Jumeirah | November 2017

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Designs on you

Dubai’s lofty ambitions to create a global design hub

Flying high

Technology is transforming the way we travel

Shine a light

The long-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors

LEWIS HAMILTON The unstoppable world champion on his bid to win in Abu Dhabi

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Jumeirah Magazine

Image: Getty Images

NOVEMBER 2017

Jumeirah Corporate Office, Al Sufouh Rd, PO Box 73137, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 366 5000, Fax: +971 4 366 5001.

Website: www.jumeirah.com Jumeirah is a trading name of Jumeirah International LLC. A Limited Liability company.

Registration Number 57869.

Share Capital Dhs 300,000 fully paid up.

Jumeirah International LLC its affiliates, parent companies and subsidiaries (“Jumeirah Group”) and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication for whatever reason, however caused.

The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of Jumeirah Group or of the publishers.

Readers are advised to solicit advice before acting on the information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. Jumeirah Group and the publishers take no responsibilty for the goods and services advertised. All materials are protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (Including photocopying or storage in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the copyright owner, except as may be permitted by applicable laws.

Editor-in-Chief

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner & Group Editor

lan Fairservice Editorial Director

Gina Johnson Deputy Editor

Nina Catt Senior Editorial Assistant

Cecilia D’Souza Senior Art Director

Olga Petroff Art Directors

Clarkwin Cruz, T Prasadan Senior Designer

Ralph Mancao Contributors

Tahira Yaqoob, Gareth Rees, Danae Mercer, Conor Purcell

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General Manager – Production

S Sunil Kumar Production Manager

CONTENTS This Month

R Murali Krishnan Production Supervisor

Venita Pinto Chief Commercial Officer

16 City watch Discover the most exciting events, news and previews happening this month

Anthony Milne Publishing Director

Carlos Pedroza Group Sales Manager

Ziad Saleh ziad@motivate.ae

Featured

For Jumeirah

Charlie Taylor, Claire Hill

26 Lewis Hamilton The three-times world champion is in a bid to win his fourth Formula One title

Head Office: Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, PO Box 2331, Dubai UAE, Tel: +971 4 427 3000, E-mail: motivate@motivate.ae

30 Race ready Race car drivers share the gruelling diet and exercise regimes which help them prepare

Dubai Media City: Office 508, 5th Floor, Building 8, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, UAE, Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +971 2 677 0124, E-mail: editor-wo@motivate.ae London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

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34 Watches The most anticipated time pieces to be showcased at Dubai Watch Week

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november 2017

Contents

Lifestyle 42 Louvre Abu Dhabi The long-awaited art museum opens its doors to shine a light on art in the region 46 Designs on you Dubai’s lofty ambitions to create a global design hub are taking shape with d3 52 Magic carpet ride Istanbul’s Cukurcuma neighbourhood is packed with quirky boutiques

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56 Flying high Travelling in the future could mean volocopters and smart blankets

Travel 64 Turtle haven Jumeirah’s rescue and rehabilitation project for endangered sea turtles 70 Let’s go outside The temperate climate is the best time to make use of Dubai’s outdoor spaces 76 The insiders’ guide to...Frankfurt Key tastemakers give their take on the city they call home 80 Featured spaces Indulge in award-winning Indian cuisine in a maldivian retreat

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82 The high life Scape restaurant & bar, burj Al Arab Terrace, Dubai

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City Watch

Key dates for your diary

Dubai

MONth OF MaDINat November 2 to 25 Madinat Theatre promises another packed schedule of performances

the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s classic children’s book. Then to

this month. The bumper month kicks off with a holographic projection

close out the month on November 25 comes Goldilocks and the Three

of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, performed by Italian

Bears, a 40-minute retelling of Robert Southey’s classic 19th century

opera stars.

fairytale, combining ballet, live music and theatre.

Tosca by Giacomo Puccini takes place on November 2 and 4 in

DXBLaughs brings award-winning British comedian Russell Kane, whose

Madinat Theatre, Dubai.

latest work includes the popular BBC travel series Stupid Man, Smart

Russell Kane takes place on November 9.

Phone, to the Madinat Theatre for a one-off show on November 9.

The Gruffalo Live takes place on November 10 and 11.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears takes place on November 24 and 25 in

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On November 10 and 11, stand-up comedy is followed by children’s

Madinat Theatre, Dubai.

entertainment in the form of The Gruffalo Live, a musical adaptation of

See madinattheatre.com for more details on all performances

ROCK ’N’ ROLL STAR November 10 Party in the Park has quickly built a reputation as one of Dubai’s most prominent music festivals thanks to its record of flying in top international artists to perform in a relatively intimate setting, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.

Past star turns include Lily Allen, Stereophonics, Razorlight, The Parlotones, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis and The Charlatans. This year’s lineup is no less impressive, with former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher heading up proceedings on the What’s On main stage, hot off the release of his debut single As You Were. The wayward prince of Britpop will be followed by a DJ set from legendary Manchester electronica duo The Chemical Brothers.

Festivalgoers can enjoy brunch for $177 before browsing the stalls of local artisans in Good Garden and then moving on to the Hype clubhouse and village, which will showcase the best of Dubai’s DJ talent and street culture.

Those who want to enjoy the festival in style can splash out $327 on access to the VIP area.

Party in the Park takes place on November 10 in Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. See whatson.ae for more details

POP ROYALTY November 23 Dubai’s Autism Rocks Arena is not scheduled to be completed until 2018 but the 30,000-capacity temporary stadium seems to be a magnet for the world’s biggest pop stars. In May, Justin Bieber graced the venue’s stage. This month Ed Sheeran will follow in his footsteps.

The British singer-songwriter is perhaps an even bigger coup than Bieber for 117Live, the management company responsible for bringing world-class performers to the arena. Sheeran, still only 26, achieved seemingly instant success in 2011, releasing his debut album called + and winning an Ivor Novello award for hit single The A Team. In 2012 he won best British male solo artist and British breakthrough act at the Brit awards. A year later he opened for Taylor Swift on her Red Tour. His second album x topped the charts in the UK and US and won album of the year at the Brits in 2015, the same year Sheeran won his second Ivor Novello award. He followed that success by scooping trophies for song of the year and best pop solo performance for hit single Thinking Out Loud at the Grammy awards. Earlier this year his third album ÷ reached number one in the UK and US and Sheeran became the first artist to have two songs debut in the US top 10 in the same week.

Bieber who?

Ed Sheeran will perform on November 23 in the Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. See 117live.com for more details

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Dubai

Tee Time November 16 to 19 The 47-tournament PGA European Tour’s Race to Dubai reaches its climax as Europe’s best golfers tee off on Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course for the DP World Tour Championship.

J Lo November 17

Heading into the final tournament of the season, England’s Tommy Fleetwood tops the Race to Dubai rankings.

DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai. europeantour.com

Pop superstar Jennifer Lopez performs for one night only in Dubai’s Autism Rocks Arena. J Lo, who first topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999 with her debut single If You Had My Love, last performed in Dubai three years ago.

Jennifer Lopez, Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai.

117live.com

Brit Pop November 9 Britpop stalwarts Ocean Colour Scene roll into town on their Moseley Shoals 20th anniversary tour for a one-off gig at the Irish

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Songs of Freedom

Village. The Birmingham band, who in their

November 9 to 11

prime supported Oasis at their legendary

Cape Town Opera’s Mandela Trilogy celebrates the remarkable life of the former South

Knebworth shows, will perform hits such as

African president Nelson Mandela. The three-act show, billed as a musical tribute to the life

The Riverboat Song and The Day We Caught

of Nelson Mandela, is the work of composers Peter Louis van Dijk and Mike Campbell and

the Train from the acclaimed 1996 album.

librettist Michael Williams. It features musical styles ranging from traditional Xhosa choral

Ocean Colour Scene, the Irish Village,

music to jazz, anti-apartheid struggle songs and liberation music.

