Say hello to Ce La Vi: much-anticipated sky bar opens atop Dubai's new Address Sky View


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One of Asia's most ­popular rooftop bars, Ce La Vi, a "fusion of music, mixology and food", is now open on top of the soaring 260-metre-tall Address Sky View in Downtown Dubai. The three-level Sky Bridge on floor 51, connecting the two towers, has long drawn comparisons to Singapore's most-recognised building: ­Marina Bay Sands. 

The fact that the Singaporean export should arrive in Dubai on top of a building so similar in appearance to Marina Bay Sands, where Ce La Vi Singapore can be found, isn't lost on the team behind the restaurant. 

"Well, it wasn't entirely an accident," Ce La Vi executive chairman Mark Bedingham says. "We are here to bring very innovative, modern cuisine in a spectacular location."

And while Bedingham says the location of the Dubai restaurant isn't exactly a coincidence, it took some time to achieve the perfect balance of atmosphere and jaw-dropping vistas, much the same as its famous Singapore outpost, while also ensuring there was a sufficient outdoor area to allow guests to drink in the view. Luckily, enough approvals were sought and granted to ensure it became
a reality. Ce La Vi
offers a 360-degree wraparound terrace, complete with an infinity pool, a sky bar, club lounge and restaurant. On one side, you have ­completely unobstructed views of Burj Khalifa (which is fitting, as the architects of Address Sky View are the same ones who designed the world's tallest building) and the fountain show, while on another, you have sweeping views out over the coastline. Even arriving at Ce La Vi is an experience, as there's a dedicated glass elevator to carry guests from the ground to the 51st floor, to ensure no view is missed.

Ce La Vi's regional director Harry Apostolides says this was all part of the concept. The team were so set on their vision of "bringing the outdoors indoors" that they went straight to the top, to the bosses at Emaar. This meant creating a mock-up of the building and putting it in a wind tunnel to ensure the bar could make the most of the view – meaning tweaks to the design and the right see-through barriers for the terrace. 

“However, the focus has always been that you don’t have [just] a view,” Apostolides says. “The expectation is that you’re coming for great food and entertainment, and the view is a bonus.”

Ce La Vi was born and expanded in South-East Asia. Dubai marks the seventh opening of the brand, and arguably the farthest out of its comfort zone. It's largely focused on a localised expansion, now having outposts in Singapore, Colombo, Taipei, Shanghai and Tokyo. Movie fans are likely to be most familiar with its Singapore location, which was the setting for the final scene of Crazy Rich Asians.

Bedingham says Dubai was the natural next step for the company, which was focusing on major international cities in the region. “The opportunities are here,” he says. “It’s got a combination of being an international city, but there are international residents, too – and it’s rising as a tourism destination. And those tourists are coming both from Europe and Asia.”

However, he stresses that, despite the Marina Bay Sands lookalike it's housed in, this is no carbon copy of Ce La Vi Singapore. While the rooftop bar and restaurant will bring the same style of contemporary and fusion Asian cuisine, the menu will be adapted to suit the Dubai market.  

The Address Sky View was designed by the same architects that created Dubai's Burj Khalifa
The Address Sky View was designed by the same architects that created Dubai's Burj Khalifa

"We want to make sure that international travellers and international residents are well aware of us, but we also hope to have a strong Emirati consumer base," Bedingham says.

Dubai will also prove a jumping off point from where Ce La Vi will truly go global. Next on the agenda is an outpost in Macau and one in Las Vegas, which will be the first outside Asia.

It's also likely to be an in-demand piece of real estate come time for New Year's Eve countdowns, with its limited front-row seats to the Burj Khalifa's fireworks display. The team acknowledges they anticipate being a go-to destination in 12 month's time.

As for being concerned about Dubai's sometimes fickle restaurant clientele, Bedingham doesn't seem to be. "It just depends on how good you are and how consistent you are," he says. "We learnt from a few experiments that didn't work so well. But if you have a consistency of experience then you will be long lasting."

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Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

if you go

The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.

The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.

 

 

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito

Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa

Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".

Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".

Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

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Manchester United v Everton
Where:
Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD

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2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)

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2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)

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2011 Maria Farah (Canada)

2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)

2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)              

2014 Lia Saad  (UAE)

2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)

2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)

2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)

2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)

Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

New process leads to panic among jobseekers

As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.  

“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.

Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE. 

“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.

“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”

The Abu Dhabi Awards explained:

What are the awards? They honour anyone who has made a contribution to life in Abu Dhabi.

Are they open to only Emiratis? The awards are open to anyone, regardless of age or nationality, living anywhere in the world.

When do nominations close? The process concludes on December 31.

How do I nominate someone? Through the website.

When is the ceremony? The awards event will take place early next year.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5