Ramadan tents and other themed events: Things to do in the UAE this week

Enter week two of the holy month, with a calendar full of Ramadan-themed events, activities and treats. Our recommendations take in everything from family-friendly zones and art-dedicated strolls to a digital mall and garden-side tent.

Monday, March 18

Head to Yas Bay for the third iteration of its Ramadan-themed Waterfront Nights. The pop-up event includes traditional decor, an outdoor market with clothing, perfumery and homeware brands, as well as oud and qanun players. Children will enjoy a craft corner where they can learn how to create paper lanterns. Waterfront restaurants aside, food vendors will be on hand to provide luqaimat, rigag koshari and piping hot karak.

Until Eid Al Fitr; 9pm-2am; free entry; Yas Bay Waterfront, Abu Dhabi

Tuesday, March 19

The Majlis by Dubai World Trade Centre has more than 70 dishes on offer. Photo: Dubai World Trade Centre

Perk yourself up with a midweek treat by way of a visit to Dubai World Trade Centre’s famed majlis, one of the city’s longest-running Ramadan destinations. Food is the main event here, with the makeshift arena offering iftar and suhoor menus made up of close to 70 dishes. Four to try include lamb ouzi, thareed stew, luqaimat and date pudding. Live music will be on offer from 10pm to 1am during suhoor, while the shisha service starts at 9pm. Complimentary parking is available in the multistorey lot on Exhibition Street.

Until Eid Al Fitr; sunset-8.30pm (iftar), Dh95 for children, Dh215 for adults; 9pm-3am (suhoor), a la carte rate; Dubai World Trade Centre; majlis.ae

Wednesday, March 20

Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, has opened the virtual doors to the third iteration of its AR Ramadan Mall. Merging digital and physical worlds, the mall will enable users to browse intricately designed pop-up boutiques from 11 brands, including Caroline Herrera, Arabian Oud and BYD motors, all from the comfort of their homes. Snapchatters can also share products directly with friends on the platform. The mall can be accessed via the app’s organic lens explorer and carousel feature.

Until April 14; snapchat.com

Thursday, March 21

Emirati artist Abdulla Lutfi has created Ramadan-themed artwork for Margaux pastry shop. Photo: Jumeirah Mina A’Salam

If you’re looking for a themed gift hamper to carry along to an iftar or suhoor bash, consider the one put together by pastry boutique Margaux in collaboration with Emirati artist Abdulla Lutfi. Using his signature black-and-white style, Lutfi has created an eco-friendly box adorned with images of families celebrating Ramadan surrounded by lanterns, crescent moons and abras. Pastry chef Alexandre Dufeu’s creations include treats such as chocolate dates, pistachio shortbread, hazelnut cookies, rose cakes, saffron honey and apricot and raspberry marshmallows.

Until April 15; Dh690; Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Dubai; 058 601 7474

Friday, March 22

The mall is decked out with Ramadan-themed decor. Photo: Galleria Al Maryah Island

Take the family to The Galleria Al Maryah Island mall in Abu Dhabi to participate in Hag Al Laila. As part of Emirati tradition, children carry paper bags around to receive sweet treats and gifts, which is exactly what they can do on level 3 of the mall over the weekend.

On level 2 is a limited-time family playground with activities such as henna art, face-painting, Jenga, ball pit and magnetic board puzzles.

Until Sunday (Hag Al Laila); play area open until April 14; free of charge; Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi; thegalleria.ae

Saturday, March 23

Soak in some history and culture through Alserkal Avenue’s Stay a Little Longer Ramadan campaign. This includes a series of slow art walks, led by Hala El Abora (Arabic), Richi Bhatia (Hindi) and Amad Mian (English). Cinema Akil will screen R21 aka Restoring Solidarity by Mohanad Yaqubi, a film that explores the little-known anti-imperialism movement between Japan and Palestine. Elsewhere, a community library will be on site, curated by Bootleg Griot and Zerzura Rare Books, as will Ramadan Fair Trade and farmers’ markets.

Until March 31; 7pm-midnight; Alserkal Avenue, Dubai; alserkal.online

Sunday, March 24

Combine a road trip and Ramadan tent experience by heading to Fairmont Ajman Beach Resort, which has put up an outdoor canopy with water views. Al Fayruz Pearl Garden tent will also lay out iftar and suhoor spreads, with dishes such as lentil soup, vine leaves, hummus, fattoush, tabbouleh, spinach and cheese samosas, lamb ouzi, chicken biryani, butter chicken, mixed grill and lamb molokya on offer. Arabic entertainment and a shisha service will also be on hand.

Until Eid Al Fitr; sunset-8.30pm (iftar buffet), Dh189; 9pm-2am (suhoor menu), a la carte rate; Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street, Ajman; fairmont.com

10 tips for entry-level job seekers

Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

if you go

The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

Grand Slam Los Angeles results

Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos

Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha