Campaign ME Issue 411
Gulf Business WIN!
A gold iPad 3!
Plus Dhs10,000 worth of fitness packages and a mini-break to Doha
Hello eating emirati discover the uae's national cuisine p28
Stuff
July 2012
the ultimate Dubai
phone book
Business Traveller
the Dubai olympics What's On take up one of the london 2012 sports p32
All the Numbers you'll ever NeeD, from gAsmeN to gArDeNers AND DvD DelIvery to sINgINg telegrAms
p18
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ConTEnTS
July 2012
18
32
FEATURES 18 The ultimate Dubai phone book
All the numbers you need to know in order to keep your life running smoothly, from supermarket delivery and at home spas to your humble gas man’s digits
24 Detox in Dubai
24
Everything you need to know about detoxing in the city, from specially designed menus to expert tips
28 Eating Emirati
28
Exploring the world of Emirati cuisine, plus a range of traditional Emirati dishes for you to cook at home
32 The Dubai olympics
Bring the Olympics to the Emirates, with our do-it-yourself guide to sport in Dubai JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 3
ConTEnTS
THE ROUND-UP 12 Salaam
Three pages of news, rumours and vital stats to see you through the month of July
36 Film
Our verdict on superhero blockbuster Amazing Spiderman, The Hunter, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World and Bollywood’s latest Bol Bachchan
39 Eating out
The new Abu Dhabi Thai Pachaylen, Levantine grill Al Mersat Restaurant, popular Dubai nightspot Mahiki’s new sharing menu, and tapas bar Ornina. Plus learn to cook a classic miso soup, enjoy celeb chef columnist Gary Rhodes’ buttered prawns and this month’s food news
73 Mind & body
Happiness expert Peter Jones on assembling the tools you need to put a smile on your face, futuristic facials, and all the latest well-being news
79 Music & nightlife
Grand Hotel Paradox (“Dubai’s second best punk rock band”), London lad Labrinth ahead of his gig at Emirates Palace this month, plus everything going on in clubland this month
89 Travel
Doha, a Scottish hotel built on the back of a beer truck, multi-Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire on his travels, and where to escape the summer heat
97 The hot list
The bars, spas, restaurants and brunches giving the fire brigade cause for concern
114 Backchat with… Catboy Our man on the radio is having a bit of a summer downer…
The African island nation of Mauritius, the Gourmet Traveller on dinner in
49
49 Arts
Singer Alison Jiear on performing in musical Cats, an art fair you can enjoy online in the comfort of your own home, five minutes with photojournalist Ammar Abd Rabbo, The Art Insider on taking a summer sojourn to Beirut and five must see exhibitions for you to check out this month
57 Shopping
Inject some colour into your home with our pick of the best summer products, the latest beach lit and the hottest new stores in town
63 Sport & outdoor
Our fearless staffer comes over all Torvil and Dean and learns to ice skate, our new myth busters feature and the latest news from the world of sport
79 57
89 4 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Editor's note EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Obaid Humaid Al Tayer GROUP EDITOR & MANAGING PARTNER lan Fairservice GROUP SENIOR EDITOR Gina Johnson | gina@motivate.ae SENIOR EDITOR Mark Evans marke@motivate.ae DEPUTY EDITOR Helen Spearman helen@motivate.ae FOOD EDITOR Gareth Rees gareth@motivate.ae FEATURES EDITOR, ABU DHABI Adam Workman adam@motivate.ae FEATURES WRITER Matt Priest matthew@motivate.ae ART DIRECTORS Freddie Colinares freddie@motivate.ae Olga Petroff olga@motivate.ae SENIOR DESIGNER Sheila Carino-Deocareza sheila@motivate.ae PICTURE RESEARCHER – GULFPICS Wayne Fernandez wayne@motivate.ae CONTRIBUTORS Rob Adair, Naveed Ahmed, Victor Besa, James Brennan, Stef Burgon, Vikram Gawde, Catherine Jarvie, Charles Pocock, Mark Powell, Conor Purcell, Gary Rhodes, Farooq Salik, Simon Smedley SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Sunil Kumar sunil@motivate.ae PRODUCTION MANAGER Sudhakar Chandran sudhakar@motivate.ae PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Binu Purandaran binu@motivate.ae GENERAL MANAGER – GROUP SALES Anthony Milne | anthony@motivate.ae PUBLISHER Gareth Lloyd-Jones | garethl@motivate.ae HEAD OF SALES Mark Pickup | markp@motivate.ae SENIOR ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Varsha Bhatia | varsha@motivate.ae ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Violeta Botorogeanu | violeta@motivate.ae GENERAL MANAGER, ABU DHABI Joe Marrit | joe@motivate.ae SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE, ABU DHABI Hamdan Bawazir | hamdan@motivate.ae Annual Subscription UAE Dhs120 • GCC Dhs332 • International US$90 (including Airmail charges)
Back in my hometown, my older brother knows just about everyone. I’m not sure how he seems to know everyone – I certainly don’t – he just does. A normal 30-minute walk through the city centre takes him around four hours, as he has to stop every few steps and say hello to Big Tony, or Tommy from the East End, or whichever oddlynamed lunatic he bumps into next. The upside to all this, is that he is the man to call in any sort of emergency. Boiler’s blown up? Don’t worry, he knows a cracking plumber. Car won’t start? Relax; he’ll call his mate, the mechanic. Having problems with your flux capacitor? No need to stress, he knows just the scientist. In short, he is pretty much the definitive guide to getting things sorted. The downside, however, is that he doesn’t live in Dubai. So any of life’s little problems that decided to happen now, and there’s no calling the big brother (although I bet he knows someone that can fly a plane who’d be willing to nip over…). To rectify this problem, this month we present the ultimate Dubai phone book – in it, you’ll find everything you need to survive life in the Emirates, from car mechanics to emergency plumbers. And, this being Dubai, we’ve also thrown in a few of those other life emergencies, such as supermarket deliveries, DVDs to your door, and, er, home waxing (not that I’ll be using that one). And please do let me know if there are any numbers you think we should include for future editions – it’s already proving to be an indispensible guide for the team, so I’m sure it’s something that we’ll have to hand for a while. At least until my brother moves to Dubai, anyway. Enjoy the issue.
Head Office: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE, Tel: +971 4 282 4060, Fax: +971 4 282 4436, Email: motivate@motivate.ae Dubai Media City: Office 508, 5th Floor, Building 8, Dubai, UAE,Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, UAE, Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +971 2 677 0124, Email: editor-wo@motivate.ae London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, Email: motivateuk@motivate.ae
Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 11
We're officially part of the Twitterati. Follow us @WhatsonDubai for exclusive updates on nightlife, restaurants and more around the UAE. Tweet yourself
Salaam! Fast facts, figures and rumours
What’s hot BeTTer THan Barca Dubai is the world’s eighth most popular destination in the world to visit, according to a survey by the Global Destinations City Index. Dubai placed ahead of traditionally popular cities such as Rome, New York and Barcelona. leaDinG By eXaMPle The Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Maktoum, has taken top honours at a 160km horse endurance race held in Italy. With his winning time of eight hours 51 minutes, his highness has qualified for next month's World Endurance Championships. sPeeDy caBs The RTA has announced that it has installed a new taxi telephone booking system they claim will cut average waiting time from 20 to 12 minutes. So far over 30,000 taxis have been updated with the system that also includes digital maps of Dubai that are regularly updated.
What’s not
sHaKy TiMes Dozens of residents in Dubai reported that they felt an earthquake last month, although the seismologists at the national meteorology and seismology centre claims there was no activity recorded. The alleged tremors were felt in Jumeirah, Al Safa and Jebel Ali areas. neW cHarGes Businesses around the UAE face higher commission charges for accepting premium credit cards. Master-Card and Visa will start charging businesses more commission for using their higher-end credit cards – the likely knock on effect will see customers being charged more. PalM ProBleMs Pools have been drained and gyms have been closed as disputes over unpaid service fees continue for residents of Nakheel properties on The Palm. The dispute centres on unpaid maintenance fees, despite the fact that many residents pay their rent in advance. 12 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Guess list
Wanna know a secret? Harry reDKnaPP At the turn of the year, ‘Arry was untouchable. His Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, were flying high and the masses were calling for him to be offered the vacant England job. What a difference six-months makes. Not even considered to lead England, he’s since been turfed out of the Spurs job. However, our football insider has it on good authority that he’ll soon be bringing his wheeler-dealer magic to the UAE Pro-League, with Al Wasl FC – currently managed by Diego Maradona – said to be interested.
aBHisHeK BacHcHan The the Indian actor, producer, heartthrob and husband to former Miss World Aishwarya Rai is, according to our Bollywood mole, on his way into town for the premiere of his new film, oddly named after himself.
12%
50%
THIS MONTH WE'RE GOING TO...
Jay-Z Superstar rapper, producer, clothing designer and friend of Obama, Jay-Z – Shawn, to his mates – doesn’t do things by halves. With Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney and Britney having pulled out all the stops in the UAE over the past year, our man (or woman…) in the know tells us that we can expect to see him soon, around F1 and Yasalam time…
35%
caTs The mega award-winning feline musical kicks off its four-day run at Ductac. Jul 10 to 14, Ductac, Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, 8pm, Dhs150. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org
LoCaL KnowLEDGE Rob Gibbs, founder of creative studio, Robotandspark
ILLUSTRATION BY: PAUL STERRY
WeeKenDs Weekends involve lots of activities with my son. He's a bit of a dinosaur nut, so we find ourselves at Festival City checking out the Dino Live exhibit most Fridays. I now know the difference between a Brontosaurus and a Brachiosaurus. Dino Live, Dubai Festival City, Dubai. 9am to midnight, Dhs50. Tel: (050) 1810288. dinolive.com
FavouriTe sHoP The Zoo Concept Store up on Beach Road is awesome, especially for designers. They have lots and lots of funky posters, watches, toys, t-shirts, artwork, fashion and loads of other random cool stuff. The Zoo Concept, 142 Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (050) 5353875. facebook.com/thezooconcept
eaTinG ouT My favourite restaurant has to be the Grand Grill, at the Habtoor. A big, thick juicy steak, some beef ribs, sweet potato fries and a side of onion rings. My idea of heaven. Habtoor Grand Beach Resort, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 1pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3994221. thegrandgrill.com
secreT sPoT When I need to chill out, I buy an ice cream and sit on the balcony at Marina Mall. Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Sun to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur to Sat 10am to midnight. Tel: (04) 4361020. Metro: JLT. dubaimarinamall.com
Toy aucTion
creaTive classes
Limited edition, collectable designer-toys created by 125 local artists will go under the hammer during a three-day auction. Jul 12 to 14, FN Designs Studio, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3488515. alserkalavenue.com
Classes in origami, photography and screen-printing are available for children aged between six and 18 at the Tashkeel creative hub. Jul 1 to 19, Tashkeel, Nad Al Sheba, Dhs80 to Dhs500. Tel: (04) 3363313. tashkeel.org
girl about town
Dubai 92’s Geordiebird gives us the heads-up on the Dubai bar scene
this month: oscar’s Vine society What does it look like? It’s really quaint, with not too many tables squeezed in and flowery tablecloths everywhere. After just returning from my hols in Italy I felt like I was straight back there. Who goes there? Seems to me like an expat hangout, and I didn’t spot any under30s in there. Any bar nibbles? On a Tuesday night there is a great buffet with every cheese under the sun, cold cuts and a nice bread selection (Dhs99 per person from 7pm to 11pm). There’s also a small menu that offers bruschetta, goat’s cheese on toast and caramelised onion and anchovies on toast. Oh yes, we definitely ate a lot of bread. Drink recommendations? Stick to the vino and beer; they have a great selection of both, with 120 different wines on the menu. When should you go? Tuesday night is a winner for me with that impressive buffet. How’s the service? Excellent. The staff were the friendliest I’ve come across in a Dubai bar, and they had actual real live banter. What’s the taxi situation? Taxis aplenty outside. Geordiebird verdict: Definitely check out this little bar/ restaurant. That’s just between you and I though; it’s my new secret place and I don’t want it getting rammed. Oscar’s Vine Society, Crowne Plaza Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Fri to Wed 6pm to midnight, Thurs 6pm to 1am. Tel: (800) 276963. Metro: World Trade Centre. ichotelsgroup.com
Find us at
www.facebook.com/WhatsOnDubai JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 13
SALAAM
IN THE NEWS
Summer camps
MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR
This year’s Rugby 7s will run from:
AS ALICE COOPER ONCE SUCCINCTLY SAID – SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER, WHICH MEANS THAT THE YOUNG ’UNS ARE LOOKING AT A FEW MONTHS OF HOLIDAY. IF WORK COMMITMENTS MEAN THAT YOU CAN’T TAKE THE FAMILY AWAY, THEN WE’VE LINED UP A FEW PLACES THAT COULD ENTERTAIN THEM
Hamleys Summer Camp
Dhs1,420 per week. Tel: (04) 2414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org
From treasure hunts to video games and cooking classes, famed toy shop Hamleys will be running a kids club all summer long for children aged between four and 12. Jun 1 to Aug 31, Park Hyatt Dubai, Deira, 10am to 10pm, Dhs50. Tel: (04) 6021234. dubai. park.hyatt.com
Little Explorers
Cool Kids Summer Camp
Mall Of The Emirates is hosting a summer camp for children between six and 12, which combines educational and entertaining activities including traditional arts and
crafts, cooking, pottery and photography. It’s all in the name of ‘edu-tainment’. Jun 24 to Jul 12, Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, Sun to Thur,
Playnation and National Geographic have teamed up to give children a real insight into the Amazon rainforest without leaving the UAE. The children will even get to build a unique exhibit inspired by the rainforest. Jul to Sept, Mirdif City Centre, Mirdif, Dubai, Dhs130 per day. Tel: 800386. littlexplorersme.com
NOV 29 TO DEC 1
64
SECONDS THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK A DUBAI MAN TO EAT AN ENTIRE 12-INCH MARGHERITA PIZZA, BREAKING THE WORLD RECORD.
1 million the number of traffic offences committed in Dubai in the first five months of this year.
Motorheads should get ready to see more cool cars on Dubai’s roads thanks to a new law thats will allow cars that are over 30 years old to be driven.
NEW DHOW WHARF A new dhow wharfage is to be built in Deira. 14 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
400
the number of dhows that can be berthed
DHS200 3KM
the length stretching from the Deira Corniche to the Palm Deira
MILLION
the cost of the new wharfage
Get ready to have tons of fun at Modhesh World, the biggest fun destination for this Summer! From 14 June to 25 August, kids, teenagers and families can have a fantastic time with exciting games, attractions, entertainment and lots of prizes. Meet the amazing Modhesh and make new friends in the region’s favourite indoor theme park, all summer long. See you there! Modhesh World Timings: Sat - Wed: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm Thurs: 10:00 am - Midnight Fri: 2:00 pm - Midnight
Main Sponsors
Zone Sponsors
“Ahlan Dubai” +971 600 545555 www.modheshworld.ae
WIN! WIN! WIN!
It’s competition time. Are you feeling lucky?
WIN! a goLd-pLated ipad 3 (16gb) From JUstsparkLe.ae, worth more than dhs6,000 Super luxe and truly decadent, Dubai-based website justsparkle.ae has taken the latest technology and given it a bling spin. Offering crystallised headphones, gold & platinumplated iPhones, iPhones and more (plus the opportunity to add five-star touches to your existing gadgets), this is the ultimate in UAE style. And guess what? We’re treating one lucky reader to a stunning gold-plated iPad (16GB), with a thick layer of 24k gold added to the entire back panel, polished to a mirror finish and covered with a protective film to keep it shining. Want to get your hands on this amazing bit of kit? Of course you do. For your chance to win, e-mail winwithwhatson@ motivate.ae with ‘IPAD’ in the subject line, include your contact details, and tell us the answer to this question… Which of the following cannot be blinged up by justsparkle.ae? a) An elephant b) iPhones c) iPads
WIN! a LUXUrY minibreak at the w doha Break up the seemingly endless summer with a weekend in Qatar, staying at the stylish W Doha Hotel & Residences, with five-star accommodation, access to facilities, amazing food, drinks, late check out and free WiFi. The lucky winner and a friend will enjoy the Amplify your Weekend package that includes two-night stay in a Spectacular room, Friday brunch at the signature Spice Market, Saturday breakfast at Market by Jean-Georges restaurant, a three-course lunch at Spice Market on Saturday, two drinks at Wahm and late check out at 4pm. Fancy treating a loved one or friend to a winning weekend away? For your chance to win e-mail winwithwhatson@ motivate.ae with ‘DOHA’ in the subject line, include your contact details, and tell us… What sporting tournament will take place in Doha in 2022? a) Olympics b) FIFA World Cup c) Tiddlywinks Grand Final 16 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
WIN! Fitness and beaUtY packages From ahasee spa worth more than dhs10,000 We’ve teamed up with Ahasees Fit + Shape at the Grand Hyatt Dubai to offer five lucky readers the chance to tone up for free. Up for grabs are two Ahasees Fit packages (worth Dhs650 each), which include an hour of personal training using Power Plate and Kinesis and a 60-minute signature body massage, plus access to the wet facilities and spa refreshments. Three What’s On readers will win the Ahasee Shape package, worth Dhs3,000 each, and will be treated to five personal training sessions with Power Plate and Kinesis, during which an expert will help you achieve your fitness goals, and five 90-minute targeted spa treatments, including slimming therapies like the anti-cellulite body wrap, aromatic herbal bath, hot stone massage and more, plus access to the steam room, Jacuzzis and sauna. Want to win one of these fantastic fitness prizes? For your chance to shape up, simply e-mail winwithwhatson@motivate.ae and tell us… Which of the following exercises should not be done on a Power Plate? a) Tricep dips b) Push-ups c) 100m sprint
Last month’s winners: Fifi Fransisco, Frando Sarmiento, Debbie Reynolds, Frances Coats, Kathryn Barber-Kebby and Jose Jr Mangila.
Terms & Conditions: Competitions open to UAE residents only, excluding employees of Motivate Publishing, its partners in these promotions or any of their affiliates. Entrants must be 18 years old or over. You may register in multiple competitions, but you may only submit one entry per competition. Winners will be selected at random from all entries received. Motivate Publishing reserves the right to alter, amend or foreclose any of the competitions without prior notice. The editor’s decision is final.
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 17
THE ulTimaTE Dubai
pHonE
if you’rE in a spoT of boTHEr anD you nEED a quick fix, look no furTHEr THan our HanDy EssEnTial Dubai book...
book
WHETHEr you’vE bEEn in our fair ciTy for a maTTEr of monTHs, or you’rE a sEasonED ExpaT WiTH THE 4x4 anD sun DamagE To provE iT, THE kEy To cuTTing THrougH all THE rED TapE, gETTing THings DonE or jusT making lifE a biT EasiEr is knoWing THE rigHT pEoplE. from florisTs To fooD DElivEry, HanDymEn To HomE spa THErapisTs, HErE’s THE DEfiniTivE a To Z of THE supErHEroEs THaT can makE your lifE in THE uaE run a loT morE smooTHly
EmErgEncy When something terrible happens our minds tend to go blank, so programme these numbers into your phone ASAP.
* ambulancE anD policE 999 997 * firE 991 * DEWa * lifE pHarmacy (24 hours) (04) 3441122
HomE babysitting services
If your family is far away and there’s no maid at your disposal, many parents find a night out is a rare and beautiful thing. If you don’t have willing friends (or a neighbourhood teenager keen for some extra dirhams) then give Busy Bees a call and book a babysitter. They charge Dhs35 per hour before 7pm and Dhs50 after (you’ll also need to provide taxi fare home if it’s after 7pm), there’s no minimum or maximum booking and you can request the same sitter should they get on especially well with your child. Time to paint the town red. Busy Bees. Tel: (050) 7090626. busybeesdubai.com
gasman
If you’re moving into a new place or need a new canister, then get New City Gas in your phone. They deliver from 6am to midnight, Prices are from Dhs420 to Dhs520, depending on size. New City Gas. Tel: (050) 6764318
20 WHAT’S ON July 2012
H20
Make sure you never run out of water by having a delivery service on speed dial. Masafi will bring bottles of all sizes (plus any of their other products like juices, crisps and even tissues) to your door for no extra charge and with no minimum order. Oasis, meanwhile, offers an online ordering option that lets you select from a range of sizes plus dispensers and gallon containers. Masafi. Tel: (800) 5455. masafi. com. Oasis. Tel: (600) 522261. oasiscome2life.com
nErDs on call
maiDs THaT can clEan in an EmErgEncy
Pesky Wi-Fi, a car stereo that won’t hook up to your iPod, a frozen laptop, lost documents and a home theatre system that’s less entertaining than a power cut (and more) can be solved with the help of the Internet Heroes. They’ll even explain the buttons on your remote control or train you on your latest gadget. Look out for their branch at JBR and they can help online or visit your home or office. Internet Heroes, JBR, Dubai Marina, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4370101. internetheroes.com
Gardeners
rEaDEr Tip CAROLE ANSELL
Keeping that lawn green and flowers blooming in these arid conditions isn’t something you can take lightly – and you might just need to throw money (as well as water) at the problem. Reader Carole Ansell advises: “Try Gardenia for gardening and landscaping. They created the garden we asked for, with very flexible, friendly staff who are always on time” Gardenia offers design services and regular maintenance, with prices depending on the size of the space and the frequency you require. Gardenia. Tel: (04) 3961420. gardeniatrading.in
Imagine the scene; you wake up after a night out remembering you’d enthusiastically suggested, “Everyone back to mine!” open a bleary eye and survey your apartment. Sticky floors, a few smashed glasses, a dubious stain or two. In your current state it would be a challenge to get a glass of water, never mind donning the rubber gloves. Instead, call in the professionals. Molly Maid offers an emergency call-out service (depending on availability) for Dhs35 per hour, while Maids.ae will send a troop of cleaners over to sort out your pad (Dhs40 per maid per hour). Molly Maid. Tel: (04) 3397799. mollymaidme. com. Maids Zone. Tel: (055) 2229800. maids.ae
Removal companies
Moving house is stressful enough without the worry that the men with the van will lose, leave or break your belongings. For removals, recommendations rule, so we rounded up some readers to share their tips.
rEaDEr
Tip “I’d definitely AMAN recommend Dulog ALI Removals. They’re extremely reliable and handle everything with utmost care. Their services are reasonably priced. Very friendly staff too.” duloggroup.com
“Union Movers are spectacular; efficient, quick and a month after moving an entire house and office, were able to tell me exactly which box they had put tiny screws in”. unionmovers.net
rEaDEr Tip NATASHA FARUQUE
the ultimate Dubai phone book
Handymen
online, register your debit or credit card and start paying those bills. While you’re on the web, sign up for mPark, which allows you to pay for parking tickets by phone so there’s no more scrabbling around for dirham coins and dashing out in 45-degree heat to top up the machine. mpay.dubai.ae. mpark.rta.ae
Our apartments would be bare, broken and boring if it wasn’t for Jim and his trusty band of handymen. From hanging pictures to painting, fixing the air conditioning to setting up our A/V equipment, they are reliable, reasonably priced and recommended. Other firms we like include Howdra, who can send out a handyman for Dhs75 per hour, and mplus+, who offer an Dhs200 emergency call-out service for plumbing, electrics and AC, including the first hour of work, plus annual packages from Dhs59 per month for unlimited emergency call outs. Jim Will Fix It. Tel: 800 FIX (349). jimwillfixitservices.com Howdra. Tel: (04) 2272726. howdra.ae mplus+. Tel: (800) 67587. mplus.ae
years. While making a detour WEll-bEing to the office in Terminal One before your flight or taking a Waxing at home trip to the Dnata building might Why bother hiking to a spa seem a chore, it takes no more when you can have an expert than ten minutes. Once you’ve come to your home? Even better done it and can merrily skip if they can give you a massage, though the turnstile, bypassing pedicure and do your hair while queues of inpatient tourists, they’re there. Just think, no there’s no going back. You’ll more traffic undoing the good need Dhs200 and your original relaxing work of your masseuse passport with six months’ within minutes. Just you, a pal, validity and a residents’ visa. a box set and some therapists Dubai Airport (Terminal One), doing their best pampering. For Garhoud and Dnata, Sheikh his and hers treatments speak Zayed Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) to Azur, for hair treatment give 3166966. dubai.ae Belle Femme a call and for a party feel contact Chez Toi, who gifTs can cater for baby showers and at-home hen parties. flower delivery Azur Spa. Tel: (04) 4475284. Probably one for the chaps azurspa.com. Belle rather than the ladies, a good Femme. Tel: (04) 4370207. bellefemmeme.com. Chez Toi. florist can often serve as an emergency service, with a wellTel: (04) 3695338. timed bunch of blooms saving many a relationship. Dubai has E-gate a number of reliable places, but the one we return to time Ask any E-Gate devotee about and time again (stop judging their beloved card and you’ll our interpersonal skills please) hear cries of “It will change your is Upscale & Posh, which life!” and “It’s the best Dhs200 allows online ordering, deliver I’ve ever spent!” Offering a fast lovely flowers both locally and track through customs at all internationally in super quick three Dubai terminals (plus the time; many arrangements dreaded Sharjah Airport), it can include a vase. literally shave hours off your Upscale & Posh. Tel: (04) travel time and is valid for two 4564141. upscaleandposh.com
info informaTion by pHonE
For telephone numbers on the go (they’ll text you the requested contact details) dial 181.
