Things to do in the UAE this week: New indoor playground and free beauty masterclasses

Plus, a women's-only retreat in Abu Dhabi and performances by British boy bands in Dubai

Indoor playground Leo and Loona in Dubai Festival City Mall is for children between the ages of three and 10. Photo: Leo and Loona
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From beauty and music, to food, fitness and family-friendly launches, this week is packed with diverse events for everyone.

Here, The National rounds up seven things to do in the Emirates< from September 18 to 24.

Monday

Head to Nakheel Mall for Beauty Unbound, a three-week event showcasing 12 skincare brands and nine expert-led masterclasses.

Nars, Mac, Rituals and Korean luxury vegan brand Dear Dahlia will all be at the event, as will the Chalhoub Group's Thameen, Molton Brown, Origins, Kilian Paris, Bobbi Brown, Ex Nihilo and Skin Proud.

Make-up artist Joelle Mardinian and Huda Beauty co-founder Mona Kattan are hosting a panel discussion on Monday at 4pm, while complimentary masterclasses by Apotheca, Mac, Nova Clinic and Layla Kardan, among others, are scheduled over the next three weeks.

Until October 8; 10am-10pm on weekdays, 10am-midnight on weekends; free to attend; Palm Jumeirah; beautyunbound.nakheelmall.ae

Tuesday

Take children between the ages of three and 10 to Leo and Loona, an indoor attraction that opened in Dubai Festival City Mall this month.

The family-friendly destination spans 2,200 square metres and has more than 30 activities, with facilities such as trampolines, ball pools, soft play areas with bridges, climbing walls, pedal karts and more.

The venue also has co-working spaces for parents, themed birthday party rooms, as well as a restaurant serving American and European dishes.

Open daily; 10am-11pm from Monday to Thursday, 10am-midnight from Friday to Sunday; Dh129 per child for two hours; leoloona.ae

Wednesday

Head to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for the first Maissane Design conference.

More than 100 artisans and craftspeople from all over the world will showcase their creations, such as tableware, upholstery, lighting and all things interior design.

It is a good platform to stay on top of design trends, as well as know more about local and artisanal brands to support.

Until Friday; 10am-6.30pm; free to attend; Adnec, Abu Dhabi; maissane-design.fr

Thursday

Sign up for a professional stretching session at the newly opened Dr.stretch studio inside Shams Boutik, Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. It is the first Middle East outpost of the popular Japanese brand known for its one-on-one assisted stretching technique, which can access certain muscles of the body that are not within one's own reach.

The method fuses dynamic movements, rhythmic vibrations and a targeted range of motion techniques to achieve deep muscle stretching – making it apt for athletes and those with back pain or stiffness.

Open daily; 10am-10pm; from Dh280 per session; Al Reem Island; 02 643 5300

Friday

Head to The Agenda on Friday to relive the 1990s boy band era with British pop groups A1 and 911.

A1, the members of which are Ben Adams, Mark Read, Christian Ingebrigtsen and Paul Marazzi, has sold more than 10 million records worldwide, and is known for hits such as Caught in the Middle and Same Old Brand New You. They will be joined by multi-platinum ensemble 911, made up of Lee Brennan, Jimmy Constable and Simon "Spike" Dawbarn. Expect songs such as There It Is, Moving On and A Little Bit More.

Friday; 7.30pm; from Dh100; Dubai Media City; dubai.platinumlist.net

Saturday

Monthly music pop-up Vinyl Souk DXB is taking place at the courtyard of 25hours Hotel One Central on Saturday.

Designed for passionate record collectors, the event also includes performances by artists such as DJ Patchoulee, Ahmed A and Australian multidisciplinary artist and headliner MzRizk.

Vendors such as Raw Music Store and Analog The Room are on site, where visitors can shop records and other vinyl essentials, followed by an after-party at Monkey Bar.

Saturday; from 4pm; free to attend; Trade Centre 2, Dubai; instagram.com/vinylsoukdxb

Sunday

Join the ladies-only Reset Retreat Day at West Bay Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The day-long affair is packed with activities starting with an oceanside meditation session in the morning, followed by a painting workshop, talks on emotional intelligence and the practice of manifestation.

Sunday; 9.30am-4pm; Dh650 including Dh100 worth of food and drinks; designanddine.ae

Updated: September 18, 2023, 3:58 AM