Natasha Amar

Dubai’s truly cosmopolitan nature and cultural coming of age means that music lovers are spoiled for choice when it’s time to jam to live tunes around the city.
Whether it’s 1920s boogie-woogie swing, country or R&B and soul that gets your feet tapping and heart singing, you’re never far away from a great music venue. While many clubs and bars host up-and-coming artists, open-mic nights and international bands, there are plenty of family-friendly venues that welcome live music fans of all age...

I think I was turning 14, when I decided that I would never learn how to cook. Not deliberately at least. As a young girl stubborn in her intentions to thwart patriarchy in the only ways she knew how, I, with my limited understanding of feminism, was hell-bent on not becoming the supposedly-ideal Indian woman, prepped and primed through her teenage years to become a good wife, adept at cooking and housekeeping. Not that there was any cause for rebellion; my mother forced me to inherit neither...

If you love modern architecture and dizzying heights, Dubai promises to keep you as entertained as a child in Disneyland. Even locals confess to finding the larger-than-life buildings and the accompanying views awe-inspiring.
What better way to experience the skyscraper-studded skyline than by sipping cool cocktails from a rooftop bar while watching the sun go down on the City of Gold? These are some of the most scenic spots around the UAE’s mesmerizing metropolis for a sundowner.
Treehouse
G...

Dubai imbues its luxury hotels a regal touch. From magnificent Andalusian courtyards and romantic canals to handcrafted mosaics and grand crystal chandeliers, the city’s top properties pull out all the stops to transport you to an Old World fairytale.
Add impeccable service into the mix and you’ll realize that it’s easy to feel like royalty in these sumptuous stays, even if you were not born into it.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
With its magnificent white sail gracing the Jumeirah coastline, this Fo...

We don’t blame you if, on your Dubai holiday, you find yourself spending most of your time exploring the skyscraper-studded promenade of Dubai Marina, chasing surreal skyline views at the city’s stylish rooftop bars, shopping in Dubai Mall or sandboarding in the desert.
But if you want to look beneath the surface and experience this mega-metropolis beyond the packaged tourist attractions, we’ve got you covered. From bold street art, hipster food trucks and eclectic cafés to artisanal stores, ...

While adrenaline-inducing activities might not be the first thing that come to mind when you think of ultra-luxe Dubai, the city has much to offer thrill-seekers thanks to miles of coastline that beckon you to the water and a skyscraper-adorned cityscape packed with urban adventures.
If you’re keen on spending more time in the outdoors getting your daredevil fix, these are the five heart-pumping activities to try in Dubai.
Skydiving
Adventure addicts will agree that there’s nothing quite like...

The social fabric of Dubai is delightfully multicultural and so is its cuisine. Fortunately for gourmands, when it comes to indulging your sweet tooth in this glitzy metropolis, the options are endless and often extraordinarily varied to include the traditional, creative and innovative.
From the pistachio-topped Arabic delicacy knafeh and syrupy, Iranian-born but Indian-adopted falooda, to award-winning Italian gelato and smooth dark chocolate soft serves, here’s where to try the best dessert...

While Dubai’s love for superlatives may certainly be its biggest claim to fame, you’d be mistaken to think that that’s all the city is about. As perhaps the most dynamic destination in the Middle East, Dubai loves exquisite design and welcomes aesthetic influences from around the world with open arms.
As a result, the metropolis is home to luxury hotels that don’t just raise the bar when it comes to hospitality and amenities, they’re also a delight for design lovers with an eye for detail. Bo...

As temperatures moderately dip across Dubai, the city’s residents refuse to stay cooped up indoors. Rather they don light jackets and come out to play. Locals swap shopping malls for beaches and parks when the city comes alive with open-air concerts, food truck festivals, outdoor markets and live entertainment.
These are five of our top choices for winter adventures in this lively Middle Eastern metropolis.
This is exactly what your #TravelTuesday should look like! Spend a full day in and out...

This is a guest post as part of our #JayWayPoland blogger project by Natasha Amar.
In Wroclaw, Poland’s fourth largest city, the first thing you’ll likely notice—or rather, gape at—is the strikingly beautiful architecture. The Gothic churches with intricately carved details, grand Baroque university buildings, and candy-colored townhouse facades that frame the city’s Market ...

Not many know that the historic city of Bologna was appointed as the UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2006. This article shares my quest to uncover the city's musical heritage.

A favorite among intrepid travelers, Jordan makes for a worthy introduction to the Middle East. With hauntingly beautiful desert landscapes, ancient ruins, lush oases, picturesque coastal towns, hilltop villages dotted with farms and a wealth of history that lives on in awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Jordan charms visitors with the sheer diversity of its experiences.
And the people? The generosity of Jordanians, whether in cities like Amman or rural areas, is legendary.

Oysters, it’s often said, are an acquired taste. But judging by the crowds around oyster bars at posh weekend brunches and seafood restaurants in the UAE, that might be hard to believe. In the country where the harsh desert climate means that most of its food is imported, edible oysters traditionally come from as far as France, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. Now, thanks to the vision of Ramie Murray, the Sc...

Nothing quite prepares you for your first sight of Petra; the ancient, rose-hued, rock-cut capital of the Nabataean people, with its otherworldly sandstone gorge, tombs and temples, feels like a secret portal into an intriguing period of history.
Once an important stop on the region’s trading routes, Petra was eventually abandoned in the seventh century, save for the Bedouins who continue to inhabit the area. This UNESCO World Heritage Site lies 150 miles south of Amman and features on every ...