‘Witch’ houses to hit for Halloween 2016?

Thanks to all the community for responding to my request about Halloween. We’ve been able to compile a nice listing so all the kids will know where to knock for ‘trick-or-treat’.

Be sure to leave your lights on and maybe hang a decoration or two. If you’d prefer not to be visited by any witches or goblins, it would surely be wise to post a note on your front door.

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Send some photos of your night out that can be posted on the JVT community blog!

Or let us know which house you thought had done the best decorations.

jvtcommunityblog@gmail.com

Know the Law in the UAE

The recent announcement of changes in the UAE Penal Law got me thinking. So many people are not really aware of the law in many domains that it is surely worth sharing the helpful guides on living in the UAE published by Gulf News.

In line with knowing one’s rights and responsibilities, I’ve compiled a listing of the Gulf News Guides about the UAE labor law, visa regulations, Emirates ID process, rental laws, school enrollment, mandatory health insurance scheme, parking system, establishing a bank account, the bus routes, emergency numbers and more! It’s all available in just one click: Useful UAE Resources.

If you find some important resources are missing from the compilation, drop me a line and I’ll gladly update the list.

It also seems useful to reiterate here on the JVT website the newly announced penalties for breaking the law. Failing to pay your bills as well as the use of abusive language against another person can earn you jail time as can many much more serious crimes. The news article also highlights an important positive move by the UAE justice system. Those who commit a minor office can now be sentenced to community service upon implementation of the law next month. This is good news if you happen to get on the wrong side of the law due to a small infraction. However, it’s good to be clear on what is is classified as a misdemeanor so if you haven’t done so already, do read the Gulf News article for the full story.

 

Playtime in the JVT Parks

The weather is gorgeous in Dubai and the JVT Parks are ready for action. All the parks now have sun coverings so kids will be able to enjoy the swings and slides for longer. It’s time to get your kids out to the nearby jungle gym and enjoy some physical activity. Or take your kids to the park in a different neighborhood and make some new friends! Below is a photo run-down of the JVT playgrounds. Which one is your favorite? Let us know!

District One:

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District Two: (note the lovely open gazebo)

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District Three:

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District Four: 

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District Five: 

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District 5 Tennis Courts

District Six: 

Our smallest district in the village, I couldn’t find a playground here 😦

District Seven:

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District Eight: 

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At play in the early evening

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District 8 Tennis Courts

District Nine:  the last and possibly most spread out district gets two play areas!

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Near blocks 9D & 9E

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District 9 Tennis Courts – near blocks D & E

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This one is near Near 9N

Release your kids pent-up energy with boxing classes in JVT

Always trying to keep the JVT community informed, I’ve uncovered some more new classes starting soon. I’m thrilled to give you the scoop and hope to throw a few punches myself when the adult training starts.

UBox was started by a group of individuals who saw a gap in the children’s physical activity segment here in Dubai. Having a team from the UK, they think it’s important to have fun while getting fit. Instilling discipline will also surely give students a great tool to succeed both academically and physically.  Their well thought out programme will encourage children to not just learn how to box, but work in teams, build trust, respect each other and do it all with a smile 🙂

When I spoke to Usman at UBox, he explained why they wanted to offer classes in JVT. “We understand that JVT is a new community and we’d like to give the community options for an activity which is just down the road! We decided to start operations at Arcadia School first where we can partner with Gulf Star Sports, who are a reputable and trusted extracurricular student activity specialist.”

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Boxes classes will be starting on Friday 28th October:

·         Ages 8-10 @10am

·         Ages 11-13 @12pm

·         Ages 14-16 @2pm

Classes cost 95 dirhams per session for a 4-week booking, with a discount for booking a 6-week block. There is potential to also hold sessions on Saturdays if the interest exceeds their expectations. Parent classes will be launched before the end of the year. Now, that sounds like a great plan to me !

Ready to sign your kids up? Click here for the on-line registration form

Questions?  Get in touch with UBox on +971 56 879 5571 / info@uboxdxb.com or visit their website.

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Training session

Get free dinner for family of four at Fusion restaurant @Ghaya Grand Hotel

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The JVT Blog is delighted to offer our readers the chance to win dinner for a family of four at the Fusion restaurant at Ghaya Grand Hotel located near the Me’aisem City Center on Al Fay Road, across from JVT in IMPZ.

