Contents

10

04

AGulf News sponsoredsupplement, producedand published byAl Nisr Publishing LLC

04 Where theaction is...Dubai Sports City is all

set to host Friday Night

Live, Piknic Electronik,

Michael Bublé and Drake

08 Crazy for cricketSoak in the spirit of the

ICC Cricket World Cup

at DSC

10 Trained toperformThe new term at

DSC’s academies

is off to an

exciting start

14 Fitnesscomes firstImprove your

endurance

with tips from

our experts

18 Veggie wondersVegetables take centre

stage in our meals

22 Coming hometo luxuryFortuna Village continues

to be popular with

investors for its offerings

and amenities

26 Cause tocelebrateDSC has had a

sensational season

of events

30 Mark yourdiaryA list of upcoming

events at DSC

Publishing Director,GN PublishingJames Hewes

Head of NPD, GN PublishingEdward Marr

EditorNeesha C. Saalian

Chief SubeditorVictoria Etherington

Pages EditorPriya Mathew

SubeditorsKrita Coelho, Riaz Naqvi,Tania Bhattacharya

Production Editor, GN PublishingKeith Langford

Art EditorNicholas D’Souza

Pre-press OperatorYousaf Naeem

Head of AdvertisingTripti Singh

Advertising Sales ManagerShahida Khanskhan@gulfnews.com

14

Cover pictures: Corbis

One of the compelling reasons for many expatstomove to Dubai is the ability to live the dream.This could mean living in any one of the glitzyhigh-rises, swanky waterfront apartments,

beach-facing villas or the numerous communities that of-fer a safe and secure space to raise a family.

Considering the plentiful options available, what thensets Dubai Sports City (DSC) apart from the rest? “Every-thing that has been created and will be created at DSC isabout excellence, from the fantastic Sports Village withsuperb cricket and football pitches and training areas, tothe Dubai International Stadium and the Els Club,” saysKhalid Al Zarooni, President, DSC.

While these are par for the course when it comes to asports community, what alsomakes DSC distinctive is thatit’s the only neighbourhood in the city that also doublesas a premier destination for international live entertain-ment events. Dorothee Petz, Event Manager at DSC, says,“At Dubai Sports City, we have the perfect combination

Dubai Sports City is set tobe the premier destinationfor events in the regionwith Piknic Electronik,SFL Fight Night andconcerts by Michael Bubléand Drake raising the bar

4 Entertainment

Where the...

ACTIon

By Sanaya PavriPictures: Shutterstock and

supplie

d

Canadian pop and jazz starMichael Bublé will performfor the first time in the UAEat the Dubai InternationalStadium on March 12 and 13

of circumstances. [There are] a variety of world-classvenues with state-of-the-art facilities, from the 25,000-seat capacity Dubai International Stadium, through tothe air-conditioned Indoor Dome that hosts activities365 days a year. Our Sports Village, with its large open

areas, offers us the chance to host outdoor concerts, ex-hibitions and events for up to 10,000 spectators and — ona slightly smaller scale — so does the outdoor area out-side The Clubhouse at The Els Club, the championship golfcourse designed by multiple major winner Ernie Els. So,we have facilities that offer the perfect solution for what-ever the occasion demands.”

From rock concerts and musical events to cultural fes-tivities and Bollywood gala evenings, DSC has played hostto some of the biggest events in the city’s social calendar,a strategic move on behalf of the management, which re-alised that diversifying DSC’s entertainment offeringswas the best way to utilise the state-of-the-art facilitiesin the community.

“We are proud to be aligned with the vision of Dubai inhosting world-class events that provide a great experi-ence to spectators, whether they are sports or entertain-ment events. And the quality and variety of our facilitiesallows us the flexibility to stage not only sports but alsoentertainment events. We are also keen to ensure that ourfacilities are used and enjoyed by as many people as pos-sible and by staging events in addition to the numeroussporting tournaments and matches we hold, we are doingexactly that,” adds Petz.

What then are the various facilities and platformsthat DSC offers to make it an ideal venue to host suchevents? The Dubai International Stadium has a historyof staging major events with large crowds and catersto vast numbers of spectators through ensuring theyare well looked after with parking, catering and top-class seating. “In fact, all our venues offer great accessbecause of the road network around DSC. The variety of

5

Dubai Sports City’s annualOktoberfest celebrations areamong the best in the UAE

is...ofvese

Nahi

Head to the Dubai InternationalStadium to watch Grammy Award-winning rapper, songwriter andactor Drake perform on March 14

6 Entertainment

Pictures: Supplied

■ March 13: All American Nightfrom 5pm to midnight

■ March 20: Friday NightLive (FNL) with livemusic from 5pm to midnight

■ March 27: FNL presents theIrish Festival from 11am to 1am

■ April 3: Friday Night liveEaster Egg Hunt from 12noonto midnight

■ April 10: FNL with live musicfrom 5pm to midnight

■ April 17: FNL with live musicfrom 5pm to midnight

■ April 24: FNL presents FreedomDay from 5pm to midnight

■ May 1: FNL with live musicfrom 5pm to midnight

■ May 8: FNL Closing Party from5pm to midnight

Artists who are interested inperforming at FNL can email:info@fridaynightlive.ae

FRIDAYNIGHT LIVELINE-UP

surfaces we have — from grass to artificial to indoor andoutdoor — means that we have flexibility depending onthe event,” says Petz.

Over the years DSC has staged a number of headliningevents and looks forward to numerous more in the future.It hosted Oscar-winning Indian artist AR Rahman in 2011the hugely popular anWd successful Dance Arena in 2012and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in 2013.

