Today was Daisy’s first in Dubai. She arrived last night with Gulf Air via Bahrain. The flight had been 90 minutes late leaving Heathrow and it was a very tight connection in Bahrain as a result, but thankfully both she and her luggage made it! We more or less turned straight in though as it was very late.
This morning she was so happy to see the sun and of course the staggering views over the Marina from Lucy’s apartment. Lucy went off to work and Daisy and I set off for our day…
We were booked in at Drift Beach, which is part of the uber posh One & Only Mirage hotel in Jumeirah. https://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/royal-mirage
Wow! What a place https://driftbeachdubai.com/?section=section2
So very chic and very instagrammable, if you’re into that which clearly a lot of the clientelle were. All turquoise and white, vaguely Moorish arches, low couches with scatter cushions, hammocks, an amazing pool and beyond that, a beach of white sand. We were allocated a rather glamorous cabana right on the beach and our day began!
But first. breakfast…… there is of course a very lovely restaurant right there and we decided to splurge on breakfast and not go for lunch. Gorgeous coffees. I had smashed avocado, bacon and 2 fried eggs on a slice of sourdough. Daisy had smoked salmon with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce with a topping of salmon caviar. Both dishes were utterly yum but I must say Daisy’s eggs Royale was the best I’ve ever tasted. The hollandaise was superb and just the right amount.
We headed down to our cabana and lazed out for the rest of the day till after 4. The cost of the Ladies day wa 100 AED each (£20) and for that you got your half cabana with lounger and towel, a bottle of Evian with ice, a fruit bowl and a cocktail. The cost of the cocktal on the menu was 80 aed so it was pretty good value.
The sea was just right and we spent a long time just lying in the shallows, watching the skydivers above us, the yachts passing by and the instagrammers or would-be instagrammers posing up a storm for their selfies. Generally they come in pairs and take it in turns with the phone camera. They even share props ie a great big hat or a sarong. One will stalk for the camera, pouting and waving the sarong in the breeze; the picture is snapped. Then they both gather around looking at it and ensuring it is good enough. Then they swap……. It’s quite a spectacle and a bit pathetic but….. this is what Love Island and the like have brought us to. Everyone wants to be an “influencer” or a “celebrity”……
Had the most lovely day. Absolutely wonderful place and maybe we’ll go again next week. They also do a deal on a Wednesday where if you have breakfast, you get the lounger, towel and all day access free.
Got back about 5pm and showered off. Lucy was home but on a work call till 730. We were all booked at a supper club in the Jumeiah Business District – theme tonight was Nicaraguan food. Daisy and I had to go first as Lu was still working. No idea at all what Nicaraguan food consisted of but suspected beans and rice.
Well….. how very wrong can you be…… the dinner tonight was exquisite and so intricate in its weave of flavours…. this is like a pop up dinner party that a very wonderful young chef from Nicaragua hosts, changing the menu every quarter. She is passionate about the food of Nicaragua and also and especially about how to make that food both healthy and sustainable. With every course of her tasting menu she told us a story about the origins of the dish and what it meant to her and her family. It was fascinating. There were 10 of us around the table. All but Daisy and I were Dubai residents. 3 were originally from Egypt , 4 culturally from India although only 1 of them was born there. All were interesting, erudite people who loved food and wine and travel. We had the greatest evening.
We were welcomed with a gin cocktail and a nibble which was a baby corn in a tempura coating with a jammy chutney sauce. There followed small plate after small plate of fabulously complex dishes, many vegetable based. An outstanding dish was a ceviche of fish with diced avocado, pineapple, pine nuts and a sauce of mint….. absolute heaven.
We had an outstanding evening and strolled home to bed happy and full. Gigi is a fantastic cook, on a mission and I would love to eat her food and enjoy her company again https://www.spinneys.com/en-ae/lifestyle/girl-and-the-goose/
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