po boxEs
last minute gifts You open your diary and there it is (or, more likely, Facebook tells you)… a birthday. That you’d forgotten. If your friend is a fun- loving type, then new Dubai-based company Smile Factory could come to your rescue. Offering flower, cake and balloon delivery with a difference, order gifts from the website and they’ll be sent with a comedy courier, be it a look-a-like, Disney character or Arabian princess (sadly not a real one) to brighten their day. Of course, the characters aren’t a must, so you can just send a nice box of chocs through Smile Factory, too. Minimum notice is four hours and you can pay through PayPal. Smile Factory, from Dhs90. smilefactory.ae
paymEnTs online payments
You’ve probably sorted your Du and credit card payments online, but mPay allows you to settle up Salik, DEWA and Dubai Police fines on one website or via text message. Just create an account
If you’re a fan of online shopping or have your own company, then having your own PO box is a useful thing indeed. You can apply online and it will cost you from Dhs450 per year plus Dhs50 registration fee and Dhs10 per extra key. epg.ae/postbox
couriEr quick courier (and more)
rEaDEr
Tip A new website is MAURA offering more than HALES a courier service (although they can transport parcels around Dubai). The staff of Get Me travel across town to pick up your cinema tickets, pay bills, book your air travel and do your shopping. They’ll even bring your passport to the airport, with an online calculator to help you work out the costs based on whether you require an immediate, flexible or relaxed timeframe. It’s like having a personal assistant, but without the coffee – although they could probably bring that too. Prices from Dhs13 within the same community or from Dhs20 between areas. Tel: (800) 43863. getme-uae.com July 2012 WHAT’S ON 21
the ultimate Dubai phone book
fooD supermarket delivery
You wake up at the weekend to find the cupboards are bare, get home to realise you’ve forgotten a crucial ingredient or just can’t face carrying all those heavy bags from the car – whatever your woe, supermarkets that deliver are a life-changing addition to Dubai. Al Maya branches across the city require a minimum order of Dhs50 (we find some phone credit helps top it up). Al Maya, JBR. Tel: (04) 4370166. almayagroup.com ALSO: Dream Tower. Tel: (04) 4327191. Al Murooj Rotana. Tel: (04) 3215552 “Try trolley.ae if you are too lazy to pick up the phone and order your groceries in. There’s a minimum order of Dhs100 but plenty to stock up on.” trolley.ae
rEaDEr Tip CHLOE DILLON
takeaways
We all have our favourite go-to takeaways, but if your drawers are chock full of menus and you’re getting sick of directing deliverymen to your apartment, then take shelter online at roomservice-uae.com. Acting as a portal for hundreds of Dubai restaurants, once you’re signed up just navigate by name or cuisine, click on the one you want, view the menu, make your choices, select the payment method (the driver can bring a credit card machine) and wait for the doorbell. roomservice-uae.com “Try foodonclick. com – it’s very handy when you can’t face speaking to someone to order your food (in Dubai it can mean spending three minutes explaining your order and another five minutes describing your location). Plus you can find out which restaurants are still open and ready to deliver late into the night. “
rEaDEr Tip ALEX HOJILLA
22 WHAT’S ON July 2012
EnTErTainmEnT Television online
OSN has introduced OSN Play, a free service that allows all subscribers (whether through Etislat or Du) to access a bank of films and television programmes through their home computer. Just sign up with the number on your set top box, then get stuck into a series or movie marathon without paying any extra. Game Of Thrones should help you survive the summer. osnplay.osn.com
DvDs
The days of the dodgy woman with the suitcase full of ‘cinema quality’ films complete with nonsensical taglines are long gone, with the introduction of limebox. me. This new website allows you to rent movies, box sets and games online then delivers them to your door, aiming to get them to you in less than 60 minutes, from 10am to midnight seven days a week. For unlimited viewing and playing just pay a Dhs150 deposit and for Dhs95 per month you can order as many as you like. Pay online via PayPal, and then click ‘return’ when you want your order picked up. limebox.me
car
used cars
While we have successfully bought (and sold) a couple of cars through online institution dubizzle.com, the used car auction out at Al Aweer is still the region’s most reliable place to pick up a four-wheel bargain. The key is to do your research, checking out online what’s coming up in future sales and resolving to not spend a dirham over your budget. Summer is a particularly good time for getting a deal: many expats leave the country once the school term has finished and are keen for a quick sale. Dubai Municipality Used Car Showroom Complex, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Al Aweer, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3333647. goldenbellauctions.com
car brEakDoWns Not everyone’s car insurance covers those unpleasant moments when your motor won’t start, so reliable roadside assistance is a must. We have tried and tested AAA multiple times and they offer a 24-hour service, costing from Dhs200 depending on your location. If you know it’s your battery that’s the problem then give Dial-A-Battery a call. They will dispatch a technician within an hour who will fit it (each battery has a one-year warranty) and even recycle your old battery. Best of all? If you’re short on cash
they accept credit cards and work around the clock. AAA, Al Quoz, Dubai. Tel: (04) 2858989. aaadubai.com Dial-A-Battery. Tel: (800) 247365. dial-a-battery.com
ZeRo hassle RegistRation
The queues, the queues, the queues… No matter how you try to sneakily time your trip to the car registration centre, people are spilling out of the door. Time to outsource the strife. Shamil VIP Services will pick up your vehicle for renewal; just hand over your car, keys, insurance documents, old registration card, passport with visa copy, payment and they’ll do all the queuing . Excellent Cars also offers the service from Dhs175. Shamil VIP Services, Emarat Petrol Stations, Dubai. Tel: (800) 4559. shamil.ae. Excellent Cars. Tel: (050) 9293123. excellentcars.net
vET
24-houRs
Just like we can’t help getting sick at inconvenient times, poor Fido or Felix can be struck down with animal ailments in the middle of the night too. If you need an emergency vet, give Al Barsha Veterinary Clinic a call and they’ll send out one of their Dr Doolittles. Al Barsha Veterinary Clinic. Tel: 800 VET123 (838123). abvc.ae
DocumEnTs Expat documents
Useful expatdocs.com takes all the palaver out of getting your degree attested if you studied in the UK, US, Canada or Australia. No fuss, just fill out the online application, drop off the degree and payment (from Dhs1,450), then the certified document is ready for collection. expatdocs.com
i n
x
D u b a i
as we move into the Holy Month, there’s no better time to take stock of our vices and the indulgences that keep us looking a bit pale and portly throughout the rest of year, and try a detox. Yes, it’s time to put down those chocolate biscuits, stock the fridge with all things fresh and find out how to cleanse your body – but don’t worry, we’re on hand to show you how
Get detoxinG Your three-day detox diet Dr Deepa from Balance Wellness Centre has devised a special diet plan for What’s On readers, which you should follow for at least three days (but no more than a week) to jumpstart a healthy eating regime, mixing the breakfast, lunch and dinner options. She says, “A detox diet menu is low in fat and calories, while encouraging loss of excess fluids and helping reduce water retention.
Day one Breakfast 1. Smoothie made with soya milk and organic fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and bananas Lunch 1. Steamed vegetables such as broccoli 2. Hummus with celery
3. Clear vegetable broth with your choice of vegetables Dinner 1. Salad with mixed greens drizzled with vinaigrette dressing 2. Lentil soup or vegetable broth Snacks (Choose two) * Apples, bananas, oranges, apple
Get active
This plan can help to prevent a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, digestive problems, kidney problems and liver problems.” Before beginning a detox weight loss diet, you should check with your doctor, especially if you have any health problems or are on any medication. You may also want to consult with a licensed dietician for more menu options. Upon waking drink a glass of purified water with fresh squeezed lemon juice, as this cleanses the system, cleaning the walls of the intestines that are coated with waste, and increases the absorption of nutrients in the later part of the day.
sauce, carrot sticks, hummus
Day two Breakfast 1. Melon of your choice – eat until you are full Lunch 1. Fresh fruit of your choice, but only one type of fruit
Dinner 1. Mixed green salad, drizzled with fresh vinaigrette dressing
Lunch 1. Vegetable soup 2. Hummus with whole wheat pita bread
Snacks * Freshly pressed carrot juice
Dinner 1. Mixed green salad with vinaigrette dressing 2. Vegetable soup
Day three Breakfast 1. Organic natural yogurt with fresh fruit
have launched a new programme called Health In A Box (Dhs999) While flogging yourself at boot which includes six group classes, camp four times a week should four hour-long personal training have serious results, sadly sweat sessions, a 13-week low-GI diet doesn’t equal weightloss. To plan, a pedometer, high-tech tape achieve a lean, sculpted bod you measure, recipe cards, fitness tips need to take a two-prong approach, and more. You first meet with a teaming workouts with a healthy Regime trainer to discuss targets diet, and many trainers admit that and specific issues, and then start what your put in your body is even booking in your sessions. The more important than what you do diet itself is very user-friendly, with your body. Regime Fitness, with foods given a red, yellow or the Dubai-based exercise experts, green code to denote how healthy
Snacks (Choose two) * Fresh fruit, apple sauce, celery with hummus, yogurt
dr deepa saYs… “Do not eat after
dinner, but you can drink all the water you want. You should drink at least ten glasses of water each day. In addition to water, drink organic
they are, with loads of hints on incorporating a low-GI plan into your life. Oh, and yes, it does all come in a rather pleasing box. Regime Fitness. Tel: (055) 9197052. regime.ae
Get it delivered
Several companies across Dubai offer those ‘food in a bag’ meal delivery services, but the latest refrigerated truck to take to the roads comes from Kcal, JLT’s very own healthy hangout. The café itself serves up meals from a range of cuisines that all come in at under 300 calories (yes, even the burgers) and the Kcal Extra food that arrives at your door is no different, with three main meals and two snacks turning up to tempt you into shape. All Kcal’s meals are balanced (no cereal bars or mini croissants here) so you don’t need to worry about getting your daily amounts of protein, fruit and veg, with breakfasts typically consisting of a veggie omelette, fruit and yogurt or raspberry pancakes, with soups, chicken and wraps for lunch and something a bit heartier in the evening like chilli with broccoli. For snacks, expect mixed nuts,
fruit and vegetable juices and herbal teas. Choose teas that will help you detox, such as dandelion, which helps flush toxins from your system and supports liver functioning, and peppermint, which aids digestion. You can add supplements to your
diet. Take at least 75 mg of vitamin C, which helps the body produce a liver compound called glutathione, which protects against toxins. Take 200 IU of vitamin E, which will protect against the free radicals your body will produce as it detoxes.”
july 2012 WHAT’S ON 25
1. Almonds
DETOX in Dubai fruit and sweet treats like healthy coconut cookies. Most participants take Kcal up on the chance for a body composition consultation, blood test and intolerance check before they start so they can monitor their progress, then they select which plan works for them (there’s one for effective weightloss, a special diet for athletes and one for overall wellness) then it’s time to enjoy some time away from supermarket shopping. Kcal Extra, JLT, Dubai, from Dhs2,450 per month. Tel: (04) 3395316. kcalextra.com
the new SUPerFooDS bored of blueberries? Can’t take any more green tea? Queasy from quinoa? Try some of these wonder ingredients to boost your well-being
Get in Balance
Thought alkaline was for batteries? When your body is acidic you’re more susceptible to disease, aging quickly and gaining weight. Add more alkaline foods to your diet (cold showers help balance the body too) and you can expect a happier digestion system, better quality of sleep and more energy. Here our top five alkaline foods... 1 RAW SPINACH 2 CELERY 3 KALE 4 FIGS 5 HAZELNUTS While lemons taste acidic, they’re actually an alkaline food (as are limes and grapefruits) because they contain potassium, sodium and magnesium, which have a balancing effect on the body.
Watch your portion size (no more than 12 nuts per day, which is around 100 calories) and almonds will provide a generous dose of healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and magnesium to help with blood flow, heart health and cholesterol.
2. Plums Lovely stewed or raw, plums are decidedly cheaper than blueberries and offer similar antioxidant properties. 3. Broccoli
A few florets can give you a natural rush of energy and are packed with A and C vitamins, potassium, fibre, folate and B2.
4. Spirulina
If you’re constantly tired then add this blue-green algae to your smoothie. With more vitamin A ounce-for-ounce than carrots, loads of iron, B12 and phytochemicals spirulina can reduce your risk of developing some cancers as well as osteoporosis.
5. Ghee
Ghee is indeed high in fat, but in moderation it’s thought to help with the immune system, digestion
Win! HealtH in a Box Want to save yourself Dhs999 and try Regime Fitness’ 13-week training and eating plan combo for free? Of course you do. One lucky What’s On winner will receive the package, including all six exercise classes, four personal training sessions, diet plan and more. For your chance to win, e-mail winwithwhatson@motivate.ae and tell us… What does GI stand for? a) Good Indicator; b) Glycemic Index; c) Gravy Ice-cream
and even improving your memory.
6. Strawberries
A summer mainstay, strawberries are good for whitening teeth, freshening breath and helping with pain relief, so eat some after a particularly strenuous workout.
7. Cauliflower
You wouldn’t expect the humble cauli to be full of vitamin C, but Mother Nature works in mysterious ways, but you’re best to eat it grilled or raw rather than smothering in cheese and baking.
8. Edamame
They’re not just handy for curbing your appetite while you wait for your sushi, edamame are full of fibre and protein.
9. Barley
A great source of complex carbohydrates, barley offers a huge 16 grams of fibre in half a cup (that’s eight times the amount in brown rice) so you’ll feel full for ages.
10. Watercress We love our watercress with the Rivington Grill’s roast beef salad, which sadly goes against the idea of detox. Instead, eat with lettuce for a bowlful of vitamins A and C. It’s especially good if you suffer from acne, as it’s a natural antiseptic and can help heal the skin.
Get serioUs
If you want a quick blast that’s guaranteed to flush out your system and leave you glowing (and a lot lighter) then call in the professionals. And alert your bank manager. New Dubai-based company Detox Delights makes juices and soups that can be picked up or dropped off at your home or office which form your entire diet for either five or 12 days. This liquid meal plan doesn’t strain your digestive system, uses live enzymes and super-fresh ingredients, and encourages your body to restore its natural balance. That said, expect to be hungry for the first couple of days while your stomach adjusts, but your energy levels should skyrocket after that stage. Far from sustainable from a practicality or price point of view, so think of Detox Delight as the kind of quick fix celebs use to get red carpet ready. Detox Delight, from Dhs2,450 for five days. detox-delight.ae
top tip Dry body brushing might sound
(and feel) like torture, but if you get into the habit each morning before your shower you’ll see serious benefits. Buy a brush with natural bristles and use it in light strokes upwards, going over each limb or area ten times, working from the left side of your body to the right. This will aid your lymphatic system, boost circulation and exfoliate. Follow with a cool shower, and avoid any broken skin.
EATING EMIRATI
Dubai is blessed with an abundance of restaurants, serving up cuisine from just about every country on the planet. But what and where is the UAE’s native cuisine, and where can you eat it? Traditionally found only in the home, we discovered that there are a handful of chefs and restaurateurs aiming to bring Emirati cuisine into the mainstream
PEyMAN PARhAM Al AwAdhI ANd MohAMMAd PARhAM Al AwAdhI Owners of shawarma specialists Wild Peeta
“
T
had junk food. We grew up eating honest, simple, locally sourced ingredients, and that translated into our vision for Wild Peeta. We remember when we used to wake up in the morning with the smell of onion and garlic and spices, and that would cook along with rice all the way through until the afternoon when we came home from school. Great things take time. Over the last couple of years there’s been a huge trend towards home baking. All these guys are looking for now is an outlet to start selling their products, and that’s the next step towards becoming real businesses. Right now we know three or four UAE-themed restaurants or cafés about to pop up. We speak to super talented cooks who want to start the next Emirati restaurant. We see a lot happening over the next few years.” Wild Peeta, Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 8.30am to 10pm. Tel: (800) 9453. wildpeeta.com
he shawarma doesn’t belong to the UAE, but we grew up eating it, so for us it’s a huge part of our food culture in the UAE. Being a very young country and having very young industries, the fastest way to get the restaurant industry going was to import established brands, but they were imported so aggressively that local brands found it difficult to get established. It’s not as if we have hundreds of years of history of restaurants in the UAE, but every culture is partly defined by its cuisine and the Emirati culture is no different. There are many Emirati dishes, but because we don’t have restaurants that sell them, they’re under-exposed. A lot of that is to do with the fact that traditionally being a cook was not a favourable business to go in to. It’s one thing to manage a franchise, but working in a restaurant, held a kind of a taboo. We watched international chefs such as Anthony Bourdain on television Co-owner of Emirati here in the UAE and they had an café Klayya impact on us. It’s like watching Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and thinking, wow, three chords, we can do that. But we were also e opened Klayya influenced by our mother. Food is “ on December 24, a social experience in the Emirati 2011, so we’ve now household, and Fridays are a huge been open about affair where several generations six months. My sister, Asma, and get together over a meal to enjoy myself started a home business being with each other. We rarely
SAEEd Al FAlASI
W
making sweets and desserts, and it spread by word of mouth through the local Emirati community. Then we went to some events and took our homemade sweets and some Emirati drinks – it was like a survey of the market – and we received a positive response. So we decided to go big and open the café. We serve the sweets, Emirati breakfast, lunch and a range of traditional drinks. My sister and my auntie make the sweets, so they really are homemade. Emirati food is not all in the home. There are some places where you can eat it, but they are well hidden. Most of the Emirati caterers deal with big events, such as weddings. We are taking Emirati food out of the home, and giving it an international touch by bringing it into a café setting. We like to keep it simple. We bake all our own Emirati bread, for example. Many coffee shops here come from outside the UAE. Many people come to the UAE and don’t know anything about Emirati cuisine, even the modern Emirati family has forgotten its culinary heritage. They all want to go to Costa, they don’t look for the traditional food. I want to be like an Emirati Starbucks. We’re in the process of educating the market, and I’m sure news of what we’re doing here at Klayya will spread by word of mouth. There are definitely more Emirati cafés coming, too. I have met people at food festivals who are working on ideas. Dubai is changing. A new generation is coming up, and in the next ten years this new generation of entrepreneurs will flourish. It’s a very tight community and we want to cooperate with each other. I met an Emirati chef from Hatta recently who is opening a culinary school in Dubai in October. He currently works at Zabeel Saray, but he has come here to Klayya to help us out. He tells me there will be many Emirati chefs coming along in the future.” Klayya, Barsha Mall, Al Barsha, Dubai, Sat to Wed 9am to 9pm, Thur and Fri 9am to midnight. facebook. com/Klayya
KhAlEl MuSTAFA Executive chef, Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirati Kitchen
I
“
have been working at DWTC since 2003, and we now have the biggest Emirati kitchen in the world. We cater for the royal families. Most of our knowledge comes from our guests. I am always talking to women, especially elderly women – who handle the cooking at home – in order to learn the traditional methods, taking recipes from them directly, and bringing them up to our standards. There are a few restaurants that deliver Emirati food, but not many have taken the risk of opening a restaurant. Emirati cuisine has special methods of cooking and special spices. It has elements of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, and I just love the smell of it. But it is not easy, it’s slow cooking, the temperature has to be low and some dishes take up to eight to ten hours. This slow cooking is rooted in Bedouin history, people cooking on campfires and under the sand. Here we have our own oven to replicate that process of cooking under the ground, but I have cooked under the sand many times when on safari with my friends. Emirati food was quite limited. There were four or five varieties of ouzi, for example, and now we have 20. We added different spices and developed different methods. We’re always progressing. Come and try our dishes at the Ramadan Majlis.” DWTC Ramadan Majilis, Al Multaqua Ballroom, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, 8pm to 3am, Dhs135. Tel: (04) 3064000. theramadanmajlis.com july 2012 WHAT’S ON 29
FIVE MORE TO TRY…
Discover authentic Emirati cuisine at these local restaurants 1. Al Fanar
It could be argued that Al Fanar with its mock Bedouin village and souk is the only 100 per cent Emirati restaurant in Dubai. Everything on the menu – from jasheed (crumbled baby shark) to thereed (Arabic bread and meat stew) – is as authentic as you will find in the city, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has given it his royal seal of approval. If you want Emirati cuisine, Al Fanar should be your first port-of-call. Festival City, Canal Walk, Dubai, daily 11am to
11pm. Tel: (04) 2329966. alfanarrestaurant.com
2. Emirati ‘N’ More
Chef Mohamed Hashem opened E ‘N’ M 15 months ago, and his menu includes a number of Emirati classics such as al majboos (meat or fish with rice), as well as international dishes such as pasta. “There were many hotel guests looking for traditional Emirati food,” he says. “I am from Egypt, but I have been cooking these dishes for seven years. I met an Emirati family here who invited me for dinner, and
I liked the food, so I started asking questions.” Cassells Al Barsha Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai, daily noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4084777. cassellsalbarshahotel.com
goboli lamb (lamb with rice). It’s worth a visit for the setting alone, and the food’s not bad either. Wafi, Oud Metha, Dubai, daily 10am to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3244555. wafi.com
3. Khan Murjan
4. Al Areesh Restaurant
This attractive open-air courtyard is a bit of a hidden gem, despite being located at tourist favourite Wafi. The menu features dishes from across the MENA region, including Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt, as well as a handful of Emirati favourites, including fouga chicken (chicken with rice) and
Al Areesh has been a favourite haunt for those looking for traditional Emirati cuisine for some time, and despite the fact that its menu also includes a vast array of Arabic and international cuisine, it is still worth popping in to see what the kitchen has to offer.
Al Boom Tourist Village, next to Wonderland Amusement Park, Oud Metha, Dubai. Tel: (04) 324000. abloom.ae
5. Local House
Local House is not really Emirati. But its creekside location in a small courtyard in the heritage area makes it a nice spot for lunch, and its menu of camel meat dishes, which could be considered local, has become legendary. The camel burger is delicious. Bastikiya, Al Mussallah Roundabout, Dubai, Sat to Thur 10am to 10pm, Fri 1pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3417750. goldentulip.com
HOW YOU CAN MAKE IT…
Try preparing one of these three Emirati dishes at home
EGGS ON DATES
(SERVES ONE) KLAYYA Ingredients 6 pitted semi-dry dates (choose dates that are not too sweet),1 tablespoon of butter or ghee, 3 eggs, a pinch of cumin, a pinch of caraway powder, salt and pepper (to taste) Method Pre-heat the grill/broiler to 180˚C. Melt the butter or ghee in a small frying pan (big enough to allow the dates plenty of space), add the dates and fry for a few seconds. Crack the eggs into the pan, season to taste and when the eggs are almost done, sprinkle with the cumin and caraway powder and pop under the grill/broiler for two to three minutes. Serve with some tasty Emirati bread.
OUZI RIGAG
(SERVES FOUR) DWTC Ingredients For the hashwa (stuffing): 3 cups yellow split chickpeas, 0.5tsp salt, 0.5tbsp ground turmeric, three chopped onions, 5pcs cinnamon bark, 0.5tsp ground cinnamon, 5pcs cardamom, 4pcs whole clove, 0.5 cups sultanas, 0.5 cups whole blanched almond, 0.5 cups whole unsalted raw cashew. For the quzi: 3kg to 4kg whole lamb, salt (to taste), 15g ground turmeric, 3.5tbsp bezar, 250ml vinegar, 1tsp saffron, 0.25 cups of ghee, 25g garlic, 25g green chilli, 25g ginger, 10pcs rigag bread Method For the hashwa (stuffing): Boil the chickpeas for ten minutes, add
the salt and quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric, strain and put to one side. Slice the onions and fry until brown. Add the remaining turmeric, cinnamon bark, ground cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Add the chickpeas, sultanas, almonds and cashew nuts and fry gently. Cover and cook for seven to ten minutes on a low heat. For the quzi: Marinate the whole lamb with salt and turmeric and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Blend the garlic with the ginger, chilli and vinegar. Season to taste with bezar and salt. Rub the mixture into the meat, inside and out, and leave to rest for a further 30 minutes. Fill the lamb with the stuffing, sprinkle with saffron, place on a braising tray and braise for three hours. Remove the lamb from the braising tray and place in a large, round ceramic dish lined with rigag bread and cover completely. Spoon some of the natural gravy and ghee over the rigag bread until moderately soaked. Serve immediately.
AYSH MOHAMMAR MA SAMAK MAGLI
(SERVES TWO) AL FANAR Ingredients 1kg rice, 500g sugar, 200ml date syrup, 1tsp cardamom seeds, 100g butter, 1.5ltrs water, corn oil, Two whole fish Method Boil the rice and strain. Caramelise the sugar in a pan, making sure not to burn it. Add the caramelised sugar and 1.5 litres of water to the rice and cook for ten minutes. Add the date syrup, cardamom seeds and butter. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, deep-fry the fish in corn oil.