One lucky winner will be chosen on 9th November to receive this amazing and delicious prize. Enter your details and submit an answer to the question below to participate.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

How many food and beverage outlets does the Ghaya Grand have?(required)

 

⇒ Not sure? Check out their website for some clues or read my recent post about our delicious dining experience at Fusion.

All this month, Ghaya Grand Hotel is also offering readers of the JVT blog a very special deal:

*Buy 1 Get 1* offer for JVT residents.

Please note the following terms and conditions would apply on the special promotion:

–          Offer valid for 1 month, from the day of posting on 9 October 2016

–          Offer valid on Adults package only

–          Includes food and water only

–          Email must be sent to marketing@ghayagrandhotel.com in order to make a reservation for the advertised promotion.

–          Prior reservation would be recommended to avail of this offer.


The winner of the Family of Four dinner competition will be contacted by email or phone and invited to collect their prize directly at the hotel. Failure to collect the prize within 30 days will automatically void any claim by the invididual to receive the designated voucher. Entering this competition is completely voluntary and those who chose to do so are providing their contact information of their own accord. Contact information collected in connection with surveys and competitions is used to notify the winners and award prizes, to monitor or improve the use and satisfaction of the site, and may be shared with sponsors of such surveys or competitions.

Nearby Fusion restaurant is a must try !

If you don’t know the Ghaya Grand, you should ! It is a five-star hotel located exactly 7 minutes from JVT making it a great place to enjoy the day poolside or a tuck into a nice evening meal. This week my husband and I were treated to an enjoyable and flavorful meal at Fusion to sample their brand new theme-night concept.

Be sure to read to the end for your chance to enjoy dinner for a family of four on the house!

Great place to take the family

Fusion is a remarkable dining option close to our neighborhood. It is a great place to take the family when you don’t have time to cook as it’s almost like being at home with your own personal chef. The food is impeccably fresh, the staff friendly and accommodating and there is plenty of variety to please any member of the family. I would describe the concept as a made-to-order buffet with live cooking stations. There are three cuisine stations – Asian, Indian and Italian – as well as a sushi counter, salad buffet and dessert selections. Each evening offers a different theme night so you will find, for example, on seafood nights that your fresh catch can be prepared Asian style, with an Indian flare or why not opt to top a pizza with some crustaceans!

When we visited, we started off with mocktails choosing a dragon fruit specialty that matched the Asia theme that evening as well as a lovely mojito. The combinations were both fresh and sophisticated.  I could well imagine spending an afternoon at the Ghaya Grand pool with a virgin mojito in hand. But, reverie aside, let’s get back to our dinner.

Fusion combines flavors effortlessly

We sampled almost all of the dishes and to not spoil the surprise for your own visit, I’ll elaborate on our favorites. At the salad station, the many unique bite size appetizer options were all appealing. It’s not often that you find such delectable little treats at a buffet. The minature broccoli pannacotta had the texture of a soufflé with an Asian twist.

At the Indian counter, my husband most enjoyed the mutton sheek kebab with mint sauce. This tasty treat was a real hit even although I could write volumes about the rich and creamy butter chicken, the fresh naan bread or the various curry dishes. The real thing to know is that Chef Anand hails from India and has been in the kitchen cooking since age 12!

At the Asian live cooking station, I was most impressed by the freshness of the vegetables. You can select your ingredients for a fresh noodle wok or ask the chef to whip up a portion of the two evening specialties. We enjoyed a steaming dish of vegetable rice noodles, fragrant and sweet. We also couldn’t resist having him make us a Kung Pao shrimp special. He gladly prepared mine with a bit less spice and it was a mouth watering treat. I was also delighted to see the special Peking duck trolley and couldn’t pass up the chance to savor a few yummy rolled pancakes with plum sauce. One of my all time favorites, I would say this came pretty close to the duck I’ve sampled in Beijing.

Ending our meal, I would also note positively the dessert selections. While we di2016-10-06_21-03-161d not find an overabundance of choices, the Opera cake was tasty and light, better than most desserts at the typical Dubai buffet where I find the wide selection generally heavy and overly sweet. I’d say Fusion has got it right in terms of quality over quantity.

The main negative for Fusion has got to be the lighting and the design. It was a real shame that the flamboyant Asian wok cooking, for example, was under dimmed lights. The flashy wall and ceiling designs can also be somewhat distracting from the overall experience. However, the wide variety of made-to-order, fresh and tasty selections will bring me back. I am eager to try seafood night next! Which night will you try?

