Sunday, June 29, 2008

More Cheese, Please!

Brunch is, I am learning, an institution in Dubai. Not for Dubai a simple coffee and fry up mid-morning. No, these are lavish all-day affairs with tables laden with food and free-flowing champagne. I’m beginning to understand why everyone warns you about the ‘Dubai Stone’ when you arrive here. A combination of fine food, wine, and not much physical activity (you can’t walk anywhere and you’re too tired to go to the gym when you get in from work at 8 pm!) can lead to a pesky extra stone that’s hard to shift.

Anyway, we had our first brunch experience this weekend. A slightly more restrained affair than some of the all-dayers, this was from 6-9 in the lovely Qamardeen Hotel (incidentally walking distance from our new flat, hurrah!) And, the brunch was themed – around cheese! Unlimited wine and cheese for 3 hour s- my idea of heaven. My arteries’ idea of imminent death.

A very civilised way to spend a day off, and just long enough not to completely ruin your next day off. Which I spent having a back and shoulder massage at the Shangri-la Spa. If this sounds too decadent I did manage to fit in two trips to the gym, and next weekend is likely to be spent doing very dull ‘moving-into-the-new-flat’ type jobs. That’s my justification!

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