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Banana leaf, buckets and #puso… How’s 2014 for Filipinos in Dubai

Ion
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This is a year when many “Filipino thingy” happened in Dubai. Here’s rounding up the highlights of the activities, events and everything about 2014 for the community:

Foods #KainanNa

Boodle fight dining is a winner this year in terms of Pinoy cravings.

There’s this good news at the start of 2014 that the number one and real Jollibee food chain franchise will be opening stores in Dubai this year. Whatever happened to that?  Well I asked Jollibee about it and they assured that I’ll know it once concrete details become available. #PR

Good thing, Tapa King opens.

Many of us craved and eventually went to have boodle fight style dining.

Seafood in a Bucket was a big hit this year.

Juice World proved to be an unsung Dubai wonder as many of us became tourists of its unique and fruity store decorations  (in addition to buying liters of avocado shake).

Sports #LabanPilipinas #Puso


We cheered our hearts out at the Al Ahli Stadium for a week to support the underdog Batang Gilas Pilipinas team as they compete against the world’s best young basketball talent in the FIBA Under 17 World Championships.

We participated in various running events, fun run such as The Color Run and marathons like Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, Dubai Women’s run and recently, the Nike #WeRunDXB.  Huge chunk of the participants are Pinoys.

Pinoy Pride 27 boxing event in Dubai World Trade Centre allowed us to witness triple Filipino victories in Genesis “Azukal” Servania, Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista, and “King” Arthur Villanueva against their foes.

Negotiations about the dream bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather being held in Dubai were rumored to have started this year. #RUMOR

Manila Mavericks participated in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) which had its final leg in Dubai. The Mavericks were led by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Daniel Nestor and Kirsten Flipkens. Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray played for the Philippine team in the Manila leg.

Social Media #PinoyNetizens

We had our share of the Ice Bucket Challenge. We gave support to the studies being done to discover cure for ALS.

We had fun in Make-up Transformation memes.

Flappy Bird got us frustrated when we cannot advance further.

Gadget #SelfiePod

Our servers and waiters couldn’t be happier as they need not to take our photos anymore. Thanks to the trendy selfie pods! This year, you have at least one friend who bought a selfie pod.

Entertainment and Media #PinoyConcerts

ASAP gave us a super treat with 2 full shows at the beginning of 2014

Return of the Pinoy Rock – Bamboo returned and rocked Dubai as he always do. Rivermaya, Kamikazee and Gloc-9’s were also huge.

Sarah G closed the big concerts this year with her Perfect 10 Tour.

Another Filipino publication, The Filipino Times, launched their free print version.


Entrepreneurship #CakeBusiness

This beautiful cake was baked and decorated by our good friend Jennifer Ann Nepomuceno.  

We know at least one housewife from our circle of friends who have started her cake / cupcake business this year.

Others #BuhayOFW

Online OEC application was launched. The consulate has also greatly encouraged us this year to apply for OEC in the Philippines.

Let’s bring more cheers, more celebrations and a consistent positive mindset on to 2015.  More “very Filipino” things promise to come our way next year.

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Did I miss anything? Appreciate if you could put it in the comment below.

Boy Dubai, the story of the storyteller

Ion
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Boy Dubai, the story of the storyteller

From a serial blogger to a perspective storyteller and thought leader in the digital influence media

Ion Gonzaga is a no-nonsense authority blogger and storyteller in Dubai. One of the pioneer bloggers in the UAE, Boy Dubai instantly became a household name because of its catchy name attributing to its connection to the Filipino slang prefix, “boy“ – which means a master of something.

He started BoyDubai.com in 2011 with a simple desire to share his personal experiences about living in Dubai – what to eat, where to go, and what’s happening. Little did he know that his stories quickly became very relevant to many OFWs.

