Dubai

For the past 3 years, Dubai has been my ultimate #vacationgoals. I was a lot younger back then, and the thought of traveling to Dubai was more of a fairy tale than anything else. After months of looking into it and fantasizing on Burj Khalifa’s afternoon tea, I made it official and decided to book my 1 week trip to The United Emirates.

As I began my research, the first question that popped into my head was: WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR???? I mean, I must not be the only person who hears stories about not being able to show ANY skin.

Thanks to the fact that Dubai is a well-renowned luxury city with boujee restaurants and classy AF party scenes, the dress code is not as strict as I pictured it. Basically, around the hotels and beaches you are allowed to wear anything (always keeping it conservative/respectful, if you don’t want too much attention drawn). In public areas, and especially mosques, women should have their head, shoulders, and ankles covered. And lord was the search for the right shawl a pain in my butt. I opted for chiffon and cotton only shawls/hijabs to keep the heat from trapping inside my clothes.

If you know me at all, you know darn well I love my restaurants. To me, the most exciting and intriguing aspect of traveling, is indulging in its culinary world (after the infrastructure of the city and its culture of course). As a self-proclaimed #FOODIE that I am, I went on a mission to find the best places to eat + drink (but mostly eat lol).

I mean, Zuma is just globally well-known… but it still managed to surprise me as if it was a “Dubai thing”

*quick tip: If it’s only two of you, refrain from ordering the omakase (minimum 2 guests) This wasn’t what I thought was a regular omakase where you pay per person and get food accordingly. Instead, we got food for like a gang of 4-5 people and a dessert the size of an English mastiff’s food bowl. Yeah, I know, what a dilemma. In case you were wondering, we ate it all.

 

All hail the all-mighty “Salt Bae”

A picture just doesn’t cut it for Nusr’et.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see salt bae, so we settled for whatever we got, which was just as good lol.

We ordered the Nusr’et special, which they cook on your table with extremely hot butter…. I mean. Nuff’ said. I do recommend this restaurant, but do it for the astonishingly good food and amazing ambiance.

 

Laduree on your left + Bateel Cafe on the right

Is it weird that the first time I ever went to Laduree, was in Dubai? I mean, not Paris, not L.A., but Dubai. I had to do this one for the gram, I wasn’t a fan of their sweets and to be honest I just wanted some hummus. Bateel cafe though was pretty impressive. Both are located at the Dubai Mall. I must say Turkish coffee was not something I would order again, it deff has a very acquired taste to it. But the DATES, oh the dates, were out of this world!!!! I do not think I’ve had better dates anywhere in the world. And by dates I mean the extremely sweet fruit, not the fuckboys I love to date. JK…. oh and I had a lentil soup too, it was very Arabic, but amazing.

Sadly I forgot the name of this plaaaaaaace, but boy was it authentic (and DELICIOUS). The first thing I did when I got to Dubai, asked the locals for a place where I could get only the most authentic Arabic food, and that’s what we got. I remember ordering the shish kabob and chicken kabob with a side of hummus. I have to look it up and find the name for you guys!

 

What was the weather like?

I get this question a lot, and there is only one way to answer it. I got lucky! little did I know, that after May, the REAL heat comes in. YES, it was hot but NO, it was not unbearable. I must say it was always on the 90’s but I never felt like I couldn’t stand it or it was too much. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re mostly inside AC buildings. But on day 3 we took a safari tour through the dunes and ended the day with motorcycle riding and a dessert feast/show. After being in the sun all day, I never felt like the heat was a big issue. With that being said, most of the locals told us that after May is when the real DUBAI heat starts, the one everyone talks about. I really don’t want to find out.

Can you drink publicly?

No, you cannot. You can’t even display any disruptive/drunk behavior in public. You have to stay within the premises of the restaurant/bar/hotel if you are drinking, and if you get too alcoholized, you could end up in jail. I am not 100% sure of the consequences and exact guidelines of the city, but you do have to keep it all PG. Bottom line, act straight or get locked up. LOL.

Is it worth it? Would you go back?

UH, YES!!! Are you kidding, I do not even think I saw .003% of the city and expect to go back soon! I am obsessed with the lifestyle, culture, culinary diversity, and nightlife of Dubai. I would most definitely go back for maybe longer, and not during the summer.

Here are some more pics of the trip!