All this time spent at home over the past few months has, it seems, got many people dreaming of a quiet life in the country.
If hygge made everyone want to transform their homes into a cosy Danish dream in 2018, then 2020 is the year of cottagecore.
Also known as grandmacore or farmcore, the cottagecore aesthetic is one of idyllic countryside living. Think open space, rolling fields, cosy floral interiors and, usually, livestock.
The ethos has been around for years, but the pandemic has pushed many people to crave rural living, spurred, in part, by a number of celebrities who have been living a very cottagecore lifestyle since the Covid-19 outbreak forced many around the world into lockdown.
The Hadid family, consisting of supermodel siblings Gigi, Bella and Anwar, along with mum Yolanda and partners Zayn Malik and Dua Lipa, have all spent time on the family's sprawling farm in Pennsylvania, US.
Over the past few months, they have been sharing images and videos of themselves planting trees, riding horses and feeding baby goats, as well as posing for at-home shoots for magazines such as Vogue, channelling the cottagecore aesthetic.
The Beckhams have also spent the past few months giving the world some serious cottagecore inspiration from their rural Cotswolds estate, often pictured out for long country walks with their pet dogs, making hearty meals in their huge country kitchen and even engaging in a spot of beekeeping.
David and Victoria's eldest son, Brooklyn, 21, had spent most of his time in self-isolation with his girlfriend Nicola Peltz's family in the US, but waited until his return to the UK to announce the couple's engagement, with a portrait shot of the pair embracing in a field of wildflowers – giving cottagecore fans the ultimate "goals" picture.
Harry Styles, Millie Bobby Brown, the Kardashians and Kaia Gerber are also among the celebrities to have posted some cottagecore inspiration during the pandemic.
A rise in home baking has also given this wholesome trend a boost over the past few months, with many people hunkering down in the kitchen to whip together everything from fresh bread and cakes to endless batches of banana loaf.
In essence, cottagecore is an appreciation of the simple home comforts people have spent time rediscovering, as well as a celebration of nature which, again, has been something many people have enjoyed during lockdown as they escaped their homes for a daily walk around their neighbourhood.
Even British Vogue switched up its usual cover image style in celebration of all things nature, sharing dreamy rural landscapes on the cover of its August 2020 issue.
#Cottagecore has become a growing trend on TikTok, with many people making DIY videos showing you how to give your own space a cosy makeover.
The #cottagecore hashtag will also bring up almost half a million images on Instagram, so whether you are looking for some inspiration, or just fancy getting lost in the dreamy aesthetic of cottagecore pictures, it’s a good place to start.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
