Fitness Is A Lifestyle, And Dubai Municipality Is Making It Happen: Dubai, Get Ready To Walk

There’s never an excuse to be unfit, especially with the Dubai Municipality stepping forward to assist the Emirates Arthritis with the ‘Walking Track’ initiative. This has been established to promote walking as an easy and economical way to stay fit and people can easily build it into their daily lives. Dubai Municipality has provided residents with safe and accessible walking routes in urban and rural contexts. No more excuses for laziness ‘Dubai’; this is affordable, budget-free, safe, and soon to be a part of your lifestyle!

Besides promoting the well-being of its residents, Dubai Municipality has dedicated a charity walk to raise funds for Emirates Arthritis Foundation (EAF) by capitalizing on people’s desire to help as well as get in shape. Most people have heard of Arthritis but very few know what this disease actually is about; it is known to be a life changing disease, where day-to-day errands can be of great challenge. The intention of the Emirates Arthritis Foundation (EAF) Walkathon is to raise awareness and generate a knowledge base while highlighting the importance of Arthritis, and how the commonly heard disease can affect your daily lives.

In addition to the ‘walking track’ initiative and the EAF walkathon, Dubai Municipality intends to issue targets and statistics as part of the ‘walking health program’; aiming to get an increasing percentage of Dubai walking more steps daily by the end of 2011. Dubai Municipality also intends to create an alliance with the Ministry of Health in order to raise the fact that walkers have less incidences of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases; they live longer and receive greater mental health benefits.

It is a simple equation:

1 City x 14 Walking Tracks = A Healthier Community.
1 walkathon = donation that improves a patient’s health and their fight against arthritis.

Emirates Arthritis Foundation’s ambassadors will be walking for this great cause too. Namely, Katrina Thornely, Barkha Shewakramani, Elham AlQasimi, Simone Heng, Stephanie Lewis, Mamta Tahilramani, Jacqueline Parker Lewis, Rohini Gehani, Salina Handa, and Danielle Wilson.

Please join the Emirates Arthritis Foundation and Dubai Municipality in promoting awareness, raising funds and being fit at Gate #4, Safa Park on March 5th, 2011 at 5.30pm. The donation for this walkathon is AED 10. Walking for your own well-being will contribute to someone else’s too.
 
 For more information on the EAF walkathon and Dubai Municipality’s ‘walking program’, please contact:

Danielle Wilson Naqvi
Managing Director
CS PR Group
Dani.wilson@csprgroup.com
+97150 688 2308
 

Etisalat Connects Dubai Lifestyle City

As part of its ongoing commitment to provide a world-class communication network, Etisalat has signed an agreement with Dubai Lifestyle City, to provide advanced telecommunication services on its fiber optic network for residences and commercial establishments in the newly designed city.

The MOU was jointly signed by Mr. Arif B. Rahman, Managing Director for Dubai Lifestyle City, and Mr. Mr. Khalid Yousuf, Sr. Director, Etisalat. As per the agreement, Etisalat will connect Dubai Lifestyle City, through its advanced fiber optic network and provide high speed Internet services, Mobile broadband services besides landline, GSM and infrastructure services, to its residents and commercial establishments.

Dubai Lifestyle City, an AED 2.4 billion project in Dubailand covering an area of 4 million square feet, is envisaged as a unique branded residential enclave that offers its residents and visitors an enchanting lifestyle within a calm and natural environment. The project, the first of its kind in the region, aims at the creation of a self – sufficient residential community surrounded by fine hotels, spas, sports academies and other facilities, digitally connected to each other. Dubai Lifestyle City will have 68 villas and 120 apartments all designed in the exquisite Tuscan style, with excellent views over the golf course and Italian Courtyards.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Arif Rahman, M.D., Dubai Lifestyle City, said, “Dubai Lifestyle City aims to offer the most sophisticated and premium accommodation for people in Dubai. Our vision is to offer an unparalleled living experience, and create a techno-savvy city, where technology is leveraged in every aspect of the planned development. Our partnership with Etisalat will enable us to accomplish this objective and enable our customers to enjoy the most advanced services for both individual and commercial usage.”

For commercial and retail establishments, Etisalat will provide high speed fixed and mobile broadband services, enabling them to achieve higher productivity at affordable prices. Etisalat will also provide broadband internet, fixed line and GSM mobile broadband services to the residential community, opening infinite new options for home entertainment such as high definition (HD) video service quality and clarity and video on demand (VoD).

Mr. Abdulla Salem Almana, General Manager, Dubai region, Etisalat said “Our association with Dubai Lifestyle City provides us an opportunity to provide modern, future-ready infrastructure as part of our overall development strategy to bring the fastest, most reliable and technically advanced telecommunications system in the region. Through this exclusive partnership, Etisalat aims to expand its reach and technical expertise for both business and individual users, who will now be able to benefit from our advanced telecommunication services.”

