• Tom Arnel and Sergio Lopez, the duo behind the trendy cafe Tom & Serg in Al Quoz, are finally opening their long-awaited cafe called The Sum of Us on Sunday, April 5. The new cafe is the second venture for the team — and we don’t expect it will be the last. Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Tom and Serg about The Sum of Us in Sunday’s Arts&Life.
• The soon-to-open InterContinental Dubai Marina will give visitors exciting new options in the marina. The hotel will have nine new outlets where people can eat, drink and enjoy. Among the new eateries are Accents Restaurant & Deli (6.30am to 11pm) offering international cuisine; Ginter, a lobby area bar (noon to 2am) that will offer light bites; YNot Bar & Kitchen, a unique beverage and tapas-style waterfront restaurant; and the Marina Social Restaurant, the hotel’s signature spot. Marina Social will be led by the famed British chef Jason Atherton. Dubai foodies have been waiting a long time for Atherton’s debut restaurant in the emirate, but they’ll have to wait a little longer. The InterContinental Dubai Marina and most of the restaurants are scheduled to open in May, but Atherton’s signature restaurant won’t be ready until September.
• Burger Hood, a popular burger joint in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, has launched its first shop in Dubai. The home-grown American-style burger spot features grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. There's also a mushroom burger on the menu, along with steak sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, desserts and shakes. Burger Hood also makes its fries fresh on site, cut from American russet potatoes. Burger lovers in Dubai can find Burger Hood in Al Wasl Vita Mall, Jumeirah 1. 04 344 5599 / www.bhuae.com
• The newly opened Tribeca in the Ocean View Hotel at JBR's The Walk launches its Big Apple Brunch on Friday, April 3. The new brunch will include a range of organic dishes, an ample buffet, live cooking stations dishing up healthy bites and organic beverages — all with a relaxed New York vibe. DJs and live musicians will be on hand with music from the 80s and 90s. The brunch runs every Friday from 2pm to 6pm. Dh199+. For reservations, call 050 345 6067. tribeca.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
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
The years Ramadan fell in May
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