“All three shows took place at the Dubai InternationalStadium, but we have also held our annual German festi-val, Oktoberfest there, before the completion of the IndoorDome, at which point we switched that event to the newlocation,” says DSC’s event manager.

Last month ended on an exciting note for DSC with thefirst-ever Super Fight League (SFL) mixed martial arts(MMA) Fight Night — Pakistan versus India at The Dome.SFL is Asia’s leading MMA organisation and over the pastdecade, MMA has developed from a spectacle into a re-spected sport with a wide audience. SFL has brought MMAto the UAE with a Dubai-based events management agen-cy and DSC is the venue partner.

This month will see DSC host the first Piknic Electronikmusic festival in Dubai. Billed as a family-friendly event,Piknic Electronik is an internationally renowned brand of

Piknic Electronik is aninternationally renownedbrand of daytime electronicmusic festivals

daytime electronic music festivals, which has had tre-mendous success in Montreal and Barcelona.

Adam Fahim, Co-founder of Piknic Electronik Dubaiand Founder of XWave Media, the organising agency ofthe festival, says, “Dubai’s youthful expatriate commu-nity works hard, plays hard, and is constantly seekingnew and alternative types of entertainment. That, cou-pled with the sudden explosion of the electronic mu-sic scene here, makes this city a perfect new home forPiknic Electronik.”

Piknic Electronik Dubai’s 2015 season kicked off onFebruary 28, with the next dates March 28, April 18 andMay 9. The next season begins in November. Tickets willbe sold at Dh130 online and Dh150 at the door for peopleaged 13 years and over.

DSC is also the perfect place to get your weekly doseof fun with the launch of a brand new concept, FridayNight Live. An open-mic concept show, Friday Night Liveis focused on performance, music, dance and comedy,featuring a great line-up of performers. The openingnight on March 6 included performances from jazz, funkand soul trumpeter Karl Marsden and Scottish singer andguitarist Ian Appleby.

The acoustic sessions are open for local talent. Hostedby Izzy and Radio 1’s Sheena Kay, Friday Night Live takesplace outdoors at the Sports Village Centre Court.Thefirst season of Friday Night Live at Dubai Sports City willrun until early May when it pauses for a summer breakbefore resuming in late September.

Canadian crooner Michael Bublé will perform for thefirst time in the UAE at the Dubai International Stadiumon March 12 and 13. The gig by the four-time Grammy-winning jazz and pop artist is part of his mammoth 200-show To Be Loved tour. The concert is being organised byDubai-based Louder Entertainment and DSC is the venuepartner. More than 15,000 fans are expected to attend oneach day.

But if hip-hop’smore your scene, then head to the DubaiInternational Stadium to watch Grammy Award-winningrapper, songwriter and actor, Drake rolling into town fora live one-off show on March 14. The show will be the big-gest hip-hop gig ever held in the Emirates and is expectedto be a sell-out with 20,000 fans in attendance.

“We are also in discussions concerning future eventsat the moment. Dubai is very much a destination thatartists and performers want to come to and we want toensure we are in the mix to stage events both now and inthe future,” concludes Petz.

7

Dubai Sports City has hostedOscar-winning Indian artistAR Rahman and a variety ofmusicians over the years

In a region known for its love of football, it’s refreshingto see cricket mania sweep the country, as the UAEhas qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup for thefirst time since 1996.

Which of the 14 participating teams will make it to thefinals?While it would be premature to predict the outcomeof the tournament being played in Australia and NewZealand, there are always favourites. Will India defend itstitle? It’s leading in Pool B and showed good form againstPakistan and South Africa. However, the current formand conditions of play Down Under favour Australia, withtough competition from New Zealand and South Africa.

Regardless of the teams that make the cut, this iswhere spectators will be treated to some world-classcricket. Nothing beats being among the thousands of fanswatching the matches live, but at Dubai Sports City (DSC),the action comes to you.

The ICC Academy is screening the matches live onone of its two giant 84-inch screens, and it also has anexcellent line-up of events catering to the city’s cricketingfrenzy — starting with The Challengers Cup, which isindoor cricket’s equivalent of the Twenty20, featuringeight-a-sidematches and only 12 overs per team. The nextchallenges are scheduled from March 16-April 14 and May1-22. Later, the academy will host the Ramadan IndoorCricket Tournament from June 19-July 13, and the SummerIndoor Cricket Tournament from August 4 to 27.

The Arabian Cricket league is on at the academyuntil March 20. The venue will also host theAustralia Shooting Stars vs the EnglandDevelopment Squad Women’s Seriesin April.

8 Sports zone

Catch world-class cricketingaction live at the ICC Academyin Dubai Sports City

Crazy forCRICKETBy Ashutosh Gupta

The ICC World Cup 2015,featuring 14 teams, isbeing hosted by Australiaand New Zealand untilMarch 29

Pictu

res:

Cor

bis

Since their inception, the three academies atDubai Sports City (DSC) have seen significantgrowth in their programmes and enrolments.Be it cricket, soccer or golf, the schedules are

nearly full, prompting DSC to look at new venues to ac-commodate the growing numbers.

DSC’s development programmes at the Football Academy,ICC Academy and Butch Harmon School of Golf (BHSG),have grown in strength, offering innovative sessions.

The Football Academy’s Spanish Soccer Schools (SSS) ini-tiative has been having a spectacular run with more than1,200 students from six to 16 years of age already regis-tered for the new term. The third term started on March 1and will go on for ten weeks.

