Autumn 2012
DIFC Downtown NEW CAFÉ FOR OLD TOWN
BEAUTIFUL MISTAKES
THE FARMERS’ RETURN
WHEELY FABULOUS
Baker & Spice has opened a new branch in
For her exhibition When The Lights Went Off We
Starting again in mid-November (depending on
Aston Martin has joined other Great British
Dukkan Al Manzil. The new venue has intro-
Saw… currently on at The Pavilion Downtown,
the weather), the much-loved Farmers’ Market,
names in motoring, such as McLaren, at its
duced a great range of breads, fresh fare and
Sara Naim takes photographic ‘mistakes’ and
bursting with fresh fruit and veg, will return to the
new Downtown home. The new showroom has
cakes, as well as a party catering service.
transforms them into works of ethereal beauty.
terrace of Souk Al Bahar on Friday mornings.
recently opened on Emaar Boulevard Plaza.
DIFC Downtown in Numbers
9
Number of towers making up The Residences, set between the southern edge of the lake
and Emaar Boulevard.
11
hectares: the area of the park in the centre of Downtown Burj
Khalifa, including the lake.
80
Percentage difference between the peak price in DIFC in 2008 and the
lowest, in 2009. Average prices are now about 30-40 per cent above the lowest.
601
metres: the height to which concrete was pumped
during the construction of Burj Khalifa, a world record.
828
Height in metres of Burj Khalifa; used to define
it as the world’s tallest building, it is measured from the lowest open-air pedestrian entrance to the top of the spire, but does not include antennae.
In the City’s Fast-Beating Heart The manager of Zuma, Ajaz Sheikh wanted to be close to work – and he has found DIFC to be a great living environment, with all that he needs
by Debbie Lawson
When I think back to the way Dubai was when we lived here as a family between 1987 and 1993, it’s hard to believe it is the same place. The city has become so busy that, when I came back here to open Zuma, I knew that I didn’t want to live anywhere that would involve a commute. The good thing about living where I do now, (in Jumeirah World Trade Centre Residence) is that if I drive anywhere I have to pass the restaurant, so I almost always drop in to see how everything’s going. And I can easily dash over from home if we have a VIP guest arrive unexpectedly.
I also wanted to live in this area because it feels more like the real Dubai. There’s still some old mixed in with the new, which I love, and Satwa is just a stone’s throw away – spending time there is a good reality check and there are some great little restaurants that remind me of my mother’s cooking. It’s good having Downtown so close as well – quite apart from The Dubai Mall, it offers a nice change of pace. When the weather is good there’s nothing I like better than to head over to The Pavilion, sit outside and take time over a coffee. The only drawback to my building is that it’s a bit out on its own – it’s a 10-minute walk through no-man’s land to reach Emirates Towers and DIFC. Obviously that will change when Trade Centre Two gets built, but that’s still quite a long way off. I use the DIFC neighbourhood a lot. The range of services and amenities here has really grown and I can get most of what I want.
There’s a big choice of restaurants – in addition to my own – and several coffee shops, a very cool gym, U-Concept (which I don’t get the chance to use much, unfortunately), a really good shoe-mender called The Cobbler, and Toni & Guy for my haircuts – I’m very spoilt here. There’s great nightlife, too, and sometimes I enjoy walking home at 3am, when the city feels like a very different place. I can’t see any reason to go to the Marina or Palm – it feels like halfway to Abu Dhabi! The only thing that’s missing is a normal grocery shop with a good selection of high quality food – that’s a business opportunity for someone as there are a lot of single and working people here who would love a local store. DIFC is still finding its feet, in a sense: the original mix of shops wasn’t right because there’s not enough foot-fall but now, with the predominance of galleries, it has a good feel. And for those of us who have businesses here there’s quite a sense of solidarity.
WWW.LUXHABITAT. AE
280
Average price per square foot, in dirhams, of
apartments in Burj Khalifa in August 2012 (excluding Armani Residences).
7,050
square feet (655 square metres): floor space of a
duplex penthouse in The Residences, currently offered for sale by Luxhabitat.
820
The length in metres of the air-conditioned ‘sky bridge’,
which will connect the Burj Khalifa metro station with The Dubai Mall. The bridge is currently under construction and is predicted to be completed by the end of this year.
TO READ MARKET UPDATES FROM OTHER NEIGHBOURHOODS
www.thejournal.ae/neighbourhood
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