Sunday, December 25, 2011

W Gents Salon Special Offer in JLT



W Monthly Package for HAIR CUT & SHAVE

1 hair cut + 10 shaves = 250 AED (Original price 345) you save 95 AED
2 hair cuts + 8 shaves = 250 AED (Original price 330) you save 80 AED

W Monthly Package for Facial Treatment Manicure Pedicure + Foot Spa

3 Manicure Pedicure + Foot Spa = 360 (Original price 450) you save 90 AED
1 facial treatment = 75 (Original price 100) you save 25 AED

Saturday, December 17, 2011

50% off for Kiducation Enrichment Class for the JLT Community Valid till 30/01/2012


Check out the Kiducation timetable in studio or on facebook to find the class best suited for your child. Terms and Conditions apply. 1 voucher per child and for the JLT Community.



Class questions contact Natalie on: 0567287192.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Birthday Parties for Kids - Special Discount to JLT Community - Hurry up


10% DISCOUNT ON KIDCATION BIRTHDAY PARTIES– VALID ON FIRST TEN BOOKED FOR JLT COMMUNITY BLOGSPOT SUBSCRIBERS

Check out the Kiducation birthdays page on facebook or email kiducationdubai@gmail.com. Parties available in studio, in house or on hostess entertainment services. Value for money, creative and magical birthday experiences to make your little ones birthday extra special. Choose from frame design, cupcake decoration, games, dancing, ballon bending and many more!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Doner Kebab - Lounge Restaurant opening soon in Liwa Heights Hotel JLT

Doner Kebab - Lounge Restaurant opening soon in Liwa Heights Hotel (JLT) !

Doner Kebab will bring the original Turkish Doner Kebab from Germany to the Middle East.

Our Doner Kebab is coming from Berlin to the UAE and will be mixes with daily fresh local ingredients and our secret house maid sauces to assure the highest quality and the original taste.


More outlets opening soon.




www.doberkebab.ae

www.facebook.com/doner.kebab.dubai

Telephone: 800-DONER

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Save up to AED 300 on iPad with One Year Warranty - Free Delivery across UAE

It’s X’Mas It’s New Year
There’s never been a better time to treat yourself or your loved ones.

Konnect Distribution in JLT brings you the best offers in town on tablets, phones and laptops.


Today's offer from Konnect:

Buy an iPad 2 64GB 3G + WiFi for AED3,277 instead of 3,499 in leading stores. The offer includes:
1 Year Warranty . Free UAE Delivery . Free UAE pick-up

Other iPad 2 models are available starting AED 1,977

All you have to do is contact them on: 04 4503562 or Email:info@konnect.ae
Please quote "JLT Community Blog" when you order your iPad.




Friday, November 11, 2011

First time Brazilian Live Band at JLT in Dubai

First time Brazilian Live Band at JLT in Dubai !!!!
08th December at Bonnington Hotel, JLT, at Healey’s Bar

Sounds of Brazil is proud to announce that is bringing to Dubai directly from London the great

Zeu Azevedo & Band!!!

Zeu has won the Brazilian Grammy Award as the best Brazilian singer in London, 2 awards as the best band in London and he has won the Itauna’s Festival in Brazil!!!

Travelling all over the world the tour included: Ireland, German, Portugal, Belgium and it will finish with great style at Paris on the New Year’s Eve!!!

For the first time in Dubai an authentic Brazilian artist bringing the energy and passion of Brazil with the rhythms and Sounds of Brazil LIVE!!!

You can’t miss it !!!


08th December at Bonnington Hotel, JLT, at Healey’s Bar
Ladies free from 8pm until 9pm.
Ticket AED 100 + 1 Free drink (Caipirinha)
Party is from 8pm till 3am.

Sounds of Brazil
www.soundsofbrazil.ae

For more details contact:

Daniela@soundsofbrazil.ae
Adriana@soundsofbrazil.ae
Tel: +971509153490

Check the videos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6DY7XjHnw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNRaQpKwspg&feature=feedu



Saturday, October 8, 2011

Handmade Crochet @ Time Square and a Special Deal for JLT Residents!

Handmade Crochet by Al Khal Family will be in Time Square on Friday October 14th from 12-7 p.m. exhibiting handmade crochet products. Please visit them there!

JLT residenys receive an additional 10% discount over the ticketed price, make sure you mention you live in JLT!

For more details and contact information, please visit their facebook fan page on: Handmade Crochet by Al Khal Family


Friday, September 16, 2011

Handmade Fashion Crochet @ Affordable Prices!

When it comes to using machines in knitting and crochet making, we are very retarded! We only believe in the quality of handmade items and the human real touch that makes a piece different from another. At Al Khal Family, we pride ourselves in making 100% handmade crochet pieces that will live with you forever. Each piece is handcrafted by our family and the fun part about this is that we never make one piece twice! Because we are a small family operating business, we can afford to offer you affordable prices that are a quarter of what you'd pay outside in department stores that have to pay hefty rents for their space.



Click on the link below to check out the facebook page and be one of the first 100 people to like it for your chance to win a crochet handmade gift!

Handmade Crochet by Al Khal Family

Monday, August 29, 2011

LPG for Cellulite Reduction and Shaping your body at an incredible price in The White Room

LPG is a company that produces several machines for cellulite removal. The most famous machine is Endermologie and if you have been investigating cellulite treatments conducted in beauty clinics you have probably been offered sessions on this machine. The two other machines that can assist with cellulite reduction are Lipomassage and the Wellbox.

The White Room is offering customers a great offer on their latest LPG Cellu M6 machine. For 12 sessions of LPG cellulite reduction and 6 sessions of Yonka slimming treatment, pay only 2,900 dirhams instead of 4,700 dirhams. The offer is valid for one month so whoever is really interested should grab the offer.

The Cellu M6 draws up the skin and rolls it to painlessly and deeply massage the underlying tissue. This action breaks up pockets of cellulite and stimulates circulation throughout all the layers of skin. It improves the flow of blood and lymph so that fresh oxygen and nutrients are brought to the cells. The Cellu M6 also helps to eliminate excess water and waste to smooth and reduce the cellulite.

Eid Only: 50% Off 3-Course Arabic Set Menu @ Bonnington Tower in JLT. Just 200 instead of 400!

200 AED instead of 400 for Lavish 3 Course Arabic Meal at Bonnington Jumeirah Lake Towers, Eid Only


Celebrate Eid in style at the luxurious Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers with a 3 course Arabic menu. You’ll enjoy the savory dishes prepared by top chefs just for you.

You’ll know you’re getting the best of the best at the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers. The 5-star hotel has luxurious rooms, suites, apartments, conference suites, a leisure deck with infinity pool, gym, Jacuzzi, sauna and salons. Whether you’re looking for a casual restaurant or a stylish cocktail bar, the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers has it all.

This deal includes:
•Starter: Traditional Homemade Mezzeh
•Main course: Arabic Mix Grill Platter
•Dessert: Home Made Arabic Sweets

Try out their Eid special for 50% off. You’ll be coming back for more of their traditional hospitality after you get a taste of their offerings!

Plan ahead. Extend invitations to family and friends to attend your Eid meals

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Going on vacation and not sure where to leave your dog?

If you are travelling and want to leave your dog in a place that will not traumatize him/her, then we highly recommend Posh Paws.

Posh Paws would pick up the dogs from your home (for a fee) and they would deliver them on your return as well. They are located in a farm right off Emirates road and they have all sorts of other animals there. Everyone there seemed to be genuinely interested in dogs and not doing this just for the money!
This is their number, check them out: Mob 0502730973

JLT on YouTube!



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Not sure about JLT? Watch this outstanding video and all your questions will be answered

Community Guides in Dubai: Jumeirah Lake Towers



White Room Promotion in JLT (70% off) - Grab it today

Get the ultimate pampering treatment at The White Room in JLT! Pay just 129 AED for a full body Thai massage, full body scrub, and a hair wash and blow dry! Normally 440 AED! Bonus voucher for 20% off next visit! Great location!

Address: Al Seef Tower 3, Shop No. 2, B1 (Lake Side), JLT
Tel: +971 4 453 4152 or +971 55 750 1015
Opening hours: Sun-Sat 10am-10pm

White Room Deal on YallaBanana

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers Scores High on TripAdvisor

“We loved it and we'll be back” Reviewed August 6, 2011
“fantastic” Reviewed July 31, 2011
“Great accommodation and service” Reviewed July 22, 2011


These are just a few headlines on TripAdvisor that talked about Bonnington JLT. Out of a total of 317 reviews, 200 reviews gave Bonnington EXCELLENT, 76 reviews rated the hotel as VERY GOOD.

So, go read yourself and check Bonnington reviews or share your own here or on the JLT Community Fan Page.


TripAdvisor Reviews


Booking.Com Arabic ReviewsReviews

Life’s little indulgences

The Zen Asia Spa is no newbie on the scene, and with business booming at its latest branch in JLT, it’s living up 
to an established name and more

If you do what you do really well, people are bound to come again — and bring their friends. If Mr Walt Disney will forgive the slight paraphrase, the maxim sure seems to have paid off for the folks behind Zen Asia Spa. With one outlet doing booming business in International City, their newest branch in Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) was a response to popular demand. The question was: was it worth a trip down from Sharjah on a Friday afternoon?

It wasn’t too difficult to locate the Thai-inspired spa in JLT. With a sister outlet for male clients just next door, the spa for women opens into an inviting space that has ‘unwind’ written all over it. The welcome drink was gladly received after the humid dust storm swirling outside that day, and once ready, I was ushered in for Phase One of my spa experience — a Swedish massage.

Relaxing and designed to ease out the knots and tensions in your muscles, a Swedish massage is a common request in the West. My therapist employed a variety of techniques during those 60 minutes, each working most effectively to make me forget the week’s worries.

Phase Two, on the other hand, was both intense and personal — probably the most accurate way of describing the Moroccan bath, as experienced by a first timer. While some may be aghast at the idea of being given a wash, the Moroccan bath is actually an old tradition practised across the Middle East, and especially undertaken by brides-to-be for that supple, glowing skin every woman so desires for her big day.

At the Zen Asia Spa, I’m told their Moroccan bath services are “literally booked till the end of October” thanks to a recent promotion, though if you’re lucky, there may be chances of an open slot on an odd day of the week. Nadia, the attendant at the spa and herself from Morocco, says they’re “extremely popular — mostly among Arabs but now slowly, among other nationalities too.”

The cleansing for the ‘regular’ treatment begins using the Moroccan black olive soap, which penetrates the skin and makes it easier to scrub off the abundance of dead skin cells that have built up unnoticed over time.

The room fills up with high intensity steam for about 5-10 minutes to open the pores and prepare it for exfoliating. Once done, Nadia takes to you with a Moroccan loofah and scrubs your skin raw. Though severely discomforting at times, it soon proves a ‘necessary evil’ as Nadia points out what looks like months of formerly invisible grime. It’s not poor hygiene, she assures a mortified me. Normal baths without the steaming and vigorous scrubbing that the Moroccan version offers just cannot cleanse the skin in quite the same way.

The final step is the ‘hosing down’ and the last traces of dirt and dead skin are washed away. In the end, whatever your reservations, the consensus by anyone who has ever experienced a Moroccan bath is always the same. You’re guaranteed to come out feeling cleaner than you ever have — and perhaps even looking forward to the next time.
Zen Asia Spa also provides a custom Dermalogica facial with skin mapping and analysis. Using an approach exclusive to the US-based Dermalogica, the spa therapist gives you an inch-by-inch analysis of your facial zones, telling you what problems your skin faces. Stress lines, pigmentation, dark circles or uneven colouring, they can spot it all. But this is no exercise in pointing out your facial flaws. What follows is a skin treatment tailored to your specific needs, with a personalised beauty regimen just for you.

With the constantly dusty atmosphere one is exposed to in Dubai, skin is probably more in need of regular cleansing treatments here than if you were located elsewhere. And with professional services at hand, there’s little excuse not to indulge in a bit of skin pampering every once in a while — even if it means driving down from Sharjah to JLT.

What we liked: The Moroccan bath; having my skin mapped

What we didn’t like: The final thwacks to the back at the end of the Swedish massage

Cost: Dh320

Contact: Zen Asia Spa, Jumeirah Business Centre 5, W Cluster, opp. Gold Damas, Jumeirah Lake Towers, 04-4572374

By Karen Ann Monsy (SPA TREK)

Khaleej Times

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

JLT Lakes Starting to Light Up

If you take a walk around Lake Eluccio these days at night, you will see that the pavement lamps that have been dimmed since they were installed months ago are now lit up.
Enjoy a great walk around cluster U (Al Seef 2,3 and Tamweel towers) without complaining how dark it is at night!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

249 AED for a Full Dental Checkup Including Scaling, Polishing and a Dental X-ray Check-up at Royal Care Medical Centre JLT

In the olden days, when ironsmiths disguised as dentists took pride in inventing tooth-pluckers that stood the test of time and force, mere mortals had no other option but to give in to their iron will.

Resort to better ways to get a check-up with today’s Groupon. Get a full dental check-up including scaling, polishing and an x-ray checkup for 249 AED at Royal Care Medical Centre JLT.

Relaxation and dentists aren't usually seen in the same room, but at Royal Medical Centre JLT, they aim to break convention. With a well-lit practice, their dentists have a variety of ways of making sure patients' experiences are just as sunny. The staff at the clinic understands that many people do not enjoy their trips to the dentist, and provide a sensitive service, catering to individual needs. As well as dental hygiene procedures such as check-ups and fillings, the clinic also offers cosmetic treatments.

Highlights
•Highly qualified dentists with excellent experience
•Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to treat teeth, gum diseases and provide restorative cosmetic procedures as well
•Valet service available
•VIP pick-up and drop-off service also available

Fine Print
•1 Groupon per person, may buy multiple as gifts
•Valid for 3 months
•Open from Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 9:30 pm
•Not valid with other offers
•Advance booking required, please call 04-4534808

Deal expires on Thursday 28th July at midnight.

Royal Care Medical Centre JLT
19th Floor, One Lake Tower, Jumeirah Lake Towers
P.O.: 186334 Dubai
http://www.royalcare-medical.com

Source: Groupon

Groupon Deal

750 AED for a Full Executive Health Checkup Package including Clinical Consultation with a Specialist at Royal Care Medical Centre JLT

Playing the guessing game on health matters is almost as difficult as reading an entire dictionary or climbing a tree that’s covered in oil. Take an expert approach to tackling the task of taking care of your health with today's Groupon.

The centre's various departments facilitate guessers to rid themselves of unwanted fear and assumptions with a host of check-ups. During the first step of their symptoms shrinking sojourn, calorie-shedders undergo a full-body check-up at the hands of the centre's expert staff, which includes all the tests listed above. After surveying the medical history, specialists even draft a prescription. Make a call and schedule an appointment to know your body inside out.

Deal Highlights
•Extensive general checkup that covers:
•Blood pressure, pulse, temperature, chest, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal system
•Neurological and musculoskeletal system, joints and tendon tears
•Kidney, urological system, ENT and peripheral vascular checkup
•Health education and assessment for common chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, bronchial asthma, allergy, hypercholesterolemia
•Smoking cessation counseling
•Cancer prevention & reversing diabetes program
•Children & adult vaccination review
•Assessment of possibility of common dangerous diseases in the future like
•Assessment of the cardiovascular & ischemic heart diseases future risk
•Assessment of cancer, diabetic and hypertension future risk
•Check the body mass index, and managing the positive cases
•Full blood count, sugar check, liver function test (SGPT), kidney function test
•Total cholesterol check-up
•High density lipoprotein check-up
•Triglycerides & LDL
•Complete urine check-up
•Electrocardiogram for needed cases