“Currently the programmes are held only at the DSC,but the organisers are exploring the possibility of gettingschools on board as well,” says Inaki Beni, Football Acad-emy Manager, DSC. The Football Academy is also the base

Sports zone

■ The Socatots programme isfor toddlers aged betweensix months and five years

■ The Spanish SoccerSchools programme is forchildren from six to16 years of age

■ For details onthe programmes at theFootball Academy, call04 448 1555, or visit www.footballacademydubai.com

TRAINED to PERFORMThe Spanish Soccer Schools U8team with Head Coach Edgar JChillon. The team recently wonthe Atlantis the Palm DSC JuniorLeague tournament held at theFootball Academy

The stage is set for a lot more action with the start of a new term atDubai Sports City’s academies

10

for the Atlantis The PalmDSC Junior League withteams from under-six to un-der-16 playing at the facilityevery Saturday. The ongo-ing Season 2 of the JuniorLeague, which started inJanuary, is scheduled to endin May. What’s more, all thisaction takes place under thesupervision of former RealMadrid and Spain legendMichel Salgado. Over thepast two years three Eng-lish Premier League sides— Swansea City, West HamUnited and Newcastle Unit-ed — have also held trainingcamps here.

“The facilities created at the academy for both thecoaching and league matches are world class,” saysBeni. “It includes outdoor grass and artificial floodlitpitches, as well as the full-sized, FIFA-approved pitch —believed to be the only one in the UAE — in the IndoorDome that allows football to be played 365 days a year,whatever the weather.”

Like the Footbal Academy, the ICC Academy’s CricketCubs and Warriors programme are also ready for a freshseason, with the new Spring term running this month.While the Cricket Cubs started on March 1 and will go onuntil May 23, the Warriors programme commenced onMarch 6.

“The Spring term is all about getting the players tosharpen their technical skills, and preparing them for therange of overseas tours we offer,” says Will Kitchen, Man-ager, ICC Academy. He says the programme has widenedits scope after it was introduced to girls during the lastseason. “We have been working towards setting up regu-lar ladies-only Warriors sessions for all age groups,” saysKitchen.

The Schools Coaching Programme is another major ini-tiative that was launched by the ICC Academy in its effortsto introduce cricket to schools in Dubai. Kitchen, who isalso the UAE Cricket High Performance Manager, says,“We have been receiving quite a good response from vari-ous schools for the programme — the fundamental ideaof which is to provide opportunity to cricket fans in allschools to be coached.”

The ICC Academy hopes that the success of such pro-grammes will enable the development of future stars who

11

Students from the CricketCubs programme with theircoach at the ICC Academy

■ The Cricket Cubsprogramme is for childrenup to the age of six

■ The Warriors programmeis for boys from 12-19years of age.

■ The ICC Academy offersa training course forgirls aged 11-18

■ For more informationon the programmes atthe ICC Academy, call04 448 1355, email info@ICCacademy.net, or visitwww.iccacademy.net

Pictures: Supplied

could not only represent the country at a regional levelbut take it to greater heights at the international level likethe ongoing Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zea-land. Incidentally, the UAE cricket team also trains at theacademy with staff from the ICC Academy supervising theteam’s training programme.

The UAE’s participation in the Cricket World Cup and thepresence of various other star performers could have tak-en away most of the interest from the playground to theTV screens, but the ICC Academy has kept the momentumgoing with more than half a dozen local tournaments be-ing organised during March and April.

Meanwhile, it’s action as usual at the Butch Har-mon School of Golf (BHSG). The school is geared tooffer one-on-one sessions using the latest Track-man and SAM PuttLab technology. The school hasalso appointed an assistant teaching professionalto coach ladies and juniors — who are beginners — on aprivate level.

“We have a very strong group junior programme for chil-dren from six years of age all the way through to 16, aswell as the training we do for many juniors individually.Our programme is age-appropriate and athletically devel-opmental in its content. That means that the juniors getthe right information for their physical andmental maturi-ty level,” says BHSG Director of Instruction Justin Parsons.

“It doesn’t matter whether you or your child or childrenhave never picked up a club in your lives. We can provideall equipment here. All that’s needed is just regular golfapparel and comfortable shoes and we can help bring outthe best in you,” adds Parsons.

12 Sports zone

■ For details on privatesessions at the ButchHarmon School of Golf,call 04 425 1040, or visitwww.butchharmondubai.com

Pictures: Supplied

FOOTBBA

FITNESS

With health, well-being and fitness takingcentre stage in most of our lives, there isno dearth of options available to stay ship-shape. But nothing can beat the thrill of play-

ing a sport that one is passionate about and what betterplace than Dubai Sports City (DSC), which offers the bestsports training options in the country?

Playing a sport has so many benefits — along with feed-ing your passion, keeping you alert and providing the nec-essary endorphins, it is also the best way to stay fit. Fromgolf to cricket and football, we get DSC’s highly qualifiedcoaches and fitness experts to help you better your gameby improving your endurance, strength and fitness levels.

14 Sports zone

Improve your endurance and strength withtips from our fitness experts and coaches

comes first

By Ashutosh Gupta

Ch a m p i o n s h i pgreens, a high-end exclusive clubmembership and

personal caddies make golfthe perfect networking ac-tivity in DSC, giving you op-portunities to connect withpeople or even sign million-dirham deals. It is also agreat way to work out.

Most people practise theirswing moves the hardest,looking to perfect the artand shave off points on thatall-important handicap. Acombination of the rightcoaching and exercises isthe key to improving it.

