When news broke that Rihanna might be returning to the stage sometime soon, some people were surprised by her city of choice: Dubai. Although happy that she's moving on with her life and getting back to performing, American fans are probably wondering, "Why Dubai?"
Well, let me tell you...
The first time I visited Dubai was a few years ago when I was 18 years old. I went to see a good friend of mine who lived there and had always told me that Dubai (or "Du-bay" as he used to call it) was one of the best cities in the world. Since then ... I've been back four times. He was right!
Reason No. 1: Dubai is famously known as the entertainment and party capital of the Middle East. Take it from me, Dubai knows how to get down. There's a fine balance, though, between Dubai's strong Islamic culture and the party lifestyle. Alcohol is allowed, but you can't get too crazy. Rih might even have to go easy on the more risqué costumes for her shows. Read more...
I eventually left Dubai, and believe me, I didn't want to. After what could only be described as a whirlwind 48 hours in Dubai, I opened the door to the villa terrace on Saturday morning and looked out at the view for the first time. Even though Dubai is a city that's in a constant state of "nearly done," set in the middle of a desert with more new construction, scaffolding and cranes than anywhere else I've seen, Dubai boasts some exquisite (albeit artificial) beaches, complete with everything you would come to expect from a picture-perfect resort. I was sold. Almost immediately, my mindset changed from leaving Dubai to deciding what cocktail I was going to have by the beach. I knew I could spare a day so I jumped on the phone, woke up a couple of people and pushed my flight back to the evening. The rest of the day, if I'm honest, was spent half-asleep by the beach, music playing and cocktail in hand.
It was Thanksgiving last week — my first Thanksgiving ever. From what I understand, Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends, so I decided to spend a quick couple of days in London and Paris — strictly business, of course — before returning home to NY. Even though NY has started to feel like a home away from home, you've got to love London. I'm always excited to return to London. Anyone who lives abroad and gets to return home every now and then for a small holiday will understand. It's a beautiful thing.
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These last few days have gone by so quickly. I think this is the first time I've had a chance just to sit down and take it all in.
The launch went incredibly well by all accounts. The show opened with an energetic performance from Dubai rap group Desert Heat, who were a last-minute addition to the show after their impromptu post-sound-check performance the night before impressed everyone in the room. Seeing two seasoned rappers spitting hard in Arabic while dressed in the full-on traditional robes wasn't something I'd ever seen before in my life, but it was definitely something I'd like to see again and the perfect way to start the show. Read more...
It's 7:30 Tuesday morning, and I've been out all night. Haven't slept yet, and it's beginning to catch up. I should know better, but what can I say? I love Monday night in New York. For me, it's the first night of the working week ahead, and the one night when I really should be home in bed and asleep by 1 a.m. at the latest. But like I said, I love New York (the city, not Flava Flav's ex, just to be clear!), and when the city calls, who am I to say no?
After dinner downtown, the atmosphere was electric last night, and some of the city's best-known faces came out to play. When it came time to leave, let's just say I had a little party still left in me, so we jumped into some cars and went straight to my favorite after-hours spot in Soho. The party was already in full swing when we got there, and even though it was already around 3 a.m., it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. Does no one in New York have work on Tuesdays? I guess not. Anyway, I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say we had fun!
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