Fine Print
•1 Groupon per person, may buy multiple as gifts
•Valid for 3 months
•Valid for men and women and children above 12 years old
•Open from Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 9:30 pm
•Not valid with other offers
•Advance booking required, please call 04-4534808

Royal Care Medical Centre JLT
19th Floor, One Lake Tower, Jumeirah Lake Towers
P.O.: 186334 Dubai
http://www.royalcare-medical.com

Source: Groupon

Groupon Deal

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Heart of gold in JLT

What is it about this ‘precious’ metal? A tour at Damas means we’re about to find out
Gold has many properties, not least the ability to turn otherwise normal people into beady-eyed treasure seekers or even, the modern-day equivalent of badgering, sulking spouses. For centuries, the yellow — and its white avatar — metal has held millions captive with its shiny allure and even today, people monitor its fluctuating price rates as though they were watching their own heartbeats.

Personally, I’d always thought it much ado about nothing, so for someone who’d never really taken a shine to the metal, now seemed as good a time as ever to take leading jewellery retailer Damas up on its offer of a close-up tour of the process involved. Finally, it seemed, I was about to find out what all the fuss was about.

The main Damas property — located in the uptown Jumeirah Lake Towers area — is hard to miss, with its golden façade an obvious but elegant nod to what one could expect to find inside. We were ushered in to meet Navdeep Singh Sandhu, operations manager at Damas, who would also be doubling as our guide for the day, and excitement buzzed in the air as he explained how today, we’d be watching the team bring rings from their exquisite Heart to Heart collection to life.

We started at the Designers room — and what must have been the birthplace of some of Damas’ most popular creations. Navdeep showed us how the designs were first conceived manually and then rendered using software that let the designers convert the design into a three-dimensional reality, complete with stunning detail. Quite literally, it was like watching an idea take shape.

A wax model was then ‘grown’ using a method called rapid prototyping. The entire process takes about 7-8 hours to actually become a wax model so instead of testing our patience, the considerate folks at Damas had already loaded the ring in a substance called resin the previous night. Having had the night to develop, what emerged now was an unmistakable 3D version of the Heart to Heart ring design we’d been shown earlier (1).

It was on to the Wax room from there, where four men in lab coats worked painstakingly to create the perfect ring moulds (2). Floor to ceiling shelves ran the length and breadth of an entire wall in the room, stocked with hundreds of moulds from previous designs. “Every single design is numbered and stocked, so if a customer wishes to recreate a particular design, all we have to do is base it on the corresponding mould,” said Navdeep. “The moulds are created with 100 per cent precision,” he added, as we watched one of the workers use what looked like a surgical blade to carve out the ring piece. If there is the smallest mistake, we’re reminded, the entire piece is ruined.

The resulting wax ring was fitted onto a tree (3) consisting of about 60-70 other ring pieces, to be taken to the Casting room, where the previous night another prototype had been put into a furnace, heated up to more than 1000ºC, and left overnight for the wax to melt. All of us stood back as the workers prepared to open the electric furnace. When the door was opened, the short blast of searing heat that hit us in the face honestly made Dubai’s summer weather feel like a lightly cooling breeze by comparison. Using huge tongs, the mould was transferred and locked into the casting machine, and flaming liquid gold poured in through a hole at the top (4).

A minute later, the mould was removed and dunked in water. The fizzling mass subsided, the plaster melted and we saw gold — lots of it, shaped like rings and still fixed onto the ‘ring tree’ (5). Each ring was clipped off individually and sent to the goldsmith for polishing, final touches and diamond setting.

Keen not to miss out on the action, we climbed two levels up to the manufacturing department, where we watched as diamonds — millions of the tiny gems — were weighed and bagged in a small room. Finally, the diamonds were set, extra mould stems were filed down and the ring given a final polish (6).

It was looking pretty good to me and if I were a magpie, I wouldn’t have thought twice about swiping the ring in its present state. Navdeep, however, insisted we were not done and we watched, part horrified, as the lovely ring was dunked in fizzling rhodium acid and hosed down with pressurised water. Our concern was unnecessary though for the white gold ring was positively gleaming now and after a careful inspection by the quality control guys (7), given the thumbs-up of approval.

The entire tour lasted about two hours but after watching scores of workers meticulously perfecting hundreds of similar pieces and the toil that went into creating a single Heart to Heart ring, I had to admit: I’m neither magpie nor treasure hunter, but even I could see this little beauty is for keeps.

By Karen Ann Monsy (ALL THAT GLITTERS)

Khaleej Times

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Jumeirah Lakes Towers has come a long way

Community becomes more attractive as landscaping work commences and lakes are filled up


Anyone who's been to Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) recently would acknowledge that the community has come a long way. Relegated to being dubbed the "poor cousin of Dubai Marina", JLT stands vindicated today, enjoying a new lease of life after the opening of the two Metro stations. Notwithstanding a few pet peeves, the community is now self-sufficient, with a smattering of mini marts, restaurants and beauty salons.

"I have been living in the Green Lakes Towers for two-and-a-half years now," says Ghassan Ghellal, a JLT resident. "The apparent changes have mainly taken place over the past six months. The area, which used to look like a large construction site, is now filled with greenery, has walking and cycling pavements and jogging tracks for sports lovers. Furthermore, the lakes are now permanently filled, and the walkways around the lakes have been completed and this has incentivised a number of retail outlets to open," adds Ghassan, who is also a business development manager at Halcon Real Estate.

