Visitors, Food, More Food and some Golf

“Keeping one’s guests supplied with liquor is the first law of hospitality.” Margaret Way

Well its been a very busy seven days with the arrival of the in-laws, which means as with all visitors lots of eating out and general overindulging. Their visit was timed to coincide with the four-day HSBC Abu Dhabi 2014 Golf Championship last weekend and the perfect weather of the cooler Abu Dhabi winter months.

So it was the week where the calories were off the scale (fitness pal overload) and the weight piled on…….

A delicious first night chinese meal at the Noodle Box restaurant at the Yas Viceroy Hotel.

All aboard the good ship Veal/Brett

A boat trip to the stunning location that is the Yas Links Golf Club with family and new friends, also here on vacation to enjoy a sunny lunch on the terrace (Celebrity spot: Marco Pierre White was at the next table).

Boat Trip to Yas links to indulge you say? Oh go on then……..

Nineteen of us took over the outdoor terrace at Frankie’s Italian restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel for more food, fun and vino. Twinkly lights and patio heaters completed the scene.

Merriment courtesy of the world friendliest bank HSBC

A full sunny Friday at the golf championships with free entry and beverages of the alcoholic nature at the Sky Bar located at the seventeenth green all courtesy of HSBC premier – thank you HSBC. Up close and personal with some of the world’s top golfers out on the fairways. A good day finished off with dinner (more food) at The Retreat restaurant located at the Westin Hotel just off the golf course.

The in-laws enjoying the golf championships

Finals day at the golf with more hospitality including a free lunch courtesy of HSBC. Tense times as crowd favourites Rory McIlory and Phil Mickelson finished in joint second place and Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal took the top honours on the last hole.

Scores on the doors on the final day of competition.

The fusion of old and new when traditional Arabic dance was turned into the first UAE flash mob performed ahead of the trophy presentation.

First UAE flash Mob

More dinners at more golf clubs with a revisit to Yas Links and the beautiful scenic Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (throughly recommend a visit to both as good food and no tourist tax either. SBGC offers all mothers the chance to eat free with their family every Tuesday evening…..oh go on then!)

Stunning location and good food at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (source:http://www.sbgolfclub.ae)

A night of fun at a friends house, this time with Arabic Cuisine on the menu with visitors enjoying a selection of Falafel, Larhem Mishki, Shish Tawouk, Fattoush and Tabblouleh from the popular local establishment The Lebanese Flower (the restaurant is quite an ‘authentic’ experience in itself).

Generation Game on the fairways

The menfolk even managed to fit in two rounds of golf themselves, not quite up to the standard of the championships but fun times none the less and with post-golf London Pride on tap in the clubhouse to top off the experience.

Ladies who Lunch at AD Golf Club (again)

Oh and the teenager went to school and was generally the most responsible person in the family, no change there then!

And as I finish writing this I’m off to lunch (not before booking a Thai meal tonight at the Dusit Thani Hotel for tonight as well as Brunch tomorrow at the St Regis) at you guessed it…..the golf club. If you happen to see me I am the one with multiple chins and the button undone on my jeans, sitting in the corner nursing another plate of carbs. The in-laws depart on Sunday but not before the consumption of calories, more cuisines are sampled, games of crazy rummy are played and a day out in Dubai followed by dinner at my favourite restaurant The Rivington Grill overlooking the Burj Khalifa. Next week I will mostly be on a diet and shopping for some attractive hold-me-in lycra spanx.