Gastronomic grandeur
Our taste buds are tingling with anticipation, especially about the Gourmet Chocolate and Pastry Brunch on February 17 at the Park Rotana Abu Dhabi. The event, of course, is the fourth Gourmet Abu Dhabi, a marriage of culture and cuisine that features fine food, top vintages, five-star venues, unique dining experiences, master chefs and free masterclasses. Presented by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the 2012 edition runs from the gala opening on February 8 at the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa to the awards gala dinner on February 23 at the Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi. After January in the gym, reward yourself with 15 days of culinary bliss.
Find out more and make reservations at www.gourmetabudhabi.ae or call 02 418 1401 from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday
True and good and clean and bold
Wednesday nights will never be the same. Ruth's Chris Steak House is honouring Ernest Hemingway with a weekly celebration of the Nobel Prize-winning author's passions. Guests enjoy a signature welcome beverage, followed by a gourmet three-course meal and then a post-prandial Cuban cigar. With such dishes as Seared Ahi Tuna, Caribbean Lobster Tail, Herb Crusted Sea Bass, Fillet of Beef seared at 1,000°C, Chocolate Sin Cake and Petite Crème Brûlée among the offerings, we plan to channel our inner Papa and to ponder desire, wickedness and innocence until the wee hours. It will be good. Damned good.
The Hemingway, Dh495, Ruth's Chris Steak House, The Monarch Dubai, 04 501 8666; www.ruthschris.com/Steak-House/111126/Dubai
Let's get cracking
Now you can make a statement and breakfast at the same time. Accomplished home cooks know that Severin has a wide range of easy-to-use kitchen appliances, and this egg boiler is the perfect example. The sleek and modern gadget can boil six eggs at a time, just as you like them - soft, medium or hard - and even signals when they're ready. A matching toaster and coffee maker are also available, meaning an attractive kitchen counter and - presuming you have a willing and devoted cook - a sumptuous breakfast in bed await you.
Severin egg boiler, Dh150, available at all Juma Al Majid Home Appliances outlets in the UAE; www.severin.com
Beads and bites
What's not to like about a glittery evening of foodie fun? Back for a second run are the BBC Good Food Middle East Awards, with La Petite Maison at DIFC, Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Zuma at DIFC and Okku at The Monarch Dubai as the Restaurant of the Year finalists. After voting by the public in 21 dining and ingredients categories, the winners will be announced at a Mardis Gras-themed dinner set for February 21 at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC. Dh350 - or a bargain Dh2,000 for a table of 10 - gets you a canapé and beverage reception, a three-course meal with beverages and a VIP after-party. We're searching for our spangly mask now.
Find out more and buy tickets at http://bbcgoodfoodme.com/bbcGF/awards/
All zipped up with coins to store
Your average coin pouch is of the boringly plain variety; it doesn't alleviate the hassle of carrying heavy coins at all. These assorted fruit purses won't do much to lessen the weight of them, but they sure do look good.
Dh520 each, CH Carolina Herrera, Abu Dhabi Mall, 02 650 3867; Dubai Mall, 04 339 8132; and elsewhere
Cream dream
Calling all tea party hostesses: your milk jug can be fashionable. This "Fred & Friends" creamer is actually super hip, especially when contrasted with vintage tea sets, a silver tray and a lace doily.
Dh100, Posters, Tourist Club area, near Al Diar Capital Hotel, 02 672 4724
Yo, sushi!
iPhone covers don't get more fun than this sushi version from iMeshi. The Japanese brand does an assortment of food items, but nothing could top this ebi and toro nigiri. Be prepared for some serious stares.
Approximately Dh190, www.strapya-world.com
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
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Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
