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These are our favourite things in the UAE right now…
Shopping for resortwear I never knew I needed at… Sand Dollar Dubai
I love an online shopping session as much as the next person, but I’m quite traditional in my love of the in real life store experience of being able to try things on. So, I was delighted when Sand Dollar opened their first flagship boutique this week. Now open in Arjan, the store stocks all of the brilliant brands you’ll find on their e-commerce site – like Melissa Odabash, Love Shack Fancy and Never Fully Dressed. And as well as being able to try on, the store also comes with the added bonus of an in-store stylist, coffee bar and adjacent blow-dry bar. – Alice Holtham, Group Editor
Packing for weekends away thanks to… Embossed
I love everything in my life to be personalised. I just think giving a bespoke touch to anything makes it that bit more special, especially when it comes to travel and accessories. I’ve recently discovered Embossed, and although the brand is relatively new, their concise current line of pieces is a collection I need to have. Available in tan and black saffiano leather, they personalise vanity cases, travel pouches and cosmetics bags, with more flight essentials launching soon. – Alice Holtham, Group Editor
Uncovering unexpected burger royalty at… Orfali Bros
I’ve been eating a lot of burgers recently partly for a work thing we’re working on, but also because burgers are my only political affiliation. They’re a hobby, a passion, a life-long commitment and everlong muse. And every so often, in the lives of us soldiers of the sandwiched meat, you come across a nugget of such pure blinding brilliance it flips your very soul. That happened this week at Orfali Bros. Found amongst a menu of uncontrived genius, it would be easy to dismiss the burger as a simple side note… but you’d be missing out on a mega bite of symphonic simplicity. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor, What’s On Dubai
Being genuinely astonished at how good an actor John Cena is in… Peacemaker
Peacemaker is probably the best bit of TV I’ve seen this year. It’s my treadmill jog watch (shhh I have burger calories I need to make room for) and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nearly fallen off the afore mentioned treadmill track from laughing too hard. It’s James Gunn material so its an atomic clock in terms of dependability. John Cena is immaculate as a roided-up, bully-tendencied, beard-shaming anti-hero. You can watch it on OSN+ (Dhs35 per month, available on most smart devices, and because you can download episodes straight to your phone, you can crack on the gym without any need for WiFi). – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor, What’s On Dubai
Starting the day the right way with… breakfast at the Mercure Barsha Heights’ essential yet elaborate platter of breakfast must-haves
Fresh fruit/salad bar, croissants, cheese boards and classic porridge, as well as two egg dishes every morning will have you powered and ready to crush your goals. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi
Getting stuck into… Don’t they know it’s Friday (Cross Cultural Considerations for Business and Life in the Gulf)
I Received this as a gift last week from a new friend I made. A fun, yet informative read for anyone moving, planning to move, or just looking to get the best out of their time in Dubai and in the region. I’m looking forward to finishing it. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi
Get it on amazon.ae
Taking time out of my weekend to go thrift shopping at… Times Square Center
There’s a couple of reasons why I dislike shopping, but when a friend took me thrift shopping a few weeks ago, I found it rather exciting. We headed to Times Square Centre for the weekend market and I walked out with a couple of clothes from brands I would have never shopped from before, books and more – all in under Dhs100. And of course, I plan on returning soon, and this time I’m going prepared with mental determination, walking shoes, a tote bag, and plenty of time. – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter
Straying away from my usual order and enjoying the SubMelts from… Subway
In the same way people can be quite stringent with their Starbucks orders, I’m quite rigid with my Subway sandwich. It’s honestly nothing special – chicken tikka with cheese, lettuce, onions and olives with chipotle sauce and honey mustard. But the sub shop now has Submelts and we at What’s On HQ were treated to try them out. And safe to say my usual order now has competition as I really enjoyed the dynamite chicken – a sub stuffed with a chicken, a kick of jalapeños and cheese. Slurp. The only thing I missed was the parmesan oregano bread… – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter
Falling in love with the magical Greek island of…Mykonos
During the Eid break, I was lucky enough to escape Dubai’s humidity and land on the dreamy Cycladic Island of Mykonos. Five-year-old in-tow, I did have a moment of “are we really taking a family trip to the Greek isle renowned for its thumping hedonistic nightlife peak season?”, but I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. Although it’s likely to always attract sun-seeking clubbers, the island has a different side, a laidback loveliness that makes it perfectly prepped for families and other kinds of pleasure-seekers. If the island happens to be in your summer plans, you can pass by your favourite Dubai restaurants too including La Cantine du Faubourg and Zuma. La Cantine is located on the beautiful family-friendly beach Ornos – perfect for a sunset meal (order the yellowtail ceviche, truffle flatbread, and profiteroles to finish). While Zuma Mykonos is the ideal place to take in the views and vibes with a pool day like no other. There’s a stunning infinity pool, floating loungers, live DJ, and supervised children’s play area complete with the cutest mini loungers. Stay tuned for a full family-friendly Mykonos guide. – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter
@zumamykonosofficial
@lacantinemykonos
Beating the holiday blues with the summery menu at…Flamingo Room
If there’s one place to go in Dubai for a girlie lunch with a slice of holiday vibes, it’s Jumeirah al Naseem’s Flamingo Room. Just two days ago I was laying on the beautiful beaches of Mykonos, cooling down with dips in the crystal-clear Aegean Sea, rosé in hand (and eating my body weight in frozen Greek yogurt). So, it’s fair to say that returning back to the office yesterday hit hard, and a lunch date at Flamingo Room was the perfect way to beat the back to work blues. Order the butternut carpaccio for a refreshing start to the meal where flavours of smokiness from the charred butternut slices are perfectly paired with the acidity from the lemon vinaigrette dressing. For mains, we ordered the sweet corn and burrata ravioli served with shavings of fresh truffle – and would do so again (and again). Light and summery dishes made with flavour-packed ingredients are complemented by stunning interiors including marble floors, floral light installations, and a pretty blush pink colour palette combined with pops of punchy zebra print. One for your Dubai summer to-dine lists. – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter
Enjoying sand on my feet and the moon in my face at… Kite Beach
I am a self-confessed beach lover, although I never get to go as much as I’d like – this last week thanks to very minimal coaxing and spontaneous date nights I made it to the beach twice. Granted that’s not a big number, but one that I am still very grateful for. The best part is that the night beaches are in full swing which means: The sun goes down, the stars come out and the humidity dissipates. The water has been a gorgeous temperature and I must say the weather has been quite forgiving lately *knocks on wood.* – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter
Picking up milk and eggs at a drive-thru with our Group Editor at.. Rumailah Farm
When I agreed to work through the Eid Al Adha break, I thought it would be a quiet time to catch up on my emails, file some work for the following week and have the time to do the things I don’t get round to in a normal day at the office. What I didn’t bank on however, was a round trip with Alice, our Group Editor, for milkshakes and a quick grocery shop at a drive thru. Rumailah Farm’s has opened up their first drive-thru in Dubai and you can quite literally drive in, pick up half a dozen eggs and two litres of milk and drive out. Naturally we did for the content, but it also meant we had delicious milkshakes at the office. – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter
Getting last minute groceries delivered with… Noon Minutes
I recently discovered Noon Minutes (late to everything as usual) and it’s such a lifesaver. Noon Minutes delivers your essential grocery needs in 15 to 20 minutes and is so convenient when you need something last minute. It’s simple, reliable and highly useful during emergencies. – Mabel Elizabeth, Editorial Intern
Satisfying the midday snack cravings with…Misfits
In the hunt for the close-to-perfect protein bar, I’ve had a couple of bad experiences with chalky carboard-esque protein bars in the past. So, I was skeptical purchasing Misfits when I laid eyes on it at Spinneys last week. Surprisingly, the pretty packaging is worth the money- they’ve got some nice flavours and have 15g of protein per bar. My favourite so far is the chocolate hazelnut. – Mabel Elizabeth, Editorial Intern
Dining and dancing the night away at…Hotel Cartagena
Hotel Cartagena is a love letter to Latin America, and to the joy of delicious delicacies that sit and watch as you forge soul-repairing friendships with new people. It sits atop the JW Marriott Marquis in Business Bay, flaunting a spectacular view to end all views, which our table was in perfect vantage point of. The food is hearty, the staff are absolute darlings (shoutout to the lovely Latin dancers who shimmied in solidarity with me) and the ambiance is just right – slick, suave and draped in tasteful Latin American touches. My personal recommendation: the tres leches cake. I dream about that stuff. – Manaal Fatimah, Editorial Intern
Aggravating my chronic binge-watching with…Bloodhounds
The newest offering from Netflix’s K-Drama realm is Bloodhounds, a seven-part series about a pair of good-natured boxers who get pulled into a nasty moneylending scheme. It has all the typical ingredients of a solid crime-action saga: a scum-of-the-earth loan shark, a benevolent patron with mysterious fistfuls of money and fighting. Lots of it. I watched the entire thing in two days and loved every second of it. It’s edgy, it’s fast and the coolness of it all makes you wonder what you’d look like with your hands in a set of boxing gloves, pulled up to knock someone out. I will not be attempting to verify that. – Manaal Fatimah, Editorial Intern
Watch it on @netflixmena
Images: Instagram/ Unsplash
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