 35-year-old Ivory Coast striker told the National he was glad to be back in Dubai.”I love being here, especially right now when the weather is so bad in Europe,” he was quoted as saying.Drogba made his name playing for Chelsea in the English Premier League, having signed for the Blues from Marseille in 2004.He won numerous trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge, most notably the Uefa Champions League in 2012. The powerful forward scored the goal that took the final against Bayern Munich to extra time and then later stepped up to take the decisive penalty in the resultant shootout. Dubai is accustomed to welcoming such high-profile stars and there is a strong chance you will see a celebrity during your stay in the city, especially if there is a swanky new club or restaurant being unveiled.This is the second Vogue Cafe launched by Conde Nast, as the firm previously opened one in Moscow and the organisation's director of restaurants Stuart Nielsen said plans are in place to expand even further in the UAE.”The Middle East is a very exciting market for us and one that we are proud to be a part of,” he commented.It is fair to predict the high-end Vogue Cafe will be a big hit among the rich and famous holidaymakers who flood into Dubai every year and it will certainly be very interesting to see exactly where Conde Nast opens its next Gulf-based venue. Continue reading
Michel Salgado to speak at Dubai event
Former Real Madrid and Spain star Michel Salgado will be one of the guest speakers at the Dubai International Football Academies Forum this weekend (June 1st and 2nd).The ex-fullback – who ended his illustrious career in the 2011/12 season while playing for Blackburn Rovers – will be joined by Uefa official Ioan Lupescu and Fifa representative Jean Michel Benezet on the opening day of the event.They will talk about how both football governing bodies plan to boost the development of young players in the future.Although the UAE is not renowned for being a footballing hotbed, the game is undoubtedly becoming more popular in this part of the world.Salgado, aged 37, has been living in Dubai for a few months and he is certainly well placed to offer advice on how the game should be played.The rightback amassed 53 caps for Spain between 1998 and 2006 and won a plethora of trophies throughout his career, particularly during his stint at Real Madrid.Indeed, Salgado lifted the La Liga title four times and he also won the Spanish Cup on three occasions. In addition to this, the dependable defender scooped the Uefa Champions League trophy in 2000 and 2002.This is the second time the Dubai International Football Academies Forum is being held and Salgado is not the only famous face being lined up to appear at the event.Argentine legend Diego Maradona – who is currently working as an ambassador for the Dubai Sports Council – will talk about how to succeed in football, while ex-England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will also be on hand to tell the audience just how important it is to get the basics of the sport right.Eriksson has had a glittering managerial career to date and the Swede has landed numerous honours – most notably with Italian club Lazio in the late 1990s/early 2000s. He is now employed as a technical director at UAE-based club Al Nasr. Continue reading
Dubai Festival City Mall continues to grow
The recent growth seen at the Dubai Festival City Mall is indicative of the wider expansion of the emirate's retail sector.Numerous studies have confirmed that Dubai is still one of the leading shopping hotspots on the planet and with new record-breaking malls in the pipeline, this looks certain to be a long-term trend.Dubai Festival City Mall is one of the Middle East's leading retail and lifestyle facilities and it has already opened another eight outlets so far this year.Italian concept store Cioccolatitaliani has moved into the mall and has been joined by a number of clothing retailers, including Rockport, Vince Camuto and Stadium.Plans are also in motion to add even more outlets in the centre over the coming months, with Mothercare, Boots and luxury international designer Elie Tahari all taking up residency in the complex.Viewers of hit British TV show The Apprentice saw just how diverse Dubai's retail offerings are during a special episode last night (May 28th). The 12 remaining contestants were told to buy eight obscure items from merchants in the city and the programme allowed people in the UK to see the stark differences between the emirate's wonderful, rustic souks and the ultra-modern malls.Dubai is renowned for embracing cutting edge technology and this is evident in the city's malls.Earlier this month, reports confirmed that shoppers in the Wafi mall will soon be able to take advantage of a hi-tech loyalty programme, which is designed to allow consumers to obtain points wirelessly.The scheme – which uses near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technology – also gives shoppers an opportunity to receive instant notification of special offers and discounts in nearby stores.”We believe the technology delivers a win-win situation for both merchants and consumers,” commented Souffiane Houti, founder and chief executive officer of ViaFone Technologies – the company behind the initiative.With so many exciting developments being unveiled, it is certainly a good time for investors to take advantage of the UAE's thriving retail industry. Continue reading