Justin Parsons, Director of Instruction at the Butch Har-mon School of Golf, DSC, says, “The golf swing is the mostcomplex arrangement of humanmovement in any sport. Itrequires amultitude of physical attributes, from coordina-tion to explosive strength. Add to that the mental obsta-cles that golf poses and the various conditions that existon the course.”

Parsons insists that identifying a knowledgeable andfriendly coach is the first step towards playing better golf.Ability and strength are also crucial and building musclein the right way can help you gain consistency in power,and accuracy. Mark Poolan, Fitness Manager at FitnessFirst says, “Assessing muscular imbalances is really im-portant, as the slightest imbalance can affect a golfer’sability to swing.”

Typically, a round of golf can take anywhere from four tosix hours. Standing in the same position for long periodsof time will impact muscular performance and elevate fa-tigue. The solution to this, says Poolan, is breaking downthe key positions in a golf swing, looking at the musclesthat are engaged to support the body during a typicalswing and working on strengthening these muscles.

Championship winner Rory McIlroy is a great exampleof how the right training can improve a golfer’s game.He started with balancing the discrepancies between hisstrong right side and relatively weaker left side. He thenmoved on to a lower body workout, seeking stabilisationand greater power generation.

Complementing the workout with a healthy diet, McIl-roy dropped his body fat from 22 per cent to 16 per centand gained the world’s number one title.

15

GOLFGOLF

Muscular imbalances canaffect a golfer’s abilityto swing, so working onfixing these is key

Pictures: Supplied

Justin Parsons, Directorof Instruction at the ButchHarmon School of Golf, DSC

Although historically regarded as a gentleman’sgame, with the introduction of shorter formatssuch as One Day cricket and Twenty20, a highlevel of fitness that was not required earlier

has become vital to a cricketer. Batsmen need remarkableupper body strength to hit sixes regularly and speed torun between the wickets, while bowlers need to be explo-sively powerful, and fielders agile with quick reflexes.

“Cricket has become a power sport [where] athletesare required to produce explosive force for a short period.Very rarely is a cricketer asked to move for longer than 20seconds,” says Will Kitchen, Academy Manager and UAECricket High Performance Manager at the ICC Academyin DSC.

Plyometric training can help players train for speed andexplosive power. Shuttle sprints are the best to improverunning between the wickets, while fielding drop and at-tack and ladder jumps will help you in fielding.

Most elite cricket players will have a programme whichincludes Olympic lifting, for example, a wicket keeper canbe required to squat up to 600 times per day; the training aplayer does must therefore reflect the needs of the game.

“The movements involved in batting and bowling arevery abnormal complex actions. Compound movements,such as squats, deadlifts and military presses are farmore beneficial than isolated movements such as bi-cep curls,” says Sam Jackson, Sports and EventsSpecialist at Fitness First.

Aerobic exercise is vital forcricket as it helps build enduranceand can be enjoyed in differentways such as running, cycling, rowingor swimming. However, running is thebest, as it is a load-bearing workoutthat builds power in the legs.

If you need inspiration, consider one ofSouth Africa’s finest fielders, Jonty Rhodes. Hisregimen incorporated elements from varioussports to create a functional routine that helpedhim get the acceleration, accuracy and reflexeshe was known for. He practised like a footballgoalkeeper, working on his lunges and jumps, tobuild his reflexes.

16 Sports zone

Batsmen require upperbody strength to hit sixesregularly and speed to runbetween wickets

Will Kitchen, ICC AcademyManager and UAE CricketHigh Performance Manager

FOOTBALLLF

ootball is an ex-treme sport in termsof physical activ-ity. Short and long

sprints and explosive accel-erationaidedbymuscular en-durance, lower body strengthand agility are necessary tobe an ace footballer.

Inaki Beni, Football Acad-emy Manager at DSC, says,“When focusing on the fit-ness aspect, it is importantto understand when, howand what we can develop inorder to improve strength,speed, endurance, agility,coordination and balanceaccording to the age of theplayer. It’s important to understand the body’s limits —[for example] when you are coaching a child who is 10, ateenager at 15 or an 18-year-old young player. Appropriateloads make big improvements but working with inappro-priate loads can cause serious injuries.”

The best training sessions involve speed, agility andquickness (SAQ) drills, says Poolan. “These are great toimprove neuromuscular performance and power in multi-planar movements. They also improve brain signal effi-ciency, reaction time and spatial awareness.

“There are plenty of drills to develop SAQ. These usuallyinvolve ladders, mini hurdles and cones. A football [game]can be incorporated as well.”

You can do single legs, double legs, cross-sectional sidesteps, single jumps and more on ladders, says Poolan.The quicker you move your feet through the ladder, themore you will improve. “I always use SAQ training at theend of every warm-up after which one can move on toendurance-based exercises as well as short intervals. Do-ing short intervals or high-intensity interval training [HIIT]will also improve recovery time, which is very importantas football players use short bursts of energy.”

A demanding sport, football expects a lot from the hu-man body. Therefore HIIT is a must to build instant thrust,linear speed, directional movement and agility.

Additionally, since a footballer may end up running upto 10km per game, endurance is crucial. But long-distancerunning or cycling is not the answer — a combination ofbarrier sprints, a jump-rope regimen and fast swim laps is.

17

Beni says it is importantto understand when, howand what can be done toimprove speed, strength,agility and balance

Inaki Beni, Football AcademyManager at DSC, explainsfootball basics to a student

18 Cuisine

INGREDIENTSRock melon,seeds removed ¼Avocado ½Mozzarella 60gBasil vinaigrette 10mlBalsamic reduction 10mlSea salt 1 tspCrushedpeppercorns a pinchExtra virgin olive oil 10mlDatterini tomatoes 3

Melon avocado capreseMETHOD• Slice the melon and avocado

and place in a large bowl.Cut the mozzarella to matchthe thickness of the slicedmelon, add to the bowl. Mixeverything together withbasil vinaigrette.