Dining options aplenty

Situated in cluster S, the Green Lakes Towers are popular, owing to their proximity to the Dubai Marina Metro station as well as the abundance of eateries such as Green Lakes Food Court, Kitchen India, Subway, All Day Mini Mart and Counter Culture Café. "Until a year ago, my building had no shops and I'd to drive to The Springs to get my basic food supply," recalls Ghassan.


While Dubai Marina has the lure of a glamorous lifestyle, courtesy of the beach and stretch of five-star hotels, residents are miffed at the limited parking spaces and peak-hour traffic chaos. Meanwhile, buildings in JLT offer abundant parking — both surface and underground — for residents, who own two or three cars, and even accommodates visitors' vehicles easily.

"I think the tag, ‘poor cousin of Dubai Marina', is overrated," says lulu Chandran, a resident in Saba Tower 2. "JLT offers some very good apartments — some much bigger than those in Dubai Marina [and cheaper] and residents don't have to deal with the horrendous evening traffic."

Easy access to all parts of town

In addition to the Metro that services JLT very well, the area also offers easy access to Shaikh Zayed Road (towards Dubai) as well as Abu Dhabi and Jebel Ali. The footbridge connecting JLT to Dubai Marina brings within walking distance the Dubai Marina Mall (Waitrose supermarket and Reel Cinemas), the Dubai Marina Yacht Club, and the restaurants and boutiques at the Marina Walk and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) Walk.

Ghassan says, "You can have two cars and not worry about parking them and your visitors don't have to worry about driving to your place any time of the day. This is a great feature for commercial clients."

While the residents' biggest bugbear has remained the one-way roads that necessitate taking a detour around JLT to access a building in another cluster, there is, however, no traffic chaos to contend with, even during peak hours. Though the roundabout leading to Dubai could get clogged a bit during rush hours, it's been a smooth ride for residents so far. "The road planning is awful. All the roads are one-way, which is not convenient to access the various towers in JLT," complains Ghaith Nazzal, a resident in Damac's Lake Terrace Tower.

Echoing his angst, Shalu adds, "As a resident, you deal with it, but every time you invite friends over you can expect some nagging." In the same vein, Ghassan says, "I could cut my journey to work by half if I didn't have to do that, as most of it involves simply driving around JLT."

Which clusters to avoid?

Though competitive rentals have made JLT popular among tenants, it's necessary to do your homework before zeroing in on a particular tower. Construction on the Parallel Road project has rendered access to clusters F to N (JLT West) rather circuitous.

Shalu says, "A lot of projects have been abandoned, especially in the second half of JLT, or work is still ongoing, which means the apartments get painfully dusty."

According to Mario Volpi, sales and leasing manager, Powerhouse Properties, "Occupancy in Icon Tower 2 has been affected due to its location and apartment sizes." He recommends the Al Seef Towers and Tamweel Tower (Cluster U), Green Lakes (Cluster S), Al Shera Tower, Madina Tower, Indigo and Lake Terrace (Cluster D) as the best towers in JLT.

Endorsing the same towers, Steve Crasto, property consultant, Halcon Real Estate, says, "These towers are holding on at 85 to 90 per cent occupancy. The main reason is that these buildings are well-maintained. They also offer big units and good quality, except Indigo Tower, where the units are of average size."


Influx of new tenants

With the softening of rents in JLT, several tenants have moved in from Discovery Gardens and Dubai Marina. Mario says, "There has been a good level of movement to JLT from Abu Dhabi commuters as well. There has also been a flight to quality, so more people have moved from inferior towers to better ones in the Dubai Marina."

Most towers in JLT offer facilities such as gyms with saunas and/or steam rooms, leisure pools; some even have residents' lounges, outside recreational areas, children's play areas, and so on. Steve says, "The Madina Tower, Green Lakes, Gold Crest Views and Lake Terrace deserve a special mention."

As part of the beautification process in JLT, children's play areas have been installed in most established clusters. This is a huge bonus for the community, which was until recently bandied about as "pedestrian-unfriendly".

Major supermarkets that have opened in JLT include two Carrefour Express marts in the Palladium and Armada Towers, a Spinneys near the Bonnington Hotel, a Park N Shop in the Al Shera Tower and several mini marts that offer home delivery.

"As more shops and cafés open in JLT, it will only further attract more residents to the area," says Ghassan. "Also with the abundant office space in JLT, there are plenty of class A commercial tenants taking up offices in the area, and some of the employees in these companies will be relocating to JLT for the sake of convenience."

Complaints about retail mix

However, sceptics feel it will take some time before JLT can enjoy a wide selection of cafés and restaurants. Says Ghaith, "All the retail spaces in my cluster are occupied, but the mix is not right. All that we have are restaurants, supermarkets and beauty salons. There are no gyms and cafés."

However, a cursory drive around JLT illustrates a healthy mix of retail options. Apart from multiple mini marts, there are both male and female beauty salons, laundromats, dental centres, medical clinics and a pharmacy in Cluster E. Other interesting amenities include a Kids' World Creative Learning Centre, Kcal Healthy Fast Food, Concept 1010 Fitness Studio (HDS Tower) and The Champions Club (kick-boxing, aerobics and personal training centre) in Icon Tower 2.

