Everybody Get Footloose! with The Abu Dhabi Choral Group

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I was a young girl in a Midwestern Baptist town in Illinois. A town filled with old blue haired ladies, dogs that nap in the street and a local preacher who relied upon the generosity of the parishioners for cookies and meatloaf dinners. It was a town not too dissimilar from Bomont. It was a stereotypical farm town upbringing with Levis, boots and beer, and all the crazy shenanigans that bored country kids get themselves into.

My high school crowd could easily be identified as those that would leave our community and those that would stay. In October 1984, just as the corn was harvested from the fields, Footloose came to our uniplex theater and provided those that would leave the hope that even small town rebels with a big city itch could have a future out there somewhere beyond the wheat and the soybean fields.

Fast forward 35 years and I am half way around the world, in the Middle East, at the New York University Arts Center watching a cast of 30-40 expats with a Russell Stovers box of accents, perform Footloose. A movie so Americana that I can smell the hay.

Continue reading “Everybody Get Footloose! with The Abu Dhabi Choral Group”

The Abu Dhabi Choral Group’s “Anything Goes”

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Abu Dhabi Choral Group did it again with this year’s performance of the 1934 musical Anything Goes. Packed full of Cole Porter classics, the Anything Goes cast of 35 performing members not only belted out the old showtunes but they also busted out the tap shoes too. In the 6 years I have attended, I must say, ADCG definitely upped the entertainment factor this year with their incredible dance choreography and their flashy new focus on costume design. You really never know what you’re in for because ADCG has undeniably been the best little community theater group in the UAE for 41 years — and that is certainly something for Abu Dhabi to be proud of.

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To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before

You might be surprised to know that the quality of the expat experience revolves around one thing and as it turns out this one thing is the glue, the ultimate party popper, and the generator of gargantuan good times. It’s the thing that keeps us sane. Continue reading “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”

Merry Christmas to our Muslim Friends

cropped-img_4606.jpgIt’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere we go
Right here in the Middle East its such a sight to see
Santa Claus, dancing elves, and mistle toe Continue reading “Merry Christmas to our Muslim Friends”

Underwater living one step closer to a big splash in Dubai

As we expats say — only in the UAE! Because you know, it gets totally boring living here on top of the earth. And now that I think about it, all of the excitement, the grandeur, and the shock have worn off and we need something new. We need something outlandish just so we don’t forget why we came here in the first place.

TADA!Take a look at this 7DAYS UAE article on underwater living.

The world’s first underwater villas will be under the sea in the UAE next month, the developer behind the audacious Dubai project has revealed.

The Kleindienst Group launched the ‘Floating Seahorses’ – a cross between a villa and a boat, with one floor submerged – at the Dubai International Boat Show earlier this year.

Kleindienst’s group marketing and PR manager Charlotte Sky Ferrey told 7DAYS: “The first floating seahorse is under fabrication now and will be in the water next month. It’s the first one in the world, there’s nothing like it currently existing.”

The project is part of The Heart of Europe development that includes six islands.

The seahorses have been designed and developed in Dubai and will be located offshore from St Petersburg, a short boat ride from the coast of the emirate.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai Property Show in Mumbai, India, this weekend, Ferrey said the developer is expected to officially launch phase three of the project later this month after the earlier two phases – a total of 51 villas – sold out. The project holds 132 seahorses overall.

But some seahorses are already on offer at the exhibition to Indian investors and serious buyers are being invited to view the model home next month.

However, the price of a seahorse is up by a whopping Dhs2.75 million since launch.

Ferrey revealed: “We launched at Dhs5 million. Then straight after the boat show they went up to Dhs5.5 million, then Dhs6 million in the summer… since selling out we’re now launching at Dhs7.75million.”

Majority of the investors – about 60 per cent – are from the GCC, while about 30 per cent are Indian, she said.

“Of all our products the sea horse is the best seller. Everybody is interested because it’s iconic, it’s different, it’s never existed in the world,” she added.

Ferrey insisted Kleindienst underwater villas have been unaffected by the slump in property prices in Dubai.

“Currently everyone is saying that the real estate market is flat but we’re not, we’re something exclusive, not everybody can afford it,” she explained.

The seahorses will be ready to move into in October 2016, while facilities on St Petersberg will also be up and running with cafes, restaurants and more.

Meanwhile, St Petersberg is also currently being reshaped.

“It will be shaped like a heart in line with the project The Heart of Europe,” Ferrey disclosed.

“This will be our first complete project on The World,” Ferrey confirmed.

megha@7days.ae

Source: Underwater living one step closer to a big splash in Dubai

Are you impressed? Stupefied? Overcome with feelings of disbelief or completely astounded? Welcome to the UAE. It’s never a dull moment so share this article below and sign up to follow my blog above and I will continue to amuse you xx

Watch Your (bleep) Mouth!

“Will they cut off your hand?” my friends ask me. “You know, if you commit a crime or do some other insulting thing.”

Come on please learn your geography.

Does the UAE look like some sort of hillbilly nation? Do you think we live in the dark ages with uncivilized rules — Where they are stoning women in the square and burning little girl’s schools? Continue reading “Watch Your (bleep) Mouth!”

Now Playing: Bang, Bang

This blog post is not intended to offend anyone. I believe all of our hearts go out to the victims and we stand unified in our belief that public shootings need to stop. Unfortunately, we cannot agree on what needs to be done. Humor sometimes shows the absurdity behind serious social issues which helps us to better understand our beliefs and hopefully, to question our positions and/or possibly adopt another or at least be willing to compromise for society as a whole.

My intent behind this post is to show the unnecessary hardship that has been placed on everyday people who are merely going about their daily activities. Going to the movies was once a very innocent activity that now requires us to think about an analytical safety plan and a tactical exit plan.

This post is a stream of my conscious thought while at the movies.

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The Sushi Class

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Like hungry guests, a sitting audience looks, Plays are like suppers; poets are the cooks. The founder’s you; the table is this place, The carvers we; the prologue is the grace. Each act a course, each scene, a different dish.

~ George Farquhar ~

Continue reading “The Sushi Class”

A Cup of Gold

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Meet the world-famous gold cappuccino which is served at one of the most beautiful hotels on earth. The Emirates Palace is known as going well beyond 5 stars this luxury hotel sits directly on the beach and is a very popular tourist destination. The Emirates Palace is breathtakingly beautiful and not only showcases Arabian architecture but encapsulates Arabian culture. Frequented by the ultra wealthy, I always feel like such a pauper when I visit this place until I get my gold stache on and then all insecurity goes out the window and I become an Arabian princess just hanging out drinking my gold flaked joe. The Emirates Palace and the gold cappuccino are definitely on the bucket list for most travelers. Continue reading “A Cup of Gold”

Angelina – Yas Mall

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In 1903 Angelina opened in Paris and earned the reputation of sophistication and indulgence. Angelina quickly became the place to be seen and served many Parisian aristocrats such as Coco Chanel and Proust, just to name a few. Angeline is a place of elegance and refinement, combining poetry, romanticism and serenity, and now after 110 years in business, Angeline is now located at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. Continue reading “Angelina – Yas Mall”