Dubai

The best holiday activities in Dubai this year

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Holiday Ideas

Many busMulti Sports New Camp Christmas 2016y parents are wondering how to keep their kids occupied during the upcoming school holidays. Thankfully, there are several kids camps right here in JVT to choose from.

I’ve got some specifics on the website activities page (click here for more info). In particular, Elite Sports has a fun-filled camp planned at Sunmarke school if you are looking to run the energy out of your youngsters!

If you’re not enrolling your kids in a full day camp, below is my list of fun activities to keep everyone going during the days off school. Feel free to share your own ideas!

Little Tots

Children’s City

Miracle Garden

Legoland

Zabeel Park Glow Garden

Al Jalila Children’s Center

Gingerbread decorating at Maison Mathis from 20th – 31st December

Teens

IMG Worlds of Adventure

Bollywood Park

Dubai Outlet Village (the new one!)

Global Village

Ski Dubai

Climbing at Adventure HQ Time Square

Laser Tag at Motor City or Oasis Center

Mini Golf at WAFI

Ice Skating at Dubai Mall or Al Nasr Leisure Land

Nature and History Trips for the whole Family:

Al Dhafra Festival is happening from 13 – 29th December in Abu Dhabi’s Madinat Zayed

Oasis of Dignity memorial is open to the public 24/7. It’s located between the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sharjah Arabian Wildlife Center, Natural History & Botanical Museum

Emirates Soil Museum

Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Center in Sharjah located near Kalba

Saruq Al Hadid Archaeology Museum in Dubai

The Women’s Museum in Deira near the Old Gold Souk

Qasr Al Muwaiji, the birthplace of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, restored and opened as a museum last year.

Unique places to tour:

Take a look at the Street Art all along 2nd December street which is part of the 1st phase of its renovations.

Go have a look at the ‘Office of the Future’, the world’s first 3d printed building at Emirates Towers

Visit the Sharjah Center for Space Sciences and Astronomy that opened last year

Take a trip to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah

Check out the Eco House at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (this one I’m not sure if it’s possible to visit.)

Stroll along the Boardwalk or take a boat ride along the new Canal which opened last month

Or visit the many beaches around town!

Need another idea? Mark the Year of Reading by devouring a few books and visit one of the many libraries around town instead of buying new.

Have you forgotten a present for the little ones during all this holiday planning? If so, check out Klug Toys online shopping. They are located in The Village Mall on Beach Road, but you can do your shopping for their quality wooden toys right from home. Spoiler alert – a friend of mine opened this shop a year ago – this is not an advertising ploy !

20161212_134113Are you exhausted after all this running around during the holidays? If so, then book yourself a hot stone massage at the Ghaya Grand. I just treated myself this morning and it was the perfect pick-me up on a chilly winter day. As kids will surely run you ragged during their days off, don’t forget to schedule in some pampering as well!

Get the ‘Arcadia Experience’ this weekend and meet your JVT neighbors

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Do you want to know what’s happening at Arcadia? This coming weekend you can find out first-hand. Teachers and administrators will be on hand this Saturday, 19th November from 9am – 12pm to take you around.

Get a tour of the beautiful facilities and sample their after-school offering as well this weekend. There is lots happening, particulary for the little tots, from gymnastics to music & movement classes. I loved Arcadia’s spring carnival in the park and surely this will be another great morning of fun!

Did you know that it’s also possible for community groups to rent out a space at the school? Find out more on Saturday.

By the way, today is the International Day of Tolerance. What better way to mark the day than putting this community event on your weekend calendar.  The best way to promote tolerance is getting to know others, learning about different cultures and embracing the fact that we are not all the same.

Let’s aim to make JVT the most welcoming community in Dubai!

Be sure to sign up to join the fun!

Meet Gladys – your JVT beauty maven!

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Gladys is for real; she does exist. And a very kind lady she is. If you haven’t yet experienced the latest in the JVT cosmetics scene, it’s time to meet Gladys!

I had the good fortune to meet her when I popped into Gladys Beauty Saloon last week. I stopped by, unannounced, and treated myself to a manicure and pedicure.  I can honestly say that I was not disappointed! As they didn’t know who I was, I observed and enjoyed the treatment. I was well taken care of by the lovely ladies who told me a bit more about the Saloon and its beginnings.

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Then I noticed Gladys. She was testing the latest paraffin wax treatment herself. It seems that Gladys wants to be sure her clients are getting the best so on this day she was trying out a new product she plans to offer. With twenty five years of work experience, Gladys understands quality. She is keen to offer the best services and especially wishes to make you feel right at home. Warm and welcoming, Gladys didn’t hesitate to pull open the front door to greet new arrivals. As she told me, “I just love the job of serving our clients.”

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After my treatment, I introduced myself and got the scoop on Gladys.  Having spent her formative years in the beauty business, a combination of factors led Gladys to open her own shop fifteen years ago with her first beauty parlour in Karama. The JVT addition is the fifth saloon she has opened, on 20th October, with others in Motor City, Dubai Marina and Al Barsha proudly flanking her original premises. She told me some stories of the early days, counting out her earnings with just enough to pay her team. Today, she leads her beauty empire with 60 ladies in a hands-on manner and with a great passion for her field.