10 times to Kish, Qesh, Oman 

He came to Dubai in 2006 and had a horrendous experience of being locked in a room by his first boss. He also did 10 exasperating visa runs to Kish, Qeshm Island, and Oman before eventually finding better employment. There were a couple of nights when he was forced to sleep on a bug-infested carpet in a cheap hotel because there were no more rooms available. All that just to avoid staying outside in the scorching summer heat while waiting for his visa.

He had terrifying harassment encounters with vulgar and groping cab drivers. He experienced horror one night when he was chased by a group of men with a metal tube in a small street in Jumeirah.

He experienced delayed salaries for up to 3 months. Twice he went to the Ministry of Labor and won off-court settlements with his non-paying employers.

He experienced being scammed and being jobless for a long period of time.

These are just some of the Side-B stories, that people don’t see in my blog posts.

Sampaguita Vendor’s Dream

Ion, who has very humbling childhood experiences of selling used bottles, old newspapers, and cartons for pennies, being a Sampaguita flower vendor on the sidewalks of Sta. Cruz, Laguna, fish ball and ice candy vendor in San Pedro, a delivery boy of bread and native delicacies in Mindoro, grew up with a desire to work in the media so he could share his life story to inspire people. He is a frustrated broadcaster.

He did not study mass communications. The lack of opportunity led to him creating his own opportunity through the blog. He didn’t have formal training in writing yet he pursued doing what he loved to do. The people he met along the way, fellow bloggers and mentors, the books and blogs he read, and the videos and podcasts he listened to were instrumental in developing his blogging skills.

His early experiences of living away from his family are what encouraged Ion to create Boy Dubai. He was left in Mindoro in his last year in grade school. He was also not staying with his family in his last year in high school.

Opening of Doors

Eventually, the blog opened a lot of doors. He was invited to become a monthly contributor to Illustrado, one of the emerging lifestyle magazines in the UAE. Because of the blog, he was hired as a freelancer to write commercial scripts for TAG 91.1, the first Filipino radio station in Dubai.

One of his biggest breaks was when he represented Dubai in the World Bloggers Day Celebration. He has been a resource speaker for many blog and social media-related talks, one of them being the Geekfest Conference where he delivered a talk about the power and influence of blogging. He was also once a representative of the UAE for Blog Action Day.

His activities lead him to meet top personalities and inspiring celebrities he looks up to – whom he never imagined he’d be able to talk to one day. Some of the notable ones were Kobe Bryant, Don Moen, Nick Vujicic, and recently our very own Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.

Vlogging

Today, he does a weekly vlog called, “Walk-in with Boy Dubai” where he shares an inspiring conversation with a guest about a topic so close to the Filipino expat’s heart. He aims to give encouragement to people by highlighting stories that are typically untapped, yet have the elements to empower his viewers.

He still blogs about life, surviving Dubai, struggles and successes in the workplace, challenges of being away from home, and some bits on health, fitness, events principles, and wisdom to live by.

Recognition

The UK-based restaurant Ping Pong Dim Sum first took him as an ambassador in 2011. He’s also chosen as an ambassador for Samsung Galaxy Tab, LG 3D mobile, and Huawei P8.

He was named into the 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf for 3 consecutive years – 2015, 2016, and 2017.

In 2017, Boy Dubai was recognized inside the Top 100 Dubai Blogs, and Top 50 Dubai Lifestyle Blogs. This year, it is listed within the Top 10 Dubai Lifestyle Blog category.

Boy Dubai was nominated for du Social Media Awards 2013 and Ahlan Awards 2015.

Boy Dubai, on Influence

Ion believes that “our influence must make sense.”

He cannot and will never brag about his number of followers, but he believes that no matter how many followers you have, as long as your content creates an impact on even one life, that makes a huge difference already. You’ll never know how much that ‘one life’ can reach and eventually pass the lessons gained.

For Ion, accountability to his readers and followers is very important. There must be a significant reason why people follow people, so it is just right to consistently provide substantial content aligned with what the followers are expecting.

Personal

Ion is a husband to Raqz Gonzaga, and a father to Aya (6) and Savin (newborn).