If you’d like the chance to enjoy a meal at Fusion, click here to enter the competition for dinner for four.

All this month, Ghaya Grand Hotel is also offering readers of the JVT blog a very special deal:

*Buy 1 Get 1* offer for JVT residents.

Please note the following terms and conditions would apply:

–          Offer valid for 1 month, from the day of posting on 9 October 2016

–          Offer valid on Adults package

–          Includes food and water only

–          Email must be sent to marketing@ghayagrandhotel.com in order to make a reservation for the advertised promotion.

–          Prior reservation would be recommended to avail of this offer.

Pest Control in JVT from 9-13 October

Nakheel Notification:

In line with the Dubai Municipality’s standard pest control requirements, we will be conducting pest control treatment at Jumeirah Village Triangle from Sunday 9 October until Thursday 13 October 2016.

The work will take place at the landscaped areas, streets and main roads with treatments taking placebetween 9.00 am and 12.00 am on each day as scheduled below:

Area covered Day Time
Tulip Street and Orchid Street

Districts 2, 3 and 4

Districts 6 and 7

Districts 8 and 9

Districts 1, 2 and 3 (park areas)

Sunday 9 Oct 2016

Monday 10 Oct 2016

Tuesday 11 Oct 2016

Wednesday 12 Oct 2016

Thursday 13 Oct 2016

9.00 am until 12.00 pm

9.00 am until 12.00 pm

9.00 am until 12.00 pm

9.00 am until 12.00 pm

9.00 am until 12.00 pm

Kindly note that our pesticide treatment service provider and the material used for the procedure are approved by the Dubai Municipality, and the timings selected for the treatment follow DM standards.

As per Dubai Municipality advice, residents and their families are advised to stay inside with doors and windows closed during the procedure. Pets should also be kept inside if possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

For any enquiries or feedback, please contact us directly at JVT.community@nakheel.com

Praise for the Teacher on World Teachers’ Day

Today is the day to shower your children’s teachers with love and praise as they offer the same to your kids day after day! UNESCO proclaimed 5 October to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994.

To honor teachers, I reached out to the schools in JVT to find out what’s been going on in their classrooms since the start of the year. I chose to share the story of Miss O’Neill, Year One Teacher, at The Arcadia Prepatory School.

My wonderful pupils are bags of energy and enthusiasm – keen to explore every aspect of their learning in the most creative of ways. I have therefore adopted a very kinesthetic approach to my teaching and I have noticed the excellent progress each child has made through this multi-sensory approach, says Miss O’Neill.

frogline-arcadiaIn maths, her little ones are getting to grips with numbers and have recently started to explore the concept of adding and subtracting along a number line. Her children adore guiding ‘Fred The Frog’ along their number lines to embed this method.

To celebrate Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday and to promote their use of interesting adjectives, Miss O’Neill  held a ‘Gruesome Feast’ in honour of The Twits (an activity the children dived into through touch, taste and a bit of imagination…). For this, they made dream jars, like those featured in The BFG (Big Friendly Giant). I think they turned out great !

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It was amazing to hear the range of descriptive language that was unlocked in the children through a more exciting approach to learning!, said Miss O’Neill.

Thanks to teachers like Miss O’Neill all across Dubai and around the world, children today are being inspired to reach high, be creative and make full use of their potential. Goodness knows our world needs it.

Hats off to my favorite teacher Miss Grappi, now retired, and to my treasured sister-in-law, Miss Conrad, who is taking a break from teaching to recover from illness after dedicating a lifetime to making others smart.

Be sure to thank a teacher today !

 

New Apartments in JVT to let later this month

Soon, new residents to JVT will have more apartment options to choose from. There are a number of new low-rise buildings set to be completed in the coming months. I have been sleuthing a bit to give current residents and prospective new  Villagers an idea of what will be on the market soon.

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The first building I can tell you about is the five-storey Noor Apartments on Street D19 in District 2. I recently met the owner, his wife and their team on site as the building nears completion.

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By end October, they expect to be offering 107 apartments for rent at prices ranging from 40,000 AED for a studio to 150,000 AED for a 2 bedroom 153 square meter apartment. There will be basement parking, 24-hour security guard and a rooftop garden and kids’ play area. The ground floor will offer a large retail space of 228 square meters for which we hope there will be an exciting new shop.

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Rental available direct from the owner by calling 050 952 8861 or 04 360 7238.