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It’s wonderful to now count a full-service saloon inside JVT. While I only had time for a mani/pedi, there are all the options one would expect from full body massage treatments, eyebrow threading, leg waxing, hair cutting, coloring and styling. Do away with your tension and worries while Gladys girls take care of your hair, skin or nails! I, for sure, will be heading back for myself and with my girls for their next hair cuts.

Sorry for the guys, but this place is not for you. However, I recommend you stop in nevertheless and reserve a treatment for your lovely wife or girlfriend. It’s a great idea for a birthday gift, a delightful way to mark any holiday or why not, just to say ‘thank you’ to a special woman in your life.

Find the contact details and booking number on the JVT shops page.

http://www.gladyssaloon.com

 

‘Witch’ houses to hit for Halloween 2016?

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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

Playtime in the JVT Parks

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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

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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

School starts at Sunmarke & Jumeirah International Nurseries too!

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Last week we were at Arcadia Prepatory for opening day. This week, two more wonderful schools threw open their doors to new students in JVT. We are delighted to share with you some photos of opening day at Sunmarke and Jumeirah International Nurseries, conveniently located within the campus of Sunmarke School.

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Nursery school section:

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We are getting details on the extracurricular programs at both Arcadia and Sunmarke which we will share with you next week. There will be plenty to keep all the neighborhood kids busy very soon!

 

* Photos provided courtesy of Sunmarke School

Join the adventure at IMG Dubai

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Yesterday, I went on an adventure that I am sure would interest other residents of JVT. I attended the grand opening day at IMG World of Adventure. Only 17 minutes from home, it is well worth the visit.

The rides are top notch and clearly on par with the world’s best. We did experience a few delays and a closed attraction due to some operational glitches, but I’d chalk that up to first day jitters and would expect that the little snafus get quickly resolved.

Here are the top three attractions that we enjoyed the most (although I hear the roller coasters are wicked but I just couldn’t tempt my kids to try!):

Ben 10 Hero Time is a 5D adventure located within the many Cartoon Network attractions. It’s a ride that will leave you wishing for more.

Avengers Battle of Ultron in the Marvel comic heros zone doesn’t disappoint either. I would say the sets and scenery in this ride were among the best we saw.

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Hat’s off as well to the Lazy Town team for a spectacular half hour show. This was a display of energy that surely can’t be beat.

The restaurants are definately well above the typical fare you find at an amusement park. You can enjoy Indian samosas while seated in a tuk-tuk or dine on delicious Chinese cuisine, as we chose to do, feeling like you might have just stepped off a plane in Beijing.

In case you are not yet convinced and want to see a little more before you head out there, here are a few more shots to scroll through. My recommendation is certainly to make a full day of it (starting at noon) and experience the adventure first hand!

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Arcadia school opens on 28th August!

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Some of us have been waiting more than five years to have a school in the neighborhood and now we have two! It’s so unfortunate that it is too late for my girls who have now completed primary, but I’m sure that many residents are eager for their youngsters to set off to school on foot.

Ready to make its mark in the UAE education sector, The Arcadia Preparatory School in JVT will open the gates for its first intake of pupils on 28th August this year.

I’ve previoulsy written about The Arcadia Preparatory School but I’m delighted to give you an update on what they have in store. One of the unique aspects about the school’s learning experience is that all students in Years 1 to 6 will take part in what they term the Enrichment Learning Programme (ELP). The ELP is an all-inclusive, in-school programme, designed to enhance and extend the school’s core curriculum by providing students with the opportunities to further enrich their learning through activities such as coding and robotics, animation, music and photography. The school has also signed up with UK-based ideas portal 7 Billion Ideas, to introduce the first ever entrepreneur-in-residence programme at a Dubai school.

Arcadia School Aug 2016The school is also deploying groundbreaking technology as part of its curriculum as well as its facilities. The school will be targeting to be an Apple Distinguished School for its one-to-one Apple programme as well as deploying a wide array of Google software to optimise learning at what is targeted to be the city’s first school building that will carry a US Green Building Council environment certification, more popularly abbreviated as LEED.

“All our meticulous preparations have come to fruition: we have one of Dubai’s best-equipped, purpose-built school buildings, an exceptionally talented team of teaching staff supported by a visionary senior leadership team, and an innovative programme of learning delivered alongside a stimulating selection of curriculum enrichment opportunities. The stage is set for achieving excellence,” notes Navin Valrani, the school’s CEO.

Finally, as I previously reported, the school has set up a fund for all students entering in the 2016-17 academic year. The pupils are automatically eligible for the schools scholarship and will be refunded 30% of their tuition fees for every year they are enrolled at The Arcadia Preparatory School. This can amount to a saving of over AED160,000 for students who enroll in FS1 and continue through to year six. Clearly, if you are looking for a top-notch British curriculum school, Arcadia fits the bill in more ways than one.

I will try to get an inside peak of the school on opening day to share with you all. Stay tuned!