He works as a Digital Transformation Consultant (UX) in a global digital agency. Previously, he worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Emirates Airline for 4 years.

He is also a social entrepreneur. Their e-commerce business, Eternitee provides customers the opportunity to inspire and encourage people by wearing stylish shirts with wisdom-filled messages printed on them.

Above everything, Ion believes that this platform is his avenue to keep sharing stories about the goodness and kindness and the loving grace of God in his life.

Contact Boy Dubai

Do you think we can work together? Please send me an email to stories@boydubai.com. WhatsApp 0565494470

Thank you.

Chuck E. Cheese’s Opens in Oud Metha, Dubai

Ion
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We brought our 2-year old daughter to the newly opened children’s play center and family dining destination in Dubai.

Chuck E. Cheese’s which originated from the US in 1970s, is on a mission to bring loads of fun and healthy activities to children in the Emirates. The newly opened venue in Oud Metha sticks to a longstanding belief in building venues where a kid can be a kid while parents kick back and do what we do best.

The facade itself speaks loads of fun already that the kid in me can’t wait to get off the car and run inside. It’s great that there’s an ample parking space in the vicinity.

Upon entry, we were stamped with an invisible mark that is part of their Kid Check® area – every member of a group, kids and adults, gets a unique arm stamp and kid sticker that is verified upon exit to ensure that the families that come together, leave together… happy; no child should be taken by another party. Superb idea! How about that for couples?

It’s a huge play and dining area with over 700 seats and lots of wholesome fun skill games and arcades, for kids and toddlers, big and small, and the young at heart. Best is, it’s just ONE TOKEN PER GAME.

Dining options are mostly American – pizzas, buffalo wings, nuggets and freshly stocked salad bar.  There are also Token Packages in the menu. The best option is to take any of the Value Deals where you get pizzas, drinks and loads of tokens.

We ordered Value Deal No.4, 2 large pizzas (all meat and super combo), 6 soft drinks and 100 GAME TOKENS – yeah, tokens for the win! 🙂

Food is great. Love the ‘zas! The buffalo wings are a mix of spicy and mild.

There’s a separate coffee and desserts counter. The dining tables surround the area on the side and in front of the stage. The place is very clean and orderly – something that you wouldn’t normally expect in an ‘arcade’ environment.

The party halls are at the second level. They boasts the biggest kiddie birthday party venue in UAE.

Honestly, we could only take few bites because of the excitement to play. So after inspecting the whole area, we played every game the little one would seem to enjoy (and those that would return loads of tickets too).

But man, she spent most of her time on shooting the ducks with water gun! Haven’t seen her had this great time in a game. She’s so focused playing and would always ask me to put another token in. Seeing our baby enjoy this much is double the fun for us (even though we only get 2 tickets in return of every token she plays.)

She also had lots of fun playing different ‘ball’ games. I had my moment shooting basketball!

There were also plenty of mascot appearances. Chuck E. and the crew including Helen, Henny, Jasper T. Jowls, Mr. Munch and Pasqually are constantly playing along and hanging out with the kids.

A sing and dance showdown happens very frequently too. They round-up the area parading and inviting kids to come along and follow them to the stage for some video shows and dancing.

After every round of performance, they throw up tickets for the kids (and mommies) to pick as many as they can.

In the end, we’ve totaled 448 tickets!  This is the highlight of the day, we’ve got to choose prizes equivalent to the number of tickets.  There’s a lot of merchandise to choose from. If not for the ducks, I’m sure we could have gotten more, haha! But we redeemed 3 small yet fun toys in exchange.  Not bad at all! The little one… VERY HAPPY!  The wife, HAPPIER!  The dad, still munching the pizzas on the way home.

Indeed, at Chuck E Cheese’s, a kid can be a kid, and it’s where awesome parents go.

Definitely this was one of the best outing we had. Can’t wait for our next magical visit.  We’ll bring more of her friends for sure!

