Esquire Gent's Evening: The Entrepreneurs at Marina Social

A day isn't passing by without Esquire Middle East doesn't set an event for gentlemen in Dubai. The event was hold in Marina Social with extremely talented Chef Jason Atherton's canepes and talented bartenders' scotch based cocktails for a night to remember. As you may understand from the title, there was a panel with Q&A with the guests who are Petrochem founder Yogesh Mehta, Fashion Forward founder Ramzi Nakad, Plan B founder Harmeek Singh, and Charles Blaschke​. Each panelist shared their experiences how to pitch the idea of their work and convince someone to invest their business. My honest opinion is that someone else's business formula may or may not mold into everyone's business. You have to be at the right and right place with a right person. Being entrepreneur isn't an easy and finding someone to invest on your idea is double to trouble. One of the panelist said that you have 25 seconds to impress someone with your offer and make you pay! I am not sure what kind of business he's talking about but, from my knowledge you might also get STI after the service.

I want to thank Christian Louboutin for sponsoring the event and cool play card set!



​Thanks for great evening Esquire Middle East​!!

Media Mingle at YNOT

oh boy,

What a wednesday it was! I started  my first stop at YNOT bar, Intercontinental Hotel Marina. I always pass it by when I go for a run in the marina (not since April due to humidity). It's always good to know more people, exchanging ideas, meeting the key people etc. etc... I have a dozen business cards I have to write for future collaborations and possibly making friends. Sadly I was there only for 45 mins to head to my next event at Katana! You should come by and expand your networks at Media Mingle Events!


Thanks Media Network!!!

Gx

CID Awards Ceremony 2016

Ciao readers,

You might ask what the heck i was doing there on wednesday night at the ceremony! There is a simple answer to that. I happen to have many architect, interior designer friends in dubai. Unlike my other friends, they tend to live here longer than other job professions. Since I was away for 2 months during summer, this award ceremony was most like a get-together for me! I am glad I went very early to catch up with friends. Oh, two of the judges are my friends as well (Jonathan Ashmore, Laura Bielecki). Basically, I could have asked them to create an award just for me... It'd be the best mascot of the year or the best friend/character!

For those who doesn't know what CID awards is for, I am here to help you. CID (The Commercial Interior Design) Awards organized every year to celebrate projects, interior design firms and designers making their mark on the region’s interior design industry. As befitting an industry no longer in its infancy, the awards will herald work that displays original thinking, creative breadth and a willingness to stray from tried and tested formulas.

There is one remarkable award I can mention in my blog as I heard rumors about my dear friend Pallavi Dean was not voted for the best boutique firm of the year as she was "too much in public". Her firm won the best interior designer of the year for Agata Kurzela. There is never too much publicity for anyone!

Dubai Opera (Not Opera House)

Hello readers,

I am back from holidays. What a summer it was for me! I tried to escape the heat as much as I can. My first worthy to write night out was for Dubai opera house! I went to see the pearl fisher on the day after of opening. Boy, I must say traffic on Thursday in downtown is hard to bear! Anyways, from the second taxi got into dirty path of opera house, that feeling of doing something exciting for the first time like smoking for the first time, getting into plane.... the thrill!! Oh wow!!! What a moment Dubai reached where I can do something meaningful rather than spending my evening in a bar or restaurant! 

It hit me from the moment I sat in my chair and told to myself "well done to those visionary people to make this happen!" The show!!! Acoustics!!! Ambiance!! I'm speechless!

Here's the things I noticed during my visit! Bar situation! Guys, be more organized!! I paid for a glass of wine on the menu but when I went to the bar, they ran out!!! The queue to order a drink is longer than a mile! Do I have to remind you that EMAAR owns 3 running hotels? The floors weren't fitted well at the ground floor right entrance.

There's one more thing! Palm shaped island, horse shaped building, falcon shaped racecourse and now dhow shaped opera house. Dear god, please don't let anyone the idea of having camel shaped anything!!!

Tough Mudder Dubai and Dubai Foundation for Women and Children

Hello dear readers,

Hope everyone is enjoying their time in sizzling summer time in Dubai. In case you wonder.... I am back! Back to full on work mood! I have decided to put myself another goal whilst I am on vacation in 2016. I will be doing 8k obstacle run for Tough Mudder and raise 10000 AED for Dubai foundation for Women and Children.

