"At the turn of the 20th century, Havana became the place to be for the rich and famous. Just like Dubai." That's how new Cuban bar Havana Social Club, which just opened its doors at Caesars Bluewaters Dubai, announced itself on Instagram a few weeks ago.
The bar recreates the atmosphere from 1920s Cuba, when Americans would fly to its capital city to take a break from prohibition-era US. Latin tunes, a range of cocktails and mocktails, as well as Cuban cigars are on the menu. You'll also find South American and Caribbean-inspired bites, from yucca and plantain chips to empanadas and ceviche, as well as more fusion dishes, such as wagyu beef chorizo sliders, oven-baked vaca samosas and frozen caramel banana pops.
Also on the agenda is plenty of entertainment. Every Wednesday, there's Noche de Ron, which features live music, singers and dancers, as well as unlimited beverages and two bar bites between 7pm and 9pm, for Dh175 per person.
Every Thursday, Havana Social Club runs a ladies' night, offering free drinks for ladies between 8pm and 11pm.
The bar-restaurant joins the bevvy of other food and beverage outlets that have opened over the past few months at Caesars Bluewaters Dubai. This includes Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, Zhen Wei Dim Sum & Pan Asian Cuisine, Laurel Bar, Cleo's Table and Bacchanal. Paru, which boasts a contemporary Japanese menu, as well as fabulous rooftop views, also recently opened.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
