Pearl of the Adriatic – Dubrovnik, Croatia

June 5, 2018June 27, 2018Leave a comment

By Shereen Shabnam

Dubrovnik, prosinac 2017. Dubrovacki zimski festival 2017. za TZD Photo by Zeljko Tutnjevic – ++385 95 903 1000

Dubrovnik in Croatia is a city for all seasons and one of the world’s most prominent tourist destinations. Surrounded by unique medieval ramparts, Dubrovnik attracts visitors for its rich history, mild climate, traditional hospitality and its many festivals, open-air events and architectural treasures.

I explored Dubrovnik, a UNESCO registered protected world heritage site during the evening and in the day taking in the charm of bustling streets, art and different cultural events.

Walking along the promenade during the day meant coming across various art and artefacts on sale as well as live music performances. The open air performances add character to the different areas of the old town classical and jazz music and brings rhythm and charm into an already dazzling atmosphere.

While wandering through the markets, we toured the filming location of the ‘Game of Thrones’ television series and enjoyed some retail therapy of the related merchandise for fans back in the UAE.

The best part of Dubrovnik was exploring the old city, which had interesting markets, art galleries and city walls with fortresses offering beautiful views of the city, the open sea and the Island of Lokrum.

For panoramic views of Dubrovnik, visitors can take the cable car and set out on a scenic adventure that includes breathtaking views of the old town and enjoy the sunset. Make time to head to the Island of Lokrum and Elaphiti Islands or visit the Trsteno Arboretum, which is a protected monument of nature.

Dubrovnik is a great destination for adventure sports or active tourists who enjoy horse riding, hiking, cycling or sailing. A jeep safari or a canoe tour is also an interesting way to explore the area.

Dubrovnik was a gastronomic delight with an abundance of fresh and delectable food, often seasoned with olive oil. Try the naturally grown vegetables like courgettes, cabbage, aubergines tomatoes as well as seafood prepared in a simple way.

I had a full day exploring the old town and came across a Salvador Dali exhibition, which was an unexpected delight. Visitors who enjoy experience centres will enjoy The Cultural History Museum, the Maritime Museum, the Archeological Museum exhibition at Fortress Revelin, the Dubrovnik Natural Science Museum and the Dubrovnik State Archives.

The natural scenery in the area and panoramic views of the coast on the way to the old town in Dubrovnik were definitely some of the most memorable moments in Croatia. I am already planning my next venture into the land of fortresses and medieval architecture.

Turkish Airlines recently added Dubrovnik, Croatia to its expanding network with three weekly flights for visitors intending to explore this beautiful city.

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Buckle Up with Burberry

August 18, 2017Leave a comment

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Introducing The Buckle Eyewear Collection – the new collection of Burberry sunglasses and optical frames, detailed with a distinctive gold- tone buckle, inspired by design elements from our signature trench coat.

Featuring a distinctive gold-tone buckle, The Buckle Eyewear Collection is available in a colour palette that references the many shades and textures of The Patchwork by juxtaposing solid colours with different coloured tortoiseshells. The Collection features sunglasses in square, cat-eye and round shapes, with opticals in square and round, both with the distinct buckle as the focal point of design.

British Polo Day celebrates its 9th event in Dubai at the Al Habtoor Polo Club & Resort

March 26, 2017Leave a comment

Mr Ghazi Al Madani presenting the plate to to the victorious Bentley Habtoor Polo Team at BPD Dubai- Sam Churchill-17.jpeg

Friday 24^th March 2017: British Polo Day, presented by RJI Capital, returned to Dubai for its 9^th event. The British Polo Day 2017 Series was launched in style with Bear Grylls throwing the first ball of 2017, but British Polo Day began in Dubai in 2009, in partnership with Habtoor Polo. This was the first time that the event was held at the fabulous new St. Regis Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. Some 450 guests and VIPs including Khalaf Al Habtoor, Mohammed Habtoor, Mr Ghazi Al Madani Paddy Meade, 8^th Earl of Clanwilliam , and Randle Siddeley, 4^th Baron Kenilworth came together to celebrate the best of UAE and British traditions.

The UK/UAE Year of Creative Collaboration was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and HRH The Prince of Wales in October 2016, with the aims of increasing the visibility of the UK in the UAE and vice versa in order to give greater focus, depth and contemporary relevance to the long-standing relationship between the two nations. The unique cultural programme has been initiated to strengthen existing relationships and broker new ones between people, institutions and businesses.

The British Polo Days in the UAE provide such a platform, with the best of British and the UAE on display, with Harrods, Bentley, Royal Salute and Hackett all supporting. There was also a chance to introduce the new British Polo Day global partner, Chelsea Barracks, the exceptional new neighborhood development incorporating 5 new garden squares in Belgravia, London, to the guests. Other new partners included VistaJet and YPI Luxury Yachts, further cementing the British Polo Day community.

The event kicked off with a Cavalry v Guards Camel Polo display, a sport that has its biggest annual showcase at British Polo Day. Next followed a bicycle polo demonstration, a sport played in the Olympics over 100 years ago, with players from the regiments of Cavalry and Guards competing in Bentley and St. Regis Dubai Polo Resort and Club Teams respectively for The Thesiger Trophy.

