NEW KDHamptons Travel Diary: My Arabian Adventures in Abu Dhabi!

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Hi KDHamptons Readers! Salaam-Alaikum from Abu Dhabi [peace be unto you]!

 

I am in the UAE on my annual visit to see my sister Kim, who lives in Abu Dhabi with my adorable godson, Brady, and her handsome husband Steve. As dreary winter rolls into the Hamptons, I am thrilled~ because I know I am headed for my exciting Arabian adventures with Kim! Abu Dhabi is one of the most beautiful places in the world, laced with luxury, perfect weather, the kindest people, exotic animals, gourmet international cuisine….oh~ and over-the-top, enormous palaces! Here are a few highlights of my KDH Abu Dhabi Travel Diary:

 

Because Kim lives in Abu Dhabi, my visits allow me to fold into her daily routine~ which sometimes seems like a scene from a movie. After dropping Brady off for school, we usually head over to her beach club, Emirates Palace~ for a work out, swim, or tennis [pictured below].

 

Yes, this is actually Kim's beach club....as well as a five star hotel in Abu Dhabi. Suddenly, my membership at my Hamptons gym is feeling a little less attractive.

 

 

It's not often that I smile as I head into a gym...

 

After a great workout with Kim, I take a long beach walk, a quick dip in the clear turquoise water, and then settle in for some writing under a beach umbrella…


 

After school is out we play with Brady at Emirates Palace, build mud castles on the beach, and swim under the water falls in the “lazy river” [below]. There are two camels who live on the beach at the Palace and are always up for a fun ride…

 

 

 

 

 

This guy may need to have the Emirates Palace dentist look at that under bite.

 

We all were excited to go watch Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy kick off the 2013 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Tournament. The HSBC sponsors and Sheiks of Abu Dhabi were undoubtedly not pleased with the return on the lavish appearance money it took to lure these golf greats to the desert. Neither of them made the finals, but it was so fun to watch them play up close, and hanging out in the falcon shaped club house [below].

 

 

Tiger is in top form~ shredded with muscles. P.S. No sightings of Lindsey Vonn on the greens.

 

 

The falcon is the national bird of Abu Dhabi. Somehow, an architect was able to design a golf club in the shape of a falcon! I tried my hand [or arm] at falconry before the tourney [below]. We both wore visors to shield the sun LOL.

 

 

 

Brady might be the most stylish little guy in Abu Dhabi. He loves a bow tie!

 

 

The dining and nightlife scene in Abu Dhabi is totally amazing. What I love most is that everyone dresses up~ like all my fashion mag girlfriends did in the late 90’s in NYC:  Fancy fine jewelry, Manolo Blahnik sexy stilettos, pretty dresses and a major bag. No black skinny jeans & ripped Balenciaga tees here at night!

 

Hakkasan is a hot spot that Kim and I like~ gorgeous bar!

 

 

Girls dinner with Kim and her friend Sopia Ledingham, author of soon to be released, Date Night.

 

 

Inspired sushi at Hakkasan!

 

 

Lucky girl: Kim & Steve surprised me with a gorgeous camel Kelly bag as a welcome present before a night out. Just what I needed for my Tracey Feith dress.

 

 

We had dinner on the beach at BBQ Al Qasr~ one of my favs!

 

 

Sometimes Steve looks more like my brother than brother-in-law!

 

 

 

Heading into Bice for dinner we noticed the colors of our outfits matched the sleek decor [above & below]. I am obsessed with this gorgeous blue agate marble on the elevator floor and walls!

 

 

My favorite night was a big bonfire family beach party at Emirates Palace. It was Brady’s first bonfire and they had a big outdoor movie set up for the little ones [below]. The chef prepared everything from camel burgers [nope- can’t do it] to gold leaf fruit tarts [below].

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a fun night, Kim and I were ready for some pampering at the Anantara spa [below] and then a drive out to the desert for a breathtaking sunset….what a fantastic trip so far~ now we are off to Dubai for the rest of my stay in the Middle East.

Stay tuned for my Dubai Travel Diary next week!

 

 

 

 

 

Kim's welcoming courtyard at their gorgeous Arabian style villa.

 

 

 

Running around the warm dunes in the vast, seemingly endless desert is really a magical feeling…