Residents could also let their hair down and unwind at the Bonnington Tower Hotel (Cluster J), where Healey's Terrace, McGettigans Irish Pub and The Cavendish restaurant are steadily gaining popularity. Says Bruno Guilloux, general manager, Bonnington Tower Hotel, "Our pubs and eateries are receiving a good response from JLT residents and they're definitely giving an added community feel to the area. Occupancy and revenue have almost doubled year on year."

The Oaks Liwa Heights hotel is also open in Cluster W while a Mövenpick Hotel is scheduled to open in the Laguna Tower soon.

"I think JLT is as dynamic as the Marina in terms of entertainment facilities and scores high on convenience too," says Firas Tarazi, a resident of Lake View Tower.

Demand base: singles, couples, small families

While Dubai Marina is primarily a residential area, JLT residents can leverage the community's mixed-use component to mix work with play. Since most high-rise buildings typically attract singles and small families, real estate agents admit that demand for studios and one-bedroom apartments in JLT is high among working executives and young couples.

Though JLT residents may not boast such camaraderie as evident in low-rise communities such as Discovery Gardens and Motor City, a few pioneers have set up a JLT Community Facebook page.

Shalu says, "The Facebook page definitely needs more action — but it's a start. They announce new store and restaurant openings. There have also been some Friday Markets taking place in JLT."

Rents in JLT
•Studio: Dh30K to 40K
•1-bedroom apartment: Dh40K to 75K
•2-bedroom apartment: Dh55K to 120K
•3 bedroom apartment: Dh85K to Dh155K

Source: Halcon Real Estate

Gulf News
Image Credit: Stefan Lindeque/ANM

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Handmade Vibgyor Creation now in JLT

Vibgyor Creations are handmade and selected items from India. Their concept is to spread and add colour to the lives of people by creating beautiful, very colourful, hand made items from the rainbow colours.
Vibgyor Creations are currently operating from their Facebook page and have new items every week. Most of their creations are handmade using unique and exclusive elements that are specifically ordered from India.


Why not check out their facebook fan page or order your next handmade flower bouquet or chocolate bouquet from them and give us your feedback?

JLT residents get a 10% discount when ordering from Vibgyor Creations. Just mention JLT Community Blog when ordering. Not only that, JLT residents are so pampered, their orders will be delivered free of charge within JLT! What more, check out Vibgyor Creations now!

For more information on Vibgyor Creations, please visit their Vibgyor Creation Facebook Fan Page or call 055 989 3308


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Man accused of threatening couple to ‘win woman back’ in JLT

DUBAI - A man, who allegedly threatened an Indian couple and sent them abusive text messages, stood trial in the Court of First Instance on Monday.

The 29-year-old Pakistani postman allegedly threatened to kill the businesswoman in phone calls and text messages he sent to both her and her husband. He threatened to kill her if she did not resume her “relations” with him.

He faced charges of threat, libel and consuming liquor.

He claimed he had had sexual relationship with the woman.

The woman, aged 29, told the prosecutor that she and her husband filed the complaint in November last year. They had met the defendant in Jumeirah Lake Towers and had known him for about a year when they worked together in the real estate field.

However, they had to break up with him as he used to get drunk and call them and speak indecently. They cut all their contacts with him and the woman was also told not to answer his calls.

Angry at being ignored, the defendant began harassing them constantly. He sent them text messages in which he threatened to kill the woman if they did not resume their past relationship with him.

He allegedly threatened to kill himself if the woman did not treat him like before.

In a call, the defendant told the woman’s husband that he was in love with her and that she belonged to him. He said he would die if “he did not win her”.

He also allegedly threatened her that he would tell her husband that she had been taking abortion pills.

The husband, a 29-year-old manager, confirmed the allegations made by his wife in his statement. He said the defendant talked about having sexual relationship with his wife in his messages to him.

The defendant admitted during interrogation that he was intoxicated when he sent the abusive and threatening text messages.

In a text message, he allegedly threatened to beat the woman up or kill her if she did not go back to him. The defendant was arrested on November 30 last year.

Khaleej Times

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Pay service charges 'on time': DMCC

Master developer insists they work on a zero-cost budget and only the charges spent on maintaining community is passed on

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has called upon developers and owner associations in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) to pay the community service charges on time to ensure quality service.

“JLT developers and Owners' Associations understand that the master community service charges need to be paid on time to ensure our service providers are treated as partners with respect to accountability for the delivery of quality services to JLT,” Malcolm Wall Morris, Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, told Emirates 24|7.

The master developer of JLT insists they work on a zero cost budget and that they only pass the charges that has been spent on maintaining the community.

“The master development costs within JLT are based on a zero cost budget. Whatever charges are passed on via the master community service charge are only those which we have spent on maintaining the master community in line with community expectations.”

Emirates 24|7 had reported earlier that Nakheel had warned property owners in Discovery Gardens to pay their building service charge by June 24 or there could be utility and service disruption.

Asked if the issue of residents being charged twice by Dubai Municipality and the master developer had been solved, Morris said: “In terms of the Dubai Municipality housing fees, we are working closely with all government bodies to ensure that the residents of JLT are being treated fairly and in consistence with the level of services provided by both organisations.”

DMCC maintains it is working constantly with suppliers to ensure that service charges in JLT remain “competitively” priced.

