Hyperlocal caught up with Prod Antzoulis, in the midst of a busy shooting season at the quaint Nomad Day Bar at 25hours- a hotel he proudly calls his second home. In this guide, Prod reveals what makes City Walk his favorite neighborhood in Dubai to live in and play in as he offers his favorite spots to get creative and keep an active lifestyle.
River in Dubai
“This area has a lot of culture. For me, anything past the Dubai frame is what I love. That's where I find my inspiration and culture.”
Photography Center in Dubai
“I love this vintage camera shop. It's the first ever vintage camera store in Dubai.”
Traditional Market in Dubai
“I'll go there if I want to zone out for about six, seven hours. I'll go there, buy a lot of fabric, go to my tailor, do fittings, and just explore. So one thing to know about me as well is that I make a lot of my own clothes. I like to repurpose things.”
Restaurant in Dubai
“This is somewhere we used to go literally almost everyday growing up. It's an OG spot. You go here for Manaeesh (Lebanese flatbread). It's the best Manaeesh that you'll ever have. They had multiple locations, I used to go to the one in Jumeirah.”
Wellness Center in Dubai
“This is where I go for meditation and yoga. This is a really nice wellness spot, and they have a nice cafe as well.”
Cafe in Dubai
“Basically the only cafe in Dubai that has supercars and coffee. So in my work, you'll notice I love photographing subjects with cars. So sometimes I love to just go there and get inspired have my coffee and observe these cars. I love this place.”
Social Club in Dubai
“It's my secret escape. It's when I get to go have a fancy lunch or dinner. It's definitely a spot to go to. You can't go without a member, but a member can take up to five guests. It's similar to Soho House but more chic. The people who are handling art and culture are very on point, they do exhibitions and host talks. I really respect that.”
Mall in Dubai
“It's my home, I love my neighborhood. I live in City Walk. This is also where I am based for my work and where I'll launch my studio space in the near future. It's honestly a great area that I would recommend people to stay when they visit Dubai.”
Hotel in Dubai
“This is the hotel I always feel home at, it's a great place for me to meet interesting people and chill. I'm actually a member here, and honestly they've done an amazing job building the community and organizing different art exhibitions and events."
Restaurant in Dubai
“It's a hole in the wall fish restaurant that's been around for a while. They literally put fish on aluminium foil and you're just like feasting on them. They get fresh fish every day.”
Lake in Dubai
“I would go here for wildlife and camping. This is also a nice biking track.”
Hotel in Dubai
“First of all, it's the location. It’s very secluded and you get to experience being surrounded by art. Oh yeah this is definitely a very very nice spot, one of my favourite hotels in Dubai.”
Beach in Dubai
“This is where I'd go 6am in the morning. It's located very central, it's a public beach but more private. In the winter, I would walk there, it's a nice 30-min walk in the morning from my home at City Walk.”
Restaurant in Dubai
“There is this restaurant called Teible, and it's amazing. So their menu is seasonal and it changes every three months based on the produce that they can get locally. So everything is sourced locally, it's a gastronomical concept. On top of that they ferment their own vegetables in house, and they have a farm stuck to the restaurant where they grow their produce, it's very sustainable. It's honestly amazing.”
Ice Cream Spot in Dubai
“It's literally one of my favourite spots for lunch and the park that it's in is literally my favourite too. Very wholesome food. They have great homemade ice cream there as well. I literally eat here easily four times a week. They focus on the coffee as well, but the food is just amazing.”
Cinema in Dubai
“That's the only independent cinema we have here in Dubai. I love it so much, really good stuff.”
Neighborhood in Dubai
“To get the full Prod vibe, you have to stay by the beach. It's all about Jumeirah, where we were born and raised. Literally, the roots of Dubai are based here in Jumeirah.”
"I always feel at home here. 25 Hours is a great place for me to meet interesting people and relax. I'm actually a member here, and it's more than a hotel- it has done an amazing job building a community and organizing various art exhibitions and events."
Cypriot photographer and creative director
