How do you celebrate a birthday in Dubai?  For mine, I partied at the world’s tallest building (the Burj Khalifa) and the world’s largest bug (the Burj Al Arab).  Because in Dubai we do EVERYTHING “big”.  First, a brunch at the tallest white cockroach in the world…. well, perhaps that is not quite fair.  It more resembles a shrimp or crustacean but with my Atlanta roots I cannot help but think of the roach.  The Burj Al Arab is a giant SAIL shaped (not roach, not shrimp, but SAIL, Mary Anne…) building on its own island in the Persian Gulf.  For having a pure white exterior, it is amazingly colorful inside and of course has all manner of very expensive shops and water fountains (we do love water – and shopping-! in Dubai).  The brunch was an “Expat Woman” brunch put on by the website.  If you are thinking of moving here, the website is a great resource (www.expatwoman.com).  And of course, the Burj Al Arab is a must see in Dubai; I actually was more impressed with an earlier nighttime visit, so I suggest if you have to choose, choose night – but still an impressive daytime journey as well with lots of water shooting everywhere, and OF COURSE lots of GOLD.  Gold everything.

A view of the iconic sail shaped Burj Al Arab from the beach at Madinat Jumeriah.

With my Canadian friend Angie in the lobby of the Burj Al Arab. Lots of gold, lots of water shooting about.

Every kind of juice imaginable at the Burj Al Arab. We love juices here!

Beautiful & colorful table dressings at the Burj Al Arab brunch for Expat Woman.com.

Then dinner at At.mosphere on floor 124 of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest manmade structure.  Why there’s a “.” after the “At” I am not sure.  Jimmy thinks that maybe they started with the “@” sign but it turned out to be too difficult to Google.  In ANY event, you are HIGH in the At.mosphere with or without a dot, and it is an amazing meal with perhaps the best service I have ever seen anywhere.  You pay dearly for the quality and service – it is a minimum 800 dirham ($216) spend per person for a window seat.  But it is well worth every dirham, especially for a special occasion.   Thanks to my wonderful husband Jimmy, it was a magical evening overlooking a magical city.  If you go, be sure to visit the restroom where you can picture yourself as a ghost floating over the city (see picture below…) and the lounge for a view of the “other”side of Dubai.   Then afterwards a stroll by the dancing fountains that never seem to get old.  And THAT is a Dubai birthday!

My life as a ghost floating above Dubai – it can be yours too with a visit to the At.mosphere restroom.

Jimmy enjoys an excellent wine at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa.

My amazingly handsome dinner date at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa.

The view at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, the world’s highest restaurant.

Our excellent waiter Alex offers a drink containing GOLD at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa.

A view of the Burj Khalifa when safely on the ground.