Dubai is not a very big city. Assuming traffic flows smoothly, you can actually visit most of it in a day. Maybe not including the desert but the areas where most people would go like the malls, the beach, parks and other attractions within city limits. We travel to Dubai every day for work and visit during the weekend to shop or see a movie, whatever. Yet we still get surprised when we go to an area after not visiting for maybe a month or even two weeks. Everything looks different and new.

Take the new display under every lamp post. I thought they looked like yarn bombings, but the all too familiar logo of the sun and a smile under it quickly told me that it is almost that time of the year again. Dubai Summer Surprises. And before you know it, Modhesh will be everywhere!

Dubai will not be Dubai without a new shop or restaurant opening every week. Well, something like that. We’ve been dying to try Texas Roadhouse. They have an outlet at the Dubai Mall and recently I saw a banner announcing their presence at Deira City Centre. There was a 30-minute queue when we went to the Dubai Mall outlet last Saturday. It was alright, I guess, unlike the 2.5 hours we waited the first time out at The Cheesecake Factory! There was a bit of a wait for the food but the freshly baked, soft bread and honey and cinnamon butter plus this bucket of roasted peanuts helped curb the hunger for just a bit more.

The place was packed and loud! There were all things Texas hanging on the walls, including Bambi’s stuffed head. It’s horrendous. They played country music and at some point some of the staff started line dancing! Not Achy, Breaky Heart though. It was alright, I guess. The food was good, apart from the brisket which had probably a pound of salt in the sauce! Joseph did not enjoy that one bit.

So that’s one more on the summer list crossed off. The kids are here for another 9 days (SOB!!!) but we still have our Yas Waterworld adventure this weekend so expect lots of photos soon, plus we still have to visit a few food places and some of their favourite haunts. Maybe a couple more films to see as well. Fast 6, anyone?