Born on the Amalfi Coast, the founder of the famed Café Milano sits on the board of various charities, and was presented with the Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana by the president of Italy. He regularly welcomes heads of state, high-profile politicians and celebrities to his restaurant in Washington, and opened the only international branch of Café Milano in Abu Dhabi last year.
If you could wake up anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you be?
I was born on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and I really love my home town. I would like to wake up there.
Your perfect meal: where are you, whom are you with and what are you eating?
I love to eat at home. The idea behind Café Milano was always to create that feeling of home. I like to entertain my friends at home, because then I can dedicate myself to my guests, without being distracted by anything else around me. The food has to be simple, but great. It is about knowing your guests and what they like. I have some friends who only want to eat pasta; others who only want grilled fish. It's about catering to them. Life is not about me. Even when it comes to the business, I don't really care how much money we are going to make. The point is: how do we entertain people? Can we make a difference to their experience?
Are you a collector?
I collect ties and watches. I really like watches. They are very personal. Every day, what you wear depends on what you are doing and where you are going – are you going shopping, to a meeting, to the office? Is it raining, is it snowing, is it sunny? Based on that, you create an image in your mind of what you are going to look like. Your watch is part of that.
How would you describe your style?
You should be stylish based on your everyday needs – there should be flexibility. Since I was a kid, I've always been very picky, even down to my socks. My father used to say: 'I don't understand, why would you be so fussy about your socks, Who's going to see them?' And I'd say: 'Father, I'll see them.' I dress for myself, not for others. And I think that's the way it should be. You also have to have a passion for details, I think – although I am not quite sure if that's a great thing, or a curse.
Where do you like to shop?
For clothes, I like Prada and I like Zegna.
What does your dream home look like?
I'm really happy with my home in Washington. It's a very old home, but it's right in the middle of the city and it has pretty much everything that we need. There's a great, very big garden and we grow all our own vegetables there. And we have a greenhouse for the winter. There is a pool that I have probably never used, because I spend my summers in Italy, but it's heated just in case we want a winter dip. I also really like my home in Italy, on the Amalfi Coast.
Is there anywhere you haven't travelled to, but would like to?
I've never been to the Seychelles.
Where is your next holiday destination?
I have nothing booked because I've just spent three months in Italy, travelling around. In the summer, I entertain my guests in Italy.
What three things do you always take with you when you travel?
A watch, for sure. It will, of course, depend on where I'm going, but also a pair of jeans and a suit.
Café Milano in Washington will celebrate its 25th anniversary in November. What is the secret to the restaurant's success?
Our philosophy is to understand our guests. In a city where you have a lot of people from different political parties, you need to understand who is who. When we first opened we had The Washington Post constantly asking us: 'Who came? What did they eat? Who paid the cheque?' We never said anything. We make people feel comfortable; we accommodate them. You know, in the US, a lot of business gets done on the golf course. But I've always felt that going to a restaurant is about more than just food – although the food does need to be great. It's a very special thing to be able to bring people together around the same table.
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MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
SPEC SHEET
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Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Mobile phone packages comparison
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
