After I saw La La Land, I practically twirled my way out of the cinema, much to my husband’s chagrin. I shuffle-ball-changed while I was making dinner, and executed some lovely arabesques while making the bed. The next day, stuck in traffic on Airport Road, I had fantasies of starting a flash mob that would break into a spontaneous ballet across the bonnets of the cars.
Wouldn’t life be better if it were a musical? Think how much fun it would be if we could lope along snapping our fingers like cast members from West Side Story, or sashay through a sandstorm like Gene Kelly through the rain, in Singin’ in the Rain, or if those dull work meetings occasionally became rollicking Bollywood ensemble pieces?
As always with a successful film, there have been criticisms. Some have pointed out that Ryan Gosling’s character is a bit of a “mansplainer”, constantly instructing Emma Stone’s about the finer points of music and romance. Others have asked why a white guy (Gosling) is portrayed as the saviour of jazz, a form inextricably connected to the history of African-Americans. And others have observed that neither Gosling nor Stone have great singing voices. I liked that they weren’t expert singers, however, because it made it seem more real, as if they were ordinary (albeit beautiful) people who occasionally burst into song.
Seb, the aspiring jazz pianist played by Gosling, wants to open a jazz club because he thinks that people will learn to love jazz if they can see the musicians improvising and responding to one another in real time. By the conclusion of the movie, Seb has renovated a dilapidated old club and filled it with musicians – as well as with paying customers, who seem to be enjoying the music.
The movie pays homage to the American musicals of the mid-20th century, but I got another message, as well: the need for cities to make sure that the arts become an integral part of their urban fabric. Dilapidated buildings lead to dilapidated neighbourhoods, which aren’t necessarily improved by just knocking down the old structures. When Seb revitalises the old club, the neighbourhood perks up too. I sometimes imagine that Damien Chazelle, the director, has read Richard Florida’s influential book, The Rise of the Creative Class, in which Florida posits that successful 21st century cities will be those that help the arts and innovation to thrive.
It may seem like a leap to go from La La Land to Abu Dhabi, but think about the great atmosphere that surrounded the opening of Warehouse421 last year, with the funky “pop-up” shops featuring the work of local artists and artisans. People from the entire Abu Dhabi community were there, mingling and exploring, and taking in the scene – it would’ve been a great moment for a song-and-dance extravaganza.
There is a new exhibit at the gallery now, and the night I was there, the place was packed with people, but when they walked out of the gallery, they didn’t have anywhere to go. I had hoped that the entire area would have become a permanent arts enclave, where one night you’d hear an evening of songs based on those of the pearl fishermen, staged near the old dhows, and the next night you’d come to listen to an open-air reading of Nabati poetry in the plaza by the gallery. When events of this sort happen at New York University Abu Dhabi, the community turns out in droves, as if they are eager for the sense of connection that the arts can provide.
At night, as you leave Warehouse421 and drive through Mina Zayed, you can catch a glimpse of the Louvre’s roof, a starry curve that heralds the arrival of another art-related endeavour. I love the gleam of that roof and although I am eager to see what treasures will be housed beneath it, I am more interested in what impact the museum will have on the city’s cultural scene. Will only tourists frequent those pristine galleries, or will the museum be like Seb’s jazz club, revitalising and educating an entire neighbourhood?
Deborah Lindsay Williams is a professor of literature at NYU Abu Dhabi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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BRIEF SCORES
England 228-7, 50 overs
N Sciver 51; J Goswami 3-23
India 219, 48.4 overs
P Raut 86, H Kaur 51; A Shrubsole 6-46
England won by nine runs
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900