• Line a plate with balsamicreduction and place themelon, avocado and cheeseon top. Sprinkle with sea saltand crushed peppercorns,and drizzle with olive oil.

• Slice the tomatoes and addas a garnish to serve.

From puy lentils tobeetroot, avocados and

kale, vegetables are takingcentre stage in our dishes

Compiled by Sanaya Pavri

wondersd

INGREDIENTSQuinoa seeds 6 tbspRed grapes 12Red bell pepper 1Kale I bunchSunflower seeds 2 tbspLemon peel, grated ¼ tspBalsamic dressing 10ml

METHOD• Boil the quinoa seeds in

salted water, then cool.• Deseed the grapes, chop

the bell pepper, and cleanand chop the kale.

• Toast the sunflower seedsuntil crispy.

• Arrange the kale on aplate. Toss the quinoawith the bell pepper,lemon peel and balsamicdressing and place overthe kale. Garnish withthe grapes and sunflowerseeds to serve.

INGREDIENTSPuy lentils 50gWhole green lentils 40gBeetroot 1Salt 1 tbspPepper ½ tbspOlive oil 15mlLemon juice 1 tspBaby spinach 30gGrapefruit wedge 1Orange wedge 1Baby romaine lettuce 2Feta cheese,crumbled 2 tbsp

METHOD• Wash and soak the lentils

overnight. The next day, boilthem until soft and set aside.

• Preheat the oven to 150°C.Marinate the beetroot withsome of the salt, pepperand olive oil and roastuntil soft for 20 minutes.

• Make a vinaigrette usinglemon juice, olive oil, saltand pepper. Chop theroasted beetroot into smalleven cubes. Toss the lentilswith the vinaigrette.

• Mix the spinach, grapefruitand orange wedges.

• Cut the baby romainelettuce into wedges.Assemble all theingredients on a platter,and scatter with thecrumbled cheese to serve.

Lentil and baby spinach salad

Kale andquinoa salad

Recipes courtesy of Akhilesh Singh, Executive Sous Chef, The Els Club

19Pictures: Shutterstock

Vegetable spaghetti with tomato sauceINGREDIENTSGreen zucchini 1Yellow zucchini 1Large carrot 1Extra virgin olive oil 4 tbspGarlic cloves, smashed 5Fresh basil leaves, cut intofine strips 4Chilli flakes 1 tspLarge red tomato, diced 1Tomato sauce 100ml

FactfileCarrots are a good sourceof vitamin A and mineralssuch as potassium andmanganese. They alsocontain moderate amountsof sodium, iron, zinc,copper and selenium.Like the carrot,zucchini is richin carotenes.

20 Cuisine

INGREDIENTSBanana 1Chopped kale 1 cupBaby spinach 5 cupsCucumbers, chopped 5Celery stick, chopped 1Kiwi, peeled and chopped 5Green apples, peeledand sliced 5Coconut water 100ml

METHOD• Place all the ingredients

in a blender with a fewcubes of ice and blitz untilsmooth. Serve fresh.

Green goodness

INGREDIENTSCoconut oil 100mlPlantain, peeled and sliced into4cm long strips 1Avocado, peeled and cubed 1Tomato, seeded and diced 1Onions, minced 5Garlic cloves, minced 5Red grape vinegar 2 tbspOlive oil 1 tbspLemon juice 1 tbsp

METHOD• Heat the oil and fry the

plantain for 2-3 minutes.Remove with a slotted spoonand place in a paper bag.Gently flatten them usinga pan and cool.

• Fry the plantain again inthe same coconut oil for 2-3minutes until they are crispy.

• In a large bowl mix theavocado, tomato, onions,garlic, vinegar, olive oil andlemon juice to make the salsa.Season with sea salt.

• Serve the crispy, hot tostoneswith salsa on the side orheaped on each piece.

Tostones withavocado salsa

METHOD• Use a mandolin to cut

spaghetti-like strands ofthe zucchini and carrot.

• Heat the olive oil in afrying pan. Add the garlicand basil and cook untilthe garlic turns golden.Add the chilli flakes.

• Add the fresh tomato,cover and cook on highheat for 3 minutes. Thetomato will steam andturn into a sauce of sorts.

Recipes courtesy of Christopher Zerbe, Chef and Operations Manager, The Cycle Bistro

Pictures: Supplied and Shutterstock

• Remove the cover andadd the tomato sauce anda pinch of salt. Once thesauce starts to boil, addthe vegetables and coveragain to cook them untilthey’re soft — about2 minutes.

• Remove the cover and mixevenly. Cook for about2 more minutes and checkfor seasoning.

• Serve hot.

21

Coming home toReal Estate

Fortuna Village,in the Victory Heightscommunity,continues to bepopular with investors andhomeowners for itsofferings and amenitiesBy Libini Joy

LUXURYW

ith The Els Club and other outstanding sport-ing facilities on its doorstep, as well as nu-merous schools in the neighbourhood, it’sno surprise that more than 5,000 people have

made Victory Heights their home over the past few years.Fortuna Village is the latest addition to this golf coursecommunity spread across 25 million square feet of greenexpanse in Dubai Sports City (DSC). The eighth villagewithin the Victory Heights community, it was showcasedlast September at the Cityscape Global exhibition in Dubai.