Dubai. oceancolourscene.com

Mandela Trilogy, Dubai Opera, Dubai. dubaiopera.com

Abu DhAbi/istAnbul

Design for Life

Theatre Fest

November 8

November 13 to 26

Design duo Edward Barber and

The 21st Istanbul Theatre Festival promises

Jay Osgerby explore the process

four performances from international theatre

of design in a two-hour talk

companies and performances from 10 local

entitled decoding the process of

theatre companies, set to take place in

design in Abu Dhabi’s Warehouse

multiple venues across the city. The festival

421 gallery. The London-based

schedule also includes panel discussions and

Jerwood applied arts prize-

workshops.

winning designers are best known

Istanbul Theatre Festival, various locations,

for designing the Olympic and

Istanbul. tiyatro.iksv.org

Paralympic torch for London 2012.

Barber and Osgerby masterclass, Warehouse 421, Abu Dhabi. warehouse421.ae

Epic Tales November 15 to 18 A cast of NYU Abu Dhabi students performs Canadian playwright Olivier Kemeid’s contemporary retelling of ancient Roman poet Virgil’s epic Latin poem the Aeneid. Virgil’s Trojan warrior Aeneas becomes a modern-day refugee who, fleeing from persecution in his home city, leads his family to a new promised land. The play is directed by acclaimed American director Sarah Cameron Sunde.

Olivier Kemeid’s Aeneid, the Arts Centre, NYU Abu Dhabi. nyuad-artscenter.org

Turkish Sculpture November 3 to December 9 Galeri Nev Istanbul presents an exhibition of work by veteran Turkish sculptor Seyhun Topuz. Having spent the early part of her career in the 1970s in New York, Topuz’s first solo show was held in Istanbul’s Macka Modern Art Gallery in 1982 and she then took part in the first Istanbul Biennial in 1987.

Topuz‘s abstract sculptures have since been exhibited in several big shows, including a major retrospective in the Elgiz Museum in 2013 in her native Istanbul.

Seyhun Topuz, Galeri Nev Istanbul, Istanbul. galerinevistanbul.com

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london

Press Photo November 3 to 20 Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall hosts the World Press Photo Exhibition 2017. World Press Photo was established in 1955 to reward the creators of the best international photojournalism. The 2017 jury awarded prizes in eight categories to 45 photographers from 25 countries. All of the winning images will be exhibited.

Up North

World Press Photo Exhibition, Royal Festival

November 8 to February 4, 2018

Hall, London. worldpressphoto.org

Somerset House’s North: Fashioning Identity explores the north of England and northern identity. The exhibition is curated by ShowStudio editor and GQ contributing editor Lou Stoppard and Manchester School of Art and Central Saint Martins lecturer Adam Murray.

It features photographs, fashion items and artworks from creative luminaries including Corinne Day, Jeremy Deller, Nick Knight, Peter Saville, Raf Simons and Paul Smith.

North: Fashioning Identity, Somerset House, London. somersethouse.org.uk

Italian Master November 23 to April 2, 2018 Tate Modern presents Modigliani. Billed as

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Film Score

the most comprehensive exhibition of the

November 3

celebrated and often controversial 20th

Hollywood composer James Newton Howard conducts the Royal Academy of Music

century Italian artist’s work ever held in

orchestra, the Crouch End Festival Chorus and violin soloist James Ehnes’ performance of

the UK, the exhibition will feature nearly 100

his greatest hits. Howard produced the music for numerous cinematic hits, including Pretty

of Modigliani’s paintings and rarely

Woman, The Sixth Sense, The Dark Knight, Hunger Games and Fantastic Beasts and Where

seen sculptures.

to Find Them.

Modigliani, Tate Modern, London. tate.org.uk

James Newton Howard, Royal Albert Hall, London. royalalberthall.com

frankfurt/Shanghai

French Modernists Until January 14, 2018 Staedel Museum’s Long Live Painting! pays homage to two giants of French modernism, Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard. The exhibition features more than 120 of the artists’ paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints.

Art Fair

Long Live Painting!, Staedel Museum,

November 10 to 12

Frankfurt. staedelmuseum.de

The fourth edition of the West Bund Art and Design fair takes place in Shanghai’s West Bund Art Centre. The art fair welcomes 80 international galleries. The new Talent series showcases work by emerging artists and the returning exhibition ArtReview Asia Xian Chang sees work by both Asian and international artists displayed in public spaces.

West Bund Art and Design, West Bund Art Centre, Shanghai. westbundshanghai.com

Art Award Until January 7, 2018 Rockbund Art Museum hosts a group exhibition of work by the finalists for the Asia Art Award. The annual competition, established in 2013, recognises emerging Asian artists. This year’s finalists are Li Ming

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Pop Music

of China, Tao Hui of China, Yu Ji of China and

Until February 25, 2018

Robert Zhao Renhui of Singapore. The winner

Museum fur Kommunikation’s exhibition Oh Yeah! Pop Music in Germany invites visitors to

of the $43,600 prize will be announced this

put on a pair of headphones and embark on a journey through 90 years of German popular

month.

music, from 1920s swing to punk, new wave, techno and contemporary hits. The exhibition

Asia Art Award 2017, Rockbund Art

features music, excerpts from radio shows, video clips, posters and record and CD covers.

Museum, Shanghai. rockbundartmuseum.org

Oh Yeah! Pop Music in Germany, Museum fur Kommunikation, Frankfurt. mfk-frankfurt.de

Exclusively available at HARVEY NICHOLS Dubai www.depazjewellery.com

Featured 26 Lewis Hamilton

The Formula One world champion will be in Abu Dhabi — but will he win a fourth title?

30 Race ready

We track the gruelling diet and exercise regimes racing car drivers face

34 Watches

Image: Getty Images

The most anticipated time pieces to be showcased at Dubai Watch Week

LewiS HAMiLTOn:

SHOW TIME

words: Damien Reid / images: Getty

The four-time Formula One world champion is in a bid to beat the records of his idols, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher — but will Abu Dhabi be the decider?

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featured: Lewis HamiLton

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton in winter testing with Mercedes AMG Petronas in Montmelo, Spain

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A

fter winning last year’s Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yet losing the championship at the same time, it’s undeniable that Lewis Hamilton and Abu Dhabi have some issues which need be resolved on November 26.

The Mercedes AMG Petronas motorsport driver left last year’s Abu Dhabi race with bittersweet memories that spilled over for months during the off season.

As Abu Dhabi holds the envious final round slot in the season, Hamilton went into the 2016 race as the defending champion but with a slender points deficit to his teammate Nico Rosberg.

It was the culmination of a titantic, season-long battle which pushed the limits of the team’s cars and their drivers, as well as the management’s patience.

Rosberg only needed to finish second to take the crown from Hamilton but the latter had to win and have his teammate finish fourth or lower to retain his title.

This would have given Hamilton his fourth world championship, passing his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna but over the race weekend, the pressure was getting to him.

“I think in my heart I will feel — and maybe I should keep that private — but I feel in a certain way how I have performed and if Nico is the world champion, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the way it’s labelled in my heart,” Hamilton said in Abu Dhabi before the race.

“If I was to win? By far that would be the greatest achievement of my career.

I never want to write a book but I get excited about one day talking about this season. There are so many thoughts which I can’t share with you just yet.”

Out of desperation in the closing stages of the race with Hamilton leading from Rosberg and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in third, Hamilton controversially slowed in order to force Rosberg to slow and allow Vettel to zero in, apparently hoping the Ferrari would push Nico into third.

It was classic cat and mouse as Hamilton was faster than Rosberg just enough to not allow him to pass on the straights but then dramatically slowed through the corners where overtaking was impossible.

He was instructed twice, first from his race engineer and then from Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe, to stop playing games but he chose to ignore them.

"Right now I'm losing the world championship so I'm not bothered if I win or lose this race," was his only reply over the radio.

Despite winning, the plan didn’t pay and second place was enough for Rosberg to snatch the championship trophy from Hamilton and claim the title.

"What was I supposed to do, let the dude come and win the championship?

We were fighting for the title, I was in the lead so I controlled the pace.