Chuck E.Cheese’s is at Oud Metha Plaza  Buildings, close to Enoc. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

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UNBLOGGABLES – The moment she saw Chuck E. at the entrance, she’s shouting Mickey! Mickey! We had to tell our daughter that not all mouse names are Mickey. Now she know! | I’m pretty sure parents of toddlers would appreciate if the soft play area would have an expansion. As you know, the kids of this age love to roam, climb and run around wider spaces – and wider spaces means dads and moms would also be in the area to support and facilitate their little ones.

Hashtag Filipino Christmas in Dubai, Hashtag Homesick

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How we strive to bring the true Christmas spirit.

My Illustrado article – No colorful street lights, lanterns and decorations, but Christmas trees at the malls and hotels are vying for the biggest, tallest and costliest record.

Filipinos overseas are the most excited people in the world with regards to preparation for Christmas. As early as September we decorate the walls with lanterns and setup the Christmas tree.

There’s the Simbang Gabi for the religious. But unlike in the Philippines, the mass is held around 8 or 9 in the evening – because there are only very few parishes in the country and most Filipinos had to go early to work.The essence of offering the sacrifice of waking up early in the morning is replaced by the sacrifice to stay up late for the mass after a stressful day at work.

Also, there are no genuine puto bumbong and tsokolate outside the church.

In Dubai, hotel brunches, dinner, staycations, Santa grottos and Western-styled Christmas souks are some popular ways to celebrate Christmas.

But the Filipino community won’t just settle for those. They have another idea of being festive. The sentimental Pinoy brings in more Christmas spirit and the feel of “being at home” in parties. Preparing noche buena may not be the same compared back home but it will still be a feast. Exchange gifts, Christmas carols, upbeat and fun parlor games for young and old are shoo-ins.

Because nothing replaces being with the loved ones, and this season is still very much about reunions, the party is not limited to those in attendance alone. It’s a must that the webcam is streaming live on Skype.

Everyone’s holding on to their smartphones. Since we can’t go knock on our old neighbors door to door, we poke them and send greeting cards on Facebook. Instead of the traditional exchange of “handa” we post pictures of our foods on Instagram to let the world know what’s on our table, hashtag #kainanNa.

The star substitute! Here, in lieu of the real lechon, there are lechon rolls that can be ordered via Facebook.

How about gifts to our family and friends back home? There’s really no last minute Christmas shopping atmosphere here. Actually if balikbayan box is your thing, you’ve already finished shopping by November. In lieu of that, many godparents these days shop at Amazon or other online stores to get the deals gifts delivered to the Philippines instantly. And instead of cash on envelop, they send Paypal money to their dear godchildren, hashtag #NamamaskoPo.

And who says we can’t have group photos? Thanks to picture collage apps we get to put our celebration photos in one.The next day, we’re already sharing fun Youtube videos of our parties on Twitter with hashtag #ChristmasInDubai and more.

Filipinos could be the most connected people on earth on Christmas.

We can definitely strive to make our Christmas as merry as to how we celebrate back home. But, we will never get used to this. Never. Before we close our eyes on Christmas eve, a tear or buckets of it may have fallen unexpectedly. Still, nothing replaces being in the Philippines for Pasko.

#Homesick

Get your copies now to read more articles and take pride about how Pinoy-style Christmas is da best! Merry Christmas everyone!

Google launches a heartwarming video for Filipinos abroad

Ion
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Yesterday at the Metro, I heard a mom talking to her child in the Philippines. She was smiling and so excited…

“Oh, kumusta Christmas party nyo ‘nak?”
“Wow marunong ka nang sumayaw…”
“Miss ka na ni mommy…”
At the end of the conversation is a gasp, a deep sigh and a silent sob.
Whew! #BuhayOFW
This morning, I saw this very touching video launched by Google dedicated to Filipinos abroad.
#MissNothing – that’s what Google wants every Pinoy overseas to feel in this very heartwarming, touching campaign.
The video shows how we strive to live and work abroad and how emotional we become when we pause for some moments to remember our loved ones we dearly miss back home.