Dubai Lifestyle City has entered into partnerships with some of the most respected brands in a variety of fields, including JW Marriott, Microsoft, and Cisco. The partnership with Microsoft is the first of its kind in the region and also the first large scale implementation of Microsoft Home Solutions and Microsoft Community Solutions for residential projects.

The implementation of the Microsoft Connected Home and Connected Community solutions will provide residents with the ultimate luxurious lifestyle experience and features highlighting the benefits of the next generation smart e-homes of the future. The main objective of implementing the connected community is offering residents all the facilities and the services within the city by a single touch at their own comfort.

The entire city will be inter-connected digitally to the Community Data Centre, thereby, it will host various services to residents and commercial premises like e-Concierge services, a virtual information centre for complaints and facility requirements, a resident’s interactive portal and video communication between the residents. Other services will include On-line shopping, tele-conferencing, Video on demand (VoD), Music on Demand (MoD), Education on Demand (EoD) and Sports on Demand (SoD).

The partnership with Etisalat will further strengthen the digital city initiative, as they offer the next generation fibre optic infrastructure to the entire city, which will enhance connectivity strength, thereby truly creating the digital lifestyle experience.
 

Fresh Lifestyle Look For Movenpick Hotel And Apartments Bur Dubai

DUBAI, UAE, November 8, 2010/PRNewswire/ — Newly Renovated Area, Exciting Dining Experiences and Creative Shops for Special Occasions

Movenpick Hotel and Apartments Bur Dubai has completed the stylish refurbishment of the hotel’s 255 guestrooms, the expansive lobby, the Fountain restaurant and Cafe lounge, providing the five-star property with a refreshingly contemporary image.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101108/418524 )

"We are all extremely pleased and excited about the new look and feel of the hotel. Our goal was to renovate the interior decoration, furniture and fittings of the guest rooms and the main public areas as well as our dining facilities in order to introduce a fresh and contemporary ’lifestyle’ look which will appeal to the local community and international traveller," said Robert Barker, General Manager of the hotel.

Principal designer Martin Wojnowski said that the new design makes the hotel look more fresh and home-like, by avoiding sharp details and finishes typical to commercial spaces. "I think that the modern traveller is seeking the feeling of comfort and understated elegance," he said.

"I believe that the hotel now has one of the most guest-friendly lobbies in Dubai – it is contemporary, but comfortable and relaxing, creating an atmosphere of harmony away from the city’s hustle and bustle."

To illustrate the point, the renovated lobby mirrors guests’ living rooms. Traditional furniture is upholstered in contemporary fabrics, traditionally made carpet is adorned with modern patterns, and lighting allows for different mood and ambient options, complemented by creative artworks and accessories.

Alongside the 255 newly appointed rooms and suites, and added privacy and amenities of the exclusive Executive Floors, 57 stylish apartments are fully equipped with entertainment systems and kitchens. The hotel offers six eclectic restaurants comprising the Fountain restaurant offering international all day dining, Cafe lounge, an ideal venue for afternoon tea, a contemporary yet traditional North-Indian restaurant Chutneys, the Lebanese restaurant Fakhreldine, an English-style pub Somerset’s, and a Pool House rooftop bar serving light snacks and beverages.

Two new convenient venues have been launched: ’Sweet,’ an innovative cake and chocolate shop and ’Flowers’, a colourful shop offering modern floral designs for those special occasions.

Other facilities include a Fitness Centre and a temperature-controlled rooftop pool, the "Office", a totally new and unique concept combining the business centre, guest services, a gift shop and a Beauty salon.

"We are very focused on taking the hotel to the next level and believe that now we can deliver a warmer welcoming and a more memorable and comfortable stay to our guests," added Barker. "We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai and making it the city’s destination of choice."

The hotel will soon introduce a newly renovated ballroom and meeting rooms too, creating a relaxing yet stimulating ambience. The Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 400 guests in one dramatic room or three separate sections. The meeting rooms and the ballroom are perfectly designed to meet the requirements of any event or conference, from company business meetings to major banquets, receptions, weddings and other social functions.

Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai, perfectly positioned in the heart of Dubai, is a short distance from many key landmarks such as Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai International Conference and Financial Centres, Burj Khalifa, the Dubai fountain and Dubai Mall among others.