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British Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 on track during qualifying in Budapest, Hungary

featured: Lewis HamiLton

Lewis Hamilton in his car during practice for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne

Those are the rules," he said in the post race conference. “I think today is Nico’s day and it’s a sign of respect and greatness to give him that. I think we owe it to him, he’s a deserved champion.”

However, another twist in their relationship followed just days later when Rosberg retired from the sport, taking the number one plate with him and leaving no opportunity for a rematch this year.

Launching the Mercedes Formula One car, the W08, at Silverstone in February

“I’m probably one of the only people that wasn’t surprised. This is the first time Nico’s won a title in 18 years. He’s got a family and wants more children and F1 takes so much of your time. Will I miss the rivalry? Of course.”

For 2017 however, Vettel and his Ferrari delivered a stronger package and surprised the Mercedes driver by effectively replacing Rosberg as his new nemesis. Vettel has lead the championship over Hamilton from the first round, battling with Lewis in what is shaping as one of the greatest motor racing duels in history.

While the pendulum was in Vettel’s favour during the first half of the season, a string of bad luck hit Ferrari after the summer break, allowing Hamilton to capitalise and snare three successive wins to claw back the championship deficit.

A pivotal point came in September in Singapore when Vettel crashed on the first lap and Hamilton won, turning what was a 20-point shortfall before summer into a 28-point benefit over Vettel with a handful of races remaining.This has set the perfect scene yet again for what will undoubtedly be another last race showdown at Yas Marina Circuit.

“I feel the most whole as a driver that I’ve ever been, which is a great feeling,” Hamilton said after the Singapore race.

“At the end of every season, you always think about your future. I set a fiveyear plan so who knows if I’ll get anywhere near Michael Schumacher’s record seven championships?”

Having equalled Senna’s three championships, and maybe a win in Abu Dhabi later this month, suddenly, Schumacher’s seven trophies don’t seem so far away.

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Rac e Re ady

Words: Danae Mercer

For race car d esse ri ntial to vi vers, a s the s ol ctory cene . Jum id fitnes s at wha s pla eira th t fue ls tw e race tr h goes b n is o su ack to fin ehind cces sful d ou com t petit ors

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Featured: RACING

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Apart from the passion for cars and the incredible highs, you get to travel the world meeting the most amazing people

Andy Soucek cycles four days every week. He does weights and highintensity training three days out of seven. Sometimes he throws in double sessions, adding cardio in the morning and weights in the afternoon. And yes, sleep is important. Soucek tries to get eight hours every night.

Yet Soucek isn’t training for a distance triathlon. He’s not priming his body to cycle up mountains or stride over hills. Instead, Soucek is lifting, sweating and sprinting with one particular aim in mind: winning car races.

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Training hard off the track may mean more victories on it. “It’s a lifestyle,” says Dubai-based Jordan Grogor, a driver for GP Extreme. Grogor’s fitness regime is a mixture of strength and cardio at the gym, adjusted depending on his current needs. “I always mix up my weekly sessions with a variety of alternative sports, like wakeboarding, volleyball or cycling.”

Diet is extremely important, he adds. “Since I race in the insurance series, driver stints can be up to three hours at a time. Managing nutrition is vital to [maintain] consistent levels of focus and energy.”

Soucek is a Bentley Team M-Sport driver, a title that means he’s part of the famous Bentley Boys crew. “Being a Bentley Boy is not only about being a fast racing driver,” says Soucek. “There are a lot of fast drivers. To make the difference, you need to offer something more, like working as hard as possible to get to the top.”

Soucek agrees. “Day to day I try to eat healthily but this is especially important pre-race. I don’t like to cut out carbohydrates too much from my diet because I need energy for my training sessions and endurance races but I split my intake through the day.”

Here is where the focus on fitness slots in. Race car drivers need to withstand extreme speeds, long distances and high heats in sweaty, cramped conditions.

In a given day, Soucek will have bread with avocado, turkey and a coffee for breakfast, pasta, quinoa or rice with sushi or meat for lunch, an afternoon

Featured: RACING

snack of fruit and coffee or tea and lean protein like chicken or fish and vegetables for dinner. He keeps a regular eye on his weight but that isn’t such a big concern. “I’m always within my target weight range.”

The exact style of training depends on the end goal, adds Soucek. “When I raced in single seaters, I did more weight training for my muscles to support the high G-forces from the downforce of a World Series, Formula Two or Formula One car.” Now that Soucek’s doing GT endurance racing, the most important thing is cardio. “I cycle a lot because you can do three to four hours with the heat, the hills and compete against other guys who push you to the absolute limit.”

In the run up to the race, Grogor finds it’s also important to train his mind.

“I spend a lot of time on the team’s bespoke simulator. This helps me get in the groove of race week so I can understand the track layout and how the car behaves.” Grogor combines the simulator with time at the go-kart track, focusing on doing laps in a certain pace to help maintain his reflexes “and keep race-fit,” he adds.

Soucek mentally prepares by embracing a positive mindset so he’s “focused and free of worries”. He also analyses data from previous years and tests, doing prep work so that he’s ready for the car by the time he slides behind the wheel.

When it comes to advice for would-be racers, Soucek points to YouTube.

There is a routine he recommends and uses to keep his abs strong called abdos in eight minutes. “There are a variety of different levels so why don’t you try it out and let me know how you get on?” He suggests readers contact him on Twitter via his handle @ASoucek.

Grogor’s advice is briefer: “When you think you’ve reached your limit, push harder.”

At the end of the day, sliding behind the wheel of a race car is about so much more than fast reflexes and vehicular know-how. It has to do with mental and physical fitness, weeks of preparation and endless focus. Despite the work, Grogor is fast to point to the role’s perks: “Apart from the passion for cars and the incredible highs, you get to travel the world meeting the most amazing people.”

The super-powered world of racing might be a long slog and a lot of hard work — but these drivers wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be held at the Yas Marina Circuit from November 24 to 26.

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers' swimming pool

Stay: Every year, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix revs into action in the UAE’s capital. There’s no better place to stay than Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, a luxurious five-star hotel nestled on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche. Sea-facing rooms, three swimming pools and Swarovski chandeliers add glamour throughout.

For details on special promotions around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race weekend, visit jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/abudhabi/jumeirah-etihad-towers/

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One tO Watch

Words: Carlos Pedroza / Images: Courtesy of the brands / GPHG

Dubai Watch Week has blossomed as a global cultural gathering on the art of timekeeping.

We reveal the most anticipated pieces to be showcased at the event.

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Urwerk UR-106 Flower Power

featured: watches

Vacheron Constantin MĂŠtiers d'Art Copernicus Celestial Spheres 2460RT

MB&F Horological Machine n°7 Aquapod

A

fter just two editions, Dubai Watch Week (DWW) has positioned itself as the prime event for celebrating watch culture with a nonprofit spirit, effectively gathering the most celebrated creative minds within the industry.

With a fully educational goal, DWW was born from the inner circle of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the leading watch retailer in the Middle East, representing over 60 brands in more than 65 locations throughout the region.

For generations, The Seddiqi family has helped to build the foundations for Haute Horlogerie culture in the Emirates, successfully helping to nurture a solid group of watch connoisseurs and enthusiasts that have driven the regional market to new heights.

Singer Reimagined Singer Track 1

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Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton

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featured: watches

Greubel Forsey Signature 1

Hublot Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph

Greubel Forsey QP à Équation

Czapek Genève Tourbillon Suspendu "Ici et Ailleurs"

The Emirates market is knowledgeable, with an appetite for grand pieces, not only from reputed international brands, but also from independent creators who develop highly complicated watches with artisanal, handmade craftsmanship.

High end watches are one of the pillars of real upscale luxury. The handmade and hand-finished product lineup; the subtlety of the limited edition pieces; the complexity of the micro mechanics behind the movements; the research and development and technological innovation that are encased in a wristwatch are, perhaps, the ultimate luxury experience, and that’s precisely what DWW showcases to its attendees.

Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike

For 2017, with Jumeirah Emirates Towers as its backdrop, and set on The Gate premises, DWW will run from November 16-20 with the sole intention of enriching the watch knowledge in the region. More than 40 speakers will be present in 16 discussion panels cobering topics such as “Millennial Watchmakers - current contributions impacting watchmaking”, “Hammer Time - the importance of auction houses” and “The Independents - unique voices of History”. Owners, Presidents, CEOs, head designers and watchmakers, collectors, international journalists and experts will gather to discuss the present and future of the industry.

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold

A. Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1 Moonphase

Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance

Voutilainen 28ISO Enamel

Bvlgari Octo Roma

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Annual Calendar

A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Perpetual "Pour le Mérite"

TAG Heuer Autavia

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600

featured: WATCHES

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph

Also intertwined within the DWW experience, the GPHG (Grand Prix de la Horlogerie de Geneve) will be showcasing its 2017 winners as part of their limited world-wide tour after the awards ceremony in Geneva. This is a rare opportunity to admire the whole set of pieces and Dubai is one of the few cities in the world that holds the exhibit.

And on the auction side of things, Christies will be extremely active with workshops, appraisals and, of course, auctions during DWW. To view the full program and activities see wwww.dubaiwatchweek.com Hotel tip: When visiting Dubai Watch Week stay at Jumeirah Emirates Towers. jumeirah.com

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MahallatiJewellery

MahallatiJewellery

Mrs.Mahallati

lifestyle 42 Louvre Abu Dhabi

The long-awaited art museum opens its doors this month. We take a peek inside

46 Designs on you

Dubai is on track to become a global design hub with its buzzing d3 district

52 Magic carpet ride

Istanbul’s Cukurcuma neighbourhood is teeming with quirky boutiques

56 Flying high

The future of air travel could involve smart blankets and Volocopter rides

Words: Ann Marie McQueen / Images: Mohamed Somji

SHINING A LIGHT ON ART

42

The long-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi will be opening its doors this month. We take a peek inside its spectacular setting and collection

ART: louvre abu dhabi

The Louvre Abu Dhabi gives the appearance of floating on water

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W

hen the long-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi opens to the public on November 11, it will provide a completely different experience to what museum and gallery aficionados are accustomed to.

Much of that is owed to the breathtaking Saadiyat Island setting and the building’s award-winning design by Jean Nouvel, with Arabesque geometric shapes appearing to rain light on the space below.

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exterior with Abu Dhabi’s skyline (night)

The most prominent feature is the 180-metre-wide dome. During the day its eight layers act as a shading canopy and kaleidoscope, with 7,850 metal stars filtering sunshine onto the climate-controlled network of 55 buildings and 23 galleries below. At night, light from inside the Louvre Abu Dhabi shines up through the dome, providing a fanciful, twinkling beacon to the surrounding areas of the UAE’s capital city.

“It is rather unusual to find a built archipelago in the sea,” Pritzker Prizewinning architect Nouvel has said of the project. “It is even more uncommon to see that it is protected by a parasol creating a rain of light.”

The museum, which has been 10 years in the making, is splendid in its details. The floor was created from stone modules framed in bronze, which cool in the evening and help control temperatures during the day. The Lebanese typographer Kristyan Sarkis created a bespoke Arabic typeface for the signage, also delivered in French and English, in the classic Naskh style of calligraphy. Even the cafe, with design derived from the Op Art style of the 1960s, promises to be an Instagram-worthy hub. Due to optical illusion, from some vantage points the interior will appear all-white and from others to be drenched in colour.

When it came to the collection of art such an unforgettable building would house, the Louvre Abu Dhabi had to be different by virtue of its location.

The goal was to show visitors “the communication between civilisations over time”, according to Jean Francois-Charnier, who as the scientific director of Agence France-Museums headed the curation for the project.

“This museum is designed and built in Abu Dhabi, not Paris, so other continents — the Indian subcontinent, Asia, China — all of these had to be considered,” said Francois-Charnier, speaking at a recent event in Paris celebrating the upcoming launch. “We are not talking about the Middle Ages or the Renaissance in Abu Dhabi, because they are essentially European phenomena that are of no concern to the whole world. Visitors to the Louvre Abu Dhabi will see a kind of summation of the whole history of humankind that focuses on what is common in humanity.”

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Gauguin’s Children Wrestling

ART: louvre abu dhabi

Some of the artwork which will be displayed

A collection piece

The first of four temporary annual exhibitions opens on December 21. From One Louvre to Another will trace the history of Musee du Louvre in Paris and display 145 paintings, sculptures and other pieces from the collections of the Louvre and Chateau de Versailles.

The museum also features several exciting permanent installations to be located outside the galleries under the dome. They include the Italian artist Giuseppe Penone’s new four-part series Germination, which has as its centerpiece Leaves of Light. The massive bronze tree has mirrored branches to reflect the dome’s rain of light and cover the museum’s covered outdoor walkways. Penone’s Propagation features a wall of concentric circles created from porcelain tile, its lines germinating from the fingerprint of Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the UAE.

That curatorial approach will be seen in more than 600 pieces of art, which have been painstakingly amassed for the permanent and temporary collections.

Diverse highlights from the permanent collection include a 25-centimetre chlorite and calcite Bactrian Princess sculpture, created in Central Asia at the end of the third millennium BC, a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet featuring a lion’s head, which was uncovered from a treasure hoard in the Iranian Kurdistan province of Ziwiye in 1947 and an 1888 masterpiece by the French painter Paul Gauguin, Children Wrestling. There are also to be works by the American painter Cy Twombly, Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte and a promised “monumental” piece from the Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei.

The first year will feature 300 pieces on loan from 13 French institutions, including the Musee du Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou.

Highlights include the mysterious La Belle Ferronniere, Leonardo da Vinci’s 1490 oil painting known as Portrait of an Unknown Woman and JacquesLouis David’s bold Napoleon Crossing the Alps, one of five versions of the oil on canvas of Napoleon Bonaparte painted between 1801and 1805.

The American artist Jenny Holzer has created another installation featuring three engraved stone walls, dubbed For Louvre Abu Dhabi, which will cite historical texts, including Arab historian Ibn Khaldun’s 1377 the Muqaddimah.

At the launch event in Paris, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of culture and knowledge development, called the Louvre Abu Dhabi “a celebration of our common humanity”, which he said would attract and captivate a local, regional and global population.

With the Louvre Abu Dhabi set to dramatically boost international tourism to Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers offers art-loving visitors the perfect mix of soaring views, convenient location and exciting shopping, leisure and dining opportunities to complement their stay.

• Entry to the museum will cost $16 for adults and $8 for those aged between 13 and 22, as well as UAE teachers. Members of the UAE loyalty programme, under-13s and children with special needs will get free entry.

To book your stay in Abu Dhabi visit jumeirah.com

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Words: Gareth Rees

DUBAI:

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DESIGN CAPITAL OF THE MIDDLE EAST

LIFESTYLE: DESIGN

Dubai Design District (d3) was opened to provide a home for the city’s creative community. Two years on it’s a global design hub — and there’s more to come Vondom Moma

by Javier Mariscal

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W

Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi

hen Dubai Design District (d3) opened in April 2015, it was compared to some of the world’s best-known creative hubs – the Meatpacking District in New York, Shoreditch in London and Miami Design District.

“Our vision was to take the best parts of all the design districts from around the world and bring them together here in Dubai,” says Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, chief operating officer for d3. But Al Shehhi is keen to stress that creating d3 was not simply a matter of replication. Its aim from the start was to put the best of the Arab world’s creative talent on the global map and create a home and collaborative space for some of the design world’s biggest names.

“Dubai is at a pivotal point in its design history – it’s a young, confident city that attracts and allows talent to burgeon, in ways we would never have imagined previously,” says Al Shehhi.

The district is home to 7,000 creatives working across 400 companies operating in design-related fields, including major global brands such as Chopard, Foster and Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects as well as home to Jumeirah Group's head office and local brands such as the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), a university dedicated to design, that is due to open in d3 in 2019.

