Jumeirah

Start your retail fest by directing your driver to O’ de Rose on Al Wasl Rd. / 348 7990 / o-derose.com / (opposite Choithrams, not to be confused with the Al Safa branch). Sip on rose water while browsing the harlot-chic selection of knick-knacks, décor and fashion (w). Motor on to Umm Al Sheif St., off Beach Rd. At the end of the street, on your right is fashion trove IF / 394 7260, with indie designer goodies + bedazzled abayas from the fash-forward DAS Collection (see Adv. Shopping). Now drive back and right onto Beach Rd. and along for 5+ kms until you spy Town Centre mall. Pile in and load up on juicy dates and chocs at Bateel / 342 2345 / bateel.com / directly on your left. Zip out and head up the escalators to find dreamy Feet First / gals: 349 4334 / guys: 349 4553 / feet1st.com / a reflexology and massage haven (separate m/w rooms). Zenyoga is also here (see Spa). Done? Exit back onto Beach Rd., and the next mall on the right is Mercato, a tragic faux-Italian affair. Enter via the main entrance and on your right is Patchi / 349 1188 / patchi.com / for lush Lebanese chocs with gorgey glassware and cutlery. Exit right and follow the alley around the bend, scoot up the escalator, carry on past the cinema and across the bridge of the alarming ‘Grand Central meets Disney’ piazza. Head straight on and into Galerie Savoia arcade. An immediate left (parallel to escalators), and first right leads you to Zin Zin / 349 2962 / a minimalist boutique brightened up with edgy underground int’l brands. Turn right out of the store and right along the gallery to fab Fleurt / 342 0906 / a treasure trove of saucy-glam, gal-flash. Retrace your steps and turn left along Galerie Savoia, at the end on the right is Porto Vecchio arcade, swan round it to find heady fragrances in elaborate crystal flacons at Syed Junaid Alam / 344 6992 / syedjunaidalam.com. Now, cab it 400m and nip into Bambah on your left, opposite the zoo / 142 Jumeirah Beach Rd. / 050 674 1754 / bambah.com / for top vintage frocks,100m further for styley French caff Comptoir 102 (see Lunch), and finally 400m more to faux Med The Village mall, on the left. Here be handy sprog drop spot PeekaBoo (see Very Useful), as well as Ayesha Depala / 344 5378 / for couture and off-the-peg Indian girlie glam, and S*uce / 344 7270 / shopatsauce.com / a divine stash of beady, wafty kaftans, spangly bits n’ pieces, cult designer jeans and rainbowcoloured drifty nothings. Want more? Make an appointment with one of their friendly personal shoppers. In need of refreshment or respite? Upstairs is adorable SensAsia Urban Spa, downstairs is Sisters Beauty Lounge (see Spa for both), in the courtyard on the right side of the mall is cutesy Shakespeare & Co. (see Coffee), and opp. Ayesha Depala is Sugar Daddy’s Bakery / 344 8204 / for scrummy cupcakes, but save room as it ain’t over yet.

Get back in the car and zoom another 100m up towards the Spinney’s carpark, and you’ll spy perennially cool Lime Tree Café (see Lunch) and Etcetera Living / 344 8868 / etceteraliving.com / opposite with a peachy horde of gewgaws for home from around the globe. In the next block is The One / 345 6687 / theone.com / a colourful homeware store with hip Gourmet Theatre café and deli, and just around the corner from The One, there’s funky communal-tabled Saladicious / 345 5822 / saladicious.com. Now cab it back a couple kms to Al Safa St. off Al Wasl Rd., where you’ll find the very wander-worthy alfresco shopping concept City Walk. Dive into beauty spot Sephora / 395 2427 / and S*uce’s sassy little sis S*uce In The Hood / 344 1410 / shopatsauce.com. Grab another cupcake at Hummingbird Bakery / 385 4506 / ae.hummingbirdbakery.com, dump the tikes at easy drop n’ shop play centre Caboodle / 344 4570 / caboodle.ae, and pull up a pew to tuck in at Sapori di Bice / 344 2550 / saporidibice.com. Phew, you’re done – good on you, black belt shopper!