THE
Dubai OLYMPiCS
glory, Honour and a wHole lot of bragging rigHts are at tHe Heart of tHe olympics. wHile it is a toucH too late to qualify for tHis summer’s games, wHicH begin later tHis montH in london, sporty sorts in dubai can still get involved in tHe next best tHing by attempting a Host of olympic activities across tHe emirates.
Here’s wHere to try your Hand or foot at a range of sports – you Have four years to get ready for tHe podium…
THE DUBAI OLYMPICS
1
unless being pinned to the ground by a SWAT Track and field has team is particularly long been one of the high on your to-do list. centrepieces of the Thankfully, the Jebel Ali Olympics, yet a quick Shooting Club offers glance at the thermostat the finest firearms will tell you that heading institution in the city outside for a run this for only Dhs220 per month is bordering on hour for non-members. insanity. Seemingly aware The club’s Trap and Skeet of this, those clever cookies shooting ranges are home at Dubai Sports World have to the UAE’s Olympic team, built a 660m running track so with all eyes on them around the perimeter of representing the Emirates in the indoor hall, allowing London, now is your chance people to continue to take advantage of the running regardless of the state-of-the-art facilities. potentially record-breaking Jebel Ali Shooting Club, temperatures outside. Jebel Ali, Dubai, Wed Dubai Sports World, Sheikh to Mon, 4pm to 11pm, Rashid Hall, World Trade Dhs140 for members, Centre, Dubai, 8am to Dhs220 for non-members. 10pm, free. Tel: (04) 3064000. Tel: (04) 8836555. dubaisportsworld.ae jebelaliinternational.com
Athletics
2
4
Largely thanks to the success of the film The Hunger Games, archery’s current stock has never been higher – well, at least not since Robin Hood was splitting apples in half to the swoons of impoverished villagers. Choosing the wilderness of the Sharjah Wanderers Golf Course over Sherwood Forest, the Dubai Archers are a friendly, well-equipped and welcoming group of archers. The range, with targets between 5m and 60m, is open throughout July but the group only meets on Fridays. Rao, who runs the club, is happy to teach newbies the basics and for only Dhs50 a go. It is well worth it. Fri, Dubai Archers, Sharjah Wanderers Golf Club, Sharjah, 8am to 12.30pm, Dhs50. Tel: (050) 5580951. dubaiarchers.com
You never forget how to ride a bike, as they saying goes, so hone your pedal-power skills around Dubai’s Autodrome. Join dozens of other riders as the circuit holds open sessions every Wednesday evening, allowing cyclists free entry around the entire 5.39km racing circuit (unless other track
Paintings by Betirri Bengtson www.betirri.com
Archery
3
Clay pigeon shooting
Learning to shoot requires a controlled environment,
Cycling
bookings require changes to the free route). Dubai Autodrome, Motor City, Dubai, Wed 6pm to 9pm, free. Tel: (04) 3678700. dubaiautodrome.com
5
Fencing
Be honest – part of you wishes you could wield a blade like Zorro. Sign up to the fencing summer camp at the MK Fencing Academy, and former Bulgarian national champions (and siblings) Mihail and Maria can teach you how to slash, lunge and parry to your heart’s content. Pay per week and attend as many times as you like, or if you just want to give it a go, you can pay Dhs60 for one-off lessons. You’ll be fighting like the Count Of Monte Cristo before the summer is up. En garde.
Jul 1 to 19, MK Fencing Academy, Raffles International School, Jumeirah, Dubai, beginners Sun to Thur 9am to 11am, intermediate Sun to Thur 11am to 1pm, Dhs60 per lesson or Dhs800 per week. Tel: (050) 7944190. dubaifencingclub.com
6
Football
A kick-around during an Emirates summer is about as sensible as climbing inside an oven then hitting the ‘On’ switch. But with the UAE qualifying for the Olympics soccer tournament for the firstever time, football fever is upon us regardless.
Thankfully, the Dubai International Convention Centre’s Sheikh Rashid Hall has been converted into an impressive 1,800sqm indoor football stadium that will not only hold the Dubai Indoor Football Championship from July 8 to 12, but also host a whole series of football clinics. Football pitches inside the arena can be rented from Dhs200. Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai International Convention Centre, 8am to 10pm, Dhs200. Tel: (04) 3064000. dubaisportsworld.ae
7
Horse riding
Horse riding is the adopted national sport of the UAE, and there are several places where you can learn to trot, gallop and jump. One of the best is the Al Ahli Horse Riding Club, which, despite the heat, is open throughout the summer with morning and evening lessons catering for all experiences at only Dhs150 per lesson. Al Ahli Horse Riding Club, Amman Street, Dubai, daily, Dhs150 per lesson. Tel: (04) 2988408. alahliclub.info
DubAi SportS WorlD there is plenty to do, see and cheer for at this summer’s Dubai Sports World DubAi SportS WorlD
Packed out with more sports than you can shake a javelin at, Dubai Sports World at the Dubai International Convention Centre is a haven for Dubai’s hibernating athletes. Regular members of the public are able to rent out anything from a full-size football pitch to beach volleyball or basketball courts or even rack up several games on the pool tables. You’ll never even notice that summer has arrived. Jun 8 to Aug 31, Sheikh Saeed Hall,
Dubai International Convention Centre. Tel: (04) 3064000. dubaisportsworld.ae
Summer SportS mAjliS
Decked out with big screens, food stalls and plenty of comfort, the Summer Sports Majlis is the place to be to watch all of this summer’s sporting action from Wimbledon to the Olympics. Jun 8 to Jul 15 Sheikh Saeed Hall 3, Dubai International Convention Centre, Dhs100. Tel: (04) 3064000. summersportsmajlis.com
DubAi inDoor FootbAll CHAmpionSHip
Just as last year saw past masters from Real Madrid and Barcelona compete against a host of the best seven-a-side teams in the UAE, this year’s indoor football championships is set for more of the same treatment. The three-day event will see local sides qualifying for a tournament that will pit them against footballing legends. Jul 8 to 12, Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai International Convention Centre, Dhs100. Tel: (04) 3064000. dubaisportsworld.ae july 2012 WHAT’S ON 33
THE DUBAI OLYMPICS
8
11
Don’t be confused by the name, the Dubai Karate Center has an impressive roster of qualified judo instructors that can teach you a thing or two about the Japanese martial art, regardless of whether you are a white or black belt. Just remember the uniform is called a judogi – you don’t want to see what the sensei will do to you if you call them pyjamas. Dubai Karate Center, Al Raiza Boys School, Safa 1, Jumeirah, Dubai, Tue and Wed 7pm to 9pm, Dhs440 per month. Tel: (04) 3447797. dubaikarate.com
Olympics fact: Chinese players have claimed 20 out of 24 gold medals since the sport of table tennis was introduced to the Olympics in 1988. If that inspires you to dust off your paddle and test out your backhand, then make sure you book one of the 12 tables at Dubai Sports World for free this summer. If you’re up for taking things a bit more seriously, the catchily titled Association of Table Tennis in the Gulf-UAE (ASTTIG) organises regular practice matches and tournaments. Dubai Sports World, World Trade Centre, Dubai, 8am to 10pm, free. Tel: (04) 3064000. dubaisportsworld.ae ASTTIG. uae-asttig. blogspot.com
judo
table tennis
9
Kayaking
The recently opened Wadi Adventure in Jebel Hafeet offers keen oarsmen and women the chance to take on the longest man-made white-water channels in the world. More experienced paddlers can test themselves on the harder black runs, while newbies are in safe hands as instructors are on hand to teach you the basics like how to paddle, spin and turn. Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, Wed to Sun 10am to 10pm, Tues women only, Dhs100 for an all-day pass. Tel: (03) 7818422. wadiadventure.ae
10
rowing
Whether it is in the Dubai Marina or along the Creek, Dubai’s waterways offer perfect rowing conditions. Now that it’s summer, Monty’s Rowing School has changed its flexible daily sessions to start at 5am, so regardless of whether you are new to the sport or a former Oxford University rower, give them a call if you 34 WHAT’S ON july 2012
fancy rowing your boat gently down the Creek. Monty’s Rowing School, Al Boom Tourist Village, Oud Metha, Dubai, daily 5am to 8pm, Dhs120. Tel: (050) 7380910. montysrowingschool.com
body and head area using either kicks or punches. Qualified instructors are available at the Dubai Karate School to teach you all the techniques twice a week for Dhs380 per month. Remember, this is tough stuff – be prepared to get tough. Dubai Karate Centre, Al Raiza Boys School, Safa 1, Jumeirah, Dubai, Tues and Wed 7pm to 9pm, Dhs380 per month. Tel: (04) 3447797. dubaikarate.com
Dubai hosting the Asian Volleyball Championships early next year. EK Volleyball Club, Dubai American Academy, Al Barsha, Dubai, Sun 7pm to 11pm, Dhs50 per session. Tel: (050) 2949171.
14
Water polo
Water polo has graced every Olympics since 1900, but those without previous experience only require strong swimming skills and good hand–eye coordination volleyball to get involved. The Boasting a membership Dubai Camels (not to of Brazilians, Italians, be confused with the ice Emiratis and Japanese – hockey team) welcome to name but a few – the both beginners and exEK Volleyball Club has internationals to their to be one of the most ranks, with training taking multicultural clubs in place every Saturday at the country. Playing Dubai Men’s College. both indoor and beach The sessions cost Dhs40 volleyball, the club and consist of swimming welcomes aspiring ballers exercises, ball drills and a to join it for its open practice game. taekwondo sessions on Sunday nights, Dubai Camels Water Polo Unlike judo, taekwondo is as it runs drills and plays Club, Dubai Men’s College, a point-scoring sport, with a series of games. Interest Academic City Road, points awarded to reward in volleyball is on the Dubai, Sat 10am to 11am, successful strikes to the rise in the UAE with Dhs40. Tel: (055) 8854734
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12
SWeet 2016 Three new sports will grace the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four years is a long time, so here’s where to start your bid for future Olympic gold in Dubai…
GolF
Given the clutch of fantastic courses and, naturally, rain-free weather, Dubai is just about the perfect location to learn your albatrosses from your eagles. The Academy at Emirates Golf Club is offering special summer lesson packages right through until September, with either Gold, Silver or Bronze passes that include blocks of lessons, access to the driving range and access to the par-3 course. The Academy, Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, times by appointment, Gold pass Dhs2,400, Silver pass Dhs1,400 and Bronze Dhs840. Tel: (04) 3801234. dubaigolf.com
ruGby SevenS
With perfect timing, the conquerors of last year’s Dubai rugby sevens, the Jebel Ali Dragons, are back in training for the new season at the end of this month. Welcoming all comers, men and women, the Dragons start their pre-season training under floodlights in the relative cool of evening. Jebel Ali Shooting Club Centre of Excellence, Jebel Ali, Dubai, Mon and Wed 7pm, free. Tel: (050) 1033267. jebelalidragonsrfc.com
KiteSurFinG
The least conventional sport to get the 2016 nod, kitesurfing is a popular pursuit in the Emirates – so popular in fact that there is now an entire beach dedicated to it. Kitesurfing UAE’s main man Mark Andrew teaches beginners up to experienced riders, starting off with lessons in basic knowledge and techniques. Equipment is all included. Nessnass Beach, between Jumeirah Beach Park and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, times by appointment, individual lesson Dhs200. Tel: (050) 8860874. markandrewkiteschool.com
th
C E L E B R AT E
F RI 13th at brunch with Bubbly, Chocolate Cake and Dressing Up. Friday 13th, unlucky for some but not for you. It’s the last Friday Sumptuous brunch of the season, so dress up accordingly and win spot prizes. Everyone who books our last blow out brunch receives a 50% gift voucher, so you see, it really is a day to be lucky after all. AED 395. Gorgeous flavours, exquisite tastes and a bit of Friday 13th dressing up.
Reservations: 04 4445613 ibnbattutagate.hotel @IbnBattutaGate
Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Operated by Movenpick Hotels & Resorts
The Amazing Spider-Man
film
New reLeases The Hunter Magic Mike
magic mike
The amazing spider-man
The hunter
Who?
Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn, James Martin Kelly, Steven Soderbergh (director)
Andrew Garfield, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Emma Stone, Marc Webb (director)
Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Morgana Davies, Frances O’Connor, Callan Mulvey, Daniel Nettheim (director)
Tagline
‘From the director of Traffic and Ocean’s Eleven.’
‘The untold story begins...’
‘Some mysteries should never be solved.’
once upon a Time...
A talented male stripper (Tatum) decided to impart his wisdom to a newcomer to the business who’s having a hard time making money and understanding the mysteries of the opposite sex.
High school nerd Peter Parker (The Social Network’s Garfield) had the misfortune to be nibbled by a radioactive arachnid, so transforming him into your friendly neighbourhood wallcrawler.
On the island of Tasmania, a driven explorer (Dafoe) went in search of a supposedly extinct marsupial, a wolf-like creature variously known as the Thylacine and the Tasmanian Tiger.
ideal if you’re in The mood To...
Take in a rights-of-passage picture that is anything but a male stripper movie. That said, it does help if you approve of the male form.
Take in an above average comicbook movie in order to get in the mood for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
To see the twice Oscarnominated Dafoe deliver his finest performance since The Last Temptation Of Christ.
WaTch This if you like...
The similarly themed The Full Monty plus earlier Steven Soderbergh comedies such as Out Of Sight and the Danny Ocean series.
Sam Raimi’s earlier SpiderMan movies, in particular the compelling first sequel that starred Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus.
Australian outback thrillers such as the ace serial killer drama Wolf Creek and the truly mind-boggling Long Weekend.
Top Trivia
Kevin Nash, who plays Tarzan, is a pro wrestler who previously essayed the role of Tom Cruise’s bodyguard in Rock Of Ages.
It was decided to reboot the Spider-Man series when the aforementioned Raimi chose not to return for a fourth film.
Thylacine sightings are still relatively common, which is amazing given that the last known specimen died in Hobart Zoo in 1936.
What’s On Ten Word or less revieW
Awesome for the very fact it’s not what you’re expecting.
We didn’t need it, but Webb spins a decent yarn.
Daniel Nettheim’s brilliant debut gets right under the skin.
raTe or slaTe? 36 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
★★★★✩
★★★✩✩
★★★★★
Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Killer Joe Ice Age: Continental Drift
abraham lincoln: vampire hunter
killer Joe
ice age: continental drift
seeking a friend for The end of The World
Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Rufus Sewell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Timur Bekmambetov (director)
Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Gina Gershon, Thomas Haden Church, William Friedkin (director)
Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Nick Frost, Peter Dinklage, Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier (directors)
Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melanie Lynskey, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry, Lorene Scafaria (writer-director)
‘President by day. Hunter by night.’ ‘Murder never tasted so good.’
‘Ice to see you again.’
‘Nice knowing you.’
When he wasn’t busy freeing the slaves and defeating the Confederacy, Abraham Lincoln (Walker) waged war on the undead, focusing particular attention upon their leader, the diabolical Adam (Sewell).
Trailer-park kid Chris (Hirsh) hired hit man ‘Killer’ Joe Cooper (McConaughey, in the role of his life) in order to bump off his mother and so reap the benefits of a massive insurance claim.
Sid, Manny, Diego and Scrat discovered that their home had broken away from the super continent of Pangea, so leaving them to do battle with pirates and a menagerie of ocean-going monsters.
An extinction-level asteroid was heading towards Earth, so leaving the deserted Dodge (Carell) to spend his final hours tracking down the sweetheart (Knightley) he hasn’t seen since high school.
Watch a supernatural action movie that has as much fun messing around with history as it does dispatching hordes of vampires in highly original ways.
Watch a crime drama, the comic overtones of which are so dark that they leave Belgian chocolates looking like Milky Bars.
See a quartet of beloved characters go through the motions in a movie that adults might like but kids will adore.
See a comedy drama that’s far funnier than the dire situation would suggest it possibly could be.
Gung-ho vampire pictures such as the Night/Day Watch pictures, which were also directed by Timur Bekmambetov
The films of William Friedkin, which include such masterpieces as The Exorcist, The French Connection and To Live And Die In LA.
The previous Ice Age films, plus sub-Pixar pictures like Happy Feet, Shark Tale and Over The Hedge.
Subdued Steve Carell outings such as Dan In Real Life, Melinda And Melinda, and the sublime Little Miss Sunshine.
Robin McLeavy, who wound up playing Lincoln’s mother, was originally cast as Honest Abe’s other half, Mary Todd Lincoln.
Like Friedkin’s most recent movie, the brilliant Bug (2006), Killer Joe has its origins in an acclaimed play by Tracy Letts.
Nick Frost joined the cast on the recommendation of Simon Pegg, who’d thoroughly enjoyed working on the third Ice Age flick.
Writer-director Lorene Scafaria was also responsible for scripting the underrated indie hit Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Good fun although it promised to be much, much more.
Too strong for some, but pretty darn perfect for plenty.
Not earth-shattering but this saga’s not yet bound for extinction.
Not classic Carell but satisfyingly quirky all the same.
★★★✩✩
★★★★✩
★★★✩✩
★★★✩✩ JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 37
Truly authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a traditional setting. Begin your culinary journey at Hoi An. Only at Shangri-La
Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 75880, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel: (971 4) 405 2703 Fax: (971 4) 343 8886 www.shangri-la.com/dubai www.facebook.com/ShangDubai
WHAT’S ON
EATING OUT Reviews, recipes, columnists and the latest food news
KEY @WhatsOnFish scale SUSTAINABILITY RATING No local fish, or only overfished local species e.g. Hammour At least one sustainable local fish dish, but also one or more overfished local species More than one sustainable local fish dish, but also one or more overfished local species At least one sustainable local fish dish, no overfished local species Several sustainable local fish dishes, no overfished local species
Gary Rhodes
Fully signed up members of the Choosewisely.ae campaign serving only local, sustainable fish species
p42 THE CHEF · p43 MAHIKI · p46 COOK A CLASSIC · p47 ON THE MENU JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 39
EATING OUT
FOOD EDITOR'S LETTER With the imminent onset of Ramadan, and its many attendant Iftar feasts – listed in Your Guide To Ramadan, packaged with this celebratory issue of What’s On, by the way; yes, the attractive red book that fell on the floor when you opened the mag – it is a quiet month for Eating Out, and so the section is a little shorter than usual. Believe me, I wish I could provide you with an entire magazine of culinary magic every month but, like the best restaurants, I only have limited space. Therefore, I like to think of the following pages as a mind-blowing amuse bouche – a tiny morsel packed with scintillating flavour – something to tease your taste buds before the steamy days of summer fade into hazy memories and the restaurant scene gears up for another season of new openings, revamped menus and tasty events. So, here we go. Devour it slowly; savour each delicious page like a slice of rich, moist chocolate cake. Have a lovely cuppa and a few bikkies while enjoying our reviews of Abu Dhabi’s latest Thai restaurant Pachaylen (p40), Radisson’s lively Levantine Al Mersat Restaurant (p45) and the popular nightclub Mahiki’s sharing menu (p43). Then take another hour off – go on, you deserve it – put your feet up and nibble on our columnist Gary Rhodes’ recipe for buttered prawns (p42) and cook a classic miso soup (p46), before cleansing your palate with a morsel of food news. Enjoy our small but finely sculpted offering, ladies and gents. Ramadan Kareem.
Gareth Rees, Food Editor If you have any comments or opinions on Eating Out or the UAE food scene, please e-mail gareth@motivate.ae 40 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Pachaylen
Luxury hotel chain Anantara – responsible for isolated Abu Dhabi retreats Qasr Al Sarab and Desert Islands – has staked its claim in the capital with its new Eastern Mangroves Hotel. Will its signature Thai restaurant do the luxury property proud?
behind such intriguingly eccentric seating. Whatever, there’s an indisputably regal aura surrounding whoever chooses the magic chair. The other clue that Pachaylen is planning to punch one or two weight divisions higher than it competitors is the pricing, which is pitched at a slightly wealthier class of diner. As good as the pert plate of poh pia jay (fried vegetable spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce) was, we’re not sure it warrants an outlay of Dhs55. chor muang (Dhs60) is more remarkable, though. In fact, it’s a real feat of culinary creativity – at least NEED TO KNOW visually. Whoever thought of Location: Eastern dyeing a chicken dumpling blue Mangroves Hotel & Spa, and moulding it into the shape Eastern Ring Road, Salam of the tropical Asian butterfly Street, Abu Dhabi pea flower is a bold chef indeed, Tel: (02) 6561000 but the artistry, along with a Web: abu-dhabi. he adage might not nice cashew-nut crunch, turned anantara.com translate well in what could have been a pretty Open: daily 12.30pm downtown Bangkok, standard dish into a welcome to 3.30pm and 7pm to but the old cliché talking point. midnight about waiting all day for one Modestly sized starters Cuisine type: Thai bus only for two to arrive at mean you might find yourself Must eat: chor muang once very much applies to ordering seconds, yet one is Bill for two: Dhs485 Thai restaurants in Abu Dhabi. perfectly sensible for anyone (without alcohol) Just last month we were opting, as we do, for the gheang filling our stomachs at the paneang ped (whole duck Sofitel’s new Thai, Silk & Spice, leg in paneang curry). Just IN TWEET FORM wondering aloud (well, in mildly spicy, the duck leg’s If you’re looking for a print) how it had taken so long size and richness still renders decent Thai restaurant for one of the world’s most it an imposing proposition in Abu Dhabi, you could popular Asian cuisines to be for Dhs100 (plus Dhs40 for do a lot worse than given proper contemporary vegetable fried rice), fallingPachaylen. representation in the capital. from-the-bone flesh making Follow us at A few short weeks later, the up for the dish’s fairly dull @WhatsOnDubai and Eastern Mangroves resort has presentation. It’s not the only @WhatsOnAbuDhabi thrown open the doors of its dish that melts in the mouth: the own contemporary Thai – the ka nom mor gheang (Dhs45) is a more uniquely named Pachaylen. dinky Phetchaburi baked bean cake, embellished Much as we enjoyed the neat design touches with palm sugar, jasmine flowers and homemade at Silk & Spice, it’s immediately clear that coconut ice cream. Select a spicier main and its Pachaylen is looking to trump S&S’s middlesoothing impact should work even better. of-the-road standard. Although too brightly If you’re prepared to pay, Pachaylen lit, the whole dining room sparkles with demonstrates the finer side of Thailand in a contemporary charm, glittering drapes and setting within in the city yet somehow detached Thai ornaments. from it at the same time. A solitary golden chair sits @WhatsOnFish scale: SUSTAINABILITY RATING: Sea bass at each table of four. Nobody – is the only fish on Pachaylen’s menu, so there’s nothing in the staff, other diners, us – seems way of sustainable species to recommend here. Zero points. to be able to see the reasoning
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Bastille Brunch Join us for French National Day
Celebrate French National day with brunch at West 14th. Take a trip down memory lane as we put on a spectacular array of French culture, while you are entertained by an accordionist. Taste a variety of French cuisine on our scrumptious buffet and choose from beverages such as Bolly to other French vines all for only AED495 per person, AED295 per person non vine option. 14th July 2012 - noon to 4pm To book your table, simply call 04 447 7601 or visit www.west14th.ae
www.west14th.ae
BUTTERED PRAWNS SERVES FOUR
"This dish is not just about flavours, but colour too. It's a rainbow"
The chef
july in Europe produces a beautiful bounty of fresh ingredients, all now making their way to the uAE, and our celebrity chef columnist, Gary Rhodes, is determined to show them off, with his buttered prawns
Then you have the chanterelles. The chanterelle is a young, wild mushroom and has not just that apricot colour, but almost a little apricot sweetness and fruitiness, with a nice little nuttiness behind that, too. The sweet red peppers are, again, almost fruity, and it’s incredible when you gently fry them – the olive oil picks up the juices, and you get a his dish is not just about flavours, but wonderful vinaigrette with a red tinge. colour too. You have the red pepper, the You can use broad beans or fresh peas, but if deep green of the beans, the pink of the you do choose to go with the runner beans, don’t prawn and the apricot brown edge of the ever leave them in ice-cold water – a mistake many chanterelles. It’s a rainbow. chefs make after cooking. If you do, don’t leave Some people find it tricky to tell when prawns them in any longer than they spent cooking. Get are done to perfection, but it’s really pretty them out before they start absorbing water. simple. You want to look out for that pale pink Other than that, it’s important to use good colour. With this dish, you have the stove on the balsamic vinegar and a good extra virgin olive oil. minimum heat. You’ve taken that little bit of water Balsamic is about age, just like me. You want and warmed it through, taken a few knobs of something that is minimum five but preferably ten butter and shaken them in, so you have a butter years of age. Balsamic is like a thick, heavy syrup, fondue. Don’t allow any bubbling. Then in go the and you need less of it. A great aged vinegar is 25 prawns. I split them, so they colour quickly. You or 30 years and is like tasting an incredible wine. want to retain a bit of softness, so take the pan off With the extra virgin olive oil it depends which and leave them sitting in that liquor. The cooking country it comes from. If it’s France, the flavour will process will continue with the residual heat. have a bitter edge. Italian has a fullness of flavour but it’s sweeter. Spanish is in the middle. You can tell a real extra virgin olive oil from the consistency. It’s the first pressing of the olives, and draws from them very thick oil that has all the “Some people find it tricky to tell when prawns are done to natural strengths of perfection, but it’s really pretty simple" the olive.