Two years ago, I ran Spartan race and The Sandpit Run and raise 7000 AED for Alzheimer Society UK. This time, I thought it'd be good to raise awareness for Women and Children. I created an account on justgiving.com. This way, it will be much easier to donate with a few clicks WITHOUT creating any account!

Maybe you should put a goal in your life and participate in this challenge! There are two options (8k & 16k run). I will be running 8k only. Let's see how my training will go by November. I might do 16k if I feel like it.

For registrations pls check the link!!!

Please feel free to share my donation link to raise more awareness. Also Check out DFWAC's website for more info and rates.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/george-saud

Ciao!

On vacation

Hello readers,

No I didn't disappeared! I am just taking a long vacation to North America! it's been amazing 2 weeks and there's another week to discover in the country! Hope you're having a great time wherever you're! I will be back with amazing stories once I am in the city!

Ciao!!!

G

Carter's Brunch at Pyramids Wafi

Hello all of you out there,

I got the chance to review one of the most established restaurant/bar in the city. If you lived in Dubai, its name carved into your brain... Its theme was inspired originally from the bar Raffles Hotel in Singapore (which you should see the original bar when you get a chance to visit)...

Thanks to Paz Marketing and extremely helpful Kristie for arranging to have me the restaurant review on friday.

I have to say that I didn't want to post this entry due to many reasons. I must say that this is not my writing strategy to lower your expectations from the beginning of article so you will end up not going there. Also, this is my first restaurant review so I didn’t want to start all negative!!! Allow me how my lunch went there

Carter's restaurant bar merges with 2 other restaurants (Thai Chi and Medzo) for brunch on fridays. After my arrival to the restaurant, I was escorted to my table with friendly staff. I wasn't planning to drink so I just asked for a coffee for drinks. A few minutes later, I head to buffet area to check out the options. Breakfast options are fairly good. Eggs, baked beans,  Pork sausage, and steamed mushroom. If you're cautious in your pork selection, you would know the difference between pork sausages from Europe (either English, Spanish or German which are mostly sold in the supermarket) or Asia (Philippines is the only exporter to the region). For me, I prefer the meat filled spicy sausages to small, sweet and less meat more other parts of animal limbs filled sausages. Hence, I didn't touch the sausages.

Then, headed towards to roast beef, cold cuts, and omelette station. Cold cuts are cold cuts! They're cold! You never know whether they're fresh or a day old. They can last in the air conditioned room all day. Beef roasted ribeye was overcooked. That was a bit of disappointment. Then I took a slice of honey roasted ham and surprisingly that was well cooked and moist. I also asked the chef to prepare an omelette. I think that was my favourite among all since I saw it was cooked in front of me other than eating things probably sat and heating for brunch. I am also aware that in F&B business that a day old food doesn't go waste. ;)

I wanted to save space for other restaurants' options so I kept away from cheese selection.

Then I head to Thai Chi to try out some of their options. I must say that Thai Chi has a sentimental value for me as it was the first thai food I had 8 years ago when I came to Dubai. Like many things, I am loyal to my restaurants. I assume because of brunch, most the food selection at the restaurant was cold and undercooked. I put some fried rice, green curry, papaya salad and sweet and sour chicken into my plate and walked back to my table. The papaya salad was ok but had a funny earthy after taste. The rest wasn't so great. 

Desert selection was grim and sad. I had a bite from 2 different desert selection and didn't want any more!

My second drink during my brunch was a Bloody Mary! Yes, I like my Bloody Mary! I love my tomato juice. Sometimes, after preparing a virgin one, I end up adding vodka! and yes, i enjoyed sipping Bloody Mary at the Carter's!

It seems it is an old staple to Dubai with its expat loyalty. I am really sorry for saying so many negative things but I want this review to be your wake up call for bringing your A-Game to the industry! Maybe the interior is 10 years old but your food quality shouldn't be in the same era! it's 2016!!! I want to highlight this! The lack of quality in the food is failing the staff's good service. No one came to Dubai to work in a bad places. We all left our home and family to do the best we can capable of with the a team aims to strive the best!