The district’s annual line-up of events includes Fashion Forward, Meet d3 and Sole DXB – but its most high profile is Dubai Design Week, an annual six-day festival geared towards attracting the attention of the global design community. “Dubai Design Week is vital to building the city’s reputation in the international design community,” says Al Shehhi.

The third edition of Dubai Design Week, which takes place this month, aims to attract more than 50,000 visitors and cement Dubai’s status as a “global design hub”. Highlights of the event’s teeming schedule include a programme of talks and workshops boasting big names such as Sir David Adjaye, the British architect recently included on Time’s 100 most influential people of 2017 list; Iconic City, the annual exhibition series that this year will explore the design culture of Casablanca; Global Grad Show, an exhibition of 200 words produced by students from 92 universities in 45 countries; the Downtown Design trade show featuring regional and international brands and Abwab (meaning doors), an exhibition showcasing the work of regional designers.

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Sir David Adjaye

LIFESTYLE: DESIGN

Cloud, Richard Clarkson, School of Visual Arts, US

All Pet Shoe by ECALJules Mae

Fahed and Architects Abwab pavilion rendering

House of Folly, Design Week; Alexander Gerard dolls

Dubai Design Week 2017 is the first to be overseen by William Knight, who was appointed managing director and head of design for Art Dubai Group in February. Knight’s resume includes positions with Design Council, the UK government’s advisor on design, London Design Festival, 100% Design and Clerkenwell Design Week — so he knows a “global design hub” when he sees one.

DTD2017 Plinto Meridiani Dubai

“Dubai Design Week is a regional platform, particularly referenced through our showcase events such as Abwab and Iconic City,” he says. “For me that is the meaning of being a hub – providing the opportunity to access the widest possible range of design content in one place.”

William Knight

“[Dubai Design Week] is a critical event because it helps boost confidence and experience and provides insight and inspiration, which in turn helps the local design industry develop. A key aspect of this is providing international visitors, particularly businesses, with an opportunity to see the design industry working together in a relatively short space of time, to show what and how design is done here.”

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LIFESTYLE: DESIGN

Dubai is a gateway city that allows brands to explore the opportunities presented by the continuing development in the Middle East

Baccarat

Rue Kothari

It seems to be working. This year’s edition of Downtown Design, described by the organisers of Dubai Design Week as the “commercial heart” of the event, will feature original design from more than 150 brands.

“Dubai is a gateway city that allows brands to explore the opportunities presented by the continuing development in the Middle East,” says Rue Kothari, show director for Downtown Design. “It’s hospitable to new business and with projects like d3 that provide the infrastructure for design brands to set up and gain profile and events like Downtown Design that provide a platform to allow them to engage with buyers, it’s a strong proposition for international brands.”

Ahmad Bazao is the founder of Beirut-based multidisciplinary design practice Studio A and will take part in Downtown Design and two other events during Dubai Design Week. He believes Dubai has what it takes to become one of the leading design hubs in the world. It was the first place after Beirut where he wanted to exhibit his designs. “The exposure and publicity that you can possibly gain rivals that of any European or American capital,” he says.

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Roudha Alshamsi Design

Roudha Alshamsi, the founder of Dubai-based design studio Roudha Alshamsi Design, who will exhibit her first limited edition “art furniture” collection Acacia Surface Series at Downtown Design, sees Dubai Design Week and events like it as turning points in her career. “I will be able to see the public’s reaction [to] and reflection on the design approach I am taking,” she says.

“These platforms promote emerging designers and create new business opportunities and [the possibility for] collaborations.”

Knight, the man responsible for organising the event that Alshamsi says she has watched grow into a “global phenomenon”, has been impressed by the commitment Dubai has shown in developing design. “I think Dubai can stake a strong claim to be the design capital of the Middle East,” he says.

But he doesn’t see it as a competition. “I believe in working with other creative hotspots such as Beirut, Cairo and Casablanca — all of which have been the focus of our Iconic City series — [as well as] Amman, Istanbul and key cities for architecture such as Kuwait City. There is a network across the region. Each city makes its contribution to that.”

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Istanbul’s FurnIture traIl The historic Turkish city is home to a wide range of quirky and fabulous furniture. Conor Purcell explores some of the city’s hidden gems

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LifestyLe: Furniture

S

tep away, if you can, from the splendour of the Hagia Sophia and the Suleymaniye mosque. Escape the tourist throngs and head across the water toward Taksim. There, in the area’s jumble of streets, you will find a younger, more vibrant side of the city — a place where independent boutiques mingle with hip cafes and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Nestled in among the narrow streets are countless furniture shops — something which has turned the Cukurcuma neighbourhood bordering Taksim into a bargain hunters’ paradise. The area was, up until a few years ago, fairly uninviting: narrow, badly lit streets and very little in the way of cafes or restaurants. Now that has all changed and its winding streets can claim to be among the city’s most interesting. Bordered by the Bosphorus on the southeast (the Museum of Modern Art is a 15-minute walk away), Cukurcuma takes its cues from (with apologies for the cliche) both east and west. It has an energy similar to Berlin (as well as a similar amount of hipster cafes) while there is still an unmistakable feel of the Orient around these streets. Wander around, explore the innumerable boutiques, secondhand shops and street-side stalls and come away with a unique piece of Istanbul.

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A tram runs through it: Istiklal Avenue

Abra Design Studio A design studio that collaborates with local designers to create stunning pieces of furniture. Check out the wood and glass Pervititch coffee table, which has the neighbourhood streets carved below the surface. Or the iron Gabo G coffee table which is beautiful in its simplicity. Abra shows the future of Istanbul design is in good hands.

Bankalar Caddesi, Banka Sok, Tan Han no 3, Karakoy; www.abradesignstudio.com

A La Turca Located in a beautiful 19th century, four-storey renovated townhouse, A La Turca is home to a trove of fascinating antiques. All the pieces were collected by the owner Erkal Etsoy and he welcomes each visitor with a cup of tea. There’s no pressure to buy, although given the range on offer, walking away empty-handed might prove difficult. From vintage globes to Ottoman rugs to handblown glassware, this shop-cum-museum is a throwback to the days when Istanbul was at the crossroads of the world.

Faikpasa Caddesi 4; alaturcahouse.com

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Cukurcuma is a haven of quirky boutiques

LifestyLe: FURNITURE

Objects of Desire A rather extraordinary collection of homewares, antiques and retro bric-abrac, this shop was opened in 1990 and has attracted bemused and wideeyed visitors ever since. The owner started off with a stall in a New York fleamarket and brought that eclectic vibe with him upon his return to Istanbul. From 1950s arcade games to 18th century dolls, there’s not much you won’t find here. And if you don’t fancy carrying that vintage trombone through customs, they will organise international shipping anywhere in the world.

Faikpasa Caddesi 6/1; fleaworks.com

Hamm One of the city’s most interesting furniture shops, Hamm creates stunning pieces of modern furniture. Using oak, iron, brass and marble, Hamm’s craftsmen manage to create deceptively simple pieces that would work in any home. As with most of the city’s furniture stores, the prices are far less than you would pay for similar pieces in the West.

Pasa Mahallesi,Hasret Caddesi, 53 Bomonti; hamm.com.tr

Mozk With a host of handpicked vintage clothes as well as furniture, lighting and storage, Mozk has become a firm favourite of the city’s bargain hunters.

With beautiful, upcycled pieces and hard-to-find jewellery and accessories, this is one of the neighbourhood’s most interesting stores.

Kuloglu Mahallesi Agahamami Caddesi no 13, Cihangir

Onsekiz

Cukurcuma is teeming with furniture stores

Ottoman marquetry and tiletop table

Filled with upcycled lighting and tables, this is perfect for anyone wanting a truly unique piece for their home. The objects have an industrial vibe and the owner, Selcuk Arikan, an interior architect, has a wonderful eye for detail. Most of the pieces are from the 1930s to the 1970s and sourced from film studios, military depots and ships.

Firuzaga Mahallesi Cukurcuma Caddesi 53/b; 18istanbul.com

Artrium A treasure trove of Ottoman era prints, photographs and ceramics, this is one of the most impressive antiques shops in the city. Perfect for finding something to hang on your walls or for a unique bedroom lamp, it’s clear the owner, entrepreneur Hacer Sayman, loves what she does.

