The friends Jackie Jackson and Sherrie Mead teamed up two years ago to launch The Letteroom, an online shop selling personalised gifts and home accessories that they run from an ancient stable in the south of England.
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See the best, most eccentric and personalised spaces in the UAE and beyond, and hear from the people who designed them.
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If you're against the trend for all things spelt - "SLEEP" in the bedroom, "EAT" in the kitchen and "WASH" in the bathroom - then look away now. The Letteroom is the place to go for decorative letters and playful alphabet-themed buys in all shapes and sizes. Coat hooks, bunting, notebooks, luggage tags, cushions, plates, paperweights - there are a lot of lettered lovelies to lust after here. I've got my eye on the quirky Scrabble tile cushions. They're perfect for a spot of spelling on the sofa - and, rather pleasingly, even have the correct letter scores. I'd buy the letters S-O-F-A.
Don't miss the vintage comics range - large, three-dimensional letters made from recycled cardboard and covered with original comic pages. They're made to order, so no two are the same. You can even request a specific magazine, book or comic for a really personal gift.
Check out the colourful paper alphabet cups, which come in a box of 30 including all the letters as well as a few love hearts for romantic messages. You could use them at a party or wedding, of course, but they're cute as vases, pen pots, or just lined up on a shelf as ornaments.
There's a good selection of ceramic mugs on offer, too - everything from jolly cartoony initialled ones to chic typographic font designs. They can all be filled with chocolates for a small extra charge, which is a nice touch. If you're on a tight budget, pay a visit to the "grab a bargain" section, where discounted and end-of-line goods can be found.
There is wall art to admire before you log off. Letterpress geeks will appreciate the stylish limited-edition retro screen prints produced on an antique press using vintage woodblock type. They have simple slogans such as: 'Genius at work" and "Department of messing about". Sadly, I fear it's the latter phrase that's more appropriate for our house.
For shipping rates to the UAE, visit www.theletteroom.com or call +44 126 432 6339
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