#SAPUL

Google also launched Google Balikbayan – a portal for us overseas Filipinos to connect and to hang out. Visit this URL http://g.co/balikbayan.

8 highs and 8 lows in my 8 years in Dubai

Ion
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8 highs and 8 lows in my 8 years in Dubai
 
 

Before I even step afoot here in Dubai, I told myself to just give it 2 years max and I’ll return home. Without any idea of what’s waiting for me in the land of gold, I was firm on my stand. I could’ve saved enough by that time, I said. TWO YEARS LANG.

I was so busy enjoying my life in the Philippines when my dad called me up (and my mom) to visit Dubai and eventually find work and stay with him. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave what I was passionately doing back then. I was building a startup web development business; I was happily leading a youth-oriented program, Voice of the Youth Radio and the group, VOTY.  We have many plans – to change the country, really, one man at a time.  We’re doing rounds of community missions – local and international, campus tours, radio and TV appearances to promote our advocacy – we were encouraging and inspiring the youth to make a difference.  We were about to have our own TV show. It’s kinda not easy to let go all of those stuffs and jump to foreign land clueless.

To cut the long story short, I was eventually convinced to “try” it… for the family.  Dubai was so beautiful, safe and full of promise, and there’s always a kabayan in every corner and street so it would be easy to get along I guess. The number of active Filipino communities surprise me.

I’ve slowly embraced the lifestyle of an average expat amidst the glamorous aura of the Emirates. I’ve also learned to accept what it can’t give me.  And as I discover and get to know UAE more, I’ve fallen in love with the country. Philippines remain my first love and UAE my beloved mistress – put it that way.

There were significant shares of ups and downs along the road… achievements, heartbreaks, challenges. I have crossed-out some on my bucket list and still happily chasing the rest in it.

Let me share 8 random highlights of my stay in Dubai, and 8 low points that actually became springboard to better grounds.

8 HIGHLIGHTS

  1. Finance. I have no credit card til this date and we’re happy. Okay, okay, I’m using one, but it’s a prepaid card – which I only top up whenever I need to purchase something online. So I don’t really consider it as a CREDIT card.
  2. Speaking. I was a representative of World Bloggers Day for UAE, and a guest speaker at Geekfest Dubai 2.0 – talked about ‘Being a Relevant Blogger and Influencer.’
  3. Family. Married and now I have a 2 year old girl, and a daddy blog. The story of our engagement and marriage was featured in Gulf News and ABS-CBN’s Star Studio.
  4. Fan mode. (1) Been to 2 historic Eraserheads reunion concerts and side by side with Filipino music icons Bamboo and Ely Buendia. Actually 3 Eraserheads reunions including one in Manila. (2) With my idol NBA superstar Kobe Bryant in one roof and being able to ask him a question that brought the house into laughter is one for the books, and (3) Seeing tennis superstars Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, the Williams sisters and the lovely Ana Ivanovic. Fan mode I told you.
  5. Passion. Commissioned to write radio ad scripts for TAG 91.1. I always wanted to be involved in the radio by any means, to somehow continue where I left off in Manila, and will always be very thankful for the opportunity. (Ano kayang bagay sa bagoong rice…)  
  6. Investment. We have completed our own lot in Antipolo, Philippines in just 2 years.
  7. Learning. Completed a short course on Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship by Ateneo School of Government. Also completed a mastermind session about 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Team John Maxwell. And 2 other diplomas in IT.
  8. Writing. I became a regular contributor to the premier Filipino lifestyle magazine, Illustrado; and a few contributions in other Filipino publications in the past.

There are quite more but I had to stick to 8. Running close next is how happy I am to be able to share my talents as a volunteer – creating websites for various causes and advocacies for charities and NGOs in the region.

