arMani Junior ChilDren
Map p216; (1st fl; Dubai Mall, Financial Centre
rd) This iconic designer name has intro-
duced a fabulous range for children with
classic tea dresses, timeless knits, stylish
formal wear for tots and some funky fun
swimwear as well.
Taharan persian carpeTs &
anTiques GiFTS
Map p216 (www.pch.ae; 1st fl, Souq al-bahar, old
Town island, next to Dubai Mall) The name is mis-
leading, because although it sells carpets
and a handful of antiques, there are also
some superb Iranian decorative items in-
cluding delicately carved boxes made from
gorgeous peacock-coloured turquoise,
as well as blue decorative plates, fancy
stained-glass lamps and plenty of colourful
silver jewellery and trinkets.
Gold & diaMond parK JeWellery
(Sheikh Zayed rd; h10am-10pm Sat-Thu, 4-10pm
Fri) A cooler alternative to the Deira Gold
Souq in the summer months, air-conditioned
Gold & Diamond Park, located near Inter-
change No 4 and the First Gulf Bank metro
stop, houses some 90 retailers in an Arabian-
style building. Don’t forget to bargain.
bouleVard aT JuMeirah
eMiraTes ToWers Mall
Map p216 (www.boulevarddubai.com; Sheikh Za-
yed rd; h10am-10pm Sat-Thu, 2-10pm Fri) If you
feel as though you’re being watched, you
probably are. Emirates Towers is the loca-
tion of Sheikh Mohammed’s offices, and the
secret police are everywhere. Dress appro-
priately and keep your voice down as you
nose around exclusive designer boutiques
like Bulgari, Cartier and Zegna. At day’s
end, sip chardonnay at Agency, sing ka-
raoke at Harry Ghatto’s or dine on stylish
British grub at the Ivy.
2
SportS &
activitiESMeydan racecourse horSe raCinG
off Map p216 (%04-327 0077; http://www.meydan.ae/
racecourse; al-Marqadh) A passionate love of
Arabian thoroughbreds courses through
the blood of Emiratis, and Dubai-based
Godolphin (www.godolphin.com) stables are
well known to horse-racing enthusiasts
worldwide. Racing season starts in Novem-
ber with the 10-week Winter Racing Chal-
lenge, but doesn’t heat up until January,
when Dubai International Racing Carnival
gets under way. It culminates in late March
with the elite dubai World cup, the world’s
richest horse race, with prize money of a
dizzying US$10 million.
Dubai racing’s new home is spectacu-
lar Meydan racecourse, located about
5km southwest of Sheikh Zayed Rd. It has
a futuristic stadium with a grandstand
bigger than most airport terminals. Span-
ning 1.6km, it has a solar- and titanium-
panelled roof, can accommodate up to
60,000 spectators and integrates a five-
star hotel, the Sky Bubble 360° vista res-
taurant and an IMAX theatre. There’s a
free-admission area where dress is casual.
For the grandstand you’ll need tickets and
should dress to the nines. For the exact
racing schedule and tickets, check the web-
site of dubai racing club (www.dubairacing
club.com). Even if you don’t like horse racing,
attending a race presents great people-
watching opportunities.
To get here, take the 2nd interchange
from Sheikh Zayed Rd, turn left onto Al-
Meydan Rd and follow the signs.hoW To ‘do’ dubai MallDubai Mall is a shopper’s Shangri-La
but it’s so huge that it’s all rather be-
wildering� Don’t be intimidated: make
your first order of business to pick up a
map from one of 18 information desks
strategically positioned near entrances
and throughout the four floors� These
are also staffed with friendly, English-
speaking folk who are happy to point
you in the right direction� Alternatively,
you can use the interactive electronic
store finders to show you the way to
a particular store� Like many malls,
Dubai Mall is busiest on Thursday night
and Friday after 4pm, so avoid these
times if you don’t like crowds� There’s
a free shuttle service and newer San
Francisco–style trolley bus that run to
select area hotels – pick up a timetable
at an information desk� Wi-fi is free as
well, but for now you need a united
Arab Emirates (uAE) mobile-phone
number to register for the service�s
heikh Zayedr
oa
d &a
ro
undSporTS
&(^) aC
T
iV
iT
ie
S