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NEXT MONTH: SAGE AND LEMON VEAL ESCALOPES WITH ROASTED NECTARINES 42 WHAT’S ON july 2012
INGREDIENTS One large red pepper, cut into 1centimetre dice, 225g green beans, salt and pepper, 12 king prawns, peeled and de-veined, three to four knobs of butter, 175g to 225g wild mushrooms (or chestnut mushrooms), cleaned and briefly rinsed (if required), one to two tsp balsamic vinegar, two tbsp extra virgin olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, one tbsp chopped chives
METHOD
Top and tail the beans, pulling away any side strings attached. Cut the beans at an angle into seven- or eight- centimetre-long thin strips. Pre-cook in boiling salted water. Once brought back to the boil, the beans will take just a minute to cook. Strain and leave to one side. For this particular dish, it’s best to serve them just warm. Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan. Once bubbling, add the mushrooms and sweet red peppers. These will now just take a few minutes to fry. Season with salt and pepper. Place the warm green beans, mushrooms and sweet red peppers in a bowl. Mix the balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil together and season before adding two to three tablespoons to the beans. Stir together carefully, then spoon onto plates and drizzle the remaining dressing around. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of water with a few knobs of butter. The prawns can be divided into two, splitting them along the vein, creating two thin prawn-shaped pieces that will cook very quickly, maintaining a tender finish. Add the prawns and warm together gently for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, adding the chopped chives to finish. The prawns are now ready to spoon over the beans, mushrooms and sweet red peppers, drizzling with the chive and lemon butter to finish.
Eating Out
Mahiki
Famed for good-time tunes, killer cocktails and a glam crowd, Mahiki is Dubai’s number-one party spot, but does the kitchen keep up the high standards?
the excitement abating, with phones constantly ringing to secure one of its coveted tables, Facebook bursting with ondon megabrand Mahiki photos of visiting celebs and arrived in Dubai last year far too many sore heads across to a huge fanfare, drawing the city most mornings. So the queues around the block addition of a food menu might from night one and instantly seem, on the surface, a somewhat becoming a must-do venue for unnecessary addition – the the city’s nightlife lovers. Six place is rammed regardless, so months on, and there’s no sign of why bother? Clearly, however,
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Mahiki’s keen to keep its spot as the hottest venue in town, and the introduction of its sharing menu is sure to please their already loyal fans. The menu boasts around 20 sharing dishes – no starters, mains or desserts – just platters and plates of classics with a twist that you can dip, tear and stick a fork in. Think mini sliders, Jengastacked chunky chips with aioli, an amazing truffle eggy bread, pumpkin and feta samosas and salmon skewers. There are bigger items available (a tomahawk steak that won’t give you a lot of change
from Dhs500) but you’re better off ordering a selection and letting everyone tuck in. Last orders are at 10pm, so head there around 8pm to line your stomach in style when the party people are still strapping on their heels. Enjoy the novelty of a table before the big spenders nab it and then settle in for a night of cheesy tunes and those cocktails. Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Al Sufouh, Dubai, 7pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 3807731. mahiki.ae
Made in theAD USA Celebrate Independence Day Celebrate US Independence day at West 14th featuring a tribute to the “All American Greats”. Dine from an exclusive menu featuring classic American dishes, complimented by sounds of America’s greatest musical legends. 4th July 2012 - 7pm onwards To book your table, simply call 04 447 7601 or visit www.west14th.ae www.west14th.ae
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 43
Ramadan Kareem
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek invites you to a traditional Iftar buffet Shabestan restaurant Dhs 139 per person Boulvar restaurant Dhs 115 per person Al Mansour Dhow cruise for private groups starting from Dhs 115
EATING OUT
Al Mersat
Is the Radisson Royal’s Arabic grill as entertaining as its nightclub?
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he Radisson Royal Hotel, on Sheikh Zayed Road, is home to the Mo*Vida nightclub – a bling London import, which opened with a bang at the start of the year – as well as a popular 51st-floor bar, so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about the party spirit. When we visited their Al Mersat Restaurant, the recently opened Arabic grill was also in the mood to party. Well, sort of. It was surprisingly busy for a Sunday night – perhaps because of the promised entertainment, which at first turned out to be a middle-aged man making strange sounds with a keyboard, but later encompassed a Brazilian belly dancer who, despite seeming to be suffering from a cold, injected a sense of fun into proceedings. The menu was traditional Levantine – think hummus, moutabal, babaganoush, lamb kebab
NEED TO KNOW
Location: Radisson Royal Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: (04) 3080000 Metro: World Trade Centre Web: radissonblu.com Open: daily 7pm to 2am Cuisine type: Arabic Must eat: soujouk Bill for two: Dhs600 for two (without alcohol)
and shish taouk. Not a bad thing at all, if done well. A huge mound of deep-fried breaded Some of it was, shrimp were a safety match away some of it wasn’t. from burnt, but the oriental mixed We went big, grill – recommended by the manager IN TWEET FORM ordering hummus – consisted of some nicely cooked Looking for a talented with meat (exactly chunks of lamb, chicken and other belly dancer? Al Mersat what it promised), assorted meats and was slightly above Restaurant is the place a moutabal the standard you would find in most to go. Value-for-money sadly lacking the cheaper Lebanese establishments. The Lebanese cuisine. Perhaps beautiful smokiness problem was the price. The bisque was look elsewhere. possessed by the a whopping Dhs70, the shrimp Dhs120 Follow us at best of its kind, a and the grill Dhs110, pushing the meal @WhatsOnDubai and standard fatouch towards the Dhs600 mark. Probably @WhatsOnAbuDhabi salad, meat kebbeh twice its worth. that could have The food was hearty and passable, done with a few seconds longer in the fryer and and a couple of glasses of decent Lebanese some tiny tangy soujouk sausages. A yellow red coupled with the entertainingly kitsch lentil soup was warming, if a little performers were possibly worth the visit, but @WhatsOnFish scale SUSTAINABILITY RATING: bland, and the same could be said for a the kitchen needs to raise the bar and the prices Hammour is on the menu. Need we say more? Zero. warm lobster bisque. need to limbo under it.
welcome boon for the otherwise delightful eastern Abu Dhabi minidistrict’s entertainment-starved residents. Come sunset, the building is ringfenced with fire features licking the dusky air and beneath space-aged ceilings, it seems the downstairs tapas lounge/bar is already attracting plenty of moths (well, diners) to its flames. Ornina’s Spanish roots – its sister outlet is in Barcelona – are coupled here with a French chef. Juxtapositions pepper the menu, too. A few, for example the grilled prawns snared by a base of Parmesan, don’t quite gel. And it’s a good job the three hunks of grilled Angus fillet with foie gras and Standalone licensed independents are oxtail sauce are delectably tender, considering the Dhs105 price tag. scarcer than sand-free streets in Abu A trio of mini-burgers with saffron aioli have a slightly tart aftertaste, Dhabi. Can Ornina set the standard? while Pacific mussels steamed in he striking curves of the double-decker white wine with garlic and purple basil are textbook, wooden Pacifico Building on Al Bandar and the grilled baby lobster is a mini revelation Marina are finally no longer just an thanks to the addition of pecorino cheese. architectural curio on the city skyline. As a taster, our appetites are certainly whetted. It’s Among a handful of restaurants with a liquor a shame, though, that we aren’t able to sample the license outside hotels and the like, Ornina is a upstairs fine dining restaurant, its opening delayed at time of publication by “a few final alterations”. Once @WhatsOnFish scale SUSTAINABILITY RATING: that occurs, Ornina promises to provide an indie With no local fish on the menu, Ornina scores zilch. beacon for diners to the east of the city.
Ornina
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NEED TO KNOW Location: Ornina, Pacifico Building, Al Bandar, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi Tel: (02) 5566090 Web: orninalounge.com Open: daily Sat to Wed 11.30am to 1.30am, Thur to Fri 11.30am to 3am (from sunset during Ramadan) Cuisine type: tapas Must eat: grilled Angus fillet with foie gras and oxtail sauce Bill for two: Dhs490, excluding wine
IN TWEET FORM Ornina's restaurant is yet to open, but, until it does, the tapas bar is worth a visit. Follow us at @WhatsOnDubai and @WhatsOnAbuDhabi JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 45
EATING OUT
Cook a classic Miso soup
Karma Café’s executive chef Mark Molnar’s version of a Japanese classic
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INGREDIENTS SERVES FOUR * 800ml mineral water * 20g brown miso * 12 leaves of Thai basil * 1 red bird's eye chilli (finely sliced) * 20g shaved bonito flakes katsuobushi * Konbu seaweed 3x3cm * 60g silken tofu cut into 1cm cubes * 1 scallion (finely sliced) * 12 sugar snap peas (stir fried and cut in half) * Dry wakame seaweed (rehydrated in mineral water) 46 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
The day before cooking the soup you will need to make the dashi stock. You do this by soaking the konbu in the mineral water overnight. The next day, heat up the water and just before it starts to boil, add the bonito flakes, remove from the heat and allow to rest for 40 minutes. Strain the dashi and reheat. Just before it boils, whisk in the miso paste. Add the rest of the ingredients into four miso soup bowls. Pour the hot but not boiling miso into the cups. Cover them for two minutes to infuse (Note: you can add a few extra Thai basil leaves to infuse the soup before pouring it in the cups). Karma Kafé, Souk Al Bahar, Downtown, Dubai, Sun to Thur 4pm to 2am, Fri to Sat noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 4230909. karma-kafe.com NEXT MONTH: TIRAMISU
ON THE MENU All the latest restaurant openings and news from the UAE food scene
NEW RESTAURANT OPENINGS For motorbike enthusiasts, the new Ducati Café is revved up and raring to go at Dubai Mall, with plenty of coffee and comestibles from the Italian manufacturer on display. Popular Singaporean bakery chain, Roti Mum, has also opened its first branch in the UAE in Dubai Mall, pan-Asian chain Shang Thai has thrown open its doors on Sheikh Zayed Road, Festival City is readying itself to open Dubai’s fourth outlet of local mainstay Trader Vic’s in the coming months and Kiza at The Lodge has brought a taste of Africa to Oud Metha. Finally, if you live in or around Business Bay and you’re planning to dine on some takeaway pizza this summer, it is worth trying out the new Slice Gourmet restaurant that is promising, rather menacingly, to “slice up your life”…
PIZZERIA OLIVELLA
TRIED AND
TESTED After our takeaway test a few months back, our stomachs are well aware that Abu Dhabi is stuffed with pizza palaces. New kid on the piazza, Pizzeria Olivella, leaves its dough to rise for 48 hours, creating a lighter pizza than its stodgy rivals, with whole-wheat and gluten-free options also available. The homely restaurant also boasts an authentic wood-burning oven. We can definitely vouch for the Fiorentina (Dhs35), a crispy tastebud-pleaser chock full of mushrooms, spinach, red onions, Gorgonzola and a runny egg. Delivery is also available. Fotouh Al Khair Centre, Airport Road, Abu Dhabi, daily noon to midnight. Tel: (02) 6225111. facebook.com/pizzeriaolivella
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GREEN DELIVERY
Jumeirah Lakes Towers is on the rise and as such is constantly full of surprises. One of those is the recently opened organic fruit and vegetable shop Blue People Green Planet, hidden amongst the tall buildings. The shop offers to deliver fresh, locally grown produce to your door twice a week. Order online to receive either seasonal or customised boxes of produce. We’ll be checking it out, for sure. Blue Planet Green People, Al Seef 2, Cluster U, Jumeirah Lake Towers. Tel: (04) 3695209. Metro: Dubai Marina. blueplanet greenpeople.com JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 47
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ARTS
Artists, galleries, news, events and more
p51 FELINE FUN · p53 thE Art INsIdEr · p54 FIvE to sEE JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 49
ARTS
Five minutes with...
Ammar Abd Rabbo Photojournalist
Feline Fun From Grease to Jerry Springer The Opera, Alison Jiear’s done it all. Cats, however, is one musical she’s still to tick off her list – but not for much longer… Grizabella’s quite a complex character, isn’t she? I love the fact that she’s had a glamorous life, and she’s been shunned by the rest of the cats because she’s gone off to pursue her dreams. Now she’s back with her tail between her legs and nobody wants her. And you get to sing one of theatre's most iconic songs… Actually, Memory is one of those songs that everybody has sung to death over the years and, as a result, probably many singers don’t enjoy performing it. I think what I like the idea of is actually performing it in its original context, actually performing it as part of the show. So is this a non-typical role for you? Yeah, normally I’m quite funny [laughs]. I always get the funny roles because of my size, probably – I don’t get to play the conventional female lead because I am rather voluptuous. It’s a role I didn’t get to play in the UK. Was that the attraction? In a way, but really the main attraction is getting to go back to work with [the director] Joseph Fowler at DUCTAC. I’ve known Joe for many years – he brings in professionals to work with the people out there and it’s just a great community project. I said to Joseph, “Congratulations for getting me into Lycra at the age of 47!” But he’s assured me there’s
no Lycra involved, so I’m going to hold him to that [laughs]. Will you become a mentor to local performers? Yeah, you do feel like a bit of a mentor – it’s a responsibility, but one that I take on gladly. They’re just so hungry for it and it’s the sort of experience that reminds you how fortunate you are to do what you do. What advice would you give to any aspiring actors? Work hard. You’ve got to want it. You can’t take it for granted. You’ve just got to do as much as you can do; be gracious and be nice on the way up. You’ve got to be as versatile as you can possibly be. Unless you’re very lucky, you can’t just do one thing. I do my theatre, I do concerts, I do backing singing… It sounds like you’ve had a lot of fun in your career. Yeah, I’m just so lucky. I’ve always worked as a studio singer or backing vocals hand-in-hand with performing myself. And it’s sort of mad that one minute I can be doing backing vocals for Susan Boyle and the next minute I can be standing as a soloist at the Royal Albert Hall. People say, don’t you hate doing backing vocals? No, it’s an art – everything I do I take pride in. Jul 10 to 14, DUCTAC, Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, from Dhs150. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org
Your images capture world leaders in moments of ‘downtime’ or when they’re unaware of the camera – how do you catch them in this way? I get access just by asking – it depends on the photos. Some are taken during an official visit or a trip, or an event for which I have been accredited as one photojournalist among many, and I just freeze one particular moment. It’s a kind of magic when that happens. For others, I would be commissioned to shoot photos for a magazine on a oneon-one basis. Why are we so fascinated with seeing world leaders in this way? We are fascinated with their path, their background, their career, the way they ‘rule’. Of course it is very different from the Queen of England to Gaddafi or from Benazir Bhutto to Sarkozy. In my photos, you see them as ‘normal’ people, far from power symbols: Tunisia’s (then) First Lady arranges her husband’s outfit, France’s Carla Bruni looks at her husband with sexy eyes, Saudi Prince Alwaleed poses with Mickey Mouse and Goofy at Disneyland. What sort of response do you get to the series? The response I often get is curiosity about ‘how’: how I got the shot. Many think that by taking a photo of a political leader I endorse his policy or his political views, yet I see myself as a simple witness, someone who just records or freezes images of our time. What is your favourite image from the series? This is always a difficult question. My photos are like my kids, and I love my kids without having a favourite one. But if you insist, I have a special feeling towards the portrait of the late Benazir Bhutto. It has something religious, ‘out of time’, and I cherish this photo, especially today, knowing her fate and her family’s. Describe the exhibition in three words. Surprising, spontaneous and 100 per cent organic – which means they are zero per cent Photoshopped. Follow The Leader, Ayyam Gallery DIFC, free. ayyamgallery.com
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ARTS
CHARLES POCOCK
THE ART INSIDER
A
s most of the galleries in the GCC close for the summer in July, and won’t reopen again until mid September, the cultural focus in the region shifts to Beirut. With its Mediterranean climate and close proximity to the GCC, it is the perfect place to get your cultural fix. The Beirut Art Fair runs July 5 to 8 (menasart-fair. com), the Beiteddine Festival (beiteddine.org) throughout July and August, the Baalbeck International Festival (baalbeck. org.lb) in July and exhibitions at the city’s galleries throughout the summer. I was in Beirut for the AMCA conference on Modern Arab Art that was held at AUB on June 1 and 2. The title of the conference was The Longevity Of Rupture: 1967 In Art And Its Histories. The conference focused on the effect on the visual arts in the Arab World of the 1967 defeat of Egypt and Syria and the loss of Sinai. The speakers addressed the cultural movements in Egypt and Syria, and then looked at specific artists such as Gazbia Sirry and their works relating to 1967. A wider opinion was taken in the later session with Palestine, and with a paper looking at the series Tel-elZaatar (1978) by Dia Azzawi and the Casablanca School’s visual solidarity with Palestine and the work of Mohammed Melehi and Mohamed Chebaa. The conference was well attended and the discourse during and after the sessions was inspiring. It made you realise that so much is needed by way of critical analysis of the region’s art movements, however it is entirely refreshing to see that something is being done and in the right way, without the influence of commerce and potential manipulation. The Shafic Abboud Retrospective at the Beirut Exhibition
beirutexhibitioncenter. Centre (beirutexhibitioncenter. com) in Downtown brings together the largest body of his work to be seen in 15 years. The exhibition coincides with a retrospective at the American University Of Beirut featuring Khalil Saleeby’s work. Both shows must be seen. The Beirut Art Centre (beirutartcenter.org) will be exhibiting the work of the Palestinian artist Khalil Rabah, while at Beirut Art Centre you should visit Ashkal Alwan: The Lebanese Association For Plastic Arts (ashkalalwan.org), which is next door. The commercial gallery scene in Beirut is strong, with well curated exhibitions, and must-visit galleries including Sfeir Semler and Running Horse in Quarantine, Agial Gallery and Espace Kettaneh Kunigk in Hamra, Mark Hachem in Downtown and Galerie Janine Rubeiz in Raoucheh. My greatest passion after art itself is books on art, and Beirut is always is a superb source to fill my shelves. The best bookshops to visit are Kutub Books, Librairie Antoine, Libraire Al Bourj and, trust me, Virgin Megastore. They are all within ten minutes walking distance of each other with Kutub, Bourj and Virgin Megastore next to Le Gray Hotel and Librairie Antoine recently opening its new headquarters in Beirut Souks in Downtown. Papercup in Mar Mikhael is just opposite Virgin Megastore on the other side of Martyr’s Square. Art historian, dedicated collector and managing director of Dubai’s Meem Gallery, Charles Pocock knows the UAE art scene like the back of a Picasso. Do you have an art question for Charles? E-mail: editor-wo@motivate.ae
NEWS FLASH
Freeze Frame Summer heat getting to you? Good news! This month, you don’t even have to leave the air-conned confines of your apartment to get a serious art fix as VIP Art Fair, which launched its virtual art showcase earlier this year, expands. VIP Photo is, as eagle-eyed readers will have noticed, dedicated to the fine art of photography. Highlights include a 160-strong collection of signed works by late French master Henri Cartier- Bresson that have never been shown before, and new work by Mexican
photographic artist Emilio Valdés. Some of the world’s leading photographic art galleries will be represented and it’s estimated that the fair will reach over 100,000 people in 155 countries. “Photography is a medium that has always pushed the envelope,” says VIP Art Fair director Liz Parks. “The online platform is perfect for displaying and browsing
high-resolution photographs in their utmost detail.” It’s perfect, too, for hot summer days in a desert climate – sign up so you can get your summer art fix now. Jul 12 to Aug 12, free. vipartfair.com
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JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 53
ARTS
Five to see... 1) Demolition
2) Treasures of the World’s Cultures
Persian calligrapher Fereydoon Omidi unveils his craft in a new series of large-scale works at XVA Gallery’s DIFC showroom. Bold and arresting in both size and colour, Omidi’s looping, rhythmic script hums on the canvas, revealing an artist who’s clearly been working at developing his craft since his last XVA outing four years ago. Until Sept, XVA Gallery DIFC, Building 7, DIFC Gate Village, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3585117. xvagallery.com
Roll up, roll up! This is your last chance to catch the greatest show on Earth (or on Saadiyat Island, at least). Joking aside, this monumental exhibition is one not to be missed. Working with the British Museum, it brings together some of the finest treasures of the ancient world, offering not just beauty but a rare glimpse into the birth of civilisation itself. Really, if you haven’t already, get yourself down there. Until Jul 17, Manarat Al Saadiyay, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, free. Tel: (02) 6575800. artsabudhabi.ae
3) Corrupted Theories
A relative newcomer to the Gallery IVDE stable, French-Algerian artist Abdelkader Benchamma fits easily into its distinctive gallery of artists with this, his first solo showing in the Middle East. Large-scale pen and ink drawings dominate the space with Benchamma bringing a deft confidence to his page. Intriguing and surely one to watch. Until Jul 26, Gallery IVDE, Unit 17, Street 8, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3235052. ivde.net
4) When the Lights Went Off, We Saw
An exercise in how ‘accidents’ can become art, this exhibition features large-scale photographic negatives that have been ‘interrupted’ by light – either on purpose or accidentally – through under/over-exposure and light leaks. It’s a fascinating investigation into the role light plays in art and photography, abstract and beautiful. Until Sept 27, The Pavilion Downtown Dubai, Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 4477025. pavilion.ae
5) Museum of Optography: the Purple Chamber
The latest instalment of London artist Derek Ogbourne’s ongoing project is “a dark place where light enters but never escapes”. If that sounds sombre, it’s because it is – the Museum of Optography was initially conceived in 2007 as an investigation into the images captured in the final moments of life. It’s also strangely beautiful and thoughtprovoking. Check it out. Jul 2 to Oct10, Collections Building, Arts Area, Sharjah, free. Tel: (06) 5685050. sharjahart.org
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SHOPPING
Missoni Home
Designers, shops, trends, hot spots and more
p59 GET THE LOOK: COLOUR · p60 HOLiDaY REaDs · p61 sHOp TaLK JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 57
@ HOME
SHOPPING
Coasters Dhs25 each
O’de Rose, 999 Al Wasl Road, Umm Seqiem, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3487990. o-derose.com
BIrD FeeDer Dhs119
Crate & Barrel, Mirdif City Centre, Mirdif. Tel: (04) 2843151. crateandbarrel.com
CaNDLestICK Dhs1,017 Nachtmann, Dubai Outlet Mall, Al Ain Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4393571. nachtmann.com
retro tImer Dhs75
Harvest Home, Jumeirah Centre, Beach Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 34020225. harvesthomegroup.com
Get the look: Acid brights, pretty pastels, rich jewel tones and modern prints: this summer it’s all about creating a blank canvas in your home then going crazy with colourful pieces. Don’t be shy…
Missoni Home
CUsHIoN Dhs149 Kas Australia, Dubai Outlet Mall, Al Ain Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4255949. kasaustralia.ae
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Villeroy & Boch, Dubai Outlet Mall, Al Ain Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4259834. villeroy-boch.com
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CUsHIoN Dhs149 BeD LINeN Dhs2,950
Missoni Home, Harvey Nichols, Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4098888. missonihome.it
taBLes Dhs2,020 ananasa.com
The One, Sheikh Zayed The First Street, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 6816500. theone.com
CHaIr Dhs2,100
Mudo City, The Dubai Mall, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3253246. mudo.ae JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 59
SHOPPING
THIS SUMMER’S TOP TEN READS
Whether you’re curling up on a couch with your Kindle or heading to the beach with a book, our pick of the hottest reads around will transport you from the daily grind to faraway lands weaving the narrative threads of characters including a dim-witted journalist and a jaded geisha. Dhs45
The Art Of Fielding
FICTION State Of Wonder
Ann Patchett When doctor turned researcher Marina Singh, who lives in barren Minnesota, is tasked with the job of bringing home the body of her lost colleague from the depths of the Amazon her life comes is filled with into rich colour. Joining a group of scientists studying fertility of one of the local tribes (whose women can give birth into their 70s), Marina learns about herself, the remote location and what really happened to her friend in the jungle. Dhs45
The Chaperone
Laura Moriarty With Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming interpretation of The Great Gatsby already getting film fans and fashion lovers hot under their beaded collars, it seems the roaring 1920s are having something of a moment. Moriarty’s novel The Chaperone, set in 1922, follows Cora Carlisle as she leaves her unhappy marriage for a new life in New York, where she is put in charge of 15-year-old Louise Brooks, a young woman with a striking hairstyle who will go on to become a legend. Full of glamour, bright lights and speakeasies, the book takes you on the women’s journies to their respective destinies. Dhs95 60 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Gold
Chris Cleave A strategically timed book to tie-in with the summer’s Olympic fever, Gold introduces the reader to Zoe and Kate, two cyclists going for gold at the 2004 games. Starkly different, Zoe is ruthless and happily single while kinder Kate marries fellow cyclist Jack and they have a daughter, who becomes seriously ill. Flitting between the protagonists meeting and the events leading up to the main event, the book is a look at family strife, ambition and what it takes to win.