“We are constantly working with suppliers to ensure that JLT receives competitively priced master community service charges. Although there are reductions in costs through improved operating efficiencies, this is always balanced with the cost arising from increasing services as demands increase due to the growing population and rapidly evolving community expectations.”

Asked how much is the total outstanding from developers and any legal action was planned against them, Morris said: “While it is true that DMCC has outstanding receivables with some developers, this does not adversely affect our ability to operate. We are in discussions to ensure that amicable solutions are found for any outstanding dues.”

By Parag Deulgaonkar

Emirates 24/7

Monday, July 4, 2011

Financial problems led Indian executive to commit suicide in JLT

DUBAI — The Indian Consulate in Dubai has urged the expatriates from the South Asian country to use counselling services offered by its workers resource centre in periods of stress even as financial problems were cited as the reason behind the suicide of the 45-year-old Indian executive who jumped to death from the 30th floor of a building in Jumeirah Lake Towers.

A colleague of the victim told Khaleej Times on Monday that the senior manger of her company was a well-respected man with pleasant and good manners. The woman who testified to the police said that the victim came to his company office in the tower to attend a weekly meeting on Sunday.

She said he had been upset for some months regarding a bank loan. The woman confirmed that he had no family problems.

A woman who was passing by the road informed the watchman of the building that she saw a man jumping from the top floor. After getting information from the watchman, the police rushed to the scene and found the corpse with head and body parts scattered on the road.

The body of the victim was handed over to the General Department of Forensic Medicine to be kept there till the completion of legal and administrative procedures.

The police have ruled out any criminal motive behind the man’s death and confirmed that the man had committed suicide due to financial problems. Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate in Dubai on Monday released the figures for the cases of suicides among Indians from 2008 till April 30, 2011.

It said the cases of 27 of the 335 Indians who died in the UAE till April have been classified as suicide. In 2010, deaths of 1,114 Indians were reported, of which 110 were suicides. In 2009, 113 Indians committed suicide when the total number of deaths reported was 1,285. In 2008, the number of recorded suicides was 147 out of 1,420 death cases involving Indians.

Consul-General of India Sanjay Verma told reporters that most of the Indians who committed suicide were unskilled or semi-skilled workers. He cited financial stress and personal problems as the major causes.

Noting that any suicide is worrisome, he urged Indians to avail the counselling services provided through the Indian Workers Resource Centre which can be accessed through the toll-free No. 80046342.


By Amira Agarib

Khaleej Times

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Schools near JLT

If you are new to JLT or planning to move to the community but not sure about children schools, a number of good ones currently exist near JLT. These schools include Winchester (Gardens), Dubai International Academy (Emirates Hills), Delhi Private School (Gardens),Jumeirah English Speaking School (Arabian Ranches), Emirates International School (Meadows on Meadows Drive, between Meadows 4 and Springs 1), Dubai British School (Junction of Meadows and Springs Drive), Regent School (Adjacent to The Greens).

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Canal Point Hospital in JLT

Technology and nature live side-by-side at Canal Point Hospital. Combining a world-class medical center with a spa-like wellness center, this state-of-the-art facility provides a holistic approach to medical recovery for patients and onsite support for their loved ones. The seven-story hospital features private patient rooms; VIP suites with attached private living rooms or majlis areas; a 400-seat dining area for staff that also functions as a divisible space for conferences and training; separate outpatient departments distinctively styled for men, women, and children; and three levels of covered parking.


Vast landscaped terraces on the first, second, and fifth floors of the hospital provide immediate outdoor spaces where patients and visitors can relax and rejuvenate. Even closer to the natural world is the Wellness Center, a cluster of single-story structures tucked away on a podium amidst lush landscaping. The tiered, tiled roofs combine with the abundant foliage and the very shapes of the buildings to create the feel of a Thai spa.


Work stops at Canal Point hospital in Dubai (http://www.cnplus.co.uk/news/work-stops-at-canal-point-hospital-in-dubai/1965328.article)

14 January, 2009
Building work on the Canal Point Hospital at Jumeirah Lake Towers has been put on hold after the client Istithmar cancelled the AED500m ($136m) construction contract with the local Al-Naboodah Contracting.



The project involves the construction of a 200-bed hospital in an eight storey building with two basement levels.

The project originally included a hotel and residential block, but these elements were scrapped before construction work started on the project in 2007.

US-based Burt Hill is the consultant. Istithmar Real Estate, which is part of the local developer Nakheel, is the client (MEED 24:3:06).



Monday, June 20, 2011

Owners spared of training course

Elected board members do not need to undergo the course offered by the Dubai Real Estate Institute


Dubai: Pay heed, interim board members. Upon registration of your building's owners' association (OA) with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), elected board members are no longer obliged to undergo the Dh3,000-worth five-day training course offered by the Dubai Real Estate Institute. The onus has, instead, passed on to association managers.

Though Rera's earlier mandate required board members to complete the training course and obtain a certificate of good conduct from the Dubai Police, the regulatory body soon realised this could be impractical. Most interim board members find the Rera-certified course financially cumbersome, especially because they serve in a voluntary capacity.

"It's not mandatory for the board members to do the course. The association manager must take the course, have the specific licence and be registered with the Rera," says Mohammad Khalifa Bin Hammad, head, Real Estate Relations Management, Rera. He adds that 161 OAs have been registered at the Rera so far.

Most interim board members Property spoke to were unaware of the change in requirements. "We were asked to submit our passport and visa copies recently as part of the pre-registration process," says Iona Stanley, interim board member, The Palladium, JLT.