And, I launched BoyDubai, got recognized and nominated around the world – I guess that’s the ultimate starter.  And did you notice that my mainline wasn’t in the highlights? Yeah, noticed that too. 🙂

I’m thankful also that we joined the CFC community. It’s like having a huge extended family.

8 LOW POINTS

  1. Got locked up in a room by my boss of a job I got within 2 weeks upon arriving in Dubai.  I was stupid to not know it was happening right away. I had a verbal tussle with him over the phone and never returned the next day.  His reason? I was still on visit visa and not allowed to work, so he’d better lock me up to be safe from baladiya.
  2. Had 10 visa runs – 7 in Kish, one each in Qeshm, Salalah and Muscat. Had to settle once to sleep in a stinky carpeted hotel floor in Kish due to unavailability of rooms.  Had to eat salty rice because they use salt water to wash/cook it.
  3. Had a fight with a cab driver after an attempted grope. These cabbies are so proud that they know how to call our genitals in Tagalog and thought they’d get along. Some stupid kababayans unnecessarily share these nasty stuffs to them.
  4. Business birthing pains. No salary for 6 consecutive months – Well, that’s part of the risk I agreed to take when we started a small IT business.  Eventually I decided to go back to corporate world as I still need to support my family then.
  5. Filed employment dispute complaints to Ministry of Labor twice (both about delay of salary) and won on both occasions – off-the-court settlements – that was after I got a word from POLO OWWA discouraging me to pursue my plan because according to them I WILL NEVER WIN. Happy camper.
  6. After the disputes, I resigned and eventually jobless for 7 months.I was depending on the wife… nah! not really. Thanks to the gratuities and savings, and her salary. But thankfully during this period, I got quite a good number of freelance works as well.
  7. Wrong investment. I put my money in a networking business scheme which is not really my forte. Never got it back. I don’t deem these businesses, it’s just not really for me.
  8. “Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
All these valuable experiences and the success stories happen because of my dad. I’m glad I heed his call. I’ll always be thankful.
 
So will I go back to the Philippines anytime soon? No. Not yet. I have various ways to connect and reach out anyway. 

Photo from unsplash

15 ways to spot Filipinos in Dubai

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They say everyone’s attitude, activities and culture that defines a nationality shows up strongly especially when living in another country.

This list points out the funny, witty and proud (and not-so-proud) characters of Filipinos in UAE – this, somehow, is a tribute to my kabayans.

So how to spot a Filipino?

1. A Philippine flag sticker in the car – You can never take away a Filipino from a Filipino wherever he may be. This shows how proud he is of his roots.

or 3 stars and a sun

or family roll call

2. A pantry in the drawer – because we eat 5 (or 6? 7?) times a day.

3. Gravy is a must if eating KFC – Not ketchup. Gravy is free and overflowing in KFC Philippines. Here, a small cup costs AED3.

4. Pinoy ketchup dip – No need for a dip actually because the ketchup goes to the tissue

5. Deck the walls as early as September – Filipinos have the longest Christmas celebration and festivities. Thus, the Christmas trees and other decors are out as early as September.

6. PacMan Leave – Filipinos are either late or on “sick leave” whenever Manny Pacquiao fights. Many don’t want to watch replays or get contented with updates via Twitter / Facebook. The world boxing icon definitely has a solid following in the country.

7. Videoke belters.  House parties come to life with videoke, that’s why it’s a “must have” for many Filipino households.

8. That court is ours! – Basketball runs in the blood. Almost every basketball court in the UAE has it’s own community league dominated by Pinoys.

9. Sun shield – Using umbrellas when sunny isn’t a popular thing here in UAE. But many Filipinos, especially ladies, covers up against the sun to protect their skin and “to avoid ‘getting dark’ (tanned).”  Sayang ang kojic, papaya and placenta.

10. Huge carton boxes as luggage – These boxes are called “balikbayan box.” It means, returning expat’s luggage. It is usually filled with grocery items, toiletries, apparel, shoes, small home appliances and/or gadgets.

