It's St Valentine's Day today and - even though it's last-minute - I want to do something special. Rather than go out, I want to create a warm, sensuous ambience at home. How can I avoid the usual clichés, do something that I can organise easily at such short notice, and still make sure that it's romantic? St Valentine's Day is, of course, overloaded with clichés, whatever you choose to do. But there is a lot of romance and fun hidden amongst all of that - it's just a question of knowing where to find it and how to make it your own.
St Valentine's Day is, of course, overloaded with clichés, whatever you choose to do. But there is a lot of romance and fun hidden amongst all of that - it's just a question of knowing where to find it and how to make it your own. Having a night in together at home, away from the crowds, can be one of the most romantic things you can do - and you can easily change the mood of your usual living space to make it intimate and welcoming. Candlelight sounds like a cliché but it's an essential. Fill your living room with soft, flickering light. White candles have the most sophisticated look. Vary the size and formations - from tea lights to traditional dinner candles to church- pillar styles - and mix and match holders, to range from twinkly Moroccan glasses to slender glass stems, throughout the room to give an intimate and elegant look.
The key is getting the number right - too many and you'll risk ruining the romantic atmosphere; too few and you won't know where your Valentine is for the evening! Scatter them everywhere, not just on tabletops. Placing them at different levels creates a wonderful effect: put them on bookshelves high and low, mantelpieces, on side tables as well as the dining table. And don't confine them to the living or dining areas - the atmosphere should continue throughout, so keep lighting subdued and place candles in the hallways and bathrooms, too.
Red roses seem a little obvious, so why not go for arrangements of elegant, fresh-cut lilies in clear glass vases - either Stargazers or the simple white or pink kind, which will lend a sensuous fragrance to the room too. Ideally you would order them in advance from your florist so they that are open in time for your special day, but just choose stems that have slightly open blooms and place them near some fruit until this evening, which will encourage them to open faster. And don't forget to pull out the pesky stamens, as they tend to stain. Lilies have great staying power and you'll have a beautifully scented room for days to come.
Creating a meal together is a great way to spend the evening. Dig out a favourite recipe that you know you both love, purchase all the ingredients beforehand and get creative. The table setting is important - but don't go overboard (an all-red or pink theme is just too much). A simple white tablecloth decorated properly will be much more effective. Rose petals scattered among the table settings and red ribbons tied around the cutlery and napkins will add an elegant touch of detail. A single rose bud - and it could be white or pink, rather than red - with the stem wrapped in a red ribbon, placed on the place setting would be sweet and romantic. And don't forget to load up your iPod with all your favourite songs. Keep these playing in the background throughout the evening to bring back memories of shared experiences.
Once the main course is over, why not enjoy dessert away from the table? Move some of the furniture around to create a cosy, casual and relaxed picnic area on your living room floor, with a soft blanket and a few pillows and cushions scattered around. Serve dessert - heart-shaped or otherwise - on big plates with rose petals scattered around the edge, or try sugar-crystallised petals as a fun (and edible) alternative.
Emily Davies was talking to Catherine Synodinos and Tasneem Alibhai of Artaaj Events and Promotions, Dubai. www.artaaj.com
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.
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO
Argentina 47 (Tries: Sanchez, Tuculet (2), Mallia (2), De La Fuente, Bertranou; Cons: Sanchez 5, Urdapilleta)
United States 17 (Tries: Scully (2), Lasike; Cons: MacGinty)
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
