There is more to the Abu Dhabi Formula One than the big race and concerts.
The event has its share of glamour courtesy of its exclusive Flash VIP Lounge, which is located in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and organised by the UAE-based events company Lumin. Music artists and celebrities are invited to attend the room and stock up on the latest high-tech and designer products from leading brands.
Guests who visited the lounge this time include the Baywatch star David Hasselhoff and the R&B star Sean Kingston.
The Lebanese singer Elissa also made a late visit on Thursday night, fresh from her performance at the du Arena.
The lounge’s theme is Middle East meets West, says the manager Katherine Raso.
There are 10 stands by select retailers including the watch brand Police, cosmetic demonstrations by Make Up Forever, designer bags by Alfa Romeo and evening gowns by Lipsy London. Local fashion houses are also in the limelight, with the Bil Arabi jewellery designer Nadine Kanso creating custom-made items for each guest. Spa treatments from One & Only Resorts and Atlantis The Palm are also available.
“We wanted to give all the artists a memento and something to remember from the time spent here,” Raso says.
Preparations for the VIP Lounge began as far back as five months ago with Raso and her team seeking out the appropriate names to be included in this year’s events. Exhibiting brands get to tap into the Arab market by having local and regional celebrities exhibiting their items during high- profile events.
“Arab artists are huge in the region and they don’t know how to get to them,” Raso explains. “This is an opportunity for them to meet and make the connection and build those relationships.”
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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