11. Hotel toiletries are souvenirs – Many Filipinos love keepsakes. There should always be anything from a place or event that they’d take home as a remembrance – even if it’s the complimentary toiletries supplies.

12. Qualified purchasing engineers – “My friend give me discount”

13. Play charade with the waiter when asking for the bill – Filipinos draw an invisible rectangle when asking for the bill.

14. Network admins – Many Filipinos these days are growing their fortune in ‘networking.’ Network marketing that is. They give “business opportunity” another meaning. If a not-so-close friend suddenly invites you for a coffee or dinner… alam na! Many of them are “kidnappers.”

15. O, wacky! – In taking pictures, there should always be two snaps – one proper and one wacky (special mention, jump shot).

* Most photos are found from Google Image search and remain copyrights of their respective owners.

Barrio Fiesta introduces new menu additions

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One of the most favorite Filipino restaurant in Dubai celebrates it’s 5th anniversary. The Original Barrio Fiesta invited us to a dinner along with media and other guests.

Aside from the traditional favorites, some of the incoming new items on the menu were served and introduced to us.

The new additions boast of a taste that not only meet the Filipino tongue but the international communities preferences as well.

Pancit Ivatan is a Batanes original. The name is derived from one of the province’s tribal groups, Ivatans. Batanes is an island province at the northernmost part of the Philippines.  The dish is a combination of thick and thin noodles with fried egg and crispy chicken shreds on top.  The taste of onion is obvious.  It is served sizzling.

The Baked Mussels are covered with butter and cheesy garlic flavor, topped with more fried garlic and spring onion cuts. The mussels are fresh, fluffy and tender and big enough for its size. Very appetizing.

Sinuglaw – the name was derived from 2 famous cooking methods in Visayas and Mindanao, southernmost part of the Philippines – Sugba means ‘to grill,’ and ‘kinilaw‘ or ‘kilawin‘ means to cook by soaking into vinegar. Barrio Fiesta’s version is a marriage of grilled chicken (in lieu of liempo) and tuna kinilaw.  I’m not a huge fan of the latter, but surprisingly, the vinegar flavor is not so strong that it brought joy to my tummy.

Lechon Bangus, or the household favorite grilled milk fish, is lean and is seasoned very carefully. Though a bit dry, it is not burnt and not bland.

The Thai Steamed Fish in Lime and Chili tastes like steamed Lapu-lapu.  The green chili flavor sinks in but it doesn’t make the whole of it spicy. It’s a bit gingery. Love it!

The Singaporean Chili Crab, one of the most popular crab dish around the world, is satisfying enough. However, the crab looks more like a blue or white sea crab rather than the typical mud crab. Nevertheless, the piquant red sauce gives a good balance of sweet and spice.

The Revised Kare-Kare.  Honestly, I still haven’t figured out what exactly was “revised” in the dish other than the white claypot. Kare-kare is one of Barrio Fiesta’s signature dish and this revised one still meets the expectation.  The tangy Filipino curry sauce remains very flavorful of peanut oil, adding the shrimp paste in it is just mouthwatering.

Another old favorite on the table is this Sinisig na Balat ng Manok.  Anybody who dines at Barrio Fiesta would die for this scrumptious starter (or main).  It is a crispy fried chicken skin in mild soya sauce, topped with onions, green chili and mayo. Heavenly!

My wife loves the seafood treats the most, and Pancit Ivatan goes to her highly recommended list.

So next time you go to the Original Barrio Fiesta in Burjuman, try out some of these marvelous and lip smacking new dishes.

Motorists in Dubai will leave their cars at home for this reason

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Photo: Emirates247
If Public Transport Day or Car-free Day fails to lure car owners to commute, this latest initiative in Dubai will surely make them drool and eventually make them leave their cars at home. Well at least I could.
Dubai Motor Festival will showcase a fleet of AED10 million worth of luxury cars including a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 458, Rolls Royce Ghost, Bentley Conti GT Flying Spur and a Mercedes G Class limo to ferry tourist and resident commuters across Dubai FOR FREE as part of the festival.