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts (MH&R), a premium hotel management company with over 10,000 employees, is represented in 24 countries with 80 hotels existing or under construction and focuses on its core markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The international hotel group with Swiss roots is forging ahead with its expansion and aims to extend its portfolio to include 100 hotels by 2010. MH&R has an established presence in the 4 and 5-star segment with two types of accommodation: business and conference hotels and holiday resorts. In keeping with its slogan "True Excellence in Swiss Hospitality", the hotel chain is a byword for the uncompromising quality of its products and services. The hotel group is owned by the Movenpick Holding (66.7 %) as well as the Kingdom Group (33.3 %).

For further information:
Manal El Matni
Marketing & Communications Manager
Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai
19th Street, Oud Metha
P.O. Box 32733, Dubai, U.A.E.
Phone +971-4-310-4202
Fax + 971-4-310-4204
manal.elmatni@moevenpick.com
http://www.moevenpick-burdubai.com

Al Islami Promotes A Healthier Lifestyle For Kids Through Sponsorship Of Summer Surf Camp

Al Islami Foods, leading producer of real halal food in the Middle East, proudly announced its sponsorship of Surf Dubai’s Summer Camp as part of its ongoing initiatives to promoter a healthier lifestyle to UAE residents.

With temperatures soaring to over 100 degrees in the summer months, parents often find it difficult to keep their children active during the holidays, increasing the risk of childhood obesity which now affects over 26% of the UAE’s young population*. To confront this issue, the camp will run at the Surf Dubai headquarters in Umm Suqeim from Sunday 18th July to Thursday 22nd July 2010 and will incorporate a wide range of beach related activities, including surfing classes, beach clean ups and ocean theory lessons.

“It is easy to get into bad nutritional habits, especially in this part of the world where the climate often restricts outdoor exercise. For this reason we chose to support the efforts of Surf Dubai to keep children active during the summer months,” explained Mr. Saleh Lootah, Managing Director, Al Islami Foods.

“It’s a great chance for the kids to come down to the beach, meet new friends and be active rather than stuck inside playing video games,” remarked Scott Chambers, Founder and Managing Partner of Surf Dubai. “The waves in the UAE tend to be smaller during the summer which is ideal for learning, or a good opportunity for some practice. We want kids to realize that exercising can be fun in order to promote good habits from an early age.”

Mr. Lootah, who recently spoke on the panel of an international nutrition awareness convention, communicated an important message encouraging parents to play a more supportive role in their child’s approach to health issues. “We urge parents to monitor what their children eat and to educate them on the long term risks of a poor diet. We place great importance on traditional family values and encourage families to come together for at least one meal a day. In doing so, parents will be able to have more control over what their children consume.”

The team at Surf Dubai has been surfing in Dubai since the early nineties. Surf Dubai was established in October 2005, with the initial goals of showing others how much fun you can have surfing in the Gulf, and providing qualified safe instruction for learners. Surf Dubai is now home to over 1000 members of like-minded people with a respect for the ocean and love for the sport.

To enroll in the Summer Surf Camp or for more information on Surf Dubai please contact James on 0505043020
 

Saleh Constructions Commence Work At Dubai Lifestyle City In DUBAILAND®

Dubai Lifestyle City (DLC), the luxury lifestyle development located in Dubailand, announced today that Saleh Constructions have commenced construction work of the project. Saleh Constructions will build the 68 Tuscan-themed villas and 120 villettes (condominiums).

The construction work of JW Marriot Hotel and the IMG Academies is scheduled to begin in September 2009. The first phase of DLC is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

The projects network infrastructure work at the development is now complete. This includes the 100 per cent completion of the road networks, telecommunication, surface water drainage, sewage network, irrigation networks, fire-fighting system, street lighting and portable water network. The completion of the infrastructure work on the project site will help the progress of the construction activities.

Mr. Arif B. Rahman, Managing Director for Dubai Lifestyle City, said, “We are proud to share our progress and reaffirm our commitment to this unique project. The appointment of Saleh Constructions has been in line with our efforts to ensure superiority and, yet, maintain a swift pace in the construction work. The Dubai Lifestyle City has made a promise to deliver a first-of-its-kind haute living experience and we are on track to deliver the promise.”

Mohammed Al Habbai, Senior Vice President at Dubailand, added, “Dubai Lifestyle City is a unique project, which we are all very excited about. It will offer a different type of living experience and we are proud to have the project as part of Dubailand, through which we will continue to provide our full support to ensure the timely delivery of the project.”

Dubai Lifestyle City, has been conceptualized by the ETA Star group, is well en-route to raising the bar on “haute living”. Spread over a sprawling 4 million square feet enclave, the exclusive self-sufficient residential community has entered into partnerships with some of the most respected leaders from a variety of fields, including JW Marriott, IMG Academies, Microsoft, and CISCO to create 68 Tuscan-themed villas and 120 villettes (apartments), all conceived by Tony Ashai the celebrated Beverley Hills designer.