It does not matter how busy life becomes, and every hour seems to be getting quicker and quicker, the more important it is to find time for friends.
Dubai is the epitome of international modern life, with adrenaline levels that are as high as those of a window cleaner outside Shangri-La London at The Shard, or, any time, normal, or abnormal, financiers in Wall Street. At weekends many Dubai residents escape, to take breaths of normalcy.
All the more reason, season, says the gal, to have an hour simply chatting. Jean-Gabriel Pérès and his wife Claire have just arrived in Dubai (he is the new President and CEO of Kerzner, looking after Atlantis, and One&Only, properties world-wide). We all love Gordon Ramsay’s fabulous Bread Street Kitchen at Atlantis The Palm Dubai, and we had a quick lunch there, and we were welcomed, and farewelled, by the luxury resort’s President, Serge Zaalof – yes, an English girl with three French friends. As we left, making our way – just – through hundreds and hundreds of guests arriving to check-in at the hotel, Serge Zaalof saw the tiniest piece of crinkled paper on the ground. Ever the great hotelier, and without stopping, he leant down and picked up that scrap, and gave it to one of his managers, following dutifully behind. One message to me is that even off-duty, leaders are always aware. But my main story this week is MAKE TIME FOR FRIENDS.