The high-end service will operate for 10 hours a day during the weekends of November 21-22, November 28-29, and December 5-6.

The cars are mounted with taxi sign. They will be deployed in high-footfall areas such as malls, the airport and tourist landmarks – which makes me imagine the huge crowd it could draw.

Photos courtesy of Emirates 247 and 7Days

Persian Dinner with Finding the Universe Blogger in Shayan

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I was ushered into a private room and saw this guy in a beige chesterfield-like coat with hair on dreadlocks and ponytail, and a Canon EOS 6D on his side of the long table.

It was Laurence Norah, photographer and blogger of FindingTheUniverse.com and president-elect of Professional Travel Bloggers Association. He is also a founding member of photography collective Light Moves Creative. Super cool guy!

Al Ghurair Rayhaan Rotana Hotel hosted a dinner forum for media and bloggers with Laurence, the esteemed guest.  It was an informal dialog about travel, blogging, Laurence and his developing relationship with Dubai.

We were welcomed with a glass of Doogh, a salted yoghurt drink with mint. As the Iranian bread and starters arrived at the table, the conversations get deeper. My favorite fried eggplant in special aged curd called Kashk E Bademjan spiced up the appetizers. Also first on the table are Mirza Ghasemi, grilled eggplant mixed with fried egg and tomato – my second favorite, and the traditional Salad Shirazi, a salad mixed with cucumber, onion, virgin olive oil and lime juice.

Laurence was born in UK but spent significant years of his childhood in Seychelles.

He took a leap of faith by quitting his corporate job in IT to literally explore the universe, the earth at least. In 2010, together with his girlfriend, Vera, they started the blog FindingTheUniverse. He shares his adventures, fun experiences, traveling tips and photography that has essentially inspired a lot of readers and fellow bloggers since. The name was inspired by his favorite author’s common use of “universe” in book titles. Hence, the blog is about exploring the universe, and finding themselves in it.

In the middle of interesting conversation, the mains were served. There was a lamb stew called Gheymeh Bademjan, which is prepared with lentils, tomatoes and fried eggplant (again). Now we can say that Iranians are fond of eggplant in their recipes. In fact, it is known as the “potato of Iran.”

We also had a grill platter with skewer of marinated chicken on the bone with saffron sauce called Joojeh Kabab Bedone Ostokhan; beef tenderloin cuts marinated with yoghurt, saffron and persian spices called Tikke Masti; and minced lamb skewers with persian spices and grated onions called Chelo Kabab Kubideh.

As far as he remembers, it was Laurence first time to try Persian cuisine and he enjoys it. We all do, especially the grill platter. The kebabs are well done and juicy. There’s no rancid taste in it at all.

The taste stays in my memory, their names, umm, well I could better memorize the description I guess.

One of the perks about being a world-class travel blogger is that he often gets invited to speak in seminars and conferences about blogging and photography. Just recently, he was a guest speaker at the Arabian Travel Market here in Dubai.

He is well-traveled in Europe, in Central America, the US and Africa, and would be interested to explore more of Asia and the Middle East.

There were a lot of random conversation towards him. My Yellow Bells blogger Carla, was able to get logical and practical answers about her questions related to travel blogging.

Laurence has not only shared, but has educated us in a lot of insights beyond travel and photography. We talked about blogging in general. He agrees to the common struggles of bloggers, and he shares some of his ways to get through them. He generously gave tips and shared some points about his writing style.

Then a sweet ending to a very fruitful night courtesy of Bastani Zaferani, the dessert. It is a traditional saffron ice cream seasoned with pistachios that leaves a perfect chilly, nutty and a little bit minty flavor in the mouth.

Awesome night! Thanks Al Ghurair Rayhaan. 

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