Afterwards
Rosamund Lupton It’s sports day on a sunny afternoon in England when tragedy strikes. As the school goes up in flames a community is thrown into a sinister whodunnit, with everyone a suspect while two people lie in hospital, one of whom is determined to solve the crime despite being in a coma. Blending a ghost story and a thriller, this is a class page-turner. Dhs45
Glass Geishas
Susanna Quinn As informative as it is entertaining, Glass Geishas takes a look at the seedy world of hostesses in Tokyo. Featuring gangsters, cash and illicit activities, author Quinn drew on her own experiences in the city,
Chad Harbach Already being heralded as a modern classic, The Art Of Fielding is set on an American college campus and centres on Henry, a young, gifted shortstop. There is heavy use of baseball references but delve beneath and you’ll find a novel that studies the human condition as Henry struggles with a lull in his performance. Full of symbolism and literary references, this is a book for thinking sports fans wanting more than on-field action. Dhs50
Bring Me The Head Of Ryan Giggs
Rodge Glass A dark but amusing look at the life of Mikey Wilson, the fictional friend of Ryan Giggs and fellow Manchester United trainee whose life has not panned out quite as sweetly as the football megastar’s. Is he bitter? You bet. Depressed and utterly deluded about his level of fame, Wilson is out for revenge. Dhs52
NON-FICTION How To Eat Out: Lessons Learnt From A Life Spent Mostly In Restaurant
Giles Coren Famed restaurant critic Giles Coren tells his life story through a compendium of his finest writing, interspersed with cheeky ‘how-to’ paragraphs on offering wine and tipping. Bitingly witty, Coren
serves up his opinion one every possible cuisine plus some choice opinions of his family and various ex-girlfriends. Prepare to chuckle and feel very hungry indeed. Dhs48
Imagine: How Creativity Works
Jonah Lehrer Don’t expect a guide to being creative here (although you will pick up some tips from history and get some inside info from Bob Dylan’s muse), instead this book sets out to explain how science is linked to our imagination. It’s a heavy topic, but an easy read that will leave you full of facts and inspiration. Dhs48
I, Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan
Alan Partridge While not strictly speaking nonfiction, this parody of a celeb biography explores the life of Alan Partridge, written 100 per cent in character with incredible accuracy. A must for fans of the comedic legend, you’ll be treated to hilarious anecdotes, insights into his supporting cast and a laugh out loud tales on every page. Dhs45 All books available for Kindle download from amazon.com, and from Book World by Kinokuniya, The Dubai Mall, Dubai. Tel: (04) 44340111. kinokuniya.com
SHOP TALK The hottest news, products, trends and openings with Deputy Editor Helen Spearman
Cedella Marley for PUMA
Must-buy of the month
Bob Marley’s daughter designed Jamaica’s Olympic outfits, but the non-athletes among us can also wear her threads. Our pick of the lifestyle range for PUMA are these sneakers (Dhs590) in the national colours, complete with Usain Bolt’s name on the tongue. Please note that they will not make you the fastest man or woman on earth, but you’ll get some serious street-cred. PUMA, The Dubai Mall, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4340204. Metro: Dubai Mall. puma.com
More stores for Abu Dhabi With the likes of Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates dominating the UAE shopping scene, the capital has some catching up to do. However, this summer Abu Dhabi-based retail fans should be rejoicing at the news that 250 stores will be opening their doors at Al Wahda Mall. You’ll be able to spend your hardearned dirhams at the likes of Virgin Megastore, American Eagle Outfitters, Pottery Barn Kids, H&M, Dorothy Perkins, Pull & Bear, and George, the budget clothing brand from UK supermarket Asda, with whispers of Reiss and New Look also signing up to the huge extension. Credit cards at the ready, folks. Al Wahda Mall, Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Street, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 4437070. alwahda-mall.com
1/2 Enjoy a blend of tradition and noveltyAD in the coolest of settings for Ramadan One&Only Royal Mirage offers you the ‘coolest’ of two Ramadan Cafés – a uniquely comfortable, temperaturecontrolled environment in a traditional setting, at The Palace “Courtyard” and the “Peregrine Garden” at the Arabian Court. Enjoy Iftar buffets, served every day in Tagine restaurant and The Rotisserie, then spend the evening among friends in a relaxing atmosphere, enjoying oriental specialities, coffee and tea. Iftar: 7.10pm - 8.30pm Ramadan Cafés: 8pm - 2.30am Group Bookings/Corporate Packages: Please contact us directly for special Ramadan offers. Ramadan Special Room Rates: Starting from AED 1,160++*
Maison Martin Margiela for H&M
Rate valid until 16 August 2012 excluding 10% service charge and 10% municipality fee. *Subject to availability. Valid for GCC and Middle East residents only.
What do you get when you cross an avant-garde French fashion house with a Swedish high-street favourite? Well, Maison Martin Margiela and H&M are hoping it will be a big style hit. Following in the footsteps of Marni, Versace and Viktor & Rolf, the conceptual Parisian label will be producing a line of pieces at more purse-friendly prices to be on UAE racks in November. about.hm.com
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SPORT & OUTDOOR Alive and kicking
p64 CARVING THE ICE · p66 MYTH BuSTERS · p70 SPORTS NEWS juLY 2012 WHAT’S ON 63
SPORT & OUTDOOR
Carving the iCe Ice-skating is not traditionally thought of as an adrenaline sport, but when you have the balance of Bambi, it’s a different matter. Our man Matt straps on the blades and learns how to pirouette like a ballerina (well, sort of)...
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or the sports-mad in UAE, summer isn’t the best. At this time of year, there’s little choice but to take refuge indoors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be active. Ice-skating – the ultimate in staying cool while having fun – has made a welcome resurgence in the Emirates, with rinks dotted all over the country, sprouting everything from figure skating competitions to a competitive ice hockey league. But let’s not run before we can walk (or figure skate before we can, er, skate) – first, it’s time to learn the basics. Despite having about as much grace as Bambi, and with my only previous experience of skating involving a dodgy old pair of rollerblades and a seriously misguided dress sense – I was packed off to the Learnto-Skate programme at the Dubai Ice Rink. Thanks What’s On. GettinG started “You will fall down, so it’s best that you get used to 64 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
‘Danger’ Matt
it,” asmiles Ampee, my diminutive instructor. Not exactly the first words I thought I’d hear as I nervously waddle my way
on to the ice – but she is right. The worst part about learning to ice skate is definitely the fear of falling over and hurting yourself – well, that, and doing it front of an entire mall full of shoppers – but, once you’ve made peace with that, mentally the whole process becomes easier. She explains that one of the first things that people who sign up to the lessons learn is how to fall down and get back up, safely. I listen carefully. MovinG Straight onto the ice, and we start by simply shuffling our
feet back and forth, allowing an idea of what the ice feels like while wearing the skates. It is, I imagine, what learning to walk was like – and I’m pretty good at that, so this should be a piece of cake. Ampee explains that with skating, the braver you are the more you are rewarded. If you attempt it half-heartedly then you’ll likely lose balance and get yourself into trouble. With thoughts of bravery ringing around my head, I move forward on my own – either she’s trying to gauge my ability, or she’s playing a really cruel trick on me.
Thankfully, it was the former. Replicating what I remember from my rollerblading days as a teenager – pushing off with one foot, shifting my weight to the other one – I start to skate, albeit ungracefully. With the wind in my hair, I’m feeling altogether rather pleased with myself, until I remember that an important part of this skating lark is how to stop – and on cue, I crash into the wall. BalancinG Now, this may sound like a bit of a no-brainer but ice is slippery. With that that dark secret out, it should come as no surprise to learn that balance is key, and after I pick myself up for the third or fourth time, it’s time to focus on balancing. To find your centre of balance on skates you need to have your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and, crucially, you must lean forward. To
Percy, the penguin
essentially making an oval shape. After several laps around the rink swizzling my confidence is up, but my legs are aching. crossinG over The simple way to turn is by leaning to the side and dropping your shoulder, which I master surprisingly quickly – all or nothing, right? It gets trickier, however, when learning to cross my feet over. Using Ampee as a pivot, I lift one leg off the ice and glide on one foot. Then while on one foot the other crosses over and I shift my body weight. Although it only seems like a small accomplishment, to be able to pull it off independently after only a couple of sessions is pretty exhilarating. C
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“You will fall down, so it’s best that you get used to it.” Not the first words that I thought I’d hear as I waddle my way on to the ice. help my balance Ampee shows me how to ‘swizzle’. Swizzling involves starting with your heels together in a ‘V’ position, pushing out and then steering your skates on their inside edges until your toes meet,
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verdict While I may not be able to triple axel just yet, the Learn-to-Skate classes are a good way to learn the fundamentals of skating, while also helping to dispel concerns about falling down and learning how to balance. Be prepared to fall. But you’ll soon get be back up again, and smiling as you do it. Dubai Ice Rink, Dubai Mall, Dubai, Sun to Wed 4.45pm to 5.30pm, Thur to Sat 3.45pm to 4.45pm, Dhs155 per individual lesson, Dhs125 per small group lesson, Dhs550 for intensive one-week course. Tel: (04) 4485111. dubaiicerink.com
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SPORT & OUTDOOR
MYTHBUSTERS Boot camp this, food delivery that, intense course the other – it seems as if there’s a new dietary or fitness fad promising to change your life almost every week. But which ones work, and which ones are just plain worthless? Every month, we’ll put the questions to our crack team of experts to see if there is any truth behind the myths…
MYTH You only start burning fat after running for 12 minutes, and a ten-minute run doesn’t do any good. You will start burning fat, primarily, as quickly as 90 seconds after you start running – and for fat burning, slower, long runs are not necessarily what you need. A ten-minute run is always better than nothing but remember intensity is key. So if you’re short on time and fat burning’s your thing, and you are in good health, then do a thorough warm up before doing some sprint intervals (preferably up a hill for the work phase but that might be tough in the Emirates). Go flat out for eight seconds and real easy for 12 – repeat that as many times as you can, up to a max of 20 minutes, and that will put a torch to that body fat.
MYTH You must drink eight cups of water a day. While not essential, it is important to drink at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water every day, especially in this region. Water helps your body cells to communicate with each other. It helps in the transport of nutrients from one cell to another and it lets the liver burn fat at a faster rate. When you have a constant irritating headache it is generally your body’s cry for water. A lot of wastes, such as ammonia and urea, build up in your body when you are dehydrated, which causes the headaches. Adequate amounts of water also keep your metabolic rate revved up, which helps you burn more calories per day. Healthy eating is incomplete without proper water intake.
MYTH Some people are active, while others just aren’t. Motivation affects everything we do in our lives and it requires a mental edge and plenty of drive. It’s very easy to start something, but it is not always easy to keep it up or finish it. Goal setting is paramount. Your goals must be realistic and reachable. If you aim too high you are putting a lot of extra pressure on yourself. This could lead to losing the willpower to continue and succumbing to laziness and lethargy. It is important to ensure you maintain motivation try to make short-term goals progressing in steady steps. Like a muscle, you need to train your willpower. Once you’ve made a goal, you should keep it at all costs. 66 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
MEET THE EXPERTS Chris Miller THE TRAINER
Marathon junkie Chris is the owner of the Dubai-based The Energy Clinic. His CV boasts a degree in health and fitness, five years in Dubai and having completed multiple marathons, including the notorious Marathon des Sables and the 200km-long Devizes to Westminster kayak race.
1/2 AD
Rashi Chowdhary THE NUTRITIONIST
Refreshingly, Rashi is a nutritionist who hates weighing scales, diets and ‘fake’ food. The Mumbai native has a five-year degree in nutrition under her belt and has made it her mission in Dubai to make losing weight and being healthy more than just a gimmick.
Dr Martin Kramar THE PSYCHOLOGIST
Martin knows all about stress and how to deal with it. Working at the German Neuroscience Centre, he has previously taught sport psychology at several universities, and advised sport associations and professional sports clubs in Europe, the USA and Middle East. If you have any physical, mental or dietary questions and want to get our experts’ opinions, e-mail: editor-wo@motivate.ae JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 67
Festival Centre - Schedule of Events Week #
Dates
Timings
Daily Sporty Stage Show Zone (Festival Square)
Please check at Customer Service Desks for daily timings
Olympic Street Dancers Week 1
June 14 to June 20
McDonalds “Dream your Dreams Forever” Show Clown Accordion Olympic Street Dancers
Week 2
June 21 to June 27
McDonalds “Dream your Dreams Forever” Show Football Free Styler - Victor Rubliar
Week 3
Red Bull Street Style
June 28 to July 3
Football Free Styler- Victor Rubliar
July 4 to July 14
Hello Kitty Stage Show
Week 4
Charlie Chaplin Tap Dance
*Football, Tennis, Basketball, Hockey, Volleyball, Trampoline, Rowing, Table Tennis, Rhythmic
Follow us on
www.facebook.com/dubaifestivalcity
Olympic Arts & Crafts Zone
Sporty Activity Zone (South Court)
(Ground Floor Opposite Super Care Pharmacy, Atrium)
11am-10pm (Sat- Weds) 10am-10pm (Thurs & Fri)
11am-2pm, 3-6pm, 7-9pm (Sat- Weds) 10am-1pm, 2-5pm, 6-9pm (Thurs & Fri)
Sports*
Sports*
Sports* Football Free StylerVictor Rubliar Please check at Customer Service Desks for daily timings
Sports*
McDonalds Activity & Face painting Booth (3-8pm)
& Olympic Arts & Crafts McDonalds Activity & Face painting Booth (3-8pm)
& Olympic Arts & Crafts McDonalds Activity & Face painting Booth (3-8pm)
& Olympic Arts & Crafts McDonalds Activity & Face painting Booth (3-8pm)
& Olympic Arts & Crafts
Gaming Zone (Electronics Area, 2nd Floor)
2–10pm
PS3 (FIFA Games)
Wii Games (Table Tennis, Boxing, Tennis, Etc)
Wii Games (Table Tennis, Boxing, Tennis, Etc)
Wii Games (Table Tennis, Boxing, Tennis, Etc)
Gymnastics, High Jump, Flipper Race
800 DFC (332) | www.dubaifestivalcity.com
Sport & outdoor
The Round-up
It is getting hot outside but there is no stopping UAE sports fans this month
Kickboxing at Dubai Ladies club As any Jean Claude Van Damme fan will tell you, kickboxing is a serious workout. We don’t know if the Dubai Ladies Club has taken inspiration from JCVD or not, but it has recently introduced kickboxing classes for both members and non-members. Taught by former New Zealand international women’s boxer, Karian Benseman, the sessions will teach the technical aspects of kickboxing as well as general fitness training. Wellness Centre, Dubai Ladies Club, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai. Mon 11.05am, Dhs50. Tel: (04) 3499922. dubailadiesclub.com
Goalkeeping master class From Peter Schmeichel to Edwin Van der Sar, Manchester United has had its fair share of world-class goalkeepers, and it’s no different when the club is in the UAE. UK-based goalkeeping coach, Peter Nicholls, will be flying into the capital this month to run a four-day intensive course to teach boys and girls aged ten to 16 who are interested in ‘keeping. The course will see the UEFA-qualified coach running 12 hours of on-field coaching time with each day dedicated to different goalkeeping techniques, from shot-stopping to dealing with crosses and distribution. Jul 1 to 4, Manchester United Soccer School, Dome@ Rawdhat, Airport Road, Abu Dhabi, Dhs995. Tel: (02) 4498480. manutdsoccerschools.ae
double privileges Two memberships are better than one, which is well known by Monte Carlo Beach Club (MCBC to those in the know) and the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which are offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal this month. The two Saadiyat Island-based clubs have teamed up to give new members access to the facilities at both clubs, including the Gary Player-designed beachfront golf course and the luxurious poolside cabanas at the MCBC. You might get one membership free, but it still doesn’t come cheap (unless you rob banks for a living), with joint membership costing Dhs42,625 per year. Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Dhs42,625. Tel: (02) 6563500. montecarlobeachclub.ae 70 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
News flash
Late night ladies
Good news for the ladies: What’s On favourite wild wadi is not only set to be open all summer long, but it has extended its opening hours for ladies' nights to 1am until the end of august. The waterpark runs ladies’ nights every Thursday and friday, with an all-female staff manning the slides and the only men allowed in have to be under eight years old. Jul 1 to Aug 31, Wild Wadi, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, Thur and Fri 8pm to 1am, during Ramadan Thur only, Dhs205. Tel: (04) 3484444. wildwadi.com
F1 ticket privileges
Mamma What’s On once told us that the early bird catches the worm, and she would be right if you have considered going to abu Dhabi Grand Prix. People who buy their tickets early will be given added privileges, such as complimentary tickets to the Yasalam music concerts and discounts for passes to live music events throughout the year starting from september, so stay tuned to the website. as if there weren't already enough reasons to get excited about going to the Grand Prix. yasmarinacircuit.com
Be a Winner! Mix shopping with family fun at the 2012 Festival Centre Summer Games, Dubai Festival City - your “Shopolympic� destination! A series of Olympic themed events, fun sporting activities, daily stage shows and kids creative workshops. Shop for just AED150 at any Festival Centre store and enter the raffle draw to WIN prizes worth AED500,000! Weekly prizes of AED50,000 DFC gift vouchers & 1 of 2 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited.
Follow us on www.facebook.com/dubaifestivalcity 800 DFC (332) | www.dubaifestivalcity.com
WHAT’S ON
MIND & BODY
Anantara Spa
The inside scoop on health and well-being in the uAE
p74 HOW TO BE HAPPY · p76 MIND & BODY NEWS juLY 2012 WHAT’S ON 73
Mind & Body
HOW TO BE HAPPY Writer Peter Jones wrote How To Do Everything And Be Happy after the death of his wife; a practical, chatty guide to taking control of your time and your life. We caught up with Peter to find out what we need to do to boost those serotonin levels… Why did you decide to tackle the huge subject of happiness? Some people, and they’re often moderately successful, get to the point in their lives where they’re very busy and somewhere along the way they’ve become lost in it all, like a ball in a pinball machine bouncing around. It can all get a bit out of control. They might be feeling grumpy a lot of the time, and that’s how I felt. I would get up early just to be on my own, drive to work earlier than I needed to, count the hours until lunchtime and again until I could go home, then drive home the long way, get annoyed if I had to sort post or cross if dinner wasn’t ready, go to bed stupidly early, count the days until the weekend, then count the hours until Monday morning. You realise that you’re not actually happy. I don’t think the book takes the place of a good therapist, but you can make a difference yourself. Some people think that doing nothing will make them happy – why isn’t this the case? I discovered that the absence of unhappiness is not happiness, which is tricky to explain, but if you walk into a room you don’t switch off the darkness, you turn on a light. You’re adding to your life when you’re happy, not taking away, and a lot of people think that if they get rid of their responsibilities then they’ll be happy, but they’d actually be 74 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
up one online so you can easily move appointments around. Tell us about your concept of Boxing Days. My wife and I said Boxing Day [the day after Christmas Day] was ‘our’ day’. We’d get up around midday, open a bottle of bubbly, play with our presents from the day before, watch movies and eat posh nibbles. It was, quite simply, a fantastic day. Now I celebrate Boxing Day once a month: I get up with absolutely no plan whatsoever and see how the day unfolds. I usually have it on the 26th (but you can have it whenever you want and call it something different) and it’s a day when you give yourself permission to do whatever you feel like doing, within the realms of possibility. It’s not a ‘day off ’; it’s like being on a mini holiday driven by the moment, the heart and the opportunity. You might spend the day getting some fresh air, simply going back to bed or even getting some decorating done – it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s not planned and it's what you want to do.
The rules of Boxing Day No pre-planning
don’t plan anything in advance – it should all be decided on the day, determined by your mood and any opportunities that present themselves. if you can’t take holiday, allocate a weekend day.
bored. It’s very hard to get rid of some troubles and much easier to put happiness into your life, rather than spending free time eating, watching TV and sleeping. In the book you insist on getting a diary – why is this so important? Having a diary itself won’t lead to happiness, but it’s the foundation. When my wife died I came to the realisation that you only have a finite number of days on this earth, and you never know how many you have left. Time is a very precious thing, and a lot of
the techniques and ideas that I believe can help our happiness rely heavily on our ability to manage our time. Lots of people might go to the office and have their time managed for them, and it doesn’t extend to their personal lives because it feels too much like work, but taking control suddenly allows you to do so much more. Time is probably the most valuable commodity you have, so managing it is at the heart of being happy. Buy a diary where you can view a whole week, use your smartphone or set
Book Boxing Day in advance
use your new diary to make a monthly appointment. if life gets in the way and you need to move it, make sure you reschedule it so you don’t end up with a backlog.
You can move it, but you can’t cancel it
you might wake up desperate for a Boxing day, or you might need to postpone for a few weeks, but whatever you do, don’t cancel it.
Mind & Body What is a Now List, and how can they make you happy? The background of my Now List idea is based on the film The Bucket List, where a couple of old fellas are given six weeks to live and they come up with things they want to do before they kick the bucket. The problem is that most people assume they won’t be kicking the bucket until a point far in the future, and the items on the list become more like “I’ll do that sometime, maybe.” But you have no idea when that might happen, so I wanted to bring it forward; you can create a list of things that you can just get on with now, those things that you always think “I’d love to do that, or go there, or eat that.” I have a category on my Now List called Distant Dreams, like having dinner with (UK musician) Imogen Heap; they don’t all need to be instantly doable. It’s a great feeling once you start racing through them. Is it useful to share your list with someone to help, encourage or make you accountable? Absolutely. My brother read the book and contacted Imogen Heap’s agent, which was a lovely thing to do, and I’ve been promised some tickets next time she’s in town. Sometimes people get a bit down if they haven’t ticked anything off their Now List for a while, but by sharing it with family or friends then they can help. Funds also might be a problem, so if you have a Now List they’ll never be short of gift ideas for you. So what’s the difference between items on your Now List and achieving Goals, which you also discuss? Your Now List can have loads of things on it, whereas you need focus and to work a bit harder on your Goals, so you should limit yourself to around three. Goals tend to be more important to you. Imagine your life is a corporation with two departments, including a group of people on the factory floor who diligently work through their to-do list (your Now List) and will get there eventually, meanwhile there’s also a Goals
"A lot of the techniques I believe in rely heavily on our ability to manage our time" floor, which has many more resources and is more strategic. Goals might be more life changing and more serious, covering career, health and personal life, but something like getting to Everest base camp might be both a Now List item and a Goal, if you’re that passionate about going there. It’s all about where you want your focus to be, as you’re more likely to put concerted effort into getting the more important tasks completed. You mention positive thinking and affirmations, which are well documented in the realm of self-help books. Phrases like “I am a strong, confident woman” have become notorious. How useful are they? I’m not even a naturally upbeat person, and it has taken a lot of time to understand why positive thinking works. The mind doesn’t understand negative instructions;
Get happy in the Uae
Three ways To Turn ThaT frown upside down Laughter yoga
Get past your inhibitions and laughter yoga will improve your mood immeasurably, even if it’s just you having a good giggle at it all. each class involves basic yoga moves in conjunction with different ‘styles’ of laughing, working with other people in the group. Leave your hang-ups at the door. Wed, DUCTAC, Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, 7.15pm, Dhs100. Tel: (050) 6327316. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. lifeinharmony.me
Call in the professionals
There’s a huge choice of mental health professionals on hand in the uae, so choosing the right one is crucial. as with everything, a friend’s recommendation can be best and don’t be afraid to speak to a counsellor before making an appointment. Lifeworks is one of the most respected clinics in dubai, with a range of experts on hand who cover countless topics. LifeWorks, 996 Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim, Dubai, from Dhs550. Tel: (04) 3942464. counsellingdubai.com
Take a time planning course
if you need a bit more help in managing that diary, spearhead Training is holding a course in self & Time Management, which covers coping with deadlines, identifying time wasters, goal settings and how to prioritise. Aug 5, Cristal Hotel, Abu Dhabi, 8am to 4pm Dhs1,950. Tel: (02) 6315338. spearhead-training.com to use a silly example, if I tell you not to think of a box of frogs, you’ll picture a box of frogs straight away. You should create your own affirmations that can be linked to your goals. Write them
in the present tense, using phases that start with words like “I am” or “today is,” which tricks your brain, record them as MP3 files and listen to them. Start with your goals and work back from there.
Peter Jones’ bulletproof ways to beat the blues Put your pants on
Get out of bed before 9am (even at the weekends), get dressed in some decent clothes and make yourself presentable. This sends a strong message to your psyche that you’re ready to face the day.
Eat properly
you really are what you eat. every single cell, every hair, every bead of sweat and inch of skin was constructed by something you (or your mother) ate. if you eat rubbish
every day, your brain won’t be able to cope with the stresses and strains of everyday life. Take omega 3, which helps with depression, concentration and memory. eat fresh fruit and vegetables.
Sleep
it’s a rare person that can keep a positive upbeat attitude when they’re walking around like a zombie. Go to bed at a reasonable hour and go to sleep. if you’re aiming to get up at 8am you need to be
lying down at 11pm.
