Although the busy Eid Al Adha festivities may be behind us, there is still plenty to do, see and experience around the UAE, from a new entertainment venue to elevated shopping experiences. Here, The National rounds up things to do around the Emirates, from June 24 to 30.
Monday
If you're still recovering from the Eid weekend or a recent trip, consider the summer reset package offered by Siro One Za'abeel, a fitness and recovery-focused hotel in Dubai.
The package comes with breakfast at The Link, as well as provisions for early check-in and late checkout. A daily complimentary protein shake is also on the cards, as is 20 per cent off at all dining outlets within One Za'abeel. The USP of the package is a curated jet lag recovery programme, which includes a vibroacoustic therapy session. Vibroacoustic therapy uses audible sound waves and vibrations to create a deeply relaxing and meditative experience.
Until September; from Dh980 per night for two people; One Za'abeel Tower; sirohotels.com
Tuesday
Enjoy a midweek night out with friends at the newly opened Tiger Strikes in Dubai. The adult-focused entertainment venue features neon-lit bowling lanes, digital darts stations, funky pool tables and augmented reality cricket simulators.
Guests can order a range of bar bites and snacks, such as loaded nachos, cheesy jalapeno bites, crispy chicken wings and beef skewers.
Monday to Friday, 2pm-1am; Saturday and Sunday, noon-1am; Megaplex Dubai; dubaigolf.com
Wednesday
If you're heading down to The Galleria on Al Maryah Island for some midweek shopping, look out for G-Quest QR codes scattered across the mall to earn rewards. The codes lead to games and opportunities to earn tokens that can be used to enter a monthly draw of up to Dh10,000 in gift cards.
Guests who earn enough tokens for silver status can enter the draw for a Dh1,500 gift card; gold users have a chance to win Dh5,000; and platinum status users can win Dh10,000. Earning tokens is free.
The initiative, which is in its first phase, is the mall's attempt at further digitising the shopping experience for shoppers. More games and augmented reality experiences will be released soon.
Wednesday and Thursday, 10am-10pm; Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, 10am-midnight; Sunday and Monday, 10am-2am; Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi; sparkfabric.co/space/galleria
Thursday
Demon Duck by celebrity chef Alvin Leung at Banyan Tree Dubai offers unlimited dim sum on Thursdays.
On the Demon Dim Sum Nights menu is a blend of traditional techniques and avant-garde flair. Dishes include chicken and black truffle fun gao and Wagyu short rib gyoza. Seafood lovers can enjoy spicy Hokkaido scallop siu mai and prawn har gow. There's also duck gyoza with miso and foie gras, as well as wasabi prawn toast with tobiko and mango salsa. Vegetarian options include wild mushroom fun gao, cheese and onion puff, egg fried rice and vegetable fried noodles.
Every Thursday, 7pm-10pm; from Dh288 per person; Bluewaters Island, Dubai; 04 556 6466
Friday
Adele fans can head to Theatre by QE2 on Friday for a tribute show led by Helen Ward Jackson. The British singer is known to gracefully replicate Adele's energy on stage, from her heartfelt vocals to her performance quirks.
A live band will accompany Jackson as she belts out some of Adele's most popular tracks such as Rolling in the Deep, Skyfall and Easy On Me.
Friday and Saturday; doors open 7.30pm; from Dh99 per person; Port Rashid, Dubai; dubai.platinumlist.net
Saturday
Lace up your trainers on Saturday for a run-for-a-cause organised by the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, with Dubai Sports Council and Endurance Sports Services.
The indoor run, which raises awareness about the dangers of drug use to individuals, families and communities, is taking place at Mirdif City Centre. Three categories cover distances of 850 metres, 2.5km and 8.5km. The race is open to all age groups and skill levels; children under 12 years old can participate in a dedicated category.
Prizes will be given to the top three finishes of the 8.5km race.
Saturday, from 7am; from Dh60 per person; Mirdif City Centre, Dubai; hopasports.com
Sunday
Join a beach boot camp at Kite Beach in Dubai hosted by Longevity Wellness Hub and start the next week feeling rejuvenated. The session begins with an obstacle-style workout at 6.30am, pushing the physical limits of participants to build strength and endurance. An ice bath for recovery will follow, which is believed to improve alertness, reduce pain, decrease inflammation and promote blood circulation.
Every Sunday, from 6.30am; Dh150 per person; Kite Beach, Dubai; longevity-sports.com
The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
MATCH INFO
Everton 0
Manchester City 2 (Laporte 45 2', Jesus 90 7')
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day – 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227-4 at the close.
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Summer special
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