Ahkulu Mahallesi, Sahkulu Mh, Muellif Sokak, no 12; artrium.com.tr

Som Interior Run by a brother-and-sister team, Som is home to some stunning, handmade pieces of furniture. From wooden benches and stools to wroughtiron bookcases and minimalist lighting, Som has managed to put a quirky stamp on all its pieces. Located in the centre of the antiques district, this is a must-visit for fans of modern, handcrafted furniture.

Kuloglu Mahallesi Turnacıbası Cad. Faik Pasa Sok, no 3a Cukurcuma; sominterior.com Hotel tip: When exploring Istanbul, stay in the Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah. jumeirah.com

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The Sky’S The LimiT

Words: Danae Mercer

From British Airways’ happiness blanket to Emirates’ upgraded luxury bar, air travel is changing. Jumeirah explores what flights might look like in years to come

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A close-up of a Volocopter

LifestyLe: TECHNOLOGY

B

y the end of this year, Dubai hopes to have the world’s first autonomous flying taxi in the skies. This drone-like two-person Volocopter doesn’t need a pilot. It doesn’t need a long runway. It just needs a five-year evaluation period.

In other words, hopping on board the Volocopter won’t happen overnight.

But this clever drone-copter isn’t the only innovation in the world of air.

Major airlines are currently researching everything from robots to lounges, all with the aim of improving the traveller experience. Here’s what you need to know.

Brainwaves and lounges In 2014 British Airways began testing a blanket that changes colour using a traveller’s brainwave. Termed the happiness blanket, this high-tech creation uses neurosensors to reveal when someone’s feeling relaxed. Based on the blanket’s colours, staff can opt to hold off on serving a meal (if you’re so relaxed you’re sleeping, for instance) or change what type of films are shown.

The actual blanket may be a while off but the investment isn’t. British Airways has put $527 million into developing its long-haul business class in-flight experience.

“We will invest and innovate where our customers value it most,” says Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and chief executive — hence the focus on food and sleeping.

Emirates has also been changing things. In February, the airline announced a multi-million dollar upgrade programme featuring a new exclusive lounge on the A380. Differences include a yacht-inspired atmosphere with more seating space, window views, a soundproof curtain from the cabin and a 55-inch screen.

British Airways' smart blanket

Could airline cabins look like this in the future?

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lifestyle: technology Land ahoy: futuristic travel via Volocopter

A futuristic Volocopter ride

“On long-haul flights, our customers appreciate the opportunity to stretch their legs and mingle,” says Tim Clark, president of Emirates airline.

For first class and business class travellers, leg space isn’t usually a major issue. British Airways’ seats lie flat, perfect for a nap after choosing from three different types of champagne. Emirates and Etihad both have their own airborne suites.

Yet experts see things going a step further. One day, there might be sleeping bunks on long-haul flights.

“Design houses really are competing fiercely for airline business and that means they are also pushing the limits of creativity,” says Maryann Simson, an aviation expert with Runway Girl Network. This means the future might include sleeping bunks and more low-tech changes like breathable fabrics in chairs and blankets.

When it comes to luxury travellers, analyst Peter Cochrane expects things to get even more extreme: “In the next 10 years we’ll see business class-only seating on select flights.”

Humidity is also being researched. According to the American Society for Testing and Materials, planes are kept at low temperatures to reduce the chances of a traveller fainting. But the resulting chill and dry air wreak havoc on a traveller. Enter things like British Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

With lower cabin pressure than traditional aircrafts, the Boeing provides more oxygen and moisture in the cabin air — cutting down on dry eyes and jet lag.

Even the planes themselves might be a hub for future changes. A California firm is looking at using airplanes as micro-satellites to blanket remote parts of the world with wireless broadband coverage. The process would simultaneously mean passengers could watch inflight movies or stream calls from their own devices.

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Business class lounge, Dubai

lifestyle: technology Emirates' revamped business class lounge, Dubai

The future is robotic Virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) have become the buzz words of recent years — particularly in terms of airline innovation.

In 2014, at a glittering celebrity-led event, British Airways used Oculus Rift headsets so travellers could experience US destinations before flying. Qantas rolled out an app last year that had a similar immersive destination element but with a suitably Australian twist. The same year, Emirates released the industry’s first interactive amenity kits. By using an app, passengers could unlock certain entertainment.

Turkish Airlines has declared a partnership with start-ups to look at things like AI, machine learning, robotics and VR. One potential tool, an AI chat bot, would help travellers check in for flights and sort boarding passes.

Japan Airlines, Glasgow airport and EVA Air have all announced their own versions of a customer service robot. Yet the robot that created the most excitement was KLM’s trial of its Spencer robot. This friendly, wide-eyed

bot might take customers from check-in to their departure gate one day, all with a socially aware twist: the robot can pick-up on travellers’ behaviours and respond accordingly.

“Robotics will have a big impact on the air transport industry in the coming years,” says Laila Ben Salah, KLM’s manager product innovation. “We want to be ready for this.”

Rather than robots, ultra-exclusive departure lounges are the focus for British Airways. The brand recently opened an airy concept lounge in Dubai International Airport with an exclusive bar for first class customers, discreetly tucked behind a slick keycard-locked door.

Ultimately airlines are changing. From smart blankets to robot agents, the future of travel is evolving. It is hard to say where exactly the developments will venture next.

Yet one thing is certain: in a space where airlines are battling to compete through innovation, the future of travel is looking ever more exciting.

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah; tennis match on the helipad

For a luxurious tour of Dubai’s glimmering sights, book one of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah’s helicopter tours. This exclusive trip takes off from the hotel’s iconic landing pad. When the tour is done, you’ll be treated to a red carpet, a butler line-up and an array of gourmet delicacies.

It’s also possible to arrive and depart in style via the same helipad.

jumeirah.com/burjalarab

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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THE BEST

WE ARE VOTED THE “BES T BUSINESS CL ASS CATERING” AGAIN AT T HE 2 017 S K Y T R A X PA S S E N GE R S C HOIC E AWA R D S A S W E L L A S THE “BEST BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE” AND FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW THE “BEST BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE DINING”

T UR K I S H A IR L IN E S .C O M

TRAVEL 64 Turtle haven

Jumeirah’s rescue and rehabilitation project for endangered turtles turns 13

70 Let’s go outside

As autumn sets in, enjoy the best of Dubai’s outdoor spaces

76 The insiders’ guide to...Frankfurt Key tastemakers give their take on the city

TURTLE HAVEN As Jumeirah celebrates 13 years of saving injured sea turtles, we talk to one of the experts behind the endeavour

D

ibba was out at sea when the injury to her head happened.

Severely damaged, she bobbed in the ocean waters, slowly drifting to the UAE’s shores. It was there she was found, barely clinging onto life.

Her recovery took months.

Then, when she was well, Dibba was fitted with a satellite tag, carried out onto the beach and released again out to sea.

Words: Danae Mercer / Images: Getty

Dibba is a turtle — one of the hundreds to date saved and released back into the wild through Jumeirah’s work with the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP). The project runs in collaboration with Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office and is all about rescuing and researching turtles.

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This year marks the 13th annual anniversary of the project. “We are now saving more [turtles] than ever,” says Warren Baverstock, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah’s aquarium operations manager.

Yet through the 13 years and endless numbers of turtles, it’s Dibba that Baverstock is the most proud of.

“We released her with a satellite tag in 2008 and she made the longest tracked journey of her species to date — an incredible distance of 8,283km from the coast of the UAE to the Andaman Sea.” The trip was so unique that it’s been published in a scientific journal, alongside the details of eight other turtles the Jumeirah centre rehabilitated and released.

ENVIRONMENT: TURTLES

A hawksbill turtle in its natural habitat

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The underwater world of sea turtles in Micronesia, Oceania

The project works mostly with hawksbills, green and loggerhead turtles, all of which can be injured in any number of ways — through ingesting plastic rubbish, by boats, by being weighed down from numerous barnacles or even by a drop in sea temperatures during the colder winter months.

Much of the damage to turtles is caused by humankind. The resulting numbers are shocking: according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the hawksbill turtle has witnessed an 87 per cent decline in population over the last three years. Today there are only an estimated 8,000 nesting females left in the world. All seven species of marine turtle found globally are either listed as vulnerable to extinction, endangered or critically endangered.

“Sea turtles have many threats,” says Baverstock. “Their populations are under pressure all over the world.”

In short, times are tough for turtles. That’s where the DTRP and Jumeirah step in.

“Making sick or injured animals healthy again and returning them to the wild where they belong adds to the number of animals that can reach breeding age. Knowing we are helping is very important and significant,” says Baverstock.

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So important is this turtle programme to Jumeirah’s long-term vision that a purpose-built lagoon to rehabilitate turtles was designed in the newly opened Jumeirah Al Naseem hotel — making it the region’s very first. Turtles are nursed back to health inside an aquarium, then in a special outdoor enclosure. Through the addition of satellite tagging, the project doesn’t just save turtles — it contributes to research about the creatures for the future.

The information gained has given a better understanding of turtles’ habitats, migration patterns and temperature choice, all things that matter when it comes to conservation efforts.

“The most significant aspect of the project is that we know the work that we do is making a difference,” says Baverstock.

Even though the milestone of 13 years is a significant one, Baverstock has no plans to slow down.

“Our goal is to carry on doing the work we are doing and saving the region’s sea turtles.” Research will continue to play a big part, he adds, as will the recovery aspect of the operation.

“Hopefully our work can help other people and projects trying to save sea turtles.”

ENVIRONMENT: TURTLES

Sea turtles have many threats.

Their populations are under pressure all over the world.

Knowing we are helping is very important and significant

Turtle release by the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

How to get involved • Check out the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project Facebook page for updates on the paths of released turtles throughout the region. facebook.com/turtle.rehabilitation • See the turtles in the public space located in Jumeirah Al Naseem.

This houses a custom-built turtle rehabilitation lagoon (to aid the turtles in their recovery). It’s possible to see the turtles in their final stages of rehabilitation before they are released back into the wild.

• Visit jumeirah.com

How to interact witH a turtle • Don’t shine bright light on a sea turtle’s face, particularly if it is nesting on the beach.

• Don’t take photos using flash as this is disturbing for the turtle.

• Don’t handle any eggs (if the turtle is nesting) or put anything into the nest as humans carry bacteria and can introduce illness.

• Don’t disturb the turtle’s tracks, as researchers need these • If the turtle is injured, place it in shallow freshwater at around 26C. The turtle should be able to lift its head and breathe easily. Then contact your nearest conservation agency. In Dubai, contact the DTRP team, available 365 days a year from 8am to 6pm. Call them on +971 4 301 7198 or email baaaquarium@jumeirah.com

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Dubai has its own special charm in winter

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Travel: Dubai

THE GREaT OuTDOORS Whether its rooftop sipping, daytime dipping or all day dining, the cooler temperatures in Dubai mean we can socialise in the sun again

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Plaj, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

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nlike many other places in the world, plummeting temperatures are welcomed in Dubai.

UAE residents step outside after a long, hot summer to enjoy expansive terraces, private pools and brunching beachside. Check out our list of luxe locations — they will leave you wishing it was winter all year round.

Sitting pretty It’s called the Terrace for a reason and shouldn’t come as a surprise when we report that the most stunning deck in Dubai comes courtesy of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Days can be spent swimming in one of the two infinity pools, cooling off in one of 32 air-conditioned cabanas or snacking on some Californian fusion food in Scape. The restaurant also offers a three-course dinner with a glass of premium rose bubbles for $103 every day from 6pm to 8pm. You will be hard pressed to find a more stunning venue for sundowners. With uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf, hotel and Dubai skyline, the Lounge (still on the Terrace, it’s huge) has a resident DJ from Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm to 1am if you fancy a catch-up with friends after work.

Email BAARestaurants@jumeirah.com or see jumeirah.com to book The Terrace, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

Uptown Bar, Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Hit the roof In a city awash with swanky places to sip cocktails, nowhere is quite like the Uptown Bar in the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Located on the 24th floor, the tiny terrace is a cool haunt for those in the know. At candlelit tables with views of the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, you can while away cooler nights. The cocktail haven also hosts a ladies’ night called Her Night, which offers complimentary drinks and light bites for ladies every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm. Men also get a look in with Mad Men Nights. Do as Don Draper does and sip an old fashioned for $8. An institution for sundowners, indulge in 50 per cent off a selection of drinks from Saturday to Thursday from 5pm to 8pm, not forgetting 50 per cent off selected beverages every Friday post-brunch from 4pm to 7pm.

Call +971 4 432 3232 for reservations

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Travel: Dubai

Summersalt, Jumeirah Al Naseem

Cu-Ba, Jumeirah Creekside Hotel

Feet in the sand There is nothing quite like a swim and a salad – within metres of each other of course. Plaj restaurant at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray offers just that. Following a quick dip, you can simply walk a few steps to the outdoor dining room which overlooks the Arabian Gulf in all its glory. Plaj is always buzzing with friends, families and couples taking in the sunshine. The Italian-inspired menu draws Dubai dwellers and tourists alike. The caprese salad and calamari are musthaves, as are the margarita pizza and orecchiette. There are daily blackboard specials for the regulars and barbecue nights for those who want to enjoy the sea by night. At $77 per person, you can indulge in a starter and dessert from the a la carte menu and a main course from a selection of grilled meats and side dishes. The buy-one-get-one free (on selected beverages) Plaj happy hour is next-level luxury. Enjoy sipping cocktails in the sand from Sunday to Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm.

Call +971 4 453 0444 or email jzsrestaurants@jumeirah.com

Special mentionS City lights The glass elevator sets the scene for this rooftop bar with a difference. Perched on top of Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Cu-Ba

In the club

offers the best views of the city in a bar with a Latin vibe.

The newest and prettiest beach club on the block is Summersalt in Jumeirah Al Naseem. The hotel is the latest (and final) addition to the Madinat Jumeirah resort, the largest of its kind in Dubai. Daytime access to the club is reserved for guests staying in Jumeirah Al Naseem and the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah but worry not, day passes can be purchased for adults and children alike. You can check into the club as early as 8am and spend the day in this stunning oasis.

In addition to swimming the day away in the infinity pool or enjoying the private beach access, you can dine all day (and night) at the restaurant. The beach club welcomes families, so you can rest assured there is something to suit guests of all ages.

Call +971 4 366 7680 or email Restaurants@jumeirah.com

email JCHcubabar@jumeirah.com for more information

With special offers every day of the week, call +971 4 230 8458 or

Best Bar none We challenge you to find a more romantic setting than the dark wooded, Persian-rugged, modern Arabic setting that is Bahri bar. Located in Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, every Monday is couples’ night. Enjoy a welcome cocktail, selection of cheeses, sliders and foie gras with a bottle of house wine for $80 per couple.

Call +971 4 432 3232 for reservations

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Interviews by Gareth Rees / Images: Victor Romero

travel: frankfurt

the InsIders’ GuIde to…

frankfurt

Skyline view, Jumeirah Frankfurt

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Matthias Wagner K

FranK hartung

executive chef in Jumeirah Frankfurt hotel

I was born in the town of Lich in the Giessen district to the north of Frankfurt.

Compared to Frankfurt, Giessen is a really small place. Frankfurt has a lot more to offer because it is an international business city but I really like my hometown as well. Currently I live in Langen, a quiet suburb of Frankfurt.

I chose to live there to get respite from the crowded city centre.

Matthias Wagner K

Director of Museum angewandte Kunst

I was born in Jena, Thuringia and came to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1984, then moved from Berlin to Frankfurt in 2011 to lead the arts and cultural programme for Iceland as a guest of honour at Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair). This was my entree into Frankfurt society. Since 2012, I have been director of Museum Angewandte Kunst. I live with my family in Sachsenhausen. I like the neighbourhood’s proximity to the Main river and the fact I live a one-minute walk from the museum. It has constantly changing exhibitions, always with challenging themes, with a focus on applied arts.