Get some daylight
Get up early in the morning and open the curtains. sunlight resets your circadian rhythm or biological clock, which means if you’re not getting enough of it you can feel jet-lagged, anxious and lethargic with a head full of porridge.
it’s not alright, it’s not the end.” How To Do Everything And Be Happy is available on Kindle. howtodoeverything andbehappy.com
Trust that things will get better
in the words of this quote, “everything will be alright in the end. if JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 75
Mind & Body
BoDy anD Soul
The latest products, spas, news and reviews from the world of well- being to keep you looking good and feeling great
Code
The five-star spa break
Tried and tested
Satwa is best known for its late-night shwarma cafes, streetside barber shops and some suspiciously reasonable window tinting, so it's one of the last places you'd expect to find a new urbane men's salon. We know, salon isn't the most masculine of terms, but Code isn't your usual in-and-out, quick "haircut for the weekend sir?" joint; instead of vinyl flooring, harsh lighting and broken English you'll find off-beat décor (complete with giant tricycle) and friendly staff trained to give you a stylish cut. Yes, a tricycle. We arrived with a serious shoulderlength barnet and had a trauma-free shearing that we're very pleased with – apart from an incident with a
particularly emasculating dome-shaped hairdryer. No, you can't see the pictures. If you're looking for a place that won't break the bank but doesn't leave you looking like you've lost a bet (and has some pretty cool gear to look at while you're there) then Code could be for you. Sheikh Hamdan Award Complex, December 2nd Street, Satwa, Dubai, Sat to Thur 10am to midnight, Fri 2pm to midnight, Dhs60 for haircut. Tel: (04) 386 9909. codemenssalon.com
World’s first Hello Kitty spa opens in Dubai The iconic kitten has travelled the globe, lending her face to products from toasters to golf tees, but where has Hello Kitty decided to open her very first spa? Dubai, of course. The vintage-style beauty parlour boasts nail, hair, make-up and facial treatments for adults and children alike, with a dedicated party area and café serving cupcakes and sweet treats. Expect kitsch cool and the mouth less wonder’s inimitable face everywhere. You’ll be looking like the cat’s pyjamas in no time. Hello Kitty Beauty Spa, Town Centre, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, 10am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 3449598. facebook.com/HelloKittySpa
60 per cent off laser hair removal Head over to the Chiropractic Health & Physio Polyclinic on Al Wasl and treat yourself to a whopping 60 per cent off laser hair removal until the end of the month. Expert therapist Alexandra offers the latest technology to get you silky smooth, using a Diode laser with radio frequency to reduce pain and keep your treatments super quick. Choose from upper lip and chin, under arms or bikini (Dhs160 each per session, reduced from Dhs400) and Brazilian (Dhs300 instead of Dhs750) and never Spa deal worry about shaving or waxing ever again. Chiropractic Health & Physio Polyclinic, Villa 967 Al Wasl Rd, Umm Suqeim 2, Dubai, from Dhs160. of the Tel: (04) 3488262. dubaichiropractor.net
month
76 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
NEWS FLASH!
This summer head to Emirates Palace for the ultimate in relaxation. Combining the luxurious hotel with the award-winning Anantara Spa, you'll be treated to a night's stay in a Pearl room, personal butler service, buffet breakfast, circuit training, healthy lunch at Cascades, Dead Sea body scrub, Vichy shower and your choice of massage for two guests. Bliss. Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, Dhs2,400. Tel: (02) 6908888. kempinski.com NEWS FLASH!
Club Stretch opens in Dubai Marina
Like your yoga hot and live around the Marina? Then grab your mat and read on. Club Stretch, the go-to yoga studio in Dubai for Bikram yoga (that’s the one where the room is about the same temperature as a sunny July day) has opened its second branch to help you sweat, stretch and contort yourself into shape during the famed 90-minute classes from 6am to 9pm. Marina View Tower, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Dhs70 per class. Tel: (04) 4311758. clubstretch.ae
1/2 aD
Ladies’ night at taLise Most ladies’ nights involve busy bars, pink fizz and midweek headaches, but every Saturday evening at Talise Ottoman Spa the fairer sex can use the facilities (including the famed hammam) for free. There are 50 spaces available each week so you’ll need to register by e-mail to ensure you get a spot in the Jacuzzi. Talise Ottoman Spa, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, The Palm, Dubai, 8pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4530455. E-mail: JZSTalise@jumeirah.com. jumeirah.com
Must-buy of the month
travel kit from bioderma Ditch those giant leaking bottles and treat yourself to some new travel-sizes essentials this summer. Bioderma's high-end (and highly scientific) products now come in miniature, with each kit containing everything you need for that mini-break in the sun; make-up remover, soap, rich moisturiser and SPF100 cream to keep you protected. Boots, The Dubai Mall, Dubai, Dhs145. Tel: (04) 3399383. bioderma.com JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 77
WHAT’S ON
MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE The gigs, the nights and all the latest news and reviews
p81 ARTIST OF THE MONTH · p83 cLub dIARY · p86 MuSIc & NIGHTLIFE NEWS juLY 2012 WHAT’S ON 79
Opened everyday (except Saturday) Open from 7:00 pm - 3:00am, Last food orders at 12:00 am
[
[
ALEGRA in Spanish means “HAPPINESS”. Thanks to our divine offerings we guarantee that’s not the only feeling you will experience, for you will be astonished, amazed and overwhelmed.
To your arrival at Alegra, you will be transferred into a space where art meets decor and functionality. From it’s innovative concept and extraordinary design, there follows the master piece “The Restaurant”. Where our executive chef has created an exciting unique “MODERN SPANISH FUSION MENU”, which is unlike anything in Dubai. The Chef is like an artist who paints landscapes, where people can understand through tasting the full spectrum and variety of rich authentic Spanish flavors. From classic Spanish favorites like Gambas al Ajillio, to Kobe Ribeye paired with crispy Saffron rice Croquettes. To excite and keep you wanting more, Alegra
offers Truffled lamb meatballs with seared fig and foie gras froth; or the chefs unique take on a ceasar salad, where every flavor is there, presented in a fashion unlike anything you could imagine.
As our chef always says “FOOD ISN’T JUST NOURISHMENT, BUT A WAY OF LIFE AND A TOOL TO BRING PEOPLE AND FAMILY TOGETHER.” His love for traveling and gaining authenticity to his food, has taken him around the globe.Having worked with some of the top chefs Joan Roca, Jose Andres, and Michael Voltaggio has helped influence and mould his culinary philosophies. ALEGRA IS THE NEW PLACE TO DINE, DANCE AND BE SEEN !
ALEGRA is located at AL MUROOJ ROTANA HOTEL , Downtown, Dubai FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EVENTS OR RESERVATIONS PLEASE CALL 00971 55 24 64 555 or 00971 56 13 11 090 visit us on www.alegralounge.com or www.facebook.com/alegralounge
Music
Music & Nightlife
artist of the month
GRAND HOTEL PARADOX Grabbing Dubai’s music scene by the scruff of its neck, punk-rock trio Grand hotel Paradox are bringing DiY to the Uae
A
mong the clichés of sunshine, glittering skyscrapers and flash cars, Dubai isn’t, on the face of it, an obvious home base for an up-and-coming DIY punk-rock band. That hasn’t stopped Grand Hotel Paradox. Only in existence for a little over 18 months, having met through previous bands and mutual friends, they’ve already made a mark here and overseas. Armed only with melodic sensibilities and a fiercely independent work ethic, the threesome – Chris Ryan (guitars/vocals), Mike Priest (bass/vocals) and Michael ‘Sticks’ Sydenham (drums) – have toured South East Asia twice and just released debut album Rust. “There’s not an awful lot of shows going on in Dubai,” laments Chris. “And most of them are in bars, 21 plus. Music belongs to younger people. It’s fun to play to people who are like ‘What the hell are you doing?’ but we enjoy getting out and playing in other places as well.” Getting out and playing other places, indeed, has become a
regular occurrence. This summer, into mid-July, Grand Hotel Paradox hit the road for an ambitious 15-date trek across the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. They’re building a steady following out east, too, thanks in no small part to unleashing their music online on a pay-what-you-want basis, alongside regular CD releases. It’s an independent tactic pioneered by boundary-pushing British leviathans Radiohead, who first successfully challenged the music industry status quo with In Rainbows back in 2007. “Unless you’re getting a couple of hundred people to your shows there’s no point in limiting your exposure to those who can pay,” Chris reasons. “Last time we were in the Philippines, [before shows] people were like ‘I love this song and this song’. If we’d only sold our music on CD they couldn’t have heard it.” Indeed, Grand Hotel Paradox
are quite happy to eschew the established record industry entirely, handling every aspect of the band, from booking tours to arranging CD distribution. “DIY has more longevity,” Chris reckons. “If you’re a big band and you’ve got agents and managers, they’ve made an investment in you, so as soon as you’re no longer popular you’re not going to be any use to them.” Behind a veneer of righteousness intelligence – not least in that band name, taken from Hilbert’s Paradox Of The Grand Hotel theory – GHP don’t take life awfully seriously, though. Jokingly self-dubbed ‘Dubai’s second best punk band’, past lyrics have been known to take cheeky sideswipes at Dubai institutions and idiosyncrasies (see The Lime Hasn’t Fallen Far From The Tree, from last year’s First World Problems EP). For his part, Chris protests that the latter references are not wholly deliberate.
“I don’t think we necessarily intend on writing Dubai-based lyrics, it’s natural I guess. You write about what’s around you and what you see.” The band certainly has a wealth of international backgrounds to draw upon outside the Emirates, too: Chris is Irish but was born in Saudi Arabia, Mike is half-Italian/ half-English, while Michael hails from Australia. “That’s a positive thing about Dubai,” Chris concludes. “There aren’t many places where you’ll get a band with three people from three different places. Also, I’m 20, Mike’s 30 and our drummer, Sticks, is almost 40. Mike jokes that I’m punk future, he is punk present and Sticks is punk past. That’s a punk-rock thing: forget age, forget where you’re from, we’re going to play music.” Rust is available online from grandhotelparadox.com and via mail order on CD from abbreviatedrecords.com JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 81
Splash into excitement . P L AY . E A T S H O P . E N J O Y
Exciting water games, competitions, stage shows of Barbie, Sound of music sing along and much more every day. Shop for AED 200 at Al Ghurair Centre and win
AED
3,000,000
+971 4 2055309/285, www.alghuraircentre.com,www.facebook.com/alghuraircentre
Nightlife
Music & Nightlife
MAZY DAYS
Multi-talented genrespanning london lad labrinth has a global tastemaker for a boss and the world at his feet. What’s On grabbed a word with the pop hot property ahead of his first-ever Middle East performance in Abu Dhabi this month…
W
hatever you think of Simon Cowell, even the biggest haters would have to concede that the opinion-splitting X Factor music mogul knows a thing or two about what makes a hit artist. So when Cowell’s record label Syco made Labrinth its first nonreality television signing, the eyes of the pop world were instantly upon the 23-year-old Hackney native. “It has definitely changed my life,” Labrinth exclaims, after we track him down to the mid-tour surrounds of slightly insalubrious English city Stoke-on-Trent. “No exaggeration at all. I’m living my dream.” Whereas high-waist-banded multimillionaire Cowell is often associated with chart puppets uninvolved in writing their own songs, Labrinth – real name Timothy McKenzie – offers a different proposition. Having already produced tracks for aspiring artists during his teens, things shifted up a gear with a guest slot on Tinie Tempah’s UK number one single Pass Out – which he also produced and co-wrote – followed by a second link-up with the chart-gobbling rapper on Top Ten hit Frisky. A few months and a clutch of further collaborations later, Syco came calling. Consequently, Labrinth isn’t too concerned he’ll be mistaken for a flash-in-the-pan
success à la some of his mentor’s less talented protégés, despite having previously publicly dissed X Factor. “Did it worry me that people might lump me in with TV talent show artists? Not at all,” he asserts. “I think most people know me for being a producer anyway, which is definitely a different lump to the others. “It’s not that I don’t like X Factor; not at all, I respect it. It’s just not the way I would have started my career. It’s the instant fame aspect. I guess that’s what it is.” Labrinth cemented his own fame earlier this year with debut album Electronic Earth, following up an impressive run of three consecutive Top Ten solo singles in Britain. The LP followed suit into the upper reaches of the charts, returning the cameo favour to Tinie Tempah on single Earthquake. His stock has risen sufficiently since that there’s now talk that his next collaborative projects could include Usher, Rihanna and Cheryl Cole. “[I’ve got] great respect for Tinie Tempah, but ultimately I’m so lucky to have many musical friends in the industry. All of them
are really valuable to me. I dreamt and still dream of working with many people in the industry. This is why it’s so exciting.” Back home, it’s a big month for Labrinth’s native London. Having recently played a celebratory event on the route of the Olympic torch, he can’t wait for the Games themselves to get underway. “I’m hugely excited that the Games are going to take place in Hackney where I grew up. It’s been great to be a part of it. Ultimately I’m a big supporter of the UK, all day, every day.” Before then, there’s the small matter of his Middle East debut, at Etoiles. “The set in Abu Dhabi is going to be a mixture of PA and DJing,” he explains. “I really believe this gig is going to be a great one and I’m really looking forward to coming to the UAE.” After that? “It’s simple really: I just want to keep doing what I love.” Jul 13, Etoiles, Emirates Palace, West Corniche, Abu Dhabi, 11.30pm to 4am, Dhs100, free before 1am. Tel: (02) 6908960. labrinthofficial. com JUly 2012 WHAT’S ON 83
Club diary
WEEKLY NIGHTS WILL STOP FOR RAMADAN
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WEEKLY 44U @ THE GRAMERCY Ladies’ night themed around the number four. DIFC, Dubai, 7pm to 11pm, free. Tel: (04) 4377511. thegramercybar.com WEEKLY BEIRUT NIGHT LIFE @ CINNABAR DJ Sam on the decks, plus live performances from Lebanese singer Rosario. Hilton Abu Dhabi, Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, 10pm to 2.30pm, free. Tel: (02) 6811900. hilton.com WEEKLY CIRQUE DU SOIR @ FAIRMONT HOTEL Acrobatic party extraordinaire every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Bring your camera. Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 10.30pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3324900. cirquedusoirdubai.com WEEKLY PHAT @ CHI@THE LODGE Hot club sounds with DJ Shero, DJ Madhands and DJ Subandrio. Oud Metha, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3379470. chinightclubdubai.com
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WEEKLY URBAN MA$HUP @ ZINC Old and new school urban flavours from DJ Andy Swift and Rone Jaxx. Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3311111. ichotelsgroup.com
WEEKLY 80S NIGHT @ ZENITH Jump in the aural time machine with Chicago spinner DJ Blendz. Sheraton Abu Dhabi, Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, 9pm to 4am, free. Tel: (02) 6773333. sheraton.com 84 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
12 JULY
DEEP CRATES IS TWO @ CASA LATINA
Evolving from cult night Freshly Laced, popular Dubai party Deep Crates has found its own niche with expertise in funk, soul, classic hip hop and a whole lot besides. We chatted with its vinyl junkie architect DJ Lobito Is Deep Crates all vinyl? 100 per cent. Vinyl is just a lot cooler: you get artwork, better sound quality and a cult look and feel. We always bring records down and also use vinyl-based digital DJ technology. Collecting for me at one stage was expensive. Some of my records are worth over US$4,000. Casa Latina is a world away from some of Dubai’s more pretentious nightspots. Has it been integral to your success? When I found the venue there was nothing really happening but it seemed perfect to me. I was the first to start nights there with the intention of going well away from the bling Dubai venues. We get a really cool crowd and make it more of a community vibe. What’s the weirdest/most annoying request you’ve fielded? We’ve had a few although a lot less now the crowd are regulars. I used to get all the classic bad requests: ‘What songs do you have?’ to which I would answer ‘Err, more than 15,000. Shall I go through them all for you?’ I’ve had some great requests as well. A beautiful blonde asked if I could play Gang Starr. I nearly proposed. Apparently there will be cake at this party. Surely it must be in the shape of a vinyl record? We’ll do our best. We can always squash a vinyl into the cake for the same effect. Ibis Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3996699. facebook.com/groups/deepcrates
WEEKLY CLUB ANTHEMS @ ZINC Greg Stainer, Andy Swift and Mr Hush select commercial house, R&B and the eponymous club anthems. Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3311111. ichotelsgroup.com
WEEKLY FUSION SOUNDS @ ENIGMA Weekly dose of fusion sounds (also every Friday with Arabic beats). Al Raha Beach Hotel, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi, 10.30pm to 3.30am, Dhs100 (including two beverages), ladies free. Tel: (02) 5080555. danathotels.com
CRIMINAL VIBES @ CLUB 43 Embassy’s Summer Of Music comes to a close with Italian electro-house. Embassy, Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Dubai, 11pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3176000. facebook.com/ criminalvibes
WEEKLY HYPNOTIQ THURSDAYS @ MANSION New Thursday night party with resident spinner DJ Jean B. Melia Hotel, Bur Dubai, Dubai, 9pm to 3am, free. Tel: (050) 1440753. melia-dubai.com
WEEKLY JAMROCK @ SUBLIME LOUNGE Caribbean and urban hits from revolving DJ cast including DJ Shero, Dany Neville, Crown Prince and Emtee Pockets. Ibis Hotel, World Trade Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, Dhs100, couples free before midnight, ladies free before 1am. Tel: (050) 5091378. famedxb.com JOHN DIGWEED @ TABOO Veteran English DJ/producer drops into Dubai. Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 8pm to 3am, Dhs150. Tel: (04) 3666917. johndigweed.com DJ ABHIJEET & DJ SUKHI @ KARMA Double dose of DJs at this Bollywood-style party. Holiday Inn, 31st Street, between Muroor and Airport Road, Abu Dhabi, 9pm to late, Dhs100, ladies and couples free before 11pm. Tel: (055) 7262199. holidayinn.com
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This month’s clubbing highlights
WEEKLY BEATS AND BASS @ CHI R&B/hip hop from DJ Badir and Flow Master J, while DJ DLB digs out club classics. The Lodge, Oud Metha Road, Dubai, 9pm to 3am, Dhs100, ladies, couples and mixed groups free. Tel: (050) 957714. chinightclubdubai.com IMMACULATE TOUCH @ AL MAYA ISLAND & RESORT Immaculate Touch residents get the island pool party jumping. Al Maya Island, Abu Dhabi, 1pm to late, Dhs100, free for ladies until 2pm. Tel: (055) 6506337. immaculatetouchabudhabi.com WEEKLY OFF THE RECORD @ MDEK Quality house selections from a rotating crop of Dubai DJs. Media One Hotel, Media City, Dubai, 4pm to 1am, free. Tel: (050) 6879959. themusthavegroup.com
Music & Nightlife
Martin Landsky
WEEKLY UNDERGROUND PROCEDURES @ ZINC DJ Brooklyn spins R&B and hip hop (also every Sunday with rotating residents). Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 3311111. ichotelsgroup.com
WEEKLY BACK TO MINE @ SKYLITE Chilled comedown sounds to round the weekend off nicely with DJ Matty. Yas Viceroy, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, 6pm to 1am, free. Tel: (02) 6560000. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
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INNER CITY @ TABOO SEASON CLOSING PARTY A summer special with the US house/techno legends playing live at Trilogy. Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 8pm to 3am, Dhs150. Tel: (04) 3666917. jumeirah.com KINKY MALINKI @ ZINC Summery sounds from DJs Grant Richards, Greg Stainer, Andy Swift and Mister Ash. Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road,
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WEEKLY INDUSTRY NIGHT @ ZINC Greg Stainer and David Newsum dole out the R&B, dubstep, ragga and more. Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road, WEEKLY Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) URBAN EDUCATION @ BLENDS 3311111. ichotelsgroup.com Resident spinners DJ Lins and DJ DLB, joined by rotating DJs Rone WEEKLY Jaxx or Taz. XO SATURDAYS @ ARMANI/ The Address Dubai Marina, PRIVÉ Dubai, 7pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) DJ Mass Ramli and DJ Brooklyn 4367777. theaddress.com drop the urban bombs. Armani/Privé, Armani Hotel, WEEKLY Burj Khalifa, Dubai, 9pm to 3am, XOXO FRIDAY H2O POOL free. Tel: (04) 8883308. dubai. PARTIES @ RIXOS armanihotels.com Watery extravaganza with party tunes from the resident DJs, with private Jacuzzis available. The Palm, Dubai, 3pm to 8pm, Dhs200 (including food and soft JULY drinks), ladies free (without food and soft drinks). Tel: (04) 4575454. DJ KEZA @ YACHT CLUB Two nights of party-catalysing rixos.com
DOOMPH! @ SKYLITE Disco, jazz, soul, funk, boogie and contemporary beats, with residents Matty Wainwright and Brendon P. Yas Viceroy, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, 8pm to late, free. Tel: (02) 6560000. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
John Digweed
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tunes from DJ Keza (also July 19). Dubai, 10pm to 3am, Dhs100, free InterContinental Abu Dhabi, before midnight, ladies free. Tel: Bainouna Street, Abu Dhabi, 9pm (04) 3311111. ichotelsgroup.com to 1am, free. Tel: (02) 6666888. ichotelsgroup.com
INFUSION FOAM PARTY @ XL BEACH CLUB Soapy fun with old school hip hop from Schooly and Rone Jaxx. Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, 7pm to 3am, Dhs100, Dhs50 before 10pm. Tel: (04) 3995000. grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com LIQUID BY MAI CAFÉ RAIN PARTY @ ALOFT Pool party japes with Immaculate Touch DJs. Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Khaleej Al Arabi Street, Abu Dhabi, 7pm to 3am, Dhs100 (including one beverages), ladies free. Tel: (02) 6545000. aloftabudhabi.com MOBILEE RECORDS SHOWCASE @ ILL COMMUNICATIONS Germany’s Martin Landsky and Greek rising star And.Id represent the Berlin label. Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 10pm to 3am, Dhs130, Dhs100 before midnight, ladies free until 11pm. Tel: (050) 7258277. mobilee-records.de
SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM @ ACCESS ALL AREAS Since they played Dubai last year, Australian duo Sneaky Sound System – the extravagantly named Miss Connie Mitchell and Black Angus McDonald – have toured the world and collaborated with Jay-Z and Kanye West. We spoke to Angus as they prepared to hit N’Dulge… You’re back on The Palm after playing Sandance last year. Are you looking forward to returning to Dubai? Let’s just say we know the ins and outs of the Atlantis Hotel way too well. This time we have JULY a friend who wants to show us around, which is exciting. It’s winter in Australia right now, so have you been escaping the southern hemisphere as much as possible? Yes. It’s cold down there, that’s why we’re coming to see you. We’ve just finished a tour of Japan then we go to Ibiza, then Dubai. We’re pretty happy about that.
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How does a SSS club set differ from a festival set? There are no plans, no maps, no rules…it’s a proper adventure. Club shows are longer, so we can jump all around the place. We love festivals but a down-and-dirty Sneaky club night is what is in our veins. The Palm is a manmade island. What’s your favourite manmade wonder from your global travels? Pretty much all of Las Vegas. All the themed hotels, like the Eiffel Tower made to scale, and of course, the Sydney Opera House. What’s next? We have a million things in the pipeline. Lots of releases are planned but the idea of doing another album isn’t on the cards for a while. But who knows. A SSS feature film, a cartoon book, some fantastic remixes, some Japanese-style figurines and a couple of new projects. We need more time! N’Dulge, Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, 9pm to 3am, Dhs100, ladies free before midnight. Tel: (050) 4360891. sneakysoundsystem.com JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 85
Music & Nightlife
news
News, reviews, deals and discounts to keep your social life buzzing
Ladies' night of the month
Summer Place
Free drinks abound for the fairer sex but one of our faves is in sultry Chinese restaurant and lounge, Summer Place at the Habtoor Grand, located oh so conveniently close to cheesy tune hotspot i2. Each Tuesday ladies receive three complimentary cocktails or glasses of bubbly, with free entry for all (plus valet parking) and winning views of the marina. Tues, Summer Place, Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai Marina, Dubai, 8pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3995000. facebook. com/summerplacedubai
Motherjane take the stage
Having rocked their way across India and around the world, Motherjane, the award-winning Indian five-piece, fly into town this month for their UAE debut. Merging hard driving rifts with Indianinfluenced music, the progressive rock band will play a whole host of hits, including some from their album Maktub, which was Rolling Stone India’s album of the year in 2009. Motherjane will be supported by local bands Core 304 and Vin Sinners. Jul 6, The Music Room, Majestic Hotel, Bur Dubai, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs80. Tel: (04) 3598888. motherjane.net
Hopfest is back Dubai’s annual three-day party returns this month, with The Irish Village welcoming crowds, music and over 100 brands of beer to its famed tent for the eighth Hopfest celebration. This year the event takes place from July 12 (the last weekend before Ramadan) and they are flying in drinks from around the world, including bevvies from Belgium, Ireland (of course), Italy, England and Australia, while The Maplejacks and DJ Marky Mark will provide the soundtrack. July 12 to 14, The Irish Village, Garhoud, Dubai, noon to midnight, drinks from Dhs35. Tel: (04) 2824750. irishvillage.ae
Girls, boys and grapes
1/4 go back AD in time. Every meal here is a gourmet experience that will transport you back in time. Created by our Master Chef’s, indulge in traditional Awadhi and Hyderabadi cuisine fit for royalty. Complete your fine dining journey with live entertainment – ghazals in a relaxed ambiance with elegant décor. Open daily for lunch from 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm and dinner from 7.30 pm to 1.00 am.