According to Mohammad Nafees, member of The Meadows 1 & 2 interim owners' association, "All the details about the members have to be submitted to Rera, which is the final authority to accept or reject a board member. We need to convince unit owners to become interim board members since it is a voluntary job sans compensation."

The board can either hire an association manager who is a unit owner within the jointly-owned property and granted permission by Rera to manage the OA; or enter into a contract with an OA management company, which is registered and licensed with Rera.

However, well-entrenched association managers argue that the OA course alone is insufficient to perform the complex roles required of a building manager. Says Nima Khanpour, commercial director, Stratum, an OA management company, "You cannot expect a practically inexperienced association manager to be adequately qualified by just obtaining his/her OA certificate from Rera. The necessary skills for association management come from years of experience under the supervision of an experienced association manager, who trains the novice manager to understand the inter-relationships between all components of a building."

Gulf News

Monday, June 13, 2011

The Smartest Way to Shop in Jlt: Virtual Grocery Shopping with SUPERMART

SuperMart.ae is an online supermarket with an easy user-friendly web interface, that allows you to order your groceries online at the convenience of your own home.
Order groceries online & have them delivered right at your doorstep in JLT. SuperMart has an array of popular products to choose from, whether beverage, baby diapers, tea, pet food and a whole lot more.

If you feel like trying this new way of buying grocery, go to SuperMart Website and let us know about your experience!


Jumeirah Business Centre 1 Handover Complete to End Users in JLT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading commercial real estate developer, Al Fajer Properties (AFP), today announced that its first commercial tower in its Jumeirah Business Centre (JBC) series has been handed over to customers. JBC 1 represents the flagship tower for the developer in the 9 tower JBC series located in the heart of the Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) free-zone.


The handing over of the 180 meter high JBC1 commercial tower is a major milestone for AFP and is an endorsement of AFPs successful and prudent strategy of restructuring its business model at the beginning of the real estate downturn to focus on delivering projects within the committed timeframe.

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum, President of Al Fajer Properties, commenting on the milestone said: “The handing over of JBC1 is a significant achievement for us and vindicates the strategy we adopted in 2008 to restructure our management and business to enable us to focus on our core commitment of delivering projects on time. The delivery of the JBC1 is the result of three years of dedicated hard work by Al Fajer.”


Continuing he said, “The restructuring has helped AFP to deliver on its contractual obligations of developing the JBC developments. In record time AFP has completed five of its nine towers in the JLT community, constructing over 200 floors in 18 months.”

The company’s restructuring, including the liquidation of AED 1 billion worth of land bank, after HH Sheikh Maktoum took over the management during the initial days of the financial crisis helped AFP shore up its balance sheet by AED 3.2 billion and focus on its goal of accelerated development of the JBC towers.

“For Al Fajer Properties, it was equally important to be superior and consistent in our quality benchmarks as it was to adhere to contractual obligations and JBC1 reflects this focus in its exquisite design and finishes. We have taken pains to ensure that JBC1 is made to perfection in its aesthetic appeal, functionality and modern amenities so that the development offers investors the best corporate address in the JLT community,” HH Sheikh Maktoum said.

The 44 floor JBC1 tower has an area of 546,000 square feet of commercial space including premium commercial floors with dedicated lifts. It has refined and distinctive exterior, beautiful lobby interiors and panoramic lifts. The development offers an excellent view of the skyline of the new residential and business district of Dubai flanking Sheikh Zayed Road with excellent views across the Marina and Jumeirah beachfront.

“AFP believes that handing over JBC1 to end users will also endorse the fact that there is a salient resonance of a gradual revival in the real estate and property market of Dubai,” HH Sheikh Maktoum said.

AFP has recently announced the introduction of an aftermarket services for the JBC project as part of its end-to-end commitment to its investors, making it a first-of-its-kind developer to offer its support to buyers in a finished and sold out property.

Business Wire

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Registered firms at DMCC grow to over 3,000

JLT is fastest growing free zone in the UAE

Dubai: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC), the licensing authority for the Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) free zone, has licensed over 3,000 companies.

Since the beginning of 2011, DMCC has registered an average of over 100 companies a month, growing by 65 per cent compared to the same period in 2010.

"In January we announced record performances in 2010 when we registered 725 new companies in that period which was our best performance. What we've seen in the first four months of this year was a continuation of that," said Malcolm Wall Morris, CEO of DMCC.

According to DMCC, 93 per cent of 2011 registration are companies that are either internationally based or new to the emirate.

"JLT remains the fastest growing free zone in the UAE and we are pleased to see that the vast majority of company registrations are new to the region, with particular interest coming from Europe and India," said Morris. "The vision was to create this commodity free zone to attract business and trade into Dubai. It wasn't about attracting businesses that were already here and were the seeing the culmination of all that work coming to the fore," he said.

The countries were evenly spread with 25 per cent coming from Europe, 20 per cent from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, 17.5 per cent from India and Asia and the remainder from the rest of the world.

Gulf News

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Super Care Pharmacy Officially Open!

You no longer have to call Ibn Battuta or Dubai Marina pharmacies to get your medicine! Super Care Pharmacy has finally opened in JLT.
Below are the contact details:
Cluster E2, Al Shera Tower, Next to Park N Shop.
Telephone: +971 4 454 1157