The biggest misconception about Frankfurt is that it is just a banking city.

Frankfurt is a truly international European city – extremely dynamic, with institutions at the highest cultural and scientific level and with open-minded and interested people. Frankfurt’s civic commitment makes it stand out from the rest of Germany.

I have been the executive chef for Jumeirah Frankfurt for two years now and it has been a great pleasure. I love being part of such an exclusive company with such a good reputation. Our hotel philosophy is very inspiring. We aim not only to fulfil the wishes of our guests but also to treat everyone, guests and colleagues alike, with respect and integrity. It is very important to me that both my team members and the guests are happy. It is the most rewarding part of my job.

In our Max on One grill room we offer contemporary cuisine inspired by regional German dishes and Arabic cuisine.

Frank We have a fantastic show Hartung kitchen. The food scene in Frankfurt is a melting pot with restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world.

When it comes to famous Frankfurt residents that have inspired me, most are long gone — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Emma Metzler, Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild, Ferdinand Kramer and Theodor W Adorno, to name just a few. My favourite novel about Frankfurt is Strassen von Gestern (Streets of Yesterday) by Silvia Tennenbaum. It tells the story of a Jewish family from Frankfurt and their experiences in the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. My favourite film set in Frankfurt is Margarethe von Trotta’s Ich bin die Andere (I Am the Other Woman).

If somebody was visiting Frankfurt for just 24 hours, I would advise them to eat breakfast in Limori, visit the MMK (Museum fur Moderne Kunst), have lunch in the Kleinmarkthalle, walk over the footpath on the Iron Bridge and visit the Museum Angewandte Kunst, eat dinner in Emma Metzler, which is managed by Frankfurt’s most innovative young cook, Anton de Bruyn, and then later in the evening take a trip to Amp, the new bar from local DJ Ata Macias. You can also spend a wonderful evening in the Saasfee pavilion on Bleichstrasse. It’s a great place for networking for those in media, design, art and electronic music. Visitors looking for traditional food should try a Gref Volsing beef sausage. I like to eat them at Ms Schreiber in the Kleinmarkthalle.

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Vegetables with goats’ cheese, Max on One

travel: frankfurt Nadja Springhetti

by Romer and continuing on to one of the many museums along the southern bank of the river Main. To round off the day, dinner could be enjoyed in one of the high end steak houses in the Westend, followed by a nightcap in 22nd Lounge and Bar overlooking Frankfurt’s impressive skyline. If you’re looking for a traditional Frankfurt dish, Frankfurter schnitzel with green sauce is a must have. You can try it in Apfelwein Wagner, which is located in Sachsenhausen--Nord. You can find various apfelwein restaurants and bars there. One weekend is not enough to explore this beautiful city. I can guarantee that no leisure traveller will leave Frankfurt disappointed but will be planning their next visit before they leave. nadja Springhetti

Jumeirah Frankfurt Hotel

director of global sales central europe and acting director of sales and marketing for jumeirah frankfurt hotel

I moved to Frankfurt in 2009 after I had worked overseas in Australia and the US. Frankfurt is a beautiful city, much more lively than the calm and much smaller German city of Fulda where I grew up. My family and I live in Frankfurt Bornheim, just off the famous Berger Strasse, Frankfurt’s longest street. Bornheim has an old village atmosphere and a lot to explore, from small independent boutiques to old coffee houses, ancient churches and beautiful parks with playgrounds, which we regularly visit with our little son after enjoying breakfast in one of the many cozy cafes located right on our doorstep. Many of the famous apfelwein bars are located in Bornheim too. They provide the perfect way to unwind after a long working week.

Frankfurt has many idyllic places, whether it is Lohrberg, with the best view over Frankfurt or simply a quiet spot beside the river Main. A true escape for me and my family, however, is a trip to the wineries in the Rheingau, which is only a 30-minute drive away. The Chinese Garden, located at the bottom of Berger Strasse, is a hidden gem and entry is free.

What makes Frankfurt special to me is its vibrancy and cultural diversity.

Frankfurt is estimated to be home to more than 180 different nationalities. It is this multiculturalism that makes Frankfurt stand out from other German cities. It is also the only German city with a skyscraper skyline, hence its nickname Mainhattan. Of course, it is also the financial capital of Germany with the European Central Bank and Stock Exchange calling Frankfurt their home.

For a short visit, I would suggest starting the day with a trip to the farmers’ market for the best coffee in town. From there I would recommend passing

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featured SpaceS Swarna, Jumeirah VittaVeli If you’re looking to take your next holiday soon, you might want to consider Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives. The atoll is home to this luxurious property which is only a 20-minute catamaran ride from Male airport. Ask anyone who has visited the Maldives: getting there is part of the fun, with the seaplane ride giving you your first glimpse of a little slice of heavenly bliss.

So what sets this island resort apart from others in the archipelago? For starters, it is home to the country’s best coral reefs, just 100 metres off the coast. But it’s not just crystal clear lagoons and a variety of fish that you’ll find there. The reef also has shipwrecks brimming with history.

The shipwrecks may or may not contain treasure. You’ll just have to find out for yourself.

Those of you who prefer to do all your exploring above sea level would do well to note the hotel’s newly opened fivebedroomed Royal Residence was recently recognised as the Indian Ocean’s leading luxury hotel villa at the World Travel Awards. However, that’s not the only part of the hotel that has been making headlines all over the world.

Words: Meryllino

Swarna, the hotel’s fine dining Indian restaurant, picked up the trophy for best Indian cuisine in Asia at the World Luxury Restaurant Awards last year. The restaurant’s name translates to gold in Sanskrit — rightly so, considering the restaurant reflects the gold standard of Indian cuisine.

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In September, the restaurant, which features three open-air dining cabanas and one chef’s table located in the maharajastyle garden, introduced a Gold at Swarna menu to mark the restaurant’s second anniversary. The 15-course menu features edible gold and costs a cool $2,000.

Swarna serves dinner from 7pm to 11pm, Sunday to Friday. Call +960 664 2020 or email VittaveliLifestyle@jumeirah.com to book a table

Aerial view, Swarna, Jumeirah Vittaveli

Travel: JUMEIRAH VITTAVELI

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The high life:

Scape Restaurant & Bar, Burj Al Arab Terrace

THE LOWDOWN: Stop with the pretences, you know you’ve always wanted

THE FOOD: Scape dishes up Californian fusion cuisine, which is basically

to drive down that exclusive bridge leading into the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

everything you can think of. Given that it’s a beachfront restaurant, the

while tourists and locals alike gawk at you, wondering whether they should

menu is dominated by seafood but the menu still has something for

get their cameras out. That’s the appeal the iconic sail-shaped hotel has

everyone. Staff encourage diners to order a few dishes to share. Whatever

commandeered for years. It’s not just getting there that’s fun, you see:

you decide to order, do not miss out on the baja-style fish tacos with sour

the restaurant is located on the hotel’s uber-chic, 10,800sq ft luxury deck,

cream and avocados. You can thank us later.

with stunning sea views and an unspoilt panorama. That, coupled with the Californian-style cuisine, is enough to make you feel truly pampered.

INSIDER’S TIP: With temperatures dropping, we recommend getting a

Words: Meryllino

table outdoors and enjoying the sunset. Also, don’t leave without trying

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THE ATMOSPHERE: Unlike many of the other fine dining eateries in the

the chocolate peanut pot de creme. Again, you’re welcome.

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Scape encourages its patrons to keep it casual. Staff don't mind if you walk in wearing shorts and sandals. The neutral colour

BOOKING DETAILS: Scape is open seven days a week for lunch from 12pm

scheme and abstract geometric design, with sand-coloured tiles and an

to 3.30pm and for dinner from 6pm to 11pm. Call +971 4 301 7600 or email

open-plan kitchen, help bring the outside in.

BAARestaurants@jumeirah.com.

PERSHING 140 108 9X 82 74

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