ENJOY 50% DISCOUNT ON FOOD AT LUNCH
P. O. Box 120257, Al Barsha, Dubai, UAE T +9714 501 9000, F +9714 501 9100 info@ramadachelseadubai.com www.ramadachelseadubai.com
86 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Formerly known as The Monarch, The H Hotel has launched two new nights to keep you well fed and watered this month. On Wednesdays you’ll find ‘his and hers’ evenings where ladies can enjoy Bellini
Date for the diary
and Rossini cocktails for Dhs30 a pop along with complimentary canapés, while chaps can pick from selected bottles of wine for Dhs150 or two-for-one drinks in Diademas Cigar Lounge. On Thursdays Arcadia Lounge hosts The Grape Escape, with European wine and cheeses for Dhs149 per person. Wed and Thur, The H Hotel, One Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 7pm to 10pm. Tel: (04) 5018888. Metro: World Trade Centre. h-hotel.com
Summer deals at Le Méridien
If you’re not going off on your summer holidays (no more work for a week or two) and live in the capital then a couple of extended happy hours should keep you entertained this month. Le Méridien is now offering discounted drinks every day in NRG and Captain’s Arms from noon to 7pm, with deals on buckets of beer and cut-price cocktails. Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 6446666. lemeridien.com
Wine pairings at Aquarium
If you’re baffled by Beaujolais and puzzled by Pinot then mark July 12 in your diary, when the experts at Aquarium will present their monthly wine-pairing menu. For Dhs290 you’ll be welcomed with a glass of bubbly, then treated to four courses, each arriving with specially chosen wines from some of the world’s most renowned vineyards. Jul 12, Aquarium, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dhs290. Tel: (04) 2956000. dubaigolf.com
WHAT’S ON
TRAVEL
Mauritius
Destinations, insider tips, deals and news
p90 MaUritiUs · p92 GOUrMEt traVELLEr · p94 traVELs with... piErrE GaGnairE JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 89
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Mauritius: not just a honeymoon destination the african island nation of Mauritius is a popular spot for couples to spend a week lounging by the pool in one of its five-star resorts. But the pleasant climate-along with white sandy beaches, an abundance of coral reef, mountain ranges and sugar cane plantations-means it’s easy to mix relaxation and adventure
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here’s a reason Mauritius is at the top of most honeymooners’ lists. It offers beautiful scenery, exquisite fresh fish and seafood – best enjoyed in one of its delicious curries – welcoming and laid-back natives and outstanding luxury resorts. On the short drive from the small Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (the name is bigger than the terminal building) to our hotel, everything but the rules of the road – or lack of them – exuded peace and serenity. We passed stray dogs nonchalantly padding along the roadside under blue skies and a strong sun, rotund ladies in broadbrimmed hats covered in brightly 90 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
covered plastic to guard against brief winter showers uprooting vegetables from the fields, agricultural workers in overalls and Wellington boots preparing to harvest the sugar cane – sugar is still one of Mauritius’ biggest industries, and July is the start of the harvest – and the odd small town where the locals languidly went about their daily business. The flora and fauna – animal, vegetable and mineral – will set the pace and tone for your entire trip.
THE MUST-SEE SITES
Be warned, at this time of year it is likely to rain occasionally – sometimes for less than a minute, but perhaps for an entire afternoon. If the weather
is behaving sporadically, and if you don’t feel in the mood for a spa treatment at your hotel and you want to get out and about, ask your hotel to organise a car and take the opportunity to visit the Mauritian capital of Port Louis – located on the north west of the island, it is the country’s biggest city, and well worth a couple of hours or a lazy morning. Highlights include the Blue Penny Museum – a nod to Mauritians’ eccentric fixation with the 1847 blue penny stamps; the Champ de Mars Racecourse (mauritiusturfclub.com) where you can enjoy race meets for a paltry sum every Saturday between May and November; and the central market, where
we advise you pick up a few bags of spices and, if you ask nicely enough, a couple of recipes for one of those mildly spiced Mauritian seafood curries. Just make sure you haggle, and aim for 30 per cent off. Aside from the capital, a whistle-stop tour of the pilgrimage site of Grand Bassin, which boasts a vast fish-filled lake – shrouded in an ethereal mist when we visited on a rainy day – surrounded by bright statues of Hindu gods, is recommended. You should also gawp at the majestic Alexandra Falls in Black River Gorges National Park and say hello to the giant tortoises at Seven Coloured Earth – where, unsurprisingly, you can also see
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seven different colours of earth – in Charamarel.
WALKING WITH LIONS Lions are not native to Mauritius – the island does, however, boast fruit bats, deer, macaques and a vast array of birds, reptiles and sea life – but the Casela Nature and Leisure Park (caselayemen.
muscle below. Having become used to the idea of taking a stroll with nature’s most powerful and potentially dangerous creations, this is when you’ll be reminded that you are in the presence of truly awesome creatures. Anyone who has been on safari and seen lions in action in the wild, or even watched a David Attenborough mu) on the west coast of the island documentary, would be insane offers a unique and transformative not to find time to enjoy this activity for any wildlife nuts – the experience. The 14-hectare park opportunity to walk with lions. also boats thousands of birds, For little more than Dhs300, giant tortoises, monkeys, tigers you will be treated to a guided and all manner of other animals. 60-minute group walk through a The Mauritian curries at the park’s small wooded area with two lions. restaurant aren’t a bad lunch Armed with no more than a stick, option, either. you will watch these splendid STAY felines climb trees, leap Mauritius boasts a number of to catch small chunks five-star resort properties, and we of steak thrown by the checked in at the Four Seasons. passionate handlers Located on the east coast of and explore their surroundings. The guides Mauritius, the resort is just a will also keep them occupied while you stroke NEED TO KNOW their short, coarse fur Flights: Emirates flies to – feeling the movement Mauritius daily from Dhs4,570 of the firm, sinuous
scenic 45-minute drive from the island’s only airport. Set amidst a former sugar plantation estate, the 26-hectare property boasts tropical gardens, views of the grand Bambou Mountain, cycling paths (each guest is provided with a bicycle), an 18-hole Ernie Els-designed golf course and driving range, fitness centre, three beaches, kids’ and young adults clubs, cultural centre, four firstrate restaurants – including the outstanding Italian Acquapazza, where we enjoyed an exemplary Tuscan fish stew – and a lovely spa with over-water treatment rooms looking out over the surrounding mangroves (perfect for couples). The resort offers a number of villas of various sizes on its private island, which is surrounded by coral reef, providing calm waters perfect for taking advantage of the complimentary water sports on offer, including kayaking, sailing and water skiing. You can also enjoy a game of tennis or take a course at the PADI-licensed dive centre. Four Seasons Resort Mauritius At Anahita, Beau Champ, Mauritius. Tel: +230 4023100. fourseasons. com/mauritius Time zone: GMT + 3 Currency: 100 Mauritian rupees = Dhs12 JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 91
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GOURMET TRAVELLER
Food and travel are abiding passions for the Middle East Chairman of the world’s 50 Best restaurants judging panel, James Brennan. he sings the culinary praises of Qatar
dining destination. It’s at that ‘look at us, we’ve got Gordon Ramsay’ stage. There’s debate about whether that’s a good or a bad thing. Either way, it appears to be a necessary process for all aspiring GCC megacities to go through before they find the maturity to express their true gastronomic personality. It’s a bit like a teenager wearing nce upon a time in the UAE, the gangsta jeans a good five word ‘Qatar’ was only ever used in inches below his bottom. a pejorative sense. It would fall out Soon enough he’ll find the of people’s faces like rubbish tipped self-confidence to wear from an SUV window in the desert. Anybody proper trousers. confessing to a future business trip there would So what’s the attraction of Doha for be consoled with a “never mind, it’ll only be weekenders from the UAE? Well, in Doha for a few days,” as if that’s how long they’d have there’s still a palpable sense of excitement to wait before coming home and eating food at dining in a big-name chef ’s restaurant. again. And it was only ever a business trip. But Whether it’s Gordon Ramsay at the St. Regis, all that seems a long time ago. Qatar has come on in leaps and bounds, albeit along a familiar path. Doha has gone from dusty, nondescript former pearling settlement at the edge of a desert to burgeoning metropolis full of five-star hotels and Michelin-starred chefs in just a few years. So it’s bound to remind the UAE, Dubai folk especially, of its own culinary rise. A trip to Doha is like a trip down memory lane for anyone familiar with the evolution of Dubai’s restaurant scene. The Qatari capital appears to be at the same stage Dubai was when it was trying to establish itself as a worthwhile
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HOTEL OF THE MONTH
The Beer Moth There isn’t a great deal that you can do with a 1956 Commer lorry these days – that is unless you fancy converting it into a two-person B&B. If that sounds too far fetched, don’t mention it to Walter Micklethwait, the owner of Inshriach House in Inverness, Scotland, whose latest piece of handiwork has been met with praise and a full reservation book. 92 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Micklethwait rescued the former fire service truck from a showroom in Kent, transported it north and renovated it into a wonderfully original hotel room, set in the lush Scottish countryside. Built on the back of the truck and compiled from scrap, the Beer Moth is very much greater than the sum of its parts. The oak parquet flooring is
or Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the W Hotel, there’s a buzz in the air. People actually see it as a treat, whereas in Dubai, if the bloke slapping the tahini on your shawarma isn’t Joël Robuchon you feel a bit cheated. Things will change. Ramsay’s first Doha restaurant, Maze, has already closed (a victim of the alcohol ban on The Pearl development). Non-celebrity establishments such as Midori – a Japanese also on The Pearl – are busting a gut to be recognised alongside their famous counterparts. Restaurants such as Mamig, the upscale Armenian/Lebanese in Katara Cultural Village, and the pan-Asian Nusantao: Sea Kitchens are winning enough plaudits to ensure that when it comes to food and restaurants, Qatar is no longer a naughty word.
salvaged from a former Tudor mansion, the staircase from an old fire escape, and the door from an old (and, now, drafty) cottage. The centrepiece is an iron-frame Victorian double bed. Based in the grounds of the Cairngorms National Park, it is perfectly placed for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, with long country walks, or even sailing or kayaking on the nearby lochs on offer. As far as quirky B&Bs go, you’ll
be hard pressed to find a better one to visit this summer. Inshriach House, Aviemore, Inverness, Scotland, Dhs920 for two nights. Tel: +44 (0) 1275 395447. canopyandstars.co.uk
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EXTRA
advice, deals and other tasty travel titbits
THE STAMP COLLECTOR
Travels WiTh…
Open skies editor and passport-stamp collector Conor purcell answers your travel dilemmas
Pierre Gagnaire with restaurants in Europe, hong Kong, south Korea, america, Japan and, of course, Dubai, French chef pierre Gagnaire knows a thing or two about travel What’s the best holiday you’ve ever had? My best holiday by far was in Mali, Africa. The whole experience was fantastic, the scenery was stunning and the destination is just so different. It was great to be somewhere outside of Europe, which is something I always enjoy. What is your worst travel disaster? It was in Nigeria. Halfway through the trip I fell very sick, and then once I had started to feel a little better, I was very tired, so it wasn’t a very successful trip. If you could advise people to visit one destination, what would it be and why? For me, Paris never ceases to surprise, and it is obviously where my heart is. There’s a magic about it that cannot really be described, and the standard of food there cannot be matched. Whether you have visited before, or you’re a first-time traveller, my advice would be to walk around the city as much as you can – leave the car behind. Wherever you are in the world, exploring on foot is the only way to discover a city’s
Where can I go to escape the heat this summer? Sarah, Dubai Marina, Dubai
true identity, familiarise yourself with the local people and their culture, and really uncover the hidden gems of a place. Try to go back home with a unique story, something that most people probably don’t already know. What are your tips for surviving a long stopover? I like to keep my mind occupied. Whenever possible, I like to discover new things about the place that I am in, so I try to explore cities as much as I can. I’m really quite fond of the old part
CHECK IN what’s the deal?
SUMMER IN ISTANBUL
Emirates Holidays is offering a three-night package to the Turkish capital, Istanbul, including return economy class flights, three nights at the Grand Hyatt Istanbul, breakfast and transfers for Dhs3,690 per person. Not bad. Emirates Holidays, Dubai, Dhs3,690 per person. Tel: (800) 5252. emiratesholidays.com 94 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
The summer is not the best time to be in this part of the world – the heat and the monsoon season render much of the region off limits – but there is one country that manages to rise above such meteorological concerns, both of Dubai, for example, and take every opportunity I can to visit the literally and metaphorically: spice souks when I’m out here. What item do you never travel Nepal. It’s less than five hours without? My running shoes and a book. I’m away by plane and offers some a firm believer in getting regular of the best exercise, so running always helps me to refresh, wake myself up and trekking and hiking in the feel alive during a long stopover. world, as well as a cultural heritage When I’m feeling less energetic, unmatched anywhere else on the there’s nothing I like to do more planet. The capital, Kathmandu, than read a really good book. It is completely mesmerising: an helps me to unwind after a hard otherworldly place filled with day in the kitchen and helps temples, colours and chaos. take my mind somewhere other And, of course, no trip to Nepal than the culinary world, which is important when you want to come would be complete without some trekking. While the backpackers back the next day and perform. are more likely to be BlackBerryReflets Par Pierre Gagnaire, wielding hedge-fund managers InterContinental Dubai Festival than dreadlocked dropouts, the City, DFC, Dubai, Mon to Thur scenery is stunning. And due to noon to 2.30pm and 7pm and the high altitude, the temperature 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 7011128. never exceeds balmy. Of course, if ichotelsgroup.com you really want to escape the heat, I suggest South Base Camp at 5,364 metres above sea level. Just don’t forget the oxygen.
APP OF THE MONTH
Triposo (free) If you're on vacation and in need of a spontaneous day trip idea, we advise that you download Triposo. Created by a rogue group of former Google employees, this app, available on iPhone, iPad and Android, ranks activities based on your location, the time of day and the frequency that the places are cited online. The app also works offline – nice touch, that. triposo.com
Ramadan Kareem During the holy month of Ramadan, experience Dusit Thani’s unique Thai hospitality and culture infused with Arabic tradition, in a setting surrounded by beautiful fawanees-style lanterns that make for a calm and relaxing Iftar ambience. Celebrate the breaking of the fast at Dusit Thani Dubai with traditional Arabic cuisine, including hot and cold mezzeh, delicious marinated selections, Arabic coffee, dates, sweets and juices against a large LCD screen for your relaxed television viewing. Or simply enjoy Ramadan at our poolside Shisha Lounge with breathtaking views of the Burj Khalifa and Sheikh Zayed Road and a varied shisha menu. The experience begins on the 36th floor where the light aroma of flavoured shisha drifts through the air, soft pillows and comfortable couches beckon up guests, as do the excellent music and cuisine. For groups of 50 or more, Al Wasl Ballroom or a section thereof can be offered to your group at competitive prices.
For enquiries and reservations: Tel: +971 4 317 4515 / +971 4 343 3333 Email: Ramadan_DusitThaniDubai@dusit.com
WHAT’S ON
THE HOT LIST The best of the best
DUE TO THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN SOME OUTLETS MAY NOT OPERATE REGULAR HOURS. CALL AHEAD FOR DETAILS.
KEY
Sontaya
New entry Non-mover Up Down
p99 RESTAURANTS · p103 BARS · p107 BRUNCHES · p111 SPAS JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 97
Coming soon...
who will you be voTing for?
The region’s biggesT food, drink and enTerTainmenT awards
The hoT LisT
RestauRants Table 9 By Nick and Scott
1
tabLe 9 by nicK and scott Atmosphere Restaurant manager Viktorija Paplauskiene's passion keeps things lively. Interior The use of local art is commendable, and the chef's table and video screen add a touch of class, but we'll keep saying it until Hilton relents: T9 needs a full renovation. Food T9's spring/summer menu is a triumph. Try the scallops with hoisin or the pigeon. Location We're convinced people are going to stop referring to Deira and Bur Dubai as "the wrong end of town" any day now. It's 25 minutes from the marina, lazy. Price The seven-course tasting menu is Dhs450. WhAt’s On sAys… Try the cookery school. Hilton Dubai Creek, Dubai, Sun to Fri 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 2271131. Metro: Deira City Centre. table9dubai.com
Roberto’s
RobeRto’s
2
Atmosphere Despite having only just opened, Roberto's already feels like a DIFC stalwart. And it is still the talk of the town. Interior The design is sleek and contemporary, while soft lighting, and the presence of charming proprietor Roberto Rella, ensure a warm welcome. Food The Italian menu is made up of the kind of dishes that you will never tire of eating. Just make sure you sample the delights available from the raw bar. Location DIFC. Need we say more? Price You can get out of there having spent less than Dhs600 for two (without alcohol). Reasonable.
La Petite Maison
La Petite Maison
3
Atmosphere LPM is always busy, so make sure you reserve a table. Interior A long cocktail bar, open kitchen, perfect lighting and full tables. Perfect. Food The spring/summer produce is on the menu now, so make sure you try the peas. Yes, really. The razor clams are also very good indeed. Location DIFC boasts LPM, Zuma, Gaucho and Roberto's. It's like a culinary Woodstock. Price Dhs1,000 for two places LPM at the high end of the scale, but we're not complaining.
WhAt’s On sAys… We told you last month: book a table. Right now.
WhAt’s On sAys… Fresh European produce and a nice glass of something white, crisp and cold is the best way to escape the heat.
DIFC, Gate Village 1, Dubai, daily noon to 3pm and 7pm to 11.30pm, bar daily noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 3860066. Metro: Financial Centre. robertos.ae
DIFC, Gate Village 8, Dubai, Sun to Fri noon to 2.30pm and 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4390505. Metro: Financial Centre. lpmdubai.ae
oKKu
4
Atmosphere If you want a quiet dinner, book early. After 9pm the music is turned up and the party starts in earnest. Interior The basement-like setting, dim lighting and adjacent bar call for several Martinis. Food The Okku kitchen boasts some real talent, and you're guaranteed a constantly changing menu of skillfully prepared, always inventive Japanese delights. Location The newly named H Hotel at One SZR.
ZuMa
The elite of the eating out scene
5
Atmosphere Having placed 83rd on the prestigious San Pellegrino list of the world's best restaurants recently, Zuma is buzzing. Business as usual, then. Interior Zuma's bar/restaurant combo has become the template for most successful Dubai restaurants. Food Hot dishes, cold dishes, sushi, sashimi – it's all first class. Location Zuma was the first global giant to open at DIFC, and it's still the king.
Price Dhs800 for two. Cheaper than Nobu and Zuma.
Price At least Dhs1,000 for two, if you're doing it right.
WhAt’s On sAys… Homegrown Okku is the pride of the Dubai restaurant scene.
WhAt’s On sAys… What more can be said about Zuma? It knows exactly what it's doing.
The H Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Sun to Thur noon to 3pm and 7pm to 3am, Fri and Sat 7pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 5018777. Metro: Trade Centre. okkudubai.com
DIFC, Dubai Sat to Thur 12.30pm to 3pm, Sat to Wed 7pm to midnight, Thur and Fri 7pm to 1am. Tel: (04) 4255660. Metro: Financial Centre. zumarestaurant.com JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 99
Signature By Sanjeev Kapoor
6
signatuRe by sanjeeV KaPooR
Atmosphere The official opening party – attended by Kapoor himself – was rife with reporters and TV cameras. That should do the trick. Interior It's very small, but the live cooking bar is sure to be a hit. Food Bringing a deft of touch to the presentation of Indian cuisine, Signature gives the kitchen at Indego By Vineet a run for its money. Location The new Melia Dubai. Price We paid around Dhs650 for two. WhAt’s On sAys… Keep an eye on Signature, it will go from strength to strength. Melia Dubai, Kuwait Street, Port Rashid, Bur Dubai, Dubai, daily 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3868111. Metro: Al Karama. melia-dubai.com
hot on the heeLs 11. Alfie’s, Emirates Towers 12. Titanic By Marco Pierre White, Melia Dubai 13. Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Address Dubai Marina 14. M’s Seafood Bistro, Le Méridien Dubai 15. Reflets Par Pierre Gagnaire, InterCon DFC
100 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Kitchen 45
Kitchen 45
7
Rivington Grill
RiVington gRiLL
8
Atmosphere Wednesday's Empress ladies' night and a host of other promotions are creating a buzz at Kitchen 45.
Atmosphere The Riv at Souk Al Bahar is still our favourite, although its sister restaurant at the Madinat ain't bad either.
Interior Dimly lit with dark wood walls, marble floors and art deco-style paintings on the walls.
Interior The terrace is a little warm during summer, but the busy open kitchen means a table inside is always welcoming.
Food Chef Maxime Le Van's Provençal menu is a beauty. Order the cuttlefish in its own curried ink. Location The 45th floor of Grosvenor House Dubai's Tower Two offers splendid views.
Food Order the lamb chops with bubble and squeak or something from the daily changing specials board.
indego by Vineet
9
Atmosphere Indego is never going to be Dubai's busiest restaurant, but there's always a warm welcome. Interior The terrace is not an option now that summer is here, but the food is best enjoyed at a good, solid table, anyway. Food Still the most inventive Indian menu in Dubai. Location After you've had your fill, stroll over to Embassy for a post-dinner cocktail.
Location Souk Al Bahar. Still a hive of culinary activity.
Price Just under the Dhs1,000 mark for two.
Price Dhs700 (without drinks) will buy you a lovely dinner.
Price If you order sensibly, two can dine for less than Dhs500 (without drinks)
WhAt’s On sAys… Chef Maxime Le Van is a talent to watch.
WhAt’s On sAys… The Riv specialises in the kind of food people always want to eat.
WhAt’s On sAys… We haven't seen Vineet in town for a while, but we're sure he'll be back to create something special for the postsummer menu.
Embassy Grosvenor House Dubai, Tower Two, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 7.30pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3176000. grosvenorhousedubai.com
Souk Al Bahar, Level 3, Old Town, Dubai, daily noon to 7pm. Metro: Dubai Mall. Tel: (04) 4230903. rivingtongrill.ae
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Grosvenor House Dubai, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Sun to Thur 7.30pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 3176000. Metro: Dubai Marina. grosvenorhousedubai.com
tRaiteuR
10
Atmosphere A table on the terrace might prove a little warm, but Traiteur always has a healthy buzz. Interior The open kitchen and high, vaulted ceiling make Traiteur one of the city's most memorable restaurants. Food Order the roast saddle of lamb from Chef Simon Wipf's relatively new menu. Location Park Hyatt Dubai. A classic. Price Around Dhs750 for two. Not at all bad. WhAt’s On sAys… Traiteur is, without doubt, one of the best French restaurants in Dubai. Park Hyatt Dubai, Deira, Dubai, Sun to Fri 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3172222. dubai.park.hyatt.com
titanic by MaRco PieRRe white
The latest feather to be added to celebrity chefturned-restaurateur Marco Pierre White’s UAE restaurant empire boasts plush a design and an
adjacent cocktail bar. Very swish. The menu is made up of solid European brasserie classics, and we especially recommend the rib-eye steak with
escargot. Delicious. Melia Dubai, Kuwait Street, Port Rashid, Bur Dubai, Dubai, daily 7pm to 11pm, bar 7pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3868111. meliadubai.com
Fabulous Summer at the Palace This Summer relax and enjoy yourself at the iconic Emirates Palace. With so much on offer, we will let you decide how to spend your time at one of the world’s most luxurious destinations.
From… A Dine around experience Summer at the Palace beach Book a Diamond Room and enjoy a sunset cruise for free “Camel Burger” Junior chefs competition Celebrate your special day at the Palace …To a relaxing weekend at the spa, and much more!
Let us make your summer, a marvellous summer.
For our fabulous offers, please contact us: By phone on +971 (0) 2 690 7999 or email at restaurants@emiratespalace.ae (for restaurant offers) By phone on +971 (0) 2 690 8888 or email at reservations@emiratespalace.ae (for room offers)
You’ll never want to leave
emiratespalace.ae
The hoT LisT
baRs
Zuma
Mahiki
MahiKi
1
Atmosphere Very lively indeed with queues almost every night, both outside and at the bar. Expect a young, well-dressed crowd out for fun.
ZuMa
2
Atmosphere This stunning loungebar offers mingling at the front and relaxing at the back. It's super chic wherever you are.