Commenting on the development, Khalid Al Zarooni,President, DSC, said, “The launch of Fortuna Village re-flects the continued rapid growth of real estate withinDSC and the desire of the increasing number of people,

22

choosing to make us their loca-tion of choice for life within ourgreat city.”

Scheduled to be completed inMarch 2016, Fortuna Village willcomprise 30 luxury town houses,each with a built-up area of around2,545-2,741 square feet, with plotsizes varying from 2,658-2,742square feet. These master-craftedhomes will come with four bed-rooms, a maid’s room and store-room as well as a garage, terraceand garden.

“Surrounded by lush greenery,these houses [will] ensure com-plete privacy and serenity,” saysCatherine Kehoe, Real Estate Man-ager, DSC. “The space and luxuri-ous setting make [them] one of a kind.”

The Fortuna Village town houses have been designed toreflect the ambience of a Spanish villa community. Newconcepts and coordinated colour schemes blend well tomake each home an architectural masterpiece.

“With matching colour schemes for the doors andfloors, well-equipped bedrooms with spacious wardrobesand shelves, and superior granite kitchen tops and sani-tary ware with porcelain finishes, each square foot is builtto the highest specifications in the industry,” says Kehoe.

The houses have been designed to exacting standards,including stringent green-compliant features in order toreduce the carbon footprint. “The paint we have chosen is100 per cent non-toxic and has a minimum light reflectivequality of 45 per cent,” says Kehoe.

“We are also promoting sustainable energy through theuse of solar power and the inclusion of timber approvedby Dubai Municipality. We [will] check the air quality [inthe units] before handing them over to [their] owners, andthe water is checked regularly and certified for purity.”

Kehoe adds that all units conform to Dubai Municipali-ty’s new standards for volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Prices for the town houses start from Dh3 million, withonly 10 per cent to be given as down payment. With homefinance options available for the project, buyers can bor-row up to 50 per cent of the property value. Fifty per centof the total payment is to bemade during the constructionphases of the property and the remaining 50 per cent is tobe paid on the completion of the project, providing an ex-

23

Residents of FortunaVillage will have accessto luxurious amenitiesincluding a communityswimming pool and clubhouse

PaymentPlan forFortunaVillage■ No 4% land

registration fee

■ 10% as down payment

■ 10% on 25% projectcompletion

■ 10% on 45% projectcompletion

■ 10% on 60% projectcompletion

■ 10% on 70% projectcompletion

■ 50% on 100% projectcompletion

Pictures: Supplied

The Fortuna Villagetown houses (above) area luxurious developmentin Victory Heights (top)

Fortuna Village is locatednext to The Els Club, the18-hole championship golfcourse designed by thelegendary Ernie Els

24 Real Estate

cellent payment plan for investors and homeowners alike.A major incentive for purchasers is an ongoing promotionwhere no registration fee is charged to the buyer. The de-veloper will pay the 4 per cent fee.

In addition, Victory Heights is your best bet if you arelooking for reputed educational institutions situated near-by — be it the well-established Bradenton PreparatorySchool, run by GEMS Education, or the Victory Heights Pri-mary School and the Wonder Years Nursery.

Residents also have access to world-class sportingamenities, especially at DSC’s Sports Village. The ButchHarmon School of Golf located alongside The Els Club of-fers very good golf classes.

“The community gives residents the chance to witnessworld-class sporting events as well,” says Vijay Sajjanhar,Chief Financial Officer, DSC. “The Els Club hosts golf tour-naments regularly, while the Dubai International Stadiumstages cricket matches.

“The Indoor Dome, with its full-size Fifa-approved pitch,as well as the soon-to-be-opened swimming academy andfitness suite, offer residents the opportunity to work outand stay fit 365 days a year, whatever the weather. The[indoor facility] is also home to our rapidly growing Span-ish Soccer Schools programme.”

Sajjanhar says DSC is all about the perfect mix of luxuryand convenience and Fortuna Village is an ideal reflectionof that. “It is the latest development in DSC’s ever-evolv-ing landscape and we look forward to residents at FortunaVillage enjoying all the benefits of living [here].”

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A few days before the ICCCricket World Cup began,Dubai Sports City (DSC) joinedhands with Orbit ShowtimeNetwork (OSN) to add to theexcitement of the prestigiousevent by unveiling what is be-lieved to be the world’s biggestcricket bat.

The bat is made of medium-density fibreboard and is 32metres in length from the toe-end to the top of the handle. Itis also five metres wide.

The bat is on display out-side the ICC Academy and willbe there throughout the eventthat started on February 14 and

runs until March 28. It was un-veiled at DSC in the presenceof DSC President Khalid Al Za-rooni and representatives ofOSN, the sponsor of the UAEcricket squad.

Also present at the eventwere members of the UAEteam and children from theICC Academy’s Junior Warriorscoaching programme.

“We are proud and delightedto have come together withOSN, the sponsor of the UAEcricket team, to display thisspectacular bat, which we be-lieve to be the biggest in theworld,” said Al Zarooni.

This is only the second timein its history that the UAE hasqualified for the ICC CricketWorld Cup, with the first beingin 1996. In the lead-up to the in-ternational 14-team event, thesquad used the ICC Academyas the base for its High Perfor-mance Programme.

Three of the other teams inthe tournament — Afghani-stan, Ireland and Scotland —have also used the academyas a base for training campsand matches.

All the ICC Cricket World Cupmatches are being shown liveat the ICC Academy in DSC.

World’s largest bat unveiledat DSC’s ICC Academy

CAUSE TO CELEBRATE26 Community news

From showcasing the world’s biggest bat to sponsoring the UAE’s firstprofessional cycling team, Dubai Sports City has had a sensational season

Pictures: Supplied

Sports Villageat DSC addedtwo newrestaurantsto its offerings,Champs Cafeand Kickers.

