Puppy parties, black truffles and women-only supercar clubs were the focus of the third and final instalment of the BBC documentary Inside Dubai: Playground of the Rich, which was shown in the UK on Monday night.
The three-part series has ruffled more than a few feathers since it was first broadcast earlier this month, with many accusing the show’s producers of portraying a “one-sided” and “out-of-date” view of the city.
Episode 3 continued the show’s theme of introducing us to some of the city’s most successful and wealthy residents, and offering a glimpse behind the curtains at their lavish lifestyles.
We met Italian resident Massimo Vidoni, aka “the truffleman”, who keeps Dubai’s top restaurants supplied with black truffle, imported fresh from France, and his own brand of caviar.
“I dream truffle, I talk truffle, I eat truffle – I am almost a truffle myself,” he jokes, as he delivers his daily loot across the city, worth £27,000 (Dh135,000).
We also see him preparing morning scrambled eggs for his young daughter before she heads off for school, topped with a generous shaving of black truffle, naturally.
We are also introduced to Shaheen Debenedictis, doggy party planner and owner of Shampooch UAE, who is throwing a birthday celebration for Bonnie the Yorkshire terrier, complete with human-grade food, carrot cookies and little lattes.
Bonnie is turning 2, and has invited a few pals to come and celebrate the occasion.
Elsewhere, we meet Chris Wright, owner of Dubai events company Secret Parties, who discussed his plans for the “world’s most expensive brunch”, as well as Gargash Hospital chief executive Ghada Sawalmah, a member of the first all-women supercar club, Arabian Gazelles.
Sawalmah, who was referred to as "Gaga" on the show, takes us along on an outing with the Gazelles, with dozens of supercars taking a drive to the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah.
“Global warming is amazing. We end up having snow up there nowadays,” she says from behind the wheel of her £200,000 limited-edition matte green Mercedes AMG.
As with previous weeks, the social media reaction to the show has been far from kind.
“A lady called Gaga really said ... ’global warming is amazing, we have snow on the mountains’ whilst her and her friends drive supercars,” Twitter user Patel Bros wrote.
Another said: “An hour of gluttony, gaudiness and narcissism.”
Many were quick to point out, yet again, that the show did not represent Dubai in its true light.
“Making a judgement on Dubai by watching #insidedubai is like watching #thecrown and thinking everyone in England is the same,” wrote Lee Ryan. “You couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“Can't help but feel this programme isn't doing Dubai justice at all. These self-centred influencers are everywhere not just in Dubai. It's a beautiful place to visit. Incredible architecture, nightlife and attractions,” another Twitter user wrote.
The sentiment was shared by one of the show’s subjects this week, an art collector named Charles, 65.
“Dubai offers much more than just tall buildings and golden Lamborghinis,” he said, despite the narrator’s comments that the city is “lacking in cultural pedigree”.
“I think Dubai can help make your dreams come true, but it’s a mistake to come here thinking everyone’s super-rich and you will be too,” said Twitter user Anna Kent. “It’s just not like that for the vast majority of people.”
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MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