Mohammed Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club said: “It is wonderful to see British Polo Day here at our Polo resort and Club. I was very happy to take part in the forming of this event back in 2009 with my Habtoor Polo organization. I am always glad to see the British Polo Day team come back to Dubai and now I am especially honored to welcome them to our brand new and excellent facilities.

Mohammed Al Habtoor leading his Bentley Habtoor team to victory at BPD Dubai- Sam Churchill-15.jpeg

At 3.15 pm, Stuart Wrigley captained the Oxbridge team, sponsored by Chelsea Barracks, against the Gulf team, sponsored by Vista Jet. RJI Gulf beat Chelsea Barracks with 8 ½ goals to 6.

British Polo Day Dubai’s official prize giving ceremony saw the winning teams collecting the bespoke-commissioned British Silverware British Polo Day trophies presented by Richard Oakes from Chelsea Barracks, James Houghton of British Silverware, and Mr Ghazi Al Madani. The agile Don Juan, ridden by Guillermo Cuitino, was named Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘Best Playing Pony’ by Marc de Panafieu, Brand Director for Middle East.

This completed the British Polo Day UAE events, and everyone is eagerly awaiting the 10^th British Polo Day Dubai in 2018.

*British Polo Day Abu Dhabi took place on

Saturday 18^th March at Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club

The event is presented by RJI Capital, and partnered with Royal Salute, Harrods, Bentley, Chelsea Barracks, VistaJet, YPI Yachts, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hackett London, Justerini & Brooks, Charles Russell Speechlys, Nyetimber, British Silverware, True Luxury Travel, InterContinental Abu Dhabi, Clinova, Taylor Morris Eyewear, DR Harris, Floris, Cassabo and Brompton.

Picturesque landscapes – New Zealand

March 16, 2017Leave a comment

New Zealand has to be one of my top five destinations not because it is on the way home for me when I travel back to Fiji Islands but the terrain truly is breathtaking. From spectacular glaciers, rugged mountains, vast plains, rolling hillsides, subtropical forests, volcanic plateaus to miles of coastline with beautiful sandy beaches.

New Zealand has two main islands, the North Island and the South Island and many smaller islands lie offshore. The country enjoys varied landscape and dramatic geographical features and is a popular location for tourists as well as the production of TV programmes and films, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy.

Maori Culture is an integral part of New Zealand society. Perhaps the most well known piece of Maori culture is the Haka, a Maori war dance that is performed at many important events, including before each All Blacks game of rugby. It is captivating and one of the things we look forward to during the Dubai Rugby 7s.

Like Fiji, Maori culture has roots in the Polynesian islands but Maori natives have their own particular style developed over centuries. Maori people still consider family and community to be paramount and aspects of this can be found in their art, music, dance and dress. Maori men and women are known to tattoo their faces and bodies with beautiful intricate patterns throughout history.

Nature has blessed New Zealand with some spectacular geothermal areas and relaxing hot springs, as well as providing electricity and heating in some areas. Rotorua is the centre of geothermal tourist activity, with plenty of mud pools, geysers, and hot springs in its active thermal areas–not to mention its trademark ‘Sulphur City’ smell.

First settled by Maori who used the hot springs for cooking and bathing, Rotorua soon attracted European residents. The reputed health benefits of its hot pools quickly earned the area the name of ‘Cureland’.

In addition to Rotorua, you can enjoy hot springs and other thermal activity in most regions of the North Island north of Turangi, as well as in Hanmer Springs and the West Coast in the South Island. The sandy beaches on the coast are perfect for swimming, surfing and sunbathing.

If you love nature, visit the Abel Tasman National Park to explore the most beautiful beaches, bays and lush forests NZ has to offer. The Abel Tasman is quite like paradise and New Zealand’s only coastal national park. Enjoy long stretches of deserted golden beaches, turquoise clear waters with a fantastic variety of adventure activities.

For extreme adventure, adrenaline attractions are plenty in New Zealand. You can leap from an airplane for a sky diving experience, get dropped off by a helicopter on unique and rugged terrain and ski the slopes at a dizzying altitude, jump off a bridge or suspension pod attached only by a bungy cord to your ankles, or ride the Nelson Fly by Wire reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour.

New Zealand’s Southern Alps have a number of glaciers, the largest being Tasman glacier, which you can view by taking a short walk from Mount Cook village. New Zealand’s most famous glaciers are the Franz Josef and Fox on the South Island’s west coast.

Health resorts and spas are ideal for spiritual retreats, rejuvenation, beauty treatments or as a getaway to improve your health and well being and New Zealand has plenty of these on both main islands.

If you are in Auckland, drive or take the ferry from Auckland City to historic Devonport, explore the naval caves at North Head, and admire the city view. Spend some time at Cheltenham or Devonport Beach. Browse through the boutique shops and cafes and visit the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, the official museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

If you have kids, they may enjoy the Kelly Tarltons SEALIFE Aquarium. An all-weather visitor attraction, you can see the world’s largest penguin colony, over 30 exhibits and more than 80 different marine species.