Dubai Sports City (DSC) is set to bea cooler place thanks to an agree-ment with Emirates District Cool-ing (Emicool), a leading districtcooling service provider in the re-gion, to supply chilled water to thecommunity. The agreement is setto deliver unmatched benefits toDSC’s consumers and residents,as Emicool’s sustainable districtcooling solutions will help reducethe consumption of power used inair-conditioning chillers and leadto a massive reduction in carbon di-oxide emissions.

Explaining the benefits of the tie-up, Khalid Al Zarooni, President ofDSC, said, “DSC has believed in part-nering with the experts to deliverquality services to its residents.There are significant environmentalbenefits as the technology is ozone-friendly and the water can be recy-cled for further use in the coolingprocess. There is a comfort factor,as there is a reduction in noise andvibration associated with conven-tional air-conditioning units.”

Emicool will use state-of-the-artindustrial chillers to cool bulk quan-tities of water to 4.5°C, a processthat will be monitored around theclock to ensure 100 per cent reliabil-ity for customers.

Adib Moubadder, Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Emicool, said, “We areproud to announce this strategicalliance with Dubai Sports City pro-viding District Cooling solutions andprivileged to sign it.”

DSC signsan agreementwith Emicool

The SkyDive Dubai Pro Cycling Team participated in the lat-est Great Dubai Pulse Ride — Off Road at DSC. Team mem-bers of Dubai’s first professional cycling team joined in dur-ing the family-friendly event that took place on March 6.

The ride, which caters to a complete spectrum of ridersfrom beginners to serious cyclists, has been a standard fea-ture on DSC’s events calendar for the past two years. DSCsponsored the SkyDive Dubai Pro Cycling Team for the sec-ond year in a row.

“Dubai Sports City is proud to support the SkyDive DubaiPro Cycling Team,” said Khalid Al Zarooni, President of DSC,who is a keen cyclist.

“The team represents the whole of the UAE, not only overthe four days of the Dubai tour but also in cycling eventsaround the world, and in order to do that it needs backing,which we are happy to provide. Our support is a perfect fitas both the team and [DSC] share the same vision — thepromotion of an active lifestyle.”

SkyDive Dubai Pro Cycling Teamparticipates in the latestGreat Dubai Pulse Ride — Off Road

Two newF&B

outlets

27

The Dubai Sports City Foot-ball Academy (DSC FA) re-cently hosted three juniorplayers from Japan — SoraShinozaki (12), Hiroya Taka-da (11) and Kento Furusato(10) — and their coach,Takeshi Inawaka.

Commenting on the play-ers’ visit to Dubai, InakiBeni, Football Zone Man-ager at DSC FA, said, “Take-shi brought the boys hereto get them exposure andexperience outside theirown country, [which] is agreat thing to do. It is partof something we are callingGreen Week at the DSC FA,and it is [the] developmentof a concept many of usfirst experienced in Spainthat we are looking to im-plement here.

“The idea is to bring chil-dren and their coachesfrom academies all overthe world to DSC FA, wherethey will work with ourSpanish coaches. But com-ing to Dubai is about morethan just football; [visitors]can experience the city too,so it is a win-win [situation]for any youngster.”

Khalid Al Zarooni, President ofDSC, said the recent visit of New-castle United to use the footballfacilities at Sports Village wasa strong confirmation of thefact that what is on offer at DSCis top-class.

Newcastle’s visit follows pre-vious stops by fellow EnglishPremier League sides SwanseaCity and West Ham United, aswell as top Russian sides AnzhiMakhachkala and FC Rostov.

The squad, faced with a toughwinter back home in north Eng-land, made full use of the grassand artificial pitches at SportsVillage, and also trained at In-door Dome, which has a full-sizeFifa-approved artificial surface.

“It was a pleasure to haveNewcastle United with us, usingall that we have to offer,” saidAl Zarooni.

“The squad’s presence furtherillustrated that the facilities weprovide are truly world-class,and the fact that NewcastleUnited is Europe’s fifth leadingclub side to come here in onlytwo years shows [us] we aregetting things absolutely right.

“We are immensely proud ofthe work that Michel Salgado,former Real Madrid and Spainlegend and our Director of Span-ish Soccer Schools, and InakiBeni, Manager of the FootballAcademy, and their teams aredoing and we look forward to

Newcastle Uniteduses world-classfootball facilitiesat Sports VillageFootball Academy

hosts Japaneseplayers

28 Community news

The inaugural Dubai Openat The Els Club, the first pro-fessional event at the coursedesigned by multiple majorwinner Ernie Els, was hailedas a big success by ChrisBrown, General Manager of TheEls Club.

India’s Arjun Atwal secureda one-shot victory over SouthKorea’s Jeung-hun Wang in theexciting finale to the 2014 AsianTour season at the course.Brown said, “It was a 100 percent success. The feedbackfrom the players regarding thecourse condition has been out-standing and I feel satisfactionand pride. I am proud of theteam, the golf club and TroonGolf for producing such a spec-tacular event.

“To have Arjun Atwal, whohas been a very successful PGATour player in the past, as our[inaugural] Dubai Open cham-pion, players such as DarrenClarke, some of the best play-ers on the Asian Tour as wellas a few young superstarscoming through from the Eu-ropean Tour — players such

as Tommy Fleetwood and MattFitzpatrick — helped make thisa fantastic event.

“We have always had plansto do something professionalgolf tournament-wise, so to fi-nally have one under our beltis extremely satisfying for thewhole club and DSC.”