Location Location A number of hangouts This subterannean in its ‘hood would do Tiki-themed club is bad things to nab its downstairs at the customers, but Zuma has Jumeirah Beach Hotel but a very loyal following. has its own entrance, so you don't need to leave Best For via the bright lobby. Attracting Dubai's finest, Zuma is one of the city's Best For most sophisticated bars, The infamous treasure but you'd be a fool not to chests full of cocktails, order some of the awardcheesy tunes and a good- winning food, too. time crowd guarantee sore feet the next day. Price Good times. Drinks aren’t cheap, but the quality is sky high. Price Don't leave without Go on Tuesdays, when trying the Clover Club ladies enjoy free drinks cocktail. from 9pm to midnight. WhAt’s On sAys... See you there. Zuma will be open for WhAt’s On sAys... lunch as usual through See what we thought of Ramadan, serving alcohol Mahiki's new food menu from sunset. on page 43, but we'll Building 6, DIFC, Dubai, Fri give you a hint: amazing to Wed noon to 2am, Thur truffle eggy bread... noon to 3am. Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Tel: (04) 4255660. Al Sufouh, Dubai, daily Metro: Emirates Towers. sunset to 3am. Tel: (04) zumarestaurant.com 380773. mahiki.ae
Long’s baR
Ruth’s Chris Lounge
3
Atmosphere Don't ask us why, but come Ramadan this long-standing Dubai fave is packed. Packed. Sharpen your elbows, people. Location On the old school stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road, surrounded by Bladerunner-esque skyscrapers. Best For Finding the crowds. Everyone, and we mean everyone from your boss to that weirdo you met in your first week in Dubai, will be there. Price Very reasonable, with drink deals and platefuls of pub grub at prices that won't break the bank. WhAt’s On sAys... Loud, busy and brash, Long's Bar is the place to be if you want a big night out this month. Just don't question its popularity; that's part of the fun. Towers Rotana, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, sunset to late. Tel: (04) 04 3438000. Metro: Financial Centre. rotana.com
Loca
4
Atmosphere Loca is cosy without being small, and unpretentious without being scruffy. Nice one. Location It's near Satwa, but this industrial-style Mexican restaurant-bar is well worth the trip for marina dwellers. Best For Loca is ideal for group nights out when you can dominate a long table, but couples might get jostled about a bit. You can tuck into some good grub, too. Price Average, but don’t get carried away with the ‘serve yourself’ beer taps dotted around. The bill will eventually arrive, we promise. WhAt’s On sAys... A genuinely cool bar in an unexpected spot, with some quality tunes to match from resident DJ Conan Liquid and his bag of records. Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa, Beach Road, Jumeirah, Dubai, sunset to 2am. Tel: (04) 3461111. dxbmarine.com
The finest for beverages and bites
Ruth’s chRis Lounge
5
Atmosphere As one of the marina's newest watering holes, the lounge at Ruth's Chris Steak House is full of people indulging in preand post-dinner drinks, or enjoying a lively night at the bar. Location Situated at The Address Dubai Marina, the lounge has a separate entrance, and is far from an afterthought, with its own soundtrack and vibe. Best For This place has been packed at the weekends, clearly answering marina dwellers' pleas for a new hot spot. Go for dinner, have a drink and stay for a dance. Price Check out the drink deals and nibbles from the lounge menu. WhAt’s On sAys... An unexpectedly popular bar, with big tunes and a great party feel. The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai Marina, Dubai, sunset to midnight. Tel: (04) 4549538. Metro: Dubai Marina. ruthschris.ae
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 103
Fibber Magee’s
Left Bank
Belgian Beer Café
6
7
beLgian beeR caFé
8
Mcgettigan’s
the stabLes
Atmosphere Seriously busy come Thursday night, as JLT's ever-increasing population heads to McG's to toast the weekend.
Atmosphere Despite its multiple levels and large space, The Stables manages to stay cosy, with plenty of horse racing memorabilia.
Atmosphere The new BBC at the Madinat hosts a mix of holidaymakers and Dubai-based revellers who don't want to taxi it to Festival City.
Location Taking over the building next to Fibber Magee's, it is tucked away behind Sheikh Zayed Road, with floor upon floor of restaurant and bar space.
Location While the BBC has a lovely terrace, it's just too darn hot, so retreat inside and enjoy some of that European charm.
Location Situated at the Bonnington, it has its own entrance so you don’t need to leave via the hotel. Always a bonus after a night on the Guinness. Best For A busy, friendly pub where prices are decent, the food is great and you don't have to get too dressed up if you don't fancy it. Price More than reasonable; we've been delighted with our bill on a couple of occasions. WhAt’s On sAys... Expect things to be a bit more subdued over Ramadan, but we're sure it will still be busy. Bonnington Hotel, JLT, Dubai, sunset to 3am. Tel: (04) 3560470. Metro: JLT. bonningtontower.com
hot on the heeLs 11. West Beach Bistro, Mövenpick 12. At.Mosphere, Burj Khalifa 13. Caramel DIFC 14. Armani/Privé, Armani Hotel 15. Oeno, The Westin
104 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Best For Monthly lads' nights with guest speakers, weekly ladies' nights (and free drinks on Friday afternoons) and great platefuls of comfort food. Price There are plenty of deals and the menu is very reasonably priced, too, from Dhs15 for a sarnie. WhAt’s On sAys... During Ramadan alcohol and food will be served from sunset. The Stables does a cracking roast, by the way. Off Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 8am to 3am. Tel: (04) 3425571. Metro: Emirates Towers. stablesdubai.net
Best For Beers, obviously, but there are late opening hours, knowledgeable staff and quality pub grub too. Price There are drink and dinner deals through the week, but it can be on the expensive side. Try the brunch to sample the menu on a budget. WhAt’s On sAys... Similar in design to the Festival City outpost, the tried and tested formula is a winner. Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai, daily noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 3388563. belgianbeercafe.com
15
eMbassy
9
Atmosphere Seriously busy on Tuesdays, with the rest of the week somewhat quieter. Location Embassy has taken over the top three floors of Grosvenor House's second tower, with views of the marina, The Palm and beyond. Best For Go there on Tuesdays for free drinks for the fairer sex (then take over the light-up dance floor), or check out happy hour every day from sunset.
10
FibbeR Magee’s
Atmosphere Low key and friendly, Fibber's (as it's known by its many regulars) is a proper pub, complete with slighty grubby charm. Location Something of a mystery, it's near the KFC on SZR. You might be best to call them, to be honest; they're probably experts at giving directions. Best For With screens showing the football and discount drinks during the week, there's plenty happening.
Price Drink offers aside, a night on the pop isn't cheap. It's very glam though...
Price Budget, with reasonably priced (and surprisingly good) meals, too.
WhAt’s On sAys... Dinner, drinks and dancing all in one gorgeous spot. And the people are gorgeous, too.
WhAt’s On sAys... Utterly unpretentious and seriously laid-back, Fibber's is a rare Dubai bar where you can rock up wearing jeans and feel overdressed. And for that, we salute it.
Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Mon to Wed 7pm to 2am, Thur and Fri 7pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 3176000. grosvenorhousedubai.com
Saeed Tower One, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, sunset to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 3322400. Metro: Financial Centre. fibbersdubai.com
oeno
This lofty wine bar is home to a (slightly scary) glass staircase, walls of wine and several very good themed nights. Ladies will love it there on Tuesdays,
while Wind Down Wednesdays offer unlimited vino and cheese. From budget bottles to rare vines, wine fans will love it. Westin Mina Seyahi, Dubai Marina, Dubai,
Mon to Wed 6pm to 1.30am, Thur 6pm to 2am, Fri 4pm to 2am, Sat 6pm to 1.30am. Tel: (04) 5117321. westinminaseyahi. com
The hoT LisT
bRunches
ZuMa
Traiteur
Hakkasan
Spectrum On One
1
Atmosphere Busy and fun. Zuma is modern-day dining at its best. Food Don’t fill up on the freshly prepared sushi and sashimi, as there’s a fine selection of hot a la carte dishes, too. Location Reason alone to tempt you to DIFC on a Friday, and from there Dubai is your oyster. Best for People enjoying life in the big city. This is how you brunch in style. Price Kitsu (no alcohol) Dhs315, Kowaku (with alcohol) Dhs425 and Kyasha (with bubbly) Dhs550. WhAt’s On sAys... Heading into the Ramadan break, Zuma sits top of the pile. Book now to end the season in style. Building 6, DIFC, Dubai, 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel: (04) 4255660. Metro: Financial Centre. zumarestaurant.com
the iVy
2
Atmosphere Brunchers are seated in the ‘outdoor’ (it’s indoors) area, but are given free reign of the bar.
sPectRuM on one
3
Atmosphere A great day out with the family, or a fun knees-up with friends.
Food Pick three courses, but make sure the apple pie and custard is one of them.
Food There are plenty of live cooking stations. The Indian offering is a particular favourite, as is the Eton mess (yep, it has its very own station).
Location A few months ago being in a mall worked against it, but now it makes it summer-proof.
Location Spread over an entire floor of the Fairmont, it is perfectly placed for postbrunch adventures.
Best for Having finally introduced an alcohol-inclusive brunch, it is perfect for a long lunch with a select group of friends.
Best for Ignoring that it’s 40 degrees outside.
Price With champagne Dhs550, with house beverages Dhs475, without alcohol Dhs250.
Price Dhs595 with rosé champagne, Dhs550 with champagne, Dhs395 with house beverages, Dhs295 with soft drinks.
WhAt’s On sAys... While other restaurants wind down for the summer, The Ivy is upping the ante.
WhAt’s On sAys... With no terrace or large greenhouse-like windows, it’s the perfect place to go to beat the heat.
Emirates Towers, The Boulevard, Dubai, noon to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3198767. Metro: Emirates Towers theivy.ae
Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, noon to 3pm. Tel: (04) 3118316. Metro: Emirates Towers. fairmont.com
haKKasan
4
Atmosphere The tables nestled away in nooks made from dark woods add an elegant and private feel. Food Dim sum is the name of the game here. The set menu is more than enough for the two people it is intended for. Location The Emirates Towers Boulevard is growing into a must-brunch destination – especially during the hotter months. Best for Sharing lunch with a small group of your favourite people. Price Choose from either the tea brunch (Dhs199) or unlimited bubbly and house beverages (Dhs500). WhAt’s On sAys... Cool and trendy, this slick brunch is growing in stature. Emirates Towers, The Boulevard, Dubai, noon to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3848484. Metro: Emirates Towers. hakkasan.com
Our pick of the brunch bunch
tRaiteuR
5
Atmosphere Traiteur is popular, but never rowdy. With an open kitchen buffet, jazz band and plenty of bubbly, it’s filled with effortless Gallic chic. Food Classic French brassiere favourites will remind you that you’re living the good life in the UAE. Location The calming getaway feel of the Park Hyatt Dubai makes it one of our favourite hotels. Best for Dressing up and enjoying some wonderfully prepared dishes. Price Dhs375 without booze, Dhs450 with wine and beer, Dhs595 with bubbly. WhAt’s On sAys... The lack of its wonderful terrace during the summer months hurts Traiteur, but it is still very good. Park Hyatt Dubai, Deira, Dubai, noon to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3172222. dubai.park.hyatt.com
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 107
Ruth’s Chris
Ruth’s chRis
Toro Toro
Al Qasr
6
the gRand gRiLL
7
8
aL QasR
beLgian beeR caFe
9
toRo toRo
10
Atmosphere Elegant and swish, the staff are attentive without being overbearing, and the manager knows how to work a crowd.
Atmosphere Dubai’s quintessential party brunch. There isn’t a mass of space, so it is well worth booking ahead for birthdays, etc.
Atmosphere A brunch heavyweight. Al Qasr’s three enormous rooms are guaranteed to be packed, despite the price tag.
Atmosphere A relative newcomer, it will be interesting to see how it fares without its terrace seating.
Atmosphere More grown-up lunch than rowdy brunch, with small groups of families and friends.
Food An a la carte brunch littered with the restaurant's New Orleans style menu, including steaks and grilled Cajun gambass.
Food Buckets of beer perfectly accompany plates piled high with ribs, steak and various sides and salads.
Food Our advice is, don’t eat for a week ahead of going – yes, there is that much food.
Food No buffet here, instead a seemingly endless flow of dishes from Toro Toro’s menu arrive at your table.
Location The Habtoor Grand is well placed for all the post-brunch options in Dubai Marina.
Location The best way to arrive at Al Qasr is by boat from the Madinat, so there are plenty of post-brunch options.
Food A choice of unlimited a la carte Belgian classics follow a giant bread basket, accompanied by all the beer and wine one could wish for.
Location Smack bang in the middle of the Marina – ideal for post-brunching. Best for Tucking into affordable prime cuts of American steaks. Price Dhs285 without alcohol, Dhs385 with house beverages and Dhs485 with champers. WhAt’s On sAys... It's about time Ruth's Chris jumped on the brunch bandwagon. The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai Marina, Dubai. 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel: (04) 4549538. Metro: Dubai Marina. ruthschris.ae
hot on the heeLs 11 Toshi, Grand Millenium, Tecom 12 Bubbalicious, Westin, Mina Seyahi 13 Thai Kitchen, Park Hyatt Dubai 14 JazzSumptuous, Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel 15 Mahec, Le Meridien Airport
108 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
Best for Joining in with the incorrigible waiting staff’s impromptu singing and dancing.
Best for Calling up everyone in your phone book and indulging.
Price A fairly priced brunch at just Dhs295 with alcohol, or Dhs225 without.
Price This brunch bigwig comes with the hefty price tag of Dhs525.
WhAt’s On sAys... Loud, friendly and social, brunch at The GG just zips by.
WhAt’s On sAys... A lot of people want to brunch in the summer, and Al Qasr has the space to accommodate them.
Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa, Lobby level, Dubai Marina, Dubai, 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3994221. thegrandgrill.com
Madinat Jumeirah, Al Qasr, Al Soufouh, Dubai, 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3666730. jumeirah.com
11
Location Souk Madinat Jumeriah might be a tourist hot spot, but the laidback BBC brings you right back to the real world. Best for A long and filling pub lunch for not very much money at all, considering the quality of the food. Price Dhs269 with alcohol and Dhs180 sans booze. WhAt’s On sAys... A quality brunch, for less than Dhs300, and no buffet. Win, win, win. Souk Madinat, Umm Suqeim, Dubai, 1pm to 4pm. Tel: (04) 4470227. belgianbeercafejumeirah. com
Location In Grosvenor’s newest tower, Toro Toro has cool neighbours in Buddha Bar and Embassy. Best for Sampling the outstanding menu, with hot and cold starters, chunks of skewered meat and jugs of cocktails. Price Dhs400 with beers, wines and cocktails or Dhs300 with soft drinks. WhAt’s On sAys... The summer heat will have no effect on TT. Grosvenor House Dubai Marina, Dubai, noon to 4pm. Tel: (04) 3998888. grosvenorhouse-dubai.com
toshi
Perched high above Tecom, Toshi’s evening brunch is a wonderful option for those who cannot make it on a traditional Friday afternoon.
The buffet includes specialty dishes from all across Asia including sushi, mee goreng, chicken satay, Thai green curry and plenty of fresh
tropical fruit for dessert. Grand Millennium, Dubai, Tecom, Dubai, 7pm to 10pm, Dhs215. Tel: (04) 4299999. millenniumhotels.com
The hoT LisT
sPas
One&Only Spa
Amara Spa
aMaRa sPa
1
therapists This spa has a knack of keeping great staff, so many of the therapists here have been with the hotel for years and have their own loyal following. Menu Arranged by theme, with luxurious treatments, it's best to opt for a spa day that includes access to the stunning pool. the spa From the outdoor showers to the music menu, Amara is gorgeous. It is especially good for couples, with romantic VIP suites. Price There are regular deals on the rituals and spa packages that grant you access to the pool. That pool is our happy place. WhAt’s On sAys... You'll feel a million miles away from the big city. Birds chirp there and everything. Park Hyatt Dubai, Deira, Dubai, daily 9am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 6021234. dubai. park.hyatt.com
2
one&onLy sPa
therapists Last time we had a South African masseuse, who was the most wellinformed therapist we've ever met. Superb. Menu You can enjoy a speedy, efficient massage, have a foot makeover with a medi-pedi pro or spend hours being pampered with a day-long ritual. the spa Sumptuous treatment rooms with gorgeous terracotta, wood and turquoise, and a VIP area for couples, to complete the experience. Price You can choose wisely and have a treatment for less than Dhs300, which is a bargain for a spa of this quality. WhAt’s On sAys... Granted, it's quite a drive, but that just adds to the spa destination feel. Just stay over, you know you want to... One&Only The Palm, The Palm, Dubai, daily 10am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 4401010. thepalm. oneandonlyresorts.com
RiXos sPa
The daddies of the health and leisure scene
Raffles Spa
3
therapists Very friendly and utterly expert, the team really know their stuff. Menu Covering everything you could wish for and more, with an excellent Turkish hammam. the spa Multi-leveled, with separate male and female relaxation areas, Jacuzzis, a lovely gym and views of the lawned areas. Blissful. Price With wide-ranging treatments there are therapies from the penny-pinching to the downright decadent. Stay tuned for news of a ladies' night in the hammam, too... WhAt’s On sAys... A lovely, bright spa in keeping with one of Palm Jumeirah's newest hotels. An afternoon here will make you feel like you've had a holiday. Rixos, East Crescent, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 9am to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4575555. rixos.com
RaFFLes sPa
4
therapists This highly trained team specialise in different areas, so you're sure to be treated by an expert. Menu With an emphasis on luxury, as you'd expect from Raffles, the therapies boast ingredients like caviar, gold and diamonds. Very Dubai indeed. the spa Truly five-star, there are touches of gold throughout the spa, from the relaxation lounge to the treatment rooms. Price You get what you pay for, and Raffles Spa uses products by Kerstin Florian, Aromatherapy Associates and Eve Lom. WhAt’s On sAys... If you're in the market for a facial, ask for Yande. She is as talented as she is charming. Raffles Dubai, Oud Metha, Dubai, daily 9am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 3149870. Metro: Healthcare City. raffles.com
sensasia eXPRess
5
therapists Friendly, efficient and well trained to the high SensAsia standards. Menu With shorter (and cheaper) treatments than the other SensAsia spas, this is the place to go for a massage on the move or a fast facial. the spa The sassier younger sister of the other branches, this spa is pared down with everything you need in your small but perfectly formed treatment room. Price Very reasonable indeed: Dhs155 for a back, neck and shoulder massage; mini-facials cost Dhs60 and Dhs225 for a body wrap. WhAt’s On sAys... Buy any skincare product and you'll get a free Visia skin analysis. Mall Of The Emirates, Al Barsha, Dubai, Sun to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur to Sat 10am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3549228. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. sensasiaspas.com
JULY 2012 WHAT’S ON 111
Talise Spa
taLise sPa
The Spa
6
therapists Jam-packed with experts; there’s a mix of nationalities and specialities, from massage therapists to a GP. Menu In addition to a vast spa menu, Talise also has some other cards up its sleeve, including a naturopath and medical testing. the spa A lovely setting, with treatment rooms tucked away among leafy pathways and a private pool for spa-goers. Price Not bad for such a high-end establishment. The 80-minute Royal Hammam costs a fair Dhs450. WhAt’s On sAys... The yoga classes are outstanding. Go on Saturday evenings for a relaxing close to your weekend. Al Qasr, Al Sufouh, Dubai, daily 9am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3666681. jumeirah.com/talise
hot on the heeLs 11. The Spa, The Address Dubai Mall 12. Banyan Tree Spa, Banyan Tree Al Wadi 13. Armani/Spa, Armani Hotel 14. ShuiQi Spa & Fitness, Atlantis The Palm 15. Mandara Spa, The Monarch
112 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
aRMani/sPa
Ahasees Spa
7
therapists Super sweet and they know their stuff. Menu At Armani you simply book a time slot then discuss your aches, pains and requirements with a therapist who will advise on the best treatment for you. the spa Seriously chic, with acres of grey marble. Girly it ain't. Be sure to make time for the wet facilities, including a steam room, sauna and laconium. Price A 90-minute spa sesh costs Dhs650, but it's money well spent for the quality of treatments (and products), not to mention the sheer luxury of it all. WhAt’s On sAys... The Thai massage is amazing and you'll get to wear swanky black satin Armani pyjamas. Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, daily 9am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 8883888. Metro: The Dubai Mall. dubai. armanihotels.com
8
the sPa
therapists Quiet, courteous and just the ticket if you need a soothing afternoon of expert pampering.
ahasees sPa
9
therapists Really impressive; our therapist was super sweet, very proficient and clearly loved her job.
Menu Packed with Natura Bissé products, luxurious rituals and a special gents’ menu, with rituals designed to help you relax, re-energise and more.
Menu Some nice Middle Eastern-inspired treatments, plus rituals and even specials for brides and grooms.
the spa This spa is a rabbit's warren of treatment rooms and lounges.
the spa The spa is brand new and seriously stunning; make sure you have time for a soak in the Jacuzzi, which is surrounded by fresh orchids. Blissful.
Price Mid-price, but with high-quality products and well-trained therapists on hand, the bill is justified.
Price An hour-long massage or facial will set you back around Dhs450, while a three-hour ritual costs a reasonable Dhs1,200.
WhAt’s On sAys... Treat yourself to a massage then poolside nibbles at Shades for the ultimate finish to the weekend.
WhAt’s On sAys... There's a pool and great facilities, making it perfect for a spa day. We love the music menu, too.
The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 4367777. Metro: Dubai Marina. theaddress.com
Grand Hyatt Dubai, Oud Metha, Dubai, daily 9am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3171234. Metro: Healthcare City. dubai.grand.hyatt.com
12
baLance weLLness
10
therapists Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, they are keen to share their expertise and recommend treatments. Menu Page after page, with everything from yoga classes and Ayurvedic techniques to high-tech hydrotherapy sessions. the spa Balance Wellness is a vast space with endless rooms, relaxation areas and studios. Price Because the spa isn't in a five-star hotel, costs are much more reasonable than you'd expect. WhAt’s On sAys... Check out the monthly discounts on weight loss, post-natal treatments and more. Oasis Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 6am to 9am. Tel: (04) 3847010. Metro: Business Bay. balance-wellnesscentre.com
banyan tRee sPa aL wadi
Ras Al Khaimah isn’t far, but Banyan Tree Spa Al Wadi is not exactly a place to pop for a quick massage. Fortunately the spa is huge, and it offers a full-day package,
incorporating a morning and afternoon session, including massage, lunch, rainforest experience, facial and foot massage for Dhs1,800. Better
yet, book a weekend away and enjoy the whole resort. Banyan Tree Al Wadi, RAK, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (07) 2067777. banyantree.com
Catboy hosts the Catboy & Geordiebird Breakfast Show, Sun to Thur 6am to 10am, Dubai 92. dubai92.com
BACKCHAT
WITH CATBOY
Summer blues and monkey dancing from our man on the radio, who declares this month the summer of his discontent
A
nd so it is upon us. The Dubai summer. If you believe the people who produce this magazine, or local newspaper editors, or the idiots on the radio, the Dubai summer is something to be cherished. There is a whole world of adventures, hotel deals, hidden gems and fun activities up for the taking for those who are here during the months of July and August. Only a fool would miss it, right? Do me a favour. Of the seven summers I’ve lived in the Middle East, I’ve spent
approximately five and a half of them here. It’s torture. Of course, the media at large and anyone who is forced to stay here will tell you otherwise, but they’re just making the best of a bad situation. Oftused phrases include… “The roads are great – no traffic”, “The shops are deserted”, “I’ve got the swimming pool all to myself ” and “I can get the best parking spot at the mall”. Now, all of these phrases may, at first, seem positive but consider other situations when they might occur… a zombie apocalypse, a nuclear war, the aftermath of an
alien attack, any of the natural disasters that befall players of Sim City... the list goes on. We’ve all scoffed at the newspaper headlines from our home countries when they get a bit of sun. In Great Britain, should the temperature hit about 21ºC, authorities ban hosepipes, monitor the elderly, plead with people to stay indoors and the country goes into crisis. Everyone panics; companies close and people start jumping into rivers. And every time this happens, here in Dubai we giggle over brunch and chat about how we long for a 21ºC day so we can wear our new Emu boots and that cashmere sweater we got from Harvey Nic’s during DSS. But those people back home used to be us, right? So what changed? Our bodies certainly didn’t. Evidence of this can be found by spending 15 minutes outside during a typical Dubai summer day then, later on, having to endure the pain of what I like to call a ‘monkey shower’ – whereby one jumps from foot to foot making ‘ooh ooh ah ah’ noises as each jet of water hitting the crisp skin of a sunburned shoulder feels like the rusty blade of a crosscut saw being worked back and forth by a pair of burly lumberjacks. It’s just not natural. I have lived in and travelled through
NEXT MONTH: PLAN YOUR EID ESCAPE WITH OUR PICK OF THE BEST MINI BREAKS, PLUS THE FINEST IFTARS IN TOWN AND THE TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING 114 WHAT’S ON JULY 2012
several countries around the world and I can’t think of anywhere else where seemingly lifeless objects have physically assaulted me. Take the car for instance. By the time I get home from work I have burnt fingers from the door handles, blisters from where the seatbelt’s steel fastener caught my side, griddle marks on my face from the molten metal frames of my Aviator sunglasses, cracked lips from the constant temperature changes and clothes that need a boil wash to get the sweat out. The Dubai summer is not a joy. It’s a marathon. An endurance challenge that separates the wheat from the chaff. An epic challenge of man versus the elements. The foolhardy go in blind with little or no preparation and normally end up leaving the following summer, either on a break or for good. Not us though, right? We’re prepared. We’re ready. Like the adventurers in a Ridley Scott movie travelling to the far corners of the galaxy, we know it’s going to be an unbearable journey. They overcome the passage of time by being cryogenically frozen. We numb our minds another way. And with that I am off with my friends, Jimmy McNulty, Tony Soprano, Jack Bauer, Walter White, Fisher & Sons, Don Draper and Ned Stark. See you in September.
This is summer. This is Jumeirah
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