For a self-guided tour of Auckland City, visit the Aotea Square, which is used for a myriad of activities including festivals, parades and community events. Auckland’s newest waterfront neighbourhood Wynyard Quarter provides free activities for families in the weekends and school holidays as well.

Weather in New Zealand can change unexpectedly. As New Zealand observes daylight saving, during summer months daylight can last up until 9.30pm. Which can be a good thing, as you do need more hours in the day to explore the many attractions New Zealand has to offer.

KAMAT SHIREEN launches Gifting packages for the festive season

December 28, 2016Leave a comment

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Inspired by the traditional local and international customs of gifting sweets and snacks on special occasions and the end of year festive season, KAMAT SHIREEN has on offer beautifully packaged delights for guests hosting parties to close 2016 or when visiting parties to see the end of year with friends and family.

Under the creative direction of Irfan Gaya, Managing Director of KAMAT SHIREEN, end of year gift boxes and baskets include sweets, savoury products, and can be customised as per customer requirements.

For customers with a sweet tooth, KAMAT Shireen offers ice cream, sweets such as Gulab Jamun, Mango Kalakand that melts in your mouth, colourful and extravagant Anarkali, Barfis, Katlis, Laddoos and Pedas.

Savoury snack connoisseurs will find a perfect mix of savoury, spicy, tangy and sweet, to create an array of delectable Namkeen, including Navratan Mixture and Khatta Meetha are bound to awaken your senses.

Kamat SHIREEN also offers gift vouchers that make excellent wedding gifts, corporate gifts and birthday presents. The brand also offers B2B business opportunities to restaurants, hotels and Cafes looking to incorporate traditional snacks, sweets and ice cream into their menus.

Gift boxes and hampers can be prepared between AED 75/- to AED 150/-.

Paul Smith Announces opening of new store at Mall of the Emirates

December 21, 2016Leave a comment

UK based brand Paul Smith has announced the opening of its new space in the heart of the dynamic Fashion District at Mall of The Emirates, where consumers can now shop the latest in men’s fashion across the brand’s array of collections.

To celebrate the new Paul Smith shop opening, the top regional funk-rock band, Abri & Funk Radius, played tracks that have inspired Sir Paul in his creative process. The tracks were selected from Paul’s series of curated playlists for Apple Music.

Spanning over a total surface area of 140 square meters and sprawled across two curated rooms, the new shop houses men’s ready-to-wear, shoes, and accessories including key product lines such as A Suit To Travel In, seasonal dinosaur-print products and a wide range of suits, shirts and formal accessories.

Lovers of the brand can also shop the newly launched line ‘PS by Paul Smith’, a less formal take on the iconic British designer’s mainline collection, which features tailored sports jackets and polo shirts in a range of bold colors and unique prints. Embracing the label’s classic, laidback sensibility, PS by Paul Smith includes ready-to-wear, footwear, bags, and accessories, all finished with the new circular logo.

PR World Congress comes to Dubai

February 27, 2012Leave a comment

Diva just got an invite to the PR World Congress….normally I would not be so bothered about it as I have done enough courses and attended enough PR conferences to date but this particular one features speakers I know very well or admire, including the ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia (Anwar Ibrahim) whose house I used to go to to break fast as an International IIU student. I used to love dinners with him and listening to him talk to us young things, telling us we were the future leaders of the Muslim world and we could do great things if we followed our heart. He was very hands on as our patron and took great care of us during the month of Ramadan when we were away from family so dinners at his home was always a regular for expat students.

I must say while I love my life the way it is, I don’t think I’ve done justice in doing things the way he as our University patron would have wanted me to do. I was one of the first PR graduates to work in the UAE beginning of 2000 when the industry was just blossoming here and most of my colleagues were marketing people taking on PR as an added extra. Thankfully UAE has matured tremendously since and PR is an industry in its own right and may I add one of the most successful one at this point in time. Hence my regret that I don’t do enough for this discipline that I love and keep wasting my time in areas that get me nowhere.

So all the prep talks we received from Encik Anwar Ibrahim on being the best in the disciplines we were studying for did sink in but I wish I had taken action and focussed on my talent and dreams more instead of being distracted along the way. It is fine and well to live someone else’s dream or do things they feel you are good at but essentially at some stage you need to take a call and focus on the work that you are cut out to do and excel in.

Nonetheless, I am thrilled about the congress. As a publicity chick perhaps I am a little bias, but I’m always so pleased to read that top-level industry leaders are endorsing public relations as one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Its about time people noticed and respected our work.

PR is incredibly powerful because of the highly trusted third-party endorsements of media organisations of stories that make a difference – in my opinion, you just can’t beat it. For now, I hope I get to attend some of the congress. The last time I tried attending something of significance like this, I was slumbered at my desk doing stuff I should not have been doing in any event so the episode left diva not very impressed. There is a reason why we have support staff to do the mundane stuff. This time round the world can go to pot as my 2012 resolution is to do what I love and PR is my first love above everyone and everything else!

Globalista Extraordinaire

TEEN lifestyle in the UAE, SPAIN, UK and FIJI ISLANDS

Tag: PR