Brown said the success of theevent meant that a second edi-tion in 2015 is very much on thecards, pending agreement fromall the relevant parties. “Thereis an option in there for us tohost this (tournament nextyear),” he said.

Mohamed Juma Buamaim,Vice-Chairman and CEO of golfin DUBAi, echoed Brown’s as-sessment of the success of thetournament. “I am very proud.They [DSC and The Els Club]have done a great job andmadeDubai very proud with the ser-vices provided.

“All the players were veryhappy with the golf course andthe hospitality they received,”he said.

Dubai Open at The Els Cluba huge success

welcoming more leading sidesin the future.”

Maqbul Dudhia, General Man-ager — Sports Business, said,“This time of year really is per-fect for football and theNewcas-tle United [members] relishedplaying in world-class facili-ties, with international stand-ard grass and artificial outdoorpitches at their disposal.

“The Indoor Dome ensuresthat we have the means to[make certain] the game neverstops here at DSC, whatever theweather. Our football facility isone we are extremely proud ofand we look forward to it con-tinuing to grow in popularityover the coming months.

“These are exciting times forall of us at DSC with the open-ing of Fit Republik [and] itstop fitness and swimming fa-cilities earlier this month thatcompletes our Sports Village— alongside our football andcricket academies.

“We also [have] a well-es-tablished championship golfcourse at The Els Club and first-rate golf coaching at the ButchHarmon School of Golf.”

Pictures: Supplied

29

MARK YOUR DIARY30 Calendar

ICC Academywww.facebook.com/ICCAcademy

www.twitter.com/ICCAcademy

Instagram — @ICCAcademy

www.ICCAcademy.net DSC Football Academywww.facebook.com/DSCFootballAcademy

www.twitter.com/DSCFootballwww.footballacademydubai.com

Instagram — @DSCFootball

Dubai Sports City Eventswww.facebook.com/Dubaisportscityeventswww.twitter.com/dscsportsevents

DSC Corporatewww.facebook.com/DubaiSportsCity

www.twitter.com/DxbSportsCitywww.dsc.ae

Instagram — @DubaiSportsCity

Dates subject to change Venue subject to change

DUBAI INTERNATIONALSTADIUM■ Michael Bublé concerts:March 12and 13

■ Drake concert:March 14

SPORTS VILLAGEFOOTBALL ZONEJunior leagues and tournaments

■ Dubai Schools Cup: Jan 31 – March 7

■ DSC Junior League 2: Jan 17 –May 30

■ DSC Junior League 3: Sep 19 – Dec 12

■ Summer Youth Tournament:June 19 – 20

Adult leagues and tournaments

DSCMonday 7s (season 3):March 23 – May 18

■ DSCWednesday 5s (season 1):May 13 – June 10

■ Ramadan Tournament: June 22 –July 13

Coaching programmes

■ Spanish Soccer Schools (term 3):March 1 – May 15

■ Socatots (term 3): April 5 – June 13

■ May - June Football Programme:May 24 – June 18

■ Easter in Spain: April 15

■ Summer Camp: June 28 – Aug 15

ICC ACADEMY

Coaching programmes

■ Cricket Cubs: March 1 – May 23

■ Half term:March 29 – April 11

■ Warriors programme: Term startsfromMarch 6 – May 22 and Sep 20 –Nov 29

■ ICC Academy Schools programme:April – June

■ Schools Festival:March 22 from4 – 5.30pm

Indoor tournaments

■ Challengers Cup:March 16 – April 14

■ Challengers Cup:May 1 – 22

■ Ramadan Indoor CricketTournament: June 19 – July 13

■ Summer Indoor CricketTournament: August 4 – 27

Outdoor tournament

■ Arabian Cricket League:Feb 22 – March 20

Performance camp

■ Durham Camp:March 18 – 26

■ Australia Shooting Stars vsEngland Development SquadWomen’s Series: April *

Events

■ Public screening - Cricket WorldCup: Feb 14 – March 29

RUGBY ZONE

■ EAFL Desert Bowl:March 13 **

■ Irish Festival - Dubai Celts:March 27 **

■ Piknic Electronic(Pitch 2):March 28

■ Time Out Teddy Bear Picnic(Pitch 2): April 4

■ BeWell Cycle Tour: April 10 **

■ Piknic Electronic (Pitch 2): April 18

■ Piknic Electronic (Pitch 2):May 9

CENTRE COURT

■ Friday Night Live: Every Friday fromMarch 6 – May 8

■ EAFL Desert Bowl:March 13 **

■ Irish Festival -Dubai Celts:March 27 **

■ BeWell Cycle Tour: April 10 **

THE DOME

Golf Exhibition – Dubai Golf Show:

June 4 – 6

THE ELS CLUB

■ Sunday: Kids Eat Free

■ Monday: Burger Fiesta

■ Tuesday: Quiz Nights

■ Thursday: BBQ Night

■ Friday: Big Easy Brunch, Movie Night

and Live English Premier League (EPL)

■ Saturday: Live EPL Football

Events

■ EGF Junior Open:March 14

■ Mother’s Day family dinner with

gift:March 21

■ Special Masters’ Weekend:

April 9 – 12

■ Special Easter Brunch and Easter

Egg Hunt: April 3 – 5

■ EGFMen’s Open: April 10 – 11

Pictures: Supplied

A list of upcoming events at Dubai Sports CityCompiled by Vanisha Pereira

Instagram — @DSCsportsevents

Facebook & Instagram — @FridayNightLiveDSC

www.dsc-events.com